[open] like puppets dangling on strings

[whowhatnow]

CHARACTERS: Nathaniel Horn and YOU
WHERE: Concordia
WHEN: post Big Bang, 025
SUMMARY: Nathaniel dabbles with his parasite powers and hangs around Concordia trying to deal with life.
WARNINGS:none at the moment except mind control! will update as needed

I. just let them hang where they stand

[In the hustle and bustle of Concordia, its easy to miss things. Secret trysts, forbidden deals, activities done only in the darkest of places...and what Nathaniel is doing may count for that last one. After the whole bomb fiasco, he's been hanging around, looking like he's doing nothing but lazing around like always...but, in reality, he's up to something. That whole event shook him to the core, and he's not going to pretend that everything is okay. He needs to adapt to this, just like he's adapted to everything he's encountered in his life.]

[You can probably feel the pricklings of his thoughts coming over the mental link (it feels pleasant, like he's having fun, like he's winning at something and laughing about it)- track them down, and you'll find him standing across from a man in an alleyway. The man looks like some kind of office worker, his clothes neat and tailored but not especially extravagant - he's just a cog in a large corporate machine, by the looks of it. He's staring at Nathaniel, who only grins and points down to the end of the alleyway. He speaks, but his voice holds a certain strange tone to it - it's far too smooth to be comfortable.]

Pick it up.

[The man jerks a little in place, like his body is moving on his own without his control. He walks down the alleyway, picking up what looks to be some kind of bottle. He stares back at Nathaniel, his expression confused.]

Bring it back to me.

[A pause, and the man does so, his dark eyes darting nervously in their sockets. When he approaches, Nathaniel outstretches his hand, and the man drops the bottle into it. Nathaniel lets out a laugh, like he can't believe his good fortune, and then suddenly turns to toss the bottle back into the alleyway.]

[He turns back to the man, a grin on his face as he points back into the alleyway.]

Come on, go on. Go pick it up.


II. or cut them down and let them fall

[What's work? Nathaniel certainly doesn't know. He travels the streets of Concordia like a vagabond, exploring every nook and cranny he can find. He's far more on guard since the bombing incident, and isn't willing to draw attention (no more wearing Bout-It-Out gear for him!), but still, he's unwilling to let himself get bored.]

[Eventually, it's nighttime and he has to take a break, and he decides to rest by sitting up on the roof of a small building near the outskirts of the city, staring out at the bright lights and bustling movement with a wide smile. You know, Concordia isn't half bad, he thinks. Just remove all the hassle, the fighting, the politics, and you have a place where fun lurks in the form of so many things. He can get behind a place like that.]

[He leans back on his perch, and if he senses somebody approaching, he'll greet them by turning his head over his shoulder, his wide grin glinting in the low light.]

Hey, quick question: if you could be anyone you wanted to be in the whole wide universe, who would you be? And I'm not talking about jobs, here. I'm talking about everything.


III. WILDCARD

[Want a prompt with Nathaniel that isn't up here? Just let me know! Nathaniel is all over the place and isn't hard to find, so send me a message if you want to work something out!]

Comments

[inflori]

[ He can recognize it for what it really is, of course. He could just be doing this for fun, could have somehow threatened the man into these inane tasks, but there's an element of practice to it that Petre remembers having experimented with as well. He's controlling him.

So... Petre can do what Nate does. And Nate can do what Petre does. Isn't that interesting. ]

I'm okay. I died, but I got better.

[ As Nate knows. ]

[whowhatnow]

Sounds pretty harsh, buddy.

[He sounds as if they're talking about the weather, but in reality, he knows it's anything but. They were practically at each other's throats. Petre would've killed him if Nathaniel had given the chance for him to do so.]

[He shrugs.]

Go take a break. [He says to his victim, whose shoulders slump with an obvious sign of relief. The man instantly rushes past Petre, nervously, ever so eager to get the hell out of dodge. When they're finally alone, Nathaniel drops the bottle to the side, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he steps closer to the other.]

So, Petre. [He shakes his head, smirking.] Tried your best to rip me apart back then, huh? Didn't know you had it in you.

[inflori]

[ There's not even a glance at the man as he rushes past the two little psychos. Petre's attention is on Nate and Nate alone, staring up at him as he moves closer. He still won't apologize, but it's clear there's no pride in what he did, either. He likes the alien. Eating him would really have been a shame. ]

... You got in the way.

[ In the way of a demon's survival instinct. He wouldn't even know how to describe how much Petre restrained himself to not just rip him apart in those first few seconds. ]

I wasn't really going to eat you. I just needed to get my powers back.

[ And, ya know. ]

I guess I should thank you, though. I figured out what my new power is.

[whowhatnow]

Ah, so I was an obstacle?

[Is he offended? Surprised? It's hard to tell - he says the question as if he's just clarifying it for himself. Nathaniel nods, still smirking - honestly, he doesn't hold a grudge against the other. He's a bit miffed, yes, but at the end of the day, it isn't a terribly big deal.]

Let me guess. It was that nice-looking other form of yours, was it? [He leans forward, his voice dropping to a low, almost conspiratorial murmur.] With all those lovely eyes.

[inflori]

I had to get my energy back. I died. [ Arms crossed, sulking a little, but not entirely defensive. ]

I was turning into you.

[whowhatnow]

Me?

[That actually makes him pause, blinking in slight confusion. He had assumed that it was some kind of alternate form, but now it seems he was seeing it completely the wrong way.]

What do you mean, "me"?

[inflori]

I felt it. When I changed. I was growing the same things you had.

[ The things he'd seen at the pool. The tendrils Nate had been using to keep a hold on Petre. All those teeth. ]

I guess I didn't do a very good job.

[whowhatnow]

[Now that he thinks of it...it was like him. This jawbones sticking out of his head...Nathaniel reaches up to cover his mouth, sort of trying to stifle a grin and a laugh. He was trying to look like him.]

Oh, now you're just flattering me, Petre. [He says, eyes glinting in amusement.] And are you kidding? That was a good look on you! Though I guess I'm now realizing how narcissistic it is to say that.

[inflori]

[ At least he's grinning now. That means they can be buddies, right. ]

... I tried to do it again, but I couldn't. I don't know why.

[ That's because you need to touch Nate again lil demon. ]

And now you can control people, like me.

[whowhatnow]

[It definitely means they can be budies. Just don't try to eat him again, little man.]

Really? Well, you were kind of not yourself, so maybe you got some weird adrenaline rush or something? We'll have to figure that out.

[A pause, and...he really can't help himself, he's shameless....he winks.]

I'd really like to see you turn into that thing again.

[someone eject him into a trash dumpster]

Like you? Was that one of your demon powers, I'm guessing?

[inflori]

[ Not gonna make promises i may not be able to keep, sweats ]

Yeah, maybe. Hope I don't have to fucking die every time I wanna do it.

[ What a mess that would be, man. ]

Yeah. I can control people, but I have to know what they want. It makes it easier for me to manipulate them.

[whowhatnow]

That would be a pretty bad thing, I agree. You should be able to change into things without having to die for it.

[If he had to die every time he changed, he simply wouldn't do it. It wouldn't be worth the hassle.]

That so? Huh. I don't even know what people want, I just tell them to do stuff. It can't be that complicated though, else it won't work.

[inflori]

Oh. [ That's interesting. Petre can't say he's tried to use his power in any complicated manner since he's been here, except for getting everyone in the hive to join the Bout it Out competition without question. That wasn't really fun, though. ]

I could teach you.

[whowhatnow]

You could?

[He reaches forward, playfully jabbing an elbow into Petre's side. Ah, this could be useful.]

You're going to become my teacher! How exciting. You'll give me all the good tips and tricks, right?

[inflori]

[ He's excited that Nate's excited, and probably not just because of their mental link. This absolutely means that they will be up to no good for a long while. ]

Yeah, 'course. Can you teach me how to change?

[whowhatnow]

Can I teach you? That's like saying Refdarians from Drakalion can't fly. Or, rather, saying that fish can't swim. Same principle.

[His grin widens.]

I mean, we don't know exactly how your power works, but if it's similar enough...well, of course I can help out with that.

[inflori]

[ The blank expression at the first part is telling enough, but at least the fish metaphor saves the day. Petre blinks and resumes the conversation. ]

You can teach me how to turn into you, at least. With the tentacles and teeth and shit.

[whowhatnow]

Ooh, that's quite the challenge. [He says, with a click of his tongue. Pushing something that complicated and different on someone who's just getting used to changing? It isn't exactly easy.]

[But he grins, nevertheless.]

But we can make it happen! [He clutches Petre's shoulder.] We'll turn you into the big bad monster you want to be. It'll take some practice, though, but you're up for that, right?

[inflori]

'Course I am. I wanna get really good at it.

[ Power, power power. He wants it all. ]

[whowhatnow]

Good! Good. Congratulations on your first step to turning into me.

[Boy, that sounds weird. But he doesn't really care.]

When do you want to start? You want to have daily sessions, weekly sessions? What do you think?

[inflori]

[ uhm wowwww. ]

Whenever we've got free time, I guess? I don't like schedules. They're boring. [ livin the life. ] We can just call each other when we feel like it.

[whowhatnow]

Petre... [Nathaniel says, pouting as if he's about to tear up any moment.]

Goodness. You're too good. I've never heard a better thing in my life. [He sniffs, though it's obvious from the twinkle in his eye that he's just doing this whole act for fun.] This is why we're friends.

[inflori]

Are you sure, because I'm not really friends with wimps.

[ he's doing it for fun too, he promises. ]

[whowhatnow]

Petre, you know I could beat you up six ways to Sunday.

[You know, like the time when you tried to rip him apart after a certain bomb. Even though Nathaniel may be slightly exaggerating how much he "won" in that particular incident.]

But anyways, it's a deal! Eye for an eye, power for a power. We'll get a hold of our respective abilities in no time at all!

[inflori]

Fuck you! No you couldn't.

[ So offense right now?? ]