[Video]

[mysteryhero]

[Upon his arrival, Mysterio was in full costume, looking like Thor, Dr Strange and Iron Man rolled into one. Now he appears on the network in regular clothing - a brown sweater and tan trousers - looking elegantly casual.]

Hello again.

I have had some time to to explore and familiarize myself with this world and I'm impressed with the technology here - at least in Nova City. It's far beyond what I've seen before yet it's also lacking. That's why I am going to work for and with Aster Technologies and we can combine our knowledge to do great things.

Now, I know, I introduced myself as Mysterio when I first arrived and that is indeed a name I am known by but let's have a proper introduction now, shall we?

My name is Quentin Beck.

Comments

[mysteryhero]

Not that I know of. He mustn't have amounted to anything there.

[Yeah, he could have said anything he liked there, but being irrelevant he felt was the worst thing to put onto somebody.]

[made_up_names]

[ Wow. That actually is pretty insulting. Tony would definitely have hated yet. ]

Yeah, well, he's the greatest man I've ever met.

[mysteryhero]

[There's a pause; considering.]

Tell me, what was it that you admired about him?

.... If it's not too difficult to talk about.

[made_up_names]

[ How much does he actually want to share with Beck, that's the question. He wants to defend his mentor, but can't bear having this asshole tear him down more. ]

He was smart as hell. A colossal dick about it, but he was almost always right.

[mysteryhero]

Almost doesn't really excuse all his behavior, does it?

[As if Beck has any right to complain about dickish behavior.]

[made_up_names]

[ Yeah, uh. That gets a look. ]

No. It doesn't.

[mysteryhero]

So he mentored you in... science? Technology?

[made_up_names]

I had an internship at Stark Industries. Yeah. He was busy, so I didn't always see him, but he cared.

[ Admittedly, more than Peter realized at the time, but. ]

[mysteryhero]

It's good that you had someone there for you.

[It is very hard to tell just what his true emotions are on that. He's keeping the calm, quiet voice going, his face now mild in its expression.]

[made_up_names]

[ He doesn't trust that that expression is true. But he'll take not being mad. ]

Yeah, well. That's done now.

[mysteryhero]

I know. And now we're here.

I think it means something that you and I arrived here nearly simultaneously.

Us. And nobody else from our time.

[At least, that he's aware of.]

But we know each other and that's gotta count for something. We need to stick together, Peter. You know that, don't you.

[made_up_names]

[ Gwen doesn't quite count, admittedly, and if there are any other MCUs he hasn't seen them either. He kind of hates the fact that Beck is the only one he knows from home. ]

I mean, for now? Sure. Just because there's no choice.

[mysteryhero]

I know what people say. Anyone can arrive here suddenly from any world and from any point in time. If you see anyone like that, you'll inform me, OK?

That means any threats by villains that I'd need to handle - or any superheroes, especially any Avengers. I'll need to know.

If your friends arrive... Well, I'm sure that would be nice for you.

Anything's possible, right?

[made_up_names]

[ That implied order rankles him. His expression flattens back out again. ]

I dunno why you think they'd pay any attention to me, but okay. Sure. I'll make sure you find out as soon as I do.

[ Probably after he warns them about what Mysterio's done already. ]

[mysteryhero]

You're clever, kid. That's a useful skill to have.

That, and familiarity with what's gone on in Earth-616.

[He can't say the real reasons in public, of course. Not unless Peter's secret identity is exposed. But they can both read between the lines of what would appear to most others as a fairly ordinary conversation.]

[made_up_names]

[ Yeeeeep. Peter's a smart cookie, after all. He wonders if there's any superheroes Beck wouldn't recognize on sight. ]

Right, the place you're not from. But at least it sounds like nobody's gonna miss us for now.

[mysteryhero]

[He's done his research, as much as he can, but of course Peter has the actual experience of meeting and working with them. The ruse continues that things were different on his destroyed Earth-833.]

True. If time truly has stood still.

[Not that that's a good time for him to go back, and probably not good either for Peter. The thought makes his expression turn just a little grimmer.]

[made_up_names]

Guess we won't find out until somebody else shows up.

[ Yeah uh. Last thing he remembers was Twitter blowing up his phone with death threats, so thanks for that. ]

[mysteryhero]

They wouldn't be very helpful if they're from the past.

Or maybe that would prove the point.

[made_up_names]

[ That. Isn't something he'd considered yet. ]

The past? What do you mean?

[mysteryhero]

Nobody told you? I've heard that not only can people- or aliens and monsters - from any other dimensions appear here, but they can also come from any time. The past. The future. Death is no barrier here.

[Which could be a good thing or could be a bad thing.]

[made_up_names]

[ That. He hadn't considered that.

He shouldn't look so stricken, but somehow he hadn't put that together. He hadn't been 100% sure of Mysterio's death - he's still not, honestly - so Beck just showing up had seemed plausible enough. But the thought of, say, Tony Stark showing up here ...

He swallows around the sudden lump in his throat. Certain that Tony would be disappointed to see what's become of his legacy. ]

No. Nobody mentioned that.

[mysteryhero]

It pays to ask questions, kid.

[made_up_names]

I'm asking questions, just - just not those questions.

[mysteryhero]

Then what questions did you ask? .... Something about Pokemon?