[center][h1]Week One[/h1][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img][/center][hr][center][color=00a99d]𝔹𝕒𝕝𝕕 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   ℤ𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘'𝕤 𝔼𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖[/color][/center][hr]
[h3]September 21[/h3]

[hider=Ernie and Elvia: Laundry Lessons]
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img]

[h2][color 00a99d]Ernest[/color][/h2]
[img]http:// i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img] 
[hr][color=silver]𝕄: 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟚𝟙, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝔹𝕒𝕝𝕕 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   ℤ𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘'𝕤 𝔼𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖: 𝕃𝕒𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕣𝕪 ℝ𝕠𝕠𝕞   / /   𝟙𝟝𝟘𝟘[/color][hr]

[sub]Collab with [@January][/sub][/center]

It had definitely been another Stigma episode.

He'd been too rash. His limbs had had that familiar, vicious energy trembling through them. They'd thoroughly shattered whatever he'd had with Angelique.

[color=00a99d][i]Good.[/i][/color]

Ernie sighed with disappointed realisation as he tossed the day's outfit into the washing machine, entering the settings he needed before popping on a podcast to pass the time. It had taken him a while to get all the splinters out and even longer to select a fabric softener from the myriad at his disposal. It was a launderer's paradise, perfect aftercare for a bratty teen's Stigma sating session in the woods.

There was too much to think about, always too much. His uselessness, his classmates, Fracture, East, D.C. Murderers, dreams, powers. So damn much. God, it was enough to drive a guy insane. The confrontation with Angel had just been another handful of straw on the camel's back. Nothing would change even if he committed. He just needed to stop thinking, to fucking block it out or he was, oh god, he would--

A sudden beeping snapped him out of his fervor. Not his own machine. There was still a half hour before he'd be done. One of the maids hurried over from a distant corner in response to the timer going off. Ernie noted the dress and the mark on her face with a raised eyebrow.

As she unloaded the machine, the Aberration removed an earbud and called out. [color=00a99d]"Do you need help with that?"[/color]

The bespectacled brunette turned, regarding Ernie curiously. A smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose gave her a childish look, but her voice was that of a young woman's.

[color=f7976a]"You're a guest here? We can't have the guests work--that'd be sacrilege!"[/color] she answered with a quick laugh, pulling another bundle of sheets from the dryer and loading it into the laundry cart beside her.

'Sacrilege' was a bad thing, right? Ernie decided to ignore it and just laugh along.

[color=00a99d]"It's not work if you're having fun? Don't worry, I like this sorta stuff. Just didn't want to mess up any of the sheet sortings here so I thought I should ask for permission first."[/color]

[color=f7976a]"I can't allow a guest to work, I'm sorry,"[/color] the maid repeated, adjusting her round glasses when the movement of placing the sheets into the metal cart tipped them slightly askance.

[color=00a99d]"Mm, I guess that's fair,"[/color] Ernie sighed, dejected. He could relate. If some random patron decided to try and interfere with backdoor operations, Liam would have slapped them silly.

The Aberration watched the rinse cycle a little longer before anxiety could overtake him again.

[color=00a99d]"What's your name, miss?"[/color]

[color=f7976a]"Elvia, but everyone calls me El,"[/color] she replied, turning properly to look at Ernie now that her hands were free. [color=f7976a]"Were you looking to get some laundry done?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Oh, no, I've already put it in the machine. Elvia's a fancy name. I don't think I've heard it before. Ernest, but everyone calls me Ernie."[/color]

[color f7976a]"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ernie. Did you need something more, then? I'd be happy to assist you."[/color] The maid followed the statement with a practiced curtsy, the movement automatic for her now.

Ernie couldn't help but get the feeling that he was in the way of something. But this wash cycle still had thirty minutes to go and he'd been meaning to ask someone about this anyway.

[color=00a99d]"You could tell me about the subnaturals on this island. Are they all from the USARILN system?"[/color]

Elvia looked at him curiously, but her answer was casual. [color f7976a]"In a sense, yes. Sometimes more trustworthy subnaturals are given the option to live here instead of the Institute, though supplies are a bit less forthcoming. I should clarify that very few on this island have any raw combat capabilities, if you were curious about what we can do."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Ah, I wasn't planning to fight anyone if that's what...uh..."[/color] his voice petered off, unsure of where that particular thought was going. So 'trustworthy' subs didn't include Abes. It made a cruel sort of sense. Even if Zhang managed whatever was going on on this island, she probably wasn't going to go through with unnecessary expenses for Stigma control. The lack of combatants explained the absence of guards before the group's arrival too.

[color=00a99d]"There's some kinda law that lets subs go unsupervised in big places like this? You guys aren't under a slave contract, are you?"[/color]

[color f7976a]"The only law here is one we enforce. If someone wants to escape, well, I suppose they can do that. But there's little to run to that would welcome them around here."[/color] She tucked her hand into a pocket of the dress beneath the ruffled lace apron, withdrawing what looked like a folded envelope. Flicking the fold of paper open, she withdrew a rectangular piece of paper that she then turned towards Ernie. It was a paycheck of 7,000 dollars dated for the 27th of August, 2020--a personal check, rather, with the Director's full name and USARILN East's address in the top left corner. [color f7976a]"If you think seven to twenty thousand a month is slave wages, I suppose we are under a slave contract,"[/color] she said, a light laugh following.

[color=00a99d]"Woooaahhh,"[/color] Ernie's eyes bulged at the sight. So that's what a paycheck look liked. Of course, this only raised even more questions.

[color=00a99d]"East probably becomes a nightmare to live in after a while so this place is actually a really nice opportunity, huh?"[/color] Ernie commented before his face soured, [color=00a99d]"Wait, and [i]Zhang[/i] invited you here?"[/color]

[color f7976a]"Who else could?"[/color]

Ernie contemplated the question for a moment. Kleinfelder...?

...

...Nah. Not even as a joke. Everyone could see through that asshole's star-spangled facade.

[color=00a99d]"It's just that...Zhang's, uh, reputation wouldn't have made me think she'd arrange something so...genuine? Nice? Not for subs, anyway."[/color]

Elvia smiled, tucking the paycheck back into her dress pocket.

[color f7976a]"You're right. You wouldn't think that."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Huh."[/color]

This was weird. He couldn't think of a hidden agenda behind all this. Not at the moment anyway.

[color=00a99d]"So there's no monitoring like at the Institutes? Ankle cuffs? You can use your powers freely?"[/color]

[color f7976a]"Yes. Here, we just live. Freely."[/color]

The closest thing to freedom Ernie had ever seen. Not the real thing. They couldn't leave the island or travel through cities without those hateful stares. It was better than the Senators at least. Better than whatever this Unit B was.

Freedom. He wanted this sort of thing.

[color=00a99d]"Some kind of paradise then."[/color]

[color f7976a]"Don't look so eager to join us,"[/color] Elvia laughed, catching the avid stare on Ernie's face. She pulled off her glasses, cleaning the dust of the laundry room from the lenses. [color f7976a]" 'The world's inhabitants can be categorized into actors and observers,' "[/color] she said carefully, repeating the Director's words to her over a year ago. [color f7976a]"We who remain here can only observe and wait. Perhaps things will improve? Perhaps they will never. But none of us get to decide that fate."[/color]

She replaced the glasses on her face, smiling sadly at Ernie.

[color f7976a]"But actors must carry their own crosses. That's the price they pay for the power to change the world."[/color]

Ernie blinked, a sudden and very noticeable discomfort overtaking his system.

He'd never asked for that power. He never wanted the burdens of expectant observers like Elvia on his shoulders. Changing the world, influencing it with his own power? He couldn't do that. Angelique had made it quite clear that he couldn't divert what his classmates were becoming. D.C. had shown him that his inaction would only lead to suffering. Improving himself was a joke that he'd stopped laughing at a long while ago. It was quite clear that he was a useless sack of shit, incapable of doing anything for himself or for anyone else.

And yet, he was the one with the power of endurance. To persevere, to [i]survive[/i] everything the world had thrown at him in these sixteen years of life.

There was no reason to his existence. Logic stated that he should have died many occasions ago. Maybe Reno. Maybe Wisford. The forces of karmic retribution would have decreed the same thing. He wasn't supposed to be here, living and breathing in this luxurious manor, and he sure as hell didn't deserve it. Yet fate had kept him alive for something bigger than himself. Bigger than the Senators and that shitty little club in that shitty little city. Maybe, if Elvia's words were to be believed, he could...

There it was.

It was all a process of elimination, really. He couldn't change his teammates. He couldn't change himself. So the only thing to change was the future, whatever was in front of him and whatever he could protect with his golden hands. Angelique hadn't shown the remorse he needed to see to believe that it was a one-time tragedy. He'd change that future, stand between murderous classmates and any asshole Regulars that were dumb enough to poke these rabid dogs. A screaming bitch was something he could handle. If the others on that truck were really so weak to resort to fatal methods against a powerless mob then he'd have no trouble stopping them either. Being a nuisance was what he was best at after all.

He wouldn't let these unstable pricks take another Regular soul, dickbaggery be damned. He wouldn't be able to take it otherwise. 

It was an uncertain conviction. Unsteady, unfamiliar. But it was there and it was Earnest. That was everything he needed.

Ernie let out a small laugh, casual and light in contrast to the conclusion he'd branded onto his new self. There wasn't much he could say in return. [color=00a99d]"Fair enough. If it means getting to stay here some more then I'll do all the improving I can."[/color]

[color f7976a]"Something to aim for, right? Better someone with actual powers than people like us, stuck between 'normal' and 'subnatural' but with barely enough of a gift to murder flies."[/color] She turned to check on the laundry, though the routine had embedded itself in her memory enough that she knew it would be long from done. Still, checking was an old habit of hers now in this place where they had nothing but time. 

Actual powers. Ernie curled his hands. He'd already taken the first steps.

[color=00a99d]"Right."[/color]
[/hider]

[hider=Ernie and Sander: Bar Buddies][center]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/xp0eIcQ.png[/img]

[h2][color 00a99d]Ernest[/color] | [color cyan]Sander[/color][/h2]
[img]http:// i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img] 
[hr][color=silver]𝕄: 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟚𝟙, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝔹𝕒𝕝𝕕 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   ℤ𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘'𝕤 𝔼𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖: 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕓𝕒𝕣   / /   𝟚𝟛𝟘𝟘[/color][hr]

[sub]Collab with [@RedDusk][/sub][/center]

Footsteps, anxious and hasty, paced around the manor. The gallery had been fine, the greenhouse even better. But none of it really occupied him the way he wanted to be occupied.

The sight of a gleaming bench slowed him down, its marble surface framed by a boundless array of mixers and high-end liqueurs. No Owen. No Hazel either. Ernie stared for a moment. Something familiar, something to anchor him the only stable place he knew: the Alibi Ultra.

Like a man possessed he surged towards the mini-bar, quickly washing his hands before setting up. Minutes after that, a collection of brightly coloured cocktails lined the bar. He grasped a mint-green one in his hand and began drinking.

The hall was empty when Sander strolled down, hands still lightly shaky from the aftermath of a blood high. But there were no guards. No guns. No regular staffs with thinly veiled disgust when they regarded him. 
 
Then he passed a maid with a white mark on her face, and he ended staring until she turned at the end of the corridor. 
 
Where was he? 
 
Sander blinked, unable to process. He needed to find someone to ask. He needed to…find Christmas. 
 
Where was Christmas? He couldn’t find the scent, nor could he find anything that indicated the blond boy was here. Fear nagged at him with every step, and eventually, he just followed the closest familiar scent. Which led him to Ernie. 
 
Alcohol in the blood heightened the scent, he observed. 
 
“[color cyan]You’re…still here.[/color]” -Sander said, in lieu of a greeting. 

Ernie chugged the rest of his Grasshopper before raising his eyebrow. So Sander thought he should be dead too, huh?

[color=00a99d]"Am I not supposed to be?"[/color] he chuckled, the sound insincere but not hostile.

“[color cyan]No…I just…[/color]” -Sander fumbled for a moment with his words, just as he pulled out a seat for himself –“[color cyan]You’re still at the bar. Just like back in USARILN.[/color]” 

Oh? They were talking normally again? Ernie didn't know if he believed that follow-up or not. Sander still knew what Ernie really was so it probably didn't even matter what level of pleasantries were exchanged.

[color=00a99d]"It's where I work best,"[/color] he shrugged, and began picking bottles from behind him, [color=00a99d]"Another Frostbite or do you want to try something new this time?"[/color]

Sander seemed slightly taken back by the offer, but he nodded, in the end -"[color cyan]Anything is fine.[/color]"  

The buzzcut Aberration nodded. Frostbite to start then. Ernie scanned the label of the Sierra Silver, eyes slightly widening at the "150-proof" before measuring it into the Boston shaker and handing the finished product to the vampire.

[color=00a99d]"There's a different sort of tequila in this one. Tell me how it is."[/color]

Sander knocked back the drink in one gulp, the stronger taste lingered on his tongue. It burnt on its way, but he supposed he liked it.

"[color cyan]It's good.[/color]" - Sander gave a small smile, pushing the glass back toward Ernie. 

A lime green champagne glass was waiting for Sander as he finished the Frostbite.

[color=00a99d]"Absinthe Hemingway. Like me,"[/color] Ernie joked to himself. He looked at Sander as he sipped from a lighter cocktail, [color=00a99d]"We never really caught up after you took off with Hazel. How did things go with the crusher?"[/color]

Sander tensed, looking into the green of his glass. He remembered the fight. Of course he did, even when his recollection was marred by bloodlust. 

"[color cyan]I...Maybe you should talk to someone else.[/color]"

However, thinking about the battle sparked another one of his concerns. 

"[color cyan]Have you...seen Christmas around?[/color]" -There was an edge in his voice, and as he spoke, Sander lifted his gaze to look at Ernie, blue eyes suddenly cold.

[color=00a99d]"I havent."[/color] Ernie answered firmly, betraying nothing as his light smile disappeared, [color=00a99d]"You should ask one of the guards."[/color]

He thought to the leaked video, of Christmas being used as a bloodbag. Finally fulfilling his purpose, albeit in a rather useless scenario. Disasters happened. Mending a handful of broken bones wasn't going to change much. Perhaps he was still there, back at D.C.

[color=00a99d]"Nice to know I'm the backup guy if you want company."[/color]

"[color cyan]You don't like me.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Do you want me to?"[/color]

Ernie peered into his glass, finding no answers.

[color=00a99d]"I was fucking terrified of you,"[/color] he admitted after a moment.

Sander was quiet for the longest time, swirling the liquid around in his glass.

"[color cyan]I suppose it doesn't matter what you do. I...won't kill you though, if that's what you're worried about.[/color]"

Ernie nodded. [color=00a99d]"I know. I believe you this time."[/color]

He'd seen more than enough to support that.

[color=00a99d]"What stopped you from killing Hazel? Cal looked half dead because of her."[/color]

"[color cyan]Killing is bad.[/color]" -The answer was short and curt, and Sander took to avoiding Ernie's gaze again. 

[color=00a99d]"I guess I'll have to believe that too."[/color]

He pushed a brown-looking martini glass to his barmate and tried not to think about the evacuation team.

[color=00a99d]"Alexander. I tried googling once who it was named after but I couldn't find anything. Why should I talk to someone else about the battle?"[/color]

The name elicited old memories from Sander, who looked up from his drink like Ernie had just stabbed him in the stomach. He stared for a few seconds, wide-eyed and bizarrely sad, before letting out a choked breath and forcing himself to relax. 
 
The drink also went down with a tilt of his head. 
 
“[color cyan]Because I don’t like remembering.[/color]”

[color=00a99d][i]Same.[/i][/color]

But the bartender merely responded with an apple martini. [color=00a99d]"What do you like then? Got any hobbies? Movies you like to watch?"[/color]

"[color cyan]I like Christmas. And drinks.[/color]" -The blood mage sipped from his glass this time, savouring the sweet and tart apple flavour. 

[color=00a99d]"Aren't they the sa--"[/color]

He stopped himself and the instinctual grimace he'd learned from the Senators.

[color=00a99d]"You didn't like anything before Christmas?"[/color]

"[color cyan]...I like drinks. Before.[/color]" 

[color=00a99d]"Before drinks then,"[/color] Ernie sipped from his own. The buzz was starting to kick in.

"[color cyan]Bad stuffs.[/color]" -There was a tension in Sander's shoulders that showed he was clearly uncomfortable. But he didn't stop. There was no reason to, really. Ernie was an Aberration, like him. No point in hiding what he already knew -"[color cyan]I'm allowed to...like.[/color]"

The buzzcut boy sloshed together some higher-end vodka and triple sec, adding the rest of the ingredients as he replied, [color=00a99d]"Gonna have to be more pacifi--specific. Lots of stuff out there."[/color]

A Winter Chill slid towards Sander.

"[color cyan]I'm not allowed to anymore. Because of...[/color]" -Sander gestured at his mark, frowning into the drink like it offended him. 

That wasn't a good one, huh? Another Frostbite for him then.

[color=00a99d]"You said you liked fighting. That you weren't supposed to. It was the first time we met at the bar. Is that it?"[/color]

"[color cyan]I used to. I'm trying to be better. Don't want to be a...monster.[/color]" 

A useless sentiment, Ernie thought.

[color=00a99d]"This whole class is full of monsters. You wouldn't be any different."[/color]

"[color cyan]Christmas is not a monster. Callan is not.[/color]" 

[color=00a99d]"They are not,"[/color] Ernie agreed with the first statement at least, [color=00a99d]"But Angel is. Zoe too. People on the evac team. They murdered so many Regulars. Zoe almost killed her own teammates. Even if you're sometimes a giant asshole, I doubt you would have slaughtered a whole crowd of people. Those teammates are the monsters, right?"[/color]

Sander looked surprised at that, but a frown quickly creased his eyebrows -"[color cyan]Why would they...?[/color]"

Weren't they Aberrations? Was it the same for them too?

Another drink for both of them. Ernie couldn't remember what he was mixing anymore. It was fruity though. 

[color=00a99d]"They only cared about themselves,"[/color] he recalled Angel's words, [color=00a99d]"Didn't matter who got in the way. They needed to save themselves. Didn't care about those Regulars. It makes sense, I suppose. It's awful but I get it."[/color]

Because he would have done the same, right? He wouldn't have killed, he was sneakier than that. But he would have done a lot to get his teammates out of that situation.

Ernie's sombre words got to him, and Sander felt guilt sank to the pit of his stomach. 

"[color cyan]...Have you killed...before?[/color]" -He asked suddenly, voice small. 

The balded boy froze. He hadn't told anyone. He hadn't even lost sleep over it.

[color=00a99d][i]I never even saw his face.[/i][/color]

But this was Sander he was talking to. He would understand, right? Would he even care? Would Ernie even care if he did? Thoughts meandered through a tipsy fog and Ernie decided he didn't feel like spending more brain energy on it.

[color=00a99d]"Once,"[/color] he started carefully, [color=00a99d]"For Christmas, back in Wisford. A man was grabbing him, making him cry. I forgot to think about what I was doing."[/color]

Blood everywhere. How was he supposed to take his mind off that? Even now Ernie could feel the shivers returning. Everything else had been an afterthought. He hadn't lost any sleep.

For reasons he did not explore, Sander felt relief. Was it because Ernie was the one who did it? Instead of him? By doing that, Ernie had somehow helped to preserve the fraying fragments of his humanity? Sander did not know. Nor he wanted to. All he felt was relief. And gratitude. 
 
“[color cyan]Thank you.[/color]” -But he couldn’t let Ernie do that forever. This was his burden and his responsibility. His purpose. Ernie might have hurt Christmas, but Sander wouldn't even wish the burden of taken lives on his worst enemies–“[color cyan]And…sorry.[/color]” 
 
“[color cyan]I’ll do it next time.[/color]” -He said, steady like a promise. This guilt was his. What was another drop in an ocean of blood?

Ernie's glass stopped before they reached his lips. He didn't know what reaction he was expecting but it certainly wasn't that.

[color=00a99d][i]You wanted someone to condemn you.[/i][/color]

He kept drinking, finishing it in one gulp before answering.

[color=00a99d]"I guess I'll be counting on you then."[/color]

Sander lifted his gaze and allowed himself a small smile. He knew how to do this, at least. This fire was good for something.

"[color cyan]Yeah.[/color]"
[/hider]
[h3]September 22[/h3]

[hider=Ernie and Brent: Donut Frying and White Lying]
[center]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/jw3F1O9.png[/img] 

[h2][color 00a99d]Ernest[/color] | [color B0C4DE]Brent[/color][/h2]
[img]http:// i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img] 
[hr][color=silver]𝕋𝕦𝕖: 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟚𝟚, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝔹𝕒𝕝𝕕 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   ℤ𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘'𝕤 𝔼𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖: 𝕂𝕚𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕟   / /   𝟙𝟛𝟘𝟘[/color][hr]
[sub]Collab with [@ERode][/sub][/center]

Ernie sat in a corner of the kitchen, muttering with a knife in his hand and a pile of mangled vegetables at his side. He knew that vegetable carving was a nightmarishly delicate art. He knew that his knife skills were rusty from disuse. And he knew that fucking [i]Lisa[/i] by the sauces over there would eat her words once he carved that perfect rose. One watermelon peacock arrangment was all the damn maid needed to get a superiority complex. Urgh, he'd show her.

[color=B0C4DE]"That's a lot of veggies,"[/color] Brent commented, walking into the kitchen with a spring in his step. He gave a friendly nod to Lisa as he passed by, before standing a few paces beside Ernie. [color=B0C4DE]"We're making vegetable donuts or something?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Don't insult me like that, dude. I don't want the vegans taking any more than they already have."[/color]

He stood up, cringing as carrot carvings fell from his aproned lap onto the floor. A glance up at his friend, then a frown as Ernie spotted purple marring the side of the Arbiter's face. He tapped his own jaw. "What happened there, man?"

Brent mimicked the aberration's movements, two fingers pressed against the swollen bruise. [color=B0C4DE]"Nothing much,"[/color] he replied breezily, [color=B0C4DE]"Just a love tap."[/color]

"Yikes. You spill your drink on someone or something?"

[color=B0C4DE]"Naw, just..."[/color] No, it wasn't really an argument, was it? [color=B0C4DE]"...a heated exchange. Settled things pretty easily afterwards."[/color]

Was Chris getting into fights again? Looked like Brent was the victor there, if one jaw bruise was all he got out of it. Ernie chuckled.

[color=00a99d]"Alright then, lemme clean up first. You should get the ingredients in the meantime. Let's make some magic, man."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Always so eager to clean, eh? Yeah, I'll get flour, eggs, the whole shebang then. What sorta oil yah want for frying?"[/color]

Ernie thought for a moment. [color=00a99d]"Palm oil. We can try it with canola later."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Aye aye, chef,"[/color] Brent saluted, before heading off to grab the ingredients. He had already done previous research on where everything was, and with a little help from best maid Lisa, soon, everything was present on the table.

[color=00a99d]"Alright,"[/color] Ernie dried his hands after an extended washing, [color=00a99d]"We going simple cinnamon first? Should we make a glaze to go with it?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Glaze sounds good,"[/color] Brent replied, pulling out some extra goodies he brought along. [color=B0C4DE]"Was thinking of chocolate and sprinkles as well. You know how to jam jam in there?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Of course,"[/color] the Aberration paused, [color=00a99d]"Are we making our own jam too?"[/color]

Brent grinned. [color=B0C4DE]"Is Lily worth it?"[/color]

[color=00a99d][i]She was there.[/i][/color]

Ernie had thought about her involvement in the massacre. He'd tried to find something to condemn her just like the others. But he was missing details. All he knew was that she wasn't outside when it happened. Surely that was good enough?

The Aberration's easy-going smile shrunk a fraction before he shrugged. [color=00a99d]"It's been a while since I've made a decent jam. It'd be good to put it back into practice."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Alright,"[/color] the arbiter chimed, noting that slight pause before the answer, [color=B0C4DE]"Let's show off our housedad skills, eh?"[/color]

As the pair began mixing the dough (with occasional assistance from Lisa, much to Ernie's chagrin) the buzzcut boy wondered how to approach the questions on his mind. The direct approach hadn't gone well with Angel. Brent hadn't reacted much so Ernie didn't even know what he thought.

He...didn't know a lot of things about Brent.

But the amethyst-eyed Arbiter wasn't one of the problems here. One of the main ones anyway. Failing to find a way to be subtle about it, Ernie decided to just bite the bullet. [color=00a99d]"Did you manage to meet up with Siena?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Yeah,"[/color] Brent replied readily, starting to crack the eggs, [color=B0C4DE]"The cars were lifted because she was trying to clear the road for everyone to leave more easily. But either the bricks or Angelic's scream caused her to lose it, so..."[/color]

The beating of the eggs slowed, as he processed the strange directions the conversation had gone.

[color=B0C4DE]"I think she can be trusted. Reserved, but...yeah, trustworthy."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"That's good."[/color]

It was, right? Siena didn't seem [i]bad[/i] by any of Ernie's standards. He knew all about deceitful appearances but he just didn't sense that sort of thing from her. She was an Arbiter after all.

[color=00a99d][i]How many people were even under there?

He's protecting her, isn't he.[/i][/color]

What? Nah, Brent was a cool dude. He was good friends with Siena, but he and Ernie were pretty tight too.

[color=00a99d][i]Please.[/i][/color]

At least be subtle with it.

[color=00a99d]"Wait, she can 'lose it'?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Lose it as in lose focus, Ernie. Suppose concentration's important when you're juggling cars with your mind."[/color]

No, that wasn't wholly correct. There [i]were[/i] other options to consider.

[color=B0C4DE]"Could also lose it if enough time passes, I think, or if her stamina was drained too quickly,"[/color] he amended, [color=B0C4DE]"But those aren't likely, considering how she was part of evacuation efforts afterwards."[/color]

Brent mulled it over a little longer, before nodding.

[color=B0C4DE]"Far as she told me, Siena wasn't involved in whatever the hell happened, after those cars were dropped."[/color]

That didn't explain why there were [i]people under there[/i]. Ernie guessed that all he could do was chalk it up to bad luck on Siena's part.

All he could do was not much at all.

[color=00a99d]"Was she cool with you asking? I know that it's something to be...hurt about."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Cool?"[/color]

That smile was turning into something else, so he dropped it completely instead.

[color=B0C4DE]"I'd like to think that I'm still on good terms with her, at least. Didn't storm out like Angelic, after all."[/color]

A bitter chuckle left Ernie's lips at the mention of the rockstar. [color=00a99d]"That's good too. We could all use more friends."[/color]

He kneaded the dough absentmindedly, reflecting on the argument, on everything he'd concluded with himself afterwards.

[color=00a99d]"I really fucked up with her. I don't think I was wrong but I could've been better."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Does it matter if you burn a bridge gently or violently?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"I could've done it gently enough to at least leave a chance to repair it."[/color] Not that he was sure he even wanted to.

So that severance wasn't as final as he had initially thought.

[color=B0C4DE]"It's never really too late for that, Ernie,"[/color] Brent concluded, [color=B0C4DE]"Just gotta put in that extra effort of rebuilding. Want me to start heating up the oil now? Or is it too soon for that?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"I'm still fucking pissed,"[/color] Ernie admitted with a laugh, [color=00a99d]"Don't know if it's even worth the effort. I'll keep it in mind though."[/color]

Never too late, huh? Knowing his past grudges he'd probably be dead before he ever buried the hatchet. Ernie was almost finished with moulding the dough.

[color=00a99d]"Oil sounds good."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Aight,"[/color] Brent nodded. [color=B0C4DE]"Hopefully nothing explodes, eh?"[/color]

A twist of a knob was all that was needed to get the induction stove to start working, deep, warm reds glowing on the black surface. With that quick task done, the arbiter went back to prepping for the ice cream segment of today's mission.

Ernie nodded, finishing with his dough. After a quick peek at the oil, he watched Brent with the ice cream. [color=00a99d]"You do a lot of cooking?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Didn't use to, but I got into the habit here,"[/color] the arbiter replied, [color=B0C4DE]"Thought it'd be useful to pick up dorm-life related skills, even with a super-cafeteria just around the corner, yah know?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Oh, for sure. Alright, if you weren't a MasterChef before then what did you do instead?"[/color]

Brent looked at him weirdly. [color=B0C4DE]"Like, school? Didn't really have time for part-time and all."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"School takes up that much time? You an honor student or something?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Naw,"[/color] the arbiter shook his head, [color=B0C4DE]"Just a normal student. Though my school's pretty high up there. What 'bout yours?"[/color]

Ernie laughed. He'd rehearsed this a few times in case anyone from the class ever brought it up. [color=00a99d]"Got homeschooled. Awakened some years before and, well, I was more useful in the kitchen anyway."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Woah, that makes two,"[/color] Brent remarked. [color=B0C4DE]"Private tutors, or just your mom and pop?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Family friend. Parents passed away before I got the mark so they took me in."[/color]

Of course, he doubted that the Mahers ever had some [i]personal[/i] connection to his family. The night and the house was probably just some stupid hit. Happened all the time to hapless rival factions.

[color=00a99d]"Makes two? What's that mean?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Oh, 'ena's also homeschooled,"[/color] Brent replied, [color=B0C4DE]"Makes sense, I suppose, seeing how she didn't even know what junk food was."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Damn. Homebody life, huh? I thought she'd at least do the Richie Rich thing and have a Mcdonald's installed in the mansion."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Please, why have an entire restaurant built if you can just hire five star French chefs to cook junk for you? Anyone can own a restaurant, but owning talent? That's hard."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Okay, that's a good point but like, she went how many years without junk food? Is the fancy stuff really worth it, bro?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"I mean, didn't you watch Supersize Me?"[/color] Brent laughed, [color=B0C4DE]"Those years without junk food probably gave her a good twenty extra years on her lifespan. And cmon man, you forgot the hotel's buffet already? Let me remind you that gourmet burgers are also a thing."[/color]

Hands raised in surrender. [color=00a99d]"Alright, you got me there."[/color]

Ernie started on the jam, gathering strawberries and apples under Lisa's watchful eye.

[color=00a99d]"So you were pretty high end too, huh? Was your high school one of those fancy ones with uniform blazers and shit?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Naw, for a super elite school, dress code was pretty chill,"[/color] Brent waved, [color=B0C4DE]"Shirts and ties for guys, basically anything not wildly inappropriate for girls. Sorta like a...formal casual deal? Outside of tuition prices, things felt hella accessible."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Your Sunday morning styles at school,"[/color] Ernie joked, washing and chopping strawberries. Comfortable routine, [color=00a99d]"Did you ever get into that popularity drama stuff like in the movies? Parties and girls and prom?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"You know it man,"[/color] Brent replied, shaping up the dough into loops, [color=B0C4DE]"Though it was less being part of it and more watching it happen from a safe distance, yeah? Somehow ended up being the guy people went to vent relationship bullshit towards, even if I had nothing new to say on that subject."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Everyone's best friend, huh?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"More like Switzerland."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"What?"[/color]

Brent gave Ernie a blank stare. [color=B0C4DE]"Uh...geez, World War II? Switzerland? Or what about Swiss banks?"[/color]

Oh boy. Ernie cringed. Swiss banks like in all those spy movies? Offshore accounts? What did that have to do with school drama? [color=00a99d]"They only really taught the American Revolution in my semester at West. And Subnatural Studies but like,"[/color] Switzerland? [color=00a99d]"...yeah, I don't get it."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Oh, West must have shit education. Anyways, Switzerland was neutral in World War II. Famous for it even. And Swiss banks are known for their secrecy and all that. See how it lines up now?"[/color]

A moment of silence. [color=00a99d]"Ohhhhhh. Yeah, yeah, I get it now."[/color]

Man, he should have remembered that from Sound of Music. Or Great Escape. It was neutrality. Secrecy. Between his high school and Unit B, Brent hadn't really switched his alignments. Actors and observers, like Elvia had said. Seemed that the arbiter walked the line between both.

[color=00a99d]"You're pretty good at being Switzerland, I think,"[/color] Ernie said with an earnest smile.

[color=B0C4DE]"Had to be, as secretary and all,"[/color] Brent replied, finishing off the last of the dough. [color=B0C4DE]"Your show now, Ernie. How was the Western life?"[/color]

Strawberries and sugar went into a pot to simmer. [color=00a99d]"Gotta be more specific. USARILN, Reno, or my past life as Doc Holliday?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Let's go with Reno then. Got any spicy stories to swap?"[/color]

Spicy stories and anecdotes that were suitable to share with classmates were two categories with a very small overlap. Ernie had to think really hard about it.

[color=00a99d]"It's Reno so there's always some shady crap going on somewhere or other. The guy that took me in, he owned a bunch of businesses. Sometimes I'd fill in for them so I saw a lotta shit while working."[/color]

He talked about the period of time when Sia's Chandelier was all the rage, and all the light fixtures that needed replacing as a consequence. The crazy drunks, the ridiculous bar fights, the gut-turning, biological nightmares he'd find in the bathrooms. Isolated incidents that were vague yet crazy enough to pass the time.

[color=00a99d]"I can't actually remember if the goat ever found his way back,"[/color] Ernie concluded as he finished up the jam, [color=00a99d]"But yeah, that's why eyelash curlers are the absolute worst."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Dude,"[/color] Brent laughed, [color=B0C4DE]"what the hell? I thought you were working in a restaurant, not a goddamn asylum. Sounds like a hell of a blast though. How many times did you get busted by the cops?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Dude, it's Reno. [i]What cops?[/i]"[/color] Ernie grinned mischievously, [color=00a99d]"Alright, your turn. Give me a mind-breaking, life-changing story. The craziest shit you can remember."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Craziest shit?"[/color] Brent didn't even need to think about it. [color=B0C4DE]"Oh, that's hella easy. So, buncha weeks ago I was basically just a normie, right? Doing that thing where you wake up in the morning and realize you got superpowers and all? Went through that whole thing where it's like 'oh shit, I got powers' to 'oh shit, Imma get shot if I don't fess up to the cops'. So I was just walking downtown to the neighborhood cop shop. Real nice summer day, yah? Birds chirping, blue sky skying, and there was this really nice fragrance in the air."[/color]

He paused then, for dramatic impact.

[color=B0C4DE]"And then wham! Everyone starts dying, yellow mist starts forming, and I managed to bail my own ass out with a cough mask while everyone else is writhing like mad. Super hardcore shit, man. I was basically probably going to die if it kept up any longer than it did."[/color] The arbiter nodded. [color=B0C4DE]"Yup, definitely craziest shit in recent memory. Can't think of anything to top it, really."[/color]

Ernie had been listening intently. Every good story had to have a build-up, right? The hand stirring the jam ceased as the story went on and he turned to the Arbiter. What the...Why was he so...

[color=00a99d]"Wait, you...that was...Perfume?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"That's what the news people said,"[/color] Brent shrugged, [color=B0C4DE]"Never got a glimpse myself. Probably temporarily blindness or something like that."[/color]

Exeter, New Hampshire. An alleged Cat's Cradle attack in recent times. Just another tragedy-stricken area washed away by dozens of other, more severe tragedies in the same month. Hell, the only reason Ernie remembered it at all was because the town's name sounded cool.

Of course he felt bad.

[color=00a99d]"Fuck...yeah, I don't doubt it,"[/color] he frowned. The stove was turned off so the Aberration could pull his phone out and look it up. Sure enough, the New Hampshire town suffered major losses. Ernie noted the prep school in the area while Lisa started pouring the jam out for him, [color=00a99d]"Man, most of the town got w--"[/color] He needed a better word than 'wasted'. He couldn't find one.

[color=00a99d]"What about, like, your parents? Your friends?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Never checked."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Huh?"[/color]

Huh? Huh?!

[color=00a99d]"You...[i]couldn't?[/i]"[/color] Ernie tried to assume the best of his friend.

[color=B0C4DE]"Yeah, couldn't."[/color]

Brent didn't seem to be open to sharing details so Ernie assumed the best course of action was to just drop it. He chuckled instead, hoping to mask the discomfort he was feeling.

[color=00a99d]"Shit. And here I thought my stories were insane!"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Yeah, sorry. Was that a bit too far?"[/color] Brent's gaze was apologetic. [color=B0C4DE]"The rest of my life's basically a slog. High school romance can only get so spicy, yah know?"[/color]

[color=00a99d][i]Why the fuck are you apologising?[/i][/color]

[color=00a99d]"Yeah, I can imagine. Just a semester with the drunk, horny assholes at West was enough to make me want to shoot something. It's just..."[/color] Ernie had fallen apart when he lost his home. Brent lost his whole town and his freedom, [color=00a99d]"Man, you've got some crazy guts being able to talk about it."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"I...don't know about that."[/color]

Was it easier, because he had already spilled out much more with someone else?

[color=B0C4DE]"Well, would be better if no one else heard of it, you know? Really don't need anyone to pity me for it. There's probably worse stories out there."[/color] He paused. Remembered to think. [color=B0C4DE]"Guess I'll trust you with this, Ernie. Sorta nice to spill it out all at once."[/color]

A silence passed.

He trusted him. Ernie didn't realise how much he valued those words until they were said out loud. He didn't want to let go of this.

[quote][i][color=8A3DFF]"No point in holding onto secrets, it'll come up eventually.”[/color][/i][/quote]
Ernie turned to the Arbiter.

[color=00a99d]"Brent. You already know that I can be pretty shitty, right?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Yeah. And?"[/color]

Brent held his gaze.

Like it or not, Ernie trusted him too. The Aberration breathed deeply. These were the same kind of heartless people. Mages that stopped giving a damn about the world since they got their mark. But instead of an all-out physical attack, they rotted a city from the inside-out.

He wouldn't blame Brent if he hated him too.

[color=00a99d][i]All at once.[/i][/color]

[color=00a99d]"After these donuts are done. After we both leave the kitchen and part ways. Get to a computer and google 'USARILN West Reno task force.' Just...don't do it in front of anyone, including me. You'll get a better story there."[/color]

Brent nodded. Mutual destruction. Ernie was handing him the trigger, huh?

[color=B0C4DE]"Well, then, pastry wizard,"[/color] he said, shifting gears easily, violently, [color=B0C4DE]"How the hell do you fill donuts with jam anyways?"[/color]

[hr]
Later that night, a text message appeared on Brent's phone.

[quote][color=00a99d]If I look up your school am i gonna find pictures of you with ugly haircut?[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]Still gonna be better than your mop imitation two weeks back.[/color]

[color=00a99d]Wow thats just mean[/color][/quote]
Five minutes passed.

[quote][color=00a99d]Did you look it up?[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]Yeah. Locked in a Swiss vault.[/color]

[color=00a99d]Cool[/color][/quote]
[/hider]

[hider=Ernest, Sander, Zoe, and Emma: Oh boy, where to even start with this one...]
The post below.[/hider]
[h3]September 23[/h3]

[hider=Ernie, Marcus, and Brent: We're Going on a Bear Hunt]
[center]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/XZCyPaz.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/jw3F1O9.png[/img] 

[h2][color 00a99d]Ernest[/color] | [color 33ec06]Marcus[/color] | [color B0C4DE]Brent[/color][/h2]
[img]http:// i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img] 
[hr][color=silver]𝕎: 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟚𝟛, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝔹𝕒𝕝𝕕 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥   / /   𝟘𝟡𝟘𝟘[/color][hr]
[sub]Collab with [@ERode] and [@Chasers115][/sub][/center]

The shooting range probably wouldn't do him much good. If Ernie missed one shot then there would be a dozen others in the magazine. And it wasn't like his power allowed for much long distance attacking. He doubted he'd ever need to snipe something when there were people like Brent and Gregory on the team.

Still, he couldn't help but linger in the hunting shed, fawning over the array of crossbows and rifles. This was some serious business stuff. Way fancier than the stuff Devon ever brought in. Ernie took a crossbow down from the wall, experimenting its weight between his hands and looking down the sights. Badass. But it didn't make the shooting range any less boring. This sort of equipment needed to be practiced with in situations that actually demanded it. 

After looking around for anyone who saw him, Ernie trudged off into the woods. Perhaps it would be better to avoid the trail. Make sure no one distracted him if he was really going to sharpshoot with this thing.

All he had to do was plant his feet like so, pull this lever here, squeeze this--

The string snapped back into position with no warning, letting loose a bolt accompanied by a yelped [color=00a99d]"oh fuck!"[/color] from Ernie.

Meanwhile, Marcus was exploring the surrounding area of the Estate. He'd noticed much of the immediate area, the large quantities of ammenities tht everyone seemed to be enjoying, and the ever-present staff that showed up frequently enough to startle him literally every single time. They were always so apologetic about it too, which almost made it worse. After a point, it just seemed like they were doing it on purpose.

Now, he was exploring some of the other little trails. He'd heard mention of a shooting range off in the distance, and the prospects of bettering his ability with firearms was one that appealed to him. If they were going to be finding themselves in more combats with human or human-like targets, he could probably put his powers to better use offensively, rather than hiding in the evacuation team every time.

That, and Evac hadn't been going super well recently.

He'd just stopped for a quick rest on one of the nearby trees, stretching his leg for a moment. He'd been walking around too much lately; strolling through DC, leading the evacuation efforts, the walk to the estate and the numerous walks around the estate...the gentle throbbing reminded him of how infrequently he actually did any physical activity. Probably didn't help that he'd never completed the doctor's prescribed routine, but kidnapped subnaturals didn't exactly have a say in the matter. Fortunately, it was small, small enough for even the slightest amounts of adrenalin to make it fade away.

[color=00a99d]"Oh fuck!"[/color]

Marcus raised his head in surprise. He certainly hadn't expected anybody else to be out here at the shootin-

[i]KA-THUNK[/i]

A yelp that Marcus didn't recognize as his own. Pain. Searing pain in his leg. Pain that started to dull away as his heart sped up and shock set in. There was something sticking out of his thigh, just above the knee. His pantleg was starting to turn red. It was all too warm. Rewind. [i]Rewind[/i]

The sound of static faded, and the perfectly sawed-off end of a crossbow bolt fell to the ground, the brightly colored feathers fluttering slightly. Marcus let out a few deep breaths, his mind still in panic but his body having rewound to before that, creating an interesting contrast.

He bent down slowly, picking up the end and looking at it closely. He looked at his pants; no blood. He gingerly pressed his leg where he was sure it had been pierced; no hole. Of course. Rewind. Everything was fine.

Something glinted behind him as he stood up - embedded in the tree he'd been resting against. A bloody arrowhead, and nearly a centimeter of bolt-shaft.

As soon as that distant scream sounded, Ernie sprinted to the source. Oh shitshitshit, why was there someone here? God, the [i]one time[/i] he wasn't lugging around his first aid kit. The one time he felt like acting like a trigger-happy redneck. Gah, those instruction manuals in the shed were there for a fucking reason!

Brightly coloured plastic feathers came into view and Ernie's gaze lifted up in horror to see that it was Marcus holding them.

[color=00a99d][i]Marcus got shot? Hah, ironic.[/i][/color]

Ernie brushed that thought aside.

[color=00a99d]"What are you doing out here?!"[/color] he half-shrieked.

"[color 33ec06]Getting shot! [i]Apparently[/i]![/color]" Marcus half-yelled in response, the realization of the situation slowly coming to his mind as Ernie stepped into view. "[color 33ec06]I heard there was a shooting range somewhere out here! Figured maybe I could learn a thing or two, brush up on my firearm training while we have god-knows-how-long to ourselves![/color]"

The words were bitterly sarcastic at this point, one of Marcus's alternatives to full-borne anger. It was hard to keep friends when losing your temper and shouting at people, and at least sarcasm offered a somewhat-calm neutral point.

Sometimes.

"[color 33ec06]What the hell are you doing out here, Trigger-Finger?[/color]"

An instinctual sneer worked its way onto Ernie's face as the nickname registered. [color=00a99d]"Shouldn't I be the one calling you tha--"[/color]

He stopped himself, amended his words and expression.

[color=00a99d]"Practicing, I guess,"[/color] Ernie cringed at how stupid it sounded, [color=00a99d]"Shooting ranges are boring and there's a whole forest to use. Thought it'd be okay."[/color]

Fortunately, Marcus was too busy trying to pry the short length of an arrowhead out of the tree for the hurt to fully show across his face. He knew exactly what Ernie was referring to, and the best thing to do right now was to just pretend that he hadn't said it.

"[color 33ec06]Well, ya hit something![/color]" Marcus said, prying the short stub out, miraculously avoiding cutting himself in exchange for a small splinter in his thumb. "[color 33ec06]I was excited, that's for damn sure! Try yelling 'fore' or something next time - maybe something like 'duck!'. Just so I'm not surprised at least.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"I'm a pretty bad shot at golf too so I guess that works,"[/color] Ernie sighed apologetically, [color=00a99d]"That was really stupid of me. My bad. Do you need to go to the infirmary or anything?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Nope. I think I'm pretty good.[/color]" Marcus said, giving his leg a quick test-bend, and rubbing the area where the phantom bolt still seemed to lay, an odd tingling sense with a slight amount of pressure. 

"[color 33ec06]Plus I've still got one more of those, so you could do it again and I'd still be fine.[/color]" he joked, twisting his leg around to look at the back of his pantleg as best he could. He paused, adding a hasty "[color 33ec06]Don't, though.[/color]"

A cry of pain had pulled Brent out of his peaceful hike up the narrow trail, but as the arbiter rushed forward, a gun already drawn, what he was greeted with was two familiar faces instead. Ernie, carrying a fancy-smancy crossbow, and Marcus, looking at his pantleg. What was the story there?

Naw, first off, a greeting.

Pushing through the brush, the arbiter, dressed up in cargo pants and a windbreaker, waved at his two friends. He hitched up his backpack a bit, before saying, [color=B0C4DE]"Yo, guys, didn't know you were...hunting? out here. What was that yelp anyways? Sounded like a deer."[/color]

Not that he'd know.

Ernie's brow furrowed. [color=00a99d]"Deers yelp?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"They don't?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]I don't know about deer yelping, but I do. And I did. Ernie shot me. It was great.[/color]" Marcus interjected, giving Brent a quick wave.

[color=B0C4DE]"Oh."[/color] He looked from Marcus to Ernie. Considering how hard Ernie had hammered Angelic over DC, it'd make sense if he'd do the same with Marcus. Still, Brent had to ask. [color=B0C4DE]"What's the story here? Warring over love?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]I was just out here to make my way up to shooting range.[/color]" Marcus said, putting his hands up in the classic 'I've done nothing wrong' position.

"[color 33ec06]But Brent makes a good point. Did you just want a reason to apologize to me, Erns?[/color]" Marcus added, turning to Ernie with a coy smile and fluttering his eyelashes a few times.

Ernie looked confused. [color=00a99d]"So you [i]do[/i] want me to shoot you again?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Nono. I'm good. Once is [i]plenty[/i] for me.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Geez, I'd hope so. I'm not exactly looking to hunt human out here."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Hunting, huh?"[/color] Brent grinned. [color=B0C4DE]"Gotta get only the freshest meat for dinner, Ernie?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Hey, I wasn't even proper 'hunting'. I just wanted to fiddle with some of the gadgets here,"[/color] Ernie tried to justify himself but some of Brent's words caught his attention, [color=00a99d]"Wait, we're allowed to eat the animals here?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"...wait, we aren't?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]I don't see why we [i]wouldn't[/i] be allowed to. It's the wild. Same as I expect we'd be allowed to fish if we so desired.[/color]" Marcus interjected, giving his two cents on the matter.

[color=B0C4DE]"Good ol' Marcus, always the voice of reason,"[/color] the arbiter laughed, [color=B0C4DE]"Was planning on going hiking today anyways, so hey, if you're hunting..."[/color]

Venison jerky. Venison stew. Meatballs. Deer steak. Endless possibilities.

Ernie looked distant before resolve sharpened his eager gaze.

[color=00a99d]"I want some deer meat."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]I wasn't planning on it, but I feel like I deserve [i]some[/i] of the spoils if Ernie actually catches anything, so I guess I can tag along.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"It was one time!"[/color]

And so, after a quick return to the hunting shed and a friendly wave to the butler maintaining it, the three boys set off into the woods. The pleasant Fall morning shone filtered light through the trees, creating a peaceful ambience that only a place so untouched by humans could achieve. Light banter was traded between the friends, passing the time nicely. But as the minutes ticked into hours, Ernie started getting restless.

[color=00a99d]"Does hunting usually take this long?"[/color] he muttered.

"[color 33ec06]I think it usually depends on how quickly you find a deer. Or a deer finds you.[/color]" Marcus muttered back, slightly softer. "[color 33ec06]I doubt the three of us crashing through the woods complaining about how long it's taking is going to help much, though.[/color]" 

[color=B0C4DE]"Just think of it like exercise,"[/color] Brent chimed, not all that helpfully, [color=B0C4DE]"Or, I don't know, stick berries onto your clothes and hope it's a deer, not a bear, that goes after you."[/color]

A pause, and then the light of mischief.

[color=B0C4DE]"Or you could take a stick of deer pheromones and just rub it all over your body. That'd totes help."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"I mean, bear meat would be pretty good too,"[/color] the Aberration reasoned, [color=00a99d]"I think I saw some fair-a-mones back in the shed. Do we need to go back and get them?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Listen, bear shows up: I am leaving. Immediately. And quickly. As for pheremones - I doubt it could [i]hurt[/i], just depends on if you want to smell like deer or not.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Eww no, I just washed this yesterday. Brent? What say you?"[/color]

"I'm here to hike, Ernie," he replied, "You're the one that wanted deer meat, yeah? How about just rubbing it in your skull?"

[color=00a99d]"Oh, bald joke, huh? Yeah, I gues--"[/color]

Ernie stopped as his foot pressed into something soft. Brown and sticky with berry seeds sprinkled throughout.

[color=00a99d]"Urrgghh, c'mon!"[/color]

His whining wouldn't go on long as something in the distance caught his eye. A large mound with a noticeable hollow in the base. Like a bear den.

Brent blinked.

[color=B0C4DE]"So,"[/color] he said slowly, eyes darting from one detail to the other, [color=B0C4DE]"Quick review on bear countermeasures. If it's brown, lay down. If it's black, fight back. If it's wh-"[/color]

A low rumble echoed through the vicinity.

[color=B0C4DE]"Someone skipped lunch today?"[/color]

Marcus, having grown up in the suburbs, had very little ideas as to what bear dens looked like, and did not immediately distinguish the mound for what it was. To him, it was quite curious that Brent would bring it up again. Although there was one detail that caught his attention:

"[color 33ec06]Were you about to come up with a rhyme for 'white'? Isn't that just polar bears?[/color]" he said, chuckling slightly.

The rumble unnerved him a little bit, and he looked around anxiously. There wouldn't be a bear on an island, would there?

Ernie began backing away slowly, scraping his dirtied boot on the ground as he went.

[color=00a99d]"Uh, can bears swim?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"There's spirit bears too,"[/color] Brent said, wishing he had something better than a swiss army knife, [color=B0C4DE]"Albino bears and all. But yeah, those are...'If it's white, good night'. Comfy thoughts, you know?"[/color]

A small detail. A tuft of white on a branch.

[color=B0C4DE]"And yeah, Ernie, pretty sure they can. But really, what's there to be afraid of! We've faced off against bigger things, right?"[/color]

Well, no, other people did.

There was a lot of talk about bears going around, and it was starting to worry Marcus.

"[color 33ec06]Hopefully, we won't have to deal with anything as dumb as a polar bear on an island then. Or...any bear, for that matter.[/color]" Marcus said, the chuckle that followed clearly more nervous.

The Aberration shuckled along. [color=00a99d]"I dunno, I hear boat-bears are a pretty common occurrence these...days..."[/color]

His voice petered off as a faint [i]thump[/i] sounded nearby. Another thump. Another. Then a deep, guttural...squeal?

Ernie turned. A mound of white fur loomed from behind a log. Round, shivering. Though it lurked behind the shrubbery, Ernie could tell that its true mass easily dwarfed the three boys. Too bulbous to be an albino bear. Too meek to be a predator. And its ears were too...

They stuck out like two sore thumbs.

An eyebrow raised, Ernie clicked the safety off the crossbow. [color=00a99d]"That's not a bear, right?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"That's..."[/color]

Wait, was that really it? Were they all mass hallucinating?

[color=B0C4DE]"...a giant rabbit."[/color]

Brent tilted his head to the side, before pulling out his phone. Oh, he's definitely going to take a picture of this!

"[color 33ec06]Wh-[/color]" Marcus started, daring to turn around and look at the same thing Ernie had turned towards.

He was dumbfounded. He was literally flabbergasted.

"[color 33ec06]Send that to me.[/color]" Marcus said, leaning towards Brent but not taking his eyes off the monstrous rabbit in front of them.

The beast lingered in its spot as Brent adjusted his phone. Though shadow concealed the bulk of its body, a decently clear picture of the creature's silhouette could be taken.

Until the auto-flash went off.

A shriek boxed the ears of the three boys and powerful hindlegs launched the animal into the air, its trajectory set to land on Ernie. His rope was instinctively summoned but he found himself unable to move from the sheer surprise of the situation.

A shriek that seemed to resonate in his skull came out of this thing's mouth, forcing Marcus's ears to his head. He was still trying to figure out the logistics of the situation; was it a DC creature? Was this thing an experiment and they were being tested? Was it just and ungodly sized rabbit? All of these questions flashed through his head as the thing seemed to launch off like a rocket.

But what goes up must come down. 

On Ernie, apparently. Who seemed to be frozen in sheer disbelief. Not that Marcus could blame him. Still, something had to be done before the kid wound up as a pancake, and the sound of static right beside Ernie would probably be second to Marcus shoulder-checking him as hard as he possibly could at full sprint.

The second sound of static indicated his rewind, putting him back a little bit further than he'd expected.

Right. He knew that. Four seconds.

He got a nice picture at least. All the way up until auto-flash made the big bunny become ballistic, a hell-screech from the spawn of Satan setting his nerves on the edge. With one powerful leap, it ascended, flying high enough to blot out the sun, and all Brent could do was gape as it fell with meteoric force, destination: Ernie.

Marcus moved before he could, a tackle and a rewind pushing both of them out of the way as two muscled hindlegs created large prints within the ground, the earth trembling at the descent of the king of rabbits.

The inadequate knife was in his hands once more, amethyst eyes lighting up.

[color=B0C4DE]"Marcus! Ernie!"[/color] This wasn't DC. This wasn't Wisford. But none of Unit B's powerhouses were here. [color=B0C4DE]"Are we doing this?!"[/color]

Ernie's durability prevented a rough landing from Marcus' tackle. Shame it couldn't prevent his stupid trigger finger from acting up again. A loaded bolt flew towards the rabbit's neck, zipping faster than his eyes could track before it bounced harmlessly off its hide. It didn't even react as if it had felt it.

Oh.

Oh no.

His rope would protect himself. It was the only thing it did. But what if Marcus ran out of rewinds? What if Brent's blade wasn't enough? The crossbow had certainly done nothing. He'd trusted the others in his class to take care of themselves. D.C. had shown him why he shouldn't have.

Three minutes of vulnerability if he failed. But that wasn't going to happen. He wasn't going to fail again. There was only one enemy.

Take action.

As the rabbit scratched at the dirt where Ernie was supposed to be, the Aberration crept forward. He hadn't used this in a while. Launching into a low sprint, Ernie tapped the ground by the rabbit's feet, lighting up a circular rune and trapping it to that spot. Then he backed away, answering Brent's question with a [color=00a99d]"nope, no we're not."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Works for me![/color] Marcus said. Ernie's bolt had bounced relatively harmlessly off the rabbit's throat, tumbling into the foliage near Marcus, who took the opportunity to grab it while the rabbit had been distracted. At least he had something somewhat sharp now.

If he'd known about [i]this[/i], maybe he would have brought a gun.

The first was an explosion of light, the blade of the knife extending into the length of a machete.

The second was a hot wind, the material composition of the blade changing, becoming more suitable for cutting through fur, fat and flesh in a single stroke.

WIth the vorpal blade in hand, and Ernie's suggestion of retreating, Brent nodded once.

[color=B0C4DE]"How long do we have?"[/color] the arbiter asked, backstepping away.

[color=00a99d]"Five minutes,"[/color] Ernie replied, thankful that the cooldown for his rope had lessened since the dream, [color=00a99d]"I gotta stay in range for it to keep working but..."[/color]

He studied the creature as it shrieked some more. It shrieked a lot, actually. Was that just how it normally sounded?

The rabbit scratched at the ground some more, turning inquisitively towards the boys. Its hindlegs twitched but didn't leave the ground.

[color=00a99d]"I won't get hurt if it pounces again. You guys can leave early if you want."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]I mean. I'm all for leaving, if I'm being perfectly honest.[/color]" Marcus said, spinning the crossbow bolt in his hand to wield like an awkwardly-sized knife.

"[color 33ec06]But if the thing's trapped, we might as well throw what we've got at it - just so we know it's not gonna sneak up on anybody else around here. I can give us two minutes if we need - no range requirements.[/color]"

[color=B0C4DE]"Yeah, and I'm fairly certain I could just cut it in half,"[/color] Brent added, the blue hue of his impromptu sword pulsating within the shadows of the canopy, [color=B0C4DE]"But...like..."[/color]

It WAS cute. Almost too cute to bisect into gory bits.

The Aberration frowned. Its infernal squeals had shrunk into more tolerable levels as it rested in its spot. It wasn't even looking directly at the subnaturals anymore. Big ol' eyes blinked and its rabbit nose twitched and Ernie felt a pang of [i]something[/i] that made him cringe at the sight of Brent's knife.

[color=00a99d]"Yeeaahhh, maybe we should just... I mean, two minutes is a long enough time for running."[/color]

He couldn't eat that much rabbit meat anyway.

Marcus looked back and forth between the two, before a lightbulb went off in his head. "[color 33ec06]Oh. Ooooooh. Alright. Sure.[/color]" he said, an insufferable look of smugness on his face as he glanced between the two other lads of the group. "[color 33ec06]I get it. Sure, let's get out of here.[/color]"

A quick dash for him to grab the thing's big ol' cotton tail, and it was left flickering. Artifacting in and out just like Lawrence and Siena had, only on a much bigger scale.

And while he was there he gave one of the giant rabbit's foot a quick rub, for good luck and all that.

"[color 33ec06]Make sure that picture came out well enough.[/color]" Marcus said to Brent, nonchalantly walking away from the frozen bunny.

They made their way back to the hunting shed, where a butler offered to return their hunting equipment for the group.

[color=f7976a]"Uneventful trip?"[/color]

Ernie merely let out a curt [color=00a99d]"hah!"[/color] at that.

"[color 33ec06]Jeeze man.[/color] Marcus said, with a faux offended voice. "[color 33ec06]So we come back empty handed. It's hard for three people to hunt effectively. Takes a lot of co-hop-eration.[/color]" he added, giving a glance to his two friends.

[color=B0C4DE]"Least it wasn't stressful,"[/color] Brent said, winking at the others, [color=B0C4DE]"No need to lose any hare over it."[/color]

Ernie took a moment to think one up. [color=00a99d]"I wonder why it was so big. We probably wouldn't've been able to g-rabbit even if we wanted to."[/color]

At the mention of 'big', the crossbow clattered to the ground. The butler muttered a quick apology and returned to its maintenance.

Marcus jumped in surprise as the crossbow hit the ground, reflexively putting his hands over his head to guard himself. He gave a curious look to the other two, before looking back at the butler as he put things away.

"[color 33ec06]You alright? Something spook you?[/color]" Marcus asked, his tone more accusing than questioning.

[color=f7976a]"Butterfingers,"[/color] the servant chuckled coolly, though his smile seemed strained, [color=f7976a]"Haven't had my break in a while."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Ooh,"[/color] Brent winced, [color=B0C4DE]"Probably should take that break. Gotta ask though, you know of any animal here that shrieks really loudly?"[/color]

[color=f7976a]"Well, the deers can get pretty agitated, depending on the season."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]How about the rabbits?[/color]" Marcus asked, following Brent's lead. "[color 33ec06]I hear they can be a [i]giant[/i] nuisance.[/color]"

The butler hesitated. [color=f7976a]"The rabbit population here does get quite...large if we don't take steps to control it. I'm afraid I can't tell you much about them shrieking though. Perhaps you misheard something out there?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Mm, hopefully. Did catch a glimpse of something big and white in that direction, but, well..."[/color]

[color=f7976a]"Huh?!"[/color] his head snapped to Brent before he composed himself, [color=f7976a]"I mean...you saw..."[/color]

The butler looked as if he was holding something back. He shook his head.

[color=f7976a]"Never mind."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Yeah. We saw.[/color]" Marcus said, looking the butler plain in the eyes. 

The servant deflated and sighed. [color=f7976a]"It's been a while since such a large group has stayed here. She usually doesn't go out of her way to play like that. I'd appreciate it if you could keep this on the down-low?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Oh."[/color]

Brent recalled the knife.

[color=B0C4DE]"OH."[/color]

Shit, was that thing a pet?

[color=B0C4DE]"Could you tell us what she is then?"[/color]

A scratch of the head. [color=f7976a]"A rabbit. I can't recall her breed though."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Okay. Yes. A rabbit. A [i]huge[/i] rabbit.[/color]" Marcus said, stretching his arms out for emphasis. "[color 33ec06]Like, did it just get that big naturally? Or is it someone's pet? Or is it one of the staff around here? I have [i]a lot[/i] of questions regarding this.[/color]"

The butler cringed. [color=f7976a]"She belonged to one of the kids from the earlier group, the one with Mr Alkana and his team. Marsha's size is most likely due to the child's intervention. They haven't returned to the estate in a long time and I wasn't sure what to do with her."[/color]

He sighed again.

[color=f7976a]"It's a poorly kept secret. She usually stays out of trouble, I swear. Keeps pests away from the greenhouse. I thought it'd be enough to manage her with my own powers but evidently I need to take greater cautions when visitors arrive. My apologies for the trouble."[/color] He said with a bow.

[color=B0C4DE]"Oh no,"[/color] Brent shook his head, [color=B0C4DE]"No need for that. She's really cute. Pretty sure all the girls in class would love to play with her."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Mmhmm, super cute,"[/color] Ernie affirmed. He still wasn't sure how sensible the idea of letting a giant bunny freely wreak havoc in the deep forest was but the fact that Marsha wasn't a savage, murderous beast brought him some solace.

Savage and murderous...

Oh dear.

[color=00a99d]"The only trouble here is our classmates,"[/color] Ernie warned him seriously, [color=00a99d]"There are a lot of Aberrations. I can't say they'll [i]definitely[/i] go into the woods but..."[/color]

The butler nodded. [color=f7976a]"I'll take that into account. I've been meaning to get her into an enclosure but, well, there are some obvious complications with that. I'm sure if I enlist the help of some of the other staff then it will be fine. Thank you."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Good call, Ernie,"[/color] Brent thumbed up the considerate Aberration, [color=B0C4DE]"And if you need any extra help, I'm willing to offer it. Would be a shame if she got caught in the crossfire."[/color]

Even if her 'owner' must have already passed away.

"[color 33ec06]Yeah, I can try and help too, but I don't really know how much I can offer.[/color]" Marcus added, looking at the butler. "[color 33ec06]But definitely pen her up somewhere, at least until our group leaves. Bad eggs and all that.[/color]"

Ernie nodded. He considered offering his unbreakable lasso but considering the amount of giant rabbit poop he'd stepped in today...

Yeahhh, maybe later.[/hider]

[hider=Ernie and Marcus: Debate, Discussion, Declaration]
[center]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/XZCyPaz.png[/img]

[h2][color 00a99d]Ernest[/color] | [color 33ec06]Marcus[/color][/h2]
[img]http:// i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img] 
[hr][color=silver]𝕎: 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟚𝟛, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝔹𝕒𝕝𝕕 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥   / /   𝟙𝟙𝟘𝟘[/color][hr]
[sub]Collab with [@Chasers115][/sub][/center]

By the time pleasantries had been thoroughly exchanged with the animal-handling butler it was almost time for lunch. Brent had gotten distracted by something in the shed and waved them goodbye about a minute ago. The other two began their trek back to the manor in the meanwhile.

[color=00a99d]"That's the last time I'm touching that crossbow,"[/color] Ernie remarked.

"[color 33ec06]Well, my body appreciates that.[/color]" Marcus said, chuckling slightly. "[color 33ec06]But it's probably not a bad weapon to have, friendly-fire aside.[/color]"

Strategically, it [i]wasn't[/i], as long as Ernie knew how to use it. Quiet, reusable, and who knew what kind of fancy things he could do with his lasso and a crossbow bolt. The only real downside it had was weight and aim - otherwise it was just like another gun for the rapidly growing arsenal of weapons they were being provided for missions.

Two misfires in a day and it wasn't bad to have? The Aberration looked at him skeptically. [color=00a99d]"For real? What do you mean?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]I dunno.[/color]" Marcus shrugged, suddenly being forced to rewind his brain back to the point he'd just made to himself. "[color 33ec06]It's basically just like a silenced gun, except it's a little heavier, and you can pull the ammo out of someone and shoot [i]someone[/i] else with it. Plus, I've literally got no idea how your bungee works, so maybe you could use it as an anchor point? Makeshift grappling hook or something?[/color]" he suggested, waving his arms wildly in a generally accepted 'I have no idea what I'm talking about' fashion.

[color=00a99d]"Well, recycling's never a bad thing,"[/color] Ernie humored the idea of multi-use ammo, [color=00a99d]"I'll give that grappling idea a test run later then."[/color]

The ideas were abstract but Ernie could already see more paths opening for him. He'd need a longer rope though. He grinned in excitement.

[color=00a99d]"Yeah, that's some decent stuff. But being the face [i]and[/i] brains of the operation? Leave some room for the rest of us, Time Scar."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Absolutely not.[/color]" Marcus said, giving Ernie a coy wink. "[color 33ec06]I crave that screen time. It's all mine, and nobody else is allowed to have any.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Hey, this is exactly the kind of glory-hogging that leads to boy bands breaking up."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Alright fine. Maybe I can make an exception for the boy band. Since we're such charming individuals and all - ready to take America's heart by storm and blah buh blah buh blah...[/color]" Marcus chuckled, trailing off into gibberish.

Ernie merely shook his head in faux disbelief. Talking came so easily when it came to Marcus. It almost helped him forget D.C. But not quite.

[color=00a99d]"Yeah, TMZ's gonna eat that shit up,"[/color] he smiled contemplatively, [color=00a99d]"Brent's already got this Red Ranger reputation cos of all the directions he gave in his clip. But you dived into a freaking collapsed building. Both of you better work hard if you wanna top this month's popularity poll."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]'Dived' is a strong word.[/color]" Marcus said, giving an unsure shrug. "[color 33ec06]'Snuck in like a suicidal idiot' is probably more along the lines of what I would use. But hell, I'll take the popularity votes where I can get 'em. All I have to do now is come up with a catchphrase involving 'Zip Zip Boi' and Brent won't even stand a chance.[/color]" he said, a genuine chuckle punctuating his sentance.

[color=00a99d]"Making the most of all your public personas, huh? Smart."[/color]

The manor was quickly approaching and with every step Ernie could feel his spirits sink to the level it had been before the hunting trip. He couldn't go on like this, without knowing if his friends were people he could trust. There probably wasn't a good way to approach this anyway. Worse methods, like what he'd done with Angel, but nothing that would preserve the fractured remains he already had. Time to just bite the bullet.

[color=00a99d]"Actually, now that we're talking about D.C...."[/color]

Do it.

[color=00a99d]"I...saw the man on Pennsylvania Avenue. The big guy with a hole in his head."[/color]

Marcus's mood shift was visible. The joy drained from his face almost immediately, the laughter in his eyes replaced first with a sligh confusion, before it switched over to a hurt betrayal, and finally guilt, which pointed them directly away from Ernie's gaze.

His fault. His decision. He'd taken a life this time, not just stood by doing nothing while someone died. He'd just been an unwitting bystander in those, despite the fact that he could have saved them. It wasn't his fault that they were dead...or at least that's what he continued to tell himself, despite what he knew was true.

This one had been him though. He'd actively killed a man, and apparently Ernie knew. His hair bristled with paranoia. It always seemed like these kind of conversations were too open ended. Nobody ever wanted to come out and say it. Not Ernie. Not Brent.

Denial had done nothing for him back when Brent had done this. All that had gotten him was a knowing look and a lasting fear of retribution. No point lying again; not to Ernie, when he obviously already knew.

"[color 33ec06]And?[/color]" Marcus said, the tone of his voice almost angry as he seemed to challenge Ernie's statement. Too defensive with Brent. That had been a failure. Perhaps an offensive stance was the way to go.

Ernie flinched at Marcus' sudden aggression. He wasn't sure how this conversation would go but he wasn't expecting [i]this[/i]. 

[color=00a99d][i]Is he even sorry?[/i][/color]

The Aberration bristled visibly in return. [color=00a99d]"How many times did you even fire before you decided to just end it?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Zero.[/color]" Marcus said, the same challenging tone in his voice.

Hurt crossed Ernie's face. No, no, it wasn't supposed to go like this at all.

[color=00a99d]"You didn't even try...didn't even consider a non-lethal option?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Emma asked him nicely to stop, and he continued killing her. I asked him less nicely to stop, and he continued killing her.[/color]" Marcus said, lifting up and counting off fingers as he spoke. "[color 33ec06]I tried to force him off her, and he turned around and nearly punched my teeth out of my skull. Diplomacy wasn't stopping anything, Ernie. Force did.[/color]" Marcus said, glaring once at Ernie before his eyes darted off to the ground again.

He wasn't proud of his actions, but he wasn't going to apologize for them.

[color=00a99d]"Two subnaturals couldn't do shit against one Regular so in the end it took a fucking gun to fix things,"[/color] Ernie shoved his fists into his pockets to stop them from shaking, [color=00a99d]"A bullet to the guts or the leg wasn't gonna satisfy you, huh?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Emma wasn't doing [i]a damn thing[/i] to protect herself. One subnatural was getting herself killed and another was trying to help. And I wasn't exactly in the mood for hesitation: for lining up a shot to his knees while he punched me in the face again.[/color]" Marcus said, vaguely aware of the fact that his voice was raising slightly, and he was saying things that he probably shouldn't have.

He took a deep breath before he continued, slightly quieter, and significantly more tired. "[color 33ec06]What do you want from me? An apology? 'Sorry I panicked and had to resort to violence when a lynch mob was forming around a bunch of scared evacuees'?[/color]"

He sounded just like Angel. Ernie could feel the derision and hatred already well up in him. The mention of Emma twitched a deeper frown out of him but he put it at the back of his mind for another day.

[color=00a99d]"I dunno,"[/color] he snapped, [color=00a99d]"I thought you were the kind of guy that could think through his anger. Make decisions when panic is ruining everything for everyone."[/color]

God, Ernie felt stupid now. So it had been half-spite, half-irrationality. Better than Angelique's ratio, if that was anything.

[color=00a99d]"I...thought you'd be better than me at least."[/color]

A moment of silence as Marcus's eyes searched the ground. "[color 33ec06]Yeah. I thought I'd be that kind of guy too. But I'm not. That much has been proven over and over again. Wisford. DC. I...I couldn't...I can't.[/color]" Marcus said, his tone dropping from weariness to outright defeat.

"[color 33ec06]That much I'm sorry for. For not being the person we thought I could be.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Whatever. Just don't let the papers find that out."[/color] Ernie rolled his eyes but it felt like an icy fist was clenching around his heart.

Wisford. All the time, that fucking town wouldn't leave him. Ernie recalled David's scarred face, wondered if the Arbiter could ever see or even speak again after what Ernie had put him through.

The rogue mages. Were they following the APC or had Ernie missed something in David's pockets?

[color=00a99d]"Look, D.C. was fucked for you, I know. But those rogue mages weren't because you panicked,"[/color] Ernie tried reassuring him weakly. Did he deserve to know?

Marcus's eyes darted to Ernie's. A brief flash of guilt and realization all at the same time. He didn't know. He didn't know the things that Brent knew. Ernie didn't even know that Marcus had been the one to get Savannah killed. He was safe.

Still he said nothing, his eyes searching once around Ernie's for that sudden epiphany, and then darting away again, like a frightened animal.

Of course the Aberration caught that look. Ernie might've been naive and unacademic but he wasn't a complete fucking idiot. His brows furrowed, mind racing through his internal databank for what could have possible caused it but found nothing. So he dropped it. David's story would be untold yet another day.

[color=00a99d]"It's just...so [i]easy[/i] to hurt someone when you want it, yeah? A gunshot. A hasty sentence,"[/color] he sighed instead, [color=00a99d]"I dunno. If I've learnt anything these past weeks, it's that 'easy' almost never means 'right'."[/color]

Safety. Topic shift. He was in the clear.

Marcus sighed too, almost as if he were trying to side with Ernie in this debate of theirs. "[color 33ec06]Yeah. But sometimes you hurt people without meaning to...and 'hard' doesn't always mean 'effective'. Or at least, that's what I've learned over these last few weeks.[/color]"

He could've gone on the offensive again. It would have been easy. Bring up Christmas again, ask him how easy it was to hurt him. But he didn't. Even if Ernie wasn't happy with him, they were just two kids fighting the same war. No reason to burn bridges.

The buzzcut boy nodded silently. There weren't any right answers in sight. Maybe he wasn't smart enough to find them or maybe...

Maybe there just weren't any.

[color=00a99d]"At least Emma made it out safely,"[/color] Ernie commented before recalling the video of her getting tossed sideways onto the rubble. Huh. She wasn't doing much there either. Past conversations of shutdowns and uselessness resurfaced and Ernie found himself frowning in confusion, [color=00a99d]"What did you mean she wasn't doing a damn thing?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]I...I don't-[/color]" Marcus started, rubbing the back of his head nervously. He really shouldn't have said that, and he definitely shouldn't have even considered talking about it more. But it was frustrating, and maybe venting a little bit wouldn't be such an awful thing.

"[color 33ec06]I don't know.[/color] he continued with a large sigh and lost shrug. "[color 33ec06]I don't know if she was just stunned or what. She got tackled, and the guy just kept punching her [i]over and over[/i], and she didn't even have her hands up to protect herself...I think she was caught off guard, but...[/color]"

There was that little hint of doubt, and after everything Emma had told him last time they talked...maybe she didn't [i]want[/i] to defend herself.

[color=00a99d]"I mean, even if she's caught off guard isn't that what the tulpas are there for? Det made for a pretty cool guard buddy last night,"[/color] the Aberration said absently as he tried to pull up more memories.

[quote][i][color=8A3DFF]"So, go ahead and hate me. You have every right to. Hell, go ahead and tell the others what a piece of shit I am. It’s not like I deserve their friendship. When it comes time, I’ll be the one dying, not you, Ernie. Because really, I’m the useless one, even with this power. I’m not reliable, and I’m not strong. So… whatever you think of me is probably right.”[/color][/i][/quote]

Yikes.

Ernie pursed his lips. [color=00a99d]"Shutdowns happen a lot in our line of work. They shouldn't, but they do. ...I dunno. I get the feeling she doesn't like herself that much. That, uh, probably doesn't have much to do with panic shutdowns. Sorry."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Christ man. Nobody here like themselves. It's like a self-confidence disease comes with this damned mark, I swear.[/color]" Marcus said, tapping his white streak for emphasis.

"[color 33ec06]And I don't know what the tulpas do, besides stand around and shout existential horrors from the corner.[/color]"

Ernie barked out a harsh laugh. [color=00a99d]"You'd be surprised at the egos of some of the guys I've met."[/color]

The latter statement alarmed him. [color=00a99d]"Does Determination shout at corners now? Wait, do the other ones talk too?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Not at, [i]from[/i]. Last time I saw him he was desperately pleading for Emma to, and I quote, 'Not let him die'. It's the stuff of nightmares. And I'm too afraid to ask about the other ones.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"...He...did seem rather caught up with his own existence...?"[/color] Ernie tried to ignore the last statement, [color=00a99d]"Anyway, this seems like the sorta shit that needs to be brought up with her. Maybe if she can actually do stuff, defend herself with what she's got, no one'll need to get shot next time."[/color]

Marcus gave Ernie a dirty look, continuing on without saying anything about that little statement. "[color 33ec06]Maybe. But like I said...I don't know if she was just taken by surprise or what. Hopefully she feels a little bit better in the next week if not.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Hell, you could even have some kinda training sesh,"[/color] Ernie grimaced inwardly at what he said earlier, [color=00a99d]"I know Rosa would probs get cranky if we weren't keeping up with training. Might as well take advantage of the time and space we've got here."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]I don't know. Maybe a few weeks without training would be a good thing? It's not like our powers degrade if we don't keep using them.[/color]" Marcus said, rubbing the back of his neck again. "[color 33ec06]Every chance we get to relax and just be normal kids, I think we should take. I doubt we're gonna get away with this many days of not training when we get back, so might as well enjoy ourselves, you know?[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Normal kids, huh..."[/color]

Not now. Not in front of Marcus. Ernie shook the melancholic shift out of his system with a roll of the shoulders.

[color=00a99d]"Yeah, fair point. Not everyday you get free access to a minibar and supercar. But you know what they say: failing to prepare is preparing to fail. I just want things to go less...shit next time, I guess."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Yeah. Me too.[/color]" Marcus said with an irritated chuckle.

"[color 33ec06]Me too...[/color]"

The pair climbed the steps of the manor together, finally returning to the homestead after the forest trek. The conversation had reached an end but Ernie clearly still had much on his mind.

So the Aberration stopped. Turned to Marcus with an unfamiliar conviction in his gaze.

He was going to be losing friends left and right if this continued. He was going to be in harm's way if he tried to stop them. But seeing this destruction, all this [i]unnecessary[/i] death and suffering go on would eventually break him harder than any fractured bone would. Observing had done nothing. Maybe he wasn't smart enough to find the right way of doing things. He'd done too much to ever be the authority on that. But he knew what was was 'wrong', where it was coming from and who was going to stop it.

He would become an actor, like Elvia said. Stop the bullet from leaving the barrel. He would do it with his bare hands if it was needed. No, not bare. With a pistol and a golden rope. That would be all he needed.

[color=00a99d]"If...if something like D.C. happens again, but in front of me..."[/color]

It wasn't a threat. Hell, there wasn't even any hostility in his words. It was just a promise of action. Ernie spoke firmly.

[color=00a99d]"I'm gonna do everything in my power to stop it. If it's you or Angel or anyone else in this class, if I have the chance to prevent something so needlessly hurtful from happening again then I will take it."[/color]

Hazel eyes searched chestnut for a response.

Chestnut eyes searched hazel, looking for intention. Not a threat, but a warning. A difference in operation.

"[color 33ec06]That's fine Ernie, as long as you know where your prorities lay. I'm not going to let the people on my team die just because there might have been a better way to solve things. If I have to take action, I will.[/color]" The statement was equal in Marcus's attempt to prevent hostility from sneaking through.

A silence before Ernie finally smirked. There was a note of relief through it all.

[color=00a99d]"No hard feelings then? Not until the time comes?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]None.[/color] Marcus said, giving Ernie a slight nod. There was a moment of silence as he thought of something, before he turned to look incredulously at Ernie, a smug look on his face. "[color 33ec06]Hey wait. Is [i]that[/i] why you shot me in the leg?[/color]" Marcus asked, the look on his face indicating he was just messing with Ernie.

The Aberration's face curled in embarrassment before he pouted and muttered, [color=00a99d]"Maybe I should go back and get it after all."[/color]

Marcus laughed, giving Ernie a playful nudge. "[color 33ec06]I'll be long gone and hiding in the rafters before you get back. Really no point to it.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Did you forget these cuffs have trackers? I'll catch you someday, ya wily bastard. Mark my damn words."[/color][/hider]

[hider=Ernie and Siena: Designated Driving]
[center]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/EqVwCQa.png[/img]  

[h2][color 00a99d]Ernest[/color] | [color ff57ff]Siena[/color][/h2]
[img]http:// i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img] 
[hr][color=silver]𝕎: 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟚𝟛, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝔹𝕒𝕝𝕕 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   ℤ𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘'𝕤 𝔼𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖: 𝔾𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕖   / /   𝟚𝟛𝟘𝟘[/color][hr]
[sub]Collab with [@PapiTan][/sub][/center]

Smoothie bottles were reeaallly convenient.

So handy, with internal blendy bits and everything! Ernie happily shook his frozen daiquiri as he wandered down the hall, marvelling at the complete lack of spillage. Another day, another discovery. The world worked in wondrous ways and every breath was a gift. How lovely.

The Aberration pinballed off the walls of the manor, tripping over himself only a grand total of three times, before he reached the garage. A really nice place too. Down the stairs, into the pretty black car. Ernie toppled inwards, only his top half needed to find what he needed. Cup holders. This shit could hold like one...two...so many daiquiris, man. Smoothie bottles so convenient.

He kicked his legs in the air outside the car in delight.

Most nights, Siena was already in her room, her phone in hand, and testing the waters with a multitude of names--but most nights was [i]most nights[/i] and not nights after she had started trying to figure out the art of driving. There wouldn't be many opportunities back at USARILN, as far as the girl knew, but a faint sense of pride kept the girl from trying during the day. Too many embarrassing ways to die, she supposed, if she drove the car into a tree or off the edge of a cliff. 

The mental image of the latter did not make the Arbiter believe that she should be more willing to drive at night, but if there was anything she wanted to do [i]less[/i] than dying in an embarrassing manner, it was going back to her room to try and pull sources. That said, Siena made her way toward the garage with every intention o--

[i]Those are legs, sticking out of the car.[/i]

[i]'[color=ff57ff]Yes, those are legs sticking out of the car.[/color]'[/i]

Should she have been that calm?

"[color=ff57ff]U-um...hell...o...?[/color]"

A thud on the doorframe as Ernie hastily shot upright. Hazel eyes took awhile to blink themselves out of the daze before they adjusted on the brunette.

[color=00a99d]"Car...Siena..."[/color] he muttered before realisation took his expression, [color=00a99d]"It rhymes!"[/color]

[i]'[color=ff57ff]That doesn't rhyme at all?[/color]'[/i] Maybe it was a joke? Instead of voicing her confusion, Siena gave a laugh. Sort of. It was more of a confused titter than an actual laugh. Well, she tried. It was the thought that counted, right?

"[color=ff57ff]Speaking of cars, um...[/color]" [i]What were you doing?[/i] That seemed like a good question to-- "[color=ff57ff]Going for a midnight drive?[/color]" ...ask.

The Aberration looked contemplative. [color=00a99d]"Are you?"[/color]

"[color=ff57ff]I um...[/color]" Giving a sheepish, nervous expression, Siena scratched the back of her head. "[color=ff57ff]I just started learning how to drive, so I thought it would be less embarrassing if everyone was asleep.[/color]" Infinitely less embarrassing. "[color=ff57ff]S-so if you were planning on a drive, I can come back tomorrow.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Hmmmmm,"[/color] Ernie stretched over the roof, [color=00a99d]"So you don't have a proper permit?"[/color]

Oh, right, that was a thing. 

"[color=ff57ff]Um...n-no...?[/color]" It wasn't as if she could pull a permit from thin air, nor did she know exactly what a permit looked like, so lying about it wasn't the best course of action. Was it [i]that[/i] bad when they were on private property? [i]Probably.[/i] [i]'[color=ff57ff]Shut up, logic.[/color]'[/i] 

Half-lidded eyes squinted skeptically before a grin cut through it all. [color=00a99d]"Eyyy, me neither!"[/color]

The boy clambered over into the passenger's seat, legs flailing for a bit before his seatbelt clicked and his bottle was deposited into the beloved cup holder with a dramatic swig.

[color=00a99d]"Safety first!"[/color] he called out and pointed to the rack of bike helmets, [color=00a99d]"Get one for both of us."[/color]

Alright, well, there were probably better ways to try and come up with a reason as to why it would be fine for her to drive. Maybe she could just come when there were--wait, did she hear that right? Surprise hit her like a bag of bricks as Ernie made his way into the passenger's seat, then came back for a second round with her face when he pointed at the bike helmets. That...didn't seem quite right either.

But uh...well, if Ernie was humoring her, she supposed she should have as well...?

"[color=ff57ff]Um...have a color preference?[/color]" She questioned, masking the uncertainty in her voice, but failing to succeed in preventing her steps from being uncertain.

The Aberration considered it like it was the meaning of life itself. [color=00a99d]"Red is a fast color."[/color]

"[color=ff57ff]Like a race car red, right?[/color]" Other shades of red didn't exactly feel "fast" as Ernie had put it, after all. Picking up the most vibrantly red helmet and one in what she assumed was something between black or navy. Taking a few steps toward the car to ensure she wouldn't miss, Siena tossed the helmet in a gentle arc toward the other mage despite the immense confusion that continued to overtake her. "[color=ff57ff]Will these really help?[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Do you [i]want[/i] your head to explode?"[/color] Ernie scowled but looked at the shade of red approvingly as he caught the helmet.

[i]Explode?![/i] That didn't sound quite right either, but some part of the girl wanted to see where things would go if she played along. A faint, burning curiosity that said "it'll be more interesting than a foregone conclusion" instead of "get him out of the car, he's clearly not thinking straight." So Siena went ahead and rolled with the punches. 

"[color=ff57ff]N-No...[/color]" The girl claimed while moving for the car, her fingers blindly fiddling with the straps to adjust them before reaching for the door handle. [i]She wondered, briefly, if this was the type of car that he would have driven.[/i] "[color=ff57ff]Any other tips you have to share?[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Gradual pressure on the pedals, use the high beam lights since this island is pretty open,"[/color] Ernie advised sagely, [color=00a99d]"And make sure the garage door is open before we drive out."[/color]

"[color=ff57ff]All excellent pieces of advice![/color]" The second one, Siena doubted she would have thought of without being told. Daytime didn't generally warrant the use of bright lights, she supposed. Settling into the driver's side, the girl glanced at the helmet in her hands. Rolling with the punches. Right. She clipped it on over her head--[i]she wondered, briefly, if it really would do anything to stop a head from exploding in any situation where it might happen[/i]--before turning to face Ernie. Right, she had...[i]some[/i] sort of capability with a car, didn't she? "[color=ff57ff]W-well, here goes nothing.[/color]"

[i]Here goes nothing? Is this really a good idea?[/i] No. Probably not.

Ernie observed Siena's technique as she traversed the roads around the manor. Hesitant at first but grasped the concepts well. He gave her tips on her cornering, reminded her to indicate and switch gears. An occasional scrape happened here and there, nothing major. The Arbiter learned well.

Which made for an increasingly boring drive.

Ernie tapped the upturned bottom of his bottle, dismayed as the final drops fell onto the side of his face instead of his mouth. With a sigh, he turned back to the lesson at hand.

[color=00a99d]"Nice job, Siena. You have good foundations,"[/color] he repeated what she'd said to him in the music room. Hopefully it sounded smart, [color=00a99d]"Do you have anything new you want to learn tonight?"[/color]

So far so good, though Siena was admittedly hesitant and clumsy with the controls--[i]do you think he would be proud of you?[/i]--when it came to knowing where and when to shift, but it was becoming more natural the longer she remained on the road...well, at least that was what she would like to believe. Part of her wasn't entirely convinced, but she hadn't run the car hood first into anything, so that was a bonus. As Ernie spoke, Siena dared a glance toward him before quickly returning her eyes to the road. Anything [i]new[/i]? There was more to driving?

"[color=ff57ff]New...?[/color]" Her voice echoed her thoughts, a trace of confusion. It didn't seem like an attempt at humor, but she had never really thought much about driving before. Nothing beyond the idea of "get on the road and don't crash" had ever been entirely relevant. Not wanting to sound entirely oblivious, Siena tried to mask her obvious uncertainty with humor. "[color=ff57ff]You mean like getaway driver techniques?[/color]"

Whew. That hadn't been what he meant at all but now that she mentioned it...

Ernie's eyes lit up. [color=00a99d]"You know them?"[/color]

He seemed oddly excited about the prospect of doing daredevil stunts in a car that might get one or both of them killed. Siena blinked in surprise a few times and slowed the car down. Well, if she thought about it...well, there were ways around not knowing herself, weren't there?

"[color=ff57ff]Well, [i]I[/i] don't, but I'm sure someone in a book does...[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Nah, nah, nah. No book needed, I'll be the book. First we gotta find a good road to practice on."[/color]

The road he selected was a little runway surrounded by untamed greenery, just a minute or so out of town. Probably best if they didn't disturb the townsfolk too much. Ernie stretched and adjusted his helmet straps as he talked.

[color=00a99d]"A'iiight. Now, show me how you'd normally do a U-turn."[/color]

"[color=ff57ff]Um, oookay...?[/color]" It didn't [i]seem[/i] like there was much chance of running into anything bar for stray wildlife, so a U-turn was feasible. [i]Just...all the way around, pretend there's a divider or something...?[/i] Siena did as instructed, a normal, safe U-turn.

The Aberration nodded like a sage kung-fu master. Just like in all the movies.

[color=00a99d]"Mmhmm. Preddy gud. You've been learning well. But that's the slow way, yeah? The [i]boring[/i] way."[/color]

The road they just travelled down was facing them now. Perrrrrrrfect.

[color=00a99d]"Okay, I want you to gain some speed as we go down this road. Forty-five should do it. When I say 'go', I need you to yank the wheel to the direction of the other lane and keep it there until I tell you to stop."[/color]

He grinned as if he was merely teaching someone how to use fabric softener. His hand now rested on the gear shift, ready to jump to the handbrake if needed.

[color=00a99d]"Got it?"[/color]

He wanted her to what?

"[color=ff57ff]Um...I think so?[/color]" The road was empty, as one might expect in an area as remote as their current location, but that didn't sound like the safest of maneuvers. Then again...maybe [i]that[/i] was why Ernie had wanted the helmets? And exactly why did Ernie know getaway driver techniques? The latter question was muted as Siena started speeding the car up, accellerating faster than before with the comfort of a road before them. 

The numbers ticked up. 25. 35. 45--[i]there it was[/i]. She yanked the wheel toward the other lane, the tires released a sound on the earth that sounded almost like nails on a chalkboard, and she felt the car [i]turn[/i]. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart started racing wildly...but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. A quick jolt of adrenaline that evoked emotions of...[i]joy[/i]? She couldn't stop the faint smile from cracking on her face as the car swung with force, eyes wide with a mixture of what was probably terror, excitement, and some muted form of elation. 

"[color=ff57ff]Wh-whoa![/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Gaagh!"[/color]

The familiar sound of squealing tires. The sensation of inertia lightly ripping his head from its prior position. Ernie let out an awestruck woop as he moved the handbrake and gear shift accordingly. Man, he'd missed this.

As the car finally settled once more, he shot a glance out the window. Overturned by about a third of a rotation, not to mention they were halfway on the grass now. Still...

[color=00a99d]"That was fucking awesome!"[/color] he gave the girl a congratulatory slap on the shoulder, [color=00a99d]"Not bad for a first-timer. How'd ya like it?"[/color]

Her heart was still racing, eyes a fraction wider, the faint upturn at the corner of her lips a dead giveaway to the emotion that tried to nudge its way to the front lines as the girl glanced at her temporary instructor. [i]More thrilling than it would have been a month ago.[/i] The small voice was right. With everything that had happened, a quick swinging car didn't seem like more than a moment of cheap excitement. 

She let the grin on her face grow a bit more, heard the laugh in her voice more than usual. 

"[color=ff57ff]Oh my god, Gerwulf would have killed me for that.[/color]" A cheeky, mischievous smile. "[color=ff57ff]Can we do it again?[/color]"

The grin on Ernie's face was positively maniacal. He didn't know who this Gerwulf fellow was, but if it meant sticking it to the man then he was more than happy with it.

[color=00a99d]"Practice makes perfect!"[/color] he was showing all his teeth now, [color=00a99d]"I'll let you do the handbrake this time."[/color]

Somehow, she didn't feel like she should have been as elated as she was, but the grin on Ernie's face combined with her own newfound comfort seemed to amplify the emotion, seemed to make her smile grow with each thundering heartbeat. This was an entirely different type of freedom compared to what she'd had earlier.

"[color=ff57ff]Alright.[/color]" Eagerness built up pressure, waiting to break free. It didn't feel unpleasant. "[color=ff57ff]You should show me some other moves later. As done by the master, right?[/color]"

Ernie laughed goodnaturedly. [color=00a99d]"Easy, Grasshopper. Gotta get the basics down before we flip anything too fancy."[/color]

Master, though? He wasn't sure about that. 

[quote][color=f7976a][i]"No. No, it's clutch[/i] then [i]handbrake."

"That's what I did!"

"No, you did handbrake first."

"Oh, bite my fuckin' ass, Liam."[/i][/color][/quote]
He smiled fondly. Yeah. He was just a kid who was particularly good at eavesdropping and remembering instructions. A kid who got his hours of practice in when he stole the car of some guy he bumped into at a party, just to bust the engine and ruin the treads. Bitch would think twice before spilling a beer on his bag next time.

It hadn't helped in any situation before this lesson. Definitely wouldn't have done anything to change the events of that night. Well, at least he was doing something with it now.

[color=00a99d]"Really though, the Bootlegger Turn is probs the one you'll use the most out of all the fancy moves you'll learn. If you ever get stuck in another traffic jam, you'll have it handled. Find a way around instead of just--"[/color]

He stopped himself. He didn't want another Angel. He didn't need another Marcus.

The words cut deeper than she wanted them to, and Siena couldn't stop her smile from faltering at the memories. [i]All that red, and none of it sin.[/i] A moment of hesitation as she considered letting the unfinished sentence slide, as though she could pretend that she didn't know what Ernie was talking about, but the Arbiter knew better. 

[i]'[color=ff57ff]You can say it if you want.[/color]'[/i] The words wouldn't come out. Hearing it from someone else again...she wasn't sure she could handle that. Not yet. Not after the night before. Instead, the smile had grown forlorn, a distant expression from what she'd felt earlier. "[color=ff57ff]Y-yeah...[/color]" She refrained from saying "next time" even if she had already accepted that there would probably [i]be[/i] one. She murmured quietly to herself as a reaffirmation. "[color=ff57ff]No more mistakes.[/color]"

Thankfully for Ernie, it didn't [i]seem[/i] like he'd ruined everything with that comment. He chuckled with uncertainty.

[color=00a99d]"Yeah... well, I'm glad I could teach this to [i]someone[/i]. And I'm glad it was you. Feels like I can finally pay you back for that piano lesson."[/color]

Considering how the last confrontations she had about the situation at DC had gone, Siena couldn't help but feel a sense of relief when it seemed that she might get away without trampling another relationship into the dust. Some of it leaked into her expression, she was sure, but still the girl returned her driving companion's statement with one of her own. 

"[color=ff57ff]Speaking of piano lessons, I thought I saw a piano here too.[/color]" Was it really a wise idea? Would her fingers move without shaking, the notes come out without sounding too ragged and harsh? Siena couldn't honestly know. "[color=ff57ff]Maybe we could take advantage of that.[/color]"

Relief flooded his chest. Back to the way he wanted it to be. Ernie turned back to her with the smile he had on before, [color=00a99d]"Are you proposing swapping lessons every now and again? Cos I'd be super cool with that! I don't have much planned for this stay anyway."[/color]

"[color=ff57ff]I almost feel like I'm cheating you with that trade,[/color]" Siena claimed with a half restrained laugh. "[color=ff57ff]But I'd be happy to trade lessons while we're here.[/color]" In case they didn't get another chance later.

[i]Aren't you trying to keep your mind off that?[/i]

[color=00a99d]"Heh, sounds good. You have my number so feel free to call me up whenever. Heck, I'll even sober up for the next one!"[/color]

"[color=ff57ff]That would b--wait, what?[/color]" Sober up? [i]He was drunk?![/i] Siena blinked in surprise. "[color=ff57ff]C-Come again?[/color]"

Ernie let out a hearty laugh, ignoring Siena's shock completely. [color=00a99d]"Cool, cool. Now let's try all that again but in reverse!"[/color][/hider]
[h3]September 26[/h3]

[hider=Ernie and Allison: Keeping Tabs]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img] [img]http://i68.tinypic.com/mhf02b.jpg[/img]

[h2][color 00a99d]Ernest[/color] | [color a187be]Allison[/color][/h2]
[img]http:// i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img] 
[hr][color=silver]𝕊𝕒𝕥: 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟚𝟞, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝔹𝕒𝕝𝕕 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   ℤ𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘'𝕤 𝔼𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖: 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕓𝕒𝕣   / /   𝟚𝟚𝟘𝟘[/color][hr]
[sub]Collab with [@VarionusNW][/sub][/center]

Another night, another liver-killer session.

Ernie sipped from a Blue Lagoon, absently wondering if he could wield multiple martini glasses at a time. Like Wolverine claws but, like, tasty. He snickered to himself. He'd need to patent that shit once they left the island.

A happily hummed tune echoed from the minibar as he began pouring himself another.

Allison Revel approached the jovial drunk, seemingly drawn in by the humming. It was one of the few times in the past week that the aberration had left her room, as if she was intentionally avoiding everyone. There was still something of that want for seclusion visible on her face, as she stared off at nothing in particular. 

[color=a187be]"Hey, Ernie."[/color] The words felt forced, though there was a visible attempt to keep them from being cold and lifeless. "How are you doing? Mind if I join you?" Allison wasn't exactly fond of drinking, especially considering what happened the last time she let alcohol into her system, but she knew she needed to loosen up.

At the sight of the brunette, Ernie willed his eyebrow to not raise itself instinctively. Brent had told him all about the recent developments between her and the Banshee, as you would. He had to say that he had expected more from the girl. Then again he'd expected more from all of his classmates. And look where that had got him.

So he grinned lazily instead.

[color=00a99d]"Getting there,"[/color] he nodded to the girl, already opening up a bottle, [color=00a99d]"No probs, take a seat. You looking for something light or heavy tonight?"[/color]

[color=a187be]"Light."[/color] Allison made her decision without hesitation as she sat down. Ernie was clearly drifting towards heavily drunk, if he wasn't far past that point already. Allison didn't find herself too concerned with his drunkenness, though. Getting herself to go and talk with someone that wasn't Angel instead of sitting alone in her room was enough of a task. [color=a187be]"Last time I had anything heavy,"[/color] or to drink at all, [color=a187be]"I ended up throwing a mattress into a pool."[/color] The words brought Allison's mind back to DC, not exactly something she wanted to remember. She quickly fell silent.

[color=00a99d]"Daaamn. That's fucking wild. Got ourselves a party girl here, huh?"[/color]

[color=a187be]"No, not really. Well, not when I'm sober, I guess."[/color] She found herself staring at the ground. [color=a187be]"And I don't do much drinking."[/color]

Ernie peered at her carefully as he finished up the drink. It was a bit stronger than 'light'.

...

Okay, a [i]lot[/i] stronger. But the girl seriously looked like she needed it. A red-colored martini slid her way. The high-end spirit should be hidden well under all the fruitiness.

[color=00a99d]"Fair enough. Sorry if I'm pokin' around too much buuttt..."[/color] the boy blinked, losing his train of thought briefly, [color=00a99d]"Oh yeah. Are you feelin' alright?"[/color]

Allison took up the glass, and looked at it for a moment. She took a small sip. It went down better than whatever it was that she had drank in DC, though she was still clearly not used to alcohol. She then contemplated the question for a moment.

[color=a187be]"Fuck no,"[/color] Allison said decidedly.

Ernie laughed, probably a lot harder than the comment deserved. Man, he needed to cut down on this shit when he was around people.

[color=00a99d]"Heh, yeah. Defs been there,"[/color] he nodded to himself. He looked to Allison inquisitively, [color=00a99d]"Feel like talking about it?"[/color]

[color=a187be]"Well, let me ask you a question first."[/color] She took a much larger sip of the drink. [color=a187be]"Tell me, do you believe that truly good people exist?"[/color]

That caught him off-guard. Ernie blinked once more before chuckling nervously. He didn't even need to think about this one.

[color=00a99d]"Absolutely not. Why you askin'?"[/color]

[color=a187be]"I think most of everyone else would answer the same way. Considering what's happened, there's no reason for any of us to hold any belief in the goodness of people. A healthy cynicism."[/color] She sipped at the drink again. [color=a187be]"A part of me kept that idealism around, though. When everyone else focuses on themselves, I'm the one idiot still hoping that, maybe, just maybe, everyone isn't as awful as they seem. After what happened in DC..."[/color] A moment of silence passed and most of the drink went down. [color=a187be]"I thought, maybe I should just kill that part of me. Every time I decided to put my trust in someone, any time I hoped for the best and assumed they would do something good, I always ended up wrong. I thought I could stop having to grieve and worry and get backstabbed all the time if I just gave up on people doing anything good. And then I realized what I would become."[/color] She finished the drink. [color=a187be]"The same as every other fucked-up asshole here."[/color]

The buzzcut boy listened. Kept a carefully neutral expression on his face as he sipped absently from his own glass. But man, his blood gonna boil over any second. Another bridge would get burnt if he didn't keep his cards close to his chest.

[color=00a99d][i]Bitch thinks she's better than me, huh?[/i][/color]

[color=00a99d]"And what,"[/color] he chose his words like a defuser choosing which wire to cut, [color=00a99d]"does that mean exactly, the danger of being like the assholes here? You gotta keep the faith to be something better than that?"[/color]

[color=a187be]"I'm not saying I'm better than anyone else,"[/color] Allison protested. [color=a187be]"I just..."[/color] Her word choice, at least, was pretty terrible. Calling everyone a fucked-up asshole wasn't going to do her any favors. [color=a187be]"It's just don't think I could live like that."[/color] She gave herself a moment to think. Her original statement definitely sounded way more supremacist than she intended. [color=a187be]"I just don't think I can give up that part of me, realistically. That naive, hopeful me is as much a reason to keep moving as it the reason I keep ending up in awful situations."[/color] A sigh escaped her lips, her eyes still examining the floor. [color=a187be]"If anything, those fucked-up assholes are stronger people than I."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"If you know that it's naive then why keep it? Is there anything more to it than just being unable to give it up?"[/color]

[color=a187be]"Like I said, I guess it's sort of my reason to live. If I keep going, at some point I'll find someone redeemable. Or, I'll die trying. I'm not going to just give up and lose to myself, I don't want things to end like that. That naivety is a reminder that no matter how fucked up things get, there will always be a light somewhere at the end of the tunnel. I just need to do all I can to reach that."[/color] At this point, Allison was slumped onto the counter. The alcohol was definitely getting to her. [color=a187be]"It's probably not healthy or realistic, but it's better than nothing."[/color]

Surely there were better things to live for? Ernie fought the urge to chuckle as he pushed a tall glass of water to Allison. Quite a few lightweights in this class. These girls needed to be more careful. Plenty of people that would take advantage of that. Drinking some more from his own cocktail, he mulled over her words.

[color=00a99d]"Redemption, for me..."[/color] Though his tone was still light, his face turned solemn, [color=00a99d]"Redemption doesn't exist. I don't think 'good' and 'bad' are something people can just flip between."[/color]

[color=00a99d]" 'Good' isn't something you are. It's something you [i]do[/i]. You don't really realise that until you've really plunged into the worst possible version of yourself. Until you're standing behind a bar, pouring a beer for a guy that was cleaning blood off his hands in the bathroom mere minutes ago. Watching him laugh with the brother he was protecting, completely ignoring all the lives he just took to defend his family. And you just...laugh with him. Geez, you would never believe how fucking [i]human[/i] monsters can be."[/color]

A fresh glass of orange juice was poured. He didn't feel like drinking for this.

[color=00a99d]"Bad people do good all the time. And I'm not talking about good as in for their own interests. Real good. Taking in frightened kids. Making sure they can defend themselves. Banding together to fend off even bigger monsters than the ones they are. People are defined by their actions and actions can be 'good' with even the slightest amount of effort. So goodness can be found in everyone. But that doesn't do jack to erase what they've done. Redemption doesn't exist when there will always be a victim. Someone who's been crippled for life. Children orphaned by callous, murderous bastards. There will be always be someone that remembers."[/color]

Allison contemplated her friend's words for a few moments. There was certainly something poignant about them that the girl wanted to consider, but she was in the middle of being drunk. Either she was more of a lightweight than she thought, or that wasn't a "light" drink.

[color=a187be]"I'll think abot et,"[/color] was about all she could get to fall out of her mouth in response. Two things were busy crowding Allison's mind: her stigma, and how tired she felt. Well, she wasn't exhausted, but she felt as if a nap was the most appropriate response in the current scenario. The most tempting option her mind had come up with was to use Ernie as an impromptu pillow, as well as a few less sleep-oriented things. Those definitely seemed to take too much effort, so she opted to stay as she was. The counter became surprisingly comfortable when one was under the influence. [color=a187be]"I juhs need a short nap."[/color]

The boy laughed again. Wayyy light. Though he was a bit miffed that all his words had been for little result, he couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow up at the drunk girl. [color=00a99d]"It's barely 10:30. Should I help you back to your room or something? Would be comfier than the counter."[/color]

A halfhearted [color=a187be]"Uh huh"[/color] escaped Allison's lips in response, prompting her to sluggishly begin lifting herself up.

Man, sleepy drunks were the boringest. But he still sort of considered Allison his friend so he digressed. The walk back was rather slow for his taste, a result of their varying levels of inebriation. Of course the buzzcut boy sobered up immediately at the sight of extra blankets and a guitar in the corner of the room. It took far too much effort to keep his face from souring.

[color=00a99d]"You, uh, rooming with someone?"[/color]

[color=a187be]"Yeea."[/color] If Allison was sober to any extent, she might've noticed Ernie's reaction to Angel's things, but instead wrapped her arms around Ernie in a loose, drunken hug. [color=a187be]"Thanks, Ernie. Yur a good friend."[/color]

The boy leaned back in surprise but otherwise simply chuckled in amusement. The hug was reciprocated with a brief squeeze and customary pats on the back before he stepped back.

[color=00a99d]"Need me for anything before I leave? Like more water?"[/color]

[color=a187be]"No, no, I'm fine. Goodnight."[/color]

A nod and a wave as he moved to the door. He should have just left things as they were. 

Should have. But he couldn't.

With his hand still on the doorknob, he turned and asked before he lost his nerve. [color=00a99d]"Why are you staying by Angelique? You knew what she did."[/color]

Allison's face hardened in that moment.

[color=a187be]"You said even bad people are capable of doing good. Well, good people can do bad things."[/color] Allison swallowed hard, finding herself staring at the floor with her fists clenched. [color=a187be]"Goodnight, Ernest."[/color] Allison grabbed the doorknob and pulled it closed.

It would have been easy to stick his foot in the door. To shove it back open and berate her over how obviously idiotic she was being. But that hadn't worked with Angelique. And 'easy' rarely meant 'right'.

Hesitation stole the moment and Ernie found himself facing a closed door, indignation and fury raising a fist to pound on the wooden panels in his stead. But the hand lowered as easily as it had risen once reason flooded its way back into his thoughts. The questioning had gone as well as it possibly could have. Better to have icy tensions than the flaming mess he'd created with the banshee.

Well. Forcing his beliefs had solved nothing. If Allison insisted on being knowingly naive then it wasn't his grave she was digging. This week had had him believing that forgiveness was something too virtuous for him to even come close to reaching. It was clear now that it was nothing more than fool's errand. Weakness and sheer stupidity. His stubbornness was justified after all.

Shaking his head, Ernie made his way back to the bar.[/hider]

[hr]
[h3]Interlude: Conviction[/h3]

[hider=Ernie: Actor]
[quote]InkyHeartbeats: eventually it'll come around to either fighting around the clock or getting locked away[/quote]
[indent][color=00a99d][i]I won't die here.[/i][/color][/indent]

[quote][color=9e0039]”I’d rather see the whole fucking world die before someone from our class dies in front of me again.”[/color][/quote]
[indent][color=00a99d][i]They won't get away with it again. I'll stop them all.[/i][/color][/indent]

[quote][color f7976a]"We who remain here can only observe and wait."[/color][/quote]
[indent][color=00a99d][i]How many others are out there waiting like her? I'll do it for them.[/i][/color][/indent]

[quote][color=00a99d]"Get to a computer and google 'USARILN West Reno task force.' Just...don't do it in front of anyone, including me."[/color][/quote]
[indent][color=00a99d][i]'Trust'? You couldn't even look him in the eye.[/i][/color][/indent]

[quote]"[color=33ec06]If I have to take action, I will.[/color]"[/quote]
[indent][color=00a99d][i]I fear something terrible is going to happen.[/i][/color][/indent]

[quote][color=a187be]"Well, good people can do bad things."[/color][/quote]
[indent][color=00a99d][i]I wish I wanted to believe like she does.[/i][/color][/indent]

[quote][i][color=f7976a]”Ernie. Do you honestly think you belong here?”[/color]

The question left the thirteen-year-old speechless, an unspoken fear he’d harboured for years finally surfacing in his expression. If Owen knew the implications of what he just said then he didn’t show it.

[color=f7976a]“I mean, do you think these are good people?”[/color]

The child couldn’t answer that either. He’d seen them laugh and love and shelter young subnaturals who needed it. He’d watched them clean blood off their hands and chuckle with their friends mere minutes later. Lamplight seemed to glint through the man’s shoulder-length hair. He laughed warmly. Smiled the way only the strong could.

[color=f7976a]“Thought so. That’s why things are gonna change around here. You’ll see.”[/color][/i][/quote]
[indent][color=00a99d][i]I think I'll make you proud.[/i][/color][/indent][/hider]