+ FOURTH WALL EVENT: GENERAL NON-PARTY MINGLE POST +

[vitaelamorte]

Who: E V E R Y O N E
Where: Everywhere that isn't one of the parties! Both Sides!
When: Sept 1st to Sept 10th
Rating: G to PG-13 (please label higher ratings, thank you!)
Summary: Wonderful parties are springing up all across Wonderland, but there are still plenty of other places to explore. This is a log for any new arrivals who want to experience different parts of Wonderland life, and any current guests not in the mood for a log or transmission of their own.

Please also see THE FOURTH WALL MASTER POST for rules, information, and all the fun parties you can visit!
The Story:

On the morning of September 1st, everyone in Wonderland, on both Real and Mirror Side, will awake to find one of four possible invitations has been shoved under their doors. The glass has been carefully removed from all mirrors, and everyone will be able to cross to and from Mirror Side with ease, without forcing any sort of swap. The Queen of Hearts' chambers, discovered in the previous event, will be mysteriously inaccessible, leading only to a tearoom.

Additionally, there will be many more Wonderland guests than usual, each of them with their own random invitation and network device (wired to make replies only). As the week goes on, as per the invitations, more and more parties will appear (and everyone is invited to all of them, whether they received an invitation or not). But who brought them here? Why are there so many parties? Who is responsible for all of this exactly?

It's anyone's guess, though if parties or riddles are not your style, then there is always plenty more to see...

Comments

[hypoxic]

And -- and you think we'd discuss containment measures with Doctor Banner. That might prove to be a mistake.

[Tranqs. He needs tranqs so he can have more time to think. Darcy probably keeps a few on hand, for the Jane issue.

He gives Bruce a long look, and then lunges for a desk two aisles over. He's hoping it's a sudden enough maneuver that he isn't immediately thrown back in place.]

[dystonia]

I think if you're even half as smart as you're supposed to be, then you definitely would discuss containment measures with... him.

[ No one would know better than he does how the Hulk works, or what might be capable of stopping him in any way. And unlike this version of Bruce, the other one would be obsessed with finding ways to stop himself if things got out of hand.

He's about to open his mouth and say something else when Fitz moves suddenly. Somewhere at the back of his mind he muses how much like a tiny little mouse the guy is— trembling and frightened and pathetic, as well as prone to sudden movements. Bruce's quicker this time around, though, and he chases after Fitz, hand curling around the back of his neck and slamming his face down on the surface of the desk hard, well before Fitz gets a chance to get whatever he was trying to reach. ]

Wrong move. [ He breathes through a heavy chuckle, pleased by the fact that he may have just broken Fitz's nose. For a start. ] Did you really think you'd fool me twice?

[hypoxic]

[There's a moment at the start of his sprint where he thinks he might have a chance. He manages a step, and then something hard and solid yanks him back. He crashes into the desk with a crunch, straining to pull away with less strength than he summoned before. His hands raise to the grip clutching his neck, scrambling to loosen the hold, finger by finger if he can.

His trembling breaths come more audibly now. With the break in bone and rush of blood, he's forced to breathe out of his mouth. Something wet slides down around the edge of his mouth and he's almost sure it's a fluid that ought to be inside. It might make him feel faint if there wasn't so much adrenaline pumping through him.]

You're not -- there's nothing to -- t-to accomplish with this.

[It's not even a genuine attempt at talking him out of it. He's rapidly running out of openings.]

[dystonia]

[ His other hand replaces the one on the back of Fitz's neck, only this time gripping it from the front, palm pressed tight against his throat. Fitz's fingers are little more than a nuisance, and Bruce is much stronger than he is, his hold not even slightly bothered by his attempts to claw at his hand. ]

Accomplish? [ He lets out another short laugh, a little louder now. It's with ease that he moves him around, shoving him against a wall. ] You've already proven how you're both useless and unwilling to cooperate. I know I'm not accomplishing anything with you. This is just...

[ His fingers tighten on Fitz's throat, enough to make it harder for him to breathe, but not enough to cut the air off completely. ] Fun.

[hypoxic]

[He lets out a small, strangled sound when the pressure shifts against his windpipe. When he speaks next, it's in a smaller, wheezing tone.]

Seems -- a little uncreative to call this fun. Is... Is this why you need to st..steal ideas from real scientists?

[Maybe if he keeps stalling, one of the Avengers will check on the lab during a patrol. They do that during events, don't they?]

[dystonia]

[ Fitz is right, this is completely pointless, but damn if it isn't a rush to feel the muscles straining beneath his touch, or watching Fitz struggle for each breath and each syllable the tighter Bruce clutches his bones together. Just the right amount of pressure and he knows he could break them all, but then what would be the fun in putting an end to his misery so fast? ]

Is that really your attempt at not getting on my nerves?

[ If that jab bothers him, he doesn't show it. He just curls his hand tighter, watching Fitz's face turn different shades. And just for good measure (and because Fitz is an annoying little shit), he reaches for his other hand with his own free one and yanks back two fingers, producing a dry cracking sound when they break. Luckily, his hand on Fitz's throat is just tight enough that he won't really be able to scream at the pain— provided he even feels the pain at this point. ]

Consider this a promise, Leo... you will get to see just how creative I can get. [ He creeps in closer, murmuring more quietly. ] And don't think for a second that I forgot about your cute little girlfriend.

[hypoxic]

[He's gone horribly red by now, veins throbbing from a lack of proper circulation. He tries to struggle harder, but it feels like the strength is evaporating by the moment. One hand clasps around Bruce's wrist, presses lightly at the skin there, and then drops ineffectively down to his side. That's the one that seems to interest Bruce, that is raised out of his volition and bent the wrong way. He's sure it ought to hurt more than that, but it feels like something's pounding just behind his eyes and it's hard to focus beyond that.

He doesn't answer at first. It's starting to sound like things are underwater, a bit. He can hear his own gasps and wheezes, but everything is distant. His eyes cross and lose focus; it occurs to him that the visible part of his nose is an awfully deep shade of purple. But when Bruce's tone lowers and grows more menacing, it snatches his attention anew.

Jemma. He wants to -- Jemma.]

you -- can't.. they'll...

[His mouth moves soundlessly, skipping words.]

they always... avengers.

[dystonia]

[ Bruce isn't trying particularly hard to delay the moment now. He knows that the current pressure and force of his fingers is ideal, it's only a matter of keeping it in place for a little while longer. The thick red blood stains part of Fitz's face and he finds himself almost admiring the pattern, the way the muscles twitch and strain, the lack of oxygen changing even the way Fitz's eyes fit into his skull.

When Fitz tries desperately to speak, he leans in, ear close to his mouth. ]

What's that? The Avengers?

[ His own tone is light and cheerful, like he's not just about to kill him. His hand grips tighter, making sure to press into all the right places, giving Fitz no more than a few last seconds of consciousness.

Green bleeds into his eyes, and his breath is warm against Fitz's cheek when he speaks finally. ]

Where are your Avengers now?

[hypoxic]

[Bruce probably doesn't know anything about the Avengers. There are no teams on that side of the mirror. There's nothing but bitterness and hatred. He'll find out, though. When they burst into the lab, unified. Will Captain America throw his shield first? Or will Iron Man fire a repulsor blast? Will Doctor Banner already have the means to subdue his copy? Maybe Hawkeye will shoot a warning arrow. Or maybe the Black Widow is already here, biding her time until the perfect moment. He can't see more than just a blur anymore, so maybe...

His head lolls against Bruce's grip, jaw falling open. His eyes never quite close, but there's no awareness behind them now. All at once, his muscles stop twitching, and the faint wheezing ceases to exist.]

[dystonia]

[ And that's it. Look at that, took almost no effort at all. Even after Fitz stops breathing, Bruce still holds him tight by the neck, his grip the only thing keeping the body up. He watches Fitz's face with vague interest for a few seconds, then lets the body drop to the floor, leaving it there while he searches down to every single drawer and shelf in that lab.

He considers just leaving the body like that once he's ready to go, but then... a thought comes to mind. He does need for his presence here to go by unnoticed for as long as possible, and besides, why not leave one of the other lab rats a gift?

So, grabbing the body by the clothes, Bruce drags it over to the cabinets nearby, opening one that seems a little too small for Fitz. Bruce looks from it to the body.

A shrug. He can make that fit. It'll just take a bit of ingenuity and time. Twist a shoulder here, break a joint there, and— yep, perfect fit. Who's not creative now, Fitz? ]