Shade Odinchild

Odin's bastard kid

[night-shade-odinchild]

SHADE ODINCHILD

You can call me Nightshade when I'm saving you! I'm still figuring out this whole "hero" gig, though, so give me a break.

Living with Loki, sometimes I crash at his best friend Verity's. Mostly I just go wherever I want and do what I want >:3

And if ANYONE told you I got my hero name from my old my little pony sona, they are LYING

((OOC Rules and Info below!)

One of Odin's bastard kids; they're half midgardian, half asgardian. They're a new hero just now getting a grasp of what that really means.

Their universe more closely reflects the comics rather than the MCU, but there is aspects of both.

Shade goes through several stages of their attempt at becoming a hero, each of which I might RP:

1) The beginning, their training. This is when they live with Loki and Verity (comic exclusive character, Loki's best friend.) Thor still isnt aware they exist and they have yet to meet Odin. They have some magic and know how to fight. Most of what I RP! They're ~14 here.

2) Thor knows, they have a better grasp of their powers, their fire powers have begun to show and they find out about their curse (Cursed with Logi, God of the Wildfire's, hunger and power.) ~15 here!

3) They've traveled to Asgard and accidentally burned part of it down in their hunger/anger. Odin considers them an enemy to Asgard. They go thru a mini villain arc and are just barely 16 years old.

Rules!

I don't do NSFW. Mod is 18 but the character is not.

I will write a lot; I love writing and receiving long replies!

I tend to reflect how much other people write, though; don't expect long replies if I'm only getting a paragraph or so! I'm fine wt short replies though!

If I don't respond to a thread for a while, chances are I forgot. Feel free to remind me!

Anyone can interact! OCs, Canon Characters, crossover characters!

[night-shade-odinchild]

Tell me why I told Verity I wouldnt do anything stupid when I went out today and she didn't even LOOK UP from her bowl of ramen when she said "lying." Her super power sucks wtf

[spidersarenerds]

Open RP Starter (How Did I Get Here?)

This may be one of the stupidest things he's done… or well, it was. What he's about to do will probably be worse. But that's for later, so *rewind noises* or whatever.

MJ must have some sort of mind control ability because she managed to convince Peter to come along to her interview. Like last time went so well when the Beetle trashed a whole floor of the Daily Bugle building. So, here he is in some greasy diner as J. Jonah Jameson grills MJ in the booth to his left—Peter didn't even get a nice seat, just one of those uncomfortable plastic-laminated wood chairs that are always an awkward height. At least there's fries. Though they'd be much better if he didn't have to hear Jameson ask MJ about all of the qualifications she's already given the last ten times she's been interviewed for a position. It all boils down to how willing she is to diss Spider-Man, which is where her stubbornness wins out every time.

But fries! So hot his tongue is starting to lose a little bit of feeling. Perfection.

About to pop a fry into his mouth, he pauses and his eyes narrow, dropping the fry back onto the plate.

The door to the diner flies open, the little chime of the bell drowned out by the thud of the door whacking into a, thankfully, empty chair. Peter barely got to glance at the person barging in before there's a table skidding across the floor. His fries? Upended. The awful chair? Knocked aside. Himself? At the other end of the room, steadying the now sideways table that was sent his way so it doesn't crush him and whatever patrons unlucky enough to be on this table's warpath. "Sorry, folks. Pancake-dom via table costs extra," he says mindlessly, even though he should definitely watch his quips when Jameson is around. Speaking of, the news reporter himself is shouting something about refusing to be silenced and the usual spew of his bravery and, as revealed as Peter tips the table back onto its four legs, is cowering as far into the corner of his booth as he can.

And that about sums up how he got where he is now, shielding whoever is behind him with a mere table between himself and the threat, and to top it all off, the loudest journalist in New York along with other civilians as an audience that could oust secrets he doesn't want to get out if he gets a little too spidery.

//Be the villain, civilian, a hero following the fiend who barged in, whatever you'd like! And of course, tags (No one is forced to interact and those not tagged are more than welcome to interact as well!): @emiliakane @katiebishop-1610

[night-shade-odinchild]

A moment later, another person is barging into the diner, clutching a very large sword in one hand and pointing at the intruder with the other.

"You!" they gasp, winded, "you are the absolute WORST!" They had no idea who the other was, but they did know they'd been chasing him for at least 5 blocks and then through an interdimensional portal (one THEY made to follow him THEMSELF! Their magic was improving!) all while he wrecked havoc and caused large amounts of damage. That was more than enough to decide that yeah, this guy sucked.

Shade takes a moment to glance around -- civilians everywhere, small area, J. Jonah Jameson -- they do a double take. Okay, cool, cool, whatever they did here was probably going to be reported on. That's fine.

First things first. There's no room for giant swords in here, so they let it disappear into their pocket dimension. Second, they should probably ensure civilian safety. They notice the table about to crush a bunch of people first, and quickly dodge away from an oncoming attack to get closer.

"Hello!" They greet as they come to the side not pressed against the wall. "Sorry I can't chat. I need to take this, hope you dont mine." They pull the table away from the civilians and twist, throwing the thing as hard as they can at their assailant. It's mostly dumb luck no bystanders were in the way-- the table lands and the man falls, only to stumble up a moment later.

Shade swears under their breath, turning to the civilians they'd just freed. Their gaze meets Peter's. "You, can you clear this place? I don't want anyone to get hurt." They hate delegating such a task to someone incapable of defending himself against a superpowered person, but they have little choice.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter watches the second person burst into the room, mildly concerned about the large sword—and the loud complaint, but, honestly, mood. Their mood towards the intruder as well as the disappearance of the massive sword eases his worries. One madman destroying the place is already too many, but at least it isn't two.

Kind of. Peter winces as the table crashes into the man. At least he isn't the one paying for it. Huh, having little to no responsibility in a crisis situation is weird. Well, that was until he was given the task of evacuating the area. "You and me both," he agrees. Preventing people from getting hurt as a shared goal is enough for him to decide that he can trust Shade to handle the bad guy. It takes a load off his shoulders. He doubts the ol' adrenaline excuse will cut it with J.J.J. as a witness if he were to go toe to toe with this guy. But while getting people out of the way it might.

He glances around, watching the man's destructive behaviour that is blocking the main door for a beat longer before moving towards the emergency exit. If he can clear a path to it, getting everyone out will be much easier. Peter has a feeling that the man won't have the kindness to see people out the front door.

There are footsteps that follow after him—likely the group that was behind the table with him—and short shrieks as a chair clatters into the wall above their heads. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Peter grumbles, keeping an eye on the man now that he's decided to start throwing things again. "Turn off the burners, fryers, whatever and get out of here!" he calls towards the workers, most of which have crouched behind the counter, shielding their heads. He doesn't expect them to follow the first part much, if at all, but it would be nice if there wasn't a fire hazard as well as an attack.

He wrenches open the small gate separating the kitchen area behind the counter and the rest of the diner, gesturing for the few people trailing after him to go in. "Follow after the workers there– Lead them out of here," he orders the worker that was slowest to get out of here. Shock, probably, but the job should give them a task to cling to for the time being.

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect—and how he must be in cahoots with a certain wall-crawling menace—but apparently not.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade keeps an eye on the escaping civilians out of the corner of their eye. They're not used to fighting in such a cramped space with this many people around; most their focus is on keeping the oncoming furniture from hitting any innocents. Magic flies wildly, hastily made shields are created only to drop a moment later as a blast of fire flashes forward to incinerate a chair about to hit a kid. For an amateur sorcerer like themself, it's incredibly draining.

They flinch as Jameson shouts another line about disrespect-- enough of a break in their focus to cause them to get hit square in the nose with a stool. Shade covers their face and yells out a few obscenities before turning to Jameson.

"Can you PLEASE just SHUT UP!" They face their opponent again, wiping blood from their nose as they continue talking to Jameson. "This would be so much easier if you just left and got to safety, man--" they dodge another chair before they seem to come to a realization. "Wait, I'm so stupid, I could literally just--" A blue glow forms around their hands yet again, and suddenly a portal opens under Jameson; he can be seen falling onto his face through the window.

By this point, most all the civilians are out, except for that guy they told to help evacuate. Shade pulls up another shield made of magic and glances in his direction. "When I said evacuate everyone, I meant you too." Blue flames surround their fist, and they leap forward to attack their assailant.

[spidersarenerds]

Not that it helps any, but Peter absolutely admires Shade's ability to keep track of all of the hurling objects. Without extra senses, it's quite the feat. It also makes the job of evacuating people easier when he doesn't have to lead them to dodge flying chairs and tables.

After shoving MJ to follow the rest of the crowd out—he actually had to close the door between them—because she wanted to stay to get the story on the scene and no way is he letting that happen no matter who is here to keep her safe as she records, he sighs. He thinks that's everyone. Or so he thought until he heard Jameson yell as he is dropped through a portal and made to eat the concrete outside. "I'm getting way too good at tuning him out." Peter doesn't think that's necessarily a bad thing, especially with the result he just saw, but maybe he should pay a little more attention next time.

"Yeah, I'm working on it," he says, pushing on the door to the staff. It doesn't budge. "Wait, was it?–" He pulls the handle. Nothing. The door locks as it shuts. Just his luck. Pushing on a pull door would have been less embarrassing than accidentally locking himself inside.

He yelps as the intruder crashes into the shelves in front of him. This is the first actual chance he's gotten to see the man unobstructed, and the pumpkin head is definitely a shock that has his yelp being louder than he'd have liked. The pumpkin head's carved grin seems to grow—how that works he doesn't know—at his shout and he begins to sit up. "Trick or treat!" He crows in a voice Peter would never call sane.

Now, he's seen many horror movies. He's complained about the dumb decisions the characters have made enough that he'd be put to shame if he didn't grab the nearest object and hit that pumpkin square in its face. That object just so happened to be a sheet pan. The pumpkin is still intact, and the twang the metal sheet gives is almost comedic, but it has the man faltering long enough that Peter has the chance to hop over the counter. He knows it's a little too graceful of a move for the whole 'Peter-act', so he tries to mess up his landing, stabilizing himself with some flailing and a hand on the floor.

"Trick it is!" the man decides happily, righting himself behind the counter and turning his pumpkin right side around.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade notices the door conundrum and swears under their breath. They've been at this fight far too long, and they don't have it in them to open another portal. If they tried, they couldn't guarantee Peter wouldn't end up in a wall or 40 feet off the ground.

They nearly laugh at the absurdity of hitting the guy with a sheet pan, but cut themself off; they should probably focus so they don't get hit again. The bruise that was definitely forming on their face was already going to be so annoying to explain away later.

"Come on, man, Halloween is my favorite holiday! You're ruining it!" Shade glances at Peter. "Try to stay out of the line of fire. I got this." They say it with way more confidence than they feel, but whatever. They've been living on fake it 'till you make it rules long enough it's practically second nature.

They leap over the counter, fire already wrapped around their fist. They intend for it to hit the guy in the face, but he catches their punch with ease. They're surprised for a moment, caught off guard by the lack of response to the fire, before realizing that of course the guy who's head is literally a flaming pumpkin wouldn't react to a little heat.

They don't have much more time to reflect on this misjudgement before they're met with a swift punch to the gut. They cringe but stand their ground, offering a quick blast of fire in return. It's enough to get the guy off them, if only for a moment.

Desperate for a quick way to end this (they know theres still a civilian in here, they know they need to keep him safe,) Shade tries the one thing they're terrible at: using their words. "And what if I said treat?" They severely hope the guy doesn't have some sort of candy themed weaponry.

[spidersarenerds]

Jack O'Lantern gasps, clasping his hands together. "It's your favorite too?!" he coos. "But I'm ruining it? I think you aren't appreciating it enough!" he cackles as he catches Shade's punch.

Peter has dealt with all sorts of crazy before, but maniacally happy with a Halloween theme is new. Would it be wrong of me to say I miss Goblin's crazy? At least he made sense... in his own twisted way. He nods as he's told to try to stay out of the line of fire. That's the plan.

"You got it!" If it's a treat you want, then a treat you shall get!" It is, unfortunately candy themed weaponry, almost a gun of sorts that he's quick to pull from beneath his cape and fire. Luckily, his aim sucks. On the less lucky side, whatever he's shooting is coming apart as it's shot.

So much for staying out of the line of fire! Peter throws his hands up over his head, shielding his face from the pellets. That's what they must be since they haven't torn through Shade and himself like shrapnel would. The pellets are hard and surprisingly small, bouncing off his arms and falling to the floor with a clatter. They hurt, but not nearly as much as one would think something that came from a gun would. He cracks open an eye. He knows he's not bulletproof, so what is this? He takes a peek at the ground. "Candy corn?" The little orange, yellow, and white triangles litter the ground of the diner now. "Where do you even get this much of it?"

"I'll never reveal the skeletons in my closet!" Jack O'Lantern gesticulates so dramatically as he speaks, he's nearly dancing to the rhythm of his words. Peter can't say he's quite as enthused. Rather than get into whether or not bulk stores can be counted as a skeleton in a closet, he begins to take a couple steps backward, not paying much mind to the hard candy making the ground uneven, his feet finding the clear areas so he won't slip without much thought. If he's out of the way, Shade can handle this guy much more easily... probably. And with Jack O'Lantern behind the counter, the path to the front exit should be clear if Peter can make it there. He just doesn't want the pumpkin head to notice. Who knows if all his weapons are merely annoying like the candy corn gun or actually dangerous?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Candy corn gun. Of course it was a candy corn gun. How stupid they were to even think that it wouldn't be a candy themed weapon. "Where do you get this much? Halloween was forever ago, no one is sells any past October?" Not that they were asking because candy corn was their favorite. The middle of battle would be an incredibly inappropriate time for such a question.

For the briefest moment, they consider trying to catch a piece in their mouth. They decide against it, though. One, it would be so embarrassing to die because they choked on a piece of flying candy corn, especially after everything else they've lived through. Two, they didn't really want to meet their sister again. Hela might not be kind enough to send them back up a second time.

Shade watches Peter slowly back away out of the corner of their eye. They need to keep Jack'O'Lantern occupied so he can escape.

Their sword returns to their hand. Now that the store is mostly empty, they have a little more room to swing the giant blade. "Hey, Jack! Try countering this!" They step forward for a swing, aiming to knock the gun out his hand.

That is not what happens. Their foot lands on a piece of candy corn and they slip. They quickly adjust the grip of the sword as they fall -- it nearly takes Jack's head off, and they have no want to kill the guy -- and it slices through the gun and lodges firmly in the wall. Shade hits the floor.

They blink and quickly stand, avoiding the candy corn this time. They shoot a glance at Peter, then look back to Jack. "That did not happen. You didn't see that." It's clear they speak to both of them.

They're very good at this. They are a well trained and professional superhero, and they are not lying to themself about that.

Well, at least the gun is gone. Shade ducks under the sword, still firmly lodged in the wall, and comes around the otherside with a fist aimed at Jack O Lantern's face. When all else fails, go old school. And hope he doesnt catch their fist again.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's mouth hangs open as he watches Shade slip. Never in his life has he been more afraid of a sword—and he's been on the pointy end of what he'd say to be plenty. A sword swinging around uncontrollably is enough to make him glad he hasn't come across more. At least the gun is gone. He likes guns even less.

Jack O'Lantern, the maniac, giggles, "That's witchful thinking." He peers over the sword at Shade on the ground. He then yelps as Shade's fist collides with the pumpkin, stumbling back out of their reach as quick as he can. "No fair," he growls, cradling the spot where he got hit. Whether he's cradling the part of his face that got hurt through the pumpkin or is just really that attached to the gourd on his head, Peter can't tell. "I guess it's time for my own tricks!" Like anything he's given is a treat.

As Jack whips out yet another weapon, some sort of pole that elongates itself with his movement, Peter has to duck to avoid the blade. A scythe. Kind of. He doubts it'd be any good on a farm, what with the way the blade crackles. The blade doesn't even seem to be metal, just energy. It must save space for whatever other goodies Jack has up his sleeve. "You're really out of your gourd," Peter mutters, focusing on righting himself from the near-backbend he just had to do.

Jack O'Lantern, of course delighted to hear any vaguely Halloween related pun, spins around, nearly taking out Peter with the scythe again. This time, Peter grabs it near the blade to stop the whole waving around very sharp things theme that has been going on. It also means that he's putting a lot of his balance into Jack holding the scythe steady, which he regrets immediately as Jack leans closer excitedly. "Aw thank you! It makes me all the more spooktastic, and that's just bootiful, don't you think?"

And Peter could do without his eyebrows getting singed off by the flaming pumpkin, so he wedges his heel into Jack's shoulder and pushes him away, maybe a little too hard as Peter flips himself over while doing so, now firmly on his feet with the scythe in hand, the blade safely on the floor. "Oops..." he hisses under his breath before straightening like it was intentional and totally normal of him to do a backflip in a fight. Just such a normal, innocuous thing for a guy to do. He did gymnastics—for two months when he was six—that's why he can do that. "Isn't that grim? You've lost another toy," he comments, trying to play it off. He really should shut up more. Thank goodness Jameson is outside and probably dealing with being dumped onto the pavement so he can't hear these quips.

Peter keeps hold of the scythe so Jack O'Lantern can't get a hold of it, and also because he has no idea if he should be able to lift this or not. Swinging a blade around with a candy covered floor isn't a good idea anyway. Just look at Shade's sword. Jack picks himself back up, stumbling slightly on the candy corn. The guy is taking quite the beating, more so thanks to Shade than anyone else."You– you're no fun!" he spits, barely paying attention to Shade and likely ready to pull another trick.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade stares at Peter with wide eyes. They might not have normal strength levels, but they used to live in some small town in the middle of nowhere with no super people around, and they're pretty sure not even the strongest people they knew there could've pulled that off. Maybe there's a reason this guy was way more level headed than the average civilian.

There's only a few heros with that amount of flexibility, and only one they know of who can come up with that many terrible puns that fast.

Deciding that's not really important, nor their business, they choose to just be happy he's on their side; with their luck, it was a miracle they didn't run into a building holding the next Hydra convention.

Jack isn't facing them, giving them a good opportunity to sneak up. They're careful to avoid the candy corn, not wanting a repeat of their previous mishap (please please please tell them no one caught that on camera. They might cry.)

Shade leaps when they're close enough, tackling him to the ground. They land awkwardly on their side and cringe as candy corn digs into their skin, but continue with their plan anyways, fighting to keep Jack from reaching for any more of his "tricks."

"Both of your jokes are awful!" They cry out while still fighting with Jack. Even if they were a little funny. "Now stay down, please--" They raise their elbow and slam it down into Jack's chest.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter can vaguely recognize the realization in Shade's eyes, which isn't the best for him. He's really getting too sloppy with his identity. Now it just begs the question if he can play up the clumsy helpless civilian enough or if he will just look like a fool. His friends who know make fun of him when he leans heavily into the nerd persona, but it clearly works better than whatever he's doing now. Shade doesn't seem like they would tattle, but Jack might... if he's even coherent enough to string a non-Halloween related sentence together.

As Shade tackles Jack to the ground, Peter stumbles back, allowing himself to stumble on the candy corn and barely catch himself on the scythe. Is anyone paying attention? No, definitely not. They're busy fighting on the floor. He totally had that realisation before he did that. It was just practice.

"Wh– hey!" he begins, about to defend his quips. At the very least, they aren't on the same level as Jack's. He can accept that they're cringe-worthy, but to compare them to puns that sound like they're from some website? Simply unacceptable. That is until Shade jams their elbow into Jack's chest. Peter looks away. "Yeah, I'll just shut up now."

Jack makes some sort of wheezy coughing noise, similar to a breathless laugh but that's more so the crazy rather than any sort of joy. He flails wildly in Shade's grip, pushing at just about anything and trying to squirm away.

It's clearly an issue, and Peter is only so good at standing by—so good as in atrociously terrible at it— so he scans the diner for anything to tie up Jack O'Lantern. It seems he is out of luck today because not one customer happened to forget a scarf or purse in their evacuation. Ugh, and the day I only had tank tops to wear underneath. Peter drops the scythe and pulls off the dress shirt he's been wearing like a jacket. He observes it in his hands. Jack would be the type to kick or even run away while his hands are tied. Peter tears off both of the sleeves—he might as well make it match on both sides; he's going to be sewing later anyway—and rushes to help out in the scuffle. "Hold his arms!" Tying up the feet can happen once there are no hands clawing at their faces.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances up at Peter when they hear the sound of fabric ripping -- but only for a moment, as Jack tries again to wriggle his way free. They curse under their breath as they grab the villain by his wrists, holding them with just enough force not to break them. They've been getting better at handling their strength, though the doubt the force they use to hold Jack is comfortable.

"Got him!" They mentally add ripping the jacket to their list of reasons this guy is totally definitely a superhero. Unless that jacket was made with really flimsy fabric, they don't think it would've ripped that quickly and easily. Plus, they're pretty sure the average civilian wouldn't think of that unless they, for some reason, had experience tying up random villains on the street with little resources.

Shade grimaces as Jack tries to pull his arms back again. They take a moment to thank the stars they got the superhuman strength and endurace from their Asgardian half; this guy was not giving up.

"Don't burn your hands!" They aren't sure if the fire surrounding Jack's pumpkin head is real or not, but better safe than sorry. At least they don't have to worry about it; fire is kinda their thing. Even if it is hot, they won't feel it.

[spidersarenerds]

"I'll do my best..." His main focus is getting Jack's hands tied together, which is a struggle and a half, even with Shade's—rather spectacular, if Peter were to say so himself—efforts to hold Jack still. Eventually, he manages to loop the first sleeve around Jack's wrists tight enough that he won't worry about him slipping loose, and maybe a little tighter for good measure, and ties the knot as securely as he can. He would make a joke about the fabric "cuffs" being a one size fits all, but he's busy trying to avoid getting kicked in the face. Jack's legs are a whole other battle. So, Peter decides to be more lenient on the quality of the bind, getting up and running away won't be easy even if Jack managed to free his legs.

Jack is shouting rather loudly, half of it threats mixed with puns, and the other half claiming that tickles are a rude trick to pull—his understanding of what is going on seems really limited, and Peter almost feels bad for the guy, in that aspect, less so the terrorizing people part.

"Just need a bow and you'd be set for Christmas," Peter pants, sitting back on his heels as Jack writhes.

"NOOOO!" Jack O'Lantern howls, clearly furious in his binds. He is fuming as his squirming grows less violent frome either exhaustion or the cloth cutting into his limbs.

"Not sure who would want you for Christmas, though," Peter adds on in a false pondering tone. Villains wailing about their defeat, as annoying as it is, exists as a common ending to fights. He watches as Jack struggles. He doesn't know what to do now. He can't exactly just leave on his merry way—as he would usually do with a quick web—but instead he may have to linger since MJ and Jameson are likely still outside the diner, itching for the scoop. And the police. Ugh, is he going to have to deal with the police? And he's without his 'jacket'—if you want to call a cotton dress shirt that—to hide whatever marks he has on his arms from his 'hobby'. Is it too late to get stabbed by that scythe?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath as Peter finishes with Jack, leaning back and letting go of his wrists. They stay close enough to grab him if he does manage an escape, though.

"Can't tell if he's more mad about losing or about the Christmas pun." Shade watches him struggle for a moment before looking back at Peter. "Thanks. You got a level head on you for a guy who presumably doesn't do this every single day." They're still, like, 99% sure this guy is Spider-Man. No other hero would make puns that bad. No need to ruin the guy's secret, though.

Shade holds out a hand with a grin. "I'm Nightshade. Shade. Whichever. 'Preciate the assist. Sorry about your shirt."

Their gaze wanders around the building as they slowly take in the damage caused by the fight. Candy corn everywhere. Broken chairs and tables. Sword in the wall. They cringe. "I do not have the money to pay for this," they mumble. "Should probably split before cops get here." They can already hear the sirens. "You might wanna, too. Some people might have some... prying questions about some stuff you just did." They try to make it clear with their tone that they mean leave before someone finds out your identity.

[spidersarenerds]

"Can't say I'm a newbie to it. Villains attacked my high school a lot." And that's not even a lie. A lot of his graduate year would probably be calmer than most—even if you were to disclude the nine of them who were/turned out to be heroes—but he can admit that it doesn't explain away what he's done. It is a very thin veil of secrecy he's weaving with very halfhearted effort. "I'm Peter, and don't worry about it. It was my choice, and I can stitch it up later." He shakes Shade's hand. Jack gives a final thrash. "Probably." He has no idea how his shirt sleeves will hold up against the strain of being restraints.

"Torn off sleeves are still in fashion, right? That's a thing?" he jokes, folding his arms together. He can argue that's accentuating his arms and making them look more muscular than his 'nerdy' arms actually are, can't he? I'm overthinking this. No one actually pays that much attention, much less people who barely know you to be a 'nerdy weakling'.

"New York has clean up guys for villain fights... I think. I saw it on the news once. If you want to call what J– Mr. Jameson does as news." Peter knows it to be true because he had to help once because he and his team got in trouble with Fury, if they're still running after the Wrecking Crew snuck into the works to sabotage and pilfer. He looks over his shoulder out the window to try and gage the size of the crowd. It doesn't look to be the worst, but he knows that there are two journalists waiting outside, desperate for details, and one of them is his best friend. The other, however, may very well have a cavalry of cameramen on the way. Where is Harry and his convenient outerwear when you need it? "I wish I could. My friend's out there and will probably get arrested for trying to enter the crime scene for her journal if she doesn't get a witness statement." MJ could likely talk her way out of it, being the stubborn person she is, but he may as well save her the hassle.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances at the torn sleeves and scoffs. "Absolutely not in fashion. But, hey, maybe you'll start a trend." They should probably worry a bit more about the high school comment -- was that common? Would their school get attacked if they ever bothered to go back? -- but they decide to let it be for now.

"Yeah, it probably needs one considering... Literally everything about this city." NYC had to deal with gods and men flying around in iron suits and sorcerers and spiders. They'd seen the damage plenty; Shade feels a little bad for the people doing all that clean up.

...Better those guys cleaning it up than them, though.

Shade's gaze follows Peter's. They let out a breath. "Damn, Jameson is gonna make me the second most hated superhero in New York after this. First one being that bug guy." They know good and well that spiders aren't bugs, and also that Spider-Man is more well liked than Jameson makes him out to be. They still think it's a little funny to poke at Peter without being obvious about it, though.

"I'll hang out with you then. You know there's gonna be cameras and interviews and stuff. If anything goes south, I'll lie to the cops and journalist and just tell them you hid in the back or something." Shade glances down at Jack. "No one will believe him if he snitches anyways."

[spidersarenerds]

"Totally, next best thing since ripped jeans: the more holes in your outfit, the better," he quips. As Shade remarks about the chaos of the city chock full of superheroes and villains, Peter nods. Damage control has saved his skin many times. Of course, the best damage is no damage at all—as Fury has hammered into his skull—but with the combination of an unfamiliar villain and Shade, however far they are into their hero journey, he's glad the building didn't collapse.

Peter opens his mouth to refute the bug guy comment, but holds back, just barely. "Just be confident. I would not be surprised if they can smell fear," he says instead. The advice is bogus, he has no idea what makes Jameson like people. Both times Spider-Man was impersonated, Jameson was praising 'him' to the high heavens.

Shade's decision to stick around has Peter turning his head to look at them, surprise melting into a small, appreciative smile. "Yeah? You just stole my sleeves to tie this pumpkin head up?" he teases. "Thanks," he adds with a more genuine tone. He doesn't plan to let Shade take the fall for him like that, not with Jameson's sway on the public, but the offer is nice.

"Let's go before they bust the door down." He pushes the door open with his shoulder. The clamor from outside bursts in through the open door, the sound of people fussing as they notice the door cracking open. Peter can pick out a few questions and exclamations from the crowd, just civilians, as far as he can tell, for now, but he only waits long enough for Shade to make it through the door before walking to the corner. He does not expect to lose the crowd, but getting them away from the door so police, professionals, and all that can enter the building whenever they get here. It's also a chance for him to scan the crowd for MJ... and Jameson too, mostly because MJ would stick close to him to observe what a 'true journalist' does in this situation.

"What happened?"

"Who are you?"

Those are the two main questions he can decipher from the hubbub, whether they are sent his way of Shade's, he has no idea. How celebrities can understand anything when thirty questions are being hurled at them at the same time, he has no idea. He comes to a stop at the corner of the building, glancing back to make sure Shade is still there and alright.

"Peter! Where have you been? You can't disappear like that!" A familiar head of red hair parts the crowd, stepping right up to Peter and poking his chest accusingly with a grin. "I had a whole cover ready." She crosses her arms, finally seeming to notice his state. "Whoa, I think this is the first time I've seen your shoulders. You're going to distract someone," she comments.

"That is not true, MJ. We've known each other since we were four; you've seen my shoulders," Peter protests, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," MJ dismisses, already pushing her leather jacket at him, knowing he would wrap it over his shoulders so he can focus on more than if people somehow put it together that he's Spider-Man by seeing his arms—which he does, even though the fitted leather jacket is far from his size. She leans to the side, spotting Shade. "And who are you?" she asks them, excitement glowing in her green eyes. Peter offers an apologetic smile. MJ isn't the worst to talk to, far from it, but she is stubborn, especially when she's in her journalist mode.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Before Shade leaves the building, they take a moment to recover their sword -- which takes a minute, because it is stuck stuck. With only a mild amount of additional damage to the drywall they manage to dislodge it and let it disappear into their pocket dimension. They do hesitate a moment before walking out, wondering briefly if leaving Jack was responsible. Figuring the police were just around the corner anyways, and that Jack had stopped struggling in his binds, Shade leaves him and follows Peter into the crowd.

They hear the questions as soon as they step out. Shade is briefly stunned by the overlapping speech and all the eyes on them, but they quickly pull themself together as they plaster on a confident smile and pose with their arms on their hips.

With a tone that sounds almost rehearsed, Shade responds, "I am Nightshade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire and sorcerer in training. Consider this villain vanquished!" They stand proud for a moment before their face falls as they mumble to themself. "No, that sounds too fantasy-ish. This foe is finished? Enemy annihilated? Eh, we'll workshop it." They clear theur throat and stand tall again. "He's in there, and he alone is responsible for all damages. Please lead the cops to him when they arrive, put the guy behind bars, maybe get him some help?" They glance around and spot Peter out of the corner of their eyes. "Uh, I gotta run. No more questions and bye!!"

They push through the crowd and arrive at where Peter and MJ are. They smile at MJ when addressed. "Shade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire, newest hero on the block." They say it with the same gusto as when they addressed the crowd, as if they were rehersing to a camera. Shade holds out a hand. "Your friend made a very noble sacrifice today. Rest in piece his shirt, made great restraints all things considered."

[spidersarenerds]

Peter smiles as Shade answers the questions that were being shouted. He doesn't have that sort of patience, but he can admire the enthusiasm to actually talk to people rather than just dip without explanation. It likely promises them a better reputation than Spider-Man, though that isn't saying much. There are villains J.J.J. likes better than him.

MJ tilts her head. "Shade Odinchild? Well, that's a name we certainly didn't cover in our school's mythology studies," she remarks, taking Shade's hand eagerly. "And newest hero on the block, huh? So you're going to be sticking around? What can the public of New York expect from you?"

Peter's eyes widen, basically seeing a flashing neon sign indicating the loaded question. Now, no matter how friendly and people-skilled Shade may be, answering that is a trap. Not one MJ lays intentionally—this time, that is; he won't forget how she bullied her way past Iron Fist and Power Man to get to an interview in a building under attack—but with the public and Jameson around, any answer will not be taken in good faith. "Haha, maybe that's a better question for when you have your camera, right? The digital age, y'know? Everyone likes a video." He puts his hands on her shoulders. He knows it's hopeless to tell MJ straight up that such a question has the very high chance to do more harm than good: she sees the good in everyone and wouldn't believe him if he said otherwise when it comes to the media, at least in his experience.

"Ah, well I could still write it down." She smiles. "Besides, how cool would it be to be a hero's first interview!" It's the same excitement that makes him feel bad to say no or point out a flaw in her plans.

"Haven't you already done that?" MJ was the first one to interview Spider-Man. What? You think I could refuse her back then? She'd have personally hunted down Spider-Man three years ago. "Do you even have a notebook?"

"No..." She crosses her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "Do you?" she asks hopefully.

"Me? Nope! Didn't even bring my bag," he answers. He did, but he has no idea where it is in the diner, so he might as well not have brought it. He'll have to find it later. MJ's expression is disbelieving at best. He smiles 'innocently'.

"There you are! Watson, if you want to be a top journalist, you need to find the action, not run off," Jameson scolds, lightly holding a handkerchief to his nose. Seems the landing face first into concrete after being teleported wasn't exactly harmless. But he still has his attitude, so it's likely nothing to worry about.

"I think she found the action first, sir," Peter comments, earning a judgy side eye from the man, his mouth twisting into a frown before he turns his gaze onto Shade.

MJ steps between the two. "This is Shade Odinchild. They're a new hero!" she introduces, seeming to come to the conclusion that putting a good word in with Jameson could help a little with Shade's reputation.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Well, I'm not the 'hundreds and thousands of years' old kind of Asgardian. I don't actually know if I'm immortal or not--" They were only half Asgardian, technically, and they had no idea what traits they got from their Father's side. Maybe if the guy would actually talk to them they could figure it out, but so far Odin seemed more that happy to pretend they didn't exist. Whatever, they'll figure it out through trial and error. Sucks they won't know if they'll live to 80 or 8,000 till they get there, though.

"But I'll be in your textbooks soon, I bet. Up there with Captain America and Black Widow and the rest of 'em." Maybe they sounded a bit too confident. They had been living off the fake it till you make it mindset the past few months, though. If they sounded confident enough, maybe it'd come true.

Shade opens their mouth to respond, but is cut off by Peter. They're a little annoyed. This could be their big break! Their first interview to really thrust them into the public eye, make them a real hero! They could get their name on tee-shirts and have those stupid little knockoff figures of themself and unlicensed merch that looked so bad it was funny and--

Okay, plot lost. Still, it would be really cool to have their first real interview, even if it wasn't exactly the most professionally conducted.

"I mean, I might have a notebook somewhere." They throw so many things into their pocket dimension, they wouldn't doubt they did. "Hold on, I can look real--" they pause as Jameson speaks, quickly straightening their posture in an attempt to look more professional-ish. They quickly forget about the notebook as they swivel to face Jameson.

"Oh! Jame-- I mean, Mr. Jameson, sir." They aren't usually one for authority figures; Shade's always been more of a "do what I want and deal with the consequences later" kind of guy. Jameson kinda has actual influence, though, and they really want a good first impression with the public. It's the first step to their dreams of greatness, after all.

...which is why they're kind of regretting the whole telling him to shut up thing. And the dropping him face first onto concrete thing.

It's fine, if they pull out all their natural charisma and charm, they can still turn this around to be in their favor!

Shade clears their throat. "I, uh-- Sorry about earlier. Heat of the moment thing, I don't usually tell people to shut up, be quiet maybe but I promise I'm not that rude--" Oh god they're rambling-- "Is your- uh, your nose okay? I'm still a little iffy on portal trajectory. Busted my own nose a couple of times."

Okay, well, so much for charisma and charm. Do they normally stumble over their words this much, or only when what they say actually matters?

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's eyes flick between Jameson and Shade, growing more amused the longer Shade rambles and the conflict on Jameson's face deepens. He's clearly ticked about being dropped on his face—the being told to shut up, less so just because it's not the first time he's heard it from a hero/hero adjacent—but there was an apology, and it's not like this kid is hiding behind a mask... They're taking accountability for their actions, which, in his eyes, only matters when there's no secret identity. Even though Peter has no stake in this, he waits with bated breath for Jameson to give an expression beyond stern and mildly annoyed.

"Well," Jameson clears his throat, adjusting his suit jacket. "It's something you definitely need to work on. Preferably before hurling innocent civilians through your portals." He looks to the side, lips pursing beneath his mustache. "But I am glad you're taking accountability. It's not something everyone does, especially some so-called heroes."

And there it is. Peter was waiting for the Spider-Man diss, even if it was indirect this time. He waves his hand as MJ looks ready to refute that claim. There's no need to save the dead horse Jameson is insistent on beating. Instead, just let Shade have their moment. Peter can't lie and say he's interested in seeing Jameson actually be kind of nice.

"I... suppose... my commentary was not exactly de escalating the situation." Wow, that almost looked like it hurt for Jameson to say. The man looks less than happy to admit his fault, but at least he apologized... kind of.

Peter has to physically bite his lip to keep from adding a 'ya think?' Now isn't the time and he really shouldn't snark an adult while he's so obviously himself, no matter how much of a pain that adult may be. I am mature. I am so good at shutting up. I will utter no words. Imagine Fury is super mad and ready to end anyone who talks back.

He breaks, because how could he not? There are so many different things he could say. He opts for the most innocuous one. "I'm sure it's alright, sir. Villain attacks are scary for everyone. There's no shame in that." It doesn't quite scratch his itch to be a bother, but there's only so much he can do before he loses plausibility that he isn't being intentional in his antagonism.

Jameson does not seem amused. "Yes, for civilians. I am a journalist, and we do not scare in the face of some loon in a mask, now do we, Miss Watson?"

"Not exactly. We act in spite of our fear to deliver–" she begins to say.

"Exactly," Jameson plows on, not waiting for her to finish her thought. Because it's something she got from Spider-Man in an interview? Maybe.

"–The truth as best we can," MJ concludes, giving Jameson a flat glare before her expression brightens again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath they didn't know they were holding. Jameson didn't seem like he was going to go on the news and spout about how they were a menace like he did with certain other heros; they could almost say he seemed to respect them, to a degree. At least they can assure their reputation with the public isn't going to be smeared just yet.

They nod along as he speaks, trying Very hard to seem engaged. The better the impression they leave, the better the future article about them will be (hopefully.) "I'm... working on the portals. I'm mentoring under someone with way more magical skills than me,so I should figure it out soon." They figure outright saying my older brother Loki is showing me how to do cool magic stuff wouldn't get a good reaction. God of Lies or not, he's still not well liked. "Next time, I'll make sure you land on your feet, probably."

They nod along to Jameson's response to Peter. "Well, sir, soon you won't have to worry about loons in masks. Or, at least you'll have to worry less." Shade places their thumb on their chest, standing tall and throwing on a confident smile. "With me on the streets, villains will be too scared to stick around. Bet I'll clear New York out was faster than Spider-Man could." They're not gonna lie and say they aren't trying to annoy Peter; they subtly glance his way, just to see his reaction. Besides, they're trying to get on Jameson's good side. This is a quick (and funny) way to do so. They'll say sorry later.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter notices Shade's seemingly eager nodding, maybe a tiny bit amused by the amount of trying to get on Jameson's good side that's going on. He doesn't think he's seen someone try that hard, but it's nice to see, in a way. If they're worried about their reputation, chances are, hopefully they'll do good things to better their reputation. He bites his lip to keep a grin from forming as they promise to transport Jameson safely through a portal next time, with a probably tacked onto the end. He wouldn't complain about seeing Jameson dropped onto his face again, but judging by the nervous laugh from Jameson, he isn't going to be stepping through any of Shade's portals any time soon.

At the claim that Shade will clear out New York of supervillains faster than Spider-Man, Peter's eyebrows furrow, his mouth opening like he's deciding if it's worth responding to and risking identities. He purses his lips. The diss wasn't appreciated, but less work is less work, so he won't say no.

Jameson, however, grins, "Ha! Glad to know not all of the new heroes think Spider-Man is the standard."

"Of course that's the key to your heart; hating Spider-Man. Who would have guessed," Peter grumbles under his breath, unsurprised and keeping his voice down low enough that he's sure Jameson wouldn't hear him over his own beginnings of a rant.

"Well, actually, a lot of the villains on Spider-Man's roster were only in New York because they were hired to fight him. So, it would be O– uh, whoever hired them's fault." It's a valiant attempt on MJ's part to defend Spider-Man, even though Peter nearly had a heart attack when she nearly said the—now reformed—'employer's name.

Of course, Jameson just gets a gleam in his eye. "But at the root of the problem is Spider-Man." As one would blame the guy with the note 'kick me' taped to their back. "We could do more with heroes like this one who own up to their mistakes and don't attract villains!" He gestures to Shade. Peter cringes; he sure hopes Jameson didn't jinx it. Villains with magic powers are a pain for everyone.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade hears Peter's mumbled comment and sends him a shit eating grin. They quickly shift their focus back to Jameson, not trying to divert any attention to Peter. They should probably be a bit more subtle, now that they think about it. Not everyone is willing to throw their real identity out there.

"Well, I don't think I have anyone who hates me bad enough to give people to kill me quite yet." Maybe a few people who had beef with Odin, or Thor, or Loki, but those people didn't directly hate them. They were just trying to hurt the aforementioned Asgardians without any direct sort of confrontation. Not the same as hiring a guy to kill Spider-Man. (Not like Odin cared about anything happening to them. The couple of guys who came after them with the intention of getting Odin's attention were so misguided it was a little funny.) Back to their original point, they add, "I don't thing I'll be attracting any supervillains here anytime soon."

They can't say they aren't enjoying the praise. Even if Jameson isn't their favorite person ever, they haven't ever been used as a good example. It feels pretty nice; Shade just hopes they can live up to his (and the rest of New York's) expectations.

The teen holds out a hand. "Well, Mr. Jameson, it has been very nice to meet you. Maybe next time we can meet under a less life-or-death-y situation?"

[spidersarenerds]

Peter hopes Shade is right and no one wants them dead. He knows it's likely that they're right and he's worrying because of his own past experiences. He has to remember that not every new hero has a billionaire and their mad scientist looking to militarize their powers and/or dissect them. Shade should be fine.

They handle themselves well enough in front of the media, anyway. Peter's glad to see Jameson likes at least one superhero, excluding the two times that he's taken a liking to people impersonating Spider-Man.

"So long as you keep up your efforts, I look forward to it." Jameson takes Shade's hand, giving it a firm shake while stating his hefty expectations. No pressure or anything. With that, he walks back into the crowd, saying he and MJ will meet another time—which will likely end in disaster such as today; her interviews with the man are always interrupted by villain attacks—with a brief over the shoulder wave.

As the news reporter leaves, Peter squints. "Did you put something in his drink, MJ?" he accuses, mostly in jest. He doesn't think he's seen the man in such a good mood, like ever. "Or did he hit his head so hard it knocked the stick outta–"

"I didn't drug Mr. Jameson, Peter." MJ rolls her eyes. She shifts her attention to Shade. "Don't feel too worried about what Mr. Jameson says. So long as you do your best, that's enough. Don't set unachievable expectations to beat yourself up over: that helps no one," she says, a friendly smile on her face. "Right, Peter?" she adds on pointedly, jabbing his side with her elbow.

"Ow!" He rubs his ribs. Targeted much? "She's right, though. The more people saving the city the better."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade waits until Jameson disappears into the crowd to let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. If they've felt weighted under their own expectations for themself before, they might be feeling just a bit crushed now. It's just their reputation with the entire damn city. Nothing big.

They look at MJ as she talks, nodding along. "Of course. I'd never set unachieveable expectations." Because no expectation is unachievable if they just achieve it, so they aren't doing that! They're sure theyre never going to get burnt out with thoughts like that.

They look at Peter. "Yeah. I, uh... I'll do my best! Can't wait to work eith yo-- uh, Spider-Man, on that. And the other heroes in New York." They shift their weight from one foot to the other. They really are excited about their new hero-ing thing; they yearn for the sort of praise people like Captain America, Black Widow, even Thor receives.

They glance to the crowd, where cops are talking to a very disgruntled looking man, most likely the owner of the diner. Shade bites at their lip. "Legally speaking, am I responsible for..." the candy corn all over the floor, the broken tables they threw at Jack, the hole in the wall where their giant sword lodged itself into the wall, the scorch marks along the floor. "...the damages? And if so, how fast do I need to dip?"

[spidersarenerds]

So that cat is out of the bag. Well, at least it's a hero who knows his identity, and one with good intentions at that, even if they're on the greener side. "Yeah, after this, you're sure to make pals." It took Peter a while to do actual team ups with other heroes when he started out, but that was because of his attitude and avoidance of anything where he'd have to talk to someone on his side.

At the mention of damages, MJ repositions herself to see into the diner, sucking in a breath through her teeth. With a villain like Jack O'Lantern, damages are hard to avoid, but it's far from a pretty sight.

"Uuummm..." Peter always dipped before he could be spoken to, so he has no idea if heroes actually get in trouble for the damages. S.H.I.E.L.D. kind of shields—heh—him from that stuff so long as it isn't gratuitous. "I don't know..." He checks over his shoulder before continuing in a lower voice. "I can call folks in to get the clean up handled, there's a thing for that. So, you only have to run if they start coming over here." It's a suggestion, not one most would approve of as it is quite literally 'run away from the cops' but who is he to care for what should be done? So, he'll keep an eye out for any police coming towards Shade.

"He–" Peter tilts his head toward the owner. "–won't have to pay a dime for it either, in case that was a concern." He leans his weight onto one foot, also peering into the diner. "Could probably do with some new chairs anyway," he says, wrinkling his nose. Hopefully Damage Control will splurge on some cushions.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade cringes as MJ looks at the mess they made; they look mildly embarrassed as they shrink in on themself, not unlike a child waiting to be scolded.

"I, uh... I'd appreciate that. Calling those guys in." They do feel a little better, knowing they're not causing some poor innocent civilian a bunch of money because they slipped on some candy corn (and threw chairs and tables and used fire magic indoors.) They nervously glance back at the crowd, keeping an eye on the cops for a moment. They don't seem to be paying them any mind, but they would still rather not linger.

They turn their attention back to MJ and Peter. "I kinda sorta ruined your lunch, right? Sorry about that. Could I get you guys something else to eat?" They maybe have, like, 15 dollars stashed away in their pocket dimension somewhere, but they'd feel at least a little bad for not offering (that, and they really want to get away from all the cops).

Besides, if all else fails, they have an older brother and a card he can wire money into. They're already planning how to discreetly send a text his way asking for an extra 20 on their allowance this week.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter nods, folding his hands behind his back. He can't call Fury up in the middle of this crowd to ask for Damage Control. He hopes that he's as good at typing behind his back as he is at making wisecracks. If he isn't, he will blame the tiny screen of his wrist communicator. Whether or not Fury understands "dmg ctrl pls" could be a whole other issue without the plausible typos being considered.

It's good enough. Fury will see the news anyway. He's somehow got his eye on everything. Even with the cameras, watching all of those screens is a feat and a half for anyone.

"Lunch?" Free food is free food, Peter can admit that much, but also free for him is not free for Shade. He can survive without it. "Nah. I feel like I should be buying you lunch after you saved us from Jameson. My ears were ringing from halfway across the room," he jokes instead, rubbing his ear with an exaggerated wince.

MJ rolls her eyes. "But we should get going," she decides, spying a sliver of a blue uniform in the crowd. "They don't like how I get the info to show new sides to a story." She spares a glance over her shoulder to glare in the direction of the police as she turns to lead them out of the crowd.

"What? MJ!" Peter hisses, pulling her leather jacket tighter around himself. Torn between following after her and staying between Shade and the police grouped in the crowd. He doesn't want to leave Shade behind to deal with the police, especially after their somewhat nervous attitude towards them.

"There's a reason they aren't journalists, Peter; the truth isn't as important as the law."

For those of you that don't know, that's MJ speak for I got caught trespassing in the name of one of my stories, therefore the police are the opposition now. But also flawed system so... Peter groans. This is not something he can argue with MJ about. "If you're still up for it, I'm sure she would like to interview you... away from all this," he says to Shade, an offer to get out of this crowd.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods, following the duo through the crowd. They keep an eye out for any officers heading their way as they pull out their phone, typing as they walk. "You have a place in mind? I'm not usually on this side of town, not sure what's around." They hope their looking at their phone reads as looking at a map for nearby places to snag a bite, and not them texting their older sibling.

Can i have extra money this week pleasepleaseplease like 30 or maybe more dollars pleaseeee

They really don't intend on letting Peter or MJ pay if they can help it. For one, Peter kinda helped in the fight with Jack (and sacrificed his shirt in the process, which Shade still felt a little bad about.) For two, MJ was helping them avoid the cops, which was much appreciated. (They aren't sure how illegal the vigilante thing is, but they do know that they're probably classified as a missing person a few states away, and the less the cops are on them the better.) The least they could do was offer a meal.

Slipping the phone away again, they speed up to walk alongside Peter and MJ. "A for real interview sounds cool!" They grin. "And when I'm super famous, MJ can tell everyone she was the first one to give me one! It'll look good on a resume, I'd bet."

[spidersarenerds]

"Uhh..." Peter racks through his list of restaurants in the area that he knows of, trying to think of what is cheapest. "There's this coffee-sandwich shop thing a few streets down, I think. Not as greasy, though, if artery-clogging is what you're craving," he quips, mostly to hide his uncertainty about the exact location. The city looks different from up high, so his navigation on foot may be subpar.

As they walk, the crowd thins. He looks between Shade and MJ as the interview conversation goes on. "Ha, that resume is going to be a book by the time she's 20."

"As if that's a bad thing. You know it doesn't hurt to have varied experiences, Peter." MJ knows he's teasing, her own defense being a jab about how he has been in the same 'field' since he was 14.

"Yeah, yeah, Miss journalist, tutor, play writer, and who knows what else." He rolls his eyes.

MJ raises an eyebrow. "You could probably add something to your resume besides teaching. Like that time you acted for my play... or improvised."

"It was a high school play. And Trapster literally crashed your play and I was, like, understudy number seven for Flash; no way you're still mad that I improvised," he groans, waving his hand that is not holding MJ's jacket.

"Maybe I am." She turns to Shade, grinning. "You know his aunt sent me pictures. She thought it was Flash at first because, well, the play was about Spider-Man so masks, so the 'identity reveal' was a big shock when Petey was under the mask." MJ is clearly very happy to share an embarrassing story about Peter.

"No way she was able to take pictures," Peter protests, already knowing his aunt likely snuck them since Flash has been his neighbor since forever and it's not like his folks were around to be proud of him.

"Maybe a video..." She teases. "I think that's the first time I ever heard him sing in the 13 years I've known him," she adds.

He sighs sufferingly, mostly to put on a show of embarrassment since MJ seems eager to tell the story, and if Shade is having fun too, he really doesn't mind. He has this little restaurant to hunt down anyway.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods. "Coffee-sandwich shop sounds good." They follow closely, glancing between the two as they converse / argue. It's pretty entertaining, actually.

They pause in listening when they get a buzz on their phone, they take it out just long enough to read the notification.

$29.99 added to account number...

They slide their phone away, deciding not to comment on the stupid joke. Calling Loki a jerk for giving them one cent less than they asked for would maybe not get them more money in the future. (Even though the bit was a little funny, they could not let their brother know that Ever. He wasn't getting the satisfaction.)

Shade perks up as the conversation is again directed at them. "Pictures?" They repeat, glancing between Peter and MJ. They cover one side of their mouth with their hand and stage whisper, "I'll give you my number later, not saying you should send them over, buttttttt...." they drop their hand and grin mischievously, giggling a little at the resigned expression Peter wears.

[spidersarenerds]

"Surprisingly not the worst pictures of me that will be spread around." Between the unflattering positions he's been in as Spider-Man and being caught by the paparazzi with Harry, there's worse pictures of him than him playing in a high school musical, even if the suit was... lacking in more ways than one.

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare," MJ teases, fully intending to send Shade the images and the video if she has it.

"Like a house on fire," Peter sighs to himself, amused by how well Shade and MJ are getting along. And yes, pun intended. "We should be there soon and you two can exchange your info." At least he thinks.

After a few turns, the coffee-sandwich shop is up ahead, advertised by a simple banner on its faded brick walls. It doesn't stand out any more than any of the other buildings in the area. It seems vacant enough that they could get their food without trouble or a long wait.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade strolls right in; it doesn't take very long for the group to get seated at a booth. Shade let's Peter and MJ sit next to each other, while they take the other side.

As soon as the smell of food hits their nose, they realize how hungry they are -- having the powers of the Wildfire also comes with an appetite to match. Still, they're trying to get the money in their account to stretch across three people (there's no way they're letting Peter or MJ pay after they kinda sorta destroyed the diner they were supposed to eat in,) so they decide on a cheap-ish pepperoni sandwich and soda.

Shade gives their order to a waiter. While they wait for Peter and MJ to order, they take a napkin and a pen and scribble their number on it, sliding it to MJ with a grin.

"For professional queries," they joke, "or other interview questions. Or embarrassing pictures of Peter."

[spidersarenerds]

MJ scans the menu quickly, finding what she wants and deems an acceptable price, a simple sandwich with deli meat, lettuce, cheese, and that sort of bread that makes it look more complex than it is, and orders it. It's a much simpler process than it is for Peter, who is staring down the menu like it stole his lunch money. Well, it kind of did, at least Shade's money... in return for food, so not really stealing either... Don't think about it too hard.

He glances up as his name is mentioned. "Huh? Oh." His eyes flick to the napkin, then MJ's grin, figuring out the context. "How devious of you," he comments, his eyes darting across the menu. Too many options. Is it weird to get fries again? What if they're just cursed today? He only had the one shirt and could not deal with another villain vs. diner situation.

He gets the nachos.

"So, what brings you to New York?" MJ asks, leaning forward on the table. Peter is silently relieved that the question wasn't too deep, he doesn't think. When she first interviewed Spider-Man, the first thing she asked for was an identity reveal. "There's already quite a few big names here; wouldn't it be easier to make a name for yourself elsewhere? If that's what you're looking to do, of course."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade leans back in the booth, letting out a breath. "That's a... kind of complicated question?" They probably shouldn't mention anything about their mom, because again, they're technically a missing person and they would rather not have... all that come up. They've done a really good job avoiding the law so far.

"I mostly came here because it's where the Asgardians are. I knew I was different as a kid-- too strong for anyone my size, never got sick, healed too fast -- but I didn't know about my Asgardian side until I was 10-ish."

They still remember that day-- lights flickering and magic pouring from their hands and broken glass and no understanding of what was happening or why. Even with all the villains they've fought and their various near death (and one actual death) experience, it was still the scariest thing they've been through.

"Eventually I got bored of my small town, wanted to figure out more about my father. I figured someone as charming as me could bother answers out of Thor if I tried hard enough -- not that I had to, because the other Asgardian prince found me first. Apparently I have a very distinct magical aura that Loki clocked as being related to the All-Father's."

The food arrives, and Shade is quick to dig in. They cover their mouth as they chew, continuing. "It'd probably be way easier to make a name literally anywhere else, but I get to live here rent free, so," they shrug. "Besides, the last name 'Odinchild' tends to turn some heads already." Does that make them a nepobaby? Can they be a nepobaby if most of what they've inherited from Odin was his enemies? Much to consider.

[spidersarenerds]

"Huh, so family in the field, then," Peter notes, popping a nacho into his mouth and internally debating who between Loki and Thor would be best to learn about Odin from. From what he knows about Thor from their interactions, he holds a lot of admiration for his father. Peter knows much less about Loki and never got around to discussing family with them, but it seems complicated. He met the guy himself once, technically twice if you count meeting him while he was doing his big nap for whatever reason he can't remember, and he's certainly... something.

"I bet that causes some second-hand arch enemies," he adds. Thor has fought and ticked off many a things in the time Peter has known him, never mind all he did before that too. Odin and Loki probably add to that list as well... He'll be sure to keep an eye and ear out for Shade.

MJ considers Shade's answer, being the only one not immediately going for her food—ah, to have a metabolism that isn't messed up—and then asks another question, "Since you're related to Thor, does that mean you have the Avengers as back up? Or are you only relying on yourself?" Her eyebrows furrow as she tries to piece it together herself. She opens her mouth to tack on another question, however she stops, taking a bite of her sandwich to force herself to give Shade time to answer.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Oh, God, yeah." They get a forlorn look on their face. "So many enemies. It's all these people who've been at the magic thing for centuries, and I've been here, like, 5 minutes. Sometimes it feels like I'm a kindergartener getting thrown around by professional boxers or something." Their only saving grace in several encounters has been the unpredictability a novice tends to have; their enemies can't plan how to counteract their moves when they themself dont even know what kind of magic is gonna blast outta their hands next.

(They have gotten better about that, though. Otherwise the diner probably would have been nothing but ash by the end of that fight.)

"Though, I guess my family having enemies got me some of the power I have now. I wouldn't have the God of the Wildfire thing going if Loki and Odin hadn't pissed off some ancient god enough that he wanted to curse me." They didn't see the fire as a curse. Guess that guy wasted his time and energy with that one.

Shade thinks about MJ's question a second. "If I were in real, life-or-death trouble, and Thor knew about it in time, he could pull the Avengers into things. I wouldn't say I personally am close enough to ever call on them. It's not like I have Tony Stark's number or anything." They take a long sip of soda. "I'm really trying to be taken seriously, though. I don't think calling for my older brother and his friends will get anyone to see me as anything but a little kid who goes crying at the slightest hint of things going south."

[spidersarenerds]

"Ha, yeah, I feel like magic is like that," Peter agrees. He hasn't had a ton of experience using magic, obviously, but it seems to be a subject that needs intensive study to be any good. Though, to a point raw power likely overshadows that.

As Shade considers their access to backup—because that is what it is; support in difficult fights—Peter suppresses a wince, trying to hide it with taking another bite. Refusing hypothetical support in the name of being taken seriously, that is a rather familiar thought process. "Well, you have a bunch of your family's enemies after you, so they must take you seriously. At least that, right?" It's not an argument that will win any debates, but he thinks it's at least positive enough.

"Not that that's necessarily a good thing... or the usual experience from what I've got from my interviews. There's a lot that comes with being targeted all the time, and more often than not, asking for backup is the right move," MJ adds logically.

In Peter's mind, what MJ said is most definitely the right answer and what should be taught, even if he still gets irked by the idea of asking for help after years of working on that. "Yeah, of course. More awesome team ups when folks ask for help." He's still rolling her words around in his head, trying to find an angle that can make asking for help more appealing, not only for Shade, but for himself and the heroes he teaches. "Wait. What do you mean by not the usual?"

MJ sighs, rolling her eyes with a slight smile. She knew the question was coming. "Because most heroes and vigilantes have to build up their villain 'portfolio' for months if not years before they have mortal—or in Shade's case, immortal—enemies. Getting into the gig with multiple big names trying to kill you is not normal. Even Daredevil had to work to get where he is."

"Even Nova?" Peter challenges, already figuring that what she's saying makes sense.

"Yes, even him."

"Huh." Well, Peter has to reevaluate how he's going to prepare his students for the hero field. No wonder some of them looked at him like he was nuts when he said people would be out to kill you from basically day one.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade makes a face. "They're only targeting me because they think I'm easy pickings. Who are they supposed to go after, Thor? Loki? Angela, Hela, Odin himself?" They tap their finger against the table, more a movement of comfort than impatience. "It's not respect for me as a hero, it's a view of me as some helpless little kid who happens to share some blood and a last name. They just want to be able to tell people they killed one of Odin's kids, or threaten my life to threaten Odin, or-- or something like that. So I gotta prove 'em wrong."

Shade listens to MJ's argument. She's right; most heroes ease into the role. Doom doesn't try to stab any teen who suddenly finds out they can fly or shoot lasers from their eyes or stretch their body to extreme amounts. But most people don't have the All-Father's name stuck on their back like a big target. Most up and coming heroes don't have shoes that big to fill. They chew their lip and avoid eye contact. They don't need help but they don't know how to explain that in a way these two might understand.

"I'm a skilled sorcerer for my age, even if I'm not at the level of some of my villains. I can handle it alone. It's not like I've died yet." they pause, realizing that is technically a lie. "I mean, I haven't stayed dead." That... isnt as reassuring as they meant for it to be. "I-- I have allies, I can call people if I need help! I just don't need it." Okay, that was definitely not the way to explain it. They're better at using their fists than their words, and this isnt the kind of conversation fists are useful for.

[spidersarenerds]

That's a lot to unpack. Peter doesn't know where to start. He inhales like he's going to say something but he doesn't. How does he address the whole dying thing—and that being proof that some help definitely wouldn't hurt—while also respecting Shade's right to decide whether they want help or not. "Okay..." he sighs. "Well, I'm glad you're not dead... anymore." Man, that feels weird to say. "Or else I'd have been toast back there," he jokes, offering a small smile. If he can lighten the mood, then he can have a moment to try and figure out this can of worms.

"Prove the villains wrong?" MJ questions, not nearly as concerned with broaching the topic and staying on the topic at hand. She can wonder how in the world, or outside of the world, Shade came back to life. Her interview has gone a little off the rails, but she feels it is worth it. After all, there would be no chance for any other interviews or sharing more embarrassing pictures of Peter with Shade because they got killed in their refusal to ask for help.

Peter leans back into the cushioning of the booth. So much for his efforts. MJ has always been more direct than him, even when it cost her more time because of stubbornness on both ends. He has sat through enough debates between her and Harry to know that much. He won't let it go on for that long, especially since Shade seems equally as stubborn in their view as MJ is in her own, but he can't exactly change the subject just yet. Besides, he's not opposed to trying to convince Shade to ask for help, at the very least so they don't die again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Thanks," they say, directed towards Peter. "I'm, uh, glad I'm not still dead too?" It's an odd thing to say, and they feel the need to clarify, "One of Odin's kids is the goddess of death. She, uh, she sent me back up after?" It doesnt clarify as much as they'd like it to, but MJ throws them a new question and they don't have time to linger.

"The villains, yeah." They reply a little too fast. "I mean, you obviously want to have villains fear you, right? Because then it's easier to keep them from causing harm, intimidation and all." They chew at their lip again. It's not exactly a lie, but it's not exactly the whole truth, either, and aren't you suppose to be truthful during interviews? "Maybe I also want the rest of the family to take me seriously, but it's more the villains." There. Thats more true than before.

Family, they know, is a strong word for the shitshow that is their family tree. Loki and Thor are less strained than they have been, but there's still tension. Hela isolates herself from everyone else and longs for the day they all become a part of her domain. Angela... exists, but Shade hasn't actually met her and they aren't sure she wants to. They shouldn't really care about what those guys think, and especially not that damned All-Father, because theyre all messy and half of them are morally grey at best.

Which is why they don't care. Clearly. They care about keeping villains from causing harm with their cool fire powers and awesome Asgardian strength and they care about little else. "I mean, if Thor and Loki and Odin and-- and all the rest of those guys start treating me like an equal and not just their kid sibling, the rest of the villains will follow suit and see my real strength."

[spidersarenerds]

MJ, surprisingly, has to take a moment to think of what she thinks is right to say. Peter uses it as an opportunity to speak up, mostly because Shade looks seconds away from exploding with over explanations. "You know, from the times I've met Thor, he's quite like you—not sure if that's an Asgardian or Odin family thing—with all the, as he would put it, battle for glory," he drops his voice and puts on a vague accent to mimic Thor. "–and go-it-alone mentality." He's pretty sure Shade has figured out he's Spider-Man already, and if not, well, they will come to some conclusion as to how they know their older brother. Peter may as well be open about it to say Shade has people in their corner. "Maybe you could talk to him about this; he's been in a similar spot. I know, shocking considering his big ego," he suggests, and no he could not prevent the electricity pun when talking about Thor. How could he?

Really, Peter knows quite a few people who thought handling things alone was the best way to build a name for themselves or handle their issues, himself included, but he will stick to what Shade is most familiar with. It was also easier than challenging what was likely Shade's lifelong belief that respect came from power and fear, or something along the lines of that.

MJ then speaks up, having decided what she wants to say. "Not to mention that villains aren't the most reasonable. If you asked me, I wouldn't bother trying to prove myself to people dead set on trying to kill me."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade snickers at Peter's Thor impression. They're pretty sure the glory stuff is an Asgardiain thing, but they haven't met enough Asgardians to confirm with absolute certainty. Loki was similar, in a way, with the whole "go-it-alone" thing, though that was less about glory and more about pride. Thinking about it, Shade was a bit of a mix of both.

"I could try to bring it up to him? He's not the most... available guy. Hard to get a phone signal in Asgard, or Van-e-him, or... any of the other ones." Thor was a prince, technically, and had a lot of prince-y duties to attend to. Or something like that, they never listened when he was explaining the responsibilities that came with being royalty. Outside of the time he would occasionally visit them, he was really hard to get ahold of. "...But I guess I could maybe bring it up next time he's in town."

They take a long sip of their soda while they try to figure out how to best respond to MJ. It's about more than just proving themself to a bunch of villains. It's about sending a message to them, yeah, but Asgard too. To all those smug gods who think that just because they're part human, they're less than, weaker.

"I'm gonna have to fight them either way, though. Might as well try to prove myself while I'm there. Who knows, maybe some non-villainous Asgardians will notice, too." Peter and MJ are probably right; Peter (who is definitely 100% spider-man, evident by the bad puns,) has way more experience in the hero department and is definitely trying to help them learn from his mistakes. However, Peter probably doesn't have a dictator for a dad and probably hasn't had to deal with all too many people trying to kidnap and/or attack them for political reasons, so they're probably gonna continue on the whole "proving themself to a bunch of crooks and also their dad" thing.

[spidersarenerds]

"It would be worth a shot." Peter knows Thor isn't the most attentive guy and listening is not his strong suit, but he has a good heart and wants to help people. He's content to leave it at that. A step forward is a step forward, even if it doesn't bring them directly to an end goal. He has learned that pushing more wouldn't help at all. So he focuses on finishing his nachos before they get sad and soggy, glancing up as Shade spoke.

MJ hums, considering what Shade said. "I guess... So long as the bad guy is stopped at the end of the day, and everybody stays alive, you can go about it like that," she concedes, not entirely convinced but she's been trying to learn to pick her battles more often.

"I won't mention this when I write about my interview with you," she reassures. Some things are not meant for the tabloids, like how someone is struggling to prove themselves to their family and technically their whole society. "Speaking of, do you want to continue the interview or would you like to turn the tables and ask us some things, especially after Peter just revealed himself." She looks at Peter. "To think I spent six years not knowing just for you to spill this day one with Shade," she teases.

"They already knew! It's not easy to fight a flaming maniac while pretending to be normal, you know?" he defends, grinning and fully aware she said it to bait him.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nearly forgot this was, in fact, an interview. They give MJ an appreciative nod; heroes arent supposed to have huge insecurities like that, best to keep the whole public from knowing that part.

"To be fair to Peter, there's no one else in this city that makes puns as bad as Spidey's. It was only a matter of time." They finish off the rest of their sandwich, thinking about what they would want to ask Peter. Spider-Man is, like, one of the best superheros they know. At least top 20, though they haven't updated their list in a minute.

"How do you balance the hero shtick with your regular civilian persona?" They glance between MJ and Peter. "Obviously I'm not trying to keep a secret identity or anything, but after all the fights with villains and patching up the wounds there's just -- where do you even find the time to do normal stuff?"

They certainly didn't have the time, unless they cut into sleep hours (which they did quite frequently.) Even then, Shade regularly only made it home well past midnight, much to Verity's dismay.

[spidersarenerds]

"Clearly you haven't been around New York enough," Peter retorts. His puns are terrible, but other heroes, as well as villains, made jokes just as bad. "At least I have variety." Villains especially had little to no puns that weren't about their theme or squishing him like a bug.

MJ laughs at Shade's question. It's a good question to a problem any hero struggles with, but from her experience, Peter is the worst person to ask because he is known to regularly disappear and he devotes his health, sleep, and time to being a hero.

"Well, I keep my identity a secret, and before anyone in my life knew, it was a lot of trying to get through the big problems as fast as possible, especially when I had plans, and then giving some excuse for being late. It was a lot of work towards being efficient in fights." And ignoring injuries he shouldn't have, but he knows that is not a good thing so he won't share it. "I would guess, if you're not hiding your identity, being honest to whoever you're close to, being efficient in fights, and keeping your enemies guessing."

This isn't exactly the answer to Shade's question, but Peter couldn't answer what they asked because he had mostly given up being able to do 'normal stuff'. "If the fight is done sooner, you have more time to be normal, I guess," he adds. "Easier said than done, I know. But as far as I've learned, everyone has their own tactic to end a fight fast."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Be honest to those they knew. That part was easy; they only regularly talked to, like, three people, and two of them were their brothers who were already surrounded by heroes and mortal danger.

...they should probably get some new friends in this new city, actually, but the hero thing kept them from actually meeting with anyone. Which was why they asked the question in the first place, they suppose.

Be efficient in fights was basically the same as get better at fighting, which Shade is working on. Keeping their enemies guessing also isn't too hard when they're constantly finding out new magical abilities they have.

"Be honest, be fast, be unpredictable," they summarize. "Sounds easy enough." They can work on that. Loki was already teaching them how to be better at magic and Thor suggested going a few rounds in the training room of Avengers Tower when they both had the time. Both of those would help with the fast part.

They lean forward. "Alright, second question, then you guys can bounce some more off me if you want. Where the Hel do you get your medical supplies? I have a healing factor, and I'd say I'm more durable than most people because of the Asgardian side, but oh my gods do I run out of bandages and disinfectant fast. And the good band-aids are so expensive!"

"Assuming your healing factor doesnt negate your need for those," they tack on. Most their injuries are healed within a matter of days, but they do still try to keep them from getting infected and cover them up so they look normal-ish walking around. They've never seen Spider-Man with noticeable injuries outside of battle, though, so maybe he does just have a healing factor that fast.

[spidersarenerds]

"Um, S.H.I.E.L.D. mostly has me covered. They cover a lot of the expenses that come with being a hero and the damages..." That is true, just not the main reason he doesn't struggle with bandage costs. "I mostly heal too fast to have the chance to disinfect, cause it's usually mid-battle, and most villains don't do time outs. Since I'm usually in the middle of things, I use my webs."

"Peter!" MJ scolds. "Those– you make that stuff in a lab! You can't use that on an open wound!"

"I have had worse in my body than trace chemicals." Maybe a deadpan tone isn't the most sensitive choice, but he thinks it's a little funny. "Besides they are biodegradable, so it's probably better than some bandages." When he first started using his webs, it was a last resort that turned into a habit before he had access to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s support. "I mostly use it to keep my blood at least on my person. There has been a few too many experiments with it for me to just leave that stuff around." Venom, Goblin, and who knows what else Ock came up with before he joined the good side, just to name a few.

MJ is not pleased with the response. She can see the reasoning. It doesn't mean she thinks it is something he should continue doing.

Peter switches the topic away from his bad self medical care, none too deftly, "So, I mean, I have a stock of bandages I could give to you." He could likely get more than just what he has laying around if he asked. "And if you're really strapped for bandages, getting some cheap shirts or whatever and cutting them into strips could work. Just, you know, not adhesive, and wash it well." It likely is not recommended by any healthcare professionals, but it would work in a pinch.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods along. Webbing as bandages sounds really smart, actually. A shame they can't do that as easily.

"Kinda surprised no one's tried experimenting with my blood yet," they hum. "I mean, no one I know of anyways. Has it really happened to you that many times?" There's probably some mad scientist out there somewhere desperate to run some experiments on Asgardian blood; Thor's is a little harder to get to than Shade's. If it's happened to Peter that many times, maybe there is someone who's life mission it is to get a sample. They might need to pay a little more attention to their injuries.

They do perk up a little at the offer. Between Shade's heroic persuits and Loki's tendency to get into any and all mischief she can, Verity does her best to keep her apartment stocked. Taking a little of the strain off her could be nice.

They nod, clearly trying to look nonchalant. "Yeah, that'd be pretty cool. If you have enough to loan, of course." They'd have to see about getting shirts to cut up. Obviously they worked well for more than just makeshift medical supplies, as evident by the sleeves still missing from Peter's shirt.

Shade finishes off the rest of their soda. "I think that's all my questions."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Being a hero is cool and all but it'd be cooler if I didn't come from a family where my father and brother have both made 1000000000 enemies and all of them Hate Me Bad. Every day I go on patrol and run into a new guy dressed in some spirit Halloween wizard costume saying some shit like "The All-Father Odin Slighted Me 1000 Years Ago When He Looked At Me Funny And Now You Must Die As Punishment" and it's literally 9:26 am on a tuesday

[spidersarenerds]

Open RP Starter (How Did I Get Here?)

This may be one of the stupidest things he's done… or well, it was. What he's about to do will probably be worse. But that's for later, so *rewind noises* or whatever.

MJ must have some sort of mind control ability because she managed to convince Peter to come along to her interview. Like last time went so well when the Beetle trashed a whole floor of the Daily Bugle building. So, here he is in some greasy diner as J. Jonah Jameson grills MJ in the booth to his left—Peter didn't even get a nice seat, just one of those uncomfortable plastic-laminated wood chairs that are always an awkward height. At least there's fries. Though they'd be much better if he didn't have to hear Jameson ask MJ about all of the qualifications she's already given the last ten times she's been interviewed for a position. It all boils down to how willing she is to diss Spider-Man, which is where her stubbornness wins out every time.

But fries! So hot his tongue is starting to lose a little bit of feeling. Perfection.

About to pop a fry into his mouth, he pauses and his eyes narrow, dropping the fry back onto the plate.

The door to the diner flies open, the little chime of the bell drowned out by the thud of the door whacking into a, thankfully, empty chair. Peter barely got to glance at the person barging in before there's a table skidding across the floor. His fries? Upended. The awful chair? Knocked aside. Himself? At the other end of the room, steadying the now sideways table that was sent his way so it doesn't crush him and whatever patrons unlucky enough to be on this table's warpath. "Sorry, folks. Pancake-dom via table costs extra," he says mindlessly, even though he should definitely watch his quips when Jameson is around. Speaking of, the news reporter himself is shouting something about refusing to be silenced and the usual spew of his bravery and, as revealed as Peter tips the table back onto its four legs, is cowering as far into the corner of his booth as he can.

And that about sums up how he got where he is now, shielding whoever is behind him with a mere table between himself and the threat, and to top it all off, the loudest journalist in New York along with other civilians as an audience that could oust secrets he doesn't want to get out if he gets a little too spidery.

//Be the villain, civilian, a hero following the fiend who barged in, whatever you'd like! And of course, tags (No one is forced to interact and those not tagged are more than welcome to interact as well!): @emiliakane @katiebishop-1610

[night-shade-odinchild]

A moment later, another person is barging into the diner, clutching a very large sword in one hand and pointing at the intruder with the other.

"You!" they gasp, winded, "you are the absolute WORST!" They had no idea who the other was, but they did know they'd been chasing him for at least 5 blocks and then through an interdimensional portal (one THEY made to follow him THEMSELF! Their magic was improving!) all while he wrecked havoc and caused large amounts of damage. That was more than enough to decide that yeah, this guy sucked.

Shade takes a moment to glance around -- civilians everywhere, small area, J. Jonah Jameson -- they do a double take. Okay, cool, cool, whatever they did here was probably going to be reported on. That's fine.

First things first. There's no room for giant swords in here, so they let it disappear into their pocket dimension. Second, they should probably ensure civilian safety. They notice the table about to crush a bunch of people first, and quickly dodge away from an oncoming attack to get closer.

"Hello!" They greet as they come to the side not pressed against the wall. "Sorry I can't chat. I need to take this, hope you dont mine." They pull the table away from the civilians and twist, throwing the thing as hard as they can at their assailant. It's mostly dumb luck no bystanders were in the way-- the table lands and the man falls, only to stumble up a moment later.

Shade swears under their breath, turning to the civilians they'd just freed. Their gaze meets Peter's. "You, can you clear this place? I don't want anyone to get hurt." They hate delegating such a task to someone incapable of defending himself against a superpowered person, but they have little choice.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter watches the second person burst into the room, mildly concerned about the large sword—and the loud complaint, but, honestly, mood. Their mood towards the intruder as well as the disappearance of the massive sword eases his worries. One madman destroying the place is already too many, but at least it isn't two.

Kind of. Peter winces as the table crashes into the man. At least he isn't the one paying for it. Huh, having little to no responsibility in a crisis situation is weird. Well, that was until he was given the task of evacuating the area. "You and me both," he agrees. Preventing people from getting hurt as a shared goal is enough for him to decide that he can trust Shade to handle the bad guy. It takes a load off his shoulders. He doubts the ol' adrenaline excuse will cut it with J.J.J. as a witness if he were to go toe to toe with this guy. But while getting people out of the way it might.

He glances around, watching the man's destructive behaviour that is blocking the main door for a beat longer before moving towards the emergency exit. If he can clear a path to it, getting everyone out will be much easier. Peter has a feeling that the man won't have the kindness to see people out the front door.

There are footsteps that follow after him—likely the group that was behind the table with him—and short shrieks as a chair clatters into the wall above their heads. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Peter grumbles, keeping an eye on the man now that he's decided to start throwing things again. "Turn off the burners, fryers, whatever and get out of here!" he calls towards the workers, most of which have crouched behind the counter, shielding their heads. He doesn't expect them to follow the first part much, if at all, but it would be nice if there wasn't a fire hazard as well as an attack.

He wrenches open the small gate separating the kitchen area behind the counter and the rest of the diner, gesturing for the few people trailing after him to go in. "Follow after the workers there– Lead them out of here," he orders the worker that was slowest to get out of here. Shock, probably, but the job should give them a task to cling to for the time being.

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect—and how he must be in cahoots with a certain wall-crawling menace—but apparently not.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade keeps an eye on the escaping civilians out of the corner of their eye. They're not used to fighting in such a cramped space with this many people around; most their focus is on keeping the oncoming furniture from hitting any innocents. Magic flies wildly, hastily made shields are created only to drop a moment later as a blast of fire flashes forward to incinerate a chair about to hit a kid. For an amateur sorcerer like themself, it's incredibly draining.

They flinch as Jameson shouts another line about disrespect-- enough of a break in their focus to cause them to get hit square in the nose with a stool. Shade covers their face and yells out a few obscenities before turning to Jameson.

"Can you PLEASE just SHUT UP!" They face their opponent again, wiping blood from their nose as they continue talking to Jameson. "This would be so much easier if you just left and got to safety, man--" they dodge another chair before they seem to come to a realization. "Wait, I'm so stupid, I could literally just--" A blue glow forms around their hands yet again, and suddenly a portal opens under Jameson; he can be seen falling onto his face through the window.

By this point, most all the civilians are out, except for that guy they told to help evacuate. Shade pulls up another shield made of magic and glances in his direction. "When I said evacuate everyone, I meant you too." Blue flames surround their fist, and they leap forward to attack their assailant.

[spidersarenerds]

Not that it helps any, but Peter absolutely admires Shade's ability to keep track of all of the hurling objects. Without extra senses, it's quite the feat. It also makes the job of evacuating people easier when he doesn't have to lead them to dodge flying chairs and tables.

After shoving MJ to follow the rest of the crowd out—he actually had to close the door between them—because she wanted to stay to get the story on the scene and no way is he letting that happen no matter who is here to keep her safe as she records, he sighs. He thinks that's everyone. Or so he thought until he heard Jameson yell as he is dropped through a portal and made to eat the concrete outside. "I'm getting way too good at tuning him out." Peter doesn't think that's necessarily a bad thing, especially with the result he just saw, but maybe he should pay a little more attention next time.

"Yeah, I'm working on it," he says, pushing on the door to the staff. It doesn't budge. "Wait, was it?–" He pulls the handle. Nothing. The door locks as it shuts. Just his luck. Pushing on a pull door would have been less embarrassing than accidentally locking himself inside.

He yelps as the intruder crashes into the shelves in front of him. This is the first actual chance he's gotten to see the man unobstructed, and the pumpkin head is definitely a shock that has his yelp being louder than he'd have liked. The pumpkin head's carved grin seems to grow—how that works he doesn't know—at his shout and he begins to sit up. "Trick or treat!" He crows in a voice Peter would never call sane.

Now, he's seen many horror movies. He's complained about the dumb decisions the characters have made enough that he'd be put to shame if he didn't grab the nearest object and hit that pumpkin square in its face. That object just so happened to be a sheet pan. The pumpkin is still intact, and the twang the metal sheet gives is almost comedic, but it has the man faltering long enough that Peter has the chance to hop over the counter. He knows it's a little too graceful of a move for the whole 'Peter-act', so he tries to mess up his landing, stabilizing himself with some flailing and a hand on the floor.

"Trick it is!" the man decides happily, righting himself behind the counter and turning his pumpkin right side around.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade notices the door conundrum and swears under their breath. They've been at this fight far too long, and they don't have it in them to open another portal. If they tried, they couldn't guarantee Peter wouldn't end up in a wall or 40 feet off the ground.

They nearly laugh at the absurdity of hitting the guy with a sheet pan, but cut themself off; they should probably focus so they don't get hit again. The bruise that was definitely forming on their face was already going to be so annoying to explain away later.

"Come on, man, Halloween is my favorite holiday! You're ruining it!" Shade glances at Peter. "Try to stay out of the line of fire. I got this." They say it with way more confidence than they feel, but whatever. They've been living on fake it 'till you make it rules long enough it's practically second nature.

They leap over the counter, fire already wrapped around their fist. They intend for it to hit the guy in the face, but he catches their punch with ease. They're surprised for a moment, caught off guard by the lack of response to the fire, before realizing that of course the guy who's head is literally a flaming pumpkin wouldn't react to a little heat.

They don't have much more time to reflect on this misjudgement before they're met with a swift punch to the gut. They cringe but stand their ground, offering a quick blast of fire in return. It's enough to get the guy off them, if only for a moment.

Desperate for a quick way to end this (they know theres still a civilian in here, they know they need to keep him safe,) Shade tries the one thing they're terrible at: using their words. "And what if I said treat?" They severely hope the guy doesn't have some sort of candy themed weaponry.

[spidersarenerds]

Jack O'Lantern gasps, clasping his hands together. "It's your favorite too?!" he coos. "But I'm ruining it? I think you aren't appreciating it enough!" he cackles as he catches Shade's punch.

Peter has dealt with all sorts of crazy before, but maniacally happy with a Halloween theme is new. Would it be wrong of me to say I miss Goblin's crazy? At least he made sense... in his own twisted way. He nods as he's told to try to stay out of the line of fire. That's the plan.

"You got it!" If it's a treat you want, then a treat you shall get!" It is, unfortunately candy themed weaponry, almost a gun of sorts that he's quick to pull from beneath his cape and fire. Luckily, his aim sucks. On the less lucky side, whatever he's shooting is coming apart as it's shot.

So much for staying out of the line of fire! Peter throws his hands up over his head, shielding his face from the pellets. That's what they must be since they haven't torn through Shade and himself like shrapnel would. The pellets are hard and surprisingly small, bouncing off his arms and falling to the floor with a clatter. They hurt, but not nearly as much as one would think something that came from a gun would. He cracks open an eye. He knows he's not bulletproof, so what is this? He takes a peek at the ground. "Candy corn?" The little orange, yellow, and white triangles litter the ground of the diner now. "Where do you even get this much of it?"

"I'll never reveal the skeletons in my closet!" Jack O'Lantern gesticulates so dramatically as he speaks, he's nearly dancing to the rhythm of his words. Peter can't say he's quite as enthused. Rather than get into whether or not bulk stores can be counted as a skeleton in a closet, he begins to take a couple steps backward, not paying much mind to the hard candy making the ground uneven, his feet finding the clear areas so he won't slip without much thought. If he's out of the way, Shade can handle this guy much more easily... probably. And with Jack O'Lantern behind the counter, the path to the front exit should be clear if Peter can make it there. He just doesn't want the pumpkin head to notice. Who knows if all his weapons are merely annoying like the candy corn gun or actually dangerous?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Candy corn gun. Of course it was a candy corn gun. How stupid they were to even think that it wouldn't be a candy themed weapon. "Where do you get this much? Halloween was forever ago, no one is sells any past October?" Not that they were asking because candy corn was their favorite. The middle of battle would be an incredibly inappropriate time for such a question.

For the briefest moment, they consider trying to catch a piece in their mouth. They decide against it, though. One, it would be so embarrassing to die because they choked on a piece of flying candy corn, especially after everything else they've lived through. Two, they didn't really want to meet their sister again. Hela might not be kind enough to send them back up a second time.

Shade watches Peter slowly back away out of the corner of their eye. They need to keep Jack'O'Lantern occupied so he can escape.

Their sword returns to their hand. Now that the store is mostly empty, they have a little more room to swing the giant blade. "Hey, Jack! Try countering this!" They step forward for a swing, aiming to knock the gun out his hand.

That is not what happens. Their foot lands on a piece of candy corn and they slip. They quickly adjust the grip of the sword as they fall -- it nearly takes Jack's head off, and they have no want to kill the guy -- and it slices through the gun and lodges firmly in the wall. Shade hits the floor.

They blink and quickly stand, avoiding the candy corn this time. They shoot a glance at Peter, then look back to Jack. "That did not happen. You didn't see that." It's clear they speak to both of them.

They're very good at this. They are a well trained and professional superhero, and they are not lying to themself about that.

Well, at least the gun is gone. Shade ducks under the sword, still firmly lodged in the wall, and comes around the otherside with a fist aimed at Jack O Lantern's face. When all else fails, go old school. And hope he doesnt catch their fist again.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's mouth hangs open as he watches Shade slip. Never in his life has he been more afraid of a sword—and he's been on the pointy end of what he'd say to be plenty. A sword swinging around uncontrollably is enough to make him glad he hasn't come across more. At least the gun is gone. He likes guns even less.

Jack O'Lantern, the maniac, giggles, "That's witchful thinking." He peers over the sword at Shade on the ground. He then yelps as Shade's fist collides with the pumpkin, stumbling back out of their reach as quick as he can. "No fair," he growls, cradling the spot where he got hit. Whether he's cradling the part of his face that got hurt through the pumpkin or is just really that attached to the gourd on his head, Peter can't tell. "I guess it's time for my own tricks!" Like anything he's given is a treat.

As Jack whips out yet another weapon, some sort of pole that elongates itself with his movement, Peter has to duck to avoid the blade. A scythe. Kind of. He doubts it'd be any good on a farm, what with the way the blade crackles. The blade doesn't even seem to be metal, just energy. It must save space for whatever other goodies Jack has up his sleeve. "You're really out of your gourd," Peter mutters, focusing on righting himself from the near-backbend he just had to do.

Jack O'Lantern, of course delighted to hear any vaguely Halloween related pun, spins around, nearly taking out Peter with the scythe again. This time, Peter grabs it near the blade to stop the whole waving around very sharp things theme that has been going on. It also means that he's putting a lot of his balance into Jack holding the scythe steady, which he regrets immediately as Jack leans closer excitedly. "Aw thank you! It makes me all the more spooktastic, and that's just bootiful, don't you think?"

And Peter could do without his eyebrows getting singed off by the flaming pumpkin, so he wedges his heel into Jack's shoulder and pushes him away, maybe a little too hard as Peter flips himself over while doing so, now firmly on his feet with the scythe in hand, the blade safely on the floor. "Oops..." he hisses under his breath before straightening like it was intentional and totally normal of him to do a backflip in a fight. Just such a normal, innocuous thing for a guy to do. He did gymnastics—for two months when he was six—that's why he can do that. "Isn't that grim? You've lost another toy," he comments, trying to play it off. He really should shut up more. Thank goodness Jameson is outside and probably dealing with being dumped onto the pavement so he can't hear these quips.

Peter keeps hold of the scythe so Jack O'Lantern can't get a hold of it, and also because he has no idea if he should be able to lift this or not. Swinging a blade around with a candy covered floor isn't a good idea anyway. Just look at Shade's sword. Jack picks himself back up, stumbling slightly on the candy corn. The guy is taking quite the beating, more so thanks to Shade than anyone else."You– you're no fun!" he spits, barely paying attention to Shade and likely ready to pull another trick.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade stares at Peter with wide eyes. They might not have normal strength levels, but they used to live in some small town in the middle of nowhere with no super people around, and they're pretty sure not even the strongest people they knew there could've pulled that off. Maybe there's a reason this guy was way more level headed than the average civilian.

There's only a few heros with that amount of flexibility, and only one they know of who can come up with that many terrible puns that fast.

Deciding that's not really important, nor their business, they choose to just be happy he's on their side; with their luck, it was a miracle they didn't run into a building holding the next Hydra convention.

Jack isn't facing them, giving them a good opportunity to sneak up. They're careful to avoid the candy corn, not wanting a repeat of their previous mishap (please please please tell them no one caught that on camera. They might cry.)

Shade leaps when they're close enough, tackling him to the ground. They land awkwardly on their side and cringe as candy corn digs into their skin, but continue with their plan anyways, fighting to keep Jack from reaching for any more of his "tricks."

"Both of your jokes are awful!" They cry out while still fighting with Jack. Even if they were a little funny. "Now stay down, please--" They raise their elbow and slam it down into Jack's chest.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter can vaguely recognize the realization in Shade's eyes, which isn't the best for him. He's really getting too sloppy with his identity. Now it just begs the question if he can play up the clumsy helpless civilian enough or if he will just look like a fool. His friends who know make fun of him when he leans heavily into the nerd persona, but it clearly works better than whatever he's doing now. Shade doesn't seem like they would tattle, but Jack might... if he's even coherent enough to string a non-Halloween related sentence together.

As Shade tackles Jack to the ground, Peter stumbles back, allowing himself to stumble on the candy corn and barely catch himself on the scythe. Is anyone paying attention? No, definitely not. They're busy fighting on the floor. He totally had that realisation before he did that. It was just practice.

"Wh– hey!" he begins, about to defend his quips. At the very least, they aren't on the same level as Jack's. He can accept that they're cringe-worthy, but to compare them to puns that sound like they're from some website? Simply unacceptable. That is until Shade jams their elbow into Jack's chest. Peter looks away. "Yeah, I'll just shut up now."

Jack makes some sort of wheezy coughing noise, similar to a breathless laugh but that's more so the crazy rather than any sort of joy. He flails wildly in Shade's grip, pushing at just about anything and trying to squirm away.

It's clearly an issue, and Peter is only so good at standing by—so good as in atrociously terrible at it— so he scans the diner for anything to tie up Jack O'Lantern. It seems he is out of luck today because not one customer happened to forget a scarf or purse in their evacuation. Ugh, and the day I only had tank tops to wear underneath. Peter drops the scythe and pulls off the dress shirt he's been wearing like a jacket. He observes it in his hands. Jack would be the type to kick or even run away while his hands are tied. Peter tears off both of the sleeves—he might as well make it match on both sides; he's going to be sewing later anyway—and rushes to help out in the scuffle. "Hold his arms!" Tying up the feet can happen once there are no hands clawing at their faces.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances up at Peter when they hear the sound of fabric ripping -- but only for a moment, as Jack tries again to wriggle his way free. They curse under their breath as they grab the villain by his wrists, holding them with just enough force not to break them. They've been getting better at handling their strength, though the doubt the force they use to hold Jack is comfortable.

"Got him!" They mentally add ripping the jacket to their list of reasons this guy is totally definitely a superhero. Unless that jacket was made with really flimsy fabric, they don't think it would've ripped that quickly and easily. Plus, they're pretty sure the average civilian wouldn't think of that unless they, for some reason, had experience tying up random villains on the street with little resources.

Shade grimaces as Jack tries to pull his arms back again. They take a moment to thank the stars they got the superhuman strength and endurace from their Asgardian half; this guy was not giving up.

"Don't burn your hands!" They aren't sure if the fire surrounding Jack's pumpkin head is real or not, but better safe than sorry. At least they don't have to worry about it; fire is kinda their thing. Even if it is hot, they won't feel it.

[spidersarenerds]

"I'll do my best..." His main focus is getting Jack's hands tied together, which is a struggle and a half, even with Shade's—rather spectacular, if Peter were to say so himself—efforts to hold Jack still. Eventually, he manages to loop the first sleeve around Jack's wrists tight enough that he won't worry about him slipping loose, and maybe a little tighter for good measure, and ties the knot as securely as he can. He would make a joke about the fabric "cuffs" being a one size fits all, but he's busy trying to avoid getting kicked in the face. Jack's legs are a whole other battle. So, Peter decides to be more lenient on the quality of the bind, getting up and running away won't be easy even if Jack managed to free his legs.

Jack is shouting rather loudly, half of it threats mixed with puns, and the other half claiming that tickles are a rude trick to pull—his understanding of what is going on seems really limited, and Peter almost feels bad for the guy, in that aspect, less so the terrorizing people part.

"Just need a bow and you'd be set for Christmas," Peter pants, sitting back on his heels as Jack writhes.

"NOOOO!" Jack O'Lantern howls, clearly furious in his binds. He is fuming as his squirming grows less violent frome either exhaustion or the cloth cutting into his limbs.

"Not sure who would want you for Christmas, though," Peter adds on in a false pondering tone. Villains wailing about their defeat, as annoying as it is, exists as a common ending to fights. He watches as Jack struggles. He doesn't know what to do now. He can't exactly just leave on his merry way—as he would usually do with a quick web—but instead he may have to linger since MJ and Jameson are likely still outside the diner, itching for the scoop. And the police. Ugh, is he going to have to deal with the police? And he's without his 'jacket'—if you want to call a cotton dress shirt that—to hide whatever marks he has on his arms from his 'hobby'. Is it too late to get stabbed by that scythe?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath as Peter finishes with Jack, leaning back and letting go of his wrists. They stay close enough to grab him if he does manage an escape, though.

"Can't tell if he's more mad about losing or about the Christmas pun." Shade watches him struggle for a moment before looking back at Peter. "Thanks. You got a level head on you for a guy who presumably doesn't do this every single day." They're still, like, 99% sure this guy is Spider-Man. No other hero would make puns that bad. No need to ruin the guy's secret, though.

Shade holds out a hand with a grin. "I'm Nightshade. Shade. Whichever. 'Preciate the assist. Sorry about your shirt."

Their gaze wanders around the building as they slowly take in the damage caused by the fight. Candy corn everywhere. Broken chairs and tables. Sword in the wall. They cringe. "I do not have the money to pay for this," they mumble. "Should probably split before cops get here." They can already hear the sirens. "You might wanna, too. Some people might have some... prying questions about some stuff you just did." They try to make it clear with their tone that they mean leave before someone finds out your identity.

[spidersarenerds]

"Can't say I'm a newbie to it. Villains attacked my high school a lot." And that's not even a lie. A lot of his graduate year would probably be calmer than most—even if you were to disclude the nine of them who were/turned out to be heroes—but he can admit that it doesn't explain away what he's done. It is a very thin veil of secrecy he's weaving with very halfhearted effort. "I'm Peter, and don't worry about it. It was my choice, and I can stitch it up later." He shakes Shade's hand. Jack gives a final thrash. "Probably." He has no idea how his shirt sleeves will hold up against the strain of being restraints.

"Torn off sleeves are still in fashion, right? That's a thing?" he jokes, folding his arms together. He can argue that's accentuating his arms and making them look more muscular than his 'nerdy' arms actually are, can't he? I'm overthinking this. No one actually pays that much attention, much less people who barely know you to be a 'nerdy weakling'.

"New York has clean up guys for villain fights... I think. I saw it on the news once. If you want to call what J– Mr. Jameson does as news." Peter knows it to be true because he had to help once because he and his team got in trouble with Fury, if they're still running after the Wrecking Crew snuck into the works to sabotage and pilfer. He looks over his shoulder out the window to try and gage the size of the crowd. It doesn't look to be the worst, but he knows that there are two journalists waiting outside, desperate for details, and one of them is his best friend. The other, however, may very well have a cavalry of cameramen on the way. Where is Harry and his convenient outerwear when you need it? "I wish I could. My friend's out there and will probably get arrested for trying to enter the crime scene for her journal if she doesn't get a witness statement." MJ could likely talk her way out of it, being the stubborn person she is, but he may as well save her the hassle.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances at the torn sleeves and scoffs. "Absolutely not in fashion. But, hey, maybe you'll start a trend." They should probably worry a bit more about the high school comment -- was that common? Would their school get attacked if they ever bothered to go back? -- but they decide to let it be for now.

"Yeah, it probably needs one considering... Literally everything about this city." NYC had to deal with gods and men flying around in iron suits and sorcerers and spiders. They'd seen the damage plenty; Shade feels a little bad for the people doing all that clean up.

...Better those guys cleaning it up than them, though.

Shade's gaze follows Peter's. They let out a breath. "Damn, Jameson is gonna make me the second most hated superhero in New York after this. First one being that bug guy." They know good and well that spiders aren't bugs, and also that Spider-Man is more well liked than Jameson makes him out to be. They still think it's a little funny to poke at Peter without being obvious about it, though.

"I'll hang out with you then. You know there's gonna be cameras and interviews and stuff. If anything goes south, I'll lie to the cops and journalist and just tell them you hid in the back or something." Shade glances down at Jack. "No one will believe him if he snitches anyways."

[spidersarenerds]

"Totally, next best thing since ripped jeans: the more holes in your outfit, the better," he quips. As Shade remarks about the chaos of the city chock full of superheroes and villains, Peter nods. Damage control has saved his skin many times. Of course, the best damage is no damage at all—as Fury has hammered into his skull—but with the combination of an unfamiliar villain and Shade, however far they are into their hero journey, he's glad the building didn't collapse.

Peter opens his mouth to refute the bug guy comment, but holds back, just barely. "Just be confident. I would not be surprised if they can smell fear," he says instead. The advice is bogus, he has no idea what makes Jameson like people. Both times Spider-Man was impersonated, Jameson was praising 'him' to the high heavens.

Shade's decision to stick around has Peter turning his head to look at them, surprise melting into a small, appreciative smile. "Yeah? You just stole my sleeves to tie this pumpkin head up?" he teases. "Thanks," he adds with a more genuine tone. He doesn't plan to let Shade take the fall for him like that, not with Jameson's sway on the public, but the offer is nice.

"Let's go before they bust the door down." He pushes the door open with his shoulder. The clamor from outside bursts in through the open door, the sound of people fussing as they notice the door cracking open. Peter can pick out a few questions and exclamations from the crowd, just civilians, as far as he can tell, for now, but he only waits long enough for Shade to make it through the door before walking to the corner. He does not expect to lose the crowd, but getting them away from the door so police, professionals, and all that can enter the building whenever they get here. It's also a chance for him to scan the crowd for MJ... and Jameson too, mostly because MJ would stick close to him to observe what a 'true journalist' does in this situation.

"What happened?"

"Who are you?"

Those are the two main questions he can decipher from the hubbub, whether they are sent his way of Shade's, he has no idea. How celebrities can understand anything when thirty questions are being hurled at them at the same time, he has no idea. He comes to a stop at the corner of the building, glancing back to make sure Shade is still there and alright.

"Peter! Where have you been? You can't disappear like that!" A familiar head of red hair parts the crowd, stepping right up to Peter and poking his chest accusingly with a grin. "I had a whole cover ready." She crosses her arms, finally seeming to notice his state. "Whoa, I think this is the first time I've seen your shoulders. You're going to distract someone," she comments.

"That is not true, MJ. We've known each other since we were four; you've seen my shoulders," Peter protests, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," MJ dismisses, already pushing her leather jacket at him, knowing he would wrap it over his shoulders so he can focus on more than if people somehow put it together that he's Spider-Man by seeing his arms—which he does, even though the fitted leather jacket is far from his size. She leans to the side, spotting Shade. "And who are you?" she asks them, excitement glowing in her green eyes. Peter offers an apologetic smile. MJ isn't the worst to talk to, far from it, but she is stubborn, especially when she's in her journalist mode.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Before Shade leaves the building, they take a moment to recover their sword -- which takes a minute, because it is stuck stuck. With only a mild amount of additional damage to the drywall they manage to dislodge it and let it disappear into their pocket dimension. They do hesitate a moment before walking out, wondering briefly if leaving Jack was responsible. Figuring the police were just around the corner anyways, and that Jack had stopped struggling in his binds, Shade leaves him and follows Peter into the crowd.

They hear the questions as soon as they step out. Shade is briefly stunned by the overlapping speech and all the eyes on them, but they quickly pull themself together as they plaster on a confident smile and pose with their arms on their hips.

With a tone that sounds almost rehearsed, Shade responds, "I am Nightshade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire and sorcerer in training. Consider this villain vanquished!" They stand proud for a moment before their face falls as they mumble to themself. "No, that sounds too fantasy-ish. This foe is finished? Enemy annihilated? Eh, we'll workshop it." They clear theur throat and stand tall again. "He's in there, and he alone is responsible for all damages. Please lead the cops to him when they arrive, put the guy behind bars, maybe get him some help?" They glance around and spot Peter out of the corner of their eyes. "Uh, I gotta run. No more questions and bye!!"

They push through the crowd and arrive at where Peter and MJ are. They smile at MJ when addressed. "Shade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire, newest hero on the block." They say it with the same gusto as when they addressed the crowd, as if they were rehersing to a camera. Shade holds out a hand. "Your friend made a very noble sacrifice today. Rest in piece his shirt, made great restraints all things considered."

[spidersarenerds]

Peter smiles as Shade answers the questions that were being shouted. He doesn't have that sort of patience, but he can admire the enthusiasm to actually talk to people rather than just dip without explanation. It likely promises them a better reputation than Spider-Man, though that isn't saying much. There are villains J.J.J. likes better than him.

MJ tilts her head. "Shade Odinchild? Well, that's a name we certainly didn't cover in our school's mythology studies," she remarks, taking Shade's hand eagerly. "And newest hero on the block, huh? So you're going to be sticking around? What can the public of New York expect from you?"

Peter's eyes widen, basically seeing a flashing neon sign indicating the loaded question. Now, no matter how friendly and people-skilled Shade may be, answering that is a trap. Not one MJ lays intentionally—this time, that is; he won't forget how she bullied her way past Iron Fist and Power Man to get to an interview in a building under attack—but with the public and Jameson around, any answer will not be taken in good faith. "Haha, maybe that's a better question for when you have your camera, right? The digital age, y'know? Everyone likes a video." He puts his hands on her shoulders. He knows it's hopeless to tell MJ straight up that such a question has the very high chance to do more harm than good: she sees the good in everyone and wouldn't believe him if he said otherwise when it comes to the media, at least in his experience.

"Ah, well I could still write it down." She smiles. "Besides, how cool would it be to be a hero's first interview!" It's the same excitement that makes him feel bad to say no or point out a flaw in her plans.

"Haven't you already done that?" MJ was the first one to interview Spider-Man. What? You think I could refuse her back then? She'd have personally hunted down Spider-Man three years ago. "Do you even have a notebook?"

"No..." She crosses her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "Do you?" she asks hopefully.

"Me? Nope! Didn't even bring my bag," he answers. He did, but he has no idea where it is in the diner, so he might as well not have brought it. He'll have to find it later. MJ's expression is disbelieving at best. He smiles 'innocently'.

"There you are! Watson, if you want to be a top journalist, you need to find the action, not run off," Jameson scolds, lightly holding a handkerchief to his nose. Seems the landing face first into concrete after being teleported wasn't exactly harmless. But he still has his attitude, so it's likely nothing to worry about.

"I think she found the action first, sir," Peter comments, earning a judgy side eye from the man, his mouth twisting into a frown before he turns his gaze onto Shade.

MJ steps between the two. "This is Shade Odinchild. They're a new hero!" she introduces, seeming to come to the conclusion that putting a good word in with Jameson could help a little with Shade's reputation.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Well, I'm not the 'hundreds and thousands of years' old kind of Asgardian. I don't actually know if I'm immortal or not--" They were only half Asgardian, technically, and they had no idea what traits they got from their Father's side. Maybe if the guy would actually talk to them they could figure it out, but so far Odin seemed more that happy to pretend they didn't exist. Whatever, they'll figure it out through trial and error. Sucks they won't know if they'll live to 80 or 8,000 till they get there, though.

"But I'll be in your textbooks soon, I bet. Up there with Captain America and Black Widow and the rest of 'em." Maybe they sounded a bit too confident. They had been living off the fake it till you make it mindset the past few months, though. If they sounded confident enough, maybe it'd come true.

Shade opens their mouth to respond, but is cut off by Peter. They're a little annoyed. This could be their big break! Their first interview to really thrust them into the public eye, make them a real hero! They could get their name on tee-shirts and have those stupid little knockoff figures of themself and unlicensed merch that looked so bad it was funny and--

Okay, plot lost. Still, it would be really cool to have their first real interview, even if it wasn't exactly the most professionally conducted.

"I mean, I might have a notebook somewhere." They throw so many things into their pocket dimension, they wouldn't doubt they did. "Hold on, I can look real--" they pause as Jameson speaks, quickly straightening their posture in an attempt to look more professional-ish. They quickly forget about the notebook as they swivel to face Jameson.

"Oh! Jame-- I mean, Mr. Jameson, sir." They aren't usually one for authority figures; Shade's always been more of a "do what I want and deal with the consequences later" kind of guy. Jameson kinda has actual influence, though, and they really want a good first impression with the public. It's the first step to their dreams of greatness, after all.

...which is why they're kind of regretting the whole telling him to shut up thing. And the dropping him face first onto concrete thing.

It's fine, if they pull out all their natural charisma and charm, they can still turn this around to be in their favor!

Shade clears their throat. "I, uh-- Sorry about earlier. Heat of the moment thing, I don't usually tell people to shut up, be quiet maybe but I promise I'm not that rude--" Oh god they're rambling-- "Is your- uh, your nose okay? I'm still a little iffy on portal trajectory. Busted my own nose a couple of times."

Okay, well, so much for charisma and charm. Do they normally stumble over their words this much, or only when what they say actually matters?

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's eyes flick between Jameson and Shade, growing more amused the longer Shade rambles and the conflict on Jameson's face deepens. He's clearly ticked about being dropped on his face—the being told to shut up, less so just because it's not the first time he's heard it from a hero/hero adjacent—but there was an apology, and it's not like this kid is hiding behind a mask... They're taking accountability for their actions, which, in his eyes, only matters when there's no secret identity. Even though Peter has no stake in this, he waits with bated breath for Jameson to give an expression beyond stern and mildly annoyed.

"Well," Jameson clears his throat, adjusting his suit jacket. "It's something you definitely need to work on. Preferably before hurling innocent civilians through your portals." He looks to the side, lips pursing beneath his mustache. "But I am glad you're taking accountability. It's not something everyone does, especially some so-called heroes."

And there it is. Peter was waiting for the Spider-Man diss, even if it was indirect this time. He waves his hand as MJ looks ready to refute that claim. There's no need to save the dead horse Jameson is insistent on beating. Instead, just let Shade have their moment. Peter can't lie and say he's interested in seeing Jameson actually be kind of nice.

"I... suppose... my commentary was not exactly de escalating the situation." Wow, that almost looked like it hurt for Jameson to say. The man looks less than happy to admit his fault, but at least he apologized... kind of.

Peter has to physically bite his lip to keep from adding a 'ya think?' Now isn't the time and he really shouldn't snark an adult while he's so obviously himself, no matter how much of a pain that adult may be. I am mature. I am so good at shutting up. I will utter no words. Imagine Fury is super mad and ready to end anyone who talks back.

He breaks, because how could he not? There are so many different things he could say. He opts for the most innocuous one. "I'm sure it's alright, sir. Villain attacks are scary for everyone. There's no shame in that." It doesn't quite scratch his itch to be a bother, but there's only so much he can do before he loses plausibility that he isn't being intentional in his antagonism.

Jameson does not seem amused. "Yes, for civilians. I am a journalist, and we do not scare in the face of some loon in a mask, now do we, Miss Watson?"

"Not exactly. We act in spite of our fear to deliver–" she begins to say.

"Exactly," Jameson plows on, not waiting for her to finish her thought. Because it's something she got from Spider-Man in an interview? Maybe.

"–The truth as best we can," MJ concludes, giving Jameson a flat glare before her expression brightens again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath they didn't know they were holding. Jameson didn't seem like he was going to go on the news and spout about how they were a menace like he did with certain other heros; they could almost say he seemed to respect them, to a degree. At least they can assure their reputation with the public isn't going to be smeared just yet.

They nod along as he speaks, trying Very hard to seem engaged. The better the impression they leave, the better the future article about them will be (hopefully.) "I'm... working on the portals. I'm mentoring under someone with way more magical skills than me,so I should figure it out soon." They figure outright saying my older brother Loki is showing me how to do cool magic stuff wouldn't get a good reaction. God of Lies or not, he's still not well liked. "Next time, I'll make sure you land on your feet, probably."

They nod along to Jameson's response to Peter. "Well, sir, soon you won't have to worry about loons in masks. Or, at least you'll have to worry less." Shade places their thumb on their chest, standing tall and throwing on a confident smile. "With me on the streets, villains will be too scared to stick around. Bet I'll clear New York out was faster than Spider-Man could." They're not gonna lie and say they aren't trying to annoy Peter; they subtly glance his way, just to see his reaction. Besides, they're trying to get on Jameson's good side. This is a quick (and funny) way to do so. They'll say sorry later.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter notices Shade's seemingly eager nodding, maybe a tiny bit amused by the amount of trying to get on Jameson's good side that's going on. He doesn't think he's seen someone try that hard, but it's nice to see, in a way. If they're worried about their reputation, chances are, hopefully they'll do good things to better their reputation. He bites his lip to keep a grin from forming as they promise to transport Jameson safely through a portal next time, with a probably tacked onto the end. He wouldn't complain about seeing Jameson dropped onto his face again, but judging by the nervous laugh from Jameson, he isn't going to be stepping through any of Shade's portals any time soon.

At the claim that Shade will clear out New York of supervillains faster than Spider-Man, Peter's eyebrows furrow, his mouth opening like he's deciding if it's worth responding to and risking identities. He purses his lips. The diss wasn't appreciated, but less work is less work, so he won't say no.

Jameson, however, grins, "Ha! Glad to know not all of the new heroes think Spider-Man is the standard."

"Of course that's the key to your heart; hating Spider-Man. Who would have guessed," Peter grumbles under his breath, unsurprised and keeping his voice down low enough that he's sure Jameson wouldn't hear him over his own beginnings of a rant.

"Well, actually, a lot of the villains on Spider-Man's roster were only in New York because they were hired to fight him. So, it would be O– uh, whoever hired them's fault." It's a valiant attempt on MJ's part to defend Spider-Man, even though Peter nearly had a heart attack when she nearly said the—now reformed—'employer's name.

Of course, Jameson just gets a gleam in his eye. "But at the root of the problem is Spider-Man." As one would blame the guy with the note 'kick me' taped to their back. "We could do more with heroes like this one who own up to their mistakes and don't attract villains!" He gestures to Shade. Peter cringes; he sure hopes Jameson didn't jinx it. Villains with magic powers are a pain for everyone.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade hears Peter's mumbled comment and sends him a shit eating grin. They quickly shift their focus back to Jameson, not trying to divert any attention to Peter. They should probably be a bit more subtle, now that they think about it. Not everyone is willing to throw their real identity out there.

"Well, I don't think I have anyone who hates me bad enough to give people to kill me quite yet." Maybe a few people who had beef with Odin, or Thor, or Loki, but those people didn't directly hate them. They were just trying to hurt the aforementioned Asgardians without any direct sort of confrontation. Not the same as hiring a guy to kill Spider-Man. (Not like Odin cared about anything happening to them. The couple of guys who came after them with the intention of getting Odin's attention were so misguided it was a little funny.) Back to their original point, they add, "I don't thing I'll be attracting any supervillains here anytime soon."

They can't say they aren't enjoying the praise. Even if Jameson isn't their favorite person ever, they haven't ever been used as a good example. It feels pretty nice; Shade just hopes they can live up to his (and the rest of New York's) expectations.

The teen holds out a hand. "Well, Mr. Jameson, it has been very nice to meet you. Maybe next time we can meet under a less life-or-death-y situation?"

[spidersarenerds]

Peter hopes Shade is right and no one wants them dead. He knows it's likely that they're right and he's worrying because of his own past experiences. He has to remember that not every new hero has a billionaire and their mad scientist looking to militarize their powers and/or dissect them. Shade should be fine.

They handle themselves well enough in front of the media, anyway. Peter's glad to see Jameson likes at least one superhero, excluding the two times that he's taken a liking to people impersonating Spider-Man.

"So long as you keep up your efforts, I look forward to it." Jameson takes Shade's hand, giving it a firm shake while stating his hefty expectations. No pressure or anything. With that, he walks back into the crowd, saying he and MJ will meet another time—which will likely end in disaster such as today; her interviews with the man are always interrupted by villain attacks—with a brief over the shoulder wave.

As the news reporter leaves, Peter squints. "Did you put something in his drink, MJ?" he accuses, mostly in jest. He doesn't think he's seen the man in such a good mood, like ever. "Or did he hit his head so hard it knocked the stick outta–"

"I didn't drug Mr. Jameson, Peter." MJ rolls her eyes. She shifts her attention to Shade. "Don't feel too worried about what Mr. Jameson says. So long as you do your best, that's enough. Don't set unachievable expectations to beat yourself up over: that helps no one," she says, a friendly smile on her face. "Right, Peter?" she adds on pointedly, jabbing his side with her elbow.

"Ow!" He rubs his ribs. Targeted much? "She's right, though. The more people saving the city the better."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade waits until Jameson disappears into the crowd to let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. If they've felt weighted under their own expectations for themself before, they might be feeling just a bit crushed now. It's just their reputation with the entire damn city. Nothing big.

They look at MJ as she talks, nodding along. "Of course. I'd never set unachieveable expectations." Because no expectation is unachievable if they just achieve it, so they aren't doing that! They're sure theyre never going to get burnt out with thoughts like that.

They look at Peter. "Yeah. I, uh... I'll do my best! Can't wait to work eith yo-- uh, Spider-Man, on that. And the other heroes in New York." They shift their weight from one foot to the other. They really are excited about their new hero-ing thing; they yearn for the sort of praise people like Captain America, Black Widow, even Thor receives.

They glance to the crowd, where cops are talking to a very disgruntled looking man, most likely the owner of the diner. Shade bites at their lip. "Legally speaking, am I responsible for..." the candy corn all over the floor, the broken tables they threw at Jack, the hole in the wall where their giant sword lodged itself into the wall, the scorch marks along the floor. "...the damages? And if so, how fast do I need to dip?"

[spidersarenerds]

So that cat is out of the bag. Well, at least it's a hero who knows his identity, and one with good intentions at that, even if they're on the greener side. "Yeah, after this, you're sure to make pals." It took Peter a while to do actual team ups with other heroes when he started out, but that was because of his attitude and avoidance of anything where he'd have to talk to someone on his side.

At the mention of damages, MJ repositions herself to see into the diner, sucking in a breath through her teeth. With a villain like Jack O'Lantern, damages are hard to avoid, but it's far from a pretty sight.

"Uuummm..." Peter always dipped before he could be spoken to, so he has no idea if heroes actually get in trouble for the damages. S.H.I.E.L.D. kind of shields—heh—him from that stuff so long as it isn't gratuitous. "I don't know..." He checks over his shoulder before continuing in a lower voice. "I can call folks in to get the clean up handled, there's a thing for that. So, you only have to run if they start coming over here." It's a suggestion, not one most would approve of as it is quite literally 'run away from the cops' but who is he to care for what should be done? So, he'll keep an eye out for any police coming towards Shade.

"He–" Peter tilts his head toward the owner. "–won't have to pay a dime for it either, in case that was a concern." He leans his weight onto one foot, also peering into the diner. "Could probably do with some new chairs anyway," he says, wrinkling his nose. Hopefully Damage Control will splurge on some cushions.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade cringes as MJ looks at the mess they made; they look mildly embarrassed as they shrink in on themself, not unlike a child waiting to be scolded.

"I, uh... I'd appreciate that. Calling those guys in." They do feel a little better, knowing they're not causing some poor innocent civilian a bunch of money because they slipped on some candy corn (and threw chairs and tables and used fire magic indoors.) They nervously glance back at the crowd, keeping an eye on the cops for a moment. They don't seem to be paying them any mind, but they would still rather not linger.

They turn their attention back to MJ and Peter. "I kinda sorta ruined your lunch, right? Sorry about that. Could I get you guys something else to eat?" They maybe have, like, 15 dollars stashed away in their pocket dimension somewhere, but they'd feel at least a little bad for not offering (that, and they really want to get away from all the cops).

Besides, if all else fails, they have an older brother and a card he can wire money into. They're already planning how to discreetly send a text his way asking for an extra 20 on their allowance this week.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter nods, folding his hands behind his back. He can't call Fury up in the middle of this crowd to ask for Damage Control. He hopes that he's as good at typing behind his back as he is at making wisecracks. If he isn't, he will blame the tiny screen of his wrist communicator. Whether or not Fury understands "dmg ctrl pls" could be a whole other issue without the plausible typos being considered.

It's good enough. Fury will see the news anyway. He's somehow got his eye on everything. Even with the cameras, watching all of those screens is a feat and a half for anyone.

"Lunch?" Free food is free food, Peter can admit that much, but also free for him is not free for Shade. He can survive without it. "Nah. I feel like I should be buying you lunch after you saved us from Jameson. My ears were ringing from halfway across the room," he jokes instead, rubbing his ear with an exaggerated wince.

MJ rolls her eyes. "But we should get going," she decides, spying a sliver of a blue uniform in the crowd. "They don't like how I get the info to show new sides to a story." She spares a glance over her shoulder to glare in the direction of the police as she turns to lead them out of the crowd.

"What? MJ!" Peter hisses, pulling her leather jacket tighter around himself. Torn between following after her and staying between Shade and the police grouped in the crowd. He doesn't want to leave Shade behind to deal with the police, especially after their somewhat nervous attitude towards them.

"There's a reason they aren't journalists, Peter; the truth isn't as important as the law."

For those of you that don't know, that's MJ speak for I got caught trespassing in the name of one of my stories, therefore the police are the opposition now. But also flawed system so... Peter groans. This is not something he can argue with MJ about. "If you're still up for it, I'm sure she would like to interview you... away from all this," he says to Shade, an offer to get out of this crowd.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods, following the duo through the crowd. They keep an eye out for any officers heading their way as they pull out their phone, typing as they walk. "You have a place in mind? I'm not usually on this side of town, not sure what's around." They hope their looking at their phone reads as looking at a map for nearby places to snag a bite, and not them texting their older sibling.

Can i have extra money this week pleasepleaseplease like 30 or maybe more dollars pleaseeee

They really don't intend on letting Peter or MJ pay if they can help it. For one, Peter kinda helped in the fight with Jack (and sacrificed his shirt in the process, which Shade still felt a little bad about.) For two, MJ was helping them avoid the cops, which was much appreciated. (They aren't sure how illegal the vigilante thing is, but they do know that they're probably classified as a missing person a few states away, and the less the cops are on them the better.) The least they could do was offer a meal.

Slipping the phone away again, they speed up to walk alongside Peter and MJ. "A for real interview sounds cool!" They grin. "And when I'm super famous, MJ can tell everyone she was the first one to give me one! It'll look good on a resume, I'd bet."

[spidersarenerds]

"Uhh..." Peter racks through his list of restaurants in the area that he knows of, trying to think of what is cheapest. "There's this coffee-sandwich shop thing a few streets down, I think. Not as greasy, though, if artery-clogging is what you're craving," he quips, mostly to hide his uncertainty about the exact location. The city looks different from up high, so his navigation on foot may be subpar.

As they walk, the crowd thins. He looks between Shade and MJ as the interview conversation goes on. "Ha, that resume is going to be a book by the time she's 20."

"As if that's a bad thing. You know it doesn't hurt to have varied experiences, Peter." MJ knows he's teasing, her own defense being a jab about how he has been in the same 'field' since he was 14.

"Yeah, yeah, Miss journalist, tutor, play writer, and who knows what else." He rolls his eyes.

MJ raises an eyebrow. "You could probably add something to your resume besides teaching. Like that time you acted for my play... or improvised."

"It was a high school play. And Trapster literally crashed your play and I was, like, understudy number seven for Flash; no way you're still mad that I improvised," he groans, waving his hand that is not holding MJ's jacket.

"Maybe I am." She turns to Shade, grinning. "You know his aunt sent me pictures. She thought it was Flash at first because, well, the play was about Spider-Man so masks, so the 'identity reveal' was a big shock when Petey was under the mask." MJ is clearly very happy to share an embarrassing story about Peter.

"No way she was able to take pictures," Peter protests, already knowing his aunt likely snuck them since Flash has been his neighbor since forever and it's not like his folks were around to be proud of him.

"Maybe a video..." She teases. "I think that's the first time I ever heard him sing in the 13 years I've known him," she adds.

He sighs sufferingly, mostly to put on a show of embarrassment since MJ seems eager to tell the story, and if Shade is having fun too, he really doesn't mind. He has this little restaurant to hunt down anyway.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods. "Coffee-sandwich shop sounds good." They follow closely, glancing between the two as they converse / argue. It's pretty entertaining, actually.

They pause in listening when they get a buzz on their phone, they take it out just long enough to read the notification.

$29.99 added to account number...

They slide their phone away, deciding not to comment on the stupid joke. Calling Loki a jerk for giving them one cent less than they asked for would maybe not get them more money in the future. (Even though the bit was a little funny, they could not let their brother know that Ever. He wasn't getting the satisfaction.)

Shade perks up as the conversation is again directed at them. "Pictures?" They repeat, glancing between Peter and MJ. They cover one side of their mouth with their hand and stage whisper, "I'll give you my number later, not saying you should send them over, buttttttt...." they drop their hand and grin mischievously, giggling a little at the resigned expression Peter wears.

[spidersarenerds]

"Surprisingly not the worst pictures of me that will be spread around." Between the unflattering positions he's been in as Spider-Man and being caught by the paparazzi with Harry, there's worse pictures of him than him playing in a high school musical, even if the suit was... lacking in more ways than one.

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare," MJ teases, fully intending to send Shade the images and the video if she has it.

"Like a house on fire," Peter sighs to himself, amused by how well Shade and MJ are getting along. And yes, pun intended. "We should be there soon and you two can exchange your info." At least he thinks.

After a few turns, the coffee-sandwich shop is up ahead, advertised by a simple banner on its faded brick walls. It doesn't stand out any more than any of the other buildings in the area. It seems vacant enough that they could get their food without trouble or a long wait.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade strolls right in; it doesn't take very long for the group to get seated at a booth. Shade let's Peter and MJ sit next to each other, while they take the other side.

As soon as the smell of food hits their nose, they realize how hungry they are -- having the powers of the Wildfire also comes with an appetite to match. Still, they're trying to get the money in their account to stretch across three people (there's no way they're letting Peter or MJ pay after they kinda sorta destroyed the diner they were supposed to eat in,) so they decide on a cheap-ish pepperoni sandwich and soda.

Shade gives their order to a waiter. While they wait for Peter and MJ to order, they take a napkin and a pen and scribble their number on it, sliding it to MJ with a grin.

"For professional queries," they joke, "or other interview questions. Or embarrassing pictures of Peter."

[spidersarenerds]

MJ scans the menu quickly, finding what she wants and deems an acceptable price, a simple sandwich with deli meat, lettuce, cheese, and that sort of bread that makes it look more complex than it is, and orders it. It's a much simpler process than it is for Peter, who is staring down the menu like it stole his lunch money. Well, it kind of did, at least Shade's money... in return for food, so not really stealing either... Don't think about it too hard.

He glances up as his name is mentioned. "Huh? Oh." His eyes flick to the napkin, then MJ's grin, figuring out the context. "How devious of you," he comments, his eyes darting across the menu. Too many options. Is it weird to get fries again? What if they're just cursed today? He only had the one shirt and could not deal with another villain vs. diner situation.

He gets the nachos.

"So, what brings you to New York?" MJ asks, leaning forward on the table. Peter is silently relieved that the question wasn't too deep, he doesn't think. When she first interviewed Spider-Man, the first thing she asked for was an identity reveal. "There's already quite a few big names here; wouldn't it be easier to make a name for yourself elsewhere? If that's what you're looking to do, of course."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade leans back in the booth, letting out a breath. "That's a... kind of complicated question?" They probably shouldn't mention anything about their mom, because again, they're technically a missing person and they would rather not have... all that come up. They've done a really good job avoiding the law so far.

"I mostly came here because it's where the Asgardians are. I knew I was different as a kid-- too strong for anyone my size, never got sick, healed too fast -- but I didn't know about my Asgardian side until I was 10-ish."

They still remember that day-- lights flickering and magic pouring from their hands and broken glass and no understanding of what was happening or why. Even with all the villains they've fought and their various near death (and one actual death) experience, it was still the scariest thing they've been through.

"Eventually I got bored of my small town, wanted to figure out more about my father. I figured someone as charming as me could bother answers out of Thor if I tried hard enough -- not that I had to, because the other Asgardian prince found me first. Apparently I have a very distinct magical aura that Loki clocked as being related to the All-Father's."

The food arrives, and Shade is quick to dig in. They cover their mouth as they chew, continuing. "It'd probably be way easier to make a name literally anywhere else, but I get to live here rent free, so," they shrug. "Besides, the last name 'Odinchild' tends to turn some heads already." Does that make them a nepobaby? Can they be a nepobaby if most of what they've inherited from Odin was his enemies? Much to consider.

[spidersarenerds]

"Huh, so family in the field, then," Peter notes, popping a nacho into his mouth and internally debating who between Loki and Thor would be best to learn about Odin from. From what he knows about Thor from their interactions, he holds a lot of admiration for his father. Peter knows much less about Loki and never got around to discussing family with them, but it seems complicated. He met the guy himself once, technically twice if you count meeting him while he was doing his big nap for whatever reason he can't remember, and he's certainly... something.

"I bet that causes some second-hand arch enemies," he adds. Thor has fought and ticked off many a things in the time Peter has known him, never mind all he did before that too. Odin and Loki probably add to that list as well... He'll be sure to keep an eye and ear out for Shade.

MJ considers Shade's answer, being the only one not immediately going for her food—ah, to have a metabolism that isn't messed up—and then asks another question, "Since you're related to Thor, does that mean you have the Avengers as back up? Or are you only relying on yourself?" Her eyebrows furrow as she tries to piece it together herself. She opens her mouth to tack on another question, however she stops, taking a bite of her sandwich to force herself to give Shade time to answer.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Oh, God, yeah." They get a forlorn look on their face. "So many enemies. It's all these people who've been at the magic thing for centuries, and I've been here, like, 5 minutes. Sometimes it feels like I'm a kindergartener getting thrown around by professional boxers or something." Their only saving grace in several encounters has been the unpredictability a novice tends to have; their enemies can't plan how to counteract their moves when they themself dont even know what kind of magic is gonna blast outta their hands next.

(They have gotten better about that, though. Otherwise the diner probably would have been nothing but ash by the end of that fight.)

"Though, I guess my family having enemies got me some of the power I have now. I wouldn't have the God of the Wildfire thing going if Loki and Odin hadn't pissed off some ancient god enough that he wanted to curse me." They didn't see the fire as a curse. Guess that guy wasted his time and energy with that one.

Shade thinks about MJ's question a second. "If I were in real, life-or-death trouble, and Thor knew about it in time, he could pull the Avengers into things. I wouldn't say I personally am close enough to ever call on them. It's not like I have Tony Stark's number or anything." They take a long sip of soda. "I'm really trying to be taken seriously, though. I don't think calling for my older brother and his friends will get anyone to see me as anything but a little kid who goes crying at the slightest hint of things going south."

[spidersarenerds]

"Ha, yeah, I feel like magic is like that," Peter agrees. He hasn't had a ton of experience using magic, obviously, but it seems to be a subject that needs intensive study to be any good. Though, to a point raw power likely overshadows that.

As Shade considers their access to backup—because that is what it is; support in difficult fights—Peter suppresses a wince, trying to hide it with taking another bite. Refusing hypothetical support in the name of being taken seriously, that is a rather familiar thought process. "Well, you have a bunch of your family's enemies after you, so they must take you seriously. At least that, right?" It's not an argument that will win any debates, but he thinks it's at least positive enough.

"Not that that's necessarily a good thing... or the usual experience from what I've got from my interviews. There's a lot that comes with being targeted all the time, and more often than not, asking for backup is the right move," MJ adds logically.

In Peter's mind, what MJ said is most definitely the right answer and what should be taught, even if he still gets irked by the idea of asking for help after years of working on that. "Yeah, of course. More awesome team ups when folks ask for help." He's still rolling her words around in his head, trying to find an angle that can make asking for help more appealing, not only for Shade, but for himself and the heroes he teaches. "Wait. What do you mean by not the usual?"

MJ sighs, rolling her eyes with a slight smile. She knew the question was coming. "Because most heroes and vigilantes have to build up their villain 'portfolio' for months if not years before they have mortal—or in Shade's case, immortal—enemies. Getting into the gig with multiple big names trying to kill you is not normal. Even Daredevil had to work to get where he is."

"Even Nova?" Peter challenges, already figuring that what she's saying makes sense.

"Yes, even him."

"Huh." Well, Peter has to reevaluate how he's going to prepare his students for the hero field. No wonder some of them looked at him like he was nuts when he said people would be out to kill you from basically day one.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade makes a face. "They're only targeting me because they think I'm easy pickings. Who are they supposed to go after, Thor? Loki? Angela, Hela, Odin himself?" They tap their finger against the table, more a movement of comfort than impatience. "It's not respect for me as a hero, it's a view of me as some helpless little kid who happens to share some blood and a last name. They just want to be able to tell people they killed one of Odin's kids, or threaten my life to threaten Odin, or-- or something like that. So I gotta prove 'em wrong."

Shade listens to MJ's argument. She's right; most heroes ease into the role. Doom doesn't try to stab any teen who suddenly finds out they can fly or shoot lasers from their eyes or stretch their body to extreme amounts. But most people don't have the All-Father's name stuck on their back like a big target. Most up and coming heroes don't have shoes that big to fill. They chew their lip and avoid eye contact. They don't need help but they don't know how to explain that in a way these two might understand.

"I'm a skilled sorcerer for my age, even if I'm not at the level of some of my villains. I can handle it alone. It's not like I've died yet." they pause, realizing that is technically a lie. "I mean, I haven't stayed dead." That... isnt as reassuring as they meant for it to be. "I-- I have allies, I can call people if I need help! I just don't need it." Okay, that was definitely not the way to explain it. They're better at using their fists than their words, and this isnt the kind of conversation fists are useful for.

[spidersarenerds]

That's a lot to unpack. Peter doesn't know where to start. He inhales like he's going to say something but he doesn't. How does he address the whole dying thing—and that being proof that some help definitely wouldn't hurt—while also respecting Shade's right to decide whether they want help or not. "Okay..." he sighs. "Well, I'm glad you're not dead... anymore." Man, that feels weird to say. "Or else I'd have been toast back there," he jokes, offering a small smile. If he can lighten the mood, then he can have a moment to try and figure out this can of worms.

"Prove the villains wrong?" MJ questions, not nearly as concerned with broaching the topic and staying on the topic at hand. She can wonder how in the world, or outside of the world, Shade came back to life. Her interview has gone a little off the rails, but she feels it is worth it. After all, there would be no chance for any other interviews or sharing more embarrassing pictures of Peter with Shade because they got killed in their refusal to ask for help.

Peter leans back into the cushioning of the booth. So much for his efforts. MJ has always been more direct than him, even when it cost her more time because of stubbornness on both ends. He has sat through enough debates between her and Harry to know that much. He won't let it go on for that long, especially since Shade seems equally as stubborn in their view as MJ is in her own, but he can't exactly change the subject just yet. Besides, he's not opposed to trying to convince Shade to ask for help, at the very least so they don't die again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Thanks," they say, directed towards Peter. "I'm, uh, glad I'm not still dead too?" It's an odd thing to say, and they feel the need to clarify, "One of Odin's kids is the goddess of death. She, uh, she sent me back up after?" It doesnt clarify as much as they'd like it to, but MJ throws them a new question and they don't have time to linger.

"The villains, yeah." They reply a little too fast. "I mean, you obviously want to have villains fear you, right? Because then it's easier to keep them from causing harm, intimidation and all." They chew at their lip again. It's not exactly a lie, but it's not exactly the whole truth, either, and aren't you suppose to be truthful during interviews? "Maybe I also want the rest of the family to take me seriously, but it's more the villains." There. Thats more true than before.

Family, they know, is a strong word for the shitshow that is their family tree. Loki and Thor are less strained than they have been, but there's still tension. Hela isolates herself from everyone else and longs for the day they all become a part of her domain. Angela... exists, but Shade hasn't actually met her and they aren't sure she wants to. They shouldn't really care about what those guys think, and especially not that damned All-Father, because theyre all messy and half of them are morally grey at best.

Which is why they don't care. Clearly. They care about keeping villains from causing harm with their cool fire powers and awesome Asgardian strength and they care about little else. "I mean, if Thor and Loki and Odin and-- and all the rest of those guys start treating me like an equal and not just their kid sibling, the rest of the villains will follow suit and see my real strength."

[spidersarenerds]

MJ, surprisingly, has to take a moment to think of what she thinks is right to say. Peter uses it as an opportunity to speak up, mostly because Shade looks seconds away from exploding with over explanations. "You know, from the times I've met Thor, he's quite like you—not sure if that's an Asgardian or Odin family thing—with all the, as he would put it, battle for glory," he drops his voice and puts on a vague accent to mimic Thor. "–and go-it-alone mentality." He's pretty sure Shade has figured out he's Spider-Man already, and if not, well, they will come to some conclusion as to how they know their older brother. Peter may as well be open about it to say Shade has people in their corner. "Maybe you could talk to him about this; he's been in a similar spot. I know, shocking considering his big ego," he suggests, and no he could not prevent the electricity pun when talking about Thor. How could he?

Really, Peter knows quite a few people who thought handling things alone was the best way to build a name for themselves or handle their issues, himself included, but he will stick to what Shade is most familiar with. It was also easier than challenging what was likely Shade's lifelong belief that respect came from power and fear, or something along the lines of that.

MJ then speaks up, having decided what she wants to say. "Not to mention that villains aren't the most reasonable. If you asked me, I wouldn't bother trying to prove myself to people dead set on trying to kill me."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade snickers at Peter's Thor impression. They're pretty sure the glory stuff is an Asgardiain thing, but they haven't met enough Asgardians to confirm with absolute certainty. Loki was similar, in a way, with the whole "go-it-alone" thing, though that was less about glory and more about pride. Thinking about it, Shade was a bit of a mix of both.

"I could try to bring it up to him? He's not the most... available guy. Hard to get a phone signal in Asgard, or Van-e-him, or... any of the other ones." Thor was a prince, technically, and had a lot of prince-y duties to attend to. Or something like that, they never listened when he was explaining the responsibilities that came with being royalty. Outside of the time he would occasionally visit them, he was really hard to get ahold of. "...But I guess I could maybe bring it up next time he's in town."

They take a long sip of their soda while they try to figure out how to best respond to MJ. It's about more than just proving themself to a bunch of villains. It's about sending a message to them, yeah, but Asgard too. To all those smug gods who think that just because they're part human, they're less than, weaker.

"I'm gonna have to fight them either way, though. Might as well try to prove myself while I'm there. Who knows, maybe some non-villainous Asgardians will notice, too." Peter and MJ are probably right; Peter (who is definitely 100% spider-man, evident by the bad puns,) has way more experience in the hero department and is definitely trying to help them learn from his mistakes. However, Peter probably doesn't have a dictator for a dad and probably hasn't had to deal with all too many people trying to kidnap and/or attack them for political reasons, so they're probably gonna continue on the whole "proving themself to a bunch of crooks and also their dad" thing.

[spidersarenerds]

"It would be worth a shot." Peter knows Thor isn't the most attentive guy and listening is not his strong suit, but he has a good heart and wants to help people. He's content to leave it at that. A step forward is a step forward, even if it doesn't bring them directly to an end goal. He has learned that pushing more wouldn't help at all. So he focuses on finishing his nachos before they get sad and soggy, glancing up as Shade spoke.

MJ hums, considering what Shade said. "I guess... So long as the bad guy is stopped at the end of the day, and everybody stays alive, you can go about it like that," she concedes, not entirely convinced but she's been trying to learn to pick her battles more often.

"I won't mention this when I write about my interview with you," she reassures. Some things are not meant for the tabloids, like how someone is struggling to prove themselves to their family and technically their whole society. "Speaking of, do you want to continue the interview or would you like to turn the tables and ask us some things, especially after Peter just revealed himself." She looks at Peter. "To think I spent six years not knowing just for you to spill this day one with Shade," she teases.

"They already knew! It's not easy to fight a flaming maniac while pretending to be normal, you know?" he defends, grinning and fully aware she said it to bait him.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nearly forgot this was, in fact, an interview. They give MJ an appreciative nod; heroes arent supposed to have huge insecurities like that, best to keep the whole public from knowing that part.

"To be fair to Peter, there's no one else in this city that makes puns as bad as Spidey's. It was only a matter of time." They finish off the rest of their sandwich, thinking about what they would want to ask Peter. Spider-Man is, like, one of the best superheros they know. At least top 20, though they haven't updated their list in a minute.

"How do you balance the hero shtick with your regular civilian persona?" They glance between MJ and Peter. "Obviously I'm not trying to keep a secret identity or anything, but after all the fights with villains and patching up the wounds there's just -- where do you even find the time to do normal stuff?"

They certainly didn't have the time, unless they cut into sleep hours (which they did quite frequently.) Even then, Shade regularly only made it home well past midnight, much to Verity's dismay.

[spidersarenerds]

"Clearly you haven't been around New York enough," Peter retorts. His puns are terrible, but other heroes, as well as villains, made jokes just as bad. "At least I have variety." Villains especially had little to no puns that weren't about their theme or squishing him like a bug.

MJ laughs at Shade's question. It's a good question to a problem any hero struggles with, but from her experience, Peter is the worst person to ask because he is known to regularly disappear and he devotes his health, sleep, and time to being a hero.

"Well, I keep my identity a secret, and before anyone in my life knew, it was a lot of trying to get through the big problems as fast as possible, especially when I had plans, and then giving some excuse for being late. It was a lot of work towards being efficient in fights." And ignoring injuries he shouldn't have, but he knows that is not a good thing so he won't share it. "I would guess, if you're not hiding your identity, being honest to whoever you're close to, being efficient in fights, and keeping your enemies guessing."

This isn't exactly the answer to Shade's question, but Peter couldn't answer what they asked because he had mostly given up being able to do 'normal stuff'. "If the fight is done sooner, you have more time to be normal, I guess," he adds. "Easier said than done, I know. But as far as I've learned, everyone has their own tactic to end a fight fast."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Be honest to those they knew. That part was easy; they only regularly talked to, like, three people, and two of them were their brothers who were already surrounded by heroes and mortal danger.

...they should probably get some new friends in this new city, actually, but the hero thing kept them from actually meeting with anyone. Which was why they asked the question in the first place, they suppose.

Be efficient in fights was basically the same as get better at fighting, which Shade is working on. Keeping their enemies guessing also isn't too hard when they're constantly finding out new magical abilities they have.

"Be honest, be fast, be unpredictable," they summarize. "Sounds easy enough." They can work on that. Loki was already teaching them how to be better at magic and Thor suggested going a few rounds in the training room of Avengers Tower when they both had the time. Both of those would help with the fast part.

They lean forward. "Alright, second question, then you guys can bounce some more off me if you want. Where the Hel do you get your medical supplies? I have a healing factor, and I'd say I'm more durable than most people because of the Asgardian side, but oh my gods do I run out of bandages and disinfectant fast. And the good band-aids are so expensive!"

"Assuming your healing factor doesnt negate your need for those," they tack on. Most their injuries are healed within a matter of days, but they do still try to keep them from getting infected and cover them up so they look normal-ish walking around. They've never seen Spider-Man with noticeable injuries outside of battle, though, so maybe he does just have a healing factor that fast.

[spidersarenerds]

Open RP Starter (How Did I Get Here?)

This may be one of the stupidest things he's done… or well, it was. What he's about to do will probably be worse. But that's for later, so *rewind noises* or whatever.

MJ must have some sort of mind control ability because she managed to convince Peter to come along to her interview. Like last time went so well when the Beetle trashed a whole floor of the Daily Bugle building. So, here he is in some greasy diner as J. Jonah Jameson grills MJ in the booth to his left—Peter didn't even get a nice seat, just one of those uncomfortable plastic-laminated wood chairs that are always an awkward height. At least there's fries. Though they'd be much better if he didn't have to hear Jameson ask MJ about all of the qualifications she's already given the last ten times she's been interviewed for a position. It all boils down to how willing she is to diss Spider-Man, which is where her stubbornness wins out every time.

But fries! So hot his tongue is starting to lose a little bit of feeling. Perfection.

About to pop a fry into his mouth, he pauses and his eyes narrow, dropping the fry back onto the plate.

The door to the diner flies open, the little chime of the bell drowned out by the thud of the door whacking into a, thankfully, empty chair. Peter barely got to glance at the person barging in before there's a table skidding across the floor. His fries? Upended. The awful chair? Knocked aside. Himself? At the other end of the room, steadying the now sideways table that was sent his way so it doesn't crush him and whatever patrons unlucky enough to be on this table's warpath. "Sorry, folks. Pancake-dom via table costs extra," he says mindlessly, even though he should definitely watch his quips when Jameson is around. Speaking of, the news reporter himself is shouting something about refusing to be silenced and the usual spew of his bravery and, as revealed as Peter tips the table back onto its four legs, is cowering as far into the corner of his booth as he can.

And that about sums up how he got where he is now, shielding whoever is behind him with a mere table between himself and the threat, and to top it all off, the loudest journalist in New York along with other civilians as an audience that could oust secrets he doesn't want to get out if he gets a little too spidery.

//Be the villain, civilian, a hero following the fiend who barged in, whatever you'd like! And of course, tags (No one is forced to interact and those not tagged are more than welcome to interact as well!): @emiliakane @katiebishop-1610

[night-shade-odinchild]

A moment later, another person is barging into the diner, clutching a very large sword in one hand and pointing at the intruder with the other.

"You!" they gasp, winded, "you are the absolute WORST!" They had no idea who the other was, but they did know they'd been chasing him for at least 5 blocks and then through an interdimensional portal (one THEY made to follow him THEMSELF! Their magic was improving!) all while he wrecked havoc and caused large amounts of damage. That was more than enough to decide that yeah, this guy sucked.

Shade takes a moment to glance around -- civilians everywhere, small area, J. Jonah Jameson -- they do a double take. Okay, cool, cool, whatever they did here was probably going to be reported on. That's fine.

First things first. There's no room for giant swords in here, so they let it disappear into their pocket dimension. Second, they should probably ensure civilian safety. They notice the table about to crush a bunch of people first, and quickly dodge away from an oncoming attack to get closer.

"Hello!" They greet as they come to the side not pressed against the wall. "Sorry I can't chat. I need to take this, hope you dont mine." They pull the table away from the civilians and twist, throwing the thing as hard as they can at their assailant. It's mostly dumb luck no bystanders were in the way-- the table lands and the man falls, only to stumble up a moment later.

Shade swears under their breath, turning to the civilians they'd just freed. Their gaze meets Peter's. "You, can you clear this place? I don't want anyone to get hurt." They hate delegating such a task to someone incapable of defending himself against a superpowered person, but they have little choice.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter watches the second person burst into the room, mildly concerned about the large sword—and the loud complaint, but, honestly, mood. Their mood towards the intruder as well as the disappearance of the massive sword eases his worries. One madman destroying the place is already too many, but at least it isn't two.

Kind of. Peter winces as the table crashes into the man. At least he isn't the one paying for it. Huh, having little to no responsibility in a crisis situation is weird. Well, that was until he was given the task of evacuating the area. "You and me both," he agrees. Preventing people from getting hurt as a shared goal is enough for him to decide that he can trust Shade to handle the bad guy. It takes a load off his shoulders. He doubts the ol' adrenaline excuse will cut it with J.J.J. as a witness if he were to go toe to toe with this guy. But while getting people out of the way it might.

He glances around, watching the man's destructive behaviour that is blocking the main door for a beat longer before moving towards the emergency exit. If he can clear a path to it, getting everyone out will be much easier. Peter has a feeling that the man won't have the kindness to see people out the front door.

There are footsteps that follow after him—likely the group that was behind the table with him—and short shrieks as a chair clatters into the wall above their heads. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Peter grumbles, keeping an eye on the man now that he's decided to start throwing things again. "Turn off the burners, fryers, whatever and get out of here!" he calls towards the workers, most of which have crouched behind the counter, shielding their heads. He doesn't expect them to follow the first part much, if at all, but it would be nice if there wasn't a fire hazard as well as an attack.

He wrenches open the small gate separating the kitchen area behind the counter and the rest of the diner, gesturing for the few people trailing after him to go in. "Follow after the workers there– Lead them out of here," he orders the worker that was slowest to get out of here. Shock, probably, but the job should give them a task to cling to for the time being.

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect—and how he must be in cahoots with a certain wall-crawling menace—but apparently not.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade keeps an eye on the escaping civilians out of the corner of their eye. They're not used to fighting in such a cramped space with this many people around; most their focus is on keeping the oncoming furniture from hitting any innocents. Magic flies wildly, hastily made shields are created only to drop a moment later as a blast of fire flashes forward to incinerate a chair about to hit a kid. For an amateur sorcerer like themself, it's incredibly draining.

They flinch as Jameson shouts another line about disrespect-- enough of a break in their focus to cause them to get hit square in the nose with a stool. Shade covers their face and yells out a few obscenities before turning to Jameson.

"Can you PLEASE just SHUT UP!" They face their opponent again, wiping blood from their nose as they continue talking to Jameson. "This would be so much easier if you just left and got to safety, man--" they dodge another chair before they seem to come to a realization. "Wait, I'm so stupid, I could literally just--" A blue glow forms around their hands yet again, and suddenly a portal opens under Jameson; he can be seen falling onto his face through the window.

By this point, most all the civilians are out, except for that guy they told to help evacuate. Shade pulls up another shield made of magic and glances in his direction. "When I said evacuate everyone, I meant you too." Blue flames surround their fist, and they leap forward to attack their assailant.

[spidersarenerds]

Not that it helps any, but Peter absolutely admires Shade's ability to keep track of all of the hurling objects. Without extra senses, it's quite the feat. It also makes the job of evacuating people easier when he doesn't have to lead them to dodge flying chairs and tables.

After shoving MJ to follow the rest of the crowd out—he actually had to close the door between them—because she wanted to stay to get the story on the scene and no way is he letting that happen no matter who is here to keep her safe as she records, he sighs. He thinks that's everyone. Or so he thought until he heard Jameson yell as he is dropped through a portal and made to eat the concrete outside. "I'm getting way too good at tuning him out." Peter doesn't think that's necessarily a bad thing, especially with the result he just saw, but maybe he should pay a little more attention next time.

"Yeah, I'm working on it," he says, pushing on the door to the staff. It doesn't budge. "Wait, was it?–" He pulls the handle. Nothing. The door locks as it shuts. Just his luck. Pushing on a pull door would have been less embarrassing than accidentally locking himself inside.

He yelps as the intruder crashes into the shelves in front of him. This is the first actual chance he's gotten to see the man unobstructed, and the pumpkin head is definitely a shock that has his yelp being louder than he'd have liked. The pumpkin head's carved grin seems to grow—how that works he doesn't know—at his shout and he begins to sit up. "Trick or treat!" He crows in a voice Peter would never call sane.

Now, he's seen many horror movies. He's complained about the dumb decisions the characters have made enough that he'd be put to shame if he didn't grab the nearest object and hit that pumpkin square in its face. That object just so happened to be a sheet pan. The pumpkin is still intact, and the twang the metal sheet gives is almost comedic, but it has the man faltering long enough that Peter has the chance to hop over the counter. He knows it's a little too graceful of a move for the whole 'Peter-act', so he tries to mess up his landing, stabilizing himself with some flailing and a hand on the floor.

"Trick it is!" the man decides happily, righting himself behind the counter and turning his pumpkin right side around.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade notices the door conundrum and swears under their breath. They've been at this fight far too long, and they don't have it in them to open another portal. If they tried, they couldn't guarantee Peter wouldn't end up in a wall or 40 feet off the ground.

They nearly laugh at the absurdity of hitting the guy with a sheet pan, but cut themself off; they should probably focus so they don't get hit again. The bruise that was definitely forming on their face was already going to be so annoying to explain away later.

"Come on, man, Halloween is my favorite holiday! You're ruining it!" Shade glances at Peter. "Try to stay out of the line of fire. I got this." They say it with way more confidence than they feel, but whatever. They've been living on fake it 'till you make it rules long enough it's practically second nature.

They leap over the counter, fire already wrapped around their fist. They intend for it to hit the guy in the face, but he catches their punch with ease. They're surprised for a moment, caught off guard by the lack of response to the fire, before realizing that of course the guy who's head is literally a flaming pumpkin wouldn't react to a little heat.

They don't have much more time to reflect on this misjudgement before they're met with a swift punch to the gut. They cringe but stand their ground, offering a quick blast of fire in return. It's enough to get the guy off them, if only for a moment.

Desperate for a quick way to end this (they know theres still a civilian in here, they know they need to keep him safe,) Shade tries the one thing they're terrible at: using their words. "And what if I said treat?" They severely hope the guy doesn't have some sort of candy themed weaponry.

[spidersarenerds]

Jack O'Lantern gasps, clasping his hands together. "It's your favorite too?!" he coos. "But I'm ruining it? I think you aren't appreciating it enough!" he cackles as he catches Shade's punch.

Peter has dealt with all sorts of crazy before, but maniacally happy with a Halloween theme is new. Would it be wrong of me to say I miss Goblin's crazy? At least he made sense... in his own twisted way. He nods as he's told to try to stay out of the line of fire. That's the plan.

"You got it!" If it's a treat you want, then a treat you shall get!" It is, unfortunately candy themed weaponry, almost a gun of sorts that he's quick to pull from beneath his cape and fire. Luckily, his aim sucks. On the less lucky side, whatever he's shooting is coming apart as it's shot.

So much for staying out of the line of fire! Peter throws his hands up over his head, shielding his face from the pellets. That's what they must be since they haven't torn through Shade and himself like shrapnel would. The pellets are hard and surprisingly small, bouncing off his arms and falling to the floor with a clatter. They hurt, but not nearly as much as one would think something that came from a gun would. He cracks open an eye. He knows he's not bulletproof, so what is this? He takes a peek at the ground. "Candy corn?" The little orange, yellow, and white triangles litter the ground of the diner now. "Where do you even get this much of it?"

"I'll never reveal the skeletons in my closet!" Jack O'Lantern gesticulates so dramatically as he speaks, he's nearly dancing to the rhythm of his words. Peter can't say he's quite as enthused. Rather than get into whether or not bulk stores can be counted as a skeleton in a closet, he begins to take a couple steps backward, not paying much mind to the hard candy making the ground uneven, his feet finding the clear areas so he won't slip without much thought. If he's out of the way, Shade can handle this guy much more easily... probably. And with Jack O'Lantern behind the counter, the path to the front exit should be clear if Peter can make it there. He just doesn't want the pumpkin head to notice. Who knows if all his weapons are merely annoying like the candy corn gun or actually dangerous?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Candy corn gun. Of course it was a candy corn gun. How stupid they were to even think that it wouldn't be a candy themed weapon. "Where do you get this much? Halloween was forever ago, no one is sells any past October?" Not that they were asking because candy corn was their favorite. The middle of battle would be an incredibly inappropriate time for such a question.

For the briefest moment, they consider trying to catch a piece in their mouth. They decide against it, though. One, it would be so embarrassing to die because they choked on a piece of flying candy corn, especially after everything else they've lived through. Two, they didn't really want to meet their sister again. Hela might not be kind enough to send them back up a second time.

Shade watches Peter slowly back away out of the corner of their eye. They need to keep Jack'O'Lantern occupied so he can escape.

Their sword returns to their hand. Now that the store is mostly empty, they have a little more room to swing the giant blade. "Hey, Jack! Try countering this!" They step forward for a swing, aiming to knock the gun out his hand.

That is not what happens. Their foot lands on a piece of candy corn and they slip. They quickly adjust the grip of the sword as they fall -- it nearly takes Jack's head off, and they have no want to kill the guy -- and it slices through the gun and lodges firmly in the wall. Shade hits the floor.

They blink and quickly stand, avoiding the candy corn this time. They shoot a glance at Peter, then look back to Jack. "That did not happen. You didn't see that." It's clear they speak to both of them.

They're very good at this. They are a well trained and professional superhero, and they are not lying to themself about that.

Well, at least the gun is gone. Shade ducks under the sword, still firmly lodged in the wall, and comes around the otherside with a fist aimed at Jack O Lantern's face. When all else fails, go old school. And hope he doesnt catch their fist again.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's mouth hangs open as he watches Shade slip. Never in his life has he been more afraid of a sword—and he's been on the pointy end of what he'd say to be plenty. A sword swinging around uncontrollably is enough to make him glad he hasn't come across more. At least the gun is gone. He likes guns even less.

Jack O'Lantern, the maniac, giggles, "That's witchful thinking." He peers over the sword at Shade on the ground. He then yelps as Shade's fist collides with the pumpkin, stumbling back out of their reach as quick as he can. "No fair," he growls, cradling the spot where he got hit. Whether he's cradling the part of his face that got hurt through the pumpkin or is just really that attached to the gourd on his head, Peter can't tell. "I guess it's time for my own tricks!" Like anything he's given is a treat.

As Jack whips out yet another weapon, some sort of pole that elongates itself with his movement, Peter has to duck to avoid the blade. A scythe. Kind of. He doubts it'd be any good on a farm, what with the way the blade crackles. The blade doesn't even seem to be metal, just energy. It must save space for whatever other goodies Jack has up his sleeve. "You're really out of your gourd," Peter mutters, focusing on righting himself from the near-backbend he just had to do.

Jack O'Lantern, of course delighted to hear any vaguely Halloween related pun, spins around, nearly taking out Peter with the scythe again. This time, Peter grabs it near the blade to stop the whole waving around very sharp things theme that has been going on. It also means that he's putting a lot of his balance into Jack holding the scythe steady, which he regrets immediately as Jack leans closer excitedly. "Aw thank you! It makes me all the more spooktastic, and that's just bootiful, don't you think?"

And Peter could do without his eyebrows getting singed off by the flaming pumpkin, so he wedges his heel into Jack's shoulder and pushes him away, maybe a little too hard as Peter flips himself over while doing so, now firmly on his feet with the scythe in hand, the blade safely on the floor. "Oops..." he hisses under his breath before straightening like it was intentional and totally normal of him to do a backflip in a fight. Just such a normal, innocuous thing for a guy to do. He did gymnastics—for two months when he was six—that's why he can do that. "Isn't that grim? You've lost another toy," he comments, trying to play it off. He really should shut up more. Thank goodness Jameson is outside and probably dealing with being dumped onto the pavement so he can't hear these quips.

Peter keeps hold of the scythe so Jack O'Lantern can't get a hold of it, and also because he has no idea if he should be able to lift this or not. Swinging a blade around with a candy covered floor isn't a good idea anyway. Just look at Shade's sword. Jack picks himself back up, stumbling slightly on the candy corn. The guy is taking quite the beating, more so thanks to Shade than anyone else."You– you're no fun!" he spits, barely paying attention to Shade and likely ready to pull another trick.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade stares at Peter with wide eyes. They might not have normal strength levels, but they used to live in some small town in the middle of nowhere with no super people around, and they're pretty sure not even the strongest people they knew there could've pulled that off. Maybe there's a reason this guy was way more level headed than the average civilian.

There's only a few heros with that amount of flexibility, and only one they know of who can come up with that many terrible puns that fast.

Deciding that's not really important, nor their business, they choose to just be happy he's on their side; with their luck, it was a miracle they didn't run into a building holding the next Hydra convention.

Jack isn't facing them, giving them a good opportunity to sneak up. They're careful to avoid the candy corn, not wanting a repeat of their previous mishap (please please please tell them no one caught that on camera. They might cry.)

Shade leaps when they're close enough, tackling him to the ground. They land awkwardly on their side and cringe as candy corn digs into their skin, but continue with their plan anyways, fighting to keep Jack from reaching for any more of his "tricks."

"Both of your jokes are awful!" They cry out while still fighting with Jack. Even if they were a little funny. "Now stay down, please--" They raise their elbow and slam it down into Jack's chest.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter can vaguely recognize the realization in Shade's eyes, which isn't the best for him. He's really getting too sloppy with his identity. Now it just begs the question if he can play up the clumsy helpless civilian enough or if he will just look like a fool. His friends who know make fun of him when he leans heavily into the nerd persona, but it clearly works better than whatever he's doing now. Shade doesn't seem like they would tattle, but Jack might... if he's even coherent enough to string a non-Halloween related sentence together.

As Shade tackles Jack to the ground, Peter stumbles back, allowing himself to stumble on the candy corn and barely catch himself on the scythe. Is anyone paying attention? No, definitely not. They're busy fighting on the floor. He totally had that realisation before he did that. It was just practice.

"Wh– hey!" he begins, about to defend his quips. At the very least, they aren't on the same level as Jack's. He can accept that they're cringe-worthy, but to compare them to puns that sound like they're from some website? Simply unacceptable. That is until Shade jams their elbow into Jack's chest. Peter looks away. "Yeah, I'll just shut up now."

Jack makes some sort of wheezy coughing noise, similar to a breathless laugh but that's more so the crazy rather than any sort of joy. He flails wildly in Shade's grip, pushing at just about anything and trying to squirm away.

It's clearly an issue, and Peter is only so good at standing by—so good as in atrociously terrible at it— so he scans the diner for anything to tie up Jack O'Lantern. It seems he is out of luck today because not one customer happened to forget a scarf or purse in their evacuation. Ugh, and the day I only had tank tops to wear underneath. Peter drops the scythe and pulls off the dress shirt he's been wearing like a jacket. He observes it in his hands. Jack would be the type to kick or even run away while his hands are tied. Peter tears off both of the sleeves—he might as well make it match on both sides; he's going to be sewing later anyway—and rushes to help out in the scuffle. "Hold his arms!" Tying up the feet can happen once there are no hands clawing at their faces.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances up at Peter when they hear the sound of fabric ripping -- but only for a moment, as Jack tries again to wriggle his way free. They curse under their breath as they grab the villain by his wrists, holding them with just enough force not to break them. They've been getting better at handling their strength, though the doubt the force they use to hold Jack is comfortable.

"Got him!" They mentally add ripping the jacket to their list of reasons this guy is totally definitely a superhero. Unless that jacket was made with really flimsy fabric, they don't think it would've ripped that quickly and easily. Plus, they're pretty sure the average civilian wouldn't think of that unless they, for some reason, had experience tying up random villains on the street with little resources.

Shade grimaces as Jack tries to pull his arms back again. They take a moment to thank the stars they got the superhuman strength and endurace from their Asgardian half; this guy was not giving up.

"Don't burn your hands!" They aren't sure if the fire surrounding Jack's pumpkin head is real or not, but better safe than sorry. At least they don't have to worry about it; fire is kinda their thing. Even if it is hot, they won't feel it.

[spidersarenerds]

"I'll do my best..." His main focus is getting Jack's hands tied together, which is a struggle and a half, even with Shade's—rather spectacular, if Peter were to say so himself—efforts to hold Jack still. Eventually, he manages to loop the first sleeve around Jack's wrists tight enough that he won't worry about him slipping loose, and maybe a little tighter for good measure, and ties the knot as securely as he can. He would make a joke about the fabric "cuffs" being a one size fits all, but he's busy trying to avoid getting kicked in the face. Jack's legs are a whole other battle. So, Peter decides to be more lenient on the quality of the bind, getting up and running away won't be easy even if Jack managed to free his legs.

Jack is shouting rather loudly, half of it threats mixed with puns, and the other half claiming that tickles are a rude trick to pull—his understanding of what is going on seems really limited, and Peter almost feels bad for the guy, in that aspect, less so the terrorizing people part.

"Just need a bow and you'd be set for Christmas," Peter pants, sitting back on his heels as Jack writhes.

"NOOOO!" Jack O'Lantern howls, clearly furious in his binds. He is fuming as his squirming grows less violent frome either exhaustion or the cloth cutting into his limbs.

"Not sure who would want you for Christmas, though," Peter adds on in a false pondering tone. Villains wailing about their defeat, as annoying as it is, exists as a common ending to fights. He watches as Jack struggles. He doesn't know what to do now. He can't exactly just leave on his merry way—as he would usually do with a quick web—but instead he may have to linger since MJ and Jameson are likely still outside the diner, itching for the scoop. And the police. Ugh, is he going to have to deal with the police? And he's without his 'jacket'—if you want to call a cotton dress shirt that—to hide whatever marks he has on his arms from his 'hobby'. Is it too late to get stabbed by that scythe?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath as Peter finishes with Jack, leaning back and letting go of his wrists. They stay close enough to grab him if he does manage an escape, though.

"Can't tell if he's more mad about losing or about the Christmas pun." Shade watches him struggle for a moment before looking back at Peter. "Thanks. You got a level head on you for a guy who presumably doesn't do this every single day." They're still, like, 99% sure this guy is Spider-Man. No other hero would make puns that bad. No need to ruin the guy's secret, though.

Shade holds out a hand with a grin. "I'm Nightshade. Shade. Whichever. 'Preciate the assist. Sorry about your shirt."

Their gaze wanders around the building as they slowly take in the damage caused by the fight. Candy corn everywhere. Broken chairs and tables. Sword in the wall. They cringe. "I do not have the money to pay for this," they mumble. "Should probably split before cops get here." They can already hear the sirens. "You might wanna, too. Some people might have some... prying questions about some stuff you just did." They try to make it clear with their tone that they mean leave before someone finds out your identity.

[spidersarenerds]

"Can't say I'm a newbie to it. Villains attacked my high school a lot." And that's not even a lie. A lot of his graduate year would probably be calmer than most—even if you were to disclude the nine of them who were/turned out to be heroes—but he can admit that it doesn't explain away what he's done. It is a very thin veil of secrecy he's weaving with very halfhearted effort. "I'm Peter, and don't worry about it. It was my choice, and I can stitch it up later." He shakes Shade's hand. Jack gives a final thrash. "Probably." He has no idea how his shirt sleeves will hold up against the strain of being restraints.

"Torn off sleeves are still in fashion, right? That's a thing?" he jokes, folding his arms together. He can argue that's accentuating his arms and making them look more muscular than his 'nerdy' arms actually are, can't he? I'm overthinking this. No one actually pays that much attention, much less people who barely know you to be a 'nerdy weakling'.

"New York has clean up guys for villain fights... I think. I saw it on the news once. If you want to call what J– Mr. Jameson does as news." Peter knows it to be true because he had to help once because he and his team got in trouble with Fury, if they're still running after the Wrecking Crew snuck into the works to sabotage and pilfer. He looks over his shoulder out the window to try and gage the size of the crowd. It doesn't look to be the worst, but he knows that there are two journalists waiting outside, desperate for details, and one of them is his best friend. The other, however, may very well have a cavalry of cameramen on the way. Where is Harry and his convenient outerwear when you need it? "I wish I could. My friend's out there and will probably get arrested for trying to enter the crime scene for her journal if she doesn't get a witness statement." MJ could likely talk her way out of it, being the stubborn person she is, but he may as well save her the hassle.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances at the torn sleeves and scoffs. "Absolutely not in fashion. But, hey, maybe you'll start a trend." They should probably worry a bit more about the high school comment -- was that common? Would their school get attacked if they ever bothered to go back? -- but they decide to let it be for now.

"Yeah, it probably needs one considering... Literally everything about this city." NYC had to deal with gods and men flying around in iron suits and sorcerers and spiders. They'd seen the damage plenty; Shade feels a little bad for the people doing all that clean up.

...Better those guys cleaning it up than them, though.

Shade's gaze follows Peter's. They let out a breath. "Damn, Jameson is gonna make me the second most hated superhero in New York after this. First one being that bug guy." They know good and well that spiders aren't bugs, and also that Spider-Man is more well liked than Jameson makes him out to be. They still think it's a little funny to poke at Peter without being obvious about it, though.

"I'll hang out with you then. You know there's gonna be cameras and interviews and stuff. If anything goes south, I'll lie to the cops and journalist and just tell them you hid in the back or something." Shade glances down at Jack. "No one will believe him if he snitches anyways."

[spidersarenerds]

"Totally, next best thing since ripped jeans: the more holes in your outfit, the better," he quips. As Shade remarks about the chaos of the city chock full of superheroes and villains, Peter nods. Damage control has saved his skin many times. Of course, the best damage is no damage at all—as Fury has hammered into his skull—but with the combination of an unfamiliar villain and Shade, however far they are into their hero journey, he's glad the building didn't collapse.

Peter opens his mouth to refute the bug guy comment, but holds back, just barely. "Just be confident. I would not be surprised if they can smell fear," he says instead. The advice is bogus, he has no idea what makes Jameson like people. Both times Spider-Man was impersonated, Jameson was praising 'him' to the high heavens.

Shade's decision to stick around has Peter turning his head to look at them, surprise melting into a small, appreciative smile. "Yeah? You just stole my sleeves to tie this pumpkin head up?" he teases. "Thanks," he adds with a more genuine tone. He doesn't plan to let Shade take the fall for him like that, not with Jameson's sway on the public, but the offer is nice.

"Let's go before they bust the door down." He pushes the door open with his shoulder. The clamor from outside bursts in through the open door, the sound of people fussing as they notice the door cracking open. Peter can pick out a few questions and exclamations from the crowd, just civilians, as far as he can tell, for now, but he only waits long enough for Shade to make it through the door before walking to the corner. He does not expect to lose the crowd, but getting them away from the door so police, professionals, and all that can enter the building whenever they get here. It's also a chance for him to scan the crowd for MJ... and Jameson too, mostly because MJ would stick close to him to observe what a 'true journalist' does in this situation.

"What happened?"

"Who are you?"

Those are the two main questions he can decipher from the hubbub, whether they are sent his way of Shade's, he has no idea. How celebrities can understand anything when thirty questions are being hurled at them at the same time, he has no idea. He comes to a stop at the corner of the building, glancing back to make sure Shade is still there and alright.

"Peter! Where have you been? You can't disappear like that!" A familiar head of red hair parts the crowd, stepping right up to Peter and poking his chest accusingly with a grin. "I had a whole cover ready." She crosses her arms, finally seeming to notice his state. "Whoa, I think this is the first time I've seen your shoulders. You're going to distract someone," she comments.

"That is not true, MJ. We've known each other since we were four; you've seen my shoulders," Peter protests, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," MJ dismisses, already pushing her leather jacket at him, knowing he would wrap it over his shoulders so he can focus on more than if people somehow put it together that he's Spider-Man by seeing his arms—which he does, even though the fitted leather jacket is far from his size. She leans to the side, spotting Shade. "And who are you?" she asks them, excitement glowing in her green eyes. Peter offers an apologetic smile. MJ isn't the worst to talk to, far from it, but she is stubborn, especially when she's in her journalist mode.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Before Shade leaves the building, they take a moment to recover their sword -- which takes a minute, because it is stuck stuck. With only a mild amount of additional damage to the drywall they manage to dislodge it and let it disappear into their pocket dimension. They do hesitate a moment before walking out, wondering briefly if leaving Jack was responsible. Figuring the police were just around the corner anyways, and that Jack had stopped struggling in his binds, Shade leaves him and follows Peter into the crowd.

They hear the questions as soon as they step out. Shade is briefly stunned by the overlapping speech and all the eyes on them, but they quickly pull themself together as they plaster on a confident smile and pose with their arms on their hips.

With a tone that sounds almost rehearsed, Shade responds, "I am Nightshade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire and sorcerer in training. Consider this villain vanquished!" They stand proud for a moment before their face falls as they mumble to themself. "No, that sounds too fantasy-ish. This foe is finished? Enemy annihilated? Eh, we'll workshop it." They clear theur throat and stand tall again. "He's in there, and he alone is responsible for all damages. Please lead the cops to him when they arrive, put the guy behind bars, maybe get him some help?" They glance around and spot Peter out of the corner of their eyes. "Uh, I gotta run. No more questions and bye!!"

They push through the crowd and arrive at where Peter and MJ are. They smile at MJ when addressed. "Shade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire, newest hero on the block." They say it with the same gusto as when they addressed the crowd, as if they were rehersing to a camera. Shade holds out a hand. "Your friend made a very noble sacrifice today. Rest in piece his shirt, made great restraints all things considered."

[spidersarenerds]

Peter smiles as Shade answers the questions that were being shouted. He doesn't have that sort of patience, but he can admire the enthusiasm to actually talk to people rather than just dip without explanation. It likely promises them a better reputation than Spider-Man, though that isn't saying much. There are villains J.J.J. likes better than him.

MJ tilts her head. "Shade Odinchild? Well, that's a name we certainly didn't cover in our school's mythology studies," she remarks, taking Shade's hand eagerly. "And newest hero on the block, huh? So you're going to be sticking around? What can the public of New York expect from you?"

Peter's eyes widen, basically seeing a flashing neon sign indicating the loaded question. Now, no matter how friendly and people-skilled Shade may be, answering that is a trap. Not one MJ lays intentionally—this time, that is; he won't forget how she bullied her way past Iron Fist and Power Man to get to an interview in a building under attack—but with the public and Jameson around, any answer will not be taken in good faith. "Haha, maybe that's a better question for when you have your camera, right? The digital age, y'know? Everyone likes a video." He puts his hands on her shoulders. He knows it's hopeless to tell MJ straight up that such a question has the very high chance to do more harm than good: she sees the good in everyone and wouldn't believe him if he said otherwise when it comes to the media, at least in his experience.

"Ah, well I could still write it down." She smiles. "Besides, how cool would it be to be a hero's first interview!" It's the same excitement that makes him feel bad to say no or point out a flaw in her plans.

"Haven't you already done that?" MJ was the first one to interview Spider-Man. What? You think I could refuse her back then? She'd have personally hunted down Spider-Man three years ago. "Do you even have a notebook?"

"No..." She crosses her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "Do you?" she asks hopefully.

"Me? Nope! Didn't even bring my bag," he answers. He did, but he has no idea where it is in the diner, so he might as well not have brought it. He'll have to find it later. MJ's expression is disbelieving at best. He smiles 'innocently'.

"There you are! Watson, if you want to be a top journalist, you need to find the action, not run off," Jameson scolds, lightly holding a handkerchief to his nose. Seems the landing face first into concrete after being teleported wasn't exactly harmless. But he still has his attitude, so it's likely nothing to worry about.

"I think she found the action first, sir," Peter comments, earning a judgy side eye from the man, his mouth twisting into a frown before he turns his gaze onto Shade.

MJ steps between the two. "This is Shade Odinchild. They're a new hero!" she introduces, seeming to come to the conclusion that putting a good word in with Jameson could help a little with Shade's reputation.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Well, I'm not the 'hundreds and thousands of years' old kind of Asgardian. I don't actually know if I'm immortal or not--" They were only half Asgardian, technically, and they had no idea what traits they got from their Father's side. Maybe if the guy would actually talk to them they could figure it out, but so far Odin seemed more that happy to pretend they didn't exist. Whatever, they'll figure it out through trial and error. Sucks they won't know if they'll live to 80 or 8,000 till they get there, though.

"But I'll be in your textbooks soon, I bet. Up there with Captain America and Black Widow and the rest of 'em." Maybe they sounded a bit too confident. They had been living off the fake it till you make it mindset the past few months, though. If they sounded confident enough, maybe it'd come true.

Shade opens their mouth to respond, but is cut off by Peter. They're a little annoyed. This could be their big break! Their first interview to really thrust them into the public eye, make them a real hero! They could get their name on tee-shirts and have those stupid little knockoff figures of themself and unlicensed merch that looked so bad it was funny and--

Okay, plot lost. Still, it would be really cool to have their first real interview, even if it wasn't exactly the most professionally conducted.

"I mean, I might have a notebook somewhere." They throw so many things into their pocket dimension, they wouldn't doubt they did. "Hold on, I can look real--" they pause as Jameson speaks, quickly straightening their posture in an attempt to look more professional-ish. They quickly forget about the notebook as they swivel to face Jameson.

"Oh! Jame-- I mean, Mr. Jameson, sir." They aren't usually one for authority figures; Shade's always been more of a "do what I want and deal with the consequences later" kind of guy. Jameson kinda has actual influence, though, and they really want a good first impression with the public. It's the first step to their dreams of greatness, after all.

...which is why they're kind of regretting the whole telling him to shut up thing. And the dropping him face first onto concrete thing.

It's fine, if they pull out all their natural charisma and charm, they can still turn this around to be in their favor!

Shade clears their throat. "I, uh-- Sorry about earlier. Heat of the moment thing, I don't usually tell people to shut up, be quiet maybe but I promise I'm not that rude--" Oh god they're rambling-- "Is your- uh, your nose okay? I'm still a little iffy on portal trajectory. Busted my own nose a couple of times."

Okay, well, so much for charisma and charm. Do they normally stumble over their words this much, or only when what they say actually matters?

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's eyes flick between Jameson and Shade, growing more amused the longer Shade rambles and the conflict on Jameson's face deepens. He's clearly ticked about being dropped on his face—the being told to shut up, less so just because it's not the first time he's heard it from a hero/hero adjacent—but there was an apology, and it's not like this kid is hiding behind a mask... They're taking accountability for their actions, which, in his eyes, only matters when there's no secret identity. Even though Peter has no stake in this, he waits with bated breath for Jameson to give an expression beyond stern and mildly annoyed.

"Well," Jameson clears his throat, adjusting his suit jacket. "It's something you definitely need to work on. Preferably before hurling innocent civilians through your portals." He looks to the side, lips pursing beneath his mustache. "But I am glad you're taking accountability. It's not something everyone does, especially some so-called heroes."

And there it is. Peter was waiting for the Spider-Man diss, even if it was indirect this time. He waves his hand as MJ looks ready to refute that claim. There's no need to save the dead horse Jameson is insistent on beating. Instead, just let Shade have their moment. Peter can't lie and say he's interested in seeing Jameson actually be kind of nice.

"I... suppose... my commentary was not exactly de escalating the situation." Wow, that almost looked like it hurt for Jameson to say. The man looks less than happy to admit his fault, but at least he apologized... kind of.

Peter has to physically bite his lip to keep from adding a 'ya think?' Now isn't the time and he really shouldn't snark an adult while he's so obviously himself, no matter how much of a pain that adult may be. I am mature. I am so good at shutting up. I will utter no words. Imagine Fury is super mad and ready to end anyone who talks back.

He breaks, because how could he not? There are so many different things he could say. He opts for the most innocuous one. "I'm sure it's alright, sir. Villain attacks are scary for everyone. There's no shame in that." It doesn't quite scratch his itch to be a bother, but there's only so much he can do before he loses plausibility that he isn't being intentional in his antagonism.

Jameson does not seem amused. "Yes, for civilians. I am a journalist, and we do not scare in the face of some loon in a mask, now do we, Miss Watson?"

"Not exactly. We act in spite of our fear to deliver–" she begins to say.

"Exactly," Jameson plows on, not waiting for her to finish her thought. Because it's something she got from Spider-Man in an interview? Maybe.

"–The truth as best we can," MJ concludes, giving Jameson a flat glare before her expression brightens again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath they didn't know they were holding. Jameson didn't seem like he was going to go on the news and spout about how they were a menace like he did with certain other heros; they could almost say he seemed to respect them, to a degree. At least they can assure their reputation with the public isn't going to be smeared just yet.

They nod along as he speaks, trying Very hard to seem engaged. The better the impression they leave, the better the future article about them will be (hopefully.) "I'm... working on the portals. I'm mentoring under someone with way more magical skills than me,so I should figure it out soon." They figure outright saying my older brother Loki is showing me how to do cool magic stuff wouldn't get a good reaction. God of Lies or not, he's still not well liked. "Next time, I'll make sure you land on your feet, probably."

They nod along to Jameson's response to Peter. "Well, sir, soon you won't have to worry about loons in masks. Or, at least you'll have to worry less." Shade places their thumb on their chest, standing tall and throwing on a confident smile. "With me on the streets, villains will be too scared to stick around. Bet I'll clear New York out was faster than Spider-Man could." They're not gonna lie and say they aren't trying to annoy Peter; they subtly glance his way, just to see his reaction. Besides, they're trying to get on Jameson's good side. This is a quick (and funny) way to do so. They'll say sorry later.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter notices Shade's seemingly eager nodding, maybe a tiny bit amused by the amount of trying to get on Jameson's good side that's going on. He doesn't think he's seen someone try that hard, but it's nice to see, in a way. If they're worried about their reputation, chances are, hopefully they'll do good things to better their reputation. He bites his lip to keep a grin from forming as they promise to transport Jameson safely through a portal next time, with a probably tacked onto the end. He wouldn't complain about seeing Jameson dropped onto his face again, but judging by the nervous laugh from Jameson, he isn't going to be stepping through any of Shade's portals any time soon.

At the claim that Shade will clear out New York of supervillains faster than Spider-Man, Peter's eyebrows furrow, his mouth opening like he's deciding if it's worth responding to and risking identities. He purses his lips. The diss wasn't appreciated, but less work is less work, so he won't say no.

Jameson, however, grins, "Ha! Glad to know not all of the new heroes think Spider-Man is the standard."

"Of course that's the key to your heart; hating Spider-Man. Who would have guessed," Peter grumbles under his breath, unsurprised and keeping his voice down low enough that he's sure Jameson wouldn't hear him over his own beginnings of a rant.

"Well, actually, a lot of the villains on Spider-Man's roster were only in New York because they were hired to fight him. So, it would be O– uh, whoever hired them's fault." It's a valiant attempt on MJ's part to defend Spider-Man, even though Peter nearly had a heart attack when she nearly said the—now reformed—'employer's name.

Of course, Jameson just gets a gleam in his eye. "But at the root of the problem is Spider-Man." As one would blame the guy with the note 'kick me' taped to their back. "We could do more with heroes like this one who own up to their mistakes and don't attract villains!" He gestures to Shade. Peter cringes; he sure hopes Jameson didn't jinx it. Villains with magic powers are a pain for everyone.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade hears Peter's mumbled comment and sends him a shit eating grin. They quickly shift their focus back to Jameson, not trying to divert any attention to Peter. They should probably be a bit more subtle, now that they think about it. Not everyone is willing to throw their real identity out there.

"Well, I don't think I have anyone who hates me bad enough to give people to kill me quite yet." Maybe a few people who had beef with Odin, or Thor, or Loki, but those people didn't directly hate them. They were just trying to hurt the aforementioned Asgardians without any direct sort of confrontation. Not the same as hiring a guy to kill Spider-Man. (Not like Odin cared about anything happening to them. The couple of guys who came after them with the intention of getting Odin's attention were so misguided it was a little funny.) Back to their original point, they add, "I don't thing I'll be attracting any supervillains here anytime soon."

They can't say they aren't enjoying the praise. Even if Jameson isn't their favorite person ever, they haven't ever been used as a good example. It feels pretty nice; Shade just hopes they can live up to his (and the rest of New York's) expectations.

The teen holds out a hand. "Well, Mr. Jameson, it has been very nice to meet you. Maybe next time we can meet under a less life-or-death-y situation?"

[spidersarenerds]

Peter hopes Shade is right and no one wants them dead. He knows it's likely that they're right and he's worrying because of his own past experiences. He has to remember that not every new hero has a billionaire and their mad scientist looking to militarize their powers and/or dissect them. Shade should be fine.

They handle themselves well enough in front of the media, anyway. Peter's glad to see Jameson likes at least one superhero, excluding the two times that he's taken a liking to people impersonating Spider-Man.

"So long as you keep up your efforts, I look forward to it." Jameson takes Shade's hand, giving it a firm shake while stating his hefty expectations. No pressure or anything. With that, he walks back into the crowd, saying he and MJ will meet another time—which will likely end in disaster such as today; her interviews with the man are always interrupted by villain attacks—with a brief over the shoulder wave.

As the news reporter leaves, Peter squints. "Did you put something in his drink, MJ?" he accuses, mostly in jest. He doesn't think he's seen the man in such a good mood, like ever. "Or did he hit his head so hard it knocked the stick outta–"

"I didn't drug Mr. Jameson, Peter." MJ rolls her eyes. She shifts her attention to Shade. "Don't feel too worried about what Mr. Jameson says. So long as you do your best, that's enough. Don't set unachievable expectations to beat yourself up over: that helps no one," she says, a friendly smile on her face. "Right, Peter?" she adds on pointedly, jabbing his side with her elbow.

"Ow!" He rubs his ribs. Targeted much? "She's right, though. The more people saving the city the better."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade waits until Jameson disappears into the crowd to let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. If they've felt weighted under their own expectations for themself before, they might be feeling just a bit crushed now. It's just their reputation with the entire damn city. Nothing big.

They look at MJ as she talks, nodding along. "Of course. I'd never set unachieveable expectations." Because no expectation is unachievable if they just achieve it, so they aren't doing that! They're sure theyre never going to get burnt out with thoughts like that.

They look at Peter. "Yeah. I, uh... I'll do my best! Can't wait to work eith yo-- uh, Spider-Man, on that. And the other heroes in New York." They shift their weight from one foot to the other. They really are excited about their new hero-ing thing; they yearn for the sort of praise people like Captain America, Black Widow, even Thor receives.

They glance to the crowd, where cops are talking to a very disgruntled looking man, most likely the owner of the diner. Shade bites at their lip. "Legally speaking, am I responsible for..." the candy corn all over the floor, the broken tables they threw at Jack, the hole in the wall where their giant sword lodged itself into the wall, the scorch marks along the floor. "...the damages? And if so, how fast do I need to dip?"

[spidersarenerds]

So that cat is out of the bag. Well, at least it's a hero who knows his identity, and one with good intentions at that, even if they're on the greener side. "Yeah, after this, you're sure to make pals." It took Peter a while to do actual team ups with other heroes when he started out, but that was because of his attitude and avoidance of anything where he'd have to talk to someone on his side.

At the mention of damages, MJ repositions herself to see into the diner, sucking in a breath through her teeth. With a villain like Jack O'Lantern, damages are hard to avoid, but it's far from a pretty sight.

"Uuummm..." Peter always dipped before he could be spoken to, so he has no idea if heroes actually get in trouble for the damages. S.H.I.E.L.D. kind of shields—heh—him from that stuff so long as it isn't gratuitous. "I don't know..." He checks over his shoulder before continuing in a lower voice. "I can call folks in to get the clean up handled, there's a thing for that. So, you only have to run if they start coming over here." It's a suggestion, not one most would approve of as it is quite literally 'run away from the cops' but who is he to care for what should be done? So, he'll keep an eye out for any police coming towards Shade.

"He–" Peter tilts his head toward the owner. "–won't have to pay a dime for it either, in case that was a concern." He leans his weight onto one foot, also peering into the diner. "Could probably do with some new chairs anyway," he says, wrinkling his nose. Hopefully Damage Control will splurge on some cushions.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade cringes as MJ looks at the mess they made; they look mildly embarrassed as they shrink in on themself, not unlike a child waiting to be scolded.

"I, uh... I'd appreciate that. Calling those guys in." They do feel a little better, knowing they're not causing some poor innocent civilian a bunch of money because they slipped on some candy corn (and threw chairs and tables and used fire magic indoors.) They nervously glance back at the crowd, keeping an eye on the cops for a moment. They don't seem to be paying them any mind, but they would still rather not linger.

They turn their attention back to MJ and Peter. "I kinda sorta ruined your lunch, right? Sorry about that. Could I get you guys something else to eat?" They maybe have, like, 15 dollars stashed away in their pocket dimension somewhere, but they'd feel at least a little bad for not offering (that, and they really want to get away from all the cops).

Besides, if all else fails, they have an older brother and a card he can wire money into. They're already planning how to discreetly send a text his way asking for an extra 20 on their allowance this week.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter nods, folding his hands behind his back. He can't call Fury up in the middle of this crowd to ask for Damage Control. He hopes that he's as good at typing behind his back as he is at making wisecracks. If he isn't, he will blame the tiny screen of his wrist communicator. Whether or not Fury understands "dmg ctrl pls" could be a whole other issue without the plausible typos being considered.

It's good enough. Fury will see the news anyway. He's somehow got his eye on everything. Even with the cameras, watching all of those screens is a feat and a half for anyone.

"Lunch?" Free food is free food, Peter can admit that much, but also free for him is not free for Shade. He can survive without it. "Nah. I feel like I should be buying you lunch after you saved us from Jameson. My ears were ringing from halfway across the room," he jokes instead, rubbing his ear with an exaggerated wince.

MJ rolls her eyes. "But we should get going," she decides, spying a sliver of a blue uniform in the crowd. "They don't like how I get the info to show new sides to a story." She spares a glance over her shoulder to glare in the direction of the police as she turns to lead them out of the crowd.

"What? MJ!" Peter hisses, pulling her leather jacket tighter around himself. Torn between following after her and staying between Shade and the police grouped in the crowd. He doesn't want to leave Shade behind to deal with the police, especially after their somewhat nervous attitude towards them.

"There's a reason they aren't journalists, Peter; the truth isn't as important as the law."

For those of you that don't know, that's MJ speak for I got caught trespassing in the name of one of my stories, therefore the police are the opposition now. But also flawed system so... Peter groans. This is not something he can argue with MJ about. "If you're still up for it, I'm sure she would like to interview you... away from all this," he says to Shade, an offer to get out of this crowd.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods, following the duo through the crowd. They keep an eye out for any officers heading their way as they pull out their phone, typing as they walk. "You have a place in mind? I'm not usually on this side of town, not sure what's around." They hope their looking at their phone reads as looking at a map for nearby places to snag a bite, and not them texting their older sibling.

Can i have extra money this week pleasepleaseplease like 30 or maybe more dollars pleaseeee

They really don't intend on letting Peter or MJ pay if they can help it. For one, Peter kinda helped in the fight with Jack (and sacrificed his shirt in the process, which Shade still felt a little bad about.) For two, MJ was helping them avoid the cops, which was much appreciated. (They aren't sure how illegal the vigilante thing is, but they do know that they're probably classified as a missing person a few states away, and the less the cops are on them the better.) The least they could do was offer a meal.

Slipping the phone away again, they speed up to walk alongside Peter and MJ. "A for real interview sounds cool!" They grin. "And when I'm super famous, MJ can tell everyone she was the first one to give me one! It'll look good on a resume, I'd bet."

[spidersarenerds]

"Uhh..." Peter racks through his list of restaurants in the area that he knows of, trying to think of what is cheapest. "There's this coffee-sandwich shop thing a few streets down, I think. Not as greasy, though, if artery-clogging is what you're craving," he quips, mostly to hide his uncertainty about the exact location. The city looks different from up high, so his navigation on foot may be subpar.

As they walk, the crowd thins. He looks between Shade and MJ as the interview conversation goes on. "Ha, that resume is going to be a book by the time she's 20."

"As if that's a bad thing. You know it doesn't hurt to have varied experiences, Peter." MJ knows he's teasing, her own defense being a jab about how he has been in the same 'field' since he was 14.

"Yeah, yeah, Miss journalist, tutor, play writer, and who knows what else." He rolls his eyes.

MJ raises an eyebrow. "You could probably add something to your resume besides teaching. Like that time you acted for my play... or improvised."

"It was a high school play. And Trapster literally crashed your play and I was, like, understudy number seven for Flash; no way you're still mad that I improvised," he groans, waving his hand that is not holding MJ's jacket.

"Maybe I am." She turns to Shade, grinning. "You know his aunt sent me pictures. She thought it was Flash at first because, well, the play was about Spider-Man so masks, so the 'identity reveal' was a big shock when Petey was under the mask." MJ is clearly very happy to share an embarrassing story about Peter.

"No way she was able to take pictures," Peter protests, already knowing his aunt likely snuck them since Flash has been his neighbor since forever and it's not like his folks were around to be proud of him.

"Maybe a video..." She teases. "I think that's the first time I ever heard him sing in the 13 years I've known him," she adds.

He sighs sufferingly, mostly to put on a show of embarrassment since MJ seems eager to tell the story, and if Shade is having fun too, he really doesn't mind. He has this little restaurant to hunt down anyway.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods. "Coffee-sandwich shop sounds good." They follow closely, glancing between the two as they converse / argue. It's pretty entertaining, actually.

They pause in listening when they get a buzz on their phone, they take it out just long enough to read the notification.

$29.99 added to account number...

They slide their phone away, deciding not to comment on the stupid joke. Calling Loki a jerk for giving them one cent less than they asked for would maybe not get them more money in the future. (Even though the bit was a little funny, they could not let their brother know that Ever. He wasn't getting the satisfaction.)

Shade perks up as the conversation is again directed at them. "Pictures?" They repeat, glancing between Peter and MJ. They cover one side of their mouth with their hand and stage whisper, "I'll give you my number later, not saying you should send them over, buttttttt...." they drop their hand and grin mischievously, giggling a little at the resigned expression Peter wears.

[spidersarenerds]

"Surprisingly not the worst pictures of me that will be spread around." Between the unflattering positions he's been in as Spider-Man and being caught by the paparazzi with Harry, there's worse pictures of him than him playing in a high school musical, even if the suit was... lacking in more ways than one.

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare," MJ teases, fully intending to send Shade the images and the video if she has it.

"Like a house on fire," Peter sighs to himself, amused by how well Shade and MJ are getting along. And yes, pun intended. "We should be there soon and you two can exchange your info." At least he thinks.

After a few turns, the coffee-sandwich shop is up ahead, advertised by a simple banner on its faded brick walls. It doesn't stand out any more than any of the other buildings in the area. It seems vacant enough that they could get their food without trouble or a long wait.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade strolls right in; it doesn't take very long for the group to get seated at a booth. Shade let's Peter and MJ sit next to each other, while they take the other side.

As soon as the smell of food hits their nose, they realize how hungry they are -- having the powers of the Wildfire also comes with an appetite to match. Still, they're trying to get the money in their account to stretch across three people (there's no way they're letting Peter or MJ pay after they kinda sorta destroyed the diner they were supposed to eat in,) so they decide on a cheap-ish pepperoni sandwich and soda.

Shade gives their order to a waiter. While they wait for Peter and MJ to order, they take a napkin and a pen and scribble their number on it, sliding it to MJ with a grin.

"For professional queries," they joke, "or other interview questions. Or embarrassing pictures of Peter."

[spidersarenerds]

MJ scans the menu quickly, finding what she wants and deems an acceptable price, a simple sandwich with deli meat, lettuce, cheese, and that sort of bread that makes it look more complex than it is, and orders it. It's a much simpler process than it is for Peter, who is staring down the menu like it stole his lunch money. Well, it kind of did, at least Shade's money... in return for food, so not really stealing either... Don't think about it too hard.

He glances up as his name is mentioned. "Huh? Oh." His eyes flick to the napkin, then MJ's grin, figuring out the context. "How devious of you," he comments, his eyes darting across the menu. Too many options. Is it weird to get fries again? What if they're just cursed today? He only had the one shirt and could not deal with another villain vs. diner situation.

He gets the nachos.

"So, what brings you to New York?" MJ asks, leaning forward on the table. Peter is silently relieved that the question wasn't too deep, he doesn't think. When she first interviewed Spider-Man, the first thing she asked for was an identity reveal. "There's already quite a few big names here; wouldn't it be easier to make a name for yourself elsewhere? If that's what you're looking to do, of course."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade leans back in the booth, letting out a breath. "That's a... kind of complicated question?" They probably shouldn't mention anything about their mom, because again, they're technically a missing person and they would rather not have... all that come up. They've done a really good job avoiding the law so far.

"I mostly came here because it's where the Asgardians are. I knew I was different as a kid-- too strong for anyone my size, never got sick, healed too fast -- but I didn't know about my Asgardian side until I was 10-ish."

They still remember that day-- lights flickering and magic pouring from their hands and broken glass and no understanding of what was happening or why. Even with all the villains they've fought and their various near death (and one actual death) experience, it was still the scariest thing they've been through.

"Eventually I got bored of my small town, wanted to figure out more about my father. I figured someone as charming as me could bother answers out of Thor if I tried hard enough -- not that I had to, because the other Asgardian prince found me first. Apparently I have a very distinct magical aura that Loki clocked as being related to the All-Father's."

The food arrives, and Shade is quick to dig in. They cover their mouth as they chew, continuing. "It'd probably be way easier to make a name literally anywhere else, but I get to live here rent free, so," they shrug. "Besides, the last name 'Odinchild' tends to turn some heads already." Does that make them a nepobaby? Can they be a nepobaby if most of what they've inherited from Odin was his enemies? Much to consider.

[spidersarenerds]

"Huh, so family in the field, then," Peter notes, popping a nacho into his mouth and internally debating who between Loki and Thor would be best to learn about Odin from. From what he knows about Thor from their interactions, he holds a lot of admiration for his father. Peter knows much less about Loki and never got around to discussing family with them, but it seems complicated. He met the guy himself once, technically twice if you count meeting him while he was doing his big nap for whatever reason he can't remember, and he's certainly... something.

"I bet that causes some second-hand arch enemies," he adds. Thor has fought and ticked off many a things in the time Peter has known him, never mind all he did before that too. Odin and Loki probably add to that list as well... He'll be sure to keep an eye and ear out for Shade.

MJ considers Shade's answer, being the only one not immediately going for her food—ah, to have a metabolism that isn't messed up—and then asks another question, "Since you're related to Thor, does that mean you have the Avengers as back up? Or are you only relying on yourself?" Her eyebrows furrow as she tries to piece it together herself. She opens her mouth to tack on another question, however she stops, taking a bite of her sandwich to force herself to give Shade time to answer.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Oh, God, yeah." They get a forlorn look on their face. "So many enemies. It's all these people who've been at the magic thing for centuries, and I've been here, like, 5 minutes. Sometimes it feels like I'm a kindergartener getting thrown around by professional boxers or something." Their only saving grace in several encounters has been the unpredictability a novice tends to have; their enemies can't plan how to counteract their moves when they themself dont even know what kind of magic is gonna blast outta their hands next.

(They have gotten better about that, though. Otherwise the diner probably would have been nothing but ash by the end of that fight.)

"Though, I guess my family having enemies got me some of the power I have now. I wouldn't have the God of the Wildfire thing going if Loki and Odin hadn't pissed off some ancient god enough that he wanted to curse me." They didn't see the fire as a curse. Guess that guy wasted his time and energy with that one.

Shade thinks about MJ's question a second. "If I were in real, life-or-death trouble, and Thor knew about it in time, he could pull the Avengers into things. I wouldn't say I personally am close enough to ever call on them. It's not like I have Tony Stark's number or anything." They take a long sip of soda. "I'm really trying to be taken seriously, though. I don't think calling for my older brother and his friends will get anyone to see me as anything but a little kid who goes crying at the slightest hint of things going south."

[spidersarenerds]

"Ha, yeah, I feel like magic is like that," Peter agrees. He hasn't had a ton of experience using magic, obviously, but it seems to be a subject that needs intensive study to be any good. Though, to a point raw power likely overshadows that.

As Shade considers their access to backup—because that is what it is; support in difficult fights—Peter suppresses a wince, trying to hide it with taking another bite. Refusing hypothetical support in the name of being taken seriously, that is a rather familiar thought process. "Well, you have a bunch of your family's enemies after you, so they must take you seriously. At least that, right?" It's not an argument that will win any debates, but he thinks it's at least positive enough.

"Not that that's necessarily a good thing... or the usual experience from what I've got from my interviews. There's a lot that comes with being targeted all the time, and more often than not, asking for backup is the right move," MJ adds logically.

In Peter's mind, what MJ said is most definitely the right answer and what should be taught, even if he still gets irked by the idea of asking for help after years of working on that. "Yeah, of course. More awesome team ups when folks ask for help." He's still rolling her words around in his head, trying to find an angle that can make asking for help more appealing, not only for Shade, but for himself and the heroes he teaches. "Wait. What do you mean by not the usual?"

MJ sighs, rolling her eyes with a slight smile. She knew the question was coming. "Because most heroes and vigilantes have to build up their villain 'portfolio' for months if not years before they have mortal—or in Shade's case, immortal—enemies. Getting into the gig with multiple big names trying to kill you is not normal. Even Daredevil had to work to get where he is."

"Even Nova?" Peter challenges, already figuring that what she's saying makes sense.

"Yes, even him."

"Huh." Well, Peter has to reevaluate how he's going to prepare his students for the hero field. No wonder some of them looked at him like he was nuts when he said people would be out to kill you from basically day one.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade makes a face. "They're only targeting me because they think I'm easy pickings. Who are they supposed to go after, Thor? Loki? Angela, Hela, Odin himself?" They tap their finger against the table, more a movement of comfort than impatience. "It's not respect for me as a hero, it's a view of me as some helpless little kid who happens to share some blood and a last name. They just want to be able to tell people they killed one of Odin's kids, or threaten my life to threaten Odin, or-- or something like that. So I gotta prove 'em wrong."

Shade listens to MJ's argument. She's right; most heroes ease into the role. Doom doesn't try to stab any teen who suddenly finds out they can fly or shoot lasers from their eyes or stretch their body to extreme amounts. But most people don't have the All-Father's name stuck on their back like a big target. Most up and coming heroes don't have shoes that big to fill. They chew their lip and avoid eye contact. They don't need help but they don't know how to explain that in a way these two might understand.

"I'm a skilled sorcerer for my age, even if I'm not at the level of some of my villains. I can handle it alone. It's not like I've died yet." they pause, realizing that is technically a lie. "I mean, I haven't stayed dead." That... isnt as reassuring as they meant for it to be. "I-- I have allies, I can call people if I need help! I just don't need it." Okay, that was definitely not the way to explain it. They're better at using their fists than their words, and this isnt the kind of conversation fists are useful for.

[spidersarenerds]

That's a lot to unpack. Peter doesn't know where to start. He inhales like he's going to say something but he doesn't. How does he address the whole dying thing—and that being proof that some help definitely wouldn't hurt—while also respecting Shade's right to decide whether they want help or not. "Okay..." he sighs. "Well, I'm glad you're not dead... anymore." Man, that feels weird to say. "Or else I'd have been toast back there," he jokes, offering a small smile. If he can lighten the mood, then he can have a moment to try and figure out this can of worms.

"Prove the villains wrong?" MJ questions, not nearly as concerned with broaching the topic and staying on the topic at hand. She can wonder how in the world, or outside of the world, Shade came back to life. Her interview has gone a little off the rails, but she feels it is worth it. After all, there would be no chance for any other interviews or sharing more embarrassing pictures of Peter with Shade because they got killed in their refusal to ask for help.

Peter leans back into the cushioning of the booth. So much for his efforts. MJ has always been more direct than him, even when it cost her more time because of stubbornness on both ends. He has sat through enough debates between her and Harry to know that much. He won't let it go on for that long, especially since Shade seems equally as stubborn in their view as MJ is in her own, but he can't exactly change the subject just yet. Besides, he's not opposed to trying to convince Shade to ask for help, at the very least so they don't die again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Thanks," they say, directed towards Peter. "I'm, uh, glad I'm not still dead too?" It's an odd thing to say, and they feel the need to clarify, "One of Odin's kids is the goddess of death. She, uh, she sent me back up after?" It doesnt clarify as much as they'd like it to, but MJ throws them a new question and they don't have time to linger.

"The villains, yeah." They reply a little too fast. "I mean, you obviously want to have villains fear you, right? Because then it's easier to keep them from causing harm, intimidation and all." They chew at their lip again. It's not exactly a lie, but it's not exactly the whole truth, either, and aren't you suppose to be truthful during interviews? "Maybe I also want the rest of the family to take me seriously, but it's more the villains." There. Thats more true than before.

Family, they know, is a strong word for the shitshow that is their family tree. Loki and Thor are less strained than they have been, but there's still tension. Hela isolates herself from everyone else and longs for the day they all become a part of her domain. Angela... exists, but Shade hasn't actually met her and they aren't sure she wants to. They shouldn't really care about what those guys think, and especially not that damned All-Father, because theyre all messy and half of them are morally grey at best.

Which is why they don't care. Clearly. They care about keeping villains from causing harm with their cool fire powers and awesome Asgardian strength and they care about little else. "I mean, if Thor and Loki and Odin and-- and all the rest of those guys start treating me like an equal and not just their kid sibling, the rest of the villains will follow suit and see my real strength."

[spidersarenerds]

MJ, surprisingly, has to take a moment to think of what she thinks is right to say. Peter uses it as an opportunity to speak up, mostly because Shade looks seconds away from exploding with over explanations. "You know, from the times I've met Thor, he's quite like you—not sure if that's an Asgardian or Odin family thing—with all the, as he would put it, battle for glory," he drops his voice and puts on a vague accent to mimic Thor. "–and go-it-alone mentality." He's pretty sure Shade has figured out he's Spider-Man already, and if not, well, they will come to some conclusion as to how they know their older brother. Peter may as well be open about it to say Shade has people in their corner. "Maybe you could talk to him about this; he's been in a similar spot. I know, shocking considering his big ego," he suggests, and no he could not prevent the electricity pun when talking about Thor. How could he?

Really, Peter knows quite a few people who thought handling things alone was the best way to build a name for themselves or handle their issues, himself included, but he will stick to what Shade is most familiar with. It was also easier than challenging what was likely Shade's lifelong belief that respect came from power and fear, or something along the lines of that.

MJ then speaks up, having decided what she wants to say. "Not to mention that villains aren't the most reasonable. If you asked me, I wouldn't bother trying to prove myself to people dead set on trying to kill me."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade snickers at Peter's Thor impression. They're pretty sure the glory stuff is an Asgardiain thing, but they haven't met enough Asgardians to confirm with absolute certainty. Loki was similar, in a way, with the whole "go-it-alone" thing, though that was less about glory and more about pride. Thinking about it, Shade was a bit of a mix of both.

"I could try to bring it up to him? He's not the most... available guy. Hard to get a phone signal in Asgard, or Van-e-him, or... any of the other ones." Thor was a prince, technically, and had a lot of prince-y duties to attend to. Or something like that, they never listened when he was explaining the responsibilities that came with being royalty. Outside of the time he would occasionally visit them, he was really hard to get ahold of. "...But I guess I could maybe bring it up next time he's in town."

They take a long sip of their soda while they try to figure out how to best respond to MJ. It's about more than just proving themself to a bunch of villains. It's about sending a message to them, yeah, but Asgard too. To all those smug gods who think that just because they're part human, they're less than, weaker.

"I'm gonna have to fight them either way, though. Might as well try to prove myself while I'm there. Who knows, maybe some non-villainous Asgardians will notice, too." Peter and MJ are probably right; Peter (who is definitely 100% spider-man, evident by the bad puns,) has way more experience in the hero department and is definitely trying to help them learn from his mistakes. However, Peter probably doesn't have a dictator for a dad and probably hasn't had to deal with all too many people trying to kidnap and/or attack them for political reasons, so they're probably gonna continue on the whole "proving themself to a bunch of crooks and also their dad" thing.

[spidersarenerds]

"It would be worth a shot." Peter knows Thor isn't the most attentive guy and listening is not his strong suit, but he has a good heart and wants to help people. He's content to leave it at that. A step forward is a step forward, even if it doesn't bring them directly to an end goal. He has learned that pushing more wouldn't help at all. So he focuses on finishing his nachos before they get sad and soggy, glancing up as Shade spoke.

MJ hums, considering what Shade said. "I guess... So long as the bad guy is stopped at the end of the day, and everybody stays alive, you can go about it like that," she concedes, not entirely convinced but she's been trying to learn to pick her battles more often.

"I won't mention this when I write about my interview with you," she reassures. Some things are not meant for the tabloids, like how someone is struggling to prove themselves to their family and technically their whole society. "Speaking of, do you want to continue the interview or would you like to turn the tables and ask us some things, especially after Peter just revealed himself." She looks at Peter. "To think I spent six years not knowing just for you to spill this day one with Shade," she teases.

"They already knew! It's not easy to fight a flaming maniac while pretending to be normal, you know?" he defends, grinning and fully aware she said it to bait him.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nearly forgot this was, in fact, an interview. They give MJ an appreciative nod; heroes arent supposed to have huge insecurities like that, best to keep the whole public from knowing that part.

"To be fair to Peter, there's no one else in this city that makes puns as bad as Spidey's. It was only a matter of time." They finish off the rest of their sandwich, thinking about what they would want to ask Peter. Spider-Man is, like, one of the best superheros they know. At least top 20, though they haven't updated their list in a minute.

"How do you balance the hero shtick with your regular civilian persona?" They glance between MJ and Peter. "Obviously I'm not trying to keep a secret identity or anything, but after all the fights with villains and patching up the wounds there's just -- where do you even find the time to do normal stuff?"

They certainly didn't have the time, unless they cut into sleep hours (which they did quite frequently.) Even then, Shade regularly only made it home well past midnight, much to Verity's dismay.

[spidersarenerds]

Open RP Starter (How Did I Get Here?)

This may be one of the stupidest things he's done… or well, it was. What he's about to do will probably be worse. But that's for later, so *rewind noises* or whatever.

MJ must have some sort of mind control ability because she managed to convince Peter to come along to her interview. Like last time went so well when the Beetle trashed a whole floor of the Daily Bugle building. So, here he is in some greasy diner as J. Jonah Jameson grills MJ in the booth to his left—Peter didn't even get a nice seat, just one of those uncomfortable plastic-laminated wood chairs that are always an awkward height. At least there's fries. Though they'd be much better if he didn't have to hear Jameson ask MJ about all of the qualifications she's already given the last ten times she's been interviewed for a position. It all boils down to how willing she is to diss Spider-Man, which is where her stubbornness wins out every time.

But fries! So hot his tongue is starting to lose a little bit of feeling. Perfection.

About to pop a fry into his mouth, he pauses and his eyes narrow, dropping the fry back onto the plate.

The door to the diner flies open, the little chime of the bell drowned out by the thud of the door whacking into a, thankfully, empty chair. Peter barely got to glance at the person barging in before there's a table skidding across the floor. His fries? Upended. The awful chair? Knocked aside. Himself? At the other end of the room, steadying the now sideways table that was sent his way so it doesn't crush him and whatever patrons unlucky enough to be on this table's warpath. "Sorry, folks. Pancake-dom via table costs extra," he says mindlessly, even though he should definitely watch his quips when Jameson is around. Speaking of, the news reporter himself is shouting something about refusing to be silenced and the usual spew of his bravery and, as revealed as Peter tips the table back onto its four legs, is cowering as far into the corner of his booth as he can.

And that about sums up how he got where he is now, shielding whoever is behind him with a mere table between himself and the threat, and to top it all off, the loudest journalist in New York along with other civilians as an audience that could oust secrets he doesn't want to get out if he gets a little too spidery.

//Be the villain, civilian, a hero following the fiend who barged in, whatever you'd like! And of course, tags (No one is forced to interact and those not tagged are more than welcome to interact as well!): @emiliakane @katiebishop-1610

[night-shade-odinchild]

A moment later, another person is barging into the diner, clutching a very large sword in one hand and pointing at the intruder with the other.

"You!" they gasp, winded, "you are the absolute WORST!" They had no idea who the other was, but they did know they'd been chasing him for at least 5 blocks and then through an interdimensional portal (one THEY made to follow him THEMSELF! Their magic was improving!) all while he wrecked havoc and caused large amounts of damage. That was more than enough to decide that yeah, this guy sucked.

Shade takes a moment to glance around -- civilians everywhere, small area, J. Jonah Jameson -- they do a double take. Okay, cool, cool, whatever they did here was probably going to be reported on. That's fine.

First things first. There's no room for giant swords in here, so they let it disappear into their pocket dimension. Second, they should probably ensure civilian safety. They notice the table about to crush a bunch of people first, and quickly dodge away from an oncoming attack to get closer.

"Hello!" They greet as they come to the side not pressed against the wall. "Sorry I can't chat. I need to take this, hope you dont mine." They pull the table away from the civilians and twist, throwing the thing as hard as they can at their assailant. It's mostly dumb luck no bystanders were in the way-- the table lands and the man falls, only to stumble up a moment later.

Shade swears under their breath, turning to the civilians they'd just freed. Their gaze meets Peter's. "You, can you clear this place? I don't want anyone to get hurt." They hate delegating such a task to someone incapable of defending himself against a superpowered person, but they have little choice.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter watches the second person burst into the room, mildly concerned about the large sword—and the loud complaint, but, honestly, mood. Their mood towards the intruder as well as the disappearance of the massive sword eases his worries. One madman destroying the place is already too many, but at least it isn't two.

Kind of. Peter winces as the table crashes into the man. At least he isn't the one paying for it. Huh, having little to no responsibility in a crisis situation is weird. Well, that was until he was given the task of evacuating the area. "You and me both," he agrees. Preventing people from getting hurt as a shared goal is enough for him to decide that he can trust Shade to handle the bad guy. It takes a load off his shoulders. He doubts the ol' adrenaline excuse will cut it with J.J.J. as a witness if he were to go toe to toe with this guy. But while getting people out of the way it might.

He glances around, watching the man's destructive behaviour that is blocking the main door for a beat longer before moving towards the emergency exit. If he can clear a path to it, getting everyone out will be much easier. Peter has a feeling that the man won't have the kindness to see people out the front door.

There are footsteps that follow after him—likely the group that was behind the table with him—and short shrieks as a chair clatters into the wall above their heads. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Peter grumbles, keeping an eye on the man now that he's decided to start throwing things again. "Turn off the burners, fryers, whatever and get out of here!" he calls towards the workers, most of which have crouched behind the counter, shielding their heads. He doesn't expect them to follow the first part much, if at all, but it would be nice if there wasn't a fire hazard as well as an attack.

He wrenches open the small gate separating the kitchen area behind the counter and the rest of the diner, gesturing for the few people trailing after him to go in. "Follow after the workers there– Lead them out of here," he orders the worker that was slowest to get out of here. Shock, probably, but the job should give them a task to cling to for the time being.

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect—and how he must be in cahoots with a certain wall-crawling menace—but apparently not.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade keeps an eye on the escaping civilians out of the corner of their eye. They're not used to fighting in such a cramped space with this many people around; most their focus is on keeping the oncoming furniture from hitting any innocents. Magic flies wildly, hastily made shields are created only to drop a moment later as a blast of fire flashes forward to incinerate a chair about to hit a kid. For an amateur sorcerer like themself, it's incredibly draining.

They flinch as Jameson shouts another line about disrespect-- enough of a break in their focus to cause them to get hit square in the nose with a stool. Shade covers their face and yells out a few obscenities before turning to Jameson.

"Can you PLEASE just SHUT UP!" They face their opponent again, wiping blood from their nose as they continue talking to Jameson. "This would be so much easier if you just left and got to safety, man--" they dodge another chair before they seem to come to a realization. "Wait, I'm so stupid, I could literally just--" A blue glow forms around their hands yet again, and suddenly a portal opens under Jameson; he can be seen falling onto his face through the window.

By this point, most all the civilians are out, except for that guy they told to help evacuate. Shade pulls up another shield made of magic and glances in his direction. "When I said evacuate everyone, I meant you too." Blue flames surround their fist, and they leap forward to attack their assailant.

[spidersarenerds]

Not that it helps any, but Peter absolutely admires Shade's ability to keep track of all of the hurling objects. Without extra senses, it's quite the feat. It also makes the job of evacuating people easier when he doesn't have to lead them to dodge flying chairs and tables.

After shoving MJ to follow the rest of the crowd out—he actually had to close the door between them—because she wanted to stay to get the story on the scene and no way is he letting that happen no matter who is here to keep her safe as she records, he sighs. He thinks that's everyone. Or so he thought until he heard Jameson yell as he is dropped through a portal and made to eat the concrete outside. "I'm getting way too good at tuning him out." Peter doesn't think that's necessarily a bad thing, especially with the result he just saw, but maybe he should pay a little more attention next time.

"Yeah, I'm working on it," he says, pushing on the door to the staff. It doesn't budge. "Wait, was it?–" He pulls the handle. Nothing. The door locks as it shuts. Just his luck. Pushing on a pull door would have been less embarrassing than accidentally locking himself inside.

He yelps as the intruder crashes into the shelves in front of him. This is the first actual chance he's gotten to see the man unobstructed, and the pumpkin head is definitely a shock that has his yelp being louder than he'd have liked. The pumpkin head's carved grin seems to grow—how that works he doesn't know—at his shout and he begins to sit up. "Trick or treat!" He crows in a voice Peter would never call sane.

Now, he's seen many horror movies. He's complained about the dumb decisions the characters have made enough that he'd be put to shame if he didn't grab the nearest object and hit that pumpkin square in its face. That object just so happened to be a sheet pan. The pumpkin is still intact, and the twang the metal sheet gives is almost comedic, but it has the man faltering long enough that Peter has the chance to hop over the counter. He knows it's a little too graceful of a move for the whole 'Peter-act', so he tries to mess up his landing, stabilizing himself with some flailing and a hand on the floor.

"Trick it is!" the man decides happily, righting himself behind the counter and turning his pumpkin right side around.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade notices the door conundrum and swears under their breath. They've been at this fight far too long, and they don't have it in them to open another portal. If they tried, they couldn't guarantee Peter wouldn't end up in a wall or 40 feet off the ground.

They nearly laugh at the absurdity of hitting the guy with a sheet pan, but cut themself off; they should probably focus so they don't get hit again. The bruise that was definitely forming on their face was already going to be so annoying to explain away later.

"Come on, man, Halloween is my favorite holiday! You're ruining it!" Shade glances at Peter. "Try to stay out of the line of fire. I got this." They say it with way more confidence than they feel, but whatever. They've been living on fake it 'till you make it rules long enough it's practically second nature.

They leap over the counter, fire already wrapped around their fist. They intend for it to hit the guy in the face, but he catches their punch with ease. They're surprised for a moment, caught off guard by the lack of response to the fire, before realizing that of course the guy who's head is literally a flaming pumpkin wouldn't react to a little heat.

They don't have much more time to reflect on this misjudgement before they're met with a swift punch to the gut. They cringe but stand their ground, offering a quick blast of fire in return. It's enough to get the guy off them, if only for a moment.

Desperate for a quick way to end this (they know theres still a civilian in here, they know they need to keep him safe,) Shade tries the one thing they're terrible at: using their words. "And what if I said treat?" They severely hope the guy doesn't have some sort of candy themed weaponry.

[spidersarenerds]

Jack O'Lantern gasps, clasping his hands together. "It's your favorite too?!" he coos. "But I'm ruining it? I think you aren't appreciating it enough!" he cackles as he catches Shade's punch.

Peter has dealt with all sorts of crazy before, but maniacally happy with a Halloween theme is new. Would it be wrong of me to say I miss Goblin's crazy? At least he made sense... in his own twisted way. He nods as he's told to try to stay out of the line of fire. That's the plan.

"You got it!" If it's a treat you want, then a treat you shall get!" It is, unfortunately candy themed weaponry, almost a gun of sorts that he's quick to pull from beneath his cape and fire. Luckily, his aim sucks. On the less lucky side, whatever he's shooting is coming apart as it's shot.

So much for staying out of the line of fire! Peter throws his hands up over his head, shielding his face from the pellets. That's what they must be since they haven't torn through Shade and himself like shrapnel would. The pellets are hard and surprisingly small, bouncing off his arms and falling to the floor with a clatter. They hurt, but not nearly as much as one would think something that came from a gun would. He cracks open an eye. He knows he's not bulletproof, so what is this? He takes a peek at the ground. "Candy corn?" The little orange, yellow, and white triangles litter the ground of the diner now. "Where do you even get this much of it?"

"I'll never reveal the skeletons in my closet!" Jack O'Lantern gesticulates so dramatically as he speaks, he's nearly dancing to the rhythm of his words. Peter can't say he's quite as enthused. Rather than get into whether or not bulk stores can be counted as a skeleton in a closet, he begins to take a couple steps backward, not paying much mind to the hard candy making the ground uneven, his feet finding the clear areas so he won't slip without much thought. If he's out of the way, Shade can handle this guy much more easily... probably. And with Jack O'Lantern behind the counter, the path to the front exit should be clear if Peter can make it there. He just doesn't want the pumpkin head to notice. Who knows if all his weapons are merely annoying like the candy corn gun or actually dangerous?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Candy corn gun. Of course it was a candy corn gun. How stupid they were to even think that it wouldn't be a candy themed weapon. "Where do you get this much? Halloween was forever ago, no one is sells any past October?" Not that they were asking because candy corn was their favorite. The middle of battle would be an incredibly inappropriate time for such a question.

For the briefest moment, they consider trying to catch a piece in their mouth. They decide against it, though. One, it would be so embarrassing to die because they choked on a piece of flying candy corn, especially after everything else they've lived through. Two, they didn't really want to meet their sister again. Hela might not be kind enough to send them back up a second time.

Shade watches Peter slowly back away out of the corner of their eye. They need to keep Jack'O'Lantern occupied so he can escape.

Their sword returns to their hand. Now that the store is mostly empty, they have a little more room to swing the giant blade. "Hey, Jack! Try countering this!" They step forward for a swing, aiming to knock the gun out his hand.

That is not what happens. Their foot lands on a piece of candy corn and they slip. They quickly adjust the grip of the sword as they fall -- it nearly takes Jack's head off, and they have no want to kill the guy -- and it slices through the gun and lodges firmly in the wall. Shade hits the floor.

They blink and quickly stand, avoiding the candy corn this time. They shoot a glance at Peter, then look back to Jack. "That did not happen. You didn't see that." It's clear they speak to both of them.

They're very good at this. They are a well trained and professional superhero, and they are not lying to themself about that.

Well, at least the gun is gone. Shade ducks under the sword, still firmly lodged in the wall, and comes around the otherside with a fist aimed at Jack O Lantern's face. When all else fails, go old school. And hope he doesnt catch their fist again.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's mouth hangs open as he watches Shade slip. Never in his life has he been more afraid of a sword—and he's been on the pointy end of what he'd say to be plenty. A sword swinging around uncontrollably is enough to make him glad he hasn't come across more. At least the gun is gone. He likes guns even less.

Jack O'Lantern, the maniac, giggles, "That's witchful thinking." He peers over the sword at Shade on the ground. He then yelps as Shade's fist collides with the pumpkin, stumbling back out of their reach as quick as he can. "No fair," he growls, cradling the spot where he got hit. Whether he's cradling the part of his face that got hurt through the pumpkin or is just really that attached to the gourd on his head, Peter can't tell. "I guess it's time for my own tricks!" Like anything he's given is a treat.

As Jack whips out yet another weapon, some sort of pole that elongates itself with his movement, Peter has to duck to avoid the blade. A scythe. Kind of. He doubts it'd be any good on a farm, what with the way the blade crackles. The blade doesn't even seem to be metal, just energy. It must save space for whatever other goodies Jack has up his sleeve. "You're really out of your gourd," Peter mutters, focusing on righting himself from the near-backbend he just had to do.

Jack O'Lantern, of course delighted to hear any vaguely Halloween related pun, spins around, nearly taking out Peter with the scythe again. This time, Peter grabs it near the blade to stop the whole waving around very sharp things theme that has been going on. It also means that he's putting a lot of his balance into Jack holding the scythe steady, which he regrets immediately as Jack leans closer excitedly. "Aw thank you! It makes me all the more spooktastic, and that's just bootiful, don't you think?"

And Peter could do without his eyebrows getting singed off by the flaming pumpkin, so he wedges his heel into Jack's shoulder and pushes him away, maybe a little too hard as Peter flips himself over while doing so, now firmly on his feet with the scythe in hand, the blade safely on the floor. "Oops..." he hisses under his breath before straightening like it was intentional and totally normal of him to do a backflip in a fight. Just such a normal, innocuous thing for a guy to do. He did gymnastics—for two months when he was six—that's why he can do that. "Isn't that grim? You've lost another toy," he comments, trying to play it off. He really should shut up more. Thank goodness Jameson is outside and probably dealing with being dumped onto the pavement so he can't hear these quips.

Peter keeps hold of the scythe so Jack O'Lantern can't get a hold of it, and also because he has no idea if he should be able to lift this or not. Swinging a blade around with a candy covered floor isn't a good idea anyway. Just look at Shade's sword. Jack picks himself back up, stumbling slightly on the candy corn. The guy is taking quite the beating, more so thanks to Shade than anyone else."You– you're no fun!" he spits, barely paying attention to Shade and likely ready to pull another trick.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade stares at Peter with wide eyes. They might not have normal strength levels, but they used to live in some small town in the middle of nowhere with no super people around, and they're pretty sure not even the strongest people they knew there could've pulled that off. Maybe there's a reason this guy was way more level headed than the average civilian.

There's only a few heros with that amount of flexibility, and only one they know of who can come up with that many terrible puns that fast.

Deciding that's not really important, nor their business, they choose to just be happy he's on their side; with their luck, it was a miracle they didn't run into a building holding the next Hydra convention.

Jack isn't facing them, giving them a good opportunity to sneak up. They're careful to avoid the candy corn, not wanting a repeat of their previous mishap (please please please tell them no one caught that on camera. They might cry.)

Shade leaps when they're close enough, tackling him to the ground. They land awkwardly on their side and cringe as candy corn digs into their skin, but continue with their plan anyways, fighting to keep Jack from reaching for any more of his "tricks."

"Both of your jokes are awful!" They cry out while still fighting with Jack. Even if they were a little funny. "Now stay down, please--" They raise their elbow and slam it down into Jack's chest.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter can vaguely recognize the realization in Shade's eyes, which isn't the best for him. He's really getting too sloppy with his identity. Now it just begs the question if he can play up the clumsy helpless civilian enough or if he will just look like a fool. His friends who know make fun of him when he leans heavily into the nerd persona, but it clearly works better than whatever he's doing now. Shade doesn't seem like they would tattle, but Jack might... if he's even coherent enough to string a non-Halloween related sentence together.

As Shade tackles Jack to the ground, Peter stumbles back, allowing himself to stumble on the candy corn and barely catch himself on the scythe. Is anyone paying attention? No, definitely not. They're busy fighting on the floor. He totally had that realisation before he did that. It was just practice.

"Wh– hey!" he begins, about to defend his quips. At the very least, they aren't on the same level as Jack's. He can accept that they're cringe-worthy, but to compare them to puns that sound like they're from some website? Simply unacceptable. That is until Shade jams their elbow into Jack's chest. Peter looks away. "Yeah, I'll just shut up now."

Jack makes some sort of wheezy coughing noise, similar to a breathless laugh but that's more so the crazy rather than any sort of joy. He flails wildly in Shade's grip, pushing at just about anything and trying to squirm away.

It's clearly an issue, and Peter is only so good at standing by—so good as in atrociously terrible at it— so he scans the diner for anything to tie up Jack O'Lantern. It seems he is out of luck today because not one customer happened to forget a scarf or purse in their evacuation. Ugh, and the day I only had tank tops to wear underneath. Peter drops the scythe and pulls off the dress shirt he's been wearing like a jacket. He observes it in his hands. Jack would be the type to kick or even run away while his hands are tied. Peter tears off both of the sleeves—he might as well make it match on both sides; he's going to be sewing later anyway—and rushes to help out in the scuffle. "Hold his arms!" Tying up the feet can happen once there are no hands clawing at their faces.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances up at Peter when they hear the sound of fabric ripping -- but only for a moment, as Jack tries again to wriggle his way free. They curse under their breath as they grab the villain by his wrists, holding them with just enough force not to break them. They've been getting better at handling their strength, though the doubt the force they use to hold Jack is comfortable.

"Got him!" They mentally add ripping the jacket to their list of reasons this guy is totally definitely a superhero. Unless that jacket was made with really flimsy fabric, they don't think it would've ripped that quickly and easily. Plus, they're pretty sure the average civilian wouldn't think of that unless they, for some reason, had experience tying up random villains on the street with little resources.

Shade grimaces as Jack tries to pull his arms back again. They take a moment to thank the stars they got the superhuman strength and endurace from their Asgardian half; this guy was not giving up.

"Don't burn your hands!" They aren't sure if the fire surrounding Jack's pumpkin head is real or not, but better safe than sorry. At least they don't have to worry about it; fire is kinda their thing. Even if it is hot, they won't feel it.

[spidersarenerds]

"I'll do my best..." His main focus is getting Jack's hands tied together, which is a struggle and a half, even with Shade's—rather spectacular, if Peter were to say so himself—efforts to hold Jack still. Eventually, he manages to loop the first sleeve around Jack's wrists tight enough that he won't worry about him slipping loose, and maybe a little tighter for good measure, and ties the knot as securely as he can. He would make a joke about the fabric "cuffs" being a one size fits all, but he's busy trying to avoid getting kicked in the face. Jack's legs are a whole other battle. So, Peter decides to be more lenient on the quality of the bind, getting up and running away won't be easy even if Jack managed to free his legs.

Jack is shouting rather loudly, half of it threats mixed with puns, and the other half claiming that tickles are a rude trick to pull—his understanding of what is going on seems really limited, and Peter almost feels bad for the guy, in that aspect, less so the terrorizing people part.

"Just need a bow and you'd be set for Christmas," Peter pants, sitting back on his heels as Jack writhes.

"NOOOO!" Jack O'Lantern howls, clearly furious in his binds. He is fuming as his squirming grows less violent frome either exhaustion or the cloth cutting into his limbs.

"Not sure who would want you for Christmas, though," Peter adds on in a false pondering tone. Villains wailing about their defeat, as annoying as it is, exists as a common ending to fights. He watches as Jack struggles. He doesn't know what to do now. He can't exactly just leave on his merry way—as he would usually do with a quick web—but instead he may have to linger since MJ and Jameson are likely still outside the diner, itching for the scoop. And the police. Ugh, is he going to have to deal with the police? And he's without his 'jacket'—if you want to call a cotton dress shirt that—to hide whatever marks he has on his arms from his 'hobby'. Is it too late to get stabbed by that scythe?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath as Peter finishes with Jack, leaning back and letting go of his wrists. They stay close enough to grab him if he does manage an escape, though.

"Can't tell if he's more mad about losing or about the Christmas pun." Shade watches him struggle for a moment before looking back at Peter. "Thanks. You got a level head on you for a guy who presumably doesn't do this every single day." They're still, like, 99% sure this guy is Spider-Man. No other hero would make puns that bad. No need to ruin the guy's secret, though.

Shade holds out a hand with a grin. "I'm Nightshade. Shade. Whichever. 'Preciate the assist. Sorry about your shirt."

Their gaze wanders around the building as they slowly take in the damage caused by the fight. Candy corn everywhere. Broken chairs and tables. Sword in the wall. They cringe. "I do not have the money to pay for this," they mumble. "Should probably split before cops get here." They can already hear the sirens. "You might wanna, too. Some people might have some... prying questions about some stuff you just did." They try to make it clear with their tone that they mean leave before someone finds out your identity.

[spidersarenerds]

"Can't say I'm a newbie to it. Villains attacked my high school a lot." And that's not even a lie. A lot of his graduate year would probably be calmer than most—even if you were to disclude the nine of them who were/turned out to be heroes—but he can admit that it doesn't explain away what he's done. It is a very thin veil of secrecy he's weaving with very halfhearted effort. "I'm Peter, and don't worry about it. It was my choice, and I can stitch it up later." He shakes Shade's hand. Jack gives a final thrash. "Probably." He has no idea how his shirt sleeves will hold up against the strain of being restraints.

"Torn off sleeves are still in fashion, right? That's a thing?" he jokes, folding his arms together. He can argue that's accentuating his arms and making them look more muscular than his 'nerdy' arms actually are, can't he? I'm overthinking this. No one actually pays that much attention, much less people who barely know you to be a 'nerdy weakling'.

"New York has clean up guys for villain fights... I think. I saw it on the news once. If you want to call what J– Mr. Jameson does as news." Peter knows it to be true because he had to help once because he and his team got in trouble with Fury, if they're still running after the Wrecking Crew snuck into the works to sabotage and pilfer. He looks over his shoulder out the window to try and gage the size of the crowd. It doesn't look to be the worst, but he knows that there are two journalists waiting outside, desperate for details, and one of them is his best friend. The other, however, may very well have a cavalry of cameramen on the way. Where is Harry and his convenient outerwear when you need it? "I wish I could. My friend's out there and will probably get arrested for trying to enter the crime scene for her journal if she doesn't get a witness statement." MJ could likely talk her way out of it, being the stubborn person she is, but he may as well save her the hassle.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances at the torn sleeves and scoffs. "Absolutely not in fashion. But, hey, maybe you'll start a trend." They should probably worry a bit more about the high school comment -- was that common? Would their school get attacked if they ever bothered to go back? -- but they decide to let it be for now.

"Yeah, it probably needs one considering... Literally everything about this city." NYC had to deal with gods and men flying around in iron suits and sorcerers and spiders. They'd seen the damage plenty; Shade feels a little bad for the people doing all that clean up.

...Better those guys cleaning it up than them, though.

Shade's gaze follows Peter's. They let out a breath. "Damn, Jameson is gonna make me the second most hated superhero in New York after this. First one being that bug guy." They know good and well that spiders aren't bugs, and also that Spider-Man is more well liked than Jameson makes him out to be. They still think it's a little funny to poke at Peter without being obvious about it, though.

"I'll hang out with you then. You know there's gonna be cameras and interviews and stuff. If anything goes south, I'll lie to the cops and journalist and just tell them you hid in the back or something." Shade glances down at Jack. "No one will believe him if he snitches anyways."

[spidersarenerds]

"Totally, next best thing since ripped jeans: the more holes in your outfit, the better," he quips. As Shade remarks about the chaos of the city chock full of superheroes and villains, Peter nods. Damage control has saved his skin many times. Of course, the best damage is no damage at all—as Fury has hammered into his skull—but with the combination of an unfamiliar villain and Shade, however far they are into their hero journey, he's glad the building didn't collapse.

Peter opens his mouth to refute the bug guy comment, but holds back, just barely. "Just be confident. I would not be surprised if they can smell fear," he says instead. The advice is bogus, he has no idea what makes Jameson like people. Both times Spider-Man was impersonated, Jameson was praising 'him' to the high heavens.

Shade's decision to stick around has Peter turning his head to look at them, surprise melting into a small, appreciative smile. "Yeah? You just stole my sleeves to tie this pumpkin head up?" he teases. "Thanks," he adds with a more genuine tone. He doesn't plan to let Shade take the fall for him like that, not with Jameson's sway on the public, but the offer is nice.

"Let's go before they bust the door down." He pushes the door open with his shoulder. The clamor from outside bursts in through the open door, the sound of people fussing as they notice the door cracking open. Peter can pick out a few questions and exclamations from the crowd, just civilians, as far as he can tell, for now, but he only waits long enough for Shade to make it through the door before walking to the corner. He does not expect to lose the crowd, but getting them away from the door so police, professionals, and all that can enter the building whenever they get here. It's also a chance for him to scan the crowd for MJ... and Jameson too, mostly because MJ would stick close to him to observe what a 'true journalist' does in this situation.

"What happened?"

"Who are you?"

Those are the two main questions he can decipher from the hubbub, whether they are sent his way of Shade's, he has no idea. How celebrities can understand anything when thirty questions are being hurled at them at the same time, he has no idea. He comes to a stop at the corner of the building, glancing back to make sure Shade is still there and alright.

"Peter! Where have you been? You can't disappear like that!" A familiar head of red hair parts the crowd, stepping right up to Peter and poking his chest accusingly with a grin. "I had a whole cover ready." She crosses her arms, finally seeming to notice his state. "Whoa, I think this is the first time I've seen your shoulders. You're going to distract someone," she comments.

"That is not true, MJ. We've known each other since we were four; you've seen my shoulders," Peter protests, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," MJ dismisses, already pushing her leather jacket at him, knowing he would wrap it over his shoulders so he can focus on more than if people somehow put it together that he's Spider-Man by seeing his arms—which he does, even though the fitted leather jacket is far from his size. She leans to the side, spotting Shade. "And who are you?" she asks them, excitement glowing in her green eyes. Peter offers an apologetic smile. MJ isn't the worst to talk to, far from it, but she is stubborn, especially when she's in her journalist mode.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Before Shade leaves the building, they take a moment to recover their sword -- which takes a minute, because it is stuck stuck. With only a mild amount of additional damage to the drywall they manage to dislodge it and let it disappear into their pocket dimension. They do hesitate a moment before walking out, wondering briefly if leaving Jack was responsible. Figuring the police were just around the corner anyways, and that Jack had stopped struggling in his binds, Shade leaves him and follows Peter into the crowd.

They hear the questions as soon as they step out. Shade is briefly stunned by the overlapping speech and all the eyes on them, but they quickly pull themself together as they plaster on a confident smile and pose with their arms on their hips.

With a tone that sounds almost rehearsed, Shade responds, "I am Nightshade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire and sorcerer in training. Consider this villain vanquished!" They stand proud for a moment before their face falls as they mumble to themself. "No, that sounds too fantasy-ish. This foe is finished? Enemy annihilated? Eh, we'll workshop it." They clear theur throat and stand tall again. "He's in there, and he alone is responsible for all damages. Please lead the cops to him when they arrive, put the guy behind bars, maybe get him some help?" They glance around and spot Peter out of the corner of their eyes. "Uh, I gotta run. No more questions and bye!!"

They push through the crowd and arrive at where Peter and MJ are. They smile at MJ when addressed. "Shade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire, newest hero on the block." They say it with the same gusto as when they addressed the crowd, as if they were rehersing to a camera. Shade holds out a hand. "Your friend made a very noble sacrifice today. Rest in piece his shirt, made great restraints all things considered."

[spidersarenerds]

Peter smiles as Shade answers the questions that were being shouted. He doesn't have that sort of patience, but he can admire the enthusiasm to actually talk to people rather than just dip without explanation. It likely promises them a better reputation than Spider-Man, though that isn't saying much. There are villains J.J.J. likes better than him.

MJ tilts her head. "Shade Odinchild? Well, that's a name we certainly didn't cover in our school's mythology studies," she remarks, taking Shade's hand eagerly. "And newest hero on the block, huh? So you're going to be sticking around? What can the public of New York expect from you?"

Peter's eyes widen, basically seeing a flashing neon sign indicating the loaded question. Now, no matter how friendly and people-skilled Shade may be, answering that is a trap. Not one MJ lays intentionally—this time, that is; he won't forget how she bullied her way past Iron Fist and Power Man to get to an interview in a building under attack—but with the public and Jameson around, any answer will not be taken in good faith. "Haha, maybe that's a better question for when you have your camera, right? The digital age, y'know? Everyone likes a video." He puts his hands on her shoulders. He knows it's hopeless to tell MJ straight up that such a question has the very high chance to do more harm than good: she sees the good in everyone and wouldn't believe him if he said otherwise when it comes to the media, at least in his experience.

"Ah, well I could still write it down." She smiles. "Besides, how cool would it be to be a hero's first interview!" It's the same excitement that makes him feel bad to say no or point out a flaw in her plans.

"Haven't you already done that?" MJ was the first one to interview Spider-Man. What? You think I could refuse her back then? She'd have personally hunted down Spider-Man three years ago. "Do you even have a notebook?"

"No..." She crosses her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "Do you?" she asks hopefully.

"Me? Nope! Didn't even bring my bag," he answers. He did, but he has no idea where it is in the diner, so he might as well not have brought it. He'll have to find it later. MJ's expression is disbelieving at best. He smiles 'innocently'.

"There you are! Watson, if you want to be a top journalist, you need to find the action, not run off," Jameson scolds, lightly holding a handkerchief to his nose. Seems the landing face first into concrete after being teleported wasn't exactly harmless. But he still has his attitude, so it's likely nothing to worry about.

"I think she found the action first, sir," Peter comments, earning a judgy side eye from the man, his mouth twisting into a frown before he turns his gaze onto Shade.

MJ steps between the two. "This is Shade Odinchild. They're a new hero!" she introduces, seeming to come to the conclusion that putting a good word in with Jameson could help a little with Shade's reputation.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Well, I'm not the 'hundreds and thousands of years' old kind of Asgardian. I don't actually know if I'm immortal or not--" They were only half Asgardian, technically, and they had no idea what traits they got from their Father's side. Maybe if the guy would actually talk to them they could figure it out, but so far Odin seemed more that happy to pretend they didn't exist. Whatever, they'll figure it out through trial and error. Sucks they won't know if they'll live to 80 or 8,000 till they get there, though.

"But I'll be in your textbooks soon, I bet. Up there with Captain America and Black Widow and the rest of 'em." Maybe they sounded a bit too confident. They had been living off the fake it till you make it mindset the past few months, though. If they sounded confident enough, maybe it'd come true.

Shade opens their mouth to respond, but is cut off by Peter. They're a little annoyed. This could be their big break! Their first interview to really thrust them into the public eye, make them a real hero! They could get their name on tee-shirts and have those stupid little knockoff figures of themself and unlicensed merch that looked so bad it was funny and--

Okay, plot lost. Still, it would be really cool to have their first real interview, even if it wasn't exactly the most professionally conducted.

"I mean, I might have a notebook somewhere." They throw so many things into their pocket dimension, they wouldn't doubt they did. "Hold on, I can look real--" they pause as Jameson speaks, quickly straightening their posture in an attempt to look more professional-ish. They quickly forget about the notebook as they swivel to face Jameson.

"Oh! Jame-- I mean, Mr. Jameson, sir." They aren't usually one for authority figures; Shade's always been more of a "do what I want and deal with the consequences later" kind of guy. Jameson kinda has actual influence, though, and they really want a good first impression with the public. It's the first step to their dreams of greatness, after all.

...which is why they're kind of regretting the whole telling him to shut up thing. And the dropping him face first onto concrete thing.

It's fine, if they pull out all their natural charisma and charm, they can still turn this around to be in their favor!

Shade clears their throat. "I, uh-- Sorry about earlier. Heat of the moment thing, I don't usually tell people to shut up, be quiet maybe but I promise I'm not that rude--" Oh god they're rambling-- "Is your- uh, your nose okay? I'm still a little iffy on portal trajectory. Busted my own nose a couple of times."

Okay, well, so much for charisma and charm. Do they normally stumble over their words this much, or only when what they say actually matters?

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's eyes flick between Jameson and Shade, growing more amused the longer Shade rambles and the conflict on Jameson's face deepens. He's clearly ticked about being dropped on his face—the being told to shut up, less so just because it's not the first time he's heard it from a hero/hero adjacent—but there was an apology, and it's not like this kid is hiding behind a mask... They're taking accountability for their actions, which, in his eyes, only matters when there's no secret identity. Even though Peter has no stake in this, he waits with bated breath for Jameson to give an expression beyond stern and mildly annoyed.

"Well," Jameson clears his throat, adjusting his suit jacket. "It's something you definitely need to work on. Preferably before hurling innocent civilians through your portals." He looks to the side, lips pursing beneath his mustache. "But I am glad you're taking accountability. It's not something everyone does, especially some so-called heroes."

And there it is. Peter was waiting for the Spider-Man diss, even if it was indirect this time. He waves his hand as MJ looks ready to refute that claim. There's no need to save the dead horse Jameson is insistent on beating. Instead, just let Shade have their moment. Peter can't lie and say he's interested in seeing Jameson actually be kind of nice.

"I... suppose... my commentary was not exactly de escalating the situation." Wow, that almost looked like it hurt for Jameson to say. The man looks less than happy to admit his fault, but at least he apologized... kind of.

Peter has to physically bite his lip to keep from adding a 'ya think?' Now isn't the time and he really shouldn't snark an adult while he's so obviously himself, no matter how much of a pain that adult may be. I am mature. I am so good at shutting up. I will utter no words. Imagine Fury is super mad and ready to end anyone who talks back.

He breaks, because how could he not? There are so many different things he could say. He opts for the most innocuous one. "I'm sure it's alright, sir. Villain attacks are scary for everyone. There's no shame in that." It doesn't quite scratch his itch to be a bother, but there's only so much he can do before he loses plausibility that he isn't being intentional in his antagonism.

Jameson does not seem amused. "Yes, for civilians. I am a journalist, and we do not scare in the face of some loon in a mask, now do we, Miss Watson?"

"Not exactly. We act in spite of our fear to deliver–" she begins to say.

"Exactly," Jameson plows on, not waiting for her to finish her thought. Because it's something she got from Spider-Man in an interview? Maybe.

"–The truth as best we can," MJ concludes, giving Jameson a flat glare before her expression brightens again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath they didn't know they were holding. Jameson didn't seem like he was going to go on the news and spout about how they were a menace like he did with certain other heros; they could almost say he seemed to respect them, to a degree. At least they can assure their reputation with the public isn't going to be smeared just yet.

They nod along as he speaks, trying Very hard to seem engaged. The better the impression they leave, the better the future article about them will be (hopefully.) "I'm... working on the portals. I'm mentoring under someone with way more magical skills than me,so I should figure it out soon." They figure outright saying my older brother Loki is showing me how to do cool magic stuff wouldn't get a good reaction. God of Lies or not, he's still not well liked. "Next time, I'll make sure you land on your feet, probably."

They nod along to Jameson's response to Peter. "Well, sir, soon you won't have to worry about loons in masks. Or, at least you'll have to worry less." Shade places their thumb on their chest, standing tall and throwing on a confident smile. "With me on the streets, villains will be too scared to stick around. Bet I'll clear New York out was faster than Spider-Man could." They're not gonna lie and say they aren't trying to annoy Peter; they subtly glance his way, just to see his reaction. Besides, they're trying to get on Jameson's good side. This is a quick (and funny) way to do so. They'll say sorry later.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter notices Shade's seemingly eager nodding, maybe a tiny bit amused by the amount of trying to get on Jameson's good side that's going on. He doesn't think he's seen someone try that hard, but it's nice to see, in a way. If they're worried about their reputation, chances are, hopefully they'll do good things to better their reputation. He bites his lip to keep a grin from forming as they promise to transport Jameson safely through a portal next time, with a probably tacked onto the end. He wouldn't complain about seeing Jameson dropped onto his face again, but judging by the nervous laugh from Jameson, he isn't going to be stepping through any of Shade's portals any time soon.

At the claim that Shade will clear out New York of supervillains faster than Spider-Man, Peter's eyebrows furrow, his mouth opening like he's deciding if it's worth responding to and risking identities. He purses his lips. The diss wasn't appreciated, but less work is less work, so he won't say no.

Jameson, however, grins, "Ha! Glad to know not all of the new heroes think Spider-Man is the standard."

"Of course that's the key to your heart; hating Spider-Man. Who would have guessed," Peter grumbles under his breath, unsurprised and keeping his voice down low enough that he's sure Jameson wouldn't hear him over his own beginnings of a rant.

"Well, actually, a lot of the villains on Spider-Man's roster were only in New York because they were hired to fight him. So, it would be O– uh, whoever hired them's fault." It's a valiant attempt on MJ's part to defend Spider-Man, even though Peter nearly had a heart attack when she nearly said the—now reformed—'employer's name.

Of course, Jameson just gets a gleam in his eye. "But at the root of the problem is Spider-Man." As one would blame the guy with the note 'kick me' taped to their back. "We could do more with heroes like this one who own up to their mistakes and don't attract villains!" He gestures to Shade. Peter cringes; he sure hopes Jameson didn't jinx it. Villains with magic powers are a pain for everyone.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade hears Peter's mumbled comment and sends him a shit eating grin. They quickly shift their focus back to Jameson, not trying to divert any attention to Peter. They should probably be a bit more subtle, now that they think about it. Not everyone is willing to throw their real identity out there.

"Well, I don't think I have anyone who hates me bad enough to give people to kill me quite yet." Maybe a few people who had beef with Odin, or Thor, or Loki, but those people didn't directly hate them. They were just trying to hurt the aforementioned Asgardians without any direct sort of confrontation. Not the same as hiring a guy to kill Spider-Man. (Not like Odin cared about anything happening to them. The couple of guys who came after them with the intention of getting Odin's attention were so misguided it was a little funny.) Back to their original point, they add, "I don't thing I'll be attracting any supervillains here anytime soon."

They can't say they aren't enjoying the praise. Even if Jameson isn't their favorite person ever, they haven't ever been used as a good example. It feels pretty nice; Shade just hopes they can live up to his (and the rest of New York's) expectations.

The teen holds out a hand. "Well, Mr. Jameson, it has been very nice to meet you. Maybe next time we can meet under a less life-or-death-y situation?"

[spidersarenerds]

Peter hopes Shade is right and no one wants them dead. He knows it's likely that they're right and he's worrying because of his own past experiences. He has to remember that not every new hero has a billionaire and their mad scientist looking to militarize their powers and/or dissect them. Shade should be fine.

They handle themselves well enough in front of the media, anyway. Peter's glad to see Jameson likes at least one superhero, excluding the two times that he's taken a liking to people impersonating Spider-Man.

"So long as you keep up your efforts, I look forward to it." Jameson takes Shade's hand, giving it a firm shake while stating his hefty expectations. No pressure or anything. With that, he walks back into the crowd, saying he and MJ will meet another time—which will likely end in disaster such as today; her interviews with the man are always interrupted by villain attacks—with a brief over the shoulder wave.

As the news reporter leaves, Peter squints. "Did you put something in his drink, MJ?" he accuses, mostly in jest. He doesn't think he's seen the man in such a good mood, like ever. "Or did he hit his head so hard it knocked the stick outta–"

"I didn't drug Mr. Jameson, Peter." MJ rolls her eyes. She shifts her attention to Shade. "Don't feel too worried about what Mr. Jameson says. So long as you do your best, that's enough. Don't set unachievable expectations to beat yourself up over: that helps no one," she says, a friendly smile on her face. "Right, Peter?" she adds on pointedly, jabbing his side with her elbow.

"Ow!" He rubs his ribs. Targeted much? "She's right, though. The more people saving the city the better."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade waits until Jameson disappears into the crowd to let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. If they've felt weighted under their own expectations for themself before, they might be feeling just a bit crushed now. It's just their reputation with the entire damn city. Nothing big.

They look at MJ as she talks, nodding along. "Of course. I'd never set unachieveable expectations." Because no expectation is unachievable if they just achieve it, so they aren't doing that! They're sure theyre never going to get burnt out with thoughts like that.

They look at Peter. "Yeah. I, uh... I'll do my best! Can't wait to work eith yo-- uh, Spider-Man, on that. And the other heroes in New York." They shift their weight from one foot to the other. They really are excited about their new hero-ing thing; they yearn for the sort of praise people like Captain America, Black Widow, even Thor receives.

They glance to the crowd, where cops are talking to a very disgruntled looking man, most likely the owner of the diner. Shade bites at their lip. "Legally speaking, am I responsible for..." the candy corn all over the floor, the broken tables they threw at Jack, the hole in the wall where their giant sword lodged itself into the wall, the scorch marks along the floor. "...the damages? And if so, how fast do I need to dip?"

[spidersarenerds]

So that cat is out of the bag. Well, at least it's a hero who knows his identity, and one with good intentions at that, even if they're on the greener side. "Yeah, after this, you're sure to make pals." It took Peter a while to do actual team ups with other heroes when he started out, but that was because of his attitude and avoidance of anything where he'd have to talk to someone on his side.

At the mention of damages, MJ repositions herself to see into the diner, sucking in a breath through her teeth. With a villain like Jack O'Lantern, damages are hard to avoid, but it's far from a pretty sight.

"Uuummm..." Peter always dipped before he could be spoken to, so he has no idea if heroes actually get in trouble for the damages. S.H.I.E.L.D. kind of shields—heh—him from that stuff so long as it isn't gratuitous. "I don't know..." He checks over his shoulder before continuing in a lower voice. "I can call folks in to get the clean up handled, there's a thing for that. So, you only have to run if they start coming over here." It's a suggestion, not one most would approve of as it is quite literally 'run away from the cops' but who is he to care for what should be done? So, he'll keep an eye out for any police coming towards Shade.

"He–" Peter tilts his head toward the owner. "–won't have to pay a dime for it either, in case that was a concern." He leans his weight onto one foot, also peering into the diner. "Could probably do with some new chairs anyway," he says, wrinkling his nose. Hopefully Damage Control will splurge on some cushions.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade cringes as MJ looks at the mess they made; they look mildly embarrassed as they shrink in on themself, not unlike a child waiting to be scolded.

"I, uh... I'd appreciate that. Calling those guys in." They do feel a little better, knowing they're not causing some poor innocent civilian a bunch of money because they slipped on some candy corn (and threw chairs and tables and used fire magic indoors.) They nervously glance back at the crowd, keeping an eye on the cops for a moment. They don't seem to be paying them any mind, but they would still rather not linger.

They turn their attention back to MJ and Peter. "I kinda sorta ruined your lunch, right? Sorry about that. Could I get you guys something else to eat?" They maybe have, like, 15 dollars stashed away in their pocket dimension somewhere, but they'd feel at least a little bad for not offering (that, and they really want to get away from all the cops).

Besides, if all else fails, they have an older brother and a card he can wire money into. They're already planning how to discreetly send a text his way asking for an extra 20 on their allowance this week.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter nods, folding his hands behind his back. He can't call Fury up in the middle of this crowd to ask for Damage Control. He hopes that he's as good at typing behind his back as he is at making wisecracks. If he isn't, he will blame the tiny screen of his wrist communicator. Whether or not Fury understands "dmg ctrl pls" could be a whole other issue without the plausible typos being considered.

It's good enough. Fury will see the news anyway. He's somehow got his eye on everything. Even with the cameras, watching all of those screens is a feat and a half for anyone.

"Lunch?" Free food is free food, Peter can admit that much, but also free for him is not free for Shade. He can survive without it. "Nah. I feel like I should be buying you lunch after you saved us from Jameson. My ears were ringing from halfway across the room," he jokes instead, rubbing his ear with an exaggerated wince.

MJ rolls her eyes. "But we should get going," she decides, spying a sliver of a blue uniform in the crowd. "They don't like how I get the info to show new sides to a story." She spares a glance over her shoulder to glare in the direction of the police as she turns to lead them out of the crowd.

"What? MJ!" Peter hisses, pulling her leather jacket tighter around himself. Torn between following after her and staying between Shade and the police grouped in the crowd. He doesn't want to leave Shade behind to deal with the police, especially after their somewhat nervous attitude towards them.

"There's a reason they aren't journalists, Peter; the truth isn't as important as the law."

For those of you that don't know, that's MJ speak for I got caught trespassing in the name of one of my stories, therefore the police are the opposition now. But also flawed system so... Peter groans. This is not something he can argue with MJ about. "If you're still up for it, I'm sure she would like to interview you... away from all this," he says to Shade, an offer to get out of this crowd.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods, following the duo through the crowd. They keep an eye out for any officers heading their way as they pull out their phone, typing as they walk. "You have a place in mind? I'm not usually on this side of town, not sure what's around." They hope their looking at their phone reads as looking at a map for nearby places to snag a bite, and not them texting their older sibling.

Can i have extra money this week pleasepleaseplease like 30 or maybe more dollars pleaseeee

They really don't intend on letting Peter or MJ pay if they can help it. For one, Peter kinda helped in the fight with Jack (and sacrificed his shirt in the process, which Shade still felt a little bad about.) For two, MJ was helping them avoid the cops, which was much appreciated. (They aren't sure how illegal the vigilante thing is, but they do know that they're probably classified as a missing person a few states away, and the less the cops are on them the better.) The least they could do was offer a meal.

Slipping the phone away again, they speed up to walk alongside Peter and MJ. "A for real interview sounds cool!" They grin. "And when I'm super famous, MJ can tell everyone she was the first one to give me one! It'll look good on a resume, I'd bet."

[spidersarenerds]

"Uhh..." Peter racks through his list of restaurants in the area that he knows of, trying to think of what is cheapest. "There's this coffee-sandwich shop thing a few streets down, I think. Not as greasy, though, if artery-clogging is what you're craving," he quips, mostly to hide his uncertainty about the exact location. The city looks different from up high, so his navigation on foot may be subpar.

As they walk, the crowd thins. He looks between Shade and MJ as the interview conversation goes on. "Ha, that resume is going to be a book by the time she's 20."

"As if that's a bad thing. You know it doesn't hurt to have varied experiences, Peter." MJ knows he's teasing, her own defense being a jab about how he has been in the same 'field' since he was 14.

"Yeah, yeah, Miss journalist, tutor, play writer, and who knows what else." He rolls his eyes.

MJ raises an eyebrow. "You could probably add something to your resume besides teaching. Like that time you acted for my play... or improvised."

"It was a high school play. And Trapster literally crashed your play and I was, like, understudy number seven for Flash; no way you're still mad that I improvised," he groans, waving his hand that is not holding MJ's jacket.

"Maybe I am." She turns to Shade, grinning. "You know his aunt sent me pictures. She thought it was Flash at first because, well, the play was about Spider-Man so masks, so the 'identity reveal' was a big shock when Petey was under the mask." MJ is clearly very happy to share an embarrassing story about Peter.

"No way she was able to take pictures," Peter protests, already knowing his aunt likely snuck them since Flash has been his neighbor since forever and it's not like his folks were around to be proud of him.

"Maybe a video..." She teases. "I think that's the first time I ever heard him sing in the 13 years I've known him," she adds.

He sighs sufferingly, mostly to put on a show of embarrassment since MJ seems eager to tell the story, and if Shade is having fun too, he really doesn't mind. He has this little restaurant to hunt down anyway.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods. "Coffee-sandwich shop sounds good." They follow closely, glancing between the two as they converse / argue. It's pretty entertaining, actually.

They pause in listening when they get a buzz on their phone, they take it out just long enough to read the notification.

$29.99 added to account number...

They slide their phone away, deciding not to comment on the stupid joke. Calling Loki a jerk for giving them one cent less than they asked for would maybe not get them more money in the future. (Even though the bit was a little funny, they could not let their brother know that Ever. He wasn't getting the satisfaction.)

Shade perks up as the conversation is again directed at them. "Pictures?" They repeat, glancing between Peter and MJ. They cover one side of their mouth with their hand and stage whisper, "I'll give you my number later, not saying you should send them over, buttttttt...." they drop their hand and grin mischievously, giggling a little at the resigned expression Peter wears.

[spidersarenerds]

"Surprisingly not the worst pictures of me that will be spread around." Between the unflattering positions he's been in as Spider-Man and being caught by the paparazzi with Harry, there's worse pictures of him than him playing in a high school musical, even if the suit was... lacking in more ways than one.

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare," MJ teases, fully intending to send Shade the images and the video if she has it.

"Like a house on fire," Peter sighs to himself, amused by how well Shade and MJ are getting along. And yes, pun intended. "We should be there soon and you two can exchange your info." At least he thinks.

After a few turns, the coffee-sandwich shop is up ahead, advertised by a simple banner on its faded brick walls. It doesn't stand out any more than any of the other buildings in the area. It seems vacant enough that they could get their food without trouble or a long wait.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade strolls right in; it doesn't take very long for the group to get seated at a booth. Shade let's Peter and MJ sit next to each other, while they take the other side.

As soon as the smell of food hits their nose, they realize how hungry they are -- having the powers of the Wildfire also comes with an appetite to match. Still, they're trying to get the money in their account to stretch across three people (there's no way they're letting Peter or MJ pay after they kinda sorta destroyed the diner they were supposed to eat in,) so they decide on a cheap-ish pepperoni sandwich and soda.

Shade gives their order to a waiter. While they wait for Peter and MJ to order, they take a napkin and a pen and scribble their number on it, sliding it to MJ with a grin.

"For professional queries," they joke, "or other interview questions. Or embarrassing pictures of Peter."

[spidersarenerds]

MJ scans the menu quickly, finding what she wants and deems an acceptable price, a simple sandwich with deli meat, lettuce, cheese, and that sort of bread that makes it look more complex than it is, and orders it. It's a much simpler process than it is for Peter, who is staring down the menu like it stole his lunch money. Well, it kind of did, at least Shade's money... in return for food, so not really stealing either... Don't think about it too hard.

He glances up as his name is mentioned. "Huh? Oh." His eyes flick to the napkin, then MJ's grin, figuring out the context. "How devious of you," he comments, his eyes darting across the menu. Too many options. Is it weird to get fries again? What if they're just cursed today? He only had the one shirt and could not deal with another villain vs. diner situation.

He gets the nachos.

"So, what brings you to New York?" MJ asks, leaning forward on the table. Peter is silently relieved that the question wasn't too deep, he doesn't think. When she first interviewed Spider-Man, the first thing she asked for was an identity reveal. "There's already quite a few big names here; wouldn't it be easier to make a name for yourself elsewhere? If that's what you're looking to do, of course."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade leans back in the booth, letting out a breath. "That's a... kind of complicated question?" They probably shouldn't mention anything about their mom, because again, they're technically a missing person and they would rather not have... all that come up. They've done a really good job avoiding the law so far.

"I mostly came here because it's where the Asgardians are. I knew I was different as a kid-- too strong for anyone my size, never got sick, healed too fast -- but I didn't know about my Asgardian side until I was 10-ish."

They still remember that day-- lights flickering and magic pouring from their hands and broken glass and no understanding of what was happening or why. Even with all the villains they've fought and their various near death (and one actual death) experience, it was still the scariest thing they've been through.

"Eventually I got bored of my small town, wanted to figure out more about my father. I figured someone as charming as me could bother answers out of Thor if I tried hard enough -- not that I had to, because the other Asgardian prince found me first. Apparently I have a very distinct magical aura that Loki clocked as being related to the All-Father's."

The food arrives, and Shade is quick to dig in. They cover their mouth as they chew, continuing. "It'd probably be way easier to make a name literally anywhere else, but I get to live here rent free, so," they shrug. "Besides, the last name 'Odinchild' tends to turn some heads already." Does that make them a nepobaby? Can they be a nepobaby if most of what they've inherited from Odin was his enemies? Much to consider.

[spidersarenerds]

"Huh, so family in the field, then," Peter notes, popping a nacho into his mouth and internally debating who between Loki and Thor would be best to learn about Odin from. From what he knows about Thor from their interactions, he holds a lot of admiration for his father. Peter knows much less about Loki and never got around to discussing family with them, but it seems complicated. He met the guy himself once, technically twice if you count meeting him while he was doing his big nap for whatever reason he can't remember, and he's certainly... something.

"I bet that causes some second-hand arch enemies," he adds. Thor has fought and ticked off many a things in the time Peter has known him, never mind all he did before that too. Odin and Loki probably add to that list as well... He'll be sure to keep an eye and ear out for Shade.

MJ considers Shade's answer, being the only one not immediately going for her food—ah, to have a metabolism that isn't messed up—and then asks another question, "Since you're related to Thor, does that mean you have the Avengers as back up? Or are you only relying on yourself?" Her eyebrows furrow as she tries to piece it together herself. She opens her mouth to tack on another question, however she stops, taking a bite of her sandwich to force herself to give Shade time to answer.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Oh, God, yeah." They get a forlorn look on their face. "So many enemies. It's all these people who've been at the magic thing for centuries, and I've been here, like, 5 minutes. Sometimes it feels like I'm a kindergartener getting thrown around by professional boxers or something." Their only saving grace in several encounters has been the unpredictability a novice tends to have; their enemies can't plan how to counteract their moves when they themself dont even know what kind of magic is gonna blast outta their hands next.

(They have gotten better about that, though. Otherwise the diner probably would have been nothing but ash by the end of that fight.)

"Though, I guess my family having enemies got me some of the power I have now. I wouldn't have the God of the Wildfire thing going if Loki and Odin hadn't pissed off some ancient god enough that he wanted to curse me." They didn't see the fire as a curse. Guess that guy wasted his time and energy with that one.

Shade thinks about MJ's question a second. "If I were in real, life-or-death trouble, and Thor knew about it in time, he could pull the Avengers into things. I wouldn't say I personally am close enough to ever call on them. It's not like I have Tony Stark's number or anything." They take a long sip of soda. "I'm really trying to be taken seriously, though. I don't think calling for my older brother and his friends will get anyone to see me as anything but a little kid who goes crying at the slightest hint of things going south."

[spidersarenerds]

"Ha, yeah, I feel like magic is like that," Peter agrees. He hasn't had a ton of experience using magic, obviously, but it seems to be a subject that needs intensive study to be any good. Though, to a point raw power likely overshadows that.

As Shade considers their access to backup—because that is what it is; support in difficult fights—Peter suppresses a wince, trying to hide it with taking another bite. Refusing hypothetical support in the name of being taken seriously, that is a rather familiar thought process. "Well, you have a bunch of your family's enemies after you, so they must take you seriously. At least that, right?" It's not an argument that will win any debates, but he thinks it's at least positive enough.

"Not that that's necessarily a good thing... or the usual experience from what I've got from my interviews. There's a lot that comes with being targeted all the time, and more often than not, asking for backup is the right move," MJ adds logically.

In Peter's mind, what MJ said is most definitely the right answer and what should be taught, even if he still gets irked by the idea of asking for help after years of working on that. "Yeah, of course. More awesome team ups when folks ask for help." He's still rolling her words around in his head, trying to find an angle that can make asking for help more appealing, not only for Shade, but for himself and the heroes he teaches. "Wait. What do you mean by not the usual?"

MJ sighs, rolling her eyes with a slight smile. She knew the question was coming. "Because most heroes and vigilantes have to build up their villain 'portfolio' for months if not years before they have mortal—or in Shade's case, immortal—enemies. Getting into the gig with multiple big names trying to kill you is not normal. Even Daredevil had to work to get where he is."

"Even Nova?" Peter challenges, already figuring that what she's saying makes sense.

"Yes, even him."

"Huh." Well, Peter has to reevaluate how he's going to prepare his students for the hero field. No wonder some of them looked at him like he was nuts when he said people would be out to kill you from basically day one.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade makes a face. "They're only targeting me because they think I'm easy pickings. Who are they supposed to go after, Thor? Loki? Angela, Hela, Odin himself?" They tap their finger against the table, more a movement of comfort than impatience. "It's not respect for me as a hero, it's a view of me as some helpless little kid who happens to share some blood and a last name. They just want to be able to tell people they killed one of Odin's kids, or threaten my life to threaten Odin, or-- or something like that. So I gotta prove 'em wrong."

Shade listens to MJ's argument. She's right; most heroes ease into the role. Doom doesn't try to stab any teen who suddenly finds out they can fly or shoot lasers from their eyes or stretch their body to extreme amounts. But most people don't have the All-Father's name stuck on their back like a big target. Most up and coming heroes don't have shoes that big to fill. They chew their lip and avoid eye contact. They don't need help but they don't know how to explain that in a way these two might understand.

"I'm a skilled sorcerer for my age, even if I'm not at the level of some of my villains. I can handle it alone. It's not like I've died yet." they pause, realizing that is technically a lie. "I mean, I haven't stayed dead." That... isnt as reassuring as they meant for it to be. "I-- I have allies, I can call people if I need help! I just don't need it." Okay, that was definitely not the way to explain it. They're better at using their fists than their words, and this isnt the kind of conversation fists are useful for.

[spidersarenerds]

That's a lot to unpack. Peter doesn't know where to start. He inhales like he's going to say something but he doesn't. How does he address the whole dying thing—and that being proof that some help definitely wouldn't hurt—while also respecting Shade's right to decide whether they want help or not. "Okay..." he sighs. "Well, I'm glad you're not dead... anymore." Man, that feels weird to say. "Or else I'd have been toast back there," he jokes, offering a small smile. If he can lighten the mood, then he can have a moment to try and figure out this can of worms.

"Prove the villains wrong?" MJ questions, not nearly as concerned with broaching the topic and staying on the topic at hand. She can wonder how in the world, or outside of the world, Shade came back to life. Her interview has gone a little off the rails, but she feels it is worth it. After all, there would be no chance for any other interviews or sharing more embarrassing pictures of Peter with Shade because they got killed in their refusal to ask for help.

Peter leans back into the cushioning of the booth. So much for his efforts. MJ has always been more direct than him, even when it cost her more time because of stubbornness on both ends. He has sat through enough debates between her and Harry to know that much. He won't let it go on for that long, especially since Shade seems equally as stubborn in their view as MJ is in her own, but he can't exactly change the subject just yet. Besides, he's not opposed to trying to convince Shade to ask for help, at the very least so they don't die again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Thanks," they say, directed towards Peter. "I'm, uh, glad I'm not still dead too?" It's an odd thing to say, and they feel the need to clarify, "One of Odin's kids is the goddess of death. She, uh, she sent me back up after?" It doesnt clarify as much as they'd like it to, but MJ throws them a new question and they don't have time to linger.

"The villains, yeah." They reply a little too fast. "I mean, you obviously want to have villains fear you, right? Because then it's easier to keep them from causing harm, intimidation and all." They chew at their lip again. It's not exactly a lie, but it's not exactly the whole truth, either, and aren't you suppose to be truthful during interviews? "Maybe I also want the rest of the family to take me seriously, but it's more the villains." There. Thats more true than before.

Family, they know, is a strong word for the shitshow that is their family tree. Loki and Thor are less strained than they have been, but there's still tension. Hela isolates herself from everyone else and longs for the day they all become a part of her domain. Angela... exists, but Shade hasn't actually met her and they aren't sure she wants to. They shouldn't really care about what those guys think, and especially not that damned All-Father, because theyre all messy and half of them are morally grey at best.

Which is why they don't care. Clearly. They care about keeping villains from causing harm with their cool fire powers and awesome Asgardian strength and they care about little else. "I mean, if Thor and Loki and Odin and-- and all the rest of those guys start treating me like an equal and not just their kid sibling, the rest of the villains will follow suit and see my real strength."

[spidersarenerds]

MJ, surprisingly, has to take a moment to think of what she thinks is right to say. Peter uses it as an opportunity to speak up, mostly because Shade looks seconds away from exploding with over explanations. "You know, from the times I've met Thor, he's quite like you—not sure if that's an Asgardian or Odin family thing—with all the, as he would put it, battle for glory," he drops his voice and puts on a vague accent to mimic Thor. "–and go-it-alone mentality." He's pretty sure Shade has figured out he's Spider-Man already, and if not, well, they will come to some conclusion as to how they know their older brother. Peter may as well be open about it to say Shade has people in their corner. "Maybe you could talk to him about this; he's been in a similar spot. I know, shocking considering his big ego," he suggests, and no he could not prevent the electricity pun when talking about Thor. How could he?

Really, Peter knows quite a few people who thought handling things alone was the best way to build a name for themselves or handle their issues, himself included, but he will stick to what Shade is most familiar with. It was also easier than challenging what was likely Shade's lifelong belief that respect came from power and fear, or something along the lines of that.

MJ then speaks up, having decided what she wants to say. "Not to mention that villains aren't the most reasonable. If you asked me, I wouldn't bother trying to prove myself to people dead set on trying to kill me."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade snickers at Peter's Thor impression. They're pretty sure the glory stuff is an Asgardiain thing, but they haven't met enough Asgardians to confirm with absolute certainty. Loki was similar, in a way, with the whole "go-it-alone" thing, though that was less about glory and more about pride. Thinking about it, Shade was a bit of a mix of both.

"I could try to bring it up to him? He's not the most... available guy. Hard to get a phone signal in Asgard, or Van-e-him, or... any of the other ones." Thor was a prince, technically, and had a lot of prince-y duties to attend to. Or something like that, they never listened when he was explaining the responsibilities that came with being royalty. Outside of the time he would occasionally visit them, he was really hard to get ahold of. "...But I guess I could maybe bring it up next time he's in town."

They take a long sip of their soda while they try to figure out how to best respond to MJ. It's about more than just proving themself to a bunch of villains. It's about sending a message to them, yeah, but Asgard too. To all those smug gods who think that just because they're part human, they're less than, weaker.

"I'm gonna have to fight them either way, though. Might as well try to prove myself while I'm there. Who knows, maybe some non-villainous Asgardians will notice, too." Peter and MJ are probably right; Peter (who is definitely 100% spider-man, evident by the bad puns,) has way more experience in the hero department and is definitely trying to help them learn from his mistakes. However, Peter probably doesn't have a dictator for a dad and probably hasn't had to deal with all too many people trying to kidnap and/or attack them for political reasons, so they're probably gonna continue on the whole "proving themself to a bunch of crooks and also their dad" thing.

[spidersarenerds]

Open RP Starter (How Did I Get Here?)

This may be one of the stupidest things he's done… or well, it was. What he's about to do will probably be worse. But that's for later, so *rewind noises* or whatever.

MJ must have some sort of mind control ability because she managed to convince Peter to come along to her interview. Like last time went so well when the Beetle trashed a whole floor of the Daily Bugle building. So, here he is in some greasy diner as J. Jonah Jameson grills MJ in the booth to his left—Peter didn't even get a nice seat, just one of those uncomfortable plastic-laminated wood chairs that are always an awkward height. At least there's fries. Though they'd be much better if he didn't have to hear Jameson ask MJ about all of the qualifications she's already given the last ten times she's been interviewed for a position. It all boils down to how willing she is to diss Spider-Man, which is where her stubbornness wins out every time.

But fries! So hot his tongue is starting to lose a little bit of feeling. Perfection.

About to pop a fry into his mouth, he pauses and his eyes narrow, dropping the fry back onto the plate.

The door to the diner flies open, the little chime of the bell drowned out by the thud of the door whacking into a, thankfully, empty chair. Peter barely got to glance at the person barging in before there's a table skidding across the floor. His fries? Upended. The awful chair? Knocked aside. Himself? At the other end of the room, steadying the now sideways table that was sent his way so it doesn't crush him and whatever patrons unlucky enough to be on this table's warpath. "Sorry, folks. Pancake-dom via table costs extra," he says mindlessly, even though he should definitely watch his quips when Jameson is around. Speaking of, the news reporter himself is shouting something about refusing to be silenced and the usual spew of his bravery and, as revealed as Peter tips the table back onto its four legs, is cowering as far into the corner of his booth as he can.

And that about sums up how he got where he is now, shielding whoever is behind him with a mere table between himself and the threat, and to top it all off, the loudest journalist in New York along with other civilians as an audience that could oust secrets he doesn't want to get out if he gets a little too spidery.

//Be the villain, civilian, a hero following the fiend who barged in, whatever you'd like! And of course, tags (No one is forced to interact and those not tagged are more than welcome to interact as well!): @emiliakane @katiebishop-1610

[night-shade-odinchild]

A moment later, another person is barging into the diner, clutching a very large sword in one hand and pointing at the intruder with the other.

"You!" they gasp, winded, "you are the absolute WORST!" They had no idea who the other was, but they did know they'd been chasing him for at least 5 blocks and then through an interdimensional portal (one THEY made to follow him THEMSELF! Their magic was improving!) all while he wrecked havoc and caused large amounts of damage. That was more than enough to decide that yeah, this guy sucked.

Shade takes a moment to glance around -- civilians everywhere, small area, J. Jonah Jameson -- they do a double take. Okay, cool, cool, whatever they did here was probably going to be reported on. That's fine.

First things first. There's no room for giant swords in here, so they let it disappear into their pocket dimension. Second, they should probably ensure civilian safety. They notice the table about to crush a bunch of people first, and quickly dodge away from an oncoming attack to get closer.

"Hello!" They greet as they come to the side not pressed against the wall. "Sorry I can't chat. I need to take this, hope you dont mine." They pull the table away from the civilians and twist, throwing the thing as hard as they can at their assailant. It's mostly dumb luck no bystanders were in the way-- the table lands and the man falls, only to stumble up a moment later.

Shade swears under their breath, turning to the civilians they'd just freed. Their gaze meets Peter's. "You, can you clear this place? I don't want anyone to get hurt." They hate delegating such a task to someone incapable of defending himself against a superpowered person, but they have little choice.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter watches the second person burst into the room, mildly concerned about the large sword—and the loud complaint, but, honestly, mood. Their mood towards the intruder as well as the disappearance of the massive sword eases his worries. One madman destroying the place is already too many, but at least it isn't two.

Kind of. Peter winces as the table crashes into the man. At least he isn't the one paying for it. Huh, having little to no responsibility in a crisis situation is weird. Well, that was until he was given the task of evacuating the area. "You and me both," he agrees. Preventing people from getting hurt as a shared goal is enough for him to decide that he can trust Shade to handle the bad guy. It takes a load off his shoulders. He doubts the ol' adrenaline excuse will cut it with J.J.J. as a witness if he were to go toe to toe with this guy. But while getting people out of the way it might.

He glances around, watching the man's destructive behaviour that is blocking the main door for a beat longer before moving towards the emergency exit. If he can clear a path to it, getting everyone out will be much easier. Peter has a feeling that the man won't have the kindness to see people out the front door.

There are footsteps that follow after him—likely the group that was behind the table with him—and short shrieks as a chair clatters into the wall above their heads. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Peter grumbles, keeping an eye on the man now that he's decided to start throwing things again. "Turn off the burners, fryers, whatever and get out of here!" he calls towards the workers, most of which have crouched behind the counter, shielding their heads. He doesn't expect them to follow the first part much, if at all, but it would be nice if there wasn't a fire hazard as well as an attack.

He wrenches open the small gate separating the kitchen area behind the counter and the rest of the diner, gesturing for the few people trailing after him to go in. "Follow after the workers there– Lead them out of here," he orders the worker that was slowest to get out of here. Shock, probably, but the job should give them a task to cling to for the time being.

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect—and how he must be in cahoots with a certain wall-crawling menace—but apparently not.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade keeps an eye on the escaping civilians out of the corner of their eye. They're not used to fighting in such a cramped space with this many people around; most their focus is on keeping the oncoming furniture from hitting any innocents. Magic flies wildly, hastily made shields are created only to drop a moment later as a blast of fire flashes forward to incinerate a chair about to hit a kid. For an amateur sorcerer like themself, it's incredibly draining.

They flinch as Jameson shouts another line about disrespect-- enough of a break in their focus to cause them to get hit square in the nose with a stool. Shade covers their face and yells out a few obscenities before turning to Jameson.

"Can you PLEASE just SHUT UP!" They face their opponent again, wiping blood from their nose as they continue talking to Jameson. "This would be so much easier if you just left and got to safety, man--" they dodge another chair before they seem to come to a realization. "Wait, I'm so stupid, I could literally just--" A blue glow forms around their hands yet again, and suddenly a portal opens under Jameson; he can be seen falling onto his face through the window.

By this point, most all the civilians are out, except for that guy they told to help evacuate. Shade pulls up another shield made of magic and glances in his direction. "When I said evacuate everyone, I meant you too." Blue flames surround their fist, and they leap forward to attack their assailant.

[spidersarenerds]

Not that it helps any, but Peter absolutely admires Shade's ability to keep track of all of the hurling objects. Without extra senses, it's quite the feat. It also makes the job of evacuating people easier when he doesn't have to lead them to dodge flying chairs and tables.

After shoving MJ to follow the rest of the crowd out—he actually had to close the door between them—because she wanted to stay to get the story on the scene and no way is he letting that happen no matter who is here to keep her safe as she records, he sighs. He thinks that's everyone. Or so he thought until he heard Jameson yell as he is dropped through a portal and made to eat the concrete outside. "I'm getting way too good at tuning him out." Peter doesn't think that's necessarily a bad thing, especially with the result he just saw, but maybe he should pay a little more attention next time.

"Yeah, I'm working on it," he says, pushing on the door to the staff. It doesn't budge. "Wait, was it?–" He pulls the handle. Nothing. The door locks as it shuts. Just his luck. Pushing on a pull door would have been less embarrassing than accidentally locking himself inside.

He yelps as the intruder crashes into the shelves in front of him. This is the first actual chance he's gotten to see the man unobstructed, and the pumpkin head is definitely a shock that has his yelp being louder than he'd have liked. The pumpkin head's carved grin seems to grow—how that works he doesn't know—at his shout and he begins to sit up. "Trick or treat!" He crows in a voice Peter would never call sane.

Now, he's seen many horror movies. He's complained about the dumb decisions the characters have made enough that he'd be put to shame if he didn't grab the nearest object and hit that pumpkin square in its face. That object just so happened to be a sheet pan. The pumpkin is still intact, and the twang the metal sheet gives is almost comedic, but it has the man faltering long enough that Peter has the chance to hop over the counter. He knows it's a little too graceful of a move for the whole 'Peter-act', so he tries to mess up his landing, stabilizing himself with some flailing and a hand on the floor.

"Trick it is!" the man decides happily, righting himself behind the counter and turning his pumpkin right side around.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade notices the door conundrum and swears under their breath. They've been at this fight far too long, and they don't have it in them to open another portal. If they tried, they couldn't guarantee Peter wouldn't end up in a wall or 40 feet off the ground.

They nearly laugh at the absurdity of hitting the guy with a sheet pan, but cut themself off; they should probably focus so they don't get hit again. The bruise that was definitely forming on their face was already going to be so annoying to explain away later.

"Come on, man, Halloween is my favorite holiday! You're ruining it!" Shade glances at Peter. "Try to stay out of the line of fire. I got this." They say it with way more confidence than they feel, but whatever. They've been living on fake it 'till you make it rules long enough it's practically second nature.

They leap over the counter, fire already wrapped around their fist. They intend for it to hit the guy in the face, but he catches their punch with ease. They're surprised for a moment, caught off guard by the lack of response to the fire, before realizing that of course the guy who's head is literally a flaming pumpkin wouldn't react to a little heat.

They don't have much more time to reflect on this misjudgement before they're met with a swift punch to the gut. They cringe but stand their ground, offering a quick blast of fire in return. It's enough to get the guy off them, if only for a moment.

Desperate for a quick way to end this (they know theres still a civilian in here, they know they need to keep him safe,) Shade tries the one thing they're terrible at: using their words. "And what if I said treat?" They severely hope the guy doesn't have some sort of candy themed weaponry.

[spidersarenerds]

Jack O'Lantern gasps, clasping his hands together. "It's your favorite too?!" he coos. "But I'm ruining it? I think you aren't appreciating it enough!" he cackles as he catches Shade's punch.

Peter has dealt with all sorts of crazy before, but maniacally happy with a Halloween theme is new. Would it be wrong of me to say I miss Goblin's crazy? At least he made sense... in his own twisted way. He nods as he's told to try to stay out of the line of fire. That's the plan.

"You got it!" If it's a treat you want, then a treat you shall get!" It is, unfortunately candy themed weaponry, almost a gun of sorts that he's quick to pull from beneath his cape and fire. Luckily, his aim sucks. On the less lucky side, whatever he's shooting is coming apart as it's shot.

So much for staying out of the line of fire! Peter throws his hands up over his head, shielding his face from the pellets. That's what they must be since they haven't torn through Shade and himself like shrapnel would. The pellets are hard and surprisingly small, bouncing off his arms and falling to the floor with a clatter. They hurt, but not nearly as much as one would think something that came from a gun would. He cracks open an eye. He knows he's not bulletproof, so what is this? He takes a peek at the ground. "Candy corn?" The little orange, yellow, and white triangles litter the ground of the diner now. "Where do you even get this much of it?"

"I'll never reveal the skeletons in my closet!" Jack O'Lantern gesticulates so dramatically as he speaks, he's nearly dancing to the rhythm of his words. Peter can't say he's quite as enthused. Rather than get into whether or not bulk stores can be counted as a skeleton in a closet, he begins to take a couple steps backward, not paying much mind to the hard candy making the ground uneven, his feet finding the clear areas so he won't slip without much thought. If he's out of the way, Shade can handle this guy much more easily... probably. And with Jack O'Lantern behind the counter, the path to the front exit should be clear if Peter can make it there. He just doesn't want the pumpkin head to notice. Who knows if all his weapons are merely annoying like the candy corn gun or actually dangerous?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Candy corn gun. Of course it was a candy corn gun. How stupid they were to even think that it wouldn't be a candy themed weapon. "Where do you get this much? Halloween was forever ago, no one is sells any past October?" Not that they were asking because candy corn was their favorite. The middle of battle would be an incredibly inappropriate time for such a question.

For the briefest moment, they consider trying to catch a piece in their mouth. They decide against it, though. One, it would be so embarrassing to die because they choked on a piece of flying candy corn, especially after everything else they've lived through. Two, they didn't really want to meet their sister again. Hela might not be kind enough to send them back up a second time.

Shade watches Peter slowly back away out of the corner of their eye. They need to keep Jack'O'Lantern occupied so he can escape.

Their sword returns to their hand. Now that the store is mostly empty, they have a little more room to swing the giant blade. "Hey, Jack! Try countering this!" They step forward for a swing, aiming to knock the gun out his hand.

That is not what happens. Their foot lands on a piece of candy corn and they slip. They quickly adjust the grip of the sword as they fall -- it nearly takes Jack's head off, and they have no want to kill the guy -- and it slices through the gun and lodges firmly in the wall. Shade hits the floor.

They blink and quickly stand, avoiding the candy corn this time. They shoot a glance at Peter, then look back to Jack. "That did not happen. You didn't see that." It's clear they speak to both of them.

They're very good at this. They are a well trained and professional superhero, and they are not lying to themself about that.

Well, at least the gun is gone. Shade ducks under the sword, still firmly lodged in the wall, and comes around the otherside with a fist aimed at Jack O Lantern's face. When all else fails, go old school. And hope he doesnt catch their fist again.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's mouth hangs open as he watches Shade slip. Never in his life has he been more afraid of a sword—and he's been on the pointy end of what he'd say to be plenty. A sword swinging around uncontrollably is enough to make him glad he hasn't come across more. At least the gun is gone. He likes guns even less.

Jack O'Lantern, the maniac, giggles, "That's witchful thinking." He peers over the sword at Shade on the ground. He then yelps as Shade's fist collides with the pumpkin, stumbling back out of their reach as quick as he can. "No fair," he growls, cradling the spot where he got hit. Whether he's cradling the part of his face that got hurt through the pumpkin or is just really that attached to the gourd on his head, Peter can't tell. "I guess it's time for my own tricks!" Like anything he's given is a treat.

As Jack whips out yet another weapon, some sort of pole that elongates itself with his movement, Peter has to duck to avoid the blade. A scythe. Kind of. He doubts it'd be any good on a farm, what with the way the blade crackles. The blade doesn't even seem to be metal, just energy. It must save space for whatever other goodies Jack has up his sleeve. "You're really out of your gourd," Peter mutters, focusing on righting himself from the near-backbend he just had to do.

Jack O'Lantern, of course delighted to hear any vaguely Halloween related pun, spins around, nearly taking out Peter with the scythe again. This time, Peter grabs it near the blade to stop the whole waving around very sharp things theme that has been going on. It also means that he's putting a lot of his balance into Jack holding the scythe steady, which he regrets immediately as Jack leans closer excitedly. "Aw thank you! It makes me all the more spooktastic, and that's just bootiful, don't you think?"

And Peter could do without his eyebrows getting singed off by the flaming pumpkin, so he wedges his heel into Jack's shoulder and pushes him away, maybe a little too hard as Peter flips himself over while doing so, now firmly on his feet with the scythe in hand, the blade safely on the floor. "Oops..." he hisses under his breath before straightening like it was intentional and totally normal of him to do a backflip in a fight. Just such a normal, innocuous thing for a guy to do. He did gymnastics—for two months when he was six—that's why he can do that. "Isn't that grim? You've lost another toy," he comments, trying to play it off. He really should shut up more. Thank goodness Jameson is outside and probably dealing with being dumped onto the pavement so he can't hear these quips.

Peter keeps hold of the scythe so Jack O'Lantern can't get a hold of it, and also because he has no idea if he should be able to lift this or not. Swinging a blade around with a candy covered floor isn't a good idea anyway. Just look at Shade's sword. Jack picks himself back up, stumbling slightly on the candy corn. The guy is taking quite the beating, more so thanks to Shade than anyone else."You– you're no fun!" he spits, barely paying attention to Shade and likely ready to pull another trick.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade stares at Peter with wide eyes. They might not have normal strength levels, but they used to live in some small town in the middle of nowhere with no super people around, and they're pretty sure not even the strongest people they knew there could've pulled that off. Maybe there's a reason this guy was way more level headed than the average civilian.

There's only a few heros with that amount of flexibility, and only one they know of who can come up with that many terrible puns that fast.

Deciding that's not really important, nor their business, they choose to just be happy he's on their side; with their luck, it was a miracle they didn't run into a building holding the next Hydra convention.

Jack isn't facing them, giving them a good opportunity to sneak up. They're careful to avoid the candy corn, not wanting a repeat of their previous mishap (please please please tell them no one caught that on camera. They might cry.)

Shade leaps when they're close enough, tackling him to the ground. They land awkwardly on their side and cringe as candy corn digs into their skin, but continue with their plan anyways, fighting to keep Jack from reaching for any more of his "tricks."

"Both of your jokes are awful!" They cry out while still fighting with Jack. Even if they were a little funny. "Now stay down, please--" They raise their elbow and slam it down into Jack's chest.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter can vaguely recognize the realization in Shade's eyes, which isn't the best for him. He's really getting too sloppy with his identity. Now it just begs the question if he can play up the clumsy helpless civilian enough or if he will just look like a fool. His friends who know make fun of him when he leans heavily into the nerd persona, but it clearly works better than whatever he's doing now. Shade doesn't seem like they would tattle, but Jack might... if he's even coherent enough to string a non-Halloween related sentence together.

As Shade tackles Jack to the ground, Peter stumbles back, allowing himself to stumble on the candy corn and barely catch himself on the scythe. Is anyone paying attention? No, definitely not. They're busy fighting on the floor. He totally had that realisation before he did that. It was just practice.

"Wh– hey!" he begins, about to defend his quips. At the very least, they aren't on the same level as Jack's. He can accept that they're cringe-worthy, but to compare them to puns that sound like they're from some website? Simply unacceptable. That is until Shade jams their elbow into Jack's chest. Peter looks away. "Yeah, I'll just shut up now."

Jack makes some sort of wheezy coughing noise, similar to a breathless laugh but that's more so the crazy rather than any sort of joy. He flails wildly in Shade's grip, pushing at just about anything and trying to squirm away.

It's clearly an issue, and Peter is only so good at standing by—so good as in atrociously terrible at it— so he scans the diner for anything to tie up Jack O'Lantern. It seems he is out of luck today because not one customer happened to forget a scarf or purse in their evacuation. Ugh, and the day I only had tank tops to wear underneath. Peter drops the scythe and pulls off the dress shirt he's been wearing like a jacket. He observes it in his hands. Jack would be the type to kick or even run away while his hands are tied. Peter tears off both of the sleeves—he might as well make it match on both sides; he's going to be sewing later anyway—and rushes to help out in the scuffle. "Hold his arms!" Tying up the feet can happen once there are no hands clawing at their faces.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances up at Peter when they hear the sound of fabric ripping -- but only for a moment, as Jack tries again to wriggle his way free. They curse under their breath as they grab the villain by his wrists, holding them with just enough force not to break them. They've been getting better at handling their strength, though the doubt the force they use to hold Jack is comfortable.

"Got him!" They mentally add ripping the jacket to their list of reasons this guy is totally definitely a superhero. Unless that jacket was made with really flimsy fabric, they don't think it would've ripped that quickly and easily. Plus, they're pretty sure the average civilian wouldn't think of that unless they, for some reason, had experience tying up random villains on the street with little resources.

Shade grimaces as Jack tries to pull his arms back again. They take a moment to thank the stars they got the superhuman strength and endurace from their Asgardian half; this guy was not giving up.

"Don't burn your hands!" They aren't sure if the fire surrounding Jack's pumpkin head is real or not, but better safe than sorry. At least they don't have to worry about it; fire is kinda their thing. Even if it is hot, they won't feel it.

[spidersarenerds]

"I'll do my best..." His main focus is getting Jack's hands tied together, which is a struggle and a half, even with Shade's—rather spectacular, if Peter were to say so himself—efforts to hold Jack still. Eventually, he manages to loop the first sleeve around Jack's wrists tight enough that he won't worry about him slipping loose, and maybe a little tighter for good measure, and ties the knot as securely as he can. He would make a joke about the fabric "cuffs" being a one size fits all, but he's busy trying to avoid getting kicked in the face. Jack's legs are a whole other battle. So, Peter decides to be more lenient on the quality of the bind, getting up and running away won't be easy even if Jack managed to free his legs.

Jack is shouting rather loudly, half of it threats mixed with puns, and the other half claiming that tickles are a rude trick to pull—his understanding of what is going on seems really limited, and Peter almost feels bad for the guy, in that aspect, less so the terrorizing people part.

"Just need a bow and you'd be set for Christmas," Peter pants, sitting back on his heels as Jack writhes.

"NOOOO!" Jack O'Lantern howls, clearly furious in his binds. He is fuming as his squirming grows less violent frome either exhaustion or the cloth cutting into his limbs.

"Not sure who would want you for Christmas, though," Peter adds on in a false pondering tone. Villains wailing about their defeat, as annoying as it is, exists as a common ending to fights. He watches as Jack struggles. He doesn't know what to do now. He can't exactly just leave on his merry way—as he would usually do with a quick web—but instead he may have to linger since MJ and Jameson are likely still outside the diner, itching for the scoop. And the police. Ugh, is he going to have to deal with the police? And he's without his 'jacket'—if you want to call a cotton dress shirt that—to hide whatever marks he has on his arms from his 'hobby'. Is it too late to get stabbed by that scythe?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath as Peter finishes with Jack, leaning back and letting go of his wrists. They stay close enough to grab him if he does manage an escape, though.

"Can't tell if he's more mad about losing or about the Christmas pun." Shade watches him struggle for a moment before looking back at Peter. "Thanks. You got a level head on you for a guy who presumably doesn't do this every single day." They're still, like, 99% sure this guy is Spider-Man. No other hero would make puns that bad. No need to ruin the guy's secret, though.

Shade holds out a hand with a grin. "I'm Nightshade. Shade. Whichever. 'Preciate the assist. Sorry about your shirt."

Their gaze wanders around the building as they slowly take in the damage caused by the fight. Candy corn everywhere. Broken chairs and tables. Sword in the wall. They cringe. "I do not have the money to pay for this," they mumble. "Should probably split before cops get here." They can already hear the sirens. "You might wanna, too. Some people might have some... prying questions about some stuff you just did." They try to make it clear with their tone that they mean leave before someone finds out your identity.

[spidersarenerds]

"Can't say I'm a newbie to it. Villains attacked my high school a lot." And that's not even a lie. A lot of his graduate year would probably be calmer than most—even if you were to disclude the nine of them who were/turned out to be heroes—but he can admit that it doesn't explain away what he's done. It is a very thin veil of secrecy he's weaving with very halfhearted effort. "I'm Peter, and don't worry about it. It was my choice, and I can stitch it up later." He shakes Shade's hand. Jack gives a final thrash. "Probably." He has no idea how his shirt sleeves will hold up against the strain of being restraints.

"Torn off sleeves are still in fashion, right? That's a thing?" he jokes, folding his arms together. He can argue that's accentuating his arms and making them look more muscular than his 'nerdy' arms actually are, can't he? I'm overthinking this. No one actually pays that much attention, much less people who barely know you to be a 'nerdy weakling'.

"New York has clean up guys for villain fights... I think. I saw it on the news once. If you want to call what J– Mr. Jameson does as news." Peter knows it to be true because he had to help once because he and his team got in trouble with Fury, if they're still running after the Wrecking Crew snuck into the works to sabotage and pilfer. He looks over his shoulder out the window to try and gage the size of the crowd. It doesn't look to be the worst, but he knows that there are two journalists waiting outside, desperate for details, and one of them is his best friend. The other, however, may very well have a cavalry of cameramen on the way. Where is Harry and his convenient outerwear when you need it? "I wish I could. My friend's out there and will probably get arrested for trying to enter the crime scene for her journal if she doesn't get a witness statement." MJ could likely talk her way out of it, being the stubborn person she is, but he may as well save her the hassle.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances at the torn sleeves and scoffs. "Absolutely not in fashion. But, hey, maybe you'll start a trend." They should probably worry a bit more about the high school comment -- was that common? Would their school get attacked if they ever bothered to go back? -- but they decide to let it be for now.

"Yeah, it probably needs one considering... Literally everything about this city." NYC had to deal with gods and men flying around in iron suits and sorcerers and spiders. They'd seen the damage plenty; Shade feels a little bad for the people doing all that clean up.

...Better those guys cleaning it up than them, though.

Shade's gaze follows Peter's. They let out a breath. "Damn, Jameson is gonna make me the second most hated superhero in New York after this. First one being that bug guy." They know good and well that spiders aren't bugs, and also that Spider-Man is more well liked than Jameson makes him out to be. They still think it's a little funny to poke at Peter without being obvious about it, though.

"I'll hang out with you then. You know there's gonna be cameras and interviews and stuff. If anything goes south, I'll lie to the cops and journalist and just tell them you hid in the back or something." Shade glances down at Jack. "No one will believe him if he snitches anyways."

[spidersarenerds]

"Totally, next best thing since ripped jeans: the more holes in your outfit, the better," he quips. As Shade remarks about the chaos of the city chock full of superheroes and villains, Peter nods. Damage control has saved his skin many times. Of course, the best damage is no damage at all—as Fury has hammered into his skull—but with the combination of an unfamiliar villain and Shade, however far they are into their hero journey, he's glad the building didn't collapse.

Peter opens his mouth to refute the bug guy comment, but holds back, just barely. "Just be confident. I would not be surprised if they can smell fear," he says instead. The advice is bogus, he has no idea what makes Jameson like people. Both times Spider-Man was impersonated, Jameson was praising 'him' to the high heavens.

Shade's decision to stick around has Peter turning his head to look at them, surprise melting into a small, appreciative smile. "Yeah? You just stole my sleeves to tie this pumpkin head up?" he teases. "Thanks," he adds with a more genuine tone. He doesn't plan to let Shade take the fall for him like that, not with Jameson's sway on the public, but the offer is nice.

"Let's go before they bust the door down." He pushes the door open with his shoulder. The clamor from outside bursts in through the open door, the sound of people fussing as they notice the door cracking open. Peter can pick out a few questions and exclamations from the crowd, just civilians, as far as he can tell, for now, but he only waits long enough for Shade to make it through the door before walking to the corner. He does not expect to lose the crowd, but getting them away from the door so police, professionals, and all that can enter the building whenever they get here. It's also a chance for him to scan the crowd for MJ... and Jameson too, mostly because MJ would stick close to him to observe what a 'true journalist' does in this situation.

"What happened?"

"Who are you?"

Those are the two main questions he can decipher from the hubbub, whether they are sent his way of Shade's, he has no idea. How celebrities can understand anything when thirty questions are being hurled at them at the same time, he has no idea. He comes to a stop at the corner of the building, glancing back to make sure Shade is still there and alright.

"Peter! Where have you been? You can't disappear like that!" A familiar head of red hair parts the crowd, stepping right up to Peter and poking his chest accusingly with a grin. "I had a whole cover ready." She crosses her arms, finally seeming to notice his state. "Whoa, I think this is the first time I've seen your shoulders. You're going to distract someone," she comments.

"That is not true, MJ. We've known each other since we were four; you've seen my shoulders," Peter protests, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," MJ dismisses, already pushing her leather jacket at him, knowing he would wrap it over his shoulders so he can focus on more than if people somehow put it together that he's Spider-Man by seeing his arms—which he does, even though the fitted leather jacket is far from his size. She leans to the side, spotting Shade. "And who are you?" she asks them, excitement glowing in her green eyes. Peter offers an apologetic smile. MJ isn't the worst to talk to, far from it, but she is stubborn, especially when she's in her journalist mode.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Before Shade leaves the building, they take a moment to recover their sword -- which takes a minute, because it is stuck stuck. With only a mild amount of additional damage to the drywall they manage to dislodge it and let it disappear into their pocket dimension. They do hesitate a moment before walking out, wondering briefly if leaving Jack was responsible. Figuring the police were just around the corner anyways, and that Jack had stopped struggling in his binds, Shade leaves him and follows Peter into the crowd.

They hear the questions as soon as they step out. Shade is briefly stunned by the overlapping speech and all the eyes on them, but they quickly pull themself together as they plaster on a confident smile and pose with their arms on their hips.

With a tone that sounds almost rehearsed, Shade responds, "I am Nightshade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire and sorcerer in training. Consider this villain vanquished!" They stand proud for a moment before their face falls as they mumble to themself. "No, that sounds too fantasy-ish. This foe is finished? Enemy annihilated? Eh, we'll workshop it." They clear theur throat and stand tall again. "He's in there, and he alone is responsible for all damages. Please lead the cops to him when they arrive, put the guy behind bars, maybe get him some help?" They glance around and spot Peter out of the corner of their eyes. "Uh, I gotta run. No more questions and bye!!"

They push through the crowd and arrive at where Peter and MJ are. They smile at MJ when addressed. "Shade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire, newest hero on the block." They say it with the same gusto as when they addressed the crowd, as if they were rehersing to a camera. Shade holds out a hand. "Your friend made a very noble sacrifice today. Rest in piece his shirt, made great restraints all things considered."

[spidersarenerds]

Peter smiles as Shade answers the questions that were being shouted. He doesn't have that sort of patience, but he can admire the enthusiasm to actually talk to people rather than just dip without explanation. It likely promises them a better reputation than Spider-Man, though that isn't saying much. There are villains J.J.J. likes better than him.

MJ tilts her head. "Shade Odinchild? Well, that's a name we certainly didn't cover in our school's mythology studies," she remarks, taking Shade's hand eagerly. "And newest hero on the block, huh? So you're going to be sticking around? What can the public of New York expect from you?"

Peter's eyes widen, basically seeing a flashing neon sign indicating the loaded question. Now, no matter how friendly and people-skilled Shade may be, answering that is a trap. Not one MJ lays intentionally—this time, that is; he won't forget how she bullied her way past Iron Fist and Power Man to get to an interview in a building under attack—but with the public and Jameson around, any answer will not be taken in good faith. "Haha, maybe that's a better question for when you have your camera, right? The digital age, y'know? Everyone likes a video." He puts his hands on her shoulders. He knows it's hopeless to tell MJ straight up that such a question has the very high chance to do more harm than good: she sees the good in everyone and wouldn't believe him if he said otherwise when it comes to the media, at least in his experience.

"Ah, well I could still write it down." She smiles. "Besides, how cool would it be to be a hero's first interview!" It's the same excitement that makes him feel bad to say no or point out a flaw in her plans.

"Haven't you already done that?" MJ was the first one to interview Spider-Man. What? You think I could refuse her back then? She'd have personally hunted down Spider-Man three years ago. "Do you even have a notebook?"

"No..." She crosses her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "Do you?" she asks hopefully.

"Me? Nope! Didn't even bring my bag," he answers. He did, but he has no idea where it is in the diner, so he might as well not have brought it. He'll have to find it later. MJ's expression is disbelieving at best. He smiles 'innocently'.

"There you are! Watson, if you want to be a top journalist, you need to find the action, not run off," Jameson scolds, lightly holding a handkerchief to his nose. Seems the landing face first into concrete after being teleported wasn't exactly harmless. But he still has his attitude, so it's likely nothing to worry about.

"I think she found the action first, sir," Peter comments, earning a judgy side eye from the man, his mouth twisting into a frown before he turns his gaze onto Shade.

MJ steps between the two. "This is Shade Odinchild. They're a new hero!" she introduces, seeming to come to the conclusion that putting a good word in with Jameson could help a little with Shade's reputation.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Well, I'm not the 'hundreds and thousands of years' old kind of Asgardian. I don't actually know if I'm immortal or not--" They were only half Asgardian, technically, and they had no idea what traits they got from their Father's side. Maybe if the guy would actually talk to them they could figure it out, but so far Odin seemed more that happy to pretend they didn't exist. Whatever, they'll figure it out through trial and error. Sucks they won't know if they'll live to 80 or 8,000 till they get there, though.

"But I'll be in your textbooks soon, I bet. Up there with Captain America and Black Widow and the rest of 'em." Maybe they sounded a bit too confident. They had been living off the fake it till you make it mindset the past few months, though. If they sounded confident enough, maybe it'd come true.

Shade opens their mouth to respond, but is cut off by Peter. They're a little annoyed. This could be their big break! Their first interview to really thrust them into the public eye, make them a real hero! They could get their name on tee-shirts and have those stupid little knockoff figures of themself and unlicensed merch that looked so bad it was funny and--

Okay, plot lost. Still, it would be really cool to have their first real interview, even if it wasn't exactly the most professionally conducted.

"I mean, I might have a notebook somewhere." They throw so many things into their pocket dimension, they wouldn't doubt they did. "Hold on, I can look real--" they pause as Jameson speaks, quickly straightening their posture in an attempt to look more professional-ish. They quickly forget about the notebook as they swivel to face Jameson.

"Oh! Jame-- I mean, Mr. Jameson, sir." They aren't usually one for authority figures; Shade's always been more of a "do what I want and deal with the consequences later" kind of guy. Jameson kinda has actual influence, though, and they really want a good first impression with the public. It's the first step to their dreams of greatness, after all.

...which is why they're kind of regretting the whole telling him to shut up thing. And the dropping him face first onto concrete thing.

It's fine, if they pull out all their natural charisma and charm, they can still turn this around to be in their favor!

Shade clears their throat. "I, uh-- Sorry about earlier. Heat of the moment thing, I don't usually tell people to shut up, be quiet maybe but I promise I'm not that rude--" Oh god they're rambling-- "Is your- uh, your nose okay? I'm still a little iffy on portal trajectory. Busted my own nose a couple of times."

Okay, well, so much for charisma and charm. Do they normally stumble over their words this much, or only when what they say actually matters?

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's eyes flick between Jameson and Shade, growing more amused the longer Shade rambles and the conflict on Jameson's face deepens. He's clearly ticked about being dropped on his face—the being told to shut up, less so just because it's not the first time he's heard it from a hero/hero adjacent—but there was an apology, and it's not like this kid is hiding behind a mask... They're taking accountability for their actions, which, in his eyes, only matters when there's no secret identity. Even though Peter has no stake in this, he waits with bated breath for Jameson to give an expression beyond stern and mildly annoyed.

"Well," Jameson clears his throat, adjusting his suit jacket. "It's something you definitely need to work on. Preferably before hurling innocent civilians through your portals." He looks to the side, lips pursing beneath his mustache. "But I am glad you're taking accountability. It's not something everyone does, especially some so-called heroes."

And there it is. Peter was waiting for the Spider-Man diss, even if it was indirect this time. He waves his hand as MJ looks ready to refute that claim. There's no need to save the dead horse Jameson is insistent on beating. Instead, just let Shade have their moment. Peter can't lie and say he's interested in seeing Jameson actually be kind of nice.

"I... suppose... my commentary was not exactly de escalating the situation." Wow, that almost looked like it hurt for Jameson to say. The man looks less than happy to admit his fault, but at least he apologized... kind of.

Peter has to physically bite his lip to keep from adding a 'ya think?' Now isn't the time and he really shouldn't snark an adult while he's so obviously himself, no matter how much of a pain that adult may be. I am mature. I am so good at shutting up. I will utter no words. Imagine Fury is super mad and ready to end anyone who talks back.

He breaks, because how could he not? There are so many different things he could say. He opts for the most innocuous one. "I'm sure it's alright, sir. Villain attacks are scary for everyone. There's no shame in that." It doesn't quite scratch his itch to be a bother, but there's only so much he can do before he loses plausibility that he isn't being intentional in his antagonism.

Jameson does not seem amused. "Yes, for civilians. I am a journalist, and we do not scare in the face of some loon in a mask, now do we, Miss Watson?"

"Not exactly. We act in spite of our fear to deliver–" she begins to say.

"Exactly," Jameson plows on, not waiting for her to finish her thought. Because it's something she got from Spider-Man in an interview? Maybe.

"–The truth as best we can," MJ concludes, giving Jameson a flat glare before her expression brightens again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath they didn't know they were holding. Jameson didn't seem like he was going to go on the news and spout about how they were a menace like he did with certain other heros; they could almost say he seemed to respect them, to a degree. At least they can assure their reputation with the public isn't going to be smeared just yet.

They nod along as he speaks, trying Very hard to seem engaged. The better the impression they leave, the better the future article about them will be (hopefully.) "I'm... working on the portals. I'm mentoring under someone with way more magical skills than me,so I should figure it out soon." They figure outright saying my older brother Loki is showing me how to do cool magic stuff wouldn't get a good reaction. God of Lies or not, he's still not well liked. "Next time, I'll make sure you land on your feet, probably."

They nod along to Jameson's response to Peter. "Well, sir, soon you won't have to worry about loons in masks. Or, at least you'll have to worry less." Shade places their thumb on their chest, standing tall and throwing on a confident smile. "With me on the streets, villains will be too scared to stick around. Bet I'll clear New York out was faster than Spider-Man could." They're not gonna lie and say they aren't trying to annoy Peter; they subtly glance his way, just to see his reaction. Besides, they're trying to get on Jameson's good side. This is a quick (and funny) way to do so. They'll say sorry later.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter notices Shade's seemingly eager nodding, maybe a tiny bit amused by the amount of trying to get on Jameson's good side that's going on. He doesn't think he's seen someone try that hard, but it's nice to see, in a way. If they're worried about their reputation, chances are, hopefully they'll do good things to better their reputation. He bites his lip to keep a grin from forming as they promise to transport Jameson safely through a portal next time, with a probably tacked onto the end. He wouldn't complain about seeing Jameson dropped onto his face again, but judging by the nervous laugh from Jameson, he isn't going to be stepping through any of Shade's portals any time soon.

At the claim that Shade will clear out New York of supervillains faster than Spider-Man, Peter's eyebrows furrow, his mouth opening like he's deciding if it's worth responding to and risking identities. He purses his lips. The diss wasn't appreciated, but less work is less work, so he won't say no.

Jameson, however, grins, "Ha! Glad to know not all of the new heroes think Spider-Man is the standard."

"Of course that's the key to your heart; hating Spider-Man. Who would have guessed," Peter grumbles under his breath, unsurprised and keeping his voice down low enough that he's sure Jameson wouldn't hear him over his own beginnings of a rant.

"Well, actually, a lot of the villains on Spider-Man's roster were only in New York because they were hired to fight him. So, it would be O– uh, whoever hired them's fault." It's a valiant attempt on MJ's part to defend Spider-Man, even though Peter nearly had a heart attack when she nearly said the—now reformed—'employer's name.

Of course, Jameson just gets a gleam in his eye. "But at the root of the problem is Spider-Man." As one would blame the guy with the note 'kick me' taped to their back. "We could do more with heroes like this one who own up to their mistakes and don't attract villains!" He gestures to Shade. Peter cringes; he sure hopes Jameson didn't jinx it. Villains with magic powers are a pain for everyone.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade hears Peter's mumbled comment and sends him a shit eating grin. They quickly shift their focus back to Jameson, not trying to divert any attention to Peter. They should probably be a bit more subtle, now that they think about it. Not everyone is willing to throw their real identity out there.

"Well, I don't think I have anyone who hates me bad enough to give people to kill me quite yet." Maybe a few people who had beef with Odin, or Thor, or Loki, but those people didn't directly hate them. They were just trying to hurt the aforementioned Asgardians without any direct sort of confrontation. Not the same as hiring a guy to kill Spider-Man. (Not like Odin cared about anything happening to them. The couple of guys who came after them with the intention of getting Odin's attention were so misguided it was a little funny.) Back to their original point, they add, "I don't thing I'll be attracting any supervillains here anytime soon."

They can't say they aren't enjoying the praise. Even if Jameson isn't their favorite person ever, they haven't ever been used as a good example. It feels pretty nice; Shade just hopes they can live up to his (and the rest of New York's) expectations.

The teen holds out a hand. "Well, Mr. Jameson, it has been very nice to meet you. Maybe next time we can meet under a less life-or-death-y situation?"

[spidersarenerds]

Peter hopes Shade is right and no one wants them dead. He knows it's likely that they're right and he's worrying because of his own past experiences. He has to remember that not every new hero has a billionaire and their mad scientist looking to militarize their powers and/or dissect them. Shade should be fine.

They handle themselves well enough in front of the media, anyway. Peter's glad to see Jameson likes at least one superhero, excluding the two times that he's taken a liking to people impersonating Spider-Man.

"So long as you keep up your efforts, I look forward to it." Jameson takes Shade's hand, giving it a firm shake while stating his hefty expectations. No pressure or anything. With that, he walks back into the crowd, saying he and MJ will meet another time—which will likely end in disaster such as today; her interviews with the man are always interrupted by villain attacks—with a brief over the shoulder wave.

As the news reporter leaves, Peter squints. "Did you put something in his drink, MJ?" he accuses, mostly in jest. He doesn't think he's seen the man in such a good mood, like ever. "Or did he hit his head so hard it knocked the stick outta–"

"I didn't drug Mr. Jameson, Peter." MJ rolls her eyes. She shifts her attention to Shade. "Don't feel too worried about what Mr. Jameson says. So long as you do your best, that's enough. Don't set unachievable expectations to beat yourself up over: that helps no one," she says, a friendly smile on her face. "Right, Peter?" she adds on pointedly, jabbing his side with her elbow.

"Ow!" He rubs his ribs. Targeted much? "She's right, though. The more people saving the city the better."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade waits until Jameson disappears into the crowd to let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. If they've felt weighted under their own expectations for themself before, they might be feeling just a bit crushed now. It's just their reputation with the entire damn city. Nothing big.

They look at MJ as she talks, nodding along. "Of course. I'd never set unachieveable expectations." Because no expectation is unachievable if they just achieve it, so they aren't doing that! They're sure theyre never going to get burnt out with thoughts like that.

They look at Peter. "Yeah. I, uh... I'll do my best! Can't wait to work eith yo-- uh, Spider-Man, on that. And the other heroes in New York." They shift their weight from one foot to the other. They really are excited about their new hero-ing thing; they yearn for the sort of praise people like Captain America, Black Widow, even Thor receives.

They glance to the crowd, where cops are talking to a very disgruntled looking man, most likely the owner of the diner. Shade bites at their lip. "Legally speaking, am I responsible for..." the candy corn all over the floor, the broken tables they threw at Jack, the hole in the wall where their giant sword lodged itself into the wall, the scorch marks along the floor. "...the damages? And if so, how fast do I need to dip?"

[spidersarenerds]

So that cat is out of the bag. Well, at least it's a hero who knows his identity, and one with good intentions at that, even if they're on the greener side. "Yeah, after this, you're sure to make pals." It took Peter a while to do actual team ups with other heroes when he started out, but that was because of his attitude and avoidance of anything where he'd have to talk to someone on his side.

At the mention of damages, MJ repositions herself to see into the diner, sucking in a breath through her teeth. With a villain like Jack O'Lantern, damages are hard to avoid, but it's far from a pretty sight.

"Uuummm..." Peter always dipped before he could be spoken to, so he has no idea if heroes actually get in trouble for the damages. S.H.I.E.L.D. kind of shields—heh—him from that stuff so long as it isn't gratuitous. "I don't know..." He checks over his shoulder before continuing in a lower voice. "I can call folks in to get the clean up handled, there's a thing for that. So, you only have to run if they start coming over here." It's a suggestion, not one most would approve of as it is quite literally 'run away from the cops' but who is he to care for what should be done? So, he'll keep an eye out for any police coming towards Shade.

"He–" Peter tilts his head toward the owner. "–won't have to pay a dime for it either, in case that was a concern." He leans his weight onto one foot, also peering into the diner. "Could probably do with some new chairs anyway," he says, wrinkling his nose. Hopefully Damage Control will splurge on some cushions.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade cringes as MJ looks at the mess they made; they look mildly embarrassed as they shrink in on themself, not unlike a child waiting to be scolded.

"I, uh... I'd appreciate that. Calling those guys in." They do feel a little better, knowing they're not causing some poor innocent civilian a bunch of money because they slipped on some candy corn (and threw chairs and tables and used fire magic indoors.) They nervously glance back at the crowd, keeping an eye on the cops for a moment. They don't seem to be paying them any mind, but they would still rather not linger.

They turn their attention back to MJ and Peter. "I kinda sorta ruined your lunch, right? Sorry about that. Could I get you guys something else to eat?" They maybe have, like, 15 dollars stashed away in their pocket dimension somewhere, but they'd feel at least a little bad for not offering (that, and they really want to get away from all the cops).

Besides, if all else fails, they have an older brother and a card he can wire money into. They're already planning how to discreetly send a text his way asking for an extra 20 on their allowance this week.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter nods, folding his hands behind his back. He can't call Fury up in the middle of this crowd to ask for Damage Control. He hopes that he's as good at typing behind his back as he is at making wisecracks. If he isn't, he will blame the tiny screen of his wrist communicator. Whether or not Fury understands "dmg ctrl pls" could be a whole other issue without the plausible typos being considered.

It's good enough. Fury will see the news anyway. He's somehow got his eye on everything. Even with the cameras, watching all of those screens is a feat and a half for anyone.

"Lunch?" Free food is free food, Peter can admit that much, but also free for him is not free for Shade. He can survive without it. "Nah. I feel like I should be buying you lunch after you saved us from Jameson. My ears were ringing from halfway across the room," he jokes instead, rubbing his ear with an exaggerated wince.

MJ rolls her eyes. "But we should get going," she decides, spying a sliver of a blue uniform in the crowd. "They don't like how I get the info to show new sides to a story." She spares a glance over her shoulder to glare in the direction of the police as she turns to lead them out of the crowd.

"What? MJ!" Peter hisses, pulling her leather jacket tighter around himself. Torn between following after her and staying between Shade and the police grouped in the crowd. He doesn't want to leave Shade behind to deal with the police, especially after their somewhat nervous attitude towards them.

"There's a reason they aren't journalists, Peter; the truth isn't as important as the law."

For those of you that don't know, that's MJ speak for I got caught trespassing in the name of one of my stories, therefore the police are the opposition now. But also flawed system so... Peter groans. This is not something he can argue with MJ about. "If you're still up for it, I'm sure she would like to interview you... away from all this," he says to Shade, an offer to get out of this crowd.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods, following the duo through the crowd. They keep an eye out for any officers heading their way as they pull out their phone, typing as they walk. "You have a place in mind? I'm not usually on this side of town, not sure what's around." They hope their looking at their phone reads as looking at a map for nearby places to snag a bite, and not them texting their older sibling.

Can i have extra money this week pleasepleaseplease like 30 or maybe more dollars pleaseeee

They really don't intend on letting Peter or MJ pay if they can help it. For one, Peter kinda helped in the fight with Jack (and sacrificed his shirt in the process, which Shade still felt a little bad about.) For two, MJ was helping them avoid the cops, which was much appreciated. (They aren't sure how illegal the vigilante thing is, but they do know that they're probably classified as a missing person a few states away, and the less the cops are on them the better.) The least they could do was offer a meal.

Slipping the phone away again, they speed up to walk alongside Peter and MJ. "A for real interview sounds cool!" They grin. "And when I'm super famous, MJ can tell everyone she was the first one to give me one! It'll look good on a resume, I'd bet."

[spidersarenerds]

"Uhh..." Peter racks through his list of restaurants in the area that he knows of, trying to think of what is cheapest. "There's this coffee-sandwich shop thing a few streets down, I think. Not as greasy, though, if artery-clogging is what you're craving," he quips, mostly to hide his uncertainty about the exact location. The city looks different from up high, so his navigation on foot may be subpar.

As they walk, the crowd thins. He looks between Shade and MJ as the interview conversation goes on. "Ha, that resume is going to be a book by the time she's 20."

"As if that's a bad thing. You know it doesn't hurt to have varied experiences, Peter." MJ knows he's teasing, her own defense being a jab about how he has been in the same 'field' since he was 14.

"Yeah, yeah, Miss journalist, tutor, play writer, and who knows what else." He rolls his eyes.

MJ raises an eyebrow. "You could probably add something to your resume besides teaching. Like that time you acted for my play... or improvised."

"It was a high school play. And Trapster literally crashed your play and I was, like, understudy number seven for Flash; no way you're still mad that I improvised," he groans, waving his hand that is not holding MJ's jacket.

"Maybe I am." She turns to Shade, grinning. "You know his aunt sent me pictures. She thought it was Flash at first because, well, the play was about Spider-Man so masks, so the 'identity reveal' was a big shock when Petey was under the mask." MJ is clearly very happy to share an embarrassing story about Peter.

"No way she was able to take pictures," Peter protests, already knowing his aunt likely snuck them since Flash has been his neighbor since forever and it's not like his folks were around to be proud of him.

"Maybe a video..." She teases. "I think that's the first time I ever heard him sing in the 13 years I've known him," she adds.

He sighs sufferingly, mostly to put on a show of embarrassment since MJ seems eager to tell the story, and if Shade is having fun too, he really doesn't mind. He has this little restaurant to hunt down anyway.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods. "Coffee-sandwich shop sounds good." They follow closely, glancing between the two as they converse / argue. It's pretty entertaining, actually.

They pause in listening when they get a buzz on their phone, they take it out just long enough to read the notification.

$29.99 added to account number...

They slide their phone away, deciding not to comment on the stupid joke. Calling Loki a jerk for giving them one cent less than they asked for would maybe not get them more money in the future. (Even though the bit was a little funny, they could not let their brother know that Ever. He wasn't getting the satisfaction.)

Shade perks up as the conversation is again directed at them. "Pictures?" They repeat, glancing between Peter and MJ. They cover one side of their mouth with their hand and stage whisper, "I'll give you my number later, not saying you should send them over, buttttttt...." they drop their hand and grin mischievously, giggling a little at the resigned expression Peter wears.

[spidersarenerds]

"Surprisingly not the worst pictures of me that will be spread around." Between the unflattering positions he's been in as Spider-Man and being caught by the paparazzi with Harry, there's worse pictures of him than him playing in a high school musical, even if the suit was... lacking in more ways than one.

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare," MJ teases, fully intending to send Shade the images and the video if she has it.

"Like a house on fire," Peter sighs to himself, amused by how well Shade and MJ are getting along. And yes, pun intended. "We should be there soon and you two can exchange your info." At least he thinks.

After a few turns, the coffee-sandwich shop is up ahead, advertised by a simple banner on its faded brick walls. It doesn't stand out any more than any of the other buildings in the area. It seems vacant enough that they could get their food without trouble or a long wait.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade strolls right in; it doesn't take very long for the group to get seated at a booth. Shade let's Peter and MJ sit next to each other, while they take the other side.

As soon as the smell of food hits their nose, they realize how hungry they are -- having the powers of the Wildfire also comes with an appetite to match. Still, they're trying to get the money in their account to stretch across three people (there's no way they're letting Peter or MJ pay after they kinda sorta destroyed the diner they were supposed to eat in,) so they decide on a cheap-ish pepperoni sandwich and soda.

Shade gives their order to a waiter. While they wait for Peter and MJ to order, they take a napkin and a pen and scribble their number on it, sliding it to MJ with a grin.

"For professional queries," they joke, "or other interview questions. Or embarrassing pictures of Peter."

[spidersarenerds]

MJ scans the menu quickly, finding what she wants and deems an acceptable price, a simple sandwich with deli meat, lettuce, cheese, and that sort of bread that makes it look more complex than it is, and orders it. It's a much simpler process than it is for Peter, who is staring down the menu like it stole his lunch money. Well, it kind of did, at least Shade's money... in return for food, so not really stealing either... Don't think about it too hard.

He glances up as his name is mentioned. "Huh? Oh." His eyes flick to the napkin, then MJ's grin, figuring out the context. "How devious of you," he comments, his eyes darting across the menu. Too many options. Is it weird to get fries again? What if they're just cursed today? He only had the one shirt and could not deal with another villain vs. diner situation.

He gets the nachos.

"So, what brings you to New York?" MJ asks, leaning forward on the table. Peter is silently relieved that the question wasn't too deep, he doesn't think. When she first interviewed Spider-Man, the first thing she asked for was an identity reveal. "There's already quite a few big names here; wouldn't it be easier to make a name for yourself elsewhere? If that's what you're looking to do, of course."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade leans back in the booth, letting out a breath. "That's a... kind of complicated question?" They probably shouldn't mention anything about their mom, because again, they're technically a missing person and they would rather not have... all that come up. They've done a really good job avoiding the law so far.

"I mostly came here because it's where the Asgardians are. I knew I was different as a kid-- too strong for anyone my size, never got sick, healed too fast -- but I didn't know about my Asgardian side until I was 10-ish."

They still remember that day-- lights flickering and magic pouring from their hands and broken glass and no understanding of what was happening or why. Even with all the villains they've fought and their various near death (and one actual death) experience, it was still the scariest thing they've been through.

"Eventually I got bored of my small town, wanted to figure out more about my father. I figured someone as charming as me could bother answers out of Thor if I tried hard enough -- not that I had to, because the other Asgardian prince found me first. Apparently I have a very distinct magical aura that Loki clocked as being related to the All-Father's."

The food arrives, and Shade is quick to dig in. They cover their mouth as they chew, continuing. "It'd probably be way easier to make a name literally anywhere else, but I get to live here rent free, so," they shrug. "Besides, the last name 'Odinchild' tends to turn some heads already." Does that make them a nepobaby? Can they be a nepobaby if most of what they've inherited from Odin was his enemies? Much to consider.

[spidersarenerds]

"Huh, so family in the field, then," Peter notes, popping a nacho into his mouth and internally debating who between Loki and Thor would be best to learn about Odin from. From what he knows about Thor from their interactions, he holds a lot of admiration for his father. Peter knows much less about Loki and never got around to discussing family with them, but it seems complicated. He met the guy himself once, technically twice if you count meeting him while he was doing his big nap for whatever reason he can't remember, and he's certainly... something.

"I bet that causes some second-hand arch enemies," he adds. Thor has fought and ticked off many a things in the time Peter has known him, never mind all he did before that too. Odin and Loki probably add to that list as well... He'll be sure to keep an eye and ear out for Shade.

MJ considers Shade's answer, being the only one not immediately going for her food—ah, to have a metabolism that isn't messed up—and then asks another question, "Since you're related to Thor, does that mean you have the Avengers as back up? Or are you only relying on yourself?" Her eyebrows furrow as she tries to piece it together herself. She opens her mouth to tack on another question, however she stops, taking a bite of her sandwich to force herself to give Shade time to answer.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Oh, God, yeah." They get a forlorn look on their face. "So many enemies. It's all these people who've been at the magic thing for centuries, and I've been here, like, 5 minutes. Sometimes it feels like I'm a kindergartener getting thrown around by professional boxers or something." Their only saving grace in several encounters has been the unpredictability a novice tends to have; their enemies can't plan how to counteract their moves when they themself dont even know what kind of magic is gonna blast outta their hands next.

(They have gotten better about that, though. Otherwise the diner probably would have been nothing but ash by the end of that fight.)

"Though, I guess my family having enemies got me some of the power I have now. I wouldn't have the God of the Wildfire thing going if Loki and Odin hadn't pissed off some ancient god enough that he wanted to curse me." They didn't see the fire as a curse. Guess that guy wasted his time and energy with that one.

Shade thinks about MJ's question a second. "If I were in real, life-or-death trouble, and Thor knew about it in time, he could pull the Avengers into things. I wouldn't say I personally am close enough to ever call on them. It's not like I have Tony Stark's number or anything." They take a long sip of soda. "I'm really trying to be taken seriously, though. I don't think calling for my older brother and his friends will get anyone to see me as anything but a little kid who goes crying at the slightest hint of things going south."

[spidersarenerds]

"Ha, yeah, I feel like magic is like that," Peter agrees. He hasn't had a ton of experience using magic, obviously, but it seems to be a subject that needs intensive study to be any good. Though, to a point raw power likely overshadows that.

As Shade considers their access to backup—because that is what it is; support in difficult fights—Peter suppresses a wince, trying to hide it with taking another bite. Refusing hypothetical support in the name of being taken seriously, that is a rather familiar thought process. "Well, you have a bunch of your family's enemies after you, so they must take you seriously. At least that, right?" It's not an argument that will win any debates, but he thinks it's at least positive enough.

"Not that that's necessarily a good thing... or the usual experience from what I've got from my interviews. There's a lot that comes with being targeted all the time, and more often than not, asking for backup is the right move," MJ adds logically.

In Peter's mind, what MJ said is most definitely the right answer and what should be taught, even if he still gets irked by the idea of asking for help after years of working on that. "Yeah, of course. More awesome team ups when folks ask for help." He's still rolling her words around in his head, trying to find an angle that can make asking for help more appealing, not only for Shade, but for himself and the heroes he teaches. "Wait. What do you mean by not the usual?"

MJ sighs, rolling her eyes with a slight smile. She knew the question was coming. "Because most heroes and vigilantes have to build up their villain 'portfolio' for months if not years before they have mortal—or in Shade's case, immortal—enemies. Getting into the gig with multiple big names trying to kill you is not normal. Even Daredevil had to work to get where he is."

"Even Nova?" Peter challenges, already figuring that what she's saying makes sense.

"Yes, even him."

"Huh." Well, Peter has to reevaluate how he's going to prepare his students for the hero field. No wonder some of them looked at him like he was nuts when he said people would be out to kill you from basically day one.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade makes a face. "They're only targeting me because they think I'm easy pickings. Who are they supposed to go after, Thor? Loki? Angela, Hela, Odin himself?" They tap their finger against the table, more a movement of comfort than impatience. "It's not respect for me as a hero, it's a view of me as some helpless little kid who happens to share some blood and a last name. They just want to be able to tell people they killed one of Odin's kids, or threaten my life to threaten Odin, or-- or something like that. So I gotta prove 'em wrong."

Shade listens to MJ's argument. She's right; most heroes ease into the role. Doom doesn't try to stab any teen who suddenly finds out they can fly or shoot lasers from their eyes or stretch their body to extreme amounts. But most people don't have the All-Father's name stuck on their back like a big target. Most up and coming heroes don't have shoes that big to fill. They chew their lip and avoid eye contact. They don't need help but they don't know how to explain that in a way these two might understand.

"I'm a skilled sorcerer for my age, even if I'm not at the level of some of my villains. I can handle it alone. It's not like I've died yet." they pause, realizing that is technically a lie. "I mean, I haven't stayed dead." That... isnt as reassuring as they meant for it to be. "I-- I have allies, I can call people if I need help! I just don't need it." Okay, that was definitely not the way to explain it. They're better at using their fists than their words, and this isnt the kind of conversation fists are useful for.

[spidersarenerds]

That's a lot to unpack. Peter doesn't know where to start. He inhales like he's going to say something but he doesn't. How does he address the whole dying thing—and that being proof that some help definitely wouldn't hurt—while also respecting Shade's right to decide whether they want help or not. "Okay..." he sighs. "Well, I'm glad you're not dead... anymore." Man, that feels weird to say. "Or else I'd have been toast back there," he jokes, offering a small smile. If he can lighten the mood, then he can have a moment to try and figure out this can of worms.

"Prove the villains wrong?" MJ questions, not nearly as concerned with broaching the topic and staying on the topic at hand. She can wonder how in the world, or outside of the world, Shade came back to life. Her interview has gone a little off the rails, but she feels it is worth it. After all, there would be no chance for any other interviews or sharing more embarrassing pictures of Peter with Shade because they got killed in their refusal to ask for help.

Peter leans back into the cushioning of the booth. So much for his efforts. MJ has always been more direct than him, even when it cost her more time because of stubbornness on both ends. He has sat through enough debates between her and Harry to know that much. He won't let it go on for that long, especially since Shade seems equally as stubborn in their view as MJ is in her own, but he can't exactly change the subject just yet. Besides, he's not opposed to trying to convince Shade to ask for help, at the very least so they don't die again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Thanks," they say, directed towards Peter. "I'm, uh, glad I'm not still dead too?" It's an odd thing to say, and they feel the need to clarify, "One of Odin's kids is the goddess of death. She, uh, she sent me back up after?" It doesnt clarify as much as they'd like it to, but MJ throws them a new question and they don't have time to linger.

"The villains, yeah." They reply a little too fast. "I mean, you obviously want to have villains fear you, right? Because then it's easier to keep them from causing harm, intimidation and all." They chew at their lip again. It's not exactly a lie, but it's not exactly the whole truth, either, and aren't you suppose to be truthful during interviews? "Maybe I also want the rest of the family to take me seriously, but it's more the villains." There. Thats more true than before.

Family, they know, is a strong word for the shitshow that is their family tree. Loki and Thor are less strained than they have been, but there's still tension. Hela isolates herself from everyone else and longs for the day they all become a part of her domain. Angela... exists, but Shade hasn't actually met her and they aren't sure she wants to. They shouldn't really care about what those guys think, and especially not that damned All-Father, because theyre all messy and half of them are morally grey at best.

Which is why they don't care. Clearly. They care about keeping villains from causing harm with their cool fire powers and awesome Asgardian strength and they care about little else. "I mean, if Thor and Loki and Odin and-- and all the rest of those guys start treating me like an equal and not just their kid sibling, the rest of the villains will follow suit and see my real strength."

[ocpromptshenanigans]

This for witch oc?

.

[spidersarenerds]

Open RP Starter (How Did I Get Here?)

This may be one of the stupidest things he's done… or well, it was. What he's about to do will probably be worse. But that's for later, so *rewind noises* or whatever.

MJ must have some sort of mind control ability because she managed to convince Peter to come along to her interview. Like last time went so well when the Beetle trashed a whole floor of the Daily Bugle building. So, here he is in some greasy diner as J. Jonah Jameson grills MJ in the booth to his left—Peter didn't even get a nice seat, just one of those uncomfortable plastic-laminated wood chairs that are always an awkward height. At least there's fries. Though they'd be much better if he didn't have to hear Jameson ask MJ about all of the qualifications she's already given the last ten times she's been interviewed for a position. It all boils down to how willing she is to diss Spider-Man, which is where her stubbornness wins out every time.

But fries! So hot his tongue is starting to lose a little bit of feeling. Perfection.

About to pop a fry into his mouth, he pauses and his eyes narrow, dropping the fry back onto the plate.

The door to the diner flies open, the little chime of the bell drowned out by the thud of the door whacking into a, thankfully, empty chair. Peter barely got to glance at the person barging in before there's a table skidding across the floor. His fries? Upended. The awful chair? Knocked aside. Himself? At the other end of the room, steadying the now sideways table that was sent his way so it doesn't crush him and whatever patrons unlucky enough to be on this table's warpath. "Sorry, folks. Pancake-dom via table costs extra," he says mindlessly, even though he should definitely watch his quips when Jameson is around. Speaking of, the news reporter himself is shouting something about refusing to be silenced and the usual spew of his bravery and, as revealed as Peter tips the table back onto its four legs, is cowering as far into the corner of his booth as he can.

And that about sums up how he got where he is now, shielding whoever is behind him with a mere table between himself and the threat, and to top it all off, the loudest journalist in New York along with other civilians as an audience that could oust secrets he doesn't want to get out if he gets a little too spidery.

//Be the villain, civilian, a hero following the fiend who barged in, whatever you'd like! And of course, tags (No one is forced to interact and those not tagged are more than welcome to interact as well!): @emiliakane @katiebishop-1610

[night-shade-odinchild]

A moment later, another person is barging into the diner, clutching a very large sword in one hand and pointing at the intruder with the other.

"You!" they gasp, winded, "you are the absolute WORST!" They had no idea who the other was, but they did know they'd been chasing him for at least 5 blocks and then through an interdimensional portal (one THEY made to follow him THEMSELF! Their magic was improving!) all while he wrecked havoc and caused large amounts of damage. That was more than enough to decide that yeah, this guy sucked.

Shade takes a moment to glance around -- civilians everywhere, small area, J. Jonah Jameson -- they do a double take. Okay, cool, cool, whatever they did here was probably going to be reported on. That's fine.

First things first. There's no room for giant swords in here, so they let it disappear into their pocket dimension. Second, they should probably ensure civilian safety. They notice the table about to crush a bunch of people first, and quickly dodge away from an oncoming attack to get closer.

"Hello!" They greet as they come to the side not pressed against the wall. "Sorry I can't chat. I need to take this, hope you dont mine." They pull the table away from the civilians and twist, throwing the thing as hard as they can at their assailant. It's mostly dumb luck no bystanders were in the way-- the table lands and the man falls, only to stumble up a moment later.

Shade swears under their breath, turning to the civilians they'd just freed. Their gaze meets Peter's. "You, can you clear this place? I don't want anyone to get hurt." They hate delegating such a task to someone incapable of defending himself against a superpowered person, but they have little choice.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter watches the second person burst into the room, mildly concerned about the large sword—and the loud complaint, but, honestly, mood. Their mood towards the intruder as well as the disappearance of the massive sword eases his worries. One madman destroying the place is already too many, but at least it isn't two.

Kind of. Peter winces as the table crashes into the man. At least he isn't the one paying for it. Huh, having little to no responsibility in a crisis situation is weird. Well, that was until he was given the task of evacuating the area. "You and me both," he agrees. Preventing people from getting hurt as a shared goal is enough for him to decide that he can trust Shade to handle the bad guy. It takes a load off his shoulders. He doubts the ol' adrenaline excuse will cut it with J.J.J. as a witness if he were to go toe to toe with this guy. But while getting people out of the way it might.

He glances around, watching the man's destructive behaviour that is blocking the main door for a beat longer before moving towards the emergency exit. If he can clear a path to it, getting everyone out will be much easier. Peter has a feeling that the man won't have the kindness to see people out the front door.

There are footsteps that follow after him—likely the group that was behind the table with him—and short shrieks as a chair clatters into the wall above their heads. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Peter grumbles, keeping an eye on the man now that he's decided to start throwing things again. "Turn off the burners, fryers, whatever and get out of here!" he calls towards the workers, most of which have crouched behind the counter, shielding their heads. He doesn't expect them to follow the first part much, if at all, but it would be nice if there wasn't a fire hazard as well as an attack.

He wrenches open the small gate separating the kitchen area behind the counter and the rest of the diner, gesturing for the few people trailing after him to go in. "Follow after the workers there– Lead them out of here," he orders the worker that was slowest to get out of here. Shock, probably, but the job should give them a task to cling to for the time being.

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect—and how he must be in cahoots with a certain wall-crawling menace—but apparently not.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade keeps an eye on the escaping civilians out of the corner of their eye. They're not used to fighting in such a cramped space with this many people around; most their focus is on keeping the oncoming furniture from hitting any innocents. Magic flies wildly, hastily made shields are created only to drop a moment later as a blast of fire flashes forward to incinerate a chair about to hit a kid. For an amateur sorcerer like themself, it's incredibly draining.

They flinch as Jameson shouts another line about disrespect-- enough of a break in their focus to cause them to get hit square in the nose with a stool. Shade covers their face and yells out a few obscenities before turning to Jameson.

"Can you PLEASE just SHUT UP!" They face their opponent again, wiping blood from their nose as they continue talking to Jameson. "This would be so much easier if you just left and got to safety, man--" they dodge another chair before they seem to come to a realization. "Wait, I'm so stupid, I could literally just--" A blue glow forms around their hands yet again, and suddenly a portal opens under Jameson; he can be seen falling onto his face through the window.

By this point, most all the civilians are out, except for that guy they told to help evacuate. Shade pulls up another shield made of magic and glances in his direction. "When I said evacuate everyone, I meant you too." Blue flames surround their fist, and they leap forward to attack their assailant.

[spidersarenerds]

Not that it helps any, but Peter absolutely admires Shade's ability to keep track of all of the hurling objects. Without extra senses, it's quite the feat. It also makes the job of evacuating people easier when he doesn't have to lead them to dodge flying chairs and tables.

After shoving MJ to follow the rest of the crowd out—he actually had to close the door between them—because she wanted to stay to get the story on the scene and no way is he letting that happen no matter who is here to keep her safe as she records, he sighs. He thinks that's everyone. Or so he thought until he heard Jameson yell as he is dropped through a portal and made to eat the concrete outside. "I'm getting way too good at tuning him out." Peter doesn't think that's necessarily a bad thing, especially with the result he just saw, but maybe he should pay a little more attention next time.

"Yeah, I'm working on it," he says, pushing on the door to the staff. It doesn't budge. "Wait, was it?–" He pulls the handle. Nothing. The door locks as it shuts. Just his luck. Pushing on a pull door would have been less embarrassing than accidentally locking himself inside.

He yelps as the intruder crashes into the shelves in front of him. This is the first actual chance he's gotten to see the man unobstructed, and the pumpkin head is definitely a shock that has his yelp being louder than he'd have liked. The pumpkin head's carved grin seems to grow—how that works he doesn't know—at his shout and he begins to sit up. "Trick or treat!" He crows in a voice Peter would never call sane.

Now, he's seen many horror movies. He's complained about the dumb decisions the characters have made enough that he'd be put to shame if he didn't grab the nearest object and hit that pumpkin square in its face. That object just so happened to be a sheet pan. The pumpkin is still intact, and the twang the metal sheet gives is almost comedic, but it has the man faltering long enough that Peter has the chance to hop over the counter. He knows it's a little too graceful of a move for the whole 'Peter-act', so he tries to mess up his landing, stabilizing himself with some flailing and a hand on the floor.

"Trick it is!" the man decides happily, righting himself behind the counter and turning his pumpkin right side around.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade notices the door conundrum and swears under their breath. They've been at this fight far too long, and they don't have it in them to open another portal. If they tried, they couldn't guarantee Peter wouldn't end up in a wall or 40 feet off the ground.

They nearly laugh at the absurdity of hitting the guy with a sheet pan, but cut themself off; they should probably focus so they don't get hit again. The bruise that was definitely forming on their face was already going to be so annoying to explain away later.

"Come on, man, Halloween is my favorite holiday! You're ruining it!" Shade glances at Peter. "Try to stay out of the line of fire. I got this." They say it with way more confidence than they feel, but whatever. They've been living on fake it 'till you make it rules long enough it's practically second nature.

They leap over the counter, fire already wrapped around their fist. They intend for it to hit the guy in the face, but he catches their punch with ease. They're surprised for a moment, caught off guard by the lack of response to the fire, before realizing that of course the guy who's head is literally a flaming pumpkin wouldn't react to a little heat.

They don't have much more time to reflect on this misjudgement before they're met with a swift punch to the gut. They cringe but stand their ground, offering a quick blast of fire in return. It's enough to get the guy off them, if only for a moment.

Desperate for a quick way to end this (they know theres still a civilian in here, they know they need to keep him safe,) Shade tries the one thing they're terrible at: using their words. "And what if I said treat?" They severely hope the guy doesn't have some sort of candy themed weaponry.

[spidersarenerds]

Jack O'Lantern gasps, clasping his hands together. "It's your favorite too?!" he coos. "But I'm ruining it? I think you aren't appreciating it enough!" he cackles as he catches Shade's punch.

Peter has dealt with all sorts of crazy before, but maniacally happy with a Halloween theme is new. Would it be wrong of me to say I miss Goblin's crazy? At least he made sense... in his own twisted way. He nods as he's told to try to stay out of the line of fire. That's the plan.

"You got it!" If it's a treat you want, then a treat you shall get!" It is, unfortunately candy themed weaponry, almost a gun of sorts that he's quick to pull from beneath his cape and fire. Luckily, his aim sucks. On the less lucky side, whatever he's shooting is coming apart as it's shot.

So much for staying out of the line of fire! Peter throws his hands up over his head, shielding his face from the pellets. That's what they must be since they haven't torn through Shade and himself like shrapnel would. The pellets are hard and surprisingly small, bouncing off his arms and falling to the floor with a clatter. They hurt, but not nearly as much as one would think something that came from a gun would. He cracks open an eye. He knows he's not bulletproof, so what is this? He takes a peek at the ground. "Candy corn?" The little orange, yellow, and white triangles litter the ground of the diner now. "Where do you even get this much of it?"

"I'll never reveal the skeletons in my closet!" Jack O'Lantern gesticulates so dramatically as he speaks, he's nearly dancing to the rhythm of his words. Peter can't say he's quite as enthused. Rather than get into whether or not bulk stores can be counted as a skeleton in a closet, he begins to take a couple steps backward, not paying much mind to the hard candy making the ground uneven, his feet finding the clear areas so he won't slip without much thought. If he's out of the way, Shade can handle this guy much more easily... probably. And with Jack O'Lantern behind the counter, the path to the front exit should be clear if Peter can make it there. He just doesn't want the pumpkin head to notice. Who knows if all his weapons are merely annoying like the candy corn gun or actually dangerous?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Candy corn gun. Of course it was a candy corn gun. How stupid they were to even think that it wouldn't be a candy themed weapon. "Where do you get this much? Halloween was forever ago, no one is sells any past October?" Not that they were asking because candy corn was their favorite. The middle of battle would be an incredibly inappropriate time for such a question.

For the briefest moment, they consider trying to catch a piece in their mouth. They decide against it, though. One, it would be so embarrassing to die because they choked on a piece of flying candy corn, especially after everything else they've lived through. Two, they didn't really want to meet their sister again. Hela might not be kind enough to send them back up a second time.

Shade watches Peter slowly back away out of the corner of their eye. They need to keep Jack'O'Lantern occupied so he can escape.

Their sword returns to their hand. Now that the store is mostly empty, they have a little more room to swing the giant blade. "Hey, Jack! Try countering this!" They step forward for a swing, aiming to knock the gun out his hand.

That is not what happens. Their foot lands on a piece of candy corn and they slip. They quickly adjust the grip of the sword as they fall -- it nearly takes Jack's head off, and they have no want to kill the guy -- and it slices through the gun and lodges firmly in the wall. Shade hits the floor.

They blink and quickly stand, avoiding the candy corn this time. They shoot a glance at Peter, then look back to Jack. "That did not happen. You didn't see that." It's clear they speak to both of them.

They're very good at this. They are a well trained and professional superhero, and they are not lying to themself about that.

Well, at least the gun is gone. Shade ducks under the sword, still firmly lodged in the wall, and comes around the otherside with a fist aimed at Jack O Lantern's face. When all else fails, go old school. And hope he doesnt catch their fist again.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's mouth hangs open as he watches Shade slip. Never in his life has he been more afraid of a sword—and he's been on the pointy end of what he'd say to be plenty. A sword swinging around uncontrollably is enough to make him glad he hasn't come across more. At least the gun is gone. He likes guns even less.

Jack O'Lantern, the maniac, giggles, "That's witchful thinking." He peers over the sword at Shade on the ground. He then yelps as Shade's fist collides with the pumpkin, stumbling back out of their reach as quick as he can. "No fair," he growls, cradling the spot where he got hit. Whether he's cradling the part of his face that got hurt through the pumpkin or is just really that attached to the gourd on his head, Peter can't tell. "I guess it's time for my own tricks!" Like anything he's given is a treat.

As Jack whips out yet another weapon, some sort of pole that elongates itself with his movement, Peter has to duck to avoid the blade. A scythe. Kind of. He doubts it'd be any good on a farm, what with the way the blade crackles. The blade doesn't even seem to be metal, just energy. It must save space for whatever other goodies Jack has up his sleeve. "You're really out of your gourd," Peter mutters, focusing on righting himself from the near-backbend he just had to do.

Jack O'Lantern, of course delighted to hear any vaguely Halloween related pun, spins around, nearly taking out Peter with the scythe again. This time, Peter grabs it near the blade to stop the whole waving around very sharp things theme that has been going on. It also means that he's putting a lot of his balance into Jack holding the scythe steady, which he regrets immediately as Jack leans closer excitedly. "Aw thank you! It makes me all the more spooktastic, and that's just bootiful, don't you think?"

And Peter could do without his eyebrows getting singed off by the flaming pumpkin, so he wedges his heel into Jack's shoulder and pushes him away, maybe a little too hard as Peter flips himself over while doing so, now firmly on his feet with the scythe in hand, the blade safely on the floor. "Oops..." he hisses under his breath before straightening like it was intentional and totally normal of him to do a backflip in a fight. Just such a normal, innocuous thing for a guy to do. He did gymnastics—for two months when he was six—that's why he can do that. "Isn't that grim? You've lost another toy," he comments, trying to play it off. He really should shut up more. Thank goodness Jameson is outside and probably dealing with being dumped onto the pavement so he can't hear these quips.

Peter keeps hold of the scythe so Jack O'Lantern can't get a hold of it, and also because he has no idea if he should be able to lift this or not. Swinging a blade around with a candy covered floor isn't a good idea anyway. Just look at Shade's sword. Jack picks himself back up, stumbling slightly on the candy corn. The guy is taking quite the beating, more so thanks to Shade than anyone else."You– you're no fun!" he spits, barely paying attention to Shade and likely ready to pull another trick.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade stares at Peter with wide eyes. They might not have normal strength levels, but they used to live in some small town in the middle of nowhere with no super people around, and they're pretty sure not even the strongest people they knew there could've pulled that off. Maybe there's a reason this guy was way more level headed than the average civilian.

There's only a few heros with that amount of flexibility, and only one they know of who can come up with that many terrible puns that fast.

Deciding that's not really important, nor their business, they choose to just be happy he's on their side; with their luck, it was a miracle they didn't run into a building holding the next Hydra convention.

Jack isn't facing them, giving them a good opportunity to sneak up. They're careful to avoid the candy corn, not wanting a repeat of their previous mishap (please please please tell them no one caught that on camera. They might cry.)

Shade leaps when they're close enough, tackling him to the ground. They land awkwardly on their side and cringe as candy corn digs into their skin, but continue with their plan anyways, fighting to keep Jack from reaching for any more of his "tricks."

"Both of your jokes are awful!" They cry out while still fighting with Jack. Even if they were a little funny. "Now stay down, please--" They raise their elbow and slam it down into Jack's chest.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter can vaguely recognize the realization in Shade's eyes, which isn't the best for him. He's really getting too sloppy with his identity. Now it just begs the question if he can play up the clumsy helpless civilian enough or if he will just look like a fool. His friends who know make fun of him when he leans heavily into the nerd persona, but it clearly works better than whatever he's doing now. Shade doesn't seem like they would tattle, but Jack might... if he's even coherent enough to string a non-Halloween related sentence together.

As Shade tackles Jack to the ground, Peter stumbles back, allowing himself to stumble on the candy corn and barely catch himself on the scythe. Is anyone paying attention? No, definitely not. They're busy fighting on the floor. He totally had that realisation before he did that. It was just practice.

"Wh– hey!" he begins, about to defend his quips. At the very least, they aren't on the same level as Jack's. He can accept that they're cringe-worthy, but to compare them to puns that sound like they're from some website? Simply unacceptable. That is until Shade jams their elbow into Jack's chest. Peter looks away. "Yeah, I'll just shut up now."

Jack makes some sort of wheezy coughing noise, similar to a breathless laugh but that's more so the crazy rather than any sort of joy. He flails wildly in Shade's grip, pushing at just about anything and trying to squirm away.

It's clearly an issue, and Peter is only so good at standing by—so good as in atrociously terrible at it— so he scans the diner for anything to tie up Jack O'Lantern. It seems he is out of luck today because not one customer happened to forget a scarf or purse in their evacuation. Ugh, and the day I only had tank tops to wear underneath. Peter drops the scythe and pulls off the dress shirt he's been wearing like a jacket. He observes it in his hands. Jack would be the type to kick or even run away while his hands are tied. Peter tears off both of the sleeves—he might as well make it match on both sides; he's going to be sewing later anyway—and rushes to help out in the scuffle. "Hold his arms!" Tying up the feet can happen once there are no hands clawing at their faces.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances up at Peter when they hear the sound of fabric ripping -- but only for a moment, as Jack tries again to wriggle his way free. They curse under their breath as they grab the villain by his wrists, holding them with just enough force not to break them. They've been getting better at handling their strength, though the doubt the force they use to hold Jack is comfortable.

"Got him!" They mentally add ripping the jacket to their list of reasons this guy is totally definitely a superhero. Unless that jacket was made with really flimsy fabric, they don't think it would've ripped that quickly and easily. Plus, they're pretty sure the average civilian wouldn't think of that unless they, for some reason, had experience tying up random villains on the street with little resources.

Shade grimaces as Jack tries to pull his arms back again. They take a moment to thank the stars they got the superhuman strength and endurace from their Asgardian half; this guy was not giving up.

"Don't burn your hands!" They aren't sure if the fire surrounding Jack's pumpkin head is real or not, but better safe than sorry. At least they don't have to worry about it; fire is kinda their thing. Even if it is hot, they won't feel it.

[spidersarenerds]

"I'll do my best..." His main focus is getting Jack's hands tied together, which is a struggle and a half, even with Shade's—rather spectacular, if Peter were to say so himself—efforts to hold Jack still. Eventually, he manages to loop the first sleeve around Jack's wrists tight enough that he won't worry about him slipping loose, and maybe a little tighter for good measure, and ties the knot as securely as he can. He would make a joke about the fabric "cuffs" being a one size fits all, but he's busy trying to avoid getting kicked in the face. Jack's legs are a whole other battle. So, Peter decides to be more lenient on the quality of the bind, getting up and running away won't be easy even if Jack managed to free his legs.

Jack is shouting rather loudly, half of it threats mixed with puns, and the other half claiming that tickles are a rude trick to pull—his understanding of what is going on seems really limited, and Peter almost feels bad for the guy, in that aspect, less so the terrorizing people part.

"Just need a bow and you'd be set for Christmas," Peter pants, sitting back on his heels as Jack writhes.

"NOOOO!" Jack O'Lantern howls, clearly furious in his binds. He is fuming as his squirming grows less violent frome either exhaustion or the cloth cutting into his limbs.

"Not sure who would want you for Christmas, though," Peter adds on in a false pondering tone. Villains wailing about their defeat, as annoying as it is, exists as a common ending to fights. He watches as Jack struggles. He doesn't know what to do now. He can't exactly just leave on his merry way—as he would usually do with a quick web—but instead he may have to linger since MJ and Jameson are likely still outside the diner, itching for the scoop. And the police. Ugh, is he going to have to deal with the police? And he's without his 'jacket'—if you want to call a cotton dress shirt that—to hide whatever marks he has on his arms from his 'hobby'. Is it too late to get stabbed by that scythe?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath as Peter finishes with Jack, leaning back and letting go of his wrists. They stay close enough to grab him if he does manage an escape, though.

"Can't tell if he's more mad about losing or about the Christmas pun." Shade watches him struggle for a moment before looking back at Peter. "Thanks. You got a level head on you for a guy who presumably doesn't do this every single day." They're still, like, 99% sure this guy is Spider-Man. No other hero would make puns that bad. No need to ruin the guy's secret, though.

Shade holds out a hand with a grin. "I'm Nightshade. Shade. Whichever. 'Preciate the assist. Sorry about your shirt."

Their gaze wanders around the building as they slowly take in the damage caused by the fight. Candy corn everywhere. Broken chairs and tables. Sword in the wall. They cringe. "I do not have the money to pay for this," they mumble. "Should probably split before cops get here." They can already hear the sirens. "You might wanna, too. Some people might have some... prying questions about some stuff you just did." They try to make it clear with their tone that they mean leave before someone finds out your identity.

[spidersarenerds]

"Can't say I'm a newbie to it. Villains attacked my high school a lot." And that's not even a lie. A lot of his graduate year would probably be calmer than most—even if you were to disclude the nine of them who were/turned out to be heroes—but he can admit that it doesn't explain away what he's done. It is a very thin veil of secrecy he's weaving with very halfhearted effort. "I'm Peter, and don't worry about it. It was my choice, and I can stitch it up later." He shakes Shade's hand. Jack gives a final thrash. "Probably." He has no idea how his shirt sleeves will hold up against the strain of being restraints.

"Torn off sleeves are still in fashion, right? That's a thing?" he jokes, folding his arms together. He can argue that's accentuating his arms and making them look more muscular than his 'nerdy' arms actually are, can't he? I'm overthinking this. No one actually pays that much attention, much less people who barely know you to be a 'nerdy weakling'.

"New York has clean up guys for villain fights... I think. I saw it on the news once. If you want to call what J– Mr. Jameson does as news." Peter knows it to be true because he had to help once because he and his team got in trouble with Fury, if they're still running after the Wrecking Crew snuck into the works to sabotage and pilfer. He looks over his shoulder out the window to try and gage the size of the crowd. It doesn't look to be the worst, but he knows that there are two journalists waiting outside, desperate for details, and one of them is his best friend. The other, however, may very well have a cavalry of cameramen on the way. Where is Harry and his convenient outerwear when you need it? "I wish I could. My friend's out there and will probably get arrested for trying to enter the crime scene for her journal if she doesn't get a witness statement." MJ could likely talk her way out of it, being the stubborn person she is, but he may as well save her the hassle.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances at the torn sleeves and scoffs. "Absolutely not in fashion. But, hey, maybe you'll start a trend." They should probably worry a bit more about the high school comment -- was that common? Would their school get attacked if they ever bothered to go back? -- but they decide to let it be for now.

"Yeah, it probably needs one considering... Literally everything about this city." NYC had to deal with gods and men flying around in iron suits and sorcerers and spiders. They'd seen the damage plenty; Shade feels a little bad for the people doing all that clean up.

...Better those guys cleaning it up than them, though.

Shade's gaze follows Peter's. They let out a breath. "Damn, Jameson is gonna make me the second most hated superhero in New York after this. First one being that bug guy." They know good and well that spiders aren't bugs, and also that Spider-Man is more well liked than Jameson makes him out to be. They still think it's a little funny to poke at Peter without being obvious about it, though.

"I'll hang out with you then. You know there's gonna be cameras and interviews and stuff. If anything goes south, I'll lie to the cops and journalist and just tell them you hid in the back or something." Shade glances down at Jack. "No one will believe him if he snitches anyways."

[spidersarenerds]

"Totally, next best thing since ripped jeans: the more holes in your outfit, the better," he quips. As Shade remarks about the chaos of the city chock full of superheroes and villains, Peter nods. Damage control has saved his skin many times. Of course, the best damage is no damage at all—as Fury has hammered into his skull—but with the combination of an unfamiliar villain and Shade, however far they are into their hero journey, he's glad the building didn't collapse.

Peter opens his mouth to refute the bug guy comment, but holds back, just barely. "Just be confident. I would not be surprised if they can smell fear," he says instead. The advice is bogus, he has no idea what makes Jameson like people. Both times Spider-Man was impersonated, Jameson was praising 'him' to the high heavens.

Shade's decision to stick around has Peter turning his head to look at them, surprise melting into a small, appreciative smile. "Yeah? You just stole my sleeves to tie this pumpkin head up?" he teases. "Thanks," he adds with a more genuine tone. He doesn't plan to let Shade take the fall for him like that, not with Jameson's sway on the public, but the offer is nice.

"Let's go before they bust the door down." He pushes the door open with his shoulder. The clamor from outside bursts in through the open door, the sound of people fussing as they notice the door cracking open. Peter can pick out a few questions and exclamations from the crowd, just civilians, as far as he can tell, for now, but he only waits long enough for Shade to make it through the door before walking to the corner. He does not expect to lose the crowd, but getting them away from the door so police, professionals, and all that can enter the building whenever they get here. It's also a chance for him to scan the crowd for MJ... and Jameson too, mostly because MJ would stick close to him to observe what a 'true journalist' does in this situation.

"What happened?"

"Who are you?"

Those are the two main questions he can decipher from the hubbub, whether they are sent his way of Shade's, he has no idea. How celebrities can understand anything when thirty questions are being hurled at them at the same time, he has no idea. He comes to a stop at the corner of the building, glancing back to make sure Shade is still there and alright.

"Peter! Where have you been? You can't disappear like that!" A familiar head of red hair parts the crowd, stepping right up to Peter and poking his chest accusingly with a grin. "I had a whole cover ready." She crosses her arms, finally seeming to notice his state. "Whoa, I think this is the first time I've seen your shoulders. You're going to distract someone," she comments.

"That is not true, MJ. We've known each other since we were four; you've seen my shoulders," Peter protests, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," MJ dismisses, already pushing her leather jacket at him, knowing he would wrap it over his shoulders so he can focus on more than if people somehow put it together that he's Spider-Man by seeing his arms—which he does, even though the fitted leather jacket is far from his size. She leans to the side, spotting Shade. "And who are you?" she asks them, excitement glowing in her green eyes. Peter offers an apologetic smile. MJ isn't the worst to talk to, far from it, but she is stubborn, especially when she's in her journalist mode.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Before Shade leaves the building, they take a moment to recover their sword -- which takes a minute, because it is stuck stuck. With only a mild amount of additional damage to the drywall they manage to dislodge it and let it disappear into their pocket dimension. They do hesitate a moment before walking out, wondering briefly if leaving Jack was responsible. Figuring the police were just around the corner anyways, and that Jack had stopped struggling in his binds, Shade leaves him and follows Peter into the crowd.

They hear the questions as soon as they step out. Shade is briefly stunned by the overlapping speech and all the eyes on them, but they quickly pull themself together as they plaster on a confident smile and pose with their arms on their hips.

With a tone that sounds almost rehearsed, Shade responds, "I am Nightshade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire and sorcerer in training. Consider this villain vanquished!" They stand proud for a moment before their face falls as they mumble to themself. "No, that sounds too fantasy-ish. This foe is finished? Enemy annihilated? Eh, we'll workshop it." They clear theur throat and stand tall again. "He's in there, and he alone is responsible for all damages. Please lead the cops to him when they arrive, put the guy behind bars, maybe get him some help?" They glance around and spot Peter out of the corner of their eyes. "Uh, I gotta run. No more questions and bye!!"

They push through the crowd and arrive at where Peter and MJ are. They smile at MJ when addressed. "Shade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire, newest hero on the block." They say it with the same gusto as when they addressed the crowd, as if they were rehersing to a camera. Shade holds out a hand. "Your friend made a very noble sacrifice today. Rest in piece his shirt, made great restraints all things considered."

[spidersarenerds]

Peter smiles as Shade answers the questions that were being shouted. He doesn't have that sort of patience, but he can admire the enthusiasm to actually talk to people rather than just dip without explanation. It likely promises them a better reputation than Spider-Man, though that isn't saying much. There are villains J.J.J. likes better than him.

MJ tilts her head. "Shade Odinchild? Well, that's a name we certainly didn't cover in our school's mythology studies," she remarks, taking Shade's hand eagerly. "And newest hero on the block, huh? So you're going to be sticking around? What can the public of New York expect from you?"

Peter's eyes widen, basically seeing a flashing neon sign indicating the loaded question. Now, no matter how friendly and people-skilled Shade may be, answering that is a trap. Not one MJ lays intentionally—this time, that is; he won't forget how she bullied her way past Iron Fist and Power Man to get to an interview in a building under attack—but with the public and Jameson around, any answer will not be taken in good faith. "Haha, maybe that's a better question for when you have your camera, right? The digital age, y'know? Everyone likes a video." He puts his hands on her shoulders. He knows it's hopeless to tell MJ straight up that such a question has the very high chance to do more harm than good: she sees the good in everyone and wouldn't believe him if he said otherwise when it comes to the media, at least in his experience.

"Ah, well I could still write it down." She smiles. "Besides, how cool would it be to be a hero's first interview!" It's the same excitement that makes him feel bad to say no or point out a flaw in her plans.

"Haven't you already done that?" MJ was the first one to interview Spider-Man. What? You think I could refuse her back then? She'd have personally hunted down Spider-Man three years ago. "Do you even have a notebook?"

"No..." She crosses her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "Do you?" she asks hopefully.

"Me? Nope! Didn't even bring my bag," he answers. He did, but he has no idea where it is in the diner, so he might as well not have brought it. He'll have to find it later. MJ's expression is disbelieving at best. He smiles 'innocently'.

"There you are! Watson, if you want to be a top journalist, you need to find the action, not run off," Jameson scolds, lightly holding a handkerchief to his nose. Seems the landing face first into concrete after being teleported wasn't exactly harmless. But he still has his attitude, so it's likely nothing to worry about.

"I think she found the action first, sir," Peter comments, earning a judgy side eye from the man, his mouth twisting into a frown before he turns his gaze onto Shade.

MJ steps between the two. "This is Shade Odinchild. They're a new hero!" she introduces, seeming to come to the conclusion that putting a good word in with Jameson could help a little with Shade's reputation.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Well, I'm not the 'hundreds and thousands of years' old kind of Asgardian. I don't actually know if I'm immortal or not--" They were only half Asgardian, technically, and they had no idea what traits they got from their Father's side. Maybe if the guy would actually talk to them they could figure it out, but so far Odin seemed more that happy to pretend they didn't exist. Whatever, they'll figure it out through trial and error. Sucks they won't know if they'll live to 80 or 8,000 till they get there, though.

"But I'll be in your textbooks soon, I bet. Up there with Captain America and Black Widow and the rest of 'em." Maybe they sounded a bit too confident. They had been living off the fake it till you make it mindset the past few months, though. If they sounded confident enough, maybe it'd come true.

Shade opens their mouth to respond, but is cut off by Peter. They're a little annoyed. This could be their big break! Their first interview to really thrust them into the public eye, make them a real hero! They could get their name on tee-shirts and have those stupid little knockoff figures of themself and unlicensed merch that looked so bad it was funny and--

Okay, plot lost. Still, it would be really cool to have their first real interview, even if it wasn't exactly the most professionally conducted.

"I mean, I might have a notebook somewhere." They throw so many things into their pocket dimension, they wouldn't doubt they did. "Hold on, I can look real--" they pause as Jameson speaks, quickly straightening their posture in an attempt to look more professional-ish. They quickly forget about the notebook as they swivel to face Jameson.

"Oh! Jame-- I mean, Mr. Jameson, sir." They aren't usually one for authority figures; Shade's always been more of a "do what I want and deal with the consequences later" kind of guy. Jameson kinda has actual influence, though, and they really want a good first impression with the public. It's the first step to their dreams of greatness, after all.

...which is why they're kind of regretting the whole telling him to shut up thing. And the dropping him face first onto concrete thing.

It's fine, if they pull out all their natural charisma and charm, they can still turn this around to be in their favor!

Shade clears their throat. "I, uh-- Sorry about earlier. Heat of the moment thing, I don't usually tell people to shut up, be quiet maybe but I promise I'm not that rude--" Oh god they're rambling-- "Is your- uh, your nose okay? I'm still a little iffy on portal trajectory. Busted my own nose a couple of times."

Okay, well, so much for charisma and charm. Do they normally stumble over their words this much, or only when what they say actually matters?

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's eyes flick between Jameson and Shade, growing more amused the longer Shade rambles and the conflict on Jameson's face deepens. He's clearly ticked about being dropped on his face—the being told to shut up, less so just because it's not the first time he's heard it from a hero/hero adjacent—but there was an apology, and it's not like this kid is hiding behind a mask... They're taking accountability for their actions, which, in his eyes, only matters when there's no secret identity. Even though Peter has no stake in this, he waits with bated breath for Jameson to give an expression beyond stern and mildly annoyed.

"Well," Jameson clears his throat, adjusting his suit jacket. "It's something you definitely need to work on. Preferably before hurling innocent civilians through your portals." He looks to the side, lips pursing beneath his mustache. "But I am glad you're taking accountability. It's not something everyone does, especially some so-called heroes."

And there it is. Peter was waiting for the Spider-Man diss, even if it was indirect this time. He waves his hand as MJ looks ready to refute that claim. There's no need to save the dead horse Jameson is insistent on beating. Instead, just let Shade have their moment. Peter can't lie and say he's interested in seeing Jameson actually be kind of nice.

"I... suppose... my commentary was not exactly de escalating the situation." Wow, that almost looked like it hurt for Jameson to say. The man looks less than happy to admit his fault, but at least he apologized... kind of.

Peter has to physically bite his lip to keep from adding a 'ya think?' Now isn't the time and he really shouldn't snark an adult while he's so obviously himself, no matter how much of a pain that adult may be. I am mature. I am so good at shutting up. I will utter no words. Imagine Fury is super mad and ready to end anyone who talks back.

He breaks, because how could he not? There are so many different things he could say. He opts for the most innocuous one. "I'm sure it's alright, sir. Villain attacks are scary for everyone. There's no shame in that." It doesn't quite scratch his itch to be a bother, but there's only so much he can do before he loses plausibility that he isn't being intentional in his antagonism.

Jameson does not seem amused. "Yes, for civilians. I am a journalist, and we do not scare in the face of some loon in a mask, now do we, Miss Watson?"

"Not exactly. We act in spite of our fear to deliver–" she begins to say.

"Exactly," Jameson plows on, not waiting for her to finish her thought. Because it's something she got from Spider-Man in an interview? Maybe.

"–The truth as best we can," MJ concludes, giving Jameson a flat glare before her expression brightens again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath they didn't know they were holding. Jameson didn't seem like he was going to go on the news and spout about how they were a menace like he did with certain other heros; they could almost say he seemed to respect them, to a degree. At least they can assure their reputation with the public isn't going to be smeared just yet.

They nod along as he speaks, trying Very hard to seem engaged. The better the impression they leave, the better the future article about them will be (hopefully.) "I'm... working on the portals. I'm mentoring under someone with way more magical skills than me,so I should figure it out soon." They figure outright saying my older brother Loki is showing me how to do cool magic stuff wouldn't get a good reaction. God of Lies or not, he's still not well liked. "Next time, I'll make sure you land on your feet, probably."

They nod along to Jameson's response to Peter. "Well, sir, soon you won't have to worry about loons in masks. Or, at least you'll have to worry less." Shade places their thumb on their chest, standing tall and throwing on a confident smile. "With me on the streets, villains will be too scared to stick around. Bet I'll clear New York out was faster than Spider-Man could." They're not gonna lie and say they aren't trying to annoy Peter; they subtly glance his way, just to see his reaction. Besides, they're trying to get on Jameson's good side. This is a quick (and funny) way to do so. They'll say sorry later.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter notices Shade's seemingly eager nodding, maybe a tiny bit amused by the amount of trying to get on Jameson's good side that's going on. He doesn't think he's seen someone try that hard, but it's nice to see, in a way. If they're worried about their reputation, chances are, hopefully they'll do good things to better their reputation. He bites his lip to keep a grin from forming as they promise to transport Jameson safely through a portal next time, with a probably tacked onto the end. He wouldn't complain about seeing Jameson dropped onto his face again, but judging by the nervous laugh from Jameson, he isn't going to be stepping through any of Shade's portals any time soon.

At the claim that Shade will clear out New York of supervillains faster than Spider-Man, Peter's eyebrows furrow, his mouth opening like he's deciding if it's worth responding to and risking identities. He purses his lips. The diss wasn't appreciated, but less work is less work, so he won't say no.

Jameson, however, grins, "Ha! Glad to know not all of the new heroes think Spider-Man is the standard."

"Of course that's the key to your heart; hating Spider-Man. Who would have guessed," Peter grumbles under his breath, unsurprised and keeping his voice down low enough that he's sure Jameson wouldn't hear him over his own beginnings of a rant.

"Well, actually, a lot of the villains on Spider-Man's roster were only in New York because they were hired to fight him. So, it would be O– uh, whoever hired them's fault." It's a valiant attempt on MJ's part to defend Spider-Man, even though Peter nearly had a heart attack when she nearly said the—now reformed—'employer's name.

Of course, Jameson just gets a gleam in his eye. "But at the root of the problem is Spider-Man." As one would blame the guy with the note 'kick me' taped to their back. "We could do more with heroes like this one who own up to their mistakes and don't attract villains!" He gestures to Shade. Peter cringes; he sure hopes Jameson didn't jinx it. Villains with magic powers are a pain for everyone.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade hears Peter's mumbled comment and sends him a shit eating grin. They quickly shift their focus back to Jameson, not trying to divert any attention to Peter. They should probably be a bit more subtle, now that they think about it. Not everyone is willing to throw their real identity out there.

"Well, I don't think I have anyone who hates me bad enough to give people to kill me quite yet." Maybe a few people who had beef with Odin, or Thor, or Loki, but those people didn't directly hate them. They were just trying to hurt the aforementioned Asgardians without any direct sort of confrontation. Not the same as hiring a guy to kill Spider-Man. (Not like Odin cared about anything happening to them. The couple of guys who came after them with the intention of getting Odin's attention were so misguided it was a little funny.) Back to their original point, they add, "I don't thing I'll be attracting any supervillains here anytime soon."

They can't say they aren't enjoying the praise. Even if Jameson isn't their favorite person ever, they haven't ever been used as a good example. It feels pretty nice; Shade just hopes they can live up to his (and the rest of New York's) expectations.

The teen holds out a hand. "Well, Mr. Jameson, it has been very nice to meet you. Maybe next time we can meet under a less life-or-death-y situation?"

[spidersarenerds]

Peter hopes Shade is right and no one wants them dead. He knows it's likely that they're right and he's worrying because of his own past experiences. He has to remember that not every new hero has a billionaire and their mad scientist looking to militarize their powers and/or dissect them. Shade should be fine.

They handle themselves well enough in front of the media, anyway. Peter's glad to see Jameson likes at least one superhero, excluding the two times that he's taken a liking to people impersonating Spider-Man.

"So long as you keep up your efforts, I look forward to it." Jameson takes Shade's hand, giving it a firm shake while stating his hefty expectations. No pressure or anything. With that, he walks back into the crowd, saying he and MJ will meet another time—which will likely end in disaster such as today; her interviews with the man are always interrupted by villain attacks—with a brief over the shoulder wave.

As the news reporter leaves, Peter squints. "Did you put something in his drink, MJ?" he accuses, mostly in jest. He doesn't think he's seen the man in such a good mood, like ever. "Or did he hit his head so hard it knocked the stick outta–"

"I didn't drug Mr. Jameson, Peter." MJ rolls her eyes. She shifts her attention to Shade. "Don't feel too worried about what Mr. Jameson says. So long as you do your best, that's enough. Don't set unachievable expectations to beat yourself up over: that helps no one," she says, a friendly smile on her face. "Right, Peter?" she adds on pointedly, jabbing his side with her elbow.

"Ow!" He rubs his ribs. Targeted much? "She's right, though. The more people saving the city the better."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade waits until Jameson disappears into the crowd to let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. If they've felt weighted under their own expectations for themself before, they might be feeling just a bit crushed now. It's just their reputation with the entire damn city. Nothing big.

They look at MJ as she talks, nodding along. "Of course. I'd never set unachieveable expectations." Because no expectation is unachievable if they just achieve it, so they aren't doing that! They're sure theyre never going to get burnt out with thoughts like that.

They look at Peter. "Yeah. I, uh... I'll do my best! Can't wait to work eith yo-- uh, Spider-Man, on that. And the other heroes in New York." They shift their weight from one foot to the other. They really are excited about their new hero-ing thing; they yearn for the sort of praise people like Captain America, Black Widow, even Thor receives.

They glance to the crowd, where cops are talking to a very disgruntled looking man, most likely the owner of the diner. Shade bites at their lip. "Legally speaking, am I responsible for..." the candy corn all over the floor, the broken tables they threw at Jack, the hole in the wall where their giant sword lodged itself into the wall, the scorch marks along the floor. "...the damages? And if so, how fast do I need to dip?"

[spidersarenerds]

So that cat is out of the bag. Well, at least it's a hero who knows his identity, and one with good intentions at that, even if they're on the greener side. "Yeah, after this, you're sure to make pals." It took Peter a while to do actual team ups with other heroes when he started out, but that was because of his attitude and avoidance of anything where he'd have to talk to someone on his side.

At the mention of damages, MJ repositions herself to see into the diner, sucking in a breath through her teeth. With a villain like Jack O'Lantern, damages are hard to avoid, but it's far from a pretty sight.

"Uuummm..." Peter always dipped before he could be spoken to, so he has no idea if heroes actually get in trouble for the damages. S.H.I.E.L.D. kind of shields—heh—him from that stuff so long as it isn't gratuitous. "I don't know..." He checks over his shoulder before continuing in a lower voice. "I can call folks in to get the clean up handled, there's a thing for that. So, you only have to run if they start coming over here." It's a suggestion, not one most would approve of as it is quite literally 'run away from the cops' but who is he to care for what should be done? So, he'll keep an eye out for any police coming towards Shade.

"He–" Peter tilts his head toward the owner. "–won't have to pay a dime for it either, in case that was a concern." He leans his weight onto one foot, also peering into the diner. "Could probably do with some new chairs anyway," he says, wrinkling his nose. Hopefully Damage Control will splurge on some cushions.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade cringes as MJ looks at the mess they made; they look mildly embarrassed as they shrink in on themself, not unlike a child waiting to be scolded.

"I, uh... I'd appreciate that. Calling those guys in." They do feel a little better, knowing they're not causing some poor innocent civilian a bunch of money because they slipped on some candy corn (and threw chairs and tables and used fire magic indoors.) They nervously glance back at the crowd, keeping an eye on the cops for a moment. They don't seem to be paying them any mind, but they would still rather not linger.

They turn their attention back to MJ and Peter. "I kinda sorta ruined your lunch, right? Sorry about that. Could I get you guys something else to eat?" They maybe have, like, 15 dollars stashed away in their pocket dimension somewhere, but they'd feel at least a little bad for not offering (that, and they really want to get away from all the cops).

Besides, if all else fails, they have an older brother and a card he can wire money into. They're already planning how to discreetly send a text his way asking for an extra 20 on their allowance this week.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter nods, folding his hands behind his back. He can't call Fury up in the middle of this crowd to ask for Damage Control. He hopes that he's as good at typing behind his back as he is at making wisecracks. If he isn't, he will blame the tiny screen of his wrist communicator. Whether or not Fury understands "dmg ctrl pls" could be a whole other issue without the plausible typos being considered.

It's good enough. Fury will see the news anyway. He's somehow got his eye on everything. Even with the cameras, watching all of those screens is a feat and a half for anyone.

"Lunch?" Free food is free food, Peter can admit that much, but also free for him is not free for Shade. He can survive without it. "Nah. I feel like I should be buying you lunch after you saved us from Jameson. My ears were ringing from halfway across the room," he jokes instead, rubbing his ear with an exaggerated wince.

MJ rolls her eyes. "But we should get going," she decides, spying a sliver of a blue uniform in the crowd. "They don't like how I get the info to show new sides to a story." She spares a glance over her shoulder to glare in the direction of the police as she turns to lead them out of the crowd.

"What? MJ!" Peter hisses, pulling her leather jacket tighter around himself. Torn between following after her and staying between Shade and the police grouped in the crowd. He doesn't want to leave Shade behind to deal with the police, especially after their somewhat nervous attitude towards them.

"There's a reason they aren't journalists, Peter; the truth isn't as important as the law."

For those of you that don't know, that's MJ speak for I got caught trespassing in the name of one of my stories, therefore the police are the opposition now. But also flawed system so... Peter groans. This is not something he can argue with MJ about. "If you're still up for it, I'm sure she would like to interview you... away from all this," he says to Shade, an offer to get out of this crowd.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods, following the duo through the crowd. They keep an eye out for any officers heading their way as they pull out their phone, typing as they walk. "You have a place in mind? I'm not usually on this side of town, not sure what's around." They hope their looking at their phone reads as looking at a map for nearby places to snag a bite, and not them texting their older sibling.

Can i have extra money this week pleasepleaseplease like 30 or maybe more dollars pleaseeee

They really don't intend on letting Peter or MJ pay if they can help it. For one, Peter kinda helped in the fight with Jack (and sacrificed his shirt in the process, which Shade still felt a little bad about.) For two, MJ was helping them avoid the cops, which was much appreciated. (They aren't sure how illegal the vigilante thing is, but they do know that they're probably classified as a missing person a few states away, and the less the cops are on them the better.) The least they could do was offer a meal.

Slipping the phone away again, they speed up to walk alongside Peter and MJ. "A for real interview sounds cool!" They grin. "And when I'm super famous, MJ can tell everyone she was the first one to give me one! It'll look good on a resume, I'd bet."

[spidersarenerds]

"Uhh..." Peter racks through his list of restaurants in the area that he knows of, trying to think of what is cheapest. "There's this coffee-sandwich shop thing a few streets down, I think. Not as greasy, though, if artery-clogging is what you're craving," he quips, mostly to hide his uncertainty about the exact location. The city looks different from up high, so his navigation on foot may be subpar.

As they walk, the crowd thins. He looks between Shade and MJ as the interview conversation goes on. "Ha, that resume is going to be a book by the time she's 20."

"As if that's a bad thing. You know it doesn't hurt to have varied experiences, Peter." MJ knows he's teasing, her own defense being a jab about how he has been in the same 'field' since he was 14.

"Yeah, yeah, Miss journalist, tutor, play writer, and who knows what else." He rolls his eyes.

MJ raises an eyebrow. "You could probably add something to your resume besides teaching. Like that time you acted for my play... or improvised."

"It was a high school play. And Trapster literally crashed your play and I was, like, understudy number seven for Flash; no way you're still mad that I improvised," he groans, waving his hand that is not holding MJ's jacket.

"Maybe I am." She turns to Shade, grinning. "You know his aunt sent me pictures. She thought it was Flash at first because, well, the play was about Spider-Man so masks, so the 'identity reveal' was a big shock when Petey was under the mask." MJ is clearly very happy to share an embarrassing story about Peter.

"No way she was able to take pictures," Peter protests, already knowing his aunt likely snuck them since Flash has been his neighbor since forever and it's not like his folks were around to be proud of him.

"Maybe a video..." She teases. "I think that's the first time I ever heard him sing in the 13 years I've known him," she adds.

He sighs sufferingly, mostly to put on a show of embarrassment since MJ seems eager to tell the story, and if Shade is having fun too, he really doesn't mind. He has this little restaurant to hunt down anyway.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods. "Coffee-sandwich shop sounds good." They follow closely, glancing between the two as they converse / argue. It's pretty entertaining, actually.

They pause in listening when they get a buzz on their phone, they take it out just long enough to read the notification.

$29.99 added to account number...

They slide their phone away, deciding not to comment on the stupid joke. Calling Loki a jerk for giving them one cent less than they asked for would maybe not get them more money in the future. (Even though the bit was a little funny, they could not let their brother know that Ever. He wasn't getting the satisfaction.)

Shade perks up as the conversation is again directed at them. "Pictures?" They repeat, glancing between Peter and MJ. They cover one side of their mouth with their hand and stage whisper, "I'll give you my number later, not saying you should send them over, buttttttt...." they drop their hand and grin mischievously, giggling a little at the resigned expression Peter wears.

[spidersarenerds]

"Surprisingly not the worst pictures of me that will be spread around." Between the unflattering positions he's been in as Spider-Man and being caught by the paparazzi with Harry, there's worse pictures of him than him playing in a high school musical, even if the suit was... lacking in more ways than one.

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare," MJ teases, fully intending to send Shade the images and the video if she has it.

"Like a house on fire," Peter sighs to himself, amused by how well Shade and MJ are getting along. And yes, pun intended. "We should be there soon and you two can exchange your info." At least he thinks.

After a few turns, the coffee-sandwich shop is up ahead, advertised by a simple banner on its faded brick walls. It doesn't stand out any more than any of the other buildings in the area. It seems vacant enough that they could get their food without trouble or a long wait.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade strolls right in; it doesn't take very long for the group to get seated at a booth. Shade let's Peter and MJ sit next to each other, while they take the other side.

As soon as the smell of food hits their nose, they realize how hungry they are -- having the powers of the Wildfire also comes with an appetite to match. Still, they're trying to get the money in their account to stretch across three people (there's no way they're letting Peter or MJ pay after they kinda sorta destroyed the diner they were supposed to eat in,) so they decide on a cheap-ish pepperoni sandwich and soda.

Shade gives their order to a waiter. While they wait for Peter and MJ to order, they take a napkin and a pen and scribble their number on it, sliding it to MJ with a grin.

"For professional queries," they joke, "or other interview questions. Or embarrassing pictures of Peter."

[spidersarenerds]

MJ scans the menu quickly, finding what she wants and deems an acceptable price, a simple sandwich with deli meat, lettuce, cheese, and that sort of bread that makes it look more complex than it is, and orders it. It's a much simpler process than it is for Peter, who is staring down the menu like it stole his lunch money. Well, it kind of did, at least Shade's money... in return for food, so not really stealing either... Don't think about it too hard.

He glances up as his name is mentioned. "Huh? Oh." His eyes flick to the napkin, then MJ's grin, figuring out the context. "How devious of you," he comments, his eyes darting across the menu. Too many options. Is it weird to get fries again? What if they're just cursed today? He only had the one shirt and could not deal with another villain vs. diner situation.

He gets the nachos.

"So, what brings you to New York?" MJ asks, leaning forward on the table. Peter is silently relieved that the question wasn't too deep, he doesn't think. When she first interviewed Spider-Man, the first thing she asked for was an identity reveal. "There's already quite a few big names here; wouldn't it be easier to make a name for yourself elsewhere? If that's what you're looking to do, of course."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade leans back in the booth, letting out a breath. "That's a... kind of complicated question?" They probably shouldn't mention anything about their mom, because again, they're technically a missing person and they would rather not have... all that come up. They've done a really good job avoiding the law so far.

"I mostly came here because it's where the Asgardians are. I knew I was different as a kid-- too strong for anyone my size, never got sick, healed too fast -- but I didn't know about my Asgardian side until I was 10-ish."

They still remember that day-- lights flickering and magic pouring from their hands and broken glass and no understanding of what was happening or why. Even with all the villains they've fought and their various near death (and one actual death) experience, it was still the scariest thing they've been through.

"Eventually I got bored of my small town, wanted to figure out more about my father. I figured someone as charming as me could bother answers out of Thor if I tried hard enough -- not that I had to, because the other Asgardian prince found me first. Apparently I have a very distinct magical aura that Loki clocked as being related to the All-Father's."

The food arrives, and Shade is quick to dig in. They cover their mouth as they chew, continuing. "It'd probably be way easier to make a name literally anywhere else, but I get to live here rent free, so," they shrug. "Besides, the last name 'Odinchild' tends to turn some heads already." Does that make them a nepobaby? Can they be a nepobaby if most of what they've inherited from Odin was his enemies? Much to consider.

[spidersarenerds]

"Huh, so family in the field, then," Peter notes, popping a nacho into his mouth and internally debating who between Loki and Thor would be best to learn about Odin from. From what he knows about Thor from their interactions, he holds a lot of admiration for his father. Peter knows much less about Loki and never got around to discussing family with them, but it seems complicated. He met the guy himself once, technically twice if you count meeting him while he was doing his big nap for whatever reason he can't remember, and he's certainly... something.

"I bet that causes some second-hand arch enemies," he adds. Thor has fought and ticked off many a things in the time Peter has known him, never mind all he did before that too. Odin and Loki probably add to that list as well... He'll be sure to keep an eye and ear out for Shade.

MJ considers Shade's answer, being the only one not immediately going for her food—ah, to have a metabolism that isn't messed up—and then asks another question, "Since you're related to Thor, does that mean you have the Avengers as back up? Or are you only relying on yourself?" Her eyebrows furrow as she tries to piece it together herself. She opens her mouth to tack on another question, however she stops, taking a bite of her sandwich to force herself to give Shade time to answer.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Oh, God, yeah." They get a forlorn look on their face. "So many enemies. It's all these people who've been at the magic thing for centuries, and I've been here, like, 5 minutes. Sometimes it feels like I'm a kindergartener getting thrown around by professional boxers or something." Their only saving grace in several encounters has been the unpredictability a novice tends to have; their enemies can't plan how to counteract their moves when they themself dont even know what kind of magic is gonna blast outta their hands next.

(They have gotten better about that, though. Otherwise the diner probably would have been nothing but ash by the end of that fight.)

"Though, I guess my family having enemies got me some of the power I have now. I wouldn't have the God of the Wildfire thing going if Loki and Odin hadn't pissed off some ancient god enough that he wanted to curse me." They didn't see the fire as a curse. Guess that guy wasted his time and energy with that one.

Shade thinks about MJ's question a second. "If I were in real, life-or-death trouble, and Thor knew about it in time, he could pull the Avengers into things. I wouldn't say I personally am close enough to ever call on them. It's not like I have Tony Stark's number or anything." They take a long sip of soda. "I'm really trying to be taken seriously, though. I don't think calling for my older brother and his friends will get anyone to see me as anything but a little kid who goes crying at the slightest hint of things going south."

[spidersarenerds]

"Ha, yeah, I feel like magic is like that," Peter agrees. He hasn't had a ton of experience using magic, obviously, but it seems to be a subject that needs intensive study to be any good. Though, to a point raw power likely overshadows that.

As Shade considers their access to backup—because that is what it is; support in difficult fights—Peter suppresses a wince, trying to hide it with taking another bite. Refusing hypothetical support in the name of being taken seriously, that is a rather familiar thought process. "Well, you have a bunch of your family's enemies after you, so they must take you seriously. At least that, right?" It's not an argument that will win any debates, but he thinks it's at least positive enough.

"Not that that's necessarily a good thing... or the usual experience from what I've got from my interviews. There's a lot that comes with being targeted all the time, and more often than not, asking for backup is the right move," MJ adds logically.

In Peter's mind, what MJ said is most definitely the right answer and what should be taught, even if he still gets irked by the idea of asking for help after years of working on that. "Yeah, of course. More awesome team ups when folks ask for help." He's still rolling her words around in his head, trying to find an angle that can make asking for help more appealing, not only for Shade, but for himself and the heroes he teaches. "Wait. What do you mean by not the usual?"

MJ sighs, rolling her eyes with a slight smile. She knew the question was coming. "Because most heroes and vigilantes have to build up their villain 'portfolio' for months if not years before they have mortal—or in Shade's case, immortal—enemies. Getting into the gig with multiple big names trying to kill you is not normal. Even Daredevil had to work to get where he is."

"Even Nova?" Peter challenges, already figuring that what she's saying makes sense.

"Yes, even him."

"Huh." Well, Peter has to reevaluate how he's going to prepare his students for the hero field. No wonder some of them looked at him like he was nuts when he said people would be out to kill you from basically day one.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade makes a face. "They're only targeting me because they think I'm easy pickings. Who are they supposed to go after, Thor? Loki? Angela, Hela, Odin himself?" They tap their finger against the table, more a movement of comfort than impatience. "It's not respect for me as a hero, it's a view of me as some helpless little kid who happens to share some blood and a last name. They just want to be able to tell people they killed one of Odin's kids, or threaten my life to threaten Odin, or-- or something like that. So I gotta prove 'em wrong."

Shade listens to MJ's argument. She's right; most heroes ease into the role. Doom doesn't try to stab any teen who suddenly finds out they can fly or shoot lasers from their eyes or stretch their body to extreme amounts. But most people don't have the All-Father's name stuck on their back like a big target. Most up and coming heroes don't have shoes that big to fill. They chew their lip and avoid eye contact. They don't need help but they don't know how to explain that in a way these two might understand.

"I'm a skilled sorcerer for my age, even if I'm not at the level of some of my villains. I can handle it alone. It's not like I've died yet." they pause, realizing that is technically a lie. "I mean, I haven't stayed dead." That... isnt as reassuring as they meant for it to be. "I-- I have allies, I can call people if I need help! I just don't need it." Okay, that was definitely not the way to explain it. They're better at using their fists than their words, and this isnt the kind of conversation fists are useful for.

[spidersarenerds]

Open RP Starter (How Did I Get Here?)

This may be one of the stupidest things he's done… or well, it was. What he's about to do will probably be worse. But that's for later, so *rewind noises* or whatever.

MJ must have some sort of mind control ability because she managed to convince Peter to come along to her interview. Like last time went so well when the Beetle trashed a whole floor of the Daily Bugle building. So, here he is in some greasy diner as J. Jonah Jameson grills MJ in the booth to his left—Peter didn't even get a nice seat, just one of those uncomfortable plastic-laminated wood chairs that are always an awkward height. At least there's fries. Though they'd be much better if he didn't have to hear Jameson ask MJ about all of the qualifications she's already given the last ten times she's been interviewed for a position. It all boils down to how willing she is to diss Spider-Man, which is where her stubbornness wins out every time.

But fries! So hot his tongue is starting to lose a little bit of feeling. Perfection.

About to pop a fry into his mouth, he pauses and his eyes narrow, dropping the fry back onto the plate.

The door to the diner flies open, the little chime of the bell drowned out by the thud of the door whacking into a, thankfully, empty chair. Peter barely got to glance at the person barging in before there's a table skidding across the floor. His fries? Upended. The awful chair? Knocked aside. Himself? At the other end of the room, steadying the now sideways table that was sent his way so it doesn't crush him and whatever patrons unlucky enough to be on this table's warpath. "Sorry, folks. Pancake-dom via table costs extra," he says mindlessly, even though he should definitely watch his quips when Jameson is around. Speaking of, the news reporter himself is shouting something about refusing to be silenced and the usual spew of his bravery and, as revealed as Peter tips the table back onto its four legs, is cowering as far into the corner of his booth as he can.

And that about sums up how he got where he is now, shielding whoever is behind him with a mere table between himself and the threat, and to top it all off, the loudest journalist in New York along with other civilians as an audience that could oust secrets he doesn't want to get out if he gets a little too spidery.

//Be the villain, civilian, a hero following the fiend who barged in, whatever you'd like! And of course, tags (No one is forced to interact and those not tagged are more than welcome to interact as well!): @emiliakane @katiebishop-1610

[night-shade-odinchild]

A moment later, another person is barging into the diner, clutching a very large sword in one hand and pointing at the intruder with the other.

"You!" they gasp, winded, "you are the absolute WORST!" They had no idea who the other was, but they did know they'd been chasing him for at least 5 blocks and then through an interdimensional portal (one THEY made to follow him THEMSELF! Their magic was improving!) all while he wrecked havoc and caused large amounts of damage. That was more than enough to decide that yeah, this guy sucked.

Shade takes a moment to glance around -- civilians everywhere, small area, J. Jonah Jameson -- they do a double take. Okay, cool, cool, whatever they did here was probably going to be reported on. That's fine.

First things first. There's no room for giant swords in here, so they let it disappear into their pocket dimension. Second, they should probably ensure civilian safety. They notice the table about to crush a bunch of people first, and quickly dodge away from an oncoming attack to get closer.

"Hello!" They greet as they come to the side not pressed against the wall. "Sorry I can't chat. I need to take this, hope you dont mine." They pull the table away from the civilians and twist, throwing the thing as hard as they can at their assailant. It's mostly dumb luck no bystanders were in the way-- the table lands and the man falls, only to stumble up a moment later.

Shade swears under their breath, turning to the civilians they'd just freed. Their gaze meets Peter's. "You, can you clear this place? I don't want anyone to get hurt." They hate delegating such a task to someone incapable of defending himself against a superpowered person, but they have little choice.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter watches the second person burst into the room, mildly concerned about the large sword—and the loud complaint, but, honestly, mood. Their mood towards the intruder as well as the disappearance of the massive sword eases his worries. One madman destroying the place is already too many, but at least it isn't two.

Kind of. Peter winces as the table crashes into the man. At least he isn't the one paying for it. Huh, having little to no responsibility in a crisis situation is weird. Well, that was until he was given the task of evacuating the area. "You and me both," he agrees. Preventing people from getting hurt as a shared goal is enough for him to decide that he can trust Shade to handle the bad guy. It takes a load off his shoulders. He doubts the ol' adrenaline excuse will cut it with J.J.J. as a witness if he were to go toe to toe with this guy. But while getting people out of the way it might.

He glances around, watching the man's destructive behaviour that is blocking the main door for a beat longer before moving towards the emergency exit. If he can clear a path to it, getting everyone out will be much easier. Peter has a feeling that the man won't have the kindness to see people out the front door.

There are footsteps that follow after him—likely the group that was behind the table with him—and short shrieks as a chair clatters into the wall above their heads. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Peter grumbles, keeping an eye on the man now that he's decided to start throwing things again. "Turn off the burners, fryers, whatever and get out of here!" he calls towards the workers, most of which have crouched behind the counter, shielding their heads. He doesn't expect them to follow the first part much, if at all, but it would be nice if there wasn't a fire hazard as well as an attack.

He wrenches open the small gate separating the kitchen area behind the counter and the rest of the diner, gesturing for the few people trailing after him to go in. "Follow after the workers there– Lead them out of here," he orders the worker that was slowest to get out of here. Shock, probably, but the job should give them a task to cling to for the time being.

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect—and how he must be in cahoots with a certain wall-crawling menace—but apparently not.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade keeps an eye on the escaping civilians out of the corner of their eye. They're not used to fighting in such a cramped space with this many people around; most their focus is on keeping the oncoming furniture from hitting any innocents. Magic flies wildly, hastily made shields are created only to drop a moment later as a blast of fire flashes forward to incinerate a chair about to hit a kid. For an amateur sorcerer like themself, it's incredibly draining.

They flinch as Jameson shouts another line about disrespect-- enough of a break in their focus to cause them to get hit square in the nose with a stool. Shade covers their face and yells out a few obscenities before turning to Jameson.

"Can you PLEASE just SHUT UP!" They face their opponent again, wiping blood from their nose as they continue talking to Jameson. "This would be so much easier if you just left and got to safety, man--" they dodge another chair before they seem to come to a realization. "Wait, I'm so stupid, I could literally just--" A blue glow forms around their hands yet again, and suddenly a portal opens under Jameson; he can be seen falling onto his face through the window.

By this point, most all the civilians are out, except for that guy they told to help evacuate. Shade pulls up another shield made of magic and glances in his direction. "When I said evacuate everyone, I meant you too." Blue flames surround their fist, and they leap forward to attack their assailant.

[spidersarenerds]

Not that it helps any, but Peter absolutely admires Shade's ability to keep track of all of the hurling objects. Without extra senses, it's quite the feat. It also makes the job of evacuating people easier when he doesn't have to lead them to dodge flying chairs and tables.

After shoving MJ to follow the rest of the crowd out—he actually had to close the door between them—because she wanted to stay to get the story on the scene and no way is he letting that happen no matter who is here to keep her safe as she records, he sighs. He thinks that's everyone. Or so he thought until he heard Jameson yell as he is dropped through a portal and made to eat the concrete outside. "I'm getting way too good at tuning him out." Peter doesn't think that's necessarily a bad thing, especially with the result he just saw, but maybe he should pay a little more attention next time.

"Yeah, I'm working on it," he says, pushing on the door to the staff. It doesn't budge. "Wait, was it?–" He pulls the handle. Nothing. The door locks as it shuts. Just his luck. Pushing on a pull door would have been less embarrassing than accidentally locking himself inside.

He yelps as the intruder crashes into the shelves in front of him. This is the first actual chance he's gotten to see the man unobstructed, and the pumpkin head is definitely a shock that has his yelp being louder than he'd have liked. The pumpkin head's carved grin seems to grow—how that works he doesn't know—at his shout and he begins to sit up. "Trick or treat!" He crows in a voice Peter would never call sane.

Now, he's seen many horror movies. He's complained about the dumb decisions the characters have made enough that he'd be put to shame if he didn't grab the nearest object and hit that pumpkin square in its face. That object just so happened to be a sheet pan. The pumpkin is still intact, and the twang the metal sheet gives is almost comedic, but it has the man faltering long enough that Peter has the chance to hop over the counter. He knows it's a little too graceful of a move for the whole 'Peter-act', so he tries to mess up his landing, stabilizing himself with some flailing and a hand on the floor.

"Trick it is!" the man decides happily, righting himself behind the counter and turning his pumpkin right side around.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade notices the door conundrum and swears under their breath. They've been at this fight far too long, and they don't have it in them to open another portal. If they tried, they couldn't guarantee Peter wouldn't end up in a wall or 40 feet off the ground.

They nearly laugh at the absurdity of hitting the guy with a sheet pan, but cut themself off; they should probably focus so they don't get hit again. The bruise that was definitely forming on their face was already going to be so annoying to explain away later.

"Come on, man, Halloween is my favorite holiday! You're ruining it!" Shade glances at Peter. "Try to stay out of the line of fire. I got this." They say it with way more confidence than they feel, but whatever. They've been living on fake it 'till you make it rules long enough it's practically second nature.

They leap over the counter, fire already wrapped around their fist. They intend for it to hit the guy in the face, but he catches their punch with ease. They're surprised for a moment, caught off guard by the lack of response to the fire, before realizing that of course the guy who's head is literally a flaming pumpkin wouldn't react to a little heat.

They don't have much more time to reflect on this misjudgement before they're met with a swift punch to the gut. They cringe but stand their ground, offering a quick blast of fire in return. It's enough to get the guy off them, if only for a moment.

Desperate for a quick way to end this (they know theres still a civilian in here, they know they need to keep him safe,) Shade tries the one thing they're terrible at: using their words. "And what if I said treat?" They severely hope the guy doesn't have some sort of candy themed weaponry.

[spidersarenerds]

Jack O'Lantern gasps, clasping his hands together. "It's your favorite too?!" he coos. "But I'm ruining it? I think you aren't appreciating it enough!" he cackles as he catches Shade's punch.

Peter has dealt with all sorts of crazy before, but maniacally happy with a Halloween theme is new. Would it be wrong of me to say I miss Goblin's crazy? At least he made sense... in his own twisted way. He nods as he's told to try to stay out of the line of fire. That's the plan.

"You got it!" If it's a treat you want, then a treat you shall get!" It is, unfortunately candy themed weaponry, almost a gun of sorts that he's quick to pull from beneath his cape and fire. Luckily, his aim sucks. On the less lucky side, whatever he's shooting is coming apart as it's shot.

So much for staying out of the line of fire! Peter throws his hands up over his head, shielding his face from the pellets. That's what they must be since they haven't torn through Shade and himself like shrapnel would. The pellets are hard and surprisingly small, bouncing off his arms and falling to the floor with a clatter. They hurt, but not nearly as much as one would think something that came from a gun would. He cracks open an eye. He knows he's not bulletproof, so what is this? He takes a peek at the ground. "Candy corn?" The little orange, yellow, and white triangles litter the ground of the diner now. "Where do you even get this much of it?"

"I'll never reveal the skeletons in my closet!" Jack O'Lantern gesticulates so dramatically as he speaks, he's nearly dancing to the rhythm of his words. Peter can't say he's quite as enthused. Rather than get into whether or not bulk stores can be counted as a skeleton in a closet, he begins to take a couple steps backward, not paying much mind to the hard candy making the ground uneven, his feet finding the clear areas so he won't slip without much thought. If he's out of the way, Shade can handle this guy much more easily... probably. And with Jack O'Lantern behind the counter, the path to the front exit should be clear if Peter can make it there. He just doesn't want the pumpkin head to notice. Who knows if all his weapons are merely annoying like the candy corn gun or actually dangerous?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Candy corn gun. Of course it was a candy corn gun. How stupid they were to even think that it wouldn't be a candy themed weapon. "Where do you get this much? Halloween was forever ago, no one is sells any past October?" Not that they were asking because candy corn was their favorite. The middle of battle would be an incredibly inappropriate time for such a question.

For the briefest moment, they consider trying to catch a piece in their mouth. They decide against it, though. One, it would be so embarrassing to die because they choked on a piece of flying candy corn, especially after everything else they've lived through. Two, they didn't really want to meet their sister again. Hela might not be kind enough to send them back up a second time.

Shade watches Peter slowly back away out of the corner of their eye. They need to keep Jack'O'Lantern occupied so he can escape.

Their sword returns to their hand. Now that the store is mostly empty, they have a little more room to swing the giant blade. "Hey, Jack! Try countering this!" They step forward for a swing, aiming to knock the gun out his hand.

That is not what happens. Their foot lands on a piece of candy corn and they slip. They quickly adjust the grip of the sword as they fall -- it nearly takes Jack's head off, and they have no want to kill the guy -- and it slices through the gun and lodges firmly in the wall. Shade hits the floor.

They blink and quickly stand, avoiding the candy corn this time. They shoot a glance at Peter, then look back to Jack. "That did not happen. You didn't see that." It's clear they speak to both of them.

They're very good at this. They are a well trained and professional superhero, and they are not lying to themself about that.

Well, at least the gun is gone. Shade ducks under the sword, still firmly lodged in the wall, and comes around the otherside with a fist aimed at Jack O Lantern's face. When all else fails, go old school. And hope he doesnt catch their fist again.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's mouth hangs open as he watches Shade slip. Never in his life has he been more afraid of a sword—and he's been on the pointy end of what he'd say to be plenty. A sword swinging around uncontrollably is enough to make him glad he hasn't come across more. At least the gun is gone. He likes guns even less.

Jack O'Lantern, the maniac, giggles, "That's witchful thinking." He peers over the sword at Shade on the ground. He then yelps as Shade's fist collides with the pumpkin, stumbling back out of their reach as quick as he can. "No fair," he growls, cradling the spot where he got hit. Whether he's cradling the part of his face that got hurt through the pumpkin or is just really that attached to the gourd on his head, Peter can't tell. "I guess it's time for my own tricks!" Like anything he's given is a treat.

As Jack whips out yet another weapon, some sort of pole that elongates itself with his movement, Peter has to duck to avoid the blade. A scythe. Kind of. He doubts it'd be any good on a farm, what with the way the blade crackles. The blade doesn't even seem to be metal, just energy. It must save space for whatever other goodies Jack has up his sleeve. "You're really out of your gourd," Peter mutters, focusing on righting himself from the near-backbend he just had to do.

Jack O'Lantern, of course delighted to hear any vaguely Halloween related pun, spins around, nearly taking out Peter with the scythe again. This time, Peter grabs it near the blade to stop the whole waving around very sharp things theme that has been going on. It also means that he's putting a lot of his balance into Jack holding the scythe steady, which he regrets immediately as Jack leans closer excitedly. "Aw thank you! It makes me all the more spooktastic, and that's just bootiful, don't you think?"

And Peter could do without his eyebrows getting singed off by the flaming pumpkin, so he wedges his heel into Jack's shoulder and pushes him away, maybe a little too hard as Peter flips himself over while doing so, now firmly on his feet with the scythe in hand, the blade safely on the floor. "Oops..." he hisses under his breath before straightening like it was intentional and totally normal of him to do a backflip in a fight. Just such a normal, innocuous thing for a guy to do. He did gymnastics—for two months when he was six—that's why he can do that. "Isn't that grim? You've lost another toy," he comments, trying to play it off. He really should shut up more. Thank goodness Jameson is outside and probably dealing with being dumped onto the pavement so he can't hear these quips.

Peter keeps hold of the scythe so Jack O'Lantern can't get a hold of it, and also because he has no idea if he should be able to lift this or not. Swinging a blade around with a candy covered floor isn't a good idea anyway. Just look at Shade's sword. Jack picks himself back up, stumbling slightly on the candy corn. The guy is taking quite the beating, more so thanks to Shade than anyone else."You– you're no fun!" he spits, barely paying attention to Shade and likely ready to pull another trick.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade stares at Peter with wide eyes. They might not have normal strength levels, but they used to live in some small town in the middle of nowhere with no super people around, and they're pretty sure not even the strongest people they knew there could've pulled that off. Maybe there's a reason this guy was way more level headed than the average civilian.

There's only a few heros with that amount of flexibility, and only one they know of who can come up with that many terrible puns that fast.

Deciding that's not really important, nor their business, they choose to just be happy he's on their side; with their luck, it was a miracle they didn't run into a building holding the next Hydra convention.

Jack isn't facing them, giving them a good opportunity to sneak up. They're careful to avoid the candy corn, not wanting a repeat of their previous mishap (please please please tell them no one caught that on camera. They might cry.)

Shade leaps when they're close enough, tackling him to the ground. They land awkwardly on their side and cringe as candy corn digs into their skin, but continue with their plan anyways, fighting to keep Jack from reaching for any more of his "tricks."

"Both of your jokes are awful!" They cry out while still fighting with Jack. Even if they were a little funny. "Now stay down, please--" They raise their elbow and slam it down into Jack's chest.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter can vaguely recognize the realization in Shade's eyes, which isn't the best for him. He's really getting too sloppy with his identity. Now it just begs the question if he can play up the clumsy helpless civilian enough or if he will just look like a fool. His friends who know make fun of him when he leans heavily into the nerd persona, but it clearly works better than whatever he's doing now. Shade doesn't seem like they would tattle, but Jack might... if he's even coherent enough to string a non-Halloween related sentence together.

As Shade tackles Jack to the ground, Peter stumbles back, allowing himself to stumble on the candy corn and barely catch himself on the scythe. Is anyone paying attention? No, definitely not. They're busy fighting on the floor. He totally had that realisation before he did that. It was just practice.

"Wh– hey!" he begins, about to defend his quips. At the very least, they aren't on the same level as Jack's. He can accept that they're cringe-worthy, but to compare them to puns that sound like they're from some website? Simply unacceptable. That is until Shade jams their elbow into Jack's chest. Peter looks away. "Yeah, I'll just shut up now."

Jack makes some sort of wheezy coughing noise, similar to a breathless laugh but that's more so the crazy rather than any sort of joy. He flails wildly in Shade's grip, pushing at just about anything and trying to squirm away.

It's clearly an issue, and Peter is only so good at standing by—so good as in atrociously terrible at it— so he scans the diner for anything to tie up Jack O'Lantern. It seems he is out of luck today because not one customer happened to forget a scarf or purse in their evacuation. Ugh, and the day I only had tank tops to wear underneath. Peter drops the scythe and pulls off the dress shirt he's been wearing like a jacket. He observes it in his hands. Jack would be the type to kick or even run away while his hands are tied. Peter tears off both of the sleeves—he might as well make it match on both sides; he's going to be sewing later anyway—and rushes to help out in the scuffle. "Hold his arms!" Tying up the feet can happen once there are no hands clawing at their faces.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances up at Peter when they hear the sound of fabric ripping -- but only for a moment, as Jack tries again to wriggle his way free. They curse under their breath as they grab the villain by his wrists, holding them with just enough force not to break them. They've been getting better at handling their strength, though the doubt the force they use to hold Jack is comfortable.

"Got him!" They mentally add ripping the jacket to their list of reasons this guy is totally definitely a superhero. Unless that jacket was made with really flimsy fabric, they don't think it would've ripped that quickly and easily. Plus, they're pretty sure the average civilian wouldn't think of that unless they, for some reason, had experience tying up random villains on the street with little resources.

Shade grimaces as Jack tries to pull his arms back again. They take a moment to thank the stars they got the superhuman strength and endurace from their Asgardian half; this guy was not giving up.

"Don't burn your hands!" They aren't sure if the fire surrounding Jack's pumpkin head is real or not, but better safe than sorry. At least they don't have to worry about it; fire is kinda their thing. Even if it is hot, they won't feel it.

[spidersarenerds]

"I'll do my best..." His main focus is getting Jack's hands tied together, which is a struggle and a half, even with Shade's—rather spectacular, if Peter were to say so himself—efforts to hold Jack still. Eventually, he manages to loop the first sleeve around Jack's wrists tight enough that he won't worry about him slipping loose, and maybe a little tighter for good measure, and ties the knot as securely as he can. He would make a joke about the fabric "cuffs" being a one size fits all, but he's busy trying to avoid getting kicked in the face. Jack's legs are a whole other battle. So, Peter decides to be more lenient on the quality of the bind, getting up and running away won't be easy even if Jack managed to free his legs.

Jack is shouting rather loudly, half of it threats mixed with puns, and the other half claiming that tickles are a rude trick to pull—his understanding of what is going on seems really limited, and Peter almost feels bad for the guy, in that aspect, less so the terrorizing people part.

"Just need a bow and you'd be set for Christmas," Peter pants, sitting back on his heels as Jack writhes.

"NOOOO!" Jack O'Lantern howls, clearly furious in his binds. He is fuming as his squirming grows less violent frome either exhaustion or the cloth cutting into his limbs.

"Not sure who would want you for Christmas, though," Peter adds on in a false pondering tone. Villains wailing about their defeat, as annoying as it is, exists as a common ending to fights. He watches as Jack struggles. He doesn't know what to do now. He can't exactly just leave on his merry way—as he would usually do with a quick web—but instead he may have to linger since MJ and Jameson are likely still outside the diner, itching for the scoop. And the police. Ugh, is he going to have to deal with the police? And he's without his 'jacket'—if you want to call a cotton dress shirt that—to hide whatever marks he has on his arms from his 'hobby'. Is it too late to get stabbed by that scythe?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath as Peter finishes with Jack, leaning back and letting go of his wrists. They stay close enough to grab him if he does manage an escape, though.

"Can't tell if he's more mad about losing or about the Christmas pun." Shade watches him struggle for a moment before looking back at Peter. "Thanks. You got a level head on you for a guy who presumably doesn't do this every single day." They're still, like, 99% sure this guy is Spider-Man. No other hero would make puns that bad. No need to ruin the guy's secret, though.

Shade holds out a hand with a grin. "I'm Nightshade. Shade. Whichever. 'Preciate the assist. Sorry about your shirt."

Their gaze wanders around the building as they slowly take in the damage caused by the fight. Candy corn everywhere. Broken chairs and tables. Sword in the wall. They cringe. "I do not have the money to pay for this," they mumble. "Should probably split before cops get here." They can already hear the sirens. "You might wanna, too. Some people might have some... prying questions about some stuff you just did." They try to make it clear with their tone that they mean leave before someone finds out your identity.

[spidersarenerds]

"Can't say I'm a newbie to it. Villains attacked my high school a lot." And that's not even a lie. A lot of his graduate year would probably be calmer than most—even if you were to disclude the nine of them who were/turned out to be heroes—but he can admit that it doesn't explain away what he's done. It is a very thin veil of secrecy he's weaving with very halfhearted effort. "I'm Peter, and don't worry about it. It was my choice, and I can stitch it up later." He shakes Shade's hand. Jack gives a final thrash. "Probably." He has no idea how his shirt sleeves will hold up against the strain of being restraints.

"Torn off sleeves are still in fashion, right? That's a thing?" he jokes, folding his arms together. He can argue that's accentuating his arms and making them look more muscular than his 'nerdy' arms actually are, can't he? I'm overthinking this. No one actually pays that much attention, much less people who barely know you to be a 'nerdy weakling'.

"New York has clean up guys for villain fights... I think. I saw it on the news once. If you want to call what J– Mr. Jameson does as news." Peter knows it to be true because he had to help once because he and his team got in trouble with Fury, if they're still running after the Wrecking Crew snuck into the works to sabotage and pilfer. He looks over his shoulder out the window to try and gage the size of the crowd. It doesn't look to be the worst, but he knows that there are two journalists waiting outside, desperate for details, and one of them is his best friend. The other, however, may very well have a cavalry of cameramen on the way. Where is Harry and his convenient outerwear when you need it? "I wish I could. My friend's out there and will probably get arrested for trying to enter the crime scene for her journal if she doesn't get a witness statement." MJ could likely talk her way out of it, being the stubborn person she is, but he may as well save her the hassle.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances at the torn sleeves and scoffs. "Absolutely not in fashion. But, hey, maybe you'll start a trend." They should probably worry a bit more about the high school comment -- was that common? Would their school get attacked if they ever bothered to go back? -- but they decide to let it be for now.

"Yeah, it probably needs one considering... Literally everything about this city." NYC had to deal with gods and men flying around in iron suits and sorcerers and spiders. They'd seen the damage plenty; Shade feels a little bad for the people doing all that clean up.

...Better those guys cleaning it up than them, though.

Shade's gaze follows Peter's. They let out a breath. "Damn, Jameson is gonna make me the second most hated superhero in New York after this. First one being that bug guy." They know good and well that spiders aren't bugs, and also that Spider-Man is more well liked than Jameson makes him out to be. They still think it's a little funny to poke at Peter without being obvious about it, though.

"I'll hang out with you then. You know there's gonna be cameras and interviews and stuff. If anything goes south, I'll lie to the cops and journalist and just tell them you hid in the back or something." Shade glances down at Jack. "No one will believe him if he snitches anyways."

[spidersarenerds]

"Totally, next best thing since ripped jeans: the more holes in your outfit, the better," he quips. As Shade remarks about the chaos of the city chock full of superheroes and villains, Peter nods. Damage control has saved his skin many times. Of course, the best damage is no damage at all—as Fury has hammered into his skull—but with the combination of an unfamiliar villain and Shade, however far they are into their hero journey, he's glad the building didn't collapse.

Peter opens his mouth to refute the bug guy comment, but holds back, just barely. "Just be confident. I would not be surprised if they can smell fear," he says instead. The advice is bogus, he has no idea what makes Jameson like people. Both times Spider-Man was impersonated, Jameson was praising 'him' to the high heavens.

Shade's decision to stick around has Peter turning his head to look at them, surprise melting into a small, appreciative smile. "Yeah? You just stole my sleeves to tie this pumpkin head up?" he teases. "Thanks," he adds with a more genuine tone. He doesn't plan to let Shade take the fall for him like that, not with Jameson's sway on the public, but the offer is nice.

"Let's go before they bust the door down." He pushes the door open with his shoulder. The clamor from outside bursts in through the open door, the sound of people fussing as they notice the door cracking open. Peter can pick out a few questions and exclamations from the crowd, just civilians, as far as he can tell, for now, but he only waits long enough for Shade to make it through the door before walking to the corner. He does not expect to lose the crowd, but getting them away from the door so police, professionals, and all that can enter the building whenever they get here. It's also a chance for him to scan the crowd for MJ... and Jameson too, mostly because MJ would stick close to him to observe what a 'true journalist' does in this situation.

"What happened?"

"Who are you?"

Those are the two main questions he can decipher from the hubbub, whether they are sent his way of Shade's, he has no idea. How celebrities can understand anything when thirty questions are being hurled at them at the same time, he has no idea. He comes to a stop at the corner of the building, glancing back to make sure Shade is still there and alright.

"Peter! Where have you been? You can't disappear like that!" A familiar head of red hair parts the crowd, stepping right up to Peter and poking his chest accusingly with a grin. "I had a whole cover ready." She crosses her arms, finally seeming to notice his state. "Whoa, I think this is the first time I've seen your shoulders. You're going to distract someone," she comments.

"That is not true, MJ. We've known each other since we were four; you've seen my shoulders," Peter protests, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," MJ dismisses, already pushing her leather jacket at him, knowing he would wrap it over his shoulders so he can focus on more than if people somehow put it together that he's Spider-Man by seeing his arms—which he does, even though the fitted leather jacket is far from his size. She leans to the side, spotting Shade. "And who are you?" she asks them, excitement glowing in her green eyes. Peter offers an apologetic smile. MJ isn't the worst to talk to, far from it, but she is stubborn, especially when she's in her journalist mode.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Before Shade leaves the building, they take a moment to recover their sword -- which takes a minute, because it is stuck stuck. With only a mild amount of additional damage to the drywall they manage to dislodge it and let it disappear into their pocket dimension. They do hesitate a moment before walking out, wondering briefly if leaving Jack was responsible. Figuring the police were just around the corner anyways, and that Jack had stopped struggling in his binds, Shade leaves him and follows Peter into the crowd.

They hear the questions as soon as they step out. Shade is briefly stunned by the overlapping speech and all the eyes on them, but they quickly pull themself together as they plaster on a confident smile and pose with their arms on their hips.

With a tone that sounds almost rehearsed, Shade responds, "I am Nightshade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire and sorcerer in training. Consider this villain vanquished!" They stand proud for a moment before their face falls as they mumble to themself. "No, that sounds too fantasy-ish. This foe is finished? Enemy annihilated? Eh, we'll workshop it." They clear theur throat and stand tall again. "He's in there, and he alone is responsible for all damages. Please lead the cops to him when they arrive, put the guy behind bars, maybe get him some help?" They glance around and spot Peter out of the corner of their eyes. "Uh, I gotta run. No more questions and bye!!"

They push through the crowd and arrive at where Peter and MJ are. They smile at MJ when addressed. "Shade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire, newest hero on the block." They say it with the same gusto as when they addressed the crowd, as if they were rehersing to a camera. Shade holds out a hand. "Your friend made a very noble sacrifice today. Rest in piece his shirt, made great restraints all things considered."

[spidersarenerds]

Peter smiles as Shade answers the questions that were being shouted. He doesn't have that sort of patience, but he can admire the enthusiasm to actually talk to people rather than just dip without explanation. It likely promises them a better reputation than Spider-Man, though that isn't saying much. There are villains J.J.J. likes better than him.

MJ tilts her head. "Shade Odinchild? Well, that's a name we certainly didn't cover in our school's mythology studies," she remarks, taking Shade's hand eagerly. "And newest hero on the block, huh? So you're going to be sticking around? What can the public of New York expect from you?"

Peter's eyes widen, basically seeing a flashing neon sign indicating the loaded question. Now, no matter how friendly and people-skilled Shade may be, answering that is a trap. Not one MJ lays intentionally—this time, that is; he won't forget how she bullied her way past Iron Fist and Power Man to get to an interview in a building under attack—but with the public and Jameson around, any answer will not be taken in good faith. "Haha, maybe that's a better question for when you have your camera, right? The digital age, y'know? Everyone likes a video." He puts his hands on her shoulders. He knows it's hopeless to tell MJ straight up that such a question has the very high chance to do more harm than good: she sees the good in everyone and wouldn't believe him if he said otherwise when it comes to the media, at least in his experience.

"Ah, well I could still write it down." She smiles. "Besides, how cool would it be to be a hero's first interview!" It's the same excitement that makes him feel bad to say no or point out a flaw in her plans.

"Haven't you already done that?" MJ was the first one to interview Spider-Man. What? You think I could refuse her back then? She'd have personally hunted down Spider-Man three years ago. "Do you even have a notebook?"

"No..." She crosses her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "Do you?" she asks hopefully.

"Me? Nope! Didn't even bring my bag," he answers. He did, but he has no idea where it is in the diner, so he might as well not have brought it. He'll have to find it later. MJ's expression is disbelieving at best. He smiles 'innocently'.

"There you are! Watson, if you want to be a top journalist, you need to find the action, not run off," Jameson scolds, lightly holding a handkerchief to his nose. Seems the landing face first into concrete after being teleported wasn't exactly harmless. But he still has his attitude, so it's likely nothing to worry about.

"I think she found the action first, sir," Peter comments, earning a judgy side eye from the man, his mouth twisting into a frown before he turns his gaze onto Shade.

MJ steps between the two. "This is Shade Odinchild. They're a new hero!" she introduces, seeming to come to the conclusion that putting a good word in with Jameson could help a little with Shade's reputation.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Well, I'm not the 'hundreds and thousands of years' old kind of Asgardian. I don't actually know if I'm immortal or not--" They were only half Asgardian, technically, and they had no idea what traits they got from their Father's side. Maybe if the guy would actually talk to them they could figure it out, but so far Odin seemed more that happy to pretend they didn't exist. Whatever, they'll figure it out through trial and error. Sucks they won't know if they'll live to 80 or 8,000 till they get there, though.

"But I'll be in your textbooks soon, I bet. Up there with Captain America and Black Widow and the rest of 'em." Maybe they sounded a bit too confident. They had been living off the fake it till you make it mindset the past few months, though. If they sounded confident enough, maybe it'd come true.

Shade opens their mouth to respond, but is cut off by Peter. They're a little annoyed. This could be their big break! Their first interview to really thrust them into the public eye, make them a real hero! They could get their name on tee-shirts and have those stupid little knockoff figures of themself and unlicensed merch that looked so bad it was funny and--

Okay, plot lost. Still, it would be really cool to have their first real interview, even if it wasn't exactly the most professionally conducted.

"I mean, I might have a notebook somewhere." They throw so many things into their pocket dimension, they wouldn't doubt they did. "Hold on, I can look real--" they pause as Jameson speaks, quickly straightening their posture in an attempt to look more professional-ish. They quickly forget about the notebook as they swivel to face Jameson.

"Oh! Jame-- I mean, Mr. Jameson, sir." They aren't usually one for authority figures; Shade's always been more of a "do what I want and deal with the consequences later" kind of guy. Jameson kinda has actual influence, though, and they really want a good first impression with the public. It's the first step to their dreams of greatness, after all.

...which is why they're kind of regretting the whole telling him to shut up thing. And the dropping him face first onto concrete thing.

It's fine, if they pull out all their natural charisma and charm, they can still turn this around to be in their favor!

Shade clears their throat. "I, uh-- Sorry about earlier. Heat of the moment thing, I don't usually tell people to shut up, be quiet maybe but I promise I'm not that rude--" Oh god they're rambling-- "Is your- uh, your nose okay? I'm still a little iffy on portal trajectory. Busted my own nose a couple of times."

Okay, well, so much for charisma and charm. Do they normally stumble over their words this much, or only when what they say actually matters?

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's eyes flick between Jameson and Shade, growing more amused the longer Shade rambles and the conflict on Jameson's face deepens. He's clearly ticked about being dropped on his face—the being told to shut up, less so just because it's not the first time he's heard it from a hero/hero adjacent—but there was an apology, and it's not like this kid is hiding behind a mask... They're taking accountability for their actions, which, in his eyes, only matters when there's no secret identity. Even though Peter has no stake in this, he waits with bated breath for Jameson to give an expression beyond stern and mildly annoyed.

"Well," Jameson clears his throat, adjusting his suit jacket. "It's something you definitely need to work on. Preferably before hurling innocent civilians through your portals." He looks to the side, lips pursing beneath his mustache. "But I am glad you're taking accountability. It's not something everyone does, especially some so-called heroes."

And there it is. Peter was waiting for the Spider-Man diss, even if it was indirect this time. He waves his hand as MJ looks ready to refute that claim. There's no need to save the dead horse Jameson is insistent on beating. Instead, just let Shade have their moment. Peter can't lie and say he's interested in seeing Jameson actually be kind of nice.

"I... suppose... my commentary was not exactly de escalating the situation." Wow, that almost looked like it hurt for Jameson to say. The man looks less than happy to admit his fault, but at least he apologized... kind of.

Peter has to physically bite his lip to keep from adding a 'ya think?' Now isn't the time and he really shouldn't snark an adult while he's so obviously himself, no matter how much of a pain that adult may be. I am mature. I am so good at shutting up. I will utter no words. Imagine Fury is super mad and ready to end anyone who talks back.

He breaks, because how could he not? There are so many different things he could say. He opts for the most innocuous one. "I'm sure it's alright, sir. Villain attacks are scary for everyone. There's no shame in that." It doesn't quite scratch his itch to be a bother, but there's only so much he can do before he loses plausibility that he isn't being intentional in his antagonism.

Jameson does not seem amused. "Yes, for civilians. I am a journalist, and we do not scare in the face of some loon in a mask, now do we, Miss Watson?"

"Not exactly. We act in spite of our fear to deliver–" she begins to say.

"Exactly," Jameson plows on, not waiting for her to finish her thought. Because it's something she got from Spider-Man in an interview? Maybe.

"–The truth as best we can," MJ concludes, giving Jameson a flat glare before her expression brightens again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath they didn't know they were holding. Jameson didn't seem like he was going to go on the news and spout about how they were a menace like he did with certain other heros; they could almost say he seemed to respect them, to a degree. At least they can assure their reputation with the public isn't going to be smeared just yet.

They nod along as he speaks, trying Very hard to seem engaged. The better the impression they leave, the better the future article about them will be (hopefully.) "I'm... working on the portals. I'm mentoring under someone with way more magical skills than me,so I should figure it out soon." They figure outright saying my older brother Loki is showing me how to do cool magic stuff wouldn't get a good reaction. God of Lies or not, he's still not well liked. "Next time, I'll make sure you land on your feet, probably."

They nod along to Jameson's response to Peter. "Well, sir, soon you won't have to worry about loons in masks. Or, at least you'll have to worry less." Shade places their thumb on their chest, standing tall and throwing on a confident smile. "With me on the streets, villains will be too scared to stick around. Bet I'll clear New York out was faster than Spider-Man could." They're not gonna lie and say they aren't trying to annoy Peter; they subtly glance his way, just to see his reaction. Besides, they're trying to get on Jameson's good side. This is a quick (and funny) way to do so. They'll say sorry later.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter notices Shade's seemingly eager nodding, maybe a tiny bit amused by the amount of trying to get on Jameson's good side that's going on. He doesn't think he's seen someone try that hard, but it's nice to see, in a way. If they're worried about their reputation, chances are, hopefully they'll do good things to better their reputation. He bites his lip to keep a grin from forming as they promise to transport Jameson safely through a portal next time, with a probably tacked onto the end. He wouldn't complain about seeing Jameson dropped onto his face again, but judging by the nervous laugh from Jameson, he isn't going to be stepping through any of Shade's portals any time soon.

At the claim that Shade will clear out New York of supervillains faster than Spider-Man, Peter's eyebrows furrow, his mouth opening like he's deciding if it's worth responding to and risking identities. He purses his lips. The diss wasn't appreciated, but less work is less work, so he won't say no.

Jameson, however, grins, "Ha! Glad to know not all of the new heroes think Spider-Man is the standard."

"Of course that's the key to your heart; hating Spider-Man. Who would have guessed," Peter grumbles under his breath, unsurprised and keeping his voice down low enough that he's sure Jameson wouldn't hear him over his own beginnings of a rant.

"Well, actually, a lot of the villains on Spider-Man's roster were only in New York because they were hired to fight him. So, it would be O– uh, whoever hired them's fault." It's a valiant attempt on MJ's part to defend Spider-Man, even though Peter nearly had a heart attack when she nearly said the—now reformed—'employer's name.

Of course, Jameson just gets a gleam in his eye. "But at the root of the problem is Spider-Man." As one would blame the guy with the note 'kick me' taped to their back. "We could do more with heroes like this one who own up to their mistakes and don't attract villains!" He gestures to Shade. Peter cringes; he sure hopes Jameson didn't jinx it. Villains with magic powers are a pain for everyone.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade hears Peter's mumbled comment and sends him a shit eating grin. They quickly shift their focus back to Jameson, not trying to divert any attention to Peter. They should probably be a bit more subtle, now that they think about it. Not everyone is willing to throw their real identity out there.

"Well, I don't think I have anyone who hates me bad enough to give people to kill me quite yet." Maybe a few people who had beef with Odin, or Thor, or Loki, but those people didn't directly hate them. They were just trying to hurt the aforementioned Asgardians without any direct sort of confrontation. Not the same as hiring a guy to kill Spider-Man. (Not like Odin cared about anything happening to them. The couple of guys who came after them with the intention of getting Odin's attention were so misguided it was a little funny.) Back to their original point, they add, "I don't thing I'll be attracting any supervillains here anytime soon."

They can't say they aren't enjoying the praise. Even if Jameson isn't their favorite person ever, they haven't ever been used as a good example. It feels pretty nice; Shade just hopes they can live up to his (and the rest of New York's) expectations.

The teen holds out a hand. "Well, Mr. Jameson, it has been very nice to meet you. Maybe next time we can meet under a less life-or-death-y situation?"

[spidersarenerds]

Peter hopes Shade is right and no one wants them dead. He knows it's likely that they're right and he's worrying because of his own past experiences. He has to remember that not every new hero has a billionaire and their mad scientist looking to militarize their powers and/or dissect them. Shade should be fine.

They handle themselves well enough in front of the media, anyway. Peter's glad to see Jameson likes at least one superhero, excluding the two times that he's taken a liking to people impersonating Spider-Man.

"So long as you keep up your efforts, I look forward to it." Jameson takes Shade's hand, giving it a firm shake while stating his hefty expectations. No pressure or anything. With that, he walks back into the crowd, saying he and MJ will meet another time—which will likely end in disaster such as today; her interviews with the man are always interrupted by villain attacks—with a brief over the shoulder wave.

As the news reporter leaves, Peter squints. "Did you put something in his drink, MJ?" he accuses, mostly in jest. He doesn't think he's seen the man in such a good mood, like ever. "Or did he hit his head so hard it knocked the stick outta–"

"I didn't drug Mr. Jameson, Peter." MJ rolls her eyes. She shifts her attention to Shade. "Don't feel too worried about what Mr. Jameson says. So long as you do your best, that's enough. Don't set unachievable expectations to beat yourself up over: that helps no one," she says, a friendly smile on her face. "Right, Peter?" she adds on pointedly, jabbing his side with her elbow.

"Ow!" He rubs his ribs. Targeted much? "She's right, though. The more people saving the city the better."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade waits until Jameson disappears into the crowd to let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. If they've felt weighted under their own expectations for themself before, they might be feeling just a bit crushed now. It's just their reputation with the entire damn city. Nothing big.

They look at MJ as she talks, nodding along. "Of course. I'd never set unachieveable expectations." Because no expectation is unachievable if they just achieve it, so they aren't doing that! They're sure theyre never going to get burnt out with thoughts like that.

They look at Peter. "Yeah. I, uh... I'll do my best! Can't wait to work eith yo-- uh, Spider-Man, on that. And the other heroes in New York." They shift their weight from one foot to the other. They really are excited about their new hero-ing thing; they yearn for the sort of praise people like Captain America, Black Widow, even Thor receives.

They glance to the crowd, where cops are talking to a very disgruntled looking man, most likely the owner of the diner. Shade bites at their lip. "Legally speaking, am I responsible for..." the candy corn all over the floor, the broken tables they threw at Jack, the hole in the wall where their giant sword lodged itself into the wall, the scorch marks along the floor. "...the damages? And if so, how fast do I need to dip?"

[spidersarenerds]

So that cat is out of the bag. Well, at least it's a hero who knows his identity, and one with good intentions at that, even if they're on the greener side. "Yeah, after this, you're sure to make pals." It took Peter a while to do actual team ups with other heroes when he started out, but that was because of his attitude and avoidance of anything where he'd have to talk to someone on his side.

At the mention of damages, MJ repositions herself to see into the diner, sucking in a breath through her teeth. With a villain like Jack O'Lantern, damages are hard to avoid, but it's far from a pretty sight.

"Uuummm..." Peter always dipped before he could be spoken to, so he has no idea if heroes actually get in trouble for the damages. S.H.I.E.L.D. kind of shields—heh—him from that stuff so long as it isn't gratuitous. "I don't know..." He checks over his shoulder before continuing in a lower voice. "I can call folks in to get the clean up handled, there's a thing for that. So, you only have to run if they start coming over here." It's a suggestion, not one most would approve of as it is quite literally 'run away from the cops' but who is he to care for what should be done? So, he'll keep an eye out for any police coming towards Shade.

"He–" Peter tilts his head toward the owner. "–won't have to pay a dime for it either, in case that was a concern." He leans his weight onto one foot, also peering into the diner. "Could probably do with some new chairs anyway," he says, wrinkling his nose. Hopefully Damage Control will splurge on some cushions.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade cringes as MJ looks at the mess they made; they look mildly embarrassed as they shrink in on themself, not unlike a child waiting to be scolded.

"I, uh... I'd appreciate that. Calling those guys in." They do feel a little better, knowing they're not causing some poor innocent civilian a bunch of money because they slipped on some candy corn (and threw chairs and tables and used fire magic indoors.) They nervously glance back at the crowd, keeping an eye on the cops for a moment. They don't seem to be paying them any mind, but they would still rather not linger.

They turn their attention back to MJ and Peter. "I kinda sorta ruined your lunch, right? Sorry about that. Could I get you guys something else to eat?" They maybe have, like, 15 dollars stashed away in their pocket dimension somewhere, but they'd feel at least a little bad for not offering (that, and they really want to get away from all the cops).

Besides, if all else fails, they have an older brother and a card he can wire money into. They're already planning how to discreetly send a text his way asking for an extra 20 on their allowance this week.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter nods, folding his hands behind his back. He can't call Fury up in the middle of this crowd to ask for Damage Control. He hopes that he's as good at typing behind his back as he is at making wisecracks. If he isn't, he will blame the tiny screen of his wrist communicator. Whether or not Fury understands "dmg ctrl pls" could be a whole other issue without the plausible typos being considered.

It's good enough. Fury will see the news anyway. He's somehow got his eye on everything. Even with the cameras, watching all of those screens is a feat and a half for anyone.

"Lunch?" Free food is free food, Peter can admit that much, but also free for him is not free for Shade. He can survive without it. "Nah. I feel like I should be buying you lunch after you saved us from Jameson. My ears were ringing from halfway across the room," he jokes instead, rubbing his ear with an exaggerated wince.

MJ rolls her eyes. "But we should get going," she decides, spying a sliver of a blue uniform in the crowd. "They don't like how I get the info to show new sides to a story." She spares a glance over her shoulder to glare in the direction of the police as she turns to lead them out of the crowd.

"What? MJ!" Peter hisses, pulling her leather jacket tighter around himself. Torn between following after her and staying between Shade and the police grouped in the crowd. He doesn't want to leave Shade behind to deal with the police, especially after their somewhat nervous attitude towards them.

"There's a reason they aren't journalists, Peter; the truth isn't as important as the law."

For those of you that don't know, that's MJ speak for I got caught trespassing in the name of one of my stories, therefore the police are the opposition now. But also flawed system so... Peter groans. This is not something he can argue with MJ about. "If you're still up for it, I'm sure she would like to interview you... away from all this," he says to Shade, an offer to get out of this crowd.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods, following the duo through the crowd. They keep an eye out for any officers heading their way as they pull out their phone, typing as they walk. "You have a place in mind? I'm not usually on this side of town, not sure what's around." They hope their looking at their phone reads as looking at a map for nearby places to snag a bite, and not them texting their older sibling.

Can i have extra money this week pleasepleaseplease like 30 or maybe more dollars pleaseeee

They really don't intend on letting Peter or MJ pay if they can help it. For one, Peter kinda helped in the fight with Jack (and sacrificed his shirt in the process, which Shade still felt a little bad about.) For two, MJ was helping them avoid the cops, which was much appreciated. (They aren't sure how illegal the vigilante thing is, but they do know that they're probably classified as a missing person a few states away, and the less the cops are on them the better.) The least they could do was offer a meal.

Slipping the phone away again, they speed up to walk alongside Peter and MJ. "A for real interview sounds cool!" They grin. "And when I'm super famous, MJ can tell everyone she was the first one to give me one! It'll look good on a resume, I'd bet."

[spidersarenerds]

"Uhh..." Peter racks through his list of restaurants in the area that he knows of, trying to think of what is cheapest. "There's this coffee-sandwich shop thing a few streets down, I think. Not as greasy, though, if artery-clogging is what you're craving," he quips, mostly to hide his uncertainty about the exact location. The city looks different from up high, so his navigation on foot may be subpar.

As they walk, the crowd thins. He looks between Shade and MJ as the interview conversation goes on. "Ha, that resume is going to be a book by the time she's 20."

"As if that's a bad thing. You know it doesn't hurt to have varied experiences, Peter." MJ knows he's teasing, her own defense being a jab about how he has been in the same 'field' since he was 14.

"Yeah, yeah, Miss journalist, tutor, play writer, and who knows what else." He rolls his eyes.

MJ raises an eyebrow. "You could probably add something to your resume besides teaching. Like that time you acted for my play... or improvised."

"It was a high school play. And Trapster literally crashed your play and I was, like, understudy number seven for Flash; no way you're still mad that I improvised," he groans, waving his hand that is not holding MJ's jacket.

"Maybe I am." She turns to Shade, grinning. "You know his aunt sent me pictures. She thought it was Flash at first because, well, the play was about Spider-Man so masks, so the 'identity reveal' was a big shock when Petey was under the mask." MJ is clearly very happy to share an embarrassing story about Peter.

"No way she was able to take pictures," Peter protests, already knowing his aunt likely snuck them since Flash has been his neighbor since forever and it's not like his folks were around to be proud of him.

"Maybe a video..." She teases. "I think that's the first time I ever heard him sing in the 13 years I've known him," she adds.

He sighs sufferingly, mostly to put on a show of embarrassment since MJ seems eager to tell the story, and if Shade is having fun too, he really doesn't mind. He has this little restaurant to hunt down anyway.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods. "Coffee-sandwich shop sounds good." They follow closely, glancing between the two as they converse / argue. It's pretty entertaining, actually.

They pause in listening when they get a buzz on their phone, they take it out just long enough to read the notification.

$29.99 added to account number...

They slide their phone away, deciding not to comment on the stupid joke. Calling Loki a jerk for giving them one cent less than they asked for would maybe not get them more money in the future. (Even though the bit was a little funny, they could not let their brother know that Ever. He wasn't getting the satisfaction.)

Shade perks up as the conversation is again directed at them. "Pictures?" They repeat, glancing between Peter and MJ. They cover one side of their mouth with their hand and stage whisper, "I'll give you my number later, not saying you should send them over, buttttttt...." they drop their hand and grin mischievously, giggling a little at the resigned expression Peter wears.

[spidersarenerds]

"Surprisingly not the worst pictures of me that will be spread around." Between the unflattering positions he's been in as Spider-Man and being caught by the paparazzi with Harry, there's worse pictures of him than him playing in a high school musical, even if the suit was... lacking in more ways than one.

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare," MJ teases, fully intending to send Shade the images and the video if she has it.

"Like a house on fire," Peter sighs to himself, amused by how well Shade and MJ are getting along. And yes, pun intended. "We should be there soon and you two can exchange your info." At least he thinks.

After a few turns, the coffee-sandwich shop is up ahead, advertised by a simple banner on its faded brick walls. It doesn't stand out any more than any of the other buildings in the area. It seems vacant enough that they could get their food without trouble or a long wait.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade strolls right in; it doesn't take very long for the group to get seated at a booth. Shade let's Peter and MJ sit next to each other, while they take the other side.

As soon as the smell of food hits their nose, they realize how hungry they are -- having the powers of the Wildfire also comes with an appetite to match. Still, they're trying to get the money in their account to stretch across three people (there's no way they're letting Peter or MJ pay after they kinda sorta destroyed the diner they were supposed to eat in,) so they decide on a cheap-ish pepperoni sandwich and soda.

Shade gives their order to a waiter. While they wait for Peter and MJ to order, they take a napkin and a pen and scribble their number on it, sliding it to MJ with a grin.

"For professional queries," they joke, "or other interview questions. Or embarrassing pictures of Peter."

[spidersarenerds]

MJ scans the menu quickly, finding what she wants and deems an acceptable price, a simple sandwich with deli meat, lettuce, cheese, and that sort of bread that makes it look more complex than it is, and orders it. It's a much simpler process than it is for Peter, who is staring down the menu like it stole his lunch money. Well, it kind of did, at least Shade's money... in return for food, so not really stealing either... Don't think about it too hard.

He glances up as his name is mentioned. "Huh? Oh." His eyes flick to the napkin, then MJ's grin, figuring out the context. "How devious of you," he comments, his eyes darting across the menu. Too many options. Is it weird to get fries again? What if they're just cursed today? He only had the one shirt and could not deal with another villain vs. diner situation.

He gets the nachos.

"So, what brings you to New York?" MJ asks, leaning forward on the table. Peter is silently relieved that the question wasn't too deep, he doesn't think. When she first interviewed Spider-Man, the first thing she asked for was an identity reveal. "There's already quite a few big names here; wouldn't it be easier to make a name for yourself elsewhere? If that's what you're looking to do, of course."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade leans back in the booth, letting out a breath. "That's a... kind of complicated question?" They probably shouldn't mention anything about their mom, because again, they're technically a missing person and they would rather not have... all that come up. They've done a really good job avoiding the law so far.

"I mostly came here because it's where the Asgardians are. I knew I was different as a kid-- too strong for anyone my size, never got sick, healed too fast -- but I didn't know about my Asgardian side until I was 10-ish."

They still remember that day-- lights flickering and magic pouring from their hands and broken glass and no understanding of what was happening or why. Even with all the villains they've fought and their various near death (and one actual death) experience, it was still the scariest thing they've been through.

"Eventually I got bored of my small town, wanted to figure out more about my father. I figured someone as charming as me could bother answers out of Thor if I tried hard enough -- not that I had to, because the other Asgardian prince found me first. Apparently I have a very distinct magical aura that Loki clocked as being related to the All-Father's."

The food arrives, and Shade is quick to dig in. They cover their mouth as they chew, continuing. "It'd probably be way easier to make a name literally anywhere else, but I get to live here rent free, so," they shrug. "Besides, the last name 'Odinchild' tends to turn some heads already." Does that make them a nepobaby? Can they be a nepobaby if most of what they've inherited from Odin was his enemies? Much to consider.

[spidersarenerds]

"Huh, so family in the field, then," Peter notes, popping a nacho into his mouth and internally debating who between Loki and Thor would be best to learn about Odin from. From what he knows about Thor from their interactions, he holds a lot of admiration for his father. Peter knows much less about Loki and never got around to discussing family with them, but it seems complicated. He met the guy himself once, technically twice if you count meeting him while he was doing his big nap for whatever reason he can't remember, and he's certainly... something.

"I bet that causes some second-hand arch enemies," he adds. Thor has fought and ticked off many a things in the time Peter has known him, never mind all he did before that too. Odin and Loki probably add to that list as well... He'll be sure to keep an eye and ear out for Shade.

MJ considers Shade's answer, being the only one not immediately going for her food—ah, to have a metabolism that isn't messed up—and then asks another question, "Since you're related to Thor, does that mean you have the Avengers as back up? Or are you only relying on yourself?" Her eyebrows furrow as she tries to piece it together herself. She opens her mouth to tack on another question, however she stops, taking a bite of her sandwich to force herself to give Shade time to answer.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Oh, God, yeah." They get a forlorn look on their face. "So many enemies. It's all these people who've been at the magic thing for centuries, and I've been here, like, 5 minutes. Sometimes it feels like I'm a kindergartener getting thrown around by professional boxers or something." Their only saving grace in several encounters has been the unpredictability a novice tends to have; their enemies can't plan how to counteract their moves when they themself dont even know what kind of magic is gonna blast outta their hands next.

(They have gotten better about that, though. Otherwise the diner probably would have been nothing but ash by the end of that fight.)

"Though, I guess my family having enemies got me some of the power I have now. I wouldn't have the God of the Wildfire thing going if Loki and Odin hadn't pissed off some ancient god enough that he wanted to curse me." They didn't see the fire as a curse. Guess that guy wasted his time and energy with that one.

Shade thinks about MJ's question a second. "If I were in real, life-or-death trouble, and Thor knew about it in time, he could pull the Avengers into things. I wouldn't say I personally am close enough to ever call on them. It's not like I have Tony Stark's number or anything." They take a long sip of soda. "I'm really trying to be taken seriously, though. I don't think calling for my older brother and his friends will get anyone to see me as anything but a little kid who goes crying at the slightest hint of things going south."

[tonytonytonestark]

"And who the fuck does Thor think he's talking to ? I just have missed his promotion ceremony. Last time I checked, he wasn't in charge of shit. Now he wants to walk around telling me what to do ? 'Can you not add Loki on snapchat ?' as a matter of fact, no I cannot and let it be the last thing I have to say to his musty ass. Just like Rogers, I don't work for him. If I want to add Loki on Snapchat, I'm allowed to add Loki on Snapchat."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Yeah yeah we all know thor's a dick smtimes. More importantly Loki has Snapchat?? Why didnt he tell me he has Snapchat >:(

[tonytonytonestark]

"Are you even old enough to have Snapchat ? I don't think you want to see any of his potential thirst traps."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Im 15 years old,, that's well old enough for Snapchat.

I wouldn't WANT to see them but someone's gotta be the hater in his comments that humbles him. I would love to take on that responsibility <3

[tonytonytonestark]

"The certified hater role has already been taken. I'm surprised he hasn't blocked me yet. I think he likes any attention. Even negative attention."

[night-shade-odinchild]

He has a really big ego, he could probably stand to have two haters instead of just one. I'll get his handle one way or another >:]

(He definitely is just enjoying the attention tho.)

[tonytonytonestark]

"His handle is literally just XxTricksterGodXx. He didn't really have a lot going on the creative handle department. He named it like an old MySpace account. Just tragic. But he has like over a million people added."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Thank you thank you. I am forever indebted to you or whatever.

He is kind of old. Dunno what MySpace is but it sounds old so that's probably why his handle is like that

Gonna go leave all the hate comments now yay <3

[tonytonytonestark]

"And who the fuck does Thor think he's talking to ? I just have missed his promotion ceremony. Last time I checked, he wasn't in charge of shit. Now he wants to walk around telling me what to do ? 'Can you not add Loki on snapchat ?' as a matter of fact, no I cannot and let it be the last thing I have to say to his musty ass. Just like Rogers, I don't work for him. If I want to add Loki on Snapchat, I'm allowed to add Loki on Snapchat."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Yeah yeah we all know thor's a dick smtimes. More importantly Loki has Snapchat?? Why didnt he tell me he has Snapchat >:(

[tonytonytonestark]

"Are you even old enough to have Snapchat ? I don't think you want to see any of his potential thirst traps."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Im 15 years old,, that's well old enough for Snapchat.

I wouldn't WANT to see them but someone's gotta be the hater in his comments that humbles him. I would love to take on that responsibility <3

[tonytonytonestark]

"The certified hater role has already been taken. I'm surprised he hasn't blocked me yet. I think he likes any attention. Even negative attention."

[night-shade-odinchild]

He has a really big ego, he could probably stand to have two haters instead of just one. I'll get his handle one way or another >:]

(He definitely is just enjoying the attention tho.)

[tonytonytonestark]

"And who the fuck does Thor think he's talking to ? I just have missed his promotion ceremony. Last time I checked, he wasn't in charge of shit. Now he wants to walk around telling me what to do ? 'Can you not add Loki on snapchat ?' as a matter of fact, no I cannot and let it be the last thing I have to say to his musty ass. Just like Rogers, I don't work for him. If I want to add Loki on Snapchat, I'm allowed to add Loki on Snapchat."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Yeah yeah we all know thor's a dick smtimes. More importantly Loki has Snapchat?? Why didnt he tell me he has Snapchat >:(

[tonytonytonestark]

"Are you even old enough to have Snapchat ? I don't think you want to see any of his potential thirst traps."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Im 15 years old,, that's well old enough for Snapchat.

I wouldn't WANT to see them but someone's gotta be the hater in his comments that humbles him. I would love to take on that responsibility <3

[tonytonytonestark]

"And who the fuck does Thor think he's talking to ? I just have missed his promotion ceremony. Last time I checked, he wasn't in charge of shit. Now he wants to walk around telling me what to do ? 'Can you not add Loki on snapchat ?' as a matter of fact, no I cannot and let it be the last thing I have to say to his musty ass. Just like Rogers, I don't work for him. If I want to add Loki on Snapchat, I'm allowed to add Loki on Snapchat."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Yeah yeah we all know thor's a dick smtimes. More importantly Loki has Snapchat?? Why didnt he tell me he has Snapchat >:(

[spidersarenerds]

Open RP Starter (How Did I Get Here?)

This may be one of the stupidest things he's done… or well, it was. What he's about to do will probably be worse. But that's for later, so *rewind noises* or whatever.

MJ must have some sort of mind control ability because she managed to convince Peter to come along to her interview. Like last time went so well when the Beetle trashed a whole floor of the Daily Bugle building. So, here he is in some greasy diner as J. Jonah Jameson grills MJ in the booth to his left—Peter didn't even get a nice seat, just one of those uncomfortable plastic-laminated wood chairs that are always an awkward height. At least there's fries. Though they'd be much better if he didn't have to hear Jameson ask MJ about all of the qualifications she's already given the last ten times she's been interviewed for a position. It all boils down to how willing she is to diss Spider-Man, which is where her stubbornness wins out every time.

But fries! So hot his tongue is starting to lose a little bit of feeling. Perfection.

About to pop a fry into his mouth, he pauses and his eyes narrow, dropping the fry back onto the plate.

The door to the diner flies open, the little chime of the bell drowned out by the thud of the door whacking into a, thankfully, empty chair. Peter barely got to glance at the person barging in before there's a table skidding across the floor. His fries? Upended. The awful chair? Knocked aside. Himself? At the other end of the room, steadying the now sideways table that was sent his way so it doesn't crush him and whatever patrons unlucky enough to be on this table's warpath. "Sorry, folks. Pancake-dom via table costs extra," he says mindlessly, even though he should definitely watch his quips when Jameson is around. Speaking of, the news reporter himself is shouting something about refusing to be silenced and the usual spew of his bravery and, as revealed as Peter tips the table back onto its four legs, is cowering as far into the corner of his booth as he can.

And that about sums up how he got where he is now, shielding whoever is behind him with a mere table between himself and the threat, and to top it all off, the loudest journalist in New York along with other civilians as an audience that could oust secrets he doesn't want to get out if he gets a little too spidery.

//Be the villain, civilian, a hero following the fiend who barged in, whatever you'd like! And of course, tags (No one is forced to interact and those not tagged are more than welcome to interact as well!): @emiliakane @katiebishop-1610

[night-shade-odinchild]

A moment later, another person is barging into the diner, clutching a very large sword in one hand and pointing at the intruder with the other.

"You!" they gasp, winded, "you are the absolute WORST!" They had no idea who the other was, but they did know they'd been chasing him for at least 5 blocks and then through an interdimensional portal (one THEY made to follow him THEMSELF! Their magic was improving!) all while he wrecked havoc and caused large amounts of damage. That was more than enough to decide that yeah, this guy sucked.

Shade takes a moment to glance around -- civilians everywhere, small area, J. Jonah Jameson -- they do a double take. Okay, cool, cool, whatever they did here was probably going to be reported on. That's fine.

First things first. There's no room for giant swords in here, so they let it disappear into their pocket dimension. Second, they should probably ensure civilian safety. They notice the table about to crush a bunch of people first, and quickly dodge away from an oncoming attack to get closer.

"Hello!" They greet as they come to the side not pressed against the wall. "Sorry I can't chat. I need to take this, hope you dont mine." They pull the table away from the civilians and twist, throwing the thing as hard as they can at their assailant. It's mostly dumb luck no bystanders were in the way-- the table lands and the man falls, only to stumble up a moment later.

Shade swears under their breath, turning to the civilians they'd just freed. Their gaze meets Peter's. "You, can you clear this place? I don't want anyone to get hurt." They hate delegating such a task to someone incapable of defending himself against a superpowered person, but they have little choice.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter watches the second person burst into the room, mildly concerned about the large sword—and the loud complaint, but, honestly, mood. Their mood towards the intruder as well as the disappearance of the massive sword eases his worries. One madman destroying the place is already too many, but at least it isn't two.

Kind of. Peter winces as the table crashes into the man. At least he isn't the one paying for it. Huh, having little to no responsibility in a crisis situation is weird. Well, that was until he was given the task of evacuating the area. "You and me both," he agrees. Preventing people from getting hurt as a shared goal is enough for him to decide that he can trust Shade to handle the bad guy. It takes a load off his shoulders. He doubts the ol' adrenaline excuse will cut it with J.J.J. as a witness if he were to go toe to toe with this guy. But while getting people out of the way it might.

He glances around, watching the man's destructive behaviour that is blocking the main door for a beat longer before moving towards the emergency exit. If he can clear a path to it, getting everyone out will be much easier. Peter has a feeling that the man won't have the kindness to see people out the front door.

There are footsteps that follow after him—likely the group that was behind the table with him—and short shrieks as a chair clatters into the wall above their heads. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Peter grumbles, keeping an eye on the man now that he's decided to start throwing things again. "Turn off the burners, fryers, whatever and get out of here!" he calls towards the workers, most of which have crouched behind the counter, shielding their heads. He doesn't expect them to follow the first part much, if at all, but it would be nice if there wasn't a fire hazard as well as an attack.

He wrenches open the small gate separating the kitchen area behind the counter and the rest of the diner, gesturing for the few people trailing after him to go in. "Follow after the workers there– Lead them out of here," he orders the worker that was slowest to get out of here. Shock, probably, but the job should give them a task to cling to for the time being.

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect—and how he must be in cahoots with a certain wall-crawling menace—but apparently not.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade keeps an eye on the escaping civilians out of the corner of their eye. They're not used to fighting in such a cramped space with this many people around; most their focus is on keeping the oncoming furniture from hitting any innocents. Magic flies wildly, hastily made shields are created only to drop a moment later as a blast of fire flashes forward to incinerate a chair about to hit a kid. For an amateur sorcerer like themself, it's incredibly draining.

They flinch as Jameson shouts another line about disrespect-- enough of a break in their focus to cause them to get hit square in the nose with a stool. Shade covers their face and yells out a few obscenities before turning to Jameson.

"Can you PLEASE just SHUT UP!" They face their opponent again, wiping blood from their nose as they continue talking to Jameson. "This would be so much easier if you just left and got to safety, man--" they dodge another chair before they seem to come to a realization. "Wait, I'm so stupid, I could literally just--" A blue glow forms around their hands yet again, and suddenly a portal opens under Jameson; he can be seen falling onto his face through the window.

By this point, most all the civilians are out, except for that guy they told to help evacuate. Shade pulls up another shield made of magic and glances in his direction. "When I said evacuate everyone, I meant you too." Blue flames surround their fist, and they leap forward to attack their assailant.

[spidersarenerds]

Not that it helps any, but Peter absolutely admires Shade's ability to keep track of all of the hurling objects. Without extra senses, it's quite the feat. It also makes the job of evacuating people easier when he doesn't have to lead them to dodge flying chairs and tables.

After shoving MJ to follow the rest of the crowd out—he actually had to close the door between them—because she wanted to stay to get the story on the scene and no way is he letting that happen no matter who is here to keep her safe as she records, he sighs. He thinks that's everyone. Or so he thought until he heard Jameson yell as he is dropped through a portal and made to eat the concrete outside. "I'm getting way too good at tuning him out." Peter doesn't think that's necessarily a bad thing, especially with the result he just saw, but maybe he should pay a little more attention next time.

"Yeah, I'm working on it," he says, pushing on the door to the staff. It doesn't budge. "Wait, was it?–" He pulls the handle. Nothing. The door locks as it shuts. Just his luck. Pushing on a pull door would have been less embarrassing than accidentally locking himself inside.

He yelps as the intruder crashes into the shelves in front of him. This is the first actual chance he's gotten to see the man unobstructed, and the pumpkin head is definitely a shock that has his yelp being louder than he'd have liked. The pumpkin head's carved grin seems to grow—how that works he doesn't know—at his shout and he begins to sit up. "Trick or treat!" He crows in a voice Peter would never call sane.

Now, he's seen many horror movies. He's complained about the dumb decisions the characters have made enough that he'd be put to shame if he didn't grab the nearest object and hit that pumpkin square in its face. That object just so happened to be a sheet pan. The pumpkin is still intact, and the twang the metal sheet gives is almost comedic, but it has the man faltering long enough that Peter has the chance to hop over the counter. He knows it's a little too graceful of a move for the whole 'Peter-act', so he tries to mess up his landing, stabilizing himself with some flailing and a hand on the floor.

"Trick it is!" the man decides happily, righting himself behind the counter and turning his pumpkin right side around.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade notices the door conundrum and swears under their breath. They've been at this fight far too long, and they don't have it in them to open another portal. If they tried, they couldn't guarantee Peter wouldn't end up in a wall or 40 feet off the ground.

They nearly laugh at the absurdity of hitting the guy with a sheet pan, but cut themself off; they should probably focus so they don't get hit again. The bruise that was definitely forming on their face was already going to be so annoying to explain away later.

"Come on, man, Halloween is my favorite holiday! You're ruining it!" Shade glances at Peter. "Try to stay out of the line of fire. I got this." They say it with way more confidence than they feel, but whatever. They've been living on fake it 'till you make it rules long enough it's practically second nature.

They leap over the counter, fire already wrapped around their fist. They intend for it to hit the guy in the face, but he catches their punch with ease. They're surprised for a moment, caught off guard by the lack of response to the fire, before realizing that of course the guy who's head is literally a flaming pumpkin wouldn't react to a little heat.

They don't have much more time to reflect on this misjudgement before they're met with a swift punch to the gut. They cringe but stand their ground, offering a quick blast of fire in return. It's enough to get the guy off them, if only for a moment.

Desperate for a quick way to end this (they know theres still a civilian in here, they know they need to keep him safe,) Shade tries the one thing they're terrible at: using their words. "And what if I said treat?" They severely hope the guy doesn't have some sort of candy themed weaponry.

[spidersarenerds]

Jack O'Lantern gasps, clasping his hands together. "It's your favorite too?!" he coos. "But I'm ruining it? I think you aren't appreciating it enough!" he cackles as he catches Shade's punch.

Peter has dealt with all sorts of crazy before, but maniacally happy with a Halloween theme is new. Would it be wrong of me to say I miss Goblin's crazy? At least he made sense... in his own twisted way. He nods as he's told to try to stay out of the line of fire. That's the plan.

"You got it!" If it's a treat you want, then a treat you shall get!" It is, unfortunately candy themed weaponry, almost a gun of sorts that he's quick to pull from beneath his cape and fire. Luckily, his aim sucks. On the less lucky side, whatever he's shooting is coming apart as it's shot.

So much for staying out of the line of fire! Peter throws his hands up over his head, shielding his face from the pellets. That's what they must be since they haven't torn through Shade and himself like shrapnel would. The pellets are hard and surprisingly small, bouncing off his arms and falling to the floor with a clatter. They hurt, but not nearly as much as one would think something that came from a gun would. He cracks open an eye. He knows he's not bulletproof, so what is this? He takes a peek at the ground. "Candy corn?" The little orange, yellow, and white triangles litter the ground of the diner now. "Where do you even get this much of it?"

"I'll never reveal the skeletons in my closet!" Jack O'Lantern gesticulates so dramatically as he speaks, he's nearly dancing to the rhythm of his words. Peter can't say he's quite as enthused. Rather than get into whether or not bulk stores can be counted as a skeleton in a closet, he begins to take a couple steps backward, not paying much mind to the hard candy making the ground uneven, his feet finding the clear areas so he won't slip without much thought. If he's out of the way, Shade can handle this guy much more easily... probably. And with Jack O'Lantern behind the counter, the path to the front exit should be clear if Peter can make it there. He just doesn't want the pumpkin head to notice. Who knows if all his weapons are merely annoying like the candy corn gun or actually dangerous?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Candy corn gun. Of course it was a candy corn gun. How stupid they were to even think that it wouldn't be a candy themed weapon. "Where do you get this much? Halloween was forever ago, no one is sells any past October?" Not that they were asking because candy corn was their favorite. The middle of battle would be an incredibly inappropriate time for such a question.

For the briefest moment, they consider trying to catch a piece in their mouth. They decide against it, though. One, it would be so embarrassing to die because they choked on a piece of flying candy corn, especially after everything else they've lived through. Two, they didn't really want to meet their sister again. Hela might not be kind enough to send them back up a second time.

Shade watches Peter slowly back away out of the corner of their eye. They need to keep Jack'O'Lantern occupied so he can escape.

Their sword returns to their hand. Now that the store is mostly empty, they have a little more room to swing the giant blade. "Hey, Jack! Try countering this!" They step forward for a swing, aiming to knock the gun out his hand.

That is not what happens. Their foot lands on a piece of candy corn and they slip. They quickly adjust the grip of the sword as they fall -- it nearly takes Jack's head off, and they have no want to kill the guy -- and it slices through the gun and lodges firmly in the wall. Shade hits the floor.

They blink and quickly stand, avoiding the candy corn this time. They shoot a glance at Peter, then look back to Jack. "That did not happen. You didn't see that." It's clear they speak to both of them.

They're very good at this. They are a well trained and professional superhero, and they are not lying to themself about that.

Well, at least the gun is gone. Shade ducks under the sword, still firmly lodged in the wall, and comes around the otherside with a fist aimed at Jack O Lantern's face. When all else fails, go old school. And hope he doesnt catch their fist again.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's mouth hangs open as he watches Shade slip. Never in his life has he been more afraid of a sword—and he's been on the pointy end of what he'd say to be plenty. A sword swinging around uncontrollably is enough to make him glad he hasn't come across more. At least the gun is gone. He likes guns even less.

Jack O'Lantern, the maniac, giggles, "That's witchful thinking." He peers over the sword at Shade on the ground. He then yelps as Shade's fist collides with the pumpkin, stumbling back out of their reach as quick as he can. "No fair," he growls, cradling the spot where he got hit. Whether he's cradling the part of his face that got hurt through the pumpkin or is just really that attached to the gourd on his head, Peter can't tell. "I guess it's time for my own tricks!" Like anything he's given is a treat.

As Jack whips out yet another weapon, some sort of pole that elongates itself with his movement, Peter has to duck to avoid the blade. A scythe. Kind of. He doubts it'd be any good on a farm, what with the way the blade crackles. The blade doesn't even seem to be metal, just energy. It must save space for whatever other goodies Jack has up his sleeve. "You're really out of your gourd," Peter mutters, focusing on righting himself from the near-backbend he just had to do.

Jack O'Lantern, of course delighted to hear any vaguely Halloween related pun, spins around, nearly taking out Peter with the scythe again. This time, Peter grabs it near the blade to stop the whole waving around very sharp things theme that has been going on. It also means that he's putting a lot of his balance into Jack holding the scythe steady, which he regrets immediately as Jack leans closer excitedly. "Aw thank you! It makes me all the more spooktastic, and that's just bootiful, don't you think?"

And Peter could do without his eyebrows getting singed off by the flaming pumpkin, so he wedges his heel into Jack's shoulder and pushes him away, maybe a little too hard as Peter flips himself over while doing so, now firmly on his feet with the scythe in hand, the blade safely on the floor. "Oops..." he hisses under his breath before straightening like it was intentional and totally normal of him to do a backflip in a fight. Just such a normal, innocuous thing for a guy to do. He did gymnastics—for two months when he was six—that's why he can do that. "Isn't that grim? You've lost another toy," he comments, trying to play it off. He really should shut up more. Thank goodness Jameson is outside and probably dealing with being dumped onto the pavement so he can't hear these quips.

Peter keeps hold of the scythe so Jack O'Lantern can't get a hold of it, and also because he has no idea if he should be able to lift this or not. Swinging a blade around with a candy covered floor isn't a good idea anyway. Just look at Shade's sword. Jack picks himself back up, stumbling slightly on the candy corn. The guy is taking quite the beating, more so thanks to Shade than anyone else."You– you're no fun!" he spits, barely paying attention to Shade and likely ready to pull another trick.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade stares at Peter with wide eyes. They might not have normal strength levels, but they used to live in some small town in the middle of nowhere with no super people around, and they're pretty sure not even the strongest people they knew there could've pulled that off. Maybe there's a reason this guy was way more level headed than the average civilian.

There's only a few heros with that amount of flexibility, and only one they know of who can come up with that many terrible puns that fast.

Deciding that's not really important, nor their business, they choose to just be happy he's on their side; with their luck, it was a miracle they didn't run into a building holding the next Hydra convention.

Jack isn't facing them, giving them a good opportunity to sneak up. They're careful to avoid the candy corn, not wanting a repeat of their previous mishap (please please please tell them no one caught that on camera. They might cry.)

Shade leaps when they're close enough, tackling him to the ground. They land awkwardly on their side and cringe as candy corn digs into their skin, but continue with their plan anyways, fighting to keep Jack from reaching for any more of his "tricks."

"Both of your jokes are awful!" They cry out while still fighting with Jack. Even if they were a little funny. "Now stay down, please--" They raise their elbow and slam it down into Jack's chest.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter can vaguely recognize the realization in Shade's eyes, which isn't the best for him. He's really getting too sloppy with his identity. Now it just begs the question if he can play up the clumsy helpless civilian enough or if he will just look like a fool. His friends who know make fun of him when he leans heavily into the nerd persona, but it clearly works better than whatever he's doing now. Shade doesn't seem like they would tattle, but Jack might... if he's even coherent enough to string a non-Halloween related sentence together.

As Shade tackles Jack to the ground, Peter stumbles back, allowing himself to stumble on the candy corn and barely catch himself on the scythe. Is anyone paying attention? No, definitely not. They're busy fighting on the floor. He totally had that realisation before he did that. It was just practice.

"Wh– hey!" he begins, about to defend his quips. At the very least, they aren't on the same level as Jack's. He can accept that they're cringe-worthy, but to compare them to puns that sound like they're from some website? Simply unacceptable. That is until Shade jams their elbow into Jack's chest. Peter looks away. "Yeah, I'll just shut up now."

Jack makes some sort of wheezy coughing noise, similar to a breathless laugh but that's more so the crazy rather than any sort of joy. He flails wildly in Shade's grip, pushing at just about anything and trying to squirm away.

It's clearly an issue, and Peter is only so good at standing by—so good as in atrociously terrible at it— so he scans the diner for anything to tie up Jack O'Lantern. It seems he is out of luck today because not one customer happened to forget a scarf or purse in their evacuation. Ugh, and the day I only had tank tops to wear underneath. Peter drops the scythe and pulls off the dress shirt he's been wearing like a jacket. He observes it in his hands. Jack would be the type to kick or even run away while his hands are tied. Peter tears off both of the sleeves—he might as well make it match on both sides; he's going to be sewing later anyway—and rushes to help out in the scuffle. "Hold his arms!" Tying up the feet can happen once there are no hands clawing at their faces.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances up at Peter when they hear the sound of fabric ripping -- but only for a moment, as Jack tries again to wriggle his way free. They curse under their breath as they grab the villain by his wrists, holding them with just enough force not to break them. They've been getting better at handling their strength, though the doubt the force they use to hold Jack is comfortable.

"Got him!" They mentally add ripping the jacket to their list of reasons this guy is totally definitely a superhero. Unless that jacket was made with really flimsy fabric, they don't think it would've ripped that quickly and easily. Plus, they're pretty sure the average civilian wouldn't think of that unless they, for some reason, had experience tying up random villains on the street with little resources.

Shade grimaces as Jack tries to pull his arms back again. They take a moment to thank the stars they got the superhuman strength and endurace from their Asgardian half; this guy was not giving up.

"Don't burn your hands!" They aren't sure if the fire surrounding Jack's pumpkin head is real or not, but better safe than sorry. At least they don't have to worry about it; fire is kinda their thing. Even if it is hot, they won't feel it.

[spidersarenerds]

"I'll do my best..." His main focus is getting Jack's hands tied together, which is a struggle and a half, even with Shade's—rather spectacular, if Peter were to say so himself—efforts to hold Jack still. Eventually, he manages to loop the first sleeve around Jack's wrists tight enough that he won't worry about him slipping loose, and maybe a little tighter for good measure, and ties the knot as securely as he can. He would make a joke about the fabric "cuffs" being a one size fits all, but he's busy trying to avoid getting kicked in the face. Jack's legs are a whole other battle. So, Peter decides to be more lenient on the quality of the bind, getting up and running away won't be easy even if Jack managed to free his legs.

Jack is shouting rather loudly, half of it threats mixed with puns, and the other half claiming that tickles are a rude trick to pull—his understanding of what is going on seems really limited, and Peter almost feels bad for the guy, in that aspect, less so the terrorizing people part.

"Just need a bow and you'd be set for Christmas," Peter pants, sitting back on his heels as Jack writhes.

"NOOOO!" Jack O'Lantern howls, clearly furious in his binds. He is fuming as his squirming grows less violent frome either exhaustion or the cloth cutting into his limbs.

"Not sure who would want you for Christmas, though," Peter adds on in a false pondering tone. Villains wailing about their defeat, as annoying as it is, exists as a common ending to fights. He watches as Jack struggles. He doesn't know what to do now. He can't exactly just leave on his merry way—as he would usually do with a quick web—but instead he may have to linger since MJ and Jameson are likely still outside the diner, itching for the scoop. And the police. Ugh, is he going to have to deal with the police? And he's without his 'jacket'—if you want to call a cotton dress shirt that—to hide whatever marks he has on his arms from his 'hobby'. Is it too late to get stabbed by that scythe?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath as Peter finishes with Jack, leaning back and letting go of his wrists. They stay close enough to grab him if he does manage an escape, though.

"Can't tell if he's more mad about losing or about the Christmas pun." Shade watches him struggle for a moment before looking back at Peter. "Thanks. You got a level head on you for a guy who presumably doesn't do this every single day." They're still, like, 99% sure this guy is Spider-Man. No other hero would make puns that bad. No need to ruin the guy's secret, though.

Shade holds out a hand with a grin. "I'm Nightshade. Shade. Whichever. 'Preciate the assist. Sorry about your shirt."

Their gaze wanders around the building as they slowly take in the damage caused by the fight. Candy corn everywhere. Broken chairs and tables. Sword in the wall. They cringe. "I do not have the money to pay for this," they mumble. "Should probably split before cops get here." They can already hear the sirens. "You might wanna, too. Some people might have some... prying questions about some stuff you just did." They try to make it clear with their tone that they mean leave before someone finds out your identity.

[spidersarenerds]

"Can't say I'm a newbie to it. Villains attacked my high school a lot." And that's not even a lie. A lot of his graduate year would probably be calmer than most—even if you were to disclude the nine of them who were/turned out to be heroes—but he can admit that it doesn't explain away what he's done. It is a very thin veil of secrecy he's weaving with very halfhearted effort. "I'm Peter, and don't worry about it. It was my choice, and I can stitch it up later." He shakes Shade's hand. Jack gives a final thrash. "Probably." He has no idea how his shirt sleeves will hold up against the strain of being restraints.

"Torn off sleeves are still in fashion, right? That's a thing?" he jokes, folding his arms together. He can argue that's accentuating his arms and making them look more muscular than his 'nerdy' arms actually are, can't he? I'm overthinking this. No one actually pays that much attention, much less people who barely know you to be a 'nerdy weakling'.

"New York has clean up guys for villain fights... I think. I saw it on the news once. If you want to call what J– Mr. Jameson does as news." Peter knows it to be true because he had to help once because he and his team got in trouble with Fury, if they're still running after the Wrecking Crew snuck into the works to sabotage and pilfer. He looks over his shoulder out the window to try and gage the size of the crowd. It doesn't look to be the worst, but he knows that there are two journalists waiting outside, desperate for details, and one of them is his best friend. The other, however, may very well have a cavalry of cameramen on the way. Where is Harry and his convenient outerwear when you need it? "I wish I could. My friend's out there and will probably get arrested for trying to enter the crime scene for her journal if she doesn't get a witness statement." MJ could likely talk her way out of it, being the stubborn person she is, but he may as well save her the hassle.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances at the torn sleeves and scoffs. "Absolutely not in fashion. But, hey, maybe you'll start a trend." They should probably worry a bit more about the high school comment -- was that common? Would their school get attacked if they ever bothered to go back? -- but they decide to let it be for now.

"Yeah, it probably needs one considering... Literally everything about this city." NYC had to deal with gods and men flying around in iron suits and sorcerers and spiders. They'd seen the damage plenty; Shade feels a little bad for the people doing all that clean up.

...Better those guys cleaning it up than them, though.

Shade's gaze follows Peter's. They let out a breath. "Damn, Jameson is gonna make me the second most hated superhero in New York after this. First one being that bug guy." They know good and well that spiders aren't bugs, and also that Spider-Man is more well liked than Jameson makes him out to be. They still think it's a little funny to poke at Peter without being obvious about it, though.

"I'll hang out with you then. You know there's gonna be cameras and interviews and stuff. If anything goes south, I'll lie to the cops and journalist and just tell them you hid in the back or something." Shade glances down at Jack. "No one will believe him if he snitches anyways."

[spidersarenerds]

"Totally, next best thing since ripped jeans: the more holes in your outfit, the better," he quips. As Shade remarks about the chaos of the city chock full of superheroes and villains, Peter nods. Damage control has saved his skin many times. Of course, the best damage is no damage at all—as Fury has hammered into his skull—but with the combination of an unfamiliar villain and Shade, however far they are into their hero journey, he's glad the building didn't collapse.

Peter opens his mouth to refute the bug guy comment, but holds back, just barely. "Just be confident. I would not be surprised if they can smell fear," he says instead. The advice is bogus, he has no idea what makes Jameson like people. Both times Spider-Man was impersonated, Jameson was praising 'him' to the high heavens.

Shade's decision to stick around has Peter turning his head to look at them, surprise melting into a small, appreciative smile. "Yeah? You just stole my sleeves to tie this pumpkin head up?" he teases. "Thanks," he adds with a more genuine tone. He doesn't plan to let Shade take the fall for him like that, not with Jameson's sway on the public, but the offer is nice.

"Let's go before they bust the door down." He pushes the door open with his shoulder. The clamor from outside bursts in through the open door, the sound of people fussing as they notice the door cracking open. Peter can pick out a few questions and exclamations from the crowd, just civilians, as far as he can tell, for now, but he only waits long enough for Shade to make it through the door before walking to the corner. He does not expect to lose the crowd, but getting them away from the door so police, professionals, and all that can enter the building whenever they get here. It's also a chance for him to scan the crowd for MJ... and Jameson too, mostly because MJ would stick close to him to observe what a 'true journalist' does in this situation.

"What happened?"

"Who are you?"

Those are the two main questions he can decipher from the hubbub, whether they are sent his way of Shade's, he has no idea. How celebrities can understand anything when thirty questions are being hurled at them at the same time, he has no idea. He comes to a stop at the corner of the building, glancing back to make sure Shade is still there and alright.

"Peter! Where have you been? You can't disappear like that!" A familiar head of red hair parts the crowd, stepping right up to Peter and poking his chest accusingly with a grin. "I had a whole cover ready." She crosses her arms, finally seeming to notice his state. "Whoa, I think this is the first time I've seen your shoulders. You're going to distract someone," she comments.

"That is not true, MJ. We've known each other since we were four; you've seen my shoulders," Peter protests, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," MJ dismisses, already pushing her leather jacket at him, knowing he would wrap it over his shoulders so he can focus on more than if people somehow put it together that he's Spider-Man by seeing his arms—which he does, even though the fitted leather jacket is far from his size. She leans to the side, spotting Shade. "And who are you?" she asks them, excitement glowing in her green eyes. Peter offers an apologetic smile. MJ isn't the worst to talk to, far from it, but she is stubborn, especially when she's in her journalist mode.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Before Shade leaves the building, they take a moment to recover their sword -- which takes a minute, because it is stuck stuck. With only a mild amount of additional damage to the drywall they manage to dislodge it and let it disappear into their pocket dimension. They do hesitate a moment before walking out, wondering briefly if leaving Jack was responsible. Figuring the police were just around the corner anyways, and that Jack had stopped struggling in his binds, Shade leaves him and follows Peter into the crowd.

They hear the questions as soon as they step out. Shade is briefly stunned by the overlapping speech and all the eyes on them, but they quickly pull themself together as they plaster on a confident smile and pose with their arms on their hips.

With a tone that sounds almost rehearsed, Shade responds, "I am Nightshade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire and sorcerer in training. Consider this villain vanquished!" They stand proud for a moment before their face falls as they mumble to themself. "No, that sounds too fantasy-ish. This foe is finished? Enemy annihilated? Eh, we'll workshop it." They clear theur throat and stand tall again. "He's in there, and he alone is responsible for all damages. Please lead the cops to him when they arrive, put the guy behind bars, maybe get him some help?" They glance around and spot Peter out of the corner of their eyes. "Uh, I gotta run. No more questions and bye!!"

They push through the crowd and arrive at where Peter and MJ are. They smile at MJ when addressed. "Shade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire, newest hero on the block." They say it with the same gusto as when they addressed the crowd, as if they were rehersing to a camera. Shade holds out a hand. "Your friend made a very noble sacrifice today. Rest in piece his shirt, made great restraints all things considered."

[spidersarenerds]

Peter smiles as Shade answers the questions that were being shouted. He doesn't have that sort of patience, but he can admire the enthusiasm to actually talk to people rather than just dip without explanation. It likely promises them a better reputation than Spider-Man, though that isn't saying much. There are villains J.J.J. likes better than him.

MJ tilts her head. "Shade Odinchild? Well, that's a name we certainly didn't cover in our school's mythology studies," she remarks, taking Shade's hand eagerly. "And newest hero on the block, huh? So you're going to be sticking around? What can the public of New York expect from you?"

Peter's eyes widen, basically seeing a flashing neon sign indicating the loaded question. Now, no matter how friendly and people-skilled Shade may be, answering that is a trap. Not one MJ lays intentionally—this time, that is; he won't forget how she bullied her way past Iron Fist and Power Man to get to an interview in a building under attack—but with the public and Jameson around, any answer will not be taken in good faith. "Haha, maybe that's a better question for when you have your camera, right? The digital age, y'know? Everyone likes a video." He puts his hands on her shoulders. He knows it's hopeless to tell MJ straight up that such a question has the very high chance to do more harm than good: she sees the good in everyone and wouldn't believe him if he said otherwise when it comes to the media, at least in his experience.

"Ah, well I could still write it down." She smiles. "Besides, how cool would it be to be a hero's first interview!" It's the same excitement that makes him feel bad to say no or point out a flaw in her plans.

"Haven't you already done that?" MJ was the first one to interview Spider-Man. What? You think I could refuse her back then? She'd have personally hunted down Spider-Man three years ago. "Do you even have a notebook?"

"No..." She crosses her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "Do you?" she asks hopefully.

"Me? Nope! Didn't even bring my bag," he answers. He did, but he has no idea where it is in the diner, so he might as well not have brought it. He'll have to find it later. MJ's expression is disbelieving at best. He smiles 'innocently'.

"There you are! Watson, if you want to be a top journalist, you need to find the action, not run off," Jameson scolds, lightly holding a handkerchief to his nose. Seems the landing face first into concrete after being teleported wasn't exactly harmless. But he still has his attitude, so it's likely nothing to worry about.

"I think she found the action first, sir," Peter comments, earning a judgy side eye from the man, his mouth twisting into a frown before he turns his gaze onto Shade.

MJ steps between the two. "This is Shade Odinchild. They're a new hero!" she introduces, seeming to come to the conclusion that putting a good word in with Jameson could help a little with Shade's reputation.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Well, I'm not the 'hundreds and thousands of years' old kind of Asgardian. I don't actually know if I'm immortal or not--" They were only half Asgardian, technically, and they had no idea what traits they got from their Father's side. Maybe if the guy would actually talk to them they could figure it out, but so far Odin seemed more that happy to pretend they didn't exist. Whatever, they'll figure it out through trial and error. Sucks they won't know if they'll live to 80 or 8,000 till they get there, though.

"But I'll be in your textbooks soon, I bet. Up there with Captain America and Black Widow and the rest of 'em." Maybe they sounded a bit too confident. They had been living off the fake it till you make it mindset the past few months, though. If they sounded confident enough, maybe it'd come true.

Shade opens their mouth to respond, but is cut off by Peter. They're a little annoyed. This could be their big break! Their first interview to really thrust them into the public eye, make them a real hero! They could get their name on tee-shirts and have those stupid little knockoff figures of themself and unlicensed merch that looked so bad it was funny and--

Okay, plot lost. Still, it would be really cool to have their first real interview, even if it wasn't exactly the most professionally conducted.

"I mean, I might have a notebook somewhere." They throw so many things into their pocket dimension, they wouldn't doubt they did. "Hold on, I can look real--" they pause as Jameson speaks, quickly straightening their posture in an attempt to look more professional-ish. They quickly forget about the notebook as they swivel to face Jameson.

"Oh! Jame-- I mean, Mr. Jameson, sir." They aren't usually one for authority figures; Shade's always been more of a "do what I want and deal with the consequences later" kind of guy. Jameson kinda has actual influence, though, and they really want a good first impression with the public. It's the first step to their dreams of greatness, after all.

...which is why they're kind of regretting the whole telling him to shut up thing. And the dropping him face first onto concrete thing.

It's fine, if they pull out all their natural charisma and charm, they can still turn this around to be in their favor!

Shade clears their throat. "I, uh-- Sorry about earlier. Heat of the moment thing, I don't usually tell people to shut up, be quiet maybe but I promise I'm not that rude--" Oh god they're rambling-- "Is your- uh, your nose okay? I'm still a little iffy on portal trajectory. Busted my own nose a couple of times."

Okay, well, so much for charisma and charm. Do they normally stumble over their words this much, or only when what they say actually matters?

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's eyes flick between Jameson and Shade, growing more amused the longer Shade rambles and the conflict on Jameson's face deepens. He's clearly ticked about being dropped on his face—the being told to shut up, less so just because it's not the first time he's heard it from a hero/hero adjacent—but there was an apology, and it's not like this kid is hiding behind a mask... They're taking accountability for their actions, which, in his eyes, only matters when there's no secret identity. Even though Peter has no stake in this, he waits with bated breath for Jameson to give an expression beyond stern and mildly annoyed.

"Well," Jameson clears his throat, adjusting his suit jacket. "It's something you definitely need to work on. Preferably before hurling innocent civilians through your portals." He looks to the side, lips pursing beneath his mustache. "But I am glad you're taking accountability. It's not something everyone does, especially some so-called heroes."

And there it is. Peter was waiting for the Spider-Man diss, even if it was indirect this time. He waves his hand as MJ looks ready to refute that claim. There's no need to save the dead horse Jameson is insistent on beating. Instead, just let Shade have their moment. Peter can't lie and say he's interested in seeing Jameson actually be kind of nice.

"I... suppose... my commentary was not exactly de escalating the situation." Wow, that almost looked like it hurt for Jameson to say. The man looks less than happy to admit his fault, but at least he apologized... kind of.

Peter has to physically bite his lip to keep from adding a 'ya think?' Now isn't the time and he really shouldn't snark an adult while he's so obviously himself, no matter how much of a pain that adult may be. I am mature. I am so good at shutting up. I will utter no words. Imagine Fury is super mad and ready to end anyone who talks back.

He breaks, because how could he not? There are so many different things he could say. He opts for the most innocuous one. "I'm sure it's alright, sir. Villain attacks are scary for everyone. There's no shame in that." It doesn't quite scratch his itch to be a bother, but there's only so much he can do before he loses plausibility that he isn't being intentional in his antagonism.

Jameson does not seem amused. "Yes, for civilians. I am a journalist, and we do not scare in the face of some loon in a mask, now do we, Miss Watson?"

"Not exactly. We act in spite of our fear to deliver–" she begins to say.

"Exactly," Jameson plows on, not waiting for her to finish her thought. Because it's something she got from Spider-Man in an interview? Maybe.

"–The truth as best we can," MJ concludes, giving Jameson a flat glare before her expression brightens again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath they didn't know they were holding. Jameson didn't seem like he was going to go on the news and spout about how they were a menace like he did with certain other heros; they could almost say he seemed to respect them, to a degree. At least they can assure their reputation with the public isn't going to be smeared just yet.

They nod along as he speaks, trying Very hard to seem engaged. The better the impression they leave, the better the future article about them will be (hopefully.) "I'm... working on the portals. I'm mentoring under someone with way more magical skills than me,so I should figure it out soon." They figure outright saying my older brother Loki is showing me how to do cool magic stuff wouldn't get a good reaction. God of Lies or not, he's still not well liked. "Next time, I'll make sure you land on your feet, probably."

They nod along to Jameson's response to Peter. "Well, sir, soon you won't have to worry about loons in masks. Or, at least you'll have to worry less." Shade places their thumb on their chest, standing tall and throwing on a confident smile. "With me on the streets, villains will be too scared to stick around. Bet I'll clear New York out was faster than Spider-Man could." They're not gonna lie and say they aren't trying to annoy Peter; they subtly glance his way, just to see his reaction. Besides, they're trying to get on Jameson's good side. This is a quick (and funny) way to do so. They'll say sorry later.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter notices Shade's seemingly eager nodding, maybe a tiny bit amused by the amount of trying to get on Jameson's good side that's going on. He doesn't think he's seen someone try that hard, but it's nice to see, in a way. If they're worried about their reputation, chances are, hopefully they'll do good things to better their reputation. He bites his lip to keep a grin from forming as they promise to transport Jameson safely through a portal next time, with a probably tacked onto the end. He wouldn't complain about seeing Jameson dropped onto his face again, but judging by the nervous laugh from Jameson, he isn't going to be stepping through any of Shade's portals any time soon.

At the claim that Shade will clear out New York of supervillains faster than Spider-Man, Peter's eyebrows furrow, his mouth opening like he's deciding if it's worth responding to and risking identities. He purses his lips. The diss wasn't appreciated, but less work is less work, so he won't say no.

Jameson, however, grins, "Ha! Glad to know not all of the new heroes think Spider-Man is the standard."

"Of course that's the key to your heart; hating Spider-Man. Who would have guessed," Peter grumbles under his breath, unsurprised and keeping his voice down low enough that he's sure Jameson wouldn't hear him over his own beginnings of a rant.

"Well, actually, a lot of the villains on Spider-Man's roster were only in New York because they were hired to fight him. So, it would be O– uh, whoever hired them's fault." It's a valiant attempt on MJ's part to defend Spider-Man, even though Peter nearly had a heart attack when she nearly said the—now reformed—'employer's name.

Of course, Jameson just gets a gleam in his eye. "But at the root of the problem is Spider-Man." As one would blame the guy with the note 'kick me' taped to their back. "We could do more with heroes like this one who own up to their mistakes and don't attract villains!" He gestures to Shade. Peter cringes; he sure hopes Jameson didn't jinx it. Villains with magic powers are a pain for everyone.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade hears Peter's mumbled comment and sends him a shit eating grin. They quickly shift their focus back to Jameson, not trying to divert any attention to Peter. They should probably be a bit more subtle, now that they think about it. Not everyone is willing to throw their real identity out there.

"Well, I don't think I have anyone who hates me bad enough to give people to kill me quite yet." Maybe a few people who had beef with Odin, or Thor, or Loki, but those people didn't directly hate them. They were just trying to hurt the aforementioned Asgardians without any direct sort of confrontation. Not the same as hiring a guy to kill Spider-Man. (Not like Odin cared about anything happening to them. The couple of guys who came after them with the intention of getting Odin's attention were so misguided it was a little funny.) Back to their original point, they add, "I don't thing I'll be attracting any supervillains here anytime soon."

They can't say they aren't enjoying the praise. Even if Jameson isn't their favorite person ever, they haven't ever been used as a good example. It feels pretty nice; Shade just hopes they can live up to his (and the rest of New York's) expectations.

The teen holds out a hand. "Well, Mr. Jameson, it has been very nice to meet you. Maybe next time we can meet under a less life-or-death-y situation?"

[spidersarenerds]

Peter hopes Shade is right and no one wants them dead. He knows it's likely that they're right and he's worrying because of his own past experiences. He has to remember that not every new hero has a billionaire and their mad scientist looking to militarize their powers and/or dissect them. Shade should be fine.

They handle themselves well enough in front of the media, anyway. Peter's glad to see Jameson likes at least one superhero, excluding the two times that he's taken a liking to people impersonating Spider-Man.

"So long as you keep up your efforts, I look forward to it." Jameson takes Shade's hand, giving it a firm shake while stating his hefty expectations. No pressure or anything. With that, he walks back into the crowd, saying he and MJ will meet another time—which will likely end in disaster such as today; her interviews with the man are always interrupted by villain attacks—with a brief over the shoulder wave.

As the news reporter leaves, Peter squints. "Did you put something in his drink, MJ?" he accuses, mostly in jest. He doesn't think he's seen the man in such a good mood, like ever. "Or did he hit his head so hard it knocked the stick outta–"

"I didn't drug Mr. Jameson, Peter." MJ rolls her eyes. She shifts her attention to Shade. "Don't feel too worried about what Mr. Jameson says. So long as you do your best, that's enough. Don't set unachievable expectations to beat yourself up over: that helps no one," she says, a friendly smile on her face. "Right, Peter?" she adds on pointedly, jabbing his side with her elbow.

"Ow!" He rubs his ribs. Targeted much? "She's right, though. The more people saving the city the better."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade waits until Jameson disappears into the crowd to let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. If they've felt weighted under their own expectations for themself before, they might be feeling just a bit crushed now. It's just their reputation with the entire damn city. Nothing big.

They look at MJ as she talks, nodding along. "Of course. I'd never set unachieveable expectations." Because no expectation is unachievable if they just achieve it, so they aren't doing that! They're sure theyre never going to get burnt out with thoughts like that.

They look at Peter. "Yeah. I, uh... I'll do my best! Can't wait to work eith yo-- uh, Spider-Man, on that. And the other heroes in New York." They shift their weight from one foot to the other. They really are excited about their new hero-ing thing; they yearn for the sort of praise people like Captain America, Black Widow, even Thor receives.

They glance to the crowd, where cops are talking to a very disgruntled looking man, most likely the owner of the diner. Shade bites at their lip. "Legally speaking, am I responsible for..." the candy corn all over the floor, the broken tables they threw at Jack, the hole in the wall where their giant sword lodged itself into the wall, the scorch marks along the floor. "...the damages? And if so, how fast do I need to dip?"

[spidersarenerds]

So that cat is out of the bag. Well, at least it's a hero who knows his identity, and one with good intentions at that, even if they're on the greener side. "Yeah, after this, you're sure to make pals." It took Peter a while to do actual team ups with other heroes when he started out, but that was because of his attitude and avoidance of anything where he'd have to talk to someone on his side.

At the mention of damages, MJ repositions herself to see into the diner, sucking in a breath through her teeth. With a villain like Jack O'Lantern, damages are hard to avoid, but it's far from a pretty sight.

"Uuummm..." Peter always dipped before he could be spoken to, so he has no idea if heroes actually get in trouble for the damages. S.H.I.E.L.D. kind of shields—heh—him from that stuff so long as it isn't gratuitous. "I don't know..." He checks over his shoulder before continuing in a lower voice. "I can call folks in to get the clean up handled, there's a thing for that. So, you only have to run if they start coming over here." It's a suggestion, not one most would approve of as it is quite literally 'run away from the cops' but who is he to care for what should be done? So, he'll keep an eye out for any police coming towards Shade.

"He–" Peter tilts his head toward the owner. "–won't have to pay a dime for it either, in case that was a concern." He leans his weight onto one foot, also peering into the diner. "Could probably do with some new chairs anyway," he says, wrinkling his nose. Hopefully Damage Control will splurge on some cushions.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade cringes as MJ looks at the mess they made; they look mildly embarrassed as they shrink in on themself, not unlike a child waiting to be scolded.

"I, uh... I'd appreciate that. Calling those guys in." They do feel a little better, knowing they're not causing some poor innocent civilian a bunch of money because they slipped on some candy corn (and threw chairs and tables and used fire magic indoors.) They nervously glance back at the crowd, keeping an eye on the cops for a moment. They don't seem to be paying them any mind, but they would still rather not linger.

They turn their attention back to MJ and Peter. "I kinda sorta ruined your lunch, right? Sorry about that. Could I get you guys something else to eat?" They maybe have, like, 15 dollars stashed away in their pocket dimension somewhere, but they'd feel at least a little bad for not offering (that, and they really want to get away from all the cops).

Besides, if all else fails, they have an older brother and a card he can wire money into. They're already planning how to discreetly send a text his way asking for an extra 20 on their allowance this week.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter nods, folding his hands behind his back. He can't call Fury up in the middle of this crowd to ask for Damage Control. He hopes that he's as good at typing behind his back as he is at making wisecracks. If he isn't, he will blame the tiny screen of his wrist communicator. Whether or not Fury understands "dmg ctrl pls" could be a whole other issue without the plausible typos being considered.

It's good enough. Fury will see the news anyway. He's somehow got his eye on everything. Even with the cameras, watching all of those screens is a feat and a half for anyone.

"Lunch?" Free food is free food, Peter can admit that much, but also free for him is not free for Shade. He can survive without it. "Nah. I feel like I should be buying you lunch after you saved us from Jameson. My ears were ringing from halfway across the room," he jokes instead, rubbing his ear with an exaggerated wince.

MJ rolls her eyes. "But we should get going," she decides, spying a sliver of a blue uniform in the crowd. "They don't like how I get the info to show new sides to a story." She spares a glance over her shoulder to glare in the direction of the police as she turns to lead them out of the crowd.

"What? MJ!" Peter hisses, pulling her leather jacket tighter around himself. Torn between following after her and staying between Shade and the police grouped in the crowd. He doesn't want to leave Shade behind to deal with the police, especially after their somewhat nervous attitude towards them.

"There's a reason they aren't journalists, Peter; the truth isn't as important as the law."

For those of you that don't know, that's MJ speak for I got caught trespassing in the name of one of my stories, therefore the police are the opposition now. But also flawed system so... Peter groans. This is not something he can argue with MJ about. "If you're still up for it, I'm sure she would like to interview you... away from all this," he says to Shade, an offer to get out of this crowd.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods, following the duo through the crowd. They keep an eye out for any officers heading their way as they pull out their phone, typing as they walk. "You have a place in mind? I'm not usually on this side of town, not sure what's around." They hope their looking at their phone reads as looking at a map for nearby places to snag a bite, and not them texting their older sibling.

Can i have extra money this week pleasepleaseplease like 30 or maybe more dollars pleaseeee

They really don't intend on letting Peter or MJ pay if they can help it. For one, Peter kinda helped in the fight with Jack (and sacrificed his shirt in the process, which Shade still felt a little bad about.) For two, MJ was helping them avoid the cops, which was much appreciated. (They aren't sure how illegal the vigilante thing is, but they do know that they're probably classified as a missing person a few states away, and the less the cops are on them the better.) The least they could do was offer a meal.

Slipping the phone away again, they speed up to walk alongside Peter and MJ. "A for real interview sounds cool!" They grin. "And when I'm super famous, MJ can tell everyone she was the first one to give me one! It'll look good on a resume, I'd bet."

[spidersarenerds]

"Uhh..." Peter racks through his list of restaurants in the area that he knows of, trying to think of what is cheapest. "There's this coffee-sandwich shop thing a few streets down, I think. Not as greasy, though, if artery-clogging is what you're craving," he quips, mostly to hide his uncertainty about the exact location. The city looks different from up high, so his navigation on foot may be subpar.

As they walk, the crowd thins. He looks between Shade and MJ as the interview conversation goes on. "Ha, that resume is going to be a book by the time she's 20."

"As if that's a bad thing. You know it doesn't hurt to have varied experiences, Peter." MJ knows he's teasing, her own defense being a jab about how he has been in the same 'field' since he was 14.

"Yeah, yeah, Miss journalist, tutor, play writer, and who knows what else." He rolls his eyes.

MJ raises an eyebrow. "You could probably add something to your resume besides teaching. Like that time you acted for my play... or improvised."

"It was a high school play. And Trapster literally crashed your play and I was, like, understudy number seven for Flash; no way you're still mad that I improvised," he groans, waving his hand that is not holding MJ's jacket.

"Maybe I am." She turns to Shade, grinning. "You know his aunt sent me pictures. She thought it was Flash at first because, well, the play was about Spider-Man so masks, so the 'identity reveal' was a big shock when Petey was under the mask." MJ is clearly very happy to share an embarrassing story about Peter.

"No way she was able to take pictures," Peter protests, already knowing his aunt likely snuck them since Flash has been his neighbor since forever and it's not like his folks were around to be proud of him.

"Maybe a video..." She teases. "I think that's the first time I ever heard him sing in the 13 years I've known him," she adds.

He sighs sufferingly, mostly to put on a show of embarrassment since MJ seems eager to tell the story, and if Shade is having fun too, he really doesn't mind. He has this little restaurant to hunt down anyway.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods. "Coffee-sandwich shop sounds good." They follow closely, glancing between the two as they converse / argue. It's pretty entertaining, actually.

They pause in listening when they get a buzz on their phone, they take it out just long enough to read the notification.

$29.99 added to account number...

They slide their phone away, deciding not to comment on the stupid joke. Calling Loki a jerk for giving them one cent less than they asked for would maybe not get them more money in the future. (Even though the bit was a little funny, they could not let their brother know that Ever. He wasn't getting the satisfaction.)

Shade perks up as the conversation is again directed at them. "Pictures?" They repeat, glancing between Peter and MJ. They cover one side of their mouth with their hand and stage whisper, "I'll give you my number later, not saying you should send them over, buttttttt...." they drop their hand and grin mischievously, giggling a little at the resigned expression Peter wears.

[spidersarenerds]

"Surprisingly not the worst pictures of me that will be spread around." Between the unflattering positions he's been in as Spider-Man and being caught by the paparazzi with Harry, there's worse pictures of him than him playing in a high school musical, even if the suit was... lacking in more ways than one.

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare," MJ teases, fully intending to send Shade the images and the video if she has it.

"Like a house on fire," Peter sighs to himself, amused by how well Shade and MJ are getting along. And yes, pun intended. "We should be there soon and you two can exchange your info." At least he thinks.

After a few turns, the coffee-sandwich shop is up ahead, advertised by a simple banner on its faded brick walls. It doesn't stand out any more than any of the other buildings in the area. It seems vacant enough that they could get their food without trouble or a long wait.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade strolls right in; it doesn't take very long for the group to get seated at a booth. Shade let's Peter and MJ sit next to each other, while they take the other side.

As soon as the smell of food hits their nose, they realize how hungry they are -- having the powers of the Wildfire also comes with an appetite to match. Still, they're trying to get the money in their account to stretch across three people (there's no way they're letting Peter or MJ pay after they kinda sorta destroyed the diner they were supposed to eat in,) so they decide on a cheap-ish pepperoni sandwich and soda.

Shade gives their order to a waiter. While they wait for Peter and MJ to order, they take a napkin and a pen and scribble their number on it, sliding it to MJ with a grin.

"For professional queries," they joke, "or other interview questions. Or embarrassing pictures of Peter."

[spidersarenerds]

MJ scans the menu quickly, finding what she wants and deems an acceptable price, a simple sandwich with deli meat, lettuce, cheese, and that sort of bread that makes it look more complex than it is, and orders it. It's a much simpler process than it is for Peter, who is staring down the menu like it stole his lunch money. Well, it kind of did, at least Shade's money... in return for food, so not really stealing either... Don't think about it too hard.

He glances up as his name is mentioned. "Huh? Oh." His eyes flick to the napkin, then MJ's grin, figuring out the context. "How devious of you," he comments, his eyes darting across the menu. Too many options. Is it weird to get fries again? What if they're just cursed today? He only had the one shirt and could not deal with another villain vs. diner situation.

He gets the nachos.

"So, what brings you to New York?" MJ asks, leaning forward on the table. Peter is silently relieved that the question wasn't too deep, he doesn't think. When she first interviewed Spider-Man, the first thing she asked for was an identity reveal. "There's already quite a few big names here; wouldn't it be easier to make a name for yourself elsewhere? If that's what you're looking to do, of course."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade leans back in the booth, letting out a breath. "That's a... kind of complicated question?" They probably shouldn't mention anything about their mom, because again, they're technically a missing person and they would rather not have... all that come up. They've done a really good job avoiding the law so far.

"I mostly came here because it's where the Asgardians are. I knew I was different as a kid-- too strong for anyone my size, never got sick, healed too fast -- but I didn't know about my Asgardian side until I was 10-ish."

They still remember that day-- lights flickering and magic pouring from their hands and broken glass and no understanding of what was happening or why. Even with all the villains they've fought and their various near death (and one actual death) experience, it was still the scariest thing they've been through.

"Eventually I got bored of my small town, wanted to figure out more about my father. I figured someone as charming as me could bother answers out of Thor if I tried hard enough -- not that I had to, because the other Asgardian prince found me first. Apparently I have a very distinct magical aura that Loki clocked as being related to the All-Father's."

The food arrives, and Shade is quick to dig in. They cover their mouth as they chew, continuing. "It'd probably be way easier to make a name literally anywhere else, but I get to live here rent free, so," they shrug. "Besides, the last name 'Odinchild' tends to turn some heads already." Does that make them a nepobaby? Can they be a nepobaby if most of what they've inherited from Odin was his enemies? Much to consider.

[spidersarenerds]

Open RP Starter (How Did I Get Here?)

This may be one of the stupidest things he's done… or well, it was. What he's about to do will probably be worse. But that's for later, so *rewind noises* or whatever.

MJ must have some sort of mind control ability because she managed to convince Peter to come along to her interview. Like last time went so well when the Beetle trashed a whole floor of the Daily Bugle building. So, here he is in some greasy diner as J. Jonah Jameson grills MJ in the booth to his left—Peter didn't even get a nice seat, just one of those uncomfortable plastic-laminated wood chairs that are always an awkward height. At least there's fries. Though they'd be much better if he didn't have to hear Jameson ask MJ about all of the qualifications she's already given the last ten times she's been interviewed for a position. It all boils down to how willing she is to diss Spider-Man, which is where her stubbornness wins out every time.

But fries! So hot his tongue is starting to lose a little bit of feeling. Perfection.

About to pop a fry into his mouth, he pauses and his eyes narrow, dropping the fry back onto the plate.

The door to the diner flies open, the little chime of the bell drowned out by the thud of the door whacking into a, thankfully, empty chair. Peter barely got to glance at the person barging in before there's a table skidding across the floor. His fries? Upended. The awful chair? Knocked aside. Himself? At the other end of the room, steadying the now sideways table that was sent his way so it doesn't crush him and whatever patrons unlucky enough to be on this table's warpath. "Sorry, folks. Pancake-dom via table costs extra," he says mindlessly, even though he should definitely watch his quips when Jameson is around. Speaking of, the news reporter himself is shouting something about refusing to be silenced and the usual spew of his bravery and, as revealed as Peter tips the table back onto its four legs, is cowering as far into the corner of his booth as he can.

And that about sums up how he got where he is now, shielding whoever is behind him with a mere table between himself and the threat, and to top it all off, the loudest journalist in New York along with other civilians as an audience that could oust secrets he doesn't want to get out if he gets a little too spidery.

//Be the villain, civilian, a hero following the fiend who barged in, whatever you'd like! And of course, tags (No one is forced to interact and those not tagged are more than welcome to interact as well!): @emiliakane @katiebishop-1610

[night-shade-odinchild]

A moment later, another person is barging into the diner, clutching a very large sword in one hand and pointing at the intruder with the other.

"You!" they gasp, winded, "you are the absolute WORST!" They had no idea who the other was, but they did know they'd been chasing him for at least 5 blocks and then through an interdimensional portal (one THEY made to follow him THEMSELF! Their magic was improving!) all while he wrecked havoc and caused large amounts of damage. That was more than enough to decide that yeah, this guy sucked.

Shade takes a moment to glance around -- civilians everywhere, small area, J. Jonah Jameson -- they do a double take. Okay, cool, cool, whatever they did here was probably going to be reported on. That's fine.

First things first. There's no room for giant swords in here, so they let it disappear into their pocket dimension. Second, they should probably ensure civilian safety. They notice the table about to crush a bunch of people first, and quickly dodge away from an oncoming attack to get closer.

"Hello!" They greet as they come to the side not pressed against the wall. "Sorry I can't chat. I need to take this, hope you dont mine." They pull the table away from the civilians and twist, throwing the thing as hard as they can at their assailant. It's mostly dumb luck no bystanders were in the way-- the table lands and the man falls, only to stumble up a moment later.

Shade swears under their breath, turning to the civilians they'd just freed. Their gaze meets Peter's. "You, can you clear this place? I don't want anyone to get hurt." They hate delegating such a task to someone incapable of defending himself against a superpowered person, but they have little choice.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter watches the second person burst into the room, mildly concerned about the large sword—and the loud complaint, but, honestly, mood. Their mood towards the intruder as well as the disappearance of the massive sword eases his worries. One madman destroying the place is already too many, but at least it isn't two.

Kind of. Peter winces as the table crashes into the man. At least he isn't the one paying for it. Huh, having little to no responsibility in a crisis situation is weird. Well, that was until he was given the task of evacuating the area. "You and me both," he agrees. Preventing people from getting hurt as a shared goal is enough for him to decide that he can trust Shade to handle the bad guy. It takes a load off his shoulders. He doubts the ol' adrenaline excuse will cut it with J.J.J. as a witness if he were to go toe to toe with this guy. But while getting people out of the way it might.

He glances around, watching the man's destructive behaviour that is blocking the main door for a beat longer before moving towards the emergency exit. If he can clear a path to it, getting everyone out will be much easier. Peter has a feeling that the man won't have the kindness to see people out the front door.

There are footsteps that follow after him—likely the group that was behind the table with him—and short shrieks as a chair clatters into the wall above their heads. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Peter grumbles, keeping an eye on the man now that he's decided to start throwing things again. "Turn off the burners, fryers, whatever and get out of here!" he calls towards the workers, most of which have crouched behind the counter, shielding their heads. He doesn't expect them to follow the first part much, if at all, but it would be nice if there wasn't a fire hazard as well as an attack.

He wrenches open the small gate separating the kitchen area behind the counter and the rest of the diner, gesturing for the few people trailing after him to go in. "Follow after the workers there– Lead them out of here," he orders the worker that was slowest to get out of here. Shock, probably, but the job should give them a task to cling to for the time being.

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect

As Peter darts through behind the counter, checking that everything is off and making his way around to more people to help get out—mostly Jameson since berating the guy throwing chairs like dodgeballs is not helping, the assailant's carnage seems to have more of a purpose, unfortunately for Shade, they have become his focus. There's only so many tables and seats not bolted to the ground, but he seems intent on throwing all of it in Shade's direction. A shock, I know. You'd think he'd go for the loudmouth crowing obnoxiously about the disrespect—and how he must be in cahoots with a certain wall-crawling menace—but apparently not.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade keeps an eye on the escaping civilians out of the corner of their eye. They're not used to fighting in such a cramped space with this many people around; most their focus is on keeping the oncoming furniture from hitting any innocents. Magic flies wildly, hastily made shields are created only to drop a moment later as a blast of fire flashes forward to incinerate a chair about to hit a kid. For an amateur sorcerer like themself, it's incredibly draining.

They flinch as Jameson shouts another line about disrespect-- enough of a break in their focus to cause them to get hit square in the nose with a stool. Shade covers their face and yells out a few obscenities before turning to Jameson.

"Can you PLEASE just SHUT UP!" They face their opponent again, wiping blood from their nose as they continue talking to Jameson. "This would be so much easier if you just left and got to safety, man--" they dodge another chair before they seem to come to a realization. "Wait, I'm so stupid, I could literally just--" A blue glow forms around their hands yet again, and suddenly a portal opens under Jameson; he can be seen falling onto his face through the window.

By this point, most all the civilians are out, except for that guy they told to help evacuate. Shade pulls up another shield made of magic and glances in his direction. "When I said evacuate everyone, I meant you too." Blue flames surround their fist, and they leap forward to attack their assailant.

[spidersarenerds]

Not that it helps any, but Peter absolutely admires Shade's ability to keep track of all of the hurling objects. Without extra senses, it's quite the feat. It also makes the job of evacuating people easier when he doesn't have to lead them to dodge flying chairs and tables.

After shoving MJ to follow the rest of the crowd out—he actually had to close the door between them—because she wanted to stay to get the story on the scene and no way is he letting that happen no matter who is here to keep her safe as she records, he sighs. He thinks that's everyone. Or so he thought until he heard Jameson yell as he is dropped through a portal and made to eat the concrete outside. "I'm getting way too good at tuning him out." Peter doesn't think that's necessarily a bad thing, especially with the result he just saw, but maybe he should pay a little more attention next time.

"Yeah, I'm working on it," he says, pushing on the door to the staff. It doesn't budge. "Wait, was it?–" He pulls the handle. Nothing. The door locks as it shuts. Just his luck. Pushing on a pull door would have been less embarrassing than accidentally locking himself inside.

He yelps as the intruder crashes into the shelves in front of him. This is the first actual chance he's gotten to see the man unobstructed, and the pumpkin head is definitely a shock that has his yelp being louder than he'd have liked. The pumpkin head's carved grin seems to grow—how that works he doesn't know—at his shout and he begins to sit up. "Trick or treat!" He crows in a voice Peter would never call sane.

Now, he's seen many horror movies. He's complained about the dumb decisions the characters have made enough that he'd be put to shame if he didn't grab the nearest object and hit that pumpkin square in its face. That object just so happened to be a sheet pan. The pumpkin is still intact, and the twang the metal sheet gives is almost comedic, but it has the man faltering long enough that Peter has the chance to hop over the counter. He knows it's a little too graceful of a move for the whole 'Peter-act', so he tries to mess up his landing, stabilizing himself with some flailing and a hand on the floor.

"Trick it is!" the man decides happily, righting himself behind the counter and turning his pumpkin right side around.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade notices the door conundrum and swears under their breath. They've been at this fight far too long, and they don't have it in them to open another portal. If they tried, they couldn't guarantee Peter wouldn't end up in a wall or 40 feet off the ground.

They nearly laugh at the absurdity of hitting the guy with a sheet pan, but cut themself off; they should probably focus so they don't get hit again. The bruise that was definitely forming on their face was already going to be so annoying to explain away later.

"Come on, man, Halloween is my favorite holiday! You're ruining it!" Shade glances at Peter. "Try to stay out of the line of fire. I got this." They say it with way more confidence than they feel, but whatever. They've been living on fake it 'till you make it rules long enough it's practically second nature.

They leap over the counter, fire already wrapped around their fist. They intend for it to hit the guy in the face, but he catches their punch with ease. They're surprised for a moment, caught off guard by the lack of response to the fire, before realizing that of course the guy who's head is literally a flaming pumpkin wouldn't react to a little heat.

They don't have much more time to reflect on this misjudgement before they're met with a swift punch to the gut. They cringe but stand their ground, offering a quick blast of fire in return. It's enough to get the guy off them, if only for a moment.

Desperate for a quick way to end this (they know theres still a civilian in here, they know they need to keep him safe,) Shade tries the one thing they're terrible at: using their words. "And what if I said treat?" They severely hope the guy doesn't have some sort of candy themed weaponry.

[spidersarenerds]

Jack O'Lantern gasps, clasping his hands together. "It's your favorite too?!" he coos. "But I'm ruining it? I think you aren't appreciating it enough!" he cackles as he catches Shade's punch.

Peter has dealt with all sorts of crazy before, but maniacally happy with a Halloween theme is new. Would it be wrong of me to say I miss Goblin's crazy? At least he made sense... in his own twisted way. He nods as he's told to try to stay out of the line of fire. That's the plan.

"You got it!" If it's a treat you want, then a treat you shall get!" It is, unfortunately candy themed weaponry, almost a gun of sorts that he's quick to pull from beneath his cape and fire. Luckily, his aim sucks. On the less lucky side, whatever he's shooting is coming apart as it's shot.

So much for staying out of the line of fire! Peter throws his hands up over his head, shielding his face from the pellets. That's what they must be since they haven't torn through Shade and himself like shrapnel would. The pellets are hard and surprisingly small, bouncing off his arms and falling to the floor with a clatter. They hurt, but not nearly as much as one would think something that came from a gun would. He cracks open an eye. He knows he's not bulletproof, so what is this? He takes a peek at the ground. "Candy corn?" The little orange, yellow, and white triangles litter the ground of the diner now. "Where do you even get this much of it?"

"I'll never reveal the skeletons in my closet!" Jack O'Lantern gesticulates so dramatically as he speaks, he's nearly dancing to the rhythm of his words. Peter can't say he's quite as enthused. Rather than get into whether or not bulk stores can be counted as a skeleton in a closet, he begins to take a couple steps backward, not paying much mind to the hard candy making the ground uneven, his feet finding the clear areas so he won't slip without much thought. If he's out of the way, Shade can handle this guy much more easily... probably. And with Jack O'Lantern behind the counter, the path to the front exit should be clear if Peter can make it there. He just doesn't want the pumpkin head to notice. Who knows if all his weapons are merely annoying like the candy corn gun or actually dangerous?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Candy corn gun. Of course it was a candy corn gun. How stupid they were to even think that it wouldn't be a candy themed weapon. "Where do you get this much? Halloween was forever ago, no one is sells any past October?" Not that they were asking because candy corn was their favorite. The middle of battle would be an incredibly inappropriate time for such a question.

For the briefest moment, they consider trying to catch a piece in their mouth. They decide against it, though. One, it would be so embarrassing to die because they choked on a piece of flying candy corn, especially after everything else they've lived through. Two, they didn't really want to meet their sister again. Hela might not be kind enough to send them back up a second time.

Shade watches Peter slowly back away out of the corner of their eye. They need to keep Jack'O'Lantern occupied so he can escape.

Their sword returns to their hand. Now that the store is mostly empty, they have a little more room to swing the giant blade. "Hey, Jack! Try countering this!" They step forward for a swing, aiming to knock the gun out his hand.

That is not what happens. Their foot lands on a piece of candy corn and they slip. They quickly adjust the grip of the sword as they fall -- it nearly takes Jack's head off, and they have no want to kill the guy -- and it slices through the gun and lodges firmly in the wall. Shade hits the floor.

They blink and quickly stand, avoiding the candy corn this time. They shoot a glance at Peter, then look back to Jack. "That did not happen. You didn't see that." It's clear they speak to both of them.

They're very good at this. They are a well trained and professional superhero, and they are not lying to themself about that.

Well, at least the gun is gone. Shade ducks under the sword, still firmly lodged in the wall, and comes around the otherside with a fist aimed at Jack O Lantern's face. When all else fails, go old school. And hope he doesnt catch their fist again.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's mouth hangs open as he watches Shade slip. Never in his life has he been more afraid of a sword—and he's been on the pointy end of what he'd say to be plenty. A sword swinging around uncontrollably is enough to make him glad he hasn't come across more. At least the gun is gone. He likes guns even less.

Jack O'Lantern, the maniac, giggles, "That's witchful thinking." He peers over the sword at Shade on the ground. He then yelps as Shade's fist collides with the pumpkin, stumbling back out of their reach as quick as he can. "No fair," he growls, cradling the spot where he got hit. Whether he's cradling the part of his face that got hurt through the pumpkin or is just really that attached to the gourd on his head, Peter can't tell. "I guess it's time for my own tricks!" Like anything he's given is a treat.

As Jack whips out yet another weapon, some sort of pole that elongates itself with his movement, Peter has to duck to avoid the blade. A scythe. Kind of. He doubts it'd be any good on a farm, what with the way the blade crackles. The blade doesn't even seem to be metal, just energy. It must save space for whatever other goodies Jack has up his sleeve. "You're really out of your gourd," Peter mutters, focusing on righting himself from the near-backbend he just had to do.

Jack O'Lantern, of course delighted to hear any vaguely Halloween related pun, spins around, nearly taking out Peter with the scythe again. This time, Peter grabs it near the blade to stop the whole waving around very sharp things theme that has been going on. It also means that he's putting a lot of his balance into Jack holding the scythe steady, which he regrets immediately as Jack leans closer excitedly. "Aw thank you! It makes me all the more spooktastic, and that's just bootiful, don't you think?"

And Peter could do without his eyebrows getting singed off by the flaming pumpkin, so he wedges his heel into Jack's shoulder and pushes him away, maybe a little too hard as Peter flips himself over while doing so, now firmly on his feet with the scythe in hand, the blade safely on the floor. "Oops..." he hisses under his breath before straightening like it was intentional and totally normal of him to do a backflip in a fight. Just such a normal, innocuous thing for a guy to do. He did gymnastics—for two months when he was six—that's why he can do that. "Isn't that grim? You've lost another toy," he comments, trying to play it off. He really should shut up more. Thank goodness Jameson is outside and probably dealing with being dumped onto the pavement so he can't hear these quips.

Peter keeps hold of the scythe so Jack O'Lantern can't get a hold of it, and also because he has no idea if he should be able to lift this or not. Swinging a blade around with a candy covered floor isn't a good idea anyway. Just look at Shade's sword. Jack picks himself back up, stumbling slightly on the candy corn. The guy is taking quite the beating, more so thanks to Shade than anyone else."You– you're no fun!" he spits, barely paying attention to Shade and likely ready to pull another trick.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade stares at Peter with wide eyes. They might not have normal strength levels, but they used to live in some small town in the middle of nowhere with no super people around, and they're pretty sure not even the strongest people they knew there could've pulled that off. Maybe there's a reason this guy was way more level headed than the average civilian.

There's only a few heros with that amount of flexibility, and only one they know of who can come up with that many terrible puns that fast.

Deciding that's not really important, nor their business, they choose to just be happy he's on their side; with their luck, it was a miracle they didn't run into a building holding the next Hydra convention.

Jack isn't facing them, giving them a good opportunity to sneak up. They're careful to avoid the candy corn, not wanting a repeat of their previous mishap (please please please tell them no one caught that on camera. They might cry.)

Shade leaps when they're close enough, tackling him to the ground. They land awkwardly on their side and cringe as candy corn digs into their skin, but continue with their plan anyways, fighting to keep Jack from reaching for any more of his "tricks."

"Both of your jokes are awful!" They cry out while still fighting with Jack. Even if they were a little funny. "Now stay down, please--" They raise their elbow and slam it down into Jack's chest.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter can vaguely recognize the realization in Shade's eyes, which isn't the best for him. He's really getting too sloppy with his identity. Now it just begs the question if he can play up the clumsy helpless civilian enough or if he will just look like a fool. His friends who know make fun of him when he leans heavily into the nerd persona, but it clearly works better than whatever he's doing now. Shade doesn't seem like they would tattle, but Jack might... if he's even coherent enough to string a non-Halloween related sentence together.

As Shade tackles Jack to the ground, Peter stumbles back, allowing himself to stumble on the candy corn and barely catch himself on the scythe. Is anyone paying attention? No, definitely not. They're busy fighting on the floor. He totally had that realisation before he did that. It was just practice.

"Wh– hey!" he begins, about to defend his quips. At the very least, they aren't on the same level as Jack's. He can accept that they're cringe-worthy, but to compare them to puns that sound like they're from some website? Simply unacceptable. That is until Shade jams their elbow into Jack's chest. Peter looks away. "Yeah, I'll just shut up now."

Jack makes some sort of wheezy coughing noise, similar to a breathless laugh but that's more so the crazy rather than any sort of joy. He flails wildly in Shade's grip, pushing at just about anything and trying to squirm away.

It's clearly an issue, and Peter is only so good at standing by—so good as in atrociously terrible at it— so he scans the diner for anything to tie up Jack O'Lantern. It seems he is out of luck today because not one customer happened to forget a scarf or purse in their evacuation. Ugh, and the day I only had tank tops to wear underneath. Peter drops the scythe and pulls off the dress shirt he's been wearing like a jacket. He observes it in his hands. Jack would be the type to kick or even run away while his hands are tied. Peter tears off both of the sleeves—he might as well make it match on both sides; he's going to be sewing later anyway—and rushes to help out in the scuffle. "Hold his arms!" Tying up the feet can happen once there are no hands clawing at their faces.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances up at Peter when they hear the sound of fabric ripping -- but only for a moment, as Jack tries again to wriggle his way free. They curse under their breath as they grab the villain by his wrists, holding them with just enough force not to break them. They've been getting better at handling their strength, though the doubt the force they use to hold Jack is comfortable.

"Got him!" They mentally add ripping the jacket to their list of reasons this guy is totally definitely a superhero. Unless that jacket was made with really flimsy fabric, they don't think it would've ripped that quickly and easily. Plus, they're pretty sure the average civilian wouldn't think of that unless they, for some reason, had experience tying up random villains on the street with little resources.

Shade grimaces as Jack tries to pull his arms back again. They take a moment to thank the stars they got the superhuman strength and endurace from their Asgardian half; this guy was not giving up.

"Don't burn your hands!" They aren't sure if the fire surrounding Jack's pumpkin head is real or not, but better safe than sorry. At least they don't have to worry about it; fire is kinda their thing. Even if it is hot, they won't feel it.

[spidersarenerds]

"I'll do my best..." His main focus is getting Jack's hands tied together, which is a struggle and a half, even with Shade's—rather spectacular, if Peter were to say so himself—efforts to hold Jack still. Eventually, he manages to loop the first sleeve around Jack's wrists tight enough that he won't worry about him slipping loose, and maybe a little tighter for good measure, and ties the knot as securely as he can. He would make a joke about the fabric "cuffs" being a one size fits all, but he's busy trying to avoid getting kicked in the face. Jack's legs are a whole other battle. So, Peter decides to be more lenient on the quality of the bind, getting up and running away won't be easy even if Jack managed to free his legs.

Jack is shouting rather loudly, half of it threats mixed with puns, and the other half claiming that tickles are a rude trick to pull—his understanding of what is going on seems really limited, and Peter almost feels bad for the guy, in that aspect, less so the terrorizing people part.

"Just need a bow and you'd be set for Christmas," Peter pants, sitting back on his heels as Jack writhes.

"NOOOO!" Jack O'Lantern howls, clearly furious in his binds. He is fuming as his squirming grows less violent frome either exhaustion or the cloth cutting into his limbs.

"Not sure who would want you for Christmas, though," Peter adds on in a false pondering tone. Villains wailing about their defeat, as annoying as it is, exists as a common ending to fights. He watches as Jack struggles. He doesn't know what to do now. He can't exactly just leave on his merry way—as he would usually do with a quick web—but instead he may have to linger since MJ and Jameson are likely still outside the diner, itching for the scoop. And the police. Ugh, is he going to have to deal with the police? And he's without his 'jacket'—if you want to call a cotton dress shirt that—to hide whatever marks he has on his arms from his 'hobby'. Is it too late to get stabbed by that scythe?

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath as Peter finishes with Jack, leaning back and letting go of his wrists. They stay close enough to grab him if he does manage an escape, though.

"Can't tell if he's more mad about losing or about the Christmas pun." Shade watches him struggle for a moment before looking back at Peter. "Thanks. You got a level head on you for a guy who presumably doesn't do this every single day." They're still, like, 99% sure this guy is Spider-Man. No other hero would make puns that bad. No need to ruin the guy's secret, though.

Shade holds out a hand with a grin. "I'm Nightshade. Shade. Whichever. 'Preciate the assist. Sorry about your shirt."

Their gaze wanders around the building as they slowly take in the damage caused by the fight. Candy corn everywhere. Broken chairs and tables. Sword in the wall. They cringe. "I do not have the money to pay for this," they mumble. "Should probably split before cops get here." They can already hear the sirens. "You might wanna, too. Some people might have some... prying questions about some stuff you just did." They try to make it clear with their tone that they mean leave before someone finds out your identity.

[spidersarenerds]

"Can't say I'm a newbie to it. Villains attacked my high school a lot." And that's not even a lie. A lot of his graduate year would probably be calmer than most—even if you were to disclude the nine of them who were/turned out to be heroes—but he can admit that it doesn't explain away what he's done. It is a very thin veil of secrecy he's weaving with very halfhearted effort. "I'm Peter, and don't worry about it. It was my choice, and I can stitch it up later." He shakes Shade's hand. Jack gives a final thrash. "Probably." He has no idea how his shirt sleeves will hold up against the strain of being restraints.

"Torn off sleeves are still in fashion, right? That's a thing?" he jokes, folding his arms together. He can argue that's accentuating his arms and making them look more muscular than his 'nerdy' arms actually are, can't he? I'm overthinking this. No one actually pays that much attention, much less people who barely know you to be a 'nerdy weakling'.

"New York has clean up guys for villain fights... I think. I saw it on the news once. If you want to call what J– Mr. Jameson does as news." Peter knows it to be true because he had to help once because he and his team got in trouble with Fury, if they're still running after the Wrecking Crew snuck into the works to sabotage and pilfer. He looks over his shoulder out the window to try and gage the size of the crowd. It doesn't look to be the worst, but he knows that there are two journalists waiting outside, desperate for details, and one of them is his best friend. The other, however, may very well have a cavalry of cameramen on the way. Where is Harry and his convenient outerwear when you need it? "I wish I could. My friend's out there and will probably get arrested for trying to enter the crime scene for her journal if she doesn't get a witness statement." MJ could likely talk her way out of it, being the stubborn person she is, but he may as well save her the hassle.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade glances at the torn sleeves and scoffs. "Absolutely not in fashion. But, hey, maybe you'll start a trend." They should probably worry a bit more about the high school comment -- was that common? Would their school get attacked if they ever bothered to go back? -- but they decide to let it be for now.

"Yeah, it probably needs one considering... Literally everything about this city." NYC had to deal with gods and men flying around in iron suits and sorcerers and spiders. They'd seen the damage plenty; Shade feels a little bad for the people doing all that clean up.

...Better those guys cleaning it up than them, though.

Shade's gaze follows Peter's. They let out a breath. "Damn, Jameson is gonna make me the second most hated superhero in New York after this. First one being that bug guy." They know good and well that spiders aren't bugs, and also that Spider-Man is more well liked than Jameson makes him out to be. They still think it's a little funny to poke at Peter without being obvious about it, though.

"I'll hang out with you then. You know there's gonna be cameras and interviews and stuff. If anything goes south, I'll lie to the cops and journalist and just tell them you hid in the back or something." Shade glances down at Jack. "No one will believe him if he snitches anyways."

[spidersarenerds]

"Totally, next best thing since ripped jeans: the more holes in your outfit, the better," he quips. As Shade remarks about the chaos of the city chock full of superheroes and villains, Peter nods. Damage control has saved his skin many times. Of course, the best damage is no damage at all—as Fury has hammered into his skull—but with the combination of an unfamiliar villain and Shade, however far they are into their hero journey, he's glad the building didn't collapse.

Peter opens his mouth to refute the bug guy comment, but holds back, just barely. "Just be confident. I would not be surprised if they can smell fear," he says instead. The advice is bogus, he has no idea what makes Jameson like people. Both times Spider-Man was impersonated, Jameson was praising 'him' to the high heavens.

Shade's decision to stick around has Peter turning his head to look at them, surprise melting into a small, appreciative smile. "Yeah? You just stole my sleeves to tie this pumpkin head up?" he teases. "Thanks," he adds with a more genuine tone. He doesn't plan to let Shade take the fall for him like that, not with Jameson's sway on the public, but the offer is nice.

"Let's go before they bust the door down." He pushes the door open with his shoulder. The clamor from outside bursts in through the open door, the sound of people fussing as they notice the door cracking open. Peter can pick out a few questions and exclamations from the crowd, just civilians, as far as he can tell, for now, but he only waits long enough for Shade to make it through the door before walking to the corner. He does not expect to lose the crowd, but getting them away from the door so police, professionals, and all that can enter the building whenever they get here. It's also a chance for him to scan the crowd for MJ... and Jameson too, mostly because MJ would stick close to him to observe what a 'true journalist' does in this situation.

"What happened?"

"Who are you?"

Those are the two main questions he can decipher from the hubbub, whether they are sent his way of Shade's, he has no idea. How celebrities can understand anything when thirty questions are being hurled at them at the same time, he has no idea. He comes to a stop at the corner of the building, glancing back to make sure Shade is still there and alright.

"Peter! Where have you been? You can't disappear like that!" A familiar head of red hair parts the crowd, stepping right up to Peter and poking his chest accusingly with a grin. "I had a whole cover ready." She crosses her arms, finally seeming to notice his state. "Whoa, I think this is the first time I've seen your shoulders. You're going to distract someone," she comments.

"That is not true, MJ. We've known each other since we were four; you've seen my shoulders," Peter protests, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," MJ dismisses, already pushing her leather jacket at him, knowing he would wrap it over his shoulders so he can focus on more than if people somehow put it together that he's Spider-Man by seeing his arms—which he does, even though the fitted leather jacket is far from his size. She leans to the side, spotting Shade. "And who are you?" she asks them, excitement glowing in her green eyes. Peter offers an apologetic smile. MJ isn't the worst to talk to, far from it, but she is stubborn, especially when she's in her journalist mode.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Before Shade leaves the building, they take a moment to recover their sword -- which takes a minute, because it is stuck stuck. With only a mild amount of additional damage to the drywall they manage to dislodge it and let it disappear into their pocket dimension. They do hesitate a moment before walking out, wondering briefly if leaving Jack was responsible. Figuring the police were just around the corner anyways, and that Jack had stopped struggling in his binds, Shade leaves him and follows Peter into the crowd.

They hear the questions as soon as they step out. Shade is briefly stunned by the overlapping speech and all the eyes on them, but they quickly pull themself together as they plaster on a confident smile and pose with their arms on their hips.

With a tone that sounds almost rehearsed, Shade responds, "I am Nightshade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire and sorcerer in training. Consider this villain vanquished!" They stand proud for a moment before their face falls as they mumble to themself. "No, that sounds too fantasy-ish. This foe is finished? Enemy annihilated? Eh, we'll workshop it." They clear theur throat and stand tall again. "He's in there, and he alone is responsible for all damages. Please lead the cops to him when they arrive, put the guy behind bars, maybe get him some help?" They glance around and spot Peter out of the corner of their eyes. "Uh, I gotta run. No more questions and bye!!"

They push through the crowd and arrive at where Peter and MJ are. They smile at MJ when addressed. "Shade Odinchild, God of the Wildfire, newest hero on the block." They say it with the same gusto as when they addressed the crowd, as if they were rehersing to a camera. Shade holds out a hand. "Your friend made a very noble sacrifice today. Rest in piece his shirt, made great restraints all things considered."

[spidersarenerds]

Peter smiles as Shade answers the questions that were being shouted. He doesn't have that sort of patience, but he can admire the enthusiasm to actually talk to people rather than just dip without explanation. It likely promises them a better reputation than Spider-Man, though that isn't saying much. There are villains J.J.J. likes better than him.

MJ tilts her head. "Shade Odinchild? Well, that's a name we certainly didn't cover in our school's mythology studies," she remarks, taking Shade's hand eagerly. "And newest hero on the block, huh? So you're going to be sticking around? What can the public of New York expect from you?"

Peter's eyes widen, basically seeing a flashing neon sign indicating the loaded question. Now, no matter how friendly and people-skilled Shade may be, answering that is a trap. Not one MJ lays intentionally—this time, that is; he won't forget how she bullied her way past Iron Fist and Power Man to get to an interview in a building under attack—but with the public and Jameson around, any answer will not be taken in good faith. "Haha, maybe that's a better question for when you have your camera, right? The digital age, y'know? Everyone likes a video." He puts his hands on her shoulders. He knows it's hopeless to tell MJ straight up that such a question has the very high chance to do more harm than good: she sees the good in everyone and wouldn't believe him if he said otherwise when it comes to the media, at least in his experience.

"Ah, well I could still write it down." She smiles. "Besides, how cool would it be to be a hero's first interview!" It's the same excitement that makes him feel bad to say no or point out a flaw in her plans.

"Haven't you already done that?" MJ was the first one to interview Spider-Man. What? You think I could refuse her back then? She'd have personally hunted down Spider-Man three years ago. "Do you even have a notebook?"

"No..." She crosses her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "Do you?" she asks hopefully.

"Me? Nope! Didn't even bring my bag," he answers. He did, but he has no idea where it is in the diner, so he might as well not have brought it. He'll have to find it later. MJ's expression is disbelieving at best. He smiles 'innocently'.

"There you are! Watson, if you want to be a top journalist, you need to find the action, not run off," Jameson scolds, lightly holding a handkerchief to his nose. Seems the landing face first into concrete after being teleported wasn't exactly harmless. But he still has his attitude, so it's likely nothing to worry about.

"I think she found the action first, sir," Peter comments, earning a judgy side eye from the man, his mouth twisting into a frown before he turns his gaze onto Shade.

MJ steps between the two. "This is Shade Odinchild. They're a new hero!" she introduces, seeming to come to the conclusion that putting a good word in with Jameson could help a little with Shade's reputation.

[night-shade-odinchild]

"Well, I'm not the 'hundreds and thousands of years' old kind of Asgardian. I don't actually know if I'm immortal or not--" They were only half Asgardian, technically, and they had no idea what traits they got from their Father's side. Maybe if the guy would actually talk to them they could figure it out, but so far Odin seemed more that happy to pretend they didn't exist. Whatever, they'll figure it out through trial and error. Sucks they won't know if they'll live to 80 or 8,000 till they get there, though.

"But I'll be in your textbooks soon, I bet. Up there with Captain America and Black Widow and the rest of 'em." Maybe they sounded a bit too confident. They had been living off the fake it till you make it mindset the past few months, though. If they sounded confident enough, maybe it'd come true.

Shade opens their mouth to respond, but is cut off by Peter. They're a little annoyed. This could be their big break! Their first interview to really thrust them into the public eye, make them a real hero! They could get their name on tee-shirts and have those stupid little knockoff figures of themself and unlicensed merch that looked so bad it was funny and--

Okay, plot lost. Still, it would be really cool to have their first real interview, even if it wasn't exactly the most professionally conducted.

"I mean, I might have a notebook somewhere." They throw so many things into their pocket dimension, they wouldn't doubt they did. "Hold on, I can look real--" they pause as Jameson speaks, quickly straightening their posture in an attempt to look more professional-ish. They quickly forget about the notebook as they swivel to face Jameson.

"Oh! Jame-- I mean, Mr. Jameson, sir." They aren't usually one for authority figures; Shade's always been more of a "do what I want and deal with the consequences later" kind of guy. Jameson kinda has actual influence, though, and they really want a good first impression with the public. It's the first step to their dreams of greatness, after all.

...which is why they're kind of regretting the whole telling him to shut up thing. And the dropping him face first onto concrete thing.

It's fine, if they pull out all their natural charisma and charm, they can still turn this around to be in their favor!

Shade clears their throat. "I, uh-- Sorry about earlier. Heat of the moment thing, I don't usually tell people to shut up, be quiet maybe but I promise I'm not that rude--" Oh god they're rambling-- "Is your- uh, your nose okay? I'm still a little iffy on portal trajectory. Busted my own nose a couple of times."

Okay, well, so much for charisma and charm. Do they normally stumble over their words this much, or only when what they say actually matters?

[spidersarenerds]

Peter's eyes flick between Jameson and Shade, growing more amused the longer Shade rambles and the conflict on Jameson's face deepens. He's clearly ticked about being dropped on his face—the being told to shut up, less so just because it's not the first time he's heard it from a hero/hero adjacent—but there was an apology, and it's not like this kid is hiding behind a mask... They're taking accountability for their actions, which, in his eyes, only matters when there's no secret identity. Even though Peter has no stake in this, he waits with bated breath for Jameson to give an expression beyond stern and mildly annoyed.

"Well," Jameson clears his throat, adjusting his suit jacket. "It's something you definitely need to work on. Preferably before hurling innocent civilians through your portals." He looks to the side, lips pursing beneath his mustache. "But I am glad you're taking accountability. It's not something everyone does, especially some so-called heroes."

And there it is. Peter was waiting for the Spider-Man diss, even if it was indirect this time. He waves his hand as MJ looks ready to refute that claim. There's no need to save the dead horse Jameson is insistent on beating. Instead, just let Shade have their moment. Peter can't lie and say he's interested in seeing Jameson actually be kind of nice.

"I... suppose... my commentary was not exactly de escalating the situation." Wow, that almost looked like it hurt for Jameson to say. The man looks less than happy to admit his fault, but at least he apologized... kind of.

Peter has to physically bite his lip to keep from adding a 'ya think?' Now isn't the time and he really shouldn't snark an adult while he's so obviously himself, no matter how much of a pain that adult may be. I am mature. I am so good at shutting up. I will utter no words. Imagine Fury is super mad and ready to end anyone who talks back.

He breaks, because how could he not? There are so many different things he could say. He opts for the most innocuous one. "I'm sure it's alright, sir. Villain attacks are scary for everyone. There's no shame in that." It doesn't quite scratch his itch to be a bother, but there's only so much he can do before he loses plausibility that he isn't being intentional in his antagonism.

Jameson does not seem amused. "Yes, for civilians. I am a journalist, and we do not scare in the face of some loon in a mask, now do we, Miss Watson?"

"Not exactly. We act in spite of our fear to deliver–" she begins to say.

"Exactly," Jameson plows on, not waiting for her to finish her thought. Because it's something she got from Spider-Man in an interview? Maybe.

"–The truth as best we can," MJ concludes, giving Jameson a flat glare before her expression brightens again.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade lets out a breath they didn't know they were holding. Jameson didn't seem like he was going to go on the news and spout about how they were a menace like he did with certain other heros; they could almost say he seemed to respect them, to a degree. At least they can assure their reputation with the public isn't going to be smeared just yet.

They nod along as he speaks, trying Very hard to seem engaged. The better the impression they leave, the better the future article about them will be (hopefully.) "I'm... working on the portals. I'm mentoring under someone with way more magical skills than me,so I should figure it out soon." They figure outright saying my older brother Loki is showing me how to do cool magic stuff wouldn't get a good reaction. God of Lies or not, he's still not well liked. "Next time, I'll make sure you land on your feet, probably."

They nod along to Jameson's response to Peter. "Well, sir, soon you won't have to worry about loons in masks. Or, at least you'll have to worry less." Shade places their thumb on their chest, standing tall and throwing on a confident smile. "With me on the streets, villains will be too scared to stick around. Bet I'll clear New York out was faster than Spider-Man could." They're not gonna lie and say they aren't trying to annoy Peter; they subtly glance his way, just to see his reaction. Besides, they're trying to get on Jameson's good side. This is a quick (and funny) way to do so. They'll say sorry later.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter notices Shade's seemingly eager nodding, maybe a tiny bit amused by the amount of trying to get on Jameson's good side that's going on. He doesn't think he's seen someone try that hard, but it's nice to see, in a way. If they're worried about their reputation, chances are, hopefully they'll do good things to better their reputation. He bites his lip to keep a grin from forming as they promise to transport Jameson safely through a portal next time, with a probably tacked onto the end. He wouldn't complain about seeing Jameson dropped onto his face again, but judging by the nervous laugh from Jameson, he isn't going to be stepping through any of Shade's portals any time soon.

At the claim that Shade will clear out New York of supervillains faster than Spider-Man, Peter's eyebrows furrow, his mouth opening like he's deciding if it's worth responding to and risking identities. He purses his lips. The diss wasn't appreciated, but less work is less work, so he won't say no.

Jameson, however, grins, "Ha! Glad to know not all of the new heroes think Spider-Man is the standard."

"Of course that's the key to your heart; hating Spider-Man. Who would have guessed," Peter grumbles under his breath, unsurprised and keeping his voice down low enough that he's sure Jameson wouldn't hear him over his own beginnings of a rant.

"Well, actually, a lot of the villains on Spider-Man's roster were only in New York because they were hired to fight him. So, it would be O– uh, whoever hired them's fault." It's a valiant attempt on MJ's part to defend Spider-Man, even though Peter nearly had a heart attack when she nearly said the—now reformed—'employer's name.

Of course, Jameson just gets a gleam in his eye. "But at the root of the problem is Spider-Man." As one would blame the guy with the note 'kick me' taped to their back. "We could do more with heroes like this one who own up to their mistakes and don't attract villains!" He gestures to Shade. Peter cringes; he sure hopes Jameson didn't jinx it. Villains with magic powers are a pain for everyone.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade hears Peter's mumbled comment and sends him a shit eating grin. They quickly shift their focus back to Jameson, not trying to divert any attention to Peter. They should probably be a bit more subtle, now that they think about it. Not everyone is willing to throw their real identity out there.

"Well, I don't think I have anyone who hates me bad enough to give people to kill me quite yet." Maybe a few people who had beef with Odin, or Thor, or Loki, but those people didn't directly hate them. They were just trying to hurt the aforementioned Asgardians without any direct sort of confrontation. Not the same as hiring a guy to kill Spider-Man. (Not like Odin cared about anything happening to them. The couple of guys who came after them with the intention of getting Odin's attention were so misguided it was a little funny.) Back to their original point, they add, "I don't thing I'll be attracting any supervillains here anytime soon."

They can't say they aren't enjoying the praise. Even if Jameson isn't their favorite person ever, they haven't ever been used as a good example. It feels pretty nice; Shade just hopes they can live up to his (and the rest of New York's) expectations.

The teen holds out a hand. "Well, Mr. Jameson, it has been very nice to meet you. Maybe next time we can meet under a less life-or-death-y situation?"

[spidersarenerds]

Peter hopes Shade is right and no one wants them dead. He knows it's likely that they're right and he's worrying because of his own past experiences. He has to remember that not every new hero has a billionaire and their mad scientist looking to militarize their powers and/or dissect them. Shade should be fine.

They handle themselves well enough in front of the media, anyway. Peter's glad to see Jameson likes at least one superhero, excluding the two times that he's taken a liking to people impersonating Spider-Man.

"So long as you keep up your efforts, I look forward to it." Jameson takes Shade's hand, giving it a firm shake while stating his hefty expectations. No pressure or anything. With that, he walks back into the crowd, saying he and MJ will meet another time—which will likely end in disaster such as today; her interviews with the man are always interrupted by villain attacks—with a brief over the shoulder wave.

As the news reporter leaves, Peter squints. "Did you put something in his drink, MJ?" he accuses, mostly in jest. He doesn't think he's seen the man in such a good mood, like ever. "Or did he hit his head so hard it knocked the stick outta–"

"I didn't drug Mr. Jameson, Peter." MJ rolls her eyes. She shifts her attention to Shade. "Don't feel too worried about what Mr. Jameson says. So long as you do your best, that's enough. Don't set unachievable expectations to beat yourself up over: that helps no one," she says, a friendly smile on her face. "Right, Peter?" she adds on pointedly, jabbing his side with her elbow.

"Ow!" He rubs his ribs. Targeted much? "She's right, though. The more people saving the city the better."

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade waits until Jameson disappears into the crowd to let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. If they've felt weighted under their own expectations for themself before, they might be feeling just a bit crushed now. It's just their reputation with the entire damn city. Nothing big.

They look at MJ as she talks, nodding along. "Of course. I'd never set unachieveable expectations." Because no expectation is unachievable if they just achieve it, so they aren't doing that! They're sure theyre never going to get burnt out with thoughts like that.

They look at Peter. "Yeah. I, uh... I'll do my best! Can't wait to work eith yo-- uh, Spider-Man, on that. And the other heroes in New York." They shift their weight from one foot to the other. They really are excited about their new hero-ing thing; they yearn for the sort of praise people like Captain America, Black Widow, even Thor receives.

They glance to the crowd, where cops are talking to a very disgruntled looking man, most likely the owner of the diner. Shade bites at their lip. "Legally speaking, am I responsible for..." the candy corn all over the floor, the broken tables they threw at Jack, the hole in the wall where their giant sword lodged itself into the wall, the scorch marks along the floor. "...the damages? And if so, how fast do I need to dip?"

[spidersarenerds]

So that cat is out of the bag. Well, at least it's a hero who knows his identity, and one with good intentions at that, even if they're on the greener side. "Yeah, after this, you're sure to make pals." It took Peter a while to do actual team ups with other heroes when he started out, but that was because of his attitude and avoidance of anything where he'd have to talk to someone on his side.

At the mention of damages, MJ repositions herself to see into the diner, sucking in a breath through her teeth. With a villain like Jack O'Lantern, damages are hard to avoid, but it's far from a pretty sight.

"Uuummm..." Peter always dipped before he could be spoken to, so he has no idea if heroes actually get in trouble for the damages. S.H.I.E.L.D. kind of shields—heh—him from that stuff so long as it isn't gratuitous. "I don't know..." He checks over his shoulder before continuing in a lower voice. "I can call folks in to get the clean up handled, there's a thing for that. So, you only have to run if they start coming over here." It's a suggestion, not one most would approve of as it is quite literally 'run away from the cops' but who is he to care for what should be done? So, he'll keep an eye out for any police coming towards Shade.

"He–" Peter tilts his head toward the owner. "–won't have to pay a dime for it either, in case that was a concern." He leans his weight onto one foot, also peering into the diner. "Could probably do with some new chairs anyway," he says, wrinkling his nose. Hopefully Damage Control will splurge on some cushions.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade cringes as MJ looks at the mess they made; they look mildly embarrassed as they shrink in on themself, not unlike a child waiting to be scolded.

"I, uh... I'd appreciate that. Calling those guys in." They do feel a little better, knowing they're not causing some poor innocent civilian a bunch of money because they slipped on some candy corn (and threw chairs and tables and used fire magic indoors.) They nervously glance back at the crowd, keeping an eye on the cops for a moment. They don't seem to be paying them any mind, but they would still rather not linger.

They turn their attention back to MJ and Peter. "I kinda sorta ruined your lunch, right? Sorry about that. Could I get you guys something else to eat?" They maybe have, like, 15 dollars stashed away in their pocket dimension somewhere, but they'd feel at least a little bad for not offering (that, and they really want to get away from all the cops).

Besides, if all else fails, they have an older brother and a card he can wire money into. They're already planning how to discreetly send a text his way asking for an extra 20 on their allowance this week.

[spidersarenerds]

Peter nods, folding his hands behind his back. He can't call Fury up in the middle of this crowd to ask for Damage Control. He hopes that he's as good at typing behind his back as he is at making wisecracks. If he isn't, he will blame the tiny screen of his wrist communicator. Whether or not Fury understands "dmg ctrl pls" could be a whole other issue without the plausible typos being considered.

It's good enough. Fury will see the news anyway. He's somehow got his eye on everything. Even with the cameras, watching all of those screens is a feat and a half for anyone.

"Lunch?" Free food is free food, Peter can admit that much, but also free for him is not free for Shade. He can survive without it. "Nah. I feel like I should be buying you lunch after you saved us from Jameson. My ears were ringing from halfway across the room," he jokes instead, rubbing his ear with an exaggerated wince.

MJ rolls her eyes. "But we should get going," she decides, spying a sliver of a blue uniform in the crowd. "They don't like how I get the info to show new sides to a story." She spares a glance over her shoulder to glare in the direction of the police as she turns to lead them out of the crowd.

"What? MJ!" Peter hisses, pulling her leather jacket tighter around himself. Torn between following after her and staying between Shade and the police grouped in the crowd. He doesn't want to leave Shade behind to deal with the police, especially after their somewhat nervous attitude towards them.

"There's a reason they aren't journalists, Peter; the truth isn't as important as the law."

For those of you that don't know, that's MJ speak for I got caught trespassing in the name of one of my stories, therefore the police are the opposition now. But also flawed system so... Peter groans. This is not something he can argue with MJ about. "If you're still up for it, I'm sure she would like to interview you... away from all this," he says to Shade, an offer to get out of this crowd.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods, following the duo through the crowd. They keep an eye out for any officers heading their way as they pull out their phone, typing as they walk. "You have a place in mind? I'm not usually on this side of town, not sure what's around." They hope their looking at their phone reads as looking at a map for nearby places to snag a bite, and not them texting their older sibling.

Can i have extra money this week pleasepleaseplease like 30 or maybe more dollars pleaseeee

They really don't intend on letting Peter or MJ pay if they can help it. For one, Peter kinda helped in the fight with Jack (and sacrificed his shirt in the process, which Shade still felt a little bad about.) For two, MJ was helping them avoid the cops, which was much appreciated. (They aren't sure how illegal the vigilante thing is, but they do know that they're probably classified as a missing person a few states away, and the less the cops are on them the better.) The least they could do was offer a meal.

Slipping the phone away again, they speed up to walk alongside Peter and MJ. "A for real interview sounds cool!" They grin. "And when I'm super famous, MJ can tell everyone she was the first one to give me one! It'll look good on a resume, I'd bet."

[spidersarenerds]

"Uhh..." Peter racks through his list of restaurants in the area that he knows of, trying to think of what is cheapest. "There's this coffee-sandwich shop thing a few streets down, I think. Not as greasy, though, if artery-clogging is what you're craving," he quips, mostly to hide his uncertainty about the exact location. The city looks different from up high, so his navigation on foot may be subpar.

As they walk, the crowd thins. He looks between Shade and MJ as the interview conversation goes on. "Ha, that resume is going to be a book by the time she's 20."

"As if that's a bad thing. You know it doesn't hurt to have varied experiences, Peter." MJ knows he's teasing, her own defense being a jab about how he has been in the same 'field' since he was 14.

"Yeah, yeah, Miss journalist, tutor, play writer, and who knows what else." He rolls his eyes.

MJ raises an eyebrow. "You could probably add something to your resume besides teaching. Like that time you acted for my play... or improvised."

"It was a high school play. And Trapster literally crashed your play and I was, like, understudy number seven for Flash; no way you're still mad that I improvised," he groans, waving his hand that is not holding MJ's jacket.

"Maybe I am." She turns to Shade, grinning. "You know his aunt sent me pictures. She thought it was Flash at first because, well, the play was about Spider-Man so masks, so the 'identity reveal' was a big shock when Petey was under the mask." MJ is clearly very happy to share an embarrassing story about Peter.

"No way she was able to take pictures," Peter protests, already knowing his aunt likely snuck them since Flash has been his neighbor since forever and it's not like his folks were around to be proud of him.

"Maybe a video..." She teases. "I think that's the first time I ever heard him sing in the 13 years I've known him," she adds.

He sighs sufferingly, mostly to put on a show of embarrassment since MJ seems eager to tell the story, and if Shade is having fun too, he really doesn't mind. He has this little restaurant to hunt down anyway.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade nods. "Coffee-sandwich shop sounds good." They follow closely, glancing between the two as they converse / argue. It's pretty entertaining, actually.

They pause in listening when they get a buzz on their phone, they take it out just long enough to read the notification.

$29.99 added to account number...

They slide their phone away, deciding not to comment on the stupid joke. Calling Loki a jerk for giving them one cent less than they asked for would maybe not get them more money in the future. (Even though the bit was a little funny, they could not let their brother know that Ever. He wasn't getting the satisfaction.)

Shade perks up as the conversation is again directed at them. "Pictures?" They repeat, glancing between Peter and MJ. They cover one side of their mouth with their hand and stage whisper, "I'll give you my number later, not saying you should send them over, buttttttt...." they drop their hand and grin mischievously, giggling a little at the resigned expression Peter wears.

[spidersarenerds]

"Surprisingly not the worst pictures of me that will be spread around." Between the unflattering positions he's been in as Spider-Man and being caught by the paparazzi with Harry, there's worse pictures of him than him playing in a high school musical, even if the suit was... lacking in more ways than one.

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare," MJ teases, fully intending to send Shade the images and the video if she has it.

"Like a house on fire," Peter sighs to himself, amused by how well Shade and MJ are getting along. And yes, pun intended. "We should be there soon and you two can exchange your info." At least he thinks.

After a few turns, the coffee-sandwich shop is up ahead, advertised by a simple banner on its faded brick walls. It doesn't stand out any more than any of the other buildings in the area. It seems vacant enough that they could get their food without trouble or a long wait.

[night-shade-odinchild]

Shade strolls right in; it doesn't take very long for the group to get seated at a booth. Shade let's Peter and MJ sit next to each other, while they take the other side.

As soon as the smell of food hits their nose, they realize how hungry they are -- having the powers of the Wildfire also comes with an appetite to match. Still, they're trying to get the money in their account to stretch across three people (there's no way they're letting Peter or MJ pay after they kinda sorta destroyed the diner they were supposed to eat in,) so they decide on a cheap-ish pepperoni sandwich and soda.

Shade gives their order to a waiter. While they wait for Peter and MJ to order, they take a napkin and a pen and scribble their number on it, sliding it to MJ with a grin.

"For professional queries," they joke, "or other interview questions. Or embarrassing pictures of Peter."