I'm not exactly sure how to start this, so I guess I'll begin with something stupidly obvious: I'm Riley, and I'm a nova, and I'm writing this from my desk in a West Coast research library where I do about what I did before I erupted: read, shift papers, and find things for people.

I don't fly, I don't read minds, I can't whip around the world in a heartbeat. Though I can eat like a 13 year old boy and keep my figure, which I suppose is quite an evolutionary advance all on its own.

Anyway, that's all that leaps to mind at the moment, so I'll leave it there.

welcome to the boards. As for still having the same job as before, why change if you enjoy what you do?

Yeah, it does have its advantages. And doesn't involve the spotlight, for which I am devoutly grateful.

Welcome, Riley. Glad to have you with us.

So, you've established what you can't do. What can you do? Sorry if that's invasive, it's just something I ask basically everyone who comes through, here. I'm really into trying to peg peoples' personalities based on what their crazy micro-second of wish fulfillment brought them.

In my case, boring. Better reaction times, a faster metabolism and some inconvenient side-effects. Call me the loser in the quantum lottery, I suppose. Or just chronically unambitious.

Hey, Riley!

Don't feel bad. Maybe your node knew you weren't going to be happy in the high-life, and reacted as it was supposed to. Who the hell knows?

Riley, I know how you feel - except I don't consider myself a loser in the lottery. I'm still a nova and since my eruption last year around this time, I've noticed some improvements. Hang in there.

The thing about having a node, you can change things. I mean I've leared alot of new abilities since I errupted last year, it's an ongoing process. So like Ravenshire says, hang in there, things are bound to get better.

All I got was the ability to fly and survive anywhere, other than that I don't have any other big abilities.

some people have all the luck.

Hello Riley. Having 'powers' doesn't necessarily make your life any easier, believe me.

The most important thing to remeber is to make the most of what you've got. I was incredibly lucky with the abilities I got (in that their use in my line of work is readily apparent) but being lucky or unlucky is only half of it.

The rest, as they say, is up to you.

The fuck it doesn't! I have money, bitches, and booze. My life fuckin' rules now. I couldn't ask for more. Hell most the time I'm convinced I gained power of heat too cuz no matter where I go the moment I walk in the room, pussy starts cookin'. Nova's are the greatest fuckin' thing to happen to this planet, can't wait til we run the damn place.

I rule. Quit bein' a whiny bitch.

Nah. I would rather continue caring about people other than myself. I want to make life better for others, novas and baselines alike.

Riley, did you come through the Big One okay?

Also, what do you attribute to your eruption? One accepted theory is that novas erupt with the power to deal with the stresses that caused our eruptions.

Fortunately, I live far enough north that the Big One gave me a pass. And... well, my eruption isn't something I like to talk about, but it involved some very public humiliation.

Re:Primal - Apparently I missed the part where eruption came with a massively overgrown ego. Was there a table I was supposed to stop at?

Riley, find some courage. Push yourself. Get out there and live.

Oh, and Hello!

Riley, seriously, there is wisdom in this. Maybe the little hippie dude is right, and adventure isn't your speed. Maybe. And that's not always a bad thing, it could easily be a good thing. The important thing is: are you actually happy?

And the only way to test that is to go out and push yourself. Find out what your strengths are, and what your weaknesses are. Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, blah blah blah. If you find out who you're not, it'll help with who you are, and that will make it simpler to be happy, if not easier.

It sucks that humiliation played a part in your Eruption. People really are bastards, sometimes. But consider: you now possess the ability to make wine out of sour grapes. But only you can do that.

And I wish you the best of luck. But, only can make it happen. Don't let where you're from be where you're at.

And Primal: you do indeed rule.