Summary:Betty gets an interview with Heavensent. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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True to his word, Heavensent contacts Betty soon after that encounter in the DZ. He invites her to come meet him at the Cafe Wha?, in the morning. Not having to deal with traffic, he arrives early. Early enough to grab a corner table, and to maybe start wondering if he should run away before she arrives.
But, no, he's still right there when she walks in the door. The glow is gone, and he looks much more ordinary. A bit tall, maybe. Blond-haired and blue-eyed. But not the booming force that he had been before. Just a guy keeping to himself. But he'd texted her to expect a man in a big coat and carrying a satchel, and he's the only one who fits the bill.
And as it turns out, he drinks tea.
Betty Brant was also rather keen to keep her word as well. Bubbling over with news, she smiles when she sees the man she was told to expect. A hand up, a wave, she stands in the que and places her order before joining him. A fan of coffee, it seems, but today, Betty chills herself down with an iced vanilla chai.
Gathering her drink, along with a massively oversized cinnamon roll, she moves to join her fellow blonde. "Hey," she greets, setting the treat down between the pair. "Thank you for speaking with me. I'm, well, I'm excited to meet you." Voice low, conversational, the woman doesn't draw attention their way. Brushing out the ends of her sundress' skirt, she sits and takes a sip from her drink. Hand up, she motions toward the roll. "Would you like some? I got it to share."
The sight of the cinnamon roll, for some reason, makes him gain a wry, thoughtful smile. But it's not about hunger for a tasty treat, because he declines with a lifted hand and shake of his head. "No thank you." He straightens up, tugging his chair in closer to the table. It's easier to have a quiet conversation from closer in. "And, you're welcome. Though, I haven't done any kind of interview before, so please pardon me if I'm a bit clumsy. Did you have questions?" He lays both his hands on his tea cup.
"Really? Missing out." She chides with a playful tsk. After another drink, she pulls the roll closer to herself, pulling at its rings and tearing off hunks. She is, pointedly, leaving the middle for last. "I don't want you to think of it like an interview. I have pen and paper, sure, but if you want to be voice recordered, I can do that instead. Honestly, I just wanted to know about you. It's seems you've been doing some good around this city and, well, people need to know about that."
"There's a lot of dark out there. People seem to focus on it and…there needs to be some light at the end of that tunnel, y'know?" Pause. "Uh, no pun intended there."
The man's lips twist in a little grimace. "I'd rather not have that voice recorded." She knows the one. It's impossible to have a quiet conversation with that voice, anyway. "Just a bit… you know." He takes a sip of tea. "Well… I'm not sure what there is to say that you don't already know. I've been doing just little bits of it for a few years now. Since 2014." His expression turns sober. Yes, that part of 2014. The reason the city has a Disaster Zone in the first place. "But in just the last month or so, I've been getting much more involved with others, doing the same work."
"Oh, no, you don't have to use that voice. This voice is fine, but that's completley up to you." She promises, chewing on another hunk of roll. "May I ask where you come from? What got you interested in helping out?" Another bite, "Um, if I ask you anything you don't want to answer, just say so. I won't push or prod." Sip. "Where do you come from? Have you always had this power or is it new to you?"
He smiles, a touch awkwardly. "Thank you. In that case, I'd rather not say where I came from. But what got me interested in helping and when I got the power, that's all tied together. It all started during the attack. It… part of what I do is feeling, hearing people's moods. I think that there being so many people in pain, in fear, in horror… it's like those emotions were shouting at me. It jolted me awake. Woke up that part of my power, and all the rest with it. And, like a friend of mine says, someone else in the… industry. I feel other people's emotions almost like my own. So, it's only natural to try to get people safe and happy, don't you think?"
"That makes sense. So you're an empath, then? You didn't have a powers until, well, the attack?" Still eating, slowly, she keeps her eyes on the man across from her. Comfortable, calm, she presses the plate between them once more, another silent offer. "I'll admit that when I saw you, I was surprised. I've seen a few things here and there, but I…had just made a comment about needing to go back to Church. I'm not sure if you're holy affiliated, but it was amusing." She smiles.
He declines again, shaking his head while he lifts the tea. The roll's all hers. "That's when they… manifested, at least. Is that the right term? Manifested?" He laughs. "That's quite the timing. I've always thought He has an ironic sense of humour. But no, I don't have any direct line to Heaven wired into my brain, or anything. I'm as much the 'real deal' as an Asgardian — my family are descended from an angelic being, but it could just as much be some kind of alien as what you'd call an 'actual angel'. You know?"
"Interesting." Closer and closer to the center she goes, finally pulling the plate closer to herself. She's careful of the icing, suckling some off and following after with a napkin. "I was guessing you were a mutant, perhaps, given that your abilities came to you during a hard moment in your life." Another smile, she drinks, pausing from her treat for a moment. "Are you happy with what you do? With what your abilities allow you to do?" Pause, "What can you do, if I may ask?"
He considers the question, leaning back in his chair to look up at the ceiling. Something in the lean hits a tender spot, and he grunts quietly, one cheek twitching. Still not all healed. "Mostly, I wish I had enough power to do more. I'm an empath. I can project the emotions in and around me to other people." Wry smile. "So if I find a joke funny, I might use that to get someone else to laugh. I can make a… a kind of sword, out of light. I heal a bit faster than normal, but not much. That's one thing I really wish worked better. And when I'm glowing, like you saw me before? I'm stronger, I can fly, and I can… almost disappear. That part doesn't always work."
Betty Brant blinks at his twitch. She swallows and sets the drink aside. "Are you ok, honey?" Her eyes glance around, trying to find out what made that reaction happen. "I can help you, if you need it." She's still listening, but a maternal glint is in her eyes - maternal and concern. "I-can guess how your abilities do well. I had tracked you down to that fight and to see them talking? That's truly impressive."
He waves off the concern. "Took a bad hit the other night, and I'm still not all better. Like I said: I wish I healed faster. Nothing else for it but time." He smiles at the reminder of the fight. "Well, that one wasn't empathy — or at least, not the projective part. Sometimes, people just need to be understood, to feel understood, and to have that understanding shared. I think if more people practiced empathy — simple, ordinary, no-powers-required empathy — this world would be in a very different, much better state."
Her expression softens, but that hint of care is still within her gaze. "I agree." She nods at length, smile returning as she starts eating once more. "I agree completely. I'm going to be writing a piece soon, promoting aid for the DZ and Mutant Town, would I be able to use your thoughts on empathy in the piece?"
His eyebrows lift, surprised but approving of the piece. He nods firmly, energetically — even though it makes him wince again. "Definitely. Though I don't think very many people would know who you're quoting."
"I can name you, or I can just call you a friend. Associate? Whatever you'd like. I remember you saying that you were shy about, well, everything. I don't want you uncomfortable with, well, anything." Still smiling, she falls silent as she keeps eating, finally getting to the best piece of the entire roll. "I got to meet a man named Mr. Lehnsherr. We're working on a community center in Mutant Town. I have a few contacts here and there, so may I ask what you'd like to have happen in DZ above all else?"
He hmms. "I think name me, just as Heavensent. May as well get the name out there. Who knows? Might make it easier to work with others just on sight. I don't expect to ever have the recognisability of Captain Rogers, but letting people know I'm on the level can only help." Well, unless marginalised supers are automatically suspicious of anyone sufficiently With The Man to end up in a news post. But hey, cross that bridge when you get to it. "The biggest things the DZ needs are to rebuild, but remember. I think clearing or repairing the most damaged buildings is a good start. And another memorial site, in the DZ itself, would be good. We don't want people to forget. If it's all just paved over and forgotten, then there's too much risk people will do the same thing over again." Beat. "And the ghosts will be angry."
Without judgement, the woman's attentive, nodding along with everything the blonde is saying. "It sounds like a good start. I'll have to see how I can help, and I'm sorry if I can't offer too much to your mission there. I'll still write the piece and maybe people will come forward to offer aid." Apologetic, she finishes off the last bite of roll and takes a moment to clean her lips and fingers. "I'm sorry about that."
He shakes his head. "You have nothing to apologise for. We each can only do our best and use what we have. You? You have a voice, and that you're writing stories like this, shining a spotlight on what the people need to see? That shows that you're using it to the best of your ability, and with all the right goals in mind." He checks his tea. Just a little bit left, so he drains it.
"Is there anything else you'd like to say? Anything you'd like readers to know?" Back to her drink, the woman slumps back slightly, relaxing within her seat. "Is there anything you'd like to ask me?"
He tilts his head. "Actually… there is something. Those 'Ask Betty' columns. You've mentioned before that relationship advice just isn't your forte. So, what kind of advice do you really wish people would ask you for?"
"Well, they can ask me anything, honestly. I'll answer as best I can. What I meant by that is my own relationships have been shit for a very long time. I just…I know my failings in them, and I don't usually pick the best people to be around." She admits, offering him a sad smile. "I'll answer, but you know how it goes? Giving advice is easier than taking it."
He gives her a sad nod in return for the sad smile. "That's fair. But look at it this way: those bad relationships are experiences to learn from. Like you said, you know your failings, so you can use that to recognise them next time and learn how to make things better. Or at least how to advise people away from them. But…" He shrugs. "I'm not one to give that kind of advice, either. The girl I'm dating now, she basically had to shout 'I am interested' through a megaphone. Not exactly the most intuitive."
Betty Brant chuckles. "That's cute. Hey, I like her already. Sometimes you just have to let yourself see, right?" A wink and giggle. "I'm glad she did. She's a very lucky girl. Com'on, how many of us out there have partners that can actually /feel/ what we're feeling? That's, wow…that's a gift." His advice seems to fall on deaf ears, but given her nature, perhaps not.
He smiles. "She's quite likable. If…" Ah, there's the blush. "…challenging. Though honestly, I've met two other empaths just in the last month; it might be more common than you think. Was there anything else you needed to ask me, or? Because I really don't know what kind of information to volunteer."
Still smiling, the woman nods. "Sounds like. I wish you both the best." Then she gives a shake of her head. "Oh, no, that's fine. I'll be able to write something up about this in no time. Thanks for meeting with me, Sent." A pause, she offers him her hand for a shake. "Hey, you have my number, ok? If you need anything, don't hesitate."
He nods. "Definitely. And you have mine, don't forget. So if you find something you think I should look into, I'm all ears." A demi-angel on speed dial; that could be helpful in any number of ways.