video | after the Hotel Rescue Shenanigans

[rideme]

[It's evening, as evidenced by the general dim light in the room. The living room of Nonah #5 has been the scene of a lot of mayhem, and now doesn't seem to be any different.]

[There's a cut on the Iron Bull's face, and he's holding himself with the care of someone who knows damn well he's hurt something important and doesn't want to make any sudden motions. There may also be glass stuck in one of his horns. More small abrasions decorate his torso. Looks like the aftermath of Motorcycle vs. The Iron Bull didn't end well for anyone.]

[As he records, he's moving gingerly across the house to deposit one (1) unconscious lump of teenager -- namely the Problem Child Tetsuo himself -- into a room. Probably his own room. Only after that's done, does Bull address the camera.]

Hey. Got a message for you, network.

[One might say he forgot it was on, but it's also more likely this was purposeful. Demonstrating the kid is in hand, put somewhere safe and no longer charging through the streets.]

Dear Whoever the Fuck Made Tetsuo's Bike,

You should have made it Bull-Proof.

[It's at this point, he holds up a certain finger on the hand still possessing all of its fingers. Wow, Bull, stay classy. He's about to turn the feed off when someone else pipes in, from somewhere else in the house--]

And would someone come heal my big, dumb boyfriend! Please?

[THANKS CHARLIE. Bull makes a sudden face, and hurries to mash the OFF button.]

Comments

[ursawhiner]

Meanwhile, me and Mabel are the normal ones in a weird world...

[amadaman]

It's probably why you can handle me. I'm yet another abnormality that you've across.

[ursawhiner]

Don't call yourself abnormal! Makes you sound like a science project.

[amadaman]

Weirdo, then?

[ursawhiner]

Dude, that's even worse.

[amadaman]

But we're... weird.

[ursawhiner]

But that's not a bad thing!

[amadaman]

I never said it was! Doesn't weirdo just mean someone who's weird?

[Ken's knowledge of English doesn't always come with the social and contextual understandings.]

[ursawhiner]

It's also kind of an insult? I dunno, it's different.

[amadaman]

Oh.



Then I dunno. I guess we're just... different. I mean, some of the scientists liked to tell me I was special.

[ursawhiner]

Whoa wait, scientists? Did they mean special like gifted, or like a mutant?

[amadaman]

Scientists who confirmed that I had the Persona power. And I guess gifted? They really needed people like us.

[ursawhiner]

They weren't running experiments or anything on you, were they?

[Not okay in vestie land.]

[amadaman]

Probably not the way you're thinking. They were just monitoring me, so they knew I wasn't going to get killed the moment they let me loose.

[ursawhiner]

That's... still really messed up.

[amadaman]

Huh? Why? They didn't do anything to me! The Kirijo found me in the Dark Hour and realized I had the Potential, so they took me in to monitor my power as well as protect me. I was unarmed, so.

[ursawhiner]

But they wanted to use you as a weapon!

[amadaman]

No, I asked them to let me fight!

[ursawhiner]

...But why? It sounds like you fight pretty terrible things.

[amadaman]

I--

...

... ...

It's no reason to be proud of. It wasn't righteous or anything.

[ursawhiner]

You're you, though. You usually have a good reason for doing stuff.

[amadaman]

Well, months ago, just before I came here, I made the greatest mistake of my life. You change a lot when you regret something that much.

[ursawhiner]

That's... pretty heavy. I don't think I've ever made a mistake that bad.

[YET......]

[amadaman]

That's a good thing, isn't it?

I... lost someone really important to me, to the Dark Hour. Even if I had a ticket out now, I still want to see it end, you know? And I'm one of the only people who have the power to. My teammates are important to me, too, so I can't leave them to suffer the fights.

[ursawhiner]

Yeah, I get that. You wouldn't be you if you just stopped fighting.