[OOC][PLOT] Planning for Arc 1 - Arrivals

[Black Aeronaut]

This will provide an interesting bit of tension in that while Benjamin has this IOU hanging over his head, he has to be careful about not getting himself killed.  I mean, sure, getting killed in the first place would be a bad thing.  But once he's clinically dead, even IF Washu were to bring him back, Hild can then say that he belongs to her now because he did indeed die before paying the debt owed.

Define death?

The devil's in the detail of the IOU. In how it's worded and in the fine print where somewhere, it may define death as something eminently surveable by modern standards - a good spark across the chest and a shot of adrenaline can work wonders.

And there may not be time to read all the terms and conditions in detail.

You can't make a deal with the devil and not take the consequences... you're not smarter than the devil. That's called hubris, IIRC.

Re: Defining Death - it's a film-version John Constantine deal - even clinical death counts, even if he were to be resuscitated.

And may I kindly remind you, this is Ah! Megami-Sama we are dealing with here.  Grim-Derp has been kicked out the door with its baggage strewn all over the street by it's jilted lover.  Just because other stuff is coming in the front door does not mean that Hild is suddenly Beelzebub, Lucifer, Satan, or any of those other nasty interpretations.  She is Hild.  Urd's Mother.  Punch Clock Villain.  Yes, she rules hell.  Yes, she's effectively running a business.  And yes, she may try for something, but it's more likely than not going to be for her own amusement and trollolololulz rather than any capital gains for Hell.

If nothing else, think of it this way: Benjamin is employed by her.  And even Hell has standards of conduct in matters like these.

But if that's not enough for you, then have this: Hild gains nothing by either actively or passively destabilizing the situation in the Housing Complexes.  They are meant to keep the refugees relatively safe and comfortable until something can be worked out.  Safe and Comfortable does not equate to fucking over one of the guys that are HER boots on the ground.  By doing this, Hild would be caught with The Idiot Ball, and you all know how much I despise that trope.

AND IF THAT IS STILL NOT ENOUGH? Then The Almighty can give Hild a phone call, telling her to knock it off and cut a straight deal this one time.

I trust that I have given enough reasons?  And that they are all believable, sensible, and above all, not breaking character or setting?

We will still have a sitting of Bureaucrats.  There will still be negotiation.  But over all, the deal will be relatively cut-and-dry, and there will be a minimum of Hild trying to screw Ben over on this.  Most of the consequences will merely be the naturally occurring ones of this process.  And I would hope that would be enough angst for everyone here.  Outright traumatizing Alicia through this process or fucking with Ben's mental faculties or other such things is WORM-Level BS - Making the story Grim for the sake of being Grim.  And that was a point that I thought we were clear on.

Dartz, don't get me wrong here.  The existential crisis of personal identity you have going in your story is all fine and good.  It's something from which good character development can occur.  But doing any of the above to Ben and Alicia has no real point in driving the plot forward or providing good character development.  Prove to me that it can, and I *MIGHT* reconsider.

Anyhow, I'm gonna get to writing.  My block on this finally has some good sized cracks in it, and I wanna see what I can force through.