Suspiciously Quiet

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

The carnage in the hotel ballroom disappears in a gut wrenching wave of nausea and blurryness. When she can see again, she's on her knees, surrounded by her fellow Exiles.

Raven braces herself for the worst. Zombies roaming the streets, the sun blotted out by swarms of locusts, a world where every restaurant is non-smoking. She opens her eyes and sees...a suburban strip mall.

A Best Buy anchors one end. The other end is held down by a Dick's Sporting Goods. In between, there are a couple of ethnic restaurants, some clothing stores, and, to her immense relief, a Cox Smoker's Outlet.

Comments

[marvel-citizens.livejournal.com]

"Awesome."

Gretchen grins like she just got a pony.

"So...um...you want to drop off your stuff and meet at, say, 7? There's a theater right up the street." She points out the window. "You can almost see it from here. It has 20 screens. I'm sure they'll have a showing around then, and if not, like, we can totally kick some boy's butts at Dance Dance Revolution."

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

"Big blue asked. I sorta know from some TV Johnny and ah watched." She curls her feet up towards her. "Every choice you make some split off, like tree branches and such - and I guess of of those split off get cut off and we're the leftover leaves blow'n in the wind not quite dead yet."

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Something like that. In my universe, I was Captain America's partner back in the war. Towards the end of the war... he died. And I was frozen in stasis for half a century." He offers her a hand. "The other guys are getting Chinese. You up for a walk down to the restaurant?"

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

She curls up a little tighter. "They don't want me 'round."

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

His face doesn't change. "They can deal. I want you around." He grabs for her hand. "Plus, you saved our tails back there, so we all owe you one."

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

She sorts. "T'wasn't me. It was...It. I just kinda follow it around in the night time and try ah keep it from nuk'n everything. And It sort is follow'n me 'round asking me to do stuff."

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

"Sounds kinda like the Ghost Rider from my world. Though... he discovered he could control it. It just was difficult."

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

"Johnny..." There is much weight in that word.

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

Barnes nods. "That's him alright." He looks at her. "He your beau back in your world?"

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

There's a slow nod. "We were both try'n to save pop. Ah think that's how things got bad."

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

"How do you mean?"

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

Revisiting this sucks, but someone is finally asking and not just asking to get something quick to shut her up.

"Daddy was dy'n of cancer and he was what me and Johnny had. Grandma taught me some things, so I used 'em. Called something called 'Zarathos.' Mah books were miss'n though. Guess Johnny took 'em to make his own deal with the devil Mephisto."

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

"Aw, crap. Mephisto's bad news."

[rogue-starsr.livejournal.com]

Apparently the grin is infectious, Sarah quickly picking it up too. "Sounds good... uhm... hopefully it'll be showing, since, well, the arm... and, uhm... I don't know how to dance." She adds the last part somewhat more quietly.

"Ok, 7 o'clock, I'll be there."

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

"Tell'n me. Daddy got clear of the cancer and then the bastard made him fall off the bike. Zarathos pointed it out to me. 'Cause I make a deal to have Zarathos ride me separate but guess he could that without Mephito's say or something - cause he was gonna take Z and have Johnny be his jailer or replace his soul or someth'n." She blows the bangs out of her eyes. "Details are a little fuzzy after the four of us got to the graveyard."

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

He frowns. "Magic's always been a bit hazy to me... I was never all that close to Doctor Strange... but it sounds like Zarathros made Mephisto break a deal."

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

"Who's Doc Strange? And what's the problem with the Prince of Liars bust'n a contract?"

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

"Not positive... but I'm not sure it's even possible. We should talk to the others. As for Strange... he's the Sorcerer Supreme. At least in my world."

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

"Like head magic guy for everything?"

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

"Something like that," he nods. "Let's go get some food in you, huh?"

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

"Still feel sick. But -" There's something about Buck. He and Morph are the nicest guy on this crew she's stuck with. It wouldn't do to let him down. "Morph gonna be there?"

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

"Probably. Sarah's getting some shopping done, but she may join us later, too."

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

"Nice lady." She gets up. "Bucky?"

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

"Yes, Roxie?"

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

"Why are they all bother'n with me? God, this Broker guy, on down..."