glam, meet your new best friend

[mrglam]

With Armsmaster's death, Miss Militia is promoted to team captain. Even with the losses, however, the Protectorate ENE doesn't get new capes - all teams got hit hard by the last Endbringer attack, and even though it was by all accounts a major victory, it did not cause capes to start lining up to join.

Days pass, and winter hits Brockton Bay. It's pretty mild, as winters go, but it's enough to drastically reduce criminal activity. The heroes have an altercation with white supremacists the following week, but nothing much comes of it, as cape muscle seems to prefer to remain comfortable inside. Capes nationwide are somewhat subdued, perhaps as the aftermath of the victory against Behemoth. Nothing much seems to change, however - the Simurgh continues to fly around in her unpredictable pattern, Leviathan continues to be impossible to locate, lurking in the depths of the ocean. The public gets hopelessly contradictory information about what really happened during the fight from unofficial sources, secretly fed from official ones to make sure people don't jump to the right conclusions, and the topic loses its momentum.

And all of this completely fails to distract Sadde, who seems to not be getting better from the post-battle funk. Or, at least, not straightforwardly better. The depression and fatalism turn - maybe not completely, but at least a bit - into unease and anxiety, or perhaps stir craziness. It is, after all, true that, other than for class, Sadde doesn't really leave HQ a whole lot, not since they reached the comfortable position of being able to patrol from the comfort of the console - of, in fact, being more effective when doing that, for the average uneventful patrol.

Fatalism, depression, anxiety, and unease, all combined into a Sadde-shaped ball, are currently floating upside down in Lorica's workshop, failing to read a book while she fugues.

Comments

[alicornucopia]

Window-shopping's not that satisfying, is it? He's not planning to go home empty-handed, is he?

[mrglam]

Well, he can conjure arbitrary objects... but they don't really last. And not the most interesting ones, either, his power can't generate information.

On the other hand, he does buy this kind of stuff - books, electronics - when he feels he needs them. Which is "not often," libraries exist and he has a PRT-issued computer which suits all his needs, he's not much of an electronics guy. But, hmm, he was just thinking about his clothes, wasn't he? Perhaps he could browse this nice store for something, even if only for inspiration for more imaginary clothing.

He walks in, confidently, drawing only the most casual side-eye from the enforcer at the door.

[hold_dear]

While his attention is on the clothes he bumps right into a young woman. Gosh, that's embarrassing, she fell right over. She needs help up.

[mrglam]

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I totally didn't see you there," he says, offering her a hand up.

[hold_dear]

"It's all right, I'm fine!" she assures him. She has such a nice smile. Is it really all right? Maybe he should make it up to her.

[mrglam]

"Are you sure? Let me help you with this," he says, picking up the purse she dropped and handing it to her. He flashes her a smile, the most charming he has.

(She has such a nice everything. He doesn't stare, though. That'd be impolite.)

[hold_dear]

"Oh, thank you. I should have been watching where I was going." It's totally his fault though.

[mrglam]

"No, it's totally my fault, I was paying too much attention to the clothes."

(Holy cow, though, is she pretty.)

(Not prettier than Bella.)

(...maybe a bit prettier than Bella. Come on, even Bella would say she's not indisputably the hottest person alive, there are bound to be people he'll find more physically attractive than his girlfriend.)

"So, uh, tourist or local?" he asks, out of politeness. She's clearly a tourist.

[hold_dear]

"Tourist. Why, is everything overpriced here?" Oh the poor thing she needs somebody to show her around.

[mrglam]

"Overpriced's an understatement, they require you to promise your firstborn child." He shouldn't show her around. She'll think he's creepy, they've just met after he so rudely bumped into her, she probably doesn't want to see him ever again. But still, it can't hurt, can it...? And he's probably a better guide than she'll ever find. "I know several places that sell the same stuff or better for finite amounts of money, I could show you if you want...?" Good, make it clear he's not threatening and will totally take no for an answer and is not being a pushy creep, that's good.

[hold_dear]

"Wouldn't you know it, I only brought finite amounts of money." Hey, looks like success! She does not think he is a creep, lookit her smile. "Where are we going?"

[mrglam]

"Downtown, it's a ways south, there are buses that way all the time. I think there are also tour buses," he adds dubiously.

[hold_dear]

"Oh, I decided not to do a formal tour," she says. "You don't get to meet anyone that way." Smile.

[mrglam]

Goodness, she's pretty. It's unfair for someone to be this pretty. He kinda wants to kiss her.

...bad. Do not kiss the stranger. That is creepy and also you have a girlfriend.

"Well then I guess I can be your impromptu guide!"

[hold_dear]

"You weren't busy trying to get rid of a firstborn child?" she asks, glancing around at the merchandise.

[mrglam]

"Oh my firstborn isn't worth enough for me to really be able to afford this. Well, maybe one item, if I decided I didn't want to eat next month."

He starts leading her to the bus stop.

[hold_dear]

She follows him. "What's your name?"

[mrglam]

"Right, of course, how rude of me. I'm Sadde, weird, I know, what's yours?"

[hold_dear]

"Chelsea. Does everybody make remarks about your name that you have to head them off like that?" Chelsea would never do such a thing. She is too nice.

[mrglam]

She really doesn't look the type, but "It's mostly a habit leftover from when I was small. Kids can be pretty mean about it, and I kinda got used to it, but it doesn't happen nearly as often nowadays."

(He should be getting used to how attractive she is by now, but no, if anything she's getting more attractive the longer they spend together.)

[hold_dear]

"Well, I'm glad it didn't traumatize you. I think your name's lovely, Sadde."

[mrglam]

He beams. "Thank you! Yours is, too. Matches its bearer." Wait, what? He doesn't blush because that's not something he's actually physically capable of doing, but, wow, rather forward there, given that you have a girlfriend, huh?

Anyway, here's the bus station!

[hold_dear]

"Aww, thanks!"

[mrglam]

Grin. "So, what brings you to Brockton Bay, anyway?"

[hold_dear]

"It just seems like the place to be right now. I've been thinking I should travel more, you know?"