Several more months passed and JR only grew stronger with each day that went by. By the time the six month mark came around, the time in which he was supposed to just be able to begin walking again, he was in what he would consider the best shape of his life. He had taken to going for a morning run, getting up at the same time as Aron before the older would leave for work. Aron refused to run with him but whole heartedly supported his younger cousin as he found his strength again, often leaving the shared apartment at the same time and wishing him luck on his endeavors.

JR had tested his abilities in the best way that he could think to do so - pushing himself beyond his limits to see how far he could go. He had found that not only was he much stronger than he should be, but he was also faster and more agile. Aron had begged him to see if he could fly, but JR found that too ridiculous a suggestion - everything seemed to be simply an enhancement of all his natural abilities, and he had never been able to fly before. It still didn't stop Aron from asking at least once a week. 

His morning runs were also a good time for him to think, and he often found himself zoning out to the pounding of his feet on the sidewalk, not even noticing the scenery as he passed it. His feet took him past the old Bevo Mill and on toward Christy Park, then up to past by the Hampton Village Plaza before turning for home once more. Five miles a day and yet at a steady, easy pace, he made it within fifteen minutes. His thoughts, however, were mainly centered on the how and the why of his newfound power, and he thought that he and Aron might be on to something. Celsol had been experimental, after all, and the mix of it with the radiaton he had just underwent that day, paired with the un-Earthly gas that he had been exposed to in the meteor strike: well, it was the best reasoning the two of them could come up with.

This particular April morning, he ran his route as always, though the scents of fresh baking bread at one of the chain restaurants caught his attention as he passed. It was still early, and they had yet to open, but he knew that the grocery store at the Plaza itself would be open for business and he could buy something to eat. Aron was already gone for work and JR wasn't much of a cook, usually eating a bowl of cereal or leftovers from the previous night as his breakfast once he returned home, but that scent had him craving something baked.

He entered the market at almost eight in the morning, right about the same time that Aron should be arriving at work. It was only about nine minutes since JR had left home but it wasn't as if he needed to return quickly; he had nothing that he had to do. He did want to find a job, though, and so as he made his way back to the bakery, he kept an eye out for any kind of application kiosks. He hadn't seen any by the time he reached the long glass cases filled with fresh baked goods, but he still figured he could at least ask.

The older woman who came out to greet him over the counter top gave a dissatisfied look at his jogging pants and sweatshirt, and he flushed a bit at her scrutiny. "I was out for a run," he began to explain, but the pinched look on her face said that she didn't care what excuses he made for his state of dress. With a sigh he gave over, and instead took a moment to select his order. When he walked away from the bakery counter it was with a cherry danish in hand, still warm and gooey from the oven. He hadn't asked her if they were hiring because he figured that she would tell him no just because of his clothing. He decided that he could return at another time to find out, or maybe he could look online.

He headed down the sidewalk, back in the direction he had come instead of completing his loop, the sweet pastry devoured quickly before he