3. ➟ video

[heymcfly]

[ On the network today is Marty looking...well, like he should! Not old, no receding hair line, none of that stuff. He's very happy to be this way, to be honest. Being old was fun for maybe an hour or so, but after that it kind of got old. ]

Hey. So, ah, this is Marty McFly here.

[ He sniffs, rubbing a finger across his nose. ] Okay. So I registered to be a hero at the swear in. Is there anything special I gotta do? Or do I just wait for the bat-signal?

[ throwing 4th wall references probably isn't a good idea marty. ]

Just wonderin'. If I'm gonna agree to this I want to actually do somethin', y'know?

[ Marty's just about to turn off the communicator, when he seems to come up with another question or something. Or maybe this was his original question, and he's just been too...sheepish to actually ask it. Somebody's not going to be happy when they hear what he's going to say. ]

...Has, has anyone seen a guitar? I mighta, I dunno, "sold" it- [ He's gotta use the quote marks. ] -maybe. I kinda want it back. The money'll be yours.

[ With that, Marty gives a pretty damn sheepish smile, before the feed goes black! ]

Comments

video; id reads Jonathan Crane | Scarecrow

[restingstitchface]

[It isn't a good idea to mention the bat-signal; Crane appears and looks mildly interested in what Marty has to say.

There is so much in the message that he can start anywhere and successfully thumb a raw nerve. No mess. No fuss. Pure, honest research. If he's familiar with that place, then he might be familiar with whathe's done. No matter the universe.]

The Bat-Signal?

[A flash of curiosity behind his eyes.]

You're from Gotham, then?

video;

[heymcfly]

Gotham?

[ It's hard for Marty to remember that yeah, there's Batman people here. Just like there's Star Trek people here. This whole world is a giant clusterfuck, and hell if he can remember that. He offers a smile that probably looks more nervous than anything else. ]

N-Nah, I don't. I hear about it a lot though.

permavideo;

[restingstitchface]

Everyone does.

[His curiosity isn't vanishing anytime soon. Marty's nervous smile only makes him more attractive a subject.]

But, alas, everyone is expected to be a hero. I dare say you shouldn't be hanging on the Bat-Signal to do your civic duty.

[heymcfly]

[ He's going to try and let the whole Gotham thing die. Marty can't recognize this guy himself, but he's gotta be Gotham associated. Which also means that Marty has to keep himself hush hush. ] You think so?

...I mean, I don't know how this hero stuff works. I'm just a kid, y'know? Not used to this stuff.

[restingstitchface]

... well, nobody is at first. You're not alone, mind. Not everyone here was taken from the pages of a comic book.

[He tilts his head and, with a curious tone, asks.]

Does it frighten you, being a hero?

[heymcfly]

[ Marty nods along; the guy has a point. He wasn't from a comic book! Why should he act like he is?

He was going to add something in, until the next question is brought up. And that makes him think! ]

...I mean, a little, I guess. [ aka a lot ] 'S not like I had powers before I came here.

[restingstitchface]

[He fixes his gaze on this young man and lifts his chin. It's the unwilling adoption of a whole new symbol; most would be frightened, and they'd be panicking more than a little. He decides to grab what he's unwound of that thread and pull it.]

True, true, and I suppose the level of responsibility that comes with the title would frighten anyone. Likewise the pain. But, sadly, it seems a hero's greatness is only noticed when they experience great struggles and burdens. Hercules went mad and killed his family, you know. [He leaves it at that for a moment.] There's also a certain level of cowardice in running from the self. As Twain said, "If everybody was satisfied with himself, there would be no heroes."

And? In truth? Most of them are boring.

[Video]

[crapbearer]

[ Max looks a little bummed when he answers the call, but the pieces clicked into place pretty quickly once he heard the message. He holds up the guitar in the video. ]

Yeah... I got it. I can get it back to you.

[Video]

[heymcfly]

Oh, Jesus! It looks great. Oh, man.

...I, I mean, I feel bad, y'know? I don't think I was thinkin' right when I sold it. [ Marty offers a shrug. ] My friend bought that one for me. But if you want, we can go guitar shopping at the place he showed me? There were a few like that one.

video; id: Banner

[hyperkinesia]

Only now registered and already looking for some action? You could at least try to enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts.

[ Because he has a feeling it's not going to last long. Bruce doesn't really have anything of worth to offer to this broadcast, though, he's answering solely for the fact that this is Marty McFly. Actually, really Marty McFly. Because sharing a house with Doc wasn't amazing enough already. ]


((ooc: I hope 4th walling in meta/introspection is okay, if not just give me a nudge and I'll edit!))

video;

[heymcfly]

Why not? After hearing what happened with that brainwashing stuff not too long ago, I wanna get on with this stuff.

[ Marty is still bitter about learning that his old man friend got brainwashed, yeah. ]

(( oh no no, it's perfect! you're totally fine! ))

video;

[hyperkinesia]

I'd have thought that would be cause to enjoy the lull. It's probably not going to last anyway.

[ Bruce's mind is already geared for about twenty different things to go wrong all at once at this point, but he's still not going to push for any of them to happen. ]

You weren't here yet, either? When all that went down.

video;

[heymcfly]

Why, does it get busy? [ Being a superhero is way beyond Marty, excuse him. ]

...Yeah. My friend said they just took a bunch of people and tried to brainwash 'em. The Soviets, I mean. He wouldn't say what they did, but I'm guessin' it wasn't...

[ His voice just kind of...trails off. ]

video;

[hyperkinesia]

I couldn't tell you based on personal experience here, since I'm a relatively new arrival. But from what I've heard and read about, things aren't usually this calm for long. May as well enjoy it while it lasts.

[ And then he has some experience back home, which... kind of goes more or less the same way. Less superheroes, though, so maybe a little less crazy too. Or crazy less times than here, just in pretty large scale. Like alien invasions. ]

Probably not pleasant, no. [ Bruce presses his lips, looking just as bothered by that thought. ] Anyway, that got sorted out, but it's likely they'll retaliate in some way, and soon. I'd advise being ready for anything, but no need to go looking for trouble before it finds you.

video;

[heymcfly]

So what you're tellin' me is that I gotta be patient.

[ That's a lot easier said than done, to be honest. Knowing that someone could pull the same brainwashing thing again is unsettling. Having the idea that he could at least help to put a stop to it before the idea even starts bugs him a little, especially if he's being recommended to take things easy while he can.

What was that saying, though? Good things comes to those who wait? ] I guess I can do that. Kinda sucks, though.

When did you come here?

[morethan084]

Not registered and don't regret it.

But be prepared for the stink eye a lot if you 'step out of line'.

[heymcfly]

Seriously?

...Wait, what do you mean by the stink eye? What happens?

[morethan084]

They just don't trust people who don't register. Not completely. You have to jump through more hoops.

[heymcfly]

Jesus, more hoops? Like what?

Do I gotta fight Godzilla too?

[resipiscent]

[Whoa, he totally recognizes this guy. There might be a few car parts lying around his garage that belong to him, actually -- last time Marty was here they'd lived in the same house. However, this Marty may not remember him, so he ignores that part of things.]

Well... if you're looking to do hero stuff I'm assuming you can just go run around the streets, because that's what a lot of people seem to do. But generally I wait for something to come up, myself.

[heymcfly]

What's the stuff that usually happens on the streets? You mean old ladies gettin' mugged and stuff like that, right?

[ Marty's all for helping robberies and stuff, but...eh. Dumb robber guys didn't brainwash his friend. ]

[resipiscent]

Sure. One time there were dead people, though, that was a thing. But yeah, I -- don't go looking for trouble. It usually comes to us.

[heymcfly]

Ooh. So I just gotta be patient.

[ Fighting against zombies doesn't sound fun, though. ] What else did you do?

[resipiscent]

Pretty much.

[What else...?]

You mean, here? Hm... tromped around in a magically-sourced jungle for a week or so. And then there was the time where a bunch of people got kidnapped, so the rest of us went to help out.

[Actually, people seem to get kidnapped a lot.]

[heymcfly]

[ That's...actually a bit concerning. At least when it comes to the part where people got kidnapped. The jungle thing sounds a little silly, but after hearing that others got brainwashed by Soviets, he probably shouldn't bark yet. ]

Jesus, man. I hope you found them okay. Right?