audience: nimona

[becomemod]

Comments

[becomemod]

[ they tower over nimona.

with a laugh, they lead the way inside. ]

There's a band rehearsing for a show today, so it's a little messy in the back right now. They've got merch everywhere.

[sharkgirl]

[tall...]

Can I take some? What band is it? [she bounds after them happily enough.]

[becomemod]

They're called "Unhinged Thanksgiving."

[ thank you band name generators ]

Technically, you're supposed to pay for it, but I think our sponsors can cover the costs.

[ read: take what you boo ]

[sharkgirl]

Yessssss. [fist pump.]

... I have no idea what Thanksgiving is but sure. [she glances around.] So wait, you said this is your theater?

[becomemod]

Neither do I.

Yes. It's my team's headquarters, so it's my theater.

[sharkgirl]

Oh. Rad.

Do you spend a lot of time in here? [she's going to steal whatever she can get her hands on.]

[becomemod]

Mm. It qualifies as "hero business" when this is my headquarters.

[ they do see her stealing things but they will just let it happen, unless it's something especially important. take the merch. they're not the ones losing money on it. ]

[sharkgirl]

[this makes phoenix her favorite for right now congratulations phoenix]

Is that like... a thing you're into? Like you're down to do the whole hero thing?

[becomemod]

[ they've charmed her already!

to answer, they just shrug. ]

I wouldn't say I'm "into" the hero thing. It happened to us the same way it happened to all of you. We didn't choose it. But I do like performing, once in a while.

[sharkgirl]

Performing? As a hero?

[a little head tilt.] Sounds right, if so. That's all heroics are. Performances.

[becomemod]

More like singing.

So that's how you feel about heroes. [ interesting. ] Have you met many before us?

[sharkgirl]

[she pauses, and then throws a piece of merch over her shoulder. like she just doesn't care! whatever!!]

Yeah. Too many. You really think of yourself as one? Like, what do you all even do? Who are you saving?

[becomemod]

Hmmm... I suppose I'm used to doing... "heroic" work, where I'm from, but not for recognition. Most of the people I help should never see my face at all, let alone know I was ever there in the first place. Being in the spotlight as a hero here is different.

My job here is to fight "villains" to keep the people of the city safe. That's where my strengths are, so I leave the deep thinking to some of the others. [ a pause. ] I do think the "heroes" and "villains" thing is a little more black and white here than I'm used to, though.

[sharkgirl]

[whispers ok wwx (it's gonna be really funny when i'm wrong)]

Yeah, that's what I'm getting. [...] What's with the villains? Do they just spring into existence? How do you fight them?

[becomemod]

I assume they're out there somewhere already? [ shrugs. ] I just take it as they come.

As for how I fight... [ they hold out their hand, palm up, to summon a fireball. ] ...with fire.

[sharkgirl]

What, you don't think about it? You just destroy them?

[the fire is cool but she also like, she has to be kind of mad about this.]

[becomemod]

I wouldn't say that. I don't destroy them, for one. Most of them are still human, and I don't kill humans unless it's unavoidable, as part of my mission, which is rare.

But I don't see a need to attack someone that's not causing any harm, either. Unless they ask for a spar, that is.

[sharkgirl]

But you'd be fine with killing them if they weren't human.

[casually interrogates phoenix]

[becomemod]

That still depends on what they're doing. If they're causing harm, interfering with my missions in some way, then yes, I'd fight them. If not... well, there are advantages to not killing them on sight, too.

But my targets are usually a specific type of non-human. Any others, I'd have no reason to fight at all.

[sharkgirl]

[she just kind of - slinks away from them a little, defensive.]

Right. [...] Is that missions here? Trying to figure out what the point of you guys is.

[becomemod]

No, my usual missions are different from the ones here. I haven't seen any trace of the kind I'm meant to fight since arriving here.

We're looking for a way home, same as everyone. The "hero" thing just happened along the way.

[sharkgirl]

[w

WAIT IS THIS A FUCKING SWORD]

What does being a hero entail here? You guys aren't very clear about it.

[becomemod]

[ who's to say? ]

Protecting the people of this city. If that means there's someone out there putting the citizens here in danger, it's our job to subdue them.

And that doesn't mean killing them. [ since this seems to be a concern for nimona. ] Ideally, we'd incapacitate them so the local authorities can take over from there.

[sharkgirl]

[ jiiiiiii

it's maybe not so much the killing that bothers her as much as just - the labeling.]

Ideally. But I bet that's not how it goes. [local not a girl hates authority news at eleven] So what, you just do whatever you're told? Why? Do they have some sort of dirt on you?

[becomemod]

For the most part, it's gone well enough. The battle last month was a different story.

[ they laugh, unoffended. ]

Not at all. Why should I follow the orders of someone who hasn't earned the respect first? [ they shake their head. ] I've been doing this because I don't care to see innocent people get hurt without a good reason, not because I'm told to save them. This isn't part of my usual missions, so I have no reason to stand by and watch the people here suffer until I find a way home.