(Untitled)

[kidcollector]

Slade has been keeping a low profile since he knows that several of the residents--including their fearless leader--are suspicious of his motives. However, he still knows precious little about the denizens of the compound, so he has crawled out of his dark corner and is now wandering through the courtyard

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[tesserer]

There's a small child watching him from not too far away. She's 13, but certainly looks younger with her thick-rimmed glasses and messy pigtails.

Suspicious and apprehensive would be the two best words to describe the way she's feeling right now.

[kidcollector]

Slade notices the young girl. He shouldn't be surprised that the mask would cause people to stare.

"Is there something you want, girl?" he calls out to her.

[tesserer]

To go home, for one. To see her brother again, to see Calvin, to be back with Mother and Father, and --

"No," she calls back, brows furrowing.

Girl?

[kidcollector]

He walks a bit closer to her. "Then you shouldn't be staring," he states simply. "It's not polite."

[tesserer]

There's a pause as Meg eyes him, examining him from head to foot.

Snidely, "So?"

[kidcollector]

Slade's eye twitches slightly. "So, how would you feel if I stood and watched you?" Ah, how he loves conversing with the younger generation.

[tesserer]

"I'd..." Meg begins, although she isn't sure what she'd do.

After a moment, "I'd walk away."

[kidcollector]

Slade leans in a bit closer. "And you wouldn't feel the least bit curious about why someone was watching you?"

[tesserer]

Meg takes a step back.

"I guess I would be."

[kidcollector]

He leans back. "Then you know why I was curious about why you were watching me. We're back at where we started."

[tesserer]

Might as well be honest, she figures.

"I was watching you because you look..."

Pause.

"... well, weird."

[kidcollector]

He almost laughs at that. Almost. "That is generally the point of a costume, to look different."

[tesserer]

Meg tilts her head.

"It's not Halloween."

[kidcollector]

"Not all costumes are for Halloween. I take it you don't come from a place with masked heroes?"

[tesserer]

"Only in comic books," she says, eyeing him.

More honesty: "You don't look like a hero."

[kidcollector]

"I assure you that they're very real where I come from," he mutters. "Some heroes prefer to inspire trust in people. Others try to unsettle their opponents. I am one of the latter." Well, it's somewhat truthful.