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CONFLUENCE 04
Who: All everybody
What: A Confluence strikes!
When: March 27, 2022
Where: Sunset Falls
Content Warnings: Comic book violence, ghosts and demons.
01. SPRING THAW
02. SUMMER SWELTER
What: A Confluence strikes!
When: March 27, 2022
Where: Sunset Falls
Content Warnings: Comic book violence, ghosts and demons.
CONFLUENCE
Weird things happen in Sunset Falls.
This is a given. The residents of the town have never known a time where the paper didn't feature a mysterious occult murder as a headline, or a student wasn't being outed for using a little mystical enhancement to boost their athletic prowess.
So when the Alliance arrives, stating that residents must vacate the area as quickly as possible, nearly every person grabs a go-bag and gets the hell out of dodge. If something is big enough to earn the capes' attention, then it's surely not worth risking life and limb to find out if they're bluffing.
Guild members receive an emergency bulletin telling them to teleport to Sunset Falls at their earliest convenience. The notice warns them to prepare themselves, grimly remarking that if Confluences have been bad in the other cities then they will be a complete and utter nightmare in Sunset Falls.
This time, however, there is no great fall to kick things off.
New arrivals come into awareness seconds before they make impact - but this time, they're flying up and through the floorboards of Sunset Falls' high school gymnasium. The ground underneath flickers an ominous purple, a lingering gaze may feel the void gazing back in confusion... and then there's a burst of burning wind. Something rushes out of the void as it closes, leaving you to crash back down to the ground. There’s nothing left but broken shards of gym flooring scattered around you…and the lingering touch of something angry and malicious being freed.
Exiting the gym brings you directly into the main lobby. You can see people standing outside the doors, seemingly unaware of what has transpired behind them. Suddenly, there's a rush of wind and energy behind you, making a mad dash for the doors. They swing open hard enough to crack the windows, and then all is suddenly quiet.
This is a given. The residents of the town have never known a time where the paper didn't feature a mysterious occult murder as a headline, or a student wasn't being outed for using a little mystical enhancement to boost their athletic prowess.
So when the Alliance arrives, stating that residents must vacate the area as quickly as possible, nearly every person grabs a go-bag and gets the hell out of dodge. If something is big enough to earn the capes' attention, then it's surely not worth risking life and limb to find out if they're bluffing.
Guild members receive an emergency bulletin telling them to teleport to Sunset Falls at their earliest convenience. The notice warns them to prepare themselves, grimly remarking that if Confluences have been bad in the other cities then they will be a complete and utter nightmare in Sunset Falls.
This time, however, there is no great fall to kick things off.
New arrivals come into awareness seconds before they make impact - but this time, they're flying up and through the floorboards of Sunset Falls' high school gymnasium. The ground underneath flickers an ominous purple, a lingering gaze may feel the void gazing back in confusion... and then there's a burst of burning wind. Something rushes out of the void as it closes, leaving you to crash back down to the ground. There’s nothing left but broken shards of gym flooring scattered around you…and the lingering touch of something angry and malicious being freed.
Exiting the gym brings you directly into the main lobby. You can see people standing outside the doors, seemingly unaware of what has transpired behind them. Suddenly, there's a rush of wind and energy behind you, making a mad dash for the doors. They swing open hard enough to crack the windows, and then all is suddenly quiet.
01. SPRING THAW
Spring thaw has come swiftly this year. In the span of a few moments the temperature has gone from frigid to a balmy summer day, and only continues to rise.
As the disoriented new arrivals step outside, they find themselves standing in what could be a sweltering summer day. The heroes standing guard jolt in alarm as the doors behind them swing open. Air rushes out, a blast of frigidity that's a relief in the suddenly sweltering night. They turn, and spy the new arrivals. It seems like they’re almost - though certainly not quite - as confused as the rest of you. The recent Confluences have all happened with a bit more fanfare than this.
But the night is only getting hotter. If that’s the end of it, no one’s going to complain. And it must be over now, right? The citizens of Sunset Falls have already started to return, vague figures in the distance trickling out of alleyways and from behind buildings. Fantastic, the squad leader on this expedition, attempts to radio back to headquarters with this news - only to drop the communicator when it begins to wail in unearthly woe.
The people gathering around the school are getting closer. One by one they step into the streets, into the halogen glow of the streetlamps, and...
Something seems a little... off about them. Their eyes are distant and they appear to shimmer slightly in the dim light. Heroes and villains alike pause and glance between each other, a confused murmur breaking out as some recognize certain faces amongst the crowd. Some of the heroes born in this world shout out names in elation; others shrink back as they spy a less friendly face amongst the ghoulish collection.
The metas closest to the doors — Fantastic of the Guardian Alliance and Chaos Gate of the Society — take a few steps back. They're not naive enough to believe this is a good sign. Fantastic gestures for the new arrivals to get back inside the school and shut the doors. Chaos Gate extends a hand to summon her staff and gives a merry shout: everyone should prepare for a mess! This is a horde of ghosts, and they probably aren't that friendly.
Some of the apparitions appear to be wearing costumes that belong to decades past: spandex and capes in bright neon colors and embroidered with psychedelic shapes. Others simply look human, wearing civilian clothing marked with arcane symbols.
Either way, they're metahumans, to be sure - all of them know how to use their powers, and they’re looking to use them on all of you. Former hero or former villain, it doesn’t seem to matter. None of them seem to entirely register who or what it is they’re fighting; they won’t respond to attempts to talk them down, even from those guild members they used to know. They’re just attacking, lashing out with something like desperation. If you want to get through this, you’re going to have to fight back.
Spectral though they are, striking one of the ghosts feels like hitting someone of flesh and blood. But the more damaged they are, the less human they look. They begin to crumble and decay, looking less like living people and more like ghouls the more they’re beaten down. When they’re finally defeated, they burst in an explosion of unknowable spiritual energy…and also ectoplasm. Slimy!
As the disoriented new arrivals step outside, they find themselves standing in what could be a sweltering summer day. The heroes standing guard jolt in alarm as the doors behind them swing open. Air rushes out, a blast of frigidity that's a relief in the suddenly sweltering night. They turn, and spy the new arrivals. It seems like they’re almost - though certainly not quite - as confused as the rest of you. The recent Confluences have all happened with a bit more fanfare than this.
But the night is only getting hotter. If that’s the end of it, no one’s going to complain. And it must be over now, right? The citizens of Sunset Falls have already started to return, vague figures in the distance trickling out of alleyways and from behind buildings. Fantastic, the squad leader on this expedition, attempts to radio back to headquarters with this news - only to drop the communicator when it begins to wail in unearthly woe.
The people gathering around the school are getting closer. One by one they step into the streets, into the halogen glow of the streetlamps, and...
Something seems a little... off about them. Their eyes are distant and they appear to shimmer slightly in the dim light. Heroes and villains alike pause and glance between each other, a confused murmur breaking out as some recognize certain faces amongst the crowd. Some of the heroes born in this world shout out names in elation; others shrink back as they spy a less friendly face amongst the ghoulish collection.
The metas closest to the doors — Fantastic of the Guardian Alliance and Chaos Gate of the Society — take a few steps back. They're not naive enough to believe this is a good sign. Fantastic gestures for the new arrivals to get back inside the school and shut the doors. Chaos Gate extends a hand to summon her staff and gives a merry shout: everyone should prepare for a mess! This is a horde of ghosts, and they probably aren't that friendly.
Some of the apparitions appear to be wearing costumes that belong to decades past: spandex and capes in bright neon colors and embroidered with psychedelic shapes. Others simply look human, wearing civilian clothing marked with arcane symbols.
Either way, they're metahumans, to be sure - all of them know how to use their powers, and they’re looking to use them on all of you. Former hero or former villain, it doesn’t seem to matter. None of them seem to entirely register who or what it is they’re fighting; they won’t respond to attempts to talk them down, even from those guild members they used to know. They’re just attacking, lashing out with something like desperation. If you want to get through this, you’re going to have to fight back.
Spectral though they are, striking one of the ghosts feels like hitting someone of flesh and blood. But the more damaged they are, the less human they look. They begin to crumble and decay, looking less like living people and more like ghouls the more they’re beaten down. When they’re finally defeated, they burst in an explosion of unknowable spiritual energy…and also ectoplasm. Slimy!
02. SUMMER SWELTER
Should new arrivals, or metas who came along to help with the Confluence, break free of the throng of ghosts and flee into Sunset Falls, they won’t find themselves entirely safe. The ghosts won’t pursue, but they aren’t the only thing that slipped through the cracks in reality tonight.
The farther you get from the school and its host of the dead, the hotter it gets. The heat is oppressive; a shimmering haze rises over the pavement, and all the various birds and bugs of the evening have gone utterly silent.
The first sign is a pressure in your lungs, the air growing scalding to breathe. Then, without warning, pieces of your surroundings begin to spontaneously ignite. The roofs of the dark and vacant houses start to smoke; power lines burst and shower sparks and bits of melted wire and plastic. At the epicenter of the inferno, you can see a luminous shape shimmering through the air: a fire elemental.
It needs to be put out before it incinerates everything! You won't be able to rely on punching or regular fighting here - fittingly for a creature born of Sunset Falls, you'll have to rely on a more creative use of powers, and maybe some magic.
For each event with a clear antagonistic NPC force — such as the Vlog Squad, in the February arrival — interested players can pitch their characters' encounters with those NPCs. Whether characters are heroic and suited to the role or not, the aim is the group effort of pitching in, so we highly encourage collaborating on these encounters. Once enough NPC encounters have been submitted, we'll determine if and how the trouble has been addressed, and select one of those encounters to be the final, conclusive one in the game. Everyone else's encounters will also have taken place, but may have been temporary stopgaps in addressing the conflict rather than a conclusive blow. For this Confluence, we are asking that submissions be finalized by 3/5.
How it works:
03. SAFE AND SOUND
04. PACTS FORGED AND BROKEN
SUMMARY
The farther you get from the school and its host of the dead, the hotter it gets. The heat is oppressive; a shimmering haze rises over the pavement, and all the various birds and bugs of the evening have gone utterly silent.
The first sign is a pressure in your lungs, the air growing scalding to breathe. Then, without warning, pieces of your surroundings begin to spontaneously ignite. The roofs of the dark and vacant houses start to smoke; power lines burst and shower sparks and bits of melted wire and plastic. At the epicenter of the inferno, you can see a luminous shape shimmering through the air: a fire elemental.
It needs to be put out before it incinerates everything! You won't be able to rely on punching or regular fighting here - fittingly for a creature born of Sunset Falls, you'll have to rely on a more creative use of powers, and maybe some magic.
For each event with a clear antagonistic NPC force — such as the Vlog Squad, in the February arrival — interested players can pitch their characters' encounters with those NPCs. Whether characters are heroic and suited to the role or not, the aim is the group effort of pitching in, so we highly encourage collaborating on these encounters. Once enough NPC encounters have been submitted, we'll determine if and how the trouble has been addressed, and select one of those encounters to be the final, conclusive one in the game. Everyone else's encounters will also have taken place, but may have been temporary stopgaps in addressing the conflict rather than a conclusive blow. For this Confluence, we are asking that submissions be finalized by 3/5.
How it works:
- Reply to the relevant top-level comment with an encounter and/or questions about the encounter. The mods are happy to go back and forth with before locking in exactly what a character or group of characters does. Any conversations between characters and NPCs will most likely be happening prior to combat unless specified by the players.
- The mods ask that players present two options. In one version, the character or group of characters kills, immobilizes, or otherwise apprehend the villain(s). In the other version, one way or another, the villain escapes or overcomes the character or group of characters. Players who wish to have a specific spot in the timeline (near to the beginning or near to the end) should make this request explicit, and the mods will make efforts to accommodate this.
- The mods will RNG the results for the final encounter. For all other submissions, the escape/overcome option is selected. Open calls for collaboration which result in multiple player characters contributing to an idea or solution (see: Kamala Khan's solution to the Cerberus fight) have a much higher chance of being the final encounter, as we want to reward player collaboration and innovation. Please be sure that after everyone has weighed in you return to the top-level comment to report exactly what is happening and who is doing what.
- The mods will reply to player submissions with a brief outline of how all of the run-ins go, whether it's a fight or a slapstick series of hilarious accidents that involves the character(s).
Request NPC encounters using the following form —
EXAMPLE—
Character(s) involved: The Iron Giant and Hank Hill
Details of the encounter: Hank will ride in Iron Giant's hand as they search the city for the Vlog Squad, eventually spotting them in a public park. They land explosively in the middle, throwing all of the squad off of their feet while the Iron Giant sends out a signal to scramble their livestreams and begins trying to catch the offenders up in both hands. Hank will try to tackle at least one of them.
How might the villain escape or overcome the player character(s)? Playlist slow motions Iron Giant and they easily duck its grasp, and Filter leaves Hank floating upside down as they make their escape.
How would the player character(s) kill, immobilize, or apprehend the villain? Iron Giant grabs Playlist before she can slow it, then picks up and captures all but Emoji; Hank throws a branch and beans that guy right in the head. Iron Giant gathers him up too, and they turn them in to the first batch of emergency responders they find.
EXAMPLE—
Character(s) involved: The Iron Giant and Hank Hill
Details of the encounter: Hank will ride in Iron Giant's hand as they search the city for the Vlog Squad, eventually spotting them in a public park. They land explosively in the middle, throwing all of the squad off of their feet while the Iron Giant sends out a signal to scramble their livestreams and begins trying to catch the offenders up in both hands. Hank will try to tackle at least one of them.
How might the villain escape or overcome the player character(s)? Playlist slow motions Iron Giant and they easily duck its grasp, and Filter leaves Hank floating upside down as they make their escape.
How would the player character(s) kill, immobilize, or apprehend the villain? Iron Giant grabs Playlist before she can slow it, then picks up and captures all but Emoji; Hank throws a branch and beans that guy right in the head. Iron Giant gathers him up too, and they turn them in to the first batch of emergency responders they find.
03. SAFE AND SOUND
The foes finally vanquished, Fantastic - covered in ectoplasm, scorched, and thoroughly pissed - shouts that he's radioing back to HQ. If anyone doesn't want the ride back, they have five minutes to get out of his sight. The new arrivals have less of a choice in the matter as he's not bothering to clarify what "a ride" means. He simply slams the button on the communicator and barks into it that they've handled things and are ready to go. With a rush of arcane power, those who haven’t vacated the area find themselves somewhere else.
The gymnasium has been foregone in favor of a more permanent arrival space. Powers are still dampened here, but not turned off entirely. Anyone displaying intentions to harm others in the space is met with a swift time-out. Fantastic can be approached for conversation, although he doesn’t seem terribly interested in offering any actual assistance.
The guilds check over new arrivals, and once given a clean bill of health, a hot meal and the option to take a nap in a secured space, they are shuffled off into the Diadem Hotel. Recruiters from both the Society and the Alliance approach in the hotel lobby, each pitching an offer to join their respective side.
The gymnasium has been foregone in favor of a more permanent arrival space. Powers are still dampened here, but not turned off entirely. Anyone displaying intentions to harm others in the space is met with a swift time-out. Fantastic can be approached for conversation, although he doesn’t seem terribly interested in offering any actual assistance.
The guilds check over new arrivals, and once given a clean bill of health, a hot meal and the option to take a nap in a secured space, they are shuffled off into the Diadem Hotel. Recruiters from both the Society and the Alliance approach in the hotel lobby, each pitching an offer to join their respective side.
04. PACTS FORGED AND BROKEN
Evil is a very real presence in Sunset Falls, lurking in the shadows and waiting to manifest in the hearts of men. The more angry and down on their luck a person is, the easier it is to sway them to make things just a little easier on themselves.
The new arrivals have escaped and made their way to Central City, seemingly safe for the time being. But not everything that slipped free from that strange void was a human spirit. It seems that something may have followed you home.
It begins with the sound of whispering. Your deepest desires, your greatest fears: this voice knows them all. It waits until you're alone, or in a moment of desperation against a foe far stronger than yourself, and then it begins to beckon.
The demon will offer pacts, offering their greatest wish in exchange for but a shard of their soul. Power, money, fame - all of it can be yours if you're willing to offer succor for this starving creature who only wants to make your dreams come true. He's got a compelling voice and you may find yourself inclined to agree, offering what he asks. How could you ever refuse such a deal?
Agreeing will result in a sharp pain somewhere indescribable, as if your very existence is being splintered. For but a split second you're incomplete - and then something slips inside the crack that is left in its wake. Each pact made seems to make the world just a little worse - Sunset Falls and Central City in particular seem to have increased amounts of bad luck, as if it’s following the new metas around.
One does not make a deal with a demon lightly. Please report any pacts made here.
The new arrivals have escaped and made their way to Central City, seemingly safe for the time being. But not everything that slipped free from that strange void was a human spirit. It seems that something may have followed you home.
It begins with the sound of whispering. Your deepest desires, your greatest fears: this voice knows them all. It waits until you're alone, or in a moment of desperation against a foe far stronger than yourself, and then it begins to beckon.
The demon will offer pacts, offering their greatest wish in exchange for but a shard of their soul. Power, money, fame - all of it can be yours if you're willing to offer succor for this starving creature who only wants to make your dreams come true. He's got a compelling voice and you may find yourself inclined to agree, offering what he asks. How could you ever refuse such a deal?
Agreeing will result in a sharp pain somewhere indescribable, as if your very existence is being splintered. For but a split second you're incomplete - and then something slips inside the crack that is left in its wake. Each pact made seems to make the world just a little worse - Sunset Falls and Central City in particular seem to have increased amounts of bad luck, as if it’s following the new metas around.
One does not make a deal with a demon lightly. Please report any pacts made here.
SUMMARY
- New arrivals will be erupting through the floor of Sunset Falls High’s gymnasium. After the fighting ends, they are brought to the Guardian Alliance HQ. Older characters are given the option to teleport with them or can make their own way home.
- The breech has also set free a number of souls who were laying dormant. These souls manifest in the streets and will attack player characters. They appear confused and disoriented but cannot be talked down.
- A fire elemental has also manifested. Player characters will need to work together to put the fire out. Players are encouraged to use the OOC comm to coordinate, and can report their attempts here to find out how they’ll play out.
- A demon has tagged along. He will tempt people into forging a pact with him, granting them a wish in exchange for a fragment of their soul. This is a player plot opportunity and the consequences of this are not immediate. Please reply here if your character strikes a deal with this demon.
no subject
[He says, with what's probably an inappropriate amount of surprise. Otto knew from the second he found out about his own counterpart - counterparts, now - that Norman probably had similar troubles coming, but this is the first real confirmation of that. It isn't important in this moment, though. He'll talk to Norman about it tonight, assuming he can get back to the hotel by a reasonable hour.
The arm retracts quietly when Spidey pushes it away. It's already done its job. Otto raises his eyebrows, giving the boy one last once-over before sliding his glasses back on. That seems like an alarming amount of blood even for Spider-Man. He knows they generally have an advanced healing factor, but he also knows better than most people that there's limits. This kid doesn't need to be out here fighting ghosts.]
Right. [He looks around for a moment, figuring out what their options are.] Why don't we get you back inside the school? There's a lot of folks out here, you know, you don't have to fight every monster.
no subject
He does wince a little to himself before glancing back in the direction of the school. However complicated his feelings about the good doctor, this... does not seem to be the Otto he knows from home. Maybe he can trust him. His spider-sense doesn't seem to be going off, at least. And he does make a good point about staying out of the fight. He's still badly hurt from the events back home, and honestly his head hurts a little just trying to reconcile his memories with the fact that he's somehow standing here. A break would not be such a bad thing.
...Except.]
No-- No, I can't just sit here. [And Spidey promptly starts struggling back to his feet, using the car as an aide.] I have... no idea what's going on, but people could need help out here.
no subject
I don't know what these are about - [gesturing to the ghosts generally] - but this is a Confluence. It's an event that drags people here from throughout the multiverse.
[He's honestly just hoping that talking will help delay Spider-Man from running off to rejoin the fray. If the boy pushes it, Otto will probably have to let him; he's not going to physically stop him. But honestly - he shoots him a Look over his glasses.]
You can barely stand. If anybody here needs help, it's you.
no subject
No no, I'm fine- [He's got a hand over the webbed-up hole in his side and he's definitely starting to struggle to breathe through his mask, but sure, everything is fine here.] - I just, y'know, need a sec.
[Spidey tries for a deep breath, using that moment to look this Otto up and down again. He's definitely not the one he knows from home, but those arms sure are identifiable.]
..So- So I heard it from someone else, but... Multiverse. The multiverse is real, huh?
no subject
[He smiles at that; the reaction's familiar, at least, from another Peter and any number of others. Otto himself had been a little too monomaniacal, when he first realized what had happened to him, but it hit even him eventually.]
There's quite a few alternate versions of you here already. You make the fifth Spider-Man I've met in total -
[Otto doesn't turn, but he does shift his stance so as not to lose his balance while a tentacle strikes out at a ghost who's wandering too close, snatching it up and flinging it off over the crowd again. Not right now!]
- which is how I know that your healing factor doesn't work that fast.
ngl i'm super tempted to make peter pass out :D
[He has to boggle at that, and if he staggers a little on his feet it's because of the shock and certainly not because he's pushing himself well past his physical limit. Definitely the shock.]
That's-- I mean, it makes some sense, if the multiverse is real then that means there are an infinite number of universes that have a Spider-Man, maybe even multiple, that- that's super obvious, but the odds of- of that converging in a single spot is... is...
[It makes his head spin, honestly. He has to stop himself from rambling further, because he's clearly left Doc Ock to handle more incoming ghosties on his own. That just seems like bad form. Especially since... Well, Spider-Man is supposed to be the hero here, right?]
Uh, look, it's really sweet that you're looking out for me... I'll get you flowers for it later, promise. But I should... We should probably keep moving.
lol do it
[He sounds a bit regretful about that. There was a lot to be said there, and he didn't really get a chance for most of it. But at least they parted on better terms.
As to the rest...Peter's called his bluff. Otto fairly radiates disapproval, but he sighs and relents.]
Fine, if you must. But stay close - I won't have you getting beaten up by a bunch of ghosts.
teeheehee <3
It's a thought for later. Spidey pushes that to the back of his mind.
Here and now, they do need to keep moving. His breathing seems to be evening out, which should be a good thing (right?), and his pulse isn't in his ears so this is good. Super good. Right?]
Mm... Yeah, I'm... I'm right behind ya, doc.
[And as he pushes off the car and takes a step forward, the ground suddenly seems to lurch up and smack him in the face. Or... the opposite of that, actually. Whatever adrenaline was keeping Spidey upright seems to have run out for the moment, having perhaps taken too long of a break, and that means he's just kind of crumpled to the ground at Otto's feet.
Oops.]
no subject
...shit.
[Okay! Spider-Man loses his voting privileges; they are doing Otto's plan! He doesn't want to end up fighting ghosts while trying to protect an unconscious kid - plus, him holding a bloodied Spider-Man in his claws? If certain people see that, the ghosts are going to be the least of his problems. He coils that actuator around Spider-Man's body, the better to support him, and then picks himself up as well and books it for the school.
The high school is at the center of this whole mess, with a line of metas between it and the onslaught of ghosts. All of that means that it's been left pretty much empty. Otto ducks carefully through the shattered glass doors, mindful not to whack Spider-Man on anything. There's something like deja-vu here; he thinks, when he kidnapped Peter that time, that he wasn't very careful with him. But he pushes that thought out of his mind. Best to focus on the matter at hand. He takes them both into the first room he sees, presumably the front office. The nurse's office might be better, but Otto doesn't know for sure that there even is one, and doesn't fancy running all over searching.
There's a couch in the waiting area. He lays Spider-Man down on that, shoves a desk in front of the door with a spare tentacle - can the ghosts walk through doors? Hopefully not - and then rather painfully crouches down by the kid's side. Alright, what are we looking at here?]
no subject
Once he's been laid down to be examined... Well, the damage done to him is pretty intense. The most obvious injury is the gunshot that went clear through his lower left side, possibly from an armor-piercing round based on the size of the hole. There are some remnants of his webbing around it, having used that as a makeshift bandage, but it hasn't actually helped much. Fortunately it seems to have healed (or it got healed) to a point where it's no longer fatal or infected, but the way the Spider-Man costume is soaked around it indicates he's already lost a lot of blood. Probably more than anything else, this is what's hurting him the most. This is what ultimately killed him.
If Otto manages to pull the top portion of the outfit up, he'll be greeted with all manner of colorful cuts and bruises. They're not too atypical of the usual supervillain run-in, but it does still look a bit like he got hit with a massive 18-wheeler truck. There's a particularly colorful blotch around the base of his neck, having been thrown back and landing poorly around that area, but if his neck had been broken it's clearly somehow been healed by now. He probably has some broken ribs under there as well, or at the very least some bruised ones. There are some nasty burns all over the place, mostly down his backside, either from getting hit with electricity or surviving explosions from close up.
If Otto removes his mask he'll see that this Peter is young. Just turned sixteen and still has some babyface, which currently has some smears of dried blood around his nose and mouth. Some examination of his head will find some bruising there as well, and he probably has a mild concussion or something, but miraculously nothing up there is open and bleeding.]
no subject
He does, however, pull the costume up and away from the gunshot wound. There's an ugly squelching sound as bloodsoaked fabric peels away from skin; Otto winces, grateful that he's already wearing gloves. The lights in the room are off, so a claw plucks his sunglasses off his face to grant him a better look.]
Oh, you need a real medic.
[Is this a bullet wound? Does that version of the Goblin just run around with a Glock?
Otto is decidedly not the right sort of doctor for this. But he's treated some pretty nasty injuries of his own. He'll do what he can here, and get the kid to a medic once the fighting's over.
He starts to remove the lingering traces of webbing from the area. Meanwhile, two of the actuators slither off to explore the office. After a few moments, one turns up a first aid kit! It's clearly meant for more common schoolyard injuries, but there's some gauze and a roll of bandages. Some sort of antiseptic spray. Can Spider-Man get an infection? Well, he's not taking chances.]
This might hurt.
[Obviously Spider-Man's unconscious. Otto's talking anyway; it just feels better than working in silence. He'll use the spray, which hopefully doesn't burn too much, and then lift the kid up with a claw to the back to apply gauze to both the entry and exit wound and start binding it up with the bandages. Times like this are when he's actually grateful to have as many limbs as he does; this would be a pain with only his two hands.
This angle gives him a better look at those burns. Otto frowns - he knows electrical burns at a glance. He hopes the kid doesn't end up scarring like he has.]
no subject
But that's neither here nor there.
The spray does make him wince and groan at the sting, mumble out something that's either an actual curse or a yiddish one but incomprehensible either way. It's almost enough to wake him, and it probably would if it had taken too long, but it settles quickly enough and he's back to being knocked out. All in all, Otto is pretty much providing exactly the kind of care he needs at the moment to keep him nice and stable. At some point it would be best to get the little Spider to a real hospital to check on his ribs, maybe stitch the hole in his side together... But that's for later.
It's a few more minutes before Spidey actually starts to wake up. If Otto is still fussing over him then, he's just going to stare at him for a little while in silence, completely stunned.]
no subject
Otto glances up at Peter, just for a moment, then returns his focus to his work. The staring makes him a little uneasy.]
Do you have any idea how nasty these are if they get infected? Not to mention the literal bullet hole. [His voice is quiet, but it definitely feels like a little bit of a lecture.] There's a fine line between bravery and recklessness.
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He sucks in a breath through his teeth while the spray sets in, fingers curling into his palms just for want of gripping something. He doesn't want to damage anything that can't withstand his grip... Even though the school is pretty much destroyed already. It's the principle of the thing.]
The-- The bullet hole couldn't be helped. [Someone needed saving.] But- But thanks for the pep talk.
[He'll stop staring, too. He instead turns his attention to... everything else, really. Like the fact that one of Otto's arms seems to be broken. Or that his mask is still on his face and what an honest to goodness relief that is.]
...Can I ask you a question?
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[He doesn't mean to scold the kid for getting hurt. Just - he didn't have to jump right back into another fight immediately afterwards! It was under control! Still, Otto purses his lips and lets it go.]
Ask away. [He notes the harsh breath, and a third actuator rummages through the first-aid kit again. It's the damaged one; he reattached the claw, but the line of soldered metal where it was severed is still plain to see. Functionality isn't quite up to par with the others anymore, but it's enough to be getting on with.] All we have here is aspirin - do you want it?
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The medicine offer distracts him from his question for a second, causing him to do a double take when the aspirin gets offered to him by that broken arm. Usually when Doc Ock's actuators are active and moving around him like this, his spider-sense alerts him to it. They've never been so... non-threatening to him before.]
Oh, uh-- Yes please to aspirin. [And then he clears his throat a little, shaking his head. Back to business!] But uh, yeah, not that I'm complaining or anything, but you-- And also no offense here, but you are very... Not crazy. Which is great! Just-- Uh. Whyyyy... are you being so nice to me..?
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Otto had sort of expected this question. He mulls it over a moment longer anyway. This isn't a story he's had to tell before. Others have probably wondered why he's not the monster they're familiar with, but none have asked. His voice, when he speaks, is clipped and deliberately unemotional]
I don't know if any of this would sound familiar to you, but...the accident I had, the one that did this. [He gestures vaguely with an actuator.] It fried the chip that was meant to prevent their AI from infecting my own mind. That was why I...went crazy, as you put it.
[And maybe there was more to it than that. He listened to them; he made his choices. But, then again, his instinct was certainly not to rebuild.]
Spider-Man - one from another universe - was able to contain me and repair it. I owe him my sanity and my life.
[That's not the only reason. At least, Otto likes to think that he'd have wanted to help anyway, had he somehow gotten tangled up with superhero business before the accident. But Spider-Man had been nothing more than a name in the papers back then, and now he knows him. More than one, even. Of course he has to help.]
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...Okay. [He nods, finally actually gulping down the aspirin he'd been handed. They'd gone forgotten for a second there.] Okay, I believe you. And I'm really super glad you're not crazy anymore.
[It's also just nice to hear that somewhere out there, Spider-Man (even if it wasn't him) was able to help Doc Ock in a way that didn't involve having to lock him up first.]
Thanks, by the way. For- [He gestures at the bandages and the first aid kit.] For all this.
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[Those burns are as clean as they'll get. There's a moment of quiet as Otto sits back on his heels and goes for the gauze again. It's a relief to be believed. Even at his worst, he wasn't one for a long con. It's not in his own nature, and the actuators are straightforward to a fault. The way people talk about the other Ottos, though, he wouldn't have been surprised if Peter thought it was some kind of ruse.]
...may I ask you a question?
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[Which is to say... Maybe he will, maybe he won't. Who knows!]
[Spidey spends that moment of quiet examining all the fresh bandages. This feels good enough to him, if he's honest. How would he even go to the doctor? He doesn't have medical insurance. Does he not need medical insurance? How would he pay for his care? He can't bother someone else with that, that seems unfair!]
Mm. My favorite flowers are tulips. I like chocolate but not chocolate ice cream, unless it's swirled with vanilla. Don't ask why.
[Translation: Yes, go ahead and ask him anything.]
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[Not that Otto's dealt with them himself, at least not in that capacity. You can't maintain much of a secret identity with four giant robot arms. But he says it with confidence nonetheless; it had better happen.
At that other reply, he just snorts.]
I'll keep that in mind. [.....] The version of me that you know. What...is he like?
[It's the simplest way he can think to ask, when what he really wants to know is why are they all apparently just like that?]
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Otto's question has him pausing, though. And he's frowning under the mask, trying his best to organize his thoughts before speaking. Because... man, this must be really weird for him.]
He... He's a lot. He's still a super brilliant scientist and all - I mean, he worked for Norman Osborn before all that happened - but he's also always been kind of... intense? And he-- We have kind of a crazy history. He knew what happened to me, that I was Spider-Man like from the beginning, and that... I dunno. Something about that really had him and Norman gunning for me all the time.
[He pauses again, uncertain, and then shakes his head.] Sorry. I have no idea if any of that's helpful or anything. Just-- He's a lot.
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[Is he intense? Otto can get intense about his work, maybe, but he's not sure if he's intense as a person. And the rest - did they want Peter as some sort of science experiment? It sounds like the man crossed several lines even before the actuators came into play.
It honestly makes him uneasy, how commonly he seems to just...be terrible. It's something he'll think about. But that's his concern, not Peter's, so he just shakes his head.]
But it's helpful enough, don't worry. I'm just curious. I've never met a variant of myself, but people make the strangest comments.
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"Variant." [He chuckles a little at the word.] I like that. I'm using that. Did you coin that term? Can I use it? Because I like it.
And- Uh. If it helps at all, I think I prefer you to- to- [He gestures vaguely. What to call him?] To other you.
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[As to the rest...he nods. It sounds like the bar is low, but he'll take it nonetheless.]
Thanks. [.....] I'm done here, you can...pull that back down. [That costume is bloody and disgusting! But it's not like there's any other clothes around here for him to wear. Otto sits back, peeling off his bloodied gloves with the actuators to avoid getting any on his hands. Another actuator weaves away to find a front-facing window.] Looks like it's mostly calmed down out there.
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