1; [video]

[andaway]

[Have a certain alien in a brightly-colored uniform in front of the mirror. Kal seems to be sitting front of the singing statues, the hymns marking the start of the message. It seems like he's been writing the hymns, trying to makes sense of them- they ring a bell, like he's heard them before but he can't quite place it.

Which is a new sensation for him. But considering most of his powers are gone he should get used to it.]

I know we're all settling in, so I will keep this short. I just figured we may as well use this... magic, or technology or whatever this happens to be.

I'd just like to know how long have all of you been here, if we all got here more or less at the same time. And...

[He wonders how to word what comes next. If this is someone's plot, if he's inside someone's... spell, or something by the sort he doesn't want to give them any clues about his weaknesses.]

Have you felt any... different since you woke up here?

Comments

[andaway]

[Kal expected Kon to come clone eventually, of course. He’s a good kid, when all is said and done and even though Kal took a while to come around he’s never doubted Kon had a good heart- hidden under a lot of other issues, and he won’t deny the kid made him facepalm more than once (or twice) when he first met him but he still trusted him with the S-shield and gave him a Kryptonian name for a reason.

He just needs a nudge in the right direction and, sometimes, a bit of time to get there on his own. Granted, the universe doesn’t usually see it fit to grant them said time, but still, they both try their best.

He just didn’t expect for it to be so soon. And so… raw, so honest. They were talking about exploring just a second ago and now Kon seems to… maybe have seen something in Kal’s expression, in his eyes that must have told him he could start over and not put up new walls now that the old ones had been torn down. Maybe he should feel a little guilty about it- and he does feel bad seeing Kon so distraught, the inner turmoil so obvious. He looks so much like a teenager like this. But if it ends up with him deciding not to lie to him, not to lie anymore? He can’t bring himself to feel any regret.

He walks down next to Kon, sitting by him and reaching to place a hand on his shoulder- slowly, as always, so Kon has time to pull away if it’s unwelcome. Kal has always… needed that gentle reassurance a hand on your shoulder brings, always needed the human contact but Kon could be completely different.]

We really don’t have to talk about it, Kon. You don’t have to lie to me, I’m sure whatever it is is either solvable or not as big a problem as it seems when you’re on your own. But I can wait until you’re ready to tell me.

But, for the record: That Lex stuff? Not your fault. Absolutely none of it.

[konman]

[Kon doesn't pull away from the hand on his shoulder. Instead, he's just comforted. Kal not demanding he tell him right away, trusting him to do it when he feels ready, telling him everything to do with Lex wasn't his fault...]

[It's exactly what he needs to hear. And that means it's okay to tell him now, instead of waiting.]

[He looks up at him.]

I need to tell you now because I can tell it keeps trying to mess with my head. I've got a better chance of fighting it after training so much to resist mind control, but you still need to know what's going on right away since there's a chance I might lose control.

[The magic messing with how he thinks means he could lose himself again, the way he did with Luthor's programming.]

Like I said, I got magic instead of my powers. A few people have. But their magic doesn't seem evil. It's like Zatanna's or Dr. Fate's.

What I got? It's bad. It's not just one of those 'what matters is what you do with it' things, either, it's some kind of magic that's dark at its core. It messes with my head and it's sort of...hungry. Lets me suck up life energy or give someone's soul a wedgie.

[He closes his eyes again tight, his expression pained.]

He's okay now, but I accidentally hurt Rob with it.

[Kal knows what that means. After hurting Tim during the mind control biz, it's a big deal to have accidentally done it again.]

[Kon opens his eyes again and looks at Kal plaintively.]

You can even tell it's dark from how it looks. When I use it my eyes turn black. That's why I didn't want to go with you into the temple. It's a holy place or something and I can tell the magic in me doesn't like that; it's all unsettled by it. I can still go inside but going in there makes my eyes do a Village of the Damned thing even when I'm not using the magic.

I'm gonna try not to use it, since it messes with the way I think, but I don't know how much control it'll be able to have over me. We've seen stuff like this all the time -- people that think they have control of the situation, but because they tapped into something dark, eventually it takes over them. That might happen to me.

[andaway]

[Kal bites his lower lip as he tries to process what Kon is telling him. There is no judgement, how he could judge the kid for something that is not his fault? For something he’s obviously fought hard against, something he can’t exactly control. But there is some worries, because he knows exactly what Kon means when he speaks of a power that is evil in and on itself, no matter the intent.]

You’re not alone, Kon. [Since his hand hasn’t been pushed away he squeezes it gently, trying to reassure him that he’s there and will be for as long as they are stuck together in this place.]

It’s… smart not to be using it if you feel the magic pushing against your own thoughts. At least until we know more of what’s going on. If this has happened to you it may have happened to other people as well. Or there may simply be other people with more experience in these matters.

But telling me, telling others was the right thing to do. We’ll be here to make sure to help you stay yourself.