Shattered reflections

[ugyuuya]

[1]

[In one of the smaller lesser used workout rooms Yuuya is busy working over a heavy bag with a particular fervor.]

I try to point out the flaws in her logic to help her and she turns it back to an attack on me. Just like Yui, her little flunky Ken, and half the goddamned Japanese personnel here. Support crew talking like they think I can't understand while Yui's got me on her damned leash and not saying word one to them about it.

[He proceeds to move from the bag to free-weights.]

So what if I don't match their little happy world views and want to keep grounded in a realistic frame of mind. That's a "poisonous" attitude? I guess that's what my grandfather meant about being underhanded and untrustworthy with their attacks. So what if Volya was "saved" from his attackers and given a healthy place to finish growing up in. In the end he's going to have to stand up and fix things himself like every kid who's stuck in a poor situation. Not like he has to worry about a loveless family being the only thing outside of military service that he'd have to return to and at least he seems to remember more than one member of his family fondly. People are willing to support and help him not worry about a superior who makes inordinate demands and then quotes pretty little "proverbs" instead of actually useful advice.

[Yuuya pauses momentarily as he sets his weights down on a bench his breath ragged due to the length and intensity of his workout. He looks up into the mirror and glares as he tried ]

And worst of all is this damned appearance. I've shed tears and blood for the American forces, pushed myself to live up to their standards and expectations but to everyone else I'm Japanese. The Russians with their damned interrogators, Yui and her opinion of how disgraceful I am, Ken and his stupid "Japanese Pride" and Mizuki with her stupid maybe the Japanese person most in need of getting chewed out by you is the one waiting for you in the mirror

"I'm American god damn it! Stop holding me to the stupid standards of a country and father that I never knew you bastards!"

[With the last audible outburst Yuuya threw the weight into the mirrored wall, turned to deliver a kick to the sand bag that manages to add just enough momentum to it's swinging that knocks the stand off balance and tumbling into another rack of free weights. Turning on his heel he begins to leave, a look of frustration and anger on his face that is tinged by something else underneath.]

[2]



[Entering the workout room you see broken glass and spilled equipment. One of the Maintenance staff for the TSF teams is just beginning to clean up and you can hear him speak with a resigned sigh.]

"Damn it Yuuya, I thought you were past this type of shit. Guess someone managed to finally get to him again, haven't seen him do this since Leon started shit after his mother's death. I wish he'd at least have the decency to do these rages where it wasn't so heavy to fix things."

[3 -Locked to Mizuki]



[Mizuki is disturbed in her office by Vincent entering and closing the door behind him.]

So for someone so concerned about Volya and being a great savior you managed to turn someone who was trying to offer some reasonable advice in a rather sanctimonious way into quite the little ball of anger and self-loathing.

I know what he said wasn't the best phrased and playing devil's advocate with a human life is in poor form but really how many of his concerns were at least valid on some level. So I'm not going to be upset about you dismantling his arguments and calling him on his hypocrisy.

What I am upset about is that after our discussion where I came to you on behalf of Ken and the efforts of myself and Lt. Takamura to keep an official reprimand from falling on his record and you took that warning that his heritage is a sore point and purposely attacked it. Yes he's been an asshole and yes his fight with Ken was stupid but taking that kind of attack when you knew how it would hit him was unnecessarily cruel.

I had at some point hoped that you're history and being accepted into the Japanese culture could help him which is why I sought you out after the fight to talk. Now I'm just disappointed and more than anything would like to know why you'd have done that to him.

Comments

[ugyuuya]

[Stopping short as he looks up at Kagura, Yuuya's face hardens to an angry scowl.]

Get out of my way Major, I have a briefing to attend and while your rank may have the clout to pull me aside in your organization it has no relevance to mine.

[keep_your_dignity]

[Kagura is most definitely not moving]

YOU SAY ALL THAT AS IF YOU EXPECT ME TO GIVE A SHIT. THIS IS NOT A KINDERGARTEN, BRIDGES.

[Kagura extends a hand, where there is... a broom and its accompanying dustpan]

YOU ARE NOT LEAVING UNTIL YOU CLEAN THAT UP. YOU ARE A SOLDIER, BRIDGES, AND SO YOU ARE EXPECTED TO CLEAN UP YOUR OWN MESSES. THE BILL FOR THE UPWARDS OF FOUR THOUSAND US DOLLARS OF EQUIPMENT YOU JUST DAMAGED WILL BE BILLED TO YOUR UNIT. FROM THERE IT'S YOUR TEAM LEADER'S PROBLEM.

[ugyuuya]

[Yuuya stands there staring at Kagura for the better part of a minute before he sighs and takes the tools and begins to clean.]

Alright you win, nothing more stupid than getting into a staring contest with a walking brick wall. You know it's funny just how much everything from Japan seems to come back to bite me in the ass in the long run. Tell me do you have meetings or is it just something about me that instinctively sets you off? Oh wait stupid question a computer doesn't HAVE instincts so it has to be the meetings.

[After about 10 minutes Yuuya's got most of the biggest parts of the mess cleaned and the major things left are replacing the heavy bag and mirror.]

There you are Major, clean as I can manage and look the only thing really damaged was the mirror and maybe a few small dents in the floor. Care to adjust that estimate of yours or were you just counting the mirror and adding your "screw Yuuya" surcharge?

[keep_your_dignity]

PERHAPS WHEN YOU DECIDE TO BECOME AN ADULT, BRIDGES, INSTEAD OF THINKING EVERYONE IN THE WORLD CONSPIRES AGAINST YOU BECAUSE IT'S EASIER, YOU WILL REALIZE THAT THE REST OF US DO NOT EVEN REMOTELY CARE AS MUCH ABOUT YOUR LITTLE MAGGOT ASS AS YOU SEEM TO THINK.

[She takes the broom and dustpan and steps aside, as she said, though. You can say many things about Kagura, but she's an AI of her word]

NO, I DON'T. UNLIKE YOU, I TAKE MY RESPONSIBILITIES SERIOUSLY. THAT IS WHY, FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW HOW MUCH THE INSTALLATION OF A FULL WALL GYM MIRROR ACTUALLY COSTS, AND YOU DON'T, DESPITE THE FACT I AM NEVER GOING TO USE IT AND YOU ARE.

NOW SCRAM.

[ugyuuya]

Must be nice to never have a bad day or let other people's comments be able to get to you. Maybe that whole machine crafted solely for war thing has some credit to it.

[He pauses his walk has he pulls aside her.]

I want to go on the record for one thing. I take my job seriously just like you and as soon as I get in that cockpit it's not about like or dislike I weigh the mission and get things done. The only thing I have left in my life to really give a damn about or take pride in is my performance in that cockpit so the next time you belittle that part of me, I start looking into how big they make magnets Major.

[He continues to exit and turns towards the dorms and his room.]

[keep_your_dignity]

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND STOP TALKING UNTIL YOU LEARN HOW AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WORKS, BRIDGES. YOU'RE EMBARRASSING YOURSELF.

AND IF YOU WANT ME STOP BELITTLING YOU, THEN STOP ACTING LIKE A QUEEN AND START ACTING LIKE A PROFESSIONAL. YOU DON'T LIKE THE PEOPLE YOU'RE WORKING WITH, THEN WELCOME TO FUCKING LIFE, PILOT. IF I HAD MY DRUTHERS I WOULD PUT A BULLET INTO SAOTOME AND HIS TEAM OF PSYCHOTIC NUTJOBS, BUT I HAVE MY ORDERS, AND SO DO YOU. SEETHE SILENTLY LIKE EVERYONE ELSE AND STOP BREAKING EVERYBODY'S SHIT TO CALL MOMMY'S ATTENTION.

[Kagura is, well, completely unmoved by the threats as Yuuya stops near her. She has no trouble letting Yuuya past, and just goes back into the gym to replace the dented weights with some more from the storage as he leaves, not bothering to look at him. Other people may have wanted to deliver some final advice, something to make Yuuya reconsider - but Kagura does not bother. Yuuya is so very not her problem and she's very happy for it.]

[ugyuuya]

[Yuuya stops cold at the last reference to "Mommy's attention". He waits for nearly a full minute silently before he speaks again in a fiercely controlled tone.]

It's difficult to draw the attention of someone who passed away after I abandoned them Major.

[Yuuya proceeds to walk away with a pace so regulated that it seems almost unnatural.]