*I'M ALIVE! Please don't crucify me for that one obvious thing you'll see in the plot. Alas, talk is cheap when done like this. Please enjoy and let me know what you think. Peace out and Deus vult.*
Mark's eyes opened, meeting those of March, Stelle, and Dan Heng whose expression spoke louder than words could—he'd been dragged into something that wasn't his general activity by the other two.
"How long was I out?" yawned Mark, stretching his sore muscles as he stood up. His neck had it worst, being stiff from pain.
"You were already sleeping like a princess by the time we entered," chuckled March, snapping a quick picture of him plunged deep in a sleepy haze.
Stelle by her side was cackling, one hand on her stomach as if it could somehow absorb the vibrations running through her frame. Mark's tired brain did little to process it, and he didn't even bother to. It was too much of a hassle to figure out what got them laughing for no reason.
'Could be all from an inside joke to some actual story from their own little shenanigans.'
Dan Heng shook his head, arms crossed as he stared at Mark, looking him over like an ancient scroll.
"Something wrong?"
"Nothing," said March, nudging Stelle in the side as if aiming for a button to make her stop laughing.
"If you say so. Anyway," mumbled Mark, looking around. "I don't see Welt or Himeko around. Any idea about where they are?"
"Both are talking in the Party Car," said Black Swan, forming out of nowhere. She grabbed his chin, tilting his head around while nodding. She passed March a smile, which now started making sense—thanks to his brain waking up as well. Still, he kept silent about it, deciding to first gather everyone.
"Well, first and foremost, I want everyone here. I got a funky idea, that Black Swan probably knows of already."
"OOOOH," mused March, her eyes glinting. "Now I'm curious. It's not always that you talk with us about your plans."
He shrugged, biting back a smile.
"My thoughts are a bit random. Still, I had a string of events lead to me making a little something."
They all entered the Party Car, with Mark looking to find Welt and Himeko engrossed in their own discussions, subjects that probably had to do with the scientific world. Not once did he forget about Himeko's abilities and love for the stars. How nice would it be if he could bring her one?
"Finally, everyone's here," said Mark, gaining attention as he turned to face everyone. "Here's what I wanted to discuss with you all."
Thus, he went into a short retrospective of the events that led to him working on that project, going over the sudden wealth he's found himself with and how he planned to prolong it.
"I see. You chose to invest in a project that you hope will yield a greater return," hummed Himeko, nodding along. "However, the question still remains. What is it that you made?"
Mark winked, clapping once, a crisp sound followed by him inhaling to the brim of what his lungs could hold.
"That's the wonderful part where I wished to arrive. You see, I invested in a game... no, I'm not gambling...yet... I invested in creating a game. Big difference."
He paced around, a warm smile on his face as his hands forwent sitting idle, moving around with a lucidity that belied his usually silent nature.
"You probably have questions. What kind of game? A sandbox—that's the simple answer. Now, I made sure it's not exactly dry, so it comes with a rather large world to explore and whatnot. Build cube by cube; the game itself has a simple name..."
He beamed, thinking to himself in that fraction of a second.
'I had to change the name for obvious reasons... sounds funnier like this for me, and I'm sure I can hear countless souls cringing over the choice.'
Fingers blazing in a pair of guns, he spoke out.
"Markcraft."
March nearly died inside, staring at him with empty, disappointed eyes.
"Really, 'MARK'!? You just had to name it like that..."
Welt, despite his old age, was rather intrigued by the idea.
"Markcraft... casting all naming conventions aside, I'm rather curious to hear more details about it. What kind of sandbox is it? What are the limits imposed by the medium? The possibilities are endless."
The enthusiasm didn't fall on deaf ears and instead went right to the madman himself, who was prepared to show off something that he himself loved to the core.
"Well, what better way of doing things than actually trying it? Thing is, I just got it sent for the making, so it will take a while until we can play it together... and I'll have to persuade Herta to let us use her equipment and stuff. It's going to be best played as an immersive experience. Trust me, you'll like it."
He turned around, tossing a playful smile over his shoulder.
"Tho I'm sure you might like it most, Welt. I made sure to add a little something specific for you... heh."
Mark tried going for the door, but he found himself trapped by Stelle and March who quickly seized him by the shoulders.
"Where do you think you're going so quickly, mister? You just dropped bombshell news on us and now you want to run away?" said Stelle, making sure to yank him up and place him on a seat in the middle of all of them. Shush simply slid him a drink, something Mark didn't even bother checking for the familiar stench of alcohol. He just took a sip, trusting that the robot bartender didn't screw up.
"Damn... here I was expecting something a bit stronger..." he muttered, unimpressed by the drink.
"Is it not to your liking, Mark? Or should I prepare something that would leave a mark on your taste buds? Surely your face is already marked."
Everyone cringed, but Mark started laughing, shaking his head.
"Oh, you damned robot, making puns like that. I'll make sure to fetch a stack of energy drinks and whatnot. I need myself some good energy drink mixed with vodka."
Himeko gave him a light slap on the shoulder, huffing.
"Do you even know how unhealthy that is, Mark?"
She fixed him a serious glare, trying to scold him away from bad choices. He smiled, thinking of a version of her that would've probably wished to join in on the fun and drink until they passed out. His gaze softened as he traced his fingers along the length of his shoulder, feeling the soft warmth of the metal encased within. Their eyes met, his filled with a mixture of emotions muddled together.
"No worries. I got a body that heals faster than most. I can allow myself a little fancy. Plus, I'm old enough to drink. Hell, I've got enough experience already."
Himeko's gaze only got worse, and he nearly bit his tongue at the slip up.
March shook her head, letting out a sigh as she glanced at the others. Her lips curled into a mischievous smile, replicated by Stelle and totally denied by Dan Heng. Welt just fixed his glasses, pursing his lips together as he waited...
March took a step closer, surely tripping on the smooth floor, falling at the right angle to push Mark into Himeko's arms.
"Oh, how clumsy of me," she chuckled, rubbing the back of her head as she watched Mark's face go red. Stelle nodded, as if expecting this outcome, while Himeko was frozen, arms around Mark as she instinctively caught him.
"Why didn't I expect this?" questioned Dan Heng, shaking his head slightly. "You first drew on Mark's sleeping face, and now this..."
"HEY!"
But March was too late. Mark had gotten the single confirmation needed. Himeko was left there, a rosy tint to her cheeks as Mark shot up to his feet, looming behind March, knuckles cracked.
"I see... any last words?"
She turned around, a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead.
"Hey, surely you won't hit a pretty girl like me."
He nodded, the muscles on his face twitching slightly.
"I sure am not... but there are fates worse than death, March..."
She ran away, but it was a futile struggle. Mark just zipped around the room, grabbing her by the middle and, using his powers, sent energy in his muscles, focusing on the fingers.
"Domain Expansion: Endless Tickling."
She erupted into giggles, squirming in his grip, trying to slip away, but it was all for naught.
"Mark, no! I ca-! N-NO! STO-! AHAHAHA!"
His relentless assault didn't stop, going on until March was a breathless mess on the floor. He stood there, looking down at her, back turned to the group. Stelle could already feel a shiver go down her back.
"Dan Heng, please," she whispered, trying to use him as a shield. He didn't budge, just nodding at Mark, a silent approval for him to go on.
By the end of it all, both March and Stelle were sure to never try something like that again.
"Phew, done with that. Ahh, so relaxing," he breathed out, looking serene, content with his life for the first time in a while.
Himeko blinked slowly, finding herself amused at the scene, the cohesion in the group. Everyone could afford pranks, quips, jokes, and the atmosphere was simply lighter. The past tensions with Mark were nothing more than a long gone memory.
She stood up, walking closer to him, softly grabbing on to his shoulder.
"Come now. Somebody has to clean up that mess on your face properly."
"Yes, ma'am," he saluted, showing off a bit of military etiquette that he didn't have.
Thus, they both walked past the still breathless girls, and down to the bathroom where she stood him on a stool and grabbed some products that would probably help clean his face faster. He didn't question what they were, since to him, the solutions women used to fix stuff were like witchcraft—odd concoctions that somehow fixed issues in the blink of an eye.
Thus, she focused attentively on his face, leaning in close enough to see if the marker did go away or not.
"They did quite the trick on you."
He glanced to the side to see his face. It had nothing even remotely close to what his friends would have done—things he didn't even want to think of.
"Heh, this isn't much, but it was a fun way to just tease them back a little."
Her smile softened as she gently grabbed his chin, tilting his face back to hers. Their eyes met for a second too long, and Mark had to fight back with all his might to hold off both thoughts he shouldn't have and the blood that kept flowing downwards.
'God, not now, not now, not now! SCREW MY HUMAN INSTINCTS!'
Still, the moment was peaceful. Part of him craved these moments, their beauty and simplicity. It wasn't something grand by any means, remaining a simple moment in which time took a step back and allowed him respite.
She brushed the soft bit of cotton under his lips, cleaning off the dark circle they had drawn around his mouth. Her finger softly grazed over his lower lip, action he called an accident despite seeing the tiny little spark hidden in her gaze.
'Boy, women sure are scary. Either she's unaware, or she DAMN WELL knows what she's doing to me. Alas... I don't mind.'
"I'm surprised," she said softly. "I didn't expect you to care for that side of things."
"What side?" he asked, a bit confused.
"Business, investments, or simply creating something on that scale. It's a pleasant surprise, seeing you pursue something other than fighting and training. You've been on edge for so long."
He scoffed lightly.
"I'm cool as a cucumber. I just... know I have responsibilities on my shoulders, the type of things that come with power and knowledge."
She shook her head lightly, gently tugging on his hair.
"You do love keeping that charade going on, Mark, but I see it in your movements. It's not just the obvious bleeding from your nose or the way you sometimes look sicklishly pale."
Her palm cupped his now clean cheek, feeling the prickly stubble that ornamented his face. Mark felt the weight of her gaze in a way he had never before.
"You don't hesitate a lot, but there are moments when you have a slight tremble in your hand, or you get lost in thought more so than usual. You avoid telling us things, which I understand you do for your own reasons, but Mark... it's hurting you more than you wish to admit."
He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath that slowly left his lips as he leaned into her touch. His eyes remained closed. For a good while, he was silent, trying to piece together the bits of himself that could elaborate a good answer. None came to his call. Thus, he settled on some honesty.
"It's who I am, Himeko. I might be a selfish prick, but I do it because I see it as right. I keep to myself because I'm scared of what might happen."
She gently squished his cheek, letting out a soft laugh.
"You're young, Mark, but you also try to be old. It's good that you're trying to be responsible, but it's also unhealthy thanks to how you do it. Just... count on us sometimes, ok? Oftentimes, fears are irrational despite how much logic we find in them."
With that, she gave him a warm hug before going on to clean his face in silence. Mark said nothing more, simply swallowing her words, digesting them at his pace.