⇝ 001; video then text

[madrush]

[There's one thing about the MIDs that Tommy can't stand and that's how they're strapped to his hand. Nobody, nobody, can take a good video unless they can extend their hands all the way out and bend them up at angles that aren't natural. Otherwise, the screens too close and tilted wrong. He tries to send a video first, and it's a messy shot of his face before he gives up and sends a text.]

A couple things. Would someone tell me why anyone thought being on a space ship is a good idea? There's nowhere to run.

[Which is the most important thing, obviously.]

Second, I'm looking for some recruits to form a team. Not just anybody. Anyone that's different and wants to stand up to the bad guys. If you're interested, let me know. Thanks.

[Oh yeah.]

I'll be in the cargo bay if you want to meet in person. White hair, ask for Speed.

Comments

video

[madrush]

[Tommy turns on the video and flips Andyr the bird.]

You've got a shitty attitude and I don't like it.

video

[deconstruct]

[ yeah, okay, switching video on too, looking rather unimpressed, with the training room in the background behind him. ]

You're a naive moron and you're gonna get good people killed.

[madrush]

How? By asking them to join up and train together so that if something happens we're all ready? Sounds more like less people will die that way.

But obviously that makes me naive. I can know how the world works and not be a downer.

[Like you, buddy.]

[deconstruct]

Really? 'Cause what it looked like was you calling out 'bad guys' without a single fucking clue what you're getting into.

[ being unafraid to face people is one thing, running blindly into a fight is something completely different. as for the latter part... welp, here's andyr actually getting a little pissed, because he apparently has to take everything personally. ]

How the fucking world works isn't something you get to decide - complicated or uncomplicated - unless you're just putting your fucking hands over your eyes and saying 'lalala the ugly shit doesn't exist', and on behalf of everyone who doesn't even get the luxury to pretend it away, fuck you for saying it.

[madrush]

When did I say I get to decide it? You're reading what I'm saying and then making shit up. I said I can know how it works and not let it bring me down. That's a personal choice and you don't get to say anything about it.

I'm not going to be miserable anymore. I'm not going to be angry all the time because I couldn't do anything to stop them from hurting me or the others. I'm not going to let that be all of who I am for the rest of my life. It's my choice and if it makes you miserable, then that's your problem to deal with. Not mine. The ugly shit is there, but I don't have to stare at it.

If you don't like the way I live my life, then don't be a part of it.

[deconstruct]

“Life’s only complicated if we make it that way.” [ that would be what he’d meant by deciding. He considers that to answer the rest of that statement for him.

A long pause settles, and Andyr realizes this kid’s been through Some Shit. No saying what, really, but it’s something that’s done and through. And he can actually close his eyes and not see it stained there? Playing on the back of his eyelids 24/7 like a sick hostage tape? Part of him, somewhere distant and choked down and locked away, wants to sympathize, ask him how, maybe, but the part of him that’s gotten him from one day to the next, sane for the most part, in Hapsburg, wants to kick him for it. ]

Must be nice, being able to look back on it and pretend it’s not part of you anymore. Just choose to black all that out, erase what they did to you? [ Andyr comments low, eyes a bit dark. ] Maybe if you’d been a little more angry then, you wouldn’t have to fight it now.

Maybe the dead need you to be angry, so at least someone left gives a shit.

[madrush]

I never said it wasn't a part of me anymore, it always will be, but I'm not going to let anyone, especially some guy I don't even know, make me feel like shit about what I've gone through.

[Tommy's too angry all the time already. He'd tried to kill the people who'd hurt him and only stopped because his brother and his friends used their abilities to stop him. Life had moved on and they'd helped Tommy channel some of his anger into helping people and that's what he's going to do.]

And that's bullshit. There's always going to be bad people. Always. Which is why there will always be people like me who want to help.

I'm done with this. You're being an ass and not even trying to see my side of things. Don't bother saying anything else if you're not going to take the time and think about it first.

[deconstruct]

There won't. [ he snaps, at one thing in particular - that there will always be people wanting to help. ] Sometimes the entire fucking world'll cover their ears because they just don't wanna fucking hear it.

[ Andyr's gone a bit distant, lips curling, as the hatred and bitterness sinks around him, like smoke clogging up his lungs, crawling up his throat, and spite and venom is all he eats, drinks and breathes. ]

I've seen your side of things, in a few thousand different shades. I feel like I'm gonna puke if I have to hear one more.

[ said with a twist of disgust in his voice, and the feed abruptly ends. he has to go find a sim and tear a virtual person's head literally off their neck now. ]