[ 001 ]

[defies_reason]

[ VIDEO / ACTION ]

--be home soon.

[The voice is faintly tinny, coming from the phone only to be picked back up as service switches over (unexpectedly) to the Network. And along with it comes the visual of a man looking straight at the camera, since he had been brooding over the screen.

The expression doesn't last, though; his chin snaps up in alarm, phone forgotten, at what ought to be a window overlooking Miami and not... Well, he doesn't know what. He turns to look over his shoulder, one side and then the other.

He grimaces slightly, and says in a soft voice:]

Well, that's an interesting complication.


[ooc; some vagueness may occur to allow for continuity but feel free to bump into him if you'd rather!]

Comments

[mortemscintilla]

[ Sssh. Don't tell Li that. He's just a nice, harmless boy, after all. ]

Maybe. The City's pretty diverse where life-experiences are concerned. Well -- every place is. But with the open Network, it's a lot more obvious and close-quarters. You can learn a thing or two. [ Like how to lie better. To others. To yourself. ] Oh -- sorry. I didn't introduce myself. I'm Li Shenshung. You are...?

[defies_reason]

[That's not a nice, harmless answer. It's at least an interesting answer. Not enough to judge a stranger by, but worth making note of.]

Call me Isaak.

[mortemscintilla]

[ Snap-judgments don't mean much, true. 'Li' is a reflective persona. He shows people what they want to see. But no persona is fool-proof. ]

[ Even perfect mirrors have cracks. ]

How do you do, Mister Isaak. Or just Isaak, if you prefer?

[defies_reason]

Just Isaak is fine.

[There's almost a laugh in that, though.]

I can honestly say I've been better, Mr. Shenshung.

[mortemscintilla]

Li, please. [ Sheepishly. ] Mr. Shenshung makes me sound like a business tycoon or something. I'm just a student.

[ He smiles sympathetically. Or at least, it's a good facsimile of sympathy. ]

I wouldn't blame you. But this place is easy to assimilate into. And there's no guarantee it'll keep you forever. People are coming or going all the time.

[defies_reason]

[Isaak smiles in return. It's genuine enough, but well, he smiles an awful lot. It doesn't necessarily mean much.]

Li, then. How long have you been here?

[mortemscintilla]

[ Smiles are easy in 'Li's profession. Like people, like money, like killings, they come and go. ]

Just a few months now. I've sort of fallen out of the habit of keeping track. [ No, he hasn't. ] Have the others, um, told you about the curses here yet?

[defies_reason]

[Tell him about it.]

Bits and pieces, but I don't mind hearing more, if you've anything you think I ought to know.

[mortemscintilla]

I don't know much beyond what anyone else does. [ And despite his manufactured air of friendliness, he's far from forthcoming. ] But I do know things were pretty bad in October. The whole Halloween thing had something to do with it. People who've been here awhile say there'll be crazier curses in December. 'Tis the season, I guess.

[defies_reason]

I suppose I'll find out how well-equipped I am for interesting times, then.

[mortemscintilla]

Whatever doesn't kill you can only make you stronger. [ Or fine-tune your arsenal of both weaponry and prevarication. He nods politely. ] Good luck, in any case. [ Not like it counts for much. But hey. 'Li's a well-mannered boy. ]

[defies_reason]

I tend to believe we make our own luck. But I do appreciate the sentiment.