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Chapter Text

".....is that all?" Isaac's face twitched ever so slightly

"You called her an "agent" last night Max. agent of what?"

This is the part where Max broke eye contact. His face harboring a hint of guilt, uncertainty written all over the crease of his eyebrows. His eyes finding anything else to focus at, other than Isaac's more than disappointed reaction.

Isaacs hands reflexively turned into fists, spectral energy coursing through his entire body. A familiar feeling stirred in his veins, his heart began pumping all the wrong rhythms as he heard buzzing that became more and more audible in his head. Something started to hurt a little.

"Why won't you tell me?!? Is it because she's here?" He made sure to add extra emphasis on the "she" just because

"Step off, dude, that's not it. Lose the venom."

Okay that hurt even more.

"Are you my friend or not?!" Isaac's breathing became sharper "I answered your questions. I showed you my secret shortcut..."

"You OWE me! You-"

"Yeah okay, I'm stopping you there." Max reprimanded "If that's how you're framing things, I'm gonna need you to back up and try again."

"Because that's not how being my friend or anyone's friend works."

That. That stung. A lot.

For a split than a second, Isaac face held a grimace of shock and guilt. He felt bad, guilty even.

Then everything started to flow back again, increasing two-fold. He was angry, really really angry which is why he turned around and started walking away from his.......friends.

Although the worst part about this, is that he knew Max was right. And he knew he couldn't fault Max for that.

That made him so much more angrier.

Blue energy eminating wildly from his body, Isaac started walking off to first period.

Something stirred inside Isaac, something he couldn't explain but was painfully familiar.

"You know what. How about No. Just. No." Isaac thought to himself

As soon as he arrived at a clear hallway, Isaac took a deep breath and jumped out an open window.

There was a thunderstorm inside Isaac O'Connor and it was about to escape.

"AAAAGGGGHHHHHHH!"

A powerful burst of lightning decimated a nearby tree, causing a particularly noticeable explosion. The blast of energy easily tore right through the bark, leaving the tree in two, the half of which was an electrocuted mess. Even the leaves were zapped into miniscule, schorced crisps. Literally anyone could've heard that, even if he were smack dab in the middle of the forest.

But he didn't care.

He was angry, more than angry. He was bloodthirsty. Wrathful. Enraged. He just needed to hit something. He needed to let all this anger out. He needed to make it go away.

He needed to stop being angry.

But that's not what he wanted.

"NO. I can't deal like this!" Isaac screamed in frustration

"I can't take this, I don't want to!"

"Pull me in!"

He felt a buzz inside him. More than usual. It irritated him. Made his face twitch and his blood pump.

"I said." Electricity concentrated in Isaac's hands, pure and saturated.

"PULL ME IN!"

His body moved on its own, as if this was second nature. His hands instinctively turned into fists as his afterthoughts started dictating his actions.

It happened in mere seconds as his fist met the bark of another unsuspecting tree, this time impressively uprooting it in its entirety with an extra punch of pressurized air before it completely tearing off a huge chunk into electified ash.

His knuckles immediately shot up with a sharp pain, parts of his hand filled with small cuts and bruises. He might have broken something and it hurt. A lot.

But only for a moment. He was already pulled through the same familiar motions as he often was. His body a fuzzy blur, but his consciousness focused without hesitance.

"FINALLY more BITE than BARK I see."

The weather god's voice boomed throughout his egyptian-like surroundings accompanied by an overhwhelming thunder with every syllable. A luminecent sky blue aura, mirroring Isaac's, constantly cascaded throughout his body like bursts of slow but powerful energy. His entire figure was surrounded by gigantic sparks that did nothing but make him even more terrifying. The petrifying gaze he offered could strike fear in the bravest of spectral warriors as his powers clearly reflect so. Any normal person would be scared to death by such a sight.

Isaac was not one of those people.

To be honest he didn't give the slightest ounce of fear to the gigantic weather god before him.

Only annoyance.

"Just a SHAME you waste them on USELESS TARGETS."

"Stop talking. I'm not here to humour your boring sermons." Isaac avoided looking at the spirit

"OH so YOU think YOU can COMMAND ME now?" Even without pupils, the spirit's gaze felt sharper "Just like HE commands YOU?"

Isaac's teeth grit. It was probably nothing.

"Not listening to you!" he said as he brought his hands to his ears "LALALALALA..."

"Oh but YOU WILL. YOU'RE HERE because YOU were WILLING to seek MY council." There was a semblance of pride in King. C's tone "YOUR FANGS ARE MORE THAN READY."

"NO. I'm here because I wanted to stop myself from all this senseless violence."

"I hate being angry. I hate feeling like this. It's stupid and worthless and it accomplishes  nothing." The frustration was clear cut in Isaac's voice

"IT ISN'T WORTHLESS OR STUPID."

"Use your ANGER ISAAC CHILD. LISTEN to its GUIDANCE and wield it as a WEAPON of DIVINE JUDGEMENT."

"NO. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Not again."

"You WANT TO but YOU WON'T." King C boomed out "THERE is a DIFFERENCE."

"Be quiet. you don't know what you're talking about." Isaac said, deadpanning

"What I OFFER you is the TRUTH. REMEMBER, I SHARE your TORMENT CHILD."

"What you offer me is something I'm not in the mood for."

"Like I said. Shut. Up." Isaac said, absentmindedly kicking a rock

"HEED my words ARROGANT VESSEL."

"What THEY'RE doing to you ISN'T FAIR. You haven't done ANYTHING to DESERVE this. THEY disregard YOUR FEELINGS as if NONE of them MATTER."

"Why do you care!" Isaac didn't notice he was screaming

"I DON'T. BUT YOU SHOULD."

"It MUST be your DECISION to PASS JUDGEMENT TO THOSE DESERVING."

"RECOGNIZE the POWER I bestow UPON YOU, so THAT you MAY use IT FOR the PATH of RIGHTEOUSNESS."

"You think that this....thing is righteousness?" Isaac's faced scrunched in disgust "God! How messed up are you?!"

"GIVE INTO YOUR RAGE. All THEY do is STAND in YOUR WAY. RESTRAINT IS FOR FOOLS WHO ARE TOO WEAK TO PASS JUDGEMENT."

Isaac shut his eyes a tightly as he could, thinking it would lessen the crackling sound overwhelming his ears.

It didn't.

"I asked you to pull me in so that I could calm down. NOT so I would receive a lecture from a megalomaniac like you!"

"YOU are TOO RELUCTANT, the BLASPHEMY OF NON-VIOLENCE CORRUPT YOUR EMOTIONS. DICTATE your ACTIONS. CONSTRAIN YOUR FURY.

"THEY DO NOT DESERVE THE PEDESTAL YOU PUT THEM on."

THEY DO NOT DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH  LENIENCY YOU so RELENTLESSLY OFFER THEM.

THEY ARE NOT WORTH HOLDING BACK FOR.

"I don't hold back for them!"

Isaac hears something other than the mind-numbing noise of his incessant spirit or the popping sound of his lightning or the howling of a tornado he was probably making.

It was screaming and he's not sure if it isn't his.

"UNLEASH THE ANGER INSIDE OF YOU."

"WHY DON'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

A crash of lightning exploded with Isaac's screaming, expressing his anger for him.

"HAH. TAKE MY WORDS AS YOU WILL."

"JUST KNOW that YOUR ACTIONS HAVE the CAPABILITY TO DICTATE YOUR FUTURE."

"AND IF YOU choose to STAY PATHETIC AND WEAK."

"IT WON'T BE COMING FROM ME."

That struck a cord inside him, more than enough to make him tip right over the edge.

Isaac's eyes shot open for the sole purpose of giving the giant spirit a death glare.

Nobody should EVER call him weak.

KRAAAAAAAAACKKK

A single, obscenely large bolt of lightning crashed down what seemed like an instant, disintegrating whatever plant life was left that was unlucky enough to be in a 7 foot radius of the medium.

The lightning bolt struck him. It struck him right in the face. And he knew it was supposed to hurt but it didn't. He knew he should be dead right now but he wasn't. He knew he needed to calm down but he couldn't.

His body was shaking, his throat was sore, his eyes were blurry and his ego was bruised.

It felt like he was on fire but it did little to distract him from the psychological anguish he felt talking to the spirit.

Then everything stilled for a moment. It was the empty kind of peaceful, but peaceful nonetheless.

The wind was softly howling, it even seemed like it was whispering even. Speaking what Isaac thought in hushed tones.

Why? The one-letter question was the plague that caused of all his uncertainty. These thoughts and questions echoed in his head as often and as long as his anger did, lingering like an unwanted guest.

Just like what he felt like.

He didn't do anything to deserve it. He didn't want this to happen. He just wanted to fix everything and be done with it. He wanted it to stop hurting.

Why was he left out all the time? Why did Mister Spender keep him from so many things he wanted to know? Why does Isabel distract everything away with a smile instead of telling him the truth? Why was Ed so distant towards him, more than he would like to notice.

Why was there always a knot in his throat, a buzzing in his head and liquid that threatens to fall from his eyes?

Why didn't he tell anyone?

Why was he so alone?

Why does Max hate me now.

He knew the answer to that last one, but he didn't want to admit it.

He knew he was being a crappy friend, but that's only because THEY were being crappy friends.

It's not like he means for this to happen. It just does. He's not sure what time it was. Or if it actually even mattered.

Tears started to stream down from his face, and he's telling himself that its just the rain, hitting his face, pouring on his eyelids making it seem like he was crying, that he really wasn't.

There wasn't even any rain.

He didn't even try to believe himself this time.

The aftermath looked as if a nuclear war took place in the woods. Trees were filled with scorch marks, leaves were burnt to pathetic crisps and any small plants were reduced to mere ash. The scent of smoke and devastation filled the air.

This is the part where Isaac freaks out about, if people would wonder why lightning struck on a particularly sunny day. If people would wonder why one particular spot in the forest was filled to the brim with absolute  destruction. If they would question why it looked like all of World War 2 happened here.

Then remember he was in Mayview and instantly throw said panic out the window and continue to brood and bask in angst.

This time around that didn't really happen.

Something else did.

"W-What..." A trembling voice stuttered "T-the ever-loving flip...w-was that."

Isaac instantly turned around to discover a more than terrified boy with bright red hair.

He was known as the notorious school bully.

He was also known as Johnny Jhonny.

Chapter Text

Johnny felt particularly agitated today. More than he'd like to usually be, and it wouldn't be a stretch if he were to say that he was freaking the heck out right now.

He's been seeing these.....things. These weird purple things every now and then, but he only ever sees them in the corners of his eyes, like instantaneous blurs of vision.

He been seeing them everywhere, from the sidewalk, to the tress, under lamposts, on top of passing cars, in the bathroom........(where he made quite a bit of a mess).

He knows they're not real, he's sure they aren't real, that he's just seeing things, that he probably just ate something bad for breakfast, that this'll all go away eventually.

Although that giant purple koi fish in the sky is doing a good job of convincing him otherwise.

"GAH!"

"Woah, Johnny you alright?"

The Johnny squad was doing its usual rounds before going to school, terrorizing kids, causing mayhem, disappointing authority.

Same old, same old actually.

"YES. YUP. YEAH. WHY DO I LOOK LIKE I'M NOT."

Well, not now though.

"It's just cuz yer pretty jumpy today." Ollie said, expressing concern "Like, more than usual."

"It's nothin', I probably just slept weird or something."

"Is it because of last night?" Stephen chimed in "I wouldn't be suprised, that got pretty crazy."

"Says the crazy one." Ollie teased

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Stephen snapped

"Just saying, you went a little crazy last night..." Ollie circled his finger on the side of head

"CONFORMING TO THE SYSTEM IS CRAZY."

"Putting a sock on your ear and wearing your pants as a shirt isn't non conforminism."

"IT WAS A STATEMENT."

"Yeah, a crazy one."

"WHY YOU."

"Why me."

While Stephen tries to rip Ollie apart and RJ tries desperately to keep them from murdering each other, Johnny lets out a sigh of relief.

At least now there was a atmosphere of familiarity that Johnny could feel, his friends poking fun at each other like everything was just another usual school day, and that helped him calm down a little.

Along with his comfort, a weird sensation rippled through his body that was almost indistinguishable between his relief, he felt......warm, and he really liked it for some reason.

His eyes subconsciously trail to his hands where he swears he could see grey smoke coming out of. It was thin but hazy, curling around his fingers, wisps flowing and twisting as if it were a part of him. They were dancing from his hands to his forearms, to his elbow, then to his stomach all the way to his feet.

In actuality it looked really cool, and it suddenly felt like he was dreaming. He was filled with a great sense of ease and belonging, like he was against a toasty fireplace on a snowy winter night.

It brought back memories of peace and warmth, he would always associate with a fireplace.

It felt safe.

And exactly like a fireplace too.

It felt.

It felt.

"ANYWAY!" Stephen exaggerated desperately wanting to change the subject
"What'dya think of last night Johnny?"

"Auagh....wha?" Johnny's head was still in the clouds

"AHEM I-I mean yeah, yeah, last night was pretty freaky."

"All those floatin' people, and that sunglasses guy...I think he's a teacher at our school." Ollie said thoughtfully

"Sunglasses? Indoors? He's probably working for the government!" Stephen conspired "Spying at all the school secrets!"

"Maybe, but we need more proof fer' this."
Johnny declared

"RJ bring out the photo!"

RJ nooded in agreement.

In all honesty, the picture was pretty blurry. It was nothing short of a miracle that they were even able to snap the picture in time before the supernatural occurence flew right past them.

You could barely even make out the 6 silhouettes in the photograph, (and it didn't help that it was captured on an old phone.) The figures vaguely resemble four children and two adults who seem to be sitting on nothing.

One kid with black hair, another with blonde, hey that looks like the nerdy glasses kid. Another one with what looks like a baseball cap...wait is that the knew kid? Wait a minute....that last one, he looks oddly familiar.

"AHA!"

He'd recognize that ramped-up orange hair anywhere.

"IT'S HIM. THAT'S HIM!" Johnny was jumping up and down "THE MUTANT KID."

"What? You sure that's him Johnny?" Ollie questioned "I mean I can't even tell, its all just a blur of mixed-up colours for me."

"I'd know a blur of mixed up colors when I see one! And that's defintely him!"

"Look you can even see his freakishly spiky hair!"

"I guess that could be him?" Stephen nodded in half-agreement

"Why'dit have to be this guy! Agh! You should've seen 'im! He made these...black cloud things come outta his hands..." Johnny explained "Then the crazy kid just ups and shoots lightning outta his legs!"

"Geez, with all that happened last night I sorta believe you now."

"C'mon Ollie, I ain't makin' this up!"

"Have I ever looked like the mischief-makin type?"

"Johnny, you're the school bully."

"Pshaaww, besides that."

"I've seen you fight a mailbox."

"Anywaaaay. We need ta get to the bottom of this."

"I need answers and I need them NOW."

"And I know exactly where to start." Johnny laughed maniacally

(Johnny. We can't read your mind. We don't know what you mean by that.)

Well that didn't turn out very well.

Johnny's original plan was to bully Max's group of friends into giving up some information about last night, or maybe even Max himself.

Just not the freaky mutant kid, for obvious reasons, and especially not that black haired girl. Johnny tried once to threaten her before and it ended up with him being forcibly shoved inside a locker.

What was her name again? Isalle? Belle? Lizze? Whatever. Johnny wasn't to bothered to figure out her name, but he was bothered enough to put up with whatever was happening now.

The kid he decided to confront instead was one of Max's kind-of friends. Which meant bullying a certain nerdy ginger kid. Which meant angering said ginger kid.

Which meant having to deal with whatever was happening now.

Oh God. What was happening.

The last thing he recalls seeing was a very angry Jeff transforming into this weird, veiny, superhuman, throwing rubber balls like they were his own personal missles.

Now he's looking up and he's catching one of the death-dodgeballs, while his body synchronizes with the ball's direction and he's pretty sure Max took the shot for him, why did Max take a shot for him?

The thought barely registers his mind as he focuses his hands to reach the rubbery ball that just feels like victory once it fits in his hands.

His body hits the floor with a loud thump but that's barely even important. They've won and that's what matters.

"WELL? WHATR'YA WAITIN' FOR?" Johnny was running on adrenaline "LET'S GET 'IM!"

Just like that, a relentless barrage of bloodthirsty children practically jump off the bleachers to assault the veiny monster that terrified them just moments prior.

This time it was their turn to hurl spherical hot-potatoes of death towards their shared enemy. Mob mentality takes over the crowd of pre-pubecents and with every inch of adrenaline in their body they throw the dodgeballs like there's no tomorrow.

The psuedo Jeff would be frozen in fear right now if it wasn't for the tens that seemed like thousands of dodgeballs pushing and pulling him apart like a ragdoll. It was one heck of a mess. A glorious, life-fullfilling mess.

A disturbingly brain-shaped apparition, hidden to many, emerged from the poor, confused Jeff who had no recollection of what the heck was happening.

It was at this moment Johnny and nearly all of the children were rejoicing in sweet victory of what had just transpired that morning.

"Isn't this great Ma-"

"Oh crap."

It was the one curse word he knew, and only used on special occasions.

"Max! He got hurt!" His words were directed at Ollie and concern flush through Johnny's thoughts, drowning out the happiness

"I know bro, just wait I have a feeling my Pop's gonna get here and-"

"What in blue blazes is going on here!"

Right on schedule.

While Ollie's father went on a tangent about how people were gonna ban hitball, just like dodgeball. Johnny's attention was focused on the new kid who was curling up on the floor in pain. Who also took a shot for him.

"He took a shot for me...." Johnny wasn't sure if he was saying it out loud 

Johnny could only stare in relative speechlessness at his enemy-turned- comrade's heroics resulted in him probably getting really hurt.

As a crowd gathered around the fallen hero, Johnny got to see less and less of him until he finally got fed up and pushed some people out of the way to check on Max who to his surprise, was getting back up.

"Oh he's okay. He's okay! How is he okay?" Johnny was whispering now

"All right people! Quit gawkin' and start walkin'! Ollie's father raised his voice "Anyone leave this gym 'fore I get back's gonna run laps while they eat their lunch!"

With this, the children spread out to clear a path for the two, but still crowd around the hitball hero to watch the spectacle. Countless murmurs get lost in the sea of children and Max is a little irritated that several people are poking and prodding him to get an intercation while he's just trying to walk out the gym.

Although his momentary anger is stopped, by a brooding Johnny.

"That was my score you settled, Max. My fight to face. You should've stayed outta the way an' let me take what I was due."

"Payback. Expect it." Johnny was seemingly intimidating

"Wow great job finding a way to make 'thanks, I owe you one' sound like a threat."

Seemingly was a key word.

"Save it, Johnny, there's no debt here. I couldn't have done it without you, mushy mushy googoo etcetera."

"But.....I feel bad you got hurt." Johnny wasn't one for showing much emotion, and the slight blush on his cheeks was breaking that rule 

"What by someone ELSE?" Max didn't seem to pick up on it though

"Where was this remorese post- Leaping Headlock Ambush?? 

"That was the first time I used that move.....on a human."

"No, Johnny, what I'm seeing here is a clear example of the psychological phenomenon known as projectence." Max was trying hard to sound smart

"That.....sounds......like....fake....word."
It wasn't working

"See, you're putting all your guilt on me when really it stems from another source entirely." Max's sarcasm was clear-cut

"You feel bad I got hurt because....?" Max was ignoring the blatantly obvious "You think you deserved it instead because..?"

"You feel guilty about......? Being mean to....?"

Johnny wasn't getting it. Max wasn't getting it either. 

"Okay buddy write me a check, we'll tackle this next session."

"I don't get it but...." Johnny stared into Max's eyes "I'll make sure I learn somethin' from this mess. Y'can't tell me I don't owe you at least that much."

"Yeah well-"

"sir do you mind." It was more of a statement than a question

"You boys quite done?" Coach asked, impatiently tugging on Max making him walk away

"H-Hey! Max!" He was walking away before he knew it

"I'M STILL GONNA-" Johnny hesitated a bit "CAN I STILL BULLY YOU SOMETIMES??"

"Heh. You can try."

Gosh, what a cool kid. 

"....M. V. P!......M! V! P!" Johnny started chanting as the rest of the crowd followed
"MVP! MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Smiling a bit, Johnny took another look at the hitball hero that took a shot for him. Took a shot for him. Those words resonated in him and it felt like the same weird feeling this-

There it is again. 

This time it wasn't just in the corner of his eyes. It was right there. A weird purple blob-thing in full frontal view. On Max's arm.

Johnny felt his breath catch.

Fear and panic hit him all at once in those few short seconds.

God, what on earth was happening to him?

Before Johnny could even pick one of the hundreds of thoughts all screaming at once he was interrupted by a hand on his shoulder.

"Hmm." It was RJ

"I-I.....it's....." Johnny was shaking. ".....nothing.....it's nothing. I'm fine RJ."

RJ wasn't convinced.

"I....I just need some fresh air. Yeah...just probably need some fresh air. I'm just gonna go and take a walk outside."

RJ was reluctant, but they let Johnny go anyway, they could never keep Johnny from doing what he wanted for long anyway.

"......"

He was walking towards the woods.

Actually, Johnny didn't know which way he was going. He just needed to clear his head.
He just needed to be alone for a while.

The grassy-almost forest area he was wandering through felt quiet and peaceful. Perfect for thinking what the hell was happening to him.

What was happening to him? Was this normal? This isn't supposed to happen right? Maybe this was part of growing up? Yeah, yeah this is all part of that! Growth spurts, and body hair and puberty.....and seeing ghosts...and.....

Okay this probably wasn't normal....

"Crap." There it goes again with the occasional profanity

He needed to think about something else. Something that doesn't induce panic and or possible heart attacks.

Think about something else. 

School? 

No, he ditched that to go out and take a walk. He probably should be in English class right now.

"Haha screw you, Mr. Starchman. I only use yer' classes for arts and crafts anyway."

Fights? He liked fighting. 

Not feeling it. It reminded him of.....the freakish veiny monster he turned that ginger kid into.

"What was even that kid's deal? I only roughed him up a bit, they don't usually come back for revenge like that." Johnny thought to himself "And when they do they don't try to murder me with rubber balls."

"His throws were really strong too. Which was....not normal."

Thank god he didn't get hit though, if it wasn't for Max, Johnny would probably be red-haired pancake smashed on a wall.

Max. 

Gosh, Max was so unexpectedly cool back there. He didn't think the new kid had it in him, to block a shot like that. Of course he fell to the ground screaming bloody murder, right after but really, who wouldn't.

Still, it filled Johnny with a strong sense of admiration once he got back up like nothing happened, and even got to joke around a little with him like nothing happened, which was kinda strange but whatever, Max's probably cool like that.

What bothered him though was...why him? Why would Max do something like that for him? To win the game? Probably. But then again, Max could've just let him get hit then pick up the ball right after.

But he didn't. He took one hell of a throw for him and he was gosh darn thankful for it.

Johnny owed him for that.

It's the least he could do for his painstaking sacrifice.

"......"

"Crud. Now I feel bad."

"I need to make it up to him." Johnny lamented

"Maybe I could give him back his fifty cents? or give him a head-start before bullying him?" 

"Maybe I should stop bullying him?"

"Yeah....maybe I...maybe I should-WHAT THE HECK IS THAT."

Johnny was staring at a way-too-large-for-its-own-good purple mass that looked like a bird, except the bird looked like a naked rat with bat wings.

Wait maybe it was a bat?

"WoW, wAy To SoUnD rUdE, I'm AlReAdY iNsEcUrE aBoUt mY bOdY."

IT CAN TALK.

Johnny made a run for it.

"WHAT."

Freaked didn't even begin to describe him because as he ran, he began to see more and more purple splotches that were starting to look like monsters. He was also screaming.

"GAH. WHAT THE HECK. NOOOO. NO. AHHHH."

Several mysterious blobs blocked most of paths, which made him change course and sprint to where ever there weren't any gross purple clumps.

"WHYISTHISHAPPENINGTOMEEEEE."

Johnny was progressively running farther and farther to the woods as he began to hear strange explosion noises, but he didn't really care. He was too busy being terrified by the probably-aliens.

"BAHWHATSTHAT." He also got scared by a tree at one point.

His heart was racing. His chest was heaving. His mind was on overdrive. He wasn't this scared as he was now his entire life. He usually fought these things head on, but this...this was way too much to process.

It was petrifying! It was bone chilling! It was insanity! It was....it was-

KRAAAAAAAAACKKK

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

It was the mutant kid.

Johnny was wrong. A while ago, he wasn't the most scared he's been in his entire life."

"W-What..." His body was trembling, his voice stuttering "T-the ever-loving flip...w-was that."

Now he was.