video; un: mccree

[flashbanging]

[ The video shows a table in some corner of Oska's kitchen. There's a man at this table, long legs propped up on top of it, reclining against his chair. He's wearing boots with spurs, leather chaps, and a red serape that hangs off of his left shoulder. Body armor covers his chest; the panels inlaid on either side glow faintly blue. He's holding a revolver of significant size with one gloved hand, and with the other, he's carefully polishing oil off of that revolver's barrel. That other hand is bionic, and also covered in faintly glowing panels. The prosthetic runs up the visible length of his arm and disappears into the shroud of the serape.

He grins into the feed from beneath the wide brim of his hat. In his late thirties and handsomely rugged, he's swarthy, with thick, brown hair and dark eyes. His voice is a deep, southern drawl--affable, but with a suggestion of something sharper just beneath. A cigarillo, lit and gently smoking, dangles from the corner of his mouth. ]

Well, now. I'm findin' this place right peaceful. I got to say it's nice to walk around without worryin' over a bounty on my head, so I ain't too sore at these ALASTAIR fellas for pluckin' me out my own place like a ripe peach.

[ He jerks one metal thumb at the table. A few gleaming revolver shells are scattered across the wooden surface, nicely framing a half-finished tumbler of bourbon. ]

Bourbon ain't too bad, neither.

[ He sits up and leans forward, setting the gun down next to the glass; as he does so, there's a glimpse of his belt--strung with more revolver bullets and cinched with a gold buckle. The letters 'B A M F' are clearly engraved on this buckle. ]

'Sides, it's a job like any other. I done escorts before. Granted, they usually been human. Sometimes omnic. Never whatever the hell these things are tryin' to be. But if it's got to get done, it's gonna get done, right? Right.

[ He puffs on the cigarillo, exhaling a long plume of white smoke. ]

Oh, yeah. I had a look see at this here device, flicked through the archive a bit. Noticed some talk about learnin' this or that. I ain't handy with a sword, but if you need a man to show you how to shoot, I'm your huckleberry. I know my way around a fist-fight, too, if it comes to that. Ask and ye shall receive.

[ His smile widens, warms. This is still a hell of an unfamiliar situation, but he's damned and determined to make the best of it. ]

Name's McCree, by the way. Pleased t'meet you.

[ He tips his hat, and that's all, folks. ]

Comments

[whatshimadayou]

A six-shooter is an odd choice in comparison to the other firearms that exist.
It is clumsy.

Yes.
It has no personal meaning to me.

[flashbanging]

It's served me well enough.

[ He shakes his head, as though disappointed. ]

Different strokes, I reckon. That ain't how I operate.

[ And furthermore ... ]

I'm a bit put out, too, talkin' to your text like this. 'S awkward.

[whatshimadayou]

As I said. I respect it.
How you
feel about your weapon.


Why?

[flashbanging]

Yeah, y'did say that. Type that. Thanks.

[ He rubs the back of his neck; shrugs. ]

I like to look at a man's face when I'm talkin' to him.

[ Your face. ]

[whatshimadayou]

Then ask to see it if it is that important to you.

[flashbanging]

[ Christ. Really? He groans. ]

Lemme see your face.

[ A beat. ]

Please?

[ Even he feels a bit silly with this. ]

video;

[whatshimadayou]

[For a moment, he strongly considered denying McCree. Perhaps to frustrate him. But there would be no point to that, and it would be petty of Hanzo to play like that.

So, he allows the video capture.]

It is easier to respect a person if they say what they want rather than implicate.

This is better for you?

[flashbanging]

[ He drawls thick, maybe leering a little. ]

I'll try to be as direct as possible with you in future, darlin'.

[ He is so desperate to be seen as respectable, after all. ]

Yes.

[whatshimadayou]

[wow rude]

Hm.
Do not call me that. You know my name.

[flashbanging]

[ Never. ]

'S all the same to me.

[ Which means: he's gonna keep calling you that. And whatever else. ]

I wanted t'ask you how you were getting along, though.

[whatshimadayou]

I am fine. I was recruited for work, and I will uphold my share until I am no longer needed.

[flashbanging]

That's all well and good, but how're you gettin' along with the people here? Ya make any friends? Besides me, of course.

[whatshimadayou]

We are not friends, and no.

There are people here who are overly friendly. That is dangerous for them. But there are sufficient enough individuals that I can work with.

[flashbanging]

Sure we are. We had those nice drinks together.

[ So damn difficult. He sighs. ]

Lord almighty. You got all the good graces of a porcupine, y'know that? We gotta work with each other, and with all them. It ain't wrong to know your team, and to trust'em.

[whatshimadayou]

A friend is someone that you trust. You would say that you do with me? You know little of me. We had drinks. It was amusing. That is it.

You are all welcome to socialize with each other as you would like. I will do my part, and expect that others will do the same, and inform them when they are not. I am a comrade in arms, not more.

[flashbanging]

I got to, don't I? We're about to go who knows where and face off against who knows what. Trust is hardly a choice here, partner.

[whatshimadayou]

It is always a choice.

Just make the right one.

[flashbanging]

Reckon I did already.

[whatshimadayou]

[He sighs and just looks tired rather than angry.] Then you're an idiot.

Exercise more caution with who you put your trust into, McCree. That is my suggestion.

[flashbanging]

[ It's true enough that there's a lot he doesn't know about Hanzo. He knows even less about the rest of the other people here. But it's also true that they're meant to work together, to be a team. Teams don't run on needless suspicion. So, does he really trust Hanzo, or anyone else he's spoken to? Yes, inasmuch as he feels he has to. Inasmuch as he feels they won't turn and try to kill him for no reason.

Besides, even if they do, that's fine. He carries a gun. ]

Maybe so. Only the fullness of time is gonna tell it for sure.

[whatshimadayou]

Feh. I already know, with what you have had to tell me.

[flashbanging]

Yeah, yeah, I hear you. You've made your feelings on me real clear.

[ He makes a dismissive, 'that'll do' hand gesture. He reaches to click off the jewelry. ]

See you 'round, Hanzo.

[whatshimadayou]

You are mistaken.

Fine.

[flashbanging]

[ Hovering ... ]

Whaddaya mean?

[whatshimadayou]

You think of me as a friend for some ridiculous reasoning. I have not stated what I have considered of you. That is all.