002: Video

[hulkbusted]

[It's Saturday morning and Bruce's NV is propped against something to show him seated with a cup of something (tea, considering the string and tag hanging over the cup's lip) in the foreground. People move behind him, some holding cups of coffee before they take seats out of the camera's view. Looks like he's at an outdoor cafe. It also looks like he's found a charity that offers clothes to the poor and/or new arrivals because he's wearing a slightly dingy pale green button-down shirt with the cuffs rolled up over his forearms and a couple of buttons left open at the collar.]

Hiring in Siren's Port doesn't go the way it does most other places, does it? I couldn't give the panel at Siren's Port University my CV and published papers for examples of my work, but a few days of filling white boards with equations seems to have done the trick. It's much faster than hiring back home, too, but I guess there's a lot of turnover around here.

In addition, I'm offering my services as an after hours tutor while the days are long and until I go home, whenever that may be. If you need help with math or science up to the post-graduate level in most disciplines, contact me [he leans forward and swipes his fingers over the display, and a link appears at the bottom of the video screen] and we can make arrangements.

In the meantime, I'm at Cafe Bijan, and there are a few people who have been helpful to me since I arrived that I would happily buy a coffee. [He smiles, and the humor is meant mostly for himself and maybe one other person.] Unless you don't drink... coffee.

Comments

[hulkbusted]

I thought so. [He huffs air through his nose in a restrained laugh.] I was wrong.

[astralling]

Why were they after you? Your abilities?

[hulkbusted]

My abilities. Heh, that's funny.

Most of them were more interested in taking me apart than using me whole.

[astralling]

How did you even make it out in one piece?

[hulkbusted]

My abilities, as you call them, are good for more than just getting me on the wrong people's radar.

[astralling]

I know how you feel.

[Eying him curiously.]

I remember the first time I was attacked after I got my powers, and all I wished was for them to just go back to where they came from. [A dry chuckle.] It wasn't until I actually wanted them- that I found out it was actually possible. To get rid of them, I mean.

[She takes a careful sip. This is part of why she wanted to meet Bruce. Someone with abilities- with a curse like his... it isn't far-fetched that he might someday want to get rid of it.]

[hulkbusted]

I wanted it gone for years. I dedicated myself to finding a cure, but if I'd succeeded either my world would be neck-deep in aliens or Manhattan would be a radioactive hole in the ground. [He shrugs and pauses while a cup of tea is set in front of him, waiting until they're alone again.] Or both.

[astralling]

[She nods fake-politely at the waitress until the woman is gone, then carefully leans back in a studied nonchalant attitude.]

But here- you don't need it, do you?

[hulkbusted]

[His eyebrows go up.]

Have you noticed what happens at night when those sirens go off?

[astralling]

But only outside. You don't need to do anything about the Darkness if you stay inside.

[She glances up to make sure they aren't being listened to.]

Besides, with abilities like yours, you'd be more likely to do harm than good anyway. If you accidentally destroy a building's Darkness proofing when you're like that...

[hulkbusted]

[He pushes his teacup away and pushes his chair back from the table. She's setting off alarm bells now, and this isn't good in more ways than one.]

Why don't you just get the to the point?

[astralling]

[She puts her coffee down and raises her hands placatingly.]

There's really no need to get defensive, I'm just making you a standing offer.

There's a way witches have to bind their powers temporarily, so you can't use them until they're unbound again. Yours seem like such a burden to you, I didn't think there was any harm in offering you a way out if you ever want it.

[hulkbusted]

[Bruce looks pointedly at the creamer she'd earlier boiled.]

Defensive? Listen, maybe you need to work on your pitch or something, because opening it with our talk about how you're having trouble controlling your powers and then offering to use them on me? That's really not going to go in the "How to Succeed at Witchcraft Without Really Trying" handbook.

[astralling]

That- [She wilts a little, because wow. He's kind of right.] Okay, that's fair.

But active powers aren't the same thing as what I'm talking about. Casting spells and making potions are basic. The worst it could do is nothing.

[hulkbusted]

The worst it could do is have me locked down when I need the Other Guy. When you find emergencies that send you advance notice, let me know. Until then, the control, whatever form it takes, has to be in my hands.

[astralling]

That's fine. I didn't know how you felt about the, ah, "Other Guy." But I do know how it feels to have something that feels like a curse that you just really wish you could get rid of.

[She wraps her hands around her coffee, but doesn't look away.]

I just thought I would offer you an out. I completely understand why you don't want to take it.

[hulkbusted]

He's me. I think that's the hardest part, but it's true, even if I don't talk about him that way most of the time.

[And as kind as the offer might be, he doesn't know Prue from Adam, and he has been warned that there are unethical scientists on the island as well. Who's to say she's only what she claims?]

[astralling]

[She smiles at him kindly.]

Only part of you, and I'm guessing not the part that makes you who you are.

[hulkbusted]

[A laugh.]

You just don't know how wrong you are.

[astralling]

So, what? You were always animalistic and destructive? I don't believe that.

[hulkbusted]

No, but the anger? That's all me, all mine.

[astralling]

That's true for a lot of people. [Pot kettle etc.] It doesn't mean that a destructive mutation is representative of who you are. That just makes you- well, human. For lack of a better word.

[hulkbusted]

Sure, if it makes you happy to think that.

[astralling]

[She shrugs.]

I just insist on having faith in people.

[hulkbusted]

[He snorts a faint laugh through his nose.]

I'm not a bad guy, but if it had been someone else in that chair instead of me... You know what, it doesn't matter. It was me and I've done some things I can't forgive myself for, but I've done some good too.