017 | expecting just a little bit too much from the wounded

[mortal_son]

[ VIDEO ]

[ He's dressed as usual now - his expression might be hard to read, for most. It's the same hunted expression, though, that he wore for a lot of the past two years, before Genessia. Before his death. ]

So, uh.

I attacked three people I didn't recognize. Durin the whole, thing, last week.

Dunno who any of you are - and. You ain't gotta trust me.

Lemme know if you had t'spend any money gettin yourself healed up, and. I'll pay you back.


... As for everyone else. Sorry for threatenin everyone. Again.



[ TEXT -> Orihime Inoue ]

heading to work now. sorry. won't happen again.


[ TEXT -> Cassian Andor ]

saw your texts - after. you all right?


[ TEXT -> Minato Arisato ]

you ok?

Comments

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[spidertwerp]

Don't worry about it, happens to me more than you'd think.

-Spider-Man

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[mortal_son]

You all right?

[Video | Locked]

[initia_nova]

Ey...I saw your post but given how everyone was acting like they had been turned into their evil doppelgangers, I thought it was better not to comment.

Are you okay?

[Video | Locked]

[mortal_son]

[ He doesn't look okay - Scott knows him well enough to tell that. His jaw is tense, his eyes are distant. Like he's expecting a blow.

Not only was he a violent asshole, deep down - which he'd known, but, now it was definitely confirmed - there was that whole anonymous post, before. Which Scott might have seen. Because he blew it, was called out, had everything laid out in the open. Had everything ruined.

And now - Scott was a good guy, just worried. Even for a jerk like him. ]

... I'm fine.

You ain't gotta worry 'bout me.

[spidertwerp]

Fine, don't worry about it! I'm pretty sturdy.

[Video | Locked]

[initia_nova]

[Scott knows about the anonymous thread because he was there asking question too, even if he was a bit better than Shinjiro at not being discovered. The whole thing make shim nervous but not for the reason Shinjiro might be thinking. He’s clearly worried too about his friend.]

No, you're not. What happened these last days it's not unfamiliar to me. Where I come from, people sometimes had been brainwashed and manipulated to turn evil. It was not their fault and it isn't yours now either. You couldn't stop it.

[mortal_son]

You seemed pretty strong.

But still scrawny. If you need help, no shame in asking for it, you know.

[ Hypocrite. ]

[Video | Locked]

[mortal_son]

You don't understand.

[ He's tired, and frustrated - and his new Persona is not happy with his current self-doubt and hatred - and. Shinjiro admits, sounding a bit like he's punched, stumbling over the words: ]

It's always been a part of me. Stuff that happened - what I remembered happenin, last week - lotsa stuff changed for Aki, not so much for me. All I needed was to be taken in by the wrong people. Then I became that - evil that you call it - all on my own.

It's - it's like before.

A Persona is who you are - and Castor - we killed people, in that other life.

Only difference was, I wasn't torn up 'bout it.

[ Cringes, after that confession. ]

So you ain't gotta waste your time, tellin me it ain't my fault

[spidertwerp]

Not to worry, really, I even heal pretty fast.
I'm just glad you're feeling better and not committing anymore crimes.

[mortal_son]

If you say so.

And. Yeah. Not usually my thing.

[spidertwerp]

I'm glad to hear it. I'd rather not have to stop criminals, because there's no crime.

[mortal_son]

So you're some kind of superhero, then?

[spidertwerp]

[Yes kind of.]

I'm just your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man!

[mortal_son]

You're a superhero called Spider-Man.

[spidertwerp]

What's wrong with that? That's what people call me!

[mortal_son]

Nothing wrong. Just confirming.

Is it just the web thing, or is it other stuff?

[spidertwerp]

I don't know, I guess so. People started calling me that after they saw some videos online.

[mortal_son]

Makes sense.

Not real creative, but, can't think of anything better, after all.

[spidertwerp]

I don't mind it, it's cool!

[Video | Locked]

[initia_nova]

No, I probably don't understand the full implications. [He's not going to assume he knows best, because it's Shinjiro's life and Scott is not so selfish.] But I want to.

The important difference between that other you and the person you are now is that you don't want to hurt others. We all can make the wrong decision and things can calculate from there. But we can also own our flaws and change.

You are not your mistakes or the 'what if' possibilities of a life that never was, Shinjiro.

[Video | Locked]

[mortal_son]

[ Swallows, looks away from the video screen on the phone. ]

Yeah. I own my flaws. All of 'em.

[ Hunches in a little - Scott is speaking to the person he wants to be, the person that his Persona, Aeneas, represents. But he isn't feeling confident that he's capable of being that guy, at the moment. ]

... Dunno why you and the others see somethin so great 'bout me.

I get Aki - why he bothers - I'm his brother. He ain't got nobody else.

You, though? Or the others?

[ He meant what he said on the anonymous threads, after all. ]

One more mistake, and I could be that guy.

[ Or at least, that's what he was afraid of. ]

[Video | Locked]

[initia_nova]

[Scott's face is serious with worry and he wishes he could find a way to make it all better. The fact that Shinjiro is willing to speak about what worries him and the trust that implies doesn't go unnoticed.]

Can I come over? I think it would be better is we talk in person. Please.

[Video | Locked]

[mortal_son]

[ He's conflicted. On the one hand, he wants to say no - to shut him out, and Aki, and Orihime, and Demyx, and everyone he's met here.

On the other hand.

He'd promised himself, even when he was beginning to feel - useless - that he couldn't push people away again. That he couldn't stand by and let them get hurt, just like he couldn't ignore how they were trying to help him any longer.

It was hard. Very, very hard, for Shinjiro.

But, eventually, reluctantly, he nods. ]

Ain't gonna stop you.

[Video | Locked]>>>>[Action]

[initia_nova]

[He waits patiently for Shinjiro to take a decision. Scott wouldn't have insisted if his friends said No, but he's glad it wasn't the case.]

I'll there in no time.

[After heading towards Genessia and sprinting more than walking, Scott stood in front of Shinjiro and Aki's apartment. He knocked twice and waited, the cold air do December sweeping into his bones.]

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[captain_by_the_book]

[ Yes, and he remembers, he has re-read the texts, too. He almost doesn't reply to Shinjiro, except then he'd worry. ]

No.