May Parker/Spider-Girl (webslingergirl) wrote in marvel_nextgen,
@ 2010-07-22 22:58:00

Entry tags:

inactive - ben parker, inactive - may parker, plot-"poisoned hearts"

Ladies and gentlemen, for your entertainment...the sibling lunch hour!
May loved that ESU had a full selection of summer courses that she could take to knock a couple of gen-eds out of the way. What she loved even more was that she could live on campus (and not have to worry about her nosy roommate), and not have to get up at the crack of dawn to take the subway from Queens to barely get to class on time.

However...she didn't get to spend as much time with Ben as she would like. And after what happened to Sidonie, well, let's just say that she was worried about her little brother even more than she normally was. It wasn't everyday that you saw one of your best friends murdered in front of your eyes.

He needed to get out. And May knew just what to do.

She texted Ben.

Hey twerp, lunch at Big Nick's? My treat.

(Post a new comment)

the_other
2010-07-23 01:10 am UTC (link)

Ben Parker is not inherently paranoid or distrustful, but a lunch offer from his sister almost channels Admiral Ackbar in his brain. Mom and Dad have been slowly working on him to get out of the house but, thus far, he's won the war to stay inside. He hasn't been to the Dot in over two months and it's a struggle for him to go to school most days.

Still...lunch with his big sister at Big Nick's riles up his stomach enough to consider.

Okay. Be there soon. he replies.

A little while later, Ben walks into Big Nick's scanning the room for his sister, though he doesn't allow his back to face the door.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	webslingergirl 2010-07-23 01:48 am UTC (link)
	May smiled when she saw her brother. "Hey there twerp," she said, wrapping him in a hug, "Long time, no see." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	the_other 2010-07-23 01:52 am UTC (link)
	Ben stiffens for a long moment as May hugs him, but quickly returns the hug. "Hey, May." he says, not even offering a witty nickname, as per usual. "Um, how are you?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	webslingergirl 2010-07-23 02:02 am UTC (link)
	She didn't need spider-sense to tell her that Ben wasn't himself. He hadn't been himself for a while now. "I'm alright," she smiled, giving him a slightly concerned look, "What about you? How you holding up?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

the_other
2010-07-23 02:08 am UTC (link)

Ben shrugs. "I'm fine. Now that school is out, I'm just working on coming back tough for basketball season. Coach Thompson wants me back on the Varsity Squad, especially since the Seniors are gone. Waiting to see if I get invited to High Flyers this year."

High Flyers is an elite basketball camp down in North Carolina with just a few slots for kids from around the country. Ben was still shocked that Coach submitted his name for it.

"Dad says you're taking summer classes. How's that going?" he asks.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	webslingergirl 2010-07-24 03:41 pm UTC (link)
	"High Flyers? Wow. That's great, Ben. I hope it works out for you." A waitress came over and led them to their table. "They're going pretty good. I'm knocking some of my gen eds out of the way, and helping out Dr. Connors with some projects of his in my spare time." She sat down and began to scan over a menu. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

the_other
2010-07-24 03:56 pm UTC (link)

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I hope I can go." Ben says, following May to the table.

"You're so going to graduate early, aren't you? You're gonna be working for NASA or CSI somewhere before you're even twenty. I'll have to tell people that my sister is so smart that school can't keep her in." Ben grins a little.

"Does Dr. Connors do any cool experiments or is it just blowing stuff up all the time?" Ben asks.

Ben Parker's view of science divides into two fields; either you're creating some kind of crazy creature by using lizard and bird DNA, or you're blowing something up.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	webslingergirl 2010-07-28 12:31 am UTC (link)
	"I hope you can too. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, twerp." She grinned at him. "You're too sweet. One day, I'll be telling all my friends that my little brother's the youngest NBA superstar." May shook her head. "Sorry to disappoint, kiddo. Just sorting through stuff for now. No cool experiments or explosions. He's become less creative in his old age." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

the_other
2010-07-28 12:36 am UTC (link)

Ben smiles a little at her comment about the NBA. Two months ago, he'd have agreed with her on wanting to play for the Knicks.

Now, though, since Sidonie was gone, Ben had had a lot of time to think.

"May, can I tell you something?" he asks.

"I think I really want to be a reporter. I mean, I did really well in Journalism class this year, and I'm great at taking pictures. But...people need to know that there's more to the world than just their own story, and I want to be the person to tell them.

I know I'm not a super-genius like you and Dad, but do you think I could do it?" he asks.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	webslingergirl 2010-07-28 12:46 am UTC (link)
	May gave her brother an understanding smile. "Ben," she reached across the table and gave his hand a squeeze. "You can do ANYTHING you set your mind too. You don't have to be a genius, you can do anything you want to as long as you stick to it and try." "Can I ask what brought about this sudden change of heart?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

the_other
2010-07-28 12:53 am UTC (link)

"Just had a lot of time to think, you know? Sidonie was my best friend and no one is ever going to know how awesome she was. She always asked me what I was gonna do with my life if the NBA didn't work out and I always told her that I didn't have time to think about failing." Ben says.

"May, if I'd died that day, I would have died without having a real idea in mind. Sidonie had her whole life planned out and some animal with a gun took it from her." Ben says, anger seeping into his voice.

"No one could help her, least of all me. But all the gangsters in this town have a ton of power because too many people are scared of them." he says, leaning closer and lowering his voice.

"For every two you put away, five get bailed out and go back to crime. They kill and hurt people and most of them never pay for it. Every person they hurt or kill is one more person who's story is never told." Ben says.

"I would have been one of those people if I had been standing ten feet closer to her." Ben says quietly.

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webslingergirl
2010-07-29 12:28 am UTC (link)

"Ben...you can't stop everyone from dying. It wasn't your fault, just the work of a sick nutso that decided to take out their pent up aggressions and whatever the hell else they had inside of them on a kid. People like that make me sick. They're just trigger happy morons that don't care who get hurt. I'm sad for that Sidonie is dead...but I'm glad your safe."

"If I could stop every sicko with a gun or a knife. If I could put away every maniac that ever harmed someone, I would. But life doesn't work that way. It sucks, but it's true."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

the_other
2010-07-30 12:46 am UTC (link)

"I don't know how you can still do it, May. No matter how much good you do, people still hurt each other. You try to set an example, and people just ignore it until something like this happens. Then everyone says some nice words about how much of a 'tragedy' it is, make some resolution to change...and then things go back to the way they were.

Then the whole cycle starts again. How do you keep from giving up?" he asks.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	webslingergirl 2010-07-30 01:01 am UTC (link)
	"Honestly? Faith in knowing that I'm making something of a difference. That,and just pure, damn stubbornness." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	the_other 2010-07-30 10:56 pm UTC (link)
	"I admire you, Big Sister. You've got courage a lot of people don't have...even if you ARE freakishly tall for a girl." Ben grins. "Really, though...I think everyone in this town should be thanking you. When I become a big time reporter, I'm going to make sure they do." Ben says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

nextgen_misc
2010-08-01 02:16 am UTC (link)

Around the time that Ben and May are chatting to each other, a dark-skinned man walks through the door to Big Nick's. He looks around for a moment, and when he sees Ben, he starts to walk in the direction of their table.

"'Scuse me." the man asks interrupting Ben and May's conversation.

"Ben Parker? Hey, whassaup little man? Don't know if you remember me, but I'm Jerome Henderson. Sidonie's brother. We met at the funeral." the man says with a thick Southern accent.

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the_other
2010-08-01 02:19 am UTC (link)

Ben looks up a bit nervously, his eyes darting toward May for a moment before he speaks.

"Um, I remember you. Mrs. Henderson wasn't happy you showed up." Ben says sadly. That was an understatement.

Mrs. Henderson went ballistic when Jerome showed up. She accused him of being the reason Sidonie got shot, because of his gang ties. May would know Jerome Henderson as well. He's the leader of the Saints street gang based out of the Bronx. She's probably busted several of his people already.

"I shouldn't be talking to you." Ben says, looking down.

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	webslingergirl 2010-08-01 02:23 am UTC (link)
	May's spidey-sense went into to overdirve the second Jerome walked into the room. "Can I help you with something?" She stood up from the table, getting in between Jerome and her brother. She had busted a couple of the Saints gang. They sold to KIDS. She couldn't let that go unnoticed. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

nextgen_misc
2010-08-01 02:39 am UTC (link)

Jerome gives May the once-over as she stands up. He'd assumed that May was Ben's little girlfriend, but her getting between them suggested something more.

"I'm just here to talk to my friend, Miss. No need to get hostile." Jerome, or J-Rock, as he's known on the streets, says. He looks past May to speak to Ben.

"Look, Benny, I'm sorry about what happened to you, man. No one should have to go through that and I lost my little sister because of it. I just want you to know that those guys who beat up Jake ain't gon' be a problem anymore.

You and him are under my protection, all right? Those Poison Memories punks give you anymore trouble, you come holler at me, and I'll handle it." J-Rock says.

"You can talk to me anytime, Ben." J-Rock says.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	webslingergirl 2010-08-01 03:00 am UTC (link)
	May waited until Jerome was gone before she turned to her brother. "Okay....I know he's your friend's brother, as he just said, but PLEASE tell me you didn't get involved with the Saints. They're bad news." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

the_other
2010-08-01 03:10 am UTC (link)

"No, I'm not! I swear!" Ben says frantically. "But the Poison Memories beat up Jake a couple of days after the shooting. They told him if he talked they'd make him sorry. I was at home refusing to come out of my room, so they didn't get to me.

But they could, May. And even you can't be by my side 24/7." Ben says.

"I need to go." he says, getting up from the table. He's not hungry anymore.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	webslingergirl 2010-08-02 12:57 am UTC (link)
	"But I could be there for you. You just need to tell me that you need me." May got up from the table as her brother left. "Ben! Wait!" She dashed out after him. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

the_other
2010-08-02 01:10 am UTC (link)

Ben stops and turns to look at his sister. He wants to let her help him, but if he does this time, he'll never be able to stand up for himself. He can't expect Mom or Dad to bail him out, either.

"Sorry, May, but I have to handle this on my own." Ben says, walking down the street toward home. He can't let his sister fight his battles for him, even if she is Spider-Girl.

An idea is starting to form in his head, but to pull it off, he's going to need to borrow something from his Dad.

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	webslingergirl 2010-08-02 01:13 am UTC (link)
	"Come on, Ben! Just talk to me, okay!" She said, as she caught up to her brother, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You're my brother. You don't have to do it on your own." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

the_other
2010-08-02 01:23 am UTC (link)

Now, Ben whirls on his sister, unable to stop the torrent of words that come rushing out.

"Can you bring Sidonie back? No. You can't. I keep seeing that day over and over in my head, May. If I'd been faster, or smarter, or just.../better/, I could have saved her. Guardian tried and he couldn't.

I'm alive through stupid, dumb luck, and the people who killed Sidonie are still out there!" Ben yells .

"I can't fix what they did to her, but I can make sure they never do it to anyone else! But I'm not letting you get hurt or killed because of me. Mom and Dad would never forgive me if you did." Ben says, turning to go.

"Just let it go, May. Like you said, you can't save everyone." Ben says sadly.

His idea is going to work. It has to. He just hopes he can pull it off before May tells Mom and Dad.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	webslingergirl 2010-08-02 01:36 am UTC (link)
	"Ben if you just told me what was going on, I could help you. I can't bring Sidonie back, yes, but I can hunt down who the people who killed them and bring them in. You don't have to beat yourself up forever." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	the_other 2010-08-02 01:42 am UTC (link)
	"May, you help people in your way. I've got to find my own way to do it, since I'm not like you. And I'm gonna make it so that they don't walk from it." Ben says. "Please, May. You have to let me do this my way." Ben pleads. "I swear, I'll call you if I'm in any trouble." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	webslingergirl 2010-08-02 01:45 am UTC (link)
	May hesitated. He was her younger brother and she was supposed to look out for him. Mom and Dad wouldn't forgive her if something happened to him. "Fine," she said eventually, "But you better call me the second you get in over your head." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	the_other 2010-08-02 01:50 am UTC (link)
	"Thanks, May. I knew you'd have my back." Ben says. He walks over and hugs his big sister. "I won't let you down, May. I promise." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	webslingergirl 2010-08-02 01:56 am UTC (link)
	She returned the hug. "You've never let me down before, little brother. I'd hate for you to start now." And that smirk is back. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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