An Awe-Inspiring View of the World

[Ryn]

"Hrrm. Bad hunter to want to shirk the blame of not finding edible food." Not that she really understands what this attention-agent does but claiming title and lacking competence... well, it is what humans do. But she dislikes it and thus she instantly decides that she does not like Katarina's agent.

"He knows you need him." she concludes with a weird level of insight into an industry she can't possibly fathom. But she's smelled the air hanging over the Angel-City and knows it to be full of predatory rot. Whether that applies to Katarina's agent specifically is secondary. Sheeps among wolves don't last long without growing fangs themselves.

[Katarina Kane]

"Well, I need someone. I am not...was not big enough to sell myself just on...principle, I suppose. Negotiations and bargaining are not my forte."

[Ryn]

An idea crystallizes in Ryn's mind. It's a bad idea. She has no idea what this actually entails. But she knows that if Katarina needs someone to sniff out blood in the water and swim with the sharks, there are none she trusts more and who have sharper teeth than her.

"Not once has man, spirit or god plead a concession from me." she says with a grin that splits her lips just enough to hint at teeth that aren't quite right, are just a little too sharp.

[Katarina Kane]

"Yes, but you've never had to deal with Joe Isgro or the Network before. Trade is the name of the game, and you have to play it if you want to go far."

[Ryn]

"Trade. Like flour for cloth, meat for beer?"

[Katarina Kane]

"In its own way," Katarina said, tilting her head. "Only me and my voice are what's on the docket. And, sometimes, a fair amount of cash, as well."

[Ryn]

Right. Money. The seemingly arbitrary numbers they make up for everything.

"Which they give to you. For your singing." she nods. She has the vaguest notion that this is how they measure contributions. To let those who can't hunt trade for food. Or... something close enough. Except they also wield it like shackles and irons. Like many things human, it is contradictory and confusing. "And that's a game. Trading things for other things until they let you sing?"

[Katarina Kane]

"Sometimes. Though sometimes we have to give money to them to let me sing," Katarina explained. "Payola is not a thing of the past."

[Ryn]

Ryn blinks. Just when she thinks she sort of gets money there's yet another way in which thinks work the opposite way.

"They make you pay to sing!?" Ryn has half a mind to scout out a rock near the LA shore for Katarina to sit on and sing to the masses. Really, the main thing holding her back is that she's pretty sure Katarina would think that's too close to what she fears to become. "Just... sing. Find where the most people are and sing."

[Katarina Kane]

Katarina smiles a thin-lipped smile. "I trust you out in the field, because you know more about that than I do. Trust me on my expertise here, that that just doesn't work."

[Ryn]

It doesn't make sense to Ryn but since when have human things made sense.

"You're right. But that doesn't make it any less stupid." she huffs and almost pouts.

[Katarina Kane]

"You're right there," Katarina laughed. "Another victim of the 'decadent West'."

[Ryn]

West. West of Katarina's people, presumably and she has the vaguest idea where that is. Which itself she's pretty sure is somewhere west of the empty steppes she's roamed until recently. But not too far west apparently.

"Well at least some humans have the good sense to recognize their own folly." she jokes? There's some amusement playing on her lips but comedy is still kind of hit-or-miss with her.

[Katarina Kane]

"'Sense' doesn't seem to be the currency of our times, but we make do," Katarina smiled back.

[Ryn]

"You're forgiven." she nods magnanimously. "Because I like you."