Do I Know You?

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A new year may have started a few days ago, but that doesn't mean things will change. In fact, almost nothing has really changed at all. However, Nathaniel has noticed that strange man in black who's followed him since a year after he left his old home has began following him again.

Nathaniel was in Buxton, a very small but friendly town. It looks small, but in truth, they were heavily guarded by the Coalition's Shadow Company, a company that wore optical camouflage armor that turned them invisible. Nathaniel sat under a nearby tree, meditating as usual. He then heard a strange noise, like metal hitting rock. He turned around and saw a man up the near cliff looking down at him.

 He turned around and saw a man up the near cliff looking down at him

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(Insert photo of Ap'lek from Star Wars).

The blade of the strange man's axe lit up an electric red. He slammed it into the ground, causing red sparks to fly into the air. The Stranger then disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

In Nathaniel's mind, he saw hostility, but felt no threat, but he felt something else. Did he know the man? His presence felt too familiar. Had they been friends? Or was Nathaniel just thinking too hard. He knew for a fact that it was a man, he'd heard the man speak in only grunts, but they were obviously male.

Nathaniel got up and decided to walk home, rather than use a stone. On the way home, Nathaniel was ambushed by four highwaymen. Before he drew his sword, he saw the same man in black jump from the tree line with his axe lit up. The man sliced the highwaymen apart and just stared at Nathaniel. Nathaniel said nothing. The Stranger just nodded and disappeared.

He'd been following Nathaniel for a while, in fact, it started a year after Nathaniel had left his old home in Holcomb. The year he manipulated his mother into killing herself. Even as an adult, Nathaniel felt absolutely no shame or guilt for his mom's suicide. None. But he had a thought that maybe this was some sort of demon following him, haunting him for what he'd done. Purposefully killing those who mean to harm him, all in an attempt to force him to join his mother in death.

When Nathaniel arrived home, he found the watcher once more, looking down at him from above.

Nathaniel: What do you want from me?!

The Stranger said nothing. He then disappeared again. Wil then came out of his house.

Wil: You saw him too?

Nathaniel: I first saw him years ago.

Wil: You sure that's the same guy?

Nathaniel: Positive. He showed up today up a cliff. He just stared at me, like he's always done.

Wil: So you know nothing else about this guy?

Nathaniel: I feel like I've known this guy for years, but I don't know a thing about him. He did save me today though.

Wil: Should we be worried about him?

Nathaniel: He hasn't tried to kill me, so I wouldn't worry.

Wil: You better be right about him.

Nathaniel went back into his house and up to his room. Wil followed into the house. Wil then went over to Yang and Eric who were at the table.

Wil: Look you two. I know you like... well, you know. But please keep it down. I've gotten complaints from Weiss, Henry, and Alec. And Alec lives right next door. So when you fuck, please try to keep it down for Christ's sake.

When Nathaniel got to his room, he wrote down his experience with the Stranger and then began to meditate. While meditating he had a vision. In his vision he saw the Stranger walk towards him and speak to him in a very gruff and damaged voice.

Stranger: I'm sorry.

Nathaniel then awoke from his vision. He fell, back to the floor and hyperventilating.

Blake: Nathaniel, are you okay?

Nathaniel struggled to regain his voice.

Nathaniel: Yeah, I'm fine.

He then opened his door.

Blake: You don't sound fine.

Nathaniel pulled out his journal and began reading what he'd written earlier. He then noticed the time. He'd been meditating for three hours.

Nathaniel: God, I was out for a while.

Blake: Were you meditating the whole time?

Nathaniel: Yeah.

Nathaniel then wrote down what he'd seen in his vision.

Blake: What's that?

Nathaniel: Journal. I've been writing in it for years.

Blake: What're writing down now? If you don't mind me asking.

Nathaniel: I saw this... strange man earlier. I saw him a few years ago until he disappeared. He saved me when I was coming home, but I don't know why. Now he's back. He ended up coming here, but he disappeared right after I saw him. He just watched me, night and day. Every time I've tried to talk to him, he just makes some sort of grunting noise and disappears.

Blake: What does he look like?

Nathaniel then drew him.

Blake: That's very... vivid.

Nathaniel: Whenever I saw him, I get this feeling like I've known him my whole life.

Blake: Maybe he's a friend.

Nathaniel: I didn't really have any friends when I was younger. I only had my sister. While I was meditating, he just told me that he was sorry.

Blake: Well, maybe you should try to speak to him again.

Nathaniel: I don't think it'll work, but I'll try. Thanks.

Nathaniel then kissed her. Blake then blushed and nervously said

Blake: Umm, your welcome.

Nathaniel: Something wrong?

Blake: No, it's just... I'm still trying to get used to this.

Nathaniel laughed.

Nathaniel: I think speaking to him will have to wait till tomorrow. It's getting late.

The Stranger's POV

The Stranger looked at Nathaniel through a pair of binoculars. He then removed his mask and hood, revealing a man who looked like an older and taller Nathaniel. His name was once Harrison Morrick, but now he was Ap'lek. He smiled, seeing his the man his son had become. He then got up and disappeared.

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