snowblindrpg | [network] @ADMIN; Arrival

[Oh, Matt. Natasha's voice softens to something more soothing.]

Everyone was hallucinating a few days back, and we couldn't find our way to one of the houses before lockdown. We're alright. Don't make that face.

What face?

[ This face. It's ok, being called out on it brings it back to a more or less normal scowl. ]

So it's not just radiation and anomalies and exposure that we have to worry about, but hallucinations and mind games too?

[ Great. ]

Wonder how that'll work for me.

[Ah, yes, the scowl. That's more like it.]

I'm not sure.

[Maybe his senses will just go haywire. Who knows.]

We've all been injected with nanomachines, some sort of medical treatment. They prevent the radiation poisoning from taking hold, but they have their own negative effects. They were also used to control the original residents of the town, to keep them in line. I'm not sure if that's why we're hallucinating or if it's something else.

[So, things not great.]

So it could just be someone pressing a switch and making people dance?

[ Well... great. He's going to lock that knowledge away and try not to think about it too hard. ]

How did we even get here?

We don't have a full picture yet. Apparently, something went very, very wrong here a long time ago, but a few of the city's employees were protected by hiding out in some sort of underground bunker or facility. Robert Miller, the systems administrator, has appeared on the network once or twice and claims he was in some sort of cryogenic stasis until very recently. The town has a minimum number of residents required by... Some sort of law? It wasn't clear. We're being brought here to fill a quota, but there have been other "sessions" before that were all terminated.

Edited 2016-10-08 23:56 (UTC)

Sounds like an experiment.

[ Reed Richards, maybe?? This is so beyond Matt. ]

So they pick people out from different worlds to see if we, what? Write Shakespeare? Survive whatever they throw at us?

I don't know.

[She sighs. She has far too little information and it's driving her nuts.]

I wish I had more answers for you.

It's alright. You're doing what you can.

[ There's that Murdock reassurance. The one where he's screaming inside but manages to smile and comfort people anyway. ]

You guys have had it tough, I don't need to make it tougher asking stupid questions. I'll stick to the ones that matter.

Where do you need me, and how can I help?

[She knows you, Matt, and she knows you're bullshitting, but she doesn't think it's worth bringing up while he's alone and lost.

So, of course he offers to throw himself into helping immediately.]

You're not asking stupid questions.

[But, okay. Matt wants something to help with.]

Right now we're trying to gather as much information as possible while protecting the people here. It's not just the weather and the anomalies—there are a few murderers wandering around, as well.

[ That's the Matt Murdock way. We take out feelings and we push them down. ]

I heard a little bit on that. This "Joker" he's some kind of supervillain, right? Who else is there?

Beckett. He isn't a supervillian, but he's had violent outbursts. He gouged out someone's eye and bit off someone else's finger. Brian—he's unstable, as well. He kidnapped a doctor a while back. Don't trust Solomons or House, either. As far as I know they aren't violent to that extent, but they're both manipulative and opportunistic.

[ Matt nods, committing these all to memory. This place can have negative effects on people, so it figures some would be unstable by now, moreso if they were already that way to begin with. ]

How would I identify them, if I run into the violent ones? Any particular tells? [ And while he's at it... ] Solomons is a criminal, right? He almost reminds me of Wilson.

[ Wilson Fisk, that is. ]

...Which one is House?

Runs a gang in London, yes. Gregory House is another doctor. "Hotstud xxx."

[She says the username almost sarcastically.]

I haven't run into Brian or Beckett, but the Joker is nuts. Sometimes he feigns sanity. All of them tend to post on the network regularly.

[ Matt snorts. ]

Figures. People like that love an audience.

Of course they do. I guess that's always a constant.

[And, then, because she knows he's doing the whole Matt Murdock "I'm fine everything is fine let me worry about you" thing:]

We'll be alright, Matt. I know they've altered your powers, but if anyone is stubborn enough to figure out a work around and not let it affect them, it's you.

[ Matt chuckles. Of course he's going to be alright! Haha, the thought never crossed his mind! Ever! At all. ]

Thanks, 'tasha. I'll find a way around this somehow.

I could come figure out where you are and play seeing eye dog. There's also a talking cat here. A seeing eye cat? Choose carefully.

Somehow I doubt a cat would enjoy playing eyes for me.

[ Ugh, heaven forbid! A seeing-eye animal? NEVER! ]

Besides, I can 'see' fine inside buildings, it's just... outside that's hard. My powers aren't made for wide, open spaces.

[Don't give her that, Matt!]

"Just" outside. What was I worrying about, then?

I hear there's some tunnels around here, that'd be great for me.

[ He winks. Look, laughing is so much easier than brooding. ]

[He's an asshole. She's smiling anyway.]

Two whole sets of tunnels. Be still your heart. It's just the rest of the city that insists on being open and largely featureless.

Just think. If we'd ended up in some kind of deep cave, I'd be the one guiding you guys around.

[ See, you love him. ]

[She does and she hates it.]

Maybe you should see if you can take Batman's codename. A brand switch, although that might be difficult to do consider you have business cards now.

[There's an unspoken "fucking nerd" at the end there.]

[ Matt laughs. Oh, he's heard about Batman. ]

Now there's a plan. Though I did just get this thing tailored, I'm not quite tired of the branding just yet.

Thing is a good word for it. How much did it cost?

[A beat, and then:]

If the answer is going to land me on the next obituary, don't tell me.

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