Post by David Hunter on Aug 26, 2019 13:35:28 GMT -5
**The following is a detailed report lifted from interviews with David Hunter on behalf of The Council of Dimensional Travel and Circumstances, authorized by senior council member Jack Hunter. Any unauthorized copies of this report is punishable of up to twenty years in Council holding as well as a $500,000 dollar fine, or equivalent in whichever currency the offender pertains to.
For the sake of reference, this report was first filed on June 24, 2019. Due to its dense nature, it has been split into parts for convenience. Please see further parts for further analysis. As of present, David Hunter is under Council holding for an indiscernible amount of time. It is of note that he is allowed access to his job and a brief period outside of holding of up to two hours.
Further evaluation as it pertains to David Hunter will be assessed at the discretion of senior council members Jack Hunter, Professor Paradox, and Jack Spicer at a future, unspecified date.**
So…we’ve finally almost caught up to the present. A couple matches have gone by. A lot has changed in the last few months since this epic journey first began.
David’s taken out Sicko, teamed up with Kyle, taken out Kyle, teamed up with Holden, had Holden take a break, have Holden come back and attack Dominator and Elijah.
Oh, and he won the North American Championship, that’s probably something worth mentioning
Add in a couple Icey’s, including one that was Hail Maryed into a production guy’s face, and you have a pretty damn good time.
Which it’s probably a good thing that wrestling has been so successful for him given his personal life is the drizzling shits.
The last we saw of David he was court-ordered by the Peacekeepers to be taken under the Council’s wing, basically to have them deal with him. Mercury found himself under the Others’ authority while Ace was going to get a verdict by the Council. This isn’t bad for someone like David who has an in, as well as various connections keeping him from being in any real danger, but for someone like Ace—a guy who was part of Noxorus’ menagerie until only a few months ago—the noose would be the best chance for him.
Argit was sent back to Mr. Silver where he’ll probably get a slap on the wrist. Wuya went off to do unknown knows what by herself. Nathan managed to get a ride on David’s transport under the guise of 'watching him'.
And now David, Nathan, Mr. Silver, and the rest of the Council’s senior members are in a meeting room. A long, mahogany table fills up the cusp of it with matching chairs aligned on both sides of the table. There’s a large circular, metal device against the back wall with another, smaller table and chairs resting in front of it.
David is sitting at the mahogany table, hands tied together and staring on ahead in the clothes he’s been wearing for what is, at the time, about four days, factoring in the time difference between dimensions. In front of him is Professor Paradox, Jack Spicer, Phillip Silver, and Nathan Miles.
Sitting at the smaller table is David’s Dad, who is busy slowly pouring away at a bottle of scotch.
Yes, I realize I could call him Hawaiian Hardhead or Jack Hunter, but given the overall feelings he has produced through David, I feel it is an obligation to just call him David’s Dad.
……………
Huh…I was expecting a response from Heather.
No I don’t miss her, shut-up. She’s probably haunting her other haunt for now. Or giving David his space, I don’t know. Sometimes she can be compassionate when she’s not being The Mythic Bitch.
Anywho, this is where we find David, busy being interrogated by the Council and Associates.
“David,” Paradox says. “You’re smart. You’re one of the smartest people in the Game. Why are you here?”
David shrugs, finding his left pointer finger digging around in his left nostril.
Nathan slaps his palm against his face. Paradox rolls his eyes.
“David, be serious,” the latter says.
David rolls his eyes, taking the finger out and flicking the result to his right.
“If you really must know: me and my…comrades? Is that the term Diego?” he asks.
Nathan sighs.
“That is the term us Creators use, yes,” he says.
“Yeah, my comrades…” David says. “…and I took the crystal that Ace and I borrowed from Master Cyclonis, the one that’s essential to Noxorus’ plan, and got it as far away from him as possible.”
“Where is it now?” Spicer asks.
David shrugs.
“How the hell should I know? It’s been a day since I gave it to Raff. How fast can the Insursean flagship travel in that time?”
Paradox pops in, “We all know you know the answer to that question.”
“About 2000 klicks from Incursea, if my estimate is correct,” David responds.
His audience—barring David’s Dad who just drinks his scotch—all groan in various degrees of volume, level, and tone.
“The crystal needs to be as far away from Noxorus as possible. With an entire army protecting it, I feel like it’s pretty safe,” David says.
“But what about you?” Mr. Silver asks.
“Why are you even here? Why is Diego here? He’s technically a peacekeeper,” David says.
Paradox sighs, because everybody needs to have a chance to apparently.
“Not officially,” Nathan says.
“Mr. Miles is here on your behalf. Your father refused to represent you on account of his personal bias. Mr. Silver is here while Argit is being prepared for transport,” Paradox says.
“Cool. Nonetheless this is a Council only matter, one that I will only discuss with those representing the Council. So Diego, Phil, shoo, scram,” David says.
“David,” Nathan speaks up, getting the subject’s attention. “How long has it been since you’ve had a drink?”
David does some math in his head, using his still tied up fingers to calculate some numbers.
“A week or so?” he answers, not exactly sure
Nathan turns towards Paradox.
“Any longer and his body-partner will be more active. Trust me, I know how he can be. You’d rather talk to David than him,” he says.
Paradox nods, turning towards Spicer.
“Mr. Spicer, if you could head down to the nearest convenience store and grab a six-pack of beer,” Paradox says.
“What kind?” Spicer asks.
Nathan pipes in, “The cheapest one on the bottom shelf.”
Spicer nods, exiting back through the door.
“Jack,” Mr. Silver says. “You’re being awfully quiet.”
Everybody in the room looks over towards David’s Dad, who fills another glass up with scotch. He raises an eyebrow before taking a sip.
“It’s because he’s already made up his mind,” David says.
His dad lets out a noise of agreement before setting the glass down. After releasing a sigh in pleasure of the drink’s taste, he speaks.
“You know me so well. Now, if you would do me the honor, let’s cut the reference bullshit and get down to brass tacks, alright?”
“Nobody says ‘brass tacks anymore…” David mutters.
“Yeah, well, nobody your age follows animation like a hawk to a squirrel, but here you are, visiting their dimensions like it’s not every kid’s dream. Paradox, Nathan, Silver, I got this. You three head out,” David’s Dad says.
Mr. Silver nods before exiting through the door.
Nathan takes a few moments, glancing over at David, who raises an eyebrow in response. With a nod, Nathan heads out the door as well.
“I feel I should warn you both,” Paradox says. “We’re here to discuss David’s reasoning. This isn’t a sentence, not yet. We’ll determine his punishment once the extent of his…journey has been revealed.”
David’s Dad stands up, walking towards the table. He sets the glass and bottle of scotch on the mahogany before nodding.
David shrugs before nodding himself.
Paradox narrows his eyes at him before turning around and exiting the room.
David’s Dad takes a seat in the chair in front of him. He takes another sip from his scotch before beginning.
“I don’t hate you, for the record. I don’t hate that…thing that’s become part of you,” he says.
“Thing? Was that racist or homophobic?” David asks.
Instead of responding, David’s Dad takes another sip from the scotch.
“Cause if it’s the latter I have some stuff to tell you about me.”
David’s Dad sets the scotch down.
“I hate the fact that your life ran away from me,” he says.
“My life?”
David leans back a bit, his face scrunching together, as if offended by the very idea presented to him.
“My life? You’ve gotta be shitting me. You only cared about my life when you had no control over it. I was brought under the wing and molested by Wuya at 13. When you found out, you not only threatened her with Council prison—good luck with that by the way—you also forced me to attend Beacon. When they kicked me out before the year was up because of ‘behavior unfit for a student’ you forced me to go to college. When that didn’t work out, I decided to do the one thing I thought would make you proud.”
“By leaving your mother and sister without a word?”
“No,” David says with such visceral disdain. “As much as I like Lydia, don’t you ever call her my mother. Given how she had a hand in my actual mom’s death, I would expect better from you.”
“Ah, so this is what this is about?” David’s Dad asks.
“No, you fucking idiot. Besides, like you’re one to talk. Every time you visit Beacon you end up cheating on her by giving Glynda the business.”
David’s Dad narrows his eyes, taking a drink from the scotch.
“Oh yeah, didn’t think I knew about that?” David asks rhetorically. “Such a prime example of a father, a husband, and a man. You have a son that hates you and a daughter that you haven’t spoken to in months. You’re married to somebody who has ties with Beetlejuice of all fucking people while you go around fucking my former teacher. And here you are, trying to criticize me. I may not have seen my sister since the Council dragged me away, but at least I know it’s for a reason. I may not have a wife or anything but at least I know where my heart lies.”
“Do you? Between Miss Schuyler and Empress Attea it’s hard to tell.”
“Oh fuck off your soap box, Mr. Hawaiian Dumb-ass. You don’t know anything about what I’ve been through.”
“After you left Beacon you fell in with Argit. Ace joined you soon after he left the Cyclonian army. The three of you went on plenty of jobs for a while before you separated. Then you met Attea and you ended up dating for six months. You broke up with her when—”
“—when you found out. Then I fell in again with Argit. All throughout that I’ve tried to get Angel to change her mind and stop hanging onto that cheating fucker she calls her soulmate. Seriously, it’s ironic. The guy cheated on her sister with another woman but she still wants him while another cheating fucker preaches to me about my life.”
“I can’t justify Glynda and I, and if Lydia ever found out, I don’t know what I’d do, but the topic of cheating is an area you have no room—”
“No room? I have the most room in this entire family. You’re cheating on a woman who helped bring this family back together when you were at the lowest point you’ve ever been at. I’ll never call her mom, but if it wasn’t for Lydia, I can guarantee you’d be dead, whether by the Game or by a gun you pointed at yourself…and how do you repay her? By fucking a woman who just got out of an unstable relationship. Real bastion of good will. This, of course, ignoring the fact that Lydia helped kill Mom.”
“You don’t know the full story about tha—”
“I’m the only one alive that does!”
This gets the two to pause.
David starts to breathe heavily. His head twitches, but despite the situation, he refuses to turn his head, refuses to crack his neck.
David’s Dad—Jack, fuck it—stares at his son. He clutches the glass of scotch, the glass beginning to creak as it strains to stay together.
“Come again?” Jack asks.
David shakes his head, trying to keep his head from turning on its own.
“Lydia only knows who originally hired those two idiots. You killed those two idiots right after you found her. But do you know that she knew? Yeah, Mom knew she was being targeted. She knew she had people after her. I don’t know if it was to get to you or if she was deeper in the Game than we thought, but Mom knew that she was hunted. She almost got away, too. She told me to wait in the car, Stephanie and I. She told us to just sit tight, she’ll handle things, she’ll be right back…but you know me, right? I couldn’t fucking listen. Stephanie tried to stop me but of course I wasn’t going to listen to my ‘icky sister.’
“I got out of the car because…shit, I don’t know. Maybe I had to pee or something. Point is, I saw her. I saw her walking towards that dock. When I turned around I was ready to do my business, but then those two assholes approached. I didn’t know who they were. I didn’t know what they wanted. They asked about Mom. She was trying to hide around the dock, but she couldn’t do it in time. She didn’t have time because they wanted to know where she was.
“I told them exactly where she was.”
The glass of scotch shatters with Jack’s grip.
The alcohol flows to the floor, mixing with the blood from the wound now on his hand.
David looks into his dad’s eyes, trying to find some semblance of forgiveness of pity, maybe even guilt.
All he finds is anger.
David looks down at the table, the tears already starting to form.
“I see,” Jack says.
David looks up, trying to focus on his father as he stands up, wringing his right hand, trying to get the alcohol and blood off of it.
“So…you infiltrated Noxorus’ lair by being a freelancer under contract. You did some jobs for him, legitimately, before realizing that the Prime Dimension’s destruction means destruction of everything. Your crimes can not be forgiven. Your actions can not be redeemed, even if you took the crystal, brought in three other criminals, and tried to stop him. You will be tried like the criminal you are. You will be safe in our walls, yes, but I will no longer be watching after you.”
“That’s funny,” David managers to mutter.
He snorts once, trying to keep the tears from falling.
“You haven’t been watching after me for a decade now. What the hell makes me think you’d start now?”
Jack shakes his head, wringing his hand out a bit more. He walks towards the door, opening it and exiting.
David remains in the room, hands tied together and his eyes focused on the mahogany.
After a few moments, the tears start to fall. Quietly and without even a whimper, the tears pour down David’s cheeks.
He barely registers the arms that wrap around him.
“There, there,” the soothing voice says.
David stands up, turning around and accepting the embrace that only a nanny can provide.
“Let it out David. It’s alright now. It’s done,” Miss Poppins says.
The door opens again, but David doesn’t notice who it is. When it closes, the man approaches the table.
“Diego,” Miss Poppins nods.
Nathan nods back.
The tears turn into whimpers.
The whimpers turn into giggles.
The giggles turn into chuckles.
Miss Poppins lets David go. He steps back, wiping his face of any remnants of tears.
David turns around, looking over at Nathan.
“Hello again Diego,” David says.
Miss Poppins grabs David’s shoulders, forcing him to sit down in the chair he was previously in. Nathan narrows his eyes, focusing on the man in front of him.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” David asks.
“Contractions,” Nathan says. “I was under the impression you, of all people, would have held on to our custom.”
“Please, you spend enough time in someone’s body you learn to live a little. Besides, we both can agree that our time has long since passed. Getting people to believe that we’ve created everything in front of them? And all because of some failed experiment? So we came down here ourselves to end it? Seems a little impossible, don’t you think?” David asks.
“Depends on how hard you are willing to work,” Nathan says.
“Boys,” Miss Poppins interrupts.
“Right, right,” David says, waving his tied-up hands.
Nathan grabs the chair in front of him. He pulls it out before placing his butt in it.
“So then…Leo…” he says.
David smirks.
“How did you end up a part of David?”
“Oh, this kid? I picked him up when he met that…redheaded cop Nio’s talked about a few times. What was her name? Rachel, Roxanne, Ryan—Ryan! Turns out we can fuse our essences to be a part of someone else’s. Like a leech only much more respectable and without any actual damage to the host.”
“But you died,” Nathan says. “I watched you die. When you did not come quietly the Council decided to kill you.”
David blows a raspberry, using his hands to wave this off too.
“Bullshit. We both know this Council is just a bunch of asshats trying to make themselves seems important. The only one with a semblance of actual power is Professor Paradox and that’s only because he took that power from John. By that point I had already put a part of my essence into Ryan, which was more than enough to live after death. You remember John, right? The forgotten Creator? Poor bastard found himself high-up in that wrestling company as an executive but died once Nio found him. Poetic, in a way, but also pathetic.”
“I remember all of us just as well as I remember all of those who died by the damned Rotulgans. Near as I can tell, we are the only three left,” Nathan says.
“Well, you’d be wrong. Mary?” David asks, using his tied up hands to motion towards Miss Poppins.
Miss Poppins rolls her eyes, unaffected by the natural rudeness displayed.
“The one you called Lillith is also alive,” she says.
Nathan turns his head, glaring at Miss Poppins.
“Horse shit. I saw her corpse. Nio stabbed her right through the heart. There was no why she would survive,” he says.
“It appears that, much like Leo, she transferred her essence into a different person. Unlike David, her original host lacked the strength to fight back and soon Lillith took over. I was originally going to ask her for advice regarding what to do with Leo, but it appears that that is no longer necessary. She does say hello, though”
David shakes his head, a chuckle emitting from his lips.
“I’d normally say it’s a shame, but I’m starting to like this kid. He reminds me of a young me: ruthless, charitable, and he knows what to do to succeed,” he says.
“A comparison to you is not a compliment,” Nathan says.
David narrows his eyes, his smirk disappearing.
Miss Poppins steps forward, placing her hand on David’s.
“Leo. Why are you here now?” she asks.
David shakes his hands, getting Miss Poppins to let go.
“If you must know, I am here, right now, because David has effectively shut down for the moment. While he sleeps, I will take over. If you had plans of removing me, I have to warn you that doing so would also cost David his life. My spirit might be negotiable but his is not,” he says.
“So…now what? We just let you stay in the Council prison?” Nathan asks, almost rhetorically.
David shrugs, fairly noncommittal given it’s technically not David talking right now.
“Why not? No skin off my back. It’s astounding, though. For all that we have in common, treating professional wrestling so seriously seems to be our weakness. Maybe it’s a simulated combat thing,” he says.
The door opens, revealing Professor Paradox. He walks forward, standing next to Nathan, who stands up.
Mary grabs David’s shoulders, this time forcing him to stand up.
“Miss Poppins, Mr. Miles,” Paradox nods.
David rolls his eyes.
“David Hunter, as a senior member of the Council Dimensional Travel and Circumstances, it has been decreed that you are to spend an indefinite amount of time in the Council prison. You will be allowed two hours release a day as well as release for your occupation. Should you commit any other crime during this time, you will be reprocessed and reevaluated. Further evaluation as will be assessed at the discretion of the senior council members of myself, Jack Spicer, and Jack Hunter. Until then, you will remain under our watch.”
“Yeah, yeah Paradox, that’s nice, but what about Noxorus?” David asks.
“We will deal with Noxorus ourselves. You will be safe under our custody until then,” Paradox says. “Remember…you are under our jurisdiction. There may be times we need your service and we will call upon you. You are expected to obey. Is that understood?”
David smirks.
“Crystal clear. I’ll make sure he knows,” he says.
Paradox narrows his eyes.
“Indeed. Gentlemen, ma’am, have a good day. Soldiers, take him away,” he says.
With that, Paradox exits the room. A litany of soldiers in white armor enters in his place.
For the sake of reference, this report was first filed on June 24, 2019. Due to its dense nature, it has been split into parts for convenience. Please see further parts for further analysis. As of present, David Hunter is under Council holding for an indiscernible amount of time. It is of note that he is allowed access to his job and a brief period outside of holding of up to two hours.
Further evaluation as it pertains to David Hunter will be assessed at the discretion of senior council members Jack Hunter, Professor Paradox, and Jack Spicer at a future, unspecified date.**
So…we’ve finally almost caught up to the present. A couple matches have gone by. A lot has changed in the last few months since this epic journey first began.
David’s taken out Sicko, teamed up with Kyle, taken out Kyle, teamed up with Holden, had Holden take a break, have Holden come back and attack Dominator and Elijah.
Oh, and he won the North American Championship, that’s probably something worth mentioning
Add in a couple Icey’s, including one that was Hail Maryed into a production guy’s face, and you have a pretty damn good time.
Which it’s probably a good thing that wrestling has been so successful for him given his personal life is the drizzling shits.
The last we saw of David he was court-ordered by the Peacekeepers to be taken under the Council’s wing, basically to have them deal with him. Mercury found himself under the Others’ authority while Ace was going to get a verdict by the Council. This isn’t bad for someone like David who has an in, as well as various connections keeping him from being in any real danger, but for someone like Ace—a guy who was part of Noxorus’ menagerie until only a few months ago—the noose would be the best chance for him.
Argit was sent back to Mr. Silver where he’ll probably get a slap on the wrist. Wuya went off to do unknown knows what by herself. Nathan managed to get a ride on David’s transport under the guise of 'watching him'.
And now David, Nathan, Mr. Silver, and the rest of the Council’s senior members are in a meeting room. A long, mahogany table fills up the cusp of it with matching chairs aligned on both sides of the table. There’s a large circular, metal device against the back wall with another, smaller table and chairs resting in front of it.
David is sitting at the mahogany table, hands tied together and staring on ahead in the clothes he’s been wearing for what is, at the time, about four days, factoring in the time difference between dimensions. In front of him is Professor Paradox, Jack Spicer, Phillip Silver, and Nathan Miles.
Sitting at the smaller table is David’s Dad, who is busy slowly pouring away at a bottle of scotch.
Yes, I realize I could call him Hawaiian Hardhead or Jack Hunter, but given the overall feelings he has produced through David, I feel it is an obligation to just call him David’s Dad.
……………
Huh…I was expecting a response from Heather.
No I don’t miss her, shut-up. She’s probably haunting her other haunt for now. Or giving David his space, I don’t know. Sometimes she can be compassionate when she’s not being The Mythic Bitch.
Anywho, this is where we find David, busy being interrogated by the Council and Associates.
“David,” Paradox says. “You’re smart. You’re one of the smartest people in the Game. Why are you here?”
David shrugs, finding his left pointer finger digging around in his left nostril.
Nathan slaps his palm against his face. Paradox rolls his eyes.
“David, be serious,” the latter says.
David rolls his eyes, taking the finger out and flicking the result to his right.
“If you really must know: me and my…comrades? Is that the term Diego?” he asks.
Nathan sighs.
“That is the term us Creators use, yes,” he says.
“Yeah, my comrades…” David says. “…and I took the crystal that Ace and I borrowed from Master Cyclonis, the one that’s essential to Noxorus’ plan, and got it as far away from him as possible.”
“Where is it now?” Spicer asks.
David shrugs.
“How the hell should I know? It’s been a day since I gave it to Raff. How fast can the Insursean flagship travel in that time?”
Paradox pops in, “We all know you know the answer to that question.”
“About 2000 klicks from Incursea, if my estimate is correct,” David responds.
His audience—barring David’s Dad who just drinks his scotch—all groan in various degrees of volume, level, and tone.
“The crystal needs to be as far away from Noxorus as possible. With an entire army protecting it, I feel like it’s pretty safe,” David says.
“But what about you?” Mr. Silver asks.
“Why are you even here? Why is Diego here? He’s technically a peacekeeper,” David says.
Paradox sighs, because everybody needs to have a chance to apparently.
“Not officially,” Nathan says.
“Mr. Miles is here on your behalf. Your father refused to represent you on account of his personal bias. Mr. Silver is here while Argit is being prepared for transport,” Paradox says.
“Cool. Nonetheless this is a Council only matter, one that I will only discuss with those representing the Council. So Diego, Phil, shoo, scram,” David says.
“David,” Nathan speaks up, getting the subject’s attention. “How long has it been since you’ve had a drink?”
David does some math in his head, using his still tied up fingers to calculate some numbers.
“A week or so?” he answers, not exactly sure
Nathan turns towards Paradox.
“Any longer and his body-partner will be more active. Trust me, I know how he can be. You’d rather talk to David than him,” he says.
Paradox nods, turning towards Spicer.
“Mr. Spicer, if you could head down to the nearest convenience store and grab a six-pack of beer,” Paradox says.
“What kind?” Spicer asks.
Nathan pipes in, “The cheapest one on the bottom shelf.”
Spicer nods, exiting back through the door.
“Jack,” Mr. Silver says. “You’re being awfully quiet.”
Everybody in the room looks over towards David’s Dad, who fills another glass up with scotch. He raises an eyebrow before taking a sip.
“It’s because he’s already made up his mind,” David says.
His dad lets out a noise of agreement before setting the glass down. After releasing a sigh in pleasure of the drink’s taste, he speaks.
“You know me so well. Now, if you would do me the honor, let’s cut the reference bullshit and get down to brass tacks, alright?”
“Nobody says ‘brass tacks anymore…” David mutters.
“Yeah, well, nobody your age follows animation like a hawk to a squirrel, but here you are, visiting their dimensions like it’s not every kid’s dream. Paradox, Nathan, Silver, I got this. You three head out,” David’s Dad says.
Mr. Silver nods before exiting through the door.
Nathan takes a few moments, glancing over at David, who raises an eyebrow in response. With a nod, Nathan heads out the door as well.
“I feel I should warn you both,” Paradox says. “We’re here to discuss David’s reasoning. This isn’t a sentence, not yet. We’ll determine his punishment once the extent of his…journey has been revealed.”
David’s Dad stands up, walking towards the table. He sets the glass and bottle of scotch on the mahogany before nodding.
David shrugs before nodding himself.
Paradox narrows his eyes at him before turning around and exiting the room.
David’s Dad takes a seat in the chair in front of him. He takes another sip from his scotch before beginning.
“I don’t hate you, for the record. I don’t hate that…thing that’s become part of you,” he says.
“Thing? Was that racist or homophobic?” David asks.
Instead of responding, David’s Dad takes another sip from the scotch.
“Cause if it’s the latter I have some stuff to tell you about me.”
David’s Dad sets the scotch down.
“I hate the fact that your life ran away from me,” he says.
“My life?”
David leans back a bit, his face scrunching together, as if offended by the very idea presented to him.
“My life? You’ve gotta be shitting me. You only cared about my life when you had no control over it. I was brought under the wing and molested by Wuya at 13. When you found out, you not only threatened her with Council prison—good luck with that by the way—you also forced me to attend Beacon. When they kicked me out before the year was up because of ‘behavior unfit for a student’ you forced me to go to college. When that didn’t work out, I decided to do the one thing I thought would make you proud.”
“By leaving your mother and sister without a word?”
“No,” David says with such visceral disdain. “As much as I like Lydia, don’t you ever call her my mother. Given how she had a hand in my actual mom’s death, I would expect better from you.”
“Ah, so this is what this is about?” David’s Dad asks.
“No, you fucking idiot. Besides, like you’re one to talk. Every time you visit Beacon you end up cheating on her by giving Glynda the business.”
David’s Dad narrows his eyes, taking a drink from the scotch.
“Oh yeah, didn’t think I knew about that?” David asks rhetorically. “Such a prime example of a father, a husband, and a man. You have a son that hates you and a daughter that you haven’t spoken to in months. You’re married to somebody who has ties with Beetlejuice of all fucking people while you go around fucking my former teacher. And here you are, trying to criticize me. I may not have seen my sister since the Council dragged me away, but at least I know it’s for a reason. I may not have a wife or anything but at least I know where my heart lies.”
“Do you? Between Miss Schuyler and Empress Attea it’s hard to tell.”
“Oh fuck off your soap box, Mr. Hawaiian Dumb-ass. You don’t know anything about what I’ve been through.”
“After you left Beacon you fell in with Argit. Ace joined you soon after he left the Cyclonian army. The three of you went on plenty of jobs for a while before you separated. Then you met Attea and you ended up dating for six months. You broke up with her when—”
“—when you found out. Then I fell in again with Argit. All throughout that I’ve tried to get Angel to change her mind and stop hanging onto that cheating fucker she calls her soulmate. Seriously, it’s ironic. The guy cheated on her sister with another woman but she still wants him while another cheating fucker preaches to me about my life.”
“I can’t justify Glynda and I, and if Lydia ever found out, I don’t know what I’d do, but the topic of cheating is an area you have no room—”
“No room? I have the most room in this entire family. You’re cheating on a woman who helped bring this family back together when you were at the lowest point you’ve ever been at. I’ll never call her mom, but if it wasn’t for Lydia, I can guarantee you’d be dead, whether by the Game or by a gun you pointed at yourself…and how do you repay her? By fucking a woman who just got out of an unstable relationship. Real bastion of good will. This, of course, ignoring the fact that Lydia helped kill Mom.”
“You don’t know the full story about tha—”
“I’m the only one alive that does!”
This gets the two to pause.
David starts to breathe heavily. His head twitches, but despite the situation, he refuses to turn his head, refuses to crack his neck.
David’s Dad—Jack, fuck it—stares at his son. He clutches the glass of scotch, the glass beginning to creak as it strains to stay together.
“Come again?” Jack asks.
David shakes his head, trying to keep his head from turning on its own.
“Lydia only knows who originally hired those two idiots. You killed those two idiots right after you found her. But do you know that she knew? Yeah, Mom knew she was being targeted. She knew she had people after her. I don’t know if it was to get to you or if she was deeper in the Game than we thought, but Mom knew that she was hunted. She almost got away, too. She told me to wait in the car, Stephanie and I. She told us to just sit tight, she’ll handle things, she’ll be right back…but you know me, right? I couldn’t fucking listen. Stephanie tried to stop me but of course I wasn’t going to listen to my ‘icky sister.’
“I got out of the car because…shit, I don’t know. Maybe I had to pee or something. Point is, I saw her. I saw her walking towards that dock. When I turned around I was ready to do my business, but then those two assholes approached. I didn’t know who they were. I didn’t know what they wanted. They asked about Mom. She was trying to hide around the dock, but she couldn’t do it in time. She didn’t have time because they wanted to know where she was.
“I told them exactly where she was.”
The glass of scotch shatters with Jack’s grip.
The alcohol flows to the floor, mixing with the blood from the wound now on his hand.
David looks into his dad’s eyes, trying to find some semblance of forgiveness of pity, maybe even guilt.
All he finds is anger.
David looks down at the table, the tears already starting to form.
“I see,” Jack says.
David looks up, trying to focus on his father as he stands up, wringing his right hand, trying to get the alcohol and blood off of it.
“So…you infiltrated Noxorus’ lair by being a freelancer under contract. You did some jobs for him, legitimately, before realizing that the Prime Dimension’s destruction means destruction of everything. Your crimes can not be forgiven. Your actions can not be redeemed, even if you took the crystal, brought in three other criminals, and tried to stop him. You will be tried like the criminal you are. You will be safe in our walls, yes, but I will no longer be watching after you.”
“That’s funny,” David managers to mutter.
He snorts once, trying to keep the tears from falling.
“You haven’t been watching after me for a decade now. What the hell makes me think you’d start now?”
Jack shakes his head, wringing his hand out a bit more. He walks towards the door, opening it and exiting.
David remains in the room, hands tied together and his eyes focused on the mahogany.
After a few moments, the tears start to fall. Quietly and without even a whimper, the tears pour down David’s cheeks.
He barely registers the arms that wrap around him.
“There, there,” the soothing voice says.
David stands up, turning around and accepting the embrace that only a nanny can provide.
“Let it out David. It’s alright now. It’s done,” Miss Poppins says.
The door opens again, but David doesn’t notice who it is. When it closes, the man approaches the table.
“Diego,” Miss Poppins nods.
Nathan nods back.
The tears turn into whimpers.
The whimpers turn into giggles.
The giggles turn into chuckles.
Miss Poppins lets David go. He steps back, wiping his face of any remnants of tears.
David turns around, looking over at Nathan.
“Hello again Diego,” David says.
Miss Poppins grabs David’s shoulders, forcing him to sit down in the chair he was previously in. Nathan narrows his eyes, focusing on the man in front of him.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” David asks.
“Contractions,” Nathan says. “I was under the impression you, of all people, would have held on to our custom.”
“Please, you spend enough time in someone’s body you learn to live a little. Besides, we both can agree that our time has long since passed. Getting people to believe that we’ve created everything in front of them? And all because of some failed experiment? So we came down here ourselves to end it? Seems a little impossible, don’t you think?” David asks.
“Depends on how hard you are willing to work,” Nathan says.
“Boys,” Miss Poppins interrupts.
“Right, right,” David says, waving his tied-up hands.
Nathan grabs the chair in front of him. He pulls it out before placing his butt in it.
“So then…Leo…” he says.
David smirks.
“How did you end up a part of David?”
“Oh, this kid? I picked him up when he met that…redheaded cop Nio’s talked about a few times. What was her name? Rachel, Roxanne, Ryan—Ryan! Turns out we can fuse our essences to be a part of someone else’s. Like a leech only much more respectable and without any actual damage to the host.”
“But you died,” Nathan says. “I watched you die. When you did not come quietly the Council decided to kill you.”
David blows a raspberry, using his hands to wave this off too.
“Bullshit. We both know this Council is just a bunch of asshats trying to make themselves seems important. The only one with a semblance of actual power is Professor Paradox and that’s only because he took that power from John. By that point I had already put a part of my essence into Ryan, which was more than enough to live after death. You remember John, right? The forgotten Creator? Poor bastard found himself high-up in that wrestling company as an executive but died once Nio found him. Poetic, in a way, but also pathetic.”
“I remember all of us just as well as I remember all of those who died by the damned Rotulgans. Near as I can tell, we are the only three left,” Nathan says.
“Well, you’d be wrong. Mary?” David asks, using his tied up hands to motion towards Miss Poppins.
Miss Poppins rolls her eyes, unaffected by the natural rudeness displayed.
“The one you called Lillith is also alive,” she says.
Nathan turns his head, glaring at Miss Poppins.
“Horse shit. I saw her corpse. Nio stabbed her right through the heart. There was no why she would survive,” he says.
“It appears that, much like Leo, she transferred her essence into a different person. Unlike David, her original host lacked the strength to fight back and soon Lillith took over. I was originally going to ask her for advice regarding what to do with Leo, but it appears that that is no longer necessary. She does say hello, though”
David shakes his head, a chuckle emitting from his lips.
“I’d normally say it’s a shame, but I’m starting to like this kid. He reminds me of a young me: ruthless, charitable, and he knows what to do to succeed,” he says.
“A comparison to you is not a compliment,” Nathan says.
David narrows his eyes, his smirk disappearing.
Miss Poppins steps forward, placing her hand on David’s.
“Leo. Why are you here now?” she asks.
David shakes his hands, getting Miss Poppins to let go.
“If you must know, I am here, right now, because David has effectively shut down for the moment. While he sleeps, I will take over. If you had plans of removing me, I have to warn you that doing so would also cost David his life. My spirit might be negotiable but his is not,” he says.
“So…now what? We just let you stay in the Council prison?” Nathan asks, almost rhetorically.
David shrugs, fairly noncommittal given it’s technically not David talking right now.
“Why not? No skin off my back. It’s astounding, though. For all that we have in common, treating professional wrestling so seriously seems to be our weakness. Maybe it’s a simulated combat thing,” he says.
The door opens, revealing Professor Paradox. He walks forward, standing next to Nathan, who stands up.
Mary grabs David’s shoulders, this time forcing him to stand up.
“Miss Poppins, Mr. Miles,” Paradox nods.
David rolls his eyes.
“David Hunter, as a senior member of the Council Dimensional Travel and Circumstances, it has been decreed that you are to spend an indefinite amount of time in the Council prison. You will be allowed two hours release a day as well as release for your occupation. Should you commit any other crime during this time, you will be reprocessed and reevaluated. Further evaluation as will be assessed at the discretion of the senior council members of myself, Jack Spicer, and Jack Hunter. Until then, you will remain under our watch.”
“Yeah, yeah Paradox, that’s nice, but what about Noxorus?” David asks.
“We will deal with Noxorus ourselves. You will be safe under our custody until then,” Paradox says. “Remember…you are under our jurisdiction. There may be times we need your service and we will call upon you. You are expected to obey. Is that understood?”
David smirks.
“Crystal clear. I’ll make sure he knows,” he says.
Paradox narrows his eyes.
“Indeed. Gentlemen, ma’am, have a good day. Soldiers, take him away,” he says.
With that, Paradox exits the room. A litany of soldiers in white armor enters in his place.
