[ text | un: jkent ]

[supersweet]

One of the things people don't do often is talk about the good things they've done or have right now. Sometimes being away from home is hard, so sharing helps!

So what's one good thing in your life right now? Yesterday, I got a cat out of a tree! It wasn't very happy but the owner thanked me a lot.

Comments

[smokedout]

i guess you don't need books like that, then, huh?

you got any powers yourself?

[supersweet]

Who me? No way. That's silly. I'm only ten.

[smokedout]

[That's a weird reason to not have powers.]

i had powers when i was your age... actually i burned the shit out of one of my higher-ups one time. got locked in a closet overnight for it.

[He probably shouldn't have shared that...]

[supersweet]

[ Oh. Jon hesitates. ]

I killed my mom's cat. I thought they would send me away because of it.

[smokedout]

[Oh. Well. Shit.]

what'd you do to it?

i mean. you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.

[supersweet]

I set it on fire. I thought I was protecting it from the hawk but. I lost control.

[smokedout]

holy shit...

...hey. listen. it's not your fault if you lose control - i know a lot of people that would look down on you for it but some of us just got more power than we know how to handle. and... it's pretty common to lose control when you're young. long as you keep trying to get better, you're still a good person.

and you didn't hurt that cat today, so it looks like you're already better than that.

[supersweet]

Yeah.

But it's hard. Having powers means people always want to hurt me or use me. I'm a danger and that's never gonna stop being a thing.

[smokedout]

...you wanna come get something to eat with me? least i can do for... bringing down this whole 'feeling good' thing you had going.

[supersweet]

You don't have to do that, Mr. Dodger. You didn't do anything wrong.

[smokedout]

i know. just don't feel right hashing out hard shit like this without y'know... some soda pop to even things out.

[Please don't make him admit he wants to do nice things.]

[supersweet]

I won't say no to soda pop.

Where do you want to meet?

[smokedout]

[Mission: success.]

let's meet up at the main entrance to the communal hall.

maybe we can find some of the good shit - y'know, the stuff that's been using the same recipe since before either of us were born.

[supersweet]

So how long ago was that for you? Like fourty years?

[smokedout]

i'm twenty five.

[R U D E.]

[supersweet]

That's still pretty old.

[smokedout]

you're just a munchkin.

[And also he's already down by the entrance, whenever Jon gets there.]

[supersweet]

Am not.

[ But he closes the connection as Jon heads over to the entrance. It doesn't take him long with his speed but Jon needs to slow down before he arrives, just to look more normal. Adjusting his glasses and hat, he waves to Dodger. ]

[smokedout]

[Dodger greets him with a lazy wave, leaning against the wall and smoking like the angsty dropout he is.]

So. You had me under the impression you were a normie - what've you got for powers, kiddo?

[supersweet]

I'm not supposed to talk about it. So you got to keep it a secret.

[ He's told a few people pieces here and there though. ]

Do you want the whole list?

[smokedout]

I'm all about secrets.

[Even people who have gotten in fights to the death with him here don't tend to know his full power set.]

Jack of all trades, huh? Sure, tell me as many as you feel comfortable giving me.

[supersweet]

Well . . . I guess I'm really strong. And fast. And I've got heat vision.

[ The others are shakier. Ice-breath, super-breath, flight . . . ]

[smokedout]

Hey, that's not too far off from me.

[He laughs as he lights a new cigarette with the snap of his fingers.]

I got... super strength, and fire powers, I can teleport and... I can turn invisible. But don't tell anyone that doesn't need to know, yeah?

[supersweet]

I won't.

[ Jon can keep a secret. He eyes the cigarette though. ]

Smoking's bad for you, Mr. Dodger.

[smokedout]

[Dodger glances down at his cigarette, and shrugs.]

Been smoking since I was your age - figure if I was gonna die from it I would have by now.

[No, Dodger.]