001 | [video]

[thefatherssins]

[The face on the video is that of a middle-aged man, with messy brown hair and a notable scar crossing his smiling lips.]

I guess I should probably introduce myself, since we all seem to be in this together. Forgive me if I'm a little rough, I haven't gotten out much in a while. [Understatement. Though he tosses it off like a joke.] My name's Tomomi Masaoka. It's good to meet you.

Ah, there is something I'd like to ask. [There are a lot of things he'd like to ask. But not in public, like this. Light bounces off his metal hand as he raises it to the back of his neck. His eyes flick to the side for a moment before returning to the camera.]

How easy is it to change jobs?

Comments

video

[23wishes]

Oh! You have a metal arm!

[Aerith, that's rude...]

My friend Barret back home has one too.

[Oh, right, he asked a question.]

It shouldn't be too hard. Did you get one of the weird ones?

Re: video

[thefatherssins]

[For a moment, he's surprised. It's been a long time since anyone commented on his arm.]

Hopefully it keeps working here. [It's a joke. Mostly. It doesn't need much maintenance, anyway.]

It's not that weird. [It would be back home, where door-to-door salesmen are unheard of now. But this place seems to have some 20th century aspects to it.] I just don't think I'll be very suited to it.

[23wishes]

Well, if it doesn't, I know a few people who are good at tinkering.

[Like... three actually... Mechanics seem to be a popular sort here.]

Hmm, then I don't think there would be any hard feelings if you declined it. What would you like to do instead?

[thefatherssins]

Ah, that's nice of you, miss.

[The question throws Masaoka off his friendly approach. What would he like to do? It would have been easy to answer that, once, with some line about justice and serving the people. But it's been a long time since it was a question he could really consider, and he doesn't have a ready answer anymore.

He would like...to make sure his son is safe. But he supposes he's done that to the best of his ability. For the moment, here, he'd just like to feel useful.]

I've always been in law enforcement.

[That was a very long pause for such a vague answer.]

video

[bindsthedead]

[The girl on the screen is neatly dressed, unnaturally pale... and can't be much older than 18, for all of her solemnity.]

Not that hard, if you can find another one. Registered imPorts can request reassignment, and even if you're not, there are always imPort businesses hiring. It depends on what your skills are.

video

[thefatherssins]

[Young people can get so serious these days.]

I don't have much of a range of skills, but that's good to hear.

It seems like I'll have to register soon.

video

[bindsthedead]

I see. Where do your talents lie? Combat, computers, magic? [Sabriel's completely serious.]

My own skills are... somewhat unusual, so I didn't find a job that was a good fit until I joined RISE?

video

[thefatherssins]

[Wait, magic? He's seen a good variety of technology here so far, but magic?

Maybe a dead man shouldn't be so skeptical. Still, it sounds like something to look at closely.]

I've always worked in law enforcement.

What's RISE?

[Video]

[smoking_analyst]

Huh? Masa-san, is that really you?

[Have a rather surprised blonde looking at the video rather closely.]

[Video]

[thefatherssins]

[Masaoka is likewise surprised.] Karanomori-san?

[Kogami hadn't mentioned her being here.] Did you just arrive too?

[Video]

[smoking_analyst]

Yeah, I just got in. Still haven't really made it around anywhere yet.

[This was so strange, seeing someone she really shouldn't be seeing again.]

So what' the job you got stuck with?

[Video]

[thefatherssins]

[He considers trying to figure out when she's from, but that can wait for now.]

Have you seen Kogami or the ojou-chan yet? They're here too.

[He grimaces briefly.] It's kind of embarrassing.

[...she's going to enjoy this.]

Video;

[dualismum]

It's pretty easy. Natives like to have imPorts working with them (and for them) because it helps their business.

Video;

[thefatherssins]

They like us that much?

[It doesn't make sense to him. He'd expect fear, or at least caution. But he's seen evidence of it already. It's...unnerving.]

Video;

[dualismum]

Yeah. The government keeps saying we are all heroes and we're here to save them all. Of course they like us.

Video;

[thefatherssins]

[He still finds it odd. But an official message can be a powerful thing, as he well knows. Maybe it's just that he's used to being distrusted, to being kept in a cage.]

We have a lot to live up to, don't we?

( video )

[drizzle]

Rough? You seem like a friendly person so far. You'll be fine. The secret is not to overthink too much!

[Now that Nike has given her advice for the day, she'll smile at him.]

It's great to meet you, Tomomi. I'm Nike Lemercier. I arrived her a month or so ago. And you can definitely change or leave the jobs that are first assigned to you by the government. I left the one I was given not too long ago. It's easier to change jobs or living locations in the next swear in.

Re: ( video )

[thefatherssins]

[Oh, she's a sweet kid.]

Thank you, miss.

The swear-in is when we register, right?

Re: ( video )

[drizzle]

That's right. It's where you make your decision in joining them as a citizen or not. I found it to be the easiest place to change and handle all paperwork that way. I think there's another way, but I'm not sure how it's done.

[She couldn't help feel a little apologetic in not being able to be more helpful.]

video;

[psychofailed]

I should figure that out too, sometime.

video;

[thefatherssins]

You don't want to keep teaching meditation? [The smile makes it clear that Masaoka knows there's no way Kou will be content to keep doing that, whether it's an easy paycheck or not.

But Kogami also won't settle in here with the issue of Makishima unresolved. Just because he has options here doesn't mean he'll take them.]

video;

[psychofailed]

As much fun as it is, I don't think it's really the job for me.

[Dry, so dry. But honestly, the only reason he hasn't quit to find something more suitable yet is because of that resistance to settling in. Doing a job he likes would mean building some kind of life here, and he can't do that.]

[Video]

[wassamatterwithue]

Masaoka-san! You too?

[it's certainly a surprise to see him here, but she ain't complaining. if there's anybody from div1 she'd be glad to have around, it's Team Dad.]

[Video]

[thefatherssins]

Ojou-chan! [He'd heard from Kogami, but it's still a bit of a relief to actually see her.]

I just arrived.

[Video]

[wassamatterwithue]

[briiiight smile]

[wow she did not realize just how much she missed that affectionate "ojou-chan" until she got to hear it again.]

It's good to see you! I've been here for a couple months already, myself.

Obviously this isn't the best situation to be in, but at least you have several friends who arrived before you, so you don't have to be alone.