[Network] username: leonskennedy | ota

[needsabreak]

[The camera angle isn't the most flattering, hinting that the tired looking young man isn't too used to camera phones.]

Hi. My name's Leon Kennedy. I'm new. I know a handful of people here are new too but some have been here before. I guess, I'm hoping to talk to a few people who are returning about the things you know about this place. Talking over this thing is fine but I'd prefer to meet in person.

Anyone who's returning who'd be alright meeting in person, I'll throw a drink on me into the deal. Your choice, beer or coffee.

Comments

[needsabreak]

[He sucked on his lower lip, looking almost like a grade-schooler who'd just been told their answer is completely wrong.] Right. Okay.

[He moved on to the next chair.] Try to get through it?

It feels like I'm missing something. This place doesn't seem too different than back home. Actually, a lot more normal and mundane for me. So, what's the deal here?

[bossyboiler]

What's wrong? [ Had she said something that upset him? ]

Yeah. Try to get through it. [ She nods her head and stops what she's doing. Sure, it seems like an ordinary City. A city that is cut off from everywhere but still a city nonetheless. ] Why don't you have a seat?

[ Kate retrieves her coffee drink and takes a sip of it. It's good. She'll need the caffeine fortification to explain how Prominences work. ]

[needsabreak]

Don't worry about it.

[He pauses, chair in hand and gives her a searching look before nodding. Setting the chair down, he then takes a seat in it, an elbow leaning on the table. This might finally be what he's looking for, the other shoe dropping.]

Alright, I'm bracing. [He has to crack a crappy joke, trying to dodge the seriousness of the looming conversation.]

[bossyboiler]

If you say so. [ Kate levels a look at him. It's too late, Leon. She's already going to worry about it. She then shakes her head and takes another sip from her drink after sitting down across from him. It's hard to look serious when sipping through a straw. Slurp! Slurp! ]

So, every now and then, usually at least once a month, there are moods that effect the City and everyone in it. They are called Prominences.

[needsabreak]

Moods? [It takes him a moment but it finally clicks that he's heard something kind of similar to what she's talking about before.] Does this have something to do with the whole 'sins' thing? The reactions the City allegedly feeds off of?

[He pauses to take a sip of his own coffee.]

So, what happens during a Prominence?

[bossyboiler]

Moods. And yeah, it does.

[ She has to think a moment because in one way it feels like it was only yesterday and then in another way, it feels like years have passed. ]

One time, I was afraid of stepping over thresholds and going through doorways. One time I thought everyone was out to get me. There was the time I thought I had the best bakery in the City. Um. Those are some of the lighter prominences.

[needsabreak]

So... more messing with people's heads?

[His voice is low and serious.]

If those are the 'lighter' ones and they change the way you think and make you paranoid. What happens when they ramp things up? [He pauses, tilting his head a little to get a better look at her reaction.] If you don't mind talking about it.

[bossyboiler]

Yes. I'm sorry to be the bearer or bad news.

Oh, I didn't explain it well enough. Those are the ones that effected me the lightest. Other people can be more heavily effected and it's not good.


((OOC: Here is a link to past prominences if you're interested.))

[needsabreak]

No, you explained it perfectly.

I was just... nevermind. That gives me more than enough of an idea as to what can be expected.

[He gets a far off look in his eyes as he chews the inside of his cheek. He's worried about the paranoia... the last thing he wants to do is accidentally hurt someone.]

We should get back to the chairs, yeah? [Something to do besides think sounds good right about now.]

[bossyboiler]

Nevermind what? [ She won't let him get away with not speaking his mind if she can possibly can. ]

Don't you have anymore questions?

[needsabreak]

It's okay. I was just wondering, if those are the times you weren't that affected, what were the prominences where you were heavily affected like? But you really don't have to answer. I think, I have an idea of what to expect. No need to make you relive any of that.

[He continues with the chairs, finding it easier to have something to keep him busy.]

I dunno... anything you wish you'd known when you first got here?

[bossyboiler]

Thank you. I'd rather not talk about the heavier prominences. I appreciate your understanding.

[ She gets up and starts back to helping with the chairs. ]

That there's actual criminal elements to this City. That I shouldn't sell powers to make easy cash.

[needsabreak]

Makes sense, it's a pretty big city. Anything specific? Or the usual - a bit of everything?

[He flips another chair down off a table and sets it down.]

You were selling power? What, were you stealing it or siphoning it or whatever first? I could see how that'd piss a few people off. [He'd either misheard her or decided he'd misheard her.]

[bossyboiler]

It's the usual bit of everything.

No. I was selling my own abilities. I'm a mutant. Oh. You probably don't know what this is. [ A sigh. ] On the Earth that I'm from, there are a lot of different species of humanoids some of which have powers. I'm one of them.

[needsabreak]

[He pauses, chair still in hand and looks like he's trying to remember something.]

I have heard of mutants... someone else- it was at a party one of the magistrates put on, I think. I met a woman with green hair who could mess up forks. She told me all about mutants. Are you and her from the same place?

So, what do you do? Something with electricity? [He's still hung up on the 'power' thing and thinking of it literally.]

[bossyboiler]

Is her name Lorna? We might be. There are different universes you know.

[ Kate knows who immediately Leon is speaking of. (But she doesn't know that it's a different version of her friend. She'll have to find that out on her own. Shh! It's a secret.) ]

No. I have a healing factor and I can let people borrow it.

[needsabreak]

That sounds right. I think so.

[He nods, finally setting the chair down. He pauses before moving to the next one, hands on the backrest of the chair, he leans against it as he tilts his head a little, obviously not quite following.]

What's that mean? What's a 'healing factor'? Does that mean you can heal people?

[bossyboiler]

A healing factor means I heal more quickly than others and that's right. I can heal people.

[needsabreak]

Like... how much more quickly? And what do you have to do to heal other people? Both of those sound like they'd be really helpful after the prominences or... -Someone told me about some shadow creature thing. You know anything about those?

[bossyboiler]

Like a lot more quickly. Look. I'm not going to give you a demonstration. I still feel pain. [ She puts a chair down. ] I can heal people by laying hands on them.

You mean the shadow demons¹? I know a little bit about them. I'd be wary around the shadows. They can cause hallucinations to say the least. I had a brief run in once. It wasn't pleasant.

[needsabreak]

No, that's fine. [He's quick to chime in when she mentions a demonstration. Even if she didn't feel pain, he wouldn't want her to go through an injury, even a minor one, just to sate his curiosity.]

Yeah, shadow demons sound about right. The guy I was talking to mentioned the hallucinations. Was the one you ran into hard to kill?

[bossyboiler]

Thank you. [ She really doesn't want to give a demonstration and she hopes that she'll never have to use her powers on Leon. ]

I... um... Didn't kill it. I ran away.

[needsabreak]

That was probably a good idea. If what I heard is true, the thing didn't care at all when it was shot at.

[Only a handgun had been used though, so Leon hadn't completely given up on firepower. It's all he really has after all.]

I'm hoping it didn't hurt you and you got away. Or did you experience the temporary death thing that happens?

[bossyboiler]

I don't know how to kill them really. I don't have that ability. Running was my best option.

[ She shakes her head. ]

No. I haven't died here yet but some others have.

[needsabreak]

You never know, maybe they'd react adversely to your healing thing. But better safe than sorry. Maybe we'll end up being able to trap one and actually dig into things.

[He glances around the room as he sets the chair down, not seeing any others still on the tables.]

Good.

Do you want me to do anything else? I don't mind wiping these tables down if you'd like.