KARMIC RETURNEMENT

[keep_your_dignity]

1 - Midday, Alhambra, training field.

[Out in the field, the sound of rapidfired shots is heard. A certain battle suit is utterly demolishing the training programs, swirling around with controlled movements and putting exactly one bullet into each training dummy. When the beep that signals the end of session sounds, it lands in the center, and the gun on its arm lets go of heat with a satisfying ca-click sound.

After months of being reduced to a cripple, Kagura is back. And while it's true she needs to give this replacement armor some exhaustive testing... from the showyness of that last round it's pretty clear she's most definitely enjoying this fact.

If you want to talk to her or congratulate her for being back in action, this is probably the best moment!]

2 - Deep night/small hours of the morning, outside Alhambra

[If you happen to be outside very late at night, however, you might notice the same battle suit outside, immobile under the moon, looking to have been there for a while. A rock is inside its hand.]

THAT'S 2-2.

NEXT TIME.

[And with that the robotic hand moves forward and squeezes, crushing the rock into gravel. That gesture definitely seemed a challenge, but there's nobody (and, honestly, nothing, because Alhambra is the in the middle of nowhere) around TO challenge. She doesn't seem to have noticed you yet, though...]

Comments

[keep_your_dignity]

WHAT ARE YOU DOING AWAKE AT THREE IN THE MORNING, OHARA? HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING AGAIN?

[star_of_sad]

[A hesitant nod.]

It's just that... there was a lot to think about recently.

[keep_your_dignity]

SUCH AS?

[star_of_sad]

Brussels.

[keep_your_dignity]

THAT WAS A BLOODY CLUSTERFUCK ALRIGHT.

[star_of_sad]

Everyone was so relieved that Unity Group arrived, both of those times. And I like to think that we all really helped limit the number of casualties.

Then... why do I feel this way? It's like if a lot of things have happened. Very bad things.

[keep_your_dignity]

EVEN IF UNITY DID SUCEED IN LIMITING THE CASUALTY NUMBERS, WE STILL PLAYED TO THEIR TUNE MOST OF THE TIME. AND IN THE END DESPITE UNITY GROUP'S EFFORTS, THINGS WENT EXACTLY AS UBUNTU SAID THEY WOULD.

IF YOU FEEL UNSATISFIED, OHARA, THAT SIMPLY MEANS YOU HAVE SOME FIRE LEFT IN THAT HEAD OF YOURS.

[star_of_sad]

What about you, Major?

[keep_your_dignity]

AM I UNSATISFIED, YOU MEAN?

YES. MORE THAN YOU ARE.

[star_of_sad]

I see.

I wonder... what would I say to everyone involved now, if I could. What would I say to Ren.

[keep_your_dignity]

IN UBUNTU'S CASE, I WOULD RECOMMEND A PUNCH TO THE FACE.

[star_of_sad]

Ah.

[keep_your_dignity]

I DON'T LIKE "HEROIC SACRIFICES", OHARA. YOU DON'T WIN A FIGHT BY LOOKING FOR A CHANCE TO SACRIFICE YOURSELF FOR YOUR OBJECTIVES. YOU WIN BY KILLING THE OTHER FUCKER FOR THEM.

AND NOW I'M LEFT TO WONDER IF I COULD HAVE PULLED THAT OFF AND KICKED DESTINY IN THE DICK A THIRD TIME IF UBUNTU HADN'T JUMPED INTO THE CHANCE TO MARTYR HERSELF.

TYPICAL UBUNTU. SINGLE TIME I FUCKING WANT TO KEEP HER ALIVE AND SHE JUMPS ON A GRENADE.

[star_of_sad]

That was a quote, wasn't it.

I... don't like it either. I've been too many times on a receiving end of a sacrifice to like them.

And each time, I wondered that too. If there was something, anything, I could've done differently to prevent it.

[keep_your_dignity]

IT'S MY MODIFIED VERSION OF A VERY COMMON SENTIMENT. I DEAL WITH TOO MANY PEOPLE TOO EAGER TO DIE FOR THEIR CAUSE. WHEN YOU GO INTO A FIGHT LOOKING FOR A WAY TO DIE, YOU WILL NORMALLY FIND IT.

[To the next bit, Kagura stays silent for a few moments]

THERE OFTEN IS, IN HINDSIGHT. BUT RARELY ONES YOU COULD HAVE SEEN COMING. SO THERE'S OFTEN LITTLE TO DO BUT THEORIZE. TRY TO NOT DWELL ON IT TOO MUCH.

[star_of_sad]

[Setsuko ponders these words for a second.]

I see, I'll try not to... same to you, Major.

[And it feels like from the two, Kagura could use this advice more.]

[keep_your_dignity]

I DON'T DWELL, OHARA.

I KEEP SCORE.