Participants:
| Scene Title | Sidewalk Therapist |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Magnes and Melissa take a walk, advice is given. |
| Date | March 7, 2010 |
A sidewalk somewhere!
The sun set a while before, though it's not yet late enough to be called the wee hours of the morning. It is however, late enough that most people aren't walking dogs through a couple of feet of snow. Melissa isn't most people, though, so she's bundled herself up, and is smiling a bit as she watches Jerry try to jump over snowdrifts. It doesn't look as though she's had an easy couple of days though, since she has a bandage across the bridge of her nose, a nose which looks a touch swollen. Ouch?
Having watched enough comics and movies, Magnes can sometimes be one for big entrances. Landing behind her, a good portion of the snow in a roughly ten foot radius simply blows away like a poof of dust, leaving them standing there on a thin layer of hard snow as he stands there watching her and Jerry.
He's wearing a dark-blue, almost black suit, not too expensive but definitely quality, with a nice black tie hanging from his white buttoned up shirt. He's not wearing a coat under it all, considering he's probably just flying somewhere to go inside again, and he's carrying a briefcase in one hand with a cell in the other. "I hope they're not gonna let your nose heal crooked, I liked your nose, it was cute."
Melissa pauses and half turns to look back at Magnes, a brow arching. "They?" she asks. Meanwhile, Jerry has noticed that there's someone else who he can beg for attention from, and cutely leaps over bits of snow to jump on Magnes and his nice suit.
Magnes is suddenly running around Melissa in circles, trying to avoid getting his suit ruined by the puppy. He's laughing occasionally, but doesn't seem inclined on flying away or using his ability to make the puppy stop. "The doctors. Don't tell me you didn't go to a doctor and you're gonna live with a permanently damaged nose!"
With Magnes running around her, Jerry goes to chase him, and soon Melissa has a leash wrapped around her legs, and is sighing. She stops the puppy and unwinds herself. "Why would I go to the doctor for this? Though I might call a doctor friend of mine, just to make sure. Maybe," Mel says, shrugging.
"Just don't ruin your cute nose, that's all." Magnes insists, suddenly stopping to raise a bit of a 'snow screen' around them, so unless someone's immediately close, they can't quite see the fact that he's began to float about three feet from the ground to avoid the dog. It almost seems like they're surrounded by a snow globe now. "So, what happened, anyway?"
Melissa arches a brow as she glances around at the snow, then back to Magnes, petting Jerry so he'll calm down a little. "Was out walkin' around, heard a bang. When to go investigate this tram car, and them bam. Got kicked in the face outta the blue," she explains with a shrug. "Nearly got blown up after that, actually. That part worries me more than my nose."
"Yeah, I do hate almost getting blown up." Magnes says in a manner that suggests he's almost used to the situation. "You should be careful. Don't run to loud bangs. I've seen people get killed by snipers, the last thing you wanna do is be one of the people in the line of sight."
Melissa shrugs. "Yeah, well, it was in my neighborhood. And if someone's gonna be doin' something stupid in my neighborhood, I'm gonna educate him. Besides, some chick kept me from gettin' blown up, and I kept her from gettin' grabbed, so…It all worked out except for my nose."
"Well, as long as you're alive, I suppose." Magnes' eyes give her a once over, then they avert to the right and just kind of stare at the floating snow. He has a bit of an awkward look, but doesn't seem to be addressing it. "Well, I think I'm fitting into my new job, as hard as it is. I can't say I miss all the risking my life for zero reward and more loss than I can count. I'm starting to think superheroes are kind of dumb."
Melissa's lips curve a touch. "Well I sure count it as a good thing, since I like bein' alive. Just wish I knew who the guy was. Or the chick, for that matter. Wanna make sure she's okay."
"What did they look like? And did they have any Evolved abilities?" Magnes asks, considering he's met… well, a lot of people in New York. He also leaves his briefcase floating to dig into his pocket for a card, writing an address on the back of it to hand to her. "That's my new address. I moved to Dorchester Towers." And on the front of the card is Tracy Strauss' information.
"The chick did. She's either a short range teleporter with some issues with her ability, or super fast with some issues with her ability. Blonde, shorter than me," Melissa explains. "I didn't get a good look at the guy though," she says, taking the card and tucking it into her pocket after a quick glance at it.
"Blonde, huh… sounds familiar, except the issues part. I guess I'll make a phone call tonight." Magnes does clearly know a speedster, considering one blew into the hotel room they stayed in one night. "You know, I miss talking to you about things, I usually felt better, like when I talked to my therapist." He bites his bottom lip for a moment and his voice wavers when he says 'therapist', clearly some story there.
Melissa seems to recall the hotel room incident when he seems to know someone, and her eyes narrow. "You'd better. This flu that's going around fucks with our powers. It nearly got her in trouble last night, actually. And if she is sick, then I know some people who can help her." Her head tilts then. "I make you feel better? Mags, I give you little more than hard truths that you seem to hate hearing."
"Melissa, you give me exactly what I need. I'd still be… trying to get with Claire or Abby if I didn't meet you. I'd still be living at Panucci's and not going anywhere in life. You're probably the best thing that ever happened to me." Magnes admits, though something else she says seems to cause him to perk up. "You know people who can help? I have this kid at my place, seventeen years old. His parents are Evolved haters, they threw him out while he was sick and he came to me. I've been trying to take care of him, but after hearing what this thing could be, I'm kind of starting to freak out a little…"
Melissa blinks, then immediately looks wary. "Best thing that ever happened to you? Really? I'm…not sure what to say to that," she admits. "But yeah, I do. Can see what I can do for your friend though. Until then though, be careful. Wear a mask or gloves, lots of hand sanitizer, that sorta thing."
"Yeah, Abby gave me a bunch of stuff. We're sort of talking again, since my band mate wanted to play at Old Lucy's." Magnes reluctantly lowers his feet to the ground again, trying to see if he still has to worry about puppy paws. "And yeah, I'm not saying this in a non-platonic way, I'd use totally different words for that," he teases, snickering. "But I mean, you don't just say what I need to hear, but you don't just outright call me a loser and tell me what to do just because you've passed a bunch of judgments on me. You really tell me what you think is best, in a way that makes me listen, and I'm thankful for that. I guess that's why I wish you'd hang out again, and we could forget that awkwardness we have hanging over us."
Jerry seems to be more interested in the snow now, rather than Magnes, so his suit is safe. For the moment. Melissa's head tilts and she studies him for a long moment. "Well good that you seem to have moved on. Sorta got a thing for someone else at the moment anyway. May not happen, but it's fun for now. And if you think that we can just be friends, then sure, we can hang out," she decides.
Melissa's brow arches but she begins to walk. "You seemed sorta fixed on me for a lil' bit there. It's good that you're not anymore," she explains, while Jerry starts walking as well, leaping into snow drifts here and there.
"I really wanted to sleep with you again, and, well, I'm starting to learn that I have to accept that I won't always get what I want. Moving on from this is probably gonna help me move on from things in the future." Magnes laughs at a thought, starting to walk with her and Jerry, though he pushes snow out of the way before it can touch his suit. "You make a pretty good therapist, though your methods do need a little work so you don't screw the client up even more."
"Well that's a backhanded compliment if I ever heard one," Melissa says dryly. "Or insult, not sure which," she says, glancing at him. "You think you're more screwed up than when you met me though?"
"I think I'm a lot better off than when I met you. Yeah, I screwed up a lot with you, but I learned a lot too, and you taught me a lot, kicked me into shape, and now I feel like I have my priorities in order for once." Magnes rubs his arms, though the one holding the briefcase again has a bit of trouble, and he possibly regrets not wearing a coat now. "My old fixations are still there as strong desires, but I keep them on the backburner and just ignore them now. It's not the most fun thing in the world to do, but burying myself in work and studying with the occasional skate session or comic reading, and of course band practice, is working out for me. I don't need women." Or some variation of that.
"Then what's wrong with my methods, hmm?" Melissa asks, smiling a bit. "And having your priorities straight is a good thing. And you're young enough that right now you need to focus on yourself and your future. No reason to rush into a serious relationship. I mean, most people now don't even seem to get married until they're like, thirty or something."
"I think we have an agreement that means I can't tell you what's wrong with your methods." Magnes smiles in amusement, knowing full well she'll know what he means. "And yeah, I like serious relationships, I really do, it's just the part where they end that I hate. I don't think I'll ever be in another one, even when I'm thirty. Like I said, Claire was enough pain for a lifetime, I don't need that again."
Melissa shrugs. "You'll get over her, believe it or not. I know they say that bullshit about time healing all wounds, and it doesn't, but it sure as hell helps a lot. So never say never, hmm? Just don't be in a rush and don't think that you need one, that's all."
"For once I have no idea if I should agree with or believe that. So much about my breakup eats me up inside, but… I'll just keep on with my life how it is, and I guess we'll just find out if you're right, with time." Magnes closes his eyes, taking a deep breath, appearing to collect his thoughts or simply take in the moment. "I'm satisfied with my life, I'm just not happy yet, it seems."
Melissa smiles faintly. "You should believe me. The pain for you is still fresh, so it feels like it'll never fade or go away. But soon you'll think about her less, and you'll find someone else to care about, and it won't hurt so much anymore."
"Honestly, that's probably the best thing anyone's told me about it so far. It at least makes me feel better than 'You're young, just get over it'." Magnes opens his eyes and smiles at her, moving a hand to pat her shoulder before reaching into his pocket, staring at a vibrating cell phone. "That's why I say you're a good friend and I like having you around. You're one of the least jaded people I know, believe it or not. And you don't try to force whatever jadedness you have on me."
Melissa busts out laughing. "Oh, I'm jaded, Mags. I think that there are a lot of bastards out there, and that happily ever after is rare, but…I just think there's still some hope. Oh! I didn't tell you…I learned how to do something new with my ability," she says, murmuring the last softly.
"I think we're all jaded in some way. Though I don't often tell people my jaded views of the world, I've never even told you. They're a bit bleaker than normal, I think, but I see it as being realistic." Magnes doesn't seem inclined to offer those views, instead raising an eyebrow when she mentions her ability. "I'd say show me, but I'm guessing it'll hurt a lot…"
Melissa shakes her head. "Actually, it only hurts me. I think that's just because it's new and totally the opposite of what my power wants to do." She smiles, looking rather pleased with herself. "I can take pain. I don't have to just give it."
"Really? Well, there! You can finally do something good with your ability. Kazi-er, one of my old mentors says that the only thing limiting most of our abilities are our own minds, that's why I used to think my ability was touch range." Magnes flicks a finger, and a light snowball hits her in the side of the head.
Melissa pauses and gives him an odd look. "The person who suggested that my power went both ways said something remarkably similar to that. Who was this Kazi-whatever guy?" she asks curiously, ignoring the snowball.
"Ah, uh, no one in particular really…" Magnes starts to look a little distant, staring down at his shoes after the question, then suddenly perks up and asks, "So! I guess you'll be partially useful in the medic role of a team now too. Even more so if you're teamed up with an empath, I'm guessing."
Melissa's eyes narrow and she takes a step closer. "Magnes…Don't pull that shit with me. Who is he or she? Because apparently, I owe 'em almost as much as I owe the guy who told me I could take as well as give."
"He's dead and you don't owe him anything. I slipped up and that was my fault. Can we change the subject?" Magnes' mood seems to get a little more anxious when she pushes the issue, but he soon tries to calm down and offer, "I'm sorry, it's just… it's really complicated, and I would have to tell you a long story that gives other people's secrets away. You understand, right?" Of course that doesn't sound like his completely genuine reason, it is a reason.
For a moment it doesn't look as though Melissa is just going to let it go. Then she shrugs. "Fine, I'll ask the other guy," she says, starting to walk again.
"I didn't mean to upset you or anything. I'd tell you if it only affected me, since I don't have anything to hide from you, but I wanna be reliable in keeping other people's secrets now…" Magnes looks more disappointed than anything else now, hanging his head, just continuing to walk. His expression almost says he failed at something again.
"I don't see how telling me who a dead guy is would reveal anyone else's secrets, but hey. I dropped it," Melissa says with another shrug. "But anyway. Yeah, it's pretty cool that I can do something new, but it does hurt. Headaches and nosebleeds right now."
"Try not to push yourself. Some abilities have side effects that are really good to figure out before you experience them. Like, I try to make sure at most times that I'm not altering my gravity too much. If I walked around with way less than Earth's gravity, I'd end up losing most of my bone and muscle mass without even realizing it for a while." Magnes gives her a once over, considering something. "Yeah, you should definitely wiki 'pain', if you haven't. Really learn the biological mechanics of it so you understand it inside and out. And if you're really determined, get a book on it. It'd be interesting to find out if your ability is psionic, or some sort of physical nervous system manipulation." His brain is hanging out of his skull at the moment, with all his thinking.
Melissa stops and she doesn't look pleased at him for a moment. "Jesus fucking Christ. Does everyone here think I'm a moron?" she asks, sounding disgusted before she starts walking again at a quicker pace. "I know there are side effects. I even know what could potentially happen."
"Well, I don't think you're a moron, since I have no idea what would happen." Magnes points out, smiling despite her getting momentarily upset. "I was just suggesting it in case you hadn't thought of it. Everyone with an ability is different, and you can be the smartest person in the world while not thinking of something obvious. I know a teenaged boy who can bring things to life just by drawing them, and he never once thought to draw himself naked women." he laughs at the thought, then glances down at Jerry.
"Maybe he's gay," Melissa suggests with a shrug. "Or really innocent. I'd be drawing stuff to sell though. Get rich, you know?"
"I'd design awesome skates, then I think I'd be satisfied." Magnes figures, then stops and stretches. "I should probably get going, before Tracy decides I'm not working hard enough. And I have a call waiting."
Melissa nods. "And I need to get me and Jerry home and out of the cold anyway."
"I'll see you later then. We should hang out some time, though probably not at my place while I have a sick kid." Magnes leaps into the air suddenly, waving down at her. "I'll see you around!"
Melissa nods, lifting a hand as he takes off. "See ya."