001 ʜʏᴅʀᴏɢᴇɴ ⚛ video

[immuno]

I'm told there's a swearing-in ceremony coming up next month, and I had just a few questions about that.

[ lydia's standing just outside residence #026, wearing a cheeky smile. all things considered, she's begun to develop her own theories on this, but information borne of experience is more reliable than whatever slanted, biased garbage she's been fed by the government officials who've helped to settle her in. ]

Well. One, really.

All imPorts are considered registered by default on arrival, but not everyone stays that way. Is that decision motivated by some hipster romanticization of homelessness, or are there legitimate reasons to reconsider the graciousness of our hosts?

[ okay, so her own attempts at impartiality were a little sabotaged by equating unregistered heroes to homeless people. she's still hoping some unregistered vigilantes will reply with their reasoning. ]

Oh, and, I'll be needing suggestions for where to find a dress for the ceremony.

Comments

VIDEO.

[selfimage]

[he's stopped for coffee somewhere along his general evening (and soon to be nightly) run. unfortunately it's difficult to see what he's wearing. he does, however, offer a brief wave of his hand.]

Two loaded questions with two loaded answers. I'm sure someone will be more than happy to rush in to give you a few good points about our--what did you say? [he clicks his fingers light a lightbulb's went off.] Gracious captors! have to offer us in form of hospitality if we decide we disagree with their more convincing methods.

[shoulder shrug.]

But when you find something that suits you for the ceremony let me know, I'm now selling sixty-four different shades of lipstick.

VIDEO.

[immuno]

[ oh she likes him. lydia's broad, winning smile transitions into something of a smug smirk briefly before she reasserts her control of her expression and opts for something more theatrically innocent. ]

Why should I wait for someone else to do it when I have a dissatisfied customer right here? Given your use of 'captor,' I'm guessing you don't believe the party line about not having control of the Porters. We'll get to where I can come shop your makeup selection in a moment. [ yeah she's not forgetting about that because she's very excited about it, ok, but her priorities have shifted to the slightly less vain lately. ]

voice;

[slightlyoffchilt]

With the exception of a few philosophical anarchists, it does appear that the overwhelming sentiment is, indeed, derived from sentimentality. "Romanticization" is an apt phrasing for it.

voice;

[immuno]

Noted. [ and she has considerable appreciation for his cynicism, immediately evaluating him as a 'must be registered.' ] Out of curiosity, would you characterize the philosophical anarchists as the paranoids that think the government is watching them through their TV, or more a 1970s post-'Nam disillusionment?

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[nestingdevil]

[The other side of the feed's a bit dark. There's smoke hanging where the recording catches, only to be wafted away as soon as a hand throws itself up. From the angle, there's a catch of leather, fur, and then:]

It just never suited me to work for anyone else.

[Greed's voice comes in like ash. Purred hot with someone new and he plucks the device out of his pocket. Pinches it by the top with a thumb and forefinger.] It changes when you decide to take them up on their offer. Or you don't. It's a pretty rotten deal if you ask me.

[Finally, he leans into the feed. Greed's nestled into a crouch, one leg sprawled out onto a table in front of him. He throws himself over his hips and is smile is a little more tamed. Making corners of his lips as both eyebrows shoot high up his forehead.]

Ah - right. [The Sin touches his chest, digging in his nails where the jut of his collarbone ends. The cigarette in his hand smolders and a bit of ash topples when he jerks it into view.] The name's Greed. Care to share yours, lovely?

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[immuno]

Why would I do that when the alternative is for you to keep coming up with complimentary pet names?

[ genuine question, delivered with a charming smile that makes it clear she's being deliberately, coyly obtuse. she settles back to lean against the house, tilting her head as she gazes down to consider the comm device. ]

How's it change? I'm curious. You're not the first to mention consequences for defecting, so enlighten me, Greed.

permavid

[centurybaby]

Registration is so fucking mainstream.

likewise

[immuno]

Oh, good. One honest vote for hipster garbage.

[voice]

[heartstings]

[Does she decide to give an honest answer?]

Registration is for pussies. [Nope, apparently not.]

[voice]

[immuno]

Well, that settles that.

[text]

[bloodfreak]

As someone who is remaining registered for the moment I can't weigh in on the matter. I could speculate it's simply because they don't wish to do as the government asks of them and would rather be self-sufficient, but I could be wrong.

[immuno]

I appreciate the effort to empathize, in that case.

Follow-up q: why stay registered? Aside from the obvious benefits; what sort of things does the government ask of you?

video.

[selfequipped]

Contrary to what you find in Doctor Chilton's ignorant response—[really, where the hell did he get romanticization from? She rolls her eyes.]—it's nothing to do with that. The government shouldn't be mandating people's lives, and no one is forced to live under their thumb.

A good number of us come from a world where registration like this proved faulty.

video.

[immuno]

[ ohohoho. now that gets her attention. she tilts her head. ]

Faulty how?

[pixiestyx]

[she'd been planning on laying low as long as possible...but this is something she had not considered]

do you really think well need to dress up ?

[immuno]

Need? God, no. But I always endeavor to dress for the occasion.

[video]

[runningstart]

'Cause if you swear in then the military owns you, babe.

[video]

[immuno]

Sweetie, I'm not gonna begrudge you a sense of principles, but it appears some people are more pragmatic than that. It's not exactly slavery; they're getting something, too.

permavid

[hackitude]

Trust me when I say there is nothing romantic about homelessness.

That said, I'mmmm not too keen on being the government's puppet? So I'm kind of undecided right now on the whole thing. I guess you could say I'm waiting to see how things go, get all the facts first. Way I see it, there's no need to rush the decision.

Anyway, I'm new myself-- obviously-- so I don't have any suggestions for your last point. But if you want a shopping buddy... it's always more fun with two, right?

permavid

[immuno]

You may very well have just become my favorite person here.

[ there's a genuine, mounting smile on her lips. skye is the only one who seems to be on her level and understand exactly what she's trying to do here, and she offered a shopping buddy. wow. winner. there's something reminiscent of a predatory jungle cat in the way her smile spreads, like she may as well be circling skye. very regina george. ]

What's your name?

video.

[nitidus]

[Ah yes, Rose is going to like this one. ]

Some consider our hosts suspicious and overly generous. If you're looking for a dress, however, my girlfriend is an excellent seamstress.

video.

[immuno]

[ the first remark gets dismissed, mainly because lydia can only agree—it is suspicious. the best way to find out more about something suspicious, though, is to stay close to it. she's weighing her security in that position. better to focus on clothes. ]

Good. Where can I find her, and how fast does she work?

text

[valr]

People don't like being told what to do.

[There are probably more complicated reasons, but that really sums it up.]

text

[immuno]

I find it hard to believe that every unregistered imPort has a job where they aren't being told what to do. Perhaps it's just the government that they don't like taking orders from—and if that's the case, I'd like to know why. Specifically.

video;

[longestwinter]

[No superhero here, just a regular twenty-something guy in a coffee shop trying very hard not to roll his eyes.]

Your decision to settle into that single room they give you and dress up pretty to go on display. Legitimate reasons for it, or some hipster romanticism of zoos?

video;

[immuno]

[ he's good. she'll keep him. she presses her tongue briefly against the inside of her cheek, scrutinizing him, and then offers a prompt, decisive reply. ]

Maybe it's just familiar.

[ after all, she's a sixteen-year-old girl. if she hadn't learned by now how to dress up pretty and go on display, she wouldn't be very good at working the system, would she? that's all people ever want girls to do, and lydia will heartily take advantage of it to win herself a little power. ]

[inmyothertights]

I don't think hipsters romanticize homelessness. Maybe crappy living situations, though.

[immuno]

You've obviously never heard of freeganism.

[ what? she reads. a lot. ]

text

[lyingheart]

Listed as unsettled, hardlined toward registered. You have to decide. The military has their preference, you can have yours. They're not running the unsettled out of housing yet. Not sure if they've bothered with running anyone out.

What's hipster?

text

[immuno]

Post-grunge, androgynous, wannabe counter-culturists who don't understand the benefits of person hygiene.

I'm merely interested in why imPorts would have their given preferences. A little healthy debate.

video.

[ex_question191]

[ good to know lydia still knows how to make an entrance, even if the only thing she's entering is the online forums. ]

Ladies and gentlemen, Lydia Martin.

[ but that's kind of under his breath, more to himself. despite the fond exasperation in his tone, he's kind of happy to see her. she's his favourite face, after all. ]

There a Macy's here?

[ since that's apparently the only clothing store in beacon hills, thanks advertisers. ]

video.

[immuno]

[ there's no flicker of surprise in her expression at stiles being here. in fact, she treats it like it's simply a given, and she tilts her head to the side, expression bland as she sweetly questions; ] Why? Are you interested in holding my bags?

[ her smile drops and she waves a dismissive hand. ] So far all I've heard about is some imPort seamstress—she's not bad, though. Still. I'm thinking of heading downtown with Skye to just find out for myself, at this point. [ useless peasants are all busy being huffy about politics. ]

voice;

[humanistic]

Another day, another interdimensional kidnapping, huh. You might want to slow down on the jaded thing, you'll get full of it way too quickly.

[you're young, you're so young, etc.]

What job did they give you, that you're thinking they're so gracious?

voice;

[immuno]

Calculus tutor. It's not the job itself that's flattering: it's the attention to detail. I can only presume they're tailor-made to suit us.

video

[yourpiecenow]

Wear sensible shoes.

[this advice sounds deadly serious]

video

[immuno]

[ oh no. her lips tug downwards into a dissatisfied look. ]

Just how long is this thing going to take?

video;

[choreographics]

Think about it this way. You bring in a bunch of people against their will and you find out that not only did they totally mess with your DNA, you have to start working for them. In exchange they'll take care of you...but only if you play nice. Doesn't that sound a little manipulative to you?

[Not that he can talk, seeing how he's registered.]

video;

[immuno]

Faulty premise. They didn't mess with everyone's DNA: some of us had our abilities before we arrived.

voice;

[altercate]

You're actually going to that ceremony?

[ skip the hellos, cut to the chase, the derek hale way. ]

voice;

[immuno]

Why wouldn't I? Unlike some people, I like to be a part of society. Make friends. Have a social life. [ god derek we can't all be dark and mysterious. also tbh she's thrilled he skipped the niceties because pretense is rather exhausting. ]