THE MOMENT
"Ash Regency?" Ozone smiled at the young woman as she sat in his office. The portly man sat in a highback leather chair and his office was little more than a breezy hut by the beach. The windows were opened to the sunshine and the gentle sound of waves could be heard outside.
"Gia," she nodded with a bright smile.
"A pleasure, I'm Ozone and I run this little group. So, you're overqualified to villainize your own Earth, huh?" he chuckled as he asked, and Gia nodded.
"I told them I wouldn't use my mind control; but, they sent me to you anyway," she said.
"It's understandable," Ozone nodded. "You've visited with Mundo, haven't you?" he asked suddenly. Gia nodded.
"I know just being a Unique Soul boosts my Superpowers, I didn't think it would be a big deal...," she shrugged.
"It's quite a significant boost," Ozone replied. "It can lead to accidents if you're not entirely careful; fortunately, my group doesn't care about mishaps like that. Our clients know what they're signing up for. And, it happens that one of our latest clients requested a fire-themed Supervillain. It won't be necessary for all jobs; but, it will be for this one. You're not too proud to take a dive, are you?"
"Nah, it's all in good fun," Gia smiled.
"Great, I'll get you the details when we're done. It's a villain of the week gig, so you'll have to coordinate the day with them. Although, you will need an AlterNet character to join us. Do you have any reason to avoid creating one?"
"No," Gia shook her head. "I don't play a lot of games so I hadn't gotten around to it yet. I'm open to recommendations if the team needs any specific roles."
"Not at all," Ozone smiled. "It's only a requirement that you have one; the class doesn't matter. We don't do any group content so don't feel obligated to conform your role to the organization."
"Okay, I'll make one no sweat," Gia nodded. "But, I'm kind of curious why?" she asked. "I mean, I'm not against the idea or anything. But, I've been using my node without a character and it's great. Am I missing something?"
"Guest Mode does allow near-full use of the node; but, there are some key features that aren't granted unless you create an AlterNet character. This group makes use of the multiple chat channels you get access to. Without a character you can only send and receive direct Whispers; but, after making a character you can access the group and guild chat functions. It comes in handy for job postings, notices, and so on," he said.
"Oh, wow. I didn't know that was a thing. I can see how that's totally useful," Gia nodded in understanding.
"Indeed," Ozone nodded. "Of course, it'll also be necessary for your first job," he added. "You're going to have to lose pretty spectacularly. And, you wouldn't be able to respawn without a node."