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The circle of chairs is... not in the bar today, instead there's a sign.

LIFE SUPPORT
OUTSIDE TODAY, ON THE BEACH
FREE FOOD AND A CHAT
CAMPFIRE WITH MARSHMALLOWS

Out on the beach, there is a circle of deckchairs. It's too nice weather today to waste inside. There's also a yummy picnic, and a thermos of tea.

New? Confused? Problems here or at home?
Come and join them!

[ooc: Open until the next one in approx 1 1/2 months (There will be no LS in July due to the fair).
All tags will be picked up by at least one of the LS crew. Threadhopping encouraged! All welcome xx
ETA 23.30: Guppy-mun now heading to bed but will pick up any slows tomorrow]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"We'll take that into consideration," Alana says, inclining her head. "Hello, Noriko. How are you?"

"Well, I'm not dead yet, so score one in my favor," she says, lips tilted in a not-quite smile. She looks breezy, and oddly unconcerned about the scars she's showing; when counted there's quite a tally, including one long one up her thigh from nearly her knee to beyond the hem of her shorts.

"Enjoying a beach that doesn't have like six million people on it staring at me. You?"

"Those are both good things," Alana says, sipping her tea. "I'm also enjoying the beach. Would you like another marshmallow?"

"Sure. You want one? I can toast it for you, no flameouts necessary."

She holds out a hand, though unexpectantly as can be.

"Oh, sure, I'd appreciate that," Alana says, fishing in the bag for two marshmallows. She stands, and places them into Noriko's hand. "You're looking awfully comfortable in your own skin. Not that I've ever seen you otherwise."

"No problem," she says, and toasts Alana's first; it comes out perfectly browned all over, though admittedly with a darker spot where the center aperture of her gauntlet is. And no burning!

It's fun.

Noriko shrugs. "I don't normally wear shorts this short, I know. It's the scar," she says, indicating her thigh. "It makes people ask what happened, which is a relatively complicated story. But...long story short, the guy I'm seeing likes me wearing shorts. I thought I'd oblige."

Alana takes the treat from her and nibbles on it. "Thank you. That's an amazing ability you have there," Alana says, smiling. "I didn't know you were seeing anyone. Congratulations. What are they like?"

"Marshmallows are the least I can do. There's a pretty huge range I can tap into," Noriko says, toasting hers: it comes out a fair bit darker, but no less delicious.

"He's nice--his name is Remy, he's a mutant like me. A little older than me."

Alana beams at her. "That's impressive," she says. "I had no idea you had that much power. How did you two meet?"

Noriko shakes her head. "I've...I've gotten up some pretty high amperage. I can produce more than a lightning bolt, but I don't often. The only time I pushed literally everything I had into something it...disintegrated?"

It's hard to describe. "Oh, we knew each other from home, but he comes here too. He's a teacher at the school, or has been, but Remy never taught me. He has an ability of kinetic conversion, though, so he understands the need for a lot of calories, and a lot of energy to burn."

"Oh, yes, I can understand why things would disintegrate," Alana says, raising her brows. "Do you often need to produce that much power?"

Alana tilts her head. "An ability of kinetic conversion? Like what?"

"Often? Not unless I'm in a fight. But if I am, with very few exceptions...I will use deadly current. Half an ampere across your heart will kill you."

And if you're trying to kill her, she has no remorse for it. "It means, basically...anything he touches he can charge with kinetic energy. And when that energy runs out it explodes."

"Remind me not to get into a fight with you," Alana says, trying for lightness. Her eyes widen at the description of Remy's powers. "I see. Is the explosion bigger if he charges the thing with more energy?"

"I don't spar with powers," she says. "Just with hands. Not many of us do, because it's too easy to kill each other." Noriko doesn't bother with lightness; it's just a fact. And one that tends to get right to the attention.

"Sort of? I don't know exactly how he does it; I haven't asked. Sometimes the mechanics are hard to describe for us, especially if it affects our perceptions of common sensations." Never think that Noriko can't use her words just because she often doesn't bother.

"I see," Alana says, inclining her head. "That must be difficult.sometimes. Are you so affected by your powers, or can you.tell?"

"Oh, no. I am," she says. "I can't stop moving very often--I have to. I have so much energy running through me that it's like the worst case of restlessness anyone's ever heard of. And I burn calories a lot faster than most people, which is why I will eat like a starving man."

Noriko lifts, and drops, a shoulder. "When I go too long without discharging the current I store, I speed up. Not just...running fast or talking quickly, but my body and brain are going too fast to properly make recognizable words. My thoughts will be jumbled, all running through my head too quick to make sense of it. All in all I'm told it looks like I'm having a seizure, though it's not any more fun from the inside."

"Technically, you would be starving at that point," Alana says, shaking her bead. "How do you discharge the current?"

"Concussive lightning-like blasts," she says, as if quoting someone else. "Or superhuman speed."

"Of course," Alana says, nodding thoughtfully. "Running around a track or in the mountains disperses energy for people without electricity build up; there's no reason it wouldn't do the same for you. How often do you have to do this?"

"Depending on how long and how fast I run, do that twice or three times a day," she shrugs. "The discharging is much, much more often. Every three hours, maybe four if I stretch it."

"That sounds really inconvenient," Alana says, sympathizing. "I assume you have to be outside to discharge your electricity, to avoid damaging anyone or anything?"

"It's really not," she says. "It's not something I need sympathy for, it's just how my body works. But no, as to the discharge, that's why I wear the regulation gauntlets. They regulate how much energy I take in, and give me a place to discharge into safely, so I can store the energy. When I release from the gauntlets, yes, if I were indoors or around people it would kill them unless I'm very careful."

"That does make sense," Alana says, inclining her head. "Where did you get the gauntlets, and how long have you had them?"

"One of the professors at the school made the first ones for me when I got there, so a while."

"I'm glad you have new and presumably improved gauntlets now," Alana says, with a smile. "That's very practical of your professors."