[ Oh, Ben had assumed that, while wearing the magic cloak, the wizard could perhaps fly, but the way Peter phrases it makes it sound like the magic cloak can fly on its own, separate from a wearer? Which is odd, but no odder than the rest of it upon reflection.
He is just moving the last hunk of crumbling stone out of the way when Peter says the clarification made Ben's powers sound less alarming. Ben's reaction is immediate and involuntary; he bursts out laughing. It isn't funny, really. But he can't help thinking how easy it would be to crank that dial right past alarming to 'outright traumatizing'. He remembers all too well how random civilians - even ones whose lives he was actively saving - always reacted to seeing his powers. They would scream in blind fear, run in any direction like wild animals. Others would freeze, or throw up, or wet their pants. Ben had pretty much seen it all. So Peter, telling him in that conversational, happy way, that it's not so alarming after all... yeah, it's kind of funny.
Fortunately for both of them, Peter doesn't ask to see a demonstration, and Ben doesn't have to explain why that would be a very bad idea. Instead, he gestures to the door and says: ]
Think we could get it open, now?
[ There is no more rubble in the way, but the door could be locked, or damaged. Ben eyes it over, wondering again what is on the other side. It occurs to him in a distant way that it might be dangerous. If that's the case - monsters or zombies or who knows what - then maybe Peter will get that demonstration after all. ]
no subject
He is just moving the last hunk of crumbling stone out of the way when Peter says the clarification made Ben's powers sound less alarming. Ben's reaction is immediate and involuntary; he bursts out laughing. It isn't funny, really. But he can't help thinking how easy it would be to crank that dial right past alarming to 'outright traumatizing'. He remembers all too well how random civilians - even ones whose lives he was actively saving - always reacted to seeing his powers. They would scream in blind fear, run in any direction like wild animals. Others would freeze, or throw up, or wet their pants. Ben had pretty much seen it all. So Peter, telling him in that conversational, happy way, that it's not so alarming after all... yeah, it's kind of funny.
Fortunately for both of them, Peter doesn't ask to see a demonstration, and Ben doesn't have to explain why that would be a very bad idea. Instead, he gestures to the door and says: ]
Think we could get it open, now?
[ There is no more rubble in the way, but the door could be locked, or damaged. Ben eyes it over, wondering again what is on the other side. It occurs to him in a distant way that it might be dangerous. If that's the case - monsters or zombies or who knows what - then maybe Peter will get that demonstration after all. ]