savetheearth | Video; -> Private Text to George

[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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah, gettin' a pretty serious badass vibe from you. I mean, the whole monster thing is disconcertin' enough as is.

[She was, of course, also going to remind him of Lancelot if he ever saw her with the sword.]

[Head cocks to the side just a bit, for just a second.] Disconcerting, yes - and for the record, to answer your question from before... Yes. That monster does try to kill you.

Use it, or be eaten. That basically seemed to be her only choice.

[Arthur blinked slowly at that. He paused and set his hand on the glass, sparks of electricity brimming under his fingertips. Reflexively, he drew his hand back as if it were the glass, but the electricity was coming from his own palm. He wasn't afraid of being devoured--rather than the one doing the devouring.]

...I can understand that. One of the things I got from that guy makes me feel like that kind of monster.

Do you think you relied on that monster a lot?

[She muses a bit, though watching his body movements... carefully. That certainly brought out some sort of reaction in him. Interesting.]

The person I remember - Satsuki - donned this monster to gain power. She forced it into submission by her own will. It was something that could grant a lot of power, I'm sure of that much...

So, yes. I do think she relied on it. If it was as strong as I think it was, it was not without good reason.

[He opened his mouth to speak, cutting himself off when he realized he had missed something fairly vital for awhile. Here he had been, in the middle of an intense tennis match of 'horrible nightmares' back and forth in his mind and he forgot he was talking to someone, not a figment of his imagination.]

I think more and more, I'm confused about what kind of person you are.

But... you reminded me that I've neglected to say something, Miss. My name's Arthur.

[She actually seems to enjoy the statement of confusion. At the very least, its enough to bring out that damned smirk.]

It's called keeping people on their toes, Arthur.

Saretha, for the record. Saretha Kaiser.

[Arthur crossed his arms, his fingertips drilling on the sleeve of his jacket a bit urgently.]

It's nice to meet you.

Though, I don't think that's right. People hide all kinds of things, but if you want to be partners with other people here, you should be more upfront.

[Heh. His upfront nature is at least something she likes.]

I actually don't entirely disagree. At the same time, anyone who has a Number can see our conversation right here and now.

It would be very well in all our interests if everyone here was trustworthy.

It would also be very foolhardy to believe that.

That's why I wanted to say it here. [Rather than just making that decision on his own, Arthur wanted people to know what he was about. Even if anyone didn't like him or they were the 'bad guys', he was certain he didn't want to hold back on anything in terms of his motivations.]

Even if I can't trust some people, it doesn't mean I won't try. There's all kinds of reasons why people can turn out bad.

[What he didn't realize was--he was already turning into a slave.]

I don't want to just leave them to stay bad.

[Huh. That has her interest, to be certain - he seems to do well enough at capturing that, somehow.]

So you think if there are those sorts of people on here, you'd like to try and... reform them? Change their minds?

I don't like the word 'reform'. People could do good things with evil means.

I think it's more along the lines of... [Arthur steadied his eyes on his own in the mirror.]

I want to give them a good reason to do good things with good means.

[ She purses her lips, and studies him for another few moments. He seems... sincere enough, at least from how she's observing him. That alone is a curiosity. ]

Just how would you give people that reason, do you think?

I don't think I can do it yet. [He would admit that right off the bat. He didn't have Merlin as a mentor. Maybe Merlin was the problem, in fact.]

I have to learn how to do it that way before I can show them how to do it.

So it's something you would like to do, but have yet to learn how to accomplish?

[ Heh. ] Just how dedicated are you to accomplishing that, then?

I don't know. [Even quicker to admit that. Arthur had a big ambition, but he was modest to a fault, here.]

Not yet, anyway. I've never done this kind of thing before in my life.

Ha. You seem to not know a lot, yet appear confident at the same time about those very same things. Does that sound about right?

[He should have said 'No' right away, but he couldn't exactly lie. There was fundamentally something wrong with him. He knew it.]

That's right. I just know that, for sure, failure is only guaranteed if I never try.

That much - at least - is respectable. Success only comes from the attempt and is never handed to you. If you at least know what you want... That's a start.

...Thank you.

[It wasn't the best he could do, but--] I'm definitely going to put all I've got into it.

See that you do, and perhaps you'll be worth keeping an eye out for.

Video; -> Private Text to George

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