Persona BLEACHED 5: Chapter 11

Persona BLEACHED 5
Chapter 11: Progress
August 29, 2036
The Rising Stars Academy in Kyoto. Morning. Outside of the students who had gotten up to start the day early, the campus itself was largely empty on this Saturday morning.
Inside the room where Rin and Kat hosted their classes, all of the desks had been pushed up against the walls, save for two that had been placed in the middle, facing each other.
Seated in the desk facing towards the front of the classroom was Nu-wa, hair down and looking exhausted. Around the room there were several armored P.D.F. guards, standing at the ready in case anything were to happen.
At the head of the room, a portal opened. Out stepped a woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties. Her hair was a dark blonde, with vermillion streaks on either side. She wore a yellow Defense Force uniform, though unlike the New York branch's, the emblem on the back was of a dragon. Her eyes' yellow coloration and serpent-like appearance confirmed that she was a wyvern. "What a depressing sight this is."
Nu-wa looked up at her, and smirked. "Ha. Never did I imagine you'd come down from your loft just to see me." She put her head down on the table, in a gesture of feigned respect. "I bow to your radiance, Lady Suzaku."
"Spare me." Suzaku was the second-in-command of the Defense Force's Japanese branch, alongside her husband, Commander Genbu. She, despite her appearance, was several centuries old, and like her husband had once served the Dragon King Zhenlong, before turning on and waging war against him. She walked up to the second desk, and sat down. "So are we finally ready to play nice?"
"There hasn't been a time where I haven't been, my lady."
"Really? So all these reports I keep getting of you giving an attitude are just make-believe, then? Or how about how you failed to report your dampener malfunctioning and tried to goad others into a public brawl?"
"All of it a severe misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding. Right. Well if you're so open to talking now, why don't you tell me just where you came from?"
"I've never hid my origins. I am the last heir to the immortal Emperor Zhenlong. That is no lie."
"That man was neither immortal, nor is he Emperor any longer. All of his children were either killed during the war or in the years after. If you really are his child, then how did you remain hidden for so many years?"
"Isn't that what our kind is best at? Hiding away for years? Is that not what you and your backstabbing mate did for centuries? Lying in the shadows until anyone who could remember your wrongdoings was long consigned to the afterlife? Ah. But you did hit a few snags along the way, didn't you?"
Suzaku stood up. "I should just lock you up and toss the key into the coldest abyss imaginable. But somehow, some way, Genbu believes you to be worth salvaging. You've been given *one* more chance, do you understand? *One*. I don't think you really comprehend just what kind of gift you're being given. But you keep spitting in the face of the ones offering it to you."
"You'd know a thing about spitting in the face of those feeding you, wouldn't you? Betraying Father and ending his life for no reason--"
Suzaku loomed over Nu-wa. "'No reason', eh? Is that how the people who were around you portrayed it? Do you think I served Zhenlong blindly? I served him so that my people would be unharmed. I was Nippon's princess, heir to its throne. My servitude came with the promise that your father would never set foot in our kingdom with the intention of conquering it. And then one day, I learn that he was planning to go back on his word. He was a liar and a manipulator. Ask Genbu what became of his village after Zhenlong took him in. Exactly what became of every other settlement that crossed his path. Turned to ashes."
"And so your response was to turn our empire to ashes. Shove as many of your prosaic morals down my throat as you please. The blood of our people is on your hands as much as it is on Father's. Only I can help them rise from--"
"Rise from WHAT? What is there left that can be brought back? Jincheng is a pile of rubble, its fortunes pillaged over the centuries. It couldn't even be called the capital of the wastelands, as destitute as it is."
"A city is a settlement. An empire is its people. Where we go--"
"There is no 'we', don't you get it by now? Whatever population was left after the war was whittled down to nothing over the years. The mages, the elves, the humans, they hunted us down like rabid dogs. Retribution for our centuries of brutality. The few humans who aided us over the years were executed for doing so. Genbu and I named our children after them. We hid because doing otherwise would have meant certain death. The one time that we made ourselves known did not end well for anybody. I don't know who looked after you or what lies they fed you, but our empire isn't coming back." 
Suzaku put up six fingers. "This is what's left of our empire, girl. Me, Genbu, our children, and you. You can't rebuild a people overnight with six individuals. And even if we tried, the world has changed so much that any attempts at asserting power would be futile. And none of us have any desire to do so, regardless."
She leaned closer to Nu-wa, who was growing visibly frustrated. "That's the gift your father left for us. Ashes, and bones, and extinction. We were his sword. And wyvernkind died by it."
In an instant, Nu-wa lunged at Suzaku, who grabbed her, before slamming her onto the desk. The agents began to move in.
"Save your energy. I'm handling this." Suzaku ordered. "Some people just don't want to be helped..."
As she pulled her arm back, someone grabbed it. "I think you've made your point."
Nu-wa looked at who had just saved her. "You..."
"Mind letting me take it from here?" It was Kat.
Suzaku relented. "Be my guest. I can only hit a brick wall so many times." She backed off.
Nu-wa sat up. "....."
"Can I ask you something?" Kat questioned.
"Go right ahead. I'm in no position to refuse, anyway."
"I keep listening to you ramble on about conquering and revenge and all this ultra violent stuff. So why does it feel like you're forcing it?"
"Heh. Is this the angle you're going with? That I'm soft deep down? Don't waste the effort."
"That why you can't look me in the eye when you're saying it?"
"....."
"I'm gonna let you in on a little bit of backstory. I wasn't always the goodie-goodie I am now. I used to be a thief. You can say that it's part of the family business. And while I was being brought up to speed on breaking and entering, I learned a few trade secrets. Like how to sniff out a lie. I can tell when someone's not being real with me. And honey, you are very much in that 'not being real' category. See, whenever you're talking about your old man and everything he did, I don't get a sense of pride from you. I don't see reverence in your eyes. I see spite. I see shame. I see someone who'd rather be talking about anyone else being their dad. And--this is me shooting my shot--I see someone who, deep down, wants to be a *good* dragon. So why don't you try to be one?"
"....." Suzaku observed from the front of the room.
And what she witnessed was Nu-wa's tense aggression dropping almost instantly.
"Because there aren't any. Never have been, and thanks to my father, there never will be. I am a monster, existing only to sow discord. What else is there for me to be other than what I was created for?" Nu-wa uttered.
"I have friends who were born into some really bad situations, and all of them are living great lives now. Whatever told you that you can only be a monster isn't here right now. As for what else you could do, well, that's what I'm here for. I'll help you find who it is you're meant to be." Kat stated.
"You want to help, even with how awful I've been?"
"Pfft. If you only knew the list of screwed-up things my friends have come back from. A bit of attitude is nothing. Here's what we're gonna do. Monday, you're starting class again, but this time, without any of the badmouthing or threats. I want you to make an effort to get along with everybody, okay? I want to see who Nu-wa really is. Not the 'evil dragon princess' mask you're wearing. And I'm gonna be taking a much more direct involvement in that."
"What do you mean by that?"
"So, you're not the only one going through this progress update today. The others are gonna be in later. Now I think is a good time to start up the mentorship program me and Professor Kubo came up with. Each one of you is gonna be assigned a mentor--one of my friends. They'll be helping you with adjusting to life here and keeping you on the right track. I'll be taking responsibility for you. That cool?"
"...yes."
"Perfect. I promise, there's more to life than just fighting. I'll help you get there, one step at a time. For right now, these guys are gonna escort you to your room. I'm gonna be talking with my friends about the program, but once that's done, I'll come by so we can talk more."
"Thank you for that, Ms. Kit. And..." Nu-wa suddenly bowed. "Apologies for my disrespect, Lady Suzaku."
"...don't worry about it." Suzaku responded, clearly in disbelief over her sudden change.
Nu-wa was taken outside by the guards. 
"I'll say one thing, you're a miracle worker. I thought I'd be dragging her back home myself with how she was acting. You really think you can sort her out?"
"If I can't, I'm giving Prof permission to withhold my teaching license. Everyone deserves a second chance. I took mine and ran a mile with it. I know I can help her the same way." Kat insisted.
"You sure picked one for your first attempt. Hopefully I won't have to slam her on a table at next month's check-in. Good luck, teach." Suzaku turned to leave.
"Just one more thing, Lady Suzaku."
"Yes?"
"You mentioned something about the one time you and your fam stepping out not ending well for anyone. What's the story there?"
"....." Suzaku went silent. "Some things, Ms. Kit, are better left to the history books." A portal opened up, and she stepped inside, before it vanished behind her.
"Not foreboding or anything." Kat said.
---
A short time later, it was Todd's turn to sit in the center chair. His hood down and his head slumped against his left hand, he tapped his right hand against the desk.
Another portal opened. Todd looked up. Stepping out was a young woman in her early twenties, with tan skin and mid-length brown hair. She wore a black P.D.F. uniform with the New York branch's emblem on the back, black fingerless gloves, dark sneakers, and a rainbow button pinned to her jacket. Draped around her neck was a pair of aviator goggles, and under her jacket was a t-shirt bearing the words 'All Rise' in the colors of the Puerto Rican flag. She took a sip from the cup she was holding. "Wepa." She spoke with a Brooklyn accent.
"Hey, Anna." Todd greeted her.
"What's happenin', Toddie?" She put her drink down. She was Anna Rosario, Commander Max and Bobbi's niece--the daughter of the Wolfpack's boss, Johnny, and Todd's half-sister. "C'mon, ain't you gonna give big sis a hug?" She pouted.
He looked around at the guards watching. One of them put a hand over his eyes. "I won't say nothing."
Todd got up, and Anna promptly embraced him, rapidly patting him on the back. "See, that ain't so bad, is it, hermanito? Ooh, that's a bit more bulk than I remember. Someone's been eatin' their vitamins." she said.
"Please stop poking, I'm still sore from my workout this morning..." Todd replied.
"Aww, don't be such a baby. Pain builds character!" Anna continued to poke at his back, leading to several utterances of 'Ow' from the boy. The two sat down, Todd rubbing his back. "Anywhozy, how ya been keepin', Toddie? School treatin' ya good? Any chicas catchin' your eye~?"
"Please don't."
"I'm just teasin', ya big lug. I want ya all settled before ya start thinkin' about that kinda stuff. Seriously though, how's it going?"
"Fine, I guess. I've been talking to people, picking up a routine."
"Fab. I see you've got the hood down, finally."
"Figured I didn't really need to hide my face around here. It's...nice. Just walking around and not getting second looks from people."
"I get that. I lucked out that I take after Mamí. Even then I still get the side-eye when I'm gettin' groceries. Can't imagine what it's like when ya look so much like 'El Diablo'. That's why I wanted ya to come here where no one knows our business. It's the least I could do to let ya be normal."
"'Normal'." Todd sighed, and put his head down.
Anna got up and patted him on the back. "Sorry, Toddie. I get it."
"What am I gonna do when I go home? It's not like my genetics are gonna change just from being here. I'm still gonna be Johnny Jr. Nothing I do is gonna change that. People look at me and they see him. I never asked for that!"
"I know, hermanito, I know. More than anyone else. I wake up every morning wishing that someone else was my dad, but it doesn't happen. We were born to that, and it's what we gotta live with. Ya know what else you were born to?" Anna pointed at herself. "Me. Yo soy tu hermana. I prepped my whole life to find out I was someone's sis. I always knew that evil SOB had more than just me runnin' around. But ya know what I wasn't prepped for? You bein' so good. I thought any kid he had would've been a chip off his block, but you ain't. Not even close. And I'm so happy that you ain't. I'm happy we get to be bro and sis, and not enemies."
"I'm happy to have a family, period. Just wish I was as sure as you that things are gonna work out for me."
"They are, Toddie, they are. Matter of fact, your teach knows just the guy to help ya out while you're here." Anna went over to the door and looked out. "¡Oye! Ven aquí."
Max walked in. "Howdy, stranger."
Anna low-fived him, then patted his back. "¿Wassup, amigo? How's married life treatin' ya?"
"You've seen who I married, right?"
"Best answer ya coulda given. Ya hit the jackpot with those abs."
"The abs and everything else. So, where's my new understudy?"
"Aquí." Anna pointed at Todd.
"You again..." he uttered.
"Howdy, Sir Dangerfield. If you hadn't guessed by now, I'll be overseeing your foreign exchange experience from this point." Max greeted. 
"Ms. Kit definitely has a sense of humor..."
"I know that given my...encounter with your dad, this might be a little awkward. But Kat and I agreed that I--"
"Sorry, who's Kat?"
"Oh, right. You all call her 'Ms. Kit'. It's 'Kat' to everyone else. Just don't call her that in class."
"I'll...try not to. Might happen anyway with how close the names are..."
"Anyway. She came to me with this mentorship idea and we agreed that I'd be best suited to working with you."
"But...why? You're the guy that ended the war with the Wolfpack. I'm just the son of the guy you beat..."
"First of all, give everyone else their due credit. It's not like I beat the whole gang by myself. Second, we're more alike than you think. I used to have big time self-doubt, too. That's the first thing we're gonna work on. And third...I know what it's like to live in an asshole dad's shadow."
"You, too?"
"Yeah. Mine was a piece of work, too. Your worst fear is that you'll end up just like yours, right?"
"...yeah."
"Same with me. My support system's what's kept that from ever happening. And we're gonna make sure that it's the same for you."
"Maxie's a stand-up guy, Toddie. He won't steer ya wrong. Probs." Anna said.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"...I'll try not to cause you any headaches." Todd spoke.
"I'm not expecting you to. I know we're a bit pressed for time here, so why don't we go over things a bit further at your place?"
"Sure."
Todd got up and walked out of the room. "Hey, Maxie, got a sec?" Anna asked Max.
"I've got a feeling I know what it's about." he replied.
"How's Cind doing? Uncle Maxie and Aunt Letty said she was a little shaky at the wedding."
"It's a day-by-day process. We've got her working again, so she's not cooped up in her apartment all day. She's not back to being 'super perky Cindy-O', but she's getting better."
"Aye-aye-aye. That girl just hasn't been the same since losin' Hugo. Things ending with Dai didn't help. I don't even wanna bring up how he's gone MIA." 
"Wait, he's gone?"
"It's not that out of the ordinary, least that's what Ms. Suzaku says. Him, Spence and Jess'll go off on their own globetrotting adventures for a few months, just to clear their heads. I hadn't spoken to Jess in almost two months until a couple days ago."
"Wow, they must really cut themselves off from the world if she's not talking to you."
"She says she'll be back soon. But she's real worried about Dai. Ya know he didn't take the breakup well. Hopin' his trip helped him get past it. But just in case...I need ya to really look after Cind."
"You don't think...he'd come after her, do you?"
"He's never struck me as the type, but ya never know."
"Right. I don't think he'd try anything, either. But I'll still keep an eye out for Cindy. She doesn't need any more stress."
A knock at the door. Todd poked his head in. "Hey, are we heading out?"
"Sorry, Toddie!" Anna replied. "C'mon, let's move. I wanna see some of those wedding pics ya got."
"You won't be seeing Ibuki's abs through her dress, just FYI..." Max uttered.
---
"--as it so happens, this café was right next to a fragrance store, and my goodness, what an enchanting selection they had! Sadly, they don't allow for free samples, so I did not walk out of there with a miasma of different scents on my clothing--" Taylor related in her seat.
"Dude, she has not stopped talking from the minute she walked in here..." one guard whispered to the other.
"I dunno why you're whispering, not like we can hear anything..." his companion responded.
"Good heavens, it is far too silent in here! I thought dear Serena was a sponge for discussion, but it feels like I've been talking with myself this whole time!" Taylor exclaimed.
"Probably because you have been, sweetheart..." a female guard mumbled.
"Now where, oh where, is who I'm meeting with today? Surely they should have arrived here by now. I will wait for as long as needed, but there is so much that I wish to do today--"
"Taylor."
Her upbeat nature dropped almost as soon as she heard that voice. There, at the front of the room, was Natalie. Her mother.
"...ah. I should have guessed." Taylor got up. "I shan't be wasting anyone's time with this--"
"Sit, young lady." Natalie ordered.
Taylor 'hmmph'ed into her seat, crossing her arms and puffing her cheeks.
"I know what your protocols are, but can you please give us some privacy?"
"Maybe now the ringing'll stop..." the first male guard uttered, as they all walked out.
Mother and daughter were left to stare down one another. Neither moved from their respective spots.
"....."
"....."
"...aren't you going to sit?" Taylor questioned.
"Do you want me to sit?" Natalie responded.
"It's proper decorum. Or do you find me so despicable that you won't come near me?"
"You always believe the worst of me."
"Is it so unwarranted?"
"Meeew." something sounded next to Taylor. She looked down to see Esme brushing up against her leg.
She looked away, bringing both of her legs up onto the chair. "You won't be swaying me that easily."
"You must truly hate me if even a cuddle from Esme doesn't work." Natalie said.
"I don't hate you, Mother. If I did, I wouldn't even be tolerating your presence. It's your feelings that I'm not entirely sure of."
As she averted her eyes, Taylor heard someone taking the seat in front of her. She looked to see her mother now sitting down. "Is this better?"
Taylor tried closing her eyes and looking away. Natalie, a smirk on her face, moved in closer. "My my, do I perhaps see a smile forming on your face?" 
"Lies and slander! Your presence makes me utterly miserable!" Taylor tried to deny.
"Oh, really? I didn't think people smiled when they were miserable. I have just the thing to help." Natalie proceeded to begin tickling Taylor on her side.
"Stop it! Stop...ahahaha...stop it! I'm not a...hahahaha...a child anymore, oh dear Mother Goddess please stop, ahahaha..."
Natalie stopped, and Taylor collected her breath. The former's expression turned somber. "...I miss when it was like this. What changed?"
"What changed? You know precisely what. Father vanished and you stopped being my mother, that's *what*."
"I've never stopped being your mother, Taylor. I may not have been perfect, but the fact remains that you are what is most precious to me in the world."
Taylor buried her head in her arms. "I don't want to hear it."
"Taylor..."
"I don't want to hear it! You can say anything you want to me, it doesn't erase the years of me pleading with you to give me the same attention you give to your 'students'! I'm willing to wager that the only reason you're even here right now is because your 'little bird' is preoccupied with something else, otherwise you'd be right there with her!"
"Again with the Emilia envy. You know why I've taken responsibility for her. She lost her mother. And I promised that mother--my best friend--that I would look after her as though she were my own. This was long before you were born. I couldn't just turn my back on her once that happened. I know that you wanted me to teach you, but--"
"It was never about you teaching me, I WANTED MY MOTHER TO MYSELF! WHAT ABOUT THAT IS SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND?!"
Taylor, by this point, was trying to hold back tears.
"....." Natalie was, again, at a loss for words.
Suddenly, the door flew open. Somebody marched over to Natalie, and pushed her. "Alsjeblieft, genoeg! Enough hesitating! Hug your daughter when it's obvious she needs it!"
"Ah...!"
Taylor blinked twice, surprised at who had stormed in: Natalia, hands on her hips, her own cheeks puffed and very clearly displeased. "You...the clothing store owner? What in the world...?"
"Both of you, cut it out for five minutes and hug! I've never seen a mom and her child who so *desperately* wanna hug and can't figure out how to! So quit bickering and just do it!" Natalia ordered.
"A-Ah..." her older counterpart stuttered. She looked to her daughter. "....." Hesitant, she awkwardly obliged.
Taylor's own hesitation gave way to quivering adoration. She tightly embraced her mother. "...what's been stopping you from always being this way?"
"....." Natalie let go. "...I will let you two talk. I'll be outside waiting. Come along, Esme."
"Mrraaawr." The cat followed its master out of the classroom.
"...what a wretched sight for you to travel all this way to witness." Taylor uttered.
"Let's sit down and talk." Natalia urged as they did so. "Sorry if I got a little pushy there. I was listening in the whole time and I got frustrated. I won't pretend to understand what's going on between you and your mom, but I couldn't let it get any more heated than it already was. Besides, you're not here to yell at your mom. We're here to go over the next phase of your time here. Ms. Kit told you about the mentorship program, right?"
"Yes...ah. So it is you who'll be overseeing me, hm? Ms. Kit certainly has a twisted sense of humor."
"I know you probably see me as just someone else being taught by your mom. I promise that I'm not trying to get between you two. I didn't even know she had a daughter until you walked into my store the other day."
"How shockingly unsurprising. She never has been much of an open book unless you're a girl who talks to crows."
"You really don't like Lady Emily much at all, do you?"
"She is...my superior in every way. Unmatched in magic, highly intelligent and absurdly responsible. It's no wonder my mother is so taken by her. She's the witch every magic-user wants their daughter to be. I can never compare to that. I can never be *her*."
"You don't have to be, Taylor. The worst thing you can do is compare yourself to someone else. I used to do that all the time when I was in school. All of my friends are so smart, and cool, and beautiful, and I felt like the ugly duckling compared to them. Then I realized that thinking that way was a waste of time. You just have to be the best version of you."
"Is that what you want to do? Make me...the best version of me?"
"Yes, of course. There's so much I think I can help you with. Doesn't even have to be about magic. You're a big fashion girl, right? That's my specialty. I majored in business, so I can give you some tips on being financially responsible, too."
"W-What's that implying, I'm absolutely responsible with my money!"
"All those clothes you have on look new. I know you guys get regular allowances, but you can't be spending it all on cute clothes and nice cosmetics. That money should be for necessities, like food. Oh, speaking of which..."
Natalia pulled out a container from her bag, and opened it. "I just baked these this morning, so they're still fresh. Give it a bite and tell me what you think." She handed Taylor a roll of bread.
"You...brought all of that with you?"
"Mmhmm. I cooked up a lot since my boyfriend's gonna be gone for a project for a few days. I always try to make extra for my friends. There's plenty more if you like it."
Taylor took a bite. Her eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh my goodneeeess! This is...the divine essence of the heavens! Every single fiber of my being is crying out for more!"
"Ahehe, by all means, help your--"
Taylor grabbed two more rolls.
"--self."
"Dearest Natalia, you're to tell me that you cooked this yourself?! What sort of magic did you use to make something so wondrous by hand?!"
"Oh, it's the best magic of all: love. My Nana owns a bakery, and her and my mama taught me to put love into everything that I make, whether it's cooking or tailoring."
"If only all parents were so willing to teach...Ms. Natalia, please, you must impart your knowledge onto me! Your culinary expertise, your fashion experience, and your life philosophy! I am but a lump of clay, ready to be molded by your capable hands!"
"Uhhh, clay molding is more my boyfriend's thing, but if you're willing, then I'm glad. Was there anything you were curious about?"
"I was indeed wondering about something you said earlier. When you stormed in here to chastise us...what was that chant you made? A particular spell meant to dissuade bad feelings, perhaps?"
"A...oh. No, that...that was Dutch. It's my mother tongue. I'm from Belgium."
"Oh...oh, dear." Taylor shrank in her seat. "I...sincerely did not mean to offend. How utterly embarrassing..."
"N-No, it's okay! I'm sure we've all made that kind of mistake before. Why don't we just skirt from magic talk and stick to lifestyle tips..."
All the while, Natalie listened in from outside. "At the very least, she's not crying anymore. Teach her well, Ms. Van Damme. Maybe you can succeed where I've fallen short." She put her hands to her heart. "My dearest little marigold...how I wish this rift didn't exist between us. How different it would be if only Erik was still here..."
Esme looked up at her pensive mistress, subtly purring so as not to disturb her thoughts.
---
In sharp contrast to Taylor's demeanor, Cobalt could not have appeared more anxious. "Oh, Neptune, this is awful...t-they're all staring at me like I'm some kind of freak..."
"None of us are staring at you, kid. Hell, we can barely see anything through these new visors they gave us..." one of the guards responded.
"Do I have to give the R&D department some grief on your behalf?" a woman's voice asked. Bobbi entered the room through a portal.
"Ah, er, n-no, ma'am, it's all cool. No complaints here."
Cobalt immediately bowed at the sight of her. "Y-Your Majesty, I mean, M-Ms. Bobbi. Ma'am."
Bobbi sighed. "Some habits really aren't easy to break."
"He's only being polite, Mother. It's only befitting of your station." a softer voice spoke up.
Cobalt went on alert. "A-A-A-A-Ah--I-I-I-Is th-th-that..."
Following behind Bobbi was a young woman with wavy, silver hair adorned by a headband made out of polished seashells. She wore an aquamarine-colored dress, a translucent band on each of her arms, and white sandals. She was Candice O'Donnell, Bobbi's daughter and Lemuria's crown princess. Deeply kind-hearted, she possessed the ability to communicate with all manner of oceanic creature. Her abilities came with one drawback, apparent by the clearness of her eyes: when not in contact with seawater, she was completely blind.
"P-P-P-Princess Candice, y-y-your radiance is...I-I-I am unworthy..." Cobalt stuttered.
"Is he bowing, Mother?" Candice asked.
"Like a horse getting a drink. Back to your seat, please, it's degrading." Bobbi ordered, annoyed.
"P-P-Please forgive my degrading nature, Your Highness, f-f-feel free to spit on me at your leisure..." Cobalt slumped back into his chair.
"I would never do such a thing, Cobalt. You are far too critical of yourself. Your voice sounds rather raspy, are you thirsty? Could you get him a glass of water, Mother?" Candice asked.
"If Her Highness decrees it. You there, go fetch some water." Bobbi instructed.
"Yes, ma'am." the guard saluted, and left the room.
Minutes later, with Candice seated in front of him, Cobalt drank from a glass of water. "Feeling better?" the princess asked.
"I will cherish this single glass for the rest of my natural life, my princess..." Cobalt responded.
Bobbi slapped her hand on the table, jarring him further. "Eep--!"
"If we're done deifying my daughter for the millionth time, we have some official business to go over. Because oh, do I have a *fascinating* report on your past month with me." Bobbi held several papers. 
"Please don't scare him, Mother." Candice asked.
"This kid hounded you about being your personal advisor every five minutes for three days straight. I won't be holding back anything, especially when it's disciplinary. Now, let's see. 'Lack of social awareness. Constantly asking people for saltwater. Has walked up to more than one girl asking if he could be their advisor.' Oh, this next one is my favorite. A personal testimony from Professor Kubo."
Cobalt gulped.
"'I was at the beach with my family. It was a completely normal day, until I heard a commotion in the water. To my bewilderment, there was Cobalt, in an over-the-top uproar about finally being in the ocean. This reaction was so jarring and so loud that it caused people to start fleeing the beach. It scared my two-year old niece and convinced my fourteen-year old nephew that the sea people were invading. It only ended once my brother sat on top of Cobalt and locked his legs into what he referred to as 'the Sharpshooter'."
"That was, uh...v-v-very painful..."
"It better have been! Just what the hell is wrong with you? All we asked for was some normalcy, and you turn into a complete menace! I ought to--"
"Mother, please. Yelling won't solve anything." Candice spoke up. "Cobalt. You have such an intelligent mind. But these social problems are becoming a nuisance. Even without seeing you, I can feel how anxious and nervous you are. What's the meaning behind it?"
"....." Cobalt remained tense. "...I am wholly unworthy of even addressing you, m-m-my princess. One as pathetic as me shouldn't be anywhere near royalty. M-my house aligned itself with Princess Calypso's insurrection, and now everyone on the island sees me as less than nothing. I-I-I have to be useful, otherwise I'll never be able to go home without a target on my back..."
"That's way too much pressure for one boy to put on himself. That was your father's mistake, not yours. But if you really want to be of service, then you can't just go around pestering everything that moves. That'll only make people avoid you even more." Bobbi said.
"I have something that might help with that, at least a little bit." Candice took out a light blue armband. "Father made this for me. It contains the essence of seawater. A way to carry Mother Ocean's blessings even far away from her grasp. Clearly you've been uncomfortable being away from the sea for so long, so hopefully this can bring you some comfort."
"T-T-That's far too kind of you, my princess, I couldn't possibly take that from you..."
"I insist. I've lived the majority of my life in total darkness. It doesn't make me uncomfortable anymore. So much the better if it alleviates your anxiety."
"E-Even if it does, that won't make me any stronger or less pathetic...I'm just a hopeless mess..."
"If you really think that little of yourself, then we might have someone who can help with that. Bring him in." Bobbi instructed.
Entering the room was Kibō. "Someone call for me?"
"That's a familiar voice. Hello, my friend." Candice greeted.
"Hello to you, Your Highness." Kibō walked over and hugged her.
"Congratulations to you and Barbara. How have you two been?"
"Things are great. Barb leaves for her tour tomorrow, so I'm gonna have to get used to an empty apartment. All those law texts are gonna be keeping me busy, though."
"Ain't that the truth." Bobbi commented.
"Oh, and lest I forget, a very happy birthday to you." Candice said.
"Thanks. Kat and Ibuki have both been spamming me with 'getting old' memes all morning. My future brother-in-law really knows how to pick them." Kibō uttered.
"Ummm..." Cobalt uttered.
"You must be Cobalt. I'm Kibō. I'm gonna be your mentor for the foreseeable future."
"A-A-Are you sure about this? Wasting your time on someone as pathetic as me..."
"I don't think you're pathetic. You just need a confidence boost. Getting better starts up here." Kibō poked his own head. "I can help with studying, I can help with getting in-shape, and I can help with fixing those anxiety problems. Full disclosure, though. I'm still in law school, so I might not be as available as I'd like."
"....." Cobalt was staring at something.
"...what?" Kibō realized where his eyes were: directly on the strand of hair sticking up from his hair. "Oh. This. Of course."
"T-T-That hair...it reminds me of King Elpizo..."
"Kibō has much in common with Father. I don't think you could've asked for a better mentor to follow." Candice said.
"I guess every version of me has a type of their own." Bobbi flicked the hair strand.
"Just gonna make one more thing clear. We're not having anymore...incidents like with the Professor's family. I'm gonna be as fair as I can be, but we can't be having you causing a mass panic every time you step out the door." Kibō put a binder on the table. "I took the liberty of typing up a schedule. Goals for you to hit every week. 'I spoke to X amount of people without any issue', etc. I want you to be able to visualize your progress. I'll be checking in every Saturday to see where you're at. That sound reasonable?"
"Y-Yes, sir. Very reasonable. I'll t-t-try my best to meet those expectations." Cobalt replied.
"That's what I want to hear. We'll make a confident winner out of you yet."
"(Out of that whole band, this one's probably the most level-headed out of them all. Brains and brawn in equal measure. Exactly what this kid needs. Fingers crossed that this works...)" Bobbi thought.
"....."
"....."
One guard looked to another. "That girl...hasn't moved an inch, has she?"
"Nope. Hasn't said a word, either. It's...really creepy."
Sure enough, it was Serena in the seat now, sitting completely still and only looking forward. "....."
"This girl...she's Commander Southgate's daughter, isn't she?"
"Yeah, I think so. I know he's not the biggest talker, but even he's a little more expressive than this..."
"....." Serena remained still.
"Isn't it unbecoming of grown men--let alone P.D.F. agents--to be gossiping about a high school girl right in front of her?" a male voice asked, speaking with a Welsh accent.
The agents present were caught off-guard. Stepping out from the shadows was a man in a black P.D.F. uniform, with scarlet highlights. The logo on the back of it was of a male lion, a sword behind its face. A gold star was on the upper-left hand corner of his jacket, signifying his position as a Commander. A dagger was sheathed on both sides of his belt. His hair was the same shade of red as Serena's, and it was tied back into a short ponytail. He possessed a red goatee.
"Ah...! Commander Southgate, when did you--"
"You're relieved of duty for the next hour. Out." This was the Defense Force's Kenneth Southgate, better known as Ken. One of his world's finest stealth agents, he had previously worked under Genbu in Japan. When the United Kingdom was liberated from Wolfpack control, he was at the forefront of the rebuilding process. With its Defense Force branch reestablished, Ken had recently been named its Commander.
"Y-Yes, sir." The agents saluted, and all left, leaving Ken and Serena alone.
"....." 
"Hello, Serena. It's good to see you. Have you been keeping well?"
"Yes."
"That's an outfit I don't recognize. Someone take you clothing shopping?"
"Yes."
Ken sighed. "(There is no one spying on this conversation. You can speak to me freely.)" He spoke in Japanese.
"(Mum taught me that all conversations are monitored at all times.)" Serena responded in Hindi.
"(Your mother is extremely paranoid and thinks that every conceivable appliance has been hollowed out and tampered with.)" They switched languages with every sentence. Ken sat down. "(How have you been progressing? Getting along with everyone okay?)"
"(I have encountered no issues. I believe that I have made friends.)"
"(You 'believe'? So you don't know for certain?)"
"(My roommate has referred to me as such. She is the one who helped me purchase these clothes.)"
"(Well, that sounds like friendship to me. Do you like being around her?)"
"(I have found 'enjoyment' in my time with her. This is the first time I have experienced what one would call 'fun'.)"
"(You've...had fun. Okay. Good, that's...that's good. That's what I wanted to hear.)"
"(A question, Dad.)"
"(Go ahead.)"
"(How will me learning of emotions help me carry out my missions?)"
Ken paused to think. "(Serena. What I want you to learn here has nothing to do with stealth work. I want you to learn about being a teenager. I don't want you picking up a dagger.)"
"(I do not understand. If it has nothing to do with Defense Force work, then why must I learn it? Mum instructed me that the work is everything. Anything else is superfluous.)"
"(Your mother was wrong, Serena.)" Ken scratched his head. "(I wish I'd found you sooner. You are exactly why I became Commander. To expunge the old way of doing things. The harsh training that broke so many.)"
"(Did the old way of doing things not create you?)"
"(They also created your uncle and your mother. I would not wish that level of punishment on anyone else. I want you to have a chance at life, Serena. You are the only family I have left. The last thing that I want is for you to coat your hands in blood on my behalf. That is why I had you brought here.)"
"(...a question, Dad.)"
"(Go ahead.)"
"(Is this desire for me to have a different life from your own...a product of 'love'?)"
Ken nodded. "(It is. It took me a long time to understand what that word meant. So I get what you're going through.)"
With her eyes appearing empty of emotion, Serena looked at her father. "(Then perhaps you can help with a request. I want to better understand what this 'love' means. My roommate has informed me that a physical display of this 'love' involves embracing one another.)"
Ken raised an eyebrow. "(Are you asking me for a hug, Serena?)"
"(That is what she referred to it as. Can you please help with my request? It has been overwhelming. I have been experiencing sensations I cannot comprehend. Everyone around me has a different demeanor from me. I ask them to explain themselves and they look at me strangely. I have come to understand that I am not 'normal'. And as much as I try to verbalize it to others, my training kicks in, and I am left with one of three phrases. My feelings are incomprehensible. I...)" Serena stopped.
"(You okay, Serena?)"
"(My...feelings. I have...feelings. I...do not understand. Please, Dad. Help me to understand.)"
"(Right.)" Ken got up from his seat. "(I'm not usually one for hugs, but I can make an exception this once. Come on, then. Bring it in.)"
Serena stood up. She awkwardly approached, not entirely sure of now to initiate. "....." She put up her hands, then brought them back down. "(I...think it went like this? Do I put my arms around your shoulders, or do I...)"
Ken decided to do it himself, startling her. "Saving you the struggle. It goes like this."
"....." Serena, with just the faintest glint of light to her eyes, slowly put her arms up and reciprocated the hug. "....."
"Sorry you had to wait fifteen years for one of these. That won't be a problem from now on, I promise." Ken spotted someone looking through the glass on the door. "Looks like we've got an audience."
He attempted to get it, but Serena did not budge. "....."
"You can let go now, Serena. It's a little difficult to move when you're grabbing me like that."
"....." She let go.
He got the door. "Well, there's a familiar face with less hair than last time."
"Amazing what a dream career can do. And here's you with more hair than last time." It was Sakuya.
"Amazing what a promotion can do." Ken rubbed his goatee. "Your charge is right here."
Sakuya entered, and gave a bow. "You are Serena-chan, yes? My name is Sakuya. It is a pleasure."
"....." Serena analyzed her.
"(Are you, perhaps, a bit shy?)" Sakuya asked in Russian.
"....?"
"(I speak as many languages as you do. Perhaps even moreso.)" They proceeded the same way as before, by switching between languages.
"(Does that mean that you are...)"
"(Much like yourself? Yes.)"
"(I do not understand. You are the woman from the seal show at the zoo. But you are also...)"
"(An assassin? You can say the word. It is what I was raised to be. Just like you. I was informed that you have yet to take a life, correct?)"
"(Correct.)"
"(Then you are very fortunate. I cannot say the same. The blood that pools at my feet would drown this city. During the conflict with the Wolfpack, I was responsible for cutting down a large swath of the enemy force. Among them your uncle, Ezekiel Southgate.)"
"(It was you that slew him?)"
"(His was the last life I took. The last life I ever intend to take. I have not picked up my sword since the end of that dreadful battle, and I do not wish to do so ever again. But the images and the guilt haunt me to this very day. I have seen things no person should see. Forced to perform heinous acts as a child by monsters. It is the life you were spared from. You were fortunate that your father found you before you ever raised a blade with the intention of ending someone's life.)"
"(Why are you telling me all this?)"
"(To show you that there is hope. Despite everything, I am alive. I have a life. While you observed me at the seal show, was there anything you saw that indicated what type of lifestyle I once lived?)"
"(Not in the slightest. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Aside from the number of times you poked the large seal's nose.)"
"(The fact that I can be in a position to boop its nose and to do so every day is proof that there is hope for you. I am not what I was created to be. In more ways than one. There is more to life than just some purpose that was hoisted upon you at birth.)"
"(But what other purpose could I possibly have? All that I have been taught since I was born was apparently misleading. What else is there?)"
"(That is what we are going to find out together. It won't be a simple task. It absolutely wasn't for me, either.)"
"(Where would I even start?)"
"(It can be anything. Even something seemingly innocuous that piqued your interest. The thing that saved me was a seal plush toy. It was the one possession I had during the years of harsh training. It contained a message from my mother. Always there to remind me that in spite of everything, I was loved.)"
"(Love...that word again.)"
"(Hey, so...)" Ken cut in. He took out his wallet. "(I know this probably isn't much, certainly isn't a seal toy with a love message in it, but it's got some meaning behind it.)" He took out a folded-up piece of paper. "(This right here's an encrypted message. This came from one of my operatives that I had scouting out the U.K. after the Wolfpack was cleared out. They informed me of a cottage in the mountains west of Wrexham, where one of our infiltrators had been hiding out during the occupation. Said infiltrator was living there in the company of a red-haired girl with freckles who bore some resemblance to yours truly.)"
He handed it to Serena. "(This message right here was what clued me in that I might, in fact, be a father. One DNA test later, and that clue became fact. I was, to my bewilderment, not the last member of my family that was still alive. It's the most important piece of intel I've ever gotten. I want you to have it.)"
"(Really? But...if it's so important to you...)" Serena responded.
"(Then the most important person in the world ought to look after it for me.)" Ken patted her on the head. "(Just a little reminder that, for as careful as he is, there's still a few things in the world that can catch your old man by surprise.)"
"(...thank you. I will keep it safe.)"
"(Splendid. We are off to an encouraging start.)" Sakuya said. "(Now then, I would like to go over my plans in greater detail. First and foremost, is getting you to open up to others without jumping between languages. Is that alright?)"
"...yes."
---
About an hour later, it was Devon's turn. Unlike the others, there were no P.D.F. agents present in the room, leaving him by himself.
"...okay...y'all could've at least given me some tunes so it's not dead quiet." he uttered as he sat back in his chair.
"Is the ambiance not to your liking, Mr. Ironside?" a voice spoke.
"JEEZ!" He jumped.
Rose emerged from the shadows. "Apologies. I have been told that I have a habit of appearing and disappearing without warning. It's not something I do intentionally, I assure you."
"Why do I not believe you...?" Devon composed himself. "So, uh...I thought there was gonna be more security than this."
"That was for your classmates. They all fall under the Defense Force's jurisdiction. You are here on my request. Only I have the ability to disable your dampener. Like so." A pair of ethereal, blue threads emerged from Rose's fingertips, making contact with the device on Devon's ankle, shutting it off.
"What...was that? Just who are you?"
"That is what I'm here to explain. As well as the more pressing question of...who are *you*?"
"....."
"I have someone here to help out with that."
Rose went to open the door. "Please, come in. I think someone's missed you."
Entering the room was a dark-skinned woman with mid-length, black hair, in azure-colored business attire. "There's my headache."
"Mama..." Devon got up and hugged her. "You flew all the way here just to see me?"
"More like teleported." Rose clarified.
"Can't be using up all my vacation time, can I?" Devon's mother, Winona, asked. "Besides, I wanted to do this in person. After all these years, you should hear the truth from me."
"Please, sit down. There is much to discuss."
"I can already feel my noggin hurting..." Devon uttered as he sat back down.
"So, Mr. Ironside...what do you know about your father?"
"My dad? Uh...not much. Mama told me that he got involved with some really bad people, and that's why he ain't around no more. I'm gonna guess from that look on your face that there's more to it, huh?"
"A lot more, baby. A lot." Winona took out a card, and slid it in front of Devon. "What I never told you was that those 'really bad people' your father was involved with...I was part of it, too."
"Y-You were? But...no, nah, you're messing with me right now, right? Ain't no way...Mama, you're a lawyer! What do you mean--"
"Devon, don't start freaking out on me. Let me explain. Do you recognize that symbol?"
Devon looked down at the card. It was a simple, blue business card, with an image of a handprint on it. "Um...it's a hand. Wait, is this one of those therapy things where I'm supposed to say what I see? Okay, it's...nah, I still just see a hand."
"This is the symbol of the group I was a part of with your father. It was called 'Death's Hand'."
"That...doesn't sound like a very nice group. Were you in a cult, Mama?"
"I wouldn't call it a cult, exactly..."
"I would." Rose interjected.
"So why were you in the not-cult, Mama?" Devon asked.
"For the same reason as everyone else. I was at a point in my life where I felt aimless. Angry at the world and hating the people in charge of it. That's when...he came into my life." Winona explained.
"You mean Dad?"
"No. The man who your father worked for. His name was Pittacus. He was a master manipulator. And extremely convincing. He would tell you everything you wanted to hear. 'The creators of this world have wronged you. Come with me, and we can fight back against them'. His goal was to exact revenge against the ones that he blamed for all the world's problems: the gods themselves."
"The--" Devon paused. This was already too much to take in for him. "What are you saying, Mama. One minute you're an attorney, now you're telling me you were in a cult that wanted to go kill God!"
"It's not as simple as that." Rose interjected.
"Course it isn't! And what's it got to do with you, anyway?"
"One of the 'gods' they wanted to kill was my mother."
Devon blinked. He slumped even further back. "...just finish what you've got to tell me."
"I know how much this is to take in, baby, believe me. But I need to tell you all this so that you'll understand where you came from." Winona said. "Most of us in Death's Hand were normal people that got sweet-talked by Pittacus. But him and the ones at the top...they were something different. Something ancient. Older than anything else in the world. They were born when the universe was. The last things left from the world before this one."
"Yeah, that tracks."
"This is serious, Mr. Ironside." Rose said.
"Oh, I'm being serious. Serious about getting outta here right now." Devon got up. 
"Devon, come on..." Winona said.
"Nah, man, this is crazy..."
Rose extended more threads towards him. "I would advise against--"
He swatted them away, to Rose's surprise.
When he looked at his arm, he was shocked to see that the veins were visible, and glowing blue. "W-W-What's going on?! What...what is this..."
"Calm yourself, Mr. Ironside. Let me." Rose touched his arm, and a blue light emitted from her hand. Slowly, what had afflicted his arm faded out, and it returned to normal.
He sat down again. "...what am I, Mama?"
His mother put a hand on his shoulder. "Let us finish explaining, Devon."
"The ancients that led Death's Hand came from a world on the brink of extinction. The last remnants of humanity gathered in a single place in a last effort to save it. One scientist believed the solution lied within the hearts of mankind. That if he could change people from within, make them see the consequences of their actions, that the world's destruction could be reversed. So his plan was to transport himself into the collective consciousness--the world that we call the Metaverse." Rose explained.
"I'm gonna assume by how you're talking that it didn't work out how he wanted." Devon uttered.
"You assume correctly. When he opened a pathway to the Metaverse, all of the collective energy that had built up there for eons came flooding out at once. The entire universe ceased to be. All that was left was the scientist, and the seven other people closest to the blast. All had been forever changed, all but one cursed with immortality."
"One...?"
"Yes. Me."
"You're--" Devon stopped. "...are you an alien?"
"I am NOT an alien. Why is that everyone's first assumption?" Rose shook her head. "That is neither here nor there."
"Okay, but like...if you're not immortal, how are you still here?"
"My mother also survived the blast. She made efforts to keep me from suffering for eternity. I was kept in a stasis pod for eons. Up until about twenty-six years ago, I had been asleep. Now, as to why I'm telling you all this...it's because your father also survived that blast."
"He was...so I'm part alien?!"
"NO, you are NOT part alien."
"You're not an alien, baby. You're still human, like everyone else. You just have...gifts, that your father gave you." Winona insisted.
"Just who was he, Mama?" Devon asked.
"He was Pittacus' most loyal follower. Strong, wise, as skilled a hunter as there has ever been. We all knew him as Haimon. I came to learn from Dr. Wolfe that his real name was Anthony Blackshear. He was a security guard in his past life."
"Did he...know about me?"
"In a sense, he did. When I discovered that I was pregnant, he had me return to my normal life. 'What we are creating is no place for children'. I was heartbroken. At that point, I still believed in the group's message. But after a while away, I finally realized what I'd been a part of. I never saw your father again, but I always had this sense that he was watching from afar. If he was making sure I didn't spill any secrets, or if he was curious about his son, I have no idea. My brain says it was the former, but my heart wants to believe otherwise."
"....." Devon looked down at the desk. "So...where is he now?"
"....."
"I am afraid, Mr. Ironside...that your father has since departed this world. I'm sorry." Rose revealed.
"He's...gone. I don't get it...you said he was immortal, right? How could he die?" Devon questioned.
"Immortality isn't the same as invincibility. Seven years ago, Death's Hand enacted their plan to kill my mother and the scientist who started the experiment. They were stopped by our first group of students--Ms. Kit and her friends. In the process, the Elites all had their lives ended. By our students' accounts, they were satisfied."
"Satisfied...? How can you be..." Devon put his hands over his face. "He...had to have known about me, right? Why would...why would he be happy to..."
"I promise you, it had nothing to do with you. You have to understand what a curse immortality really is. Having to watch everything you know and love wither away while you remain stagnant. Knowing that there is no end in sight. It drove them all mad. That was why my mother kept me from suffering that fate."
"So...so what, you killed my dad, now you're taking pity on me? That it?"
"That's not it at all." Winona interjected. "When Dr. Wolfe found me after your powers came out, I wanted her to take you on. Her and her people are the only ones who could really help you understand who you are." She comforted her son. "You're still the same troublemaker that you've always been. This doesn't change anything. You're in the best spot you could be in."
"We're here to nurture you as a person. Focus on all of your gifts. On that note, you showed great aptitude for computer science during prior schooling, yes?" Rose asked.
"Um...I mean, I was good at it, yeah." Devon replied.
"We have someone here who can help bring you from 'good' to 'great'."
Rose got up, and opened the door to let said person in.
"Bonjour." Carrie greeted.
"Hold up...I've seen you before. You're the secretary, yeah? The one that's always hanging around Ms. Kit at lunch." Devon said.
Carrie giggled. "Hanging around, yes. You can say that. My name is Carrie."
"Ms. Blackthorne is a brilliant mind, currently working to complete her doctorate in programming. On top of being exceedingly generous." Rose said.
"My schedule means that my free time is limited, but I would be more than happy to assist you with anything you might need."
"A word of advice, Mr. Ironside. Be as respectful as can be. Ms. Blackthorne is someone very important to Ms. Kit." Rose pointed at the ring on Carrie's finger. "*Very* important."
"Oh...oh, shoot! I didn't know it was like *that*!" Devon uttered.
"Don't be frightened. I've heard good things about you. I don't expect any problems." Carrie assured.
"You've got a smart and pretty French girl working with you, baby. Don't screw it up." Winona teased.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm not gonna!" Devon griped.
As they bantered, Carrie turned to her thoughts. "(He has had enough put on him today. Let him find his bearings before I tell him the truth. That I...)"
She pictured that day, seven years prior. She was battered and wounded, alongside Natalia and Max. Before her was the defeated, dissipating form of the Death's Hand Elite, Haimon.
"(...am the one who ended his father's life.)"
---
"And now, for another episode of..."
"Sensations of Serenity, with your host, Grandmaster Sidd."
The image fades in, of that scarcely-lit temple. On his knees was the helmeted 'grandmaster', working on an ink brush painting. "Ah, hello everyone, and welcome back to 'Sensations of Serenity'. You caught me in the middle of indulging one of my favorite pastimes."
"Painting can be such a positive outlet for one's feelings. It allows you to put all of your emotions--positive and negative--onto paper. This particular form of ink brush painting was popularized during the 17th century, by merchants who wished to visualize the wonders of the pleasure districts. How very charming."
"...and, done. What do you think?"
He held up the painting, which showed an image of a tall pagoda, engulfed in flames. People seemed to be falling from the tower as others looked on, horrified.
The 'grandmaster' proudly put the artwork up on the wall behind him, taking a moment to straighten it out. "There we are. Doesn't it bring the room together so spectacularly? Painting is a truly special act. It helps to put your mind into a different perspective. It can also be a way to control one's darkness."
The screen briefly distorted. "Myself, I have quite a bit of darkness up here." He pointed at his head. "But I've learned to temper it. Control it. It only comes out whenever I allow it to. Sometimes, he...it gets very loud. That's where pastimes like painting come in handy. To keep those dangerous feelings from hurting others bEfORe yOu'Re REaDy tO."
The distortions ended, and he was back to normal. "Well, that's all the time I have. Now remember, my students. Mine is the path towards peace. All you have to do...is come with me."
"Come with me come wiTh Me CoMe wItH ME"
....
"See you next time!" He waved.