video;

[purestambition]

[Video flickers online of a young woman with long dark hair and a stern expression. Beyond that, it's fairly unreadable.]

I suppose I should say this is not what I anticipated. The "heroes" who saved Locke City from certain doom had been scurrying and hiding in the shadows for nearly a year prior. [Pause, a slight lift of her considerable eyebrows.] Not without reason, perhaps, yet... not what one anticipates.

My question is, are you satisfied with what path now lies before you, and what it took to get there? [Her tone grows quicker, and far sharper.] What do you think that path is?

After that snake, this city was beset by creatures once more, yet beings from another world cleaned up the mess. Altruistic thought their intentions may be, and I will give credit for cleaning up their own disaster, or what was left of it... I for one am not satisfied to simply let myself just be protected. To simply be reactive to the problems we are sure to face.

[Her eyes narrow.] I imagine the same must apply to more of you out there. To push forward, become stronger, and seize the power that's been put within our grasp. Because there will be other threats. Out in the open, Numbered will not remain so good natured forever. People will use us. Monsters and aliens are real, and even if these visitors mean us no harm, who knows what else may be out there now?

So, I am curious.

[Her head tilts back, voice raising a little.] Who has the pride in their ability and self worth to truly steel themselves, to really be prepared for what else may come down this road we've been forced upon?

[She lowers her head, expression never wavering throughout.] I would simply like to know those whom I am dealing with.

Comments

voice

[saviorsoul]

[ Alexi is having some trouble following her words, given some of the more advanced vocabulary and he probably blinks at the screen for a good two minutes before finally hitting the voice message button.

His tone is unsure and hesitant, as if reluctant to directly question her. But something about what she's saying just doesn't sit right with him. ]

Uh aren't you being kind of harsh toward other people? I don't mean to insult you. It's just that sure, the monsters are a problem and the aliens maybe. But do we really have to start worrying about each other?

[purestambition]

We are human beings.

To worry about what other humans are capable of is not just inevitable. It's smart.

[saviorsoul]

Yeah but... aren't we all working together now? I really don't wanna think we're gonna turn on each other as soon as the other problems are gone. Why would we?

[purestambition]

Again, the answer is simple - humans.

Look at the world around you. Those of us who are not special steal and kill and do far, far worse on a daily basis. The Numbered are everyone from children to the elderly.

The choices appear so random, why should I believe just because we are chosen that all of us are righteous?

[saviorsoul]

[ Still sounding super uneasy ]

I get that... But is it really right to assume the worst of people either? Why not just see how things go before getting worked up about what might happen?

[purestambition]

Naivety like that gets people killed.

[saviorsoul]

... Jumping the gun usually starts problems too.

[purestambition]

On this very Network, months ago there was someone who saw fit to think it a good idea to simply go out into the Dead District, hunt Blood Keys, and simply outright kill them.

If someone was willing to go to such lengths already, what "gun" am I jumping, precisely?

It is merely smart to be prepared.

[saviorsoul]

The FAQ said those guys were acting crazy aggressive. And they even attacked a clinic. I'm not sayin' it was right but that it makes more sense than expecting fellow numbered people to turn on each other.

[purestambition]

It is still indicative of the lengths some Numbered will go when threatened. We are not chosen for our sense of morality, clearly. The powers that be did not choose everyone based on their sense of altruism. There's very little to promise any sense of working together will persist.

Humans are dangerous creatures.

[saviorsoul]

[ Why always the big words? Alexi is so out of his league here. But he's also seeing that pressing this point is getting nowhere fast. Time for a change in direction before he starts coming off as annoying to her. Not to mention that she's brought up something he's been wondering about himself since his first echo.

He starts up cautiously again: ]

So what are we supposed to do? Not trust each other?

Nobody really knows how or why we were chosen.

[purestambition]

There is a difference between that and using due caution.

[Not that she trusts anyone here, but that's not the point.]

I'd say its high time we work on figuring out the "why's" of that.

[saviorsoul]

You have an idea how to do that?

[purestambition]

The question isn't so much if I do, but if anyone here does.

That said, we can start by not simply being reactive to what's happening to us.

[saviorsoul]

We're gonna need some suggestions.

[purestambition]

I'm not here to hold your hand. If you can't think for yourself, therein lies the answer to my initial question.

[saviorsoul]

[ He winces sharply, her words striking him in his most vulnerable part: his lack of confidence. He's never really been able to have that much of it, not with his parents always stepping in whenever things went especially wrong and not when he used to fight battles with himself to believe he could actually control what happened with his emotions, his anger. What does he really think he can do now? She's right.

His tone droops: ]

It's not like I've gotten back anything that useful yet.