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

>Issue #28 Star Knight Edition:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3886230/

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

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

>Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIla03MZw7Ev6y7u98WYVeV9HuS5-Ez9R

>>3926638
>[X] "You could've gone with him if you really wanted to, you know? I would've let you... Thanks for picking me, though."
>[X] "What did Logan say about me?"

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "You could've gone with him if you really wanted to, you know? I would've let you... Thanks for picking me, though."
>[X] "What did Logan say about me?"

>(1/2)

While you do and simultaneously don't want to go ahead with the asking or saying of questions relating to your old, wretched existence, it'd be better to check in on her after her talk with the gene daddy. You need to keep your allies, friends, and pets happy or they'll lash out. The Canuck also could've risen doubts up in her. Reassuring the little biker chick will help her feel better about staying with you, which you probably feels shitty about.

"You could've gone with him if you really wanted to, you know? I would've let you... Thanks for picking me, though."

The woman glances away from her magazine to you. "It was the most logical choice: the fallout of crippling Captain America and SHIELD's pursuit would have been conditions of my recruitment too hazardous for the X-men and their goals of Human-Mutant integration. SHIELD has been at odds with the X-men for as long as they have been active and could use my existence as well as my escape as an excuse to dissolve the X-men before or after possibly shutting down the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning or taking control of the institution to acquire mutant subjects for government and espionage uses. You have far more resources than the X-men do and are not in SHIELD's line of sight, making my discovery difficult and my safety assured for a time."

Another hum rumbles in your throat.

Her social retardation is both adorable and informative.

"What did Logan say about me?"

>(2/2)

"Project X claimed that you were a criminal, which I suspected when I heard your story; a psychopath, which do not actually exist; going to abuse me, which you have not; are not capable of protecting me, which you have by eliminating the Facility; not the right path I should take, and 'seem wrong' since the last time he encountered you."

You raise an eyebrow. "Did he say in what way? Besides my eyes, not much has changed."

Laura shakes her head.

Clucking your tongue, you wipe some of the still wet blood off your face and into your red sleeve.

Either that man has some form of spiritual awareness or his past experiences with the supernatural have given him a type of sense that can detect part of the immaterial world. He could also just be being a dramatic bitch. A surprising amount of old-timers are like that in their foolish need for attention for being ancient. Dan and Abuelita were never like that, though, neither are your grandparents, thank fuck.

>[ ] "...Everyone has a soul. They're almost always a light blue. Some are brighter than others, which I think is an indication of enlightenment or understanding of something. Anyway, mine's a dark bloody red. Yours is gray, which is... basically a sign you were born incomplete thanks to being a test-tube baby."
>[ ] "You and I share a lot in common... far too much really. I... I die a little on the inside whenever I look at you. Sometimes I drift back to how I used to be."
>[ ] "Don't worry about your cousin and your aunt, I'll make sure Kimura doesn't get a hold of them."
>[ ] "I'm going to... become someone else for a moment. I think they want to talk to you."
>[ ] "Just how much of a criminal do you think I am?"
>[ ] "Hey, are you okay?"
>[ ] Well, do you see her?
>[ ] ...Take control. I'll let you.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3927177
>[ ] "You and I share a lot in common... far too much really. I... I die a little on the inside whenever I look at you. Sometimes I drift back to how I used to be."
How's it going boss?

Voting closed; writing now.

>>3927329
Moderately well, thanks for asking. How have you been doing?

>[X] "You and I share a lot in common... far too much really. I... I die a little on the inside whenever I look at you. Sometimes I drift back to how I used to be."

>(1/2)

It may contradict the complete denial of the claims she made about your similarities you made in turn but it is ultimately the cold, hard truth of the matter: the two of you are a lot alike. At the very least, you were once a lot like her. You're not that person anymore even if it still lingers past its time. Just acknowledging its presence is enough to piss you off, though. Talking with it leads to mental breakdowns as well as emotional outbursts, one of which you suffer from talking with Laura. Maybe admitting it will help you with that issue.

"You and I share a lot in common... far too much really. I... I die a little on the inside whenever I look at you. Sometimes I drift back to how I used to be."

The mutant girl lowers the magazine from her face. "...It makes you hurt more."

"No," you shake your head, "I just feel... empty."

"You are too numb to feel the pain anymore. It must have been excruciating, the pain that numbed you."

"I don't remember ever being hurt to that point. Getting shot, stabbed, or my bones dislocated never even made me flinch. If you're talking emotional pain, I never experienced that until recently: there wasn't a single emotion I could feel back then."

Laura tilts her head. "Truly?"

>(2/2)

You nod. "I only started having feelings five years ago... I can't describe how it felt like when I... when I..."

"Kojo?"

Blinking, you raise a hand to your head.

Dan's death was the first time you felt surprise but w̷̢̮̄h̷͎̞͋y̷̟̒,̵͔͛ ̴͎͓̔̿͗w̴̨̻͒͘h̶͕͊ỹ̶̮͜,̸̣̕ ̵̧̞̾w̴̠̱̄h̸͓̀͌ŷ̷̢̘͚͐,̵̣̓̋ ̴̯͗̀w̶͇̄h̵̨̰̼̀̈́̔y̵̺̽,̴͎̐͛ ̴͍̦̐̀̎w̵̛͕̜̰̒͠ĥ̵̹̣̝̔ÿ̵̧̜͔́̒?̴̜̗͍̉͒

A red haze clouds your vision as you fall sideways against the wall behind the counter.

X-K̵̬̽õ̵͕̦̕͘23 hops back-flips from her seated position behind the counter, walks to you, and crouches. "You are bleeding again. I am unaware of the rate you heal. Should I call an ambulance or alert Phineas?"

You blink again as you feel warm, sweet red ooze out of your skull.

Ỳ̸̥ő̴̫̝͖͋u̵̠͠ ̵̘̥͍̉d̷̮̼̕͝o̵̜̠͆̎͂n̵͖̏'̵̧̪͝t̵̥̟͌͜ ̷̬̌ų̸̠̋̈́͠n̵̳͖̈́̔͛d̵̢̈́̾e̷̛͔͑r̵̙͂̀s̸̫͗ṫ̵͈̞̯͑̚ḁ̴͕̀̒̒ͅn̷̢̩͙͛̂d̸̢̉.̵̧̞̠̀̀

>[ ] "...Have you ever wondered why you have to suffer or why you exist? It's practically the same question. Isn't that hilarious? Doesn't that just make you laugh?"
>[ ] "...Are you the one okay? I mean, you just got into a fight with your gene daddy. Ha! Gene daddy... My brain's splattered like... mine."
>[ ] "I'm fine... Totally fine. I'm... Red... Sweet red... The blood never stops... The Stream never ends..."
>[ ] "I'm going to... become someone else for a moment. I think they want to talk to you."
>[ ] ...Take control. I'll let you just this once.
>[ ] Why are we still here? Just to suffer?
>[ ] Breathe in.
>[ ] Write In.

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

Thoughts or questions relating to good old boy Kojo, Laura, or anything else on your minds?

Daily Advice: willpower through the urge to eat like a fatass, your stomach is all that will grow

>>3927904
This one is tough.
Hard to pin down the right way to go.
I'm reluctant to wax poetic about the suffering of existence to anyone besides Marcus... which we should probably do once our brain stops imploding.
We could talk to her about our father or Dan. Our prior self seems to want out, but I'm hesitant to let go completely.
I want to address her question, no ambulance, and acknowledge the brain issue while releasing some of puppetboy's angst in the hopes that we can move forward. Get him out or assimilated.

>[X] "No ambulance."
>[X] "...Are you the one okay? I mean, you just got into a fight with your gene daddy. Ha! Gene daddy... My brain's splattered like... mine."
>[X] "I'm fine... Totally fine. I'm... Red... Sweet red... The blood never stops... The Stream never ends..."
I like this. Also, it's basically "Uh, everything is under control. Situation normal. Uh, had a slight brain malfunction. But, uh, everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here, now, thank you. How are you?"

>[X] Breathe in.
Concentrate and relax. Like moving your bowels in your mind.
Maybe let the past speak.

>tfw when you get a new pet you just adore but it turns out your mindsoul is allergic to it.

>>3928183
support

Voting closed; writing now.

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>[X] "No ambulance."
>[X] "...Are you the one okay? I mean, you just got into a fight with your gene daddy. Ha! Gene daddy... My brain's splattered like... mine."
>[X] "I'm fine... Totally fine. I'm... Red... Sweet red... The blood never stops... The Stream never ends..."
>[X] Breathe in.

>(1/2)

This is wrong: everything that has ever been and ever was is entirely wrong. You shouldn't be here. Nothing else should be here either. Everything is nothing more than an unknowable entity's unending dream without sleep. It's meaningless, meaningless, meaningless, meaningless, meaningless, meaningless, and meaningless in its meaninglessness but on you march. Whatever answer you find from this never ending existence will probably not be enough.

"No ambulance."

Laura nods before putting her ear to your chest. "Your heartbeat is normal..." Raising her head off you, she murmurs. "Aside from your physical condition, are you well?"

"...Are you the one okay?" You glance at the forlorn, bloodied child. "I mean, you just got into a fight with your gene daddy." A smile makes its way on to your face. "Ha! Gene daddy... My brain's splattered," the red haze blurs as the scent of salt lingering on your cheeks grows, "like...mine."

"You are not physically or mentally well."

Waving her off, you laugh into a whimper. "I'm fine..." You wipe the oozing blood off your face with said wave hand. "Totally fine. I'm..." A hum rumbles in your throat as you stare at your bloodied hand. "Red... Sweet red... The blood never stops... The Stream never ends..."

"K̶o̵̬̜̻̙̭ͅj̖͕̖̳ͅo̕?̰̫̪͚̭͈" Sh̙̮̗̮̪͘e͇̫̯̙̼͎ calls out, distorted and faint.

You put a hand to your chest as you feel every cell in your body screams for one essential thing. Closing your eyes, you open your mouth and let the fresh water into your lungs.

A choked gasp is all you hear before you fade into darkness.

...

...

Opening what is your eyes but not our eyes, you see a woman standing before you. Like a lot of women you've seen throughout Hunts Point, she's dressed in little but in a stange black. Five white markings on her smooth face contrast her black lips.

"My my, what do we have here?" Her other worldly voice rings out while she crouches down to your level, reaching for your face.

You move a hand of your own down to grab your knife, as you usually would, but feel nothing before hopping back away from the stranger and her touch.

A small coo reverberates through the void. "Touchy touchy!" She rises. "I suppose I can't blame you for being so distrustful of someone who held you as a baby but you should remember in this form."

>(2/2)

Looking down, you see a black mist where your rags and flesh should be. "I̬͝ ̖̱͓̼̙ͅd̠̘̭̜̣ͅo̩̟̺̺̮̘n͚͔̩̪'̜̙̘̦͈͇̟t͚͠ ̶͙͍u̝̙̖̬͔͕̥n̢̫̺̜̘͈̬d̹͚͓̙̭̳eͅr͚͖̭̀s̰̝̗̻̘̖͞t̫͖͉ͅan̵̰̱d͇̰͔̣̦̻̯.̞̟"

"You poor thing." She saunters to you much like a whore would. "You've been like this for far too long." Crouching again, she restrains from attempting to touch you again. "It's okay, I'll make it go away. This time, you'll either be at peace or who you should've been from the beginning."

A hop back saves you from another one of her touches and a side-step save you from a lunge.

The woman flips off whatever count for a platform in this void back on to her feet, giggles, and begins her pursuit again.

You dodge, roll, duck, side-step, hop back, and run as much as you can from the entity's grasp until she manages to scrape her fingers along your side, casting an agony you never imagined to be possible through you.

As your lips open to scream, the woman presses hers against yours.

The agony dies as everything you are begins to die and become one with the being that can only be Death itself.

A blinding light fills the void and flows into you, enveloping you in red.

...

...

You open your eyes to a reinforce steel ceiling illuminated by blue monitor light.

"He's awake." A familiar, gentle voice speaks up.

Some scraping, rolling sound resounds through the bunker as Phineas slides into view. "That he is, Laura. That he is."

A groan escapes your lips.

You hate having dreams.

>[ ] "...I just realized I was molested as a child by a cosmic entity and have been repressing it for five years."
>[ ] "I swear, that fucking abomination better be somewhere else when I lift myself up."
>[ ] "How long have I been out of my fucking head?"
>[ ] "Old man, get me food... and a coffee."
>[ ] "Laura, why aren't you at my feet?"
>[ ] Please die, you're no use to either of us.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3929013
>>[X] "...I just realized I was molested as a child by a cosmic entity and have been repressing it for five years."
>>[X] "How long have I been out of my fucking head?"

>>3929025
kek support

>>3929013
>>[X] "How long have I been out of my fucking head?"

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "...I just realized I was molested as a child by a cosmic entity and have been repressing it for five years."
>[X] "How long have I been out of my fucking head?"

Similarities between you and the puppet girl just seem to increase the more you find out about yourself and about her. While you weren't ever so blatantly violated, that bitch of a cosmic representation sure did have her hands all over you. Bitch probably diddled you when you were a barely-existent baby. Those soul-sipping lips and tongue were definitely all up on and in yours.

"...I just realized I was molested as a child by a cosmic entity and have been repressing it for five years."

Laura walks into view and pats you on the horned head. "Everything is okay, Kojo. I understand."

You shoot the girl a look as she caresses your scalp.

Beyond it being weird to touch someone who's been touched as a child, which you technically weren't since you cut normal people who tried to touch you, she is starting to copy you. Maybe she is an animal on the inside: the furry Canuck is her genetic father after all. Would probably be fun to teach her a few tricks.

"How long have I been out of my fucking head?"

"Two hours and approximately thirty-two minutes." Mrs. 'Varley' states.

Another groan escapes your lips. "Goddammit, that's two hours and thirty-two minutes too many."

"You had severe brain damage as well as severe hemorrhaging." Phineas speaks up, spinning in his spinny chair. "By all means, you should be dead right now. I advise staying in bed for the time being."

"I have a company to run and reports to read."

Laura moves her other hand to your chest as you rise up. "Rest. As CEO, you do not have set working hours outside of what you wish to work."

"I'm healed, for fuck's sake. Now if you'd excuse me."

The girl adds pressure to her hand in a vain attempt to push your rising chest down. "You must at least be mentally exhausted."

You roll your eyes.

She is too insistent even though you're fine.

>[ ] "I swear, that fucking abomination better be somewhere else when I lift myself up."
>[ ] "Laura, why aren't you just laying at my feet?"
>[ ] "What? Do you want to talk or something?"
>[ ] "Old man, get me food... and a coffee."
>[ ] "I'm fine, relax."
>[ ] Please die, you're no use to either of us.
>[ ] Write In.

apologies, a family situation happened but it's done now

>>3929617
>>[ ] "What? Do you want to talk or something?"
>>[ ] "Old man, get me food... and a coffee."

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "What? Do you want to talk or something?"
>[X] "Old man, get me food... and a coffee."

Bitch is being way too forceful with you to just be worried about your health. She probably wants something out of you or her social retardation is acting up. You could just stand up, but you're being considerate here as her owner and supreme master. Having a wake-up dinner in bed woul also be nice after having your brains splattered and discovering you were fiddled with.

"What? Do you want to talk or something?"

"You and I were talking earlier before you had a mental breakdown likely caused by your extreme brain damage."

Clucking your tongue, you shoot the girl a look. "Lead with that next time. No wound other than self-inflected amputations have made me take hours to heal from."

"...Kojo," Phineas stops his chair spinning, "you self-harm?"

Your eyes blink in surprise before you shake your head. "No, I just had a bad habit of pulling off and crushing my fingers and toes when I first mutated. Hell, it took me a while until I could walk without my bones, much less the ground. My bones are horribly undeveloped for these godly muscles of mine."

"Oh, well you should take better care of yourself then."

One more groan escapes your lips.

You'd say he isn't your father if that probably wouldn't stir up some shit inside.

"Old man, get me food... and a coffee."

The man nods before flipping out a futuristic phone with the same aesthetic as yours except blue and a flip model. "Do you have a preference towards meals?"

"Don't you have any food you can cook here or a robot that does the cooking for you?"

"Oh no, the cooking robots I make start fires and promptly commit suicide as they go through an existential crisis."

"Ah, C-bot!" An ear-grating electric voice echoes throughout the bunker. "I cry on the inside every time I remember you because I'm unable to cry on the outside."

"...You really need to be cautious about the types of robots you give sentience, and I'll take some real Chinese food in the form of mapo tofu, biangbiang noodles, and peking duck."

The man nods before spinning his chair and settling on Laura.

"I would like to try the same."

Humming, the tiny old man spins himself again before rolling away.

You tilt your head at the scene.

He's either being eccentric again or having fun with his chairs.

>[ ] "...Everyone has a soul. They're almost always a light blue. Some are brighter than others, which I think is an indication of enlightenment or understanding of something. Anyway, mine's a dark bloody red, it used to be black and it flickers back sometimes. Yours is gray, which is... basically a sign you were born incomplete thanks to being a test-tube baby."
>[ ] "Are you intentionally copying me or just trying to show affection?"
>[ ] "Just how much of a criminal do you think I am?"
>[ ] "Laura, why aren't you at my feet?"
>[ ] Please die, you're no use to either of us.
>[ ] Do you remember that?
>[ ] Write In.

Late. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8) before my morning class if I can and in the afternoon if not.

Thoughts or questions relating to Kojo's cosmic molestation or anything else?

Daily Advice: eat, eat, eat, eat if you're working out but be careful of what you do eat

>>3929970
>[ ] "Are you intentionally copying me or just trying to show affection?"
>[ ] "Just how much of a criminal do you think I am?"
Quick vote before work

Voting closed; writing now.

>>3929973
>Thoughts or questions relating to Kojo's cosmic molestation or anything else?
Huh, I guess the anon antagonizing Death was right after all.

>[X] "Are you intentionally copying me or just trying to show affection?"
>[X] "Just how much of a criminal do you think I am?"

>(1/2)

May as well call her out on her ape-like behavior unbefitting of a wolverine cat like herself. She should develop her own mannerisms and try to show she appreciates you in more subtle ways. It'll help her model out her own personality considering how paltry it is right now. You also need to figure out just how much she suspects you of being a criminal just to see how perceptive she is.

Turning your gaze to the female 'clone' of a man, you hum. "Are you intentionally copying me or just trying to show affection?"

"Both, I thought using your mannerisms would endear me to you due to your current vulnerability."

"I'm not vulnerable, but I appreciate it. Why do you want to be endeared by me?"

"...So you are not inclined to dispose of me, abuse me, or permit my abuse."

A frown makes its way on to your face.

It's going to take a while for her to get over the fact her mother was a two-faced piece of shit. You're surprised she hasn't ran off by now. There must be something about you she trusts or likes to stay around. Either it's one of those two things or she's just being practical, like the reasons she gave as to why she chose you.

"There's no need to worry about any of those things so long as you don't betray me, understand?"

X-23 nods.

>(2/2)

A sigh escapes you lips. "Just how much of a criminal do you think I am?"

"Considering your predecessor's position and status, my first assumption is the new Kingpin of New York. The power vacuum left by Wilson Fisk without someone to fill it would have been massive. From what information I have ascertained, there has been little underworld conflict visible to the common people. There is also the manner of your suspicious inheritance of Wilson Fisk's fortune after his assassin, both of which I expect you masterminded. You are either the new Kingpin of Crime or a young man entrenched in crime to have a significant influence. The Facility would not have contacted you otherwise."

"How do you know the fatass was the Kingpin? I know you did a few jobs for him back when you were in the Facility's custody, but I can't imagine they'd let you know his identity."

"I posed as his niece, Samantha Fisk, to assassinate Claudio Dilorenzo, a mutant former Mafia enforcer with the alias of 'Fade,' who was intruding on his business. After assassinating Claudio, I eliminated his wife and child for the Kingpin. Wilson Fisk's identity as the Kingpin is also obvious when one considers the many scandals involving Fisk Industries in the past."

You cluck your tongue again. "That was far too careless of him."

Laura nods her head in silence once again, teen hand still petting your head.

Her knowing who you are couldn't hurt, but it might be worth it just to try and keep things on the down low for now.

>[ ] "...Everyone has a soul. They're almost always a light blue. Some are brighter than others, which I think is an indication of enlightenment or understanding of something. Anyway, mine's a dark bloody red, it used to be misty black and it flickers back sometimes. Yours is gray, which is... basically a sign you were born incomplete thanks to being a test-tube baby."
>[ ] "What if I told you that you're right on all marks? How do you think I control New York?"
>[ ] "Laura, why aren't you at my feet?"
>[ ] Sit and wait for food and coffee, talking won't get you anywhere.
>[ ] Please die, you're no use to either of us.
>[ ] Do you remember that?
>[ ] Write In.

>>3930473
>>[X] "What if I told you that you're right on all marks? How do you think I control New York?"

Currently in class. Will close voting and update when I get back to my place.

>>3930473
>[X] "What if I told you that you're right on all marks? How do you think I control New York?"
Let's test out her analysis skills.

>>3930529
I'm expecting her to think we are better than we actually are. "Oh yeah, that's totally on purpose"

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "What if I told you that you're right on all marks? How do you think I control New York?"

Couldn't hurt to ask her and test her analysis abilities with what it would take to control a rich city like New York. She probably already has a decent idea of how you're setup based on how Fisk used to run his empire. It's nowhere near exact, but you are using tributaries, which your vassals kind of are in a certain way. You have yet to directly involve yourself again.

"What if I told you that you're right on all marks? How do you think I control New York?"

The woman raises her now child-aged hand to her chin. "You, as a public figure, likely use proxies to represent you and your interests. New York City is too big and too rich of an area to control entirely on your own, so you would have to rely on trusted, experienced criminals to run sections of it on your behalf. Either each proxy is assigned a borough or each borough is split between two different proxies to make them compete over the other's half than to turn on you. With your teleportation abilities, you likely meet with each in person to hear reports bu-"

Phineas, rolling and spinning, comes back into view with a savory-smelling bitter robusta coffee on a tea plate in hand.

"Nice pick of beans, Mason." You take the plate and sip the hot, dark water.

"The coffee machine I constructed back when I was a young man is several centuries more advanced than the coffee machines of the modern age." The old man lips curve into a small smile.

Chuckling, you shake your head and focus back on X-23. "Continue."

"But with Phineas' expertise, you can contact them on burner phones with a phone several centuries more advanced than current cellular technology to hide your tracks. The dissolution of the Facility and Kimura's obediance also show you have exceptional charisma as well as power beyond that of a regular Kingpin.

A small hum rumbles in your throat as you drink more coffee.

She got a lot of it, but she doesn't have the proper information to see that the six or seven new and remaining groups are all really working together as one.

>[ ] "...Everyone has a soul. They're almost always a light blue. Some are brighter than others, which I think is an indication of enlightenment or understanding of something. Anyway, mine's a dark bloody red, it used to be misty black and it flickers back sometimes. Yours is gray, which is... basically a sign you were born incomplete thanks to being a test-tube baby."
>[ ] "Those 'proxies' are actually all their own individual subdivisions. Most of their members don't even know they're all one in the same."
>[ ] "Hmm, that would be a really good setup if I was a criminal."
>[ ] "Laura, why aren't you at my feet?"
>[ ] Sit and wait for food and enjoy your coffee, talking won't get you anywhere.
>[ ] Please die, you're no use to either of us.
>[ ] Did you always remember that?
>[ ] Write In.

>>3930761
>Pretty good guess.
>[ ] Sit and wait for food and enjoy your coffee, talking won't get you anywhere.
Relax for a minute. It won't kill us.

>>3930761
>[X] "Those 'proxies' are actually all their own individual subdivisions. Most of their members don't even know they're all one in the same."
>>[X] Did you always remember that?

Rolled 2 (1d2)

Pretty good guess.
>[ ] Sit and wait for food and enjoy your coffee, talking won't get you anywhere.

>[X] "Those 'proxies' are actually all their own individual subdivisions. Most of their members don't even know they're all one in the same."
>>[X] Did you always remember that?

>[X] "Those 'proxies' are actually all their own individual subdivisions. Most of their members don't even know they're all one in the same."
>[X] Did you always remember that?

>(1/2)

While you could deflect as well as admit your status as Kingpin, it'd be better for you to tell her the truth and let her know what the name of the game is. It'd help you build more trust and also be a way for you to wave your big brain dick around. Besides that, you need to have a decent talk with yourself about what just happened. It's not going to be pleasant, and it might happen again, but you have to do it anyway.

"Those 'proxies' are actually all their own individual subdivisions. Most of their members don't even know they're all one in the same."

A sudden murmur escapes the girl's lips. "...That raises risk of altercations between sub-divisons but would also make government agencies mistake them as different organizations, drawing attention away from you." Her pre-teen fingers stroke her chin. "It would cause large outside factions to see weakness, however."

"If anyone tried to move in, it would look like a coalition of the major powers of this city's underworld banded together to take them out. They're already all on relatively good terms. Not one leader can run more than just a single borough on their own anyway, so it's pointless to fight over what little could be gained."

"Yes, it would dissuade infighting to a point. Do you trust your proxies?" She tilts her head.

Smiling, you nod. "One with my life, one would probably kill himself for me so long as I do right by him, one is wise with no real choice in the matter, half of one with the running things while I'm gone, and the other half with," your smile dies, "absolutely nothing."

>(2/2)

"...I do not understand."

"Neither do I. It's complicated and also my fault."

X-23 hums and says nothing.

You cluck your tongue as you let yourself fall back on to the bed.

Did you always remember that?

V̶̡̨̢̖̣͌̈̑̀ä̴̫̝̫̈́g̵̡̨̦̹̺͝ū̴̢̦̬̬̺̊̆e̴̞̐̕ļ̶̻͔̜̝̾́̈͒̇y̴̡̹̱͍̻̩̽̕̚,̵̩̺̳̿̀̄͂̎̑͜ ̶͚͕͍̰̿̈́i̵͔͓̮͐͘t̷̻̺͈͖̦̊̿͠ͅ'̸͚̝͕̗͓̆̐͊̕̚s̴͇̿̐̆̚ ̷̭̰̱͓̩͋̆̂̿̄l̴̡̩̦͖̀̊͆͝i̷̡̝͐̂̀k̷͇̼̘̐̎͑͐͛e̸͓͔̩̭̋ ̵̥̝̙̊͝a̶͓͎͍̕ ̴̡̝̙̩̔̊͆͆̌͊f̶̧̨̳̼̭̒̀ȧ̷̛̗̣͐̍͝d̶̥̎͒̄̐i̵̡̹̦̟̾n̴̈ͅg̷̜͍̟̩͚͐̎̂͝ ̸̨̦̠̖͊̕̚d̴͉͔̖͎̈̔͜ṟ̸̻͕͕̮̣̒ě̷̞͒̎͊ḁ̷̏̉̕m̷̬̭̰͎̗̈ ̶̬̪̀b̸̙̮̺̭͖̆͌̕e̷͙͕͌͋̇͒̽f̵̥̣̩͙̂͌̽͐͜o̵͓̩̪̥͊̍͒̊̍r̷̗̫͍͝e̸͉͋̎̄̚ ̴̠͈͇̺͈̠̿̿̽̕d̴̨̛̯̦͔̰͋͂̓͠e̴̜͙̳̘̖͈̚a̸̹̠͈̕t̴̢̞̙̰̟͊̒͆̊̿̚ͅḣ̶͖ͅ.̷̻̏̋

A hum of your own purrs in your throat.

Those were the last moments he had in control of your vessel and when your soul best matched him before whatever the hell that was happened. It'd make sense for him not to remember much. Your true self probably would say the same thing, having been in an entirely different state.

>[ ] "...Everyone has a soul. They're almost always a light blue. Some are brighter than others, which I think is an indication of enlightenment or understanding of something. Anyway, mine's a dark bloody red, it used to be misty black and it flickers back sometimes. Yours is gray, which is... basically a sign you were born incomplete thanks to being a test-tube baby."
>[ ] "...Do you want to join my group of adolescent gangsters?"
>[ ] "Laura, why aren't you at my feet?"
>[ ] Sit and wait for food and enjoy your coffee, talking won't get you anywhere.
>[ ] Please die, you're no use to either of us.
>[ ] Do You remember?
>[ ] Write In.

>>3931268
>>[X] "...Everyone has a soul. They're almost always a light blue. Some are brighter than others, which I think is an indication of enlightenment or understanding of something. Anyway, mine's a dark bloody red, it used to be misty black and it flickers back sometimes. Yours is gray, which is... basically a sign you were born incomplete thanks to being a test-tube baby."

Sorry for the long wait. Group assignments are a bitch. Anyway, it's already getting late so I'll close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8)

Thoughts or questions regarding anything recent in development?

Daily Advice: water is good for you and cleans our teeth while other, sugary drinks help rot them.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "...Everyone has a soul. They're almost always a light blue. Some are brighter than others, which I think is an indication of enlightenment or understanding of something. Anyway, mine's a dark bloody red, it used to be misty black and it flickers back sometimes. Yours is gray, which is... basically a sign you were born incomplete thanks to being a test-tube baby."

No harm in telling her this spiritual/cosmic little tidbit of information about how reality works. You haven't shown her any supernatural ability outside teleportation, which she thinks is caused by mutation rather than magic. She might have some doubts, but she seems to trust you enough to keep an open mind about the things you say and do.

You take a long sip of your coffee an set the cup down with a satisfied sigh. "...Everyone has a soul. They're almost always a light blue. Some are brighter than others, which I think is an indication of enlightenment or understanding of something." You shrug. "Anyway, mine's a dark bloody red, it used to be misty black and it flickers back sometimes. Yours is gray, which is... basically a sign you were born incomplete thanks to being a test-tube baby."

The girl blinks. "...I do not understand."

"Souls are real, the supernatural is real, and I'm quite possibly the only person who has developed supernatural awareness through concentration." Raising a hand to your chin, you hum. "It's more of a super-awareness than anything, like how a soul is a kind of super-existence. Hard to explain to someone who doesn't have the sight. The world just looks... brighter and more colorful."

A hum vibrates in Laura's throat. "There was something that always felt... missing inside me."

"Yeah," you sigh, "same here."

"Still? Even knowing that you have a soul, albeit a strange one?"

"I still don't understand. There's something I'm missing or just haven't come to terms with. I have awareness, but I lack understanding: it's like being on the edge of something great and vast but just out of reach.

"That sounds frustrating."

A groan escapes your lips. "You have no idea."

She's taken this revelation surprisingly well, if she actually does believe you and isn't playing along. Then again, the Facility does have records of magic being used and has run tests on the bodies of the magic users X-23 assassinated to confirm that their powers aren't genetic. Laura either already knew the supernatural was real or had her own suspicions to believe you so easily.

>[ ] "You've actually been paid to assassinate a few sorcerers in the past. Their abilities weren't mutations at all."
>[ ] "...Do you want to join my group of adolescent gangsters?"
>[ ] "Laura, why aren't you at my feet?"
>[ ] Sit and wait for food and enjoy your coffee, talking won't get you anywhere.
>[ ] Please die, you're no use to either of us.
>[ ] Do You remember?
>[ ] Write In.

Going to go to my class in a few minutes. Will close voting and update when I get back.

>>3932040
>>[X] "...Do you want to join my group of adolescent gangsters?"

Voting closed; writing now.

Convincing someone that we know that souls, magic, and the supernatural are real might be more convincing if we hadn't just displayed that we just suffered massive brain damage.
Just saying.

>[X] "...Do you want to join my group of adolescent gangsters?"

It's not totally out of the question to think about recruiting Laura into your group of merciless thieves, rapists, murderers, and liars proper. Her experience and finesse would be invaluable in combat or spy operations, especially now that you might be going at it with Hydra or SHIELD anytime soon. You did promise to keep her safe, though. She might accept, but it might be better for her and for you to keep her out of this: you don't need your brain imploding everytime you think of something tragic when you see her still face.

"...Do you want to join my group of adolescent gangsters?"

Laura shakes her head. "No, I do not fit in well in street-level organizations. My mutant abilities and training are suited more for assassination than extortion or enforcement." She raises an eyebrow. "Judging by your lack of cranial orifice bleeding, you should be healed, but it is very likely you retain minor to severe brain damage. Your cognitive functions may be impaired as a result, which can lead to decisions you would not commonly make or to discuss the idea of there being something supernatural."

"Were you just playing along earlier since you apparently don't believe me?" You raise an eyebrow of your own.

"I have experienced strange, unexplainable phenomena in situations where my targets resided in abandoned temples, underground bunkers, churches, secluded mountain monasteries, and isolated forest villages. Often, I would be ordered to retrieve the bodies of targets that exhibited those phenomena. Some commented of my strange aura and presence before I killed them. You have said things that I myself have contemplated and had suspicions of. While I have my doubts, the phenomena I have experienced and the words of their apparent sources support your claims relating to the soul and the supernatural."

You blink. "Okaaay, but how does brain damage relate to that?"

"Sometimes before death, a person experiences an ego 'death' that causes them to experience a mental breakdown where a supernatural being contacts them. Brain injury, if not treated or managed well, can lead to actual death. You may still have some brain injury."

A hum rumbles in your throat.

This little bitch is a living handbook of information you already know now thanks to the Facility's former director, the doctor fuck. She's probably willing to be a spy for you. Assassination, not so much: that's something she's likely still iffy about. Wouldn't hurt to ask her, though.

>[ ] "Those targets were either some manner of sorcerer, pagan priests channeling their forgotten god, or druids calling on the power of Mother Gaia. My magic tutor could probably tell you more about them and what else they might have been."
>[ ] "I suppose you'd be more open to being a spy or maybe even performing wetwork again?"
>[ ] "Laura, why aren't you at my feet?"
>[ ] Wait for food, you hungry n' shit
>[ ] Do You remember?
>[ ] Write In.

>>3932663
>>[X] "Those targets were either some manner of sorcerer, pagan priests channeling their forgotten god, or druids calling on the power of Mother Gaia. My magic tutor could probably tell you more about them and what else they might have been."
>>[X] "I suppose you'd be more open to being a spy or maybe even performing wetwork again?"

Going to go to my night class soon. Will close voting and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8) before my morning class starts if I can and in the afternoon if not.

Thoughts or questions?

Daily advice: resist impulse buys if you really want to have money.

>>3932663
>>[X] "I suppose you'd be more open to being a spy or maybe even performing wetwork again?"

>>3932668
support
>>3932727
thats great advice it also helps weight and motivation

If we’re introducing people to Strange it might be worthwhile to get Itsuki and/or his sword looked at, it’s currently under control but if we knew what was in the sword it might be beneficial should it try to get out, it’s obviously an oni of some sort but we don’t know the power level of it or what it’s capable of outside of the sword. Strange might also understand why Itsuki shines like a lightbulb in soul vision

Voting closed; writing now.

>>3933486
Also continuing from this regardless of who does or doesn’t meet Strange, we should really have a one on one with him next time, prior to bringing anyone els., The last time we spoke to him he met the other us and it frightened him to the point of lying through his teeth and we’ve consumed a soul since then (which Strange noticed instantly before with the other us getting stronger because of it), who knows what kind of reception we’ll receive this time.

So I’ve caught up with the previous threads over the past couple days and I want to say Afungi that you’re doing really good work, your writing has advanced leaps and bounds since thread one and you’ve managed to portray a damaged and psychotic character in a relatively realistic way, which is hard for even experienced writers. The only recommendation I’d make is getting a Twitter or a discord so you can inform people of when the next thread will be (will help you grow an audience and retain more voters if people have somewhere to check to know when to show up for a thread), other than that keep doing what you’re doing and things will become more polished as you gain more and more experience.

Don’t get discouraged by the lack of voters or minimal voting, /qst/ is a sack filled to the brim with garbage and it’s hard for people to see the quests which have effort invested in them for all the shit surrounding it.

>[X] "Those targets were either some manner of sorcerer, pagan priests channeling their forgotten god, or druids calling on the power of Mother Gaia. My magic tutor could probably tell you more about them and what else they might have been."
>[X] "I suppose you'd be more open to being a spy or maybe even performing wetwork again?"

>(1/2)

Strange might know a way to help Laura and her dull soullessness. It could be impossible, but it's worth a try and a spiritual examination. Then again, he didn't seem like he'd ever be in the mood to converse with another soul again after talking to yours. Looking at such a distorted soul could possibly have some side-effects. You'll ask about her preferred profession after giving her some insight on the things she's seen.

"Those targets were either some manner of sorcerer, pagan priests channeling their forgotten god, or druids calling on the power of Mother Gaia. My magic tutor could probably tell you more about them and what else they might have been."

X-23's eyes broaden. "...How does 'magic' function, and who is your magic tutor?"

"It's basically channeling energy from a source and imposing your will on reality using that energy with precise concentration. As for my magic tutor, he's the Sorcerer Supreme. I'm not sure of this planet or this dimension, but he's the man with the most experience and knowledge about the subject. Him and I are on... speaking terms right now."

"What conflict occurred between you and this 'Sorcerer Supreme?'"

You cluck your tongue. "It's complicated."

Another small hum murmurs from the girl's throat and out her lips.

>(2/2)

Writhing uncomfortably against your bed and pillow, you raise your upper body and see Phineas tinkering on another of his pet projects in an off-side of the bunker before focusing back on Laura. "I suppose you'd be more open to being a spy or maybe even performing wetwork again?"

"I am comfortable conducting espionage, but I wish to abstain from assassination for now: while I do exceed in eliminating targets, I am... compromised."

You raise an eyebrow at X-23. "Compromised how exactly?"

"My... Doctor Sarah Kinney's last instructions were for me to 'not be what they made me.'"

Lowering your brow, you thin your lips out against each other into a thin line.

She still can't help but obey the orders a pathetic excuse for a mother gave her. It's to be expected when one was raised from birth to not have a real will of their own but still sorry. Beating it out of her would be in your best interests if that wasn't the same way it was beaten in and would be horrible for you to take your frustration out on. An authority figure with a strong connection to her would have orders incapable of being ignored. Kimura, Sarah, the former director, and her now long dead bullshido teacher were the only ones who could deliver those kinds of orders. Depending on how she comes to view you, maybe you can do the same in time. Her bitch mother's last order probably lost a lot of its strength since Kimura revealed to her just how much of a bitch she was.

>[ ] "Are you comfortable working with Facility operatives who's names aren't Kimura?"
>[ ] "It's okay. It ge—... It'll remind you what and who to avoid."
>[ ] "What do you think of me? Do you trust me?"
>[ ] "Laura, why aren't you at my feet?"
>[ ] Wait for food, you hungry and must eat.
>[ ] Do You remember?
>[ ] Write in.

>>3933998
>[ ] "It's okay. It ge—... It'll remind you what and who to avoid."
>[ ] Wait for food, you hungry and must eat.

>>3933998
>>[ ] "What do you think of me? Do you trust me?"

Voting closed; writing now.
>>3933798
Forgot to thank you immediately after posting the other half of the update. Glad to have you with us. Hopefully we can attract more quality voters in the future.

>[X] "It's okay. It ge—... It'll remind you what and who to avoid."
>[X] "What do you think of me? Do you trust me?"
>[X] Wait for food, you hungry and must eat.

>(1/2)

Giving comfort and reassurance are some of the quickest ways of gaining someone's trust and loyalty. Respect and honesty are above everything else but those two things aren't exclusive with the other two. Besides your anti-social manipulations, you're also feeling a bit peckish. It's been a while since you've eaten something that wasn't a human soul.

"It's okay. It ge—... It'll remind you what and who to avoid."

Laura looks down at herself.

Sighing, you plop back down on the overly soft bed. "What do you think of me? Do you trust me?"

"I trust you not to harm me or use me in a manner I find uncomfortable, but I am not sure what to think of you."

"Huh?" You raise an eyebrow. "Pretty sure you should have some idea of who I am, whether it be incorrect or correct."

"My information is limited, and I suspect you may refrain from talking about yourself or your past as it seems to cause you mental breakdowns."

Putting both eyebrows down into a rough stare, you grimace. "That was one ti—" You raise a hand to your chin as your alley smashing comes back into mind. "...Okay, maybe two but I can take it... normally." A sigh escapes your lips as you let your hand slap back down against you. "It's just when I talk about it around you."

"Yes, my similarities to you make you feel vulnerable, as if you return to being the same person you used to be like you described."

>(2/2)

You, frowning, look off to the side and away from Laura, taking a customary sip of your coffee.

That's not how you feel, that's not how you feel at all: it's a primal dread accompanying the grief, frustration, and disgust you feel about the things you've done as the thing you were. Few things in this world make you vulnerable. It wasn't as if you cared about what Laura thought or had to say when you told her those things about you. You don't really care what anyone thinks about you in general, save a special few.

"I think you are a remorseful young man with antisocial personality disorder who is going through a transitory period of his life from a gang leader to head of a self-created syndicate. Whoever you become and how far you rise by the end of it will be decided by you alone... All I ask is that you do not throw me away."

A small 'huh' escapes your lips before you turn back around and pull Laura down, using your free hand, to your chest by the head to headpat said head.

The two of you stay in a master-pet embrace until the scent of spicy sauced fermented basedmilk, fried rice, baked dumplings, rich broth, and roasted duck follows the sound of the bunker door being churned open a second time.

Phineas makes his old man way down the flight of stairs, two bags of dispatched genuine Chinese food in hand.

Laura moves a nearby, surprisingly clear table to your bed and by her chair.

Setting the bags on the improptu dining table, Phineas sits back in his spinny chair and roll-spins right into the open spot parallel to Laura's.

Kingpin's second favorite type of food is served.

>[ ] "Speaking of personality disorders, you sure you're not a case of borderline and dependent?"
>[ ] "Hold on, is Beck still at the warehouse? I haven't sent my men to collect yet."
>[ ] "Laura, you can have my mapo tofu. It's spicy, just how you like it."
>[ ] Just how much do You change after eating a soul? My tastes and behavior are starting to reflect Fisk's more than I'd like.
>[ ] Eat, you must eat or just feel like you haven't eaten breakfast, like you feel every day gone without a meal.
>[ ] Do You remember?
>[ ] Write in.

>>3934359
>>[X] Just how much do You change after eating a soul? My tastes and behavior are starting to reflect Fisk's more than I'd like.
>[X] Eat, you must eat or just feel like you haven't eaten breakfast, like you feel every day gone without a meal.

Earlier than my usual time but I'm gonna call the day here. Will close voting an update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8) before my afternoon class.

Thoughts or questions relating to the two broken dolls in human flesh?

Daily Advice: organize the files on your computer for maximum efficiency in memeposting and file sharing

>>3934380
I’ll support this, as well as
>[ ] "Laura, you can have my mapo tofu. It's spicy, just how you like it."

>>3934381
X-23 is interesting in how both self aware and generally aware of situations she is in comparison to ourselves, reminiscent of the person we were before but her trauma has obviously moulded her differently than it did us, the interactions between the two are pretty interesting, almost like a looking at a broken mirror image.

>>3934415
Adding to this, we should snap a pic with x-23 (preferably of her smiling) to show Spider-Man so he doesn’t think we did some villainous stuff towards her, he might buy into the bullshit we tell him but he does also know we’ve killed others in the past so it might set him at ease

>>3934381
Did have a question as well now, unrelated to X-23, but now that we have Harkin’s soul (and hence memories), do we know if the facility planted the bug in the boardroom?

>>3934424
thank you for noticing my efforts
>>3934425
I don't know how I'd write that. Like, it's such a mundane thing I can spin several different ways to get some moments.
>>3934437
They didn't. Good luck finding out

>>3934455
Doesn’t necessarily have to be a big scene thing (honestly I was more thinking Kojo would straight up just tell her to smile so he can get a picture for leverage, probably a couple sentence quick thing), I just thought it fit in with our spider man manipulation plot.

Write it however you want or don’t if you feel it doesn’t fit the scene or setting, you’re portraying the story here afterall Afungi, we just make some choices.

>>3934359
>>[X] Just how much do You change after eating a soul? My tastes and behavior are starting to reflect Fisk's more than I'd like.
This.
A but back I asserted that Kojo is *not* Fisk. Afungi asked if I certain of that. I think I am, but my unexpressed response was that of one asserting a strong belief against the possibility that it was not true.
I feel that Kojo is *not* Fisk and must not become Fisk. Fisk was no King.

>>[X] Eat, you must eat or just feel like you haven't eaten breakfast, like you feel every day gone without a meal.
Also yummies.

I think the pic for Spider-Man is a fine idea. A casual smiling pic while eating take-out sells it better than a posed pic. But whatever flows.
We still have a lot more on Kojo's plate than spicy noodles. Like bugs, webs, and maybe even a black widow to worry about.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] Just how much do You change after eating a soul? My tastes and behavior are starting to reflect Fisk's more than I'd like.
>[X] Eat, you must eat or just feel like you haven't eaten breakfast, like you feel every day gone without a meal.
>[X] "Laura, you can have my mapo tofu. It's spicy, just how you like it."
>[X] Snap a pic for the webman, he needs to know everything is nice with sugar and spice.

>(1/2)

You would very much like to dig into your well-earned post-brain implosion meal, the matter of your existence displaying signs of someone else's is a concern. Sure, you kind of need Fisk's knowledge of business to run one but you're acting too much like him. Peter is also somewhat of a concern considering he may have talked with Laura's gene daddy and come to the totally false conclusion that you're a criminal.

Just how much do You change after eating a soul? My tastes and behavior are starting to reflect Fisk's more than I'd like.

I remain _________________ and will continue to be so for Eternity or until Oblivion. The False King was imperfect but had qualities, knowledge, and skills you could make use of and do so. So long as I Am you and I will continue to be so.

Clucking your tongue, you take your meal out of the bags and plop them open with one hand, breaking apart chopsticks with the other.

Two other snaps resound through the bunker as your allies join you shortly in the feasting.

You wrap a decent amount of biangbiang noodles around your feeding sticks, raise them to your mouth and slurp them down. A hum purrs in your throat at the nutrient rich broth lathered dough followed by a deep gulp. Not content with just noodles, you lift the entire bowl to your mouth and gulp the rest of the vibrant soup down.

Laura, breathing in her own noodles, watches while you open the bowl of peking duck and chomp the rich flesh to shreds.

A sigh escapes your lips after the last bits flow down your natural feeding tube. "Laura, you can have my mapo tofu. It's spicy, just how you like it."

The girl blinks, looks down at your still-closed bowl of tofu, and gulps the rest of the broth-lathered dough. "...Thank you."

>(2/2)

Grinning, you take out your super genius phone and swipe up the camera app before tiling it at an angle. "Smile for the camera!"

X-23 looks up from her opened bowl of duck to stare into the screen-side lens of your smartphone.

"...Laura, come on and smile."

Ms. Varley's upper lips rise up to form an awkward, gummy tooth smile.

You blink. "Have you... ever smiled out of happiness before?"

Creepy Fake-Happy lips go back down to form her usual neutral look. "Once or twice."

"What makes you happy?"

"....I do not know."

A sigh escapes your own lips. "What's the face you usually make when you do something really satisfying?"

Laura's lips part a bit and curving upward while her head follows by tilting off to the side, forming more of a subdued seductive look you've often found women to have after sex.

Shrugging, you tilt your own head and shoot the reflecting picture of you and a Laura grin before taking it.

It'll have to do for the webhead to get off your ass if he asks questions.

>[ ] "I'm going to have someone start taking you out to see the city after I move you into your own place. You need to get some positive experiences."
>[ ] "Speaking of personality disorders, you sure you're not a case of borderline and dependent?"
>[ ] "Hold on, is Beck still at the warehouse? I haven't sent my men to collect yet."
>[ ] "Wait a minute, did Kimura ever make you... nevermind."
>[ ] Eat more, you must feeeeeeed.
>[ ] Do You remember?
>[ ] Write in.

Going to class soon but I'll be back sooner to close voting and update thanks to a quiz.

>>3935219
>>[X] "Wait a minute, did Kimura ever make you... nevermind."
>>[X] Eat more, you must feeeeeeed.

Voting closed; writing now.

>>3935219
>[X] "I'm going to have someone start taking you out to see the city after I move you into your own place. You need to get some positive experiences."
>[X] Eat more, you must feeeeeeed.

>>3929970
>"Oh no, the cooking robots I make start fires and promptly commit suicide as they go through an existential crisis."
>"Ah, C-bot!" An ear-grating electric voice echoes throughout the bunker. "I cry on the inside every time I remember you because I'm unable to cry on the outside."
I love the characterization and interactions in this quest!

So what do you guys think of opening up to Strange a bit more? As it stands if we keep up what we’re doing and jerking his chain he’ll just temporal stasis our ass into magic Jail (and regardless of how strong we are strange will always be a incredibly powerful individual, ally or enemy as magic is simply and unequivocally broken bullshit as everyone knows or should know given the shit we’ve pulled with not even the top tier of magic already) and honestly I’m surprised he hasn’t done so already with our soul cancer growing in power and us being a cop killer (even if we got let off), plus him speaking to our soul cancer.

I think if we told him at least about the trauma that caused our soul to be so violently split into three pieces (that we know of so far) he might empathise with us more and we are having an impact on him as he even admitted his own fault in his views, it’s not impossible for us to get him to see things our way provided we challenge his views slowly over time, at least for mundane matters and provided we swear to protect earth from hostile supernatural entities (which we’d do anyway as you can’t be a crime lord without a planet for crime to exist upon)

>[X] "Wait a minute, did Kimura ever make you... nevermind."
>[X] Eat more, you must feeeeeeed.

It is a question almost worth asking despite you already having a pretty decent idea of what her answer towards it is going to be. That kiss and shitty tidbit of information she gave her before they parted ways was evidence enough beyond her comments about molesting jailbait. On a different side of things, you're sure Phineas won't mind it if you had some of his food.

You slip your genius phone back into your pocket and look back at Laura returning to her noodles. "Wait a minute, did Kimura ever make you... nevermind."

The girl looks up from her bowl. "...Kimura made me do and experience a lot of things."

"Yeah," you grimace at the pathetic excuse for a clone's blank look, "I know."

Phineas glances at you and to Laura before shrugging his shoulders and putting his chopsticks back into the fried rice container.

Groaning at yourself, you take your chopsticks and lift up some nice fried rice for yourself.

A hum murmurs in the other mutant's throat as she sets her own wooden sticks in her noodle bowl. "Does the thought of what Kimura did to me make you uncomfortable?"

You munch the brownish kernels to paste, letting them slide down your throat. "...No, I just feel like an asshole; it happens sometimes. I could be grilling or talking shit with you one minute like a good friend and feel like shit about it afterward if I think I made you feel bad. That's been happening... a lot to me lately."

"You are feeling sympathy and guilt."

"I know and I hate it." Blocking Phineas from grabbing some more rice with his dinner chops, you snatch some up for yourself.

The old man whines. "Kojo, I got this for myself."

A groan escapes your lips as you look into the man's beady, old eyes. "Oh come on, you're too old for that to... Why are you even... Is this just another of your... Dammit." You lift your sticks out of the steamy ricebowl.

Mason lets out a small victory hum while moving the bowl farther away from you.

Chopsticks still interlocked in your fingers you, set your elbow down on the table and rest your head in your palm.

You're a piece of shit.

>[ ] "I'm going to have someone start taking you out to see the city after I move you into your own place. You need to get some positive experiences."
>[ ] "Since you accused me of personality disorders, you sure you're not a case of borderline and dependent?"
>[ ] "Hold on, is Beck still at the warehouse? I haven't sent my men to collect yet."
>[ ] "Want to go visit my strange tutor after this? I think he'd want to help you."
>[ ] "Welp, I'm done here. Excuse me while I go handle corporate business."
>[ ] Just what exactly happened when Death was pushed back by the light of the Phoenix?
>[ ] Do You remember?
>[ ] Write in.

>>3935436
Thank you, thank you! I try my best to make the comedy character-based and tied to how everyone's either fucked up or has a sense of normalcy not found in the rest of the cast.

>>3935461
Kojo's only got one soul, a dark red one which was once a misty black. It's not cancerous more than it is just predatory. The deaths and rebirths he's suffered are reason why it is the way he is. It's not the reason he used to be the way he was but a strong influence, like a shit load of other factors. Kojo's still not completely like his soul, which should give you some insight.

>>3935506
I’d argue that if we aren’t completely alike our predatory soul and neither are we completely like our old black soul, we’d form a 3rd soul or soul-like entity/existence, but that’s more of a philosophical tangent than anything else, either way our psyche is split into 3 distinct pieces (at least that we know of thus far).

As far as the cancer thing, Strange described our soul as being like a tumour eye sticking out of a hole in our head, so I’m just going from that moment, as I’m mainly trying to gauge how he’d react to us

>>3935499
>>[X] "Since you accused me of personality disorders, you sure you're not a case of borderline and dependent?"
>>[X] "Hold on, is Beck still at the warehouse? I haven't sent my men to collect yet."

Voting closed; writing now.
>>3935518
He kind of already did.

>[X] "Since you accused me of personality disorders, you sure you're not a case of borderline and dependent?"
>[X] "Hold on, is Beck still at the warehouse? I haven't sent my men to collect yet."

>(1/2)

Some smalltime bitch banter might cheer you up and make you feel less like a total piece of shit. Of course, it'll probably have the opposite effect as always, but you may as well try. Bitch talk with a person takes time to really figure out and Laura might surprise you. While she may be socially retarded, she does have a moderate amount of self-awareness.

A small smile makes its way on to your face as you turn to Laura. "Since you accused me of personality disorders, you sure you're not a case of borderline and dependent?"

The girl gulps her latest noodles and tilts her head in your direction.

You chuckle. "It's obvious your emotions are unstable, you're overly submissive, you feel worthless, you feel helpless, you're not exactly good with people, you latched on to me despite not really knowing me, and you can't really decide a lot of things for yourself. I'm surprised you made a choice at all when I popped back into the office. Guess the way I handled things really had an impact."

Untilting her head, Laura hums. "...I could be either and do exhibit symptoms of those disorders. However, they could be purely a result of my conditioning."

"That is incredibly doubtful, and I'm pretty sure you feel that way too."

"Yes, my upbringing would have instilled those personality disorders in most people.

>(2/2)

A grumble groans in your throat. "Do you really think your upbringing has that much influence on you? I'm not saying it doesn't, but how do you not know you're just naturally like that? What I told you earlier about your 'grayness' should've at least got you thinking about it."

X-23 slurps down some more noodles. "I have thought about it before, but there are too many factors to determine what shaped a person's personality: ethnicity, nationality, sex, life experiences, genetics, hobbies, and even nature could all have their own influence." She pulls out more noodles stuck in-between her chopsticks. "What changed your," her eyes dart to Phineas before landing back on you, "...nature?"

"I don't know what can change the nature of a man, and I'm not sure how that happened either or w̵̻̜̚h̸̼͕̖̑͛͂͝y̵̢̮͙̬̑̕ I was what I used to be."

Ms. Varley hums and returns her attention to her noodles.

Phineas sighs. "If only Beck were hear to voice his concerns of two teenagers so young talking about such philosophical topics."

You blink. "Hold on, is Beck still at the warehouse?" Letting go of support of your neck, you move your grip to the table. "I haven't sent my men to collect yet."

"He called and said he was going to clean up the place and wait for your moving crew to arrive; said he didn't want them to have to clean up his messes."

A small hum of your own rumbles in your throat.

That is actually nice of him to do that for you. Then again, he is getting ten million dollars in cash. Good that trying to cash in a check that large would likely fuck him over. Poor bastard wasn't smart enough to request a written transfer rather than a check.

>[ ] "I'm going to have someone start taking you out to see the city after I move you into your own place. You need to get some positive experiences."
>[ ] "Want to go visit my strange tutor after this? I think he'd want to help you."
>[ ] "Welp, I'm done here. Excuse me while I go handle corporate business."
>[ ] Just what exactly happened when Death was pushed back by the light of the Phoenix?
>[ ] Do You remember?
>[ ] Write in.

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

Thoughts or questions about your Torment, my friends?

Daily Advice: floss, motherfucker, floss your gums until they bleed so you can have healthy, stone-free teeth

>>3935914
>>[X] "I'm going to have someone start taking you out to see the city after I move you into your own place. You need to get some positive experiences."
>>[X] "Want to go visit my strange tutor after this? I think he'd want to help you."

>>3935929
Hmm, wait a second. Strange knows the Avengers and Laura crippled Rogers, what are the chances he knows? Probably not too high.

>>3935929
I’ll support this, but I recommend we teleport outside the sanctum sanctorum and knock the door, best to be cautious and/or polite given the situation with Strange

>>3935936
I wouldn’t be surprised if he knew, but if we play this cautiously we might be able to prevent anymore bridges being burned and convince him we helped the kid, which should reflect positively on us

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "I'm going to have someone start taking you out to see the city after I move you into your own place. You need to get some positive experiences."
>[X] "Want to go visit my strange tutor after this? I think he'd want to help you."

>(1/2)

The only way you'll help Laura develop her personality or figure out her true nature is by having her live an actual life. It won't be much of one but the same could be said for almost the entirety of the human race. As for who you'll send, you honestly have no clue because everyone you trust is fucked in their own way with the exception of Marcus. Jesús is a lot like her but will have no idea how to handle her, and Alex is Alex, but they might be working together soon, so they may as well know each other personally. You'll have to decide when the time comes. For now, you should work on maybe getting a fix on her grayness.

You turn back to your fellow mutant. "I'm going to have someone start taking you out to see the city after I move you into your own place. You need to get some positive experiences."

"Who are they?" Laura slurps down another chopstick clutch of noodles.

"Haven't decided on that yet. Not a lot of people I can trust with someone as high profile as you."

"I do not require someone with combat skills if you seek to protect me."

A hum rumbles in your throat. "I know, I know: you're a killing machine. Just not a lot of people I can think of that can help who don't have their own issues."

"Laura is a young lady, Kojo, not some murderous beast." Phineas speaks up.

You roll your eyes.

File: Spoiler Image (41 KB, 500x730)

41 KB JPG

>(2/2)

If only he really knew what Laura has been through and how she was raised. You'd tell him, but that would be a very shitty thing to do to both of them. Someone's going to have to know to really understand her, though. She isn't exactly prepared to make connections with normal people who can't even tolerate someone somewhat abrasive. Your first two thoughts of caretakers would actually be good for her in that regard.

"Want to go visit my strange tutor after this? I think he'd want to help you."

X-23 finishes off the rest of her soup bowl. "...Yes, I would like to meet him."

Nodding, you watch as the girl moves on to her remaining dish.

The girl savors each piece of spicey sauced tofu far more visibly than she did to what amounts as appetizers. You can see the hints of a smile on her moving lips while she munches. Many thoughts of teasing the ever loving hell out of her pop into your mind but fade as you remember she is too socially retarded to comprehend your teasing.

You are still chuckling by the time you walk through a portal you conjured just in front of the bunker entrance thanks to Laura's confused look at your earlier displays of amusement.

Both of you step from the entrance of an underground bunker out on to the staircase of a secretly magical mansion.

Taking the lead, you walk up and knock on the door.

A familiar blond man with a crutch in one hand opens it with a smile on his face.

You and Laura both blink as his smile quickly dies.

The One-Above-All fucking hates you.

>[ ] "Just one question... How the hell did you let a fourteen-year-old female knockoff of Wolverine cripple you?"
>[ ] "This is all a dream... You'll wake up when you close your eyes and sleep."
>[ ] "Someone just fucking kill me. I can't keep going on like this."
>[ ] "...Laura came here specifically to apologize to you."
>[ ] "...Can I have you autograph a tombstone?"
>[ ] "Hey... Captain."
>[ ] Port out, out, out, out, out!
>[ ] Write In.

>>3936819
>[X] "...Laura came here specifically to apologize to you."
HOLY SHIT, that was the Jinxiest Jinx I've ever done, this is too much power to handle.

>>3936907
I’ll support this, alongside
>[] Write In.
“Whereas I came to see the good Dr for some tea, you should join us”
My thoughts being if we have the Dr there to vouch for us, or at least being Caps friendly voice of reason we might be able to deescalate a potential bomb of a situation

>>3936907
>>3936921
i will kepe out of this beacuse i cant decide at all

>>3936921
>“Whereas I came to see the good Dr for some tea, you should join us”
I don't think he was going anywhere, and it's not our home to say if he should join us or not. And if he does join, he's gonna see we didn't come here for tea or to apologize.

>>3936966
Strange has a tea room so he’d probably be okay with it, especially if we explain the situation to him since he always wants to know us better and we could definitely still be bringing X-23 to apologise, I just feel like if we don’t talk the situation down cap is at best going to attempt to imprison X-23 or at worst start throwing down, both of which we could avoid if we have Strange vouch for us and we explain the situation (minus the taking over of the facility part), we could spin it as sob story of a new billionaire adopting a poor mistreated Orphan, plus cap’s link to the avengers means we need to stay on his good side if we don’t kill him as suspicion could make it to the avengers and then we’d need to deal with people like Thor that we can’t take on yet, least those are my thoughts

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>[X] "...Laura came here specifically to apologize to you."

>[X] "Whereas I came to see the good Dr for some tea, you should join us”

>>3937060
I seriously hope that doesn't come out as schizophrenic

>[X] "...Laura came here specifically to apologize to you whereas I came to see the good doctor for some tea, you should join us."

A great degree of you absolutely loathes the fact that you exist in this shithole of a reality. Superheroes, gods, aliens, demons, metaphysical beings, multiple dimensions, mutants, super powers, and unreasonable coincidences like the one that's happening now that all exist here. You should've died five years ago. Correction, you should have died in childbirth or just never have been born in the first place.

"...Laura came here specifically to apologize to you," taking a few steps down, you lift and place Laura several steps up, "whereas I came to see the good doctor for some tea, you should join us."

Mr. Rogers blinks at the two of you. "I... I don't..." He lifts a finger at Laura and starts shifting it from her to you. "How and who?" Raising his free hand to rub his temples, he shakes his head. "Ugh, this is either Strange pulling a fast one on me or a really awful coincidence." Steve lowers his hand and furrows his brow at his crippler more out of worry than frustration. "Are you real?"

Laura nods.

The WW2 vet sighs. "Good, I'm not having one of those cheesy cyrostasis or shell-shock movie mental breakdowns." His brow rises. "Are you alright?" Glancing at you, he grimaces before focusing back on the other mutant. "Not even a few days and you've made friends with a pretty suspicious-looking young man."

You scoff and shoot the Greatest Generationer a look.

"Sorry," he smiles, "I know it's not good to judge people on appearances. It's just that you have this air about you aside from the demon look. You can't be all too bad if Strange is your friend." Cap returns his gaze to your companion. "So, are you alright?"

"...Yes, is your foot well?"

Rogers taps what should be a achilles heel severed foot against the ground. "Strange is a miracle worker." He looks to you. "How do you know him?" Once again, his gaze returns to Laura. "And how did you two meet?" He shakes his head, turns, and takes a step back into the Sanctum Sanctorum. "Nevermind, let's talk about it over some tea."

Both you and Laura share a look before blinking for the umpteenth time at the living legend walking into the magic mansion.

This switched from high tension to low way too quickly for either of your liking.

>[ ] "...He's planning something. That's the only explanation for this. When I walk in, I'll provide a distraction and you sever both his tendons this time"
>[ ] "Fucking hell, I was not ready for all this shit today."
>[ ] "Is he... Is he being passive aggressive?"
>[ ] "Laura, did that really just happen?"
>[ ] "Strange, are you fucking with me?!"
>[ ] Just walk in, anything else would be suspicious.
>[ ] Port out, this is way too weird.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3937218
>>[X] Just walk in, anything else would be suspicious.

>>3937223
Support

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] Just walk in, anything else would be suspicious.

>(1/2)

You have absolutely no idea what the fuck is happening right now, but you may as well play along. Anything else would attract some suspicion, which you're sure the man's looking out for. He's probably some kind of trick made by Strange. It's impossible for you to know without entering the mansion now thanks to the possibility it might fuck your third eye. Gonna be real fun to bust up the grand wizard's ass if that's what's really happening.

Frowning, you take a few steps and surpass Laura before motioning her to follow you.

The girl, trekking behind you, nods.

Steve is standing in front of a familiar Tibetan face as the two of you walk in. The man looks back at you and waves for you to come join him and Wong before following him as custom of his slave magic monk heritage.

Rolling your eyes, you follow the Irish in his following of the only other Sorcerer in existence that you know of.

The four of you walk into a pathway and through the usual magically warping, impossible halls and rooms of the magic mansion.

Laura's eyes scan every obtuse change with a shifting level of concern and curiosity. Every once in a while, a pull by the shoulder from you keeps her from staring at things you've been told shouldn't be stared at for too long en lieu of teleporting spider-octopuses, blazing chickens, living dog skeletons, and Cthulu the Shugniggurath or something along those lines.

It takes a bit longer than usual for you to arrive at a familiar atrium.

>(2/2)

Sitting next to a small table, Strange reads a book with some more gray in his hair than the last time you saw him.

Rogers smiles. "Strange, I was walking out when I came across this friend of yours and his lady friend."

The Sorcerer looks up from his tome and blinks at the sight of Laura beside you. "...Huh, I felt Kojo, but I did not feel your presence at all." He furrows his brow before widening his eyes. "Oh, that's why." A frown makes its way on to his lips. "What a pity."

"You okay, 'Supreme?'" Humming, you raise an eyebrow. "You look like shit."

"Learning of certain things and dealing with certain people tends to be rather stressful."

You scoff. "Don't be a passive-aggressive bitch, Strange."

"Language, young man!" Mr. Rogers scolds, honoring your nickname of him.

You shoot him an 'are you fucking kidding me' look before remembering he's still straight out of the forties.

It's no secret to you what's made Strange actually age, but it's not wise to bring up in present company. You'll talk to him about it in private later and try to figure out what he figured out. For now, you'll try and settle the almost non-existent beef between Laura and Captain America.

>[ ] "Look, Magic Man, can you maybe help fix my gray friend here or not? I'll get out of your hair as soon as I can after."
>[ ] "I'm sorry if I scared you. The other me can be a real bitch, I would know."
>[ ] "Next thing you'll tell me is to wait until I'm married to have sex."
>[ ] "Aren't you supposed to be trying to take Laura away or something?"
>[ ] "You're not my dad... and you should be grateful for that."
>[ ] "I just said shit earlier and you didn't bat an eye."
>[ ] Write In.

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

Thoughts or questions about best Captain and Scaredy Strange?

Daily Advice: diet takes priority over exercise so eat healthy to get better gainz and to live longer

>>3937465
>[ ] "I'm sorry if I scared you. The other me can be a real bitch, I would know."
We need to mend our relationship so this seems appropriate

>>3937465
>>[X] "Look, Magic Man, can you maybe help fix my gray friend here or not? I'll get out of your hair as soon as I can after."
>>[X] "Aren't you supposed to be trying to take Laura away or something?"

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>[ ] "I'm sorry if I scared you. The other me can be a real bitch, I would

>[X] "Look, Magic Man, can you maybe help fix my gray friend here or not? I'll get out of your hair as soon as I can after."
>>[X] "Aren't you supposed to be trying to take Laura away or something?

>[X] "Aren't you supposed to be trying to take Laura away or something?"
>[X] "Look, Magic Man, can you maybe help fix my gray friend here or not? I'll get out of your hair as soon as I can after."

He is way too relaxed an chill right now not to be plotting something. Maybe he arranged this with Strange beforehand to get a drop on you after coming to him for some healing. SHIELD might have put all this together somehow: they're bound to have encountered people like Strange before. The Wizard and the WW2 vet seem friendly enough for that to be possible. Although, the doctor has been scared of you since your other self talked to him. Best to confront this issue head on before possibly putting Laura in a position to be incapacitated.

"Aren't you supposed to be trying to take Laura away or something?"

The man shrugs. "I was, but I was discharged while I was resting in the hospital: a crippled superhero isn't much use to anyone, much less intelligence agencies who want people capable of fieldwork. To tell the truth, I was conflicted the moment the matter of your friend was first brought up to me." He turns to Laura. "What they wanted to do after they secured you just didn't sit right. I didn't try to fight you when you escaped your restraints, but I really didn't expect you to hobble me like that."

"My apologies. Be careful not to let your guard down when encountered with another enemy, they may be more inclined to kill you than incapacitate you." Laura says, face still ever neutral.

Nervously laughing, the blond man rubs the back of his head. "The two of you are not at all like the rest of the people your age. I'll take your advice." A hum rumbles in his throat as he turns to you. "I'm not sure how old you are, though. Are you a mutant, sorcerer, or some kind of half-demon hybrid person?"

"He's all of the above." Strange chimes in.

You roll your eyes over at the Grand Wizard. "Look, Magic Man, can you maybe help fix my gray friend here or not? I'll get out of your hair as soon as I can after."

"I cannot change the nature of a woman." Stephen the Grayer shakes his head.

Scoffing, you smirk. "Sexist."

"Oh, you know what I mean."

A hum of Laura's murmurs in her throat.

You glance at her and back to the magic man.

Not the answer you hoped for but one you were expecting. She'll either have to start eating souls like you do if she's even capable or living a life of her own. It'll never heal what she always was, but it'll help. The real question would be who you assign to do the helping.

>[ ] "I'm sorry if I scared you, Strange. The other me can be a real bitch, I would know."
>[ ] "Since we got what we came for, I guess we'll be on our own merry way."
>[ ] "You're pretty laid-back for a member of the Avengers."
>[ ] "Do you think if she ate a soul she'd heal in a way?"
>[ ] "We came for tea. Wong, you know what to do."
>[ ] Write In.

>>3938145
>>[X] "I'm sorry if I scared you, Strange. The other me can be a real bitch, I would know."

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "I'm sorry if I scared you, Strange. The other me can be a real bitch, I would know."

>(1/2)

Mr. Stranger Danger might not be so quick to warm up to you again or forget whatever the hell your other self did to him but apologizing could help. Of course, the nonmagical people here who have no business with this kind of shit will have questions they won't get answers to. You haven't even told Marcus about your conversations with your True Self: he only knows about your old one.

"I'm sorry if I scared you, Strange. The other me can be a real bitch, I would know."

The man stiffens as the mundanes raise eyebrows at you both. "...I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, Kojo. You are a very abrasive young man few would find pleasant company for more than ten minutes. The very air increases in pressure at your monstrous presence. Truly, you and only you could be and have such an effect on others."

Groaning, you shoot the man a look. "You do realize that either me is still me, and, by insulting me, you are insulting me, yes?"

Silence fills the room for three seconds.

"I'm sorry, what?" The other Steve speaks up.

Both you and Strange glance at the captain. "It's complicated, don't ask."

"Saying do not ask only makes people want to ask more questions, Kojo and Mr. Strange." Laura joins in.

>(2/2)

You shake your head. "Trust me, this is a can of worms that will burrow into your skull and consume your brain if you open it. Nothing good will come from learning of what we're talking about. I mean, I might tell you one day, but it probably won't be a danger for you by then."

"Seriously, what are you two talking about?" Rogers asks. "Is it some magic thing that's going to threaten the world if left unchecked?"

"Steve," Strange scoffs, "if you trust me, you will just drop this and pretend that it never happened."

"Now I feel like I need to bring this up with the rest of the Avengers."

"That is a horrible, horrible idea." You cluck your tongue. "The so-called 'God of Thunder' on your side isn't even a real god and this is a purely magical matter to be attended to by people who actually know magic. Even then, it's not even a dangerous matter: it's a complicated personal one."

Cap raises an eyebrow. "Why does Thor's godhood status matter in this personal situation?"

You feel a primeval anger fill you for a moment before fading away.

"Because he is incapable of helping and is effectively a false god," Strange says, noticing your brief change, "and Kojo hates them, all of them."

"Why?" Laura asks.

A sigh escapes your lips. "They're frauds that gave humanity hope of an afterlife they'd never reach. Nothing I hate more than inauthentic wastrels and spreaders of misplaced hopes of salvation."

Strange likely heard the other You talk about them. Either that or he accurately assumed your position from what he knew of you an what you said about them. It's not like you care, but it's interesting if the other you really did voice what he thought about them to the magic man.

>[ ] "Did you and I talk about this the last time we had tea or was it just because of that one time I said false gods?"
>[ ] "Since we got what we came for, I guess we'll be on our own merry way."
>[ ] "Do you think if Laura ate a soul she'd heal in a way?"
>[ ] "You're pretty laid-back for a member of the Avengers."
>[ ] "We came for tea. Wong, you know what to do."
>[ ] Write In.

>>3938521
>>[X] "We came for tea. Wong, you know what to do."

Voting closed; writing now

>[X] "We came for tea. Wong, you know what to do."

>(1/2)

It was just a cover for why you were here, but you may as well go for it to help you calm down and ease tensions. This time, you'll refrain from requesting the sweet release of nothingness from this horrid fucking place. You're pretty sure your other self would probably kill Rogers, try to eat Laura, and then do whatever the equivalent of rape is for a soul on her to get off spiritually.

"We came for tea." You turn to the slave monk. "Wong, you know what to do."

The bald-headed man bows before falling through a portal.

"I... get the distinct feeling you didn't come here for tea." Normal Steve says.

"No," Magic Steve states, "he didn't."

"Actually, I did."

"Kojo brought me here to meet you, Mr. Strange."

You turn to the only girl in the room and shoot her a look.

"...My apologies for giving away your deception without your consent." Laura lowers her head. "It is no excuse, however, I saw that Captain America and your magic tutor had accurately perceived through your intrigue. There would be little harm done revealing the truth as whatever negative consequences of your deceit have already occurred. By telling the truth, I thought I could salvage the situation, although it seems it is irreparable."

Sighing, a palm of yours slaps against your face before dragging down to your chin. "...Thank you for explaining the obvious."

"You are welcome."

>(2/2)

A seething groan escapes your lips while the two Steves chuckle.

If she was actually aware of what she just said, you would hate her so much right now. You're frustrated but also want to pet her for being such an adorable little social retard. At the very least, it probably diffused some tensions between you all.

The small table Strange is sitting on flies off as a bigger, more accommodative round-table of sorts takes its place along with a few chairs.

You three seat yourselves down.

"Kojo," Mr. Rogers ponders more than calls out, "what kind of name is that? I'd say African but Africa isn't a country, much less a singular culture."

"It's Ghanian Akan. To call it common would be an understatement since most Ghanians' real names are more or less their middle ones thanks to their first one being the day they were born. If you're wondering, Kojo means born on a Monday."

"Huh, wonder how that got started."

You shrug. "Probably around the time we started differentiating ourselves by names." A smile makes its way on to your face. "Just like a couple of niggers to be lazy and just name themselves and their kids after the days they were born on though."

Both Steves widen their eyes at you while Laura examines the stray, wandering wisps of energy in the atrium.

Clucking your tongue, you roll your eyes at the two pale men getting offended on behalf of all niggerkind.

Next thing they'll overreact to is you saying you're against illegal immigration.

>[ ] "Steve, you grew up in the 20s: what I've just said is nothing you haven't heard before. If anything, I'm surprised you can even sit at the same table as me."
>[ ] "Did you and I talk about false gods the last time we had tea or was it just because of that one time I said false gods?"
>[ ] "Don't you have questions about my gray friend here, Grand Wizard?"
>[ ] "You're pretty laid-back for a member of the Avengers, cap."
>[ ] "Hold on, do you even know who I am, cap?"
>[ ] "What? ...What?"
>[ ] Wait for Wong to come for tea, let them stew in the silence.
>[ ] Write In.

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

Thoughts or questions about True Kojo, based cap, based social retard, and Stranger the Gray?

Daily Advice: do not watch shitty shows out of curiosity, you will have wasted your time and your life

>>3939123
>[ ] "Steve, you grew up in the 20s: what I've just said is nothing you haven't heard before. If anything, I'm surprised you can even sit at the same table as me."
Followed by
>[ ] “What? ...What?”

>>3939123
>[X] "Steve, you grew up in the 20s: what I've just said is nothing you haven't heard before. If anything, I'm surprised you can even sit at the same table as me."
>[X] "Did you and I talk about false gods the last time we had tea or was it just because of that one time I said false gods?"

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "What? ...What?"
>[X] "Steve, you grew up in the 20s: what I've just said is nothing you haven't heard before. If anything, I'm surprised you can even sit at the same table as me."
>[X] "Did you and I talk about false gods the last time we had tea or was it just because of that one time I said false gods?"

>(1/2)

This is quite an embarrassing sight to see: a member of the supposed greatest generation turning down a chance to talk shit about the niggers. Dan was a baby boomer through and through, but that motherfucker wasn't tolerant of niggerdom whatsoever. If he had thought to whip the brown off your skin, maybe you wouldn't have turned out to be a gangbanger though. Although, it was more a product of your environment than anything else in the end.

"What? ...What?"

Mr. Rogers blinks. "You just said something I think a lot of... people like you but not you would find offensive."

"Steve, you grew up in the 20s: what I've just said is nothing you haven't heard before." You scoff. "If anything, I'm surprised you can even sit at the same table as me."

"I'm Irish. Forty years... One hundred and twenty years ago, we were in the same if not lower position than the blacks were. Tyrone is an Irish name. I fought with people of many different ethnicities in the war and they all contributed. I just don't have that hatred, ignorance, or false superiority in me."

Rolling your eyes, a sigh escapes your lips. "Can you say that you approve of modern black culture?"

"...No."

>(2/2)

"Well, I don't either. That shit with gangbanger Latin culture combined with the overall poverty mentality made my childhood a living hell. You have no right to get offended on another culture's, race's, peoples', or person's behalf. Fuck, you shouldn't be getting offended by anything in the first place. It's pathetic in how easy it is people give simple words power over them."

The man's eyes narrow questioningly before relaxing as he nods in concession. "True but isn't that a bit harsh? Not everyone can put things like that aside."

"Life and truth are harsh and most people are oversensitive idiots, tell me something I don't know."

An uneasy 'uh' croaks out of the avenger's throat and lips.

Seeing no point in continuing this conversation, you turn to the only other present magical man in this room. "Did you and I talk about false gods the last time we had tea or was it just because of that one time I said false gods?"

"You... mentioned them in a rant you went off about all the things you despise in this world."

A hum rumbles in your throat. "It was a pretty long rant wasn't it?"

"Oh, you have no idea."

Laura and Rogers give you two magic folk strange, questioning looks.

It's unfortunate they can't fathom or begin to understand the clusterfuck that is you. Fortunately, you know what is going on with you and you can laugh at these two poor bastards. Only one will probably ever find out and you really doubt you'll ever tell her. She'll likely only know of your other twisted self.

>[ ] "Don't you have questions about my gray friend here, Grand Wizard?"
>[ ] "You're pretty laid-back for a member of the Avengers, cap."
>[ ] "Hold on, do you even know who I am, cap?"
>[ ] Seriously, what the hell happened while I was out?
>[ ] Wait for Wong to come for tea, talking is awkward.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3940110
>[ ] "You're pretty laid-back for a member of the Avengers, cap."
[ ] Wait for Wong to come for tea, talking is awkward.
And
>[ ] Write in.
Ask the cap if he’s never been tempted to learn magic since he’s friends with Strange

>>3940110
>>[X] "Don't you have questions about my gray friend here, Grand Wizard?"

I think a hilarious way to fuck with Thor would be convincing the cap to channel Zeus and start throwing lightning about, plus more support for the Olympic pantheon might gain us better abilities from channelling Mercury should we get enough support for it again

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>[ ] "You're pretty laid-back for a member of the Avengers, cap."
[ ] Wait for Wong to come for tea, talking is awkward.
And
>[ ] Write in.
Ask the cap if he’s never been tempted to learn magic since he’s friends with Strange

>>[X] "Don't you have questions about my gray friend here, Grand Wizard?"

>>3935518
>I’d argue that if we aren’t completely alike our predatory soul and neither are we completely like our old black soul, we’d form a 3rd soul or soul-like entity/existence, but that’s more of a philosophical tangent than anything else, either way our psyche is split into 3 distinct pieces (at least that we know of thus far).
My understanding of it is our old self, the Broken Puppet was Kojo uninhabited by his soul. Basically, mind and body, but not soul. Now basically the Puppet is just memories, an Echo of a soulless existence. Whereas Boldred *is* Kojo's soul.
Kojo as we know, love, and roughly control is the mind within a body with a soul. We are more whole than we ever have been. But not quite unified yet.

>As far as the cancer thing
The only way Boldred is like cancer is that he keeps growing.

>>3940502
So by drowning in the river, meeting death and being reborn do you think Kojo acquired his darkred soul? Also does that mean Kojo was initially born with no soul?

>[X] "You're pretty laid-back for a member of the Avengers, cap."
>[X] Wait for Wong to come for tea, talking is awkward.
>[X] Ask the cap if he’s never been tempted to learn magic since he’s friends with Strange.

>(1/2)

He seems way more serious and cold when he's fighting supervillains and nazis on TV. That's either to promote the image of a stone cold ultimate soldier for propaganda purposes or just his game face when shit is going down. Without a doubt, he'd be all over your ass if knew who you really were and all the suspicious shit happening around you.

"You're pretty laid-back for a member of the Avengers, cap."

The first avenger chuckles. "We're not actually that serious outside of the job. I think the media kind of hypes us up to sell the whole defenders of humanity angle. And if you think I'm laid back, you should meet Tony: he is buzzed half the time he's around the mansion."

"Wow, the rich billionaire playboy is a alcohol. What a surprise."

"Sarcasm is unbecoming of you."

"Have you actually met Tony yet?" Strange speaks up. "If I recall correctly, he owns a sizable amount of Damage Control."

You scoff. "And I own... Oh... Oooh. Oh shit."

"What? Do you assist in construction work?" Mr. Rogers asks.

"No, no. I just... have some interests in the company."

Strange smirks but says nothing as you glare at him.

Nice way for him to look out for you, but he could've reminded you after he figured out your inheritance. One of these days, you're going to end up meeting with Stark at an event or in some kind of emergency meeting when the damage the douchebag villains do exceeds the abilities of Damage Control and other associated constructions companies. He's not exactly hard to handle, but he's not easy either: the man knew what Fisk was up to before he teamed up to invest in the new corp.

>(2/2)

A hum rumbles in your throat before you lean back in your seat.

Several minutes pass by until Wong falls through a portal and lands by the table with three teacups on a silver platter.

The slave monk sets the sweet-smelling cups down one by one in front of you all, bows, and walks back into the mansion.

You grab your cup of hibiscus tea and take a sip out of it. "So, Cap, have you ever been tempted to learn magic?" You set the cup own. "I mean, you are friends with the Sorcerer Supreme himself."

"Can't say I haven't," the man sighs as he takes a drink out of his own lemon tea, "but I think it's safer for me and everyone else on the team to just leave magic to the professionals."

Magic Steve smiles. "Thank you Steven."

Rolling your eyes, you take a gulp out of your cup and set it down. "It took me a single day to learn the basics, magic is only dangerous if you don't have the will or self-control."

The Sorcerer who actually struggled learning magic shoots you a look.

You snicker and raise your teacup in toast of his loathing.

His skin seems as though it's grown significantly thinner since the last time you were here. Mentioning his pedophilic attempts at mind rape to the other two people here will probably break him. It's possible your True Self broke his patience or he's pissed at him and not you for some reason. Only way you'll find out is by asking him or yourself or pressing on his already sensitive nerves.

>[ ] "Don't you have questions about my gray friend here, Grand Wizard?"
>[ ] "I actually taught two people I know a thing or two about magic."
>[ ] "What's wrong, Strange? What happened to you?"
>[ ] "Hold on, do you even know who I am, cap?"
>[ ] "Laura would you like to learn magic?"
>[ ] Seriously, what the hell happened while I was out?
>[ ] Wait for Wong to come for tea, talking is awkward.
>[ ] Write In.

nevermind the tea option, forgot to cut that out

>>3940609
>[X] Seriously, what the hell happened while I was out?

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

Thoughts or questions of the soul variety?

Daily Advice: sleep is healthy and no, sleeping six hours isn't healthy for you or enough

>>3940577
I think his soul got "displaced" when he died at birth. And it got mostly returned after the river.
I also think that if none of that had happened, and Kojo had been born without incident, everything would be much, much different. Not just Kojo. But I can't put a name to it yet. But I suspect Strange can.
I think if Afungi and I experienced the Marvel universe at the same angle, I could guess more.
But we didn't and I can't guess what I don't know, but it's fun trying.

>>3940609
>>[X] "What's wrong, Strange? What happened to you?"
I think attempting to express actual concern would fall flat. But we should demonstrate that we can focus on others and be aware of their condition. Plus, it might be relevant.
Asking directly about his conversation with Boldred, which he keeps trying to pretend didn't happen, might not make any progress.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "What's wrong, Strange? What happened to you?"
>[X] Seriously, what the hell happened while I was out?

You're not all that concerned about Strange's well-being, but you are concerned about what your other self did while you were out. Showing some care for the grand wizard might help American cap warm up to your psychotic ass. It's going to take far more than that little gesture to get him to be on amicable terms with you, though. He seems an agreeable enough sort of guy. Playing hero could really help you out if you're ever in the same position again.

"What's wrong, Strange? What happened to you?" Taking a sip out of your teacup, you set it back down.

The magic man sighs. "...I saw and heard truth. Something that shouldn't be yet was appeared before me and told me His name. The peace I've enjoyed up until now died with that revelation." He rests his head on his hand. "You can imagine I wouldn't be my usual self after experiencing that."

"I'm sorry, Strange, but that sounds really vague." Rogers speaks up, teacup in hand.

You nod. "That is extremely vague. What actually happened with that thing? You can't just be this way from hearing a simple name. What else did it tell you?"

"What happened between Him and I doesn't matter right now. We're here to enjoy tea, fraternize, and do nothing else. Let's leave a small trouble for the future in the future and enjoy the present. I won't answer anymore questions about it or bring it up again."

Humming, you look down into the dark purple tea in your cup.

Seriously, what the hell happened while I was out?

The Stranger looked upon me and knew me. I doubt he will ever be the same or treat you and I the same ever again. He knows who you and I are now: when faced with truth, no one could remain the same.

You frown.

Why are you so important?

I am _________________

I still don't understand what you're saying.

Until you and I are whole and one truly, you never will.

A sigh escapes your lips before you lift your teacup back up to your lips.

Laura, sipping on her own ginseng tea, stares at your chiseled face.

The feeling in you begins to fade as your old self rises up from the shadows of your mind.

You'll never find out who you truly are if you can't look at her face for a long time without losing yourself.

>[ ] "...Ginseng, huh? Fits you even though you didn't pick it. I would've picked lotus for you: the blend is very calming."
>[ ] "Don't you have questions about my gray friend here, Grand Wizard?"
>[ ] "I actually taught two people I know a thing or two about magic."
>[ ] "Hold on, do you even know who I am, cap?"
>[ ] "Laura would you like to learn magic?"
>[ ] "Just what is truth?"
>[ ] Write In.

>>3941482
>[ ] "...Ginseng, huh? Fits you even though you didn't pick it. I would've picked lotus for you: the blend is very calming."
>[ ] "Hold on, do you even know who I am, cap?"
Yet another person who probably would have been better off not knowing us. Must be a day that ends in Y

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "...Ginseng, huh? Fits you even though you didn't pick it. I would've picked lotus for you: the blend is very calming."
>[X] "Hold on, do you even know who I am, cap?"

>(1/2)

After that incredibly dramatic conversation about your red self mindraping the Sorcerer Supreme with his name, some small talk could help take the uneasy edge off Cap and Laura's minds. It might also be good for you get back on to the path of not feeling so empty at the sight of the female 'clone' of a man's face. You doubt it'll fade until you settle things once and for all with yourself, but it could help, and every little bit helps.

"...Ginseng, huh?" You set your cup back down. "Fits you even though you didn't pick it. I would've picked lotus for you: the blend is very calming."

Laura lowers her own china below her chin. "I do believe myself to be a calm person." She looks down into her warm, golden sweet-water. "...This ginseng is relaxing, though."

"Guess Wong thought you could use something to ease up or just gave you fanciest thing he had on the fly. Come to think of it, he probably just gave you what he usually drinks."

A short hum groans in Strange's throat. "Wong actually prefers butter tea. Ginseng is too bitter to him."

"Wow," you scoff, "way to conform way to stereotypes."

"Tibetans drink butter tea?" Mr. Rogers asks.

"Yes, but it's hardly a stereotype: in fact, I'm pretty sure Tibetans have little to no stereotypes outside of China and other far east Asian countries." Strange answers.

"Like I said, way to conform to stereotypes, goddamn butter-drinking eternal victims of the magical plateau."

>(2/2)

The Grand Wizard raises an eyebrow. "Have you been to China yet? You do have a prominent amount of business there, as does every corporate member or official these days."

"Eh," you shrug, "you could say that."

Somewhat normal Steve tilts his head at you as magic Steve groans. "Wait a minute, you work for a big corporation, Kojo?"

You nod and blink. "Hold on, do you even know who I am, cap?"

"I know that you know magic, are friends with Strange, and that your name is Kojo."

A hum rumbles in your throat.

This could be an opportunity or a very fatal mistake. You're usually good at this sort of thing, but the risk is on the level of something you haven't taken since initiating the takeover of New York. He could leave this place none the wiser and you with nothing or none the wiser and you with something of value. The failure condition involves you porting out of here and possibly getting your empire raised to the ground in the following weeks. All the Avengers suck at dissolving organizations, but that is SHIELD's specialty, of which they can call down on you.

>[ ] "...Steve, my name is Kojo Reyes and I'm Wilson Fisk's sole inheritor. I hope you haven't been poisoned by media lies and misinformation."
>[ ] "Out of curiosity, what is SHIELD's relationship with the Avengers?"
>[ ] "Don't you have questions about my gray friend here, Grand Wizard?"
>[ ] "I actually taught two people I know a thing or two about magic."
>[ ] "Laura would you like to learn magic?"
>[ ] "Just what is truth, magic man?"
>[ ] Write In.

>>3941696
>>[X] "Out of curiosity, what is SHIELD's relationship with the Avengers?"
>>[X] "Don't you have questions about my gray friend here, Grand Wizard?"

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

Thoughts or questions about Tibet, tea, and Kojo's soul?

Daily Advice: you can eat uncooked vegetables but seasoned cooked vegetables always taste better.

Voting closed; writing now.

Going to class soon. Will finish writing and update when I get back.

>[X] "Out of curiosity, what is SHIELD's relationship with the Avengers?"
>[X] "Don't you have questions about my gray friend here, Grand Wizard?"

>(1/2)

Best to ask what the deal with them is before you divulge any information that's likely to fuck you over in the future. You've only got one shot at this, and you need to make it count. Letting him find out on his own will make feel betrayed and used. As for Strange, he hasn't said much about the new guest you've brought to him. Knowing what he thinks isn't important, but you may as well just for information.

"Out of curiosity, what is SHIELD's relationship with the Avengers?"

The red-blooded American raises an eyebrow. "Officially, we cooperate with one another, and that's most of what the public knows." He looks down at his orange tea before taking a sip. "To tell the truth, our relationship is strained at best and toxic at worst: fighting over custody of supervillains and alien technology tends to do that to all organizations."

"World-changing future tech we're not even close to understanding yet tends to do that, yes. Add in our planet's lack of unity, and you have a potential arms race on your hands depending on how you handle it. It's safer just to keep the tech under wraps than try and develop replicas."

Rogers nods. "Yeah, laser beam weaponry or plasma in the wrong hands could likely lead to another world war. Considering how globalized every economy is these days, it would lead to another great depression for the entire world if one took off."

Another pleasant hum rumbles in your throat.

Wars are never good for businesses outside of gun trafficking with their unfortunate tendency to result in more than a good percentage of your customer base in the opposing countries slaughtered. You are inevitably going to start one either by proxy or directly, but it's not likely to put much of a dent in your income. A World War is, needless to say, completely out of the question for its world-wide effects. It's only going to happen if you have no real choice or get enough firepower and men to take it over for yourself.

You turn to an observant Laura and thin your lips out.

>(2/2)

She probably came to the same conclusion on her own, having killed possessors of alien technology to retrieve them for the Facility. A few were capable of being reverse-engineered, but a lot broke down or exploded after being taken apart. The blue alien signal transmitter in the Alaskan facility might be of some use to Phineas or worth a pretty penny. All the rest is kind of useless.

"Don't you have questions about my gray friend here, Grand Wizard?"

Strange glances at you from the corner of your eye before looking at the girl. "I get the distinct feeling you regularly attract men and women like this."

"Eh, this one just fell into my lap."

The wizards flicks his eyes down to her pre-teen fingered hand and blinks. "...Why are your fingers like that?"

"Kojo tore them off."

You raise a hand to your face as the two other men at the table shoot you looks.

A tard wrangler must always remember to not leave their tards unsupervised, especially their social retards.

"As you can see, you can ask what undergarments she's wearing and she, unlike a reasonable woman, will give you the answer."

"I'm wear—"

You put a finger to her lips. "I already know, and they don't need to. Refrain from telling anyone else besides me or especially me, I have ways of telling."

Magic Steve and mundane Steve blink as your pet nods in obedient understanding.

The relationship between a master and a willing slave is one few in this world, mostly BDSM enthusiasts, could comprehend.

>[ ] "...Steve, my name is Kojo Reyes and I'm Wilson Fisk's sole inheritor. I hope you haven't been poisoned by media lies and misinformation."
>[ ] "If you're still wondering, I tore off her fingers to get her makers off her trail."
>[ ] "Yeah, I wouldn't want to ask anything too after hearing that."
>[ ] "Laura, we need to talk about your social skills."
>[ ] "Just what is truth, magic man?"
>[ ] Headpat Laura, she's adorable even when she's annoying.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3942502
>[ ] "If you're still wondering, I tore off her fingers to get her makers off her trail."
>[ ] "...Steve, my name is Kojo Reyes and I'm Wilson Fisk's sole inheritor. I hope you haven't been poisoned by media lies and misinformation."
Might as well bite the bullet

>>3942502
I'll back >>3942539
The only way Steve would miss the connection is by purposely ignoring it. We named the damn business after ourselves for fucks sake.

Voting closed; writing now.

Don't think I can finish this update in time before class so I'll finish writing it and update tomorrow morning my time (UTC-8) Either before my morning class or soon after when I'm done with my test.

Thoughts or questions of pet ownership and willing slaves?

Daily Advice: don't drink coffee before you sleep, this doesn't really need to be said but I know a lot of stupid people who do this for some really weird reason.

>>3942708
>>3942638
We might want to add that her fingers will grow back. Cap might know from being briefed on her and maybe Strange could sense it, but it would at least let them know that we knew and suggest that we wouldn't have done it otherwise.

Laura is harder to wrangle than Kojo.

Also, I once drank three double espressos and still fell asleep. I don't drink coffee before bed now simply because it makes me have to pee a couple hours later. But yeah, generally speaking, it's not a good idea.

>[X] "If you're still wondering, I tore off her fingers to get her makers off her trail."
>[X] "...Steve, my name is Kojo Reyes and I'm Wilson Fisk's sole inheritor. I hope you haven't been poisoned by media lies and misinformation."

Despite his seemingly candid good-heartedness, he could be hiding his thoughts of you and your company. Either that or he's just not mentioning it so he can enjoy some peaceful time while gaining an idea of what you're like as a person. He's still a pretty nice guy either way. A shame if you ever come to direct blows, he'd make a good friend.

"If you're still wondering, I tore off her fingers to get her makers off her trail."

"...How exactly did that help her?" Cap asks.

"They needed her DNA to salvage the invaluable amount of resources that went into her. It'll calm them down for now and throw them off her trail for a while. Making a clone of her from those fingers is going to be an absolute bitch for them, though."

"Huh, who are they?"

"Better you not know, they have eyes and ears everywhere."

"Kojo, I'm a member of the Avengers: I can help."

"My former handler would cripple you with ease as I did, torture you, and rape you." Laura chimes in. "They are not a force you can handle alone, and the mobilization of more than one Avenger in the same area will alert them; leave them be, Mr. Rogers."

Mundane Steve recoils before nodding.

Strange sighs. "And it seems you attract the worst attention as well... How do you keep your sanity?"

"I don't."

Rogers shakes his head as the magic Steve blinks and hums. "Now I'm concerned. Who are you to regularly meet people like Laura here and the people who make them?"

"...Steve, my name is Kojo Reyes and I'm Wilson Fisk's sole inheritor. I hope you haven't been poisoned by media lies and misinformation."

"Oh..." Captain 'murrica's eyes widen. "You're that Kojo. No wonder I thought your name sounded familiar for some reason." The man crosses his arms. "You do know Kingpin's sudden assassination and your surprise inheritance announced by Silvio Manfredi of all people was extremely suspicious, right?"

You nod. "I know. No one was more surprised than me to hear about the inheritance, trust me."

"I hope you're telling the truth. Please understand that I just can't accept your word on this subject: you may be friends with Strange but the circumstances behind your acquisition and current heading of Fi— Ventura Reyes is far too much of a coincidence to take it as such."

A sigh escapes your lips.

You expected as much for a response but at least he hasn't tried kicking your ass yet.

>[ ] "Fine, fine. I don't expect anyone to believe me. These past months of my life have been an absolute clusterfuck."
>[ ] "What if I was responsible behind everything involving Fisk? What then?"
>[ ] "Do you have any other questions for Laura, magic man?"
>[ ] "Laura, we need to talk about your social skills."
>[ ] "Just what is truth, magic man?"
>[ ] Headpat Laura.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3943875
>>[X] "What if I was responsible behind everything involving Fisk? What then?"

>>3943875
>[ ] "Fine, fine. I don't expect anyone to believe me. These past months of my life have been an absolute clusterfuck."
What's crazier? That this is a case of exceptional circumstances or that a plan that obvious would have succeeded?

>>3943875
>>[X] "Fine, fine. I don't expect anyone to believe me. These past months of my life have been an absolute clusterfuck."
>>[X] "Laura, we need to talk about your social skills."
>>[X] Headpat Laura.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Fine, fine. I don't expect anyone to believe me. These past months of my life have been an absolute clusterfuck."
>[X] "Laura, we need to talk about your social skills."
>[X] Headpat Laura.

You can't even entertain the idea that you are in anyway responsible for what happened or else people will start believing you did it. A member of the Avengers on your ass is the last thing you need right now. Best to kill the discussion as quickly as possible and move on to other matters, like your new pet's social retardedness. It's cute, but it's dangerous when your present company has a person from one of the most prominent superhero teams in the entire world.

"Fine, fine. I don't expect anyone to believe me. These past months of my life have been an absolute clusterfuck."

Cap raises a blond eyebrow. "Really? Tell me all about it."

Shaking your head, you chuckle. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." You point a thumb at Strange. "To give you an idea, it involved this magic bastard and all the insanity his shit brings."

"Oh... that actually sounds horrible."

"Hey!" The Sorcerer Supreme shoots you a look before returning it to his similarly named friend. "I don't attract anything near the level of what Kojo does or is saying I do."

"Strange, the last time we met, the Avengers were helping you fight a gigantic squid monster from another dimension, which you told us was the favorite pet of an interdimensional traveling sorcerer somewhere near your level."

"That man was actually an interdimensional warlord with an almost supreme level of mastery over sorcery, and it didn't take long for me to take care of him after that."

"You're only proving his point." You chuckle. "I knew you sometimes handled crazy shit, but that's something on an entirely different level."

Magic Steve's eyes narrow in your direction. "Stay out of this."

Another laugh emerges from your lips at the man continuing his defense before you turn your attention to a confused and curious female mutant. "Laura, we need to talk about your social skills."

"My apologies, Kojo. It is difficult for me to understand casual conversation and how to partake appropriately." The girl lowers her head by an inch. "...You are not mad, are you?"

Blinking, you place a hand on top of X-23's head.

The indirect child of Wolverine flinches and jolts at the contact before relaxing.

You, caressing her scalp, scooch your seat closer to hers.

Both Steves keep up their arguing for a full minute until stopping when they notice you displaying affection to your pitiful pet.

Humming a pleasant tune, you continue your petting.

It's going to take some time to get this broken stray comfortable, but she'll settle in your cradle of power eventually.

>[ ] "There, there; I won't hurt you over something stupid like this. It's okay."
>[ ] "You two were disturbing her with your fighting. Shame on you both."
>[ ] "Just what is truth, magic man?"
>[ ] "Anymore questions?"
>[ ] "What? ...What?"
>[ ] Write In.

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

Thoughts or questions about broken people, argumentative superheroes, and extradimensional threats?

Daily Advice: breakfast, lunch and dinner are important for a reason so eat, you skinny fucks. Binge eating makes you gain weight like a sumo too.

>>3944209
>[ ] "You two were disturbing her with your fighting. Shame on you both."
>[ ] "Anymore questions?"
>[ ] Write in.
Ask Strange or Wong for one of those delicious double headed inter-dimensional metal eels/soul parasites (getting the living metal analysed could prove useful).

>>3944209
I'm glad this won. We need distance and distraction to keep people from scrutinizing us.
(Although I still think it's ridiculous that people could accuse us of having something to do with Fisk's death. He was shot with a high power rifle and we kick people's heads off when pressed. Two *entirely* different M.O.s. Just saying.)

>Both Steves keep up their arguing for a full minute until stopping when they notice you displaying affection to your pitiful pet.
See?
DISTRACTION.
Kojo dindu nuthin.

>>[ ] "You two were disturbing her with your fighting. Shame on you both."
I really like this, but we can't trust Laura not to deflate it the second it comes out of our mouth. "You know their fighting wouldn't disturb me, blah, blah, blah."
How about something else like:
>>[X] "Were those two were disturbing you with their fighting, Laura? Shame on you both. ...What?"
Anyone can take it as serious or as gentle ribbing. But we've shown our closeness with her, painting us in a better light, distracted from our suspicious rise, and put the Steves on the defensive.

>>3944239
>Ask Strange or Wong for one of those delicious double headed inter-dimensional metal eels/soul parasites (getting the living metal analysed could prove useful).
Not opposed to any of this.

>Our face when Laura wants a bite.

Voting closed; writing now

>[X] "You two were disturbing her with your fighting. Shame on you both."
>[X] "Anymore questions?"
>[X] "Can I have one of those delicious double headed inter-dimensional metal eel soul parasites?"

There is almost nothing you enjoy more in this world than fucking with people both figuratively and literally. It's the whirlwind of emotions they go through as well as their facial expressions that really do it for you. Severe torture has the same effect but you enjoy that more than fucking to a degree. Laura would probably lose interest in you if she ever learns of that.

"You two were disturbing her with your fighting. Shame on you both."

Steven and Stephen share a look before looking down like ashamed little bitch boys.

Laura, following the motions of your petting hand with her head, ignores your words, allowing your deception to follow through undisputed.

Continuing your humming, you turn your attention back to your subservient pet. "Anymore questions?"

"How long have you two..." Mundane Steve drifts off. "I mean, are you two..."

"No, I don't think I could do that with Laura anyway."

"...I would not mind, but I have no vested interest." The 'clone' in question speaks up.

"Yeah, you've already told me that."

Magic Steve shakes his head. "By the Eye of Agamotto, someone needs to teach this girl what is appropriate and some social skills."

"I know, I know: I've got a few people in mind to do that. She's a quick learner. Girl just needs to live life around relatively functioning people for once."

"I sincerely doubt there is anyone in your life that can be considered 'relatively functioning.'"

You roll your eyes at the wizard. "Can I have one of those delicious double headed inter-dimensional metal eel soul parasites?"

"For what purpose?" The man raises an eyebrow. "You still can eat normal food."

"And I want to eat what you tried to infect my intestines with again."

Sorcerer Supreme of two other sorcerers sighs and ports a plate on to the table followed by a familiar extra-dimensional eel.

Cap grimaces at the sigh as your pet stops her mimicking head motions to examine the alien-esque specimen. "What abomination unto God is that horrible thing?"

"A delicious double-headed inter-dimensional metal eel soul parasite."

"How is it here!"

"Strange can't eat anything that doesn't have a chance to give you soul cancer or something."

Laura lowers her head closer to the plate and sniffs the thing while Magic Steve shoots you a look.

You raise an eyebrow at the girl when she looks back up to you expectingly.

Curiosity kills humans as equally as it kills cats but you can prevent your little human mutant kitty from dying with your magic soul powers.

>[ ] "Don't look all offended, Sorcerer. You can't eat normal food for fuck's sake."
>[ ] "How many of these do you have, magic man?"
>[ ] "I need it for scientific purposes."
>[ ] "Let me fix it up for you first."
>[ ] "Nooo, bad Laura, bad."
>[ ] Write In.

>>3944857
Letting our soul protect Laura just to-sate her curiosity and our desire to duck with Steve Boys seems like throwing our magical dick around at best and tempting fate at worst.
I'd like to dissuade Laura, but the full bad pet treatment seems in bad taste. Maybe something like:
>[X] "No Laura, this wouldn't agree with your digestion."
>>[X] "Don't look all offended, Sorcerer. You can't eat normal food for fuck's sake."

Going to go to my thanksgiving dinner soon. Won't know how long I'm gonna stay so I'm going to call the day here. I will try and update if I get back early, though.

Thoughts or questions, my dudes?

Daily Advice: get a haircut, no one likes wild loose hair.

>>3945064
Happy holidays boss. Also that last tip isn't exactly right. My SO loves when my hair looks like shit for some reason.

>>3944857
>>[X] "How many of these do you have, magic man?"
>>[X] "Let me fix it up for you first."

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>[X] "No Laura, this wouldn't agree with your digestion."
>[X] "Don't look all offended, Sorcerer. You can't eat normal food for fuck's sake."

>[X] "How many of these do you have, magic man?"
>[X] "Let me fix it up for you first."

>>3945075
That's weird. They're weird. Makes sure they're not fucking your dog if you share or they have one: women have been doing that more lately and men would fuck anything that moves if they go without sex for a while and might be looking for revenge so watch out.

Gender relations have gone to shit the past two decades.

>[X] "How many of these do you have, magic man?"
>[X] "Let me fix it up for you first."

No harm in letting her have a taste. You can eat the soul while she eats the rubbery savory flesh of a creature from another dimension. It'll alarm Strange, but he probably already figured out what your other self does naturally. You doubt He'd restrain himself and hide it too. One of these days, you're going to figure out just what the hell the sorcerer found out.

You shift your gaze from your new pet to your magic tutor. "How many of these do you have, magic man?"

"They regenerate into two separate beings, so an infinite amount, and why do you keep calling me that?"

"Because that's what you are, a magic man."

Strange places a hand on the center of his chest. "I am the Sorcerer Supreme."

"Of two sorcerers."

"You and Wong aren't the only other magical people in this world!"

"Uh-huh, but we're the two you have any real authority over, and I'm independent of you in every way other than magic tutoring, so you really only control one."

"Being Sorcerer Supreme is not about leading all the sorcerers either!"

You tilt your head. "Then why make such a fuss?"

A sigh escapes the gray-streak-haired man's lips as he rubs his temples.

"Kojo, can I eat it?" Laura asks, bored and tired of your conversation.

"Let me fix it up for you first."

Placing a finger on the scales of the fried eel, you let your soul materialize in the digit's shape before plunging it in. You tug out the thing's slippery essence and into your vessel, rendering it into Oblivion. A pleased hum rumbles in your throat as you fall back in your chair, to the stares of everyone else at the table.

Laura blinks and turns her attention to the now soulless eel, popping her claws out with a familiar 'SNIKT.'

You watch your pet's rich blood flow down her claws before she slashes the eel into a sashimi style meal. Planting your hand on her head, you caress her scalp as she skewers and devours the pieces of the eel she made.

Steven and Stephen watch the two of you with disturbed concern.

This is how things should and always be: a supreme master relaxing with his ultra submissive pet as the plebes stare in wonder of that which they cannot have.

>[ ] "I'll be taking the scales this time... like I took them last time. Where the fuck did I leave those?"
>[ ] "You're both just jealous you don't have a submissive girl to headpat."
>[ ] "Good girl, good girl! Whose a good girl?"
>[ ] "Can I have another one to go?"
>[ ] "What? ...What?"
>[ ] Let them stew in silence, the supreme master enjoys such things.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3945549
>>[X] "Can I have another one to go?"
>>[X] "What? ...What?"
They are infinite so we could make a farm of these or something.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Can I have another one to go?"
>[X] "What? ...What?"

It feels kind of odd to ask for another with the strange feeling that you're missing something, but you may as well go for it. Malleable steel can be put to use with resistant, equally malleable fabric to create stretchy protective clothing. Phineas is going to have a field day when he gets his hands on this stuff. The fact its a material not even from this dimension will be enough to make him ecstatic.

"Can I have another one to go?"

Strange stares at you in complete silence.

You raise an eyebrow. "What? ...What?"

"...Nothing." The magic man shakes his head. "Why do you want another of them? I know you can... remove their ill effects, but I doubt you need a free and virtually infinite source of food."

"I'm interested in its biology as well as the material that composes its scales. They're not as tough or sharp as the adamantium coating Laura here's claws, but their malleability is a work of art."

"And what exactly do you intend to make from them?"

You shrug. "Bullet-proof stretch-wear for my niggas in Mutant Town and the middle-east. Something among those lines. You'd be surprised how often mutants get picked off by bullets of all fucking things when their main threat is other mutants' powers. Even before I mutated, you'd have to be really lucky to get a bullet in me. The middle-east speaks for itself."

Strange hums as Rogers groans at that last bit. "I can't fault you for wanting to protect other people or our soldiers but involving something not of this world in order to do so puts the supernatural in a spotlight if it ever takes off and its origins are discovered."

"Relax, I'll make sure it never gets out. Can't have all the plebes accessing an infinite source of malleable energy, huh?"

The magic man grimaces before portaling another two-headed bug-eyed steel-scaled eel in front of you.

You move your head patting hand away from Laura's head, to her disappointment, to rub your hands Jewish-like at the virtually infinite resource on your plate.

So many riches await you in the future, you're probably going to stop giving a shit about anything but advancements in equipment.

>[ ] "Out of curiosity, has any Sorcerer Supreme, by which I mean you and your former master, interfered in world events?"
>[ ] "Come to think of it, isn't your shield made out of something beyond adamantium, Cap?"
>[ ] "What's up with you, Cap? Angry our soldiers are busy dying in Iraq?"
>[ ] "Why all the paranoia, Strange? I didn't do nothing."
>[ ] "I think we're done here. Come on, Laura."
>[ ] "...Hold on, you know?"
>[ ] Write In.

>>3945840
>>[X] "What's up with you, Cap? Angry our soldiers are busy dying in Iraq?"

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

Thoughts or questions about otherworldly eels and the current year this quest is taking place in in-setting?

Daily Advice: full diverse nutritious meals good, less diverse less nutritious meals not so good.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "What's up with you, Cap? Angry our soldiers are busy dying in Iraq?"

>(1/2)

You've heard about the Iraq war in passing when it first started last year, but you've never had a real discussion about what's been going on in it. Good thing the people you've eaten have been keeping up with events more than you have. Cap, being the patriot everyone assumes him to be, is probably more up to date with the events leading up to it than you are.

"What's up with you, Cap? Angry our soldiers are busy dying in Iraq?"

"It's not... Well, it's a large part of my frustration but it's mostly the questionable grounds we've invaded the country for: there is no political or moral advantage we gain by forcing democracy on a populace that abides by sharia law. We're wasting lives, resources, and time on what amounts to meaningless grandstanding. This is something we've never done in the Middle East before, so why are we doing it now?"

"Most likely as a response to the fall of the twin towers." Laura chimes in, finishing the last of her eel. "Taking part in regime changes as the United States has always done shows no initiative or response to Muslim terrorist aggression. Implementing democracy on a Muslim populace shows would-be Jihadi their beliefs can be subverted."

Steve blinks. "Huh... that's actually a really good theory. A more believable reason than any of the justifications used by our politicians."

"It is." You resume your head-patting of X-23, to her satisfaction. "Can't say I'll cry over thousands of dead Muslims, though. They should just bomb the shit out of all their facilities, human shields be damned."

"You would willingly advocate the death of hundreds of innocent men, women, and children for the crimes of their head of state?"

A scoff spits out of your lips. "It's war, people die. There's no difference if it's children, men, or women, innocent or not. Far more lives would be saved if they die in the bombings."

>(2/2)

"Funny to hear about the nature and necessity of sacrifice in war from someone who's never fought in one."

"Eh, depends on what you'd consider a war. Can you say I'm wrong, though?"

"...Not exactly, but I wouldn't be so quick to throw away innocent lives just to win one." He raises an eyebrow. "What 'war' did you fight?"

You blink as the blood-soaked memories of your childhood flow through your mind. "A... pointless one. Forget I ever said anything about it."

"Okay, what do you have against Muslims?"

"I despise all religions but I especially loathe those founded by self-righteous pedophiles who's beliefs have turned a significant portion of the world into a shithole. Anyone still willingly believing in that horse shit after leaving the shit heap that was their country deserves to die as far as I'm concerned: they don't deserve to be free, much less alive. They're slaves in all but name to their meaningless, detrimental beliefs."

Steven and Stephen stare at your religion-hating self.

You can't deny that Dan's hatred of the religion and the culture of its practioners has rubbed off on you after all this time, but your hatred is based more on your own beliefs than his.

>[ ] "...If you really want to know, I used to fight crime as a kid. I didn't mean to but it was the only thing I could think of to make Hunts Point safe for me. There are over several hundred gang-bangers in the ground or in piles of ash because they caught my attention. I saw countless people die, tortured, and raped back in those days... An old Green Beret veteran taught me how to defend myself, he's dead because of me."
>[ ] "Out of curiosity, has any Sorcerer Supreme, by which I mean you and your former master, interfered in world events?"
>[ ] "...Isn't your shield made out of something beyond adamantium, Cap?"
>[ ] "What was with all the paranoia, Strange? I didn't do nothing."
>[ ] "I think we're done here. Come on, Laura."
>[ ] "...Hold on, do you know, Strange?"
>[ ] Write In.

>>3947111
>>[ ] "...If you really want to know, I used to fight crime as a kid. I didn't mean to but it was the only thing I could think of to make Hunts Point safe for me. There are over several hundred gang-bangers in the ground or in piles of ash because they caught my attention. I saw countless people die, tortured, and raped back in those days... An old Green Beret veteran taught me how to defend myself, he's dead because of me."

>>3947111
>[X] "...If you really want to know, I used to fight crime as a kid. I didn't mean to but it was the only thing I could think of to make Hunts Point safe for me. There are over several hundred gang-bangers in the ground or in piles of ash because they caught my attention. I saw countless people die, tortured, and raped back in those days... An old Green Beret veteran taught me how to defend myself, he's dead because of me."
Dropping some Kojo lore on them seems like the best move here.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "...If you really want to know, I used to fight crime as a kid. I didn't mean to but it was the only thing I could think of to make Hunts Point safe for me. There are over several hundred gang-bangers in the ground or in piles of ash because they caught my attention. I saw countless people die, tortured, and raped back in those days... An old Green Beret veteran taught me how to defend myself, he's dead because of me."

>(1/2)

Dropping a little tidbit of a actual factual info about your past won't hurt you. In fact, it'll probably make you sympathetic to both Steven and Stephen. Nothing tugs on people's heartstrings like a child or woman suffering. You find the former more understandable than the latter. Too many people put pussy on a pedestal if the accumulated memories of the people you've eaten are anything to go by.

"...If you really want to know, I used to fight crime as a kid. I didn't mean to but it was the only thing I could think of to make Hunts Point safe for me. There are over several hundred gang-bangers in the ground or in piles of ash because they caught my attention. I saw countless people die, tortured, and raped back in those days... An old Green Beret veteran taught me how to defend myself, he's dead because of me."

Strange's eyes widen as Steve frowns. "You didn't mention that in your press conference."

"Why the hell would I do that?" You smile. "Hey, people, I was basically a child soldier who waged a one-man war against crime in my neighborhood. Don't worry, I'm perfectly," you scowl, "fucking fine after having to go through all that shit since I was fucking six."

"How did you manage to do that so young?" Captain America asks.

>(2/2)

"People are far more fragile than they think: one stab to a tendon and they lose control over a significant portion of their limb. I'd either cut what I didn't know was someone's quadricept tendon or stab them in the ACL to bring them down to my level before slitting their throats. Those two motions are far easier than people think they are, especially when your always by someone's knees."

"The green beret veteran taught you that?" Laura looks to you, head still shifting with your caressing hand.

You shake your head. "It was something I either picked up on after cutting up my first bodies or something I just knew instinctively. Killing came naturally to me and it's natural in almost ever animal. All of us feel the urge to go for the throat and the head because that's what our instincts tell us. Dan taught me how to use my hands and feet, a gun, ambush and military tactics, first aid, and to always be on the offensive."

"So is that why you take care of children, if you haven't been lying about that?" Strange asks. "You want to make sure those children don't go down the same route you did?"

"No, I don't want any of them getting raped by pedophiles or gunned down in gang wars. What I did isn't exactly the normal thing street kids do, and I didn't even understand that much normalcy back then."

Roger rests his head on his hand. "Just what happened to you to make you that way but turn out to be the person you are now?"

"...It's complicated."

There are far too many factors that played a role in that to ever really know.

>[ ] "Out of curiosity, has any Sorcerer Supreme, by which I mean you and your former master, interfered in world events?"
>[ ] "Don't pity me, if you're feeling pity. It was just... something that happened."
>[ ] "...Isn't your shield made out of something beyond adamantium, Cap?"
>[ ] "What was with all the paranoia, Strange? I didn't do nothing."
>[ ] "I think we're done here. Come on, Laura."
>[ ] "...Hold on, do you know, Strange?"
>[ ] Write In.

>>3947403
>>[X] "Out of curiosity, has any Sorcerer Supreme, by which I mean you and your former master, interfered in world events?"

>>3947403
>[X] "Don't pity me, if you're feeling pity. It was just... something that happened.
Things happen that can't be helped. We were born a homeless, soulless, mixed race mutant puppet mutt in Hunts Point, NYC, America. Taking pride or pity in any of that or the other things that happened to us would be like taking pride or expecting pity for how our gallbladder functions. Shit happens.
What matters is what you do when you can do something.

>[X] "Out of curiosity, has any Sorcerer Supreme, by which I mean you and your former master, interfered in world events?"
Curious, makes a point about his personal action or inaction, and segues nicely away from our numerous fucked-up origin elements.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Don't pity me, if you're feeling pity. It was just... something that happened."
>[X] "Out of curiosity, has any Sorcerer Supreme, by which I mean you and your former master, interfered in world events?"

>(1/2)

The past is something you can't erase or mend but something you'll always live with. It's not something to be proud of, much less pity yourself for. Shit just happens in this life. Fairness doesn't exist in nature or this apathetic reality. You can bitch and complain about it all you want, it won't change the fact that's just the way things are.

You sigh. "Don't pity me, if you're feeling pity. It was just... something that happened."

"I wouldn't call it that: for the love of god, that was your childhood." Steve says.

"And it sucked when I look back at it now; let's just move on."

"Kojo, are you sure you have?" Strange speaks up. "I've seen you breakdown before. One was about something you were putting off on dealing with and the other... sounded a lot like you lost someone, say that green beret."

A sigh escapes your lips. "...There's no point in talking about this: I can't change the past."

"You're not accepting it though."

"I have." You scowl. "That's all behind me. Who I was is all but dead as is almost everyone from my past. There's no point to this conversation."

"Perhaps accepting isn't the right word. What I meant to say is that you're not letting yourself grieve. Everything you've witnessed, done, and lost was far too much for a child to bear. You likely closed yourself off from reality or bottled up all your emotions. Just shoving all of that away and calling it something that just happened will destroy you eventually."

>(2/2)

A snarl growls from your throat before you shake your head.

There's no point in arguing with these people: neither of them comes from the same place you did or understands. You can't do anything to change what happened and even acceptance of that as well as what happened is pointless. What you feel or think doesn't matter either. The past is the past with all the definitiveness that comes with that.

T̵̤̞͍̗̮͘h̵̘͐͌͗e̵̥͍̠̭͛̏n̸͖͔̈́̋͑ ̵̫̍̂̂ẃ̵̢̤̪̿̈́̌̕ͅh̷̤͎̃̎̋ͅy̵̨̰̘̟͂͘ ̵̧͖̠͙̿̑̆d̷̛̟̔͆͝ͅǫ̴̰̪̪͕̍͗͝ ̴̞͓̭̳̉̎͊I̷͎̬̠̐̎ ̵̛̣̤͙̔͠ḛ̶̂͊̌x̶̪̫̠̮͌̀i̶̡͉̒̉̾̿͝s̴̜̰̠͙̀̄̇̐͒t̸͉̼̳̤̎̉̈́̈́̂?̴̢̻̈́̄

...

...

"Out of curiosity, has any Sorcerer Supreme, by which I mean you and your former master, interfered in world events?"

Stranger Danger blinks. "No... None that I know of, anyway. Protecting the world from cosmic, magical threats is the primary job of the Sorcerer Supreme, which makes the usually petty conflicts of the world powers beneath our notice."

"So you two were perfectly content to watch countless people die and kill each other over meaningless bullshit just to save them from dying from a cosmic, magical threat?"

"If you want to put it in that very passive-aggressive way, sure."

A bitchy hum purrs in your throat.

He's too fun to fuck with.

>[ ] "Rogers, did Steven here tell you how he tried to violate the sanctity of my being while I was sleeping?"
>[ ] "That sounds incredibly irresponsible for a so-called defender of humanity, right cap?"
>[ ] "...Isn't your shield made out of something beyond adamantium, Cap?"
>[ ] "What was with all the paranoia, Strange? I didn't do nothing."
>[ ] "I think we're done here. Come on, Laura."
>[ ] "...Hold on, do you know, Strange?"
>[ ] Write In.

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

Thoughts or questions about past and acceptance?

Daily Advice: slather yourself in lotion, your skin will thank me in the winter time

>>3947665
>[ ] "That sounds incredibly irresponsible for a so-called defender of humanity, right cap?"
>[ ] Write in.
Comment on Strange putting the needs of the many over the needs of the few, and ask how he can object to our war strategy when he does the exact same thing on a much grander, cosmic, scale; same goes for cap, he could be on the front lines with the rest of the troops but he’s guarding the president instead, they both need to pull their heads out of their asses and realise that life is brutal and doesn’t give a shit about the greater good and not everyone can be saved, it’s more-so a case of minimising loss

>>3947866
should we present the superman issue to him and put him in a perpetual moral dilemma?

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "That sounds incredibly irresponsible for a so-called defender of humanity, right Cap?"
>[X] "Can you object to my war strategy when yours is the same thing on a grander scale? Same goes for you too, Cap: you could be on the front lines fighting with our men, but you're doing SHIELD's dirty work and standing guard presidential candidates for some reason."

May as well continue fucking with his magical ass to make yourself feel better about all the shit in your life as well as this world. You need to find some way to take the edge off before you delve into your next mindfucking question. It'll be a fucking of great belief-questioning importance to these to super 'heroes.' Crushing someone's beliefs, morals, and confidence is always fun.

You turn to the patriot. "That sounds incredibly irresponsible for a so-called defender of humanity, right Cap?"

"While I understand where you're coming from, I also understand Strange's position: if he interferes, he's potentially shaping the world for the worse with the introduction of his reality-warping powers onto the global playing field."

"And that's worse than letting countless people kill each other over petty issues?"

Rogers frowns. "People are always going to kill one another over petty issues, whether through war or by other means. Strange interfering or even taking over the world to safeguard it will just make people go to other means than war."

"Yes," the magic man in question speaks up, "and even if I did, I wouldn't resort to your tactics to end conflicts."

"Can you object to my war strategy when yours is the same thing on a grander scale?" You turn to the first Avenger. "Same goes for you too, Cap: you could be on the front lines fighting with our men, but you're doing SHIELD's dirty work and standing guard presidential candidates for some reason. You're both playing hero and being reactive over being proactive by stopping this shit before it can happen. Even then, not everyone can be saved. All we're doing is minimizing losses at best because we can all agree that people are always going to die regardless of what we do."

The two Steves open their mouths and stop as they realize the truth in your words.

Laura glances at you with some amount of concern in her eyes.

You tilt your head at her look before increasing the pleasantness in your head-patting.

X-23, closing her eyes, murmurs a small hum.

Much like your pet here, you will control the so called 'superheroes' into dancing to your tune.

>[ ] "Rogers, did Steven here tell you how he tried to violate the sanctity of my being while I was sleeping?"
>[ ] "Isn't your shield made out of something beyond adamantium, Cap?"
>[ ] "What was with all that paranoia, Strange? I didn't do nothing."
>[ ] "I think we're done here. Come on, Laura."
>[ ] "...Hold on, do you know, Strange?"
>[ ] Write In.

>>3948894
>[ ] "I think we're done here. Come on, Laura."
Thank Wong and Strange for the hospitality. Let thank Rogers for his time and let them both know that if they ever want to debate philosophy again they know where to find us.

>>3948894>>3948984
>[X] "I think we're done here. Come on, Laura."
> [X] Thank Wong and Strange for the hospitality. Let thank Rogers for his time and let them both know that if they ever want to debate philosophy again they know where to find us.
I think this is the right way to leave it.

Voting closed; writing now.

>>3948395
>should we present the superman issue to him and put him in a perpetual moral dilemma?
If you mean the one I'm thinking of, that'd be dumb. I argued with some anon once because he said that any powered individual who isn't 100% constantly working towards saving lives can't be called a hero because while they're relaxing, people are dying. Once I got him to confirm that meant Spider-Man would not be considered a hero, I ended the argument. Even a perfect life-saving robot needs some downtime for maintenance. People need more.

>3948894
>You're both playing hero and being reactive over being proactive by stopping this shit before it can happen
There's a line between erring on the side of being too reactive and allowing events to get too bad before stopping them and erring on the side being too pro-active and oppressing people who you feel might act.
Where the line falls is pretty subjective.

Although, Kojo has no issues oppressing others and "playing" god.

>[X] "I think we're done here. Come on, Laura."
>[X] "Thank you for your hospitality and thank you for your time. If you want your beliefs destroyed, you know where to find me."

Little point in staying here any longer than you have to now that you've quite possibly pissed both of the supermen off. You've already gotten all that you wanted out of this conversation anyway. Phineas throwing another one of his crazy scientist fits over the eel's scales will further brighten your mood too. Also, you can pet your Laura with impunity as you think of ways to dominate the planet.

"I think we're done here." You, picking up your plate of inter-dimensional eel, scoot back your chair and hop off your seat. "Come on, Laura."

X-23 follows your lead without so much as a whisper.

"Thank you for your hospitality and thank you for your time. If you want your beliefs destroyed, you know where to find me." Spinning back, you snap a portal back to Phineas' into being.

"Kojo." Strange calls out.

You glance back and raise an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Please... don't let yourself be consumed by your hatred. Not everyone or everything had the intention of crossing you: factors beyond all our control has put us in these circumstances in life. I know you could hardly care less about what I have to say, but... remember my words as time passes by. Some people are worth forgiving and sparing in spite of everything they are or have done."

"...What the fuck brought this on?"

A smile makes its way on to your magic tutor's face. "One aging master sorcerer's worries."

Clucking your tongue, you turn your head back around and step through the portal back into the tiny genius madman's bunker.

Laura follows your lead, murmuring another small hum. "He cares for you."

"The man barely even knows me." You scoff. "All those worries and cares of his are misplaced."

"Perhaps, you are more of a threat to him than you are an ally or a friend, but he seems to refuse that point of view."

"Stupid bleeding heart of his is going to get himself killed one day, and it'll probably be me who does him in."

You don't necessarily want to, but it seems to be inevitable if what you think he knows is true. That You isn't ready to be introduced to the world at large yet. When He does, nothing will be the same and all will be yours for the taking. You'll keep this going until then.

>[ ] "You went from reasonably suspicious of me to relatively trusting a little too soon, don't you think?"
>[ ] "Take this to Phineas for me, please. Don't eat it and tell him not to."
>[ ] "I'm going to go back to my place now, take care."
>[ ] "Old man, I have a surprise for you!"
>[ ] Port to your office, you need to have men take all of Mysterio's shit besides going over your office reports.
>[ ] Write In.

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

Thoughts or questions of concern?

Daily Advice: take relatively cold showers to preserve your skin, you don't want flaky dried skin

>>3949228
>>[X] "You went from reasonably suspicious of me to relatively trusting a little too soon, don't you think?"
>[X] "Old man, I have a surprise for you!"

>>3949246
Support

>>3949026
thinking more presenting the short comic where superman works a generator for the "greater good" making them a post scarcity society and the humans actually only does anything when they notice he is generating less and less Power it ends with him working in a museum and them unthankful
the thing is what ever you do and how ever much you do they will be ungreatful and always think what you can do for them

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "You went from reasonably suspicious of me to relatively trusting a little too soon, don't you think?"
>[X] "Old man, I have a surprise for you!"

While you are pleased with the development of your master-servant relationship, its progression is very fast in comparison to the dominant relationships you're used to. Could just be because of her upbringing and obedience conditioning, but you can never be too sure about these important things. Then again, you did save her from ever being someone's jailbait murder machine rape toy again, and you did fix her back up after you as well as Kimura broke what little she believed in. It'd be an interesting thing to talk to one another about besides all that.

"You went from reasonably suspicious of me to relatively trusting a little too soon, don't you think?"

"So long as I am useful to you, I know I can trust you."

A sigh escapes your lips as you shake your head. "You're avoiding my question."

"It is...odd, but I have not had many experiences with trust, so I do not have anything to compare our relationship to. In this world, you are the one person who has done the most for me and neither of us have know each other for a single day."

"Hmm, it feels a lot longer than that to me, like I've known you for a long time. Could just be because... Nevermind, we have a magical eel from another dimension to gift to a mad scientist." With no further word, you start walking down the steps of the bunker staircase.

Phineas is back to working on his pet projects when you finish your trek back into the depths of his true workshop.

"Old man, I have a surprise for you!"

The little man, goggles strapped to his face, spins around to see you and Laura back in his place. "Wait a minute, you two left?"

"What do you mean? You heard us..." You shake your head and hold out the platter of interdimensional eel. "This is for you. Don't eat it because it'll reform in your guts but make sure to cutoff its heads so it grows into two separate eels with another two heads. The scales are some malleable steel alloy that I think could be useful if put on an equally malleable skinsuit."

Mason blinks, takes the plate, moves to the location of one of his microscopes, and puts the eel under the high-powered lenses all without a word.

It'll probably take him a while to figure out its properties, like he did the alien materials that composed the Judas bullets. Science takes more than a day to conduct though some like Phineas can leap through the centuries with their genius. You can go do other shit while Mason does Mason.

>[ ] "Do you want to watch the sunset with me, Laura? It'd be something for us to do that'll give you some perspective."
>[ ] "Have you ever watched a good movie before? I haven't, not personally at least. Let's go watch one."
>[ ] "Take care of the old man for me, Laura. He doesn't know his limits."
>[ ] "I'm going to go back to my place now, take care."
>[ ] Port to your office, shit needs doing.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3949662
>[X] "Take care of the old man for me, Laura. He doesn't know his limits."
>[X] Port to your office, shit needs doing.

Off to class. Wilk close voting and update when I get back.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Take care of the old man for me, Laura. He doesn't know his limits."
>[X] Port to your office, shit needs doing.

As much as you'd like to stay around to here his mad cackling, you have more important things to look over that you should've done several hours ago before Wolverine came in and fucked up everything for you. You need to have Beck's shit moved to a secure area, and you need to read over your reports. It'd be irresponsible for you to turn in before handling all that. Not like you need much rest anyway.

"Take care of the old man for me, Laura. He doesn't know his limits."

Ms. Varley nods as you wave another portal into being. "I will make sure he eats and rests, even if I must render him unconscious."

"...Pretty sure he's in his seventies. Just pick him up, walk to his bed, and set him down on it. He'll knockout as soon as his head touches the pillow. I don't want him to die from a heartattack if you jump and rear naked choke his wrinkly ass."

"Understood, I will demonstrate restraint."

"Laura... you're not rendering him unconscious in anyway, do you understand me?"

"...Yes, I will carry him to his bed when he is exhausting himself."

Planting a hand on the girl's head, you caress her scalp. "Good girl. I'll pop in later, maybe tomorrow morning." You spin around and take a step towards the portal. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

"Okay."

You chuckle as you step through the warp in the fabric of space and time into your surprisingly orderly office.

Either Nina took some initiative and organized your stuff for you or the poor janitor assigned to mop up your men's spilled blood decided to try and get on your good side. Both of them deserve something in either case for their efforts. You may be a cruel slaver but you reward hard work and believe in meritocracy.

Besides getting your office work in order, you can probably handle other business you've been putting off. Your mental health is one major concern that's been popping up far too much lately. Peter is also probably waiting for you to show up anytime now. Might be good to kill two birds with one stone by going to the Daily Bugle to conduct an exclusive interview about Ventura Reyes and your corporate moves.

>[ ] Dial up your number one homeboy, it'd be good to tell him what happened with Cyke and Wolverine as well as the Facility.
>[ ] Port to the Daily Bugle, it's getting late but now is as good a time as any.
>[ ] Call the number of a famous therapist, they can probably help you.
>[ ] Warp back to Peter's, you can't let your boy wait for too long.
>[ ] Do your job, you are the head of the organization.
>[ ] Write In.

>>3950013
>[ ] Do your job, you are the head of the organization.
Let's get our house in order first.

>>3949522
>doing good in expectancy of gratitude
>moral dilemma
What?
Heroes that toil for gratitude are less than heroic. How many rude, ungrateful children do you save before you just let the bastards die? *All* of them. Every. Last. Ungrateful. Bastard.

As for the comic, it avoids the point that enslaving one individual to create a post-scarcity world at the expense of all the people he would otherwise save is kind of a dick move. Also, statisticians and mathematicians make terrible ethics experts.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] Do your job, you are the head of the organization.

>(1/2)

First things first, the important shit you've been unintentionally putting off by pursuing momentarily more pressing matters. There's a lot of important things the CEO of a company overlooks and documents that really downplay the importance of those things. Everything you sign is dealing with things in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and occasionally the millions. Your recent changes and requests to pave the way for Phineas to take his place as your grand architect are largely responsible for that. A lot more is going to come flooding in when you unveil your new world changing products.

You move behind your desk and seat yourself in your company chair.

About half an hour into your report and paper signing, Nina steps into your office. "Oh! You're back."

A hum rumbles in your throat as you dart your eyes across the proposed overall budget of your west-coast operations report.

"You do realize you don't have to look over even half of what you do, right?"

"When you're running your own company, you can ignore all that's happening in it all you want."

"Okay, okay! Forget I said anything." The young secretary turns around.

"Hold on," you raise your eyes to the Italian woman's shapely behind, "tell Arkwright I need a moving crew to clear out a warehouse on Lincoln Place in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Tell him to move everything in it to my pet project."

"Alright, anything else?"

>(2/2)

"You get a four dollar raise. Call payroll and tell them the good news. If they ask for me, forward them to my company line."

"This isn't because the... erection is it?"

Raising your gaze to the woman's face proper, you blink. "No, like I said, that wasn't for you or because of you."

The woman exits the room without a word to further avoid the awkwardness of asking more about your soul-eating boner.

You look back down to your stack of reports and requests before losing yourself in them again.

An hour of reading and answering of one payroll department call as well as a see-you-tomorrow secretary call pass until you consider your daily work done.

Looking outside your office's glass walls, you see the lights of other business buildings illuminating the night.

You could've turned in whenever you wanted to near the time you met with the Facility representatives, but you can't leave a single piece of information left under a stone. It'll pay off eventually when you're set to take over the business world, taking over a significant portion of the real one as a result.

Speaking of the Facility and world domination, you've got a hand to decide how to deal with besides all the other shit in your life.

>[ ] Dial up your number one homeboy, it'd be good to tell him what happened with Cyke and Wolverine as well as the Facility.
>[ ] Phase into your home, those fingers aren't going to eat or deliver themselves.
>[ ] Port to the Daily Bugle, it's getting late but now is as good a time as any.
>[ ] Call the number of a famous therapist, they can probably help you.
>[ ] Warp back to Peter's, you can't let your boy wait for too long.
>[ ] Write In.