[video] unresolved issues

[blue_ice]

[ From the gaming car, it's Kaiba. He's taken to tying his orange hoodie around his waist and popping the collar of his orange polo, in an effort to maintain the dramatic silhouette he loves so much. ]

Does it bother anyone else that the only glue holding this tiny slice of society together is the fact that we're trapped in a claustrophobia-inducing tin can rattling through the interdimensional void?

Think about it. We're from all walks of life. All different social structures. Predators and prey, haves and have-nots, all together and brought down to size. Homogenous societies themselves don't have a great track record of avoiding division and war, so the only thing keeping our tiny tube afloat and relatively at peace is the fact that there's no escape should we cause a big enough disruption.

Can alliances forged under these conditions truly be called genuine? Is it really what you call friendship, if such a thing exists? Or family? Would you accept someone who would be your enemy in any other circumstance? Who's committed unforgivable acts, and is still capable of doing so? Somehow I doubt it.

Comments

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ Guess who no longer has web mouth! ]

Whoa dude, Dark much?

Anyways, I mean you could say the only reason some people are friends is because of the internet but that doesn't make the friendship any less valid. It doesn't really matter how the alliance happened, just that it did. I mean, back home there's probably no way I would I would ever be friends with a giant spider-I mean, I don't know that for sure but probably not-but here I am-I read her books and let her watch me play games and stuff on my laptop and it's good fun.

I think rather than look at it the way you are-you should look at more as you have an opportunity to make friends you wouldn't otherwise have back home.

...

Okay, so that didn't actually make a lot of sense but uh.. I mean, Loki tried to destroy New York once-which was hella rude but honestly- but I think if he wants a second chance he should be given one because people change. Like the people you meet and the things you go through change you so someone that might have done bad things back in their world might feel more inclined to take a different path here just because they have the chance to.

...I still feel like that doesn't make any sense. [ Dare he try again? ]

[blue_ice]

[ Tony was right about the chatterbox thing. Whoda thunk it. But he listens patiently anyway, and is surprised to learn a few things. He almost feels bad about participating in the grounding.

Almost. They're weirdly bound by that ritual, so he feels inclined to speak a little more. ]>

I've never had friends. I was in a unique position---anyone who wanted to get close to me likely only wanted access to my wealth and power, so I kept my distance. Here I have neither wealth nor power nor privacy, so you can see how that puts me in a difficult spot.

[ Oh yeah. Except for one thing. ]

And I'm not a nice person, so there's that. But I'll see about helping Kumoko play games with you if she'll trade that for clothes.

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ Peter just kind of squints because he's not really sure if he believes that or not. ]

That's a really depressing way to live. I mean-the power and wealth must have been nice but not being able to trust anyone? I went through a phase.. sorta like that-I just talk didn't talk to anyone. [ Now he talks to everyone. ] I mean-I grew up poor but that doesn't-uh... anyways.

Are you sure it's that you're not a nice person or is it that your position has forced you act in ways you're not so proud of? I mean-you didn't have to try and help me, but you did.

And dude-not for nothing but I'm pretty sure she'd give you like free clothes for life if you came up with a way for her to play video games. I'm pretty sure she almost cried when I showed her the SIMs.

[blue_ice]

[ Kaiba has to stop and think about that for a minute. ]

Life is about winning. Power. Dominance. There wasn't time to play nice. Even now...I'm focused on keeping us alive.

Heh. I'll see what I can do for her.

[hashtagparkerluck]

Maybe yours is-but mine's not. Mine's about stopping bad things from happening to other people-looking out for the little guy-that sorta thing.

And you can say you don't think you're a nice person but I think you might be confusing that with 'abrasive' because just said you're focused on keeping 'us' alive and not keeping yourself alive-that kinda tells the real story right there.

[blue_ice]

Ah, a classic hero. Sounds exhausting, but if anyone has the energy for it it's you.

It'd be an unpleasant mess if people started to die on us, because we don't have a way to dispose of the bodies.

[ Oh no. He just said 'us' again. Get out of his head! ]

[hashtagparkerluck]

Well, yeah. I mean, I am a super hero-Spider-Man. Hence all the... webbing.

[ He takes a face though at that last bit. ]

Um... I guess. But we're trying to make sure no one dies? [ He'd say something like 'so far, so good but he also knows that's tempting fate and that's the last thing he needs to be doing. ]

[blue_ice]

Spider-Man. I take it you're usually ensnaring enemies instead of yourself. That fluid was powerful.

[ He's a little visibly impressed despite himself. ]

I'm no front line fighter, but I'll do what I can.

[hashtagparkerluck]

Yup! Catching bad guys just like flies. [ He states proudly. ]

And thanks-I made it myself. I mean-I told Mr Stark the formula but I actually invented it.

[blue_ice]

That's...really impressive. So you woke up one day and decided to make yourself a spider-based hero?

[hashtagparkerluck]

Um.. well. No. I didn't just-I got bit by a radioactive spider while I was on a feild trip and it did something weird to my DNA because now I have these crazy powers-like the proportionate strength of a spider and I stick to things.

[blue_ice]

...that's one I haven't heard before.

So you built them to complete the deal.

[hashtagparkerluck]

Yeah, basically.

My uncle used to say that my dad used to always say that with great power must also come great responsibility-so since I have these powers, it's my responsibility to help others, you know?

[blue_ice]

You don't owe anything to anyone. Is anyone even compensating you to do that work?

It's a nice thought, but I've seen too many people get taken advantage of.

[hashtagparkerluck]

No, but I don't really do it for the recognition-I do it so other people will be safe.

Besides, back home I wear a mask and a suit when doing my superhero thing-no one knows it's me and I kinda like it that way.

[blue_ice]

Yeah. On one hand, you can't get paid. The double life must be exhausting. But it's...fun to be the hero, I guess.

[hashtagparkerluck]

Um... I guess... but I crashed a plane-Mr Stark's plane-actually and had a building dropped on me. Not exactly what I'd call fun.

[blue_ice]

Which is why you'd be paid in a just world. But...at least you don't have to worry about that for now.

[ Because you're grounded, dude. ]

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ If you think he's not going to just jump into the fray at the first inkling of danger you don't know him very well.. ]

That'd be a weird thing to get paid for. I just saved your life-now give me fifty dollars.

[blue_ice]

Well, generally, the police are taxpayer-funded for that reason. To make it less overtly transactional.

Altruism takes a lot out of you.

[hashtagparkerluck]

Lotta stuff gets damaged by superheroing-I think there's even a super hero-damage insurance claim these days-doubt if anyone would want tax dollars going to us.

Although, Mr Stark's got it all worked out-he over sees the department of damage control.