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[metaphorbia]

[ David has used mobiles before, but posting to a public network? It's been ages. So he ends up staring kind of hard at his comm with the feed on, debating what to say. He hopes it makes him look pensive and thoughtful; mostly he looks like a dumbass. ]

So - okay. One question. A lot of questions, but let’s just go with one for now. Is it really true that people cope okay with their powers? And every ImPort gets them?

[ He shifts a little in his chair. Very awkward, a little uncomfortable. He knows he’s asking basic questions, but he just has to. At least he looks friendly enough, though his ragged, patched clothes give him away. Kid’s from a post-apocalyptic world and it shows. ]

Where I’m from, absolute power corrupting absolutely is really, really literal. So getting to keep the superpowers without the psychopathy just seems kind of nuts to me. Awesome nuts. Like - nuts with pop rocks in them. Pop rocks exist here, right? I haven’t had those in ages.

[ Focus, David. He needs to focus. ]

What kinds of powers does everyone have? And do you have trouble with it at all? I mean, if you don’t wanna tell me, that’s fine. I’m just a little bit jealous.

[ And excited, too. Even in this situation, David can’t help but be the world’s biggest superpower nerd. ]

Comments

[metaphorbia]

[ He's expecting way worse if that helps. ]

... That's it? No deaths or anything?

1/2

[girlybruiser]

[ Awkward silence. ]

2/2

[girlybruiser]

... not that I am aware of?

[metaphorbia]

That's really good then. Way less bad than what I was picturing. We, uh. Have that problem a lot.

[ sorry about his world sucking ok ]

[girlybruiser]

[ A sheepish laugh follows, but is quickly cut off when David mentions the frequency. ]

O-oh... I'm sorry. Why is it happening a lot back home for you?

[metaphorbia]

Because everyone who gets superpowers goes crazy and starts killing people eventually.

[girlybruiser]

[ That's... largely concerning. ]

... does it matter what kind of superpower it is? But that's... that's horrible.

[metaphorbia]

Yeah, that's why I was asking. Since everyone's got powers here ...

[ He's really, really relieved to hear it's not as bad here. ]

[girlybruiser]

No, not at all... I never thought that powers could warp a person's mind like that and make them...

[ She saw what had happened to Akechi back home, but there were also quite a number of unfortunate circumstances in his life that led to even more bad choices. ]

[metaphorbia]

That's good. That that's not a thing that happens for you. It, uh. Kind of caused the apocalypse back home.

[girlybruiser]

[ She eyes his attire closer this time, her jaw dropping slightly. ]

As in the end of the world?

[metaphorbia]

[ David nods. ]

As in like the collapse of society, people only live in city-states, kind of Mad Max stuff? And not the "everyone is definitely dead" kind of apocalypse.

[girlybruiser]

That's awful... and you had to endure that this whole time?

[metaphorbia]

For the last ten years. Yeah. I sort of remember what it was like before, but it's dim now.

[girlybruiser]

That doesn't sound easy at all.

Then... the whole world is a dangerous place now?

[ It's difficult for her to imagine that there isn't a safe place left. ]

Are there other survivors?

[metaphorbia]

Dangerous, yeah. But plenty of survivors too. We all band together when we can.

[ David is one of those survivors himself. ]

[girlybruiser]

That's good there are others. You aren't alone, at least.

[metaphorbia]

Oh yeah. I'm part of a team too - called the Reckoners. We take down the worst of the Epics ourselves.

[girlybruiser]

Reckoners? What a cool name for a team!

[ It sounds kind of heroic, but as in the dark side of the law. Kind of like the Phantom Thieves. ]

What are Epics?

[metaphorbia]

Thanks. I wish I'd come up with it, but I'm not that cool.

[ It's really not that dissimilar. Except David focuses on physical weaknesses. ]

They're people with superpowers. And most of them are evil.

[girlybruiser]

And none of you on the Reckoners have superpowers?

[metaphorbia]

[ Um. David kind of. Pauses at that. In fact, there are three people on the team with powers, but it's complicated. ]

That's the idea yeah. Normal people taking down Epics.

[girlybruiser]

That's very brave of you all. Going up against people with such abilities can't be easy.

[metaphorbia]

It's not. You have to figure them out, find their weakness, and exploit it. Or else they might as well be gods.

But they're tyrants or worse. And nobody else was doing it.

[girlybruiser]

[ A beat. ]

Therefore... someone had to. [ She completely understands, having been one of the few to step forward to take on corruption herself. Even if it meant changing her father's heart, if the Phantom Thieves weren't going to do it, who would? ] It's a noble cause.