01 CON ● ACTION ● SIX OF DIAMONDS

[inventings]

( Ever since Adalinda arrived here, she's mostly staying out of sight and keeping to herself -- keeping away from people. If anyone attempted to talk to her up to this point or noticed her hovering close to them while they spoke to someone, she'll feign needing to be somewhere else and get the hell out of there before she can be confronted.

Until she gets her bearings and knows she won't lose her cool at the sight of anything/anyone/whatever, she needs to be by herself and think over the events that lead up to this. Because seriously! Wings on her back? This fancy journal machine... thing that seems to be able to contact others after she carefully inspected it? This sure as hell isn't Germany.

She finally comes to the conclusion that this isn't some sort of elaborate scheme hatched out by the Woman or this is some sort of dying dream she's having. Good for her? Bad for her? Who knows. All she's certain of is that there's a lot of places to explore but sticks to the buildings and houses and you know. Signs of life in this place. Seeing how she's possibly the only member in the Doe gang to be here, she can't afford risking the possibility of getting in trouble until her friends arrived to get her. One way or another. )

I suppose I have to make the most out of this until James or Josie get me out of this mess. Hell, I'll take up Jacob's help if it means getting nagged by him. First things first...

( She gives a distasteful look at her new outfit. One thing she cannot abide is being stuck with the clothes she finds herself wearing and careful inspection of the place she woke up this morning reveals no signs of her original outfit.

So rain or not she'll be heading to the Clothing Shop to find something nicer to wear and then check out the Welcome Center after hearing about it here and there. For now she'll duck into buildings or go closer to houses in a subtle attempt to inspect them, scout them out. She's no Point Person but she reckons she can pick up a thing or two from what she may 'accidentally' see or 'overhear'.

That and the rain was annoying to deal with how it made her hair get so matted and tangled and she wanted as much shelter from the weather as possible until she got to her destinations. She has a feeling this place doesn't have her brand of hair products. Great. )

Comments

[inventings]

Hello, Monsieur Horner. ( She pats down and tugs on the skirt of her dress, trying in vain to neaten herself up. ) Do forgive me for my appearance at the moment, I do wish I could be more presentable to you.

( It wouldn't hurt to play up her charms. Since this is her first conversation with someone who seems to be settled in here, it'll help to get all the information she can from him without breaking character. She crosses her arms under her chest and smiles cheerfully like she's so pleased to talk to someone and more so that it was with him of all people. )

Far away from Berlin, hm? I thought of that as much seeing how we're no longer in the city but a village of some sort and how we both have wings on our backs.

[originaljackass]

Babe, we all go through the white cotton phase on our first round here. But you're right. But the wings are a giveaway. So are these.

[He turns his head and lifts up his ponytail, revealing a barcode tattooed on the back of his neck. It's the sort of things that are very easy to miss since it's difficult to ever see your won.]

[inventings]

( The horror and shock on her face are certainly not fake. Only softened. From her experience, no man wants to be stuck with a panicking and loud woman, more so if it's someone they just met, but to not panic and remain calm is odd at best and suspicious at worst. Moderation is the key and the most difficult thing one can attempt.

She likes to think she did it right. Wide eyes. A little gasp as she reaches out to touch the back of her own neck as if touch alone will tell her that its there. )

Merde. Something tells me these are more than just decoration. My goodness, I feel like I'm in one of those awful sci-fi thrillers. Will you now be telling me that we're brought here to be experimented on or to be priced for some auction of sorts?

[originaljackass]

[It is a natural reaction to have. He had a similar reaction upon arriving in Luceti, but that largely had to do with an eight story building, a slippery roof, and a painful landing. For his part, he watches her with the most casual of interest and little in the way of sympathy. Not just because he's Jack Horner, but because you get used to this sort of thing.]

Bingo on the first one. But don't you worry, Addie. Their experiments run more towards the chaotic and less towards the dissection. And it's not without its perks either. Like this clothing store here. Where every last inch of fabric is free for the taking.

[inventings]

... I was merely joking about the experimenting. Is that what the tattoos are connected to?

( How. She does not know and she does not dare at the moment. She's trying not to panic right here and now.

Dissection? Last time she checked, it wasn't actually something one can just brush off. It could explain why her voice holds a shade of irritability when she finds the ability to speak again. )

Why yes. I'm certain the knowledge of these lovely clothes being for free will undermine the worry at being used like a test subject. ( She reins in her attitude and adjusts herself. No use getting mad at someone telling her the possible truth. Adalinda runs a hand through her hair; shoulders hunching in shame. ) I'm sorry for snapping at you like that. It was uncalled for on my part when you're just trying to help a newcomer here.

[originaljackass]

[Jack waves a dismissive hand. After several rounds of experiments at the Malnosso's hands, he'd found them to not be nearly so horrific as they sounded on the surface and only very nearly as unusual as his life was all on its own already.

But for a mundy woman like this, it probably sounded pretty scary.]

Let me, for ease of your concerns, describe a few experiments for you. Put you into mind the kind of chaotic situations you're in. For instance, consider me: I'm a bachelor that can't be tied down, loves adventure, and a top management sort of man. Enter an experiment that made me think I was a loving husband and father, living the ordinary life, and working a construction job from the unhealthy hours of nine to five. And until it was over, I believed every single cringe-inducing moment of it.

[inventings]

( Nice to know the first person she sees doesn't seem to find an issue with experiments. She isn't being sarcastic for once, interest quipped at his nonchalant attitude. Has he been here for a long time to the point it got normal? Or are they as dismissive as he believes them to be?

Latter, most likely with how he gave an example. That doesn't sound too bad. The idea of mind control and losing power is uncomfortable for her. Scratch that. It leaves bad taste in her mouth but it could be worse. Long as the other members aren't here to see her being weak; this could be something she can endure. With a little help from the locals. )

So these experiments a nuisance at best and invasive at worst? It sounds like this place is an elaborate and complex versions of a real life Sims game to me if that's the case. ( She runs a hand through her tangled hair, thinking. ) Do they happen often? These experiments? Or is it out of the blue for the fancy of whoever is running this place?

[originaljackass]

[When one died and came to Luceti as an alternative to an eternity in hell, one that you had personally negotiated yourself, no amount of experiments could shake the feeling of being perfectly at ease with the situation. It was a perspective few in Luceti shared.]

Oh, there's no predicting them, babe. The suits in charge of this place have their own little war going on, so sometimes they gotta put away their toys and let us go be soldiers instead. It cuts into their science time.

[inventings]

( Adalinda will sadly have to be not one of those few. Because war. Really. Despite her misgivings with more and more she learns from the man, she thinks to herself it could be worse. John Doe could be here. )

If this is their recruiting method for their soldiers than it must be a hit and miss at times. On one hand they managed to bring you in. You're clearly a man of action and charisma and wit. With how you speak of this, it seems to be a walk of the park for you.

On the other hand they managed to bring me of all people... things... in. I suppose I can scare the enemies with showing them some horrendous pattern swatches.

[originaljackass]

[Her perks up and stands a bit taller when she refers to him as a man of action. It's true, of course. He loves to think of himself as being amazing.]

I would love to see your pattern swatches sometime. In the meantime, you'll have to learn to live here. You adapt or you go crazy.

[And while madness can be fun, it does get old after awhile.]

[inventings]

Wise words from a wise man. I'll keep them in mind while I settle in here and look for something more provocative to wear here.

As for the 'show'... Maybe when we're alone and had a few glasses of wine? I would be more than happy to privately show you my collection one day should they ever come here. ( Like he said, they had to adapt or go crazy. The former is more preferable in her eyes and she might as well do what she does best. )

[originaljackass]

[Oh did he love the French. He might just be getting somewhere this time. It shows in a slight change of demeanor as Jack smirks a little wider and becomes a bit more energetic.]

It just so happens, I've got access to all and the only wine in this town. [Sure, going from giant slaying hero to Hollywood mogul and then to bartender was quite a step down, but it did come with its perks.]

[inventings]

You do? ( Thank God. Real alcohol in this place. With more reason to get on his good side, Addie smiles more brightly and leans closer to his side and blushes, averting her eyes for a second before meeting his gaze again. ) Brave, good-looking, intelligent and cultured. It's almost like you're a man of fiction, Monsieur Horner.

Do you need any assistance at this place of yours? Especially during the... after hours?

[originaljackass]

[It's always refreshing to know he's still got it. Her treats her with a casual smirk before he finally steps into the clothing shop. It's certainly no Macy's, but its at least a few steps above a second hand store. Even if much of it is second hand because its clothing that belongs to people in the village.]

Just wait 'til you see my trilogy. [Which, amazingly enough, is not even a euphemism. Yet.] But I think I could see myself needing some after-hours attention.

[inventings]

( She subtly hitches up the bottom of her dress a bit before she follows him, making sure there's a sway to her hips. What she sees in the shop are not up to standards for her usual wardrobe but beggars can't be choosers.

Besides. What she hears from Jack keeps getting better and better so she doesn't mind the state of some clothes she sees, turning her attention on him and giving a starry-eyed look. )

A trilogy? Are you saying you were a movie star back where you're from? ( Addie suspects he's no Humphrey Bogart but he definitely could be a Brad Pitt from his looks and charisma so far. ) My. This is so exciting! Looks like there's all the more reasons to give you some late night calls.

[originaljackass]

Movie star? No. Movie producer? Yes.

[Also the subject matter of said trilogy, but he figured he could dazzle her later with the tales of just how amazing he really was.

Regardless, he felt particularly satisfied impressing her by merely pretending to be mundane. In he meantime, he casually leafs through a few shirts, but seeing nothing of particular interest to him. The key here is to simply be interested, but at the same time disinterested]

[inventings]

The man behind the man? That's more fascinating. I was always curious as to how the industry worked.

( She starts to look through the dresses and blouses now, picking something here and there in hopes to find something decent enough to get out of this outfit soon as possible.

It seems at least his tactic is working on her. With how Addie visibly checks him out out of the corner of her eye, trying and failing to be sneaky about it. In her experience it never hurts to be the chaser for the chased when trying to win their confidence. Or, at the very least, the path to their bed and access to the only source of wine here. )

[originaljackass]

[In time she might find out that his access to wine was as a bartender and it was not quite so exclusive as she believed. But for his part, he was actually already getting bored with clothe shopping. He'd just exited the shop, so pretending to leaf through clothes he had already looked through was extra boring for him.]

It's all business. Everything is about power and money. If you happen to show people a good time while you're at it, then people will forgive you for anything else you do. That's how most of them were, anyway.

[inventings]

Is that so? ( Now this is something she finds vaguely familiar with. It was more of connections and experience with the gang than money and power but she can still see it. With enough of it and if you do it flashier enough, you can get away with anything in the world she lived in. Maybe even murder.

She stops looking at the clothes now and gives him her full attention, crossing her arms in amusement. ) How often did you, ah, test this belief out in Hollywood, Monsieur Horner? Or here? I'm surprised a man like you is not bored to tears when not busy with catering to the whims of whoever brought us to this place.

[originaljackass]

[He ignores the clothes as well, since they seem to have arrived on a somewhat interesting talking point.]

I hide my tears well, Addie. I'm only a crying man on the inside. But I will admit, entertaining people here isn't as easy as Hollywood. I've got a much smaller budget.

[inventings]

A true bleeding heart hiding their misery from the world with a toothpaste smile. ( Oddly enough she manages to make it sound sincere and sympathetic and not too sarcastic. )

Ah, my dear! One of your talents and charm should never worry about the budget. Isn't always the presentation, the intensity that matters at the end? The execution and flair.

[originaljackass]

Addie, you are absolutely right. But I can't play all my cards at once. First rule of show business: always leave them wanting more.

[inventings]

I would love to know how you would do it. What is your method of making them come back? With those stars still in their eyes? Where I am from, I was taught that people are always eager to return to you when one... Leaves them questioning what could happen next. Tantalize them, leave them on a cliffhanger so to speak.

[originaljackass]

Mmhm.

[Speaking of leaving her wanting more, he proceeds to say nothing else on the subject and arrives upon a a button up shirt that he already decided he wasn't interested in about a half hour ago. Upon reconsidering it, he determines he was right to do so.]

[inventings]

( Aaaah. So that's how it goes? Adalinda supposes she should have seen that coming. She looks at the clothes herself, selecting a short dress and pressing it tight as she could against her frame to see if it'll compliment her figure. While she does that she speaks, her tone airy and playful. )

That's one way to give an example of your approach, I suppose. I always did like a man of action more when it came to... Enjoying some time with them.