The Perfect Con

"I'll keep that in mind, Huey," the pirate said as she rolled her shoulders a little. She fell silent for a bit.

"Fight clubs? Sorta, I'll have to check that one out. Outside of that, I don't really know what interest I would have." Reinite answered, scratching at her cheek some. "I just got here, and I really didn't... have hobbies back home."

Huey motion to the server as they both sat down.....Huey gave her the menu

"Order anything you want oh and the cost?....Well i did some work for the owner here a while back. Someone was running a protection racket and well......"

1000 dust and a visit from Huey later. There no longer a protection racket as the atmosphere? Hush Hush.

“I definitely prefer fiction for that.” He nodded. “In my work, I cover the harshest realities. I’ve seen some really bad stuff. It’s nice to just read something happy, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be real, too.”

No, them being trapped here didn’t make for a happy story, but there were good things they could focus on to keep from getting too sad. Two new friends bonding over a disgusting sandwich or something. 

“I know a super man.” He laughed. “That’s what my, uh, friend is called—the one I came here with. He told me that he asked about flying down in that big hole in the middle of the city, to see if it was a way out. He said he found out if he tried to fly down in there he’d just wake up like nothing happened. I guess that’s sort of what dying is like?”

The idea that he could not die did not mean he was going to be any more or less reckless than he already was. Just because he would wake up just fine didn’t mean he was keen on experiencing it. 

The sound of continue typing as well....it's casual man. There no deep talk just.....casual chatting. The city, the food......you know. Nothing personal.

"Honestly you think with all these super heros at least someone have a idea better then a edgy teenager. Like where the thearter house? Acting Troupes? Hell i take a late night talk show. Honestly we have to have better entertainment then just fight clubs. Your a funny man Clark? Part of the writing process is able to get people to laugh when it comes to unserious news. Like the bear that found within someone bath room in one of the district*

A eye brow raised. A question. Huey expect Clark to give at least a little bit funny joke.

"Come on Kent. You put a humor in your work no? Give me your best dad pun. Your among fellow comics here."

And she grasped his with a very firm grip - not quite enough to break anything, but enough to let him know she definitely had strength -, before she focused on his phone for a second. She nodded as he ran her through the basics, and then cleared her throat a little.

"Thank you, Huey. Name's Reinite Roux. Pirate, fledgling captain. You can just call me Reinite." She said before nodding again. "And thank you for the offer to pay - I can't promise I'll make myself a big name, but I'll at least pay ya back."

.....Captain?.....In the ship sense or in the knight captain sense....?

WELL EITHER WAY HE NOT DUMB ENOUGH TO FIND OUT.

He began leading her to a italian place. A place he knows make a mean sea good pasta as he continue to yap.

"Non sense. First one for free. If you still owe me favors after this though then i might charge you a....afforable fee. Can't price my business to expensive these days you know? Unlike everyone else i'm not running around with my own crew of people. I run a jack of all trade business. Finding people, dealing with thugs.....you have a problem the law can't handle. You call me."

He sigh...a little depressed it seem. He not very popular is he?

Reporting aside, this was bad stuff. It felt like there were no rules—well, in a way there were, but it was like organized chaos. 

“So, you can leave at any point without knowing it, same with how we arrived? Going home, you would never know you were here, and coming back, you never knew you left?”

He’d have to find at least someone he could trust to tell him if he ever went missing for any significant amount of time. Maybe he could also trust that person to keep a copy of everything he was taking notes of now—just in case he’d forgotten it all when he came back.

“Seriously…”

His heart seemed to drop in his stomach at the confirmation that the dead could come here. He did not want to see his parents. Maybe in ten years or something, after some therapy, but not here in this crazy place. 

“Well, you definitely have a way with words.” He turned the recorder off. “It really is good stuff, I appreciate it, even if it’s hard to hear. There’s just certain people I’d rather not have to see.” 

He wiped his hands off, downing some water and the rest of his tea to erase the taste of that horrible sandwich. 

“Not that it’s not hard enough without those people. I actually did some here with someone else from my world. He’s a pretty super powered being. I know you said that kinda thing doesn’t matter, but he’s really powerful at full force—like really powerful. I think here’s a chance he could bust us all out if he got his powers back.” 

As he turned the business card over in his hand, he smiled softly. He realized he’d been a bit of a freeloader, and Huey was trying to make his way here, but he was still nice enough to buy Clark some tea and give him part of a sandwich.

And Clark wasn’t even sure he spelled fahrenheit right in the first place.

There....there seem to be personal bitterness in his voice as he continue to type. This is someone who had to take justice into his own hands before.

"At least the story of a happily ever after easier sold on stories. A story of uncorruptible heros from beyond the stars, chilvarous thiefs and undying paragons of justice. Because people do need SOMETHING to be hopeful about....even if it's not real."

He shake that thought off as he continue.

"Yup oh and one more thing. We kind of can not die. Of course i NOT TESTED IT YET. But most everyone in this city can be killed and bought back. The citizens don't have that luxury though. Of course being a real person with flimsy flesh and bones i haven't you know? TRY to meet my maker yet. Of course most of the city are goood decent people. I did meet this......braided tail magic man who do not care of the rules. So Kent. In a city full of normal man. Bad man....be super....man."

Oh wow. Dropping the fact death no longer a thing....very exsistentism stuff.

[Text]: That sounds like a great idea! I don't think I've seen that one yet!! [Text]: Just finishing something up at the office and I'll be over in a jiffy. What's your address again?

.................

It looks like Tenna arrived on... roller skates? Which he leans against the inside of the man's apartment to keep them out of the way. It seems he's still in his work clothes, but by now, that's not an unusual sight. Either Tenna had nothing but formal wear, or he never wore anything casual.

A leather sofa with plastic wrapping still on it....there no poster....no painting....nada. Just a tv.....a type writer and the standard color every Isola apartment comes with. There is a table full of file and some dude picture he took with a BIG RED X on it. Some dude with a pony tail Huey wrote NEED TO TAKE CARE OF.

" Big T! Welcome to my humble abode."

He hastily took off the couch plastic wrapping as it's......huh you expect someone like Huey to have a nicer place.

"So yeah. Trailer from last time said today ep it be a typical english manor murder case. The lord of the mansion been killed and EVERYONE have secrets."

Huey offer little smaller seat for Tenna to put up his leg as they began viewing.....Huey IS TRYING to be a good host.....it's just obvious he not used to having guest often in his home.

Slowly, the words seemed to wrap around his mind. Of course they were experiments, and of course no one who left could ever remember being here—otherwise he would have heard about this place before.

But the idea that others from his world could come here seemed impossible. If they were doing experiments, he was unfortunately the most unique person from his world, the only one worth taking—he was not bragging. He hated that and wished it weren’t true.

“Hold on—I—I gotta take notes.” He reached into his jacket pocket. His hands were shaking slightly, he didn’t think he’d be able to write anything down. He found his tape recorder.

He only had a single tape inside, but he felt like this was what he’d been waiting to use it for—real journalism, real answers.

“This is Clark Kent, Daily Planet—” He pressed record, the tape whirring softly as he spoke into the device. “It’s approximately November, it’s approximately noon and I’m approximately part of some sort of experiment—”

Panic was rising up in his chest with each word he spoke. He tried not to let his emotions take over when he was working, preferring to be professional, even when those he interviewed grated on him.

But this was an extenuating circumstance, his voice shook as he tried to recount everything Huey just said.

“Absurdism—that’s Spirale—” He finished, having tried to talk as fast as he could to use up as little of the tape as possible—luckily, he was a very proficient yapper. 

He glanced back up at Huey, hovering the recorder over the table, waiting to place it down.

“This is my calling, reporting.” It was one of his many callings, but something told him it was better to focus on gathering information than perfecting his origami.

“Can you tell me a little more about the experiments?” He asked. He needed to know everything. He was weak, but he didn’t need to prepare physically, but mentally. “Is it possible for us to see people here who have…died?”

He wasn’t sure which would be worse. His past self or his parents. His past self was so naive, never having lost a fight, not knowing his parents’ true motives for sending him to Earth.

The idea of facing that guy was almost scarier than being faced with his parents. Or Lex. He did not wish this place on his friends, or even his worst enemy.

His serious and stressful tone faded slightly at the sight of the sandwich. He was both confused and intrigued. Was this making the most of the situation? Apparently so.

“Kinda, yeah.” He admitted, reaching for half. 

His super senses back home meant he had the highest spice tolerance than anyone he knew. He could down spicy wings or curry without a second thought. 

But as he bit into the sandwich, he realized that either the resistant parts of his senses had been dulled, or Huey had actually managed to concoct something that could defeat him.

"Take all the time you need man."

So a new reporter huh? Clark seem like the non physical type....he hate doing this but this place is kind of a timeless abyss.

Some go crazy. Some just learned to accept the abdusrity as Huey clear his throat as he speak into the tape recorder.

"Huey Makoto Ponzi. Early 20 to mid 20. Jack of all trade and owner of a small shop called the Last Resort. I been here since.....a year or two now at least? I been in and out of the city from time to time. No visible sign of aging. But then again it's just me. I have seen things from angel from myth to scienscy stuff here. Some of them unlocked their full power but unable to escape. The star we liked to call them have done experiment from dragging a alternate universe version of us, depower us and have us survive a brutal winter to silly stuff like truth serum where we are force to spill our secrets. Sometime i come back after a while to realize from my worker i been gone a while yet i have no memories of what had happen of HERE till i return. Confirming my idea that the moment we step outside of the confine of the city by whatever error or luck. We retan zero knowledge of the place. We continue with our original stories as if nothing had happen."

Huey not STUPID. He notice things......and why does he need to hide stuff from Clark? They're two dude chatting.

"From what i gather....yes. There are rumor of those who sworn they died back at home to wake up here. The cirumstances isn't all the same of course. Some of these folks who died have no knowledge of what happen later or certain points when they are alive before they make personal changes."

He Howl in laughter watching Clark eat his sandwich as he hand the man some napkin and water.

"It's food like this we know we are alive. I was kind of a drifter back home you see? My meal with my older brother was always simple and whatever i can find so i develope this habit of adding all sort of stuff and let god sort it out. I know a couple places you can go to for more info about the city...."

There this reluctant look in his eyes. Like he almost hated saying it.

"There this Angel.....golden hair. All uppity. Personally i can not STAND him....but he runs a mental health clinic. He been here what....longer then even i have. Aurelius something something. Since your such a boy scout you probably would get along with him. There also this cat man with a giant axe by the name of.....man i forgot his name. He very mean. who i had a run in with that runs this fight club. Angry dude but if you want something.....more street level you can ask him."

Huey hand Clark his business card.

HUEY PONZI

YOU HAVE A PROBLEM.

WE SOLVE IT WITHIN BUDGET.

"And then there is me of course........business....business been kind of slow. On account of....i'm not very good at net working.....so i been trying to sell stories for screen plays to earn a few dust...now exactly high brow stuff...."

☛ GET INSIDE YOUR CHARACTER'S HEAD! aka The Excessively Detailed Headcanon Meme

Ask a question, any question!

Specify which muse for multimuse blogs.

What does their bedroom look like?

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What activities do they enjoy, but consider to be a waste of time?

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Superstitions or views on the occult?

Do they express their thoughts through words or deeds?

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If this person were to get into a fist fight, what is their fighting style like?

Is this person afraid of dying? Why or why not?

unlucky... for you!

there's a first time for everything, mon ami.

this is almost as fun as pulling a heist. almost.

you want the best? you got him.

deal me in.

laissez les bons temps rouler!

this ain't no trick. it's a deadly game i play. and if you want, i can deal you in...

i bet an army of squirrels would make fantastic thieves.

remember when we was thieves together, back in the day?

wanna come along?

i may be a thief, but i also happen to be a gentleman.

how about you save your bullets for the big guy and give me a chance, eh?

no need to fret, mon frère.

you thought you got rid of me? pas de chance!

you keep your eyes on the foes... i'll keep mine on the prize!

i crossed the galaxy for this? you gotta be kidding me.

don't wanna lose this fight, but losing [name] is what i'm most worried about.

this is the very spot [name] and i said "i do." best choice i ever made.

you know you had that coming!

what a shame!

you got too much power. had to keep you in check.

their sniper just learned their mistake the hard way.

sure am gonna miss you.

turn around! they're sneaking up on us!

that really all you got?

je suis invincible!

i'm outta control!

they got my number...

someone shooting at us!

ooh, found me someone to fight!

i'm seen scarier things in the bayou.

too many of them. not liking the odds here.

gotta hold the line!

time to cut our losses!

we should go now.

now you do the same for me, oui?

ain't gonna lie, i'm hurting.

merci beaucoup.

gather 'round, mes amis!

look what we got here.

you best check this out.

don't let them through!

we still got work to do.

no backing down now, y'hear?

wouldn't mind laying my eyes... or maybe my hands... on some!

spies and thieves. we got a lot in common.

stealing is stealing, no matter how you try to justify it.

that's a lot harder to steal.

mon dieu, that hurt!

this planet smells nastier than a week-old pot of gumbo!

i sure am feeling relaxed and refreshed!

last i checked, we was both fighting the good fight.

easy now. i'd hate to have to add you to my gumbo.

for gentle muses, cozy threads, wholesome chaos, and quiet affection

☕ — “i made you something warm. sit with me?”

🧸 — “you can hold my hand… if you want.”

🌸 — “you look tired. come here.”

🤍 — “your smile is my favourite thing.”

🛏️ — “you fell asleep on me again. it’s fine. stay.”

💞 — “i saved you the last piece.”

🍰 — “you deserve something sweet.”

🎀 — “you look cute today. dangerously cute.”

🤲 — “may i touch your face?”

🌷 — “you brought me flowers… why?”

🫂 — “you hugged me like you needed it.”

🌙 — “stay until the moon rises. or longer.”

💐 — “you kept this? all this time?”

☁️ — “you’re soft. i like soft.”

"I   dare   you   to   try."

"Do   you   always   get   close?"

"You’re   pushing   my   limits."

"Stop   looking   at   me   like   that."

"I’m   losing   control   here."

"You   have   no   idea,   do   you?"

"I   can’t   resist   you   anymore."

"Stay   back,   or   don’t."

"I   know   what   you   want."

"This   is   getting   dangerous   now."

"You’re   too   tempting   for   me."

"I   shouldn’t   want   this,   but…"

"I   don’t   play   fair,   remember?"

"Careful,   you’re   testing   me."

"You’re   just   making   it   worse."

"You’re   too   close   for   comfort."

"Do   you   always   push   buttons?"

"Stop   before   I   kiss   you."

"You’re   making   it   too   hard."

"I   can’t   stop   thinking   about   you."

"I   want   you   too   much."

"You   know   exactly   what   you’re   doing."

"I’m   not   playing   games   here."

"You’ve   crossed   the   line   now."

"Keep   pushing,   and   you’ll   regret   it."

"This   is   dangerous,   isn’t   it?"

"I’m   trying   not   to   care."

"Don’t   make   me   regret   this."

"You’re   playing   with   fire."

"You   don’t   know   what’s   coming."

"I   shouldn’t   be   this   close."

"We’re   getting   dangerously   close   now."

"I   can   feel   the   heat."

"Don’t   test   me   right   now."

"I   want   you   too   badly."

"Don’t   make   me   chase   you."

"You’re   distracting   me,   you   know."

"I   won’t   fall   for   this."

"I   want   you,   but…"

"What   do   you   want   from   me?"

"I’ll   never   give   in."

"I’m   trying   not   to   care."

"You’re   playing   with   my   patience."

"Don’t   make   this   harder,   please."

"I   can’t   stop   this   feeling."

"I’m   already   in   too   deep."

"You   won’t   walk   away   unscathed."

"You’re   walking   a   fine   line."

"I’m   trying   to   stay   calm."

List your OCs in the tags or link your lair so that people can ask you!

1. What is one word to shut them up?

2. What is the thing they feel the most guilty about?

3. What is the worst pain they’ve ever experienced?

4. Describe their worst nightmare.

5. List 3 fears; one “surface level” fear, one “repressed” fear, and one “deep dark” fear.

6. What is something that never fails to make them feel sick?

7. What feature (physical or otherwise) do they hate most about themselves?

8. Do they have anything that triggers them?

9. What is their greatest physical weakness?

10. What is their greatest mental weakness?

11. Do they have any vices?

12. Have they ever done something illegal? What was it?

13. Which of the 7 Deadly Sins best describes them?

14. Are they prone to outbursts (of violence, extreme emotion… exc… )?

15. Who do they hate the most?

16. Is there anyone who makes them feel inferior?

17. What sound always gives them a headache?

18. Is there a certain flavor that disgusts them?

19. Do they consider themselves ugly?

20. Do they consider themselves unloveable?

21. What is something that causes them great anxiety?

22. Do they have any mental illnesses?

23. Have they ever been assaulted/abused/raped?

24. Do they fear the possibility of being assaulted/abused/raped?

25. Have they ever been betrayed by someone they thought they could trust?

26. Have they ever been seriously injured?

27. How many times have they been in the hospital?

28. Is there a certain type of person that disgusts them?

29. Does what they cannot see scare them?

30. Have they ever been bullied?

31. Do they have self-confidence or self-image issues?

32. Do they have a bad relationship with their parents?

33. Have they ever been in a relationship that didn’t work out so well?

34. Have they ever self harmed?

35. If they could change one thing about themselves, what would it be?

36. Are they in control of their emotions, or are their emotions in control of them?

37. Have they ever had their freedom taken away?

38. Have they ever been imprisoned?

39. Have they ever been accused of something they didn’t do?

40. Do they often blame themselves for other people’s problems?

41. Do they get sick often?

42. Are they comfortable with where they are in life?

43. Do they wish that they could change their pasts?

44. What’s one thing they wish they could do more often, but can’t?

45. What is the emotion they most commonly experience?

46. Have they ever contemplated suicide?

47. Have they ever gone so far as to attempt suicide?

48. Is there anyone that they would willingly kill?

49. If [name] was put into ______ situation, they’d rather die than live to see it through.

Of course he could spell fahrenheit. He definitely didn’t forget one of the Hs. 

A deal was a deal, but he was not going to be that annoying person who got an elaborate drink with too many customizations. Black tea was fine, and it was cheap. 

He sat down across from Huey, passing his phone back across the table. 

“Clark Kent—I like the cut of your jib, by the way.” He said, deciding to add that to his vocabulary. “I don’t even know the story of this place, fictional or otherwise. I only got here about a week ago.”

This is always the hard part. The part Huey don't really like. Having to tell the new guy the state of this hell.

Might as well rip that bandage off. Clark just so...easy to talk to. Unassuming and got that charm to him that classic....down to earth you know?

"You are now stuck in a meta experiment of different heros, villians and in between from a much of omnipotent being who like to run literal doom days sceanrio on us to test us mentally. No your time back in your world have not changed. In fact when you DO remeber home this would all been nothing but a strange dream to you. You could be trapped in here for YEARS and it's only been a few days in your world. You only have your memories of your time here when YOU are here. The experiment? Just recently i had a run in with my LITERAL past. No you will not escape here. Neither magic or science would work. Your familar with the term absurdism kent? Finding meaning in a rather meaningless universe? The Radiale is literally that. The only break time we get between these star messing with us is time like this so you might as well find your calling."

Huey finally take a sip of his drink as his order sandwich arrived. The onlooker stare in horror as huey grab all sort of contiement. SWEET AND UNSWEET. Taste that should never mixed and put it on his sandwich.

He bite into it like it's the most common thing as the server who bought him the sandwich look like he wanna throw up

"I know that was wordy as hell. But do take comfort. Time inside here those not equal to time outside. If you have love ones like parents or lovers they still be there for you if you do get out. Hell if your lucky they might join you...with SOME changed to their memories....want half my sando Ser Clark?"

But, the only downside of being slightly out of touch, was that you missed out on the few handy features that new technology had to offer—like autocorrect. 

Clark had become a little too reliant on that feature, and now he found himself blanking. 

"That the word. I like the cut of your jib my dude. Here CATCH."

He toss this UNKNOWN STRANGER HIS PHONE as he motion him to the front counter.

"I am a man of my word. Buy whatever you want."

Hey a free drink a free drink. Huey do not seem to be concern with dust.

A little while later....

"Huey. Huey Ponzi. I am currently writing a play on the legend of radiale. People do love their gods and legends. Fictionize story to entertain the masses and what not. You new around here Mr...."