A studio office upstairs is prepared for a comfortable interview between one of the producers and the Elite Academy contestant. It has large wall length windows allowing plenty of light and a great view of the Refuge, there is a small fridge stocked with water and refreshments and the crew is ready.
Time for an interview.
OOC: Open to any Contestant, first come and first served. People who have not done an interview are preferred. But if the slot does not fill, you are more than welcome to jump in.
While Camilo could mostly knock out any ailments, sleep in the Confessional had been more restless than he was used to these days and it took him a little longer to get going this morning. He showed up just a tad late to his 10am interview and went straight to the mini fridge for an electrolyte enriched drink. He chugged half of it before stretching and sitting down, "So, what is it I am supposed to talk about?"
He responded in Camilo's native tongue, "Let's start easy. Just state your full name and a bit about yourself and your thoughts on the process thus far."
Camilo immediately perked up. It was always pleasant to hear the familiarity of your native tongue when you've been listening to and speaking another language abroad. With a smile, he code switched into a more casual Portuguese.
"Hello, good morning. My name is Camilo Batista. I come from Rio de Janeiro, a small favela like many. I went through my emergence and learned I could heal people. I traveled around and made my way to Rota Spain and attended the Institute there last year. This year I transferred here to Mudaba Adin and joined the competition. It has been a different experience than what I was expecting, but I am learning a lot. Maybe the parts of being a Justice Elite that people do not expect, so it is good."
Camilo took a deep breathe and leaned back into his chair, seemingly in deep thought, before answering. "I think first is the other contestants. This is a very serious contest, lots of responsibility and such. But some of them seem to take it very not seriously. Some seem to use it to grow their own popularity.
I was expecting to be tested to see if we could hold our own as a Justice Elite, but it seems to be more about the publicity and the popularity. A few months ago we shot commercials for Elite Chai. But this is a good thing, it is important for the people to see us, the baselines and the Elite who aren't criminal masterminds or fighting criminal masterminds. Community involvement.
And then outside the contest we have this thing going on that could end the universe, but some blow it off, others seem to want to cover it up or discourage others from doing anything about it. It is very strange and I don't know what I can do to help or if I just need to stay out of the way. But my life has always been about action, do do do. If you just stand aside, you're going to become a victim."
A look of surprise came over Camilo. He'd gotten a little too comfortable here, or maybe he was still feeling loose from last night.
"Ummm, I'm not sure... when is this interview airing? Is it going to be part of the show. Or come out before or during the show in the summer?" He looked around as though there were someone he could tag in to address the question.
"I don't want people to see this and panic. Maybe we should leave that part out, I could do it again from the start?"
Camilo screwed his face up. Wasn't it obvious? Was this a real question? "Why wouldn't people panic knowing that the universe might end. If you heard that some scientist was messing around with a technology that was going to rip a hole in the side of the universe and make is explode or implode or something and there was nothing you could do, wouldn't you panic. Actually they probably won't panic, they'll probably get mad and riot. Demand a lot more action than what we've got to show so far."
“I’m concerned but also, and this might be just wishful thinking, it's hard to wrap one’s head around the idea of just what that means. It seems too fanciful. But you completely believe it, right?” he responded.
There was a moment when the short circuit in Camilo's thoughts was almost visible.
All of this information had been filtered through Frankie... Crazy, unpredictable, unstable Frankie. And then cranky second Frankie, the proof that she was from another universe. Then there was the beautiful third Frankie, dressed up like a clown, a child at heart, so pure and innocent. What if really they were just identical triplets playing a big prank on them all. Wait, what if they were just twins, had he actually seen Frankie two and Frankie three together? This could be another publicity stunt and they'd show up together at the end and yell "Hello, we're Frankie. Welcome to Bollocks!"
But wait, Kim-Jun had basically confirmed what Frankie had told them right? And then there was the boy they said was Xaos in the classroom. He was definitely weird.
He focused back in on the present, "I admit hadn't thought of it in terms of believing or not believing. Another student said there was a threat and showed some very compelling evidence. Whether the fate of the universe is at stake or whether they're overreacting, isn't it better to act and it be unnecessary than not to act and we all pay the price of complacency?"
Camilo eased back into his chair. Of course they already knew about these things. He wasn't sharing anything they hadn't already seen through the cameras and probably discussed at length.
"She is eccentric, yes. But she is also very sincere. She is a fellow contender for the Justice Elite, she is one of the good ones, and I trust her. The reality may not turn out to be as apocalyptic as it looks now, but there are dangerous people doing dangerous things. Of that I am certain."
"They are good people... well, most of them. As I said, there are ones who are here for the fame, not for the duty. Like that Little Disaster. He spends more time on his phone with his ""disaster fam"" than training to be a Justice Elite. I think these are the kinds of Elites that take their abilities for granted. They have what they have and don't work for more, don't try to improve. They just rely on their power that has been sufficient up until now and I think it will be a rude awakening when they find themselves suddenly outmatched.
That isn't to say being on social media is bad. As I said, I have learned what an important part of our role it is to be seen and be approachable. It is his attitude that is bad. A better example would be Miles. He is very humble and positive and I find value in watching his vlog. Also Arturo, he does good this with his social media. I should probably go volunteer with him at that animal shelter."
Camilo sighed deeply, "I would not be very happy with this. But I would do what is needed. That includes picking up his slack if he is busy posting to his Disaster Fam while an actual disaster is going on."
He shook his head, realizing he was again stooping to a level he did not want to. "No, I would welcome being on a team with Lil Disaster. When he gets into trouble because his arrogance is not enough to get him through it. I should be there to pick him back up and fix him up so he can have a second chance and maybe learn a lesson.
The responsibility that comes with my powers is to make sure others get a second, third, fourth chance. However many it takes, as long as I can keep doing what I am supposed to do."
"Yes, it is a heavy burden, but there are many with much heavier burdens. Most of them don't have abilities like mine to help them with those burdens either.
I am very blessed to go through my emergence and gain what I did. Any pain, any burden I can take away from others I am happy to. It is my way of giving back for the gift I have been given.
Or if I can stop someone from inflicting that pain all the better. Do not mistake me for being a pacifist, I am not."
