19605/Totally Normal Abilities

Totally Normal Abilities
Date of Scene:	03 December 2024
Location:	Empire Diner
Synopsis:	Super cool that Stirling and Longshot both have super powers! Secert identities are explained! Don't tell people about your super powers!
Cast of Characters:	Stirling Winchester, Longshot

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Stirling Winchester has posed:
Empire Diner is a pretty nice place. It's clean, well lit, the service is good, and the food tastes great. There are numerous patrons here, so its a good thing Stirling managed to make it here a little early so that he can grab a table for himself and his new friend.

The veteran relaxes in his spot, a soda and a menu in front of him and a cell phone in his hands. He's swiping on it, navigating the depths of the internet. Some more swipes as he attempts to communicate with someone on the subreddit he's checking out. They're being wrong on the internet and Winchester is about to do something about it.

Longshot has posed:
Longshot sits humming to himself, twirling the straw of his own soda and watching the bustle of the street outside the dinner, for all the world content and happy. It's hard not to be happy really, good food is on the way, his awesome friend is here and everywhere he goes Longshot makes more friends! The faint drone of the diner's TV will grab Longshot's attention during a commercial. There are some cool movies coming out soon! Music in a movie sounds like the neatest invention! No one needed to explain movies to Longshot, he knows those! How could he not? It's a movie! Of course! However, the TV flicks to news in short order, some quick depictions of recent super human goings on wrecking havoc somewhere.

"Hey, how did you pick up two people at once?" Longshot's attention hasn't moved from the screen, but the words are directed toward his companion, "The other night, I mean. That was super cool! People are super heavy!"

Stirling Winchester has posed:
Finally, Stirling puts his phone in his pocket and focuses properly on his companion, giving his buddy a smile, "I'm very strong." Well, that is an answer. He elaborates further, "Now, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't tell anybody, but..." There's a look around to make sure nobody's eavesdropping on the conversation, "I have superpowers. I'm stronger and faster than I have any right to be and my senses are cranked up to eleven."

Then he chuckles, "I'm try to make sure it doesn't become public information, but if people are in trouble I'm going to prioritize protecting as many folks as I can."

Longshot has posed:
Longshot himself, though he might not know it, still does not weigh 100 pounds soaking wet. The panicked evacuation of people from the Silent Fold underground casino only a few nights ago had been hard. People were heavy. Longshot didn't have to fully carry more than one person, but it had been a struggle, but he was pretty sure he'd seen Stirling carry much more dead weight without noticing.

"Super Powers?" Stirling's words will fully yank Longshot's attention from the TV, a massive grin splitting across his face, "Really? That's so cool!!! Wow! I had no idea! You're doing a great job not telling anyone, but why shouldn't anyone know? Stuff talks to me and I don't mind anyone knowing. Should I?"

Stirling Winchester has posed:
"Yeah, I'm not sure how I got them really, but I've been putting them to work," Stirling explains with a smile. "The thing is, it's probably not the best idea to let folks know you have powers until you've known them for a while or its sort of a pressing thing. Like, you'd deduce I've got something abnormal going on. You already did, I mean."

With a shrug, Stirling says, "I worry that people with ill intent will attempt to get me to use my abilities for something unethical or immoral. Or that if I do something to someone to stop them from committing an act of evil I don't want them being able to identify me based on my powers or anything like that."

Longshot has posed:
"Wait, if you have 11 senses, what are the other ones? From sight and hearing and-OH! Can you feel people too?! Like what they are about to do or what they just did!? OR-" Wait, this was a secret, Longshot will reel himself in, lowering his voice down to a conspiratorial level, "Stirling, are you telling me that all the weird stuff your stuff tells me is true!? I thought your apartment was just full of some really creative stories!"

Longshot will have to chew on the second idea for a moment, "If they want you to do bad things, just don't. Right? Just tell them no and what are they going to do about it? They can't force you to do things that you don't want to do, can they? And if they can, why is knowing who you are going to change that?"

Stirling Winchester has posed:
"I have eleven...?" Stirling starts to ask before he realized what he'd said moments ago and chuckles. "Just an expression, I think I've got the regular senses. They're just really powerful."

Then he stares for a moment, "That's... um... Yeah. I guess my stuff has seen a lot of action. I'd appreciate you not telling anybody my gear's stories, either. A lot of what I did with it is a secret."

"So if folks know who you are they can try to come after you when you're not ready, for instance. Maybe kidnap or extort you into using your powers for them. If they don't associate you with your powers then you're less likely to end up in a dangerous spot."

Longshot has posed:
"Super strong and super strong senses! Got it!" This is fantastic news! Longshot doesn't like thinking that things or people might be inherently bad or liars, and this redeems a good number of random objects in Stirling's possession. Not to mention, how cool is it to be friends with an actual super person!?!? How often does that happen!?

"I won't tell anyone how often you get shot at! Yes! Right!" Longshot will have to again tramp down his own excitement, but he's never had a secret to keep before! This is a huge responsibility and he is going to do it right! Again, voice softer, "Okay, okay, but how are they going to be capable of kidnapping you? Or extorting you? You're super strong and super clever and that doesn't stop if you don't have your gear. I think you'd be okay!"

Stirling Winchester has posed:
"What if they used someone I cared about against me? If they know who I am they might come after one of my friends, or my place of business, or something like that," Stirling explains. "I keep my secrets by putting on a costume that conceals my identity." He studies Longshot for a moment, "I think you should probably not advertise what you can do all the time. Those casino guys were trying to use you to win money for them, they were taking advantage of you."

Longshot has posed:
"We did just fine in the casino! No one got hurt! Or not very hurt-Jamison and Junior are both fine! But Junior has an asthma? Something about the smoke hurting him alot." Longshot had checked up on them and his friends were fine, much to his relief. "And your stuff kinda seemed like you usually do fine?"

However, Stirling bringing up those nice friends of Longshot's will have him shrug, "I talk to objects and things always work out for me, I don't think that's that big of a deal." Inhuman acrobatics aside, Longshot will look vaguely self continuous for the first time, "But I can't really not, you know? I can't not know that this cup is going to be washed by a busboy because the dishwasher is late to her shift-" His own cup is picked up and the straw stuck back in it, "Everything I touch has a little story, it's like a passing fancy? What might happen to it or what already has. Just a moment then-" He puts the cup down, "Nothing. But that's everything I touch. If your senses are all 11 all the time, I guess it's like that?" Perhaps explains why the man was doing so well at complicated card games only a few hours after learning how to play, what's a better instructor than the cards themselves and occasional hints into the future plays?

"And I'm lucky, I can't turn that off either. People just like me and the world likes me and good things happen. I can't not. It happens all the time. Like with you? How lucky am I that I met you, huh? So some random people being really nice to me and wanting help with some card games? That's not weird. It just happens all the time. I get free stuff, I make friends, I try and help people when I can. But I can't walk around assuming every kindness is someone trying to take advantage of me, you know?" He pauses, frowning and plucking up his straw again to fiddle with, "I can sort of make the Luck More, but I shouldn't most of the time." How or why was still hazy, but he was sure that putting fingers on the scales of fate was probably not something you should do all the time.

Stirling Winchester has posed:
"Casinos don't usually catch on fire, man," Stirling says to his friend with a slight smile. "I'm just saying that it could have gone way differently. Like, would the place have caught on fire if we weren't there? I don't know."

"I can't control the stuff I notice. I know by scent what everybody around me had for their last meal, what kind of scents they're wearing and when the last time they bathed was. It's not always pleasant, but I'd rather know than not know."

"I'm glad the world likes you! I like you, so I'm in good company for once," a big grin appears. "I haven't been doing the superpower thing for too long, but I might know some folks who can help you figure out what to do about secrets and whether or not you want to keep any of your own."

Longshot has posed:
These words will have Longshot looking away, discomfort written in every movement, the straw will be abandoned, "The fire was me. I sort of-yeah. Kind of me. It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't nudged the scales a little. Luck like mine doesn't, I don't know, work, when it's selfish. The world has to rebalance." He's not able to make eye contact with Stirling, the guilt crawling under his skin clear, "I don't remember if it can hurt other people or not."

"If I have secrets, they are secrets from me too, I don't know. I worry I'm letting people down by being here-On Earth or New York I mean." Longshot is lucky to know Stirling, but this were a lot of things he didn't think about much, perhaps intentionally "If I walked around assuming that there is Evil lurking around every corner of this awesome place, when so much good happens to me all the time, wouldn't that make me a bad guy? Is me being here already enjoying the benefit of this world already make me the bad guy? I came from somewhere, I must have. Do you know people who could help with that?"

Stirling Winchester has posed:
"It sounds to me like you're still figuring things out, and when you're figuring things out shit happens," Stirling's tone and manner are patient, a slight smile still appearing on his lips. "You learned a lesson, right? Don't so selfish shit with the luck. People could have gotten hurt, but they didn't. Instead there's something to learn from it so we can hopefully get better as people."

"There's a lot of good in the city. There's danger, too. Its something you'll learn more about the longer you're around here."

"The world is here for us to enjoy responsibly," Pathfinder explains. "So enjoy it, just try to do some good while you're at it. I highly doubt you're a bad guy, Longshot." Then he pauses, "I might know some people who know people. I'll try to get us in touch with some high end scientists or something. Or magic people, maybe. Possibly both."

Longshot has posed:
Longshot will listen and digest this slowly, his attention mostly on his own hands, flexing his fingers slowly. Fingers he knows are correct, but everyone else in this place has a different number. Fingers his nice friend Jamison wanted him to hide in gloves. He'd since cut the extra finger off of those gloves and kept wearing them. November in NYC was cold. Lucky someone gave him gloves. Then again, Stirling probably would have if he'd asked. Mildly offensive gloves.

"Do you think, if there are people out there that know me, or people who used to know me, do you think they miss me? Where ever I was?" He doesn't wait for a response, finally turning back to Stirling, "If you did find science or magic people who could help, do you promise that they won't do anything to my head? You said my friends were taking advantage of me, maybe, but I let them. I could have said no at any point. But if I can't say no-I think that's worse for everyone. I don't want help if people are going to be able to take that. I don't want to be in someone else's control."

Stirling Winchester has posed:
"I bet they miss the hell out of you, pal!" Stirling exclaims. "You're terrific! You're a good person, kind and helpful. I think my life is already better with you as my friend."

"If the science or magic people try to do anything to your head, what I do to theirs will involve blunt force trauma. If you don't consent to something and I'm around I'll make sure to keep you safe." The soldier frowns as he studies Longshot, "You could have said 'no', but why would you have? You were making new friends and you didn't know what was going to happen might be illegal or whatever. Also, that casino was super illegal. Everybody involved in it has committed a bunch of crimes. But, nobody was hurt so we're not going to worry about it. And we'll never bring it up around law enforcement officials."

Longshot has posed:
"See how lucky I am?" Longshot's smile returns with a sigh of relief, "You're so nice! I sure hope they miss me. I miss them and I don't even know them!" Whoever they were, wherever they were, Longshot just hoped that when he saw them again, he'd recognize them and they'd be happy to see him. Whoever it was, maybe lots of whoevers!

"Don't hurt anybody! Just get me out or something! No head bashing required!" But again, the relief sits heavily on Longshot and he's back to playing with the straw, "I probably would have noticed eventually? They were nice, but they weren't as nice as you or Doreen or Bart, you know? I would have noticed eventually maybe they were-I mean, Jamison has texted me alot about playing more, but I told him no just fine!" The absolute confidence in his own ability to read other people's intentions might be obvious to Stirling as completely unwarranted. Longshot inherently trusts people and probably would have not noticed he was being used until someone was hurt. And given the snake oil charm of the duo, perhaps Longshot might have believed a lie if fed one. Very likely in fact. Perhaps it is very, very lucky Stirling was there. That the casino might not have been allowed had not occurred to Longshot. He laughs, shaking his head, "There's so many things to not talk to the police about-I think I'm just going to avoid law enforcement or I'm going to forget what not to say."

Stirling Winchester has posed:
"I look forward to meeting your people someday," Stirling grins at Longshot. "If they're anything like you it'll be great to know them!"

"I'll get you out first, then start maiming the offenders," the vigilante apparently has priorities in order.

"I don't talk to the cops. Even if I bust some criminals or something I'll just leave them in one pile and the evidence in the other."

Longshot has posed:
Longshot can't wait to meet his people either, absolutely it will be great. And definitely not immensely hurtful, because why would the world do that to Longshot?

"I appreciate it, but maybe a little less murder on my account?" Longshot laughs, not totally sure how serious Stirling is and happy to give the benefit of the doubt and make it a joke, "Things'll usually just work themselves out just fine. No need to push it too far-But enough about me, what about you? Do you want help sometimes with your-um, totally normal stuff that you do all the time?"

Stirling Winchester has posed:
"Help? I would love a hand, but I worry about putting you in danger," Stirling explains with a soft smile, reaching over in an attempt to pat Longshot on the shoulder. "You're probably safer than me, how lucky you are, though."

The veteran considers things for a moment, then nods, "I'd prefer if you hide your identity, especially when you're staying with me, if you want to go out and secretly help people. It is definitely kind of illegal."

Longshot has posed:
Longshot beams at Stirling, "It often work out that way! I am absolutely very safe, all the time!" This, he is totally sure of. Very rarely does Longshot get hurt, "You don't have to worry about me getting hurt, even when I do get hurt, I don't stay hurt very long! I'm made very sturdy!"

"Good Illegal or Bad Illegal? I'm never going to be able to speak to police! Ummmm-" This seems reasonable, after all, Longshot has no where else to go and living with Stirling is nice and convenient and hasn't yet required Longshot to be able to hold down a job. "I can wear a mask, I suppose? Sure! And I can not tell people I'm me!"

Stirling Winchester has posed:
"I think the illegal things I do are done in order to bring more good into the world," Stirling grins. "My ancestors would never let me hear the end of it if I started doing bad shit." There's a chuckle at that remark.

"Yeah, if you want to try your hand at vigilantism then we'll do that. You got the jumps to keep up with me, which is quite impressive."

Longshot has posed:
"Ancestors?" The word is pondered, some research on the internets over trying to understand the whole museum problem does give Longshot some context on this word, "Like your family? That's so nice of them! Helping you out!"

"I'm pretty athletic, but not any where near as strong as you! I throw knives tho! I do like your knives, I'm sorry, I did run across a lot of your stuff in a big metal box at your place, you have very cool knives. Lots of them! I have lots of knives, but they are all the same."

Stirling Winchester has posed:
"Yeah!" Stirling exclaims happily when his family is brought up. "Another thing to not talk to people who aren't me about is that my dead family members and I can speak to one another. No idea how it works, just that it does."

"My big metal box opened? Well, we'll have to do a gun safety lesson, too. But you like my knives? Thanks! I've got a pretty decent collection, right? Any sort of knife for any sort of need."

Longshot has posed:
"Wow! Like, all the time!? You should thank them for me! Your family did a great job making you a neat person! And-Oh, are they okay with me staying with you? And helping? I don't want to replace them, just assist in other ways!" Wow, Longshot wants to be able to talk to family! Dead or otherwise, that sounds awesome!

"I know about guns!" How, who knows, not Longshot, "Yeah, I didn't bother any of them, but your knives are all real nice and had all sorts of stories! I didn't realize they were true at the time, but it makes sense! Very nice pieces!"

Stirling Winchester has posed:
"They're not there all the time, thankfully," Stirling laughs, leaning forward onto his elbows. "And they like you, too. They keep asking me to find out more about you, but I have a feeling that's not really something you're privy to right now."

"Yeah? I love martial arts of all sorts, but one of my favorites is Kali. Lots of focus on knives and fighting sticks in addition to unarmed fighting. That's what I base most of my knife combat on."

Longshot has posed:
"They like me? I didn't realize they were around! I'm glad I made a good impression!" Longshot laughs, nodding easily, "Oh ya, hard to learn more about me, I don't know about me! But now you have more? Some? I have a little super skills too!" As if Stirling was not aware of that, with how very open Longshot is and in general how he moves through life.

"I don't know the names of what I can do, but I mostly throw knives. I can also do some hand to hand combat, but I'm not as good at it. I'd rather not be close enough to someone that they could hit me, but I will if I have to." Not that Longshot knows why this is, nor has he had many fights since arriving on Earth, "But I'm very athletic! Difficult to catch or hit!"

Stirling Winchester has posed:
Stirling chuckles softly, "Yeah! We think you're great, man! You're just a stranger in a strange land and I'm inclined towards helping you get adjusted."

"There's lots of names for stuff out there, and I'll introduce you to any Earth combat systems that look interesting to you. I am a big geek when it comes to combat."

Longshot has posed:
"You guys are too nice! Thank you! I think you're really great!" Longshot leans forward and will attempt to tap Stirling lightly on the tip of the nose, "And you have been great at that! The phone tells me lots of things I didn't know and having a place to sleep every night is a relief! And now? Maybe science-mage and magic-mage will help with other stuff, huh?"

At the offer, Longshot immediately nods, leaning back and pulling out his phone, "We should do sparing! The boxing gym might let us! See how much I think I can do is real or not and I bet you could teach me alot!" The phone is waved about, some amature clips on the internets of various super hero fights from onlooker's points of view, "I don't think I could do this stuff, practice and all might be good!"

Stirling Winchester has posed:
Stirling allows his nose to be tapped, grinning brightly when it happens, "I'm glad to help you out! You're in a weird situation that not a lot of people are able to handle. So we're figuring it out together."

"Sparring is a ton of fun and it helps you get better at what you want to do. Shouldn't be too hard to find a gym where we can train, either! Grant's is a hike from here."

His phone vibrates and Stirling looks down at it, "Shit. I've got to split. You get a job in a dive bar thinking there's not going to be any hurry into work emergencies, but what do you know?"

Longshot has posed:
"Ha! Imagine, having a job-" Longshot has picked up some internet-ness thanks to the phone as well, and attempting to use it sometimes works. Now he flounders, seems like he's supposed to say something else to make the joke work, but he comes up flat not realizing that the joke is self-containing and will shrug. "See ya laters! Tell your family I said Hi when you hear from them next, ya?"