voicetest! how bout that AvX...

[epidermis]

They ain't gonna kill me. Just 'cause I'm some guy's pet character and he's moving on and I ain't to be seen in the promos yet don't mean shit. Hell, maybe I get to be an X-Man next year. Been damn near everything else.

Fact is I got two teams, an Iron fist, one wife and one actual baby to babysit, and right now it's the --repeat-- actual baby that's low maintenance. (Don't tell Jess I said that about her and the kid.) D'you think between all that I even got the time to pencil in some dramatic last stand? Hell, no. I'm the Power Man and I still got shit to do.

And don't even make me pull the 'Token Black Guy' card on you. I know you're thinking it.

Comments

[hacktivist]

Ah. Mr. Cage.

My mundane has informed me that solicits are often intentionally misleading; so I have largely disregarded them.

...However, I believe the Thunderbolts program has more benefited from your presence than not.

[epidermis]

Uh. [Positive feedback from the 'bolts what do...] Thanks, Ghost. Guess we're not including the part where the rest of the team up and deserted on me, but thanks all the same.

[hacktivist]

I would not take their attempt at escape personally. Freedom is a universal desire.

[a pause. He's not actually capable of acknowledging it, but he kind of missed Luke too]

I have been without the team for some time now.

[epidermis]

True that. And once they're all back in their cells I'll be sure to remind 'em of how they blew their reduced sentences over this dumbass play.

[He's not angry with them, just disappointed. But also super angry...]

Yeah? They stick you in one of these alternate realities?

[hacktivist]

Undeniably your prerogative. [and this is the part where he tries really hard to ignore his mun's input about game invitations]

Yes. It is called The City. Loathe as I would be to see you trapped there also, there is... considerable Avenger presence.

My mun insists I bring up the possibility to you, and attempt to "sell it". I think perhaps her fondness for you is interfering with her better judgment. [and his own interests, but who's counting]

[epidermis]

Yeah, they got a funny idea of what constitutes entertainment up there.

I'll consider it. Meaning they will. You know how it goes.

Be better than the House of M, at least.

[captainmarvel]

Hopefully the best case scenario ends up being that you're taking Jessica and Danielle on a long, well-deserved vacation.

[epidermis]

You're funny. For a minute there I almost thought you were serious.

[captainmarvel]

Hey, it's a better option than death.

Or being taken to another dimension by your evil, grown-up baby.

[epidermis]

Don't even put the thought in my head. Bad enough we have to visit her Grandma in Jersey twice a month.

[fistit]

I'm not the one asking you for a diaper change.

[epidermis]

Only 'cause you know I'd say no.

Baby don' ask, anyway.

[fistit]

I thought crying is asking in baby talk.

[epidermis]

Naw. Crying is baby for, "old man, get your shit together or you ain't gonna sleep for another week."

[fistit]

Suddenly, dying doesn't seem so bad.

But don't die.

[epidermis]

It's on my not-to-do list.

And you better not be planning on doing anything similar. Be just like you to steal my thunder.

[fistit]

Luke, buddy. Don't think you're getting off that easy. You're still the first one I'd call if I need a diaper change.

[epidermis]

The day that happens I'll be letting Wolverine do it.

[fistit]

Okay, so the plan is neither of us dies.

[epidermis]

Hey, if it ain't broke...

[trickshot]

You know, I really don't think you're going to get off that easy. _{( dying is a punk move, luke. )}

[epidermis]

Does seem like I'd have been wasting all this time I spent not dying if I did.

[trickshot]

It'd be too depressing, anyway. And then one of us would get saddled breaking the news to Jessica, and it'd be a big pain.

So do us all a favor, and just don't.

[epidermis]

Well seeing as how it'd be a big hassle for my good buddy Hawkeye and all, guess I'd better just not bother.

[trickshot]

See, now you're getting the idea.

Plus, you know there's gonna be about a hundred of us when this is all done, right? If you're not on the roster somewhere I'll eat my bow.

[epidermis]

Yeah, and let me take one fucking guess as to whose house they gonna be living in. My Cage-senses are telling me I'm gonna be stocking up on paper plates again.

[trickshot]

I guess no one ever told you the secret rule of owning that place. You have to host the beer-and-pizza team building parties.

[epidermis]

Not until after they took my dollar. You get what you pay for.

[trickshot]

Should've read the fine print.

[epidermis]

Figured some asshole would've trashed the place before I had the time.

[trickshot]

With our luck, they'll just bust in during pizza.

[epidermis]

You mean opposed to all that time y'all spend eating donuts and chicken wings and everything that don't include pizza instead.

[trickshot]

I can take a break from chicken wings to kick a little ass. But pizza, that's just making it personal.

[epidermis]

Y'know this is how arch-enemies get started.

[trickshot]

I've always wanted an arch-enemy. Someone to beat up every time I needed a punching bag.

[epidermis]

Naw, man. Rule #1 of archfoe: only be in town when you're the last motherfucker on the planet your hero wants to see.

Gets old fast.

[trickshot]

Yeah, and I might just have enough to worry about, at the moment.

[epidermis]

Pizza place close down?

[trickshot]

Don't even joke about that!

[messiahed]

Do you really want to be an X-Man?

[epidermis]

Never said I wanted to be anything. 'Not dead' oughta do me just fine.

[vibraniumweave]

Heh. I actually wonder what is capable of killing you.

[Well hopefully things work out for you better than they did for him during this whole AvX crap. =|]

[epidermis]

Wonder that myself. Personally I'm hoping for 'living a long-assed life'.

T'Challa, hey. How you holding up? [Sorry about that whole... well, everything. :( Luke still feels bad considering he failed to adequately beat that Namor asshole up.]

[fuckeverything]

Too late, Luke, it's been heard. [And you'll definitely be paying for that comment later.] And you sure as hell better not be planning any last stand. I don't want to become a single, widowed mother at any point in the near future.

[epidermis]

Crap. [Crap!] Uh... crap. [Stop saying crap!] What I mean is. Hey, babe.

Y'know, when I said that? I was a Skrull. It was a Skrull that said it...

[Okay, you're on your own.]

I'm fine now.