metalogs | cross the roofs

Entry tags:

cross the roofs

Who: Otto Octavius

doctopoda
What: June catch-all
When: June, pre-Kaijuu
Where: Excelsior
Content Warnings: none

i. excelsior, day, out and about

[Now that he's gainfully employed, Otto's starting to fall into something more like a normal routine.

You may see him out getting coffee at what's become his regular place, or doing some shopping. It's getting easier; the longer he's lived here, the more people in his neighborhood have gotten used to the sight of him.

Ever since the incident at Balthier's shop, though, things have gotten a little weird. There's been outcry against metas. He knew it existed out there, but he's only lived in Central City and here, where such things are less common; this is the first real anti-meta sentiment he's seen in person. He even passes a few little protest groups outside of the Guild buildings, his own home and the others near it. Yet somehow, he himself is excluded: he's a product of science, not natural-born, not magic.

A ridiculous distinction. Otto knows as well as anyone just how dangerous a rogue scientist can be.

Mostly, he does his best to ignore praise and protest alike. If he sees anyone nearby who seems upset by the crowd - or, god forbid, anyone who's getting yelled at by them - he'll go over to them, actuators curving protectively, though not too close.]

Come on. They're just looking for attention - don't give them the satisfaction.

ii. excelsior, night, guild housing

[Peter staying with Otto has been rather nice, actually - at least in Otto's mind. He spends most of his days at work, and Peter's often out on his own business at other times, so they don't see too much of one another. But when they do, it's nice to have a bit of friendly conversation. The place has felt empty since Norman left.

Even so, there's still evenings when he's left to his own devices, or nights that drag on as sleep eludes him. So there's also nights when a tentacled shape can be seen swiftly crawling its way up to the roof of one of the Guild-owned apartment buildings.

Once up there, he leans against the perimeter wall, lights a cigarette, and smokes it while looking out over the city. It's an awful habit, he knows; he went some thirty years without it. But then - as with so many things - but then there was the accident. He quit once. He can kick it again. Just...later, maybe.]

iii. wildcard

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[Otto chuckles.]

You're taking to it well. I can't say I used to run around offering teenagers spare beds, but...

[Oh, well. He can tell stories about Peter Parker independent of Spider-Man, even if only a few.]

You know, I knew a version of him in my universe? It feels like ages ago now. He was a little older than this one, maybe twenty. I'd hoped to take him on as an intern, he was an absolutely brilliant young man.

This place never ceases to amaze me. How absurd, to have known another version of him -- though I've met two. Brilliant seems to be a constant.

Forgive me if it's prying, but have you met another version of yourself? I'm not sure how I'd react to that. [ He doesn't like the idea of different versions of himself, as much as he's more rooted that it doesn't matter, because he's this one.

Their drinks arrive, and he raises a glass. ] To good company in strange places.

I wanted to thank you, by the way, for being so understanding and forgiving given the whole fear cauldron situation. [ Strange had not been, and Balthier suspected he had the right of things. That only made him appreciate Otto's grace more. ]

I haven't met any myself, but I have met people who knew other versions of me in their worlds. Nasty pieces of work, by all accounts...

[Otto understands the multiverse well enough to know this doesn't really reflect on him. The possibilities are infinite; logically, there's Ottos out there who have been and done things he can't even conceive of. Still...he can't say that it doesn't bother him, knowing that every one he actually knows about was some sort of monster.

The arrival of the drinks distracts him, at least. He clinks his glass against Balthier's.]

Cheers.

[And then Balthier's apologizing again. Thanking him, really, but Otto feels an apology somewhere in there. He shakes his head.]

Really, it's completely alright. God knows I've made my share of mistakes. [Ones that doubtless caused at least as much general harm and chaos. But somebody still helped him anyway.] We all need a little grace from time to time.

I've sort of met one now, I suppose. Or -- was him. I much prefer being myself. The alternate of my father was more or less the same.

[ He sighs heavily. He hadn't meant to talk about any of that, but clearly some part of him is still stuck on it.

Still, he softens at Otto's gracious deflection, even if he wishes the man would take it. ]

You'll forgive me if I'm slow to assume grace and warmth from someone who is [ Uh, father like would be weird, Balthier ] older than me and had fair reason to be upset. My father was -- not the gentlest person, and I fear his patterns are the baseline for me when dealing with others.

...I'm sorry to hear that.

[Otto's brow furrows. That certainly does color what he already knows: about Balthier having to kill an apparition of the man last month.]

It didn't do exactly that to me. But the cauldron did have a way of...changing your thinking, didn't it...?

[He didn't become an alternate self, but only by virtue of having already been that person.

His instinct is to deflect again, change the subject. Otto doesn't much like to think on these things. But it seems like Balthier has something on his mind, too. This time he lets it lie.]

[ Balthier can't contain a small shudder at that, the dark expression that comes over his face. ]

I'd never experienced anything like it. It...altered my memories, made me doubt parts of myself ever existed. Prevented me from seeing entire objects until I got loose -- until David got me loose. [ That part, at least, he wouldn't change. The closeness they'd managed to spin through some truly awful days. ] You've been feeling alright? Since we got you out?

[ He can't say he hasn't worried now and then for Otto. He won't stay on dark things too long, but that's one thing he's meant to ask. ]

I'm just fine, don't worry.

[The words are soothing, with a bit of a smile. Otto hates being worried about like that, quite frankly. Hates that Balthier has seen and heard enough to worry about him in the first place.

But it's true, for the most part. He's never...quite what he used to be, anymore, but he's found some sort of equilibrium. He's okay for now.]

And you? You're feeling better now, too?

[ He swirls his drink around, considering the question for a moment, but nods. ]

Tired, still, but the things that mattered did not break, and there's always a comfort in that.

[ Truly, as hard as all this was, there's a sense of a more stable foundation for having come out the other side. ]

I won't spoil this with talking business too long, but I do want to find where that cauldron came from. I'm fortunate that the guilds found me clear for culpability purposes, but it's clear someone knew how to bypass the system.

But I also feel like, if something else happens, I'm in good hands, with good people to call. That's -- not always been true in my life.

Good - I'm glad. Let me know if you need anything, of course. I'd be happy to lend a hand.

[The actuator hovering nearest his shoulder clicks its claws! Dad joke!

Otto doesn't know how helpful he'd be in an investigation - whether antiquities or magic, absolutely none of the worlds the cauldron could have come from are ones that he runs in. But if there's ever a lead, well...lots of hands to spare.

He smiles, then turns back to scanning the menu. The actuator does the same. It's clearly making up for his poor vision, though he still insists on at least trying to use his eyes.]

I didn't think of this before, but is the food here very different from your world's?

Appreciated.

[ Balthier hasn't had the energy to dig into it much yet, and he's more a finder of objects than of people, but he suspects there will be some overlapping skill. That and both guilds are interested in this not happening again.

Food is a much better topic, even if he notices the actuator reading alongside Otto. It must be strange, having an entirely different way of seeing. Valuable, too, but alienating. Aren't all good things. ]

Considering I travelled across a vast continent regularly, I would say in aggregate no. Salad, soup, fried things -- all the categories are there. Meat animals are entirely different though, and there are spices both places that do not seem shared. Also, as far as I can tell, the food I'm most familiar with is closer to Turkish and North African, which is somewhat difficult to find here but does exist.

I imagine it's fairly similar for you?

[There's ups and downs. On good days, Otto's grateful that all the damage he did to himself at least came paired with ways to compensate. On bad days, it all just makes him feel less than human. But today's a good day.]

The cuisine seems fairly similar to my world, but that does make the differences more pronounced. Familiar dishes always seem to taste a little bit different from what I expect. I'm sure it's something about the spices, but I'm afraid my palate's not quite that discerning. It's alright, though - I find it interesting.

[He's interested, too, to hear more about Balthier's home world. He knows some about his past, but he thinks there's a lot of value in understanding more about the world he came from. Everyone's shaped by their surroundings.]

Ah - there used to be this wonderful Moroccan restaurant near my apartment back home! That's a North African country, if it doesn't exist here. [He can't say he's followed up on the existence of Morocco here.] They made the best lamb couscous.

Ah, yes, at home -- I often wouldn't eat the dishes of my childhood when I was away. Somehow made the homesickness worse, not better.

[ Balthier will happily talk about Ivalice! He often forgets it's interesting to others. ]

Hmm I'll have to see if I can find that here. I've done alright making some of it, but mostly I'm spoiled by David's cooking skills and my own adventurous palate.

I quite miss cockatrice meat, though. I have not found an equivalent, though chicken is certainly easier to cook. Cockatrices are three or four feet tall and will charge you. I suppose I haven't mentioned I was somewhat of a huntsman on top of being a pirate -- good way to make money and to eat.

Cockatrice meat?

[It's amused, more than disbelieving. Otto doesn't really disbelieve much of anything anymore - it's just funny when it lines up with the things you might find in fantasy novels.]

We've got stories about those. Can they really turn you to stone?

Ah, right. They're mythical here aren't they? Seems a lot of things we have as everyday nuisances are the things of legends here. Cockatrice, wyrms, dinosaurs...

[ Somehow just being here as himself makes him more out of a story than being home ever did. ]

Some species, though Stona is a fairly basic magical remedy. Itches something dreadful while it's taking effect, though.

Ah, no, we did have dinosaurs at one point. But they went extinct, well before humanity developed. The nearest you'd find now is birds.

[Presuming "dinosaur", in Balthier's world, doesn't just refer to some other sort of dragon.

Otto smiles and shakes his head.]

I can't believe being turned to stone is a common ailment for you.

So I've been told. I truly thought someone was trying to make a fool of me by saying dinosaurs had all been killed by a giant rock hitting the Earth. You live and you learn, I suppose.

[ They very much are dinosaurs, though the variety the 90s imagined. Perhaps they ultimately are different than real Earth dinosaurs. ]

I suppose it's not a true petrification, not like in legends and stories of past eras. It's more of an external casing, though if you don't treat it, it will sap the entirety of your energy, and if that isn't addressed quickly you can perish. Still, it's not pleasant.

Truth be told I still can't believe humans figured out as much technology as they did here without any magical fuel sources, and without ten thousand years of anxiety technology to base it on. I admire your work, Otto.

Well, thank you. It really isn't as simple as it looks. What we're doing now, burning fossil fuels on this level, it's destroying the environment. I was...working to invent a cleaner energy source, once, but that clearly didn't work out.

[There's really nothing clear about it, to someone who doesn't have the entire backstory on the actuators and all that. Otto doesn't elaborate. He doesn't seem upset, though; he wouldn't have mentioned it at all if he thought it were going to upset him again.]

This world's much farther along on that front. It's encouraging.

[The waiter comes along then to take their orders. Which is all very regular, except that they don't give the actuators even a second glance. Otto looks after them with a raised brow for a moment - people in the area have gotten more used to him, but that's still rather odd. He'll have to tip extra.]

[ Balthier's father was a researcher, one with no boundaries, but an excellent one, and that's the world he grew up around. He may not know specifics, but he can follow the shapes. ]

David's mentioned. Not that we weren't up to our ears in poor decisions -- the sky stone was running out, and the nethicite was a force better left alone, and the mining of both was causing damage. There was a recent one, gambits, that can impact people's compulsions toward behaviors. They were originally used for combat, but people were starting to make consumer versions. I sincerely fear the next technological chapter for Ivalice. Not that it looks like I'll be there to see it.

[ He appreciates Otto's positivity, though, and considers his point as the waiter comes over. He can't help being as observant as he is, though, and notices Otto's expression after the waiter. ]

Ah, I should have said something. I've put an illusion on us, to make us both unremarkable. I've been having some trouble with being recognized and did not want to engage tonight. One of the few things I prefer about my powers here.

Oh! Well, thank you - I can't say I always love the attention either.

[It's an obvious softening; the vast majority of the time, Otto absolutely dislikes that kind of attention! Even if it's friendly because he's a scientist meta living in Excelsior - honestly, especially if it's that. What he did was arrogant and foolish. It is not worthy of admiration.]

I've tried those hologram projectors, but they don't work well if I'm doing anything other than sitting. They're much too bulky - people just kept walking into them.

[In theory, he probably could keep the actuators out of peoples' way, but it's just too much work in a crowded city. Lots of hypervigilance, lots of bobbing and weaving. It isn't worth it.]

[ Balthier catches the way Otto softens, and a thought he's had floating around comes back to him. It's nice to be thanked, too, rather than told off or treated with suspicion. ]

I suspect it is because mine is illusion based, not visual. I haven't changed what anything looks like so much as...changed the way people perceive us. It's in their minds to some extent.

[ There's...a slippery slope there, he's aware. And he's not sure the full extent. ]

I don't think I could keep people from walking into them entirely, but I could cause them to keep a wider berth, I think. Regardless, I'm early in understanding it, but my hope is to see if I couldn't anchor the spell in some object for more regular use. If I make any progress, I'd be happy for your assistance in testing it.

[Otto nods thoughtfully. He's well aware of how dangerous it can be - the ability to change peoples' perceptions, get in their minds. Magic's a new angle, but that can go to some very dark places, very quickly.

He trusts Balthier, though.]

Of course. I'd be interested to help in that kind of development. Strange recommended me some books, but I only really understand the basics of magic. [Which is fine. He doesn't want to become a wizard; he just wants to know enough to manage when some other magical disaster inevitably occurs.] It wouldn't affect me, would it?

That makes two of us. It works entirely differently here -- very rigid system at home, and a major power source.

[ A big part of why he's being cautious. He's already gotten himself into trouble with magic here, his own and others'. Otto's question earns a shake of the head, though. ]

The plan is for it to work like this one. It's not affecting you and I, because I didn't include us in the perception range. I'm hoping to find a way to add settings or least toggle it on and off, but I may be getting ahead of myself. [ That said, being around magical and alien artifacts certainly is giving him ideas. ]

[Otto chuckles. Oh, yes, he knows that feeling.]

That's always how it goes with a new project. Nothing wrong with aiming high - as long as you can still be realistic when the time comes.

[Which is, of course, where he fell short on that one.]

It's easier when you have an actual prototype. I'm sure David's told you about Andy.

[Andy the Arm! Maybe it's a little weird, given his current condition, but Otto quite likes working on the robot arm!]

[ The warning off staying realistic hits him strangely, and for a moment his father is chiding him for his ambitions. That's how he stopped sharing them until he'd already worked them out.

But Otto isn't that. He's being supportive in fact, so Balthier tips his glass to him. ]

I will gladly bring you my prototypes for testing. And yes. I do not entirely understand Andy, though I can certainly imagine the potential applications.

[Otto nods.]

I do hope it can do some good for someone. That's all I've tried to do in my career.

[And it's been a resounding failure! But he has another chance now - at least there's that.]

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