>First Thread:
https://archived.moe/qst/thread/2424210/#2424210

>Previous Thread(s):
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=A%20New%20Mutant%20Quest

>Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/r4mTphVV

>>3438556
>>[X] "Just give me time and I'll work up to it eventually, okay?"

Going to go to my morning classes soon. Will close voting and update when I get back.

>>3438556
this >>3439335

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Just give me time and I'll work up to it eventually, okay?"

It's not like you don't find her attractive or that you're, whatever non-existant god forbid, gay. Sex is just something you really don't want to have power over you again. Maybe in time you'll overcome it but your content to avoid it for now. There are far more pressing matters you need to concern yourself with and having sex would wake everyone on this floor up anyway.

"Just give me time and I'll work up to it eventually, okay?"

Alex blinks before rolling off you back to your side.

"For someone so flamboyant and handsome, you can be really boring."

You scoff.

"All because I won't have sex with you? Really?"

The blond nods.

"Uh-huh, you're a soul-eating magic-using Afro-Mexican mutant with an immaterial third eye on your forehead, but you don't want to have sex. Any one of those descriptors alone are exciting and amazing to think about. And they all ascribe to you, a man who does not want to have sex with an attractive girl in her late teens."

Narrowing your eyes, you shoot her a look.

"An attractive girl who's been a coke addicted prostitute in the past and fucked a quarter of my foot-soldiers."

Alex smirks.

"One, may I remind you, you've let suck your dick."

You blink and groan.

"Why the ever loving fuck did I do that?"

A soft hand places itself on the crotch of your pants.

"Because you listened to your neglected other head for once."

Moving her hand off your dick and back to her side, you sigh.

She is right despite her usual yet unusual bitchy teasing attitude, you have been neglecting your sexual needs. Your mutant hormones and body don't exactly make it any easier. However, you will not let it have any control over you or be one of those guys who masturbates all the time.

>[ ] "Besides killing, torturing, and fucking people, what do you actually like?"
>[ ] "So, do you actually go prowling to kill people or do you just pretend to?"
>[ ] "How much of what I know about you is a lie exactly?"
>[ ] "I don't like it when you play psycho whore."
>[ ] "Can we please have a normal conversation?"
>[ ] "Have you tried contacting your parents?"
>[ ] Write In.

>>3440441
>[ ] "Can we please have a normal conversation?"
>[ ] "Besides killing, torturing, and fucking people, what do you actually like? And don't lie to me this time."

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Can we please have a normal conversation?"
>[X] "Besides killing, torturing, and fucking people, what do you actually like? And don't lie to me this time."

>(1/2)

While you do somewhat appreciate her forthcomingness at times, you'd rather get to know the real her than the usual overly crazy act she puts on. Sure, she came on to you far more eloquently than her usual approaches but still. A pleasant conversation between friends with less sexual tension than usual would be pleasant.

"Can we please have a normal conversation?"

Alex shoots you a look.

"No, that's impossible for people like us. You're a supernatural biracial mutant, Marcus is a sane well-adjusted young black man from the streets, Cuda is either the most ignorant black man in existence or a dumb psychopath, Ren is a Japanese girl with a bladed chain whip suffering from dissociative identity disorder, Jesús is a Colombian sicario who has an engraved M1911 named El Papa, Itsuki is a devout Buddhist Japanese man who carries around an odachi containing the soul of a Japanese demon, and I'm a rich pretty white girl who got kidnapped, raped, drugged, and pimped out as a whore before I snapped and started killing people. There is little to no way a normal conversation could possibly take place between any of us without something irregular being mentioned or happening."

You blink at the strange girl before shooting her a look of your own.

"I meant... Wait, how exactly does Marcus stand on the same level of insanity as the rest of us?"

The girl raises an eyebrow.

"How does he not considering he grew up with you of all people and is still the one person closest to being normal on the round-table?"

A frown makes its way on to your face.

"Hey..." You raise a hand to your chin as you drift off. "Actually, that is a miracle considering all the shit I've put him through."

>(2/2)

Minxy nods.

"Exactly."

Moving your hand from your chin, you sigh.

You've never really deserved to have him as a friend or ever had the right to cause him of all people the pain you did.

"Boss?"

Shaking your head free of your self-hating thoughts, you focus back on the staring girl laying beside you.

"Besides killing, torturing, and fucking people, what do you actually like?" You furrow your brow. "And don't lie to me this time."

Alex blinks.

"Lied to you? When have I ever lied to you? All I've ever done is not tell you the truth; there's a distinction between the two." She giggles as you let out a groan. "If you must know, I like taking long walks at night, drinking tea, talking with anyone on the round-table, playing with Ren, and wearing boy pants." She pats her thigh. "So much space and actual non-sewed shut pockets."

You let out a thoughtful hum.

There doesn't really seem to be that much of a difference between Alex's act and the real her besides intelligence. It begs a questions as to why she behaves the way she does but she probably won't give you a clear answer. Could also be this is just another act she's putting on to save herself the trouble of actually talking to you.

>[ ] "So, do you actually go prowling to kill people or do you just pretend to?"
>[ ] "Are you actually into Ren or just fond of fucking with her?"
>[ ] "Why didn't you go home after offing your pimp?"
>[ ] "Why play pretend at being a dumb ditzy blond?"
>[ ] "I don't like it when you play psycho whore."
>[ ] "Have you tried contacting your parents?"
>[ ] "Just who are your parents exactly?"
>[ ] Write In.

>>3441017
>>[ ] "So, do you actually go prowling to kill people or do you just pretend to?"
>>[ ] "Why didn't you go home after offing your pimp?"
>>[ ] "Why play pretend at being a dumb ditzy blond?"

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "So, do you actually go prowling to kill people or do you just pretend to?"
>[X] "Why didn't you go home after offing your pimp?"
>[X] "Why play pretend at being a dumb ditzy blond?"

>(1/2)

A lot of questions are still on your mind. Long walks at night is vague and can refer to a great many things, at least in Alex's case. She's never really mentioned her parents until today. As for her pimp, you've never gottenso much as a name.

"So, do you actually go prowling to kill people or do you just pretend to?"

The blond girl stretches herself out against the futon beneath her and beside you.

"From time to time I do kill someone and paint an alleyway with their insides." She yawns. "Most of the time, I enjoy the peace and silence."

You turn to face your personal assassin.

"That explains the relatively lax amount of serial killer reports on the Bronx."

Alex raises an eyebrow.

"Do you actually check the news or just rely on word of mouth?"

Blinking, a flood of computer screen images flash in your head.

"...Mostly word of mouth, but the Internet might be a more reliable source in the future when I can afford a computer."

The blond scoffs.

"Uncurated news websites with no fact checking or reliable sources? Yeah, right."

You raise an eyebrow back at the girl.

"What do you mean? Do the news stations not curate their website articles?"

Minxy shakes her head.

"No, they do but the ones only on the internet typically don't. My mom hated them for letting her students come up with easy sources for their assignments over some bullshit that didn't actually happen and dad hated them because one launched a smear campaign against his company. They sued it for defamation and got out with a surprising amount of cash, though. Makes you wonder how much those websites actually make."

Several images of financial records flash in your mind

"Depends on the website but typically in the several hundred thousands; all that ad revenue adds up."

>(2/2)

Alex clucks her tongue as she rubs her cheek against the futon beneath her head.

"What a cheap lazy way to get cash. Hope no one ever gets rich off that bullshit."

You nod in agreement.

If such a thing were ever to take off, it'd set a precedence for laziness and fraud being of success rather than failure. The markets will be filled with shoddy producers and little to no competition. Stagnation and rot will take place as a monopoly stomps out all its weak sauce competitors. Things would get worse before they get better if such a future were to take place.

Back at the subject at hand, though.

"Why didn't you go home after offing your pimp?"

The blond blinks and stares at you for a moment.

"...My parents aren't exactly the most pleasant people to live with: they provide and they care but they're controlling. Everything must be as they wish it to be...even me. It was my mother's idea for me to take ballet in the first place and we both know how that ended. If I were to go back to them, they'd take me in but come up with some kind of story for me to tell to save them face before they'd try and cram their image of how they want me to be down my throat."

An understanding hum rumbles in your throat.

If you were in her place, you too wouldn't go back to them. They might be rich and caring but you wouldn't abide someone trying to control you or tell you who you are. Here, you are whoever you want to be, which is you.

Strange that she still acts the way she does despite the fact she doesn't really need to. Really, you like her better this way.

"Why play pretend at being a dumb ditzy blond?"

Alex shrugs.

"It's fun and keeps you from assigning anymore responsibilities on me. Honestly, I couldn't believe you appointed me the representative of the whites in the group. Sure, I had the serial killer edge and experience but really, boss? Me? What the hell were you thinking?"

You shoot the girl a look.

She's right but you really want her to be wrong.

>[ ] "Are you actually into Ren or just fond of fucking with her?"
>[ ] "Oh, don't give me that shit; you turned out fine."
>[ ] "I don't like it when you play psycho whore."
>[ ] "Yeah, you really are fucking unreliable."
>[ ] "Just who are your parents exactly?"
>[ ] Write In.

Forgive the wait (was doing late laundry) and it's late where I'm at. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8)

How are you guys? Got any thoughts on your minds? Got any questions?

>>3441582
>[ ] "Oh, don't give me that shit; you turned out fine." Blink. "...As close as any of us can get to 'fine', I mean."
>[ ] "Just who are your parents exactly?"
Who could be this important?

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Oh, don't give me that shit; you turned out fine." Blink. "...As close as any of us can get to 'fine', I mean."
>[X] "Just who are your parents exactly?"

Sure, it was an awful decision at the time but you were vindicated by the passing of it. The crazy bitch you put on the round-table is really a calculating calm serial killer who acts like a crazy bitch. It's not like she ever fucked anything up by acting out on her own.

You cluck your tongue.

"Oh, don't give me that shit; you turned out fine." You blink. "...As close as any of us can get to 'fine', I mean."

Alex scoffs.

"Please, what have I done ever since you assigned me as the white representative?"

Rolling your eyes, you turn your attention back to the ceiling.

"Your job just like everyone else has; don't cut yourself too short. Sometimes doing enough is better than giving your all. If you tried to impress me by taking matters into your own hands and assassinating one of my rivals back then, I would've punished you after congratulating you on a job well done."

The girl at your side hums.

"I forget why I consider you a good leader sometimes with how distant you tend to be but then you say something like that or give a speech that makes men who barely know of you praise you as their boss."

You let out a small laugh.

"That was a pretty great speech, wasn't it?"

Alex laughs with you.

"Marcus was right, you do stroke your ego."

Groaning, you turn your gaze back to the blond.

Her parents, whoever they may be, must have never taught her good manners.

Speaking of which.

"Just who are your parents exactly?"

The minx blinks and stares at you for a moment.

"...A business man and a psychopathic ethics teacher."

You stare back in judgmental silence.

That's not at all what you wanted to already know about them.

>[ ] "Are you actually into Ren or just fond of fucking with her?"
>[ ] "Not like I'm going to kill them or anything."
>[ ] "I don't like it when you play psycho whore."
>[ ] "Names, please."
>[ ] Look up and doze off, you'v had enough of this conversation.
>[ ] Stand up and hop to Marcus, he's more trusting of you.
>[ ] Write In.

Forgive the lateness, door to door people are cancer and my tablet froze.

>>3442298
>[ ] "Names, please. Not like I'm going to kill them or anything. Just wanted to check something."
>[ ] Use Kingpin's memories to check if he recognizes any of the two. Maybe Alex's father had ties to his dealings somehow, or her mother was involved in something behind the scenes.

Going to go to class. Will close voting and update when I get back.

Got night class today too so expect less updates than usual.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Names, please. Not like I'm going to kill them or anything. Just wanted to check something."
>[X] Use Kingpin's memories to check if he recognizes any of the two. Maybe Alex's father had ties to his dealings somehow, or her mother was involved in something behind the scenes.

Alex might give you fake names though it couldn't hurt to pry. You have absolutely no reason to hurt them, anyway. Kingpin could have heard of them once or twice before, but, in your experience, ethics teacher married to business man is already meets enough criteria to trigger a memory.

"Names, please. Not like I'm going to kill them or anything. Just wanted to check something."

Your personal assassin raises an eyebrow.

"Check what exactly?"

Shrugging, you turn your attention back on the ceiling.

"If Kingpin knew them."

The girl lets out a small laugh.

"Oh please. If my dad or mom was big enough for Fisk to know them, I wouldn't be here right now; they did business in entirely different industries and business circles. If they did know each other, you would've probably had to kill my dad or he'd be a pain in your ass trying to take Fisk Industries from you."

You groan as you turn back to the blond.

"Are you going to give me their names or not?"

Sighing, the girl turns on her side to look up at the ceiling.

"...Edmund Sinclair and Catherine Sinclair."

You furrow your brow and raise an eyebrow as nothing clicks in your head

"Wait, your full name is Alex Sinclair?"

The blond groans as she rolls back on her side.

"Alexis Sinclair, actually."

You blink.

"...Damn, you really are a rich white girl."

Sighing, the girl buries her face in the futon beneath her.

"Don't remind me."

A small laugh escapes your lips.

There's nothing more pretentious than being given an off foreign variant of a name rather than a native one or a reasonable foreign variant. Kojo has no variant in any other language than its native Akan, if you don't count its meaning. Alex fits Alex far better than Alexis.

>[ ] "There, there. We all get saddled with stupid names from time to time. You just so happened to be unfortunate enough to have rich fancy named parents."
>[ ] "Are you actually into Ren or just fond of fucking with her?"
>[ ] "You can get your name legally changed, you know that right?"
>[ ] "I don't like it when you play psycho whore."
>[ ] Look up and doze off, you've had enough of this conversation.
>[ ] Stand up and hop to Marcus, Alexis is a stupid name.
>[ ] Write In.

Going to go to my night class. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8).

Any thoughts or questions?

>>3443253
>>[ ] "There, there. We all get saddled with stupid names from time to time. You just so happened to be unfortunate enough to have rich fancy named parents."
>>[ ] "Are you actually into Ren or just fond of fucking with her?"
>>[ ] Write In.
Now to tell Ren about your actually name so we can have some fun

>>3442381
support

>>3443475
supporting this

>>3443253
This >>3443475
Alexis Sinclair is one hell of a rich white girl name, so you got that accurate

>>3443475
support

Back from my morning classes, finally.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "There, there. We all get saddled with stupid names from time to time. You just so happened to be unfortunate enough to have rich fancy named parents."
>[X] "Are you actually into Ren or just fond of fucking with her?"
>[X] "Now to tell Ren about your actual name so we can have some fun."

>(1/2)

False comfort and sympathy would be fun to give right now. It would make telling Ren that much funner. The humiliation Alex will suffer would be pleasing to watch and assist in. Maybe you'll push Ren to do it depending on Alex's answer about her.

You plant a hand on the top of the blond's head.

"There, there. We all get saddled with stupid names from time to time. You just so happened to be unfortunate enough to have rich fancy named parents."

Alex whines into her pillow.

"It's not fair."

Chuckling, you caress the girl's scalp.

"Nothing ever really is. Whatever you do, there is suffering. Whatever life you're born into, you will suffer and have your problems. No one is ever born equal and egalitarianism is a pipe dream."

Minxy turns back on her side to face your handsomeness.

"I think my parents would actually like meeting you, boss. They fall into tangent's about society's downfalls and bullshit philosophy too. Was weird hearing as a kid, but what they said started making a lot of sense after I met my pimp."

You raise an eyebrow.

"When have I ever gone off in tangents besides that one just now?"

The girl hums.

"None that I can remember, but you seem like the kind of guy who has a lot of things to say about the world having grown up in this shithole."

A small hum of your own rumbles in your throat.

>(2/2)

Well, you do actually mull a lot of things over in your head and talk shit to yourself about them from time to time. Cage, Harlem, Fisk, the Seongs, right and wrong, people, superheroes, pimps, drug dealers, addicts, victimhood, and Strange's gods have all been subjects you've criticized. Maybe you do go on tangents, only in your head.

Back at the matter of teasing Alex for being Alexis, however.

"Are you actually into Ren or just fond of fucking with her?"

The blond smirks.

"Yes."

Groaning, you roll your eyes.

"Smartass. Why?"

Alex giggles.

"Because she's just so cute, quiet, and the picture perfect example of a pure Japanese girl. I just want to slip in-between her legs and into her head. She's pretty sexy when she takes command." The girl raises a hand to her chin. "Can't tell if it's her or the other her now that you've told us she exists. Knew there was something off, though: she'd never fight you on anything despite all you've done to her, which is its own kind of crazy."

You grin oh so maliciously.

"Now to tell Ren about your actual name so we can have some fun."

Alexis blinks her big blue eyes.

"...Please don't."

Cackling silently, you lean in toward the stupidly named girl.

"No promises, so behave, blondy."

Alex whimpers as you lean back.

That will deter her from coming on to you in the future, of which you won't see her again for a while.

>[ ] "You can get your name legally changed, you know that right?"
>[ ] "I don't like it when you play psycho whore."
>[ ] "Why do you think Ren is so obedient to me?"
>[ ] "Do you resent your parents or the world?"
>[ ] Look up and doze off, you've had enough of this conversation.
>[ ] Stand up and hop to Marcus, Alexis is a stupid name.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3444976
>[ ] "Why do you think Ren is so obedient to me?"
>[ ] "Do you resent your parents or the world?"

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Why do you think Ren is so obedient to me?"
>[X] "Do you resent your parents or the world?"

>(1/2)

No matter how many times you think it over, Ren's devotion still doesn't really make sense to you. She shouldn't have the respect she does for you after all you've done. Maybe Alex and her own feminine mind can understand the split mind of another woman.

A hum rumbles in your throat.

"Why do you think Ren is so obedient to me?"

The blond girl smirks.

"Isn't it obvious?"

You raise an eyebrow and shake your head.

"No, what is it?"

Alex giggles and wiggles her eyebrows at you.

Groaning, you wave her off.

"I already told you I'm not in the mood for it right now."

Your personal assassin raises a hand to her lips to muffle a laugh before setting it down.

"Boss, you can be really dense sometimes; Ren is the one who wants to fuck you. I mean, I do too but so does she."

You blink before shooting her a look.

"Ren doesn't... I mean she's..." You raise a hand to your chain. "...Well, it would kind of explain her anger when I did that with you in front of her but anyone would be angry if someone they knew had their dick sucked in front of them without any consideration for them; I know Marcus would be pissed too." Removing your hand from your chin, you focus back on the blond. "How and why?"

>(2/2)

Alex giggles.

"Have you looked in the mirror lately? That alone is reason enough. But, if I had to hazard a guess as to her main attraction to you, it'd be your dominating attitude." She hums. "Every woman loves a powerful dominant alpha, whether they be male or female. Of course, it's ideal to be the alpha bitch but most of us are fine being the alpha bitch's friend."

Another groan escapes your lips.

"That's the second time in twenty-four hours I've heard someone call me an alpha bitch."

The stupidly name girl blinks before raising a hand to laugh into.

You sigh.

The growing lack of respect your inner circle has for you is concerning.

"Do you resent your parents or the world?"

Minxy moves her hand from her mouth to her chin.

"...No, not really: it's useless to resent the world for being what it is and my parents for not being more protective of me than they already were. If I resent anyone or anything, it's people in general for being complete sacks of hypocritical shit. Kind of useless to blame everyone for adhering to their flawed smart tribe monkey nature, but if they all really followed what they think they believe in or preached, none of us would have had the shitty lives we did. One of the reasons I still paint alleyways with people's guts is because I want to make them feel what it's like to have it all taken away."

A hum of agreement rumbles in your throat.

It's pointless to hate the world when the people in it are the real cause of your suffering. An overwhelming majority of mankind is composed of people who are hypocritical tribalistic sacks of useless shit. Those who deny that fact are only ignoring the cruel reality; they act as though their view is enlightened due to its positivity when its ignorant of all the pain people cause unto others. Not everyone is as thick, but you've seen the worst humanity has to offer and have yet to find anyone else not from your background that understands just how low people are according to their own conveniently adjusting standards.

>[ ] "You can get your name legally changed, you know that right?"
>[ ] "Can you try to be more like this from now on?"
>[ ] "I don't like it when you play psycho whore."
>[ ] "Ha, now you've gone on a tangent."
>[ ] Stand up and hop to Marcus, he might be mad if he isn't asleep already.
>[ ] Look up and doze off, you've talked enough.
>[ ] Write In.

Late. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8)

Any thoughts or questions?

>>3445830
>[ ] "Ha, now you've gone on a tangent."
>[ ] "You can get your name legally changed, you know that right?"

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Ha, now you've gone on a tangent."
>[X] "You can get your name legally changed, you know that right?"

Despite not liking her parents, she is kind of like them. There's a distinct lack of controllingness in her personality, but that can be more of an aversion to it than lacking it. Maybe she'll start showing more of this side of her in the future.

A smirk makes its way on to your face.

"Ha, now you've gone on a tangent."

The blond girl blinks and lowers her hand from her chin.

"Goddammit, I drop my crazy act and I become my parents in no time flat. Next thing you know, I'm going to be drinking tea and reading the Wall Street Journal; maybe I'll have some tea cakes on the side."

You chuckle to yourself.

"Ren would actually be blown away seeing you of all people doing something like that."

Once again, the minx raises her hand back to her chin.

"She would, wouldn't she?"

You raise a questioning eyebrow before shaking it off.

"You can get your name legally changed, you know that right?"

Alex lowers her hand from her chin once again and shoots you a look.

"Oh yeah, let me just sneak into my old house to get my personal identification, file the paperwork, and walk my fine missing for years ass to the courtroom to explain to the judge why I want my fancy missing peron's name changed. I'm sure that won't raise any questions or suspicion. My parents probably won't be notified to come get their missing baby daughter back."

Furrowing your brow, you shoot her a look of your own.

It seems like she's put a lot of thought to changing her name already.

"Sarcasm is unbecoming of you."

The stupidly named girl nods in agreement.

"Yeah, lowest form of wit, I know."

A smile makes its way on to your face.

Oscar Wilde, law knowledge, a stupid overly fancy name, and tea; she really is a rich white girl.

>[ ] "Maybe when you're old enough and ready, you can turn yourself in to the police. Your parents might protest you leaving them again, but you'd be a legal adult."
>[ ] "Can you try to be more like this from now on?"
>[ ] "I don't like it when you play psycho whore."
>[ ] Stand up and hop to Marcus, he might be mad if he isn't asleep already.
>[ ] Look up and doze off, you've talked enough.
>[ ] Write In.

Late. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8)

Thoughts or questions, my dudes?

>>3447209
>>[X] "Maybe when you're old enough and ready, you can turn yourself in to the police. Your parents might protest you leaving them again, but you'd be a legal adult."

>>3447209
this I guess >>3448805

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Maybe when you're old enough and ready, you can turn yourself in to the police. Your parents might protest you leaving them again, but you'd be a legal adult."

While it might be suspicious for her to pop up and immediately change her name, she'd have every legal right to. Nothing her parents could do would be able to stop her. They might try to and resort to extremes if they're really those kinds of people, though. Alex can take care of herself if that happens.

"Maybe when you're old enough and ready, you can turn yourself in to the police. Your parents might protest you leaving them again, but you'd be a legal adult."

Alex glances to her side at the futon beneath her before focusing back on you.

"I don't think I'm going to do that...ever."

Raising an eyebrow, you shoot her a questioning look.

"Why not?"

The blond sighs.

"For one thing, I don't need to legally change my name to go by Alex in this underworld of ours; doing that could also jeopardize my own anonymity. And...well, I don't want to see my parents again: they're better off without me and I'm better off without them."

A curious hum rumbles in your throat.

She does have a point there but it might be good for her to meet her parents again at least once to clear the air. It'd leave her with some kind of closure. Though, in the end, it's her choice to make for better and for worse.

>[ ] "Can you try to be more like this from now on?"
>[ ] "I don't like it when you play psycho whore."
>[ ] "Are you sure? They are your parents."
>[ ] Stand up and hop to Marcus, he might be mad if he isn't asleep already.
>[ ] Look up and doze off, you've talked enough.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3449246
>[ ] "Are you sure? They are your parents. You'll get closure you could never hope to have otherwise."
>[ ] "Can you try to be more like this from now on?"

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Are you sure? They are your parents. You'll get closure you could never hope to have otherwise."
>[X] "Can you try to be more like this from now on?"

Something as personal as someone's parents shouldn't be an issue left without some sort of closure. You of all people know that all too well, though at times you regret ever hearing it. Alex shouldn't wait until its too late to say anything ever again, in this life at least.

"Are you sure? They are your parents. You'll get closure you could never hope to have otherwise."

Alex lets out a small hum.

"...Maybe, maybe not; we'll probably never know."

You sigh.

"It's your choice to make in the end but I still advise against it. You have all the time in the world to decide, though. Take it and go back to them whenever your ready. I'll go with you if you really need support."

The blond girl laughs.

"Sure, I'll just walk back to the house with my soon-to-be rich infamous black mutant friend who I've totally never had any sexual relations with whatsoever, specifically fellatio." She raises a hand to her chin. "They actually might like that if they don't get immediately suspicious of you. Pretty sure they're gonna think you killed Kingpin for his fortune, which you did. Might think you'd be after our money next."

A scoff escapes your lips.

"Fisk was a billionaire, whatever your parents have is chump change."

Nodding, lady Sinclaire hums in agreement.

"In comparison, yes." She slides her hand off her chin and grins. "They'd still be suspicious of you, talk dark horny and handsome."

You chuckle and shake your head.

Beyond her crazy whore facade, Alex is actually a bright charismatic person. Her fear of responsibility kept her back from acting as herself. She doesn't have to pretend anymore now that her job is just killing people you tell her to.

"Can you try to be more like this from now on?"

Alex blinks and hums.

"Only once in a while and never around Ren, I won't try and be myself otherwise."

You shrug.

The Japanese girl's mind would probably break if she figured it out anyway.

"Sure, I accept your terms."

Giggling, Sinclaire snuggles the futon beneath her.

Ren's comfort around her is a small price to pay to get her to act like she normally is.

>[ ] "I'm sure your parents would be proud that you've become a young prodigal megacorp head's mistress."
>[ ] "Why did you go with lightning of all primal nature elements?"
>[ ] "How are you liking magic so far?"
>[ ] Stand up and hop to Marcus, he might be mad if he isn't asleep already.
>[ ] Watch the ceiling until the sunrises, sleep is for the flatscans.
>[ ] Look up and doze off, you've talked enough.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3450215
>[ ] "How are you liking magic so far?"
>[ ] "Why did you go with lightning of all primal nature elements?"

Getting late. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8)

Any thoughts or questions?

>>3450495
Alex is a surprisingly good character

>>3450382
support

Voting closed; writing now.

>>3450512
Thank you. I was worried that she came off as too irritating before. But, if she did, that made a better smokescreen as to her real personality.

>[X] "How are you liking magic so far?"
>[X] "Why did you go with lightning of all primal nature elements?"

You can already hazard a guess as to what her thoughts of sorcery are. She caught on to the mystic arts faster and better than Marcus did, which is understandable considering his stiff nature but still surprising considering his versatility. Her use of lightning is more intriguing, though. Marcus' use of ice too.

"How are you liking magic so far?"

The blond grins.

"It's fucking amazing. Feels like I'm becoming something greater and more powerful the more I use it. Does it feel the same way for you, boss?"

Shaking your head, you look up at the ceiling.

"Not at all: it's just another power to me."

Alex lets out a curious hum.

"Is that because of the third eye or because of your mutant powers, combat ability, and charisma?"

You turn back on your side to face your personal assassin.

That question has never really entered your mind before. Besides all that, you've been through a lot of crazy shit lately: learning magic is just something on the tip of the iceberg that is your life. The other you sees it as nothing more than a fancy useful parlor trick in comparison to whatever the hell it's capable of.

Shrugging, you lay back down on the futon beneath you.

"Why did you go with lightning of all primal nature elements?"

Lady Sinclaire's soft pale face moves itself some ways above yours.

"Primal nature elements?"

You blink before nodding.

"They're natural occurring phenomenon in nature like air, fire, water, and earth; not exactly the elements as we define them now but that's how sorcerer's define them."

An understanding hum purrs in the blond's throat.

"I chose lightning because electricity at a high voltage can damage nerves, limiting target movement; paralyze people, and make them feel blistering agony."

Humming an understanding hum of your own, you pat at the now empty space at your side.

Alex crawls back to her previous spot and rubs herself against your side.

You groan.

There's not getting rid of her cattiness whatever way she acts.

>[ ] Kip up, walk to a window and open it, and hop out. You've gotten over your teacher fatigue and could use some star-gazing to relax.
>[ ] Stand up and hop to Marcus, he might be mad if he isn't asleep already.
>[ ] Watch the ceiling until the sunrises, sleep is for the flatscans.
>[ ] Look up and doze off, you've talked enough.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3451850
>[ ] "I'm sure your parents would be proud that you've become a young prodigal megacorp head's mistress."
[ ] (Hug her close and doze off.)

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "I'm sure your parents would be proud that you've become a young prodigal megacorp head's mistress."
>[X] Hug Alex and doze off, she is yours.

>(1/2)

The strange inner world dreams you usually have haven't been an issue as of late. Maybe you might have an old nightmare or something as a result of talking with your past self but that's hardly the least of your worries. Holding Alex in your arms couldn't hurt; you might even have a pleasant dream. Although, it might be an all too pleasant dream.

A grin spreads across your face as you turn to face your little blond minx.

"I'm sure your parents would be proud that you've become a young prodigal megacorp head's mistress."

Lady Sinclaire blinks before letting out a purr as you pull her into an embrace.

"Don't keep me waiting longer than you have to, boss. I haven't gone this long without some sex in a long time and I've been waiting for you to make good on your words." She laughs to herself as she moves her lips to your ear. "Fuck me so hard I won't be able to walk in the morning, do I make myself clear?"

Moving her away from your ear, you let out a small grunt.

"You're in no position to give me orders, but that's probably the state you'll be in afterward."

Alex giggles from your chest.

"Can't wait."

You sigh and close your eyes, letting sleep take you.

...

A surprised cry echoes through the alley into the air.

Wiping your eyes against the course fabric of your jacket sleeve, you open them to the panicked and teary-eyed young face of your fellow squatter, Marcus.

"Is something wrong?" you ask calmly and wearily.

The young black boy shoots you a frightened look.

"You killed them!"

Blinking, you look down at two other young boys in rags in two pools of blood leaking into the asphalt cracks. You glance at the fresh blood stain among dozens of other older ones on your jacket sleeve from the corner of your eye and to the bloodied rusted pocket knife in your hand.

"I know."

A frustrated grunt escapes the kid's lips.

"Why?!"

You tilt your head off to the side as you've seen dozens of others you've stalked and killed.

"They threatened us." Tilting your head back, you look down at the horrified weeping faces of the two murdered street rats. "If I didn't kill them, they might have killed us. If they didn't kill us, they might have told others about us and they might have come to kill us. This way they're dead and can't tell anyone else about us, and we can use their blood."

>(2/2)

Marcus immediately parts his lips to say something and pauses the moment he realizes the futility. Closing them, he looks down at your victims and shakes his head as tears streak down his cheeks.

"...Goddammit."

You raise an eyebrow in the same manner the kid in front of you has done countless times since he first met you.

"Why are you crying?"

The dark skinned boy trains his watery eyes back on your meek form.

"Normal people cry when someone who doesn't have to die does."

Lowering your eyebrow, you look back down at the corpses of the two other street rats.

"Everyone and everything has to die one day. It's just the way things are. I don't know why or how you people cry, smile, talk, and laugh." You stretch your face out to the side as you look back up at your squat mate. "There's no point to it or result so why bother?" Letting go of your 'smile', you return back to your normal expression. "I don't think I've ever cried, laughed, or smiled."

Marcus scoffs and slowly shakes his head.

"You're crying too, Kojo: you're always crying."

Blinking, you stare at the black youngling's weeping face.

...

...

Y̘͈̗ơ̩ụ ͎d̬͓͟o̳̞̦̪̬n̶̮̝̥͖̰̫'̺̻̙͙̭̙t ̛̩̦̠̠ͅu͝n̖͉̬̠d͚̘̖̤e̠̱̟r̖̮̤̣st͇͕͈̼̟and̫͓̬̹̺͟.̯̹̤

You open your eyes to the early morning light reflecting granite ceiling.

Something cat-like and human purrs as it nuzzles itself against your chest.

Groaning, you lift up your upper boddy and move your hands off the blond to stretch them out into the air, letting out a morning yawn.

You have no idea what that dream was, but you vaguely remember Marcus once saying that.

Lowering your arms, you let out a sigh.

Today's the big day.

>[ ] "Everyone, wake the fuck up! It's collection and division day!"
>[ ] "Alex, I'm going to need you to wake the fuck up, okay?"
>[ ] Grab hold of Alex's hands, she might try to stab you either way you try to get out of them.
>[ ] Shake Alex awake, she might stab you if you try to ease her out of it.
>[ ] Ease out of Alex's grasp, she might stab you if you shake her.
>[ ] Hey, did you see that dream?
>[ ] Write In.

>>3452519
>[ ] Hey, did you see that dream?
>[ ] Ease out of Alex's grasp, she might stab you if you shake her.
>[ ] (Jump over and wake up Marcus. Today is the big day.)

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] Hey, did you see that dream?
>[X] Ease out of Alex's grasp, she might stab you if you shake her.
>[X] Jump over and wake up Marcus. Today is the big day.

He was capable of interacting with your past self when you went to sleep. There's a strong chance he might be able to see your dreams too, if that was really yours anyway. It is you despite how different you are from it.

You look back up at the ceiling.

Hey, did you see that dream?

No, whatever visions you have when you slumber are fundamentally different than you and I's inner world. I cannot see them as they are more of you than they are of me, a consequence of your torn psyche and drug monkey body.

A scoff escapes your lips as you look back down on the snuggly thing holding on to you.

There's never an answer you give yourself that doesn't insult you in some way or raise other questions.

Placing your hands on Alex's arms, you begin to slowly ease yourself out of her grip.

Lady Sinclair, feeling the tough yet soft fiber of your muscles drift away from her hands, grumbles.

You hold your breath as you finally escape the minx's grasp.

Immediately, your personal assassin's hand darts to the hilt of her knife sticking out of her boy pants pocket and stabs the futon underneath her once at its center, twice at the center's sides, and once someways above the center where a human's head would normally be.

You stare as the blond lazily pulls out her knife and sheaths it back in her pocket, purring as she nuzzles against the stabbed sleeping platform.

Part of you is curious if she's ever actually stabbed someone to death in her sleep while another doesn't really want to find out.

Shaking your head, you turn to your best friend's direction and hop over the sea of sleeping gangbangers to his dumbass.

The soldier boy with a white man's last name groans as you squat down and shake him awake.

"Kojo, the fuck?"

You let out a small laugh.

"It's collection day and conference day."

Marcus' eyes widen as he stands himself up.

"Shit, what time is it?"

Muffling a laugh, you raise yourself back on your feet.

"Six or seven, give or take. Calm down, people are still sleeping."

Another groan escapes the black man's lips.

"Why couldn't you let me sleep then?"

You blink and shrug.

"Don't you want to hang out before we don't see each other for, like, a few weeks or a month?"

Marcus mouth an 'oh' as he realizes the situation.

"I guess, we gonna go out for breakfast or something?"

A hum rumbles in your throat.

The good places probably aren't open yet but breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

>[ ] "...Do you remember ever telling me I'm always crying?"
>[ ] "Did you know Alex's real name is Alexis Sinclair?"
>[ ] "Sure, coffee place good to you?"
>[ ] "Aight, where do you want to go?"
>[ ] Scan the room for Jesús, he's usually awake at this hour and might appreciate breakfast.
>[ ] Write In.

Late. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8) before class.

Any thoughts or questions, my dudes?

>>3453048
>[ ] "Sure, coffee place good to you or did you have somewhere else in mind?"

>>3453074
Literally every character in inner circle is 100% based and you cannot change my mind on this

Voting closed; writing now.

>>3453709
No words can describe how happy hearing that makes me.

>[X] "Sure, coffee place good to you or did you have somewhere else in mind?"

Coffee shops are usually open around this time for the early job goers' benefits. Wouldn't be too hard for you to find one that serves breakfast on the side. Marcus likes coffee too so he probably won't protest.

"Sure, coffee place good to you or did you have somewhere else in mind?"

The bald man wearily shrugs his shoulders.

"I could use something to help wake me up. Let's go to one that serves breakfast so I don't have to fuck my stomach over."

A smile makes its way on to your face as you wrap an arm around Marcus' waist and hop over to the ladders.

Jesús waves from his usual morning corner of the room while you streak through the air.

Landing right by the floor openings, you wave back to the Colombian before taking a step over the edge of the floor holes.

You hop again the moment your feet touch the floor over the round-table to the gate keypad. Inputing the door code, you set Marcus down on the floor as the gate begins to creak open.

Truman, holding his spinning head, groans.

"Fuck do I not need this kind of headache during the morning."

A small laugh escapes your lips.

"Relax, we're going to get to a nice breakfast serving coffee shop where you can eat and sit your lack of balance away."

Yawning, Marcus slightly nods his head in tired understanding.

The moment the gate finishes opening, you grab hold of Marcus once again and hop out into the early morning street before closing the gate behind you and back-flipping to the roof of the building opposite the warehouse.

You take in a deep breath of fresh morning air and take off into the city scape.

It takes you half a minute to land in front of the entrance of the Oasis Coffee Shop.

Not exactly the best place but it'll do.

The man behind the coffee shop counter stares as you drag Marcus' ass into the shop and into the closest seat you can find.

"...Can I help you?"

You turn back and nod.

"I'll have a black tall brewed coffee and your breakfast sandwhich." You glance at Marcus. "What do you want?"

Groaning, the man lifts his head in the menu's direction.

"Uh, a medium brewed coffee and a ham and cheese sandwhich, please."

Slave counter man nods before turning to make your orders.

Humming a tune, you take your seat across from Marcus and watch as his head falls back down on the patterned table.

The man's completely fucking out of it.

>[ ] "You really need a splice of someone with a superbalance mutation into your genetic code."
>[ ] "I don't know how someone with such shitty balance can fight so well."
>[ ] "...Do you remember ever telling me I'm always crying?"
>[ ] "Did you know Alex's real name is Alexis Sinclair?"
>[ ] Wait for the food, it'd leave him to get some much needed rest.
>[ ] Sniff the air, you haven't in a while now.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3454012
>[ ] Sniff the air, you haven't in a while now.
>[ ] Consider potentially branching into restaurants once you get Kingpin's inheritance. Knowing what you do now about energy and its abundance, it could be a promising venture if done right.
>[ ] Wait for the food, it'd leave him to get some much needed rest. Relax in the meantime, savor the moment of hanging out with your brother in the early morning before things become hectic later today.

Going to go to class soon. Will close voting and update when I get back.

How do you do, my dudes?

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] Sniff the air, you haven't in a while now.
>[X] Wait for the food, it'd leave him to get some much needed rest. Relax in the meantime, savor the moment of hanging out with your brother in the early morning before things become hectic later today.

Paranoia is always a blessing and not a curse. If anything, a lack of paranoia is a curse. So many people go through their lives not suspecting a figure in the dark until there is one and it stabs them to death. Poor paranoia-less bastards.

You close your eyes and take in the surrounding air through your nose.

The bitter, savory scent of coffee permeates the air with a hint of toasted bread, fried eggs, and roasted bacon.

A pleased hum rumbles in your throat as you open your eyes.

It has been a while since you've taken the time to indulge in a room's aroma for pleasure and for safety reasons. Despite the shop's rundown look, it's not as dirty as anyone would assume it to be. The place still makes a profit in spite of it too.

You raise a hand to your chin.

Fisk Industries has no investment in restaurants or a dining branch. While the market may be saturated with them, you could make one of your own when you're the head. The most energizing, tasty, and nutritious foods should be on their menu. Not quite the common rage, but it could fulfill a niche of sorts with body fitness enthusiasts.

Lowering your hand, you sit in peaceful silence across from your drowsy second-in-command.

The black man yawns before raising his head up and falling back on his seat.

You snicker to yourself at the sight.

Groaning, Marcus lazily flips you his middle finger.

Your snicker evolves into full laughter as you casually wave it off.

He's not usually this grumpy in the morning but you were out past midnight last night.

The two of you flip fingers and gesture at one another until two warm coffee cups of medium and large sizes are set in front of you.

Both of you immediately begin drinking and finish one and a half of the bitter drink until your respective sandwhiches are places on your dining table.

It's breakfast time.

>[ ] "You really need a splice of someone with a superbalance mutation into your genetic code."
>[ ] "I don't know how someone with such shitty balance can fight so well."
>[ ] "...Do you remember ever telling me I'm always crying?"
>[ ] "Did you know Alex's real name is Alexis Sinclair?"
>[ ] Dig in, you've waited long enough.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3454880
>but it could fulfill a niche of sorts with body fitness enthusiasts
SPREAD /FIT/ TO THE FLATSCANS

>[ ] "You really need a splice of someone with a superbalance mutation into your genetic code. Imagine the sort of shit you could pull off with just 'balance' as a superpower."
>[ ] Dig in, you've waited long enough.
>[ ] "I want you to guess Alex's real name for me. Go on, guess."
>[ ] "The richest white girl name you could possibly think of."
>[ ] "It's Alexis Sinclair."

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "You really need a splice of someone with a superbalance mutation into your genetic code. Imagine the sort of shit you could pull off with just 'balance' as a superpower."
>[X] Dig in, you've waited long enough.
>[X] "I want you to guess Alex's real name for me. Go on, guess."

Bantering with your best friend is always good before a meal. It lets you get all your bitch talk out so you don't talk while you're eating. While it is somewhat appetizing to see something roasted getting chomped into paste, it can also be disgusting. He's gotten on your ass about that a few times in the past.

Averting your eyes from your tantalizing breakfast, you look up to your waking best friend.

"You really need a splice of someone with a superbalance mutation into your genetic code. Imagine the sort of shit you could pull off with just 'balance' as a superpower."

Marcus scoffs.

"Hopping around on one foot, walking tight edges, spinning a quarter on the tip of my fingers, never falling, and being able to stand up right after going on a joy ride with you isn't fucking worth going through the effort to alter that into my DNA."

Chuckling, you lack back down at your slanted sandwich of toasted slices of bread, scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese.

It's unbalanced just like your best friend's inner ear.

You lift the sandwich up to your mouth and bite a chunk out of it.

A pleased hum rumbles in your throat at the blended taste of roasted pig meat, coagulated milk, and unfertilized chicken eggs. Rolling the combination of foods around your mouth, you hum a pleasant tune before mashing them into paste.

Marcus raises an eyebrow at you as he finishes swallowing a bite of his own sandwich.

"Seriously, you always sound like you're fucking your food."

You roll your eyes as you set your breakfast meal down.

Even when you don't chew with your mouth open, he gives you shit.

A grin spreads across your face as a thought comes to mind.

"I want you to guess Alex's real name for me. Go on, guess."

Marcus blinks.

"Alex isn't her real name?"

You tilt your head from side to side.

"Guess."

The black man raises an eyebrow and sighs.

"Jackie Spring."

Scoffing, you shake your head.

"The richest white girl name you could possibly think of."

Marcus furrows his brow.

"Juliet Hemingway?"

You chuckle.

"It's Alexis Sinclair."

The man stares at you in silence for a full minute before bursting out laughing.

"Holy fucking shit, that is the richest white girl name I have ever fucking heard in my life!"

Gripping your sides, you laugh unrestrained along with your best friend, sending booming laughter throughout the shop.

"I know right!?"

Both of you laugh for two good minutes before you start dying down.

Poor poor Alexis.

>[ ] "...Do you remember ever telling me I'm always crying?"
>[ ] "I would have never have laughed like this back then."
>[ ] "Why did you pick ice of all primal nature elements?"
>[ ] Finish off your food, it's suffering.
>[ ] Write In.

Late. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8) if I can before my morning class. If not, it'll be somewhere in the afternoon.

Thoughts or questions?

>>3455522
B A S E D

>>3455379
>[ ] "I would have never have laughed like this back then."
>[ ] "...Do you remember ever telling me I'm always crying? I saw you tell it to me in my dream. The old me."

>>3456035
support

Going to go to class soon. Will close voting and update when I get back.

I'm back.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "I would have never have laughed like this back then."
>[X] "...Do you remember ever telling me I'm always crying? I saw you tell it to me in my dream, the old me."

All of the joy, excitement, and fulfillment you feel now always reminds you of when you didn't even understand what those feelings were or what it meant to really feel. You try to avoid it but it's always there in the back of your mind. In the end, no one can escape from their past or from themselves.

You were broken.

The last of your laughter dies as your smile turns into a frown.

"I would have never have laughed like this back then."

Marcus narrows his lips into a thin line and slowly nods his head.

"Laughing was like self-harming and suicide to you, it didn't make any sense, but, then again, nothing really made sense to you way back when."

A confirming hum rumbles in your throat.

"Some things still don't."

The man sighs.

"Well, you've made a lot of progress since then; don't feel down about it."

You nod back at your best friend before looking down at the coffee shop table.

It's not good to keep things like this to yourself and you do need some answers. He might not remember or really care anymore about that incident but it could help. This is your last moments together before you part ways for a time. Whatever you need to say or ask, you need to do it now.

"...Do you remember ever telling me I'm always crying?" You look back up to your second-in-command's puzzled face. "I saw you tell it to me in my dream, the old me."

Marcus raises a hand to his chin and widens his eyes ever so slightly.

"I... I think I do." Lowering his hand, the man begins to gently nod his head. "... Yeah, I remember."

A questioning hum vibrates in your throat.

"What did you mean by that?"

Marcus pauses for a moment.

"I used to think you always looked and were sad. You just couldn't recognize it anymore. Even if you didn't feel it, you always looked like you were about to cry; stopped thinking that after I got used to being around you and everything you did, though. Looking back, I was an idiot for thinking that: you were just...you."

Looking back down, you furrow your brow.

You crushed his caring heart with your absolute apathy for everything.

>[ ] "...Do you think I made you a better person or a worse one? I'm not talking morally, you know what I think of those, I mean are you better off as the man you are now than the boy you were?"
>[ ] "...Maybe I was just born broken. I mean, I died before I was born and have this third eye. Whatever I am isn't natural."
>[ ] "...Don't say that: I'm starting to think it makes some kind of sense."
>[ ] "Why did you pick ice of all primal nature elements?"
>[ ] Finish off your food, it's suffering.
>[ ] Write In.

Late. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8) before class. Night class is also tomorrow so expect fewer updates than usual.

>>3443495
>>3443500
>>3444367
>trying to samefag with IDs

>>3456665
>do you think I made you better or worse?
>maybe I was born broken
>keep eating

>>3456665
this >>3457344

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "...Do you think I made you a better person or a worse one? I'm not talking morally, you know what I think of those, I mean are you better off as the man you are now than the boy you were?"
>[X] "...Maybe I was just born broken. I mean, I died before I was born and have this third eye. Whatever I am isn't natural."
>[X] Finish off your food, it's suffering.

>(1/2)

He's a completely different person now than he was then. You turned him from a kid who just wanted no one to die into a hardened gang member. Killing, maneuvering, and standing by you are all second nature to him now.

Whether or not he's better off is something only he can tell you.

"...Do you think I made you a better person or a worse one?" You look up to your best friend's confused face. "I'm not talking morally, you know what I think of those, I mean are you better off as the man you are now than the boy you were?"

Marcus immediately nods.

"I'd be dead by now if I never met you and kept being the kid I was. Before I met you, I didn't care whether I lived or died; when I met you, I realized I wanted to live but went back to being my usual self. Seeing all the shit you had to wade through also made me realize it was pointless to care about dumbass shit that didn't concern me. You saved me in more ways than one, even if you didn't really mean to."

Humming, you look back down.

You were so fucked up inside you made another less fucked up person get over their fucked up-ness and return back to the person they were before.

A sigh escapes your lips.

"...Maybe I was just born broken. I mean, I died before I was born and have this third eye. Whatever I am isn't natural."

Marcus lets out a confused grunt.

"You died before you were born?"

Blinking, you look back up to your best friend.

"Uh-huh, didn't I tell you? It's how my mom died: she tore herself open to get me out because her carapace wasn't exactly letting her give birth the old fashioned way. Guess there might have been some other complications or I was just a still birth." You raise a hand to your chin. "That last one actually makes sense: still-born kids can be resuscitated under the right circumstances and that's exactly what my mother did right before she bled out."

>(2/2)

The black man sighs.

"Seriously, how the hell do you know this shit?"

Your shrug.

"Fisk didn't want Vanessa to go through the pain of childbirth without having a child so read up on a lot of shit and hired the world's experts on childbirth to help with her pregnancy. Funny how they both ended up killing their baby boy in a way."

Marcus raises a curious eyebrow before shaking his head.

"I meant the shit about your mom; you were literally a revived newborn."

A small hum rumbles in your throat.

"Maybe I'll tell you one day, maybe I won't; don't worry about it."

Your second-in-command groans.

"Kojo, whatever was happening with you back then might have been that, might have been growing up alone on the streets, might have been some supernatural shit, might have been genetic if what you said about your crazy ass dad was true, and might have been some anti-christ shit as far as we could ever know. The important thing is that you're here now and you're finally okay and finally close to being a functional person; don't ruin that by focusing so much on what you did back then."

Blinking, you look back down at your table and your breakfast sandwich.

How anyone can escape the things you've done and endured is completely lost on you.

You sigh, pick up your sandwich, and proceed to tear it apart with your teeth.

Swallowing the last crumbs and scraps, you pick up your cup of bitter, savory coffee and take a swig.

It's a mystery to you why people like sweet things. They're fattening, decadent, and saturated with sugar. Maybe you're too used to bitterness to enjoy them, but they're still not healthy. Not all healthy foods taste good but they're still good for you. Sweetness can lead you astray and bitterness can keep you going.

The bitterness of the world is what kept you alive and made you what you are.

>[ ] "Try putting some pure magic energy to your eyes. Maybe they'll let you see my third eye."
>[ ] "Why did you pick ice of all primal nature elements?"
>[ ] "Have you ever thought about having kids one day?"
>[ ] "So, what do you think of magic so far?"
>[ ] "...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"
>[ ] Write In.

Going to class. Will close voting and update when I get back.

>>3457836
>[ ] "...I'm glad you're here with me, Marcus."
>[ ] Continue your meal. Drown out the bitterness of the world with that of coffee.
>[ ] "So, what do you think of magic so far?"
>[ ] "Why did you pick ice of all primal nature elements?"

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "...I'm glad you're here with me, Marcus."
>[X] Continue your meal. Drown out the bitterness of the world with that of coffee.
>[X] "So, what do you think of magic so far?"
>[X] "Why did you pick ice of all primal nature elements?"

>(1/2)

You're completely unworthy to have a good friend like Marcus. He should have left you behind to die alone a long time ago, but he was there to pull you out of that river. In all the world, he was the only one that needed you.

Before him, your existence was unnecessary.

A smile makes its way on to your face as you lower your coffee cup underneath your chin.

"...I'm glad you're here with me, Marcus."

Lifting up his own cup of coffee, the black man blinks before smiling back.

"Glad you're here too, man. Don't be too hard on yourself."

You hum a small hum and down the rest of your bitter black coffee. A satisfied sigh escapes your lips as you set the empty cup on the coffee shop table.

It's the little things in life that make it magical and worth living.

Speaking of magical and worth something.

"So, what do you think of magic so far?"

Marcus swallows yet another bite of his sandwich and sets it back down on his plate.

"It's fucking weird. Got a lot of utility, I'll give you that, but I still don't understand how it's that easy to manipulate reality itself."

You raise a finger oh so intellectually.

"Reality is nothing more than a canvas. Our will and minds gives shape to it and to the existence of concepts that do not exist in of themselves but in our belief in them. Magic is using our minds and will to gather offshoots of reality to manipulate it to our wishes."

The black man stares at your smug uneducated face.

"I can't tell whether that was just bullshit or bullshit hiding some hints of the truth."

Laughing, you put down your finger.

"That was in one of the books Strange had me read. A practical theory of magic when you compare it to all the other ones but a shitty theory of everything with mind giving way to reality. There are other worlds besides this one without life or death much less laws of physics. Not to mention, living beings have souls, which are some kind of super existence."

>(2/2)

Marcus sighs.

"You really need to explain a lot of other magic shit."

Nodding, you let out a chuckle.

"Why did you pick ice of all primal nature elements?"

The black man raises an eyebrow.

"Primal nature eleme-"

"Natural occurring phenomena sorcerers call elements; they're old fashioned like that." You interject.

Marcus lowers his eyebrow just as quickly as he raised it.

"Oh. Well, I chose ice because there's water vapor everywhere and I don't have to use as much energy to make ice when I can just freeze it." He raises a hand to his chin. "Maybe I can encase someone in it or freeze their blood."

You whistle.

"That's one fucked up way to die."

Truman scoffs.

"I've seen you flay people alive and you're saying freezing their blood is a fucked up way to kill them?"

Nodding, you let out a confirming hum.

"I'm not saying flaying isn't quite possibly the most horrific way to kill someone, I'm saying freezing someone's blood is some shit."

Marcus clucks his tongue and shakes his head.

You shrug and lean back in your seat.

It would actually be very interesting to see someone die from that.

>[ ] "Try putting some pure magic energy to your eyes. Maybe they'll let you see my third eye."
>[ ] "Have you ever thought about having kids one day?"
>[ ] "Black Ice, you one crazy nigger."
>[ ] "Can I get a refill, counterman?"
>[ ] "...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"
>[ ] Wait for Marcus to finish his sandwich, it's only polite.
>[ ] Write In.

Forgive the wait. Sis got accepted into the college she wanted and distracted me for a while to talk about it.

Going to go to class soon. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8) If I can before class.

>>3458742
>[ ] "Black Ice, you one crazy nigger."
>[ ] "Can I get a refill, counterman?"
>[ ] Wait for Marcus to finish his sandwich, it's only polite.

Voting closed; writing now.

>>3458962
Thats a good super name its slick(not sure if pun intended)

>[X] "Black Ice, you one crazy nigger."
>[X] "Can I get a refill, counterman?"
>[X] Wait for Marcus to finish his sandwich, it's only polite.

>(1/2)

No matter how much he hates black superhero names, you're still going to call him by one. It'll drive him fucking insane with black hood rage. He may be cool and collected now but he's still black and susceptible to certain moments.

A laugh escapes your lips.

"Black Ice, you one crazy nigger."

Marcus blinks his blue eyes and shoots you his "Are You Fucking Kidding Me?" look.

"Really, nigga? We both black, and you still call me that horse shit? Come on, man."

You wave his words off.

"Ain't black or a beaner as far as I'm concerned: I'm just Kojo... I've always been Kojo, Black Ice."

The black man groans.

"Jesus fucking Christ, would you just stop? Would every goddamn comic writer stop? It's not clever, it's retarded, and it sets a precedence for retardation in everything else. It's ignorance masquerading as progressivism."

Snickering, you nod your head in agreement.

"And it pisses you off way more than it should. You're better off not caring about it and using it to your advantage." A grin spreads across your face. "Why don't we publish our own comic line where every superhero is black and has black in their name? I'm sure we'll get a niche white guilt market."

Marcus scoffs and slowly shakes his head.

"That's just making things worse for everyone, you dumbass, and I'm sure there's bound to be some niggas calling us out on that bullshit. Do you really think people are going to be stupid enough to not see through the agenda being pushed?"

You shrug.

"I know it'll make things worse, which is why I'm using the idea to fuck with you, but I'm not sure if I can actually push something like that. People can be absolute fucking idiots who believe every word you say or absolute fucking idiots who don't believe anything reasonable you say just because it makes them feel bad or conflicts with their beliefs. It can go either way or both can happen at the same time and create a cesspool of human ignorance and tribalism."

>(2/2)

Sighing, Marcus picks up his cup of coffee.

"Can't really argue with you there."

You hum and turn to the direction of the confused and staring wageslave.

"Can I get a refill, counterman?"

Mr. Slave blinks and nods before snatching the coffee pitcher in his hand and making his way past the counter to serve you.

The only black man in the room raises an eyebrow at you as the counterman fills your coffee cup like a good slave.

You lift the now filled cup of coffee to your lips and proceed to sip and savor.

Marcus shakes his head.

"Why you always gotta be lording over the help?"

Raising an eyebrow, you shoot him a look as you lower your cup below your chin.

"I just asked for a refill."

Truman shoots you a look back.

"Like the man was a slave."

You shrug.

"He is one."

Marcus clucks his tongue and downs the rest of his coffee before focusing back on his sandwich.

You lift your coffee back up to your lips and enjoy it while your best friend enjoys his breakfast.

A minute passes until your second-in-command is done with his meal.

Flatscans eat far far too slowly.

>[ ] "Try putting some pure magic energy to your eyes. Maybe they'll let you see my third eye."
>[ ] "Have you ever thought about having kids one day?"
>[ ] "...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"
>[ ] "Guess we're done here."
>[ ] Write In.

>>3460511
>(to Bold Red) If Marcus succeeds in seeing the third eye you and I share, will you devour him? Or can you hold back for his sake?

Going to go back to my college campus to listen to my sister tell her awarded story to a bunch of people.

Will close voting and update when I get back.

>>3460511
This >>3460545
then >[ ] "Have you ever thought about having kids one day?"

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] If Marcus succeeds in seeing the third eye you and I share, will you devour him? Or can you hold back for his sake?
>[X] "Have you ever thought about having kids one day?"

The value your other self places on Marcus isn't exactly clear. One Most Dearest, while implying a great amount of care, is a position and title you don't quite understand in your soul's context. He views everything as a tool to serve and reserves respect only for a few. Caring to him might be completely alien or warped in comparison to your definition of it.

A small hum rumbles in your throat.

If Marcus succeeds in seeing the third eye you and I share, will you devour him? Or can you hold back for his sake?

Perceiving it does not matter. Whether or not his essence is free of his vessel does. If he witnesses my eye, he will see a glimpse of what you truly are. I doubt he will understand when even you do not know yourself.

Rolling your eyes, you take a few gulps of your coffee and set the half-finished cup down, focusing your attention back on your best friend.

The black man, noticing your gaze, looks up from his own cup of coffee to greet your eyes with his.

"Something up, Kojo?"

You place your elbow on the coffee shop table and rest your cheek against your open palm.

"Have you ever thought about having kids one day?"

Marcus stares at you in complete silence before bursting out in a fit of laughter.

Blinking, you stare for a minute and a half at your best friend's unstill form.

This was something you were not at all expecting but probably should have.

Childless Truman slowly stops laughing before blinking at the sight of your still body language and expression.

"...Oh wait, you're serious." He lets out a nervous laugh and moves a hand to the back of his bald head to rub it anxiously. "Uh, I haven't really thought about it; I mean, I always thought I'd get capped before I was old enough to have some or enough income to raise one... Do you want to have kids?"

You nod.

"An empire needs an heir, parenthood is a result of maturity, not desiring offspring is the rejection of one's fundamental purpose, I don't want to be one of those fucking people for the rest of eternity, and...having children is probably the only way I'll ever know what it's like to have a family."

Marcus sets his head rubbing hand down and lets out a small hum.

"...I shouldn't be surprised to hear you say that but I am."

Clucking your tongue, you lean back in your seat.

You'd think a guy would know you after living with you for the better half of a decade.

>[ ] "Try putting some pure magic energy to your eyes. Maybe they'll let you see my third eye."
>[ ] "How can you say that after living wit me for years now?"
>[ ] "Don't you want to continue the Truman line?"
>[ ] "Think Ren would make a good mother?"
>[ ] "...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"
>[ ] "Guess we're done here."
>[ ] Write In.

Late. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8) before I go out to see Endgame.

Thoughts or questions, my dude(s)?

>>3461254
>[ ] "How can you say that after living wit me for years now?"
>[ ] "Think Ren would make a good mother?"
>[ ] "Try putting some pure magic energy to your eyes. Maybe they'll let you see my third eye."
>[ ] "Guess we're done here, unless you want another coffee."

>[ ] "How can you say that after living wit me for years now?"
>[ ] "Think Ren would make a good mother?"
>[ ] "Guess we're done here, unless you want another coffee."

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>[ ] "How can you say that after living wit me for years now?"
>[ ] "Think Ren would make a good mother?"
>[ ] "Try putting some pure magic energy to your eyes. Maybe they'll let you see my third eye."
>[ ] "Guess we're done here, unless you want another coffee."

>[ ] "How can you say that after living wit me for years now?"
>[ ] "Think Ren would make a good mother?"
>[ ] "Guess we're done here, unless you want another coffee."

>[X] "How can you say that after living with me for years now?"
>[X] "Think Ren would make a good mother?"
>[X] "Guess we're done here, unless you want another coffee."

By all means, he should know how much you want a family at this point. You've dropped more than enough hunts throughout the time you've been sane enough to know him. Ren is the only one you've straight up told but still, the motherfucker should know what you want by now.

You shoot the man a look.

"How can you say that after living with me for years now?"

The black man blinks.

"...Well, you're not exactly the family man looking type, Kojo."

Scoffing, you look away from your best friend.

"Un-fucking-believable."

A sigh emanates from the area your so called 'friend' is sitting.

"Oh come on, man. You can't expect me to just read your mind about this kind of shit. It's not like you come off fatherly and nurturing. Fuck, Kojo, you're still in your mid-teens aren't you?"

You dart your eyes back at Marcus in full force, shooting the air surrounding them at him.

"And!?"

Marcus closes his eyes and rubs them through his eye-lids.

"You're still too young to be thinking about this kind of shit!"

Growling, you lean back in your seat.

He has a point, a retarded point.

You breathe in and sigh.

"Think Ren would make a good mother?"

Marcus opens his eyes to blink them at you.

"Kojo, you made her kill her sister and now you're thinking of fucking her for a kid?"

You roll your eyes.

"Will she or won't she?"

The man sighs.

"Depends considering she's now a fucking crazy ass with a split personality."

A groan escapes your lips.

"Guess we're done here, unless you want another coffee."

Marcus shrugs.

"May as well just sit here and hang; we've got plenty of time before the boys wake up."

You hum.

He's right, you've got an hour or two to kill.

>[ ] "Try putting some pure magic energy to your eyes. Maybe they'll let you see my third eye."
>[ ] "Don't you want to continue the Truman line?"
>[ ] "Ren does have a crazy ass, doesn't she?"
>[ ] "...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"
>[ ] "Let's just leave."
>[ ] Write In.

Going to go to the theaters to watch Endgame.

Will close voting and update when I get back in, like, 3-5 hours.

>>3461891
>[ ] "...Ren does have a crazy ass, doesn't she?"
>[ ] "Try putting some pure magic energy to your eyes. Maybe they'll let you see my third eye." Blink all three of them. "It should help you out with magic, probably."

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "...Ren does have a crazy ass, doesn't she?"
>[X] "Try putting some pure magic energy to your eyes. Maybe they'll let you see my third eye." Blink all three of them. "It should help you out with magic, probably."

>(1/2)

While not the craziest ass you've ever seen, hers is still pretty impressive. Her petiteness and fondness of pants greatly help accentuate her body. Alex's is fine but Ren's tempts you from time to time. There's not doubt she'd have an easier time bringing a child into the world than other women you know.

"...Ren does have a crazy ass, doesn't she?"

The black man blinks before a grin spreads across his face.

"You say you ain't black but then you say shit like that."

Rolling your eyes, you scoff.

"Bitch, please. Every man regardless of skin can't help himself to some ass; fags can't even keep it down. It's a sign of fertility, a pretty damn nice sign of it."

Marcus laughs.

"Whatever you say, my nigga."

You lean back in your seat and cluck your tongue.

It's this kind of attitude he has that makes you want to call him Black Ice some more. Some adjustments can make his magical ice actually have a black tone to it. That could take some small time to trick him into. Although, he might suspect something if you jump straight into trying to trick him. Better play it safe and start with a dishonest honest attempt at improving his magic ability.

A hum rumbles in your throat.

"Try putting some pure magic energy to your eyes. Maybe they'll let you see my third eye." You blink all three of your eyes. "It should help you out with magic, probably."

Black Ice raises an eyebrow.

"Probably? What will happen if it doesn't?"

You shrug.

"Probably nothing."

>(2/2)

Marcus groans and holds out his hands, channeling multiversal energy into his hands.

"If this kills me, I'm going to haunt you; if it hurts, I'm going to shoot you in one of your horns."

Ever so slightly, you wince.

"I might devour you if you haunt me and might kill you if you do put a bullet in one of my horns. You do remember what happened the last time, right?"

The black man nods as he moves the invisible energy to his eyes.

"You made a crater and shattered every glass window nearby with your screams and damaged the eardrums of anyone close enough to hear them."

Frowning, you raise a hand to rub your right horn.

"It fucking hurt."

Marcus closes his eyes, opens them, and blinks as they focus on your third.

"Fucking hell, it looks like you have a tumor on your forehead that opens up to your brain."

You groan.

"Not you too." You furrow your brow. "First thing you notice when you astrally perceive is my third eye, really?"

The black man raises an eyebrow at you before widening his eyes and looking around at the rainbow sea of shining energies that you call the air.

"Holy fucking shit!"

A smile turns your frown upside-down.

"There it is; now try imagining what it's like to see all this all the time."

Marcus raises a hand to move along the air, observing the ebb and flow of Mother Gaia's manasphere.

"It's like an ocean you can only sink in but can breathe and can't see."

You nod in agreement.

"Our eyes don't allow us to perceive it but the magic you have in and over them acts as a lens of sorts. I think a third eye is the only way to be able to see it naturally without magic but I'd devour you if you ever gained one."

Black Ice laughs.

"Don't worry about that because I'm never gonna have a fucking soul tumor bulging out of my forehead."

Once again, you groan to yourself.

It would be a bad idea to ever introduce him to Strange.

>[ ] "It literally looks the exact same as my other eyes. What's the big deal?"
>[ ] "Don't you want to continue the Truman line?"
>[ ] "...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"
>[ ] "Let's just leave."
>[ ] Write In.

>>3463131
>[ ] "It literally looks the exact same as my other eyes. What's the big deal?"
Really, how is the third eye bad? It's Bold Red's eye or something?

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "It literally looks the exact same as my other eyes. What's the big deal?"

Strange kept harping on it and now your best friend is too; either they're both bitches or they both have valid reason to be disturbed. It looks the same way your other eyes do now but it might look different to them. Likely they're just being pussy ass bitches, though.

You shoot your second-in-command a look.

"It literally looks the exact same as my other eyes. What's the big deal?"

Marcus shoots a look of his own back at you.

"The big deal is that it looks like a pulsating wound on your head. It looks more like an insanely swollen bruise than an eye." He furrows his brow. "It's like someone carved a hole in your head and is looking out into the world through it."

A hum rumbles in your throat.

"That's actually an accurate way of putting it."

Black Ice blinks his magical lensed eyes and leans back in his seat.

"So there's a magic hole in your head that your soul uses to look out into the world?"

You nod.

"When it's not pouring out through it, yeah."

Marcus grimaces.

"Does that hurt and do you constantly need to make sure your soul keeps itself in your body?"

Shaking your head, you wave his questions off.

"No, it just feels like I'm omnipresent in a limited area. It's like ascending to a higher plane of existence but I'm kept down by an anchor. Everything within a growing radius my soul envelops in itself, I can perceive in every sense or I process it as senses because of my body."

The black man's eyes widen.

"Damn, that actually sounds useful depending on the area you can envelop; third eye doesn't seem that bad at all now."

A grin spreads across your face.

"Remember my soul would eat yours."

Marcus scoffs.

"What if mine ate yours instead?"

You chuckle to yourself.

"Mine's the only one that can and does so naturally as far as I've seen. Besides, I've eaten way too many souls for a fresh soul eater to devour mine; it'd be like a mouse trying to devour a panther."

Truman clucks his tongue

"You're no fun."

Rolling your eyes, you avert your eyes from your fool of a friend.

That's always been your line; either becoming a teacher has fucked up your mojo or Marcus being your student has changed his attitude.

>[ ] "There is much for you to learn, my apprentice."
>[ ] "Don't you want to continue the Truman line?"
>[ ] "When did I become the responsible one?"
>[ ] "Think Alex would make a good mother?"
>[ ] "...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"
>[ ] "Let's just leave."
>[ ] Write In.

Late. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8).

Any thoughts or questions, my dudes?

Have I contradicted myself as of late? Been having trouble remembering every tidbit of info Kojo's given to the peeps.

>>3463876
>>[x] "There is much for you to learn, my apprentice."
I wonder when we started losing readers?

>>3463876
this >>3464529
it's literally me and one other dude
everyone's fucking dead man

>>3464005
Kojo has not told anyone else about the third eye except Strange and now Marcus, far as I can remember

Voting closed; writing now.

>>3464529
>I wonder when we started losing readers?
I think it was around last thread. I was starting to kind of meander a bit.

>[X] "There is much for you to learn, my apprentice."

A lot of other mysteries of magic still remain to be taught. Hell, you still haven't gotten down all of the advanced stuff. The master level magic techniques will be a wonder to learn after you're done with the others. It's kind of hard to imagine what's greater than enchantments that can last centuries. Maybe the glorified reality warping will become literal reality warping.

In due time, however, in due time.

You focus back on Marcus and raise your middle finger intellectually.

"There is much for you to learn, my apprentice."

Marcus glances at your finger and retaliates with his own.

"Fuck you too, master."

Clucking your tongue, you retract your second favorite finger.

"You're no fun."

Truman puts down his and shoots you a look.

"My line now, old man."

You scoff.

"Motherfucker, you're older than me."

Marcus grins.

"Technically. You've lived through way more than me or most of the people we know and look like you're in your early twenties than still in your teens; Itsuki and Cuda are the only ones in the crew who beat you out."

Groaning, you lean back in your seat.

He does have a point: you've done more these past few days than most people have in their entire lives. That doesn't even factor in your small-time gang years or your puppet days. You killed more people than anyone could count back then and conquered a territory long disputed by petty gang leaders with no real organization.

In the fifteen years you've been alive, you've gone from street urchin to crime king.

>[ ] "Please, Cuda and Itsuki are still enforcers despite their experience. I've advanced far past them."
>[ ] "Don't you want to continue the Truman line?"
>[ ] "When did I become the responsible one?"
>[ ] "Think Alex would make a good mother?"
>[ ] "...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"
>[ ] "Let's just leave."
>[ ] Write In.

>>3464940
>[ ] "Please, Cuda and Itsuki are still enforcers despite their experience. I've advanced far past them."
>[ ] "When did I become the responsible one?"
>[ ] "Let's just leave."

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Please, Cuda and Itsuki are still enforcers despite their experience. I've advanced far past them."
>[X] "When did I become the responsible one?"
>[X] "Let's just leave."

This should be enough to throw him off for a while. He'll try to call back to your previous objection and you'll just keep rolling with the wise young old man thing. Poor stupid fucking Marcus won't know what hit him for a few seconds at least.

"Please, Cuda and Itsuki are still enforcers despite their experience. I've advanced far past them."

Mr. Black Ice blinks and shoots you a look.

"What? We're talking about life experience not the business kind."

A grin of your own spreads across your face.

"Same thing considering our pasts and this line of work."

Marcus scoffs.

"If we're talking about experience, they've still been in the game longer than you, Kojo."

You chuckle.

"And look how little they have to actually show for it."

Clucking his tongue, Marcus points a finger at you.

"But they're older and still have experie-" Black Ice blinks and lowers his finger. "Oh, you motherfucker; we were talking about age."

You clap your hands at the fools realization.

"Wow, it took you that long?"

The black man scoffs once again and averts his gaze.

"Oh, fuck you."

Blinking, you shot your unusually immature best friend a questioning look.

"When did I become the responsible one?"

Black Ice glances back at your handsome face.

"You were always the responsible one: you're a leader and you're good at it when you bother to." He turns to look at you face-to-face fully. "Now, you're not gonna lead as much rather than manage." A frown makes its way on to his face. "I'm going to miss these little talks of ours."

Once again, you blink before averting your gaze.

It's only going to be for a time while you clear your name but it's going to probably take a while. After, you'll have to find a way to appoint him as your corporate second-in-command while drawing as little suspicion as possible. Knowing how big Fisk Industries is, he's going to be one busy motherfucker.

Either way, you're done here.

"Let's just leave."

Marcus hums in agreement and rises from his seat as you do.

The two of you exit the coffee shop without a word and without leaving so much as a penny.

You stop to take a deep breath of the fresh air just a foot away from the coffee shop door.

Still a lot of time left for you to spend together until the day begins.

>[ ] "Want to go back to the old place? I want to say goodbye before I'm gone for a while."
>[ ] "Let's go to one of the parks, we should relax."
>[ ] "Don't you want to continue the Truman line?"
>[ ] "Think Alex would make a good mother?"
>[ ] "...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"
>[ ] Write In.

>>3465556
>[ ] "Want to go back to the old place? I want to say goodbye before I'm gone for a while."

is kojo's soul actually Chthon?

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Want to go back to the old place? I want to say goodbye before I'm gone for a while."

>(1/2)

You owe it to them to visit at least once in a while. After everything you've done, it's the least you can do. They deserve to hear about the big stuff happening in your life and how much you really cared about them. Maybe they'll offer you guidance through your memories and the past lessons that they taught you.

Turning to the direction of your best friend, you smile a sullen smile.

"Want to go back to the old place? I want to say goodbye before I'm gone for a while."

Marcus blinks before nodding his head.

"Gonna be a while until I can get back too. Settling down in Staten Island is going to take some time. I guess it's also going to be hard to visit after you move them being your corp number two."

Humming in agreement and confirmation, you wrap an arm around Black Ice's waist and flip backward on to the roof of the coffee shop before taking off into the early morning sky.

It takes you ten or twelve seconds to land in front of your old warehouse.

You let go of your horribly balanced friend and stare at the rusted, battered, and closed gate.

An apparition of a familiar lawn-chair wisps into being at the granite corner of the old building's facade.

Humming, you glance at the old post and chuckle to yourself as it fades away back into your mind.

"Dan and that fucking chair."

Marcus grabs hold of your shoulder, using it to balance himself.

"I forgot, did we take it with us or did you leave it on the second floor?"

You look up from the gate to the warehouse's upper front.

"Second floor; Dan would've come back to kick the shit out of us and whoever decided to sit in his chair if we took it with us."

>(2/2)

Attaining equilibrium, the black man slides his hand off your shoulder and laughs.

"If only."

You sigh and begin walking to the warehouse alleys.

"Come on, if we don't get this over with we'll be here all day reminiscing."

An agreeing hum emanates behind you followed by footsteps.

Reaching the gravelstone, you stop and stare at the carved names in the gravel wall.

"...Hey again, you two."

Marcus walks out of the alley and stops by your side.

"Sup, old man." He turns to Abuelita's name. "Vieja." (Translation: "old woman/hag")

You ever so gently slap the bald back of your best friend's head.

Marcus spins, takes a step back, and rubs the back of his skull.

"Oh come on, it means old woman!"

A grin spreads across your face.

"I know, she just would've wanted me to do that if she couldn't do it herself."

El Maldito Negrito shakes his head and laughs.

"That crazy old Cuban girl."

You laugh along with your best friend as you turn to gaze upon the gravelstone once again.

They're still alive inside the two of you even if Death gave them Oblivion.

>[ ] "...I'm going to be gone for a while. Just for a few weeks or a month, no big deal. I promise you I'll find a better resting place for your remains."
>[ ] "Dan, Marcus says he doesn't want to continue your family name."
>[ ] "Hold on, I need to go grab something from upstairs."
>[ ] "Let's go to one of the parks, we should relax."
>[ ] "Think Alex would make a good mother?"
>[ ] "...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"
>[ ] Write In.

>>3466510
>[ ] "...I'm going to be gone for a while. Just for a few weeks or a month, no big deal. I promise you I'll find a better resting place for your remains."
>[ ] "...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"

Getting late. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8)

How you guys doing? Got any thoughts or questions to ask?

damn, i completely forgot about this

Voting closed; writing now.

Gotta go get groceries. Will finish writing and update when I get back.

>[X] "...I'm going to be gone for a while. Just for a few weeks or a month, no big deal. I promise you I'll find a better resting place for your remains."
>[X] "...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"

Both of them might no be here anymore or able to hear your words but it gives you some comfort to inform them. They'd probably be disappointed if you didn't even bother coming by before going out to leave. Dan would also be pissed but he'd try to hide it out of embarrassment.

A sigh escapes your lips.

"...I'm going to be gone for a while. Just for a few weeks or a month, no big deal. I promise you I'll find a better resting place for your remains."

Marcus hums.

"Do you think they cared at all where they'd be buried? I mean, they were old so it must have crossed their minds once in a while. Abuelita was kind of batshit so I don't know if she ever really thought about it but she must have at least once."

You shrug.

"They can't really care at all now that they're gone but we owe it to them... I owe it to them."

Bestest and only genuine friend frowns.

"Kojo, it wasn't your fault."

Digging your fingers into the flesh of your palms, you snarl.

"It was: all of it was. They'd still be alive if it wasn't for me. If I had just bled out, starved to death, died of dehydration, or finally made a noose around my neck to end my pointless life all those years ago, they'd still be here."

Marcus' eyes widen as he stares at you in stunned silence.

You pull your fingers free of your palms and turn to your fellow street rat turned gangbanger, laughing bitterly.

"...I'm fucked up, aren't I?"

The man immediately wraps his arms around you and pulls himself toward your insanely strong body in a hug.

Blinking, a warm feeling flares inside your chest and spreads across your entire body.

Kind of awkward hugging in front of a half-assed memorial to your surrogate grandparents, but this is still a pretty pleasant moment.

>[ ] "...Dan, Marcus says he doesn't want to continue your family name."
>[ ] "...I need to go grab something from upstairs."
>[ ] "Let's go to one of the parks, we should relax."
>[ ] "...Not to be rude, but can you let go of me?"
>[ ] "...Stop, this is so gay."
>[ ] Hug him back, it's only fair.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3470001
>[ ] Hug him back, it's only fair.
>[ ] "...I need to go grab something from upstairs."

Getting late. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8) before class.

Sorry about the delays and completely forgetting to update during the morning. Fucking college classes started dumping group assignment, speeches, and papers and I've just finished the hardest one.

Any thoughts or questions, my remaining dudes?

>>3470810
Archive this thread

>>3470001
come to the relazation you are magic you could learn to talk with the dead!

Voting closed; writing now.

>>3471229
We're not at the 200+ post mark, though.

>>3471632
Page 10

>[X] Hug him back, it's only fair.
>[X] "...I need to go grab something from upstairs."

>(1/2)

If this is feeling good for you of all people, it'll feel good for him especially. His own squishy fragile ebony skin is far less softer and luscious than your golden brown. You're doing him an immense favor pressing your amazing skin against his black ashy ass. The sensation around your body totally isn't because he's reaching into your rotten heart or anything like that.

You hook your hands over the man's torso, gripping him back.

Marcus grunts and shifts his head position to look up at your eye-contact avoiding face.

"Kojo, you're kind of hugging me a little too hard; can you loosen up?"

Blinking your demon eyes once again, you ever so slightly ease your awkward grip.

The not-quite-normal black man sighs and shakes his head.

"I know you're not good at expressing these kinds of emotions but can you lighten up or just let go of me if you're really gonna be like that."

You let go of your best friend as he lets go of you, causing the warm feeling to weaken yet remain.

Mr. Black Ice crosses his arms and shoots you a look.

"Really need to work on your intimate expressions, man. I know the closest thing you know to those are sexual, but you've shown some basic knowledge of them, a weird primal animal-like knowledge of them; hell, you've done really good lately. Just...don't think too hard about it or worry about how you'll come off as to me: I know who you are, Kojo."

As blood rushes to your face, you avert your eyes.

>(2/2)

There's only one form of expression anyone's ever taught you and the instrument towards it is in a case nearby.

"...I need to go grab something from upstairs."

Marcus raises an eyebrow as you bend your legs.

"Wait, wha-"

You flip yourself sideway out of the alley, over the warehouse roof, and on to the ground right in front of the entrance.

Spinning on your heel, you walk towards the hole-ridden gate and lift the punctured sheet of steel up before making your way to the twin ladders inside. Your eyes look over the nostalgic ruined warehouse shelves, empty boxes, and the initial engraved wall as you trek over to the broken ladders. A simple hop carries you from the ruined first floor to the dusty second floor when you walk under the openings.

You look to the corner of the room at Dan's old lawn-chair he never actually sat on yet was extremely protective of before walking over to the old broken mirror.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z0S2h9aiFk

The sight of an all too familiar fractured face stops you in your tracks.

"̰.̝͟.̜̖ͅ.̱̹̯̳͙͜W͉h̞͕͇̘̳̝y̻ ̙͕͉̟͖̭͘d̸͎̱̝̮̯ͅo̟̞̯ ̖̜̩y͠o͟u̗ ͙̹͍̖̦h̵͙ò̯̺͎͎l̹d̹̩͖̤̟ ̛̝o̳̹̼̯n̖̯̮ ̗̟͇͚̙ͅt̸̜͍̼o̢ ̥t̳̳h͓e̱̣͍̪̘m̻̜̞̰̳ ̛̳͎̭̜͚ͅs͔̥̦t͎͜i̹̬̖̳͚l̝̘͇̼l̹̻͍̳?̺ ̖͚̹̮̕T̗h̸̞̖͇̱̳̬̜è̘̼̳̬̖y͎̣̥̹̕ ͍̪a̤ͅr̰̟̹̙̻é̦ ̠d͎e͕̤͔̱a̫̮̪d̞͔͢ ̥̙anͅd ̸̱͇g̷o̸̱͓ͅn̤̰͟e̝;̟̝ ̖̞l̝͈̪̬̟͉̭e̬̰̠̙̙̯̖͘ţ ͇t͖͚̤̭̣ḫ̺̱̩̘͎e̹͚̼͙̦͟ḿ̖ ̱͍͚͎̳̝b̗̣̤̠̥̥̜e͈ ͖̟̩̭͝f̼̱o̯̻͕ͅr̡g̺̹̬̻͝o̺tt̨̘e͡n͙͜.̣ͅ"͉̝̖͓͈͝ͅ

Once again, you dig your fingers into the palms of your hands.

You should have expected something like this but he really knows the exact place to show up and the exact thing to say to piss you off.

>[ ] "Show respect to the dead. They've done more than you ever have."
>[ ] "Unlike you, I care for the people who cared for me."
>[ ] "Their names were Dan and Luiz, you piece of shit!"
>[ ] "Go away, you don't belong here anymore."
>[ ] "Why here of all places?"
>[ ] Ignore him and get the guitar, you don't have time for a waste of space like him.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3471733
>[ ] "Why here of all places?"
>[ ] "Show respect to the dead. They've done more than you ever have as you were then."
>[ ] "Even if Death claimed them, their memories remain. As long as their marks stay on the world, they will never truly be forgotten."
>[ ] "...Do you want to be forgotten? Or will you persist, like the ghost you are to the world?"

Going to go to class. WIll close voting and update when I get back.

>>3471970
ok full support here

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Why here of all places?"
>[X] "Show respect to the dead. They've done more than you ever have as you were then."
>[X] "Even if Death claimed them, their memories remain. As long as their marks stay on the world, they will never truly be forgotten."
>[X] "...Do you want to be forgotten? Or will you persist, like the ghost you are to the world?"

>(1/2)

There are many, many things you have to say to this piece of shit that is your old self. Dan should have beaten you more to cram some sense into your brain rather than teach you how to fight. It would've kept him alive and it's not like you didn't exactly have it coming. He must have wanted to slap some sense into you several dozen times if you were this much of a useless shit.

An unrestrained growl rumbles in your throat, shaking the building and filling the floor with a distorted echo of it.

"Why here of all places?"

Your old shadow stares blankly into your demon eyes with his hollow brown.

"ͅI̜t̥̱͇̤ ̫̫̠w͓͈͎̗̺a̳ṣ ̮̙͎̱͕a͙͓̮̦̟ s̮ec̜̫͔̤ͅo͉̣͍̬n̙͕̦̟d͚̙͍̯̭̣̰ ͅh͇o̝m͔ḛ̩̬ ̻t̠o̬̭̫ ̟m̳͎̼e̩ ̼̹̖a͍̻̹̳̥̠̤s̮̯͕̞̱̬ ͖͙i̹̩͔͈t ̱̜͖͔͇̦w̱a̪̭̩͚̝͙s͕͕̦̪ ̩̬̜t̫̯̻oy̪̹̼o̪̫͔̙̜̻ṷ.͓̫T̼̣̺͇̗̻r̠y͖ ̪̦̠̮a̞͈̭̯̟͉ͅș̭͖ ̬͍͈m̗̻͖̞̭u͙͙c͈̼̦͉̮͖ͅh̼̠ ͍̱̯̬͇̯̯a̗̥̻sy̦̯̮o̰u̖͔̩̼̠̗ ̘̰̭mi̮͍̳͓̞g̪h̻̣̗t͉̦͈̩͈̳ ̙̯̟̮͉yo̬͍̟̘̰ͅu̘͖̼̹̟͎̮͓c̮͍̭̭͍͓̮o͖̻̮̹u̠l̩̻̙͉d͕̻̞̳ ͕n̦̪e̜̹̝v̩e̥r̺̻̙͕ ̺̮ș̭̥͚c̯͎͈͉͖̞͉ru̞̭̬̗͕̬̹b̘̪̻͓̣̟ ̹a̹̹̙̼̱͚w̥̫̻̬͈a͔̞̮y͔ͅ ̹̖mͅy ͖̯̜̮̖p̣̮ͅe̩s̟͔̤e̙n̳̺̪͚͇̥͍c̹͎e̺̰͎̳͍̙͔ h̠͚̤̗͕e̞͎r͈e̺̙̺͖̺ ̩m̬̪̯̘̭̮u̹̥̬͔c̭h ̥le͈̘̭̻͚̙s̺͈̭͓͉s̭̘ ̞my̝̠̦̪͙̤͖ ̼e̮̣̥xi͚͙̤s͈ten͙̤̬̻c͎̥͚̘ḛ̪."͇̺ ͉̭̰̤

Scoffing, you glare into your soulless self.

"Show respect to the dead. They've done more than you ever have as you were then."

The puppet stands in the mirror unfazed.

"̣͉̠̼̥̦̣T͙he̩̱̯̺y'̟̦͎̦͎̰r̩̻͉̣͍ͅe̪̪̥͓͖t͉͕͖i̹͉̣l͕͚̳̪̳̹͉l̰̭̠̙̞͕͖ ͇͚̝͚͍͉̩d̞̝̻ͅea̝d.̻̭̙ ̯͔̞̩B͈͉̣̟͓o̖̙t͈̙h̪ ̱̤̬̣͈h̥a̦̦͕͉̥d̜̟͖̰͎ ͈t̺̮̮̱h̙e̺̖͈̩͍ s͇͙̘̻̩̦am̰͕̦e̖̝̹̣v͍̻a̪̯̩̗͖̺l̦̼͎̱̭̟ͅue̙̗͓̗͙̜o̠͇̗̻̭̯̞f̥͙ ̤͈̙̙̪̱ͅm̩y͍ o̹̱w͖̖͎̪n̫̙ ̘̖̘̼̪̯̺l̩̤̻ͅi͇̬͍f͓e̩̱̣͕͎ ̜͎o̪̳͙̗̹͇̖f̞ ̳̘̳͖̬͉̜w͓hͅi̳̗̫̳ͅc̻͓̖h͇̖͔͙̞͔t̙h̭͖̙̯͔̫e̪̠̣̜̼̞r̝̼̬̘͈̘e͓̮͕̩ ̗̙̥ͅi̼̤̳̘ͅs̭̯ ̙no͕nḙ̺̜̻̠ͅ."̠ He drops his head to the side. "͖̮͚̩̞ͅ...W̙̬̻͖̥hy̫̞̜̬̞ ̠̰̼͚̙d͖̖̮̝̩̣ͅo͓͓͙̙̮̩̯y͓̯͇ou͈̤̪̖ ͙̙̭̗̙͓s̝ṯ͖̱̰i͕̹͍̖̮̫͙l͕̪͇l̺ ̙̝̳liͅn̹̪̣̱g̤̹̹͕̞͔̻͉͙t͍̹̯͙͍o̳th̖͈̪̣e̞͍͍̞̘̯͎m̟͉̠̝̭̳̪?̪̺̩̖͖͕̥"̭̬̰

>(2/2)

You pull your fingers free of your palms and take a breath.

"Even if Death claimed them, their memories remain. As long as their marks stay on the world, they will never truly be forgotten."

Old Boy Kojo untilts his head.

"̺͇Ev̼͙̻̦͇̫̼er̝͕̭͍̳y͓̖o̺̦ͅṋ̥̮e̪̳̣͇ ̺͎f͉̖a͔̦̰̺͖ͅd̰̖̻͇ͅe̯s͕ ͉̮̞e̫v͈̮e̱̙̫̟n̬͔t̗̘̹͔̹̤u͙̦͇̞a͖l̯̥͚͚͕ly̬̰̮.͉͙̯͚͙ ͈̫̪̱̦̬̺Iṭ ̹͍̭i͔͇̬̘̖ͅs͔̜̮͖̭̩ ͍̪ț̟͙̯̩̘̯h̠̗̙̝̖e̤̞̞̖̜̬ ̗͉w̘̙̞ay̼̞̱̮ ̞͓o̦͖̮ͅf͕̙͔̞͔ ̹̗̬̹̻̦ͅt̰̪̪ͅh̝̬͙̖͕ḭͅn̞g̱̞̺͇̱̬͕s͇̥͖͍͔.͍̖̻ ͎̮ͅM̰̖͉͉͇̫ͅa̦͙r̥̖̣͚̻ͅk̼s͓̻̰͓̗ ̟̰̫̹̣m̦͚̥͕a̭̯̯͉y̳͉̞͍ ̹͚r̝e͍̳͓m̳̺a͔̯̭in̞̠͙̘͖͇̺ b̠̥͔̙̟u̗̘͔̺͖t̖̤̹͙̻ ͚͙̞͖̥t̥̖͚̦̗͖h͚͉͉̠͈̞ei̝̹̫̖r̫̰͕͔̤ ̣̩̺͇m̬͙͎̪̖̬e̝͉̙̺͓̞a̫̯͎̫̘̘n̗̣̝̜̜ͅͅi̗n͉g̖̺ ̤̺an̼ḏ̫͓ p̭̠̫͔̞u͈͕͖͕̬ͅr͔p̩̪̣̳̬̟o̘̼̩̦̠̗̦s̫͉e͖̞͎͓ ̳̝̻a̳̟̹͓̞r͓e̺̪͕ ̗͕͚̖̠̩ḻo̮͕̹̱͍͎st̫̪ ̙̺̺͉͕̬ͅw̟̣iṱ̤̻̣ͅh͙̗̺̺̳̫ ͖͚͇̼ṱ̝h͍͓͎͇̦e͇͕̤ ͉͙͎o͎͙̻͇̥̳ṭ͎͖̯her͕͍̻s̤͚̥ ̪̩͕̪̤̯̖t̜̭͉͈͈͉h̥̻̫̩̗̬a̜̖t̥̜̱͖͙̳ͅ ̹̝̯t̠͓̤͙̳̤o͓̟̘̠͎o̰͙̞͉͖̖ ̯͍̜͙̞̯͕f͕̠a͉̭̳̤̝̭de̯̼ a̪̗͚ͅw̼̥̳̣a̦̰̟y̱̤̩͙͎.̭͇̹͓̥"

Furrowing your brow at your old self, a small hum rumbles in your throat.

It's strange for a revenant to talk of things fading away while he still lingers. His time came and went a long time ago yet he's still here inside of your mind. You are the complete antithesis to him and all your experiences with the supernatural have provided evidence nothing ever really ceased to exist. Even those you've devoured exist now as a part of your essence.

"...Do you want to be forgotten? Or will you persist, like the ghost you are to the world?"

The phantom blinks its hollow brown eyes and stands in absolute silence.

You blink back at your shadow self.

Either you made a breakthrough with him or you said something he absolutely cannot compute in any manner of speaking whatsoever.

>[ ] "...I died wondering what the meaning to my suffering and existence was. That was how you died and I was reborn... Are you scared of dying once and for all?"
>[ ] "Unlike you, I care for the people who cared for me."
>[ ] "Go away, you don't belong here anymore."
>[ ] Ignore him and get the guitar, you don't have time for a waste of space like him.
>[ ] Hop back down, you don't need one more minute with him or the guitar.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3472624
>[ ] Get the guitar before you spend all your time talking to yourself and keeping Marcus waiting too long.
>[ ] "...I died wondering what the meaning to my suffering and existence was. That was how you died and I was reborn... Are you scared of dying once and for all?"
>[ ] Humor your old self a little and play him a tune. Who knows how he'd react?

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] Get the guitar before you spend all your time talking to yourself and keeping Marcus waiting too long.
>[X] "...I died wondering what the meaning to my suffering and existence was. That was how you died and I was reborn... Are you scared of dying once and for all?"
>[X] Humor your old self a little and play him a tune. Who knows how he'd react?

>(1/2)

While he might be making a breakthrough, you have neither the time or inclination to help him with it. Marcus is probably concerned and trying to come in right now thanks to your growl. You'll ask the obvious question and entertain yourself a bit to see if that gets you anywhere before you leave, though.

You walk over to the mirror's side, grab the guitar case handle, pull it out from behind your past self's conduit, and sit down with it a foot away from your spectral self.

The shadow child remains still and unblinking.

A sigh escapes your lips.

"...I died wondering what the meaning to my suffering and existence was. That was how you died and I was reborn... Are you scared of dying once and for all?"

Old Boy Kojo glances away for but a second before focusing back on your crouching form.

".͉̯̼.̩̣͔̜̦̩͜.̬̬̼̘I̩͇͕̤̱̘͠ ̥̙͉͙nẹ̣̫̜͍̼̦v̢͉é̟͙͕̯̘̱r̠̝͍̙ ̪̤̞̮̳͓̪k̳̠͍̱̀n͔̱̭ȩw̦͚͚͓ ̶͙͉w̜͇h̹͍͎̯̘͎̣͘a̝͚̤̝̮̥t̯̯͠ ͉̣͓̤̰̘̜i̻͎̪̦͇͖t̯̳̦̻͝ ͙͚̘m͇͙̣e̗͕ḁ͙̞̦̘n̨̤t̡ ̵͔̞͓͈t̛o ̪̰ḅ̧e̫ ̵̫̻s͙̗̯̞͘c͓̹̝̞ḁ̯̜̝͜r̢̪̰ed͈̩̘̹̥͝ ̤̱̖o̢͚̟͓͙̝̺ṟ͔ ̜̮h̰o͙̥̮͇͍̩̤w̼̻̘͓̦͟ ͇͙̪̕i͙̰̹̘̹t ̵̙̞̗͓͓̝wa̭͇̮̦̮̟s ̙̼t̰̳̳o͍̻͈̰̣ ͉̹̯ͅf̧̥e̡̻̰̪e͇͕l͈̥̫͇̝͈͙.̡"

You cluck your tongue and shake your head.

The old you really is a lost cause.

Unlocking the guitar case latches, you flip the instrument protector open and pull out the fine guitar.

>(2/2)

You strum a few cords and watch your shade watch you in alien curiosity.

Calm yet chaotic, placid yet impulsive: these words perfectly describe some of your old self's inner machinations.

You know exactly what to play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sykLr0uZzM4

Immediately, your fingers find their place on the guitar board and begin sweeping across the stainless steel cords, your hums accompanying the notes.

The song was the theme to a movie where the main character suffered from a murderous split personality. Fisk thought it was akin to his initial love for Vanessa before they began to come apart. It fits you and your old self far better, though.

Controlled yet at discord, pleasant yet violent.

You can't deny you're a ravager with a strange aura of purity. No one can deny you that either. They may write you off as a villain or a demon but they can't deny your world-view or your desires. Unlike them, you know full well what you do and why you do it; they're always contradicting their own beliefs.

As the last of the notes play out from the wood instrument, you place it back in the case and seal it shut.

Old Boy Kojo hums a small hum.

"T̹̹̘̯͔̰̼ḫ̣͙̩a̻͕͔͖̱t̼̙̰̟ ẃ̳̞̜a̭̳͔̰s̹̳̺̙ ̪͇̙̦̬̘̝s̺̬̫t̻̥̰͈r̝̪a͉̫͙͔n͚̭g͕̬ẹ͈̭̪͇͎.̟͙̬͖̥̕"

A small hum of your own purrs in your throat.

It was beautiful.

>[ ] "Don't you remember Abuelita teaching you how to play?"
>[ ] "Unlike you, I care for the people who cared for me."
>[ ] "Go away, you don't belong here anymore."
>[ ] "Did I make finally feel something?"
>[ ] Hop back down, you don't need one more minute with him or the guitar.
>[ ] Write In.

Late. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8) before my morning class if I can.

How you guys doing? Any thoughts or questions?

>>3473143
>[ ] "I know, but it was a nice kind of strange."
>[ ] "Did I make finally feel something?"
>[ ] "Don't you remember Abuelita teaching you how to play?"
>[ ] "So what do I do with you? What do you want to do?"

Voting closed; writing now.

>>3473928
Support

>[X] "I know, but it was a nice kind of strange."
>[X] "Did I make you finally feel something?"
>[X] "Don't you remember Abuelita teaching you how to play?"
>[X] "So what do I do with you? What do you want to do?"

Maybe you don't need to approach your old self aggressively. It's very much possible the solution to this entire problem is finding a way to placate him. He's not influencing you in any way like the other you is. Appeasing him might help you.

"I know, but it was a nice kind of strange."

Your old young shade looks down slightly.

"͝.͙̘͉.̝̤̩̻̖̯̻.̫͈͔̼́N̜̺̪̘͇͚į͓̣̺͇͓͓c̡̹̭̬̜̤͇e̥̗̜̺̣.̨̬̹͔̥̤"͓̳͓

Raising an eyebrow, you shoot the puppet a questioning look.

"Did I make you finally feel something?"

The phantom shakes its mirror inhabiting head.

"͍̥͚̟̯͚N̦͙̻͕o̰̫̳̖̫̭t̛̙̣̺ a̶̩͉͙͚̗t͎ ̞̹͇̗̦a̙̥͇ͅl͍l͕͇̩͍̙͡."̢̟̹̖

A sigh escapes your lips.

You honestly don't know what you were expecting of yourself.

"Don't you remember Abuelita teaching you how to play?"

The densest side of you in all of existence nods.

"̠̝̳̝̯͉Y͈͉͝ẹ̥͈̳͕̘̀ͅs̻̜͎̖̥̗,̜͟ ̯͉i̫͠t̫̟͙ ̩wạ͓s̰̦̫͉̗ͅ ̫̩̜̼̜͟ͅs̨͍̖̳͉t́r̦̠̝̯̣̠͈a̶̭̼̰̼̱̞͕ń̼̱̞͍̻g͓͉̩͉̥̫̭͘e̜.̧"̼͕̯

Hanging your head, you breathe in and sigh once again before lifting your gaze up to your shitty self.

"So what do I do with you? What do you want to do?"

Old Boy Kojo stares blankly at your fine grown body.

"͈̤̥̥̩͇͚I͖̪̖'̣̝͕̝v͍̯̪̗̜̭͜ḛ̮͎̗ ̱̞̜̼ņe̜̮v̮̣̥͠ͅͅe̱̹̠̤̼͓̻ŕ̥̖̹̳ ̳̞͍w̮ͅa̪͖̱͡n͢t̝͙͎̩e̜d̙͈̱̩ͅͅ ͞a͕n͔y͞t͎̺̀h͇̙i̥̩̕n͞g͉.͉̘͡"̵͕͍̫͔̬͇͓

You let out a long drawn-out groan.

Really, you have no idea what the fuck your were thinking. What can you possibly do to convince a brick wall to feel? He is complete and utter apathy towards the world and its ills as well as its pleasures. You would kill yourself if you ever became him again, if you had the slightest feeling of emotion just so you could really feel nothing and not sit to rot on the inside.

>[ ] "...I really don't understand why you're still here. What's the big thing that made you pop up again? Why now when everything is the best it's ever been?"
>[ ] "Unlike you, I care for the people who cared for me."
>[ ] "Jesus fucking Christ, you're so goddamn dense!"
>[ ] "Go away, you don't belong here anymore."
>[ ] Hop back down, you don't need one more minute with him or the guitar.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3474307
>[ ] "Jesus fucking Christ, you're so goddamn dense!"
>[ ] "...I really don't understand why you're still here. What's the big thing that made you pop up again? Why now when everything is the best it's ever been?"
>[ ] (to Bold Red) You think there might be a way to absorb him back somehow? Get him to plug the holes in the rest of me you claimed I have?
>[ ] (to Bold Red) Do you think Marcus would be able to help you and I with this? I'm at a loss when it comes to old me, and it sucks to be at a loss to anything.
>[ ] Silently glare at your past self who is too empty to give a fuck or have any idea as to what he wants or needs.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Jesus fucking Christ, you're so goddamn dense!"
>[X] "...I really don't understand why you're still here. What's the big thing that made you pop up again? Why now when everything is the best it's ever been?"
>[X] You think there might be a way to absorb him back somehow? Get him to plug the holes in the rest of me you claimed I have?
>[X] Do you think Marcus would be able to help you and I with this? I'm at a loss when it comes to old me, and it sucks to be at a loss to anything.
>[X] Silently glare at your past self who is too empty to give a fuck or have any idea as to what he wants or needs.

>(1/2)

You really, really have no idea what the fuck you were thinking trying to reason with yourself. He's incapable of feeling anything or thinking things out like a normal person. The shadow is nothing more than a lifeless husk that neither wants or feels. It's a useless meaningless manifestation of your past of pure emptiness.

He's absolutely nothing.

Yo̢͎̫͕u̹̕ ̧͙w̘̜̱͈͓er̫̖̱̞̙̱͘e̟͙ ̺n͙͔̩o̻̪̫̠͈t̼h̴i̴͔n͓̺͕̣͜g̣̙.͙͔̪

Rising to your feet, you let out another unrestrained growl.

"Jesus fucking Christ, you're so goddamn dense!"

A hum vibrates in your mirror self's throat.

"̼͕̬̯̗͇͟M̳̦͍ͅa̪r̼͓͕͓͍̣̀c̬͇̰̹͈̝u̪̳̳͔̦̗̗s͚͍̰ ̟͕͈̩u͎̗̖̖͉̣͞s̘̟̺̖͍̣e̫͈͡d̫ ̸̤̳̟t͉̞͕͓͚̀o̳̩̰̟̞̠ ͍͙s̱̹͙͢ͅa̖y̛̖̠̝ ̸̯͍̙̜͈̖t̰̫͟h̵͍͍̳̠̩ȩ̗̠̝ ̝̙̰̫͡s̝̘̰am̯̞̬͓ȩ̮̫͓̗̙͙ ̗̼̣̻t̡̗͖̝̭ḥ̡͍͈͈̹̙i̺ǹ̪̤̝̝̫̺̱g̬̞̜͓͓̦̫.̷̖͎ ̧̟̗Da̹̙̥n͍͎͟ͅ ͉̳̹̹̠̻to̰̜͉̹͉̻o̙ ̦̜̻͜ye̤̹͙̮̯̱͎t̶͓͎̪ ̨̠͙l̙̹̠̤̀ẹss͕̰̯͎̱̟ͅ ̰̩͟ș̶̰̖̺̩̮o̠̜͎̳͍ͅ.̸͓͈̭͙̳"̖͕̳̞̖̺

You breathe in and sigh.

>(2/2)

"...I really don't understand why you're still here. What's the big thing that made you pop up again? Why now when everything is the best it's ever been?"

The revenant stares blankly at you.

"̣̦̩̩͎W̢̫͔̺̹͈̜h̞͕̯̼̥͝e̖͎͎͚̳͚͢n͕̯͉͙ ̹͇h͔͕̬̺́a̤̼̞͚͢s̼͖͇̣͙̱̺ ̶i̯̹͕̻̟͓͉t̰͉ ̥̼e̯̘͔v̗̪̞͕e̯̻r̩̹̝͎ ̺̝̣̼̼͕ͅb̯e̵͕̥̙̱e̱̼͞n̪̤͎̼̜̙͈ ̘̫̖̤̗̥a̤̠͎̘͔ͅn̙̩̰̮̳̫̤ỵ̸̱͉̦̭̠̙ ̗̺͈m̹͖͉͍o͉̣̤͘ṟ̨̗̫ȩ̹͙͔ ̦͘ͅt̮̥͇̫̦̫h̭̘a͚̥̝̫͎n̕ ̝͙͇̤͖͖ͅw͞h͓̞͍̫̫̙at̵̠̬̺̝̞ͅ ͖̟͓̬̟͉͞i̳͈̯͓̮̮͠t́ ̙a̵͈̘̬̭l̥̝̼̯wa͇͉̥̺̻͇y̙͚̯̳̳̤̕s̮̯̖͇̕ ͍̣i̸̫̟̪͎̩s̹̘̩̺͝ͅ?͉͟"

Blinking, you raise a hand to your chin.

You think there might be a way to absorb him back somehow? Get him to plug the holes in the rest of me you claimed I have?

I do not know but it is just as incomplete as you are, little mind; it's hard to even tell you apart with you both active.

You raise an eyebrow.

That's something you know prying into would raise more questions but there's a sliver of a chance it might be worth it.

Do you think Marcus would be able to help you and I with this? I'm at a loss when it comes to old me, and it sucks to be at a loss to anything.

The One Most Dearest cannot see the shadow of your damaged mind nor can he breach it to understand full well what you face. He know the two of you, though; only he does.

Clucking your tongue, you glare into the face of your pitiful old self.

You don't feel sorry for him.

>[ ] "Unlike you, I care for the people who cared for me."
>[ ] "Go away, you don't belong here anymore."
>[ ] Hop back down, you don't need one more minute with him or the guitar.
>[ ] What do you mean it's hard to tell him and I apart?
>[ ] Write In.

>>3474612
>[ ] What do you mean it's hard to tell him and I apart?
>[ ] (Get Marcus up here. Even if he cannot see the old you or understand entirely, his mere presence might help. Or you could just play him a song too. That'd be nice to do for your brother.)

>>3474653
support also good night

Voting closed; writing now.

>>3474738
Good night.