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Post by Gavin Graves on Feb 17, 2022 17:26:59 GMT -8
Gavin took Henley's unspoken question and put his understanding into the open, "I'd say it'd depend on whose pool you were looking to swim in. My understanding, you were tied in by the Triad. They have an angle on you and you're a bit stuck in place. If someone's going to remove the thumb on you, where would you be standing at the end of the day? Is that Verderer or its minions going to notice the move?" The Razorhand was glad he had previously used a light touch with the Black Dragons when they tried to intimidate him, turning the tables instead. How might things have turned out if he had dropped some bodies?
It was interesting to see the shape of Spring politics playing out in slow motion around him, even though he didn't quite grasp why there was so much infighting.
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Post by Henley on Feb 17, 2022 17:28:55 GMT -8
Henley looked confused.
"Neither? I don't know what you've got up your sleeve, so..."
He glanced to Gavin, gesturing toward the Razorhand and giving an agreeing nod to that.
"I can't really say if it would be trouble for me unless I know what it is you're about to do. If it's going to be 'go up the chain of crooks shooting people and getting into open fights with the narcos to try to become the Kingpin yourself', yes, that would be a concern. If it's 'acquire intelligence for the Knight of Masks with more subtle actions', then that is something I can actively help you with."
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Feb 17, 2022 17:53:02 GMT -8
His nerves were getting the better of his. Yuan blamed his lack of sleep. He inhaled an exhaled quickly, stopping his mind from wandering.
"I'm not the only one, you know. There's hundreds of people like me, illegals who got roped in by the promise of the American Dream. People in this community. I can't just bail on them. I have no intention of starting a war, but I want to make life easier for them."
"And yeah, obviously, my plan is to do the latter. Eurydice said that the Crown could help me toss my weight around. Alexandrite taught me how to read people. Then it's just about handing that information over to the right people."
Yuan nodded at Gavin's concern. "I don't think so. Alex is very good at what they do, so it should go down without a hitch."
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Post by Gavin Graves on Feb 17, 2022 18:48:55 GMT -8
Concern for the community certainly resonated with him. He had recently learned he had taken on responsibility for the people left behind by the American Dream. He was also reminded just what leverage could do to the littlest people. He nodded in understanding and sympathized. "Just be careful of those people you help. You can raise people up from the bottom all you like. Someone can come along and all they have to do is threaten to take it all away again and they'll turn on you to avoid falling back down. Not all of them, but just enough you need to keep a weather eye out. Thankfully you can get a bit of warning from peoples' broken word these days." The haunting vision of his betrayer had come to the forefront of his thoughts and he didn't want that fate for Yuan.
Intelligence gathering and community access was very complementary to Gavin's vision for the Motley. Breaking people free from their bondage was appealing as well. "What would you be looking for in a partnership then? You've mentioned money and getting out from under that thumb, but those are each one off events and you seem to have help lined up for one of them already." It would be nice to have another friend in crew, but there needed to be real stake in the matter for it to come together.
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Feb 17, 2022 19:53:03 GMT -8
"I'm looking for people who will have my back. I spend so much time masking and worrying about what other people want that I can't find my voice to speak up." It was a difficult thing to admit, not being able to stand up for yourself. "What I want are people who are willing to accept me the way I am, without asking me to change or compromise. People who can help me remember that I matter as well.
After diluting myself for so long, I need help figuring out who I am without the weight of expectations."
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Post by Henley on Feb 17, 2022 22:31:34 GMT -8
"You're looking for actual friends, bruv. I get that. Respect it, too."
After all, who didn't want people who cared? He glanced over at Gavin and gave a slight shake of his head.
"Which is why I don't think joining us is the right play right now. Friendship without the weight of expectations is fine, but a Motley Oath is a supernatural expectation. Right now, you're figuring out you. To be healthy in a Motley, and healthy for a Motley, that's to be able to set boundaries but also accept reasonable expectations and weight, and sometimes it means change and compromise has to happen. For you, but also from you. That's how it works. It's a give and take."
It wasn't time. Not yet.
"The best way I can show you you matter is to let you do you. I'd be a shit Spring if I bound you in the kind of Pledge that shackled that kind of Desire right now. You deserve to find you. We'll be here when you do."
He nodded to Yuan, firm.
"I'll teach you the Contract you need. A few thousand dollars as well, to get you set up with anything you might need. I want you to have the tools to succeed. Be free, brother. You call if you need anything."
Henley offered the Beast a hand to shake. It was a short term loss, but giving him the respect and space to bloom when he needed it could mean long term gains.
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Post by Gavin Graves on Feb 20, 2022 18:15:33 GMT -8
He grimaced slightly as he could see the direction of the conversation taking a hard turn. Here were his friends putting their cards on the table and it not looking good. It sounded like Yuan was looking for active supporters while wording it like he wanted a blank check for as much enabling as he wanted. At least he hoped it was that way.
"Yeah, you're going to need to clarify that one for me mate. I'm already your friend and would do that stuff anyway. Almost all of that's still going to have that unspoken and ill-defined 'within reason' filter of my own boundaries outside of a Pledge." The betrayal leading to Gavin being taken had jumped to mind again. Not setting limits on helping people had already cost him dearly. "You do matter also. That's why I laid out the idea the way I did. I was taking into account who you are--as I know you at least--and what you had been up to. The point was, if you wanted to be street level and swim with sharks in those waters, I know how to swim. I was showing you we saw value in what we knew of you and were willing to work your angle into the arrangement. If that's not acceptance, what is?"
Henley's words were resonating with his own feelings. A sizable and growing concern that Yuan was about to make sweeping changes in who he was and what he would do overtook his hopeful outlook.
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Feb 21, 2022 13:16:23 GMT -8
I'm sorry. Stop. It felt like a tuning fork had been shoved into his ear canal as the Playmate struggled to find the right words.
"I'm saying it wrong. There's a concept in my culture, you might know about it Nate. We call it Face. It's the idea that social interactions are dictated by an abstract amount of respect and prestige that the different parties have. It's kind of like a reputation, but it's way more ritualized and codified. You have to actively work to maintain it and losing Face is essentially social death."
He took a pause to make sure everyone had time to catch up. "I haven't had to worry about it until now, because I was nobody. I don't have any Face yet. That's why Chugunkin's people won't raise a flag at the move. But that's about to change. I'm about to place my pawn on the board and become somebody. I'm going to have to do a lot of masking, both with the Wah Ching and with the Court. And it terrifies me."
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want a pass to run rampant. I just want a safe space I can return to where I can be myself, without the expectations of keeping Face and making where blunders or mistakes won't get me ostracized. Like. I have this instinct to please people. I'm trying to curb it, but it's a work in progress and I might sometimes act stupid with you guys. I wanted to be honest about that so it's not a surprise. It doesn't mean you can't criticize my decisions."
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Post by Henley on Feb 21, 2022 15:35:22 GMT -8
"Yes, I'm familiar with Guanxi." Anyone who did business in China either knew about it or fucking ought to. It was one of the hurdles in Chinese business culture that made it tough for Westerners without people on the inside to make a break in China. Combine that with the CCP, and you had a whole new ball game to play.
The explanation made sense, and Henley held his hands up and nodded. He looked a bit relieved. "Good. Okay. I'm just making sure you didn't think I was trying to chain your Desire down with a Pledge. A safe space, that we can do. Just so long as you do the same for me, and remember that I've got a lot of people relying on me to get it right."
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Post by Gavin Graves on Feb 21, 2022 18:09:57 GMT -8
"My understanding was Guanxi was about favour and relationships and Face, or Mianzi, was concerned with reputation and status." He smiled wryly, "I may be a bit rusty, but I think I remember enough to get by and know it's exhausting to maintain. You two shouldn't have to dumb it down for me too much, I hope."
The rural northern Aussie had traveled some in the Oceanic and Asiatic areas prior to making his way to North America. That background had come in quite handy when deflecting the Black Dragons' unwanted attention previously.
"I thought you might have been skirting around those constructs, but didn't want to assume. Icons can take us in wildly different directions some times. Thank you for clarifying."
"For my part in the social side of things, just know I'm not big on it. I know most of that was torn away by being over There leaving big holes and a lot of anxiety. I've also refocused my life around figuring out the mysteries of our world. That little hobby can make me sound like a crazy person even when I have a clear mind. I need a bit of understanding and sensitivity when it comes to discussing those topics. There's a reason experts in the esoteric don't talk a lot about their craft: it's the mind shredding voiced doubts from others, yeah." Looking to the Ogre for backup on that front. "It's part of why I ramble on once I get started. I have to complete the train of thought and explain myself fully before someone calls me nuts." He was sure each of them were familiar enough with the habit. That coping mechanism often bled over into other aspects of his life.
Directed at Yuan, "I know I outlined how I saw you fitting into the scope of work we are collectively doing--with you being the mundane-side community embed. What would you want out of that side of things?"
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Feb 27, 2022 16:22:30 GMT -8
Looking at the Terrible, his expression turned serious. "I hear your concern Nate, and I'm willing to course correct to reduce the risk to you. It's not exactly good for business when one of your known associates is an up and coming member of the Triads."
"How about this? The Wah Ching have big investments in gambling, both poker and mahjong. With my skills and a little help from the Knight of Masks, I could find myself a place as a dealer and build a reputation from there. That way, it's nothing illegal but it still helps me achieve my goals. I'm not looking to become a hardened criminal, just some breathing room like I've said."
Yuan paused for a moment, shoulders relaxing as the misunderstanding was resolved. He was quietly impressed with Gavin's and Henley's knowledge of his culture and allowed a smile to float on his lips. "Community outreach was something I wanted to do, so that works. Speaking of Guanxi, it's also something I can help you build, even in just mundane business as well. That and help with the motley's reputation among the Courts." The ringing in his ears was gone too, thankfully.
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Post by Henley on Feb 27, 2022 22:40:00 GMT -8
Henley nodded in support as Gavin explained the challenges of esoterica. He was fairly well-versed in that world himself, and even then, the layers of reality that Gavin Graves could see made his head spin. He had learned a lot since he started working with the Razorhand - enough to know that there was always another layer.
Like a fucked up onion.
Henley listened as the others spoke until he was addressed. The concept of being a dealer wasn't a bad one; getting involved with gambling would put him in the world but not so deep that he would endanger himself or others unless he really fucked up. "You can jump some steps there. If I teach you the Mask, I mean. You'll come off as an up-and-comer with a good amount of cash -- because I'll stake you to make it start. No need to be the dealer; you can be the host. Play sometimes, listen lots, and make everyone feel like they're real ballers. Everyone loves a good host. Croupier's a dealer. He can bring that professional slickness to it if you want to get an outside guy in to make the game go while you learn what everyone needs, wants, craves..."
He grinned.
"We really should watch Molly's Game. Seriously. That's exactly what you could pull, but for the gangsters of Las Vegas. Grow it so there's a reputation of neutral ground, even."
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Post by Gavin Graves on Mar 4, 2022 10:43:07 GMT -8
The Beast was watching the renewed back and forth flow and the tensions fall away, now relieved to see his instincts for what had been happening were on point.
"Seems like we have a rough agreement that this could work well for all of us in principle. Were there any other aspects either of you wanted to work into an arrangement? Timeframe, option to add others?" He had ideas for the rough shape of it, much the same as had already been established but for an annual period, but wanted to hear from the others.
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Mar 6, 2022 1:37:40 GMT -8
"Neutral grounds? Like, replace the Strip?" That part was confusing. Had Yuan missed the mark on the scope of his would-be operation or was Henley dreaming too big?
"Time frame. Maybe a year? A lot can happen in a year - a lot of growth. If every year we all agree that our goals still align, then it's as simple as renewing the Oath. If not, we're not stuck together." He was trying his best to keep up with two who were better than him at the Weird Shit.
"Is there such as thing as work motleys? If I wanted to bring Croupier in and put Glamour on it, would it interfere?"
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Post by Henley on Mar 6, 2022 21:16:54 GMT -8
Henley paused, shaking his head. "No, not for us. Neutral ground for the powerful criminals you want information and influence on. The kind of place that you can harvest information from."
"As for adding people, I'm fine with additions if we all consent to it -- and I tend to think renewal seasonally is appropriate. Especially as a new thing. Lost can swear more than one Motley pledge, but it's on your head. But Pledges and Seals are different. You can make an oath for business purposes with him."
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