Everybody wants to rule the world

[maskormods]

WHO: YOU.
WHERE: Downtown Cape Canaveral
WHEN: Wednesday January 15th, around 5 PM EST
WHAT: Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome.
WARNINGS: None anticipated; let us know if this should be edited.

Cape Canaveral. It's no longer the heat of the day and in January the temperatures will be livable; not too hot and not too cold, either. A pleasant change from the City, perhaps. The sun is on its way to setting but the last light of the day still fills the sky, bursting the city into color. The air smells like ocean.

The locals are friendly and smile and wave, looking on at you in awe. They'll approach if you ask for help, or a question, but they don't want to interfere, either; if you want to be left alone you probably will be. American flags can be seen in many windows and restaurants are rolling out their dinner menus. There's no parade, no big banners, but many storefronts have handmade signs and posters that read:

Welcome, imPorts! We love you!

The woman at the Porter told you what to expect: You know what your tattoo means, you've been given your file, and you know in a few hours they're going to be here to answer more of your questions and see if you'll stand with them or if you'll go off on your own. "It's your decision," one of them had said, but you were already told what you get if you agree and what you don't if you don't. After that's done, she told you, you'll be driven to your new homes.

In the meantime, enjoy the area, or try to. It may not be what you're used to, but after the apocalypse even Florida might seem like an improvement.

Comments

OPEN

[osreborn]

[ Florida.

Even though the sun is setting, the brightness of the day stings Norman's eyes offensively, a sharp contrast to the darkness and hell they'd come from. He doesn't care for Florida, but on the other hand he can't discard a sense of smugness at his own survival. He knew it wasn't over.

But what does this mean now? What does all this mean for him? His future? He'd had such plans. Starting over was an unpleasant prospect, but he'd started from the bottom before.

The first thing he does is pull out his wallet and buy a bottle of water. ]

[nitidus]

[Rose catches sight of him and thinks it shouldn't be a shock that he'd be on of the first people she'd meet. They have unfinished business after all. Once close enough, she coughs and says: ]

Norman, were they not handing them out for free when you arrived?

[She tests Norman out on her tongue. She thinks that formalities might as well have been left in Atropos' stomach. ]

[osreborn]

[ Rose's voice he hears clearly, regardless of any other intermingling voices and thoughts currently running through his head. It distracts, drawing his attention out of his own mind. He looks down at her, uncapping his water. ]

Whatever we've been through, I'm not about to start accepting handouts now.

[nitidus]

Of course.

[Of course. Rose isn't a rich businessman, however, and she will accept any and all handouts. Especially water from suspicious government men. She smiles, however and gives a lingering glance towards the direction she came from.

What will he do now, she wonders. ]

What do you make of it?

[osreborn]

[ He takes a drink before answering, a quick swig that quenches any immediate cravings barking out from his throat. Lowering the bottle, Norman wipes the back of his mouth with a quick gesture. ]

We're alive. That's a start. I think it's obvious the people in charge here don't intend on giving us an easy time for nothing. They actually seem organized.

[nitidus]

[She thinks better of saying nice burn and making a comment about tights. Noman's sense of humor, she's certain, extends only to the maiming of his enemies. ]

You'll be playing along?

[osreborn]

Over-simplification of the situation isn't going to solve any of our problems, Rose. You have to learn the rules of a game before you can win it.

[ With or without playing fair. ]

[nitidus]

Are you telling me to exercise patience, Norman?

[osreborn]

It's a lesson that needs to be learned sooner or later. And as with all lessons, sooner is always better.

[nitidus]

I don't think I'm particularly impatient.

[osreborn]

Maybe not. But patience is only half of the equation, Rose. You must also be proactive.

[nitidus]

[Up goes her eyebrow. ]

Proactive. More so than usual, then.

[osreborn]

Why not always strive for self-improvement?

[nitidus]

Well, I can't possibly argue against that.