SERPENTINE HORIZON - LEOXORCISM

[neonleon]

We're exorcising! That! Turtle!

Day 50

Comments

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[pyrighteous]

He’s not Leo’s inner self. Most of the time, if you see a version of someone in a mindscape, they’re … kind of limited.

Guard was an exception.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

And to go deeper I have to beat him in a fight?! What sense is that?!

[He gestures wildly at Leo with one hand.]

[The other has....a rather hard grip on his bo.]

[Because he knows his got a better shot then Hunter because he knows Leo's tactics, he knows how Leo works, he would very much have the better shot.]

[But while he's always down to try, there is a definite awareness that most of the time...Leo is just better than him and that awareness is terrifying when there's stakes versus just a spar.]

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

I was just put here to try to stop you. It was a fifty-fifty shot either way that you'd beat me.

[He says that, and the goop around the base of two buildings behind him recede, showing two exits free to traverse.]

I can tell you you're close, though. Probably.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[pyrighteous]

… Did Belos force you to do that? Or are you naturally protective of Leo’s inner self?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

[Looking at the doors.] Are those not going to take us to the deeper you meant? That still means beating you?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

[he looks from Hunter down to his free hand, like the goop is interwoven through it, patchwork through that giant, hulking hand.]

Bit of column A, bit of column B?

[And then Donnie's asking about-]

They go down, yeah. You don't have to beat me, you already did.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[pyrighteous]

That … makes sense. Yeah. Belos corrupting the mind’s usual processes…

[ Hunter just over here bein’ a nerd thanks. ]

— Oh. I didn’t realize that counted.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

...that wasn't a challenge, that was a statement of fact.

Thank god. [Okay, now he'll let himself just slump a bit against his staff, forehead to the wood because! Way to give him a heart attack!]

Should we just...keep you like this for now? [Gestures at Leo.] The ice will melt and I can dismiss the fabrications whenever.]

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

[He visibly winces at the correction, a bit of that goop spreading further an inch or so.]

If you want. It won't make much different either way.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[pyrighteous]

[ Leo :( Hunter winces as he watches the corruption spread. ]

Who … are you, exactly? You look different. Older.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

[He grimaces as he sees the goop spreading, staring at it with some Concern.]

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

[He looks at Hunter, then back down at his hand.]

Self doubt. About himself, about the future. Casey built up "Master Leonardo" as this whole... thing, so. That's this whole [He waves his hand over his face.] situation.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

[You know, sometimes you do just have to go running around the mental scape to start picking up things because you're just bad at reading things despite your best efforts.]

[He's going to step forward, hesitating a moment, then going to reach out to touch whatever part of his head isn't covered in black goo.]

[And gonna chirp at him because! He's gonna have a feeling! Or a bunch.]

[Its an old sound, an apology for being difficult.]

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

[He stills for the moment, waits to see what Donnie will do...

Oh. But that gets a quiet little smile. He thinks for a second before chirping back. Twin.]

Been a while since I've done that.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

[Twin. Another chirp.]

[He shrugs, patting his head.] It was easier to get meaning through with sign language. Or...I thought so.

They might be broader concepts, but maybe it was easier when it was simple. Can't do a classic Donnie overthink when its that simple, right?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

No, no you really can't.

[He sort of just... Sighs like this. Watching them both.]

What are you gonna do then?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

Probably have an emotionally difficult conversation after all this.

It's...lonely.

To feel misunderstood.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

...Yeah. It is.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

He put in a lot of work to understand me when I needed someone to.

[Twin. Another chirp.]

I should have been working harder before now.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter has to take a moment to parse that. He’s going to linger and talk to Leo for a minute. ]

So not actually future memories, but more like … what Leo thinks his future self is like.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

Right, exactly. Supposed to be smart, heroic, selfless. All that. A lot to live up to from someone's memory of the future.

[And then there are his brothers, expecting more of him now.]

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter makes a face. ]

That … sounds kind of awful, to be honest. I’m glad I don’t know what my future self looks like.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

It isn't great. Can confirm.

[He just sort of watches Hunter for the moment.]

I think you can do it though.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[pyrighteous]

... Do what?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

Beat Belos in here.

[Obviously?? Come on Hunter.]