001: Group Introductions - TEXT

[tarnishedavenger]

[During a lull in the party, Armstrong taps out a quick message to the network. Not that private one, he doesn't trust it. They can answer whenever they like, so long as he gets an answer. The trick would be wording it.]

So, we're all in this for now. You've had your welcome cake, but you can't meet everyone in a party, no matter how hard you try. But, since we've all been encouraged to sign up with Jorgmund, I figured now would be a good time to get some introductions done. Talk about any specialties we might have.

Share information that we feel comfortable sharing. This isn't to pressure anyone or to force out any dark secrets.

[Not where watchful eyes can see, at least.]

Besides, I prefer doing this to making a cute information sharing game.

So, please, make your own threads within this post to keep everything organized.

Comments

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[gempathizing]

This is a really good idea. Thanks!

So, my name is Steven. I think technically my biggest specialty is intergalactic diplomacy. If you heard about the Gem empire and the Diamond Authority being dismantled, I was part of that!

I'm half-Gem, so I've got some powers I can bring to the table. And I'm used to bringing those to the table for missions. They're... not all working right now. I don't know if it's this place or just one of those times when that happens.

I'm still pretty strong and I can make a good shield. And if anyone maybe has a paper cut or something and wants to volunteer for a test, I'm usually a healer. Fair warning: the process is a little weird. But still handy to have if I can do it! Nice and fast!

I'll have to figure out testing some of the other ones as we go.

Looking forward to working with you guys? Sorry if I missed meeting you at the cake hangout. 🎂

[likeits1999]

hi steven! i have never heard of a gem empire but intergalactic diplomacy sounds mad complicated, so that's really cool. do you talk to aliens and stuff?

mostly i am just a vampire. but i am letting everyone know about that and it's not gonna be a problem i don't think, which i'm glad about cause it not being a problem is a great change of pace.

[gempathizing]

I do! Mostly Gems who need a hand getting used to doing what they want and being part of the new way things work. Or someone to talk them out of fighting. Depends on who you're dealing with. I guess complicated is a really good word for it.

I appreciate the honesty. There's not a lot I know about vampires. They write vampires into horror movies and all, but with the blood and everything, uh. Those aren't really my scene. Is that how it works for real vampires? Is that okay to ask? Sorry. You don't have to answer if it's not. I'm glad it looks like you won't have too many problems being here anyway.

[likeits1999]

it's cool, you can ask stuff if you want. i can say for sure the blood drinking thing is real, but i haven't actually seen a whole lot of vampire movies either. kinda too real. twilight was good tho.

[ It also made him cry, but. Details. ]

anyway, how'd you get a job getting aliens not to fight? not to say i don't think you could do it or anything, just curious.

[gempathizing]

Who wants to see movies about stuff they can see any day of the week? Especially if the bloody parts are true? You could be catching up on Dogcopter instead.

It was one of those things that just sort of happened. I kind of inherited my way into it. And then I retired. And then I un-retired for a day. Then I retired again. Until Jorgmund. I guess.

Honestly, I didn't know I could do any of it until I was doing it. So no offense taken even if you did think I couldn't.

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[monkey_wrench]

okay, i gotta ask. on the subject of your healing power; weird how?

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[gempathizing]

Weird like... I have magic spit that heals things.

So there's sort of the gross option or the kissing it better option?

I usually ask someone what's less weird for them before I do it.

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[xrater]

That's not hygienic.

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[scavengineer]

He just said he's only half-Human, right? Maybe his saliva is antiseptic.

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[gempathizing]

To be fair, bleeding isn't hygienic either.

I've got a pretty good success rate so far. Infection-free!

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[bringinghopewithme]

Intergalactic diplomacy? That's a two-dollar phrase if I've ever heard one.

[can two dollars still buy a lot? Maybe? Who knows. Bunny doesn't keep up with inflation. But he does intend to keep up with the children here.]

You didn't miss much regarding the cake. I'll get you some chocolate soon as I make some. Is chocolate safe for Gems?

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[gempathizing]

Two dollars well-spent! I don't know if the universe has been better off in the past few thousand years back home than it is now.

Literally. I wasn't born yet.

Chocolate is safe for Gems if they're the kind that like eating. And I've tested enough to say it's very safe for Stevens. Thanks for asking! Do you usually make it, or is that a new hobby you're trying out for morale?

[bringinghopewithme]

[A few thousand years of galactic war is a lot to pin on one kid. Good on him if he was that much of a lynchpin, but also, that is so much stress to put on one person, let alone a kid.]

I'm the Easter Bunny. I went past the "hobby" stage a long time ago.

[gempathizing]

[ Hmm. Well, Steven's got the chocolate, bunny, and capitalization on lock. That's something.

It's a reminder for him that this place has people from a ton of different cultures he doesn't know about. After a couple of years digging so hard into Gem culture, it's been easy to forget.

New challenges are good. He will rise to them. He will... make some friends like he always does, learn about them, and make sure he proves he won't drag any other New Hires down with the dumb baggage he was worried about back home. Preferably in that order. ]

Oh, is that where you're from? Easter? [ The Easter Bunny. The Bunny of Easter.

Sounds fancy. ]

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[wheyoftheadept]

what's the gem empire and the diamond authority? do you know phosphophyllite's people then, are you two from the same part of the metaplanes?

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[gempathizing]

Well, those first two are mostly what they sound like. An empire and an authority. It's got a long history. I guess the most important thing to know is that they used to hurt planets and hurt each other, and now they don't.

I think Phosphophyllite and I are figuring that last part out. I've never met a Gem NOT from my part of the metaplanes. But I think I've also never been out of my own metaplanes? Can I ask what those are?

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[wheyoftheadept]

good on you for being part of stopping it then

a metaplane is basically your corner of reality. we got like, stable worlds where non-spirit people can exist because the local rules are consistent and then between them all the astral tying it together. stable worlds are metaplanes, the whole thing together is the metaplanes

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[gempathizing]

Oh, wow. I never really thought about big-picture reality before.

Kind of makes being here make a little more sense.

You meet a lot of spirit people?

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[stickypete]

[Right so. Intergalactic diplomacy sure is a thing. And there was a lot of "we" in that explanation of dismantling an evil, genocidal empire in that explanation over there to the Easter Bunny].

Hey, bud? Just curious, interesting question: how old are you exactly?

[He'd pegged him at maybe fifteen or sixteen? The age that he started. Miles had started younger but there's a reason Peter had benched him at one point during the fight against Kingpin. Starting that young? Not ideal. And there was no way he, an adult, was going to let Miles go into that when he wasn't ready. If Peter died, so be it, at least that meant Miles would live long enough to hopefully learn how to be Spider-Man the way Peter had.]

[But Miles had surprised him. And as much as he'd have loved to guide him and make sure he had someone taking on the more dangerous stuff until Miles is ready for it, they are't from the same world. Staying there would've meant complete cellular death in very short amount of time.]

[If Miles was from the same world, it'd be different. Peter would not be letting that kid take on too much, too fast. He'd definitely be starting with some training wheels and Peter'd maybe try to suck less at training so he doesn't let go of the bike too soon.]

[He remembers being sixteen and thinking he was so capable, so grown up, so ready to take on the world. And so ready to do it alone. And maybe he was as ready as someone could be, because the worst had already happened, right at the beginning. How could it get much worse than that? He started off already knowing how bad it could get and had a chance to reconcile himself to that right from the start. But not everyone is him, and not everyone starts their hero's journey with a worst-case scenario to inoculate them in preparation for the potential nightmares they might face.]

[And even then, he kind of wonders what it might have been like if he'd lived in a world like the one described by Robbie. How much easier might it have been if he wasn't going it alone?]

[Not everyone is him, and even he, with the tenacity (and sheer annoyance factor to his enemies) of Scrappy Doo, is pretty close to burnt out at age 38.]

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[gempathizing]

16.

[ Why is that interesting... ah. ]

If my age or, uh. The fact that I don't know how to assemble furniture has you thinking I'm under qualified, I'm happy to have a sit down and talk it out!

[ Steven in his chair, trying not to look tired or irritated: so Sticky Ben... what's some longstanding emotional baggage we can speedrun as a demonstration? ]

[stickypete]

Nope, perfectly aware of the fact a 16 year old can save the world.

[How much to admit when he's trying to downplay the - you know what, screw it. The age at which Stick Ben started doing the many thing he told Armstrong about doesn't really matter.]

[He can't even hide that he's Spider-Man forever.]

[At the end of the day he just needs to hide that he's Peter Parker.]

I think between age 16 and 20 I'd saved the world like 4, maybe 5 times? It was a busy few years, I lost track.

[How to word this.]

Is there a reason equally competent grown ups can't do the intergalactic diplomacy instead? Is just what I'm wondering.

You know. So you can chill.

[gempathizing]

[ There's a gap between that and the response that doesn't simply come from laggy network life. Above all else, it's not not a valid question to ask a stranger from another planet about their lifestyle. Steven's not all that sure what to do with it. ]

I wanted to do it, though. The Crystal Gems fought for Earth for thousands of years. They were overdue for some chill time. I like helping people and I'm pretty good with stubborn Gems, so it was fine.

Plus I don't think I'd feel great asking them to pal around with the Diamonds through all those colony visits. Talk about complicated.

I mean, I guess technically they didn't... need me to do it, though.

[ They would've managed. It's a weird space to be in. It's true and it's fine, obviously, but it leaves a weird aftertaste. Is he feeling defensive of the Gems or defensive over the concept that they stopped needing him even earlier than he'd thought? Or the concept that somehow this will be the chip that cracks the supportive base of his "I can bring things to the table for the new hires" platform?

Maybe he's just overthinking this. Time for the ol' hail mary. ]

Sounds like your 16 to 20 stretch was about 4 or 5 times busier than I'm planning for mine. That must've been pretty hard to deal with.

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[becauseimacoward]

Quite young for being a diplomat at such a large scale.

[Almost excessively young, some would think, but...apparently in this place it's not unusual for teenagers to have experience fighting. Why wouldn't there be one with experience in diplomacy?

...this is going to be hard to get used to. Come on, Dojima, try to get over it]

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[gempathizing]

I'll take that as a compliment. So maybe don't tell me if it's not one.

Don't get me wrong, it was a lot of work! But I'm still hoping diplomacy comes more in handy than fighting while we're all here.

[becauseimacoward]

[Who knows if it was a compliment or not, really, hah]

There'll be always a place for diplomacy -- deescalation is an important skill.

[And if someone is skilled enough for that, then excellent! Dojima is the more kind of straightforward interrogator, really]

As long as whatever we're going to face can be talked to, of course. It all relies on that.