1st Trick - Video

[vengefulshades]

[Here we have an exceedingly dapper individual-- a slick-looking fellow in a snappy red suit, sunglasses, and ridiculously tall blond hair. He is fiddling around with his communicator, testing out the buttons and functions, though he seems to already have the hang of it. He smirks as he notices the video function working, and addresses whatever masses are out there.]

At first I thought this might be the afterlife. But no such luck, am I right? Right.

Then I thought it might be Purgatory. Somewhere to work off one's sins, you know? But then there was suddenly an agent of the government offering me paperwork and asking if I wanted to work for them.

So it's definitely Hell.

[His voice is light, with the merest hint of amusement in it.]

So now I'm guessing this is more like a party. A real exclusive party that you've got to be lucky to get invited to. And if there's one thing that I am, it's lucky.

[He pushes his sunglasses up further onto his face.]

Were they lying, though? About having a job and a house if I put in the hours? That's the only important part to me.

And I don't trust any G-man to give me a straight answer, either.

Comments

[vengefulshades]

Neat. So you have the power of shadows?

[foreshadower]

One of my powers, yes, is shadows. Or rather, I'm of shadows. It's a complicated technicality.

[vengefulshades]

I think I get it. Sort of like saying, instead of having the powers of fire, you're made of fire?

[foreshadower]

It's all much more complicated than that, but for simplicity's sake, yes.

I'm of shadows. That's why they call me the Shade.

[vengefulshades]

Cool.

[He likes the way this guy just owns it.]

[foreshadower]

[ Well when you're bored and immortal...

He laughs. ]

Yes, I suppose it is that. And you? Any sort of oddities they wrote down on your file when you arrived?

[vengefulshades]

[Oh, plenty, but he's not about to go down that road.

Not here. Not when nobody else knows about it, and there's a chance.]

Nothing too interesting. I'm good with computers.

[foreshadower]

That sounds like a minor talent, not a power.

[ A soft hum. He doesn't seem bothered. ]

As useful as the talent may be.

[vengefulshades]

I'm really good with computers.

[Still not his actual powers... but he's going to be loath to admit those.]

[foreshadower]

And I'm very good with flowers.

However... [ He shrugged.

Obviously he wasn't all that invested, at least not so much that he'd just keep trying to figure that out. At least not by asking him. He was something of a gentleman, after all. ]

I'm certain being good with computers is a bit more useful these days, yes?

[vengefulshades]

It's a living. I don't know how useful it will be for heroics, but that's not really my scene, I don't think.

[foreshadower]

Well, is it for most of us? Hardly.

I find there's very little that's good for heroics.

[vengefulshades]

I guess not.

It's all about the little heroes, though, isn't it? The guy bagging groceries, or the lady who makes your coffee, or your friendly neighborhood sys admin.

[foreshadower]

For some, yes, I suppose it is.

I don't get mired in little niceties like that. I'm only interested in the larger than life.

[vengefulshades]

Sorry to burst your bubble then, buddy. I'm definitely ordinary.

[That's what he'll tell himself as long as he's here, for as long as he can.]

Just your average everyday computer programmer. That's me.

[foreshadower]

Well, not anymore, whether you like it or not. Now you're beyond ordinary, you're an import.

[vengefulshades]

The most ordinary import there ever was.

[Definitely not a walking corpse with horrific cosmic powers. Nope.]

[foreshadower]

I have not met an ordinary import as of yet.

Now, I'm not unwilling to be proven wrong, but -- [ He leans forward, something of a smile on his face. ]

I rarely am.

[vengefulshades]

[Officially creeping him out now.]

I suppose nobody's really ordinary.

[foreshadower]

Very few, yes.

[ He leaned back. Don't worry, he's too lazy to be creepy, he just likes talking. Bored immortals, and all that. ]

Besides, there's always a story in there, somewhere. That's what interests me. Even if it's just your world.

[vengefulshades]

My world?

[He just shrugs.]

It's not all that different from this place, really. Really kind of boring.

[foreshadower]

I find my world boring, and we have superheroes.

It's all about perspective, really. I'm mostly interested in what happens -- the differences between one and another. Good tales, if you will.

[vengefulshades]

Good tales?

Hm. Well... I guess there's always the story of the "Secret Rendezvous." It was big news back home.

[foreshadower]

Oh? Color me curious. What happened?

[vengefulshades]

There was a popular rock band giving a live special on TV. It was the broadcast event of the year, and most of the country was going to be at home watching the concert.

Right at the most exciting part of the show, they were going to sing their number one hit, "Secret Rendezvous." And that's when it happened.