Document 1278803-4576b

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Entry 10-

Thaal has been appropriately dealt with and will not bother me again tonight. Or tomorrow, should I so desire. Additionally, Arno has departed to acquire some food and to do some sketching. Additionally, I believe he plans to perform an in-depth analysis of the modern architecture of New Metropolis. Therefore, I should theoretically be free to finish my analysis of the day's events. Of course, they will only be 'today's events' for another fifteen minutes. Time has slipped away from me. Such is the nature of any attempt to quell such a boisterous and rambunctious individual as the ineffable and inimitable Thaal.

When I was last forced to cease my analysis due to one of Thaal's many moments of immaturity, I had just finished recounting my emotional breakdown in the restrooms. I had steeled myself and had decided to face my former team mates, who had remained behind after the break-in despite my deepest wishes that they depart. Apparently my actions had made an impact of some sort, and they wished to speak with me. I was unsure why, but I decided that facing them would be unavoidable. So, with a paper towel pressed to my neck where I had begun bleeding again, I exited the restroom, mind already racing with cover stories and ways to manage a semblance of a conversation.

Thaal glanced up as I exited the restroom. He had been talking to Cosmic Boy and Triplicate Girl. "Oh hey, Bvril!" he called. "Nice of you to finally show up!" he half-pranced over, before dipping down next to my ear to whisper a quick bit of advice. "Don't talk like a dictionary. Your vocab will stick out like a sore thumb."

"I thank you for the vote of confidence," I replied.

"Keep working on it," Thaal suggested, clapping a hand on my shoulder before turning around to head for the group of superheroes with me.

"Hey… how…I mean, are you okay?" Cosmic Boy seemed to be at a bit of a loss for words (an unusual phenomenon, to be sure).

"I'm sorry to make you wait for me," I said, trying to keep my words down to four syllables. Whenever I used vocabulary that was too complex for Bouncing Boy, he would come up to me and ask me to "say that again using fewer syllables". It didn't always work (apparently there are words with relatively few syllables that are still considered 'confusing'), but I decided that in this circumstance such a method may prove prudent. I also attempted to make use of contractions. "I was…overwhelmed."

"Of course you were," Phantom Girl exclaimed. "You single-handedly stopped a robbery, and you were held hostage by a psycho criminal with a knife."

"Is that your wound?" Cosmic Boy asked me, indicating the paper towel.

"Yes. I mean yeah." I was trying to use 'less cerebral' vocabulary, but succeeded only in looking like an idiot. "It's just a scratch." I said, feeling my face heat up. I really hoped that Arno's foundation would hide any sign of a green tinge.

"You want me to look at it?" Triplicate Girl asked.

"I'd prefer a doctor," I answered blandly with a bit of a sheepish smile. "No offense."

"None taken," Triplicate Girl assured me.

"You were very brave to do what you did," Karate Kid told me.

"I wasn't brave, I was stupid. I put myself in danger over a silly artifact. He replaced it with a hologram. No one would have even noticed it was missing except me." I scowled.

"Then why did you try to stop him?" Cosmic boy asked in confusion. "I mean, if it was so stupid…"

"I… I don't know," I said, still rather confused on that point. "I just… I needed to. I didn't have a choice."

The other heroes exchanged confused glances. "You didn't have a choice?" Phantom Girl asked, sounding slightly baffled.

"Well, technically yes, but no. I mean…" I gestured helplessly. "Thaal, help me out here."

"You're on your own here, buddy. I'm as confused as they are," Thaal said. Some friend he was. Not being able to recognize my gestures, not able to chase off the Legion, and now he couldn't even interpret for me. See if I ever brought him anywhere with me again!

Sighing, I gestured abstractly with my unoccupied hand (the other one was still pressing the paper towel to my neck). "I had to help. I had to stop him. Because he was wrong."

Cosmic Boy frowned in confusion. "So you're saying you had to stop him because he was doing something wrong?"

"He needed to know that there are people who care about doing the right thing!" I exclaimed. "I'm one of them. I care. I want people to do the right thing."

"And so you do the right thing," Cosmic Boy said approvingly.

"Not always," I said, feeling shameful. "I… I've done some pretty bad things in my life. But I've learned from my mistakes, and I want other people to learn from their mistakes, to recognize their mistakes. And stealing from a non-profit museum is a mistake."

Cosmic Boy nodded approvingly. "That's a good answer. It's too bad you don't have any super powers. I'd ask you to join the team in a heartbeat. You know we're holding auditions soon."

I shrugged. "I think I heard something about that. I don't have any special powers though. I'm just a normal guy."

"I don't have any powers in the traditional sense," Karate Kid told me, "and there was a place for me on the team."

"Yeah, well, I don't even have any skills like that," I said, "but uh, thanks for your consideration?" I glanced at Cosmic Boy. "Um… I still feel really shaky, and thanks for sticking around, but I kind of want to get checked out by a doctor and go home and sleep for a really long time."

Cosmic Boy and the other Legionnaires nodded in understanding. "You're a real hero…uh…"

"Bvril," Thaal supplied.

"Bvril? I've never heard that name," Cosmic Boy mused.

"Bet you've never heard the name Arno either," Arno grumbled, wandering over. "Come on, Bvril. You look pale."

"Oh-okay," I said weakly, allowing him to slip an arm around my shoulders and lead me away. I realized that I was shaking.

"You did really well back there," Arno told me, sounding pleased.

"There is a distinct possibility that I may vomit again," I confessed quietly.

"Thaal, come on! Quit rubbing elbows and help me get Bvril to the doctor so he can have his cut looked over!" Arno called over his shoulder.

Thaal called some sort of apology over his shoulder and joined us. "See? That wasn't so bad!"

"No, I suppose not," I said. "But I do feel ill."

"Oh, stop whining," Thaal said.

The room was out of focus, and my eyes did not seem to be doing their jobs appropriately. "Ahm…not wahning…" my words slurred together, and suddenly my arm felt much too heavy to hold at my neck. I barely noticed as my hand dropped from my neck, and I stared down at the towel, which was heavily stained with green on the underside.

"Oi! Bvril! What are you doing?"

"It must be the stress!" Arno was saying, his voice ringing in my ears as my consciousness drifted away.

"Bvril? Bvril!" Thaal called. Dimly I realized he was shaking me, but the only thing I could think was how they were going to explain away my green blood.

Fortunately, Arno had possessed the presence of mind to scoop up the towel and hide it away, pulling out a handkerchief and pressing it to my neck. Apparently in my attempt to keep the bleeding down I'd applied too much pressure to the side of my neck. Between the blood loss, stress, and undue pressure on several vital arteries and veins, I lost consciousness for approximately ten minutes. I have since recovered from this little 'fainting spell'. Unfortunately, Thaal was convinced that I had NOT recovered. I was obligated to fasten him to the ceiling with a new adhesive I invented in order to keep him from constantly babying me and coming in to inform me that I need to eat, drink, or 'move around to get the blood flowing'. Because apparently blood flowing from my neck was not enough 'blood flow.' I am unconvinced of this.

I continue to contemplate my reactions to this event, as well as my response to the events. I wish to continue to contemplate, but Thaal is currently making loud noises. He must have found a way to remove the gag. I will return at a later juncture.

A/N: Well, I managed to make you all wait a long time again. I am such a horrible person. I kind of hate myself right now...

Oh well. At least this story is starting to go places... Hope I still have one or two readers left! (though I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't... peh.)