Summary:Mera meets the Hulk and offers him a place to hide from those horrible mortals. Log Info:Storyteller: n/a |
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Early Saturday evening. A light breeze blows across the deserted beach. The sky is cloudy and the air heavy with moisture - which suits Mera just fine. Dressed in white pants and shirt, a beige coat, and old-style desert boots (her whole ensemble looks to have been chic about ten years ago), the redhead sits on the sand talking to a device she holds in an outstretched hand. The device showing a small hologram of a blue-skinned man dressed in some kind of scale armor.
"I have made contact with Captain America of the Avengers, SHIELD, and something called WAND, but none of them have been much help so far. WAND deal with magical threats which suggests they think the creatures were magical based. The WAND contact claims to be descended from a sea goddess." Mera's last words get a snort from the image she talks to. "He does have powers" she adds. "Powers that could be dangerous to us." A shrug. "Though I could destroy him if need be."
"We are not trying to start a war, Mera" the man points out patiently. "Continue liaising with WAND but if we do not get the information we need soon, then we shall have to take things into our own hands. It will be their fault." The image flickers out and Mera tucks the device into a coat pocket before looking over the ocean with a sigh.
It's quite deserted on the beach, but in the distance an odd sound starts up. A low thumping sound that grows in volume as it draws closer. Eventually a possible source for the sound becomes visible. A green dot, raising and falling some distance away. It eventually gets to the point where a humanoid shape can be made out, one that seems to be traveling by taking tremendous leaps. Whoever it is, they end up hitting the sand several hundred yards along it away from where the Atlantean currently sits. The figure is enormous, far taller than the average man and built like a tank. His only clothing is a ragged pair of pants that look like they were probably part of a cheapish suit at some point. He doesn't seem to have noticed Mera yet.
The Hulk lets out a huff, then drops down onto his rump in the sand, glaring out over the water. First he was locked away in Banners head for years while the man was in prison. Now he only was able to manage any time free because of the incident with those idiots in the playing card outfits yesterday. Things have not been good for him. He absently mounds up some sand with one huge hand, watching the waves roll in. He certainly looks threatening. Though he doesn't, at the moment, seem to be in a hostile sort of mood. Also clearly not human.
That's not something you see every day. Even in New York. Mera watches the bounding beast approach without any trace of concern. When he flops down onto the sand, she bounces upwards a little from the tremors, which does finally bring a surprised expression from her. She watches him as he starts to build sandcastles…even more surprise. He may be huge. He may look threatening. He may have muscles where no muscles have ever been seen before. But Mera is unafraid…perhaps he could even be of use to her? She stands, dusts the sand from her coat, and begins to stride towards him.
"Let me guess" Mera announces loudly to make sure he knows she is coming. "The humans attacked you. They do not like different." And this green giant is definitely different. "A like the hue of your skin" she offers with a wry smile before stopping about ten feet away. Even though he sits, her eyes are level with his. "I am Mera, noble of Atlantis." The tiniest of polite bows is offered.
Still packing sand up, Hulk idly pokes some little windows into the emerging structure. He glances towards Mera when she starts to approach him, letting a snort out of his nostrils. Ah, great. Somebody else here. Why didn't people just leave him alone? Still. The redhead is being polite enough. And she's pretty. He considers her for a time, then looks back to what he's doing. "They attack Hulk a lot. Doesn't matter. They're too puny to hurt him." He occasionally glances her way. "Atlantis. Made up city." Maybe he's missed the diplomatic relations with said made up city somehow. He HAS been away for a while. "Hulk likes your hair."
"Made up?" Mera will take the insult with good grace. "Forgotten perhaps, but not made up. And is it a bad thing to be forgotten by humans? They do like to attack things a lot. We both know that." A faint smile at his fondness for her hair as she squats down along the rising castle. "You should place a tower there" she notes, pointing to a corner. "That will command the approaches to the gate. Hulk…interesting name." It seems more of a description to her than a name. "Did the humans make up that name? You should have a much more noble name than 'Hulk'."
Bruce Banner considers the words, then begins to add a tower in the spot indicated. The structure of the castle is actually pretty good. He might be a bit smarter than he seems at first look. "Sometimes they're okay. Sometimes not. They can be exhausting." He turns his head to consider her. "It's who Hulk is." A pause. "You want something from Hulk." It's not really a question. People don't just come up and start talking to him unless they need his help. It's how things are.
"Want something?" Mera shakes her head. "No, just someone to talk to. Someone who understands what it is like to be feared." She offers him a warm smile. "Are you hungry, Lord Hulk?" An upnod of her head to his huge frame. "You must get hungry a lot. Though if you are also exhausted…how about I give /you/ something? A safe place to rest. Away from the humans."
The Hulk lets out a huff of air as he considers her. "Sometimes. What kind of safe place?" He seems wary. Maybe he's heard similar offers before. They might not have gone well, if so. Still, he's not just jumping away. So it seems he's at least willing to hear her out. Maybe it's the hair.
"A safe place out there." Mera gestures to the ocean. "Not too far though. Not Atlantis itself" She doubts her people would eagerly accept a surface dweller - even one hunted by mortals. They barely accept Mera with her half-breed blood. "It won't be a luxury hotel" she laughs, "But it will keep you away from those who would try to do you harm. Or hurt you with their words." A slight tilt of her head as she studies him. "Can you hold your breath a long time?"
Bruce Banner looks out at the water, his brows drawing together. Live in the ocean? That was a strange thought. He'd never considered it before. He glances back at her. "Just you there?" Seems he's not too keen on a large group. The question about holding his breath makes the jade giant smirk slightly. "Hulk can breathe underwater." He… doesn't LOOK like he would be able to. No signs of gills, or webbing, or anything else that might indicate a water dweller. But the world is a very strange place.
"Just me" Mera nods; at least to begin with. "I won't be there all the time as I have work to do. But no one else will know you are there. You can leave whenever you wish, of course." That he can breathe underwater has her surprised once more. Definitely no gills or webbing, but she has neither also. "Does that not sound like the perfect place for you to spend at least a little while? We can learn about each other." There's that warm smile again.
The Hulk considers that for a time, eyeing the redheaded woman. Hmm. A private place, away from where anybody is likely to be able to find him… and the only other person staying there would be a very pretty lady. It was certainly a pretty nice offer. Finally, he nods his head. "Hulk can give it a look." He offers her his hand. It dwarfs her own, many times over. She'd probably be better off just grabbing one of his fingers.
Mera stares at the offered hand for a moment. She is a noblewoman, not likely to hold hands with anyone - certainly not without proper introductions and chaperones - but she makes an exception in this case. At it's only a finger. "Let us go." She strides out into the ocean. No stopping as the water reaches her neck. No stopping when she slips under the waves, feet rising from the ground so that she can swim rather than walk. Mera checks on her companion to ensure he is still breathing before she kicks up the speed a notch; about thirty kilometers an hour.
Hulk raises to his feet, brushing off his pants before following after the Atlantean. He steps into the waves right after her, though it takes longer before he's fully under of course. Once he has some depths, he kicks off and begins to swim after her. His feet churning the water behind him. He's not an elegant swimmer, but he is a powerful one. And fairly deft. A bld to increase his speed enough to keep up with the redhead. He doesn't seem to be having any trouble breathing, water going in and out of his mouth as his chest swells and contracts. He trails close enough behind her to follow her, but not so close he interferes with her own swimming.
Satisfied that he can breathe, and keep up, Mera dives down into the dark depths. She can see perfectly fine in the inky blackness, clutching the Hulk's finger a little tighter to make sure he doesn't lose her. Mera comes slowly to a halt, floating upright while she smiles at her companion. "We are here." Her voice clear as if she were standing on land. The device appears once more from her pocket and she presses a button. Below them there is now light - bright and blue - revealing a rusting shipwreck. A door is opening in its hull and Mera leads Hulk down and inside.
The ship is on its side so there is a bit of reorientation needed to determine up from down. Even more so when she waves her hand over a panel inside as the door closes behind them. The water rushes out of the small room they are in - an airlock. Neither of them needs to worry about pressure much, so Mera soon opens a door to reveal a corridor leading deeper into the wreck and probably beneath it too. "This is an Atlantean monitoring station and safe house. Fully automatic if need be. There is only us here."
The Hulk considers the shipwreck as they draw close to it. He can only hope it's just a disguise or something, because at first look it seems like he might be better off back on the beach. Then they land inside, the lights come on, and the water is drained away. He looks around curiously, then peers into the corridor. "Hunh." He shrugs one shoulder, then starts to move inside with her. His steps heavy, but not as heavy as they could be. "So. No reason to offer other than to be nice, huh?" He sounds dubious. Especially since this seems like it's probably a secret place. And she literally just met him less than an hour ago. He's still following her though.
"I am not a human, Lord Hulk. It is possible for me to be nice without wanting anything" Mera smiles sweetly to the giant behind her as she leans him inside. The corridors, and doors, may be a bit of a tight fit for him but he should be able to get through. "I shall have to give you the biggest room" she notes with a laugh before indicating a double sliding door that glides open with a wave of her hand. "Here you are."
This is a partially military installation rather than a luxury hotel, but there is a bed in there, as well as screens on the wall and a wardrobe for clothing. Mera glances down at his frayed pants. "I would suggest trying on some clothes, but they may not fit." They can certainly stretch but Hulk will probably push them beyond their limits. She points down the corridor. "The galley is down there. Would you like some food now or would you care to rest first?"
The Hulk is used to hallways being too small. He managed to avoid knocking any of the walls down as he follows her, peering into nay rooms or other openings they pass. He considers the bedroom offered to him and grunts a little before entering, glancing at the wardrobe. "Clothes won't fit." They never do. He gives himself a shake like a dog to shed water still clinging to his body, then moves to the bed. His hands drop, and he unfastens his pants…. to reveal that he's wearing likewise tattered boxer shorts beneath them. He drapes the frayed pants over a chair to dry, then flops on the bed. Not too heavily. "Rest." He considers the redhead silently for a time. "You seem nice."
Mera thanks the Gods that Hulk was wearing underwear…or at least the tattered remnants of it. It is enough. Barely. "I am nice" she replies with that warm smile once more. "Rest well, Lord Hulk. I shall ensure there is food available when you wake." Another of those polite little bows before she closes the door to leave him in some peace. She has a feeling he does not have many such times.