hotwash, hogwash, same difference [video]

[stickypete]

[Peter looks...high up in his far-caster video. God knows where he is in the city right now, but it's definitely not at ground level.]

[He's still not sure about how he's decided to deal with his secret identity here. It feels like he's playing a dangerous game allowing people to see him without the mask, and just hiding his name, but with such a small group, it'd be exhausting trying to keep the identities apart. If he was just a guy hiding himself in a big city, it'd be one thing, but it's the other Strangers he has to work with. It's not a big team.]

[So he shows his face and if a few people connect his voice to that weird guy in the spider jim-jams he's not going to deny it. Bare minimum, they're probably going to notice that said face was nowhere to be seen anywhere during the fires.]

Anybody else notice how some places in the city are exuding an aura of bloodshed and pure evil? Just me? It might just be me. I don't know how many of you have gotten close to some of them.

[In his aerial exploration of the city, he'd passed over or past a few areas that had just...felt bad. He'd made sure not to land on the roofs or linger long; who knew what security they had.]

Food's not the worst, I've noticed. [He bites into a Frankenstein approximation of a hot dog and keeps talking with his mouth full.] There was a sausage vendor in the bazaar that makes some decent brats. A few people watched me combine one with a roll, some ketchup-like stuff, and some relish - think I blew a few minds. If pizza doesn't exist here, I'm going to see if I can talk someone into inventing that next.

[Just casually reporting on the food, because clearly that's important.]

[He segues into what's actually important without much of a segue at all.]

I also don't know how many people heard, but two of the queen's guys were talking, loudly, after the fire. Yada yada Queen was hurt - maybe bringing us in - blah blah she might have lied about eventually sending us home. We should maybe talk about that? And the fact that we're strangers here - hence our nifty little built-in magical superteam name that none of us actually agreed to.

As we all know, this world is a garbage fire [he feels secure in calling it such, being one himself] and the city occasionally is on normal fire, and that means even the people that want to fix it like the Queen might be willing to completely screw us to do it. So instead of being reactive, we need to be proactive.

[He looks like he feels a little stupid pulling a "go teamwork," and that's because short of the other spiders he's never actually had many other superheroes to do any teamwork with.]

We have to try to help this place in whatever way's best for everyone but we're going to have different people pushing their own agendas. So we need to cooperate. Pump as many sides for intel as we can, share information, and try to get a spin-free picture of everything that's happening. And also watch out for our own butts, because nobody else is going to. [He gestures with the hot dog.] We should maybe be low-key about it. It's more useful to us if everyone else thinks we're an uncoordinated and easily-manipulateable group of stooges that can be nudged around the board. Element of surprise and all.

[It probably doesn't sound that illogical but the man it's coming from doesn't really seem like someone who knows what he's doing. Starting off with a report on the food options, getting relish on your shirt, and not noticing the ketchup at the corner of your mouth tends to damage your credibility when public speaking to a group.]

I'm Ben, by the way. Ben Reilly.

[ooc: set after the fire and the tdm, but before Fayura's open.]

Comments

video;

[phykios]

For the record? I'm definitely trying that next time I go to the bazaar.

[ he misses hot dogs....and pizza too, for that matter. but, more importantly: ]

I overheard them arguing too. So I talked to Allairavar, and I got some answers. It's not the whole story, but I think he was telling the truth.

video

[stickypete]

Good, I'm glad someone did. I was tempted to say something but playing dumb so they're not suspicious of me seemed like a good play. For potential later snooping.

[He's played dumb a ridiculous numbers of times with people who didn't know that he knew more about them than they would've liked. Good for spying.]

What'd he say?

[phykios]

He said this place, Terreille, has been dying for the last five thousand years. A ton of the Blood were killed, or died, or something -- no one knows what really happened. But after that, the land's been dying, and the Blood and landen have been at each other's throats. That's the thing the Queen wants us to fix, apparently. Uh, Terreille, probably not the Blood-landen thing.

He's not lying about something being wrong here. [ he hesitates, then says, ] I can feel it. Nature really is sick.

[ he's no satyr, obviously. grover would be much better suited to telling, or a child of demeter. but percy can sense the water, and the river felt fundamentally wrong. even the fish chatter indicated that the river wasn't as good a home as it used to be. ]

Though, that doesn't explain why the Queen chose to ask us for help now, if this has been going on for millennia.

There's something else too. The magic the Queen did to bring us here? Nearly killed her. That's what Allairavar was so upset about. He probably thinks if she tried to send us back, that'd finish the job.

But here's the thing. He said she didn't tell anyone what she was doing. That morning, she told her First Circle that she was going to work some powerful magic. She warned them that something was going to happen. And then that night, surprise, the Hunter Guild showed up to kill us. I don't think that's a coincidence. Somehow, they found out, and decided to try to stop her. I guess killing us didn't seem like a big deal if it meant throwing a wrench in her plans, whatever they are.

[Audio only]

[quitsmiling]

That was quite a monologue there, buddy.

[The voice is familiar, even though Rocket isn't transmitting his visuals. Audio-only, for this furry dude, right now.]

I'm pretty sure we're screwed no matter what happens. I don't know what kind of fixing they expect us to do, but I'm really best at breaking shit, not fixing it.

And what do you mean by "exuding an aura" exactly?

[audio]

[stickypete]

You wouldn't be the first person to think I'm too chatty.

[It's kind of his thing.]

And yes, we're screwed, but there are ways to be less screwed. And good ways to break things and bad ways to break things. There's tactical breaking things that we can do.

[He takes another bite of hot dog and talks around a full mouth.]

And I mean it was an aura of evil. Like a psychic residue or something. Some of these places feel like they're lit up with glowing, neon evil signs like its Times Square.

[Audio forevs]

[quitsmiling]

Wow, okay, somebody's been drinkin' a little too much of the sauce, there.

[Rocket may or may not have noticed the "aura", but he's certainly not copping to it if he has. That shit's weird.]

There drugs in that hot dog of yours or somethin'? Glowing neon evil signs. Seriously.

( video. )

[thricefold]

[ this is, ah, a lot of information to parse through.

but after giving it some thought, zita does reply to the post and does not attempt to hide her worried expression. ]

It would be nice to get the full story before we attempt to do anything permanent while we're here. [ and now she pauses, trying to find the most diplomatic way of addressing a question of hers: ] Where do you think we'll be most likely to get the most accurate version from?

I want to believe the- [ ah, what was the term used for them again? ] -lande would be inclined to do so.

video

[stickypete]

In situations like this, there probably is no single person willing to give a clear picture, so we have to piece it together from multiple sources.

[He's thinking like a reporter here.]

The landen might give us some accurate information but they're also pissed about being casually splattered by magical people that thing they can walk all over other people.

There's, uh, probably going to some slight anti-Blood bias there.

video

[thricefold]

Meaning we’ll need to hide our jewels for now when speaking with them. So they aren’t immediately suspicious of us if we approach them for information.

[ she’s a little disheartened by the news but, at the same time, is willing to go with the flow, so to speak.

just like home in a lot of ways, she supposes. that's something she's used to so she has an idea of how to go about this. though there is something that worries her... ]

Though I wonder if we need to hide our ‘scents’ too. Or it'll be suspicious if we don't give off 'scents' when meeting with others. It's not something I thought I had to worry about until my conversation with Prince Sorey.

[video]

[championbittersweet]

[Jonathan's video is much later, in the early evening after the last of the light has faded from the sky.]

I haven't had the chance to notice anything about bloodshed and evil in the city, are there particular locations you noticed that sensation in?

Although even with that taken into account, this place seems in a better situation than London was when I left her.

video

[stickypete]

There was this set of buildings I swung by, with an ampitheater nearby, against the river.

[Peter shudders a little.]

Very oogie. I didn't stick around to find out what the buildings were.

[A pause.]

What's wrong with London where you're from?

video;

[mollymocked]

[This is the weirdest sending stone ever. it should not work like this why is this happening. Molly may be trying to figure out how to hold the damn thing, so you get extreme close ups and horrible selfie angles and all else.]

I'm not sure how to keep things coordinated in a group this big, but you seem to know what you're about. [He can't herd this many cats. Even Gustav couldn't herd this many cats. If Ben wants to do that, then Molly's willing to cooperate and contribute.]

And I'm willing to run a few things if it means getting a clearer picture.

video

[stickypete]

I know what I'm about when pumping people for information - or outright stealing it - but I should probably say this up front: don't expect me to know what to do with said information. I'm not good with people and can't do the leadership thing.

[He just wants to preemptively make his total lack of leadership skills clear, just so nobody gets the wrong idea. "You seem to know what you're doing" can sometimes lead to certain expectations.]

[His leadership of the other spider-people was pretty rudimentary, after all. "Let's go to the place and then do the thing we know we all have to do."]

I can give advice and maybe gather people together in the occasional confab, though. Maybe advise on a few things. Spending 22 years fighting for hopeless causes gives you some insight.

video

[arrogator]

Huh, I'll have to try one of those next time I'm there.

[She's addressing the hot dog first, that's important. The angle's a little weird, she's still visible, but it's like she doesn't entirely know the best way to angle this. Unlike some of the other Servants in the Grail War, she wasn't running around with a phone or anything like that so she doesn't have a ton of experience with broadcasting...things.]

And garbage fire sounds about right, but I've seen worse. If anybody wants to try and screw me over, they're gonna regret it.

[She snorts a little at that, thinking she's going to have to start using that garbage fire comment. And maybe she should tone down the tough guy act a little, but no, she means everything she's said.]

Re: video

[stickypete]

Good attitude, excellent hustle.

[He says it like she's part of a sports team.]

No, really, we need to watch our backs. While simultaneously saving their butts.

It's always a thin line to walk.

video;

[thequitecontrary]

[ The woman on the other side of the farcaster looks incredibly prim and proper, not unlike someone who might blend in at court or in this world in general. While she doesn't generally eat hot dogs, the fact that there is apparently some decent sausage here is heartening. That said, she didn't fire up her farcaster to talk about bratwurst. ]

I actually agree with you. The people here have given us great power and a mission, though we do not know what their true intentions are, and I, for one, am not a person to trust someone else blindly.

[ Can she trust her fellow Strangers? That remains to be seen, but their shared experience of being here might lend most of them at least a small level of trustworthiness. ]

video

[stickypete]

Their true intentions aren't that much of a secret. It's their methods I'm a little worried about.

[He mulls it over a little.]

You know, in my world, there have occasionally been ecoterrorists. People so worried about how humans are messing up the environment they're willing to get desperate.

[He's stopped a few over the years. Sometimes they get their hands on superscience tech and well, it's not something the police can handle easily.]

In this world, everything's nearly completely ruined, so imagine how high that desperation is running.

videooo

[kesi]

[Tilted and unfocused video, but video either way... Peter definitely spoke enough that Takame could recognize the voice, though he wasn't entirely certain. Takame himself kind of stood out among a large group of Hyurs though so he’s easily recognizable at a glance.]

I did find a sinister air about this realm. An air of death around every corner. [He might sound over dramatic, but he scoped out enough of the land to discern that much. On his rare whim to be proactive. He trusted his eyes more than any other power. Or anyone else here. But at the very least this person seemed to have a plan of action. Enough that Takame was drawn in.]

We were given a task by this Queen that we must see through no matter what. But you are right that we lack information. And that more is being withheld from us. [After a long pause, he finally asks.] Were you at the scene of the fires, Ben?

video

[stickypete]

I was.

[This feels weird this feels weird this feels weird.]

[But it'll be easier to work with people this way. And the fake name is his mask now.]

We fought together. Red mask. Thwip thwip, quip quip.

video;

[mekhanikos]

Dude, finally some good news! Think I could make it as a taco vendor? My tofu tacos are, like, legendary. [ among maybe like seven of his friends, but still. ]

But man, I'm starting to agree with you on this whole garbage fire thing. Ugh, why is it that there's always a crisis going on somewhere? I mean, I'm not sure dealing with this is better than zombie Roman emperors, but whatever.

video

[stickypete]

You had me up until "tofu." Blech. Don't you dare introduce tofu to this wonderful meat-centric utopia. Any place where you can get it on a stick, in a roll, and in a pie is perfect just the way it is.

Don't upset the natural order, kid.

[Despite his complaining, his tone his friendly.]

As for the zombie Roman emperors... [He squints.] Any chance you're friends with Percy?

video

[portable]

[ hello, fellow high place-favouring stranger. parado's reply doesn't show his face at first, instead giving a nice landscape view from what looks to be a roof over the bazaar. his legs kick in and out of frame, hanging over the edge. ]

Don't know about any aura, but everywhere that looks like this is bound to have some jumpscare spots, right? Survival horror fantasy.

[ he turns the camera around, and he's eating too. some kind of jerky that he struggles with for a moment, chewing thoughtfully before speaking again. ]

I'm pretty good at collecting information, and making a team isn't a bad idea. Full party is always an advantage.

[ he tilts his head, amused. ] You sound like you've done this before.

video

[stickypete]

Technically, the team is already made, so the next step is acting like one. I guess.

[He doesn't know a lot about teams, one of the hazards of being a solo guy in a world with barely any other heroes. He'd only had a little team time with the spider crew.]

Soft skills are skills, unless you're talking about research skills, which are another type of skills.

[He sounds a little grateful somebody else has either. He's not so great on the soft end of things anymore and he's too impatient to enjoy burying himself in research, if it's the other kind of information-gathering. A master's degree and almost-doctorate burned the sits-in-the-library-all-day kind of patience out of him. He can still do either, he just doesn't want to.]

As for doing this before, I haven't done a specific this before, but I've been over the block a few times.

[Not "around the block." He usually doesn't have to go the long way.]

Done lots of other "this"s.

video;

[romancekiller]

I overheard that conversation too— which is definitely concerning if we were lied to about this.

I agree with you though that we should work together and try to share as much information as we can between us. I'll do what I can to help out with that too.

video

[stickypete]

The hard part is going to be figuring out what to do with it.

[This world is very alien and that means they won't be handed a clear course of action.]

Everything going on seems...fiddly. It's a very fiddly world.