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xp_logs2011-02-28 11:28 am
x-wither.livejournal.com) wrote in xp_logs2011-02-28 11:28 am
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Kevin & Hank | Monday morning
Kevin turns up in the medlabs to check up on the results of Hank's testing.
The medlabs were starting to be all too familiar for Kevin. He didn't spend tons of time down here, but he felt being here every day for a week counted enough. It had become routine to wander down first thing in the morning and get his blood taken and his cheek swabbed while he sat around trying to play with tongue depressors. It likely wasn't the most odd routine in the mansion, though. Now Kevin was heading down to see if Doc McCoy had any results. He'd been told to check in with him around now so hopefully Kevin wound finally figure out what was going on with his mutation. The Southerner headed straight for the doctor's office and knocked on the door.
Hank was putting Kevin's test results into the concealed file cabinet behind his desk when the boy knocked on the door. "Enter," Hank said, closing the drawer and locking it. The blue doctor looked tired, which made sense since he'd been up half-the-night processing the test results and spent the other half arguing the merits of Colombian coffee versus Arabica with HB2.7 as he cleaned the appliance.
Kevin opened the door and poked his head in first. It was habit, though he wasn't sure why or what he thought he would find that would warrant quick extraction of visual field here. When he found Dr. McCoy all alone he pushed the door open the rest of the way and came into the office. "Hey, Doc. How're you doin'?"
"Desiring the company of hypnos I am afraid," he offered a weak smile and nodded, "more importantly though, how are you feeling today, Mister Ford?"
Hypnos? Kevin had pretty much no idea what Hank was talking about, so he moved right on past that comment without addressing it. "Ah'm good. You said to check in with you 'round now 'cause you thought maybe you'd have test results and maybe some idea what is goin' on with my mutation by now?"
"Ah, so I did," Hank nodded and took his reading glasses off, putting them on the cluttered desk. "After extensive review, I have a theory about what is going on with your powers." The doctor paused, gathering his thoughts before pressing on, "When your mutation was functioning properly, the tests showed a correlation to a sharp rise in catecholamines- epinephrine and norepinephrine to be precise- which are the two hormonal chemicals released to trigger a flight or fight response. When your abilities were not properly functioning, it seems that, while one of these chemicals may be present, the other was not."
Confusion knitted Kevin's brow. "Fight or flight? But Ah didn't feel all that fight or flight-like down here messin' with tongue depressors. It ain't like Ah thought the tongue depressor was gonna stab me in the throat and Ah had to wrestle it to the ground or run away or somethin'." He was, perhaps, taking the doctor a little too literally about the fight-or-flight response.
"And if you had felt that, we would be having a very different conversation right now," Hank chuckled and shook his head, "my apologies, I couldn't resist." He leaned forward, "Think of it this way, there are different kinds of stress- the two main are distress and eustress. Both release different chemicals to the brain which trigger different responses within a person. Distress is caused by external stimuli, triggering the aforementioned fight or flight response that is so popular a topic of discussion in high school psychology classes. Eustress is actually good for you. It is the feeling that you have accomplished something- which leads to similar chemicals being released in one's mind though in differing amounts and combinations that creates different results." He paused to let the information sink in, "While both types of stress release similar chemicals they don't both release them in sufficient quantities to make you fight tongue depressors."
"Distress." Kevin considered the word and the associations he had with it. "So like frustrated or, um," what else involved stress? "Stress 'bout midterms or anger? Is anger stress? Oh, Ah guess that's the fight part of the response, huh? So when Ah get all frustrated and sorta freak out that my mutation ain't workin', that's what turns it on?" Stress turned on his mutation. Fight or flight turned on his mutation. Doc McCoy kept talking about turning it on. "What turns it off?"
"To put it bluntly, your abilities seem to be in an automatic off position- which could be because you have been under such large amounts of stress since your arrival here that we simply couldn't see this. Or, as I hope, your mutation is further evolving to a point where you can control your abilities." Hank moved around to the front of his desk and rested a hand on his shoulder, "Whatever the reason, there is hope both for you gaining control of your ability and getting it back into a working order- but it will take time."
Kevin was a little dazed. His mutation was in default off position? "Muir said they don't turn off. That it was impossible. And Ah haven't been stressed the whole time Ah was here." There were moments when he was decidedly relaxed with Jay and the idiot had still gotten himself decayed from the brush of his hands against Kevin's skin. "Mutations evolve like that? Changin' from always on to mostly off? Are you sure they're default off?" He was trying to hide his hopefulness about that as much as possible.
Hank could only slant his lips as he sighed and said, "About fifty-percent certain at this point. Given the previous data from Muir, it seems like it shouldn't be possible- but from what I'm seeing.... I have hope that it is." Hank pressed on, a little less seriously, "Stress can become so integrated into our lives that it becomes unnoticeable- you have been stressed about being touched for so long, and rightfully so, that perhaps you've stopped noticing it." Hank patted the younger man's shoulder as he stood up again and headed around to his side of the desk, "Regardless, with a few more tests I can significantly increase the certainty in your mutation and its effects. All I can say if I'm correct in my theory is that I'm so very sorry we didn't see it earlier."
It didn't make sense to Kevin. "No, but it can't've always been like this. Ah only had issues with it after my ribs healed. Ah've had plenty of times when Ah wasn't stressed before that. My stress level four months ago was 'bout the same as a few other points. Like when Ah'm alone. Ah'm not all stressed alone. There's no way they missed it at Muir," Kevin was sure of that because he'd made them test him and test him again and run him through every single test possible out of sheer, vain hope. "Cammie can taste things," he said suddenly. "She couldn't before and then suddenly she could. If her mutation can change like that then...maybe that's what mine did." He desperately didn't want to think he'd just missed out on a ton of stuff because he had been misinformed.
Hank nodded, "Mutations can evolve like that- it's not unprecedented and I will need to check with Cammie about being able to taste things again, she left that out of her last check-up. Given the research and tests run at Muir, you are probably correct, that your mutation is growing into something else."
"But even if you're right 'bout it bein' mostly off? It can turn on any time, right? 'Cause of frustration or anger or whatever?" So he was only a little safer than he thought he was. Well, a lot safer but unpredictably so.
"That's if I'm right and a very big if it stays this way. If your mutation is changing like this so far, it would stand to reason- logically- that you may end up being able to control your powers." Hank offered a weak smile and held up a finger, "If, Kevin."
"Right, if." A big if, but it still meant he was default off now. Kevin didn't take that as enough reassurance to let down his guard or tell people or experiment, but he felt a little more encouraged toward experimenting alone with blocks of wood. He could do that, at least. He was safer and maybe it wasn't blanket safety, it was something and Kevin decided to hang onto it. "So, you remember Ms. Frost? Not the blonde one, the one who taught here? Ah had this thought. Forge made this spray stuff for her so she didn't have to wear gloves all the time but still not have skin contact so she could touch and feel but just not read stuff with her power." Kevin considered if he really wanted to ask this, but it had been in the back of his mind for a very long time. He had never gotten along that well with Forge, but he did with Dr. McCoy. It was worth asking, anyway. "You think you could maybe have time to look at it and see if it's possible to reformulate it so it's Kevin-proof? 'Cause, then Ah wouldn't need to worry 'bout my hair or someone bumpin' into me and maybe...maybe Ah wouldn't need to wear gloves all the time? Y'know...maybe."
Hank arched a brow and pulled out his touchpad, flipping through the mansion database in rapid succession. "We are in luck actually. Forge left the formula he used and his research notes on the server. It looks like...yes, I could easily replicate this, and with a minimal amount of experimentation, make it, as you say, 'Kevin-proof.'"
Kevin's eyebrows shot up in the air. "Really?" He wasn't expecting an answer here and now. No, he was expecting to be told that the doctor would look into it and maybe a couple weeks down the line be informed whether or not it would be feasible. "That'd be...wow. That'd be awesome." If Doc McCoy could really do it Kevin would be able to touch. He'd be able to be touched by others. The possibility of mishap wrought by decay would be minimized, but he would also just be able to really stupid things like feel someone's skin when he touched them. That was huge for Kevin. It was important.
"I'll do what I can, Kevin," Hank said with a smile. "I should have an better estimate on how long it will take in a couple of days."
"Oh, Ah'm not in any rush," Kevin told him quickly. "Ah know you're busy and you got a lot of stuff to do so if you don't get to it for a while it's cool. Ah'm used to not havin' it and all and there's more important stuff to worry 'bout than Kevin-proofin' and stuff." He gave the doctor a smile. Kevin knew Doc McCoy didn't have to look into reformulating that stuff to work for him and he really appreciated the guy doing it at all, rushing was so not necessary.
Changing the topic abruptly, Kevin asked, "So, what tests do you need to do now to confirm your theory? And when do you wanna do 'em? 'Cause Ah can come back on a day when you don't look so tired."
The medlabs were starting to be all too familiar for Kevin. He didn't spend tons of time down here, but he felt being here every day for a week counted enough. It had become routine to wander down first thing in the morning and get his blood taken and his cheek swabbed while he sat around trying to play with tongue depressors. It likely wasn't the most odd routine in the mansion, though. Now Kevin was heading down to see if Doc McCoy had any results. He'd been told to check in with him around now so hopefully Kevin wound finally figure out what was going on with his mutation. The Southerner headed straight for the doctor's office and knocked on the door.
Hank was putting Kevin's test results into the concealed file cabinet behind his desk when the boy knocked on the door. "Enter," Hank said, closing the drawer and locking it. The blue doctor looked tired, which made sense since he'd been up half-the-night processing the test results and spent the other half arguing the merits of Colombian coffee versus Arabica with HB2.7 as he cleaned the appliance.
Kevin opened the door and poked his head in first. It was habit, though he wasn't sure why or what he thought he would find that would warrant quick extraction of visual field here. When he found Dr. McCoy all alone he pushed the door open the rest of the way and came into the office. "Hey, Doc. How're you doin'?"
"Desiring the company of hypnos I am afraid," he offered a weak smile and nodded, "more importantly though, how are you feeling today, Mister Ford?"
Hypnos? Kevin had pretty much no idea what Hank was talking about, so he moved right on past that comment without addressing it. "Ah'm good. You said to check in with you 'round now 'cause you thought maybe you'd have test results and maybe some idea what is goin' on with my mutation by now?"
"Ah, so I did," Hank nodded and took his reading glasses off, putting them on the cluttered desk. "After extensive review, I have a theory about what is going on with your powers." The doctor paused, gathering his thoughts before pressing on, "When your mutation was functioning properly, the tests showed a correlation to a sharp rise in catecholamines- epinephrine and norepinephrine to be precise- which are the two hormonal chemicals released to trigger a flight or fight response. When your abilities were not properly functioning, it seems that, while one of these chemicals may be present, the other was not."
Confusion knitted Kevin's brow. "Fight or flight? But Ah didn't feel all that fight or flight-like down here messin' with tongue depressors. It ain't like Ah thought the tongue depressor was gonna stab me in the throat and Ah had to wrestle it to the ground or run away or somethin'." He was, perhaps, taking the doctor a little too literally about the fight-or-flight response.
"And if you had felt that, we would be having a very different conversation right now," Hank chuckled and shook his head, "my apologies, I couldn't resist." He leaned forward, "Think of it this way, there are different kinds of stress- the two main are distress and eustress. Both release different chemicals to the brain which trigger different responses within a person. Distress is caused by external stimuli, triggering the aforementioned fight or flight response that is so popular a topic of discussion in high school psychology classes. Eustress is actually good for you. It is the feeling that you have accomplished something- which leads to similar chemicals being released in one's mind though in differing amounts and combinations that creates different results." He paused to let the information sink in, "While both types of stress release similar chemicals they don't both release them in sufficient quantities to make you fight tongue depressors."
"Distress." Kevin considered the word and the associations he had with it. "So like frustrated or, um," what else involved stress? "Stress 'bout midterms or anger? Is anger stress? Oh, Ah guess that's the fight part of the response, huh? So when Ah get all frustrated and sorta freak out that my mutation ain't workin', that's what turns it on?" Stress turned on his mutation. Fight or flight turned on his mutation. Doc McCoy kept talking about turning it on. "What turns it off?"
"To put it bluntly, your abilities seem to be in an automatic off position- which could be because you have been under such large amounts of stress since your arrival here that we simply couldn't see this. Or, as I hope, your mutation is further evolving to a point where you can control your abilities." Hank moved around to the front of his desk and rested a hand on his shoulder, "Whatever the reason, there is hope both for you gaining control of your ability and getting it back into a working order- but it will take time."
Kevin was a little dazed. His mutation was in default off position? "Muir said they don't turn off. That it was impossible. And Ah haven't been stressed the whole time Ah was here." There were moments when he was decidedly relaxed with Jay and the idiot had still gotten himself decayed from the brush of his hands against Kevin's skin. "Mutations evolve like that? Changin' from always on to mostly off? Are you sure they're default off?" He was trying to hide his hopefulness about that as much as possible.
Hank could only slant his lips as he sighed and said, "About fifty-percent certain at this point. Given the previous data from Muir, it seems like it shouldn't be possible- but from what I'm seeing.... I have hope that it is." Hank pressed on, a little less seriously, "Stress can become so integrated into our lives that it becomes unnoticeable- you have been stressed about being touched for so long, and rightfully so, that perhaps you've stopped noticing it." Hank patted the younger man's shoulder as he stood up again and headed around to his side of the desk, "Regardless, with a few more tests I can significantly increase the certainty in your mutation and its effects. All I can say if I'm correct in my theory is that I'm so very sorry we didn't see it earlier."
It didn't make sense to Kevin. "No, but it can't've always been like this. Ah only had issues with it after my ribs healed. Ah've had plenty of times when Ah wasn't stressed before that. My stress level four months ago was 'bout the same as a few other points. Like when Ah'm alone. Ah'm not all stressed alone. There's no way they missed it at Muir," Kevin was sure of that because he'd made them test him and test him again and run him through every single test possible out of sheer, vain hope. "Cammie can taste things," he said suddenly. "She couldn't before and then suddenly she could. If her mutation can change like that then...maybe that's what mine did." He desperately didn't want to think he'd just missed out on a ton of stuff because he had been misinformed.
Hank nodded, "Mutations can evolve like that- it's not unprecedented and I will need to check with Cammie about being able to taste things again, she left that out of her last check-up. Given the research and tests run at Muir, you are probably correct, that your mutation is growing into something else."
"But even if you're right 'bout it bein' mostly off? It can turn on any time, right? 'Cause of frustration or anger or whatever?" So he was only a little safer than he thought he was. Well, a lot safer but unpredictably so.
"That's if I'm right and a very big if it stays this way. If your mutation is changing like this so far, it would stand to reason- logically- that you may end up being able to control your powers." Hank offered a weak smile and held up a finger, "If, Kevin."
"Right, if." A big if, but it still meant he was default off now. Kevin didn't take that as enough reassurance to let down his guard or tell people or experiment, but he felt a little more encouraged toward experimenting alone with blocks of wood. He could do that, at least. He was safer and maybe it wasn't blanket safety, it was something and Kevin decided to hang onto it. "So, you remember Ms. Frost? Not the blonde one, the one who taught here? Ah had this thought. Forge made this spray stuff for her so she didn't have to wear gloves all the time but still not have skin contact so she could touch and feel but just not read stuff with her power." Kevin considered if he really wanted to ask this, but it had been in the back of his mind for a very long time. He had never gotten along that well with Forge, but he did with Dr. McCoy. It was worth asking, anyway. "You think you could maybe have time to look at it and see if it's possible to reformulate it so it's Kevin-proof? 'Cause, then Ah wouldn't need to worry 'bout my hair or someone bumpin' into me and maybe...maybe Ah wouldn't need to wear gloves all the time? Y'know...maybe."
Hank arched a brow and pulled out his touchpad, flipping through the mansion database in rapid succession. "We are in luck actually. Forge left the formula he used and his research notes on the server. It looks like...yes, I could easily replicate this, and with a minimal amount of experimentation, make it, as you say, 'Kevin-proof.'"
Kevin's eyebrows shot up in the air. "Really?" He wasn't expecting an answer here and now. No, he was expecting to be told that the doctor would look into it and maybe a couple weeks down the line be informed whether or not it would be feasible. "That'd be...wow. That'd be awesome." If Doc McCoy could really do it Kevin would be able to touch. He'd be able to be touched by others. The possibility of mishap wrought by decay would be minimized, but he would also just be able to really stupid things like feel someone's skin when he touched them. That was huge for Kevin. It was important.
"I'll do what I can, Kevin," Hank said with a smile. "I should have an better estimate on how long it will take in a couple of days."
"Oh, Ah'm not in any rush," Kevin told him quickly. "Ah know you're busy and you got a lot of stuff to do so if you don't get to it for a while it's cool. Ah'm used to not havin' it and all and there's more important stuff to worry 'bout than Kevin-proofin' and stuff." He gave the doctor a smile. Kevin knew Doc McCoy didn't have to look into reformulating that stuff to work for him and he really appreciated the guy doing it at all, rushing was so not necessary.
Changing the topic abruptly, Kevin asked, "So, what tests do you need to do now to confirm your theory? And when do you wanna do 'em? 'Cause Ah can come back on a day when you don't look so tired."