Phrenology: E-Lunar (3) Route A (MANUSCRIPT)

Chapter 2: Turn 4

      "So then, little brother... take a shot at me!" Apricot-Enderbite, now known as Hikaru Ahlstrom, laughed. 

     "Not until you tell me one thing." Kevin brushed the jet-black bangs out of his eyes with his free hand.

     "And... what would that be?" 

     "Why did you join this organization? What do you have against driving?" 

     "Ain't it- Ain't it -- I mean, I thought it was -- obvious, little bro? What did dad do with us? Exactly. He drove us around... everywhere! That car was the instrument he used to make our friendships brief with people!"

    "So you want a settled-down life, too! So, why not come live with me and my boyfriends?" Kevin fell out of Hikaru's choking grip, coughing on the ground, outside a blue apartment complex. 

     "Because... at this point, I don't want just a settled-down life for myself. I wanna make sure that no other kids have to go through that again. And as long as driving is legal... that's just more opportunity for parents to take their kids everywhere without their child's consent or even... knowing what the hell's going on! Don't you see? I'm going to better this world. Every single member who is a part of the syndicate has their own world they want to see shaped and molded. Together... we can do it- We can create everybody's ideal world. We can..." Hikaru looked to the ground, his back going up from a laugh. "... have our cake and eat it too!" 

    "I can't believe this. You don't think that parents will still be able to take their kids around through public transportation? You really haven't thought of that? Did that slip your mind? People will still be able to exert further control over their children. I thought you were better than this! We suffered the same thing... and yet... I didn't go and join a fucking crime-syndicate, or abandon my family. I stood by dad's side. I hated him, too, yanno, but I... wasn't bold enough to just estrange my nuclear family... unlike you." 

    "We didn't suffer the same thing, then, and don't you dare claim we did! I've been alive longer than you have, only by a few years, but still... I've had to put up with dad's horrible excuse for a job- I've had to live with the misery of missing friends, and never being engaged in anything... for a longer period of time than you! So... sorry, if it seems like I've snapped quicker than you have, Kevin." 

     Blinking at his brother a few times, Kevin took a deep breath. "I... change my mind. I won't kill you. You need... the last thing that anybody would be willing to give you, but it's the thing that you need the most- Help. I've told my boyfriends that you died... and I'm not changing that. You're dead to me... until you start to improve yourself."

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