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[indent][indent][indent][quote][h3][b][i][color=ffd700]The pessimist complains about the wind;
The optimist expects it to change;
The realist adjusts the sails.[/color][/i][/b][/h3][/quote][/indent][/indent][/indent]

[indent]Prior to their arrival in the strange new world--Arcanum? That was what the dolphin called it-- Back on the beach. [i]Before all of this insanity.[/i] Milo knew, [i]without a doubt[/i], that he wasn't the only one among his friends sitting in that space of the pessimist. With their lives all barreling headfirst at breakneck speeds in vastly different directions, it felt only natural to sit and complain, even if they all hid it. Optimism came with their arrival in the world, as they all sat expecting something to happen. Optimism came with the creatures explaining their situation. Optimism came with the imminent danger of the corrupted creature that was driven to attack them before they even had a full grasp of what the hell was going on. With everything happening all at once, it was a wild whirlwind--excuse the pun--of infinite possibilities all just out of reach. The fall of the bear was the peak of this point in their progression. The danger defeated. The adrenaline dissipating as quickly as it had come about. They were left with only that optimism. [i]Expectation.[/i] The change they somehow knew would come. Waking up? Coming to grips? Snapping the hell out of whatever the fuck drug trip they were on?

Milo could only hope. It was that optimism he was stuck in. He found that all he could do was expect...[i]something.[/i] Though [i]what[/i] he expected was hard to really grasp. Naturally, it made sense to expect to be woken up from this wild dream-like series of events. He fully expected to feel the gentle shaking of David pulling him from his slumber for a morning run, just before the sun, so they could watch the sky take on a million shades of pink, orange, and violet as they raced across the sand. He expected to have water dumped on him, yanking him from unconsciousness after having passed out buried in the sand. He expected to wake up in his bed at home, his friends moved on with their lives, and he left behind...

Milo expected anything, really.

He expected the bear to regain consciousness and rip them all to shreds. He expected another, more powerful beast to come crashing out of the woods. He expected the creatures that spoke to them to laugh and turn on them in the blink of an eye. He expected the air of Arcanum to turn out to actually be poison to them and for he and his friends to suddenly start dropping like flies. He expected the elements to suddenly reject them as their wielders and blast them all into the ether. How was [i]this[/i] optimism?

All Milo could do after Connor's defeat of the bear was just [i]stand there.[/i] He stared at his friends. Taking in each of them and how they were holding up with all of the insanity that had befallen them. No one was alright. Absolutely no one. In the heat of the battle, sure, they have been [i]great[/i]. But now? Anything but.

And those creatures just pushed on like all of this was [i]normal.[/i]

Milo caught a glimpse of the moth coming near him and quickly turned its way, throwing out his hand in its direction. He had meant only to gesture for it to stay back, but a blast of wind shot out with his movement, sending the insect swirling backward like a leaf on an autumn breeze.

"Shit...sorry," he murmured, though wondered if he actually was. Sure, the creature hadn't hurt him in anyway, and sure, being afraid of bugs was no excuse to hurt one, even a large sentient one that apparently used to be a sorceress or something? But this creature was also, [i]apparently[/i] responsible for everything he and the guys were dealing with-- As though they hadn't already been dealing with [i]enough[/i].

Nevertheless, Vlinderbelle merely righted herself in the air and gave a gentle sigh, [color=c4df9b]"Never a worry, young one,"[/color] the moth cooed softly, [color=c4df9b]"You are in a very emotional state right now. It's only natural to lash out."[/color]

Milo watched the bug for a moment, still uncomfortable, then turned his attention to the others, looking over his friends once more, before focusing on the dolphin He cleared his throat as he took his turn to speak, directing his words at the aquatic creature as he absently fiddled with the fabric of his weird pants, [color=fff79a]"Um...Miss Chelsea?"[/color] he started, uncertain, then shook his head, [color=fff79a]"...wait, no, it was something else, huh? I'm sorry, I'm...not good with names-- I-I just, I...c...can we have like...five minutes to ourselves?"[/color] the question was asked with shrug as Milo spread his arms in a small gesture at him and his friends, [color=fff79a]"To like, adjust...?"[/color] he went on, [color=fff79a]"b-before you go throwing us all into...whatever's next..."[/color] with a sigh, Milo dropped his arms and looked down at his feet...or rather...his rollerblades, shuffling one uncomfortably before he went on to say, [color=fff79a]"I'll agree with Noah that we should probably get the hell outta here before that thing wakes up, but like...I dunno, can you all just like...point us in the right direction and let us have that time to each other so we can fucking [i]wrap our heads[/i] around what the [i]hell[/i] is going on?"[/color] his head shot up once more to meet Chesi as he threw his arms up, [color=fff79a]"For fuck's sake we just landed in an alien world, talked to a bunch of animals, got attacked by a [i]bear[/i], and got magic powers! I think we deserve a [i]moment[/i] to recenter and take everything in!"[/color]

While many unfamiliar with Milo, or only familiar with him on a surface level would find this outburst out of place for him, his friends would know this state very well. A Milo Meltdown. They were rare and far between. After all, Milo was the happy-go-lucky chaos gremlin, nothing got to him. Right? Wrong. Milo was like a balloon where every hiccup in life was another puff of air blowing into it. Eventually, the pressure was just too much...[/indent]