Week 6: sunday ~top dollar's room~

[nevergraduating]

[Another week, another execution. That was how it worked around here, when it wasn't a mess of killings during the other times. This week, it was Kevin's murder...  although from the looks of everything, there was a lead on this one. Those shell casings were an anomaly, considering what Crow had seen with his own eyes, and there wasn't anyone else aside from him who had guns listed in his profile. With that in mind and mismatched orbal pistols in tow, Crow knocks on Top Dollar's door.]

Yo, you in there? Wondered if you might wanna talk shop a little!

[He knows this likely looks suspicious as all hell, especially with his involvement in the room searches. Still, the worst thing that could happen is that he gets shot, right?]

Comments

[devilsnight]

[Oh my god, Crow, you're not going to get shot. At least not for showing up with a pair of - ]

...Hell are those?

[...Yeah, it looks like he's actually opened the door and isn't in a fucking Mood like he was on Tuesday, praise be.

He seems a lot less agitated in general today, actually, compared to how he's been since Kevin kind of Kevinned all over Hazama and Duke...was Duke immediately after and then Kevin had the audacity to not Kevin hard enough and proceeded to die all over. Apparently going a full goddamn weekend without almost everyone he knows violently screwing right the fuck up does wonders for his mood, who knew.]

[nevergraduating]

[Well, opening the door is a good sign! Although he did invite them into his room to check out the weird record (seriously he still doesn't know what the name of that thing is), so at least he was still amenable to cooperating even when he was feeling prickly.]

My orbal pistols. Thought we'd be able to chat about 'em and all, considering I heard you showed off yours to Shelley a few days ago. [He'll even do a douchey twirl of the one that looks like a revolver!]

[devilsnight]

[Well, yeah. But there's a difference between inviting someone in and having them ask to come in, you know?

...That said, though. That is some impressively douchey twirling, and he'll step back a bit to let Crow in, but the mention of Shelley is going to get his attention, and not necessarily in a good way.]

...Yeah. Yeah, sure thing.

[nevergraduating]

Heh, thanks.

[He'll stroll right in without a second thought and make himself at home on the couch because that's just what he does. He won't say anything to Top Dollar until the door's closed, though.]

I have to admit it's pretty weird coming here and seeing people use gunpowder-based guns, so I got a little curious. [Crow will take the non-revolver pistol and unload what ammunition he has and lay it down on the coffee table. There are 5 rounds present, but Top Dollar will probably notice that these look a little different from the ones he's used to - they lack any cartridge casings, after all.]

Feel like doing a little show and tell?

[devilsnight]

[...Huh. Well, that sure as hell is a thing, isn't it; he seems more than a little interested in those cartridges, but at the same time...well. He knows better than to think that there's absolutely no reason for this, and refusing to stay on task is probably going to look weird as hell.]

Sit down and stay there.

[He'll turn and disappear back into the bedroom easily enough; he's not gone terribly long before he's returned, carrying both guns with him - he'll set one of them down on the couch near him, away from Crow, but the other is fairly easily unloaded. It's obviously a familiar process - drop the magazine, check the barrel, unload - and he's able to talk while he's doing it.]

So what the hell do yours fire on, then - more of that magic stuff, or...?

[Five rounds join Crow's on the table; 9mm cartridges, all of them the same make, and the cartridge casings are silver in color.]

[nevergraduating]

Hey, don't worry 'bout it. It's not like I don't remember from last time. [As yes, good times during movie night, if Crow knew what the hell movies were. He'll be a good boy and not fuck around with anything while he waits, and he'll eye Top Dollar with interest as he unloads his own gun.]

Guess it'd sound like magic, yeah. There's something called septium where I'm from - it's used in all sorts of technology, but basically if you pack it into a gun, it provides all the energy you need to get the bullet out of the barrel. Way cleaner overall; no casings left behind, and no gunpowder spraying everywhere.

[And there are those rounds. Exactly like he'd heard, and just like the ones they found near Kevin.]

The other one the same kind? [Because you know. Crow's own guns are stupid and mismatched because JRPGs so it's best to ask, just in case.]

[devilsnight]

'Course they are.

[And it certainly does seem to be that way - the guns match, at any rate, a pair of Berettas. Silver in color, like the bullets. Because he's fucking extra like that.]

I'd be interested in trying your weapons sometime, son, if there were anywhere to fire them in this goddamn hotel. Pretty sure hitting anything in the building would be considered property damage, though.

[nevergraduating]

[If Crow called out Top Dollar's guns for being gaudy he'd probably have someone run up to him and punch him in the face for being a hypocrite, so as it stands? Crow Approves™ of those guns.]

Heh, I've been thinking of seeing if it'd count if I used the tree for target practice, but yeah, I'd rather not get put to sleep for doin' something like that.

[A beat.]

I'd say I wouldn't mind trying out yours myself, if you hadn't already tried 'em out on Kevin.

[devilsnight]

[And you know what, he doesn't even pause at that; there's no hesitation, no moment where he has to close his eyes and take a deep breath, no period of time where he needs to steel himself to answer.

Notably, there's no surprise, either.

He just shrugs, and he glances over to make proper eye contact, and that's it.]

I was wondering when you were gonna cut the bullshit and actually start talking.

[nevergraduating]

What, don't enjoy icebreakers? And here I tried pretty damn hard, too.

[He just heaves a dramatic sigh before settling down again. He'll meet Top Dollar's eyes before winking.]

But hey, if you want me to get straight to the point, then how about telling me why you did it? That'd clear a lot of things up.

[devilsnight]

He needed to move.

[He's reasonably easy when he says it; he isn't going to reach for his weapons, leaving the one on the table, though the other is remaining where it is, close to him. Last thing he really wants to do is cause something...unfortunate where there doesn't need to be any - when it came to Kevin, there very much did need to be something unfortunate, but this? This hasn't escalated yet. He knows it damn well might, but for now it's fine.]

He was an active threat to my guys. If it'd just been me, I wouldn't have given a fuck, I can take care of myself. But I've got others that are depending on me here, and you can say what you want about me but I take care of my own. Figured it'd be better me than one of them, if shit had to go down at all.

Don't get me wrong - I liked Kevin a lot, still do. And from what I could tell, he liked me well enough. He understood what I was doing that night, anyway - we talked about it a bit, just briefly, before he died. Shame it had to happen.

But if it comes down to me liking someone and me doing my goddamn job, I can't pick one over the rest.

[nevergraduating]

Taking care of your guys, huh. Have to admit you don't sound like a bad boss to work under. But what, was he making a move on one of 'em 'cause he thought they were the gunner?

[Crow sounds curious more than anything else, and honestly, he's not really surprised that Kevin got offed sooner or later, considering the rampage he went on. He was bound to step on some toes. That bit about Kevin understanding what was going on gives him pause, though, even if the smile doesn't leave his face.]

Guess that's better than what some others get. Looks like I won't have to do anything with this, at least. [He'll tap the gun he has by his side. It looks like they'll both escape from this with all their limbs fully intact...!?]

[devilsnight]

I had my reasons to think he'd be a problem.

[And that's all he's going to say on the matter of the gunner.]

Guess the next question is "what now", isn't it? I'm not too interested in shooting you to shut you up or anything, before anybody goes there.

[nevergraduating]

Alright, alright. I won't push on that point. [He can tell when there's no more point in questioning.]

But that's good to know, 'cause I wasn't planning on dying today either.

[...Time to push his luck? Why not.]

Though, if I ever called you up for any favors, would you complain?

[devilsnight]

If you're keeping quiet about this? I'm all for an exchange of favors, if for no better reason than I've got some people I can't afford to die on.

[Honestly, he doesn't really give a fuck if he dies on a personal level; he wouldn't have killed Kevin if he wasn't willing to take the chance that he'd be found out and killed. But this...has his attention, let's put it that way.]

Depends on what you want, in the end.

[nevergraduating]

Wouldn't have asked if I didn't intend to. 'Sides, I'm not really a fan of random lynchings or anything anyways.

[...]

What if I asked to put a hit out on someone?

[devilsnight]

Like I said, depends. Who are you after? Because I'm not gonna get involved in a conflict of interest.

[Basically, you want one of his guys gone, there's gonna be a problem.]

[nevergraduating]

Hey, don't worry. I wouldn't ask to have you take out one of your own guys after that talk of ours. I was just asking... though I might need a list if I wanna make sure I don't ask you about the wrong guy.

[Especially since he killed someone he liked just to protect his own... it'd be a pretty big about-face to go back on those words.]

But if you're okay with it as long as the target's right, that's all I need to know. Don't think something like that is gonna come up for me any time soon anyways.

Can't guarantee that's the only thing I'd ask you for, but I'll figure out something for later when it comes down to it.

[devilsnight]

I don't know if you've noticed, friend, but my moral boundaries tend to be at right angles with everyone else's. As long as the target's right, or I'm in a position to give you whatever the fuck it is you're after, I don't see why not.

[...]

You really are gonna have to tell me a bit more about your weapons sometime, though, that shit's fascinating. Maybe I'll show you some of my DVDs sometime in exchange for a talk on that.

[...come join the number of people he has introduced to die hard, crow.]

[nevergraduating]

Just didn't know how far you'd go for someone like me, that's all. I have to say, though - I'm really feeling the love here right now.

[But if that's the way it'll be, he won't complain. It wouldn't hurt to have someone like Top Dollar around, in any case.]

Hey, I won't say no to another chat so soon. Maybe we could even make it an actual date this time and get to know each other better and all.

[Show him the joy that is Bruce Willis, Top Dollar-senpai...!]