[IC] Academy of Heroes and Villains

[MarshiestMallow]

Kalinda sighed. She didn't believe she was strong at all. "I could, but there is not telling what reaction there would be" she said

[knight125]

"If it would make you feel better, you could transfer some of the emotion into me," Ben says while taking a deep breath. He continues with a laugh, "Just don't stick around to see the results. After all, I've got to keep up my macho reputation."

[twave]

Unamused she turned her gaze the the wall and Griffin climbing it. "My friends call me Estella, Anthony. I would appreciate if you would call me by the name I've chosen." Normally, that being before her change, Estella would not have been so forthcoming. And she definitely would not have continued. "The fact that I have to undergo such a drastic transformation for you to give me the time of day is sad. I seem to be either a curiosity or a nuisance to you." Whether or not it was true that's how she saw it. She however wouldn't mind being proven wrong. But up to this point Anthony had not really expressed much inclination toward being her friend.

[knight125]

Anthony leans in as he whispers, "That's just it, Esuterura, I'm not one of your friends, and I won't pretend to be." He stands straight once again and continues, "Regardless of what you think of me, I am a scientist and a scholar at heart. I crave knowledge, and you contain the secret to very promising technology." He begins to walk away but says quietly, "It would benefit you to remember that I always get what I want."

[MarshiestMallow]

"I...I..." kalinda trailed off. Could she do that to friend? Give them the burden she was trying to hold up? Thr pain, the sadness, the suffering? Of course, there was good emotions there too happiness, lust, gratitude. "I don't want you to be hurt" she said, lookimg away.

[knight125]

(I wouldn't exactly label lust as a good emotion...)

Ben leans so that Kalinda is looking at him and replies, "Even if you do, it's alright. The pain will be temporary for me, it'll be nothing compared to what you have to put up with, because I know it won't last. I want to help you, even if it's just for a little bit."

[MarshiestMallow]

(Better than anger, and from kalis point of view, its good,))

"Why? Why do you want to help me?" Kalinda said, "no one has every wanted to help me, at least before being here. So why?" She didnt look away this time, instead, she stared back, almost challenging. She was touched, but she needed to know why

[twave]

That comment caught Estella's attention, but not for the same reason as the last. "So did I once. And then it was all taken away. We are not that different you and I. Try as we might the doings of our fathers hang over our heads."

[knight125]

Anthony laughs, "We're more different than you will ever know. Maybe the deeds of your father hang over your head, but the deeds of my father are a goal. I will one day surpass him, and when historians, decades from now, think about us, they won't remember me as the son of Lex Luthor. They'll remember him as the father of Anthony Luthor."

Seeing that no one else was stepping up, John takes the initiative. He begins to climb the wall with the approximate skill of a giraffe.

Ben meets Kalinda's look and replies, "I don't believe good people should suffer needlessly."

[MarshiestMallow]

Kalinda didn't feel good, not as she reached out, gently touched bare skin, and slowling transfering some of the emotions to Ben. She hated herself for doing it. Knowing what he would experience she shifted, and hugged him tight. She wouldn't leave "please don't hate me" she whisoered

[knight125]

Ben takes a deep breath just before Kalinda touches his skin, and as the emotions begin to rage within him, he whispers, "I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. Fine, fine, fine, fine..." Within his mind, the emotions bring back a hurricane of memories, ranging from what he had felt the first time he had been with a girl to the first time he'd been in a fight. He remembers the terror of 'knowing' monsters were under his bed and in his closet as a child, the sense of gratitude he felt for his dad after being 'rescued' from the foul beasts. The pride of having built his suit, the anger when seeing news stories of criminals beating the system and receiving no punishment. As the flood of emotions washes over him, Ben loses control of the talons on his fingers, causing deep gashes where he grips his legs tightly. His breaths become ever shallower and closer together as he begins to hyperventilate.

[MarshiestMallow]

Kalinda shuddered. The troubleith emotions was they could spark things in you."shhhh, its okay, its okay" she said, over and over "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" even to her own ears, she aounded like a broken record. She took his wrists in her hands, avoiding the talons, healing the wounds he had given himself, "shhh. Focus on me. On my voice" her own voice was shaking, but she paid no mind to it.

"Breath in, and out, slowly. Its okay. I'm here . you're safe" she didn't know what he was experiencing, but decided if he couldn't handle it, she'd take all the emotions back, she didn't csre. She had csused this, she would fix it. "Please..."

[knight125]

The emotions that Ben is experiencing reach a roaring crescendo before slowly lowering as he listens to Kalinda's soothing voice. His chest begins to shudder, but stops nearly as soon as it began. His breathing normalizes and his eyes open, but he quickly shuts them again to block out the blinding light.. Ben cracks his eyelids apart, revealing a sliver of his now red irides. He says weakly, "See? I'm fine."

[MarshiestMallow]

, "no you're not! I shouldn't have done this! Emotioms aren't meant to be messed with like this!" kalinda said when he opened his eyes, just thst sliver, she gasped "ben, you're eyes!" What had she done? "

[knight125]

Ben musters his strength and says, slightly more convincingly, "No really, I'm good." He frowns and asks, eyes still squinting, "What?"

[MarshiestMallow]

"Well, I'm pretty positive they weren't red five minutes ago!" Kalinda, ignoring, for now, the fact that he wasn't near enough good for her liking.

[knight125]

Ben groans and, with one hand blocking the sun's glare, he pulls out his phone and uses the camera to peek at his eyes. He drops the phone and holds his head in his hands as he sighs, "I'm turning into a monster. First it was the talons, then the fangs, and now fucking demonic eyes!" He looks at Kalinda and asks sadly, "How is it fair that Jack and my dad can look nearly identical to any other human, yet I'm turning into some freak? How do I know I won't sprout another four limbs or grow six more eyes?"

[MarshiestMallow]

"Unless you've fallen into a vat of toxic waste, I doubt that's going to happen. Your body wouldn't be able to support that. "You're not a freak, Ben. And even if you do become more spider like, that doesn't change who you are" Kalinda wished she could say something more, make him feel better, wish she could comfort him. But she didn't know how. "It will all be okay"

[twave]

knight125 said
Anthony laughs, "We're more different than you will ever know. Maybe the deeds of your father hang over your head, but the deeds of my father are a goal. I will one day surpass him, and when historians, decades from now, think about us, they won't remember me as the son of Lex Luthor. They'll remember him as the father of Anthony Luthor."

Fighting back the urge to make a retort she nods slowly. She wanted to say more but knew Anthony wouldn't heed anything she had to say. The great and powerful Antony Luthor had everything figured out it seemed. Sighing she tried to relax a bit. "One of the results of my transformation is an increase in aggression."

[Avanhelsing]

Jack noticed John climbing. Really rock climbing? Heck he was not going to get out of this like Ben. It was time to show off. He walked up to the wall and just put his hands of the wall not even grabbing the hand holds. He just used his hands. Hell he could climb like a spider why not. He climbed up quickly and got around him with a quick jump. "Got to be faster Johnny boy." He said as he got around him. He reached the top and climbed back down. "Well that was easy. " He said sitting back down. Where the heck was Ben? Odd.