[ChicletPrime]

7. Roleplay

• time to slip into our mafia moll persona? man, Xavier and Jeremiah and that peacefully green flowershop are SO far away at this point.
  
• oh, boo! we skip the entire larceny heist with two sentences. i got the brooch (somehow) and Sylus will keep his promise (no kidding).  that is a real cop out, honestly. booooooo.
  
• i am all dressed up for this auction (i've been chasing this thing my entire life, it seems like) and Sylus is looking snazzy in his... same gear he was wearing before, only now With Coat.  it's okay, i am not disappointed.
  
• he called me beautiful. d'awww. magic 8 ball says we're rude back.
  
• nailed it. "this beauty will bash your skull sooner or later."  we are NEVER going to resonate with this guy if we keep this up.
  
• okay, the way this is phrased, the auction core is the other half of my core, which means what Sylus has is its own thing.
  
• i guess being able to suss out anybody's intentions with just a look would come in really handy in a case like this.
  
• ".. i can only ally myself with someone deadlier than the enemy."  at least we know that much!
  
• what the what?
  
• milky way eye out of NOWHERE.  a pulse resembling a heartbeat. something penetrates the invisible barrier. and slowly opens its eyes. 
  
• what is coming through the Tunnel!?
  
• finally some new scenery. i've been staring at the same backdrop for three chapters now.
  
• god, Sylus is so beautiful. le dreamy sigh.
  
• wow, i am good looking too!  we're a matched black and red set.
  
• "stay frosty."  that's what we're going with as a pep talk for the most dangerous guy in Linkon City, with the possible exception(s) of my other boyfriends? oh, i am terrible at all of this.
  
• little protocores on display everywhere. i get it. i also am having problems finding a really GOOD core. i am with you, my larcenous brethren.
  
• aaaaand i get cut loose again as he hands me a black credit card. well, AWRIGHT!
  
• the lights love his hair.
  
• 92k for the red core. 70k for the other one. oh, this one is sparking? oh, let me guess. Wanderer metaflux field incoming at some point.
  
• nice. the name of the bank on the card is "The ACME".
  
• we checked in with Sylus before buying anything? girlfriend, he gave you the card and left. buy the whole damned hotel if you want.
  
• that voice... did not sound like Sylus at ALL. bad transcript? something more sinister? banking on 'more sinister', they really haven't messed up any of the VA stuff so far, save for the odd supporting character.
  
• why are we paying a million for a damaged core marked at 70k?
  
• and Sylus wants us to pay five million? what? okay, maybe its just this third rate communicator making him sounds so wrong. oh, he doesn't want people to think he's BROKE. muahahah! okay sweetheart, we'll overspend to your exacting standards, not mine. wow, we'll really gonna stick it to his bank with ten million, final offer. yeah, mr butler with the data pad, you heard me.
  
• aaaand Sylus just called me pompous. pot, meet kettle.
  
• its a good thing we got kidnapped and held hostage by this guy - there's no way i could afford any of that on a Hunter's salary.
  

8. Undercurrents

• Okay, Sherman is here. Walking dead man, hello.
  
• i was not in the least wrong! slammed to the ground in a half heartbeat while Sylus just smiles.
  
• "even a meticulously crafted plan is powerless before absolute strength".   /crosses self, clasps hands, communes with personal deity at revelation of overarching wisdom
  
• yup. i am so good at this. ".. people who said they'd help you replace me must have made an offer only an idiot would refuse." 
  
• its a good thing i'm not squeamish.
  
• the protocores i picked up are modified somehow. i guess my evol is still useful for something.
  
• eek, i've been accosted by a man with weird cuff.
  
• no buddy, i am not touching your obviously rigged hand.
  
• ... the Picture Of The Day on the main page is going to be Sylus for WEEKS.
  
• "sorry, the brooch is a gift from me."  yeah! back off! its my crow brooch now i did something sneaky for that wasn't well explained.
  
• oh yes. let's dance.
  
• "refuse me all you want."  that is SUCH a mocking tone. problem is, he probably knows more about me than i know about me.