metalogs | Closed | Watching On The Wires

Entry tags:

Closed | Watching On The Wires

Who: David Alleyne

helpdesk_hero, Bart Allen

kid_flash_found, Balthier

portolan, Peter Parker

kindofamazing
What: Technopath Investigation of Excelsior
When: February 15th
Where: Excelsior City Streets, The Chai House
Content Warnings: N/A

I. The Initial Investigation | Closed to Bart

Picking where to live in a world like this is always something to be cautious about, and no one could honesty say that David wasn't a cautious person. He had to figure out what he wanted after all, and privacy was an important thing for him.

Which would be doubly true if he really was going to live here in this world as a hero. To finally have a chance to choose the life or not, and get to have the shocking chance to have an actual secret identity was strange. So he wanted to be able to protect it, and the people he loved, the best he could. Which was the purpose of being here today. From the little he'd learned of Excelsior, it was a perfect choice for him. Which of course made him all the more suspicious. Good thing he had backup for investigations.

"Here," he said to Bart, offering his friend his hand to hold now that they'd arrived. Not that it was his hand that he wanted to give Bart so much as the earwig in his hand. The best way to stay in contact with Bart without actually talking about what he's talking about.

"This place looks amazing," he said aloud as they moved through the streets.

II. A More Targeted Approach | Closed to Balthier (and a hint of Bart at the start)

First phase of the plan completed, David had to admit to himself that there was as a need for a whole different kind of assistance, and he thought he had an idea of who might serve for it. Sure, Bart could work in a pinch, but a specialist might be better. So he sent the text invitation and hoped for the man to agree to join him.

So he sat in the tea house, sipping a cup of the rose black that of course reminded him of the person he was hoping to get some help from. Still, he sort of twitched in his seat, anxious to see if he'd get the support he'd thought.

More than anything, though, he needed a specialist, and Balthier didn't show up, David might have to ask another favor of Loki.

As he looks up from his latest check of his phone he catches sight of Bart looking at him.

"What's that look for?"

III. Crossing A Hero | Closed to Peter (TASM)

Of course even after Balthier, David realized he still had other things to do. It wasn't intentional, but he'd been passing by the local police station by accident and... Well, he got to thinking. Not like anyone would notice him if he got onto the roof, right? And up there he could easily run into all sorts of wires and antenna and other methods that he could access a system out of sight. And since he'd gone with a very tech world look of dark brown slacks and a warm black sweater, all he had to do was stuff his yellow scarf into his pocket to be a bit less obvious. He circled the building casually, waited until there was a moment where no one was looking and he could see he was in a camera blind spot, and then he moved.

Climbing up the side of older concrete buildings like the police station wasn't hard when he could use his energy projection to form climbing claws on his palms. These helped him easily scale the side of the building, quickly and safely, until he lifted himself quietly onto the roof to look for some sort of access point for his technopathy.

Always helped to know what the local PD was working with.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Balthier does not yet understand he can text without direct communication needs, but he's excellent with a map. He enters the cafe wearing this. It should be over the top but instead just has the effect of making others' feel underdressed. He checked by walking around the mall near Diadem before leaving.

He immediately spots David and makes his way over. There's a second person he doesn't recognize. ]

Afternoon [ he says cheerily. He's not sure if this is the mark or not so waits to see how David engages. ]

Bart can't help a grin at the look of the guy coming over, because that's definitely a look, but he dials it back a little for David's benefit. No sense alienating an ally.

"I feel like I missed a memo. Was I supposed to dress up?" He'd been in his usual urban teen look of a well-broken in pair of jeans, hi-tops, and a slightly baggy hoodie that may or may not have some claw-marks on it from the kitten he hadn't brought with on this particular venture. It had worked perfectly for their meandering through town. Not too hipster, not too grunge, but mostly nondescript. The red hair and gold eyes made him stand out more than enough.

"Good afternoon."

[That is... a ton of embroidery. Enough that David doesn't know whether he should smile or tease. But he's definitely looking.]

You, were supposed to be no more noticeable than I was. Him? Him I want people looking at.

[David had gone more middle ground. An older programming professional, an almost Steve Jobs look. Dark gray slacks, black sweater, and of course a yellow accent scarf because is it David without yellow. He doesn't even know how to react to the fact that he sort of compliment's Balthier's look, other than the fact that it will better cover what he needs to have happen.]

Balthier, did you leave any embroidery behind for anyone else? Though I suppose it does match the flashes of highlight in your hair.

[Is he flirting? Is he teasing? Why can't it be both? But it's not flirting. Shouldn't be flirting. There is no spell here.]

Bart, this is Balthier. Balthier, Bart Allen. Bart covered my first approach. Balthier will be a more appropriate assistant for the second.

[ Balthier catches the compliment and grins, but quickly covers it with his response; he has no discomfort still being attracted to David and is please it's reciprocated, but he's not sure what information he wants this stranger to have. Even if David knows him. ]

I'm afraid I am now the lord of embroidery and no other mortals may use it. I've paid off all the designers to remove it from their lines for the next two years.

[ Balthier holds out a hand. ] Pleasure. I'd tell you I don't always dress like this, but I'd be lying, and that seems unbecoming for a first impression.

[ To David he says, ] Are you briefing me here or do we need somewhere more private. [ He has definitely turned the heads in this shop. He also didn't miss that it was tea again, not coffee. ]

Bart stood from his seat at the able to take the hand in his, using the grip to assess the man more fully, to see just how he handles the polite gesture and also feel what kind of calluses he may have. The teen's hand is clearly that of someone who often works out, and also works with their hands at various things, but nothing too specific.

"I understand all about choosing to be flashy, even if I downplay it a lot of the time. It's definitely a good impression."

He glances around, eyes darting almost too fast to be followed as he checks what kind of attention they have, and nods to them both. "I don't see anyone taking too much interest by what they're saying. But I probably should get going. I'd hate to have to explain another shredded bedspread to the hotel."

[People measuring each other, isn't that just how things go sometimes? David lets them do that and is content to let them find their own lines. For David, it's about the importance of finding information here, not even the teasing.]

Thanks for your help, Bart. And the company. I'll brief you on what I ultimately found later. Send Kat-El my love.

[To Balthier he indicated Bart's vacated chair.]

Feel free to order something to drink while we talk.

[he wanted to see just how attention getting this outfit of Balthier's is, not to mention brief the guy on what he's after here. While some of it will have to happen on the fly, he can at least do the initial stuff.]

Good thing I wasn't thinking of an embroidered vest.

[ Balthier nods to Bart as he departs. He's used to meeting new people and logging new faces, but he can't help noticing he's a little more interested given he knows little about who David spends his time with. He's still a little hesitant at having interest in someone, and someone powerful, but he's pushing himself to enjoy it. Which is easy enough to do. ]

As the lord of embroidery I can easily procure you any embroidered garments you desire. It is my solemn duty. As is tea. [ He disappears briefly, ordering the same black rose tea. He wonders if rose water exists here and where to find it -- ah the joys and frustrations of new culinary landscapes.

He settles into the empty chair. ] Briefing commence.

Who would I be to refuse the assistance of so noble a gift as assistance in procuring embroidered finery?

[Stop flirting David, that's not the point. Geez. He keeps smiling and mostly, he's trying to focus. He nods to Balthier as the man moves away, and returns to sipping his own tea. When Balthier returns David has already moved his seat closer because, yes, conspiring here.

Though if he knew about the rose water concern, he'd point out frilly stores that offered such things, or just make it himself for the man.]

First, going to say if your wardrobe is filled with things like these, maybe don't consider Little Love. You'll stand out a lot in the country. Now, business. Excelsior seems to be the tech capital of this country, and one of the places that have been offered to us. Given my powers and what I'd want to do in my free time, this is my primary place of contention other than Central City. I'll be here or there. I've already had a chance to scope what things are like there. Here...

[He shrugs.]

Increased tech means increased monitoring in a place like this. Bart and I worked on trying to figure out how much there is on cameras in a public space. Given his powers, he could easily watch my back. But I need to check some internal stuff. What the average is with businesses and the like. Unfortunately as these will be spaces that are more controlled I won't be able to just stand around interfacing with stuff, I have to be quick in and out, delving to put in backdoors for me to hack somewhere secure later.

And that means I need people not looking at me for brief bursts of time. I need them to be looking at something else. Someone else.

[So he gestures at Balthier.]

Someone likely used to finding, and getting away from, attention.

[ Balthier is very experienced at staying focused when he's absolutely interested. It's easy to slip into business mode. ]

Little Love is the place we originally landed, yes? I'd already removed that from consideration, but the affirmation of my suspicions is appreciated. [ He likes remote, but without a ship to go back and forth, he'll probably be happier in a city.

He doesn't understand all the details of the tech, but he gets the style of mission. He'll be more curious about how cameras work later. His only experiences so far have been his phone and the day Eddie caught him experimenting with his new illusion abilities, which did not cross over to fool cameras. Not that he needs them to; he has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. ]

I see you are excellent at delegating tasks to the right crew member. Is this a space we could reasonably be in to scope, or do we need an entire reason for being there?

If the first place you landed had a dragon with dangerous words, then yes, that's what I mean. I don't see you as a jeans and plaid guy. Though you could pull it off, of course.

[But the main thing to talk about is this little job.]

Mostly they're going to be businesses, of different levels. High end, mid-level, lower end. This place won't have as much of the last sort. And one last pop in to the show room attached to a major tech company here. I expect it will be less easy there. We'll build up to it.

I need to know what you might need from me before we start. We don't have the time that you might want to learn how to work easily and on a more instinctual level as a team. I need to touch a computer, or control panel, or some other electronic that will let me get a foot into the system, and will likely need to be holding onto it for a few moments. Anywhere there is reasonable purchases the best way to do this might just to be to buy something. That would be a fall back plan. I would have an excuse to have my hand on a payment device long enough to get a foot in, but I don't want to do that if I can avoid it.

[ So David likes his fashion sense but is thinking about what he may look like elsewise. Balthier is pleased with himself, all the more because David clearly has an eye for both detail and style. ]

Well it's fortunate your difficult, arrogant, and slightly idiotic wealthy client just happens to be in the market for technology he doesn't quite understand and is going to need to ask a lot of questions and see a lot of demonstrations. [ The technology may be different here, but people aren't. He knows how to be a difficult aristocratic arse, and how to feign wanting but not understanding what he's trying to buy. Not that he entirely understands, but that will just make the con stronger. ]

I won't know what you're specifically targeting and there isn't time for me to learn, but I can default to keeping the staff occupied. How will you signal me if we're defaulting to purchase?

Also I have an idea on getting access to secure locations but I haven't tried it yet. Do we have a few minutes? I can see if it works on you or someone else here.

[David likes that he has fashion sense. And he's doing his best not to touch the coat to learn about it. He's usually got more self control on the urge to use the psychometry. But he's intrigued. Still, he chuckles at the picture Balthier paints of himself.]

Yeah, there's a reason I decided to ask you for assistance on this. Seemed like something you can do. AS for how, it really comes down to how you want to play my presence. Two people coincidentally present, a tired friend or...

[Oh dear, he's about to say this.]

I'm wondering if you have anything like the concept of a sugar daddy. Because if you're going with difficult, arrogant, slightly idiotic, then sugar daddy and baby isn't a bad play. Not like I look that far off from you in age, and it's not unheard of for an attractive younger man to have that kept sort of partner, even when he looks like he could get anything he wanted.

[An idea of accessing more secure locations? David raises an eyebrow at that, and it goes well over the frame of his glasses.]

We have time if you need it. What's the idea?

[ Some day David will have to touch Balthier's clothes from home. He hasn't even had them cleaned. They're packed away carefully in his security box -- first thing he got after some new clothes. Something about them feels like his only connection home.

Balthier laughs pleasantly at the term "sugar daddy". ] We call it something else but I'm quite familiar. Wouldn't you be the one selecting the purchases in that case? Or are you trying to rein me in? [ In all honesty, it would be easier to run the con with Balthier playing a cantankerous employer of some sort, as it wouldn't require any sense of established relationship beyond obliviousness and mild contempt, but David's suggestion sounds exceedingly more fun. And Balthier is aware he's game for the flirtations attention, even if it's partially fabricated. ]

My magick changed when I came through. I haven't worked all of it out yet, but [ He pulls the wallet from his pocket and slides out his ID card. ] I should be able to change the appearance of credentials, given I know what they ought to say. [ He reaches for the Mist, knowing he won't reach it but will activate the spell. If he's done it right, his ID card should change from saying 'Balthier Fontaine' to "David Smith" and his photograph to switch to an image of David. ]

[Perhaps he would, but such things would have so much history to them, so much import, they could be rather intense for him to experience. But since there is no overt suggestion of it (how could there be), he smiles at hte laughter.]

I think reining you in if you get too excessive. Leaves me with an excuse to look all wide eyed and in awe at the higher end places, and more embarrassed to pull you out with 'that's good enough' if it comes to needing to buy something. If I don't pull for that, you can decide whatever we're seeing isn't 'good enough' and haul me out that way. But if that doesn't work for you, we could find another play for it. I want what will work and you'll be comfortable with.

[Wait, his magic changed? David's intrigued by this reveal. And when he sees what's been done he looks impressed. In fact, he could see a way to make that work, if he had eyes to see what he'd need.]

There are definitely options there. And here I was going to suggest showing off the general interior of the first store I want to look at, but I can't do that here. Too many eyes. Somewhere else quiet and out of the way I could give you a run down of what I've put together of the interior layouts of three of the four places I want to look at.

[it had been easy enough earlier, to pick out targets while walking with bart and get rough ideas by glancing through windows. Really, he was far too suited to a life of crime, were it to ever move him.]

Alright. So to make sure we have the same story. I'm trying to buy something for you, but I don't quite know what it is I want. You're more or less leaving me to my devices, partly out of modest embarrassment, but reining me in if I'm too vigorous. To be clear, if you suggest something is good enough to buy, we purchase. If not, I decide nothing is good enough. How will you signal you're ready to go?

[ Balthier lets the spell go. There's no need to hold it, but he's relieved to see the smaller illusion doesn't give him any sort of physical strain. ] Lead the way, my attractive young object of affection.

That's a good summary. I think the best idea for signalling wanting to leave would be, if it's alright with you, coming over and touching your arm in some manner. Pretty to the point but doesn't require verbal reinforcement.

[Attractive young object of affection? He smirks and finishes his tea before standing.]

We'll need an affectionate diminutive or other affectation. So you can call me something to get my attention if you must.

[ Balthier appreciates the consistency with which David checks if things are alright. That's not something he's had a lot of in his life outside of Fran.

He also is very quietly charmed that the gesture of touching his arm is, arguably, how they met. ]

That seems both efficient and natural. Fits your character as well.

[ He finishes his own tea and matches David's rise from the table. With the chairs as close as they were, his elbow briefly grazes David's arm. He gets a small jolt from the touch. Scions, he's more smitten than he realized. It's nice. ]

Where are you feeling on the scale of melodramatic to sweet? We have Light of my Life, Darling, Love, Starlight, Rosebud, Chocobo. I suppose I could also call you baby, as the youth here do, but I'm not entirely sure I can pull that off with a straight face.

[See, David isn't even thinking of the parallel to their meeting. It's just the best method he can think of to speak without speaking. With Bart it had been the earwig. With Balthier, more behind on the times and technology in this world, he wanted something that was less likely to be jarring.]

I am known for good plans. It's just what I do.

[The brushing of elbows earns a little smirk from David, and hell, if they're going for this, they're going for this. After a moment of hesitation he reaches out to take Balthier's arm, as if that was always the plan. Hopefully the guy doesn't shrug this off.]

Chocobo? What hell does that mean? You know what, let's sip the really over the top melodramatic. Doesn't fit the con. Go sweet, or maybe slightly bossy. Babe wouldn't be bad, but if you can't keep a straight face, we'll need something else. If you had a slightly less 'pass as british' accent, I'd give you a foreign term of endearment to sell 'stranger' more, but that's not going to work. Maybe darling? Sounds a bit over sweet for the ploy, but it could work.

[ Balthier has actually used earpieces before, they've just been connected to an internal comm system on a ship. Still, it's a good consideration -- he might not be familiar with the style here. ]

Chocobo? Large semi-flightless bird used for hauling goods and crossing long distances or as steeds in war? Mean buggers, make a strange noise?

[ Balthier accepts being arm-in-arm smoothly. That's partially muscle memory -- he is a trained aristocrat -- and partially how natural it feels. He wonders if David is a long-walks-in-the-garden sort of fellow. ]

Babe I may be able to pull off. Bossy is a good call. If I call you darling I'm going to be too genuinely sweet. Dear might be better -- good for passive aggression and possessiveness.

You'll have to explain to me what British is some other time, if it's what people are going to mistake my accent for.

[Didn't help that while David knew precisely how to fit one for Bart, he didn't know how to fit it for Balthier. Maybe one day he'd make the man an earpiece, but would he really want David whispering in his ear?]

That sounds like an ostrich, except we didn't use them for war. Hold on.

[He settles in comfortably next to the other man, which is actually surprising for David. He's not used to being with a man who is of a height with him, or this sort of holding on to each other. But it's good position to be in with fishing out his phone, his mind already sending a command to have it pull up a picture of a chocobo.]

Largest extant flightless bird we have on this world. And yeah, dear works too.

[Genuinely sweet? David's intrigued by that. You could tell a bit about a person by the types of affectionate terms they used. Darling ranked Balthier in an interesting level of affectionate.]

I'll send you plenty of videos, if you want. Me, you saw that Central City place. That's actually a good bit like where I was born, but just out in the suburbs of it. Here, on this earth, Chicago is around. But I guess there's nothing there to inspire me to visit.

[ Balthier adjusts David’s arm slightly to a more comfortable position, presumably for both of them. It’s absent-minded and gentle. ]

Please, send me any pertinent materials I have. Or impertinent if you think they’ll amuse me, dear.

[ He rolls it around. It’s not quite him but he can definitely work with it today. More affectionate is more his style, though this often surprises people. Amazing what folks will miss when it’s right under their nose. ]

[It's easy is what it is. Echoes the spell? Or just that David's used to the casualness of people hanging off of him? He doesn't know. He doesn't care. What he cares about is the work he's got to do.]

Oh I think the first thing I'll send you for amusement is probably some Robin Hood adaptations. You might laugh.

[He encourages them outside, and then down a back road that is mostly abandoned. Then David's phone goes back into his pocket and his freehand is held in the air before them. Over it forms a little box of glowing yellow light. It matches the color of David's scarf exactly actually. And looking 'into' the box displays a little diorama of a store.]

I'm starting middle of the road for us, get a feel for this. It's a place that sells ready to go computers. Not great stuff, but if we need to buy something, I've always got use for these, and I can pay you back.

Adaptations -- famous story then? How old, compared to now? [ Literature nerd, not that he uses that word. Theater is even better.

He's intrigued by the model in David's hand. It reads like magick to him, but it's much more crafted and specific than he's used to magick being. And of course, no Mist.

He nearly says not to worry about the cost but stops himself. That, for some reason, feels too forward. And he doesn't want to explain where his funds are coming from; he doesn't think David has any qualm with moral decisions, but he's heard some heated discussion about the guilds. ]

Lead the way, babe. [ Oh that's aggressively not him, but it certainly sells the idea that he's some eccentric from this time period better. ] And please, pick something nice. I don't want anyone thinking I don't care of my boy.

The various legends related to Robin Hood are old, but not so old as compared to Arthurian legends, or classical mythos. Not that I really see them as fully myths because, well, when you meet the gods they talk about it's hard to think of them that way anymore.

[David's well aware that their money, for the moment, comes from the guild's pockets. But the guilds are also the ones that are basically forcing him to make a decision about how to live his life, so he didn't mind using the money for now.]

You're adapting well. Glad the projection didn't make you flinch. So far as I can tell most of what they have on display are probably what I'd call 'air gapped'. Means they won't be set up to interface with wi-fi and other networks, and even if they are, they might not relate to the store stuff. It's going to take a bit for me to find one that I can use as my in point. You willing to put up the charm while I move between them, just claiming I'm trying to figure out what keyboard feels good?

I'm going to have quite a running list of stories to research. [ Not that he minds. ] And you have a slew of stories to regale me with.

[ He appreciates the tech explanations; he doesn't have everything down yet but he's piecing it together. ] David, dear, I've been a pirate for seven years and an actor for twelve. I have my role and I have your back. You find that perfect keyboard. And don't skimp -- only the best. [ Honestly the thrill of a simple con completely in his skillset is a welcome change from...everything that's happened the last few months. ]

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