multiversallogs | i am just a man not superhuman [OPEN]

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i am just a man not superhuman [OPEN]

Who: Ozymandias and You
What: There's a masked hero out doing what masked heroes do.
Where: the neighborhoods around city center
When: Misdi - Veerdi evenings and into the night
Notes: Please suspend your disbelief and pretend a mask around the eyes is a really great disguise.
Warnings: Possible minor violence against NPC baddies?

Adrian refuses to believe that's no meaning in the fact that his costume came to Baedal with him. Just as he refuses to believe that the only good use for it is to protect him when fighting off the occasional invasion of mysterious creatures. When the world back home is right, he intends to put the mask on again, knows he won't be the only one who does. So in the meantime, there's no excuse not to get back into practice again while he's here.

There may not be any man-eating crows or giant ants roaming the streets tonight, but that doesn't mean there are no monsters to be found. Humans -- and humanoids (he's still rather coming to terms with that) -- are perfectly capable of doing evil all by themselves. And that's where Ozymandias comes in.

Tonight he's out in the streets of the central city, keeping a reasonable distance from his home in Brock Marsh just to be extra careful with his identity. So far he's stopped a mugging in progress and left an unconscious thief locked inside the business he was trying to rob. It's not a busy night, but it feels nice to be protecting a city again.

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Adrian really is going to have to see about better arrangements regarding middle-of-the-night access to the building, if he's going to avoid being caught out like this. Maybe storing the costume in the basement, changing down there where he's less likely to run across the other residents.

Thankfully it's Lex, who already knows about the costume, and Adrian gestures toward his half of the top floor suites, expecting to be followed. "I did, although it's not quite the same with no masked villains or organized gangs to fight. It's possible I simply haven't looked in the right places yet, though." He peels off his gloves and lays them aside, the mask and circlet following.

Lex catches the gesture and follows, raising an eyebrow at being beckoned like that. He's more than willing to talk to Adrian, and would have continued anyway.

He watches the pieces of the costume be removed. They're still new enough to be a curiosity, but familiar enough for him to have no temptation to stare. "Any city has its unsavory parts. This one probably has people smart enough to not travel in noticeable packs." He steps closer to the discarded gloves. "I did notice you stopped certain muggers earlier in the week."

Sooner or later, either Lex will get used to Adrian absently acting like everyone around him is just waiting for his direction, or Adrian will recognize that Lex is not one of those people and become a little bit more self-aware.

The gauntlets follow next, all of the easiest pieces now removed, and as he raises his hands to unfasten the collar that sits over his shoulders and holds the cape in place, Adrian turns his head to look at Lex. "It seems that way, but then again I'm also just learning the city myself. Given more time, I'm sure I'll find where the truly despicable residents congregate." A small smile turns up the corners of his mouth. "Oh? And how did you happen across that information?"

Lex gives Adrian a wry look with something that threatens to be a smile. "Something about a butler with a broken nose and purple bandage speaks volumes."

Reaching down, Lex picks up a single glove, not presuming to wear it, but turning it over in his hands and running his fingers across the details. The dark color of the gloves next to Lex's skin make the scarring on his hand more visible than ever. "Is this going to be a regular thing?"

Adrian turns away as the smile threatens to deepen and lifts the collar off, draping the cape carefully over a chair until he can inspect it for damage. It's seriously inconvenient to have to clean the damn thing himself, but he's not ready to let anyone else in on the secret just yet.

"I had nothing to do with his choice of bandage colors." He glances over to Lex again, serious for a moment. "His ribs were bruised at the very least as well. I doubt he'll say anything so I thought you should know." So Lex can keep an eye out, possibly find a reason to point Aimery in the direction of a doctor if he needs one.

The glove inspection makes Adrian stop and really take in Lex's curiosity, makes him realize the man is genuinely interested and would probably make a good ally in this side of Adrian's 'business' as well. "Not as regular as it once was. Back home I'm actually retired, have been for years. I'm not sure why the suit accompanied me here, but since it did, I thought I'd put it to good use." And to be honest, he misses that life, a fact that probably shows in the nostalgic tone of his voice.

Edited 2011-08-30 20:49 (UTC)

"I'll make certain that he's cared for," Lex replies, either medically, or has enough assistance at home to mend properly.

He sets down the glove and picks up the mask, holding it in both hands and imagining what it would be like to constantly hide his face. "I can't imagine a better use than what you are doing now. The suit was brought here because it's who you are, Mr. Veidt. It seems as though items which accompany a person here are fundamental to who they are. It sounds so simplistic to say in so many words, but you're a hero. That isn't a quality that vanishes due to retirement."

Lex's words strike something deep in Adrian, and he's still for a very long moment, watching as the other man inspects the pieces of his costume. He is a hero -- not was -- and would still be if society's failure to understand its own needs had not intervened.

"Don't you think it's time you started calling me Adrian?"

He moves away then, not precisely lost in thought but much more thoughtful, as he slowly removes the rest of the body armor, piece by piece. "Retirement from the masked hero business has suited me well enough. I saw it coming early on, was able to focus my plans in other directions. The work I was capable of as Ozymandias was never going to be enough anyway, not for the vision I have, but it was a very necessary beginning. Everything I have built to this point, every step I've taken toward creating something that will truly benefit the world, had its origins in violence, and it seems that if I'm to build something of any value here then I'll have to revisit those origins. 'How great are the dangers I face to win a good name in Baedal.'"

Instinct tells Lex to drop the mask, but instead his grip grows more secure. This is not something to discard carelessly, whatever the intent. Instead he sets down the mask gently as if putting it on display and lifts his chin, standing straight and placing himself on the same internal platform as the declared hero.

"It seems as if your origins are my constant present. Everything that's mine, everything I've had to maintain I've had to fight for. While I'm the heir to my father's empire, I'm also a threat. He's only one obstacle, but definitely the largest, and no corporate titan takes kindly to a newcomer. My life is a constant game of staking my claim in the larger world or breaking under its weight along with the rest of the rubble. I'm going to change the world, Adrian, either here or back home because I'm certainly not ever going to break."

He breaks eye contact long enough to look down and pick up the circlet, once again finding Adrian's face under a determined gaze. "'There is nothing impossible to him who will try.'"

Edited 2011-08-30 22:15 (UTC)

It feels as though something shifts, notches into place, and Adrian finds himself watching Lex intently as he speaks. Since setting out into the world to make his own fortune, Adrian has seen himself as walking his path -- Alexander the Great's path -- alone. The Watchmen shared a common interest in a small scale, but no living person ever came close to comprehending the grand vision Adrian was always reaching toward. He never imagined any of them could.

Nodding slowly, he steps toward Lex and takes the circlet in his hands, although he doesn't remove it from the other man's grip.

"Are you a sheep, Alexander Luthor? Or are you a lion?"

Lex runs his thumb against the smooth upper edge of the circlet. This moment can't be coincidence. Adrian has never addressed Lex by his first name, much less the full name rather than the nickname everyone else adopts. It's fitting that this should be the initial use and Lex takes a step forward as if to claim his birthright with circlet still in both hands.

He looks to Adrian with a focused but calm expression, an intensity unmistakable through blue eyes. "I'm a leader, Adrian Veidt. Sheep's clothing doesn't become a lion."

There's a slight tilt of the head that leaves no room for argument. This is a completely new world, but Lex knows that his place in it is at the top.

Edited 2011-08-31 09:55 (UTC)

Adrian has plenty of use for sheep in his plans, but not as partners in them, and he's come to realize that if he's to deal with Lex at all it has to be on equal footing. More than that, though, he can see where a partnership with a man like this can carry benefits he's going to need if he wants to achieve the same goals here that he put in place for himself at home. So Lex's response is answered with a slow nod, and the slightest hint of a smile.

"Join your vision with mine. Why should we compete when we can achieve even greater things side by side?"

He finally releases the circlet, slowly letting his hands drift away. The left, both dominant and physically scarred reaches for Adrian's hand and clasps the outside. "This belongs to you, Ozymandias."

When he looks at Adrian, something else falls into place with Lex as well. What they have is a partnership strong enough to endure the largest of complications. Lex keeps their eye contact as he speaks. His determination is there, and Lex also regards Adrian with a significance he felt certain was misplaced until now. "There's none I'd rather share a vision with. There will be no choice but to look upon our works."

Adrian feels a strong sensation of satisfaction, at being right about his assessment of Lex, even from their very first meeting, and at his decision to make a rare move in allowing someone else to walk shoulder to shoulder with him on his path to greatness. There's never been a single doubt in his mind that he would achieve everything he's ever planned for, but now there's an unexpected rush of renewed excitement about those plans.

He takes the full weight of the circlet in his grasp but doesn't pull it away, instead accepting the grip of Lex's hand over his, something more intimate and more significant than a mere handshake. "I look as much forward the day when you stand triumphant before the world, Alexander, as I do to the moment when I can finally reveal my great gift for mankind."

Lex pulls his hands away and with it gives a slight push of the circlet in Adrian's direction. It's his own crown to wear, the king of kings. He gives a smile and serene nod in acknowledgement. There's nothing more to say of that matter, and he doesn't want to mar it with unnecessary words.

"I'll leave you to finish up for the night." He's not sorry he interrupted. "Goodnight Adrian." Saying the man's first name aloud still feels rare and unused, but not at all uncomfortable. Lex turns away and heads to his own penthouse. There's much to think about before drifting off to sleep.

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i am just a man not superhuman [OPEN]

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