2013.06.17 - Just Another Day

It being summer, Jocleyn has more free time these days. While she's waiting for some various results to come in from the attack she and the Young Allies suffered last night, she'd decided that she'd change things up a little bit by going for a jog through Metropolis instead of her usual routes in Westchester. Mostly because it was different, but it was good to learn how to weave through some of the crowd at a reasonably high speed. She'd just finished that up and had stopped at a little side shop and bought herself a bit of juice to drink. She was dressed no differently from your average jogger. A pair of shorts, a tank top, and her phone strapped to her arm with one of those specialized armbands.

Now, if one were to slide a mask on her, they might be able to place her at the attack from the villains that targeted the recent graduation. Maybe. Her height and build were reasonably distinctive, as was her long red hair. She takes a sip of her drink and scans the crowd of people that pass by. People watching was always interesting, especially to the former street rat. She had started to get used to not having to scrounge for things, and she had to admit it was kind of nice.

A strange figure comes walking through the crowd. Even when he is still out of sight, Jocelyn might have noticed a consistent pattern of people moving -away- from something, though not in abject horror or panic... it is rather more subtle. The same way people move away from an undesirable person, or from someone who may be wearing his underwear on his head, it is the subtle maneuvering of someone who does not want to be near a particular person, but also who does not want that person to notice and become angry, or worse.

Eventually the undesirable in question comes into view when the crowds thin a little in the ebb and flow of pedestrian traffic. The purple fur sticks out like a sore thumb, regardless of the more subdued clothing. Anyone who may have been present during the kidnapping event would easily recognize the young feline who, unceremoniously, dropped a glowing ACME anvil on Electro.

Keith walks along, one hand in the pocket of his vest, dealing with the stares as best as he can. This being Lower Metropolis, however, it isn't likely that anyone in the current crowd would recognize him. The news report had been vague, and the Bugle had been especially insulting, blaming Spider-Man for the kidnapping attempt and reducing the other heroes to 'unknown heroes' without even so much as a description. He'd discovered that looking the way he did was problematic, especially if nobody knew you were one of the good guys. A lot of people eyed you as if you could explode at any second. Ah, well, at least he had his coffee, which he was sipping regularly as he walked.

It was hard not to notice the person with purple fur, though until very recently, Jocelyn was living with a person who was blue furred, so it wasn't exactly a shocking revelation to the teenager. She does recognize him, and the teen picks up her juice and stands. She works her way around the crowd, and ultimately makes her way up alongside Keith. She knew what it was like to have people treat you like you might explode at any second. She sort of lived that life quite literally at times!

"People giving you the stink eye. You'd think most would be used to seeing different sorts of people around by now," she says by way of starting up a conversation. If Keith has any sort of enhanced senses, he might recognize her voice or her scent. Jocelyn didn't exactly know what his powers were, as she'd been rather busy at the time of the attack. But, the guy had saved her from continuing to be charged up, and it meant she didn't explode as badly as she could have otherwise. The teen was perceptive enough to notice the people moving away, and it seemed to her the least she could do was offer up a bit of conversation, even if she didn't out herself. She had a reasonably confident walk, and didn't appear to have any fear of him.

The conversation startles him a little, as he's not used to people speaking to him in the streets. Unfortunately he didn't really interact with Channel during the fight, and there was so much to take in a the time that his hyper-sensitive hearing didn't focus on her voice. He takes her for a friendly individual, and he gives her a cheshire grin in exchange for her friendliness, "One could say that. Though I guess I can understand their reaction..." he says in an even tone, "After all, a lot of folks have been pretty damned stupid and misused their... unique abilities."

"The way I see it, and from what I've seen, most of the ones who misuse their abilities don't tend to just take a casual stroll down the street. They usually get recognized, and someone in a cape swoops down to deal with them," Jocelyn responds. "But I suppose it'll take time for people to figure that bit out". Though really, Jocelyn figures that with all the capes, aliens, gods, and other things out there, people should be used to it by now. But maybe the fact that they're not screaming their heads off in fear was a sign of progress anyway.

"But, I have an advantage other people don't have. I saw you during the fight. You were one of, what did the Bugle call it, 'Unnamed heroes' who helped out. Not that the Bugle is much of a source for anything involving heroics in the city, though it's completely reliable in that it always tries to make Spider-Man out to be a villain". No, she didn't buy into how Spidey was portrayed by that newspaper.

He laughs, "The Daily Bugle would have people believe Spider-Man is responsible for everything between kidnapping that Osborne kid to crops failing and cows dying. I don't know what the chief editor there has against him, but there must be a really weird story in there- if the Daily Planet could figure it out they'd bury that rag." He looks at the young woman, "You recognized me? Well, I'm flattered, considering the smorgasbord that showed up to stop Ock and company. I didn't do a lot, compared to the people that took on Rhino and Octopus, but I'm glad to have helped a little. As far as being unnamed, though... I'm Keith, Keith O'Neil." He offers her a hand and grins "Secret identities are for people who don't look like a Teletubby."

A smile crosses Jocelyn's face as she extends her hand to take his and gives it a firm shake. "I'm Jocelyn. And yeah, I was in the neighborhood when all that went down," the teen says. "And you aren't that hard to pick out, really. Even among teleporting blue heroes, you at least rate a bit of notice. Besides, you dropped an anvil on Electro. That certainly counts for something. Guy had it coming to him," the woman says as she releases Keith's hand. "Good to meet you. I suppose there are a lot of reasons they keep their identities secret though, right? Protect the families or themselves, especially if they're a mutant. Things have gotten better there, but a lot of people still get nervous around mutants, I've noticed".

The teenager shrugs a little and continues walking. "So, Keith. What do you do when you're not out saving people from supervillains? Do you get money from the government through that whole registration program so you can have a place to stay?" she asks curiously.

"Heh, thank you, Jocelyn... well, there are a lot of reasons for keeping a secret identity, but I don't really have those. I've no family since I became like this. Had to cut ties with my past completely, and I don't really have any close friends so to speak. My social calendar is a little full dealing with the gangs in the Bronx. For some reason, none of the boys are amenable to a cuppa after I beat them black and blue." he winks

"It's all I really do, actually. The disadvantage of looking the way I look, outside of zero romantic prospects and a HUGE problem with drains clogging, is the fact that I can't really hide it for a long period of time. That makes having a career difficult. People aren't keen on hiring me for jobs not because of prejudice so much as the thought that, if I look the way I do, that means there's a danger of some costumed whacko trying to take me out. Which means I'm a risk to their business. And... well, after the Electro thing, I'm sure the starfish-headed one will try to fry me next time he sees me, so they're right in that."

He walks a little ways with her, finishing his coffee and tossing it into a bin, "I'm in the process of registration. The red tape and all takes a little while, so until then I'm staying in an abandoned warehouse in Morrisania. There's a cot, a broken mirror, and some crates for furniture. It's very Hipster Chic." he grins.

"Oh, those guys?" Jocelyn comments with a knowing shake of her head. "They've tried to rough me up a few times when I've been down there. Obnoxious lot, that group". Though now most of them knew to stay clear of Jocelyn. Something about growing up on the streets of Detroit made her pretty good at dealing with the gangs in New York if they tried anything to her when she was wandering around in her civilian clothes.

"Seriously, that much red tape? I'd think it was a matter of walking in and signing some papers. I mean, what documents do you have to produce anyway?" she asks, slightly amused at the red tape of it all. "It sucks that you've got to stay in some abandoned warehouse though. Doesn't seem fair to me. I mean, you go about dealing with villains and you've got to live like a pauper". Some things just weren't fair.

As the two walk, there's an alarm that goes off at a nearby jewelry shop, and a few citizens flee from the building in the direction of the two conversationalists. The odd thing is that once they pass Keith and Jocelyn, the people run for a little bit, and then just stop running. Nobody else seems to be noticing the alarm, and the citizens seem to be subconsciously avoiding the area in front of the shop and are ignoring the rather loud alarm, as if they can't even hear it.

"Now, that's unusual..." Keith remarks, seeing the strange behavior of the people around them. "Five will get you ten there's someone mucking with people's noggings. Man, I'm so glad I finished that coffee. Excuse me, Jocelyn, I need to punch in. Go and take some cover, just in case guns are involved. I'm going to see what this is all about..." He grins and Keith basically vanishes right then and there, into thin air, having activated his invisibility. He moves quickly, heading towards the area, but not entering it immediately just in case there -is- someone screwing up with people's heads. Rather, he tries to peek inside the shop to see what may be happening.

There's a thing about being able to see energy. Jocelyn can actually still see Keith's energy signature, his living energy perfectly visible to her. "Looks like it," the teen says. She moves to take some cover nearby, which happens to be an old mailbox right near the doorway of the shop. She could see energy through walls, so this was a just fine spot for her.

Inside there appear to be two costumed individuals. One a man dressed in what is basically a dark green and blue spandex suit and the other a woman wearing all white except for a short black cape. Both of them are masked and are unrecognizable. The man appears to be carrying a sword made of pure flame while the woman appears to be unarmed.

"Yes, those five are the last of it," the woman says as the man at the counter obediently puts some jewelry into a gag for the two. It's obvious by his expression that he's terrified and isn't under any crazy mind control. If they've noticed Keith yet, they haven't indicated as such, as they're perfectly content to continue robbing the shop.

Invisible as he is, Keith frowns. 'Looks like it was just good old fear, not mind control. This will make it easier for me...'

He quietly steps inside the store, moving against one of the walls and he concentrates, building an image into his mind, and then putting it out into the world.

Taller... broader shoulders... dark hair... and...

And Wonder Woman steps into the store throught he front door and stands at the threshold, arms crossed and blue eyes staring at the two criminals. "You won't need accessories where you two are going," she says, her voice recalled by Keith from one of the news items about her shortly after she started showing up, nine months ago or so, "Drop your weapons and give yourselves up."

Having set the illusion in motion, the feline slowly starts moving upwards, while observing what the crooks' reaction will be. He's dealing with unknown quantities, and how they deal with the illusory Wonder Woman will give him an inkling of whom he might need to disable first.

The man looks over, brandishing his blade at 'Wonder Woman', but stops. "There's no mind there," he says. Not in the illusion, at the very least. "But there is someone out there". He has a very New York voice, meaning he must be a native. The woman holds her hand out, creating little black pins, and launches them at the illusion. The pins go right through and go shooting out the door, embedding themselves in a nearby car, which proceeds to gain a new hole in it's side as acid spreads out from where it was struck.

"Well, they're not in the doorway. We should get going," the woman says. She reaches over to grab the bag, then holds her hand out, pointing it at the man. "Can't leave you to tell the tale," she adds as she prepares to launch another assault.

'Oh, great, so there IS a psychic...' There is no time to formulate a strategy, though, as the man's life is in danger. The cheshire cat quickly thinks and creates a concave, glowing purple surface between the woman and the shop owner, aiming to catch the pins with it and return them to sender- hoping it gives him a little time to deal with the man with the flaming sword.

The pins do strike the surface, and instead of bouncing, they just stick there, the pins sharp enough to embed themselves in it. The good news is that the man is able to duck and find himself some cover, diving for the back room. "Now that was just plain rude," the woman says. She holds out both hands and starts spraying the shop, hoping to get lucky and catch Keith with an errant shot.

Meanwhile, Keith is going to feel his mind to start to come under attack. It is as if someone is trying to enter his mind and command him to show himself, prying at Keith's mind to try and unlock the doors to his innermost thoughts. However, before the attack can get very far in it's attempts, the psychic attack abruptly disappears, and the man whips his head around, as though looking for another attacker. Nobody else appears to be in the room, though.

The will that meets the invader is nothing to sneeze at- Resolute and strong. However, in order to fight the intrusion Keith must focus himself-- and in doing so, he becomes visible when he is no longer putting his Willpower towards maintaining his invisibility. When the assault upon his mind ends, all too late he realizes he is visible as the woman starts spraying the store. He hastily brings up a glowing wall in front of him to intercept the needles, as the other wall vanishes.

"Let me guess, you're the Sea Urchin?" he quips behind the wall, thinking quickly on his next move.

The man is still looking confused. "You didn't use any energy to stop my attack". Not the type he's talking about anyway, which may seem a bit odd. He brandishes the sword at Keith and starts launching fireballs from it, though they aren't individually strong enough to break thorugh Keith's wall. Combined with the pins being launched from the woman, however, and it was just a question of how long Keith could keep his protection up.

Meanwhile, outside, Jocelyn has left her 'cover' and made her way around back. Having let herself in, she's now sneaking through the back room and can more accurately see what's going on as she keeps low, behind the counter. The terrified man has already fled through the back, and the girl is trying to figure out the best way to help, ideally without revealing her powers to Keith. She wasn't yet in a position to act though, so that decision would wait a few seconds longer still.

'Aaand this is why I need to join a group...' Vorpal thought as his wall comes under attack. He feels the construct beginning to wane and he has no option but to take a huge gamble. The woman was some twenty feet away from him. That left five feet to cover...

'Here goes nothing.'

The wall vanishes in an instant-- but so does Vorpal, as he Sidesteps fifteen feet towards the needle-shooting woman. It is a this point that he feels a searing pain along his right arm as one of the needles finds its mark, but he immediately Sidesteps again, trying to appear behind the woman and grab at her wrists from behind her-- the sudden and excruciating pain being an obstacle in his concentration. As he begins the second sidestep almost on the

almost after finishing the first one, he feels his stomach lurch due to Sidestepping so close together. Whether he'll actually be able to emerge behind her and subdue her is uncertain.

The needle strike is going to leave a very nice, large burn that spreads up Keith's arm. It won't stop him from using it yet, but it's going to need treatment soon. However, the sidestepping catches the woman off-guard, and Keith is going to be able to subdue her before the burn does too much damage.

With Keith being hit, Jocelyn decides that she has to take a little more direct action, especially with the man with the flaming sword attempting to pick him off. Small fires are starting where fireballs have missed Keith so far, but the man has a great shot on him now, especially since he can send a message to his ally to duck her head and slump, which she does. The hope is that while she is subdued, it'll cause Keith to fall. At that moment, Jocelyn flips up and over the counter, catching the man around the neck with one arm and throwing him up against a wall, where she immediately unleashes a sidekick to his stomach followed by an uppercut, knocking him out, as the psychic is caught unaware somehow of the tall teen.

"Thought you might want a hand, regardless of your being a hero and all" the teenager says. "You alright?" she asks.

Keith O'Neil grunts, starting to feel the pain spreading as the acid begins to eat away at his skin. "That was... beautiful." he says, visibly impressed by Jocelyn's handling of Mr. Fireball. "I'm hit- I hate psychics." he adds, as he lets go of one of the woman's wrists for one second to deliver a karate chop, hoping to knock her out. There was no way of knownig if she would eat away through ropes, and he didn't want her to get away before the authorities and the specialized patrol could get at them.

The woman is indeed knocked out. With the threat dealt with, Jocelyn smiles and heads over to inspect the injury and winces. "Thanks. I'm guessing you don't have a healing ability," the woman offers, noting the badness of the acid strike. She sets her hand on the man's shoulder. "If you can keep a secret, I think I can fix you up. Lot of reasons to keep secret identities up, you know". Which is about as much of a hint as the teen was going to offer to Keith. If he hadn't been hit, she could walk away without offering this up, but her own ethics told her that she needed to take care of it if he'd let her.

Keith O'Neil grits his teeth, there are tears forming as the pain intensifies, he hadn't felt pain this intense, ever "... if you can... Gah..." he grits his teeth and closes his eyes "So much...."

Right. "Hold on then," Jocelyn says. She focuses her life energy and lets it flow outward, through her body and out her hand, letting it mingle with Keith's own life energy, something that most people could never see, and took a breath. The energies mix, and Jocelyn takes control of it, speeding up the healing process considerably. The wound at first just stops spreading, and then it is as though the natural healing process speeds up, and within a couple minutes, Keith's arm will be good as new. The pain should be completely gone at that point, and the girl looks over at him.

"How is that?" she questions. "That was brave of you, going in against those guys after seeing what they did to that car. I wouldn't want to face her head-on".

Keith O'Neil stares at the wound, or rather where the wound used to be. He moves his arm a little, testing it and his eyes go wide "Wow... your powers are actually useful, can we trade? My arm feels ... great!" he says, then looks at the two downed crooks. "I didn't have much of a choice, she was going to kill that clerk. If it hadn't been for you, I'd probably be dead by now," he says, reaching over across the counter and dialing a number when he reaches the phone "... I don't exactly have the most useful set of talents.... hello? yes, this is Vorpal..." he gives the number under which his file is undergoing the process of registration, and he describes the two perpetrators quickly, stressing that one can generate acid and they should probably send special containment. "... I'll give my statement later, I'm going to get treatment on a minor injury," he adds, and hangs up. "C'mon, let's make tracks, we want to keep your secret identity a secret, after all." he flashes her a cheshire grin.

"Trust me, there are aspects of my ability you don't want," Jocelyn says with a smile. "But I'm glad it helped. We can go out the back. There's an alleyway," she explains. And Jocelyn will lead the way out, ducking through a few different alleys until they get to a slightly more isolated area where they can talk properly.

"Your talents are perfectly useful. You can create illusions, and those physical walls. Most illusionists can't create walls that actually block anything," she points out. "You'd have been better off if there wasn't a psychic there, I bet. He picked up on your mind and that Wonder Woman lacked one in that shop".

"Just don't mention that to the real Wonder Woman," he quips, and as they walk out he creates an illusion around them of an old couple, man and wife. After all, if they're keeping her identity secret, it wouldn't do to be seen walking in his company immediately after. "-- though honestly, I've never seen her in person. I think she's awesome, though..."he says, the old man's features crinkling into a grin. "Someday... maybe, they'll think me good enough to join. But that's ages from now, if ever. Doing this sort of thing alone sucks melons... that psychic proved why. I was a martial artist before turning, and I'm still damned good in Tiger style--" he lets that sink in, for the humor of it "but if I can't get close I'm a sitting duck. I can only Sidestep a max of fifteen feet. And if I do it more than three times in a minute... well, that's the end of me for a while, I get really sick and I can barely do anything. Don't ask me why. I haven't the faintest clue of why I'm the way I am--- let's go over to the park in the corner, then we can head wherever you want."

"Tiger Style, huh? Appropriate. Not really my style, to be honest, but it's effective," Jocelyn responds as they want. A nod is given about the park. "Why would you say it's ages away? I'll bet they'd take you if you went and asked them about joining. Have you talked to any of them about it?" Jocelyn was, if nothing else, optimistic about such things. "I don't have any teleporting abilities or anything like that. Though I've met some teleporters before". In her line of work, whatever that was, she met a lot of different types.

A nod is given about doing the work alone. "I don't know how someone like Batman does it alone all the time. I mean, yeah, he has some associates, but he pretty much goes it alone. Don't quite get how that works for him". She continues walking along with him to the park. "So, how long you been doing this?" she asks.

Answering her questions as he walks with her - not too quickly, can't have old timers jogging after all- he answers last to first "About.... five months. That's how long ago I was transformed. Feels like a whole lifetime, though. Living in a warehouse and living off canned foot, staying indoors most of the day to avoid stares and going out at night to patrol. Heh.... As far as how the bat does it? Well, that's because he's Batman. That's the answer to anything he does, really. Though sometimes I wonder if it's really just one man, or several people wearing the same costume working together. I met the Huntress, but she wasn't exactly crazy about me. I was tracking down Mike Callahan and his drug ring, and I got shot in the shoulder. That annoyed her, I think."

He looks at her and raises an eyebrow "Well, I came across Booster Gold, he was investigating something at the docks. He told me the groups tend to be very selective and usually you need to have proven yourself in on way or another. It'll be nice to finally have an apartment, however small, to live in." At the mention of teleporters, he chuckles "I saw one during the fight. Blue and fuzzy? We have a mutual friend in common. Lovely girl... so, you have healing powers?" He says, going only from what he just saw of her powers, little does he suspect the range of them.

"Well, I'd consider talking to the Justice League if you want in. If nothing else, I bet they can point you in the right direction if they don't quite think you've made enough of a 'name' for yourself, but last I heard they're open to pretty much anybody," Jocelyn says with a shrug. "I've never met the Huntress. Don't really know that much about her or most of the Gotham types, really". She stayed out of Gotham most of the time.

"I manipulate energy," Jocelyn explains. She hadn't bothered to deal with the small fires at the shop as the fire department was already on it's way, and she didn't need to leave any markers of her passing. "I see and manipulate most forms of energy. For example, when you did your invisibility trick, I could still 'see' you, or at least your energy signature". She shrugs. "It's a very broad ability, but it isn't as individually strong as someone who has one or two very focused powers". It also meant it could be hard to pin her down when she was in costume. "However, using a lot of it indoors is usually dangerous. Collateral damage and everything".

Stops in his tracks and looks at her, eyebrows raised. "Wow... that is... awesome!" he says. Then he realizes he's supposed to look ninety years old, and coughs "... manipulating energy, how did you ever discover you could do..." he pauses, then he remembers how he discovere he could do anything other than being purple. "... it sort of jumps at you, doesn't it? So if you can see energy... what does this all look like to you?" he says, indicating the world around them as they step into the park. "It must be amazing, seeing the world through your eyes. I can see in the dark... like cats, not like, dark dark."

"Yeah, it tends to just happen. I'm a mutant," Jocelyn explains. "So, it manifested in a most unenjoyable manner. Seems to be the theme among mutant powers I've found," Jocelyn explains with a small smile. She kind of blew up the gym she was training at, which wasn't the best of memories for her. "Anyway, you've not been doing this much longer than I have then. I just happen to have been training in martial arts for a very long time. The only manipulation of energy I used in that fight was keeping psychic boy from picking up on me. Mental shields, and it helps to be able to see what he's doing". She once really ticked off some powerful psychics with that trick, but that was a story for another day.

"As to what the world looks like? I see it in layered colors, really. Various energies look different to me. Kinetic, gravimetric, thermal, living...they all look different, so it's kind of like the world is always glowing for me," she explains to Keith.

"You also didn't answer my statement about the Justice League," she points out with an easy smile.

He chuckles "Sorry, I was a little distracted by the awesomeness of your power. I'm not a mutant, though... at least... I'm not *sure*. What I am is kind of... strange." If Jocelyn looked at him, it is uncertain what she'd see on a regular basis, except that everything about his powers, from the illusions to the teleportation and the constructrs was dripping with 5th dimensional energy. Magic, or a combination of magic and somethign else. "About asking the League... I don't know. I get butterflies in my stomach every time I think about actually showing up and *asking* them, you know?" This comes from the purple cat who fights crime without a shirt on in running tights. "... gah, I'm pathetic. I can't even tell the guy I like that I like him-- not that it'd matter-- how am I supposed to apply to the league? Bashing people over the head is easier."

"Well, your abilities are magical in nature, that much I can tell," Jocelyn says, looking over at the cat. "Something else, too, but I'm not familiar with it, so I can't put a name to it". A shrug is given to that. A smile is given. "Really, my abilities are not that out there. There are way more talented people than I am. That's just the healing talking for you," she comments with a small grin. If anything ever got her to go public about her identity, that would be it, honestly.

"As for asking them? Most of them are pretty much normal people like you and I. They just have bigger names and an awesome clubhouse. That's all. I'd offer to go with you, but honestly, I've only met Superman a couple times, and that was very early on in my development of my powers, so I didn't have as much control as I have now. I don't think he was impressed, though he likely doesn't even remember me by now," she adds with a laugh. "You could always seek out the Titans, too," she adds.

"And telling someone you like them isn't easy. Harder than talking to one of the hero groups. That doesn't make you any more pathetic than almost everyone on the planet, so don't worry about it. You'll tell him when the time is right".

"I don't think I ever will" he says. Now that they are a safe distance away, he drops the illusion before he starts getting migraines. He stuffs his hands in his pockets. "There's a girl who is interested in him." He exhales a little, and shrugs.

"The Titans? I'm not sure, I just turned twenty... aren't they supposed to be mostly teenagers? And yeah... I'm sorta magic. I suspect the Cheshire cat created me. I mean, that's what I basically am, a friggin' cheshire cat. Doctor Fate even dropped by at one point and told me about this place where all the magical people hang out. The prospect of going there scares me a little, though. I don't do magic. I just think about doing something and... it happens if it's something I can do... " he pauses "... that's magic, isn't it?"

"So? Find out if he's interested in guys or girls. If he's inteested, talk to him. You lose way more by not talking and taking the chance than you do by staying quiet. Just a suggestion," Jocelyn tells Keith easily. She wasn't trying to run his dating life, but she always figured people being decisive was better than not.

"I think you're thinking of the Young Allies who are mostly teens. I think the Titans tend to vary in their age a bit, but I could be wrong," Jocelyn admits. "I don't really know anyone in the Titans, so I don't know their policies all that well". A shrugs is given to that.

Then Jocelyn laughs. "Yes. That is basically magic. So it sounds to me like you'll fit in there just fine. I'm sure they're used to all sorts of people, so I doubt you'll stick out that much there. Certainly less than you do walking down the streets of New York," she points out.

"Yeah... but the thing is that I think about it. He's got his secret identity. I can't really get one of those. It's... not a good idea for me to have relationships. I'm a dead giveaway to someone's identity if they're seen with me, or a constant risk. Your advice is solid... only it sort of applies for less freaky people than me." He chuckles.

"The Young Allies? Yeah, maybe I am confusing the two. You can see the Titan tower from the harbor... I go there sometimes to think by myself. It has crossed my mind, on occasion. Picking up the courage is hard, though. It's hard enough dealing with the stares going out into the street. But I sort of force myself- you can't really become a hermit, can you?"

"There was this lovely lady who was at the fight. She saw me the other day and offered to talk to me about magic. She gave me a stone I could contact her through... I haven't done it yet. I hate to be an imposition, you know? I've always hated taking up people's time..." he shrugs "I was raised to be self-sufficient, and then learned to survive the gangs. I guess I just don't like thinking I may be wasting someone's time or being a lump."

"Oh, you can become a hermit, but it's not something I'd recommend," Jocelyn tells Keith. "It would get boring after about a week, I imagine, once you've played every single player card game under the sun. As for appearances, people will adjust. They've been adjusting for the last few years".

A nod is given about the woman. She had a very good idea who Keith was talking about, but Jocelyn doesn't say that. She didn't know what name Amanda gave. "I'd talk to her then. Most people will let you know if you're being an imposition". She glances at her watch and sighs. "Though I do need to get going. I've got an appointment later that I really have to keep. It was good to meet you, Keith. I'll see you around".