Emma's New York / Abandoned Lower Level Under the 42nd Street Station / Friday

[icecoldfrost]

"...and we'll be checking for Lichtenberg figures, too," Hank was saying. "Especially at the contact points where you were electrocuted." He cocked his head to study Jack. "I must say, you don't smell particularly singed at the moment. Electrocution can be tricky, how are you feeling?"

Emma sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose from her perch on one of the counters in Hank's lab space. It was greatly upgraded from the last time Jack had been down there, with bright lights, clean and painted walls, and newer equipment. Hank himself was greatly improved as well, the large man seeming more focused than usual as he moved about his lab, making notes on a chart with Jack's name at the top.

"Hank, should I be worried that somehow you already have a chart for my boyfriend? We've talked about the 'no testing on Emma's friends' lately, right?"

Hank just grinned, giving his partner-in-crime a noogie as he walked past her. "Stop fussing, Emma. It's from when he first came down here to transform. I documented the process, so he'd have something to compare against later. Don't worry, it's not like I kept any DNA."

He turned his large yellow eyes back to Jack. "...are we sure I can't keep any DNA from you?"

HANK, NO.

[OOC: For that werewolf boy.]

Comments

[bitten_notshy]

"I'm absolutely certain," Jack said. He folded his arms against his bare chest, trying to sound more comfortable than he felt. He wasn't afraid of Hank or anything ridiculous like that, it was just ... an unusual situation. Yes. "Nothing against you, I'm just selective about who gets to see my DNA."

[icecoldfrost]

"You've got, like, fifteen samples of mine to play with, stop pestering Jack for his," Emma scolded, trying to look dignified while fixing her hair. "And can we focus on the fact he was shot and electrocuted, please?"

[icecoldfrost]

"Yes, Princess Bossy-Pants," Hank sighed, amused. "Don't worry, Mr. Priest. No offense taken. I merely find it fascinating that you went from baseline human to magical personage, and must profess curiosity as to how it affected you on a fundamental genetic level."

"For now, we'll focus on making Emma stop worrying over you so that she can drag you off somewhere to do things I most likely should pretend to know nothing about. Such as her criminal habits." He ignored Emma's sulking. "Now, have you had any difficulty breathing or problems with your heart racing since the incident?"

[bitten_notshy]

"No, not at all," Jack assured him, chuckling at 'princess bossy-pants.' "I was a bit sore the first day, but I've felt fine since."

[icecoldfrost]

'Princess Bossy-Pants' grabbed one of Hank's hair ties off the counter and launched it at him.

"That's the joy of a healing factor. We feel great the next day, but sometimes there's lingering problems that take longer to heal, or the damage was too great at the time and overloaded the system, so to speak," Hank replied, catching the rubber-band and pulling his long hair back into his usual ponytail.

"Now, you said no irregular heatbeat? Good. No lingering sensation of pins-and-needles, or difficulty with fine motor control?" he continued, checking things off a list. "No muscle spasms, or problems with swallowing, vision, or hearing? And I don't see any Lichtenbergs on your torso, do you have any on your legs or feet?"

[bitten_notshy]

"I don't know what a Lichtenberg is, but I haven't noticed anything unusual," Jack told him. "Um ... my vision's been getting a bit blurry when I've been reading a lot, but it was midterms so that was going to happen anyhow."

Curiously, he tilted his head at Hank. "You heal too?"

[icecoldfrost]

"Lightning-shaped figures on your skin," Hank replied absently. "Lichtenbergs, I mean. And yes."

"Almost all mutants have a very minor healing factor, usually manifesting as an enhanced immune system. Have you noticed that our Princess rarely gets sick? That's why. She'll age slower, be healthier, is resistant to almost all human diseases such as cancer, and it could be argued that her Sparkle Version is a manifestation of a healing factor, since she could temporarily stop mortal wounds by transforming."

"Personally, I have a nearly instantaneous healing factor. Which is why I have not succumbed to Emma's terrible cooking."

[icecoldfrost]

"Princess Bossy-Sparkle is right here, and is never bringing you your beloved Easy Mac ever again," Emma quipped. "Or Twinkies. Do you really want to jeopardize your Twinkie supply?"

[bitten_notshy]

"You're also excellent at calling the pizza place," Jack said hopefully. "I'd rather have that than Twinkies."

[icecoldfrost]

"Pizza? I want pizza. For some reason, they don't like delivering down here," Hank quipped, setting his chart to the side.

"Well, Mr. Priest, there don't appear to be any after-effects of your little tango with electricity. If you keep having vision problems, however, do go to the clinic and get it checked."

"What I'm more concerned about is if your knee healed correctly. I do believe Emma informed me that you had been shot, and I know that if I don't remove a bullet or stop to set a broken bone properly, it can knit back together wrong. Any pain when you walk, run, or balance on one leg?"

[bitten_notshy]

Jack shook his head, but reluctantly. "I -- haven't been feeling up to running," he admitted. "But I don't think anything stayed in there. The bullet sort of glanced off. And now I'm feeling rather ridiculously lucky, I have to say."

He added, "I'll bring down a pizza once you let me go. Payment for services rendered."

[icecoldfrost]

"Good, don't run yet unless you have to. You seemed to be moving fine when you came in, but there's no reason to aggravate it," Hank agreed. "'Incredibly lucky.' I'm going to put that down as your possible passive mutation."

"Emma, would you be so kind as to run to my storeroom and grab the anti-inflammatory in the blue box, please? The one labeled for healing-factors? That way if it starts acting up, he has something to take that will allow him to get back here or to your clinic."

Emma rolled her eyes, but was smiling as she hopped off the counter and headed down a hallway. "Don't worry, Jack, this means he's letting you go!"

Hank waited a few moments until she turned a corner before turning back to Jack. "Now then. Any other harrowing experiences during your trip that you don't want Emma to know about, but that the resident Monster Doctor should know? Or other questions. It'll take her a good bit to find that box."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack shook his head. "She finds everything out eventually anyhow," he said. "I've been having more bad dreams than usual, but nothing I can't handle. I just wish my friends had happier lives."

[icecoldfrost]

"Don't we all?" Hank asked. "Not that I have many friends, mind you, but I know what you're getting at. You and that school have been good for Emma, even if I was tempted to pull her out a few times."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack couldn't completely hide his pride at being considered good for someone. Not that he didn't know it, but it was always nice to hear.

"It's a hard place sometimes," he said. "But knowing other people who have gone through some of the same things -- it's hard to say how much that can mean for us. Especially for people like Emma, where home's less than tolerant."

[icecoldfrost]

"She won't let me make Winston into a sample," Hank complained. "I know, I know, too suspicious, but it would be great Science to examine his DNA and note the divergences."

Beat.

"And appropriate. But Emma says 'no' and she's the Princess...although that doesn't mean I can't scare the wind out of his sails if he steps one foot in New York."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack nodded his approval. "Let me know if you ever need help with that. Though I was leaning toward causing a tragic accident, myself."