CLOSED | inset fall out boy lyrics here

[nitidus]

WHO: Green Goblin (Rose) & Spider-Man (Peter)
WHERE:Heropa
WHEN: The night of the 3rd.
WHAT: Rose has some questions.
WARNINGS: Possible mention of character death.

[In hindsight, asking to meet Spider-Man at night time is probably not one of her better ideas. The night gives her an extra edge of anonymity, but she can't remember when the last train home is. It's going to be awkward if she has to call Kanaya and ask her to come get her. Oh, I was just having a clandestine meeting with Spider-Man! No biggie.

She's decked out in her Green Goblin costume, sans the glider. It had been utterly impractical to take to school with her.

Rooftops are quickly becoming Rose's jam, when it comes to Goblin duty. There are worse MO's, she supposes. Spidey will find her waiting, not unlike their first meeting (minus the chasing). She's burning with curiosity - she just hopes he's willing to talk. ]

Comments

[shutterbugged]

[Despite his response to her text message, it doesn't take Spider-Man long to track down the Goblin. Nu Goblin? Goblinette? Quit it, Parker, and focus, he tells himself, even as he released the last web-line and touched down in front of her.]

You rang? Gotta say, I wasn't sure I'd be hearing from you again, after what happened back in the City. To the City.

[nitidus]

It will take more than Atropos to kill me.

[Probably. Now that he's here, she isn't sure how to do this. She eyes him, warily, from behind the mask and takes a hesitant step towards him. ]

I wasn't sure you'd come, Frankly.

[shutterbugged]

Well, I for one am glad to see you're all right. [Beat.] Are you all right? After the way our last convo went down, I wasn't sure if you'd get back in touch even if you were still around.

[nitidus]

I'm all right.

[Probably. She isn't sure how to approach this meeting, really. ]

I was hoping you would survive Atropos. My gi- friend, she knew the girl you mentioned before. Gwen.

Tell me about her.

[shutterbugged]

I'm... not sure what to tell you, exactly. Besides what I told you already, I mean. [He's willing to talk, but cautious of both conversational and emotional mindfields.]

She was my friend-- both versions were. Norman was someone she trusted, someone she'd known for years, and he killed her.

[nitidus]

You said she turned against him.

[She's trying to be careful about how she asks this. The specifics of their relationship is important, now. She needs to re-evaluate her risk level. She needs to know if she keep Kanaya safe.

She hums. ]

Why?

[shutterbugged]

[He huffs.] Because he was a sociopathic wannabe crime lord? Just for starters. He's still a sociopath, gotten a lot more ambitious.

[There's also the Sarah and Gabriel thing, but that part is none of Goblinette's business and never will be, so far as he's concerned.]

You know, a friend of mine had an interesting conversation with a girl named Kanaya the other day.

[nitidus]

[Behind her mask, Rose narrows her eyes. Kanaya, Rose knows, is many wonderful things. Subtle is not one. She tightens her jaw, tries her best to appear aloof and shrugs. ]

A gallant effort at changing the subject.

[She flexes her fingers. More ambitious. She hesitates, before reluctantly admitting: ] He's vague with me at best. I know he's ambitious, but I have the feeling you know more about his end goals than I do.

[shutterbugged]

Oh, they're not hard to understand. He wants power and control, however he can get them. [Without losing a beat, he continues:] Y'know, I'm never one to turn down a compliment, but I wasn't really changing the subject... was I, Rose?

did he pause for dramatic effect

[nitidus]

[She grits her teeth. Without skipping a beat: ] Rose? I'm afraid I haven't the faintest idea who that is. They're irrelevant here, in any case.

[The worst lie of her whole life, she thinks. ]

Power and control is awfully vague, Spider-Man.

teeny bit

[shutterbugged]

Oh, really? Look, you're not the worst liar I've met, but if you're expecting me to buy a whopper like that, you'd better think about acting classes.

[Leaving aside the details of Norman's motives for a moment, he continues, more gently:] I know you're in a difficult spot right now. You and your girlfriend both. I can help.

[nitidus]

Stop talking.

[Rose takes a deep breath. She tries to steady herself, tries to keep her voice from wavering. Kanaya. Kanaya, Kanaya, Kanaya. She swallows, can't think of a retort or even a convincing lie.

She used to be good at this, she thinks. She used to be able to talk her way out of situations like this with little effort. Now she's frozen. ]

Whatever it is you think you know, you are going to forget it. Do you understand?

[shutterbugged]

[He's already shaking his head, stance firm. In many respects Peter Parker is a soft touch; where Norman Osborn is concerned, he can't afford to be.]

You know I can't do that, Rose. I've already told you why.

[nitidus]

[Frustration boils in Rose's gut. She stares Spider-Man down from behind her mask. She's tempted to take it off; to let him see her desperation. Instead, she tries to stead her shaking hands (when did the start shaking exactly, she can't tell). ]

Forget Kanaya's name. She's an outsider to this mess. I won't have her put in danger because of me or because of you. Do you understand?

[It's bad enough she's already spoken to Norman. ] Don't interfere. Don't approach him. Forget my name.

[There are two people Rose would see fall if things go south: Norman and herself. No one else. ]

[shutterbugged]

Having either you or Kanaya get hurt is the absolute last thing I want, believe me. But you're already in danger, do you understand? You must know that, or you wouldn't be reacting this way. Rose, think! Whatever you think Norman's offering you, you can get some other way. Whatever hold you think he has on you, you don't owe him anything.

[nitidus]

You know exactly nothing. What is it, exactly, that you can do to help me? Can you promise me you can protect Kanaya from him, should he choose to act out? Can you promise to protect me should he consider it prudent to take action against me?

[Big words, Spidey. ]

I'll do this my way. My way has kept him placated and my girlfriend alive.

[She hesitates; again, she considers taking the mask off. ]

One does have to wonder why you've let him go on in life as normal, if you think him so Evil.

[shutterbugged]

[That brings Spider-Man up short, groping for words. He knows he's right and that Rose doesn't have a chance of protecting herself, let alone Kanaya. But "right" and "wrong" are meaningless if he can't convince her.

Before she can pounce on the silence:]

I haven't "let" him do anything. But he's good at the smoke and mirrors act, and universe-hopping has this problem of erasing the evidence. I'm only superhuman. There's only so much I can do if people refuse to let me help them. Heck, not just "them" – you know how well you're positioned to help me stop him for good? You can protect Kanaya for a little while now, until he decides whatever you're doing to keep him happy isn't enough – or we could work together and keep everyone safe.

[nitidus]

[Herein lies the problem: Rose knows he's right. She could, if she had the courage, use her ability and confirm what he's saying for herself. She has no doubt her sight would show his way as being the correct path to choose. She could help him and they could do all of what he wants and more.

But the problem is that she's certain she'd never be rid of Norman. There would be a grudge, there, just under the surface of what he shows to the public. There would be a vendetta and Kanaya would never be safe again, not really. Rose would be looking over her shoulder, she knows, for as long as she stays in this world. Of all the big scary things she's seen and faced, all of them have stayed mostly dead. She had John, Dave and Jade at her back.

She's lost so many friends; she can't lose Kanaya too.

Resolute, she shakes her head. It's almost apologetic. ]

If you find a way to put him down for good - then we'll talk. I'll listen. Until then, I can't help you.

[shutterbugged]

I know you're afraid, but believe me when I say you're making a mistake. [He turns, paces, twists back to face her.] You can't keep him happy forever -- he's going to be your enemy either way, but you have a chance now to get out in front of him.

[nitidus]

We're going in circles, Spider-Man. I suggest that you leave it be.

[There's no threat in her words, this time. Just an obvious exhaustion. She knows. She gets it. ]

[shutterbugged]

[He squeezes his hands into fists, looking down at the concrete. After a moment he lets out a long sigh, then shakes himself out, posture loosening.]

When you change your mind, you know how to find me.