First strike [Video]

[kendo_taisho]

[The video clicks on revealing a teen sitting confidently facing the camera. He's dressed casually, nothing too impressive, but respectable enough for his age. He clears his throat, his voice smooth as he speaks.]

Good morning, Maurtia Falls!

The name's Hattori, and I'm yer new inner-city detective.

[Holds up his shiny badge so everyone can see it, his hand covering part of his title:

Heiji Hattori
Pet Detective

Pulls the badge away, grinning broadly.]

I'm located in residence #004. If ye've got a case, I'm yer man, so give me a call. Don't matter what time o'day or where yer at.

[ooc: While he's specifically directing Maurtia Falls, it's an open comm to all cities. Yes, he is deliberately hiding the 'pet' portion of his job. It's okay, he can totally solve murders too. It's perfectly legal! ...ahem.]

Comments

[siriusly]

[a beat of just Manabu staring and slowly starting to frown.]

...What did the paperwork say it was?

[kendo_taisho]

Mostly enhancements. That's easy enough to at least figure out. But I got some kind've manipulation power and I don't even know how I activated it. Was in the middle of a spar an' it just happened.

[siriusly]

[slow squint.] Ehh...? You mean, to protect yourself? Or...hurt the other person?

[kendo_taisho]

Let's just say I wasn't prepared for the weapon I was holdin'. If circumstances had been different I really could've hurt him. [If Moses hadn't been a great fighter...]

I don't want t'hurt anyone by accident.

[siriusly]

[yikes.] That sounds like something you need to figure out right away...especially if you're going to do any kind of work to help people.

[kendo_taisho]

Yer tellin' me. How th' hell did the government think it was a good idea t'bring in people and then let them figure this shit out on their own?

[siriusly]

[a little frown:] Well...I mean, from what I understand, this isn't a situation they ever thought they'd have to handle, and definitely not one that covers all the possible odds and ends that come of it. That they can even identify what power you're stuck with at all from the start's probably a huge accomplishment.

[kendo_taisho]

...I guess that makes a reasonable amount of sense. I'd like t'be upset at them for all this, but a lot of it's outta their hands, innit?

[siriusly]

[smiling sympathetically at that, nodding.] Mm. I think everyone's just trying to do their best with a situation that's...not all that common. I mean, even a few years is still too soon to be so adjusted to something this big.

[he glances down for a beat before looking back, his smile a little crooked.] And most everyone on this network's been pretty good about advice, if not offering help outright.

[which means it's about time you pay it forward, huh, Manabu? his eyebrows lift with the thought.]

I might be able to help you out, actually.

[kendo_taisho]

[This was Heiji's first call, so he'll probably be learning more about people and everything as time goes on and he meets more ImPorts. He does perk up at that last bit, grinning.]

Yeah? If there's anythin' ye can do I'd be very grateful.

[siriusly]

Well, if it's a matter of your power causing people harm, and you having to learn how to dial it back...I can at least take a lot of harm without much trouble with some of my power. [offering to get beat up just after getting a device to keep from getting beat up. Manabu. please.

no, this is fine. he shrugs a little.] Without really knowing what it is you do, I can't be more specific than that...

[kendo_taisho]

[Quiet for a moment, cause he doesn't want to be entirely forthcoming about his abilities to everyone on the network, but if this guy could give him some focus to help get a hang of this...?]

It's weapon manipulation. One minute I was holdin' one thing, and th' next I had an actual sword in my hand. Went back to normal as soon as I stopped touchin' it, but it was definitely razor sharp. Can't figure out how I did it. It was in my file an' everythin', but those files didn't prepare me at all. With my body feelin' weird from th' added enhancement it was pretty much a swift reminder that I've got a lot t'learn. The guy I was fightin' luckily was a damned good fighter. I use kendo daily. I can't afford to lose control.

[siriusly]

[he gawks, more out of need for time to visualize that and less out of how weird it was to bother trying to visualize. holds a thing...becomes...sword? what? how?

is this guy now a wizard.]

That's... [wizard-weird. he shakes his head a little to snap out of the confusing haze thinking on it causes.] That is, that sounds really out there. But you're right, you really need a way to figure that out...

[kendo_taisho]

[He's not a wizard, okay? How is that even close to magic? There's probably science to it...somewhere.]

What, is that weird for this place? [Now he's a little worried.]

[siriusly]

I'm...not exactly the right person to ask for sure, since I've only been here for a little bit. [a slight beat.] It just sounds really weird to me.

[kendo_taisho]

Aa, yeah. I get what ya mean. It's weird to me too. This sorta thing doesn't exist in my world.

[siriusly]

Mm... Either way, getting that sorted out should be a priority.

[kendo_taisho]

I activated it while sparrin', so that's prolly my best bet to figurin' out how to do it on purpose and on to not.

[siriusly]

[a delay while he thinks about it.]

I've never done kendo before...but maybe, [ah--] maybe if you showed me a bit, that'd be close to making it happen again? That power of yours.

[kendo_taisho]

[Excited.] Sure! I need t'practice anyway. The enhanced speed is killin' my forms. Gettin' used to it again is on th' top of my list of things t'do.

I could prolly show ya how t'do em too, if yer interested. Wouldn't say no to someone to practice with even without the crazy power thing.

[siriusly]

[agreeably:] It could be a win-win, in that case. I'm for it.