Y'know, there're easier, less painful ways o' punishin' yerself, that don' involve self-injury. Take it from a bloke who knows...
[Jono steps out onto the roof, his still-intact face wrapped partially with a dark blue scarf, his hands jammed firmly in the pockets of his brown leather jacket. He looks rather uncomfortable, but it's not from the temperature.]
[For a moment, Jono is struck by how much Karen resembles her Alternate Universe counterpart, the young woman he'd been in such a mess with recently. The differences are obvious, of course, so the look of shock on Jono's face fades as quickly as it showed.]
Got somethin' on yer mind? I promise I don't bite, an' here in a day or two, I'm not gonna 'ave amouth t'say anythin' anyway.
[He smirks, but it's a bitter, humorless sort of thing.]
It's...complicated. Heard about losses? One I'm on's about t'come to a rather messy end. S'posed t'meet Kara up here eventually, but I'm bettin' she's not gonna show, not with....
[He trails off, clutching his chest for a moment as his eyes flash a fiery red color. He squeezes his eyes shut, apparently attempting to calm himself. After a moment, whatever's going on with him passes, and he's left breathing hard.]
[Still breathing hard, he holds a hand out, as if to say "keep back".]
Tha's right. Normally, I've naught but a bleedin' inferno from me nostrils t'me navel. Loss I'm on punted me back in time b'fore all that came 'bout. Problem is...time's catchin' up t'me, I'm goin' back t'th' way I was.
[His breathing finally slows, and it looks like there are small whisps of smoke curling up from the collar of his shirt. He straightens up, looking somewhat sickly, but trying hard to hide it.]
Other'n you, Kara's th' only one who knows wha's happenin' t'me. When me powers finally come back in earnest...I'll explode. 'Fraid I might hurt someone...again.
[Finally starting to regain his composure, Jono puts a hand to his chest, only to pull it away as though he's been burned. He sighs, scoops up a handful of snow, simply allowing it to sit in his hand, steaming, before speaking again.]
Yeah. Firs' time it happened I was 18. I'll save y'th' story, and suffice to say that I blew up a pub's coat room, an' crippled the gel I was seein' at th' time. Blew off me jaw, an' me internal organs in th' wink of an eye.
[He gives Karen a deadpan look.]
Y'can see why'm tryin' t'keep it quiet. Got enough problems with folks bein' afraid o' me, without them knowin' I'm packin' that much power in 'ere. [He jabs a thumb at his chest.]
I don't think you should be keeping this quiet. Kara-- she knows-- we can help you. We can't have you getting hurt.
Do you know when exactly this is going to happen? We can try to find someone to contain the explosion away from the castle and town, that way no one gets hurt.
[Facepalm. This was not Jono's idea of "keeping things quiet".]
I 'preciate your concern, but considerin' I've been through this before, I'm less worried 'bout me own safety, an' moreso 'bout other people.
[He presses his palm to one of his eyes.]
Fact is, I don' know 'ow much power I've got in me. Been too scared t'try an' test me limits. Th' firs' time it happened, the blast was big an' powerful enough t'obliterate a coat closet...I'm a lot more powerful now.
[He pinches the bridge of his nose. Sure, he was terrified, but he sure as hell wasn't going to tell anyone about it.]
Jus'...promise me one thing. Don' tell anyone else. once i's done, I won' need a doctor...jus' some time t'come to...an' a change o' clothes. I've lived most o' me time 'ere keepin' me powers a secret, I'd rather that not change.
I am worried about everyone's safety but you're in danger yourself. You really think I'm going to turn a blind eye to that?
I get that, I really do. [ she never fights with all her power. she's always had to hold back. ] But if you're going to end up blowing up and taking the castle with you-- well, I can't have that. While a lot of us are powerful and will recover, there are plenty who can't.
Look, there's no stoppin' me from injurin' meself. It's 'ow me powers work, unless you've gotta way t'teach me t'control a bloody biokinetic explosion.
[He feels a small amount of his power trying to escape, a manageable amount that he can manipulate, so he extends a hand out, and allows an arc of the "flame" to leap out from his hand. It starts to grow, so he snuffs it out before it can get out of hand.]
I can control th' direction of th' blast...but not th' intensity. There might be some property damage...but keep "normal" folks a good distance away, an' they'll be fine. I may be a bloody livin' explosion, but I know 'nuff 'bout me powers t'give 'em some direction.
[And now he's embarassed. He was never the "super hero costume" type, and now he was starting to regret it.]
M'powers tend t'ruin me clothes when they get outta hand. Unless yer jonesin' t'see me in m'birthday suit, I suggest y'keep a pair o' pants handy, at least.
Good luck, luv. I spent th' better part o' seven years tryin' t'learn 'ow t'control this. No dice. I'm used ter it.
[Jono thinks about it. If his powers keep growing they way they've been, he's got less than a day.]
Less than a day. At first, it felt like me powers were totally gone, but now, it feels like they're borin' a hole in me. Use them fancy x-ray powers o' yours an' take a peek in me chest. Yer not gonna like it.
[Jono shrugs]
More or less. Like I said, I'm literally explodin' from th' inside-out. Up 'til two weeks ago, I'd lived 8 years with no mouth, throat, lungs, heart, an' everythin' else in 'ere. Don't know how or why, but I do.
[Jono steps out onto the roof, his still-intact face wrapped partially with a dark blue scarf, his hands jammed firmly in the pockets of his brown leather jacket. He looks rather uncomfortable, but it's not from the temperature.]
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[ doesn't sound thankful at all ]
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Got somethin' on yer mind? I promise I don't bite, an' here in a day or two, I'm not gonna 'ave amouth t'say anythin' anyway.
[He smirks, but it's a bitter, humorless sort of thing.]
M'name's Jonothan.
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No, it's--
[ a pause at that comment ]
What?
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It's...complicated. Heard about losses? One I'm on's about t'come to a rather messy end. S'posed t'meet Kara up here eventually, but I'm bettin' she's not gonna show, not with....
[He trails off, clutching his chest for a moment as his eyes flash a fiery red color. He squeezes his eyes shut, apparently attempting to calm himself. After a moment, whatever's going on with him passes, and he's left breathing hard.]
I don' want 'er t'see me like this...
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[ kara? ]
What did-- hey! [ it's impossible to not see his eyes do that and she gets up, moving closer to him ]
What's wrong?
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Tha's right. Normally, I've naught but a bleedin' inferno from me nostrils t'me navel. Loss I'm on punted me back in time b'fore all that came 'bout. Problem is...time's catchin' up t'me, I'm goin' back t'th' way I was.
[His breathing finally slows, and it looks like there are small whisps of smoke curling up from the collar of his shirt. He straightens up, looking somewhat sickly, but trying hard to hide it.]
Other'n you, Kara's th' only one who knows wha's happenin' t'me. When me powers finally come back in earnest...I'll explode. 'Fraid I might hurt someone...again.
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wait. more than concerned. VERY VERY WORRIED AND FREAKED. ]
You're going to explode?!
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Yeah. Firs' time it happened I was 18. I'll save y'th' story, and suffice to say that I blew up a pub's coat room, an' crippled the gel I was seein' at th' time. Blew off me jaw, an' me internal organs in th' wink of an eye.
[He gives Karen a deadpan look.]
Y'can see why'm tryin' t'keep it quiet. Got enough problems with folks bein' afraid o' me, without them knowin' I'm packin' that much power in 'ere. [He jabs a thumb at his chest.]
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Do you know when exactly this is going to happen? We can try to find someone to contain the explosion away from the castle and town, that way no one gets hurt.
How big will this explosion be?
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I 'preciate your concern, but considerin' I've been through this before, I'm less worried 'bout me own safety, an' moreso 'bout other people.
[He presses his palm to one of his eyes.]
Fact is, I don' know 'ow much power I've got in me. Been too scared t'try an' test me limits. Th' firs' time it happened, the blast was big an' powerful enough t'obliterate a coat closet...I'm a lot more powerful now.
[He pinches the bridge of his nose. Sure, he was terrified, but he sure as hell wasn't going to tell anyone about it.]
Jus'...promise me one thing. Don' tell anyone else. once i's done, I won' need a doctor...jus' some time t'come to...an' a change o' clothes. I've lived most o' me time 'ere keepin' me powers a secret, I'd rather that not change.
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I am worried about everyone's safety but you're in danger yourself. You really think I'm going to turn a blind eye to that?
I get that, I really do. [ she never fights with all her power. she's always had to hold back. ] But if you're going to end up blowing up and taking the castle with you-- well, I can't have that. While a lot of us are powerful and will recover, there are plenty who can't.
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[ pause ]
What do you mean just a change of clothes? [ are his powers like nate's? ]
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[He feels a small amount of his power trying to escape, a manageable amount that he can manipulate, so he extends a hand out, and allows an arc of the "flame" to leap out from his hand. It starts to grow, so he snuffs it out before it can get out of hand.]
I can control th' direction of th' blast...but not th' intensity. There might be some property damage...but keep "normal" folks a good distance away, an' they'll be fine. I may be a bloody livin' explosion, but I know 'nuff 'bout me powers t'give 'em some direction.
[And now he's embarassed. He was never the "super hero costume" type, and now he was starting to regret it.]
M'powers tend t'ruin me clothes when they get outta hand. Unless yer jonesin' t'see me in m'birthday suit, I suggest y'keep a pair o' pants handy, at least.
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Can you give me an estimated time of how long before it happens?
So your body stays intact at least. [ thank god. she didn't want this on her conscience. ]
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[Jono thinks about it. If his powers keep growing they way they've been, he's got less than a day.]
Less than a day. At first, it felt like me powers were totally gone, but now, it feels like they're borin' a hole in me. Use them fancy x-ray powers o' yours an' take a peek in me chest. Yer not gonna like it.
[Jono shrugs]
More or less. Like I said, I'm literally explodin' from th' inside-out. Up 'til two weeks ago, I'd lived 8 years with no mouth, throat, lungs, heart, an' everythin' else in 'ere. Don't know how or why, but I do.
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