networkinthenight | [Network - voice] @ SuprNerd- we could be heroes, just for one day

Entry tags:

[Network - voice] @ SuprNerd- we could be heroes, just for one day

[The audio starts with the sounds of rustling papers, as if Quentin is reading this from something he's written down (he is) and his voice starts out stilted.]

Hello? This is for all of you who live here in Beacon and it's about something I've thought about since the town meeting. At this meeting, there was one thing we didn't-- okay, so there were actually two things, but I want to talk about the one thing and-- shit. Sorry. There was one thing we didn't talk about, and that's the fact that several of us can do things. I've talked to some of you and-- fuck. Hi. I'm, uhm, Quentin and I'm a magician? We're from, well, Eliot and I are from the same world? Or, the same timeline? I don't know what to call it, but we came from the same place? But, yes. I'm Quentin. Hello.

And I've talked to some of you and you could do amazing things. Brilliant, magical things and that made me think that, what if there's more? What if a lot of us can do amazing things, but we just don't know because we haven't told each other yet? So I'm proposing that we talk to each other and if you're not comfortable with everyone knowing what you can do-- and I get that, I do, because back home we weren't really supposed to talk about magic either, at least not to non-magical people. But okay-- if that makes you uncomfortable, you could always just talk to me? There's a private setting to these texts or we could meet up. Or maybe some of you will want proof of magic and I can show you?

But most importantly, we can do these amazing things and that could maybe help with some of this? Right now, everyone is searching through the forest on foot and in small groups. If we find out what we can do, maybe it's possible to make teams that can search without having to put themselves in harms way? Maybe someone out there can fly? Someone who could fly out and see which way we need to go to get through? Maybe someone is telekinetic? Or, can talk to plants? Maybe one of you can warg in to some of the spirits? Maybe someone is a shapeshifter or a skinwalker-- or, god, you're getting all of this from popular fiction and now everyone has to hear about it... sorry, where was I?

Okay, so maybe if we talk to each other about this, maybe we can find a better way of exploring this place and maybe we can find a better solution to the problem of World Eaters coming for us.

Because the X-men were better when they were a team? And-- and even Frodo couldn't get the ring to Mordor without the Fellowship. So, maybe we can do something like that. Make powered teams and use this, to defend ourselves and to explore this world.

But, uh, it wouldn't be fair to expect any of you to share with me, if I'm not willing to share myself. So, if-- I can do simple wards? For our homes. To ward places like the church, which we know has been destroyed once already or maybe the Inn? I'd need someone to cast with me, but I think we can do it. Ward it from harm or put a shield spell on it, so it's safe. I can mend things, and if anyone wants help mending small objects, I'm willing to help.

I guess that's all I have to say. I hope you'll consider this and that you'll help me keep us all safe.

[indistinct and muttered] and fuck that guy for saying I couldn't. Stupid, fuck-- [click]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

And I can fly here...just not for as long or as far.

[He recalls Quentin mentioning the X-Men earlier and decides to follow that analogy.]

I guess you could say the two powers are related. You mentioned the X-men? I didn't read those comics as much, but I'd say my powers are comparable to Storm.

[No matter how many people compared his flying to Superman, it was still tied to controlling wind and not just being able to fly by...well whatever means allowed Superman to fly. He belatedly realizes that perhaps the more apt comparison would be to Thor...but somehow being a Roman demigod makes him feel a little strange comparing himself to a god that may very well exist somewhere in his reality.]

I wouldn't be on the list anyway, I'm just human, but they're not usually a good idea.

So you are not very skilled in the art. Wards might be slightly useful if the forest spirits attack again however.

There are two others here who use flame and ice, though Scorpion's hellfire is lacking in this place. His ineptness was to be expected.

The other is a cyromancer.

[Kol might hear the sound of Quentin dropping the tablet and picking it back up.]

Right. Sure, that-- that sounds nice? Company for what?

Wait.

wait, so you've done this before?

I don't-- [Speech delivered and Quentin falls in on himself a little, shoulders hunching and he looks down at the ground at his feet, panting softly. Hands that had balled themselves in to fists at his side as he stepped forward to press his point him, to hammer it at Riku to make him understand why repeating the same pattern over and over again would bring nothing but pain and resets and maybe more darkness.]

What?

[And, okay, so there was more to what Riku was saying and Quentin gets stuck on the 'even if you said please' part, like. He feels vaguely insulted and also, wants to argue the point that hey!]

What do you mean, even if I said please? That's not-- that's not a nice thing to say to people?

[Shut up, shut up, shut up!]

Nevermind, I sound like-- someone you know?

I know Darkness.

No matter how much you try to hide yourself from it, it'll find a way in.

[Oh wow, fuck you, dude and Quentin bends over the tablet]

Just because I'm not using magic to hurt people, does not make me bad at using it.

And? Is the cyromancers abilities affected?

[ These aren't even bad people. This is a clinically depressed nerd and a jock with complicated grief and the both of them are socially awkward, they're not bad they're just a little bad at this.

So no, it's not a nice thing to say.

Neither was framing Riku's admittedly hands-on demonstration of how to hook a lantern in his belt as something sexual, let alone when no permission was granted let alone solicited, and Riku feels-

Bad about it. And bad about what he just said. ]

Sora. He was always helping people. Had this way about him, he'd find a way into anyone's heart. Made people want to be... better.

[ Riku's hands have balled up again. He makes the conscious effort to loosen them. ]

Because he believed in them.

[Excuse you, but Quentin is going to have a little moment here. This guy flies? oh my god]

Uh, maybe I shouldn't have put that in there? I only watch one movie, but Hale Berry was-- uh, she was. An actress in that. So. So, you can fly? Even if it just hovering, that's still-- that's so-- and weather? You can control it? Does it work here?

Could you-- okay, so this might sound really stupid, but could you make the sun shine? Even just for a little bit?

Yeah, I'm beginning to see that. I really wish I talked this over with someone before just making this.

We're all just humans. And you're pretty great at living outdoors. That's not nothing.

Just what kind of darkness are you talking about?

Oh.

[Past tense and they're all dead here, and sometimes it's just too easy to forget that little fact. To forget it while they're breathes are misting in front of their faces or when his heart beats too fast. But they're dead. They're all grieving. And Quentin clears his throat and shakes his head.]

He sounds-- like a good person. Like someone who-- like a person who did the right thing? Even when it got hard?

I'm not that kind of person, though. I wish I was? But I'm not. I'm just trying not to, well, dying sounds wrong, but. I'm trying to get through this? With as many of us as possible?

[To stop the reset, to find the clue that leads to the answer that makes all of this be not for nothing, that lets him get away from this place because Quentin is not up for staying here until the end of time, just because some woman in the lighthouse thinks they should.]

But thanks? For-- saying that?

Me too.

[ He could mean a few things by that. Me too as in, Quentin's not the only one who feels like he doesn't do the right thing when he should. Or me too as in they're just trying to make it through this with as few casualties as possible.

Riku made a promise and he intends to keep it.

He exhales, his shoulders sagging a little, then rising in a shrug: ]

Do over? I think we were gonna do magic.

[ Wasn't this supposed to be a magical You'll show me yours if I show you mine sort of deal? Yeah, after that whole thing about getting into a guy's pants, Riku's just not making the mistake of speaking up more than that. ]

You think there's more than one kind? It's all connected, genius.

Isn't that what this is all about? Trying to make a superhero group? Save the town, save the world or whatever?

Robin has told us that the spirits are responsible for the resets, their interests lie in the restoration of this place.

It would be counter-intuitive don't you think? But I think I too would react badly to someone breaking into my home.

If you're asking for my personal opinion, I'm inclined to believe that whatever happened to this world also affected the spirits calling it home. Whether that's made them childlike or given otherwise animalistic creatures intelligence, I don't know. But I don't believe we can separate one from the other.

The matter stands that this is not our home. Relationships would probably benefit enormously if we showed our hosts a measure of consideration and respect.

I was testing the flight stuff before I started messing with the weather.

[He'd figured flying would be the power that would come in more handy, but at the current level he was at it was unlikely he could even bring about a decent storm, let alone effect the weather on some grand scale.]

Besides, it's not that it's cloudy...it's just night time 24/7. That's not weather, so sunshine isn't exactly doable. I think even if I had light powers they wouldn't work...my lightning certainly doesn't seem to light up.

Yeah
You got it
I'll be the guy with the weird lantern

Oh-- right.

[The whole point of this, which went out a window a little with the almost-blackmail and the unnecessarily cruel demonstration of Quentin's own faults, as if he needed it shoved in to his face with comically large neon-lights that he was pretty much useless at this. That the rules had changed and Quentin had failed miserably at picking up on it, again, and now he was putting himself in danger. Now he was standing in the fucking park spilling his trauma all over some poor dude who only came out because they need to work together on this, or they all might die trying.

Taking a deep breath, Quentin closes his eyes for a second and exhales through his nose.

Do over.

Sure.

Why the hell not.

Trust.]

Okay. So-- yeah, do over. You wanted to show me something? That's why you agreed to-- to come out here with me. So, uh, I'm ready. To be shown.

It's really not? Unless you're trying to claim that the lack of sunlight and the lack of a Shade will do the same to a person, in which case - you have no idea what you're talking about.

No? It's about trying to find a way to solve this? To find a way home.

Tell me about your Shade and we'll see how right you are.

And you believe her?

We're not breaking in, though. We've been invited in? Or kidnapped and shoved in.

Well, if we're just throwing things out there to see what'll stick, we could just go with the spirits are what's going to be left of us if we die too many times. Dying here, it changes you. Not everyone came all the way back.

It's not consideration or respect when we're doing it out of fear. It's being held a gun-point and asked to please help.

[The last time someone changed their tune this fast, Meatloaf was moving from heavy metal to soft rock.]

What do you need from me?

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 9 of 14

[Network - voice] @ SuprNerd- we could be heroes, just for one day

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

private|

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

private|

private