The gift

[srwu_mods]

[1]
Unity Group's finance-related problems have eased over time. Nowadays they are pretty much gone and situation is back to how it was before.

But now, you get a reminder why the problems started in the first place.


"Holy crap! It's like Christmas came early!"

Loni's here. And so is his new unit. In the hangars, equipped with twin beam katanas, stands a stark white unit. The top of the line one of a kind prototype - the BrightSaber.

[2]
What about the old FightSaber? It's still being used, as a matter of fact someone is taking it through a training course right now. It jumps from cover to cover swiftly, shooting down target drones with gravity blasts while avoiding their counter fire.

Once the course is over, the time and score displayed are impressive. Browsing the results database would show that despite the unit being underequipped compared to its loadout from before, it scored higher than Loni ever did. But he's not the pilot this time.


"Yes, that's acceptable. I can work with this."

Ilinka is.


"Nice, Ilinka. This is a much better ride than a crappy old Gespenst. Now you won't need rescuing all the time anymore!"


"..."

By the way, Desta's nowhere around. Maybe the third of the Gavin party is not in mood for Christmas spirit.

Comments

1

[tiger_ken]

...Yeah, Christmas.

[Ken's staring up at the machine. Well, he hadn't exactly been entirely averse to the notion of Loni - though more particularly, his team as a whole - getting stronger, but considering everything...]

Please tell me its got more than a fancy pair of swords.

[srwu_mods]

"Of course it does. It's got weapons up the wazoo, these are just the crown jewel!"

[tiger_ken]

Such as...? Because Unity Group had to shave a lot of money for you to have just this one unit. That, whilst others like Solaris and the PPDC have had to work off a shoestring budget for a while now.

[srwu_mods]

"There're also high powered graviton launchers, and physical weaponry if that's not enough."

Loni sighs.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Everyone told me already and they act like if I knew this will take money from you and I did it on purpose. I needed a strong unit to defeat the Good Men cultists, alright?"

[tiger_ken]

Considering your first unit was created privately, I'm surprised you didn't question where a new one might be coming from.

[Then again, considering those first two managed to be made without taking their funds, he had to wonder...]

Hope it was worth it. Considering how many of the amenities had to drop in quality whilst this was put together, you're gonna have a lot of eyes on you to make sure it was good value for money. I know a guy who was severely affected by the lack of pudding supplies.

[srwu_mods]

"Of course it was worth it! Just wait 'til you see it in action, it's gonna kick ALL the ass!"

"... Huh, pudding?"
Loni seems puzzled.

[break_the_nine]

[As if on cue Leos shuffles across the hangar like the world's derpiest zombie, so out of it he doesn't even notice Loni or even curse at him. While the supplies have resumed, pudding was low on the list of things for restocking at the mo.]

Puuuuddiiiiiing.... puuuuuuddiiiiiiiiiiiing.....

[He falls over with a thump.]

Ow...

[srwu_mods]

"It's that guy!"

Loni doesn't forget his fight with Leos yet.

"He turned into some kind of sweets-obsessed zombie?!"

[break_the_nine]

[Leos suddenly flails on the ground wildly as if reacting to the sound of Loni's voice.]

WHAT WAS THAT?! Was that you Pudding Satan?! I'll kill you for taking away all the pudding!

[Flailflailflail. Thump.]

....

[Yeah Leos is just going to weakly drag himself along the floor. Then flop his arm in Loni's general direction.]

[tiger_ken]

Sigh

[Ken tosses a pudding cup at Loni's head.]

Here, peace offering for you two. I've been going around town and getting what I could on what little pay being the janitor gets me.

[srwu_mods]

"You really like this kind of stuff, huh?"

Loni catches the pudding and puts it down on the floor, in front of Leos zombie.

"I don't want it so you can have it."

[break_the_nine]

Nghhrhhaaaaaaaaah...

[Leos is just going to take the pudding cup and struggle opening it like some kind of wild animal. When its finally open you think he's going to go full zombie on it, sending splatters of pudding all over the place. Nope. He just sedately licks it like a cat at a water bowl. Lick. Lick. Lick.]

[Jeez, how bad was his pudding withdrawal?!]