ㅤfear of coldㅤ

I'll give you a winter prediction: It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey, and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life.

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the cold magnifies our flaws. reveals every imperfection.

it does not forgive mistakes.

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ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤAnd then... he's still. Silent.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤGone.
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ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe doesn't have time to react before the helmet is placed, writhing and thrashing at the drone's arm, frost creeping up it in a panic.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤBut it's done. When Phantom pushes the helmet down, he stops.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤFalling to the ground, he starts to writhe— one last act of defiance.
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ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤFrost slowly coats the wounds, keeping the oil within, and a large sheet begins to cover his core.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe doesn't realize that's not what he needs to be protecting.
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ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤNormally, this is where he'd make some quip, some sparky comeback about this weird attacker "having enough."

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤBut something is wrong. He can feel this isn't over, but the other isn't attacking. And he's in no shape to make another move.
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「 DON'T TOUCH ME! 」

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHis tone is rough, but he speaks in pure fear. He can't even move away— too quick a motion, and his core is falling right out. He knows this.
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ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe staggers back, chest sparking ever so slightly— he got his core. His legs quickly give way, an unopened mouth gasping for air.
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ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe can catch the first two, but the next one gets him, splitting open an oil vein.

「 Hey, that ain't fair! Get where I can see you, punk! 」
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Heh. You too, Ice Man. I’m really glad to have someone like you in my corner.

( They give him a tired smile. )

So of course I’d be in yours, too.

I live for myself.

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ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThat one gets him, tearing his coat as it lodges into his unprotected arm.

「 Is that it? 」

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤFocusing on the general area where the blade came from, he gestures with a hand— a cluster of spikes forming.
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dude. benson's gonna be pissed

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ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe raises an arm to block them, the blades quickly lodged in a protective layer of ice.

「 Nice try, ninja boy. You make Shadow Man look smart! 」

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe pulls the shurikens out, stuffing them in his coat.
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ㅤㅤ⌜ With barely time to react, a weight attaches and forces itself to latch onto his sight, digging flexible teeth into the back of his head.

ㅤㅤBoth eyes widen. For a brief moment, he hopes that second would be enough to ping to Wily for aid, ⌟

+

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ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThe air grows cold, small bits of frost clinging to the weapons. That fast..? How interesting...

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHis legs spread in a defensive stance, but he doesn't seem too worried...

「 Ha! Pathetic. 」
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「 Fat chance. 」

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe rolls his eyes with a scoff.

「 If I'm topplin' Wily, I'm doin' it /myself./ And then everyone can answer to /ME./ Not yer pathetic little master. What are you, a dog? 」
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「 I'm glad. It'd be a shame if I lost ya— yer startin' to grow on me. 」
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「 Just proves that /anyone/ can turn on ya. 」
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「 ..it's a shame, too. Him and I were close once. 」
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ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe rolls his eyes, crossing his arms.

「 What do you got? 」
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ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHis shoulders sink uncharacteristically, before they tense dramatically.

「 That vile piece of /shit./ Don't worry, he's already on my hitlist. 」
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「 Who else is after ya? 」
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「 Yeesh, what a B-List. Don't worry, I'll freeze him to the ground. 」
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That it should be more important than that was a thought that never entered his head.

50 degrees below zero meant a bite of frost that hurt and that must be guarded against by the use of mittens, ear coverings, warm moccasins, and thick socks. 50 degrees below zero was to him nothing more than 50 degrees below zero.

It did not lead him to consider his weaknesses as a creature affected by temperature. Nor did he think about man’s general weakness, able to live only within narrow limits of heat and cold. From there, it did not lead him to thoughts of heaven and the meaning of a man’s life.