exsiliumlogs | Gather 'round people, wherever you roam

Entry tags:

Gather 'round people, wherever you roam

Date & Time: Mid December onward
Location: New Exsilium
Characters: Victor Sullivan and YOU
Summary: Catching up, Christmas stuff, hanging around, whatever
Warnings: none at the moment.

A. Near His Shitty Ice-Shack

[Home sweet home it was not. Sully set up base near the shores of the Thames, in an abandoned little shack probably originally set up for ice-fishing. Over time he's managed to snag some creature comforts for it, starting with a generator and a heater and working his way up.

Strangers may find him hauling furniture or wood, trying to build an outhouse, or just walking to and from, either from an excursion to the nearest town or a trip to transporter. A friendly stranger might offer to help. A less friendly stranger might laugh their asses off as he tries to dig through the packed snow.]

B. In Town

Well, that could have gone better.

[Pawn shops were never where the big money was, but he didn't have a lot of options. With barely any cash to his name and a variety of sundry goods for trade it was that or nothing. It wasn't like he had any contact here, not a fence to be found.

Still, he was hoping for a little better than this. A lifetime of figuring out exchange rates meant that he knew exactly how little he'd really gotten out of the bargain. Certainly not a fortune. But hell, a bird in the hand. Which meant that he was ready to hit the town.

Blending in with the locals might not be too hard. If someone didn't spot him first.]

C. Other??

[Whatever suits your fancy!]

((OOC- If we've discussed doing something special before, you can either throw up a starter or let me know if you want me to make one!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah, I am. I figured, when you were talking about your ah, flyin' pirate ships.

[He'd tried to stay clear of most of the people who weren't obviously normal, but you had to make exceptions. Exceptions for pretty girls.

He grins, takes a drink himself, and nods along.] Ah, see, that's a sentiment I understand. Still, for me it's temporary. I've got other plans coming together.

[He watches her drink, impressed. She couldn't weigh that much, but she sure new how to handle her liquor. So far, at least. He'd have to make sure he held his own.]

Yeah. I'm not one for hunting normally but there sure as shit isn't much else to do down here. That's what you caught me at when I got your message, actually.

Edited 2014-01-15 00:44 (UTC)

[ If she knew about his pretty girl exception, her smile would probably be a little bit brighter right now. As is though, she's still obviously happy for his company right now nonetheless. ]

So you're plannin' on leavin' your shitty shack behind too, then?

[ Judging how much alcohol Apollo can handle by her weight alone will lead to a pretty inaccurate conclusion; she's a pirate and a sailor, and that kind of profession typically involves drinking to the point of alcoholism. Apollo is no exception. ]

Yeah? [ Consider her interest piqued by the mention of hunting. ] What wereya huntin'? Small stuff, big stuff, weird furry yeti stuff?

Damn right I am.

[He had the will and he had the way, now. What he didn't quite have was the right frame of mind to stay the course. People were messy. What a cryin' shame. Still, he'd get to it. It was that or live on a cot for the rest of eternity.]

And you, what's your plan?

[He waved his hand vaguely, took another drink.] Found a caribou. Nothin' special. But it had some impressive horns and apparently they fetch an alright price. Besides, I was bored out of my goddamn mind.

[He wasn't quite sure he approved of the yeti hunting. They were supposed to be smart, which meant it was either like killing people or dolphins and neither really seemed very glamorous.]

Just moved into a new place the other day and it's still a fuckin' state so that's keepin' me busy, mostly. It ain't bad, though! Cozy, actual house this time. Makes me kinda wish I hadn't wasted so much time fuckin' around with the piece of shit I saw. [ A brief pause as she drinks some more. ] Not when I coulda just gotten myself somethin' cozy in the first place.

[ There's just over half of her drink left when she brings the glass to her lips again, and she makes a soft little noise as she drinks to indicate she's listening and wants to say something once she's done. When she puts the glass down, there's barely anything left in it. ]

Caribou! I ain't always in a caribou friendly climate, but I've had 'em before. Delicious motherfuckers, glad we got 'em 'round here. My dog likes chewin' up the antlers, but yeah, you'd probably get somethin' worthwhile outta 'em if you tried.

Ha. Sounds like you're a little further than I am. I've got a place lined up but it's going to be a lot of work to get it off the ground.

[There's a slight hesitation before he takes another drink or speaks again. He hadn't really told anyone about said plan since he'd spoken to Chloe. He should be doing more. Getting folks together. Talking to relevant parties. He wasn't one to chicken out, it was just complicated.

He needed to talk to Nate about it. Goddammit.]

You give them to your dog? Hell, I was going to mount it. You know, nice wooden plaque. I thought it'd make a statement.

[There was little enough left in his glass that he had a pleasant warmth in his head and the foresight to motion for another.]

So, you still raiding the past to supply the future with prophylactics?

Mmhm, he's a big guy with powerful fuckin' jaws, chewin' up antlers keeps him busy and happy for a while. [ "Big guy" is a bit of an understatement - Metalhead is literally the size of a small pony due to his monster genetics, but this is something Apollo conveniently leaves out even when the dog is with her. ] But naw, if you ain't got a fatass dog like me then mountin' 'em works too!

[ Barely two seconds after Sully motions for another, Apollo's polished off the last of her own drink and also getting the bartender to send another whisky her way. ]

Supplyin' the future with what? [ Give her a second, she's a fantastical middle ages kind of girl who is very much distracted by her new drink right now. ] Oh! Shit, kinda. Haven't been on a run lately so I've been keepin' what I got for me an' a couple friends instead of handin' 'em out. Why, you want some?

Big dog, huh? Bet that comes in handy out here.

[He'd seen the dogs running about. Look, he liked 'em fine. Dogs were good. Hellavalot better than cats, but they required a lot of work. That was a responsibility he didn't have the right personality for. No. Dogs were great when they were someone else's.]

Sounds like you've been slacking on your duty miss pirate. As for that, [he angles his new glass at her, grins over the top of it] it remains to be seen.

[It's about the most blunt you could be, but he had a feeling it would fly. The roguish charm thing usually worked. If you could get a girl saying things like 'you're so bad' you were golden.]

Oh yeah, definitely. He's a good dog, watches out for me and shit.

[ Dogs are her favourite animals. Which is a little ironic considering that, as a woman who is part gryphon, she is technically also a woman who is part cat - but then again, Apollo's entire life seems to be a weird but delightful mixture of many things anyway. ]

Hey, I've been busy! New house, remember? [ His grin and his comment only makes Apollo grin back at him, the roguish charm he's trying to do absolutely working on her. ] Oh? Why's that, sugar? Haven't made up your mind yet or somethin'?

Aw, I doubt you need anyone to watch out for you. Still, can't beat the company.

[She seemed plenty capable to him. Not exactly the damsel in distress kind. Which was probably a good thing, with everything that was going on. He bet this place was tough on the one's that weren't capable.]

Gone all domestic! We'll have to get you back out into the world. As for me, I've made up my mind, but it takes two to tango.

[He says it with a big grin and slightly too-much eyebrow, but then glances away, face dropping. Did pirates tango? He thinks that reference might lose her. Damn. He shrugs, takes another drink and lets the smile roll back over his face. No harm done, if she didn't get the point he'd find another way to make it.]

[ She is the farthest thing from a damsel in distress, that's for sure. She's capable, tough, and incredibly adaptive; which pretty much means that this place doesn't particularly bother her. It can annoy her sometimes, sure, but otherwise she's doing alright. Plus, there's quite the selection of interesting people to spend her time with anyway, which is always something that keeps her optimism going. ]

Hey now, sayin' all domestic ain't exactly accurate, y'know.

[ And then she's grinning into her drink, her eyes set on his until he glances away. Pirates weren't typically known for their tango dancing, no, but with the context he's used, she can pick up on what he means anyway. Apollo lowers the drink but doesn't set it down, gaze following Sully's face as he moves. ]

Mmhm, that it does. Ever partner up with a redhead before? [ Even if he had, it probably wasn't with a redhead quite like her. ] Lotta energy, I promise. Might even be a good way to get me back into the world, too.

[He waves his hand, drink still in it] Alright, fair point. Not all.

[And bingo. She gets a sideways grin for that, all crooked as he throws back the last of his drink.]

Plenty, but I'd be willing to bet you're a better partner than any of them.

[He managed not to pull too-much of a face as the booze goes down hard. This place is utter garbage. Apparently underground farming didn't lead to the best goddamn liquor in the world.

He was going to make a killing. A goddamn killing.]

And I'm sure it wouldn't hurt. But you know, I've actually got another suggestion. Not better, mind you. Figure we can attack this thing from all angles though.

[ Oh, well that is certainly an answer she likes. It's a good bet too, one he'd have no trouble winning. Her grin matches his while she happily watches his finish off his drink, shifting her body on the stool just enough that she can lean a bit closer to him when she gives a pointed answer of her own: ]

Much better.

[ Not a very modest woman, but then again, she backs up her claims well enough that it doesn't really matter if she is or not. ]

Yeah? [ When she knocks back the last of her drink then, there isn't even a second in which she feels the need to make a face. It's terrible booze and she knows it, but at this point in her alcoholic life, she's used to settling. Leaving her gaze rested on Sully still, she puts the glass down on the counter. ] I'm listenin'.

[He sets the glass down with a clink, and leans in closer to match her. From this distance she'd probably notice the crinkles around his eyes or the flecks of silver in his brows. Not something he's ever worried about.]

I look forward to you proving it.

[And there's a challenge there. His favorite sort.

Ah, but business first. He sat back up, shrugging ever so slightly. He hadn't practiced a pitch for her. Honestly, being as he thought he wouldn't ever talk to her again, it hadn't occurred to him she might want in. But now, sitting in front of her, hell. It seemed exactly like her kind of gig.]

Now I don't want you to think I agreed to this little soiree just to do business, but it'd be damn irresponsible of me not to mention it. Whatever you think about this proposition I expect we'll still be good friends.

[Sully says good friends the way some people say 'depraved hedonists'.]

That place I was telling you about, the next step? Not a house. Or at least, it won't be. What it will be is a bar, with a few card tables. Possibly some illegal fighting, we'll see how that goes. Which hell, good enough fun on it's own, but the real beauty of it, of course, is I don't gotta buy anything. That transporter, they just let anyone use it to get whatever they want. Hell, you know. So I'm thinking I use it, jump through time, pick up the best of the best from all around the world and bring it back here.

[ She does indeed notice the crinkles around his eyes and flecks of silver hair, and it's what her eyes are going over at first, but it isn't any sort of deterrent. He's likely quite a bit older than she is, then, but that hasn't exactly stopped her before. ]

Good, 'cause it won't be hard and you won't be disappointed.

[ A challenge, it seems, is always something Apollo loves to receive.

When he starts talking business, her expression takes on a more curious look. She listens to him speak as she steadily drinks away at a new whisky the bartender had put in front of her while they were talking, and she's clearly enjoying his little pitch the more he goes on about it. Especially the parts about illegal fighting. That and the thievery, those are definitely some pings for her. ]

So are you askin' me to help you pick up the best of the best from all around the world an' bring it back here, then?

[He doesn't think he will.]

I knew you were quick. [He props his elbow on the counter, drink almost abandoned for now. Not that he's not having a good time, but he knows from experience he'll have a better time if he's not trashed by the end of the night. Holding your liquor was one thing, holding it and performing at your best was another.]

I figure the first few runs I'll be able to do. Might need some help of course. But I'm thinking once the joint is up and running I'll have my hands full with it. And I figured that sort of piracy was right up your alley. You'll get paid, of course, whatever good money is. Far as I'm concerned that sort of investment makes you a partner in the business. You'd see a fair bit of the action.

[He's not ready to talk contracts yet, but he doesn't see any harm in making her an investor. It was better to have people invested]

Very quick!

[ Getting trashed off a few glasses of whisky is absolutely not a concern for her, so she's just going to continue drinking away. It takes an incredible amount of liquor to get her flat out drunk and hell, even what she's drank so far is just barely enough for a soft, pleasant buzz. She doesn't plan on getting trashed today, and even if she was, she'd have a ways to go before she got there. ]

What a grand fuckin' plan y'got there. Sweet of you to think of includin' me in it, too. [ In other words, hell yes this is right up her alley. ] Sounds like fun, so yeah, sure, I'll helpya out. Just lemme know when you need me, yeah?

[He flashed a quick finger-gun, only slightly embarrassing.]

Of course darlin', can't think of anyone better.

[Technically true. If only because his shadiest contacts were all going straight and narrow on him. Still, either she'd get it done or she wouldn't. And if she did, it would make things a whole lot easier.]

And I will. Gimme a bit, I'll get a plan together and you and I can see what we can't rustle up.

[He grinned again, held out his hand, sans drink] Sound like a deal?

Edited 2014-01-17 04:12 (UTC)

[ She can't help but laugh a bit at the finger gun; amused by the silliness of it, but not judgemental in the slightest. ]

Then y'got a keen eye and good judgement!

[ Things were probably going to be a whole lot easier for him then, as Apollo was pretty well immediately on board for this little operation. There have certainly been past situations in which she's been totally useless when she had promised to help, but Sully's plan had the advantage of alcohol, payment and piracy involved; which meant he had himself a redheaded partner in crime already.

With a delighted expression on her face, Apollo switches her drink to her left hand so she can grasp his with her right, and gives him a strong, solid handshake. ]

Deal! Always lookin' for excitin' new things to do 'round here anyway.

[Sully grinned. He guessed he'd see about that. Then he returns the handshake, equally firm, and just like that they're in business.]

That so? Well, I'll see what else we can't do to entertain you.

[Business done. Time for flirting. He signaled the barkeep for another drink and shifted his seat until he was facing her a little more. He didn't think he needed to lay on the charm really, but it was habit. Besides, it was fun.]

So, what's it like being a pirate? As exciting as it seems in the movies?

Mm, I can think of a couple things we can try already.

[ He doesn't necessarily need to lay on a whole lot of charm, no, but it definitely helps. Apollo loves flirting and flattery, it's just as much fun and habitual for her as it is for him, and it's not hard to see that her grin gets a little wider anytime he says or does something she likes. ]

Dunno, how excitin' is it in the movies? [ That kind of thing is still relatively new to her, so she hasn't exactly seen a whole lot of movies yet. ] Fuckin' eventful life either way, though! Stealin' things, shootin' things, drinkin' things, all kinds of things, really. Never known any other kinda way to live, don't fuckin' care to change it up now.

Sounds a lot like the movies. You've got, oh, a daring and bold pirate. Some damsels maybe. A bit of swinging down off the cross beams with a sword in your teeth. [He can see her doing that last one. The wings might help.]

Of course, the movies don't give a damn about proper sailing. Only about the danger.

[He wasn't honestly big on movies either way. Oh sure, there were a few classics, but it required a lot of sitting and waiting and hell if there weren't more interesting things to do.]

Oh? And how's a girl like you end up a pirate, anyway? I bet that's a story.

[ Well, that's an interesting take on pirates. She hadn't watched anything to do with pirates (or, well, anything to do with much else for that matter) for much the same reason: it involved too much sitting around when there were more interesting things to do. An abundance of energy meant Apollo didn't sit still for very long. ]

The danger's the fun part though! Fuck, even I don't get that worked up about the sailing. Always been in charge of weaponry, when I had a crew. [ A pause as she drinks away, as though she's been drinking water this entire time and not knocking back multiple glasses of whisky. ] Let the others fuck around with the ship herself, y'know? I'll just make sure nobody important fuckin' dies.

[ She just shrugs and laughs a bit at the question. ] Gramps was one of the greatest adventurers of his time, apparently, and he raised us so... dunno, guess there ain't a story. Just kinda always surrounded by piracy.

How 'bout you, then? You a sailor, or doya just go 'round settin' up shady bars?

Aw now darlin', don't be like that! Your ship's your girl.

[More importantly, your ship was your defense against the ocean and damn if you didn't need that. The ocean was a fucking bastard.]

Nobody important, eh? [He shoots her a sideways grin as he takes another drink. He was willing to bet she was pragmatic about that sort of thing.

Pirate family, huh? That was something you don't hear everyday. Well, it made sense, modern day pirates certainly made it a family affair. Still, it was hard to imagine you could appreciate how nuts being a pirate was when you grew up in the thick of it.]

Us? You got some brothers and sisters then?

[Then he laughed, shrugging easily] Nothing as exciting as your story. I was a Navy man. Did my years, found something better to do. Treasure hunting, mostly, if you catch my meaning.

[He meant he was a thief, con-man, and occasional mercenary. A bad man, if you will.]

Never had a bar before. Always wanted one though, figured this place gives me a damn good opportunity. Not much point in treasure-hunting. And who said anything about shady? I'm insulted.

[He certainly didn't look insulted.]

Been a while since I've been part of a proper crew, but yeah, keepin' the ship and her crew battle ready was my job. Master Gunner was my title. Normally you only get one on board, but the Nimirum had two 'cause Cap'n couldn't choose between me an' my twin sister. [ Pirate families aren't entirely common in her world either, but literally as far back as she can remember, it's always been her, Artemis, and their grandfather. ] Found another sister along the way too. We ain't blood related, but she might as well be.

[ It's been a while since she's talked much about her family here, but she doesn't mind. In any case, she's quickly distracted from her own history when he mentions that being in the Navy is a part of his. ]

Oh, good. Can't say I've ever gotten along with a Navy man before. [ A pause, that she strategically fills with some drinking and a shrug. ] Least not when he knows I'm a pirate, anyway. Good career change though, treasure huntin's a beautiful thing. [ Oh yeah, that grin of hers alone is indication enough that she catches his meaning.

His claim to being insulted gets a short little laugh out of her. ] Aw, sorry sugar. [ She's not sorry. ] It's just that most bars that host illegal fights and get supplies from pirates tend to be on the shady side, is all.

[He nodded. Made sense, she didn't seem like the patient sort. Guns suited her fine.]

Twins? You mean there's two of you floating around? Your world sure got lucky. [God, he loved twins. The concept of them, at least. In practice it could get a little messy.]

Ah well, probably never met a Navy man like me before. [His relationship with the Navy was complicated, to say the least. It should be the straight-laced world he tried to escape from, but really it was, hell, what took him to where he was now. He didn't throw the damn dog tags away, after all.] And yeah, I like it. It's never boring.

[Not strictly true, but it was the romantic way to phrase it. And it was a lot less predictable than a lot of other professions.]

I see where you're coming from, but you know, the rich are the biggest crooks of all. I'm thinking high-class debauchery.

[Or at least, middle range. Nothing too dark, else you'd make chump-change.]

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