Goodbye is hard to say, How about See you again?

[broken_frightener]

1)
[The Indalph are gone and so is the traitorous Sara Harper. While she was once a good friend, she became a monster and enemy to all of mankind and its allies. But would it really be appropriate to celebrate? Depends on who you ask. As for Leos? He's simply invited you (or someone's case, invited himself in) to a favorite hangout of his with a console, a bunch of fighting games and pudding. Lots and lots of pudding. Its pretty easy to guess where this hangout was (Spoilers: Its Asagi's Room).]

So we've got Kalamity Battle X,  Blaze Gear: The Third - Phantasm Sign, Ultra Crash Siblings Free For All, Road Battler Five and DropBunker. I had a Copy of Martial Mashup 3 but someone kind of smashed it into about two dozen pieces tops.

[Leos is perfectly happy to remain on the floor to avoid breaking furniture with his weight. Interestingly enough though, in addition to a few controllers, the leader of the Frighteners had plugged himself into the console as well... this should prove interesting.]

[Pick a game, any game.]

(For clarification: Kalamity Battle = Mortal Kombat, Blaze Gear is a mashup of Blazblue and Guilty Gear, Ultra Crash and Road Battler are self explainatory and DropBunker is Divekick with pilebunkers replacing the kicks. Spectators are welcome to jump into threads with permission from the participant.)

2) [Long after prompt 1]
[Some downtime with his friends had helped Leos feel far better than anything had in a long time as he wandered some rubble strewn streets. He and his team, and possibly members of the Unity Group are out helping to deliver some disaster relief assistance. Purely volunteer work that was probably far below the scope of either party - something that the other Frighteners are very obviously bored out of their minds by with just how uncaring they are with their work - but something Leos seemed to be more than happy to assist with. Then a crash rang out from close by.]

...What-?

"AAAAAAH!"



"You should have walked away when you had the chance you worm. Sadly you won't get to regret that fact.-"

[Remille was holding a person by the neck near where they were passing out the food and water. That wasn't very nice. The fact that she was threatening of all people a child made things worse. The Frighteners had weapons out, there was a mess all over the place... and a young woman who had a pretty bad bruise, several other people were trying to shield her from Boyle, who was cracking his knuckles. There were some emergency personnel hovering over her but kept some distance due to the weapons pointed at them.]



Remille. Boyle. What the do you two think you're doing. What the HELL do ALL of you think you're doing?!

[Leos forcefully makes Remille drop the kid, leading to him falling onto his rear onto the dusty ground. The Frighteners look unsure now, lowering their weapons.]



"Got some slander tossed at us. When we took offence they attacked too, so we retaliated."

Are you fucking with me?! Are you saying that you tossed a temper tantrum because they called you names-?! Put your guns away! ALL OF YOU! If I so much as hear another shot I'll do to you what I did to the Nineball.

[Leos sighs and carefully herds the kid back to his sister, giving the Frighteners a glare as if to ensure their behavior.]

I'm sorry about this unpleasantness-

"Get away from me and my brother murderer!!!"

Excuse me?

"You don't think I know what that badge you have on your shoulder is?!"

[She gets back to her feet, pulling her now clearly terrified brother close to her as she points hysterically at the Frightener Insignia emblazoned on Leos' uniform. Something terribly terribly wrong is going on here.]

3) [Takes place after Prompt 2]


I talked it over with the Commanders. We're leaving.

[Leos tugs a bag over his shoulder, despite the smile on his face there was a sense of bitterness in his voice, that this was not a goodbye he wanted.]

I've had the others load up our equipment and we're it sent through the TSEN to Star Rose. We'll load up back onto the ship we were operating from when we bumped into each other during that fight with the Wulgaru.

And with any luck the Frighteners won't ever be associating with the Unity Group again...

[His fingers dig into the strap over his shoulder as he spoke.]

... I'm sorry. For everything. It was stupid of me to even think that they could handle something like that without something going wrong in the worst way... not just that but for everything they said and done. Guess it'll teach me for just accepting responsibility over a bunch of people I don't even know from some guy from ESUN... heh... its like Admiral Komine all over again...

[A rueful chuckle escapes from his lips as he lowers his head guiltily.]



For what it's worth... I ... I just hope we're still friends. Even after all the good and bad.... but I'll understand if you'll want nothing to do with me anymore.

4) [Locked to one character in particular.]

[With very few other things to do, the Frighteners returned to the beck and call of their benefactors at ESUN. This time though it seemed that they were going to be loaned out to someone that had been owed a favor and needed extra muscle. As they disembarked, a number of them were clearly annoyed at having to put down roots on solid ground once more.]

[To Leos however there was a more important matter of seeking someone else out.]

Surprise. I guess you didn't expect to see me here didn't you.

Comments

1

[cloningblues]

Okay, first thing: what are you doing in my room? Second thing: don't you have any strategy games?

3

[star_of_sad]

[Setsuko stares. She was going to say good-bye, but for some reason she only looks wordlessly.]

[broken_frightener]

Well, we hang out here all the time anyway so why not?

And strategy games are kind of hard for multiple people to play on one screen Asagi.

[broken_frightener]

[He simply just keeps his head down.]

Chief would be disgusted at what I turned into wouldn't he Setsuko..?

I guess... this is it then.

[He takes a deep breath and raises his head, shaking only very slightly.]

Goodbye.

2

[megamipurple]

[Having transformed to be able to fly the needed supplies around quickly, Neptune just happens to see (and hear) this and lands nearby.

The first thing she does is walk past the crowd gathered and slowly approach the terrified kids. She then crouches down to meet their eyes reassuringly.]

It will be alright now. You won't be hurt as long as I'm here; I promise that.

However, there is something I need to know...that badge, what does it mean?

[broken_frightener]

"They're murderers... all of them... mecha with those same badges attacked the town I used to live in. They blew up the area where some rich people lived, fought the people who were paid to keep us safe... everything was burning when they left..."

[Loni said Leos was a part of some kind of protection racket didn't he..? Either way the Frighteners were glancing at each other. All except Leos who simply remained still, eyes shadowed.]

[megamipurple]

Blew up...?

[Nep is very surprised to hear this, she looks over her shoulder to regard the commander of the Frighteners.]

...Leos? Is it true?

4

[brought_it_back]

[That person was in the middle of her lunch, which she stops eating as Leos arrives. It takes a moment for her to find the right words to say.]

...No, I can't say that I did.

[broken_frightener]

I know what she's talking about... Yes. Its true. But the operation was sanctioned. The people we were sent after were labeled as threats to stability in the region and we had orders to clear them and their forces-

"What about everyone else who got caught in the fighting?! Were they threats too?!"

[Leos closes his eyes for a moment before he draws his pistol, though he maintains trigger discipline and keeps his finger off the trigger and the gun pointed down. Still. The act alone got more than a few fearful looks while the Frighteners looked disturbingly eager to taste the blood in the water.]

Remille. Boyle. Take the others back to Alhambra and pack everything... We're done. I'll clean up here.



[Boyle however bounds over to him, looking all too excited at the prospect of violence instead of following orders.]

"Aw come on Sir! Just a little gunning down-"

[This was pretty much something Leos was truly sick of as he backhanded his second right in the face. Hard enough that the armored covering Boyle had over his mouth was dented badly.]

If you can't listen to my orders you'll be nothing more than dead weight Boyle. I've given all of you far too much leniency and freedom to act. One more step out of line from you and I will end you. Painfully. The same goes for the rest of you. Now. LEAVE!

[The Frighteners bail as Leos turns to regard the girl and her brother, raising his gun at them as he sighs tiredly.]

... Now where was I...

[broken_frightener]

Honestly I didn't plan on leaving the Unity Group this early, so I suppose that would make it a bit of a shock for both of us.

[He seats himself opposite her.]

I have to ask though... was I wrong about what I said you'd do? Or am I right?

[megamipurple]

...

[The goddess doesn't move or say anything while Leos addresses Boyle. Whatever the reason was, innocent people were involved. She's starting to wonder more about what Loni had said before, and her relief that the Frighteners were finally packing up is cut short.

Naturally, she moves between Leos and the children when the gun is raised at them.]

...Leos! What do you think you're doing...?!

[broken_frightener]

Its merely something I'm curious about.

[He regards the serious look on the Goddess' face with a smile.]

No... actually... its something I need to know. Something I need to hear for myself.

[megamipurple]

And that would be...?

[broken_frightener]

...

[He simply smiles his smile as he takes a step forward.]

You hate me. Don't you kid?

[The girl simply glares at him but doesn't say a word or make a move.]

I've seen that look in your eyes before. So I've got to ask... if you had to choose between killing me and getting revenge or putting that chance aside to look after your brother, which would you choose?

"That's... that's a stupid question! I'd choose my brother! He's all I have left!"

[The Frightener Commander calmly chambers a bullet before ejecting the magazine... what was his game here?]

I don't really believe you... so lets put that to the test.

[Leos flips the gun in his hand and now holds it barrel first before he ducks down to slide the gun across the ground to the girl.]

You have one shot. If you want your revenge, you'll have to aim at one of my eyes. The rest of me has too much metal to actually kill me.

Of course if that happens, the rest of the Frighteners would be out for blood.

Or... you fire that shot at the ground. I'll tell them I killed you and they'll just take my word for it and you and your brother can go on living your lives.

Maybe I'll go on living, maybe someone else will kill me. But you won't. What'll it be?

[megamipurple]

[Nep slowly turns around to face the siblings. She still doesn't quite understand what's going on here, but the decision lies with the girl. At the same time, she realizes that only one of those options will conclude this peacefully.]

...Please, don't make the wrong choice.

[broken_frightener]

[Indeed it does and the weapon is heavy in her hands as she hefts it. the girl looks anxiously at Nep... then the gun... then her brother before settling on Leos. The safety is flicked off as she raises it shakily at the Human Plus, his head in her sights... before her aim wavers and she brings the gun to the ground, firing the shot and harming nothing but the ground, her brother letting out a frightened yell and clinging harder.]

You chose wisely... take good care of your brother. Like you said, he's all you have left.

[There was a chuckle from Leos as he turns away from the two.]

You can keep that thing, call it a gift...or a souvenir. Or just sell it to someone. I don't care either way.

And as for your question Nep; unlike me, she has something too important to give up. I wanted to make sure she remembered that instead of either dying or... well...

[Leos simply chuckles and brushes at a scar that trailed up his neck.]

The last thing the world needs... is more people like me.

1: Test your Might! (Do-Do-De-Do-De-Do-De!)

[actuallyselfish]

"Aweee..." Dido mutters staring at the broken wreckage of Martial Matchup. "And I'd totally figured out a cool combo to defeat President Gladiator...! Still!"

She cracks her knuckles and picks up a controller. "I'll do best of three in Kalamity Battle with you!"

And see if video game will help restore your mental health, Dido thinks to herself quietly.

"How about it?"

[megamipurple]

[Neptune glances at the bullet lodged in the ground as Leos explains. A sigh escapes her lips.]

That was certainly one way to go about it...

[She sounds relieved, and not at all amused. Yet, she understands what the Frightener commander is getting at.]

So, what will you do now? You know news of this will reach the others one way or another.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAwWPadFsOA

[broken_frightener]

I think the game actually breaks itself if you do beat President Gladiator. But yeah, best out of three works. On one condition

[Leos has a playful tone as the theme music starts up. The menus are being breezed through quickly before-]

-JOEY CAIGE-

I call dibs on Joey Caige.

[broken_frightener]

Anybody could just say they would make the better choice... but actually having a chance handed to you? That was the only way to be sure Nep, even if people would think its twisted.

[Leos seems to be back to his usual state as far as the Goddess would know, but there was a tone of disappointment in his voice as he spoke again.]

As for what's to be done? Take full responsibility, make it clear that while my group was operating with the Unity Group we are not a part of it.

Which means cutting ties and leaving immediately.

It might do something to save the Unity Group some face... and more importantly keep people I care about from getting hurt if those idiots slip the leash again.

[megamipurple]

There's no need to go so far just for that. I'm sure they-

[Yes, she does find that a bit extreme. But then, thinking about how some people would react to this, she starts to look down at the ground.]

...

[Only at that point does she understand.]

[star_of_sad]

Yes... yes, he would be. Wait.

[Setsuko steels herself, gathering courage to support this question with.]

What have you done with your life, Leos?
Look at... everything. Who you're dealing with. WHAT you are dealing with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSHiY4aRDb0

[actuallyselfish]

"Well aren't you cheap?" Dido grumbles. She scrolls through the character list, numerous bizarre martial artists appearing and disappearing on her side of the screen.

"Ooh!" Dido says, pressing select. On-screen, a woman with a colorful bandana and waist sarong beheads a chickens with her kris, then assumes a fighting pose.

–R-R-Rama Raid!-

"Alright!" Dido tabs down to the list of fighting arenas. "Dibs on the Blood Temple!" she says, clicking on it.

After a loading screen, the match starts. "Match 1...FIGHT!" How does Leos start things off?

[brought_it_back]

[Eva picks at her food absentmindedly.]

Are you actually going to listen to what I say this time? Or would I be wasting my breath again.

[cloningblues]

It's not like you need to look at the screen.