Sticks and Scrolls, No Broken Bones (TAG)

[Ophelia Courtney]

"A pleasure, Charlatan." Ophelia reached out and shook her hand, and then blinked as she got a rush of information on the woman's powers.

"You have some powerful abilities. I have abilities of my own, but they're more supportive in nature. You, though, you could..."

She was getting distracted. Back to business. "Anyway. The price. The collector I had spoke to was going to give me five hundred for the staff. I'm not sure even he knew it was also a scroll. I think if your buyer can get somewhere close to that, we'd have a perfect deal and I'll tell Mr. Waung that I wasn't able to get my hands on it."

There was something else though. Another job she was having trouble finding help for, one that needed a more physical touch.

"Alternatively, I could let it go for cheaper, if you agree to help me out with another little project in exchange. An easy job, really. Some people don't know when to stop screwing around with my territory. I just need someone to put the fear of... well me and the people I know into them."

@christine

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]头骨

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]USE YOUR HEAD OR YOU'LL END UP DEAD

[attr="class","skullbody"]Christine realized the second AFTER the words from the woman that knowing someone's powers was something that could happen. She didn't really think of that as an option, but found it interesting that someone had the ability. She heard the comment about how she had powerful abilities and she swung her hand in the air dismissively. [break][break]

"Yes yes it's a powerful powerset. Now the deal...my buyer is a sponsor for the collection. Between he and I, we can probably match five hundred, or even throw it ten more." She knew what a priceless thing this was. Chances are she didn't mean five hundred dollars. [break][break]

"To be clear you mean five hundred thousand, correct?" She did have to make sure before swinging the deal. [break][break]

"If you have something you want me to help with though, depending on what it is, I'd be willing to do it in exchange for saving some of my pocketbook for a rainy day. My wallet would thank me." Christine laughed. [break][break]

"Masked person in dark coat swinging from the roof named The Charlatan puts some fear into people? That actually sounds like it might be fun!"

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]000 WORDS / Ophelia Courtney

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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[Ophelia Courtney]

"Oh no, darling. Million, not thousand." she said with a smirk.

Ophelia had to laugh when she saw the shocked look on Charlatan's face. "I'm teasing, dear. Of course it's five hundred thousand. Now while five hundred ten thousand does sound tempting, I think five hundred and a favor, maybe the beginning of a mutually beneficial working relationship, is more than fair."

Ophelia leaned back in the car, relaxing a bit. This was going well. If this Charlatan didn't bite, she still had her other buyer, so either way she was going to get paid. This way, she might have some help dealing with one of her problems.

"I'm not muscle. I've made a reputation on being the person people go to when they need extra muscle for themselves. I support, I'm not the active participant. What I need is someone who can be that active agent, and all of my usual meatheads are too.. well meatheads for this one."

She shot a piercing look at her new friend. Her reaction to this next question was going to be crucial. "You don't have any objections to the acquisition and distribution of certain... controlled substances in a... less controlled environment, do you, dear?"

@christine

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]头骨

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]USE YOUR HEAD OR YOU'LL END UP DEAD

[attr="class","skullbody"]Yeah Christine hadn't figured out at first that the woman before her was joking. That was something that happened. Regularly. But it also made her more capable in ways because people knew they couldn't joke or they might end up on the hook with her for more than they bargained for. It was a pro nestled in a con, really. [break][break]

"Nothing against that at all. Used them myself before. Try everything once, y'know?" She winked and grinned. She may not understand other peoples' humour but she did have her own. [break][break]

"I'm well versed in a few different martial arts. Learned them when I was a kid and expanded on them. And you already know I have a brain, so I suppose I've already beaten the...meatheads as you put it. So what are the details of this job so I know what to do, where to do it, and who to screw over. And please specify which type of screw over you're going to need in advance, because alas I'm very...flexible." In more ways than one, she used that word.

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]000 WORDS / Ophelia Courtney

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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[Ophelia Courtney]

Ophelia smiled. "Perfect. I myself have tried more than a few in my day. Now then, what I have going on is simple, really.

"As I said, I'm not the one who takes direct action myself. I enable those who do. Unfortunately, that means that a few of my dealers have started to think that I'm not necessary to their operations, that they could make a push and take their own piece of the city's dirty underbelly out from under me and I'd be oh so helpless to do anything about it."

Ophelia's eyes narrowed, and her grip tightened on the case that held the staff-scroll.

"I need someone to show them just how wrong they are. But leave them intact. My usual meatheads, once they get my enhancements, tend to focus on breaking things, and I need them to still work. I just want them to piss their pants the next time they think about crossing me again and not sending along the share of the profits that I organized and made happen."

She squeezed the case for another moment, then loosened when she had another idea. Her initial plans were vague, get someone to rough up these dealers, but now she was having others. She knew just how to get to at least one of the dealers.

"Charlatan, darling. Where do your moral qualms lie when it comes to involving friends and/or family of the targets of this job?"

Lara Greene