You mean I'm not the best pilot for the Gundam?!?

[kill_all_vagans]

[Workaholic Flit has been workaholic recently, just not in the same way as he was before.  Rather, he can be found in the simulators, constantly, constantly, constantly going over the combat footage from Desil's hijacking as well as his own first sortie.]

Again.

[-And a very specific moment during his first sortie no less.  The UE forces defeated save for a single, black machine that hounded the AGE-1 and pushed it nearly to the brink... the Gundam failing to land a clean shot and instead having to rely on trickery to detonate one of May's grenades and then snipe the-]

Hit... HIT!

[Flit squeezes the trigger, the DODS Rifle firing out two shots in quick succession... but neither one hitting their mark.  The mock battle ends abruptly after that, Flit pounding his fist into the side of the chamber in frustration.]

Why... why can't I recreate that moment?  I could do it before, shoot that accurately before...!

[A glance up lets Flit see more footage of Desil's own fight playing out, the child pulling off ridiculously complicated maneuvers with the AGE-1 in spite of it being his first time ever piloting it.  He'd no doubt be able to pull off that shot on demand.  Stupid kid half his age and more than twice his skills!  With a frustrated grunt, Flit gets out and sulks away from the simulator, brooding like he's never brooded before.]

This was all just a waste of time.

Comments

[a_linear_mind]

Having a bit of trouble?

[kill_all_vagans]

More than just "a bit".

How'd you feel if you spent half your life building a machine meant for a specific purpose, one you know better than anyone else... and then some random kid comes along and outperforms you with it?

[a_linear_mind]

Well I suppose I'd be a bit annoyed. I wouldn't be trying to repeat one of my previous successes in order to make myself better though.

[kill_all_vagans]

"Only success" is more like it. And if I can't...I mean... I don't want to believe something I did before, was just a fluke.

[a_linear_mind]

Things that happen during a battle in a life or death situation usually are pretty hard to emulate in a simulator.

[kill_all_vagans]

Maybe, but I don't want to stake my life -everyone's lives- on a bunch of freak accidents. That's not the way wars are won.

[a_linear_mind]

Oh? And what do you think wins wars?

Willis is just full of shit-eating icons

[kill_all_vagans]

Superior tactics and weaponry given to pilots able to make the most of them. Lucky breaks shouldn't have any place in the equation.

[a_linear_mind]

Now there's a textbook answer if I ever heard one.

[genericbiggerbrother]

Yancy snorts as he watches Flit exit the sim-pod and hears his remark.

"Well, if you're going to think about it that way, then yeah, it'll be a waste of time."

[kill_all_vagans]

Well how else am I supposed to think about it? Being shown up by some brat isn't something I can just laugh off!

[Yeah... he's peeved and his inability to live up to a piloting standard he set during his first time doesn't make this any better.]

[genericbiggerbrother]

"I'm not saying you should just laugh it off!" Yancy says, a bit frustrated himself.

He lets out a breath.

"How do I put this...let me ask you something, Flit: would you say that all in all, you're a smart and talented guy?"

[kill_all_vagans]

I don't want to gloat but I don't see many Gundams built nowadays, let alone ones made by children.

[break_the_nine]

Flit? Hey Flit...

[Leos was close by and holding out a pudding cup with an earnest expression on his face.]

[kill_all_vagans]

O-oh hey Leos-

[Flit takes a moment to realize there's something being offered to him. Sorry Leos, Flit's heard you've been put through the ringer recently so he's just a bit confused before he takes the pudding.]

... Thanks?

[break_the_nine]

You're welcome. Pudding always helps a bad mood, especially when you have it with friends.

[Leos admittedly looks like he's still been through quite a bit, but if anything he's at least calm.]

[kill_all_vagans]

Leos...

[Flit looks around, trying to find a place to at least sit down at before digging in.]

... Thank you.

[break_the_nine]

So why so glum chum?

[Leos looks pretty curious as to why his friend was upset. After all, he only had some footage with no context to work with.]

[kill_all_vagans]

Because some kid managed to hijack the AGE-1 and he used it with more skill than I could. And the one thing I thought was really amazing that I did at the battle of Nora... was probably just all luck and no skill.

[break_the_nine]

But what if its not? I mean think about it, did you have everything around like when you did that amazing thing?

[kill_all_vagans]

Well... we weren't in space. And Yurin wasn't there either.

But neither of those things should matter at all. It's not like either of us are Newtypes.

[break_the_nine]

But you never know right? Isn't there a newtype test or something?

weeaboo honorific alert

[star_of_sad]

Flit-kun...

There is no reason to be hard on yourself.

[kill_all_vagans]

But isn't there? I... thought I knew the Gundam inside out, better than anyone. Could handle it better than anyone! I thought after the battle at Nora that it would be okay to keep using it and there was nothing to gain by letting Largan use it instead.

But some preschooler used it better than I could, and I can't even match what I did at Nora either. So... wanting to keep piloting the Gundam feels like I'm being selfish. Not seeing the writing on the wall.

[star_of_sad]

I see...

I understand how it feels, to have others outperform you easily. But you are the one who knows Gundam the best, aren't you?

[kill_all_vagans]

Knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge couldn't be further separated in this case. I just...

It feels like there there's a point you can reach, like innate skill or being a prodigy... where no amount of experience or familiarity makes a difference.

[star_of_sad]

That may be true. But if I kept thinking that way...

That no matter how hard I work and try, others will just effortlessly overcome me...

I think I'd have quit a long time ago.

[kill_all_vagans]

... So what do I do then? Practice isn't helping any right now at all.

[star_of_sad]

Just... try to keep going as you do now. And things should turn out alright.

I think.

[zerotoultrahero]

[Zero peers at him, as far as he knows you were solid, can't help someone one upping you]

A waste of time huh?
So you're just gonna' quit?

[kill_all_vagans]

Well what would you say I do? It's not every day a kid not even half your age upstages you completely!

[zerotoultrahero]

A prodigy is no excuse to give up.
Just cause you aren't as good as someone else doesn't mean you aren't a good pilot yourself. Everyone has their own ability and focusing on someone else's is just going to make you bitter.

[smileys]

[May cups her own chin here.]

Those were far too controlled and precise to be lucky shots. That much I could tell.

You've probably just forgotten something you did back then. But...

[What that is...she's trying to think of that, too.]

[kill_all_vagans]

[Well huzzah for some genuine encouragement! May's words sink in fast, Flit's thoughts beginning to shift.]

I... wouldn't know anything, really. There was that girl in the cockpit too, but... it wasn't like anything like when that other girl helped activate the Satellite Cannon.

[Surely it couldn't have anything to do with that.]