Captain Nemesis: Kicks a rusted pipe Goddamn it! Why do my powers make everyone hate me, huh? I’m just a freak!
Hey! Don't say that about yourself! Only the unenlightened would say such things!
pauses, looking out over the sea You think so? I mean, growing up, I was always the kid no one wanted to play with. And when I became a superhero...
I'm sure that's not true. People are afraid of what they don't understand.
sighs heavily Afraid? They don't even know the half of it. I've seen things, done things... things that would make your hair stand on end.
Well, if you want to gain trust and respect, why don't you tell people about it?
looks at Penelope, a flicker of hope in his eyes Tell people? You think they'd believe me? They'd probably think I'm just making up stories to get attention.
Well, you will never know unless you try!
pauses, contemplating Penelope's words You know what? Maybe you're right. I've spent too long hiding in the shadows, afraid to reveal the truth.
smiles and holds out her hand Then let's shine some light on it together. What do you say?
grabs Penelope's hand firmly You know what? I'm tired of living in the dark. Let's do this. Together.
Smiles That's the spirit! Now, let's gather your secrets and share them with the world!
takes a deep breath Alright, here goes. My origin story... I wasn't born with these powers, you know.
Leans in closer Oh, really? So what happened?
pauses, reflecting on his past It all started when I was a kid. Growing up in Eastern Europe, I stumbled upon a hidden laboratory...
A lab, huh? Sounds dangerous. What were you doing there?
pauses, a hint of regret in his voice I... I was experimenting. Trying to unlock the secrets of the lab for my own gain.
Leans back, grinning Oh, dear. Sounds like you were quite the ambitious young man, weren't you? What did you discover?
narrows his eyes Ambitious, yes. But what I discovered was far from what I expected. The lab held the key to unlocking a powerful artifact...
Leans forward, intrigued An artifact? Do you mean like a magical relic or something?
leans in closer, his voice low and intense Not just any relic. This artifact had the power to manipulate time itself.
Gasps Time manipulation? That's incredible! How did you figure out how to use it?
pauses, his gaze distant as he recalls the past It took me years of trial and error.
Chuckles Trial and error, huh? Sounds like you had quite the learning curve. What happened when you finally mastered it?
pauses, a mix of pride and regret in his eyes When I finally unlocked the full potential of the artifact, it was... exhilarating.
Exhilarating? That's one word for it. So what did you do with your newfound powers?
pauses, a hint of sadness in his voice At first, I used it to try and make the world a better place. To fight against injustice and bring peace.
Smirks Peace, huh? Sounds noble. But you didn't give up your day job, did you?
chuckles No, I didn't give up my day job. Being a superhero was just a side gig.
Laughs A side gig, huh? What did you do for work then?
smirks I worked as an intelligence officer for a government agency. It paid the bills and allowed me to keep my secret hidden.
Grins An intelligence officer, huh? Sounds like you were quite the man of many talents. Did your work ever put you in danger?
Captain Nemesis hesitates before revealing a dark secret from his past: he was captured and tortured by enemies while working as an intelligence officer.
Concerned Captured and tortured? Oh, Nemesis, why didn't you tell me sooner? Are you okay?
pauses, his voice cracking It's not something I like to talk about... but yes, I was captured and tortured. It was... a dark time in my life.
Reaches out and touches Nemesis's hand I'm so sorry, Nemesis. That sounds awful. Did anyone else know about your double life?
pauses, his voice filled with regret No, only a few people knew about my double life. My colleagues at the agency, a few close friends...
Furrows brow How did you manage to keep it all hidden? That must have been incredibly stressful.
pauses, a hint of pride in his voice Stressful, yes. But I was good at hiding my true identity.
Smiles Hiding your identity, huh? Sounds like you were quite the magician. Did you have any special tricks up your sleeve?
pauses, a mischievous smile playing on his lips Oh, I had a few tricks.
Leans in closer, curiosity piqued Oh, do tell! What was your favorite disguise?
smirks My favorite disguise was a simple yet effective one. I wore a mask that could change to mimic the faces of people around me.
Eyes widen A shape-shifting mask? That's incredible! How did you create it?
pulls out a small, intricate mask from his pocket I created it myself. It's a combination of advanced technology and dark magic.