[Video]

[material_guy]

[The video cuts in with a jarring shake, the camera tumbling, coming to focus on the bottom of a green couch and a chipped tile floor that probably needs to be mopped. Some unfamiliar voices mumble about "How do we erase this?" or "How the hell did we forget the security feed?" or wondering if they "should go grab one of the alchemists?" 

It's the latter question that gets a response from the decided star of today's video, the voice coming from the man picking up the camera and looking close up enough at the lens that you can see the veins in his eyeball.]


Nah, it can't be an alchemy thing if Greed can work it.


[The video focus draws away from his eye as he sets the camera it down on the table for a view of him on the couch, staring at the computer--a device decidedly more than a little anachronistic in a low lit, low-tech, mostly empty bar in which nobody seems to have anything immediately digital on their person. The lot lingering around the back of the couch don't look to be the most savory bunch, in rather tattered clothing, perhaps even recently roughed up, though there's a look about them suggesting that maybe hygiene's never been their highest priority.]


It's got a light on now. We probably just turned it on. 


[The man speaking seems to find that both ironic and mildly if not bitterly amusing, smacking his hand over his face and leaning back on the couch with a mix between a sigh and a groan.]


It just fucking figures he can't even be half assed to run the security any more... Guess that's lucky for us.


[Someone else asks if they shouldn't still be looking for the feed to erase the video. "The whole recording's gonna look suspicious."

The man gives a sulking look to the camera before sitting up and at least throwing a messy handkerchief over the visual feed.]


He doesn't even care if the military gets called down on the whole bunch over this drug cartel bullshit, you think he cares about internal spats enough to do anything?


[But still, unseen on the video, he'll try poking at things, trying to manipulate a completely non-intuitive visual interface to delete whatever video might be recording. If the fact that he barely knows what a mouse is much less what a right click does weren't enough to make it an impossible task, the fact that the video's been posted to the community has only made it a more doomed endeavor.]


((OOC: Drug plot with Stanley; replies may come from one-shot NPC character or Greed; Greed specifically if you denote your post as a 'later' reply, NPC specifically if you denote 'early' reply.))

Comments

[not a reply]

[twobloomsup]

[Stanley glances at his mirror, and sees Greed's post. Or rather, a post from what Greed uses for duck access.

After watching the video, Stanley is somewhat confused, as he is not savvy or streetwise enough to infer what's happening. Still, it apparently concerns one of his good friends, so he'll watch the video again.

Nope. Still doesn't make any sense to him. He'll keep it in mind for now as he returns to what he was doing. Maybe he can sleep on it?]

[mightletyouknowme]

Heh, I'm not surprised that the people who work for him would look like that.

[material_guy]

[With the handkerchief still over the camera, she doesn't see their surprised faces but as a voice comes from the computer there's a sudden silence. Some would say that pause, as if nobody would notice them if they held perfectly still and didn't make a sound, was one of shock more than awe, but when there is a voice there's a tense, false bravado to it. ]

Well shit, there's a babe-in-the-box...

[But surely that pause and tension is just awe at her beauty.]

[mightletyouknowme]

[Well, if they were, it was certainly explainable. She was beautiful, very beautiful. And these men were related to Greed, right? So, they were probably just as perverted.]

Heh, isn't that much obvious? Did he decide to leave now, too?

[material_guy]

[There's some unclear mumbling in the background along the lines of "He's blowing them off when they look like that?" and "It's over, he's done."

After some clattering noises as they try to find a microphone, some of them saying to at least get out of range, the man from before decides to go ahead and talk back after all.]

What's he leaving?

[mightletyouknowme]

[She would sigh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears.]

I don't usually talk to a group of weird guys so be glad I'm being so generous, especially since it's not like he's told you. It's something uses to connect to different worlds.

Huh... he's done? Did he do something stupid?

[material_guy]

Yeah, I know what this thing is. As much time as he spends porked out in front of it, it's probably the last thing he'll leave. [His voice is directed at the others now who have decidedly scattered far from the camera, not that that can be seen yet.] He's not blowing her off, this's probably a big part of what he's been dicking off for.

[mightletyouknowme]

Huh? It's not like he stands a chance but if he's being even more stupid than he usually is... I told you before, I'm generous.

[material_guy]

Then you've been a part of the people sending him all this messed up shit from other worlds.

[mightletyouknowme]

There's a limit to even my generosity; I only talk to him.

[material_guy]

"Talk," huh?

[mightletyouknowme]

[Her mouth would drop open in indignation the same time the blush came to her face.]

S-stop whatever perverted thing you're thinking right now! There's no way he'd ever get that lucky!

[material_guy]

[She's treated to some rather crude snickering for her trouble.]

You're expectin' me to buy that that guy gets ahold of something like this where he can get anything he wants from all kinds of worlds and he uses it to just talk to girls?

[glimmerous_fop]

The jig is up?

[Holy balls, he's back.

And yes, Klavier is just as surprised as you lot are, but rejoice anyway.]

y halo thar

[material_guy]

[The man certainly looks surprised, the others having decidedly tapered off or at least out of view of the incriminating camera. But it's not a surprise that comes with recognition.]

And who the hell're you?

what's up!

[glimmerous_fop]

[Well, if you're going to ask that question Klavier will just have to answer it...especially since you have no idea who he is.]

Your lord and master.

Pleasant surprises for 500! Schedule cleared up for the summer?

[material_guy]

[Thug A doesn't look any more impressed than Greed would have been by such a response, staring into the screen. There's something about the fop on the screen that seems like it should be familiar. After a few seconds he looks off of the camera at something, then back.]

What, it's one of those guys from the slot machine... I guess that came from some punk out there too.

Yes and hoping things will be manageable for a while

[glimmerous_fop]

[Greed has trained you very well, of course Klavier has to wonder if Greed's memory is just as short-term]

Ach, well now that's just rude, I'm legit.

An enjoyable or productive business?

[material_guy]

[The last time Klavier had been around, Greed did have the bunch of them trained to give him special treatment. This particular lot probably isn't a set of immediately familiar faces and the one scowling at the screen doesn't seem to have much recognition for him besides from the slot machine which, while not on screen, is apparently within his sights.]

The slot machine's yours right? You're a technology person. Where are the camera videos stored at?

Work is always kinda meh but I've finished my university tours

[glimmerous_fop]

[It's been months since then and a few things have changed, but it's unnecessary to overwhelm Greed right now, he'll figure out eventually that the prosecutor has returned.]

He's still got it, ja? Well technically it belongs to Greed, but I suspect that's not the point...if the video id being recorded to the community there's nothing you can do about it. If there's a device recording directly to the computer as well I might be able to help you remotely.

You went on tour?

[material_guy]

And if we're talking to you alien freaks, it's being recorded to the community... [He clicks his tongue, leaning back on the couch, scowling at the red light on the camera while thinking back to how much had been said before they saw that light. If he was right about when they turned it off, it's not... too bad.] What about right now? Are we recording or is this just us talking? Is it... [Snap, snap, snap. Thinking.] Tapped? Is it a tapped line? Is that the word they use when it's video phones? [He seems to be looking around to ask the others who aren't immediately on the screen. Getting no response and the distinct feeling that he alone is being recorded and thus in any danger of implicating himself, he makes a face at the camera again. Maybe he should be a little nicer. It looks like he's going to be dependent on one of these computer aliens.]

Yeah, had to check out the campuses to see what I like best

[glimmerous_fop]

I'd take it easy with the alien freak thing since we're on this side talking to you too...but essentially that's how it goes. [Hey, some things change, but Klavier is still sensitive about his ego.] I suspect it's the community that's recording you...there's no internet service in your world so the only way I could be seeing you on video if it was the community. [Though normally the community didn't reveal itself to anyone it did not intend to make a victim which was pretty interesting. Perhaps Greed's men were just that integral to Greed's life.] Hm...well that's fortunate. Anyway it is...kind of tapped, if you want to think about it like that.

Big move or staying local? Maybe you can escape the allergens this year.

[material_guy]

[He's not exactly comforted by that answer. "The community" means it's in some third party's hands now. Rather than try to get something he knows is "off world" maybe the best bet is to leave it be and hope it never gets looked at.]

If this is tapped, who all can play back the recording?

Local, I plan on commuting since TWU isn't too far away

[glimmerous_fop]

Anyone who is a member of the community. [And as if he's trying to ease your pain Klavier will add.] I don't know Greed to be the type to look back at anything long and more complex than a few words...of course that might just apply to text. You should be fine, probably.

No job hunting then, at least. Still at the PD?

[material_guy]

[Seen through decidedly, the man tries to give an 'awkward', cheesy smile. Not actually feeling anything more amiable towards him than the desire to reach across the screen and make sure he keeps quiet--he clearly knows Greed, friends talk, damn it--it will have to do.]

So you won't tell? The jig's not up just yet?