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 Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 11:22 am
He stared back. "Why? I could get just as much good marks in turning in a potential traitor then trying to get someone who doesn't want to be in this back on track. It's a risk. I'm putting my life on the line by not reporting all if this and instead turning a blind eye to you and helping him. I'd have to lie as to the reason why when his superior asks why I'm showing a special interest in him. You're asking me to train someone who isn't even my subordinate. That's pretty cheeky for a civilian to ask."
"But I could. I'm actually a little interested now who this person is, but that doesn't take away from the problem YOU are. If I'm going to risk something, so do you. I don't do things just because someone line you asked me."
He knelt there, crouched before Nate as he watched him. "I could protect him. Train him. Make him stronger. Tell him more about our side then he probably knows. But I want something from you to do it."
"We all have choices. "
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Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 12:05 pm
Good marks. Nataniel flicked his tongue over his teeth as his lip curled in distaste. Selfishness. Of course. Rather than for the good of the cause, rather than to better the components that could aid in what they were trying to achieve, dog boy only cared about good marks that would make him look good to whoever his superiors were. Obviously. There was no excuse for being surprised by this. Even if he was a half-youma now, they had all started human at their base, and selfishness was so ingrained into each that no amount of willingness to serve could banish it completely.
He could've laughed at how ridiculously predictable it should have been.
"I expected it might be benefit enough to know that aiding someone among your ranks would make your team stronger as a whole. My mistake," he hissed softly. What Nataniel didn't have was an excuse for why dog boy should believe that he wold not personally betray December. Even if he said he wouldn't, there was no incentive to trust anything that came from his mouth.
It frustrated him, of course, the thought that he could not simply request for someone he barely knew at all to put in the time and effort and risk his life for someone Nataniel considered a friend... But he really should have expected it. He stared back at dog-boy through unwavering red eyes. "Say what you are asking for, then."
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Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 12:15 pm
He smiled back. "Make the same choice your friend did. Serve us. Join the Negaverse and train with me." He said, watching him.
"You can even help your friend and make sure I hold up my end of the bargain. I watch over him, train him, and protect him and you join our ranks as an officer." He then offered one of his large, clawed paws to him.
"Got a deal?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 1:07 pm
That claw was extended toward him, and Nataniel's distaste grew. It didn't matter what uninformed choices December or Mali or anyone else made. He did not consider himself so stupid or so reckless that he could justify so easily handing his freedom away without proper explanation or reason. It did not bother him to be a simple observer. It did not offend or frighten him to be privy to whatever information December needed to vent to him. Perhaps most importantly:
"I am not a servant," Nataniel retorted, using two fingers to push the claw away from him. "And there is little that would coerce me into wanting to be one. Furthermore, if I had the ability you do, I would hardly require your help at all."
Even access to the same database Fetellite and dog-boy had would at very least grant him a greater understanding of what his friend was in, something he could say to help inspire and convince him to try harder and do better and make him able to protect himself... Nataniel wouldn't need to ask for help if he had that power. He simply wasn't of a mind to chase it.
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Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 1:44 pm
"If you were recruited, you'd be too green and too worthless to be much help to him. No superior would listen to you and you wouldn't even be that strong. You'd be even lower then your friend in ranking and hold no power. I, however, do. And I know the leaders. If I said the word, then he is dead. Even if you recruited. My superior trusts me to do my job and I have scruples with killing a would-be traitor. I'd even ask to do it. To reach into the core of his being and eat him."
He rose up. "But so be it. I'm not wasting time bothering with you. Oh, and don't try warning him either to hide. We can pull him from whatever corner he thinks is safe. Better to just call him and say your last goodbye."
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Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 2:22 pm
Nataniel huffed softly and twisted his head away from dog boy and toward the body of his brother, still slumped and unmoving at his side. That he had to come out here at all to care for Ellian should have been his first clue, shouldn't it? The people in this war were unreasonable. It wasn't just December's general who beat him simply because he could, but also a dog boy who thought he'd get a thrill from chasing children and the superiors he found favor with. They were all unreasonable.
And when the unreasonable could do something without repercussion, there was no reason not to. Whatever ultimate goal they strived for mattered less in the face of the joy a sociopath could glean from beating stupid teenagers or chasing children.
Nataniel already believed he could overlook whatever moral quandaries might rear up, but he was not prepared to overlook the lack of rationality. He was not a follower.
Not half the suck up begging for good marks that dog boy was. That there were 'good marks' involved in killing one of their own before even bothering to look for an approach that wouldn't lessen their numbers didn't leave Nataniel feeling inspired. They would lose, if this was consistently how they treated their people. There was no argument for it. And this boy valued an agreement for Nat to recruit more than he valued whatever December already offered. "What is the benefit for you, if I join?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 6:24 am
"Many reasons but mainly I tie up a loose end that knows too much who might wander to the wrong side and check in on someone who might actually need help. You are showing up in our realm a bit too often and have no sense to stay away. If you were already approached and know this much then it's just a matter of time before one side or the other puts pressure on you."
"I honestly think you'd make a good officer. A person who doesn't fear death is an asset. It's both a rare and foolish trait to have but you don't come off as too stupid." It was a backhanded compliment if there ever was one.
"And I want to see how this goes. I want to see how you progress and what you become. You have traits that are valuable, but you could wind up being more of a danger. It's a gamble and one I like."
"So what of it? What is your decision? I won't be flippant on my side of the bargain. That you can be sure of."
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 8:53 am
"You are impatient for someone who complained about the dangers and consequences of corrupting people who were unprepared for what they were getting into," Nataniel scoffed softly. But he was not impatient, himself, and Nat did not make binding commitments, such as inviting an oppressive, permanent chaotic force into his heart, with reckless abandon. Dog boy could threaten him with December's death, and Nataniel would have to admit that he certainly wouldn't be pleased with the result, but that, too was inevitable. Death was a consequence of life. It was hardly a threat worth making.
Dark red eyes skimmed over the other boy's frame dismissively. With only the barest inkling of the type of person Nataniel was, doggy should really check who exactly he was making offers to.
Ellian would have to be brought home, if he didn't wake soon. Nataniel wasn't exactly thrilled over the idea of sitting on the side of the street and waiting, either. "I will consider it," he decided at length as he dipped a hand into his brother's jacket pocket to pull out his car keys. "If you have a phone number or other reliable form of contact with which I can reach you, I will let you know when I have made up my mind." More importantly, he needed to get Ellian's car and his bike back home...
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 6:51 am
"You are hardly unprepared. You know more than most before corrupting and seem to have talked to quiet a few people to get the general idea. You can't play dumb one moment and expect the next whenever it suits you. And as I said, I'm giving you a choice. I'm not digging inside and corrupting you here and now without any say in your part." He scoffed.
Flexing his fingers, his ear twitched at the final conclusion. "Ok then." Then he tore into the fabric of space beside him and pulled out a own and notepad. The pen looked thicker than most, modified for his claws, and he jotted something down before handing the paper to him. "You can text this number." He stated as he out the things back into the space picket and closed it with a wave of his hand.
With that, he turned on his heel. "Don't think too long about it else I'll take it as a No." He called from over his shoulder.
And with that he left up to a nearby fire escape, to a neon sign, and up stop the roof out of sight.
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Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 6:37 am
Nataniel had never claimed to be playing dumb. A complete lack of information and only partial information were two entirely different things, and he wanted there to be no doubts over what he was getting into, rather than opting to make a snap decision the second it was imposed on him. A 'general idea' wasn't good enough. Nevermind that December was hardly the most reliable source for especially serious topics.
And 'choice' was such a lenient word for dog-boy to use, when combined with all the threats he'd been lodging.
But perhaps that was irrelevant. If the smaller man was willing to keep his impatience in check, Nat wouldn't bother to complain about the accompanying curt attitude. As the paper was passed toward him, Nataniel gave the number a precursory glance, then slid it into his pocket. He did still have a slightly more immediate concern in his little brother and both of their vehicles now being out here in this seedy area of town and no way to move all of them, so dog-boy and his threats could take a back seat to that.
Though still moderately miffed at the situation, he had to turn his focus to getting Ellian home. A limp boy with a car somewhere around here, and the more immediately obvious transportation being only his own motorcycle. Not ideal for an unconscious passenger.
Just ******** great.
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