>>6176377On your way back home over a bridge, you walk past a large promotional poster for the Stormwatch. There are openings in the force due to recent casualties; a few, but the coming raid pushed something of a recruitment drive. As part of signing on, agents permit the organization to use artistic depictions of their likeness for public promotional works like this.
Fiona is on this one. You could tell from hundreds of feet away; a sheet of retroreflective material help illuminate the whole poster even in the dreary mornings, so the colors are positively electric. Her gold hair stings your eyes and the smile is even brighter. It's an artistic depiction, of course. With the surveillance around the city and HQ, there are there's more than enough reference material to capture her in many moments for any artist to bring out something appealing to the average soul-starved Finn.
Given the empty streets, early time of day, and free schedule, you take some time to examine the poster.
Ten seconds.
Twenty seconds.
Thirty.
Verdict: It is not accurate.
The eyes are too provocative. The expression is too full of unshaken confidence and predatory poise. The artist has tried to depict her as slutty and shameless, with the clear intention of dragging along impressionable young men to the force, or lure young women into thinking this is a role model they will find here. Attractive, but not her. Fiona has this bashful anxiety she tries to overcome with a forced gusto. Every uncertain stutter is endearing in a way a propaganda poster like this could never portray. Whenever she's done with a mission she is exhausted and either plainly glad to be alive or glad to be out of there; two similar but distinct measures of relief. And when she does that awkward laugh, you just want to-
You should stop thinking about your coworkers like that.
You're just a marred beast with blood on his hands.
That smile, that laugh, those eyes looking for security.
This is not for you.
As a train pulls into the station to a barely audible ruckus, you walk away from the poster and leave those thoughts as far behind you as you can.
...
