selfhelp | [Action / Voice] evening + morning

[Action / Voice] evening + morning

[...This doesn't look like Prison #42. At least, not as he recalls it. Billy pushes himself upright in the grass, squinting in the early evening light, and absently lifts a shaking hand to his ears. There's no device there, nothing to prevent him from casting any spells... a fact he proves to himself with a wave of his hand, conjouring up a shirt to go with the unfamiliar white pants he finds himself in. What's all this about, exactly? Some new trick that Stark and Richards came up with to keep their prisoners placated? Or has he - against all odds - been freed and dumped somewhere in the wild?

What've you gotten yourself into now, Kaplan?

Cautiously he lets his magic take him up to the tree line, resting on a high branch to get a better look around. Up ahead, not far in the distance, he can see a village, but it's so small and old-fashioned that he doesn't recognize it at all. Wherever he is, it's pretty remote.

Well, whatever. What does location matter to a witch who can teleport? His priority is finding Cap and the rest of the Young Avengers. Teddy's probably flipping out right about now. Dropping back into a crouch, he sits himself down on the branch, cross-legged, and lifts his hands again, letting the glow return to them, and begins chanting under his breath-]

"IwanttobeinNewYorkIwanttobeinNewYork..."

[Yeah, he's pretty noticeable like that. Especially since he'll be there until he's discovered, pointedly not teleporting to New York. Awkward.]

[In the morning, however, things are a bit different- he's settled (sort of), he's rested (a bit), he's informed (just enough). And he's sorted out how to use the journal. Thus, around mid-afternoon, he sends out a message:]

Okay, this is weird, but... let's give it a try. Hey, uh, whoever's listening out there. I've heard there are people from all over the galaxy, and lots from Earth, especially. That's where I'm from, too. I was wondering, though- are there people living here who'd be considered "super heroes"? Here or on your own world, I mean. I'm actually-

[Actually... he really shouldn't just announce it. What if someone from the Initiative is here and remembers him when they get back to Earth? Even a slim chance isn't worth the risk.]

...I'm actually a huge fan of the superheroes from Earth! You know, heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-man... I've been a fan since I was a kid. Though I guess it's not unusual for someone from New York. There's a ton of superheroes living in the city these days.

Sorry for rambling so much. To be honest, I'm just nervous... I've never been to another world before.

[....]

Teddy? You here?

[ooc: first dibs to action (chronologically) goes to Buffy, otherwise he is free to be met wherever/whenever. Also if you could have a look at his permissions post I would be much obliged!]

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...what's a superhero?

[The question is asked in a husky but oddly crisp tone without preamble--a brilliant initial transmission on part of the beastman. After losing enough time to be granted wings and be dumped in a strange forest on a very rainy day, Viral was intent on laying low until he figured the situation out. This boy who mentioned Earth, the name of his own world, seemed to be the most discreet person to ask.

If Billy cared enough, he would notice two things; the beastman is outside in the rain, and is very wet and muddy.]

[...What in the world is he doing outside?

Well, whatever, questions come first. Maybe some people around here are just that weird.]

Superheroes are people with special gifts or abilities or training- who can fight the sort of enemy that would be unbeatable to normal people.

[He's only outside of the village because he doesn't want too many encounters with the residents. With his recent experiences, odds were that he would make a very bad impression.]

I see.

[There's a pause of consideration as he mulls over the definition.] It must be a unique concept among humans, although there is nothing particularly like that in my world.

Is it so common in yours that you expect to find more here?

Edited 2012-05-06 17:18 (UTC)

[Okay, that's... weird. Not often you meet someone who talks about humans in the third person like that.]

Pretty common, yeah. Back where I live there's like... hundreds of super heroes all over the world.

[Viral's just inwardly relieved that the young man isn't reacting too strongly--maybe this 'Luceti' or whatever it was called wouldn't be too bad.]

Hundreds, huh?

[There were only around one million humans in his world, along with a few hundred beastmen. The number itself was astounding.]

And what sort of enemy is unbeatable to normal humans in your world? [Because the only 'enemy' he doesn't believe that the humans of his will be able to defeat is the moon itself, and their own kind by association.]

All kinds, really. I mean, on their own humans aren't that strong. Th- we've got weapons and machines, sure, but if you take those away or break 'em, we're not much to look at. Super heroes usually fight super villains. It's just kind of how these things work out.

And super villains are like super heroes, just without the heroic qualities. Correct?

[He caught that stumble over the pronouns there, and it pings at his curiosity more than a little.]

Uh... yeah, correct. They're usually trying to hurt people or destroy things or take over the world.

...interesting.

[There's a flash of teeth--yes, that is kind of a smile.]

Do you think that the super heroes here will find a way out of this place? [Likely not, if the readings he had been doing since dawn contained any truth in them. If there's even a chance, however, he wants to know it.]

From the sound of things, a few already have.

[He can name at least five, anyway. If he includes himself. (Which he probably won't. Yet.)]

...they have found a way beyond the barrier of their own accord to take the fight to the people who brought us here?

[Because there was a distinct difference between between willing and conscripted soldiers, any officer knows this. Of course, he was surprised himself at his thoughts on the matter of the Malnosso. Perhaps the humans he spent the better part of the past seven years around were rubbing off on him.]

Well... I dunno for sure. But they're not here now, so they must've gotten out somehow, right?]

[Though from what he's read, it was more to do with luck than heroics.]

I see.

[He wouldn't be surprised if it was luck, and his was notoriously terrible. There's a barely audible sigh and a small pause as the beastman flips to the video function. The person on the other end deserved a better idea of who he was conversing with after all.]

Thank you for answering my questions. There's still many things about humans that I don't understand. [He nods his head as he speaks, a small bow of gratitude.]

[...Well. That answers one question.]

About humans... so what are you, if you aren't human?

[This part was where it became complicated.]

I am a beastman and a soldier. Our people do not have a fond relationship together on my version of Earth.

[It was simple and to the point. But, while they were on the topic of asking personal questions...]

What about you? You spoke like you were different from normal humans earlier.

[A pause.]

Did I? My bad.

[He hadn't meant to. Maybe he can derail the question.]

I've never heard of a "beastman" before. What does it mean?

[He'll allow the derail for the moment, but isn't likely to forget it anytime soon.]

I was created from recombined genes and cloned tissue specifically for use in a military. Being a soldier is what I'm most familiar with.

[...Bwuh.]

What... seriously? They can do that now?

[And here he thought he was up to date on all the superhuman news.]

[Nope, he probably was up to date. Viral, for his part, is just confused.]

The Spiral King was doing it for far longer than both of our lives combined. Our worlds are different, even if they have the same name.

Different worlds? The Spiral King?

Sounds pretty messed up, sorry.

...Its no more messed than this place, if these journal entries are to be believed.

I want to say I'm still getting used to it, but... I don't know if that's even possible.

We're here, regardless.

[It was a fact that grated on him too, but at least it didn't seem too violent a place.]

...you don't have to get used to it. What do you want to do?

Honestly? I'd rather be home. There's some serious stuff going on and I need to be there for it. But it sounds like it isn't going to be easy.

...It probably isn't. [Even reading and listening to scraps for a few hours has shown him a nagging disorganization. Who were the leaders? Who were the ones that kept the village safe? Such disorganization could be a fatal flaw.]

If you want it enough, though, you might be successful. If our worlds are at all similar, anyway. Slim chances never stopped a human from meeting their goals before.

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[voice] wow A+ to me for misreading your tag earlier!

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