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[starlightheart]

[ Appearing before you is a young woman someone may have seen a few times here and there replying to people, or perhaps running into on the street - but she's never posted her own entry before. She gives a small smile. ]

Hello, there. My name's Natalie - I've been... Numbered for quite awhile. Since the snake, really... and this whole time I've been sort of a coward. I've been afraid to come here, to... put myself out there at all.

With the mafia, and everything... you'd almost think that would be a good idea to keep up. However, I just... can't do that anymore.

[ She gives a long sigh, leaning back. ] The other night, I was attacked, but it wasn't by the mafia. It was... a monster, I guess is the only way I can think of to describe it? A friend of mine is also numbered, and she's encountered them before too... She told me its name.

A "Vermedi."

I was just waiting for a bus. They're... out there. I don't know if I was just unlucky, or if they're after us too, but... I thought people should know.

[ She frowns, looking down. ]

The other-me, the one who I'm getting memories and powers from. She was a lot stronger than I am. She knew what to do under pressure.

I'm just a teacher. I work with children. All I can think about then is... wondering if I should even be there, now. If I'm just a danger to them. I don't know what to do, and I don't expect anyone else to have the answers there, but... I know I can't run away from this anymore.

Comments

Voice

[icy_heavens]

Haven't seen them in a while, but those do come after us, yeah. Don't think I've ever seen them go after a normal, though. [It's a young voice on this end, though at least it sounds older than the kids Natalie teaches. That's something, right?]

Voice

[starlightheart]

[ Yep, she notices the voice sounds young but tries to bite her tongue as far as that goes. She's paid more attention of late, and she recognizes almost anyone on here probably knows what they're talking about better than her. ]From what I know, Thunder Corporation was using them to guard Project Jump, weren't they? Now, after that thing has been taken from them, they just happen to be out in the open...

Even if they're not going after regular people though, that obviously hasn't stopped the likes of the mafia...

Voice

[icy_heavens]

Mm-hm. [Clearly that's just something he heard and he hasn't ever been in the secret Thundercorp basement at all, nope!] Must've sent them out again after we got ahold of it. I'll be needing to keep an eye out for them.

[But the rest . . .] Yeah, I've only ever heard of the Vermedi showing up when we're pretty much alone, but the mafia doesn't necessarily operate that way.

Voice

[starlightheart]

[ Well, of course! Natalie would never even consider kids sneaking into highly secure facilities where they could get killed by guards that want all of them dead anyway at a moment's notice.

No, really.

She would never consider this. ]

Please do, I don't really... know what help I can be [ besides the obscene levels of firepower she's starting to accumulate ] but if I can at least give people a warning, then I guess that's something, right?

[ An uncomfortable pause. ] Do you think... they have a limit, on how far they'd go? The mafia, I mean. [ Translation: Would they endanger small children? ]

[Voice]

[belphe]

As someone who was in a position very similar to your own regarding the workplace...

...you may want to bow out gracefully before something happens.

[Voice]

[starlightheart]

You're... probably not wrong, really...

[ A sigh. ] I wanted to just try and ignore it for so long, but... I can't stop things like this from coming after me, can I? If any children were hurt because of me... [ She shudders. ] I don't think I'd be able to forgive myself.

[Voice]

[belphe]

It's upsetting, certainly...having to give up everything you worked for out of fear for others' safety.

[there's a slightly bitter twinge in her voice as this is still kind of a sore topic]

But, in the end, its better to keep those who put their trust in you safe...even if it means having to leave them behind.

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

That's kinda how it goes. You get in, you're stuck.

Getting away doesn't necessarily mean you're safe, either...

[starlightheart]

That's certainly the impression I've g--

[ Stop. Blink. ]

Wait, aren't you the girl I... ran into during the blackouts?

[ Oh. This is about to get embarrassing. ]

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

... Yeah.

[Rita's perfectly okay leaving it at that, since those strange lights were having effects on her - she was sure they had to be worse for someone who had nearly no experience with all of this.]

It's ultimately your choice. Your presence around people puts them at risk... But when things really go bad, like that snake? You're probably the best hope of protecting them...

[sunshinethatwarmsherup]

... Those things are here in Vegas too.

[ But well, there's probably more that she could say... ]

I think I remember reading back when I first got network access that those things DO go after us that are numbered specifically.

[starlightheart]

These are... bigger ones, apparently, than the ones that were around Vegas. But, ah...

[ A pause, and concern rises in her voice. ] Are you okay? You haven't gotten caught up in everything from those earthquakes, have you...?

[sunshinethatwarmsherup]

... Great. That's the last thing any of us need right now.

[ She sighs though, frowning before answering. ] It's kinda hard not to get caught up in all of that stuff when the entire strip ends up rising up like that.

But I'm alright. I'm not hurt or anything. We still have electricity and water. Somehow.

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[vaimo]

I think you're stronger than you think you are! It's scary, all of this, but you're thinking about other people rather than yourself.

Maybe you should look into self defence? At least then you can look out for the children! I think that it's nicer to learn things for yourself than to rely on things that your past self learnt anyway. It's much more rewarding that way! But you don't need to run away from them either, because some of the things that you can learn from them are really useful! If you use the best of your past and the best of yourself I'm sure that you'll be fine!

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[starlightheart]

I feel like I've been spending too much time thinking of myself up until now. Even if not explicitly, I was... always looking for a way out. But other people - any children I'd be watching after especially - are a lot more important than that, aren't they?

...the past self I've been remembering... I'm starting to understand a bit better just what I'm dealing with. She was very confident, very powerful... but also very kind. I want to know more about her, and what she could do, but in the meantime... Yes, I need to do that at the very least. I need to make certain I can defend myself and anyone around me.

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[vaimo]

No! Everyone's important, and that means you too! Sometimes you have to look after yourself first so you can then help others - like on a plane when you have to put the thing to help you breathe on yourself first before you help anyone else.

It sounds like she was a good person. In time you'll learn more! I looked into self defence at the beginning of the year, I can send you the places I found if you'd like?

[Voice]

[gobybessie]

You work with children. I'd think you know a thing or two about what to do under pressure.

[ He's raising one child, and doesn't even have her all that often. It's hell sometimes. ]

[Voice]

[starlightheart]

Yes, I suppose I do. [ She laughs a little. ] I've had some pretty unruly kids here and there, too - but you sort of have to be able to control yourself if you're going to teach anything.

[ Although this wasn't something she was able to do during the blackouts, but those were clearly... odd circumstances. ]

[Voice]

[gobybessie]

And then you get the parents with the package.

[ From his work with children in the hospital? The children were almost always great. Resilient and brave. And then there were the parents. ]

The situations are a little different, but I think you might be underestimating yourself.

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[brotimaeus]

Somethin' to be said for keeping your head working with children.

[Richard quirks a small half-smile her way. It's not quite reassuring, though it seems like it might have meant to come out that way.]

Just realising this ain't something you're gonna run from is a big step, but there's a lot of 'if'ing there. Do you think you're a danger?

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[starlightheart]

It can definitely be a handful - somehow I never expected to start equating that sort of thing to fighting for my life, however.

[ Either way, Natalie smiles back, though it's tinged with a bit of concern. ]

I had a monster try to tear my apart waiting at a bus stop, and I nearly got driven crazy by whatever was going on during those blackouts. It certainly feels like I'm in danger, anyway.

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[brotimaeus]

Didn't ask if you were in danger. That one's a given. Hell, we all are.

[He's not trying to downplay her concerns, but still.. it's an undeniable fact.]

Do you think you're a danger to the kids?

[feastorfamine]

... You saved my life, ma'am. I don't know if you're as strong as the person you used to be, but you're strong enough in my book.

[starlightheart]

Oh! You're the girl who was there...

It's fine, you don't need to thank me! I was just... doing whatever I could, right? [ She was fighting for her life just as much. ] I didn't... really know what I was doing, honestly.

[feastorfamine]

But you still won, right? That means you still have the potential inside you.

You deserve more credit than you're giving yourself.