The Tiger In The Shadows (Testrun)

[tiger_ken]

[1]

[It's late at night at one of the Unity Group bases, and one can't help but imagine that everything would be nice and quiet as everyone tries to get in a good night's rest.

Yet as you pass by the hangar, whether you were up late, coming back from something, or perhaps just popped to the toilet, you can't help but notice... someone, standing there, looking up at the machines in silence.

He kinda looks like a highschool student.]

[2]

[Well, after giving the guards the slip for a while, the intruder was finally caught and tossed in a cell, though he got out of his handcuffs easy enough. Getting out entirely on the other hand was another matter, as his body spasming for five minutes on touching the bars made clear.

Now he's banging on them with a stick, looking around.]

Heeeeey, is this how you treat guests around here?!

[His voice echoes for a bit, ignored by the guards.]

[3]

[After getting a few things sorted out, Ken's now free to wander the base a bit - albeit not off it for the time being - and so takes the chance to find himself some space. Removing his jacket, he undoes what appears to be some kind of scroll that he slips out from a pocket, and briefly gives it a glance over. Then, putting the scroll away again, he takes up a stance, clasping his hands in front of him, his breathing beginning to slow...

And then his fists fly in a flurry of movement, broken up by the occasional kick into the air.

Comment on this behaviour, or...?]

Comments

[empress_without_a_throne]

Come on, a hangar full of heroes ready to fight against the schemes of malevolent beings? You don't feel reminded of what your parents did? What the follow-up teams did at all?

[tiger_ken]

Y-You're wrong! I just... I just got curious. That's all. How some things might compare...

[empress_without_a_throne]

Things compare because it's the nature of things to repeat. Faces, factions, and roles change but there's always common trends.

Also, you're not fooling anyone.

[tiger_ken]

F-Fooling? What are you talking about?

[empress_without_a_throne]

For one, you're not nearly convincing enough when you say you're just "curious".

Come on, open up to me here. Stop being so defensive and stop playing so dumb and just be honest about how you feel about all of this.

[tiger_ken]

There's nothing to say! Doesn't matter what our predecessors did, all that matters is what we do NOW.

[empress_without_a_throne]

I wouldn't say nothing they did matters right now though. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for the Crusader team, after all. It's just... now that we've got this opportunity, now that Solaris actually has a presence again... it's going to come down to us to make the most of the opportunity.

So I guess you're right on that front, at the very least.

[tiger_ken]

Tch, that's right, they saved you after making your Empire stillborn. Suppose that shows how much they actually gave a damn on making sure you were cared for.

[empress_without_a_throne]

[Alright Ken. She's been trying to be the friendly person here but you're not making this easy here.]

Now you're just talking out of your ass. I'm grateful for everything Solaris did, otherwise I'd just be another generic, disposable pawn for the Void.

Middle-management in Hell or freedom in Heaven; there's no contest.

[tiger_ken]

...I meant they actually cared in spite of having every reason not to! Not like-

No, no, you know what? Forget it. I don't wanna start a fight over something as stupid as this.

[Kentaro throws up his hands, before trying to walk past Mizuki towards the corridor.]

[empress_without_a_throne]

[Lousy choice of words there, Ken. Fortunately... Mizuki's not excessively bitchy. And as you walk by...]

Actually, Ken... would you be up for fighting? Get some of this out of your system with some punching?

I mean... you're going to have to work through this somehow.

[tiger_ken]

...Its been a while since I really got to spar with someone.

I do warn you though, there was a reason the Torao clan was called upon to fight the Ebon Corsairs.

[empress_without_a_throne]

There's that sense of honest, familial pride I was hoping to see.

[She walks further into the hangar, into the darkness before turning to face Ken.]

We'll continue until one of us can't keep standing on both feet. Using hands, knees, wall supports... any of that stuff. I'd rather neither of us need to go to the doctor's because of this.

Whenever you're ready.

[tiger_ken]

More my own pride than anything else...

[So... not quite honest, but still. Ken takes up a stance, raising one hand beside his head as another goes forward, and leans back as he extends a foot.]

Ladies first.

[empress_without_a_throne]

And leaders lead.

[A shift of her footing and Mizuki launches herself at Ken like a bullet, fist snapping out at his head.]