I promise I won't ruin your audition with a fight.
I'm the one who assigns hours. So it's my own fault.
[He looks at the chip running across the back of the smooth black armor on his hand, leaning against the brick wall behind the shop before sinking down it. Honestly if it were conquering the world, he feels like it would be easy. With the amount of human unrest, it'd be a 'I welcome our new overlords' situation.]
[But no. It's saying good-bye. And he knows the shareholders have been here- it's how they have money. Yet they're so detached they can continue to plan this- are they equally detached toward them?]
[He tucks his clawed hand into his coat again and waits.]
[ a couple of minutes pass and then there is the chime of the door. akane is standing there, a medic kit tucked under one arm as she smiles at the waitress before turning to look for the general.
hopefully he picked somewhere to sit that is out of the way enough not to disturb anyone... ]
[This is what he gets for watching documentaries all the time, he doesn't even know what his psuedo-friends are up to.]
[He's chosen what's pretty much an alley, far from the sidewalk, and dark enough that his creepy eyes catch the light. Made worse that, when she comes closer, he pulls out his hand. The same clawed hand he'd used to rend the occasional monster, and is strong enough to fend off Red's sword.]
[He'd cut it as a flesh hand. Like this, the exoskeleton has a break in the armor but it's nothing more than that.]
Hold the bandage on it for when I it change back. It'll start bleeding again.
[ akane would tease him about a dramatic meeting later, instead she smiles at him and then follows his instructions. she tucks the kit under one arm after pulling out some bandages and a spray disinfectant. ]
[His knuckles crack as black mist swirls and ripples down his hand, leaving flesh where exoskeleton was.]
Bandaging it is difficult to do with one hand. [As if he has to explain why he couldn't sufficiently do it himself. But his excuse isn't valid anyway because he has a doctor he could go to.]
[This doesn't even help, really. Reaching out to someone that's kind to him. It does nothing to quell his moral dilemmas. But here he is, extending his hand in more ways than one.]
Yeah, and the claws probably don't help much with getting bandages out intact. [ akane smiles, teasing. in his position, she would also prefer asking someone for help-her mother, maybe, or another of her coworkers. her agent. even if she would be embarrassed to explain how the injury happened.
she brings up the spray and squirts a generous amount of disinfectant. ] Hold this. [ she passes the spray to him so that she can take his wrist in a free hand and begin wiping the blood away with some cotton. ]
They make cutting them easier. [He plays along with the joke, and takes the spray so she can keep doing what she's doing.]
I'll owe you one of those... mango smoothies? [He checks to make sure he's remembering right, but he's also still wandering... why she's doing this? She doesn't need to. Her and Red have that in common, just wanting to be kind no matter what.]
[It's something that he doesn't realize he shares.]
Mango smoothies, mango cakes, mango pudding! Whenever mango season is here it is on everything and it is so delicious. [ she talks to keep things at ease, maybe to distract him a little when she starts dabbing the cotton buds to clean up the wound before pressing a clean gauze down. ]
You know...getting drunk alone is a bad habit to develop. At least...call one of us. [ she finishes wrapping it up then adjusts it before giving it a light pat. ] And you're all done!
I'll have to try some. I'm used to pursuing the sakura-related items. [He watches her bandage him up. He'll be totally healed by tomorrow morning, but it's nice to know that he's not going to be making a mess on any of his nice clean things.]
[He takes his wrist back, rubbing it where she was holding it, and decides he should shuffle out of the creepy ominous darkness with her, who is considerably less ominous.]
I wasn't intending to get drunk. Just to relax a little. I had a difficult conversation that made me feel tense.
[Though he's said enough. He doesn't need to say even that much to her.] Let's go in the cafe and I'll work on that debt.
Sakura items are the most popular, they're also really good. [ ominous aura or not, akane remains happily oblivious to it—not that he is not intimidating on the battlefield, but right now she trusts him completely. they have an understanding, and she takes back the first aid kit, closes it up and makes sure to note down that the bandages need replacing. ]
What conversation? [ she has to ask ] Must have been really tense...
If you have any confessions you would like to make, you should go there. She likes hearing those. [Which is a strange thing to say if you don't know that there's a spirit attached to that tree.]
[But, right, the conversation...]
When you were young, what did you dream of growing up to do? Did you realize that dream?
You're avoiding the question a little. [ akane feels the need to point out but doesn't push it further-they are enemies on a bad day even if today is a good one. ]
Mm, I did, mostly I think! What about you? Did you always want to be what you are now?
[ she doesn't say 'general' because they're in public but she is curious. akane finds him more gentle than not. ]
I'm not exactly avoiding it. I asked because there's a little boy who comes to the zoo to watch the pandas. He usually watches them with me, respectfully and quietly. He wants to become an animal doctor one day- a veterinarian? I believe they're called? - but claims his mother doesn't believe that'll be possible.
[And he doesn't believe it will be, because he's confident that the Homeworld will want to wipe out every last human.]
It bothered me more than I realized. [So he did drink. He drank because the idea was stressful and all he can do is treat that kid like a little adult. But it doesn't feel like enough. It doesn't feel right.]
Earthling children are admirable. [He's not so fond of the adults sometimes. As for his own childhood, he does end up avoiding that question.]
Of course, he can become a veterinarian. [ akane doesn't think twice about it, ] He just has to study hard, but if he's sincere about his passion—he will do it.
[ she shakes her head, a smile on her face. ] Some are, some are just very naughty. But...why does it bother you?
I've been lucky. I've not come across the naughty ones.
[His heart hurts a little.] Helplessness is an uncommon feeling for me.
[He's lucky that they're mostly enemies in theory. His main enemies are the Rangers. And given that he has a mutual interest in destroying her enemies, he can also consider her an ally as much as a protector of Earth. So he can... tentatively... talk to her about this kind of thing.]
But I genuinely didn't intend to drink that much.
[He politely gets the door for her when they reach the front of the cafe.]
[ she thanks him quietly before stepping through the door. ] Mm, I see what you mean about helplessness. It is a little too close to hopelessness too, and that's the worst feeling.
[ akane gestures towards a table on the side by the window, it looks pleasantly private while giving them both a nice view of both the inside of the cafe and outside. ]
I'll order for us, you go sit down and rest your hand. [ she is teasing, knowing it is not serious. ]
[Right. That's the thing. Because his people have needs that otherwise won't get attended to, a little boy who took the time to make his life better will never see adulthood. But also, he wouldn't dare condemn Ashe and Ur to remain trapped in their current state because he enjoyed a trip to a petting zoo.]
[So. Hopelessness. That is truly the right word.]
[He thinks so hard on it he takes a few moments to step through the door.] Right. [There's no laughter following the joke because of the state of distraction. Though by the time she's done, and has come to the table he's chosen, he's climbed out of his own head.]
I'm still not entirely sure what I did. I hope I didn't fight anyone... [If it had been the Rangers they probably would have finally successfully arrested him.] It is the only wound I could account for, though I am generally a little sore.
Ah, yeah, a lot of alcohol will make you black out and it usually isn't the best thing. [ imagine the potential for embarrassing things? akane shudders at the thought, then sits comfortably.
a few moments later, the waitress deposits two coffees and two mango puddings. ] Maybe you just did a lot of exercise or something? It doesn't look like you fell down or anything so...it's probably fine.
And if you had done something terribly embarrassing, we would know already. Though...should I ask Red? You two seem to bump into each other a lot.
I'm on my little tablet and keep pushing 'post' instead of 'preview'
[ akane nods and then taps away at the phone; a quick message to red and then she is sitting up and pulling her coffee closer for a sip. ]
I'm sure he'll reply soon, he's probably helping the twins or something at the moment.
[ look, she's never going to ask why the general hasn't killed any of the rangers; akane isn't stupid, she can tell he could have. but for that matter, the rangers also haven't really harmed the general.
maybe it is complicated? akane is grateful her own fights are easier, there is nothing but animosity towards those forces of evil the magical girls have to fight. ]
[DOES RED HAVE KIDS?!!! He is very lucky that he doesn't let the shock that fills him work into his expression because she probably doesn't know what things about the Rangers the General doesn't know.]
He's always been good with kids. ['The twins' means kids, right? Not adults? Well he took a wild stab.]
[But what if Red is dead, and what if there are two orphans out there? He's going to have to send them money- up until he destroys humanity anyway. He can't let some fatherless orphans struggle? He also feels a little strange about the idea of Red having a wife. He's not going to unpack that ever. That can just go away, he doesn't care for that. No. Feeling be gone.]
[Sip coffee. Everything is good.]
If he doesn't respond I'll start trying to backtrack over my trail yesterday. [Surely the Organization kept track of his movements via their GPS.]
He has! I think Red is very kind. [ a good friend, a trustworthy ally, and...well, he always seems to find the general and get into trouble there. ] If I didn't know better, you two seem like you would get along really well.
[ clearly akane is not worried about red being dead anywhere, maybe she just trusts that no matter what red can always get himself out of trouble. ]
I like him about as well as one can like an annoying enemy, which is about as generous as I can be. I assist him with directions, and he occasionally respects calls for a cease-fire. I can't ask for more than that.
[Huff huff. But he does logically know there are many times they could have done what could only be considered the reasonable thing to a vulnerable enemy and they just mutually... didn't. For whatever reason. He does like Red a lot.]
[Unfortunately, he doesn't know if his inside voice has the same restraint as the honoroble, stoic exterior. It's... it's not faith in Red he lacks, but faith in the more aggressive parts of himself.]
[Things he didn't want to evaluate about himself and his internal feelings today? This.]
If he doesn't respond I'm going to backtrack. [He says with confidence as he defiantly eats his mango hangover recovery pudding.] I can check my phone positioning from last night and identify suspicious locations.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
I promise I won't ruin your audition with a fight.
I'm the one who assigns hours. So it's my own fault.
[He looks at the chip running across the back of the smooth black armor on his hand, leaning against the brick wall behind the shop before sinking down it. Honestly if it were conquering the world, he feels like it would be easy. With the amount of human unrest, it'd be a 'I welcome our new overlords' situation.]
[But no. It's saying good-bye. And he knows the shareholders have been here- it's how they have money. Yet they're so detached they can continue to plan this- are they equally detached toward them?]
[He tucks his clawed hand into his coat again and waits.]
BLESS U FOR MOVING US
[ she is very flattered he would want to??? ]
Almost there!
[ a couple of minutes pass and then there is the chime of the door. akane is standing there, a medic kit tucked under one arm as she smiles at the waitress before turning to look for the general.
hopefully he picked somewhere to sit that is out of the way enough not to disturb anyone... ]
no subject
[He's chosen what's pretty much an alley, far from the sidewalk, and dark enough that his creepy eyes catch the light. Made worse that, when she comes closer, he pulls out his hand. The same clawed hand he'd used to rend the occasional monster, and is strong enough to fend off Red's sword.]
[He'd cut it as a flesh hand. Like this, the exoskeleton has a break in the armor but it's nothing more than that.]
Hold the bandage on it for when I it change back. It'll start bleeding again.
no subject
Alright, ready when you are.
no subject
Bandaging it is difficult to do with one hand. [As if he has to explain why he couldn't sufficiently do it himself. But his excuse isn't valid anyway because he has a doctor he could go to.]
[This doesn't even help, really. Reaching out to someone that's kind to him. It does nothing to quell his moral dilemmas. But here he is, extending his hand in more ways than one.]
no subject
she brings up the spray and squirts a generous amount of disinfectant. ] Hold this. [ she passes the spray to him so that she can take his wrist in a free hand and begin wiping the blood away with some cotton. ]
no subject
I'll owe you one of those... mango smoothies? [He checks to make sure he's remembering right, but he's also still wandering... why she's doing this? She doesn't need to. Her and Red have that in common, just wanting to be kind no matter what.]
[It's something that he doesn't realize he shares.]
no subject
You know...getting drunk alone is a bad habit to develop. At least...call one of us. [ she finishes wrapping it up then adjusts it before giving it a light pat. ] And you're all done!
no subject
[He takes his wrist back, rubbing it where she was holding it, and decides he should shuffle out of the creepy ominous darkness with her, who is considerably less ominous.]
I wasn't intending to get drunk. Just to relax a little. I had a difficult conversation that made me feel tense.
[Though he's said enough. He doesn't need to say even that much to her.] Let's go in the cafe and I'll work on that debt.
no subject
What conversation? [ she has to ask ] Must have been really tense...
no subject
If you have any confessions you would like to make, you should go there. She likes hearing those. [Which is a strange thing to say if you don't know that there's a spirit attached to that tree.]
[But, right, the conversation...]
When you were young, what did you dream of growing up to do? Did you realize that dream?
no subject
Mm, I did, mostly I think! What about you? Did you always want to be what you are now?
[ she doesn't say 'general' because they're in public but she is curious. akane finds him more gentle than not. ]
no subject
[And he doesn't believe it will be, because he's confident that the Homeworld will want to wipe out every last human.]
It bothered me more than I realized. [So he did drink. He drank because the idea was stressful and all he can do is treat that kid like a little adult. But it doesn't feel like enough. It doesn't feel right.]
Earthling children are admirable. [He's not so fond of the adults sometimes. As for his own childhood, he does end up avoiding that question.]
no subject
[ she shakes her head, a smile on her face. ] Some are, some are just very naughty. But...why does it bother you?
no subject
[His heart hurts a little.] Helplessness is an uncommon feeling for me.
[He's lucky that they're mostly enemies in theory. His main enemies are the Rangers. And given that he has a mutual interest in destroying her enemies, he can also consider her an ally as much as a protector of Earth. So he can... tentatively... talk to her about this kind of thing.]
But I genuinely didn't intend to drink that much.
[He politely gets the door for her when they reach the front of the cafe.]
no subject
[ akane gestures towards a table on the side by the window, it looks pleasantly private while giving them both a nice view of both the inside of the cafe and outside. ]
I'll order for us, you go sit down and rest your hand. [ she is teasing, knowing it is not serious. ]
no subject
[Right. That's the thing. Because his people have needs that otherwise won't get attended to, a little boy who took the time to make his life better will never see adulthood. But also, he wouldn't dare condemn Ashe and Ur to remain trapped in their current state because he enjoyed a trip to a petting zoo.]
[So. Hopelessness. That is truly the right word.]
[He thinks so hard on it he takes a few moments to step through the door.] Right. [There's no laughter following the joke because of the state of distraction. Though by the time she's done, and has come to the table he's chosen, he's climbed out of his own head.]
I'm still not entirely sure what I did. I hope I didn't fight anyone... [If it had been the Rangers they probably would have finally successfully arrested him.] It is the only wound I could account for, though I am generally a little sore.
no subject
a few moments later, the waitress deposits two coffees and two mango puddings. ] Maybe you just did a lot of exercise or something? It doesn't look like you fell down or anything so...it's probably fine.
And if you had done something terribly embarrassing, we would know already. Though...should I ask Red? You two seem to bump into each other a lot.
I'm on my little tablet and keep pushing 'post' instead of 'preview'
No. I wouldn't-
[But what if they fought. What if he's dead somewhere. What if because he was drunk the part of his brain that stops him from killing Red turned off.]
Nevermind. Yes, you should do that.
[Why has he spared him so often, anyway? He picks up his cup of coffee.]
no worries!
I'm sure he'll reply soon, he's probably helping the twins or something at the moment.
[ look, she's never going to ask why the general hasn't killed any of the rangers; akane isn't stupid, she can tell he could have. but for that matter, the rangers also haven't really harmed the general.
maybe it is complicated? akane is grateful her own fights are easier, there is nothing but animosity towards those forces of evil the magical girls have to fight. ]
no subject
He's always been good with kids. ['The twins' means kids, right? Not adults? Well he took a wild stab.]
[But what if Red is dead, and what if there are two orphans out there? He's going to have to send them money- up until he destroys humanity anyway. He can't let some fatherless orphans struggle? He also feels a little strange about the idea of Red having a wife. He's not going to unpack that ever. That can just go away, he doesn't care for that. No. Feeling be gone.]
[Sip coffee. Everything is good.]
If he doesn't respond I'll start trying to backtrack over my trail yesterday. [Surely the Organization kept track of his movements via their GPS.]
no subject
[ clearly akane is not worried about red being dead anywhere, maybe she just trusts that no matter what red can always get himself out of trouble. ]
I think you need to have more faith in him.
no subject
[Huff huff. But he does logically know there are many times they could have done what could only be considered the reasonable thing to a vulnerable enemy and they just mutually... didn't. For whatever reason.
He does like Red a lot.][Unfortunately, he doesn't know if his inside voice has the same restraint as the honoroble, stoic exterior. It's... it's not faith in Red he lacks, but faith in the more aggressive parts of himself.]
[Things he didn't want to evaluate about himself and his internal feelings today? This.]
If he doesn't respond I'm going to backtrack. [He says with confidence as he defiantly eats his mango hangover recovery pudding.] I can check my phone positioning from last night and identify suspicious locations.