Capsule 012 💊 | Video

[rassera]

[This is a really...odd question to ask. And Kaneda knows it. But something's been on his mind as of late, especially with his new job working out the way it is. Boredom begets creativity, and thus the feed opens up to our favourite biker teen sitting at his desk in Neo Tokyo, sliding back and forth on his rolling stool as he plays with a thumbtack.

Poking his skin lightly with the tip. It makes no impression, and it's as if it were going into silly putty rather than actual skin.]


Does...anyone know where to get something that can block my powers? I don't know, like a magic bracelet or something?

[He has his reasons.


He totally has his reasons.]


I want a tattoo.


[They're related, honest.]

Comments

VIDEO.

[rassera]

Gonna say the first. I'm always good with gut instinct.


Not for long--few hours maybe to get my powers down so they can do the job, then turn em back on.

VIDEO.

[arsiento]

[ With a wry tilt of his head: ]

Yeah, there you go, man. Good guess.

[ The explanation sounds way too simple, though. So, for as long as you want? ... But he decides not to ask that question. ]

And so you can just get that shit wherever, then? What you even getting that worth all that trouble?

VIDEO.

[rassera]

What can I say? I'm lucky.

[But his question makes him thing, tapping his lips with two fingers.]

Well I mean...there's got to be a way. The government claims they can turn em off, but they could be just bluffing.

But I'm not going to the government if you paid me.

VIDEO.

[arsiento]

Well, I ain't never heard of nothing like it even being possible, 'til I came here -- and you ain't the first one I heard talk about it, so maybe. If people here getting new ones, there gotta be something to that.

[ He pauses. ]

No, I get it. That sound like asking a cop to hold your gun for you.

VIDEO.

[rassera]

Exactly. I'll take any imPort help over what they'll give me here. Last thing I wanna do is owe THEM for something.

[But he thinks.]

When people DO get arrested, though, they slap these things on their wrist that cut off their powers. Not the nanites though. So maybe if I can get my hands on one of those...

VIDEO.

[arsiento]

[ Diablo hasn't much more reason to trust imPorts than he does the government -- everyone's still as good as strangers to him at this point -- so he says nothing at first, then cocks his head slightly. ]

What, you mean handcuffs? [ Power-killing handcuffs, seriously? ] For real, man? 'Cuz that don't sound right.

VIDEO.

[rassera]

[That's true. When you haven't been here long, everyone's pretty much untrustworthy.]

Couldn't make stuff up like that if I tried.

But they exist.


And I can't believe I'm saying this...but good thing for guys like me, too. I can't turn my power off.

VIDEO.

[arsiento]

Nah, kid, trust me -- you ain't no better off this way. It don't help no one if the only way to turn 'em off legit is you gotta get your ass arrested first, only sounds like they trying to trap anyone that wants help into turning themselves in.

VIDEO.

[rassera]

Oh, I'm not planning on getting arrested



I just want that bracelet they slap on you. There's gotta be some ex-jail person who wants to get rid of it.

VIDEO.

[arsiento]

You really think they let people keep those?

[ He sounds extremely skeptical, but then pauses, and adds: ]

Guess there's probably some black market out there for stolen ones, though -- seems like something people'd pay for if they really was desperate.

VIDEO.

[rassera]

...The ones on probation probably have their ways.


[The ones in the actual jail? Not so much.]

Either way, I'm in deep shit if I don't get one. Tattoo or not.

VIDEO.

[arsiento]

[ Despite Diablo's own doubts, this seems good for him to know -- at least that it's a possibility at all. ]

What's so bad about-- what is it, like unbreakable skin or something, right?

VIDEO.

[rassera]

...Kinda.

[Kaneda wouldn't say unbreakable, but it's certainly not something a scalpel is gonna be able to go through.]

My body's pretty indestructible. Can't even get my ears pierced.

VIDEO.

[arsiento]

Man, that ain't deep shit -- ain't no one ever die cuz they don't got no earring. But if you needed your appendix out or something, then yeah, maybe. Guess you'd be kinda screwed.

VIDEO.

[rassera]

Eeeexactly.


So really, this is for medical reasons, too. I'm being responsible.


[and trying to get it illegally.]

VIDEO.

[arsiento]

[ ... Well... ]

So what's this really about, getting tattoos or surgery? [ Squints. ] Cuz I'mma tell you, man, ain't no tattoo alone worth leaving yourself that vulnerable.

VIDEO.

[rassera]

The tattoo.

[He's a teenage boy at heart.]

But I'm gonna need this thing anyway if I ever get messed up and need surgery. So might as well look into it now when I'm not on the damn surgery table.

If that even ever happens.

VIDEO.

[arsiento]

[ Hm. Well, he won't press the subject -- he's gotten more or less the information he was interested in, and it's also not really his business. So: ]

What's the tattoo?

VIDEO.

[rassera]

...


[Good question.]

I'm not...sure yet. Something cool.


Like a dragon.

VIDEO.

[arsiento]

Dragons are cool, yeah. Like where you thinking, on your back?

VIDEO.

[rassera]

Maybe on my arm, like the entire length of it...

VIDEO.

[arsiento]

You don't want nothing smaller than that for your first one?

[ "First one." Or maybe it'll be the only one, Diablo?! ]

1/3 VIDEO.

[rassera]

2/3 VIDEO.

[rassera]

3/3 VIDEO.

[rassera]

Nah. Go big or go home.


And the Porter isn't really letting us do the latter.