audience: nico di angelo

[becomemod]

Comments

[resumed]

I would agree with that. [ let's never meet evil goddesses. it's fine, they pushed her into a river. anyway. ]

...where I'm from, not all spirits are good. There are many who're tied to the realm of the living because of old agendas and grudges and tasks they have to complete. But there are plenty of good as well. It's not always something I do, but when I come across them I try to help them fulfill their unfinished business or I dispel them myself. It makes sense to let them choose so long as they haven't already lost themselves.

[ a hand comes up, idly rubbing at the left side of his face where three very faint scar lines sit. ]

Then again I've argued with just as many spirits because they didn't want to do what I asked from them. [ a faint smile. ] I guess that's another display of choice, too. It's not just ghosts. There are all sorts of spirits that we deal with, even at camp.

[becomemod]

Not all spirits can or should be defined by good or evil. [ a beat. ] But it sounds like there are similarities and differences with everything. I can respect the kind of work you do.

[ they laugh. ]

Giving a spirit enough of a form and consciousness to make their own decisions... Sounds like it can be dangerous, hm? [ so why do they sound so amused? ] What sorts of spirits? I'd like to know what else you're familiar with.

[resumed]

Some just are. [ like some are just themselves, he can understand that. but he tilts his head at that. ]

I don't know if I'd call it dangerous. I'd say it's more dangerous not to acknowledge them at all. [ ...hum. ] It's all a little complicated to explain. And it all depends on what you believe in anyway. Some people don't think they're real.

[becomemod]

Some just are.

Where I'm from, the ability to acknowledge spirits at all is pretty special, so I don't blame anyone for not believing, if they don't have that skill. [ they wave a hand through the air. ] I know that there are all sorts of spirits, even those I've never heard of or seen for myself.

[ they lean down a bit with an almost conspiratorial smile. ]

And you wouldn't lie about them, would you, Nico?

[resumed]

Between you and me, I don't think they'd let me not acknowledge them by now. [ a joke. but he looks up at phoenix a little curiously. and a little challenging, really. ]

What good would lying to you do me when we have a competition to win?

[becomemod]

If they aren't used to attention, of course they'd want it.

[ they laugh and pull back to full height. ]

Well, I wouldn't blame you for not trusting me right off the bat. Appearing somewhere you don't know without your permission, being told to follow their lead... naturally, it wouldn't sit well.

So you tell me.

[resumed]

Makes as much sense as anything else.

[ he's humming to himself a bit, giving phoenix's mask a scrutinizing look. ]

To be honest with you this isn't the first time I've been sent somewhere without knowing where I'm going, nor is it the first time I've been asked to follow the guidance from someone I don't know. So it kind of feels similar, but still different. But as far as I can tell you need us as much as we need you. Right?

[becomemod]

[ their eyes may be covered, but nico will get the feeling that they easily meet his gaze. ]

Unfortunate coincidence, isn't it? But you're right, I do. All of us do. The arrangement can be mutually beneficial.

[resumed]

[ he can appreciate that, thank you phoenix. ]

Then...if you have suggestions on where to start, I'll listen and consider them. It's the least I can do in this case.

[ the cocoa puff chirps and also stares at phoenix with its dumb glowing eyes. ]

[becomemod]

[ they cross their arms over their chest to think. ]

If you find anything odd, that's a start. [ they seem to realize a second later that "odd" might be just about anything in a world that's totally new to nico. ] Things that don't belong. White objects in odd places, papers with strange writing, villains saying things outside of the normal villain fare. Those are the sorts of things we're looking for.

[resumed]

"White objects" kinda seems a little vague when you have a team and a leader called White Tiger. The rest is doable though. I would think villains saying weird-villain things is a little more obvious, and any papers I find I'll bring back to you.

Have you had luck finding those sort of things so far before we got here?

[becomemod]

[ shakes their head. ]

Not since the battle, no. We've been a bit preoccupied with the construction, so we haven't had much time to dedicate toward searching recently. The only thing we'd found was about the competition and the lot of you coming here.

[resumed]

[ hm. yeah that makes sense to him. ]

The clean-up after a battle is always a pain. [ mumbling... ] Okay. I'll see what I can find somehow. Now that we're not stuck to the hotel and behind the caution tape.

[ he seems to consider something else then, leaning back a little as shame the cocoa puff adjusts on his shoulder. ]

...is it still a no-go on changing my ability?

[becomemod]

You'll still find the caution tape here and there, so don't be too reckless while you look.

[ for some reason, they seem amused by the possibility of that. ]

'Fraid not. You can change your team power, if you like, but not your own.

[resumed]

I've never been reckless a day in my life. [ he says, like a liar. but he still looks put out by that. ]

The team power is...fine for now. And if I can't change my ability then I'll figure out something else. What I had before here was fine. Nothing needed to change.

[becomemod]

Is that so...?

[ they don't seem convinced, but it's still rather funny. ]

Believe me, if I could give you your original abilities, I would. Having what you're used to would be far more effective here than learning something new as you go.

[resumed]

Absolutely.

[ don't!! ]

It's not even that I don't want to learn something new. I mean I don't, I've been working with what I have for years, but I understand having to try and make something else work. It's just that one...sort of feels like a curse. That's all.

[becomemod]

[ they tilt their head. ]

Why would it be a curse?

[resumed]

[ ....how to explain this. ]

If not a curse, it's definitely a joke that isn't exactly funny.

[becomemod]

[ after considering this for a moment, they answer decisively. ]

I don't understand. But I'm not going to force you to use it, if it bothers you that much.

[resumed]

[ thank you phoenix, i, ty, am going to force him to get over it but also. ]

Thank you. [ ...the crux of the matter though is: ] But I understand not using it won't really help us either, will it? If I don't have my own powers, and if I don't have my sword, and I can't use these new powers I'm trying to figure out what else I can do to make sure we're successful. If that makes sense.

[becomemod]

Well, that would depend on what happens here. There's no guarantee that any of you would have to fight - at least not much. I understand that you're trying to work with what you have, and that's all that I can ask of you.

The information we need is out there somewhere. I believe that you have the drive to find it, powers or no powers.

[resumed]

Sure. I don't like taking no for an answer. [ that is putting it so lightly. ] So as long as there is an answer out there, I don't plan on quitting just because I'm at a disadvantage.

[ ...hm. ]

Did you choose those three powers yourself? The ones from Amazo...om.

[becomemod]

Good! Neither do I. Between the two - or three - of us, we'll find something sooner or later.

I didn't. They're just what I have to offer.

[resumed]

[ he's about to ask why three but then he decides this means will whether that's actually the case or not.

...but that's interesting. ]

Whoever brought you here didn't give you much of a choice for stuff either, did they? [ that seems kind of unfair. ]