01 | Video

[takeitslow]

[The video jumps around a little, shaky as he moves around the rec area. Thankfully he's going at a pace that can actually be seen by the human eye. The screen is just a shaky shot of the pool area, jerking a bit as he speaks.]

So, the pool. That's a really nice touch. Almost makes up for us being stuck in space. But, you know, I'm going to give it to you guys because I've always wanted a pool- well a bigger pool. We had one of those blow up kiddie things, but no one over the age of eight wants to be caught dead in that thing. Anyway, this. This is a step towards making this place less like a weird prison sentence.

What's not cool, on like the top ten list of really screwed up things about this place, is what you're lacking. You do have some issues with with rabid dogs and apparently you guys blew up a planet, like what? And while I'd really like to punch whatever lost my headphones, hey. I'll live. But the worst thing?

[Peter finally comes into view, a frowning mess of silver hair and bad fashion.]

I've not found a single Twinkie in this place. No Ding Dongs, no Ho Hos. Not even a Sno Ball. You guys are really killing me here.

Comments

[vengeance_driven]

I'm a Serb. Balkan war vet. I came to America to stay with my cousin. I live in a place called Liberty City. It ah... I guess it is New York in some worlds? Different name?

Not too interesting of a story. No more than anyone else here.

[takeitslow]

Didn't pay any attention in history class. I have no idea what the Balkan way is. They mostly just talked about Hitler and communism and Vietnam when I did listen. But hey! New York. That's cool. I always wanted to go. Better than being stuck near DC.

Hey, man. You can't beat yourself up just because you're not one of the robots running around. War vet's are still pretty cool, come on.

[vengeance_driven]

I was twelve or thirteen when I became a soldier. I don't remember which. I forget when my birthday is. [He scratches behind his ear, squinting.]

War is shit no matter what the war. It is always two sides fighting for stupid reasons. I'm very good at using a gun now, but usually the people that need me to are jackasses.

[takeitslow]

[He scratches the back of his neck, fidgeting awkwardly.]

I didn't mean like- [Disrespect? To bring it up? Peter just flaps his hands quickly.] You know? Shit sucks. Least that's what they keep saying about 'Nam and, like, I guess other wars are the same. You know. Just sucks.

[vengeance_driven]

I did not think you did. [He shrugs, opening a bag of chips for himself.] I just have a lot of thoughts about it and don't keep too quiet when it's brought up. Maybe it's a bad thing, but whatever.

Hey, don't worry about it. I complain about that sort of thing a lot.

[But he's still willing to put a bullet in someone's head.]

[takeitslow]

Probably not a bad thing. I mean, I'd never shut up about. I never shut up anyway, so. Complain away.

Is that why you came to America? Cause it sucked and all?

[vengeance_driven]

Part of it. I have a cousin there. He's a good man- full of shit and makes things up, told me how good his life in America was and all the nice things he had. Was all crap. But he's my cousin, you know? And I love him and family is important.

So I came to stay with him. Part of it was a crazy ex-boss decided he wanted to kill me.

I wanted a new start. I didn't really get it. Maybe if I had, I would have liked America a lot more. No green card, either. [Which meant he was extra fucked.]

[takeitslow]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. He tried to kill you? Dude, you've had it rough huh?

And shit. Couldn't you have convinced some girl to give you a shotgun wedding?

[vengeance_driven]

[He actually manages to look awkward over this instead of the intense depression the subject had brought up in the past. Instead he quirks his mouth to the side.]

Actually some other guy that wished to kill me killed the woman I wanted to be with instead.

I have a lot of friends but to be honest some people really wanted me dead.

[takeitslow]

Shit man. Just- [Peter waves his arms around, trying to convey the enormity of it.]

What do you even say to that? Uh, sorry. Like, really that's the worst. Sorry about your girlfriend and friends and all that.

[vengeance_driven]

...

You know? It bothers me, but it all feels normal until I meet other people who don't have all this sort of stuff happen to them.

Trust me, things can get pretty bad on ships like these.

[takeitslow]

I mean, I've heard about this kind of thing from other people. [He'd heard about everything that had happened to the other him.] But it's not like it gets, I don't know, any better to hear.

Like they feed on other people's trauma or something.

[vengeance_driven]

It's not so bad. My mom is pretty good.

You mentioned yours. What is she like? And ah, your sister. Her.

[takeitslow]

That's good at least. Moms, right?

Usually annoyed with me, but you know. Great. Single mom of three, so she's kind of badass. But you'll have to specific the sister. The one here? Cause I've got, like two. Three. I don't know, this place has kind of screwed with my head.

[vengeance_driven]

Who is your sister here?

[He should have asked that sooner, but he got wrapped up in the random stories of the Balkans. He jumps on chances to rant on war too easily. Family really is a better topic.]

[takeitslow]

Wanda. [He holds up a hand around his shoulders, grinning.] About this tall, dark hair, really into red. We're twins. Kind of.

[vengeance_driven]

I met her! During the uh... thing with the attacking creature. She came by because Steve invited her in, so she would not have nightmares.

[He won't mention how he'd thought it was Steve's girlfriend. If he's anything like Roman, that could only go terribly.]

[takeitslow]

[Good call bro]

Wait, nightmares? When was this? Recently? She's acted okay with me.

[vengeance_driven]

No, it was during the creepy man stalking the hallways. She was okay after he was locked away. But you might want to ask her about it.

Is your sister at home psychic?

[takeitslow]

Oh, don't worry. I will.

[He sighs.] Uh, no? I mean, if she is she's doing a cool job at hiding it. But I'd know if she was; who can keep anything from me? I'm the only awesome freak in the family, I think. Which is kind of weird, because twins. We should be the same, right? Maybe it's cause we're fraternal, I don't know. I don't get genes.

[vengeance_driven]

A freak?

[He sounds surprised to hear it put that way. Because, genuinely, so far he's been fascinated than put off by special abilities.]

[takeitslow]

Awesome freak. [He draws out the word, half worried he was talking too fast half just confused. The guy had seemed cool about it before, was he going to say something now? Calling himself a freak was just Peter being in on the joke, he didn't want to deal with it from someone else.] Come on, you saw what I could do, right?

[vengeance_driven]

Yeah, but I didn't think that made you a freak. I thought it made you very fast. Why would you be called a freak?

[He's genuinely confused, wondering if it's a social thing (as his world doesn't have mutants) or a kid thing (because young men, who knows).]

[takeitslow]

[He gives Niko a more critical once over, a little confused himself. People didn't usually protest in his favor.]

You know, it's just not the norm back home and, yeah. A lot of people don't like my kind of people. Not everyone's as chill about it as you're being.

[vengeance_driven]

Well... I guess I get it. Race is what the war I was in started about. It would make sense for more people to be idiots.

Sorry you have to deal with that.

But, for the record, you are just fast and that's pretty cool. Better than just being able to ride a motorcycle.