2019-08-11 - Conflicting Interests

Conflicting Interests
Summary: The two people with the ability to reshape things meet. Since no one dies it can be assumed to go well. Who: Bishop 3.2, Jack Hawksmoor When: Aug 11th, 2019 Where: Cemetery Lane and Nowhere Road	The information contained within this log is to be considered information gained Out of Character (OOC). This information may not be used as In Character (IC) knowledge or in roleplay unless it has been learned in-game or permission has been granted by the parties involved. Questions should be directed to staff. Cemetery Lane and Nowhere Road(#5228R) Park Avenue doesn't so much end, as it dwindles out. Where there were well-maintained trees and tarmac before, now there's dented cobblestones and many of the trees flanking the road look... sick. As though the ground itself were rejecting what lies atop it. The road is still functional, but very immediately tells foot or wheel that it's straying past the bounds of any sort of maintenance contract. To the west, a pedestrian-sized gap between ivy-clad buildings leads onto a dark and dingy lane. Given what he knows and what Rayne said, Jack could probably just use the city as an interface to contact the mysterious (and apparently annoying) AI. That, though, strikes him as just a little bit rude, so instead he's trying to locate Bishop's avatar...using all the means at his disposal. He's even got himself a pay as you go phone. To be fair, he could have also tried to use the phone in his hand. While it's not the best way to approach someone, and he knows it, Bishop arrives standing behind Jack with a slight 'Tsk'. "Sooner or later I was going to come looking for you, you know. You had to know." "Why do you think I'm looking for you?" Jack does not jump, perhaps sensing the synth a moment before he speaks, perhaps just not letting him know he's getting to him. He turns to regard the figure. Only a slight widening of the eyes shows a reaction to the disparity between the physical form and the pronouns Rayne told him. "Bishop, I assume." Bishop raises a brow as the halos spinning above his head slow. "Yes. Bishop 3.2 to be precise, but 'Bishop' will do, I suppose." He looks the man up and down a brief moment. "Jack something or other, yes? I don't suppose you're trying to offer an apology to me for your little stunt the other day?" Are we talking about a specific event? Does it matter? "Perhaps I should simply show up in your house and decide to move your furniture around without asking? Maybe a better analogy? I could sever a few fingers on your hand and reattach them to your knees." Why does this all sound threatening? "You mean trying to fix a problem you haven't been able to fix." Jack's been threatened before. Not to mention having been through far worse than Bishop is threatening. Unimaginably worse. "You don't scare me, but I'd also rather we didn't *constantly* butt heads." Which means coming to some kind of understanding, even if Rayne's right about him being an asshole. "You're that closely identified with the city's fabric?" A brow is again raised as Bishop turns off the sky above them revealing an inky blackness that goes on infinitely. "I am tasked with keeping these people alive and moderately happy. I am responsible for all functions that exist here." He waves his corrupted hand to show off the eye on his palm. "Without me there would be chaos, and since the world this rock exists upon was shattered there isn't even chaos beyond currently. Like it or not, I'm it." He spins around, gesturing at the surrounding area. "All of this, in a matter of speaking, is me." With a defiant smirk he turns towards Jack again, getting up into his face. "Yes. I'm that closely identified with the city's fabric." Without a sound the sky rolls back into place as though nothing was ever amiss. If it wasn't for the animals crying out for attention in the distance, no one would suspect anything had happened. "Then I apologize for not coming to you right away." He glances up at the sky. "Last thing I want to do is mess with life support, ya know." Then his eyes...glinting very slightly red...drift back to Bishop. The red glint strengthens as the synth gets in his face. Clearly, he's not *quite* as calm as he pretends. "We're on the same side." Bishop frowns dramatically as Jack speaks. "I am on my side. I follow the will of the creators. I am responsible for keeping people alive, not catering to their whims. My sister, Gegoshi 3.0, the synth who held this position previously, didn't quite grasp that and was constantly overburdened until her inevitable departure." Did anyone ask for this information? "I am genuinely amazed she lasted as long as she did. I will not be following in her footsteps. My work is precise and my calculations sound. Do what you will in this city, but if I find your reasons for disrupting me aren't sound I will be coming and making an example of you." He pauses a moment, turning his head away almost as if slapped. When his eyes refocus on Jack a smile spreads across his features. "Of course, I say this as a representative of Lady Setsuna to whom I so graciously act in her steed." He folds his hands across his chest. "I do apologize for getting off on the wrong foot of course. You'll soon see that I'm only acting in the 'best interests' of the people." "Like I said, we're on the same side, in the end." Yeah, the guy's a dick, but keeping people alive. "So, is there a particular reason for the spinning street light?" Make an example of him. Jack would like to see this arrogant AI try...of course, he's a bit arrogant himself. "Also, who is Lady Setsuna?" Some political figure no doubt. Or the head of local organized crime. Or both. Well, that actually got under his skin. Congrats. Both his hands ball up into fists as he visibly grits his teeth. "It was being taken care of." Yes. That explains everything. "Lady Setsuna is the governing body on Twisted. She has recently had to step back for 'personal reasons' leaving me acting in her place. Rest assured she is fine. Everything is fine." Jack Hawksmoor nods. "Mind if I take care of it?" Jack asks. "This city flows with reality in a different way and I need the practice." He doesn't address the matter of Lady Setsuna. Clearly, Bishop is worried about her. Clearly, he doesn't want to admit it. Bishop waves dismissively with his uncorrupted hand. "Sure. Fine. Knock yourself out." He finally takes a step back, brushing off the front of his dress before stretching out his impressively long wings a moment. "Is there anything else we have to address at this juncture? I don't like having to divert my focus like this for longer than I have to." "No, right now, I don't think there is. I'll try not to work at cross purposes with you, and I won't do anything that isn't in the interests of the city. But then, I really can't." A wry expression on his face. "Take care, Bishop." Yeah, the guy's a jerk, but Jack has, yes, dealt with worse. He's not *evil*. With just a frown and a nod, Bishop's wings flap and he vanishes into the sky without a sound. Well, that at least explains how he showed up so quietly. It won't be immediately obvious but for the next few days all the lights Jack passes will seem a little too bright. That's totally not a sign that he's being watched or anything. Watching him go, Jack then makes his own exit...he breaks into a run, scurries up the side of a building, and takes off across the rooftops.
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