endbringer, meet gun

[peterxy]

...Very unseasonable rains can be seen in the distance from the shores of Acapulco.

The Brockton Bay Protectorate starts organizing volunteers to be transported or teletransported in batches to it. Heroes, rogues, villains, anyone's assistance is appreciated. A rendez-vous point is set for non-Protectorate capes wishing to volunteer, and Protectorate capes are informed of the situation via communication devices.

Comments

[mxglam]

"Er."

They tend to be good at verbalizing their thoughts. The problem is, verbalizing their thoughts here is not allowed, and verbalizing a fictional version of them-

"I want to help people. I have a versatile power that has intricacies mostly if not completely worked out and that need thought, such as the one that caused today's- problem." Their voice breaks a little at that word. "Figuring out how to most effectively do the former with the latter is where I'm currently at."

[alicornucopia]

Chevalier sighs. "How old are you, Glam?"

[mxglam]

"Seventeen."

[alicornucopia]

"You are... almost exactly... the sort of person the Wards were designed for originally. I should know, I was one of the first. You need... mentoring. Training. Why haven't you already signed up? Velocity gave you the pitch."

[mxglam]

"Because I haven't yet figured out if the balance of pros and cons of joining the Wards is the best amongst the options I've considered."

[alicornucopia]

"I'm gonna give you a choice," Chevalier says. "But if you turn me down it's not going to be open again. You can join up now. We can navigate the legalities for you, make sure you don't wind up in prison over mixing up your guns. Or you can leave - and if he presses charges or his family does or the state does, we won't be able to help you. All we'll be able to do is chase you down if you don't turn up for your trial. You can bet that he won't go after you, that his folks are out of the picture, that the state thinks he's expendable, that the jury will like you -" Beat. "I wouldn't bet on it."

[mxglam]

Think think. "The list of pros just got an addition to it, didn't it." Think. "I have a question that might sound very aggressive or needlessly hostile or something but I'm not sure how to phrase it otherwise and I'm not even sure if it'd affect my decision, and I don't wanna sound like I'm purposefully butting heads or provoking you."

[alicornucopia]

"I've probably heard worse," Chevalier says.

[mxglam]

"Sure, but I'm apparently a prospective- okay, anyway." They shake their head. "Would you have said that you wouldn't bet on it even if you would bet on it but thought that was a good way to get me to join?" Pause. "I'm basically asking if what you just said was the truth or what you believed would be most likely to convince me. One of the items in my cons list was the, I really don't like being managed, and I especially dislike being lied to or misled in the process, well in general, and relationships with other parahumans already tend to be rocky by default, we're not selected for personal compatibility and frequently have particularly combative or otherwise not very amicable personalities because horrible trauma and- um. In the interest of honesty, I was tempted to join, but the thing you said made me want to join less, even as it added a big con to the other options' lists."

[alicornucopia]

Chevalier puts his hand over his eyes and sighs. "Glam. I joined the inaugural Wards team under - circumstances not quite as bad as yours. I got caught before I put anyone in the ground or even in the hospital. But if I hadn't been found when I was... I'm recommending for you what worked for me. But if you're worried about being managed, I'd - honestly, I assure you - worry more about the justice system doing it than the Protectorate."

[mxglam]

"Do you know how he's doing?"

[alicornucopia]

"I haven't heard anything new since Lorica told me he was alive upon boarding the ambulance."

[mxglam]

Sigh.

"I don't suppose you could give me like a day or a week to think through my options?"

[alicornucopia]

"You can have an hour. In this building."

[mxglam]

"Can Lorica be with me? If she wants to. And. Private?"

[alicornucopia]

"Yes."

[mxglam]

"Okay. Thank you."

[alicornucopia]

Chevalier shows Glam to Lorica's workshop and leaves them alone there.

[mxglam]

"Hi."

[thinkering]

"Hi."

[mxglam]

"...so it kinda went about as well as it could, considering." And they tell her everything that they and Chevalier talked about.

[thinkering]

"Lovely bit of extortion there. His story about himself matches what I know though."

[mxglam]

"Yeah I didn't expect that part to be a lie. And to be honest, I think he believes everything he said, even if he could have phrased it better. I don't know if I blame him, though; he deals with capes, after all."

[thinkering]

"I mean, he could have phrased it better for you but he doesn't know you. As a generic spiel it's practically charismatic."

[mxglam]

"Yeah, exactly." Sigh. "What are your thoughts?"