3947/Show me where it hurts

Show me where it hurts
Date of Scene:	23 February 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Black Knight, Slipstream

Black Knight has posed:
The Avengers mansion is a pretty darn well run place. Appointments, staff, visitor lounges, then ushered downstairs. The medical bay. There, wearing a normal outfit and a lab outfit, with a medieval helmet on his head is the Black Knight. He grins a little crookedly as Drake is ushered in, and moves over to offer his hand. "Sorry. I know this is goofy looking, but I have to protect my identity. I am the Black Knight. I am not as accomplished as Iron Man, but my education base is a bit broader, and I have a knowledge in Biology that Tony lacks." His handshake is brisk, with a hand that has calluses from manual labor and a grip fit for a man-at-arms. His voice is a low, warm baritone.

"I was very brieflyâ¦ briefed." He frowns at himself at that. He gestures towards the table. "I'd like to take some blood samples. I'd also like for you to describe the circumstances of your changes, the symptoms of your pain, and a brief sketch of your symptoms history." he holds up one index finger. "I know that some guy in a lab coat with a bucket on his head is asking you to tell him where it hurts. I appreciate the absurdity of this situation. Please believe me when I say that if I am -not- qualified to help you, and there is a very good chance I'm not, I can find the people who are. I am committed to helping you live a better life. That is what the entire point of the Maria Stark Foundation, and the larger mission of the Avengers. I mean that. We really are here to help. Okay?"

Slipstream has posed:
As he heads inside, Drake gives a glance about the medical wing with wide eyes. He returns the handshake with his own loose grasp. "It's a bit goofy looking." He agrees with a small grin on his face. "So, as far as the circumstances go, the magical time villain named Glorith who is obsessed with Mon-El from the thirty-first century laid a trap for him, but I got stuck in it instead. It's was a prison of time in which it fed lots of memories of potential lives and outcomes into my head and then they became permanent. The Legion of Superheroes was able to finally free me, but when they did, the prison shattered and I guess my body was not exactly pulled out cleanly into our reality. They said that my body became chronologically destabilized and that my body is trying to pull itself apart back to those other realities, which really hurts. When I was free, my body shut donw, I started throwing up, screaming in pain, it was like my guts and my head was on fire. They had to medicate me into a coma for a few days, then hop me up on super pain killers until Star Labs and the Legion was able to build me this." He holds up his left wrist. "It's a stabilizer. It holds my body together and in this timeline. I also found out that I got speedy powers from the ordeal. I can sorta .. ah ... skip myself from here to there really fast... but the more I use it, the more my body rips apart because I'm exerting myself."

Black Knight has posed:
he listens very carefully, scribbling a few things down as he takes notes. He does take a moment to point out some cameras. "These are here to record what you say, so i can refer to it later. Do not worry, this visit shall be a pants-on visit." his sense of humor is a little quirky, as that was said completely deadpan. He adds, more emphatically. "Having been trapped in the twelfth century crusades for a bit more than a decade as one of my ancestors, and then having to have a mage build me a new body when i got backâ¦ I can say this to you with great sympathy. Time travel is a bitch." he claps Drake's shoulder with a strong hand and gestures for him to sit down. He moves to get a blood draw, "Two vials. If i need more, we will call, but I doubt it. Now. let's just talk. You want to keep the powers?" his lips actually quirk a little into a smile as he asks. "Because I think i would want to keep any powers myself. Powers seem kind of cool, if we are being honest with each other.""

The knight warns. "Small stick." he's pretty good at that. "So, the idea would be to create a treatment to better anchor your existence in this particular timeline and prevent your particles from trying to seperate and return to other time frames. Let's be frank? If it is life without powers, or eventual death with powers, is there something i need to know?" He makes a face, and scribbles down in terribly precise handwriting. 'Magic caused it. Contact Dr. S to see if we can unfuck the kid that way?' he pauses, and shrugs at Drake. "Are the symptoms post power use the same now? Do they get worse with continued use? Like is the aftermath after seven skips more painful than say three?"

Slipstream has posed:
"Um... I don't know... I never had powers before so .. I don't know what it's like to live with them for a very long time. I don't plan on putting on spandex or helmets on my head and trying to fight Skrulls." Drake says as he holds his arm out for him. "My life is pretty boring.. I guess.. um.. I'm a champion eSports player for Overwatch and captain for Team USA. We finally beat the Koreans this year. I sit on my computer for sixteen hours a day and I have anywhere from twenty to fifty thousand people in my stream watching me play video games and giving me donations. Outside of video games, I don't even exist." His shoulders lift upwards. "As far as use goes, I figure I can get about ten jumps a day before I go yellow or orange, then about three more before I go red." He motions to the glowing blue bracelet on his arm. "The more I use it, the worse the pain gets.. so after about ten skips is when I start to feel it. My stomach hurts, nose bleeds, woozy headaches, loss of sight, black outs."

Black Knight has posed:
"If I were a medical doctor, i would tell you to not make more than ten jumps then." Black knight replies. He doesn't mention he isn't an MD until after he has drawn blood. He holds up a hand. "I can clone an horse with wings that can actually fly though, Drake." he lets that sink in before he continues. "So, I can be trusted to work up an appraisal of your genetic workup and if there are irregularities, and if gene therapy or other therapies might sort it out. So, you want the abilities to be removed? A cure for you is no powers, no issues, and back to professional video games?"

Other people might judge drake, but the Black knight seems not to care how the young man makes money. "I might recommend a less sedentary lifestyle." His smile is soft behind the helmet. Obviously he would; the man is ripped like a guy who engages in swordfighting daily; he's built. He adds, "But that is for a medical doctor to decide." he gestures at the samples and applies a bandage to the draw. "Are you getting sick even without using the abilities?" he asks it carefully. "I mean, i will not tell you to not use them, but you might not want to use them." his mouth Â twists as he thinks, then explains. "I worry, initially, that it is like picking at a scab. Best case scenario? You use the powers less, and maybe you just finish healing, and being able to skip time, as you call it, will become the new normal. Or, maybe a nice high dose of a specific form of energy wave will work to stabilize you. Do you have the schematics for you bracelet?" he looks at it for any ports or the like for a diagnostic.

Slipstream has posed:
"I think Tony does. He has a robot following me around until Monday." Drake says as he gives him an amused grin. "She scans me every day when I'm using my powers and afterwards. "And, yeah ... I started going to the gym three days a week at my team house. I'm dating the newest Green Lantern and she's making me get out and run and lift weights. So .. I'm now making more time for real life." He takes in a deep breath. "I ended up beating up some ninjas the other day that was stealing stuff from Star Labs. My speed helped me position myself to fight back. So.. I don't know .. I looked up to you guys my entire life and I have a chance of taking advantage of these powers and doing some good with them ... like Overwatch. I could be a hero." He takes in a deep breath. "But, I also don't want to die ..." He rubs his shoulder. "Whatever you feel is best I suppose."

Black Knight has posed:
    His hand pushes through his hair, or it would if there wasn't a helmet in the way. Black knight frowns at that, as he stands up to store the samples. "Okay. Look. i know nothing about overwatch. I know this much though, that i would discourage anyone and everyone from doing what I do. What we, the Avengers, do. Euclid said the shortest path between two points is a straight line. Being an Avenger, or a hero of some sort? That is that straight line." he lets that sink in as he moves over to remove his gloves and pick up a tablet and a wand-like metallic device studded with little sensors. A line runs from the wand to the tablet. He waves it at Drake, and then concentrates his attention on the bracelet, scanning it and its output.

    "I would also say that doing it because you want to be like us is another bad reason. You do it for you." his tone is more firm, stronger. "You make the decision knowing it is an early grave but it's worth it? That it will satisfy a need you have? Well then, you do it. Just know, no one ever complains about the fight being fair after they won it. There is no fair fight. Don't do this because you are dating a hero. Don't let anyone, including me, tell you what you should do with your life. It's your life. You make the decisions. You call the shots. You want to get fat and play video games, enjoy eating the cake and pie along the way. You want to get your fool ass killed wearing enchanted armor and riding a flying horse while wielding a cursed swordâ¦ that's my job, and you will find that i am very hard to kill to take. Find your own bit." His smile is bitter.

    "But if you want to do it? You do it. But understand that pain you are feeling? You decide to be a hero? Whatever kills you might be worse. I guarantee dying in your sleep at 97 with your wrinkled, gray-haired wife next to you is far preferable. Or so I hear."

    He finally makes eye contact. "This life is mud, and blood, and sweat, tears. It is incredible highs, and unbearable lows. Go into it with eyes wide open. Okay?"

    He has the readings he needs. "We have floated a training team around here a couple of times. Full disclosure? I think it is a great idea, but I am poorly suited to it. It's never gotten off the ground. Largely because none of before you sign up for anything, okay?"

Slipstream has posed:
Shifting back and forth on his feet, Drake says, "I watched my dad beat the shit out of my mom for ten years until she finally upped and left him, and then for the next four years he beat the shit out of me. I ran away and lived on the streets, in garages, in alleys, trying to go to school while showering at the gym and stealing food from the cafeteria. No one swooped in wearing spandex to help me. No one helped my mom. Not even the cops because my dad was buddies with one and he always got that blue line treatment." He takes in a deep breath. "I want to help kids who were in my situation. I got lucky. I'm good at video games. So is a lot of kids, but I'm /really/ good and I got noticed and someone gave me a ridiculous platform and six figure contracts to play these games at a high level and I got a lot of exposure. I'm pretty much the Captain America of video games. I'm the Team Captain. I may make people happy for a few minutes while they watch me game, but then I wonder with these powers .. what if I could stop the next guy from beating his wife, or beating his kid, or snagging that old lady before she gets hit by a bus crossing the street. The point is, all my life I've been punched in the face and knocked down and fucked up and now I have the opportunity to do something meaningful. I guess I'd rather die in combat trying to save someone's life, than getting fat and playing video games all day and then thinking of myself as some dumb loser." He kicks the ground again with his sneaker. "I can take a punch to the face. I've had my ass kicked most of my life. Would feel like another Monday to me if it was Galactus doing it this time."

Black Knight has posed:
"He --" Black knight draws in a long breath. "-- hits a lot harder than your old man." there is this quiet resignation to his tone. "So you know, Avengers? We don't work a lot of criminal cases. Not like that. I mean, if i saw a man beating the hell out of his wife, well, i'd beat the hell out of him, but if we are being honest? I spend a lot of my time sitting before a computer watching to make sure that the world doesn't fall apart. I-- we look to the sky. We watch global threats. You want a more local touch? There are other teams. I am not saying we are too good to work such things, I am saying we are concerned with big picture issues. I just spent more than a week of my life putting together emergency communications satellites to stabilize the global communication structure and to keep the flow of information on rogue states continuing." he gives Drake a look. "I have not put my fist in the face of a bank robber in weeks, maybe months." He tries to stress it. "It's not that i won't again, or anything of the like. It's that someone has to watch the huge threats. That task falls to us, as we have funding and oversight. I admire superman, but his Justice league is beholden to no one, and that sometimes means that their priorities are not in line with some other things. I am not throwing insults. The same is also true of us, they have freedom to do things we cannot. They are necessary."

The Black knight considers. "I will mention this to Tony i am not saying no. I am a firm believer in people knowing what is before them when they make decisions." Black Knight adds, "I'm sorry about your dad. My upbringing was not as difficult as yours."Â

Slipstream has posed:
"I don't think I'd become an Avenger to be honest. I blip about. It's not something you'd take into space to fight bad guys with. I'm better on the streets, like when I was fighting those brainwashed guys in Mutant Town that was yanking people out of their homes. Maybe more Daredevil than Black Knight." He says with an amused grin to him. "I'm realistic. I'm not strong. I'm smart enough I guess. I understand strats and game sense. I got a brain for that." He taps his skull. "If you guys got an Avengers junior program I'll soak it up like a sponge. I just.. I dunno.. I don't see myself on your guy's level anytime soon."

Black Knight has posed:
    "You already have far more powers than I do." Black Knight says it simply. 'I am really good at beating things up, particularly with swords." he makes a little gesture with his hands that turns into a little shrug. "I do not quite understand how i ended up here either. Just-- be the master of your own destiny. If Tony gets the program up and moving, i will recommend you, if he does not."

    "give me a few days to work on this, and i will see if there is a treatment, or treatment options to discuss. I am also working an assassination attempt on Janet van Dyne, who is very dear to me. It might slow me a little, but I will be working on you once i have the data compiled."

    Black Knight regards Drake for a moment. "Can i answer any questions for you?" He taps a few keys, and starts downloading information, even as he moves over to have your blood be examined by a larger, stationary sensor-studded device that looks like a weird, fancy oven.

Slipstream has posed:
"Someone tried to kill the Wasp?" Drake asks as his brows raises upwards. "Well, what kinda data do you have on that?" He asks as he sways on his feet a bit. "Let's take a look at it. Maybe some fresh eyes can help spur something. I got time on my hands. It's either that or go home and stream, and I kinda am using today for my day off." He says with a grin towards him.

Black Knight has posed:
"No," Black knight says with a little shake of his head. "I will not share that information. I have Avengers already working it, and she's one of us. I mean no offense, but no. she's our Wasp." His tone is protective, gentle, and reverent when he talks about Wasp. "I'm not disclosing an investigation with the NYPD to you. No." He actually laughs, just a little. He seems amused. Pleased, but amused. He is obviously trying not to laugh hard. He shakes his head. "Your eagerness does you well, and I approve, but not yet."

Slipstream has posed:
"Well, if you need to utilize me on the streets in any way. I fit in to most situations. I'm boring to look at, I wear normal clothes and not spandex, and I can blink in and out of situations." Drake says as he takes a step forward, his body giving a quick blur as he disappears, ending up on the other side of the room in a half-tick. "So, if you need a spy, or someone to trail someone, I can do it. I'm good at being ignored."

Black Knight has posed:
"I appreciate the offer." Black Knight certainly does not laugh at that. He takes the offer sincerely and with honor, as it is a generous and brave one. "It is not my place to take it. I am not the chair-being. I am not in a command position. My task here is to try and help you get a handle on what is happening to you, and certainly not to coax you into doing my dirty work. Talk to Tony about membership." His tone is gentle. 'But until i can be certain that you are not going to explode or some such, I would advise him against that, and i would politely urge you to let us figure this all out before you go gallivanting about like that."

he is nonplussed by the powers, but he does take another scan of both Drake and the bracelet with the hand held device. "I will grant you, it is a unique ability." His tone is honest.

Slipstream has posed:
"Sure, sure." Drake says as he slips his phone out of his backpocket to check a few texts, followed by a soft sigh. "Mm." He rolls his shoulders a bit to pop the joints in his back. "Well, thanks for hanging out with me and taking my blood. Hopefully you guys find something interesting."

Black Knight has posed:
"Give me a few days. I will be in contact with you as soon as I possibly can. Please, be cautious with your power use, but you are a grown man. I shall not tell you what to do." The Black Knight offers his right hand for a good firm handshake. "I will speak to Tony. I swear."

Slipstream has posed:
"I'm not tripping dude." Drake says as he reaches out to shake his hand in return. "I literally am the easiest going guy in the world. Like .. I dunno, this isn't stressing me out. I think dealing with implanted memories of me being married to a Daxamite and having kids with her was more stressful, because somedays I forget which life I'm in. The one where all my dreams come true, or this one." He grins. "Anyways, have a good day, Mister Knight."

3947/Show me where it hurts

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