Cyberpunk

[automatmods]

CYBERPUNK

The world may have crumbled into chaos, but at least you have some pretty sweet tech. Hack your way to liberation. Make a robot friend. Lose yourself in a VR world. And do it all with that 80's neon view of a distant future. ⇨ Post a top level with your character and canon. Include any preferences you may have. If you're feeling bold, write a starter! ⇨ Tag around, make your own world. ⇨ Please mark any potentially triggering content

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[high_king_bambi]

"Yes." She agreed, apparently unsurprised at his presence. But then, that was part of why she was good at what she did, if she acted like she knew what was going on, and everything was as it should be, it kept everyone calm and reduced the potential danger. She knew of him, the same way many people did, but hadn't exactly expected to meet him, and definitely not like this.

"That's by design, as I understand." Mostly because as a rule the talking heads like herself were only ever known by their social handles, even to each other -of course, there were always exceptions to the rule- and most everyone only knew her as Bambi The Royalest and she was waiting to see how he addressed her, if he was going to, "Which makes me think this little meet and greet wasn't actually cleared with my publicist." She hadn't yet reached for the patch on her makeup table to cover her augmented eye, which theoretically meant it was still recording, possibly even streaming.

[ragnarsson]

The all-knowing act worked on Ivar. It made sense that Margo would know just about everything going on around her. After all, what else would the team of people always following her around get paid for?

He took a long drag on his cigarette, courteous enough to dump the ashes into a nearby ashtray. He wondered if she smoked herself or if it was for guests, wanted or not who found their way in here. "I'm not one much for formal niceties, so I'll get straight to the point of why I'm here. There's talk your show might be on its way to getting the axe."

[high_king_bambi]

It was mostly for guests, one guest in particular, and the exception to the 'no real names' rule. But that wasn't important right then, because that statement was enough to reveal that yes, the ashtray was for her own use as well, because all she had to say was: "Damn." Before dropping into her seat and fishing a packet of cigarettes -all of them in colorful pastel wrappers- and a battered metal lighter out of a drawer.

"It's not really a surprise. Not after last week. But still feels like it should be, you know?" It was anyone's guess whether the question had actually been rhetorical or not, since she didn't wait for an answer, taking a drag and talking around a mouthful of smoke, "They don't usually give advance warning about that kind of thing, though."

She tilted her head, regarding him for a moment before gesturing at him with the fingers still holding her cigarette, "Which says to me that you have an agenda."

[ragnarsson]

"I know about everything that interests me before it even happens," he says simply. That's a bit of a surprise given that Ivar dresses like some homeless street punk and has the attitude to match. He definitely doesn't look like he'd be one of Margo's followers.

The only visible sign that he's far more then he appears is his leg braces. They're cutting edge, attuned to the smallest muscle twitches, keeping watch for signs of possible bone fractures, and monitoring of the blood flow in his veins, the kind of thing you have to have serious money in order to invest in.

"Of course I have an agenda. You have one too. Everyone in this city has one and anyone who says otherwise is a damn liar." He pauses for a moment, smoke curling in the air, before he goes on. "I have an interest in keeping you on the air." He waits to see how she will take that before going on. He's not about to lay all his cards on the table right away. Sharks only show their fins before fully showing themselves and Ivar was likewise.

[high_king_bambi]

There was a flicker of expression, amused as much as it was anything else at the mention that everyone had an agenda, because she couldn't argue that, and she actually appreciated the fact that he wasn't going to pretend otherwise.

She did however, snort softly at the rest, "Really? And let me guess, it's only going to cost my soul?" If someone had come to her with that news and an offer like that even just the year before she'd have jumped at it without even questioning, but this past year... something had changed, something even she couldn't quantify or explain, and now she wasn't sure if it would be worth it or if she should just face the fate that was coming to her.

No one really knew, after all, what happened to the channel babies whose channels were erased, sometimes it was obvious when they'd been picked up for something illegal, but not always. She liked to think that most of the worst stories were just fearmongering, and that the worst that would happen was that she'd just have to live off her residual wealth, watching it dwindle as she faded into obscurity and eventually died alone in poverty. Which wasn't all that great in the long run, but she still had her principles, even if having them was new to her.

[ragnarsson]

There was a twitch of amusement at Margo's guess of what it was going to cost her. "What do I look like to you, the Devil?" Actually, he kind of did, dressing like some punk fallen angel, with eyes that could either contain angelic innocence or the malice of a demon.

He leans forward. "No, I was merely thinking there could be an exchange of services rendered. I make sure you stay on the air and you hawk a few products that I have some interest in seeing promoted to the general public." Look at that, there was a working brain behind the torn jeans and studded leather vest.

He leans back. "Or you can discover for yourself what happens to the pretty hosts who say pretty things when there isn't an audience anymore to entertain." There was almost gleeful twinkle in his eye as he says it, enjoying putting the thoughts of what could possibly happen after she was taken off the air.

[high_king_bambi]

"Wouldn't know, haven't met him." She replied easily to the first, breezy and offhand as she often was about things. A front to be sure, but she wore it well.

She already had theories about cancellations, he didn't need to goad her into thinking about them more than she already did, and normally this was the kind of thing she'd get Eliot's opinion on, but she was fairly certain she didn't have that kind of time. She was also reasonably assured that he'd encourage her to accept the offer as it was.

"Alright." She said, taking another drag of her own cigarette before stubbing it out, exhaling as she did so, "But one thing, I realize I'm barely in a position to make demands, but no drugs. It's always been my rule and people are going to get suspicious if I change my tune now."

[ragnarsson]

He'd expected her to be a harder sell and part of him is suspicious as to why she's not. Maybe she's just interested in keeping her life intact. There's not much most people wouldn't do to save their own skin. Or maybe she knows her back is against the wall and there's no options left except for him. Either way, it suits Ivar just fine to have things going his way.

He thinks on the rule she lays out. Drugs are always a money-maker, but she's right. He doesn't need people in the government getting too nosy about who's now pulling the strings behind the scenes. As long as everyone can be paid off, they should remain content to let her stay on the air. He nods. "Agreed. No drugs. Anything else you want to put on the table before we finalize terms here?"

He's all business the way he talks. He gets it from his father the weapons manufacturer mogul. There's not a lot that Ragnar Sigurdsson hasn't invested in on a legal front and his son has expanded on that on the illegal side of things too.

[high_king_bambi]

It was mostly that she was pretty well attached to her life and her way of life and was in no hurry to bring either one of those to a close, but it was also definitely a case of knowing that she didn't have many -if any- other options. She'd known even at the time -the week before, the incident that had apparently started all of this- but she'd done it anyway, because one of her 'subjects' had needed help, and she was in a position to do so.

She tilted her head once more, regarding him again, "I do have just a couple of questions." She wasn't going to ask 'why me?' because he'd already said he was a fan and that was good enough for her, "Aside from my continued relevance, what do I get out of this partnership? And if I take the channel in a slightly different direction, what would that cost me?" As much as she liked being one of the pretty idols that doled out fashion and makeup and modification tips, she actually wanted to help.