Owner Pose
Alexander Aaron     It had been an intriguing last meeting with how things fell out for the super-heroine known as Dupli-Kate. A revelation upon a revelation mixed with a most unfortunate observation that had left several secrets revealed and only one of them did she know had been compromised. Yet it was, at the least, revealed to a friendly soul who held her in some regard. Thank the heavens for small favours.
    Though it did create a moment of awkwardness the next time they chose to meet. To sit down and share a few words across a cement table at the corner dog park in Greenwich. Not a hidden place covered in shadows and secrecy. But more an open place where they can be chatting and the main thing stopping others from overhearing them...
    Is that nobody cared.
    Or, perhaps more accurately, people cared about other things. Like Sparky going potty. Which there were a fair number of Sparkies running around.
    "So," He begins.
    Settled opposite her with a Slurpee(TM) in hand with its bendy straw against his lips. He takes a sip, and seems to not need to say anything else. For now.
Kate Cha Kate had her own drink but it was an actual bottle of Coke. She was sitting across from him, toying with that bottle, turning it in circles in her hand, showing her nervousness.

Their last meeting, he had seen her acting as a vigilante. And recognized her. So it came to this. The talk. She had hoped to avoid this entirely but this is how life went sometimes. It just wasn't fair.

"So," she repeats then lifts her gaze to look him in the eyes. "Guessing you might have some questions. I'll give the basics to make it easier."

She sat up a little and forced herself to stop fidgeting with her drink. "I sometimes go out as a vigilante. Help people who need it. Costumed, as you saw. Been doing it seen I was young. Like mid teens."
Alexander Aaron     "Mid-teens?" Is the part he hooks onto, eyebrows rising a little as he tilts his head. Then he nods a little as he perhaps readjusts his world view, or perhaps more rightly his view of her to compensate for this new information. Another sip of his Slurpee. Cherry-flavored. Then he blinks a few times.
    "So what inspired you to do this? I mean, I'm not judging you here. You do your own thing, I'm not going to try to talk you out of it."
    A small smile appears there, so at least that's out of the way. No, 'you're crazy stop doing it' talk. Just acceptance tinged with curiousity.
    "But I'm curious about your origin story and all." His lip curves up a little warmly, amused. "And I want details, of course. So I can live vicariously through you." Considering he has his own thoughts and ambitions, but hasn't admitted to them to himself, let alone anyone else.
Kate Cha "Not much of an origin really."

Kate gave a little shrug of her shoulders, dismissing it. Because honestly, it was boring. At least from her viewpoint. So how could it be interesting to him?

She pulled the cap off her drink and took a quick sip, putting the cap right back on after she did so. Instead of sitting with it open.

She thought about her history and then went forward. "I have a brother. A twin. We were born with certain...gifts. Though for our family it wasn't so much a gift. But as we got older, we felt like we should be more than the sum of our parts. So to speak." It was the most generic version of the truth possible. She didn't know if she should say more.

"So we agreed we'd go out at night. Do what we could to help those in need. When I came to college, it sort of put a damper on things. Forced me to focus more on my studies than being on the streets at night. I've just started up again in the last few months."
Alexander Aaron     "Oh?" He starts with.
    Then she elaborates about the gifts and he adds a more solemn, "Oh."
    But he listens, attentively so as his eyes follow along with her own, sometimes dropping to her lips, then back up as he observes. "I imagine it could make things difficult for family. Having gifted people in it and all." He picks up on those small tells. That she's not forthcoming with detail so he doesn't press on it. He listens. And sometimes sips the Slurpee.
    "Why do you do it?" He asks as he /does/ press on that one part.
    "I mean, I've met a fair number of exceptional people. And a lot are driven by something in their past. A feeling of obligation. Need to make a difference." Then he lifts his chin, "And some though, they just like to hit people." Though there's no judgment in the words. At least not yet.
Kate Cha "It might be some of both." A long pause. "This is going to sound so stupid," Kate mutters as she slumps a little. Another sip of the cola before she continues.

"Our gifts were a curse. They drove our father insane. Literally. He still lives in an facility. Visitation was...problematic. If he wasn't medicated, he'd panic upon seeing us. So the only time we saw him, he was non responsive. So we stopped visiting."

Another sip. A moment to process though. "We wanted to do something positive instead of negative. Wanted to perhaps try and make up for what we did to him. We didn't even do it on purpose. But it doesn't change the guilt. So we do what we can do."

She gives a sort of half smile. "And I do like hitting bad people on some level. People that hurt other people who don't have the skills and abilities to protect themselves."
Alexander Aaron     The young man's lips part in a silent 'ah' of understanding as she confides those aspects of her abilities. The curse. Her father. How it helped shape her. It's enough that he nods in understanding even as he sets the half-empty cardboard cup of Slurpee down on the table.
    "I can see that, a karmic debt feeling since it harmed you and your family." He lifts a fingertip to his cheek and scritches there as he smiles a little, "But, I mean. Where do you find the time?" That smile broadens.
    "You are taking a bunch of credits, kicking ass in all of them, maintaining your social life, training and teaching classes, and this..." Shaking his head he murmurs, "That's a tall order." Then he tilts his head, "Do you not have to sleep?" He asks. "Since I could see that freeing up the time."
Kate Cha "That isn't one of my gifts. I have to sleep like anyone else," Kate says with a little grin. She gives another little shrug. "As I said, university has really messed up me being out on the streets. I do it very rarely. You just happened to catch me on one of the few active ones."

Which literally did not answer his question. How she had time to do all the things she did. She nervously brushed a lock of hair behind her left ear then eyed her Coke bottle. Before finally looking at him again.

"I mentioned gifts. Curse. Whatever." She took a deep breath and just went for it. "Currently, I am attending two classes at the university, having coffee with friends over at Starbucks, have one attending private classes at a karate school, and am sitting here talking to you."
Alexander Aaron     For some reason that didn't seem to surprise him. Or puzzle him very much. The few few times she'd confided in someone they would press for more information, and again there would be incredulity. But him, he sort of smiles a little after the confession and nods along.
    Then, when it's his turn, he confesses as well. "I had a vibe."
    There's a beat, then he adds, "Well, more than a vibe. You know the Kensington Hall? The third floor science labs?" He lifts a hand and sort of gestures from his eyes, his hand motioning low. "With those windows that are like bay windows but open on the bottom? You were running off after hanging out with Shannon and Nina and sorta ducked out of view. I was all, 'oh hey it's Kate' and leaned over."
    And saw her, "So yeah, I had a vibe. Of sorts."
Kate Cha He was taking things far too calmly. It didn't make sense. Most people asked a hundred questions or more. When he admitted that he saw her split, Kate gave a soft. "Ahh." Then a little shake of her head again. "You saw me duplicate. Dupli-Kate." She added the last two words, enunciating them clearly to give the indication of her chosen codename. "It's what I do. Make duplicates of myself. We are all linked but not. It's hard to explain. My brother is the same. And we were able to do it since we were babies. But didn't have any control then, obviously. You can see why we drove my father literally crazy."

She narrowed her eyes. "But you seem to be taking this all in without freaking out. Most people are a bit more shocked. Surprised. Freaked out. Why?"
Alexander Aaron     "I mean..." Alexander answers her last question with an easy smile, "Have you been in New York for long?" Considering the amount of madness that goes on as a daily occurrence it isn't too much of a stretch really. Though his smile does grow a little. Then he gives life to a small laugh as he tilts his head to the side and says, "Come on, gimme a sec to lord it over you, since I rarely have the upper hand so clearly."
    Which might not be the nicest thing do though his manner is easy-going. "But I can see how that would be hard for a parent. To deal with a child that... yeah." And when they're a toddler, insanely difficult.
    "I'm sorry your family had to endure that." Yet she took the plunge quickly enough. So he heaves a small sigh and shakes his head, then looks back. "Alright, you ever read Percy Jackson?"
Kate Cha She can't help but smile as he teases, his own laughter contagious. A grin and a giggle as she shakes her head at him. Kate takes another sip of her Coke to finish it off then puts the cap on. A quick glance around for the recycling bin but it is a distance away so she opts not to get up and toss it yet.

Her attention is focused back on him at the question. "The ones with the kids of gods? Yeah, I read a couple of them when I was a kid. Saw the movies but they sucked. Never really got that much into them though. Why?"
Alexander Aaron     "That's me," Alexander says simply. "Percy Jackson."
    There's a beat as he seems inclined to leave it at that...
    Then he sips his Slurpee.
    Until her staring likely urges him onward.
    "Ok fine," A hand touches his chest, "But my dad is an Olympian. And so am I. Like... you know, Hercules is an Avenger. Thor is one too." He makes a face as if not exactly caring for those two names.
    Then he elaborates. "But I don't do anything super crazy and out there and a sure sign of mental instability. Like... you know, dressing up in tights and fighting crime." His lips twist up, amusement there as he keeps on teasing.
Kate Cha "I looked damn good in those tights and you know it," Kate rebutted immediately.

But she was weighing what he said, despite the lightness of her tone. Trying to make sense of it. She went back to her younger years, thinking back to reading the books. Children of Olympian gods. Percy himself was a child of...who was it.

"So you're a demi god. Human mother. Olympian god father." She was considering the implications. "Not like godfather from the movie," she added as she realized how it sounded.

"So you're the son of Poseidon? You can control water and stuff like Percy?"
Alexander Aaron     "Not quite as lame as that," Alexander says, casually poo-pooing the entirey of Atlantis, Namor, and Arthur Curry.
    Yet he presses on, "My father is Ares. And I'm his son, I became Phobos when I reached the right age." Which is... a gentle way of explaining what all went down and what he had to go through. But it would serve for the overlap between the movie of his life and hers.
    Then he adds, "I do not have any powers or abilities that are easy to demonstrate, so please don't ask me. And if you don't believe me that's ok." Which has his smile slipping wry. Because as his manner seems to be, it really is okay with him.
Kate Cha Controlling water was lame? Kate wasn't so sure about that. It semeed pretty damn cool for a power set. Far better than being able to make more of one's self. And all those ones being just as squishy as the original.

"Ares was god of war. Also known as Mars." Those old Humanities classes were being tapped into, something she never figured would happen. Her brow furrowed a bit. "Phobos. Phobos." It was obvious she was searching for it.

The moment it sank in, he would know. Her eyes widened as she looked at him. "Oh hell no, I have no interest in knowing what you can do or seeing it. I mean, congrats on being a god and all. That's got to be cool. Although to be honest, if the myths they teach in class are even close to the truth, not sure how cool cause some of them are pretty fucked up. No offense."
Alexander Aaron     A nod is given as Alexander listens to her, then smiles when she relates to what it means to be hi. And even moreso when she talks about how messed up those stories are. His answer? Is to nod and say, "Yeah..."
    Another nod, a little slower as he reiterates, "Yeah." As if it really was fucked up.
    Looking back to her he tilts his head and says, "My family is messed up, and we're sort of... estranged from them. Rarely is it a good time to be around them. Though... some of the other young ones are okay. I've met a few."
    Then his lips twist, "Morgan would love to meet you, if only because well... you're very cute. And he's 15." Which should be all he needs to say as he chews his lower lip with a smirk.
    "But really, me and my dad, we try to do our own thing."
Kate Cha "Morgan?" The name is echoed curiously, obviously her wondering who that person is. The obvious is there. An offspring of a god. Just not the details. "I don't really need 15 year olds crushing on me," she says with a grin. It is what it is of course. "Seriously, I'd be willing to meet him. But no crushing. Who is he related to in the pantheon?" she asks curiously.

"Though she focuses back on other information. "So you and Ares prefer to keep to yourselves. Obviously you live among us humans. Does he too? I mean, I don't want details. If it's like a witness protection sort of thing, I'd rather not get offed by someone for knowing too much, y'know?"
Alexander Aaron     "I'll let him tell you, if he decides to." Which might be a hint that there might be some complications there, but instead he presses on. "And Sofia, she's older than me by a good bit, but in the greater scheme rather young." A hand lifts to scritch at his chin thoughtully.
    Then he looks back to her, "But yeah, my dad has been trying to live as a human for years now. Almost a hundred years so far, as far as I know." He shifts his feet under the table, crossing one leg over his knee as he leans back and takes up his slurpee again.
    "He works construction." There, a small window of insight. "And we have to keep SHIELD updated about our existence."
Kate Cha "That sounds complicated."

To have to stay in touch with a government entity just because of his existence. It was crazy. Thankfully she was a little fish and no one cared about her. But a god? She could see it. God of fear.

Presumably that meant he could cause fear. Or sense it. Or both. Who knew. So many possibles. And that was a reason she was not asking to see what he could do because it would be terrifying. If anyone thought otherwise, they were idiots.

"I appreciate you trusting me with your secret. But please don't tell anyone about mine? I mean, not sure how the university would look at me attending classes with multiple versions of myself."
Alexander Aaron     "Well, we'll see." Alexander says as he finally finishes the last of the slurpee and lowers his eyes, though likely that one will earn him a boot to the shin. But whatever happens he'll look up and meet her gaze as he says, "C'mon. Walk you back to the subway."