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

[thinkering]

"The devs only speak Chinese and their email address is dead."

[mxglam]

Giggle. "Come on, walk me through this, what am I supposed to do with a buggy computer program?"

[thinkering]

"I - maybe that wasn't the best bad analogy. Like... you're trying to treat her like a person and to her, this sounds like backtalk. Treat her like a - puzzle? A video game boss? I don't know. The object of interacting with her is not to achieve mutual understanding, it's to get you out the door and ship posable figurines. You have to figure out what buttons to push to get that result and those are not the same buttons you push to have a sincere interaction with a fellow person."

[mxglam]

They slowly turn to stare at the ceiling again. "I've never really played any videogames." Sigh. "By which I mean I'm not sure I know how to interact with people like that! People usually like it when I show an interest and ask them questions and try to figure out what they're thinking and talk about stuff they like! Am I supposed to, like, what, find something she really wants? Threaten her?"

[thinkering]

"You are absolutely not supposed to threaten her. Are you desperate to get out ASAP or can you give her a day to cool off and bring me with you to mediate tomorrow?"

[mxglam]

"Second thing. I was willing to sit with her once a day and listen to her smugly explain how much of an idiot I am for weeks."

[thinkering]

"I don't think that would do anybody any good."

[mxglam]

"No, it probably wouldn't," they agree.

[thinkering]

"I avoid her because I can, but I can stand her long enough to give interceding for you a fair shake as long as you aren't going to be weird about it."

[mxglam]

"Weird about it?"

[thinkering]

"Like you were about me being willing to go with you to Chevalier, weird like that."

[mxglam]

"Nope, won't be weird like that."

[thinkering]

"Good."

[mxglam]

"...are there people I can treat like people here and be nice to in the meantime?"

[thinkering]

"Echo's probably safe but isn't always here weekends, don't know if she's in today. Dauntless isn't bad, Miss Militia's not bad if you're all party line, Drupe and Armsmaster are okay if you're all shop talk and don't waste their time."

[mxglam]

"Mmhm." They start detaching from the ceiling and floating back down. "I should probably stop bothering you and let you return to your fugue."

[thinkering]

Lorica polishes off her crepe. "'Preciate it."

[mxglam]

Out they go!

[thinkering]

A bot closes the door behind them.

[mxglam]

Glam runs into Dauntless, and they chat for a bit but the Ward is going out patrolling so they leave him be.

Glam decides to go talk to Chevalier again.

Knock knock?

[alicornucopia]

Chevalier's not in.

Miss Militia is, though. When she spots Glam she goes up to them. "Hello, Glam. Welcome to the Wards. I'm Miss Militia," she says in accented English. "I am embarrassed to ask, but no one seems to wish to tell me if you are a boy or a girl?"

[mxglam]

That's going to be a theme, isn't it. "That's because I'm not a boy or a girl," they say, and shrug.

[alicornucopia]

"I'm sorry?"

[mxglam]

"Not a boy or a girl," they repeat. Then they decide to try that one line: "I'm a superhero!"

[alicornucopia]

"Well, so am I," says Miss Militia, "and I am glad you are so enthusiastic, but that doesn't answer my question."