AlteredTundra

Digimon: The Parallel Visage

This was...a lot to take in. Most of it didn't make any sense and Damian was trying to wrap his head around it. He mentioned JC as a joke and, if he was being honest, a bit of a guilt-tripping tactic. How would he be able to predict it would result in them actually revealing that they had actual Gods in this world?

He glanced down at Frimon, who was emulating those around him the best that he could but just stared blankly up at Damian for a moment. Their eyes met and then suddenly a golden ring with weird markings on it was tossed their way. Damian caught it with one hand. It fit into his palm quite nicely. Like the size of a couple of golf balls, closer to the size of a baseball. As he looked at it, he noted it was sturdy and hard, yet lightweight. The ring might as well be a feather in his palm.

"But that ring can be wielded by your partner, to tell if another digimon has ulterior motives for you."

A crimson gaze went from the little pink Digimon who tossed the ring to him to the lion-looking one that was wrapped around his neck. He saw him eying the ring, a glint in his eye different than before. "Is it...mine?" Frimon asked, moving his face closer to it. Something about the golden collar-like ring called to him.

Even if Damian didn't quite understand what this meant, it seemed helpful. "Thanks for the assist! You're pretty rad!" Damian grinned, giving the little pink mon a thumbs up. As he did that, Frimon slid his head through the ring as it easily fit its fleshy mane through it and it secured perfectly around its neck. Damian looked down and smiled. "A perfect fit!"

"...Perfect fit." Frimon seemed uncertain what to say. He knew something about this was meant to be, but he lacked some knowledge to know exactly why that was. The only thing he knew was that the pink mon who had threw it was a friend in his mind.

Looking around, Damian mostly listened to the same pink mon that tossed the ring their way talk about some wise, not-so-old mentor who told them all about them (the humans, that is) and about some device that 'linked humans and Digimon', which they apparently had in their possession.

The girl who spoke up first was kinda right but Damian was feeling like he could trust these little pink mons. They were helping them out, which apparently they didn't need to. These devices sounded helpful, but they'd give them to Damian and the others if they could, right? "What about that...mentor they mentioned?" Damian asked. His red gaze went quickly to the others but then to those who were now in the bubbles. "I meaaan, the devices sound really useful and they seem like they'd be really helpful to us right about now but if you're not willing to part with them for whatever reason, could ya tell us where this mentor person lives?" He looked at the little pink mon that gave him the ring for his little shoulder bud. "That seems like a reasonable ask, right?"

that's so meta || character storage thread

Igarashi Denki || Bleach: Ascension

【Igarashi, Denki 】

【I am the Storm】

_{~"The calm before the storm."~}

Hider

【Personal Info】

Hider

【Name: Igarashi Denki

Meaning: Electrifying Fifty Storms

【Nicknames: TBD
【Alias: TBD
【Age: 233
【Age Appearance: 25
【Gender: Male
【Race: Shinigami
【Former Rank: Ryoka.
【Former Division: 11th Division

【Additional Appearance Info:

Standing 6’2 and weighing roughly around 185lbs, Denki is a fairly average looking man. His eyes are amber and his hair medium brown, the latter of which is partly spiky in some areas but mostly falls naturally down his long face. It is mostly unkept until he needs it not to be and falls all the way down to his shoulder. Sometimes he will tie it up in a small ponytail, but for the most part, Denki lets it naturally fall whenever it may. Denki is a lean man, built like someone who doesn’t conscious condition his body, but from all of the running he does due to the hazard of his side hustle, his habit of getting into fights, and basically everything else he does that involves heavy lifting, Denki manages to keep himself in tip, top shape.

Denki is flashy and maybe that puts a target on his back, but he’s known for wearing a sort of trademark red shihakusho-like outfit comprising of a red top and a black bottom (though it might be just a dark shade of brown).

【Personality:

Denki Igarashi is anything but ordinary. There are two sides to this man: the calm and the storm. The calm is what everyone sees upon first meeting and the storm is what they see when they trigger something in him. Both could be unpleasant depending on who they are, but only one is dangerous.

An all around positive individual, Denki is a fun time and a half to be around. He’s full of energy and life that when someone is around him, depending on how they receive his brand of liveliness, he’ll either be their favorite person or be on their most-hated list. Likewise, that energy and fun-loving side could also lead down a mischievous and general lack of respect for authority, which is ironic since he became a soul reaper. He avoids his problems like the plague and sometimes that also means responsibility. There’s a certain laziness to this man, which further ties into his natural electricity and fondness to have fun all the time.

He is also extremely cunning and has been shown to manipulate people for his needs. This comes in many forms. He generally doesn’t use his cunning for evil, but it does have a selfish origin. Having to survive in some harsher Rukon districts, Denki learned that he had to be a step ahead of the game. His more-than-average perception came into play here long before he used it to its full effectiveness. He observed those around him and used it to his advantage. Sometimes he went a bit far with it and landed himself into hot water, so any chance he could think of getting out of it, he did.

But when push comes to shove, Denki doesn’t hesitate to get his revenge. His thirst for battle and natural affinity for trouble (whether he willingly creates it or not) is a no-brainer for a future Squad 11 member. He loves everything about battle, but he does have a temper. Anger him in one of the few ways that you can and you might understand why they call him The Unlucky. It’s not just about him - but those who fight him tend to be unlucky, as well.

【Biography:

A wasteland that had the ruins of a once thriving civilization was now plagued by an ever-present, nonstop thunderstorm, the likes that would only be found at the top of an active volcano. The sounds of a terrible cull, high-pitched roar from the clouds above penetrate even the deafest of ears. Lightning strikes at all parts, shattering rock, ridding decaying mountains of their tops that are immediately regenerated as though a twisted circle of life is ever-present in this place.

The sounds of terrible rolling thunder echo like a firm reminder that there is no calm before the storm - not here. Not in Akuraicho's domain.

And the mixture of terror and death, the very essence of the storm, persists, echoing the name "Denki..." in such a deep baritone voice, yet go unanswered. "Denki...You are too weak." There it was again, though this time more concise. Clearer in a way that the words would reach who they were meant for, yet as time passed, nobody by the name of Denki answered.

And thus the storm remained. It continued on, ravaging the land in a vicious cycle until that which destroyed all could finally be acknowledged by the one he called out to. Until Denki Igarashi could hear Akuraicho's summons.

---

Life for Denki Igarashi, for several years, had been one of mystery and lapses in his memory up until a certain point. Every so often when he would sleep, he’d see images of something that haunted his mind after waking. Images of a monster calling out to him. Images of thunder and lightning reaking havoc on a land that was both completely unknown to him, while at the same time, eerily familiar.

Strange, isn’t it? How could he know what it was if he had not been there before?

This became a rather recurring theme for Denki as he traveled from one Rukon District to the other. He originally found his home in the North, but trouble followed Denki Igarashi like that dream. Or would be it be appropriate to call it a vision? It followed him regardless and followed him it did. Like a cloud of misfortune. Whether north, south, east, or west, peaceful district or in the rather violent and aggressive district of Zaraki, Denki always found himself into trouble. Some might say the name Denki Igarashi was bad luck because he always found himself into situations that, aside from him stating otherwise, became as bad as they were because of his own doing.

To most, Denki is a victim of his own making, but to him, he’s just really popular.

Indeed. Denki takes all this supposed bad luck, smear campaigns of his name, and the eventual confrontations that lead to either terrible beatdowns of this raven-haired freeloader (not his words), with the tiniest grain of salt. It’s all overhyped. Who cared if Denki scammed people out of their yen or used the handy dandy five-finger discount on certain venders in some districts. Or maybe he pisses off a gang or two to the point where there was a bounty put out on him right down to a picture too.

And guess what! The picture…poster…whatever you want to call it was in color and even had descriptors. Gotta hand it to these gangs: they’re well-connected.

-average height
-black hair. Long
-wears red on his robe

They didn’t get a flattering drawing of his face, but when Denki first saw it, even he had to admit “damn, they really do love me!”

Of course they didn’t, but Denki couldn’t help but laugh about it.

That was, at least, until they found him.

At first they were angry and rightfully so. This was a local gang in this south rukon district that Denki owed some money to. They demanded he pay them back in full (plus interest).

Now this wouldn’t be such a bad demand. Denki wasn’t so full of himself (he was) to say that they weren’t making fair demands (they definitely weren’t). But he had to be smart about this. He had their money on him, but there was a moral dilemma he was fighting with. They wouldn’t spend it like it should. Sake and women were probably what these ogres would spend it on. But if he didn’t give them their money, odds were they’d beat him until they punched it out of him like some pinata.

Neither option seemed preferable.

So cunning Denki looked around momentarily.

And wow oh wow, the luck of the moment. He saw someone who had dark hair, red on his robe, and was of equal height. He had an idea at that moment: to use his guile and manipulate these idiots, stating “I’m not the man you want! He is!” and he promptly pointed to the man walking in the opposite direction.

And guess what? They fell for it!

And proceeded to start to beat the crap out of the man that looked a lot like Denki. Almost crazily so. As they did that, Denki had another moral dilemma. He had lied to those idiots and said he wasn’t Denki Igarashi. Obviously he was, but with that coincidental lookalike of his, it was too easy, but now he was facing the wrath of something that was the consequence of something he did.

Not that he felt exceptionally guilty about it, but Denki was jealous of some of the action. He wanted to fight but not lose his money. Plus there wa something that he couldn’t explain, but this other man felt…familiar.

So in a classic move that would, though he didn’t know it at this time, be replicated multiple times, Denki joined the fight with this other man, easily fending off the men with someone who would much later become his other half. A true kindred spirit.

“Denki’s the name.”

And that would be the start of one of the closest friendships Denki would have. He just didn’t know it at the time.

【Notable Traits】

Hider

【Likes/Dislikes】

✔ Just enjoying life
✔ Mitarashi Dango
✔ Fighting
✔ Naps

✘ Any trouble caused by his other half _{(though sometimes Denki causes it so it is what it is)}
✘ Anyone either in Squad 1 or that believes in the goody-two-shoes, rule-abiding, total-snitch behavior that Squad 1 represents. Just let Denki have his fun!
✘ Sour anything. Seriously, how can anyone like sour food?
✘ Facing the consequences of his actions

【Defining Traits】

Positive

▲ Energetic
▲ Observant
▲ Sanguine
▲ Cunning

Neutral

☯ Mischievous
☯ Has plenty of guile
☯ Carefree
☯ Embodies the philosophy of “carpe diem”

Negative

▼ Reckless
▼ Selfish
▼ Temperamental
▼ Obnoxious

【Relationships】

Hider

NAME: Friend/Rival/Acquaintance/Superior Officer/Nemesis etc

Summary of Relationship. When they met, how long they've known one another, how they feel about them and why.

NAME: Friend/Rival/Acquaintance/Superior Officer/Nemesis/Lover/Spouse etc

Summary of Relationship. When they met, how long they've known one another, how they feel about them and why.

surname, Denji || Best friend, other half, occasional pain in the ass

Summary of Relationship. When they met, how long they've known one another, how they feel about them and why.

【Capabilities】

Hider

【General Aptitude】

Hider

Fighting Style:

Denki is what one might call a blitzing kind of fighter. He doesn't let up and he seldom takes up defense (unless it's detrimental for him to assume such a tactic). He might not be an unintelligent fighter per se, but he's always believed that the best way to win a fight is to make sure your opponent has no chance to land a hit, so he remains on the offensive. Quick strikes both punches and kicks, Denki also is fast. He tested high in both general mobility and through use of hoho. He uses the latter to evade most blows (unless someone proves to be faster than him).

He might have some skill with a sword (at least enough to hold his own with someone who might be average at best with one), but his preferred mode of combat is to use his hands, which he commonly refers to as "Thunder" and "Lightning".

Attributes

Reiryoku(Unused Points): 95 (0)

Reiatsu: 150 (2)

Strength: 25 - Average
Resilience: 5 - Dismal
Mobility: 50 - Impressive
Spirit: 15 - Unremarkable

Skills

Proficiency: 285 (0)

Zanjutsu: 27 - Layman
Hakuda: 89 - Practitioner
Kido: 0 - Untrained
Hoho: 120 - Adept
Perception: 49 - Layman

【Specialization】

Hider

Kyōi Zankyō-ken: (Echoing Thunder Strikes) Hakuda Practitioner | Hoho Adept.

Meaning "Echoing Thunder Strikes," this specialty capitalizes on Denki's exceptional Hoho and developing Hakuda Proficiencies to create a style of attacks more potent than either skill could produce on their own. Practically speaking, Kyōi Zankyō-ken is a style of attack that utilizes the momentum of the user's footwork to empower their strikes, or uses their swiftness to drastically increase the speed of concurrent attacks in exchange for somewhat reduced potency. Mechanically, this allows Denki to add a Proficiency Tier to his Hakuda attacks and choose whether they clash normally, or if they clash with the target's Hoho or Perception--defaulting to whichever of the latter two is lower.

【Artes】

Hider

Shunpo(Hoho Practitioner):

Meaning “Flash Steps,” this technique, while not the pinnacle of Hoho, is the primary Arte afforded by the Skill. This Arte allows the user to move faster than the eye can easily follow by using as few steps as possible to cross a distance. The higher the user’s Hoho Proficiency, the faster and more efficient this Arte becomes. This technique clashes against the Perception Skill, meaning that the lower an individual’s skill value is, the more difficulty they will have predicting the trajectory of or even following the user’s movement. This becomes more pronounced if the Perception Skill is at a lower Proficiency Tier than the Shunpo User’s Hoho Skill.

Technique Name(Prerequisite):

Description

【Zanpakuto】

Hider

Sealed State

_{~"What I'm about to show you will shock you."~}

Additional Description:
Type of Sword: Wakizashi
Length 23"/58.5cm
Color: Hilt is red with purple cord wrap || Sheath is amber, much like the color of Denki's eyes.
Guard Type: Circular


Attunement(Attunement Score): Phase One - Unattuned
Deviation: N/A

Inner World & Spirit (Thunderbird form || Human form):

The inner world of Akuraicho is a barren wasteland with ruins of a lost kingdom that could be implied it was once glorious spread across the many miles of the land. Mountain ranges surround it. It is plagued by a massive, red and orange-hued thunderstorm, with around-the-clock rolling thunder and lightning flashing, roars of Akuraicho filling the air, and then lightning crashing to the ground -- all of which happens every 12 seconds, with each one happening consecutively every three seconds.

Akuraicho is a zanpakuto who takes two forms. In his dreams long ago, Denki saw Akuraicho as the bringer of storms that he was, the literal storm that lived inside of Denki’s soul. Powerful and mighty, the monstrous form that Denki first witnesses was an anomaly because what he first saw was a thunder cloud, red, orange, and black, lightning striking the barren wasteland below and with a roar so loud that Denki swore it disrupted the heavens themselves. But when he spoke to him, his voice echoed like a titan, slow but powerful. In this form he is easily the most intimidating. His whole form was of cloud, lightning-shaped like a falcon in every way possible.

But in more recent times, as Denki himself became well adjusted, became centered, the beast he first met was no more -- or at least, the beast that was felt unnecessary for Akuraicho to show. In the beast’s stead was a man no taller than Denki nor heavier. He had pale skin, silver hair, and blue eyes. He wore a red trenchcoat that somehow mirrored the deep crimson hue of his avian-like form, and black pants.

Zanpakuto Personality: Akuraicho is as arrogant as they come. Self-righteous and believing into their own hype, Akuraicho has a temper almost as red as his hair. He has a bit of a violent streak too, explosive and blowing up at any given moment’s notice. He embodies the thunder and lightning he commands.

He serves as both master and, in his mind, superior to Denki. There have been many difficulties in terms of communication. Denki is lax in nature. He represents the calm before the storm that is his temperamental zanpakuto, yet there is reason why they mirror each other. Akuraicho views Denki as lazy, which plays a large part into their discord, but there is a small part of him that recognizes and acknowledges Denki as his master, even if they both are far from it ever being admitted openly.

---

Shikai

_{~"Blitz everything into oblivion, Akuraichō (悪雷鳥 Malevolent Thunderbird)"~}

Denki holds both sword and sheath horizontally, with the bottom of the pommel and the end of the sheath are touching. Lightning of red sparks, circling around both sword and sheath and his spiritual pressure skyrockets, exploding around Denki in a fury of lightning as if he becomes the eye of hte storm itself. The red lightning slowly starts to pierce through both sword and sheath. Percision lightning strikes chip away, and those missing pieces reforge themselves on Denki's hands -- all of which happens in a matter of five seconds. It's like a flash and a literal case of lightning: blink and you'll miss it. The end product is a pair of two steel grey gauntlets that cover both hands and forearms. On it are odd designs of red and purple, constantly emitting a red electric aura around them. Within the aura is the very faint whistling, the battlecry of Akuraicho himself.

Ability:

Akuraicho might seem like an ordinary lightning-based zanpakuto and more or less, that is the case, but it's a lot more complex than that. It is, as a whole, an extension of Denki and what he's capable of. Fast, powerful, and aware, Akuraicho is a zanpakuto that feeds off of Denki's own feats and builds from it. With lightning-fast strikes that are aided by the very storm it embodies and hitting as loud and powerful as thunder itself, Akuraicho represents everything that thunder and lightning does as Denki represents what thunder and lightning does. At its most powerful (currently locked), Denki and Akuraicho together should literally be as powerful as fifty rounds of rolling thunder and crashing lightning.

Mechanics

Akuraicho allows Denki to Augment various maneuvers with his doubled reiatsu modifier in addition to allowing his Hakuda or Strength stat to clash with Spirit or Kido-based effects.

Techniques

Hider

Tobikomu(Command: Dive, Akuraicho) - requires 40 attunement Tobikomu is the base and first technique that Akuraicho will teach Denki. As it utilizes the hakuda foundation of Denki's powers, Tobikomu is a technique in which Denki takes to the sky, aided by his mobility and hoho stats, as he dives down, his dives head first, extending his left arm forward. By doing this he becomes a speeding bullet of lightning, gathering momentum. His hand is open like a talon, like a claw that is aiming to strike the first thing it can, be it ground or person.

Gekitotsu Command: Crash, Akuraicho - requires 80 attunement Gekitotsu is a mid-ranged offensive technique. Charging his spiritual energy into both gauntlets, for every punch that Denki unleashes, a bird-shaped blast of lightning is sent in the direction in front of him, a high-pitched scream emitting from the birds like that of a literal thunderbird striking fear into those it is about to destroy. This can be discharged either multiple times with weaker results or charged into one or both hands, released in a larger form. It doesn't lose much speed but there is a drawback of Denki being suspect to draining due to his average spirit.

---

that's so meta || character storage thread

Damian and Liollmon || Digimon: The Parallel Visage

Human character

17 || Male

Damian isn't a tall boy but he isn't short either. Standing at an average 5'7", he's a lean skinny boy with hair as red as an active fire. Red is his favorite color. His hair is red and eyes are red. He bleeds red everything, but he also likes black. So of course his style includes that too. He wears very loose-fitting clothing that's one size too big on him. This includes oversized shirts and jackets. He doesn't do that for pants and shorts even though they look as though they are too big for him. He wears air jordans. REd and black, of course. They are the only really nice thing he owns - everything else he might own was either given to him or acquired through other, semi-not-legal means.

Brief Bio:

Damian has been described as hard to deal with. Which is technically not incorrect. Growing up, he didn't have it the best. He wasn't poor by any means, but he had to fight to survive. And that's what sums up Damian in a nutshell. He is a fighter. Now whether that means literally fighting on the street, because with his loud, obnoxious personality (both with kids at school, as well as at home where he mouths off to his parents), Damian is and always will be someone who just can't shut up. He's been grounded, beaten into submission by bigger kids on the block, and even had to fend off a group of them at a time. He learned to fight, learned when to shut up (still working on that part), and maybe - just maybe - learned that not everything in his head needs to be said out loud.

He's still working on that part.

Damian's parents worked all the time and it's mainly been him and his little sister, Brie. Yeah, he's got a little sister. Talk shit about her and you eat dirt!

Okay, maybe that's another reason why he fights so much. He gets very defensive and has a rather short fuse. But he's always tried to do the right thing despite his constant need to get into a little trouble (yeah he's also a rulebreaker too!) He's trying his best, though, and that's really all one can do: do their best no matter how many steps backward they take in the process.

Sovereign Connection:

Baihumon, the White Tiger of the West

Equipment:

-Smartphone - used to film stuff
-Skateboard - his main mode of transportation
-A backpack - has a few random junk items, but also has a few snacks and a couple of drinks (he always likes to snack on the go)
-Wallet - has some money, his ID, a few random pieces of paper stashed in it for whatever reason

Miscellaneous:

Damian is a scrapper, a fighter, and a skater. These mannerisms are active all day, every day. As such, expect him, when a fight presents itself, to not only be supportive of his mons, but he will join the fight in every way he can.

Also he rides his board almost everywhere he goes.

Main Partner

Liollmon

Male
_{Popomon → Friimon → Liollmon → Liamon → LoaderLeomon → REDACTED}

Personality:

It is said that partner digimon and tamer could be polar opposites so one balances out the other, but in Liollmon's case, it's like adding dumbass fighter to aggressive dumbass fighter. Because that's what Liollmon is. As an extension of Damian, Liollmon exhibits the same mannerisms: defensive, obnoxious, and aggressive. He shows affection in a different way than most mons do. He may growl but that's his way of making someone know that he likes them. It's the tone of the growl and what follows. He's also a rough player.

When with other friendly digimon, he tackles them, nibbles on them, and headbutts in a playful way. When against opposing/evil digimon, he is aggressive, territorial, and very protective over whoever he's protecting. He never gives up a fight even when he's injured. He will always fight and do so bravely (might be stupid of him too considering he doesn't go down until knocked unconscious).

Equipment:

N/A

Attacks:

Lio Claw - Slices (with the aim to cut) at the opponent with his sharp claws.
Critical Bite - Aims to bite at an opponent's vital spots with his sharps fangs. It's been known to have the potential to take down an adult/champion-level digimon, but the success rate is low.

Miscellaneous:

Liollmon seems to be obsessed with something called "salt and vinegar chips". (or will be depending on what happens in the RP)

𝘼 𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚 — A Pokemon Story

---

Why did she always manage to get under her skin? Miki hated that about the icy blonde. Hated everything that she represented. The Alolan champion never wasted a single moment reminding Miki of that. She always thought she was hot shit, which was ironic since she looked like she came out of Lass Weekly. The hatred didn't come from her general personality and existence, though. It wasn't just because of her horrendous pokemon that Miki had occasionally caught on the television of whatever hotel or on the off chance she was at her home in Oreburgh City.

It was...everything. Everything about Melissa Elliot always rubbed her the wrong way. All of that superiority complex she had in her body and how she dressed made Miki Park's blood boil. Much like the fire types she believed were superior, she felt that red-hot anger boil to the surface, and Blitz, her Luxray had always been able to sense that in her. They had that close of a connection. As a result of that, as Melissa spoke ill of Miki, static was starting to be produced around the golden mane of her shiny Luxray.

She mulled over all of her words. She wanted to give Missy a piece of her mind, but as much as she wanted to (and she wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug expression off her face), Miki opted to use some restraint. "Not right now." She mouthed out loud enough for Blitz to hear and calm down.

As he sat down, pushing his soft fur against Miki's leg, she watched Missy walk away and aptly returned Blitz to his Pokeball, who made a sound that mirrored Miki's own feelings, she started to walk off the ship following Missy's frustrating exit. They might not be battling right now, but Miki wasn't going to let her get the last word.

She pulled up beside her, walking briskly, she saw the mansion get closer and closer. She glared at Missy but then cooled it, letting the fire in her simmer from a fireblast to an ember. "So if you're champion, what are you doing here then? Thought you had to stay there in case a challenger came knocking on your door." Miki hated she was actually curious. What had the world come to? "Not unless you lost and you were just blowing hot air to sound like you were some hot shit."

Edenridge

_{TIMESTAMP: Early Morning, Tuesday, July 20th, 2021 || After “I Promise/I Swear”}

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________




The shortest distance
Between two points
Is the line
From me to you

_{Featuring Mikhail Zima & Caitlin Cleary}
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Like the weights that Mikhail had been carrying in his heart and on his shoulders for so long, so did the freedom to be free of them at long last make him feel uneasiness. But in a different way. This uneasiness came through in hesitation last night. Unlike past times when he had been with Caitlin, or really anyone for that matter, he felt exposed. It was simultaneously the greatest feeling in the world and the worst thing for him because he had spent so much time being guarded, putting up walls that were reinforced with steel and secrets, guarded by armed guards and self-sabotage, and financially backed by billionaires and bad compartmentalization.

All of that became a moot point when it dawned on him through a very convincing Caitlin that she was about done. So many thoughts went through his mind last night, but in those moments, he couldn’t lie anymore. Not to her, but more importantly, to himself.

So he didn’t.

And the end result was any version of a best case scenario multiplied by his best dream minus everything that made him hurt the worst.

Last night, Mika didn’t have to think about what his brother was doing or thought nor who he was: Zima, Gonzalez, O’Hara. When he took Cece into his arms, though he hesitantly poured everything he ever wanted to say into kisses on her lips, her neck, her stomach, every inch of her bare skin, Mika felt the uneasiness build yet, at the same time, as he became one with her last night and with no worry in his glistening blue eyes, he felt nothing but a bliss he hadn’t felt since they were in the back of his truck that afternoon four years ago.

Last night, yeah you could say that Mika’s weight shifted into something weightless. He was exposed, but after everything and after deciding what felt most important to him, being in her arms was the only thing that mattered.

Then as the hours passed with them loving each other and coming together as one again and again after a shower, they were both laying together in her bed. Mika’s right arm was under her neck and shoulders, supporting it. He couldn’t stop replaying every second and minute that was last night. It was a whirlwind of emotions, a tornado of uncertainties, and a hurricane of ultimatums drawn in the sand by the unlikely source of fiery clarity. It brought smiles to his face all night and Mika just couldn’t believe it. Some part of him needed to be pinched because it wasn’t real.

Looking down at her, blue-green eyes full of love and adoration staring back up at his, seeing how she held onto him. While tight as she could, it still was gentle. Cece had always been gentle, but also firm. His eyes darted to the first light of morning blessing Edenridge after that hellacious storm. “Seems like it’s morning already.” He commented with a laugh, realizing that they hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep.

A cloud of gloom seemed to put a damper over the woman's previously content demeanor at this comment. "Already?" she asked her lover, visibly crestfallen and instinctively tightening her grip around his chest. After the magical night spent rekindling the love they had for one another, the last thing Caitlin wanted was for Mika to make his departure. It had been so long since they had been together in each other’s arms just like this… She didn’t want the moment to end.

“I know. I don’t want it to end, either.” Mika saw the disappointment in her eyes, a familiar glint that was in her eyes had faded in a rather swift manner the moment he mentioned that the sun came to greet them. He mirrored her sentiments as he found himself frowning only slightly. There was a significant part of him that didn’t want to leave. Of course, this had been a long time coming and when they weren’t under her blanket, the moments that he had cherished above all else were the moments they were talking. How long had it been since he had been able to lay his soul open in such a vulnerable way to anyone else that wasn’t her? Boa was the only other person he could think of, but it was so much different. Cece always made him feel a certain type of way.

Just as Mika was about to say something else, he caught Cece’s thoughtful expression, like something was on her mind. “You okay? Looks like me whenever Ms. Belmonte decided to go all algebra on our asses way back when.”

Caitlin was quick to laugh at Mika’s comment, being reminded of the times she had tutored Mika in math. While subjects like geometry and algebra came easily to her (don’t ask her about calculus), she was aware that Mika had not been awarded that same courtesy. Back in their high school days, the two had spent their fair share of afternoons with their noses buried between textbooks and notebooks, with Cece trying to explain equations to an increasingly frustrated Mika. It was a task that tested her patience countless times, but that ended up being fruitful when he managed to pass the class with a C-.

The look he was pointing out, however, was one she wore whenever she began to muse about the trajectory of their relationship. "I'm fine," she answered sweetly as her laughter faded, tilting her head up to kiss Mika before continuing. "I just… I can't help but think about how far we've come since the first time we met." Cece mused, mindlessly tracing circles on her lover's chest. "When we talked under the oak tree, I didn't think much would come out of it. We clicked, and we had a good conversation, but I didn't really expect it to go any further than maybe some smiles in the halls and brief talks here and there after that. But we kept meeting up and hanging out and getting along so well with each other… By the time your birthday came around, I knew we had something special. Of course, I had no idea how special it would actually turn out to be, but I knew it was something unlike anything I had ever experienced before-- even with David."

That was quite the admission she just made. Mika obviously knew how much David meant to her. Even before he knew the full story, he still had an idea of how close she and David were. Despite that, at a certain point, it was clear to him that what they had between them wasn't just your ordinary kind of connection. What she felt for him and what Mika felt for her, it was meaningful in so many ways and that was something he always cherished. It never went forgotten, regardless of the hell that followed their first day of their senior year.

"What I remember most about that specific birthday of mine were the cupcakes I didn't get to eat because somebody helped herself to them before I got the chance to." Mika had always teased her about that and he certainly liked to. Of course he knew not to take it too far. He just liked to have his fun occasionally.

"First of all, it was a three-layer cake: blueberry, raspberry and strawberry with cream cheese buttercream," she reminded him in the same teasing tone he had just used with her. "I remember it well because it was my first attempt ever at an actual layered cake. And second of all, I only ate about a third of it. It's not my fault you were too focused on stuffing your face with the sandwiches and the rest of the snacks instead of paying attention to your very delicious cake-- which, if I remember correctly, ended up all over us because of that food fight you started!" Cece retorted with a laugh, vividly remembering herself play-wrestling with Mika, both their faces smeared with buttercream.

“Well it has been a few years. So sue me if my memory is lacking.” But it was coming back to Mika. That day with all the food that he remembered being like his dream feast. A smile crept on his face as silence claimed him as he remembered why it was so important to him. She went to all of the trouble leading up to his birthday four years ago. That was the first birthday they spent as a couple and it was the first time Mika had started to see her as someone whom he loved - yet never said it until last night.

Listening to her, she mentioned that food fight and Mika laughed, remembering what came after. “Yeah, I remember that. I also remember what came after…” Mika’s smile turned into a smirk as he was remembering - quite vividly, mind you - about that moment. “There’s always been something between us about bodies of water and food that’s led to amazing, unforgettable moments, huh?” He didn’t laugh, though he did chuckle. Not that he found it funny, but it was more of the kind of sound one made when they had a realization. Food had always been an important aspect of his life. Be it with his mother making dinner when he was younger or his Cece, it always held a special place in his heart and filled it with memories he always cherished.

Caitlin’s face flushed as red as her hair at the memory, and she let out a nervous chuckle. "Oh God…" she mumbled, burying her warm face in his chest just like she'd done that May 1st four years ago. Mika's sixteenth birthday marked a milestone moment not just in their relationship, but in her personal life as well. That afternoon, between the Zima boy's arms and his body on hers, was the first time she had ever become one with anyone. The adrenaline coursing down her veins when he kissed her for the first time, the desire kicking in when she returned his kiss after some initial hesitation, the anticipation building up with every second they spent exploring each other's bodies, the passion guiding their actions as they became one, the way they tightly held one another as they brought themselves to sweet release, the blissful exhaustion that followed as they laid in each other's arms just like they were doing right now… They wouldn't know it then, but their actions that afternoon had shifted the course of their lives forever.

"I was so nervous that day… And after we did it, too," she admitted, peering back up at him with vulnerability in her eyes. "I hadn't been with anyone before, so while we were laying there together after it all I could think about was you stopping things with me because I was inexperienced and didn't know what I was doing, or because you'd seen my body and didn't like it anymore. It's why I couldn't look you in the eye for days." Cece confessed, thinking back to how she'd practically avoided Mika for days after their first time. "Of course I realized I was just being stupid after we talked about it, but it was something that kept me up for a few nights."

Mika shook his head and ran a hand through Cece’s ginger hair and caressed it soothingly. “You weren’t stupid. Not about that and not about anything else.” Mika remembered the conversation they had about it back then. About how that was her first time and he never knew it until she did become distant from him. “Truth be told, I thought I did something wrong. So I guess if you want to say you were being stupid, then maybe I was too.” He gently laughed. They were both the same in a lot of ways. With her, he always felt like a softer Badger than when he was with everyone else in his life -- or at least in the way he would have been like he was with the bundle of nerves in his arms. “But look at us now? We’re laughing and even joking about a moment that, for a solid time, made us both nervous as fuck. If someone was writing a story about us, I think the phrase that Mr. Beau once said was ‘character development’.”

"You are such a nerd!" Caitlin teased him, joining in on the laughter as she nudged him playfully. Once it had faded away, she quickly added, "I'm glad it was you, though. I’ve never regretted it... And I wouldn't have had it any other way." She murmured softly, adding validity to her words by pulling Mika into another kiss.

As silence momentarily settled between them and they continued to lay contently in each other's arms, a question came to the forefront of Cece’s mind. Although they had come clean about their feelings and made promises for the future, no real decisions had been made about what came next for them as a couple. If there was anything she had learned from her conversations with Mika last night, it was that assumptions had been incredibly prejudicial to their relationship. So rather than make the same mistakes again, the Cleary girl took this as her first opportunity to start their new chapter off on the right foot: by being upfront and direct about the things that were on her mind.

"So what happens now?" she tentatively inquired, looking back up at Mika to closely study his reaction to her question. "With us, I mean."

Good question.

After last night, there was no mistaking they were a lot closer than they have ever been, or at least they were getting back to it. Last month he came into her life and was nasty to her. What he shouted to Niles about her still made him physically sick. Just thinking about it made his skin crawl. But now? Now they were here. He was in her bed, holding her close to him after one of the best nights of his life where he felt truly alive and like his old self before Hyde ruined it all.

He had to ask himself that same question: what did that mean? Where did they go from here? Could they stay friends after what happened? In his heart, Mika felt like they couldn’t, but how fair was that to Sinclair? Mika didn’t like Niles and he certainly didn’t care one way or the other what he thought about him, but even he didn’t deserve to know that his ex was in a relationship the very day she broke things off with him. No matter how badly Mika may have wanted that, even he had some grasp of what was right and wrong.

“Honestly, I don’t know, Cece.” He had to speak earnestly. He truly didn’t. “Last night was an unforgettable experience like nothing I will likely forget. I mean that. But I don’t know what it means for us. Like, do we stay friends? Can we stay friends? Truth be told, I don’t think we can - not after last night. And I don't think I want to, either.” But then there was Niles and what this might mean. God, why was everything so fucking complicated when it came to his romantic life?

Cece’s disappointment about the unexpected answer Mika had given her was unmistakably displayed all over her small, freckled face. After the night they had shared and every step in the ladder that had led them back to each other, she thought that he would be as ready to officialize things as she was. To hear that this was not the case, even as grateful as she was for his honesty… She truly couldn't hide how taken aback and stung she was by the uncertainty in his words.

"Mika, I don't want to be 'just friends' with you," she said with the same level of sincerity he had offered her, shifting away from his figure for the first time in hours with fiery eyes. Her earlier fear that his appearance the night before had been out of loneliness and a desire for sex more than anything else was creeping up on her, and she didn't want Mika to feel her body trembling as she internally fought against the intrusive thoughts. "I didn't end my relationship or told you I loved you or opened up to you about all of these things to be 'just friends' with you. And I know you didn't try to make amends with me after that dinner scene, come to my house in the middle of a storm and bared your soul out to me to be 'just friends' either."

Deep in his gut, which had been turning over itself since she pulled away and he saw that look of disappointment painted across her face. That only happened in two cases (at least when he was a factor): when she was mad at him for something or he said the wrong thing. In a rare showing, though, at least from where he saw things, it may have been both.

And that fucking sucked. Mika honestly didn't know how to answer her question. He knew what the answer was. Any god out there: Slavic, Christian-- all that applied to this situation, Mika knew the answer. She wanted to know, after the moment they had, if they were in a movie, this would be the defining moment and the start of a beautiful relationship. Obviously, this wasn't a movie; this was real life and in real life, it wasn't always so clear cut. Mika wished this was a movie. He'd be able to just skip to the part where he said the right thing and she didn't look like she was going to cry because of the idiot that he was.

No, he couldn't be the reason for that again. Not again.

He tried to shake every negative thought. They persisted because Mika never was able to rid himself of them, but he focused on her and only her. Honed in on that fire in her eyes, the way a creeping sadness was mixed in on her features. "I'm not the best at this. Maybe it goes all the way back to how I was the reason your heart shattered. And what do I do? I come back into your life. Then last night happened." As he remembered everything and as it played in slow motion in his head, he saw how happy they were together. Before all the shit on their senior year graduation and before that hellish year, they were happy together. Genuinely and sickeningly cute-happy with each other. With them, when it was good it was heaven and when it was bad, it was like being on the slow-ass stairway to heaven.

In an action that he hoped wasn't received with a repulsive yanking of her hands to her person, Mika went for them, holding them in his. "I just fear that I gave up any right to actually do this again with you. You know, the whole relationship thing. Even after last night, maybe I still think that--" Shut up and just say it! "I really am bad at this, aren't I?" He laughed and shook his head. "I don't 'just want to be friends' with you either. I want more than that. Like how it was with us before. Like how it was during our junior year, but...more official. You said you never brought up how you wanted a label on it? Then let's do that. Boyfriend and girlfriend!" God, his heart was pounding so fast right now. Was this what it was like to be normal for a change? To be… an O'Hara? It felt nice.

"Do you really mean that?" she asked him in a small voice, feeling guilty about how she might have come across earlier and worried that Mika was only saying what he thought she wanted to hear out of fear of further disappointing her or because he felt put on the spot or pressured to. “You really want us to be official? It’s not because of anything I said or the way I said it? Because if it is, I’m really sorry! I don’t want you to feel forced or obligated or--”

When she started to apologize, in his gut, Mika knew what would happen. In the past, when she started to apologize like this, that made him feel intensely guilty because she would become sad and no matter how much he had always tried to do the right thing, people in his life seemed to cry and become sad, but that wasn’t going to happen again. He wasn’t going to be the reason that she’d cry. It was impossible for him to make all the wrongs he committed right, but at least he could make one of them align with the new leaf he had turned.

As he leaned forward, Mika didn’t waste another second. As her lips started to move, he gently pressed his against them mid-sentence. There were no words from either of them. For a few moments that became eternal, he answered her questions and quelled her worries with a single action. He wrapped his arms around her, bringing her closer to him, their chests touching, bodies connecting, souls embracing, and goddamnit, it was pure bliss.

When he had pulled away, which felt a lot shorter than it had been, Mika pressed his forehead against hers, mirroring last night. “Please, no more apologies. I mean it. I promise I mean it.” Mika kissed her again, though shorter, it held a larger meaning. “I want us to be what you always wanted and what I never had the courage to say. Boyfriend, girlfriend -- however you want to label it, that’s what I want, Caitlin. I’m choosing you and nobody else to be my girlfriend.”

The redhead's eyes filled with tears of excitement and emotion, and her face broke into a joyous smile. Every previous concern or fear about Mika being unsure of the state of their relationship was put to rest when he pressed his lips to hers. The conviction and certainty in his voice when he spoke, so different from the hesitation and insecurity of before, added value to every word he said. Ever since the day of their first kiss, Caitlin had dreamed about the day Mika would ask her to be his girlfriend. In the past, circumstances both in and out of their control had stood in the way of their relationship status becoming official. But today, after trials, and tribulations, over a year apart and so much growing up as individuals, the dream had become a reality: she was Mika’s girl, just like she had so profoundly desired since that May afternoon in 2016.

With her forehead still pressed against his and her arms around her beloved, Cece finally spoke up. "I love you," she proclaimed passionately, holding Mika closely against her.

”I love you too,” he muttered in an almost-whisper.

Mika and Cece allowed their eyes to meet and take in the sight of each other, drinking in every one of their beautiful features. And as the sun continued its trek rising in the horizon after the raging storm, the two lovers locked their lips together in a deep kiss and eventually came together as one once again.

Bleach [Is this Fandom alive?]

【Igarashi, Denki 】

【I am the Storm】

_{~"The calm before the storm."~}

Hider

【Personal Info】

Hider

【Name: Igarashi Denki

Meaning: Electrifying Fifty Storms

【Nicknames: TBD
【Alias: TBD
【Age: 233
【Age Appearance: 25
【Gender: Male
【Race: Shinigami
【Former Rank: Ryoka.
【Former Division: 11th Division

【Additional Appearance Info:

Standing 6’2 and weighing roughly around 185lbs, Denki is a fairly average looking man. His eyes are amber and his hair medium brown, the latter of which is partly spiky in some areas but mostly falls naturally down his long face. It is mostly unkept until he needs it not to be and falls all the way down to his shoulder. Sometimes he will tie it up in a small ponytail, but for the most part, Denki lets it naturally fall whenever it may. Denki is a lean man, built like someone who doesn’t conscious condition his body, but from all of the running he does due to the hazard of his side hustle, his habit of getting into fights, and basically everything else he does that involves heavy lifting, Denki manages to keep himself in tip, top shape.

Denki is flashy and maybe that puts a target on his back, but he’s known for wearing a sort of trademark red shihakusho-like outfit comprising of a red top and a black bottom (though it might be just a dark shade of brown).

【Personality:

Denki Igarashi is anything but ordinary. There are two sides to this man: the calm and the storm. The calm is what everyone sees upon first meeting and the storm is what they see when they trigger something in him. Both could be unpleasant depending on who they are, but only one is dangerous.

An all around positive individual, Denki is a fun time and a half to be around. He’s full of energy and life that when someone is around him, depending on how they receive his brand of liveliness, he’ll either be their favorite person or be on their most-hated list. Likewise, that energy and fun-loving side could also lead down a mischievous and general lack of respect for authority, which is ironic since he became a soul reaper. He avoids his problems like the plague and sometimes that also means responsibility. There’s a certain laziness to this man, which further ties into his natural electricity and fondness to have fun all the time.

He is also extremely cunning and has been shown to manipulate people for his needs. This comes in many forms. He generally doesn’t use his cunning for evil, but it does have a selfish origin. Having to survive in some harsher Rukon districts, Denki learned that he had to be a step ahead of the game. His more-than-average perception came into play here long before he used it to its full effectiveness. He observed those around him and used it to his advantage. Sometimes he went a bit far with it and landed himself into hot water, so any chance he could think of getting out of it, he did.

But when push comes to shove, Denki doesn’t hesitate to get his revenge. His thirst for battle and natural affinity for trouble (whether he willingly creates it or not) is a no-brainer for a future Squad 11 member. He loves everything about battle, but he does have a temper. Anger him in one of the few ways that you can and you might understand why they call him The Unlucky. It’s not just about him - but those who fight him tend to be unlucky, as well.

【Biography:

A wasteland that had the ruins of a once thriving civilization was now plagued by an ever-present, nonstop thunderstorm, the likes that would only be found at the top of an active volcano. The sounds of a terrible cull, high-pitched roar from the clouds above penetrate even the deafest of ears. Lightning strikes at all parts, shattering rock, ridding decaying mountains of their tops that are immediately regenerated as though a twisted circle of life is ever-present in this place.

The sounds of terrible rolling thunder echo like a firm reminder that there is no calm before the storm - not here. Not in Akuraicho's domain.

And the mixture of terror and death, the very essence of the storm, persists, echoing the name "Denki..." in such a deep baritone voice, yet go unanswered. "Denki...You are too weak." There it was again, though this time more concise. Clearer in a way that the words would reach who they were meant for, yet as time passed, nobody by the name of Denki answered.

And thus the storm remained. It continued on, ravaging the land in a vicious cycle until that which destroyed all could finally be acknowledged by the one he called out to. Until Denki Igarashi could hear Akuraicho's summons.

---

Life for Denki Igarashi, for several years, had been one of mystery and lapses in his memory up until a certain point. Every so often when he would sleep, he’d see images of something that haunted his mind after waking. Images of a monster calling out to him. Images of thunder and lightning reaking havoc on a land that was both completely unknown to him, while at the same time, eerily familiar.

Strange, isn’t it? How could he know what it was if he had not been there before?

This became a rather recurring theme for Denki as he traveled from one Rukon District to the other. He originally found his home in the North, but trouble followed Denki Igarashi like that dream. Or would be it be appropriate to call it a vision? It followed him regardless and followed him it did. Like a cloud of misfortune. Whether north, south, east, or west, peaceful district or in the rather violent and aggressive district of Zaraki, Denki always found himself into trouble. Some might say the name Denki Igarashi was bad luck because he always found himself into situations that, aside from him stating otherwise, became as bad as they were because of his own doing.

To most, Denki is a victim of his own making, but to him, he’s just really popular.

Indeed. Denki takes all this supposed bad luck, smear campaigns of his name, and the eventual confrontations that lead to either terrible beatdowns of this raven-haired freeloader (not his words), with the tiniest grain of salt. It’s all overhyped. Who cared if Denki scammed people out of their yen or used the handy dandy five-finger discount on certain venders in some districts. Or maybe he pisses off a gang or two to the point where there was a bounty put out on him right down to a picture too.

And guess what! The picture…poster…whatever you want to call it was in color and even had descriptors. Gotta hand it to these gangs: they’re well-connected.

-average height
-black hair. Long
-wears red on his robe

They didn’t get a flattering drawing of his face, but when Denki first saw it, even he had to admit “damn, they really do love me!”

Of course they didn’t, but Denki couldn’t help but laugh about it.

That was, at least, until they found him.

At first they were angry and rightfully so. This was a local gang in this south rukon district that Denki owed some money to. They demanded he pay them back in full (plus interest).

Now this wouldn’t be such a bad demand. Denki wasn’t so full of himself (he was) to say that they weren’t making fair demands (they definitely weren’t). But he had to be smart about this. He had their money on him, but there was a moral dilemma he was fighting with. They wouldn’t spend it like it should. Sake and women were probably what these ogres would spend it on. But if he didn’t give them their money, odds were they’d beat him until they punched it out of him like some pinata.

Neither option seemed preferable.

So cunning Denki looked around momentarily.

And wow oh wow, the luck of the moment. He saw someone who had dark hair, red on his robe, and was of equal height. He had an idea at that moment: to use his guile and manipulate these idiots, stating “I’m not the man you want! He is!” and he promptly pointed to the man walking in the opposite direction.

And guess what? They fell for it!

And proceeded to start to beat the crap out of the man that looked a lot like Denki. Almost crazily so. As they did that, Denki had another moral dilemma. He had lied to those idiots and said he wasn’t Denki Igarashi. Obviously he was, but with that coincidental lookalike of his, it was too easy, but now he was facing the wrath of something that was the consequence of something he did.

Not that he felt exceptionally guilty about it, but Denki was jealous of some of the action. He wanted to fight but not lose his money. Plus there wa something that he couldn’t explain, but this other man felt…familiar.

So in a classic move that would, though he didn’t know it at this time, be replicated multiple times, Denki joined the fight with this other man, easily fending off the men with someone who would much later become his other half. A true kindred spirit.

“Denki’s the name.”

And that would be the start of one of the closest friendships Denki would have. He just didn’t know it at the time.

【Notable Traits】

Hider

【Likes/Dislikes】

✔ Just enjoying life
✔ Mitarashi Dango
✔ Fighting
✔ Naps

✘ Any trouble caused by his other half _{(though sometimes Denki causes it so it is what it is)}
✘ Anyone either in Squad 1 or that believes in the goody-two-shoes, rule-abiding, total-snitch behavior that Squad 1 represents. Just let Denki have his fun!
✘ Sour anything. Seriously, how can anyone like sour food?
✘ Facing the consequences of his actions

【Defining Traits】

Positive

▲ Energetic
▲ Observant
▲ Sanguine
▲ Cunning

Neutral

☯ Mischievous
☯ Has plenty of guile
☯ Carefree
☯ Embodies the philosophy of “carpe diem”

Negative

▼ Reckless
▼ Selfish
▼ Temperamental
▼ Obnoxious

【Relationships】

Hider

NAME: Friend/Rival/Acquaintance/Superior Officer/Nemesis etc

Summary of Relationship. When they met, how long they've known one another, how they feel about them and why.

NAME: Friend/Rival/Acquaintance/Superior Officer/Nemesis/Lover/Spouse etc

Summary of Relationship. When they met, how long they've known one another, how they feel about them and why.

surname, Denji || Best friend, other half, occasional pain in the ass

Summary of Relationship. When they met, how long they've known one another, how they feel about them and why.

【Capabilities】

Hider

【General Aptitude】

Hider

Fighting Style:

Denki is what one might call a blitzing kind of fighter. He doesn't let up and he seldom takes up defense (unless it's detrimental for him to assume such a tactic). He might not be an unintelligent fighter per se, but he's always believed that the best way to win a fight is to make sure your opponent has no chance to land a hit, so he remains on the offensive. Quick strikes both punches and kicks, Denki also is fast. He tested high in both general mobility and through use of hoho. He uses the latter to evade most blows (unless someone proves to be faster than him).

He might have some skill with a sword (at least enough to hold his own with someone who might be average at best with one), but his preferred mode of combat is to use his hands, which he commonly refers to as "Thunder" and "Lightning".

Attributes

Reiryoku(Unused Points): 95 (0)

Reiatsu: 150 (2)

Strength: 25 - Average
Resilience: 5 - Dismal
Mobility: 50 - Impressive
Spirit: 15 - Unremarkable

Skills

Proficiency: 285 (0)

Zanjutsu: 27 - Layman
Hakuda: 89 - Practitioner
Kido: 0 - Untrained
Hoho: 120 - Adept
Perception: 49 - Layman

【Specialization】

Hider

Kyōi Zankyō-ken: (Echoing Thunder Strikes) Hakuda Practitioner | Hoho Adept.

Meaning "Echoing Thunder Strikes," this specialty capitalizes on Denki's exceptional Hoho and developing Hakuda Proficiencies to create a style of attacks more potent than either skill could produce on their own. Practically speaking, Kyōi Zankyō-ken is a style of attack that utilizes the momentum of the user's footwork to empower their strikes, or uses their swiftness to drastically increase the speed of concurrent attacks in exchange for somewhat reduced potency. Mechanically, this allows Denki to add a Proficiency Tier to his Hakuda attacks and choose whether they clash normally, or if they clash with the target's Hoho or Perception--defaulting to whichever of the latter two is lower.

【Artes】

Hider

Shunpo(Hoho Practitioner):

Meaning “Flash Steps,” this technique, while not the pinnacle of Hoho, is the primary Arte afforded by the Skill. This Arte allows the user to move faster than the eye can easily follow by using as few steps as possible to cross a distance. The higher the user’s Hoho Proficiency, the faster and more efficient this Arte becomes. This technique clashes against the Perception Skill, meaning that the lower an individual’s skill value is, the more difficulty they will have predicting the trajectory of or even following the user’s movement. This becomes more pronounced if the Perception Skill is at a lower Proficiency Tier than the Shunpo User’s Hoho Skill.

Technique Name(Prerequisite):

Description

【Zanpakuto】

Hider

Sealed State

_{~"What I'm about to show you will shock you."~}

Additional Description:
Type of Sword: Wakizashi
Length 23"/58.5cm
Color: Hilt is red with purple cord wrap || Sheath is amber, much like the color of Denki's eyes.
Guard Type: Circular


Attunement(Attunement Score): Phase One - Unattuned
Deviation: N/A

Inner World & Spirit (Thunderbird form || Human form):

The inner world of Akuraicho is a barren wasteland with ruins of a lost kingdom that could be implied it was once glorious spread across the many miles of the land. Mountain ranges surround it. It is plagued by a massive, red and orange-hued thunderstorm, with around-the-clock rolling thunder and lightning flashing, roars of Akuraicho filling the air, and then lightning crashing to the ground -- all of which happens every 12 seconds, with each one happening consecutively every three seconds.

Akuraicho is a zanpakuto who takes two forms. In his dreams long ago, Denki saw Akuraicho as the bringer of storms that he was, the literal storm that lived inside of Denki’s soul. Powerful and mighty, the monstrous form that Denki first witnesses was an anomaly because what he first saw was a thunder cloud, red, orange, and black, lightning striking the barren wasteland below and with a roar so loud that Denki swore it disrupted the heavens themselves. But when he spoke to him, his voice echoed like a titan, slow but powerful. In this form he is easily the most intimidating. His whole form was of cloud, lightning-shaped like a falcon in every way possible.

But in more recent times, as Denki himself became well adjusted, became centered, the beast he first met was no more -- or at least, the beast that was felt unnecessary for Akuraicho to show. In the beast’s stead was a man no taller than Denki nor heavier. He had pale skin, silver hair, and blue eyes. He wore a red trenchcoat that somehow mirrored the deep crimson hue of his avian-like form, and black pants.

Zanpakuto Personality: Akuraicho is as arrogant as they come. Self-righteous and believing into their own hype, Akuraicho has a temper almost as red as his hair. He has a bit of a violent streak too, explosive and blowing up at any given moment’s notice. He embodies the thunder and lightning he commands.

He serves as both master and, in his mind, superior to Denki. There have been many difficulties in terms of communication. Denki is lax in nature. He represents the calm before the storm that is his temperamental zanpakuto, yet there is reason why they mirror each other. Akuraicho views Denki as lazy, which plays a large part into their discord, but there is a small part of him that recognizes and acknowledges Denki as his master, even if they both are far from it ever being admitted openly.

---

Shikai

_{~"Blitz everything into oblivion, Akuraichō (悪雷鳥 Malevolent Thunderbird)"~}

Denki holds both sword and sheath horizontally, with the bottom of the pommel and the end of the sheath are touching. Lightning of red sparks, circling around both sword and sheath and his spiritual pressure skyrockets, exploding around Denki in a fury of lightning as if he becomes the eye of hte storm itself. The red lightning slowly starts to pierce through both sword and sheath. Percision lightning strikes chip away, and those missing pieces reforge themselves on Denki's hands -- all of which happens in a matter of five seconds. It's like a flash and a literal case of lightning: blink and you'll miss it. The end product is a pair of two steel grey gauntlets that cover both hands and forearms. On it are odd designs of red and purple, constantly emitting a red electric aura around them. Within the aura is the very faint whistling, the battlecry of Akuraicho himself.

Ability:

Akuraicho might seem like an ordinary lightning-based zanpakuto and more or less, that is the case, but it's a lot more complex than that. It is, as a whole, an extension of Denki and what he's capable of. Fast, powerful, and aware, Akuraicho is a zanpakuto that feeds off of Denki's own feats and builds from it. With lightning-fast strikes that are aided by the very storm it embodies and hitting as loud and powerful as thunder itself, Akuraicho represents everything that thunder and lightning does as Denki represents what thunder and lightning does. At its most powerful (currently locked), Denki and Akuraicho together should literally be as powerful as fifty rounds of rolling thunder and crashing lightning.

Mechanics

Akuraicho allows Denki to Augment various maneuvers with his doubled reiatsu modifier in addition to allowing his Hakuda or Strength stat to clash with Spirit or Kido-based effects.

Techniques

Hider

Tobikomu(Command: Dive, Akuraicho) - requires 40 attunement Tobikomu is the base and first technique that Akuraicho will teach Denki. As it utilizes the hakuda foundation of Denki's powers, Tobikomu is a technique in which Denki takes to the sky, aided by his mobility and hoho stats, as he dives down, his dives head first, extending his left arm forward. By doing this he becomes a speeding bullet of lightning, gathering momentum. His hand is open like a talon, like a claw that is aiming to strike the first thing it can, be it ground or person.

Mechanic

This techniques adds one tier of his Hoho to his Hakuda or one tier of his Mobility to his Strength depending on which stat is being used to clash.

Gekitotsu Command: Crash, Akuraicho - requires 80 attunement Gekitotsu is a mid-ranged offensive technique. Charging his spiritual energy into both gauntlets, for every punch that Denki unleashes, a bird-shaped blast of lightning is sent in the direction in front of him, a high-pitched scream emitting from the birds like that of a literal thunderbird striking fear into those it is about to destroy. This can be discharged either multiple times with weaker results or charged into one or both hands, released in a larger form. It doesn't lose much speed but there is a drawback of Denki being suspect to draining due to his average spirit.

Mechanic

This technique may clash using either the Spirit/Strength or Kido/Hakuda stats. If the fist and projectile hit at point blank range, half of Spirit/Kido is added to Strength/Hakuda before the clash or 'damage' is decided. The projectiles on their own use Spirit/Kido as the primary stat, while adding half of Strength/Hakuda to clash with the opposing stat where necessary.

---

Digimon: The Parallel Visage

What in the Terminator-I’ll-Be-Back-to-the-Future-Blue’s-Clues kind of bullshit was this?

It was one thing for Damian to be in somewhat of a state of confusion about how landed here with some others and these…digimon, as the little one explained, but somehow this was a digital world? Did Damian hear that right? And some how, through whatever means they forgot to explain to the rest of them, this world was parallel with their own.

“My head hurts.”

Friimon made a sound that Damian had assumed was some sort of growl. “Mine too.”

Oh so it can talk. Color Damian impressed and shocked and confused. Why wouldn’t it talk before instead of what it did and climbed around his neck. “So, what? You just like surprising the hell out of me?” Damian laughed and so did Friimon.

This was all just a mess. Damian wasn’t meant nor built nor prepared for this kind of information. He listened more than he talked, which for anyone who might get to know him, that was a rarity. Still, he tried to soak in all the information, making sounds that acknowledged he was at least hearing it. Friimon looked at Damian and mirrored him, nodding his head and making the same ‘mhm’ sounds.

“So this little guy on my neck is my partner?” He looked at Friimon and Friimon looked at him. The two had a staredown while more questions for the others were being asked (and Damian completely ignored most of them). “Cool! You look like a little lion. Lions fucking own!”

Damian brought his eyes to the two pink-looking...Digimon. “Soooo…If I understand this right, there are things that wish to kill, maim, and probably do some unspeakable things to us if we encounter them, right?” As he asked his question, he looked at Friimon, then back to Pinky and the Brain. “Why not throw us a bone and help us out. If you came all this way just to tell us this much, surely you could stick around. Jesus would do that much. Jesus was cool!”

"Yeah! Jesus is cool!" Friimon shouted, once again mirroring Damian.

Damian quickly looked down at Friimon. "Do you even know who Jesus is?" He laughed as he asked.

Friimon hummed. "Someone cool?"

"Shit yeah he is!" Annnd eyes back to the two pink people. "The little guy knows, so you should totally stay!"

Edenridge

_{@metanoia @LovelyComplex @BrutalBx
TIMESTAMP — Day Two: Tuesday, July 20, 2021, Morning || After Maelstorm
FT — Marco Brady, Sofia Belmonte, Caterina Belmonte, and Dexter Silo}

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

When her mom picked her up from Grandpa’s, Sofia knew her life was over. This would be the day she died. Cat was fuming from the inside out. Instead of raising her voice, she teethed for her mini me to get in the car and on their way to Godmother’s they went. Cat was running late and it looked like her mother didn’t sleep well. Sofia wanted to ask her if she was doing alright, but she knew better. This was not the time to talk.

The car ride was mostly silent. Unsettling so. Sofi couldn’t tell if it was because her mother was too angry to articulate words or if there was something more to the raging storm building inside of her. As much as her mother wanted to hide what she was going through, Sofi watched her through her worst years and could tell, whatever her mother was thinking about was worrying her and that Sofia, as frustrating as it was to find out her daughter lied about her whereabouts, was a needed distraction. Still, Sofia knew better. Until her mother talked, she would not say a word. When they parked in front of the sandwich shop, her mother made her decree. The consequences of her actions were as follows. Sofia was grounded for a month, which meant no phone, no laptop, and no friends, and she had to work. Work at the Godmother’s.

In that moment, Sofia realized the rest of her summer, or most of it, would be her cooped in the house or at this place here, working for her mother. This also meant she wouldn’t be able to hangout with Ricky or Aiden, which royally sucked. Her life was truly over just because she didn’t want to go to New York with her lame ass dad. Fucking dumb. When they entered the shop, her mother hid her seething anger with a smile as she handed her belongings to her daughter to put in the office and started to open the store, letting in two of her employees that had been waiting for her arrival.

Placing her mother’s purse on her desk, Sofia raised an eyebrow when she noticed a study guide and a few books focusing on criminal justice, history of law enforcement, and a police exam book. Her mother wanted to become a cop? Her curious spirit getting the best of her, Sofia started going through the things on top of her mother’s desk until she found a tiny ornate anchor keychain with C.S.C. engraved on it. Looking around her making sure no one was watching, Sofi was quick to pocket it. Jumping back from her hunching over position, the athletic teen darted to the door where her mother was calling her name. Scurrying out, Sofi speedily responded, “Coming, coming!”

“Did you get lost?” Cat sharply asked, containing her agitation as she finished setting up all the registers and went to the front door to unlock the store.

“Sorry, I… dazed a bit. I played games with Danny all night,” Sofia apologetically explained, telling a half truth. “So… you want me over there?”

“Yes, Sofia. You’re going to make sandwiches,” Cat turned away from the door and did one final walk-through. “Marco, she’ll be your assistant for the day,” the boss lady instructed, before going to the aisle of assorted imported sauces, olive oils, vinegar, and seasoning. “I’ll be stocking up over here if you need me,” Cat continued, keeping herself as busy as ever. Something was definitely on her mind.

With Cat out of sight, Sofia deeply sighed and kicked imaginary dirt. Once she was done being dramatic, she put on an apron that was hanging on a hook. Walking beside Marco, she imitated him and put on gloves. Glancing up at Marco then to the many, many sandwich meats then back up at him, Sofia loudly cleared her throat for his attention. “Are you and my uncle fucking?” She bluntly inquired.

There was a rather noticeable gap between when Sofi had cleared her throat to when Marco had registered it in his mind as some sort of very delayed reaction. It wasn’t that Marco was terribly distracted. Sure, part of him was still somewhat traumatized by that game of truth and dare (maybe he was being a little overdramatic about it), but he tried not to think about it. When the coast was clear from the storm, Marco immediately went home and was flooded with a reasonable series of hugs, obscenities, and all sort of expected reactions from his parents. Fast forward a few hours and Marco had made it to work and now Sofi was going to be working, but not just working at the Godmother, but Marco was in charge of her.

And then she came in with the whopper of something that Marco had to do a mental double take. “Sorry what?” He blinked at her and quickly recovered. “No…why? What would give you that idea?” A feeling of panic set in, but he kept it mostly under control as he casually continued to work, some of the meats where they were labeled. In the back of his mind, Marco had this sneaking thought that Sofi thought he was lying. Of course, Marco was lying. Of course he was, but he didn’t want to completely out his boyfriend, especially if he wasn’t ready to let anyone other than Rye know. Truth be told, Marco didn’t care, but he knew more than anyone that things were a lot more complicated on Danny’s end.

He was right.

She knew he was lying.

“You’re not a very good liar, Marco,” Sofia crossed her arms and inquisitively stared up at the man behind the counter with her. She even went the extra step to walk around him like a hawk watching its prey. “If my mom wasn’t so distracted with Anchor Man…” Sofia partly commented, thinking about the evidence in her pocket, which hinted that the rumors on Scott Street were true, her mom had a boyfriend. For a moment, the young Belmonte got lost in thought, getting off track, as she complimented herself, loving the nerdy nickname she bestowed on the mystery man, “…yes, that’s what I’ll call him, Anchor Man.” Rubbing her chin with her latex gloved hand, she gave the smuggest grin. She knew it was only a matter of time before she found out and had the upper hand with her mother. Maybe she wouldn’t be grounded for too long.

Focus, Sofia!

Shaking her early morning squirrel brain, she decided to drop some truth bombs to the victim of the hour, “Anyways! You see, Marco-Polo, I’d like to think one of my gifts is my memory, I’ve been able to reverse uno people all the time because I simply know when I’m right,” she reached for a French baguette and aimed it to the man beside her like a lightsaber, “Another gift of mine? Numbers and dates. Let’s bring it back,” she grabbed another bread and tossed it to Marco, for him to duel her, “Saturday, August 18th, 2018, three days before my aunt Vivia’s bday, our families host their annual bbq. From there, within the course of four months, my uncle goes from 0 funko pops to 96. That’s 6 funko pops a week. 24 a month. All shit he used to know nothing about. Shows, movies, comics, and the like, that could take months to watch just one, like Naruto, especially for my uncle who lived and breathed basketball. Unless!” She raised her baguette in the air before jolting forward to stab Marco, “He had a little motivation,” She whacked Marco’s own bread sword, ready to go at war for her theory, “I’m no engineer but it’s one thing to get into a show because of a friend, it’s another thing to watch several and clutter your room with nerdy shit when you’ve spent most of your life as the jock stereotype. And! This is only me talking about funko pops.”

As much as Marco wanted to deny that none of this held any merit, he couldn’t. He couldn’t because, no matter how much he tried to BS it away as a coincidence, he knew two things were certain: Sofi was smart. She was outrageously and, at this very moment, annoyingly so. And the second was in combination of that exceptionally-annoying awareness she seemed to possess, Marco also never factored in that Danny wasn’t subtle about it. He never thought nothing of it, but this in itself was increasing Marco’s panic whilst he tried so desperately to not let it show on his face and simultaneously trying to best his opponent wielding the French Baguette while he held an italian loaf.

Marco faced a dilemma: admit to the crime or lie himself through it.

In situations he’d ask what his siblings would do. Emil was a good liar and Marcy also a good liar. But they were convincing enough about it. They had the confidence that Marco lacked. That wasn’t to say he was lacking, but lying took a specific breed of confidence and Sofi was right about Marco not being good at it. Still, he just couldn’t out Danny like that, not even when the evidence was pointing to the obvious. “I admit, that’s a good theory--” As he began, Marco stepped forward and thrust his Italian loaf at Sofi’s bread saber. “Not sure if you’re just that naturally observant or you went a little sneaky-sneak. But how does that support the hypothesis that we’re sleeping together?” Marco asked knowing full well that this could come back to bite him in his slightly flabby ass. “Not saying we are or anything, but what about him having so many Funko Pops would make you think that? You remember I used to be an athlete, right? He was too. Who is to say that we didn’t just bond and found a hidden love over some nerdy interests.” Why was he still talking? Marco definitely had a bad habit of doing that: having a good point then letting his mouth keep flapping. Great for someone who is a gamer, not so much for someone trying to deny-deny-deny something that was so clearly true.

“Bro,” Sofia stepped back, dodging a MakAttack, tempted to bite a piece of bread off as she heard her stomach rumble, “The facts I be spittin’ are irrelevant to my theory, I just wanted to make you sweat.” Sofia tossed her bread up flipping it in the air before making a lightsaber sound with her mouth, harnessing the dark side. She was a Sith Lord. “I noticed you two stopped talking a little after your junior prom. I see a lot of shit, amigo. I can’t help it.” The young Jedi was a fool to think she didn’t have more concrete evidence to make her theory a reality.

“Only the past month you two have been somewhat like you used to.” Giving into her desire, Sofia took a bite out of Marco’s Italian loaf as he tried to gently tap her shoulder and chuckled while chewing, “Okay then, how about this. Answer truthfully or forever be labeled a liar. Do you usually call your friends babe? And say you love them and that you're safe during a crazy ass storm? Just saying, my uncle doesn’t lock his phone. He’s kind of an idiot like that.”

There was no way out of it now.

With a deep sigh, Marco half-glared at Sofi. He saw the cheeky expression on her face. An all-too-familiar feeling started to creep itself back into his body. He’d seen the same expression on both his mother’s face and Marcella’s. What an unusually annoying feeling he couldn’t shake. Anytime they both caught him in a lie, a cover-up on his behalf that was poorly done mind you, when they were proven right and Marco had no way out of it and copped to it, there was that same expression. It was worn differently, but Sofi wasn’t a Castillo - she was a Belmonte, but Cat’s daughter, so maybe it was worse? Or maybe the same just in a different shade.

Doing a double take behind him to make sure Cat wasn’t around, Marco returned his almost disappointed gaze on the younger Italian girl. “You really shouldn’t be snooping through people’s phones.” He had all but admitted to the crime. “I’m not going to answer anything without my lawyer present.” Marco was a bad liar (as the jury had seen first hand), but joking about what was true and especially this odd version of an interrogation, was something he was more than capable of doing. He leaned in close. “_{But, if you must know, yes.}” Marco knew she was smart enough (clearly) to know he didn’t mean her latest question, either.

“Good,” Sofia brushed off Marco’s annoyance like it was something she was used to and softly smiled, “He’s less of an asshole when he’s got you on his mind and I’m just glad to see him not brooding as much, so thank you.” Placing the baguette back in its home, deeming it clean, she turned to Marco, glancing at the Italian bread she already took a big bite out of. Taking Marco’s bread out of his hand because she bit it, and it wasn’t servable anymore, she wrapped it in parchment paper and hid it in a counter drawer for later. The entrance bell to her mom’s shop rang causing her to quickly perk back up.

Curious girl.

Always a curious girl.

Cracking her knuckles, semi-ready to make sandwiches, her eyes fell on this tall, handsome blonde man she hadn’t seen before. He carried himself in a dignified, charismatic, but humble way and he was well dressed. Nothing like the Osprey brand though. Nah, it looked more… Pinehurst, like that news journalist the mayor’s daughter was canoodling with. Or the Monarchs she saw at last year’s party. He must be passing through Edenridge. Shrugging at the newcomer’s presence, she looked up at Marco and inquired, “Does my mom have a loyal customer? And I don’t mean your type of loyal. Is there someone that comes to see her, and just her? Rumor has it, she has a boyfriend already, and I want to know who it is.”

Marco had his attention divided between a few things, but mostly it was what Sofi had been saying about Danny, almost smiling at that. He always knew Danny was rough around the edges and possibly Marco being in his life made him happier. He never knew it for certain, but he knew his life was better and was brighter when he had Danny in his, so he had always hoped that it was a two-way street.

“That’s…nice--” Interrupted mid-thought, Marco was saved by the bell. Literally.

His blue eyes were naturally drawn to the sound and he saw someone he hadn’t seen come through the doors of Godmother and that was saying something. As popular as Godmother was, Marco liked to think he had seen all the regulars come in and this older man, well this was a new face. He made a note of the older features and the hair. Almost as radiant as Marco’s old personality used to be. But he looked different than what Marco had seen from Edenites, but he couldn’t place it.

“Sorry, Sofi, we can’t talk about this now--” Marco could just hear the expression on her face, but he had to show some responsibility, no matter how much the mystery of Cat’s potential new boyfriend interested him. “Welcome to the Godmother, home of many yummy sandwiches! May I take your order?” Marco stated with a bright smile to the older blonde man. Honestly, he had been wanting to try that one for some time now. A bit inspired by one of his favorite movies growing up, Good Burger. Hopefully Cat will allow him to say it from here on out.

“Hello there,” The man spoke softly, his voice like melted butter, there was a slight gravel but it was smooth. His dirty blonde hair was combed perfectly into a business-like swish and his three-piece navy suit clung to his obviously fit body in all the right places. With one hand in his pocket, he scratched his stubbled chin with the other before resting it onto the counter before the two workers. Water coloured eyes fell upon the young Sofi, taking her in as if gazing upon a solid memory before they drifted to Marco. “I’m hoping you can help. I’d like to get a cracked black pepper pastrami sub on an Italian loaf, with gherkins, some grated parmesan cheese and a whole lotta mustard, if you would be so kind?” The customer's eyes drifted back to Sofia. “And if at all possible, I would like to speak to the owner of this place. I’m an old friend.”

Cat’s attention was ripped from the shelf she had placed a pack of Cassini Taggiasca olive oil on. There was a moment she stared at the assortment of Italian goods, frozen in place. Was she hearing things? Or was her mind playing tricks? She had been so caught up in her worry for Clay, he hadn’t texted her goodnight or good morning, that she wasn’t paying attention to who was coming and going from her shop. Not only was the voice familiar but the order was too. Snapping out of her stupor, she sauntered to the end of the aisle. Instead of revealing herself, she peaked to see if her suspicions were right.

Fucking Christ.

From a sinking heart to a sudden spike of anger, like a pot almost about to boil over, Cat swiftly pulled herself back into the aisle and tried to gather herself. She had to be professional. Sofia mustn’t know too much of the person she was about to make a sandwich for. Professional and mature. Inhaling and exhaling, Cat tried her best to give a marketable smile and came out of hiding, only for salt to immediately come out of her mouth, “A friend is someone that keeps in touch. We haven’t talked in years, Dexter.” Going behind the counter with her daughter and employee, she glared at the man waiting to be served and crossed her arms, “What brings you to Eden, anyway?”

“Apologies,” The man now identified as Dexter raised his hands. “You’re right. I guess I deserve that.” His eyes locked onto Cat before he placed both of his hands into his pockets. “It is good to see you Caterina, you’re as beautiful as ever.” She truly was still as youthful and as stunning as she had been all those years ago. The brunette had aged like the finest wines of her family homeland and Dex couldn’t help but wonder if she tasted better too. Compartmentalizing those thoughts for the present moment, the newcomer remembered the pouty look she had on her face very well. “A few things,” He began. “Business mostly but then also some personal stuff.”

Cat could feel her daughter’s gaze on her, that uncontainable curiosity she had behind those sharp, clever eyes. She knew there would be questions later. There were always questions. Unfortunately, to smile for this asshole was incredibly hard. She hated Dexter Silo. He broke her fucking heart. “Outside,” She demanded as she gestured for her ex to follow her to one of her outdoor tables. “Marco, bring his sandwich when you’re done. It’s on me. Y’know, for an old friend.” At that point, her fiery green eyes were glued to Dex’s impassive gaze. Her expression said it all. Caterina Belmonte was absolutely livid. She had the eyes of a tiger, protective of her territory and her baby. He couldn’t be trusted. Not one bit and she was determined to get to the bottom of this, and make sure he does not, and will not come back to her place of business, and ideally home. What the hell did he want?

Dexter nodded in compliance with Cat’s demands. She was always one to get what she wanted and when they were kids, he didn’t exactly mind because usually what she wanted matched up with his own desires. The blonde man turned to look at the youngsters at the bar top and nodded his head. “It was a pleasure to meet you both.” Those Damn eyes fell upon Sofi’s once again and he smiled. “Hopefully I’ll be seeing you again. Take care guys,” He waved pleasantly before making his way towards the door as directed by Cat.

When they left, Sofia gave a melodic whistle to clear the air, “You could cut that shit with a knife. Never thought I’d see the day I’d get to meet one of my mom’s exes. This is a first!” The evidence was obvious. Her mother carried herself like a woman who was afraid to get hurt again. Her mother didn’t act like that in front of many people. If anything, the only other person who got that treatment was her father. Sofia knew this man meant something to her mother. So much so that only venom came out of her lips. He hurt her. He hurt her bad.

“You can say that again…” In all honesty, Marco felt awkward during the whole exchange. He wanted to say something, but like Sofi had aptly pointed out, it was tense. So tense that his stomach tightened up to the point that he was frozen where he stood, watching and forced to do so silently, taking a few long moments to shake himself back into gear so he could make the sandwich. Whoever that Dexter was, there was something about him Marco didn’t like.

Edenridge

_{TIMESTAMP — Monday July 19, 2021 — After Meeting the Stargirl
Ft. Mordechai Boaz & Jade Taylor}

______________________________________________________________________



______________________________________________________________________

After a small smile and a congratulatory pat on his cheek, Poppy had expressed interest in further exploring Aponi and the artwork throughout it. While the taller two of the group watched their friend as she began to wander, the smaller was already halfway down the nearest wall, gazing up at the bits of culture and history that made up most of the longhouse’s fixtures. Feeling comfortable enough with the fact that they could still see her- and after ReyRey’s threat he really didn’t want her going too far- Mordechai turned his gaze to Jade and tilted his head.

“Sorry for disappearin’ but I had ta have a chat with R2. We gotta stay away from him ‘til we leave, by the way.”

Jade sighed in acknowledgement. This was the last place she’d ever expect Rey Rey to be, but perhaps that was her own fault for not being as close to the Kingsnake as some others were - like Key. “Gotta say, Key, I had a lot of things on my bingo board. Rocking babes at a reservation wasn't one but I liked that surprise, but R2?” Another sigh as she looked at Key. The Blonde Angel Princess didn’t want to focus on R2, but he did cast quite the large shadow that had literally loomed over the four of them. “So we stay away from him. It’s not that hard. Big place this reservation. I’m sure he’s here for his own reasons and we got ours.”

Jade immediately flashed back to that night nearly six years ago. When she was outside as she heard Charlie’s screams as R2 wailed on him. The memory alone was enough to make the blonde’s entire body go cold, chills running from the top of her spine to her lean shins. “What about her?” Jade asked as she leaned closer to Key, her voice as low as she could make it while he could still hear her clearly. “Is it safe for us to find his sister with R2 hovering someplace?” She asked, the change in Jade’s demeanor clear as her hair among a crowd of dark-haired residents.

"It's fine," Mordechai reassured, leaning closer in order to make the conversation a bit more private. "He doesn't want anythin' ta do with it. I dunno, the way he was talkin' he doesn't give a shit what we do so long as we don't get in his way here."

The man that Mordechai had expected to talk to and the one he'd got had been drastically different. While he was expecting the same unhinged rage he remembered from over a month ago, instead ReyRey looked almost tired. Even his rageful threat seemed to be covering up for an exhaustion the man would only be willing to release once Mordechai turned his back. He wasn't sure what his leader had been up to since their last encounter, but it seemed like his ghosts were weighing him down slowly, just as Mordechai's had until recently. Just like everyone's had until they started truly confronting them.

"I don't…I don't think he wants ta be a snake here, I don't think he wants Edenridge here."

“I can’t say I blame him,” Jade admitted, finding herself agreeing. If everyone else wished they could forget about pain, forget about what forever tied them to Edenridge (for better or worse), what must R2 think and feel? Jade wasn’t especially close to him. She couldn’t go to R2 and ask him anything or have nightly talks about lost dreams and hopes for the future - not that R2 ever seemed like the wanderlust type. She was forever grateful to him for giving her a job when her Uncle Charlie was sent to prison and she wanted to do something outside of the club.

As she looked around. Even at face value, this seemed like a place untouched by Edenridge’s curse and how it can bring down even the most brightest of souls. “I won’t lie, Key. This place feels different. I can’t explain it, but it’s like it can heal you and make you see a lot more clearly than you normally would.” She smiled thoughtfully, giving Key her full attention. “I don’t know R2 like you do, but maybe that’s why.” She shrugged. Clearly Jade wasn’t entirely confident in her theory. For her, she knew ever since coming here and, especially after her cathartic conversation with Natalia, something about her has felt different.

“There always was somethin’ about bein’ outside of Edenridge,” Mordechai admitted to his old friend. “I dunno, maybe it’s because I came here as a kid that I feel safer here, but bein’ in Brownsville was weird because no one knew me. There’s somethin’ about not being in the center of the shitstorm that really helps with the clarity.”

“Yeah, that’s true. Wish I knew what it was like.” Jade frowned thinking about how she’s never been outside of Edenridge -- at least not for a prolonged amount of time. Only briefly when she’d visit her uncle in Boston at the prison, but never like how Key or, really, anyone she could think of. “Well, I guess the Angels clubhouse is kind of like that for me. They’re family, so i always feel safe there. But I guess it’s not the same, huh?” The blonde laughed, looking around for a second and then back to Key. “What was it like here for you? I mean, when you were younger? Or were you too young to remember that far back?”

“Nah, I didn’t meet Auntie Adora until I joined the serpents, so the first time I met her I was ten,” Mordechai frowned, eyebrows drawing together as he tried to recall the exact timing. “It was…some overlap between a national holiday and Blue Hill’s fall harvest, I think. I just remember the Kraeters and Britesons tossin’ me ‘n’ Danny in the back’a their car with Creed ‘n’ Jokes grinnin’ all stupid,” He lovingly rolled his eyes at the faded memory, not much more than everyone’s smiles still visible on his trip down memory lane. Of the eight people cramped into that station wagon on the Boaz brothers’ first trip to Blue Hill, only four of them were still alive today. The Briteson and Kraeters lost fifty percent of their family in one tragic day, and years later in the cafeteria of Edenridge High, Mordechai truly learned what that had felt like. “Adora’s only seven years older than me, but she looked at me and Danny that day and just took us in. It was the same feelin’ as when, uh…well, did I ever tell ya ‘bout the night Sonny and I first joined the serpents?”

Jade shook her head. “No but now I have to know.” All of Jade’s attention was Key’s now. For as long as she had known Key and, really, the rest of his crew, she couldn’t recall how most of them came to join.

“It didn’t start out great,” Mordechai warned, shrugging his shoulders and feeling the fabric of his shirt catching slightly on his scar. Vaguely, he waved his right hand over his left chest and collarbone. “It was the night I got this, another fun evenin’ with bored parents. I’d been tryin’a stop my coked out dad from beatin’ Danny, but it just turned them both on me. They made Danny watch the beatin’ ‘til he passed out then they locked him in our room and went at me with the cigs. They threw me outta the house and locked the doors once they were done, and Sunshine’s parents had a good go at him and kicked him out too. He picked me up and dragged me ta the corner where R2 welcomed us in and said he’d make it official the next day. He tried ta have us bunk for the night but we had ta stay back for Danny,” Mordechai laughed dryly, scratching the back of his neck as he looked his friend in the eye, well aware he never truly spoke of the things his parents did to him and Danny. They all knew where his scars had come from, whether he ever told them or not, so he just never brought it up and neither did they.

“So we go ta head back ta my house, and we’re gonna be sleepin’ under me and Danny’s window, right? Thunder and Slick, Jokes’ parents, give us their beanies and basically tell us they know what we’re gonna be doin’ and ta try and stay warm. We pass out as expected but when we wake up it’s all warm and soft. They’d picked us up after we passed out and took us ta their house on Olive. Kam stoked the fire and they’d built a nest on the floor for us ta sleep in. Jokes and Creed were asleep on the outsides, me and Sonny boxed in by ‘em, and in between us was Danny. Slick and Intel had broken into our room from the window and grabbed him when they grabbed us,” He was actually grinning at the memory now, remembering the warm feeling of safety for the first time ever as a child. At the time, aside from Rhonda Decker and the James parents, Mordechai didn’t even have any adults that he felt were trustworthy, so to have four of them suddenly around and with knowledge of their needs was weird to say the least. “Y’know when ya feel warm, but you’re still worried it’s all fake? Creed and Jokes’ family is so good at bein’ kind that it left my head spinnin’.”

Listening to everything that Key was saying, she couldn’t help but feel…something warm inside her. Was it Blue Hill? Was it their bond standing the test of time that she can still feel like she’s getting to know him more and more even after all these years? The blonde Harlot didn’t know. It was so clear that Key had lived such an awful life. She had known snippets, but never the full story. Both of them came from broken homes and found themselves into better situations. She had deadbeat parents and was taken in by her uncle and Key found himself in others’ care. They were more than just two gearhead-leaning kindred spirits - they were broken souls from broken homes who made it out.

Jade didn’t want his willingness to let her in go unappreciated. That’s when the blonde brought Key into a tight hug. No words. No warning. She just hugged him. It was awkward because she trapped his arms in hers and she squeezed as tight as she could. “I love you, Key. Don’t you ever forget that.” She lingered in that embrace until a few moments passed, but her hands were on his shoulders, gently yet firmly pressing on each one. “I mean it. I know..I have a lot to make up for. I wasn’t a good friend to you or Pops or anyone. I didn’t let anyone know what was going through my head, but that’s all changing. I promise, you are my family: you, Pops, Tov, Ran, Chase -- all of you are my heart.” God, why did her face feel so hot? Why did it feel like her heart was about to explode? And why did it feel cool all of a sudden. Her eyes felt watery and it dawned on her that she was crying.

“Hey hey,” Mordechai attempted to soothe, much more surprised by the tears than the hug he got from his childhood friend. He didn’t mean to cause a breakdown in his friend, and he felt kind of bad that her dark makeup was now streaking down her face like a grim clown. “We’ve all got our lives to live, Harley Head, I already told ya that I got no ill will towards ya. And hey, I love ya too,” he initiated the hug this time now that his arms were free, holding the platinum blonde tight and rocking lightly in place like he did when he comforted his kids. “I know it’s a lotta shit ta hear, and sorry for unloadin’ it on ya all at once, but it was really just for background so I could lead up ta how Blue Hill felt when I was younger. I couldn’t really answer your question outright since I couldn’t really describe the feelin’, y’know?”

He took the moment of pause as she cried to look around them and see where Poppy had gotten off to. He clocked her exactly where she said she would be, looking at the artwork, but he was surprised to see her immersed in a conversation with a tall man Mordechai vaguely remembered as Chief Coldwind. He was a good man that Mordechai had met a few times in his adolescence, and the snake hoped the two of them had good words for each other. Poppy needed more positive interactions, especially in a place with so many possible stressors. When he was sure she was fine, he continued his explanation to Jade.

“Blue Hill back then was about me bein’ taught that strangers can be kind and chosen family can be just as strong as blood, if not stronger. The BK fam bringin’ me an’ Danny here was them showin’ us we didn’t have ta have our muscles coiled and ready for somethin’ bad ta happen. I get relaxed here now because back then Adora and everyone was just tryin’a convince me that our safety at the time was real and not some sick game. Bein’ here helps unfuck my head, but it’s also hard ‘cause what I remember is actin’ like a caged animal the first few times we were here,” Feral couldn’t even begin to describe the way he acted every time a stranger on the res smiled and him or Danny, or tried to get close to converse with Adora or Tama and the rest of the family while they were out walking around. With Danny, Adora and the BK family unit, he had been a ball of misplaced protection instinct and learned aggressive responses against any outside source. Much like Tov and his family worked with TNT on his triggers when he and Conan were first adopted, the whole family and even some of the residents of Blue Hill had done the same with both Mordechai and Danny. Which leads his thoughts to, “It’s also weird… to only have Danny here in spirit. Aside from serpent runs with no hangin’ around, I’ve never been here without him.”

She just wanted to hug him again, but not just for him. She wanted to hug him for her, as well. Jade knew that she and Key had always come from the same cloth. They had broken families and were saved, but to the point that they both had that belief of a false sense of security within themselves. She had obviously felt that way for some time. Not long after her uncle had taken her out of the disaster that was her bio’s house and into a new home, she lost her Aunt Zippo. A woman that Jade looked up to when she was younger.

“I know it can’t be easy. There are days where I think about my Aunt Zippo. Taken from us way too soon. Like Danny was. I sometimes go to the clubhouse -- Fallen Angels Clubhouse, I mean -- to be closer to her. My Uncle Charlie told me a few stories about how it was just him, Zippo, and Uncle Demo, they used to piss off my grandpa so much by sneaking into his office and just blasting as much Nirvana as they could as loud as they could.” She laughed too hard at that thought. “It’s a tradition I do to this day. It makes me feel closer to her. It’s painful, but I think a little pain isn’t a bad thing if it gives you a temporary center.” As she looked at Key, in the back of her mind, she could understand how none of this really made any sense. “What I’m getting at is, maybe before we leave, if there is a place at this Reservation that you and Danny enjoyed going to, that could maybe help. And if you want to, perhaps you, me and Pops could all go together if she’s okay to.”If it was a long shot, Jade understood why. No matter how many gains she’s had within herself and with Key, she knew she had a lot of explaining to do to Pops and had a long road to recovery with her soul sister.

“Zippo was good people,” Mordechai offered with a sad smile, now thinking of yet another good adult that was taken away from the kids they loved while his parents were still back at their shitty little house, perfectly happy with the lack of children they now had. He’d only been a serpent for about three months at the time, and he remembers Jade not coming around for at least two weeks when Fiona Dawson died, the only time anyone saw her during that was at the funeral and even then she quickly disappeared after the casket was lowered. He had been the only one to find her at the time, up in one of the large trees far away from the condolences that broke more than it healed for people like them. It hadn’t been the first time he and Jade smoked a blunt together, but it was the first time that Decky personally offered her something harder. He always has been a bad influence.

“We spent a lot of time wherever Auntie Adora was, honestly, but she did show us this one field of native grassland and wildflowers. No matter the weather, me ‘n’ Danny would spend a whole day out there watchin’ the sky move. Even when it was rainin’ or snowin’, it was just so damn beautiful and like nothin’ we ever got ta see in Eden,” He looked up to the lights of the longhouse as though he could see the sky right through the roof and smiled tightly at the thought of going there without Danny but…for him. And for himself. For the sake of moving on the tiniest fucking bit after two years of emotional stagnation and self sabotage. “I wouldn’t mind goin’ there but… would ya mind comin’ with me ta his grave when we get back? Haven’t been there since the day after Carlisle, and I was blasted out of my mind so I don’t remember much.” He talked to Charlie, he remembers that much. Maybe he’ll have the balls now to do it sober.

The blonde softly smiled at Key. “I’d love that, Key. Very much.” Had she actually visited Little Danny’s grave since he passed? Maybe a few times, but never for prolonged amounts of time. Either she told herself that she was too busy or it was too painful or just excuse after excuse. The truth was, maybe like Key hadn’t because it was clearly too painful, she never allowed herself to do it. But they were both in better places. She was starting to find her purpose again and Key had gotten sober. The time felt right. “I don’t think I’ve been to his grave since the service,” Jade admitted, frowning at the admission alone. “Always had some excuse. Work, my uncle’s trial, but when it comes right down to it, I was just too afraid to go there alone.”

Mordechai tried to hold it in, but the self deprecating laugh made its way passed his lip before he could stop it. “Jade, I skipped outta town before the service even happened, didn’t even give it a full day ta be there for him. So…thanks, for being there when I couldn’t,” He looked into Jade’s eyes and the cloud forming over his head dispersed as he laughed quietly before grabbing a napkin off the bar and gently wiping at her cheeks and under her eyes. “Sorry for makin’ ya mess up your makeup, lemme fix it a bit.”

For the next minute or so, Mordechai was getting the smear marks off of his friend’s face before holding his hand out blindly for the blonde to drop her makeup bag into. He grabbed a wipe out of the pack and began to clear her face in earnest. They’d done coke in enough bathrooms together, and he’d held her hair back while she puked far too many times when they were teens, this was practically ritual for the two of them despite the two years lost between them. Over the course of the next five or so minutes, he blended out the foundation and powder on her face before pulling out her eye products, throwing on a dark shadow before giving her a thick but sharp wing on both sides. He finished her off with her mascara before handing her back the bag and smiling proudly. The whole time, he’d been taking in the silence to process his own words.

Not even a whole day…

“Did they get him buried in time?” He finally asked, forcing himself to keep eye contact. “Phil said he was takin’ care of it when I was gettin’ my motorcycle ta leave but it had already been like twelve hours by then…”

It was something so small, but the memories came flooding back. Those times of doing a line or two in-between periods and having to cover it up with some emergency patching, what Key was doing to wipe away the makeup that became a black mess on her face brought a smile to her face. But there was no blow for them to fill the gaps, no numbing agent of the pain that came with remembering Lil Danny Boaz, yet Jade, for the first time in a long time, felt like she didn’t need it. She had it in her bag back at Adora’s home, but she didn’t have this obsessive desire to run back to it and get it before Natalia came back.

“It was close,” she admitted with a small smile. “Phil and Shale worked overtime to make sure everything was in order. Everyone was. Serpents, Angels, the Phillips-Shomer family, but one of the main people who I can remember being a constant presence was that idiot Mika.” While Jade wasn’t especially close to Mika, she knew Key was. He was one of those people you couldn’t judge by looking at him. He looked like a dick and sometimes he proved that he was, but Jade remembered how much he kept it together during it, was a rock for those who needed a pillar to lean on. Was he close to Danny too? Jade had to assume so. With all of the support he provided, Jade knew that it hit him pretty hard.

“That’s…I’m really glad ta hear that,” Mordechai admitted, doing his best to just be happy that Danny had so many people there for him instead of thinking about how he as the one who should have been there most, wasn’t. “Badger steppin’ up tracks too, I’m surprised he didn’t ream me out for leavin’ him with the family work when he found me and Legs in New York.”

She fell silent for a couple of moments. All this time she had given him shit for being too cocky for his own good, only ever giving him the benefit of the doubt out of respect for Key,. For him to be the one who went out of his way to find Key in NYC, even she had to admit that put him in a new light. “Well, that I didn’t know.” She laughed, more so because she had a similar experience with him. “Did I ever tell you that he reached out to me?”

“What, really? Badger showed you his soft side?” Mordechai laughed with her. Mika left a lot out when he came to visit in New York, it seemed. He was proud of his friend and brother for all the stepping up to the plate that he never took credit for. He would need to sit him down private soon so they can have a genuine conversation about Mika’s role in working on the aftermath of Danny’s death. He needed to thank him, but more importantly he needed to know if Mika had any grievances about the time that he never got to air while he was busy being a pillar of support. “That’s a rare fuckin’ gem, Harls.”

She nodded, laughing some more. “We should totally throw him a party sometime. Make a theme of it. We can call it ‘How the Honey Badger became a Honey Bear!” The image of Mika’s irate face during this hypothetical had actually made Jade burst into laughter even harder to the point where it felt like she was going to explode. “I bet Ley would just love it too. She always did enjoy getting a rise out of him!” God, now this made her want to make this hypothetical into a reality.

“Oh, we can absolutely get Legs in on this,” Mordechai schemed, taking every moment that she laughed to burn that bright smile of hers into his memory. It had been a rare sight when they were kids but it was even rarer now, and he was worried he’d forget what she looked like when she was so happy. “And she can make him go anywhere. I’m honestly fuckin’ terrfied for her and Ley ta meet, because that is way too much bad bitch energy in one room,” He shivered dramatically before laughing again. “But if we have the kids too, he won’t do shit. I mean, he may go after me and toss me around a bit to get his frustration out, but he’ll sit at that fuckin’ party all day if we put Viva or Chai on his lap.”

“You serious? The great Honey Badger of the Southside has a soft spot for kids?” As if Jade had any room to speak. She practically melted when she held Chai this morning. Little kid would break any and all hearts and Jade would help him acquire the tools to do so - respectfully, of course. And the thought of Ley and Legs? How could Jade not get turned on by that thought. Both were hot as fuck and Jade knew that would make any fantasy any pig could come up with pale in comparison. “Okay, we are so doing this. I’m sure the Angels wouldn’t mind if we hosted it at the clubhouse.” As that thought remained for a few more moments, Jade somewhat-absentmindedly looked around. Not that she was in any rush, but she hadn’t seen half of their quartet for a while. She hoped everything was okay.

“A soft spot a mile wide, even, so much that he’s Viva and Chai’s Godfather” Mordechai confided. “Me and Legs had ta look up what the fuck that really meant becuase Jews don’t have those but we surprised him with it when Chai was born, just a little before I fell back into bad habits again. Shit, I had been sober most of Leg’s pregnancy but…” But it was rough at the end, with Mordechai’s mood taking a turn with Chai being born on Danny’s birthday and then the shooting’s anniversary came around. Taking a note from his serpent days, Mordechai had ruthlessly pushed his grief down to take care of Allegra and the kids while she recuperated and they navigated being co-parents, making it through the next three weeks on their friendship and determination alone. But then the damn finally broke and he was back on a bender, coming back to his small family whenever he was clean enough to. As he opened his mouth to continue, something caught his eye. “It’s whatever, just makes me realize we got a shitton more ta catch up on and no time ta do it.”

The door to the bathrooms had opened and out came Natalia with none other than Mitena following closer behind. Mordechai leaned back from Jade so Poppy could see him from where she was and he waved her down to return to them.

“Now that we decided ta be stupid and emotionally vulnerable right before meetin’ Hard Times’ sister,” He spoke up, watching the other three people converge on the two of them. “Ya ready for this shit Harley Head?”

For the first time during this trip, the Angel Princess really did feel like she was. “As ready as I’ll ever be, Key.” Famous last words if she ever heard ‘em.

Edenridge

TIMESTAMP: Monday, July 19th, 2021; after “Breaking Point”

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________



_{Featuring Mikhail Zima & Caitlin Cleary}
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

“Mary-Anne Zima, was Mary-Anne O’Hara. She’s John O’Hara’s - Coach’s - younger sister. My mother… she’s your David's aunt.”

John having a sister wasn’t a surprise to Cece. Growing up, Cece remembered hearing snippets of conversations between the O’Hara and Cleary adults alluding to this fact. Judging by their tones and expressions when approaching the topic and the way they’d change the subject when John was around, it was obvious that whatever the woman had done was bad enough to get her basically exiled from existence. The mystery surrounding this obscure sister always piqued her interest whenever she was discussed, but never enough to actually pursue the story behind it. Her only real attempt at getting more details was when she’d brought the topic up to David during one of their many conversations about life while they were dating. It turned out that her boyfriend was just as out of the loop as she was, because the only insight he was able to provide was that his aunt was ‘living it up in New York’, that his father didn’t like to talk about her, and that the only reason he’d even told them about her was because they’d stumbled on some old O’Hara family photos while cleaning up the attic on Spring. Considering the limited knowledge she had on the subject, Mary being this mystery aunt was something Cece would never have pieced together or imagined in her wildest dreams. Mary Zima, aunt to David O’Hara… Making Mikhail Zima the cousin of David O’Hara.

Caitlin didn't know how long she stood in front of Mika, his latest revelation and its implications playing over and over inside her head in a loop. Finally, the redhead sank to the floor beside her ex, eyes fixated nowhere in particular. She was quiet for another moment, thinking of what to say next. Eventually, she settled on two questions: "How long have you known about this? How did you even find out?"

Mika’s response wasn’t immediate. After she asked her questions, he realized he had tears that had dropped down his face and had left a crusty trail, so he did his best to wipe them away. He half-expected another anger-filled series of words, especially given what was implied in what he revealed. “Since I was ten,” he spoke flatly. Emotions were still high, but Mika didn’t want to waste anymore of Caitlin’s time. “My mother would tell me stories about her childhood. She’d only mentioned snippets. I think remembering made her sad and she didn’t want me and the girls to see her homesick sadness.” He knew this wasn’t easy for her to hear. It wasn’t easy for him to say. “I’ve known who my Scott Street family was even before I moved to Edenridge.” Mika said, looking forward again and then glancing down at his balled up fists on his legs.

“And why was this yet another thing that you had to keep from me?” she asked bitterly, feeling the anger from before start to bubble up again. She wanted to be sympathetic towards Mika-- she really did. He was on his knees, baring her soul out to her. But how could she even be sure this wasn’t just another secret in a list that seemed never-ending? Any time she felt she knew the real Mika, he always blindsided her with another revelation that proved that she had barely scratched the surface of who he was at all. She felt like nothing short of a fool. “What’s the excuse for this one? Because the things related to The Bratva I can understand. You breaking up with me because of Cameron-- that’s pushing it, because I would’ve liked to have the courtesy of knowing that the relationship wasn’t ending because of something I did instead of being left to wonder for years whether I was just not good enough for you or something. But this secret… I don’t understand why you couldn’t trust me with it.”

It’s not that he didn’t understand why she was so angry. He didn’t expect her to accept it, be happy that he told her the truth, and embrace him like they were in some fairy tale romance. This was real life and he had no delusions about that. But it was bigger than just her. She didn’t seem to understand, but maybe there was more to…everything. For so long, Mika kept his life a secret. Kept his upbringing, who he was, where he came from, and how it affected him to this very day a secret. Put up walls and reinforced them with as much protection as he felt necessary. The fears of Cameron or anyone else harming those close to him grew and grew until he sabotaged his own life without even considering that he didn’t need to.

“It’s not as simple as you’re making it out to be.” Mika spoke finally but kept his gaze at his legs, gripping the basketball shorts his hands rested on. ”It was never about trusting you or not trusting you. That day at the cemetery, I didn’t know you would be there. I didn’t intend on it becoming one of my most fondest memories. I went there to visit his grave. I wanted to...” A stinging emotion paralyzed Mika’s ability to speak as he struggled so desperately to find the words. “...I don’t know what I wanted from going there. I didn’t know David. I joined the basketball team my sophomore year, but I didn’t get to meet him once. I guess maybe, I had hoped that going there that day, I could perhaps find some version of myself that I didn’t totally hate. A version that wasn’t just a Zima or a Gonzalez. A version of myself that could be…more than what I was told to be.” Biting his lip, he brought his gaze up once more. “So you see, it had nothing to do with me not trusting you. I didn’t trust myself to admit that. Because if I did, that meant I believed I was worthy of being an O’Hara and I didn’t.” He felt his throat get tighter but Mika persisted. “I still don’t.”

As Caitlin listened to Mika explain the reasoning she couldn’t help but think back to the many conversations David and I had shared about the subject-- but it was the memory of their first deep conversation by the lake that stood out. ‘I know that, for a lot of us, college and the outside world-- that’s the real dream. Leave this hell hole behind and be the people we want to be, not the people we’re expected to be,’ she remembered Dave saying to her. He knew all about those high expectations, the underlying shame it could cause you when you struggled to meet them, and the level of vulnerability needed to express it to someone else.. As angry as Cece wanted to stay at Mika, she couldn’t do so any longer-- not when she knew how much it took for him to admit his truth, and when she herself could understand how crippling and detrimental other people’s forced expectations on oneself could be.

“I guess thinking you’re undeserving of your last name seems to be an O’Hara trait the younger male generation shared,” she mused as her demeanor softened significantly, looking over at Mika for the first time since he’d dropped the bomb on her. “David never felt like he was worthy of it either, you know? The legacy of being Coach’s son weighed so heavily on his shoulders, and having to compete with the likes of Francis, Clay and my brother only made him feel like even more of a failure sometimes. He always put on a brave face and acted as if everything was fine to everyone else, but when he dropped the mask when he was with me, I could see how much of a toll it was taking on him. He didn’t hate himself, but he didn’t like that he was stuck in town watching his friends do something with their lives while he didn’t even have a direction for his own. It’s the curse of being a Foundling: feeling like you’ll never be enough to reach the expectations placed on you by those around you. And you might not have known him, but I promise you that Dave probably felt the exact same way you do.”

Mika half-chuckled as it never dawned on him just how much of an O’Hara he really was. Or maybe it was that this was the first time he was thinking of himself as one without some deep feeling of guilt attached to it.

For so long - too long, it felt like - Mika had always carried this heavy burden of who to be, who his true loyalty should be for. Family was everything to the Zimas and he always felt more Gonzalez than anything else, but when he got to know his mother’s family, he didn’t think that it would make him so happy, but it did. Coach was tough but always in a positive, encouraging, be-your-best-self kind of way. But to know he wasn’t alone in feeling undeserving of it lifted so much weight off of his shoulders. And for that one person to be David, the person that Mika wished he got to know even if it was casually. He just wished he could have known his cousin.

“What was he like?” Mika asked almost tenderly, his voice still so clearly high on emotion. “Past everything that everyone said about him, what was David like?” Mika wanted to know…no, he needed to know more about David. It may just be the missing piece he’s been longing for years. Or at least that’s what he believed at this very moment.

The Cleary girl offered Mika a soft smile, stood up and stretched out her hand towards him. “Come on upstairs with me. Let me show you.”

Curious but also partially confused, Mika stood up, and took Cece’s hand, letting her lead him out of the kitchen. As they ascended up the stairs, he saw they were getting closer and closer to her room. He started to remember the times he’d sneak over to her house when the coast was clear and it would just be the two of them for however many hours they’d be allowed to spend with each other. Those were the good old days when everything in Mika’s life was simpler and he could just be who he wanted to be.

The second story was something familiar to him. It was slightly different with updated pictures of the family and certain decorations, but it was mostly familiar. Mika smiled. It centered him as he looked around. That air of familiarity was a welcomed feeling.

And then they entered her room. Even though he was in her room a little less than twelve hours ago, it was nice to be able to enter it through normal means and not having to climb up that unstable trellis like it was Romeo and Juliet.

“What are we doing here, Cece?” For the first time ever in the time he’s known Cece, Mika actually didn’t know why he was in her room.

The redhead didn’t reply right away. Instead, she made a beeline for the same closet that had harbored her during her earlier storm hours previously, and came out with the item she’d so fiercely guarded for the last five years: her David memory box. Upon first impressions, it looked like an unassuming shoe box for some boots she’d bought years ago. But after she took a seat next to Mika and removed the lid, the contents inside were completely different. A green and white Celtics basketball jersey protected the rest of the items from view, its back proudly emblazoned with a player’s name and number: O’HARA 23. Once carefully placed aside, more objects were revealed. Dried flower petals from the bouquets David had given Cece during their time together peppered the bottom of the bag, making a crunching sound whenever disturbed. A pack of envelopes and folded pieces of paper tied together with a ribbon could be seen in the corner of the box: special occasion cards and handwritten letters he had written to his beloved. Different knick knacks like movie tickets for films they had watched and dated wristband bracelets from his basketball games were also strewn about. But scattered all over the box were Cece’s most treasured pieces of all: glossy images that memorialized the best moments of her and David.

“The first words that comes to mind when I think of David are ‘charming clown’-- which is apparently another trait that’s heavy on the O’Hara men,” Cece started with a laugh, finishing around for and pulling out a selection of the best polaroid photos of David making funny faces at the camera and handing them over to Mika. “He had the most easy going sense of humor, and he could make you laugh until your stomach hurt with the lame things he came up with. Add that to his charm and those ‘boy next door’ looks, and it’s no secret why so many girls swooned over him. I hated every time he showed up with another one. I always got so jealous…” she admitted, her cheeks slightly pink in embarrassment at the actions of her younger self.

Another photo from inside the box was pulled out; this one with Cece’s pony-tailed self in full pearl and emerald Clovers cheer gear with her arms wrapped around David’s waist, who wore his Celtics basketball uniform like a badge of honor. Although the candid image was taken a few hours before they shared their first kiss, the way the two tenderly looked and smiled at each other spoke volumes about their feelings. “He was a good player, and he enjoyed playing ball okay, but he mostly did it to keep John happy and not let his friends down. Basketball was never really his passion. Finding that passion for something was one of the bigger struggles he was facing before he--” she paused, feeling a lump in her throat. No matter how long it had been, Cece still hated acknowledging that Dave really was gone. “Before he passed. He’d been talking about taking up some classes at the technical college to become an electrician. He thought it was interesting enough, but he liked the job security it could provide the most. A steady job meant he had a way to provide for a family, which was something he really wanted to have before we ever got married and had kids like we always used to talk about. He never aspired to be perfect. He just wanted to be a good son, a good husband, a good father, and a good man above everything else.”

A few more photos were handed to Mika, with Cece and David at the center in various stages of affection: hugging, kissing, smiling, making silly faces at the camera and at each other, with the deep love they shared for one another always on display. “The David I knew was funny and kind. He was thoughtful, affectionate, respectful and sweet, and he showed me a love, protection and safety I had never experienced before. He made me feel like and proved to me time and time again that I was the most important thing in his world, just like he was to me, and that I was his most trusted confidante. But he wasn’t without his own demons aside from the obvious pressure he felt with being an O’Hara. In the vulnerability I am forever grateful to he entrusted me with, Dave worried about many things: his future, our future, Jamie’s state of mind and how it affected them as a family, whether he himself would fall prey to mental illness that could challenge him in the future like his sister’s… He had a lot of weight on his shoulders, but he always carried it so gracefully with that mischievous smile of his. We were incredibly happy together, and a part of me will always, always love him. There’s no filling the hole he left in my heart when I lost him, but the grief gets easier to manage as time goes on, and I carry him with me wherever I go,” she told Mika, pointing to the dainty ‘23’ tattoo on the inside of her left wrist that she had gotten as soon as she has turned eighteen.

That was a lot to digest. Mika still was processing everything that was said and what he was handed. Despite not knowing much about his cousin, Mika was starting to piece some things together. He was starting to understand the deeper meaning behind something that he heard that always didn’t make sense. Hearing Cece speak about David and what he was like, how he only did basketball to make his father happy - he didn’t realize just how much that mirrored what Mika did to make Ivan happy.

It was mind boggling, to say the least. It wasn’t just the cheeky sense of humor they shared or passionate drive or love for those closest to them (or even the devilish good looks) - but their desire to make others happy. The desire to protect their sister. David seemed to have the same protective instinct Mika had for his sisters: Katie and Stacy, but also Ley. He wanted nothing more than to protect them from the horrors that was The Devil.

“I had no idea just how similar he and I were.” Mika spoke finally after a few minutes of silently processing everything. “You know, I just thought that maybe it was a coincidence, you know. Hindsight and all, I figured it may have been some happy accident. I mean, us being together, me being O’Hara, and even being on the basketball team.. It’s just…a lot to take in.” That wasn’t just it. Mika knew this and he didn’t want to leave it unsaid. “To think he suffered from the same things I did. Doing everything you could to make your incredibly difficult father happy--” Mika cursed internally. “--Coach is nowhere as bad as Ivan, but he was hard on us. Hard, yet fair to us during practices. But…God, Cece, I…”

As he struggled to find the words, Mika looked through the polaroids in his lap, going through them one by one. The ones of them together, of him, and just trying to figure out what he wanted -- no, what he needed to say. “Thank you.” That’s it. That’s what he wanted to say. “Truly, I mean it from the bottom of my heart, Cece. This is the best thing anyone has ever given me. I feel like I have found that missing piece in my life that I’ve desperately been wanting. I thought it was lost when someone close to me passed away, but this…” Mika’s eyes fell to the pictures in his lap. It wasn’t just that, but everything the ginger next to him said about David and the parallels he clearly saw between them. “This is it. And it’s because of you.”

Smiling softly, Caitlin wrapped her arms around Mika and pulled him into a hug she could feel he needed. As a Foundling, she had the privilege of knowing and having clear records of her family history dating back to their settlement in Edenridge, so she couldn’t relate to her ex’s struggle to find a missing piece of his life because of a family he didn’t know. But she could understand the large sense of relief it could bring to know that someone else out there was facing the same struggles as you. It was a knowledge that made burdens lighter, more manageable, and easier to carry or even let go of-- a feeling that both David and Mika had given her.

“I’m glad I was able to help you,” she answered softly, resting her head on his shoulder like she had done many times before. “And thank you for giving me the opportunity to show you who David really was. Everyone else in town was so quick to judge him, even his own so-called friends. You always gave him the benefit of the doubt, never taking what everyone else said for granted and searching for the truth to make your own conclusions instead. I will always be grateful for that. David wasn’t perfect: even in my bias I’ll be the first person to admit that. But he was perfect in my eyes, and it was his flaws that made him beautiful-- just like yours do, even if they’re really aggravating sometimes,” she joked with a small laugh.

As she wrapped her arms around him, Mika wanted to resist the gesture. He didn’t want to assume too much, but if she willingly did so, then he just went with it. “I guess it's an O’Hara trait: we just can’t help but be difficult.” Mika laughed, nudging his ex playfully against her shoulder with his. This wasn’t like before, yet it was just like before-- when they had been together. Obviously time had made being this close again came with some tension, but Mika liked it. Actually, he more than liked it - it was something he thought he had lost the right to, but here he was, close to her again, in her embrace.

Mika found himself looking deep into her eyes, becoming lost in the calming beauty of them. The storm outside didn’t matter, not when he fell back into old habits. Don’t do it, Mika. It’s not the right time. He wanted to kiss her so bad, but did he have any right to? Somewhere inside, he still felt like he didn’t. Like right now wasn’t the right time, but the rest of him just wanted to chance it. If he was wrong, then that could be a bridge he would cross, but there was something about this moment.

“Speaking of eyes. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to stare into yours like this before…” He spoke low, moving his face closer to hers. He was just inches away and it just….happened. Without even realizing, for a short moment, his lips pressed against hers.

The moment his lips pressed against hers, Cece got the irrefutable confirmation that her feelings towards Mika had never gone away. Her heart still beat faster, the world stopped spinning around them and she still felt like she was floating on the highest of clouds in the sky. Even after so many months apart and the many tribulations they had faced to get to this point, it felt as if no time had passed between them. They were different people, with new outlooks on life and experiences that had served to help build them into better versions of themselves. But what they shared was still the same: a bond that went beyond anything either of them could explain. The world and the circumstances beyond their control had tried to tear them apart, yet they had found their way back to each other again.

If not love, then what else could it be?

The young woman tenderly pressed her forehead against Mika’s. “I missed you,” she confessed, proving her point with a gentle kiss to his lips.

This was the moment. The moment when every wrong thing he ever did to her, every single word that he spoke that caused her any sort of pain would begin to be turned around. He always thought that he didn’t deserve to have that second chance, not when he interjected himself back into her life and not when he refused to be completely honest with her. But this moment right now, it all would change.

He smiled at her and kissed her again. It was just like hers: a gentle kiss. “I’ve missed you too. I was worried…this wouldn’t happen again - that we wouldn’t get another chance.” Was he presuming too much already? No, Mika had to be confident that she wanted this as badly as he did. “Cece… I promise. Whatever happens, I won’t hurt you. Ever!” As bold of a statement as that was, Mika meant it. He hadn’t meant anything more in his life. He wasn’t perfect and he knew, in enough time, if certain people knew what was happening, they’d hate him, but she didn’t and she was the only person whose opinion mattered.

The young woman didn’t respond right away. She took a second to think about Mika’s words, excusing herself momentarily to return her memory box back to safety as she did so. As much as she wanted to believe that things had changed and he wouldn’t hurt her, Cece needed to make sure her ex knew and could meet the expectations she had set for herself after their breakup. It would be pointless if they went back into things only to fall into the same old patterns and mistakes from before.

"If we go through with this, it can't be like last time," she warned him, shutting the closet door behind her and returning to Mika's side. "I need you to be as open and honest as you've been with me tonight, all the time. You can't bottle up your feelings instead of truthfully talking to me, or hide things from me, or push me away with excuses about it being 'better if I don't know' or 'for my own safety'. I don't want any secrets, I don't want any lies, and I don't want to constantly be guessing what our relationship is or where it stands. That is the bare minimum I would expect from you."

As he listened to everything she had to say, Mika came to two realizations. The first was, of course, how if this was indeed going to happen again, he couldn’t fall back into old habits. That was a hard ask as it was at face value. Mika professed he was a changed man. He may have said those exact words to Cece, but sometimes he did take a few steps back. It was never knowingly but he did it. He knew he couldn’t do that - least, not with Cece.

But the second was something he didn’t ever consider only because he didn’t think it was something that she had any issue with. “I never knew you had any issue about our relationship…from before not having a label on it.” As he admitted that, a genuine shock in his voice, he spent a few moments just thinking about it. He knew the reason why he didn’t want to put a label on their relationship.

“That’s my fault,” Caitlin admitted, pursing her lips together in remorse. “I never said anything because I was scared you’d shoot me down or push me away if I asked. And I had grown to cherish what we had so much… I figured it was best to leave things as they were rather than risk losing it all. But deep down, I always wanted it to be official. I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you about it sooner.”

“I mean...” He took her hands as he was struggling to find the right words. “It’s not that I didn’t know what we were, you know? I suppose, in hindsight, I still feared that Hyde would ruin what we had despite him being in prison at the time.” Saying it out loud for the first time, Mika realized it didn’t make any sense, but back then, back when he was still under that direct influence of The Devil, it did, which was weird. He was more afraid when Hyde wasn’t around than he was when he was lurking somewhere nearby (per Anya saying he knows).

As he thought about it for a few moments more, danger was everywhere. It wasn’t just in the Southside, either. Mika knew that, on some level, ghosts on all fronts were bound to come back and there was nothing he could do but stop making excuses.

He squeezed her hands and gazed deep into her eyes. “I’m not a perfect man. No matter the steps forward I made tonight, there might be times I might step back, but I’m not going to do that alone. In the past, the main reason I did all of that-- why I pushed you away-- was because I thought you deserved better than me. That you wanted better than what I could give you, yet here we are again. Fate doesn’t want us apart and…” As his throat tightened, emotions became high like when he broke down in the kitchen. Unlike then, it was different. These emotions were of…something had buried long before he broke her heart. “...And I don’t want us apart either. I won’t do it again. I promise, Cece. I won’t do any of it again.” This was no longer the boy who was so afraid of the Devil that spoke to her, but a man who was making his own luck with the woman who had his heart since he was sixteen.

The young woman removed her right hand from Mika’s grasp and placed it on his cheek, keeping her eyes locked on his. “Mika, you’re everything I’ve ever wanted and more,” she told him, kissing the hand of Mika’s that was still in her grasp. “After David passed, I thought I’d never feel that kind of way towards anyone else. I was lonely, and sad, and scared... My future wasn’t looking too bright. I was feeling so low and so ready to give up when you came into my life: when I least expected it and at the perfect time. You showed me a love that was selfless, gentle and kind, but also passionate, exciting, intense, and even breathtaking at times. You made me feel more alive than ever before, and every risk we took was worth every moment we shared. You gave me such hope for the future… And promise you: there’s nobody else in this world that I want in other than you.”

Even before she finished, Mika put his left hand over Cece’s right that was on his cheek and his other hand mirrored hers as it gently caressed her cheek. He felt a few warm tears go down his face as they both said everything he wished they could have had the courage to say to each other before things between them became too complicated. Mika had always lacked the courage to speak from the heart. He lost Cece because of that and did and said words to her that hurt her beyond any reasonable scale. Somehow, though, she not only forgave him, but now, at this moment, she was willing to give him another chance. They had a restart and he knew he wasn’t going to mess it up.

Closing his eyes for three seconds, as he counted it down, Mika didn’t look, and he kissed her. It was the sort of kiss that said anything else he may want to say. A kiss that represented this second chance. It had the passion and intensity she spoke of, but it had a renewed earnesty Mika found himself in the possession of. His grip on her cheek tightened. He held it firm in his hand but it was with care. Mika didn’t ever want to be the reason she cried.

As it broke and he opened his eyes, his passion spoke before he could think. “I should have said this so many times. I almost did today, but I was afraid.”

Worry clouded Cece’s turquoise eyes for a moment. “What did you want to say?” she asked him with concern.

“Caitlin Cleary…” He pushed his forehead against hers, lips quivering as he smiled. “I love you so fucking much.”

The redhead let out a watery laugh, wrapped her arms around Mika and pressed her lips against his, feeling her own tears of joy streaming down her face. It was a long time coming, but there were the three words and the confirmation she had dreamed about hearing for so long: he loved her just as much as she loved him.

They were in love with each other. They were finally-- finally-- going to be together.

“And I never stopped loving you,” she confessed with all the conviction in the world, emphasizing her words with another kiss. “Not even if I tried. Not for a single second.”

This was it. Mika knew it. He knew Cece did too. Both of them knew that this was the moment. Like a match that set a fire under him, so did thunder clap outside in the distance and it was the timing of everything as he kissed her again, guiding her back onto her bed. As he did, whilst his heart beat like it was an animal in a cage, the truth of the matter was that the animal had been let free and it was as calm as it had ever been. It felt alive every time their lips touched.

He held himself propped over her, hands pressed against her bed, and he was looking down at her angelic face with perfectly angled jaws, hair so scarlet that it made every hair on his body tingle with a familiar (yet unfamiliar excitement and nervousness). It had been so long -- too long -- since the last time he saw her from this position. All that wasted time, being so wrong about the woman he couldn’t take his eyes off of. The ambiance of the storm was the perfect soundtrack for this moment.

“Cece, in the interest of no secrets, I want you. Like…before.” His voice came so hoarse, yet he just was feeling a lot right now. Exhausting day or not, right now, he just wanted her in every way that was physically possible.

Cece’s reaction to his brazen words was immediate. Her freckled cheeks blushed scarlet, just like the first time they’d found themselves in this same position three years ago. With him hovering over her, staring at him with those blue eyes full of love and desire that so easily disarmed her, she had wanted so badly for him to claim her as his own. She was desperate to be his again-- tonight and for the rest of her life.

With a breathtaking smile, Caitlin raised her head, gently pulled Mika close with a hand at the nape of his neck, and passionately locked her lips with his. If he wanted her, she was entirely his to be taken.

---

Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you

Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you?

Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be

Take my hand
Take my whole life, too
For I can't help falling in love with you