[ 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

[supersweet]

I know.

[ Jon may feel insecure sometimes, but he's never thought for a second that his parents didn't love him. ]

But at least you don't have to be alone anymore?

[smokedout]

yeah. at least there's that.

...damn, you're so much smarter than i was at your age. i'm kinda jealous.

[To be fair... ten-year-old Dodger had no good reason to be a good or smart person. Benny had discouraged both heavily.]

[supersweet]

Well, I've kind of had some . . . special experiences?

[ So far, Jon has dealt with alternate universes, has been written out of existence and been through his own evil brainwashing arc. And he saw the future that one time. ]

[smokedout]

special experiences?

what, like a magic treehouse kid?

[When did you have time to read those, Dodger.]

[supersweet]

What's a magic treehouse?

[smokedout]

it's... this book series for little kids. they read books in a treehouse and it sends them on magical adventures and shit.

[Again, Dodger, why do you know about these??]

nevermind, not the point.

[supersweet]

My world is full of aliens and dimension hoppers and magic. So crazy stuff happens all the time.

[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. ]