Issue 1 Downtime

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 2:04 pm**

'Eric' walked down a path in New Maldon Park, enjoying the sunlight on his unscaled skin. He was beginning to get the hang of a normal human stride as well. A smile crept across his face as a breeze blew past. There were so many rich sensations outdoors without scales or darkforce in the way.

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 2:13 pm**

"Hey, mister? Why ya smilin'?" a young kid, maybe four of five, asked him as "Eric" walked by.

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 2:22 pm**

John stopped and looked towards the kid. He didn't know how to answer for a moment, not used to small children addressing him in such a carefree way.

"It's... a nice day is all."

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 2:28 pm**

"Ya think so?" the kid said, looking up and scratching his head.

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 2:33 pm**

"Not too cold, sun's shining, nice breeze... yeah, I do."

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 2:43 pm**

"Then again, the sun shining doesn't matter as much to you anymore, does it?"

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 2:48 pm**

A surprised look crossed his face.

"How..."

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 3:02 pm**

"Oh, are we Indians now? How, kemosabe" the kid laughed, sticking out his hand.

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 3:06 pm**

He was not amused.

"Did someone tell you to ask about the sun shining not mattering to me?"

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 3:12 pm**

"Oh, no one needs to tell me anything, John. I am quite capable of taking the measure of events on my own."

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 3:19 pm**

His eyes narrowed. Normally that looked dangerous.

"Who are you and what do you want? To taunt me?" he asked in a cold businesslike manner.

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 3:38 pm**

"Taunt you? Heaven forbid. The threat of permanent molecular discombobulation does make you mortals incapable of taking a joke, doesn't it?"

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 7:07 pm**

"So does being referred to as 'you mortals'," he pointed out.

Posted: **Sun May 19, 2013 9:02 pm**

"If the label fits. But you've been changing your labels recently, haven't you?"

Posted: **Mon May 20, 2013 9:59 am**

"I'm not sure what you mean."

Posted: **Mon May 20, 2013 2:34 pm**

"Well, haven't been tempted to crush any Japanese cities recently, right?"

Posted: **Mon May 20, 2013 3:20 pm**

"I never have," he answered and, aside from that scaled down virtual Tokyo in the Danger Room, it was true too.

Posted: **Mon May 20, 2013 4:18 pm**

"And now, people don't seem to think you do, do they? A bit quicker to smile, a bit quicker to say hello?"

Posted: **Mon May 20, 2013 7:01 pm**

Had people in town been treating him differently as a cyborg rather than his usual self? They had, hadn't they?

"So what if they have been?" he asked defensively.

Posted: **Mon May 20, 2013 7:04 pm**

"Well, it must be kind of nice, yeah? Not having little kids run from you in terror. Being able to fit in regular hats. Being able to floss."

Posted: **Mon May 20, 2013 7:10 pm**

John had to admit to himself that it was nice not being reacted to like that.

"This still isn't my body."

Posted: **Mon May 20, 2013 8:29 pm**

"It is at the moment. And is for as long as you want."

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 9:56 am**

"The people who really know me don't care what I look like and that is enough for me" he said, more to reassure himself than to argue with the villain posing as a child.

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 1:48 pm**

"Oh, is that so? And where, pray-tell, did this new-found spring of confidence pop up from?"

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 1:52 pm**

"You know less than you think."

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 1:55 pm**

"And you lie worse than you think. I know how it bugs you. To be a freak. To never be able to go anywhere without everyone staring you down."

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 2:09 pm**

"A cyborg isn't much of an improvement," he growled. This was another thing that was less effective now.

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 2:38 pm**

"I'm sure your father would think so."

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 2:47 pm**

John glared dangerously. "Do not bring my father into this. He had his reasons."

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 3:26 pm**

"Oh, yes, and what reasons they were! You must be very proud."

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 6:43 pm**

"He was protecting me."

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 8:10 pm**

"He was protecting the world FROM you."

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 8:17 pm**

"You're wrong," he glared.

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 8:18 pm**

"Maybe so. But it's a moot point now, isn't it? You're normal, now."

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 8:24 pm**

"Hardly," he scoffed, holding up Eric's metal fingers.

"Besides... this body is no more mine than the lighthouse is yours."

Posted: **Tue May 21, 2013 8:45 pm**

"Possession is nine-tenths of the law."

Posted: **Wed May 22, 2013 10:16 am**

"You don't possess it yet."

Posted: **Wed May 22, 2013 12:03 pm**

"But YOU do."

Posted: **Wed May 22, 2013 1:52 pm**

"Does this little talk have a purpose?" he asked, getting annoyed.

Posted: **Wed May 22, 2013 1:53 pm**

"Just some advice. If you're enjoying yourself, there's no need to put yourself through the pain of going back to...the way you were before."

Issue 1 Downtime

I12: A Walk in the Park

I12: A Walk in the Park

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