tushanshu_logs | Here we are, don't turn away now

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Here we are, don't turn away now

Characters: Pepper Potts, Gene Khan, Yami no Bakura, Valdis, Raine Sage, China Sorrows and you! Bring all the people.
Date: Throughout February
Location: Throughout Keeliai and also Tavimbi
Situation: Pepper is busy doing the clothes business and also possibly trying to build a new government for Keeliai. Whoops. Also shopping and exploring in Hatal.
Warnings/Rating: None yet, will be in specific headers.

A. Throughout February | Hatal - Reservoir Level | Open

Making landfall in Tavimbi was a complicated affair, but once they managed to anchor Tu Vishan, it was time to explore. Pepper was among the first to go through processing at the border, reminded of customs at an airport back home. The Causeway is interesting, but when she discovers that the Reservoir level is where she can find a lot of fabrics and textiles, she makes a point to explore with diligence, making note of prices and textures, as well as unique patterns that are particularly eye-catching. She can be found there fairly often throughout the month, getting to know some of the artisans and inquiring about the origin of patterns and the methods they use to weave and dye fabrics.

B. Backdated to January 30 | Midnight Hotel | Valdis

Pepper knows that when Foreigners die, they come back in a few days - at least most of the time. And whether or not she's been told that by several people on different occasions, and that Tony and Gene keep reassuring her that Valdis will be fine, the waiting was awful. Apparently Valdis shouldn't have been able to die in the first place, and Pepper is about as wound up as when Skul disappeared. She checks in at the Hotel every day to see if Valdis has come back, and as soon as she get's a 'yes' Pepper is sprinting up the stairs to the hellhound's room, knocking with impatience and worry.

C. February 10 | Hatal - Causeway Level | Bakura

It has not escaped Pepper's notice that Bakura is not exactly the most social of people, and while he's not a hermit or a shut-in, she thinks he could stand to get out more. Landfall on Tavimbi provides an excellent ~~excuse~~ opportunity to get him out and about, not to mention spend some time in a place that's a bit warmer than most of Keeliai. She also may or may not have chatted up a few possible sponsors at the Jagaiz rings on his behalf. In any case, she's bundled in her favorite winter coat (which had arrived courtesy of the strange Feather Gifter in December) when she gets to the dojo.

"I hope you have something warm to wear. We're going on an adventure," she announces.

D. February 12 | House Iron Dragon | Raine

There haven't been a lot of opportunities to expand the limits of Pepper's abilities with Duel Monsters, but having landed on Tavimbi and seen the Jagaiz rings, she's interested in pushing the boundaries of her skills. Even just being able to better coordinate with Vee in a turn-based structure of fighting would be advantageous. That being said, she also doesn't think jumping into the rings without practice is a good idea. Well, okay, she does think that, on one hand, but on the other hand magic is not like flying in the armor. Plus, practicing with Raine means Pepper will get to see some of the healer's magic, too, which is exciting in its own right.

The backyard of the house presents a good location to practice. It's cold outside, so she's bundled up, wearing mismatched gloves (since the Duelist gauntlet doesn't really fit underneath her normal pair) and a belt with a bag she's made to hold her deck on the outside of her coat.

E. February 1 | House Iron Dragon | Gene

Pepper may or may not have accidentally a government in her discussion with Tu Yunxu. While she has no plan to let his interest in the salt drop, his suggestion to create a new police force has stuck in her mind. Getting Tu Vishan beached at Tavimbi took a lot of her time, but now that they're there, Pepper intends to make good on her assurance that, along with a police force, Keeliai needs a new government. She's only been here for about nine months, and Gene has been here for three years, which means he knows the city a lot better than she does. That means he's going to be a good source of information, and he'll almost certainly be interested in getting this boulder rolling.

"Gene? I need to pick your brain," she says when she spots him in the kitchen.

F. February 11 | Hatal - Causeway Level | China

Pepper Potts Does Not Like China Sorrows. It could be the title of ragmag article, if they were in New York and both celebrities. She's consciously been avoiding the woman since their last encounter, but that doesn't mean Pepper hasn't been thinking about her particular set of skills and her role in Keeliai. Despite any dislike, Pepper also knows that China can be very useful (and manipulated herself, according to Solomon). Like any long-lived dragon, China operates towards her own self-interest, protecting the things she calls hers; that's something Pepper might be able to gently direct at the foundation of a government, if done carefully.

Which is why, when Pepper spots the unmistakable figure of the Irish mage perusing the wares that Hatal has to offer, that she doesn't immediately turn around and strategically retreat in the other direction.

"If I'd known you liked to shop I would have invited you to come with me some time," she says neutrally, appearing at China's side. The influence of her magic is still strong on Pepper, but she's prepared for it this time, and ready to resist as much as she can.

G. Backdated to January 31 | Midnight Hotel | Cain

Although Pepper was less worried about Cain, seeing as he hadn't actually died in that explosion, she hasn't forgotten about what he did. Generally speaking, she prefers to be the one rescuing people, but thanks are in order. As are a lot of questions, and a great deal of scolding. So, she's back at the Hotel the day after visiting with Valdis to take up some of his time. Rather than thunder up the stairs and beat upon his door like she had Valdis' the day prior, Pepper finds his room a knocks carefully.

(OOC Note: PM me or hit me up on plurk if you want a starter!)

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China would not be exceptionally surprised by this dislike, were it expressed to her. If anything, she might be a little impressed that Pepper had managed to express it to her face.

When Pepper appears at her elbow she doesn't startle. She does straighten, though, and looks over to give Pepper an amused little smile. "How sweet of you, my dear," she says. "And how lovely to see you again." Really, China'd half-expected Pepper to be warned thoroughly away from her wicked ways.

Her inspection of this particular vendor's wares can wait. Pepper's much more entertaining.

It would not be a terrible bet to place money on that Pepper will eventually tell China she dislikes her. That is, if she can get over how aggravatingly stunning she is, and according to Solomon that's only possible by further exposure.

"I'm surprised I can see you at all - you'd think half of Hatal would be hanging on your every word. But it is very good to see you, like great," Pepper says, trying to keep the awe out of her tone but she's going to need a lot more practice. The sense of reverence for the mage is already dampening the edges of her focus. "Are you enjoying the city? The fancy stuff suits you."

She does have a direction with this, all she has to do is hold on to it.

"If half of Hatal hung from my every word, it would be annoyingly difficult to go shopping," China points out. As if this is the only reason. Unfortunately, she's found that her charm works on perhaps every other person she meets in this world, which is somewhat less than she'd like. "And it's terribly difficult to walk when the streets are full of prostrate worshippers. No, this will do."

'This' being admiring looks from people who aren't even the same species, and judicious application of asking sweetly to get her way in situations she reasonably shouldn't.

"It's a change of pace," China allows, regarding the city. This is not, precisely, a compliment.

"Isn't that when the platform chairs carried by half-naked men get useful? I guess that wouldn't make shopping any easier, though," Pepper remarks almost absently, tearing her gaze away from China to scan the crowd and the surrounding architecture. Her focus sharpens a little as she watches one of the Igheeri begin to climb the column of a building.

"What would you do," she begins, swiveling back to the Irish mage, "if I told you there might be a slow but mega big change of pace in Keeliai?"

"It really wouldn't," China sighs, with the air of someone who has, in fact, experimented with this herself. Such things just make it even more difficult to shop properly.

She tracks Pepper's gaze -- sensible, breaking visual contact to try to resist her -- and hums a thoughtful note at the almost certainly not hypothetical question. "I imagine I might like to keep track of such a thing," she says lightly. "And are you going to tell me such a thing, my dear?"

Oh, China would do that, wouldn't she? Pepper tries not to roll her eyes or ask how that experiment went, and mostly succeeds at both.

"Let's go with 'yes'. Yes of the governmental variety," she answers, her voice sounding too eager for her own ears.

Of course she would. It was some years ago, though. Centuries. She hasn't repeated the experiment. Yet.

"Governmental," China says, with slow contemplation. "My darling Pepper, are you proposing to set up a formal government here in Keeliai? One that doesn't involve our charming Tu Yunxu?" That, after all, is the only reason she can think that Pepper predicts a "mega big" change in pace; if Yunxu's involved, he will find some way to make things go the way he desires, and that will perpetuate the status quo.

No: Pepper's planning something new.

'Mega big.' How... lovely.

Well, now that she's got China's attention, Pepper hopes she can stay focused. Reeling in the big fish was difficult when you had butter on your fingers.

"Yes to both, and also no to the first one, kind of," Pepper answers promptly. "I'm not planning on setting up a government myself, technically speaking, but I am hoping the kedan will, with some help. Yunxu isn't interested outside of distracting me with the idea in the first place, so I'm all for annoying him a little bit." Focusing. Focusing is important. "I don't think he'll get in the way but that also means he misses out on building the kind of government he might actually like."

The unspoken but hopefully understood implication being that, if China were to add a brick or two here or there, she'd have ground floor access to the new government building on both a literal and figurative level. And the fact that Pepper doesn't say that directly out loud is a small win, because part of her just wants to word dump on the woman.

China can hear the subtext, loud and clear; she's been doing this a while, after all. She considers what Pepper is offering, and what she hasn't said.

Perhaps what's most telling is that Pepper has brought this to her in the first place. She rattled the girl, that first time they spoke. Which means that Pepper thinks there's something to be gained here that outweighs the possibility of China manipulating her.

"Well, that's his loss," China murmurs, careless. "And no one can say you didn't give him the option. My dear, what made you think of me?"

It's not just that she's a valuable chess piece (or chess player, perhaps); the fact that China rattled Pepper also makes overcoming her influence a challenge. And Pepper does not back down from challenges.

"Well, you're basically fantastic for one-" She stops for a moment, frowning. "You're good at what you do, you know, influencing people. Getting information." You're useful and you operate on self-interest. "Helping build the first real government Keeliai has ever seen seems right up your alley," Pepper remarks, now letting China's influence make the words sound like an eager compliment. "Yunxu might lose out on the opportunities that brings up, but there's no reason you should, too."

She's totally just looking out for you, China.

China is basically fantastic, it's true. She lets Pepper finish out what she's trying to say without any sarcastic interjections, thinking. Pepper makes good points, but China's also not completely certain what Pepper wants from the exchange. It could simply be her expertise -- Pepper is, after all, young -- but China is reasonably sure there's a little more to it than that.

There usually is.

"You're not wrong," China says, a mild note of approval in her tone. "About any of that. Tell me, do you have any concrete plans yet?"

She can always disinvolve herself if she needs to, and the opportunity is an interesting one. She'll find Pepper's ulterior motive faster from a closer position, after all.

Of course there's an ulterior motive, and there's no point in trying to hide that. But it'll be an interesting personal challenge for Pepper to avoid divulging what that is.

"Talking to all of the family and group heads," she responds without hesitation. "Getting their opinions and hopefully their support. And talking with just about anyone else who'll listen. If there's enough people talking about it and things start happening, it could be, like, totally disruptive. You know, disruptive enough that someone might behave like an idiot and bring sharp things into the equation." Words or swords or sigils, as the case might be. "You're the kind of person who can make any of those things go smoothly," Pepper elaborates, still allowing herself to sound utterly endeared with the mage. It was a chess game, trying to get China to act of her own accord and not actually having to ask for her help for as long as possible.

Pepper isn't much worried that she's in danger; she can defend herself pretty well, and if anyone were to try something serious they'd have a small army to deal with.

Flattery is lovely to hear. "Enough talk can spur action," China points out, "even when nothing concrete under that yet exists. Most people will assume that there is fire where there is smoke, and so on. You had best be very sure about what you're doing before enough people start talking."

Because it could be, like, totally disruptive.

China's quiet a moment more. Then: "Make no promises," she advises, idly. "Ever, if you can help it, but especially before you know what each party will want. Every family, every group, will have their own priorities. You're setting yourself up as neutral, and to do that you cannot favor anyone."

Receiving advice is somewhat unexpected, but not unwelcome in a general sense. If China was giving her advice, she wasn't immediately trying to mess with Pepper. Probably.

"Right. Messaging. Yup. On it," she assures China. Conversations she's already had with a few other Foreigners have been especially helpful in that regard. "Neutrality's going to be interesting. Might explode a few heads just for that, honestly." Apparently many kedan didn't think highly of the Foreigners' ability to do anything but for themselves. "You know, you'd make a killing as a political campaign manager," Pepper points out after a moment.

"After the first few times you make a point of treating no one any differently, people will start to believe it," China says. The corner of her mouth ticks up in faint amusement at Pepper's suggestion of exploding heads. "Preferably before it escalates to violence. I take it you can defend yourself, my dear, but it's much tidier to be able to solve things without."

At Pepper's last she lifts an eyebrow. "I suppose I could," she says, a little more amused now. "But I won't." She doesn't remind Pepper that China is never on any side but her own-- right now it benefits China for Pepper to forget that, to assume China is on her side. "Why bother lifting someone else to power?"

Pepper is about to say something along the lines of 'clearly you don't know me very well', but she catches herself. Let China think what she will.

"Well, if that's how you do things, it must work pretty well," she says instead, smiling sweetly, as if her earlier distaste at China's 'neutrality' had vanished. Man, Solomon is going to love this when he hears.

"Fewer targets on your back when you're standing behind the throne," she returns, even though China's question is likely rhetorical. "And a sweet place in line in case that throne ever empties."

China does have to consider Pepper's switch a little more carefully, but ultimately winds up concluding that her magic is doing its job for once, and smoothing over any of Pepper's antagonism to her.

"Generally, yes," China agrees. Of course it works pretty well. It has, with a few pointed exceptions, worked for more than a century. "Oh, there have been moments, of course, most of them to do with Skulduggery Pleasant and his persistent need to save the world, but broadly, my practices work."

That's why she practices them.

"Fewer, but not none," she says. "Any position of power carries risks. Better that they be worth it." And she smiles.

That China would choose - and it would be a choice - to bring up Skul specifically says something. Skul has had a way of bending China's neutrality, presumably to his benefit as much as hers. Well, isn't that an interesting little tidbit.

"If someone didn't save it every now and then, there wouldn't really be an opportunity to keep that practice up, would there?"

Of course, when you're dead, you're rather neutral by default. But China's so-called 'neutrality' was a thing of power, a position to be used and molded and crafted to best fit the needs of the moment. Manipulation of that caliber was dangerous on it's own; combined with China's magic it's practically a nuclear deterrent. Pepper's job is to make smoothing the establishment of a government in China's best interest without landing her in the Oval Office, so to speak.

"What would make those risks worth it?"

It's almost always Skulduggery. Everyone knows something about Skulduggery Pleasant and China Sorrows. Some of them are even correct.

"Precisely," China agrees. "I have been accused of many things, but self-interest is one I will not deny. When the world continues to exist, I may continue to do business." It's that simple. Mostly.

She gestures, describing some abstract shape with one graceful hand. "Sufficient power. Influence. The appropriate recognition. Once it would have been the right book, I suppose, but it's rather difficult to maintain a collection in this sort of a place. It really does depend on the position in question." And that, conditionality, is something she certainly hopes Pepper has a grasp of.

If those were the things that made being on top of the mountain worth it, there must be a reason why China isn't already the ruling power in Keeliai. It might be as simple as patience; she could be biding her time and very slowly shifting the sand beneath everyone's feet. Or perhaps the fact that she might be whisked away unexpectedly back to her homeworld made seeking that power irrelevant.

Regardless, the mage won't be persuaded to lend her considerable skills to the foundation of a government unless it's made appealing enough. She wouldn't ask for it, heavens no. But China would demand it nevertheless. It would keep her in control of the situation. Thankfully for Pepper, if she finds the right incentive that works in her own favor, China's magic will make an offer sound like a beg. Self-interest went hand-in-hand with self-importance more often than not.

"Well, if the kedan do start their own government, I'm sure they'd be very appreciative to anyone who gave it a helping hand; anyone who just sits around watching or steps in to prevent it might not be very happy," Pepper says evenly, pausing just a moment before adding: "Like Yunxu. I doubt he'll have a golden parachute out of it."

It's not a threat, exactly, merely an observation of possibilities. Powerful as China may be, if she turns that power against this particular endeavor, she may very well regret it.

China tilts her head a little. It is, oddly, a motion that speaks more of Skulduggery than China's own natural body language. The accompanying skeptical eyebrows are all Sorrows, however. "My dear, your finesse is somewhat lacking," she says. "Let me spare you some effort and cut to the chase. You have plans; you want my assistance; you would prefer not to trade away anything that you cannot guarantee or that you would miss terribly for it. I have no especial love for Tu Yunxu, beyond the general respect for someone who has maintained his power with relative art, and I'm certainly willing to help smooth things out for you, since it suits my purposes to be involved with this government project from the ground floor." She taps one finger to her lower lip, as though in thought. As though she has not already thought this most of the way through. "I'm still considering if the promise of possible future gains is enough to merit my attention."

It likely will be. Oh, she'll be happy to cadge favours out of Pepper, as well, but the fact remains: China is bored, and she misses having as much influence as she did. Her little network here barely holds a candle to what she once had.

It's true that Pepper could use some practice with subtlety and word play, and she might even be willing to let China teach her if the mage ever wanted an apprentice and promised not to do anything nasty. Rather than look annoyed by the comment on her finesse, Pepper smiles almost meekly.

"Figured I'd make an effort - keep things interesting right off the bat." She doesn't like being bored either. "If nothing else, it'll probably put everyone involved in the kedan's good graces - positive influence goes a long way. I'll let you think about it."

There was authority in being able to give power away, because one had to have it in the first place. Leaving the ball in China's court had largely been the plan in any case: give her just enough to pique her interest, then pull her in on Pepper's terms (hopefully).

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Here we are, don't turn away now

F | February 11 | oh boy this is gonna go great

yup

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