Hello again.

[Gunslinger]

Hrm. That's weird.

Still, he'll continue on.

"Well, aside from just being physically better than me, he can use some sort of blue fire. He hits like a truck without it though, which means I need to catch up to his... well, base strength, first."

[Novocaine]

"Sounds like a good starting point." she nods.

Then switch.

"Have your parents found him a fiance, too? Or just you?"

She's not sure Wysteria is fit for marriage...if she hasn't changed since they were kids.

[Gunslinger]

"So far, no. He seems to be... allowed to do whatever he wants."

Daniel sounds a little bitter about that.

[Novocaine]

"You seem jealous." she points out!

[Gunslinger]

"I'm not used to it."

He shrugs, looking away.

"It's hard to go from being close, to suddenly having such a massive gap. Now he's even treated like he's special.'

[Novocaine]

"Well. Don't want you to be in his position instead?"

[Gunslinger]

"I'd rather have that, yes."

I mean. Obviously...

[Novocaine]

"Then you'll have to change your attitude towards surpassing him."

Sip, sip.

"It shouldn't be 'I have such a long way', it should be 'I'll surpass him if its the last thing I do', you know? But that's more of an opinion. I don't have any siblings I'm competing with."

[Gunslinger]

"So more of a certainty, rather than... focusing on it happening in the future."

More or less?

[Novocaine]

"Yes. Why bother with anything if you accept anything less than victory? What if your brother ever betrayed Prota? Would you just let him go because he's stronger than you? Or would you do everything in order to make sure you can take him down?"

It's a dramatic example, but its the only one she could think of that would put it into perspective.

[Gunslinger]

“I’d take him down, of course.”

Without a second thought.

“It would never come to that. But I see what you’re saying. It’s in everyone’s best interest, even his, that I get stronger.”

[Novocaine]

"Right!"

There we go, that was better.

"At any rate, everyone starts somewhere. I don't pretend to be stronger than anyone yet. But I WILL surpass my parents."

[Gunslinger]

"That would be your goal, then?"

He tilts his head.

"Or just a stepping stone to another goal?"

[Novocaine]

"My goal is becoming a Reclaimer, like I said." she shrugs.

"But who wants to be in their parent's shadow?"

[Gunslinger]

"No one, I suppose."

Even though he'd never really thought about it.