Like I told you guys, its meant to break off some of the symbiotic connection they have with their execs. I don't really get what kind of stuff you hear, but it makes sense that it'd change a few things.
Later. Far later. Because I am on top of things I promise.
[He would feel really special if he weren't already really stressed out and upset. Gold manages to catch him while he's alone in the apartment, so privacy is a bonus.]
Hello to you too.
[But somehow there's always room for sass. He sobers up pretty quickly, though.]
Musician's tunes all have parts of the label they belong to in 'em. Virgo people have Blanche's backbeat, an' Pride people have Santiago's treble. Thing is, people who got the powder got somethin' else on top of that. [He pauses, and:] They're connected to someone else.
[Referential humor doesn't really transcend dimensions, does it.]
Got it.
[It's a bit before J arrives, namely because he took the long way 'round to make sure nobody was following him. He can hear Gold two blocks away, and he heads into the warehouse, closing the door behind him.]
[Gold is the only one there. Well, besides the hover bike they clearly got there on. They learn away from the wall and stroll towards him. There are only two lights on in what is otherwise a very large room.]
[When the local secret agent is done with your cryptic bullshit, you know it's bad. He stands up ramrod-straight and holds his ground.]
Oh, no. You answer me first. I am not helpin' take down Tweedledee and Tweedledeath so someone else can step in an' pick up where they left off. Who is it.
[It's something of a line in the sand; he's spent a good amount of time trying to convince himself that he's worrying too much, that the third party in question isn't hostile, but he can't be sure unless someone confirms it.]
[Mashup from hell or not, odds are he'll still be able to tell if Gold is telling the truth. It's a small comfort, but it's what he's relying on right now.]
[He'll be able to feel it - a flash of anger in their tune. He'll see the way they clench their fists and then release. But then, instead of acting on that feeling on the surface, they say almost gently:]
[They let the conversation trail into silence, clearly thinking something over. It takes them a while to get through it, until finally:]
I can't.
[They take a step forward and lift a hand, seeming to intentionally ramp up their own tune - or tunes - all at once. They remember how J reacted to this before. It should be easy to bring him down.]
[He's only willing to be patient for so long. When Gold remains silent, J listens, concentrating on Gold's tune and trying to see if he can pick up on any of the nuance of what he's thinking about. The mashup doesn't make it easy, but that's not about to stop him.]
[The problem with being that tangled up in Gold's tune is that he's completely unprepared for what comes next. He gets that spark of intent, but intent doesn't always have context and he doesn't know what to brace himself for, let alone have enough time to do it. The increased volume blindsides him, searing across his senses. For a moment, his vision goes white; the next thing he knows, he's in a heap on the floor, gasping for breath, immobile and barely conscious under the weight of that tune.]
[With such a dramatic reaction, Gold eases back on the volume, but not completely. Hopefully enough residual discomfort will be enough to keep him down. They walk to him and push him over, patting him down for his communicator so they can confiscate it.]
Sorry about that...
[They speak in a digitized mumble as they look him over, apparently taking the situation in a stride. That is, until it becomes obvious that them and J aren't alone.]
GOLD, you FUCKING DIPSHIT.
[It's Silver. They're storming in through the back entrance, and their body language and their tune are both very unhappy.]
[The volume easing up helps, but it's not enough; J is still gathering his wits about him when Gold takes his communicator, and there's not a lot he can do about it. He does make an angry noise in the back of his throat when Gold apologizes - like hell is he sorry.]
[And then Silver strides in, angry as hell, and J loses most of the progress he's made; between Gold purposefully trying to keep him inert and Silver's anger, he's not going anywhere for a while.]
[Of course, that doesn't mean he's not still listening.]
[Gold abruptly stops their tune all together. Taking J's communicator, they stand and turn to face their angry friends, otherwise wordless.]
What are you doing, asshole?
[Silver stops several feet away and stops. They look at J for a moment, and then their tune seems to haltingly become quieter. They look back at gold, and the tension is thick.]
Calm down.
[Despite the fact that everything they say is digitized, there is something extra robotic about the way that Gold says that. Silver raises a finger angrily, and then lowers it.]
[On one hand, it's a relief, and J takes a moment or two just to catch his breath. It helps.]
[On the other hand, a tune going silent usually means death. Gold is still standing there, plain as day, but J can't pick up on his tune at all - it's like he's one of the robot bodyguards following musicians around. If he can do that, that means that he - and Silver, and Santiago, and Blanche, if they all can do that trick - can pretty much sneak up on him and he wouldn't know until it was too late. The thought is chilling.]
[He could try to get up; he could try to get his communicator back; or he could stay here and get his bearings and listen. That last one seems like the best plan right now.]
[Gold pockets the communicator, still staring at Silver, their interactions made all the more inscrutable by the fact that both of their faces are hidden.]
What were you even planning on following this up with? Is this somehow your scheme for saving face?
You know it'd be easy to deal with. We have a lot of ways of dealing with it. I was going to do it the nicest way, too.
No.
[Silver's anger spikes a little again, but not enough to be deafening. Gold is still ghostly quiet.]
No, Gold, you're better than that.
Silver. [The word is said very precisely.] How did you know I was here?
Uh.
[Silver get about four second to answer before Gold performs some kind of athletic stunt faster than the eye can see, and ends up right in front of them. It is clearly a threat. Silver raises their hands in feigned surrender.]
Buddy. You're acting like a crazy person. Just putting that one out there.
[J has gone very, very still, and he's going to stay that way until the war zone on the other side of the warehouse has calmed down.]
[But...saving face? Dealing with it? J knows too much - that much is obvious to him right now - but Gold's reaction to his refusal to take no for an answer...]
[It's Gold, isn't it. Gold's the third leech. And he came to Gold with his questions-]
[He probably owes Silver his life at this point.]
[He's just going to stay here and breathe as quietly as he can. And listen. And hope a fight doesn't break out, because that is the one thing he won't survive.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Communicator; March 24th; he's gonna put Gold on speed dial if this keeps up
March 29th: It's a few days before Gold gets back to him.
GDIT Gold answer your voice mails
Immediately, this time.
Later. Far later. Because I am on top of things I promise.
What else did it change?
Like a day later.
Hey, why don't you just tell me what you're sensing instead? Maybe I can explain it to you.
no subject
Hello to you too.
[But somehow there's always room for sass. He sobers up pretty quickly, though.]
Musician's tunes all have parts of the label they belong to in 'em. Virgo people have Blanche's backbeat, an' Pride people have Santiago's treble. Thing is, people who got the powder got somethin' else on top of that. [He pauses, and:] They're connected to someone else.
Who is it.
no subject
...We should talk about this in person.
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Come to the warehouse everyone met in when you first arrived. I'll be there.
--> Action
Got it.
[It's a bit before J arrives, namely because he took the long way 'round to make sure nobody was following him. He can hear Gold two blocks away, and he heads into the warehouse, closing the door behind him.]
Well?
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What did the third presence feel like to you?
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Oh, no. You answer me first. I am not helpin' take down Tweedledee and Tweedledeath so someone else can step in an' pick up where they left off. Who is it.
[It's something of a line in the sand; he's spent a good amount of time trying to convince himself that he's worrying too much, that the third party in question isn't hostile, but he can't be sure unless someone confirms it.]
[Mashup from hell or not, odds are he'll still be able to tell if Gold is telling the truth. It's a small comfort, but it's what he's relying on right now.]
no subject
J... I don't think you understand.
no subject
Yeah, I know. That's why I called you. So explain.
no subject
I can't.
[They take a step forward and lift a hand, seeming to intentionally ramp up their own tune - or tunes - all at once. They remember how J reacted to this before. It should be easy to bring him down.]
no subject
[The problem with being that tangled up in Gold's tune is that he's completely unprepared for what comes next. He gets that spark of intent, but intent doesn't always have context and he doesn't know what to brace himself for, let alone have enough time to do it. The increased volume blindsides him, searing across his senses. For a moment, his vision goes white; the next thing he knows, he's in a heap on the floor, gasping for breath, immobile and barely conscious under the weight of that tune.]
[Yeah. This isn't good.]
no subject
Sorry about that...
[They speak in a digitized mumble as they look him over, apparently taking the situation in a stride. That is, until it becomes obvious that them and J aren't alone.]
GOLD, you FUCKING DIPSHIT.
[It's Silver. They're storming in through the back entrance, and their body language and their tune are both very unhappy.]
no subject
[And then Silver strides in, angry as hell, and J loses most of the progress he's made; between Gold purposefully trying to keep him inert and Silver's anger, he's not going anywhere for a while.]
[Of course, that doesn't mean he's not still listening.]
no subject
What are you doing, asshole?
[Silver stops several feet away and stops. They look at J for a moment, and then their tune seems to haltingly become quieter. They look back at gold, and the tension is thick.]
Calm down.
[Despite the fact that everything they say is digitized, there is something extra robotic about the way that Gold says that. Silver raises a finger angrily, and then lowers it.]
Come on. Step away from the suit, man.
no subject
[On the other hand, a tune going silent usually means death. Gold is still standing there, plain as day, but J can't pick up on his tune at all - it's like he's one of the robot bodyguards following musicians around. If he can do that, that means that he - and Silver, and Santiago, and Blanche, if they all can do that trick - can pretty much sneak up on him and he wouldn't know until it was too late. The thought is chilling.]
[He could try to get up; he could try to get his communicator back; or he could stay here and get his bearings and listen. That last one seems like the best plan right now.]
no subject
What were you even planning on following this up with? Is this somehow your scheme for saving face?
You know it'd be easy to deal with. We have a lot of ways of dealing with it. I was going to do it the nicest way, too.
No.
[Silver's anger spikes a little again, but not enough to be deafening. Gold is still ghostly quiet.]
No, Gold, you're better than that.
Silver. [The word is said very precisely.] How did you know I was here?
Uh.
[Silver get about four second to answer before Gold performs some kind of athletic stunt faster than the eye can see, and ends up right in front of them. It is clearly a threat. Silver raises their hands in feigned surrender.]
Buddy. You're acting like a crazy person. Just putting that one out there.
no subject
[But...saving face? Dealing with it? J knows too much - that much is obvious to him right now - but Gold's reaction to his refusal to take no for an answer...]
[It's Gold, isn't it. Gold's the third leech. And he came to Gold with his questions-]
[He probably owes Silver his life at this point.]
[He's just going to stay here and breathe as quietly as he can. And listen. And hope a fight doesn't break out, because that is the one thing he won't survive.]
no subject
...Look, you do not get to scold me right now...
You're being a hypocrite.
[The two of them stand in silence for a few moments.]
...Could you stop muting yourself already, I hate talking to you like this.
Do you really want me angry instead?
I want you human. [They pause for a moment, and then laugh stiffly.] You know. Ish.
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[Very dangerous, he remembers in the next moments, and stays silent and still.]
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