irismessaging | 3rd Punch [Video]

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3rd Punch [Video]

[Well… that method definitely wasn’t Akihiko’s preferred way to break the news gently to the rest of the camp. Now, to deal with the aftermath…]

Don’t worry, everyone. We’re not gonna throw in the towel without a fight. We’ve got this.

[He falls quiet for a minute, contemplating, and then tries his best to display a reassuring smile to the network.]

Hey, what do you guys like to do for fun? There’s a bunch of clubs in my school, and those are great for teambuilding and meeting new people.

So, I was thinking… Why don’t we start up some clubs right here? Like swimming, archery, boxing, or anything else you’re into! There can even be a book club, if sports aren’t your thing. Maintaining mental strength is important too.

[Though he can’t help quipping next with some personal bias.]

Of course, we can’t let up with our training, especially now, so make sure you guys find a good balance between the two, okay?

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Si- half-sister. On my mother's side. And even if she's tweaked her knee, she was national team material. No amount of practice and training will put me on her level.

I was, that's how the game works, right? I just didn't aim for anything that would kill you.

*Look, you've annoyed her again. She'll sigh at you for dramatic effect. It's a teenage class trait.*

Pretty sure if you're trying to be PC, women are fickle about their age. Girls want to be older, because girls hate being treated like children. And I don't really have a last name anymore, so it's what we have to work with.

Oh. So your parents got remarried. [Brief awkward silence as he recovers.] C'mon, don't say that! How do you know what your full potential is, without even trying? You need to push yourself, in order to keep getting better!

Is that right? [Akihiko smirks and raises a fist in determination.] Then I'll keep that in mind, for next time.

[I swear to God, Maya is probably what Miki would be like, at this age... XD]

Uh, all right... I'll take your word for it. Sorry. I wasn't trying to insult you. It's just something that I've heard. [Probably from Junpei. Akihiko seriously needs to stop listening to him.]

What do you mean you don't have a last name anymore? Aren't you carrying your dad's?

...No, I thought we were sisters but my dad drives the sun. You know, camp? Demi-Gods? Stolen from our homes by one of our real parents? And my full potential is music, it always has been. Soccer just happens to be a fun way to keep in shape.

*She only manages a brief bitter smile over the whole explanation. How is this guy a kid of Zeus if he's not thinking it all through?*

I'm not insulted, the other Maya might be if I keep calling her old, but you didn't really say anything against me. Now if you told me I was a half-rate musician with no future I would be insulted.

[Because he doesn't fully believe it. It's a possibility, but Akihiko can't discard the memories of his parents and sister just like that. He has a hard time letting go of things in the first place.

And considering the gods might wanna kill them? Yeah, Akihiko isn't jumping up and down with excitement to be claimed by them right now.]

Right... [But it's not his place to try and dissuade Maya, so he'll let her believe what she wants. Though there is one thing he has to comment on.] I really don't care what they tell me. Miki is... I mean, was, my sister, and nothing's gonna change that. Besides, for all you know, you and your sister might have the same father.

Heh, I don't know you well enough to make that kind of assessment, Maya. I'm not that musically-inclined, anyway. Minako's the one always glued to her headphones.

Edited 2013-06-08 19:48 (UTC)

*Did- did you- really suggest Katie was a daughter of Apollo. Now, it isn't really fair, given he doesn't know Katie, so he can't possibly see how funny this is. So it is really unfair for her to laugh at this.*

*But she does. A lot. She hasn't really laughed like this in a while. How serious he looks just makes it funnier.*

Katie- a daughter of Apollo? Katie- *Still funny.* She couldn't write a poem by herself, I had to do them for her. Even when I was in grade school. She's as creative as a xerox machine.

*Yeah, okay, now she's done.*

We're still sisters, she's still a pain trying to run my life and get her nose into everything I do. But she does it because she cares. Just... her dad isn't my dad, and it isn't her fault, she probably didn't know... mom and dad were pretty good at treating us equally.

[Blink. Akihiko looks utterly confused by her sudden laughter.]

...What's up? Did I say something weird? [And then after she explains herself...] Oh. I see. [He's feeling a little silly right now, but not enough to get flustered, fortunately.]

So you still love her, right? Even after... finding out all this.

[He smiles a little, but he's honestly mystified. Because of how long he's been an orphan, he can't really relate, or accurately imagine how it feels.] That sounds... great.

Well, yeah? She's still Katie. The girl who sent me to the hospital after trying to make tea when I was little. Who got all protective when I started dating... *Maya looks a little distant after that line, but recovers pretty well.*

She's still the one who tells me what I shouldn't wear, and helps me try to win stupid beauty pageants I had no business being in. We fight, we help each other... we're sisters. That hasn't changed. My dad just happens to be cooler than her dad, I'm sure when I see her again she'll be thrilled to complain I have an unfair advantage at music.

Seeing that's my dad's thing and all.

T-To the hospital?! [He might have misunderstood that, but he thinks she means her sister was the one responsible for putting her into that hospital.

Though he can't help smiling as he listens to her descriptions. Sibling-type bonds are very important to Akihiko, given Miki, Shinji, Mitsuru, and even some of the SEES members.

Maya also makes him think of something all of a sudden...] Hey, uh... How would you feel if she showed up here one day? Would you want her to stay back home, or...?

We were really little and she wanted to have a tea party. But she wanted something more real then a simple imaginary tea party, so she mixed some things in the kitchen. I ended up getting my stomach pumped.

*Look this is the sort of thing that just happens when you and your sibling get into mischief. But whatever fond memory was washing over her with the story was washed away with that question.*

*What if her sister was also a Demi-God? What if her sister was also here? They... would still be half sisters, unless Katie's mom was was a Goddess. But... someone here would know. And whatever good Katie could do, it would break that veil Maya has here. Maya turns cold and absolute as she speaks again.*

It's better off she's not here, this place is too dangerous. Mom doesn't need to lose both her kids.

Sheesh... I hope that won't happen again. [What is it with girls that can't cook? See: Akihiko's female SEES dorm mates, with the exception of Minako.]

Hmm... [He nods in agreement.] You won't be here forever, anyway. Seriously, what the hell were they thinking, breaking families apart like this?

I was five, she was nine. We've done other stuff since then.

*Katie can cook, just... not when she was nine. If either of them shouldn't be allowed near cooking it's Maya.*

Especially if all they plan to do is kill some of us. Seems wasteful to me. And if they kill the children of the strongest gods, the odds the rest of us survive drop to nothing.

Which just means it's better to leave our families far away from this mess, humans aren't meant for, right?

[Note to self: never try food from females, ever. Hell, Shinji should start a cooking club here...]

It's not you guys that they have a problem with. Apparently, some agreement between the gods was violated, and they... wanna take extra precautions. They think we might become a catalyst for war. That's why they wanna kill us, before that happens.

It can't be good for the people here, though, being separated from their families. You miss your parents and your sister, don't you? We just... need to figure out what to do at this camp, so we can return to our lives.

*There are girls that can cook! ...Probably not in camp, but somewhere!*

Yeah, but we're in a camp surrounded by monsters, remember? What'll we do if the kids that can throw lightning are all dead? I'm pretty sure between us you'll have an easier time with the whole Demi-God hero thing. And there's the whole missing campers thing too? Pretty sure if you all are killed we're in trouble too.

*Keep batting a thousand Aki.*

So what if I miss them? I'd have to part with them eventually. I plan to go to Juilliard eventually, and my sister's heading to college in the fall. Can't stay at home forever... I just need to keep up with my music while I'm here and I'll be fine.

*Plus home feels empty and full of hollow memories, and everyone looks at her like she's made of glass, and she's much better here.*

You'll have to rely on your own abilities, and those of the others that are still here. [That might sound cold, but it's the truth. Akihiko sees no point in sugarcoating it.] If we're really taken out, it doesn't mean the rest of you should just give up. You have to continue fighting. Don't lie down and wait for Death to come claim you.

[Surprisingly, he smiles. He's impressed by this show of courage from Maya. Akihiko hasn't had the benefit of family to count on, and being independent from the start made him grow up much faster than most teenagers his age. It's comforting to see this same quality in other fellow young teens.]

If that's how you really feel, then you'll be a good influence on the others. Try to help them if they get unsure about themselves, or whatever's going on here, okay?

Hopefully monsters aren't as good at avoiding arrows. And I didn't say I'd give up, just that we're really really screwed. We'll fight, and we'll all get killed, no big deal right?

*We all have to die sometime. She is a little surprise at the praise, she was trying to be mouthy. Yet she fairly sure he was genuine on this.*

I guess I can manage that. We can't change it, we can't wish it away. Just... do what we can manage here. *She grins, trying to show she's joking.* If the Gods do decide you guys are too dangerous, can I have your allowance for my guitar fund?

[He shakes his head, his expression turning very serious.]

Even if you did hit them, I doubt they'd go down from arrow attacks. Supposedly, the monsters can only be defeated with special weapons. It seems pretty pointless to have abilities that wouldn't be effective against them, but... I'm pretty sure this is a form of control.

I don't think that's what they want. The threat wasn't made toward you guys, after all. You should be safe. [He hopes.]

Exactly. You'll have to make the best of your situation, for however long you'll be here.

[It takes Akihiko a few seconds to realize that she's joking, and he chuckles in return.] I can try to help you with that now, you know. You don't have to wait till after I'm dead.

Edited 2013-06-09 18:45 (UTC)

Then I would figure there'd be weapons for archers to take down monsters, right? I mean, otherwise they wouldn't bother to teach us to shoot if it wasn't going to do something to monsters.

Four men are lost in the woods, they hear a bear. Only one of them knows how to survive in the woods, and sacrifices himself to lead the bear away. The bear isn't a threat to the other three.

...Doesn't get them out of the woods.

What about that punching bag you want to get? Why would you help me get a guitar when you could use that to get supplies to help with your hobbies?

I would assume so. Of course, you'd have to figure out how to get those weapons first. Hopefully, not all of the monsters need to be taken down that way. I'd rather use my fists than any other weapon.

That's not... similar enough to our situation. But okay, let's take your scenario and put a spin on it. Say those four men were placed, or somehow guided, into the woods to get lost. If only one of those men is the actual target, and he dies, then the others can be released, right? In our case, what reason would the gods have, to kill people that they consider to be innocent and harmless? If they wanted to be that vindictive in the first place, then they should have just killed us in the very beginning.

[He grins at that mention.] I got one! Well, on loan, anyway, from one of the cabins. I borrowed a pair of weights too! [Look how excited he is.] So I'm good, for now.

[Akihiko feels confused by her question.] Is there something wrong with wanting to help others? If it'd make you feel better about staying here, then why not?

In my little story, the bear is the Gods, and the forest is every other monster in the world that would want to kill us. I know the Gods won't hurt us if we're not a problem or whatever.

But the gods aren't who I'm worried about.

Nothing wrong with helping someone, just if it's giving up what you want in the process. But if you really don't mind~

Oh… who are you worried about, then?

[He shrugs slightly.] I’m not using my money for anything in particular right now. Besides, I know how it feels to want something that you can’t afford. You can consider it a loan, if you want.

…But how’re you actually gonna get it?

Someone took all the previous campers, I'm worried about whoever did that.

*Blunt. Obvious. But very much on the point of the issue.*

Well, I guess I can work with that, and if you die I don't have to pay you back. *Gallows humor.* But I was figuring I can find a music shop in New York City, the place kinda sells everything, right? Just... getting there alive is what I'm worried about. Monsters, you know? But if enough of us want to go, and we're all good enough with weapons that'd work right?

Just need to find someone who can drive, and what it takes to kill monsters.

[Grimly, he nods.] I wonder if that’s why we were brought here… to replace them.

[He appreciates the bluntness, because he is that way too. It’s a waste of time and effort to beat around the bush.

Akihiko quirks a brow at her and snarks back without even thinking about it.] Your concern is really touching, you know that? Heh, I’ll have to keep that in mind.

Right… the Hellhounds. And whatever else is roaming around in the forest. [He lifts a clenched fist, and shows small sparks of electricity moving back and forth between his knuckles.] I’ve been practicing my new abilities. I can help out.

[Like Akihiko would turn down an adventure that involves fighting.]

I know my friend has a license for motorcycles, but we’ll need something bigger, of course. She might have one for regular vehicles too. I just turned 18 a couple of weeks ago, so I haven’t gotten mine yet. How about you? Can you drive?

We'll need the okay from Mr. D or Chiron, otherwise you're definitely toast for being uncontrollable. But you'd definitely be a good call to bring along.

*Maya is cover, not a fighter, she'd want someone else to take point. Akihiko is more than capable for that.*

I'm fourteen, I'm nowhere near driving. I probably won't be able to take Driver's Ed even when I'm a senior. There are some people here older than high school age, one of them might be able to do it?

[Akihiko lets out a low grunt under his breath, but he can see the truth of her words. Leaving camp without permission could very likely get all of them punished – and how severely, one could only guess.]

Oh… Hmm. Well, we should definitely bring others along too. It won’t be safe with just us two. I’m sure other people would wanna check out the city, at the very least.

[He muses out loud.] I’m pretty sure Nanjo-san is older than me. Possibly Amano-san too. I can ask them if they’re capable of driving. Most of my friends are younger.

Yeah, I doubt I'm the only person who wants stuff from the city. I'm sure some other capable campers will bite.

But... how exactly will fighting with any of the monsters out there work, anyway? I know that mist stuff hides things, but won't people notice if we're walking around fully armed? We'll need weapons but we can't just around in full armor.

Video

emperor_with_no_groove - 2013-06-11 13:51 (UTC) - Expand

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