Ink [Shihong and Sho]
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Sho on 20-06-2010, 08:20:26</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sho</strong> on <strong>20-06-2010, 08:20:26</strong>
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				At least it wasn't as bad as he'd thought it would be. He'd thought he'd be sent to some strange doctor somewhere far away where he'd have to give up most of his everyday life. This wasn't so bad - at least, not as bad as he had read about on the internet. His shrink was actually someone he could respect, and who he didn't mind. He worked at his school and didn't talk to his parents before talking to him - which helped. He was...well, not cool, because teachers couldn't be cool. Or shrinks, or whatever. But it wasn't hard to respect him, at least...and there was something relaxing about him. He trusted what the other man told him to do - he knew that the other man actually had his best interests at heart. <br><br>He walked into the office and settled almost immediately into the chair he usually sat in. He immediately crossed his legs, leaning back, tapping long fingers nervously against his thigh before settling in comfortably. He would leave from here to go home, so he already had his coat on, a simple black leather affair with a deep, soft red hood and cuffs. His black jeans fit slim, a bit shredded at the bottom though whether it was in fashion or just from age was unclear. <br><br>He leant back into the seat and slumped a little bit to make himself comfortable.<br><br>"Hey," he murmured with a small half-smile. <br><br>His dark hair had gotten a bit longer since he'd started his sessions with the doctor. It now fell just about to his jaw - enough to get a good handful of. It covered his eyes, which didn't particularly matter because his eyesight was questionable at best - he could see close to him but anything far away was beyond him. He had his father's eyes, or so his mother told him. Pale, green, matching his almost-black hair quite well. His hair was red when he was younger, almost strawberry blond, but ever since his...well, accident...it had gotten darker and darker.<br><br>He didn't get much sunlight anymore.<br><br>Even when they had to play sports, the shadows gathered to him, under the blades of grass, lending a certain gloom to wherever he stood. The other kids noticed, and soon enough he was eating lunch alone, walking home alone...he didn't talk to people and people didn't talk to him. <br><br>It probably didn't help that while all the other kids were out trying to be jocks and hook up with girls, he preferred pursuits of the mind and stories, and his tastes leant a bit more to the familiar. <br><br>That, paired with a complete desire to be away from anything to do with the light, he cut a bit of a lonely figure. <br><br>Even as he sat down the room seemed a bit more dark, the shadows under his chair intensely dark. There was soft, sliding noises that were just barely audible - enough to incite fear, not enough to actually be dangerous. Enough to hint that, when alone, when gathering his darkness to him, things moved around in there that would turn most men cold with dread. <br><br>"How're you?" <br><br>He looked up, features finely boned - more feminine than most, which only made him even more different. High cheekbones, soft features, a toned body. He smiled faintly, just a hint of one. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>20-06-2010, 18:38:54</strong>
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				If there was one thing that Doctor Kendrick Tillinghast (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Psychologist.jpg) loved more than anything else in the world, it was his career.&nbsp; More precisely, it was the sort of individuals that his career brought him into contact with.&nbsp; The younger generation had a sort of energy about them that he found invigorating, as though just being around them was as good as a shot of espresso in the morning.<br><br>That wasn't to say that he felt like some doddering old man by comparison.&nbsp; Quite the contrary in fact.&nbsp; He wasn't nearly so old as all that.&nbsp; Though he had been thus far unable to ignore the gray flecks peeking out from the sides of his (thankfully) full head of brown hair, Kendrick felt as though he was still in the very prime of his life.&nbsp; His heavy, masculine jawline was completely untouched by paunch, as were his sharp cheekbones and strong neck.&nbsp; He worked out on a daily basis, ate properly, and took enough vitamins each morning that his physicians claimed that he still had the body of a 23 year old.&nbsp; He certainly wasn't the most imposing individual at a glance, but beneath all the accoutrements of his profession he was built sturdy and tall.&nbsp; It would be a cold day in hell before he dared to let himself go.<br><br>But there was another reason that he enjoyed working with teenagers, and it wasn't out of the goodness of his heart.&nbsp; Though many of them were near their physical peak, they were psychologically frail.&nbsp; Uncertain of where they were going in life, living always in the <em>now</em> and giving little thought to the history that informed them and the future that they have been chosen to create.&nbsp; Their hormones were all over the place, they were quick to make terrible decisions, and even the slightest chink in their armor could be exploited by others to bring the whole confident, self-assured facade crumbling down about their ankles.&nbsp; They were weak, they were malleable, and they were unquestionably <em>his</em>.<br><br>Xavier High School was built like laboratory, all white-washed walls and glossy blue desks and a spotless reputation, but here in Kendrick's office all that unwholesome sterility was banished from sight.&nbsp; It was a warm place, a comfortable place.&nbsp; Thick red carpeting, crimson wallpaper bordered by rich brown oak, and lit by cheery light bulbs that seemed to flicker like candlelight and make the room feel infinitely more cozy and inviting.&nbsp; Various certificates and old photographs lined the walls, speaking of a respectable academic history and many partnerships.&nbsp; Exotic looking plants clumped together in the corners, but nothing so strange as the synthetically engineered sort that had become all the rage in certain circles.&nbsp; The desk had been pushed off to one side, all that official paperwork and air of authority shoved just out of sight.&nbsp; Instead he had chosen to seat himself in a simple, if modern chair with his back facing the wall-length window, which had been blacked out.&nbsp; The room was like a self-contained oasis, free of both the school and the outside world.<br><br>Kendrick smiled broadly at the young Sanders boy and motioned to the chair in front of him, the sort of refreshing look one might give an old friend that they haven't seen in years.&nbsp; <br><br>"Good morning, Jasper!" he said warmly, his voice at once distinctly masculine yet soothing in its pitch.&nbsp; It had taken some thought in the first sessions, whether to address him in such familiar terms or as 'Mr. Sanders'.&nbsp; Some of his patients wanted the respect, while others were looking for something a bit more intimate.&nbsp; Jasper fell into the latter category.<br><br>"I would say that I'm well enough, thank you.&nbsp; And yourself?&nbsp; I haven't heard of any incidents with your classmates since our last session, but I've been here long enough to realize that most teachers have very little idea of what is going on under their noses."<br><br>If any other member of the faculty had posed such a question it would have no doubt come across as an interrogation.&nbsp; But in Kendrick's voice there was no judgment waiting to be passed, no anger or irritation waiting to be unleashed at the slightest sign of hesitance.&nbsp; He was not demanding an answer, and one got the feeling that he would swallow whatever lie Jasper might try to feed him.&nbsp; At least, it would <em>seem</em> that way.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sho</strong> on <strong>21-06-2010, 00:22:04</strong>
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				Nix - that was how he considered himself even in his own mind, not Jasper - made himself a little bit more comfortable in the chair. He loved this room, that much he couldn't deny. If only because there wasn't any real light. Just soft, flickering lightbulbs and a blacked out window. It made a huge amount of shadows accumulate in the corners of the rooms, under the furniture. It was soft, pleasant, and made him feel a bit more at home. The more shadows there were, the more he felt like he had a security blanket with him. <br><br>They travelled with him, creeping along the cracks in bricks, hiding against the creases of walls connecting with the linoleum. But there were so many <em>more</em> in here, just the right amount of them to make him relax a little bit more. <br><br>He shrugged when the other man asked him about his classmates.<br><br>If it had been another teacher, he wouldn't have said anything, wouldn't have even bothered telling them. But it wasn't just another teacher. It was Doctor Tillinghast and the doctor seemed to actually care about what went on in his life, at least more than most people seemed to. It was odd, having someone to talk to, someone who would listen to what he had to say. It was a strange reversal for him - usually, he was the one to listen. He listened all the time, absorbed information, but he never really talked. <br><br>So when the doctor sat there and waited to hear what he had to say, he said what he could, opened himself up a bit.<br><br>"Nothing too bad. Just...y'know, the usual. Namecalling. Ken - y'know, that guy with the dark hair on the football team - grabbed my bag and stole all my work. I ended up getting a zero because he'd stolen my homework." He shrugged slightly, "But I got a perfect grade on the test so it worked out, I guess. Had to replace my bag, though...he tossed it into Gotham Bay." <br><br>He paused briefly and then let out a soft, slow breath, clearly angry but not wanting to show it.<br><br>The darkness behind him seemed to shift, building a bit before he shut his eyes and it receeded. Not noticeable enough to be blatant, but enough that someone who knew what Nix could do would see. <br><br>"Well. It evened out, I guess." <br><br>Ken's tires had been shredded, blowing out on the entrance to the Gotham Freeway just as he tried to get on, totalling the car after it hit a guardrail. It had been easy enough, a simple manipulation of the pressure of the shadows in the ruts on the wheels, the threading. He'd forced them to widen and destroyed the wheels, sending the car into a tailspin. <br><br>Ken hadn't been hurt, of course, but the little touch of destruction had made Nix feel so much better. <br><br>He leant back, glancing up at the ceiling, "I found a new place to hang out after school, though." He knew that he shouldn't be telling his psychiatrist that but the other man was the only one that he really talked to on a regular basis and he just wanted to tell someone. He was excited, for once. "Y'know, they never actually did anything with the warehouses down by the docks. There are tons of them, completely abandoned. I found one right near the train station - been...ah, hanging out there." Living there, really. Doing his best to avoid going home because he hated it there. He got along better down by the Bay, where the gangs hung out, where the less-than-rich kids spent most of their time in bars and nightclubs. <br><br>"It's cool. I've been using it to...relax." Practice moving shadows in all the ways that he could.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>21-06-2010, 01:01:52</strong>
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				The stereotypical doctor would have spent his time jotting down notes while Jasper went on about recent events and laid out his troubles, perhaps making legitimate observations in between idle doodling.&nbsp; Kendrick detested such methods.&nbsp; It showed that the psychiatrist was unwilling to make a personal connection with their patient, content to remain at arm's length.&nbsp; Detachment.&nbsp; For that same reason he always forced himself to keep his hands firmly on the arms of his chair, removing them only to make inviting gestures or put emphasis on his words.&nbsp; Steepling his fingers was tantamount to erecting a wall between them, and touching his chin simply made him look bored.<br><br>Dr. Tillinghast was <em>never</em> bored, no matter how dull his patients might be.&nbsp; He loved dissecting every innocuous phrase, studying each subtle change in expression and demeanor, weighing them against the facts and coming to a satisfactory conclusion.&nbsp; It was like picking a human being apart at the seams, seeing what made them tick, fixing and manipulating all the myriad mechanisms and stimuli, and then putting them back together piece by piece until they were better than before.&nbsp; More sure of themselves.&nbsp; Stronger.<br><br>"Ken?&nbsp; Ken Richards, you mean?" he asked, frowning sympathetically.&nbsp; "Yes, I'd say I know him well enough.&nbsp; You wouldn't be the first to complain about him."<br><br>He paused a moment, giving Jasper the once over.&nbsp; "Jasper, do you know why Ken might do such a mean-spirited thing to you, and to others?&nbsp; What would possess such a popular boy to treat people with that kind of disrespect?"<br><br>A faint smile crossed his face, followed by a chuckle.&nbsp; "I suppose what I'd really like to ask is, how do you <em>perceive</em> Ken?&nbsp; What sort of person is he, from your perspective?"<br><br>He adjusted himself almost imperceptibly in his chair, fixing Jasper with a very careful stare.&nbsp; His eyes flickered over the boy's features as though searching for something in them, just the faintest hint of worry creeping in.<br><br>"As for your warehouse getaway, I'm only going to tell you what I'm certain a bright young boy like you already knows.&nbsp; Abandoned buildings tend to draw a rather dangerous crowd that I confess I'd rather you not get mixed up in."<br><br>It wasn't a warning, and he clearly wasn't threatening to tell anyone about his favored patient's nightly outings.&nbsp; It was more like a friendly reminder or a suggestion.&nbsp; Forcing issues wasn't his style.<br><br>Kendrick leaned forward almost conspiratorially, clasping his hands together in front of him and shooting Jasper a more reassuring smile.&nbsp; "However, I'm well aware that everyone needs their personal space.&nbsp; Sometimes that means getting as far away from your usual surroundings as possible.&nbsp; Someplace where you feel you might belong.&nbsp; A place where your perceived flaws are either ignored or even celebrated.&nbsp; Am I striking a chord here?"<br><br>The man straightened up again and draped one leg over the other, laughing again.&nbsp; Like he was remembering an old joke.&nbsp; "Why, I remember times when even <em>I</em> needed to get away from things for awhile.&nbsp; From my wife," he added with a wink and a sly grin.&nbsp; Then, a bit more seriously, "Of course, it got to the point where I was <em>getting away</em> more often than I was actually around.&nbsp; Suffice it to say that didn't end well."<br><br>He shrugged.&nbsp; "Balance in all things, my boy.&nbsp; But that's neither here nor there.&nbsp; What I'd <em>really</em> like to focus on in this session is your relationships with your peers, as strained as they may be.&nbsp; Like Ken, or anyone else that you wish to talk about."
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				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sho</strong> on <strong>21-06-2010, 04:50:31</strong>
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				Jasper nodded, "Ken Richards. He's..." he paused momentarily and ran his fingers back through his hair briefly, finally revealing his eyes. They were pale, pretty, but somewhat unfocused. His eyesight had never been the best - there was a good reason for it, too. Spending years in darkness, tilting away from lights, had hampered his sight just a little bit. He saw through shadows, really...let them feel out what was around him, letting his body know. They were an extension of him. He knew everything about everyone he wanted to - he'd recently learned that he could meld into the shadows, become physically nearly invisible. He could use the darkness to force doors open, to allow himself into places where he could listen in. <br><br>Not that he did that, not often.<br><br>Not so much at school, but in other places? Yes. Absolutely. He'd listen in on gangs, find out where they were depositing things he could sell for fairly cheap, inconspicuously. It had started out small but he was getting better, getting better at getting big technology. He'd managed to swipe a particularly cool suit that he'd been using, a soft black bodysuit made of a sort of stretchy polymer that clung to every line of his body and was utterly matte, allowing him to blend into the background. <br><br>"Ken's..." he shrugged slightly, "Small. Mean, but unimportant. I can get away from him at the end of the day. I used to be scared of him but things are changing." <br><br>He was getting more powerful. He could draw darkness to himself. He could do things that would make Ken's mind weak with fear. <br><br>Not that he would. Not really. As much power as he had the potential to wield, he was young, and inexperienced. He didn't have anyone guiding him when it came to his powers, anyone telling him what to do. He hardly had ambitions to rule Gotham.<br><br>There was a quiet pause after the other man gave him the warning. There was a hint of a small smile - a genuine one, though. He appreciated having someone care about him, if even a little bit. <br><br>"I don't have much of a relationship with my peers. Well, not since Ken told everyone I'm a Splicer." He laughed quietly to himself, an awkward little chuckle that sounded a bit out of place coming from him. It was clear that he found the very idea somewhat odd, amusing. "I mean, I'm not. I don't sneak off into alleyways and inject myself with animal DNA." No, he'd wandered into his father's lab and gotten some less-than-human mess into his body and it had become more a part of him than many things these days. <br><br>"And...well, y'know. It's not like I really fit in with them, I guess. My peers, as you call them." <br><br>He felt terribly awkward sitting there, talking about himself. Particularly because they were leaning uncomfortably close to the subject of his sexuality and it as one of the main reasons he didn't quite fit in. <br><br>"So, I take it you're not still married. How come you and your wife aren't together anymore?" He paused, then, realizing that he'd probably asked a question that was awkward. He did that - he was smart, but had always been uncertain socially. He was better with computers, with stories, with dark figments of his own imagination than with people. "I'm sorry. You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."
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				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>21-06-2010, 06:00:59</strong>
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				Kendrick held a hand up as if to quell any reservations, shaking his head and smirking.&nbsp; "There's no need for that, Jasper.&nbsp; In here you are perfectly free to ask any questions you wish, and I will answer them to the best of my ability.&nbsp; I trust that you will try and show me the same courtesy."<br><br>He cleared his throat, looking a bit embarrassed.&nbsp; "That sounded a bit too official, didn't it?&nbsp; What I mean to say is, the more you're willing to tell <em>me</em>, the more I will be able to help <em>you</em>.&nbsp; That's both my job as a psychiatrist, and my promise to you as a fellow human being."<br><br>Leaning back in his chair until it whined with protest, he would take a brief glance towards the black wall behind him.&nbsp; He cut a rather handsome profile in the low light, all strong lines and dark skin, but it was clear that time had been unkind to him in other, less immediately visible ways.&nbsp; After a moment he glanced back towards Jasper, but kept his head turned slightly to one side.<br><br>"You might say that we--that is, my wife and I--had a conflict of interest."&nbsp; He flashed a wry smile.&nbsp; "Which is a rather polite way of saying that she was still interested in <em>me</em> while I was no longer interested in <em>her</em>.&nbsp; When you get right down to it, none of us are perfect.&nbsp; Even if some people like to think otherwise."<br><br>Kendrick chuckled dryly, running a hand briefly through his hair.&nbsp; "I'm afraid that I may not be the best sort of role model for a young man such as yourself to look up to, but I like to think I'm capable of helping all the same.&nbsp; At the very least I can hope to keep others from repeating <em>my</em> sorry mistakes."<br><br>"But!" he said suddenly, raising a chiding finger, "I think we're veering a bit off topic.&nbsp; You were discussing your 'peers'."<br><br>All of a sudden he pushed himself to his feet, treading softly on the plush carpeting until he was facing the large wall of diplomas and group photographs.&nbsp; A look of nostalgia came over him, but it didn't seem altogether pleasant.&nbsp; He motioned for the boy to come over.&nbsp; Over the years Kendrick had found that motion helped keep a conversation flowing better.&nbsp; Just sitting in a chair for an hour made it seem as though nothing was actually being accomplished.&nbsp; Something as simple as moving a few feet could grant the illusion of progress.<br><br>"You might find what I'm about to tell you surprising, Jasper.&nbsp; But I feel as though it's something that every young man and woman should know, regardless of what their peers, teachers, parents, and even their government might tell them."<br><br>The Doctor spoke softly, almost as if he suspected the walls might be listening in on them.&nbsp; It made his words seem all the more important, like some secret he was entrusting to his patient.<br><br>He turned his head to look down at Jasper, looking quite serious.&nbsp; "Acceptance is not important.&nbsp; Finding friends within your own little sphere is not important.&nbsp; It seems only natural in school that one find friends, people that they trust that trust them in turn.&nbsp; People that they enjoy spending time with.&nbsp; And for many people it really is as simple as that.&nbsp; The like-minded are drawn to one another like magnets, and occasionally two polar opposites might find themselves bound together by a common thread."<br><br>"I want you to think back to everyone you have ever met in your time here.&nbsp; Every man, every woman, every teacher and student.&nbsp; I want you to think of all the Kens in your life.&nbsp; I want you to think hard about all those faces, all those personalities.&nbsp; Perhaps, from time to time, you felt a click of something, like a connection.&nbsp; But, for whatever reason, they did not feel the same way.&nbsp; Perhaps they shunned you for how you looked, or how you acted, or because of false rumors.&nbsp; Right from the start their perception of you was tainted.&nbsp; Like a lone wolf attempting to fit in with a flock of sheep.&nbsp; Something about you threatened their way of thinking, and it scared them."<br><br>His face softened.&nbsp; "But their perception is not what defines you.&nbsp; You are not an anomaly.&nbsp; You are merely a person, different but not strange.&nbsp; If the students in this school do not like you, you should not feel pressured to <em>make</em> them like you.&nbsp; There are as many different types of people out there as there are stars in the sky, if you'll pardon the dusty old expression.&nbsp; It's merely a matter of searching them out and forming a bond."<br><br>Gesturing to what appeared to be a graduation photo, Kendrick's gaze singled out a single, solidly built figure standing off to the side from the rest of the group.&nbsp; There were fewer lines in his face, and his hair was a bit fuller and free of gray, but there was no doubt that it was him.&nbsp; The young man's expression was the very picture of calm, while the rest of the class seemed to be bubbling with barely controlled energy.<br><br>"I was never what you would call a <em>people person</em>, at least not in the conventional sense.&nbsp; I've always had a bit of an appreciation for solitude, you see.&nbsp; Just another reason why I've elected to remain a bachelor since my separation.&nbsp; Just as there are some people that require companionship, there are others that are content to remain alone."<br><br>Another laugh, this time a bit more embarrassed.&nbsp; "Of course, I still enjoy talking with people.&nbsp; Particularly bright young boys such as yourself.&nbsp; I don't want you to take me for some sort of <em>hermit!</em>"<br><br>It wasn't a lie.&nbsp; Of all the people Doctor Tillinghast had the pleasure of working with, boys like Jasper were his favorite.&nbsp; The loners.&nbsp; The rejects.&nbsp; The outcasts.&nbsp; Their differences isolated them, and in that isolation they became desperate for answers.&nbsp; Answers that <em>he</em> could provide.&nbsp; 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sho</strong> on <strong>21-06-2010, 14:12:14</strong>
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				It was nice that the other man hadn't gotten mad at him for asking the question. He smiled faintly, and nodded. "So...you stopped liking her? was there another woman?" He was curious - he knew that he probably shouldn't ask but he couldn't really help himself - he was curious. He wanted to know more about the Doctor outside of the office. What he did during the day - and night - when he wasn't at school. <br><br>He glanced at the doctor's profile, watching the way the faint light washed over the angles of his face. It was pleasantly masculine - no longer soft and glowing and young but perhaps that was what made him even more handsome. <br><br>He got up and followed the doctor over to the wall of pictures and glanced at them.<br><br>It was odd to see a picture of the doctor at an age close to his own - it was mostly unsettling because he had that same cool calm that he himself had never really been able to have. He respected that in the other man. He sighed, shrugged, and then looked away from the photo and back around the study. "You're lucky, though. You...fit in...more than me. People like you." <br><br>He looked up at him, "But...one day I'd like to meet just one person who I get along with. Who I respect and who will look after me." He glanced around the office and then he turned away from the other man briefly.<br><br>"Y'know, I was wondering...what do you think about people who're...well, gay?"<br><br>The question was sudden, out of the blue, but the fact that he wouldn't meet the other man's eyes showed that it might be a bit more personal than random.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>21-06-2010, 15:52:02</strong>
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				"You might say that, yes.&nbsp; Relationships are complicated affairs.&nbsp; As are <em>affairs</em>, if not more so."<br><br>If the other question caught Kendrick off guard, the only sign of surprise was in the almost unnoticeable arching of his brow.&nbsp; He looked the boy over, critically but not unkindly.&nbsp; That searching glance again.&nbsp; It was impossible to discern exactly what he was looking for in Jasper's young, slightly tired face.<br><br>After a moment he sighed, resting a hand on the other's shoulder and guiding him gently back to his seat.&nbsp; He sat down opposite him, crossed his legs, and clasped his hands together over his knees.&nbsp; Another moment of silence set in, but not an awkward one.&nbsp; It seemed as though the Doctor wanted to choose his words very carefully, particularly when it came to such a sensitive topic.<br><br>"I think of homosexuals in the same way that I view every other group.&nbsp; Every ethnicity, every culture, every <em>subculture</em>, every gender--even the ones in between.&nbsp; They're all equal in my eyes," he explained slowly, deliberately.&nbsp; "I refuse to judge groups as a whole.&nbsp; Though it is within human nature to seek out others for protection, for <em>affection</em>, at the end of the day we are only individuals.&nbsp; I cannot hate men or women.&nbsp; I can only hate <em>a</em> man or <em>a</em> woman, if they show to me that they have no redeeming qualities whatsoever."<br><br>Kendrick smiled slowly, shaking his head.&nbsp; "But I'm guessing that's not quite the answer you're looking for.&nbsp; Is this why you feel estranged from the rest of your class, Jasper?&nbsp; Because you suspect that you harbor such feelings?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sho</strong> on <strong>22-06-2010, 15:55:25</strong>
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				Jasper's shoulders had tightened up, posture going from slightly slumped to unusually straight, trying not to show his anxiety after he'd asked the question. He glanced up at the doctor, searching for something as well, searching for...he didn't know. A lack of fear, a lack of disgust, maybe. He glanced up at him and then leant back slowly, heading to the chair, settling down. <br><br>The doctor's response soothed him and his shoulders lost some of that tightness, relaxing into the seat as the other man told him that he couldn't hate any single group, but only a single person.<br><br>He smiled faintly and nodded a little bit.<br><br>"Maybe. I don't know. I've...I've been with girls," he said, quietly. "It was alright. Just not quite...not quite what I wanted. I've experimented with both. I even..." he smirked, then, "There's more than one reason why Ken dislikes me. He...pursued me, after gym. It freaked me out at first but I ended up deciding to give it a shot to see how it was."<br><br>He fiddled with the hem of his jacket, feeling that he probably shouldn't tell the other man what he was, but finding himself unable not to. "He's scared that I'll tell other people. Which is stupid, because no one would even listen to me if I did. They all think that I'm a freak." <br><br>He tucked one leg up underneath him, the other long leg draped over the edge of the chair, feet swinging slightly. "I guess I am, though. A freak, I mean." <br><br>The lighting of the room changed a bit, dropping just a bit darker. Whenever Jasper left a room it became much lighter. <br><br>He let his fingers play along the edge of the chair. The shadows at the bottom of the chair seemed to stretch right up under his fingertips, more than they should have, trying to connect with his body.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>22-06-2010, 19:41:08</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Kendrick's reaction could not have possibly been further from what Jasper must have expected it would be.&nbsp; There didn't seem to be the slightest ounce of surprise in his face.&nbsp; If anything, he looked <em>relieved</em>.&nbsp; Only then was the meaning behind those searching glances revealed.&nbsp; They had been patiently expectant, waiting for exactly the confession that had just been made.&nbsp; He smiled warmly, leaning forward to slightly close the distance between the two chairs.<br><br>"Suffice it to say that you are <em>not</em> alone, Jasper.&nbsp; While I am barred from discussing the details of other sessions, I will ask you one question.&nbsp; How must Ken feel, being in the spotlight while holding such a large and painful secret within himself?&nbsp; I imagine it must be excruciating.&nbsp; Perhaps enough so that he would seek the help of a professional."<br><br>He winked, then leaned back into his chair.&nbsp; Of course it would have been unwise to bring up that Ken was also meeting him on a near-weekly basis earlier, and perhaps even disastrous to bring up the topic of sexuality without a believable segue.&nbsp; Kendrick preferred not to squeeze the secrets out of others, but he <em>did</em> know precisely which buttons to push to make them a bit more...<em>compliant.</em>&nbsp; Knowing that even his greatest rival was not unbreakable and needed help from time to time might oil the gears of conversation.<br><br>"You are not a freak, my boy.&nbsp; If I were another man, I might tell you that you were just a human being, like any other.&nbsp; But that would be an insult.&nbsp; No two people are quite alike.&nbsp; It is our individuality that makes us who we are.&nbsp; Our specialties, our passions, and even our quirks.&nbsp; Even the parts of us that we would rather didn't exist.&nbsp; The flaws, the mistakes.&nbsp; The <em>gifts</em> that we have been blessed with."<br><br>He paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in.&nbsp; It seemed as though he was going to take note of the peculiar way shadows seemed to act around the boy.&nbsp; Cover blown.&nbsp; Secret revealed.&nbsp; Game Over.&nbsp; Police investigations, laboratory probing, and permanent outcast status.<br><br>"Your knack with computers!" he added suddenly, brushing aside the tension with an idle gesture.&nbsp; "I know that you've been struggling with some of your other classes, but I was pleased to learn that you seem to have found something that fascinates you.&nbsp; It's good to have something that drives you, especially if you feel so disillusioned in so many other ways.&nbsp; I can't tell you how many young men and women have been in a situation similar to yours, but without anything to tie them down they simply dropped out of school entirely.&nbsp; All that potential, wasted."<br><br>Another inviting smile and unwavering gaze.&nbsp; All too often it seemed others were content to ignore and avoid Jasper entirely, averting their eyes and turning corners just to get out of sight.&nbsp; But here was this man, a man that he only barely knew, paying him more attention than anyone else had in years without judging or criticizing.&nbsp; It was his job of course, but then again it was also the job of the teachers to protect and to guide <em>all</em> their pupils, and thus far each of them had been doing rather poorly in that regard.<br><br>"So what's this sudden interest in technology, Jasper?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sho</strong> on <strong>23-06-2010, 14:55:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jasper watched the doctor, clearly doing his best not to get too nervous, but he was waiting for the doctor's reaction. He couldn't help but let out a short, staccato, surprised burst of laughter when the other man made it clear that Ken was coming in to talk to the other man. It shocked him a bit - he knew that Ken was still attracted to him, he could feel the way his eyes grazed up and down his body when no one was watching. It was odd, because Jasper wasn't exactly good with people, so to have someone who physically desired him, that desire fueled by anger, was strange. He knew it was self-destructive but even though he didn't admit it to the doctor, he had a feeling that the doctor knew he still met with Ken every once in a while. <br><br>His eyes widened slightly, though, when the other man told him that it was people's gifts that made them unique. He shivered ever so slightly and the shadows literally pulsated once, just once, before he shut his eyes briefly. They calmed and became normal once more, less of a moving mass than a simple patch of darkness behind the chair. Everywhere he went, the faintest outline of a hulking figure was behind him, lightly traced within the depths of the shadows. <br><br>It was his own personal little guardian.<br><br>He kept it hidden away in the shadows, undefined, but ready to come out. <br><br>The tension drained away from him when computers were mentioned, "I...yeah, I guess I like them. It's just...I'm good with them. I got interested in them when I decided to start staying in the warehouse. I needed to wire some lights and from there I guess I figured out that I was pretty good with technology...started taking some computer classes."<br><br>He knew that he could admit his secrets to the other man.<br><br>"And hacking. I've got quite a talent for hacking. I like breaking into security systems...mostly to show that I can. I..." he ran his hands through his hair and glanced at the doctor, "I stole a circuit board. Got past the security system at Bingo." Bingo was a leading electronics chain, but it's security wasn't exactly a laughing matter and it was impressive that he'd managed to get through.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>23-06-2010, 15:47:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				For the first time that day, Kendrick found himself surprised.&nbsp; He didn't show it in the traditional way of course, for that would have only sent Jasper back into his shell.&nbsp; It registered subtly, almost imperceptibly.&nbsp; The cautious raising of a brow by half a centimeter.&nbsp; The slight twist of his left foot.&nbsp; The way his fingers, at long last, finally met just over his lap at a steeple's angle.&nbsp; Not quite high enough to push the boy back, but enough to separate the two of them briefly.&nbsp; A moment to collect his thoughts, to put the pieces together in all their proper places, and see the beginnings of a plan begin to form.<br><br>The Doctor cleared his throat uncomfortably, but not in an altogether disapproving way.&nbsp; "I see.&nbsp; I'm glad that you feel comfortable enough to tell me such things.&nbsp; It must have been difficult to work up the nerve to do so.&nbsp; Particularly to someone with my authority."&nbsp; Kendrick's hand rose, a physical reassurance.&nbsp; "You needn't worry.&nbsp; Your trust has not been misplaced.&nbsp; This is a very serious claim you're making, but I have no intention to report you, Jasper."<br><br>A sigh.&nbsp; "However, I'm sure you understand what a slippery slope you're treading.&nbsp; A single missing circuit board isn't about to worry a company like Bingo, but if you were caught I doubt they would be very lenient with you.&nbsp; Not to mention the unsightly mark it would leave on your record.&nbsp; I'm merely concerned for your future and your well-being."<br><br>Sometimes in his work he came across certain individuals that had proven useful to him.&nbsp; It was simply in his nature to see the connections behind everyone, both the psychological ones and the official.&nbsp; To notice how people were tied to one another, and to recognize just how these bonds could be manipulated to achieve a desired result.&nbsp; Of course, as a psychiatrist he was privy to many interesting facts.&nbsp; Xavier was home to the sons and daughters of many influential couples, and it was amazing just how many of them were willing to discuss private business matters within earshot of their poor, neglected children.&nbsp; It gave him a measure of clout in the political world, so long as he played his cards close to the chest.<br><br>But Jasper was useful in a very <em>different</em> way.&nbsp; He could serve a far more practical purpose than the others had.&nbsp; Then again, the others were hardly so singularly <em>unique</em>.<br><br>"If you feel so inclined, would you mind explaining just how you managed to get through such advanced security systems?&nbsp; I don't doubt your intelligence, my boy, but Bingo has to deal with corporate saboteurs on a near-weekly basis.&nbsp; How did you manage to get in when so many trained professionals fail?"<br><br>This was just a bit too curious of him, and Kendrick knew it.&nbsp; It would only arouse questions.&nbsp; Why would a doctor care about <em>how</em> his patient robbed a place?&nbsp; Shouldn't he be more concerned with the robbery itself?&nbsp; Shouldn't he be a bit more insistent that Jasper discontinue such illegal activities?&nbsp; He'd said that he was worried, but it had come across almost as an afterthought.&nbsp; The man's face was nothing short of implacable, but it was easy to sense his growing interest.<br><br>And of course, Jasper's little fluctuations had not gone unnoticed.&nbsp; Kendrick wasn't blind, and he was a fair bit better at noticing peculiar things than the rest of the faculty.&nbsp; It was impossible to discern exactly what the extent of the boy's abilities were, but to the doctor it was clear as day that budding homosexuality was the least of his concerns.&nbsp; Though that too could be...<em>exploited</em>.&nbsp; In time.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sho</strong> on <strong>24-06-2010, 00:04:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jasper's whole body went still, and whatever it was in the shadows behind him pulsated slowly, shifting outwards, stretching the shadows of their chairs unnaturally along the floor and walls. It wasn't too noticeable, and the way his eyes shut momentarily was the only sign that he was having to consciously control himself. His powers had been getting stronger, exponentially stronger, but it also meant that they were becoming harder to hide. He was scared that one day he'd end up having to turn to crime like the other freaks and Splicers who couldn't control themselves. Like Mr. Freeze, who'd terrorized their city not so long ago with his strange powers, or the Riddler, who'd used his strange intellect to tease and torture those in the city. <br><br>There were others, of course, in the next generation. The Jokers, the motorcycle gang who had stolen the name of the famous criminal. There were so many Splicers nowadays that it was hard to go around without stumbling across one of them. He supposed that he counted as one, though certainly not in the traditional way of swapping in animal DNA for his own. No, his own had been corrupted at a young age, which his father had always regretted. <br><br>He managed to relax a bit more when the other man didn't try to get more information to turn him in.<br><br>He trusted that Doctor Tillinghast wouldn't turn him over - anyways, he'd gotten his new bodysuit, and he'd been well-disguised. He'd hidden himself well enough that the case would be shaky at best against him. <br><br>"I know," he said, "That's why I told you. I knew you wouldn't get me in trouble for it." <br><br>Paired with the doctor's growing interest - which was clear enough to him - he felt a bit more secure. Enough to give him a little taste of what he could do, show the other man that he had powers that other boys didn't. Only a small amount, though. <br><br>He swallowed, trying to think of the best way to tell the other man. "My dad was a scientist. He liked to fool around with chemicals."<br><br>He sank back into his chair, trying to make himself comfortable, "Bending genetics. Like, early splicings. I got into some stuff that I wasn't supposed to when I was little..." he reached out, then, fingertips extending towards the doctor in an almost beseeching gesture. Moments later a thin lick of shadow trailed out, visible on the carpet, leaking from beneath the shadows under his chair. The rope wound around the doctor's wrist, cool, surprisingly strong, tracing up the leg of his chair and onto his arm, adding to the shadow from his shirt. His eyes were wide, breathing shallow, but he didn't particularly look as though he was seeing anything. He withdrew the shadow almost immediately and snapped back into himself, leaning back into his chair.<br><br>He was ready to run, though, legs tensed. He was clearly nervous what the other man was going to think, and now the shadows looked a bit less natural, a bit less excusable as they shifted behind him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>24-06-2010, 04:26:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It was a sign of impeccable mental fortitude that Kendrick managed to keep himself from flinching at the touch of the shadowy tendril.&nbsp; It was an unusual feeling that was difficult to define under any normal terms.&nbsp; It had a clammy sort of chill to it, like the flesh of a recently deceased cadaver, and was at once moist to the touch but somehow bone dry.&nbsp; Though it remained still around his wrist he could feel some sort of motion within it, a sort of unpleasant <em>writhing</em> that spoke of all sorts of unpleasant things.&nbsp; If the doctor had to describe the sensation in as few words as possible, he would liken it to having his hand plunged into a bucket only to find that it had been filled with maggots.<br><br>Only when the incorporeal limb had retracted back to its owner's side did he realize that a breath had lodged itself in his throat, and he slowly let it escape from between his lips until all the tension in his body had dissipated.&nbsp; It wasn't fear, not really, but it was something equally primal.&nbsp; It was equal parts excitement and hunger, a near-gluttonous desire to see and experience <em>more</em>.&nbsp; He had encountered changed individuals in the past, and even the occasional snake-skinned or ram-horned splicer had found his or her way to Kendrick's office in search of guidance.&nbsp; But this was something altogether different.&nbsp; It was as subtle as it was terrifying, a power that crossed the line between genetic manipulation and supernatural tampering.&nbsp; The ability to take the immaterial and give it such a strong and unwholesome life.&nbsp; Jasper was more than just superhuman.<br><br>In his youthful hands, the boy unknowingly wielded the power of a god.<br><br>It was a new god, one that fumbled awkwardly in its initial throes of life.&nbsp; It was still searching for meaning, for a <em>purpose</em>.&nbsp; And here it was, sitting in <em>his</em> office, blissfully unaware of his intentions and eagerly hanging on his every word.&nbsp; It wasn't too good to be true.&nbsp; Nothing was.&nbsp; It was an eventuality, not random chance, that Kendrick would find himself sitting opposite the one boy in the entire city best suited to the task that had been churning about in his head for the past two years.&nbsp; It was <em>fate</em>.<br><br>Kendrick smiled broadly, perhaps more than he'd ever smiled in front of another student.&nbsp; It was pleasant and filled with mirth, as though a great weight were lifting from the man's shoulders.&nbsp; At the push of some unseen button his chair rolled just a few inches closer, enough for him to place a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.&nbsp; It seemed to plant him in his seat, insisting that he would not have to flee in fear.&nbsp; That it was alright to be there, as he was, for as long as he liked.<br><br>"Progress," he said abruptly.&nbsp; "That's what I like to see.&nbsp; A confused boy becoming a determined man.&nbsp; I can see it in your eyes, Jasper.&nbsp; The confidence in your own abilities that you meekly seek to suppress, but also the fear that you may become arrogant or twisted by your own power.&nbsp; And it is a <em>dark</em> power, my boy.&nbsp; There's no use dancing around the subject.&nbsp; Even if you were to use such abilities to help others, it would no doubt remain difficult for them to accept and understand you."<br><br>He squeezed Jasper's shoulder lightly, then leaned back again with a curious look in his eyes.&nbsp; "But I believe that you have great potential in you.&nbsp; The potential to do great things, rather than lurk forever in the shadows.&nbsp; In fact..."<br><br>The doctor cleared his throat, looking somewhat reticent.&nbsp; Embarrassed, even.&nbsp; "I feel ashamed to even contemplate asking this of one so young.&nbsp; Particularly one of my own patients.&nbsp; But, like all men, I am only human.&nbsp; Frail and desperate."<br><br>He clasped his hands together, as though to reassure himself.&nbsp; "Have you ever heard of the Meta-gene?&nbsp; It is a rare, biological variant that some humans are said to possess.&nbsp; It normally remains dormant, sometimes for many years.&nbsp; But under sufficient stress, it may become active.&nbsp; It latches onto this stress, using it as a catalyst for genetic change.&nbsp; A mutation, in so many words."<br><br>"However," he continued, looking somewhat more strained, "In some cases no power develops, and instead the resulting mutation becomes <em>detrimental</em> to one's health.&nbsp; Perhaps even fatal.&nbsp; There are various medications that one can take, but they only prolong the inevitable.&nbsp; The more advanced treatments are still in experimental stages, though I hear that they are highly effective at suppressing or even eliminating the source of the mutation, reverting the body to a state of normalcy.&nbsp; Unfortunately, such treatments may not become widespread for several more years, and would likely be terribly expensive.&nbsp; I fear that time is not on my side in this regard."<br><br>Kendrick fixed Jasper with an uncertain look.&nbsp; "I know the location of the machines, and am in contact with a doctor that could use them to treat me for a far less substantial fee, though still twice my annual salary.&nbsp; I just..."&nbsp; He paused, struggling with his words.&nbsp; "I just don't have the ability to...<em>take</em> the machines for myself."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sho</strong> on <strong>24-06-2010, 05:19:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jasper's eyes searched the other man's as the shadow moved around his wrist - he was careful not to be threatening with it, of course, but he wondered if the other man would pull away - but the doctor merely looked down at it. The shadows twisted, cool and dry yet with that odd dankness that darkness always seems to have, before withdrawing. Now that the doctor had seen it he relaxed a bit - the shadows gathered a bit closer to him, twining about his ankles, ruffling the hems of his pants as they slowly wound up the bottoms of his legs. <br><br>He swallowed, clearly nervous, wondering how the other man would react. The core of the shadows had a vague absence of light in the shape of...something. Something large and hulking and slightly disfigured, in the shadows directly behind Jasper, watching his back and guarding him. <br><br>The smile made him relax and a slight flush of color came up to his cheeks when the other man grinned at him.<br><br>It was a grin, really - perhaps a bit of a Cheshire grin, a danger that he didn't understand - but the flash of teeth was a sunny something he'd never really seen before coming from someone he was talking to. He relaxed when he felt the hand on his shoulder and settled back into the chair, pushing hair out of his eyes and listening carefully to the other man.<br><br>His eyes narrowed slightly, though, in concern.<br><br>"I've never heard of the Meta-gene, but...wouldn't this job just give you more stress? I mean, dealing with kids with...problems. Freaks. Like me." It wasn't stated as a question - he had no doubts that he was a freak, not with the things that he could manipulate. <br><br>He frowned, playing with the hem of his jacket, the red cuffs, "If you end up getting sick, and...not being here..." he looked up, then, clearly disliking that idea. The Doctor was the only one who talked to him, who listened to him. He wielded a huge amount of power, but he would use it if asked, unlike most of his kind. He'd do it to help the other man, to stop him from what he thought was a disease.<br><br>"Just tell me where it is." <br><br>He ran his hands down his thighs, smoothing his jeans, "And since I'm getting them for you I guess I can trust you not to tell." He looked at the door, clearly a bit anxious about being overheard. He leant a bit closer, long, pale fingers clenching on the chair arms. "Write down your address and the name of the company and what I need to get. I'll figure out where it is and I'll get in. Once I get it, I'll bring it to you."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>24-06-2010, 05:52:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The doctor looked a bit more serious now, a bit more grave.&nbsp; It wasn't that he seemed worried about the situation, though perhaps he should have been under such peculiar circumstances.&nbsp; His eyes were penetrating in their intensity, scrutinizing every inch of Jasper's body as if looking for something.&nbsp; Before his searching glances had seemed expectant, <em>knowing</em>.&nbsp; This stare lacked that sort of focus, as if the man didn't quite know what he was expecting to find, but was ultimately more respectful because of it.&nbsp; Kendrick wasn't toying or teasing.&nbsp; This was business of a highly irregular sort, and it wouldn't do to treat such matters lightly.<br><br>"I won't lie.&nbsp; Sometimes my job can be taxing on the nerves, and it may serve only to further inflame my condition," he said matter-of-factly, but then a sort of gentle look came over him.&nbsp; Peacefulness.&nbsp; "But I wouldn't have it any other way.&nbsp; There is not greater joy for me than to help those who are truly in need.&nbsp; Young men and women, much like yourself.&nbsp; My own safety means very little to me, but sometimes I wonder how my patients would react if I was no longer here to help them.&nbsp; I know I can't stave off death forever, but if I just had a little more time..."<br><br>He stopped, then laughed morosely.&nbsp; "Though I suppose I wouldn't be alone in begging for a few more years!&nbsp; Such is the nature of all men.&nbsp; No matter how fulfilling our lives may be, we always want them to go on forever."<br><br>Kendrick fumbled around inside his pockets for a moment, then brought out a sleek white datapad.&nbsp; He quickly punched in a few things, lines of data springing to life on the small blue screen.&nbsp; Searching through the other pocket he found a business card, which he pressed against the top of the pad.&nbsp; He managed to look almost mischievous as he held both out between them.<br><br>"Of course, it would be a dereliction of my duty to give any information to a patient that could endanger them in any way.&nbsp; However, it would be entirely out of my hands if I were to, say, accidentally drop such information where a patient mind find it," he said innocently, allowing the pad to slip through his fingers and fall silently to the plush carpeting.&nbsp; "And I would be unable to stop said patient from acting upon this information without my knowledge."<br><br>"However, if you ever need to contact me in the event of an <em>emergency</em>, it would not be in any way irregular for me to give you my address," he added, placing the business card in Jasper's hand and clasping it firmly for a moment.&nbsp; "I endeavor to do everything I can to help my friends, after all."<br><br>Shooting the boy another wide grin, Kendrick got to his feet and made a show of checking his watch.&nbsp; "My, how time does seem to fly!&nbsp; It would seem that our session is over for today, my boy.&nbsp; I believe you're scheduled again for next week, but do not hesitate to find me if anything happens to be <em>troubling</em> you."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sho</strong> on <strong>24-06-2010, 14:42:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jasper's frown only deepened, darkening his eyes, slim face pale and drawn with the thought that his doctor could potentially die so soon after he'd started to trust him. He drummed his fingers along his own thigh, a nervous, slow tapping. He was thinking, already, of how to get past the security systems. He picked up the tablet, glancing it over, eyes widening slightly. It would be difficult. It would be incredibly difficult to do, but he was going to figure out how he could get the electronics for the doctor. There was never any doubt in his eyes, and he slid the tablet into his bag. <br><br>He took the small white card a bit more nervously, turning it between his finger, staring at it. He'd been given his doctor's card. He had his doctor's card in hand, his home address. He stared at it, holding it tightly in his hand, fingers tightening slightly in the little piece of paper.<br><br>"If I have any trouble at all I'll come by."<br><br>He smiled faintly, then got up, dipping his head politely before letting himself out. <br><br>He left school immediately, got to work - it would take a few days before he could do anything. He figured out the securirty systems - what he could hack, what he'd need to destroy to get through. The electronics the other man needed were highly guarded and heavily encased in their electricized cases. He'd have to get through all of them.<br><br>Two days after he'd seen the doctor, on a Friday night, he slipped into his black bodysuit. <br><br>It clung to long, slim legs, his hips, the curve of his shoulders. It molded to the swell of his backside, all the way up to his neck. He had a thick swatch of dark fabric tied across his eyes, completely blinding him. It would allow him to use his shadows to see, which would stop him from making stupid mistakes about lasers and other tricks like that. <br><br>He set out - he just shut his eyes and his body sank down into the shadows. He entered the Other place, that warm, dark, dry place that let him move more quickly than a human should have been able to. He pushed his body in ways that he couldn't - he didn't know why, but maybe it was the way his genes had bent, but it made him even more flexible, faster.<br><br>The security system could put up little resistance against, what looked to the security cameras, like a dark smear along the edge of the side of the hallway.<br><br>That shadow didn't spread and reveal Jasper until later, until he was looking at the board. The camera had the faintest glimpse of a slim, long-legged frame before the shadows flared out and destroyed the camera, forcing themselves between the wires and ripping, tearing. He grabbed the circuit board, only to have a huge electric run up and down his entire body. He was thrown back and the shadows didn't do much to catch him without his concentration - it wasn't until he felt his consciousness fading that the shadows cradled him, the alarms starting to go wild around him.<br><br>He could feel a bruise rising along his arm, but he used the shadows to prop himself up, cradling the circuit board with the shadows, not his hands. <br><br>Then, he was gone.<br><br>The guards found nothing, just a broken security camera and a missing circuit board worth millions and millions of dollars. <br><br>He didn't bother changing, just showed up at the doctor's doorstep, left arm still twitching sporadically from where he'd been shocked. He knocked, the blindfold still wrapped around his eyes, full lips parted as he took in a shaky breath. The skin-tight black bodysuit practically dripped off his slim fame, the shadows visibly roiling around him, sneaking under the door, already spreading like a puddle into the other man's house, announcing his arrival.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>24-06-2010, 18:12:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div align="center">(http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs8/i/2005/362/4/3/Gotham_Batman_Beyond_by_MachSabre.jpg)</div><br>If there was one city in the entire world that epitomized the current age, it was Gotham.&nbsp; In the past it had been a dark and disturbing place, a city haunted by a past that desperately clung to every twisted gargoyle and shingled roof like a plague.&nbsp; It was once caught in its own little bubble, unchanging and isolated.&nbsp; Gotham was a city where the mad regularly ran through the streets with more frequency than common criminals, where men and women in brightly coloured suits were locked away in ancient asylums on a day-to-day basis, only to escape again and kill and maim and steal with relative impunity.&nbsp; There were those that fought the insanity, of course.&nbsp; A man, perhaps as disturbed as the lunatics he hunted, stalked the night and thwarted them at every turn.&nbsp; But the <em>Batman</em> could never quite do what was necessary, and so the city rot.<br><br>But even he was just a man, and in time he surely grew old and disappeared into the very shadows that had once been so familiar.&nbsp; Old foes too soon found that time was catching up to them, and in their twilight years found the madness fading from their minds as quickly as their memories.&nbsp; At last, Gotham's face began to change with the rest of the world.&nbsp; A Revolution had begun, and humanity was changing.&nbsp; Soon, Wayne Enterprises found that it had serious competition to contend with.&nbsp; The TriOptimum Corporation, paving the way to a new era with groundbreaking research into synthetic intelligences and state-of-the-art prosthetics.&nbsp; The Weylan-Yutani Company, turning its eyes skyward towards a future among the stars.&nbsp; GeneCo, custom tailoring the next generation for optimum efficiency and changing the very definition of what it means to be a human being.&nbsp; And finally, Sinclair Solutions, specializing in software and medical technology.&nbsp; A New Age was dawning, and everyone wanted a cut of the profits.<br><br>Gotham's Gothic architecture was quickly replaced by shining examples of progress, vast reflective skyscrapers towering above complex networks of highways, pristine and glittering and lording their perfection over the sea of grimy, neon-lit nightclubs and shopping districts huddled about their feet.&nbsp; It was a city that never slept, and its denizens seemed intent on keeping it that way.&nbsp; The criminals of New Gotham care only about lining their pockets. but the older generations have found it to be a much welcome reprieve from the days of homicidal lunatics.&nbsp; Splicers and cyborgs may present a new and dangerous threat, but at least most of them are <em>sane</em>.<br><br>And, much to their chagrin, a new Batman has risen above all the corruption and pulsating, drug-addled music to combat the same forces as his predecessor.&nbsp; <br><br>Kendrick stared out at the skyline from his penthouse apartment, treated to a view of Wayne Tower and the slightest glimpses of Gotham Bay through the masses of jutting, brightly lit spires.&nbsp; He was suited for business, as usual, but had allowed himself a small glass of red wine for the evening.&nbsp; He held it just beneath his nose, enjoying the heady aroma for a moment and took a slow sip.&nbsp; The wine tingled on his tongue, and he rolled the sweet liquid about before finally swallowing.&nbsp; Normally it was not his nature to indulge, but tonight he was filled with a rare sort of satisfaction.&nbsp; Assuming the boy was not just all talk, the doctor's life was soon going to change for the better.<br><br>He dropped the glass from his grip.&nbsp; It didn't fall.<br><br>Though his hands were now clasped behind his back, the glass suspended itself in mid-air and, slowly but surely, flew over to the end table where the wine bottle had been placed and settled down beside it.&nbsp; The man's brow furrowed, annoyed by his accelerated heartbeat.&nbsp; How pitiful that it took him so much effort to move such a light object a negligible three feet.&nbsp; He could have simply taken two steps and placed it down himself.&nbsp; What point was there in having <em>power</em> if it was too weak to do anything useful?<br><br>As if to answer his rhetorical question, a sudden knock came at the door.&nbsp; Turning, he saw the odd way the shadows beneath the door curled and bloated upwards into three dimensions.&nbsp; He smirked, cruelly.&nbsp; So much strength, but such a lack of control.&nbsp; He wouldn't be surprised if his young ward became consumed by it in time.&nbsp; Hopefully not before his task was completed.<br><br>Kendrick walked slowly, deliberately, not wishing to appear rushed or eager.&nbsp; The apartment was designed much like his office at the school, all crimson drapery and carpeting and rich oaken molding, trapped in perpetual twilight by flickering globes of warmth held in place by magnetized lamps.&nbsp; The kitchen and the living area were connected by open doorways, with a counter overlooking the large flatscreen television that took up most of the far wall, and all the appliances looked to have been created by Apple; all sleek white casings and modular designs without the need for excessive decoration.&nbsp; Sleek and efficient.&nbsp; Just like the man who lived there.<br><br>The door opened slowly, but the moment Jasper's haggard frame was in sight it swung inwards completely, and Kendrick offered a welcome, if worried glance down at him.&nbsp; Realizing he likely wouldn't see it beneath the blindfold, he wrapped one strong arm under the boy's and helped him inside, kicking the door shut behind them.&nbsp; <br><br>He felt so fragile, so laughably <em>small</em> in his grip.&nbsp; Moving him to the couch was absolutely effortless, like dragging a rag doll.&nbsp; The form-fitting bodysuit clung to his slender frame perfectly, defining his almost trivial musculature in all the right places.&nbsp; It reminded the doctor of the very shadows that trailed on after him, but also of pleasantly sordid memories filled with latex and rope and tears.&nbsp; It was all he could do to pry himself away from such a succulent little morsel, but pry he did, settling down beside Jasper and carefully slipping the blindfold up and feeling tenderly at the clammy skin of his forehead.<br><br>"Are you alright?&nbsp; Do you need something to drink?&nbsp; Is anything broken?&nbsp; How many fingers am I holding up?" he started, doting like a worried parent instead of a partner in crime.&nbsp; Then, almost as an afterthought, "Did you get what I asked for?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sho</strong> on <strong>25-06-2010, 05:54:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jasper stumbled in the second the door opened, exhausted, leaning against the doctor with a clear relief to be somewhere safe. He didn't look around - couldn't, really - but his shadows were already flashing out around the room and seemed to be looking for him. His shadows traced up the wall, gracing every line of the apartment, following the lines already there from the appliances and furniture but stretching them grotesquely, making them pulsate, vaguely human-like shapes rising and falling in waves out of the shadows before sinking back down and flattening once again. The unclear, hulking shape that had seemed to hang behind him in the office was nowhere to be seen, perhaps gone from the strain of using his powers so precisely. <br><br>His skin was very white against the sharp darkness of his suit, skin cool and slightly damp from having moved so far, so fast, almost entirely through his powers. His bodysuit clung to him in a way that was just an inch shy of indecent, the shadows licking up the length of his legs, caressing his thighs, withdrawing slowly as the other man removed his blindfold and felt at his forehead. Still, his face didn't quite show his strain. He held a tiny smirk, a pleased expression, one that was teasing and dangerous and cold as though he didn't fully realize anything about the world around him or care about it. <br><br>He let out a slow breath and flopped down so that he was lying on his back on the couch, a long, slender leg tilted slightly to stretch it. <br><br>"I'm fine," he murmured.<br><br>He looked a bit shocked, though, and his left arm continued to twitch sporadically though it was fading with time. <br><br>This was supposed to be the face of Gotham's newest terror, that something that would certainly end up running from this generation's new Batman? He looked young, fragile, bright eyes a bit wider than they usually were as they attempted to adjust to the light after sudden darkness. Just like that, his shadows seemed to withdraw, skin warming ever so slightly as though the power to keep them under his control had been draining him, and taking in a deep, shuddering breath.<br><br>It was as though he was coming back from somewhere, somewhere far away, eyes focusing and losing what had been a strangely unfocused, playful look. When wide-eyed beneath that blindfold, he'd felt so powerful, invincible. Now he felt shaky and tired, needing to rest, needing to be with someone who he could trust to take care of him.<br><br>He smiled, a small smile, up at the doctor.<br><br>"You're holding up two fingers and I could use a glass of water or maybe some coffee but really, I'm <em>fine</em>." With that, he reached down, picking up the bag though it took more energy than he'd show, "There." <br><br>He held it out - it was in his bag, just sitting there. A piece of near-priceless technology that he'd brought back, just as his teacher had asked. "I got it for you." <br><br>He smiled shyly, clearly happy to do something to make the other man pleased. He wanted, so desperately, to have that acceptance, much as most teens did. But he wanted it in a different way - he didn't give a damn about friendships, but he wanted to have the other man's approval and support. Only his psychiatrist. That was all he cared about. He couldn't hide the way that the friendly touch made his breath hitch for just a second in what was a desire he didn't fully understand.<br><br>He shut his eyes and then opened them again, "I tried to pick it up and got electrocuted. Got thrown all the way back." He began undoing his body-suit, undoing what seemed to be ties of some sort of flexible rubber, peeling it down to his waist, revealing bruises up and down his left arm and the seared tips of his fingertips. He would heal quickly - his own powers helped him with that - but for the moment he wasn't entirely comfortable.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>18-07-2010, 21:57:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It was all Kendrick could do to hide the hunger in his eyes as the boy held the bag out to him.&nbsp; The first piece of the puzzle was now in his grasp.&nbsp; Not the most important one, but every bit as integral to his plans.&nbsp; His hand shook slightly as he unzipped it, as though afraid that the weight might vanish and the motherboard evaporate into smoke.&nbsp; But there it was, encased in a hefty block of diamond-infused glass.&nbsp; An extra security measure, but it could be removed with little effort with the right machinery.&nbsp; Machinery that he would soon possess, so long as Jasper continued to trust in him.<br><br>But to a psychiatrist--to a <em>doctor</em>--a simple bit of hardware comes second to the safety of a minor.&nbsp; He did not seem doting or overly worried like a mother might have been, nor was he panicking or fussing like most of the worthless, simpleminded, frazzled adults that Jasper doubtlessly had to put up with each and every day of his life.&nbsp; There was concern in his eyes at the sight of the boy's bruised and battered arm, but above everything else he seemed to swell with <em>pride</em>.&nbsp; In the act of refusing to treat Jasper like some fragile doll that had been callously broken, he conferred respect.&nbsp; They were both <em>men</em>, using their abilities and their strengths to get what they wanted out of life.&nbsp; There was power in it, boundless and exhilarating.&nbsp; <br><br>Kendrick carefully touched at the bruises, brushing his fingertips over them in a reverent sort of way.&nbsp; The touch was painful, but at the same time it seemed to transform the wounds into something else entirely.&nbsp; They were not burns, but badges of honor from a job well done.<br><br>And the doctor could not help but notice just how soft the boy's skin was, his careful smile widening all the more...<br><br>"I expected nothing less of you, my boy.&nbsp; You have performed admirably in spite of unforeseen setbacks!&nbsp; You've given me hope, Jasper," taking the boy's chin in one hand and turning it up.&nbsp; "Hope that I may live to see the day where you get the respect that you so clearly deserve."<br><br>He left Jasper to rest on the couch while he retrieved a glass of fresh water from the kitchen, when a thought came to mind.&nbsp; He returned and handed the glass back to the boy, making sure he drank enough to restore his vitality before sitting down opposite him, placing two wine glasses on the table.<br><br>"Perhaps it's a bit premature, but I say this is cause for celebration!&nbsp; But moreover, I think you deserve a bit more than water for what you've been through."&nbsp; The doctor smirked wryly.&nbsp; "I truly am a terrible role model."<br><br>Kendrick uncorked the bottle from the end table and poured some of the cheerful red liquid into both glasses about halfway, nudging one of them a bit closer to Jasper before holding his up in the air.&nbsp; <br><br>"To your good health, my boy!&nbsp; May the next man who takes a swing at you trip over his own feet!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sho</strong> on <strong>16-08-2010, 23:19:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jasper's lips parted in delight at the way the other man ran his fingers over his bruises; there was a delight in the sensation of the pain that he didn't quite understand, but what he knew was that that feeling signified that the other man was pleased with him. He didn't touch the bruises like some doltish nurse or some fool who didn't understand the danger of what he'd done. He touched them, bringing faint, electrifying surges of pain that let him know he'd done well in his job. <br><br>His eagerness was clear enough on his face, though he tried to hide it, not wanting to look stupid at being so pleased with himself. He didn't want the other man to think that he was incapable of getting the other things. <br><br>He reached for the wine and let their glasses clink with a small smile spreading over his lips.<br><br>"Thank you," he murmured quietly.<br><br>Hearing the other man tell him that he wished the next man to wish him harm to trip over his own feet, he ventured a hazardarous statement that he probably shouldn't have been admitting to his psychiatrist. "I'm going to be powerful, one day. I'm going to use my powers to get whatever I want. And I'll save you, as well. I'll get you everything you need."<br><br>The words were brave, but despite those forming, prodigious powers, he wasn't entirely certain <em>how</em> to be powerful. <br><br>He took a large sip of wine, letting it wash over his tongue, letting the tannins sink into his lips. They stained his lips red, and in his delight of being in the doctor's apartment, of drinking wine with him like a respected colleague, the shadows seemed to dance. It was utterly eery, the shadows shifting, forming gaping maws with cavernous spaces between huge fangs, collapsing back into themselves as he had them settle back down. They weren't so much true beasts as they were small nightmares that came to life in the shadows, in that dry, rotting darkness that seemed to surround the boy wherever he went.<br><br>"You live here alone, then?"<br><br>His voice was quiet, a bit hoarse, glancing around the apartment and taking it in. <br><br>He sat up slowly, the black bodysuit peeled off of his upper half, still clinging to his lower half with a sensual stroke of leather that followed each and every curve of his body. <br><br>"What's the next thing you'd like me to get?"<br><br>There wasn't any question of whether or not he would do it; simply the question of where to find it, what company he should break into. He'd do it, he'd bring it back to Kendrick, and he'd be even happier that he'd gotten away with a second crime than he had been with the first.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>18-09-2010, 23:42:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Kendrick's eyes wandered from the boy's tantalizing frame to the tumultuous writhing of the shadows around him, but they did not reflect some inner fear or nervous reaction as most might.&nbsp; The doctor seemed entranced by the display, this unconscious play of light against darkness that squirmed with primitive emotions.&nbsp; He did not yet comprehend the full extent of Jasper's abilities, but the possibilities they posed were virtually limitless.&nbsp; Given time and control, their utility would make the lesser villains of Gotham cower and prostrate themselves without hesitation.&nbsp; <br><br>"Your strength of will is truly something else, Jasper," he said at last, lips quirked.&nbsp; "I think that you are already more powerful than you realize, with or without these remarkable gifts."<br><br>The Doctor gestured faintly towards the darkness looming beneath his ward's body.&nbsp; "Gifts though they may be, they are not what define you as a person.&nbsp; You have had a few stumbles in your travels, setbacks and failures, as do we all.&nbsp; Yet I don't think you've come out the worse for wear.&nbsp; Even if you did not have your powers, I am certain that you would still have that same vigorous fire in your eyes, that ruthless determination driving you forwards.&nbsp; It takes power to persevere, and here you are: drinking wine with a trusted friend in a penthouse suite instead of wallowing in the gutters like so many others that have been struck down by hardship and couldn't bring themselves to get back to their feet again."<br><br>He laughed, quickly draining his glass and setting it back on the table.&nbsp; "Ah, but I over-analyze even when we're supposed to be celebrating!&nbsp; Bad habit.&nbsp; Yet another reason why I'm, as you said, living alone.&nbsp; Not everyone appreciates having their brains picked at when they're trying to unwind."<br><br>That kind yet piercing stare grazed over Jasper's exposed torso with all the subtlety of a careful predator, and again the man put his strong hand on the boy's shoulder.&nbsp; "We can talk about business later.&nbsp; My gratitude towards you for even agreeing to any of this at all is truly immeasurable, my boy, but you've had a long night.&nbsp; I feel bad enough about sending you in with so little information.&nbsp; Next time we do this, we do it <em>right</em>.&nbsp; No half-assed missions where I put you in harm's way, eh?" he said jovially, his grin wide.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Ink [Shihong and Sho]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sho</strong> on <strong>13-12-2010, 05:58:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jasper loved the way the doctor watched the shadows. He wasn't repulsed or terrified like he had been scared the other man would have been, and he paused for a moment, just watching his face. He was more than happy to allow himself the time to let Kendrick watch what was going on behind him. He had tired himself out, though. Physically he was recovering, but the shadows receded slightly, seeming to shrink beneath the furniture and assume more natural and less noticeable positions. He had no idea that the other man was looking at him and thinking of how he was going to be able to use him. He was willing to let himself be used, either way, so long as the other man accepted him and acknowledged him at all. <br><br>He shyly smiled downwards and sat up, holding the wine glass carefully between delicate fingers, raising it by the stem to take a slow sip from the goblet. <br><br>"I don't mind having my brain picked. It's nice to have smart company for once." <br><br>Arrogant though it might have seemed, he didn't consider his peers his equals, since they ostracized him and thought of him as a freak. He had no need for them. All he needed was one person who would acknowledge and support him and he would give that person all of his loyalty and it seemed that if he was lucky his very own psychiatrist was going to be willing to step into that role and acknowledge him. <br><br>He took in a deep breath and then drained the glass as well, wincing slightly, feeling it burn down his throat. He wasn't used to drinking it. It did taste delicious though. <br><br>"I don't need any information, really. I mean, if you can get me information on what sorts of places I need to get into, I'll use it but...my shadows can scout things out pretty well for me. I realized..." he wasn't sure how much he should admit to the other man, but he threw caution to the wind. "I realized that I can separate them from me. Send them out. Sneak them in to different places to figure out what the specs are." <br><br>He leant forwards, into the hand on his shoulder, pale eyes wide and eager as he saw the doctor's grin. <br><br>"You don't need to worry about putting me in harms way. I can take more than it looks...I'm sturdier than I appear. And..." he knew he was going out on a limb and his cheeks took on the faintest hint of color as he reached for the bottle of wine, shyly pouring them both another full glass, "A little bit of pain never hurt anyone. It can even be...enjoyable, I guess. From what I've...I dunno, seen." Online. He'd never experience it himself, but he'd wanted to. <br><br>He shook his head, anxiously, shaking his hair down in front of his eyes. <br><br>"I...forget I said that," he whispered, suddenly shy, leaning over, fiddling with the skintight material of his bodysuit. His arm had finally stopped twitching, and as he raised his hand, his eyes widened. He was healing, before his very eyes, the burns and bruises disappearing.
			</dd>
		</dl>
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