HonestGrifter

> Hey. You. Paranoid traitor.
Please don't use that word. You had a good reason for it. All of it.

Your name is Verise Annans, or maybe that's just what you tell everybody it is these days. It doesn't really matter. Most people you talk to won't ever stay in touch long enough for any of your carefully-crafted lies to slip, it's much better that way. You don't really feel comfortable letting them get too close anyway.

There isn't much to say about you. You like MOVIES, but your taste is ABYSMAL. You used to have THEATRICAL ASPIRATIONS, but you're uncomfortably aware of how these will never happen, especially now that you have your VISION ONE-FOLD. Still, all that ACTING PRACTICE has left you an AMAZING LIAR and a GREAT ROLEPLAYER. You are fond of ONLINE GAMES, allowing yourself to RELAX a little more than usual with your online friends. These are kept firmly separate from your REAL LIFE, or you hope so, anyway. You've only had the misfortune of meeting a few of them in person in the past, and you certainly hope it NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

You used to like to READ, but you don't really have time for it any more. Since you were young, you have practiced ILLUSIONS, CARD TRICKS and OTHER TYPES OF MAGIC. Fake showy magic, because MAGIC IS NOT REAL, even though you sometimes wish it was. When you are ESPECIALLY NERVOUS, you do COIN TRICKS to calm yourself down. Sometimes you STRAIGHT-UP DISAPPEAR for anywhere from days to weeks. This used to make some of your online friends fuss, but they've grudgingly accepted it as NORMAL FOR YOU.

Your lusus is an EIGHT LEGGED, EIGHT EYED COYOTE. It won't stop GRINNING AT YOU, which is pretty goddamn unnerving. It doesn't help that the thing has a SADISTIC SENSE OF HUMOR- every lesson it's ever taught you has been in the form of a MALICIOUS PRANK. It would be wrong to say you aren't fond of your lusus, but you will be the first to admit that it's MOSTLY DUE TO FAMILIARITY.

That's it. See? Nothing special.

> Hive. Examine it.
Your hive is equal parts small and cramped. It's only one floor and only a few rooms, one of which belongs solely to your lusus. You're not supposed to go in there, and you respect his wishes on that. Who knows what might be in there? The thought that your lusus might be is ENOUGH, he CREEPS YOU RIGHT THE FUCK OUT.

The SAFE part of the hive is kept as tidy as you can make it with your lusus around. You don't venture out of your respiteblock too often, and when you do, you're usually not staying around for too long- another of your MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCES takes place and you return, exhausted, about a week later.

Nothing to see in your hive. So you should probably stop reading here!

> Strife weapon. Show us.
It's just a HANDFUL OF CAEGARS. You FLING THEM at your enemies with HIGHER PRECISION AND FORCE than the average troll, and some of them have been VERY CAREFULLY SHARPENED, but they're still JUST COINS.

Not impressive at all! Move along.

> Fetch Modus. Describe it.
Your DECEPTION MODUS works by doing what you do best. You have to CONVINCE someone that you need to get the item out of your modus for ANY REASON OTHER THAN YOUR ACTUAL INTENT. It sure is a good thing Alternia is covered in living trolls, and hasn't been reduced to a handful of survivors who will eventually wise up to your ways!

Boring modus. Boring troll. Go away now.

> Powers. Try them.
What, your VISION ONE-FOLD? That was a joke. You're BLIND IN ONE EYE due to another of your lusus' "LESSONS". It gives you a little trouble with DEPTH PERCEPTION sometimes, but nothing too awful. You keep it closed and wear a tinted lens so as not to make anybody uncomfortable. It's SORT OF ODD and you don't much like STANDING OUT, but what can you do?

Please stop reading. Please. Go load another page or something.

> Wrist device. Explain it.
It's JUST A WATCH. It's... on countdown mode, because you have a VERY IMPORTANT THING to do in a few weeks, okay? An appointment. Or a show to watch. YEAH, THAT SOUNDS BELIEVABLE.

Ugh, okay, so maybe it's NOT JUST A WATCH. It's more of a REMINDER. You've been sort of LYING about yourself so far. You ACTUALLY DO have psychic powers- FAIRLY POWERFUL PSYCHOKINESIS. You're not very good at using them, but they're strong enough that the Empire wants you in the fleet ASAP. You have been informed that there are WAYS TO FORCE YOU and that it'd be far better for you if you would just COOPERATE. You know the HEMOSPECTRUM and the EMPRESS are ALWAYS RIGHT, but you'd really rather not GO DIE IN COMBAT.

So, when they were planning on dragging you up for TRAINING as a five sweep-old social butterfly, you PANICKED. In doing so, you NAMED NAMES, a WHOLE LOT OF THEM, and along with your continued cooperation, you managed to broker a deal. When the TIMER ON YOUR WRIST runs out, you will be taken IMMEDIATELY, no fuss, no fight. Until then, you spend your days MOVING INTO POPULOUS HIVESTEMS for a week or two at a time, INGRATIATING YOURSELF with the locals and IDENTIFYING MUTANT FREAKS AND REVOLUTIONARIES. Every name you hand over for culling or re-education ADDS TIME to your stay planetside. You feel SORT OF BAD about betraying so many of your friends, short-lived as your time with them may be, and EVEN WORSE when one of your real, long-term online friends STOPS LOGGING IN, but what can you do? Survival is priority one.

Still, you've been having a HARDER TIME trying to get people to TRUST YOU WITH THEIR SECRETS lately, and you've got a BAD FEELING that all of this is going to CATCH UP WITH YOU before too long, and if it doesn't, YOU'LL JUST BE ENLISTED ANYWAY.

Ughhh, dwelling on that is UNPLEASANT. It's time for a little STRESSVOMIT. There was a REASON you wanted the reading to STOP.