Into the Deep End

It was a useful ability. Far less so back at home, where magical items had been a much more prominent factor, but here? On Manta Carlos it could mean the difference between life and death. It gave him a leg up, a way to get ahead in a situation where he had no other way to get ahead. He could stop a lot of people he had no chance against just by virtue of exploiting their weaknesses. It made him less nervous, more or less by default.

"I don't think I'm going to be able to make the debate team," Jude admitted. "I was planning to do student council and debate team, only that was also before I realized I was going to need a job. And then job I got is really good for working around my school schedule, but it's also still a full time job, so I don't have a ton of time for clubs or anything."

In truth, debate had slipped his mind. That and... Gardening? Only he'd never really intended to join gardening, only debate.

"I'd kind of wanted to do the whole club thing, since I didn't back at home, but work comes first."

The topic of her diet, no two ways about it, was going to be awkward. Blood? Sure. Food? Sure. That other stuff? Not so sure. It was going to be awkward, and even more awkward to discuss on a first date.

So he just wasn't going to. Nope, he was going to focus on things he could talk about - like school and work and all that.

"I'll be honest and say I'm kind of cheating with the school thing. Some classes are just fine, but other classes... I can just read a textbook and I know every single thing in it. All the formulas, all the stats, all the numbers. I know the whole periodic table off the top of my head, so anything where you're expected to memorize I just know. The bigger issue is figuring out what I actually want to do, so I'm just thankful I've got a few years before I have to commit to a degree."

Something where he could really stretch his powers, ideally.

"I'm a personal assistant, actually. Not a job I'd have picked out off the top of my head, but it works pretty well. I know the entire schedule and exactly when she's free without having to look at a calendar, I know everyone's phone numbers, names, and everyone I've ever talked to. There was a bit of a learning curve, but now we've got things running and it's way faster. The pay's nice, and it's good preparation for a proper business job, so it gives me a preview of like... what a CEO is being like."

He looked Alma over briefly, considering.

"I guess you've already decided what degree you're gunning for? Public policy?"

Jude didn't think it was that impressive. Not really. Maybe because it was such a small company? Or maybe just because he was so used to being around his dad, who very much had that big businessman thing down pat.

"Well," Jude pointed out. "not sleeping is a huge advantage for having a dual major. You have a huge extra chunk of time to do classwork." If he was put off by her rant... well, he pretty obviously wasn't. Jude did the same thing all the time, and he'd be beyond hypocritical if he was bothered by it. He didn't even comment on it, instead choosing to respond to the parts of her ramble that he could.

"I kind of considered law as a thing. It's a career I know about, and it's something my memory would be amazing for. I honestly didn't know that about the bracelets - I kind of assumed they were something that had been around for a while, since they're so important. Some of the auras people have..."

Jude wrinkled his nose.

Jude hadn't heard about the speech. He'd been warned not to mention family, but that was it, and he was missing all the context.

"I don't doubt they'll crack first," Jude said. He didn't doubt that for a moment.

"They're smart," Jude said. "Like, if I didn't have my powers, and they didn't exist? I'd go crazy. You wouldn't know if it's you or if it's someone aura making you like them. I'd have doubted myself forever."

Well, he'd have doubted himself from the moment he found out those kinds of aura's exist.

"My power was kind of a new thing, but even if it had shown up back at home, it would have thought it was underwhelming. It's the kind of power that's great for day to day life, but awful for super-heroics. Here? It's vice versa. It doesn't matter how hard you can punch, because that sort of thing never comes up."

Alright, there he was. Standing on horrible, unstable ground. His instinct was to furiously text Travis and Rory for advice, but that would be way rude - and he was not getting his phone out to text mid-date.

"I mean, you don't seem really comfortable with it. So maybe, uh, second date?" Was it to bold to assume there'd be a second date? Well, it wouldn't be that bad.

"Or you can just say it. I mean... it's up to you. I'm not exactly the... best example of the lines of TMI. I tend to, uh, talk about things people aren't super comfortable with now. Mostly because I grew up not saying anything, and then I was allowed to say things, and..."

Jude grimaced.

"Like the whole... last name thing you caught onto."