conflictresolution

[Hilariously, Silco had thrived just fine in the toxic miasma, mostly because it was a reflection of where he grew up. It was nothing if not bit of home that reminded him of why he did what he did.]

It's been some time, Miller. You have survived Dara's curse, I see. To what do I owe the pleasure?

[ The extent to which it was familiar to him was unfortunately not so nostalgic. Anyway, the sentiment here is half the reason he called. ]

I wanted to make sure you and your daughter were still in one piece. The last time I spoke to her, she seemed like she was dangling on the edge of doing something outlandish...

[ What something, he doesn't know. Just that the teetering between trusting him and then threatening to hurt him was a bit uncomfortable to observe. ]

I take it you've managed to avoid that so far.

[Excellent, so Miller and Jinx had met. That made things far less complicated.]

Ah, you have met my daughter, Jinx. Yes, we both had no issues with the air quality or snakes, and Jinx on the verge of outlandish is her normal state of being.

[Said like a father who didn't care if anyone agreed or not.]

Yes, we have become acquainted...

[ There is clearly some unsaid type of feeling for him in saying so, as though perhaps he is thinking about if he should be expressing more concern. But far be it for him to question what's normal for her more than her own father, so he'll take that unperturbed response as a good thing and leave it at that. ]

But glad to hear it! What have you been keeping yourself busy with, my friend?

I expect you know where some of my concerns over her choices come from.

[He would have to ask Jinx how that meeting went on her end and know what they had talked about. It would be interesting if they would be able to get along, though he recognized that Jinx was a lot when it came to the long term.]

Formulating seeing if I can bring a fond memory from home here. And you?

[What was this friend title?]

I didn't want to say it, but yes... though I heard that her boyfriend has gone missing.

[ Maybe that part wasn't the worst news for Silco...

As for "friend," there is little meaning behind it. He would refer to nearly anyone he saw as his peer in the same casual way. Though admittedly there are few others here he can view that way simply due to their respective ages. ]

I am still trying to gather intel. It is more difficult than it should be to organize any concerted efforts. Too many here fall prey to their frustration and make big, sweeping moves, and then I am forced to deal only with the matter at hand. [ The miasma was one, but that came just on the tail end of a month of forgetting who he was. ] What do you mean by bring a memory?

He has, thankfully. If we are fortunate, he will not return and she will find someone who treats her with respect.

[Silco had known very quickly, mostly because he was ground zero when Jinx was upset and tended to be her emotional support. He simply had to hide his pleasure of Quentin being gone for the most part.

That was not a term he was used to being applied to him, and he found it confusing. One game of darts and they had built an association? For him, friends were... dangerous. His last one had threatened to murder him and the one before that had actually tried to murder him. He supposed the doctor was someone he could call a friend, but he more considered them allies who supported one another's larger goals.]

Oh, you've noticed that, have you? Yes, for all the 'detectives' that we have here, there is a rather dubious lack of public information about our situation. Simply tidbits and breadcrumbs on occasion. However, the last youthful outburst caused a reset of the city. [There was a lot of explosive tempers, which he had no issue using.] One can wish for something from home and if we are lucky, that wish will be granted and it will appear the next day. I am going to see if I can request a business from my home.

It is probably for the best.

[ Normally, he would be completely gung-ho to agree with him on that just because of his personal familiarity with keeping his own daughter safe from untrustworthy men. That is harder to do though after he heard how Jinx felt about it personally. ]

I didn't know that was a regular occurrence here before. People disappearing. I don't know if it's a good idea to get ourselves too attached.

[ Of course, he is more referring to Jinx getting attached to someone else, not himself personally. He has lost so many people in his life that the notion is more of another hurdle than it is a fear. Regarding the detective work, for one. Add it to the list of things that might get in the way.

In any case. ]

This is new to me as well. Is it supposed to be a reward for good behavior or something? The thought of kissing their asses like that really makes me sick... but I still can't say it's wrong to take advantage of that if we are able. What type of business is this?

Indeed, people come and go fairly regularly. Still, the Chosen population tends to grow rather than contract since I arrived here. Attachments always come with risks.

[On that front, he and Miller were the same. He limited the attachments that he formed since he was a young man, and he had no reason to start changing that tactic even being in a new place. After all, everyone wanted something from someone else, and it was a matter of deciding if the price was worth the product that was received.]

I am coming to believe it might be a reward for integrating into their prison system. If you have something from home, perhaps you'll be better behaved in the long run. If you have something you value, maybe you won't break everything. [People with something to lose would find ways to keep it after all, or if they couldn't have it, they'd burn everything around them.] It's a bar where I'm from. It's been in my city since before I was a boy.

Yes... You get used to such a thing. It is unfortunate that all the young people here will have to start learning that. I feel that it would be a mistake to rely on any constant in this place, so we cannot fear whatever may come next...

[ Fear wouldn't be the word to describe his own feelings—over-vigilance might be better—but there is certainly some part of that statement that comes from examining his own approach to it. Having your memories forcibly ripped from you and then so haphazardly returned really gives a man a reality check.

It also gives him a bit more lenience to this idea of appreciating the few pleasures they can find, even if in this case, the means isn't the best. He can't help himself in sharing his opinion on that. ]

I am sure that is the case. There seems to be some concerted effort to make us play their game willingly. They have already shown they have no trouble with repairing anything we break, so the only point in giving us these bargaining chips is to manipulate us. [ —But once he takes a breath from his little rant there... ] Well, I am still glad that you are able to put it to good use. It sounds like it must be a nice place, for you to remember it so fondly.

They seem mildly adaptable, but they are still young and easily drawn into heroics which ends poorly for many of them. I've seen that at least twice so far, and I expect you will endure their repeat performances soon enough.

[He was not about to put himself at risk that often if he could help it. He would allow the heroics of the young, but he knew better than to let his guard down either. They had to be vigilant in order to be prepared for whatever else came their way as a means to get them to fall in line or repent for their sins. Maybe some appreciated the memory change to be someone else. He did not.]

Exactly. They have to be leaning towards earning a different measurable benefit if they provide us things and allow us to work for more. Perhaps they hope we'll settle in and not question things. [Oh he would. He had big plans for the bar.] It's an acquired taste for some, but you're welcome to see for yourself. I'll see to it that you're provided a free drink of your choice.

I am sure you are right...

[ As unhappy as he sounds about that, the brevity of the response is because it is clearly futile to dwell on it more. Silco is not the intended audience for such gripes anyway.

And more to the point, he probably should not squander this show of kindness on more time wasted thinking about the Council's motives. And isn't having a bar run by one of their own great for morale, as well? Miller exhales heavily upon the seeming change in tune. ]

How could I turn that offer down? I will be there. You can count on it. Do you already have the opening date planned?

I usually am on such things, unfortunately.

[Or very fortunately. He had been using teenage boys for years to be spies and part of gangs to bring him information, and he could always count on their dumb idea of heroics to get them into trouble. It wasn't their fault; they thought themselves more than what they were for such a young age and life lessons came with plenty of beatings if one got it wrong. This place was no different.

He announced the bar and planned on keeping it on the down low that he now also had a controlling interest in the forge. It was all coming together, and it seemed caused for celebration. After all, he could funnel his winnings in through the businesses and no one should be any wiser.]

Close to the end of the month, I'm afraid. The place experienced quite the shake up before it came here thanks to someone picking a fight with my old second in command. The renovations are quite extensive, and I want to do it right if I'm to do it at all.

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