audience: nico di angelo

[becomemod]

Comments

W0 Monday

[becomemod]

Hi, hi! I've got it, just gimme a sec to find it, 'kay?

[ a minute later, nico's phone pings as an image comes through. it's a map of the city that we don't have a graphic for, but he will be able to tell that it's a large, sprawling city with justice circle at the center and a beach to the east. ]

Here you go! It might not match up perfectly anymore, though.

[resumed]

[ i appreciate you humoring me anyway mods. but hum. he is studying the map. ]

this still helps, thank you
i've been wondering how big oceanside city is so this is a good scale
are you guys hoping to rebuild it exactly the way it was?

[becomemod]

Well, it might be a little hard to build it exactly the same. Some things might be, like Justice Circle, but the rest... I think that's up to the people who live here, you know? But I don't think changing some things is bad, either.

[resumed]

the landmarks, right
...i don't think changing some things is bad either
back home, things were the same for a while but a couple of years ago we started building new cabins for people and changing the landscape
it was better that way

[becomemod]

Right! So maybe while we're here to help rebuild, we can help make this city better, too. I think that'd be a nice way to leave things, don't you?

[resumed]

i don't disagree, as long as the people who live here are happy with the changes
it feels kind of wrong to come into their home and make something better that they don't agree with
is that something you always try to do? make things better than they were

[becomemod]

Of course we wouldn't do it without their approval! That would be so rude!

Who doesn't want to make things better when they can?

[resumed]

just making sure
and i don't know
there are some people who would prefer destroying things rather than creating
it's nice to know where you stand on that

[becomemod]

I've always been more of a creator than a destroyer.

[resumed]

then...what are your favorite things to create? if you had to pick

[becomemod]

Anything collaborative is a good start! I've worked with Goat before to make some stuff. They're pretty creative, too!
When it's just me, though, I like drawing anything and everything! I used to help make costumes and stuff, too.
Oh! And if you see the TCG, that was totally me! You're welcome!

[resumed]

yeah? i haven't spoken with them, but that's good to know
i've never been good at art or anything, but i have a friend who's a pretty amazing painter
did you make all of the hero costumes for the leaders then?

[ ...SIGHS DEEPLY. ]

what's the tcg?

[becomemod]

You should! I think you guys would get along! I kind of wish I could meet your friend and talk shop, though. That sounds fun.
Oh, but I didn't make the costumes. I'm not that good! I just help out a friend sometimes, that's all.

They're trading cards! There's one for all the heroes.

[resumed]

we'll see. i'm not really the people person...
you'd like her. rachel's our oracle but she's an artist before that. last i heard she was heading to paris for a while
i think helping still counts though
...trading cards.
when you say "all the heroes" you don't mean...

[ all of them. are there cards of all of them. am i gonna have to resign myself to buying stuff to collect all 35-43 cards. ]

[becomemod]

Emmy's not really the biggest people person, either. But they deal with a lot, anyway. They're surprisingly patient with everyone else!
Ohhh, Paris! That's a great place for some inspiration! Good for her!
I mean ALL the heroes! You've got one, too, you know~

[resumed]

is it not weird for you guys to have us message you out of nowhere? i would think it'd get old fast with so many of us, patient or not

[ ...now he is tempted. ]

can i see it?

[becomemod]

I don't think so! Emmy might have something to say about it, but you'd have to ask them... but even they want to help you guys, so I don't think they'd mind too much.

Sorry, but that'd break the sponsor contract! You've gotta buy stuff through Amazoom to get them, or trade with other people.

[resumed]

then maybe i'll send them a message too. if i can figure out what to say and how to start things out. i guess the worst that can happen is it's a very short conversation
can you blame me for trying? i'll have to see about buying stuff. i'm still deciding
...can i ask you something a little more personal?

[becomemod]

If it makes you feel any better, they can be super awkward sometimes, too. So I think if you have questions, it'll help to be more direct with them?
I totally don't blame you! If I hadn't made the cards, I'd be hyped to see them, too! If it weren't for the contract, I'd definitely send you a copy.
Sure, hit me!

[resumed]

[ he thinks about this because it's not like nico is great at smalltalk, so either that would go well or it would go very poorly. ]

i can do direct. maybe a little too direct
i'll figure something out
it's a little weird to think there're already sponsorships in place, but that's kind of part of being a superhero too isn't it
branding and endorsements and everything
i get it, even if it's a little disappointing
but thank you
what do you guys get out of this if your team wins the competition? do you know yet?

[becomemod]

Just don't worry about it too much, okay? Emmy prefers people to be themselves most of the time.
The sponsors are what pays for where you guys are staying! So we have to be careful to make sure they don't get upset with us. ✨ Buuuut maybe someone's already got your card? It's random, so who knows?
I'm pretty sure we get the same thing as you, though - to go home safe.

[resumed]

that's kind of exactly what i worry about yeah
but ok
are the sponsors why we have like infinite money too? not that i'm complaining
if it's random i have no hope but i'll keep an eye out i guess
....is that all? does that mean that the losing leaders lose their worlds and they're trapped here too?
what DOES it actually mean for losing teams?

[becomemod]

It's probably not infinite, but they're pretty loaded, so might as well be! If they're gonna provide it, we might as well take advantage, right?
Well, the competition thing is new to us, too, so there might be more to it that we haven't learned yet... but it's hard to say. We know about the losing teams, but there's no information about us specifically versus you guys, you know? So we're kind of just assuming that we count as part of the teams, no matter if we lose or win. So... same consequences.

[resumed]

better than when i didn't have money on me, yeah
...that's not very promising for anybody but yeah
i get that
you're learning about the same pace we are
i guess more than anything i'm also wondering what happens if a team wins but there's someone else here from their same world on a different team
would both people get to go back? would that be a possibility?

[becomemod]

For sure! I'm used to being broke, too, so it's nice to not have to worry about it for a change.
That's why we're still looking, so we can find a better answer for everyone and for ourselves.
It sounds like they don't, but I sure hope both get to go back! I don't want to go back alone!