[ Mondo considers all the information Terry is giving him, trying to keep calm despite the urge to just say 'what' at everything. Walking to a certain direction and coming back to the point where he started... huh. That's weird. It's almost like this town and the surrounding forest are the only places there is in this universe. Though not completely the same, it eerily reminds him of Wonderland. He narrows his eyes. ]
He stronger than you?
[ Just so he knows what to expect should they have an unexpected encounter. Terry's obviously a lot stronger than Mondo is, and he was holding back. So if the original is any better... that could be a problem for everyone involved. ]
[ He doesn't want to admit that, but it's the truth. Terry definitely thinks he won't win in a fair fight against his original if he ever met him face to face. ]
He has better specs in every single way. He's stronger, faster, more efficient... everything, really. The only advantage I hold over him is that I can't die, but he can.
Ok, 's good to know he can die. But it ain't like you can get resurrected immediately or shit like that, right? [ Terry won't need to visit the hospital so often if that's the case. ] What were ya plannin', goin' to meet him alone?
No, I just don't die. I'd still be conscious throughout.
[ He wants to exclude the time when he got his heart dug out by the Daitengu because his lifespan also happened to be running short, since that... was a weird time. But he definitely believes that he still has his relative immortality.
...
He gets what Mondo is trying to say with that question, but. ]
I was going to ambush him, but I couldn't find him. I'd only need one hit to kill him. He's ruthless. I wouldn't want anyone to meet him. The sooner he's gone, the better.
[ The question was both rhetorical and not. Goddammit, Terry. That's what he doesn't want to hear. ]
And you're absolutely sure you can kill him with just that one hit?
[ Mondo runs his finger through his pompadour in discomfort, starting to want to believe that whoever it was, it wasn't Terry's original. ]
'Sides, how sure is that someone that they saw Vassago? Sure, it's distinctive, but it could be some other red dragon. ...Who's this 'someone' anyways?
I know that I can't fight him. I prolly can't even join you in the battle, 'cuz I'll prolly just be a hindrance. [ Through their fight, he's more than aware that Terry was out of his league. ] But there're other ways, ain't there? I dunno... use my persona to distract Vassago so your Vassago can fight him easier, or somethin'...
[ There's no way he can just let Terry go on his own if he were to know that he's gonna fight his original. He grunts in frustration. ]
[ Back home, Terry never had to worry about his friends being in danger despite how he himself was targeted by other demigods. But now that he has friends that he doesn't want to die and are in danger from time to time, he develops a fear. The fear converts into worry, and sometimes the worry turns into anger. However, Terry is tired right now, so thankfully, it doesn't get that far.
He looks at Mondo evenly before turning on the bench and leans on Mondo's side while his back is facing him. ]
... I don't want you to get caught by him and think that whatever you suffer by his hands is something you deserve.
[ The touch is warm against Mondo's shoulder, that even if Terry isn't facing him, it feels like he can tell what the other's looking like right now. It's... frustrating, sometimes, how much Terry understands him, and how he can tell just how much the guy cares for him. Even if the urge to push Terry away is huge, Mondo doesn't. He stays still where he is. ]
...You know how it goes, Terry. It's an eye for an eye, ain't it?
[ There's no hesitation when he says it. He knows far too many people who have pulled a karma houdini on him enough to be frustrated by it. He bends his knees a little closer to himself and quietly taps them rhythmically as if to ward away whatever else he's feeling right now. ]
[ Mondo breathes in, before he opens his mouth again.
For once, he's incredibly calm when he says this, even if the frustration is still there. ]
Terry, it's a goddamn fact that I killed someone innocent. No matter what the reason was, I fucked up. I took away their future just 'cuz I was insecure. I was envious of that person. There's nothin' that can excuse that.
Then just like how that's your choice, it can also be mine to not take you along when I go searching for my original again.
[ It's quiet. The knee tapping stops, replaced by the fingertips almost clawing at the fabric of his own pants. Terry knows that they'll both be stubborn about this, but he doesn't want to give in. He wants Mondo to live. And honestly? There's nothing that can change that either. ]
[ Mondo's aware of it by now. Both of them are insistent when they have their minds set on something, and will do reckless things for it even if it means putting their own lives in danger. He's still able to maintain his calm, for the most part, shutting his eyes just to regain that composure. ]
's not my choice, Terry. Like I said, it's a fact that I did a mistake that I could never take back. You can say that you'll accept me even if I'm a murderer, but that's 'cuz you dunno the person who died. What if it was someone you cared for?
[ And that is the biggest moral dilemma that Terry currently faces. He's stuck without an answer. He didn't like these kinds of what-ifs, because he's wasting energy on something that hasn't happened. ]
'm not puttin' myself down. I just put myself in the shoes of that person's family. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself, y'know? ...Not that I myself forgive myself. Huh?
[ He's getting himself confused. ]
...Anyway. This and that are two different shit. Can't ya see that?
[ Yeah, Terry doesn't get it either, but he sure will to an extent in September! hahaha...
There's a quiet sigh leaving Terry, and he slumps against Mondo's shoulder. His back is still facing him and his head tilts a little down. Perhaps human and demigod standards are different after all. He doesn't say anything after that, but if silence itself is an answer, it would still be an absolute refusal. ]
Mondo doesn't expect them to get to an easy agreement. Neither of them are willing to back down from what they're thinking, not for the least bit. He thinks he can sort of understand Terry's point of view. It's slightly like Ishimaru, who wholly believes that Mondo deserves forgiveness, tries to find reasons why he deserves another chance. Even Sakamoto who probably hates his guts tried so hard to keep him alive. He knows that there's a meaning to his life, but if he dies... it's a given. He was supposed to be dead.
Even then, it's frustrating not being able to find a meet each other halfway, at the very least. Mondo raises his other arm to mess Terry's wavy hair. ]
Just like ya don't want me dead, I don't want ya to get hurt, idiot.
[ it's time to set the bodies at sail to hirajiro's toxic lake...
He feels the loose hat topple over in front of his face and Mondo messing with his hair. It can't get any more messy than this, so he just leaves it alone. There's nothing he can say about that. He feels like they'll get into another argument, so he ceases any and all point of verbal attacks. He doesn't need the night to end on a sour note, especially when he just got back. The meatshield comment a long, long time ago still haunts him to this day, and if it weren't for his semi-immortality, he would have died many times over. He wouldn't be here. He wouldn't be here to experience this talk right now. Terry always liked living with his selfish ways.
[ Don't laugh while pushing them out there... They're gonna haunt you, Terry.
Mondo doesn't push it further. He too doesn't want to fight with Terry anymore, not tonight, but also not in general, after what happened. He (probably???) will never challenge Terry to a deadmatch anymore because now that he's finally gone down from the hyperfocus towards their argument, he can feel the excruciating pain on his back. It still hurts an awful lot, but strangely enough, having Terry back here with him makes it easier for him to ignore the pain.
When he hears what Terry said, he slides his hand to bap Terry's face, but this time to actually get him to lie his head on his lap. ]
Sleep.
[ It's not some fluffy bedding, but Mondo's pretty sure it's better than wherever Terry always sleeps in the forest. HE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A FUCKING TENT, THE DUMBASS!!!
This... thing they're doing, normally would be hella embarrassing for Mondo, but right now, he doesn't care. Terry's back in one piece and it's all that matters. ]
[ don't worry he'll cry for them instead......... and then maybe laugh hysterically who knows
Terry's usually the one who initiates physical affection. So when other people do it to him, he's surprised, and even shocked when it's the people that he would least expect. That's why when Mondo shoves his head down onto his lap, he lets out a startled noise. ]
Um, I have some... medical patches for your back if you want some...
Mondo has never considered himself a touchy-feely guy, or more like, he has never had to think about it. Ishimaru has never said a thing about it, neither does Jon. He doesn't really touch girls (Rei is a big exception, and she's different), so no one tells him anything either. But he actually is, to an extent. With Terry being affectionate physically, he's getting so used to it that he's at this point where not getting some makes him feel like he's touch starved. He will never admit this, but that's also one thing that he missed when Terry was gone. ]
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He stronger than you?
[ Just so he knows what to expect should they have an unexpected encounter. Terry's obviously a lot stronger than Mondo is, and he was holding back. So if the original is any better... that could be a problem for everyone involved. ]
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[ He doesn't want to admit that, but it's the truth. Terry definitely thinks he won't win in a fair fight against his original if he ever met him face to face. ]
He has better specs in every single way. He's stronger, faster, more efficient... everything, really. The only advantage I hold over him is that I can't die, but he can.
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[ Mondo heaves an exasperated sigh. ]
Ok, 's good to know he can die. But it ain't like you can get resurrected immediately or shit like that, right? [ Terry won't need to visit the hospital so often if that's the case. ] What were ya plannin', goin' to meet him alone?
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[ He wants to exclude the time when he got his heart dug out by the Daitengu because his lifespan also happened to be running short, since that... was a weird time. But he definitely believes that he still has his relative immortality.
...
He gets what Mondo is trying to say with that question, but. ]
I was going to ambush him, but I couldn't find him. I'd only need one hit to kill him. He's ruthless. I wouldn't want anyone to meet him. The sooner he's gone, the better.
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And you're absolutely sure you can kill him with just that one hit?
[ Mondo runs his finger through his pompadour in discomfort, starting to want to believe that whoever it was, it wasn't Terry's original. ]
'Sides, how sure is that someone that they saw Vassago? Sure, it's distinctive, but it could be some other red dragon. ...Who's this 'someone' anyways?
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[ Look, he didn't want to believe it either, okay? Now he has no choice. ]
Most demigods back from my place have something that's similar to a weak point. If it's destroyed, they die. My original's was...
[ He raises his hand slowly and puts the tip of his index finger right below Mondo's left eye. ]
This.
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...'s there somethin' in particular there?
[ He wants specifics, because if Terry's original really here, he needs to be ready for it when he comes. ]
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[ The method is simple, but Terry knows that it would be hard to get there in the first place. Hence, ambush. ]
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[ Even if it's dangerous, even if he knows Terry is undead, he hates the fact that Terry's still bearing the weight all by himself. ]
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[ Mondo... Terry worries about you sometimes. ]
He knows a lot of ways to defend himself while fighting to kill, so it's not going to be easy. He even has Vassago with him.
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[ He yells, a little louder than he meant to. ]
I know that I can't fight him. I prolly can't even join you in the battle, 'cuz I'll prolly just be a hindrance. [ Through their fight, he's more than aware that Terry was out of his league. ] But there're other ways, ain't there? I dunno... use my persona to distract Vassago so your Vassago can fight him easier, or somethin'...
[ There's no way he can just let Terry go on his own if he were to know that he's gonna fight his original. He grunts in frustration. ]
We can think out shit together, Terry.
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He looks at Mondo evenly before turning on the bench and leans on Mondo's side while his back is facing him. ]
... I don't want you to get caught by him and think that whatever you suffer by his hands is something you deserve.
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...You know how it goes, Terry. It's an eye for an eye, ain't it?
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[ There's no hesitation when he says it. He knows far too many people who have pulled a karma houdini on him enough to be frustrated by it. He bends his knees a little closer to himself and quietly taps them rhythmically as if to ward away whatever else he's feeling right now. ]
It doesn't always have to be that way.
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For once, he's incredibly calm when he says this, even if the frustration is still there. ]
Terry, it's a goddamn fact that I killed someone innocent. No matter what the reason was, I fucked up. I took away their future just 'cuz I was insecure. I was envious of that person. There's nothin' that can excuse that.
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[ It's quiet. The knee tapping stops, replaced by the fingertips almost clawing at the fabric of his own pants. Terry knows that they'll both be stubborn about this, but he doesn't want to give in. He wants Mondo to live. And honestly? There's nothing that can change that either. ]
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's not my choice, Terry. Like I said, it's a fact that I did a mistake that I could never take back. You can say that you'll accept me even if I'm a murderer, but that's 'cuz you dunno the person who died. What if it was someone you cared for?
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It's your choice to put yourself down.
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[ He's getting himself confused. ]
...Anyway. This and that are two different shit. Can't ya see that?
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There's a quiet sigh leaving Terry, and he slumps against Mondo's shoulder. His back is still facing him and his head tilts a little down. Perhaps human and demigod standards are different after all. He doesn't say anything after that, but if silence itself is an answer, it would still be an absolute refusal. ]
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Mondo doesn't expect them to get to an easy agreement. Neither of them are willing to back down from what they're thinking, not for the least bit. He thinks he can sort of understand Terry's point of view. It's slightly like Ishimaru, who wholly believes that Mondo deserves forgiveness, tries to find reasons why he deserves another chance. Even Sakamoto who probably hates his guts tried so hard to keep him alive. He knows that there's a meaning to his life, but if he dies... it's a given. He was supposed to be dead.
Even then, it's frustrating not being able to find a meet each other halfway, at the very least. Mondo raises his other arm to mess Terry's wavy hair. ]
Just like ya don't want me dead, I don't want ya to get hurt, idiot.
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He feels the loose hat topple over in front of his face and Mondo messing with his hair. It can't get any more messy than this, so he just leaves it alone. There's nothing he can say about that. He feels like they'll get into another argument, so he ceases any and all point of verbal attacks. He doesn't need the night to end on a sour note, especially when he just got back. The meatshield comment a long, long time ago still haunts him to this day, and if it weren't for his semi-immortality, he would have died many times over. He wouldn't be here. He wouldn't be here to experience this talk right now. Terry always liked living with his selfish ways.
He closes his eyes. ]
I'm tired...
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Mondo doesn't push it further. He too doesn't want to fight with Terry anymore, not tonight, but also not in general, after what happened. He (probably???) will never challenge Terry to a deadmatch anymore because now that he's finally gone down from the hyperfocus towards their argument, he can feel the excruciating pain on his back. It still hurts an awful lot, but strangely enough, having Terry back here with him makes it easier for him to ignore the pain.
When he hears what Terry said, he slides his hand to bap Terry's face, but this time to actually get him to lie his head on his lap. ]
Sleep.
[ It's not some fluffy bedding, but Mondo's pretty sure it's better than wherever Terry always sleeps in the forest. HE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A FUCKING TENT, THE DUMBASS!!!
This... thing they're doing, normally would be hella embarrassing for Mondo, but right now, he doesn't care. Terry's back in one piece and it's all that matters. ]
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Terry's usually the one who initiates physical affection. So when other people do it to him, he's surprised, and even shocked when it's the people that he would least expect. That's why when Mondo shoves his head down onto his lap, he lets out a startled noise. ]
Um, I have some... medical patches for your back if you want some...
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Mondo has never considered himself a touchy-feely guy, or more like, he has never had to think about it. Ishimaru has never said a thing about it, neither does Jon. He doesn't really touch girls (Rei is a big exception, and she's different), so no one tells him anything either. But he actually is, to an extent. With Terry being affectionate physically, he's getting so used to it that he's at this point where not getting some makes him feel like he's touch starved. He will never admit this, but that's also one thing that he missed when Terry was gone. ]
Shut up and go to sleep.
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