[MINGLE] One-Man Show

[sixthiteration]

WHERE: Inari Shrine and elsewhere
WHEN: 25 January 2019 through ?
OPEN TO: All opted in characters
WARNINGS: Please warn in the subject line of your comment as needed, and remember to move anything turning adult to a new post.
IMPORTANT NOTES: Final reminders and informational links are here. Please label all top-levels clearly so that there is no confusion who they are open to and what they are for, and DON'T FORGET TO ADD YOUR TAG!
Have fun and ask questions here!

Comments

[morphogenia]

She's settled down a little by now. This is a good kind of sad. It's nice to see her mother again. Kamala has missed her so much.

Bruce is right about how she must feel. It does remind her of how far away she is from her family. That never gets any easier. If she's a little somber, he can forgive her for that, right? "It's worth a lot. What I do seems so small compared to you guys." Kamala crosses her arms over her chest. It's more complicated for him. That's how she feels all the same. "I couldn't ignore those people so it's good to know she never hated me for it." Maybe that sounds crazy, but Kamala always wondered.

[notsoangry]

"Sometimes the small things are what make the largest impact. And just by knowing you, I'm sure there's an impact." Bruce wishes they were from the same place. People like her and Peter could make a real difference for their future. Peter, of course, when he gets back, because they have to figure out how to do that. But he hopes there's a group of young people who will sweep in and become better than their elders. That's the way to progress.

"I'm sure she's afraid for you, but she raised you to be exactly who you are."

cw: mention of suicidal thoughts in (other) teens

[morphogenia]

She brushes the back of her hair meekly. Kamala can't say her fear isn't justified. "Yeah and that's fair? It hasn't been easy. My first supervillain attacked my school and kidnapped some of the students. The things I face are pretty crazy." She takes the rest of what Bruce says to heart, taking a second here to really reflect on it. There's so much truth in that. She has made an impact. Kamala may be insecure, but even she knows a difference is made when a bunch of borderline suicidal teenagers rediscover their value thanks to her meddling.

Kamala drops her hand to her side and admits, "I feel kind of silly. I always thought when she'd find out there would be yelling and grounding. I didn't expect her to get it even if this is what we believe. They say whoever saves one life, it's as if they've saved all of mankind. How could I let people die when I have the power to save them? I had a whole speech planned and everything."

[notsoangry]

"I really wish there were no people your age who had to go through that, but unfortunately even in my world we can't stop it from happening." Peter Parker, for example. A teenager trying to be a hero who paid the price for it. "I know that age wouldn't stop the rest of us from doing what we do, so it's impossible to ask that of others." Bruce isn't entirely sure the same is true of him. Teenage him and adult him really want nothing to do with a fight. With powers like hers, he might make that choice, but he's ultimately not certain. He wanted to save the world through science and discovery.

He smiles faintly and shrugs. "Maybe if she had no idea when you confessed to her, the immediate reaction would've been negative. That's intense for a parent. But figuring it out for herself gave her time to think it through, I'd guess. And to see what you did from a distance and understand its importance." Distance was great at giving people context.

[morphogenia]

"I mean I'd agree with that. I think all of us would. It really sucks that the world is so crazy that high school students have to fight to keep everyone safe with the adults no matter what reality we live in." That's the real talk on that. Kamala loves what she does. It'd be nice if it weren't needed. She would love it if the only big concerns were schools, dances, and trying to find the money to go to college.

"But, I think you're right about the rest. Ammi had months to think about if I was doing the right thing. I guess I know where she landed now." She sighs thoughtfully. There is one thing that bugs her. "I wonder if I have to relive this back home now. This is a future vision for me. Is this going to make my timeline better or worse?"

[notsoangry]

"It's true. You should be thinking of grades and sleepovers and prom. Wait do high schoolers still do sleepovers?" Bruce never went to high school. Or middle school. He doesn't talk about it much because he felt like an outsider enough during those years. That being said, he would've hated high school and he knows that. "The point is I wish our worlds were safe enough it didn't have to happen, that you could have a normal life."

Bruce sighs. "I really don't know. Because Nat's been here a few times now, from different points in time, and she doesn't remember it. And she didn't remember it ever happening when she was in our world either. Maybe they put us back in the timeline exactly as we originally were." And that means, more or less, the people they are here, the experiences they had, would be gone. Which was a really depressing thought, honestly. For better or worse, the experiences made them who they were, so these versions? Could just disappear as if it never happened. "We don't know how it works yet though."

[morphogenia]

Kamala raises her hand. "I do! I think everyone else uses them as cover stories." That's not really the point so she stays quiet for the rest. It's sobering. The idea of hitting the redo button might be appealing to a lot of teenagers. Kamala doesn't want to erase them. She doesn't want to get rid of this version of herself. A lot of things suck about their situation, but it's not worth throwing away. Ever. Her lips press together in a thin line as she folds her over her chest.

"I remembered Reims so I think I'll remember this place." There's no proof. It's just what she wants. Why can't she have it? She'll believe it until she's proven wrong. "It'd be nice if my parents didn't remember me being gone this time, but not enough to lose this version of Kamala." Sorry, fam.

[notsoangry]

"I think Wanda said that she was here, gone briefly, and came back with her memories. But that was when they thought it was a simulation, before the village. Still, it's an option. Why not, honestly? There's no real reason to say it can't happen. We deal with the impossible all the time." So maybe they can have their memories of this place and use it to help their world. Or maybe they won't. No reason to worry about it now.

"This version of Kamala is clearly worth sticking around forever," he agrees. He smiles at her. "Okay, time to figure out what the heck we're doing."


[and wrap!]