video;

[amoray]

[the feed is underwater, and not immediately focused on eridan (though his cape does drift slightly into view here and there). few, if any, will recognize the atlantean palace or its throne room, but the architecture and the being underwater thing might tip them off.]

Considerin' it's been about a week or so now, and I hawen't seen skin nor scale a her, it's pretty safe to say that Namora a Atlantis ain't roamin' these waters no more.

[a pause.]

That bein' said, as the last sea dweller and the only indiwidual who ain't got garbage slippin' through their weins around here, it's only natural that I take ower their palace and assorted territories in their absence. Maintain 'em and such.

Aforementioned territories bein' all sewen seas and ewerythin' in between, for the record.

[he flips the camera away from a meandering lionfish (his name is xerxes the sewenth) and to himself, comfortably sprawled in namor's throne. and being smug as a motherfucker. like literally, he's been super smug about shit before but at the moment his smugness may be mutating surrounding sealife just by how goddamn potent it is.

the lay of his cape obscures the slight bulges under his clothing at his shoulder and leg, for the most part, but his left fin is visibly torn, and still an angry purple.]

As fair and generous warnin', I'm allowin' the humans continued usage a my oceans not outta goodwill, but outta necessity. Mostly since you lungbreathers would probably start whinin' your tailfins off about widespread starwation or some shit if I didn't. But if I start seein' anythin' I don't necessarily like happenin' in my waters, I won't hesitate to fuck some a your laughable tin can ships all manner a up 'til the message starts comin' through clearer-like.

I ain't currently acceptin' wirgin sacrifices or tributes a precious metals and stones, but be watchin' for that in the future.

[he gives a little wave of his ringed fingers at the comm.]

Ewenin', dirtscrapers. And long liwe the Prince.

[end feed.]

Comments

[amoray]

You were a superwillain for fifteen or so years?

[beat.]

How the fuck are you ewen still aliwe right now?

[enigmaestro]

I've technically been reformed for a few years now. Four, with three years in the City.

[Yeah real shame he doesn't last that long in canon THANKS A LOT LAST ISSUES OF THE DCU]

And that's what I'll teach you, as well. Survival.

You'll need a new set of skills for this game.

[amoray]

[CONTINUES SHAKING FIST AT DC]

So what's the endgame for this little course a yours, exactly? What's the goal?

And what do you get outta it?

[enigmaestro]

Your fealty. Obviously you have to refrain from murdering me as part of the deal, no matter the tension that may [will] arise.

Among other things.

[amoray]

What kinda other things?

[enigmaestro]

I want to know what's happening, in the underground.

[amoray]

Which one?

I kinda run in some bad crowds, if you ain't noticed.

[enigmaestro]

Everyone. Everything.

I need an informant.



I need you.

[amoray]

[he pauses.]

Then you got one. Fair's fair and all.

Long as you don't ask after somethin' that's gonna get me killed, like - I dunno - playin' sleeper agent with Wulcanus, I ain't got nothin' to worry about.

[enigmaestro]

I want your focus to be imPort circles.

[Because he has an imPort death penalty lined up with Mitchell OOOOOOOOH

DRRRRAAAAAMAAAAAAAA]

[amoray]

[SHIT'S GONNA GET REAL]

Whose? I know you got people in mind.

[enigmaestro]

Daken. Bullseye. Electro. The gangland split around the City.



Oswald.

[amoray]

Let me guess - they're all wicious criminals who wouldn't think twice about sendin' you my fins on a silwer platter?

[enigmaestro]

One, I'm not sure of. One, yes. One's a wimp but he's a livewire.

And one is my good friend.

[amoray]

One you ain't real keen on trustin', obwiously.

[enigmaestro]

Oswald is an incredibly cunning, cultured, successful man.

Of course I don't trust him.

[amoray]

So you want me to, what, get in cozy with 'em?

What if they don't like kids?

[enigmaestro]

Your first exercise in training is improvisation. You'll figure out a proper solution, and you'll do it on your feet.

Fins.

[amoray]

...Fine. Ain't gonna be a problem anyhow.

Find... whoewer they are, run in their circles, bring what I hear back to you. Easy. And in return, you're gonna teach me all a those neat little tricks you picked up when you was still the Riddler.

[enigmaestro]

A perfect arrangement, if I do say so myself.

[And it means keeping contact, too.]

So. If you're to be so highly invested in our little project, then you probably won't be engaging a private school.

Will you?

[amoray]

Ed, I got a good ten people at Xawier's who want my head on a fuckin' pike. And one of 'em actually did it.

It ain't exactly a conductiwe learnin' enwironment.

[enigmaestro]

Mm, well, neither was I. [A HINT OF... APPRECIATION?] One must develop the instinct to learn independently, anyway.




Or from me.

[amoray]

You talk like I couldn't balance out schoolfeedin' and you and patrollin' my waters or somethin'.

I mean, it ain't like I sleep in the first fuckin' place.

[enigmaestro]

No wonder there's always sand up your gills.

[amoray]

Pardon?