♔ Hostage Negotiations ♔(D/Solo)

"I can't take this anymore! My life no longer has any value! They took my job and now no one can have their life! It's only fair! I don't have a wife or a family, and now I'm out of a job! What am I supposed to do except end it all right now, right here?!" a hysterical man screamed, waving a handgun around in the air as some symbol of danger along with the litanies of bombs he had strapped to himself. Louie was comfortably seated outside of the office the hysterical man was in, flipping through pages of the Sorcerer's Magazine he had kept hearing of so frequently. How did it come to this?

Well, to put it simply, after residing in Capital Crocus for a few weeks now, Louie was beginning to ponder purchasing a plot to expand his business. But, who was he kidding? He already bought it! In fact, construction was already approaching its end. However, Louie was debating whether or not to keep it. It was like purchasing reservations for a fine dinery simply because you could and then wondering if you really wanted to go to begin with. Of course, it is such a common and unfortunate mistake, but apparently the commoners of Fiore can't seem to relate to such an, accordingly, "expensive" mistake.

Anyway, Louie didn't mind acquiring labor where labor could be acquired. He knew that it was only commoners and the filth of Fiorean society that would work under him, and he was willing to accept that since he was, inevitably, existing in a third-world country at the moment. He understood that it was a bit silly to approach a pig ranch wanting quality beef. But clearly, as it's turning out, Louie finds the light of opportunity in the most unorthodox, darkest of places in a place where the government would hire anyone—anyone—to solve their own problems. In which case, it was a bank held hostage the aforementioned man who couldn't bare the weight of a poor, agonizing reality.

"Ehm—so—mister Spellman, is it? Out of a job, you say?" Louie spoke into the microphone, which then projected into a megaphone that everyone could hear while he flipped through the magazine as if people's lives weren't at stake. Rune Knights were gathered around various places, some in position to fight the man with even more powerful firearms or magical items, and others quietly listening to Louie's words through microphones of their own. "That truly is troubling, Mr. Spellman, but I have a simple solution to those troubles."

"I'm gonna kill them, I swear! You can't stop me!" he rebuked angrily, frightened.

"How would you like to work for me instead? It's a well-paying job and training is provided. I can secure your livelihood if you come out now and make a plea deal to lessen your sentence. I can, mayhap, also contribute to your bail." Louie pushed back his hair so that it wouldn't cover his face, blissfully uninterested in Mr. Spellman but curious to see if he could secure labor in this way even though his voice was smooth, silvery, and kind.

"Why would you do that?"

"Why wouldn't I? You're in need, aren't you? You work hard, do you not? Do you not deserve this?" Louie queried.

"No! I do! I'll take it!"

"Come on out then, Mr. Spellman."

Mr. Spellman, subsequently, abandoned his hostages and came outside to be greeted with the forceful tackles of Rune Knights gathering around him. They secured him in handcuffs, but his eyes were full of hope while looking at the blonde man sitting at the table ahead. Mr. Spellman smiled had wet, glossy eyes threatening to dissolve into tears.

"You meant it, right? Right?" he shouted over to him. Louie looked up from his magazine, said nothing, and instead smiled and waved with a feigned sincerity. Truthfully, he wasn't even sure if he would hire him after looking at his gross face. You can't fix ugly, after all, and ugly was not the face of his brand.