Now why hadn't he thought of that?
Or had he?
---===---
Things were running together. Names, faces, perspectives.
Times and places and dates in the past kept crashing together.
He'd spent an afternoon in a classroom and on a dock retrieving a shipment of cocaine. The same day. He remembered doing both. Was one a lie? If so, which?
He frowned as he walked slowly along the dented and slightly melted rooftop. Something was wrong here. This wasn't how it went...
His face was finally human enough to speak fairly clearly.
"Didn't I run?"
---===---
Hearing that voice, harsh and metallic, surprised me.
That wasn't my voice.
I blinked, then snorted.
Yes it was. That's what it does when I became the dragon, a bit of a pain in the ass really.
One roar for yes, two for no?
My mind shifted back to the rooftop.
Didn't I run from a monster?
No. I pursued a bug.
I strode across the roof, still glad of the small mercies that there was no tar used on the roof.
Trying to remember.
The pepper spray I'd used, -no, I'd been hit with- cleared out with the rapid growth.
Wait... I was growing again. Was I under attack?
Soon
I looked around. Nothing.
Soon.
Another mind... thing? No.
No.
But I didn't grow unless I was attacked, or trying to psych myself up in advance, and I wasn't doing that.
It comes.
So why?
Dogs. From above.
It's not like a dog in a biological war-frame the size of a van wasn't going to land on him any second now...
Not Today!
---===---
"Hold it." Cautioned a voice barely above a whisper. Bitch turned to look. "He knows we're here. He's ready for you."
{Enhanced senses as he grows. Yes.}
"Can we take him?" The leader asked also in a whisper.
"No. He's still confused by whatever that cape did to him after the pepper spray, but..." She frowned. "He know's we're here and isn't sure what to do."
{Unknown attack, presumed by his assailant. Pepper spray a diversion? Pain-based attack to lower mental guard? Unknown.}
She needed more data. Safely. From a distance.
"We should go. Oni-Lee will be coming soon."
---===---
I saw them leave as I kept growing, heard them too. Up on top of the three story apartment.
Victory!
My friends! The fuckers who stole from me!
Why were both of these things true?
It was still fuzzy, but as I grew, things became clearer.
They stole from my casino. I took exception to that.
But why would they dare? They'd know I'd come for them?
They were told to, by the boss? My boss? But I was the boss. Did I tell them to rob me?
I shook my head, no, something is wrong here. Very wrong. I'd deal with them later. I knew where they lived, didn't I?
Finally, I'd stopped growing. Finally, there was enough room in my head.
There was me. And there was also me.
I am Kenta. I am Lung! I'd faced the best the Yangban could do to me. I had faced the great monster in Japan. I will not fall to this!
I am Taylor. I am Skitter! I'd seen the end of everything. I had faced the greatest monster of all. I know how this will turn out.
I will not break!
I am Lung! I am Khepri!
I needed control.
Then my ears caught something on the horizon.
---===---
Slowly the beast began to shrink into a man once more. He turned and reached for his mask, on the ground after the leather ties burned away. Just as it should be. Once his ears were small enough the mask would stay on.
In one motion he leapt down to the road.
Interesting. When his mind was in conflict, he was paralyzed. When in agreement, it was not.
And, as the sound grew closer and rounded the corner of the block, agreement had been found.
Armsmaster was a dick.
Needles!
Time to do something about it.