HereComesTheSnow — Roleplayer Guild

@Crimmy@Sho Minazuki@Suku

Luke Schwarz

"It's the most common energy source in the world, for one." I started, eyes naturally drifting upwards as I dredged everything up that I knew. "It powers most every bit of technology we have in some form or another, and is usually found in crystalline or powdered forms..."

I returned to being a polite person, realizing I'd forgotten about that all important thing known as "eye contact". Whoops. Not a good first impression, Schwarz...

I needed to address the heart of her question. Wasting both her and my time helped neither of us, if I was spending it mucking about saying things that anyone could tell you.

"I mean, I know what it is like any citizen of Vale. It's what makes all of our gadgetry move. In terms of the specifics for applying that basic awareness, though, I'm not sure how deep my knowledge goes. I understand that it is highly explosive as powder and reacts to our Aura. It comes in four basic types which correspond to the elements of Wind, Water, Fire, and Lightning, as well as a bunch of other subtypes..."

If there was anything else, I needed to get it out quick.

"Topically, it can also be utilized in our weaponry, right? I remember learning about that..."

If I wasn't focused on trying to answer her question, I'd have probably wondered about looking at what kinds of Dust could best enhance my hypothetical polearm.

Although, if I were to do that, I would very quickly run into a problem.

"That is to say, I remember learning that that was a thing. I never had the time nor opportunity to actually learn the finer workings of how exactly that happens."

I blinked, as flashes of flame, both orange and blue, appeared and disappeared in my mind.

Ah, yeah, duh...

It was like I'd forgotten having to fight Cian and Shiro. Jesus, me.

"Well, beyond the obvious usage within ammunition."

Shisutaasu! : April and Dawn

"Oh, wow!" April crowed, eyebrows attempting to meet her hairline in surprise. "You guys are on Luke's team?"

She huffed, disappointedly folding her arms and shifting her weight. "I can't believe he never told us!"

"Well, you know him." Dawn replied with a shrug, in that wry tone that came from knowing him. "He'd probably just tell you that you never asked..."

"That's a dumb reason."

"He's a dumb brother!"

Her older sister favored her with a smirk, looking sideways at the robe-clad girl. 

"Awfully cheery way to say that, huh?"

"Eh," came Dawn's non-committal reply as she waved the jab off. "We love him all the same for it, right?"

The taller girl's smirk softened.

"Yeah, usually! But on that note!"

April nudged Dawn to make sure she had her attention, and then tilted her head in Cian and Jack's direction.

"Ahhh. You're right, nee-chan."

As one, they faced the rest of the group and bowed deeply at the waist.

"We're sorry for any trouble our brother's caused you!"

"We're very glad to have you looking after him, please stay strong!"

Such faithless children. If there brother were here to listen to this, he'd doubtlessly cry.

"Hey." I said, trying not to grouse.

"Heya." came the worried response, clearly knowledgeable enough by now to tell when I'm grousing. Dammit. I didn't need to be negative right now. "No dice, Luke?"

I shook my head, wishing I didn't have to say what I felt. It certainly had gotten me nowhere today. "Giada, I dunno if I can keep up like this."

"Of course you can!" she immediately urged, the sudden increase in volume and energy causing me to flinch a little. Yeesh, you're right in my ear here... "The Luke I know would never give up!"

I didn't want to be spiteful, or hurtful, or anything like that. I shouldn't have done what I did in that moment. It was undeniably the wrong thing to do, and I'm forever ashamed of it.

"Ha..."

"Luke?"

But come on.

"Ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

I threw my head back and laughed. Laughed all the way up to the moon. Loudly, boisterously, unrepentantly and angrily. I laughed so hard it turned heads, elicited comments, and even frightened people. I found two band girls, with dark and white hair, glancing uncomfortably between the other. The basketball team's shortest player whispered something to our "Blue Lightning", the track star with the birth name of Jack Orpheus, about hoping she wasn't on a list of mine. Even Ben Lloyd, musclebound captain of the Wrestling team, Crafts club member, and Harem King was shying away from where I stood.

I met all of their eyes with a glib smirk that even I could tell, just from the feeling, was uncomfortably fake. "Sorry folks," I drawled, "My friend here just told an excellent joke. Carry on and don't mind me."

I heard her try to tell me something, but I was too busy urging everyone else on into ignoring me. When I finally put my attention back onto her, my words were curt and final.

"The Luke you know, huh?" 

I scoffed one more time.

"Evidently we don't know each other as well as we think, huh, Giada?"

"...Luke..."

...

"Look," I breathed. "We'll talk later. Bell's about to ring."

I cut it off. I slapped my phone shut. I think, inside, I knew that I was completely in the wrong. That I was irrational, that I was venting about the wrong thing to the wrong person in the wrong way.

That I was running away, like I always did.

But despite all that, she still had her words cut off by the electronic tone.

"So."

It was conversational enough if you didn't know him. Him and his pretty face would make anyone expect easy conversationalism, an overwhelming abundance of charisma that was absolutely boiling over, and all the ability and desire in the world to use it.

But as his best friend since middle school, I knew better than to claim Jericho Piper as much of a conversationalist. That wasn't to say he was a boring guy to talk to, or even very bad with words. 

No, he wasn't either of those things, which is why I knew he wasn't killing time. He was actually very good with words.

So good that when he spoke, you paid attention. One of those strong silent types.

"So..?"

That all said, he could do me a favor and get on with it.

"Heard you flipped out today. Get shot down again?"

"Shut it, dude. I don't wanna hear it."

"Luke, you've been scaring people. You know what they call beating your head against the same wall in hope that one day your skull will break through?"

No, I didn't need to hear this. She was the one who needed to hear this schtick...

Stop it. Cut that shit out.

You're a better goddamn man than that, Luke.

"Determined?" I ventured in a faux-hopeful manner.

He just looked at me sidelong, and was having none of it.

Flinch.

"Suicidal."

"I'm not going to kill myself, dude."

"Yeah, but you're gonna drive yourself nuts if you keep getting all bent out of shape over this by expecting something different."

I stopped. We were in front of my house, with his just across the street. Perks of living within walking distance of school: You get so used to going to and from there with your best friend that you don't even need to think about it.

"...Yeah. I know."

He looked over his shoulder, having turned to head off to his home. Maybe Miss Cairo was baking her famous cookies again. It'd explain the eagerness...

Then again, so would this gloomy atmosphere. Strong and silent, but deep down the guy was pretty sensitive.

"So why?"

I looked up and met him with a weak smile.

"I've got someone rooting for me. I don't wanna let her down."

"...Huhm."

We ended it there.

I sighed as the ringing tone played into my ear. This was the part that always got to me.

Four rings. Practically unheard of in terms of response time.

"...Hey, Giada."

"...Hey, Luke."

Don't take that tone with me. Stop it. I feel bad enough, dammit, did you just get done crying on me?

"Listen, I'm sorry abou--"

"Don't be. I'm the one who's sorry. I'm the one who should be sorry."

I have a bad habit of cutting you off, girl, but this time it's for the better. And, hopefully, I'm not being a complete shithead about it.

"You didn't deserve that. You were just trying to help me, and I appreciate that. It was just... I was an asshole, okay? That's all there is to it. The going got tough and I got asshole-ish, that's it. Just..."

I sighed. It wasn't the perfect apology, but I'm not a perfect speaker. Even so...

I felt a little better.

"Just tell me what you've learned and need help with."

A sniffle through the line. Dammit, Luke you don't deserve her in any respect. You oughta be ashamed of yourself for forcing a sweetheart like this to suffer through your stupid ass.

"It's the least I can do to make it up to you, after that."

"Okay."

I guess I wasn't the only one relieved...

Poor girl. If only you could be this understanding here...

"So, I'm thinking that since Christmas is coming up, I should get him something, you know?"

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Uh... well, what games do you like?"

"Hmmm... That's tough. I'd be willing to bet... Oh, I know! NieR!"

"NieR?"

"NieR Automata just came out, right? You oughta grab him that if you can, I'm really excited for it."

"Alright! Anything else?"

"I'd say we should diversify..."

"Yeah, you're probably right..."

...Think, man. What would last longer and be more useful than a game?

"...Giada."

"Yeah?"

"Know any cookbooks your Mom likes?"

"You think he likes to cook?!" 

I could practically hear that blonde's wide eyed ear to ear grin through the speaker.

Adorable.

"Well," I smirked. "I know I'm certainly getting into it."

"Oho?"

O-Oho? Giada?!

"I thought we didn't know eachother all that well?"

Why you little--

"I apologized, okay?!"

All I got in response was laughter—

Yeah, that's much better.

Within the myriad of planes that exist through All That Is, Was, And Will, there is a common concept within: That of parallel universes. The idea that one reality has a twin, for since there are likely an endless number of them, surely there must be two that are almost identical, right?

Yes. Right, indeed.

It is in fact a commonality to find "binary universes", much as one can easily find binary star systems within said universes. Normally the link between the two is beyond the understanding of those that reside within these realms, but there are always connections between twin realities. There is an incomprehensible ebb and flow of cosmic energy, magnetic and gravitic forces, and metaphysical concepts between these pairs. Things such as karma. Their balance of good, their balance of evil. Attention of the overseers. Each member of these pairs are their partner's "counterweights", in a sense, and exist in a harmony that reacts at a scale ten levels above even the most powerful of the mortal races.

With one plucky, notable exception.

Perhaps it is a byproduct of the Overseer's whimsy.

Perhaps it is the power of the concept.

Perhaps it is simply a testament to the strength of human emotion—

And how it always seems to just find a way.

The setting is a small, sleepy town, with one high school, middle school, and elementary school.

A boy falls in love with a girl.

Unable to confess, he is gifted with by a mysterious stranger with the girl’s phone number. Never minding the strange area code, he immediately calls her, and is overjoyed to find out that she has a crush on him as well.

But, the next day, when he recounts the previous day’s confessions to the girl, she only looks at him with a perplexed expression. After some investigation, he finds out that the girl he called is not the same girl he fell in love with. In fact, she doesn’t exist in this universe at all. She is the girl’s alternate universe counterpart, who has fallen in love with the MC’s own AU self, who too is blissfully unaware of her crush.

Hijinks ensue as the two strike up a deal to give each other their darkest, most private secrets in order to equip the other with the weapons they need to conquer the heart of their other selves. While the two chase their respective loved ones, DRAMA ensues as they begin to fall in love with each other instead and question the NATURE of LOVE.

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