acdrop

You want us to tag the outside of City Hall? You can't take it back, you said it yourself, dude!

Please, quiet down, everyone!

I put an application in with the City Council through a special high-priority procedure. Please calm down and listen to me!

I've had to endure a lot of pressure to make this competition possible. I hope everyone will cherish—

(Scans the crowd)

I hope everyone will put their most creative ideas on display in the finals tomorrow.

That is all.

Next, I will have the staff inform you of the time and place for the start of the competition.

The outside of City Hall, huh? Cooper's sure getting his money's worth.

What, is there something special about that?

Not especially, but those pristine white walls are simply begging to be tagged. The cops used to nab people there just about every night.

Just begging to be tagged, huh...

That look in your eyes... Don't tell me the tagged wall they found you near was actually City Hall?

Eh, what can I say? It really is a nice wall.

The tug-o-war between cops and graffiti artists around those walls has been going on for over a year. They've had to scrape and repaint it who knows how many times.

Letting people tag those walls is practically a slap in the face to City Hall and the police. I don't know how Cooper managed to persuade them, but it sure smells like conspiracy to me.

Guess we'll find out tomorrow.

You're going?

You aren't?

Whatever this Cooper guy has in mind, as long as the finals aren't cancelled, we'll have the legal right to tag whatever we want, however we want, and nobody has any business getting in our way.

I really wanna see what you can do with that ink of yours. I bet it'll be even cooler than what you did today.

Well, when you put it like that, how can I say no?

I'd better see <i>your</i> magnum opus tomorrow then too.

Who's there?

Miss Aciddrop, I'm one of the staff from the street culture festival.

I'm already in bed. Save it for tomorrow.

This is extremely important, so could you please open the door?

Thank you very much, Miss.

So what's the deal?

We've unanimously agreed that you're the strongest contestant in the graffiti art competition...

No need to butter me up. I know exactly what I'm worth.

I'll cut to the chase then. Just give me a nod, and we'll make sure you're crowned winner.

Just a nod? That easy?

Hear me out first. The champion not only earns more prize money, but also gets to automatically become the first president of the city's Graffiti Art Association—

Perfect, I've been wondering about that. So, what exactly are all these associations, and what are they for?

Naturally, to bring street culture to more people, have more youth participate, and have older folks gain a greater appreciation for it as well.

Take the graffiti art you love so much. After the association is established, it will become a legal government entity, and its members will be protected under the law to freely express their ideas in a reasonable manner.

Even if that expression takes place on someone else's property?

The association will have a designated venue for its activities.

Okay, say I'm falsely accused of shoplifting by some store, and their surveillance cameras just happened to be down...

That has nothing to do with what we're talking about—

...I can only spray what was meant for the wall of that shop in that 'designated venue,' right?

Sounds like I hit the nail on the head.

So I can only express my anger 'in a reasonable manner' in that 'clean and tidy' 'designated venue' that even the shop owner would feel dirty stepping in.

Once it is formed, the first legal venue for the association will be the white walls of City Hall. There's no way your hypothetical shopkeeper would miss it.

...Is that so?

And will the gentlemen in City Hall allow what's on that wall to go against them?

There's no need to be so cynical, Miss Aciddrop—

After seeing your Parkour Association president today, how can I not be?

...Is this really the hill you want to die on?

If you're going to maintain that position, I'd recommend withdrawing from the competition, so as not to make both sides look bad.

Thanks for the tip. I'll keep it in mind.

Well, that left a bad taste in my mouth...

But are they really gonna dedicate an entire wall of City Hall for graffiti?

I won't believe it 'til I see it.

So this is the wall, huh...

Water?

Aciddrop pokes her head out from behind the alley.

She sees that the graffiti she sprayed on the wall last night had gained a few friends, presumably added by people after her.

The policeman from last night, as well as someone she didn't recognize, are pouring water on it.

Splash.

Aciddrop rubs her eyes.

Splash.

Two buckets of cold water in, and everything she'd sprayed had become a cloud of muddy water.

The policeman takes out a colorful rag from another bucket and wipes it along the wall a couple times. The wall's original off-white color quickly reveals itself, with no trace of the graffiti left behind.

I think there's someone in the alley.

You and your paranoia. Just hurry up and get the job done before someone sees us.

What, change of heart? You've been fighting those filthy vandals for over a year, and now you've gone soft for 'em?

Of course not.

I was just thinking... this new material is amazing.

Apply it to the walls in advance, and no matter what those kids spray, it's gone with just a splash of water and the wipe of a rag.

Of course it's amazing.

That's what progress is, Officer. Now you'll never have to chase after those little goons ever again.

And after that association is established, they'll all come here like obedient little lapbeasts and get it out of their system. After all, who in Columbia wouldn't want the backing of the law?

Then all we'll have to do is check the surveillance footage every day—camera should be coming in tomorrow—and find out who's complaining about what they shouldn't be.

Then I clean it up, and you bring the bastards in to show 'em their place.

That way, Mr. Cooper can finally put the little troublemakers to use.

And if anyone starts whining about their lost 'freedom,' we can just say they're giving graffiti culture a bad name and make an example of 'em. Haha! It's absolute genius!

Plus, the election is right around the corner. This move from Mr. Cooper is sure to garner the youth vote.

The guy's a genius, I tell you. Keep the brats in line while also earning their loyalty!

A genius, huh? Yeah...

But what am I supposed to tell them when I bring them to the station?

Tell who?

The taggers.

I used to lecture them about respecting other people's property.

I'd bring them to the wall they vandalized and make them scrape it clean and paint it over. They'd learn the price of being a public nuisance through hard work and elbow grease.

But now... how am I supposed to explain that they're being brought in for not doing 'legal graffiti'?

Not only that, even if it <i>is</i> 'legal,' there's no guarantee they won't be brought in anyway.

If that happens, what moral ground do I have to stand on?

You can stop worrying about shit like that, for starters.

Weren't you dead broke? If you want to change that, then shut up and do what you're told!

Well, that was one helluva show. Good thing I dropped by.

I was hoping to grab some onion rings after the contest, but I don't know a single decent place in this town.

And somehow I doubt I'll find one.

Still, you never know 'til you try.

There you are, Aciddrop!

Did someone knock on your door last night?

(Nods)

I knew it!

I was asking around earlier; some people said yes, some people said no.