Alex Mercure | Xerxes Break (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
squicksilver) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
savetheearth2014-04-24 06:31 pm
squicksilver) wrote in savetheearth2014-04-24 06:31 pm
Entry tags:
- !open,
- #network,
- +location: las vegas,
- air gear: kururu sumeragi,
- baccano!: claire stanfield,
- bleach: toushirou hitsugaya,
- evangelion: misato katsuragi,
- fable: walter beck,
- gundam 00: allelujah haptism,
- heroes of olympus: nico di angelo,
- kamen rider blade: hajime aikawa,
- magic knight rayearth: umi ryuuzaki,
- pandora hearts: xerxes break,
- psg: stocking anarchy,
- tales of vesperia: yuri lowell,
- tiger and bunny: kotetsu t. kaburagi,
- trigun: vash the stampede
First trick: Video
[ Alexander Mercure is staring at his phone as if it were an unwanted kitten in his living room, coughing up hairballs made of pure gold. ]
Ah… Haha….
[ An instant later, his lips are parted in a dazzling smile, revealing his whitened teeth, which show even brighter against his made-up face. He’s clad in a top hat, white tie and tails, every inch covered in sequins. From the silver dust on his cheekbones to the gold fringe on his sleeves, he glitters. ]
Goodness, what a surpriiiiise! Why, here I’ve been reading about all of you amazing people, only to find myself one of your number. The “numbers club,” how adorable. That means something a little different here in Las Vegas, haha! Anyway, anyway! I suppose I ought to introduce myself. I’m Alexander Mercure. But my friends call me…
[ DRAMATIC PAUSE ]
Alexander… the Great!
[ A beat, wherein he looks very very serious — and then collapses all over in giggles. ]
Ahahhaha, forgive me. That’s the name of my show. It’s at the Flamingo. Nightly at nine and twice on Sundays. I’ve heard that some of you are coming to visit our fair city, so I’d like to extend an invitation to each and every one of you. Be sure to stop backstage afterwards, I’d loooove to meet all of you wonderful heroes!
[ Everything about this screams setup, from the "superpowered" girl in his show (ordinary parlour tricks), to the numbers in his head (third-rate mentalism), to this bizarre network. It's elaborate, but it's obviously just a marketing ploy, if one wants to be generous; or a confidence scheme, if one doesn't.
Well! If anybody thinks they're going to fool Alexander the Great, they've got another thing coming. Already he's turning the tables on these people — whoever they are — and using their fancy network to pimp his show.
He starts to wave goodbye — but hesitates, putting his (sequined) white-gloved fingers to his lips. ]
Aaaaaah, but I’ve noted that some of you are rather young. No kiddies at the evening shows, sorry about that. Twenty-one and older, if you please. [ wink wink ] Little angels can come to the Sunday matinee.
[ Wiggling his sparkling fingers: ]
Bye byeeeeeeeee!
Ah… Haha….
[ An instant later, his lips are parted in a dazzling smile, revealing his whitened teeth, which show even brighter against his made-up face. He’s clad in a top hat, white tie and tails, every inch covered in sequins. From the silver dust on his cheekbones to the gold fringe on his sleeves, he glitters. ]
Goodness, what a surpriiiiise! Why, here I’ve been reading about all of you amazing people, only to find myself one of your number. The “numbers club,” how adorable. That means something a little different here in Las Vegas, haha! Anyway, anyway! I suppose I ought to introduce myself. I’m Alexander Mercure. But my friends call me…
[ DRAMATIC PAUSE ]
Alexander… the Great!
[ A beat, wherein he looks very very serious — and then collapses all over in giggles. ]
Ahahhaha, forgive me. That’s the name of my show. It’s at the Flamingo. Nightly at nine and twice on Sundays. I’ve heard that some of you are coming to visit our fair city, so I’d like to extend an invitation to each and every one of you. Be sure to stop backstage afterwards, I’d loooove to meet all of you wonderful heroes!
[ Everything about this screams setup, from the "superpowered" girl in his show (ordinary parlour tricks), to the numbers in his head (third-rate mentalism), to this bizarre network. It's elaborate, but it's obviously just a marketing ploy, if one wants to be generous; or a confidence scheme, if one doesn't.
Well! If anybody thinks they're going to fool Alexander the Great, they've got another thing coming. Already he's turning the tables on these people — whoever they are — and using their fancy network to pimp his show.
He starts to wave goodbye — but hesitates, putting his (sequined) white-gloved fingers to his lips. ]
Aaaaaah, but I’ve noted that some of you are rather young. No kiddies at the evening shows, sorry about that. Twenty-one and older, if you please. [ wink wink ] Little angels can come to the Sunday matinee.
[ Wiggling his sparkling fingers: ]
Bye byeeeeeeeee!
Video
Video
I wish you were, too.
[ ...into full-on creeper. ]
Video
[Misato's not sure how to react.]
Video
[ Poof! The creeper's gone and the fop is back. Now you see it, now you don't. ]
Have you ever been to Las Vegas?
Video
[She smiles.] I guess I should probably change that, huh? Especially with all the Numbered showing up there.
Video
Video
You meet any of the other Numbered in person yet? I don't know how many there are in Vegas, but there's tons of them out here in Locke City.
Video
[ A beat ]
Tons, you say? How many?
Video
[Only two, actually. Including Alex, anyway.]
I probably should introduce myself, shouldn't I? [After all, he already introduced himself to her.] I'm Misato Katsuragi.
Was the other-you a performer, too?
Video
[ What the hell is she talking about? ]
"Other me"?
Video
You know about the origins of the Numbered, right? That we're reincarnated -- or that another us exists in an alternate universe. That's where our powers... our abilities... and our memories come from.
Video
[ ...
...
...
Okay, no. He can't, in fact, keep a straight face at that, and bursts out laughing. ]
Re: Video
[Now she's visibly embarrassed -- red face and everything.]
It's just what I heard, okay? Besides, it's the only rational explanation I've heard for suddenly having all these weird memories.
[A beat.]
Have you had any? Memories, I mean.
Video
[ His silly persona has faded; his voice slips into something smoother, almost lazy. ]
Misato, have you ever heard of a branch of magic called "mentalism"?
Video
[Even though now, apparently, it's real.]
Video
As a magician, I am duty-bound not to reveal exactly how it's done. But I can tell you this...
[ His lips twist into a smirk. ]
It doesn't involve reincarnation or alternate universes.
Video
[Misato picks up what appears to be a penguin and holds it out to the camera.]
Video
[ What. ]
...a penguin?
Video
This little guy just appeared in my apartment one morning after the aliens gave their little press conference on TV.
I actually remember him from before, too.
[Misato looks a little uncomfortable.]
I'm not saying that it makes any sense, but why would deposit a penguin in my bathroom, then brainwash me into believing I had a pet penguin before?
Video
Or, there's somebody behind all of this. I'll admit, I can't think why this would be. But the things that make the world go 'round are money and power. Dig deep, and I suspect that's what we'll find.
Video
This is all way too complicated to think about. I just wish that someone'd just provide us with all the answers already.
I wonder if those good aliens have any idea what's going on. I mean, if they're the real thing, they might know what's up with all this Numbered stuff. I mean, for all we know, this whole reincarnation or alternate universe thing might be the product of some crazy alien technology.
Video
There's a pair of magicians here, called Penn and Teller. A part of their act that's considered unusual is that they often reveal how their tricks are done.
Except - they design those tricks specifically for the purpose of revealing them. The trick is impressive, the reveal amusing. The audience is entertained all the while. Their most astonishing tricks, however, are kept secret.
This is a roundabout way of saying: one should be suspicious of answers that somebody provides you with, especially if they seem "too complicated to think about."
[ A little pause. ]
Tell me about these "good aliens."
Re: Video
Yeah, well... sorry I couldn't provide you with the answers you were looking for.
[She scratches the nape her neck.]
It might be better if you draw your own conclusions. Here, I'll send you a link to the YouTube video of their press conference.
[A few minutes later, the cooresponding link appears on the network.]
Video
He's sitting in a plush chair, with an ornate lobby as a backdrop. ]
I don't know what to think about that. They do seem...
I don't know. I don't know anything anymore.
Video
Video
Video
Video
Video
Video
Video
Video
Video
You a new addition?