5th Rise of the Phoenix ஜ Voice/Action Backdated to Monday's morning

[flamesofanger]

[During the past two weeks, Smoker, resident of Community Building 1, room 27, got some company in the form of a small kid named Ikki. Said kid though, is now again his proper age and though he intentionally slacked on saying much during the past day once he woke up as his normal self, Ikki supposes that it's about time to... He doesn't know, but

Comments

[justicereigns]

Yeah? [So talkative.]

[flamesofanger]

You in the apartment?

[It's okay, Ikki isn't really talkative either. And he's not a kid anymore so...]

[justicereigns]

Yeah around the room, hang on.

[Comes out carrying a cup of coffee and book from the kitchen.]

Hn?

[flamesofanger]

[He could have gone out of the room himself, you know. Anyway... Honestly Ikki thinks this is what people say 'feel awkward'. He didn't feel like this even after he tried to kill his brothers and revived later to fight on their side. He had just... Thrown the guilt and distrust over his shoulder and moved forward. It was easier to deal with that than with this. After all as a kid he had looked up a lot at Smoker, more than he has ever looked up to any adult. At least it's someone he already knew, it would be worse if not... Or maybe it would be easier?]

Yeah... I wanted to properly thank you for taking me in during those past days. I hope I didn't cause you much trouble.

[justicereigns]

Trouble? [Scoffs and a small grunt.]

Hardly. If it was a nuisance I wouldn't have taken you with me. [Out of the dere "aww kids!" mode and back into tsun.]

You want some coffee or something?

[flamesofanger]

[Yeah, he's not surprised by that reply, Smoker really doesn't seem the kind to go and taken with him things that he considers would give him problems or be annoying. It's one of the things he likes of the man, both when he was a kid and now. Ikki eyes the coffee warily, as if it would jump and attack him.]

No... I don't think it would be okay to keep bothering you. I think I've stretched your hospitality for too long... Wouldn't want to start causing trouble now.

[He doesn't seem very convinced though. Honestly? He wouldn't mind to stay. Some company isn't bad actually and it's not as if Smoker would be annoying, he neither but... He can't exactly ask and be like a kid again, right? He's old again, strong, used to be alone. He's a lone wolf.]

[justicereigns]

[Arches an eyebrow.]

The pot's already made and I'm told I probably shouldn't be drinking that much by myself in one go in the morning.

[Waves a hand nonchalantly.] Something about irritable disposition -- like I give a shit. I just haven't gotten used to not having Tashigi or my crew around.

[flamesofanger]

[... Okay, that's good enough for him. He doesn't mind solitude but he's really not used to live in civilized places like this, even the rare times when he stayed in Tokyo he ended up enduring at least Shun or all of the others. And the apartments are just too big and annoying for just one person.]

Yeah, it wouldn't be healthy for anyone to drink a whole pot in one go. I'll have some then.

Tashigi is a friend of yours from your world?

[Since he mentioned the name and the crew as separate entities.]

[justicereigns]

Hn. My Ensign -- second in command. She's a bit clumsy, but she's got a good heart at least.

[flamesofanger]

Clumsy? How much clumsy are we talking about?

There's someone back in my world pretty much like that. Good at heart, with a strong and valiant spirit, capable to stand up against a God without hesitation no matter how many times he had been brought down. But that was while he was fighting. The rare times he wasn't and I saw him he could be clumsy and quite a fool, more than clumsy he was noisy. The kind that couldn't even stay quiet in bed even when badly injured.

[Not that he's much better, Ikki isn't the type to sit and lick his wounds either.]

[justicereigns]

Clumsy enough that it's amazed her glasses aren't perpetually broken, she talks to the wrong people because she's virtually blind, and her legs are unsteady because she needs to train more.

[Nods at Ikki's story and sighs.] And in spite of that, she's still the one woman whose justice I trust like my own. I can leave her in charge of my men without a moment's hesitation, and she'll blindly face down the strongest swordsman in the world if it's for her justice. Tch. She's got ages to go in order to make it in the New World though.

Your friend, someone you've mentioned before? [More wondering if he'll recognize the name and he pours Ikki some coffee.]

[flamesofanger]

Blindly face down the strongest swordsman, huh? I believe that, specially if she loses her glasses in the fight.

[Just a light joke, no offense meant.]

Sounds like a good woman indeed. Though I have the impression she would be noisy too, the kind of presence that always makes itself known, maybe?

[He nods as a thanks for the coffee and takes the cup. His answer starts automatically, almost as a reflex.]

Never said it was a friend.

[And across the dimensions and time, Shun probably gets the sudden urge to facepalm or complain at his brother's tsun attitude with them without knowing why. Or maybe not, but he would be totally be making faces at that. But it's true, he didn't say he was a friend, or a brother, even if he's both.]I don't think I mentioned him before to you thought. Pegasus Seiya, one of the Bronze Saints together with me and my brother, and one of Athena's closest protectors. He faced many enemies and even Hades, the God of Death, without second thoughts, none of us did, but he was the one to charge head first, like

[justicereigns]

[Chuckles softly and shakes his head.] Luckily no, she's pretty quiet until she's clambering down to find her sword. I wouldn't be able to stand her if she was loud. [He's usually the one yelling at her after all.] She's usually easily overlooked actually. A bit on the shy side. If she were actually here I'd have to hunt her down because it wouldn't be instantly obvious. The only times she's all that loud is if she's getting on my case like Hina does. Hina's such a bad influence I swear... [Lights up a pair of cigars and listens with a nod.]

I see. Not a friend, but certainly a nakama then.

[flamesofanger]

Oh? Much better than what I imagined then. Noisy people can be amusing at times but end being annoying, at least the ones I know, but maybe that's also because they are quite the social type.

Hina? [Arches an eyebrow, the question obvious.

Ikki actually remains silent for a moment, staring at his cup of coffee. If he was to be honest he would certainly label Seiya as a friend, but he's not honest. And he certainly doesn't have the right to call them friends after what he did to them, all for his own selfishness, because he didn't want to think about how all of the sudden he had more little brothers to worry about, to sacrifice himself for. He had barely managed to do it for Shun and it only brought him despair and sadness, he hadn't even managed to fully protect Shun. He turned to them, fought them, used them to eliminate the Black Saints and then tried to kill them, forced them to kill him in a foolish attempt to be freed of everything

[justicereigns]

Hina's somewhere between my oldest and best friend and a woman who'd probably love the chance to smash my head into a door until I learned to do what I'm told like a good marine.

And yeah, that's exactly what a nakama is. You might not like them always, but you'd still fight for them, and you know they've got your back.

[flamesofanger]

Oh? Aren't you a good marine? If you aren't I think I prefer the bad marines to the good ones.

[You're quite fine for Ikki's standards, and if being a bad marine means to be like you, then the good marines are probably people Ikki wouldn't get along with or something.

He'll just hum lightly at the nakama part. Not really up to go deeper about that.]