one ( video )

[firestars]

[ the video clicks on with a flash of something bright and red and orange before it clears and there's a blonde-haired girl wearing a black bodysuit and looking very worried and confused. she's speaking, muttering to herself: ]

Is this on -- I think so... I can see myself, but I don't know if it's even pla -- Oh. Oh. I can see the like, little red -- oh god, that means they can --

[ she cuts herself off and yelps a little before putting a hand to her chest, taking slow deep breaths, furrowing her brows and trying to calm down. she's wigged out and she's scared and she wants out. ]

Oh my god. I -- uhm. [ gulp ] Hi. My name is Liz Allan. Lizzie, I guess. I'm -- I'm new. I have -- [ she counts on her fingers ] -- four questions.

One. Is this... like, computer thing fireproof? Two. Are we --- are we really, seriously on a turtle? I guess I saw since no one actually told me, but... There are no turtles that like, grow this big. Otherwise it'd be all over the news on something.

Three, has anyone seen -- er... two of my friends? Jea -- Karen Grant [ she still doesn't know which to refer to her as ] and Derek Morgan? Please let them know I'm here. [ not that Jean won't figure out herself if she's here too ]

And finally, this... has to be a dream, right? A hallucination? Because this is so crazy and unreal that it can't --

[ and the feed cuts ]

Comments

[wallcrawler]

...I'm trying to answer one of your questions?

[Seriously did he do something wrong or what? Also that name hasn't registered yet. Probably because you look nothing like the Liz he knows, so he figures it's just a coincidence.]

I mean, Mark handled the rest of them pretty well. I figured you didn't want me to repeat anything.

[firestars]

No, no. That's not what I -- Okay, I'm definitely going crazy now, like.

This can't be --

[ she shakes her head, still unable to break her gaze towards him. after a moment of staring, she musters out: ]

What's your... what's your name?

[wallcrawler]

Peter Parker. Why?

[Does she know him or something? OH GOD, IS HE SUPPOSED TO KNOW HER?!]

[firestars]

[ it's too bad they're not in person because the area around her is getting very, very hot. ]

Okay, you're so a liar. We already have that -- that one kid who tried to impersonate to be him, but this is just sick!

[ she's mad now, lips curled back ]

I've known him since we were kids so you can't fool me.

[wallcrawler]

...no offense, but I have no idea what you're talking about.

[Well he might have an idea, but he'd rather not make assumptions just yet.]

[firestars]

Peter Parker is dead!

I feel like I could celebrate every time I get to use this icon

[wallcrawler]

[Well, that uh. That was definitely. Out there, now.]

Wait, what?!

TIGER YOU HIT THE JACKPOT

[firestars]

Peter would never wear such an ugly haircut anyways. [ yeah he would ] So you can drop the game. I'm like, not in the mood to even deal with this crap.

[wallcrawler]

Wait, what's wrong with my haircut?

[PETER. PRIORITIES.]

And what do you mean I'm dead?!

[firestars]

He's dead, okay? He's been dead for a long time. [ first harry and then him ] Can you just -- stop? Please?

[ she brings a hand to her face ]

This isn't funny.

[wallcrawler]

I know it's not, you just said I'm dead!

[Okay. Okay think Pete. Maybe...maybe it's another version of you? Miles said one of you dies, maybe that's from her universe?]

Look, maybe this is just one of those alternate-universe things. Because I am Peter Parker, and I definitely don't remember dying recently. I even know a Liz Allen, but you don't...really look like her. At all.

[Aaaaand stepped onto another landmine. Awesome.]

[firestars]

[ uh oh. she turns her steely gaze back towards him again, between the fingers of her hand ]

What do you mean, I don't look like her?

[wallcrawler]

Well, you might not be the same Liz Allan, so don't...freak out, I guess...

[Yeah there was just really no delicate way to say this that Peter could think of]

But she didn't have blonde hair, she had brown eyes, and her skin tone was a lot darker than yours. Actually you don't really sound like her, either.

But maybe it's just a same-name, different person kind of thing? You don't have a brother named Mark, do you?

[Please don't, because otherwise...yeeeeeah.]

[firestars]

[ wow, that doesn't sound like her at all. and she's never heard of this mark guy ]

N-no, I have a half-brother named Teddy....

[wallcrawler]

[OH THANK GOD]

Oh. See? You might not even be the same Liz Allen! You probably don't even go to a Midtown High, or know who Flash Thompson is, right?

[Pete you really need to learn to quit while you're ahead.]

[firestars]

[ icon ]

I dated Flash Thompson.

[wallcrawler]

[...crap]

...please tell me we never dated. Because the similarities with whatever alternate universe you're from are already weird enough as it is.

[ 1/2 ]

[firestars]

Me and -- me and you? [ momentarily forgetting the fact that she thinks he isn't peter to begin with ]

[firestars]

No, oh my god, no. Ew. [ a beat and then tentatively ]

You -- he was dating MJ anyways. Or Kitty. And he's not my type.

[wallcrawler]

[Okay, so that's at least THAT disaster averted. Sort of.]

Okay, so at least that's different. MJ and I never really dated, I don't know who Kitty is, and...I was sort of a terrible boyfriend to Liz.

[Something he does not sound even remotely happy about, because hindsight is a painful, painful thing when you screw up as bad as he does.]

[ 1/2 again im so sorry ]

[firestars]

Wait, how have you two never dated? You guys were like, destined. [ her voice breaks a little because thinking about MJ and how she hasn't been able to see her since she ran away and how she must be taking peter being gone ] We all thought you both were going to get married. [ a heavy breath ]

[firestars]

What do you mean, "terrible boyfriend"?

Never be sorry /o/

[wallcrawler]

We went to a formal together, but that was about it. After that we were just friends, really. She was dating Mark for a while before...well, the point is we never really dated.

Also, why am I sharing all this with you again?

[firestars]

[ because i'll set you on fire if you don't ]

Because you're some like, alternate whatever of my childhood friend and you made me cry.

[wallcrawler]

Okay first off, that is so not my fault. I'm really sorry it happened, but I'm still Peter Parker, I'm not going to pretend to be someone else.

And secondly, how is explaining how I was a terrible boyfriend to other-you supposed to make you feel any better?

[BECAUSE REALLY, LIZ.]