video | a finer world, part 2

[solarcharged]

[ Does this guy ever broadcast to the network from ground level?? APPARENTLY NOT because here's Apollo with yet another video message from somewhere dizzyingly high, this time sat on top of a brightly lit neon encrusted building in the heart of Jeopardy. Over his shoulder the sun sets over the desert in a picture perfect background landscape of bright pinks and oranges, but Apollo looks pensive despite the dreamy setting. He's been keeping an eye out for the so-called ghosts, you see, and maybe remembering a few ghosts of his own in the process. ]

An old friend once told me that saving the world is no good if we leave it the way we found it. She said 'saving the day shouldn't be the same as preserving the status quo'. Because what's the point in saving the world if you make no effort to change it? To make it better than it was?

That's why I joined her team, back home. I wanted to save the world and change it for the better. None of us could have done it alone but as a group... [ He trails off, turning a little wistful. ] As a group we were formidable.

But I know most of the teams currently operating here - [ you know who you are ] - are all pretty much Registered-only affairs. And that's fine if you're the Registering type...

[ Apollo's expression turns grim. Or as grim as you can look when surrounded by neon pink signage. ]

Personally? I've got no intention of swearing my loyalty to the government just because they want tame superheroes. But I still want to make a difference and if being a so-called vigilante is what it takes, then... I guess we'll see what happens next.

So consider this an open call. Is there anyone else out there who's Unsettled and wants to do their bit to save the world?

[ And yeah, maybe change it a little bit too. He hopes you're happy, Jenny Sparks. ]

Comments

[heliophilic]

[Good, anything to break the tension in this room... even if M can't help but feel the tension is one-sided on his part. Laughter means he hasn't fucked everything up.]

Don't flash it and I won't stare at it.

[He wonders for a moment if that's a step too far, but it felt in line with his last comment that got a laugh, so he tries not to think too much about it.]

[solarcharged]

I'm not flashing anything, thank you very much, [ Apollo protests indignantly (with a barely-hidden grin that's only slightly confused about where all this is heading).

He gestures threateningly with the pool cue, waving M away from the table. ]

Look, can we just stop talking about it please? I'm trying to play a game here!

[heliophilic]

[M finally moves out of the way.]

Is that what you call losing to me?

[solarcharged]

Losing my patience, yeah...

[ He's grumbling but it's not heartfelt, not in the slightest. Although how is he meant to bend over the table now and still keep his pride? Damn it, Midnighter. ]

[heliophilic]

Such a complainer...

[M watches Apollo's inner conflict with interest, knowing that he should feel at least the slightest bit conflicted over causing said conflict. Instead, he allows himself to give into his guilty pleasure of just enjoying the show.

He'll worry about what that all means later.]

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo doesn't rise to the bait for that one, he just concentrates on perfectly lining up his shot instead. He pots the ball, but only just. ]

If I get the next one then I might actually win, you know.

[heliophilic]

I don't know how my pride will handle that.

[He leans in, making a big show of it (to show off? to apologize? ~it's a mystery~) and pockets two of his remaining balls. All that's left on the table now is the 8 ball.]

Hm...

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo glances at the single remaining ball with a grin. ]

Okay, hold on. Let's make this interesting.

[ Not that he's confident at winning - far from it. He crosses his arms and taps his chin in theatrical thought. ]

If I pot that ball before you do... you've got to buy us both tickets to the next big musical that stages in Nonah. Front row, opening night.

[heliophilic]

[M had been in games where wagers like this had been made before, but he's never been in one where he actually cares about what the other person wants before. He's quiet for a moment as he thinks of a suitable bet... because frankly the musical date sounds like something worth losing to.]

And if I do it... You wear Andrew's suit for a week. Show off those naughty naughty arms.

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo pulls a face in reaction but like M he's not all that bothered about losing. He'd be lying if he said he didn't want to try the other Apollo's outfit on at least once. ]

All right. [ He sticks out a hand to shake. ] Deal.

[heliophilic]

[M shakes the hand.]

Deal. Prepare to lose.

[Only... M really doesn't want to win; a strange feeling. He makes a shot and misses, this time managing to make it look actually believable this time.]

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo knows that it's highly unlikely that he'll pot the ball before M does, but somehow he doesn't actually mind all that much. He turns to the table with a grin; that doesn't mean he's not going to try though. Because it's a good excuse to drag M to a musical.

He does try, he really does, but the ball misses by a hairline. ]

Damn. I should have prepared harder.

[ Not that he seems that bothered about losing. ]

[heliophilic]

[M steps forward, staring at the table and thinks about the dozens of ways he could sink the shot, easy. Instead he tries to find the more complicated shots, the ones where he can appear to be showing off and more easily get away with missing his shot.

While he looks, Fubuki wanders over, trying to figure out what the two of them have been doing over here. She looks at M, then Apollo, then the table, before yawning and staring back at the table again.

M finally makes his stupid trick shot--and misses.

Fubuki's eyes don't leave the ball.]

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo shakes his head with a grin, despite the fact that he really wouldn't have minded if M had actually won. ]

This is why you shouldn't show off.

[ He settles down at the table to make his shot; the line of sight is easy and clear, Apollo would have to be really bad to miss this one... ]

[heliophilic]

[As soon as the ball starts to roll across the table, Fubuki darts up and grabs it in her mouth, darting off across the apartment with it in a moment.

Did M see this coming? Maybe.]

Fubuki!

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo, robbed of his improbably victory, can only laugh. ]

Well, that's that then. [ He straightens up, cue still in hand as he stares at the now clean table. ] Did we both win or did we both lose?

[heliophilic]

Well seeing as the tiger's got the 8 ball, I'd say she won.

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo returns his cue to the wall and throws his hands up in mock despair. ]

The tiger wins! Guess you're taking her to the theatre.

[heliophilic]

I'm sure she'd love to see South Pacific with me.

[He heads over to the tiger and gently gets the ball away from her, trading it with one of the many toys he's got around the apartment.]

[solarcharged]

Yeah?

[ Apollo lingers by the pool table, watching Midnighter retrieve the ball. It's strangely charming, watching the other man be so soft and gentle with a god damn tiger. ]

Can't wait to see you wrestle her in to Andrew's spandex.

[heliophilic]

Yeah her original caretaker swapped out her holographic claws for real steel ones. I'd rather not lose a costume to them.

[solarcharged]

Why do you have his costume anyway? [ Because he hadn't thought about it before, but: ] Did he just... leave it here from his port-out?

[heliophilic]

I had his toothbrush too, but I didn't feel weird throwing that out.

[Hint hint.]

[solarcharged]

Ah. [ Apollo's smile turns rueful. Of course they were living together. It makes sense.

He glances around the apartment, seeing it with new eyes now as if he could now imagine this other version of him. Moving around like he owned the place. Finding places to keep his things. Making himself a home. And then... gone. Here one day and gone the next. No warning, no explanation. ]

What else do you still have?

[heliophilic]

[They... well... sort of. He spent nights sometimes here, sometimes M spent the night there. They'd started storing spare clothes--among other things--in each other's places just in case.]

I donated most of it, but... some of his shirts. The ones that remind me the most of him. A couple pairs of pants I can fit into.

[His eyes fall on a pendant of his logo resting on a heavy chain, slung around a photo collage in the dining area.]

That was his. He picked it up at FanPort two years ago.