Colin's posts

Ash just smiled.

"It IS a beautiful place." he said.

"Culturally and gastronomically." he chuckled.

"Right, actually, when we get there and when we're seated, I have a hypothetical question for you." he then told her.

"And there's a reason for it." he continued.

"I suppose Lindsay would call this a 'practical thought experiment', or whatever fancy term." he then added.

"Yeah, I noticed that you didn't have your headset." Ash replied.

"Still, it's cool you have those earbuds." he told her, as he followed her.

"So what's this place like?" he asked.

"Must be pretty good for you to be so excited about it." he said further.

"Yo." Ash replied.

"This is a far different look than I'm used to." he commented.

"Guess you DO need to blend in, though." he then admitted.

"Anyway, you said there was a new place you wanted to go to, or something?" he then asked.

"Lead the way."

Be there in 5 minutes. he sent her.

With that, he went inside and quickly changed into cleaner clothes. Once that was done, he disappeared in a burst of black fire, appearing in a seemingly abandoned building.

He looked around, before making his way to a corner to wait.

"Any minute now." he mumbled, watching the spot where he'd just appeared.

"I hope so, too." Ash responded.

"I don't need to waste Kylie's time." he said.

He then looked at the responses he got, and smiled.

Cool. he texted back.

And you pick the place. Doesn't matter where. Could be a high-profile coffee house or a hole-in-the-wall hidden gem of a cafe. he sent further.

It's on me, this time. he finished.

"Well, I want to go and speak with a few other people." Ash responded.

"See if their input can help me with a decision." he told her.

"And I mean that. Not influence. Help." he said.

He then took out his cell phone, and sent a text.

Hey, Desiree. You busy right now? he sent to Desiree.

If you are, want to meet for coffee or something when you're free? he then asked.

As soon as Kit heard the word 'break', she was on her feet, and padded over towards Casey, nuzzling and rubbing against her.

"Heh." Ash chuckled.

"Seems like she was waiting to hear that." he commented.

"Anyway, I'll leave you be to play with her." he said.

"Unless you want me to toss something out here to distract her."

"Hm." Ash muttered.

"An interesting prospect." he said.

"But ultimately pointless to think about." he went on.

"Regardless, I'll leave you be if you want." he then told her.

"I didn't mean to interrupt or anything."

"Yeah." Ash replied.

"I know. A wish is not something to be used flippantly." he said.

"Consequences must be considered." he went on.

He was then silent, and laughed.

"A shame this didn't happen some time ago." he told her.

"I'd wish for Vanessa to have not been a threat." he said further, before pausing.

"Though... even then, I'd have to wonder how THAT would have gone down, and the butterfly effect..." he admitted.

"Sadly." Ash responded.

"Like, if you did wish to be human again, then that could mean that the change never happened... but who knows where you'd be right now, if that happened." he went on.

"Just... yeah." he muttered.

"I suppose I should just keep pondering this wish of mine." he said.

"Maybe get input from others."

"See, one would think I'd want my past to be changed, so none of that misery every happened." Ash responded.

"But that would be more for Mom's sake, so she didn't go all terror on Europe." he told her.

"Yes, my past sucked, but... I dunno, it seemed to work out for me." he reasoned.

"I'm a successful chef, a successful hunter, I have my family back..." he went on.

"And I have friends I wouldn't trade for anything." he told her with a smile.

"Not to... y'know, go all Disney after-school special on you." he added.

"I see." Ash replied.

"Well, being as high-profile as you are, I suppose that does matter a little bit more to you." he said.

"But thanks for the input." he said further.

"...now that I think about it, one would think everyone in our group has that one big thing they'd change without hesitation." he sighed.

"Well... actually, I can't think about what I would change, if anything." he then admitted.

Ash was silent as he heard Casey's wish, blunt, quick, and plain as day.

".....I see." he said.

"And a constant supply of something? I don't think so." he told her.

"I prefer to go and get what I want and need." he said.

"The harder one works for something, the more one appreciates it, and the better it is overall, and all that." he reasoned.

"Hm." he then mumbled.

"Yeah... I shouldn't be surprised that you want to be rid of... well... that." he told her, gesturing to her feline ears, as Kit, Casey's black panther companion, seemed to lay down dejectedly.

"Yeah, that's true." Ash replied.

"Just... I dunno, I don't want to waste Kylie's time, I guess." he said.

"Or feel ungrateful." he went on.

".......hm." he then mumbled.

"Say..." he muttered.

"Just out of curiosity, if you were in my shoes, what would YOU wish for?" he asked her.