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[Voice/Action]
[Today is a good day for serious business, apparently. There's a certain something he's been putting off for a while, and after one-too-many dreams interrupting his sleep, he's had enough: this morning when Billy wakes up, the first thing he does is jot out a note in the journal-]
[Private to Ben Grimm]
Hey, would it be okay if I swung by to ask you a few things?
[He'll work through his morning routine until he gets a response, after which he'll go for a visit and get a hell of a lot more than he bargained for.
After that, his mood for the day is drastically altered; he'll skip out on school, trying to sort out his feelings on the matter. Tommy's still AWOL, and he's trying not to worry Teddy, but what he's just been told has really got him thinking- about people, and heroes, and the unfairness of mankind in general. And eventually he'll just go ahead and return to his journal for it. He's kind of in over his head here.]
[Open to All]
I know Luceti's full of heroes- seems kind of a standard trait for most of us, for whatever reason. Back on my world, super-humans aren't that uncommon, and in general they're revered for everything they do for the world. Some of them were born that way, and some of them are from other planets, and some were altered to get their powers, and some have a lot of talent or skill instead of powers. But they're all considered to be super heroes. There's bad guys, too- just as diverse and unique as the heroes they fight. People fear them and celebrate their defeat.
There's another group, though... humans who got their powers because of evolution. It's much more natural, in a lot of ways. Some are heroes, some are villains. Some are just trying to get by without becoming one or the other. But regular humans fear them, and hate them for it, even if they save the world just as much as the heroes they love. They're called criminals or monsters, no matter how innocent they might be.
[He hesitates- it's probably obvious to some, what he's talking about, and he's not sure if he should lock it from the mutant population, or apologize, or something, but it relates to them even if it's not by name. Hiding it wouldn't be right.
In the end he just leaves it be.]
...Sorry for the ramble. But it's not fair, and... I just can't understand why. Why hate one and love the other, when they're basically the same?
[Private to Ben Grimm]
Hey, would it be okay if I swung by to ask you a few things?
[He'll work through his morning routine until he gets a response, after which he'll go for a visit and get a hell of a lot more than he bargained for.
After that, his mood for the day is drastically altered; he'll skip out on school, trying to sort out his feelings on the matter. Tommy's still AWOL, and he's trying not to worry Teddy, but what he's just been told has really got him thinking- about people, and heroes, and the unfairness of mankind in general. And eventually he'll just go ahead and return to his journal for it. He's kind of in over his head here.]
[Open to All]
I know Luceti's full of heroes- seems kind of a standard trait for most of us, for whatever reason. Back on my world, super-humans aren't that uncommon, and in general they're revered for everything they do for the world. Some of them were born that way, and some of them are from other planets, and some were altered to get their powers, and some have a lot of talent or skill instead of powers. But they're all considered to be super heroes. There's bad guys, too- just as diverse and unique as the heroes they fight. People fear them and celebrate their defeat.
There's another group, though... humans who got their powers because of evolution. It's much more natural, in a lot of ways. Some are heroes, some are villains. Some are just trying to get by without becoming one or the other. But regular humans fear them, and hate them for it, even if they save the world just as much as the heroes they love. They're called criminals or monsters, no matter how innocent they might be.
[He hesitates- it's probably obvious to some, what he's talking about, and he's not sure if he should lock it from the mutant population, or apologize, or something, but it relates to them even if it's not by name. Hiding it wouldn't be right.
In the end he just leaves it be.]
...Sorry for the ramble. But it's not fair, and... I just can't understand why. Why hate one and love the other, when they're basically the same?
[Action]
[You'd think they of all people would have that sort of connection, being two fractions of the same soul, apparently, but logic has never factored in to their relationship anyway.
The last question surprises him a little, though.]
You mean here? No, not at all. To be honest, nobody seems to care. It's kind of refreshing.
[Action]
Most of the time, at least here, I'd expect the unexpected. Just on account of this place being full of people and things I've never expected to encounter.
[But now he's rambling and well-- in the end he realizes he's trying to make friends with a kid likely to be 11 years his junior. But a very mature 17 year old, at least. After a point it all became relative anyhow.]
That is a relief no one gives any trouble. Me and Jack are the same-- Well, I mean, we're a couple, not that we're related. We were asked that once, though. Spock-- do you have Star Trek in your world or is it just... mine?
[Action]
No, we have Star Trek! At least five series and a ton of movies. I'm pretty sure the Spock here in Luceti's from the reboot.
[Action]
I think I met Kirk, or a guy who sounds and acts remarkably like him-- reboot form, of course. Y'know, it's a bit crazy how our worlds do and don't intersect. You and I both know of Star Trek and yet I doubt they would know either of us...
[And when they left... would they remember all of this? He hoped so, if only to say he had met the people he had]
[Action]
[It makes for kind of a complicated situation, especially when multiple worlds are still "Earth" in most ways.]
[Action]
[Well, wait a moment, he thinks about that]
Well, okay, not that I personally know, at least. I mean, it's not like you run around telling people that sort of stuff, right? Batman keeps his identity secret, so does Superman...
[Action]
A lot of the Avengers have public identities, though, where I'm from. They're all real- though Batman and Superman are still just in comic books. It's kind of complicated.
[Action]
So who all is comic books for you, then? Because for me I think it'd... be all of them. Or at least, I'm not aware of any mutant schools like they've got in X-Men being the real deal... Doesn't mean it hasn't happened, though.
[After all, he was pretty average save for the whole zombie apocalypse survivor. But that was more luck than actual super powers. And he would rather not think about a super hero turning into a zom. That... would be one hell of a zom.]
[Action]
[He pauses, eyes wide, leaning back in his seat.]
Oh god. Oh god, are you from one of those worlds where we're comic book characters?
[It was weird enough the first time he'd heard that...]
[Action]
[Offers him a very sheepish smile, feeling just a little out of sorts with this realization. But to be fair, it might also be that his existence might also not follow along the same "real world" narrative that he's been lead to believe he's lead his entire life]
Avengers isn't exactly nonfiction. They're actors and comics and movies....
[Action]
[And still no easier to accept, either. He kind of feels sorry for Robin now, after all the jokes he'd done. (But Robin also dropped him out the kitchen window and kidnapped his boyfriend, so he's not that sorry.)
Still, at least he hasn't been recognized like last time.]
What about aliens? Got any of those?
[Action]
The really unfortunate thing is even if we did have aliens, I am pretty sure they wouldn't be interested in us. Unless out of scientific curiosity but the majority of people in my world are zombies. Literally, so no real intelligent life, there.
It is weird-- sorry. I'm not thinking any less of you for being that way in my world. For all I know, the same could be said of me in another world somewhere.
But am I personally acquainted with or have had an alien experience? No, afraid not.
[But since they were on the topic]
How about you? Got any X-Files you care to share?
[Action]
[Weird, yes, but not mind-blowing or life-ruining. Plenty of real things to do that without fictional assistance.
And aliens... eh-heh. Billy gives his cheek a little scratch, lips pursing.]
Alien encounters? Well- um- yes. I grew up watching the Earth get invaded every once in a while by a few different species, so it's pretty commonplace. As for personal experience, uh- I'm dating one? If that counts.
[One of these days he should really ask Teddy if he minds being outed like this. Billy just can't help it, it's so cool to talk about.]
[Action]
[Seriously, Luceti had really dampened the whole shock factor of these sort of revelations. Instead of nearly falling out of his chair as he might have done upon arrival, he only looked impressed. Gave an inward sort of 'huh' and tipped his head]
Y'know, I wasn't entirely sure if he was as normal as he looked. Guess I'm getting a sense-- or maybe it's just all making sense now that you mentioned something and... heh.
I can't imagine one alien encounter, much less multiple alien encounters. So tell me, is the military of earth really so inept in those situations like they show on movies-- or are they in better command, so to speak?
[Action]
[Well, okay, it had been a joke. But he'd still said it, so it still counted. (Sort of.)]
The military's, um... well, I don't watch that many monster movies, so I'm not sure how bad they are in Hollywood. But on my version of Earth, we've got SHIELD, and they're the group that handles the non-super side of alien invasions. More often than not they coordinate with the Avengers and whoever else is fighting to make sure the world stays safe. They do a pretty good job most of the time- I mean, the Earth hasn't been taken over or destroyed yet, so that's something.
[Action]
[Smiles when Billy spoke of dating Teddy, the two of them young but... given his own situation, he had a sense they knew what they were doing.]
I wouldn't say inhumanly perfect, but he did seem like a model for beach wear or something-- not that I'm looking, I just... noticed.
[Honest. He could appreciate without being a creep right? He wasn't too old to claim that...]
[Action]
It's okay, I'd be questioning your sexuality if you hadn't looked. I won't hold it against you.
[It's not like he hadn't given Jack a once-over, himself. His smile is short-lived, though, because he has to come back to the comment about the blame game. Oi...]
I think... it's easy to blame the super heroes for the bad stuff that happens, because they're supposed to prevent it from happening in the first place, according to the public. And the heroes aren't always accountable for their mistakes, so I guess the people who want justice for accidents have no way to get it. You can't really sue Spiderman when the Green Goblin throws him into your car, you know? It's sort of like that.
[Action]
[Sorry, Billy, cue the sort of sappy, soft grinning sigh that accompanied all fools in love. Or most of them, that is. He is inevitably drawn out of it when Billy makes a very good point, in reference to heroes, accountability, and societal expectations.]
Yeah, and I guess you can't really just blame it on them being more-than-human. Back a long time ago I suppose they could blame things like the gods and just carry on with their lives... you know?-- is this making sense? Am I sounding like I have no idea what I'm talking about?
[He did feel a bit out of his league discussing this with someone who had probably already thought this or disproved these theories. And he wasn't trying to be rude. The smile he gave was sheepish but hopeful and a dash apologetic if he was stumbling into something best left alone]
Just, well, it seems like it makes sense if you look back with super powers in mind.
[Action]
No... it does make sense. People always need someone to blame- it's why suing people is America's favourite pastime. [It's kind of depressing to watch, but thankfully his exposure to it is pretty minimal due to being sixteen and therefore less interested in that kind of news.] With superheroes, compensation isn't an option as long as secret identities exist, so forcing them to go public and criminalize unlicensed heroics is the only option.
[Action]
[But he suspected he was preaching to the choir so to speak and let that end with that. And a soft sigh. And a pretzel, because the reese's had mournfully been eaten.]
So, if you don't mind my asking, how did you and Billy meet?
[Action]
Um... mutual friend introduced us. In a club.
[Action]
I really can't judge, I met Jack-- er, well... that's a story better told together. Trust me, he gets so excited. Was it an illicit club or are you talking about something benign like rock climbing or something?
[Action]
Pretty sure I could never get myself into one of those clubs, even with the best fake IDs in the world.
[He so does not look 21.]
But no, I meant like- we were all kind of huge Avengers fans, so we got together and started hanging out. Teddy and I just clicked.
[Action]
An after-school club then? That is so cute.
[Can't help but grin from ear to ear. It wasn't like he enjoyed teasing, he simply found something so casual like that a very nice way to say you'd met someone]
So aliens go to school with normal humans and... not-so-normal humans as well?
[Action]
Yeah, maybe someday he'll explain that part.]
Well... yes and no? Teddy didn't actually know he was an alien until about a year ago. He was raised with regular humans and thought he was one, too.
[Action]
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