voice | rabbit 4

[redprayer]

[Sometime after breakfast on the fourth day of Rabbit, a voice message plays over the network.]

Hello. My apologies if I am interrupting anyone in the midst of something important. Some of you may already know me, but for those who do not, my name is Rezo, and I have a favor to ask of you.

In my own world I devoted much of my time to researching magic and since being recruited by the train I have heard a few things about the abilities that some of you have. While it seems magic, or some concept thereof, is quite common among the various worlds, the way it works and the extent of what a person can do varies considerably.

I confess I have found myself rather curious about all this. Thus, if any of you are willing to speak with me about your own abilities and the magic systems that you have experience with, I would appreciate it if you would contact me. I will be staying near the ICP in the standard coach for much of today, if you would prefer to speak in person.

Of course, I understand that some of you may wonder what is in this for you. Worry not. I have rewards prepared for anyone who is willing to indulge my curiosity, and I shall compensate you accordingly.

[[ooc: since lore dumping and technical talk isn't necessarily everyone's jam feel free to do some handwaving if you think your character would respond to Rezo's request but you don't feel up to going into/making up a bunch of weird details.

and if you're wondering what the reward will be, it's a sticker.]]

Comments

[unrecovered]

[Oh, he recognizes this play. Rezo's not going to rise to anything Wash says; he's going to act meek and make Wash look unhinged by comparison.]

[(To be fair, there are days when Wash manages that just fine on his own without anyone's help. He's trying to make sure today isn't one of them.)]

[But the tone has shifted, and Wash shifts tactics with it. He drops the sarcasm and instead goes for steady and pointed. Nice apology; he doesn't think it's real.]

You know what? Fine. I can't read your mind.

[He gives that a beat to sink in, before:]

But I can read your body language.

[It's a necessary skill when your entire social circle wears face-covering armor nearly all of the time.]

I've been in enough combat situations to know when people are frozen, or indecisive, or panicking, or just can't get a read on the situation. You were none of those things. You watched me fight with your chin in your hands like it was a goddamn pay-per-view special. That's not someone who can't read the room; that's someone who made a choice. You didn't fail to act on time; you chose to watch me fight for my life, and you only changed your mind when I called you on it.

I don't think your apology is sincere, and I don't think you're being up front as to why you're gathering information. But hey, if people want to talk to you, they can - I'm not going to stop them. I just want to make sure they know that that if you see them in crisis, your first reaction will not be empathy.

[It's an indictment, and it's a crapshoot. Wash hasn't been here long enough to really have people in his corner, and the people he does know keep leaving (and god does he ever miss Yondu right about now). It's his word against Rezo's for something that nobody else witnessed, and if Rezo is well-liked enough, this could backfire on him pretty badly.]

[But if Rezo is up to something - and he can't lay this call for information on top of the way Rezo treated him on Ciyesia without thinking that he is - then it's his responsibility to head it off at the pass. He's been on the receiving end of too many betrayals to just ignore one potentially forming right in front of him.]

[redprayer]

[The man may be pointedly unhelpful, but he’s not a fool. Washington can apparently recognize insincerity, and Rezo, meanwhile, can recognize when somebody is dramatically pacing their words in order to make a point. (Considering he does it often enough himself...)

He does attempt to interrupt that beat:]

A-

[-But does not succeed. Washington’s callout is, well, out and there’s very little Rezo can say that wouldn’t undermine the civility that he’s settled on for his tactic.]

I see. It is a shame that you feel that way, but I suppose if you’re dissatisfied with my words there is little else I can offer you.

Is there anything else you need to say?

[Also, what the fuck is a pay-per-view special.]