Touring the City [Closed]

Hugo was getting a little too close for comfort to the topic of Havens again, and Tourmaline was getting... Antsy. She decided to push it a little further, test him a tiny bit to see if he was actually investigating, or just checking stuff out. "Isn't that a bit like a Haven, though? I mean, a gathering of Cantus users, or Cantus sympathizers?"

Tourmaline was trying to appear casual, though she might've been failing on account of the aforementioned social ineptitude. However, she felt like she was doing a good job of it. And, as luck would have it, the waiter brought their food just then, so Tourmaline had a bit to compose her face into what was hopefully conversational.

"No. No!" He laughed from the gut like a damn fool, and shook his head the whole time, "No, no, that's illegal. I don't want to get shot, okay. Not, like, practicing Cantus users or whatever. People that are sealed, people that are atoned, okay?" He sighed, and sipped from his water again. "Why's it always illegal, secret shit with you guys? Trade unions are legal associations, alright? If you can reach out to people with real power in the system and show them your numbers, you'll make change. Some kind of secret village isn't going to bring about change, only the wrath of the expiate."

Tourmaline was satisfied that he seemed less than interested in Havens. However, she was a little unhappy about his less-than-favourable attitude towards them. "Hey man, I'm just trying to gauge what kind of a person you are, you know? 'Sides, if you ask me..." She looked around fervently before saying, "I think the Expiate could use a little trouble."

There might be good eggs in the force, like Goibniu, but in Tourmaline's opinion, almost all of them were rotten, part of the system that oppressed her. Anything that hurt the Expiate was no skin off her back. Grabbing a small bite of the tacos in front of her, she said after swallowing, "Not that I'm going to cause it-- again, coward."

Thinking she should probably follow up his train of thought after saying a bunch of probably treasonous things, Tourmaline said, "So, you do Walpurgi advocacy, or what? I know Violet's done a ton of protests while she was travelling, but I'm curious about you."

"Oh nice, yeah, just give the paramilitary organization with eyes and ears everywhere an open, undisguised threat in public. That's clever." Hugo was a man of many tones, ranging from warm, friendly, clever, all the way down to patronizing and insulting. This time, he fell on the latter side of the spectrum, but to be fair, it was a good point. He switched right around, and smiled again. (after shaking his head like a disappointed dad)

"Me, my favorite subject." He stretched back lazily in his booth, and settled down like he owned the place. What a guy. "I told you. I think I told you. I definitely told you." He looked away, and looked something like he just stepped in something someones dog left behind for a second and he puzzled together his own train of thought. "Oh yeah..." He nodded, grinning like a doofus as he remembered. "I told you around the bottom of my fifth beer that I was kicked out of the academy about a month ago. You know, burning a professor with chemicals and all." He drew a more comfortable, composed face now as he changed the subject to its central thrust. "I'm not an advocate in the most normal sense of the word. I believe whatever I do, and thats distinct from what I do. I've said what I've said because I don't like to listen to lazy whiners, and you seemed like you needed a kick in the ass. All I care about doing is getting back in the academy, walpurgi freedom or no."

Tourmaline mouthed the words "Lazy whiners" before trying to stare Hugo's soul out with her eyes. Why do I have to get the moral lesson from the frickin' dropout?

However, her tone was perfectly cordial as she said, still glaring, "Oh, okay, so you like to be the preacher, not the actor. As they say, those who can't do, teach, am I right? I mean honestly I'd see it as hypocritical to yell at someone from your soapbox when, honestly, it seems like you've all the experience of a twelve year old."

Tourmaline wondered if she went too far, but still took immense satisfaction in the hope that she'd wipe the grin off his face.

His smile only widened, becoming a toothy beacon of confidence and snideness. "Honey, I was a week from graduation, and they had to kick me out. I spent 7 years topping the classes that actually mattered, and the whole time fighting a system which promoted the complacent, close-minded, and unambitious, while punishing anyone that spoke up. I spent more time in the civil detention hall than I did in my dorm. If there's a way to educate someone on how to be disobedient, then I've got my doctorates thesis is fearful conservatism and how to undermine it." His point made, crossed his legs, and shot her a glare that would scare the navy blues off a beat-cop.

Tourmaline, despite being infuriated, was beginning to enjoy herself. Back and forth banter wasn't something she'd engaged in in a while, and despite Hugo having given her a withering look, Tourmaline was having fun. "Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm sure you caused a few headaches for your little class president, but we're talking the real world here. And don't pat yourself too hard, there; I topped all of my classes as well-- and wouldn't you know it, I managed to stay in school, too!" She flashed him a grin, hopefully taking any bite in her words out. Or making it worse, Tourmaline wasn't sure and didn't care which.

Hugo almost let it get to him. Almost. Instead, he thought that it would do to give her a little taste of her own medicine. "Oh, Tourmaline!" He did his best to imitate her voice, with a bit more nasal, a bit more whine, and a lot more sass. "You don't know what it's like, the oppressive government bearing down on me! The teachers trying to control me! So you passed your classes? You didn't have to do it with a cold, earthly specter of the board of directors just breathing down your neck! I didn't even do anything! I was just poor, and confident, and beautiful, and I was automatically labeled as a troublemaker by those closeminded bigots!" To complete the effect, he pouted and batted his eyelids like a damsel in distress.

His point made, again, he drank another sip of his weird lime water.

Tourmaline was wildly offended, as her voice was something she despised about herself, right next to her self-pitying that she always regretted later. Still, though, it was pretty funny. Breaking character for a moment, she said, "Jeez, man. Go straight for the throat, why don't you?" Indeed, her pride was quite wounded.

Then, she assumed a deep voice, full of pompous arrogance, and gave her best imitation of Hugo's winning smile. "Oh but Hugo, surely if you have friends you can beat that mean ol' government! You see, I have such little life experience that I just assume that this place is a meritocracy. If you beliiieeeve in yourself, you can conquer all."

He chuckled, it was a pretty good affectation. "You know that's pretty good, but it lacks the devilish charm, you know, that thing that has me being terrifyingly charming and all. What I mean is, you've captured impotent preacher pretty well, but with none of the confident country slur that gives it potency." He took a sip from his drink, and noticed that the waiter had come with their food. He mulled over his thoughts as he ate, letting the conversation lapse into silence as the sounds of eating came over childish banter.

"Let's take it back into seriousness for a second." He chewed thoughtfully. "If you really believe the system is rigged, and you really believe that no amount of actual meaningful work can get things done, real change to happen and all, then how the hell do you get up in the morning?" he paused thoughtfully. "How do you direct yourself without something to fight for?"