[OPEN] Green Means Go

[beastisbeauty]

Bruce is slowly acquainting himself with this version of New York City. He tries to spend as much time as he can in his labs, but there is only so much that can be done in a day. Sometimes, science requires patience, sitting back and letting things happen.

Also, there is the very real possibility that he will spend the rest of his life here. Bruce doesn't intend to spend it alone, isolated from the people of this world. He's had enough of that in his life. As difficult as it is for him, Bruce knows he has to make connections and find people who are willing to accept both him and the Hulk.

He needs the Hulk to learn how to quickly tell friend from foe.

Unfortunately, Bruce's deep thoughts mean he is not paying enough attention to his surroundings. He crosses the road at the last moments before the crossing light changes from "walk" to "don't walk." Unfortunately, a car also speeds towards him, barely pausing at a stop sign.

The result is Bruce getting hit in the side by the car and going flying over the hood.

This wakes the Hulk up.

Hulk ignores the driver, who gets out of the car to help Bruce and then flees, when he sees the Hulk. Instead, the Hulk focuses on the man's car, pummeling it angrily and tearing it into pieces. This only takes a few moments, then Hulk stops and looks around the street. People are screaming and running, but, so far, no one is trying to hurt Hulk or shooting stupid bullets.

Comments

[aly_brighteyes]

"We'll find out, I suppose." Aly sits back on her heels with one hand in a fist against her mouth.

"Do you think tired means...?" she makes a shrinking gesture with her other hand.

[beastisbeauty]

Hulk is indeed shrinking, his skin fading to pink. After only moments, the green behemoth is gone, leaving Bruce Banner in his wake. Moaning, Bruce sits up, shaking his head a bit. He starts, seeing others so close to him. He turns the boy.

"Yuri? Um. Wh-what happened?"

[stronglikebear]

"Looks like it does," mutters Yuri, unable to tear his eyes away. His mother would be annoyed with him; she didn't raise her boy to do something as rude as watch someone shift. At least it doesn't look as painful as his own transformations.

"Bruce," he answers, then pauses, unsure what to say. "You got hit by a car. Or a car got hit by you, maybe, I didn't really see. Are you…okay?"

Realizing belatedly that the man's clothing was shredded -- and that however sturdy Hulk was, Bruce is unlikely to do so well in this cold -- he quickly shrugs off his coat and holds it out. "Um, here." He'll be cold himself, now, but at least he's got a sweater on still.

[aly_brighteyes]

"We are apparently your puny friends," Aly supplies helpfully. She also pulls a knitted hat out of her coat pocket, handing it over and hoping Bruce will overlook its blue and silver knitting.

"I'm Aly. We've never met before, I think, but hello."

[beastisbeauty]

"I'm fine, thank you," Bruce answers.

He accepts all of the clothing with a grateful smile, though he's obviously uncomfortable.

"It's nice to meet you, Aly. I'm Bruce Banner. I'm sorry about this. No one was hurt?"

[stronglikebear]

"Just the car," replies Yuri. "We should probably get you in out of the cold. And, uh, out of here in general."

[aly_brighteyes]

"There's an entrance not far from here?" Aly suggests, not saying the name aloud. If they know, she won't need to.

"Will that do?"

[beastisbeauty]

"That's probably a good idea," Bruce agrees, wryly. "It is a bit uncomfortable."

[stronglikebear]

"There is," confirms Yuri. "You're not, uh, hurt, are you?"

Bruce doesn't look hurt, but then, Yuri's trying not to look too close.

[aly_brighteyes]

He'd certainly seemed sturdy enough when Aly had been soaring through the open air in the Hulk's grip, but it never did to presume.

"Think you're all right enough, at least, to get you somewhere to tend to you?"

[beastisbeauty]

"I'm fine. The transformation heals injuries," Bruce explained. He stood up, smiling and shrugging.

[stronglikebear]

So not at all like Yuri's transformations, then, which only ever seemed to result in injuries. He managed to flash a smile back at Bruce before turning to lead the way. "Come on, it won't be the first time someone's shown up half naked."

[aly_brighteyes]

Aly rises to her feet, putting on the tiniest show of fussing at the dirt and twigs hanging at her clothes. Now that the danger's passed, let them think her a bit of a priss.

Still, she keeps her eye on them even before she straightens, pursing her lips in concern.

"I arrived dressed for a very hot day, myself." Then, playing impatient as if she hadn't been the one fussing, "Are you ready? Let's get Bruce out of the cold."

[beastisbeauty]

Bruce gives an ironic, little smile and heads for the opening.

"By all means, lets go inside. I'm sure the others will be fascinated to see us drag in."

[stronglikebear]

Seeing Aly fussing reminds Yuri to swipe at his clothes a little to clean up as well, though he's not really all that bothered about it. "Oh, Phil's gonna be thrilled," he chuckles, turning to go.

[aly_brighteyes]

"Yes, well. We can just tell him it's been a very exciting day," Aly says, walking with them. "It's not even a lie!"

[beastisbeauty]

"The last thing I remember is getting hit by a car, before waking up in the woods," Bruce sighs.

[stronglikebear]

"Really? You don't remember any of that?" Despite the way Hulk had talked, Yuri had assumed Bruce was still buried in there under the anger and would remember it all after.

[aly_brighteyes]

Aly wonders at that too. She's never known someone, among the many magical peoples and creatures she's encountered in her life, whose halves of himself are so completely divorced from one another.

"Again, very exciting day," Aly quips, looking around conspicuously before opening the door.

[beastisbeauty]

Bruce walks in, then turns back to them, frowning lightly. '

"When I'm the Other Guy, when he's out...the sensory input is too much. His senses are so incredibly heightened, that I can't process it. It's all hazy and blurred. I just get flashes, images...sometimes he gives me a general sense of what happened, but not often."

[stronglikebear]

"Huh." Yuri's still not going to volunteer the information that being a bear is like that in some ways -- overwhelming, upsetting, impossible to control. Not so much that he doesn't remember, though. While he'd like to commiserate, he wouldn't have shared his were status even back home if he didn't have to.

[aly_brighteyes]

"Sounds hard," Aly says, thinking that she wouldn't like to have that kind of magic. Loss of control is too frightening.

"Is there somewhere about to get a coffee or something?" Bruce looks like he could use one.

[beastisbeauty]

"Yeah, huh. There's a cafeteria this way," Bruce tells them, heading in its direction.

[stronglikebear]

"Kuiv's not gonna be happy about all this," mutters Yuri to himself. Looking over the other two, he says, "I've got to go head some people off and explain what happened. Why don't you go warm up and get something to eat?"

[aly_brighteyes]

"Sounds good," Aly agrees. She's a bit cold herself and can't help but anticipate a bowl of hot soup. On cold days like this one, she truly realizes just how much weight she lost during her starving days as a slave.

"Care for some company?"