frenchkissed: (【 825 】)
charles edward allan brock ([personal profile] frenchkissed) wrote in [community profile] metalogs2022-07-20 07:50 am

Can You Do It In The Dark?

Who: Eddie Brock [personal profile] frenchkissed, Peter Parker [personal profile] tinglesense, and you!
What: Meddling kids lead to an entire city of people losing their powers.
When: Jul 20 — Jul 31
Where: Excelsior!
Content Warnings: Potential violence, identity issues
Opt-Out: Don’t be in Excelsior during this event!






CAN YOU DO IT IN THE DARK?



An investigation headed by Eddie Brock and Peter Parker results in not only a city-wide blackout, but hundreds of metahumans losing their powers!

In the days that follow, those affected by the blast will be forced to contend with what it means to exist without their powers. All the while, bad guys will be looking to take advantage of the situation and move in on vulnerable areas within Excelsior. People who are used to relying on their abilities will need to find new ways to fight back.

In the end, all powers are restored, but not without some hijinks along the way.


RUMOR MILL —

Everyone loves a good urban legend. There's the story of Bloody Mary, the vanishing hotel room, the one about the tall, slender man who dresses in a tuxedo, that story about the abandoned bunker beneath Excelsior that no one can get into, the one filled with untold riches and gold... Naturally, some stories are more far-fetched than others. Some die off as whispers in the night, while others get entire forums dedicated to them. Leave it to bored teens take it upon themselves to go urban exploring in the dead of night, or hokey paranormal YouTube reporters saying they've found the clue that everyone's been missing.

Maybe you even went poking around yourself, having caught wind of these rumors and wanting to see the land of legends for yourself.

Unfortunately, most hunts lead to dead ends and boring drives home. There's nothing to see, really. The bunker doesn't even exist. It's all just a thrilling goose chase to pass a boring evening.

...
But if it did exist, shouldn't something more practical than a mountain of gold lie inside? Eddie Brock seemed to think so.

If nothing else, these rumors sure are a conversation starter.


Stranger Than Fiction


Unsurprisingly, like most rumors, there's a hint of truth to this bunker of gold story. With Spider-Man's technomancy powers and Eddie's investigative prowess, the two are able to find the source of all these rumors. There's no untold riches, but there is a treasure trove of strange, old technology.

However, investigating this space quickly goes awry when Peter's technomancy accidentally brings something to life.

Upon being powered on, a machine rapidly begins draining the power from the city. One by one, skyscrapers flicker out, televisions go dark, refrigerators stop humming. The entire city is steadily plunged into darkness, silence. Like with most power outages, most wait for the lights to flick back to life. Here, there's no such luck. Waiting for things to right themselves won't yield any results.

Once that realization sets in, it might be best to help those who really need it. Beyond the crying, frightened children and the teens who can't bear to part with their computers, there are those for whom the darkness holds unseen terrors. Be there for those in need, for those afraid of the dark, for those who've gotten separated from their families and can't find their way back on their own.

No power also means no computer systems, which means no credit cards. And who carries cash these days? No, in times like this, it makes sense to go back to the old bartering system.

Someone on the street is hawking four flashlights and a can opener in exchange for some batteries. Someone else is looking for what he can get for two cans of tuna and a roll of dimes. Get in there and make a deal!

Or... you could get in with the good crowd and begin looting stores. But, no, you're heroes! You should stop the looters! Ignore that little voice telling you otherwise. Instead, join up with those organizing shelters for everyone and working to get people out of the city as quickly as possible.


I Don't Want To Be You...



Just as people are beginning to work through this city-wide blackout, the real trouble begins. Not long after this loss of power comes, well, a loss of powers. All the juice in the city has to be used to fuel up something. Instead of a super-mega death ray, or some other magnificent murder device, the machine in question sucks away superpowers.

Metahuman abilities, extraordinary talents, basically, anything that makes a metahuman different from their average human counterpart, is drained away and trapped within. Of all the devices for Spider-Man to stumble into...


How this power loss manifests varies from person to person.

A keen observer might notice the correlation between someone's emotional attachment to their powers and just how difficult it is for them to be taken away. Someone who has a strong connection to their powers, for example, might go through immense pain when it comes to losing them. On the other hand, someone who never wanted powers in the first place might not even realize they've lost their abilities until it's too late.
Like the power outage before it, simply waiting for your abilities to return to you won't be enough. Even if you leave the city premises, your powers won't return to you. For all intents and purposes, this is who you are now.


Punch, Kick, Bite... Fight!


What better time to contemplate your identity without your powers than in the face of danger? Ne'er-do-wellers exist in all shapes and sizes, and some take it upon themselves to take advantage of this chaos. While powers might have been the preferred method for taking care of trouble, knives, fists, and guns still work just fine. Hoodlums and robbers roam the streets, wielding all sorts of makeshift weapons. They'll corner anyone in an attempt to see what they can get.

Chief among these miscreants are Lola and the Gang, a once quiet gang of Pink Lady and Greaser-types armed with brass knuckles, switchblades, and cigarettes.

Chances are you'll smell their brand of smokes before you see them rolling up six deep and ready to brawl. Hand over everything you own and they'll leave you be, but put up any resistance and it's time to scrap.

Of course, you could try to talk your way out of this, but their patience for talking is small enough to flip your lid. So make like a tree, and get to fightin'.


Even if you don't encounter them, there's no telling what number of con artists, thieves, jokers, and jesters you'll encounter. Be sure to keep your wits about you!


Topsy-Turvy


With the recent spur of Confluences, more metas have made their home in this world than those who crafted this device had ever accounted for.

Eventually, both in part to a team of dedicated scientists and due to the device's own shortcomings, the device containing all of the powers in Excelsior will combust. Powers, neatly contained like orbs, are sent bursting through the sky on their hunt for their rightful owners.

These orbs, somehow, know where they're meant to go. They're far from sentient, but they know their homes and they know they're meant to be there.

Things rarely go as planned, however, and these power orbs are eager to get into anybody, or any body, they see. Once they're free, chances are you won't make it far without taking an orb straight to the chest. Within moments, the new power is absorbed into your body and, congrats, you're now capable of super sonic hearing! Or acid spit! Or the ability to have pockets that never get full! Who knows what you might end up with.

Along with the new dose of powers comes an image of their rightful owner, something that the orbs brings along with them—a mental portrait of someone you may or may not have met before. You could do the right thing and help these wayward powers get to the right person, or you can take your new abilities for a spin and try your hand at being a god for a day.

Be careful, however, because these powers won't stick around for long. They've got a home to get to! The last thing someone needs is to try out their new flight abilities only to lose them mid-air.


AFTERMATH —

With the device in shambles, power steadily returns to the city and, though it may take some time, all superpowers end up returning to the right people. There's no clear indication of who this technology belonged to or what its original purpose was, but surely Reddit, Facebook, and Conspiracy!YouTube will be in a tizzy trying to figure it out.


IN SUMMARY...

  • Peter and Eddie stumble onto a device that wipes the city of its power and all metaheroes within it of their superhero abilities.

  • During the blackout, gangs attempt to take hold of the city.

  • Those who leave the city will not regain their powers, but those who enter the city will lose them. Eddie and Peter will also be asking for help from any mech-heads, scientists, tech specialists, and anyone else who might know how to turn off the machine.

  • When the machine is destroyed, powers don't immediately go to their rightful owner. Characters might cycle through as many as ten different powers before their rightful abilities are returned to them.

  • Ask any questions here!


helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-07-26 10:25 pm (UTC)(link)
"You know a better time?" David asked, even as he tried to straighten himself. Damn, Balthier is just... so much more composed right now than David managed. This was just a mess.

"Yeah, that's... a very good point," he sighs, trying to focus on being useful rather than accepting his own needs in the moment.
portolan: (Default)

[personal profile] portolan 2022-07-26 11:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"It wasn't a complaint," Balthier corrects. And later, when they have a moment to think, it will mean a lot that David reacted even in the midst of all this.

They're in a feedback loop, though, because Balthier would gladly see to the other's needs first, but his own tendency to keep coolheaded in a crisis and David's efforts in the city as opposed to retreating with Balthier have him thinking the other doesn't want that.

Maybe for the best, because a moment later a bolt of lightning rakes past them, singeing the air. Balthier instinctively slides into a defensive stance in front of David, gun poised as he looks for the assailant. That shouldn't be happening; there hasn't been any magic in days.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-07-27 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
It isn't? Well, David will just work with it then. And work with the smell of ozone he was flinching away from. He'd known enough electrokinetics to wince at something that close.

"That doesn't seem likely," he observes to Balthier. "Something's up."
portolan: (Default)

[personal profile] portolan 2022-07-27 05:01 am (UTC)(link)
Was the magic back? The ache he'd felt when his first left had subsided days ago, but he knew others felt it more acutely.

Worth a try. He pulls where there ought to be magic, trying to cast a fire illusion.

Flame jumps out ahead of him. But it's a bright yellow, and something about it feels...different.

"Something is definitely amiss," Balthier agrees. "Are your powers working?" He reaches for the syphoning, attempting to throw a bit of his headache off. Nothing.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-07-27 05:17 am (UTC)(link)
"I've been without them since the powers went out."

When Laurie had done her best to keep him sane. But the flames arrive he looks... shocked. They look... familiar.

"Balthier, what... can you do that again?"
portolan: (Default)

[personal profile] portolan 2022-07-27 03:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Gods, no wonder David kept so busy, if he'd lost them immediately. Balthier understands that coping mechanism.

But his question catches Balthier. His eyes are still searching for their assailant, but he complies, throwing fire again. That same monochrome shade of yellow. David's shade of yellow. Come to think of it, it's not going as far as he's used to. And it feels...different. Not like he's manipulating what others perceive, like he's actually conjuring something.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-07-28 04:51 am (UTC)(link)
Definitely David's shade of yellow. He would know it anywhere. David stepped closer to his boyfriend, hand on his shoulder.

"An illusion. Try and make one of your illusions. Make it small. In your hand. An apple or something."
portolan: (Default)

[personal profile] portolan 2022-07-29 04:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Balthier's thoughts are starting to mimic David's. He hasn't seen the energy projections all that often, but he's aware--

He tries making an illusion, opting for a tea cup because he's more familiar than an apple. It won't take on color, and it feels...solid. He can get himself to feel the edges of his illusions, but there's always a lot of effort involved and his mind knows it's a trick.

"Well I think we know what the orbs are," he says, eyes going up again to the flock of them above. What a mess.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Sad Panda (Frown))

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-07-29 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
David reaches out to touch the 'illusion' and he curses.

"I guess we found the stray powers. Is that all you can feel of mine?"
portolan: (Default)

[personal profile] portolan 2022-08-02 06:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, if they can't have their own back, there are worse things than swapping.

Except Balthier knows how hard it is for David to be without his others, and how hard they can be to manage. He shakes his head. "I don't feel anything else, and I certainly am not getting any input from touch."
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-08-03 01:21 am (UTC)(link)
Truly there are. David has a vague concept of what Balthier can do. Though no amount of trying to envision and cast out an illusion was working for him.

"You're lucky that. Without the training to build mental shields, you'd probably be suffering. I'd probably need to knock you out."
portolan: (Default)

[personal profile] portolan 2022-08-03 05:06 am (UTC)(link)
His illusions are as much willpower and creativity as anything else; he hardly appreciates how much goes into them.

“That may be the most violent thing you’ve ever said to me,” Balthier teases gently. But he remembers how miserable the migraine he syphoned was.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-08-03 06:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"Trust me when I say it would be for your own good. I'm not an Arrow or a proper Telepath. I can't gift you shields to protect you until you learn your own."

Because that wasn't who he was and he could not gift the safety.
portolan: (Default)

[personal profile] portolan 2022-08-03 11:41 pm (UTC)(link)
There's a sizzle in the air again, farther away but still close enough for the smell to fill the area, and Balthier knows this isn't the time or place, but the thought that something could happen while their powers were gone, that maybe they wouldn't see each other again--

He cups David's face, gaze too intense. "I always trust you."
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-08-05 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
Well, there's that.

"Thanks. We, uh, need to figure out how to fix this. And get people out of the streets if we can. Any thoughts on that?"

Because he can't be Prodigy right now.
portolan: (Default)

[personal profile] portolan 2022-08-08 03:22 am (UTC)(link)
David's right, and some part of him resents it, wants to just go back to being someone that doesn't care about impossible tasks and trying to help endless masses. But it's not who he is. And he'd hate himself if he didn't try.

And he knows it matters to David.

There's no electricity, no air conditioning, the city is already in a state of panic -- he's not even sure where to send people.

"Were you sending people anywhere before?" If there's already something set up, that's still the best place to funnel them.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-08-08 09:47 pm (UTC)(link)
The question, of course, is when has Balthier ever been someone who doesn't care about helping the masses? Wasn't that what he'd been doing in his own world before he'd even met David?

"I helped set up a few shelters. We're doing our best to help people."
portolan: (913)

[personal profile] portolan 2022-08-09 06:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, well, he still hasn't quite internalized that opinion of himself. For someone so intelligent, he's extremely dense on this topic.

"Room enough to encourage them there now? Alternatively, perhaps one of the big sports stadiums downtown?"
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-08-11 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)
"We can definitely take some more people here, but not as many. I don't know if one of the stadiums is set up, but it sounds possible. Otto said there's another one in the lobby of my building."

Which just went to show how rarely David had been home.
portolan: (Default)

[personal profile] portolan 2022-08-11 07:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's something," Balthier says. He doesn't miss how hard David's been working. When this is settled -- and it will settle down, it's just a matter of how long -- he'll make sure the other takes a real rest.

"What happens if you try to make one of your energy manifestations?" Because if David has some kind of power, that may make this easier.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-08-12 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
Rest? After the trauma of this? Brave assumption. Very brave assumption. That said he's got a distraction, so he tries it, putting his hand out. He calls for the power, imagines what he wants. And...

Nope. Nothing. He sighs. He's so tired. He's just... God he wished this headache was gone.

And then it was. Gone away to somewhere, someone else.
portolan: (Default)

[personal profile] portolan 2022-08-12 06:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Brave assumption? No. Iron willpower, an aggressive belief knowledge that if he holds hard enough to the thing he wants, he can manifest it, one way or another.

He watches as David tries to summon whatever power he may have, but the sigh tells him it's not much.

"Well we've still both got our excellent minds -- that's more than enough. Let's start down this way."
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-08-13 05:29 am (UTC)(link)
"Alright," David agreed, moving with Balthier. "Maybe I got someone else's power entirely."

If those orbs of light were even powers.
portolan: (Default)

[personal profile] portolan 2022-08-13 04:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"Find something?" Balthier hadn't seen any use of power, but that wasn't to say it hadn't happened. The manifestations of power here were near endless.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-08-14 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
"I don't know. I feel like... my headache is letting up? Maybe I got Josh?"

God, Josh without powers would be bad. He winced.

"Let's pray not."

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