one | VIDEO

[youbastard]

[ For the sake of the video feed Ellie is trying very hard to not let her nervousness show. She brushes the wisps of her brown hair that had fallen into her face away from her eyes, revealing two different colored eyes: one blue and one green. Before she starts speaking she does a quick look around and then turns back to face the camera directly. She has an almost British sounding accent when she speaks.]

Everyone here seems so friendly and ready to help. They’ve given us jobs, a place to live, and even powers. [That’s one of the most suspicious thing to her in all of this, right there with the tattoo.] Me with powers. [She makes a small scoffing sound.] Would’ve been useful back home. [She sighs]

Look, I…I really haven’t had much luck with people who tell me they want to help out. [In fact, she’s had the opposite of luck. Save for two people almost everyone that’s said they were trying to help her has betrayed her in some way.] I can’t help but think that this is all a little too generous. [There has to be a catch somewhere. There's no way that the rug isn't going to be pulled out from under them soon.]

Has anyone found any cracks in all of this yet? [She pauses for a few seconds.] I feel like I should also mention that I’ve been housed in residence 08. I was dropped off there not too long ago, but I wanted to look around before going inside. I haven't seen the Earth like this in a long time.

Comments

[permavoice]

[heartstings]

Tell me about it. The whole powers being useful back home bit.

[She makes a thoughtful noise before continuing.]

There's a couple sayings that probably apply here. Something about the Devil in a Sunday hat but also the whole looking a gift horse in the mouth. I dunno...it's only been about a month since we got here. The bad guys, whoever they are, are biding their time.

[youbastard]

It makes the power thing bittersweet. [She sighs.]

Sounds like both of those probably fit the entire situation really well. If it weren't for how suspicious it seemed, I might even be happy to be here. [It's a lot nicer than where she was previously after all.] Bad guys always bide their time until they're ready. Most of the time they seem like friendly faces while they're doing it too.

( video )

[abadidea]

[That was definitely Ellie, and a few finger swipes later he has the video enabled on his end, too. He's changed and cleaned up from his arrival, but he still needs a shave.]

Ellie? Is that you? They brought you here too?

( video )

[youbastard]

[Well. She just ...stares for a second. Last thing she knew he was dead. This is a lot to take in.]

Isaac...you're ...[alive. okay. There are a lot of fill in the blank words here] here.

[detriments]

[well hello, fellow housemate.]

You'll find them soon enough.

[youbastard]

[Hello, roomie.] Have you then?

text

[guiloteen]

they took us and will not let go. that is enough.

how many others were given powers?

video

[youbastard]

[Text is somewhat suspicious to Ellie, so she's going to switch it back to video. Sorry] I wish I could answer that, I'm pretty curious myself. Like I said though, I just got here. I'm as clueless as the next person. It's a good question though.

I'm not very comfortable talking to someone here through text right now. I hope you won't mind.

video.

[selfequipped]

[Where does she even begin? Cracks. Kate sees cracks all over, but she doesn't know how biased she is about it.]

One, a lack of choice. We didn't ask to be brought here. [Which happens sometimes, but then:] And I'm not a fan of enforced tattoos, regulating superheroes, and everything in-between. Too big brother. Too much of the next step of something I fought against back home. [Because there's no point in making it a secret.]

video.

[youbastard]

[She nods, those were a lot of the same things she was thinking. It's almost comforting to know she's not alone in the paranoid train. Usually she is.] Do you mind if I ask about the specifics of what you fought against back home?

audio;

[dragony]

What does the Earth look like, in your memory?

audio;

[youbastard]

Nothing like this. [She chuckles a bit sadly.] Nothing so bright. The environment on the Earth where I'm from has almost completely collapsed.

audio

[gevurah]

They think if they're nice you'll decide to sign your name on the dotted line.

audio

[youbastard]

What dotted line?

voice

[motherflocker]

[ Oh no another attractive woman in this house... it's like heaven. ]

I think you'll find that we all have suspicions like that. They're asking for so little, but providing so much? It's bad business, for starters.

voice

[youbastard]

[His life has never been so amazing.]

Bad business is certainly one way to put it. [Not the first thing she'd think of to describe it as, but it works.] It's a bit comforting knowing I'm not the only one with suspicions.

video

[retropolis]

[ He's got a friendly smile on his face, the look of someone that wants to be helpful. But he's one of those people whose inclination isn't to distrust the government, so perhaps he still wants to assume the best. ]

You get used to them. The powers, I-I mean. I wouldn't assume they have any ulterior motives for wanting to make sure we're comfortable. We're all stuck in a situation outside our control, I for one am glad they were at least a little prepared to provide us some security.

video

[youbastard]

[She knows someone a bit like that and she used to be like that herself, a long time ago.]

Did you not have any before here either? [She's going to resist the urge to tell him that e sounds a bit naive, that just seems rude.] Maybe it isn't right to automatically assume there's ulterior motives. [She offers a sad little smile.] I've just had some bad luck lately. It'd be nice to think they were just trying to make sure we're comfortable in a bad situation.

voice;

[glowsferatu]

Well, if it does help, they certainly aren't giving it for free. There are expectations of their own, the whole heroic trappings of the matter. [ it's said with the slightest hint of disdain, not so much for the situation itself as the wrapping it's presented in. ]

They aren't exactly impractical with it. There's a kind of logic to it that our previous circumstances lacked.

voice;

[youbastard]

[She chuckles uneasily.] I don't think that does really help that much. [Actually, it sort of does the opposite. It proves they do want something, whether or not it comes with a huge catch is the question though.] You're the third person to mention a previous place.

voice;

[waiting]

Had it rough, huh. [ Not that he sounds like he intends to pry; his tone of voice is just wryly sympathetic. ]

It's a sweeter deal than most government jobs, but if you don't actually like working for the man, that's gonna be your biggest problem right there. It's not like they ask you to register right off, so if you wanna snoop around before you commit, you can do that.

You didn't have powers back home?

voice;

[youbastard]

No more than a lot of people. [Which isn't really that true, but it doesn't really matter.]

The only way I wouldn't like it is if they're anything like my government. [Which has pretty much ended up being the most shitty government ever.] Which is what I'm working on finding out now.

[She chuckles.] No, no powers at all. Is that unusual?

[slightlyoffchilt]

It's not uncommon, for people to distrust initial kindness. Especially when one has experienced past traumatic incidents.

[youbastard]

No, I guess not. Especially when it's all really fresh.

encryped voice;

[withamask]

Don't worry. You're not the only one who's suspicious.

[ A pause. ]

And I wouldn't recommend announcing your address on here.

encryped voice;

[youbastard]

So I've heard. It's strangely comforting. [She lets out a slight sigh.] Yeah...that probably wasn't my best move.