show me how we'll end this, it's alright

[iluphone]

characters: All the assigned turncoats and all the rebels! 8) Idealistically.
location: Captured ship and the skies surrounding.
time: ...let me get back to you. A few days after the meeting?
rating: PG-13 for VIOLENCE?
open/closed: Closed to the above.
summary: It's time to wrangle us some rebels. &hearts

Comments

[iluphone]

[ Kunsel didn't want to do this.

For what short time he had served under the eccentric General, he had come to respect the man in ways reminiscent to the days when he still believed in SOLDIER. Isen had been part of what started making Solace a home to Kunsel more than some strange city they had all woken up in.

But things had changed, and no matter how much Kunsel had come to like the man, the fact remained that taking care of Zack came first and foremost. He had done what he had to do, and he regretted nothing.

Still, he wished that it hadn't come to this. That he had any choice but to fight, because he was not so naive as to think that Isen would come quietly.

He would at least try to do Isen the favor of not making any excuses, because motive didn't change what he had done, what trust he had betrayed. He flexed his grip on his sword, bringing up to show Isen he would defend himself, but did not intend to make the first move. He had already put the first piece into play by changing his allegiance. It was Isen's move now. ]

We're under orders to return this ship to the Avaticans and capture those on board it. [ Kunsel informed Isen of this quietly, not that he thought the information would change a thing. Isen was a good man who deserved to know what was happening. ]

[erythrosi]

Capture us, hm?

[ Isen's grip on his weapons tightens only a fraction at that. Capture, and brought back to the country he'd fought against ever since becoming a General so many years ago. This was honestly something he'd never thought of ever happening in his lifetime.

But it makes sense, doesn't it? His City's nearly wiped out. Everything else was gone in pieces. Only made sense to join them, didn't it? Because Isen knew the fate that awaited him on an Avatican ship. Whatever this former soldier of his may have been lead to believe, whatever his orders were, the General knew he would not walk off that ship.

That being the case, like Hell was he going down without a fight. ]

So be it.

[ With those words, Isen charges, sword at the ready to meet Kunsel's blade. If the other wouldn't get this over with, fine. ]

I've wanted to use these icons since, like, Parameter. :|;;;

[iluphone]

[ If Isen looks at Kunsel the moment he charges, he might catch the grim smile Kunsel flashes and mistake it for arrogance. But Kunsel's not smiling because he thinks he will or even can win. He's smiling because it amuses him on a deeply morbid level that right now, in this moment, the days when he would wake up and be unsurprised (if not a bit alarmed) that he was occupying someone else's body or abruptly ten years younger were also the days when life was so much simpler and less complicated.

Bodyswapping, temporal anomalies, and plants which compelled him to kiss his best friend are now 'the simpler times'.

What a fucking life.

He hadn't, after all, joined the Avaticans because it made tactical sense. Kunsel was a boy with very little tactical sense. He was that 2nd who fell out of helicopters out of over excitement, after all. Had he been in this alone, he might have accepted the mission far enough to get here, then helped his General take care of the rest of the turncoats and escape. But he's not in this alone. He has Zack to worry about.

And there's no hell Kunsel fears to tread if it will save Zack a step in the same direction.

/tangents forever

Kunsel immediately brings his sheath up to deflect Isen's first blow, lunging at Isen's side with his own sword. It's difficult for him to keep his heart in it, but he forces himself to remember the state he left Zack in. He can't die here. It makes him tired down to his soul to think about, but he still as so much left to do. ]

sexy fighttimes get /o/

[erythrosi]

[ Arrogance is not what catches his eye. All Isen sees is an enemy soldier with a familiar face. And there had been so many soldiers with familiar faces during his years. It's unfortunate, it's aggravating, but there's nothing to be done other than to carry on. Continue fighting the opposition.

Unable to use his skills the way he'd prefer to with the magic restraint obviously in use, the General quickly blocks the other's blade from reaching him with the gun in his other hand. The rest of his strength, he uses to press harder against the soldier's weapons, forcing him back. His eyes seem to glow an intense red the harder he pushes.

He could very easily tilt the barrel of his gun, and send a bullet through the soldier's knee. But he holds off on that, and just focuses on pushing his opponent back, waiting to hear the inevitable snap of that shield against his blade. ]

[iluphone]

[ There's a sharp sound of metal resounding against metal as Kunsel's sword deflects off the barrel of Isen's gun, Kunsel hissing out a curse as he's backed into a corner. Thinking fast, his fingers glide over his blizzard materia -- even if sleep doesn't work on Isen, there's a good chance that this will.

There's an apologetic look in Kunsel's eyes as he drops his sword and presses the flat of his palm against Isen's chest. There's a faint blue glow as the spell casts before the air between them is frozen over, pushing Isen back. ]

[erythrosi]

[ Isen's faced magic users in battle before, no doubt. And everyone always had a different method of casting their magic. Therefore, it's not the first time he had eyes set on the other to focus on his attack, but it's among the few times he'd been focused on it too much to forget that hey, this is a very one-sided battle in terms of magic. He can't do anything, so he's unable to teleport a few feet back to avoid the brunt of the blast.

Instead he's pushed back by the attack, and it's damn cold enough that his forearms, weapons, and front of his jacket frosts. Brrr. He's pushed back several feet, having been unable to block or get away in time. But he's not knocked off his feet, and Kunsel only has a brief moment to regroup because the General's charging forward once more, aiming for the soldier's neck. ]

[iluphone]

[ Cursing under his breath, Kunsel dodges sharply to one side as he brings up one of his bracers to block the blow. A hiss leaves him as he feels Isen's blade cut through the reinforced leather and into his arm, but it's his left arm and a shallow cut at best so it's nothing to worry about too much yet. Instead he focuses on ducking and retrieving his weapon, remaining at a crouch as he makes a pass at Isen's legs. ]

[erythrosi]

[ There's no satisfaction in making a former subordinate bleed. Simply means to an end, whatever that may be. Isen's able to avoid the attack at his legs by hopping up on the ship's banister, and rather than using his sword to slice off his opponent's head at this new angle, instead he swings hard with the gun, delivering a heavy blow to the side of Kunsel's head.

He remains perched on the railing, aiming the gun between the soldier's eyes. But he doesn't pull the trigger just yet. ]

[iluphone]

[ That blow to his head makes Kunsel choke on his breath, vision whiting out as he staggers. It disorients him enough to drop him to his knees, groaning low as the throbbing pain begins to subside. Even in his confusion, he still hears the click of that gun, and once he can his gaze snaps up to confirm his suspicions. He stares down the barrel of that gun for only a moment or two before he sighs and shuts his eyes, turning his head slightly to one side.

That was quick. But then again he knows it would have been over far faster with one of his own generals, and that he shouldn't have expected any less of Isen. ]

[erythrosi]

Is that it?

[ Isen remains still, level hand keeping his rifle's aim pointed directly at his target. It's not as if he was expecting some grand scale battle between the two of them, but still. Seeing the other ready to give in so easily, so soon, it's frustrating. ]

Get up. I hired you because you'd informed me that you were a skilled, experienced soldier.

Were you lying?

[iluphone]

...with all due respect, nothing I got's faster than a bullet, General.

[ Kunsel says this with a dry, humorless grin as he slowly pulls himself back to his feet. ]

Part of being experienced is knowing your limits, isn't it?

[erythrosi]

[ Disappointment is obvious in his firm expression, and he draws his gun back to rest the barrel on his shoulder. ]

And you've reached yours in less than three minutes.

I was lead to believe you were an asset to my army. Perhaps everything else you've told me is a lie as well.

[ General does not appreciate being duped, you know. ]

[iluphone]

[ Kunsel goes silent for a moment, expression hardening as he swallows thickly. Then he goes to unbuckle his bracers, letting them drop to the ground so that he can pull up his sleeves. There's the cut Isen made earlier on his one arm, and the other arm--his dominate hand--is bandaged from wrist to elbow. Malboro bites from the invasion, which are always slow and painful to heal. Kunsel counts himself as lucky it didn't get infected. There's more wear and tear on him, but he doesn't much feel like stripping down to his boxers just now. ]

With all due respect, you're far from the first one I've had to fight. I did the best I could before Solace fell, but I'm only one man. Don't you think I'm sorry for not being stronger?

What do you want from me?

[ As in, he wants to know why Isen hasn't pulled the trigger. ]

[erythrosi]

[ If Kunsel thinks battle scars are supposed to sway his opinion, he's pretty wrong there. Isen's been a General for ten years, an army man for longer. He's seen men lose limbs and keep fighting. He's done so himself. Children scar themselves when they trip on the sidewalk. Isen had simply expected a better fight from someone who claimed to have something to live for.

He steps off the banister to move in closer, bringing his gun out again until the barrel presses against Kunsel's chest. He continues stepping forward, until Kunsel's back is against the wall of the ship's cabins and he's close enough to hear the soldier's heart beating. ]

At the very least, former soldier, I was expecting a reason to believe I'd be captured today.

[iluphone]

[ Kunsel doesn't have that luxury. If it came down to saving Zack's life, he'd fight tooth and nail to the very last breath, but if he lost limbs here, Zack'd... It'd break Zack's heart. His friend's just that kind of person, even if their feelings don't run the same both ways. If Isen shot him, at least they could tell Zack he didn't suffer. Which is a cold comfort, but sometimes cold comfort is all SOLDIERs can count on. ]

I'm sorry to have let you down. [ And he is, but he has priorities and Isen's in an unfortunate second place to Kunsel's raison d'etre. ]

But I wouldn't be here at all if I had a choice. [ Fighting Isen, talking to him like this. It has to be done, but that doesn't mean it doesn't make Kunsel sick to his stomach. ]

[erythrosi]

You've made your decision pretty clear.

[ And Isen could very easily pull the trigger right then and there. The man in front of him's a traitor, whatever reasons were involved in making that decision were irrelevant.

But it was discussion of those reasons before that holds him back. It could all be an act, some scum attempting to gain authority and wealth by lying their way up and deceiving him with stories. But in the event that it isn't, Isen doesn't want to be responsible for a broken heart. It's strange, he's killed plenty of enemy soldiers who'd had their families and their hearts broken. Why this soldier makes any difference is puzzling. ]

If you'll excuse me, [ and here Isen withdraws his gun, turning his back to the soldier and walking away ] my ship's under attack.