Price's Melancholy/The Benefits of Travel

Johnny sighed a bit as she came into the apartment. It was odd, but they had seemingly adjusted at long last to the new addition of Evelyn to their lives, though from the looks of things, the wizard, as well as Price, were gone. The place was empty. Smiling a bit at the relatively unusual silence, she went to the fridge and grabbed a cola, before tensing. She heard the lock turning in the front door, and some old reflex told her to hide, and so she crouched low in the almost imperceptible gap between the refrigerator and the cabinet to the side. Price walked in, she heard him muttering darkly, and he came into the kitchen. Worried she was going to have to give an awkward explanation, she stayed quiet, listening to him open the fridge, and then grabbing a drink. Then she heard something click. "Audio Diary, March Fourth, Eight-thirty-something AM." Now, it was a bit interesting. Johnny listened intently as Price went into the living room and sat down on the couch. "No one's in the room, so it's a good a time as any to make a new entry. I'm falling apart." He said, and Johnny could hear that he wasn't feeling well, he sounded exhausted. "I don't know what to do. The Doctor said I'd be fine in a few weeks, and I am. Physically, at least." Johnny was confused, not knowing anything about any doctor visits. "I'm not strained, dizzy, or out of it anymore, and I'm moving around okay after the procedure. But, that doesn't help the point of the matter. God, I'm rambling, where do I start..?" After a long moment, she heard him continue. "Johnny, that's it. Whenever I have problems, I can always rely on Johnny to help me focus. I look up to her in ways I don't completely understand. I almost idolize her, and yet, we've grown up together. I envy every thing about her, and yet… I know that I had feelings for her, and very likely still do, beyond those of a friend. But I can barely rationalize any more, I don't know what to think. Not that it matters. She's so far above me, so better than me in just about every way, and she's got powers. God, what I'd give just to be her equal, so that maybe… Nevermind." There was a long pause, leaving Johnny feeling like she had been struck by lightning. "I am who I am, pathetic, but that's not going to stop me. As for Johnny, I don't know. God I wish it could, but I don't think our relationship will ever become anything more than friends. I don't even know why I'm doing this anymore. I'm being driven mad by it all, and yet I can't bear to leave, I love being a part of it, even when it's this tiny, insignificant one. I'll never leave her so long as I'm welcome, but I've got to do something, something to get back that purpose. I'm having a hard time finding a reason to get out of bed these days. End Entry." He said, and with an audible click, he rose from the couch, going into his room and slamming the door. Johnny had no idea what to say, what she COULD have said to that. "Oh, Fuck, jesus-shit, PISS!" She said aloud, degenerating into a long string of curses that were barely audible. "Well, there's no way I'm going to be able to look him in the eyes now…" She muttered. "Well, if there's anything I can do to help, let me know, okay?" Johnny jumped with a sudden curse, looking up to see a slightly frazzled looking Evelyn clinging to the ceiling of the kitchen by what looked like the equivalant of green jello that hung around her mid section and kept her clung to the ceiling, a place where Price rarely looked. "You…." Johnny bit a curse off and said "You…how the hell did you get up there?", putting her hands on her hips as she looked up at the newcomer. "Well I was trying to enlarge the jello, but it seemed I accidently set the spell from enlarge, to explode. How it manages to stick like this astounds me, I'll have to do further research on this anomaly later… oh and I might be having my occult club meet here to tomorrow I hope you don't mind" Johnny bit the inside of her cheek she didn't know whether to get mad or well get mad. She took a few deep breaths and lightly climbed the counter and touched said jello and her left arm started to glow and a few seconds later and large burst of electricity blew apart the Jello making an outright mess of the kitchen. Johnny was on her stomach on the floor as globs of Jello fell to the floor and slid down along the walls. "Goddam…wumph!!!" she said as something hit her back and she looked up and Evelyn was sitting there with jello in her long brunette hair as she smiled softly. "You know that jello is good" she said as she picked up a piece of Johnny and lightly nibbled at it, thank you for breaking my fall though you make a wonderful cushion."

Not long after, Johnny was witness to another bad situation. She heard a quick knock at her door, and Johnny quickly got up to open it. Outside her bedroom, she saw Evelyn standing holding a few bundles. "Quick let,me,in,let,me,in,let,me,in,now,fast!" She said, brushing past her. Johnny was befuddled for a moment as Evelyn rushed in, and dumped her bundle on HER bed. "What the hell do you think you're doing wi-EWWW! What the HELL?!" She yelled, as there was a large, yellow bundle of hair, but more importantly, a few pairs of boxers on HER bed. Evelyn looked at her as if this sort of behavior was totally normal. "I wanted to make a clone, and I need DNA for that. Skin cells, hair, traces of excretions, Etcetera." "Excretions?" Johnny said, her expression blank before becoming angry once more. "WHY do you need fecal matter of all things?" "Magic doesn't always make sense." Evelyn said, brushing aside the bundle from the rest, and Johnny saw it for what it was. Apparently, in Price's underwear drawer, there was a wig. A long, golden-blonde wig. Johnny immediately started to freak out, holding her head in her hands as her thoughts started racing. Is he a crossdresser?! Does he have leukemia? Maybe he's into some kinky things? Maybe he's paying for the apartment by whoring himself on the streets?! What the hell is going on here?! Evelyn looked at Johnny with a confused look. "What are you freaking out over? I got what I came for." Johnny looked at the bundle of underwear in her arms. "What do you need that for anyway?!" Evelyn looked a bit irritated. "I told you, I wanted to make a clone." "Of. What." "Hell if I know. Let's try and see!" she said with the air of mysticism and mystery.

Later, Johnny was simply out walking, trying to get some fresh air and take her mind off of the craziness of it all. Between what was going on with Price, and the magic that Evelyn used all the time, it was getting hard to get some peace and quiet. She reminded herself that she'd always have these walks to calm her down, when a nearby building exploded, and she began cursing at luck, karma, and any gods that might be listening. She ran to the building, which appeared to be some data storage company, only to find two young looking girls running out. It took her a moment to realize what had happened here. The way they were running, the Olympian speed they ran with, and the large portable drive in one of their hands. Apparently, the villains here were the girls. "Stop!" Johnny said, and they ignored her, rolling past her. Not well amused, she sent jolts of power running down her limbs as she poured on artificial speed to catch up to the young entrepreneurs. "I said stop, god damn it!" She yelled, and they did, but not from her. Sir Percival was there like a ghost, leaping across from some unknown origin, his sword laying about in their path, forcing them to skid to a halt. Quite literally, they skid for a good two and a half feet, it was almost comical. "I do believe you have made the wrong choice, girls. You can make it easier on yourselves if you surrender." He said in that noble tone, pointing his sword at them, and now Johnny got a good look at their adversaries. They both possessed greenish-hazel eyes, and light brown hair that fell just past their shoulders. They were absolutely identical, seeming each-other's reflection, wearing identical pairs of jeans that stopped just above the calf, and short-sleeved white polo shirts. If Johnny had to guess, they seemed maybe fourteen or fifteen, and were amazing athletes. "Flash!" One said, looking to the other. Their eyes met, and nodded as some silent communication passed between them, and began to blur as they ran at top speed, not to escape the Knight Errant, but to fight him.

Percival stood his ground for a few short moments, suddenly glad of the muscle tissue treatments he had undergone, accelerating development of both white, red, and pink muscle radically, allowing him years of work and buildup in a matter of months. He was faster, stronger, than he had ever been before. Not superhuman, but much stronger than your average joe. His reflexes carried him with bewildering speed to him, and he allowed them to do just that. He reacted to the blurs in his peripheral vision more than thinking of how to fight, his arms snapping left, then right, then above him as the two girls blurred with superhuman speed, and then he leapt. He didn't know why until after he had, but he saw that he was about to be swept from behind, and he grimaced under his bandanna. He was faster, but it didn't really matter, these two actually had powers. He felt outclassed, out of his league. Taking an insane risk, not out of any sense of duty, but not caring if it went poorly, he leapt onto a car, then a van, then with a leap, grabbed onto the support structure of an overpass to the interstate, climbing up on the high-traffic route, pointing his sword derisively at the girls. They took the bait, blurring almost out of sight before they stood in traffic with him. Car horns wailed, the wind gusting and swirling as cars nearly missed, swerved, or paid no attention to the hero and villains on the roadway. Here, where he didn't care if he got hit or not, he could push every advantage. He could see the strain on the girls as the fought to stay aware of the two-way traffic, and at the same time, press their teamwork against the more experienced fighter. Price was using the flat of his blade of course, even in his half-dead state, he couldn't bring himself to draw mortally upon the girls. It looked like his plan might have worked, but they were just too fast. Unless he caught them completely off-guard, he could swing, and they would speed away before the blow could connect. They likewise couldn't get the jump on him, for all of his attention was focused on the girls. Speed didn't help them when they were predictable. Until finally, it seemed that his luck ran out. He heard a horn wail directly behind him, and turned to see a middle-aged woman screaming behind the wheel of a minivan, children in the back-seat. He had thought he didn't care, but reflex took over, and he spun, leaping with only one foot to power him upwards, and was amazed. His body was propelled higher than he had ever been able to jump even when properly springing. His leg hit the windshield, and spun him, and by luck more than nothing else, dropped him neatly on the asphalt on one, then both feet. He stared, growling deep in his throat as he saw the two girls had grabbed onto the van, and were using it to power their escape, still holding to drive. Powered by cutting edge, possibly dangerous medical technology, and he still wasn't good enough. He sheathed his sword violently into his sheath, the force of the movement rattling his teeth with his new strength. He glared at the fading van, rage burning in his eyes to try and burn away the disappointment he felt for himself.

Meanwhile

Johnny had been about to go after the twins when Percival had decided to step into it. She didn't feel the need to go after them but she could see the fight slowly going against Percival. She was all for stepping in but then she would be in the same position he was in though. She followed the fight as she watched the Twins and made note of what happened for the most part all she could tell was they were exceedingly fast. She could get just about their if she strained it but it would leave her exhausted afterwards…these two were achieving this kind of speed without any real show of strain. She watched and in wonderment why some kids were so young and stealing from….what were they stealing? She couldn't remember no major truck for cash she didn't dare look back to find out in case she lost them. Eventually she heard a large bit of honking and she cursed. "Mr. knight you are a freaking retard." She said and watched and waited and then saw something she cursed at. A child had been walking on the pedestrian walkway and since a car had crashed it had sent the child rolling over towards the end of it the child grasped the ledge the scream that came from the childs mouth sent chills into her very marrow she had heard a very similar scream when she was younger and it had left her scarred for life. She didn't know how she did it but she did what her electronics seemed to be doing for her. Her feet were glowing way too bright for even her trying to charge it and she could feel the electricity spark out touching cars and blasting street lights and then she was running in blur across cars and trucks and the like she could see the child getting lower and lower as the boy wailed for help. Suddenly Johnny felt nothing under her feet as she launched her self from a semi truck leaving a very nasty dent and incredibly large explosion of electricity and her arms reached out for a lamp post to launch her the last dozen yards how she grabbed it she didn't know. Her systems had gone into an override mode on their own but she was airborne slicing through the air like a neon green bat out of hell and she grasped the boy before he fell but she had forgotten about the landing and she twisted and grimaced as the ground was coming in at a fast pace too fast and she covered the child with her own body and the bridge shook slightly as there was an intense and deep crater that Johnny had landed herself in a couple of feet deep. She took inventory of herself…what was weird is she wasn't hurting as bad as she thought she should be. She looked over herself and she found her systems had crashed her hands no longer glowed and neither could she any juices coming out of her feet. She looked back and there was devastatingly deep crack of lightning that seemed to outline her body. "Ah…fu….hell" she said reminding herself there was a child in the immediate vicinity. "Uh….a little help here….please?" she called out and then her attention went to the child he was breathing and nothing looked broken or bleeding. "Little guy must have gone unconscious from the speed I caught him at" she murmured and then waited and soon found a familiar face staring up at her and she blinked how far into the wall was she in the wall and how far up was she?

Sir Percival made his way down the bridge, never having felt his body so light, or his soul so heavy as he went down. His recklessness had put someone at risk, and Johnny had needed to save the day, to be a real hero. He was disgusted with himself as he easily hopped down from the overpass, using the structural support, a streetlight, and then a van to head down to street level, heading over to the crater. He went to the deep hole in the building, marveling at the power Johnny had obtained somehow. He pushed his way past the crowd none-too-gently as he walked over to the building in question, wincing at the damage inflicted to the brick-and-mortar surface. He saw the child, and quickly reached in. "I'm so sorry." He said, knowing there was nothing else to say for his recklessness, and at the same time knowing it could never be enough. "Please, let me help you both out of there."

"I'd appreciate but you might have to carry us both at this point…I used too much power and I can't use my limbs at the moment…" she said softly "Careful he's asleep once we get out could you try to find his mother?" she asked a little vulnerable now that her powers had basically abandoned her thank god not in the middle otherwise she would be in a stretcher in emergency care. She smiled though at Percival and tried holding out a hand that seemed difficult for her to do.

At the sound of the word 'mother,' there was already a woman nearing hysterics trying to push him aside to get to her child. However, pushing a very muscularly dense young man wearing Kevlar and a flak jacket was easier said than done. He reached in, gently taking the young child first, supporting his weight as he passed her to the woman. "Make sure to take him to a doctor," He said, not knowing if she could hear him through her relieved sobs. "He looks fine, but it was still a strong impact." He turned, smiling underneath his bandanna, even though it felt false. He had failed, he had allowed thieves to escape, and his actions had endangered not only innocent lives, but one of the few people in this life he cared about. He quickly, gently took Johnny's hand in his down, pulling with scientifically enhanced muscles, then taking her arm, and her full weight. "Begging your pardon, Ma'am." He said wryly as he lifted her from the hole, supporting her weight bridal style. "And where would you like to go, this afternoon?" He said, managing to feign a subservient tone to her, that of an eager servant. Moments before he could manage that sentence the crowd that was around them erupted in applause as they surged forth with smiles and hand shakes and pats on the back and more than a few words were spoken and more often then not the words hero were spoken. Any conversation Percival had been trying to have died with the roaring crowd. Johnny was smiled at thanked and more so given hugs and tokens of appreciation and it took more than a second to recognize he too was being thanked about his heroism to stop the unjust in their tracks and such after so much time Percival made it through the thundering crowd to the words of Hero.

Percival felt a little bit of a smile come forth, and this time, it was genuine. He responded as well as he could to the myriad of thanks. He still doubted himself, but it was hard to be sour and critical in the midst of people thanking you, even if he felt that Johnny was the only hero here. Eventually, saying that Johnny needed her space after a stunt like that, he managed to move through the crowd, which rapidly dispersed as it's center of attention moved away. "I'm sorry about that." He said, and he wasn't sure whether he meant the botched heroics, not being there to help her sooner, or the crowd. "Ah yes, I believe I was asking a lovely young lady where she wished to be escorted to?" He said, more of his chivalrous tone returning, sounding almost normal. Johnny giggled a little trying to protest about being carried like a blushing bride but she could tell her systems were locked for another couple of hours. "Uh…I think we should go to a place where I can relax…if I go back to the house now there will be questions…like who's your new friend and such…really embarrassing…not that I find you embarrassing! No I think…that your fine just how you are…I mean…I think your fine in as a hero….and a colleague!" She said trying to make it sound like she wasn't flirting and ailing horribly and just resigned herself to be a little more quiet before digging a deeper hole. She breathed in deep and let it out. "What I mean my good Knight is I would love to be taken to my….well my secret spot where I can no matter what." Percival nodded, trying not to show the heat that had begun rushing to his face as she stumbled over her words. He wondered what she'd say, if he took off his wig, bandanna, and glasses now, but of course, decided against it. "Then please, my fine lady, give me directions, and I'll walk you anywhere in this god-forsaken city." He said, shifting her in his arms slightly. He was very, very glad he had his muscle therapy, as the electronics in Johnny made her weigh a good deal more than a healthy girl her size should. Now, though, he could probably juggle her, though it was an interesting mental image, he didn't think he could even bring his mischievous side to do such a thing. Not to Johnny, anyway.

Johnny smiled and slowly raised her hand an brushed her raven hair out of her eyes and she smiled and it really did reach her eyes they shimmered as if a wind had just blown through her deep forest green eyes. She lightly reclined in Percival's arms wondering if really had super strength or of he was just really normal. That was made her blush feeling that strength in his arms the way they cradled her and she ducked her face. And muttered to herself for a moment and then gave him the directions. It wasn't too far but height was more of the problem but it would be a cake walk according to her so she lightly held on to him as he escorted her through out the city they talked lightly though remarking on the city and how the villains have keep coming in though they had no idea how they did it. "I have a few minor ideas," Percival said, thinking. "Nothing I can back up with solid research yet, but usually there are ways in and out of a city that almost no-one knows about. My real question is, what could they be after? In the past three months, they've raided a bank, and a national library. It's obviously more than just cash they're after, but we don't have any clue what their goal is. We don't even know if those girls are somehow related to the Hellraisers. For all we know, they could be advance scouts. It makes me pretty upset that I couldn't even stop them from getting away with whatever it was they came for, let alone question them." He said, his anger allowing him to sound more the hero than the angst, a fact that he was grateful for. After all, the one person that he cared for his image with was Johnny, and just maybe Evelyn. "What do you think about the whole thing?" He said, turning as directed by his passenger.

Johnny shook her head "First I ever heard of these people…I happened to be on a walk and low and behold the kids run out in front of me." She said softly and felt kind of insignificant to an actual hero who was more than enough confidant in his abilities to take down thugs and freaks with powers. She didn't have the guts to do such thing to go with government. "I don't think I could handle that kind of pressure…every one relying on you…at all times…I think it would kill me inside" she said softly as she lightly touched his arm. "The kids getting away was not your fault…I couldn't have kept up with them if tried" she muttered feeling very inadequate. "But I mean look at you taking both of them on at once! That's amazing they were moving so fast I was amazed you made it out of there without a scratch on ya!" she said and felt herself snuggle into the warmth and comfort of his arms. "So like…I know this is kind of personal….but you happen…to be seeing anyone?" she asked feeling a little light….WAIT! Had she just asked him out! Oh,god,oh,god,oh,god,oh,god,oh,god what the hell am I thinking am I on crack! "You know…it seems kinda suspicious you know….how you always seem to be a crime scene before I even show up…or how you always seem to find yourself involved in fights that I'm in….I mean that must mean don't get a lot of time with her right?"

Percival almost stumbled at the sudden change in topic, but regained his stride smoothly. "Damn it, I knew this would happen." He thought to himself, and cleared his throat as his thoughts began to race. "Believe it or not, under this mask, I'm still a regular person, and not all that confident at that. A fight for my survival is one thing, telling a pretty lady you like her, well, that's much more difficult. Especially when there's so many differences between you." He said, trying to spin the conversation away from how he always seemed to be around her, but at the same time secretly hoping she would push the issue. "Now, that's not to say there isn't a person I'd like to be with, even I have an idol, but as I've said, we're in very different circumstances, and I doubt I could hold a candle to the type of person they deserve." He said, very careful to look straight ahead as he followed her directions. He was terrified, and secretly wishing that something might slip, that his secret would be outted. At the same time, he was afraid of what might happen to their friendship, or of her always trying to keep him out of danger when all he really wanted to do was prove that he could be as much of a hero as she did almost without seeming to try. "As for the government, there's very little pressure, and not to mention that there's a safety-net should something go wrong. I worry, for vigilantes like yourself. I respect what you do, but at the same time, you're taking such a risk with no one to rely on but yourself." "Nah I don't work alone….I kind of have you to watch my back…which is weird but not unpleasant" she said and smiled and then after having him go through a couple of alleys there was what seemed to be an old as shit elevator in a corner it had warning tape all over it and such with rust all over it. "Ah we're here" she said and lightly shifted her way out of his warm grasp and stumbled a little but was on her feet as she reached a hand for his shoulder and he helped her over to the elevator. "It's no secret base but…I come here when I need to think or even just rest." She said and murmured thanks that it still had some juice since she was out. Stepping into the elevator it felt just a little cramped since it was made for one. "Um…just hold still I guess" and she pressed a button and the elevator shuttered to life. As it creaked and groaned as it were breathing life into it coming back form death itself. After a couple of minutes they had eventually gotten to the top of the building and she stepped out of the elevator.

Johnny stepped back a couple of steps and looked at Percival and smiled as the sun slowly set behind her body letting the orange and red rays illuminate her body as she lightly tucked a stray piece of black hair ear. "Well welcome to my own Haven." She and gestured towards the rooftop. It didn't seem to have anything too amazing about but it had her touches to it. The building was apparently condemned but it seems everything was still intact. There noticeably large amounts of rugs and blankets about the top of it a small hammock between a water tower and the small square which held the door to go downstairs. There was nothing really there here and there would be either newspapers or books lying about and she giggled and lightly walked forward and fell down on her belly and snuggled into a fairly large pillow. "Well don't just stand their sit down"

Price, underneath the chivalrous veneer of Sir Percival felt so out of place, being welcomed, almost honored in Johnny's own private place. But here he could let his own inner actor take the lead, and so Sir Percival said with a grin that was as evident on his voice as his face "'Twould be improper for a gentleman to sit before invited." He explained, sitting down close to her, but not invading her personal space. He gazed around as he sat, marveling. Was it because that she had this private place to go that she was always so sure of herself, so capable? Or was it just because she was who she was, and this was another facet of that amazing person? Either way, he thanked whatever gods or devils might be responsible for bringing him here now. "It's surely a nice place for solitude," He said, returning his gaze steadfastly to her. "Though I have to say, much improved by your presence." He immediately went pale under the bandanna, wondering if his inner actor wanted to get him strangled with his own entrails. "Good God, did I just flirt with her?!"

She blushed a little and dismissed the remark. "It's all cause of my stupid roommates…always driving me crazy and never an ounce of silence anymore." She said sarcastically. " I mean it's like I'll never get any sleep at the rate I'm going…" she said and she smiled a little and looked down. "It's always fun though…to come home and see them waiting for me…never being alone…having people to talk to and who care about me…" she said and lightly looked up at Percival. "What about you…do you have people who care about you my so called Knight?" she said and lightly sat back and grabbed a bean bag lightly held it in her arms. It was a defensive maneuver for her whenever she got a little nervous and she lightly buried her chin making her look cuter as if she were trying to hide in the bean bag. "It's strange though…" she mentioned as her eyes kind of spaced out "I feel comfortable around you… I don't know why I brought you here…or well you brought me here" she said carefully. "I guess I need to vent or something"

Percival was definitely on shaky ground now, but he knew from having his life on the line so many times that if you stop on unstable ground, you go down with it. So he plunged ahead, giving everything to getting 'in character' with Sir Percival. "I do have people who care, but they don't know what it is I do." He said, trying not to make eye-contact with her, but his eyes always kept wandering back to her. "If they knew, my deepest fear is that they would pity me, or try and stop me because of how I'm ill-suited." He said, giving her a smile. "So yes, while there are people who do care, I will eventually have a great debt of secrecy to work off to them." He paused as she went on about him being a seemingly welcome addition here. "Well, be it venting, or catching a bullet, or some similar task, I promise you that so long as I can, I will always be eager to help you, Miss Appleseed." He said, staring through his lead-lined glasses at the girl. "If there is ever any sort of help you need, you always have my service."

She giggled softly into the bean bag. "You know no one talks like that anymore?" she said and looked at the man in question who, had on quite a number of things that must be exceedingly heavy on him. She blushed at thought of him taking it off and stopped and shook her head sending her black and neon green hair flying from left to right. "Well… that's good to know that there will be a knight to come and save me when I need him." She said and felt that inner girl peeping out to take a look. The one who still had the fantasy of a knight in shining white armor coming to save the princess. She furiously shook her head and banished that thought from her brain. "But…I guess I do need to talk to someone about something that has been on my mind…it's being weighing me down a lot lately..." she said softly. "If you don't want to hear it I understand everyone has places they need to be" she said ending the last part in a tone that did not fit with her, it sounded depressed, even melancholy at times. Her body language was another give away how her feet retracted to her as if she were curling up in a ball.

Percival looked at her. Not just took note of her, but really examined the girl in front of him, for the first time in a long time. She had been almost cheerful, giddy, a side Price hadn't seen in a long time, and then suddenly, she had flushed, and seemed to be depressed. Now, being a man, without keen insight into the workings of a female mind, he didn't think to assume this sort of thing could be natural. "Please, speak as you will, I have nothing more important than being here for you, but I'm concerned, are you feeling all right?" He asked, his arm half raising as if to reach for her forehead before it fell. "Please, just let me know how I can help you, how I can be there for you…" He said, drifting into a low murmur at the last part, not meaning it to be heard.

Johnny shook her head softly and tried to perk up and smile but it didn't reach her eyes and her head fell a little. "I'm not alright…I…I'm just remembering things that are…hard for me" she said softly and squeezed the bean bag tighter and she breathed a little letting it out shakily. "I…I don't want to trouble but I have a feeling you won't leave unless I speak my mind now" she said and gave a very small cracked laugh. It sounded as if an angels wings had snapped. She looked at the bean bag. "You know…I never got these…powers through nice means…and the reason is even less glamorous." She said and looked at her fingers and hands a very confused look passed behind her eyes. "Would you listen to me….I really need to talk to somebody about this" she said and she didn't dare look at him as she could feel the beginning of a very hard trip ahead of her and she didn't want to cry.

Percival was getting up and crossing the distance to her before he even knew what he was doing. He gently reached down, taking her hand in his, trying to make eye-contact despite the glasses. "Absolutely. However many times I must tell you that I am here to help, I shall. I would gladly listen to any problems you have to ease your burden. Please, I beg of you," He said, and deep inside him, a cynical voice of Price remarked that he must be really getting into character. "Please, allow me to be here, to hear out your problems so that you needn't bear them alone." Then he did something stupid. He reached up, pulling the red glasses from his face, revealing golden hazel eyes, and gently reached for her chin, applying the smallest degree of pressure, trying to guide her eyes to his so that she could see that he was sincere. The only thing that really mattered to him at that moment was her. San Francisco could burn to the ground if it meant getting her past whatever demons she held under those emerald eyes…

Johnny could feel her hand being taken and her circuitry felt weird without any power in it. The usual green was no longer there as if it had died the weight that served no purpose made it seem that she had only dead weight left with her. She wouldn't look at him she couldn't she would start crying. She wouldn't, she couldn't, she wasn't allowed to cry, she didn't need to break down…not here, not now. A very panicked voice told her whatever she did not to look at him even the kind words he spoke were more than enough now. Making her pain a little soothed knowing she could talk to him but then he did something unexpected she felt his rough callused hands come under her chin and tilt her eyes up and they met and she was tearing up and a small liquid tear fell from her eyes. Then she shook her head and looked down. "Ok…ok…ok….just give me a moment….I need to…think about what I'm going to say." She said and stood and turned dropping the bean bag and turned towards the setting sun she grasped her elbow and spoke towards the sun though it was directed towards the sun. "Let me start at the beginning I guess…you might want to sit down…this is kind of a long story."

After a bit, Percival remembered to return his glasses to his face. "Please, take whatever time you need, I have all the time in the world." He said, his attention staying focused on her. Worry still bubbled within him, but not for her, rather than his secret. Price had only seen Johnny act this way once before, and so this was definitely not a good sign. "The beginning, then." He said, looking at the descending twilight around them, and wondering what she was dealing with. He felt what would soon be a slight chill to the air, and by reflex and route he removed his flak jacket, offering it out to her in silence, so as not to interrupt. His arms were still well covered by the long-sleeved shirt he wore, and the red Kevlar vest over the top of that. The Jacket was heavy leather with protective plates sewn inside, and would keep her equally safe from explosions, and the evening chill.

She nodded and lightly took the jacket in silence and wrapped it around herself and felt a lot of weight come onto her shoulders and didn't think she could hold that weight without her powers so she resumed to sitting down at least she would stay warm and not worry about it bruising her arms. She took a labored breath and let it out slowly. "I was 7…when my life changed." She said softly. "I had a friend, she was the closest thing I had to sister. She meant the world and even though she had some problems due to some disabilities…she always saw life and happiness in everything…she never resented anyone or anything because of her circumstances" she said softly almost happily "But…one day we were walking down the side walk...it was stupid we wanted to go to her house and ask her mom if we could go to the movies…" she said softly as she choked on her words a little. "S-she had turned to me and was smiling…so serenely not a care in the world her eyes were closed to…and then she was gone…" she whispered "A truck driver had been driving without sleep for a long time and had fallen asleep behind the wheel….I-I-I….I still can feel the blood…it had splashed across my face…and she wasn't there anymore…" she said starting to lose her composure just a little her voice cracking ever so slightly. "I…I looked and she...she had been tossed a couple of yards away a-a-and…I couldn't…I couldn't stop it…" she whispered. "I couldn't save her…" she whispered to herself.

Percival thought back, and realized that he was having trouble figuring out where he stood in the line between Percival and Price. He remembered what had happened, how Johnny had been… Broken, for the longest time afterwards. He winced, remembering what it had been like during that time. It had been hard on all of them, he couldn't compare his pain to Johnny's, but seeing the one valuable person in his life in such a situation hurt him greatly, as well. He remained silent after that, allowing her the opportunity to continue, but it was hard for him, as he wanted to console her, to embrace her, but he wasn't the most experienced with women, had little confidence, and in addition, he felt once more that he might give too much away. Mentally sighing, he sat down close to her, ready to be there if she needed him, but trying not to intrude too much. Invited or no, he still struggled to be a gentleman.

Johnny could hear the creaking of the metal on his person, they way his clothes lightly swished against each other as he moved and sat down next to her. She wouldn't allow herself to cry…not again. She shuddered as she took in a collective of breath and breathed out very slowly. "I…couldn't deal with life…I couldn't deal with her death. The funeral came and I hid in my covers screaming that it was a lie." She whispered softly. "I screamed and screamed and begged and cursed everything and everyone around me" she said "I missed her passing and I visited her once I had somewhat accepted it…the doctors said it was alright to feel that way…how it was ok to feel weird….I didn't feel weird….I felt responsible for it….that too passed…but I had too much emotion to let it drop." She said and then lifted up her arm. "This was my answer…I gave up my body and my soul to the scientific progress of man." She said softly. "I remember it well…I was 9 I had spent months thinking on how to repent…how to make the world smile like she used too…I'm of course skimming over some of the more darker parts but…I digress" She shuddered she did not want to share she was suicidal at the age of 8 and how she spent a couple of weeks in an institution…her friend Price had seen her leave bad and come back worse. She stopped and sobbed dryly. "I searched through the web and for longest time no one had anything…organ donations, blood donations, transplant they were all taken from the dead…it appeared no one had need of a very young girl very experiments…but they someone e-mailed me…saying they wanted to help…that I could give back while still living…" she whispered. "I was young…naïve…I didn't understand someone had wanted to weaponize human beings. So I consented and two days later I was awoken to the sound of intruders and my family…died quickly…quietly no pain…they slept and they didn't wake up…then I disappeared of the face of the earth." She said and lightly leaned forward. "I could go into details but I don't think I can do that right now…" she said "The quick and brutal version…they succeeded they gave me arms and legs that ran off my abnormal bio-electric energy and then they gave me the training to use them…but what they forgot was…hell hath no wrath…like a woman scorned…I can still feel the blood flow…the way it splattered against linoleum, how lives flashed before my eyes and only death was left." She whispered and didn't in the least seem repentant. "I did not do it for revenge I did….because I was not the first…and I was not going to be the last…they had made a break through….and I personally destroyed everyone and everything in the facility…I'm not a vigilante by choice…I'm a vigilante to save myself in case they come looking for me"

Percival sat there, stunned as he tried to process this new information. "I… See…" He said, the information filling in gaps in Johnny's past that Price hadn't even known existed. "And here, I thought that I might be starting to catch up to your bravery." He said wryly. "I see that I've clearly got a long way to go to try and catch up to such a person like you." He said, looking at the girl next to him, marveling. His emotions were all tied up in knots, and he knew that before anything else, he'd have to sort out how he really felt about all of this. When he looked at her, he felt emotion, more different kinds than he could name, but none of it was negative. Still, he had to understood where he stood before he pushed her to tell him how she felt. "Well, I certainly hope you know that you've got one person who'll always be there to help you." He said, raising one eyebrow almost comically towards her. "No matter what, I'll always help you, no matter the circumstances." Johnny looked up softly at the setting sun as it slowly descended it to the darkness "I hope so...Percival…I really hope so" she whispered to herself and lightly stood up and walked towards the edge and lightly looked down at the ground. Her limbs slowly glowed back to life as it looked like she was fine. "I think I've had enough of my confessional time… till next time My Knight." She said and turned and smiled softly as a small tear slipped down her cheek and she wiped it off and her fingers sizzled with the electricity. She turned and just dropped off the side and disappeared to leave Percival to him and his thoughts.

Author's Note

Shiney: Well, if you're reading this, I'm already gone. Enjoy, and while I'm gone, enjoy a number of side things that I've planned out with Tramp to keep you entertained in my absence.

Percival: Aren't you forgetting something? SHE TOOK MY FLAK JACKET! .

The-Tramp_Truffle: Awww get over it she can keep it as a memento. So as of this instant I am the Supreme Commander!!! Muhahahaha!!!!