retribution.

[affiliated with citta-alveare]

[felleroftrees]

It wasn’t as if Gideon had offered his own hand in greeting either, despite being the one to answer the question first. Perhaps he just has no real intention of trying to make nice with Clive, at least in a genuine sense. He may admire him, yes, but most everyone is still in a position beneath his polished shoes.

"But of course, I don’t doubt that at all. There’s always one or two folk clever or stubborn enough t’thwart a plan of that magnitude, but I s’pose that’s somethin’ else we’ve also got in common.”

[undergroundfuture]

        “𝓨𝓸𝓾? You're joking.” It really is hard to believe that a boy that young could have done something terrible enough to be imprisoned for it. "How old are you?"

[gooseology]

"If that were the case I would’ve noticed, and noting that we can still see colors and had no prior visuals to this place, at least to my knowledge, I doubt that is this a dream or mass hallucination either. Other than that, I still know too little to make any further deductions."

"How long have you been here?"

[undergroundfuture]

       “𝓟𝓮𝓻𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓼 this is your opportunity to ask around, Professor. I've only been here for a day or so, so there isn't too much I can tell you about this place, myself. But if the rumors ring true, some of the citizens of this place have been here for more than a year.” You don't dream in color, Professor? How strange.

[felleroftrees]

"Ah, I seem t’have struck a nerve. My apologies." But is it really an apology? He’s still smiling, after all. This talk of societal conquest has got him giddy and it’d be pretty hard to get himself to contain his enthusiasm! Nonetheless, he’s smart enough to realize that it’s about time they change the conversation topic. No real use in letting the stranger in on Gideon’s true intentions.

"Please, call me Gideon! It’s a pleasure t’make your acquaintance, Mr…?”

[undergroundfuture]

        “𝓒𝓪𝓵𝓵 me Clive," he says, though doesn't bother to extend a hand for a proper greeting. "A pleasure to meet you, as well."

        It's still hard to believe how awestruck this child is by his plans, almost as though he admired them. 

        “...𝓓𝓸𝓷'𝓽 be under the impression that those plans went without its proper and deserved punishment, by the way. I was stopped and sentenced to a life in prison for the act. In retrospect, it all hardly seems worth the effort."

[gooseology]

"I could ask the very same question, Clive, but I doubt either of us has a complete or satisfactory answer. In any case it is a small relief to see a familiar face so quickly after arriving here, if not a little odd."

[undergroundfuture]

      “𝓜𝓶. I suppose. For a while I was suspicious that this was some sort of involuntary extension of my imprisonment, but now that you're here... I'm more willing to believe this is all a terrible dream.” 

[undergroundfuture]

felleroftrees:

   "An entire city, you say? Why——- you must’ve been hard at work tryin’ to get this plan off the ground and runnin’! And couple that with a mechanical giant and underground fabrication? Sir, I truly commend your efforts!”

   Aaand there goes his child-like innocence. Usually he’s good at keeping it up longer than just a minute or two, but then again, he’s never met anyone that’s been as on par with him in the evil plan territory as this stranger. Gideon’s just so eager to talk business, completely unaware that that would probably be the last thing Clive wants to get into again.

   "Of course, I myself wouldn’t have deigned t’try and level such an influential city. I’d’ve made use of its power. Control its inhabitants, instead. That’s truly the ideal scenario, don’t you think?”

        “𝓐𝓫𝓼𝓸𝓵𝓾𝓽𝓮𝓵𝔂 not. If I were to be out for power and conquest, what different would that make me from the politicians that use civilian lives as steps to make their way to the top, crushing anyone under foot without even the slightest hint of remorse?” It's obvious that Gideon's hit a pretty bitter nerve there. Perhaps this conversation was going a bit too far. 

        “𝓝𝓸𝔀... what did you say your name was?" 

[undergroundfuture]

perplexingpuzzler

"𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓯𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓸𝓻 Layton... Why are you here? Of all places..."

[felleroftrees]

   ”Oh, no reason at all! It just seems so interestin’ and all, I simply couldn’t help my curiosity! Let’s just say it’s for a personal reason of mine. No harm in the quest for knowledge, you know?” He tries to play off his need for the information as best as he can, not expecting the other to outright question his motives so quickly. Gideon shouldn’t have underestimated him at all, of course. 

[undergroundfuture]

        “𝓔𝓼𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂..." He begins with a sigh, obviously not terribly comfortable admitting his crimes to a complete stranger. (Especially not one who, despite his age and charisma, struck him as somewhat untrustworthy.) 

       "𝓣𝓱𝓮 plan was to build a machine that would be capable of leveling the entirety of London; an impossible feat to accomplish myself, you could imagine. So by creating the facade of a future London below the city itself, I was able to convince some of the greatest scientific minds in the country that they had traveled to the future, and that their only hope to return was to build my machine, under the guise that it was a time machine. The rest of the city were no more than paid actors, used to 'dress the set,' if you will." ...Wonder if the boy was expecting something as elaborate as that?

[felleroftrees]

   ”My my… Y’mean t’tell me you’ve kidnapped people before? Of course, there’s no other way t’say you’ve done somethin’ similar t’this without havin’ t’kidnap one or two folk in the process. Y’all wouldn’t mind tellin’ me how you’ve gone about doin' that, would you?”

[undergroundfuture]

        “𝓐𝓷𝓭 just what would a child like you want with information like that?” Not to mention that this was a bit of a sore subject for the young man at the moment. He certainly wasn't about to explain every revenge-driven facet to his grandiose scheme he'd carried out over the past few years.

[felleroftrees]

   "There’s not much else these people can do, really! Nonetheless, the simple-minded folk here have become content like’a pack of rats in this social experiment. I hear it’s apparently so good, some peoople don’t even want t’leave. “ 

[undergroundfuture]

        "𝓗𝓸𝔀 interesting... Though... I can't say I'm terribly surprised. It's astonishing how the right incentives can turn human beings into practical herds of sheep in that way. I was involved in something similar to this 'experiment' not so long ago, and... well. The results were very similar in that way."

[undergroundfuture]

{ I'll be home all day tomorrow doing more or less nothing since I'm getting my wisdom teeth taken out, but! If I feel comprehensible enough to write stuff I probably will, soooo. Like this for a starter? capping at 3. }

[citta-alveare-deactivated201811]

Applying as Clive Dove from Professor Layton without prior reserve. The form is under /app.

Welcome to the Hive, you’ll  be living in DISTRICT BETA. 

You’ll be given a large sum of cash— as much as one can possibly fit in a suitcase of 55 x 40 x 20 cm!

Enjoy your stay!

- mod oo5. 

[undergroundfuture]

        "𝓘𝓯 these scientists have so much money that they'd willingly give away piles of it just like that... well. I certainly can't say they're doing their jobs wrong. If any of you watching can hear me, congratulations on kidnapping and exploiting enough people to populate this poor excuse for a city."