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CHARACTERS: Joshua and anyone
WHERE: The Red Coast, barracks.
WHEN: Anytime in days 28-34.
SUMMARY: Sick jams.
WARNINGS: None yet, but I have great faith in y'all's ability to make anything horrible. Will update if needed.

[ The really awful thing about their disguises is the sheer number of things you can't do in public.

Usually, Joshua would take off and find a convenient spot outside for this kind of thing. Fresh air. Nice views. It's not exactly the way to perfect zen (mostly because there is absolutely no such thing for a mind like his), but it's something. Not happening, while they're on Hyrypia. So he does the best he can. He waits for a time when the barracks are pretty empty.

But if you're still around, or you just happened to pick now to come back, you're greeted by the sound of a harmonica.

He might take requests, if you're not a total douchebag. ]

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Seth Gecko.

[ At which point Seth tips his glass towards Joshua without returning the platitude. This isn't exactly ideal. Nothing's wrong with meting Joshua in particular, but Seth could do without the feel of his mind creeping in like fog as they speak. ]

So what's your story? They pull you in for the harmonica playing?

[ If they were recruiting at all. Seth still isn't clear on how anyone was selected for this other than some nebulous potential to host symbiotes. Which is fucked, so Seth isn't considering it at length. ]

[ Ha ha. If only. ]

I like the idea of a mission where all they need is a harmonica player. I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be much of a body count on that one.

[ If that was all they needed from him, either the missions would be a lot less nasty or his own life would've been a lot better, and either of those options sounds pretty good. ]

I'm pretty good at taking care of myself, though. I won't be in anybody's way.

[ Which is completely not an answer, but he's not exactly fond of telling his story and he's also pretty sure that nobody really wants to hear it that badly. ]

I wouldn't say that.

[ Not with this bunch. How many fatalities have they racked up on what should have been a cakewalk? This mission could have been far easier if this team all hadn't scattered to the wind. ]

But that's good to know. Not that I think there's any plan here for you to get in the way of. Seems pretty disorganized, if you ask me.

[ It's a bad job. The sooner they got it over with the better, and not just because Seth could ditch these robes. ]

What'd you do before this? Musician?

I can't argue with that.

[ Nobody really seemed to be in charge, half of them didn't seem to have a plan and the other half were chasing down whatever leads they had in completely different directions...

Definitely not a well-oiled machine like Ouroboros or even the Bracer Guild. It was going to take some getting used to.

That question, though. There's a long, slightly awkward pause as he tries to decide how to handle it. He used to hide it. It doesn't seem worth the effort here, with everyone up in each others' thoughts, and it's not like his past is here to catch up to him. There's nobody here he needs to protect from it.

So, the truth. As much as he doesn't like it. ]

Assassin.

[ Totally not that different than musician.....right.... ]

[ Seth's first reaction: are you bullshitting me?

The question rises in his mind and pops like a soap bubble, never forming fully. It's clear that Joshua isn't fucking with him. The links in their mind underscore honesty very clearly. It's technically a boon, but Seth considers that it also applies to him right now and can't bring himself to appreciate it. ]

No shit?

[ Rhetorical, filling the silence as Seth processes. ]

I'm guessing that's going to come in handy sooner or later, the way things are going here.

[ Which is both just a logical assertion and a sign of Seth's low opinion about the effectiveness of this group. ]

[ He catches that flicker of disbelief, but doesn't comment on it. It's expected (or, at least, it says a lot more to him when someone isn't surprised by it). Weissmann may have set his sights on Joshua for the malleability of his age and mental state, but it wouldn't surprise Joshua at all if he'd also taken into consideration that nobody expects to get shanked by a small child.

It is what it is. ]

It's looking that way.

[ Which he doesn't sound particularly pleased about. If they have to kill anyone here, they clearly screwed up somewhere along the line. ]

[ At least he doesn't sound overly enthusiastic about the prospect of having to spill some blood. That'd be something to worry about in it's own right, but some reluctance is a good thing. They have enough loose cannons on this mission without an assassin who enjoyed their work too much in the mix. ]

Fingers crossed we get lucky, right?

[ Though even the idea of leaving it all up to chance is an affront to Seth. ]

I hear it's always a shitshow with this bunch.

[ Maybe that'll be comforting to Joshua. It's not really a covert operation when people are smashing everything on their way out. ]

[ He doesn't particularly believe in luck; as far as he's concerned, what most people call "luck" he'd call good reactions and the ability to make good use (or failure to do so) of your circumstances.

He's not that kind of pedantic dick about these things, though, so it goes unsaid. ]

There doesn't seem to be much...coordination in this group.

[ A polite understatement, really; he's kind of amazed that some of these people manage to coexist within ten selges of each other. ]

That's generous.

[ Which might be rude, but Seth's patience has waned. ]

I'm surprised they haven't blown this entire operation yet.

[ All Lexa's accusations that Seth's attitude would turn out to be part of the problem, he can't see how his unwillingness to merge minds makes anything about this group worse. ]

You worried about it yet?

I am.

[ But worrying is unproductive, so he tries not to focus on it. ~~If only he could apply that logic to self-hatred.~~ ]

But I'm not sure how to deal with it.

[ Don't worry about things, do something about them. That's what he'd always lived by. But getting a few dozen people from wildly different backgrounds, moral codes, and motivations on the same page? He's an assassin, not a magician. ]

As far as I can figure out? Work your own angle while the rest of them chase their tails.

[ #teamwork ]

If we're lucky, we'll get somewhere before they blow it all up.

[ Since from what Seth hears, that's how every mission ends with this crew. They make noisy exits. And so far, they've been lucky enough to get shit done before having to run for the hills. Seth doesn't expect that to hold up. ]

[ Blow it...up...

Oy. ]

I'd really like to think that's just a metaphor.

[ It sounds very much like they're not going to be that lucky. ]

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