bang bang (open/closed)

[shashka]

Who: Revolver Ocelot (shashka) & YOU
What: Catch-all for Wyver (with some backdated threads)
When: Throughout Late October
Where: Around Wyver
Warning(s): Shadiness. Possible adult content. The usual.

I.THE OLD CITY

[ the Old City certainly fit its name, though it was unlike any place that he was used to back home, despite his well-traveled status. there were a few different ways to get to know the area.

Ocelot decides on something a little more creative. he separates the coin that he has on him into two pouches. the first, he tucks safely into one of his boots. the second... he places on his belt. and really, all he has to do is wait until just the right person bumps into him, and...

the bait is taken. of course. he does his best panicked expression, before rushing to the nearest person that he can find. ]

That man took my money!

[ if nothing else, it helps him run into a few locals, meet up with a potential new ally, and gain some more information about the area. not that bad, now was it? ]

II.THE GILDED CAGE

[ while Ocelot wouldn't admit it out loud, he felt more at home in the Gilded Cage than he had in Olympia. he likes the intrigue, the information trading, and the fact that you never know exactly who it is that you're supposed to trust.

and so, of course, he's eyeing you. someone like him, who doesn't quite seem like they're from around here.

maybe you're someone he knows. or maybe you're a fellow refugee that looks distinctly out of place. or maybe he just wants to annoy you. either way, he's speaking to you right now, with the ghost of a smile on his face. ]

Can't say I was expecting to see someone like you here.

[ notably, he doesn't say why he's here. let the other person answer first. then he can come up with a reason to match theirs. ]

III.THE UNDERGROWTH

[ there's something about the jungles that remind him of one of his first postings in his youth. he can't exactly say that he's overly fond of it, but all the same, he finds himself feeling a certain sense of... nostalgia.

still, it comes as a surprise to him when he manages to run into someone else among the undergrowth. ]

You trying to hunt, too?

[ he can't say that he's the best survivalist out there, but he's learned enough from the best that he's pretty sure he won't die. ]

IV. WILDCARD

[ got another idea? let me know via PM or over at roflskate ]

Comments

[shashka]

[ a smile slowly begins to creep over his face. just as expected. well, unlike some people that he knows all too well, he wasn't going to keep the other man waiting for his answers. ]

Wouldn't think that a "wanted terrorist" would be in any rush to go back to Olympia. [ but again, the two of them both know he wasn't the one responsible for it. ]

I was curious on what you think about what's going on with Olympia and Wyver. And whether or not there's a third player that might have his own agenda.

[ he's talking about Cree, of course. but he'll let 76 bring up his name. prove he also followed the breadcrumbs laid out for them. ]

That one might be someone worth keeping an eye on.

[ takes one to know one, after all. ]

[personalwar]

[ 76 could hope that now that people have been cured and the immediate threat is gone, that the Olympian officials would be willing to pardon him, but he's not a particularly hopeful person. (Not anymore, anyway.)

It's not hard to guess at what Ocelot is really asking him. He's figured that 76 went to talk to Cree, and he's figured right. So this is about sharing information, then, as he'd originally assumed.

He crosses his arms and leans his left side against the nearest wall, though his gaze through the visor remains on Ocelot. ]

Kind of hard to keep an eye on someone who's constantly moving, but... I spoke to him. I wanted to know what his motive was for the terrorist attack.

[ If 76 is going to say any more than that, he needs to know that he'll get something in return. ]

[shashka]

[ he really can't help but smile at that. really, there's just something about 76 that he finds downright endearing, but he can't quite put his finger on it. ]

I'd think it was obvious.

[ no matter where you went, it seemed, human nature never really changed all that much. and when there were two sides to any conflict, ]

I talked to him myself, as well. He seemed to have plenty of opportunities available, for the right person.

[ hopefully he could read in between the lines there. it was definitely more than he'd given anyone else. ]

[personalwar]

[ Obvious? 76 isn't so sure. Then again, he'd struggled to understand why someone would commit acts of terrorism until he'd been the one in those shoes. Even then, unleashing a contagious virus on the unwitting population is extreme, far beyond the methods he would resort to for his goals.

Maybe Ocelot doesn't have the same hang-ups. Maybe that's why it had been 'obvious' to him. ]

The right person. [ 76 echoes the words as he chews them over. That would be someone with the right kind of morally gray viewpoint, who would be willing to see where Cree was coming from, is his guess. ] As far as I could tell, he was ready to hear out anyone who had the resources to find his hideout in the first place.

[ And maybe that's the point. ]

[shashka]

[ it was a bit of a problem, he supposes. but, he'd never been too concerned with morality one way or another. he knew what sort of man he was, and didn't let it torture him. if someone died because of his actions, so be it.

but, of course, he didn't go out of his way for needless cruelty. but he can't help be a little amused at 76's reaction. ]

And completely confident that no one would be able to try and take him out.

[ something that's equally worth noting. ]

It all seems a little too easy, doesn't it? Like he wanted to be found.

[ and certainly, he'd be curious to hear what 76 had to say on that. ]

[personalwar]

It's possible. He was probably curious to hear from those of us who were able to follow the trail he left for us.

[ 76 wouldn't be at all surprised by that. With a base of operations that can apparently move around at will, he has to assume that Cree chooses to be found. He'd been agreeable enough during their conversation, but that doesn't mean that 76 trusts him in the slightest. ]

He's got the upper hand. [ 76 takes a few more steps toward the viewing glass, so that he can get a better glimpse of El Nysa. ] He knows the world better than we do, he's got plenty of resources... of course he's confident.

[ 76 glances over his shoulder to Ocelot then, and shakes his head. ] That doesn't mean he's infallible, though. [ No one is, not really. ]

[shashka]

Probably looking for new recruits too.

[ Ocelot would have to agree with him on that. except for a few very rare exceptions, he's never been one to trust anyone. ]

I'd say that from what I've seen so far, he almost has more influence than both of the leaders in Olympia and Wyver, at least among the common people.

[ and the common people were the most important part of anything. ]

You planning on doing anything about it?

[ again, he can't help but think of John, and what he'd do in the situation if he was also awake. ]

[personalwar]

[ New recruits? Ocelot might be right. One person can only accomplish so much. 76 suspects that a good chunk of Cree's information base comes from the spies that he positions in various places throughout the regions.

Rallying the common people tends to be how real power is obtained, so 76 wouldn't argue with Ocelot on that point. Both of them have the real life experience to speak about this with some authority.

He's starting to understand why Ocelot wanted to meet. They seem to have recognized a common ground in each other, a level of experience that many of the other refugees lack.

At the question, 76 crosses his arms and shrugs. ] For now, no. I need to get settled in Wyver first. But I'll be keeping an eye on him, if I can. [ That'll be easier said than done, but he's always been resourceful. ]

[shashka]

[ the smile continues to linger on Ocelot's face. so, he realized that they had common ground. good. ]

I was thinking of doing the same thing, as well.

[ as if 76 hadn't already guessed that little tidbit. he was a smart man. ]

I'm probably heading back to Olympia, at least for the time being. I have a decent enough job back up there.

[ a pause. ]

But, I'd appreciate if I had a friend to let me know what's going on down in Wyver. I'll do the same for you.

[ because it was only fair, after all. ]

[personalwar]

[ There it is, Ocelot getting to the real meat of why he set up this meeting. He's going to be in Olympia, and he wants a reliable source of information over in Wyver. It's impossible for him to be in two places at once, as much as he might like that.

This is mutually beneficial, though. 76 can't return to Olympia without risking getting himself locked up again, but the two nations are clearly linked, if in a violent way. It would be good to know what's going on in both places.

76 turns back to face Ocelot, pausing for only a moment before he nods. ]

Sounds like a deal.

[shashka]

[ and yes, there it is. while he'd certainly hoped the other soldier would accept his deal, he also wouldn't be surprised if he didn't. after all, he wasn't exactly the most trustworthy individual out there.

still, this was a good start. and 76 was exactly the type of man he wanted as an ally for the upcoming conflict, no matter which form it took. ]

Glad to hear it.

[ he really genuinely is. ]

If things begin to heat up down there, we can meet up here.

[personalwar]

[ While Ocelot might be shifty in that way that most spies are, he's been nothing but reliable in his interactions with 76, and he hasn't stabbed him in the back so far. That's why 76 doesn't hesitate to take his deal.

If it blows up in his face, well, he'll deal with it. (And it wouldn't be the first time, would it?) ]

Assuming that they don't cut us off from teleporting, anyway.

[ He wouldn't put anything past the Natha at this point. ]

[shashka]

...You think they might?

[ that thought... might've crossed his mind once or twice. but still, it seems like a bad idea on most fronts. ]

I'm sure some people would riot if that happened. Seems like there's lots of people only cooperating because their loved ones are up here.

[ himself included. but, as much as he does like 76, no one needs to know that. ]

[personalwar]

Even if a group of us decided not to cooperate, is there really anything we could do to threaten them?

[ The only reason that they're alive at all is because the Natha decided they were worth saving. That's how the story goes, at least. It seems to 76 that any attempts they might make to riot or protest would be easily ignored or squashed.

He heaves out a sigh and shakes his head. ]

Guess we just hope it doesn't come to that. [ But he doesn't sound too convinced, himself. ]

[shashka]

[ a shrug. ]

You'd be surprised.

[ he's been in plenty of situations that had seemed hopeless. hell, if things had been allowed to go on as they were back home, he'd be in a similar position there. fighting against a higher power that no one had a hope of defeating.

well... it could be worse. ]

But I think we're fine for the time being.

[ he doesn't trust the Orbiters. but they haven't done anything to make him think that they're overtly hostile.

yet. ]

[personalwar]

[ Is that a glimpse of something like hope from Ocelot, or if not that, at least determination? 76 is used to the people around him being much more optimistic than he is, but he wouldn't have expected it from Ocelot. It's not necessarily a bad thing, though.

76 wouldn't go so far as to say that they're "fine," given their overall situation, but he isn't going to be purposefully difficult. ]

Yeah. I'll keep in touch.

[ It's more likely that Ocelot will have to be the one to track him down, but 76 will make himself available at the very least. ]