Maybe Summoning Cthulhu

April 23, 2015:

Felicity stumbles on a ritual of Phobos attempting to bait HYDRA. She automatically assumes he is a Cthulhu cultist.

Battery Park

Battery Park is a 25 acre park named after the 4 batteries that once
defended the city in its early years. Now, it's a park with scenic walkways
and a terminal for the Staten Island Ferry, as well as cruises to Liberty
Island.

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Mood Music: The Horror in Clay - The Call of Cthulhu


Fade In…

Late at night amongst the paths and walkways of Battery Park, so close to the river's edge, the city seems to be relatively at peace. Sure there is the distant sound of traffic, the occasional honk of a horn far off, but the tall green trees in the grips of Spring help to shield those who wander here from the omnipresent bustle of the world. Across the water the last ferry has already left, looking like little more then red and blue lights sliding across the river on its way to the far bank. Yet in the park itself things are at peace for the most part, hardly any visitors of remark… save one.
The word of an acquaintance had led him here, at this hour, to this precise location. A young man with blonde hair and pale skin who wouldn't seem out of place where he to be set against some ancient masterpieces of sculpture depicting the perfection of the human form. He wears little of remark, jeans, a t-shirt, a brown leather jacket. Yet one thing about him stands out, and that thing is the subtle tell-tale glow of his eyes. In his hand he holds a cellphone out as if taking some form of reading, turning this way and that as he tries to find the exact spot he was told of. Yet for the moment it escapes him and such a failure mars his expression with a frown.

*

Battery Park is not normally where Felicity would find herself. She's dressed as if she just got out of work: short heels, pencil skirt and light pink collared shirt. A bright green spring coat covers that, though it's open at the moment, the straps of her purse cradled on the bent nook of her arm. Her own phone is out as she moves down the walkways, pressed to her ear. It's clear she has a destination in mind.

After a few moments of silence, where it seems like she's listening to the phone ring on the other end, she sighs and apparently gets voicemail. "Hey, it's me. I'm at the meeting spot and I don't see you," her eyes glance over Phobos, an eyebrow lifting for a moment. "Unless you've somehow turned into a blonde model in a leather jacket. And if that's the case, that change is A-Okay with me, because, I've got a bunch of ideas….okay, this is starting to take a turn. I'm changing subjects. But, I'm leaving this on in case someone attacks me in the park while I'm waiting for you, there'll be solid evidence."

*

From afar it almost looks like he could be a spaceman in disguise taking tricorder readings in the search for Nuclear Wessels. He holds out his phone somewhat, turning left and right, frowning to himself as those faintly glowing red eyes focus on the phone in his hand. A few turns, a step forward and he makes a small nod to himself as he says simply, 'hnh.'
Having found the correct spot he casually kneels down as he fishes a bit of chalk out of his pocket to make a small X down right in front of his feet. Once that's done he straightens up, pockets the chalk… and then seems to wait for something.

*

Though Felicity still has the phone up to her ear, she's stopped walking. Instead, she attempts to duck behind one of the few trees that are in the area as she watches the strange actions of Phobos. She's not superhero, nor is she a private detective. Instead, she is just a curious young woman waiting for something of her own and stumbled into something strange.

"Okay, I know I said I would stop talking, but you should know by now that coming from me that is a total lie. Still waiting for you, but now that guy is now drawing marks on the sidewalk and waiting. Update, if this is a cult thing, I am definitely not ready to be sacrificed to raise Cthulhu. They can't sacrifice me, I'm not even a virgin….! And, if this has to be used for police evidence later please delete that last part before it's played in court."

*

And as if on cue, that pale young man stands there before the mark, facing the direction of the river with his arms lifted from his sides. He takes a moment… and then suddenly the night is corrupted by the rupture of reality that bursts into being around him. Black inky fire slashes upwards into the sky like a gloomy nimbus that torments the air. A tall and powerful silhouette of some dark creature manifests around the shape of the young conjurer as his arms lift higher. Curious beams of energy slash the air around him cutting east and west.
And through it all that young man seems so terribly calm.

*

From her semi-hiding place behind the tree, Felicity watches whatever it is that Phobos is doing. Whatever it was she was expecting, it was certainly not some crazy sort of evil vortex called by a model wearing a leather jacket. "Holy crap…!" she stumbles backward, her phone hanging up and dropping to the ground with a clatter.

In the dark that follows the strange display, the blonde IT woman starts to fumble for the phone, crouching on the ground with her hands outstretched to try and feel it. Then, of course, her friend finally calls her back. Just when everything is calm, an aggressive man yells, "MACGRUBER!" - her ringtone, courtesy of Fitz. Angry guitars riff for a few moments and Felicity curses under her breath as she picks up her now well lit phone and silences it.

*

As quickly as it appeared the dark sworl of magical energy fades, leaving just the slightly increased breeze that still causes the leaves of the nearby trees to rustle faintly. Arms lowered, Alexander looks around a bit, cocks an eyebrow and then hnhs to himself again. A small shake of his head is given…
And then the phone rings. He turns around to face her and that's the moment those glowing red eyes meet her, smouldering with preternatural energy that leaves faint trails in the air. His head tilts to the side subtly, then he begins to walk towards her, pace calm and even. Something in the moment seeming to feel as if time were frozen. And when he is there standing in front of her he asks her quietly, "Pardon, could I borrow a cigarette?"

*

"No…nononono," Felicity mutters, scrambling upward. She pockets the phone, glancing around one way or another frantically to find something with which to defend herself. "I did not graduate MIT with honors to die in Battery Park at the hand of a Cthulhu worshipper with glowing eyes." Not seeing any large tree branches or anything else within easy reach, she pulls her purse off of her arm and brandishes it right by her head, ready to swing.

His calm demeanor and asking for a cigarette only serve to unnerve her more. "S-stay back. I know very important people who will be very upset if I go missing. So I wouldn't even think about it!"

*

And even in that moment of utter terror, a terror that seems to emanate from him in slow waves, those eyes holds hers and curiously there's no malice there. Though the palpable sense of fear coming from him fades as he starts to look more and more normal… or as normal as an alabaster skinned young man with glowing eyes can. His lip twitches, sardonic, then he says quietly. "I promise not to take you off to R'lyeh if you can produce a butt. If not… well, no promises."
As he says the last his own cellphone rings with a faint chirp. He doesn't answer, however.

*

"I don't smoke. So keep your tentacley hands where I can see them." Does he have tentacle hands? No, not that she can tell, but that doesn't mean he may not be hiding them. Felicity has seen some weird things and she's willing to believe they're all dangerous.

"If you weren't trying to awaken a sleeping Old God, what were you doing?" she asks warily. The purse does not lower at all; she's watching him warily.

*

For a time, the way he looks at her, it's clear as if he's gauging something. On the one hand the heroic aspect of him… he knows he should tell her to get clear, that there's possibly eminent danger, that not nice people could come by. But then on the other hand, the distanced sort of ethereal divine hand, he sort of doesn't entirely care. And having someone to talk to while waiting, that might be worthwhile if only to amuse him.
"Well, you see there is a terrorist group that's been kidnapping magicians." He says this with a sort of matter-of-fact look to him. And if she isn't looking at him as if he were super crazy yet, then he adds. "So I decided to put myself out there as bait by manifesting upon a leyline, since they're supposed to be listening in on them."
Then, as if to reassure her he adds, "So sorry, no ka-tool-hoo. Or however you say it."

*

"….why do they want magicians? Are they trying to organize the world's most menacing simultaneous rabbit out of hat trick?" While she knows something about the strangeness that is part of the world, actual magic hasn't actually occurred to her. Despite what she just saw. There's gotta be a strange explanation for that.

Felicity frowns, keeping the bag raised just in case, but she's intrigued. "Wait, you knew Ry'leh, but not how to pronounce Cthulhu?"

*

Still standing there and looking at her, she might get the curious impression… he doesn't fidget. He doesn't have any nervous energy, he is just sort of there. It's almost eerie how his eyes hold hers and the embers glow faintly deep within, and when he lifts his chin slightly it's merely to get a different angle of perceiving her. He lifts his voice, "Knowing your first assumption was about such a hereditarialy geeky thing, that the chances of you being someone likely to argue about the correct pronunciation of Cthulhu were high, and if our first argument was about such a thing I knew we'd be doomed to be enemies forever."
His lip twitches, perhaps giving some aspect of the lie to the words he just spoke, then he adds. "So if I gave freedom to whichever pronunciation thus we are free to interact further without such a dire difference of opinion between us. Peace in our time." The way he speaks, it's almost as if everything amused him on some level. But then he finally adds, "My name is Alexander."

*

It's exactly the otherworldly thing that gives Felicity an uneasiness at his presence. But, he has yet to attack her and is instead discussing the pronunciations of Cthulhu with her. She'd like to believe a murderer would already be attacking her by now. A purse isn't really much of a deterrent. Plus, her arms are starting to lose feeling from being by her head for so long. Slowly, the purse drops down to a regular, non-threatening height.

Her eyebrow quirks a finger pointing between him and her. "You think…you think it's the pronunciation of Cthulhu that would make me distrust you? And not the whole creepy vortex fireworks thing on display I saw just then?" Does that mean that's normal to him? She takes a deep breath, not knowing what to make of that. She doesn't offer her own name. Not yet, at least.

*

Lifting one hand to scritch at the stubble of his chin, it's almost as if he were going through a script of listed gestures to convey a certain sense of emotion that he might not entirely feel. "Well it's more likely to cause conflict. Most people get used to the fireworks on some level either because they find it interesting at times, or think it's part of my mystique. It also helps that I'm very very pretty." His lip curves wry and for the first time she might feel he's actually sincere, at least in the amusement the moment brings.
He steps back and gestures with one hand to the side casually, as if brushing past his own words. "You see right now you're fighting with your own curiousity. This doesn't happen every day, it's dangerous and that's scary…" He slides his hands into the pockets of his jeans and then adds levelly, "But the other side of fear is exhiliration."

*

"People get used to that?" Felicty tilts her chin toward the water. There's nothing she can see there any more with the ritual complete but she certainly remembers it. It certainly doesn't seem like something she'd get used to. At his last statement, she smirks. The wariness of this strange man in the park hasn't abated yet, though.

"Y'know, that's what I'm sure serial killers tell their victims to take them to a quieter place so they can murder them. And I bet a few of them have chiseled cheekbones and…what I'm sure…is six pack abs."

*

Standing there amongst the trees of the park, with the wind drifting in off the fog obscured river, he does seem a touch like an ethereal figure. Yet he's all too real and in some ways curiously… mundane. It could be those Chuck Taylor sneakers he's wearing, or the Property of the Mt. Olympus Athletics Dept. t-shirt he wears. Or it could just be the way he looks away and laughs, rubbing the back of his neck thoughtfully, somehow that gesture seeming like less an act than others. Looking back he meets her eyes with his glowing ones. "I promise I have no intention of harming you."
He steps back smoothly and gestures, "You see apparently some bad people want magicians so they can do a big ritual of sorts. No idea what exactly, and it's just a hunch… but it makes as much sense as anything." A small shrug is given. "I was figuring they might show up if I made enough magical 'noise', I'd let them capture me, get taken to their base, escape, and save the day."

*

Now he seems to be more normal. Though, despite all of his clothes and demeanor, there's still the matter of the glowing eyes. Felicity frowns as she studies him some more. Maybe she shouldn't take a promise from a guy who just attempted to summon Cthulhu - perhaps literally - but it at least lowers her hackles just a bit.

"A ritual? What do you mean? Like, who can do the best card trick? Or escape out of handcuffs in the quickest time? Do they have an overabundance of bunnies that need to be put into top hats?" A raised eyebrow is made at his final comment, head tilting slightly. "Escape just like that? If these…bad people…are really taking magic people, don't you think they have contingencies against trap doors or whatever?"

*

One eye scrunches up as if he were trying to figure out exactly the proper way to phrase things. When he looks back at her his brow is slightly furrowed while he bites the corner of his lower lip. But then he makes his decision and relates to her calmly, "It's doubtful it would be anything good. Judging by the location of things could be a form of earthquake… of sorts." Rocks fall, everybody dies.
He gestures to the side absently, as if brushing away his own words. "But you shouldn't worry. These things rarely get very far along before people do something." He offers a solemn nod then steps to the side, as if considering her from another angle. "You still haven't told me your name."

*

"…an earthquake? People can do that…just, make an earthquake?" The very idea is hard to believe. "With magicians. I mean, I can understand the science behind it. If you make enough microshifts in certain areas underground, it could actually destabilize the ground enough to cause something like an earthquake. But, you'd need something incredibly powerful for that."

Felicity's mind is whirling with the possibilities of how such a thing would be possible when it's brought up that her name. "I…uh, don't normally give out my name to random cult guys in the park," she tells him. "But, Felicity. My name's Felicity."

*

For some reason that gives him a moment's distraction as he says simply, 'hnh'. Those dark red eyes meet hers and the way he looks at her is almost akin to the first time she spoke to him, almost incredulous as he opens a hand in her direction and says quietly, "Felicity, I can understand the desire for mortals to grasp upon the mundane and cling to it obstinately in the hope that their world grows no larger…" He glances back towards where he stood, still no sign, but who knows? He looks back, "But there comes a point when you must consider the larger picture if only for your own survival."
He returns his hands to his pockets and seems to have come to a decision. "At the moment you've seen some strange things, heard a few curious words. Nothing too terribly groundbreaking." He starts to move down the sidewalk that leads back to the city proper, "But what has truly happened here? You came upon ancient powers, the blood of the world, and lines of power. You gained the notice of a god, become privy to the machinations of evil. And you worry if it's in the power of such to cause the world to quake from their efforts?"
Having said that and still walking backwards from her he touches a fingertip to his lips and then adds succinctly, "Hmm."

*

"Woah, hey, I know there are weird things going on in this world," Felicity defends herself, hand gripping onto her purse all the tighter. However, any other argument about what she knows is put to the side for a moment when he describes what it is that she might have seen.

"Wait, uh, god? As in God god? Or is god as in…actually, I'm not sure what that 'as in' is going to be to finish that sentence. How-how did I do that? Was it the ringtone? That was just a joke. I didn't even pick it! I will totally change it." As is usual for the blonde woman, when nervous and now a little freaked out, she starts to ramble. "You really are some cultist trying to bring back some Cthulhu creature to Manhattan, aren't you?!" Her steps are quicker now, moving toward the more populated areas around.

*

Which just so happens to be the way he's going. "No, it's sort of difficult to explain." He's walking casually as he speaks, so it's entirely possible that she'd outpace him. "But you're familiar with the Avengers people?" His hands remain in his pockets as he strolls along, the red eyes and preternatural grace of his movements speaking at least on some level to the strange and the curious. "Fenris is one I think. And Thor has been running around. His brother Loki as well." The young man offers easily enough, "To them, I'm Phobos. Though really, I prefer Alexander."

*

"I mean, I know of them. I don't know any of them personally." Some of those names are certainly familiar: she's read about them in the papers. "So, you're saying that the Avengers need you to raise Cthulhu from the waters to prevent an earthquake from happening. And to save magicians from an evil organization." Felicity keeps walking at her brisk pace. "And God is involved. Or, a god, I'm not exactly clear on the details of that one." It's clear from her tone of voice that she is skeptical.

Then it hits her for a moment, realizing what he means. Her steps slow - just slightly. "Wait, you're saying you're an Avenger?"

*

"Oh hell no, those chuckleheads?" But then Alexander smirks to himself as he turns about to walk towards the city streets, he passes by a trashcan and casually pulls something from his pocket, crushes it in one hand, then tosses it in. "I mean," He seems to stop for a moment, then presses on. "I was a Titan for a bit, but that didn't entirely work out too well."
He seems lost in thought for a moment, then looks at her sidelong, one eyebrow quirking. "You see, my father sort of told the other gods off, moved to Jersey. He met my mother, nine months later there I am." Having delivered the reader' digest version of his life story, he presses on. "There's more to it naturally but, yeah."

*

"So, wait, you're saying that you're the god. I attracted your attention." Felicity looks over at him, eyes barely glancing over her glasses frames. It's a very librarian look. "I can't tell if this is some ego trip or not. I mean, who actually says they're a god? A literal god."

She keeps walking, though her pace is not quite as breakneck as before. "So, you're saying you're Phobos, from Greek Mythology. The god of fear. Have a brother that goes by Deimos. But…you grew up in Jersey. Jersey? I mean, I think that's the hardest part to believe of this whole story. You're a god, you can move anywhere and you pick New Jersey? I mean, Manhattan is right there."

*

At that, and perhaps for the first time that night, he gets a smile that seems entirely genuine. A small chuckle slips from him as he shakes his head but then his footsteps slow to a halt when they reach the street. He looks back at her and says easily enough, "I am Phobos, which is sort of a title considering there was another Phobos in the past. Deimos is dead, as far as I know at least."
Alexander scritches his chin, the stubble scraping faintly. "My mom was a waitress, and when I was born she passed. When I was ten a big rigamaroll happened with myself, and my family, and another pantheon. It was all sorts of crazy. But afterwards I became the new Phobos." He gives a small shrug, as if he were apologizing for spilling the milk. "And heck no I don't live in Jersey, was born there though. When my dad is around though he does crash at the old homestead."

*

And now Felicity feels like a jerk. "Sorry about your brother," she says when told that he's dead. The fact that the name Phobos is a title is something that never occurred to her. "If he was your brother? The whole title thing has totally thrown me for a loop. Not that I was ever really in the loop to begin with, because gods, you know."

For once, she offers up a bit of information about herself. "My mother's a waitress, too. Well, she still is. But, that's in Las Vegas." And that's where any sort of shared experience ends. Pantheon fights between gods is not really in her wheelhouse of understanding. "Ah. Uh, sorry? I think? I'm not really sure there's a proper sympathy about being caught up in a literal war of the gods."

*

"Oh, I never knew him. But thank you for the sentiment." Alexander stands there by the side of the road even as the sun begins to slowly creep up over the horizon behind them. He looks towards it for a moment, then turns back to her and smiles easily enough. "But my point was sorta that you know you're surrounded by craziness. Holding onto a healthy dose of skepticism is probably good, but don't let it push you into denial. That can be dangerous. Too many critters that go bump in the night rely on the fact that they don't exist."
At that strange thought he turns and starts to walk down the street, "Was nice talking to you, Felicity. Perhaps we'll do so again another time."

*

"…too many things…yeah, well, now I'm going to have nightmares for the next month or so…" Felicity mutters to herself about the fact there may be things out there that could prey on her. "And I have a feeling those things aren't going to be the kind of nightmares where the USB I stored all my code on turns out to have been corrupted and replaced by pictures of me in elementary school that I accidentally present to the entire class." She's still not sure she believes him in all this, but he's also not really given her much of a reason to not.

"It was, uh…" she's not sure 'nice' is the right word to use. "…enlightening? And terrifying to meet you, C-Ph—Alexander." There's too many names that she was calling him in her head ('Cthulhu guy') and then that he introduced himself as ('Phobos' and 'Alexander'). It's a bit of a jumble now.

When he continues down a different street, she makes no move to follow him. Instead, she hurries her steps, pulling out her phone to reschedule whatever it was she had originally intended to be in Battery Park for that evening.

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