[audio]

[charming_jerk]

[GUESS WHO'S BEING AWKWARD OVER THE NETWORK AGAIN, DINGDING YOU ARE CORRECT. Johnny hates asking for help. Hates it. But he's at a loss here.]

So, uh. I need someone's help with somethin'. I don't expect anyone to volunteer for this. I mean, I sure as hell wouldn't but I dunno how else to do this shit. Maybe, like, I can get a volunteer and someone else can play ref...

Anyway. Um. So this place let me keep the power I used to have, except they made it suck less. Thing is, I still don't know how to use it too well, an' it ain't like a physical weapon I can just go and train with. Basically I... talk people into doin' stuff. All I gotta do is look at 'em and talk to 'em, and they'll pretty much do whatever I say. Least, that's how it used to go. I dunno how strong it is, what people will or won't do, things like that. And I kinda wanna know, in case I ever, ya know, need to use it against the "bad guys", I guess.

...

Now ya know why no one's gonna volunteer. But if anyone's got any suggestions, lemme know?

Comments

[bratworth]

The lobby of the apartments at noon.

lmao well. do you wanna tag this out or no XD

[charming_jerk]

Fine with me. It's your funeral.

yes PLEASE! here? somewhere else?

[bratworth]

Don't be late.

[ Although just turning up would be an improvement on the last person Edgeworth called out in this manner. ]

here is fine!

[charming_jerk]

[Oh. HE WILL BE THERE. As a matter of fact, he'll be there early. He's sitting in the lobby, tuning up his guitar, when Edgeworth arrives. He says nothing. Just smirks.]

[bratworth]

[ Whereas Edgeworth is precisely on time, heading towards Johnny from the direction of the fire stairs. ]

Oh, good. You actually turned up.

[charming_jerk]

[grin] Wouldn't miss this for the world.

[Suddenly, he stands up, guitar in hands. He looks Edgeworth square in the eyes. That's all it takes for the charm to work, if it's going to take effect.] Let's make this fast. You wanna see how this works? Dance, homeboy.

[And with that, he launches into a flamenco style song.]

[bratworth]

[ Edgeworth, of course, looks Johnny square in the eyes because he's not about to be intimidated by anyone or anything. ]

I don't dance--

[ But why doesn't he? he thinks, as the guitar begins to play; Edgeworth's certainly not been trained to dance in a manner befitting this type of music, but he could try. Put his best foot forward, as it were. He starts to nod his head along to the beat, swivels his hips out and throws back his shoulders so that he has the best posture to do this all properly, because, well...

... he wants to impress the other man.

He's about to start stamping his feet and dancing in earnest when he considers how ridiculous this all is. Why does he want to do this again? Gazing back at Johnny, looking somewhat bashful, he continues, shouting over the noise with a surge of indignant anger that feels wrong somehow: ]

-- not on command!

[ But still, the urge is there, and it is very, very strong. ]

[charming_jerk]

[He continues playing. And grinning.]

I dunno. Ya seem like ya really wanna.

[bratworth]

[ And he does want to, going so far as to do several more foot stomps and a kick before he considers the why again. The reason he had had come here today seems far off, unimportant, but it had been once - he knows this.

But what can possibly be more important than impressing the other man? He turns on the spot, trying to get enough momentum so that the tails of his suit can twirl the way he's envisioned it - but as he'd already told Johnny, Edgeworth's not much of a dancer, and he stumbles in this movement, straightening as he feels the heat of embarrassment crawl up his neck.

To his credit, at least he did not fall completely. ]

I don't want to dance!

[ His movements are a little less fervent now - surely there's something else that he could do, and do better? ]

[charming_jerk]

But ya do. Ya don't, dontcha? [He chuckled slyly.] Seems like ya could use the practice. Whatever. That's on you.

[And with that, he'll bring the song to and end, but not without a bit of flourish to finish it off. He'll look Edgeworth in the eyes and end the spell with the next command.]

You're done, twinkle toes. Believe me now?

[bratworth]

[ It's as though some fog has been lifted from the back of his brain. For a moment he just stares at the other man, dumbfounded. This moment of confusion is soon replaced with fury. ]

You did that?

[ His words come out in an angry snarl - he is not pleased. ]

[charming_jerk]

[Johnny just shrugs, smug as ever.] Damn right I did. You didn't listen to me, and demanded a demonstration. So I gave ya one. And it coulda been a whole hell of a lot worse if I wanted, so be glad I'm so damned nice.

[bratworth]

[ He's not going to be glad for anything. ]

How did you do it.

[charming_jerk]

It's what I do. It's my "power" or whatever the fuck ya wanna call it. Just gotta look ya in the eyes, and you'll do whatever I want.

[bratworth]

Anything. [ He draws himself up to his full height, still determined not to show any weakness. Especially not after that debacle. ] You can make people bend to your every whim.

[charming_jerk]

I can keep testin' it, if you're really that curious.

[bratworth]

A demonstration is quite unnecessary! A verbal explanation will suffice.

[charming_jerk]

I look someone in the eye, tell 'em what to do, and they wanna do it. That's it.

[bratworth]

But how does it work? Why are you able to do thi-that?

[charming_jerk]

Man, it just does, okay! I can't be the only guy here with weirdo powers like this. I've talked to a guy who said he's a fuckin' superhero.

[bratworth]

I've been asking other people the same questions, I assure you. What do you mean, you don't know?

[charming_jerk]

I. Don't. Know. I just do it. It just happens. I think about it and it happens. What are you not getting here?!

[bratworth]

So it's just... innate. Something that you were born with.

[charming_jerk]

Yeah. I guess. I'm told it's a thing demons do.

[bratworth]

And you're one of these so-called 'demons', are you?