the-evil-puzzler:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack nodded. He was a businessman, and it was rare of him to do work for free. His paintings had all of his heart and soul poured into them, and a weapon would have the same amount of care and attention added to it. He moved in closer to Steve, before gesturing for him to follow him.

He led the other man down the street for a while before slipping in down a side alley. It was abandoned of people, and a lone black cat hurried past them as they entered. Jack turned and faced Steve, hands by his sides.

“What do you need?” he asked, voice hushed, either way.

Well he had expected a cafe or something but this seemed way better and more discreet. Looking around the alley a bit to make sure no one above them was looking in on them and always making sure to check his surroundings, he turned his attention back to Jack.

Seems Jack would learn who he really was thanks to this.

“I need a weapon,” he began, thinking over his designs. “A gun sort of like Megamind’s de-gun if you’ve seen it. And I want it to turn… Things into puzzles and have a setting to also turn things back to normal. Also, I need this gun to make people do nothing but talk in riddles and also have a setting to take it off. I also need a setting of confusion. It might help me in tight situations.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Think you can do it?”

“Discombobulating… confusion… brain altercation… reforming…” Jack mumbled to himself as he thought of the process. The human body was basically atoms, and atoms can be changed into any shape. Reforming was the key, but his brain was already twisting and turning in on itself, thinking hard. “…I think it can be done. It may take a few days, and I’m already running on limited time…” he looked at Steve, nodding his head.

“I think I know who you are, but I won’t breathe a word. Don’t worry.”

the-evil-puzzler:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“You’re a Super?” Jack asked quietly, his green eyes widening in surprise. “Oh wow. That’s amazing, I had no idea… don’t worry.” He made a zipping motion on his lips. “I won’t tell a soul.” He whispered, before he smiled and bowed his head slightly. “Thank you, though. I mean we barely know each other and you just told me all that. It means a lot. To both me and Katelynn, though she doesn’t know about you. Thanks, so much.”

He gestured to his head. “Like you noticed I’m not exactly the way I used to be. Some magic anon gave me Megamind’s creativity with technology and creations so if you need anything for the next week, come to me and I’ll whip up something for you, okay?”

 “Really?” he asked, eyes widening. He HAD been thinking about asking Blue Rose to make him a new gun. “Actually yeah.. I do need something… I might as well take advantage while you’re under this magic anon?” He chuckled, shrugging. “But I’ll pay you of course. And I won’t take no for an answer.”

Looking around, he wondered if maybe talking about this in the street wasn’t the best thing. “Shall we go somewhere more private to discuss this? I really need a weapon ASAP to rejoin the fight and I’d like to share my ideas.”

If he could really do it, that would be awesome. Then no one would know he decided to ignore Metro Man’s warning.

Jack nodded. He was a businessman, and it was rare of him to do work for free. His paintings had all of his heart and soul poured into them, and a weapon would have the same amount of care and attention added to it. He moved in closer to Steve, before gesturing for him to follow him.

He led the other man down the street for a while before slipping in down a side alley. It was abandoned of people, and a lone black cat hurried past them as they entered. Jack turned and faced Steve, hands by his sides.

“What do you need?” he asked, voice hushed, either way.

the-evil-puzzler:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Hopefully it won’t come to that. I’m just… I love her, but I feel so helpless when I see how she gets sometimes. So scared. It’s hard to be brave, when you yourself has trouble believing in yourself. But she’s helped me out so much already I can’t help but be there for her.” Jack clenched one of his fists.

“One day we’ll be together and safe, and not have to hide from people. That’s what I want, eventually.”

 “That’s what I want to fight for as well,” Steve admitted, feeling like he could trust the man. “That’s why I’m fighting or want to fight with Metro Man. To protect civilians like you guys.”

Steve’s eyes were completely serious as they regarded Jack, his stance one of confidence. “You probably don’t know but I’m a super,” he whispered quietly so no one would hear. They seemed too distracted in their own lives to notice them. “I won’t say which one but trust me when I say I’m going to help fight so you two are safe.”

“You’re a Super?” Jack asked quietly, his green eyes widening in surprise. “Oh wow. That’s amazing, I had no idea… don’t worry.” He made a zipping motion on his lips. “I won’t tell a soul.” He whispered, before he smiled and bowed his head slightly. “Thank you, though. I mean we barely know each other and you just told me all that. It means a lot. To both me and Katelynn, though she doesn’t know about you. Thanks, so much.”

He gestured to his head. “Like you noticed I’m not exactly the way I used to be. Some magic anon gave me Megamind’s creativity with technology and creations so if you need anything for the next week, come to me and I’ll whip up something for you, okay?”

the-evil-puzzler:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Oh. Thank you, that’s nice of you but she’s estranged from her family.” Jack said honestly. “She moved here to get away from them, so they don’t even know what I look like. Though they do know I exist. Which is all they need to know.”

 Estranged? Oh wow. Her situation sounded an awful like Steve’s own… Well sort of.

“Really? That sucks…” he whispered, still scratching his head. “Guess she’s pretty much alone then too. Maybe someday I’ll go out and meet her and see for myself the kind of girl she is. Maybe help you out and try to convince her to change careers so she won’t leave you all alone.”

“Hopefully it won’t come to that. I’m just… I love her, but I feel so helpless when I see how she gets sometimes. So scared. It’s hard to be brave, when you yourself has trouble believing in yourself. But she’s helped me out so much already I can’t help but be there for her.” Jack clenched one of his fists.

“One day we’ll be together and safe, and not have to hide from people. That’s what I want, eventually.”

the-evil-puzzler:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Some might think that, I guess.” Jack said quietly. “Some will call us a couple of crazy kids in love but I really think she’s the one for me. Like, the other part of me who I’ve been waiting to find all this time. Ever since I was adopted I’ve avoided people. I was treated so… well. Badly by people around me, I had sworn off of people and though because of what I was I’d never find anyone willing to care for me. But she has, she does, and being with her makes me feel… well. Normal.”

 “Couple of crazy kids in love indeed,” Steve agreed, giving a bit of a laugh, stepping off his foot for a minute. “But that’s good, that she makes you feel that way. Wonder what her family thinks having you as a boyfriend…”

He had the audacity to blush after that, reaching up to scratch his bleach blond hair. “No offense.. Just.. Families probably wouldn’t expect their kids to be dating an alien. I don’t mean.. You know.. You’re a good guy..”

“Oh. Thank you, that’s nice of you but she’s estranged from her family.” Jack said honestly. “She moved here to get away from them, so they don’t even know what I look like. Though they do know I exist. Which is all they need to know.”

the-evil-puzzler:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack felt a bit bad for admitting such a thing, of course he did. Admitting such a weakness. Would she want him continuing on without her? If Katelynn died, if she was murdered, he would be worse off than he was before. He’d have known kindness, love, affection and understanding and to have it ripped from him in such a violent way there would be no way back for him. Like Romeo and Juliet he would do himself in, if just to enter into the hereafter to be a part of it with her.

But glad to see the change of subject worked, he smiled. “Well, we’re moving in together. It’s mostly for protection since, like you said, she attracts bad guys attention. But it’s also just so we can be there and our dogs have someone to be with when we’re both working.”

 He whistled a bit, impressed with how fast things were going. “Moving in together so soon? Damn man, you move fast. I guess I can understand the protection bit, if she’s with you all the time then she’ll be safe, but I barely talked to you a month ago. Isn’t it all too fast?”

Though who was he to talk? He lived with his own girlfriend AND her daughter. But that was different, wasn’t it? He had been alone all his life and now he had a family.

“Some might think that, I guess.” Jack said quietly. “Some will call us a couple of crazy kids in love but I really think she’s the one for me. Like, the other part of me who I’ve been waiting to find all this time. Ever since I was adopted I’ve avoided people. I was treated so… well. Badly by people around me, I had sworn off of people and though because of what I was I’d never find anyone willing to care for me. But she has, she does, and being with her makes me feel… well. Normal.”

the-evil-puzzler:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“I’d probably kill myself if I lost her because they killed her.” Jack said, surprisingly straight faced. He blinked, as if just realizing what he said, before making a ‘huh’ noise. “…macabre but… yeah. I just can’t imagine going on without her. Some would swear vengeance for such a thing but I’m not like that… never was.”

He shrugged. “But I hope it doesn’t get to that. I’ve got plans for Katelynn and I.”

 “H-Hey now,” Steve said nervously, bringing his hands up in a “whoa there” motion. “T-That’s a little extreme, don’t you think?”

Kill himself? God Steve couldn’t even imagine himself doing that if he lost Grace. /He/ would go after Psycho Delic for sure and then let Enigma take over his body, no longer caring about anything. Yup, that sounded about right.

Deciding to change the subject and get off a heavy topic, he said, “What sorts of plans?”

Jack felt a bit bad for admitting such a thing, of course he did. Admitting such a weakness. Would she want him continuing on without her? If Katelynn died, if she was murdered, he would be worse off than he was before. He’d have known kindness, love, affection and understanding and to have it ripped from him in such a violent way there would be no way back for him. Like Romeo and Juliet he would do himself in, if just to enter into the hereafter to be a part of it with her.

But glad to see the change of subject worked, he smiled. “Well, we’re moving in together. It’s mostly for protection since, like you said, she attracts bad guys attention. But it’s also just so we can be there and our dogs have someone to be with when we’re both working.”

the-evil-puzzler:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack nodded, stroking at his chin in thought, narrowing an eye.

“You have a good point… being a camera woman makes her an easy target for people like them… I don’t know if I’d be able to talk her out of it but I’m certainly going to try. Because I want her to be happy, and safe, but it’s hard to do so with bad guys showing up and upsetting her the way they do.” He sighs, and shakes his head.

“And I do want to stay with her. More than you know.”

 Steve smiled, thinking over his own girlfriend and how he wanted to stay with her. She was even getting over her homophobia thanks to some of his support.

He walked over and clapped the man on the shoulder, grinning broadly. “I don’t know if you can convince her since I don’t know her but hopefully because I’d hate to hear that Psycho Delic chose to make her a worse victim than he already has. I’d hate to see what’ll happen if you lose her because it seems you do really care about her.”

Dropping his arm in case the blue man didn’t like being touched, he stuffed them into his pockets.

“I’d probably kill myself if I lost her because they killed her.” Jack said, surprisingly straight faced. He blinked, as if just realizing what he said, before making a ‘huh’ noise. “…macabre but… yeah. I just can’t imagine going on without her. Some would swear vengeance for such a thing but I’m not like that… never was.”

He shrugged. “But I hope it doesn’t get to that. I’ve got plans for Katelynn and I.”

the-evil-puzzler:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“It’s hardly her fault people like that target her.” Jack said, frowning slightly. “And that was as horrible incident, but I was there for her afterwards. I support her, I love her, and she loves me too. We’ve both helped each other a lot, you know? I mean. I used to be unable to go outside my door at all but then I met her, and… and she began taking me out all the time. I went on walks with her, went to stores with her, galleries and things and… it was nice. She reminded me there was a world outside my apartment.”

He made a face though, and shook his head. “I wish they didn’t go after her though. She doesn’t do anything wrong but I guess they like her petite demeanor.”

 Steve shook his own head, crossing his arms over his chest. “And the fact that she works for KMCP also adds to the equation,” he argued softly. “Why do you think Roxanne Ritchie gets kidnapped by Megadork all the time? Villains love reporters because it gives them coverage.”

He didn’t feel bad for Roxanne though. She seemed to have it easier being targeted by the city’s alien villain. He would never hurt her. Katelynn however…

“You’d probably be better off.. Well I mean if you insist on staying with a girl like her.. To convince her to switch careers. If she stops being a reporter maybe they’ll leave her alone…

“Though she does seem like such an easy target…”

Jack nodded, stroking at his chin in thought, narrowing an eye.

“You have a good point… being a camera woman makes her an easy target for people like them… I don’t know if I’d be able to talk her out of it but I’m certainly going to try. Because I want her to be happy, and safe, but it’s hard to do so with bad guys showing up and upsetting her the way they do.” He sighs, and shakes his head.

“And I do want to stay with her. More than you know.”

the-evil-puzzler:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“To be honest I wasn’t, not really.” Jack said with a small shrug. “I had a bit of a crush on a girl, and I actually started talking to her. And her name’s Katelynn, Katelynn Foster. She’s…” he trailed off for a moment, lifting his hands, as if trying to explain her by way of hand gestures. “She’s just wonderful. She’s quiet, shy, incredibly pretty though she can’t see it. She makes me so happy, Steve.”

 That name sounded familiar to him as he wracked his brain on why. He knew he had heard it somewhere.

Foster…no way.

“That reporter woman from KMCP who was kidnapped by Psycho Delic and made reports on him?” he asked loudly, a few people turning to look at him before hurrying off.

“She’s your girlfriend? Why are you with a girl who attracts villains?”

Oh he felt bad for the man. The woman seemed weak to him, allowing herself to get kidnapped like she did. But then again she was just a civilian though a mousy one.

“It’s hardly her fault people like that target her.” Jack said, frowning slightly. “And that was as horrible incident, but I was there for her afterwards. I support her, I love her, and she loves me too. We’ve both helped each other a lot, you know? I mean. I used to be unable to go outside my door at all but then I met her, and… and she began taking me out all the time. I went on walks with her, went to stores with her, galleries and things and… it was nice. She reminded me there was a world outside my apartment.”

He made a face though, and shook his head. “I wish they didn’t go after her though. She doesn’t do anything wrong but I guess they like her petite demeanor.”