|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 12:32 pm
Even after several cups of coffee and a morning regime of guinea-pigging at the labs, Jerry was still looking haggard after his early emergency rescue. How had that even HAPPENED? It felt too early for lunch still, and so he had made his way to the practice fields.
Careful AIM. Pull the trigger. Fire. Watch the dummy explode into splinters.
His ears were ringing, and he drank in Roar's song of destruction, but even so it didn't help. He tried again, aiming and firing down the row of waiting dummies several yards away, but when that didn't help, he took aim at the nearby storage shed, his mind and stomach reeling before his face contorted bitterly and he pulled the trigger.
What the hell, it wasn't like he was ever able to save up money. Why even try.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 12:51 pm
Sasha hadn't talked to Jerry in a long time. A long, long time. In truth, she'd avoided regular interaction with almost everyone aside from Wash. She'd become somewhat secluded, immersing herself in her work and her duties around the island.
The less she was forced to interact, the easier it was to ignore the fact that things weren't working out the way Sasha had hoped they would. She had her flute, yes.
It was a piece of s**t.
The only thing that helped was working on her little projects - and beating the stuffing out of the training dummies that littered the grounds.
Sasha was, more often than not, lucky enough to find solitude when she came to the training grounds. She preferred early morning to any other time, but time itself had slipped away from her - and when she made her way to the training grounds on this day, Sasha had company.
She watched Jerry for a few long moments, taking a strange sort of enjoyment in the way the training dummies turned to nothing but splinters and ash in the wake of his attacks. The last thing she wanted to deal with was his wibbling - but she needed this break, badly.
Gritting her teeth, Sasha moved forward, summoning Nona as she approached the sun hunter. She waited until he attacked one more dummy before clearing her throat - rather loudly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:05 pm
Jerry had hesitated, but thankfully before he could blow up the supply shed, the sudden clearing of a throat trickling through the ringing in his ears made him jump, his shot going high to ripple with green light with a distant pop in the sky.
He gave a shuddering quick exhale before turning sharply- if Rep had shown up to rub his nose in it again-
The weapon was quickly lowered when he saw who it was, and immediately his darkened expression paled as he recoiled to gather his thoughts. He glanced away, hand shaking as he pushed his glasses up his nose.
What should he say? They hadn't spoken nor even SEEN each other in... he couldn't remember. He settled for a grunt and a distant, "How's flute practice been going?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:11 pm
"Well," Sasha lied in a manner she hoped was convincing, offering Jerry a quick upward twist of her lips in a farcical smile.
She wanted to turn and leave, truthfully - but there was something she wanted more, and so she would bear this tidy little conversation for as long as she could.
She knew Jerry, and she knew when something was wrong with Jerry. While they hadn't talked in quite some time, there was a period in her life where he'd been a pillar for her. A very weak, crumbling-round-the-base pillar, but a pillar nonetheless.
Sasha briefly pressed her lips together, narrowing her eyes just slightly before she took another step forward. Gesturing at Roar with Nona's blade, Sasha lifted a brow.
"You're off. Something wrong?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:18 pm
Jerry gave a snort, as though that sound pretty much covered it. Lowering Roar before swaying up to his feet and start his way down the hill, "When is anything right? I need to set up more dummies." He hadn't told her to go away, although he was tempted.
He missed Sasha. Time had made things easier between him and Candace, but Sasha's change... it really had felt like the young woman that had become his best friend, his closest confidant, his world was gone. Dead as Killzone. And no one had understood things the way he had like she had. Wash seemed to think she wasn't entirely gone but- There was no use trying to think about it. It only made his bad mood worse.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:27 pm
Sasha let out a low, rough laugh as she fell into step next to Jerry. She was intrigued more than anything - what had him feeling so low? Why was he in such a horrid mood?
Sasha thrived on it.
"I'll help," she purred quietly, an odd little grin on her lips. The scar that bisected her upper lip wrinkled just slightly. "How many have you gone through today?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:31 pm
"This'll be the third row of six." He mumbled, sticking his finger in his ear to try to sate the ringing. He didn't look up, keeping his eyes on the grass as they walked toward the un-exploded shed. Would have been a much higher count. "Still targets just aren't the same as moving ones."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:37 pm
Sasha deftly desummoned Nona before hooking the barrette onto the necklace she wore. It jangled briefly against the rings that she wore there before settling against the front of the high-necked sweater she wore.
"Third row of six," Sasha gave Jerry a look, one brow lifting. "Something's got you upset, then."
How thrilling. Sasha fell silent as she took a moment to tie her hair back. "What's got you in an uproar, Jerry?" She pursed her lips and gave him a thoughtful look before moving into the shed. "Don't say nothing. I know that look on your face."
At least he wasn't wibbling. She could handle Jerry like this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 3:49 pm
Jerry was silent for a while as he grabbed a fresh dummy under it's make-shift arms, hauling it backwards out into the foggy sunlight. "What's the whole... whole d-damn world got against me is what I want to know. I've... I've been sober for MONTHS. I mean completely sober! And before that it was... you know... within moderation, and he just ASSUMES...." His words dropped down into a bitter grumble as he hauled the target into place.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 3:58 pm
Sasha spun on her heel as Jerry nabbed an intact dummy. She didn't actually help as he dragged it where he wanted it. She'd never really intended to help at all.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Sasha followed after him at a much slower pace, a little smile toying with the corners of her lips.
"You take too much s**t from people, Jerry - myself included, for a time." Sasha cleared her throat. Awkward times best left sleeping. No need for a shitstorm of emotion and soppy, messy Jerry. She lifted a slim hand to toy with the totem strung around her neck, inspecting it closely in the hazy light of the sun. "It's good to know you've stopped drinking, though," Sasha continued thoughtfully, canting her head to the side as she lifted her gaze from Nona's totem. "Nice to know my own personal stash is safe." She didn't meet his eyes.
"Who are we speaking about, hm?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:10 pm
Jerry glowered at the dummy, brows narrowed, eyes surrounded in dark circles from lack of sleep behind his glasses before stiffly turning on his heal to march back toward the shed. "No one respects me. You didn't respect me, my friends don't trust me, all I ever do is try to get things done with a smile on my face and a song in my heart and it's like the Universe has a PROBLEM with that and I just don't get it! Allan makes it look so easy, I don't know how he does it. How he doesn't just... " He shook his head, storming into the shed again.
Her own stash. And now Sasha was drinking. Regularly, apparently. Just great.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:16 pm
"Allan," Sasha began in venomous tones before gentling her voice just slightly, "has lived his life in a strange, odd little bubble that seems to have affected his mental capabilities. I'm not saying that he is... incapable of being a leader," she waved her hand, "rallying the troops and all that - he is," he wasn't, as far as Sasha was concerned, "and his whole... well, it just works for him."
When had lying become so easy for her? Sasha crossed her arms over her chest briefly.
"I respected .. no, I didn't respect you. Well. I did until I realized that it didn't really matter. Things change. People change. Take yourself, for example."
She waited for him to come back out of the shed, idly picking fluff from her trousers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:33 pm
"I don't.... see how much has changed." He grunted, hauling the next one out into the grass. "I was a joke before the island... I'm a joke now." He stewed for a few moments, wheeling the target several yards away from the first, further away from his spot on the hill. "I've heard people talk about him. Allan. Like you do, like he's.... crazy or something. Maybe he is, but to make the calls he has to make, to do what he has to do on a regular basis, it's incredibly strong. Just... being there, it's difficult to be afraid. I wish I could emanate as much positivity as he does."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:52 pm
"My point exactly," Sasha grinned toothily, no humor or warmth in the gesture whatsoever.
"You haven't changed at all. Well, you have, in certain ways, I think." She gave him a critical look, tapping her chin with her index finger before both hands went to her hips. "You're in your element here. Destruction. You're a Sun. It's what you were created to do." Sasha watched him with wolfish intent.
"Haven't we had this discussion before?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:04 pm
"Maybe." Jerry growled, "But sometimes I wonder if you know anything about me. Before or now." He adjusted the angle of the dummy before giving it a firm kick, "About as much as I know you, now."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
