Author: Lariat
The two boys, walking around in the town, spending the day together. The older hadn't seen the younger for quite some time, and often so can't, so he always spend his days home with the younger so their relationship won't fall apart. Of course, their loving bond had stayed strong despite their time apart. Maybe spending these kind of days have helped.
Today, the older had walked around with the younger. He then spotted a takoyaki stand.
"Ooh, look! A takoyaki stand! Let's go get some, come on!" said the older as he pointed excitedly at the stand.
"Nah, I want some tsukune yakitori." objected the younger, pointing at the yakitori stand right across from it.
The older tugged the younger, trying to pull him over to the direction of the takoyaki stand. He whined, "Oh come on! You've always been eating yakitori ever since you were a kid! You have to eat something else! Come on, try some takoyaki!"
"Yakitori."
"Takoyaki!"
"Yakitori."
"Takoyaki!"
They looked at each other for a moment. Then they tugged at each other at the opposite directions, competing to see who can convince the other to go to the stand with their favorite food.
"Takoyaki!"
"Yakitori!"
It's not that they were arguing. They were just kind of opposite to each other is all. They would always resolve things in the end. Just another one of those days they spend together.
7/27/2010
Want
Categories:
character-Iroki,
Seth
Author: Seth
"How can you look anyone in the eye and not see yourself staring back?"
Ever since day one everybody always asked him the same question.
"Why are you helping the enemy?"
He'd always thought that particular accusation was more than a little unfair. It wasn't as if he was actively trying to help the rebels kill his friends after all. He was just… healing the wounded, regardless of which side they fought for.
It wouldn't have been a problem if they had all taken his answer for what it was, the plain and unvarnished truth, but considering the times he lived in he supposed he should count his blessings for the tolerance he received. At least those close to him eventually realized he wasn't lying, and for that he was thankful.
Even so, it never ceased vexing him that few if any people could comprehend why he did what he did. It was such a simple reason too…
And that may have been the problem. As people grow older it grows harder and harder for them to accept things at face value, harder for them to see things without looking for some other truth hidden just beneath the surface.
He was lucky, he would say. He'd learned at a young age what precious few ever realized during their entire lifetimes.
He learned that no matter where you go, no matter who you talk to, there will always be one undeniable, unequivocal truth that applies to each and every person you might meet.
They all want the exact same thing.
Oh on the surface it might seem as if their goals are as different as night and day. Some are searching for a family, some for honour, some for riches, and even some are simply searching for a ripe banana. All these goals seem to have little to nothing in common, yet when you pull off the fancy covering that envelops them you find that each of their goals is exactly the same.
They all want to be happy.
It's such a simple thing, such a simple thing that he aches every time he steps on a battlefield knowing that he will soon be sacrificing the happiness of others for his own.
When the fight has been spent, when the cries die and the weapons fall to earth he finds that there is little joy in the victory for him, just the sadness of broken dreams and the thought of what might have been. And so he finds what battered bodies he can and he fixes them up to the best of his abilities. He doesn't care if it's traitorous, he doesn't care if it'll get him killed, and he doesn't care whether her might one day regret his actions because if he can give just one more person another chance to chase after happiness, then it'll have been worth it.
"How can you look anyone in the eye and not see yourself staring back?"
Ever since day one everybody always asked him the same question.
"Why are you helping the enemy?"
He'd always thought that particular accusation was more than a little unfair. It wasn't as if he was actively trying to help the rebels kill his friends after all. He was just… healing the wounded, regardless of which side they fought for.
It wouldn't have been a problem if they had all taken his answer for what it was, the plain and unvarnished truth, but considering the times he lived in he supposed he should count his blessings for the tolerance he received. At least those close to him eventually realized he wasn't lying, and for that he was thankful.
Even so, it never ceased vexing him that few if any people could comprehend why he did what he did. It was such a simple reason too…
And that may have been the problem. As people grow older it grows harder and harder for them to accept things at face value, harder for them to see things without looking for some other truth hidden just beneath the surface.
He was lucky, he would say. He'd learned at a young age what precious few ever realized during their entire lifetimes.
He learned that no matter where you go, no matter who you talk to, there will always be one undeniable, unequivocal truth that applies to each and every person you might meet.
They all want the exact same thing.
Oh on the surface it might seem as if their goals are as different as night and day. Some are searching for a family, some for honour, some for riches, and even some are simply searching for a ripe banana. All these goals seem to have little to nothing in common, yet when you pull off the fancy covering that envelops them you find that each of their goals is exactly the same.
They all want to be happy.
It's such a simple thing, such a simple thing that he aches every time he steps on a battlefield knowing that he will soon be sacrificing the happiness of others for his own.
When the fight has been spent, when the cries die and the weapons fall to earth he finds that there is little joy in the victory for him, just the sadness of broken dreams and the thought of what might have been. And so he finds what battered bodies he can and he fixes them up to the best of his abilities. He doesn't care if it's traitorous, he doesn't care if it'll get him killed, and he doesn't care whether her might one day regret his actions because if he can give just one more person another chance to chase after happiness, then it'll have been worth it.
Mischief
Categories:
character-Fuu,
character-Naebi,
character-Ryuu,
character-Taiki,
character-Ukyou,
Lariat
Author: Lariat
Bean finally showed up today. God knows where she's been to. She said she had joined a pirate crew. "You know, you might get arrested or even killed someday." I said to her. She just shrugged it off, saying she's been practicing her escapades.
Today just had to be the day that she had come back home.
As she looked around the headquarters, Uki looked at me, signaling me that it was time. And if just on cue, Bean had shrieked.
"Who is- No, what is this!" she said in disgust, pointing her finger at Fuu. Fuu just looked at her with wonder and curiosity. Uki gave me the thumbs up, so I walked over.
"This is Fuu."
"Why is she... Ryuu! She needs to take a bath! And her eating habits are sloppy! She's like an infant!"
"Oh stop complaining. You see, there's a reason for why she's like this."
"T-There is...?"
"Of course." Uki tried holding down his laughter. "You see, I found Fuu in a forest. There had been rumors about a godly forest spirit dwelling in the woods. That sort of godly being is right here, Fuu."
"...What?"
"But see, she entrusted me into protecting her from now on. However, as to not alarm anyone and to be amongst the humans, she decided act stupid as if she were some kind of 4-year-old. Well, at least, she used her mighty power to turn herself this way."
"...M-Mighty power...?"
"Yeah. See that bandanna she's wearing? The source of all her godly powers. If it is taken off, she will be rendered extremely vunerable. But she needs to supply that power too. So Fuu must be given large amounts of offerings of bananas everyday. And it must be bananas. She refuses anything else. So here she is. The mighty forest spirit, Fuu."
Uki just looked so unbearble trying to hold down his laughter. Apparently Tel could, uh, tell what we were up to. Everyone else just looked in confusion after my 'explaination'. Bean's face was just complete of shock and disgust. And then he just fell off his seat at that point, rolling on the floor, laughing, as Tel tried to calm him down. Everyone else had looked around and gossiped, trying to process what was going on.
Our little prank had actually worked.
Taiki came up to me, "Ryuu, is that true? If so, then I have newfound respect for Fuu!"
Oh wait...
He took Fuu's hands into his, "Fuu, I never knew you were such a heavenly being!"
Oh... I think it's starting to backfire...
Bean finally showed up today. God knows where she's been to. She said she had joined a pirate crew. "You know, you might get arrested or even killed someday." I said to her. She just shrugged it off, saying she's been practicing her escapades.
Today just had to be the day that she had come back home.
As she looked around the headquarters, Uki looked at me, signaling me that it was time. And if just on cue, Bean had shrieked.
"Who is- No, what is this!" she said in disgust, pointing her finger at Fuu. Fuu just looked at her with wonder and curiosity. Uki gave me the thumbs up, so I walked over.
"This is Fuu."
"Why is she... Ryuu! She needs to take a bath! And her eating habits are sloppy! She's like an infant!"
"Oh stop complaining. You see, there's a reason for why she's like this."
"T-There is...?"
"Of course." Uki tried holding down his laughter. "You see, I found Fuu in a forest. There had been rumors about a godly forest spirit dwelling in the woods. That sort of godly being is right here, Fuu."
"...What?"
"But see, she entrusted me into protecting her from now on. However, as to not alarm anyone and to be amongst the humans, she decided act stupid as if she were some kind of 4-year-old. Well, at least, she used her mighty power to turn herself this way."
"...M-Mighty power...?"
"Yeah. See that bandanna she's wearing? The source of all her godly powers. If it is taken off, she will be rendered extremely vunerable. But she needs to supply that power too. So Fuu must be given large amounts of offerings of bananas everyday. And it must be bananas. She refuses anything else. So here she is. The mighty forest spirit, Fuu."
Uki just looked so unbearble trying to hold down his laughter. Apparently Tel could, uh, tell what we were up to. Everyone else just looked in confusion after my 'explaination'. Bean's face was just complete of shock and disgust. And then he just fell off his seat at that point, rolling on the floor, laughing, as Tel tried to calm him down. Everyone else had looked around and gossiped, trying to process what was going on.
Our little prank had actually worked.
Taiki came up to me, "Ryuu, is that true? If so, then I have newfound respect for Fuu!"
Oh wait...
He took Fuu's hands into his, "Fuu, I never knew you were such a heavenly being!"
Oh... I think it's starting to backfire...
War
Author: Seth
"War makes people do... terrible things."
"What do you want with us!?"
The forest was bathed in a thick mantle of pearly white fog, but the members of Trifecta paid the picturesque scene little heed, their attention captured by the five figures in front of them.
"You know very well what we want." The silver haired man at the head of the squadron shot a meaningful glance at Blitz who instinctively clutched his neck. "You could save the both of us a lot of trouble by coming quietly." He looked at Aurora dispassionately.
Aurora heaved a sigh.
"If you know that much, then you know we can't do what you want us to." The weary roujin met Rai's gaze, her eyes growing cold.
"You mean you won't." Rai's eyes narrowed.
"We mean we can't." Inferno interjected calmly. "We have neither the resources, nor the experience, nor the skill to be guaranteed a success."
"But you can still try, can't you?!" The blue haired girl standing beside Rai burst out. "People are dying and you can help them, but you're doing nothing!"
Rai placed a light hand on her shoulder. "Easy Shadow."
Blitz laughed bitterly, fingering a small chord about his neck.
"Have they told you nothing of the price?" The blonde panthryan asked silently. "We've only got one chance. That's it." He let his hands fall to his sides. "If we fail, it's all over. Do you really want to make that bet?"
The rain of ice shards that accompanied the word 'bet' made whatever response either Rai or Shadow may have uttered completely academic.
"Subjects are on the run; close the circle. Double personnel at the south-southeast sector of the rim." Rai said tersely into the microphone built into his right arm, using said arm moments later to irritably bat away a flaming arrow. Removing his trident from its holster Rai broke wordlessly away from the group in the direction the arrow had flown from.
'How did they know we were here!?' Blitz thought frantically as he tore through the forest, away from both the Jericho soldiers and his comrades.
Careening around an old fir Blitz was forced to skid hastily to a halt or run right into a trio of grim Jericho soldiers.
'And for how long? If they've had enough time to set this ambush up…' Slamming his reflexes into overdrive, the young panthryan was about to charge past his new adversaries when…
'Dammit, reinforcements.' The neon haired blonde cursed to himself, instead throwing himself away from the sudden profusion of enemy troops.
'There's got to be a way out somewhere.' Blitz thought desperately, constantly running away from his pursuers, carefully avoiding going back the way he'd come. No matter where he ran though, soldiers continued to materialize from the mists. 'What are they up to? They aren't trying to attack me, but…' The hydrophobe's face darkened as he reached an epiphany. 'Herding me, they're herding me back to the clearing!'
Blitz gritted his teeth as he poured on even more speed, but still he didn't meet even one true hole in the circle of enemy soldiers. This was ridiculous, there had to be a hundred, maybe even more soldiers here. There had been absolutely no rumours of troop movement. How had they manoeuvred all these men into position without tipping their hand?
It hit him.
'Black Ops personnel, they're trained to get around unnoticed. But so many…'
And he was right. The Jericho army only had so many soldiers in the Second Battalion, and to deploy what looked like almost the entire battalion on a single mission was unheard of.
'They're getting just as desperate as we are.' The panthryan threw himself to the side as a knife whizzed past him. Apparently whatever grace period he'd been afforded was now over.
Realizing that the window of opportunity he'd had to break out of the circle of advancing soldiers had long since evaporated, Blitz turned and sprinted towards what would be the centre of this ring of soldiers, hoping that his companions would have the same idea. They usually did.
Trees flying past him started thinning and suddenly he burst into the clearing just in time to see Inferno take Rai's trident to his shoulder.
Growling, Blitz flicked his quarterstaff out of its holster and leaped at the scarred panthryan, a blade of pure energy snapping into existence at the staff's tip. Sparks flew as trident met scythe, electricity crackling in the air. Raitou made as if to twist his fellow panthryan's weapon out of his hand before suddenly retreating without warning.
'What is he…?' Blitz's eyes narrowed, the blue eyed boy faltering for that crucial second in which a pair of bolas wrapped themselves around his stomach.
Coughing, the young panthryan stared dumbly at the metal spheres twined around his gut before he fell to the ground.
Miles away, in a roaring tavern a man sits, surrounded by revellers, friends and strangers alike. He isn't one of them. The reason for his dampened mood, a small, folded piece of paper, sits in his left hand while a shot glass lies within reach of his right. Staring at the small message he takes a deep puff on his cigarette before stubbing out the cancer stick in a nearby ashtray. Grabbing the glass of vodka, he downs it in one gulp, places the shot glass firmly back on the counter, and then taps the person to his right on the shoulder.
"Yeah?" The young woman asks, an alcohol induced blush splashed across her face.
He hands her the paper.
She watches him fall. She watched them both fall, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Numbly Aurora ran towards her downed comrades, a dull, throbbing beat building up in the back of her mind.
*Thud*
Falling to her knees, she rolls Blitz over onto his back as the Jericho soldiers close in on them. He's alive, but he can't move, can barely speak, his voice little more than an unintelligible moan.
*Thud thud thud*
She turns her eyes to Inferno. The redheaded tsumejin's right shoulder is bleeding profusely, and she can see shards of bone peeking out. As she watches, the point of Rai's trident lowers over the sharpshooters left shoulder.
*Thudthudthud*
A gloved hand grabs her shoulder from behind.
"Aurora," Blitz croaks weakly, "Don't listen to it Aurora. Don't do it!"
She can't hear him. The screaming beat has already consumed her.
Spinning around the roujin catches a glimpse of the surprised face of a boy, not more than eighteen years of age before her hand rips through his stomach.
The young Jericho soldier falls down with a gurgle, his blood clinging to the claws that have sprouted from her hands. Uttering a wordless roar, torn from the depths of her soul, Aurora charges into the massed forces of the Second Battalion.
The blood follows.
Whirling around her like a living thing, the ichor seeks anything that would harm her, ripping into flesh with a savage glee as it draws more and more of its brethren to join the massacre.
Spinning through the enemy forces she tears apart anyone that appears before her, heedless of the wounds she takes in doing so.
Body after body hits the ground and soon she is nothing more than a red cloud, the glint of a seething, lambent green peeking through the bloody haze as she swirls through the carnage.
"Retreat!"
Running, suddenly they are all running.
The word means nothing to her, but it still draws her attention. Reeling towards the source of the voice Aurora feels a moment of detached satisfaction as she feels the bloody tentacles strike home before…
That face. She knows that face. She shouldn't be seeing it. Not here. Not like this.
"We couldn't let you fall into the wrong hands." Marten whispers, whispers even as the light fades from his eyes, in a pleading voice she's never heard him use before.
For the second time that day she falls to her knees, the blood falling with her, splashing inertly into the ground. Shakily, she pulls herself over the bloody ground to the fallen Black Ops Captain.
"…Father?" She asked hollowly. No reply came. "FATHER!"
Mono says nothing as he watches his captain read the four words he knows to be on the paper, over and over and over again.
Slowly, she traces the signature on the scrap of parchment before folding it back up and tucking it carefully under her bandana.
"Bartender," she signals the man behind the counter, her voice tinged now with sadness, not inebriation, "Gimme another shot. And keep them coming."
"War makes people do... terrible things."
"What do you want with us!?"
The forest was bathed in a thick mantle of pearly white fog, but the members of Trifecta paid the picturesque scene little heed, their attention captured by the five figures in front of them.
"You know very well what we want." The silver haired man at the head of the squadron shot a meaningful glance at Blitz who instinctively clutched his neck. "You could save the both of us a lot of trouble by coming quietly." He looked at Aurora dispassionately.
Aurora heaved a sigh.
"If you know that much, then you know we can't do what you want us to." The weary roujin met Rai's gaze, her eyes growing cold.
"You mean you won't." Rai's eyes narrowed.
"We mean we can't." Inferno interjected calmly. "We have neither the resources, nor the experience, nor the skill to be guaranteed a success."
"But you can still try, can't you?!" The blue haired girl standing beside Rai burst out. "People are dying and you can help them, but you're doing nothing!"
Rai placed a light hand on her shoulder. "Easy Shadow."
Blitz laughed bitterly, fingering a small chord about his neck.
"Have they told you nothing of the price?" The blonde panthryan asked silently. "We've only got one chance. That's it." He let his hands fall to his sides. "If we fail, it's all over. Do you really want to make that bet?"
The rain of ice shards that accompanied the word 'bet' made whatever response either Rai or Shadow may have uttered completely academic.
"Subjects are on the run; close the circle. Double personnel at the south-southeast sector of the rim." Rai said tersely into the microphone built into his right arm, using said arm moments later to irritably bat away a flaming arrow. Removing his trident from its holster Rai broke wordlessly away from the group in the direction the arrow had flown from.
'How did they know we were here!?' Blitz thought frantically as he tore through the forest, away from both the Jericho soldiers and his comrades.
Careening around an old fir Blitz was forced to skid hastily to a halt or run right into a trio of grim Jericho soldiers.
'And for how long? If they've had enough time to set this ambush up…' Slamming his reflexes into overdrive, the young panthryan was about to charge past his new adversaries when…
'Dammit, reinforcements.' The neon haired blonde cursed to himself, instead throwing himself away from the sudden profusion of enemy troops.
'There's got to be a way out somewhere.' Blitz thought desperately, constantly running away from his pursuers, carefully avoiding going back the way he'd come. No matter where he ran though, soldiers continued to materialize from the mists. 'What are they up to? They aren't trying to attack me, but…' The hydrophobe's face darkened as he reached an epiphany. 'Herding me, they're herding me back to the clearing!'
Blitz gritted his teeth as he poured on even more speed, but still he didn't meet even one true hole in the circle of enemy soldiers. This was ridiculous, there had to be a hundred, maybe even more soldiers here. There had been absolutely no rumours of troop movement. How had they manoeuvred all these men into position without tipping their hand?
It hit him.
'Black Ops personnel, they're trained to get around unnoticed. But so many…'
And he was right. The Jericho army only had so many soldiers in the Second Battalion, and to deploy what looked like almost the entire battalion on a single mission was unheard of.
'They're getting just as desperate as we are.' The panthryan threw himself to the side as a knife whizzed past him. Apparently whatever grace period he'd been afforded was now over.
Realizing that the window of opportunity he'd had to break out of the circle of advancing soldiers had long since evaporated, Blitz turned and sprinted towards what would be the centre of this ring of soldiers, hoping that his companions would have the same idea. They usually did.
Trees flying past him started thinning and suddenly he burst into the clearing just in time to see Inferno take Rai's trident to his shoulder.
Growling, Blitz flicked his quarterstaff out of its holster and leaped at the scarred panthryan, a blade of pure energy snapping into existence at the staff's tip. Sparks flew as trident met scythe, electricity crackling in the air. Raitou made as if to twist his fellow panthryan's weapon out of his hand before suddenly retreating without warning.
'What is he…?' Blitz's eyes narrowed, the blue eyed boy faltering for that crucial second in which a pair of bolas wrapped themselves around his stomach.
Coughing, the young panthryan stared dumbly at the metal spheres twined around his gut before he fell to the ground.
Miles away, in a roaring tavern a man sits, surrounded by revellers, friends and strangers alike. He isn't one of them. The reason for his dampened mood, a small, folded piece of paper, sits in his left hand while a shot glass lies within reach of his right. Staring at the small message he takes a deep puff on his cigarette before stubbing out the cancer stick in a nearby ashtray. Grabbing the glass of vodka, he downs it in one gulp, places the shot glass firmly back on the counter, and then taps the person to his right on the shoulder.
"Yeah?" The young woman asks, an alcohol induced blush splashed across her face.
He hands her the paper.
She watches him fall. She watched them both fall, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Numbly Aurora ran towards her downed comrades, a dull, throbbing beat building up in the back of her mind.
*Thud*
Falling to her knees, she rolls Blitz over onto his back as the Jericho soldiers close in on them. He's alive, but he can't move, can barely speak, his voice little more than an unintelligible moan.
*Thud thud thud*
She turns her eyes to Inferno. The redheaded tsumejin's right shoulder is bleeding profusely, and she can see shards of bone peeking out. As she watches, the point of Rai's trident lowers over the sharpshooters left shoulder.
*Thudthudthud*
A gloved hand grabs her shoulder from behind.
"Aurora," Blitz croaks weakly, "Don't listen to it Aurora. Don't do it!"
She can't hear him. The screaming beat has already consumed her.
Spinning around the roujin catches a glimpse of the surprised face of a boy, not more than eighteen years of age before her hand rips through his stomach.
The young Jericho soldier falls down with a gurgle, his blood clinging to the claws that have sprouted from her hands. Uttering a wordless roar, torn from the depths of her soul, Aurora charges into the massed forces of the Second Battalion.
The blood follows.
Whirling around her like a living thing, the ichor seeks anything that would harm her, ripping into flesh with a savage glee as it draws more and more of its brethren to join the massacre.
Spinning through the enemy forces she tears apart anyone that appears before her, heedless of the wounds she takes in doing so.
Body after body hits the ground and soon she is nothing more than a red cloud, the glint of a seething, lambent green peeking through the bloody haze as she swirls through the carnage.
"Retreat!"
Running, suddenly they are all running.
The word means nothing to her, but it still draws her attention. Reeling towards the source of the voice Aurora feels a moment of detached satisfaction as she feels the bloody tentacles strike home before…
That face. She knows that face. She shouldn't be seeing it. Not here. Not like this.
"We couldn't let you fall into the wrong hands." Marten whispers, whispers even as the light fades from his eyes, in a pleading voice she's never heard him use before.
For the second time that day she falls to her knees, the blood falling with her, splashing inertly into the ground. Shakily, she pulls herself over the bloody ground to the fallen Black Ops Captain.
"…Father?" She asked hollowly. No reply came. "FATHER!"
Mono says nothing as he watches his captain read the four words he knows to be on the paper, over and over and over again.
Slowly, she traces the signature on the scrap of parchment before folding it back up and tucking it carefully under her bandana.
"Bartender," she signals the man behind the counter, her voice tinged now with sadness, not inebriation, "Gimme another shot. And keep them coming."
Retry
Categories:
character-Niyou,
character-Ryuu,
Lariat
Author: Lariat
I banged my head onto the board again. I just can't beat this guy. I picked my head up and looked at him with the same passionate look I gave him before.
"One more round, come on!"
He sighed. "I think we should go home already. I can't even remember how long ago we've been playing. Look, the sun is already setting."
"I'm not leaving until I beat you at least once!"
"You did beat me once before..."
"You did that on purpose! You were pitying me! What the-!? Wipe that smirk off your face!"
He snickered, "Okay, okay, one more game."
We set the pieces up for another round and the game started. Then it ended before I realized it. Another checkmate. I banged my head onto the board again.
"Ugh..."
"You know, if you keep banging your head against the board like that, you're gonna get a bruise later on."
I just can't beat this guy.
"One more round, come on!"
"How long have we been playing Shogi again...?"
I banged my head onto the board again. I just can't beat this guy. I picked my head up and looked at him with the same passionate look I gave him before.
"One more round, come on!"
He sighed. "I think we should go home already. I can't even remember how long ago we've been playing. Look, the sun is already setting."
"I'm not leaving until I beat you at least once!"
"You did beat me once before..."
"You did that on purpose! You were pitying me! What the-!? Wipe that smirk off your face!"
He snickered, "Okay, okay, one more game."
We set the pieces up for another round and the game started. Then it ended before I realized it. Another checkmate. I banged my head onto the board again.
"Ugh..."
"You know, if you keep banging your head against the board like that, you're gonna get a bruise later on."
I just can't beat this guy.
"One more round, come on!"
"How long have we been playing Shogi again...?"
Silence
Categories:
character-Rai,
Seth
Author: Seth
"The quiet lets me think. About everything."
For someone whose profession required an exorbitant amount of attention he enjoyed losing himself in his music far too much. Not that he really had a choice. He had precious few ways of keeping his sanity intact as it was, and he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Even so, he had to make due without that particular crutch every now and then. It wasn't so bad during the day; he could usually find some way of distracting himself. During the night though, now that was a different matter altogether.
Much as he wished he could sleep with the thing on, he had to take that damn arm off at night. Trying to sleep through the pain was a lost cause. Of course the moment it separated from his body it was about as much good to him as the hunk of metal from which it had been meticulously crafted. He'd find out how to store a charge in the thing someday if it killed him.
Sure he could play his harmonica, and he did once. The only problem was that he just… kept… playing… He never got to sleep that night. Judging by the black rings encircling Shadow's eyes the next morning, and the fact that she nodded off, falling face first into her porridge, neither had she. He didn't try it again.
Some nights he's so tired it doesn't matter, and for that he's grateful. Other nights though, other nights all he can do is lie in his bed and face the silence.
"The quiet lets me think. About everything."
For someone whose profession required an exorbitant amount of attention he enjoyed losing himself in his music far too much. Not that he really had a choice. He had precious few ways of keeping his sanity intact as it was, and he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Even so, he had to make due without that particular crutch every now and then. It wasn't so bad during the day; he could usually find some way of distracting himself. During the night though, now that was a different matter altogether.
Much as he wished he could sleep with the thing on, he had to take that damn arm off at night. Trying to sleep through the pain was a lost cause. Of course the moment it separated from his body it was about as much good to him as the hunk of metal from which it had been meticulously crafted. He'd find out how to store a charge in the thing someday if it killed him.
Sure he could play his harmonica, and he did once. The only problem was that he just… kept… playing… He never got to sleep that night. Judging by the black rings encircling Shadow's eyes the next morning, and the fact that she nodded off, falling face first into her porridge, neither had she. He didn't try it again.
Some nights he's so tired it doesn't matter, and for that he's grateful. Other nights though, other nights all he can do is lie in his bed and face the silence.
Chocolate
Categories:
character-Cain,
character-Naebi,
Lariat
Author: Lariat
"Valentines' Day?"
"Yeah! It's when girls gives chocolate to the guy she likes!"
To the guy she likes? Wait, what? Wait, let me process something here. She's giving me chocolate, today's that day when girls give chocolate to the guy she likes, she's giving me chocolate, to the guy she likes, the guy she likes, she likes, she likes, she likes...
She... She likes me!?
"Uh, w-wait a minute. You're giving me chocolate because..."
"Oh, come on! Get into the spirit! I already gave some to your brother!"
"Does that mean that- Wait, what?"
"I already gave some to your brother. Oh, I gave Kaizu some too! And their friends, and the rest of the crewmates! I even went out of my way to give Ryuu and Fuu some in advance. Oh, and the rest of the Ginsenkei too! They all seemed to like it (Haru refused though, I don't know why, but he started getting angry at me), so I thought maybe you would too!"
So she gave several guys chocolate? Which means she likes all of them? Which means she doesn't have a crush on me or anything. Which means she interperated 'like' as in 'like as a friend'. Wow, that just blows.
"...Ehhh... Nah."
"What!? Why not!?"
Hn. Stupid girl.
It's not that I don't want it... It's just that if I take it, you'll only see me as a friend...
"Because I'm not into that kind of stuff."
"Valentines' Day?"
"Yeah! It's when girls gives chocolate to the guy she likes!"
To the guy she likes? Wait, what? Wait, let me process something here. She's giving me chocolate, today's that day when girls give chocolate to the guy she likes, she's giving me chocolate, to the guy she likes, the guy she likes, she likes, she likes, she likes...
She... She likes me!?
"Uh, w-wait a minute. You're giving me chocolate because..."
"Oh, come on! Get into the spirit! I already gave some to your brother!"
"Does that mean that- Wait, what?"
"I already gave some to your brother. Oh, I gave Kaizu some too! And their friends, and the rest of the crewmates! I even went out of my way to give Ryuu and Fuu some in advance. Oh, and the rest of the Ginsenkei too! They all seemed to like it (Haru refused though, I don't know why, but he started getting angry at me), so I thought maybe you would too!"
So she gave several guys chocolate? Which means she likes all of them? Which means she doesn't have a crush on me or anything. Which means she interperated 'like' as in 'like as a friend'. Wow, that just blows.
"...Ehhh... Nah."
"What!? Why not!?"
Hn. Stupid girl.
It's not that I don't want it... It's just that if I take it, you'll only see me as a friend...
"Because I'm not into that kind of stuff."
Misfortune
Categories:
character-Senma,
character-Shion,
Seth
Author: Seth
"He isn't unlucky. He didn't die, did he?"
"… Is something wrong, Shion?" Senma asked with no little concern.
"W-what makes you say that?" The purple haired girl replied, altogether too nervously for her tastes.
"It's just that… you're grip's a little on the jittery side today." The blind spy twitched the hand she had been holding. "That's the fourth time you've led me into a doorway so far." He sheepishly rubbed the bruise forming on his forehead.
"It's nothing much." Shion mumbled evasively. "I just… lost something."
"You're beating around the bush. This isn't like you." Senma raised an eyebrow. "It's something important?"
"It's just a small gift I got a while ago, I'm sure it'll turn up soon enough." The small assassin tried to reassure him.
Senma didn't say it anything; he simply gave her hand a small squeeze and kept walking. They both strolled calmly around the compound for a few minutes before Shion spoke up again.
"It was from my father." Shion admitted in a quiet voice.
Senma's features softened. No matter what kind of a person her father was, he still loved his daughter it seemed.
"So let's go find it." Senma smiled.
"Don't worry about it." The female half of Unit 2 perked up, shaking her head. "It's our evening off, and like I said, it'll turn up sooner or later."
"You aren't fooling anyone, you know." Senma sighed, tripping over a small rock before quickly righting himself.
Shion retreated into an uncomfortable silence for another few minutes, distracting herself by putting her full concentration into directing her blind partner.
"I'm not going to convince you otherwise, am I?" She asked. Senma shook his head, giving her hand another light squeeze.
"Fine." She huffed. "Have it your way. S'not like I ever win these debates anyways."
Senma's smile widened ever so slightly. "Well I can think of one time-" The green eyed boy cut off when Shion have his hand an extra sharp squeeze. "All right, all right!" He chuckled sheepishly. "So, what are we looking for? A locket?"
"Nah." Shion grinned, an expression Senma could pick up on just by the tone of her voice. "My Nightquill escaped this morning and I can't find him."
Senma's eye twitched. Leave it to a yakuza boss to give his daughter such a dangerous present. "So when you said it would turn up, you meant…"
"Hey, I've got the antidote in my room, so they probably wouldn't die."
The blind member of Unit 2 twitched again, quickly weaving forth his Air Field. If they didn't find that little creature soon he didn't particularly want to think of the consequences.
"He isn't unlucky. He didn't die, did he?"
"… Is something wrong, Shion?" Senma asked with no little concern.
"W-what makes you say that?" The purple haired girl replied, altogether too nervously for her tastes.
"It's just that… you're grip's a little on the jittery side today." The blind spy twitched the hand she had been holding. "That's the fourth time you've led me into a doorway so far." He sheepishly rubbed the bruise forming on his forehead.
"It's nothing much." Shion mumbled evasively. "I just… lost something."
"You're beating around the bush. This isn't like you." Senma raised an eyebrow. "It's something important?"
"It's just a small gift I got a while ago, I'm sure it'll turn up soon enough." The small assassin tried to reassure him.
Senma didn't say it anything; he simply gave her hand a small squeeze and kept walking. They both strolled calmly around the compound for a few minutes before Shion spoke up again.
"It was from my father." Shion admitted in a quiet voice.
Senma's features softened. No matter what kind of a person her father was, he still loved his daughter it seemed.
"So let's go find it." Senma smiled.
"Don't worry about it." The female half of Unit 2 perked up, shaking her head. "It's our evening off, and like I said, it'll turn up sooner or later."
"You aren't fooling anyone, you know." Senma sighed, tripping over a small rock before quickly righting himself.
Shion retreated into an uncomfortable silence for another few minutes, distracting herself by putting her full concentration into directing her blind partner.
"I'm not going to convince you otherwise, am I?" She asked. Senma shook his head, giving her hand another light squeeze.
"Fine." She huffed. "Have it your way. S'not like I ever win these debates anyways."
Senma's smile widened ever so slightly. "Well I can think of one time-" The green eyed boy cut off when Shion have his hand an extra sharp squeeze. "All right, all right!" He chuckled sheepishly. "So, what are we looking for? A locket?"
"Nah." Shion grinned, an expression Senma could pick up on just by the tone of her voice. "My Nightquill escaped this morning and I can't find him."
Senma's eye twitched. Leave it to a yakuza boss to give his daughter such a dangerous present. "So when you said it would turn up, you meant…"
"Hey, I've got the antidote in my room, so they probably wouldn't die."
The blind member of Unit 2 twitched again, quickly weaving forth his Air Field. If they didn't find that little creature soon he didn't particularly want to think of the consequences.
Argument
Categories:
character-Haru,
character-Ryuu,
Lariat
Author: Lariat
I didn't mean it.
"Why have you been ignoring me lately!? Tell me what's wrong!"
"If I do, I'm still going to be in your shadow, right!?"
What I said was wrong.
"That's not true! You've accomplished so much already!"
"You've accomplished more than me! You're always going to be better than me!"
I wasn't mad at you.
"You don't know that! Someday, maybe you'll do even greater things than me!"
"Don't lie to me!"
I was just jealous of you.
"Just leave me alone already!"
But because of that, I brought this upon you, didn't I?
"I hate you!"
Because I let jealousy take over, you ended up getting killed, and it was all my fault, wasn't it?
I didn't mean it.
"Why have you been ignoring me lately!? Tell me what's wrong!"
"If I do, I'm still going to be in your shadow, right!?"
What I said was wrong.
"That's not true! You've accomplished so much already!"
"You've accomplished more than me! You're always going to be better than me!"
I wasn't mad at you.
"You don't know that! Someday, maybe you'll do even greater things than me!"
"Don't lie to me!"
I was just jealous of you.
"Just leave me alone already!"
But because of that, I brought this upon you, didn't I?
"I hate you!"
Because I let jealousy take over, you ended up getting killed, and it was all my fault, wasn't it?
Memory
Categories:
character-Tamago,
Seth
Author: Seth
"Have you ever woken up and questioned who you are?"
A small spray of water splashed across his face as he caught the small, metal can that had been thrown at him. Cracking the tab open, he placed the beverage to his lips and took a deep swig, taking an extra moment to savour the delightfully crunchy pieces of aloe that were floating in the liquid. Taking a second, more reserved sip, he held the can up to his face and frowned thoughtfully.
"You bought this?" He raised a silver eyebrow at his twin who was drinking from her own can. It wasn't a question.
"Felt like it." She shrugged, rolling the cool metal cylinder between her palms.
"Mind elsewhere?" He chuckled, gumming on another mouthful of aloe.
"No more than yours is." She retorted, a little more sharply than she had meant to.
He gulped down his aloe and sighed. She was right of course, but then how could she not be when it would be obvious to even the common passer by that they were both a little… rattled after their last encounter. It wasn't that they had both very nearly died, they were far too used to that experience for it too unnerve them overmuch. No, what had set both their nerves on edge had much more to do with whom they had been fighting with.
"Think they're getting the same… vibes we are?" He finished his drink and balanced the empty can on his finger.
She shrugged again, taking a tentative sip of her refreshment. "Yes, no, maybe? Who knows?" She chewed speculatively on a piece of aloe. "I honestly couldn't care less what they're feeling right now. I'm more worried about what we are feeling. And why."
"It's... worrying." He held the can up to his eye, trying to see if he'd missed any pieces of the succulent plant. "I've never seen her in my life, yet I get this feeling that I should know her, that I should trust her." He snorted scornfully at the idea. There was only one girl he trusted fully, and as far as he was concerned, it was going to stay that way.
"Mine's different..." She watched his face out of the corner of her eye, waiting for some kind of reaction. "It's like he's got something I had, something that's calling to me."
His eyes hardened as he crushed the can in his fist. He didn't know what these feelings were, but they were going to get to the bottom of them, one way or another.
"Have you ever woken up and questioned who you are?"
A small spray of water splashed across his face as he caught the small, metal can that had been thrown at him. Cracking the tab open, he placed the beverage to his lips and took a deep swig, taking an extra moment to savour the delightfully crunchy pieces of aloe that were floating in the liquid. Taking a second, more reserved sip, he held the can up to his face and frowned thoughtfully.
"You bought this?" He raised a silver eyebrow at his twin who was drinking from her own can. It wasn't a question.
"Felt like it." She shrugged, rolling the cool metal cylinder between her palms.
"Mind elsewhere?" He chuckled, gumming on another mouthful of aloe.
"No more than yours is." She retorted, a little more sharply than she had meant to.
He gulped down his aloe and sighed. She was right of course, but then how could she not be when it would be obvious to even the common passer by that they were both a little… rattled after their last encounter. It wasn't that they had both very nearly died, they were far too used to that experience for it too unnerve them overmuch. No, what had set both their nerves on edge had much more to do with whom they had been fighting with.
"Think they're getting the same… vibes we are?" He finished his drink and balanced the empty can on his finger.
She shrugged again, taking a tentative sip of her refreshment. "Yes, no, maybe? Who knows?" She chewed speculatively on a piece of aloe. "I honestly couldn't care less what they're feeling right now. I'm more worried about what we are feeling. And why."
"It's... worrying." He held the can up to his eye, trying to see if he'd missed any pieces of the succulent plant. "I've never seen her in my life, yet I get this feeling that I should know her, that I should trust her." He snorted scornfully at the idea. There was only one girl he trusted fully, and as far as he was concerned, it was going to stay that way.
"Mine's different..." She watched his face out of the corner of her eye, waiting for some kind of reaction. "It's like he's got something I had, something that's calling to me."
His eyes hardened as he crushed the can in his fist. He didn't know what these feelings were, but they were going to get to the bottom of them, one way or another.
Breaking the Rules
Categories:
character-Haru,
Lariat
Author: Lariat
No longer was I just going to sit by and watch all of this happen right before my eyes anymore. No more will I stay loyal to those people who sit on the throne, giving commands to those they deem as low as dirt even, overlooking things, treating them as such.
I won't shrug this off like it was yesterday's news! I won't close my eyes to something that's been happening for so long, too long. Things like pain and suffering cannot be ignored anymore. Events such as separation and death cannot be ignored anymore. This is more than just being honorable and selfless. This is about protecting others, protecting others that I hold dear to me. I should be protecting those that I have left in this world. We all should.
I know that some feel the same way. I know some will be against me. Fine. But the world is big. There will always be others who know and accept this, others who might be willing to side with me. And it doesn't matter who they are anymore. If they are willing to fight with us, then they will fight with us. Those people shouldn't be cast aside.
I'll fight, we'll fight, for the true sake of others. We'll fight to make this a world the way it should be; a world without oppression, a world where everybody will be able to live in peace.
Today will be the day that the Ginsenkei will fall.
Today will be the day that we fight.
No longer was I just going to sit by and watch all of this happen right before my eyes anymore. No more will I stay loyal to those people who sit on the throne, giving commands to those they deem as low as dirt even, overlooking things, treating them as such.
I won't shrug this off like it was yesterday's news! I won't close my eyes to something that's been happening for so long, too long. Things like pain and suffering cannot be ignored anymore. Events such as separation and death cannot be ignored anymore. This is more than just being honorable and selfless. This is about protecting others, protecting others that I hold dear to me. I should be protecting those that I have left in this world. We all should.
I know that some feel the same way. I know some will be against me. Fine. But the world is big. There will always be others who know and accept this, others who might be willing to side with me. And it doesn't matter who they are anymore. If they are willing to fight with us, then they will fight with us. Those people shouldn't be cast aside.
I'll fight, we'll fight, for the true sake of others. We'll fight to make this a world the way it should be; a world without oppression, a world where everybody will be able to live in peace.
Today will be the day that the Ginsenkei will fall.
Today will be the day that we fight.
Cut
Categories:
character-Wakagi,
Seth
Author: Seth
"Maybe someday I won't need to hold myself back, but until that day comes I'll have to make due."
Scrith, scritch, scritch.
"Stop scratching at it or it'll never heal."
She crossed her arms, staring down the young boy in front of her until he bashfully withdrew his hand from the poultice that was wrapped around his arm. Giving him one last glare for good measure, she turned around and continued her routine inspection of the medic ward.
Honestly, leave any of these idiots alone for more than a moment and they'd try their hardest to undo all the work she'd done for them.
As she continued on her rounds she absently took note of the way most of her patients seemed to avoid her gaze. She frowned slightly as she sighed inwardly. This wasn't the kind of hospital she wanted to run.
It couldn't really be helped though. She'd garnered something of a reputation for being an ice queen while on the job, and the fact that she had to discipline many of her more bull headed patients regularly didn't help. No matter how friendly she acted when she wasn't saving lives, it never seemed to make a dent in the image she'd unintentionally created with her own two hands.
It couldn't really be helped though. She had to reign in her emotions when a life was on the line or she'd end up making a horrible mistake, unlike her cousin whose medical talent seemed to increase exponentially the more emotion he poured out.
She still wished, some days, that she had asked him how he did it.
She wished too that at least a few patients could look past the veil of professionalism she had to don whenever she worked. Just because she never showed it didn't mean that she didn't feel each cut she made on every one of her patients.
"Maybe someday I won't need to hold myself back, but until that day comes I'll have to make due."
Scrith, scritch, scritch.
"Stop scratching at it or it'll never heal."
She crossed her arms, staring down the young boy in front of her until he bashfully withdrew his hand from the poultice that was wrapped around his arm. Giving him one last glare for good measure, she turned around and continued her routine inspection of the medic ward.
Honestly, leave any of these idiots alone for more than a moment and they'd try their hardest to undo all the work she'd done for them.
As she continued on her rounds she absently took note of the way most of her patients seemed to avoid her gaze. She frowned slightly as she sighed inwardly. This wasn't the kind of hospital she wanted to run.
It couldn't really be helped though. She'd garnered something of a reputation for being an ice queen while on the job, and the fact that she had to discipline many of her more bull headed patients regularly didn't help. No matter how friendly she acted when she wasn't saving lives, it never seemed to make a dent in the image she'd unintentionally created with her own two hands.
It couldn't really be helped though. She had to reign in her emotions when a life was on the line or she'd end up making a horrible mistake, unlike her cousin whose medical talent seemed to increase exponentially the more emotion he poured out.
She still wished, some days, that she had asked him how he did it.
She wished too that at least a few patients could look past the veil of professionalism she had to don whenever she worked. Just because she never showed it didn't mean that she didn't feel each cut she made on every one of her patients.
Looking Back
Categories:
character-Niyou,
character-Ryuu,
Lariat
Author: Lariat
Geez. When did all of this drama and tragedy start off anyway? When that day happened? At least it got better. At least he got better. But then again, something forced us apart. And it gets all serious again.
In between those two events, I remember when it was fun. You know, the days when just the two of us can goof off somewhere because I was done with my recent mission, deciding to visit, and, surprise surprise, he decided to be lazy and not go on his assigned mission. Again. I'd pick on him, telling him to stop being lazy and irresponsible. Then he'd say something like, "When you go stealing other people's stuff all your life, you're just as bad as me, you know!"
We had some good laughs, didn't we?
"We can't see each other anymore."
Sadness and tragedy started walking into our lives again when he said that.
We went from friends to enemies so fast already. I didn't want that. Not for us. Especially if it meant that I had to kill him.
I'd like to leave that kind of life behind just as he did.
"Ugh..."
"Hey, awake already? Don't get up, your wound is gonna open up again."
"Huh...? What...? Why... Why did you save me...?"
"You think I'm going to let my best friend die just like that?"
Hey, remember those days when it was fun? Yeah, I miss those days.
Geez. When did all of this drama and tragedy start off anyway? When that day happened? At least it got better. At least he got better. But then again, something forced us apart. And it gets all serious again.
In between those two events, I remember when it was fun. You know, the days when just the two of us can goof off somewhere because I was done with my recent mission, deciding to visit, and, surprise surprise, he decided to be lazy and not go on his assigned mission. Again. I'd pick on him, telling him to stop being lazy and irresponsible. Then he'd say something like, "When you go stealing other people's stuff all your life, you're just as bad as me, you know!"
We had some good laughs, didn't we?
"We can't see each other anymore."
Sadness and tragedy started walking into our lives again when he said that.
We went from friends to enemies so fast already. I didn't want that. Not for us. Especially if it meant that I had to kill him.
I'd like to leave that kind of life behind just as he did.
"Ugh..."
"Hey, awake already? Don't get up, your wound is gonna open up again."
"Huh...? What...? Why... Why did you save me...?"
"You think I'm going to let my best friend die just like that?"
Hey, remember those days when it was fun? Yeah, I miss those days.
Memento
Categories:
character-Haru,
character-Ryuu,
Lariat
Author: Lariat
"What was... mom like...?"
Those words just hit me out of nowhere. I mean, it was just so sudden. Why is he asking something like that?
"Well... it's not like I can remember much about her anyway..."
"Then tell me what you do remember."
I knew this day would come. I just didn't think it would be so soon. What should I say? I don't know how to answer his questions...
"Well... she..." I'm trying to find the words, but I can't. I'm trying so hard to even remember those days as they start to disappear from time...
What should I say? I mean, I can't even remember her face anymore... All I remember is... ah!
"She... well, you remind me of her!"
"I do?"
"Yup. You look just like her, if memory serves." He just looked at me with a face that said "Are you serious?" I giggled, "Yup. She was really pretty, you know. You should be glad you have her looks!"
"I should be glad that I look like mom?"
"Of course! And besides... looking at you and trying to remember what she looked like... I can see her face again!"
"What was... mom like...?"
Those words just hit me out of nowhere. I mean, it was just so sudden. Why is he asking something like that?
"Well... it's not like I can remember much about her anyway..."
"Then tell me what you do remember."
I knew this day would come. I just didn't think it would be so soon. What should I say? I don't know how to answer his questions...
"Well... she..." I'm trying to find the words, but I can't. I'm trying so hard to even remember those days as they start to disappear from time...
What should I say? I mean, I can't even remember her face anymore... All I remember is... ah!
"She... well, you remind me of her!"
"I do?"
"Yup. You look just like her, if memory serves." He just looked at me with a face that said "Are you serious?" I giggled, "Yup. She was really pretty, you know. You should be glad you have her looks!"
"I should be glad that I look like mom?"
"Of course! And besides... looking at you and trying to remember what she looked like... I can see her face again!"
Break
Categories:
character-Haru,
character-Shion,
character-Taiki,
Seth
Author: Seth
"It is always infinitely preferable to take a break as opposed to breaking.
Unfortunately, some people must be forced to see this."
"Oh c'mon, just a couple of rounds," Haru pleaded, hands clasped in front of himself, puppy dog eyes at the fore. "Please?"
"No, absolutely not." Taiki replied testily, eyebrows knitted in a frown, ruthlessly beating down a sudden desire to tug the blonde boy's cheek and go 'Awww~'. "I must have all these supply reports filled out by nightfall. I have no time whatsoever for simple, and to be perfectly honest, frivolous 'Track and Grapple' exercises."
"It's 'Tag', Taiki." Haru's eyes lost their unnatural shine as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "And it's not an exercise, it's a game."
"Even more reason for me to refrain from participating." Taiki turned back to his supply reports. "Due to my observations I am of the opinion that 'Games', as you call them, are nothing more than an elaborate method of wasting time and I see absolutely no reason why I should take part."
"But we already gave you a reason." Shion, who had been standing next to Haru, whined. "We need another player, and you need to get out and mingle with the guys, loosen up a little, have a little fun."
"I do not need to 'mingle' with the guys." The Talos prince bit out irritably. "I have to complete these reports or there will be dire consequences. What use will 'Fun' be to me in that respect?" Taiki cursed lightly as a particularly vicious brush stroke blotted the paper. "In fact, what exactly will 'Fun' do for all of your comrades who should, by all rights, be training?"
"Stress relief for one." Shion replied seriously before a grin spread across her face. "That way we don't all act like we've got a gigantic icicle shoved up our collective ass, unlike someone I could name~"
"I do not have an icicle shoved up my-" Taiki spluttered, reddening slightly at the purple haired girl's crass language. "Be that as it may," he coughed, regaining some of his composure, "I still believe that my stress level will lower a great deal more should I finish these reports on time instead of constantly putting them off."
Shion sighed dejectedly before tilting her head and giving Haru a malicious yet questioning smirk. A smirk of his own spread over the purple eyed boy's face as he gave her a quick wink in return, hastily tidying his expression into one of innocent cheerfulness as he turned back to face Taiki.
"Ahhh, that might be a bit of a problem~" Haru rubbed the back of his head bashfully.
"How so?" Taiki asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion at the playful lilt in the cheery fool's voice.
"Well you see, I'm on laundry duty this week," Haru explained. "And if you don't come out and play with us, I just might get so depressed that I'd make… mistakes when washing certain clothes~"
Taiki's expression darkened. 'So this is their game' he mused.
"Perfectly understandable." The ebony haired boy responded magnanimously, the lessons on court wordplay surfacing from the depths of his memory. "I'm quite certain we can find someone who can relieve you of your duties temporarily, and failing that, a little dirt or a small tear never hurt anybody." Taiki started to relax.
"Come to think of it," Shion tapped her chin. "I think I misplaced my jar of itching powder along with the jars of soap in the laundry room."
Taiki blanched.
"I'm sure we can find it if we give the room a thorough search." The leader of Unit 8 started to sweat.
A sharp ring resounded through the cramped office. Shion had drawn her katana from its saya and was running an oiled rag over it.
"You'd do that? Just for me?" She asked in a disturbingly cute voice. "There has to be some way I could repay you." The rag followed a well worn path along the blade. "You said you needed to get rid of that paperwork, right? I could help you…" The yakuza girl looked speculatively from her katana to the paperwork piled on Taiki's desk.
Taiki gulped. Perhaps a little break was in order after all…
"It is always infinitely preferable to take a break as opposed to breaking.
Unfortunately, some people must be forced to see this."
"Oh c'mon, just a couple of rounds," Haru pleaded, hands clasped in front of himself, puppy dog eyes at the fore. "Please?"
"No, absolutely not." Taiki replied testily, eyebrows knitted in a frown, ruthlessly beating down a sudden desire to tug the blonde boy's cheek and go 'Awww~'. "I must have all these supply reports filled out by nightfall. I have no time whatsoever for simple, and to be perfectly honest, frivolous 'Track and Grapple' exercises."
"It's 'Tag', Taiki." Haru's eyes lost their unnatural shine as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "And it's not an exercise, it's a game."
"Even more reason for me to refrain from participating." Taiki turned back to his supply reports. "Due to my observations I am of the opinion that 'Games', as you call them, are nothing more than an elaborate method of wasting time and I see absolutely no reason why I should take part."
"But we already gave you a reason." Shion, who had been standing next to Haru, whined. "We need another player, and you need to get out and mingle with the guys, loosen up a little, have a little fun."
"I do not need to 'mingle' with the guys." The Talos prince bit out irritably. "I have to complete these reports or there will be dire consequences. What use will 'Fun' be to me in that respect?" Taiki cursed lightly as a particularly vicious brush stroke blotted the paper. "In fact, what exactly will 'Fun' do for all of your comrades who should, by all rights, be training?"
"Stress relief for one." Shion replied seriously before a grin spread across her face. "That way we don't all act like we've got a gigantic icicle shoved up our collective ass, unlike someone I could name~"
"I do not have an icicle shoved up my-" Taiki spluttered, reddening slightly at the purple haired girl's crass language. "Be that as it may," he coughed, regaining some of his composure, "I still believe that my stress level will lower a great deal more should I finish these reports on time instead of constantly putting them off."
Shion sighed dejectedly before tilting her head and giving Haru a malicious yet questioning smirk. A smirk of his own spread over the purple eyed boy's face as he gave her a quick wink in return, hastily tidying his expression into one of innocent cheerfulness as he turned back to face Taiki.
"Ahhh, that might be a bit of a problem~" Haru rubbed the back of his head bashfully.
"How so?" Taiki asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion at the playful lilt in the cheery fool's voice.
"Well you see, I'm on laundry duty this week," Haru explained. "And if you don't come out and play with us, I just might get so depressed that I'd make… mistakes when washing certain clothes~"
Taiki's expression darkened. 'So this is their game' he mused.
"Perfectly understandable." The ebony haired boy responded magnanimously, the lessons on court wordplay surfacing from the depths of his memory. "I'm quite certain we can find someone who can relieve you of your duties temporarily, and failing that, a little dirt or a small tear never hurt anybody." Taiki started to relax.
"Come to think of it," Shion tapped her chin. "I think I misplaced my jar of itching powder along with the jars of soap in the laundry room."
Taiki blanched.
"I'm sure we can find it if we give the room a thorough search." The leader of Unit 8 started to sweat.
A sharp ring resounded through the cramped office. Shion had drawn her katana from its saya and was running an oiled rag over it.
"You'd do that? Just for me?" She asked in a disturbingly cute voice. "There has to be some way I could repay you." The rag followed a well worn path along the blade. "You said you needed to get rid of that paperwork, right? I could help you…" The yakuza girl looked speculatively from her katana to the paperwork piled on Taiki's desk.
Taiki gulped. Perhaps a little break was in order after all…
Dark
Categories:
character-Rai,
Seth
Author: Seth
"Sometimes it's nice to have something that'll never change, no matter what happens."
It covered his movements as he slipped from roof to roof, not that it ever mattered because the crusty old coot never seemed to sleep, and always seemed to be parked firmly on that balcony whenever he got anywhere near.
It blinded him to enemy movements until it was too late, and his left side suddenly felt a lot heavier than his right. He swore that he'd stop listening to music on the job after that. Not that he really kept to that promise.
It soothed his eyes after his shift finished, letting him slip into an unconscious realm of peace. Well, kind of. It would if he could just get his memory to stop working overtime. Or at least get it to focus on more… pleasant subjects.
It also meant that he missed that banana peel sitting near the foot of his bed. He made a point of never letting Shadow bring food into his room ever agian.
It was a companion who'd always be there for him, whether he wanted it to be or not. He wouldn't really have it any other way.
"Sometimes it's nice to have something that'll never change, no matter what happens."
It covered his movements as he slipped from roof to roof, not that it ever mattered because the crusty old coot never seemed to sleep, and always seemed to be parked firmly on that balcony whenever he got anywhere near.
It blinded him to enemy movements until it was too late, and his left side suddenly felt a lot heavier than his right. He swore that he'd stop listening to music on the job after that. Not that he really kept to that promise.
It soothed his eyes after his shift finished, letting him slip into an unconscious realm of peace. Well, kind of. It would if he could just get his memory to stop working overtime. Or at least get it to focus on more… pleasant subjects.
It also meant that he missed that banana peel sitting near the foot of his bed. He made a point of never letting Shadow bring food into his room ever agian.
It was a companion who'd always be there for him, whether he wanted it to be or not. He wouldn't really have it any other way.
Seriously?
Categories:
character-Kaizu,
Lariat
Author: Lariat
"Where is it!? Where is it!?
The boy frantically looked around the room, searching, and destroying it in the process. But does he really have to do it so early in the morning?
"Ugh... What are you looking for again...?"
"M-My special comb! I can't find it!" Honestly, I can't fathom as to why he keeps so much attention to his hair.
"Sis will kill me if she finds out that I haven't combed my hair today!" Oh, right, forgot.
"Really? Are you serious? You're getting whipped around by your sister just because of hair..."
"It's not just about hair! She made this for me! And I owe her for it! So it must be well kept everyday!
Sigh. Seriously, siblings or not, why is a Ranger being so submissive to a pirate anyway?
"Where is it!? Where is it!?
The boy frantically looked around the room, searching, and destroying it in the process. But does he really have to do it so early in the morning?
"Ugh... What are you looking for again...?"
"M-My special comb! I can't find it!" Honestly, I can't fathom as to why he keeps so much attention to his hair.
"Sis will kill me if she finds out that I haven't combed my hair today!" Oh, right, forgot.
"Really? Are you serious? You're getting whipped around by your sister just because of hair..."
"It's not just about hair! She made this for me! And I owe her for it! So it must be well kept everyday!
Sigh. Seriously, siblings or not, why is a Ranger being so submissive to a pirate anyway?
Introduction
Categories:
character-Shadow,
Seth
Author: Seth
"We, are creating an army. We are bringing a legend to life. We have no room for weakness."
All was peaceful and silent. She twisted sluggishly in her confined pod, her movements inhibited by the greenish fluid that surrounded her. Stray bubbles tickled her as thy made their way upwards.
Suddenly the happy calm was broken as a sucking sound filled the tube. She slowly opened her eyes, blinded by the piercing light that seemed to surround her. The slight tug that she had started to feel earlier grew more insistent as the sluice at the bottom of her chamber fully opened. Rapidly, the liquid that had held her since her 'birth' drained away; taking with it the sense of weightlessness she had known her whole life.
A door on her capsule that she had never noticed before hissed open. Looking timidly up from where she lay, weak and shivering, she saw two dark figures blocking out the burning light she had only recently gotten used to.
"Runty looking one." One of the shadows grunted. "I still think we should have left her for another year; might've had a chance." It reached down and plucked her from the floor.
She didn't even struggle. She just felt so tired…
"Hey, orders are orders." The other shadow clamped something around her neck. "Shiro-san doesn't shell out the cash to keep any of these little guys alive unless he's got a good reason to." Peering down at the collar she now wore, she spotted a bronze tag hanging from it, the inscription 'P23' pressed into the metal, though she had no idea what it meant.
And suddenly the world was moving. Up and down, up and down until she felt as if she'd be sick. The whole while the two shadows, upon whom she could now make out labcoats, continued to make those odd sounds that she couldn't comprehend.
"Take the First, for example." The second shadow continued, gesturing into thin air. "She's still alive because she's the First, no other reason."
"Really?" The shadow carrying her shifted her slightly. "I thought we were saving her until we had specific regimes ironed out."
The second shadow snorted.
"As much as Shiro-san is loathe to admit it, all the regimes in the world wouldn't help our little breakthrough. While she has certain traits that are… curious, she's retarded on a level that renders any skills she has completely useless." The second shadow heaved a sigh. "She's not really much more than a trophy nowadays…" He perked up slightly. "We're here."
The pair of scientists with blue haired baby in tow made a sharp left through an unobtrusive matte grey door.
Inside was a tiny room, covered in various electronic devices, and dominated a large window that looked out over a vast, empty arena. The two men quickly went about their business with practiced ease, one prepping the various apparatus' and the other laying her in a small recess that she had overlooked.
"I always hate this part." The scientist that had been carrying her mumbled as he double-checked and noted down the number on her collar.
"Don't look at me." The other scientist, the gossip made a few final adjustments. "You knew what you were signing up for just as much as I did." He looked over to ensure that his comrade had finished his preparations and pressed a small button.
A transparent, perforated plastic screen slid over her, trapping her in the small space. Despite the cramped area, she actually started to calm down, comforted by the similarity to her old home.
The peace didn't last long. Somewhere off in the distance a tone started up, once, twice, thrice, and the floor fell away. Down she shot, sliding along a smooth, steel chute before flying out a small opening and landing heavily in the immense area she had briefly glimpsed before. The space was unremarkable, a circular expanse of dull grey metal, save for one thing. All around her, other children were flying out of similar holes, placed high up in the walls so that they had no chance of making it back up to them.
Peering through the dizzy haze of her brain, created by the rapid events she had just gone through, she started to make out the other figures. While they were each, in their own way, unique, every single one of the sported the same light blue hair she did.
Her thoughts were brutally interrupted as the sound spread throughout the stadium like an infection. It tore at her ears, poked at her eyes, and clawed at her skin. She fell to the floor, rolling around madly, trying to find a way, any way to make it stop.
And suddenly she stopped rolling. Slowly she raised her head as the eerie concert thrashed about her, and she knew what was happening. This was their doing. They were the ones weaving this hell for her, and the only to get rid of it was to get rid of them.
Every figure, all fifty of them shot forward as one, screaming in rage and pain.
For her, everything blurred into a hallucinogenic tapestry of flying limbs, crackling electricity, burning flesh, and above it the constant harmony of torment that refused to leave her alone.
The slaughter raged on for what seemed like hours, but in reality couldn't have been more than ten minutes.
One of her opponents almost ripped out her throat, their finger leaving a jagged slash across her right cheek as she dodged. Shrieking in pain and hate, she spun around, grabbing the back of their head as an uncontrolled torrent of electricity erupted from her palm.
Quickly letting the corpse fall she looked around wildly for her next enemy only to find none. As she stood amid the bleeding, and burning bodies, somewhere in the back of her head the song of agony slowly died, the soul wracking notes fading away as if they had never been.
A harsh light was thrown upon the grisly scene as a seamless section of the wall parted, and footsteps echoed throughout the bloody arena.
"Well I'll be damned," A familiar voice forced its way through her suddenly dull senses. "She actually made it." Slowly she turned around, and caught site of the scientist that had pulled her from her small incubating pod what seemed an eternity ago.
"I guess miracles do happen." The second followed close behind the first. "Here, catch, you've earned it." He tossed a small, brown shift to her which she caught numbly. "Welcome to the world, P23."
"We, are creating an army. We are bringing a legend to life. We have no room for weakness."
All was peaceful and silent. She twisted sluggishly in her confined pod, her movements inhibited by the greenish fluid that surrounded her. Stray bubbles tickled her as thy made their way upwards.
Suddenly the happy calm was broken as a sucking sound filled the tube. She slowly opened her eyes, blinded by the piercing light that seemed to surround her. The slight tug that she had started to feel earlier grew more insistent as the sluice at the bottom of her chamber fully opened. Rapidly, the liquid that had held her since her 'birth' drained away; taking with it the sense of weightlessness she had known her whole life.
A door on her capsule that she had never noticed before hissed open. Looking timidly up from where she lay, weak and shivering, she saw two dark figures blocking out the burning light she had only recently gotten used to.
"Runty looking one." One of the shadows grunted. "I still think we should have left her for another year; might've had a chance." It reached down and plucked her from the floor.
She didn't even struggle. She just felt so tired…
"Hey, orders are orders." The other shadow clamped something around her neck. "Shiro-san doesn't shell out the cash to keep any of these little guys alive unless he's got a good reason to." Peering down at the collar she now wore, she spotted a bronze tag hanging from it, the inscription 'P23' pressed into the metal, though she had no idea what it meant.
And suddenly the world was moving. Up and down, up and down until she felt as if she'd be sick. The whole while the two shadows, upon whom she could now make out labcoats, continued to make those odd sounds that she couldn't comprehend.
"Take the First, for example." The second shadow continued, gesturing into thin air. "She's still alive because she's the First, no other reason."
"Really?" The shadow carrying her shifted her slightly. "I thought we were saving her until we had specific regimes ironed out."
The second shadow snorted.
"As much as Shiro-san is loathe to admit it, all the regimes in the world wouldn't help our little breakthrough. While she has certain traits that are… curious, she's retarded on a level that renders any skills she has completely useless." The second shadow heaved a sigh. "She's not really much more than a trophy nowadays…" He perked up slightly. "We're here."
The pair of scientists with blue haired baby in tow made a sharp left through an unobtrusive matte grey door.
Inside was a tiny room, covered in various electronic devices, and dominated a large window that looked out over a vast, empty arena. The two men quickly went about their business with practiced ease, one prepping the various apparatus' and the other laying her in a small recess that she had overlooked.
"I always hate this part." The scientist that had been carrying her mumbled as he double-checked and noted down the number on her collar.
"Don't look at me." The other scientist, the gossip made a few final adjustments. "You knew what you were signing up for just as much as I did." He looked over to ensure that his comrade had finished his preparations and pressed a small button.
A transparent, perforated plastic screen slid over her, trapping her in the small space. Despite the cramped area, she actually started to calm down, comforted by the similarity to her old home.
The peace didn't last long. Somewhere off in the distance a tone started up, once, twice, thrice, and the floor fell away. Down she shot, sliding along a smooth, steel chute before flying out a small opening and landing heavily in the immense area she had briefly glimpsed before. The space was unremarkable, a circular expanse of dull grey metal, save for one thing. All around her, other children were flying out of similar holes, placed high up in the walls so that they had no chance of making it back up to them.
Peering through the dizzy haze of her brain, created by the rapid events she had just gone through, she started to make out the other figures. While they were each, in their own way, unique, every single one of the sported the same light blue hair she did.
Her thoughts were brutally interrupted as the sound spread throughout the stadium like an infection. It tore at her ears, poked at her eyes, and clawed at her skin. She fell to the floor, rolling around madly, trying to find a way, any way to make it stop.
And suddenly she stopped rolling. Slowly she raised her head as the eerie concert thrashed about her, and she knew what was happening. This was their doing. They were the ones weaving this hell for her, and the only to get rid of it was to get rid of them.
Every figure, all fifty of them shot forward as one, screaming in rage and pain.
For her, everything blurred into a hallucinogenic tapestry of flying limbs, crackling electricity, burning flesh, and above it the constant harmony of torment that refused to leave her alone.
The slaughter raged on for what seemed like hours, but in reality couldn't have been more than ten minutes.
One of her opponents almost ripped out her throat, their finger leaving a jagged slash across her right cheek as she dodged. Shrieking in pain and hate, she spun around, grabbing the back of their head as an uncontrolled torrent of electricity erupted from her palm.
Quickly letting the corpse fall she looked around wildly for her next enemy only to find none. As she stood amid the bleeding, and burning bodies, somewhere in the back of her head the song of agony slowly died, the soul wracking notes fading away as if they had never been.
A harsh light was thrown upon the grisly scene as a seamless section of the wall parted, and footsteps echoed throughout the bloody arena.
"Well I'll be damned," A familiar voice forced its way through her suddenly dull senses. "She actually made it." Slowly she turned around, and caught site of the scientist that had pulled her from her small incubating pod what seemed an eternity ago.
"I guess miracles do happen." The second followed close behind the first. "Here, catch, you've earned it." He tossed a small, brown shift to her which she caught numbly. "Welcome to the world, P23."
Grief
Categories:
character-Haru,
Lariat
Author: Lariat
The exchange of words ran through his head again.
"Don't you care that you're going to die!?"
"I don't care what happens to me. I still have faith in you; faith that you'll turn around. But... if you ever dare to hurt Ryuu, I''ll never forgive you..."
After hearing that, after hearing about him never forgiving him, guilt and sadness had overwhelmed him.
His judgment is beginning to go beyond 'honor before reason' now. He was beginning to become the mask he had worn. Being manipulated by the Capital in order to see his family again at the cost of losing his friends in the process just wasn't the life for him anymore. But it's already too late.
The job is done. But now he has to take down the successor as well. But he can't. He couldn't do that to the person he just killed. The person who trusted him and became his best friend.
He just doesn't know what to do anymore. Lately, the rest of his peers have been saying things like, "Are you okay? What's wrong?" or "I know it's hard for you, but things like this happen. We've all seen it happen before, right?" And lately, he usually sits around in bed now. Seeing hallucinations of his late friend. Thinking that it's probably his guilt following him around.
Oh... another one... he thought, as he sees the figure coming towards him. How strange. It seems to have white clothes this time...
It spoke to him, "You can still stay. You don't have to go back there."
"I have to."
"Who said you have to! You know, I still have faith in you that you'll change."
He's still saying that? "...Why? You shouldn't even bother..."
"Because, silly, you're my friend!" A pause. Then, his vision started to blur and the figure looked at him quizzically, in worry.
"What's wrong? You started crying!"
The exchange of words ran through his head again.
"Don't you care that you're going to die!?"
"I don't care what happens to me. I still have faith in you; faith that you'll turn around. But... if you ever dare to hurt Ryuu, I''ll never forgive you..."
After hearing that, after hearing about him never forgiving him, guilt and sadness had overwhelmed him.
His judgment is beginning to go beyond 'honor before reason' now. He was beginning to become the mask he had worn. Being manipulated by the Capital in order to see his family again at the cost of losing his friends in the process just wasn't the life for him anymore. But it's already too late.
The job is done. But now he has to take down the successor as well. But he can't. He couldn't do that to the person he just killed. The person who trusted him and became his best friend.
He just doesn't know what to do anymore. Lately, the rest of his peers have been saying things like, "Are you okay? What's wrong?" or "I know it's hard for you, but things like this happen. We've all seen it happen before, right?" And lately, he usually sits around in bed now. Seeing hallucinations of his late friend. Thinking that it's probably his guilt following him around.
Oh... another one... he thought, as he sees the figure coming towards him. How strange. It seems to have white clothes this time...
It spoke to him, "You can still stay. You don't have to go back there."
"I have to."
"Who said you have to! You know, I still have faith in you that you'll change."
He's still saying that? "...Why? You shouldn't even bother..."
"Because, silly, you're my friend!" A pause. Then, his vision started to blur and the figure looked at him quizzically, in worry.
"What's wrong? You started crying!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)