[OPEN]

[notyourfathersosborn]

WHO: Normie Osborn and You!
WHERE: All over; locations specified in starters
WHEN: March
WHAT: Normie's trying to get used to his new life
WARNINGS: None, will edit as needed


01. Nonah - Around Residence 004

[He didn't set out to build a goblin glider.

At least, not at first. It was originally an attempt to figure out how this world's hovering technology worked. However, when he found out that this was a guarded industry secret, he gave it up for the time being and started to learn about the steam engines certain cars used instead. The problem was, he could only learn so much by reading about them. He was the type who learned through reverse engineering and trial and error.

And that's where the glider came in.

He needed something to put a steam engine in, and between his brief (better left forgotten) career as the Green Goblin and Phil's, he'd built or modified enough goblin gliders that even without the blueprints, the design was familiar enough that he was able to reproduce it from memory. Sure, it might not have been an exact replica of the ones back home, but everything worked properly, and that's all that mattered. Getting the steam engine to work in the glider proved a challenge, but after a few sleepless nights, Normie finally got the hydraulics to stop leaking and frying the circuit board, and the glider was ready to take to the skies.

Which is exactly what he was doing on this night, as well as the past few nights. The glider itself isn't exactly something he'd show off to people (or even use beyond testing), but he sees no reason in making the outer shell look polished if the device didn't work. Besides looking like a typical glider's ugly cousin, it also doesn't have the signature horned mask head in the front. Normie's aware of how bad this might look, and had tried to make the glider look less like he's about to go terrorize a Parker on a bridge somewhere (but really, it just looks like a goblin glider without a mast, so he failed).

Keeping himself attached to the glider by specially designed magnets on his shoes, Normie just pilots the machine around the perimeter of his backyard at first, maneuvering it in small circles a few inches off the ground to make sure everything's still working before bringing the glider straight up a few feet, his body perpendicular to the ground below before he evens himself out. Nervous he might still be visible despite the darkness, he goes a little higher before attempting to push the glider's limits, speeding across his neighborhood in a giant circle. When he's satisfied the glider can handle it, he lands back in his backyard, but not before doing a loop-de-loop in the air for good measure.

He's taken precautions to not be seen during his testing: doing it at night, wearing all black, designing the glider to be as quiet as possible, but even with all of that, he's still probably not as stealthy as he'd hoped.]

02. Maurtia Falls - The streets

[Ever since Clark Kent had mentioned the thrift shops in Maurtia Falls to him, Normie found himself venturing out there first whenever he's on the hunt for some old, busted electronics. He has found they typically had a good selection, were inexpensive, and that any sort of damage the machines might have were cosmetic. Sure, he can buy the parts he needed, but this way he not only saves money, he's able to learn more about this world's technology by disassembling them (there are obviously exceptions, parts Normie refuses to compromise on by salvaging it from other units, but whatever he can salvage he does).

In this particular outing, Normie is done for the day, and is somehow precariously balancing a stereo, a microwave, and a computer tower in his arms, to say nothing of the two cloth shopping bags containing who knows what hanging from one arm. Though he doesn't appear to be too worried about dropping anything, he also can't see very well in front of him, doing his best by craning his neck around the side of the tower of junk and attempting to maneuver around anyone else on the street.

Careful, or he might bump into you.]

03. Heropa - A cafe

[One of the perks of his job as a Family Genealogy Researcher is that he's not stuck in an office all day, as often the research takes him out to various libraries and government offices. Rather than return to his office when he's done, he instead finds the nearest cafe, parks at an empty table, pulls out his laptop and any sort of notes he'd written down, and gets to work filling out various client's genealogy charts (after he pays for a coffee and a pastry, of course. Both of which he's careful to keep away from both his laptop and his papers).

He always tries to do this after the lunch rush, though he's not always successful. He might be hogging one of the cafe's larger tables, or perhaps he's asking to use the plug near your foot for his laptop cord, or maybe he's actually managed to knock his coffee all over his table, pulling his laptop away to safety in time, but not his notes.]

04. All over - The library

[Another place Normie finds himself visiting with frequency are the local libraries. If he's not looking through public records, he's at the microform machine looking at old newspapers. He's at the one in Nonah so often people have actually confused him for a librarian (even though he isn't, if he can help, he does). Often, when he finishes gathering the information he needs, he can be found wandering the shelves for a bit before leaving, taking a particular interest in the Science Fiction and Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Mystery, and Nonfiction sections, as well as the DVDs.

And because Normie apparently can't get enough of the library (no, really, he could, he just thought it would be a nice gesture), he's teaching a Genealogy workshop in each of the major libraries in the Porter cities. The blurb on the libraries bulletin boards and inside their newsletters reads:

Researching your family tree may appear daunting, but thanks to the Internet it has never been easier. Learn how to utilize search engines and other free resources to uncover your ancestry.
If you catch him teaching one of these workshops, you'll see him explaining each of the resources in what he hopes is an engaging manner, though some of his explanations might be a little too technical in the earlier classes, and he has to stop to clarify several times. He'll also stay as late as needed, answering any questions any stragglers might have.]

[OOC: Or feel free to make your own starter!]

Comments

/makes it up oops

[andaway]

The Maurtia Falls Bulletin. I used to work in a bigger newspaper back home but I actually like it's smaller. I get a lot more freedom this way.

I do miss fighting with my wife over the first page, though.

[notyourfathersosborn]

I'll have to pick up a copy.

[And then he catches the bit about his wife and smiles.] You work with your wife back home?

[andaway]

Yes, I do. We met at the paper, actually. She's the star reporter, so it's really really hard to one-up her.

No offense to my coworkers, but no one in here really compares.

[notyourfathersosborn]

[His smile widens.]

Careful, Mr. Kent. You sound smitten.

[andaway]

[It's hard to shrug while holding something heavy, but Clark manages.] Unashamedly so. And she's not here to hit me with a rolled up newspaper, so I make the most of it.

What about you? Left anyone behind?

[notyourfathersosborn]

[He chuckles.]

My wife, Brenda. [A sigh as he shifts the objects in his arms.] ...Technically, we're not officially married yet, but I have it on good authority we are quite soon in my future, so as far as I'm concerned, we're husband and wife.

[andaway]

Oh! [This is Clark's 'interested' face.]

Congratulations, then! You must have been really happy to know you get married in your future.

[notyourfathersosborn]

Thrilled, though I wish it had been under different circumstances.

The one who told me said that our marriage was in the hospital after my wife was injured. She recovers, but the thought of my love getting attacked the way she will be... [Though he thankfully doesn't crush anything, he does dent the side of the microwave he's holding.]

[andaway]

[He makes a face.] That's sad news, but I guess it's unavoidable unless we figure out a way to keep our memories once we go back home. It's why I've been doing my best to avoid asking about my future- I don't think I could go on with my life here knowing I could go back to my wife getting hurt.

You might want to ease on the strength, though.

[notyourfathersosborn]

I can handle it just fine. [He's an Osborn, after all. Okay, that usually involves losing it and doing something incredibly stupid, but he can pretend.]

I'm more angry knowing that I was apparently too slow to help her. [Looks down and unclenches his fist.] Ah, I keep forgetting about that.

[andaway]

Getting used to that kind of thing must be hard. Especially when emotions are involved. [Not that he would know. Ha, ha.]

You think it was your fault? Because I haven't known you for long but so far I've gotten the impression you really do love her. I bet you did everything you could so she wouldn't get hurt.

[notyourfathersosborn]

I, uh, yeah. Yeah it is. [Because it's not like he's had them for a little bit, even before he got here. Cough.]

That's just it, I don't know! I didn't even know the Hobgoblin had gotten back into the game!

[andaway]

[You can almost hear the brakes sound in Clark's brain. Wait, what?]

The Hobgoblin? That's a villain in your world?

[notyourfathersosborn]

...Not that one, no. But the name originated from my universe, and the ones like mine. The Hobgoblin was a knock-off Green Goblin who was--well, is--a real piece of work. My grandfather once called him utterly ruthless and devoid of honor, and coming from him that's saying something.

[andaway]

I had no idea you came from the same world. We've had... a few problems with them in the past, not sure if anyone has filled you up?

[notyourfathersosborn]

Yes. Power Girl called me shortly after my arrival and filled me in about Kanaya apparently picking up the mantle. In return I told her everything I knew about the man.

[andaway]

[Clark gives him a pleased grin.] Glad to know you were willing to help, I bet she appreciated it.

[But his smile doesn't last long, and it quickly melts away.] It was... a bit of a mess. There was someone going around as Green Goblin, as well.

[notyourfathersosborn]

[Well this is news to him. Normie stops to look at Clark.]

I'm familiar with him as well. What has he done?

[andaway]

[He opens his mouth, about to say 'she'. Then he closes it firmly.]

... They both paid for their mistakes.

[notyourfathersosborn]

Then why isn't he in jail?!

[...Whoops, that came out way angrier than he intended.]

[andaway]

Because it's more complicated than that. I'm sorry, I... honestly can't tell you more about it. But there's a lot of information gathered on the network if you pay attention.

[Kanaya all but confessed, and Rose did as well in her post... so it wasn't hard, really.]

[notyourfathersosborn]

It really isn't. He may always know what to say to smooth things over, but that man is a psychopath who doesn't care who he hurts.

[Oh hey look that dent in the microwave just got much bigger.]

[andaway]

The Hoboglobin wasn't a man. Wasn't even a human. [Said softly, with a lot of hesitation. He's getting really close to betraying Powergirl's friend.]

[notyourfathersosborn]

[Well that at least snaps him out of his rant.]

I... I didn't mean the Hobgoblin. Power Girl filled me in on all that. I meant the Green Goblin.

[Releases his death grip from the microwave and just sort of stares at the dent he made.]

You were wondering why people from universes parallel to my own don't trust me? Well lets just say the Green Goblin has a lot to do with it. A journalist like you even wrote a book about it: "The Legacy of Evil."

[andaway]

[He has to hold back a wince, but the clue is there. Osborn looks smart, he's sure he'll catch up on it sooner or later. He's still not sure how Rose wound up tied up into that entire thing and he doesn't want to throw her to the sharks needlessly, so maybe it's better this way.]

So the Green Goblin was your grandfather?