[ action | open ]

[tempredmental]

Who: Keith, Everyone
Broadcast: No
Action: Open, on the Marsiva
When: After the second half of calibrations starts with the glitches and other things.

=====

[Keith was exhausted. On top of calibrations in general, he was worried about what was going on with Shiro... the coma, the disappearance. Was he still in the fleet? Keith couldn't be sure. He kept checking the now empty room to see if his friend and brother had returned... but nothing.

Now, the glitches were starting again. He recognized one of the panels from the sketch in his notebook from last time. He didn't have anything with him to write on the first time, so he made a note in his book to go looking for it again the next morning in case he forgot, and then left the book in a conspicuous place. It had been enough to get his attention the next morning and read his note to himself.

Panels...

So, he could be found poking at them. Anyone with a pilot augment would see that he was scrolling through information, that there was new information, and that he was writing it down. Anyone without a pilot augment would see that he was writing things down, but not where he was getting the information.

And then there was that presence again... the strange energy he had written about last time. He wrote down what he could about that, too.

He could found poking at panels, writing and sketching in his notebook, working out at the gym, or pacing around near Shiro's empty room. Sometimes, he might be in the kitchen raiding the fridge or something.]

Comments

[scalpelofmarmora]

Then let’s go there. I doubt there are as many available locations as there are on the Iskaulit where we could train.

[And he'll start to head in that direction]

[tempredmental]

Not really. There's no obstacle course, definitely... and running back and forth along the long hallway gets pretty boring pretty fast.

[Keith fell into step next to the other Blade.]

But, it's the best we've got for now.

[scalpelofmarmora]

Yes, that would get boring.

[Not to mention the possibility of tripping over someone. Well, that was the obstacle part of it]

It will be sufficient. We can make it work.

[tempredmental]

[Keith nodded. He was quiet for most of the walk to the gym. It was smaller than the Iskaulit's gym, but enough to give them a chance to do something. No weapons, but there were mats... as well as some punching bags if the wanted to work on that, or machines for basic lifting and toning.]

We have some options.

[scalpelofmarmora]

[Ulaz was quiet as well. Once they stepped into the gym, he looked around, surveying their options. It certainly wasn’t good enough for what he normally did, but there were options available]

We do. The punching bag seems like a decent option.

[Machines don’t work for him. They are too small]

[tempredmental]

[Sorry, Ulaz. You were just too tall.]

Yeah. That can work.

[He walked over towards it, giving a small shove against it to get a feel for the weight and swing of it.]

Yeah... Definitely.

[Keith looked back at Ulaz.]

One of us can hold, I guess, and the other can attack?

[It was probably better to have someone hold the bag or brace it in some way instead of letting it swing wildly about if one of the landed a hard hit.

[scalpelofmarmora]

[He is. It's so unfair.

Ulaz follows, watching silently as Keith tests the bag first. Once Keith has done this, he tests it as well since he has to know how much it weighs and to make sure he doesn't hit it with too much]

I think that would be wise. If you'd like to hit first, I will hold it for you.

[tempredmental]

[Keith considered it for a moment, and then nodded.]

Okay.

[He waited for Ulaz to be ready before shifting his posture and starting his attack. He started off easy, not going full out right from the start. He was using it more like a distraction than anything else. But, he slowly increased the intensity as his head started to wander a bit towards the things he didn't want to be thinking about... it almost became like he was attacking the bag as a surrogate for attacking Atroma...]

[scalpelofmarmora]

[Ulaz moves to hold the punching bag, the thing quite a bit lower than him, but he had the body strength to not be bothered by it at all. He gave Keith a nod when he was ready. He kept holding onto it as Keith started out easy, gradually punching at it harder. He allowed it to increase in intensity until he was sure that Keith would injure himself if he continued without pause]

You aren't going to be able to actually hurt them by punching the bag.

[tempredmental]

[Keith growled and slammed a few more home just for good measure before he leaned against the bag, almost defeated. He took a few deep breaths.]

I just... I don't want to be selfish... But I hate not having him here.

Sometimes, this place stinks.

[scalpelofmarmora]

[Ulaz keeps holding the bag even after Keith stops punching, slumping against it. He didn't want Keith suddenly fall]

I know the feeling. I have gotten used to him being here. He was a good friend to me and he helped me a lot and I loathe the fact that he is gone now.

[tempredmental]

[Keith pushed himself up, standing straight again.]

Yeah. That's just who he is.

He did the same for me when we first met. Even after I stole his car.

[scalpelofmarmora]

[Ulaz's grip on the bag loosened. Forgive it while he stares for a moment now]

You stole his car?

[tempredmental]

[Keith looked embarrassed for a moment, and then nodded.]

Yeah. It wasn't my best moment. I was kind of angry at the world as a kid, and Shiro was doing this simulator demo at my school for the Garrison. He was talking to my teacher about getting me signed up, but my teacher tried to talk him out of his because I had discipline problems. So, I figured, if I gonna get blocked from going because of that, then I might as well make it legit and not just some teacher's word about my record.

[Keith was momentarily bitter towards the teacher, but then managed a dry chuckle.]

Shiro refused to press charges against me for stealing it. Instead, he got me out of the detention center, and offered to help me get into the Garrison.

He said everyone deserves a second chance.

[Keith sighed, almost smiling a bit.]

He put his career on the line for me. I never asked for it, but he did because he said he believed in me. He was the first person after my dad died that refused to give up on me... the only person for a long time...

[scalpelofmarmora]

[Ulaz listened quietly to the story, both surprised and impressed that Keith had taken that sort of method to act out because of the comments of one person]

It speaks a lot for his character that he saw such potential in you and refused to give up on it. I can certainly understand why he is so important to you.

It is good that you had someone like that.

[tempredmental]

You have no idea. If it had been anyone else, I probably would have been in that detention center for a while after pulling a stunt like that. I definitely wouldn't have been in the Garrison.

[Keith was feeling a bit calmer now, though. It showed. His posture wasn't quite as tense anymore, and he didn't look as stressed.]

[scalpelofmarmora]

He seems to have a great faith in people without being unrealistically optimistic. He has seen potential in so many. I'm glad that you told me about this.

[He's glad the combination of the brief exercise and talking had helped]

[tempredmental]

[Keith nodded, a somewhat nostalgic smile on his face.]

Things would have been a lot different for me if it hadn't been for him. I didn't handle losing my dad very well. He got me back on the right path.

[scalpelofmarmora]

Good. I am glad to hear that. Everyone needs someone in their life to help be a guiding force when they need it.

[tempredmental]

[Keith nodded.]

Yeah. I owe him a lot.

[He was definitely seemed a lot calmer now.]

Thanks for this.

[scalpelofmarmora]

I'm glad it has helped. Sometimes just moving and talking things out help.

[He gives Keith a faint smile]

Do you still need to punch it some more?

[tempredmental]

[Keith snorted a bit, but shook his head.]

No... not right now.

[He glanced at Ulaz.]

You want a turn?

[scalpelofmarmora]

[Ulaz studied the punching bag that he was no longer holding]

Yes, I think that might be good.

[tempredmental]

[Keith nodded, and braced himself to hold the bag. He knew how hard a Blade could hit. Once he was settled, he nodded that he was ready.]

[scalpelofmarmora]

[Ulaz waited until Keith gave the signal that he was ready before he began to punch the bag in earnest. He did pull some of his punches so it wasn't as rough as it would have been, but it was still harder than Keith had hit]