Hey Martin. I remember you. I hope things are going well, I think the last time I heard you were getting chased down by Maul in October.
I was kind of wondering about that. It was just a little accosting and harrassing, but there wasn't any harm done. So don't worry too much about it. Turns out we all knew Ange and she helped me clear things up before anything violent happened.
Sorry you had to deal with one of those weird body doubles getting up in your business. I've had a run in with a few of them so I'm definitely not holding that against you. No one got hurt and that's what counts at the end of the day.
Buuuuuuut if you want to make it up to me. I'm definitely down to get some pizza. Any friend of Ange's is a friend of mine.
[They're not... going well. But that's not something he's going to tell her.]
I think Peter got really hurt. The man who came to talk to you, I mean.
That's really nice to offer, but I don't think I can really go out for pizza right now. It's... sort of raining bodies? I'm trying to stay safe and I don't move that quickly sometimes. I could make you a pizza, though? Maybe send it along with one of the deer if I can get them to come to the door. They're a lot faster.
Peter? I thought Ange said his name was Daniel? Are one of those his last name?
[It was hard to tell when everyone wasn't obviously named after a colour around here.]
Okay. That's fair. I'm pretty quick so I can kind of get around the body rain. ...Or catch them if they're still alive. But that's a good call if you're trying to stay safe. I don't want anyone getting hurt if they don't have to.
I'll take you up on the pizza offer though. You can either make it or we can wait for it to be less raining people out there.
[Martin had been willing to believe that 'James Barnes' had doffed the name he'd been born with and adopted a new one after he'd gone through something traumatic. Multiple common names to different people? Hmm.]
I think he's just being careful about giving out his real name. Given what my double did to him, I don't blame him. It really hurt him.
Have you been able to catch anyone alive to find out what's going on for them?
Why don't we take a raining people check? Just for now. I don't want you putting yourself in more danger than you need to.
That's fair. I've had a couple friends here do the same thing. At least with their presence on the network. I guess I can see that. So you remember what they did too, huh? That must be weird. ...He did seem really upset about it. Do you need someone to help vouch for you with him? Because he might not trust me, but he seemed alright with Ange. I could ask if her if you want.
Unfortunately no. Another one of them attacked me and she ended up getting killed in the process. That's the closest I've gotten really.
Raining people check it is. But I'm holding you to it. :D
That's fair. She kind of forced her way in on my end. I mean I asked her initially but she didn't stop after that. Ha! Tangled- That's funny! Reminds me of the webs- And apparently your double was really spidery? ...Is that just a theme in your world?
Oh no. Not quite. The other like "sleeper double," she just straight up attacked me. I tried to talk to her because I knew the real her but she wouldn't listen. I got a rescue before she could kill me, and then we killed the double.
I'm counting on you :D I'm sure you'll do great. We
It's the Web. He was a servant for an evil spider god-thing. Not really a god, but supernatural entities that are really powerful and feed on and create fear. There are others. The Web's all about the fear of manipulation and control. And spiders. He was trying to manipulate Peter because it was just... fun for him, I guess.
Oh. I'm sorry you had to deal with that. I guess that wasn't a great week for you.
It wasn't the best week, no, but I'll take it over some of the others I've had. Way back last April or May, I think? There were like three people gunning for me. I can take a guy showing up at my door to threaten me over that. Especially when he was pretty open to talk things out? That makes things a whole lot easier.
But this whole Web thing sounds pretty awful. We have monsters like that back at home. Less about the manipulation though, but they're drawn to the negative emotions people feel.
Does it have anything to do with all the spider webs we got caught in the day we met? That was because of a book wasn't it?
Yeah, that's exactly it. That was something we call a Leitner. They're cursed books and they sort of embody different Entities. The one we were burning that night was a Web one that turned up in Jon's blessing basket.
Sodder's idea of a cruel joke, I guess. Jon's got arachnophobia. I'm sort of glad he wasn't here to see what happened with that other me.
That explains it. I think I've run into a few of those since I've got here. One that turned me into a ghost and another that made someone dig a big hole. A friend had one that caused everything around them to decay.
Never would have guessed that they were all connected.
...Did Jon go home then? I'm sorry to hear that. But you're right. It's probably for the best that he didn't see that. Not to mention if it was causing trouble with your face. At least it didn't get the chance to hurt him.
The digging one got destroyed. Someone tried to bury me alive with that one. But they got all dig crazy and broke it with a shovel while they were at it. I don't know what happened to the ghosty book. It was around when the dig one got destroyed but it wasn't there when I checked the area out after. I don't know about the last one. A friend told me about it after he had a run in with it. He was awfully torn up about his experience with it though.
That sucks. I didn't know him super well. But he seemed like a good guy, helped out where he could.
[She knows he had at least tried to his part more than once.]
[That is, possibly, one of the most charitable assessments Martin's seen of Jon from someone who doesn't know him well. It warms him more to Ruby than she might well realize. People so often overlook just how hard Jon tries to do the right thing, do good. He's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but he's always making an effort, and it's so much more difficult for someone in his position. That should be recognized.]
He's a great guy. I'm really looking forward to seeing him again when I wake up.
I'm glad at least on of the books is gone. I'm sorry about your friend, though. Leitners are really bad news in our world, like the worst news. If you survive an encounter with one, you're pretty much guaranteed to be scarred for life. But you've gone through three encounters?
That's a lot, Ruby. I'm not sure you realize just how much.
[Honestly the most Ruby had really seen of Jon was him trying to help out. She hadn't seen the results of most of his efforts so she's going off what she knows, and those intentions mean a whole lot to her.]
Here's hoping we find a way to do that sooner rather than later then. Sucks when you get split up like that.
It wasn't great, but he pulled through it. I had no idea they were that bad- I mean it was pretty awful dealing with them. I mostly lucked out- considering the person who used them was totally planning on killing me with them.
I'm just a little used to situations like this I guess.
It must say a lot about you and Jon though. You're still standing too.
[Privately, Martin thinks kids like Ruby, Fern, Varian, and Glitch could all stand to be much less focused on heroics and much more on keeping themselves safe. It probably wouldn't be 'cool' to say as much, though.]
Just remember that rubies aren't diamonds, okay? Better not to have you break.
[Unfortunately at the very least Ruby's entire career path focused on helping other people at the cost of herself and she had basically picked Glitch up as a pupil along the way.
One day Martin will get to have the uncool dad talk.]
Yeah... If this place has taught me one thing it's that I'm not always as tough as I think I am.
I have a lot of people out there who don't want to see me hurt but there are a bunch counting on me to help out too.
Kind of a rough line to walk but that's where I'm at here.
Maybe? I'm not keeping score or anything so try not to worry too much about it. It's not something you were in control of- But like... I might have been some weird part of you. Twisted up by what this place does.
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un: RadRidingHood; text
I was kind of wondering about that. It was just a little accosting and harrassing, but there wasn't any harm done. So don't worry too much about it. Turns out we all knew Ange and she helped me clear things up before anything violent happened.
Sorry you had to deal with one of those weird body doubles getting up in your business. I've had a run in with a few of them so I'm definitely not holding that against you. No one got hurt and that's what counts at the end of the day.
Buuuuuuut if you want to make it up to me. I'm definitely down to get some pizza. Any friend of Ange's is a friend of mine.
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I think Peter got really hurt. The man who came to talk to you, I mean.
That's really nice to offer, but I don't think I can really go out for pizza right now. It's... sort of raining bodies? I'm trying to stay safe and I don't move that quickly sometimes. I could make you a pizza, though? Maybe send it along with one of the deer if I can get them to come to the door. They're a lot faster.
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Peter? I thought Ange said his name was Daniel? Are one of those his last name?
[It was hard to tell when everyone wasn't obviously named after a colour around here.]
Okay. That's fair. I'm pretty quick so I can kind of get around the body rain. ...Or catch them if they're still alive. But that's a good call if you're trying to stay safe. I don't want anyone getting hurt if they don't have to.
I'll take you up on the pizza offer though. You can either make it or we can wait for it to be less raining people out there.
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I think he's just being careful about giving out his real name.
Given what my double did to him, I don't blame him.
It really hurt him.
Have you been able to catch anyone alive to find out what's going on for them?
Why don't we take a raining people check? Just for now. I don't want you putting yourself in more danger than you need to.
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So you remember what they did too, huh?
That must be weird.
...He did seem really upset about it.
Do you need someone to help vouch for you with him?
Because he might not trust me, but he seemed alright with Ange.
I could ask if her if you want.
Unfortunately no. Another one of them attacked me and she ended up getting killed in the process. That's the closest I've gotten really.
Raining people check it is.
But I'm holding you to it. :D
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Wait, you saved her and she attacked you? Why?
Sure. I'll make sure to work on my pizza-making skills. :)
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I mean I asked her initially but she didn't stop after that.
Ha! Tangled- That's funny! Reminds me of the webs- And apparently your double was really spidery?
...Is that just a theme in your world?
Oh no. Not quite.
The other like "sleeper double," she just straight up attacked me. I tried to talk to her because I knew the real her but she wouldn't listen. I got a rescue before she could kill me, and then we killed the double.
I'm counting on you :D I'm sure you'll do great.
We
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It's the Web. He was a servant for an evil spider god-thing. Not really a god, but supernatural entities that are really powerful and feed on and create fear. There are others. The Web's all about the fear of manipulation and control. And spiders. He was trying to manipulate Peter because it was just... fun for him, I guess.
Oh. I'm sorry you had to deal with that. I guess that wasn't a great week for you.
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Way back last April or May, I think? There were like three people gunning for me.
I can take a guy showing up at my door to threaten me over that.
Especially when he was pretty open to talk things out? That makes things a whole lot easier.
But this whole Web thing sounds pretty awful. We have monsters like that back at home. Less about the manipulation though, but they're drawn to the negative emotions people feel.
Does it have anything to do with all the spider webs we got caught in the day we met? That was because of a book wasn't it?
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Sodder's idea of a cruel joke, I guess. Jon's got arachnophobia. I'm sort of glad he wasn't here to see what happened with that other me.
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Never would have guessed that they were all connected.
...Did Jon go home then? I'm sorry to hear that. But you're right. It's probably for the best that he didn't see that. Not to mention if it was causing trouble with your face. At least it didn't get the chance to hurt him.
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Were you able to destroy the books, by chance?
Jon and I were trying to get rid of them.
He woke up, though, yeah.
[It's easier to type that out than talk about it, at least. He doesn't have to worry about Ruby seeing his expression.]
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Someone tried to bury me alive with that one.
But they got all dig crazy and broke it with a shovel while they were at it.
I don't know what happened to the ghosty book. It was around when the dig one got destroyed but it wasn't there when I checked the area out after.
I don't know about the last one.
A friend told me about it after he had a run in with it.
He was awfully torn up about his experience with it though.
That sucks. I didn't know him super well. But he seemed like a good guy, helped out where he could.
[She knows he had at least tried to his part more than once.]
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He's a great guy. I'm really looking forward to seeing him again when I wake up.
I'm glad at least on of the books is gone. I'm sorry about your friend, though. Leitners are really bad news in our world, like the worst news. If you survive an encounter with one, you're pretty much guaranteed to be scarred for life. But you've gone through three encounters?
That's a lot, Ruby. I'm not sure you realize just how much.
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Here's hoping we find a way to do that sooner rather than later then. Sucks when you get split up like that.
It wasn't great, but he pulled through it. I had no idea they were that bad- I mean it was pretty awful dealing with them. I mostly lucked out- considering the person who used them was totally planning on killing me with them.
I'm just a little used to situations like this I guess.
It must say a lot about you and Jon though. You're still standing too.
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Why do so many people want to kill you, though? You seem nice?
[Outrageously nice, in fact.]
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I think so too! But I guess I can be a lot sometimes too, and I probably rub jerks the wrong or way or something.
It's what happens when you stick to your guns I think?
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[Okay, so she's not a little-little girl, but from his perspective...]
There are way too many things and people here willing to hurt kids.
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You're not wrong but there's a lot of people around here a little too willing to hurt everyone.
And that's not something I'll stand by for either.
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Just remember that rubies aren't diamonds, okay? Better not to have you break.
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One day Martin will get to have the uncool dad talk.]
Yeah... If this place has taught me one thing it's that I'm not always as tough as I think I am.
I have a lot of people out there who don't want to see me hurt but there are a bunch counting on me to help out too.
Kind of a rough line to walk but that's where I'm at here.
But thank you for the reminder <3
It means a lot.
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Maybe? I'm not keeping score or anything so try not to worry too much about it. It's not something you were in control of- But like... I might have been some weird part of you. Twisted up by what this place does.
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I'll let you get back to what you were doing. Talk to you later.