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[tweaker]

[No, that's not Eminem. That's Jesse Pinkman, just two years younger but looking more like ten years younger (because the meth business will really do a number on you).]

Yo, okay. Maybe you guys can explain something to me, 'cause I been trying to be all open-minded about this shit but I'm starting to get the feeling I'm on an episode of Punk'd or something.

Help me out: If superpowers are real, how come I don't fucking got any?

I been trying, you know? Not jumping off any buildings to see if I can fly, 'cause I'm not retarded, but like... If we're in Comic Book Land now, I feel like I oughta see some evidence, yo. Where's the TK? Where's the laser eyes? Do I gotta go radioactivate my ass first? Somebody point me in the direction of the nearest toxic waste dump.

Come on, don't tell me I'm the only guy having this problem around here.

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[tweaker]

[Quickly, before the guy whips out his knife again and slices his wrist or something:]

Jesus, no.

[Jesse brings his fingertip to his mouth to suck off the bead of blood. This is creepy. Everything about this is creepy.]

[infomodder]

[Will goes quiet, watching Jesse with a look more akin to study, to survey. Observation. There's still no sign of recognition, that he knows Will or what his body can do.]

Feeling okay?

[A question he absolutely despises but feels appropriate and, more than that, necessary.]

[ricin]

[The way Will's staring at him doesn't allay that creepiness factor.]

I think I'll survive.

[Snappish, because anger's a fine cover for being extremely fucking rattled. The dude just cut himself. And somehow Jesse got cut instead. Is that "okay"? Is that "okay" in any fucking reality?]

[infomodder]

[It's okay in comic book reality. And, probably, some old school Japanese video games.

Will's been on the receiving end of worse aggravation, doesn't respond to it. No huffing, no scolding, nada. This place is fucked up on its own, but being here and then...not...and then being here again? Or whatever's gone on? That's a whole other can of worms to wrangle.]

Sure you will. [More cautiously:] Got any questions?

[ricin]

Like a million.

[And it kind of pisses him off even more, the way Will's so calm. Such a know-it-all. Like none of this is even worth getting upset about.]

How'd you know what I can do?

[infomodder]

[Goddamnit. Time to lie, Will supposes, stuffing his hands in his front pockets and, yes, keeping that calm.]

It's part of what I can do. All that flying and laser eyes is only one. Sort of ability people can get around here. Plenty of them are quiet. [He shrugs one shoulder. Liar liar pants on fire and he ain't got a single problem with it.] It's not a bad thing. Somebody's gotta clean up the messes after all the in-your-face heroes get done.

[tweaker]

Oh, what, so I'm supposed to go around and get hurt just so other people don't have to? No, thanks. Don't it make you mad? Getting the short end of the stick here.

[infomodder]

Mad? No. Actually, I'd be fine if I didn't have any of the abilities the Porter hands out. As that's not possible, what I do have is as close to any preferences as I'll get.

[Will Graham doesn't want to be one of the Cool Kids, more breaking news at 11.]

[ricin]

[Jesse huffs in annoyance. He does not understand you, stranger.]

And there's no trading? Like at all?

[infomodder]

[Give it some time, Punkman.]

No. Sometimes they change, but not. Swapping. [Actually, now that he thinks about it...] Somebody might have a power like that, but otherwise you've got what you got.

[tweaker]

[He's practically sulking as he raises his finger to examine the cut again, but - What the fuck? It's gone. Just totally gone. Like there was never a cut there in the first place.]

What..?

[infomodder]

[Will leans up a bit to subtly get a better look at...nothing. Go figure.]

Is that what directed at me?

[Is Will even here any more? Maybe not. Finding out how powers work can be a hell of a distraction.]