Sprace: Nero

[perfectpower]

Comments

[perfectdistance]

Bring a nice red.

[perfectpower]

I'll see what's available. Be there in 10.

[perfectdistance]

[ He's here and waiting for Brad to arrive. ]

[perfectpower]

[Bradley does arrive within 10 minutes, carrying a bottle of red wine and two glasses. He grins when he gets closer.]

We gotta take these back to get more, but that's a fair tradeoff.

[perfectdistance]

Fair enough.

[He'll close the door once Bradley is in.

There's the desks and Nero takes a seat on one of them.]

[perfectpower]

[Bradley leans against the wall next to the desk as he pours a glass for Nero, which he then offers up.]

I found out some info from the suit-guys.

[perfectdistance]

[He takes the glass and waits for Bradley to pour another before he drinks.]

Yeah? What'd you learn?

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[He'll pour himself a glass and then set the bottle down on the table.]

Apparently we all signed contracts to be here. So we're good and stuck until the contract runs out.

[A contract is a kind of promise, after all.]

They're trying to say we did it willingly, but there's no way either of us would do that.

[perfectdistance]

Yeah, I saw that contract too. Doesn't make sense for either of us.

Eight weeks of workin' here? Why would we agree to that?

[perfectpower]

Dunno. Maybe there's some reward in there that we both really wanted.

[Like the strength to kill a few specific wizards.]

[perfectdistance]

I didn't see anything like that in there. Just payment.

[perfectpower]

That could be part of the "payment".

[perfectdistance]

[ Takes a sip. ]

Sounds like it's just money. You wanna follow up on that?

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Yeah, I'll go bug one of 'em in private about it.

[The rest of the crew does not need to know about their revenge plot. For now, he will sippy his wine.]

There's a guy here with a tattoo on his neck. I don't get a good feeling from him.

[perfectdistance]

I'll leave that to you. Need me to ask anything?

Tattoo on his neck? Don't think I've met 'em yet.

[perfectpower]

Just get to know 'em I guess. Doesn't hurt to be on their good side for now.

He's really perceptive, and he kinda has the feeling that the other Northern Wizards have. You know, that feeling.

[So descriptive. But Nero was born in the North, maybe he knows.]

Just something to keep an eye on.

[perfectdistance]

Yeah, sure. [ It's so easy to settle into this sort of rhythm. Orders given and received. ] I've got an in with Thebe. They're the one that mixes drinks.

"That feeling". Looking at people like they're prey?

[perfectpower]

[Oh good, the barkeep is always a good in. Bradley nods.]

For a moment I saw it there. I'm gonna keep talkin' to him to find out more about him, but be careful.

[All it takes is one unhinged person for Violence to happen, and Bradley knows this because he is indeed an unhinged person.]

[perfectdistance]

[ Nero knows what Northeners are like, he used to be one of them. He also couldn't stand it up there and moved to somewhere way less crazy. ]

I'll keep it in mind. Keep me posted.

[ Another slow sip of wine. ]

From what it sounds like, that Sora lady is a head of a school and a protector of a world. She's about as suspicious as Faust would be in a place like this.

[perfectpower]

Yeah, I got that feeling from her too, ike she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders.

[Then he remembers something and grins.]

Tiny rockstar is kinda like you.

[perfectdistance]

[ A nod from him, yeah. That's the exact kind of energy Sora's got. ]

You mean Kazuki?

I dunno, he doesn't like bein' bossed around. [ Nero "Don't make me decide" Turner. ]

[perfectpower]

Yeah, him. And you can be just like that too sometimes, you know.

[Not as often as Kazuki, but sometimes.]

[perfectdistance]

[ A laugh, warm and affectionate. It's just the two of them in this room, he doesn't have any reason to keep his walls up. ]

You're the most stubborn guy I know.

[ Which is somehow as annoying as it is comforting. ]

[perfectpower]

[Awww, Bradley loves seeing this side of Nero. He's usually smiling, but this one is a warm one.]

Guilty as charged.

[He's leaning in a bit to bump shoulders with Nero. These are his favorite kind of nights.]

[perfectdistance]

[ He'll keep their shoulders together, allowing himself the feeling of camaraderie it elicits.

Nero doesn't deserve it, but he also can't help taking what's offered.

After all, his life is Bradley's to do with what he will. ]

Do me the favor and keep yourself safe while we're out here?