Players:
Summary: Jeremy sees Vinny after getting back from Rehab.
Date: Apirl 10, 2011
Log Title: Turning Over A New Leaf.
Rating: PG-13
NYC- Thompson Square Park
Thompson Square Park is a small park in the middle of Mutant Town. The benches might need a fresh coat of paint, the fence might be rusted in places and the pavement is raised and has cracks but it's all part of the mutant haven and fairly relaxing. Trees and grassy areas are in between the many paths, there are a few structures and benches along the path as well as a special area of the park that is marked 'the dog walk'.
//Two trees have been planted in the park as a Memorial to Carmencita Florez and Detective Baxter each with a plaque stating the tree is in their memory. //
It's been a week since Jeremy's been away and now he's being dropped off via a black car near the entrance to the park. He has his backpack with him and he looks well rested for once. He wanders further into the park looking for Vinny, not sure if he's here or not. He wants to keep up with his practices until he can get a handle on his powers.
Vinny sits in the same cement square where they'd been practicing since day one. He's come back here every night in case Jeremy returned, the droning tone of his Diggeridoo easily heard drifting on the night air as he plays.
Walking over, Jeremy sits down where he usually sits in front of Vinny. He doesn't say anything at first but pulls the platypus out and hands it to him. "Thanks a lot, for helping me out." He says pushing his hair back. "I was able to get help."
Vinny stops playing once Jeremy pulls out the doll and smiles, taking it and setting it in front of Jeremy again in thier usual spot. "Welcome back mate, had me a bit scared there for a bit but glad ta see ya seem ta be doin' ok." He nods "I met yer friend Rashmi tha other day who said you'd gone inta rehab, good on ya mate. Glad ta hear ya got the help ya needed. Now gimme a sec to get all painted up again and we'll pick up where we left off yeah?" Vinny stands with a grunt, despite his usual cheerfull demeanor it's plain the Hybrid's been through alot lately, seems a little rougher around the edges than usual.
Jeremy nods. "Yeah my school sent me there. Which…was good. I wouldn't have been able to get clean if it wasn't for them." He says quietly. "It was relaxing there, after a bit. Different. I'm really going to try to stay clean this time." He says before taking a deep breath. "Thanks again, I really think you saved my life."
Vinny ducks into the brush to change. "A wise man once told me that our abilities are our greatest gifts, and lead to our most dire challenges. Ya did what ya did ta dull what your power is doin' ta ya, ya get control and ya won't have the need ta dull yerself again." He emerges from the brush in his medicine man attire and begins painting on the lines. "Lookin' back, I think ya knew I would. That's why ya did what ya did here, wether ya realize it or not. Ya knew I would be here and if things got bad ya knew I'd find ya. Yer smarter than ya give yerself credit for."
Jeremy nods quietly to Vinny and pulls his knees up against his chest. "Just, sometimes it's really hard. For a few years I never had anyone to help me with my powers and while in the runaway home someone convinced me that it would help, the drugs that is. I was desperate and I didn't know what to do. Rashmi told me I was brave, you're telling me I'm smart, I don't really feel it." He shrugs a shoulder and smiles a bit. "But, I wanna change."
Vinny smiles and walks over to take up the Diggeridoo again. "Ya been beatin' yerself for years ta tha point where ya can't see the postives in yerself anymore. Wantin' ta change is just the startin' point, but now ya got people with ya ta help out an that just might be what ya need ta pull it off. Nothin' worth doin' is ever easy, but no one said ya gotta do it alone." He squats down and raises the instrument, ready to begin.
Jeremy nods and opens his mouth to say more but he quiets up and pulls off his gloves slowly. He closes his eyes and lets the familiar scents and sounds fill him. He's not just trying to block everything out of his mind and prepare himself for when he feels ready but also trying to just calm his emotions as well. When he's ready he reaches out and touches the stuffed animal like usual. After all the memories flash through his head, Jeremy opens his eyes slowly. "It's becoming familiar." He states afterwards.
Vinny plays on until he's touched the doll and speaks, then he stops. "But are ya seein' less of it than ya used ta? With luck I'm hopin' that when ya've seen it enough ya can start to block it out, learn ta keep tha images from comin at all."
Jeremy shakes his head. "No, just cause I've seen it so many times before my mind doesn't need to process it. Ummm…" He ponders for a moment on how to describe it. "I see it all in rapid flashes, everything and then my mind process it and sorts it so I can understand it all. Just sometimes it takes a while, a few days. If it's something like with that guy I touched, the guy with MGH it's all there for a long time and I have trouble not thinking about what I saw. It'll always be in my head but it dulls after time."
Vinny nods "Well best I can do is keep tryin' with ya and we'll see if repeated use of yer abilities will lead ta a degree of control. Lemme know when yer ready to try it again."
"Okay, give me a moment." Jeremy shakes his head and tries to clear his mind. "I don't really know what will help so I'm willing to try anything. Over the years it was just me trying not to use them. It's hard to trust people when you know how often people hide horrible things. Even my parents."
Vinny nods "Ya got a rough power there. Shows tha ugly that lies within everyone. I'm bettin' you'd see a few things even in my past that would rattle yer brain a bit. Which is as good a reason as any ta get a handle on things."
"I'd see things you probably don't remember." Jeremy admits quietly. "And I've watched people kill people. That's the worst just having something like that stuck up here. My parents, I found out they were members of Friends of Humanity. They killed mutants and they knew I was a mutant. It's just really hard to trust people when you know they could be anyone behind the mask they show the world."
Vinny nods "Well I can say with all certainly that I havn't killed anyone. Though as of late I've had ta do some nasty things ta a few wankers.."
"That Kick stuff…I tried to talk two people out of using it but they still did. That stuff isn't good for anyone. If there is anything I can help with, if you need to know anything about something, I'll help." Jeremy says swallowing. "I owe it to you."
Vinny shakes his head "Ya wanna thank me, than ya steer as clear from that crap as ya can. Trust me there's alot more goin' on than just the drug, stuff ya don't want mixed up in. I'd go as far ta say don't even come ta mutant town till this is over.. but that's a bit much to expect."
"Well, it's up to you." Jeremy says. "There's actually a SHIELD agent in that car over there. I'm not allowed to come into the city alone right now. I really gotta stay clean or else they'll be kicking me out of school. I told them the truth." He says. "But that's not the reason I want to stay clean. I just…I didn't like being a drug addict. I can always try to keep this up in my dorm if I can."
Vinny nods "Well as long as somone is watchin' yer back. Just be carefull ok? Things are gettin' nasty around here and are gonna get worse before they get better I'm afraid. Now enough of tha negative stuff we ready ta try this again?"
Jeremy gives a faint smile and nods. "Sorry, just it's been a rough week." He says before closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths to focus on the scene of the candle as he waits for the digeridoo to start up.
Vinny nods "Amen ta that mate.." He takes up his position and begins to play once more, the tone drifting on the night air.
It takes about fifteen minutes before Jeremy feels he's ready and he reaches out his hand to touch the stuffed platypus again. He keeps his eyes closed as his arm tenses a bit as if he's trying to fight what he sees coming into his head. "I can't seem to stop it." He breaths out.
Vinny stops and nods "Hmmm I'll talk ta a few people an see if I can't come up with somthing ta help ya with. I wish I could tell ya more on this but it worked for me so I figured it would work on ya as well."
"Sorry." Jeremy says looking down. "I don't really know much about my powers either. They try to help at school but they also do testing with how much I can see and how much detail I retrain so it's not like this. Maybe I'm just not meditating right?"
Vinny smiles "Mate there's no such thing as "Right" with this. We each have our own way of learnin'. I know a few other Psyhics I can talk ta about some tips on how ta help ya get a grip on this. No worries mate we'll keep it till somthin' better comes our way."
"As much as I like the platypus maybe we should try some other objects of some sort. Something I'm not so familiar with?" Jeremy says with a bit of uncertainty. "I don't really know what to do to turn it off but after seeing the past of the platypus so many times it hasn't been at the for front of my mind like it usually is."
Vinny nods "Could be ya've become too familiar with old Monty there. I'll bring somthin' else tomorrow night and we're try again, see if I got somthin' without too much of a nasty history to it."
Jeremy nods. "I wish I had a brother like you Vinny." He says timidly. "I have an older brother but I haven't talked to him in years. I don't really have a family anymore." He says before looking up. "Monty, he helped a lot while at rehab. He was comforting. Did you have a connection with Platypuses before you got your powers?"
Vinny smiles "Not really no, I mean apart from my folks being wildlife activists and such and takin' a few trips into the bush when I younger. Course I always been a hairy guy, covered in hair since birth. Doctor's called it advanced infant Hypertriconosis.. the kinda thing you'd see in those old freakshows as "Tha Wolf Man"."
"Do you ever get the chance to go back home?" Jeremy asks curiously. "I don't really know how hard it is for you to get back to Australia."
Vinny nods "I get letters and such fairly regularly, tha occassional package. I may take a trip home in tha future but for right now I'm where I need ta be doin' what I need ta do."
"Well good luck, just, if you need my powers for anything to help, let me know. I don't like doing it but if it means getting this Kick off the street….I don't want anyone to go through what I did." Jeremy says as it wasn't pleasant. "I should get going though, I start classes again in the morning."
Vinny nods and stands, he stretchs and moment and smiles. "Well good luck and stick ta yer studies. I'll be here like always when yer done. If I have a way for ya ta help I'll let ya know."
