the name's greed (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
nestingdevil) wrote2014-11-10 09:21 pm
nestingdevil) wrote2014-11-10 09:21 pm
(no subject)
WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, avaricious. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 012.07.333.07 *** avaricious has joined 018.07.154.55 <avaricious> ithsihoitiwrks ? <BANNED USER> SCREENED MESSAGE. UNSCREEN? Y/N -- <avaricious>thdvllsnst <avaricious> vdndrere | ||||
CONTACTS
0.0.0.0 ♦ "MASON" | Heather
TEXT ABOUT THEM GOES HERE.
0.0.0.0 ♦ STOCKE
TEXT ABOUT THEM GOES HERE.
0.0.0.0 ♦ AOBA
TEXT ABOUT THEM GOES HERE.
0.0.0.0 ♦ "JUSTINE"
TEXT ABOUT THEM GOES HERE.
0.0.0.0 ♦ KILLUA
TEXT ABOUT THEM GOES HERE.
0.0.0.0 ♦ ZOLF J. KIMBLEY
TEXT ABOUT THEM GOES HERE.
0.0.0.0 ♦ EDWARD ELRIC
TEXT ABOUT THEM GOES HERE.
0.0.0.0 ♦ "XANDER" | SANDRATH
TEXT ABOUT THEM GOES HERE.
<avaricious>
<65706>
Rather you tell me or not is entirely up to you. However, if you do, you might have some help toward that goal.
<avaricious>
hed to vdandre's southside nd we'll sseeewht we can do hmn ?
<65706>
But I would like to offer you an alliance. If the rumors are true, the reason for your attack is preservation. However, there is another group that plans to overthrow the city in a much more violent manner. If this happens, it could easily unite the other cities against all monsters, and result in increased danger everywhere else. Having the entire monster population move isn't an option, especially if we focus on quality of life and not just survival. Vandere will be the only safe port and only temporary.
Work with me instead. Agree to offer protection against the upcoming attack. In exchange, I will work to get a monster on the council and assure the Devil's Nest is never harmed. From there, we can work together to decrease tensions in Vandere.
<avaricious> 1/2
[It takes a bit for the message to come through, but as soon as it does, the sound on the other side is smokey; like that of a cigar lounge missing its intended target. However, even that stillness doesn't last. A sharp tck clicks through and as the receiver sputters, what comes on the other side is nothing short of an audible, dry-laced grin.]
That's not really how it works, friend. [Greed's close. Too close. The purr in the back of his throat rolls as heavy as a furnace. It pops and growls; vibrates and hushes. He taps his claw again along plastic, making the device pick-pick-pick in the background.] Like you said though, the rumors can't really be stopped. But don't mistake me for something I'm just not.
[Talk isn't cheap, but Vandare's underworld has been a bit more giving in recent weeks. He's heard aboutthe others - a band of monsters with a military intent on giving the city a run for its money. It's never suited him, nor does the idea of complete law and order bode as a better option. Something chimes on the feed, breaking the thought.] I'm not interested in killing anyone I don't have to - the name's Greed, after all. Even I have some standards.
This other group though - [His voice trails off - as slick and sly as the devil at a poker game. Greed pulls away from the recording.] - you aren't wrong. Word has it they plan to take over, even if others have a different idea. First thing's first though -
[Abruptly, the recording cuts out. Until:]
<avaricious> 2/2
[Again, he's close. Enough so that his snapping teeth echo on the line:]
What's your name, Chief? I've given you mine - seems only fair, hmn?
<Problemsolving>
Please don't misunderstand, I'm not asking you to be selfless, this is for the best of us all. If you take the city, it will only be temporary before humans band together. You saw what happened in Kulen, I'm sure you've heard of Bloody Bones. We're not indestructible. We can die.
I'm glad you'd prefer not to kill. That's the same solution I want. So don't. As someone with the name Greed -- [Which is surely a nickname. Normally your name didn't give you traits or personality qualities, but no one would actually name their child Greed.] -- you don't want to be stuck with only one option. It may feel like it's the case, but it's not.
For now, since you're Greed, you can call me Reason. A partnership would reveal more.
<avaricious>
[When the recording comes in again, the Sin's a bit further away. Close, but leering - like that of a buzzard hovering in plain view. He taps the top of the device just once.] Like I told you - don't get the wrong idea. I'm not like the rest of them.
[At the mention of the Bloody Bones though, Greed's voice takes on a nasty hiss. The moment is brief - the action more so. The noise wheezes through his teeth akin to that of a leaky gasket that's corrected itself.] I've heard of them. I've been here a long time, friend - longer than most. And while some can come back, they've already proven that even that has its limits. I'm not interested.
[A brief pause holds on his side of the line. Before he sputters and the noise that comes in is more an elongated groan than anything else:] Ah-? Sorry, it's the only name I've got Chief. But fine, have it your way. Reason, then. It's a pleasure.
[The tip of his nail leaves the laptop. It drags softly along the flat top of a table, drawing out a shrill scrrch.] Maybe, but I'd rather do business in person. I'm sure even you can understand that, hmn?
<65706> - Oh wow, pretend the last one was too. I CAN'T BREAK HABITS
No, no one intelligent would want to intentionally become targets for a hate group. What do you think they will do to a town run just by monsters? What do you think they can do with the support such an action will give them? The worst reaction to such a group would be to give them the ammunition they need for help.
Then it's nice to meet you, Greed. It's an interesting name if it's real. [Says the guy named Light.]
Then, it has to be under my conditions. I won't meet near the Nest. Instead, we'll meet in a neutral location in Vandere. You have to come alone. I'll do the same.
<avaricious>
Because - [Greed's voice slips in. It seems to purr and hiss all in the same breath; like that of a feline with a devilish proposition.] - I've never had a problem with the mortal lot. Even here, that hasn't changed.
[A minute's pause is quickly interrupted by a dull, hollowing clang. As the Sin casually breaks on the receiver, allowing his knuckle to stroke the side of a porcelain ashtray with a flick.] Don't get me wrong - I'm not denying that, friend. Most humans are predictable. They'll always fear what they can't understand and here? It's no different. Some, though - they'll surprise you.
[Wood groans through the feed and a sharp scrape sounds off like a gunshot. Greed grunts and some of his bones pop on the other side of the line - snapping, cracking, and falling back into place as empty as a corpse.] I thought I already told you - it's the only name I've got. I wasn't exactly human before coming here.
[But at Light's final request, the Sin quiets. All too clearly, that wicked grin is back again - pulling, yanking, and peeling his lips in a wet-smack smile.] Fine, have it your way. Better to resolve this peacefully anyway - am I right?
[Already, he's pulling away and through the line, the dull click, click, click of his boots clap off the floorboards below. Greed runs one last signature claw along the keyboard.] But not the docks. That's my deal. Whether you take it or not is your choice.
<65706>
Greed it is. It's a little unusual for me, but a lot of things are. In my world, greed is the desire for everything and is considered one of the deadly sins. Is that fitting?
I don't have any particular attachment to the docks. For curiosity sake as I prepare to leave: is that request due to your monster type, or would you recommend anyone avoid them?
<avaricious>
[Knuckle for knuckle, nail for nail, the Sin wraps his hand around the upper edge of the laptop. It causes the receiver to bounce and the microphone skips in a startling, short-lived static. Greed hums for a moment.] You've got it. I want everything you can think of, Chief. The name's not just that, after all.
[Thankfully, he saves the rant. Shelves it with nothing more than a cool slip of his tongue; as it rattles its forks between his teeth as comforting as a viper on the approach. But even with all of his pleasantries, a thin laugh curdles in jaws. The laptop buckles under his approach - the lid of it threatening to snap as he pushes and yanks back toward his side of the line.] Y'know, you ask a lot of questions for someone who's just looking for a hand. Sorry, but again, that's not how it works. Nothing's free, friend. But you already knew that, didn't you?
[Because if the other side of the screen is as much as they've presented themselves to be, there's no need for subtleties; no need to beat around the bush. He rolls his nails across the back of the computer with one more, finalizing click.] How about you actually tell me who you are when we meet. And in exchange? You can ask me whatever you want. Just name your place, Reason. And we'll see what we can do, hmn?
<65706> - Want to make a log or just switch to action here?
He would prefer not to need to.]
I'm not asking for a favor, but we can discuss that when we meet.
[An address in the middle of Vandare is inserted.]
If that works, we can meet there. I'll answer your questions about who I am then, but don't blame me if you find it boring. I'm not sure how I can compare to Greed.
<avaricious> 1/2
Fine - have it your way.
[There's another pause as he flicks a glance at the rendezvous point. It's a little more exposed than he'd like, but there are still plenty of back alleys to slip through should the need arise. Greed shrugs and from the recording, a huff of fire breathes along the receiver.]
You'll find that it takes a lot to bore me, friend. See you soon.
[And with that, the line cuts. As the laptop lid snaps closed with a jarring, curtain-call clack.]
➥ ACTION
[And with them comes the military march of law, order, and the ever-quick trigger.]
[It's one of the reasons he travels incognito these days. Albeit briefly - he's not interested in getting one of his involved should this meeting turn sour. Instead, he abandons the body a bit away(s) from the intended spot. All with promises that if things should get messy, he always has an exit.]
[Clean or otherwise.]
[As daylight switches hands for the airy shudder of gas lamps and lanterns, the Sin's body slowly molds itself out of a hanging stretch of smoke. It blackens out his chosen alleyway, leaving it with dark corners that seem to plummet on and on and on. Small sparks tease inside and as he moves closer to his destination, that cloud of his follows. Like that of a black fog rolling in with nothing by ill intentions.]
[But it's the sharp click-a-click-click of his heels that announce him first.]
[They shoot off cobblestone like lonely gunshots; as strained fire and brimstone thin under the sway of square-cut plastic. The ash trapped beneath his boots seems to act under a pressure and as soon as one foot lifts, the stones underneath plume outward; like that of fallout that's been disturbed after a long, timeless settle. However, even that disappears when his smog drags in. Leaving behind nothing more than red crescents to broil and scar into the ground below.]
[The situation in of itself isn't unheard of, but it also certainly isn't his usual. Wars of politics and the like have always been something he's avoided. But when push inevitably comes to shove and his own wants are on the table, well.]
[The choice is a pretty simple one.]
[Yet, his own-worldly restraints have always left him face to face. No anonymous tip to string him along, no question as to who or what was behind the next door. Here, those rules have been tossed out the window and when the Sin finally makes it to the coordinates given, the heat trapped inside his throat blooms to aglow. It erupts along blackened scales, showing his razor-cut grin in a terrible sheen of back-lit, yellowing-white.]
[Because, in the end, the devil's always got an ear for a deal.]
Action
The rumors of the Devil's Nest are varied, and Light knows rumors aren't a trustworthy source of information. Anyone can make up a lie, a half-truth, an exaggeration, and only the foolish believe everything they were told. Nonetheless, it sounds like an organization someone like Light would never normally be associated with.
Despite times.
The reasoning behind the deal is easy enough. If there is an attack, if Vandare falls to monsters, there would be many more people rising against them, and soon Ryslig would be one large monster hunt. As someone newly transformed, as someone who doesn't want to spend his time running, he can't let it happen.
So he walks down the dangerous streets, steps soft as he pulls his coat further around him to combat the night air. His clothing has been tailored to fit his wings, though it's still a foreign feeling to have the fabric occasionally brush against them.
Light's a bit later as he has much further to travel, but faerie rings have made the trip possible. When the meeting place approaches, the faerie finds himself approaching Greed. The carapace is hidden by shoes and gloves, but the wings are too large to conceal. Beneath the changes is a young man, eighteen years old if the sin has an eye for ages, with a modern haircut which seems to flatter his brown hair - it was at least popular in his world. Tall for his Japanese heritage, Light stands at 5'10 with a thin waist but with shoulders that hint at strength. Brown eyes regard him carefully. As soon as he stops, a ring of mushrooms appear around him.]
The precaution isn't for you. Vandare is dangerous now. [And faeries aren't known for their fighting abilities.
He reaches out a hand, fingers uncalloused.] I assume you're Greed. I'm Light Yagami, it's nice to meet you.
no subject
[He shouldn't be surprised that the one of the other side of the line is younger. Barely a teen by the looks of it and really, isn't that just something. Greed perks up, his shoulders slouching as his neck lifts to get a better look see.] Hmn-? [At first, his expression his nonchalant - a kind of innocence better suited for a predator caught in on-coming high beams. But even that changes and when Light produces his hand, the former homunculus' surprise fades away. Replaced once again by his deadly set smile. It stretches along one side of his jaw to the other like that of an angler fish on a winner's streak.] Light, huh? It's a pleasure -
[His claws stretch through the hanging gloom. They rip on by, parting smoke and ash similar to that of a hot knife through butter. And oh, oh, is he broiling just the same. Veins of sulfur huff along his forearm, their trails breathing in a collection of terrible reds, oranges, and yellows. He takes Light's hand with a delicate snare; the tips of his would-be talons barely pricking the backside of the other's invitation.] No, I can't really say you're wrong. Things here haven't gotten any easier. I'm surprised you decided to stay. Most tend to head to Bavan any chance they get. I gotta admit, you're pretty impressive.
[When he finally releases his grip, Greed slowly yanks his arm back into his stretch of smog. It hangs about him like a sinister cloud, creating billows that continuously flow in drooping, coiled strands. In the brief moment, he takes a glance over his shoulder. Further in town, licks of firelight graze from building to building; causing the bricks to erupt in white-wash halos. When the patrol finally does pass, night is swift to retake its turf - the darkness practically darting in for the stranglehold.]
[Greed taps his foot once.] So, I'm gunna guess you're newer here. That right? [His head tilted, the Sin lets his eyes wander back in Light's direction. They dart behind his sunglasses in a streak, drawing a thin line of red like that of tail lights blurring around a suicide corner. The Sin cocks one eyebrow slowly above the brim of his shades.] Not about to judge either way. I might not be good, but I'm not so bad either. Like you, I'm not really interested in killing unless I have to. I already told you - the name's not just that.
[Under his chin, the bob in his throat begins searing to a coaxing gold. Trapped flames skate along the inside of his scales, giving them a shine that grows whenever he inhales back. He's had his fair share of reminders at just how sour things can get and as that heat spits, the jagged lines of a still-healing scar highlight in the dark.] But don't take my avarice for something it just isn't. First thing's first though -
[One of his boots cuts through, forcibly yanking him out from the dark. The spot Light's chosen is a good one - there aren't many prying eyes and those that could have already gone to rest. Greed emerges along Light's side, his body moving like a phantom on the edge of a deadly bargain. Behind him, his tail lurches above the cobblestone and its metal clamps and swinging charms twiddle to the tune of horrible bells.] - what do you want, exactly?
no subject
He watches for little things. Do his claws threaten to press just a bit harder? Does he try to loom and intimidate? Body language and small actions can say a lot about a person, small things that no one realizes they're doing and is thus more honest than words and larger gestures. It's important to know who he might be working with.]
I don't live in Vandare. Sorry to ruin the image, but I'm from Bavan. I used my rings to come here for the meeting.
[By now, his eyes have adjusted to the darkness, making the light that goes by them a bit brighter than it really is, but he readjusts to the night quickly after; the patrol wasn't slow enough to accustom him to anything bright.]
I am relatively new, but Ryslig isn't a place that allows for a slow adjustment. What gave me away? [Maybe it was the fact that his changes seem so few.
Those same eyes that seemed to be only causally watching him continue to follow his movement the best they can.]
I want you to win. [His words come easily.] I want Vandare to be more peaceful. A full scale attack will only have temporary winners, and I would prefer something more long-term. You want to keep the Devil's Nest. We can show them just how valuable it is.
no subject
[The kid, though - he's clever. He picks up meaning with little hesitation, falling right back in to the proposition as quickly as a snake on the second strike. Two beats, and he hits his target. Greed's lips pull back at the notion and with them, his vicious dentistry glints into view.] You catch on quick - I like that. You're right, though. I've been here a long time - it might not be slow, but you've still got a bit more to go. Sorry.
[Like that of a curious cat, the devil's tail swings back again. It yanks around in a loose arc; drawing with it charcoal(ed) lines that seem to stick to air as if it were a fine, untouched canvas. To say he's intrigued is an understatement. Greed's eyes hood behind his shades and a few, quick sparks press behind the other side of the glass. They shoot off in a range - red to purple, purple to pink, and back again.]
[Because what Light has to say is practically a lure; one viciously baited to draw him in, in, in. "I want you to win." "We can show them just how valuable it is." A heavy, sleazy weight takes the Sin's shoulders like a vice. He's both stiff and fluid; eased, but cocked. Like a creature in cold blood with a thirst on its tongue and a demand beating on and on. He rolls one of his feet outward, his heel grinding into the ground below before the rest of his boot follows.]
[Oh, oh, the kid really shouldn't have.] Ha - ! Do you now. [It isn't a question. Greed tilts and his body pulls along with him. One foot waltzes over the other, causing both the dust on the ground and the ash on his heels to interlock in a dry spell.] For someone who doesn't know me, you're pretty impressive. You also aren't wrong. Whoever the other ones are, they've made their point pretty clear.
[He pauses. A wave of soot ripples along his side. It fingers through his points, causing ribbons to split off and weave until they can't give anymore. Greed dips his chin just so.] If you think I'm about to let anyone take that away, you really haven't been paying attention. [The tip of his index taps against his thigh; a brief distraction.] And while you've got my attention, that's not why you really came to me now, is it?
[No. Whoever the kid, he's quick. Efficient. And just like everyone else, there's always something more: something behind the deal, written in fine print. Of course, that's speculation at best. But if the years he's seen have anything to account for, it's just that:] Everyone wants something, kid. Don't tell me you're one of those - [The Sin charms his way back in. He's closer now - not threatening, no, but just edging in. Bit by bit, piece by piece.] - you just don't seem the type. So the real question is, what do you get out of it? Other than a spot here in Vandare?
no subject
But it doesn't just feel emotive, it feels like a predator examining its prey before deciding if it's worth the trouble. It likely isn't literal, not when this is the side that wants to kill fewer humans, but those eyes may be searching for something else. A crack? A fault that would reveal Light to be a liar, a fake, something wasting his time?
It's best to assume both. There'd be nothing to find, there'd be no hint of weakness or worry in return. Nonetheless, this can't seem like a clash of two alpha males. If the confidence is real, Greed isn't about to bow down.]
I don't want a place in Vandare. I won't turn down a welcome, but I've made my temporary life in Bavan. Still, Vandare doesn't exist in a vacuum. What happens here will matter to the rest of the world.
[Closer now, the presence doesn't feel as threatening, but Light is always cautious.] I might not know you, but I know of you. Your name comes with a lot of stories. At the very least, you want to keep what is yours. Despite your namesake, you'd also prefer to keep causalities low. Others might be impressed for a lot of reasons, but that's my reason for coming. I don't want the bias against the monsters to grow to the point of an actual war. If the other cities think monsters will rise and claim power, that's going to happen. I'd prefer to talk it out, but I'm not an idealist. Instead, I want a way to back up what we say. That's why I'm on your side. Instead of attacking Vandare, let's defend it. We'll show the people they were wrong, you'll still lead the monsters in a fight to protect what is yours, and fewer people will die. Once the fight is over, the other towns will see what you've done.
no subject
Oh-? No, you aren't wrong. Things being as they are, it was really only a matter of time. Our friends just think they have the right idea.
[Because violence is always paid back: equivalent exchange at its finest. Blood for blood, murder for murder. He's seen it time and time again and the result? Is always the same. There's never a winner, not really. And when there is, the moment is brief and temporary. Before everything goes back to the same old, same old and oh, doesn't history love the repetitive.]
[Greed's tongue snaps inside his jaw, sparking a fire as impulsive as a quick-draw match.] A lot of stories, huh? [The former homunuclus digs his heel in, allowing the curve of his boot to swing through the air in a knife-cut strike. The ribbons of smoke at his ankles quickly disperse, then. Their trails finally thinning to reveal the cobblestone below.] Gotta admit, I like your honesty. I'm not interested in making this any messier than it has to be. But the others in Bavan seem to have made their decision. [The more he talks, the hotter it gets. The bob in his throat stretches outward - turning the veins along his neck a thick, gold-smelter yellow. He still has that bridge to cross. A long, barely-tethered road that could collapse at any second. But for now, it's only him and his and as Greed chases a look over Light's shoulder, his attention briefly catches on the arch of a prowling feline.]
You're pretty informed for a kid. [An air of distraction hangs in his voice; like someone who's both a million miles away and still lingering in the here and now. A metaphorical limbo. He lets his eyes sink shut and from beneath the curves of his shades, his eyebrows furrow into one another. Creating a ripple effect up to the base of his horns.] But if you think everyone's as reasonable as you, you've got another thing comin'.
[Because just north of here, a military coup is brewing. The Sin himself hasn't met them face to face, but word of mouth is enough to paint a picture. Ruthless, tactical. An armed forced beating to a singular drum. He flattens his foot again and the endless smog reclaims its turf; blanketing the cobblestone below like silt disturbed in a dark, bottomless pond.] Ha - ! Don't get the wrong idea. If you think I'll let them or anyone else take Vandare, I'm sorry. My avarice runs a little too deep for that.
[When he turns back to Light again, those eyes of his peer at the top of his sunglasses. They're muted now; in a ghastly kind of purple(ing)-red more suitable for a back lit bruise.] I'm sure you already know that anyone associated with the Bloody Bones won't make it. It'll be a problem, but most of the monsters here have tried to reason with them in the past. Unfortunately, they're not exactly so giving. [Whether to make a point or sheer force of habit, he strikes his thumb along the edge of his throat. Scales meet scales in a terrible scrrch and thin, fresh-silver smoke wafts out. No, he's had his own run in(s) with the 'Bones and the like twice now.]
[He isn't keen on a repeat.] It's their choice, in the end. I've always been a fan of that. But if they decide to continue, I'm sure I don't have to tell you how it ends. When it comes to the rest of the people here though, they're off limits. I don't care what they think up in Bavan - that's my deal.
no subject
Even before I came, you didn't want to hurt the citizens. Take it a step further. Agree to defend against a monster attack that would hurt those citizens. [His eyes closed, as if he hates to say the words that come from his mouth, the taste bad and lingering on his tongue.] As for the Bloody Bones, they'll likely attack to. If they're killed in the crossfire, it's unavoidable.
[Brown eyes reopen to center on Greed. There's still nothing challenging there, but he's not showing weakness either. Trying to fight an alpha head-on may not gain their cooperation, but baring your throat didn't earn the necessary respect. It's a delicate, intricate balance.]
I'm asking you to do the same thing you've been doing: lead them. You'll just have a different enemy now, at least if it comes to that.
no subject
No, I don't. I've never had a problem with humans and that's where me and these Toyotomi are different. It's pointless. [The former homunculus side-steps, his heels lifting in a purposeful two-step. He's slowly closing the ring around Light, carefully aware of the mushroom boundary that separates the two of them.] But let's make one thing clear: I'll give them a chance to go home, but if they continue? Then it's out of my hands. As for the Bloody Bones, you already know that most of them won't take the deal, no matter how good it is. They're righteous and that isn't going to change any time soon.
[A cool breeze swipes through the alley. It sends a couple of trash barrels clattering and the spirals in his horns breathe in a hellish fume. Greed's body ticks with a slight slouch.] As for the Toyotomi, they know where I stand. If they really decide to make things messy, that's their choice. They might think they've got everything right, but there's an underworld here, kid. Not everyone is so interested in what they have to offer.
[Which means just that: he's got a deal and with it, a few friendlier faces. The outcasts and low lives, the criminals and thieves. The Toyotimi's idea for a new Vandare might sound well and good, but for some? It couldn't be more the opposite. The former homunuclus' mouth spreads wide and just behind his teeth, the forks of his tongue bristle: a devil with a gold tongue.] Though, you should know how this goes -
[A brief pause. The gem in the Sin's ear gently spins; the slight gust taking it like a wind chime at midnight.] - what's in it for me if I decide to do just that? I'm not telling you no, don't misunderstand. But I told you in the beginning that the name isn't just that. [As he talks, his voice crackles; a sound similar to the start of a brush fire.] I am Greed - the living embodiment of it.
[Now, so close and near, his gaze burns into his lenses. There's no secret any more, no holding back. A fierce longing pricks in his eyes - turning the thin slivers into dangerous, shivering points. Greed's neck stretches out and his tone hushes to a hissing, smoke-run whisper.] If you end up on the council, I expect a little something back, hmn? And in return, we'll take care of the rest.
So - [His claws pry away from his bones, stretching black to black in cruel, curved-cat claws.] - do we have a deal?
no subject
[The breeze also shifts some of the lighting for those who are out, making the shimmer of Light's wings move a bit, though the man himself stays still. His hair is long enough to blow gently, which does prompt him to raise a hand to move his bangs from his eyes; he does need to find someone to at least trim his hair into his chosen style, but other things had kept him busy.]
As for Toyotomi, I understand where his intentions come from, but I can't agree with his method. It's a cycle that has to be broken. Already, we're unable to keep from killing humans. In return, the Bloody Bones were created. If we keep killing humans, now by choice, more and more of their kind will rise.
[The gem is eye-catching, but only for a moment. Those eyes quickly go back to the Sin's before his hand is reaching out to shake that hand. If it's tangible enough.]
If I end up on the council, we do. Otherwise, I don't mind helping in other ways as long as you continue to be the kind of leader you've shown to be.
no subject
[Light's clear conversation just means that he knows it too.] Y'know for a kid, you're pretty clever. [The phrase doesn't come as an insult in the slightest. A high trill takes the devil's voice in a rumble; like that of a big-pawed cat under tentative domestication. One false move could mean a bite, but that isn't the case here. Instead, Greed meets the hand shake with one of his own; wrapping finger after finger around Light's presented gesture.]
Not sure what you mean by that though. [The Sin's tone pricks behind his teeth. In all, he's never made a point of trying to be something he just isn't. Hero, villain, something else. There's no structure to his game, no clean-cut answer to the why(s) and the how(s). Only a moral gray he's never had the luxury of slipping into. It's always merely existed - his nature as unrestricted as his namesake.]
[When he finally lets go of the other's hand, a cloud of ash wafts between them. It glides and holds; like a jet-dry cough out of the back end of an aged tail pipe. Greed lowers his arm boneless(ly), but as it falls back down to his side, his fingers take a quick detour. The tip of his thumb disappears into his pocket. It flicks once, the edge of his nail puncturing the corner of a small, well-used matchbox.] Don't forget what I told you, kid. I might not be so bad, but that doesn't mean I'm good either. [He hangs on that last word, the rest of his fingers rap-tap-tapping along the edge of the box.] My avarice just tends to do the deciding for me. And what I want is Vandare's south end. If the Toyotomi change their mind, the humans here will be mine. Whatever else they do, whatever you decide to do? I don't really care. They're off limits.
[His arm extends, each one of his fingers fanning opening like a collection of kitchen knives. Resting on his palm is that same, little book: its top painted with a constant, sneering devil. He waits for Light to take it before retreating just a hitch back. The tip of his pointed boot curls upward as he does, forcing his heel to peel off the ground below. Greed ticks his jaws.] I don't think I have to tell you what that means. I'm fair, but even I have some standards. If you really think our friends up north are going to be a problem, then you can tell them just that. I've been here a long time and if they think they'll be calling all the shots, well.
[A shallow shrug takes hold of his shoulders. Light can read between those lines just fine and really, he doesn't care to explain. At the end of it all, he knows things will get messy - that's part of a coup like this. However, he'll keep his to a minimum and if someone, anyone, should cross that line?]
[All bets were definitely off.] If you need anything else, you know where to find me. [Greed's eyes peel open again, their lids heavy and hooded. He watches the matchbox in Light's hand; tracing it once, twice.] If that's all though, I've got other business to take care of. I'm sure you know how to get out of here without anyone seeing you, right?
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