A Frightening Friend's Return

[broken_frightener]

[In the aftermath of the Wulgaru attack a familiar face makes a return... at least for a while. Leos and his team - not just the two that accompanied him but a number of other pilots as well were taking some time off at a Unity Group base.]

Well... I'm glad not much changed. Like I said to everyone out there.... its good to see you all again.

[There's something odd about Leos as well. For one he doesn't seem as energetic as he was before, and his voice was significantly more calmer too.]



"So this is the Unity Group huh? Can't say I'm impressed."

Boyle. Do shut up. Remille. Keep your brother from talking too much please.



"Understood Commander Klein."

[Boyle simply grumbles and folds his arms while the rest of the Frighteners chuckle at his expense.]

So. About that Pudding.

Comments

[star_of_sad]

Leos?

[His bearing - and his company, give Setsuko pause. She is reluctant to bring this up, but still... it seems like the same Leos from before. Same, yet different.]

What were you up to during those months?

[broken_frightener]

I was offered a chance to do some work with my skills by some people in ESUN... do something useful you know? I guess when you kill Nineball several times over people take notice... even if I did have help.

They figured that maybe I needed a team of my own too. They really like calling me 'The Nine-Breaker' when they aren't calling me Commander Klein.

[star_of_sad]

So you are famous now?

[For Setsuko Leos was still the derp she met months ago.]

Well... I suppose it is good, that you didn't retire without a chance to make a difference. What kind of work is it?

[tiger_ken]

'Commander' Klein, was it?

[Ken is lightly tossing a pudding cup in hand.]

You join the military or something?

[broken_frightener]

Sort of. People in ESUN offered me work. And then a team of my own. I figured I may as well make the best of it.

[Leos toyed with the pudding cup for a while before opening it.]

How are Mizuki and Dido doing?

[tiger_ken]

They're doing... okay. We're working through some things right now, so...

[Ken shrugs.]

Seems a bit strange to run away from an ESUN facility, to go and work for a different part of it. What is it you do?

[actuallyselfish]

"Yo, Leos." Dido says. "Who are the Creeps?"

[broken_frightener]

"An amusing observation coming from the one who looks like she does some creeping around herself."



Now now Remille. Dido's a friend. Play nice.

[He forgot she was Boyle's twin sometimes. Things like this remind him of that little factoid.]

They're my team. When I took on my new job they came with it.

[actuallyselfish]

"Well," Dido says with a shrug. "Its good to see you, Leos. And any team-mate of you's a team-mate of mine."

Forcing a smile, Dido extends a hand to Remille, trying for a friendly hand-shake. After all, maybe she was just judging by appearance: If Leos works with her, surely she can't be all that bad, right?

[a_linear_mind]

Huh...those are some generic mercenaries...

[Willis' attention seems to be focused on your crew Leos.]

[broken_frightener]

"And you look like a generic womanizer. Perhaps you would like to try make your opinions known a little closer?"



Remille. Down. Willis is a friend.

[She merely remains grim faced while the other frighteners glare at Willis. Leos simply moves closer to talk.]

Maybe they are... but they're the people ESUN stuck me with. Make the best of what you have after all.

"HEAR THAT UNITY GROUP?! COMMANDER KLEIN THINKS WE'RE THE BEST! YOU GOT NOTHING ON US IF THE NINEBREAKER THINKS THAT!!"

I'd appreciate it if they stopped doing that though.

[a_linear_mind]

Just don't let it get to your head, the last thing any of us need is another inflated ego.

As for you, if you have a problem with my assessment you might want to stop playing into the stereotype of a generic merc.

[If he was bothered or threatened by those glares, he wasn't showing it.]

Anyways, it's good to see you again. Though, I didn't think you were the type to join up with ESUN.

[brought_it_back]

I'm not much of a sweets person, sorry...

Who are your friends?

[broken_frightener]

"We aren't Commander Klein's Friends. We're his team."



Remember what I asked Boyle. Shush. Still. He has most of it right. They are my team. I won't bother with the introductions.

"Damn right. We don't need to-"

Boyle.

"Keeping quiet now Commander Klein."

Line #34 in Small Talk For Dummies

[brought_it_back]

Well...how have you been?

[gravitons]

Hey, kid! I heard that you're bac-

[Chika's approach is stopped by the general appearance of Leos' new group. She just stands there, stunned.]



...Whoa...what's with all the dark...?

[Meanwhile, Shu is somewhere in the background, but he's only watching from a distance.]

[broken_frightener]

"What the hell. That bird's talking."



Well of course she is Boyle. Its to be expected of a brilliant familiar.

[Leos ducks down to reach out and carefully press a finger to Chika's beak, a nostalgic chuckle working its way from the Frightener leader.]

Boop.

Don't mind them so much. You get used to the dimness after a while.

[gravitons]

Mmmhhh-!

[Well it's still the same as always, Leos - reactions and all. When your finger finally leaves the beak, though...Chika manages a chuckle as well.]


Kukuku...well, as long as you can appreciate my brilliance and teach your team about it, you're still you...I guess...

[She looks...doubtful for that last bit.]

I definitely didn't expect the wardrobe, though; and I thought Master was going for that appearance sometimes. You look like you've gone through more than you did here!

Any adventure stories? How much do you get paid?

[keep_your_dignity]

[A little, heavily scarred fairylike humanoid looks up from the touchscreen she was maneuvering around, trying to write something despite her tiny arms, and scans the group behind Leos.

She seems most definitely unimpressed.]

[broken_frightener]

"Hm..."

[Remille seems to look at Kagura with an interest that seems... distinctly unpleasant.]

"I wonder what sort of noises it would make if I pulled its limbs off."

[Leos' smile seems to get a tiny bit more thinner.]



Major. Its been a while. I hope you haven't had too much trouble lately.

[The Frighteners behind Leos seem to smirk and nudge each other as they snicker wondering what sort of scatter brained organization would be willing to make such a tiny looking thing a Major.]

[keep_your_dignity]

[The steady, glowing gaze Kagura returns is entirely out of place in the face of something so tiny and adorable. It's like this little, pathetic thing is coldly evaluating the mercenary and finding her not worth the time - a look that would seem more at home on a giant velociraptor than on her tiny, watery green eyes.

She shakes her head at Leos's question, though. She's doing about as well as could be expected of someone in her situation, really]

[cloningblues]

[Maybe not much has changed on Unity Group's front, but Leos sure did. Aside from the pudding at least.]

You've actually become a commander? Of what looks like a serious military organization, too.

[broken_frightener]

Its more 'unit leader' than Commander, but its less of a mouthful for my team to work with honestly.

[kill_all_vagans]

Leos!

[Awright. He's back!]

You're back!

[broken_frightener]

Flit. Its been a while...



"Who's the brat?"

One of the smartest kids I know. Damn good fighter too. Been giving the UE hell?