[Saahs]

"No, we are not," Knox responded, his voice even more terse than Laz noted it being usually. "But regardless of the city we're going to, you will be recognised with the way you look right now."

At the look Knox gave him, Lazarus peered down at himself as well, then back up to the other man, hands patting repeatedly against his sides in distress. "You're, ah, not going to put me in some absurd costume and try to pass it off as an efficient disguise, are you?"

Once again his captor showed an unusual amount of irritation, his face tensing into a slight glare and eyes just barely twinging. "No, I am not. Hold still and be silent."

[ 3BPs awarded ]

[Saahs]

Lazarus was not very silent. "Hold on, wait, what city are we going to then, we didn't get that far hey what city are we going to-- hey--??" Now he was. Even when he tried to keep asking the question, no sound came out of his mouth.

Knox lowered his hand from where he'd just briefly positioned it in the air, clasping it behind his back once more. "Better. Now. Hold still."

While he fixed the man with a defiant glower, Laz did as instructed and held still. Knox's hands slowly scooped down at his sides and upwards, palms up, then drew them towards each other until Lazarus had a pale spindly hand hovering on both sides of his face. He couldn't help but make an incredulous face. This was... really silly.

[ 3BPs awarded ]

[Saahs]

At least, it was silly until he could feel static electricity manifesting under his skin, branching first from where Knox held his hands out over his face and head. And then it continued to spread, down his neck and splitting to course through his arms, hands and fingers. During which more static filled his torso and stretched into his legs.

The sensation only built itself more and more once it covered every inch of his outer body, and then it sunk into his muscles. A small whimper escaped his unparted lips. Into his bones. It was hard to keep a straight face, his chin and lower lip started to quiver. His organs tingled, now. And then they stung, tickled, and ached like the rest of his body. "Nmmh."

[ 3BPs awarded ]

[Saahs]

Everything seemed to shift off kilter, then. His body itself, to a point, but most especially Lazarus felt a shift in the air around him. It was hard to pinpoint. Gravity, the air pressure, vibrations, whatever it was there was something different about everything right now. He peered up at Knox in perplexity. "What was...?"

His answer was none at first; Knox turned and headed back the way they'd veered off from in the first place, and didn't start talking until Lazarus picked up after him. "From now on your name is Llarke Thistle. You're from Nabias and dropped out of your engineering classes much to the disappointment of your family."

His gut wrenched itself into a knot. This was too familiar. Lazarus looked at the other with a poorly veiled amount of uneasiness. "Where is this alias coming from. I need to know."

When Knox halted in his tracks, and looked over his shoulder at him, Laz held himself a little higher. "If you want me to do another single thing you expect of me, I need you to tell me."

[ 3BPs awarded ]

[Saahs]

Oh dear, Knox was outright scowling at him, now. Never mind that. He held his ground. But when no answer was given to him, he looked his captor over. Took in as much detail as he could spare; Laz didn't give a damn if it was obvious he was trying to read him any more. Especially since he got what he wanted. Locking eyes with him again, Lazarus wrinkled his nose at Knox. "You know where I came from, don't you."

He still just glared at him silently. Lazarus pushed the questions. "How do you know where I come from? Huh?" His legs carried him over to get up in the man's face. "What does your affiliate research any way?"

[ 3BPs awarded ]

[Saahs]

He didn't think Knox's face could tense up more than it already was, yet it was doing so at that very moment. "You're asking more questions than you're at liberty of knowing the answers to, Thelvario, keep them to yourself."

His eyebrows arched themselves high on his forehead. "Oho? Or what? You need me alive clearly so what could you possibly do to me? Torture me? Fog up my memories and whisk me away to whichever blasted city we're supposed to be going to? Hmm?" His hands clapped together as he sang through clenched teeth, "Li-steeeeenn here, Knox De Doink A-do, whatever horrible little curses and tools of cruelty you have up your well-ironed sleeves isn't enough to entice me to do as you command!"

[ 3BPs awarded ]

[Saahs]

He felt a hand slap firm against the side of his head, and then he was standing in the middle of a road. His eyes fluttered open and shut rapidly, and he ogled the rustic, industrial architecture that engulfed his new surroundings. One only needed to have visited Foundry City once to recognise its unique atmosphere.

Lazarus' shoulders hunched up as he craned his head to the side, and smiled up at Knox with murderous vehemence. "I hate you. I do hope you know that I hate you very, very much."

His captor said an infuriating amount of nothing in response, and simply resumed his brisk walk forward. With as many times as he chanted to himself to ditch the bastard, Lazarus trailed after him with a string of grumbles uttered to himself.

[ 3BPs awarded ]

[Saahs]

As Lazarus jogged after him, Knox continued his instructional monologue, "They shouldn't cause us issues for a while but your attire will need changed. Your hair changed, your eyes changed, your past changed." Even without turning his head, Laz was pretty sure he could feel the side-eye he was currently receiving. "You know what all I'm asking of you here though, I'm sure."

His eyes started to roll before he caught himself. "Ah-- hm, yes yes I do, anything else I should add onto my plate of things I'm supposed to be doing for you?" He let his tone trail with disinterest as he looked about at his surroundings.

This was probably the first time he'd properly been in the city-- the actual city, not the areas restricted to militia. Not much of a visible difference between the two, honestly.

[ 3BPs awarded ]

[Saahs]

"For now, yes. I will remind you of this once and only this once:" Knox came to a stop and turned to face Lazarus.

He'd barely skidded himself to a halt when he looked up to be met with a cold, looming stare.

"You are free to do as you please with your new life, but know and remember that regardless of who else hires you, you work under me first."

At first Lazarus had the mind to snip at Knox in retaliation. His lips curled back to do so too before he had second thoughts. There was just a little bit too much conviction to Knox's words... and the way the sun hovered behind the guy, from Laz' point of view he looked a lot more imposing than normal.

[ 3BPs awarded ]

[Saahs]

His stomach clenched and his chest pounded. Son of a bitch had to be aware of how intimidating he looked right that moment too, it only got worse the longer he stared him down.

Lazarus swallowed. With his lips pressed into a subdued grimace, he stared Knox down with, hopefully, equal gusto. "Temp."

That got Knox's right brow to twitch. "What--"

"I'll work for you, but only for a certain amount of time," he kept going, arms folded over his chest and head tipping up to be more eye to eye with the other. "Maximum five years."

Oh, now his upper lip was trying to peel back! The good little android-cultist kept his composure though. "Very well. Five years' worth of work."

[ 3BPs awarded ]

[Saahs]

Wait, that was. That was surprisingly easy. He was going to regret this later on, wasn't he? Ohhh no he did already, great. Lazarus stammered as Knox turned on his heel again and marched off. "Wait hold on just a moment there-- am I supposed to be following you still or-- hey!"

Breaking into a brisk jog, he hurried his way down where he'd seen Knox head towards. But to no avail. As he turned the corner not seconds after Knox veered out of view, Lazarus was met with a completely vacant alleyway. His mouth was still ajar with questions he wanted to ask. "...Damn it."

[ 3BPs awarded ]

[Saahs]

Stupid outsider.

Knox's stride carried him fast through the industrial city's roads, his footfalls splashing hard in the numerous puddles. He could feel the strain he was putting into keeping his face blank faltering. Certain things were expected of him and one of those things was maintaining an unreadable demeanour. And he kept failing.

Stupid impertinent military hound. Hypocritical, imbecilic, useless waste of space and resources. His gut twisted and tensed with building rage. A snarl marred his face, now. This outsider was causing him to fail, one thing after another he kept failing. All thanks to this-- overblown pompous sorry excuse of a living being with a brain that was wrongly classified as sapient-- and now he was expected to keep watch over him.

[ 3BPs awarded ]

[Saahs]

"Stupid one toned secret society cultists."

Lazarus stormed down a market road lit by dingy string lights, his arms crossed and shoulders hiked up as he sulked. He didn't pluck his simmering glare from the ground, weaving seamlessly betwixt the city's denizens. Never once disturbing one and never once disturbed by any of them.

"Should have just commandeered the ship and buggered off, who is that walking lamppost from hell any how-- an-- wha-- just--"

He paused next to a booth selling baskets and kicked the stall's edge before balling up his fists and barking, "Who does he think is!?"

Sucking in a long breath to calm his nerves, Lazarus peered from one passerby to another...

None of them were looking his way or even seemed bothered by his sudden outburst. Simply going on about their day.

They didn't notice him at all.

[ 3BPs awarded ]