fluxnet | Text; un: Mysterio

[He tries it and nods.]

Yes. Fine.

[And falls quiet for a moment. Somehow it feels like he's stalling.]

Ah, so... tell me a bit about yourself.

Sure. I can do that.

[ He kept a pleasant expression but also felt concerned for the uptight guy. Beck seemed so uncomfortable. Shadow let his shoulders fall, not in defeat or disappointment but just in an effort not to look his full stature. ]

I was born in the US but my mom raised me mostly in Europe. Never met my father. She'd always tell me that he was 'dead and gone, nothing to miss'. We returned to the states in the summer that I turned sixteen. Brooklyn, New York.

[ Shadow had kept a mostly neutral tone throughout. Some sadness seeped into his features as he continued. ]

It was also the summer that she was diagnosed with cancer and I lost her.

I'm sorry to hear that. I never knew my mother. Well, her name. Pictures. But she died when I was a baby.

So I guess we kind of have something in common.

Thanks. And I'm sorry you never knew your mom. Did you have a relationship with your father?

Or, sorry, you don't have to tell me.

[He grimaces, staring down at his coffee; his hands cupping it. His voice is tight and quiet but hard.]

He would rather I didn't exist. Most of the time he treated me as if I didn't.

It's difficult for a kid to be ignored or told he was useless. When you hear it often enough you just wish you hadn't been born.

Sounds like something else we have in common. It turns out my father wasn't dead and gone. He just couldn't be assed to be in my life until he needed something. Then he completely ruined my life so I'd have nobody to turn to but him.

That's rough. Parents are... Some people are just not fit to be parents.

But it made me want to prove I could be better than what he thought of me. That I wasn't worthless. It hurt to hear it when I was a kid but it gave me the drive to succeed.

[And heavily overcompensate with wanting praise and attention...]

You're absolutely right.

[ Odin might not have been at the top of the list but Shadow's father was pretty close. The same sounded for Beck's dad.

Shadow picked up his slightly defeated slouch when Beck talked about succeeding to prove his father wrong. ]

That's great. Nobody's worthless. No child should ever be told that.

[Beck makes a face, shudders slightly and picks up his cup, taking a long drink of it before putting it down and looking across at Shadow.]

Well, this did begin on a grim note, didn't it?

But maybe you have a happier memory to share? A nice hobby you enjoy?

[ Shadow also made a face. An apologetic one. It had gone very dark for a first meeting. ]

I have a lot of great memories with my mom. She wasn't just kind and encouraging to me but she felt that way about mankind in general. People might make bad choices but there aren't bad people.

[ He held a soft closed lip smile again. ]

I like to read.

What about movies? Do you watch films?

I've watched some. I like books more but films do offer some entertainment.

Are you into movies?

[There's a distant nostalgic smile on his face.]

It was my escape as a kid. I loved the dimming of the cinema lights, the smell of popcorn, the anticipation of being transported to another world.

[ Shadow genuinely increased in happiness at seeing Beck light up. It wasn't visible to an ordinary eye but a light inside of him actually did glow when there was real joy that he felt. He knew all of the things that Beck talked about even if they didn't hold the same meaning for him. ]

I didn't have the surrounding factors but that's what I like about books, escaping to another world.

Is there a theater here?

Not that I've seen. But this place... It changes. I suppose some sort of cinema could appear. I'd like that.

You're lucky that you can surround yourself with books in here.

Maybe you can find some real estate and open up one. With all the kids running around, I'm sure you'd have steady business. Give the arcade some friendly competition.

[ Shadow did feel lucky in Haven but it was because of having Lydia (his girlfriend and mother of his child) with him, not that he'd tell Beck that. It already seemed as if the man didn't have many connections around. ]

I... hadn't thought of that option.

Right now I'm just working at the electronics repair store. Doing my own tinkering on the side.

[ He continued to hold a hopeful smile. ]

That would come in handy for maintaining a theater. If you open one.

What kind of tinkering do you do?

I can certainly do my own behind the scenes repairs.

Oh, various sorts. I've been working on some robotics.

I think you should give the theater idea some serious thought. If anyone can make it work, sounds like you can.

Yeah? That a hobby?

Of sorts. I've made some professionally before.

And for personal reasons.

Do you mind me asking the kind of robots you've built? Professionally or otherwise? --Whatever you're comfortable sharing.

There have been a variety... Some for combative purposes. Replicas of others and myself meant to... fool others. To deceive superheroes and the authorities alike.

[He sounds uncomfortable but there's also some pride in there. He does have talent with this.]

One was made to cross dimensions. Kind of a remote avatar that I could control from my own world and remain safe.

Another... I made so realistic that she wasn't even aware she was a robot.

[ Shadow enjoyed listening to Beck talk about movies and robots, even after the admission that he'd built them to fool others. Beck wouldn't notice any change in him. It wasn't as if Shadow didn't have experience fooling authorities and gods who could be considered superheroes to some extent. ]

Beck, man, that's amazing! Are you pulling my leg? I've never heard of robots doing half of what you described! I mean, this is the first I think I've ever crossed a dimension but wow. I'd love to see your work here, if you'd consider showing it.

[ Maybe he should be more cautious but Shadow didn't pick up anything malicious from Beck. If anything, Shadow might be embarrassed to show his coin or card tricks compared to functioning robots. ]

[Once Beck accepted that Shadow wasn't mocking him and was genuinely interested, he relaxes more and even smiles.]

Robots can do a lot, if you program them correctly. They can work for you or be companions. Although... that can also go wrong if you let them have too much free will.

[He sighs, obviously remembering something that saddens him.]

But... yes, I could show you. Once I have it up to a decent working standard.

Text; un: Mysterio

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