#“70 degrees isnt that bad” it is when you dont have ways to cool off (broken AC. Got rid of our pool) 😭

[youredreamingofroo]

i hate hot weather (i was not built for 70+ degree weather) i literallyyyy cannot function in it 😭 our AC broke so our house is not only hot, but stuffy... ugh. I tried playing rdr2 cuz i was bored but its so hot that i just cannotttt enjoy anything

[ballplayersxo]

yeah definitely you said it perfectly and poverty and systemic racism are big contributing factors to single motherhood, and I'm typing it out here but my issue is glorification. we can trace back poverty and shit to systemic racism which is very well prevalent and the way schools are set ip dorectly lead to poverty, however if you cam avoid it (and this does not apply whatsoever to domestic abusive and toxic relationships and divorce) stop fucking having kids out of wedlock that shit is fucking damaging I've seen it first hand. Black women are already disenfranchised and only 2% of teen/single moms get a degree which makes it difficult to get out of poverty as it is. calling marriage and nuclear families "white supremacist talking points" is goofy shit because you see these fucking White and Asian women? they continue to get wealth from alimony and when the rate of 80% of Black women, one of the more educated demographic in America, are the primary breadwinners? thats fucking embarassing and its not Black women's fault, we can trace it to racism and the fact that social justice culture finds it easy to pin all Black issues on white people while expecting Black women to mammy for these niggas. I intend to marry a Somali Muslim man for my own cultural sake but Black women shouldn't be 80% of the breadwinners when women of other races dont even crack 60%. Like Kayla Nicole Jones got dogpiled for mentioning that 70% of Black kids are born out of wedlock but she had her kid while engaged so she'll have alimony if she gets married. Child support isnt shit. Getting an education and moving up and demolishing baby momma and rapper culture is a must imo

——

honestly when they start saying that nuclear families/marriage is white supremacy, that’s when i’m reminded that we’re collectively never going to progress. like ever. the amount of financial security that comes if you marry WELL (key word is well) is worth noting but too many black people don’t see that. you can’t accumulate generational wealth without marriage and i’ll die on that hill. sure there might be a few cases, but it’s muuuchhh more difficult. and i agree that a lottt of situations with poverty can be avoided if black women chose better men to sleep with & chose better men to have children by. but if you mention that then you’re suddenly a bad person so we’ll never win unless we have these tough convos.

if black women started expecting more from black men (like other races of women do to their men) we’d be better off. too often we accept mediocre men and then bring their kids into the world so who wins? another issue is the fact that black women aren’t taking precautionary steps with pregnancy that asian and white women are. i went to catholic high school & almost all the white girls i was cool with had ivf or were on strict birth control from 16, cause you see white families do not play that single motherhood shit at ALL (at least middle class/upper middle class ones). but it all goes back to them having the financial means to do such things that a lot of black people don’t, and what does being financially disadvantaged often start from? having multiple kids while young & being a single mother. it’s so detrimental and women shouldn’t aspire to be in this situation at all, so i agree that we definitely need to stop glorifying shit & try breaking the cycle.

[patriotsnet]

What Do Republicans Believe About Climate Change

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/what-do-republicans-believe-about-climate-change/

What Do Republicans Believe About Climate Change

Senator John Cornyn Republican Of Texas

Why Do Republicans Deny Climate Change Science?

Recently re-elected as Senate Republican whip

Cornyns view on a possible human role in climate change is insinuated for a Republican and doubly so for a Republican from oil country. Which is adamantly not to say he favors emissions regulations.

I am not one that denies that human beings have an impact on the environment, Cornyn said in a phone call with Texas reporters in May. But I am sure not willing to put the federal government in charge of trying to micromanage the environment for the United States of America, nor for us to drive up the price of energy for people on fixed income, like seniors and people of modest means, by putting restrictions in place that other nations are not.

New Caucus New Opportunity

Even broaching the topic with some political conservatives can be challenging, said U.S. Rep. John Curtis, a Republican from Utah.

He compared the reflexive reaction many conservatives have when it comes to climate change to how Democrats feel when they hear about former President Donald Trumps U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Their chest tightens, he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

I think climate has been like that for Republicans, right? Just the word climate has all these agendas, the Green New Deal and Al Gore kind of associated with it, and I think thats turned them off.

Last week, Curtis launched the Conservative Climate Caucus – a group in Congress that already boasts a roster of more than 50 Republicans to try to educate colleagues and brainstorm ideas to deal with climate change.

Curtis said he envisions field trips to look at electric vehicle manufacturing or forest fire damage, a big worry in the western United States right now.

But hes not keen on virtually eliminating use of fossil fuels – something scientists say is crucial to limiting dangerous warming – instead preferring a switch to cleaner ones.

I think theres a role for fossil fuels, he said. If were able to export U.S. natural gas to China and it displaced coal, that would have dramatic impacts on worldwide carbon emissions.

Curtis acknowledged that among a certain set of conservative voters, winning heart and minds on climate change will take much more work.

Figure 9 Party Breakdown Of Opinions On Mitigation Policies On Which The Majorities Of Democrats And Of Republicans Disagree

On the other policies included in the survey, majorities of Democrats and of Republicans do not agree. Minorities of Republicans and majorities of Democrats favor carbon pricing policies and increased gasoline taxes. In general, majorities of Democrats and minorities of Republicans believe that federal stimulus packages should include provisions to invest in the development of new technologies and in maintenance to reduce future emissions.

Don’t Miss: Senate Partisan Breakdown

Same Problem Different Solution

Young conservatives like Smith and Diaz say the existence of climate change isnt up for debate.;Democrats proposed solutions to the climate;change;is where they begin to;diverge.;;

Republicans;say policies like the Green New Deal and the Biden Administrations climate plan are not effective or realistic methods to combat climate change.;

Theres a lot of enthusiasm to talk about it, Smith said. At the end of the day its really performative and it is pointless if the solutions theyre offering arent viable. They need to be ensuring that the United States makes the transition away from fossil fuels in a way that is fiscally viable for the American people.;

In line with Bidens climate plan, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a moderate Democrat,;signed an executive order in November 2020 creating the Climate Initiatives Task Force, aimed at making the state carbon neutral by 2050. But Smith called the task force;money down the;drain. He said the task force is funding research already conducted by other administrations and a;performative action.;

Its very much the case of John Bel kicking the can down the road. The task force is saying theyre going to show us the results in five years, Smith said. But itll be too late at that point.;

The House GOP recently;formed;a Republican-led group on climate change.;;

You think the guys driving a Lamborghini are getting hurt? he;said. Noits the person taking the bus.;

Senator Roy Blunt Republican Of Missouri

Recently re-elected as vice-chairman of the Senate Republican conference

Blunt has acknowledged that climate change exists and said we have a social responsibility to help the environment. He also has said, however, that the human role in climate change is unclear. understands that any energy policy aimed at reducing greenhouse gases should be carefully considered in the context of Americas already fragile economy, a spokesman for Blunt told the Springfield News-Leader in 2011. The worst outcome is that we pass policies so onerous that we drive jobs overseas to countries where they dont care as much about what comes out of their smokestacks as we do.

Recommended Reading: Republicans Wear Red

Why Republicans Still Dont Care About Climate Change

Mary Nichols has been part of the struggle to prevent catastrophic climate change for about as long as anyone in American life. For years, shes directed Californias pathbreaking efforts to reduce carbon emissions as the chair of the California Air Resources Boarda position she held first in the 1970s before taking it up again in 2007. Nichols has also served at the federal level, working as the chief regulator for air pollution at the Environmental Protection Agency under President Bill Clinton in the 1990s. And yet even Nichols has never seen anything that crystallizes the dangers of climate change more clearly than the historic outbreak of wildfires scorching California and other western states this year.

Yes, absolutely, she told me earlier this week, when I asked her whether this years fires are the most tangible danger to California that shes seen from climate change. Its not suddenly going to reverse itself to years when theres no fire season, or its not going to happen until October. The changes are going to be real, and they are going to be long-lasting.

What we have now is the absolute environmental demonstration or evidence of just how dramatic the impact of climate change is going to be. This is not going to stop, Browner told me. There is going to be something next year, and the year after, if we dont get on it.

Fundamental Beliefs And Attitudes

For 14 out of 21 survey questions posed to American respondents about fundamental beliefs and attitudes regarding global warming, majorities of Democrats and Republicans alike hold green opinions in 2020.

For example, 94% of Democrats believe global warming has been happening, as do 67% of Republicans. 94% of Democrats and 56% of Republicans think warming will continue in the future if nothing is done to address it. 94% of Democrats and 69% of Republicans believe that if warming has been happening, human actions have been responsible for causing it.

Majorities of Democrats and of Republicans also agree about the likely effects of global warming98% of Democrats and 54% of Republicans believe global warming will be a very or somewhat serious problem for the US if nothing is done to address it. Some 97% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans believe that global warming will be a very or somewhat serious problem for the world if nothing is done to address it.

However, the partisans diverge on whether specific temperature changes have been or will be bad. Whereas 88% of Democrats believe that the warming that has happened over the past 100 years was bad, only 40% of Republicans believe that. And whereas 84% of Democrats believe that a 5-degree Fahrenheit increase in world temperature over the next 75 years would be bad, only 50% of Republicans agree.

Read Also: How Many Republicans Are Registered In The Us

Only 25 Per Cent Of Republicans Believe Climate Change Is A Very Serious Problem

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

A majority of Republicans now admit that climate change does exist, according to a new poll.

The Monmouth University survey revealing a growing number of Americans acknowledge climate change is happening, and that most of them believe its becoming an issue.

Almost two-thirds of Republicans, 64 per cent, believe global warming exists. That number has increased from 49 per cent three years ago.

Climate Change Critics Lack A Consistent Message

Has Marco Rubio flip-flopped on climate change?

Those who have criticized climate change are all over the place. You have those who say were going through global cooling, or that theres nothing going on different with the weather at all, or that any changes occurring are natural, not human-made, or its the fault of other countries.

With such an inconsistent message, its no wonder that the AP-NORC poll showed only nine percent of Americans are climate deniers. While 19 percent say they are unsure, the remaining 70+ percent not only recognize the climate is changing, but most of them also trust the science that says human activity is contributing greatly to this. If climate change becomes an election issue in 2020, it doesnt look so good for the GOP and Donald Trump.

Read Also: What Year Did The Democrats And Republicans Switch

Don’t Miss: How Many Americans Are Registered Republicans

Its All In A Name: Global Warming Versus Climate Change

More people believe in climate change than in global warming, according to a University of Michigan study published in Public Opinion Quarterly. Wording matters, says Jonathon Schuldt, a Ph.D. candidate in the U-M Department of Psychology who co-authored the study with ISR researchers Sara Konrath and Norbert Schwarz.

For the research, Schuldt, Konrath and Schwarz conducted a question wording experiment in the American Life Panel, an online survey conducted by RAND, with a national sample of 2,267 U.S. adults. Participants were asked to report their level of certainty about whether global climate change is a serious problem.

The good news is that Americans may not be as polarized on the issue as previously thought. The extent of the partisan divide on this issue depends heavily on question wording, says Schwarz.. When the issue is framed as global warming, the partisan divide is nearly 42 percentage points. But when the frame is climate change, the partisan divide drops to about 26 percentage points.

Congressman John Boehner Republican Of Ohio

Speaker of the House

Boehner reliably pleads ignorance to punt on climate change. Listen, Im not qualified to debate the science over climate change, Boehner said in May. But I am astute enough to understand that every proposal that has come out of this administration to deal with climate change involves hurting our economy and killing American jobs. That cant be the prescription for dealing with changes in our climate.

Boehner called the US-China deal the latest example of the presidents crusade against affordable, reliable energy that is already hurting jobs and squeezing middle-class families.

Also Check: How Many Registered Republicans In Texas

Figure 10 Party Breakdown Of Opinions On Federal Stimulus Policies On Which The Majorities Of Democrats And Of Republicans Disagree

Majorities of Democrats and minorities of Republicans favor three policies put into place by President Obama that have been rolled back by President Trump: a mandate to power plants to cut carbon emissions from the electric sector by more than 30% relative to 2005 levels; a plan for the federal government to reduce its own emissions; and a mandate to increase fuel efficiency standards of all new cars and trucks made in the United States to get at least 55 miles per gallon by 2025.

Climate Deniers In The 117th Congress

According to new analysis from the Center for American Progress, there are still 139 elected officials in the 117th Congress, including 109 representatives and 30 senators, who refuse to acknowledge the scientific evidence of human-caused climate change. All 139 of these climate-denying elected officials have made recent statements casting doubt on the clear, established scientific consensus that the world is warmingand that human activity is to blame. These same 139 climate-denying members have received more than $61 million in lifetime contributions from the coal, oil, and gas industries.

Read Also: Why Do Republicans Want To Get Rid Of The Epa

Democrats And Republicans Divided On Climate Change

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, speaks as Senator Ed Markey, a… Democrat from Massachusetts, right, listens during a news conference announcing Green New Deal legislation in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg

How serious an issue is climate change and what should be done about it? It is not surprising that Democrats and Republicans have different views about these questions as they do about so many issues today. But what is significant now is the depth of their differences on climate change and how much those differences have grown over time. In the April issue of AEIs Political Report, we examined partisans views in recent polls and trends.

When Quinnipiac University asked registered voters in December 2018 about the extreme weather events over the past few years, 90% of Democrats and 24% of Republicans said they were related to climate change. In a similar question asked by Economist/YouGov pollstersin March 2019, 76% of Democrats said the severity of recent weather events were the result of climate change, compared to 17% of Republicans. Seventy-four percent of Republicans said these kinds of events just happen from time to time.

And what about the Green New Deal? In the limited number of polls that we have at this point, most Americans are not very familiar with it. Among those who have an opinion, Democrats are more positive than Republicans.

Figure 11 Party Breakdown Of Opinions On Obama

Of the 24 policies, 17 are favored by a majority of Independents, including the 7 that are favored by majorities of Republicans and of Democrats.

Of the seven policies favored by a minority of Independents, two are also favored by minorities of Republicans and Democrats: tax breaks to encourage nuclear power plant construction and increased consumer taxes on electricity.

Four of the other five policies favored by a minority of Independents are: increasing consumer taxes on gasoline, helping companies prevent leaks and pollution from pipelines, spending stimulus money to advance manufacturing of all-electric cars, and installing charging stations for electric cars. For the proposed policy of helping companies make batteries that are smaller and last longer, 50% of Independents were in favor.

For two policies more Republicans than Democrats are in favor, by margins of 13 and 11 percentage points respectively.

Of the remaining 22 policies, more Democrats than Republicans are in favor by margins ranging from 18 to 58 percentage points and averaging 37 percentage points.

In sum, Democrats are generally more supportive of emissions reduction policies than Republicans, and Independents are generally in between those two groups. And although majorities of both Republicans and Democrats agree with one another about some policies, they disagreed on most.

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Young Republicans See Shift In Gop: ‘from Outright Denial To Climate Caucus’

Twenty-four-year-old Republican Danielle Butcher is watching with anticipation as GOP leaders move from outright denial to now having a climate caucus a move she sees as the first step in integrating climate action into formal party policy.

Butcher, the executive vice president of the American Conservation Coalition , spoke to The Hills Equilibrium on Tuesday, just a week after Rep. John Curtis ;launched the Conservative Climate Caucus and the same day that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy

The partys progress is huge, when you apply the context, Butcher said.; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

This is an excellent first step, she continued. The first thing you have to do in achieving climate action is start talking about these problems.

To Butcher, integrating climate action into Republican politics speaks to her partys historic conservation core the GOP with a deep-seated, rural heritage, was responsible for creation of the National Park Service and the Environmental Protection Agency under former Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Richard Nixon.

I also see this as us reclaiming our heritage, she said.

But with two-thirds of Americans indicating that the government should do more on climate change a stance that Butcher observed is especially true among young people” she said Republicans need to be talking about these issues and involving the younger generation in the discussions.

The GOP has notoriously struggled with young people, she added.

Climate Insights : Partisan Divide

Meet the Conservatives Lobbying Lawmakers to Act on Climate Change

A breakdown of survey results by party shows that although the views of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents differ, they also converge in ways that may be unexpected.

Report byBo MacInnis and Jon A. Krosnick75 minute read Oct. 13, 2020

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Republicans Are Not A Monolith On Climate Change

Republican lawmakers have been attacking the Biden Administrations actions to address the climate crisis. However, not all Republicans align. The party is split and the recent mass power outages during a severe storm in Texas may drive a deeper wedge into the party as Republican lawmakers were seen as having failed their constituents. In Florida, the GOP recently released a $100M+ plan to address flooding caused by climate change, although nothing to halt or reverse climate change itself. Recent polls show the fissure among Republican voters is generational and there is a substantial chasm between Democrat and Republican voters when it comes to understanding the causes and risks of climate change.

No matter what direction the political winds blow, the planet continues on its dangerous path of warming as humans continue to burn fossil fuels at an alarming rate. Scientists are increasingly warning that to avoid catastrophic impacts from climate change, the worlds governments must implement massive reductions of warming emissions and begin a drawdown of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere over the decade ahead.

For a safe and healthy future for all, endorse the;Climate-Safe California Platform;to implement scalable solutions that can reverse the climate crisis.

To learn more about how to vote for the climate, or read below.

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 6

the 6th chapter be heeeere

thanks @soul-dwelling for being a champ ^^

Kid: (nods) "Let's take a sample question, such as this one with the angles of a triangle." stocking: thats 3 angles. that one i know, since 'tri' means 'three', right? Kid: "Yes, and three sides. That's the key: the three angles and the three sides correspond with each other. The big side has opposite it a big angle, and a small side has opposite it a small angel." stocking: you mean a small angle? *she chuckled* Kid: "Well, can you blame me?" (smiles) stocking: *she chuckles* Kid: "So, returning to...'angles,' the three angles of every triangle equals exactly 180 degrees. So if you know the degrees of two angles, you can figure out the third angle's degrees." stocking: ah, i see. Kid: "So if Angle A is 70 degrees, and Angle B is 50 degrees, how much is the remaining Angle, Angle C?" stocking: hmmm... either 70 or 50? Kid: "We know that the total of all three angles will always be 180 degrees. And we know the other two angles. If we subtract 70 and 50 from 180, then we'll have the answer. So, what is 180 minus 70?" stocking: 110? Kid: "Yes! And now subtract 50 from 110..." stocking: 50 then? Kid: "Not quite." (writes out 50 then above that 110, then covers the zeroes with his hand) "What's 11 minus 5?" stocking: 11 minus 5..... 6! Kid: "Right! So, instead of 11 minus 5 being 6, we add zero to the end of each...so 11 is 110, 5 is 50, and 6 is...?" stocking: 60! *she smiles* Kid: (nods with a smile) "Excellent." stocking: yay! Kid: "Now, let's take this a next step...What do you know about the Isosceles Triangle? What makes it special?" stocking: i think i heard the name before.... Kid: "An isosceles triangle has two lengths that are the same as each other, and two angles which are the same as each other." stocking: ah...and the 3rd? Kid: "That's where the fun is!" (he's so giddy over this stuff) "The third angle and the third length will not be the same as all as the other two. But as we pointed out, will be whatever is left after subtracting the two other angles, and that third angle will tell us the length of the last side! Isn't this exciting?!" stocking: ah, i see. *she smiles a bit* Kid: "So, look at this Isosceles Triangle: because two of its angles have to be equal to each other, we have this triangle with one angle at 40 and the other two angles at 70 each. So if we know one angle of an Isosceles, we can still figure out the other two." Kid: "Here's an example: if one angle of the Isosceles Triangle is 80 degrees, and the other two angles are equal to each other, how much are those two angles of equal degree?" -elsewhere- spirit:.... *on his walkie-talkie* joooooe, how much later do we have to stay out here? Joe: "Our shift is over in an hour. I suggest you calm down, maybe enjoy a fresh cup of coffee..." (sips his, and grimaces) "Make that a _good_ cup of coffee..." spirit: well, hurry on up will ya? if ya dont hurry over, then im sending justin to find you. justin: do be patient with him, its been quite a long night. Joe: (studying the subject) "Remind me how I will know that I've found what we're looking for." justin: i believe we're looking for people who are out after the curfew... Joe: "Then I spotted at least one. On the corner of King and Grissom." justin: oh? Joe: "One person. Looks to be the height of a student. Hoodie. I can't see their face...and I'm having some difficulty getting a trace on their soul..." -in that moment, a figure runs into an allyway- Joe: "Someone else! Just went into the alley!" justin: oh? *the signal begins to static* huh? Joe: "Justin? Justin, come in!" (looks to alley) "Damn it!" (runs into the alley) -there's a figure standing at the end, completely still.- Joe: "Excuse me. It is after curfew. Come on, you're coming with me to the Academy for processing." -the figure turns around- tsumiki: ah, mr buttataki. good evening. *she smiles, content* Joe: "Tsumiki?" (lowers his guard) "I have not seen you for some time...Now, come with me back to the Academy..." tsumiki: oh? f-for what reason? Joe: "The DWMA put in a curfew, and you're out late. We have to take you to safety and hold you overnight for your safety, at least until daylight hours. You'll get a meal, some sleep in a good bed, and be up and ready for class the next day." tsumiki: since when was this curfew enacted? i've been....out of town a while. Joe: "For weeks now, after a number of serial killings." (approaches, putting out a hand...as he focuses his soul energy right to that hand...) "Come with me. I'll explain on the way." tsumiki: is that it? its quite alright. im not really scared of that. i know i'll be ok. -something seems....off....- Joe: (preparing any potential attack) "No, this is an order. Come with me, now." (moves to grab her arm) \i wouldnt do that if i were you\ Joe: "Now!" tsumiki: *her eyes are fixated at something behind him* Joe: ("Oh no...") (turns to see what is behind him) -the alley has extended for miles. pitch black darkness on either end of them.- Joe: "What the hell?" (puts hand to his ear) "Justin? Spirit? Do you copy?" walkie talkie: \you know...im rather tired of being everyone's little pushover\ tsumiki: *she just stands there, expressionless* Joe: "What?" tsumiki: you know~ while i was gone, i learned to stand up for myself. to become more assertive.... to know the world really is a kill or be killed kind of place.... i have him to thank for that. Joe: "And who would 'he' be?" (as he talks, he lowers his radio back to his pocket...and reaches for a pistol...) tsumiki: someone much like me. someone who was always alone, afraid. someone who had the whole world against him for merely being born. someone abandoned and left to rot in a dark cold space. Joe: "Tsumiki? Are you the killer? The one responsible for these deaths?" tsumiki: *she chuckles* for the most part~.... it wasnt easy thought, but i've been getting better~ *something manifests behind her* Joe: (grips his pistol behind him) "Tsumiki...Stop this. Please. You can help us if you just stop." tsumiki: but why would i do that? if i did that, all my progress would be for nothing. tsumiki: besides~.....i'm much happier like this. -a tall figure has formed behind her- ????: you say you can see the truth, and yet you deny the truth in front of you? how pitiful.... Joe: (frowns) "Guess that leaves little choice..." (presses down on Tsumiki's wrist, tugging it and forcing a Soul Menace attack into her) -tsumiki has oddly vanished, and the figure stands in front of joe- ?????: faked you out. Joe: (groans, fires three shots at the figure) -the figure isnt even phased, it just grins and removes its bandages- Joe: (looks behind him for an exit) -shink- tsumiki: oops. *she has pierced a knife through his abdomen* Joe: (shudders, coughs up blood) Joe: (struggles to grasp at her) ???: how cute, he's struggling like a little worm. *wraps bandages around him and tosses him into a wall* Joe: "Uff!" (crashes into wall, barely conscious now, collapsing on his side on the alley floor) tsumiki: *she picks up the gun and holds it to his head* our little secret, ok~? Joe: "No..." -BANG- justin: *he heard the gunshot and ran to the flower shop alley* stein, i heard gunshots in the flower shop alley, send back up, over. Stein: "On it!" tsumiki: tsk, tsk....whats wrong? a big strong man like you couldnt handle a little girl? oh well, your sacrifice wont be in vain... ????: seems we have company. tsumiki: hmm? Joe: (shuddering, eyes wide) justin: *he stands at the ally entrance, horrified* wh-wha? b-butta- ???: how ironic that you're the one to find us, justin law. justin: *he doesnt say anything* -the figure drags him in- justin: *SCREAMING* -by the time the back up arrives, both tsumiki and the figure are gone, as is joe's soul. justin is laying against the wall, cut in several places and barely breathing- justin: st-ste...in.... Stein: "Justin!" Stein: "Paramedics! Here, now!" (looks at Justin) "Stay with me, Justin. Stay with me..." justin: dont...let them....tsu..mi.... *his vision goes dark* -the next morning, patchwork labs- Stein: "Is he okay to talk?" valentine: he's alright. but for now, he should rest. marie: *she's crying* spirit:...... Stein: (groans) "The moment Justin is ready to talk, contact us." (points to Spirit, taking him aside) "What has forensics uncovered?" spirit: once again, nothing.....*slams his fist against the wall* DAMMIT! i shouldnt have let him go on his own! Stein: (removes two cigarettes, lights them) "No kidding. Why the hell did Joe run in alone?" spirit: *he takes one* thanks....and i wasnt talking about bj....i meant justin.... damn...he shouldnt have been put through whatever that was. Stein: (irritable) "I'd debate which is worse: what Justin went through...or what Joe went through..." (closed his eyes) "or what Marie is going through..." Stein: "That'll have to be tabled. You sure nothing on Justin's person can lead us in a direction? What about what that...whatever did to Joe?" spirit: *sigh* well, we'd have to ask val about the autopsy then. Stein: "Super." (puts out cigarette, removes another one) "Just super." -the next morning- speaker: attention, a mandatory school meeting is about to take place. please make your way to the auditorium for further instruction. repeat. this is a _mandatory_ meeting. thank you. Kid: ("This is not good...") (groans aloud) Patty: (humming cheerfully) tsugumi: what do you think this is? mio: probably something boring. Anya: "Oh! That'll be fascinating! To experience an actual school meeting!" Meme: "Huh. You really haven't gotten out much, Anya." Maka: "Soul, Black Star, hurry up!" stocking:....(thinking: i have a bad feeling about this) soul: yeah yeah. Black Star: "Tsubaki, where's the best seat? Up front to show I'm the best at paying attention, or all the way in the back with the cool people?" tsubaki: maybe someplace in the middle? -auditorium- tsugumi: what do you think's going on kimi? Stein: (on stage, fidgeting) kimiko: im not sure, the headmaster just told me to give the announcement. he seemed shook up... Anya: "Best give the announcement. The students look agitated." madoka: ah! i think its about to start. Jacqueline: (sits beside Kim) "What is this about?" kim: *shrug* -best give the announcement then- Stein: "May we have your attention, students? We have an important announcement." -i think everyone is listening now- Stein: "Last night, the DWMA was enforcing its nightly curfew." kirika: (thinking: which is still BS) Stein: "At least one individual was found out after this curfew. Two DWMA operatives followed this individual into an alley. When additional DWMA operatives arrived, they discovered one of our own was badly injured, and another was dead." -shocked muttering amongst the students- Kid: "What?!" Maka: "Oh no." stocking: !! soul: shit... Black Star: "Grr..." Meme: (remembering Sid, putting hand over mouth, about to cry) kirika: WELL WHO DIED? -several students agree to wanting to know- mio: sempai? are you ok? Meme: (sobbing) mio: !!! Stein: (holds up hand) "Please! We are not finished! We are sad to report that the injured is Death Scythe Justin Law, and the deceased is Joe Buttataki." tsugumi: meme-chan, its ok. its not your fault, you didnt do anything, we were there with you last night, remember? liz: !!! Anya: "Agreed! Meme, it's okay. This is not about you." Meme: (still sobbing, collapsing forward) Patty: "Liz? How could...How could this happen?" mio: ..... liz: ....... soul: ........ ginka: *silent* Maka: "This is--This is--How?!" Kid: "Professor! How could this have happ--" --A scalpel lands by Kid's head-- luna: sayaka and i are going to go see him later, you can come with us. stocking: !!! Stein: "I am not continuing until every one of you is silent." -silence- Stein: "As you know, the number of killings in the previous weeks has had the DWMA on high alert, hence the establishment of the curfew. With the loss of at least one member of the DWMA, we have to take a more forceful response. After the conclusion of this meeting, all of you will assemble in lines to return to your homerooms. There, your instructors will direct some students to return back to their homes for today and until further notice. And many of you students will be assigned tasks related to our ongoing investigation--and to ensure that the now extended curfew is enforced." (looks back to Spirit, whispers off-mic) "Anything else to add? Anything I got wrong?" spirit:....*he shakes his head* Stein: "At a time like this, we know many of you are upset. Justin has been a close adviser to many of you, and Joe has been a passionate crusader for the mission of the DWMA, an insightful investigator--and a close friend and guide to many of us, especially those of us who have sought his counsel. We will be providing numerous therapists and other counselors. If you would like to speak with any of these counselors, please speak with Auntie at the front desk." Kid: (balling his hands into fists) "Joe..." Kid: (looking down, shoulders hunched over) Maka: (gripping the armrest...crushing it) Black Star: "..." Stein: "We will be taking no questions at this time. Right now, we ask that you focus on our continuing mission, and that you keep Justin and Joe in your thoughts and souls. I think it would be appropriate to have a moment of silence for our peers." stocking+liz: *hugging kid* -silence- Patty: (patting Kid's back) Black Star: (breathing heavily) Anya: (putting a hand on Meme's shoulder) tsubaki:..... kirika: shit...now what? gopher: kirika? kirika: im fine... homura:...at least justin didnt-..... Stein: (nods) "Thank you. Please, remember that in these times of difficulty: we need soundness. A sound soul..." Maka: "...dwells in a sound mind..." homura: and a sound body. --Stein leaves the stage with Spirit, leaving it to staff to direct students to homeroom-- sayaka: so, you needed two healers to help justin? Stein: (nods) luna: my friend would like to come along as well. justin has been looking after her during her time at the school, it would mean a lot to her. Stein: (hesitant) "Okay. Let the healers go to the work, and keep your distance until he awakens." ginka:....ok... eternal feather:....*crying silently* Stein: (puts a hand on Ginka's shoulder) "I'm sure he will appreciate your presence. A soul can respond well to having company." Kana: (curls up against Eternal Feather) eternal feather: *sniffs* t-thank you...kana.... Kana: (nods) "I'm sorry." eternal feather: its ok kana, you didnt do anything wrong... Jacqueline: (looks at Kim) kim:.......what? Jacqueline: "Stein is sending *healers*..." kim: he doesnt need to know...no one else does... Jacqueline: "I'll respect your decision...and advise you that Justin is going to need all the help he can get." kim: ..... -in homeroom- Maka: "But who is being assigned to participate in this investigation?!" ibuki: *raising her hand* IBUKI VOLUNTEERS! Kid: "As so I! And my weapons." stocking: ....i'll have my dad send someone as well. homura: i'll take it upon myself to assist in any way i can. shinra: i'll help to! Tamaki: "Me too!" Arthur: "I lend my sword to this battle!" zubaidah: settle down, i know you're all worked up. but do try to remain calm. *she looks at tezca like 'help me out here will ya?* Tezca: "Hey! If you want to join this mission so badly, why not ask Lord Death?!" (beat) "Oh...crap." zubaidah: T__________________T# Kid: "Yes, I agree!" (departs) "Liz! Patty!" tsugumi: oh dear... Maka: "Wait up, Kid!" Black Star: "Come on, Tsubaki!" Tezca: "Okay! No one but those three and their weapons are leaving! The rest of you are staying here!" -later- lord death: alright, settle down everyone, one at a time. Kid: "Father, I demand to be assigned to this investigation! Whatever you need!" lord death: alright then, what all can you do? Black Star: "Beat a confession out of someone!" -after all that- kohaku: tch- this is stupid, by having students join, they're just endangering more people than they need to... what a bunch of idiots. -gallows manor- Patty: (listlessly twirling straw in soda can) "What now...?" liz: i'm not sure.......kid? how're you holding up? Kid: (shakes his head) liz:.... -kid's phone rings- Kid: (too distracted to look who is calling) "Hello?" stocking: hey kid, need me to come over? i can come via the mirror if you want... Kid: "...Yes. I'll set the mirror up. I think Liz and Patty would like your company, too..." (looks to Liz and Patty for approval) liz: *she nods* liz:....(thinking: wait, mirror?) Patty: "Stocking being here would be nice...but what about curfew?" Kid: (sweats) "Um...Sigh...I guess the secret's out...Stocking, stand by your mirror. I'll ready my end." stocking: ok. Kid: "You'll be entering the living room, okay?" stocking: alright. Kid: (approaches mirror, breathes on it, and writes the number. The mirror glows to allow Stocking entrance...) Patty: o_o stocking: *inhales and backs up, running in.* Kid: (standing before the mirror) stocking: *she makes it through the mirror, landing right on top of him* ah....oh...hey kid... *blush* Kid: o\\\\o "It's fine...Um...Can you get off of me?" Patty: (whispering to Liz) "Oh, like they aren't used to _that_ position." liz: patti oh my god. stocking: ah! sorry. *she gets up* Kid: (holds up hand as she helps him up) "It's...okay." (small laugh) "Thank you for coming." stocking: no problem. *she lays down on the couch, offering him to lay on top* Kid: "..." (lies alongside her) Patty: (whispers) "Um...privacy, maybe?" stocking:....*she gets up and hugs him* its ok kid...let out what you need to... Kid: "...I had been seeing Joe for therapy for some time..." stocking:.... *listening* Kid: "He listened to me discuss many concerns I had: about being a shinigami, about school, about anxiety, about obsessions...about feeling like I could have a normal life..." stocking:.... *still listening* Kid: "...And he's gone. He was someone who helped me and...I wasn't there." liz: kid... stocking: its ok kid, its not your fault... Patty: ):> Kid: (nods) "I cannot be everywhere at once...but it is going to take some time to accept that--that...that I wasn't there to stop whoever did this." stocking:....kid? remember when i comforted you? back at the lodge? Kid: (nods) stocking: do you remember what i told you? Kid: (nods) "Tell me again...I want to hear it." stocking: its not your fault. you're right here kid. and i'm going to be right here for you when you need it, ok? Kid: "...I'm scared. I'm scared what happens next." stocking: shhhh, its ok kid. just breathe...everything will be ok... Kid: (inhales, exhales...sobs) Patty: (clutches Liz's wrist, cries into her shoulder) liz: *hugs her* stocking:...*humming the music box melody* Kid: (still sobbing, but calming his breath) Patty: "Sis..." liz: its gonna be ok patti...i promise... Patty: (clutches Liz in a hug) liz: *hugs back* Kid: (stops sobbing, puts an arm around Stocking) stocking: *she kisses his forehead* Patty: "...When we find this killer..." (looks up, eyes hard) "...they'll pay..." liz: ...... Kid: "That makes two of us, Patty..." (looks up to Stocking) "I'm sorry. I'm just...angry." stocking: i know.... liz: but we need to be rational about this. we can just let ourselves be blinded by our emotions. Kid: "...Yes. Just need to channel those emotions towards finding this criminal...but it sounds like Father is still holding back some information...and I don't think he does so to keep it a secret. I think this is more dangerous than we anticipated." liz:..... -the next day- -where to?- [] alley way [] patchwork labs [] school Kid: "This alley...I feel something about it...Let's approach just to the edge of it, until I get a sense of what I'm feeling." -seems homura is there- Kid: "Homura?" homura: !! oh.. hello kid. are you here to assist the investigation today? Kid: "If the investigation team will have me. I just did not want to sit by and being useless." homura: *slight smile* well, im sure we'd appreciate it. Kid: (follows Homura into the alley) "Does something feel...off about this crime scene? Almost like...an energy around it?" homura: other than the sense of unease that someone died here..... *she kneels down and picks up an empty can* Kid: (shakes his head) "Maybe it's nothing..." (puts a hand along one wall) "I thought shots were fired in here. Why don't I see bullet marks? How hard are these walls?" homura: well, the bullet did get lodged through the back of his skull.....sorry... Kid: "...I thought it was _shots_ fired. And Joe always carried a gun..." homura: hmm....*she touches the wall for a moment*....damn...still nothing... Kid: "I have to imagine at least one shot came from Joe. So, where are the casings?" homura: hm.... *a few casings were found at the edge of the alley. the alley itself is only 15 feet deep* Kid: "That explains that...I doubt Joe was a bad shot, so how did the murderer survive those shots?" homura: perhaps they were quicker.... Kid: "But no bullets in the walls? Or on the ground? They wouldn't just disappear." homura: ...... Kid: "Something is odd here. I don't think we are contending with someone who is human." homura:...i was beginning to have that same thought. Kid: "Unfortunately, the list of entities that can survive bullets is too long to narrow...We will need additional evidence to determine what can do this." homura: if justin is awake, you could probably ask him. Kid: "Any update on Justin's recovery? Is he up for talking?" homura: i havent been updated as of yet. Kid: (nods) "I anticipate Stein will ask him questions when he wakes up." -where to now?- soul: ugh, im so bored! Maka: (drops another five books on the desk) "Then preoccupy yourself with these." soul: hmmm... *picks up a book* Maka: (passes notebook paper) "And take notes. I want a summary of what can beat a Death Scythe and overwhelm someone with a strong soul, especially one with strong soul perception." soul: *siiiiiigh* yes, _mom_ Maka: (glare) Black Star: (sitting atop a stack of books, thumbing through them) "Put this on the 'Maka will end up reading it' pile..." tsubaki: black*star! Black Star: "What?! I'm helping! I'm sorting books for whatever useless nonsense she wants!" tsubaki: 3....2....1.... Black Star: "Huh?" --CHOP!-- Black Star: (twitching on the floor) tsubaki: warned you. Maka: (frowns, looks at Soul) "And do you have any smart-ass comments?" soul: no ma'am... Maka: (smirks) "Good." (serious) "We have to do something, if not to bring Joe's killer to justice, then to help stop future ones." tsubaki: right. Black Star: --dead-- morerororororororo -elsewhere- marie:..... Stein: "Hey." marie:....hello... Stein: (sits beside her, keeping about one cushion seat distance between them) "Justin...has talked. But nothing coherent, or for very long." marie: *she sighs* at least its something... may i see him? Stein: (nods, stands to walk with her) justin: *sleeping* Stein: (behind Marie...tries to put a hand near her...then pulls back) marie:....poor thing... Stein: "...Yes." (looks over at the machines, tracking Justin's vitals) -seems he's in good condition- Stein: "..." ("When are you going to tell us what you saw, Justin?" justin: *he's shuffling in his sleep* Stein: "???" -after a few minutes, he wakes up screaming- Stein: "Justin!" (prepares a sedative) marie: *she hugs him, using her healing wavelength* Stein: ("That works, too...") -soon, justin finally calms down- Stein: "Justin? We are here for you, right now." justin: *panting* ha....h-hello stein.....marie..... *his voice seems slightly dry* Stein: (pours water into a cup, hands it to him) "Here." justin: *smiles weakly* thank you. *he takes a sip* Stein: "Justin, we are in the middle of an investigation. When you are ready, we need to debrief you." justin:.....*he nods* marie: how're you feeling? justin:..sore....but i'll manage.. Stein: "Okay. Do you want to take some time?" justin:....*nods* Stein: "Okay. I'll let you rest for a bit. Do you want me to bring anything? Or anyone? You have had many people who have wanted to say hi and wish you well." justin: just you two right now.... Stein: (nods) "Anything else you need? More water? Food? More sheets?" justin: some tea might help... Stein: "I'll brew it...Green tea? Chamomile?" justin: chamomile...please... Stein: (nods, pats a hand on Marie's shoulder as he leaves her and Justin alone) -later- marie: *walking with justin to the death room* are you sure about this? you still need rest though... justin: i know, but it's imperative i do this as soon as possible... --Stein is waiting in the Death Room, along with Lord Death— Maka: "Justin? Hi." justin: good evening everyone. lord death: how are you feeling? justin: better. Kid: "That's good to hear..." justin: yes, but there is something very important i need to tell you, you probably wont believe me, but what im saying is true. lord death: go on. justin: *inhales, then exhales* ......i know who's behind the murders. Maka: "..." Kid: "..." soul: what?! Stein: "Do we need to have a lockdown of the campus?" justin: yes, i saw them standing over joe's dead body when i arrived.....but here is the unbelievable part. lord death: lets hear him out first. go on justin. justin: the one behind the murders was...is a missing student.... Maka: "Who was it?" justin:.....it was mikan tsumiki..... soul:......*bursts out laughing* oh dude! you really had me going there! Kid: (eyebrow raised) Maka: (slaps the back of Soul's head) soul: oh come on, you guys cant possibly be buying this! this is tsumiki. tsu-mi-ki we're talking about! she couldn’t hurt an ant even if she wanted! justin: but im serious!! Kid: "I believe you, Justin. In light of how shocking these murders have been, and the fact that the culprit is something who has not been seen lately at the Academy, such an accusation makes sense. But how could someone like Tsumiki commit such murders?" justin: well..when i saw here, there was....someone else with her... *he seems tense* Stein: "Who?" justin:....*he inhales*.....the kishin asura. lord death: WHAT?! Stein: (tenses) Maka: "What?" Kid: "No..." soul: y-you gotta be shitting me, right? justin: i wish i was bluffing....but... i know what i saw... Kid: "Father? Can you sense the Kishin's presence?" lord death:..... i fear he has learned how to use soul protect somehow...damn! Stein: "And taking out someone with an advanced soul perception would be helpful..." (looks at Maka) Maka: (starts sweating) soul: *holds her hand* Kid: "How, then, do we proceed? Search for Tsumiki's soul wavelength? Search for her door to door?" lord death: for one thing, we update the board. then send an alert to all the other branches. Stein: "You think she's already out of Death City?" lord death: no one has seen her in a few days... considering what happened with-...*ahem* its most likely. Kid: "I agree with Father that we should alert other branches. But this is also someone who has been targeting so many here in Death City. This is not someone who is trying to avoid capture: they is someone killing many in our own home, to send some message. And I don't think they will stop with just Maka." Kid: (seizes, realizing the last six words he just said) "Um..." soul: *tenses up* spirit: *PROTECTIVLY HUGGING MAKA* nooooooo!!! Maka: -_-; "Get off of me before I crack your head open." spirit: my babyyyyy Q~Q --CRACK!-- Maka: "Great. Now I need a new copy of this book..." spirit: X~X Stein: "We will be putting certain students under increased security, then. And I think we will need to go through specific locations to confirm Tsumiki is not hiding somewhere in the city...or below it." lord death:..... Kid: "???" -later- soul:.... Maka: "You expect me to tolerate the equivalent of house arrest while some mass murderer is still out there?" spirit: dont think of it like that, think of it more as spending some quality time with your favorite papa~! Maka: "Good. Where is he?" spirit: Q-Q Kid: "Take this seriously, Maka. Until we know how on earth someone like Tsumiki could kill someone like Joe, it is irresponsible to rush into battle without a strategy." soul:........ Maka: "Then maybe someone here needs to hurry up and think of a strategy! Or are we just going to sit here and twiddle our thumbs?!" liz: that's what we're already doing. Patty: "Yeah, Little Miss Particular!" (she pinched Maka's cheek) "So just hold your horses!" Maka: "Ow!" liz: for now, we should try thinking about other things. like how about we play some gamecube? Kid: "...Not a bad idea, actually. Perhaps we should let Maka pick the game?" Maka: "How about 'I'm going to break Patty's face if she doesn't let go of my face right this minute'?!" Patty: (still tugging on her cheek) "I don't think we have that game..." soul: patti come on. Maka: (smacks Patty's hand away) Patty: "Oh! That's my favorite hand!" Kid: "Liz? Please, pick a game..." liz: *gets her some ice* soul: we got smash bros. Kid: "Very well, then. I'll play as Kirby." -later- Maka: "Smash! SMASH! SMASH!!!!" spirit: i dont know what im doing! Patty: "Dying! That's what!" (her Samus blasts Spirit off screen with a Smash Attack) tsubaki: anyone want anything to drink? Patty: "Red Bull!" soul: m-dew. Maka: "THE BLOOD OF MY ENEMIES!" (silence, blushes) "Um...Just water." liz: same. Black Star: "Liz wants to drink blood?" -WHAP- liz: water please. Black Star: (bruise on his head) "Okay! Jeez!" Kid: (inhales Liz's character) liz: !! Kid: (spits out the character, gaining their abilities) "Yay!" tsubaki: kid, what did you want to drink? Kid: "Just water!" (isn't looking at the screen...) soul: *knocks him off* owned. Kid: (gasps) "Fly! Fly little, Kirby! Fly--" Patty: "Nope!" (blasts Kirby off-screen) "Dead!" soul: rest in fucking pieces. spirit: language! Maka: (blasts Spirit again) Patty: "Burn, motherfucker, burn!" spirit: Q~Q Kid: (crying) "Kirby..." Maka: "Down to Soul, Patty, and me. Who's going to emerge victorious?" liz: *pats his back* Patty: (blasts at Soul) Kid: (grabs Liz, crying into her shoulder) soul: *blasted* ack! liz: !!! h-hey, calm down, its just a game. Kid: (still sobbing) "Kirby!" Maka: (slams down Patty) "Soul! Gang up on her!" Kid: (soaking Liz's shirt) liz: shhh, its ok, he's fine, ok? spirit: hey, whats wrong? Kid: (kept pointing at Kirby) "The symmetrical blob was defeated! And to be defeated by--by--BY A SAMUS WITH HER WEAPON ON ONLY ONE ARM!" Patty: (rolls her eyes) "Relax, he's fine. See? He's already back to worrying over symmtery!" Maka: "You should worry for yourself!" (delivers one last attack, knocking Samus off to death) Patty: (throws down controller) "Fuck!" tsubaki: *gives him his water* here you go.. Maka: "Just you and me now, Soul..." Kid: (sips) "Th-Thank you..." (then sees how wet is Liz's shirt) "Oh no..." soul: tch- yer on! liz: its ok kid, it'll dry. Maka: (swings Link's sword at Soul) soul: *gets hit* gah *tries to use falcon punch* Maka: (dodges--and delivers one bomb at Captain Falcon) soul: oh shi- *BOOM* *jawdrop* --AND THE WINNER IS...LINK!-- Maka: :D spirit: papa's so proud of you! Maka: "Thank you. And you...lasted longer than I thought you would." spirit: well, i am a death scythe for a reason. *bishonen sparkles* Patty: (looks around in confusion at the bishonen sparkles--then takes one in her hand, shrugs--and eats it) liz: h-how.. Kid: (sniffs from crying) "Don't--just...don't ask." liz:...*pats his back.* Black Star: "Tch. So you won in a video game. Big deal. In the real world, you'd go down like a sack of flour." Maka: -_- tsubaki: 3...2....1... Maka: "CHOP!" --The roof of the apartment building goes up and comes back down— ox: what was that? an earthquake? Harvar: (looks around) "Maybe?" liz: 0_0 Black Star: (pixlated due to graphic nature) Patty: (poking the pixels) liz: stop that! Maka: (checks her book) "I am going through so many books this week..." -later- Patty: (finishes scooping Black Star's remains with a broom and dustpan to reassemble him) tsubaki:..... Maka: (leans back on couch) "I am not looking forward to being locked in...Is it too late for you all? Do you have to get home before curfew? Or can you stay for a bit?" tsubaki: i think black*star and i can stay the night. liz: we have to be getting home. Black Star: (dazed) "I can feel my toes again." Kid: (nodded) "But if you need anything, call us." (looks to Soul) soul:...yeah... Maka: (nods) "Okay...Well, thanks for visiting." liz: no problem. kid's due for his nap anyway. Kid: (frowns) Patty: "Bye bye, Soul! Make sure Maka and Black Star don't do anything stupid!" soul: *nods* -at gallows manor- Kid: *yawns* "Guess I am rather tired..." liz: want some warm milk? Kid: (nods) Patty: "Me too, Sis!" liz: ok then. Kid: (lies back on couch, eyes closed) "What are we going to do..." Patty: (looking around the room) "I wonder where the staff is?" butler: good evening. Patty: "Oh, hey! How're you doin'?" butler: quite well. young master i brought you the daily crossword, and for miss patricia the child's activity page. Kid: *yawn* "Th-Thank you..." (takes the pen) Patty: "Goodie!" (takes the crayon) "You guys doin' okay, what with...everything happening in the city?" butler: we've been able to manage as best as we can. Kid: "..." Patty: (nods) "Thanks again." liz: ok, milk time. Patty: "Yeah! Activity page and milk! Thanks, Sis!" (sips on hers) Kid: *yawns* "Yes, thank you..." (taps pen on paper as he sips a little) liz: *she smiles and sits next to him* how're you holding up? Kid: (shakes his head) "Still bothered. But some things are becoming clearer." liz: hmm.... Kid: (drinks a bit more milk) "I'm too tired to even finish the crossword..." (tipping a bit to the side) liz: careful there. Kid: "...I better finish my drink and...go to...*yawn*...bed..." Patty: (finishes her drink) "Man, I still feel wide awake!" (leaps up) "I can stay up all ni--" (collapses, sleeping) -the next morning- Kid: (waking up) "No...N-No..." (sits up, breathing heavily) "Ugh...I'm covered in sweat..." liz: kid? you ok? Kid: (nods) "Bad dreams. How about you?" liz:....want to talk about it? Kid: "...Just...a lot of people I saw...scared...worried...running away from something." liz: then what? Kid: "...I saw people die." liz: kid..... Kid: "A lot of people we know...and have lost." liz:.....*listening* Kid: "...You...and Patty..." liz: !!! Kid: (puts hands over his face) "No. Not now. I can't talk about this now." liz:....you dont have to. right now, i'd suggest taking a shower and getting some breakfast... Kid: (nods) "Okay..." (gets out of bed, taking his robe with him) "I will see you downstairs in the kitchen in a moment." liz: ok. --After Kid's shower, he comes down to the kitchen-- Patty: (quietly eating, silent) liz: you ok? Patty: "Just...thinking." liz: about what? Patty: "It's been a long time since we had someone we know die..." liz:...yeah.... Patty: "...Sis? I'm scared." liz: *she sighs and hugs her* its going to be ok, i promise... Patty: (nods) "I know..." liz:....kid's starting to have night terrors again.. Patty: "...I can see that." -at school- stocking: hey kid. Kid: (small smile) "Hello. How are you?" stocking: been better... Kid: (nods) "Same." stocking: did you sleep ok? Kid: (shakes his head) "Nightmares." stocking: oh, kid... *she holds his hands* Kid: "...I'll sleep a lot better when we find this killer." stocking: yeah.... Kid: "What do you do when you feel like you can't find a solution?' stocking: well, i usually find help from others, usually my dad. Kid: "...I used to go to Joe." stocking: oh...maybe you can go to your dad? Kid: (nods) "I feel that Father...I mean, I worry he is distracted. It is hard to find time with him." stocking: ah... Kid: "I do think a conversation with him would help..." stocking: we'll go see him after class. Kid: (nods) "To class, then?" stocking: yeah. Kid: "What is our first class?" stocking: hmm, what day is it today? Kid: I believe its Wednesday. stocking: ah, *sigh* math again... Kid: (presses her hand gently) "Just keep at it. You'll be fine." stocking: yeah -after class- stocking: i think im doing better than i was. Kid: (smiles) "That's good. You'll be ready for this test soon." stocking: *groan* -lunch- Kid: (just putting his fork through the mashed potatoes...) liz: kid... Kid: "Sorry...Just thinking." liz:...*sighs* come on, you have to eat _something_ Kid: "...Yes." (puts some mashed potato in his mouth) stocking: why dont we go do something after school together? Kid: "What would you all be up for? A game? Shopping?" liz: how about karaoke? Patty: (perks up) "Yeeeeeeeeees..." Kid: "Um, sure." stocking: that sounds great~! Kid: "Let's meet after class, then?" stocking: sounds good. Kid: (takes more bites of food, eating a little more quickly) -after school, at the karaoke parlor- Patty: "Who's going first?" stocking: i'll go up first. *she chooses a cute pop song* Kid: (leans back in his seat, listening...) liz: she's pretty good. Kid: (sighs, smiles at Stocking) "She's great..." Patty: (humming along) -soon, she finishes- liz: not bad. Kid: (clapping enthusiastically) "You have a great voice! Divine!" stocking: aw, thanks. *she smiles* Patty: "Me next!" (takes the microphone) Kid: (pats a spot next to him for Stocking to sit) stocking: *she sits next to him* Patty: "And now, for some light, happy music!" [it was Barbie girl] liz: *claps* Kid: (claps, a little unnerved by that much pop...) Patty: (dramatic flip of hands and bow) "Thank you, Death City! Good night!" (tosses mic to Liz) liz: well, ok then. *ahem* *she sings good girl by carrie underwood* Kid: "...Wow." Patty: (smiling widely) stocking: neat. Kid: "She is rather good." stocking: she sure is. Kid: "..." (puts a hand along Stocking's) "Thanks for bringing me here." stocking: of course kid. Patty: "Woot! Go, Sis! Yay!" liz: *sigh* ok, your turn kid. Patty: (to Liz) "You need to encore after Kid!" Kid: "Um...what should I sing?" Kid: (flipping through...) "Hmm...Well, I don't like the 'samurai' part, but it is catchy..." (sings "Dancing Samurai"--with all the dance moves, too) liz: oh my gosh. Patty: o_O "This dancing and singing will be burned into my brain for all eternity." stocking: *she's checkin out the booty* uehuehue~ Patty: (notices Stocking, tilts her head) "Huh. Yeah, that is a good view..." liz: oh my god! Patty: "Come on--Kid has a fine-ass booty, Sis." liz: shhhh! Patty: "Pst, Stocking? Did that sound like a denial to you?" stocking: come on, let up you two. i was just having a bit of fun. Kid: (concludes his song, in a pose--then realizes what he's doing and blushes) "Um...H-How was I?" stocking: ....!!! oh! great! encore! *sweats* Patty: "...Booty-ful!" liz: OH MY GOD! Kid: "...Liz? You didn't like my performance?" liz: i was trying to listen, but stocking and patti distracted me by talking about your butt. stocking: L-LIZ!! *blushes* Kid: o\\\\o Patty: "...You have a butt as gorgeous as your singing, Kid! Encore! Woot!" stocking: ## *sigh* kid, can i talk to you, liz you go on up. -outside- stocking: *sigh* im really sorry about that kid, i got a glimpse and my perverted mind distracted me, then patti had to join in. i'm really sorry for doing that to you. Kid: o\\\\o "No, no problem...I mean, you find me attractive, and I don't consider that perverted--I mean, it's normal for people to find each other attractive. It's not like I don't think about your backside from time to time...and your legs...and arms...and--" (slaps his hand over his mouth) stocking:....................................................*NOSEBLEED* geh-....*cough cough* im good.... Kid: (holds up tissue) "Um...Stocking? I know you find me physically attractive...and you know I find you physically attractive too, yes?" stocking: y-yeah. Mutual physical attraction is one of the key things to make a relationship work, as is mutual understand and respect as well as mutual friendship and family-like bond. Kid: (smiles) "Well, we have mutual physical attraction, and I don't think that is going away any time soon...so I will focus on mutual understanding, mutual respect, and mutual familial bonds. Okay?" stocking: *she smiles* come on, i think liz is finishing up. Kid: "Okay." --Enters with Stocking-- liz: *phew* well, how did it go? stocking: it's all good. *she smiles* Kid: (smiles as well, resting a hand on Stocking's) "Yes." liz: ok, you wanna go now kid? Kid: (nods) "Yes..." Kid: (wiggles the mic) "Perhaps a duet, Stocking?" stocking: *blush* sure. --Kid and Stocking begin singing-- Patty: (puts her chin in her hands, her elbows on her knees, and sighs, content) liz: *no comment* Kid: (continues singing, looking at Stocking with a bright smile) -later- Patty: (applause) "Great singing, everyone." stocking: *she hugs kid and kisses him on both cheeks* Kid: (blushing) "You were excellent, Stocking." stocking: you werent so bad yourself~ Patty: "Any more singing?" (drinks her glass of juice) "Or is that enough singing for today?" liz: its gonna get dark soon, so... stocking: hey kid, could you spend the night, if its no trouble? Kid: "I would like that..." (looks back to Liz and Patty) "Would you mind if I stayed with Stocking tonight?) liz:...well, just be careful, ok? Patty: "Yeah. If you see someone who's giving you or Stocking trouble, bop 'em in the nose!" Kid: (small laugh) "Of course. You two be safe, as well. Text me when you get home." liz: of course.

-and so, later on- stocking: *laying on top of kid, panting* ahh...that felt good... Kid: "So does this, right now..." (kisses her neck once more) stocking: aah~ h-hey now... *she chuckles* Kid: "You like it--you know it..." (licks a little on her neck) stocking: oh, so you want a round two, eh? Kid: "I think so...Are you?" stocking: yeah. Kid: "Then let me warm you up...Where do you want my hands?" stocking: anywhere you need them... Kid: (puts a hand along her neck, as he kisses along her neck and above her breasts, his other hand along her lower back) stocking: ahhhh~ Kid: "Sing for me, Angel..." (he slides his hand down along her backside, massaging her right cheek) stocking: aaaaaah~! <3 Kid: "You have such a beautiful ass...You like my hand there?" stocking: yes~ Kid: "You want my fingers digging into your ass?" stocking: *she nods* Kid: (puts both hands on her cheeks, as her hot core rubs against him--and he digs his nails into her cheeks) stocking: *she moans as she rubs against him, still riding him* Kid: (continues to alternate massaging and digging into her backside, staring as her breasts sway) "You beautiful angel...God, Stocking, your breasts..." stocking: w-wait, you should put a fresh condom on first.. Kid: (nods, turns his head to take a new wrapped condom from the nightstand's box) "Help me?" stocking: *she helps him remove the old one and slip on the new one* Kid: (moans with pleasure) "Your fingers are so good..." stocking: yeah...ready? Kid: "...To enter you?" stocking: yeah... Kid: (smirks) "Not more foreplay..." (he brings his tongue to the tip of her nipple, licking lightly) stocking: ah~ unless you want to~ Kid: "I still need to harden a bit more..." (he guides her hand to his penis) "...and maybe you need a bit more..." (kisses along her breast to her armpit) stocking: ah~ *she strokes him slowly* Kid: (licks slowly along her armpit, letting his tongue's texture be felt there) stocking: k-kid~! that tickles~! Kid: "Maybe I think your laugh is enchanting..." (licks again, repeatedly and quickly) stocking: kyahaha~! Kid: (smirks) "I love that laugh...Tell me, where else are you ticklish?" stocking: why dont you try finding out~ Kid: "You tease..." (He seized her shoulders, flipping her onto her back) stocking: ah! *she blushes* Kid: (kisses her lips as his hand slides along her stomach, one finger stroking along her navel) stocking: mmn~ Kid: (his lips move off her lips to her left cheek. His fingers now brush along her abdomen, seeing whether she is ticklish there) stocking: *her hips raise slightly* aah~ Kid: (smirks) "So maybe there?" stocking: l-lower~ Kid: "Not yet...I want to hear you beg..." stocking: kid, please~ i want it~ Kid: (his fingers move slowly, agonizingly slow, from her navel downward...) "You feel so warm..." stocking: *she breaths heavily, sighing a bit* Kid: (slides one fingertip along her lips) "Do you know what I want?" stocking: w-what do you want~? Kid: "You..." (spreads her lower lips) "...against that wall..." stocking: o-ok... *she gets up and presses herself against the wall, slowly shaking her rear.* Kid: "Stocking...is this okay? Please, say no if you don't want to do this." stocking: its ok, i dont mind kid. *she smiles* if its you, then i'll be alright. Kid: (wraps his arms around her chest, burying his head against her back) "If it's you, then I am alright...I love you, Stocking." stocking: *she smiles and kisses his hand gently* Kid: (leads his hand down to her core, pressing his finger along her clitoris) "I am going to make you laugh, and howl, and scream, until you are shouting only my name, you hot, beautiful angel..." stocking: ahhhh~ *she shivers, blushing* Kid: "You feel so hot inside...Tell me..." (He eases his finger into her slowly) "What were thinking when you saw my butt? What did you want to do to me?") stocking: nngh~ i-i wanted to...*blush* s-smack that booty... Kid: "How hard?" stocking: enough to leave a mark... Kid: (He slides out his finger) "You'd have to do it symmetrically..." stocking: of course. Kid: (has slid the finger out of her) "You are burning up, Angel...How hard would you spank me?" (Light smack on her backside) "This hard?" stocking: ah~ Kid: "Maybe harder?" (Spanks her harder) stocking: ooh~! Kid: "Still no mark left on that gorgeous ass...Maybe you are just too perfect not to bruise..." (pulls back, spanking her even harder) stocking: AHHH~! Kid: "Did that hurt?" stocking: f-felt good~ Kid: "Good." (One last smack--that finally leaves a mark) stocking: ahh~!!<3 Kid: (rubs his hand along the mark) "Should I kiss it?" stocking: if you want to~ Kid: (gets on his knees, lightly kisses repeatedly along the bruise) stocking: ahhh~ Kid: (continues kissing...until he makes one long extended lick along her cheek) stocking: di-did you want to take me from behind? Kid: (smiles) "Yes.. I just wanted...a taste first..." (kneels lower and licks along her slit) stocking: ahhhAHHHHH~! Kid: "Should I have another taste? Or should I shove my hard cock into you?" stocking: if you want~ Kid: (kisses along her slit...While a finger moves at the top of the crack of her backside) stocking: ahh-ahhhhh~! Kid: (stands up...and spreads her cheeks a bit) "You do have an incredible booty yourself...When this is over, you can spank me as long as you want..." stocking: *she mewls lightly* Kid: (relaxes her cheeks, holds her hips and kisses along her back) "Ready to feel me in you?" stocking: ahhhh~ y-yes~ Kid: (gulps) "G-good..." (lets his fingers spread her lips, as he guides the top of his erect penis along her, rubbing her first) stocking: oohhh~ kiiiid~ Kid: "Say my name again..." (He slides the tip into her slowly) "I couldn't hear you..." stocking: kiiiiiid~! Kid: "Louder!" (He thrusts hard into her) stocking: KIIIID~!! Kid: (thrusts a bit more gently) "Good..." (slides a hand to her left breast, massaging her nipple) stocking: *she moans softly* Kid: (thrusts with a steady rhythm, as he starts to pinch her nipple) stocking: oooooh~ k-kiiiid~! Kid: "How did you get such perfect breasts? Those nipples..." stocking: nnngh~ *panting* k-kiiid you're so good at this~! Kid: "Because it's you...you still feel so hot, Love..." stocking: mmm~ Kid: (keeps thrusting, his hands moving up to both breasts, massaging them) stocking: oh god kid~ yes~ just like that~! Kid: "Heaven is being with you, my mouth pleasuring your nipples, you beautiful Angel .." (pinches her nipples) stocking: *she blushes and shivers, moaning to his touch* Kid: "Do you like your nipples being pinched?" stocking: yes~ Kid: "After you spank me, may I suck on your breasts?" (He slides his hands down to her hips) stocking: y-yes of course~ -jumpcut to after all this lewdness- Kid: (smiles) "Thank you...you exquisite beauty..." (digs his nails into her hips) "I'm going to make you cum so hard you won't be able to stand..." stocking: y-yes~