video ↪ un: crowe (cw for mention of policework/real world current events)

[pridecroweth]

（ the image opens on sam, obviously pretty comfortable with being on camera. zoom calls will do that to a guy, even the one who'd prefer by far to be an absolute luddite. ）

Whoever got to bring their Jaeger, text it, I'm mad jealous. Do you do ride-alongs?

（ the gundam. he's talking about the gundam.

of course, he wouldn't have wanted his car here — poor old blue isn't built for offroading, and it's not like this place has a gas station just around the bend. ）

I'm new. Trying to get the lay of the land. Was wondering if anyone's done a headcount yet? The better we're looking after each other, the less likely anyone will slip through the cracks. Somebody goes off and falls down a well, no Lassie to warn us, could be a bad time. This goes double for anyone who doesn't know how to use the comm devices.

I understand not everyone's going to be on board with announcing themselves or handing over their name — that's fine. I don't need anyone to tell their life story or even their real name, just basic identifiers so we have a rough idea of how many people should be here. You also don't have to tell me, but — if there's someone here you think you can trust, let them know if you're going out on your own. Call it a personal favor.

（ sam's spent years working with at-risk kids, he knows how to gentle himself. his tone is mild, his body language is open. not a threat. ）

Name's Sam. I'm from Earth, for the familiar, year 2021. I'm a detective with the Chicago PD, which I know isn't going to make me the most popular guy around — ACAB, trust me when I say I get it. I also served with the 75^th Ranger Regiment, 2002-2009. I know a thing or two about a thing or two, but alien planets are a little out of my wheelhouse.

（ a bit of a crooked smile. magic and the like? werewolves? vampires? sure. all that, he can handle (which he wouldn't announce anyway) but the rest? yeah. ）

That said, if anyone needs a second pair of eyes on patrol or someone who can lift heavy shit and doesn't care if I bitch about old football injuries, I'm your man. Peace.

Comments

text ; un: wanda

[chaoswitch]

If alien planets are outside your wheelhouse, what would be considered in it?

( un: starless| text )

[morozova]

Earth appears to be quite popular.

What is a 'jaegar'?

[pridecroweth]

Well, I'm a youth outreach worker and a detective in the Juvenile Investigations Division. Used to do fraud investigation, white collar shit.

（ he hasn't drawn his gun in years, is what he's saying. at least, not in the line of duty. ）

Photography.

Mario Kart.

[pridecroweth]

So I'm hearing.

It's a type of mecha. Large machine that you can usually ride in or on.

[chaoswitch]

Mario Kart might be your closest experience it seems like. That's okay, I don't think you're alone in that.

My name is Wanda. It's nice to meet you, Sam.

[pridecroweth]

You too.

So what's your story? If you don't mind my asking.

@lance

[lifetothefullest]

I don't know, Chicago's kind of like an alien planet. Maybe your experience is more applicable than you think.

[pridecroweth]

Depends on your proximity to the Bean, I guess.

[chaoswitch]

I don't mind. Enough people know my story at home, sharing it here isn't a problem.

I'm what others call a superhero. Or I was. It's complicated when you have powers like mine. So mostly, I keep to myself. Keep my powers away from others for everyone's safety.

[lifetothefullest]

That's the super-reflective art installation, right?

[pridecroweth]

Lonely way to live.

If people call you a superhero, sounds like your instinct has generally been to help others. That's not what I'd call complicated, even if the moving parts of it may be.

（ how many people does he know like that? too many. even simbria started out like that, before it twisted her. ）

[pridecroweth]

Anish Kapoor's great masterpiece, yeah. That's the one.

video; @nina

[neversmall]

[ Saints, there's a man moving on her watch feed.

Moving and talking. She'd... known about the talking, and she'd been exposed to the "texting", but the moving?

This is TOO MUCH, please excuse her. Mind blown. She is running off to find the nearest patient who is willing to explain to her how to use this now, because she HAS to try this thing.

(And is also making a mental not to make sure the watch is off, in a pocket, or Someplace Safe the next time she wants a private moment, thank you.)

Anyway, there's a bit of wrangling, and when the feed opens up you can mostly see... the wall of the Aid Station.

Nina: "Is it like this?"
John: "No, the camera's there, see?"
Nina: "No, I don't -- that's a camera?"
John: - laughter - "Just," and the picture adjusts to see about half of Nina's face, "like that? See? You can tell up in the corner there."
Nina: "Oh, I really need to brush my hair, why didn't you tell me--"
John: -more laughter, reassurances-

And look, eventually- there's most of Nina's face. ]

Hello, Sam! I didn't know the watch could do this. I'm going to have to try now. I'm Nina.

[pridecroweth]

（ well that's the cutest fucking thing he's seen all week, thank you, nina. sam is actually grinning when he opens up the video back — it's not a common expression on him. ）

Hi, Nina. Nice to meet you. Your hair's fine, by the way.

[lifetothefullest]

I've never seen it in person, but the pictures are pretty impressive.

I'm Lance, by the way. Taking a census is a good idea, though it might be difficult to maintain if people keep arriving, or if someone disappears in the way they usually do from these sorts of places.

[neversmall]

[ Yes, her hair is fine, but it's the sort of statement that's a good safety valve. It also serves as a measure, though she hadn't meant to employ it in that sense - it's a kind response that she's receiving, with the sort of laughter that draws a circle around both people, not exclusive, not cruel. She knows the difference. And she laughs too. ]

Saints, you heard all that? It seems like every week I'm learning something new about this place. Not that it's been very long - about two months. But no official - or unofficial - headcount yet, as far as I know. It's a good idea.

[pridecroweth]

Your audio was on. Sorry.

（ he's still smiling, though. ）

Well, you can be the first person on my list. Got anything official you'd like to have recorded?

[chaoswitch]

Sometimes our hearts are in the right place, at least.

[neversmall]

[ Entirely truthfully: ] I've been quite enjoying not being official. [ A quick smile, teasingly truthful: ] But I can't resist being first. So I suppose saying that I've been working in the Aid Station since I came is a good thing to put on record. I have abilities that can help heal wounds more quickly, and take away pain.

[ Nina's on a Mission: Normalize Grisha being Normal and Helpful. ]

[pridecroweth]

I'd say intent matters.

If I ask what your powers are, will you share?

[chaoswitch]

Of course. I know it's important when taking stock of people.

I have telekinesis and telepathy. But I've recently discovered I'm more witch than anything else.

[pridecroweth]

Personally, I think it's hideous, but there's something for everyone.

Yeah, the disappearances are cause for concern. I think we might notice them more quickly if we're actively looking out for people. Especially those that are the only one from their own universe or world, they're going to be the most vulnerable.

I'm open to any ideas, though. Collaboration makes the world go round.

[pridecroweth]

（ the fact that this is the second of five people he's spoken to directly that doesn't seem to mind discussing some power or ability beyond the pale is giving him a bit of pause. shifters are cagey for a reason — their blood and bones can amplify magic in ways that more than a few people would love to get their hands on.

sam's not there yet. but he's not ruling it out, either. at least here the risk would only be on him, and not a decision he was making for the whole of the shifter community. ）

Oh yeah? I can think of a few times in my life that would've been useful.

（ he says it playfully, the way one would talk about papercuts or stubbed toes. but he's thinking about the desert. ）

I've got some medical skills myself. Nothing fancy, just basic first aid, but if you ever need another set of hands I'm not squeamish about injuries.

（ not his strongest point, but he'll do what he has to when it needs doing. then, as if making a tally: ）

So, Nina, has magical healing, works at the Aid Station? Am I missing anything?

[pridecroweth]

（ witch. hearing it makes his gut clench uncomfortably, even if he knows — their earth isn't the same (no superheroes, for one) and it's not like simbria knows every witch out there.

he still rubs a hand across his chest anyway. old memories. ）

You say that like it's a bad thing.

I'm pretty sure Glinda the Good would argue.

[neversmall]

[ A quick grin: ] Saints, I hope so. It'd be a pretty poor life, otherwise.

[ She's also specifically gone out of her way to integrate the fact healing is very much a secondary use of her abilities. She's a decent Tailor, and can stitch people back together; hold back blood... but she can't do what someone whose spent years training to put people back together can do. Not when she's spent the same amount of years training how to tear someone apart.

So she has no interest in hiding the more dangerous aspect of her nature as much as she wants to incorporate it into part of a whole; people will tolerate what is useful, and none of the people here have the prejudices against Grisha she's faced her whole life. But. She still can't. Bring herself to just say it. Giving a laundry list of what she can do seems so much more self-disclosing than just wearing a red and black kefta. And that sort of self-disclosure is so anti-survival, it's a hard thing to do, even if she's determined to do it. ]

I wouldn't call it magic, for one thing. Grisha don't make things; we manipulate what's already there.