[gilga]

AM frowns and says "I'll be in VR in my room while you guys prepare." she leaves.

[Tecumseh]

Mato isn't sure what AM is worked up about. So what if it's a porn movie? Maybe AM is one of those, whaddyacallit, prudes. Or maybe she used to be in pornos herself. She seems to carry some sort of big regret around with her, although Mato doesn't know what it is. He does know that she's in debt, and that porno actresses often have to buy themselves out of their indentured servitude. Or was he thinking of bunraku puppets? Either way, he immediately constructs an elaborate history for AM that nobody would really care about unless it involved something really unseemly, like animal husbandry drones.

He goes to get dressed, swapping his fluffy robe for his armor jacket before deciding that it looks too bulky.

"Hey, Jawsey, can I borrow your armor vest? No use having cyberarms if you don't show them off, ne? Don't worry if it's too small; it'll just make my arms pop that much more."

He grabs his ballistic mask, thinking it would look pretty boss, but then has a better plan.

"Hey, AM!" he calls out, before remembering that she's in VR. <<Can you work up some of that personality mojo? Maybe some of that salon magic too. I'm thinking some stubble, a mohawk, maybe sharpen the eyebrows a bit. We want to put our best face forward, ne? You can do that, right?>>

[Beta]

Jawsey might wince just a bit, but agrees "Sure, I'll contribute my armor vest.  Just try to return it intact, please."

[gilga]

AM texts >> come to my room. 

Her room is meticulously clean, almost to the point that nobody lives there. There are no pictures on the wall, and her cosmetics are packed in an easy to deploy kit. It feels as if she could pack it all into her duffel bag within perhaps 10 minutes. She seems a bit less worked out now, perhaps it is the matrix that calms her - and perhaps it is the fact that he is dressed.

Mowak you say? Which color? would purple do?

She touches Mato's cyberarm and utters a brief prayer to her trickster mentor, that just loves disguises and preparation. The prayer was unnecessary for the spell, but she was not in a hurry. Mato's hair twisted, cut itself and dyed itself to the occasion. His fingernails cleaned and cut themselves as well, and the Mowak colored itself to the color he chose.

Now let's build up your confidence and charm, don't expect much as this kind of mojo does not blend well with augmentations, which you have plenty.

She touches his shoulder on his natural skin, and initiates the spell.

Then she has him seated by her mirror and makes final improvements with the cosmetic kit, and Mato looks much better. 



Fashion spell:
Fashion spell: 13d6t5 5
Chrisma spell: (-6 dice pool due to essence loss).
Charisma spell: 4d6t5 1

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby waits impatiently for the team to leave but looks at Mato after the makeover magic and says: "Hm, I think I could use that as well in bear form. Could make me look like a demon bear or something - Jetblack hair with red streaks."

[Tecumseh]

"Purple's good," Mato agrees. The process is painless, although the manicure felt goofy due to his titanium nails. It's almost like they tried to cut themselves but failed, although they were undeniably cleaner.

He dons Jawsey's armored vest, which is much too snug which makes it perfect. A pair of mirrorshades completes the look, which either looks impossibly wiz or desperately 2050s retro depending on your perspective.

"Demon bear is good," Mato nods. "I'm glad AM can do this; I don't think the salon would want to work on a bear, no matter how domesticated."

[Jack_Spade]

"Eh, most of those male hairstylists are into bears - though probably not exactly into my kind.
Just don't forget that we are doing an advertisement for our firm and not a 50ies action series."
Bobby replied.

Once they had reached the filming location and Bobby had taken on the form of a grizzly - now complete with red streaks and jet black fur - the main difficulty was not to actually hurt Mato with his 400kg body. A roar from him cleared out a bunch of rats and cats that had been chilling in the area. Since he couldn't wear the trodes, Bobby had to write in the gravel to ask simple questions.
"WHAT NOW?"

[gilga]

AM used the fashion spell on site - using it on critters was within the power of the spell but she never thought of it as an option.  She is a bit intimidated by the massive bear even though she knows it is Bobby - and can see his aura and the spell.  It is still a giant bear, which now seems very much like some exotic paracritter.

She asks Mato "Perhaps you want to say a few words? Or do we just record the fight and add interviews afterward? I am saying because unedited scenes tend to be more reliable."


#OOC: sorry about the cut - definitely won't work on titanium nails.

[Tecumseh]

Mato kneels in the dusty lot to draw up a plan in the dirt, like a schoolboy improvising a sporting play.

"This isn't that hard; I took a class on it once. Actually, it was more like a documentary that I watched one night. Well, I fast-forwarded through parts of it but I read a summary. Or I skimmed it, sort of."

He starts to draw some pictures in the dirt using the crudest stick forms imaginable.

"AM and Jawsey can film on their commlinks. We want this to look like authentic footage; we don't want it too slick. Low production values are our friends. Bobby can chase some squatters around. Then I'll appear through the dust - get me in a good silhouette - and save the day. We'll get some action shots of us going back and forth; maybe Bobby can rake my arms with his claws. Actually, get my legs. You can shred these pants to tatters - they don't have as much armor - then we can write them off as a business expense.

"Don't worry too much about choreography; we'll edit it all together post-production. We can do a couple versions and see what looks best. Maybe Bobby pinning me down, with me holding his jaws open as they go for my throat. Maybe another with Bobby and me arm-wrestling - not literally - implying that we're strong as bears. Well, I am, at least. Then maybe another one of me leading Bobby away on a leash, broken and tranquil. Sounds wiz, ne? Null persp. Try not to mess up my hair."

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby roared assent, causing Mato's hair to flutter a bit.

Then began the film shoot. Bobby came running along the main road - three times before he managed to move at a realistic speed, i.e. one that didn't look ridiculous fast.
Also he had to stop himself from chomping down on Mato for real. To compensate for the half-assed swipes he roared a lot and made sure to also hit a few car's sides to leave broad gauges in the thin plastic and steel.



---
Spending 2 Reagents to break the limit
Shapechange F6 Limit 8: 15d6t5 8
B9 A8 R8 S9
Walking 16m/round, Running 64m/round
Claw/Bite DV 13P AP-1
Drain resist: 14d6t5 5
No Drain

[Beta]

Jawsey wasn't sure if he should be amused or horrified by Mato's enthusiasm for this project.  However since the ork at least had an idea of what to do, Jawsey affixed his vaguely encouraging face into place and did his best to help. 

"Cinema verite ... well my links do not have great cameras, so that will likely be the look that we get at least from my side.  Although the Blue Defender is what Knight Errant officially uses, so at least the recording from there may have that official - drekky look."  He set up both his Sony Angel and his "KE surplus" Blue Defender wrist-link to film the action, from slightly different perspectives.

Then he had a thought.  "AM, are there any security cameras with a view on this area, or even nearby?  Maybe you could harvest some authentic security cam footage of the demon-bear trashing a dumpster or wall or something?"

After that he mostly focused on keeping Mato calm and focused, when the inevitable difficulties occurred. "Don't worry, we'll do some more takes, this sort of stuff always uses a lot of takes."  "Don't worry, we don't have to use the footage where the bear drool fell in your eyes."  "Bobby, here's some water, drink and take a breather while we get Mato some new pants for another take."

He wasn't sure how much all of that helped, but at least it didn't seem to be hurting.

[gilga]

AM said "well, there is always a drone or a camera within reach. I can work something out." She checks it closely with her deck and says "There is a pawn shop with a security camera not very far from here, or perhaps I can try to snatch a flying eye for a quick pro bono work"

The filming is undisturbed, though not unnoticed, about a half an hour in several street urchins carefully peek, too afraid to approach but clearly very interested in the violence.

[Beta]

During a break in the recording, Jawsey asked the team "Do we want to advertise around here?  Not many people in this area can afford what we need to charge, but then again you never know?  For a small investment I could probably get our 'audience' spreading the word in the area."

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby replied by crudely scratching into the ground "EVERYWHERE" while thankfully guzzling the water. It was getting hot - especially with black fur and having to concentrate constantly.

[gilga]

AM says "It is a risk, but we do need people to know about us."