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[sketchycharacter]

[Nate's face looks unusually serious when it appears via TAB today. Not sad or upset or grim, just like he's feeling unusually contemplative. Shut up, he's allowed to have a moment once in a while.]

You know, when I first came through the Ingress, I actually thought I was dead? I'd been flying in my best friend's plane and suddenly I was in bizarro land, so I figured we went down and I'd just blocked out the fiery death. And then they gave me a job and I knew I was in Hell.

[He's mostly kidding, but only because the teaching gig had turned out to be surprisingly fun.]

Space isn't the worst place I've had a rude awakening in, and I figured okay, we're on a ship, we're going somewhere with a way to get home, it's just a matter of time. And then the ship crashed but we found that place anyway but actually getting home depends on a bunch of science bullshit I don't understand.

And then I took a closer look at the local calendar and, near as I can figure out, it's been almost a year. [He holds up a hand.] Yes, okay, we also spent a year back on party planet, but I try not to think about that so it doesn't count. Makes me wonder how long it'll be—how much time will people spend passing time before deciding to actually live their lives?

Honestly...I'm not sure it makes a big difference with me. There's stuff I want to get back to, sure, but passing the time with some of you guys hasn't been too awful. [He grins.] Hey, to mark the anniversary, I'll do free sketch portraits for anyone who comes by to find me on the front steps of the big museum in Region 1.

[action option: he's a dude sketching in a journal on the front steps of the museum. Whoa, didn't see that coming.]

Comments

[chaoticlootral]

It's Taako, actually. [Maybe one day he will get it, Nate. Maybe one day.] Not that, homie, all the dour shit about living here for years and accepting your fate.

Also the job thing.

[sketchycharacter]

The job thing didn't end up being so bad, they pretty much let me do whatever I wanted. As for whether the rest is depressing...eh, I guess it can be, you got me there.

[chaoticlootral]

Sure, they let you do whatever you wanted, as long as it was, you know, working for them. Seems like kind of a ruse to me, just sayin'.

[sketchycharacter]

Well, the ship crash landed and broke up into a million pieces, so it's kind of water under the bridge now.

[chaoticlootral]

Nah, bridge is still pretty flooded my dude. They only gave me enough for a month [It's not going to last a month] and then it's back to the workforce.. My resume isn't exactly up to date.

[sketchycharacter]

So what do you usually do to make money? What do you like to do?

[chaoticlootral]

Classified and classified, my man. Specifics anyway, I suppose I can be general. Adventuring, basically. Can't say the pay was anything to get worked up for without, uh, supplementing it. I wouldn't consider it my passion, and the health plan is awful.

[sketchycharacter]

You make it sound like the wizard CIA or something. Well, if you're up for more adventure that's hazardous to your health, you'll be able to find plenty of you check out some of the worlds accessible through the Ingress.

[chaoticlootral]

It isn't really a matter of whether I'm down to clown on some weird, dangerous adventure, bub, I don't get much choice. If Magnus is gonna go, I have to tag along or he'll get whiney about it and he's already raring to go axe some shit in space. They should look into offering a dental plan though, is all I'm saying. We don't even have a full team! It's stupid, and we're probably going to die and have to deal with all that shit again. [Doesn't seem all THAT bothered about it though.]

You said you were offering headshots? I could use a new headshot.

[sketchycharacter]

[Huh. There are either some serious professional obligations there or some other tie. Maybe the two of them are a thing.]

Riiiight. [Okay, sure.] Yeah, I could do a headshot. Drawn, not photographed.

[chaoticlootral]

[When a Tank and a Glass Cannon platonically love each other very much . . .]

Can't think of another way that would be made, my dude. You seem confused about what a photograph is. Great, great - sharpen your lenses or whatnot then, I'm on the way.

[And he promptly clicks off very rudely, presumably to call his Space Uber.

Aaaand with that =>ACTION

He manages to show up because turns out that free portraits are kind of catnip to narcissistic wizards - one that is very hard to miss because he's wearing a cape in public and actually working it. Luckily it hasn't been long enough for Taako to entirely forget Nate's face - strolling over.]

It was Jake, right?

NO YOU'RE PERFECT

[sketchycharacter]

[He passes the time by drawing some goofy pictures of local kids. Not caricatures, but with alien kids, what's the difference?]

Nate.

[He doesn't sound too bothered by the name failure.]

So, what's this for? Going to gift it to someone? Hang it up at home so you can admire yourself?

[No judgment.]

[chaoticlootral]

[Taako is eyeballing the museum steps and decides that he's not going to lower himself to sitting on the ground with the rest of the animals, instead waving a hand to cast Levitate on himself - crossing his legs to gently sit-float in mid-air in front of Nate instead, umbrella across his lap.]

Depends on the quality of the work, don't it, bubbale? I've got mirrors if I'd like to admire myself, but I could get some t-shirts made. Don't worry, it'll be great exposure for you.

[sketchycharacter]

The quality's plenty good.

[And he's already at work, laying own the beginnings of a detailed bust drawing of Taako. He may have offered a simple headshot, but clearly his pride is in play now.]

I could charge plenty for this. Really, you're getting a good deal.

[chaoticlootral]

Oh, yeah, yeah. I am real good at deal-making - pretty much a talent of mine? Should have listed that in my interests. Magic stuff, cuisinier, doing, uh, dope shit and makin' deals.

[ Clearly Nate has been possessed by the muse that is Taako, which makes perfect sense to Taako. He just assumes everyone feels that around him all the time. Posing hard, one finger idly moving as his hair curls and adjusts into a more flattering arrangement seemingly on its own.]

Get my good side. Not sure which one that is, they've both got their strengths.

[sketchycharacter]

[Interesting. If he's not completely bullshitting, he might make a good contact.

Nate looks up at Taako and squints, closing first his left eye and then his right.]

The left side. Definitely the left.

[chaoticlootral]

[Well he is floating currently, so he at least has some magic talent. He can Mindfreak with the best.]

If you say so. [Disbelieving. How could any side be definitely better?] So, this your main job, my man, or just a sidehustle?

[sketchycharacter]

I'm an artist, yeah. Loads of patrons out there who want to commission me. I'm just feeling generous today.

[He's a professional thief who does sell some art as a cover but mostly draws for enjoyment.]

[chaoticlootral]

Hey now, you're getting a deal too here, Bates, some people have to pay their models.

[ Getting a little antsy with sitting still for this long. Even though it hasn't been that long at all.]

[sketchycharacter]

Nah, I'd just bribe some friends with beer.

[And that's only if they can't be talked into posing for free. He's drawing faster now, glancing from Taako to the page and back.]

[chaoticlootral]

Yeesh, that's a cheap bribe, homie. Could at least shell out for a bottle of wine.

[Trying to lean over and peek at it. Is it as radiant as the real thing. Could pencil and paper even come close.]

[sketchycharacter]

My friends aren't really wine people.

[He flips the journal over to reveal the sketch. Ta-da. It's actually pretty fucking good, and seems to capture that Taako sparkle.]

[chaoticlootral]

[He leans in to critically examine it, but there's only a few seconds of having to endure his art critic face before he seems truly thrilled by it - like a cockatiel that's been shown a mirror.]

Hey! You're actually good! [Actually!] That is my best side, you're right.

[sketchycharacter]

[Nate's not a sensitive soul, but that doesn't mean his ego isn't stroked by a satisfied subject. He leans back and grins.]

A good artist can always tell. What are you going to do with it?