Inbox (Etraya)

[cantilevers]

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[brat]

Thanks for nothing.

text;

[zauneyete]

[ Vander will know how many rewrites this went through, because it's short and to the point.

Which means it was a monologue but he's cut it down mostly because he refuses to give anything away: ]

How far are you willing to go to protect Jinx if this moves in a direction you do not want? I assume you're playing peacemaker. We both know far that goes when one thinks they are in the right.

[ He doesn't know Damien, but he does know the kid was going to keep it from Jayce too ]

text;

[cantilevers]

[Did it surprise him that Silco came knocking? A little. He expected Silco would protect Jinx on his own and pull resources for it, but then again, wasn't he nothing more than a resource too? Okay, so not surprised, but their history had to make this difficult.]

She's all I have left. How far do you think I'm willing to go to protect that?

[He was already moving in a direction he knew he would regret, but the road to hell was paved in good intentions.]

And if you're here to call me soft and weak, just get on with it. I have other priorities on my agenda right now.

text;

[zauneyete]

[ "she's all I have left" is exactly the response he expected.

Does he want to be here? No, absolutely not. Does he understand that this might be the only option if things go awry? Yes. Silco hates him, of course he does. How could he not? But he's also incredibly practical. ]

I'm only preparing your for the inevitable, old friend.

[ Jesus Silco. Laying that on thick. ]

How far. Are you willing to break that peacemaking if necessary? When they don't listen? Are you willing to let that monster out that we both know you have?

text;

[cantilevers]

[Vander saw the ploy immediately. It was the same game just a different situation. Except perhaps this time, the whispering stir of a faint craving did provide him pause from telling Silco off. Last time 'old friend' came up, Vi had to fight for her life and his boys died.]

Don't old friend me. We both know you're here for resources and nothing more.

Are you offering your drug to me so I become that monster again?

text;

[zauneyete]

[ old friend (homosexually) ]

I'm here for my daughter. I will tap any resource, do anything necessary to make sure that she is safe. I will put a stop to some over-puffed up vigilante with half a mind to leave her vulnerable and start something when he doesn't get his way.

[ He has no idea that damien is a kid. ]

So yes, if that means I offer the resource that I have, I will. If necessary, would you? It would hardly be the size of your first dose.

text;

[cantilevers]

He's a kid, Silco. He's half-cocked and and scrappy, and he thinks it's his job to shove his nose where it doesn't belong. Someone of his side could leash him, but I am making plans to stand in the way if that doesn't happen.

[He couldn't and wouldn't yet tell Silco he was going for the second gemstone that Cait had. Everyone but Silco would know he was a Zaunite through and through and he may appear mild0mannered, but he was as much of a criminal as everyone else. He'd steal what he needed to in order to protect Jinx.]

She's my daughter too.

[It's not typed as an after thought. He put it on its own as its own defiance against Silco's possessiveness.]

Always playing your games. [Yes.]

text;

[zauneyete]

A kid that clearly you consider a threat, if you're trying to play peacemaker about it.

[ He points out. Zaunite kids weren't really kids after a certain point, and he had no doubt that this kid was probably dangerous enough to warrant it. ]

You call it games. I call it planning. You had to know that it was coming, the moment it happened. That's why you jumped, isn't it? On trying to tamp it down, and make them stop him?

[ They knew each other, after all. He knew Vander would try to circumvent him, because it's all the man can do. He doesn't want Silco to succeed after all, does he? ]

If they don't, you know what you will have to do. You know what the answer is, to ensuring she's safe.

text;

[cantilevers]

I understand that items like hextech needs to stay in Runeterran hands. Jayce provided me with a gauntlet powered by those stones, so I understand the damage it can do. We have kept our affairs to ourselves for six months. That shouldn't change because some kid suddenly become aware of it being dangerous.

[So yeah, Vander was playing peacemaker and his strengths were reaching out and talking people up and down the ladder of aggression. He could fight and he would, but the pre-fight, he always had had a role to play. Now he was exercising it with limited success.]

Yeah. I knew immediately this would escalate out of hand if the kid moved. Sevika may have talked the kid down, but she's gone and Jayce wagged his tongue to the wrong person. Now we're in this mess.

[He disliked that they were in agreement, but he also understood that Silco and his Shimmer might be a valuable resource if he couldn't steal the other gemstone from Cait's gun. He knew people here had fantastical powers neither he nor Silco could survive, yet they were survivors because they used other means.]

And am I your own avenue to keep her safe? What other irons do you have in the fire? I need to know because if this goes the way we both suspect, I'm standing on the front line.

text;

[zauneyete]

[ Now see. Vander says something interesting here. ]

And those stones are where? There's more than the one Jinx has, then?

[ And he's mad at Talis all over again. He made it out like that was the only one he had. That he needed Jinx's. He hadn't believed it, but the effort was there. It's a good thing this is text, because it gives him the moment to light a cigar, puff on it angrily.

But Vander asks. He has to be careful with his wording. He knows if this is over with, Vander will go back to standing in opposition. ]

I have nothing immediate. [ Technically true. ]

However, if you think that I am not working to manufacture more tools to be used later, you're a fool. The irons are still heating up, as they say.

[ He's plotting something. But then again. When isn't he? ]

text;

[cantilevers]

Jayce has one. I know where it's currently located. [And Vander takes a deep breath and decides if Silco and him have to work together and he wants honesty, he needs to provide some too. It's a risk. Everything is a risk with Silco.] I'm currently on my way to take control of it from the current location. If I can, we will have the element of surprise in our favour.

[Vander hadn't been angry that Jayce had taken it back for the Solmara mission, and Cait had put it to good use. That was the problem: she put it to good use. He knew it was dangerous, and Vander fought close up. Firearms were always dangerous for him because he had to close distance. If this went south and it became Zaun versus Piltover again after the mess with the vigilantes, he just... couldn't risk his only family.]

How much Shimmer do you have? Sevika talked about different strengths of the stuff. What do you have and how much of a shit kicking will I endure if I take it?

[He knew Silco was always planning. If anything, the man would be more engaged now than ever before.]

I know you have something. I expect honesty from you if we make this work, however brief it is. We're doing this for Jinx.

text;

[zauneyete]

Interesting. He made it sound as if this was the only one. Yet he's had one this entire time. How typical of him to conceal that to break the truce. He was never going to be a trustworthy negotiating partner.

[ That's pointed. He'd known they wouldn't. The topsiders would always drop them the moment they were inconvenient. They would always do so, because they were disposable. This is an opportunity, as he sees it, of course. Silco's insidious, but he's also right (no) in this. ]

We're nothing but mere inconveniences to them. They dislike that we are Zaunites, they dislike that we have learned to adapt in a way they don't enjoy, isn't that right? They found that they didn't like that Jinx had the gemstone, despite the fact that she hasn't used it against them.

[ Since... well. Blowing up the council. Don't worry about that. They deserved it. He's so proud. ]

I have a vial. Half will be spoken for. It's refined shimmer, hardly the concoction you consumed the first time. A high, but a half dose, while still potent, will not leave you in the state you were before. A full dose will not either.

[ Wow. That's pretty honest?? Where the other half was going... He doesn't say, but he doesn't think he has to say. ]

text;

[cantilevers]

I have reason to believe it was a fairly recent acquisition. I have a few theories as to why he brought it in, but that's not cause for discussion here. However, he seemed unhappy that Jinx had his technology and refused to return it; I can see why from his point of view.

[Vander wasn't willing to delve too deep into the Zaun versus Piltover argument, even if for the first time, he actually wanted to. He knew better, knew it wouldn't help their situation, but Janna it would feel good just for a few minutes to riff off of Silco like that. Like old times. Which was why he didn't.]

It doesn't matter what they like and dislike about us. We have to defend our own, and keep Runeterran business in Runeterran hands. There are all manner of dangerous people here, so the fact everyone is in a flap over a weapon when one very similar was used in Solmara is massive hypocrisy. We need to determine how to take a stand.

[That was the angle that he was probably going to have to go with. Etraya didn't care when it was Cait, but suddenly had their panties in a knot over Jinx who had not used it? Yeah, he wouldn't stand for that nor his daughter being threatened. If anything, this could push her to use it.]

So I won't grow all big and out of control is what you mean, right? What are the benefits and draw backs then?

[He assumed the other half was for Silco's face.]

text;

[zauneyete]

Oh, of course you can see it from his point of view. Is it not better to have one on each side? To ensure neither one has greater power than the other? You know what it can do, Vander. It will turn the tide if they control both. They will not have to respect us, and they will not.

Jinx has been nothing but restrained. Respectful. Now they have one. I can assure you that topsiders will think nothing of us if they have them. They will have no reason to bargain with us.

[ And yet. And yet, Silco still tries to do it. He hates Vander. He'll never forgive Vander. There is still a small and old part of him that he pretends doesn't exist, that did want to pull him into that. Would he favor the topsiders? Or did he still truly hold to Zaunites? ]

There are powers like none of us have ever seen. Shimmer cannot even compare.

[ Humbling. ]

Yet they will take issue with that along with everything else. You know they will.

[ Business — ]

You'll likely grow slightly. Stronger, faster. Just like last time. More of a pleasant high, or so I am told. Less retching afterward. Abuse of it of course would end with you looking...quite a bit like you did last time. I doubt you can abuse it on half a vial.

text; cw: drug usage

[cantilevers]

Yet, I doubt you'll deny the the advantage of both of them being on the Zaunite side. There's leverage in that power being in our hands. Yet, let's not forget that Piltover can simply request another from Aurora at any time they like; she granted the request once so who was to say she wouldn't as many times as there is a request? Same with your Shimmer, I expect.

[All of this theatrics over a power source that may or may not be used as a weapon. He knew and had seen what other people could do naturally, yet it was the hexgem that seemed to create a stir? Sounded like normal people being afraid and rather than talking, they were reacting.

Just like home he supposed.]

And just what are we bargaining for here of all places? We have whatever we want as long as we're quiet and playing along.

[And yet, here he was reacting. Here he was on his way to the Kiramman mansion under false pretenses of seeing her post mission for an opportunity to have a single moment with her weapon. He had seen how it worked after all. He should have learned to not go off half-cocked like this, but fear was irrational. If he lost her...]

We're in lock-step on that. We've seen what people are capable of naturally; it's worse than the power of the mages we were taught as kids.

Hence why I said he's a kid. He's sticking his nose where it doesn't belong; he needs something to control, I guess.

[Of course. It doesn't sound that bad, and yet he knew it would be. It wasn't the effects that he was worried about; it was the cravings afterwards. He'd watched addicts sell out their friends, their families, ruin their lives for drink or drugs. They systematically destroyed everything good and they couldn't even help it.

And now Silco was offering him that path. First hit was always free.]

Or so you're told. Dealer never tries their product, of course. They know what the poison does long-term after all.

[jinxs]

(It used to feel more of a painful, torturing reminder for her, too. Nowadays, there is a little light that brings hope into this place. Her belongings are thrown on Jinx's workshop, little drawings scattered all around the tent, so someone's giving new meaning to all this house of nightmares.

It used to be way, way worse.

With her hand dragging across her face, she awakens, although not ready to throw hands considering she knows who knows. Silco, Peter, Vander. She's safe.)

Too you soooo long. Did you break the stairs?

[cantilevers]

[He spotted the drawings and knew that they were not from Jinx. They were a different style regardless of the similar types of oil crayons used, and he reached out to tip one of the pictures towards himself to look at it. There was something that softened in him knowing that this was Isha, the little girl that he knew nothing about, who existed well after his time, and yet she seemed to make Jinx happy. That's what mattered.

He hummed softly at her question, shrugging his shoulders and pulling out the map that had been left with him and turned it this way and that, backwards and forwards. Then he aimed it at her.]

You didn't annotate north, so it took me time to learn the orientation. You up for a visit?

un: Jay.T | Text

[leastdramatic]

[After this exchange with Damian, Jason sends a message]

The theft's been called off. Can we meet? You decide when and where

Text

[cantilevers]

By whom? Is there a reason that you want to meet face-to-face?

[Ambush perhaps? He was not an untrusting person, but he had considerable survival instincts where not being jumped was a high priority.]

[leastdramatic]

We got Damian to back off from this. We don't want this any more than you do.

[Though Jason doesn't know yet what exactly happened between Damian and Bruce and it's worrying that Damian quit. But Jason's still in crisis mode and needs to take care of one powder keg at a time first]

Seemed best we talk about this man to man. I don't wanna just hide behind a screen. I'll leave it to you to decide how you wanna do this. Or we can just leave it

[Jason would not blame Vander if he refused. The threat of stealing Jinx's gun got the Zaunites hackles up and then some. It's hard to regain trust after something like that]

[cantilevers]

It seemed a foolish choice to kick the nest over, but I'm relieved he will not be seeking to steal what is ours.

[He had limited interactions with much of the family, but Damian did seem like a handful. He expected convincing the kid to back off was a full team effort.]

Agreed then. I'm trusting you on this. Meet me in an hour at Rocky's barcade. I expect you need a stiff drink or two.

[leastdramatic]

[The drink offer surprises Jason but he'll accept that for now. He would like to think he and Vander had started building some kind of rapport before this escalation had happened. He'd rather not lose it already]

Thanks. See you then

[cantilevers]

[It was close and personal, but the bar was a place where he had the advantage since he served the drinks. People usually didn't mess with the bartender or they would face unfortunate repercussions for their actions, and it was the place where Vander was most comfortable.

Of course, he wasn't working today, so he had taken up residence at one of the tables where his back was to the wall and he had a full view of the room. It was strategic to allow him to see who was coming and going from the establishment. He also was at the table furthest away from windows; he knew his business well when it came to buying time in cases of ambush.

He waited and watched, nursing a finger of whiskey as he had arrived purposefully early to claim his spot.]

[leastdramatic]

[Jason arrives on time as promised. He's pointedly coming in unarmed and just dressed in a t-shirt, jeans, and combat boots. The outfit isn't too baggy so it would be easier to tell that he doesn't have anything hidden on him. Nothing holstered at his hips either.

He sees where Vander is sitting and knows exactly why the older man positioned himself like that. Jason has used that exact tactic before for other meetings.

He sits across from Vander. Jason knows he has the disadvantage by having his back to the main egress. Someone could ambush him. But he's choosing to rely on his instincts and senses to get away if it comes to that.

He hopes it doesn't come to that though. By sitting where he is, he also wants to show he wants to keep trusting Vander too]

Thanks for meeting me.

[cantilevers]

[He thought that it was a good judge of Jason's intentions that the younger man didn't balk at all at the scene that he set. In fact, Jason arrived and crossed the distance to where he was sitting and settled across from him, and he inclined his head in greeting as he lifted his tumbler to his lips for a sip.

His eyes flicked around to check for if perhaps some of the family might be around.]

What's your poison for drinking? I have the impression that you've been put through the ringer.