Third Game

[break_the_nine]

[Its been a while after the Training Exercise gone wrong. Leos somehow managed to get out of the battle with the Jenice he used more or less unscathed. On the other hand, mentally he was even more worse off than before. Seeing Seta get torn apart and devoured by the BETA like that was not good for his sanity, already precarious as it was. Her inhuman ability to come back from that 'death' didn't really help much at all.]

...

[Currently he was in the mess hall, just stirring the contents of his bowl. He was at the odd paradox of being hungry yet being unable to eat. Then he looked at his meal, his mind drifting off and growing unfocused. The person doling out the meals was going to regret giving Leos a bowl of Spaghetti-Os because they were pressed for time and couldn't be bothered to give him something that wouldn't cause his mind to snap because from Leos' perspective the dull orange colored sauce slowly shifted into the hue of freshly spilled blood and the pasta turned into a multitude of eyes that suddenly had mouths form below them and rush forward to try tear his face off-]



AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!

[-which led to him literally slapping the bowl away and possibly burning himself in the process before he scrambled off to a small, enclosed spot to force himself into/under and just curl up tightly.]

Comments

[majestic_keiki]

You did fine, don't worry.

[Kei once again smiled motherly, speaking in reassuring tones.]

[break_the_nine]

Wanted to make Lana proud of me... make up for all the mistakes I made before.

[He chews on his lip a little as he slowly stirs the pudding, drawing patterns in it.]

[majestic_keiki]

[And back to the utterly awkward territory where reason and comforting him were practically diametric opposites. There was a long pause with Kei looking visibly uncertain and uncomfortable, something that Leos would probably notice, even in his current state.]

[break_the_nine]

Miss Kei... do you think Lana's a bad person? I know that Mister Yancy thinks she is...

[majestic_keiki]

I don't know...I've only talked to her once, when she asked me to keep you safe during that battle.

[break_the_nine]

I really owe Lana a lot... its why I did my best to find a way to join everyone out there - I wanted to make up for how badly I've been doing and show her I can be better...

[Leos stares into the pudding like it had all the answers.]

I don't even know how I did it. I tried sneaking into the hangar, begging and then suddenly they just let me in...

[majestic_keiki]

If you owe her so much, shouldn't you pay her back by staying behind like she wants? Risking yourself despite what she wants doesn't seem like it'd pay her back.

[break_the_nine]

I know, but I need to show that I can be useful! She never said I couldn't pilot anything else and Asagi said it would be a good idea to try...

[majestic_keiki]

He did?

[Kei clearly wasn't impressed with her teammate's decision.]

You have time to work things out, you don't need to force it to happen right now.

[break_the_nine]

I... you're right...

[Leos slumps tiredly, sounding resigned.]

[majestic_keiki]

Just try to take some time to relax and recover. Stella gave you the name of someone to talk to as well, right?

[break_the_nine]

Uh-huh...

[Talking to someone... it was going to feel weird for him...]

Will it really help?

[majestic_keiki]

It should. It's easier to think if you have to put words to it and they understand the mind and can give you advice on what to do.