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Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Tue Jan 21, 2020 8:24 pm
by Leo Eskandari
Leo, in nothing but red shorts, had set himself up in one of the superstrength rated weight machines. His muscles rippled under his black fur as he tested his limits. He wouldn't be benching cars, but he might just be able to roll one over with some effort. He was grinning. Despite everything, even minor superstrength was pretty cool. He wasn't even ashamed of his exposed beastliness at the moment. Of course, he was currently alone.

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Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 4:24 pm
by Nailah Weaver
Nailah walks in, making a beeline to the nearby treadmills. She's got a baggy t-shirt on and a skirt with workout-shorts underneath. She gives Leo a small wave before turning the treadmill on and starting a light warm-up jog.

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 4:40 pm
by Leo Eskandari
Leo took a break to breathe and study the sphinx girl. What were the odds someone else at the school would look like a mythological part-human cat monster?

"Hey," he said, adding for lack of something better to say, "Nice wings."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 4:52 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"Thanks! Nice muscles." she says before her brain catches up to her mouth. "I... uh... I mean... the weight and the lifting and stuff..."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 4:58 pm
by Leo Eskandari
He smirked at her awkwardness. "Yeah, they are pretty wicked. Still gettin' used tah them though. I keep bending the silverware, like every meal."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 8:24 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"Still, huh? Yeah, powers can be a lot sometimes."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 8:38 pm
by Leo Eskandari
"Yeah, this... this is a recent issue," he said, motioning to his broad, mostly felinoid frame.

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 4:12 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"Oh, like... the whole thing? Dang, that's a late mutation."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 4:28 pm
by Leo Eskandari
"No, I..." he said, hesitating to talk about it with someone who didn't already know, "I guess you could call it a secondary mutation. I looked like an ordinary human a few months ago."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 4:36 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"Oof. That's a lot. It took almost a year for all of my stuff to grow in. It was pretty freaky not knowing what was going on and all."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 4:54 pm
by Leo Eskandari
"It was terrifying," he answered with a haunted look that quickly faded.

"So how long have you been like that?" he asked as he moved to an adjacent treadmill.

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 5:01 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"Yeah... It started when I was thirteen, just itchy and weird at first but then for like a week my back and legs hurt like heck."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 5:10 pm
by Leo Eskandari
"Everything hurt. It was like I was on fire, inside and out," he said with a fresh haunted look. "And I was hungry. So, so hungry."

He could practically still hear the bleating of a terrified goat and the coppery taste of its blood as he had torn into it.

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 7:30 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"Okay that sounds way worse. I'm sorry, dude."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 7:41 pm
by Leo Eskandari
He gave an effort to put on a weak smile as he started his treadmill. "Thanks. It doesn't hurt anymore. It's just taking a while to adjust, especially to the new instincts crowding my head. Tereza gave me some solid advice though."

"Do you have those or just the physical features?"

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 7:59 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"Nah, I just got the animal-bits with none of the animal-brains."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 8:07 pm
by Leo Eskandari
He grunted as he built up speed. "You're lucky. I got a mixed-up chimaera thing in my head. Lion, scorpion, a little snake I think, and whatever the hell has horns like these."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 8:17 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"Goat maybe?"

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 8:23 pm
by Leo Eskandari
He visibly shuddered. "Maybe. I hope not. Goats are jerks with creepy-ass eyes."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 4:11 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"You're not very happy about this whole... situation, are you?"

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 4:14 pm
by Leo Eskandari
"Is it that obvious?" he laughed ruefully.

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 4:20 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"Little bit. It's alright, it's new and scary."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 4:31 pm
by Leo Eskandari
He almost caved and explained how it was more complicated. Instead, he asked, "How did you deal with changing?"

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 5:21 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"I was lucky. My parents knew about mutants and all that and explained it to me, so I at least knew what was happening. I don't know, it never really bothered me that much. I mean I can fly! But I don't have any animal urges in my head, so that probably helps. It's just... who I am and I try to turn it into something I can be proud of."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 7:54 pm
by Leo Eskandari
"Yeah, I didn't have that. My aunt and uncle weren't open to mutants and I didn't think my friends would understand either. And when they found out, it turned out I was right. So when this happened, I didn't have anyone but the bastards who did it to me."

His eyes widened. He hadn't meant to say that.

"Wait! I mean... shit. I wanted this to be a normal conversation."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 8:14 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"I'm a sphinx and you're some kinda chimera. I think we're well past normal. If you don't wanna talk about what happened to you you don't have to, but you don't need to be embarrassed or anything."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 8:22 pm
by Leo Eskandari
After some hesitation, he said, "Y'know how that Tosh guy got nabbed by his mad scientist granddad? Well, long story short, he took me a few months ago and injected me with something that turned me into this."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 8:42 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"Oof, that really sucks. Some people are just the worst, hurting others just cause they think they know better or don't care or they're selfish."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 8:59 pm
by Leo Eskandari
"My roomie thinks I should do what you did; try tuh turn it into something good, like, be a big, hairy hero."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Sat Jan 25, 2020 6:37 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"You don't have to. It's what I want to do and I like it. If you'd rather, I dunno, do shot-put or paint or whatever then you do that, you know? You gotta do what you enjoy and not what people expect."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Sat Jan 25, 2020 7:51 pm
by Leo Eskandari
"No one's gonna expect a friggin manticore tuh be the good guy. Besides, I may be good at shop class shit but I dunno what the hell I really want tuh do yet."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 5:04 am
by Nailah Weaver
"Who cares what people are gonna expect? If you wanna write poetry then have at it. If you wanna kick the bad guys or chainsaw trees into tables then that's cool too."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 3:18 pm
by Leo Eskandari
"I don't care what other people expect," he said a little defensively.

"So what's heroing like anyway?"

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:26 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"You get roughed up. A lot. And it's pretty hit or miss if people actually thank you or notice. But when they do it's the best thing in the world. Well... second best thing behind flying."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:40 pm
by Leo Eskandari
"I might not be able to fly, but getting roughed up I could always handle," he said almost proudly, "And now I heal faster."

"I think I'd like that feeling."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 6:37 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"The world can always use more good guys."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:37 pm
by Leo Eskandari
He grunted. "I never thought I'd be one of them, but I think I'd like to try."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 7:50 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"Why not? You seem like your heart's in the right place. Just a bit... gruff."

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 7:58 pm
by Leo Eskandari
"Never thought I was 'Good' enough, I guess. Can't really say why. Not exactly. "

Re: Strength of the Lion

PostPosted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 8:48 pm
by Nailah Weaver
"You never know until you try!"