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Post by Fawkes on May 6, 2022 21:46:07 GMT -8
Well, he was apparently down a hand now.
The results didn't surprise him, and hit motley was more than a little concerned about the lack of reaction. He asked to take care of it himself — after a Torrent's personal nightmare of being a meat puppet, he didn't want anyone near him or telling him what to do.
"Hi Nate. Can you tell me which Goblin I need to barter with to get my dominant hand back?"
He needed to be able to use a firearm, obviously.
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Post by Henley on May 6, 2022 21:48:54 GMT -8
Henley raised an eyebrow as he took the call, curious to know what Fawkes wanted.
"At the Afterlife. The Dollmaker. She always wants something in return; might be a personality trait, or a bit, or something."
Pause.
"I'll be your broker, if you want."
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Post by Fawkes on May 6, 2022 21:54:33 GMT -8
The sardonic snort sounded like marble scraping against a window.
"I'm a little. Short on that sort of currency. But sure. Whatever."
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Post by Henley on May 6, 2022 21:58:12 GMT -8
"We'll see what we can do, my friend. I'll pick you up."
He grinned at the phone.
"Either way, Fawkes? From here on out, you work when you want... and only when you want. Just give me an account number. Call it compensation for a workplace injury. You've earned whatever mortal retirement you want."
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Post by Fawkes on May 6, 2022 22:15:17 GMT -8
"Ah."
There was a long pause as the Elemental couldn't really process the offer, other than start to sweat from the shock.
"...I wouldn't know what to do with that." He was a notorious workaholic with his courtly duties (even by Winter standards), and had not reacted well to forced leave after extensive injury and unaddressed mental health issues. "Um. Not that I'm ungrateful. I just- kind of feels like a waste."
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Post by Henley on May 6, 2022 22:20:08 GMT -8
"That's the thing about freedom from having to worry about cash."
He chuckled.
"It takes some time to figure out how to use it. Maybe you buy some nice cars and gifts for your friends and keep doing what you're already doing. But the money is yours to do with as you will. Even if you donate it to charity. Through you, Winter gave us the gift of bearing great pain as we faced the enemy. Spring offers you the gift of freedom to seek your dreams anew. Money doesn't buy happiness... but it sure does buy a new world of choices."
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Post by Fawkes on May 7, 2022 21:10:06 GMT -8
"Um. Okay. Thanks," he said as his voice trembled a but from it's usual monotone.
There was a beat.
"When do you want to do this pickup? My motley will be in the loop. Eurydice will probably call you. We've just seen each other a lot lately."
Between the guilt of thinking Lamassu was another drug-induced paranoid delusion, and seeing their youngest motleymate slowly circling the drain to the point of numbing out, the Elemental had had more than enough familial attention. Some space would be nice.
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Post by Henley on May 7, 2022 23:16:08 GMT -8
"How about 2200? Good time to go to the Afterlife. I can meet you wherever."
What was that tremble about? Was he okay?
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Post by Fawkes on May 8, 2022 15:57:48 GMT -8
From over the phone and making some logical deductions, Henley can string together a brief profile that the Elemental was likely in shock and the sudden generous gift had forced an emotional response.
Winter courtiers were always prone to depressive episodes, but it was public knowledge that his court had just shuffled monarchs for the first time, and that the Sun Banisher had been made 'unavailable' for contact by his peers after ending up hospitalized from that botched Autumn ritual that killed Linden and Agrippa; after being possessed by a dead Spring founder probably just added to the list of someone who had been under a lot of pressure. Going from being trapped in his head to waking up down a hand and into a Title-induced massacre would be a trip.
Mentioning the Fairest in his motley would be calling Henley meant he was under close observation, which also raised from flags. But, telling an Elemental to sit down when they wanted to move usually caused more outbursts than it was worth. At least he didn't sound like this was a secret caper. It was hard to tell when Fawkes was heightened unless he had a case of motormouth and you can track his body language.
"Okay. I'll text an address."
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