Event | Landfall | Bresilyk | Aihsohlow

[ironwood]

Characters: Any and all!
Date: December 3 - 11, 2013
Location: Aihsohlow, Bresilyk (landfall)
Situation: Tu Vishan makes landfall at the winterbound republic of Bresilyk!
Warnings/Rating: Please include warnings in comment subject lines

OOC Post | Approved Items | Special Gifts
Aihsohlow | Phorezton | Markutte | Countryside

The starting point of landfall and the smallest port of importance in all the republic. All visitors will have a fish mark stamped on their tin visa if they are granted access here. The homes here are sturdy and built to withstand the harsh sea winds, though the dome has rendered their sturdiness largely irrelevant as the years pass. Fish represent the primary theme of food, with preserved and smoked renditions a commodity often sent for trade to others towns. Local authorities will ask for the tin card visa of each visitor upon first sight, verifying the information with some scrutiny before handing it back and allowing them to continue onwards. There are some auctions held here, with the items obtained often showing signs of recovery from the ocean floor by diving parties in search of fish to net.

Customs | Settlement | Auctions | Harvest Haul | Other

Comments

[nerdylilspidey]

[His eyes widen at the outburst, his gaze trained on Kaine even under the pressure of that glare. 'Ruined his life.' One clone ruining the life of another. Why? His own clones had fought among themselves, but that was because one of them was going to do something stupid. One came face to face with Peter and flipped out, got pitched over the deep end. Because they'd freaked out. Because they realized--

And suddenly, Peter understands. All those questions Kaine had asked about his own clones, about Gwen, if they were leading happy, healthy, normal lives. It might've been something that Ben managed to have, as he'd taken on a whole new name and life. Kaine didn't go that route. At some point he must've lashed out, did something he now regrets. He feels guilty. It's an emotion that Peter is actually extremely familiar with, and the probable, unfortunate truth is that Kaine inherited those guilt issues from the Parker blood. But Peter understands.

And he's pushed Kaine just a little too far here. He ducks his head slightly, letting his eyes fall on the costume in his hands.]

...Fine. I'll take it. But only if you start talking to me about all this stuff that's bothering you under the surface. That's what friends do. They talk. Okay?

[unobtainableredemption]

Then I guess I'll be taking that costume back. [He's not one to open up, not even to those he cares about.]

[nerdylilspidey]

[He steps back, pulling the costume tight against his chest.]

I'm not asking you to spill your guts out. I just want you to actually say when something bothers you, instead of just telling me to shut up. I will totally take "I don't wanna talk about it" over "Shut up, Parker."

[unobtainableredemption]

[Exactly what did he think "Shut up, Parker" meant!?]

Now I'm reminded why I left New York in the first place. To get away from you.

[nerdylilspidey]

[It's semantics.

And that... actually hurt a little. His hold on the costume tightens a little, his gaze drops toward the ground, his frown hardens. He knows Kaine plays it rough all the time, but that right there stung. It probably shouldn't, since Peter's been quick to push people away before for their own safety. Maybe it's just weird to be on the receiving end.]

I get that you've got all this crap in your past that you're working through and you wanna do it on your own. I've got stuff, too. That's fine. But you know, I'm serious when I say I think we're friends, that I'd even like to consider you a brother. It'd just be nice to think that the feeling was mutual, that's all.

[And this is the part where Peter seriously considers running off, to climb up the side of the nearest building and go rooftop to rooftop to help clear his head.]

[unobtainableredemption]

[God damn it all, why did this kid look so sad?]

I'm not a good person, Peter. You don't want to be my friend.

[He wanted to run away, just the way he had when they first met. He had found himself caring for this little Peter, more than he knew he should. Monsters didn't get friends, they didn't get happy endings. It was better to push him away now, so he could go back to being alone again. It was what he deserved.]

[nerdylilspidey]

[Peter's itching to bolt, too. His eyes are already wandering, looking for an escape route, but his feet stay planted.] If that were true, I wouldn't hang around you as much as I do. And you completely wouldn't let me get close to trying.

[He pulls in a breath, forcing himself to focus on a spot on the ground. And then it happens. All the nervous energy that had been building up for him to run starts coming out the wrong way: from his mouth.]

I've met bad people before, Kaine. The things I did back home? I've met them. I've fought them. They do horrible things to people and don't give it a second's thought. And you- Maybe you've done some bad stuff in the past. I don't know, but maybe, and it's like you're- you're punishing yourself or something. I can tell. I.. I do it all the time. And that's-- I think the fact that you're doing that, that you feel like you have to, I think that means you're way better than you think you are.

[unobtainableredemption]

I-- [And then Peter continues. Kaine could feel his legs tense as if he were preparing to jump. The wall was right there. It would be child's play to leap over Peter to reach it, and from there it was a few seconds between Peter and freedom. He was quicker than Peter, he knew this, and it would be child's play to just escape.

But, for reasons he couldn't understand, he remained right where he stood. He couldn't help but feel that, even if he tried to run, his body wouldn't obey him.]

So if Norman Osborn--[Kaine spat out the words with venom. After all, the man had killed both (this) Peter and Ben and was ultimately responsible for his miserable life.]--showed up tomorrow, acting like he was feeling bad for all he's done, you'd think he's changed? That he's a good person now? Don't kid yourself Peter. People don't change.

[As much as he hated Norman Osborn, Kaine knew in the end he was no better than him.]

[nerdylilspidey]

[That catches Peter slightly off guard. Osborn?? How could Kaine want to compare himself to Norman Osborn of all people? Peter's grip on Ben's costume tightens just slightly.]

Kaine, you're not Norman Osborn. You're totally not even in the realm of evil and crazy that he's in.

[That said, Peter had thought he'd seen some flash of a good man in him when he realized what he'd done to his own son. But whatever that had been, it was gone the next time their paths crossed.]

I think-- that people can. They just don't always really want to. Osborn- He basically blamed me for everything. He wasn't going to change himself, and he didn't-- [ Up to his last breath.] But you're different. You can, and I think you want to.

[unobtainableredemption]

I'm no better than Norman Osborn! I am a monster, Peter! I've turned on Aracely and Ben and the other Peter... I turned on Louise... [his fist clenches] and I don't doubt for a second there will come a day when I'll turn on you too. So stop telling me I'm a good person, because you're only fooling yourself.

[nerdylilspidey]

[Peter's eyes widen slightly in shock and he quickly searches Kaine's face for any sign that he could be lying or exaggerating or anything. Not that he could really tell even if there were any. Still, he's having a hard time believing that Kaine could be as bad as Norman Osborn.

But it's clear that Kaine really believes he's a monster. He really seems to want Peter to stop, for his own good. And Peter knows that argument too well.]

You're not a monster, Kaine. And even if you do "turn" on me one day, how about you let me deal with that if it happens??

[unobtainableredemption]

[Why does no one believe him when he says that? When did he become so unimposing? Kaine has no doubt that one day the Other will regain control (after all, a deal was a deal, and it was Kaine who reneged...), and when that day came it would go for Peter first. It didn't matter it wasn't the same Peter. He could feel the Other when he had seen Peter that time. It was beyond angry at him for rejecting it. So in the end Peter would be dead and it would be all his fault. All because Peter didn't believe him.]

You're so naive. In all my years against Parker, Reilly, and all the others... [read: clones] they never once beat me in combat. What makes you think you're any different?

[nerdylilspidey]

[His frown tightens slightly. Peter's often been told that he's naive. That he doesn't think things through and he doesn't tread carefully enough. Cap had been particularly adamant about making Peter know that. That naivete probably ultimately saved Cap. And it also probably ultimately got himself killed.

But hadn't it been worth it to protect Aunt May and the others? ]

For one thing, have any of them lived with you for as long as I have here?

[unobtainableredemption]

What does that have to do with anything?

[nerdylilspidey]

You asked what I think makes me any different.

[ Ba-dum tssh.

Oh, man. It was nice knowing you, Parker. ]

[unobtainableredemption]

[Kaine would growl, but that would require far more energy than he feels like he can expend. Instead he rolls his eyes; that was too much like Parker.]

Aracely. She's been with me over a year now. [Just going to kill your stupid joke now.]

[nerdylilspidey]

[Oh. That does kill his joke a little.]

...But she doesn't have spider-powers, does she?

[unobtainableredemption]

She doesn't need them. She's got some sort of empathic ability, some sort of telepathic ability that freaks out other telepaths, and can freak everyone else out with a suggestion.

And sometimes she sleeps upside down in mid-air. [He stopped questioning it after the first time he saw it.]

[nerdylilspidey]

[He pauses there. So those are pretty cool powers, and Peter must once again wonder why everyone gets cooler powers than he does. But he's determined to prove to Kaine that he can handle himself, that he doesn't need protecting, and that he's going to stand by him whether he likes it or not.]

But they're not spider-powers.

[unobtainableredemption]

What does it matter that they're not spider-powers?! What is so important about having them?!

[nerdylilspidey]

You said to name differences, so I named one! Another one. [God, Kaine, accept the joke for what it is. :(

...He really wants to ask why Aracely doesn't use her "freak people out with a suggestion" power to calm Kaine down if/when he loses it, but even he can tell that's a bad idea.]

Look, just... trust me. I may have died at sixteen, but I can totally hold my own.

[unobtainableredemption]

[God damn it all, Peter, can't you take something seriously for once in your goddamn life?!]

Clearly not, as you're dead at sixteen!

[Kaine regrets saying it immediately. He had been so annoyed at Peter for pushing his buttons that he just had to push back. Why couldn't Peter have just taken this whole thing seriously? No, that isn't fair to Peter. No matter how he reacted, he didn't deserve that comeback.

He pales as he takes several steps backward, as if he's afraid Peter's going to strike him for saying it, until the wall of the alley keeps him from going back any farther.]

I'm sorry, I... I... [What the hell was wrong with him?!]

[nerdylilspidey]

[That makes a frown form across Peter's face, his eyes quickly darting toward the ground.] I am, but I died doing what I had to do.

[That doesn't mean that it sucked any less. Nor does it change the fact that he would very much like to still be alive. But still...] I'm not afraid. Maybe you think I should be, which I get, believe me. But I'm not.

[He goes quiet for a second, his grip on Ben's costume tightening slightly. Peter's been avoiding thinking about this for so long that it's beyond weird to start now. But it all comes bubbling up in a rush, as fresh in his memory as it was the day he showed up on the turtle. Even when he'd been fighting Osborn and the rest of those guys, he hadn't really been afraid, not for himself. He'd been more afraid for his friends, his family, the innocent people standing on the sidelines just watching.]

Maybe I am being idiotic and naive, and maybe that's exactly what got me killed. But y'know what, I don't care. You're my friend, Kaine. And whether you like it or not, I'm standing by you.

[unobtainableredemption]

[Though Kaine had been desperately looking everywhere but at the child in front of him, by the end of Peter's little speech, he finds himself staring right at him. That's the Peter he had come to expect... the one he was expecting to find back in New York. The annoyingly optimistic one that, like Ben, was determined to find the good in him. He had been so hurt by his Peter's betrayal that he had been almost subconsciously taking out on this one.]

All right, all right, you win. I get it. I'm stuck with you.

I'm beginning to remember why I sacrificed myself for your stupid ass now. [He says it casually, as if a slip of the tongue. Peter wants to know more about him, doesn't he? He supposes one story won't kill him.]

[nerdylilspidey]

[It's probably a small victory, but to Peter it feels huge and it makes his frown give way for a small smile.

Which then slips slightly as Kaine utters those last words. There's a story there. There's totally a story there, and this seems like the one moment where Peter will actually get Kaine to share.]

Whoa... "Sacrificed yourself"? Why was there sacrificing?