So, My Eye Hurts (Mathew/Open)

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Then you did not pass on your Qi. If you had then you would have no Qi now."

Mathew said shaking his head.

"What you likely passed on was a predisposition it had taken from your own life experiences. If everything has that energy then it stands to reason that it is shaped consciously and unconsciously by the user and their experiences. Otherwise it's a hell of a coincidence for the Dragons to all have Qi that matched their names. Especially when we took our names first."

Barker stayed silent, listening and filing their theories away in his head. As far as he is concerned this is free data.

"Perhaps the new Qi represents the experiences and person you have been since giving the old manifestation up? Perhaps you really are The Lightning Dragon no more."

[Mr. Kaar]

Mathews own hypothesis on the situation brought more questions yet no finality to the actual solutions or facts, or answers. It was a lot to contemplate and toy with... Though the only way to be sure was... Tests. Leon's own test with Qi transference maybe was not a transference of the Qi itself, as Mathew said... It was a transference of a trait, a literal part of what made Leon, Leon.

This new ability that awakened was the shaping of a new aspect, trait, or choice in the way Leon was or had been the last little while. Leon knew how he would test this later to get a definitive answer. He had to find someone new to the world of combat, and bring them up to believe something, and see if a Qi awakens based on the persons traits.

"This leaves me with a lot to think about and research. The possibilities ring towards unlocking more than one trait within yourself, or even... Teaching people how to unlock a Qi similar if not the same as your own... Countless others, but those are the ones that interest me."

[Mathew Amtrum]

"If it pans out."

He said holding up a finger. Barker continued to watch in silence, contemplating what they were discussing.

"I think unlocking more than one Qi ability is possible. And I honestly think Qi is shaped more by your will than genetics. Though as Sean has shown genetics can play a role in it. Unless it was him just messing with the brain chemistry to simulate beliefs or other external stimuli."

[Mr. Kaar]

Leon would actually pipe in on this.

"Genetics definitely plays a role in it. My family has a common Qi that unlocks among our bloodline."

Barker would chime in at this.

"It's true, bloodlines with a strong doctrine, such as your family, Leon can commonly release a single type, or even the exact same ability as others. It may just be attitudes in placed by parents, but as I've found a drop of Sudeki blood, or a strand of Amtrum DNA, pushes experiments towards either your families Body Doll Qi, Leon; or your fathers Limiter Explosion, Mathew."

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Wait what?"

His head snapped to Barker at that. He hadn't seen his Dad since he was fourteen and got kicked out of the house. His Dad could be dead and rotting for all he cared, but Barker knew him? His Dad had Qi? That was fucking new.

"Explain."

About his Dad's Qi, about his Dad and Barker knew him. Really the second one.

[Mr. Kaar]

"Alright... Your father came to me a few years ago, and paid me a hansom sum of money to experiment on you, and see if you developed the Limiter Explosion, but as you had that aura of nullification he turned uninterested. So he pulled his funding from my research. I returned to William after you agreed to take part in the tests, and he refunded the program once we discovered it was latent in your DNA, we never got it to manifest, but you showed potential to unlock it at a later date."

Barker would finally raise a brow looking at Mathew.

"Did you never talk to any of the Enforcers I had sent to work at 259 to bring me subjects? The American Enforcer Corporation is known as Amtrum Security Co."

[Mathew Amtrum]

His face immediately fell. The whole reason that he was experimented on, kidnapped, and the direction of his whole life. Manipulated by his Father. This whole time he had thought he was in control of his life. Pushing forward to his own design. But now....

"How much?"

He wanted to know how much it had cost to potentially ruin his life. To potentially break his mind and his body like so many others. How much had his Father sold him for.

[Mr. Kaar]

"Mmm, an actual amount, or well a final amount I'm unsure of. To fund my experiments for a year must of cost somewhere near one point seven million dollars. With some background checks I found your father had gained ownership of the security company on suspicious circumstances. Though he did send me a rather handy assistant. Went by Alexander... Alexander Rainwater. He took a special interest in your progress, said he knew you when you where thirteen."

Barker folded his arms thinking on the subject.

[Mathew Amtrum]

If Leon or Barker were looking at Mathew with the Qi eye they would probably see his mood darken quite visibly. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His Dad paid millions of dollars to have Mathew tested on. And somehow had that kind of money. And Alexander had been watching him?

"You were watching me in New York. Just how long were you guys watching me? When did these fucking tests begin?"

[Mr. Kaar]

Leon had deactivated it, Barker hadn't though.

"My people had been watching the most violent schools in the world for a long time. William hadn't approached me until you started attending 259."

[Mathew Amtrum]

"So after you had already started watching me."

He couldn't clench his jaw harder.

"What put me on your radar?"

[Mr. Kaar]

"Well when that street gang of yours... Reign of Blood seemed to be falling apart when Vetis." Barker would chuckle at the name. "Gave up leadership. You started showing up in reports. What really put you on the radar was when you started going after so many big name people in New York."

[Mathew Amtrum]

"I see."

He turned to Leon and shook his head. Now he was getting the urge to punch Barker. Or better yet his Dad.

"You seem to know so much. Did my Dad die in the bombing?"

He wasn't sure if he wanted him to be dead or to kill him personally.

[Mr. Kaar]

Leon would make a small shrugging motion, showing a face of. 'Those doesn't bode well.'

"I'm not sure, its doubtful. I've heard tell of Enforcers still running around. Like the ones who assassinated Kiyoshi Akechi. So most likely he's still alive."

[Mathew Amtrum]

Despite himself he couldn't help but let out a small snort and smirk. Fucking Kiyoshi. No love lost there. If his pop was responsible for that in some ways he would have to thank him for saving him the trouble. Right before he plunged the blade into his heart. Fucking old man, well Mattie was older now and he wouldn't find him so easy to beat around anymore. And now that Mathew knew that his Dad had plans he could plan around those plans.

"Fucking lovely."

He sighed and shook his head again.

"Just fucking lovely..."

He thought he had left that issue behind over a decade ago. But it sounded like both his Dad and Alexander were around. And working together? Fuck, had they been at it the whole time? Was all of this some giant web by his Father? Had Mathew even made a choice, or was he just a creature of design...

No. I am me. Maybe I was made a monster. Maybe I was born it. But I am me. And my choices are my own. Not his. Not Barker's. They are mine!