House of M - The Beginning

[selfhelp]

Who: Billy Kaplan + Anyone who wants to be involved in the House of M Plot + Related CR + Anyone Really
What: Um. The House of M Plot.
When: October 1st-7th
Where: Literally anywhere in Luceti, yo
Summary: Billy returns from a kidnapping feeling a bit, er, different. A white light envelops the village for just a moment, and when it fades... well. All kinds of things are different, actually.
Rating: Varies, anything above R take it elsewhere!

Still accepting last minute sign-ups, if anyone is interested.


It starts off so innocently, early on the morning of October 1st. A burst of light, a warm rush of energy that consumes everything it touches, and it's gentle enough to feel like stepping out into sunlight from the shade. It's so brief that some people might not even notice it happened. But there are certainly... differences. Some subtle, some not. And those changed won't even understand the problem.

After all, why would perfection be a problem?

The truth is, there are no problems. There can't be. It's perfect, Billy thinks. Believes it. His belief is his reality, and now, it's their reality. It all has to be perfect; they deserve it, all of them, for one reason or another. And he'll do whatever he has to protect that perfection from being tainted, ruined, taken away from them.

Teddy died so this could happen, after all.

So what is your new reality?


((first two threads reserved for the intro thread and billy's status; after that consider this log a free-for-all.))

Comments

[teenwonder]

[It makes him frown.]

Didn't you want me to stop chasing conclusions that don't matter? To stop putting so much effort into things that aren't working?

I don't need a magic spell to tell me you were right all along.

[noitatnacni]

[That isn't fair. Zatanna hesitates, lost for a moment as he uses some of her own arguments against her.]

I didn't want you to give up completely. I still don't. Even if you were going overboard, that doesn't mean you have to stop being a hero.

[teenwonder]

I don't have to stop. I want to. That's the difference.

[noitatnacni]

Except you don't. Not really. It's whatever this magic is.

[The spell that's so very strong, and Zatanna already knows she's fighting a losing battle. Sorcery like this can't be defeated with well-meant speeches; it takes sorcery to fight against it, and she just doesn't have that kind of power.]

[teenwonder]

[He still smiles at her, but his eyes betray something sadder.]

Zatanna. It's magic that brought back my parents.

[noitatnacni]

[There isn’t much he could’ve said that would completely throw her—but he’s managed to find one of them. Instead of pushing more or trying to still convince him, her eyes open wide as he goes beyond confirming her suspicions. Even when he smiles, she can still see the sorrow; this spell has done more than just created fictions.

So much more. So much worse.]

Oh, Robin. [Her stomach twists, because how can she argue with him now? But at the same time, how can she not, when she knows none of this is real?]

Maybe you’re right. [Only about one thing, and Zatanna knows what she has to do.] I should probably talk to Jason.

[teenwonder]

[He draws her into a hug even if she doesn't want one, pressing his lips against her forehead.]

It's okay. Jason can be Robin. Nobody's losing anything. Please don't worry.

Can I still count on you at dinnertime?

[noitatnacni]

[In a small way, that gesture makes her even sadder. Sure, they're affectionate with each other when they aren't bickering, but it's so easy this time. He's just Dick, without all the burden Robin carries around. Zatanna slides her arms around him too, closing her eyes at the warm kiss.]

Of course you can. We're still a team. [Even if it means she has to try and do something absolutely devastating to him.]

[teenwonder]

[He's blissfully just Dick. He has no desire to pick up his baggage anytime soon.]

Thanks. I'm glad you'll support me even though I'm giving everything up. Mom's going to love you.

[noitatnacni]

Yeah? [God, this sucks. He’s so happy, and Zatanna just wants to be happy for him. But she already knows that when she meets Dick’s mom, there won’t be a person there. Just a construct of a spell, someone who isn’t real.] I’m glad to hear it. Should I bring anything?