((OOC: practice RP, Dhali and Griffin))
((You may smite me for four OOC posts in a row, but as Hat requested, here's last night's practice:))
The Emperor of Laputa goes walking through the Nautilus alone and eventually finds himself near the brig. He has heard curious things about this place. Therefore he peers through the window into the so-called Invisible Man's cell.
Griffin, rather bored due to having been confined in a dusty old brig for the last few days or so, is drawing odd pictures in the thin veil of dust on the floor. One can probably make out a stick person or two, although it's hard to tell since it's so dark inside.
Dhali watches the drawing with fascination. Eventually, he coughs to let the invisible person know he is there.
Griffin looks up to see who's interrupted him now and is thoroughly relieved to see that it isn't another invisible man for once. Or at least, that's what it seems like. "Aheh, it's not polite to stare at someone when they're naked, you know," he says, getting up. "Any particular reason why you're here?"
"None." Dhali confesses. "But now that I am, I would like to talk with you."
"Hmm. Not in the mood for conversation myself, to be honest, but it's better than sitting here doing nothing." Griffin takes a moment to stretch his cramped arms. "Well, what do you want to discuss, then?"
Dhali smiles evenly in the voice's direction. "I would like to teach you, Mr. Griffin."
"Teach me, eh? Aheh, what could you possibly teach me?" I don't even know who you are, come to think of it.
"May I come in first?" Dhali has read the dossiers. He knows damned well he is dealing with a sociopath. Surprisingly, he feels he is in good company. He then holds out a key. Broad Arrow Jack is currently unconscious. He won't miss it, after all.
"Oh, of course." Griffin steps back from the door. "Er, you've got a key, right? I'm afraid the crew here thinks it necessary to keep me locked up."
Dhali nods and lets himself in. He closes the door behind him and bows politely to Griffin. "I have not introduced myself. Forgive me. I am Emperor Dhali Singh I of the Free Republic of Laputa. I believe I stand in the presence of another emperor."
"Right you are," Griffin says, feeling rather pleased with himself as usual. "Although I must admit that wherever you're from sound like quite the mouthful. I believe I lost you at 'I am'."
"I apologize," Dhali tries again. "I am the leader of an air-born island nation of scientists, explorers and men of learning."
"Aheheh. Sounds like the stuff of fiction, but you've got my interest in the meantime." Griffin tries to stalk off towards to the door to see if it's still locked. If not, he could always strangle this stranger and sneak off.
"I'm curious as to how an island can be airborne though. Seems awfully silly to me."
Dhali knows Griffin is dangerous, however. That's why he currently has three knives at the ready in one of his long sleeves. He also leans back against the door in the meantime.
"It is anything but silly," Dhali says gravely. "And as for answering your question, the reason for our airborn status is quite complex, too complex for me to explain briefly. And if you come any closer, sir, I shall rip you to shreads."
Almighty Hat has entered the room.
"That'd be rather difficult, seeing as you can't see me," Griffin says, not noticing the trail of very faint footprints he is leaving behind in the dust.
Unfortunately for him, Dhali does. And to show Griffin he means business, he spins a slender, deadly knife straight for the invisible man's shoulder.
And fortunately for Griffin, he manages to dodge the knife, although just narrowly. At least, he thinks to himself, he didn't aim any lower than he did. "H-how'd you know I was there?" he blurts out.
Dhali smiles secretively. "You imagine, I think, that you are the only invisible man I have ever met. Or that I cannot see such people." He takes a step towards Griffin. "And now you're thinking, 'who is this man, and what does he want with me?" Dhali takes another menacing step. "I'll tell you, your highness. I'll tell you. I want the same thing any man wants; order."
If he wasn't invisible, Griffin would've been what people call "visibly shaken". "Aheh, and what would 'order' have anything to do with me?" He is tempted to ask about these other invisible men as well, but decides that he probably wouldn't like to know the answer to that anyway.
Even if he asked, Dhali would not tell him. "I said I was here to teach you something, Mr. Griffin." Another step. "I am a man of my word." Another step. "And it is my judgement that you need to learn respect for order."
With each step Dahli takes, Griffin takes another one back. "Yes, you've told me that several times already. Exactly how do you intend to teach me though?" He hates to admit it, but even as an invisible man, he's rather useless in such a confined space like the brig.
Dhali calculates something quickly, and then he lunges foreward and makes a grab for Griffin's shoulders.
Unfortunately for Griffin, being in a state of confusion and shock and all that good stuff, he doesn't manage to react quickly enough and finds himself moment later with his shoulders being firmly grapsed by Dhali. "This...isn't the sort of teaching I'm used to," he says. "W-what are you going to do?"
Grunting slightly, Dhali shoves Griffin back against the wall and then jabs his knee upwards, hoping to hit griffin directly in the stomach.
For Griffin, this is turning out to be considerably more frustrating than his pleasant meeting with Skinner, and this Dhali fellow wasn't even invisible. Although he does seem to like playing dirty. Then again, so does Griffin.
Dhali smiles evenly at Griffin as his knee connects with the invisible man's stomach. "You have much to learn, Mr. Griffin," he slams Griffin back into the wall again. "Particularly about manners. And service."
Griffin is thoroughly winded when Dhali's blow manages to hit its mark surprisingly successfully. He doesn't hear whatever what the other says and replies with a desperate and pitiful plea of "Please stop hitting me."
Dhali refrains from doing so again, but he does keep Griffin pinned to the wall. "This is your first lesson, Mr. Griffin. All people are created equal, but some are more powerful than others. And those who are more powerful must be served if we are to have order. Do you understand?"
"Perfectly well," Griffin replies, if only so that the other would stop smacking him about. It was a lesson he already knew, of course. Hadn't he tried to have the villagers at Port Burdock serve him two years back?
"I respect you as an emperor, but I'm afraid I respect you too much to leave you be." Dhali pulls a knife out and slides it gently along Griffin's throat, not hard enough to draw blood or even to cause pain. Just enough to warn him. "I will tell you this once, and as politely as I am able. You will serve me, and I will teach you, and we will both be the better for it. Am I understood?"
This was definitely one of those moments where Griffin feels human for a change, and he doesn't like it at all. On the other hand, Dhali did seem to be more...competant...then the League. Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea after all to side with him instead. For the duration at least.
"Understood, so long as you remove that knife from my throat," he says.
Dhali does as he asks. But at the last second, he flicks the knife towards Griffin's face, attempting to lightly slash his left cheek.
Whatever degree of relief Griffin felt a second ago instantly disappears. He gives a gasp of pain before instinctively running a finger down his cheek. Of course, there isn't any visible blood (yet), but he can feel a sort of wetness. "What the hell did you do that for?"
"To remind you whom you serve," Dhali then takes his sleeve and lightly touches at the wound, soaking some of the blood into it. "Your first lesson, Mr. Griffin, will be to trust me. Absolutely. In all things."
"So long as you can get me out of here," Griffin says, "I will." He turns his attention back to the finger he touched his cheek with and watches with some sort of bored amusement as the wetness gradually turns into a bright shade of red.
Dhali watches his sleeve redden with fascination. And then he slides his knuckles gently over Griffin's face. "I will come for you shortly. Be ready to leave at a moment's notice." And then he releases Griffin and heads for the door. "Oh yes. And if you attempt to sneak up on me as I leave, I will bury sixteen knives in your body and leave you for dead."
"I wouldn't be very useful if you did that, now would I?" Griffin mutters to himself, although he stays put all the same.
Dhali smiles as he hears that. Yes, he likes this invisible man. "Good day, Mr. Griffin." And then he is gone, and the door is locked again.
Great, the Invisible Man was locked up again. Was this the fifth time now? Well, all the same, Griffin can't help but feel he's putting his special powers to shame. He's sure Dhali was just there for a bit of sadistic fun like everyone else. He resumes drawing stickmen in the dust, although he now adds a crudely drawn one of Dhali which he proceeds to smear with his foot.
Something silver glistens on the ground. Dhali's key.
Griffin pauses his gleeful defacing of stickmen and looks in the direction of the glimmer of silver that caught his eye. A key. Very convenient. Griffin strides his way over, picks it up and fits it into the keyhole. The lock makes a very satisfying click sound and he eases the door open. Finally free and in an environment that played to an invisible man's advantage, he carefully and quitely slips out of the brig and into the corridor.
Dhali follows the red slash silently, knives at the ready. What will the invisible servant do?
Perhaps this isn't such a brilliant idea after all, Griffin thinks to himself. After all, he has no idea as to the layout of the Nautilus, and from a quick glance down the corridor, it must be complex. Then again, he has all the time he needs to explore and figure it out.
And the Laputan emperor has all the time he needs to observe Griffin in action. Lesson two will begin now.
Since this area of the ship seems empty for the most part, Griffin walks through the halls more casually than usual. There's not much for him to see, although he does pause occassionally to peek out through the portholes or to brush off the dust from the soles of his feet, which would give his presence away.
A good thing Dhali only managed to smear the blood on Griffin's cheek. Otherwise, it would be impossible to follow the invisible man. Dhali pads along after Griffin in silence, stepping exactly as Griffin does, stopping when he stops, moving when he moves.
A corridor devoid of people is, of course, an eerily quiet one, and Griffin, paranoid as ever, can't help but feel that there might be someone following him. He pauses to listen to any footsteps, but hearing none, he continues on his way.
Dhali smiles to himself. Fascinating man, this Mr. Griffin. Will he attempt to kill the first person he meets? Dhali sincerely hopes so.
The next moment is a rather interesting moment, in context. A lone crew member - perhaps a mechanic - wanders into the seemingly empty corridor. To the uninitiated, it then looks as if the man begins to choke himself (a very curious thing indeed) before falling down dead. Then the man's clothes appear to remove themselves.
Dhali waits for Griffin to dress himself. When Griffin is finished, he steps forward, knives out.
"Did I tell you to kill?"
Griffin looks up in surprise. Not him again. "Aheh. No, of course not. But you know, it is rather cold here. Just a matter of survival, which I'm sure even you'd understand."
Unfortunately for Griffin, Dhali often does not approve of the things he understands.
"Come here."
"If you're just going to poke me in my more sensitive regions, then I'd prefer not to," he replies, starting to disrobe as quickly as possible. This really isn't his day.
Before he can do so, however, Dhali has him by the shoulders again. "When I give you an order," he says coldly. "You do not protest. You say "Yes, Majesty" and execute the order immediately."
The only emperor Griffin answers to is, well, himself. But seeing that he's at a bit of a disadvantage at the moment, he unwillingly complies with Dhali's order with a rather terse, "Yes, Majesty."
"Did I tell you to leave your cell?"
"Absolutely not, Majesty."
"Then why did you?" Dhali asks coldly, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Well, for starters, did it look as if there was anywhere decent for me to go to the toilet in that room?" He's really pushing it and he knows it.
Dhali actually laughs at this, though. And then he hurls Griffin to the floor. "Back to your cell this instant, Griffin."
"Aheheh. Guess you're going to make me do it crawling on my hands and knees too?" Griffin adds as he starts to stride back to the brig.
What an excellent idea. Nonetheless, there is no need to make the man hate him more than he already does. Dhali ignores the dead engineer behind him and marches after Griffin in silence.
At least this time, Griffin knows there's someone following him. Not that he likes it anymore than being followed without knowing it, of course. When he's back at the entrance of the brig, he steps in as quickly as he can, dislodges the key and kicks it to a far corner.
"Pick it up," Dhali orders imperiously. "Now, you are just making me cross, Griffin."
Scowling and mentally thinking of obscenities he'd like to say to Dhali, Griffin walks over to the corner and picks up the key, tossing it back and forth from one hand to the other.
Dhali holds out his hand for the key. "Would you like me to give you a thorough beating this time?"
"In all fairness, you only told me to pick it up. Giving it to you would've been disobedient on my part, correct?" All the same, Griffin dropped the key into Dhali's hand.
Dhali's hand closes over the key. "I must say your obedience has improved drastically...if not your attitude. Good day, sir." And with that, he locks Griffin into the brig again.
Well, at least that's done and over with, Griffin thinks to himself as he watches the brig's door close on him for the umteenth time. If only he could come up with a good plan to dispose of the other right when he walks through the door next time, if ever. No, there wasn't any need for so much planning, and Griffin resumes his nonsensical drawing in the dust.
The Emperor of Laputa goes walking through the Nautilus alone and eventually finds himself near the brig. He has heard curious things about this place. Therefore he peers through the window into the so-called Invisible Man's cell.
Griffin, rather bored due to having been confined in a dusty old brig for the last few days or so, is drawing odd pictures in the thin veil of dust on the floor. One can probably make out a stick person or two, although it's hard to tell since it's so dark inside.
Dhali watches the drawing with fascination. Eventually, he coughs to let the invisible person know he is there.
Griffin looks up to see who's interrupted him now and is thoroughly relieved to see that it isn't another invisible man for once. Or at least, that's what it seems like. "Aheh, it's not polite to stare at someone when they're naked, you know," he says, getting up. "Any particular reason why you're here?"
"None." Dhali confesses. "But now that I am, I would like to talk with you."
"Hmm. Not in the mood for conversation myself, to be honest, but it's better than sitting here doing nothing." Griffin takes a moment to stretch his cramped arms. "Well, what do you want to discuss, then?"
Dhali smiles evenly in the voice's direction. "I would like to teach you, Mr. Griffin."
"Teach me, eh? Aheh, what could you possibly teach me?" I don't even know who you are, come to think of it.
"May I come in first?" Dhali has read the dossiers. He knows damned well he is dealing with a sociopath. Surprisingly, he feels he is in good company. He then holds out a key. Broad Arrow Jack is currently unconscious. He won't miss it, after all.
"Oh, of course." Griffin steps back from the door. "Er, you've got a key, right? I'm afraid the crew here thinks it necessary to keep me locked up."
Dhali nods and lets himself in. He closes the door behind him and bows politely to Griffin. "I have not introduced myself. Forgive me. I am Emperor Dhali Singh I of the Free Republic of Laputa. I believe I stand in the presence of another emperor."
"Right you are," Griffin says, feeling rather pleased with himself as usual. "Although I must admit that wherever you're from sound like quite the mouthful. I believe I lost you at 'I am'."
"I apologize," Dhali tries again. "I am the leader of an air-born island nation of scientists, explorers and men of learning."
"Aheheh. Sounds like the stuff of fiction, but you've got my interest in the meantime." Griffin tries to stalk off towards to the door to see if it's still locked. If not, he could always strangle this stranger and sneak off.
"I'm curious as to how an island can be airborne though. Seems awfully silly to me."
Dhali knows Griffin is dangerous, however. That's why he currently has three knives at the ready in one of his long sleeves. He also leans back against the door in the meantime.
"It is anything but silly," Dhali says gravely. "And as for answering your question, the reason for our airborn status is quite complex, too complex for me to explain briefly. And if you come any closer, sir, I shall rip you to shreads."
Almighty Hat has entered the room.
"That'd be rather difficult, seeing as you can't see me," Griffin says, not noticing the trail of very faint footprints he is leaving behind in the dust.
Unfortunately for him, Dhali does. And to show Griffin he means business, he spins a slender, deadly knife straight for the invisible man's shoulder.
And fortunately for Griffin, he manages to dodge the knife, although just narrowly. At least, he thinks to himself, he didn't aim any lower than he did. "H-how'd you know I was there?" he blurts out.
Dhali smiles secretively. "You imagine, I think, that you are the only invisible man I have ever met. Or that I cannot see such people." He takes a step towards Griffin. "And now you're thinking, 'who is this man, and what does he want with me?" Dhali takes another menacing step. "I'll tell you, your highness. I'll tell you. I want the same thing any man wants; order."
If he wasn't invisible, Griffin would've been what people call "visibly shaken". "Aheh, and what would 'order' have anything to do with me?" He is tempted to ask about these other invisible men as well, but decides that he probably wouldn't like to know the answer to that anyway.
Even if he asked, Dhali would not tell him. "I said I was here to teach you something, Mr. Griffin." Another step. "I am a man of my word." Another step. "And it is my judgement that you need to learn respect for order."
With each step Dahli takes, Griffin takes another one back. "Yes, you've told me that several times already. Exactly how do you intend to teach me though?" He hates to admit it, but even as an invisible man, he's rather useless in such a confined space like the brig.
Dhali calculates something quickly, and then he lunges foreward and makes a grab for Griffin's shoulders.
Unfortunately for Griffin, being in a state of confusion and shock and all that good stuff, he doesn't manage to react quickly enough and finds himself moment later with his shoulders being firmly grapsed by Dhali. "This...isn't the sort of teaching I'm used to," he says. "W-what are you going to do?"
Grunting slightly, Dhali shoves Griffin back against the wall and then jabs his knee upwards, hoping to hit griffin directly in the stomach.
For Griffin, this is turning out to be considerably more frustrating than his pleasant meeting with Skinner, and this Dhali fellow wasn't even invisible. Although he does seem to like playing dirty. Then again, so does Griffin.
Dhali smiles evenly at Griffin as his knee connects with the invisible man's stomach. "You have much to learn, Mr. Griffin," he slams Griffin back into the wall again. "Particularly about manners. And service."
Griffin is thoroughly winded when Dhali's blow manages to hit its mark surprisingly successfully. He doesn't hear whatever what the other says and replies with a desperate and pitiful plea of "Please stop hitting me."
Dhali refrains from doing so again, but he does keep Griffin pinned to the wall. "This is your first lesson, Mr. Griffin. All people are created equal, but some are more powerful than others. And those who are more powerful must be served if we are to have order. Do you understand?"
"Perfectly well," Griffin replies, if only so that the other would stop smacking him about. It was a lesson he already knew, of course. Hadn't he tried to have the villagers at Port Burdock serve him two years back?
"I respect you as an emperor, but I'm afraid I respect you too much to leave you be." Dhali pulls a knife out and slides it gently along Griffin's throat, not hard enough to draw blood or even to cause pain. Just enough to warn him. "I will tell you this once, and as politely as I am able. You will serve me, and I will teach you, and we will both be the better for it. Am I understood?"
This was definitely one of those moments where Griffin feels human for a change, and he doesn't like it at all. On the other hand, Dhali did seem to be more...competant...then the League. Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea after all to side with him instead. For the duration at least.
"Understood, so long as you remove that knife from my throat," he says.
Dhali does as he asks. But at the last second, he flicks the knife towards Griffin's face, attempting to lightly slash his left cheek.
Whatever degree of relief Griffin felt a second ago instantly disappears. He gives a gasp of pain before instinctively running a finger down his cheek. Of course, there isn't any visible blood (yet), but he can feel a sort of wetness. "What the hell did you do that for?"
"To remind you whom you serve," Dhali then takes his sleeve and lightly touches at the wound, soaking some of the blood into it. "Your first lesson, Mr. Griffin, will be to trust me. Absolutely. In all things."
"So long as you can get me out of here," Griffin says, "I will." He turns his attention back to the finger he touched his cheek with and watches with some sort of bored amusement as the wetness gradually turns into a bright shade of red.
Dhali watches his sleeve redden with fascination. And then he slides his knuckles gently over Griffin's face. "I will come for you shortly. Be ready to leave at a moment's notice." And then he releases Griffin and heads for the door. "Oh yes. And if you attempt to sneak up on me as I leave, I will bury sixteen knives in your body and leave you for dead."
"I wouldn't be very useful if you did that, now would I?" Griffin mutters to himself, although he stays put all the same.
Dhali smiles as he hears that. Yes, he likes this invisible man. "Good day, Mr. Griffin." And then he is gone, and the door is locked again.
Great, the Invisible Man was locked up again. Was this the fifth time now? Well, all the same, Griffin can't help but feel he's putting his special powers to shame. He's sure Dhali was just there for a bit of sadistic fun like everyone else. He resumes drawing stickmen in the dust, although he now adds a crudely drawn one of Dhali which he proceeds to smear with his foot.
Something silver glistens on the ground. Dhali's key.
Griffin pauses his gleeful defacing of stickmen and looks in the direction of the glimmer of silver that caught his eye. A key. Very convenient. Griffin strides his way over, picks it up and fits it into the keyhole. The lock makes a very satisfying click sound and he eases the door open. Finally free and in an environment that played to an invisible man's advantage, he carefully and quitely slips out of the brig and into the corridor.
Dhali follows the red slash silently, knives at the ready. What will the invisible servant do?
Perhaps this isn't such a brilliant idea after all, Griffin thinks to himself. After all, he has no idea as to the layout of the Nautilus, and from a quick glance down the corridor, it must be complex. Then again, he has all the time he needs to explore and figure it out.
And the Laputan emperor has all the time he needs to observe Griffin in action. Lesson two will begin now.
Since this area of the ship seems empty for the most part, Griffin walks through the halls more casually than usual. There's not much for him to see, although he does pause occassionally to peek out through the portholes or to brush off the dust from the soles of his feet, which would give his presence away.
A good thing Dhali only managed to smear the blood on Griffin's cheek. Otherwise, it would be impossible to follow the invisible man. Dhali pads along after Griffin in silence, stepping exactly as Griffin does, stopping when he stops, moving when he moves.
A corridor devoid of people is, of course, an eerily quiet one, and Griffin, paranoid as ever, can't help but feel that there might be someone following him. He pauses to listen to any footsteps, but hearing none, he continues on his way.
Dhali smiles to himself. Fascinating man, this Mr. Griffin. Will he attempt to kill the first person he meets? Dhali sincerely hopes so.
The next moment is a rather interesting moment, in context. A lone crew member - perhaps a mechanic - wanders into the seemingly empty corridor. To the uninitiated, it then looks as if the man begins to choke himself (a very curious thing indeed) before falling down dead. Then the man's clothes appear to remove themselves.
Dhali waits for Griffin to dress himself. When Griffin is finished, he steps forward, knives out.
"Did I tell you to kill?"
Griffin looks up in surprise. Not him again. "Aheh. No, of course not. But you know, it is rather cold here. Just a matter of survival, which I'm sure even you'd understand."
Unfortunately for Griffin, Dhali often does not approve of the things he understands.
"Come here."
"If you're just going to poke me in my more sensitive regions, then I'd prefer not to," he replies, starting to disrobe as quickly as possible. This really isn't his day.
Before he can do so, however, Dhali has him by the shoulders again. "When I give you an order," he says coldly. "You do not protest. You say "Yes, Majesty" and execute the order immediately."
The only emperor Griffin answers to is, well, himself. But seeing that he's at a bit of a disadvantage at the moment, he unwillingly complies with Dhali's order with a rather terse, "Yes, Majesty."
"Did I tell you to leave your cell?"
"Absolutely not, Majesty."
"Then why did you?" Dhali asks coldly, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Well, for starters, did it look as if there was anywhere decent for me to go to the toilet in that room?" He's really pushing it and he knows it.
Dhali actually laughs at this, though. And then he hurls Griffin to the floor. "Back to your cell this instant, Griffin."
"Aheheh. Guess you're going to make me do it crawling on my hands and knees too?" Griffin adds as he starts to stride back to the brig.
What an excellent idea. Nonetheless, there is no need to make the man hate him more than he already does. Dhali ignores the dead engineer behind him and marches after Griffin in silence.
At least this time, Griffin knows there's someone following him. Not that he likes it anymore than being followed without knowing it, of course. When he's back at the entrance of the brig, he steps in as quickly as he can, dislodges the key and kicks it to a far corner.
"Pick it up," Dhali orders imperiously. "Now, you are just making me cross, Griffin."
Scowling and mentally thinking of obscenities he'd like to say to Dhali, Griffin walks over to the corner and picks up the key, tossing it back and forth from one hand to the other.
Dhali holds out his hand for the key. "Would you like me to give you a thorough beating this time?"
"In all fairness, you only told me to pick it up. Giving it to you would've been disobedient on my part, correct?" All the same, Griffin dropped the key into Dhali's hand.
Dhali's hand closes over the key. "I must say your obedience has improved drastically...if not your attitude. Good day, sir." And with that, he locks Griffin into the brig again.
Well, at least that's done and over with, Griffin thinks to himself as he watches the brig's door close on him for the umteenth time. If only he could come up with a good plan to dispose of the other right when he walks through the door next time, if ever. No, there wasn't any need for so much planning, and Griffin resumes his nonsensical drawing in the dust.