nexus_sages | The Season is over, time to pack it up and head home.... Or I guess not?

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The Season is over, time to pack it up and head home.... Or I guess not?

[Due to the extent of his injuries, Shino was supposed to be taking it easy. Due to his stubborn and helpful nature, Shino was not taking it easy, and was in fact, doing one of the most important tasks on the Isaribi; delivering lunch.]

[It was fiiiiine. He only had a minor head wound, a couple broken ribs, and some torso bruising, it's no big deal. He can walk without falling over, he can lift the lunch sack with only mild discomfort, and if he sat around "recovering" for any longer, he was going to go crazy! He could absolutely handle carrying the lunch bentos to the hanger without any stress. Sure, Yamagi will probably yell at him for it, but the engineer got snippy with him for a whole lot of things. It was just how he showed he cared.]

[Except the door he just walked through didn't lead to the hanger, it lead to the Nexus. He barely took two steps past the threshold before the big metal door slammed shut behind him, causing him to jump a foot in the air. There was an audible clicking of locks as he spun around to face it, thick yellow and black tape snaking its way across the door.]

Huh, what? [He slid his bag of bento boxes off his shoulder and set it on the floor just as a "Closed for Maintenance" sign popped into existence] What? Closed for maintenance, what does that mean?

Hey! [He raises a fist, pounding on the door as hard as he can] Hey, hey, guys! Someone open this door for me! This isn't funny, guys! Guys? Guys, come on! Someone open the door, guys, come on! [he stops his pounding to try rattling the door handle, to no avail.] Shit.

[For a moment, he stares hard at the door. Then he takes a few steps back.]

[Then a few more.]

[And a few more.]

[He gets about fifteen feet back before he goes charging at the door, bellowing loudly the whole way.]

[Naturally, the door doesn't budge an inch when he slams into it, but Shino crumples to the floor like a sack of bricks and lies there, curled on his side and groaning.]

[Sharpest tool in the shed, this one is not.]

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((Before I tag in: Ver's got a truth-sensing curse stuck in her that she can't turn off. She knows when people are lying and she can see through illusions; she doesn't know what the truth is or have psychic powers. More details here. If you don't want to deal, let me know, I know it can get annoying.))

[Go for it! It's just Sonic-mun here, after all. ;) Shino's a TERRIBLE liar anyway, I don't think it's going to make much of a difference with him.]]

((Ah! Hello again! I am going to poke you on Tumblr now I want to hear about the convention. :P))

Verity may not have been paying much attention to another person wandering through another door, but the banging and yelling are awfully familiar in a 'oh boy another newcomer' sort of way. The self-destructive streak... no, that's not so unusual either.

So, when Shino's aware of his surroundings again, he's got a pink-haired woman standing over him wearing an expression that's half amusement and half concern. "You gonna stop doing that now?"

[He recovers pretty quickly - or rather, he realizes there's someone standing over him and puts on a bright grin. It becomes a little less forced when he realizes Verity is a girl.]

Hahaha, yeah, I didn't really think that would work. [He pushes himself upright with a quiet grunt, leaning back on one hand while the other rubs the back of his neck sheepishly] But I figured it was worth a shot, since nothing else seemed to be working.

"And now you've hurt yourself." If he wanted to impress her, he should have thought of that before he ran at a sealed door. So now he has to deal with her looking him over like she's intending to fix him. "I'm Verity. You got any issues with magic?"

Ahhh, I'm fine! [he laughs, shrugging the injury off like it's no big deal. As far as he's concerned, it's not - he's young, stubborn, and brimming with machismo.] I'm Shino! As for magic, ah... [he pauses, his brow furrowing slightly] Well, that's not real, right?

"Uh huh." Has nobody told him machismo is a punchline? "It's very real, actually. But if you don't want any, that's fine. Would you accept a hand up? There are more comfortable places to sit."

It's kind of tempting to just do it and prove that yes, this is real. But consent is important. And she's not strong enough to go showing it off before being expected to use it productively.

[Honestly, if he ever found that out, he'd probably just step up his game. People think him being a show-boating tough guy is funny? Alright, cool, let's make people laugh!]

Ah! I didn't say I didn't want any! [He sits up straighter, the smile dropping from his face in exchange for a wide-eyed look of concern. He didn't mean to offend Verity!] You can do your magic if you want to! I don't mind!

Well, that's one way to look at it.

Ver isn't offended by people not wanting magic done to them; she wouldn't want people wandering around just magicking her either. That has not, historically, gone well for her. "Okay. There's going to be some lights and some noise."

And possibly a warm tingly sensation, but she'll let that be a nice surprise.

[So when Shino said he didn't mind her doing magic, he didn't... actually think anything was going to happen. Like maybe she'd do some neat slight of hand trick or something, but not real, actual, you can't argue with the results magic. So when her hands start glowing, his eyes go comically wide and his jaw drops. When he starts glowing, his eyes go even wider and he lets out a shout of surprise.]

Ahhhhh, what are you doing, how are you doing that? [He's on his feet in an instant, and his body doesn't even protest in the slightest. He's been diligently ignoring the amount of pain he's been in for the past few days, but it's amazing how much different he feels now that it's just gone.] AHHHHHH, THAT'S SO AMAZING, HOW DID YOU DO THAT?

[Don't mind him just whipping off his shirt, he has to see what she's done. Unfortunately, there are bandages half-way up his torso, and those aren't quite so easy to get off]

The shout makes her stop, and although she wasn't touching him she pulls her hand away and takes a step back too. Shouting like that usually means one of two things, in her experience: someone getting angry, or a superhero fight starting. Neither is a situation she wants to stay in.

"Please stop shouting." She's not even going to mention the shirt. Maybe if she ignores that he'll put it back on? "I told you, magic. It's, um. I've been practicing."

[Sorry, Verity, he's kind of a loud person in general. But he's also deceptively observant, so when she speaks, he looks up at her and immediately takes note of her posture and expression. There's a moment where his own expression goes completely blank, then he exhales, bowing his head to her. When he speaks, his voice has dropped to a much more reasonable volume]

Sorry about that, I get a little carried away. [He continues working on the bandages until they fall away, then he pokes and prods at his sides, a pleased smile on his face. He's still a little sore in places, but considering the extent of his injuries before, Verity's work is nothing to sneeze at] This is so amazing! It's almost like I didn't very nearly get killed at all! I think you did an even better job than the life support tanks can do! Man, I wish we had someone like you on the Isaribi, and not just because you're pretty.

[He gives her a little wink and a cheeky grin]

She relaxes when he turns down the volume and gives him a grateful little smile. Loud, she can get used to, but first meetings are rarely easy for her. The fact he's making the effort is appreciated. She'll try to reciprocate.

"It's okay, magic's pretty exciting the first time." Usually. She glances down at where he's poking himself, wondering what exactly she did. It must be pretty good. "Oh. Um. You're welcome. What happened to you, before you got here?"

Oh, it was just a mobile suit battle. [He shrugs it off as if it was nothing, flexing and stretching a little bit before pulling his shirt back on. Was he just trying to show off how muscular he was? Maybe a little, but it felt good to be able to stretch his arms over his head without his ribs complaining] This weird new model came out of nowhere and really did a number on me, Lafter, and Azee!

[He flashes a grin, as if nearly being killed really was equivalent to "having a number done" to him.] But that was almost a whole week ago, now, and Mikazuki took care of everything, like he always does. He's in much worse shape than I am, though...

Oh, he's one of those heroic types. That makes sense, with the willingness to throw himself in harm's way (or at a wall) and the shrugging off of near-death experiences. They're all crazy. All of them. And she loves them for it.

"I'm not sure what a mobile suit is," she admits, "but I'm sorry about your friends."

[Child soldier, more specifically, but heroic certainly isn't wrong! He'd leap in front of any one of his comrades in a heartbeat if it meant they stayed safe for just a moment longer.]

Don't worry about my friends! [He reaches out to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his smile warm, if strangely bitter] We did what we came to do, and that's what really matters! No one's sacrifice turned out to be in vain, and knowing that makes the pay off all the better.

But you don't know what a mobile suit is? [Well, he didn't know that magic was real, so he supposes that's fair, but how do you describe a mobile suit to someone who hasn't seen one before? He folds one arm across his chest, resting his chin on his fist as his brows furrow with thought]

[Ah! Of course!] They're sort of like really huge suits of armor! Really huge, they're usually around 18 meters tall, and they have a cockpit in the chest area where the pilot sits. Mine's called the Ryusei-Go, and- [His grin grows real wide and proud] It's almost the same color as your hair!

Now that she's going to have an issue with. Verity has very strong feelings about kids doing that sort of thing. She's all for mutant rights and understands they need to protect themselves because gods know nobody else will, but it's just wrong to train kids to fight like that. And the skills learned for self-defense can be used to go on the offensive.

Wait, are his friends dead now? Her expression falls even further. But he doesn't want condolences so she bites her tongue. It's not her place to force him to grieve the way she wants.

"Oh. Cool. There were exosuits where I'm from, but they weren't usually much taller than a person. Bright pink, huh? You've got good taste." His smile is contagious enough to get a little one from her now. There's still something in her eyes, but that might be why she's avoiding eye contact. Part of why.

[She won't be happy to hear about the society he's come from, them. He's just a plain old human, discarded and displaced due to poverty and death. Even then, he doesn't have it half so bad as the ones known as Human Debris.]

[Oh, but he knows that expression. He spent a whole week with that exact look aimed at him and his comrades while they fought their battles. He didn't appreciate it then, and now...]

[Well, it's irritating, but he knows it comes from a place of concern and human empathy. And he knows her feelings are valid, he would feel the same in her place, he's sure, but they're just not very useful feelings.]

Hey... [he speaks softly, stepping close enough to place both his hands on her shoulders, but moving slowly enough that she can move away if she wants to] There's no need for you to be sad on our behalf. We all chose our path, and none of us have any regrets. Being sad isn't going to change the world. But believing in us, and our strength, just might a difference.

[With that, he steps back, waving at the locked door with that easy-going smile of his] Besides, it doesn't look like I'll be allowed to do any more fighting for a while! Haha!

Pink is definitely the best color, though. [He grins broadly, puffing up his chest] When I see it, I always feel full of fighting spirit! The other guys think it's dumb, but what do they know? It hasn't failed me yet!

No. No, she will not like that at all. You know it's bad when the misanthrope thinks it's going too far.

Nobody promised feelings were always going to be useful, and if they did, they were lying. And she knows it's entirely screwed up that he's comforting her. That's just. Well. If that's what he wants to do, she'll listen quietly and nod at the end. "Okay. I'll try."

She's not sure what he's fighting yet, or why; that would help. Maybe. Maybe not. But before he gets out of reach she gives one of his arms a little pat. That's okay? They're already at the 'comforting touches' part of their acquaintance so that must be okay.

"Pink is a great color. If it's what makes you happy, then that's the important part. It used to be the color of princes, you know. Where I'm from, anyway, because red was the color of kings."

[Physical contact is always okay. He lives with 1000 or so other guys, physical contact is sort of what they do. Granted, it's mostly in the form of hitting each other and wrestling, but there's also a lot of aggressive affection too. He gives her another smile for the pat, then puts his hands on his hips, puffing his chest out proudly]

The color of princes, huh? I'll have to tell that to Eugene, maybe he'll stop giving me a hard time about it. [He laughs, because Eugene will just find something else to give him shit about. That is how friendship works.] But I definitely think I have what it takes to be a prince, don't you?

[He gives Verity a grin and a wink, flexing one arm] I'm tall, galant, and I've got an impressive steed. All I need now is some fancy clothes!

Ver smiles and curls a hand under her chin, pretending to consider it while she looks him over. Her sweeping gaze is brief and doesn't linger anywhere, so don't get any ideas. "You could be the prince in disguise, off on a quest for something."

She's been studying stories and how they work. It's still hard for her to read them, but literary theory is much easier on her. And it's kind of interesting, seeing all the ways people can vary a theme. Of course, to her, there's only two kinds of stories: 'this happened' and 'this did not happen'. Fiction is all variations on the theme of being a liar.

"Have you met any princesses in your travels? Or witches?"

[His only idea is to keep up the "gallant" pose, which to be fair, is something he'd do for just about anyone. He's not all that fussy about who he shows off for.]

[Then he mimics her poses as he considers the question. He doesn't know much about literary theory, being mostly illiterate, but fairytails have always had a strong oral tradition, so he knows what kind of things a good story ought to have]

Well, there was the Young Miss... [He muses, tilting his head to the side] But she prefers to be seen as a Maiden of Revolution rather than a princess. She decided she was going to bring peace and equality to the people of Mars, but the corrupt Gjallerhorn group was trying to kill her! So Tekkadan, that's the company I belong to, took on the job of escorting her to Earth!

It's fitting for fairytales to have an oral tradition still. Loki would approve. (They can work on the 'illiterate' thing if he wants to, when she finds out. It might come in handy when he goes home again.)

"That definitely sounds like a hero's journey. And you got her safe to Earth now?" The rest of it sounds interesting but she lacks so much context she can't say much about it right now. "That's when... you got hurt?"

[Miss Kudelia taught a lot of the younger boys how to write, during their journey from Mars, but the older boys like Shino didn't really have the free time for lessons. Shino's not entirely sure he needs it, since most of his responsibilities can be handled without it, but hey, if he's going to be stuck here for a while, it won't hurt, right?]

Hero's journey, I like the sound of that. [He nods in agreement, cupping his chin in his hand] Of course, Mikazuki and Orga are probably the main heroes, but still! I wouldn't say no to being a hero!

We got her to Earth safe, yeah, but it turns out getting her there was the easy part. We'd been mostly avoiding them in space, but after we reached Earth, Gjallerhorn really came down on us hard. We lost Biscuit then... [his expression turns serious and he looks away, folding his arms over his chest. Losing any of the others was hard, but Biscuit was practically a brother] Well, after that, we had no choice but to face Gjallerhorn head on, didn't we? They weren't going to let us back out peacefully, and even if they would, we wouldn't be satisfied with that.

[He unfolds one of his arms, looking down at his hand solemnly.] I didn't get hurt like you saw until the final battle, but it sure wasn't my first. Gjallerhorn set up a blockade keeping us from getting Miss Kudelia to parliament like she needed to, and because they're government, they really had us out-manned and out-gunned. But we had to break through somehow, not just for Miss Kudelia and her ideals, but for Biscuit and everyone who lost their lives along the way. Me, Lafter, and Azee, we were a distraction. We had to keep the mobile suit troops busy so they couldn't go support the main line.

[He looks up, a small, but proud smile on his face] We were doing really great, you know! Right up until that weird suit showed up and smashed us all to pieces. I really thought I was going to die then - the pilot wanted me dead super bad for some reason. I don't know what happened next; I think Mikazuki must have showed up, right in the nick of time like he always does.

Verity listens with her usual quiet care; she's taking it all in, but has little to say. Sometimes she's just not a talker. Anyway, interrupting storytime is rude, and he doesn't want sympathy.

"It sounds to me like you're all heroes." That should be safe. "I hope your Miss Kudelia can do what she's trying to do." Or something worthwhile instead of ending up a puppet of the corrupt state. "Will you and your friends be continuing to provide her security detail?"

Haha, I guess! [He shrugs one shoulder, tilting his head to the side with a smile.] I know we're at least heroes to Miss Kudelia.

[He shakes his head at her question] She's under the protection of the parliament now, and the leaders of Gjallerhorn have been arrested, so she should be safe. We have to get home; we left a whole lot of Tekkedan on Mars, and we have to tell Biscuit's family what happened...

[he grimaces, rubbing the side of his head. They joke about who's going to be the one to break it to Miss Sakura, but only because no one wants to be the one who has to do it.] Argh, I'm probably going to miss the funeral too! That's going to suck, Yamagi makes the most beautiful ice flowers.

"Are you a hero to yourself?" Maybe not the best question to ask, given how many crazy supervillains are the heroes in their own minds, but also maybe good to know. (Sorry, Shino, but she views things through a very particular set of filters.)

She has a number of other questions, but glancing past him to the door that's determined not to open, she decides it's kinder not to ask right now. "What are ice flowers?"

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The Season is over, time to pack it up and head home.... Or I guess not?

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And now you know the plot of Mobile Suit Gundam: Ironblooded Orphans!

And also kinda Gundam Wing, and I'm gonna guess, a lot of other Gundam series.

...Close enough?

They all end up being very much the same a decade after watching them. :P