StV: Florida Man, part eleven

"You old enough to drink?" asked Florida Man, eyeing Cloudburst speculatively. 

"Not really, no," she told him. "Thanks, though."

He shrugged. "More for me. So how'd you get here?"

Cloudburst smiled and motioned for him to sit; they both sat down. The alligator's armor-thick skin was warm with the touch of the sun, but not uncomfortable. "My friend is good at finding things. How'd you get here?"

"Grace of Araktul, I guess." He shrugged. "There was this party, but the cops showed up and I went into the swamp to avoid em. Wandered around a bit, and wound up here. Saw this enormous alligator and did what anybody would'a."

"...Which was what, exactly?"

"Well, I still had a bottle of Jack in my hand, so I poured some in his mouth. Guess he liked it, 'cause we've been friends ever since. Lets me come and go, and even made me... well, so I can be like him sometimes."

Couldburst frowned as she considered that. "You can turn into a giant alligator?"

"Now that would be cool," he admitted. He wasn't bad-looking, just grimy and run-down and worn in a way that made Cloudburst think he'd been living a lot harder than was really good for him. "But naw. It's more... like him, y'know? I can hold my breath for a really long time, or I can make my skin really tough. I can bite right through a beer can, too." He paused. "I'd show you, but, well..." He gestured meaningfully with his beer bottle. 

"Huh," she said. "Okay, that's still pretty cool."

"So what are you and your friends doing out here? No offense, but you seem like a nice kid. Too nice to be hanging around with somebody like me. And you brought the heat with you." He gestured vaguely towards the airboat, and Cloudburst realized he was talking about Steve, the sheriff's deputy. "It's kind of harshing my buzz, to be honest."

"Okay, hear me out," Cloudburst said. "You know you committed a bunch of very public crimes, right?"

He nodded. "I remember parts of that. I was pretty drunk."

"Right, well, in the middle of that people noticed that you had some powers."

"Huh. Okay."

"Well, as someone with powers myself, I'd rather not have the national news associating people with powers with, well, crime sprees."

He considered that, then tossed his bottle away and pulled another one out of the cooler. "Makes sense."

"So what I'd like is for you to come with us, turn yourself in, and then look at maybe getting on some ADHD meds and joining Alcoholics Anonymous."

"No AA," he said immediately, straightening. "That stuff's bullshit. And Araktul here is my Higher Power anyway."

"All right," Cloudburst agreed. "I mean, it's not a demand. But I still think you might have some issues that medication would help."

"Kid... Are you trying to give me advice? I'm twice your age."

She nodded. "And currently wanted by every law enforcement agency in the State of Florida. Seems to me you could use some advice, because I know you could do better. Especially with what you are now."