Ophiuchus: part 2

James

(What the hell's with this guy?)

(No, more importantly, what the hell's with his Manifesto?!)

(I can't hit it, it can change its shape, it can turn people into statues…)

(...What can't it do!?)

(This man is showing no remorse for turning people into statues made of bone…)

Wait–

If the disease turns their muscles into bones, doesn't that mean they can still breathe?

Dr. Sunshine

Hm, I suppose so?

I've never really thought about it.

James

So they're still alive!

Dr. Sunshine

Oh, if that's what you're hoping for, I imagine most of them are quite dead.

Some of them have been here for a couple decades, and even if they can breathe, it's not like I'm going to feed or give water to statues.

James

What…?

You're telling me you're starving these people to death while they can't even call for help?

Dr. Sunshine

Well, starved, past tense.

Though, I suppose your friends are now part of this group.

So, you're not entirely incorrect to say starving.

I'm sorry.

James

Heh…

Lacerta destroys the desk with a punch

James

Are you fucking with me right now?!

You're apologizing over grammar, but not about the countless corpses you're displaying in your office?!

Lacerta fires off bullets from his hands and from its tail in an attempt to hit Dr. Sunshine, however gas clouds form and redirect the bullets into the sealing protecting him

Dr. Sunshine

You don't criticize hunters for having taxidermy of their prey.

How is this any different?

I'm putting my prizes on display for the world to see.

James grimaces more as he lunges for Dr. Sunshine pushing him out of the window

Dr. Sunshine doesn't seem worried as he pushes James off him and uses his clouds to lower himself to the ground

James notices the ground approaching him and uses Lacerta to break his fall

James lands as the shock from the impact catches up with him causing him to scream out in pain and collapse to the ground

Dr. Sunshine

Mr. Spectre, as your physician, I have to say defenestrating yourself and breaking the fall with your legs isn't the greatest strategy…

Neither is immobilizing yourself.

Dr. Sunshine walks towards James as James attempts to push himself up

James

Huff…Fuck…Off…

James collapses back down

James

Lacerta…can…heal this…

Lacerta's fist takes a swing for Dr. Sunshine as Dr. Sunshine snaps Lacerta's arm

James

AGH!!!!

Dr. Sunshine crouches down

Dr. Sunshine

I will admit, you have a very interesting healing factor…

I'm excited to see you recover from that!

But while you're nice and docile, may I propose a plan to you?

Why don't you become my underling?

Dr. Sunshine looks down at James with a wide grin across his face

James

The fuck did you just say to me?

Dr. Sunshine

Think about it!

 You're the physical specimen I was searching for, you've clearly proven your strength in defeating my previous underlings!

You're Manifesto is excellent as is your usage of it!

So why don't you submit to me?

We'd be able to do so much if you were to join me!

We could make the world such a–

James

Like hell I'd join you!

Dr. Sunshine jumps back at this response, falling as James begins to push himself up

James

You'd have to be out of your mind if you think I'd join you…

James legs snap back into place in a violent jolt

James

Why the hell would I join a person with such little consideration towards other people?

Only James' silhouette is shown with parts of Lacerta looming over him, contorting his silhouette into something inhuman

James

You're a fucking monster, and I'll treat you as such.

Dr. Sunshine looks visibly distressed at James' rejection

James' eyes glow as small black embers appear off the tip of his hair

Dr. Sunshine

Y-you're right mr. Spectre…

I was out of line suggesting such a thing…

Now, I'll be leaving!

Dr. Sunshine attempts to sprint away, as he does James raises his arm and fires at Dr. Sunshine

When Lacerta shoots, the same black embers from before appear, propelling the blast forward

Dr. Sunshine

!

Ophiuchus!

Ophiuchus' body appears attempting to deflect the bullet like before, however this time the bullet tears through the Manifesto and digs itself into Dr. Sunshine's back

Dr. Sunshine gets pushed to the ground by the force

James

Don't make a scene doc, remember, none of them can see our Manifestos.

Dr. Sunshine's eyes begin to widen in fear at hearing this

James

You know, I always knew deep down that New York was a cesspool of scum, I guess that's what drew me to it in the first place.

Even the police can be bought off for a couple of bucks or a bit of liquor.

Do you get what I'm saying?

James' silhouette is shown from Dr. Sunshine's perspective as he crouches down to talk

James

There's no one who can help you now.

Lacerta's tail points at Dr. Sunshine's leg

James

Don't worry, I won't kill you, but it will be a bit difficult for you to move after this.

As James is about to fire, he suddenly gets a throbbing pain in his back and shoulders that causes him to collapse

Seeing this, Dr. Sunshine uses Ophiuchus to get up and then uses it to attack James

James

*Hack* *Cough*

(Damn it!)

(I forgot about the disease for a second!)

(I let myself get too confident!)

(Fuck! He's gonna get away, but I need to focus on just protecting myself for now!)

Lacerta throws punches at Ophiuchus, but they go right through it

Ophiuchus solidifies the clouds around Lacerta's arms again

James

Did you really think I'd fall for the same trick twice!?

Black embers appear as Lacerta fires off two bullets from its tail into Ophiuchus' chest, causing Dr. Sunshine to writhe in pain and releasing Lacerta

James

Why don't we stop all this running around and just fight one-on-one?

Or are you scared you're gonna lose?

James' eyes begin glowing again as the black embers from before reappear

Dr. Sunshine

(Yeah, no shit I'm scared!)

(No one's ever gotten this close to me before!)

(Caelum or whatever assassin I've hired has always done my dirty work for me!)

(That mob I was getting paid by suddenly disappeared a couple months ago!)

(He's even somehow managed to attack my invincible Manifesto!)

(Nothing should be able to touch a gas, let alone hurt it!)

(So how has he landed consistent attacks on me!?)

(I've got to stall for time, we're right outside my hospital!)

(Someone I know is bound to investigate the commotion we started!)

(When they come, I'll be able to use the moment of hesitation by mr. Spectre to finish him off…)

(...and without any physical evidence, it will just appear as though he died from suffocation!)

(For now, I'll distract him as I get Ophiuchus' disease to close in around his lungs)

Wait Mr. Spectre, hear me out for a second!

James

…

James just glares at Dr. Sunshine

Dr. Sunshine

What if I were to release your friends!?

I could simply undo the effects of my Manifesto and then we can all pretend like this never happened!

Doesn't that sound great–

AGH!

A bullet hole appears in Dr. Sunshine's hand

Dr. Sunshine

What the hell was that for?!

I was extending a beneficial offer for both of us!

James

You expect me to accept a deal like that?

What about all those innocent people you turned into statues?

If I look the other way today, what's to stop you from moving your operation somewhere else and just doing the same thing?

How many innocent people would die because of my inaction?

How many people would die because I refused to do something when I could've?

Dr. Sunshine

What does it matter how many people I kill!?

It doesn't concern you!

You should be grateful I'd let you escape with your life at all!

Ah…

James looks furiously at Dr. Sunshine as the embers on his hair begin to get even more intense

James

It doesn't concern me, does it?

Well I'll tell you what does.

I came to New York to atone, to make up for my sins.

How can I ever expect the people who've died because of me to rest easily if I let a murderer like you get away?!

Now, I'm not sure if you threw away your humanity, or if you never had it to begin with.

But when you kill someone, they're ghost stays with you.

They follow you no matter where you go and what you do.

They try to drag you down, reminding you of what you've done. Reminding you of what you are.

As human beings, we have two choices.

The bullets around Lacerta's finger begin to orbit it faster and faster, as do the bullets on its tail.

James

We can choose to either ignore these ghosts and in doing so, ignore our mistakes...

…Or, we can carry them with us, not as a burden or a chore, but as a service to the dead and to all the people that have ever been touched by them, because for better or for worse, humans are bound to leave an impact on each other's lives.

Finally, as James raises his arm in preparation to fire, the tip of James' hair turns black with small stars in it.

James

Now, as I said before, I won't kill you.

I don't want another ghost to resent me.

But I will make sure you experience the most painful and agonizing minutes of your life

Dr. Sunshine soils his pants as he desperately looks around and sees someone dressed in a labcoat

He flags them down

Dr. Sunshine

HELP!!!

I'M GOING TO BE KILLED!!!

James turns his head around to look at who Dr. Sunshine's yelling at, as he does he gets tackled to the ground by the man

Doctor

Dr. Sunshine!

Are you alright!?

Are you hurt!?

Dr. Sunshine

Just a bit, it's nothing too serious.

Doctor

That's a relief, is there anything I can do for you!?

Dr. Sunshine

Just hold that man in place for a few seconds.

Ophiuchus begins to form behind Dr. Sunshine

Dr. Sunshine

I'll make sure to teach him a lesson about why you never mess with the wrong person.