A Golden Boy No More

Josh Foley, Healer and Killer. Avengers Academy student. Former X-man ~Assume he's black skinned unless stated otherwise.~ Indie Josh Foley blog. Tracking healingtheassassins

[bea666t-deactivated20220205]

healingtheassassins “liked this post for a starter”

“Under this circumstance I am actually busy but you can tell me whats going on while at work.”

[healingtheassassins]

“Have you seen Laura Kinney? I haven’t heard from her in a while and I’m a bit worried.”

[bea666t-deactivated20220205]

“Laura? Well she is actually in my team and she i fine i guess. Often much she doesn’t coonect with others online. And often she is quite bussy.”

[healingtheassassins]

“Online? No, we text. She mighta smashed her phone though.” He twiddled dark thumbs like he was texting. “This was the last place she said she was so...” He shrugged, worry pulling his shoulders tight..

[bea666t-deactivated20220205]

healingtheassassins “liked this post for a starter”

“Under this circumstance I am actually busy but you can tell me whats going on while at work.”

[healingtheassassins]

“Have you seen Laura Kinney? I haven’t heard from her in a while and I’m a bit worried.”

[healingtheassassins]

He gave her a bit of a grin as he rolled back onto his feet. “She’s pretty amazing.”

[floramoth-archived-deactivated2]

“ Oh, are you guys a thing?”

[healingtheassassins]

Josh blinked a bit before realizing what she meant. "What? No." He couldn't help but laugh. "She's my best friend. Like my sister."

[healingtheassassins]

@chaoticallycrimson

[text: Jules] Wait. Does this mean you’re going to stop trying to mail me to Dicaprio?

[healingtheassassins]

“Not a bad way really.” He curled up a little so he didn’t hurt himself as he fell. “Painless, quick, no explosions or fire. Plus, there’s like, no way X-23 would kill me. So I’m safe at least.”

[floramoth-archived-deactivated2]

“ I guess having friends like her has its perks.”

[healingtheassassins]

He gave her a bit of a grin as he rolled back onto his feet. "She's pretty amazing."

[healingtheassassins]

“It’s one you’ve never actually used, It’s as good a new one.” He reached out to pat Leelocke’s knees but pulled back. “You’ll split to Lee and Locke again then. If you’re happier that way.” And if they couldn’t do it own their own, well an Omega level healer, even a failure of one like he was could help with that.

He wanted to protest that it wasn’t the same, what Lee had down was better somehow. But it wasn’t, and they both knew it. “I’m glad you protected each other. i’m glad you had each other.” He couldn’t imagine going through what they had, never mind alone.

He put his gloved hand over his cheek, blocking Leelocke’s finger. “Did what? Show you the kind of monster I really am? I’m glad they’re dead. They hurt you. They killed countless kids like us. And now they can’t hurt anyone.”

[thebabelfishboy]

Leelocke huffed, puffing his cheeks out before scowling. “You’re not a monster!” he practically vibrated in his seat, tucking his knee’s underneath himself as he leaned into Josh. “And you’re not gonna say it anymore.” If Warlock was banned from saying it around him, then so was Josh. 

“Don’t you get tired of being so…so awful to yourself?” He asked. “Punishing yourself for taking out actual monsters?” 

“You’re so smart, but you’re so stupid.” Leelocke had no filter, nothing telling him that maybe Josh didn’t want to hear this. “You-” He pointed a finger at him. “Are going to be amazing. But you’re only gonna be that if you stop thinking you’re a monster.”

[healingtheassassins]

“You don’t know everything I’ve done!” He protested as he leaned back over the arm of the couch. “But if you want, I won’t say it anymore.” It wouldn’t be any less true, even if he didn’t say it.

Josh gave Leelocke a sad smile, why shouldn’t he be punished for the things he had done. “No one else will.”

“I’m not smart.” The words came out of his mouth automatically. He wasn’t, not really. Not like David had been. His eyes watched that the finger didn’t get too close. “And I’m not... I’d just fuck things up. I always do.”

[metallicminx]

[text: Cess] She asked me if I was even old enough to be out this late…

[text: Josh] Who?? Not that I can say I blame whoever it was, you’ve still got kind of a baby face there, sunshine :U

[text: Josh] Not that it’s a bad thing. We’re both in the weird shiny eternal youth club I guess (◡‿◡✿) 

[healingtheassassins]

[text: Cess] Some chick at the bar I’m at

[text: Cess] I just want a drink. I wasn’t hitting on you lady. Gaand.

[text: Cess] We need to like, make up a list of immortal people so we can stay in touch

[metallicminx]

[text: Josh] pffffttttt you poor thing. Did you at least get the drink?

[text: Josh] And we totally should. Let’s seeeeee me, you, Logan, Laura probs, santo maybe? Uhmmmmm I’ll think of more eventually.

[healingtheassassins]

[text: Cess] Yeah. I got a Grasshopper. Nice mint flavour.

[text: Cess] Definitely Laura if i have any say. 

[text: Cess] Sam Guthrie maybe? Definitely Deadpool. We saw him in 2973

[text: Cess] I think the Juggernaut and Jubilee. Maybe Hope. She’s got such potential there.

[metallicminx]

[text: Cess] She asked me if I was even old enough to be out this late…

[text: Josh] Who?? Not that I can say I blame whoever it was, you’ve still got kind of a baby face there, sunshine :U

[text: Josh] Not that it’s a bad thing. We’re both in the weird shiny eternal youth club I guess (◡‿◡✿) 

[healingtheassassins]

[text: Cess] Some chick at the bar I’m at

[text: Cess] I just want a drink. I wasn’t hitting on you lady. Gaand.

[text: Cess] We need to like, make up a list of immortal people so we can stay in touch

[ive-been-mostly-dead-all-day]

According to the X-Men wikia, there are six classifications for mutants: Omega, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon.  What follows is a little guide to classifying a mutant’s level according to Marvel canon. 

OMEGA: The most powerful mutants in existence.  They have powers that have a massive, universal impact such as affecting timelines and entire galaxies.  Also, they have vast control over matter and energy, giving them godlike powers.  They also tend to have some sort of immortality component to them, but such is not always the rule.

Ex. | Iceman (Bobby Drake), Phoenix (Jean Grey), Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff), Legion (David Haller), Magento (Erik Lehnsherr)

ALPHA: Second only to Omega Levels in terms of power, Alpha Level mutants comprise about 10% of the mutant population.  They are mutants with incredibly powerful abilities that have few, if any, fatal flaws.  The rule of thumb for classifying an Alpha Level is: if they have a normal human appearence and their mutation is both powerful, useful, and controllable.

Ex. | Emma Frost, Storm (Ororo Munroe), Shadowcat (Kitty Pryde), Gambit (Remy LeBeau), Professor X (Charles Xavier)

BETA: Power-wise, Beta Levels are about the same as Alpha Levels.  The only difference is that Beta Levels have (little) flaws in their powers.  They also comprise about 10% of the mutant population.  The rule of thumb for classifying Beta Level mutants is that they have an overall normal human appearance BUT their mutation, while both useful and powerful, is difficult to control.

Ex. | Havok (Alex Summers), Wolverine (Logan/James Howlett), Rogue (Anna-Marie D'Ancanto), Mystique (Raven Darkholme), Toad (Mortimer Toynbee)

GAMMA: Gamma Level mutants are also incredibly powerful, ranking up with Alpha Levels and Beta Levels.  However, they have major flaws in their powers that can make their lives incredibly difficult. Most typically, this occurs as a physical mutation that cannot be altered or changed as part of the mutant’s abilities.  Rule of thumb for classifying Gamma Levels: If their mutation is powerful, uncontrollable, sometimes useful but most typically detrimental to living a normal life, then they are a Gamma Level.

Ex. | Beast (Hank McCoy), Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner), Blink (Clarice Ferguson), Angel (Warren Worthington III), Azazel

DELTA: Like Alpha Levels in the respect that their powers contain hardly any flaws, Delta Levels are nowhere near the power levels of Alpha, Beta, and Gamma.  Comprising about 50% of the mutant population, Delta Level mutants are the most common level. The rule of thumb in classifying Delta Levels is that they have an overall human appearance but their powers, while essentially controllable, are weak or only have narrow applications.   

Ex. | Angel Salvadore, Cypher (Alisa Tager), Domino

EPSILON: Epsilon Level mutants are generally referred to as “unfortunate mutants.“  Their abilities have major flaws that make existing within society pretty much impossible and they don’t even get the benefit of a strong or particularly useful power.  They comprise about 20% of the mutant population.  Rule of thumb for classification: if they have an inhuman appearance and/or no power to compensate. 

Ex. | Beak, Bliss

[healingtheassassins]

“I can…” Read your DNA, alter it, feel your every cell divide and live and die. “I can tell a lot about a person from a touch. S’why I wear the gloves.” And so he couldn’t hurt someone by accident. “Theoretically, that means you could potentially live forever. Provided you keep a close eye on your body and your powers don’t wane over time.” He nodded as he put his glove back on, thinking. “You could probably make a good amount of money bringing thrift store junk back to mint condition and reselling it.”

“It sounds strong. Alpha level I think.” He shook his head at her, “Not shallow, just a different scope. Our powers are different, and we need different knowledge to do it. The more I know about medical practices and biology, the more effectively, It might help if you looked more into how things age,”

[sablierternie]

“I’ve thought about my lifespan. I suppose I don’t intend to die unless I am killed, whether by another or by an accident,” she chuckled, the mortality or possible immortality in her hands of little concern to her. Marion preferred to live in the present, despite the nature of her abilities, or perhaps because of them. “I have not considered that as an option, though. Should I retire from dance and need a source of income, I will keep that in mind.” 

Her brow quirked at the term he used, unfamiliar with the different classifications of mutants after a lifetime of disregard for her genetics and a language barrier between them. “I am not sure what that means…but I suppose it could be strong, should I choose to use it. I’m afraid I am too selfish to be of much use to anyone but myself, for better or for worse. Perhaps I will look into things though. Are you self-taught as well? Or did you attend that uhm…that school, the name escapes me…” 

[healingtheassassins]

“Even then, they’d have to kill you awful quick.” He nodded a little. He was glad she was so nonchalant about possible immortality, something that weighed on him heavily. “What kind of dance do you do? I had you pegged for gymnastics or something like that.”  

“Alpha level basically means really strong power with no debilitating drawbacks. The second strongest. “ He waved his hand back and forth a little in a comme ci comme ça motion. Josh leaned back on the wall with an easy, fake, grin. “I used to go to the school yeah, years ago when it was still called Xavier’s. It’s called Jean Grey’s now actually. But I left and I’m learning on my own now. I wasn’t a very good X-man personally”

[healingtheassassins]

Josh turned and curled around the plant. “There are actual targets you know.”

[chaoticallycrimson-archive]

He huffed. “Alright fine. Not like you can’t get the same things from just about any store.”

[healingtheassassins]

“Then I’d have to leave and come back and that’s a pain, Jules.” He set the plant down and sat in front of it. “How are the hands, by the way?”

[healingtheassassins]

“We had both lost everything.” Josh leaned his shoulder into her a bit. “We both thought we had nothing except I had her. And he hated that.” He gave her a little smile. “He never saw what he did have.”

“I was never good Cess. David’ll tell you.” the dark speckles across his cheeks grew slightly larger. “Just a jerk. He’s told me often enough.”

[metallicminx]

A saddened smile tilted her lips, it was nice to know he thought she was something and that the other boy really had been oblivious. 

Her smile faded quickly, though, and she let out a huff before giving him a deadpanned look. “You can be a good person and a jerk. I mean, look at Jules. He’s my best friend and a good person, but also a jerk.” She brought up her free hand to pinch a darkening cheek, before her expression softened once more, “David’ll say a lot of things, but you’ve gotta trust me on that. You’re not just a jerk. You’re a good person who’s been through a lot.”

[healingtheassassins]

“He was an idiot. He just saw what he wanted and never really thought about what anyone else thought.” He laughed a little. “That was our biggest difference. Not this,” He held up his hand shifting from gold to black. “He didn’t care about what everybody thought of him. And I cared too much. He didn’t try to change himself.”

“Julian’s like, the King of Jerks. No making faces at me. He’d be damn proud of that title and you know it.” He waved a finger in her face, trying to joke his way out of the sad conversation. He didn’t want to think about how people still thought of him as a good person after what he had done. or even because of what he had done. It was easier just to label himself a bad person and not think about it, let the weight of it crush him.

[metallicminx]

“You’re not wrong about that….” she sighed before shaking her head.

Cess was far too stubborn to let things completely go, but he did earn a quiet laugh from the redhead. “Or about the title. He is the King of Jerks but he’s /my/ Jerk King and a damn good person. So my point still stands, you’re a like….sub par jerk and a totally adequate good person,” she nodded definitively, as though she had final say on a court sentence and he was the one on trial. “Seriously, you’re too hard on yourself,” she leaned into him a bit more before caving and pulling him into a loose hug, “maybe I should make Jules a little crown with that on it, though…or a sash like miss america…”

[healingtheassassins]

He pet her head gently. “Don’t you blame yourself. His idiotics have nothing to do with you.”

“I’m pretty sure the whole cheating thing puts me above sub-par jerkassery. And all the other things I’ve done.” Josh burst out laughing, gold flowing across his face, chasing the black -the rot- away. “Fucking, give him a tiara and a Jerk King sash and I bet he’d wear it if it was you that gave it to him.”

[healingtheassassins]

“I think there’s like, five of us? Healers I mean. And Warren it only works through blood transfusion I think.” He shrugged. “I haven’t met any aside from him. and I’m…” Gold then black flickered across his face as he laughed a little. “I’m a bit stronger than he is.”

”Is it just you you can affect or can you like, take an old coin and restore it good as new?” He pulled off one of his gloves and placed a couple fingers on her wrist. Then blinked. “Your lungs are in way better shape than they should be. There’s no tar build-up at all.”

[sablierternie]

The change in his skin tone caught her eye, drawing a little grin to her lips. Gold suited him far better than black, and she could only assume the flash of metallic sunshine was a good sign for his mood. 

She held her arm out for him, not bothered by his touch and even a bit smug as he told her what she already knew. “Impressive. To tell so much with only a touch is truly a gift. If I was given an old coin I could make it new. It is what I do with my lungs to keep them healthy. Every few weeks I unravel the fabric of time woven into them by just that much and keep myself healthy that way. I smoked for years before my mutation emerged, so the first time going back years was…interesting. I’m very good at it now.” 

Her other hand dropped her cigarette and stomped it out carefully, her now free hand resting over his, “I can also heal, take away whatever damage has been done, or turn back time as a whole until a grown man is a child, or even push it forward until they are little more than decay and dust. I cannot understand the body the way, you do, though. I suppose I am very shallow.”

[healingtheassassins]

“I can...” Read your DNA, alter it, feel your every cell divide and live and die. “I can tell a lot about a person from a touch. S’why I wear the gloves.” And so he couldn’t hurt someone by accident. “Theoretically, that means you could potentially live forever. Provided you keep a close eye on your body and your powers don’t wane over time.” He nodded as he put his glove back on, thinking. “You could probably make a good amount of money bringing thrift store junk back to mint condition and reselling it.”

“It sounds strong. Alpha level I think.” He shook his head at her, “Not shallow, just a different scope. Our powers are different, and we need different knowledge to do it. The more I know about medical practices and biology, the more effectively, It might help if you looked more into how things age,”

[healingtheassassins]

“We had both lost everything.” Josh leaned his shoulder into her a bit. “We both thought we had nothing except I had her. And he hated that.” He gave her a little smile. “He never saw what he did have.”

“I was never good Cess. David’ll tell you.” the dark speckles across his cheeks grew slightly larger. “Just a jerk. He’s told me often enough.”

[metallicminx]

A saddened smile tilted her lips, it was nice to know he thought she was something and that the other boy really had been oblivious. 

Her smile faded quickly, though, and she let out a huff before giving him a deadpanned look. “You can be a good person and a jerk. I mean, look at Jules. He’s my best friend and a good person, but also a jerk.” She brought up her free hand to pinch a darkening cheek, before her expression softened once more, “David’ll say a lot of things, but you’ve gotta trust me on that. You’re not just a jerk. You’re a good person who’s been through a lot.”

[healingtheassassins]

“He was an idiot. He just saw what he wanted and never really thought about what anyone else thought.” He laughed a little. “That was our biggest difference. Not this,” He held up his hand shifting from gold to black. “He didn’t care about what everybody thought of him. And I cared too much. He didn’t try to change himself.”

“Julian’s like, the King of Jerks. No making faces at me. He’d be damn proud of that title and you know it.” He waved a finger in her face, trying to joke his way out of the sad conversation. He didn’t want to think about how people still thought of him as a good person after what he had done. or even because of what he had done. It was easier just to label himself a bad person and not think about it, let the weight of it crush him.

[new-x-men]

The New X-men by WalterReynolds

[healingtheassassins]

“I can guarantee I’ve taken harder hits if it helps. I was trained by Wolverine. And did a lot of one on one training with X-23.” He jumped onto his hands, swinging his feet so his toes tapped the side of his head. “If that were her you would be in serious trouble, she’s got claws that come out of her feet.”

[floramoth-archived-deactivated2]

“ Snikt’d right into my brain, what a way to go, ” she joked as she took a hold in his ankle and pushed him over so he’d fall.

[healingtheassassins]

“Not a bad way really.” He curled up a little so he didn’t hurt himself as he fell. “Painless, quick, no explosions or fire. Plus, there’s like, no way X-23 would kill me. So I’m safe at least.”

[sablierternie]

A quick glance over him would tell most he was no more than the age he’d mentioned…but as someone who toyed with the fabric of time so frequently, she could tell such was not the case. He was burdened with at least a few more years, and more pain than someone so young should have to feel. Unfortunate, but it was not her place to care too deeply. “I do not know who these Ric and Star are, but I am glad you have such a place. I found “home” in things far worse than a roof over my head.“ Namely in the hands of drugs and a life of depravity, but she was making some efforts to lessen those tendencies. “Paris was my home for some time, more than my parents villa in Dijon ever was.” Marion glanced over him once more, a brow raising in question, “I don’t mean to be blunt, but I am curious. What are your abilities? Do not think you need to answer, but know I am a mutant as well.”

[healingtheassassins]

“Rictor and Shatterstar. They’re former X-men as well.” They, like him, had no plans on going back to the X-men as far as he knew. “Friends of my adoptive mother.”

“We’ll go quid pro quo. I’ll tell you mine and you’ll tell me yours?” He tilted his head with a little smile. “Biokinetic abilities with dichromatimorphic skin based on emotions and power  Healer with mood-ring skin’s the gist of it.” Whether he could use it to damage or heal was based on his mood, but she didn’t need to know that. “I can give you an example if you’d like.”

[sablierternie]

She nodded slowly, taking in his words and even offering a soft laugh as he dumbed down the drawn out scientific terms. “Interesting. It is rare to find someone who is a healer, and even rarer to find someone who you can see their emotions quite literally on their sleeves,” the ballerina chuckled, taking another drag of her cigarette before tapping away the ash. 

Marion exhaled slowly, making sure to face away from him before smiling lightly. It was rare she shared much about her abilities, as someone who preferred to live as though she was just an average (if unconventional) woman. “I can tamper with time. I am not sure exactly how to say it in my language, let alone yours..but I can reverse time in small areas, or accelerate it. I can control age or tempo.” She tilted her head then, curious still, “I would like that example.”

[healingtheassassins]

“I think there’s like, five of us? Healers I mean. And Warren it only works through blood transfusion I think.” He shrugged. “I haven’t met any aside from him. and I’m...” Gold then black flickered across his face as he laughed a little. “I’m a bit stronger than he is.”

”Is it just you you can affect or can you like, take an old coin and restore it good as new?” He pulled off one of his gloves and placed a couple fingers on her wrist. Then blinked. “Your lungs are in way better shape than they should be. There’s no tar build-up at all.”