now i'm stronger than yesterday

[greenisnteasy]

Who: The Hulk, some unfortunate scientists, and YOU.
When: Early morning hours of Day 22 (before sunrise). Good mooooorning.
Where: Near the woods.
What: After going missing for four in-game days, Bruce comes back... Kind of. Come mingle with the big guy!

At some point in time, Bruce wakes up to find himself held captive, and he decides to break free.

That much, at least, the Hulk knows, or can guess, or whatever – he doesn't really care about Banner's issues very much at all because Banner doesn't care about his, and if he didn't need the Hulk, he wouldn't have let him out in the first place. Why should the Hulk care about him? What the Hulk does care about are people trying to hurt Banner because Banner's body is his body somewhere down the line, and that is so not okay. That is the opposite of okay.

They might be able to contain Banner, but the Hulk is convinced they can't contain him.

He's right. Of course. He's the strongest there is, and these dinky, wimpy little scientists with their stupid machines are so easy to squish. Too easy – there's a nagging, a tugging, and something from Banner's end bleeds through. It isn't really a conscious thought, or a string of words, but it's something the Hulk understands anyway. Take prisoners to interrogate. What were they doing to Banner, what did they want to do with the Hulk?

The Hulk snorts, but nods to himself. Okay, Banner. That's a good one.

While the Hulk's deciding this, his captors realize the Hulk's right – they aren't going to win this one.

The Hulk couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when they start to move him; he's busy fighting, dealing with a particularly thorny (but ultimately destroyed, thanks) machine. He does notice when he starts to fall.

Roaring in rage, he drops out of the sky much like Loki's box did, and he lands on his back, with a loud crash, just outside of the woods. In his arms, he's cradling one live scientist. Two dead ones tumble out with him, in crumpled heaps beside him, but he doesn't really pay attention to that. What matters to him is trying to figure out where those white coat bastards dropped him. He holds out his captive, looking into his face, and thinks of how to interrogate.

Maybe if he just growls in his face.

Comments

[primogen_vampirate]

"First of all," Mina said, rubbing her hands together, her rings clanking against each other, "make sure he doesn't die. It looks like he's had a rather nasty couple of bumps. Seeing as I used to be a doctor, I really ought to check to make sure there's nothing going on internally that'll kill him."

For a moment, she felt the impulse to explain internal bleeding to the brute. But that seemed a bit silly, didn't it? If he was Banner, then he damn well know exactly what that meant.

This wasn't a child.

"Secondly," she continued, trying to sound more confident than she felt, "I have the ability to make people tell the truth. Without any silly chemicals to clog up one's system."

[manofiron]

Whether the Hulk means it to or not, that comment stings. It strikes a little too close to home, touches too hard on the way he's bee feeling since he arrived here. It wipes the lopsided smile off his face and straightens his spine.

"I'm not as puny as you think." His voice is quiet, solemn, and beneath it all is an undercurrent of frustrated angry. "But hey, you know what, you want someone better, take Steve."

Turning on his heel, he starts off back the way he came. Two of the scientists look dead. The other he assumes the Hulk will watch, at least until he gets taken off his hands. Either way, it doesn't matter. He doesn't need him. No one does.

Waving over his shoulder, but not turning around, he calls back, "I'll send him out this way in a couple minutes. Try not to get into too much trouble while you wait."

[pursuitofcappiness]

"Do you remember anything about the place?" he asks, since he assumes it wasn't in the sky and that was just some sort of magic teleportal thing. Which doesn't make him believe this whole thing is less Asgardian, although he is a little thrown by the scientists, if that's the case. No humans should be capable of doing this. Any of this.

[greenisnteasy]

He can tell he did something wrong here, but he's not sure how to articulate what that is. Or how to fix it, or how to bring Iron Man back. People are confusing, and Tin Man more than most. He hesitates briefly, and then follows after him.

"The Hulk is the strongest there is," he points out. Duh. "Flag Man's puny too. Don't need him."

What is he trying to say? Why does it bother him that Iron Man's leaving? Doesn't he like being alone? Isn't that always the goal? He frowns deeply, and then pokes Iron Man again. It's the closest he can get to figuring out affection just yet.

"Don't... go."

[greenisnteasy]

No, he can piece it together. He isn't an idiot; a lot of Banner's knowledge filters through. What's lacking are the interpersonal skills, but someone born out of rage doesn't really have to care about other people, generally.

He eyes her carefully.

"Magic." It's clear he doesn't approve of it, but it's better when it's not directed against him.

[manofiron]

"I think that's the only time I've ever heard anyone call him puny."

It makes him smile slightly, black as his mood is, and he stops with a sigh. Half turning, he looks up at the Hulk. He can see a little of Bruce in his face, but he isn't just Bruce. He's his own person too, or at least that's what Tony's starting to think the more he interacts with him.

"Between you and me, buddy, I envy you right now." Reaching up, he lightly taps his knuckles against the back of the Hulk's hand. "I wish I could do what you do, instead of, well, being me." It's not about him though, not really, and he's not going to let it turn into a pity party.

"This place needs you. These people need you, even if they don't recognize it. But they will. Remember that, okay? Just in case someone freaks out."

[primogen_vampirate]

"Yes," she said, raising her chin defiantly. "Magic."

Well, not in the strictest sense of the word. Mina did possess Cruac magic, of course. But this was no spell. Just a simple application of her natural, Kindred abilities. But she didn't much feel the need to differentiate right now.

"A much safer way to extra information."

[laevisilaufeyson]

Well well. Dropping out of the sky seems to be a theme with the Hulk, though admittedly Loki's experience with him is limited. Perhaps he's just lucky enough to have experienced it twice.

He wasn't out in the woods to begin with, as some were, but even weary as he is it's difficult to fail to notice the expulsion of that much energy so suddenly. And so he's come to investigate. Come to look, and what he's found is most intriguing.

It's been long enough since their last meeting from Loki's perspective that whatever fear he might have held for the creature has long since faded to something more like healthy respect, itself mitigated further by a less-than-healthy curiosity.

And so he approaches... cautiously. Though likely not cautiously enough.

"I don't know what possessed them to think they could keep you."

[afallenstar]

Damn. She'd almost thought that whatever this thing was hadn't seen her, but she's not extraordinarily blessed with good luck to begin with, so it shouldn't come as a surprise.

Anna's not sure how much of a threat he poses to her to be honest - he's big, but she's strong - but she's not willing to take the risk, which is why she comes walking out from behind the tree with her hands raised above her head, giving him a somewhat nervous smile.

"No need for that. I'm perfectly friendly."

It takes a moment for her to realise that she's actually a little scared. It's been a while since she felt that.

[greenisnteasy]

He growls, but he already knows he's probably going to give in. He just doesn't trust magic because he can't throw it.

"Keep your magic away from me," he threatens, and then drops the scientist at her feet. He's going to be pretty sore by the time this is over.

[primogen_vampirate]

Mina briskly walked over to the scientist, taking off her jacket and setting it down on the ground in a neatly folded pile. She started checking vitals, checking pupils for dilation, doing all the essentials. Just like riding a bloody bicycle.

"I won't use my magic on you or anyone else," she murmured, undoing the scientist's shirt enough to check a pulse point, "as long as they don't give me cause. And you certainly have not."

[ellectric]

Elle's house, through every fault of her own, is near the woods, and the yelling is such that it manages to wake her up.

She tosses onto her other side, but the shouting doesn't stop. The pillow over her head doesn't help, either.

After a couple minutes, she stumbles to the window and throws it open. "SHUT THE FUCK UP. PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SLEEP."

[greenisnteasy]

They are two different entities; they share a lot, and there's a lot of bleed over, and they'd work far more seamlessly if they would only accept one another, but the Hulk's personality is developing on its own terms. His individuality, apart from Banner, is something he desperately tries to hold onto, and it's partly why he just wants to be left alone. He's trying to define himself, not define himself in context of others.

He really doesn't need any human, puny or otherwise, but... he did ask Iron Man to stay. He looks up at the village, but doesn't trust what Tin Man says; no one ever wants him around unless they need him for something. Other than that, they just want him out of the way. That's the way people always are and always have been, so he doesn't need reassurance otherwise. He's starting to think that the one who needs reassurance here is Tin Man.

"Banner needs you." The Hulk really doesn't know anything about these people, but he knows Banner, down to his core.

"You're the... least annoying person I know." Betty excepted.

[greenisnteasy]

"Lab. There were machines, and metal monsters." Emphasis on the were. "Lots of white coats. They were experimenting on Banner." The bed that Banner must've been laying on was pretty well destroyed by the time he finished changing, but the Hulk noticed it nonetheless, and the restraints.

[manofiron]

It’s easier to be genuine around the Hulk. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t him, hasn’t watched TV or read the news stories about all the things – crazy, stupid, or otherwise – that Tony’s gotten up to during the course of his life. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t have any preconceived notions about who he’s supposed to be and how he ought to act. Could be it’s just because he doesn’t seem to care about much, aside from Bruce and being left alone. Whatever it is, it makes talking to the Hulk easy, but opening up is still hard and Tony can’t maintain it for long without falling back on humor.

“Really?” Frowning, he shakes his head in mock concern. “We gotta introduce you to a better set of people. Obviously you’ve been hanging out with the dregs of society. Or politicians. Same thing, really.”

If Bruce needs him, it’s for the same thing everyone else does: the possibility that he’ll figure out a way to get them home. And maybe he actually will. He’s certainly going to try. “Don’t worry, buddy. I’ll get us home or die trying.”

[pursuitofcappiness]

"Do you know... what kind of experiments?" Because that's not cool but it'd be better if they just chose him as a test subject to represent all of them, instead of choosing him as a test subject to represent all of the Hulks. Everything about this damn place is so invasive; Steve has to stop before he starts grinding his teeth.

"And do you know roughly how many scientists came to see him?" He's not even sure if Banner was the only experiment, or if all the scientists had clearance to see him. He's thinking "no," so by the description he thinks they're overstaffed. But lax on security in regards to holding The Hulk... that could be something to take advantage of.

[greenisnteasy]

He snorts.

"They all say that." And then they attack, or does something he has no way of understanding because magic, or something. So far she's doing a good job of not being immediately thrown across to the other side of the village.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

[likely_evil]

"Confused, actually." There was a gun along Sam's spine, tucked between his pants and jacket, but he didn't reach for it. "You just fell from the sky. You alright?"

[greenisnteasy]

Oh, look. It's the puny god. The Hulk feels so much better now.

Baring his teeth, he takes a menacing couple of steps forward, still clutching his prisoner. He can take on this loser with one hand.

"Banner is weak. Just like you."

[greenisnteasy]

Where the hell is that coming from? He whips his head around, turning in a circle, and then stares up at the sky, but that's definitely not a scientist.

"YOU SHUT YOUR PUNY MOUTH." There. That'll do it.

[laevisilaufeyson]

"Perhaps, but Banner made you, and I made you a hero. There's something to be said for that, is there not?" Loki asks, eyes lighting on the man the Hulk is holding. Poor fellow. How delightful.

"Even if you should disagree, it matters not. I concur. Nobody else could have broken free of them -- and you've brought one back with you, I see. Clever of you." He takes a few leisurely steps forward, gaze sweeping over the scene. A shame he couldn't have seen what happened. It does look a mess.

"And takeaway; even better. You are going to keep those, aren't you? Seems a shame to waste them, with our food supplies so limited."

[ellectric]

"YOU SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTH, YOU TWERP!"

Where the hell was this loud asshole, anyway?

[reluctantsword]

Yes. Yes, he was looking for a fight, wanted a fight, needed a fight with every fiber of his being, but even if Shonsu still preferred to rush in head-first without thinking about the consequences, Wallie knew a suicide mission when he saw one.

"No," he made himself say. "I'm not looking for a fight if you're not."

He adjusted his grip on the hilt of his sword, glancing at the dead men, but not daring to take his eyes off the... creature, thing, person in front of him. "I can't say I know who they are. Why? What'd they do?"

[plaidsamurai]

Logan never had been a particularly sound sleeper; he was too feral for that, his senses too acute. Most of the time it was just another thing to add to his list of 'things that annoyed him'.

If he hadn't lived in one of the houses that nearly backed onto the woods he might not have heard the booming crash, but as it was, he was sitting bolt upright, his senses way ahead of his thoughts, just sitting there looking disheveled and half asleep. It was actually the all too familiar growl that came after the crash that made him perk up.

"Shitshitshit," He grumbled as he jumped out of bed and barely remembered to grab a pair of jeans to tug on as he thumped down the stairs and ran out the door. He sprinted in the direction of a few yells, crashes and more growling, easily finding the Hulk in the middle of a clearing of half broken trees.

"Hulk!" He shouted and then paused, tilting his head in obvious curiosity at his prisoners, giving the guy in the white coat a snarl of his own as his claws popped out.

[afallenstar]

She's not exactly getting off to the right start here, and though she's already taken a few steps forward towards him, she stops as her hands drop. Anna doesn't frighten easily, but this isn't exactly territory she's familiar with. Until she can gauge exactly how strong he is, and exactly how likely it is that he can do any harm to her, she's going to keep her distance and keep things as calm as possible.

"I'm one of the people stuck in this town. I just wanted to find out what the noise was, that's all."

Which she assumes was him. It's hard to see anything else that it could have been to be honest, and after a moment or two she takes a very small, very cautious step forward. "How did you end up here?"