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 Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:08 pm
“I don’t think you’re effeminate,” Kevin said, frowning slightly. “But I could talk about you! My best friend who hacks video games. They’ll be very impressed. Hacking is cool. Everyone would think dad was James Bond or something.” He shook his head. Toby was much better than a guy with a gun and a cool car.
“Really? I’d like to meet them, too. Do you think they’ll be any good at playing?”
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:14 pm
"If that's what makes you happy, write it. It's the thoughts that are important." Michael only said this because he knew that, in time, Kevin would find his niche. There would be one subject that Kevin loved, and that would be where his focus went. His scores would go up. The kelpie just had to survive until then.
Michael turned the system on from a distance and watched the screen come on for only a moment.
"I don't know. I started to try and teach them to use electronics, but it'd be their first time. They're from about the same time as me... well, relatively. The same century, within a couple of decades."
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:23 pm
“Alright, I will.” Kevin nodded and picked up his second controller. “You know, being in school is even more boring than I thought it’d be. Dari’s human doesn’t like my jokes.”
He paused. Another Victorian ghost? What were the chances of that? “I’ll help,” he offered. “We can teach your new friend all about video games. What’s his name?”
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:53 pm
Michael chuckled and again shook his head. He had known plenty of boys like Kevin. People thought that the Victorian Era had been somehow different, that humans were wired differently, but it simply wasn't true. There were more important issues to address now, though.
"Her name is Elise."
Now to see how that went over.
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:58 pm
“Oh—“ her?! Kevin’s smile dropped almost immediately, and he stared at Michael for a long, long moment. His expression was almost accusing. “Don’t tell me you’ve gone soft, too!” He complained. “Everyone has. First it was Dad, and that’s okay because he’s less soft than he was before he was married, but then Dari and Lori and now—“ he frowned.
“You haven’t really gone soft, have you? You’re not going to marry her?” Lord. No more weddings for at least a year. Dari’s was still coming!
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:06 pm
Oh, there it went. It was interesting how finding love and marriage had become something that destroyed a man's integrity. Once upon a time, that had been one of the main focuses of life. As society changed, so too did perceptions of situation, he supposed.
"No! No, definitely not! Kevin, you do know that I've have lovers throughout my entire life--?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:25 pm
Kevin hesitated. He studied Michael for a long moment. How could someone so cool claim to have had relationships before? Blegh! ...Well. He supposed Toby had, and he was pretty cool. Almost as cool as Michael was.
“I suppose I could teach her to play video games all the same,” he grumbled. Stupid girls.
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:48 pm
Michael just looked back at Kevin, neither daring nor begging him. It was what it was, and he would like to remain friendly with Kevin while not having to hide Lissie. Besides, she did seem excited to meet him.
"Well, you're much better at them than I am," the ghost said, gesturing to the television and then letting his hand fall. "I can only go into the system, and frankly there's not a whole not of finesse to it. It feeds you energy the entire time. You've seen me try to use a controller." Flattery and teenagers often went well together.
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:56 pm
That’s right, he was, wasn’t he? He was better at them than some people. He was almost as good as Dari! “Dari could help too, he’s beaten all the games I have, I think.” And maybe Michael having a girlfriend wouldn’t be so bad, as long as she didn’t hog him.
“What’s having a girlfriend like? Most of the guys in my grade have girlfriends.”
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Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 12:10 pm
"It depends on the person," Michael said. "A good one is a great experience. There's mutual love and support, and you can do things together and apart. There has to be trust. Unfortunately, some people are needy or jealous or immature or stupid and those people are hard to be around. It's like any friendship, but with romantic feelings. Do you like anyone at school?"
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Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 12:16 pm
Kevin looked skeptical. He didn't think sharing his life with another person could be that great. There were only so many people he liked! "No, everyone's boring," he said. "No one's as interesting as the people here. Maybe dad can find another kelpie my age."
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Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 12:46 pm
"You know, there are other students at your school who are not human," Michael said. "I don't think we can legally tell you who they are, but they're there. Don't assume that everyone's boring before you get to know them. Of course sometimes entities your age move in here, at least temporarily, but less often." He nodded. "So would it be alright if I brought her over?"
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Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 12:52 pm
Yes, but maybe they'd become just as boring as the humans they attended classes with. "I haven't met anyone interesting, yet," he said, instead. "Do you think some of them will visit HQ? I could meet them then." A couple of them might be interested in playing video games with him!
"The boys are all stupid, and the girls are ugly," he added. "They all have awful red lumps on their faces. I don't get those."
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Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:20 pm
"They might. The only people who know who they are are the higher-ranking agents and Cody. Perhaps they'll come to the next reunion?"
Michael chuckled then.
"Women are never ugly, but those bumps are acne. They come with human puberty. They go away before long. Everyone gets them."
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Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:30 pm
“When’s the next reunion?” Kevin asked. It’d probably be easier to befriend nonhumans—did Michael count as a human friend? He was a dead-human. “It’d be neat to meet someone more like me. Oh, they’ll probably like video games. I could introduce them to you! ...But bringing a human friend to my apartment would be a bad idea.”
“When do you wanna bring your girlfriend?”
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