Nexus Campus Town

[yinsukin]

Entheo

Entheo laughed at the man's comment and expression.  "I wouldn't give me too much credit.  I'm not even smart enough to try to sound smart.  Although, I did have a big titty goth GF and I do live in graveyards," he said, placing a finger on his chin.

Wait does that count?

Don't ask me.  I'm older than the dirt your standing on.  If you don't know what a hipster is I certainly won't.

"....probably?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Lawrence

"Definetely." He looked at Entheo blankly as if he were the most hopeless kid in the world. Laughing, huh? You think this is a laughing matter...?

He shook his head and put his hand on Entho's shoulder, firmly.

"Look, first of all, nobody here except you gives a damn about load this or power that, it's just some pretentious poetic wax to make you feel good about being a nihilistic prick. Second of all, you can't just expect people not to care, nor should you. Do you think I care that I can't save everyone? Do you seriously think that others need a reminder of how they're powerless when their friends and families die in front of them? No, this isn't about duty or others. You don't care about any of that, you just want to be validated in your own little world. Guess what buddy? You're not doing anyone a favor, Entheo. You're being a dick. And worse, you're just projecting because you can't accept that people care - when you can't even be genuine about the same feelings."

Despite his frail body, he showed surprising strength in a moment - and lifted Entheo up by the collar, staring at him eye to eye.

"The only one turning a tragedy into a lesson in philosophy is you. And it's not exactly a newsflash for anyone here. No, I didn't force you to apologize to me - or anyone really. I just suggested you might try to act like a decent person, and of course Miss. Belle-of-the-ball is so far up her crack that she can't even take that with her chin up. Instead she whines, and moans, and starts crying... u-uwuuu, you cawnt just try to hewp pewplwe. Ywew shwewd bwe an edgwy liwwtwe hipwstew likwe mwe and accwept what happwensw withowt deawlwingw withw thew fawwowt nowr twy to hewp pewplwe~! Is that too much for you? Oh who am I kidding, of course it is, you subhuman fucking coward."

He suddenly dropped the brat as soon as he lifted him, sighed, and stared blankly at him as if nothing happened. The tension was utterly burnt to dust as soon as it appeared. Of course, that's because he held no animosity for the kid. In fact, he liked him a lot. That's why he had no qualms about utterly shitting on his plate.

"We cool?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Marc

Those eyes...!

The mobster stopped for a moment and just looked around, not even looking at Nep after what she just said. Instead, he just glanced at the ceiling lazily, like he was talking to just about anyone. "Hey... careful there. That's some scary talk."

He scratched his head aloofly and just toyed about, but there was a certain seriousness to those words.There went his doubts, she had to be the real deal. That, or suicidal.

"I've actually got a certificate in carpentry and masonry!"

He didn't even acknowledge the choking people to death part. Or maybe that was a bait-and switch. Anyways, he put his hands to his hip and grinned. "So you can tell that much just from the way I walk? Impressive. Do you... watch underground fights often?"

Neptune

"Okay listen up twerp..."

The floor lit up beneath her and as the purple haired begun sitting down a couch rose up from the floor to met her. Was this an effect of her magic or was it just her workshop that was rigged this way? No it couldn't be. She had just moved in the other day.

Indeed she had just made that thing as she sat down.

"I'm a pretty patient girl but there's only so much stalling I can take. Now stop playing stupid or we're gonna have a real painful relationship... Tea or coffee? Or maybe you want something that pucks more of a punch.... Hmm hmm... I do watch those fights sometimes it's important for my business, and I make tons of shady deals.... Are you supposed to be famous?"

Marc

Impressive... is this how she crafts, or just a light show?

"Woah woah! Chill, it's all good. I'm just making small talk to get to know you better." He walked by Nep's couch and sat right next to her without the slightest hint of discomfort. It's not that he was playing dumb, being carefree was just in his nature. Why fight it?

He looked at her straight in the eye, like an equal. That was the kind of partnership that was best to build after all.

"I wouldn't go that far. I've fought a few times though, and I can tell you have a good eye. There could be some more money to be made down the line... oh, and I'll have a coffee, please. Black and boiling hot, no sugar. Thanks. But... you've done deals like this before? What were they like, if I can ask?"

[yinsukin]

Entheo

"Yeah whats wrong with me being-"

Entheo's cool blue eyes looked down and to the side at the hand that had come down onto his shoulder.  Those same eyes quickly moved back to meet the professor's gaze.  "Wow this is a lot.  Your saying a lot to me."

Look, i'm sorry.

What are you apologizing for?

This man is making me feel like maybe I go a bit too far in teasing you.

Wow...

And thats when Entheo felt himself lifted off the ground.  He stared at the floor before once again returning his gaze to the man.  There was no more back talk.  Instead, he took a deep breath and patiently listened to the man's rant.  All the while, his mind drifted, influenced by the man's strong words.  Can't accept that people care huh?  Maybe back then...

10 years ago

“No I don’t need your food mom.  I packed my own lunch before I left for school.”  Entheo turned away from his mother, staring out into the distance beyond the window.  It was highschool.  The times when the world still felt so small, before he had met Sakuyomi Gezo. 

A woman who looked to be in her late thirties smiled at Entheo, poking his shoulder with a lunch box.  “C’mon honey.  I came all the way here!”

“What is he talking about?” one guy asked.  It was a group of boys all gathered together to play with some new fad toy that was getting popular.  “More like who is he talking to?” another guy in the group responded.

“Honey you have to eat your food properly if you want to grow proper!”

“I’m in highschool now mom, this is embarrassing," Entheo said with a groan.  He waved, pushing his mom away.  She puffed up her cheeks and growled at him.

“I heard his mother died when he was young.  They say he has some sort of mental disorder or something, talks to her to deal with the grief.  Thats what I was told at least,” a girl in the group said.  “You’d think by now he’d learn to stop talking to himself.  Ugh its so creepy!”

The chair grinded against the floor, pushed back by Entheo as he stood up.  “MOM enough!  You can’t keep doing this every day! Your too damn overprotective!”

“I’m only doing this because I love you Entheo.  C’mon a real man is secure in expressing his emotions for his mommy!  Didn’t your father teach you that!”

“MY DAD’S DEAD!” Entheo said, storming off.

“SO AM I SOOOOON!" she yelled back, chasing the young man out of the room.  "You can’t get rid of me so easily!  Profess your love for mommy like a real man!”

“For the love of- NO ONE DOES THAT MOM ITS LAME! GODDAMN IT I WISH YOU WERE ALIVE SO I COULD HAVE SOME DAMN PEACE!”

The group of kids sighed.  It was as if watching him yell at nothing was an emotionally taxing thing in of itself.  “Yeesh,” one of them said, breaking the silence that followed the screaming.  "I don't even know how to unpack that.


Back to the present

Entheo smiled at the old memories, even while looking into the man's eyes.  His mom was a little extra, but when he thought back to those old times, all he could think about was how nice it was to always have her around.  No I don't think I ever needed to be validated.  As long as I have support from people who love me then.... I don't think I need any validation from anyone.

Well said but you realize it is precisely that attitude that makes people so mad right?  People want you to care about what they say and how they feel about you.

Maybe, but I don't see how worrying about something like that helps anyone.

That reminds me, why are you letting him yell at you?

Why not?  Its gotta be cathartic for him right?  Besides, I want to be considerate of his feelings, listen to what he says.  He sounds like he needs it.

Entheo fell to the ground ass first before standing up and brushing himself off.  A hand rubbed his hair, one eye open and the other closed.  "I don't know are we cool?  All that stuff you just said, is that all really about me?  I was just doing what I thought was right back there, no more and no less.  If you didn't really care about those people then..... why do you care how I treat them?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Lawrence

"...You're...god...I... of course I care about them, they're my students! And I care about you. Enough to know better than to order you like a horse, and enough to call out bullshit when I smell it." His eye twitched and he gripped his cane coldly, just about to smack the boy like a golf ball.

"Everyone who is given the gift of life has to one day deal with the possibility of death.  The world gives and takes on its own time.  You can't save anyone from that reality, nor should you.  Because one day, everyone here will die. How the heck is saying something like that supposed to make anyone feel anything else than shitty? Do you go to school shootings to shit on the cop's desk in the middle of a memorial too? Would you like it if you lost someone you really cared about for good, and some douche popped in to rub it in your face?"

He poked Entheo's nose with his cane, eye to eye, and heart to heart the whole time. No, it was more like he was poking something behind the nose... inside Entheo's head.

"Guess what buddy, not everyone here gets to talk with their little ghost friends. The average joe? They lose someone precious, they don't get it back ever again. And whatever happy afterlife kumbaya you've got doesn't apply to everyone else in this world. For a lot of folks? It's not about death, it's about loss. That's what kicks you in the balls the most pal, the fear of losing."

And then he stopped. Goddamn it, this is why I hate dealing with you kids. I should beat the shit out of you for the crap you spew out of your mouth too sometimes, L. You're no better than this brat!

You know... now you're the one sounding like a hipster.

Shut up... Shut up! That's not even what the word means! You are butchering my language!

"I'm not mad at you, I'm dissappointed. You've got a fucking gift dude. Don't just waste it rubbing it on people's faces. Help them for real, I know you're better than that."

[yinsukin]

Entheo

Entheo turned his head away, at last breaking the eye contact.  "Yeah, I know I forget that sometimes...." he said, refusing to look the man in the eye.  "Most people don't get to talk to their dead loved ones, but.... thats ok too.  When someone dies, you don't really lose them, you just can't see them or talk to them anymore."

Entheo finally returned his gaze to the man.  "When you love someone, you take on their traits, their hopes and sometimes even their very way of life.  For me, I can move forward knowing that, even when I have to pass someone on, but everyone needs to find their own answer.  Sakuyomi told me those kids weren't used to having death around and they are afraid of it, so I reminded them that people die.  Maybe now they can work towards that."

The young man paused, placing a finger on his chin and said,  "You keep talking about helping them, but you haven't told me how.  How would you tell someone how to deal with their own mortality in a situation like that if you were me?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Lawrence

"Well, technically I'm not supposed to give details, but... well, it's just a rumor, but I heard a cult was involved in it."

He looked away in flusteredness, almost comically. Compared to the other one, he was a lot more honest with his feelings. That's why he could turn back to Entheo with a cheeky grin. I swear, this is the last time I do your job.

"How about we grind them to dust?"

[yinsukin]

Entheo

"Is that your answer?" he asked, grinning at the professor.  "You sure you want to drag some student into this problem?  There is no guarantee we can pull this off together."

[Bern]

Marc

Impressive... is this how she crafts, or just a light show?

"Woah woah! Chill, it's all good. I'm just making small talk to get to know you better." He walked by Nep's couch and sat right next to her without the slightest hint of discomfort. It's not that he was playing dumb, being carefree was just in his nature. Why fight it?

He looked at her straight in the eye, like an equal. That was the kind of partnership that was best to build after all.

"I wouldn't go that far. I've fought a few times though, and I can tell you have a good eye. There could be some more money to be made down the line... oh, and I'll have a coffee, please. Black and boiling hot, no sugar. Thanks. But... you've done deals like this before? What were they like, if I can ask?"

Neptune

Whistle...

Immediately after he made his request the blacksmith put her fingers in her mouth and whistled three times, but it was not aimed at him. In response to that The unimistakable sound of a coffee machine could be heard being turned on.

"Won't you just get more thirsty if you drink it black? It's quite dry..."

She leaned back into the couch as a small table appeared in front of them which she quickly put her feat on. It made her dress slid up though and reveal more of her thighs, hardly professional behavior. But that wasn't the point here...

"You should take your own advice, relax man, I just didn't like how you were dancing around the topic, staring like that is seriously creepy tho..." At this point the coffee machine made the sounds associated with it being done, and moments later a blue slime like think came out and was carrying two cups of coffee for them which it placed on the table.

"My old deals huh... Usually people from the underworld tend to talk tough, but all that dick waving is seriously unappealing, it's like they're compensating..."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Marc

Oh man, I didn't think I was doing that... He rubbed the back of his head and looked down like a scolded kid. He wasn't used to being the one making the deals, but opportunities were hard to come by lately. Even a guy only used to punch things needs to adapt. Still, her remark got a chuckle out of him.

"Heh, you got that right."

He took a cup of coffee and looked at it for a bit, or rather the reflection on it. No, it shouldn't be poisoned. He slowly raised it to his lips and savored the black concoction, letting the boiling liquid hit each and every one of his taste buds. He was glad, most people would give him a lecture after he came straight from the booze tank. The truth was, he didn't really care. Even cheap trhills like this were exciting, and he needed the buzz. The familiar bitterness felt good.

He relaxed his shoulders and smiled, the cup between his hands.

"I don't like boisterous types either. They're less like men and more like beasts, just gnawing at whatever's closest to them to show off their fangs. One good punch is all it takes, and then they're the ones acting like prey."

Their maws are even more brittle than glass, only good at making noise.

"I was wondering the kind of jobs they gave you though. I need to know if I can trust you."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Entheo

"Is that your answer?" he asked, grinning at the professor.  "You sure you want to drag some student into this problem?  There is no guarantee we can pull this off together."

Lawrence

"Hmm, that is true..." He talked with a faux-affable tone, like a mockery of how he talked earlier in the classroom. Then, his smug levels skyrocketed to levels beyond what was physically possible.

"You chicken?"

[yinsukin]

Entheo

"You dodged my question," he said, lowering his eyes at the man.  "It doesn't matter either way.  My job is to take care of the dead, not protect the living.  Keeping some kids from dying isn't really my problem."

Then he took a deep breath.  "But its hard to watch people live with such hopeless eyes.  So lets knock some heads."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Lawrence

"Perfect..."

[Bern]

Neptune

"I don't break deals, but that doesn't mean I'm taking responsibility if your blow themselves because they can't aim properly, seriously some people don't get that big boom really means big boom..."

Neptune took her own cup and drank from it, unlike his it had milk in it. She wasn't a big fan of bitter things, and black coffee was a bit much for her.

"No but seriously relax, this is gonna get really awkward if you look all embarrassed every 5 seconds, at least you weren't starring at my tits non stop and that already puts you above like eighty percent of my regular clients. You look pretty strong tho so I you could probably handle my more powerful stuff, and like I said I don't cheat on my contracts, even if someone else would pay me more for the same thing I wouldn't, a deal is a deal. That said, hiring me full time is gonna be reaaaally expensive for you, I'm talking seven digits here, can your profit marginals handle that?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Marc

"I'm fiiine. Just not used to getting chewed out like that, I can't help it if your eyes draw my attention. They're seriously cute. And I mean that in a professional way."

He took another sip of coffee. Oh man, this stuff's seriously good. He was practically hooked, and he wasn't trying to hide it.

"And a deal's a deal, you got that right. But seven digits..." Marc grinned. He was glad that she didn't answer the question. He would never work with someone with loose lips when it came to their clients.

"Seven digits... I hope that's not for a single weapon. Otherwise, I might have to break a district worth of kneecaps. But if I couldn't pay for this much, I wouldn't even have come here." He glanced at his surroundings a bit, to try and take a look at the sort of stuff that was lying around. "As I said, I want you to work on that rifle first. I'll pay you, but I want to see how you work firsthand."