video 001

[acuerdo]

un:reyes

[the video flickers to life in the middle of robbie's living room. his smiling, clean shaven face greets one and all with a very important message.]

Citizens of Cadelle. I mustache you a question...

[in the background an audible groan can be heard, followed by the mutterings of his very unimpressed girlfriend. clearly she's not as big a fan of his terrible jokes as he is.]

It's the first of November. I'd like to invite all of you to grow a mustache with me. And maybe raise some funds for men's health. Doesn't matter if it's a fu manchu or a handlebar, come join me.

Let's see who can a: grow the most epic 'stache and b: raise the most funds and awareness.

Ladies? I'm enlisting you to be the judges of this unofficial competition.

So what do you all say? You in?

Comments

[quinientos]

It's a very sad mustache. You do this on purpose? I can give you some tips about how to make it look better, grow in stronger, you know.

[Vasquez doesn't want to say it out loud, but there's definitely a sad little vibe out of that mustache and if it's on purpose, well, then, he has lots more to teach Reyes than he thought.]

So, you don't even know if you could do a full beard? It could come out poorly, you know.

[acuerdo]

My mustache is normally nice and well kept. Yeah, I shaved it on purpose. But I won't turn down any tips you have. Would probably help anyone else who is looking to grow something nice and full in.

[there's a certain feeling of shame as he responds, head handing low as he thinks about the fact that he hasn't actually grown a beard and probably can't]

I don't know, but I want to try. If it looks awful, that's what a razor's for.

[quinientos]

In that case, I'm in. I'll grow everything out thicker, keep it in good shape. You can take hints and advice, but what you really need the most are some good oils for the beard, to keep it good and healthy.

[He's not sure that what he used back then is the best, considering he mostly just multi-tasked, but at the same time, he figures that there has to be something like it to keep a beard shiny and healthy.]

[acuerdo]

Guess I'll have to ask around. I'm sure there's a men's care place around here. They seem to have everything.

[well, everything but m&ms as far as he's seen. but beard oil sounds like a doable thing.]

I'm rooting for you. Maybe you can be my insufferable coworker who thinks hers is going to be bigger and better. I'm not sure how but she's determined.

[quinientos]

...hers?

[He's not sure what's going on, but he thinks that might be a very strange thing that he doesn't entirely understand.]

If you find a place that sells the proper oils, tell me too. I could use them for my hair, too.

[acuerdo]

Yeah. Hers.

[robbie's not sure what's going on either, but he's done questioning gaby's intent here.]

You'll be the first one I tell.

[quinientos]

If you see her actually having a chance of beating you, call me for that too. I wouldn't mind seeing.

[Sure, there are circus acts from time to time with a bearded woman, but but a moustached one. At least, not to compare to him.]

[acuerdo]

I'll even bring the popcorn if that happens.

[robbie's really counting on the likelihood that gaby can't grow a mustache or a beard...]

[quinientos]

So, for the winner...

[ Not that he's overly competitive and has a desperate need to win or anything (except he does). ]

What do they get?

[acuerdo]

Well, I guess since I'm the one asking people to do stuff...

[thinking thinking thinking. what does a mechanic offer for a prize? the answer is obvious.]

How's about the project car I've been working on?

[quinientos]

You know that a car will do nothing for me, right?

[At the same time, is it so bad to win something? Something that he won't use does seem useless, but it's not about the prize itself.]

I mean, I'd have bragging rights, yes?

[acuerdo]

Yeah, well, I'm all out of horses so...

[even if vasquez doesn't place any value in something like a car, they do have inherent value. whether it be of the sentimental sort or monetary, and thankfully, a well-built car can have both.]

You'd definitely have bragging rights. And barring that, you could always sell it and get yourself a horse. I assume there's horses here somewhere.

[quinientos]

No, no, the bragging rights are fine.

[Maybe he's just competitive enough that he's more than willing to grow out his moustache and beard for a whole month just to get to say that he won, but no one needs to know that apart from Reyes.]

Not much point to a horse you can't ride anywhere, is there?

[acuerdo]

Who's to say there's nowhere to ride? You been out of the city to the surrounding mountains yet?

[tsk tsk vasquez. robbie's going to need to drag him away from all the bars and parties, isn't he?]

Plenty of space there.

[quinientos]

You still can't leave to go to another city, though. It's just more mountains. Eventually, that has to end.

[Or they have to let them escape, which is something he hasn't thought this place was very keen on doing.]

[acuerdo]

In all the driving I've done, I haven't really seen any other cities. Mountains, valleys, and beaches but no new towns with new people.

[it's a mystery he's wondered about, even if the books in the library and obscure bits of cadelle history as described in city hall hint at other neighboring cities.]

Haven't tried flying yet though. So maybe there's some hope.

[quinientos]

[That sounds like it should be worrisome, because it is. Who has a world in it where you can drive and not find anything or anyone else? He doesn't like it, but then, he's not sure that he hates it either. After all, he's a free man here, isn't it?]

Flying? Like...

[He makes a motion with his hand to the sky, like someone falling to earth.]

How could you fly?

[acuerdo]

[if it is a prison. at least it's a pretty wide open one and the food's not bad. there's that. also, they're both alive.]

Yeah. Flying. In an airplane. You'd probably think they were louder versions of cars with wings.

They're quiet on the inside at least.

[quinientos]

[Vasquez is staring to think that he needs to stop wasting his future (or whatever this is) drinking and working.]

Is there any way to fly here? Some place that could show me what you're talking about? It sounds like something that I could have only dreamed about, nothing that could be real.

[Doesn't mean he doesn't want to make it real.]

[acuerdo]

[robbie's struggling to recall if he's seen an airport or news helicopters or anything reminiscent of the kinds of things that fill the la skyline.]

I don't know that I've seen any planes, but I'd be surprised if they don't have them.

And I could always introduce you to a friend of mine who happens to be able to do so. But afraid if she takes you flying, there's no seat belt.

[quinientos]

What the fuck? Someone can fly? A person?

[ Sometimes, he feels like he's just drunk all the time here. It would explain so much of everything, if he were. Then, people could fly and all these strange things could happen. Then, when he remembers that it is real, that's when he wishes he were more drunk. ]

What kind of friends do you make, Reyes?

[acuerdo]

Well... she's technically an alien, but yeah. Just ask around for Supergirl.

[... does vasquez really want him to answer this one? because it's probably going to make him want that drink even more.]

Uh. People who can make the ground shake, spies, do you really want me to keep going?

[quinientos]

[ He can't help his dismissive snort, not because he doesn't believe any of it, but because his life has become the kind of ridiculous that he's not sure how to come to terms with. Shaking his head, he gives Reyes a faintly bemused look. ]

Here I thought I knew colourful characters just because of how many people they shot. You like to prove me wrong.

[acuerdo]

[a good number of years ago, robbie would have been equally as out of sorts by this kind of revelation, but the world around him changed in a very profound way and he's had to adapt to it pretty quickly. he's confident that vasquez will be able to as well given ample time.]

Maybe. But I'd be just as happy not knowing anything of the sort. It used to be that my life was nothing more than working on cars during the day and racing at night.

[he pauses eyes blinking as he thinks back to how long it must have been. too long he decides.]

[quinientos]

Sounds like your life just got interesting, that's all. Nothing wrong with this.

[ True, Vasquez didn't exactly go the route of flying people or earthquake things, but it's not like the battle for Rose Creek had been normal for him when he'd gotten used to hiding out and trying not to let anything kill him. ]

So now you work on your car and race and maybe sometimes fly. Is this so bad?