Ryslig IC INBOX

[noasark]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, GREATFLOOD. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 950.04.933.05 *** GREATFLOOD has joined 950.04.933.05 <GREATFLOOD>This is the inbox of Noa Kaiba. <GREATFLOOD>Leave a message, and I should reply shortly. <GREATFLOOD>Undesirables will be banned.

Comments

oh boy

[noasark]

[Now Now Am, they 'agreed it was obvious'; technically, neither one said it was one way or another~

In any case.] Consider knocking perhaps? [He retorts dryly, unflinching in the face of rage.] Perhaps even an appointment?

[godofthemachine]

You know what this is about.

[Noa's smarmy dryness only makes it worse.]

Why are you spreading lies about me?

[noasark]

I really don't. [Extra dry.]

As for lies, I don't spread lies. Whatever you think is being spread is either going to be truth...or unproven theory, [He adds after a moment, perhaps considering whatever he did over the past few weeks to keep from actually lying right there.]

[godofthemachine]

[He growls then and takes a step back if only to prevent himself from simply launching at Noa and ripping him to shreds.]

Fine then. You're spreading an unproven theory because it's not the truth.

[noasark]

[He gives a long, drawn out sigh. And then from there fixes a glare, eyes literally sparking for a moment.]

Care to clarify what you're talking about within the next hour then, because I really am getting irritated, AM. I am far from a 'rumor' mill, and when I speak about hypotheses it's generally in the company of someone who presents it first. I'm not going to know which one, unless you tell me why you're here, [he hisses.]

[godofthemachine]

[AM just growls in irritation, curling his fingers into his palm. The claws stab at the palms, but it's fine. It's one of the ways to curb his growing anger.]

All right, then. The man that I hired has been going around telling everyone that someone was responsible for that virtual battle arena some time ago.

[He takes a deep breath, shutting his eyes briefly before opening them once more.]

And he said someone in the same company is the one who started this rumor.

[noasark]

[First Noa looks a little confused. Then he looks a bit understanding- and then intensely irritated.]

The latter is very much a lie- he voiced his suspicions, and I agreed with those, nothing more than that. Frankly, it shouldn't be something that gets blown beyond when it happened. It came, it went, we moved on. Certainly we had MANY who enjoyed it after all! [He huffs, grumbling a little.]

...and while I might not have enjoyed it myself it was spectacularly well coded, I'll give y...'them' that...

[He coughs.] Regardless- I stand by what I said. I don't 'start' rumors. ....however...

[A glint comes into his eye.] What comes back onto you comes back onto me. Potentially with interest, [He adds, glancing at those tense palms.] ...So you know it's in my best interest to curb the rumor as well.

[Also he'd like to not get beheaded walking home.]

[godofthemachine]

[That answer doesn't satisfy AM at all, particularly when he catches Noa's slip up. AM's teeth are gritted more, anger and suspicion washing over him like a giant wave.]

The only reason it has gotten blown up is because Lucas won't shut his damned mouth about it!

I've tried to play nice to him, and yet he insists on starting up his stupid little fog cult just to oppose what he thinks I did!

[Yes, ego much? He's convinced that the Haze is a response to his actions.]

Oh, I'm sure you've been stopping those rumors. [He rolls his eyes, exaggerating the "sure", blatantly making his statement sarcastic.] I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I find very few lab reports coming my way now.

[noasark]

I wasn't saying that I was doing that already, I was saying that I'm more than willing to make that action NOW, [He hisses. And more lowly, he growls.] Not to mention speak with Lucas about the difference between water fountain gossip and hate-factions...

[It'll probably be a light talk though, he does like the Idea of the Haze at least. Also he has the sense to assume it's in response to a lot more than AM.]

And no, it wouldn't have anything to do with that- I can certainly find you a neutral party to go investigating it though. [The lab reports, that is. He should probably not bar so many of those either...]

[godofthemachine]

[No, of course Noa wasn't stopping them already. He was sitting back and laughing as Lucas and others tried to steer people away from AM. And yet Noa didn't fire him.]

Well, then start stopping those rumors now!

[He has already moved forward and he slaps the desk with the words "start" and "now".]

I doubt a neutral party is going to help, Noa. [He takes a breath, standing back up and stepping back once more.] If you don't want me to be the head of this lab, there are better ways to go about it than your ridiculous underhanded tricks.

[Given that AM has been paranoid about conspiracies against him lately, why wouldn't he add this to the pile? Particularly when it seems all of the lab employees hate him, and Noa is... well, Noa.]

[noasark]

If I wanted you gone, [Noa hisses lowly, thoroughly insulted himself,] I would hardly waste time playing games to do so,.

[Anyway.] ....I need to make a public announcement in a short while, [He continues, changing the subject.] ...Someone's broken into the labs. Here. Most likely a shade, but not one we know, given it was a messy job. Messy enough that they could target network hardware, and not know what specifically was worth taking, [he adds.]

If we're going to stop rumors, our easiest option is to work off of that. It wouldn't be surprising, for me to cover up an 'earlier theft'- which could in turn mean that related projects back then simply....malfunctioned, [He trails off. AM can connect the dots- he keeps his reputation of skill, but the nasty dark stain moves to someone else.]

[godofthemachine]

[AM continues gritting his teeth as he listens to Noa. Bullshit. Noa wants him gone, or, just like L, he wants to keep an eye on him. And then Noa even goes and changes the subject.]

You want to keep me around to mock me then?!

[But he listens about the theft. He hardly believes it.]

Hmph. I hardly believe you about the theft, but fine. I doubt it will convince Lucas, seeing as he's a ranting lunatic about me now.

And... you'll need to try a lot harder to convince me about the lab reports.

[noasark]

[UGH] Can we please abandon the theory that I have that sort of petty grudge against you?

As it is, it most likely won't- he's not the one you would need to convince though, is it? [Be honest with yourself AM- Lucas would believe whatever Lucas wanted, regardless of anyone agreeing or not.]

I expect I will- you came in here looking ready to behead me. That doesn't happen for no reason.

[He's still feeling it, actually. It shows in the tail flicks.]

[godofthemachine]

[AM has wished to do far more than behead Noa. He wants to torture him relentlessly, of course. But the corner of his mouth simply twitches at that notion, and he folds his arms, leaning back.]

No, Lucas won't be convinced, I'm sure. And I highly doubt you're going to do anything to attempt to sway him.

I doubt many will be convinced anyway, now that you've planted this seed in their heads.

[He's hardly satisfied, anyway.]

I know this is simply a move to placate me. I have no reason to believe you're not going to go behind my back to the rest of the lab.

[noasark]

[He resists the urge to scream. On the one hand AM is entirely correct about...well. Just about everything. It's only two people though it's totally not the entire lab!!

He does need to talk to Lucas however. And possibly see about whether the other would be willing to leave the labs, actually, because this goes far beyond the petty squabbling that Amanda was settling for.]

What would it take to convince you otherwise then? [he sighs, sounding more tired by the argument now that he thinks he might not get cut up in a room somewhere.]

[godofthemachine]

[What would it take to convince AM otherwise would be to have Noa, Amanda, and Lucas all chained up in his dungeon and tortured mercilessly. He sincerely regrets not hurting Amanda more in the simulation too.

But then again, this is all conjecture. AM is convinced that Noa and the others are plotting against him, but his evidence is not concrete.

But at least, AM has relaxed slightly. A message to the public will help... perhaps. Even if Noa and the others don't buy into it. He sighs.]

Stop intercepting my lab reports... [A pause.] ...If that's what you're doing, of course.

...But if not, I suppose the broadcast to the public is all we can do. [Another pause, as he stares pointedly at Noa.] As long as you keep your story straight.

[noasark]

[No comment on the lab reports, though he does look rightfully insulted in the way anyone would while being 'wrongfully accused'.

He'll have to make it a very gradual shift if he's going to avoid being caught though. Hrm. Anyway.]

Naturally, [he purrs.] I will be forwarding the post to you before it goes public after all, so that you can be certain it's what we need.

[godofthemachine]

Yes, of course.

[It's frustrating, but AM supposes this is all they can do to assuage others like Egon. And he hopes it works. But he doesn't trust Noa one bit.

Besides, he remembers that conversation they had while AM was under an anonymous handle, and while he has never brought it up, he knows damn well Noa can put two and two together. Even if Noa has never given him any reason to suspect, it's more... caution. He dislikes himself for lashing out anonymously at Noa and letting his hatred overtake his logic, but what's done is done.]

But if the rumors don't die down after this... Well...

[If Noa already knows what AM is, then AM can threaten him. He begins turning to leave, but stops, looking back at his boss.]

...You know I will be most unhappy.

[noasark]

....Naturally.

[He holds his ground for as long as it takes for AM to leave.

And only then does he shudder and collapse in his chair.]