Issue # 001 - SUDDENLY! A Wild Thing Appears! [Action]

[revoltndevelopment]

Falling dreams are normal. You lock up with a start in your bed whenever you hit the ground, blink up at the ceiling before rolling over and going back to bed. Or you wake up mid fall, hit the carpet, groan, then climb back in to fall asleep again. Or try to. They're universal. If you can fall or fly or know of the concept- you can have a falling dream.

Ben Grimm has flying dreams, most often. Not the ones where you sail along in the middle of nowhere in nothing but your pajamas- flight dreams of controls and cockpits and the thrill of the test. Pushing a carefully crafted machine to the limit and then some. Twisting mid air and hitting the highest peak before plummeting down with all the weight of gravity wrapping around his gut and giving it a solid yank. That's his kind of falling dream.

Normally when he has them, he wakes up when he hits the ground.

Waking up mid fall is odd.

Waking up literally mid-air?

A revolt'n development.

He can't see or hear past the rush of wind, can't really get a good look at the ground beyond an impression of trees, houses, water way out over to the side. No sign of Reed, Sue, or Johnny. Nowhere soft to land either.

"Aw $%#@%!"

The landing's rough. He's had rougher, but he thinks he skips a few times. Barrels through a few trees. Clips a building, glances off a roof somewhere. Lands in...he has no idea. But the wall shears open like tissue paper and he finally rumbles to a stop, swearing in a low, gravely voice.

"...hate when that happens."


[ooc: Break time if you like, Ben can land anywhere and everywhere- in your home, in front of your place of business, in the fountain. Find him wherever you want! Break time!]

Comments

[selfhelp]

[Okay, well. He didn't get immediately punched, so there's a plus. And as much as the idea of facing off the near-legendary Thing terrifies him, letting the fight continue will only make the Luceti situation itself even worse. And he'd rather avoid that if it's at all possible.

So. Damage control... here goes.]

I won't. You need to stop fighting- we have a truce with Loki right now! Attacking him could start up a war that'll get a lot of people hurt. Shouldn't you be more worried about where you are right now?

[revoltndevelopment]

A truce with- Who sign'd up t'have a truce with him?

[That doesn't sit right, or sound right. Loki doesn't do truces unless it's a trick or a plan- but discussing a war does take a little of the fire out of Ben. Has him standing back with his arms crossed and waiting for some kind of explanation.]

It's Loki, kid. This is prolly something he made. He does that. It's his gig.

[selfhelp]

Well- it's not like it's official, or signed, or- it's new. And the Avengers agreed to it. Just hear me out, okay? He's a prisoner of this place just as much as the rest of us.

[He's settled down. That's- that's a good sign, right? No clobberin' time for a while? ...Please?]

Have you checked your back yet? Because you really should.

[revoltndevelopment]

Where the #@%!? is 'this place' then?

[Complete with air quotes, though he does relax just a smidge. He didn't hear running, he hadn't been stabbed, and hey. Kid's talking sense. The Avengers were here- Cap. Tony. Who knows who else. It wouldn't be a bad idea t'listen.]

...my back?

[He scowls and peers over. Stares at the feathers for a long moment then looks back at the kid.]

This ain't right.

[selfhelp]

Yeah, tell me about it.

[Billy reaches back, drawing aside his cloak enough to reveal his own wings, blue as his magic.]

This is Luceti- we're in another world. Maybe even a whole other universe, considering how many it drags people in from. [And then, since it's the only test he knows to use-] Do you, uh. Have any idea who I am?

[revoltndevelopment]

...Again?

[He scrubs a hand over his face, the sound not unlike rocks scraping over pavement. Another world. Without Reed. Fantastic.]

Y'sure this innit an illusion? Absolutely sure?

[He blinks behind his hand and peeks out, blue eyes narrowed.]

Not a blam'n clue Kid.

[selfhelp]

[Well, that answers one question. Billy resists the urge to sigh, scuffing a hand through his hair. Does he just not know, or is he from a different universe...?]

If it's an illusion, it's a good one, and Loki isn't responsible for it. I doubt he'd let the kind of things happen here affect him if he was.

[He considers using the pin Sue had given him, just in case Loki reappears or Ben goes on the attack again, but it might just make things worse to have the both of them here. Not to mention that he probably left it at home, oops.]

I'm Wiccan- with the Young Avengers. It's an honour to meet you.

[revoltndevelopment]

...Tends to not let his own stuff bite him in the butt. Makes him look bad.

[So. Not an illusion. Not something Reed put together either- on purpose or on accident. That counted out most of the things this could be in his experience.]

Well y'know me already. Ben Grimm, the Thing. Call me Ben. [He extends a rocky hand.]

[selfhelp]

[Billy hesitates - briefly - then reaches out to take the proffered hand for a shake. He's not that much bigger than Teddy when he's really Hulked out, it's just that Ben's that much more intimidating. But hey, he's been a hero for years- what could make him more trustworthy?]

Got it- Ben, then. Listen, Sue's here. I can take you to her, and she can explain everything.

[revoltndevelopment]

[Ben's careful with his grip. Firm enough to be solid, not so much as to crush the kid's hand. Seems an alright sort, even if he came to keep him from bash'n in Loki's skull. Had spine enough t'stand up to him and the Young Avengers were always alright by Steve. Good enough for him.]

Suzie? Great. Take me to her- she's probably as confused as I am.

[selfhelp]

[Billy glances around, quietly seeking Loki out, but chances are he's either fled the scene or is invisible, and he doesn't want to risk revealing the Asgardian by using magic to track him down. Better to just assume he's safe for the moment.]

...Okay. It's faster if I just take you there directly, so don't move.

[He lifts his hands, muttering under his breath as his magic flares to life around them, blue fire swirling around to teleport them off to Building 5.]

[revoltndevelopment]

You got a car in your pocket I can't see-

[Oh. Hey. Magic.

It always made his hide tingle a bit. Made him feel like he'd been rubbed down with mint or somth'n. He keeps still, keeps his eye on the kid because wow that coulda happened anytime before they started talk'n- and the kid chose to talk anyway. Points in his book.]

...nice trick.

[selfhelp]

[Whew. Okay, crisis averted. Billy relaxes a little once they've teleported off, smiling back at Ben. That went a lot better than he thought it would.]

Thanks. Come on, I'll take you to Sue.

[And off he leads to the apartment /o/]

[revoltndevelopment]

[...Okay, he likes this kid. Reason enough to be agreeable. He offers Billy a quick nod and follows along, ignoring whatever odd looks he'd get for his shredded slacks and the ducky boxers that could be seen through a few of the rips.]

[selfhelp]

[and then they met with Sue and Billy went home to escape the time paradox of two instances of the same meeting, cool

Later on, some time after dinner and after giving Ben a chance to settle in, he'll swing by out of costume to see how things are going. With or without the boyfriend depending on schedules]

[revoltndevelopment]

[Sue'd given him the run down after he'd arrived. Then swung out for shopping or keeping tabs on the people she's met here. Ben didn't mind a bit of time to sit and stew in what he's fallen into, more or less. He answers the door dressed in his uniform pants and an oversized shirt.]

Hey kiddo. Sorry 'bout th'mess back there. Th'Loki I know is...well. A big ol' bag of nasty.

yaaaaay teddy's incoming c:

[selfhelp]

Yeah, don't worry about it. He's no saint here, either. More importantly, though, I've got someone who really wants to meet you. Teddy?

[Billy glances to the side, reaching out to grab Teddy by the hand and tug him closer. He's not sure if they've met - or if Ben would remember Teddy or recognize him out of 'costume' so to speak - but he's not the type to hold a grudge, especially with the long war over for him.]

I HAVE ARRIVED

[halfnhalf]

[Billy had told him what all had happened prior to this, and they reacted like typical fanboys. Ben Grimm, The Thing, is here, and he had an awesome fight! Wow.

Though truth be told, Teddy was a little apprehensive about actually meeting him. After all, the last time Teddy met him, they were in the middle of a war, actually fighting each other, and Teddy was losing due to sheer awesome, though he also blames part of it on the fact that he was completely distracted due to Billy being knocked out early. Would Ben recognize him, even though he had fought in his Hulkling form? The war is long over, but what will happen if he does know him?

Despite the fight and the war, Teddy still has nothing but respect for him. He'd been staring, though he politely kept his mouth shut, and his stare breaks when Billy takes his hand and pulls him closer.]

Uh. Hi. [He smiles, though it seems slightly nervous. Right, moment of truth.] My name's Teddy Altman. But you might know me as Hulkling better.

SWEET

[revoltndevelopment]

Teddy?

[Name didn't ring any bells offhand, and Ben turned to blink down at the bulkier blond next to Billy. He vaguely remembers something about a pissed off green kid that looked kind of like him- and then the knickname. Hulkling. Yeah he remembers that inna bad way. Things didn't go so much by way of good that day.

Ben shrugs and extends a hand, an apologetic smile on his face.]

Nice t'meet ya in better circumstances, kid.

[selfhelp]

[Billy leans back, glancing between the two, the reference a bit lost on him; he'd been unconscious while they were fighting and sent right to prison after that, so he can't recall this at all.]

...You guys know each other already?

[halfnhalf]

[... Oh wow. So Grimm really doesn't mind too much? Not only that, but this feels like a personal sort of victory to Teddy; finally, a hero here knows him, remembers him. It's really something, to actually be remembered by one of your heroes. Even... if... it's not that great of a memory, but still!

The nervousness slips off of Teddy's smile, and it's much more broad as he reaches to take his hand for a shake without hesitation.]

Likewise. [Then when he pulls his hand back, he glances at Billy, and he gives a helpless shrug while gesturing to Ben.] Yeah... sort of. Only instead of phone numbers, we exchanged super powered fists.

[revoltndevelopment]

[After the way everything went down that night- after Sue walking out after the fight? After the bloody business not far from Yancy street? He's more than happy to put everything of that behind him. He knew where the kid was coming from, a friend knocked out and locked up in a bad way. He'd lost it for less in the past.

The rocky grip is solid, his smile warm.]

Heh. Kinda. You were knocked out at th'time...t'be honest? Kinda glad you were. Things got nasty not long after.

[selfhelp]

[Billy winces a little at that, awkwardly rubbing his arm. He's not sure that's really the case; if he hadn't been knocked out, he could've just zapped them all out of there.]

So I hear.