[muffled spooky scary skeletons playing in the distance]

[geonomy]

Who: You! Me! Everybody!
Broadcast: idk but we've sure got a pretty broad cast of folks eh, eh
Action: HECK YEAH PLANET MINGLE
When: 10/7 until plot update or recaptcha

It's a deep, deep forest filled to the brim with fungi, mysterious life forms, and pitch black darkness. Explore if you dare and discover all these things and more! Just don't get lost...

Comments

[beathach]

Erik's powers are pretty cool.

[he's glad that that managed to distract Cisco back into being himself, even for a moment]

[benames]

Hi, yours are pretty cool, too.

[ to cisco, hank's powers are probably some of the coolest he's ever seen. talk about a legit comic book hero, different appearances and all. he still thinks he could have come out with a better codename for him but other than that- ]

Did they freak you out at first?

[beathach]

Thanks? Mine are alright.

[at least he's being more humble about than outright denying it. The question makes him tilt his head, before he shrugs a shoulder and crosses his arms]

Not . . . at first. Not when I was a kid. After I tried to suppress it, though . . . yeah, I was really freaked out.

It was a lot more than just - looking the way I do, too. I had to re-learn how to control my strength, and how to tune out loud noises, and all sorts of things I never had to worry about before. I had to be conscious of everything, and I couldn't get frustrated about it because I could end up hurting someone. [he huffs a faint, amused noise] The first day, I strangled Erik because I took a compliment the wrong way.

I didn't handle it well at all. And it took a long time before I could even look at myself in a mirror without freaking out all over again.

[benames]

How did you?

[ that's the part he's still in the dark about. after eobard, jay, zoom, reverb, he can't see himself accepting this at all. thawne knew what he was doing with barry; the flash was always meant to be a force of good.

but the rest of them - so many have stumbled onto a much darker path ]

I mean, how can you know that you control them and not the other way around?

[beathach]

[he purses his lips a little thoughtfully. This was Charles - and in a way, Raven's - expertise, not his]

You have to embrace them. It was one of the first lessons Charles gave me, when he was helping us with our powers. You have to embrace it and learn to control it, or else your fear will control you.

There's nothing wrong with being afraid - I'm not saying that. Anyone would be scared with powers they don't know how to control. But it's when that fear takes over that you're not in control anymore.

For me, personally . . . it took a long time for that to sink in. I still have my moments - I've broken a few things because someone caught me off guard at a bad time, and - well, I still walk around like this. [he gestures to himself] But I'm not afraid of it anymore. Not when I know what I'm capable of, and what I can use it for.

[benames]

[ he thinks about it for a moment and finally realizes what was bothering him the whole time, what is the one difference between him and the others, even him and barry. ]

--- The night the Flash got his powers, many people got theirs. Most of the metas we met, they were somewhere between downright evil to absolute psychos. The man who gave them their powers was - he was worse than Zoom. The things the Reverse Flash did to us.

[ barry, eddie, caitlin, ronnie, himself. ]

It took us time to realize - I was one of them. A meta human. My powers they - I can see the alternate timelines to this one, I can see alternate universes. I mean, theoretically. Mostly it's - really weird, more than slightly terrifying nightmares.

[beathach]

[he shouldn't be too surprised; the questions seemed to be leading up to this, too specific for someone who was just curious about powers. And he can't help but feel nothing but sympathy - he was born with his, up until he tried to change it, but he's seen his students struggle with their own, the ones who lived normal lives up until one day they suddenly weren't normal anymore. He both can and can't imagine what it's like

He runs a hand through his hair, trying to find the right words to say] No wonder you were shook up. Are shaken up. That's . . . geez.

[he purses his lips, then reaches out to clasp Cisco on the shoulder in what he hopes is a comforting gesture] Well, we both know you aren't crazy or evil, so I don't think you have to worry about that.

[benames]

Not yet. I might just turn out to be if I ever try and control them.

[ dryly, he adds ]

I mean, my evil doppelganger from hell became evil after he mastered them, he couldn't handle the power.

[beathach]

[equally dryly] Your evil doppelganger didn't have dozens of people around willing to help you out.

Just because it happened in one instance, doesn't mean it will in another, Cisco, you should know that. Whatever happened to him - that isn't you. And I can't see you being unable to control the power you do have.

One of the first things I learned here was that there was an evil version of me in Kitty's world. It was a terrifying thought, but I couldn't be further from becoming that Hank McCoy. Because that isn't me, and I'm in control of who I am and what I do with what I am. You know?

[benames]

Most of the metas we met didn't choose to use their powers to do anything good. All those powers, they corrupted them and he knew it, the person who created them. He knew most people would choose the other way.

[ but what did eobard thawne think of cisco and why, why does he still think it matters at all? ]

I don't know if I can be sure I can do this without going cray.

[beathach]

[he wants to ask more about this person who "created" them, and he feels it in faint anger simmering in the back of his mind. Whoever this person was, corrupting people with powers, that wasn't right. He'd seen it happen, Shaw's charisma and Apocalypse's influence, and where it lead to. And it was never anywhere good]

You won't go crazy. [at least with that, he can say it with certainty] I won't let you, Winn won't let you, Kara and Kate and Raven won't - this isn't something you have to worry about by yourself.

[benames]

he said - a great and honorable destiny awaits me and that he, he gave me those powers out of love. but he never loved me, he never loved anyone. he's -

[ there is too much anger here and beneath it all, heartbreak. ]

I guess I don't want to live up to his expectations.

[beathach]

Then don't. [it comes out a little angrily - something Hank rarely lets escape, when he is properly mad, but it isn't anger directed at Cisco at all. Why did people like that exist? For what purpose? His world, now Cisco's, everyone else's - he couldn't help but be mad about it]

The only expectations you have to live up to are your own, Cisco.

[benames]

He meant too much, before it all happened. I mean, I'm not sure if I can use them without thinking of him. He was right, he meant the world to me, to the Flash, to Caitlin but he hurt us and everyone we ever cared for because - I don't even know why. I don't think I can understand it.

[ but eobard is a presence even now, sitting at the opposite of the room, observing them both with the same knowing little smile and for a moment his eyes flash red. ]

[beathach]

[that's difficult - and Hank isn't sure what he can say to that. It isn't something he understand - and the only person he knew who could relate, he wouldn't broach the subject with.

He sighs quietly] You might never understand it. Those types of people . . . sometimes, it just never makes sense.

[he frowns, going quiet for a moment]

Do you want to learn? How to control your powers?

[benames]

I don't know.

[ it's as honest as he manages. he knows he should, he knows he can but the part about whether he should or not remains unclear. ]

I guess I need to before they control me, you know?

[beathach]

[he runs a hand through his hair, pursing his lips]

I think it might be a good idea.

[benames]

Yeah.

[ if not his own well being than for everyone else's ]

I dunno how to, though. I have the goggles I've used before, I'll have to tweak some things, see how they work here at all.

[beathach]

[he nods, and the makes a considering noise]

What do the goggles do, exactly?

I think the best place to start is figuring out exactly how your powers work. Or at least, as much as we can. Pretty much - everything we can, without having you demonstrate them.