01 ☢ video

[ex_havenofear960]

[The camera clicks on to reveal a skinny kid with a mess of brown hair. He's holding the tablet in front of him, so the view's a bit shaky; it doesn't help that he's fidgeting and gesturing with his other hand as he speaks, first and foremost being a quick and awkward wave hello.]

Hey. Hello? This is on, right? You know, they should put a light on these things to show they're transmitting. Maybe they do, I didn't really - [Barely a pause as he checks himself, gets back on track.]

Sorry. Hi, my name's Peter. Peter Parker. So I got the welcome tour, and I guess my big question is - where can we get decent food around here?

[Priorities. He got most of the relevant info the other day, anyway. He almost looks like he's done, but then he abruptly remembers something and speaks up again in a rush.] And I made a thing. I mean, I didn't really make it, I just re-made it. I probably messed some of it up, but I guess nobody here's going to know any better, right?

It's for Collette, but I figured anybody could use it. Let me know if you have questions, or just type "help" and it should cover the bases. And don't forget to use your lanterns. [And Peter out - no wait, just kidding. He's half a second from ending the transmission before he stops.]

It's a game, by the way. The thing.

[He's done for real this time, pending an attachment:]

► ATTACHMENT 1: zork.exe

Comments

[ex_havenofear960]

[ He's not quite sure if that is creepy or cool, and it's probably obvious from his expression. ]

That's - wow, that's really something. Have you always been able to do that?

[medusalith]

Since I was an infant, yes.

[ She's used to that, though, especially with humans. ]

[ex_havenofear960]

Is it a - what is it? I mean, if you were born with it, does that make it a mutation? Or is that just a thing where you come from? Like, a whole planet of people with prehensile hair, or- [ Or what, he's not sure. Stop talking, man. ]

[medusalith]

Mutation. But rather than the Mutants of my world, our powers are unlocked by exposure to a catalyst rather than appearing naturally.

[ex_havenofear960]

... what world is that? [ He already knows there are mutants on Earth - or some Earth - but it's still kind of a mess. He's not sure how all of these rules fit together. Either way, the catalyst thing catches his attention. ]

And when you say catalyst, do mean, like - exposure to something, right? So it's constant, but the abilities you develop are unique to your genetics?

[medusalith]

Earth - though my people are from a city called Attilan.

[ Oh she likes him already - he catches on quick. ]

Correct. The less Inhuman the genes of an individual are, the higher chance there is of terrible mutations. But each individual's successful mutation is different.

[ex_havenofear960]

[ He might have a minor personal interest in this, so he likes her right back for letting him ask questions. ]

Attilan? [ Not an actual question, just testing it out. ]

How terrible can these mutations be, exactly? Are they ever fatal?

[medusalith]

Often, and oftentimes with monstrous results. But we have, over thousands of years, found a way to control it.

[ Breeding programs, for lack of a better phrase. ]

new account hi

[arachnoid]

[ He's squinting at the screen again, obviously thinking, but for once he doesn't think out loud. Either way, it only takes him a few seconds to ask another question. ]

How? Do you control the exposure, the genes? Both?

o haaai

[medusalith]

Both, yes. The further away from humanity an individual is, the less likely the process will be disastrous and therefore a reproduction program was instated to make sure the future generations would have the highest possible chance of undergoing and surviving Terrigensis.

My sister's child - as half Inhuman, half human mutant, was to never have been exposed to the Terrigan Mists.

[ And Medusa's own child has his own abilities even though he'd never been exposed thanks to the fact his father was exposed to the mists when he was still in the womb and Medusa was shoved in there as an infant.

NO BIG. ]

[arachnoid]

[ Holy crap. He's still intensely curious, but the mention of family makes it feel ruder to ask.

Still, curiosity and the cat, etc. ]

So even being half human - sorry, human mutant - that's too much? [ And, for good measure: ] What happened?

[medusalith]

It is yes. [ And, in the interest of protecting her sister and Luna - ] Unpredictable results, but the recovery came in time.