dictated/action

[beastisbeauty]

[Bruce is sitting outside, his young son, Michael, beside him. The boy looks about eighteen months old and is chewing on some alphabet blocks. His clothing is tattered, because he threw a temper tantrum, until Bruce brought him outside. Bruce opens his journal.]

Can I get some help? I know nobody here really knows me very well, but...um. The castle has given me a child who has apparently inherited my anger issues. For those who don't know, that means he becomes big, strong, and green, whenever he gets angry.

...

I need a break, before I turn green. I mean, I could stay nearby. I'm not really asking for a baby-sitter. Really. I'm just not used to this and could use some moral support, if nothing else.

Comments

Sod it. /breaks hiatus

[compromisedarrow]

Dr. Banner?

[Okay. He really needs to stop being so lax with watching the journal.]

:D :D Yay!

[beastisbeauty]

[This time, Bruce thinks he recognizes the voice.]

Um, yeah, Agent Barton, right?

[compromisedarrow]

[Someone else from home. Probably a good thing.]

That's me. When did you get here, doctor?

[beastisbeauty]

Just before we got taken on that ship, the Event Horizon. Three or four weeks ago, I guess? And you?

[compromisedarrow]

About a year, at last count.

[He pauses.]

Sorry I haven't contacted you yet. I've been kinda... [Avoiding everything.] ...Busy.

dictated

[kungfuwitch]

[Big strong and green? Well that's relatively new. although she's certainly known enough people who turn into demons or light things on fire when they're angry so it's nowhere near unique in her book. Phoebe's voice is light as she smiles]

My name's Phoebe Halliwell. I'd be happy to give you a hand if you'd like. I can bring my own daughter so he'd have someone to play with.

Re: dictated

[beastisbeauty]

It's nice to meet you, Miss Halliwell. I'm Bruce Banner. Yeah, that'd be great, please. He's definitely going to have to learn how to play nice with others.

[Bruce doesn't think he's had much luck teaching the Other Guy that, but he hopes teaching an actual child, separate from himself, will be easier.]

[kungfuwitch]

Phoebe's fine, really. It's a pleasure to meet you, too. Where are you? We could meet you there.

[beastisbeauty]

Thank you and, please, call me Bruce. We're outside, just out the foyer doors. I thought some fresh air might make him happier.

[kungfuwitch]

Well it certainly couldn't hurt. We'll be right out, Bruce.

[And it's not long before two pretty brunettes come walking out the door. Phoebe holds her daughter's hand as she looks around]

[encryptedlock]

Like, literally? Or is that just a clever metaphor?

[beastisbeauty]

Not a metaphor and definitely not clever. [He sighs.] No, sadly, I mean that literally. I had an accident with gamma radiation and it affected my DNA...apparently in a way that is inheritable.

[encryptedlock]

I could see how that would be a problem.

How big are we talking here? Like, too big for the swimming pool, or?

[beastisbeauty]

Oh! Oh, no, even I...the Other Guy is only about nine and a half feet tall! Michael, when he's angry, is about fifty inches, maybe a bit bigger. The problem is they both have strength that is disproportionate to their actual mass. Uh, they're extremely strong for their size, I mean.

[encryptedlock]

"Only" nine and a half feet tall. That's a huge relief, I gotta say.

Anyway, swimming might be a good idea. Water wears you out a lot more, higher resistance and all that. I did pass third grade physics, you know.

[schrodingersghost]

[Well, either this guy's kid was a ghost - ad not the weird ghosts in the castle. The kind of ghost Danny knew from home. Or this had something to do with that guy he'd met a few days earlier.]

...That sounds weirdly familiar. Any relation to Mr. Must Smash?

[beastisbeauty]

Uh, yeah, I guess you met the Other Guy, huh? That...it's hard to explain. The Other Guy is someone I become or who gets released from me, when I lose control of my anger or get too stressed out.

...

I didn't hurt anyone, did I?

[schrodingersghost]

[Danny nods to himself.]

Sounds a little like Cujo. Of course he can't talk either way.

Not that I noticed. Actually we had a pretty decent conversation.

[Danny had rather liked the Hulk.]

[beastisbeauty]

You had a conversation with him...what about? [Bruce is torn between relief that the Hulk is apparently gaining some social skills and terror that people aren't more cautious around him.]

[schrodingersghost]

Smashing stuff, I guess. People being generally stupid. The reasons why smashing up sentient all powerful castles that enjoy our misery is a bad idea.

dictated

[originalcopy]

Well that's just fuckin' awesome.

Re: dictated

[beastisbeauty]

Yeah, tell me about it. Actually, please do. I've heard this happens once a year, but these children...how is this even possible? I mean, is this a child I'm going to have or is he an illusion? I don't understand.

dictated all the way down

[originalcopy]

It's castle bullshi...

[He pauses and looks at the little girl snuggled up against him flipping through a board book.]

It's the castles work.

But apparently they're real enough. They aren't like from our futures or anything though.
I guess they have a 'someplace' that they go back to? I don't really know.

[beastisbeauty]

Oh, yeah, he's real. He crushed one of his alphabet blocks, before I got him outside. [Bruce sighs.]

...

Don't get me wrong. He's a good kid! But, y'know, he's a baby. They're not known for their emotional control.

[originalcopy]

No kidding.

You could always see if they have tribbles at the petting zoo.