01 // Video

[pale_blue_arrow]

[Brendan took the explanation he got when he arrived about as well as could be expected, all things considered. It wasn’t the Promised Land, but it was a step up from home – not a big accomplishment, there – and much as he wasn’t keen on playing social butterfly, it was best to get the lay of the land when it came to the people. And hey, at least the powers that be were nice enough to patch up his glasses. Other than looking tired and deadpan, he’s practically good as new; at the very least, he’s composed as he looks into the camera and sets it up, though it takes him a moment to get the angle right.]

Sorry ‘bout the lack of technical skills. Not used to these things just yet. My name’s Brendan Frye. I’m a sophomore, though I somehow lucked my way into some AP classes, back home at least. I don’t bring a lot of skills to the table, here. Thought I was done with other people’s home-brewed chaos and frankly I don’t see myself getting too involved if I can’t figure out a way to not be one more burden for the people with real powers. All I got’s some healing and just enough strength to be useful, maybe.

I know nobody here owes me answers and I’m not looking to get in with anyone’s cliques; got no need to make waves and zero interest in that. Basically I’ve got some questions about school here, I wanna know what laws are different from back in California and if the cops around here are worth a damn – ‘cause they were crooks back in San Clemente – and if anyone can offer any bits of advice, that's all I'm after.

[With very little fanfare and no goodbye, he snaps the camera feed off. Whatever his feelings are on this superhero business, and he himself isn’t a hundred percent sure on what he feels, he’s playing it close to his chest for now.]

Comments

[text] [gotta quote all the R1 interviews]

[candor1]

[someone so emphatically preemptively selling themselves short is often someone to watch.

And a particular nerve point…]

its not always about superpowers

though heropa organization for import education might help with them along with anything else

as an import you may level with cops - at the least power and visibility to hold them accountable

sorry cant help with comparisons - dont know california or san clemente

[text]

[pale_blue_arrow]

[With Brendan, it's less selling himself short and more knowing that playing up his own importance is a great way to meet the business end of a gun or the bulls, if things went south. Better to keep off people's radars here until he at least knew the score, especially when it came to what he'd be doing on a daily basis if he wanted to appear normal. Or whatever passed for normal in this spot on the map.]

suppose you'd know better than me if you've been here longer

good to know. much appreciated, thanks.

better than back home, then. not that that's setting a high bar.

consider yourself lucky. they're both cesspools.

[text]

[candor1]

[Better to keep off people's radars until he knows the score: Exactly. Someone to watch.]

not by much - let me know if you learn differently - but have to hope that rule holds everywhere

[Since names of origin points are useless without a pandimensional standard (i.e. "which universe are you from" "it has a name?" —but, even non-spacefaring planets within the same galaxy won't recognize local vs. galactic names for themselves or each other), he's taken to just testing for comparison points/recognition. In this case, just confirmation.]

worse than kafrene or jelucan?

[text]

[pale_blue_arrow]

[The sentiment is returned. Except Brendan sees everyone as somebody to watch.]

nothing holds true everywhere

neither of those ring a bell, sorry

[text]

[candor1]

[can text be dry?]

physics doing well so far

not surprising since i didnt know yours

[video]

[couldbebeautiful]

If they were crooks back in San Clemente, they were completely incompetent back in Sherwood. As for here—they're maybe a little less incompetent, but they did get me to solve a hostage crisis, so.

[Veronica props her chin up on her hands. Much like Brendan, she looks tired for her age, with dark circles under her eyes from not sleeping half as well as she ought to, but unlike him she's a little more animated.]

Veronica Sawyer. I'm a senior, or I was back home. The year's winding down, so there's not much left to do in class if you just got here, but I know there's a school for imPorts around.

[video]

[pale_blue_arrow]

Incompetent and crooked are the only flavors they come in back home. People there call the cops the bulls - y'know, like bulls in a china shop. [He takes in that tired visage, refraining from commenting on it since for all he knows, she's doing the whole caped crusader thing.] Hostage crisis? [he inquires, drawing his brows together for a moment. Whether he's concerned or curious is up for debate.]

Oh, right. [The time differences are taking some getting used to, it seems.] It was January back home; hell if I know how that'll work with school. Might end up repeating the year on a technicality. Joyous day.

[video]

[couldbebeautiful]

We didn't call the police force back in Sherwood anything, but if we did, it'd be more like sloths than bulls. [For example, plant a suicide note at a murder scene, and you're clear. Then again, being bad at their jobs worked out in JD and Veronica's favor.] It wasn't fun.

[That's what happens when you walk into a hostage situation with a croquet mallet, Veronica.]

Jesus, don't remind me. Here I was looking forward to finally graduating.

[video]

[pale_blue_arrow]

[There's a snort at the sloths remark.] At least it sounds like the ones here are less than a hindrance. Guess if you lower a bar far enough eventually somebody'll clear it. You alright? [He's never been involved in a hostage situation - yet, give it time; his life keeps taking random and unwanted swerves on him and he's just along for the ride at this point.]

Extra high school years are karmatic balance for getting powers. A Faustian bargain if ever there were one. [Somewhere, his old English teacher's literary reference sense is tingling.] School here about the same? No random changes to the status quo I need to study up on? [Hey, he has to be a good student so that when he skips class, it doesn't kill his GPA.]

[ Video ]

[ghoulking]

Nobody is forced to join a faction or do something. There are many imPorts that feel this is not their fight and stay away - you can too. So you don't need to justify your choice.

[ Video ]

[pale_blue_arrow]

With my powers, it's not as if I'd be of much use if I did try and do something. Less about whether or not it's my fight and more about not wanting to be a load; I'm still lookin' at all options right now.

[He's not going to write the idea of superheroics off right off the bat, but he's not keen on making any choices without all the information he can get first.]

What're the advantages and disadvantages of not getting into the fight? People treat you different or somethin'?

[ Video ]

[ghoulking]

People can get very creative with their powers. [ all you need is some imagination. But in any case - ]

Not really. The problem is that sometimes the fight comes to us, ether we like it or not.

[ Video ]

[pale_blue_arrow]

I wouldn't describe myself as creative, but necessity's the mother of invention. [Given time, he'd figure something out.]

Ah. Well, that's nothing new, but I'm guessing around here it's different than the usual gangs fighting over their territories.

voice

[siriusly]

Hello-- [a hesitation. is that too chipper? he's not sure. oh well.] I can't speak to everything, but I'm sure the police work hard and mean well here.

voice

[pale_blue_arrow]

You have any firsthand experience with 'em? [Thinking and knowing are two very different things, after all. Brendan's voice isn't doubtful, though, just inquisitive.]

[siriusly]

Ah-- mm, yes. I've actually been studying to join them properly. And...And for a while, I was partnering with them to try and help out.

[pale_blue_arrow]

Did that partnership go well? Why'd you switch over to wanting to join officially? [Interesting. Cops back home wouldn't have been fine with partnerships. Things must really be on a different keel here.]

[bindsthedead]

I've worked with the police as part of RISE- the ones in Heropa, De Chima and Nonah are fine, they're just dealing with problems that are beyond them sometimes.

Maurtia Falls- well, corruption is a problem for every part of government there.

[pale_blue_arrow]

Good to know. What went wrong in Maurtia Falls to make them differ from the status quo? [Always learn what you can about the bad apple.]

[bindsthedead]

Who knows? It's been like that since before imPorts arrived. Whatever it was, it was long ago and the rot is deep.

[pale_blue_arrow]

Ah. Homebrewed brokenness. That, I'm intimately familiar with. San Clemente is pretty much the same, just with more drugs and less normal crime.

[inmyothertights]

What year are you from?

[pale_blue_arrow]

2006. And you? I've been hearin' it varies.

[inmyothertights]

2015.

How much strength? I mean I say that as if I'm involved in peacekeeping at all.

[pale_blue_arrow]

Huh. Not that far off from me. Is that the standard around here?

I haven't been playing around with the strength thing too much. Property damage doesn't seem like a great way to make a first impression. I can break bricks with my hands, at least, but I haven't tried punching anything to figure out how much further than that it goes. Again, people don't tend to like a guy who wrecks their shit as a hello.