video;

[reptiledysfunction]

[ for one of the few times in his life, Connors is actually using the video function. And, he's sitting in a nice little lab with a small smile on his face. ]

Pretty nice, huh? I finally got up the courage to ask about a promotion. You're looking at an actual research biologist now--no 'assistant' attached.

[ yaaaay still smiling. And then...that smile falters for just a moment as Connors pauses, regains his strength, and then starts talking again. ]

That's not the only reason I'm making this post, though. There's something that I need to tell people. It's...been a long time coming and honestly, I should have done this earlier. But, I'm telling everybody this now, while- [ while he's still got the courage ] while it's relatively quiet.

I know I've been a bit cagey about what my power is, and here's the reason why. Many years back, I tried to regrow my arm by injecting myself with a reptile DNA based experimental formula, designed to help stimulate cellular regrowth. Obviously, it didn't work. In fact, I'd say it made things worse. [ pause, take a small breath, continue on. ]

My power is that occasionally, in times of stress or high anxiety or simply even surprise, I change into this...this monstrous lizard thing. And I'm not myself. The way I understand it is my mind lies dormant--but it can be reached. Spider-Man's managed to save me by reminding me of my wife and son before. Anyway, it's dangerous. If I transform into that, I'm dangerous. The Lizard...it's killed people. And if you're a human, or what it thinks of as a "mammal," there's a high probability that it would try to kill you. So if I transform again, you've got to take me down before anybody gets hurt.

[ There's a pause where Curt scratches at the back of his neck for a moment. ] So that's...that. Not exactly a fun topic of conversation. [ said with a small chuckle, look at him trying to lighten the mood a bit. ] But it's something that needs to be done.

Comments

[shutupandgetintheanimus]

[Uh. Well, at least the guy's being honest? Desmond has no idea how to react. What did you say to someone who's just admitted they turn into a lizard monster when they're upset? ...Not something upsetting, at any rate.]

...That sucks. Uh... Maybe with your new lab you can find a way to fix it?

[reptiledysfunction]

I've been trying to fix it for the past ten or so years, [ said with a little sigh. ]

But, this is a different world with different technologies so...fingers crossed?

voice. private.

[slightlyoffchilt]

No regrets yet?

voice. private.

[reptiledysfunction]

None so far. But we'll see. After all, the night is still young, as they say.

video

[glitterateur]

[There's a lot of science (boring) and stuff about turning into monsters (typical). But she did hear lizard and hates mammals which is familiar, at least.]

When you turn into a lizard, do you have a crystal thing? Like, a crystal obsession? Just wondering!

video

[reptiledysfunction]

Oh, no. I'm not like that dinosaur. [ because yeah, Connors totally talked with the dino as well. ]

video

[smarterthandad]

Oh good, I was afraid I was going to have to bully you into admitting it on your medical history.

[Sensitive and tactful supergenius Valeria Richards.]

video

[reptiledysfunction]

[ so tactful, Val. Connors can't help but frown a little bit because seriously kid, you're three. ]

I would have told you about it anyway.

voice;

[scission]

[Well, uncontrollable transformations at times of high emotion sounds pretty familiar.]

If your mind can still be reached, then surely there's the possibility of attaining some measure of control.

voice;

[reptiledysfunction]

Possibly. [ but based on Connors's skeptical tone, he's not entirely 100% sure. ] I wouldn't focus entirely on that, though. While my mind can be reached, it's...hard.

text

[lyingheart]

I don't think "take down" is the wording I'd choose.

video;

[reptiledysfunction]

[ because even though he's gotten over his video reluctance, fuck texting. ]

It's what needs to happen, though.

Text

[forsometimenow]

Have you had any luck trying to rid yourself of the reptile DNA? I would assume you've tried before...

video;

[reptiledysfunction]

[ because again, fuck texting. ]

I've tried multiple times back home. I've finally gotten the resources and position here to throw myself into a serious effort to get rid of it, so we'll see.

/slides in here late

[tooscience]

MAMMALS CAN'T BE REPTILES!

/accepts you anyway

[reptiledysfunction]

[ yeah he should have expected this.... ]

When I'm a reptile, I'm not hu--ah, I'm not a mammal. It's an either or sort of thing.

video; also late

[dionychus]

[Well, he wasn't really going to comment; just save the main video for later, filed under "interesting" (that's one of the people he's living with, isn't it?) but uhhh that's a fucking talking dinosaur.

Like he's pretty sure this dinosaur is talking and he just stares, surprised into speechlessness.

Let's give Dr. Dino a big round of applause for making Diego speechless.]

[heralding]

I ... understand being afraid of yourself and what you might become, Doctor.

[It's the first and easiest thing she can come up with.]

[reptiledysfunction]

Thanks, Lightning. [ accompanied with a small smile. ] It's something that never really goes away.

video;

[symbionic]

Huh. I always kind of thought you'd be a bigger guy.

[Well, it's not like he's got room to talk. He's Venom.}

video;

[reptiledysfunction]

I gain muscle mass and get taller whenever I transform.

[ S H R U G S, yeah he doesn't entirely know how it works either. ]

video;

[observationalhazard]

That's...

[Hange leans into the camera.]

That's incredible! How'd you manage to do that? How does that work? It's a bit like titan-shifting I guess, with less control, but still-

I want to know all about it!

video;

[reptiledysfunction]

[ why do people think this is cool, Connors is just utterly baffled. ]

I didn't plan on doing this, you know.

action;

[dionychus]

[A day after the video goes up, a mysterious parcel is left outside of Curt's room. It seems like an innocuous paper bag with a folded note attached to it. No one has messed with it yet or opened the bag yet.

If Curt opens the note, it just says in fancy handwriting:

For your health.

-Diego Brando

The bag is surprisingly heavy and inside are...rocks. But not just any rocks. These are almost perfectly round rocks that are small enough to swallow. They're gastroliths.

Like literally everything Diego does, it hard to tell if this gesture is genuine good will or if he's just being passive-aggressively snide. Either way, it's a "gift" from the new roommate. Maybe he has an explanation. He is probably in his room right now...]

action;

[reptiledysfunction]

[ Yeah, Curt knows what gastroliths are, partly because when you have a former colleague who turns into Stegron the Dinosaur Man, you end up doing a little bit of research and discovering some fun things. So, rock in his hand, he walks over to Diego's door...with the hand that's holding a rock.

Thankfully, it's a small knock so he doesn't bash a hole in the door or anything. ]

Diego? Are you in?

video.

[glowsferatu]

I can understand your reluctance to involve yourself in anything beyond support then, Mr. Connors. Stress-related transformations are familiar enough to me, but...a different mind overtakes your own?

video.

[reptiledysfunction]

That's correct. The Lizard...it doesn't have any love for humanity. On the contrast, it believes in something akin to reptile domination and has tried to, ah, kill the mammals on multiple occasions.

[ said in a tone that starts off strong but eventually trails off into something resembling utter embarrassment. ]

voice.

[raincheck]

[ this? reminds him of dr banner. ]

Courageous, saying this much. [ he doesn't know connors well enough to feel entirely comfortable or entitled to offer up even this much, but given that the man knows him, he figures maybe it's welcome. ]

voice.

[reptiledysfunction]

I've been here since February, [ said with a little laugh. ] People deserve to know.