[center][hr][hr][img]http://i.imgur.com/FUhGsiJ.png?1[/img]   [img]http://i.imgur.com/jMHlMRq.png[/img]   [img]http://i.imgur.com/xYKmI37.png[/img]
[hr][hr][img]http://i.imgur.com/Ob0qvX6.png[/img]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/7fBdldL.gif[/img]  [img]http://i.imgur.com/GQEEvft.gif[/img]

[b][color=215435]Location:[/color][/b] Forest (by a Stomp) 
[b][color=662d91]Interacting With:[/color][/b] Each other [sub][@lovely complex][/sub]
[color=215435][b]Pensive & Annoyed → Tired → Surprised → Honest →  Terrible → Conclusive[/b][/color]
[b][color=662d91]Worried → Melancholy & Nostalgia → Relaxed but tired → Reminiscing → Sadness → Torn → Guilty → Angry → Acceptance[/color][/b] 
[hr][/center]

What does it mean to be a friend? A best friend? A lover? Mitch sat on the half wall of Mayweather Old West's roof. He stared down at the students on campus walking around and enjoying their days. His expression was withdrawn as he held onto his phone in worried anticipation. After the dance committee meeting, he made sure he ditched Samantha to find Milo, wherever he may be. His boyfriend decided to return late from vacation and his texts have been little to few. Surprisingly, Mitch recieved more contact from Eliana than Milo during this long week. Ever since his kind Asian went back home, he's been acting different. 

There was something he wasn't telling him and it annoyed Mitch to no end. Even when he caught the innocent boy carrying a small duffel bag and saying goodbye to his parents by his dorm, there was something... different with the way he held himself. He smiled, but it was weak, he waved, but it was half-assed, and he stared, but it only lasted seconds. All Mitch was able to get out of him was, "I'll see you tonight!" before he was off and out of his grasp. Their embrace felt like he was miles away, as if Mitch was stranded on an island while Milo sailed away on the vast azure sea to a destination unknown. The Headmaster's son wasn't an idiot. If anything, Milo was probably thinking they would never work and that it was time to break things off. They hadn't even been dating for more than a week and he was already doubting him! That's how these things went. He was fully prepared to be left alone tonight with a dinner for two. He was a guy with commitment issues yet he felt like he was the one whooped. Feeling his phone vibrate, Mitch glanced down and saw an urgent text from Lucas. [i][color=215435]I wonder if he knows[/color][/i] 

As of lately, Mitch didn't understand his actions. There were just some things he needed to protect and he felt obligated to take risks that were beyond him. It didn't help that he felt like a gun was being pointed to his head. Regardless of where he stood, he needed to keep on persevering. If that meant he had to turn friends into enemies, then so be it. Walking to the stump, without texting Lucas back, he mentally prepared himself to put on his facade. The sound of leaves crunching could be heard in the forest. Focus, time, and skill were necessities when it came to fooling others as well as he did. If anyone could tell he was [i]slightly[/i] off, it would be Eliana. She's known him since he was a grade schooler, which meant she has seen most of his faces. His main one being the son of Headmaster Danford, who has no worries! Someone who laughs at the face of death and plays childish games with his classmates. Yeah, that's the Mitch people knew and loved. 

Getting to their spot first, he helped himself to some liquor and prepared Lucas with his own bottle. Dropping to the ground, he leaned against the stomp and stared at the falling leaves from the nearby trees and the gentle breeze cooly moving the branches. Autumn was nice, until everything died. Whatever Lucas wanted to talk about, Mitch was expecting the worst. How did he feel? He didn't know... perhaps exhausted, but that wasn't going to stop him from smiling. Who knows? Maybe Lucas needed someone to confide in but... he doubted that. When was the last time they did this? It's been awhile. Mitch has been so focused on pursuing Milo that he may have neglected his friendship with someone he considers a brother. Well, that same man tormented the kid he adored and he felt stuck in this odd situation where he ended up doing absolutely nothing.

[color=215435][i]You're just a coward.[/i][/color] He thought to himself, while taking a long gulp of bitter alcohol. The bottle was held with a tight grip, as he waited.

Lucas was getting more and more mentally exhausted with every step. On his way towards his friend, he started to realize more and more that the conversation could take an ugly turn. He didn’t want more stuff to be piled on him. Not today. But the prospect of losing a valued friend did make him afraid. It kept gnawing at him. Whatever he’d learn, he wouldn’t like it. Eventually, the tree stump came in his field of view. With Mitch already sitting against it, sipping on a bottle. He got closer, opened his mouth, and then realized that talking wasn’t the first thing he wanted. Drinking was. He just grabbed the bottle and took two big gulps. Before collapsing on the ground and shuffling his ass against a nearby tree. Looking at Mitch. There was a certain doneness in his eyes. No frustration, or anger, or hate. Just being done and tired. He kept quiet for a long time. First trying to find the right words, then realizing there were no right words and finally just gathering the courage to get this very painfully conversation started. Just to add a bit to it, he took another sip and opened his mouth. Only to realize he still didn’t know what to say. He let out a deep sigh and put his head against the trunk, looking straight up at the leaves. No, he couldn’t start the conversation this way. [color=662d91]“It’s been a long time since we last did this, you know?”[/color] Even in his tone, there was a certain toxic mixture of melancholy and nostalgia. The good old times felt so much better.

Tapping his nail on the bottle, Mitch nodded, "[color=215435]Yeah, I know.[/color]" He felt it in the air. The creeping questions waiting to be unleashed, the weariness that emitted from the both of them, and the evident distance between the two, who use to spend nearly every day wrecking havoc together on campus. Distance could either make a bond stronger, or cause it to dwindle, along with the feelings they once shared. Lucas had his own worries now, may it be assisting Gianna in this trivial war or driving Eliana insane, but most importantly, growing stronger as a villain. Mitch was no exception. His concerns were kept locked up, though. There were some things better left unsaid. 

After taking another sip of the burning liquid, he chuckled (obviously trying to make light of their situation but still pushing the conversation toward its inevitable fate), "[color=215435]You've been a busy man, Lucas.[/color]" Turning his head to look at his old comrade, observing his tired eyes, his physique that just wanted to give out, "[color=215435]Is it worth it?[/color]" he kept things ambiguous in hopes that Lucas would come to his own conclusions of what Mitch wanted to hear. 

Was it? Was it all really worth it? Back on Delphina, the real Delphina, him, Mitch, Gianna and the whole gang were on the top of the food chain. They could do everything and if they were smart enough, got away with it too. When they got caught, the punishments were often lenient. And then someone took vengeance and the ball went rolling again. To Lucas, that was a fun game. Because that’s all what it was. A game. Now it no longer felt like a game. It no longer felt like it was fun. [color=662d91]“No. No, it’s not worth it.”[/color] He took another sip. The fighting, the bullshit he had to stick up with, the emotions and the straight up drain on his energy. It was all getting so much.[color=662d91] “But… I guess it’s an investment. An investment of time. Now it’s not worth it, maybe in a month or two I’ll look back and think it was. Or I don’t, and then I’ve wasted half a year.”[/color] The prospect was less than amusing.
 
Finally, he had drank enough to feel his talk-muscles relax. [color=662d91]“So… Why didn’t you tell me? About you and Lovelace?”[/color] he didn’t have the energy to be mad. He didn’t have the energy to sound sad. He just sounded inquiring. As if he was asking how Mitch’s bike was or something. It came over casual, but deep inside Lucas felt his heart screaming in the incomprehensible language of feelings.

To Mitch's surprise, Lucas brought up Eliana and not his Delphina Times' post. His eyebrows perked, as he glanced over at his friend and thought: [i][color=215435]I wonder who told him.[/color][/i] He had a feeling it was a villain, who was playing his own game in this war. It was always a villain. Someone who could easily see what happens, from the shadows... his stomach curled with the thought of a certain someone, but deep down, he doubted it was that person. There was someone else, but thinking of who the perpetrator was felt useless right now. Before he answered, he made sure he had another good gulp of alcohol. Letting the buzz fill his mind, he hinted at his disapproval of Lucas' feud with his childhood friend, "[color=215435]No offense, Luke, but going up to you and being like 'Hey! I've known this girl for ages!' isn't as easy as it seems, especially since you and her got a lot of... tension.[/color]" Mitch never was one who liked confrontations. His fighting style would be similiar to Gianna's but perhaps a bit more subtle since many people trusted him. Gianna's goals were obvious, especially to those she cared about. While Mitch seemed to do things for a good laugh or to cause shit to hit the fan, like when he made Sam gain anger for Gianna at the party - causing her to full on attack her (or try, at least). Granted, Sam made it hell of an easy task to mind control her. She was probably one of the easier people to manipulate because of how self absorbed she can be. Mitch came across as a villain who made messes for the sake of messes. "[color=215435]I can't pick sides, not when it comes to you two.[/color]" 

There was only truth in his words, he cared about both of them. Eliana knows way more about him than he'd like and he helped her through some rough times, while Lucas was someone he connected well with and for the most part, they understood each other. Or at least, they did. Things change. People change. Perhaps Mitch wasn't as great of a friend as he use to be. After all, he did use both of them on the Delphina Times possibly slandering Lucas' reputation, more so than Eliana's (since all he used for her was her family and her name). Mitch could use the excuse that: [i]I did it for Milo. Stop bullying him.[/i] But that wasn't the case. If Mitch wanted to stop Lucas from bullying, he would use other methods (mind controller, hello!). Unfortunately, Lucas was as stubborn as they came, so telling him that he had doting affection for a kid that Luke loved to beat up was out of the question. Cross-school relationships were already frowned upon. Add homosexuality and close connection to BOTH his friends (Eliana and Lucas) that was just... bad. Does this mean Mitch didn't care about Milo enough to protect him or...? [color=215435][i]God, I don't even know myself.[/i][/color] He knew as long as Eliana was alive, she would jump in front of Lucas' attacks aimed toward the innocent Asian. Whether she was too late or on time was a different story. If Mitch did the same, Lucas would probably cut him out of his life in an instant. The situation was complicated and his actions have been all over the place ever since the fire...

[color=662d91]“I’m not asking you to take a side. I’d be kind of an asshole friend if I did? Wouldn’t I?”[/color] Lucas seemed calm, but inside so much was raging like a fire. One he desperately tried to extinguish. Even now he took another sip. Feeling his mind and cares seep out of him. He looked at the bottle.  [color=662d91][i]Fuck. At this rate, I’ll end up with alcoholism.[/i][/color] His gaze lingered far too long on the amber substance in the bottle.[color=662d91] “I could say a lot, you know? I could tell you she’s a bitch who… No. I hate her. God I hate her so much.”[/color] He dropped the amber filter and looked at Mitch directly. [color=662d91]“I haven’t felt such a burning feeling since…”[/color] Amandine. He tried to swallow the thought. But recently the name alone felt like rubbing salt in a raw, half-healed wound. A painful reminder of a past he had forgotten for over 2 years. But what he felt for her. Their passion, their fire. They were the couple everyone envied and everyone hated. Amandine had this strange desire to constantly prove that her relationship was better than that of her friends. So she showed her affection for Lucas whenever she could. And Lucas was glad to return in kind. It felt as if it was the only comparison that could hold its ground with the pure hatred he felt for Eliana. Everything else he ever felt just paled with it.

[color=662d91]“I’m not asking you to choose sides. I just wished… I just wished you told me. I just wished that you trusted me enough to tell me.”[/color] He felt a strange weight getting lifted from his heart, but simultaneously he felt an intense wave of sadness going over him. He heard his words and knew they were the right ones. But he couldn’t help but feel as if he was looking at their bridge with a match in his hands. He didn’t want to lose Mitch but at the same time, he knew he would never be able to stop going after Eliana.

The sadness of his friend did reach Mitch. Their conversation was turning out a lot heavier than he expected, but... Mitch was curious about some things himself. If Lucas had asked if he knew Eliana, he wouldn't have lied, it just never came up in conversation. They both have been busy with their own matters and Mitch wasn't going to bring something up that made his friend [b]this[/b] angry, "[color=215435]Can I ask you something?[/color]" He placed his bottle down on the grass and clasped his hands together, resting them on his knees. "[color=215435]Why...why do you hate her so much? Is it because she's the one girl who doesn't put up with your shit, or is there more behind it?[/color]" As much as he wanted to understand his friend, when it came to Eliana, he couldn't. She was such a genuine girl (even if she didn't believe that herself) and he felt sorry for her. The cards that were dealt to her in her life were pretty terrible and yet she still finds a reason to walk around and continue about her business. She still finds reasons to live. "[color=215435]I'll tell you a bit about us, if you just answer that for me. I'm not one to give empty sorries. It's a bit too late for that, don't you think? So, I'll give you what you want. You want to know more about her, yes?[/color]" 

Lucas wanted to take another sip. In fact, he hated the question so much that the glass nearly touched his lips. But he pulled it back when he realized that he had absolutely no right answer for the question. In fact, he didn’t have a wrong one either. Sure, he disliked going up against him. But she definitely wasn’t the first one. The fact that she managed to drop him once sure made her unique in a strange way. But even then, Mitch’s question did make him realize how trivial the annoyance of that felt compared to this unreasonable hatred. Again, only one thought came to his mind: Amandine. And the unreasonable affection they had for one another. The unexplainable attraction they had. Like magnets they just pulled towards another. Even on their first-day meeting, that was clear. But now it was on a whole opposite spectrum. He hated Eliana and couldn’t stop it. With every thought, he felt more and more defeated.

He didn’t really have to answer. The diary was still comfortably in his fake ceiling. Ready to be scanned and digitalized so he’d have a copy forever. Whatever he wanted to know about Eliana was in there. He only had to open it up. But looking at Mitch, he knew that was unfair. Was it to prove himself to his friend? Or to make a statement. Lucas didn’t know. But still, he decided to answer. Because he trusted Mitch: [color=662d91]“I don’t know. Really, I don’t know why I hate her. She’s not the first to go up against me like that. She’ll definitely won’t be the last and…. It’s not like a bit of resistance should be a big thing. But… I-I don’t know.”[/color] Why was his mind continuing to compare Amandine and Eliana? He couldn’t stop thinking about the sheer inability to understand either situation. [color=662d91]“I haven’t felt this way… ever… before.”[/color] He stammered. Hoping to sound convincing while anyone who knew Lucas knew it wasn’t. It was a lie to hide the truth. To repress the memories and scars. He took a deep breath. Enough with the question. He wouldn’t let it burn him up even more, so he decided to put the ball back in Mitch’s yard: [color=662d91]“Your turn. Tell me whatever I should know.”[/color]

Mitch didn't inquire further. It was evident that this topic made Lucas struggle. Love and hate, what was the difference? Mitch didn't understand his infactuation for Milo, but he knew he cared about the kid, a lot. Love and hate were on the same coin, just a different side. Sometimes there was no need for an explanation. All one can say when it came to these extreme emotions is they couldn't stop. They couldn't stop thinking about this one person. "[color=215435]I've known Ellie since she was... six, I think. First grade. When you're that young, you're too innocent to gain ill feelings towards someone. I mean, sure, you can bully a kid, but the reasoning is simple. If someone asked a kid why they hated someone so much, they'd say: [i]I just do. She stole my crayons[/i]. Kids are simple.[/color]" Stretching his legs out, Mitch grabbed his drink and took a light sip before continuing, "[color=215435]You know, if her father didn't decide to raise his children in New York and I didn't get the chance to meet Eliana until now, I would probably be more of her nemesis than you. Two people that fuck with people's minds? Yeah, a recipe for disaster. Plus, it doesn't help that she and I always had a competitive relationship when it came to grades and gaining more influence over teachers.[/color]" Twirling the bottle in his hand, he sighed,  "[color=215435]And yet, I can't hate her like you do. I know too much. I've seen too much to hate her.[/color]" 

Lucas could only nod, and whisper to himself: [color=662d91]“The butterfly effect.”[/color] The literal explanation was that a single gust from a butterfly’s wings could start a hurricane. Under the exact right conditions. Lucas sometimes thought about it in a different way, and so did many others. It was the idea that a single, small decision has an incredible effect on someone. A single threat from a parent could make a friendship that would last a lifetime happen. A single leap of faith could have forged the strongest bonds in existence. He often thought about it when a series of decisions had to pass for something to happen. If he wasn’t friends with Jef he would have never heard of his story. If Jef wouldn’t have gone to the party, Lucas wouldn’t have heard of it. If he didn’t feel to roofie a drink, nothing would have happened. If he hadn’t chosen Jenna, Lucas wouldn’t have heard a thing about it. Finally, if he hadn’t stumbled upon Eliana that faithful night, their entire war wouldn’t have begun. Yet it all came together in an event that had a chance of 1% or less to happen. But here he was.

[color=662d91]“Her powers unleashed. The kid that got sent to the hospital for a week. Is that why you can’t hate her?”[/color] Lucas asked, not reallythinking about it. Only to realize seconds later that the only way he could have known that was through Brenna or the diary. And Brenna wasn’t often in the mood to tell about her past. Did Mitch know about the diary? Lucas definitely hoped not.

"[color=215435]Are you talking about her middle school or grade school incident?[/color]" Mitch had no idea how much Lucas knew of Eliana's past, but somehow he found out more than most would have cared to know. 

Grade school? The same thing happened in middle school!? It would seem as if Brenna still kept some secrets to her. He couldn’t blame her, it was Brenna. But the idea that most of his close friends seemingly didn’t trust him began to irk him. With a sigh he answered: [color=662d91]“Middle school.”[/color] The diary would have to be read again.

Silence surrounded them for a moment, as if Mitch was contemplating how to talk about Eliana's past. Was it even his place to tell her nemisis these things? It wasn't that he didn't trust Lucas... these things were just... kind of heavy.  "[color=215435]To understand what happened in middle school, you need to know her as a child.[/color]" He felt a sinking feeling with the thought of what he knew. He had to finish his bottle of alcohol and open up another one just to talk about this. "[color=215435]A power like her's comes with a price. Not everyone has it as easy... some powers are fucking scary.[/color]" His gaze started drifting from the present, getting lost in the past as he thought about all those moments he found Eliana on the verge of tears. How many times did he find her hiding from people... or from herself? "[color=215435]I don't know if this is my place to tell you but Eliana suffers from what doctors call parasomnia or nightmare disorder. Now add girls pulling her hair down a hall, breaking some of her most treasured gifts from her father, grabbing her drink and pouring it on top of her...[/color]" He dropped his bottle and covered his face,  "[color=215435]Fuck. I'm such a terrible friend.[/color]" The guilt inside of him was building up (not only from this but from what he had done to Lucas on the Delphina Times), he couldn't do anything for her besides hug and tell her everything was going to be okay. Why didn't he do anything for her? "[color=215435]I could have calmed her down. I could have stopped her from making a bunch of girls transfer... and Lyla, oh god. Lyla tried to help her.[/color]" 

Under normal circumstances, Lucas may actually have told Mitch to go easy on the booze. But considering the subjects, he felt as if the stump may not hold enough alcohol to keep them both running. The very air began to feel loaded and thick. When Mitch told him about the bullying Eliana went through, Lucas couldn’t help but feel a stab. He did those things. He was the person who made sure those things happened to the right people. He tried to defend himself in his mind, and it worked to a point. He didn’t bully just to bully. He bullied to stay high up. To be the best. To be the strongest. That was what he and Amandine were. The best. In everything. The sweetest couple, the strongest fighters and the greatest people to have ever walked the school. You don’t stay that way by just being nice. But, as much as he defended himself, there were points where he made mistakes. Eliana only defended her sister and her friends. She never threatened to kick him off his throne.

Mitch started out telling it comprehensible enough. But soon descended into just vague sentences and names. [color=662d91]“Mitch. Mitch! Don’t go [i]what if[/i] on me, okay? Whatever happened… Whatever happened to this Lyla, it’s not your fault. Okay?”[/color] His friend was getting more and more distraught. Lucas didn’t know how Mitch saw him now, after all the stuff that happened and after all he did to Eliana. But in Lucas’ book Mitch was still a friend. And friends supported each other.

Pulling himself back to reality, he locked his dark gaze with Lucas. What Lucas did to Eliana wasn't nearly as bad as what she did to herself. She was her own worst enemy. "[color=215435]Yeah I know.[/color]" was all he could let out before deciding if he should continue or not. The point of this conversation was to lead to the middle school incident, not talk about how Eliana was possibly the main reason why Lyla turned into what she is known for today: The Oracle. She has no idea what her powers have done. He wasn't even sure if it was entirely her fault that Lyla was never the same after that day. "[color=215435]Sorry... I had a moment.[/color]" Picking the bottle back up and brushing the dirt off of it, Mitch sighed, "[color=215435]I don't know much about the middle school incident besides the kid's name and what he did. We were in different classes and I started hanging out with guys like you.[/color]" He didn't mean that last part to come off as offensive, it just meant he started connecting more with the 'tough' guys. He didn't know how he should feel with Lucas bullying Eliana on a daily basis, but over the years, Eliana has gotten stronger. Mitch knew she could take care of herself. She always has. 

Shrugging at the thought that him and Eliana were two different types of people (a jock and a nerd), he started to swirl the liquid inside the bottle while staring deep into the hole, "[color=215435]River McCoy. Everyone knew he was into Ellie, maybe besides Ellie herself. You know how she is, too busy reading books to notice her surroundings. I never thought he'd be the type to actually try... to have his way with her. If I'm not mistaken, there was this girl that helped her out. I can't remember her name for the life of me.[/color]" Middle school was when Eliana and Mitch started drifting apart, sure they were childhood friends, but they didn't need to spend every waking moment with each other. Both of them had their own problems to worry about. "[color=215435]Just know, after River was hospitlized for a week, he never came back to school. Actually, I'm pretty sure he went missing. That's as far as I know.[/color]" 

Lucas couldn’t help to think about the Oracle. The girl Eliana had screwed over too. It would seem that the little nerdy girl made quite a few casualties. But one always had to pose the question: was this because of herself, her surroundings or her own power? Or the toxic mixture of all three. He looked at his own fists, observing the small scars. For the longest time, his mother had trained him to use the Solar Force. The pure kinetic and harmless radioactive energy in the form of light was a well-known phenomenon to Lucas. He knew its limits, its abilities and just how far he could push it. For a moment he tried to understand Eliana. To not have a grasp on your own power. How could he imagine such a thing? He had always been in control. Actual control. Not the fearful suppression so many thought they could call control. He actually understood his powers.

Or did he? Ever since she had dropped him in that hallway, he wasn’t so sure. The Darkstar was something different altogether. Apparently sentient, or so he thought. Little documentation exists of the superpower. It all came down to one thing: it was notoriously unpredictable. Was that how Eliana felt? As if her powers were unpredictable? Or did she just assume they were inherently evil and had to be tamed? So many people had so many philosophies behind super powers.

Wait, why was he wondering what Eliana felt? He shook it from his thoughts and looked up at Mitch, taking a very small sip of a liquid that for some reason didn’t taste as good anymore. [color=662d91]“You’re not the first one to tell me such a story.”[/color] He said calmly. [color=662d91]“I’ve heard one before. Actually, I heard two different people tell me just how dangerous she is.”[/color] He looked at the ground. [color=662d91]“I’m… I wish I could stop… You know. But I can’t. Like, even now I thought about taking a step back from her. When even you tell me something’s dangerous, I know I should back off. But I can’t… Fucking hell, why can’t I?”[/color] the last parts he murmured more to himself than said it to Mitch.

Mitch couldn't answer that for him. Whether it was to prove something to himself or because he enjoyed the attention he got from her, that was something Lucas had to figure out. This conversation did make Mitch realize what he needed to do. He didn't want to pick sides but as long as those two kept their feud, he needed to take a step back. There were things he needed to take care of that he didn't want either of them to be involved in. He had given Lucas what he wanted and with that he needed to close the curtain.

Standing up, leaving his bottle on the floor, he made his way to Lucas and offered his hand, "[color=215435]She probably doesn't understand why she hates you either.[/color]" He gave his friend a genuine smile and then sighed, "[color=215435]I think you both know what I need to do.[/color]" He knew this would hurt both Lucas and Eliana but he needed to do this, more so for himself than them, "[color=215435]You both are important to me and because of that, I need to step aside. It also doesn't help that we're in the middle of a war. We're going to do what we have to do. No reason in explaining ourselves.[/color]" 

Lucas eyed his friend with an expression of both amazement but understanding. Of course, Mitch would have to back out. He couldn’t choose, but to Lucas, it was a stupid choice. He chooses to burn both bridges. It’s not easy to step out of someone’s life and then, after they went through hell and back, to enter it again. Especially when you know what they will be going through. It gives the other side a sense of abandonment. But when he mentioned the war, Lucas shot up. [color=662d91]“Let’s make something clear here and now.”[/color] He said dead serious.

[color=662d91]“The war has nothing to do with Eliana.”[/color] He started, with a fire in his eyes. But this was different, he knew why he was fighting it. Even if it wasn’t worth it, he knew why he was doing it. It was logical and understandable. [color=662d91]“I don’t want this war either, you know! But suddenly the roaches seem far too courageous. Some asshole actually tried to destroy my reputation by putting up some made up story about me and Mrs. Lovelace. Man, if I find out who did… bones will break.”[/color] He said the last part with such calm certainty, just to make sure it didn’t come over jokingly. He really was going to hurt the person who did it. [color=662d91]“Besides, it’s not like I even chose the fucking war. We had no choice. Delphina was forced. The hell Samantha thought would happen when she threw a heroes only party? That we, the guys who will actively fiddle with the laws, just obey because Mother Mayweather tells us? If anything she should be thanking Gianna and me. We made that party worthwhile. But no, bitch had to attack Gia.”[/color] He almost spat when he said the last sentence. But all his words were made of pure poison. [color=662d91]“She can’t win, though. She doesn’t get it yet, but she can’t. Because we’re not even playing the same game.”[/color] There was something wicked about Lucas now. [color=662d91]“Either she can sit back helplessly and see how we tear down everything around her. Or she can [i]stoop down[/i] to our level but be revealed as the false hero she actually is.”[/color]

Mitch wanted to tell him to shut the fuck up, that he had no idea of the bigger picture, but that would give away too much. Lucas needed to stay in the dark. It would be far too dangerous if he knew more than he should, at least for now. He wanted to say no one was going to win. There were so many words his tongue was holding back. His stomach felt nauseous that he was part of this terrible game and that he had to hurt his friends for their own protection, but he couldn't say anything. One of the most powerful mind controllers in school was cornered to a wall and all he could do was watch this mess he's assisting on making, in nervewrecking anxiety. Instead, he went up to his friend and placed his right hand on his shoulder, "[color=215435]You're right. She can't win.[/color]" Another ambiguous phrase for Lucas to interpret as his own, "[color=215435]... You'll definitely be a major player in this war, that's for sure.[/color]"

Without any mental preparation, he looked at his friend with genuine care, something that read: farewell. Without further adieu, Mitch used his powers on Lucas, "[color=215435]From this day on, we won't be friends until the conflict is resolved. I need you, Lucas, to watch over Eliana. At random times of the day you'll feel a strong urge to see what she is up to. An urge that will be incredibly hard to fight. Follow that urge. When I snap my finger, you will not remember anything I just told you but you will still carry out my demands.[/color]" He didn't take any breaks. One extra second and Lucas would realize he was being mind controlled by him. With a snap of his fingers, he released his friend from his mental hold and brought his hand back to his side. "[color=215435]So... this is goodbye, Lucas.[/color]" He didn't know what else to say. After this roller coaster of emotions, he just wanted to leave. 

For a moment Lucas watched Mitch going. Losing a friend like that, no losing a friend in any way, hurts. But how else could it have gone? The pain, however, felt errely numb. He guessed that the emotional onslaught on him of the past few hours had finally taken its toll. Dullness had taken him over, probably in combination with the unwinding feel of alcohol. It was for the better though. At a certain point it was better to simply feel numb and go on. Taking a deep sigh, he turned away from Mitch. On the road back he let his mind wander. What was Eliana doing now?