Chapter 166 - Annoying Genetic Traits

While the elevator is in transit, Mikah sighs softly and reaches up with one hand, gently kneading his forehead for a few seconds.

“Hey, you okay, man? If you need us to give you a few minutes alone or something, it’s cool.” As Lucas notices these movements on Mikah’s part, he speaks up without even pausing to give it any thought, eliciting a small smile from Mikah.

“It’s fine, I’m fine. It’s nothing to worry about.” While saying this, Mikah can’t help feeling self-conscious about his actions upon having attention brought to them, so he lowers his hand and turns his line of sight to the steadily climbing floor counter above the door.

“...It’s okay not to be okay, you don’t gotta front. Like, fuck, Jon basically fell over earlier from power burnout or whatever you call it, we can just give ya a breather if ya need it.” You know you’re doing a bad job of hiding something when even Lucas notices, and he even decides to be insistent about that fact, to boot.

Or maybe he just wants his own breather from being around a mind reader so much today, and he realized that this is a pretty good excuse, but hey.

Realizing he’s not fooling anyone, Mikah chuckles a bit and finally turns to actually look at Lucas, also taking a moment to glance at Jonathan.

“No, really, it hasn’t actually kicked in yet, but thank you. Sometimes, just knowing it’s coming, but not being sure if it’s going to turn into a full-blown migraine or not, is somehow worse than the actual headache I really end up getting. Though, it’s probably a good thing we’ve split off into separate groups, as we have. I’ve definitely been pushing it today. I really do appreciate the concern, though, thank you.” As Mikah is saying this, the elevator has reached the 7th floor.

While chiming out their arrival, the elevator doors slide open. Upon Lucas making the appropriate open-handed gesture, Mikah takes the lead when exiting, followed by Jonathan, with Lucas following after, all while maintaining the conversation.

“There’s gotta be somethin’ you can do when you know it’s coming though, yeah? Some meds or somethin’? ...Do anti-inflammatories even help with that kinda thing?” When Lucas muses this out loud, Mikah lets out a derisive snort, and reaches up to tug on a rogue lock of his densely curled red hair.

“I can’t speak for everyone else, but I’m certainly one of the examples of the saying that people with red hair need higher doses of pain killers, well, non-opiates, at least. I try to hold off on medicine when I can, so it’s more likely to actually work when I really need it. Also, I’d rather not end up spending most of my paycheck on an opiate addiction, thank you very much. But, yes, making a point of making sure I’m well hydrated, have a little sugar, and a dose or two of caffeine usually does help take the edge off, at the very least. Besides, if popping a pill was enough to make it tolerable, I wouldn’t have such a good excuse to get away from drinking parties, heh.” Mikah has a lighthearted tone as he continues chatting with Lucas, leading the way down a corridor straight ahead from the four-way intersection the elevator opened into.

Without even putting any real effort into looking around, Lucas notices a service bot carrying a large laundry basket full of clothes off to the left, heading into a room with a rather open floorplan, lumbering over towards a wall of washing machines that are clearly visible from his current position.

While Lucas is more focused on his conversation with Mikah, Jonathan is diligently looking around, perhaps taking the fact that they are technically wandering around inside a supervillain HQ to heart.

Or, you know, he’s just being a curious kid that is in a new place for the first time.

Wrapped up in the conversation, Lucas doesn’t even notice Jonathan’s darting gaze, and simply keeps chatting.

“Oh, that makes sense. Though, that Sarah chick must’ve come up with a strain or two by now that’d help ya… Not care as much? When it’s bad enough? Eh, I have no idea what kinda rates she charges, though.” Once Lucas says this, Mikah stops walking, turning to look at him with a genuinely confused expression.

Poor Jonathan didn’t expect Mikah to suddenly stop, and nearly walks into him. But, he does manage to react in time, stopping as well.

“...What?” Considering how authentically puzzled Mikah seems to be, Lucas has become confused as well.

“...I mean sure, I guess since you don’t drink you wouldn’t wanna smoke either, but she’s gotta have at least extracts or somethin’ for special brownies..? No matter how clean ya try an’ stay, havin’ a cheat edible every once in a while has gotta be better than sufferin’ from a major headache, yeah?” Lucas is so thrown off by Mikah’s bafflement that his tone manages to carry even more uncertainty than he actually feels about the subject at hand.

“Wait… Are you talking about weed? She doesn’t… I’m pretty sure she doesn’t sell anything like that..? Are you just assuming she does? And, you couldn’t pay me to touch anything from Alliance of Salvation, with how, er, heavy, some of their stuff is, I wouldn’t trust anything else they handle not to be laced, even unintentionally, just by sheer proximity.” Once Mikah realizes just what it is that Lucas is talking about, he glances around and lowers his voice a bit.

Absolutely nothing about his body language is expressing disapproval though. And, he’s even overt enough that Lucas understands, leading to him lowering his voice as well.

“Huh? She isn’t public about it? Oh, I guess she doesn’t wanna deal with pissin’ off the other dealers. Huh, maybe she even sells wholesale to them? Whatever, yeah, she totes does, Marsha even has plans to maybe go hang with her and Nat later tonight to have some. From the way Nat was talkin’ about it earlier, it sounds like a regular thing for them? Even if she doesn’t normally distribute, I’d bet Marsha could give ya an introduction or somethin’, yeah?” Upon Lucas’s revelation, Mikah gains a surprised expression, followed by looking thoughtful for a few seconds.

“That… Would make a lot of sense. I mean really, that is a pretty obvious use of her power when you think of it, isn’t it? I… I just might ask Marsha about it later. Ahem, it’s worth checking out, in case it helps, after all.” Mikah still has his voice lowered at first, but by the end is back to a normal conversational level. At the tail end of saying this, he turns around to resume leading the way down the hallway, walking past a few closed doors interspersed along the right wall.

‘Heheh, you should just admit you want some, regardless.’

Hearing Lucas’s thought, Mikah flinches, but otherwise keeps walking. His silent admission of guilt earns an amused chuckle from Lucas.

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Lucas total kills: 7

Lucas total deaths: 11

Lucas total assists: 1

Lucas current GDV: 17.25 (+.01 +.01 +.01 = +.03 net change)

Lucas's fame level: 5.0* (Already beginning to receive authentic global attention. His local levels are effectively maxed.)

Lucas's hero suspicion level: 2.5* (More than just passing suspicion for many paranoid individuals, numerous people have realized he's an impulsive idiot.)

Jonathan total kills: 7

Jonathan total deaths: 2

Jonathan current GDV: 5.97

Jonathan's fame level: 2.75* (What fame he does have is predominantly local.)

Jonathan's hero suspicion level: 3.0* (More than just overly-paranoid people are suspicious at this point.)

Willy's fame level: 1.5* (Anonymous meme fame, local fame primarily as 'Xenoclast's dog', but some strangers know him as William/Willy now.)

Supervillain social circle size: 15

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Little character theater:

Jonathan, glancing at Lucas: W-why do I feel like you really want to go get s-some to bring home?

Willy, having trouble holding his tail still while getting his measurements taken by a service bot: (Happy panting.)

Lucas, flashing a grin at Jonathan: Damn right I do, but even I know better than to do that the night before important plans without knowin’ how her shit is gonna hit me. An’ I even know better than to pick it up in advance, just to be tempted to try it anyway.

427, who would be doing a double face-palm if he, you know, had that whole physically existing in an actual body thing going on: ‘At least he’s sensible enough to have that much reservation about it...’

Author, also grinning: Leave it to Lucas to help Mikah finally get some chill. First, got him to ease up about the whole villainous impressions business. Second, well, if getting high won’t help him cool it, nothing will. Poor dude definitely needs to relax a little. I’m pretty sure his spirit animal is a nervously trembling Chihuahua.

Mr.. Quacks, covertly nudging over a bolt of pale blue cloth with a yellow cartoon rubber duckie print on it towards one of the service bots that are currently systematically stitching up face masks: (Quietly) Quack.