nextgen_parent (nextgen_parent) wrote in marvel_nextgen,
@ 2012-03-08 15:05:00

Entry tags:

anya stark, guardian, martin baum, plot-"the cutting edge", team - thunderbolts

--In a Brand-New Wrapper
"Anya, remind me to send over Christina with my credit cards for the two of you to go on a shopping trip on me. These are beautiful." The floating image of Dr Henry Pym states over holo-conference with Anya. "The fabric sheets are nano-thin solar paneling and batteries in one, and unless I'm somehow horribly mistaken, they're borrowing some Shi'ar-tech principles for molecular suspension.

Wear this suit, and get enough daylight, and you won't need to eat, drink, sleep, breathe, or even expel waste." He pauses, then pokes his finger through a bullet-hole. "Unless it gets ruptured, of course. Haven't run the tests on high pressure or vacuum conditions yet.

It actually reminds me a little of some ideas your father and I threw around, ages ago, before he set up the first generation of the current line of waste disposal systems for his suits."

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	no_relation 2012-03-18 09:29 pm UTC (link)
	"...well why aren't you? Haven't you seen how many criminals I've caught? I knew I should have confronted reporters directly... Never going to make Letterman in time for sweeps week at this rate..." He goes off on a tangent to himself. He turns to Martin. "And what are you talking about Spider-Man for?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-03-18 09:36 pm UTC (link)
	"You're doing this for ratings and for fame?" Anya asked incredulously. "That's not a reason to be a hero." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2012-03-18 09:44 pm UTC (link)
	"Because you're wearing a not-so-accurate Spider-Man knock-off suit," he points out. Best to let Anya deal with this fame thing, he was doing it partly for the excitement after all. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

no_relation
2012-03-18 09:58 pm UTC (link)

"I am NOT Spider-Man. I'm Guardian." He reflexively strikes a pose.

"No.. not just for ratings and fame. Criminals need stopping. People need helping. I'm supposed to be a symbol. Symbols are most effective when seen. Getting on tv is just a means to an end."

There's something... almost mechanical about his lines of logic. His body language seems surprised at how automatic the explanation was.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-03-18 10:06 pm UTC (link)
	"You don't do it for ratings or fame at all," Anya said. She shook her head. "Let's go Martin. This guy isn't worth our time or consideration for the Thunderbolts." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2012-03-18 10:10 pm UTC (link)
	"You should look into a costume change then," he says matter-of-factly before expanding his disc and making a staircase of smaller ones up to it for Anya to climb up to it. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

no_relation
2012-03-18 10:14 pm UTC (link)

"...for what now?

Wait, don't go... I.." His body language goes awkward again, as if realizing something part of his mind doesn't want him to. "I... I haven't talked to anyone really, since... since..."

He holds his head, his appearance flickering between the mask and a young man briefly.

"I... I'm sorry, who were you again?" He squints and shakes his head, before the mask returns.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-03-18 11:16 pm UTC (link)
	Anya pulled a business card out of a pocket. "When you're in this to help people and not for fame and ratings, come see us." She paused. "Your costume is very similar to Spider-Man's. That's why you look like a wanna-be." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2012-03-18 11:21 pm UTC (link)
	Martin shoots the guy an odd look. Whatever was causing his odd behaviour wasn't magic, and that meant it didn't concern him but still, it was weird. He breathes a sigh of relief, glad someone else was going to tell the guy straight out the problem with his costume. It had to be said. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

no_relation
2012-03-18 11:30 pm UTC (link)

"What costume?" He looks over himself.

"This is my... wait..." He holds his head again. "...this doesn't make sense..."

Where did his costume come from? He can't remember ever taking it off. His face starts to exchange places with the mask again.

"...I... no... how long have you seen me on tv?" Against the mounting migraine, a question is starting to form in his mind.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-03-18 11:37 pm UTC (link)
	Something wasn't right here. He was acting quite strange. "Why don't you come back with us? You don't seem well." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2012-03-18 11:41 pm UTC (link)
	Martin glances at Anya for direction. What was the procedure when superheroes turned weird? He conjures up a new disc under the Guardian, ready to take them all back to HQ when given permission. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	no_relation 2012-03-20 09:20 pm UTC (link)
	"I'm not supposed to need help..." Another wince, before he can clear his head. "I... that would be... good... thank you." He seems to focus, and the mask slides back into place. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-03-20 11:50 pm UTC (link)
	"Alright," Anya said. "Martin if you would do the honors of taking us back to headquarters?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2012-03-20 11:53 pm UTC (link)
	"Right." He glances warily at the other guy but the blue flames come up and they're all teleported back to the Thunderbolts HQ. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	no_relation 2012-03-24 02:51 pm UTC (link)
	Guardian looks around as they arrive, apparently not too fazed by the mode of transport. "Hm. Nice place. What's your rent like?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-03-24 05:39 pm UTC (link)
	"Alright," Anya said after they arrived. She led them into the kitchen. "Have a seat and we'll talk." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2012-03-24 06:28 pm UTC (link)
	Martin follows them into the kitchen and wonders if he should stick around in case the guy went a little crazy. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	no_relation 2012-03-25 05:53 pm UTC (link)
	He briefly looks toward the ceiling, and almost says he'd prefer to hang, but he follows along and has a seat. "So... you guys are superheroes too?" The mask starts to recede a bit, framing his face rather than revealing his entire head. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-03-25 06:18 pm UTC (link)
	"The Thunderbolts are," Anya said. She wasn't about to let her identity slip to anyone outside of the team. "Can I ask you your name?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2012-03-25 06:21 pm UTC (link)
	"I'm not a superhero, I'm a sorcerer," he corrects. Sorcerer in-training but that was a detail that the other guy didn't need to know. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

no_relation
2012-03-25 07:45 pm UTC (link)

"I already told you my name, Guardian." He grins, as the mask slips back on.

He pauses. "No... you mean... civilian name.." He puts a hand to his head again. "I... I have a name.

John... Smith... is my name.

Call me Jack."

The mask fades again, slipping down to his neck. He seems lightly fatigued by the strain of the various things he normally doesn't think about.

How long constitutes 'normally' anyway?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2012-03-25 09:29 pm UTC (link)
	"Do you have a headache or something? Is there anyone I can call for you? A family member? A close friend?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2012-03-25 11:48 pm UTC (link)
	Martin looks skeptical. John Smith? He hopes this isn't a joke. But his experience doesn't lie with dealing with these things so he stays quite, standing off to the side as Anya deals with this. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

no_relation
2012-03-28 10:04 pm UTC (link)

"Family... A friend." He says the words to himself, then starts holding his head.

"Think... think, dammit! Sunday, Saturday, Friday, Thursday, Wednesday, Tuesday, Monday, Sunday--" He drones on, mapping back a few weeks, before he lets out another groan of pain.

"NO!" The mask snaps back into place as he lets out a snarl of anger, pounding a fist down into the floor as he drops to his knees. "Doesn't make any damn sense!"