6967/Rollercoasters

Rollercoasters
Date of Scene:	16 July 2021
Location:	Empire State Building
Synopsis:	Vorpal returns the favor by showing the Scarlet Spider how you get around town, when you're the Cheshire Cat. Since nobody ended up throwing up or plastered across a building, the experiment is a success- and a celebration is in order, with the promise of hamburgers. Ben reveals his face to Terry. But - BURGERS!
Cast of Characters:	Terry O'Neil, Ben Reilly

---

Terry O'Neil has posed:
<Ben!> the message had come from Terry, across the team comms. It was a private message for the Scarlet Spider. <If you're not doing anything tonight, come over to the Empire State? Got something cool to show you. I'll be on the 103rd floor!>

There is nothing above the 102nd floor... well, not exactly. The area is off-limits to the general public. as it is part of the original section that had, in the building's inception days, been planned to be the mooring mast for airships (talk about faulty predictions!) and it now only hosts the antenna that was added in 1950. As well as an absolutely gorgeous, unimpeded view of New York. This area hosts a balcony that is usually accessible only to VIPs. There are no VIPs here tonight... only Vorpal, crouching at the very edge of the balcony and looking over the city on a crisp, full moon night.

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly can crawl up walls and all that, so that's exactly what he does, reaching the building and then scrambling up the side. He has a webbing backpack on, holding his stuff in it as he came straight from doing some good old delivering. He'd at least gotten a few good tips and managed to stop a couple of muggings along the way.

He reaches the roof, very glad at least that he wasn't afraid of heights. He fires a webline up and zips up the last bit, landing with a slight flourish on his feet right at the edge of the balcony, balancing on the railing perfectly in that very spider-like way.

"We're not parachuting, are we? I mean, I'd probably be okay, but free fall isn't as fun as you might think."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Vorpal grins at Ben's landing, "Showoff!" he teases, and stands up to stretch. He maintains perfect balance, seemingly completely unconcerned by the abyss below. "What's in the backpack? Did you bring brewskies? I'm not old enough to drink yet. Two more years!" He crosses his fingers, and then adds. "Unless you're at the Themysciran Embassy. I'm of legal age there. In any case, nah, we're not gonna parachute... although..." he grins and sits down on the edge again, "I thought spiders were supposed to be aces at parachuting. Don't you all just go flying all over the place when you balloon?" He pauses. "Can you do that with your web?"

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly shakes his head, "No, no, I'm too young, too. Well, I'm a clone so technically I'll be too young for... a very long time, but physically I'm about eighteen," he says.

"I've had to make a few parachutes in my time. I've also experimented with, like, making web wings on my arms for gliding and it works sometimes but boy, you get one hole in those and you're wobbling around like...well, a drunk driver," he says.

"So it's just my civvy clothes, my phone and just...stuff. Gum. Beef Jerky. That sort of thing."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Heh, so we're only a year apart, technically speaking. I don't go by clone years, I go by mental years." He reaches over and pats Ben's arm, "A web hang-glider. If you're welling to be experimental, we could try some ideas. I mean, it'd be cool, I'm /very/ experimental. I'll try anything!" he pauses, and then he adds, "except play Truth or Dare with Harley. In any case, I called you here because I wanted to show you something." He stretches his legs over the edge. He's still wearing the ensemble Ben saw last time- the bike shorts and the tank top, although it's a different tank top, without his insignia. It reads 'I'm Not Short. I'm Economy Sized'. Clearly the other one must have gotten stained, or ripped.

"You were sweet enough to let me swing-- and I didn't hork on you or anyone below, so I thought I'd return the favor and show you how /I/ get around, when I do bird'-eye patrols. But we'll probably need to stash the backpack somewhere safe..." he tilts his head. "I could Rabbit Hole it to your room in the tower, for example?"

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly grins under his mask, "Hey, I'm something of a scientist myself, I'm all for experimentation. Just want to make sure I know the potential consequences of having it blow up in my face," he says.

He sits cross-legged on the balcony, "Stashing the backpack is probably a good idea. Not that I expect anyone would come up here to swipe it. I usually just web it to the side of a building whenever I have to go into action. The real trouble is making sure I can remember where I put it. But your way sounds pretty useful. And I'm definitely interested in the rabbit holes. Interdimensional apertrues of some sort? Is it a quantum thing?"

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Magic."

And just like that, a Rabbit Hole opens in front of Ben, showing him his room. "I know... it's not an answer scientists like hearing, but you have to realize I /am/ a creature comprised mostly of chaos magic. And some human bits." he gestures to the aperture, "Go ahead and toss it in. I think we're going to sate some of that curiosity tonight, in fact!"

He waits until the pack is stashed before he closes the hole and stands up again. Directly ahead of them, a glowing purple carpet appears out of thin air and floats gingerly over nothing at all.

The Cheshire cat steps onto it as if it were nothing and, fortunately, it seems to support his weight just fine. "There we go. Come on, Ben, we're going to get a little distance for this. I promise I am not going to sing any songs from Aladdin..." he grins and steps back to let the spider step onto the conveyance. "It'll hold your weight, trust me."

Once both Titans are aboard, the carpet glides softly across the empty space, as easily as if it were on rails. "This is also made of chaos magic, incidentally," Vorpal says, gesturing to the carpet.

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly carefully dangles his pack over the hole and then allows it to fall in, trusting his new friend to make sure his cheez doodles will remain uncrushed by their transport across the dimensional plane.

"I think because just using the word magic tends to be the end of the investigation. Magic, from what I can tell, is using a certain type of energy that hasn't been quantified to affect changes in the world, usually according to some sort of set of rules, even if those rules are solipsistic or aren't easy to quantify. I don't believe magic doesn't exist - I just want to understand it, and I feel like there should be way to understand it from a scientific point of view, but it seems to sort of try to elude that."

"Not that I've done much trying. I've been busy...y'know, trying to eat and not be killed by people in rhino costumes."

He crouches carefully on the carpet, one hand placed down next to his feet, clinging a bit on instinct. "I figured as much."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
The pack arrives completely unharmed, luckily for Ben. It's even totally not covered in glitter- he reserves that exclusively for Donna. The Cheshire gives the spider a warm smile, "You and Nadia should talk. She also wants to understand magic and is mad scientist herself." He croushes alongsid Ben, "I wish I were better at telling you more about it, but for me it's a thing of instinct. I don't need to chant or gesticulate, I think of it and it happens. I guess that means that you would qualify me as a 'magical creature' instead of a 'magician'. Magicians usually have to do the chanting, dancing, weaving, waving, and all sorts of ridiculous things."

He glances over the edge of the carpet, and nods to himself. "Alright, we're far enough, I think...." he stands up and holds out a hand to Ben. "You ready for something exciting and potentially terrifying?" he says, grinning.

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly nods, "You're a being of magic. It's sort of like being a mutant. You can channel this energy, from whatever source it comes from, in specific ways. Different practitioners seem like different filters on an Instagram picture - you can flavor it in its own ways and do all kinds of different things with it with different resources, but it all comes down to the same basic energy. I feel like, given that energy concerns cause so much trouble in the world, finding a way to understand this vast resource that seems out of the reach of ordinary people might be worthwhile."

"Also, I'm just really curious. And I'll try to be ready, I promise, although there is a significant chance I may give out a high pitched cartoon scream."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
The Cheshire lets out a cackle."Oh, I like that comparison, but do not /ever/ tell Rae that she's an instagram filter if you want to keep your soul where it is... even though I would pay all the money I have just to see her face."

The Cheshire tsk tsks, "You would not be the first to give me a cartoon shriek, believe me. But don't worry... you're completely safe. Now... the first rule of traveling via Vorpal express..." he says, taking a step forward so that he's at the very edge of the carpet, "Is to never let go of me. It's important that I know where you are at all times, so..." he reaches out, and stops. "Is it okay to touch you? I know some guys don't like that. We can do it another way, but it'll be trickier." He realizes that this might come across ass 'but you might die' and clarifies "trickier doesn't mean dangerous. It just means we won't be going as fast and, in my opinion, as cool."

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly chuckles, "By all the accounts I've gotten, I should just stay at least twenty feet away from Raven at all times. Basically she has a restraining order against everyone and I should respect it."

"No, it's fine, I'm okay with being touched, especially to keep danger at bay. I'm also very, very good at holding on, like super good. But yeah, this is your ride and I'm assuming you're the safety net."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Vorpal chuckles. "She's not that bad. I think. It's just the mystique she cultivates. Every sorceress has to have one. Zatanna is the Hugs And Bubbles sorceress. Raven is the What Even /Are/ You? sorceress."

He takes a short sidestep so that he is right next to the Scarlet Spider, and puts an arm around his waist, "Okay, then. Hold on to me. If you need to web yourself to me to feel safe, you can do that. I know the fluid degrades after a few hours, so I won't be freaking out about combing it out of my fur."

The cat's gymnast body tenses for a moment as he takes a deep breath, but it's not a sign of nervousness, it's a sign of anticipation. "... I love this next part. Here it goes!"

Standing on tiptoes for a second, arm firmly around Ben, he tips himself over, so that he and the Scarlet Spider are falling headfirst towards the void of New York city, night lights glittering below them like so many jewels, little dots of fire streaking through the streets.

"AaaaaaAAAHAHAHAHAHAA!"

That's Terry. As the wind rushes past them and the world below rushes towards them, he is laughing.

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly shakes his head, "Dissolves. I don't like the term degrade. It sounds gross," he says, "And I can just use my general clinging abilities, no need to involve the old webshooters," he says.

Ben manages not to let out a startled yelp, but he does definitely clinch on that grip a little more tightly, barely resisting the immediate urge to wrap his legs around his guide as he just lets himself be dragged along towards the ground. "I'm not panicking. not even a little bit, I'm just fine, been here before, totally fine, we'll be back after this commercial break, oh boy!"

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Sensing Ben's uptick in panic, Vorpal brings his other arm over so that both arms are locked around Ben's waist. This has the effect that both of them are starting to twirl slightly, but this only seems to increase the Cheshire's mirth.

"Cats always land on their feet! Don't worry, little spider!" he shouts in order to be heard.

Down below, there is a building that is rising to meet them at alarming speed. "Don't look away! Stare at it in the eye, Ben!"

Because a purple light bursts from the building all of a sudden as a Rabbit Hole appears just twenty feet away from them becoming a decal on the rooftop.

This Rabbit Hole actually has some length to it, as they seem to fall down a tunnel comprised of glittering purple light for at least three seonds before a light at the other end of the tunnel appears, and advances towards them at breakneck speed.

And they emerge on the other side.

Where is the other side? Well, several hundred feet over New York Harbor. They have covered seventeen miles in the blink of an eye. What's more, they are no longer falling towards the ground but moving steadily paralell to it as they somehow seem to have not only conserved momentum, but also managed to avoid the complicated gravitational nastiness that comes from changing from a straight drop down to a ninety-degree angle somewhere close to terminal velocity. Whichis good for the internal organs of everybody involved.

"Isn't it glorious?" Vorpal calls out, as the water below sparkles with glints of moonlight. Soon, they start losing altitude.

Ben Reilly has posed:
"Spiders aren't exactly known for landing on their backs, you know. I'm very nimble! As proportionally nimble as a spider!"

He rides through the Rabbit Hole, trying his best to put his scientist hat on and dispassionately observe the different qualities of this interdimensional space, to try and get a measure of its properties and behavior. But mostly he just feels a bit stretched like taffy and like his ears are going to pop and like he's definitely not in Kansas anymore.

And then they come out of the hole above the sea and he actually feels a bit less secure there. Not a lot of buildings to websling on as here, "Um...I haven't had a lot of glory in my life, but I'll take your word for it!"

Terry O'Neil has posed:
As they start losing altitude and start speeding downwards, another Rabbit Hole catches them- this one is much shorter- and they emerge a hundred meters away, slingshotting themselves into an ascending arc as they go over the harbor. "I know things haven't been the best for you, but things are going to improve..." Vorpal says, looking at Scarlet briefly, "So... what I've been doing is what I call the seven league stride. But let me show you the Rollercoaster. It's what I do when I patrol in the city." He gives Ben a reassuring squeeze as they go through another Rabbit Hole to gain altitude again. "Let me know when you're ready. It's not scary, but I don't want to catch you by surprise."

As they reach the apex of their curve, there is a moment where it almost seems like they are suspended in midair, before they start going down again.

"This is the closest I come to feeling like I can fly sometimes. But it doesn't last long."

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly holds on carefully, "I'm not scared," he says and he's mostly telling the truth. He has a certain instinctive resistance, of course, built in at the genetic level, that very human fear of being splattered when you're high up in the air, but he's suppressed a lot of that in his time as a webslinger. A certain lack of control reignites it to a degree, but nothing he can't handle.

"I feel that way sometimes when I'm webslinging. Kind of takes your breath away."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
the Cheshire smile flashes. "Then I think you might like this!"

they go on the free fall again. "It's a /little/ like webslinging. But it's a cheat because I didn't have to create my Rabbit Holes. You had to make your slingers."

Once they have picked up enough velocity as they fall, a Rabbit Hole comes to meet them. Three seconds later, they shoot out of the other end like a cannon-

Over Times Square.

"Hello Big Apple!" Vorpal calls out as they emerge. They are moving very quickly by this point, but a few people manage to point their phones up. Some video is probably being captured, and a few flashes go off. As they zoom across Broadway, Rabbit Holes open here and there to redirect them, so that they zig-zag across the width of the street, zoom over the Paramount building and back again towards the Hotel Millennium. They weave and bounce up and down, at several points heading straight for glowing signs of marquees, only to meet a Rabbit Hole that lets them fly out the other side, leaving the sign untouched. All throughout, Vorpal manages momentum expertly, slowing down at high points to get a good view of the area below, and speeding up as they traverse the length of the street.

Taking a right onto Seventh, they zoom past Rockerfeller center and descend low enough to weave among traffic, zapping from one end to the other without touching the ground- but only during red lights, in order to avoid causing an accident. It is Friday night, and traffic- both pedestrian and vehicular- is high. People wave, people point. Vorpal doesn't wave back, since he is using both arms to keep Ben by his side, but his grin says it all.

And then, they are heading towards the Winter Garden marquee-

The Rabbit Hole that opens suddenly leaves them staring at a sky, and the moon, and an incredible expanse of green patina as they rise higher and higher.

And eventually their ascent stops in a gentle curve as upward momentum stops but freefall hasn't started yet- but the torch of the Statue of Liberty appears under their feet, the handrail ready to meet their feet.

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly keeps his equilibrium pretty well as things zoom on past. It's definitely faster than he usually goes while he webswings, in part because he has to coordinate and figure out his landings and have a chance to figure out where to fire the next line. A lot of it's become almost instinctual with practice, but it still isn't quite as fluid and sudden as the rollercoaster effect is.

He finally lands on his feet, gripping at the handrail and almost squeezing hard enough to bend the metal before he catches himself, "Wow! I can see how you could get used to that. I could also see how it could leave you permanently dizzy."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
The Cheshire chuckles, crouching down on the handrail. "You get used to it after a while. This is the first time I've actually brought somebody along for the ride- you did great!" He reaches over and pats Ben's back, "It was actually nice. Sharing that with someone, I mean."

He sits down on the edge of the handrail, feet dangling over the void. "People often see me as a kind of joke at times, I guess. Everybody'd be all 'oooh, I get to fly around with Supergirl or Superman', but nobody is lining up to fall down the rabbit hole with the Cheshire cat, it doesn't quite have the same glamour." he says, shooting Ben a self-deprecating grin.

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly dangles his legs a bit, sitting against the handrail and looking out over things, "Well, being one of the Spider-gang tends to have different side effects. Usually getting the side eye from certain people and occasionally having cops think you're just another bad guy. Wish I knew just what it was about us that gets under JJJ's skin," he sighs.

"Just gotta believe in yourself and know that you're doing the right thing. Even if other people doubt it," he says.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Maybe he's a secret arachnophobe?" Vorpal asks, smirking. "You guys seem to be his blind spot, because he's very much a strict by-the-booker journalistic-integrity-first kind of guy otherwise. Maybe Spidey wrecked his car in a fight once and doesn't know it?" He glances over at Ben. "I haven't met a Spider I didn't like yet. That includes Mania. Who tried to pet me and hug me and call me George when she first saw me and Spidey told me to run for my life," he chuckles.

"So... I was thinking. You know. About how you're doing the pizza deliveries and stuff. Aside from the sciency stuff, what other potentially marketable skills do you have?

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly holds up a finger, "You know, that's not the worst suggestion. Maybe he does get the creepy-crawlies. Prejudice, still, but at least a little more understandable. I'd feel bad for him if he wasn't such a loud-mouthed jackass," he says.

Ben considers for a moment, "I'm not sure. I've done some tutoring to help make money," he says. Which isn't true, but he remembers Peter doing it and that sort of counts. "I was never very good at that stuff with the guidance counselors. I always figured I'd go to school and become a science professor of some kind. Probably physics. But I don't have a school record or an identity. I technically won't even graduate high school."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
The Cheshire strokes his chin. "Well... if you want to stick it to Jamison, you could always find something to do at the Planet. I'm always in need of a photographer and camera-person for the interviews and the broadcasts. Lois gets Olsen, but all I get is Intern Gary - and you don't /want/ intern Gary."

He pauses, "And she'd probably be able to do something for you... she kept my secret identity a secret back when it was a secret. That is, to say: before I went public. She's Superman Best Friend, so you know you can trust her."

The Cheshire shrugs, "Give it some thought. You're a sweet guy and your status as a clone shouldn't be an impediment to having some kind of security for yourself. Titans look after their own and all that."

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly nods, "Oh yeah, I am a pretty good photographer. I started out doing science photographs for some of my science projects and got pretty good. I'm interested in the refraction of light thing," he says. He doesn't give away that he's sold some of his own pictures to the Bugle because Peter Parker had a byline on a few of those and he wasn't going to give his other self away.

"I appreciate you trying to help. And just...reaching out generally. I know I'm new to the team and I haven't really had a chance to prove myself yet. But I think I can. Just a good old fashioned engine that could. With webs."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"I believe in you," Terry says, smiling. "And you'll make this team proud. I'll watch your back and you watch mine, that's how a team works." He puts an arm around Ben's shoulders, and gives him a pat. Then he extends his legs, balancing on the handrail. "Look! I'm a see-saw!" and then he puts both hands on the handrail, to steady himself.

"Give the photograph thing a thought, and if you're game, I'll arrange a meeting with Lois. You can be my camera spider. Which means you will probably end up being at the center of a lot of opportunities where you can show off your stuff, because that happens to me all of the time. Case in point- I was at the press conference that almost turned into an assassination attempt on King T'Challa. I got to meet Captain America!" he grins, enthusiastically, "And I am slated to interview Aquaman and Martian Manhunter soon, so you'd get to meet interesting people!"

Grumble. Rumble. Roar.

He glances down at his stomach and purses his lips. "... wanna go grab a bite at Herowood? My treat. Otherwise I might just eat this statue here and now."

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly grins, "Yeah, I think I can do that. But if I'm going to go out to eat, I guess I'll probably need to not wear my mask," he says.

And so, perhaps, as a display of trust or just as a way of showing thanks to his new friend, Scarlet Spider reaches up and pulls off his mask. He's got the boyish face of Peter Parker, if Terry had ever met the teenager, but a few differences. Notably, he has a sharp undercut, the sides of his head shaved down to dark stubble and the rest of his hair spiked up and bleached almost white blonde. He also has a nosering in his left nostril.

"Steak fries sound really good right now."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"You sold yourself short. You're not nerdy at all- you're cute." He glances up at the dyed hairdo, and raises an eyebrow "And that is an excellent 'do to not have to deal with Mask Hair. Very clever, Ben!"

There is absolutey no recognition in Vorpal's eyes. This is because, while Vorpal /has/ spoken to Peter Parker over the phone to arrange his interview with Spider-Man, he has never actually met Peter in person. Still, the meaning of the gesture doesn't escape the feline, and he gives Ben a warm smile to show that he understands the level of trust that is being displayed.

"I'll open a Rabbit Hole to your room so you can change out of the Spidey suit and I'll wait outside. We'll have to go the old-fashioned way and take my car-" his mom's car, on loan, that is "-since I should probably put on the human. It wouldn't do to be seen walking into a restaurant with a very visible Cheshire cat if you're trying to avoid attention, right?" he chuckles, and the Rabbit Hole opens in front of them, leading to the door right outside Ben's room.

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben Reilly flushes a bit at the compliment, turning his head away for a moment, "I do okay, I guess," he says. "I was a lot worse with chunky glasses and acne, a couple of years ago. Well. He was. But I still remember the wedgies," he says.

He nods in agreement, "Yeah, you're just a -little- flambuoyant, but I don't think you'd be surprised to hear it. I'm pretty sure you like it that way," he smiles. "Okay, I'll get myself together and we'll grab some food."