2024-05-01: Completed Circuit
- Log: 2024-05-01- Completed Circuit
- Cast: Julia Ampere, Milly Ashford
- Where: Julia Ampere's Secret Lair
- OOC - IC Date: 0099-05-01
- Summary: Milly and Julia catch up after a long time of lying low apart. Milly's changed a fair bit in the interim, and asks a few things of Julia.
<Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
Julia's secret lair, a power plant abandoned during the One-Year War and never reclaimed, looks the same as it always does. This is by design, of course - close inspection will reveal that the plants growing in and around the hollowed-out Zakus outside are carefully cultivated to look wild without overgrowing everything, and the Zakus themselves have recently been maintained and received a fresh coat of paint which was then stressed to give them back that 'weathered by the rigors of time' look without actually deteriorating due to said rigors.
The inside is much the same - though it has been spruced up a bit, thanks to some of Julia's recent successes. Times, as it happens, have been very good for crimes... though, with there being so much news to keep on top of, it means that her recent exploits haven't received much widespread publicity.
For someone who enjoys being in the spotlight as much as Julia does, this may be the greatest punishment of all.
She has company today, though! And so, they've gathered in the lounge. The TV is on as Julia listens to a news report that drones on until its conclusion - at which point, she shuts it off with a sigh, leaning back into her seat.
"My... Nothing again this time, either. And I was quite proud of that one, too. I'd almost be offended, if I didn't understand the reason. There really is a lot happening out there, isn't there...?" Julia considers. An Electrocrawler enters the lounge, carefully carrying a tray of drinks. Julia takes one with a word of thanks, at which point the Electrocrawler approaches the other person in the room. Julia takes a sip of her drink... and then, looks to the other chair.
"What do you think about all this?" She asks her guest.
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
Milly's changed a little since the last time she enjoyed Julia's company. She's got her hair up in a sensible updo, for one; for another, her sense of style has shifted a bit -- crisper, tighter, more practical. ... she's also got cute little sunglasses worn up on her forehead.
"Things have really started moving again," Milly agrees, her lips pursing slightly as she stretches out a bit. "I guess it was too much to ask for things to stay as peaceful as they were after the end of the Bloody Valentine Conflict, but still..." Taking a few seconds to think that one over, Milly accepts a drink from an Electrocrawler.
For a few seconds, she's deep in thought as she's asked what she thinks of this. When she speaks, it's with a firm seriousness about all of it. "I think there's definitely going to be a lot more opportunities to change things in the near future," Milly points out. "I don't think we could have gotten away with much over the last couple of years... NUNE seemed like it had more force at its disposal than problems to use it on. That looks like it might be changing, though..." Looking up to Julia again, she asks, "What about you?"
<Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
Julia's noticed the changes, the shift in style. Much like her lair, Julia hasn't changed much, conversely.
"Indeed..." Julia agrees with a nod, swirling her drink consideringly. With its burden claimed the Electrocrawler readjusts its tray, leaving the lounge and shutting the door behind it. She takes another sip as Milly gets her thoughts together, and listens. That firm seriousness...
She's really grown, hasn't she?
"Hmm. I think you may be right. I'm sure they were spoiling for a fight... a solid win to cement their legitimacy and show the world what it can do." Julia considers. "They have a lot to prove, after all."
She chuckles, then.
"As for what I think... I feel as if business is going to start getting complicated. Not out of the limits of my capabilities, mind you, but I believe all of us in our... field, may need to navigate the future carefully." She considers.
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
"I'd agree with that," Milly affirms, at the idea of business getting complicated. "Things are definitely changing. They're really looking at the long term, too..." She considers whether what she's about to bring up is strange to talk about in this context, but decides it isn't. "The curriculum at Asticassia is honestly pretty dehumanizing."
This is coming from a Britannian, and accordingly has some implications.
She takes a long drink, trying to figure out how to frame what she's going to say next -- or whether to dig in a little further on that topic. There's a lot to discuss! "I don't think it's going to look quite like the Titans again, at least. But doing this kind of thing might take a little more care in picking our spots."
That brings her to a topic she'd wanted to bring up anyway. "Speaking of which -- I could use your help with something... there are some friends of mine who could use help keeping the lights on." There's a pause before she adds, "Literally."
Another long drink. "This is more of a long-term project than anything that needs attention right this second, of course."
<Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
"Asticassia, hm? ...Oh, yes - that's the school all those bigwigs are sending their children to, isn't it?" Julia considers. Indeed - hearing that from Milly paints an unpleasant picture.
Milly takes a long drink and Julia sits back, letting her work her way through her thoughts. Eventually, she circles the conversation back.
"Mm. That would be a sorry sight, wouldn't it? If they felt comfortable enough to perform that kind of business in the public eye again..." She replies, and nods. "Indeed. I must admit..."
Julia sighs, a bit dramatically.
"I do enjoy a good challenge, it makes it all worth it, but I will miss the easy wins." She concludes.
...But, Milly has a request for her. That piques Julia's interest and she sits up, listening intently.
Friends of hers need some help, hmm...?
"It's no problem at all, dear. Do tell, do tell. You have my ear." She replies. "Who are these friends of yours?"
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
"I'm a teaching assistant there right now," Milly explains. "I don't really like the culture, but it does paint a picture." Mixing that too obviously with the other side of her... professional aspirations might clue Julia in a little too much -- so she leaves that unsaid for now.
"It would," Milly agrees. It's a lot to think about, too -- how much her own attitudes have changed since then. ... Granted, she was a very young child when the Titans were at their peak; she could hardly be expected to be the same person as an adult, or to have figured things out when she was so much younger. Still...
... well, practicals. "A mix of former Black Knights, OCU deniable assets, displaced people from the Black Rebellion, and former partisans on both sides of the conflict in the Philippines," Milly answers. Her expression softens a little bit as she adds, "... and their children, too." This isn't, strictly speaking, a 'battle against NUNE' investment.
<Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
"Ah, congratulations." Julia says brightly. Some aspects of it may be unpleasant, but a job's still a job. It's a good position to keep an eye on things from, too. "You can always leave if it gets to be too much... but for now, best to benefit from it, hm?"
Milly agrees with her assessment and Julia nods. She listens, then, as Milly explains. Julia 'hm's to herself consideringly, leaning back once more.
"My... So in other words, a group of outcasts with few friends to their name except each other. That's quite the disparate assortment you've fallen into, dear." Julia considers. "I can see why they may need a little help. They have a lot to lose."
She sips at her drink again, looking into it as she considers the situation. She isn't unsympathetic, of course. It must be a difficult situation.
"I may be able to help with that, yes. ...But you understand I can't simply offer to power them out of the goodness of my heart." She replies. "We'll have to discuss terms."
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
'You can always leave if it gets to be too much.' Can she? If things are wound up with Grassley House's... secret project, to what extent can she drop the program if she finds it's a bad fit?
She doesn't dwell on it. There's practical things to discuss, anyway, as she takes another drink. "I already know better than to expect uncomplicated charity from you," she teases. Didn't they start working together in the first place because Julia finds ways to make charity achingly complicated? "No, you'll definitely be compensated for any help you provide. I can't offer the full terms myself right now, but now that I know you're willing, I can do a lot."
Weighing how much she should say, she thinks to add, "This is more of a... friend-of-a-friend situation. I'm not directly involved." Some of what that particular group gets up to is a little raw even for her tastes.
Then again, there's a reason Milly isn't the only (or even the most-used) go-between her new associate uses.
"... There's also a budget for mobile weapon fuel and parts, if you happen to come across anything. That part I can negotiate on myself," she adds, with a bit of a twinkle in her eye.
<Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
Julia laughs softly, at that. She certainly can't say she's wrong.
"My. You know me far too well." She replies, in good spirits - but she nods, as Milly gets right back to business. "Yes, that's fair. I certainly don't expect you to draft a contract here and now. We can get the hard details down at another time - and for now, I can make some preparations on my end. Long-term project, as you said."
Milly offers an addition - a friend-of-a-friend situation, hm? Julia nods in understanding. She could try to pry into that further if she wanted to - but it's Milly's business, really. She's fine with letting it remain such.
She's no stranger to such things, after all.
"Oh?" Julia remarks curiously, as Milly drops another interesting morsel. "My, my... Yes, I may be able to make some arrangements, there."
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
"Exactly," Milly agrees. And for now, she's content to let that drop; it's important to have a plan, but right now the plan is -- well -- to make plans.
Besides, there's something more important. "Broadly -- we can offer you the best price you'll get for E-CAPs, wanzer fuel, and energy fillers. Them being stolen is an asset, not a downside for us." Fuel, mobile weapons, and other outlays being traced back to the Prince would be a liability; by comparison, things coming from Julia has very little 'footprint.'
Gasp, energy thief involved in crime. Who could have known?
That part, at least, is simple -- so she finally gets away from brass tacks and gets to do what she was planning to do: have a nice night with a friend. "I'm sure you have something more exciting to talk about than the price of an energy filler," she says, with a smile on her face.
She glances off toward an Electrocrawler. ... they're kind of cute, in a bizarre way.
<Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
"That is intriguing." Julia considers, tapping her chin. "If crime isn't an issue, then certainly, I may be able to ensure that some get misplaced their way. I only personally need so much of them."
There's another soft laugh, then as Milly changes the topic.
"I could talk business all night, dear, but you're right. It'd be a shame if that's all we did." She agrees. She catches her glance toward the Electrocrawler - and it proves as good of a jumping-off point as any.
"I've been thinking of upgrading them, you know. Do you remember Spain?" Julia asks. That was a couple of years ago, by this point. Time sure flies... "They were difficult to mass-produce at the time, but these days, I think there's more merit to the 'Electroflier' idea."
Technology, too, flies... in more ways than one, apparently.
"How about you, dear? Besides your teaching job and making new friends-of-friends, have you been up to anything fun lately?" She asks.
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
"I do, though... you're right, it has been a long time," Milly admits. It doesn't feel like it -- but then, they do say time goes faster in your twenties than in your teens. "I think they'd benefit a lot from that. Even if the upgrade doesn't work out, you might learn something in the process." ... Plus, she can't say she can imagine a situation where being able to fly is a downside.
Getting prompted for what she's been doing, though, puts her on the spot. ... Has she become boring? She got out from under her arranged marriage, graduated from school -- or, well, high school, at least -- and...
Hmmm. Concerning. If she's become boring, she definitely needs to address it.
Wait, no, there is something. "I made some big improvements to my wardrobe over the last few weeks," she says, brightly. "I'd been looking for the right time to change things up for a while, and it finally showed up... not that I'm not buying new clothes pretty often, but this was a bigger kind of change than usual. I got tired of feeling like I was dressing like a high schooler."
<Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
Julia nods. ...She definitely feels a little old, seeing Milly surprised by the passage of time.
"I'm glad you agree!" Julia says, sounding pleased. "Development is an ongoing process, after all, and even mistakes are good learning opportunities."
It's a very important mindset for her line of work. Losing to the heroes and coming up with a new upgrade or gimmick to give them trouble next time... She knows what it's like.
Julia puts Milly on the spot, and listens intently.
"So I noticed!" She says. "That style looks wonderful on you Milly, dear. And the sunglasses are an excellent touch - stylish and practical!"
She nods in understanding, though, as Milly continues.
"I can understand that. Your outfit is like a message to the world - the first thing anyone says, telling them who you are. Therefore, it's important to ensure that you're sending the correct message." Julia replies. "I think you've made a good step in that direction."
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
Milly nods, agreeing, "That's exactly it. I wanted something a little more business-friendly." ... And flexible enough to give the right range of impressions for every aspect of Milly's business, too, though she thinks that part goes without saying.
Settling back in a bit after another drink, she adds, "You've always had a pretty good command of your aesthetic yourself." She almost decides to tease, but thinks better of it. It's not like she thinks Julia's secret... declasse... side is embarrassing. Indeed, she herself doesn't mind taking a more relaxed approach when she isn't in the spotlight.
So instead, she asks, "Do you mind if I spend the night? I don't really want to deal with the transit situation again if I can avoid it." She glances at the still-shut-off television, noting, "We could watch something a little less dry than the news, too."
<Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
"I think you succeeded remarkably." Julia replies with a nod, then chuckles fondly at Milly's observation on her own aesthetic. "I've had a lot of practice, you know. It takes time to develop and settle in - to get all the details just right. Finding something that speaks to you and the world... it's a trial, but one worth facing."
That, too, is another ongoing process.
She smiles, then, as Milly makes a request.
"Of course, dear, you're always welcome." She assures, and then laughs. "I certainly wouldn't mind that. I don't think I can stand one more word of it. Shall I arrange dinner?"
...It probably just means frozen pizzas again, but that's fine.