036 | VOICE

[myresponsibility]

So, we've got a lot of people talking about finding stuff to do, or like, being kind of out of synch with the rest of us, timeline wise - between psycho brain experiments anyway, dude, really? - and since Lydia was talking about movie nights and stuff, I was thinking we should watch Star Wars again.

I know it's weird doing this kind of thing when like, people know about some of us from movies or whatever, but where I'm from, if you wanna get by in the 21st century, you've gotta see it.

Actually, maybe we should make a list. What other pop culture stuff should people definitely know about?

[This post is brought to you by Peter being really unwilling to discuss certain things.]

[Private to Blight]

[... He probably should have said this earlier, but he didn't, and he's not sure he's sorry about that. He's needed some time, and so has Powers, probably, because just. Jeez. Way to hit close to home, flood.]

Look, you can totally ignore this, or not respond or whatever, [He won't be offended.] But I wasn't trying to mess with you. I don't even know what any of that was. The Batman I've heard about isn't some teenager in the future.

So. Sorry. Believe me, I wasn't planning on any of that.

[For a lot of reasons, most of which he's not sure he wants to discuss with you. It's for the best, considering he still doesn't love talking about his own depressing origin story. u_u]

Comments

[myresponsibility]

Yeah, no thanks. I'd be one of the people who either gets eaten or a facehugger on me.

[bodilesswarrior]

I always thought they were kind of cute.

Besides, super heroes might be immune.

[this_corrosion]

I agree. Worth it for Ripley.

[bodilesswarrior]

See?

[CONVENIENTLY, her cat chooses this moment to jump on her lap.]

Yeah, Jonesy, I know you agree too.

[this_corrosion]

Excellent name. Hi, Jonesy. Who are you then?

[bodilesswarrior]

[Jonesy recognises her name, and noses at the screen.]

Believe it or not, my childhood cat.

[this_corrosion]

[Gary touches the screen on his end to boop the cat's nose.]

Yeah, mate, we're talking about you!

How old?

[bodilesswarrior]

[Jonesy tilts her head, before pressing a paw to the screen.]

Hard to say - I found her as a stray - but probably around four or five.

[this_corrosion]

Ooh, she's smart!

[This cat. This cat is great, guys.]

Anyway, we should make everybody watch Alien. It could all turn out to be real, knowing here.

[bodilesswarrior]

'Course she is.

[You are officially on her good side, Gary.]

Should we do the sequels, too? Aliens, at least.

[this_corrosion]

Fuck yeah.

[bodilesswarrior]

Great! I've got the box set. [Of course she does.]

[this_corrosion]

Want to watch them now?

[bodilesswarrior]

...You know what, why not. [She doesn't have to plan everything in advance.] I'll bring Jonesy.

[this_corrosion]

[Triumphant cackle.] Yeah!

[myresponsibility]

I don't think it works like that.

[bodilesswarrior]

Hard to tell. Different universes, different rules, all that.

And I'm not sure how spider venom powers work, exactly. ...Have you ever run tests?

[myresponsibility]

Not like, extensive ones.

[bodilesswarrior]

Maybe you should. You can never know too much, right?

[myresponsibility]

I guess not. Why, what else do you want to try?

[bodilesswarrior]

Well, blood tests are the obvious thing. DNA, too. And we could put you through your paces physically, see exactly what your limits are.

[myresponsibility]

Done all that. James's been trying to teach me how to fight without my powers, too, but it's kind of more like me learning how not to squish someone by accident. I can't really turn it off, or like, hold back? So learning actual self defense stuff isn't really sticking.

[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara's nod is thoughtful. She wishes they still had Clark around; he could probably teach Peter a few things.]

Maybe you should start with smaller stuff. Do work that has to be delicate.

[myresponsibility]

I already know how to do that stuff, otherwise I'd be back at ripping doorknobs off and stuff. I mean more like, so when we're in port and I don't have my powers? I have no idea what I'm doing. But when I've got them, I'm like, pretty hard to hit and really, really good at hitting back. Probably while mocking you for thinking you could hit me in the first place.

I'm not throwing him on the mat as hard as possible anymore when he tries to get me in a choke hold, but still doesn't really help when I'm back to being a scrawny nerd, you know?

[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara nods] I get it. So - maybe if we could find some way to sap your powers? Just to give you time to train without them.

...Have you been to Zero before? [She's not sure how the dampening there would work on him, exactly.]