Summary:The Webhead re-connects with Mirage and Brightwind. Over pizza. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
Related LogsTheme SongNone |
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Though she's been spending more time up in Westchester, Mirage still tries to come down and patrol with the Young Avengers when she can. In this case, she's taking a circuit around the Bowery, Brightwind carrying her through the night sky. She hmmms a bit, looking… well, to be honest, a touch bored, and probably ready to tell Brightwind to hit White Castle.
Hey, winged horses need a lot of protein!
An interesting sight would come into view as she heads south. Initially, it looks like someone started Halloween early—webs are all over the place. Upon closer inspection, though, all the webs have human flies trapped in the sticky nets. firearms of all types are laying on the ground where they were dropped, or stuck to the walls. One charming couple are plastered to the side of a panel truck. The rear door is open, revealing what look like white "bricks" wrapped with packing tape. So it seems handy to attach the alleged drug dealers to the truck transporting the drugs. Makes it nice and tidy.
And walking among them, like an accountant doing inventory, is a familiar-red-and-blue figure. (No, not Captain America.) Yep, it's Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and he has apparently been VERY busy…
Mirage grins to herself, spotting the Spider doing good work down there. Brightwind nickers and banks downwards, coming in for a landing not too far from Spidey as the Valkyrie waves to him, "Hey there stranger, need a lift?" She chuckles a bit, tilting her head in his direction.
Spidey turns and blinks. Yes, the eyes of the mask blink. "Miss Moonstar! Brightwind! Hey!" He looks behind him to the thug currently stuck to the wall. "I know this lady! And I know the horse, too! Honest!"
The thug looks at him with a "Are You Serious" look.
He looks back to them as he walks over. "Long time, no see, both of you. Sorry, Brightwind, no apples tonight." He looks up to Mirage. "I hear some scuttebutt about you fighting the good fight."
Mirage chuckles, "Yeah, been keeping pretty busy between the Young Avengers and the X-Men, and being a valkyrie. I see you've been keeping yourself out of trouble." She grins, tilting her head as she regards the vigilante, "Haven't seen you in… well, it has been a little while, hasn't it?"
Spidey looks a little sheepish, even with the mask on. "Yeah…as the funny lady one said, a lot of things have happened." A pause. "Sorry I haven't been a better friend and stayed in touch."
Mirage grins, "Well, no time like the present, huh?" She gives Spidey a concerned look, "Care for a lift, then you can tell me about it." She extends a hand towards Spider-Man, one brow arching beneath her helm.
"Oh! Right. Yeah, sure, the cops will be here in a minute." Spidey waves to the trapped gang members, who had the odd sense to call themselves the Bowery Boyz. Seriously.
"Guys, it's been swell, but the swelling's gone down." He vaults up to land lightly on Brightwind's back, right behind Mirage. He raises a hand, takes a deep breath, and then his common sense stifles what he was about to say and he says instead, "Uhm…maybe you should start us off, Dani."
Dani laughs at that, then draws her sword, the eldritch metal gleaming in the streetlight as she shouts, "ONWARD!" Brightwind rears back, whinnying and spreading his wings before taking flight, leaving the captured gang members to wonder what the Hel just happened?!?
Valkyries do have a penchant for the dramatic, after all…
Once in the air, Dani sheathes her blade and glances over her shoulder at Spidey, "So, what's been going on with you Spidey?" Sure, she knows his secret identity, but she's not going to just say it in public… even if public is flying through the New York skyline on a winged stallion.
Spider-Man looks down and reminds himself that Dani would never let him fall. Neither would Brightwind. Still, it's good to have webshooters.
"Well, let's see…classes started a few weeks ago at Empire State U. Been doing well in classes, even was able to contribute an idea for a biopesticide alternative to Dr. Pamela Isley. Also, I gat a virtual intelligence for the new suit. Have you met ALICE yet?"
Dani shakes her head, "No, not yet… you know, you can hang on if you want, I promise I won't tell your girlfriend." She grins slyly back at Spidey, "But that's great that your classes are going well… I've been putting it off a little bit, just with time being eaten up by my other responsibilities."
Spidey looks back to Dani, then said, "IIIII think I'll just stick to Brightwing." And he can. Clinging powers work on winged horse hide, too. "Well, I'm not going to give you The Talk About Your Future. I am guessing someone gave you the Asgardian version. Uhmm…I think someone's hungry. My seat just rumbled. Want me to order pizza over at Pino's a few miles from here?"
Dani smiles wryly, "Oh, I know, but I thought about it and… well, I can become a vet almost any time really. But unless I swipe a few apples of Idun, I'm pretty much going to have to stop this after a decade or so, might as well make it count while I can do it, you know?" She grins at Spidey, then gives Brightwind a wry look, "Pizza sound good to you, Brightwind?"
An enthusiastic NEIGH is the only answer that is needed, really.
Spidey chuckles. "All right. ALICE, I'd like you to meet Dani Moonstar, Valkyrie, and her noble steed, Brightwind. Say hello, ALICE."
A pause, then a husky contralto voice comes from the suit itself, "'Hello, ALICE.'"
Spidey looks down. "You've been hanging around me too long, ALICE."
"Considering how much hanging you do…hello, Dani, Brightwind. What do you like on your pizza?"
Dani chuckles, "Well, hello Alice… not used to people in Midgard with familiars. Pepperoni and sausage is good for us, thanks." She gives Spidey a wry look, "She's not as foul-mouthed as Hugin, so that's nice. That bird…" She shakes her head, chuckling a bit, "Never ask a talking raven to say 'Nevermore'. Just… don't do it."
"Not a Poe fan, eh?"
ALICE cuts in, "Order set. Pinpoint on pizza franchise location. Want to try the Virtual Light headgear?"
Spidey nods. "Not a bad idea." He reaches into his backpack and takes out a set of what look like cheap sunglasses. "Here, Dani, put these on. I figure you'd look cool in anything."
Dani grins, "Flatterer." She takes the cheap sunglasses and puts them on, tilting her head, "Okay, this is very… whoa." Brightwind, at least, knows where he's going, since he's mentally linked with Danielle, though the VR thing is pretty new to her.
At first glance, it just makes the world around her a little darker. Then the words VIRTUAL LIGHT appear in the upper left, and it brightens again.
And then she can SEE.
The entire world around her is overlaid with notes, markers, signs, and other objects designed to mark locations of interest. A look towards Lady Liberty offshore causes one point to open with STATUE OF LIBERTY. CURRENTLY CLOSED appearing over it. A red dot opens when she looks at it. PINO'S PIZZA. ORDER READY IN 14:31… with a tiner counting down.
Dani blinks, "Whoa… okay, this is kinda freaky." She glances around, then chuckles, "Is this how your suit works, Peter?" She wouldn't normally say his name, but this experience with the augmented reality makes her slip on that, looking back towards Peter as… well, Valkyries normally don't wear shades, but it is a fashion statement.
Spidey chuckles. The nearest person who can hear is 245.4 feet away. He knows. He looked.
"Basically, this is a feed from the suit's computer system. The shades aren't independent, they're slaved to the suit. They's be noticeably heavier if they were standalone. But…I carry people around sometimes, and they don't see what I see. this is to help change that."
Dani nods, "Very handy, I have to admit… we really don't have anything like this in Asgard, that's for sure." She grins, watching the timer count down on the pizza as she steers Brightwind in the right direction. The winged horse makes his way there in perfect sync with Dani's unspoken guidance, as she shakes her head a little, "This is amazing."
Spidey chuckles. "This is basic computer tech. I'm flying through New York on a flying horse with a honest-to-God Valkyrie. THAT is amazing."
Dani laughs a bit, "Why, thank you. I like to think I'm pretty amazing sometimes." She grins back at Peter, guiding Brightwind in for a landing and getting… well, even for a place as jaded as New York, the sight of a Valkyrie giving Spider-Man a lift definitely causes the cellphones to come out and snap some instant photos.
It is enough to raise the cell phones high as the winged horse alights on the parking spot next to the handicapped spot as another car pulls out of it. The timer reaches 00:00 and the door opens a minute later, a Pino's delivery guy peering at the motley trio of horse, handler, and Webhead. "Uhm…who's paying for this?" he asks uncertainly.
Spidey raises a hand. "Gimme a minute." He reaches into his backpack "Got me a money clip in here somewheres…"
Dani gives Spidey a wry look, "You know, I have more than just gold coins here." She reaches into a pouch at her belt, pulling out a pair of twenties. She then grins at the delivery guy, "Here you go, keep the change." She chuckles a bit, taking the pizzas and handing them back to Spidey. He's the passenger, he's in charge of pizza handling!
The guy suddenly looks a lot more with it as he hands the pizza boxes to Spidey, who hands on to them, like no one can.
"Uhm, thanks, ma'am. Have a good night…and thank you for choosing Pino's!" He waves as he steps back, giving them room to take off again before heading back into the pizza joint.
"All right, Mirage…up, up, and away…" Spidey says helpfuily
Dani doesn't go for the theatrics this time, instead just urging Brightwind to a gallop, and then they're off again, soaring through the sky as she hmms, "Got a spot in particular where we can touch down?" She chuckles faintly, "Can't quite remember where your rooftop hideaway was around here."
Spider-Man nods. "Yeah, the helipad of he Kane Industries building. They won't say boo to a ladybug if the CEO isn't there."
A green pinpoint appears. KANE INDUSTRIES, 3.4 MILES.
"They have a little cafe area on the south end for employees, too."
Dani hrms, "Alright, seems a little higher profile, but your call Spidey." She goes along with the directions, Brightwind arriving at the helipad with very little trouble, gracefully coming in for a landing, "Cafe for employees? Is that what you're doing now?" She arches a brow back towards Spidey.
Spidey waits until they are out of earshot before saying, "Yes…work-study program. They pay for my college program, and I give them a leg up with the projects I'm working on. Aunt May is already reaping the benefits. She's going through therapy to adjust to the new hip replacement Kane Industries designed for her."
Dani smiles, "Excellent. Sounds like a good deal for you." She dismounts easily, looking over at Spidey curiously, "So, where to now? We've definitely got this place to ourselves, it looks like." She does do a cursory scan with the shades, keeping them on for now for the added info.
Spidey points to a small wrought-iron patio table—round, with four seats and a wide umbrella. He puts the pizzas on the table, then ohs and takes a red plastic box out of the backpack, opening it to reveal two tall bottles of Coca-Cola. The ones from Mexico, that use real sugar still. As he puts them on the table, Dani can see they are quite cold.
Dani takes off her helm and sits down in a chair near Spidey, grinning at him, "Okay, so when do I get to meet your girlfriend? I have to admit I'm pretty curious about her." She takes the offered Coke, popping the tab easily off with her armor, sipping it as she kicks back, looking at Spidey… well, Peter.
Spidey lifts up the mask to nose-level. Because, even now, he has to be careful.
"Well…Peter Parker has a very odd situation. Apparently, the heiress to the Wayne Foundation confessed to having a crush on Peter Parker, for years. Which is hard to imagine, considering who Peter used to be. But now…it's very strange. Here is a person who could have anything and…well, anyONE. But she's very smart, and very capable. I can try to engineer a meeting, but…" He opens the pizza box for his pizza - cheddar cheese, ground beef, and bacon, their Bacon Cheeseburger pizza - "…I dunno. She SAYS she's okay with my double life, but does she TRULY get it?"
Dani whistles, "Wait… her? Good for you, Peter." She winks and raises her coke bottle in salute, and grins a bit, "I'm actually just dating an up-and-coming rock star, when I have any free time to manage. Which isn't enough, but it's still fun when we can get together anyway." She nods, "One advantage to not having much of a secret identity, I guess, but then how many people run around with winged horses anyway?" She takes a slice of her pizza, then sets a slice out for Brightwind to nom on. He gets some, with limits, naturally.
Spider-man chuckles. "Thanks, considering I didn't actually DO anything. One minute I'm hearing from Doc Connors about the science fair win, and then this elegant, pretty girl comes up and wants to talk to me. And, for a change, she is NOT playing a prank on me or trying to get my notes for the next exam. So, naturally, I make a fool out of myself, but she STILL says yes to dinner with me and Aunt May." He munches lightly, then looks out at the skyline. "…Part of me is still afraid she's going to dump me, you know? For a smart guy, I can be pretty stupid about a lot of things."
Dani grins, "Well, you know what? Just enjoy the time you got and make the most of it. That's my advice, anyway." She chuckles, taking a bite from her pizza slice before adding, "After all, this is a pretty dangerous thing we do, so living life to the fullest before we get called to Valhalla is the best thing we can do, you know? And hey, she's into you, you're definitely into her, just roll with it."
Spider-Man shrugs. "I can't argue with that. I just hope she doesn't find it…weird, you know?" He holds up a slice for Brightwind. "Want one of mine?"
As he does, he looks to Dani. "Ever find yourself doing something as a part of this life you didn't expect? I helped keep a kid out of juvie for a mistake, and now, three nights a week, I help him with his algebra homework. Because he didn't need a prison record ruining his life…"
Brightwind will never say no to pizza, nosing over to Spidey and taking the offered slice. Dani hmmms and nods, "Haven't had anything quite like that, but it feels like I'm making a difference just by being… well, who I am, which is a bit of a weird feeling." She smiles, "Not a bad feeling, mind you, but it's strange."
Spider-Man nods. "Well…maybe it's because I'm more of a street-level hero. Which is fine. Someone's gotta look out for the regular people, after all." He leans back and looks around him.
Just another night in New York City.