[Video]

[beyondthegreen]

[It's the middle of the day and somewhere in a city park, greenery behind her, Tefé finally ends up turning on the video feed, scowling. Under other circumstances, finding herself in a whole new universe might have been like some kind of omen, a fresh start. But the military thing sticks in her craw, and frankly, so far Tefé hasn't seen anything to indicate that, in a more planetary sense, things are much different than back home, which leaves her back with the same dilemmas as ever.]

How many of you Registered Heroes actually believe it's a good idea to basically be signing up with the military? You know, the guys that come up with new and creative ways for humans to keep killing each other, along with the rest of the planet as a hapless casualty? Do any of you even think about how completely fucked up it is being tagged like this? Knowing they've got a file on you is creepy as hell, too.

[Even though there's signs of anger on her face, she honestly sounds more pensive than anything, with one other question on her mind.]

And has anyone else found out that some things just... stopped working since they came here? Things you used to be able to do, I mean.

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permavideo;

[beyondthegreen]

[Tefé squints at the text. Are you serious, guy. She's not going to text back -- she'd be the slowest hunt-and-peck typist.]

They can suspect whatever they want. I still haven't heard anything that makes me want to cooperate with them. It might not be quite the same world as I knew, but some things are just human nature.

permatext;

[aloadeddie]

[ He is serious as the grave, but it's nothing personal - just an extension of Arthur's deep-seated paranoia. He doesn't care how people respond to him. ]

I'm not interested in speculating on human nature; just speculating on practicalities. Governments have power. They have power to make life easier, or harder, for people. It remains to be seen how this one uses theirs, beyond the obvious kidnapping and bestowing of questionable superpowers.

What'd you lose?

[beyondthegreen]

[What a shortsighted... well, with text she actually isn't sure if he's human or not, but the odds seem good.] Hello? Newsflash, the government is run by humans. If you'd rather nitpick the details than consider the bigger picture... so, you know what. Whatever.

And it's... hard to explain. [She'd tried twice now and neither answer came out exactly right.] I used to be able to connect to... another place, a sort of spiritual world. But I can't feel it any more, even though the rest of my abilities seem fine.

[aloadeddie]

Yes. Details are everything. Individual motivations vary wildly. So do governments.

[ She seems like an angry teenager. Arthur was one of those, once. ]

Maybe you didn't so much lose the ability as you lost access to the place? If this spiritual world doesn't exist here, it stands to reason you wouldn't be able to access it.

[beyondthegreen]

[She is absolutely an an angry, frustrated teenager, okay.]

It doesn't really make any sense. If there's plants here, it should still exist. I can still talk to them as individuals, but that's not the same thing as being there with them all at once, everywhere. [Trying to describe it definitely stinks.]

[aloadeddie]

[ We've all been there. Arthur won't hold it against her. ]

Interesting. Still, maybe it's more to do with the nature of the plants here than your abilities being taken away - not that I know anything about plants, really, here or anywhere else. Not beyond my vegetable garden back home, anyway.

[beyondthegreen]

Most of the humans I meet seem to think having a yard or garden makes them some kind of expert. [She adds, practically sulking. It's come up again elsewhere in this post and it's annoying.]

[aloadeddie]

Everybody likes to think they're smart about one thing or another. Botany isn't my area of expertise -growing a halfway decent tomato plant isn't the same thing at all.

[beyondthegreen]

What do you think you're smart about, then?

[aloadeddie]

Cybersecurity.

[beyondthegreen]

What does that even mean?

[Just because she figured out how to do video on her phone does not mean she's even remotely technologically inclined. Intuitive UIs are a great thing.]

[aloadeddie]

Keeping your personal information safe online from hackers and thieves.

[beyondthegreen]

Is that a real problem people have? [Sounds kinda fake.]

[aloadeddie]

Constantly.