Picking up new tricks [P]

It was freeing. Who would have thought. Being literally free from your tormentors, knowing HOW to be free of your tormentors, it was...

It was exhilarating. Katsuro felt up to anything. Energy rushed through his body, excitement pouring out of any opening it could find. Metaphorically, of course.

His sister's prank, while actually quite shocking, could not worsen this mood! Yes, he had been watching his sister move gracefully for a moment, and yes, his stretching HAD been interrupted by a sudden cracking of a watery whip that threatened to (though did not) hit Katsuro on the legs.

No, this was the time to celebrate!

To truly understand the joy Katsuro felt now, one must know the background. Katsuro, for nearly as long as he remembered, had been tormented by 'the voices'. Sick, in a way. Broken.

They each had their own unique personalities, and within his head, their own voices, and ideas.

But what really scared him was... when one gained control. They talked like him, sounded like him.

The only clue, to the average bystander or less than close friend at least, was the content of his speech drastically changing.

And perhaps his reaction.

If it went too far, the did more than take over his voice...

Those were dark days in Katsuro's past.

But now, now he had done it! He had conquered what might be his literal demons!

So he turned to Kazumi, ready to share the good news.

"Kazumi, I did it. The voices, they are waiting for you to fall asleep and drink you dry."

Katsuro slapped his face hard enough that he fell to the ground.

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WC 273
TWC 1768