Metalocalypse: Impending Doom

Chapter Twelve: Tobias

Something didn't feel right with Tobias. Even as he departed from his secluded realm along with Nathalia, he still felt some type of grasp on his soul that prevented him from fully joining the rest of his friends. It was like being stuck in the middle of both worlds; the closest to ever having them overlap. To have himself be so aware of everything, and so damn close to being able to explain to his friends that were right beside him, and yet so impossibly far away. If only they knew morse code; if only he could control his finger long enough to tell them everything. Though deep down, he felt that it wasn't time for them to know anyway.

If Tobias had any way to contact the outside world from beyond his heavy eyelids, while still being able to muse over the wisdoms of his universe, he would honestly be quite content in staying like that forever. Of course, he did enjoy his video games but he'd been too anxious of a person to concentrate on them as of late. Plus, when the weight of the world was falling on someone's shoulders, thinking seemed like a more 'productive' time-waster.

He couldn't forget about his friends though. No matter how hard-headed and rash, and just plain 'crackheady' (as they called it) they could be, he still cared for them deeply and wouldn't want to abandon them, not for all the insight in the world. Though if he could just have the best of both worlds...

A dull voice echoed in Tobias's eardrums and before he could even focus on the tone and accent, something in his head already told him; it was Pickles. Tobias frowned (inwardly, he couldn't really do much with his body except breathe). From the moment he had arrived at Mordhaus, he felt a slight tug like a magnet toward the red-head that he only remembered in his sleep. Nothing sexual, just a really strong sense that he couldn't put his finger on... until now, in his hyperaware state. It was almost like he'd known Pickles forever, which was the oddest thing to think since he had barely talked to the man.

It would have made more sense to get a sense of familiarity with someone like Toki, because at least they looked more alike. He could be mistaken for a reflection if Tobias was tired and delusional enough. With Pickles, though... Well, Tobias did have natural red hair, and his eyes were green like Pickles. But he didn't notice any other obvious comparisons to make so it's not like Tobias saw himself in Pickles to get that sense of familiarity. The two simply existed in their own separate worlds and yet were tied together by an invisible thread.

Tobias wondered if Pickles felt that same pull.

"Someone who's seen this before..."

If what Nathalia said was true during their weird 'connection', someone else in Mordhaus was a psychic. He wondered if maybe Pickles was that psychic. Toki and Skwisgaar could be ruled out at the very least, since he'd basically theorized their positions in this prophecy already, and he really couldn't see either of them having some kind of mind powers. He had an inkling on Murderface's position but preferred not to think about that horrid man and so he just tossed him into the miscellaneous pile. That just left Salem and Pickles.

One would think that with Pickles's rash decision-making, it would make him a poor candidate for literally anything that involved... brain power. Even Salem seemed to have more hesitation and consideration than Pickles. Then again, it was not the type of hesitation one would need, to balance out the odds against them; it was out of paranoia and fear of rejection.

Though, the powers were more likely to differ between Tobias and the other psychic. Perhaps they didn't need a steady head to evaluate anything. Perhaps what the other could see is what would cause more rash decision making. Just because they were both 'psychics' didn't mean they both saw or dealt with the same thing. Who knew, not Tobias.

Plus, Tobias had never recalled 'seeing this before' in the context Nathalia gave him. Most of Tobias's dejavu moments were not based on something that he had recognized from a future event itself, but rather what he recognized in the real world after seeing the future event; even though he wouldn't remember, thus the reason for chalking it up to dejavu.