Home alone...or so you would think

Kaija
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Home alone...or so you would think Oct 9, 2022 0:50:00 GMT

Post by Kaija on Oct 9, 2022 0:50:00 GMT

Bingo.

It wasn’t a particularly difficult question, yet so many were reluctant to actually answer. And Mr. Emerald? Well, apparently, he’d not only reached that conclusion long ago but had been acting on it for some time.

"No, dear, I had no idea,” she paused as she entered the room and took a moment to look around, "But this is certainly a pleasant surprise.”

She’d look around until she found a chair, then promptly took a seat. Radeka could only assume that he was effective at what he did with some of the notes he had lying around, but she couldn’t help but feel as though he were a bit misguided. Really, the only way to know for sure was to assess his methodology and compare it to the results he was working towards.

"A hitman? No. Vigilante. Tell me, what is your ultimate goal, here? I can’t help but admire your enthusiasm, but eliminating targets in the shadows isn’t exactly the best way to bring about any kind of change. For that you…”

The witch paused for a moment. Her eyes widened slightly as something in Erwin’s “lair” caught her attention. And curiosity quickly shifted to amusement as she leaned forward and smirked.

”Mr. Erwin Emerald! Do my eyes deceive me or is that my portrait there on your wall?”

Kore Smith

lowlaville
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Home alone...or so you would think Oct 10, 2022 5:42:00 GMT

Post by lowlaville on Oct 10, 2022 5:42:00 GMT

Crap! Forgot I had her picture put up on the wall...

Erwin shrugged. But he evaded the question for the moment. "Well...I simply mean to inspire change from the shadows. It's a slow process that may not be realized in my lifetime, but if I thought I could change the world with bold actions like yours, I certainly would. You on the other hand seem to have the necessary firepower and survival skills." He didn't really like what she alluded to. And then, a gesture was returned to Radeka's picture. "If I had this conversation with you before the incident in MC, I probably would not bother putting this one on the wall." He laughed, embarrassed. "But to be honest, I only wanted to figure out your secret anyway. How you could die and yet not be dead at the same time." Then he tore the newspaper excerpt from the wall, moved forward and presented it to the woman.

Even in times of distress and trauma, it seems someone had the sense to click a photo of the villain, or perhaps it was from before everything became chaos.

Kaija
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Posts: 626

Home alone...or so you would think Oct 11, 2022 16:27:21 GMT

Post by Kaija on Oct 11, 2022 16:27:21 GMT

"I can’t blame you for being curious,” she took the exerpt from him and read the caption under her photograph, "But I can blame this Jenny Henson person. I mean, she could’ve at least gotten my good side.”

She chuckled in turn, likely lightening the mood a bit.

"What makes enacting change from the shadows so difficult is that it’s easy to ignore them. Very few people care about what they can’t see. Even fewer care about that which doesn’t affect them. I’m afraid that the squeaky wheel really does get the grease, Mr. Emerald.”

She turned the article around so that he could easily read it and tapped on her picture with an index finger.

"All of this effort that you dedicate towards concealing your actions? You’re just making it easier for those in power to maintain the status quo. When you allow them to be the first to address the public, they get to write the entire script and edit out any parts that they find unsightly. But, you tell me…”

She handed the article back to him. And she wouldn’t have cared or taken any offense if he decided to pin it back onto his wall.

"How many of your executions have actually made it into the papers or the news?”

Kore Smith

lowlaville
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Home alone...or so you would think Oct 14, 2022 2:35:31 GMT

Post by lowlaville on Oct 14, 2022 2:35:31 GMT

Erwin wondered about what Radeka was telling him. She was not wrong in many aspects of what she was referring to. His work, his 'executions' as she called them never made to the front page, and since it was always made to look like something else, they have gone unnoticed. The direction of flow changed, but for streams to cut mountains, it takes hundreds if not thousands of years. So maybe she does have a point. Hiding and doing the very mimimum will not get results- not in his lifetime. He took the article from her and stared at it a while in silence. "None," Erwin made up his mind. Then he met her gaze. "But I have a feeling we are about to change that." He smiled. He folded the article in half and let it rest on the table beside them.

Kaija
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Posts: 626

Home alone...or so you would think Oct 16, 2022 20:18:00 GMT

Post by Kaija on Oct 16, 2022 20:18:00 GMT

A brow rose for a moment in equal parts surprise and curiosity.

"Well, well…”

She slowly leaned back in her chair, crossed her legs, and laced her fingers together over her leg.

"How very perceptive of you,” she raised an open palm as though she were signaling him to stop, "But there’s no need to rush. I do love your enthusiasm, but I think we’ve skipped a few steps. I mean, you haven’t even given me a chance to ask you the most important question yet.”

She let her hand fall to her lap, then teased him with a long, silent pause that would, no doubt, allow his mind to wander for a bit.

"Mr. Erwin Emerald? How would you like to work for me?” a question that needed an answer before they could move any further. But, hopefully, not the only one, “Again, there’s no need to rush. I suggest that you ask any questions that you might have before you hurriedly answer mine.”

Kore Smith

lowlaville
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Home alone...or so you would think Oct 22, 2022 11:57:46 GMT

Post by lowlaville on Oct 22, 2022 11:57:46 GMT

He waited for her to finish talking, giving her the respect that an Arch-Villain like Radeka deserved, but in his mind, he didn't see her as one, not anymore. He found that he had a lot of similarities with her. If she let him work for her? Hind mind's gears began turning. The most relieving detail perhaps was the truthfulness of intent he could find in her question posed. She would like me to work for her, but he dared not imagine he was anything or anyone special or useful beyond her own arsenal of monsters and creeps she was seen capable of bringing forth at a moment's notice. But while he might not be overly useful, she could be for him and his goals- preferably the deconstruction of heroes and the system of justice. This could be within his grasp working for Radeka.

She could see that he was thinking, standing next to his worktable. "Your offer is very tempting, Great Witch...but once the heroes see me as a target...I will not be able to continue working peacefully." He'd gesture to the room around. "I take pride in what I've accomplished and if I lose this...I'd be left with nothing. A witch of your power must have access to places where the heroes will never find me. Connect me to such and I would not hesitate to lend you my sword and gun whenever you need me."

In Erwin's mind, a simple enough request. He did not care for wealth or anything similar. Not yet at least.

Kaija
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Home alone...or so you would think Oct 27, 2022 0:54:08 GMT

Post by Kaija on Oct 27, 2022 0:54:08 GMT

A silence hung in the air after Erwin finished speaking. And the witch watched the man for a few seconds with anticipation before she realized that that really was the one and only concern that he had to bring up.

"That isn’t exactly a question, dear.” another brief pause, "But yes. If you’d be willing to spare me a week’s time, then that is certainly something that I can provide. Among… other things that you might find useful.”

The people of this day and age never ceased to surprise her in the most unusual ways. Somehow, despite showing up to this man’s house uninvited, it seemed as though she was most surprised by how… compliant the vigilante had been. Perhaps she really did see the spark of revolution burning within his soul.

Not that she would let her surprise show on her face at all.

"And I think I have the perfect assignment for you after we get you situated. Tell me, Mr. Emerald,” she leaned forward in her seat, "What was the name of the correctional facility that had mistakenly released your family’s killer back onto the streets?”

Kore Smith

lowlaville
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Home alone...or so you would think Nov 4, 2022 12:42:02 GMT

Post by lowlaville on Nov 4, 2022 12:42:02 GMT

Maybe she thought he was a simpleton by his request, but he didn't mind if she thought that. It was important for him that his base of operation was not under any kind of scrutiny. If he was free to mess with the system without worry, then the methods he was able to employ became exponentially numerous. For instance, he could consider hiring grunts to pull off bigger ventures. Expensive? Yes, but he had a feeling Radeka would not have a problem with resources. "Counting on it, Miss Radeka." He nodded.

When she spoke about his first assignment and inquired about where the killer of his family was held at, he found his heart beating a bit faster than normal. Was it excitement or him being nervous? Yes he understood well why she was asking about that at this juncture. But it was no harm in trying to be dumb about it, he figured. "Why do you ask?"

Kaija
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Home alone...or so you would think Nov 9, 2022 5:22:05 GMT

Post by Kaija on Nov 9, 2022 5:22:05 GMT

There were many things unfolding before her eyes that made The Great Silver-Haired Witch smile.

The man’s eagerness to work, his honesty, his open-mindedness when it came to change and progress. And, from the look on his face, he already knew the answer to the question. Even if she could confirm that at a glance, though, Radeka was still going to say it. Partially because she wanted to see what expression he’d end up wearing afterwards.

Mostly because it just felt good to say.

"Because, once you’re settled in, we’re going to teach them a lesson that will make them regret releasing filth like that onto the street so carelessly,” she paused for a second, then leaned in closer, "You can think of it as… the perfect audition.”

Kore Smith