maskormenacelogs | [david attenborough voice] ah yes

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[david attenborough voice] ah yes

WHO: archie and apollo
WHERE: nonah
WHEN: mid-afternoon
WHAT: apollo gives em the ol razzle dazzle
WARNINGS: nope! probably....

[it's a nice afternoon, actually. this is one of archie's favourite times of year. it's not too cold and not too hot, sometimes there's some snow, but that's alright. back in hoenn it would be roasting and he's likely the only person that prefers to be too hot than too cold, but you take what you can get, right?

he's flying around on crobat- something he's only started doing in nonah recently. they moved just after christmas and he wanted the giant bat to get used to the city without him atop if first before starting to fly around on it for fun. it's going pretty well until something... something archie doesn't realise catches crobat's sensitive eyes with a reflective flash of light. crobat yelps and ducks down, rolling to try and get its sensibilities back. archie... does not expect this, so he slips off and lands heavily on the rooftop they'd been gliding over.

fortunately, they'd been looking to land nearby anyway, crobat had slowed down and they weren't too high up when he was flashed. archie is not splattered against the top of the roof, just lands with a WHUD. he groans.

crobat lands next to him, twittering a concerned apology.]

Yep... yep, [he says, pulling himself upright. this has probably been one of his luckiest landings yet, though most of the others involve hitting grass or water... he should really practice these. gotta get that parkour roll.] This tracks... ow.

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[ Apollo likes Nonah. And the people of Nonah like their shiny new solarpowered superhuman, with his sunny smile and classically superheroic dimensions ('where does he find shirts that fit him? it's a mystery!'). The fact that he's a flying laser cannon capable of destroying their entire city with a few well aimed solar bursts is something they're blissfully ignorant of, and Apollo is actually quite happy to keep it that way.

Because while Apollo gets impatient with 99% of the rest of this world, he has a soft spot for Nonah. Nonah's the one place where he doesn't actually mind that he's not allowed to drop people on to the sidewalk from twenty meters up, or throw in to the side of buildings, or casually set fire to them. He's happy to play the Tame Superhero here.

But that does leave the question of what Apollo can do. If setting criminals on fire is a no-no, then what does he have left?

Solar flares, he thinks. Sun flashes and solar flares. Blind the bastards and send them reeling. And maybe give them a bastard of a sunburn while I'm at it.

The problem is - and it really is a problem - restraint is not something that Apollo is used to. Usually Jenny or Jack would just point Apollo in a direction and say 'go hurt them' with no question of holding back. He was their biggest gun, used when you need to absolutely destroy every bad guy in the vicinity (and take down several buildings at the same time). Learning to hold back, to rein in his ferocious ability to obliterate everything and everyone, is something Apollo knows he needs to practice. A lot.

And practice he does. During daylight hours, when there's plenty of sun just above the cloud cover to keep himself topped up. Far above the city skyline, where no poor fools are going to accidentally get an eyeload of pure solar energy. Or so he thought! ]

Oh, shit.

[ He hears a cry, he sees something fall. Aghast, he watches something - someone? - crumple against an obliging rooftop. ]

Oh, shit...

[ He drops like a stone, swooping down in a sharp, urgent arc towards the rooftop, and impacts in a noisy skid. Between the animal - animal?? - and the human he isn't entirely sure who he's meant to be addressing. ]

Sorry - I didn't hit you, did I?

[archie had seen to crobat first of all-- his eyes haven't been damaged by the solar flare, the poor pokémon had just been shocked by the sudden bright light. his reflexes let him duck away before any damage was done. thank god for crobats and their acrobatic abilities with fatass pirates on their backs, right? the thin skin between its wings had been a little burned, but nothing different from crobat flying too high on a sunny day anyway. archie's already healed it.

crobat hisses at apollo when he approaches, lifting its wings, but archie holds a hand up.]

It's fine, Cro. It was an accident. [he shakes his head; there's still some gravel from the roof stuck to his clothes and... his face. it's not as bad as it could've been, it's fine! he's part gravel now. he doesn't need all his bones anyway.] I'm alright, bro. Don't worry about it, this shit happens. Good thing I'm registered or I'd send ya my hospital bill, though! Ha!

[he snorts at his own joke then shakes his head, looking at apollo properly. there's vague recognition, but his mind is still on crobat and the bruises forming on his poor battered body. ugh. he feels like he's seventy already.]

What the fuck was that?

[ Apollo suppresses a sigh of relief; thank God he didn't actually hit the guy. The fact that the other guy is even talking is a good sign. There would definitely be less talking if he'd actually hit him with a full solar flare. Less talking and more burning. ]

Solar flare. Just a small one, but still. [ He reaches down, extending a broad, tanned hand to try and help the poor guy up. ] Looks like you took a hell of a fall from your, ah -

[ He glances askance at the winged purple creature. What the hell even is it? ]

...Alien friend?

[ If Apollo sounds hesitant it's because Jesus Christ it could be anything ]

Pokémon. He's called Crobat, and he's the reason why I'm not a greasy smear about now.

[crobat grunts, then lowers its wings, seemingly mollified and accepting that apollo isn't actually about to finish the job.

archie... well, he doesn't know how close he just got to being set on fire. it's probably best that he doesn't know that and lives in ignorance. he looks upwards, at the sky (though not... directly at the sun? he's not that stupid).]

From... the sun? Does space even work like that?

Space? What -- [ Apollo looks mystified and follows Archie's gaze upwards towards the sky, squinting in confusion for a long few seconds before realising what he means. ]

Oh! Oh, no. Not space. Me. I was the solar flare.

[ He gives him an apologetic look and reaches out to brush some of that gravel off Archie's clothes. There's a lot of it. ]

It's a thing I do. I wasn't expecting company up here, sorry.

Oh! Cool powers--

[he is about to laugh until his brain clicks it all together. the apollo he'd seen ported back in and had avoided, sun powers...? he can't help but pale a little as some of the gravel falls off his face.]

Ah... it--it's okay. I only moved to this city a month or so ago and I didn't bother to... look up any imPort heroic activities. Apollo. Right?

[he wants to throw up. is he going to throw up? he hopes not!]

Yeah, Apollo. That's me. One of many, so I hear...

[ He says it lightly enough; other Apollos may not like sharing their name with so many people, but this Apollo knows his place in the universe. There were Apollos before him and there will probably be Apollos after him too. Such is transdimensional life.

He cocks his head at Archie, pausing midway in between dusting some more gravel off Archie's shoulder. ]

We haven't met, have we?

I think there's tons of all of us. I've been told about at least three other branching timelines within my own universe...

[he shakes himself off, getting the remainder of the gravel off his own clothes, then recalls crobat to its ball-- a red light snakes out the centre of it and engulfs crobat, reverting it to light and pulling it back in.]

No, ah... no. I knew the other you! He had shorter hair. I'm vaguely impressed at how you can rock both long and short. Good... job.

[arceus this is awkward. he rubs the back of his head.]

You couldn't give me a lift down, could ya? Crobat needs a rest or I'd go down on him.

Edited 2019-02-12 18:22 (UTC)

[ Good job on the hair, Archie says and Apollo's smile turns a little pained; the short hair had not been a look, as far as he was concerned. He isn't even entirely sure how Andrew managed to cut his hair; invulnerable superheroes and scissors didn't often work together well.

But at the question of a lift, Apollo nods happily; he backs away to the roof top edge, gesturing for Archie to follow. ]

Not a problem. It's the least I can do, right? [ He glances down to street level, gauging how busy the streets are. ] Do you want to go straight down? Or can I drop you off somewhere?

[he sees that and just-- he'll let the topic go. he wasn't planning to talk about the other guy too much, anyway. does... this apollo know? did m tell him? probably not.]

Just-- straight down. Thanks. I'll walk back. [he follows, taking a few deep breathes to try not to just fuckin pass out from anxiety.] How, uhm, how's it been here for you? So far.

Not as weird as it could be, I guess.

[ And it could be an awful lot weirder. His actual husband version of Midnighter could be here, as opposed to the scrappy young punk version, and then it would be borderline awful...

With absolutely no ceremony and without giving Archie a chance to change his mind, Apollo sweeps him under his arm and they both topple over the side of the building. His grip on Archie is warm and tight; with the other man forcibly bundled under his arm there's no chance of him being accidentally dropped to the sidewalk.

The sidewalk which comes up alarmingly quickly; it takes less than a couple of seconds for Apollo to swoop Archie down to ground level and deposit him gently in to the quiet side street at the foot of the building.

He picks up where he left off, conversational as ever: ]

-- But I'm something of a pro when it comes to crossing the Bleed. This isn't exactly my first alternate universe.

[ A beat, then: ]

I hope your bat-friend is okay. You might want to check him for sunburn.

[he takes all this like a champ! he's dived off buildings on crobat before and this isn't much different, though he does flinch a little before they land. human nature-- he can't help it. he takes a few steps away from apollo and shakes his head.]

I think I got it. One of my Porter powers is healin', so... [he huffs, stretching. trying to act casual?] S'my first one but not the first experience with 'em... old ex of mine showed up a year or so ago from a completely different timeline. Everything was the same for him except one big event...

[he has genuinely no idea how close that could hit to home for apollo.]

Is it like that for you as well? Or are you from an entirely different planet to this one?

[ Archie's words land like a fist, hitting far too close to home, but Apollo takes the blows like a champ. Inwardly it winds him; of course he knows exactly what Archie must have felt. M isn't all that much like his own Midnighter, but the similarities were there. Enough to be brutally painful.

Outwardly, Apollo simply pulls a rueful expression. ]

Yes, something like that. Except it isn't an ex, exactly. More like...

[ ...ex-husband? No, those are words that Apollo refuses to say. He purses his lips against it, fighting the thought until he finds a set of words that doesn't make him want to punch a wall: ]

... A runaway husband.

[...maybe he should've known before he said that, but he knows so little about their situation. should've just... steered from it entirely. idiot. he shakes his head.]

Shit, bro. I'm sorry. It's real rough with all this crap on top of alternate versions of people you love not knowing... well, yeah.

[he sighs and looks away, feeling guilty for hitting so close to home so quickly.]

Hey, I know I interrupted your trainin', but let me at least get ya a coffee or somethin' to make up for it?

[ Relieved, Apollo leaps at the opportunity to change the subject: ]

Are you joking? I can't let that happen!

[ Apollo gives him a pained look of distress; he hasn't forgotten exactly whose fault it was that Archie was unceremoniously dumped on a rooftop in the first place. He shakes his head vehemently. ]

I'm the one who should be buying you coffee, surely...

[ He glances up the street, hesitating visibly. ]

...Do you know any good places around here?

[honestly, he doesn't think it's either of their faults. shit just happens, y'know?]

I'll level a deal-- you get me coffee and I'll get you coffee? [then he's going to the hospital! because wow, that hurt.] Thaaaat depends. You vegan or anythin'?

[ Apollo turns a little sheepish at the question. ]

Oh, I think I fall firmly in the 'or anything' category. I haven't had coffee in...

[ His gaze goes unfocused as he casts his mind back, desperately trying to remember the last time he ate or drank anything. ]

God, it must be... five years?

[ He's on the sunshine diet, you see!! ]

Although I did hear that 'flat whites' are the fashionable thing to drink now.

I have no idea how you manage it, [said with a light laugh. haha, caffeine dependence!! he's joking, clearly. at least.] They are?

[he snorts.]

Well, I'm just a hopeless old man that can't keep up with all these new trends. There's a place... I think a block or so away I was gonna visit today anyway. Their cups are biodegradable and Crobat likes to chew on 'em!

Apparently. I mean, I have no idea what a flat white is, but...

[ That won't stop him from giving it a go! He gestures elaborately in a silent 'lead on'. ]

Do bats, uh, often chew on cups? [ He shrugs expressively. ] That said, I have no idea what kind of diet bats have.

My best guess is it's served on a plate?

[he shrugs, leading off!!]

The bats here don't, but Crobat's from my world. He has a thing about chewing up every disposable coffee cup I get, so it's best to give him ones that're recyclable. He must miss Muk... ah, that's sad. Oh well.

[he shoves his hands in his pockets, mostly because he can feel a couple huge bruises coming on, he should probably go to hospital now, but he's not!]

It's, ah, nice to get to know you again. For what it's worth.

Sounds more like a dog than a bat, [ Apollo observes with a grin. Having pets has never particularly fitted with the superhero lifestyle; there were too many catastrophes, too many last minute emergencies, to be able to leave a dog or a cat waiting for him at home (Midnighter's monstrous cyborg dog being an exception). Perhaps having a flying-bat-monster-thing might have worked a little better.

He follows Archie dutifully, and cants his head at that last comment. ]

Did you know the other guy well, then? [ Apollo stop calling him that. ] Andrew, I mean.

Really? [he's genuinely asking. he doesn't see how All Pokémon Are Just Dogs...] I guess so... he does his own thing. He'll probably want to say hi to you again, later!

[anyway, onwards. archie is very glad he landed on his arms and not his legs, or he'd be limping like a fucker right now.]

We were friends, but-- I have no intention of projecting that onto you or acting like I know you because I knew him. I've been at this long enough to know how to differentiate people and not be a weird asshole. If I did that, I'd have to offer my most sincere... Apollo-gies!

[do you regret not setting him on fire yet]

[ Apollo stops dead and gives Archie a Look. ]

Apollo-gies? Really? Wow. [ WOW. ] You win the gold star for being the first person in this universe to make that joke! Congratulations.

That means everyone after me ain't as funny and witty!

[he barks a laugh. he is such an obnoxious shithead.]

Oh, speaking of witty... [he points at the café. it's called flick the bean, and it's next to a place called megg's.] They changed the name. Weird. Well, after you!

Edited 2019-02-18 19:35 (UTC)

This world is obsessed with puns. I feel like I'm missing something.

[ Apollo isn't even that mad about the puns but it's fun to pretend! He squints up at the cafe name (another pun! a dirty pun this time!) for a moment as he decides whether or not to say anything about it, before heading inside with a shrug. ]

So what was it called before? Don't tell me it was worse...

You lack punderstanding?

[he says that then ducks out the way and around a table towards the till-- clearly expecting a punch.

somewhere, a camera flashes.]

Err... Bean Place, or something. All I remember is at night they have a giant glowing piece of Kale in the window. Hopefully not radioactive?

Oh my God, Archie!

[ True to Archie's instincts, Apollo raises a hand to swat the space that Archie immediately ducks out of; honestly, there's no way that Apollo would have intentionally landed that hit, so it's just as well that Archie escapes. ]

Don't make me hurt you. [ He threatens with a faint grin. ] I've set people on fire for less, you know.

[he cackles obnoxiously as he takes a tenner out-- he didn't expect actually expect to be slapped. there's a light tinge of unease, but he hides it well enough.]

Good thing I'm a water type expert... you wanted a flat white, right? [archie looks up at the menu, decides he's going to get something with a lot of sugar and caffeine in it. sometimes a bitch just needs to do that!] Let's hope it's not actually served on a plate...

[he'll ask for the foam art to be a smiley face in a sun. take that, apollo.]

Yes, whatever that is.

[ Even after carefully inspecting the board hanging above the barista's heads, Apollo still isn't too sure. He folds his arms and leans a hip against the counter thoughtfully. ]

Water type expert?

Somethin' from home. I won't bore you with it.

[mostly because he's still low-key sweating. his last encounter with the last apollo wasn't terrible, but you know. watching a dude die twice kind of fucks with you. not to mention he's huge and in a super cool skintight outfit and very strong. he could certainly pitch one idiot pirate into the stratosphere with very little effort.

when the flat white and archie's big iced monstrosity is delivered, he crouches down.]

It's either a very small drink or very far away...

...Hmm. It's pretty compact, isn't it?

[ Seriously, where's the other half of his drink? Apollo picks it up carefully; the chic, undersized mug looks even more ridiculous in comparison to the oversized superman. ]

It's probably for the best. Nobody wants to deal with me over-caffeinating, I'm sure.

I think that means it has even more caffeine in it...

[he can't help but laugh a little at the tiny cup in apollo's giant-ass hands. archie pulls his comm out and snaps a quick picture.]

Look at you, big bastard! It looks even smaller in your mitts!

[ Apollo pulls a mock-strained smile for the picture and holds his cup a little higher in a weak tadaa. ]

Come on. I think I need to drink this away from earshot of whoever made it.

[ Just in case it's The Worst. ]

What did you order?

[the barista just looks a little existentially tired. archie snorts, nodding. when they get outside again, he rereleases crobat. the bat is taller than its trainer; it chitters a little at apollo, but doesn't seem ready to attack him like it was earlier. crobat's long ears tilt towards apollo as it snorts a little at the small mug.]

Something with a borderline illegal amount of caffeine and sugar. To aid the healing.

[to... get yelled at for drinking by a doctor when he goes to the hospital later and his heart rate is supersonic, probably.]

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[david attenborough voice] ah yes

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