[004]

[luke_triton]

[[Backdated to...last week.]]

[While Luke would never want to admit to being afraid to experiment with his newfound abilities...well, it's true. He just would never admit it. When he got out of bed one morning and hit the ceiling instead of the floor it was the most impossible mix of pleasant and unpleasant surprise ever.

When he ripped part of the handle from the refrigerator? That one was definitely bad. Until he figured out he could still get the door open. Going to look in the mirror at his hands and arms did nothing to settle his thoughts, because they looked the same as they always had. Certainly incapable of tearing apart an appliance.

So he's been lying low for a few days - not visiting the people he usually tries to find, being furtive about getting the things he needs, and most certainly not going anywhere near the Professor's car. What if it broke?

After a few days of this, it's almost like everything he stops himself from doing has built up and can no longer be contained. And whoosh! Luke is zooming through the sky, over the houses on the East side. The flight path traces unsure circles and shows no sign of stopping. Eventually he fumbles his CAT out of his bag and tries to gently press the right button.]

I'm stuck!

[As the wind rushes by.]

Comments

[terezi_pyrope]

LUK3......
4R3 YOU *FLY1NG*??
1 D1DNT KNOW YOU COULD DO SOM3TH1NG L1K3 TH4T!

[luke_triton]

I can't! I don't know what I'm doing up here!

[terezi_pyrope]

W3LL
WH4T3V3R YOU DO DONT FLY 1NTO 4 BU1LD1NG
OR 4 TR33

[luke_triton]

You're a bit too late. At least the tree was sort of small.

Th-that's not important anyway! I don't know how to stop.

[terezi_pyrope]

4LR1GHT TH3N
HOP3FULLY 4 BU1LD1NG 1SNT N3XT

M4YB3 S3R--KON COULD T34CH YOU 4 F3W TH1NGS 4BOUT FLY1NG B3FOR3 1T G3TS UGLY

[luke_triton]

[He has leaves in his hair and twigs stuck to his sweater. It's already ugly.]

Right now I just want to get down so I can think.

[fireflyheir]

What?

[excuse John for just a moment, he is not handling jealousy too well.]

[luke_triton]

I'm stuck and I can't get down!

[fireflyheir]

Okay. Okay, uh… [He furrows his brows, trying to figure out how he generally does it. But it's never really been something he thought about, so…] Uh… maybe you could try bobbing lower? [He makes a gesture with his hands that indicates more of a bounce.]

[luke_triton]

Bobbing?

[When he doesn't even know how the gas pedal and brakes of flying work, huh? Hum. No, that's not totally true, he knows a puzzle or two that takes into account something...vaguely related. Airplanes. But it might be worth a try, right?

Luke angles himself downward and suddenly the ground is coming up on him way way too fast. Pardon the yelp.]

[fireflyheir]

Shit! [John takes off running, aiming to get between Luke and the ground and at least provide some kind of landing mat or something.]

[luke_triton]

[That's really not a nice word! Certainly not one for a gentleman. He's not sure he's heard Professor Layton utter even a damn.

Somehow, miraculously, he manages not to crash right into the ground, but to sort of roll along it instead. And stay down, for the time being. Phew.]

[fireflyheir]

[sometimes, 'drat' does not cut it, even for the most well-brought up young man.

John breathes out a sigh of relief, and stops beside Luke, offering his hands to help Luke up.]

Sorry… I guess that wasn't as great an idea as I thought it was. Are you okay?

[luke_triton]

[Luke accepts the help. His unchecked new superhuman strength might just pull John down instead, though.]

Yeah. Just...all dirty, I think.

[fireflyheir]

[yeeeeah whoops there he goes, sprawling out on the ground beside Luke.]

Umph! [he's… going to just stay here for a bit, staring up at the sky.] Well… that's not too bad really! [just means they'll both need baths.]

[luke_triton]

S-Sorry! I don't know why that happens either.

[fireflyheir]

Yeah, there isn't really an instruction manual, is there? [He laughs, and settles his hands on his stomach.] It looks way easier in the comics. They just seem to know!

[…that was rather what it felt like. He goes quiet, frowning, trying to tease those vague feelings into something that might help.]

How did you start flying?

[luke_triton]

I just started floating the other day and I've been trying not to let it happen too much. I didn't know what was going on.

[fireflyheir]

Weird! [He frowns, and wriggles his fingers- yeah, nothing doing there.] There was another guy who said he didn't have powers before… Washington? Yeah, that was it. Do you think maybe…?

[luke_triton]

I don't know what to think. What are his powers? If we all have the same ones, then maybe we need something specific from them.

[fireflyheir]

It wasn't the same, though. It looked more like a green ball of something.

And I can't do anything now, anyway, so I don't know how to help. [making a face]

[luke_triton]

Can't do anything? ...Could you do something before?

[John seems kind of ordinary to him, prompting this headtilt and interested expression.]

[fireflyheir]

Yeah. [He raises one hand, wriggling his fingers again.] I can- could, I guess- control the Breeze.

[luke_triton]

You can make the wind blow?

[John is now number-one kite-flying partner if they ever get the chance to fly kites.]

I suppose I can't ask to see it now.

[fireflyheir]

And manipulate it to do a bunch of other stuff, too, yeah!

[yes. Normal kid things would be awesome.]

…yeah. [He pulls a face, sits up and looks at Luke.] Well, I can always show you when they come back! And I don't crash into things- well, not much.

video

[tactilekonesis]

[Cue the blankest stare. Wait, what?

Luke shouldn't be flying - Kon instinctively jumps up to help Luke, but he finds himself landing back down. Right. He can't fly. Not right now. Thanks Luministi.

So he sighs:] Luke! Where are you?

video

[luke_triton]

In the air! [Can't you see the trees and houses going by below him?] I've been trying to stay on the ground but now I can't stop it!

video

[tactilekonesis]

I got that much! [He was referring more towards "which part of town," but the trees and houses're enough of a clue for him to start running.

... He really misses his superpowers. Running like a normal person takes a lot of effort and energy.] I'm on my way! But whatever you do in the meantime, don't look down!

video

[luke_triton]

[Hearing it prompts Luke to look at the ground and there is nothing at all to cling to up here, is there?]

I-I'm not afraid of heights!

video

[tactilekonesis]

That's good! [He sounds out of breath - god, he hates feeling like a normal person - but he's running as fast as he can anyways.

He knows he's probably a speck of dust from Luke's height, but he somehow manages to wave when he's as close to Luke as he can be without climbing up.] It's just that if you look down, you might actually start dropping.

That's the big secret to flying - it's powered by your will. If you want to come down, just think really hard about it.

video

[luke_triton]

[Luke somehow manages a tentative wave-y thing back that sends him into a leftward spin for a little bit.

Think down, huh? Okay. Time to think really hard about coming down!

At which point he starts rocketing toward the ground.]

video

[tactilekonesis]

[ohshi---]

HANG ON!

[He doesn't have superpowers - and he's hating himself right now for it - so he's gonna try to head onto the roof of the highest building.]

Hold out your arms! And think like you're peter pan - or superman! or just someone can land down! [he's... not being helpful but he doesn't know that quite yet] Imagine yourself landing gracefully! Or you know, SLOWLY?

video

[luke_triton]

Don't shout at me, I'm trying!

[Luke doesn't mean to shout, either. This is terrifying right this minute and he can't help it. He holds out his arms - like an airplane, mind, not a superhero - and tries to think slow thoughts.

It works somewhat. He slows enough to make a nice lazy sweep of the ground and back up into the air.]