Fifth Game

[break_the_nine]

[1] [The Initial Results of Therapy]
[its surprising what a little therapy can do for a person. Admittedly while Leos definitely was flagged for a motherlode of issues, he was getting better after his first two sessions and it showed a little bit. He seemed a little brighter, a little happier than usual. Something about his smile felt... more right. Either way he hummed to himself as he set to work.]

[Among some of the advice given to him by his therapists, was for him to start again on a talent he had left to the side in his blind charge for revenge. As such he seemed to travel between Sakihama, Alhambra and Star Rose quite a bit and always with the tools he needed. Sometimes it was several papers, a sketchbook and several pencils and sticks of charcoal. Other times it was an easel, some canvas and paints. All the time he also carried a pack of pudding, because really... did you expect him NOT to? He sighs softly with... ease? Satisfaction?]

[Whatever the case, Leos work was surprisingly good as he worked his magic on his art. His hands moving in practiced motions as his eyes took in his chosen subject as it came to life on his medium. He paused, regarding his work with a small smile.]

It's feels like its almost been forever since I could just get my mind onto doing this again... its... nice...

[He wiped the bridge of his nose, leaving a small smudge on it.]


[2] [Training]
[On the other hand, while Leos managed to do pretty well in his therapy and get some peace of mind...]



I got it! I got it! I got iiiit-

[His basic training wasn't going as smoothly. Case in point as he was 'shot down' in the training exercise. Either a Mock Battle or a Simulation, he still was taken down pretty roughly. Still, at least it was better than how he turned out in the engagement against the Wulgaru. And a bit better than the first two tries he had earlier in the day]



I don't got it...

[He slumps in his chair with a dazed look on his face.]

[3]

[All the while as the above two moments happen, Leos' handler watches with an unreadable look on her face. But what's odd is that she wasn't alone this time as she judged every moment that passed.]

I suppose this is progress. Somewhat.



Hey, I'd take every little victory we can get and then some. Its kind of an uphill battle here, but at the very least we're breaking some ground right?

Maybe. However if all else fails-

[Her companion have her a slight grimace before shaking his head.]

Lets not touch that subject with a fifty foot pole and leave it where it is Lana. Right now I'm happy with what I'm seeing, and I'll make sure the old coots don't give you and Leos too much trouble.

Comments

[break_the_nine]

Nothing that would concern you.

[Elan laughed awkwardly before raising his hands in a gesture indicating that Lana should probably stop while she's ahead.]



What my associate over here MEANT to say was that we were just talking about a pilot we both have a vested interest in.



Which has absolutely nothing to do with her.

[Elan just shakes his head. A people person, Lana was not.]

[break_the_nine]

If by ace you mean cannon fodder, I think Leos is already qualified for that.

[Lana gives Kakizaki an icy look.]

What he needs to do is get better than you-



Lana didn't mean that cannon fodder remark at all. She's just a little impatient for results. Things not going to her plans and schedules really drive her up the wall.



One of these days I am going to murder you Elan. Painfully.

[This earned a distinctively uncomfortable chuckle from the dude before he took a couple of steps away from Lana to stand at least a solid foot behind Kakizaki]

[break_the_nine]

[Now at that Leos immediately lit up like a 100 watt bulb, falling onto the pudding like a starving wolf on a fat sheep that just tripped.]

Mmm! It does taste better than usual!

[break_the_nine]

[Waitwhat-!? OH CRAP! Leos barely has time to kick away and fire the boosters to fling himself away, swinging around to bring the gun to bear on the Sim-spenst and open fire repeatedly with multiple beams!]

[tiger_ken]

Easy there, or it'll all be gone before you know it.

[Ken sits himself down, opening up his own pudding.]

How's the counselling going?

[ships_full_of_missiles]

Seeing as he is a pilot here and I am a commanding officer, I'd say it very much matters!

Even if it's not very likely, I need to know if you plan to fire him!

[keep_your_dignity]

[And he's going to find that the Gespenst is nowhere there, having followed Leos's arc as he swung himself around to aim, remaining on the cone where the right handed mech has most trouble hitting, getting closer with every inch. She's not going for the kill yet, though, waiting to see how Leos reacts under the pressure]

1

[majestic_keiki]

What are you painting?

2

[abugslife]

[Two Gebians are staring at you, Leos. One of them is holding a clipboard, full of unreadable sentences. Most of them are marked with red X-es.

They seem to be judging you, somehow.]

[break_the_nine]

... How badly did I do?

[Leos looks at the Gebians, kind of hoping for SOMETHING good. Nevermind he can't understand them at all.]

[break_the_nine]

[Leos just smiled and motioned outside. He managed to find an observation area on Star Rose that was relatively quiet. And quite a view it was, the stars, the Earth and the moon all on display.]

I never got a chance to paint something from up here before. Everything I did before was always on Earth...

It looks really peaceful from up here.

[break_the_nine]

Well...I guess it was kinda rough at first but its going alright.

[Leos actually was screaming and crying during one session... it wasn't pretty at all.]

I've definitely got a lot to work out...


The therapists I talked to, a lot of them anyway... they said they actually see people going through some of the things I do.

Especially that one therapist that Miss Stella talked about.

[tiger_ken]

Oh? And what'd they say tended to be the case?

[Guess he'll have to find Stella and thank her at some point.]

[break_the_nine]

Well aside from regular appointments and taking art back up to help me calm down? Well...

[Leos thinks back to some of the appointments, clumsily managing to stumble out the various little tests and therapies he's been through and the several recommendations for things Leos should do when he's got the time. It was quite the list and the amount of variety from tried and traditional methods of dealing with such things to more off the wall ideas was almost staggering.]

[break_the_nine]

Oh...

[Leos flinched a little when Seta was brought up, the raven looking tremendously uncomfortable.]

Lieutenant Yuuya sir? You and your friends are a lot braver than I am... I don't know if I'd be able to fight those things again... Even if I do get help its just...

[They scare the living daylights out of him. His nightmares used to be full of Nineball, now they were shared with BETA, or Nineball being huge and made of several BETA along with machinery.]

[ugyuuya]

It's alright if you can't think of anything or don't want to answer. I'm curious how you're doing but I don't want to pry. As I stated I had a bit of my own therapy to work through in the past and I know it can be tough at times. If you want to answer I'll be glad to listen or we can just move on to another subject like what you're next planned piece is.

[ugyuuya]

There's no shame in that Leos, as I've said the TSF program has a very high turnover rate especially when they start to reveal just how bad the BETA can be. Even Eishi have their moments where we panic or lose our cool and we've been trained for this extensively.

Not to mention the hypnotic reinforcement, but don't want to freak the kid out anymore.

As for being braver then you I'm not so sure about that, when you saw what happened you got angry and fought, do you know how many people freeze up or run away? Even I was scared with it being my first actual combat against them that wasn't a simulation. That's where the vets come in like the rest of my flight. We just need to temper that aggression into a more stable and less destructive form.

Just keep working like we have been here and with your therapy and you'll be doing better before you know it. Now are you about ready for the next round Leos, let's see if you can take what happened last time and turn this around.

[Yuuya begins to re-enter the sim pod before stopping to speak once more.]

Oh yeah, you can drop the Lieutenant part as well, I've never been one to stand on rank with other pilots. Uppity maintenance crew is another story though, but I'll tell that story another time.

[abugslife]

[The aliens look at each other and just shake their heads.]

[majestic_keiki]

It does. I never realized myself until getting assigned to be stationed up here. It's easy to forget how much is happening down there.

[ben_dixon]

*Kakizaki whispers to Elan.*

She's not really going to kill you, isn't she?

[break_the_nine]

I know. That's how I feel a lot. If we're all going to be on the same side, we have to be friends right?

[Leos smiles happily as he offers Izuru a pudding cup.]

Friendship pudding?

[break_the_nine]

Okay Yuuya!

[Leos seems to be a bit more pumped up for this, looks like some positive encouragement worked wonders as he leaped back into the sim pod and was ready for another go!]

This time for sure...!

[break_the_nine]

Miss Stella you really helped me a lot so I'm okay with anything you asked.

... I'm kinda glad Lana got me to work here... I don't know how I'd do if I was on my own.

[break_the_nine]

[Leos seemed to fire wildly at first, probably panic due to the pressure meaning this might end up being yet another mess. Then he hurls the weapon at Kagura's Simspenst before firing vulcans, drawing his own close range weapon and attempting to counter attack!]

YAAAAAH!

[break_the_nine]

That... wanting some kind of justice or closure is only natural, with all the monsters and fighting going on there's always a lot of people out for revenge like me.

[Leos takes a deep breath and sighs.]

The thing is that I have to remember I have a life too, there's always going to be loss... but... we can move on. They're doing their best to remind me about that. If other people can get themselves on track. So can I right?