Mystic Syn

Ji weaved through the crowds, keeping his head down when he caught the glimpse of a white uniform. Lights, they seem to be everywhere now. Wasn't like this a couple days ago... then again, he hadn't attacked that distribution center and almost die three times till a couple days ago. 'Course the Pacis would be on high alert ever since that incident. Wouldn't want to be embarrassed or anything like that. He felt his heart seize as he ducked past a couple of guards, averting his gaze as they passed by without another glance. Ji breathed out a relieved sigh, glancing up to try and find... Lights. She was gone... or at least her jacket was. He slowed, going on his tiptoes. Nope. She was gone. Ji sighed. Definitely something he said. Needed to keep his distance then. Shouldn't had been that obvious. Stupid. Well, he would just have to deal with it when he got back to Elya's apartment. He looked up at the buildings around him. If I remembered where the lights that was. This was fine. This was just an opportunity to check in on things. Ji studied the buildings, his internal map syncing to where he was. He continued forward, avoiding both Pacis and nagging merchants. Boxes littered the highway, which he easily jumped over, making his way through the thinning crowd. Counting the buildings silently, Ji stopped at a couple, going over to the railing over the canal and looked up. He carefully stepped over the railing, hefting himself upward a couple levels before slipping over more railing on a higher walkway. Ji brushed himself off, wiping his hands together as he continued for a few paces before slowing down in front of a door. The higher end of Odhak never disappointed. Everything about this door was pristine and modern than any of the homes on the lower levels. There was more slightly more metal than wood in the structure, but it still had that modern sheen. Wasn't as good as it was in the Center, but an improvement, nonetheless. Ji crouched down, slipping his fingers through one of the wooden panelings. He moved around a bit––biting his lip slightly––till it fell into his hand with a soft thump. He looked down at the key, then rose and unlocked the door, slipping in silently while locking the door behind him, then flicked the lights on. Everything had a small layer of dust on it in the small entryway, and was most likely the same for the rest of the house. Ji slipped his shoes off, then set them by the only other pair of shoes. The closet only held a singular rain jacket; not even an umbrella. He tied the bloodied hoodie off from around his waist and held it as he went through the hallway on the right to the bathroom. The light in the hallway was enough for him to decipher what was in the cabinet when he opened it. Ji picked up the extra bandages, stuffing it in his pockets, then closing the cabinet. He sighed, then went out into the hallway, passing by the entry and slowing down. He kept his vision focused on the ground, holding his hoodie tightly against his chest. "Hey," Ji whispered after hesitating. "I know it's been a while. But it's for a good reason. I finally found a group of people, so... not always on the run." He sat down on the bench next to him, gripping his hoodie tighter. "They're nice and all that. I'm just worried about how long it'll be before they... well, before the Pacis..." Ji blinked out a singular tear, and this time, he didn't wipe it. "Before they all die, ya know?" he said, his voice growing softer and softer. "I couldn't save Thana, Hauke, or any of the last group, so why would it be any different..?" His throat began closing. Heartbeat picking up. Breaths becoming shorter. Falling. This time with two people instead of one. He could almost... Snap! Ji caught his breath. Sweat rolled down his brow. Something pounded against his ribcage. He couldn't make a sound. He couldn't... He couldn't..? Ji held his knees close to his chest, the hoodie in between his legs and chest, tears sliding down his face. "I'm-I'm sorry," he stuttered, trying to give a fake laugh without success. "It's just I... well... I..." Ji finally looked up at the family portrait: His family portrait. From years ago. His parents beamed down at his small sister holding him––their baby brother––holding back their laughter as the child in the girls' arms had a huge smile on his face. A truly happy family. One of the happiest he'd ever seen. "I couldn't save you," he whispered, "nor could I save the last group. "Will history just repeat itself? "I just..." Ji's gaze unfocused. "I just want to talk to you again, Ma. I want to hug you again, Pa. I want to hear that teasing from my sisters again. I want my life to be normal again." Ji lowered his gaze to the piece of clothing in his hands. "Pa, I... I ruined another one of yo-your sweaters," he said, his voice breaking. "I-I know how much they meant to you. I'm-I'm so, so sorry. I'll be more careful this time. I promise. I..." He rested his head on his knees, allowing himself to weep.

Lights. Did I say something? Maybe she doesn't want to talk with me. Maybe just leave her–– Oh, lights naw, another part of him thought. Ji looked over to the cashier and shrugged. "Women," he said simply, giving them a mock salute before taking off.

He blinked, everything seeming to reboot as he processed. "If that's what you want, I'll respect that," he said, keeping a distance.

His face grew warmer and warmer, spreading to his ears. His heart rate soared like a bird out of the nest for the first time after sleep. Any thoughts he had began fizzling and short-circuiting. "I– uh– you, uh– I– uh," Ji said as eloquently as a child's first words like the mature adult he was.

"Well, uh..." Ji scratched the back of his head, feeling his face grow hot. Lights. "You see– it's, uh– I don't– it's just–" he stammered, looking away.

He stopped, turning towards her, tilting his head. "You're asking if you've had an effect on my decisions lately?"

"We're going to need all the help we can get, ya know?" he said, sorting through the pile of clothing, his eyes set on it.

“Doing what?” Ji scratched his head at a pile of clothes. “Fighting the Pacis?”

“Shoot.” He put on a hat with a couple holes in it, then shrugged it off.

It’s been pretty good so far! I think the characters are pretty solid, even if the fanbase doesn’t like Reva, which I don’t see why ‘cause the actress is doing a wonderful job so far; I mean, there isn’t something for me to like about Reva yet, but there are also no things that I hate about her, so… I do have some problems with story and continuity right now, which I’ll talk down in the spoilers.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand, it’s Pride Month. Do I care about the month? Meh, not really. Y’all go off. It’s just another month, except all the corporates want to bank off of the community – which I have problems with – even though they’re some of the nicest people on Earth and don’t deserve that, but we don’t talk about that :))

Ji gave a glance at her, then immediately stifled a laugh. “I know what you meant–” he took out a pair of flashy hot pink jeans, then put it back “–no need to feel bad.”

“Oh, you think so?” he asked, bringing up a questionably stained pair of trousers to sneer at before placing it back, smiling slightly.

“Mmm.” Ji flicked through some more jackets, heading to the trousers’ section. “Don’t suppose it’s my cue to say that hope will save us and the friendship between us is all the magic we need to defeat them, even though that’s a load of crap?”

"Yeah, anytime," he said, taking out a tacky looking jacket and giving it a raised brow. Ji brought it to his body, then put it back. "Do you... do you think we have a chance against them?" Ji whispered, avoiding eye contact.

“I would say so.” Ji tilted his head slightly, continuing to smile. “I don’t save just anyone, Elya.” Lights, did I just say that? His face grew warm as he cleared his throat, turning back to the clothing rack.

“Yeah, well–” Ji shrugged, an actual smile touching his lips “–that’s what friends are for, yeah?” People do some crazy things when they love someone, the man’s words nagged in the back of his mind.

“I did,” he said, feeling the pounding go back to a somewhat normal state, despite his grip being tighter than ever. Ji pointedly ignored it and glanced at her. “It’s nothing to worry about, if that’s what you’r going to ask about.”

His throat seized. Falling. Falling. Darkness. Cold. The pain. Oh, the pain. His heart pounded. Phantom pains flaring. Ji glanced at his hands. His grip on the jacket on the rack had tightened. His knuckles had turned white. Ji cleared his throat, quietly exhaling. “Ah yes. Good times,” he said with a slightly forced smile. “What about it?”

The woman went on stirring. “Tell me: What draws you to it?” “Ah.” He turned to the rack of clothing, fingering through them.

Ji looked up, tilting his head at her. "Do you know the reason why, or is it something you don't want to talk about?" "You won't find it that way," the elderly woman said, taking a small sip of her cooking.

"Do I need to?" Ji looked down on his sweater. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

“No,” he admitted, “but you never know.”

“Lights, if I know,” Ji muttered, looking over the jacket. “You sure she’s the pocket type of Mystic?”