Doing Good

[websnextdoor]

The AV field can only protect the Nexus so much.

Sure, it makes sure no one's hurt for the most part unless it's broken. And that does cut down on a lot of crime. Kinda hard to murder someone, or rob someone at gunpoint if there's no real threat to the victim. But petty theft? Pushing someone down, taking their shit, and running off? That's a huge crime problem in the Nexus. Especially with hundreds of doors to flee to other worlds and PINpoints to get back to a safe house of the thief's choosing.

And wouldn't you know it? Petty theft is one super hero's bread and butter specialty. Webbing a thief up doesn't hurt them and it keeps them from pointing away long enough to call in the sheriff or his volunteer officers to scoop up the criminal. It does leave some stolen goods unaccounted for though. Which is why there's a friendly Nexushood Spider-Man calmly walking through the plaza with a handbag and some kind of weapon in each hand. A ways back is a struggling reprobate webbed up good and snug to a tree.

Every now and then he stops and holds them both aloft.

"Hey, anyone missing these? Does anyone know who had their stuff stolen? Is there a lost and found in the Nexus?"

Comments

[sweetcandygirl]

A masked vigilante! He is a lot different than Batman. Such bright colors. And they are red and black! Harley has to stop herself from getting all excited when she sees him.

He is doing the hero thing by returning some stolen items.

Huh.

She is awfully tempted to claim the handbag as hers. Even though it is not.

Gosh. Doing the right thing is difficult at times.

"That is really nice of you." She places her twitching hands at her side. Will he recognize the signs of a recovering criminal? "Returning things to their rightful owner."

[websnextdoor]

Something's got his Spider senses a-twitching here. Peter's not so practiced with them yet to figure out what exactly is setting him off and he's naive enough to not even think about the lady chatting him up as the potential source of said niggling feeling that he should be on guard.

He turns around instead to make sure the criminal is good and secure--and he is! No problems there. Huh.

"Trying to at least. This place is way bigger than it looks, you know?"

[sweetcandygirl]

When the masked hero turns to check on the criminal behind him... Harley tilts to the side to see what he is looking at. Huh. Is that man covered with... webs?

She smiles at Spiderman when his focus returns to her. Her famous 'trust me Batman' smile.

"I have a theory that this place is endless."

[websnextdoor]

"Well, folks say traffic in NYC is endless too but somehow folks still drive day in day out and manage alright. There's gotta be a beginning and an end to everyplace, way I figure."

Unless there's magic involved and that's definitely not off the table here. He's seen evidence of that first hand already. Hmm. This lady's theory could have more weight than he thought.

"There's way more petty thieves around here than I'd have figured, by the way. Does this place have a police or anything?"

[sweetcandygirl]

"Ya from New York? I just recently moved to Coney Island." In case he had not noticed the Bronx accent she has. "We might be neighbors!!"

"Petty thieves in the Nexus..." Hmmm. Harley has ideas now.

"You should check with Katsuya on the whole policing thang."

[jarheadclan]

Really? Somebody stole his knife? Really? Who sees a Na'vi warrior carrying a knife as long as a human's arm and says 'yeah, I want to steal this'?

...okay, yeah, it is kinda cool. But still.

He's retracing his steps, ready to bare his teeth at whatever moron thought it was a good idea to take his stuff, when he finally spots it. In the hands of some skinny little red guy who doesn't seem to have any problem waving the heavy knife around as obviously as possible.

Prooooobably not the thief then.

A little relieved (and disappointed that he doesn't get to growl at anybody), Jake approaches the little dude. "Yeah, that one's mine there."

[websnextdoor]

Whooooooooooa that is a big blue dude. Thankfully, it is a big blue dude wearing clothes because not every species in the Nexus feels the need to cover up and that's a really awkward lesson to learn for Spider-Man here.

Big Blue Dude is pointing at the giant blade he's waving around in his left hand and you know, it definitely looks like it fits the guy. Best to toss it and catch it by the blade so as not to offer it with the pointy bits toward it's owner. Manners, this hero has them!

"Here ya go. I was really surprised someone nabbed something that big and clunky but looking at you, I sorta think it's probably neither of those things to you."

[jarheadclan]

What Jake's wearing could absolutely be called clothes. Covers all the important bits, right? Meets minimum standards of modesty and everything. He is, however, not wearing shoes. It's summer, man. No boots 'til snow.

Jake doesn't bother hiding his grin as the little guy effortlessly flips the knife, and reaches out to take it by the handle. "Thanks." And yep, in the Na'vi's hand, it sure looks a hell of a lot smaller. Or better proportioned, anyway. He slides it easily into the sheath across his torso, marveling once again at the fact that somebody managed to yank it off him in the first place. "Somebody's eyes were bigger than their wallet. Not exactly the subtlest thing they coulda taken."

[websnextdoor]

Stylistically too, the blade definitely seems like it belongs on this guy. Spider-Man is practically beaming inside that costume. Good deeds done! Stolen property being returned to rightful owners! Today is a good day.

Definitely.

What could possibly go wrong?

"Really. I mean I can't even blame you for leaving it around who was gonna be able to lift that thing just randomly when most of the folks around here are human?"

[houmaprotector]

For better or for worse Alec has accepted he's attuned to this green now as well as his own and he can't tell when he wakes up if the annoyance, the unusual feeling is his green or this green. It's a strong feeling, whining - his human sense of self would find it annoying, like a bratty child.

Except, except he is the avatar of the green. It's protector, it's God of sorts, and the loud whining and yelling appeals to far older instincts. Instincts that flare up and that he finds himself agreeing with. Yes. This is a problem. Yes, he'll deal with it, and the humans scuttling out of his way with concerned looks get nary a second glance as he spots a being swathed in...spider web.

spiders. No. Catepillars? One that big?

What he does see is a human being...of sorts? In a red and blue costume holding things before he begins to unhook the thief from the webbing with gentle roots.

Worthless metahuman creatures. "...Always...destroying trees." nope. Won't have it. He begins prying the webbing apart, impressed with it's stickiness, "...Not on my...watch."

[websnextdoor]

"Hello? Do these belong to anyone? Rest assured the criminal has been safely securrrrrrred hey! Hay wait!"

Spider-Man is quick to web the stolen goods safely out of the way (against a wall this time) before he hurries over to where the giant plant man he'd met before is currently working to brute strength the webs he's taken great pains to design.

"That guy's a criminal, dude! I kind of need him tied up until the cops show up to arrest him. What're you doing?"

[houmaprotector]

A criminal?

Alec wants to respond rationally - explain how annoying trees can be (it's a birch tree that bitches. A bitchin' birch. Get it?) but all he can manage is annoyance. A criminal? The last of the webbing falls away and Alec's arm snakes along the criminal's body, wrapping him up in vines.

The man begins to scream. Not an "angry" scream or a "oh no not again" scream. The scream of someone terrified by his predicament, someone who regrets his life choices and will never, ever, do it again if he can help it.

"This." One viney hand reached for the webbing, "This chokes trees. I heard this one cry out asking for my help."

The vines around the criminal tighten and his noise becomes animal like in nature. These creatures of the red. Pathetic.

"Your exploits aren't worth you harming the green and it's power."

[websnextdoor]

Well okay the criminal is at least still secured and probably just wet himself if that high pitched squeal of terror is anything to go by. Spider-Man can't rightly blame him. He's grateful for the mask covering up his own wide eyed gaping at what's happening here.

Look not even super soldiers have been able to rip his webs apart. That's a show of strength that's pretty terrifying.

"I mean it's got bark? I didn't put it on any of the leaves or anything and it dissolves in a couple of hours. The tree was gonna be fine, you know?"

[chiron_survivor]

A young woman is moving about from couch to table in the Plaza, peeking under them and poking at the cushions. Clearly she has lost something, and the odd coin or wrapped candy she's finding doesn't appear to be it.

She looks up at the voice and blinks in recognition. Spiderman! Or... a spiderman at any rate. This one doesn't sound like the other one she met. No matter! He's one of the few superheroes she's aware of, and he's even asking about lost objects.

"Um... maybe?" Approaching shyly, she says, "I had a... a round little ball with me. Yellow with black stripes. About this big?" She mimics something the size of a baseball. "I think it might have rolled out of my bag, but I can't find it from where I was sitting."

Because some Team Rocket jerkface swiped it from her when she wasn't looking. But she doesn't know that.

[websnextdoor]

"A ball huh?"

This Spider-Man definitely doesn't sound like the other Spider-Man Adia has met either, though he also doesn't sound any older. Is that a prerequisite for being Spider-Man? Being not really quite a man yet?

Peter sets down the weapon in his left hand gently and murmurs a very hushed 'sorry about this ma'am' before he opens up the bag in his right and rifles through it carefully looking for a ball like the one being described.

"Nothing in here. But I can help you find it no sweat. Was it signed or anything? Where did you last have it?"

[chiron_survivor]

"A poké ball," she clarifies as he searches the handbag, although if he couldn't tell that by her description, then it probably doesn't make much difference what she calls it.

She tries hard not to show her disappointment when he turns up empty-handed. "It's not signed, but um... it's what's inside the ball that's more important, anyway. Have you ever heard of a mankey? It's a kind of pokémon, and I was supposed to be taking it to the Wilds so it could rejoin its colony..."

Taking a deep breath, she steadies her voice. Professor Madrone entrusted her to do this, and she really doesn't want to let him down.

"I last had it next to me while I was sitting on that couch." She points to the one whose cushions she was looking under. "I took it out to double check something on my pokédex."

[websnextdoor]

"Wait like for Pokemon? Are..are you trolling me right now?"

Peter has Pokemon Go on his phone like right now. Doesn't matter if the major fad wave has passed, he still has a lot of fun with it. Plus, he kind of gets a lot of exercise these days. Might as well get some additional benefits out of it.

"Like a for real Pokemon Ball. That you catch for Real Pokemon in."

What is his life right now.

"Wow..."

[gorogorogoro_chan]

An odd-looking gentleman pushes his way through the crowd grinning and ... giggling a little?

"Oi! Oi! Yer fuckin' Spider-Man!" he declares gleefully. "From the TV show!"

[websnextdoor]

Yes, yes hello Nexus he is indeed Spider-Man wow lots of people dress really odd even for the resident New Yorker but the last part of that statement has him drop both of the items he's holding.

He has to stop to scoop them back up quickly.

"TV show?! No, no. There's videos of me on YouTube sure but, that--that's not the same thing at all."

[gorogorogoro_chan]

"Dunno 'bout no YouTubes, but I definitely seen ya on the boob tube. All those sweet-ass moves ..." He proceeds to demonstrate -- providing his own sound effects to accompany a series of punches and kicks. An impressive feat in those leather pants.

He strikes and holds a final, heroic sentai-inspired pose. "Where's Leopardon? Prolly too big to bring here, huh?"

[websnextdoor]

What are those names he's using with every flourish and strike? Actually some of those moves do look kinda cool should he be taking notes?

"What's a Leopardon?"

Spider-Man is not following this at all. His entire posture is slack with shock.

[shieldborne]

Steve is not missing anything. He didn't arrive with much of anything to miss, and if someone did pick his pocket and find the duct-tape-enhanced wallet he carries, which has the equivalent of about $28.75 in the currency of three different countries and no ID or credit cards...well, if they're that hard up, they probably need the cash more than he does, so they can have it.

He would have little to no interest in the proceedings, then, except he recognizes the voice and costume of the would-be hero here. And that's intriguing.

He takes a conscientious detour to peer at the webbing-bound individual, just to make sure they won't suffocate or strangle themselves, but they seem safe enough. A quick jog brings him level with the kid and he matches his pace deliberately to his.

"Well hey," he says mildly. "Long time no see."

[websnextdoor]

Peter whirls around so fast you'd swear he got whiplash form the movement. He definitely didn't jump or squeak or any other undignified noise and/or action at the familiar voice to his right.

"M-mister Rogers! Uh, hi. I mean, I guess I knew you were here from the sign in the Plaza but. You know. I didn't expect-I mean how are you doing?" Is this where he's been hiding out and laying low from the law? He's got a million questions but they all seem kind of rude so instead he just stands there and stares for a moment too long before he tries to straighten up again and not look like the awestruck kid he definitely is underneath the mask.

"Just working right now."

[shieldborne]

See, that's not the greeting you generally expect from someone you last saw trying to hold up part of a jet bridge you kinda threw at them. Given the circumstances, maybe neither of them are taking any of that personally, although Steve does have some Concerns about this Young Person. Either way, it's not a bad thing to see a familiar face. Familiar mask?

The startle response and immediate attempt to recover is weirdly endearing. Like what you'd expect if you unexpectedly tapped a dozing puppy on the shoulder. Steve tries to maintain a poker face nonetheless.

"Funny story," he says. "That's actually not me in that thing. Apparently there's more than one Steve Rogers around. This place is a little weird. Have you been here long?"

[websnextdoor]

Live and learn right? Spider-Man certainly seems to think so. Besides, Steve's got a hell of a reputation around here and it's enough to make a good kid from Queens think twice about the character of that kind of a guy. It's really kind of hard to hate Captain America if you're trying to do good in the world.

Peter resists the urge to wave with the hand holding an apparently stolen weapon he's trying to locate the owner for. He doesn't resist the urge to drop said item when Steve says he's not the man on the screen, but he catches it before it hits the ground. So it doesn't count as a fumble right?

"W-what? More than one--are you sure? You're not messing with me right now right?"