Video; -> Private Text to George

[knights_king]

[In the evening, Arthur wrote the 'numbers' on the surface of a large window panel with a dry erase marker. He had been busy all week and mostly silent, save for a handful of chats. He was standing in a full, black suit and grey dress shirt that looked as if it were tailored rather than pulled from a thrift shop. He was even wearing driving gloves, to fit the look a hitman would go for.

Anyone listening would likely be confused, because this is going to be the most articulate Arthur will ever have been to date.]

I had a pretty busy week. A lot of good things happened and I'm pretty sure it's all because of the guy I used to be. I feel good, but I get the impression he felt like he was walking on sunshine all day long.

[Arthur paused, swallowing his words for that moment. He was beating around the bush.]

I don't like the guy I think I used to be. He said something that made me really worry he was a horrible guy and that whatever he had at his disposal was something he didn't deserve, but forget that guy.

I'm not looking to be a hero or win people over--I just wanna prove that asshole wrong. So, if you guys ever need my help--ask for Arthur York.

[Text to George's Cell]
new number this is artie

so this hotel fridges bar is already paid for

Comments

[not_good_not_wicked]

What'd he say that pissed you off so much?

[knights_king]

I don't really want to say, because then you'll definitely know who the guy was.

[not_good_not_wicked]

How could that possibly matter? Were you Hitler or something?

[knights_king]

He's a big name, but where the hell'd you get Hitler from?

I said horrible, not the worst person in history.

[not_good_not_wicked]

I dunno, he was the first bad person who came to mind. Point is we're not doomed to become the people we're connected to so who cares who he was? Wasn't there one guy saying he used to be Satan? It can't be worse than that!

video

[youngestone]

I think not liking or not being sure about our past selves is part of the whole "numbered" deal. Past me was a total idiot.

video

[knights_king]

I don't think that's as bad. I mean, everybody looks at their own decisions and thinks they're god-awful, right?

video

[youngestone]

Yeah but this guy ended up in jail and tossed dishes and ate some poor guy's entire pantry...

video

[knights_king]

...Like, the whole pantry? Or, just what was inside?

private text;

[jailbreaks]

think you might have the wrong number

pretty sure i dont know anyone with a douchebaggy name like 'artie'

though if youve got booze ill come anyway

private text;

[knights_king]

come on arties cool remember pete n pete?

[Another text a half minute later.]

scratch that forget it

Re: private text;

[jailbreaks]

so where you at artie?

youre supplying the friends this time?

private text;

[knights_king]

hell yeah i am
dude i dont gotta show up for this conference till like 4pm tomorrow what the fuck am i gonna do all day

[A pause.]

anyway these friends are fancy as hell
up at the hiltons its one of the suites just ask for me

video;

[purestambition]

[Ha. Say hello to this smug looking lady.]

Well, aren't we the helpful citizen? I suppose that's as good a motivation as any if it gets things done.

video;

[knights_king]

[Oh, it's that lady who's probably a supervillain, maybe?]

Out of spite? Pretty sure I sound immature.

video;

[purestambition]

Well.

[A beat.]

Yes. You do.

Motivation is motivation though, however petty it may be.

video;

[knights_king]

Well, it's the only thing I could do short of hitting that guy in the face.

Not without breaking my own teeth, apparently.

voice

[featherduster]

[ "to fit the look a hitman would go for" yes, about that... ]

Whoaaaa, this is like some kind of comic book vigilante justice thing. You might want a bit more dramatic backlight to complete the look, though. A floorlamp, maybe.

Presentation aside, why do you think you need to prove anything to some past life jerk?

voice

[knights_king]

You have no idea how cool I feel standin' up here. These're full length windows, man.

[Yeah, Arthur couldn't even hold that in for a second. He was about to gush.]

And, this suit? I just got this tailored. The guy actually measured me.

[He cleared his throat and continued.]

A-Anyway. I wanna prove that guy wrong--he's got bad ideas about people in general and given who he was, I know he shouldn't think the way he does.

voice

[featherduster]

[ There's a low whistle at 'tailored'. Shit's expensive, man. ]

Good start! Now we'll just have to work on your secret crime-fighting name - something to match the dark, mysterious, dapper look you've got going. Not that "Arthur York" isn't already really dapper, but you gotta keep these things separate, man. You'll regret it later if you don't.

But it sounds like you're already halfway to the atonement motive and secret tragic backstory, so props for that! Define "bad ideas about people", though? Were you a hitman in your past life, orrr...?

voice

[knights_king]

[Doesn't Arthur know. The fact that he now has a 'salary', because he managed to woo some big names still has his head spinning.]

Yeah, yeah, I know. I've got like, one friend--and I'm pretty sure anyone looking to mess with him would need their jaw wired shut, after.

[He definitely thought a lot more highly of George than he let on, but Arthur decided to cut it off, there.]

Anyway, I'm not atoning. The guy I'm gettin' Echoes from acted like everyone in the world was corrupt and couldn't be trusted. I can't change his mind and I'm pretty sure I know who he was. I just wanna make sure I don't turn out to be rotten like him. What's that bit? If you pretend to be a good man for a year, then that's who you'll really be?

voice;

[gunhearted]

Just because you remember yourself saying bad stuff doesn't mean that you're gonna turn into a bad person... [Things Jacuzzi has been told a hundred times, things he knows literally no one believes.]

I mean--It's not like that stuff decides our personalities. Or changes them, or anything!

voice;

[knights_king]

I'd get behind that idea if he weren't already startin' to take me over.

[He felt tense, but Arthur managed to bury it down.] I thought I was just supposed to remember things he did or said--not flat out change from the ground up.

voice;

[gunhearted]

It's not always like that. I-I mean... I don't normally talk like this, or I didn't. [He's got a horrible accent that no one can place.] It gave me an accent, and I think it changed the way my friends thought about stuff, but--

I don't think it has to change you if you try to be who you were to start with!

voice;

[knights_king]

After a certain point, are you sure it won't be like that? I think it's like an illness. Either you recover from it or you don't.

It's not like a miracle cure can stop the symptoms from messing with you. People got scars even from diseases they got cured. I dunno if it's like that or not.