maskormenace | video.

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[Kate actually knows she shouldn't do this. She knows she shouldn't, but she goes ahead and does it anyway.]

A year ago, I made a post on here. I talked about a different world, and I talked about a different registration act. In my world, good people who refused to register were assaulted, brought down, and meant to be delivered to a dangerous and terrible prison until they submitted. My friends and I were among the first to refuse to register, and we were lucky enough to be rescued. I never registered, and it turned out that everything associated with the act was ... bad.

For that reason, among others, I've refused to register here. We don't belong in this world, and our hands are being forced on the matter. The government has used us without divulging information openly, and they've even put us into psychological games. Just last April, everyone was asked to play a game. Did you feel like a rat in a cage? And last June, people were asked to play a war game without being told of the very real consequences: that with every shot, we'd feel what it was like to have a real bullet tearing into us. And at the end of the game, you either won or you experienced true death before you woke up.

[Her voice here intensifies in its anger.]

And now ... now, a year later, we're in another game. We're in the reality of that paintball game. See, it was imPort versus imPort, and here we are again. We're having our hands forced because even if we've been helping one another, and helping the citizens of the world, we should be brought in. None of the vigilantes I know kill. We all help, doing what we can, and it's the government who defines our behavior, and who decides that we should adhere to their laws. And why? Is there any reason that we should? We didn't consent to these tattoos. We've been going along with what they've wanted for ages.

So, this is what I'm asking the government to do. You have the list of vigilantes. Why don't you bring us in yourself? Why use other imPorts? You can capture us, right?

Because honestly, that's what I'd like to know. Obviously, you want something for this, so everyone, let's guess! Because it looks like they want a Civil War among us. I guess they really didn't think it through, even with cautionary tales already ready in their midst.

[When she cuts the feed, it switches to text, providing a link to her previous words on the matter. Cautionary tales are even sourced!]

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[ Not half as sorry as he is, but he thought he was making the right call when he registered. Better to get it over with, he'd told himself, and not have to be forced. He'd even consoled himself with the fact that they weren't using imPorts against imPorts. ]

Should, but don't. Does anyone ever 'know better'? Personal experience says no.

... how do you think they're deciding which imPorts are in charge of it? The training facilities?

[After a moment, she shakes her head.]

It doesn't sound like there is anyone "in charge." This isn't a movement. They're asking the imPorts to help the local law enforcement by bringing us in because the law enforcement can't.

It's permission, but with no overhead authority.

They both screwed that up and were very aware of what they were doing there.

Yet. There's no one in charge yet.

[ But teams do better than solo heroes, if you can call attacking and arresting the unregistered "heroic." (You can't.) He knows how this is going to play out; it's not so much a slippery slope as it is a cliff. He's done it, and the idea of having to go after "vigilantes" again horrifies him. A vigilante can meet his definition of hero as often as not: they would have to trust the government's interpretation of vigilante. The government here hasn't inspired a ton of confidence. ]

You know what scares me? Everyone coming out and saying what a shitty idea it is. They're right, but I don't know what they're going to do when they don't get enough "volunteers." When do they stop asking and start ordering?

[ His weary, skeptical tone indicates that he doesn't think it will take very long. ]

I guess there's no way to un register. Not even sure if I would. I don't think I want that kind of gut check.

—Oh, you can unregister just fine. I know a few people who have done it. I'm not saying "do it." I would never tell anyone that.

But you can go back on your "oath." I don't know if it means anything, or if there's something that's sealed into place. We don't know how deep this goes.

Still, you can certainly make that choice.

I would if I thought it meant anything. But - the nanites are there either way, right? If they really wanted to take people in, they'd fry them where they stand, like they did with the Thunderbolts. Making - oh I'm sorry, asking us to do it just puts us all at each other's throats.

And even if most of the Registered don't do it, that's just going to leave the people who shouldn't be let anywhere near something like that. Like Osborn. Hey, it's free potshots at heroes. A lot of people are going to get seriously hurt because of this.

That'a about when I'll start having second thoughts about being a conscientious objector.

Yeah, the nanites, the tattoo ... it's all going to be there no matter what we do.

[She sighs.]

The worst part is that we don't know who is or isn't going to be up for free potshots. And it's not like the community stays stable enough to really know for sure. We might have to rely on trying to fight this as quickly as possible.

Someone will do it. I'm waiting for someone to make some gross sycophantic post recruiting a team of Registered imPorts to hunt people down.

[ Robbie cards a hand through his hair, sharing her frustration at the inevitability of it. ]

How are you going to fight it, Kate? The whole reason I registered was because I didn't want to end up back in whatever copy of 42 they've got here. Fantasy Island wasn't very fantastic. The unstable community goes both ways - I've been bleeding teammates lately. You can't count on having anyone to help you. You probably shouldn't even be saying any of this here.

Well, I may have curbed them a bit. [She doesn't want to give herself credit, but she did jump to this to beat other people to the punch.]

And I'm going to count on Matt Murdock. If he fails, I'll have his files. I shouldn't count on myself, I know that, but I can set up the same contingencies with what Matt and I put together in the event that we leave. The information can and will be passed on. I already have it set up for the FAQ, so I can just use the same system.

Maybe you did. Nice one. [ He offers her a smile to go with the small pat on the back. ] I haven't seen anyone acting like a dick about it yet.

[ They could be doing it in private, but there's only so much negativity he cares to share, and he's worried about hitting some sort of hard limit. ]

Matt Murdock. Right, he's going to swoop in like an intrepid young legal eagle and save the day. I'm … going to figure that it's going to go the same way as most cases against people with powers. [ That is to say, like shit. ] Maybe I'll be surprised. I've been surprised a lot lately.

Good to know the information doesn't leave with you, but it sucks for the future imPorts who don't get you with their lowdown.

Honestly, there are a lot of great people here. They might not have the Kate Bishop charm, but when it comes to spreading info and helping out, there is a pretty nice variety these days. [The Blue Beetle, for instance, was great at it. She liked his way of doing things—it was way less ... aggressive than her, for one thing, and another, it meant that there was someone not necessarily close to her up to it.

Eventually, she knows that her tight knit group of people would leave. It would suck when that happened, but it would happen.

And one day, she would be among them (or leading the pack, either way).]

I never meant that there weren't a lot of decent people, but there's always that one idiot who has to ruin it for everyone, you know?

[ There's a brief pause. ]

For once, I don't mean me. I mean - I am an idiot, I'm just not that one. I'm the one that's going to say the Kate Bishop charm is the real selling point; not the one that's going to tell everyone that anyone who doesn't register isn't a God-Fearing Patriot and is plotting to kill us all in the night.

But there's plenty of nice ones. I'm just running out of them.

I appreciate the praise. [She shrugs her shoulders as casually as she can.] But honestly, I'd rather that this all doesn't bank on me. I can do this, and I will do it, but after a rather big mistake last February, I'd rather not go around touting myself as someone who can really sell these points all on my own.

I mean, someone who claims she respects me is also questioning my life choices right here. She even knows why I became a hero, but she's still not clear on it. I wouldn't say that I've charmed everyone.

Though, yay, I've charmed you.

No pressure here. You're the one who made the big Network post to rally the troops and call out the government.

I wouldn't worry about What's-Her-Name. I question your life choices. I question mine, too, anybody who decides they want to spend their life doing this. Then again, I question the life choices of the guy across the street who likes to wear plaid suits. It's just what people do, so let it run off your back.

And charming me ain't no big thing. I'm an idiot, remember?

I guess I should just take this for what it is. Good job me. If it wasn't awkward to pat yourself on the back without being named Mr. Fantastic, I would start that right about now.

And don't be so quick to call yourself an idiot. Idiots are the uncharmed ones, in my experience.

It's still awkward when he does it. I don't know if you've ever been in the room, but trust me, beyond cringe-inducing and closer to 'when can I punch him in the face?'

[ A simple shrug, and a genuine smile. It's nice to hear someone say that he's not an idiot, although he wasn't fishing for the affirmation.]

It's just a joke, the idiot thing. Like how I could call the uncharmed ones blind and deaf, but that's not giving the blind and the deaf enough credit. But I'm always an acceptable target, because I never mind.

Well, as long as you're generally a good spirit about it all, I guess I can't tell you what you can call yourself, huh?

Nah, but you can call me whenever you like.

[She is facepalming. See? Facepalming.]

[ And he's laughing. Come on, that was a good one. ]

Would've it been any better if I sent with whatever?

Worse.

Definitely worse.

[ The broad smile doesn't fade. ]

I'll keep that in mind when I find somebody to actually use the line on.

Uh huh.

Good luck finding "somebody."

Pfff. I don't need luck. I'm just not looking.

All right, then. I'll take you at your word.

And I'll let you know if the line works.

[ He gives her a half smile with a well-timed click of the tongue. ]

If you need any help with the registered side of the registration crap, let me know, okay? I haven't decided on denouncing it yet.

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