sirenspull_logs | (no subject)

Who: Soma and OPEN!
When: After time fixes itself; night time.
Where: RANDOM ROOFTOP
Summary: Soma decides to get a hold of himself and his powers the only way he can think of. Feel free to have your character point out how ridiculously stupid it is.
Warnings: ...it looks like suicide? Otherwise depends on responses.

Soma set a foot on the edge of the roof, looking all the way down at the street below. The siren's had just fallen silent, signalling the start of the Darkness, and so far, he was as he always was. Still, he could feel his power, stirring in the back of his mind; a constant reminder of what he was.

He took a step away, taking a deep breath. This was crazy. This was crazy. But if he didn't do this, then he'd be living scared of his own damn shadow until the Core finally decided to send him back to his own world. He couldn't have that; Elaine was right, he needed to get a hold of himself.

...he just wished he could think of another way to force himself to accept it.

Soma closed his eyes, taking another deep breath. He counted off in his head... before he raced forward, leaping up onto the edge of the roof, and then springing forward, flinging his arms out as if he expected to fly off like Superman. Instead, he plummeted, the wind whistling through his ears as the ground came rushing toward him...

At what had to be the last possible second before Soma became a smear on the ground, his body shifted. His coat fanned out, reaching out to the sky, before coming down hard, becoming leathery white wings. A loud screech came from a fanged mouth, no longer human, but a bat. A massive bat.

The Great Bat's soul was still with him.

Soma's wings flapped hard, pushing himself up for a few feet, before he couldn't hold the transformation anymore. He tumbled to the ground as a human, laying stretched out on his back on the pavement. It wasn't until that moment that he opened his eyes, staring up at the sky high above him, an almost stupid grin on his face.

He did it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"A lot better, actually."

Soma paused, looking up at the building, before looking down to the point where he had transformed.

"...hunh. I meant to hover. I guess only one of my souls stayed with me all this time."

"It's not so bad, because it's something right?" Elaine asked. And he didn't have a rough landing.

"Did you want to try anything else?"

Well, not too rough. Soma reached up, brushing little bits of gravel from his white hair.

"No, that's okay. That wore me out."

In fact... he reached into his pocket, pulling out one of the last packets he had of that stuff Eric had him selling. The kids at school practically pounced him for this stuff; he had to wonder if it really was that good at giving people a boost in energy. He could certainly use it right now.

No broken bones meant it was a solid result.

"...What's that?" Elaine's voice asked, dubiously. She knew what it was, but she didn't spell it aloud. She was hoping some of her discomfort would indicate that he perhaps should lay off that thing.

"Oh, something my boss has me sell," Soma answered, turning the little package over in his hand. "The kids at school really like it. I never tried it though."

He did notice that discomfort, and raised a curious eyebrow at it. "...why?"

"Just wondering," Elaine said with a shrug. "What is it?" If he didn't know exactly what was it, he shouldn't try it.

"Pep-Up," Soma replied, hesitating in unwrapping it. Her unease was setting him off. "Mr. Northman said it was supposed to give people energy."

"Hey, instead of eating that," Elaine said, "Why don't you come over the Lux? I'll give you a free meal."

Now Soma was really concerned. Not that he doubted Elaine would offer a free meal in a situation like this, but how quick she said that, her concern... it was setting him on edge.

"Elaine, what is it?"

"...I just want you to eat what I offer," Elaine shrugged. She could not tell him anything else. If he was really curious, then he should ask his boss.

Soma didn't look entirely convinced, but he slipped the Pep-Up back into his pocket anyway.

"...yeah, sure."

Elaine looked perfectly normal. "I just wanted to help you in something," she explained, "It makes me feel useless to stare from the sidelines."

Even if that was basically the description of the job she had to do.

The sidelines; he was pretty much used to her doing just that, which means that if she was interfering, even in a small way, she had a good reason. Guess who was getting a phone call tomorrow?

"I get it, Elaine. It's fine."

Elaine cringed, inwardly. She hadn't meant to hint at anything. Or see anything. She had only gotten a second-handed feel of the things from being connected to Bruce -- Or rather Matches.

That was free will for you. She could not control the reactions, or desired to.

"What's your favorite meal?" she asked for a change of topic.

"I don't know. I never really gave it much thought."

Soma paused a moment, before shaking his head.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get short with you."

"You're just tired," Elaine nodded, sympathetically. "You can get some rest once we get into the Lux."