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 Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:00 pm
Ace's mouth dropped open at the first bit of it, "Hey, wow! You got a really good looking clone there, Joy. Or did Dad graph it up some how?"
"Ace, Joy is not lying to you."
"Awh, come on, you don't think that I would fall for something that you and Joy pulled toge---WHOA!!"
Jim had swerved the car off the road, slamming on the breaks. The locks hit on in the car and he put it into park. He turned around to look at Ace full-fledged in the face.
"JASON! How dare you suggest such a thing?"
Ace's eyes had gotten huge at his father's mention of his full name. It was his biggest complaint about their mother. She did that. Dad never, ever did.
"How dare you" Jim repeated, voice low and dangerous--the same sort he turned onto his employees that had given him all sorts of dragonesque nicknames. "suggest that Joy and I would create such a ruse? Do you think I pretended to spend a month off of work and worry enough to cause both you and Charles to stop worrying off of Joy and start on me?"
"Don't--"
"Oh, that's right. Joy, Ace stopped worrying about you to take care of your old man." His eyes didn't leave Ace, but continued to glare at the young man, "How. Could. You say that this is a lie and fantasy? My little girl was abducted by some evolved and we had no way of finding her and there were enough witnesses and fear enough from it that when my idiot of a son made idiotic statements about the the thing and related issues..." He barely got that much of the sentence out. Now he settled for glaring for several moments. "And you---" He paused a moment again, took some breaths, then spoke with a forced calm, "You were just as worried, and for once I thought you had started to think straight. Just because she's back doesn't give you license to pretend it didn't happen or joke it away. Now sit down. Shut-up, and listen to whatever it is that phone has to say. Then you can listen to the message that he had for me."
Ace stared back.
"Yes. Sir."
"Yes, sir."
"Good." Jim turned around and set the car to going again.
-*-*-*-*-
Ace gulped and listened to the message. He didn't even smirk at the stupid words or snarky parts. He listened, just like he was told to do, he didn't dare even take his eyes off of the screen, and the little twitches of constant motion he had had entirely stopped.
He listened through the two messages for him and the one message for Jim. His diverted his eyes to look out the window at the end of that one.
"Is it true?" Jim asked.
"Sir?" He looked up.
"Are you disappointed in me? Am I not doing enough for you?"
Ace looked back out the window.
"Well, you're still under house arrest. I suppose we ought to make the best of the situation."
"But that's not ethical!"
"Great, now I'm inhumane in how I treat you at the house." Jim grumbled, "You're there for your own safety. That's the way it has to be right now. We will just make the best of it. Or we can go to Joy's or Alice's."
"Yes, sir."
"Where would you like, Joy?" The anger in his voice had completely shut off as he turned to speak to her instead.
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Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:05 pm
The sudden stop of the car made Joy happy she was wearing her seatbelt. Her hand snapped up to grab the headrest for neil. She was...sourly dissappointed that Ace would just...blow this all off.
"You know...I actually thoughtyou'd believe me easiest Ace. I thought I was going to have a harder time convincing dad then you." She responded quietly at first...then though she fell as silent as Ace. Her father seemed...he had to be extremely upset.
Joy thought that part of it was over the stress he had faced with her missing. Part of her worried that he was, on some level, mad at her for not being in as deep of trouble as he feared she was in. Maybe she should have shared those things she had left out after all? Would that have validated his worry and made him less angry?
Or...was it something else?
Joy sat and stared at Ace as he watched the videos. She hadn't even had a chance to see the alternate Ace's video to her yet. That would be for later though. There was something else she wanted to bring up but...but..
"Ace...what did you do..." Joy finally asked. She had a sinking feeling that he had done something public...something that had really angered their father..something bad enough that Ace had been forced to stay with him rather then wandering about the way he had been doing. It also sounded like her father had taken her dissappearance very poorly. Charles and Ace had started to worry about him? because of her? Joy knew that her dissappearance would have had a bad turn. her eyes fell to her lap for a few moments. The notebook was there, and honestly...she was starting to wonder when a good time would arise for her to start talking about it. Surely not until Neil had been dropped off. he didn't need to get dragged into anymore of this mess because of her.
Since her father had asked her what she would like...Joy forced her usual smile to her face and replied. "I think...being as how I've been gone so long. Maybe I should just stay with you two for a little bit. I'm sure there will be a lot of fuss from mom and Charles once they know I am back and I'd rather not have to deal with the phone ringing constantly. Besides, I brought back a lot of information. Not as much as I had hoped but things got a little rushed."
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Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:20 pm
"My house sounds wonderful." Jim agreed. There was a lull in conversation, until Jim looked out the rearview mirror at Ace, "Joy asked you a question."
Ace shrugged, "Nothing."
"Nothing only put him under a house arrest for his own safety after he ignored your Uncle Charles and my warnings about the consequences." Jim snorted, "Then got him arrested when he thought we weren't serious about it."
"I...just...told a bunch of people off. Really publicly. About how stupid they were. About evolveds. And about what was going to happen to them for it."
"He learned a lesson in tact. If we hadn't sent Bob to watch him, he would have gotten his butt killed in that mob. Of course, he's really good about letting people get rustled up before moving in. Boy just now stopped limping and favoring that arm." He paused, "But don't worry about the elitist crap. It wasn't like that."
Ace wiggled uncomfortably and looked back out the door.
"You're never setting foot out my door again." Jim's voice was more than flat at that reaction. "And I'm tracking down Photon to give you a talk about it too."
Ace put his forehead on the window.
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Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:29 pm
Joy placed her hands over her face. Okay...this was...good in a way. If Ace was under house arrest he wasn't digging himself deeper into the group. Still...Should she talk to them seperatly? Would Ace believe her and trust her if she just came out now? Or would he feel like she had been against him for a time? Still..she couldn't ignore what her father said about Photon....
"Is...Photon...missing father?" Her voice was so...dead. Just saying the words, she already expected the answer and she felt a heavy amount of grief over what she knew it would mean. Though she asked her father the question...her eyes were on Ace. If Photon was involved in the same group it was possible that Ace knew where he was. Knew and was quite because he still believed in their cause.
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Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:33 pm
"Missing? No, he's just not active like the rest of them. We can get in contact with the whole lot of them if necessary. Why?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:44 pm
Well...that was a relif at least... Still... joy shook her head and bit her bottom lip. "Maybe...I'll let you know when we get home. I would feel better if I could talk to you face to face. Rather then to the back of your head." Again Joy attempted to form a smile at Jim.
She wanted to be quiet for the rest of the ride. Silent or not, Joy would reach a hand out to attempt and grasp Ace's own in a tight and slightly trembling grip. SHe still felt... off. Even thoughshe was home, their last moments in the other world had shaken her and she wasn't certain how quickly she was going to be able to brush it away.
It would not be until they had gotten back to Jim's house, and were safely inside that she felt at ease enough to speak again.
"I wish I could speak to you both seperatly...but maybe talking to you both at the same time will help some. I know that their world and ours are two seperate universes, and not everything is going to be the same...but we all agreed that there are a lot of echo's. Enough that I'm really...really worried about whats going to happen..."
It would be...difficult. Explaining first to Ace what she had learned from Robbie (Who was Robbie? her alternates husband of course) what he had learned from that worlds Joy and Ace. Explaining the group that they had been in and how it had seemed like a good group until the very end...then that brought up the worrisom issue of Photon being drawn into it.
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Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:59 pm
Ace had allowed Joy to take his hand, squeezing it to hold back here and there, but for the most part just being there during the car ride.
They listened to the Joy continue, questions being asked and exclamations being made, but they were attentive at least. Jim even turned off his cell entirely when it rang without glancing at who was calling.
At the end, Jim nodded, "Photon was involved in a similar group last year. Between being pestered by us and his own conscience, he finally confessed to it. By that time, compromises had already been made and it, combined with some other national and international events, prompted us to shut down the facilities entirely. The town that Solarduct destroyed around that same time also, to our knowledge anyhow, killed everyone that had been involved in his immediate group. We know from Photon it's much larger and far more dangerous than just a central group. Solarduct himself has his hand in it somehow." He shook his head, "Photon still can't get over that fact, last I heard. He always says things so very similar to those philosophies you were warned against, Ace." Jim paused, a worried look going over his son, "and he can't believes it leads to Solarduct. Those philosophies on the surface don't sound like they do, but in a group that preys off of those who are angry or weak or won't hold to normal standards or just tired of the way things are or any number of things...That's a group that can prompt right up the chain to a tyrant. Ace, please don't. Please. I'm so sorry--" He looked over at Joy, "I'm so sorry. How can I do better for the two of you?"
Ace squirmed where he was. That begging disappointment and fear and worry was worse than the angry hollering.
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Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:36 pm
Things were different. Thank goodness for that! Joy felt immensely relieved. SO much so that she exhaled a deep breath and leaned back against the couch cushion as she tried to make all of her tension evaporate from her body. She kicked her legs out in front of her, her plams resting on the pants material covering her thighs.
"Well this is good. Very good then. I don't have to worry about you two...maybe I won't have to worry about Sammy too. I would feel like a instigator bringingup everything else if theres a high possibility none of it is really going to happen."
Joy closed her eyes, and then continued. "In their world, fear of evolveds reached a point where in 2013 they passed a Declaration of sorts. Basically it's a death sentence for anyone found to be evolved. Didn't matter who you were, how old you were...even if you supported evolveds you were pretty much killed. Neil nearly took a bullet to the head just because he had freaked a bit and said a evolved kidnapped him. I think part of what contributed to this was the fact their NSA had been destroied."
She shifted on the couch and opened her green eyes to look over at her brother, and then her father. "I am afraid something may still happen here. People are still so scared of us dad. And...and they have good reason to...someone develops a poison gas that kills us because of it. It's like the world goes to war on us and it's only by extreme measures that we manage to survive. My alternate, for all sakes an purposes, was declared dead. She couldn't even get properly married."
Joy glanced down at her currently ringless fingers. "I think that something needs to be done. Something to help people see that evolveds aren't all just destructive forces. i think the NSA had a great idea...but it was more like...a aspect of the army or marines. just for evolveds though. I think something needs to be done that will show people that evolveds aren't just fighters. i was thinking..maybe we could start something where evolveds would use their power for things less..I don't know.... Super?" She lifted her gaze to glance first at her brother, then her father.
"I want humans to realize we are still people. That not all of us are geared up for battle. I mean...couldn't we set up a sort of organizations where evolveds respond to natural disasters? like earth quakes and hurricanes and floods? What about charity work type things? Urban renewal? Instead of focusing on defense...maybe a greater focus on helping humans live better lives? It wouldn't be as glorius as being a super hero rescueing people, but maybe thats what humans need to see before they stop fearing us?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:09 am
Jim held up his hands, "Whoa whoa whoa, hold on! Ok, Joy, we'll consider the seriousness of the situation. I'll talk to Charles about it, but right now it's past midnight and I think we've had too much to digest to go into conspiracy theories and what needs to be done about them. Let's rest for the night, ok?"
Ace went ahead and agreed to that, but somehow in the round about conversation between Joy's excitement and the men's own excitement about Joy being there, instead of actually going to bed, they ended up around a computer screen to type down the people and means that Robbie had mentioned.
"If they're evolveds, we should try to help them. If they aren't, we should keep an eye on them. Now, what about this Robbie and this Sammy that you've mentioned? What about others that you met? This is a different universe, we may as well try to contact them to make sure that they are safe also."
"But Joy can't meet Robbie!"
Jim's mouth crooked a bit into a smile, "First of all, there's no reason to think that she will. Secondly, if she does, she'll at least have to remember not to have expectations for him. There are a lot of differences after all."
"I don't want her to meet him." Ace harumphed. Jim chuckled and let the subject go.
Jim wrote down those names too, and a note to get in contact with Sir Hyland about his sons. When writing that on a sticky pad, he mumbled something about having to call him anyway, but only shrugged Ace off when he started to demand about why.
Then Ace demanded a game and junk food---which turned into a movie and junk food due to Jim's protest of the time of night---and ended after Ace had fallen asleep and with Jim stumbling from the couch where they had all puppy piled together to the large chair to sleep. He didn't even turn off the remainder of the movie.
The sun was just beginning to dawn about that time.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Asleep at sun's dawn or no, they would all three be jolted awake an hour before noon. The doorbell, the door banging, and then flying open. "JIM!! ACE!! WHERE ARE YOU!?!" Something between anger and worry. The mixed emotions of an emotional mother.
"In here, Mom." Ace grumbled, not really fully awake, and turned to stuff his head in whatever was beside him.
"Alice, come here!" Jim had immediately woken and now gave a call back.
"Why didn't you answer your phones all night? I thought we had plans to---Oh, Joy!"
Whatever plans they had--or whatever plans of calling Sir Hyland and Charles and immediately setting up a rescue plan--were destroyed then and there. Alice pet and coddled, asked what it was she was wearing, asked how she was, asked where she'd been---Had her eyes completely glaze over when Jim started to explain, then shrugged it off as unimportant where she'd been, as long as someone understood and could help with that---Did she need counseling?---No? Well, then, why were they all asleep in here like this? Well, then!
It was going to become a family affair of a day. Whatever Joy wanted to do, and then her favorite activities and foods if she wouldn't mention anything. Anything to have time together for the day.
If there were mentions of "important things to do," Alice would glare and Jim would give in and side with her against it. Today was going to be an enjoy-your-family day. Tomorrow they could do whatever work it was they needed to do.
Not a spat or a fight, or any acid looks. Today was a day of just enjoying being, and enjoying one another.
-*-*-*-*-*-
Alice needed to go fairly early in the evening time though. It was all regrets and tears, but apparently she had an appointment for something a few towns over that she simply couldn't miss, and she'd have to get things ready that night for it.
It was somewhere in the downtime that followed that Joy would finally get a chance to find her phone---that had gone out of charge some time in the night---and be able to plug it in. She would find two missed calls from Neil on it.
The first had been in the morning before they'd woken, his asking if she was ok and to call him later that day. The second was saying that he understood that she was with family, but he had that disc that Ace had given to him, and he figured that the information on it was better suited for Joy and her government-working father. Oh, and "some Charles that was probably your Charles" had called the house making demands because he and his family had been calling off police searches and the like for them. They might want to get in contact with him to let him know. He wished her a happy day and hung up.
It wouldn't be until the following day though that they'd be able to get anything of value accomplished.
OOC: Lots to respond to there, if I went to fast and you want to explore some of that, just let me know. =) Jim's going to be all sheepish about not having called Charles, but shrug and say that he probably already knew somehow. Call him anyway, go to a back room to talk to him for some hours. Then the following day there will be more interviews with Joy and pouring over all the information--Jim will invite her to join him for at least part of it (and certainly not all of it, he'll want private talks with Charles), won't really invite Ace to join him, but will give him something important enough to do to make Ace not feel left out. Probably have him meet with Photon then and there. =)
*ponders* I imagine that the call to Sir Hyland won't be until the day after tomorrow though. It's a lot of information for them to digest.
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:52 pm
The night was...good. It was relaxing and calming after everything Joy had been through. Just the simple fact that she was Home was a comfort. Still..
When they were looking up the names Joy had, she was keen and focused. She had no problem telling them about Robbie, though she completely left out Jimmie. She hesitated when it came to talking about Sammy. But since she knew how important it was she finally divulged that, along with her insistance that there had to be a very good reason for what he was doing. She didn't want to insult Lesley with the information and inwardly she felt frightened that he would be angry at her for saying what she had about his own son.
The late hours were turning to early hours and Joy was quite exhausted. Despite this, she was unable to do anything more then pick at the junk foods Ace had dragged out for them to snack on. Not that this was out of character for her of course. Joy never had been a junkie after all. But she could not focus on the movie at all. Her mind kept drifting to the notebook and the various things she felt she ought to be doing. Just because things hapened in the future...it did not mean she had the right to just sit quietly and procrastinate.
The future scared her. Made her feel weak and frightened like....like a little child. She worried about how things could turn out. How many lives could be lost. She felt like a sudden crushing weight was on her shoulders, that because she knew what she did..everything that went wrong, that she had the opportunity to stop...it would be her fault. All her fault...
Needless to say, Joy did not sleep well. She had disturbing dreams where people kept vanishing. Where Ace had choosen a dark path and was helping some minical villian make people vanish. In the end even she was vanishing. All she kept saying over and over in the dream was 'I'm noy Ghosting! I'm not Ghosting!'
It was a relief to be awakened by her mother. The ensueing affection did little to settle her nerves though. Joy knew it was just a nightmare, and she knew that she was doing exactly what Robbie and Ace didn't want her to do. They didn't want her to overload herself with the feeling of responsibility and attempt to take on the whole world herself.
Joy excused herself to the bathroom under the pretense of needing a really long bath. It did help. Soaking under the water so she could hear nothing at all outside. It helped calm her pounding heart and settle her jittery nerves. Maybe she wasn't okay. Maybe she did need counsoling. After what had happened? Who wouldn't? But she couldn't tell her mother that. Couldn't tell her father or even Ace that. When she thought back to those last few minutes before Rena had portaled them away...
Joy found herself crying. Sitting in the cooling water of the tub she clutched at herself, digging her fingers into her upper arms until her nails cut in and drew small lines of blood. "I'm not okay... I'm not okay..." She found herself whispering to herself. She had nearly vanished! She had seen a horrible future and was trying to pretend that just because they were in a different world that none of that would happen. But that didn't matter because somewhere else it -had- happened! She had seen the grief her death led to. The pain in Robbies eyes and Aces...the way Jimmie just could not understand. She was not okay with this. She was helpless to help or stop and there was no way she could go back to help. Not now that she understood that there was a side effect to jumping there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Joy emerged from her bath she was wearing the same cloths from the day before. She had not thought to ask about picking up a change from her apartment and she felt odd about casually asking to just go out and buy something. She had resumed smileing. It had taken her a bit to work up the ability to smile as she used to. It seemed harder to make it reach her eyes the way it had for a bit. She supposed the cry and accepting the truth to herself had helped some. A sort of purging?
She didn't have the heart to tell her mother all she wanted to do was get to work on the names and fact checking. That she didn't want to have a family day and she wanted to start doing something to ensure that their future didn't end up as broken as that other worlds had. She couldn't though...so she allowed her mother to hen them together for a nice day out. Joy used the excuse of lack of sleep to explain her subdued nature and the manner she kept gazeing off with her attention turned inwardly. It seemed empty though. Going through the motions with her family that everything was fine now. What she really needed and wanted was some wuiet time. To focus maybe, and some results. Something to show that she had done something positive. Eating at her favorite resturaunt and going to the nature park was hardly useful...though... Joy had to makee that maybe this was best for everyone else. If Ace and her parents were enjoying themselves perhaps it wasn't a real waste.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She was grateful that her mother had to call in the evening early. She expressed her love and hugged her and promised to call if she needed anything...then she had a bit of her quiet that she had been wanting.
Through out the day Joy had taken to rubbing her right fore arm and hand. It was a unconscious motion that she hadn't realized she was doing until she realized the skin was turning a bit red. She applied a bit of lotion to the red area and listened to the messages on her phone. Both from neil and from Ace.
She supposed Ace's disgruntled reaction to Robbie made a bit of sense now. As well as Alternate Ace's response to Neil. Joy was uncertain how to relly...respond now. She supposed that by calling her Neil might be making a effort that he wouldn't have if she was just another girl in his line. Still... Ace's insistance that he would always cheat made her nervouse. Joy always trusted Ace, even when it wasn't a good idea. But this neil was from a different world...and he'd been through something with her that no other Neil probably had normally.
In the end Joy called, if nothing more then to assure him she was okay...
"Hey...uh...Hi Neil. Yeah... I got your messages... I'm fine. We just stayed up way too late last night talking...yeah about that stuff. We ended up going out after we woke up. Mom stopped in and..yeah she's fine. They are all fine now. We just got in a bit ago...Listen..I'm really exhausted Neil. I haven't really had any time to myself to rest since we got back...is it okay if I give you a call tomorrow? Okay...yeah...bye..."
It felt awkward talking to him after listening to Ace's message. Perhaps...she could just keep it in mind when concerning Neil.
Truthfully...Joy was having doubts about whether she wanted to get serious with anyone at all. Maybe casual friends...but...after seeing poor Jimmie..and how sad Robbie had seemed... Joy didn't want anyone to ever feel that because of her. Perhaps...yes...just casual friends... She was certain she'd have plenty of other things to keep her distracted anyways...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The third day she'd be forced to borrow something from Ace to wear. She didn't care if they were boy cloths or a bit too big. They were (hopefully) fresher then her own cloths . Joy was hesitant to go back to her apartment alone. She wanted to talk to Charles and find out what she could. She was hesitant to hand over her notebook, fearful of what her father would think of the mad scribbles and small tangents she had written in the by lines...but it was important for them to at least see what she had gathered...((It's all good ^_^ I think I covered her side pretty well maybe? We can definatly slip on to her talking to Charles and her Father))
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:32 pm
The next day was surprisingly not another rehash of everything that had happened to Joy. Apparently Jim had again stayed up well into the night speaking with Charles and making a very neat report and chart about everything she had said and everything he'd learn. He'd included facts that he hadn't seemed to pay much attention to and that hadn't been mentioned but once nor written down. It seemed he had a word-for-word memory, and he'd put it to good use to keep from another long session of what's-happened.
They could focus on what-to-do.
One of the first things on the list was to send Ace in with an unmasked Photon to talk about this group and its philosophies.
The other thing they did was to ask Joy if she had anything to say extra about what was going on. When she readily began to spurt out ideas, they both listened attentively--or, rather, Charles seemed to listen attentively, taking notes the whole time while Jim did the same thing he'd done the previous days. When he was interested, he was very interested and asked questions all around it. When he wasn't interested, he seemed to be multi-tasking other materials. He had, of course, already proven that he was indeed paying attention and was simply being the man Joy was already accustomed to.
They weren't together for very long though. Two hours into it, and Charles had another meeting to go to.
Jim turned to Joy, "What do you want to do now?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:00 pm
Something was being...done... At least it felt like it. And this sense helped Joy immensely. She was able to focus better and stop her fretting. She was actually able to eat better the more productive she felt. Even if it only seemed like she was doing a little bit, she was relieved that...well...at least her father was taking care of things. Even if it hadn't seemed like he was listening at first.
Joy diviulged everything at the point when she was with Charles and Jim. Everything she could remember. From the shock and fear the people had expressed at the mere mention of Evolved...and she finally included her bit in the incident with Bolthor's attack on the plant. Things she admitted that she hadn't wanted Ace to know about and she felt a bit guilty keeping it from her father. But there was a point in all of this...
"I... I want to go public over the fact I'm an evolved. I know it's too much for me to expect you to incorporate my own plans with whatever you decide. I also know that I'm acting...I'm just a bit too familar I guess. Maybe I've been spoiled from the past by thinking there is something either of you can actually do to help me with my own plans. I still want to pursue my idea of creating a group that focus's on helping where it is needed...and.. I don't want it limited to just America..."
Joy flexed her hand into a small fist, her eyes lowering though she was trying hard to speak with conviction. "I still retain Rena's Portaling power. My distance is limited due to my unfamilarity with the power, but I believe that if I work with it..and if Ace helps me... I'll be able to achive greater distances. I want to use this power to reach places that are in need of help. But I'm going to really need Ace to help me. Without his boosting I just don't think I'll be effective enough on my own."
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:14 pm
Jim didn't even look surprised, responding matter-of-factly, "You can go public after we set some of these other things into motion, after you get ahold of about a dozen defensive powers, and after you've studied with us long enough to satisfy that you understand the mentality of these people and can safely maneuver. Also, your hold over Rena's ability is going to fade. It always does, and it'll be replaced by other powers that will be more important to you. We have good enough transportation for you to get along fairly quickly. Ace can certainly help you if he's willing and able."
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:02 pm
Well...Joy was relieved that she had not been denied by her father. Or that they were tryig to convince her that this wasn't a good idea, or dissuade her in...well...most ways. Joy had to admitt that the concept of becoming profiecient in a dozen defensive powers was daunting. To say the least. She doubted she'd be able to satisfy her father in that area anytime too soon.
"I understand the importance of being able to defend myself, but I don't think I have access to that many powers. How am I going to practice with them enough to become profiecient with them beyond a level of base control?" Joy asked her father a bit more directly then Charles. She did not want to assume that she was going to have access the same way she had when the NSA had been open after all!
She choose not to comment on the studying of others mentality. Partly because she worried that too many protests would lead her father to believe she was pushing too hard and too quickly to be in her best interests.
"You are right...I am sure I will have to change out her power soon, It will likely start to fade otherwise and I'd rather change it on my own accord. I would rather prefer to work with Ace in my training though. I'm still a bit worried about him...I'm sure if he feels he's really helping a cause he'll buckle down and he will apply himself more devotedly."
Plus...she hoped that by being the big brother and watching over her he would be less likely to return to his previous traits...
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:21 pm
Jim gave Joy a concerned lost look, "Let us worry about Ace. When he's ready, we'll let him move in, but not a moment sooner."
"You can certainly have access to one or two powers at a time. Concentrating on a small amount until you are proficient seems more effective to me than having to juggle a dozen new powers at once. That'll be easier for you to do since you'll be working under us now." Jim smiled a bit at her. "But I think we'll have to get you into some decent clothes. I can't believe you're dressed in that."
The lost looked returned, "Please, Joy, let me know if I'm pushing either of you to--" He straightened the already straight papers on his desk, "But right now I don't think I could convince Charles to work with someone that may-- Anyway, we will--"
In burst a man with a completely stereotypical and infamous biker outfit. He held papers in his hands and was grinning ear to ear, "Well, boss, Tucker Robinson right here."
Jim stood to take the papers, "Bob, if I've told you once, I've---"
Bob turned around to avoid having the papers snatched, "26 year old Caucasian. Occupation of a firefighter. Three adoptive children! Didn't think you could adopt single or so young. And this you'll find interesting. Bradley Destin Tire is one of those adoptive young'uns. The kid just turned 17, was only adopted 6 months ago. The other two have horrendous names, Blossom's already 19 and her sister, Daisy is 16."
"That's enough, give those to--"
"No, sir, no indication of evolved abilities for any of them."
"Now, Bob!"
"Well, no point in getting all upset with me. Just reporting like I was asked to do so. Need to send me in to talk to 'em?"
"No. Stay away."
"Awh, Jimmy-boss."
"Send Susan."
"Awh."
"I have something else for you to do, but you have to get out of my office until I call you for it!"
"Right-o!" Bob ducked out of the room.
"If Charles wasn't so bound and determined to have him so high up in the ranks...." Jim muttered, slamming the papers on his desk. "Do you and I have anything else to discuss?" He looked back to Joy.
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