บท 95: Multi-Grats
Before Mikah has even made it to the door, Lucas decides he is done with having any sort of audience at all. Turning to look at Clarissa, who is still every bit as excited to be recording him as before, he wrinkles his nose and frowns at her, although only lightly.
"All right, that's enough fun. I don't know why anyone would want to watch boring paperwork as it is, but whatever, it's not like you were getting in the way. Uhh, I dunno about a dress code or anything yet, but I assume you still have work clothes from your time at uh, whatsit, uh, Howling Cartographer? If not, you have some shoppin' to do missy, no way we're gonna bother with handin' out uniforms. Even if we finalize our... Current agreement for an HQ, it's gonna take some work before it's usable. Probably not gonna need you for well over a week, probably more. I'll let ya know when. Go on now, unless you had somethin' else to do here." Trying his best to drive Clarissa away, Lucas gives as much of a dismissal as he can muster. He even makes a shooing motion at her with both of his hands.
Fumbling slightly, she promptly shuts off the broadcast without giving any sort of finale for the viewing horde. Powering the phone off once the stream has been cut off, she stuffs her phone back into her accursed purse.
"Oh-okay boss! Yeah, I uh, I'll talk to you later then... Bye, boss! Bye, everyone!" Doing a poor job of hiding her enthusiasm, assuming she's even trying to, Clarissa bows repeatedly to everyone before skipping her way out the front doors. After just a few steps she begins humming the same tune that Mikah was previously, Miss Chievous has somehow managed to infect more than just one person.
Even if she was chased away, she clearly is thrilled with her new employment.
Standing roughly in the center of the DVO's lobby, Lucas slumps forward while exhaling a deep breath as soon as she is out of sight. While making his exaggerated display of relief, he almost doesn't remain standing, staggering a few steps in order to stay mostly upright.
[...I concur.]
'FINALLY!'
[I have so much to say, I don't even know where to begin. Hmm, I guess I'll start with... Congratulations, on multiple counts.]
'...Multiple?'
[Well, you somehow handled multiple simultaneous forms of... Surveillance. And, you even continued to cope with it while Miss Chievous was there as well. Also, you finally have the organization created, which technically should be sufficient cause for celebration on its own. But quite notably, you have passed the 10.0 GDV mark, earning yourself another power upgrade.]
'Damn right I di- Wait, what? How!?'
[...Your conciliatory statements after your inadvertent attack against Mikah's lack of villainous nature seemed to have further ramifications than just what was said in the moment. From what I've pieced together combined with what data I have available, the incredulity of his villainy is a regular occurrence. This has led to multiple exaggerated displays to prove the fact he is by no means a hero, which is humorously enough the only reason his GDV has remained low enough to not actually become one. Between seeing the surprisingly wholesome nature of two well-known villainesses in action combined with some of what you said seems to have made something click. Well, and I suppose not sufficiently questioning your nor Jonathan's villain status, even with seeing how you two are, as additional references as well. It's hard to say conclusively, but that may have been the push he needed to be, well, himself. He may very well end up being noticed by Boss System of his own accord, in time.]
'...English please.'
[...]
'...'
[You comforted him well. So well, he might stop trying to prove he's 'bad'.]
'Niiice. OH SHIT! If he became a hero, that'd make things so much easier, I wouldn't have to hide from him at all!'
[...Correct. If he proved to be clever enough, he'd perhaps even have a domino effect within MF's, as well.]
'Uh, wait, but isn't Mark on the lookout for signs of the system?'
[It certainly wouldn't be easy for Mikah. Unfortunately, I'm not sure it would be possible to convert most participants from the war.]
'...Right. Mark genuinely counts as a villain. Even if he's... Sociable. Uh, short of reporting everyone's GDV, how could I guess if someone might be uhh, unlikely to be converted? Beyond their personality, of course.'
[Hmm, a rough rule would be that anyone more than just a few years older than you probably took part in the war, or was, at best, at the time neutral. But even the so-called neutral parties effectively sided with the villains, one way or another. Of course, there are always people dissatisfied with the status quo, at any age. I'd imagine a large number of those who were young and witnessed the war going on around them may have certain opinions on the results, who's to say what someone that wasn't even aware of what was going on yet at the time thinks. If we were to use Jonathan as an example, despite the world around him, he is inherently a good person, even if he's been... Corrupted in multiple ways from the environment around him.]
Speaking of Jonathan, he's currently standing next to Lucas, still holding the neatly organized manila folder, hesitating on pulling Lucas out of his reverie. He may understand wanting to finally stop and have a conversation with one's system now that Mikah is gone, but they're not alone.
[Ahem, right. Miss Chievous is staring at you, by the way. Miss Masher still has your phone, too.]
'Ah crap!'
Suddenly straightening his back to be fully upright, Lucas takes a deep breath and slaps his cheeks, trying to write off his current absentmindedness as just being him decompressing.
"All right, let's go get your number whatever form done, Willy! Oh yeah, can I get my phone back, Marsha?" Initially looking down at Willy while he started speaking, Lucas turns around part way through to face Miss Masher, holding a hand out for his phone.
Miss Masher freezes for a moment before slowly looking up at him, looking confused as she starts to hold his phone out to him while walking closer.
Miss Chievous, on the other hand, looks positively floored.
"You... When did you tell him your real name?" Miss Chievous went from staring at Lucas to now staring at Miss Masher. The two of them have now moved close enough that they're standing within arm's length of Lucas and Jonathan.
"I uhh... I don't think I did? ...Oh yeah, that's right, Mikah said it." Miss Masher's confused expression intensifies as she's lost in thought, once she finishes handing Lucas's phone over to him is when she finally remembers that Mikah was the one who had exposed her.
"Pfft, like you forgot how flattered you were when he complimented you afterward too." When Lucas taunts her while tucking his phone into one of the inner pockets of his suit jacket, Miss Chievous raises a brow while starting to grin at Miss Masher.
"Oooh, what'd he say!?" Completely distracted from Lucas's stationary weirdness a mere few moments ago, Miss Chievous has reached up to grab Miss Masher's arm and vigorously rocks her back and forth while questioning her. The fact that she's able to move her at all is visual proof of how relaxed the two sisters are around each other.
Trying to think back to Mikah's introduction, Miss Masher takes a few moments to recall, being shaken by Miss Chievous the entire time. Once she remembers, she cracks a huge grin, proudly showing off the gap of her missing tooth.
"Oh yeah, that's right. Somethin' like 'such a powerful name, well suited for a powerful woman', heheh. Oh, an' no wonder you didn't like bein' called pretty boy so much, since you actually knew a real one. You don't stand a chance, hah!" While recollecting the compliment, Miss Masher makes a point of flexing the biceps of her right arm while saying it. When shifting into her attack on Lucas's average appearance, she turns her grin in his direction, clearly just being playful rather than malicious.
Initially giving a gossip-loving drawn-out 'oooh' while Miss Masher recounted Mikah's compliment, Miss Chievous smiles and laughs at Miss Masher's added commentary, nodding twice when her sister gives her assessment at the end.
"Wha... I... That's not... I didn't need to know that! And! That so-called pretty boy is the one that said your name for the whole live stream to hear, you know! And don't call any guys pretty, you weirdo!" Lucas falters under this new assault on his fragile ego, completely at a loss as to how to handle it. Deciding to throw Mikah under the bus, he points out a certain detail that Miss Masher may have missed.
Without missing a beat, Jonathan grins and interjects.
"Oh, not even Mind Flare?" Apparently when Jonathan's full of mischief, his stutter doesn't stand a chance.
"Hells no! That dude is FIERCE!" As if they were following a pre-planned script, Lucas doesn't hesitate in the least bit before retorting, breaking out a z-snap whilst answering.
Not only do all four people break out laughing, but Willy also wags his tail while giving a single, muffled, agreeable bark for Lucas's assessment.
Once she gets her laughter under control, Miss Masher looks out the door for a moment, a bit distracted.
"Well... Even though Mikah did, it's not like he did it on purpose. I guess it's not really a big deal anyway." As Miss Masher decides to be a Mikah apologist, Lucas sputters a bit.
'Double standards much!?'
-----
Lucas kills this chapter: 0
Lucas total kills: 7
Lucas deaths this chapter: 0
Lucas total deaths: 10
Lucas current GDV: 10.43 (+.01 +.01 + .01 + .01 = .04 net change)
Lucas's fame level: 3.5* (Beyond just local, viral meme tier)
Lucas's hero suspicion level: 2.5* (More than just passing suspicion for a few paranoid individuals)
Jonathan kills this chapter: 0
Jonathan total kills: 5
Jonathan deaths this chapter: 0
Jonathan total deaths: 2
Jonathan current GDV: 2.19 (+.01 net change)
Jonathan's fame level: 2* (Mostly just local)
Jonathan's hero suspicion level: 1* (Only highly paranoid people)
Willy's fame level: 1* (anonymous meme fame, local fame as 'Xenoclast's dog')
Supervillain social circle size: 11
-----
Little character theater:
Jonathan, laughing even harder thanks to the fact that the two sisters didn't think anything beyond the Mind Flare comment than the immediate joke: They r-really have no clue!
Willy, also greatly amused by their lack of reaction to the indirect hint at Mark's identity: Bark!
Lucas, still hung up on Miss Masher saying he 'doesn't stand a chance': What the hell though!?
427, laughing, as always, at Lucas's discomfort: [Oh? But isn't this basically what you WANTED? She won't consider calling you pretty any longer? HMM?]
Author, smiling smugly: I must always make sure someone attacks Lucas regularly, one way or another.
Mr. Quacks, unconcerned with any comparison of appearances between Mikah and himself, knowing full well that he is superior in every possible way: Quack.
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