[center][h3][color=teal]Vincent[/color]
&
[color=00ffff]Cora[/color][/h3][/center]

[color=teal]“Huh, so this is where the lab is,”[/color] Vincent muttered as he stepped through the doors. [color=teal]“I never realized it was so close to the gym.”[/color] He looked around the lab, taking in the sight of half-finished projects scattered about and the equipment, most of which he didn’t know the name of or how they worked, needed to work on said projects. It was largely how he had imagined it would look, high-tech and futuristic, and it made him feel a bit out of place. However, there was a reason he was there.

[color=teal]“Hey, Cora!”[/color] he called out. [color=teal]“You in here? I was told this was where I could find you!”[/color]

[color=00ffff]”Yeah, over here!”[/color] She was sitting at a table with some bizarre contraption in front of her, currently in various pieces. There were tools neatly laid out, and she leaned over it with her hair tied back as she did [i]something[/i] with it. Cora had a metallic-looking bracelet around both of her wrists, which she used to “eat” the static electricity she gave off.

[color=00ffff]”what’s up?”[/color]

Vincent made his way over to where Cora worked, stopping every so often to look at some gizmo sitting on a table, as he said, [color=teal]“Nothing much, just thought I’d stop by, see how you’re doing. We haven’t had much of a chance to chat since we joined up.”[/color]

He stopped next to Cora and leaned in, looking at the device she was fiddling with. He tried to figure out what it was, at least for a few moments, but when he decided he couldn’t, he asked, [color=teal]“What’s this thing?”[/color]

[color=00ffff]”This…”[/color] Cora held up some cylindrical thing that looked like it was made of a dozen square metal things. Kind of like a homemade electromagnet. [color=00ffff]”Is basically a black hole for electrical signals. Static helped me make stuff, so I’m fooling around and seeing what else I can do with something like it.”[/color]

[color=teal]“I see,”[/color] Vincent said, nodding sagely. Though he understood the words individually, he didn’t quite understand what they meant together. He was quiet for a few more moments after that, simply watching Cora work, until he asked, [color=teal]“How’re you feeling? After what happened in the swamp, I mean.”[/color]

[color=00ffff]”Like an egg left on the sidewalk in 110 degree weather,”[/color] she answered. [color=00ffff]”Nothin’ I can’t walk off, apparently but… [i]Yeah,[/i] that sucked. I’m okay now, though. Even if I’m probably fifty pounds lighter.”[/color]

Vincent chuckled and turned around, leaning back against the table Cora was working on. [color=teal]“Well, I’m glad you’re up and moving around. Honestly, if I could put on that kinda lightshow, I’d probably [i]still[[/i] be in bed,”[/color] he said, crossing his arms. He glanced back to Cora and asked, [color=teal]“What about…you know mentally? Emotionally? You doing okay on that front?”[/color]

[color=00ffff]”Mm, kinda? I mean, it definitely sucks when everyone else has to worry about me. That feels bad itself, so does being stuck in bed for two days,”[/color] [i]And slowly dying.[/i] [color=00ffff]”But resting and sitting still didn’t help. If I sat down too long, I wouldn’t get back up, so I’ve been staying busy. I talk to Black Canary about doing things.”[/color]

[color=teal]“I hear you,”[/color] Vincent said with a nod. [color=teal]“There were a few times back when I was fighting that I’d get hurt and have to spend some time getting bedrest. I thought I’d go crazy not being able to move. Not exactly the same thing, but I can relate.”[/color] His mind drifted back to the last fight he had taken part in. The chaos, the fear…the blood. He unconsciously squeezed his arms as he pushed the memories back.

[color=teal]“I…also know what it’s like losing control,”[/color] he said after a few moments. Turning to Cora, he added, [color=teal]“I don’t know how much help I can be, but if you wanna talk, I’m here.”[/color]

Cora leaned back in her chair. [color=00ffff]”What happens when [i]you[/i] lose it?”[/color] She was curious.

Vincent hesitated. It wasn’t something he liked to talk about, something he wished he could forget. But if he was serious about letting Cora come to him if she needed it, then it was only fair if that street went both ways. [color=teal]“Well, it starts off as a splitting headache,”[/color] he began slowly. [color=teal]“Then things with iron or carbon start to float and warp before I start pulling carbon out of the air. Starts with the things closest to me and then it starts to spread out. Then it all starts to swirl around me, kinda like a tornado. Iron turns to liquid, then solid, then back again, carbon shards start flying around. And then it steadily gets worse until I can either get a handle on it or the headache makes me pass out.”[/color]

He let out a sigh and looked up toward the ceiling. [color=teal]“It usually only happens if I get pissed off enough or if I overuse my powers. First time it happened, it wasn’t too bad. I was with a foster family that already had kids of their own. They kept picking on me until I snapped and sent the silverware flying. Scared the shit out of them, but no one got hurt. The last time, though…”[/color] He trailed off and shook his head before reaching behind him. He tapped on his implant and added, [color=teal]“Anyway, that’s why I have this. Nightwing, with some help from Batman, got in touch with someone and they gave me this to help keep my power under control. Things haven’t pushed me that far, yet, and I’m hoping it stays that way, but the reassurance doesn’t hurt.”[/color]

Cora gave him a look. [color=00ffff]”Dude. That’s fucked. How does that thing help? Some weird thing with your powers where it messes with that first?”[/color]

Vincent shrugged. [color=teal]“I won’t pretend I know how it works,”[/color] Vincent said, [color=teal]“but the way that it was explained to me is that it limits my power to a fraction of what I’m capable of. If I go beyond that, then the implant does something that keeps me from using my power at all for…five, ten minutes, I think? Long enough for me to pretty much calm down and reset. I can still punch and move around, but I won’t be as bulletproof as I usually am.”[/color]

After a moment, he turned to Cora and asked, [color=teal]“Think something like that could help you? Though, your powers might fry an implant…”[/color]

[color=00ffff]”Probably. I’m already messed up enough, I don’t think chopping me open’s gonna help. I got this thing for that.”[/color] She pointed down at the weird gizmo. [color=00ffff]”I just give off energy like a fire, the way my powers work. I give off more when I’m blasting something with lightning, this just eats it before it actually affects me.”[/color]

Glad to have something else to talk about, Vincent moved away from the table and turned to get a better look at the device. [color=teal]“Ohh, so that’s what you meant,”[/color] he said as he looked at the object. [color=teal]“You think it’ll work?”[/color]

[color=00ffff]”Sorta has already. It has a power bank in it, I’m mostly just toying with it.”[/color] She held up some chunky-looking circuit board with similar pieces of tech on it. [color=00ffff]”The way it works is I just have it on me and keep it against my skin. It’ll soak up whatever I’m about to use, limiting it some so I can fight longer. If I need to [i]not[/i] be limited, I just shut it off.”[/color]

She pointed a screwdriver at what appeared to be a whole fucking rifle, resting on the wall near a bunch of other techy stuff. [color=00ffff]”Imagine a battery that recharges itself when you’re just existing around it, worked into [i]that.”[/i][/color] A diabolical grin spread over Cora’s face.

It took a moment, but it clicked. [color=teal]“Huh. Infinite ammo?”[/color] he said, assuming the rifle was some kind of lightning thrower. Looking away from the rifle, he turned back to Cora and added, [color=teal]“I’d ask if you wanted my help, but I wouldn’t have any idea what I’m doing, so I’d probably just be in the way. Besides that, I’m glad to see you seem to have things worked out.”[/color]

[color=00ffff]”Yep.”[/color] She screwed a few things together on the bench, and eventually held up the completed object. It had a strap that would hold it in place when worn.

[color=00ffff]”I was more worried about everyone else, than myself,”[/color] Cora admitted. [color=00ffff]”I was pretty sure I could walk it off. But everyone else [i]really[/i] didn’t take it that well- Which is fair, but still.”[/color]

[color=teal]“Yeah, people tend to worry when a teammate explodes,”[/color] Vincent joked. [color=teal]“But, at least you know we care about you. And as far as I’m concerned, since you say you’re fine and as long as you’ve got a plan, I won’t worry about you.”[/color]

[color=00ffff]”I’m not dyin’ yet,”[/color] she lied. Or was she just joking? [color=00ffff]”Thanks for asking, though. That’s cool.”[/color]

[color=teal]“No problem. I might be bulletproof, but it helps to know that people have my back. Just doing my part to make sure you guys know I have yours, too,”[/color] Vincent replied with a smile as he walked back toward the door. [color=teal]“I’m around if you need anything.”[/color]