Vernique Denning (butterflybullet) wrote in dc_nextgen,
@ 2011-01-11 23:37:00

Entry tags:

cosmopolitan, jon kent, plot - "12-step"

Talking-To
When she was done with Svalin, Vernique went fluttering about the place looking for Jon.

Tiny Human Rage was a recurring joke with some of her friends, but it was slightly in play right now. Really, though, she blamed herself most of all.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

	butterflybullet 2011-01-12 05:36 am UTC (link)
	"Good. That, collectively, is all I need from you." She smiles ruefully, too. "My dad always says someone who's had one big screw-up and managed to clean up after himself is better to work with than the one who's never screwed up at all. Good luck on the forgiving yourself bit. I don't want you and Svalin to have your memories of your first time ruined." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

first_son
2011-01-12 05:47 am UTC (link)

He shakes his head. "Nothing of the sort. She's wonderful, beautiful... it was a wonderful night, and I hope nothing more comes of it. I could very easily fall in love with her, if you were all staying around, and I'll always cherish having met all of you, and especially Svalin. Likewise, I can commit to try and learn from this and not do anything like it again. None of which equals forgiving myself for making a mistake that can affect someone else's life that badly. I'm used to people - sometimes a lot of people, relying on me and my judgement, more than once, trusting my judgement with the fate of the world on the line. Whether its fair or not, people trust me, or what I'm supposed to be. And all I've ever wanted in my life was to be worthy of that trust. So even if absolutely nothing else ever comes of this, I let myself down. That's not going to go away easily."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	butterflybullet 2011-01-12 05:57 am UTC (link)
	Vernique listens and frowns. "...you're like, what, 19?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

first_son
2011-01-12 06:16 am UTC (link)

"I know, I know. Were it anyone else, I'd agree with you. Were it anyone else, I'd say that's not a reasonable expectation of anyone, especially a teenager."

He glances down at the 'S' on his t-shirt. "In talking to all of you, hearing the differences in our worlds - in your world, all of you fight as hard as you can against oftentimes overwhelming odds. You battle prejudice, public opinion and the vagaries of your own governments along with supervillains, aliens and the rest. We have the super villains, and sometimes, we have to do everything we can, push ourselves to our utmost - and on this world, there's a phrase that's become popularized for those times we have to do that, and maybe just a little bit more. Specifically 'This is a job for Superman' - those times when nothing else will do. The rest of the time, its not that we struggle with prejudice - we have museums, cities adopt their hometown superhumans, my dad had a permanent invitation to interrupt the UN mid-session if he had anything to say. We struggle not to be seen as living gods."

A momentary pause. "My grandfather was happy to give me the same talk he gave my dad - and my dad passed it on. For us, my father, now me, the problem most days is not inability to do enough. Its worry about doing too much. Its not just the ability to be on the other side of the world in a blink, move mountains, see and hear anything anywhere in a city with no one the wiser - its that anything we do, whether we like it or not, will be looked on and judged. The people who the world believes have earned the 'S' can change the world with the right words, or the wrong ones. And its not fair. It isn't fair of the world to put that much weight on anyone. No one can possibly be expected to live up to that kind of expectation - but my father, God rest his soul, tried every day that I am aware to do so, and when he made mistakes, as everyone does and will, it was never for a lack of effort or trying to do the right thing. And it may not be fair, at any age - but fair or not, earning this symbol, believing myself worthy to wear it is everything I've ever wanted to be, even if I'm still not always sure why."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

butterflybullet
2011-01-12 06:31 am UTC (link)

Vernique is a finance major with perfect hair and good aim. She's in her element shoe shopping, rescuing accident victims, attending board meetings, and stunning thugs. Having never carried more than the weight of a mall on her shoulders, this is all a little weird to process. But she tries.

"...Gosh, you two..." she sighs. "I get what you're saying as much as I'm capable, Jon. And I really wish you well with it."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	first_son 2011-01-12 06:39 am UTC (link)
	He nods. "Don't worry about me. I'll be just fine. Take care of your friend... I'm really glad she has friends like you to keep an eye on her." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	butterflybullet 2011-01-12 06:50 am UTC (link)
	Vernique smiles. "I'd go through a shotgun wedding for her. See you at the next session of 'Where in This World Is Kang and What's he Doing?'" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	first_son 2011-01-12 06:53 am UTC (link)
	"Yeah, I'll be there. Let me know if there's anything I can do for you guys, information wise or otherwise. I may leave the satellite for a bit, but anyone here can reach me easily enough." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	butterflybullet 2011-01-12 06:59 am UTC (link)
	She nods. "Good to know, thanks." And off she goes again. (Reply to this)(Parent)

(Read comments) -

scribbld is part of the horse.13 network
Design by Jimmy B.
Logo created by hitsuzen.
Scribbld System Status