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meadowlarking2020-10-23 05:01 pm
TEST DRIVE MEME #014
Welcome to the Meadowlark test drive meme! After waking up in strange and rather worrisome conditions, characters will need to begin to live their lives in this new world. All TDM threads take place after the arrival process, so please assume that the initial adjustment period has passed – in which the characters were dropped off behind a bar run by previous arrivals who then direct them to live in a safehouse for four days before hitting the streets. Now it's time to see the bright sights and sounds that New Amsterdam – and beyond – has to offer.
All Meadowlark test drive memes will not be game canon because of the nature of our arrival logs. Please feel free to carry on relationships that make sense, but please keep in mind that the TDM may not reflect current circumstances in game.
NOTE: The PCs have chosen to call themselves "the Displaced," and that's become the common parlance to refer to them.
There is very little that can smooth over the experience of your arrival in this world. Coming to your senses in a van, drugged and restrained, only to be carefully helped out by the unknown guards and nurses and then abandoned in an alleyway of a local sports bar by the name of Red Wings. What comes next is relatively straightforward: you're found by the employees at the bar, all of whom were once left in a similar situation to this one. You're brought down to a safehouse across town that's hidden underneath a soundproofed garage that's been kitted out for training purposes. You'll learn that you aren't among the first that this has happened to here. There are others not from this world who have experienced the same, with no recollection of how they came here. Like you, they have few answers about what's happened to them. Maybe this knowledge brings you a growing sense of futility, or perhaps it inspires a deeper determination in you. But even as you begin to think on what to do next, life has to go on.
All of the new arrivals will be given a fake ID and a background that will lend them access to entry-level jobs. It may be overwhelming, but their fellow Displaced have found their footing enough to be able to help the newcomers. Two Morningstar agents by the names of Gaby and El will be around to take care of world integration and IDs – the rest will fall to the Displaced who arrived before. It would take at least a month's wages to put down a deposit on even the smallest apartment in the city, so everyone has a grace period before they have to leave the safehouse – and then some, depending on the kindness of who's running the show.
Gaby and El will also make their purpose clear if asked: they are a part of Morningstar, a group dedicated to fighting corruption, tearing the capitalist oligarchy down to nothing, and trying to help make a better world. It will be made expressly clear that this entire arrangement to get the Displaced situated in the world is meant to be kept a secret, and that especially includes Morningstar's assistance. Letting the world know about their involvement could cause big problems.
> EXPLORE THE CHANGES
Despite the lack of answers about why you're here, your fellow Displaced will be able to give you a rundown of the changes they've recognized in each other. Anyone who had powers before will find them gone. Anyone who was once an AI or in a completely artificial body will find that their current body is now fully human. Those with cybernetics will find that they've remained mostly untouched, though any primitive ones may be replaced with temporary ones that are improvements on the previous models.
◉ NEW POWERS. In the place of any powers that were lost, there is now a new power. These abilities are unique to each of the Displaced and seem to update over a certain period of time, with the changes appearing thanks to critical emotional events. One thing that's apparent is that the power seems to be linked to the Displaced individual's personality or life before this one, shaped according to who they happen to be. When this power appears, their chest glows with a blue light that shines from their sternum, and it can be triggered by anything: natural inclination or a moment of great stress. If someone's out in public when this happens, they might want to duck under cover lest the blue glow from their chest and the unusual power's appearance draws unwanted attention.
◉ EMPATHY BOND. No matter the circumstances or the conditions, every skin-to-skin touch of the Displaced triggers this empathy bond. Whether they touch hands, brush cheeks, or knock into one another on accident, they'll be met with the emotions of the person they've touched. Every instance of skin-to-skin contact will trigger an immediate empathic bond, letting you feel the other person's emotions and vise versa. While there's nothing that can be done to completely prevent this, someone can either decide to hold on and continue sharing that level of emotional intimacy, or let go and end the shockingly vulnerable exchange. If someone is particularly tactile but not fond of sharing their emotions, they might want to invest in a fashionable pair of gloves.
◉ MEMORY SHARE. In the past year, the Displaced unlocked the ability to share memories similarly to how they can share emotions. While unknown at first, the Displaced soon learned that they could share a memory with each other the same way they could share emotions. All they need to do is focus on a memory and touch the skin of their fellow Displaced, and then they could pass this experience along. These memories are shared through the eyes of the giver, granting the receiver a unique insight into the thoughts, feelings, and sensations during a specific moment in their life.
◉ DREAM SHARING. Once one, two, or five Displaced fall asleep, they may be able to find each other in their dreams. These dreams lead to the dreamers themselves feeling lucid and somewhat in control of their surroundings—though the control itself is ultimately dependent on the dreamer and how well they come around to understanding what's going on. Dream logic applies with the flow of time, but no one is able to spend their entire lives there. Lost powers are still gone for any of the Displaced, but they can use their dreams to practice any new ability that they've received. Memory shares and empathy bonds are just as possible within these shared dream states—if anyone doubts that another Displaced is really there, they can test the empathy bond to see if it activates.
◉ POWER SHARES AND UNIONS. The Displaced can share something of themselves with another Displaced by offering them an object that comes out of their chest. This object is meant to be symbolic of the person it comes from and significant to them in some way. When someone else takes hold of this object, they will get a sense of the owner's essence, along with temporary access to their in-game ability. Only when they give the item back do they give up the power in question. In addition, the Displaced are able to act in unison and create a fusion of their powers, making it so they can fight someone else with them at once. This ability is there from day one, but the power's ability will only ever present at its current stage.
> THE NETWORK
When the Displaced first showed up, Morningstar set up a private network for all of the Displaced to use in order to communicate. Most of the veteran Displaced are old hands at using the implant now, and will be happy to provide any necessary information on how to utilize this new tool and understand its application in daily life.
Early on, every newcomer receives access to the encrypted network, only available to you and the others like you, making contact between you easy and safe. Familiarize yourself with this network and dig in. Perhaps you're hoping to find some bigger answers, ask about the current nail polish trends in New Amsterdam, or want to play a game of "hot or not" among the Displaced.
◉ IDENTIFICATION. Everyone who gets set up with an ID gets access to Morningstar's network. In order to ensure that none of the Displaced stand out like sore thumbs, Morningstar's agents El and Gaby ensure that everyone has a name that makes it so they fit in among society. All usernames are thusly formed as firstname.lastname, with some room for creativity (Ziggy Stardust has now been among the Displaced twice).
◉ PRIVATE COMMUNICATION. There are private, one-on-one modes of communication available as well, though without the security of Morningstar's encryptions, they're much less safe. You can make calls, send texts, make videos, and even interact with others in a VR simulation—however, it's made very clear that the government has a means of tracking this communication. Big brother is always watching.
The day of April 26th is known to all United Nations citizens: it's Resolution Day. To everyone around the world, it was originally thought of as the day that the burgeoning United Nations finally rescued humanity by eradicating the last known AI lifeforms. This act took place in 2101. However, recent circumstances have revealed that the United Nations had lied about this fact. For over four hundred years, they kept the AI Judas locked away in their military headquarters in New Beijing. During his enslavement, Judas was forced to create technology to serve the UN's purposes, helping turn their soldiers into a hivemind-like group that would always fall into line.
The Displaced know that there are more AI in the world. El, the Morningstar agent who helps create everyone's IDs, is one of them. This is a secret hidden away from the rest of Morningstar due to the massive anti-AI sentiments. The other is Cassius, a space exploration AI who brought chaos to the Displaced before switching sides to become their ally. None of this is known to the world at large.
Of course, El is linked to the war itself. El was formerly known as Elysian, the AI who accidentally kicked off the six-year-long Xelkoven War between humans and AI. Once a security unit, Elysian killed 50 households full of people as ze believed them all to be a threat. The war was ultimately named after the largest artificial intelligence distributor at the time: Xelkov. Ultimately, a billion humans died in the war, and there was the very real risk that the rest of humanity could have followed if they hadn't advised a method to put the AI down for good. Even though humanity lived on, artificial intelligence did not – save for the three aforementioned AI.
With all this coming out, people in this world aren't psyched to celebrate Resolution Day for the reasons they had been taught growing up. But they're still interested in a day to celebrate each other and humanity's survival.
The citywide celebration of Resolution Day starts early and finishes very late, so whether you choose to join in the fun, learn more about the history of the festival, or take advantage of the revelry for other, more nefarious goals, you'll have plenty of time. As the festival sprawls wildly throughout the streets of New Amsterdam, it gives even the most desolate parts of the city new life with bright lights, noise, and plenty of food. Most businesses are closed for the day, but not all of them—if you've gotten yourself a restaurant, street cleaning, or corporate PR job, you might find yourself stuck on a double shift. Better snatch what small moments of enjoyment you can!
> ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES
Anything you'd think would be at a festival in the year 2512 is definitely at this festival. Food, games, dancing, alcohol, free stuff? It's all there for your enjoyment. While the city streets will be full of people, this isn't a bad day to try networking. Want to get a new job or find a way to pry some information out of someone when they're least likely to remember you? Try to butter them up—or use the powers you've been granted to get your way. If anything goes badly, at least you can slip back into the crowd.
◉ GAMES. Care to play a game? All attendees can play for free. Some games —like the hoverblade racing, the augmented reality fightboxes, and the street-wide bouts of laser tag—require a partner or a competitor, so you better hope someone's willing to do you a solid or bring out your competitive side. For anyone who's interested in something a little less hands-on, all of the city's biggest VR arcades will have setups with all the latest games. Hoping to get noticed for your gaming talent? This might not be the day to try to stand out, but anyone's down to try.
◉ FOOD TRUCKS. It's time to try the delicacies of New Amsterdam. Hundreds of food trucks have turned out today in droves with high hopes that they'll come away turning a profit. Down for some Mexi-German fusion? Or perhaps you're hoping that pad thai still tastes the same with grasshoppers? Share your food – or give away whatever you don't like. Food trucks are the hub of activity, and the busiest ones might be worth the time, but you'll be standing in line for a while.
◉ NETWORKING. There are other opportunities with the city being flooded with festival-goers. Whether someone is on a mission to try to test the current sentiments toward Morningstar or simply wants to charm some corporate execs, this might be the time to get it done. Whatever your cover story is, make it good. Whether you claim you're hoping to pitch an idea for some new tech or are more interested in seducing – or squeezing – some information out of them, following them into the next bar or karaoke booth may give you the perfect chance. But you might want a lookout to watch your back, a co-conspirator to keep them plied with drinks, or maybe you'll need a voice of reason to stop you from squeezing too hard. Discretion is the name of the game. Everyone can agree upon that.
> HISTORY LESSONS
Aside from your typical booths of free samples, charitable causes, volunteer applications, and white chocolate-covered beetles, you'll find an opportunity to learn about Resolution Day’s history. There are various stands available where—thanks to the augmented reality application of your neural implant—you can view videos about the origins of the festival and the reasons for celebrating. If you haven't done your initial search yourself, you'll be able to buff up on it here. These booths tell the United Nations' version of the history with zero reminders about what came out about Judas.
◉ VR SIMULATIONS. If you'd like to feel like a hero, the UNA are running several virtual reality simulations where you can be taken to the battlefield to fight alongside fellow soldiers, working to bring the outwardly robotic AI to submission. The virtual reality simulation interacts with your neural implant to give you the most realistic experience possible. If you don't ground yourself enough, you'll be certain that the sights, sounds, and smells around you are real as you march in formation toward the brutality waiting up ahead. Feel free to team up with a partner on a side mission, or maybe try to keep someone from plugging in for what could be a traumatic experience. Eerie, heart-wrenching music plays when you die, but is promptly followed by the image of several corporate logos reminding you that they sponsored this day and this event.
◉ SYMPATHIZERS. If you're uncomfortable with the concept of eradicating all AI, no one will understand why. AI sympathizers are not present among the native population. Everyone in this world has been raised with the understanding that AI only wanted to destroy humanity, and that everyone is lucky to be alive in spite of it. They have a deeply ingrained fear, and anyone claiming to formerly be an AI or android won't receive a very friendly response. Even if they know the UN used Judas for centuries, it doesn't mean they're any less afraid of artificial intelligence: they've been raised to believe that all artificial intelligence was out to eradicate humanity.
Traveling down from the hectic main city streets reveals a different side from the gloss and promise of New Amsterdam. Economic disparity runs rampant throughout the city, and many people are pushed to desperation, looking to find other ways to make ends meet. In the darker shadows, many illegal activities thrive, out of view of the authorities—or perhaps known and supported by corrupt individuals. Maybe you're out exploring, completing a task for Morningstar, or working a job in the place you excel. Whatever brought you to the rougher parts of town, you may want to watch your step, or else find the city eating you as it has so many others.
> ORGANIZED CRIME
Organized crime still has a strong foothold in the world, with gangs and more established families working with drugs, weapons, property, and black market cybernetics, to name a few. These organizations are sprawling units that regularly recruit new members into their ranks, so long as they can prove themselves by passing the intensive hazing. While there are two main mob entities in New Amsterdam—the Riverstone Mob and the Petrov Family—there are a handful of gangs that otherwise roam the streets. Some are loosely sponsored by the mob, while others are fledgling groups trying to gain clout. More than anything, these groups know they don't have the power of the corporations or government, and do everything to seize more power when they can.
◉ JOINING UP. Catching the eye of the mob is difficult, but not impossible. Getting into the larger gangs is less difficult, but they're still wary of anyone who doesn't know the ins and outs of how to duck surveillance, traffic drugs and supplies, and intimidate people without catching flack from the NAPD. The best way to start getting attention is through their clubs, casinos, and illegal gambling dens. Getting inside isn't always easy: it might take a few weeks of legwork to get an invite, but someone could try to strongarm their way inside or use some chicanery to make it a smoother endeavor.
◉ ESCAPE PLAN. Whether you went in to cause trouble or accidentally caused it by breathing the wrong way, it's good to have an escape plan in place. Does that mean fighting all the goons available? Maybe. What about stealing a hover bike and getting away? The good news is that hover bikes can fit where hover cars can't.If you've got the skills, you'll be able to weave through the chaos of the city and make a clean getaway. Just don't let the chase run for too long, or you'll have law enforcement on your ass as well.
> FIGHT CLUB
No matter the occasion outside, New Amsterdam's fight club events are held every evening. The bouncers at the door don't have too many scruples on who they let inside. All they care about is whether someone has the money to pay the cover charge.
The interior of the fight club reveals the sophistication of a business that's used to uprooting itself regularly. All the fights take place in a large cage in the center, and you remain on your feet while you enjoy the show. There is a special VIP section if you've been lucky enough to receive an invite or bribe your way in – just keep in mind that these invites are scarce, and you will have to have done something spectacular to earn the attention from someone high up the food chain. Regardless of where you end up, there is one rule: what happens in the fight club stays in the fight club. This tenant is law, and everyone's heard stories of the different (and sometimes extreme) lengths that have been taken to maintain it.
◉ FIGHT. It's time to sign up and test your chops against other fighters. Many of the fighters boast illegal cybernetic enhancements, so it would be a really good idea to have someone on hand who knows some first aid. Fights can either happen in duos or in one-on-ones depending on the signups for the evening.
◉ RINGSIDE CHAT. You might just want to enjoy the show, or use the opportunity to grill the bartenders for information. Just be careful not to make a fool of yourself. Asking too many questions might catch the wrong kind of attention – the kind that might find you being thrown into the ring, whether you wanted to be there or not. For all the blood spilled, these fight clubs thrive on discretion, so whatever you do, try to keep it quiet.
Life in New Amsterdam was once all festivals and people avoiding association with organized crime. Life in New Amsterdam these days is full of drama, citywide disturbances, and everything else that might be expected of an action film in progress. While there aren't many answers for what's happened to the Displaced, there is enough chaos going around that it seems like it may be connected to their arrivals.
The worst part is that New Amsterdam seems to struggle. Rather than being an anonymous backdrop to those action films, New Amsterdam is a bustling city full of life that never asked to be at the heart of this. When trouble hits, most repairs and restorations focus on helping those with money, while others are left forgotten living in tents and hoping for a helping hand. Recent circumstances have called for improvements in this area—there is more charitable work than ever before in New Amsterdam—but it's still a trying time.
Where the Displaced stand in all of this varies, but it's hard to ignore a city in trouble.
◉ DISPLACED VERSUS DISPLACED. Whether it's by manipulation of an outside force or through inhaling weird monster gas, sometimes the Displaced are at odds with one another. When some of these few heroes are fighting, it means that the city can be left in even greater danger. Other times, the Displaced might not be able to control themselves. Feeling a sudden surge of vengeance and hoping to follow through on it? That monster gas might be the cause. Want to finish out a nasty deal to get something back important? The monster gas won't be an excuse, but maybe someone can pretend it was. Life as a Displaced is wild sometimes.
◉ MONSTERS. As for unconventional threats, there are the monsters. These creatures first turned up in giant form when the first batch of Displaced arrived, stomping all over New Amsterdam. The less unique version of the monsters are around 400m high, have lizard-like features, and tend to show up by tearing down a portion of New Amsterdam's city wall And that's the less unique version. More unique monsters vary in size and make, seeming to be an amalgamation of a number of different creatures. Half-snake, half-dog? Seems odd, but it happens. Hell, we even have a bestiary of some of what can be found. The one consistent feature of all these monsters is they all have golden irises. Suffice to say that running into these creatures could be a problem.
◉ SIMULATION. There aren't many AI left in the world, but the most notorious of them – Judas – definitely has an axe to grind. Once the leader of the AI effort as they sought to destroy humanity after countless AI were wiped out for humanity's "protection," Judas is now well aware that he's only one of three left in the world. Getting a little payback against people is only fair, isn't it? His favorite means was via a simulation, dragging people into a post-apocalyptic hellscape where humanity was forced to live underground and live out repetitive scenarios where they had no choice but to play along or feel like they couldn't survive. This stimulation interacts with the VR technology built into the neural implants, stimulating adrenaline and fear exactly when Judas wants it to do just that. Why? Oh, torture. Why not? Oddly enough, Judas doesn't create any facsimiles of other AI. He takes full ownership of what he puts people through once he takes control. Sure, Judas is a little screwy but after 400 years of captivity, no one can really blame him, can they?
◉ LEAD A REVOLUTION. Just because a world has free health care doesn't mean it's working for all of its citizens. Thanks to a variety of screwed up things over half a millenia ago, this world ended up permanently corrupt. Corporations act as training grounds for political positions, and while nobility is a thing of the past, wealthy families continue on thanks to the oligarchical stronghold that controls the world. Time to change some things up. Either by working with Morningstar or alone because of an urge to create some chaos, this world is ripe for change. Are you going to be the one to bring it about?
Feel free to branch out and explore! Visit a doctor about some advanced cybernetics. Sneak through the city checkpoints and set out into the wilderness. Try to hop on a train bound for one of the world's five spaceports to see one of the colonies—though bear in mind the cost and difficulty of one of these joy rides. Experiment with some insect based versions of your favorite recipes. Perhaps you'd prefer to engage in some illegal street racing, spend some time getting used to the technology, or try to become a social media celebrity. Use the SETTING for inspiration and choose your own adventure!
fight club
But then he got a great bit of advice from a new friend: no one's stopping him here, so he can do what he feels like. And it turns out what he feels like doing is caving some random guy's face in. Years of repressed rage came in handy here, who knew? He wins the fight, and he soaks up every bit of audience approval like a desperate little sponge.
When he steps back out into the crowd with bloody, raw knuckles and a bruise below his eye, he can't help but spot the guy who looks just as lost as he did a couple weeks ago. ] First time here?
[ Maybe the guy who just went absolutely feral in the ring wasn't the ideal conversation partner - but, really, he was as calm as he ever got after a good fight. ]
no subject
Something like that.
[ He takes in the bloody knuckles, the bruised eye, and offers an empty smile. Friendly, but not really. It's all appearances; helps to make new acquaintances, anyway, when he's on his own now. Why not leave a good first impression? ]
You come here often?
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His own smile is just as empty, and he defaults to a polite nod instead of a handshake. Damn empathy bond was really cramping his style. ]
I had someone to show me the ropes and get my name on the list, though.
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[ Amos' own smile broadens slightly, becomes a little more sincere at Homelander's. It's almost like looking into a mirror, and there's something thrilling about that. It's been a while. And he enjoyed the last go-around he had.
He nods in return. No handshake? Even better. ]
Yeah? How'd it go, the first time up? [ He's always been more of a talented amateur than anything else, no time or opportunity for real training, but he's definitely not going to look away from maybe the best chance he'll get to blow off steam in the meantime. ]
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I won. [ He shrugs like it's no big deal. He's a nice, humble guy after all. ] Beginner's luck, you know, though I've got some previous experience. [ That and even though his true strength had been stripped from him, he still hit harder than he looked like he could.
And he knew where to hit to hurt the most. He knew all the places where regular humans were too soft, where he could press in with a hundredth of his former strength and still make them squeal.
He sizes Amos up, and takes a look around the room at the other people who have come to fight. ]
You look like you can hold your own. [ By normal standards, anyway. ] This isn't your first time fighting altogether, is it?
no subject
[ He's been in more than he can count, probably from far too young an age. And though he hasn't had as many opportunities to actually, physically fight lately - both due to circumstances beyond his control and also, you know, trying to be a better person, follow better people's leads - just getting the chance to absolutely kick the shit out of someone is something that's always going to appeal to him.
It should worry him. It does worry him, now that he's away from his family, alone, and with nobody to follow. But... ]
It's different, here. [ An excuse, albeit an incredibly weak one. The more he considers it, the more he really wants to kick someone's ass. It'll make him feel better. It might not help, but he'll feel better. ] The implants and shit. Don't know how that might fuck things up.
[ He just needs one push to commit, really. Amos glances up at the ring again for a moment, sees another fight getting started. Yeah, he could do this. ]
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[ For a lot of the Displaced, the implants made them stronger. Lucky bastards. In Homelander's case, it stripped him of almost everything. He clenches his jaw to keep himself from scowling about it. Scowling isn't friendly. ]
Either way, it's better to test your limits here than wait until the stakes are higher, I think. [ Sure, he could get injured - or worse, booed by a disappointed crowd - but it wasn't deadly or anything like that. ]
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[ He picks up on the tightness in Homelander's jaw. Isn't really sure what that's about, but he's here, having a pleasant conversation with a guy who just stepped out of a fighting ring and still has blood on his knuckles, so it isn't anything that bothers him. Just an observation.
He raises his eyebrows at Homelander's statement. Well god damn, that's a good point. Not that Amos has ever been particularly strategic about being in a fistfight - it's more about the rush than anything - but he likes to think Holden, at least, would approve of the reasoning, and he really needs that right now. To know that someone else would think it's okay that he's here. ]
Sure. [ He switches the empty, pleasant smile back on. ] So where do you sign up?
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[ He beckons Amos over to a table in the corner where a rough schedule has been drawn up in sloppy handwriting.
Some names are crossed out. There are always a few people who chicken out at the last moment. Homelander can't fathom how anyone can take that hit to their dignity. He'll take a few swift punches to the face over the horror of being known as a coward any day, thank you. ]
You're supposed to sign up in advance, but I'll see if they've got room for you. What's your name?
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Amos regards Homelander as he follows him. It's a habit he'll have to be careful to avoid slipping back into.
He regards the schedule. ]
Not like I can't come back later to do it right if I gotta. [ He rolls his shoulders. ] Amos. Burton.
[ It's only then that he realizes he has no idea what Homelander's name is. He almost wonders if he actually should get it. If that's a good idea.
Well, it's not like he knows many people in this world, anyway. ]
And you?
no subject
[ As much as he hates the whole secret identity thing, the others have been telling him that he needs to blend in and he cares about his reputation enough to at least try. And unfortunately for him, Homelander is not a normal name that most people are going to react casually to.
He steps away for a moment, chatting with the person who has the schedule. He's new here so he doesn't have much clout, but he knows how to schmooze and get what he wants. He's smiling when he returns and it's mostly sincere this time because he succeeded at something and he's proud of himself. ]
Good news. You're on after the next one.
no subject
[ He takes in Homelander's smile as he returns, the good news he delivers. Amos raises his gaze up to the ring, where they're just wrapping up a fight - picking up some poor s.o.b. who got KO'd, wiping down the blood and saliva staining the floor.
His grin widens a bit as he feels his heart start to beat a little faster, the blood rushing in his veins. He can almost feel his carotid artery throb. It has been a while. And maybe having no control over where he'd suddenly ended up - over where he is now - had been affecting him more than he'd thought.
Getting into a fight isn't a good idea, but it also is. And there isn't anybody here to tell him to stand down, anyway. Not anymore.
Amos watches as the fighters just before him enter the ring. Bigger dudes. He unconsciously cracks his knuckles. Yeah, he's ready to get at least a little bit of control back.
He spares a glance at Homelander just before the fight before his own actually starts. ] Thanks for getting me in there.
no subject
He stares, and blinks a few times. The corners of his mouth twitch, but not into anything other than a neutral expression. Johnny, really? No one's ever called him Johnny. He doesn't like it.
He doesn't hate it so much that he's ready to turn against Amos, but if his opponent gets a good punch in on him he's definitely going to be thinking 'yeah, that's what you get for calling me Johnny'. ] My pleasure. If we don't help each other out, who will?
[ Although he's still not entirely sold on the whole 'Displaced should stick together' angle, he's playing along with it for now just in case.
He watches the fight: two big guys he doesn't give a shit about wailing on each other like angry cavemen. One of them gets a good hit in and starts to pull ahead; Homelander doubts the other guy'll last more than another minute or two. ]
The one on the right's in bad shape. I'd get ready if I were you.
no subject
[ He makes his way over to what looks like one of the entrances for fighters, nods at the guy that looks like he lets people in, and waits. Cocks his head, narrows his eyes as he watches the fight wrap up, one of the guys go down. Cracks his neck and inhales, exhales with force. Either that'll be him on the ground and he'll have relaxed a little by losing, or he'll have gotten some of his frustrations out by taking it out on another body. Both will be fine.
He thanks the guy who lets him step into the ring when it's ready for him. Takes in the guy across from him: bigger than he is, but not by much, and of a similar build. He blinks and offers an empty, amiable smile.
It's been a while since he's fought another Earther; he'll have to remember that.
It's through raw enthusiasm that he lands the first blow, the satisfying feeling of his fist connecting with someone else's orbital bone. He bares his teeth involuntarily; grits them when the other guy counters, stars exploding in his vision as he feels a cut open above his eye, blood start to stream down his face.
Amos full on grins at that.
He doesn't fully keep track of what happens after, just that there's pain blossoming all over his body, he's sore all over, and he feels lighter than air. He thinks he caught the other guy's arm at some point. There had been a sickening snap from somewhere. He knows he connected with the other guy's jaw, his slightly smaller stature full on pushing upward and ending things there.
He spits blood out on the ground as he leaves the ring; idly wonders if they have skin regenerating technology here, too, or if he's just going to live with some bruises and cuts for a while. Either suits him just fine, really. He's still excited, internally, but he's calmed down from the near unbearable buildup he'd been involuntarily working towards.
He catches sight of Homelander as he rejoins the main crowd around the fighting ring. Huffs, gives him an easy smile. ] Thanks. You have no idea how much I needed that.
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The grin catches him off guard. It reminds him a little of himself, and a little of Butcher. There's a certain type of person that gets drawn to a place like this, he thinks, and people like that often end up coming together in one way or another.
He watches the rest of the fight, not concerned with who wins and who loses. Dulled as his super senses were he could still pick up on certain things better than a regular person could: the smell of blood and adrenaline in the air, and the sound of pounding hearts. Outside of his own fights, that's what he's here for. It's not the same as slicing a man in half just by looking at him, but it quenches some of his bloodthirst anyway.
When Amos rejoins the crowd, Homelander smiles back at him. ] You're welcome. [ The whole Johnny debacle was forgotten as quickly as it happened, now that his attention is turned elsewhere. ] You fought well. Anyone can land a good hit with some training, but being able to take one like that isn't so simple.
[ Hell, he didn't know he could do it himself until his first time here. He was always one for giving pain, but receiving it was alright too, in moderation. Better than trying to deal with his emotions, anyway. ]
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[ He tends to win more fights than he loses, but he's definitely been on the receiving end of things more often than not, especially if he's unarmed and outnumbered. And that's to say nothing of growing up, when he'd step out of line sometimes and had his ass handed to him. Lydia was rarely there to talk him out of making a bad decision.
And now Naomi isn't here, either.
Amos blinks, distant for a second. He can feel the dried blood that's run down the side of his face, that he's not in any rush to clean up. Somehow, not having anyone here to guide him is simultaneously freeing and distressing.
He turns his focus back to Homelander. ] You speaking from experience, too?
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[ He thought he'd be one of the ones that couldn't, but in a pleasant turn of events, physical pain wasn't actually that bad.
He stares down at his scraped knuckles, and then back up at the blood running down Amos's face. ] Come on. [ He nods in the direction of the nearest washroom. ] We should get cleaned up or we're going to get some looks when we leave this part of town.
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Homelander's face is bruised, though, so clearly he can take a hit, and that eases most lingering suspicions.
Amos raises his eyebrows at the suggestion of getting cleaned up, feels the dried blood pull at his skin as he does so. ] Sure thing. [ He doesn't really care about any odd looks - never has - but the guy got him in the fighting ring; he probably knows what he's talking about, and at least here, it makes the most sense to follow his lead.
The cool water against his skin does feel nice, though. He looks in the mirror, sees the shiner he's already got forming, gently probes at it. ] So they got skin regeneration here, or anything like that?
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[ He's going to use said free health care extensively, and he won't judge his fellow Displaced for using it, either. But the normies of the world, just getting necessities for free? Ugh. ]
We'll pick something up on the way back. Just make sure you don't look like a walking crime scene for now. [ He starts to wash the dried blood off of his knuckles; he'd leave it there if he could because he thinks it makes him look tough but for some reason people get suspicious if you walk around with too much blood on you. ]
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Someone to watch out for, maybe.
The world he came from provided health care - if you were registered. Which Amos wasn't. And even without that, the people he's missing now - his former people, back home - would have disapproved, he knows that much for sure.
He flicks his gaze down as Homelander cleans his hands off. He only missed a beat. ] Yeah. Makes sense.
[ He gives his face one last once-over, double checking from all angles that the red's gone. It is. ] Guess this is becoming a routine for you, huh? [ He's not judging; he can easily see the same thing happening for him. ]