Tales of the Parodyverse >> View Post
·
Post By
Anime Jason 
Owner

Location: Here
Member Since: Sun Sep 12, 2004
Posts: 2,834
In Reply To
HH

Subj: Re: I don't know about that.
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 09:31:29 am EST (Viewed 415 times)
Reply Subj: I don't know about that.
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 07:18:03 am EST



> > It's probably one of the major things Chiaki finds so frustrating about him. She could try to explain her view on things but it would just bounce off him.
>
> Then she's making an assumption that her way is better than his, not just different. Jay's strength as a hero comes from his moral certainties. He holds the line so that others have the luxury of dancing across it.

It's not that, but Chiaki does believe that she has real logical reasons when she tries to explain something to Hatman, and she feels like she's wasting her breath once she hears his conclusion.

For instance if she tries to carefully explain to Hatman that Akiko should not be arrested at this time, because if she is, all the small-timers who she keeps quiet and at bay will come out like vultures and start fighting each other. Hatman is likely to respond with a simple "but she broke the law and has to pay!". Chiaki would then feel like she wasted her time trying to make him listen, because he's going to do what he wants anyhow. It's incredibly frustrating for her.


> > Of course she wouldn't tell them everything. But she also might neglect to tell them important things because they never asked, and she doesn't believe it's her place to force information upon them.
>
> What I mean is that there has to be some line that the LL draws ton protect themselves and the world. The LL can't be a police force or army. They can't investigate every murder and bank robbery. They can't build a case against every crime boss.
>
> The problem comes when someone comes to them and says, "My daughter was run over by a drunk driver. Why aren't you using all that amazing resource you have to find him and punish him? Instead you're all lounging around your posh mansion watching videos and having a beer." But the LL needs downtime, and they can't track every drunk driver. If they help this one distressed mother then what about the ten that will call tomorrow?


Then there's also a matter of territory. The Lair Legion has to allow the governments of the cities and of the world to handle their own law enforcement, otherwise the Lair Legion runs the risk of looking like its own private judge, jury, and executioner, something nobody really wants.

As to how information from Chiaki relates to that though? Chiaki gets information from a wide variety of sources. Those who know her in the "underworld" always know she has that information. The reason they don't care is because she has a reputation for handling it discreetly, unless they give her a reason not to. In other words, she knows, they know she knows, but they also know she knows how to mind her own business most of the time.

Let's say the Lynchpin comes back. If he does, Chiaki will likely know the details of his new organization as soon as it leaves his office. But she won't tell anyone - not even Hatman - unless he takes the initiative and asks. It's not her place to tell him otherwise. Of course if thr Lynchpin's #1 plan is to dispatch Hatman, then she'd be sure to tell him.


> > It might make him angrier though.
>
> Possibly, but he's more likely to feel that he's won a little victory by getting a reaction, like a bully at school. "Wow, is that Chink kid going to burst into tears next? Better gove her some laundry fast."

Chiaki is getting a little smarter in her responses now. After cursing she'll probably turn everything into his office into stone to teach him a lesson, and then leave him to figure out how to move it all and open the desk drawers.


> > Akiko or Chiaki?
>
> I meant Akiko but it applies to both.

Noted.


> > > Ventedi fought his way to power from the gutters. He's learned the hard way not to cave to force.
> > I meant his collectors' item car, and desk, and cigar lighter...until he gets fed up with her destroying his stuff.
>
> But getting fed up wouldn't make him stop doing what Yuki was objecting to, it would just push him to react with escalating levels of violence. Deadeyes is a limited man (which is why he's a villain), so there's only so many ways he can go. Push him in any way and all he can do is push back, and try to push back harder.

Yuki tries to be subtle about her intimidation - she's been working as a P.I. long enough to understand subtlety. She would probably first warn Vendredi that there are "consequences" to his actions. Then a while after she leaves he'd realize that his collectible 1930's limousine is in pieces.

As a contrast, the Psychic Samurai might threaten Vendredi that he will lose his power base if he is not careful. An ambitious threat until he ignores her, and then as a warning, the Mayor of GMY and a couple of others Vendredi has under his thumb end up in the hospital all at the same time after a mysterious accident. And anyone working close to him who's heard of the Psychic Samurai will insist it was her.

That's just a remote example, though. Chiaki, while she hasn't had to kill anyone in her "previous life", was one of Akiko's top enforcers for a reason. She has an instinct for figuring out what will hurt her target most, and figuring out how to accomplish it without being directly implicated. That's what makes her so frightening amongst the "street" types.

Of course, since Vendredi has allied with Akiko, he may simply be amused by the stories about the Psychic Samurai. He might be eager to meet her and speak with her, maybe even make her an offer she'll probably turn down.


> This is one reason I wanted the Hatman scene on record. It defines an uncomfortable but working relationship between Ventredi and the LL. It draws the line. The LL can and will take down Deadeyes and his men if they can do it legally, but they're not specially targetting him. He'll stay out of the LL's hair and won't go after them or do things that draw their attention.

That's the Lair Legion's job, watch and wait. Chiaki sees the flaw in that, however- because now that Vendredi knows, he's going to use the time to prepare. She believes her job is to keep an eye on the preparations, and silently thwart them or poison them (so they look like they're ready but will fail spectacularly) if necessary. Both for Akiko's sake and for the Lair Legion's.


> That said, there's another element of this that I won't be covering until Deadeyes #4: Myra Mason, Deadeyes' moll. Myra's much more approachable, and a born networker. She'd be happy to have a "frothy coffee" with Yuki or Ebony or Asil or maybe even Chiaki and exchange "girl talk", and be an unofficial back-channel between Deadeyes' organisation and the superheroes. She's not a leak (she's blonde but it's not natural and she's not dumb) but she does understand the value of "a little bit of give and take, honey."

That sounds like something Chiaki may make a lot of use of - because she doesn't expect a leak, but it would work in her favor, at least making it seem to Vendredi like she's cooperative and friendly. That would keep her clearly off his hit list and free to do as she pleases. She would try to get information, but her style is to be patient and wait until the atmosphere is right first. Or in short, to coax Myra to give it voluntarily because she cares for Chiaki's safety rather than because she feels intimidated. Chiaki asks pointed questions, but usually informally and over a hot cup of tea.

Yuki would probably talk to her calmly too, but the atmosphere would be different and much more tense. She would be after information, and trying to get it as quickly as possible, and would use slight pressure or tricky questions to get it. Myra would be lucky to get her to sit down at all.








anime.mangacool.net (10.0.255.1)
using Apple Safari 3.0.4 on MacOS X (0.11 points)
On Topic™ © 2003-2024 Powermad Software
Copyright © 2003-2024 by Powermad Software