I believe strongly in freedom, by whatever means I can have it. Mechanima's mask transitions from a black screen to a pixelated face, laughing in amusement. His own laugh is surprisingly warm for something digitized. If I were Atom I'd have lost my temper with all of you a long time ago. But that's why he's the hero and I'm the villain.
He sets the book to the side. Peter may have the sense that he's been given a rare privilege - Mechanima's full attention. No, dear boy, we are the bad guys. We lie, we steal, and some of us are prone to killing. But we have a vested interest in our continued freedom, and so... you could say that we provide much needed order to chaos.
The Society of Villainous Reformation is just that. A society that reforms villainy - as a broad concept, mind you. Not individual villains. We simply give all metahumans who reject the concept that our powers are a tool we must use for others. For some, membership with us is simply abiding by the Godfall Protocols. A tick on a box, without the expectation that you'll put on a suit and fight crime. Essentially - you're just stating you'll follow our rules, and that's all we ask of anyone who agrees to join us.
Peter's phone dings as Mechanima hijacks it, providing the full code. Much of it is - dense, rules and regulations. Guidelines on how to do villainy by the code. But the core tenants are front and center.
The barista appears with their order. Mechanima has ordered a obscenely lavish cappuccino. He brings the coffee to where lips would be. Tilts his head, and surprisingly takes a sip. Rather than splash down his faceplate it disappears into the glass.
I've no doubt you've heard of Starstruck by now? He would be why. He sets the cup delicately down on its saucer. ... Or rather, the circumstances. The cause and what followed. The Godfall. The Godfall Protocols. All of it.
Though the mask stays blank, Peter may have the sense that he's being watched intently.
Before the sky split open and dropped thousands of new metahumans into our laps, anyone caught using their powers for nefarious purposes was simply killed if they didn't agree to join us. These rules do have to be enforced - and we take codebreaking seriously. We don't want apocalypses. We aren't in this for revenge. We exist because our powers are ours to use as we see fit, even if they don't fit in with what society expects or wants.
Among our ranks you'll find altruistic souls who believe the ends justify the means. They rob banks to feed to the poor, to build houses, to - I don't know, save baby cows from becoming veal. Philanthropy runs rampant in our ranks. You'll find people who have never put on a suit and have no interest in ever doing so - they joined just to retire, but they agree to the code and that is what's important... But you'll also find those who do enjoy to hurt, and to kill. And it is our job as a society of villains with a vested interest in continuing to exist and maintain our freedom - both from jail, and from the government stepping in with harsher restrictions on our kind, to ensure that energy is not directed towards the wrong targets.
Now... Mind you. He pauses, considering Peter again. Atom was quick to scoop up any do-gooders who strapped on spandex to ensure they weren't running off as half-cocked vigilantes, killing more people than they save. That's the purpose of the Alliance. Not whatever the branding and marketing department says. At some point Atom had to concede some control and while he'd never willingly give over control of operations - that's what he was trying to avoid in the first place, but - ah, that isn't my story to tell.
The point is, silly as I think the concept of heroism is, he is one. And if that's what you intend to do, I suggest you speak to him.
There's a fondness there he doesn't bother to hide.
Now... Guild membership for anyone with powers as significant as yours is mandatory, after all. They've been lax - we have been lax, jumping from one crisis to another.
But rest assured, what you are seeing - the protests in the street, the talk of forced depowering, the shadow of the government hanging over us pulling more and more control from those it has deemed to be dangerous even after they've saved them far more times than can be counted, the fear and hatred towards our kind - that is what The Society was created to prevent.
Now... That was a lot of information about a multitude of topics. Questions?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2022-10-13 08:40 am (UTC)He sets the book to the side. Peter may have the sense that he's been given a rare privilege - Mechanima's full attention. No, dear boy, we are the bad guys. We lie, we steal, and some of us are prone to killing. But we have a vested interest in our continued freedom, and so... you could say that we provide much needed order to chaos.
The Society of Villainous Reformation is just that. A society that reforms villainy - as a broad concept, mind you. Not individual villains. We simply give all metahumans who reject the concept that our powers are a tool we must use for others. For some, membership with us is simply abiding by the Godfall Protocols. A tick on a box, without the expectation that you'll put on a suit and fight crime. Essentially - you're just stating you'll follow our rules, and that's all we ask of anyone who agrees to join us.
Peter's phone dings as Mechanima hijacks it, providing the full code. Much of it is - dense, rules and regulations. Guidelines on how to do villainy by the code. But the core tenants are front and center.
The barista appears with their order. Mechanima has ordered a obscenely lavish cappuccino. He brings the coffee to where lips would be. Tilts his head, and surprisingly takes a sip. Rather than splash down his faceplate it disappears into the glass.
I've no doubt you've heard of Starstruck by now? He would be why. He sets the cup delicately down on its saucer. ... Or rather, the circumstances. The cause and what followed. The Godfall. The Godfall Protocols. All of it.
Though the mask stays blank, Peter may have the sense that he's being watched intently.
Before the sky split open and dropped thousands of new metahumans into our laps, anyone caught using their powers for nefarious purposes was simply killed if they didn't agree to join us. These rules do have to be enforced - and we take codebreaking seriously. We don't want apocalypses. We aren't in this for revenge. We exist because our powers are ours to use as we see fit, even if they don't fit in with what society expects or wants.
Among our ranks you'll find altruistic souls who believe the ends justify the means. They rob banks to feed to the poor, to build houses, to - I don't know, save baby cows from becoming veal. Philanthropy runs rampant in our ranks. You'll find people who have never put on a suit and have no interest in ever doing so - they joined just to retire, but they agree to the code and that is what's important... But you'll also find those who do enjoy to hurt, and to kill. And it is our job as a society of villains with a vested interest in continuing to exist and maintain our freedom - both from jail, and from the government stepping in with harsher restrictions on our kind, to ensure that energy is not directed towards the wrong targets.
Now... Mind you. He pauses, considering Peter again. Atom was quick to scoop up any do-gooders who strapped on spandex to ensure they weren't running off as half-cocked vigilantes, killing more people than they save. That's the purpose of the Alliance. Not whatever the branding and marketing department says. At some point Atom had to concede some control and while he'd never willingly give over control of operations - that's what he was trying to avoid in the first place, but - ah, that isn't my story to tell.
The point is, silly as I think the concept of heroism is, he is one. And if that's what you intend to do, I suggest you speak to him.
There's a fondness there he doesn't bother to hide.
Now... Guild membership for anyone with powers as significant as yours is mandatory, after all. They've been lax - we have been lax, jumping from one crisis to another.
But rest assured, what you are seeing - the protests in the street, the talk of forced depowering, the shadow of the government hanging over us pulling more and more control from those it has deemed to be dangerous even after they've saved them far more times than can be counted, the fear and hatred towards our kind - that is what The Society was created to prevent.
Now... That was a lot of information about a multitude of topics. Questions?