tushanshu_logs | EVENT | LANDFALL

EVENT | LANDFALL | VALISHAERA

Characters: ALL!
Date: JULY 13-26
Location: Valishaera
Situation: Tu Vishan has made landfall on Siaxhi, to explore the Dreaming Watch City of Valishaera.
Warnings/Rating: Please indicate content warnings in subject headers as applicable.

As Tu Vishan draws near, the heavy jungle visible even from miles out quickly identifies the landmass as Siaxhi, one of the westernmost continents in Konryu and one that has been largely untouched insofar as the kedan themselves have gone. There is a natural inlet along the southeast shore on the continent and Tu Vishan makes for that, though he fills nearly all of it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[~~UGH DONNIE. UGH. GENE IS NOT THE WORST. AS LONG AS DONNIE GILL IS AROUND GENE IS NOT QUITE THE SHITTIEST PERSON.~~

Gene has never met Arthur Parks, but the two of them really aren't that different. Between the mommy issues and being the absolute worst at villaining to the point of needing remedial classes in How To Supervillain, they have more in common than a glance would suggest. And the occasional bout of suicidal self-sacrifice ~~in order to save Tony~~.

Tony's hand is still on his back. He's not sure how he feels about that, after everything. But he thinks that maybe he doesn't mind.]

Do you really think I can be...better? [he asks. He's spent so long tearing himself down, thinking of himself in the worst terms, as something great and terrible and powerful and unworthy, and returning home had only made things worse. If there's a version of himself in the future who isn't an angry knot of trauma and pain, he'd be surprised.]

[Tony hesitates.] I think... you want to be better. [He sighs, sounding a little frustrated again.] I know you're not all bad, Gene. I know there's good in you. I've seen it.

[Despite the memorydump, he's still having a hard time understanding why Gene keeps being so... Gene. He wants to be good, Tony knows he has the potential to be good, and he even seems to recognize now when he's doing something wrong... so why does he keep ~~being an enormous shitlord~~ screwing it up? It's like every time he sees the light at the end of the tunnel, he turns around and runs screaming in the other direction.

Tony wishes he knew what to tell Gene; something to give him purpose, or direction. But "stop doing that thing where you're evil" is pretty lame constructive criticism. He just doesn't know how to teach someone who wants to do the right thing but keeps doing the wrong thing how to... not keep doing the wrong thing.

Sadly, the distance between their experiences is still too vast. He's seen the worst moments of Gene's past, and felt the guilt and the shame and the toxic power of Gene's conviction that he was on his own and no one would ever stand by his side. But Tony, who's always had a loving and supportive father and best friend, who has been indulged and encouraged all his life -- he still doesn't fully grasp just how thoroughly Gene has locked himself into his destructive cycles.]

[The light at the end of the tunnel is scary and he's not here for it, is the short version. The long version is that most of the time he's not even consciously aware that there is a light, or a tunnel. Mostly it's just a void; zero gravity where forward motion is difficult at best and propels you backwards at worst.

Perhaps a good place to start would be just what the hell the 'right thing' looks like.]

...I hope you're right. [This is going to be like not only learning a new language, but learning a whole new way to be - which is something most people usually don't have to deal with past the age of four or so.]

Well, you're kind of a jerk, but if you were totally evil, you probably wouldn't be beating yourself up about being such a jerk. [Tony says wryly.] Now, don't quote me on this, but I think that's what they call a "conscience," [he jokes.

Look at that! A teeny tiny baby step in the right direction, Gene. Now you just have to, you know, unlearn literally every behavioral pattern you've developed over your entire life. No biggie.]

[~~Gene's an A-hole, but he's not 100% a dick, is that what you're saying, Tony?~~

If Gene had had a childhood even approaching the same universe as normal, he would probably be making a sarcastic crack about Jiminy Cricket right about now. Alas, Pinocchio was not part of the VHS rotation in the Mandarin's house. ~~He's pretty well acquainted with Bob Ross, though. Happy little trees.~~ It's okay, Gene. Someday you'll be a real boy.

Instead:] No, I'm...pretty sure I don't have one of those. [Or if he ever did, he's been taught to squash it, keep it silenced in the face of his quest for power. He'd have said, a few weeks ago, that he'd only been doing the right thing, but now he's pretty sure that no, he hadn't. His ideas of the 'right thing' are completely skewed and confused; he doesn't know if he's even capable of doing the 'right thing', let alone recognizing it.

But he had pushed Pepper out of the way of the dragon. He had sacrificed himself then. He had saved his friends from the Firebrand in the fourth temple (and, unbeknownst to him, the entire Earth as well). He had fought the Overlord with nothing but his wits and a Makluan sword, and he'd been trying to fix his mistakes.

Is that - is all that - the 'right thing'?]

I did do some things right, [he admits at length. Even if he'd done some of them for the wrong reasons. A for effort, F- for execution?] So maybe I'm not entirely a failure?

[It's a question, Tony. He's asking for validation and for the love of God you'd better say 'yes'.]

Edited 2014-08-22 12:03 (UTC)

Yeah. Yeah you did. You got a couple things right. [Tony smiles sadly.] It's a start.

[He's quiet for a little bit, remembering what things were like before Machu Picchu.] The four of us, you and me and Rhodey and Pepper... we did some pretty great stuff. When you took a break from your evil plans to actually help us out, we were good together, you know? You just... you have to stop pushing people away. Now you've got Amelia and Skul here watching your back, and me -- but you have to trust us.

[Gene finally sits up, scrubbing at his face with his unbloodied hand.]

Well. My evil plans are, in case you missed it, on indefinite hiatus, [he says, trying to make a joke of it.] I'm going to try to trust people. It's...not something that comes easily to me, you know?

Glad to hear it. [As Gene sits up, Tony keeps his hand resting lightly on his shoulder.] And yeah, I kind of noticed. About the trust thing. [~~The nuclear orbital strike you used to incinerate all your bridges may have tipped him off, Gene.~~

Tony thinks about the ring -- the last ring, the key to the power Gene has been seeking his whole life -- that is now resting ~~relatively~~ safely in the shielded compartment in his armor.] But you're already better at it than you used to be, I think.

[Tony is still touching him. Normally he would be angrily shrugging the hand off - leave me alone, I don't need your help - but after all that, a little acknowledgment that he's here, alive, and real is very welcome.

The ring still itches at him - not the way it had earlier, but in the way that he knows it's nearby and years and years of programming and talk of destiny make him want it almost beyond bearing.

He exhales, trying to breathe out the need for it and forget it's there.] Yeah. Guess so.

Starting over, right? [He's still not sure how much he believes it. But he really, really wants it to be the case.]

Right. A new start. [And what better place for a new start than a completely new dimension? Talk about wiping the slate clean.

Tony doesn't move his hand, but he looks away and quietly says,] I... I can't forgive you. Not yet. But... I can give you another chance. [A chance to prove that you deserve forgiveness.]

Edited 2014-08-25 05:21 (UTC)

[Gene looks down.] I told you, I don't want forgiveness. Or at least, I don't deserve it. [He wants it. He wants it so bad. But he's come to terms with the fact that he's not getting it. He'd come to terms with that a while ago.] Another chance is...more than I deserve, really.

[There's a lot of things he wants to say and do right now - mostly, finding out exactly what 'a new start' entails - but he knows that won't be well received, and he's pretty sure that if he forces himself to experience any more emotions tonight he will literally crumble into dust. So he sits, his eyes turned to the ground, trying to remember what the hell doing good is supposed to look like.]

[That hurts, and Tony's not sure why. Gene is right: he doesn't deserve a second chance, and he definitely doesn't deserve forgiveness. For crying out loud, Tony ought to feel like a saint for being as lenient as he is. Tony has no reason to forgive Gene. So why does he feel so bad that he can't?

It's a confusing and frustrating emotion. Dammit, why do I still like you? Tony thinks. But he can't muster the anger he'd been feeling a few minutes ago. It's hard to stay mad while Gene is sitting here on the ground, tears drying on his face and looking like he wants to die.]

Well, let's give it a try anyway. [Tony says finally. Maybe, this time, they can actually make it work.]

[To be fair: most emotions involving Gene are confusing and frustrating. You get used to that.

Or maybe you don't. Either way, you will be stuck with it.] Worth a shot. [He says it, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, but it's…not working. His voice is still shaking a little. And Tony's hand is still on his shoulder.]

[There's one more thing Tony needs to say, before the moment passes or he starts to feel too sorry for Gene to do it.]

Just... don't do that again. Go into my head like that. [He can't quite suppress a shudder.] Don't-- don't ever do that again.

[Gene looks startled for a moment, then grimaces. Oops. He'd fucked up again. He really needs like...a shock collar or something. Some sort of instant negative reinforcement when he abuses his power. Until then, he's just going to have to deal with people being very disappointed and making that face at him. (He doesn't like the face.)]

Yeah. No. I won't. Sorry.

[He takes off the crimson ring and threads it onto the string he wears about his neck before weighing it in his hand for a moment. It feels...off, to wear the rings that come after without this one. Like his hands are unbalanced.

Interesting.

He pulls the necklace over his head and tucks it back into his shirt with one fluid motion.]

[Tony is surprised when Gene takes the crimson ring off and slips it onto his necklace. It's not the same as giving it up, like he did with the tenth ring, but it's still a nice symbolic gesture.] Thanks, [Tony says quietly, and he really means it.]

[In the silence that follows, Tony notices a scattering of bird calls -- it's still dark, but if the birds (bird analogues?) on this planet are anything like the birds on earth, that means dawn isn't too far away.] We should probably get going, [he says.] It's super late.

[Hell no he ain't giving up the crimson ring! It's mad useful. Never gonna have to google shit again. Damn.

How is Gene supposed to respond to Tony thanking him? 'You're welcome' doesn't seem right. It's not like he was doing Tony a favor or anything ~~baka~~. So instead he shrugs and says,] Least I could do.

[Shit, is it really that late/early? Gene seems to remember the time.] Uh. Yeah.

[The turtle's a fair way away. He looks at Tony.] Want a lift?

Um... [No. No, he really doesn't. Tony doesn't want to have anything to do with that armor, and he definitely doesn't want to be disintegrated and reassembled, or sucked through a miniature wormhole, or whatever the hell it is Makluan teleportation does. The Mandarin has teleported him before, and it's always been against his will.

But... trust goes both ways. If he doesn't show a little bit of trust for Gene, Gene will never trust him.

So, even though it pains him, he smiles and says,] Sure, why not.

[Tony, where's your sense of adventure? Besides, it doesn't do any of that. All it does is fold space around the field created by the rings and reconfigure it accordingly! It's harmless. Disintegration and reintegration...what do you think this is, Star Trek? Forshame, Tony. Forshame.

Gene flexes his fingers.] I'm going to have to use the armor, [he warns, not wanting to catch Tony off-guard.] What's your suite again?

ME-2C. Hold on, I need to get my armor too. [He could tell it to auto-pilot home, but... He'll feel a little better about teleporting if he's in the suit.

He armors up and walks back over to Gene.] Okay. Let's go.

[And wow does it hurt to see Tony armor up again like that. Gene had figured that he would, and even anticipated the feeling like a rusty knife plunged into his chest. Even though he'd known it was coming, this still hurts.

He summons the armor, but consciously leaves off the helmet. Maybe that'd help put Tony at ease.] Hold on, [he says, gently puts an armored hand on Tony's back, and teleports them away.

They resolve in a blaze of light outside Tony's building a second later, and Gene dismisses the armor almost immediately.] Quicker than flying, right?

[The lack of helmet, unfortunately, doesn't really help. It reminds Tony that it's Gene inside the armor, not some faceless nemesis, but... it reminds him that it's Gene inside the armor.

Without the helmet, there's no way to avoid the painful truth that Gene and the Mandarin are one and the same. Sometimes Tony can maintain a little mental separation, however artificial, between them, and that makes Gene's betrayal a little easier to live with. Seeing him in the armor without the helmet eliminates that comforting barrier.

Tony's glad he's in his own suit again, because it disguises his sudden discomfort. He doesn't say anything. He knows Gene was trying to be considerate, and Tony doesn't want to discourage him.

There's a blinding flash of light, and when it fades, they're in front of Tony's suite. It's disorienting, and a little unpleasant. But:] Yeah, [Tony admits. It certainly is faster.

There's a few seconds of silence.] Do you... want to come in...? [Tony offers uncertainly.] I could make some hot chocolate...? [(It's not really hot chocolate, but it is a surprisingly acceptable approximation.)

Wow. This is so, so awkward. It's like the end of a first date, except they're both in power armor and they're each others' super-arch-nemeses, and they just had an intense heart-to-heart in the middle of the jungle on an alien planet in a foreign dimension.

...So, not at all like a first date, really. Except in the awkwardness.]

[~~Ya gonna take him up to see your etchings, Stark?~~

Pot? Kettle. Watching Tony suit up didn't hurt any less this time than it had the first. Not like Gene's ever going to admit it.

And that offer's unexpected. Gene had been about to mutter something about it being late/early and walking back to the Fire Sector, or just going to work. Then he remembers where he works and decides that he doesn't want to spend too much time around a place that's only going to remind him of the night's chat.]

Sure, [he says before he can stop himself. Hey, raiding other people's minds is thirsty work. Wait. Shit. Shit maybe this is a test.] If...you don't mind.

[(Ah yes, a good solid base for a new relationship: stubborn denial. This is going to go so well.)]

Oh, um, okay. [Tony hadn't really expected Gene to take him up on that.] Well, then, uh, come in, I guess.

[He leaves the armor in the foyer and walks to the kitchen, trying to stay quiet. His roommates are almost certainly asleep.

All the ingredients are, of course, not quite what they're used to, but with a lot of shopping and taste-testing, Tony has managed to scrounge up passable equivalents of milk, cocoa powder, and marshmallows. He starts heating up the milk, watching Gene out of the corner of his eye.]

[Tony no! Don't invite him in! That's how archnemeses get free license to enter your house! ...I'm being told that's actually vampires, not archnemeses.

Gene's not up to anything suspicious, though, just standing in one place, looking around, his hands jammed into his pockets and his shoulders practically up around his ears. He still feels like he's being tested.]

Nice place you've got here, [he says quietly after a moment.]

help im have emotion

I have so many insightful things to say here that I can't say b/c it's not IC b/c Tony's dumb

your keyword on that icon. I CANNOT DEAL

yes that's my favorite one

that's one small step for a nerd, one giant leap for nerdkind

Gene: /QWOPs to the good side

accurate. character development, everybody!

I want to inform everyone that I went and played QWOP after writing that and got 48.6m

we are all very proud

I was doing great but I tripped over the 50m hurdle (also: find the easter egg link)

can't hover on my phone so I had to stab randomly at the text with my thumb. you monster.

sorry I hate how links look in the text

gonna keep using this icon bc it's super pathetic. also, /YELLS AT THEM TO MAKE OUT

JUST GET OVER IT AND KISS, YOU DUMB NERDS

never. they have to have at least 20 episodes' worth of MANFEELINGS first

they are an endless font of manpain. or teenageboypain. almostmanpain.

dorkpain?

nerdwangst?

nerdwangst.

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idk man, sounds like an average first date to me. clearly tony needs to spice up his dating life

he's dated at least 2 ppl who turned out to be supervillains, I think his love life is spicy enough

only two, though! he could date ALL the supervillains. I would date ALL the supervillains.