[h2]Mako Moritomi//Moritomi Home for the Disturbed[/h2] [h3]Sunday, June 28, 2015[/h3] ==~== The first thing Mako processed upon regaining consciousness was the raging headache. Following that was processing the fact that [i]everything[/i] hurt. [i][color=0076a3]Owww... someone get the number of the truck that hit me.[/color][/i] He shifted, trying to find purchase on the slick ground through the fog in his brain. [i][color=0076a3]Ugh... jeez, you'd think those cultists would be a bit more careful with the people they're trying to--[/color][/i] Mako's eyes snapped open. The cultists! Gritting his teeth with the effort, he managed to slowly push himself up to a kneeling position, groaning in pain as he took in his surroundings. It was... bleak. Some sort of abandoned facility, like a community center, or something. It was hard to tell under the layer of graffiti and filth covering every surface. It was honestly pretty nauseating. [i][color=0076a3]I didn't even know there was a building like this in Warakuma.[/color][/i] He pondered this thought for a moment more before a sick feeling settled in his stomach. [i][color=0076a3]But then... how long have I been out? I might not even be anywhere near Warakuma anymore... which would be troubling.[/color][/i] He pushed himself to his feet, still feeling somewhat stiff and shaky. It was somewhat hard to see, seeing as it was dark, but he could see a lot of debris scattered around him. He'd have to watch where he stepped- wouldn't want to trip over anything in the dark. He took a few tentative steps forward before light flared from directly above, briefly blinding him. He hissed in pain, his headache exacerbated by the sudden light. [i][color=0076a3]Confounded tech crew, what the hell--?[/color][/i] He risked sparing a glance around, to see what the light had illuminated, then froze, eyes going wide as his pain was forgotten. Two dummies, situated directly to his left and right, hung in the air above him by their necks, as though in effigy. That would have been disturbing enough, but then there was the writing on them to consider, as well. On his left, the dummy was marked with the kanji for "mother." On the right, the kanji read "father." Mako shook his head, looking between the hanged dummies, feeling a sickening sense of... almost familiarity. Like... he knew this scene, somehow. [i][color=0076a3]What the hell is this?[/color][/i] With the light shining down, Mako could more clearly make out the writing on the walls and floor- and what he read only enhanced the sickened feeling in his gut. [i][color=0076a3]Is this... could these really be...?[/color][/i] [color=fff200]“Ugh, fuckin' [i]finally![/i] I was beginning to think you were never waking up.”[/color] Mako turned abruptly toward the voice that sounded behind him. [color=0076a3]"Who--?"[/color] Whatever he was going to say died on his lips as soon as he saw the source of the voice. [color=0076a3][i]That’s… that’s not possible.[/i][/color] He stared in blank shock at the figure, hunched and squatting a short distance away, tapping a nonsense rhythm on his knees with his fingers. The figure smirked, as though it could tell what he was thinking, rising lithely to its full standing height, still wearing that grin. His own grin, on his own face. His doppelganger sauntered over, wearing what appeared to be a tattered straitjacket, the sleeves torn off at the elbows, its hands filthy with what looked like dried blood. He shuddered. [color=0076a3]“What are you…?”[/color] The grin grew wider, but no less cold. [color=fff200]“I should think you would be able to figure that out, genius. Those cultists must have hit you pretty goddamn hard if you don't even recognize your own face.”[/color] Mako flinched, then tried to maintain his composure. [color=0076a3]“...Really? You really think I’m gonna buy that something like you is me?”[/color] [color=fff200]“Why not? You fake it all the time. Why is this identity any less honest than the rest of you?”[/color] [color=0076a3]“I… I don’t fake--”[/color] [color=fff200]“I’m gonna stop you right there, ‘cause we both know that’s bullshit. I mean, let’s count the ways, shall we? The grade-A pupil to your teachers? Budding actor to the drama club? Rising star to the boxers, and charming master to that stupid cafe you always go to. And let’s not forget the most unbearable of your acts, the shining white knight for that little sham of a relationship you're trying to force. So many faces, so many charming little lies."[/color] Mako's mouth worked noiselessly as he tried to think of something to say, but was distracted by the doors behind his copy opening up, admitting a trio of individuals. The copy's eyebrow raised as he turned around. Mako couldn't tell, but it seemed, from his doppelganger's stance, that he would be grinning that cold grin. [color=fff200]"Ah. The peanut gallery finally arrives, but..."[/color] His head tilted. [color=fff200]"...Hmm. Your boyfriend's not here. What a shame."[/color] He shrugged, turning back toward Mako. [color=fff200]"Perhaps these idiots can help spread the news, then. After all, how many of your friends know what you’re really hiding? How many of them know that underneath all your layers, all the fakery, all the bullshit you try and pull, that all they’ll find is me…?”[/color] Mako grit his teeth. [color=0076a3]“You’re not--”[/color] He cut off suddenly as the doppelganger struck him across the face. [color=fff200]“What the fuck did I say about lies? You may not want to admit it, but I don’t have the same compunctions. Why do you think you try so hard to deny it? Why else would you run to all your little make-believe selves in an attempt to flee? You fake being a decent person because you know that deep down inside, I’M the real you! It’s always been like that, ever since Haku was killed.”[/color] Mako clenched his fists. [color=0076a3]“Haku killed himself!!”[/color] [color=fff200]“BECAUSE OF THEM!!"[/color] the doppelganger shrieked, looking purely enraged, hands curled into claws at his sides. [color=fff200]"Haku did it because he couldn't take it anymore! Because dear old mom and dad couldn’t be in the same room for two seconds without trying to tear each other down! Because they turned on him whenever he tried to make it stop! Because they made his life- your life!- miserable for daring to try and make them understand what they were doing to you!! They pushed and shoved you both until he broke- until there was nothing left! They may not have tied the noose around his neck, but it’s still their fault! And instead of doing something about it- even after your brother died because of them- what did you do? You ran. You tried to forget any of it ever happened. You ran away and you threw yourself into whatever fake life you could come up with in an attempt to get away from me! To drown me in your fakery! “But you can’t, can you? And you know that. I’m always itching to come out. When that prick at the cafe was snapping photos, when you’re fighting, when those cultists were dragging you all out of that stupid cafe… whenever the going gets tough, that’s the real you that’s coming out. Deep down, all you have is me, because I’m the only honest thing about you. And you’re not just afraid of admitting I’m there, you’re afraid to admit you like me. You like the anger. You like the feeling you get when you get a chance to let me out. You’re a coward who’s afraid to admit that you like being a monster. The moment you get to hurt someone… is the only moment you’re really alive. Isn’t it?”[/color] The double laughed, then- a cold, broken, hollow sound. [color=fff200]“Yeah, you know it’s the truth. So why fight it? Why not let me out, show everyone the real you? Go back to Tokyo, say hi to the folks. Let them know how much it means to you… that they turned you into this. Or if you’re too chicken, you could stay here, and I’ll do it! Makes no difference, really. After all, I am you... aren't I?”[/color] He laughed again, hideous, high-pitched, psychotic. Mako clenched his fists before walking up to the copy, swinging his fist into its face, its nose crunching under his fist. The double clutched at his face, eyes reflecting shock and... amusement, almost? [color=0076a3]“Shut up! SHUT UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP!! What the fuck are you, a cartoon supervillain? Get a life, and get the fuck out of here! You’re not a thing like me, you hear?? You. Are not. Me! Now leave me alone!!”[/color] There was silence for the space of a moment. Then the laughing started. Low, slow, deep, then rising in pitch and intensity, higher and higher until the insane sound echoed off the walls. And underneath the crazed laughter was another sound, the sound of ripping and tearing, as the doppelganger’s body began to twist and warp- limbs growing longer. Skin darkening to ashen color. Its back swelling grotesquely, until a pair of bloody wings wings burst out gorily. Mako stared in horror at the eyes that stared him down, full of malice- [url=http://i.imgur.com/lara1fj.png]at the horror that now awaited him.[/url] [color=fff200][b]“You know something? You’re absolutely right. I could never be such a spineless little wimp like you. So now? Now, I’m not just going to be the real you- I’m going to be the ONLY you! And I’m going to make some changes around here. I’m gonna set fire to all the garbage that you pretend is a life!! Starting with you!”[/b][/color] The beast cackled then, as its body burst into flames. [color=fff200][b]“I’LL BURN ALL THE THINGS YOU’RE TOO AFRAID TO!! THE WHOLE GODDAMN WORLD!!”[/b][/color] ==~== [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IORp_o7bnvM]Round One... FIGHT!![/url]