[Dead Heading] You Better Work, Mitch

"I only been in Vegas for two years. Texan girl myself "
she smiled before something caught Mitch's attention. The Moth's eyes moved along with his to the stage and feel upon the Sage Escort. The Bewitched felt a tug of envy hit them as they watched the beautiful woman's routine. The moth's fingers light drummed across the table as they took in the movements of Eurydice
"Beautiful is she not?" Riley, at last, offered to Mitch before glancing back to the table.
Focus.
"Quite yes. Archie was doing some community work."

The sudden dismissal of the student told Mitch that Ruby was probably more focused on other things beyond chattering about the joys of teaching. He coloured, quicksilver blood turning him a bit grey as he blinked from her, to the performance, to Riley. "Hm? Sorry?"

He held an easy smile, if confused as to why he was being swept up in something. "Sounds like...Ruby wants to help you out," he ventured, mind catching up to the rapid-fire conversation. His smile grew a little more confident as the exotic dancer supported the woman's want to work with the community. The Bright One was super helpful.

He watched the Changeling project manager try and suss out the position with the mundane; a little embarrassed that he hadn't tried doing any screening himself as he tidied his hair. It was a Spring event though, right? Maybe she was part of someone's Bargain? But now Archie was calling the Sage Escort by her Changeling moniker-

Between Riley's prompt and Archie asking about his history, he almost coughed into his arm with how dry his throat became. His face greyed. "How about...we talk about what your project is?"

His tone wasn't a sloppy redirection or obfuscation, but a polite shut-down of the topic. He clearly thought the Chatelaine was ribbing him, and he didn't like it.

As the Fairest turns the smile back on and makes a genuine attempt to be present, Archie recognizes that the man is probably one of the most easy going personalities he has encountered in a long time — the type that the Entertainment Industry would destroy in a few years of driving them into burnout and active escapism when reality hits that they really can't please everyone, and that somehow must be their fault.

He was actually scarily easy to manipulate and push into the box you preferred, for the time. Every Emerald Lost starts to chafe when they discover the bars to their gilded cage. Why Chungunkin wanted such a squishable mark helping them out was only getting weirder. Being a rising star in Spring, there was likely an unexplored angle why he was still somehow able to cheerfully flit around among the vipers and harpies of Desire. He was also the Elemental Whisperer, who should be uselessly getting bulldozed by their thunderous personalities.

There was a clear history between Mitchell and the Sage Escort that was ugly enough to get him to set a boundary on the topic. The way his smile weakened at the mention of the Knight of Coin also told the Chatelaine that he was already going to start looking for an out.

"Oh! For sure, happy to help. What did you need from me, specifically? I'm a dance instructor. I don't know much about purchasing land."

Mitch still maintains the veneer of politeness, blinking as Archie outlines the situation. Knowing the man was nervous, he innately didn't want to make his life more difficult. "I mean, I recently forged a stronger connection with Spring. So, I was going to be asked to do things at some point," he said with a shrug, just accepting the way things were. The number was exchanged easily, though he had to check his number to remember it.

"I'm liked...?" he coloured a bit, not really wanting to come off as narcissistic. "I speak some Spanish. A lot of my students are more well off, but, their parents have some connections that would probably tie back to Whitney." He wasn't going into detail, not wanting to be rude with the implications. "I have some other abilities like the rest of us, but umm..." he chuckled, embarrassed, "Even though I look a certain way, I'm useless in a fight. I can heal, though."

That was hard to buy, given the precise movement and how the man was basically a chiseled statue. But he was a Fairest, it might just be a byproduct of his mien.

"Oh, is this a territory thing?" He winced a bit. "I didn't think Chugunkin would be that aggressive. It's not really his M.O." 

Sure, he seemed ready to agree and go along with it, but from his earlier assessment Archie knew without some pressing he would likely manifest an excuse the second he wasn't playing the part of a perfect altruist.

“Well we would love to have an esteemed veteran of the court accompany us! Your spanish is better than mine, and having someone who know their way around some of our more helpful arts is never discouraged, however, I am planning on avoiding a need for them at all costs. Like yourself, I am more of a lover than a fighter. Riley here is right though, I assume staying one step removed is an appropriate buffer - so I am happy to poke and prod but I am not going to start a scuffle.”

He nodded and raised his drink to the thought of keeping things peaceful and as easy as possible.

“So with that, Mitchell, can Riley and you, along with other cohorts count on your help? You will have to forgive us saplings for being so unsure and somewhat lost. And we appreciate your willingness to help mentor us.”

He pressed on that commitment. He essentially leveraged their inexperience and that they needed him.

“It would put us at ease if your would be willing to seal this, something to just let us rest easy knowing we will have someone who is familiar with the ways of the Court, will make sure we don’t go astray.”

He offered his hand, the wyrd swirling in his palm as he asked for the most simple of oaths.

"There's an interest in the community. Construction, renovation...call it what you want. There's too many bodies to make it quick work. They need to leave, and we were hoping you could make use of your latest...endowments to nip this in the bud."

Was this a curse of their Court? Dancing around the issue with flattery and butter? Cushioning the fall did nothing to gravity. It only made the plummet an easier pill to swallow.

Riley looked at her. Ruby knew that she had been made, and the thought tickled her. Ruby gave them a wink and a small smile. Hello to you too, sweetheart.