[SEMI-OPEN] And the world gets smaller

[manufactured]

WHO: Albert Wesker, whomever decides to join him (presumably you!)
WHERE: A coffee shop in Tisse; one of the squares in town
WHEN: 12/11 – 12/15
WHAT: Meetings with people, both planned and not. One open prompt, one semi-open.
WARNINGS: Discussion of various things that may not be ethical? Nothing graphic, it's just talk.


[I. PLANNED.]

[Those who were in contact with Wesker on the network post that he put out a while back and expressed actual interest in what he's doing will find that he's contacted you at some point during the week; the texts are all requesting a time at some point during the evening, after normal work hours, and they specify a location that's perhaps surprisingly public, given how cagey he tended to be on the post itself. But the coffee shop he's specified is quiet and low-traffic, the sort of place that lends itself well to privacy, and that's where he'll be waiting.

He's well-dressed, as he always is, the black suit is impeccable – though he's still wearing those dark glasses indoors, because apparently he's just like that; he's recognizable from his profile on Retrospec, at the very least. He'll glance over when you enter, but he'll allow you to come to him; as he'd said to a few people, these discussions are going to be one-on-one, there's no one else with him at the moment, and he isn't going to force the matter if anyone decides to simply not show or backs out of the discussion at any point.

After all, they're just there to talk, at least for the time being. Let's see where this goes.]


[II. UNPLANNED.]

[Of course, he's still around even when he's not meeting with people; Christmas shopping is...a thing, given that he still has no idea what he's supposed to get people given that he hasn't celebrated this holiday with anyone in a very long time, but even when he's not busy with that, he can be found in one of the squares throughout town, and he's got a...box with him? For some reason.

...It seems to be a somewhat noisy box that kind of makes little thudding noises like something is bumping against the interior once in a while. Once in a while, there is mild distressed screeching. ...Very melodic mild distressed screeching.

Dear god.

Either way, if the bats are giving you problems, he's going to notice; he'll watch for a while before speaking up, because that's just sort of his way, but eventually he will say something.]

If they're troubling you, I can take them off your hands.

[You know. As one does.]


[III. OTHERWISE.]

[Have something else you want to do? Feel free to PM me or grab me on plurk at InstantEternity, and I'll see what we can do! Either that or just sling a prompt at me and I'll roll with it, I'm flexible. o/ ]

Comments

I

[thesettingsun]

[Shuji arrives on time, as promised. Dressed well, as always. Being followed by a singing bat, as typical.

Maybe that last one's only typical late, but Shuji can't help but feel his annoyance rise when the bat follows him into the coffee shop. Shouldn't these things stay outside?]

Hi, Wesker- ugh, hang on-

[Shuji does come to Wesker, but rather than sitting down or shaking hands or a normal greeting, he leans in to try to kiss Wesker on the cheek.

At least it'll get the bat to fuck off.]

[manufactured]

[...Shuji, why.

That said, though, stranger things have happened, and he's not about to do anything drastic in response (what is he supposed to do, grab the guy's face like a barbarian?); he'll just sort of...let it happen like it ain't even a thing, people apparently just kiss him in public now, no big deal. As long as it's on the cheek, who cares, really.]

...Good evening to you, too.

[thesettingsun]

[Job completed, the bat flaps right out the door. Shuji just sighs and steps back.]

Sorry about that, I just didn't want a background of annoying squeaked Christmas music for our conversation.

I

[stressweets]

[ ...He feels like he probably should've considered the idea that Wesker might look intimidating based on the fact he seemed pretty serious over Retrospec.

Tsukasa hangs around the entrance of the shop, nervously checking his phone to make sure that yes, that's the guy he's looking for? Up until someone fusses at him for being in the way, and then there's a few other people joining them, and... and yeah, he's. He's just going to join Wesker over there, now. That's a little better than causing some embarrassing scene!!


......SO, UM. Right. He's good, he can do this, there are plenty of intimidating people who come around the stables anyway just pretend it's one of them— ]

Good evening, Mr. Wesker. We spoke on Retrospec...? I'm Tsukasa.

[manufactured]

[Well, for what it's worth, Wesker is...probably going to not be helping much with the intimidation factor even after he's spoken to, albeit unintentionally; he tends to be quiet and more than a bit standoffish until he knows people, after all, and even then it's not much better, outside of maybe the part where "standoffish" is replaced with "awkward."

Either way, he'll look over once he's addressed, and then gestures a bit to the opposite side of the table to indicate that he should sit down, and...if he noticed the minor scene Tsukasa was causing over there, he has the general grace to not mention it.]

Good evening - a pleasure to meet you in person. Consider it appreciated, as well.

[stressweets]

[ Thank you for your manners... Tsukasa'll take the seat, hands going right beneath the table to clench together a little nervously. This is for a good cause. ]

Of course. [ ... ] So, um... About your project. What is it, exactly?

I

[prometheanflame]

[It's not a coffeeshop Mohammed has been to before, so he takes a minute to search for all of the available seats before spotting Wesker. He gives him a small wave, turns to the barista for his order, and sits down.]

How long were you waiting?

[manufactured]

[Ah, hello - he'll acknowledge Mohammed's presence, definitely, he doesn't quite wave but the brief incline of his head is noticeable enough, and he definitely doesn't mind being joined, he did request the man's presence after all.]

Not terribly long, and certainly not long enough to mind. I trust the evening is finding you well enough...?

[prometheanflame]

I've had a long day at work, but I'm fine. I learned about a new place to do some reading thanks to you.

[If there's a used bookshop nearby - one that hasn't magically merged with a chain store - this can be his new weekend spot.]

I

[long_live_the_queen]

[A coffeeshop wasn't what Lucy expected, but it was something of a pleasant surprise. It was easy enough to get to, and more importantly get out of if Lucy decided that no, she didn't want anything to do with this.

...though now she was also quietly wondering if he was serious or if this was the in-person variant of a prank call.

But Lucy spotted him immediately when she opened the door—or at least sunglasses that looked like Wesker's profile picture. She wasn't dressed nearly as elaborately for meeting with a mobster(?), just in a puffy jacket, jeans, and a grey knit cap pulled down over hair that was pink to the eyebrows. There were two triangular...somethings poking up from underneath the hat like a cat's ears, and her eyes were a piercing red that looked slightly too real to have come out of a box of contact lenses.

Lucy didn't take her hat off, and beelined straight for Wesker's table.]

You wanted to talk to me?

[manufactured]

[Well. This is...interesting, he won't try to deny that much; at the very least, it gives at least a vague idea of why experimentation might be a bit of a concern, given the. Everything. Good lord.]

Assuming you're still willing, yes. Lucy, isn't it?

[long_live_the_queen]

I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be.

[Lucy wasn't very tall to begin with, and she didn't take a seat yet. She kept staring levelly at those sunglasses.]

That's my name.

i!!

[vitis]

[ a place as benign as a coffee shop is a good thing, as far as john is concerned. not that he particularly frequents them ever, but hey, it's a step above a dark alleyway. he didn't know how to dress for the occasion; he opted for some flannel shirt, ripped jeans (the threadbare kind, not the stylish kind), and a coat. practicality. ]

[ but, more importantly. stepping instead, eyes scanning through the tables of customers for that mr. albert wesker... ]

Hey!

[ he's not - any louder than necessary, but he is cheery. and he's fairly certain he has the right guy; there'd been that glance, not many people wear glasses that dark indoors, and he does match that network picture. plus, that suit designates him as someone willing to pay very handsomely. having approached, john does, at least, have the courtesy to not immediately take a seat. with a smile, ]

You're that Mr. Wesker, yeah?

[manufactured]

[If he's at all off-put by John's attire, it's not evident in his demeanor; he seems calm and cordial enough, really, gesturing vaguely across the table to indicate that the guy should sit down as he responds.]

I am, yes. Again, the pleasure is mine.

[vitis]

Good to hear.

[ john does as indicated, nodding his thanks and seating himself. he'd glance at some menu or another but he's already fairly certain he's not going to buy anything. his eyebrows raise as he appraises the man now across from him.


... it's kind of blunt, he supposes, but that is what they're here for: ]

So! Now that we're off the network, guess you can tell me more 'bout this project of yours, yeah?

ii

[scythegun]

[Jaeger shows up after a little while with a few bags in tow; he's been successful at finding gifts for most people, but finding a gift for Wesker is a struggle he's absolutely not succeeding in. He'll figure something out, maybe.

Anyway, he'll rejoin Wesker and when he does he notices the box.]

Ah, did you catch some more?

[manufactured]

[Hi, Jaeger. He has a box, it's a noisy box, either he's got more bats in there or Retrospec unleashed some other very small monstrosity while you weren't looking.]

I did, yes. I'm aware that you're fond of them; I imagined it would be appreciated.

[...We've had some casualties.]

I

[feistytrader]

[You know, a coffee shop doesn't feel very... Cool and sketchy. Sure, it's not the most packed place, but it lacks secrecy or intrigue. But that's fine. A little less exciting than he thought he was getting into, but perfectly fine and profitable, and helping out Wesker is a huge bonus.

The lack of hot chocolate that can be tasted, not so much, but Silver's quick to pick up some black coffee- what's the point in all the extra sugar if you can't even taste it, after all- and scoot into the chair across from Wesker. Sneasel pulls up a chair and scoots into it right next to Silver, and for a brief moment it occurs to Silver that if this is some kind of job interview he's already more than failed, but he opens his mouth anyway and...]

I hope you're planning on picking up some of those 2018 sunglasses when the new year comes around.

[...Makes it worse, probably.]

[manufactured]

[...why are you like this. just. any of this.]

Don't even consider getting them for me, in the event that I don't.

i

[imaginex]

[Wesker had said he wasn't involved in anything illegal. Sakura takes him at his word. Call it the optimism of a girl who's never experienced hardship before coming the Recollé, but the fact that she's standing outside a coffee shop solidifies her goodwill. This will be fine, she reasons with herself, and opens the door.

And Wesker... is not a hard man to find, sitting or no. Never mind the imposing figure he cuts, but Sakura glances down at her usual skirt and cardigan combo, briefly worried that she's under-dressed for this sort of thing. It's too late to retreat, however, she she picks her way through the quiet and smiles tentatively in his direction before bowing (reflex) and then sliding into her seat.]

Hello sir. [A pause before the correction:] Wes... ker-san.

[Forgive the Japanese accent, there. That name is enough to cause her tongue to trip]

[manufactured]

[If he finds her underdressed, it isn't apparent in his features in the least; he simply looks over when addressed, and he gestures for her to sit right as she moves to do so and as such it seems that they're on the same page there, and everything is even and calm when he speaks - his gaze is a bit difficult to track given the sunglasses, but he seems easy enough.]

Miss Tohsaka, wasn't it? Again, the pleasure is mine.

i.

[odasaku]

[ for a while after their first conversation, odasaku had believed that this whole thing had been an elaborate joke that he had fallen for. he was mildly surprised when the text came in.

what he expected, sakutarou had no idea. albert had told him it would not be dangerous, and he was counting on it not being...well, illegal. god forbid he went to jail.

but, he arrives at the time specified, feeling a bit underdressed for the occasion with an old polo and some jeans. ah well. at least he's not the one wearing sunglasses indoors. ]

Hey. I'm Sakutarou.

[manufactured]

[...At least you are not the one wearing sunglasses indoors, no. Wesker just...legitimately enjoys looking like a damn tool or something, apparently.

That said, though, he'll gesture to the seat across from him, indicating that it should be taken; when he speaks he seems calm enough, his words even and composed, though his gaze is a bit hard to track given the dark lenses and all.]

Albert Wesker; we spoke earlier. It's a pleasure to meet you in person.

III

[burlyheart]

[Peter doesn't want to keep meeting people in suspicious looking alleyways. As the start of an encounter it almost always leads to something unpleasant. But he was driven into one, from the open street, because of a need to avoid the public. He does not want to be seen like this.

Peter thinks of what to do while holding the whole, twisted door of a police car away from his body. He can't just drop the car door either. That feels wrong.

Peter is a big man, but his posture is slumped, like he dreams of being able to slink away. The part of the city he's running in was not up to his choice. Peter dipped into the alley as soon as this happened to him, because this coffee shop is not the sort of business Peter would stop by usually. So he's unfamiliar with which directions people can come in through.]

[manufactured]

[...You know, there's something to be said for these sorts of places, that being that you can never quite be sure who you're going to run into; Wesker hasn't quite forgotten about Peter - it's a general rule that one doesn't forget those who help you fight monstrosities, and Sergei certainly counted as a monstrosity by the time all of that was over - but just the same, he wasn't exactly expecting to see him here, in this...sort of...area good sir where are you going and are you holding onto an entire car door-

He'll...follow, then, because what on earth.]

Should I just assume you don't particularly want company, or...?

[It's a little dry, but it's not cold, at least.]