open rp post

fast and loose role-play

free and easy love, that's how it's s'posed to be!

want to thread with one of mine but aren't in the same game? want me to do something with one of yours in bakerstreet? can't find a good recent bakerstreet meme but want to thread anyway? want to explore au scenarios together? annoyed that i dropped that character you really wanted a thread with?

well drop me a comment here with whatever scenario (or link to a meme) you want, specify the character you want, and we can thread the merry day away!

any active or retired character from the muse list with two stars or more is fair game!

homeless characters are slightly different in that most of them don't have journals or icons set up, so you may have to give me a day or so to do that. and in some cases, a couple more days to canon review if i haven't in a while.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ She watches him. He has gotten cleverer, and more eloquent, but it's more than just that. All of this - It's nothing she'd ever thought she'd hear from someone like John Mandrake, Information Minister. Simply acknowledging that the system, his system, the system that gives him such power, is broken - She leans back, and she watches him, her expression half surprised and half appraising.

When he finishes speaking, she's quiet a moment, and then she nods. Her voice is a little softer. ]

You're right.

[ Right about all of it. Another moment. ]

But it's not the knowledge that's the problem, Mr. Mandrake. It's the way it's used. We haven't got to unlearn it; we've got to relearn it, so that it's not about - slavery, and power, but about understanding. And communication.

... Have you ever met a demon, Ms. Jones? No, scratch that, I know that you have. How do you suppose that magicians are to summon demons into this world without the chains that bind them? For that is what you are suggesting, is it not? That we just let them loose willy-nilly upon our world to wreak whatsoever havoc they please. We would all be dead within a week.

Why do we need to do that? Why do we need to summon them at all?

[ She crosses her arms again, disapprovingly. ]

They hate it, you know. It hurts them, and they hate being slaves. Which is maybe some part of why they would wreak havoc. Maybe they'd be more peaceful if we didn't hurt them first.

Why-- why summon them at all? Let me follow this train of thought along down to its' logical conclusion, shall I? Say we put a stop to summoning. Outlaw it completely.

But, as already established, we cannot erase the knowledge of magic. There will always be someone-- or several someones-- willing to summon a demon. And once they do, they have the power. Power over anyone and everyone who hasn't got a demon. As I'm sure you yourself know: making something illegal does not stop people from doing it. Determined people will still find a way.

Then of course, you have an even bigger problem on your hands-- magician outlaws. If the very act of summoning a demon is prohibited, then what is to stop these magicians from committing any crime they like, once they've summoned? They are already wanted men, after all. And the "good guys" in this scenario aren't allowed to break the law, so of course they have no demons, and as such they are already at a disadvantage against the outlaws. They shall lose. The selfish criminals shall wrest power for themselves. And then we end up back at square one: the exact same situation we find ourselves in today.

I cannot even begin to address all the faults in your latter argument. Demons are not peaceful. That is why they are called such. They will not hesitate to hurt you at any opportunity. I'm sorry to shatter your beautiful illusions, but a "peaceful demon" does not exist.

[ She chews at her lip, just a bit, because...He really isn't wrong. A dream of everyone just leaving them alone, a dream of everyone giving up that power, is just a dream. Even if they broke this cycle of...violence, hatred, ambition, everything, the fact was that there would still be strong people who would want to take advantage over the weak.

As for the matter of whether or not demons are peaceful...Arguing that point would be facetious. Because the demons' hatred is justified, caused by their slavery, but magicians simply stopping their bad behaviour won't make that better. They've got too much hatred.

So. ]

So we come up with another way. We summon the people here back to our home.

[His usually impassive face is so incredulous it's almost comical.]

I-- what?

[Not his most articulate statement.]

All right. Putting aside all the reasons why we couldn't do that and supposing, just for supposition's sake, that we could: please explain to me your logic, for I certainly do not follow it. How would this help in any way?

[ So glad you asked. ]

We need to break this cycle. Of enslavement, and of hatred - Their power, the power of the people here, isn't based on any of that. And neither is yours, now that you're here - I'm right about that, aren't I? [ She doesn't wait for confirmation. ] So we bring them back with us. We convince them to help us put an end to the British government and build something new in its place. Something that's not got this stain of magic back home.

[ Which absolutely helps and would be a solution to their problems. 100%. ]

Those are a lot of "somethings" and "supposes." Suppose we can take people home with us-- and we don't know if we can. Second, we have no guarantee that even if we can, that it won't be a one-way trip. Once there, these people might be stuck in our world. Then our new government would be suffering from the same problem that this one is: what to do with powerful, trans-dimensional immigrants.

However, assuming that those two problems are solved, what is this "something" new you are planning to build? It is all very well to say that, but "something" is not a thing that inspires people. Nobody will be interested if you cannot give them some concrete plan to fight for, or to reassure them that their efforts won't be in vain. I know a little about recruiting people for wars that really have nothing to do with them, after all.

And, that said, I myself am curious as to what kind of regime it is you intend to build with our gracious imPort helpers. Once they are gone, does the system fall apart? Or are you intending to keep them in our world forever, making a new life for themselves? That seems like a pertinent detail to your recruitment campaign, unless you intend to lie.

Edited 2014-11-09 12:47 (UTC)

[ She shoots him a look of annoyance. ]

Of course I'm not going to lie. There are some who despise their homes, or who have been killed there before coming here. They can stay and make a home for themselves. The rest can go to their homes.

Anyway, all of that is less important - what matters most is simply getting rid of the old and removing the corrupt from power, and then we make a system that includes everyone's voices. Commoner and magician.

[He absorbs this for a moment, mulling it over. He doesn't agree-- all details are important. There is no such thing as an unimportant detail, to a magician. This haphazard way of going about planning things is mad. He doesn't know what she can hope to achieve. He sits there in silence for a moment, taking the ice off his nose but still looking somewhat unhappy and stubborn.]

... If I had the staff, we wouldn't need any... imPort interlopers to fight our battles for us.

[ She shakes her head, immediately cutting to the quick of that plan. ]

If you had the staff, and if you used it, it would be just a member of government making an attempt against Deveraux. Even if you were better than he is, it'd still just be more of the same.

... Not necessarily. ... I could create a new government. Like you said-- one where there are an equal number of magicians and commoners in parliament. We could model it off the system they have here-- a voting... kind of thing. Where ministers have to be appointed by the people they represent. Of course, I would have to step down as Prime Minister after its' establishment to let a fair election run its' course...

[ Her arms are crossed again. One eyebrow is raised high. ]

Yeah, and how likely is that to happen?

[He seems to genuinely think about that for a moment, before looking up at her with a small smile that could almost be described as cheeky.]

... Do you know, I don't actually want to rule the country. Shocking, I know. I only realised it myself just now. You mustn't tell anybody, it'll bring shame upon my family.

[A joke. A particularly Bartimaeus-like joke, he thinks to himself wryly. Oh no. It's come to this. He's thinking fondly of Bartimaeus. How terrible.]

I only want to be the youngest recorded magician in history to become Prime Minister. After that, I'm quite happy to hand it off to someone else. My current job is already stressful enough.

Edited 2014-11-09 13:42 (UTC)

[ She stares at him, perfectly astonished. That is just the most - ridiculous thing she's ever heard - She laughs, and for once it's not a laugh of derision or scorn, not something passionate to demonstrate her dismissal of an argument, but rather it's genuine. She's just taken aback by him looking up at her with that idiotic pride in that idiotic idea that she can't help but laugh. ]

That's so stupid.

[ And, she's ashamed to admit, that's not declaimed passionately, but instead with actual amusement. She knows that it's an awful sentiment he just expressed - because it's a minister admitting he's just doing things for his name and his pride and legacy - but there's something that almost borders on charming about the way he's smiling with pride over something so silly.

Get serious, Kitty. ]

It's still not going to work. Not really. Even if you're not lying, and even if you hold to that. You've got to understand, our organizations won't trust anyone from your government. You come into power, and they'll just assume that any offers to work with them will just be a ploy to draw out their leaders so that you can burn out the rebellion the moment you take office. There can't be any trust between us.

[ Echoing Bartimaeus isn't intentional, but...It's appropriate, she thinks. ]

Well. It has some flaws as a plan, I admit, but... the other solution that you're proposing is to take home extra-dimensional travelers and quite literally stage a civil war against magicians. That's what an uprising is, you realise. People will die. Some of them might even be the ones you recruit.

Are you all right with that on your conscience?

[ That kills any possibility of lingering amusement - and stirs a little bit of anger. ]

Don't think I don't know exactly what I'm doing, Mr. Mandrake. Remember, I've been at this for years. I decided long ago that I would do what was necessary to overthrow tyrants - and do not think that I'm so stupid or naive not to realize that that might entail a loss of life. Mine, or others'.

[ She thinks about the Resistance. She thinks about her comrades, three years dead. She watched them die. As if she doesn't know the consequences. ]

... Very well. ... It was worth the asking, all the same.

Never the less, I will work at a different solution until such a time as we are called back.

[ It would be - reluctant though she is to admit it - useful to have him on her side; if it's a matter of figuring out how to summon people here, he's one of the best summoners she knows of. They say he's the best in their world. But she knows that she's not going to convince him with half-formed plans; she has to have something more concrete. ]

Are you actually serious about this, Mr. Mandrake?

[ She regards him thoughtfully. ]

Serious about change? Because I can turn the question back on you. If you want change, that means some actual, substantial sacrifices. Of life, of power, of wealth and prestige. You're used to things being clean, but revolution isn't ever clean.

... I will not claim that I am as invested in it as you-- you would know it for the lie that it would be. Our stakes are entirely different ones, and as you say, there is no trust between us. So there is nothing I can say that will assuage your doubts completely.

Never the less, it is a fact that I don't waste my breath or time on people or matters I don't think are worth them. So you can make whatever judgement you like from that. Trust me or not, it is no concern of mine.

[Or at least, so he would like her to believe. It is not entirely true, of course. He can't put his finger on why, but he desperately wishes for their acquaintance to continue-- though he isn't even aware of it consciously.

It also neatly sidesteps her real question there, which... truth be told, he isn't sure he's ready to answer. He doesn't know. He doesn't know if he could truly live like a commoner. He does it here, and he hates it. It's made him more sympathetic to her cause and opened his eyes, sure. But he isn't ready to go back to being a nobody. He's fine with not being Prime Minister, sure-- but he wants to be somebody. He just isn't sure who yet.

But that is all too much insecurity to reveal to her.]

[ What a magician. Kitty, if she were trying to convince someone of her sincerity and earnestness, would talk about the reasons that this is right, the reasons this cause is necessary, why she believes. She'd provide her thoughts as evidence of her devotion. Mandrake? Uses his attention as evidence. If he is dedicating his vaunted attention to this, that's evidence enough of his sincerity. What an egotist. And what a bad argument. No one with half a brain would believe him.

So...Why does she?

Because she does. She looks at him, with all his dandyism and arrogance, and she remembers how he's lied to her face in the past, how he was willing to break his vows, and she remembers the filthy lies he spreads in his pamphlets and his stage shows, and for some reason in spite of all that what she thinks is He'd be useful. Not that he can go to hell, not that she'd be doing her country a service if she cut his throat right here and now (because she could kill him, she could take his life; it wouldn't be difficult, not with him so hapless and willowy-thin and defenseless, and she could get out of here before her boss even noticed the dead kid in the back). But instead: It would be good if we worked together.

You must be really, truly desperate, Kitty. ]

So what's your solution?

Edited 2014-11-17 12:18 (UTC)

[Mandrake has no business talking about what is right or wrong. To do so would be hypocritical in the extreme, so he does not bother.]

Well you shot down the one I had been working on. So as I said, I will need some time to come up with another.

This place doesn't seem intent on letting me go any time soon, though. I would wager we have more than enough time to put together something thoroughly cohesive.

It'll only be we if you do come up with something.

[ She quickly, sharply, brushes hair out of her eyes so that she can look at him archly and haughtily. (Her hair is getting too long. She's been too busy with planning and staying hidden to get it cut. It seems stupid now that she wasted that much energy; if there's anything this conversation has made clear, it's that Mandrake doesn't have either the interest or the ability to hurt her in this place.) ]

My plan might have problems, but it's better than nothing. And that's the only possibility that's really bad. Doing nothing.

[His reply is surprisingly vehement.]

No. I will not-- I will not do nothing. If there's one thing I will not do, I will not go back to that. I may not be personally invested in your cause as you are, but you're wrong if you think I haven't had it up to here with-- with fusty, greedy old men who can't see past their own nose, in more ways than one. To hell with inertia, to hell with the status quo! Our country is falling apart and they refuse to see it. Someone needs to do something.

[ And she's clearly taken by surprise. Not unpleasantly so, either: she'd always thought that Mandrake was downright coldblooded, something lizardlike in human form, but...That sounded real. And maybe she's overestimating her knowledge of the esteemed minister, but there honestly hasn't been a time yet when he's lied to her when she didn't know. If he was faking that passion...she'd know. She's sure she'd know.

And she likes passion. She likes people who are passionate. They're worthwhile. It's the apathetic and the jaded you can't do anything with.

And so, for the first time, she's caught off-guard enough and pleased enough that the gaze she turns on him is approving. She smiles, and it's not her usual dangerous spoiling-for-a-fight smile, but instead something with more than a bit of warmth to it. ]

Good.

[ And then, with a little bit of irony - still not without approval - she damns him with faint praise: ]

You're perhaps not as bad as you seem, Mr Mandrake.

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fast and loose role-play

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