opnet [OpNet] Eternal Youth isn't what it's cracked up to be..

[Arek]

I'm a Nova who erupted fairly long ago, in 2002. The circumstances of my eruption are not important, but suffice to say, they left me with enhance mental and physical reaction time, strength, durability, attractivenss, intelligence and control over the forces of wind.

However, when I erupted, I was 15 years old. After all those years, I am still physically that age. I understand that Novas have extended lifespans, but they do not seem to impair the normal growth and maturation of a adolescent. When I checked in to a Utopian clinic, the doctors believed that I was suffering from some sort of 'Peter Pan' subconcious quantum effect, where I, myself, was preventing my aging. That was a heavy load of bull. There's nothing more in my life I wanted more when I erupted than to grow up and get past my current difficulties in life.

Although not aging physically is something of a boon, it has impaired my social life considerably. Although I have legit IDs, I've had difficulty in entrance to certain clubs. This is a large difficulty in associating with other Novas of my own age. However, the worst effect is that many of the women that I would like to pursue a relationship with, still consider me a child. The ones that I did have a romantic coupling with did so mostly out of physical attraction. They too did not consider me an adult.

Finally, I've received patronizing or condescending attitudes from older Novas who consider me emotionally or mentally inferior to them.

Any possible advice you could give?

[Abbie]

Dear Arek,

Longer term, there is hope you may grow out of it. Your life span may have extended much longer than the standard nova, and this may be a side effect of decreased aging. Not that I expect it to be any consolation to find out that you won’t hit 16 for another hundred plus years.

For the shorter term, there are two possible approaches. The easier is to learn movie style make up (or hire someone who already knows). Modern movies can make the young old and the old young. For you this will probably entail wearing thick soled boots and a fake beard.

The harder option is to develop powers that compensate; other novas have shapechange, holographic images, appearance alteration, etc.