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[1]
[Ever since Ken got back to base after Sol Saviour's first combination, all anyone might have seen of him in the time since is, well...]
WUOOOOOOOH!
[Him taking his training regimen to new, absurd levels. He didn't go anywhere without weights the lengths of his forelimbs. Several push ups, pull ups, sit ups, and whatever else he could think of were made before and after he entered every room. And that little gym he made for himself in the 'fake' city which covers the entrance of the base? Yeah, that's getting some real usage as he punches pretty much everything he can. Interrupt...?]
[2]
[Or do you want to try approaching him when he's in his room instead? Removing the weights as he readies for bed, Ken cringes several times over as he moves his hands over bruises, before returning to a default, sullen mood.]
...Who's there?
[Ever since Ken got back to base after Sol Saviour's first combination, all anyone might have seen of him in the time since is, well...]
WUOOOOOOOH!
[Him taking his training regimen to new, absurd levels. He didn't go anywhere without weights the lengths of his forelimbs. Several push ups, pull ups, sit ups, and whatever else he could think of were made before and after he entered every room. And that little gym he made for himself in the 'fake' city which covers the entrance of the base? Yeah, that's getting some real usage as he punches pretty much everything he can. Interrupt...?]
[2]
[Or do you want to try approaching him when he's in his room instead? Removing the weights as he readies for bed, Ken cringes several times over as he moves his hands over bruises, before returning to a default, sullen mood.]
...Who's there?
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I'm torn up about it too... but when things happen you need a clear head and you're not going to get it, here, alone, and angry at everything.
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[He takes special care to emphasise the latter.]
To take out the Noise well enough beforehand. We had to rely on Kaname - who shouldn't have even been anywhere outside of a shelter - screwing around with the enemy's head to open up the chance to beat the other robot that was there. Before that, in La Gias, we needed the Granzon to fire its gravity weapon twice, after a number of our units were disabled.
What the hell would you suggest? An actual suggestion on what to do, and not just telling me how bad what I'm doing now is? You're supposed to be my team 'leader' aren't you?
[His finger is pointed towards Mizuki, stopping just short of her.]
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[For a moment afterwards she just stands there, thinking. But then she reaches behind her back, pulling out a small cup.]
Do you know what this is? Tea. Tea Yuuya gave me earlier when he was trying to support me after everything. Either he never got the memo about me and most foods or he just forgot. Either way he's done more reaching out in the wake of all this than you have... and considering how bad I insulted him one time that's really saying something.
[And with that, she downs the whole drink in one go. She winds up coughing half of it back up, her legs nearly giving out on her almost immediately as she glares at Ken.]
... Al... right...
Show me... oh god how ready you are for a fight with your precious "training"!
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And then blinking at her subsequent suggestion.]
Are you... serious? After just drinking that stuff?
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Either fight, or get me back to Sakihama's doctors. Choice is yours.
[Whoops, there goes a little bit of vomit she then has to try to wipe off her mouth.]
Look at you in here, cut off from everyone... and with a mentality that'll turn everyone you care about into Fragile Things that must be coddled and objectified rather than people with their own goals you're going to need to respect, like them or not.
[Teeth clenched, she forces herself up straight and locks her legs.]
Solaris's lost people before. I know that, you know that, and Sara knew that. And she was the closest person to me in the world, so...
Don't be such an idiot about this!
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[Aaaaand that sets Ken right off, after Mizuki's pokes against his attitude. He spins, suddenly, pushing off the ground and with a leg outstretched for a leaping kick.]
I'm not allowed to care about my comrades?!
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[As in agony as she was, Mizuki still effortlessly counters... the strength in her body enough to swing an arm against Ken's leg right where he ought to have a pretty nasty bruise, followed up with more strikes to the arms and body. She's not hitting pressure points, but considering the force she can manage and the strain Ken's put on his body, it'll be enough.]
You can't. Control. PEOPLE!
And neither can I. Not even you... Believe me I'd love for your attitude right now to be fixed but you have to be the one to do it!
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[Ken is struck pretty solidly, but surprisingly, manages to react in some part to the follow up. An advantage to the relatively open space of the self made gym, is that even inside there's room to manoeuvre. Shifting his foot onto the arm that just struck it, he manages to get enough to kick away...
And landing in a subsequent heap when, unlike his machine's beast mode, he's not so able to land on his feet.
You didn't answer my questions! You just... dodged them!
[Stupidly though, he gets himself with one arm and his other, unstruck leg, and charges again. A direct assault didn't work, so...
POMF
A sudden smoke bomb from his belt, to try and conceal himself as he approaches from behind for a throw...]
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[The attempt at throwing falls apart before it even begins. So much for your stealth, Ken, because Mizuki just grabs you by your top and throws you over her shoulder, all without even looking.]
... Thinking the darkness was your ally wasn't the best of ideas. Not when ninjas -at best- adopt it and I was born in it and from it.
[Looking down at Ken, she just sighs.]
She was my best friend. My first friend. And if you would've seen me after the mission I was a sobbing wreck at first. But I'm not going to blame a lack of strength on losing her, or that the key to getting her back is working myself to the bone.
If you're going to get like this every time something bad happens there really is a problem with how you go about things.
So please. Get your head in order. I can't- oh not now!
[She doubles over, crying out in pain before collapsing down right over Ken's body.]
... help...?
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[And Ken is thrown, slamming into the floor. It hurts, far more than it would have from any ordinary person, and yet, he still struggles.]
I-Its not just...
[But he's silenced as Mizuki snaps... and then, collapses.]
Ugh... can't imagine Willis would complain about this, but...
[Taking his time to be sure of his footing, Ken slowly stands, before lifting Mizuki over his shoulder.]
How you feeling... up there...?
[He asks before setting himself off to walk. For the most part, he can handle the weight, if a bit awkward with the throbbing in his back and leg.]
Let's get you to the nurses... idiot who drank her own weakness...
[He tries to make a joke of it, but... He does feel uneasy now.
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[Not much of a joke, but Mizuki still laughs a bit, amidst coughing and struggling to keep her stomach's contents where they are.]
And I'll manage once they get my stomach pumped. Right now there's just an issue with something discovering the existence of something that is fundamentally against everything it represents... so a massive, chaotic, poisonous rejection pretty much.
... We did good out there, though. And a couple of people are hoping that it'll make the Indalph be desperate for answers... maybe even take it easy on Sara since she's their only link. You can count me in that group too.
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Maybe... Maybe...
[He just soldiers on, thinking...]
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[But have some more food for thought on the walk back.]
I don't think Kanade or Tsubasa or anyone affiliated with them blames us for what happened to her either. And Kanade's issues... those come from her desire to help people. This might sound cold but... she understands the risks this entail. I don't want to see her hurt either, but just taking everything away from her and saying "no, you're not allowed to try to better the world" and throwing her in a box to keep her safe just turns one into a deluded idiot at best and the villain at worst.
Same with... Sara. She was just going out for recon duties... we do that all the time. Are we just going to make it so nobody scouts ever again, or decide to only have people we don't like and consider expendable to do that?
[She chuckles sadly.]
I wonder if this was what Yuuya was worried about when he chewed me out for thinking up the name "Savior Team"... or wanting to help Volya. Though the difference there is I don't intend to fight every one of his fights for him, just show him that he can decide his own future.
See what I'm getting at?
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[The first objection Ken raises since the end of the fight, as they're approaching one of secret entrances for Sakihama base.]
I never said people like them couldn't fight. I just... don't want things to happen that shouldn't be necessary.
...I know what happened to Sara wasn't really preventable, but...
[He pauses as he swings open a door.]
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Perhaps it might be the best if you set aside physical training and look towards mental discipline instead. Tragedy can happen in ways nobody can prepare for. What happened to Sara's proof of that. What happened to the Balmung Team's proof of that. And even with the battle on Nora...
Being able to cope with things like this, not just prevent them, can be the true test of strength.
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[Ken's silent again, and simply works to find someone to help with getting Mizuki to the infirmary. Whether he agrees or objects is... up in the air.]