[Network - voice] @ SuprNerd- we could be heroes, just for one day

[moderatelymaladjusted]

[The audio starts with the sounds of rustling papers, as if Quentin is reading this from something he's written down (he is) and his voice starts out stilted.]

Hello? This is for all of you who live here in Beacon and it's about something I've thought about since the town meeting. At this meeting, there was one thing we didn't-- okay, so there were actually two things, but I want to talk about the one thing and-- shit. Sorry. There was one thing we didn't talk about, and that's the fact that several of us can do things. I've talked to some of you and-- fuck. Hi. I'm, uhm, Quentin and I'm a magician? We're from, well, Eliot and I are from the same world? Or, the same timeline? I don't know what to call it, but we came from the same place? But, yes. I'm Quentin. Hello.

And I've talked to some of you and you could do amazing things. Brilliant, magical things and that made me think that, what if there's more? What if a lot of us can do amazing things, but we just don't know because we haven't told each other yet? So I'm proposing that we talk to each other and if you're not comfortable with everyone knowing what you can do-- and I get that, I do, because back home we weren't really supposed to talk about magic either, at least not to non-magical people. But okay-- if that makes you uncomfortable, you could always just talk to me? There's a private setting to these texts or we could meet up. Or maybe some of you will want proof of magic and I can show you?

But most importantly, we can do these amazing things and that could maybe help with some of this? Right now, everyone is searching through the forest on foot and in small groups. If we find out what we can do, maybe it's possible to make teams that can search without having to put themselves in harms way? Maybe someone out there can fly? Someone who could fly out and see which way we need to go to get through? Maybe someone is telekinetic? Or, can talk to plants? Maybe one of you can warg in to some of the spirits? Maybe someone is a shapeshifter or a skinwalker-- or, god, you're getting all of this from popular fiction and now everyone has to hear about it... sorry, where was I?

Okay, so maybe if we talk to each other about this, maybe we can find a better way of exploring this place and maybe we can find a better solution to the problem of World Eaters coming for us.

Because the X-men were better when they were a team? And-- and even Frodo couldn't get the ring to Mordor without the Fellowship. So, maybe we can do something like that. Make powered teams and use this, to defend ourselves and to explore this world.

But, uh, it wouldn't be fair to expect any of you to share with me, if I'm not willing to share myself. So, if-- I can do simple wards? For our homes. To ward places like the church, which we know has been destroyed once already or maybe the Inn? I'd need someone to cast with me, but I think we can do it. Ward it from harm or put a shield spell on it, so it's safe. I can mend things, and if anyone wants help mending small objects, I'm willing to help.

I guess that's all I have to say. I hope you'll consider this and that you'll help me keep us all safe.

[indistinct and muttered] and fuck that guy for saying I couldn't. Stupid, fuck-- [click]

Comments

[moderatelymaladjusted]

I didn't know alien invaders were a thing? Does that happen to you like a lot?

I figured the safest would be for it to be just a 'hey, Bob can do a thing' and I'd know, so if a group comes and asks for someone who can do the thing, I'd ask Bob to get in touch?

[webshoots]

Only on weeks that happen to include a Friday.

I guess this is where your whole trust thing comes in to play.

Hey, unrelated question, but who leads the Avengers in the ... movies? Comics?

[moderatelymaladjusted]

That sounds rough. Aliens, though. Really?

Yeah, I know. But we have to start trusting each other at some point, and- hey, I'm willing to put myself out there and say what I can do. I guess I'm hoping other people will, too.

I wish I knew? Odin? Thor? Maybe it's the green guy with a lantern? I saw half of one of the movies and I wasn't really paying much attention? I kind of wish I had, though.

[webshoots]

I see your 'really' and I raise you 'questing cock' (still not clear on what that is, by the way. Is it a bird? I'm kind of imagining a ... you know those weather vanes shaped like birds?)

Sure, but experience tells me some people can be sensitive about things like this.

[ ODIN that's — hilarious, but also thanks, that's a weight of his mind. ]

I feel vaguely insulted on behalf of the Avengers of my Earth, but I'm not sure why. The only reason I asked was to see if it was a case of coincidental naming or whether I need to have an existential crisis based on the representation of my Earth on an alternate Earth.

[moderatelymaladjusted]

I've never actually seen the Questing cock, that was Eliot. But the books say that it looks just like a giant cock, but it's human-sized and it can speak? That's how it gives you your quest. There are actually seven questing creatures? But, it takes a lot to catch them.

Yeah, that's why I'm asking very sensitively about it?

[This is Quentin being very sensitive about other people's problems. At least he's trying?]

It could be either, really. I was in a books once. No, twice? It's kind of weird, but.

[If only it was possible to shrug through text.]

[webshoots]

Oh, yeah, I can see why aliens would seem weird compared to a giant, talking, quest-giving cock.

Biographically? Passing footnote? Or 'any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead...'? Because I can see how at least one-third of those could be weird.

Yeah, I'm sure it'll be appreciated by the people who need it.

[moderatelymaladjusted]

At least the cock wasn't something that tried to kill us? Which I'm guessing the invading aliens were trying to?

Uh, once my friend Julia and I were just mentioned in passing? And once I, uh. Oh, but this other time? We, my friends and I, had to go deep undercover to protect ourselves from this family of evil magicians? So, we had to have new identities and I ended up being some boring guy from a comic book no one wanted to read.

[webshoots]

Sometimes. As a member of the general public, I'm not going to assume I'm privy to all the finer details.

As far as these things go, choosing an identity no-one's familiar with is probably a pretty good idea if you want to be incognito. My attempt at disguises has pretty much extended to wearing a baseball cap for the Yankees and a fake moustache (not as successful as you might imagine) and wearing an ex-girlfriend's t-shirt. Also not successful.

[moderatelymaladjusted]

Those sound like pretty bad disguises, yeah. I mean, a mustache? Really? Why, how would that even work? You'd still be showing like your whole face? I mean, not that-- it's a nice enough face, just. A mustache?

[webshoots]

[ A NICE ENOUGH FACE Q U E N T I N. ]

Cap AND moustache, but yeah, you're right. It didn't work, which given how dirty and disgusted I felt with myself for wearing Yankees apparel...

But mostly I hate growing facial hair so it seemed like a safe bet.

[moderatelymaladjusted]

[What? It is! It's a face and Peter's nice! It's a nice face.]

Yankees. I don't know if I want to laugh at you or be very, very disgusted.

Because you hated it? I. Don't think that's how it works?

[webshoots]

It was a DISGUISE.

[ OH G OD DOES QUENTIN NOW THINK HE'S A YANKEES FAN?! there's a delay, then—. ]

The Mets. I support the Mets.

But yes. Apparently that's not how it works, because it didn't work.

[moderatelymaladjusted]

I don't really follow either of them, but-- my dad did. He liked the Mets, too.

You should have cut your hair right off or worn a mask maybe? Or a dress.

[Quentin really has no idea how adults would go about disguising themselves if not with magic, so he's just really pulling all of this from reruns of the A-team.]

[webshoots]

So did my uncle. He took me to my first game.

Maybe. But I didn't and it kind of worked out, but I'll keep it in mind if I ever need to disguise myself as a mask-wearing Sinead O'Connor.

But your list, by the way: how are you going to judge intentions? Are you going to judge intentions?

[moderatelymaladjusted]

You would be unrecognizable if you did it, though. Doesn't matter if it looks like shit.

What do you mean intentions? We all want to solve this, right? We want to keep each other safe? Or, at the very least, our friends and ourselves. Knowing what we can do, that would help with that. It could help everyone.

[webshoots]

Bob’s looking for someone that can shapeshift. Are you going to ask him why, or are you going to point him at Sally, who might not have told Bob that she can shapeshift and/or may not agree with what he wants to use her for.

Or — what happens if you agree with Bob, but Sally still doesn’t?

[moderatelymaladjusted]

Oh. I thought it would be more like. Bob needs a shapeshifter, so Bob finds me or texts me or something? We could make it a note on the tablets- if you have special needs, call Quentin?

And then I'd find Sally, or call her and ask her hey, Bob really needs someone who can shapeshift because he lost his keys in the sink, he's going cave diving and there's a small crevice, he's raising a barn and he needs something large to put the roof on it. And then Sally could tell me yes or no. Like, no, I hate water. Or, Bob's just being a lazy asshole, he can take his own sink apart. Ir, sure, I'd love to help because of reasons.

And also, I know what you're asking. What if someone just wants to use powered people for something horrible? What if Bob really doesn't want to raise a barn, but he wants someone large to hammer his point home with Ernie. But I don't think people think like that? Not that people aren't assholes, like, a surprisingly amount of the time? But. I'd think Bob wouldn't ask for a shapeshifter. He'd ask for someone strong, or someone who could make ice, or lightning, or direct water. And I think there'd be more than one person who could help. In their own way.

It's really not up to me how people want to help each other? Unless it's something that would be directly dangerous to the town. Like, Bob wants someone who can control fire, when I ask him why, he gets cagey or says something stupid like I just want something to read by. In that case, I don't think I'd ask anyone to help Bob.

I would never tell anyone about anyone else's powers. I'm not someone who'd out anyone like that.

If I agree that Bob should really get help with his shapeshiting problem and Sally says no, because she hates playing fetch just because Bob misses his dog back home? I'd see if I could find another way to help Bob, but Sally has every right to say no. For any reason. Always.

[webshoots]

That’s actually all I needed to know. Thanks, Quentin.

[moderatelymaladjusted]

You're welcome