savetheearth | [Mission 3 - Nuisance] Action

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[Mission 3 - Nuisance] Action - open / Text later

[Action around Locke City]

It wasn't until recently that Anthony finally gained an understanding for exactly how destructive, and annoying, the strange little monsters infesting the city were. Sure, he'd caught the news here and there and watched the network, but from a distance it didn't seem so bad. That was right up until his hoodie was set on fire while he was sitting on a curb taking a break. The heat and flash of flame were noticed quickly enough that Anthony was able to pat it out before it caused more than a singe, but even so the threat was clear enough. Now that he was back on the street for the time being, suddenly everything was more dangerous that ever before. Exactly what he wanted to deal with right now.

He jumped up, spotting the tiny lighter as it fled into the bushes. Foolishly Tony gave chase, intent to stomp out the animate lighter before it could cause more harm and of course blundered directly into the now burning bush. He gave a shout of surprise and pain, hopping away as he was singed and lightly burned. The fire spread quickly in the still-dry plant, too fast for him to reasonably attempt to put it out. Someone was just going to have to call the fire department or bring an extinguisher, because he certainly did not have any way of doing either of those things at the moment. Besides, as soon as he spotted that lighter moving off again he was after it like a dog on a scent.

Once a threat was established and an 'enemy' detected, something clicked over in his mind that Anthony just couldn't quite turn off. A level of focused aggression that was almost frightening when he wasn't in its thrall. The opportunity for a fight became the most thrilling thing he could imagine, even if only against a lighter that was mostly harmless until it caught something on fire. Eventually he was really going to need to learn how to control himself.

Unfortunately for him self control was the furthest thing from his mind, so as he gave chase again, this time over park benches, rails, and even out in the road completely blind to traffic. Eventually he lost sight of the lighter, but worked up as he was he was quick to go after any further nuisances he encountered. A mob of toothpicks, the occasional pencil erasing crosswalks, running away from exploding Altoids. You name it!

[OOC: Basically feel free to bump into Tony (or nearly run him over) at any point in his adventure against madness! IDK I am so bad at open posts please help yourselves.]

[Text:]

Is it just me, or are these things getting worse? First lighters, then toothpicks and magical pencils? This is getting out of hand. Anyone got any tips for dealing with these things. A repellent, maybe?

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That was good, because sarcasm and sass comprised a good 80% of Tony's language skills. Everything else had to share that little sliver of 20%, which was mostly complaining or bad jokes. No wonder he was so socially inept.

"Hm..." Tony rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then gave a vague shrug as he let the subject drop. "In that case I can't say that I blame you. Kinda curious to find out why everyone was out for his blood thought, sounds like a pretty good guy otherwise. People generally like detectives, don't they? Unless they're the mafia or something." Oh poor, naive Tony. He does not know.

"I'm sure he was a good guy. Better than me by a long shot, anyway... but there are people who don't benefit from detectives' activities, like... the Mafia," he said, quirking a brow at the odd mention. "Or kidnappers, or drug dealers, or... cheating husbands and wives. Whatever the case, there's someone committing a deed they shouldn't. If people always acted according to the laws of goodness and normalcy, there wouldn't be any mysteries."

"Why d'you say that? You seem alright to me," Though Tony's opinion might be biased. He is pretty easy to buy off with offers of food and mild compassion. You don't even have to be especially nice to him, just not cruel. Either way, he still thinks L is pretty okay.

"I suppose you've got a point there, hadn't really thought about it like that. Well, don't go getting yourself hurt over a book, dude. Not worth it." He'd be kind of upset if that happened.

"Do I? Well... in all fairness, you don't really know me," L said, brushing aside the positive assumption in favor of (in his mind) a more accurate, if less flattering, assessment.

"Regarding the book... don't worry. I've abandoned it. I'm too busy these days to write, anyway."

"True, I suppose not," Tony won't argue the point, but L's self-disparaging comments weren't going to make him change his mind, either. He may seem a little strange and pushy but that didn't necessarily mean he was a bad guy. Far less threatening than the guy who will later run Tony over with his car, anyway.

"With the coffee shop, right?"

"Yeah... starting a business is always hard, but it's unlike anything I've ever done before, you know? A few months ago I hadn't even successfully held a job for any amount of time. But big changes come with the territory of being numbered, so... it's not really something that should come as a surprise, I suppose."

"What, you serious? And now you're starting a business, just like that?" How did that even work? Anthony couldn't even wrap his imagination around it it was so far-fetched. But, well, maybe stranger things had happened. After all, a gigantic pink stone snake rampaged through the city, so why not have someone able to suddenly open a business? "Phew... I'll say."

Still, that was one hell of a big change.

"Yes, I'm serious. I wouldn't joke about that," L said, quirking a brow. "I know it seems unlikely, but it's hardly the strange anymore, by the standards of the times. Makes you think that anything is possible."

This seems to simultaneously disquiet and excite him.

"Still, pretty unbelievable, you know?" But, who was Anthony to argue? If L could do it then more power to him. Hell, good for him, even! Better than Anthony's spot, on the streets chasing lighters. "You've got a point, I suppose if gigantic snake gods or whatever exist, why not you being able to do this?"

Hah, you are a boiling pot of mixed signals, L, but Tony likes you anyway.

L was certainly that, but in his odd way, he wasn't truly unlikable. Perhaps it was the earnestness that managed to shine through past the oddness, but he seemed completely sincere in his desire to be more for the greater good.

"Why not anyone? At this early point in the pulse... process, none of us know what we could get back. I could be a robot tomorrow, or a superhero. So could you."

That was it exactly. L came off as so sincere it would be difficult to not find it at least a little endearing. Besides, though he was a little on the odd side, he didn't really come off as dangerous. There was a huge difference between just weird and dangerous weird. Anthony would like to think he was pretty good at spotting the difference.

"Hah, you've got a point there. Dunno how I'd like being a robot, would I still get to eat food? I'm pretty fond of food you know."

"Yes... it was, indeed, my impression."

L remembered what it was like to be chronically and achingly hungry, after all, to the point where actual restaurant food was so heavenly that even L's finicky rules about food got bent. Instinct was funny that way; if a ham sandwich was the only sandwich, it was getting snapped up.

Things were better now, affording L the luxury of being, once more, picky about what he ate.

"What are your typical days like? I mean... your meals. Where are you getting them? Friends, shelters...?"

Restaurant? Hell, the shittiest burger off the dollar menu might as well be ambrosia once you've reached this level of hunger. A gas station sandwich sounded like a fantastic idea in times of desperation. Even if the resulting stomach ache wasn't the best after.

"I've got a friend, hooks me up when he can. Don't like the shelters much, twitchy places, you know, just as likely to get a knife in my gut as a meal. Begging for change, stuff like that."

He fidgeted a bit, there were other ways as well but he didn't like talking about it. Some things are a little too humiliating to admit to, desperate times and all that. In the past he'd lift wallets to avoid some of those methods, but that was always risky business and barely anyone carried cash anyway. Besides, he hated putting his best friend at risk just because he couldn't wait another day to eat.

Edited 2014-07-27 07:07 (UTC)

L nodded, because he did know, too well, what shelters were like. Though he'd never begged for change, he'd not exactly benefitted from his pride.

"It's good that you have a friend to help you out, but your situation isn't sustainable. You should let me help you get on your feet once my business is solidly established."

Tony didn't have a lot of pride left, he wouldn't wave signs, he wouldn't harass. Typically he did something in exchange for it. He was athletic, had a lot of time on his hands, so he did tricks. Entertaining things, for some reason people got really excited over parkour, they'd toss a couple bucks in a can if you could do something fairly impressive. It was something.

"Yeah, I know..." He grumbled, tone a little dejected. He knew it couldn't last, it scared the hell out of him. But nothing did last anymore, so he just had to do what he could at the time and not think too much about other things. "I mean, there's this old guy, does art with metal scraps and broken glass, you know? I salvage scrap for him now and then when I can find it. He lets me stay in the shed behind his shop once in a while."

Sure it was drafty and cold but he had an old mattress and a little lantern it was better than nothing. Tony functioned a bit like a guard dog and got a place to sleep here and there. It worked out.

"...I'll think about it. I mean, like I said... I'm not really good with people." He was kind of snappy and nervous sometimes, and didn't really know how to handle people being cross or demanding with him. In truth he just didn't think it was possible for him to crawl out of the hole he was in.

The prospect of even trying was absolutely terrifying.

The fact that Anthony at least acknowledged it was, at least, encouraging. His flinty eyes were terrible at conveying the sympathy he felt for what sounded like a very uncomfortable living situation, but sympathy wasn't really something the young man seemed to need. Rather, a solution, a direction, and a plan were the pressing necessities that L could identify.

"If you're not good with people, you're not alone, and you're not disqualified. Please do better than just thinking about it, OK?"

Sympathy wasn't really what he needed, no. Understanding helped a lot, but that was something entirely different. He didn't want sympathy, he didn't want pity, he wanted a chance. Unfortunately sometimes Tony was afraid to give himself a chance. It was a nice change to have someone else trying so hard for him, though.

He'd think about it. "I'll think about it," He repeated a little quieter. That's the best you'll get out of him for now, L. Give him time.

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