Marvel: 2010-09-26 - One Freaky Weekend: Catman No More

It's a new day and a new Jeremy! He still isn't sure what's going on.. but he's heard a few rumors. Whatever the reason of the power swaps he doesn't care right now. He's human again.. no more feral insanities.. no instincts.. no fleas! He is heading out with his human face, human skin towards a bus bench so he can head over to the beach for the day.. In the broad daylight. For a human he's pretty good looking..long brown-black hair, deep green eyes and a pleasantly chiseled face. His muscle mass hasn't changed much, perhaps because of who he's switched with, and possibly just because his active lifestyle. He's wearing a plain white shirt and a pair of new looking blue jeans.

TJ Wagner has returned to the area after things didn't go too well with Pietro and Wanda. Neither of them know who she really is, though she knows who they're a part of. Not much past that. She did see how Pietro was affected by the changes after finding out who got his powers. Whether she's hoping to get a second chance to talk to Wanda or she just wanted to check out the neighborhood again, she's a couple blocks from the cafe they were in and keeping mostly to herself. Of course, she's going to stand out.

Jeremy is sauntering along when he spots TJ.. he starts to wave but then stops. No.. he's got this second chance.. so he shouldn't spoil it by telling any of the school people he's no longer furry. Who knows who they might tell. They've already made it abundantly clear they don't believe in the cause.. nor can half of them even see his point of view.

Still, the motion of a hand lifted to wave causes TJ to stop and glance in Jeremy's direction. There's no recognition there but she wears the expression of someone troubled, punctuated by the uncomfortable rubbing of an elbow as she glances away again. The wave didn't go all the way. It must not be for her. She looks behind her to see if it was for somebody else, but the rest of the block is actually deserted until reaching the next crosswalk. Frowning, she starts forward again.

Jeremy grimaces briefly. Maybe he can fake it? But her expression seems so pained. What could be wrong? And why is she out here alone? without the others? He shakes his head and wanders towards her. ".... you lost?" he says acting as if he doesn't know her.. just a concerned citizen..

TJ Wagner turns her attention back toward the apparent stranger as he nears. At his question she tilts her head. "Not..really, no." She amends, "Well, kind of. Maybe figuratively." It did look like she was beginning to wander a little aimlessly.

Jeremy nods a bit, looking the girl over. "That sounds more like a yes.. maybe I can help?" he says, hoping his voice does sound different enough. He does to his ears..but then again his ears are no longer as sensitive as they once were.

TJ Wagner only met Jeremy once and it was very brief, so there doesn't appear to be any recognition coming from her. She's mostly the same, though she's dressed a little more openly and has those bangs dyed red. "I dunno," she answers with some uncertainty. "It's kinda weird stuff."

The human looking young man smirks. He's got a very nice smile. "It's a weird world.. but I've heard some times talking helps.. my ear is open if you care to use it." He says as he flops down into a bus bench near by.

TJ Wagner slips into a crouch instead, looking like it might be more comfortable to her. "Mmmh. It's two different things, I guess. People I know are changing suddenly and nobody knows why, and I just met someone pretty important to me but I couldn't tell her why or she'd probably think I was crazy. So there you go."

Jeremy grins at the girl a little. "I've heard some weird things were going on.. but that's sort of the norm for around here." he comments. "But that does sound.. complicated. "

TJ Wagner shakes her head. "I told you it's weird," she reminds, glancing down the block toward the cafe before looking down at her fingers, wringing them together for a few seconds. "You going downtown, or..?" She peeks at the bus sign.

Jeremy watches the girl. It so strange to not be able to get that extra sensory imput. No scents.. no heart beats.. the world seems kind of flat. "To the beach. It's a beautiful day, I'm off work.. figured why not take advantage of it while I can." he comments.

How would TJ handle it if her powers were swapped with someone else's? A lot of it would depend on whose she got, but she's so used to her own it'd be a jolt. "That's a good idea. I went to a few on a vacation I just took. Needed that, but now I'm wishing it lasted a little longer." Her forearms settle across her thighs. In back, there's a tail that sways.

And Tj's day is about to get a little more interesting.. A car drives by and the person inside it throws a cup of soda at her, there's no warning just a big gulp thrown, and should it hit her there will be much laughing and a 'STUPID FREAK!' will be shouted.

Jeremy frowns, standing up, teeth bared, fists clenched.

It hits her, no real chance to get out of the way, and it explodes on her shoulder. "What the hell..?!" She flinches away as that part of her gets soaked, springing back to her feet as she shouts out an obscenity to the car as it races off. A hand draws back and some sort of energy forms in it, but it fizzles out with a sound as she regains her control. She could have zapped the car but what if it caused an accident? "Jerks," she grumbles, scowling.

The shock of the horn blowing, the sight of TJ attacked.. the shouted insults.. it just gets Jeremy's temper up..and with it.. his new gift. There is a flash of brief light as the young man transforms into plated metal, ripping his shirt to shreds as well as straining his pants, tearing it along the outer seams. "Oh $#@ what the hell?!!" he gasps out looking down at the gleaming metal now covering his body.

As much as anything else, the sudden change in the man gets TJ to hop back and stare. "Whoa..no way!" she blurts, and a moment later it hits her. "Wait a second. I know someone who can do that. You must have swapped powers with him!"

Jeremy urks and backs away. "...um.. er.. so..ah.. wh.. what is this? I don't want to be out here like this.." and indeed the sight of a 7? 8 ft tall metal man is getting lots of stares and looks. Quite a few horns are now honking.

TJ Wagner's hands go up, as if to placate him. "Just don't start running or grab anything. You'll probably crush it because you're super strong now!" That might be the first and best thing to tell him, her soda-drenched shoulder area momentarily forgotten. "I think you'll have to calm down first and picture yourself looking normal again. Just be careful."

Jeremy was strong before.. but just how super is super? He looks around, feeling frantic..but not where near what it used to be like. There is nothing howling in the back of his mind to get out.. wanting to kill and shred. That in itself is almost calming. He swiftly moves towards an ally, hoping to find some safety there. It's a bit of a challenge to weave around people and not dent the sidewalk. Eventually he makes it without damaging anything or one.

"Okay, that's good so far," TJ says, encouraged that Jeremy's not completely flipping out and going all Hulk on the area. "Um, I don't think I told you my name, either. It's TJ." She's followed him into the alley, not expecting it to be completely safe but it's better than being fully in the open.

Jeremy eyes the girl as he takes in deep breaths. "Man i ripped up my new duds.. this sucks.." he grumbles as he continues to stride down the inner roadway towards the industrial area. "So the..person who ..had this power.. you knew him? how strong are we talkin'?" he curls his hand into a fist, marveling at the strange reflective quality of the metallic skin.

TJ Wagner bites her lip. "Yeah, ruining clothes pretty much sucks," she confirms as she keeps pace with his longer strides. "We're talking tons. Yeah, pretty sure it's tons. That's why you have to be careful, otherwise you could just total a car or bring down a wall without a thought."

Jeremy half smiles at that. "...ah.. well hm." he comments, reaching down to make sure his pants arent' going to fall away.. "I..I think I should go home.. um.. good luck with everything.." he begins to mumble out.

Now that she's seen someone who got Piotr's powers, it makes TJ wonder. "Wait..you wouldn't happen to have had some kind of cat powers before, did you? Because the person I know who could do this looks like one now."

Jeremy ers. "I what? huh? cat? I dont know what the hell yer talkin' about.. " he says looking back over his shoulder at the blue girl. "Gah.. how do I turn back? do you know? I don't want to stay like this all $#@!in' day..."

TJ Wagner is pretty sure he does know exactly what she's talking about, especially given his reaction. She keeps quiet on that part for now, though. "Yeah, okay..you sort of have to will it away," she answers, frowning as she picks at her soaked hoodie.

Jeremy doesn't know how! his power isn't on or off. It's just there. He turns down another alley and then slowly sits down. He crushes the boxes he was attempting to lean on. "$#@! this is heavy!"

TJ Wagner winces at the boxes not making it as she takes the hoodie off, shaking some of the soda out of it, wiping her arm with a dry part. "Just..think of yourself looking normal, something like that. I don't know exactly if that's how it works. You have to focus on it, though."

Jeremy sighs as he looks at the decimated wood, turned into bits and pieces. "$#@!in' A!" he mutters and then closes his eyes. Calm. Calm is good. And he waits.. think about being normal. Flesh and blood.. which is when he realises..he's not breathing. "... damn..this guy doesn't even breathe?!" he looks down at his chest and tries to feel a heart beat.

TJ Wagner's really starting to wonder about who this guy was before, if he was a catman. She met one, once. "I guess not. That's pretty useful if you get gassed, isn't it?" she quips before adding, "Damn, I'm glad I didn't swap with anyone."

Jeremy glances at TJ and smirks a bit.. his wide totally white gaze a little strange. He shakes his head and goes back to trying to calm down. Maybe breathing is the key.. so he does that.. focuses in on drawing in breath, focuses in on having a heart beat.

TJ Wagner waits around to see if that does it, somewhat curious as it is, head tilting at the smirking. "Any luck?"

Indeed there is. After about 3 minutes of silence the calmness does it's trick and Jeremy shifts, shrinking back to his former height and bulk and is once again flesh and bone. "bah..I feel weird.." he murmurs as he tosses aside the rags of his ripepd shirt and holds up his pants. "..thanks... I..I really should go home.. " he says as he stands.. He's not going to confirm that his previous 'gift' was that of a feral.. the other guy? well he'll just have to find his own way.

TJ Wagner waits around long enough to see him go back to normal, giving her the opportunity to get a good look at him without the shirt. "You're pretty cute that way," she says with a little grin. At least this is helping her mood just a bit. "If you really are a kittycat and this power stuff gets put back the way it was, maybe I'll see if you're cuter."

Jeremy scowls. "I ain't a kittycat.." he snorts. "... " he murmurs.. and turns to hobble off, holding up his pants as he does so.

ftb