♦ ♦ 12th Contract

[mortemscintilla]

A breach in the City's barrier?

[ He's noticed this population-influx in past Network entries. Tourists. Some leave with the weekend, taking Citizens with them. Others stay behind -- semi-replacements. A law of equivalent exchange -- something gained for something lost? ]

[ He doesn't know. ]

[ He's caught between observing the phenomenon up-close, or retreating Underground. But parsing his separate threads of choice, he decides to stay Topside. To, for once, maximize instead of satisfice. There might be familiar faces. There might be outsiders with answers. He wants to learn more about the City. He wants out. ]

[ And solving any problem is predicated on understanding it completely. ]

It's really crowded today, isn't it? [ Li sits in a bustling little caff, enjoying breakfast. He slices into the strawberries with a fork. The juice runs out, dark-red, like blood. He smiles at his device -- calculated, a perfect mix of innocence and sweetness. ] It almost reminds me of rush-hour in Tokyo. But hopefully there's no need for train-tetris or pushmen. It's sort of a Fact Of Life back home. But not everyone here would enjoy that, would they? [ He skates the strawberry around with his fork. Bites into it neatly. ] I wonder how many of these visitors have been here before...?

[OOC: Gimme all the trolling! Gimme! Just please avoid spilling his real identity over the Network :3 ]

Comments

[mortemscintilla]

[ The look on 'Li's face is almost comically incredulous. ]

Kirihara-san! [ Anticipate. Don't be surprised by anything. Cardinal rules in his trade. Especially in the City. He keeps them in mind, even as 'Li' fumbles and stutters. A perfect put-on. ] The City kidnapped you too?

[protecttheweak]

[Luckily for him, she has no clue.]

A bit unusual for a kidnapping, but stranger things have happened.

[Contractors, disappearing gates...who was she to say?]

[mortemscintilla]

[ All the better. ]

Really? I've been here a few months. But I don't think I'll ever get used to this place. [ He's just a normal nicey-nice student. What does he know about Gate-phenomenon or superpowered-assassins. He's CLUELESS. ]

[protecttheweak]

Months? It hasn't been that long since we last saw each other.

[Clueless, cute and harmless? But still suspicious.]

[mortemscintilla]

Time moves differently in the City. [ Suspicious. Come now. Look at the halo on his head. ] You could be gone for years. But only a few seconds might have passed back home. That's what I've heard, anyway.