Video. Happy Late Birthday, bud.

[throwsdown]

Who: Takeshi and you!
Broadcast: Video
Action: SS Goldstone, if you need him for whatever reason! Also the gym on the iskaulit.
When: October 5th

[Takeshi's had a bit of a rough time, knowing one of his crew is gone - hopefully not gone gone, but still gone, and that's too much for him to want to think about. Mr. Okita, he shouldn't have gotten killed. Takeshi feels an insurmountable guilt, because he's the captain, and he should have gotten out there and picked up his friend. His teammate. Even still... Mon-El's awake now. Good things are happening again. They've set out, and now all he can really do is wait and see what happens next.

... But it's October, he realizes belatedly. He had not been keeping track, and so he addresses the fleet with a little smile.]

... I turned nine years old on October 1st.

I couldn't remember my birthday when I first came to space -- that was when I was five. But they said I could have a new day... The month I showed up there, that was my new birthday. I guess I... kinda lost track! But I'm happy to be here. I'm happy to be another year older with everyone else.

What kinda' birthdays do you guys have?

Do you remember any really nice ones? I had a pool party, once...! On the Tranquility.

[It was one of the best days of his life.]

If you don't have one, we can figure out one for you. Okay?

[A LIL' DASH OF ACTION]

[If you need him elsewhere, he's also in the gym aboard the Iskaulit, today. Working out, actually! He's currently giving the punching bag in there his all, throwing some hard right hooks and leaping kicks. In fact, he gets a bit too into it and accidentally kicks the whole thing right off the hanger -- it goes sailing across the room into the wall, with Takeshi slapping his hands on the sides of his head and 'WAHHH'ing in dismay.



... Just a normal week aboard the drifting fleet.

Now, where's someone he can train more with? He's getting stronger by the year!]

Comments

[throwsdown]

... Maybe so...!!

[He looks over to Cloud's drawing, smiling pleasantly.]

Is he the boss of the group he's in, then?

[moseyin]

Nah, he's more like the brains. [Cloud glances up.] You not gonna draw anything?

[throwsdown]

I was gonna... but I got distracted watching you!

[He sits with his cheeks in his hands, watching him color pleasantly.]

[moseyin]

Staring's creepy. [Shoves some crayons at Takeshi] Draw your own stuff or I'm outta here, this is supposed to be bonding not observation.

[throwsdown]

[.... Oh...

Ohhh!!

A smile blooms on his face, eyes practically shining.]

Bonding...? With me?

[moseyin]

I'm definitely not bonding with these crayons. [Because his drawing looks really pathetic, which is obviously the fault of the utensils and not the artist]

[throwsdown]

[He is so jazzed, he kicks his feet when he starts drawing.

They appear to be the beginnings of color-coordinated superheroes.]

Thanks, Mr. Cloud...! Thank you a lot. It's nice to hang out, huh?

[moseyin]

I guess so. [What an enthused answer Mr. Cloud] ...I uh, I used to be real bad at this. Hanging out with people.

[throwsdown]

[Takeshi glances up, smiling slightly from under his unruly bangs.]

It's okay. I didn't have anyone to hang out with for a long time, neither.

But as long as you learn how, that's all that matters.

[moseyin]

What, like 'better late than never?' That's true. [Scribble scribble scribble.] You got black?

[throwsdown]

[He gives a little nod, passing the color.]

Mmhmm!!

... Does that mean you got friends at home, now?

[moseyin]

Yeah, a few. You too, right? [Gonna give Red those tats he's not particularly fond of, for accuracy]

[throwsdown]

Yup! None of them are my age, but they're all my teammates.

We looked out for each other when things got real bad... I think in a way, they're even better than normal friends you make at school; they're there for you no matter what, even if it's scary.

[moseyin]

Yeah, those are the good ones. Still, how're you gonna know if they're better than the kinds you make at school if you don't have any at school?

[throwsdown]

... That's true...

I haven't got to go to any school, so I guess I don't really know...

[moseyin]

[oh shoot] Uh, not that it's something you have to dwell on or anything. Friends are friends no matter where you make 'em at, right?

[Distraction] -what're you drawing?

[throwsdown]

Oh, these are the super sentai!

Have you ever heard of 'em?

[moseyin]

Nah, tell me about 'em. [What a chatty kid. He'd get along well with Marlene.]

[throwsdown]

Well... they're from a television show! Whenever they're on, they're pretty much guardians of the whole world, and they stop aliens and evil robots and stuff from hurting anyone; they also got some cool giant robots they jump into to battle in... and they can even combine to make one giant, stronger robot!!

Pretty cool-sounding, huh?

[moseyin]

Yeah, kid, that sounds killer. Tell me more about 'em. [It's easier like this, to get Takeshi talking and just listening to him go on about what he likes, and Cloud will happily lay here on the ground as they scribble and listen to him prattle on about his favorite shows and stuff. Infinitely better than watching the kid work himself to exhaustion, until the neck ports in his suit bleed black.]

[throwsdown]

[Infinitely better...!

And so it goes — he spends some of his afternoon explaining in awesome detail the super coolness of the super sentai.

And when they're done drawing, you can bet they're hanging these bad boys up on the wall.]