maskormenace | (no subject)

(no subject)

[ So here's a new kid on the network tonight. Trying to find an angle that lets him hide at least some of his nervousness. Or at least lets him use it to channel his best impression of a Definitely Normal Team, No Superheroics Here Honest. He mostly just looks awkward and nerdy, which is … accurate anyway, so let’s go with that. ]

Hey - um, so I’m Peter. Peter Parker. And I just got here, and -

[ He’s read through what’s left of his files, he’s read through the last couple weeks of posts just to get a feel for things. After that, he has one incredibly important question: ]

Did I seriously just barely miss out on a Death Star being here? For real? That’s not fair. Please tell me it’s coming back at some point.

[ That’s probably an objectively incorrect thing to want, but. Look. That would have made his entire life. He could die happy. For the second time. Well, the second time dying, first time dying happy. Anyway, he turns reluctantly to the list of actual serious questions he made. Not enough time to ask them all (unless he just takes in a breath and rapid fire asks all of them in thirty seconds) so he’ll just pick one for now. ]

So, school. How is that working out for people who still hafta go? And can you like … argue with it at all? Because I’m all for finishing high school, but this is my third time going into sophomore year and I’m starting to feel like that movie with the Ghostbuster being depressed in Pennsylvania.

(( OOC: Spoilers for Far From Home are likely, but I can avoid them if necessary! ))

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[ Peter just bows his head. ]

I’m sorry. That’s - it’s - what the hell was alternate me even doing during all of that?

[And now Peter will have to hear something no one wants to hear about themselves.]

Humans don’t care about mutant issues. The Avengers have never given a damn about us. Except for those that join the Avengers.

[ He can’t really argue with that, can he? He can’t make his alternate self act any differently, or claim that any version of himself would have done better. Clearly he hadn’t. Clearly he’s just as prone to the same prejudices as anyone else.

He balls his hands into fists, just taking in a deep breath. This is not about him. He isn’t the one hurting right now. ]

I believe you. If - if anything like that ever even thinks about happening here, I’ll do everything I can to help you.

You’re a good guy, Parker. Perhaps too good. People could use that against you. For all you know, I’m telling you a sob story or earn loyalty later.

[ He just shrugs a little. ]

I've already had it used against me. Might as well take a chance with someone who seems like they're not an asshole.

Well, i’ll do my best to take care of being worthy of that trust.

And if you need someone to talk to, I’m here. I can even help with school subjects that may be harder.

... I really appreciate that. A lot.

If nothing else, I know I'm a good teacher.

[There are few things in life David is certain of. But teaching, training, and guiding are some of what he knows he can do.]

After I buy gloves of course. I suppose I'll have to figure out where to do that. I don't feel like I shouldn't invade thoughts too much.

[ Huh. That might be a problem he can help with. ]

Do you need any kind of specific material or will anything work?

Well, I honestly don't know. Skin to skin is what it requires. When I was rubbing your back it didn't trigger. So your shirt is enough to keep me safe.

[And that's a good thing, right?]

[ That is a good thing. Better to have control over this kind of power. ]

Then I guess regular gloves oughta do it. But if you need some nicer ones, I could probably do that, eventually. My suit's mostly made out of carbon fiber.

[Carbon fiber? David stares in a bit like shock. That's better than he's ever had.]

Frankly, that's impressive. I mean, the X-Men didn't use something as good as Reed Richard's Unstable Molecules thing, at least not for kids that didn't need uniforms to shift from them.

[ For once in his life, Peter Parker didn't actually have to worry about money. Being funded by Tony Stark has its perks. He'll go back to scavenging here, but still.

Also he perks up, instantly fascinated. ]

Unstable molecules? What are those?

I really don't know. I didn't play with them much. But they let the Human Torch, for instance, go full fire and fly, but still have clothes at the end. Sue Storm could go invisible and her clothes did too. They work with powers, don't understand how.

[If he did, no doubt he could make serious money.]

Whoa. That's amazing? Man, I wish I had a sample or something. If it's a chemistry thing I could try reverse-engineering something.

[ And mostly fail miserably, but he'd give it a decent shot. ]

I wish I could tell you. When I came here, I did lose a big of my knowledge. Which is frustrating. You'd think it would be enough to be a doctor, neurosurgeon, psychologist, mathematician... Yeah, I need to stop listing. I don't mean to brag. It's just...

[Well, Peter's heard about his powers, so he can easily fill in the blanks. This isn't things that David's earned. Just things he does.]

Hey man, I totally get it. That's your thing.

[ It's not bragging for Thor to say he's the god of thunder, after all. ]

[It's even more true in David's world, where he's an actual god, and not just what Asgardians like to think of themselves as.]

I guess the thing I have going for me was that I was always good at putting things I did know together, once I knew them.

That's what I was for. Being the one in the room with the plan.

... And that's way harder with half your resources missing, huh.

[Well, Peter isn't wrong. But David will adapt. He always adapts. What other choice does he have? That's sort of the rule of mutants.]

I mean, there are things that are frustrating about it, but yeah, it is frustrating. But I don't learn anything new without doing it the hard way anymore. Not and have it last

[ Hrm. Peter looks thoughtful at that. ]

Your powers are genetic, right?

They were. I don't know how they work now. My X-Gene, the spell took it away.

[Now he doesn't know what to think. Or if the memories can be unlocked again.]

[ Wait. Hang on. ]

Spell?

Yeah. I'm only human now, and that's all I've been for years.

[That's the answer, right? But explaining it takes a lot of effort.]

But - wait, holy shit? That's terrible? What the fuck, man.