[Fiction] A Change of Scenery

[Long]

Long ran over a mental checklist of preparations in his head. The guest room has been made ready, the estate cleaned to some form of decency, everything is as it should be.

Long seemed satisfied and checked off the final preparation. Hideki will stay with Raja, I dare not trust anyone else.

His son had proven uncooperative in this though. Their little exchange ran through his mind. "But Father why is it that when you have guests I have to stay away? You say you want me to trust you, but you do not trust me." "Hideki I do trust you son, but the nova who is coming to be my guest just lost her daughter. Seeing me with my only son may not be the best thing for her. Besides you asked me for a change of scenery and Raja will take care of that. His home in New Mexico is about as different as it gets. If you're polite and good, he may show some new tricks. He knows how to do some things I cannot do." "It just seems like you don't want me around Father." "Hideki, you are my son. If our guest is alright with it I'll bring you home myself. Now will you agree to my request?" "I will abide by your decision."

Raja had come and taken Hideki away, telling all about the various things to do in New Mexico, leaving Long alone again in his home. Long pressed a button on the television remote and panels slid away revealing a pair of filing cabinets.

"Months of new research, and every bit of data on every use of my temporal control ability. I know the method exists, I just haven't found a way to enact it. Perhaps Timeslip will have the missing parts to the answer."

The nightmare he'd suffered on the occasion he slept crept into his mind. The voice of his mentor echoed in the darkness. "You were once a great weapon. your foes spoke your name with respect. Then you chose her. For What? She made you week with emotions, things you had grown beyond. You in your weakness could not protect her, and she fell. Because of your love she died. How many more must die because they love you, and you love them? Think heavily my son. You are weak, you must find a path to greater strength maybe then you'll be able to protect them."

Long snapped out of it and looked towards the clock on the wall. "Her flight will be here soon. I had best get dressed for another trip into town. Long's body began to take on a more human look, all that remained of his Tiger presence were the black stripes and furry tail. He dressed casually, a pair of black slacks and an old No Fear T-shirt. He slipped on a pair of loafers. and grabbed his glasses and jacket. Another glance at the clock told him it was getting close to time. He focused a moment attuning the clothing to himself and exited his home. His node sent out energy pulses that controlled his ability to fly and he took to the air, making for the airport and fair clip.

[Timeslip]

The only thing worse than airports is dealing with them dormed, thought Timeslip, and not for the first time today. Sixteen hours crammed in a passenger compartment, and now this, as she faced the teeming throngs at Haneda Airport's International Terminal. Signs in half a dozen languages were posted nearly everywhere in the most confusing jumble of "information" she had ever encountered; she made out signs for "Passenger Pick-Up" pointing in no fewer than five different directions. The temptation to drop the charade and undorm was nearly overwhelming, if only so she could regain her full faculties and find her blasted ride.

Finally, after what seemed like endless wrong turns and dead-ends, she came to the pick-up center -- which proved to be a madhouse. At least three tour groups were in the process of disentangling themselves, and hundreds of individuals with hand-lettered signs packed the area beneath the awning. How hard can it be to spot a guy with tiger stripes and a tail, she ruefully remembered herself thinking just an hour ago. How hard, indeed. Then, she spotted him, and it was indeed unmistakable: he was making a landing across the street, sans airplane. "One of these days, I've got to pick up that trick," she muttered, as she hurried across the street with her battered suitcase, pulling up just short of the Nova. He glanced at her, obviously uncertain if this was his new guest; the red hair, green eyes and altogether Caucasian complexion that she displayed bore no semblance whatsoever to the appearance for which Timeslip had become known.

"Konichiwa," Timeslip offered, hoping that she didn't mangle the greeting too badly. "I'm Timeslip. As I don't do a good impression of a Cessna, do we have a ride out of here?"

[Long]

Long bows his head to the woman introducing himself as Timeslip. "Konichi-wa. I am Long." He chuckles slightly at her reference to transport. "I do not own a car, so unless you want to take the direct route, I'll just hail a cab. If you'll please follow me, I'll take you to where you'll be staying."

Long turns and makes his way out to the street. He picks a cab out of the pack of them and walks over to its window. Long pulls out a small wallet and removes several notes. The driver nods enthusiastically and Long returns to Timeslip.

"He will take us to my home. It is fairly out of the way and the few neighbors I have aren't bothered my what I really look like. I realize you've had a long flight and would probably wish to change and get a good shower. Now if you please..."

Long walks back tot he cab and opens the door for Timeslip to get in.

"It will be about a 20-30 minute drive."

[Timeslip]

"Thank you a thousand-fold; anything that seats less than 50 sounds wonderful right now," Timeslip quipped as she climbed into the...taxi? It was, without a doubt, the smallest cab she had ever seen; she was used to taxis based on Crown Victorias and the like, not what appeared to be a converted Prius. Still, it felt wonderful to have even the limited seclusion offered by the small vehicle as she settled into the seat. "Will you be joining me, Long, or are you taking Tiger Air back to the house?"

[Long]

"I'll join you, besides, while I love to fly, it would be most rude of me to not accompany you back to my home."

Long climbs into the cab and motions for the driver to go.

"I apologize for resulting to a cab, but I see no reason to own a car when I have so many means of conveyance."

As they ride through the city Long points out certain little shops and a few nightspots. After nearly twenty five minutes they reach the city's edge and continue into the country. Another five minutes brings them to Long's estate. The area is heavily wooded, yet also offers large open areas of grass and several koi ponds. The house is rather large, and has the air of age.

"This is my home, and for the time you are my guest I hope you come to feel that way as well."

Long leans over to the cabbie and says a few words. The cabbie nods vigorously and looks forward.

[Timeslip]

"You certainly have a lovely estate," Timeslip said as she exited the cab.

Watching the driver pull away, she waited until he was no longer in line of sight; then, with a sigh of relief, she let the dormancy slip away. Her skin, hair and eyes quickly darkened and then blackened completely, leaving no surface definition; a myriad stars flared to life in the inky blackness. Quantum energies surged to her command once more, and it felt as though a fog had lifted from her mind, like a drunk quickly and completely returning to soberness.

"That's better. Well, Long, your offer intrigued me; working together on timeline work might be what we each need in order to fill in the missing links. If you don't mind, I'll just go freshen up a bit, and then we can begin to compare techniques. Could you point me in the direction of the bathroom?"

[Long]

Long watches Timeslip's metamorphosis. He leads Timeslip into the house and points to his right. "The closest bathroom is two doors down the hall. Your room is up the stairs and to the left. Please feel free to do whatever you need to do. I too need to change."

Long leaves his guest and returns to his room where he undresses and puts back on his shorts and a tanktop. After a moment to attune them he releases the human form and returns to his regular tiger form. He walks back out of his room and waits for Timeslip to return to the Living room. There's a small table set with various drinks and some light snack crackers.

[Timeslip]

"Bathroom" turned out to be something of an understatement, Timeslip notice with happy surprise; the large sunken tub was surrounded by a room that could have made a medieval shogun proud. She ran a bath, undressing as it ran, and sank into the water, feeling the tension of international flights and crowded terminals -- and far, far too long spent dormed -- literally soak out of her. Have to keep this short, Angie; Long's waiting, and you'll fall asleep if you stay in here more than a few minutes. Reluctantly, she eased out of the tub, dried herself off...and started to feel ill. Time for dinner. She dug out her prescription bottle, and took one of the distinctly non-prescription pills inside. Collapsing in Long's bathroom wouldn't be a good start to this collaberation, she thought, as the LSD entered her bloodstream and quickly did it's job, filling her unique cellular nutritional needs that, left unfulfilled, could and would cause her to quickly waste -- and in a week's time, die.

That taken care of, she pulled a small patch of black fabric from her bag. She reached out to it with a slightest of quantum coaxing, and it grew and spread over her like a jump suit...and with another slight coax, began to show her trademark starfield effect.

Cramming her "monkey clothes" into a plastic bag in her suitcase, she headed for the living room. "Long, that bathroom of yours is just..." she stopped in mid-sentence -- and mid-stride -- as she saw Long's true form. It was as if a bengal tiger one day decided, "enough of this four legged business; let's try out bipedal." Eight feet tall, tawny fur everywhere, and a well-and-true tiger's head with some of the deepest eyes she had ever seen topping it all off. It took her a second to start breathing again. "...incredible," she finished, realizing that it could be taken to end her earlier sentence or as a new statement of it's own...and that she meant it both ways. My god, he's...stunning, she thought; an astute observer might have noticed that the stars at the sides of her face flared a little bit brighter, twinkled a little faster.

Regaining some degree of composure, she resumed walking toward the cushions at the center of the floor, and sat down with her legs folded beneath her. "Thank you for inviting me here, Long," she said as she reached for a cracker. "Now, why don't you tell me the basics of what your looking for so that we can try and figure out the best way to make it happen?"

[Long]

Long takes a seat as well, and pours a small cup of water and sips it slowly.

"Not many know this Timeslip but I have also suffered a grevious loss several months ago. My power wasn't enough to protect her and since her death I have sought a way to undo the mistakes I made. Time travel seemed viable, but I possess nowhere near the power for such a feat, or the desire to create a temporal paradox. From that I gleaned that perhaps I didn't need to go back in time, but perhaps cross over the boundaries between timelines to a timeline where she had not died. From what I can tell the power required is actually somewhat less than is required for true time-travel. I was of a mind that you are an expert in temporal manipulation, and that while it is something that I cannot do alone, together we may find a way."

Long's eyes seem to soften, as his demeanor changed slightly.

"Now a question of my own. Why did you accept my invitation? I admit I was somewhat suprised by it."

[Timeslip]

Timeslip nearly dropped her cracker. Long's stated goal was so close to her own that it was almost too much to be a simple coincidence.

"I've considered...much the same, but with regard to my daughter. I know that there is at least one timeline, somewhere, where she survived and I did not; I would very much like to retrieve her from said timeline." She sipped at her tea. "I accepted your invitation because you made mention of stretching the temporal bounds, and I hoped -- and still hope -- that by working together, we might manage to accomplish a timeline cross."

Adjusting on her cushion a bit, she continued, "I know for a fact that alternate timelines exist and that quantum powers can facilitate moving between them. I have been...visited by an alternate version of myself. She -- I, in a way -- explained to me the fundimentals involved: how to recognize the timelines, how to select between them, how to step across them." She took another sip of tea. "The problem, unfortunately, is that I currently don't have enough quantum power to correctly interpret the timelines; if I can develop my command of basic quantum energies a bit more, the rest of it will fall into place very quickly."

She paused, and watched Long for his reaction. This is the part where I'll find out if we are going to be any help to each other, I think.

[Long]

"I know the method by which I gained my power, though I would wager to say it is not the best. My powers grow through my rage, the beast that I shackle within. When I cut loose my controls, I find more power. Through extensive training I harness the power and bend it to my will. The problem with this form is this. I am at an impass now. The jump from the level of power I wield now is a chasm. I know that one day my rage will push me to it, but I do not wish to risk that sort of loss of control. I've pushed my powers to their limits, testing just what they can do. each time I do so, I feel the Chasm lessen. It isn't much but each time it happens I swear that I feel a bit stronger. I have here in this home nine years of temporal data. Every single instance I manipulated time, recorded and scientifically analyzed. The data is easily summed up. With great practice comes greater control, through greater control I have unlocked more power."

Long flexes his index finger revealing a long black claw and spears a cracker with it. He brings the cracker to his mouth and devours it and continues.

"I was thinking that perhaps we could work together to see how far we could push the boundaries. Perhaps in that one crucial moment one of us might find the answer and the power we seek. Now you mention that you have been Visited by a future version of yourself. That fascinates me, and yet terrifies me in the same thought. It begs so many questions."

Long guages Timeslip's next comment carefully, knowing that perhaps she is one of the few novas that such an effort could be attempted with.

I must not lose this chance, I do not wish to resort to Rage to solve all my problems!

[Timeslip]

"An important distinction: I was visited by an alternate version of myself, not a future version. My understanding of quantum temporal mechanics is that true time travel would require a great deal more quantum control than I am ever likely to possess. And frankly, that's a good thing; temporal paradox could become very, very ugly in the event of true time travel.

"That said, I would very much like to pursue a collaborative effort to try to achieve what we can. I've pushed my bounds as well; your description of it as a gradually-lessening chasm closely matches what I have felt. That said, if I do advance in this fashion, it will be the first time I have done so; when I erupted, it was violent and extreme, and it catupulted me directly to my current base quantum potential -- not to mention my current appearance. I've been pushing at that potential ever since, gradually at first but with more force over time. I can feel it getting closer, but it is still some distance away. I can feel...'shortcuts', for lack of a better term, available, but until very recently was not willing to pay the price for them."

Timeslip tries to gauge Long for the next part, then carefully continues:

"Recently, I've been exposed to certain ways of looking at things that could, over time, mitigate some of the negative effects of a more rapid advance. Because of that, I'm willing to take considerable more risk than I once was."

[Long]

Long thinks for a second and decides to show his hand.

"The Path of Teras holds a method for removing taint. It is something my former Master told me of, but upon learning how it could not erase certain things I never followed up on it. I hold to may tenets of the teachings, but not all. Shortcuts to power led me to this form, violently and painfully. Though as of late I have contemplated following my master's advice, and perhaps then I could find the power I seek, but at what price would that power come?"

At the mention of his master, Long's tone changes, revealing great bitterness warring with oceans of respect.

"where would you like to begin this effort?"

[Timeslip]

"Well, I suppose we could start right here, comparing our understandings of temporal mechanics...and perhaps our perspectives of the chasm, and the best way to bridge it without completely losing ourselves.

"I haven't brought any written notes; I don't like leaving things recorded that other people -- such as a nosy customs agent -- can find. What I have is in here," Timeslip says as she points to her head, "but I'm willing to share it. Unless you have any handy mental gifts, it will have to be verbal, I'm afraid."

She pauses in a final moment of hesitation -- Come on, Angie, take the step -- then continues:

"We both want the same thing, and I want to see us both achieve it, so I want to make this perfectly clear, right now: I plan on holding nothing back, and I hope that you do likewise. At this point, half-measures and keeping cards close to the chest are just going to get in our way. Are you OK with this?"

[Long]

Long chuckles about the customs agent comment. "I feel safe recording my data, The code it is written inis known only to three people, and nearly impossible to crack. If that were not enough should the files be removed, there are safeguards to ensure the destruction before they are read."

Long steeples his fingers in front of him and sits bolt upright as he makes his decision.

"Very well then. The cost justifies means. I can directly link our minds. Everything within our minds shall be laid out before each other. I have always found it easier to show someone something, rather than tell them about it. If it is your wish then I will join our minds, so that we may begin this journey."

Long's cerulean blue eyes flash a moment and fade.

"If there are any memories to painful, or that you do not wish to share, bury them, or in some way defend them, I will not actively pry, but I have tended to wander about the minds with whom I've done this. My mind shall be an open book, as much as I can make it."

[Timeslip]

For a moment, Timeslip silently panicked. Everything? Can I really open up about everything? About the birth? About Sean? About the Other? About the sheer attractiveness of Long? About...oh gods, about what happened at the eruption? She thought about the possible gains -- more raw quantum power, better temporal control, stepping between the timestreams -- and was still rattled. Then she thought about her daughter...and the rest was easy.

"OK. I'm ready when you are; I've nothing to hide from you."

She mentally braced herself.

[Long]

Long's blue eyes flash and hold their blue glow as the link is established. At the same time as the link opens in Timeslip's mind, the doors to his mind open, revealing countless panels displaying various memories. Above everything hangs a large painting, depicting Long's two forms, Tiger and Man, standing back to back as equals.

Welcome to my refuge Timeslip. if you wish to see something here simply ask and the window into my memory shall come to you. Everything I've learned in my life is here. The further in the back that the panel comes from the further back in time it took place. The larger the screen is, the more important the memory is .

Long begins calling several panels to him, those that regard his latest efforts at pushing his temporal control.

Now if you find anything that intrigues you or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call for me.

[Timeslip]

This is...incredible, Timeslip thinks...and realizes that she has "said," after a fashion. I haven't the foggiest idea what my mind must look like to you, but by all means, feel free to roam. I'm trying to...think my quantum and temporal signatures to the forefront for you. She starts forward toward the temporal "panels" that Long has presented....

....meanwhile, Long is faced with a confusing jumble; Timeslip's mind is not trained for direct communication, and the neat organization that is Long's mind is simply not present. But at the center of the swirling mass is a distinct doorway, over which is an old-fashioned analog clock precisely ticking away the seconds. Beyond the door, there is blackness, but with bright "stars" that he realizes are moments of quanto-temporal importance -- the more intense the light, the more significant the moment. The lights are in motion...except for one faint light, around which they all revolve in intricate patterns. After a moment, Long realizes that this one light isn't dim; rather, it is distant...and very, very bright to be seen at all from such a distance.

[Long]

Long takes a moment to focus his thoughts and then begins to sample some of the memories as he makes his way like a moth to flame to the brightest star.

Could this be her erruption, or possibly the reason for that she undertakes this quest? Let me see.

Long reaches deep drawing himself towards the light.

,,

Perhaps the secret lies at the beginning, I should start there.

[Timeslip]

Long reached into the light, and...

"No, Mom! Please! NO!" Angie screamed, as the door shut and the light went out. Whimpering, she slid to the back of the Closet (it had long ago become a proper noun for her), with her back against the wall, trying and failing to see...anything.

Please, let it be quick...please let it be quick...

She knew that it wouldn't be quick. Even in the best case -- just a deal, with weed or acid or heroin exchanged for a fat wad of bills -- it could take hours; Mom and Dad were always careful to keep the customers pleased, and by then, Angie would have lost her sense of time again in the silent dark of the Closet, with hours turning into days.

But this wasn't going to be a best case. They were hosting a party this time, and Angie knew she would be here for at least the night.

"Can't have a kid running 'round, Ang; makes 'em nervous."

"I'll stay in my room, I swear! Please, Mom, just let me stay in my room," Angie had begged.

"Nuh-uh, you know the drill. Let you out when their gone, kid. Go use the pot 'fore you get in there; don't want a mess this time."

Angie was up past 300 in the count by now; it gave her something -- anything -- to do to try to pass the time. She was well past 3,000 when she finally fell into a fitful sleep...and then was awake, and still in the Closet. She thought that she had been asleep for hours; there was no way to tell for sure, but she was hungrier than usual, so it was probably hours. She screamed, beating at the door; no answer. Why don't they let me out?!?

After a while, she started the count again. A thousand...three thousand...five thousand... Angie realized she was closing in on ten thousand before she lost consciousness again, falling into a starved sleep full of nightmare needles in the dark.

When she woke...it was still in the Closet, and she was hungrier than she ever remembered being. Desperately, she beat at the door, and screamed until she was hoarse, but was unanswered. Panic set in, and she started clawing at the door, at the walls, at the baseboards...and then, felt a board come loose, and heard something rattling roll out. The old stash; this must be the old stash, she realized. She screamed, I found the old stash; let me out! She might as well have been screaming from a grave. They've never left me this long before, WHY WON'T THEY LET ME OUT?

Time passed. Angie knew that it was a lot of time, but how much was a complete mystery. She had lost count of her fitful sleeps -- or fainting spells? -- and her stomach felt like she was full of razor blades. She could feel that her lips were dry, and so was her tongue; the thirst was incredible. Gotta get some spit...and then her hand fell on the pill bottle. 'K, just one, and suck on it, get some spit going. It took most of what little strength she had left to get the cap off of the bottle. She reached a finger inside; and found that the pills were tiny, far too small to suck on to try to draw saliva. But I could eat them; they use a sugar base or something, right? She carefully put one in her mouth, and tried to swallow; it was hard, but she make her dry mouth and throat move the pill down. Her stomach felt something...and without anything resembling thought, she dumped the rest of the bottle down her throat. It felt wonderful to have something -- anything -- in her stomach again...and then it was gone. The pills were too small to last any real time; they were absorbed into the blood stream. Along with a massive overdose of LSD.

Suddenly, Angie's head exploded. At least, that's what it felt like. So this is how I'll die; a 14-year old OD. A blind fury, a rage, built in her...but as it did, she could see something in her mind, even through the incredible pain. It was a trickle of something...a stream...a river. Angie dipped her hands into it, and could feel it ripple around her hand, could cup it, could -- oh god! -- drink from it. She could see the stars reflected from the night sky in this incredible water as she drank deep...and then with a shock, bumped against the door of the Closet.

No. No, no, no.

"No, no, no."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"

The fluid burst forth from her, in every direction, ripping a hole right from the center of the river. The torent deafened her, knocked her flat...flat? How can I lay flat in the Closet? Then she realized that there was something warm on her face, and incredibly bright; blinking and squinting, she realized it was the sun. Around her was crumbled wood, rusted hangers, a corroded lock. Angie stood with new strength; the Closet was dead. Then she looked farther, as her eyes adjusted to the light...and saw that the devistation reached out for a good thirty feet in every direction. Rotted furniture, cracked tile, broken windows...and two sets of bones, half bleached. "What...what did I do?" She reached out to one of the skeletons...then stopped in shock, seeing her hand. "What the hell happened to me?!?" Her hand was black -- jet black, with no reflection at all, but with...stars? She looked down, and realized that her entire body was like a night sky, full of stars...and then she knew. "I'm a Nova." She looked back at the skeletons, realizing that these had been, until a few moments ago, her parents...and felt no pity, no remorse. They locked me in that damn place and forgot about me. Time to forget about them.

Angie closed her eyes...and the river was still there. She could see every drop, every particle flow past, with no trace of the massive explosion that she had caused. "Time heals all things..." and realized that was exactly what it was: she could see -- and change -- time itself. Carefully, she reached out and manipulated the stream so that she could slip through the damage without falling through the rotted floor, and made her way out of the ruined appartment. Slipping through time, she thought. Time-slip. "Timeslip." She thought for a moment, and said to nobody in particular, "that will do."

...and Long was himself again, drawing his hand back from the light.

[Long]

Long's mind works in overdrive to assimilate the erruption, analyzing the emotions and the raw Temporal power manifested during Timeslip's erruption.

So much power at such a young age... the level of control is truly amazing. The backlash you were struck with was so severe. The source of your power, and of the requirement of which you must partake. I have a question Timeslip, how long ago was this? How long have you been a nova?

Long begins to view several points around him searching for other large Temporal displays.

[Timeslip]

I erupted in 2008, Long; it's been seven years, almost to the day. It was a...bad time.

Examining the panels that Long has set out, Timeslip notices what appears to be one of his moments of quantum expansion. This might have some clues, she thinks as she reaches forward to examine it....

[Timeslip]

...meanwhile, Long samples various moments in Timeslip's development. Her escape from Los Angeles, twisting time both to move her at incredible speeds and to freeze those who would stop her in their tracks; her cravings and increasing pain over the next few days before she comes to realize her need for LSD; the fear when the dealer she tracks down tries to shoot her, and her own horror at the bolt of quantum energy she unleashes, leaving a mummy-like husk behind (that's an aggravated Quantum Bolt, Long realizes with some concern); time spent in in the wild, learning the extent of her talents and making cautious night-time forays into nearby cities only when her stash ran low; finding a loose community of independent Novas on the Virginia coast and settling down amongst them; gradually building on her familiarity with temporal mechanics and how to control the effects with precision; the astonishment of looking up at another version of herself, and discussing alternate timelines; the experience of communication with the other, the ephiphany of understanding the concepts of Teras and the Chrysalis, and a much more true acceptance of what she was as a Nova; learning she was pregnant, and carefully accelerating herself to shorten the pregnancy; the barely-restrained fury in the doctor's office after the stillbirth...

...and at that, Long notices something: Timeslip was very, very close to taking the next quantum step at that moment, in a whirl of despair and anger and desperate desire to just do something.

[Long]

Timeslip sees a young man is his highschool uniform on his way in an elevator. When the door opens the boy walks out down the hall and enters a room labled "Hideyoshi". A bookish man sits at a desk rustling papers in front of a comuter terminal. There is a flash of radiant light and an explosion as the room is rent assunder by a hellish energy beam. A yell escapes the boy's mouth as his father is burned horribly. A second later two Novas enter the room through the hole the blast made. One, a metal Tiger looking man and the other, a nova covered in scales and breathing flame. They knock each other into another room, sending shrapnel everywhere. A piece pierces The older man, and a smaller pieces pierces directly through the boy's left torso. The sharp heavy pain floods through his body as he tries to make his way to his father. The charred blackened body turns it head slightly, and says its final words. "Ryu... Ryu.. my son.."

The young man sinks to his knees, his hero lays dead before him, His head begins to throb in a pounding headache. Pure unadulterated Rage burns in him. Rage at the two novas for fighting in the city, at his father for leaving him, and at himself for being to helpless to save him. The last part of the memory becomes covered in a red haze as power explodes from the boy, The scream uttered of Pure unmitigated Rage becomes a window shattering roar. The panel fades and returns to it's place.

Long notices Timeslip's choice and offers up a few comments on it.

That is all the memory I have of my erruption. When I came to later I was very far away laying beside a fire. The metal Tiger sat across from me. He told me his name was Shen-Kahn, that he regretted the cost his battle exacted from me, and how he wished to make amends by taking me as his son. I accepted. Later after many months he and I talked and he told me what really took place that day.

[Timeslip]

Timeslip is both horrified at Long's loss, and fascinated at the obvious love that he had for this father (and his father for him). I...don't know what to say, Long, other than that I'm sorry for your loss. She pauses, then continues, that said, we both seem to have a very strong emotional factor at play in our quantum development. I'm wondering if we can tap into that somehow, use the power of it without letting loose the more self-destructive aspects. I'm noticing that the undercurrent of power is somewhat more distinct from the emotions themselves in my case; would it be possible for you to use that to help increase the distinction in your own efforts?

[Long]

I will give it a try Timeslip, perhaps something will be different. As of yet I have only made headway when I let my rage build.

Long pauses a moment and then begins again.

I also grieve the loss you have suffered. Nova born children are rare in the extreme. I felt it wouldn't be appropriate for my son to be here during your visit. He would not understand this, or how I could condone this research, he is very much of the mind that I should marry his mother.

As Long thinks about his son various windows in his own mind come to the forefront. Strangely they are of a young Asian woman working in a field Hospital in some undetermined locale. As soon as they appear Long banishes them back to the rank and file of his mind.

Those are not memories I truly wish to relive at this moment. Perhaps another time.

[Timeslip]

I think it may be time for us to "come up for air". We've been doing this for a while, and I think my left leg has gone completely numb. Timeslips flashes what she hopes comes across as the mental equivalent of a grin. We might want to stretch a bit, have a bite to eat, and then we can get back to work, if you like.

[Long]

Long smiles.

Yes perhaps we should take a break, we have done much for our first little foray.

Long reestablishes himself in his own mind and the link terminates. Once back in the real world, Long stands and stretches. All four sets of his claws come out and his tail straightens behind him as muscles bulge and pull, working out the slight stiffness. His upraised arms touch the ceiling, and then return to his sides. By a look of the light outside he can tell they've been picking each other's brains for no less than four hours.

It never seems that long inside.

Long doesn't wait for Timeslip but makes his way to the kitchen, where whips up a very large kettle of ramen. Letting it simmer a minute or so he walks out side to the smoker and returns with two large sets of ribs and a dozen smoked ducks. Long returns to the ramen, and finishes preparing it, adding several spices and bits of roasted chicken. Long finishes the food preparation and places all the food on a small table. At each end are places set, in both American style and traditional Japanese. Long removes several bottles of Sake and places them on the table, as well as a large glass of water for each person. The full passage of time takes only fifteen minutes to do all he has done, he has done it in five. Through it all a small circular device records the use of Long's powers, saving the data for review.

[Timeslip]

"Mmmm...that smells wonderful, Long; you set a tasty table," Timeslip says as she settles in at the table.

Observing Long for a moment, she sets aside the American setting and makes an effort with the Japanese; after a moment, she adjusts to the chopsticks, and begins eating with gusto. "I can see that I'm going to need to stop by the recipie part of your mind at some point, if you don't mind; this is delicious," she grins, as she tries the duck.

"So, I guess the big question is this: do you see anything in my head that might be able to help with our little plan? I'm starting to get some ideas from the experiences you've shown me, but they're still very tentative..."

[Long]

"Thank you, I didn't know what to prepare, so I put the meat on before I left and let it slow cook. Your mind shows a different path than mine Timeslip, of course I have learned from it. You had this level of raw quantum power since your erruption, as I did. You were gifted with a more primal knowledge of Temporal manipulation than I was. I came into the power through Rage, and a lack of other options."

Long chuckles as he remembers the incident and goes on.

"It has taken me ten long years to learn the level of control I now have. Even so, there seems to be something further, a method I've not thought of. A thought has occurred to me though. The way your power transformed you, does that lend to other abilities you possess, or does your control of time suffice as your only ability? I do not mean to pry, and I honestly don't know. For the duration of your stay I have turned off almost all my quantum analyzers. I felt it was an intrusion upon your privacy. The point of my query is this. My powers are something of a suite, natural extensions of my appearance and each other. I was wondering if yours were similar."

Long eats methodically, removing every morsel of meat from the bones of two ducks and his portion of ribs and ladles out a bowl of ramen. He quickly devours this as well. He prepares another bowl, and paces himself so as to not look like a pig in front of his guest.

[Timeslip]

"It isn't so much that temporal control is my only power, as it is that it has influenced my other powers. I notice that you saw that I can generate a rather nasty energy bolt; largely because of my focus on the effects and control of time, it manifests as a kind of severe entropic damage. Other areas get a bit more complicated; I have a number of ways of moving quickly, with direct temporal control far from the most efficient of them but still influencing their manifestations in subtle ways. Then there are the things that are quite separate; my immunity to alcohol and drugs, for example, have nothing to do with temporal control. I also am fortunate enough to have an eidetic memory."

Timeslip pauses for a moment, then continues, "I also picked up a handy little trick along the way; if by 'quantum analyzers' you mean an innate talent rather than a device, I think you share the same trick. And before you ask: no, I haven't used mine here, either...though I'm starting to think that we might want to consider a mutual cross-analysis to figure out exactly where we stand with respect to these sorts of things."

[Long]

"I agree, but that can wait until we are finished. for now let us eat and relax. Mental links like the one we just experienced are somewhat draining, and I prefer to do my analysis with a clear head."

Long returns to his ramen, now on his fourth bowl. Even as he eats his mind goes to work assembling known facts and Timeslip's explanations of some of her abilities. He clears his mind and organizes his thoughts so that when the scan takes place he'll receive an accurate analysis of Timeslip's abilities.

[Timeslip]

After consuming far, far more food that she had intended to eat, Timeslip settles back from the table a bit. "I'm not sure I can move; you might have to roll me back to the living room." Meanwhile, she starts to gather her thoughts a bit, both for the return to active use of the link and for examining Long's quantum signature...and for being examined in kind.

[Long]

Long chuckles lightly.

"This was merely a light snack. I'm known for wiping out any buffet I hit. I don't have to eat, but I feel that it is a healthy thing to do. I'd miss out on far to much if I didn't take the time to cook and eat. I have found out that the longer I go without food the more I eat when I do get the chance to eat."

Long removes the dishes from the table and sets them in the sink to wash later. Whatever was left he wraps in foil and places in the stove. That done he returns to the the table area and offers Timeslip a massive hand.

"Need a hand?" Long notices Timeslip's glance at the slits on his fingertips and grins.

"Don't worry, the claws only pop out when I stretch or want them to. Now if you wish we can return to the den and commence our analysis."

[Timeslip]

"Alright, then." Timeslip makes her way from the table back to the den, and settles into what she hopes will be a position less likely to cut off circulation after a few hours.

"Do you want to start, or shall I?"

[Long]

"You may go first Timeslip."

Long prepares for the scan shutting off all dampening fields and allowing his full power out. He stands stock still allowing Timeslip an easy scan of his inherent power.

"Begin your analysis at any time, I am ready."

[Timeslip]

Timeslip makes an initial, cursory check with just the raw power of her node, in order to get a better "lock" on Long's node. Hmmm...that's a heck of a large node, she notes to herself, as she fine-tunes her senses to focus on the quantum structures therein. Raw quantum signature is equivalent to my own, but with much more expansive reserves...physical enhancements are almost off the charts...well-enhanced mental abilities as well...good grief, he has a better grasp of temporal control than I do...armed and armored to the teeth (literally)...inherent movement powers well in excess of my own... Timeslip lets her vision drop out of the quantum spectrum and back to normal, and realizes, I'm way out of my league here. She thinks on it a moment, debating it, then makes a decision.

"Long, I'm not sure you really have anything to gain with me. Yes, your raw quantum is on par with mine, but in every other measurable way, you're far and well beyond me."

[Long]

Long begins his own quantum analysis as soon as Timeslip speaks.

She has enhanced physical speed and durability, slight mental augmentation, subsonic speed on foot, Light offensive capability(though I sense her attacks are highly destructive) and adept level of temporal control. Based on known data, subject can alter the age of an object and accelerate the passage of time. Moderate energy reserves no real depth, but she has not had as long to build it. Raw quantum control is on par with mine.

Not even close to my level of power. Perhaps this could have been a mistake. But then again, her knowledge of Temporal manipulation is slightly less than mine, it is highly probable that hers is by far more instinctual and thus, natural.

"I too sense a great gulf between our power, but that shouldn't be very worrisome. Where it counts the most we are on par with each other. If you feel uncomfortable, perhaps we should postpone another mental session. I suggest that a good night's rest may do us well. That will give us both time to examine fully our analysis of each other. Tomorrow we could begin again, and see if we can find the answers we seek.

[Timeslip]

"Yes, holding off until tomorrow might not be a bad idea; at the very least, it will let us digest what we've learned a bit. If you don't mind, I'll use your patio for a bit; I like to watch the night sky before I sleep."

Timeslip heads out to the spacious patio with heavy thought. What have I gotten myself into here? Really, what can I reasonably offer him...and why would he have any need to give anything in return? I've known him for less than 24 hours... She pauses, then remembers her journey through Long's mind. He does seem to have a deep-seated sense of honor; unless he has been able to show me fairy tales instead of memories, I can trust him, and what he showed me simply didn't have the feel of fiction. Sighing, she watches the stars make their slow motions across the sky. So I can trust him, and I appear to have his trust. Question is: what can I actually accomplish with it? Cripes, I feel like a beggar pleading with a millionaire, except I'm not asking for a few dollars or a sandwich; I'm asking for a partnership. I've got to be out of my mind.

[Timeslip]

Later, beneath silk sheets and with sleep completely out of grasp, she realized what she had to do. If I'm going to be of any value to him whatsoever, I need to have something to offer, and the only place where I will ever have a chance of doing that is in raw power. Sitting up, she says to herself, "I need to be the pathfinder." Already focusing her thoughts, she returned to the patio.

There was no moon this night, and the city was far enough removed -- both by distance and by geological features -- from the estate that the lights could not poison the sky; the stars shown pure and bright, and Timeslip focused on them. Gradually, the surroundings -- the furniture, the patio, the house, the land itself -- fell away, leaving her adrift amongst the stars. For the first time in seven years, even the contant, perfect sense of time was left behind. She turned her mind within, exchanging the millions of stars above for the billions of stars that formed all that she was...and as she did, the stars arranged themselves in a pattern both complex and clear.

It will not come without price, she noted, but the price is now as small as it will ever be. This wasn't a matter of a hurried, desperate grasp for power and the harsh penalties exacted for such. Rather, it was a case of How Things Are. The chasm, the gulf, was as narrow as it would ever be, and the only choices would be to turn back or to leap. I'm been here before, she realized; she had been at this precipice before, and strank back from it out of pure, primal instinct. Not this time. She took a deep mental breath, let it slowly out, and jumped.