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TEST DRIVE ∞ May 2025
Test Drive ∞ May 2025
The First Collision
The Diadem is an invite-only panfandom game set in a retro-futuristic world where uprooted souls find themselves deep within an eerie wasteland of roads and highways frequently assailed by cosmic storms. Three united strongholds keep the population. Its capital is Panorama, a large metropolis at the planet's center.
Soon, you realize you aren't alone. Calling themselves fluxdrifts, the "locals" have similar stories to you, either for themselves or their ancestry. You speak to an old woman who claims she hailed from another star. You meet a young man who says his great-great-grandfather knew a strange language everybody spoke "back home." As you explore, you stumble across a coin you recognize or your sister's locket. How did it get here? What does this mean? That's for you to discover.
But first, you need to find a ride.
Soon, you realize you aren't alone. Calling themselves fluxdrifts, the "locals" have similar stories to you, either for themselves or their ancestry. You speak to an old woman who claims she hailed from another star. You meet a young man who says his great-great-grandfather knew a strange language everybody spoke "back home." As you explore, you stumble across a coin you recognize or your sister's locket. How did it get here? What does this mean? That's for you to discover.
But first, you need to find a ride.
No invites needed to play on the TDM. Everyone's welcome! Use the Invite Request thread below to request an invite from another player.
∞ Summary ∞
IC-wise, arrivals are scattered throughout the month. Events described on the TDM are also ongoing throughout the month. If you'd rather jump right into the action, you're free to begin in media res with your character having already been on the planet for several days.
Post-impact, characters will wake up in a med tent by the Scrapyard. From there, they must accept a vehicle on loan and make the 2-hour drive to the nearest city, Panorama. If they refuse the car because they don't want the loan, they'll be in debt for medical bills instead...so just take the car. It'll come in handy.
Some things to keep in mind when bringing in your character:
TDM threads can be canon if characters are accepted. Top-levels made to the TDM should be open to all.
Post-impact, characters will wake up in a med tent by the Scrapyard. From there, they must accept a vehicle on loan and make the 2-hour drive to the nearest city, Panorama. If they refuse the car because they don't want the loan, they'll be in debt for medical bills instead...so just take the car. It'll come in handy.
Some things to keep in mind when bringing in your character:
- Pick an injury. At minimum, they got knocked out; at most, whatever they can recover from. Medicine is decently advanced so they'll heal faster if not painlessly.
- Decide items kept. Reasonable items on their person only: photos, keys, clothes, costumes. No pets or animal companions. Wildly out-of-place tech and personal cell phones will be damaged beyond repair.
- Select a weapon. Do this only if eligible. Guidelines about weapons and powers are on the FAQ.
- Choose a vehicle. Decide whether your character gets 2-3 options or if they're stuck with something they hate. Players can pick directly from our collection or source their own images. Anything under a similar aesthetic will work. If your character needs accommodations for driving, they can have them. Ask us for details.
- Get a phone. Characters have to obtain a phone (and a SIM card) themselves. If they've got one from home, it's damaged beyond repair. Phones are cheap. It'll only take a couple of weeks to afford one. You need to know the number before you text or call anyone. Read about phones and the Forum before you hop on it.
TDM threads can be canon if characters are accepted. Top-levels made to the TDM should be open to all.
Fluxdrift
Arrival & Introduction
Date: Throughout May
You've tumbled over a cliff. You were fighting for your life. You're on the cusp of death. You slipped in the shower. Whatever the catalyst, you struggle to cling to consciousness. As darkness overtakes you, a swirling vortex warps light and shadow in a way that defies all physics. A dark wail etches into your very bones. You couldn't describe it if you tried. You can barely comprehend what it is.
Then you open your eyes.
Through the figure's mask ©, you swear the face is grinning down at you. The tent you're in smells of antiseptic, and scratchy blankets line your cot. Injuries you've sustained have been bandaged. In the corner, you spot a MedBot that's fixed you up. Depending on the extent of your injuries, the doctor on duty might give you some painkillers before you go. Thankfully, your belongings are by the exit. Sorry if anything's damaged. Your landing was pretty rough.
You follow the figure outside. They are Yom Crook, here to lend a hand to fellow fluxdrifts like yourself. Their car's parked beside them. Actually, there are lots of cars around, but Yom Crook's stands out with its painted shark mouth. They explain they found you, unconscious, in a diffusion zone and brought you here. The nearest city is a 2-hour drive northeast. Forget about walking. You'll never make it. Also, you owe the doctor a lot of money for patching you up. But you're in luck: they've got some wheels for you and if you accept the vehicle on loan, Yom Crook will cover your medical bills. That's a good deal, right? It's not the shiniest car or motorcycle, but it'll do. If fortune favors, you'll get to choose between two or three options. Plus, if you need accommodations to drive—like adjustments to your seat height or modified controls—you'll receive all that for free.
Take the vehicle. (And the loan.) Yom Crook assures you that you'll have six months before collectors come around. Any time you're ready to pay a part of it down, return here to the Scrapyard. You'll get a receipt and everything. Paying off the loan in six months isn't impossible, but it will take a lot of work. Just don't get too lax. There's a good chance you'll be juggling multiple loans as you try to get by.
You either know how to drive, or you'll have a bare-bones manual to get you started. Road rules are more a suggestion than enforced, so just hit the pedal and go. The car has some basic features. The built-in compass will help you navigate.
Through the figure's mask ©, you swear the face is grinning down at you. The tent you're in smells of antiseptic, and scratchy blankets line your cot. Injuries you've sustained have been bandaged. In the corner, you spot a MedBot that's fixed you up. Depending on the extent of your injuries, the doctor on duty might give you some painkillers before you go. Thankfully, your belongings are by the exit. Sorry if anything's damaged. Your landing was pretty rough.
You follow the figure outside. They are Yom Crook, here to lend a hand to fellow fluxdrifts like yourself. Their car's parked beside them. Actually, there are lots of cars around, but Yom Crook's stands out with its painted shark mouth. They explain they found you, unconscious, in a diffusion zone and brought you here. The nearest city is a 2-hour drive northeast. Forget about walking. You'll never make it. Also, you owe the doctor a lot of money for patching you up. But you're in luck: they've got some wheels for you and if you accept the vehicle on loan, Yom Crook will cover your medical bills. That's a good deal, right? It's not the shiniest car or motorcycle, but it'll do. If fortune favors, you'll get to choose between two or three options. Plus, if you need accommodations to drive—like adjustments to your seat height or modified controls—you'll receive all that for free.
Take the vehicle. (And the loan.) Yom Crook assures you that you'll have six months before collectors come around. Any time you're ready to pay a part of it down, return here to the Scrapyard. You'll get a receipt and everything. Paying off the loan in six months isn't impossible, but it will take a lot of work. Just don't get too lax. There's a good chance you'll be juggling multiple loans as you try to get by.
You either know how to drive, or you'll have a bare-bones manual to get you started. Road rules are more a suggestion than enforced, so just hit the pedal and go. The car has some basic features. The built-in compass will help you navigate.
OPTIONAL PROMPTS: a flat tire; a body on the road (is it a trap?); a fender bender
Panorama
Explore & Settle In
Conditions: Warm spring temperatures, light showers
After 2 hours on the road, you find civilization. The largest of the strongholds, Panorama is where the economy thrives. Massive power plants glowing red make it visible from a distance. The city is divided into three districts. For now, you can access the Pavilion and the Blocks. Don't worry about the Sanctum; they're not letting you in.
You only need to know two things about Panorama: 1) it's big, the size of a modern metropolis, and you'll need your car to get around; 2) anything goes as long as you don't pick a fight with the wrong person. Street smarts will get you far. Despite its geographical size, the population isn't huge. With roughly a million people in a city designed for over twice that number, Panorama is far from deserted, but nor is it overcrowded. It's a good thing. Resources are limited as it is.
You only need to know two things about Panorama: 1) it's big, the size of a modern metropolis, and you'll need your car to get around; 2) anything goes as long as you don't pick a fight with the wrong person. Street smarts will get you far. Despite its geographical size, the population isn't huge. With roughly a million people in a city designed for over twice that number, Panorama is far from deserted, but nor is it overcrowded. It's a good thing. Resources are limited as it is.
The Pavilion: Free Samples
Like any large city, Panorama features a couple of supermarkets. The stock's not as consistent as a proper supermarket. On occasion, shelves can remain cleaned out for a week or two. Regardless, the long tradition of free samples remains. If you're not already shopping, you'll notice the crowded parking lot and clusters of lines inside.
Try samples, push through the crowds as you shop, or give yourself a five-finger discount. If you're cautious, you can pocket a few small items without consequences. The Pavillion doesn't have the infrastructure for surveillance; unless someone sees you, you won't be caught. Steal from the store or pilfer someone's wallet. Maybe you even make a new friend if you bump into another fluxdrift. Or, start a fight with somebody who cut you off in the cheese line. Don't make too much of a ruckus, or you'll be thrown out.
As you look around, you'll see posters advertising temporary positions for the cash register or graveyard shifts in the warehouse. Seems they might've lost several employees recently (how'd that happen?), which is good for you! It's just a 6-week position, but it'll get you on your feet. The city has temporary positions like this all over. Permanent ones are harder to come by when you're new.
Try samples, push through the crowds as you shop, or give yourself a five-finger discount. If you're cautious, you can pocket a few small items without consequences. The Pavillion doesn't have the infrastructure for surveillance; unless someone sees you, you won't be caught. Steal from the store or pilfer someone's wallet. Maybe you even make a new friend if you bump into another fluxdrift. Or, start a fight with somebody who cut you off in the cheese line. Don't make too much of a ruckus, or you'll be thrown out.
As you look around, you'll see posters advertising temporary positions for the cash register or graveyard shifts in the warehouse. Seems they might've lost several employees recently (how'd that happen?), which is good for you! It's just a 6-week position, but it'll get you on your feet. The city has temporary positions like this all over. Permanent ones are harder to come by when you're new.
Samples include: steamed cabbage dumplings, synthetic cherry juice, cheddar cheese, and chocolate-covered alien eggs (it's crunchy and weirdly tasty). They're served in the usual throwaway paper cups with little toothpicks.
The Blocks: Power Outage
Power's finicky in Panorama, especially in the Blocks. Saint Margery's Hospital, located in the same area, has priority for power so the first to go are the motels. Maybe you've been in your room for a couple of weeks, maybe you just got here—and by the way, every motel desk is happy to put the fee on your tab if you don't have the money upfront—but all the motels on the east side are in a blackout, leaving only the west side motels up and running.
What do you do? You have three choices:
What do you do? You have three choices:
- Risk leaving your room and head to the other side where there's power. Knock on some doors and negotiate with another to share the room. They might shut the door in your face, ask for a favor in return, or be nice enough to help you with no strings attached. There's no guarantee your unattended room will be untouched, though, and you'll be on the hook for any damages an intruder causes.
- Sit in the dark and deal. It's not the worst idea, but the TV's down, the vending machines are powered down, and with the entire place plunged into darkness, you risk getting robbed. If you struggle with defending yourself, you might want to find some trustworthy company. You can also sneak out of there and let them take your leftover pizza. It's not like you've got a ton of valuables, right? Plus, clobbering someone in the face with a frying pan sounds great until you realize you've gotta do something with the body. And what if this person's got a friend waiting?
- Get in your car and drive (or grab a friend for a road trip). If you scroll the Forum, you might notice reports on diffusion zones southward. Besides, these motels are hardly your forever home. The city can only provide so much. Why not go for a ride and see what you can find out there?
OPTIONAL PROMPTS: clean up on aisle 3 (what is that goo?); a knock at your door but no one's there; you hear screaming or a commotion down the hall
The Fringes
Quad 3: Lockdown
Conditions: Stormy, with flooding roads
Felix Bjurstrom
> Date: 125-05-17
> Time: 02:15:57
> Emergency road lights have been reported in Quadrant 3! Please, can someone go see what's there? When last we chasers investigated emergency lights, a whole truck filled with sour candy had tipped over. Our stores were stocked for weeks! Oh, be careful - reception looks bad in that zone.
> Date: 125-05-17
> Time: 02:15:57
> Emergency road lights have been reported in Quadrant 3! Please, can someone go see what's there? When last we chasers investigated emergency lights, a whole truck filled with sour candy had tipped over. Our stores were stocked for weeks! Oh, be careful - reception looks bad in that zone.
Through the open windows, a computer awakens and displays a cheerful smile. The lights inside switch on.
Pick your scenario role below. Your thread partner doesn't need to take the opposite role! They can join you in the same scenario (i.e. trapped together). Players are also free to create a generic NPC for the other side to facilitate the thread.
After characters escape, they'll find one bottle of antibiotics in their pocket or car, whether they remember taking it or not.
After characters escape, they'll find one bottle of antibiotics in their pocket or car, whether they remember taking it or not.
A: Sealed In
As you peer through the windows, you see crates of medicine floating around. Antibiotics in the diadem are valuable. Hospitals and doctors are always buying. You can keep it for yourself or make a quick buck. Or maybe you're compelled to help somebody back in the city who's in need. Whatever the reason, you decide to take the risk and step inside.
Water splashes around your ankles. The lock buzzes behind you. If you try to break the windows, you discover they're unnaturally resistant to shattering. With the whole place locked tight, the water begins to churn. Then the computer lights up again.
Warning, it flashes in large, bold text. Quarantine in progress. Release code required for exit.
- To find the code, you'll have to search. Duck under the water, go through sopping envelopes and sticky notes or pick the locks on the filing cabinets and desk drawers. You can also try hacking the computers. Use your computer knowledge or fall back on the age-old trick of seeing who wrote down their password.
- The files, notepads, and emails start innocuous, but as you look through them, disturbing phrases jump out at you—a dark thought you've had or a cruel taunt from someone in your past. The longer you're fixed on the terrible words, the higher the water begins to rise. Only another can break you out of your trance.
- With the rising water comes fear. And the more you're afraid, the more the water also rises. You begin to see faces in the water, bobbing like balloon heads. Do you recognize them? If you move to take a closer look, they will sink back beneath the surface as if never there.
- If you manage to swallow your panic, you can eventually find a triple-laminated binder with the release code and instructions. Bad news: you need someone on the outside to punch in the 6 strange symbols in order. The instructions explain that the code panel is located at the back of the building.
B: Set Free
As you peer through the windows, you see not just the crates of medicine but someone trapped inside. They look like they might be in trouble, and from your vantage point, you notice that the water is bubbling strangely. It's definitely not normal rainwater. As you watch, the water rises unnaturally, stopping and starting. It's as if the water level is responding to an external stimulus.
- The glass is soundproof. You can't hear what the person inside is saying, so you'll have to communicate with each other another way. Try charades, typing on your phone, or whatever you think of. Eventually, you determine that they're stuck and that you need to enter some sort of code onto a pad located—according to your trapped partner—at the back of the building.
- Around the back, shadows swallow your surroundings. The panel must be pried open, but a slippery substance makes it hard to get a good grip. Each time the substance touches you, you grow uneasy. You swear you see eyes watching you, though when you turn around, nothing's there.
- You can't seem to keep the instructions in your mind. And those symbols...they burn into your retinas. Through them, you glimpse an incomprehensibly massive figure unfurling in the darkness, pulsing as if in a deep sleep. When you snap back to reality, you realize you've injured yourself, slicing your hand on a sharp edge or a bruise you can't remember getting.
- Once you manage to release the doors, the water inside the office drains upward into the sky as though sucked out by a giant hose. The darkness spreads. Get out of there fast before the shadows drag you or your partner into the void.
Main Navigation ::: ⇅
Top
Yelena Belova | MCU
FLUXDRIFT
PANORAMA
are you sure you’re doing this peacekeeping thing right?
He actually had some moves, she was impressed. Not much, but a little. He still crumpled in on himself when she kneed him hard enough to take him down and then shoves him through an empty doorway, hoping that hadn’t just been someone’s room. Oops?
Which is right when she hears the familiar telltale click of a gun and a flashlight blinds her, forcing her to lift a hand to try and shade her eyes when she loses her nightvision. The voice doesn’t even sink in right away, because she’s annoyed and very definitely caught off guard, and hadn’t been expecting to find anyone familiar anywhere near here. ]
Really? [ Her voice is caught midway between sharp displeasure and exasperation as she squints into the beam of light, unable to see anything else. It’s been a really long day, okay. ] You couldn’t have brought that out like thirty seconds ago? Maybe then there wouldn’t have been so much noise.
of course i am the best at peacekeeping provided it is specifically my peace
She doesn't remember how to breathe for a moment and it's entirely muscle memory that keeps her from dropping both the flashlight and the gun as she stares at Natasha, blinking like she's trying to clear away what is obviously a hallucination so she can see where the threat actually is. ]
I- Я вижу галлюцинации моей сестры.
[ Taking a breath that is suddenly shaking and uneven she shifts from her defensive stance, lowering her flashlight so it is no longer pointing directly at possibly-hallucinated Natasha's face and holsters her gun. Then she pinches herself. ]
Ow.
[ Okay, not dreaming, and Natasha is still standing there. Earlier thoughts of this place being some kind of afterlife come flooding back but for a moment they don't matter so much. ]
Nat?
free food
That assumption is proven more than correct by the blonde woman in front of her, the little speech coaxing a hint of a smile out of Daisy as much as the accent she recognizes. It's nice to hear something a little familiar, even if there's still a very real possibility they're not from the same planet or even the same universe.
Grabbing her own sample and taking an extra for good measure since the 'stooge' is too distracted to notice, Daisy pushes past the growing crowd of people trying to get their own sets of multiple tiny food bites to catch up with the blonde. When she comes up beside her, she raises one of the little paper cups in a mock toast. ]
Cheers to being kidnapped? [ Her dark tone assures that it is not a cheers-worthy matter. ]
( I haven't been able to see tbolts yet, sob, so maybe no major spoilers pls? )
no subject
A quick appriasal tells her this woman is likely not an employee of the store, and her little mock toast confirms that. Smirking Yelena raises her sample cup in return ]
За похищению!
[ The Russians will toast to anything, really. She pops the sample in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully for a moment. ]
At least, for kidnappers they make pretty tasty food. Have you tried the alien eggs? I always wanted to eat an alien. Now, I can say I have.
no subject
With a little tilt of her head, Daisy smiles slightly, genuine humor coloring the expression. ]
They're not like any aliens I ever tried, but they're not bad. 'Free' makes even the weirdest food taste better.
no subject
[ Not that she ever really worries about the cost of things, given that her line of work has always paid well. ]
So, you've had alien before? Are you... ehhh...
[ She gestures skywards, like that is any hint of what she's trying to say. It's more like she's trying to remember what words go in what order, which can sometimes be a problem for Yelena. ]
A space traveler? Are you from space, or just a visitor?
no subject
I lived in space for a year with my team. We were looking for a friend. We had to visit a lot of planets to find him [ she crumples the paper cup in her hand but holds onto it instead of dropping it on the floor or tucking it into a pocket (there unfortunately aren't any in this suit) ] and had to eat a lot of weird food in the process.
no subject
[ Sticking her hands in her pockets Yelena looks up, like she expects to see stars instead of the dingy supermarket ceiling. ]
A year seems like a long time to be in space. But to see different planets, that would be cool. Not so much your friend missing, sorry about that. My sister went missing in space too. Or well, she died. But it was in space.
[ The pain of that fact doesn't lessen, but she also doesn't try to keep that to herself. Natasha didn't deserve to be something hoarded and buried, she deserved to be spoken about, as often as possible. It's something Yelena is still trying to balance.
Her brow furrows a moment, before she looked back at the other woman. ]
So did you find your friend?
fluxdrift. c: also hi in case its not obvious totally fine with spoilers!!!
he's down in the ditch, having been pulling the bodies off the side of the road for the sake of anyone else who might be driving by. he's down to the last one when he hears a car some distance away, and he pauses, waiting to see what the newcomer plans on doing before he makes his move.
the familiar voice is not expected though, and john almost wonders if he's imagined it. but then she's keeps talking, and there's no question about it. john grabs his shield, and steps out of the woods, hands raised just in case she's got the barrel of her gun aimed at the rustling in the trees. ]
Nothing worth taking, I already checked. [ it's a second or so later before he drops his hands, and gives her a small smile. ] His friends are in the ditch, though, if you don't believe me.
[ about damn time. ]
scream johnny boy!!!
Walker?
[ She's somehow both aggravated and profoundly relieved to see him. Probably not the first time he's elicited that emotion from a woman. ]
I feel I should be less surprised to find you in a ditch on the side of the road. Yet here we are.
peacekeeper
So he eyes the situation, considering. Megumi was absolutely ready to throw hands (and shadows) to clear this up, but he's fine keeping his cards hidden if this is enough to shut people up. ]
Yeah. What she said.
no subject
Hey take it outside or I'm putting you both in time-out!
no subject
The other one lunges at Megumi, who twists to the side, deflecting the punch, and brings his knee up to slam into the man's gut. ]
You sure you want to do this the hard way?
[ Somewhere, across time and space, he owes Gojo-sensei a nice thank you for insisting that he train his close combat skills. You can't just rely on your shikigami. Any sorcerer with two brain cells to rub together will know they just need to rush you down to kick your ass.
Gojo truly is most annoying when he's absolutely right about things, isn't he? ]
no subject
[ The mistake is thinking she is somehow less lethal now that she no longer is holding her gun. Truthfully she doesn't like that gun much anyway. She got it from a shop here in town, because her own favored weapon had been missing upon arrival. But as a Widow, she is far more deadly armed just with the Bite.
As the man charges her she engages the taser discs and hits him in the neck, sending him immediately convulsing to the floor as the room lights up with the arcs of electricity between the probes. She moves past his body and kicks him hard in the head to make sure he's out before she moves on.
She sees the kid has the man winded and she pauses, tilting her head to the side. ]
Do you need my assistance or are you good, kid?
no subject
The guy takes the moment to recover and go for a tackle aimed at his legs. Megumi jumps back, but not quite fast enough to completely avoid it, and hits the ground with a thump as his feet get swept out from under him.
This is definitely not one of his prouder moments. ]
peacekeeper.
he doesn't quite allow himself to relax in the motel, but it's the closest he's come to it so far. in the early hours of the morning, a little after five, he'd slept. it hadn't been for long, maybe four hours, and now it's night, he's no closer to going back to sleep. he is, after all, quite used to this time of day being the time he works.
and so the something in the hallway catches his attention, a little before it draws yelena out of her room. he's not that precious, doesn't bother with a flashlight — the white of his suit isn't a light, but it's eye-catching. it stands out. it's seen. in his hand is not gun, there's a thin white pole — a truncheon, maybe, the furthest end coated in the thick, red slick of fresh blood, whilst a man, likely the one suffering from blood loss and at best a concussion, is on his knees in front of marc.
yelena opening her door, emerging in the dim light of the hallway and yelling, voice sudden and distracting, gives them both pause. the truncheon is held, suspended mid-arc, and marc — no mask, brown hair damp with sweat, curling across his forehead — turns toward her. eyes wide, he looks startled, just for a second. debating. measuring. weighing.
he doesn't quite hesitate, but awareness is there: the gun's a problem if she decides he's a problem.
he grunts. lifts a leg, slams a knee with sudden, abrupt force into the man's chest, pushing him down and backwards.
(she sounds russian, he thinks, but that's making a lot of assumptions—.) )
I'm encouraging quiet, ( is the response, tight, low. american. chicago-accented, primarily, with hints of new york, hard edges softened by travel elsewhere. )
no subject
So while her finger isn't on the trigger, the gun doesn't move, and she shifts her stance a little, in the event that the white suited wonder decides to come at her. ]
Interesting. How do I know that you are not the one preying on this person? Because right now this is what it looks like.
no subject
apparently satisfied that his new friend — the one he kneed, not yelena — won't be getting up to cause trouble with any immediacy, marc holds up his hands. it's not quite a gesture of surrender — he doesn't let go of the truncheon in his hand, and even in the dark, the sheen of something liquid is visible not just on the metal but across fingertips and the palms of his gloves.
what it is, is deliberate and measured. steady, the same as his voice when he answers, ) You don't. ( if she was going to shoot, she'd have done it, he thinks. it's intimidation. a deterrent. a threat she might make use of but probably prefers not to, so— ) Which means you're not going to shoot either of us.
( hopefully. )
no subject
She does relax her stance somewhat when he holds his hands up. She knows he's far from no longer a threat given his weapon is still in his hand, but she isn't particularly concerned with that. ]
Bullets here are expensive.
[ Considering him for another moment she lowers the gun, nodding in the direction of the downed body. ]
What was he doing to incur the wrath of... whoever you are.
[ She pairs the comment with a wave in a circle, gesticulating at all of his costume. She may now be a part of a team but she will likely never be big on fancy costumes. ]
no subject
there's no killing of anyone that doesn't deserve it, even if it's by rules that marc's drawn up. there are second chances, for those that do deserve it, and there are no guns. marc knows who he is with a gun in his hand, and that man had died in a desert years ago. )
Yes, ( he agrees. bullets are expensive. hopefully that means he won't encounter too many people threatening to shoot him. it's a thought that occurs to him but doesn't sit plainly in his expression — that, instead, is watchful. he doesn't quite relax when she lowers her gun, but he does shift his weight — more open, slightly lowered hands, grip less tense around his truncheon — as his gaze tracks back down to the asshole at his feet.
he makes a vague, discontented noise of consideration. ) There was a woman in the stairwell. ( he jerks a thumb over his shoulder, skin obscured by the (mostly) white of his gloves.
it's slightly less of a costume than what he'd usually opt for in violent circumstances. those are typically moon knight's work, which means cape and armor and sap gloves; here and now, he's in the attire more suited to mr. knight, the sort of thing designed to leave an impression but not overtly threatening except for how out of place it is — tie, waistcoat, shirt, chelsea boots. it's a deliberate message, one marc enjoys, and while it very much is a costume — marc spector in and of himself had never gravitated towards three-piece suits — it's less of one than is typically found in his line of work. )
He thought his wants mattered more than hers.