expiationnet | 01 [Text]

[Silco did consider himself far more responsible when it came to handling their combined funds, and he was already considering what ventures would be profitable. After all, if they were to rise in this place, they would require a constant stream of wealth to start to buy up resources: people or otherwise.

He expected that he had to move quickly and efficiently to understand this place so that he could capitalize on opportunities. He had already met more than a few Chosen who could be rivals, and he had to have something tangible in his back pocket to be able to keep them on leash than biting back.]

It might be as a simple as partaking in the usual traditions like sitting in taverns where information flows relatively freely with enough alcohol. We are intruders to the locals no matter how much some of them might pretend to like us.

[He set his fork down and push his plate away as he relaxed back in the chair. He offered Jinx a bemused expression, tapping a finger on the table as he considered.]

Don't hurt them too much, Jinx.

[He would never condone intimidation, torture and whatever methods needed to bring another to heel. Just no limb or digit loss to start, okay?]

They really worship us, huh? Especially if ya new to the place. And don't worry!! I promise when I shoot, I won't actually shoot 'em. Juuuuust enough to get the message across.

( and with that, she stabs the fish right in its center, but then pretends she has food etiquette as she delicately cuts her meal into pieces again. )

Oh! Speakin' of new, we might get some more of us next month. There's like a pattern to the "Whoevers" in charge. Every other month, we get fresh meat. I wonder who else from our realm will wash up here. If it's the ogre, we should just ditch her. After what happened with her, she'd be pretty useless.

( just... very casually mentioning something happened to sevika like she is talking about the weather. a hand comes up to her own shoulder, rubbing a sore muscle she didn't know she had until just now. strange. )

Edited (ooops i forgot to mention her symptom lol) 2023-09-09 17:43 (UTC)

For now. I imagine the sight of many strangers washing up on the beach or found in the forest from strange lands and with strange customs needs to be reconciled in some manner.

[As she continued to eat and declare her intentions with the locals, he stretched his legs out in front of him and rested one hand against his chest. The light pressure reminded him of the wounds there. Never forget where you come from.]

Every two months consistently? Good. [It would give them time to explore and return to collect whoever might be useful. Yet, his eyes shifted over to regard Jinx at the mention of Sevika.] What happened to Sevika? [He had left her in the Last Drop to manage things while he had gone top side. She might be one of the few who knew of the peace he was brokering.

And because he was watching Jinx, he noted her rubbing her shoulder. For now, it could be nothing. Deep down, he knew it wasn't.]

( even after a few rubs of her shoulder, the pain isn't really letting up. maybe this calls for a bath after her belly all full. it's one way to end a tough night after being in the fog and seeing.... her. eating and sipping her juice, she hums out a "hm?" then remembering he hadn't seen her as recently like she had. )

Oh, Vi ripped her mechanical arm outta her socket. — Slammed her right into the jukebox. Those two were REALLY goin' out at The Last Drop. It probably would had costed a fortune to get that place fixed up again.

( and did jinx just admitted she saw the entire fight and didn't chime in to help sevika? yes, because why in the world would she step in? she hates the woman and vi was a complicated situation at the time. )

[He noted that Jinx was still bothering at her shoulder, but he kept his concern to himself. He had Shimmer in his coat and hidden under the floorboards of the small house for their express use. It seemed he would have to start to tap into the limited stock that he had for Jinx, to ease her discomforts.

He stopped tapping his finger on the table as the path of destruction from that damn sister went right to one of his more known headquarters. Perhaps he could expect no less. The sister seemed bound and determined to create a mess wherever she went. The fact that Sevika had been there was more of a boon for him than he would let on.

The Last Drop could be replaced. Sevika and her loyalty could not.

He sighed and dropped his head to rest in his palm as he raised his arm, closing his eye and shaking his head. Of course Jinx had watched the whole throw down. He didn't fault her for rooting for Sevika's downfall.]

Did Sevika survive?

( and while her father shook his head and such, jinx appears not at all phased! instead, she sits there as happy as a clam now that she is beginning to feel content with her food craving. finally! )

Yeahyeaaaaah. I made sure she was breathin' before I left her.

( the only reason she did so was for him, despite at the time... she was pretty angry at him for wanting to "betray" her for an exchange of independence. cleaning her entire plate and glass, jinx exhales out a happy sigh as she scoots the chair back, slouching with her fingers drumming over her tummy. )

Food was great, Pops!

( she giggles sweetly to him and flashes him a wink. such a one-eighty mood, it started off with her upset, angry, and now happy and goofing off. )

[He did not begrudge Jinx from nursing her displease with Sevika. The pair of them trying to one-up each other or snarling at each other was probably part of the reason he had grey hairs at the temples. Still, if Sevika was alive, then she would be able to navigate through the impending war that was on the horizon.

That assumed, of course, that Jinx didn't come back around to kill Sevika without him to make certain that they didn't murder each other.]

Good, so she can hopefully keep the Chem-Barons from eating everyone alive now that I've gone.

[It did seem like her mood had improved since he had first engaged her. That made life easier for all involved, and he preferred her manic energy over her somber self-loathing. He respected both but would like to see her happy.]

It sufficed. It's a skill to relearn over time. [He set his hand back on the table.] Your appetite will likely increase further over the next few weeks. I'll be certain there is food available here.

I can help out with cooking.

( she calmly offers as she pulls herself up from her seat, collecting the dishes. since he cooked, it's only right for her to clean things up for him. )

I only know how to make one dish though.

( when she was younger, jinx wasn't necessarily allow to cook too often. the group figured she was too small to handle it and because she messed up the kitchen one time, they thought that was enough. it was definitely unfair -- especially when she felt she could do better if they just gave her a chance. )

I know. We can alternate on cooking.

[It seemed to him that they would both be forced to learn how to take care of themselves if they wanted to make it through this. Yet, it might seem odd, but he found a sort of peace with the idea that they would endeavor this together. In Zaun, they had very few interests that overlapped. Perhaps they would have this.]

Which dish do you know?

[He had the expectation that one or both of them was going to destroy this small kitchen that they had trying to figure things out.]

Crabmeat Salad Sandwiches!

( she answers while dipping the dirty dishes into the sink. twisting the knob and gathering the supplies she needs, jinx starts washing -- the cups first. )

It's not too hard to make when ya got a lotta of the ingredients here in Aldrip. Takes about fifteen minutes to slap together.

( one cup done, on to the next one. ) I'll make 'em for lunch tomorrow.

( because crabmeat salad sandwiches sound more like a lunch entrée than a supper or a breakfast. although, there is a cooking club over at the "teen clubhouse" not too far from where they are staying. maybe she should attend some classes. it definitely couldn't hurt to learn something and besides, she wants to see her father smile more and happy. and what better way to make someone happy than through their stomach? )

Ah, those are worth putting on our menu, yes.

[He might not have eaten hers, but he had eaten someone else's. Perhaps they wouldn't accidentally starve or suffer food poisoning if they endeavored to learn such skills again.]

Looking forward to it.

[He rose from his seat with his plate and utensils, a small portion of fish left on his plate. He brought it over to the counter and began to clean up the items used in the cooking so that they could be washed and put away. He was a generally tidy person after all, finding it easier to think without a vast amount of clutter.]

( she takes a quick glimpse to silco from her peripheral then back to the dishes in her hand. but they come into a still -- allowing her fingertips to just soak along the lukewarm water. and as she gazes down, a small yet warm smile grows along her face without her noticing at first. a sense of peace is bathing over her which is something she needed given how her day twisted several hours prior. even her voices are quieting down and became some gentle murmur noise she can't pick out. )

... I like this.

( jinx confesses quietly, her cheeks flustering over it. )

— H-Having dinner with you, I mean. And... cleaning up afterwards. I bet a lotta families are doing this right now too. I guess after they eat, they just... settle in by the fire. If it's cold out. Or maybe the kids go off to play for a lil' while in their rooms and the parents chat together with a glass of wine.

( a thumb caresses steadily over a dish, smiling still as she imagines how other households might be going. )

Or maybe they just sit around and listen to stories their parents made up.

[Silco paused where he was wiping out the pan on the small stove that was part of their place, turning his head to regard Jinx. He was quiet for a long moment, forcing himself to see the situation from her description. There was a calmness to this house that he doubted would last if Jinx wanted to work on a project, but for now, it was homely enough.

He turned his gaze back to the frying pan on the stovetop and ran his finger tips over the handle lightly. Zaun had plenty of broken families that never had this; he himself hadn't particularly prioritized its value before Jinx either. Oh, he'd had the small communal moments when his brothers, but the Undercity made it difficult to enjoy the quiet moments.]

Is that how your family operated in the slums when you were very small?

[He knew Vander had taken in children, but it had never been particularly important to know their ages. Those kids were a way to get to Vander eventually, a way to track how the Lanes were stagnating under his old brother's rule. Maybe Vander had been able to provide the family dynamic much of his crew lacked. Sitting around a table eating and drinking tended to be loud, rowdy and communal, but even then, Silco often kept to the periphery of such times.]

I've been informed that's generally how Piltover families operate. They are suffocatingly protective of their young and have the means to provide a education that includes time and opportunity for consistent family meals.

Mm-hmm...

( she hums to him to confirm, now moving on to the plates to clean after dawdling with the glasses. it's strange that despite what kind of girl she is or what she became that she is a little curious about school? jinx figured all the lectures would put her to sleep, but if she had classes to learn more hands-on or in depth about gadgets -- she might take a peek. )

I always thought the Pilitie parents would fatten all of their kids up with sweets since they can eat 'em whenever they wanted. Make 'em super lazy.

Hmmm.

[There had been few questions about her blood family, though he had no doubt that he had met her parents at least once. He and Vander were well-known back then, even if he had faded quickly from the minds of others as he retreated to the darker and deeper corners of the Undercity. They had dreamed large for their children and died for it on the bridge.]

No. You can't rule effectively from one generation to the next if you're instilled with laziness. They need to learn early how to take what they believe is theirs, and their education is far more refined than ours. They have time to create, to dream, to invent and invest in moving forward, all while keeping a boot on the throat of Zaun.

( jinx makes a sour face at his words, not at him, of course but the way piltover lived. if the girl woken up from all of this and found herself in piltover, she would immediately throw herself off the bridge before they can say, "you're under arrest". but the look she wears doesn't stick around as it melts smoothly, fingers now shifting around the knife and fork to clean. )

'Least we don't gotta worry about them anymore. Piltover and the Topsiders are way beyond donzo.

( finally finished with all the dishes, she turns off the water then fetches for a cloth to dry them. her attention gradually lands at their window nearby, the fog definitely thicken since they've had dinner and it's looking rather... unsettling. )

... Think we have everything we need so we don't have to head out there?

( because given what they've learned so far about this ominous fog, it's probably better to stay indoors with all doors and windows shut to keep the mist from entering their home. )

Edited 2023-09-11 03:55 (UTC)

[While he might disparage Piltover and how they existed, he knew that the city could never be brought low. Piltover needed Zaun, and Zaun needed Piltover. The toxicity of the power between the cities was the problem, but he had also come to realize that beyond their borders, there were far worse conflicts awaiting them. Hextech would be weaponized, and Zaun just happened to do it first.]

And yet there is a topsider here. However, the power dynamic has shifted in our favour.

[He packed up the food that he had left behind, expecting to pick at it later or Jinx would find it and eat it. Either option was acceptable as far as he was concerned. He wasn't one to waste resources wherever possible. This place simply reminded him that he had to return to basics more than ever.

He glanced out the window at the fog that swirled by lazily. Fog wasn't unusual, but there was something about this fog that made him stare into it for longer than he normally would.]

It depends how long the fog lasts, I expect. We must be careful in it. This place remains foreign.

Ugh. It's like this place wants me to blow a casket.

( because if they have to stay indoors all month due to the intensity of it, she might just go insane and rip whatever furniture they may have apart. ... which is a very aggressive thought, she realizes. but jinx had been getting them a lot lately. of course, the teen had always been on the intense side of things -- but to rip their home into shreds because she can't venture outside? that's a lot, even for her. )

Edited 2023-09-17 01:25 (UTC)

This place does seem suited to test us all.

[He had seen Jinx going after the Enforcer, and he didn't blame his daughter on that either. The long history of Enforcers abusing the citizens of Zaun was through the ages, and he had no doubt that wouldn't be changing any time soon regardless of any peace deal. It was blown up now anyway.

Still, he thought that this Caitlyn was interesting, if naïve. He was going to enjoy giving her more than a few rude awakenings, and Jinx would certainly target her verbally and potentially physically.]

And I don't get it!

( she tosses the rag in the sink after drying off the dishes. his daughter spins to face him and while her frustration seems to be thrown at him, it isn't necessarily. )

This is a prison already, right? — So why test us? We're stuck here with a buncha nobodies who is all about doin' the polite way when we ALL know that doesn't always get what ya want.

( having enough sense to not break their probably only dishes, she stacks them up and heads to their cupboard. )

And what about the sentencing thing? Shouldn't there be a judge or a trial underway too?

From what I've been seeing on the network and speaking to others, their opinion is mostly along the lines that we should be tested to examine whether we can repent from our various sins.

[He personally found the sheer notion to be basic. People had proven themselves over and over again that they will be reduced to their base instincts and that some had no issue with the actions that they had taken. Why forgive a monster when that was the only way to survive the world that they had been born and raised in?

It seemed an easy enough answer to him, and he had no intention of regretting his decisions. His dream required that he take the lawless Undercity by the throat and drag it into the light, and he would do whatever it took for that.

Or he had thought as much for many years. His mismatched gaze flicked to Jinx, and he sighed from his nose. He had never thought he would find a cost too high.]

Court proceedings take a long time unless you're a rich family from what I understand. The rest of us are simply thrown in jail until the proceedings. I will assume the same for this place until proven otherwise.

As if I'll ever feel bad for doing what I did.

( it's like she told scott outside of the casino, she may be labeled as a bad person and she'll wear that title if they want her to. but piltover had harm zaun way before she even existed and they are the true criminals of the whole operation than her. she and silco just had the strength to fight back years of being pushed around. )

Hmmmm.

[Silco eased away from the small kitchen area to circle their little one-bedroom house. It was nicer than where he had grown up but basically the size of his office in The Last Drop.

He kept his eyes down on the floor as he walked slowly as if in no hurry. He wasn't, but his thoughts were considering Jinx's words. Surely she knew that they were a lie, but was it worth a discussion into the depths of her self-destructive tendencies that had only increased dramatically with the return of the sister.]

Perhaps this place is trying to force us all to be more introspective of our own actions rather than repentant.

( his daughter trots right on behind him, but when they reach the bedroom, jinx immediately makes her way to it first. without a care, she plops herself on the mattress, happily bouncing up and down by using her tushie as he speaks of another possibility of why they are truly here. )

My actions are my actions. All of 'em were in good intentions. If they knew everythin' about us to sentence our crime, then they oughta know our thought process and our perspective of whatever situation we've done.

[Silco followed her in the bedroom. He crossed his arms over his chest carefully and moved to the window to peer out. He enjoyed gazing out windows despite the vulnerability that they created.]

Good people take bad actions for the right reason and bad people take good actions for the wrong reasons. Everyone has their own agenda. We both know that. Every decision has a kernel of selfishness.

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cw: very minor/subtle withdrawal symptom

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cw: mention of side-effect - aggression in narrative.

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i knew i had another tag from you somewhere

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