:: [Video] :: ☸ First Light.

[waywarddreams]

[ <sub>The video begins with a weird vibe to it. Floating betwixt the shadows and the ghostly moonlight flitting through a window there lies a vivid bright V accompanied by green orbs-- as the camera adjusts to the light and auto focuses, the orbs become solid rings and the white light of the moon pick out a helm. More than that, in fact. Though silvery is the outline of the figure, the emerald loops and V are so striking that he knows he should have probably done some kind of video during the day. But he had spent the day planning the video. Nothing was really going according to plan however-- he didn’t mean for his first appearance of himself to be shrouded by dark as a barely visible silhouette of a ominously luminous creature. The preview image on the communicator didn’t show much. There is the softest of sighs that is displaced by a metallic tinge.

The lights were clearly off for a reason.</sub> ]

Ah… greetings. [ _{There is an attempt at a patient tone and a slow nod, visible by the V shape bouncing. His Japanese accent is ridiculously heavy and he tries to at least speak slower than usual so his words don’t roll and merge in the usual way that they do when he speaks in English.} ]

Fellow… heroes? Vigilantes? Villains? One moment I am at the fringes of snowy Nepal and the next moment I am enlisted in a foreign military…? I do not speak harshly but rather, truthfully-- this illusion feels like everyone is a part of a show and we are being given parts to play in some kind of fantasy.

It will become clear upon any physical meeting with me that I am a tool for murder, but I refuse to take part in senseless death. If anyone of government is perhaps watching I wish for them to know this. I may be enlisted as a 'hero' but I have been a hero before and am above senseless violence. A militia that steals its members cannot be so innocent, regardless of the facade you paint your cities with.

What can we gain from being here?

[ _{Friendship wasn’t something that was ever high on any of his lists. There is a long pause of silence where he ponders what he just said, finding it to be depressingly off key when his master’s teachings echo around his head about silver linings and the darkest skies. If he needed to clear his throat to not appear awkward he would, but with the coming of metal vocal chords came the loss of natural human perks like that.} ]

Apologies, [ _{Murmured softly as he turns his helmet a little to look once more directly at the camera.} ] I do not mean any offence; I am merely troubled and I wish to understand more. My name is Genji. It is an honor to make your acquaintance.

[ _{The cyborg places a fist against his other hands open palm and bows to the camera though sitting down. The action is no longer a highlight, it’s visible now as the night rolls on and the moon casts its gaze upon him. Whether he liked it or not, this seemed to be home for now… but every human inch of him already ached to leave.} ]

Comments

( text )

[classification]

[ There's part of this he can understand. Part of it he can't, but only because of the life he's lead, not a real misunderstanding of the sentiment. It's not often he can resonate with even a little something he's seen on this network. ]

So far there is little to be gained for us, but proves opposite for those who have brought us here.

Re: ( text )

[waywarddreams]

Of course. Like a animals they are cage us and point a gun at mans feet to make us dance; only the fools would go against becoming a hero because of benefits, but that is wanted by them. Government wants their dance. How long will it be till bullets come?

[ _{The text has clearly been translated for Japanese hence the wonky phrasing, but its coherent enough to get the general gist of things.} ]

[classification]

They have already begun, in a manner of speaking. We are expected to protect this world from any issues that arise without any proper agreement or contract in coming here. That first shot has already been fired.

[douchebag]

[ There are so many things that this guy says that strike a chord with him that Felix can't help but respond to it. Of course, he has to take a minute to figure out which part he wants to address and how he wants to do it.

He responds with video, the camera capturing him as he sits in his living room. His hair's still style despite it being late, but he's wearing a plain black t-shirt instead of something fancy. He's in for the night. At least for the moment. ]

Something tells me what we gain isn't their priority. [ He tips his head to the side. ] Course, being cannon fodder isn't mine, so I guess it's lose-lose for everybody.

[ And because Genji introduced himself, Felix can do no less. ]

Name's Felix. Sorry you got sucked into this mess too.

[waywarddreams]

I am afraid that even if some protest, the noose was already tied when we were brought here. Disobeying could come with a heavy price, but for one with honor, the shattering of ones pride might be worse.

[ <sub>He suspected there were people here that were content with pridefully jumping the lines and rallying their comrades onto the bloody fields of war but, ultimately, that seemed to be where they would all be headed. Some people had morals to uphold that ran along the lines of thinking as others as cowards for wanting peace and they would rather die a meaningless death if they did it for any old cause. However, a resistance would be met badly. So where was the leeway between the two options? Genji becomes lost in thought with his visor light flickering ever so gently, fingers curled at his chin. He would be one of those ready to face the price of disobeying.

He snaps out of it with his suit making the softest of whirring noises, his eyes, though not visible, gazing directly at the man in the video feed.</sub> ]

Life is full of surprises, both welcome and unwelcome. It would not be life if you could only have the good ones. [ _{Its said almost hesitantly, because he doesn't believe bad surprises were something needed but his master did... and Zenyatta knew best.} ]

Greetings, Felix. Should they throw you lead-less into the dog pit, would you back down to go against the governments wishes at the risk of death? Or would dignity force you to bare your teeth?

[douchebag]

[ He nearly laughs at that—life being full of myriad flavors of surprise—but he swallows it down before it gets away from him. It's a fact he knows all too well, and one he's still trying, poorly, to deal with. Though to be fair, the majority of his life recently has been full of the unwelcome sort, so perhaps that has something to do with it. ]

Guess it depends. [ He could lie, make something up, but he just doesn't feel like it. ] I did that whole song and dance already, joining up like a good little soldier and killing when the government told me to. These days, I fight for me.

[ He shrugs. ]

If they give me a good reason to do it, I might help them.

Video

[darwinatrix]

Some might say it's odd for a man who calls himself a tool for murder to also claim to stand on principle.

Re: Video

[waywarddreams]

That would mean some would assume I am a tool for murder by choice.

[ _{Said with humor.} ]

Video

[darwinatrix]

Hm. Some sort of conscript, then?

Can't blame someone for assuming a guy in full body armor is spoiling for a fight. [Then again, Al.]

video

[musclemothers]

Congratulations, you hit it on the head. There's a show, and we're the main attractions. Far as I can tell, we don't get anything out of this, and they get a bunch of people to gawk at.

But hey, at least you probably won't be used as a, uh, tool for murder anytime soon. Is that seriously how you introduce yourself to people?

Re: video

[waywarddreams]

Apologies. I am aware that I lack tact and that my social skills have dulled over the years.

[ _{... Only someone with no social skills would say something like that. His introduction was laughably blunt and he continued to be so, so if anything... maybe he'd learn to talk to people better here?} ]

If this is a show then what are we expected to do? Chat and go about being citizens in a strange place? That doesn't interest me.

text

[hypnotherapy]

You don't look or sound particularly murderous, but I'll trust your judgement on yourself. [ Then again he comes from an environment where everyone has built in battle tools and also they have really obvious weapons, so...maybe he has a skewed perspective on this... ]

As for benefits, the weather's nice, I suppose. And if you're registered they look the other way a little more on import quirks. [ Translation: 'Illegal behavior I don't intend to be caught for'. ] And there's accessible housing and medical care too, I suppose.

Re: text

[waywarddreams]

Greetings. Hearing that actually makes me feel a little better about myself in here.

[ _{He didn't want to be seen as a weapon hence why he had mentioned it; hopefully people would look past his image and instead note his tone like this man had. Then again, Genji was the worst person at communicating anything in the world and the text sent back is ... a little funky because the translating software never had fun translating from Japanese.} ]

Ha ha I do not plan on breaking any of the laws and medicine will not do me any good but maybe could I appreciate the weather? Wouldn't that get boring? What is done besides chatting to make the days go?

video

[scrap_metal]

You call yourself a tool of murder and then dare to call yourself a hero in the same breath?

[ Genos is glaring daggers at his screen, glaring! It's not because of the words to be honest, it's Genji appearance that ticks him of.

With ImPorts coming from different worlds, there is a chance that he's just a guy wearing a full suit of armor. But he might be a cyborg. And cyborgs are suspicious in Genos book, don't mind the fact that he himself is one too. ]

Re: video

[waywarddreams]

It was not my choice to become a weapon. I would not suffer and die in pain when there was a door in front of me; though this door led to myself committing wrong-doings, I do not feel like my choices were selfish.

[ _{He says this in a matter-of-fact sort of tone with no real offence taken in his voice. The only response is the light on his visor sort of flickering oddly, dulling before becoming bright in a movement that really indicates nothing... he is very, very unreadable as a person and many people struggled to know exactly what he was; Ai? Machine? Armor? Cyborg?} ]

By my worlds standards I was a hero.

video

[ghemnotgem]

For some, I believe this place offers a second chance and a way to escape death. ( a concept that holds some small amount of interest for her, if it meant seeing her family again. ) Practically speaking, the government offers us housing, jobs, opportunities for advancement, in exchange for our services and not leaving us to wander and make our way in this world on our own.

( which, personally, tej finds terrible. if you can't work your way up from the bottom, what good are you? and what good is a government that encourages that? )

This has yet to start an international campaign to offer better, or different, in order to lure us away from the United States; I'm not sure why.

Re: video

[waywarddreams]

You make it sound almost like we're being babied for amusement purposes; if we have already found our way in life we do not need our hands held by complete strangers.

[ _{Said in his usual calm tone, unseen eyes fixed to the communicators screen. He's escaped death once, he needn't do it all over again. His next words are perhaps spoken with a little bit of humor attached to them but they are not said maliciously.} ]

There is distaste in your voice; do the 'opportunities given' not please you?

[caduceusvalkyrie]

[She knows that light arrangement and her heart skips a beat because she hadn't allowed herself to hope she'd ever see someone from home again. Angela has to take a moment and then that voice hits her, so human and yet so robotic and so incredibly familiar.

She answers the broadcast with a smile.]

It's good to see you Genji, even in this world.

[She hasn't ignored what he's said, there's no way she could because she agreed with it so strongly.]

[waywarddreams]

... Angela?

[ _{Spoken with untold softness, like he can hardly believe his eyes. The man has to inspect the video feed for a few broad seconds as his hidden glazes flickers back and forth across her features before he dips his head to her in great respect. There wasn't anyone else he'd rather see right now.} ]

They took you too? Are you alright?

[ _{Lifting his gaze he completely skips over any pleasantries to go straight to fretting, despite her smile and all!} ]

video;

[marriedmedium]

Hello darling! It's lovely to meet you!

[The dramatic solemnity of Genji's post is perhaps shattered a little by Sadie's slightly daffy enthusiasm. She does mean well.]

Personally, I'm taking the opportunity to gain knowledge of drinks from around the multiverse!

Re: video;

[waywarddreams]

[ _{Darling? He at least finds a little humor in her words, having loved alcohol before... everything. He replies very innocently.} ]

Greetings. At least some find joy in our situation. If I could get drunk I would probably ask to join you.

video;

[heliophilic]

[You had him at "tool for murder." Sure, M personally prefers "killing machine" or "fight robot" but it's nice to see someone else call a spade a spade.]

See, they give you the whole "congratulations you're helping the US military," but what they forget to tell you is you can tell them to fuck off.

You just lose all the cushy government privileges, if they mean anything to you.

Re: video;

[waywarddreams]

But what is the price for that? They are in control here. There is nothing more I want than to not be leashed and used as an attack dog-- but I am confident that I would lose more than just the things they have given to me.

[ _{It was painfully clear that if he was to cause trouble it would be beyond just causing a nuisance; he would want to take the government out itself in all its entirety. This would include murder and destruction. Neither were beneath him.} ]

Voice

[kanadian]

If it's any consolation, and I know it likely isn't much, you don't have to kill. For anyone. I'm a marine, and they haven't asked me to do anything like that here.

[ A beat. ]

Are you...okay, otherwise?

Re: Voice

[waywarddreams]

But they will. Not now, but they will.

[ _{Slightly chillingly said with an edge of blatant paranoia, typical of a soldier. He remains perfectly still on the feed before his helmet turns to look directly at the marine, the glowering V dimming slightly. He responds truthfully.} ]

No. I am disturbed.