...Well, at least he's amusing.
Jul. 11th, 2010 04:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
merikuru posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
volieredeatoriI think I like Raven. A lot. Even if he's proving himself incredibly complex and impossible to figure out.
"They're coming! Scatter!"
The sharply barked words rose high above the clamor of fighting, piercing sharp into trembling ears, but the voice wavered in its command and the ordered hesitated, looking about in confused fear and uncertainty as they closed into a tight circle, backs inward and weapons raised. Only one amidst them refused to move into the frightened formation, hands clenched tight on the handle of a long, vicious scythe and expression fierce as he lifted his head to the sun, verdant eyes and fiery hair catching the light in a flickering flash-gleam and sending his gaze nascent with life and determination. He seemed little more than a child too quickly forced to mature, lanky and awkward and yet still so full of grace and obvious skill, and the contrast was striking. "Are you fools?" he snapped over his shoulder, briefly turning his head to deliver the words with directed scorn, fingers curling in tighter and knuckles whitening beneath thick black gloves as he shifted his weight, slid a foot just slightly back and readied himself to move. "You've been given an order, now obey it! Or are you all so hopeless you can only stand there waiting for death? I'm sickened to be associated with you!"
His barbed tone cut home; the others shifted uncomfortably and those who faced him turned their heads away, unable to even look at this seeming god-given vision of a boy-man holding himself so brave and strong before them. Shame, it was - shame and fear and nervousness, and it rang all too helplessly clear in the tone of the one who dared speak up, sounding as though he might be sick. "But - we're surrounded, we can't possibly...the risk..."
"Are you even listening to yourself?! You sound like a spoiled child who refuses to do what they're told!" The redhead's temper exploded, flaring as bright as his sunstruck features. "You're making a disgrace of the 13th Division and directly defying your orders! You're lucky I don't strike you down myself and save the enemy the effort!" He slammed the butt of the scythe into the dirt, clenched his hands tight around the grip and leant his head against the handle, breathing deep a few times before the fury passed and he was able to raise his eyes again. "...I know it's risky. I know we're surrounded. But that's all the more damned reason to keep going! I don't care if the rest of you are with me or not; I'm not just going to stand around and wait to be killed! I'm going on ahead - and I can only pray the rest of you get your heads our of your asses and move before you find out just how much more of a risk you're taking staying behind!"
The words had barely even left his mouth before his feet left the earth and suddenly he was running, moving quickly and gracefully, a streak of red and gold aiming straight for the dark line in the distance that was the first line of the enemy forces. "And for the record - when the Supreme Commander himself tells you to scatter - you fucking scatter!" trailed back over his shoulder, a wisp of ephemeral breath that barely touched their ears before it died away, gone with his presence.
The remaining men looked helplessly among themselves, but not a one could bring himself to utter sound before the world around them abruptly faded, sunbright jungle and dark earth making way for the complex mechanical walls of the 13th Division training room, lines of blue and green warring their way wildly across the towering surfaces and mingling with the sharp glow from monitors set deep into every available space. "This exercise is over," a calm voice stated, the same voice that had issued the trembling, fearful order only minutes before, and the Supreme Commander came into sight from the shadows, arms folded tightly and a look of sour disapproval on his face. "I would not have put it quite so bluntly myself, but Raven is correct. You have all defied a direct order and put your teammates and yourselves into unthinkable danger in the process. If this had been anything more than simple training..." he trailed off, shaking his head and sighing. "Today you were lucky. The next time, you might not be."
Eight pairs of eyes turned downward; eight voices murmured soft, deferent apology, and the Supreme Commander took pity. "You're obviously tired. Very well, you're dismissed for today. Raven!" His voice raised, calling the errant redhead to his side like a moth to a flame. "Stay behind for a moment, I'd like to speak to you."
"Understood, sir," Raven responded archly, folded his arms and settled himself into a relaxed but alert posture, watching the rest of the squadron file in chastened silence from the training room before speaking up again. "You were right, they really don't know what to do if they even think their orders are given without full conviction. It's damned sad."
A sound escaped the Supreme Commander that might have been a chuckle, but he smothered it with a hand and kept his face serious. "You, on the other hand..." he began.
"Hey, at least I moved out." The retort was spoken brashly, no fear of retribution, Raven's eyes glinting with an almost-wicked amusement as he tilted his head briefly to look at the slightly shorter man. "Can't fault me there, can you?"
"Disrespectful brat. What am I going to do with you?" This time the sound was undeniably a chuckle.
Raven shrugged and grinned sharp. "Give me men who know what the goddamn hell they're doing to command, maybe?"
The question was met with silence, then the Supreme Commander matched that grin with one of his own and relaxed his own posture. "I think that can be arranged. But as for that, there's one in particular I'd like to put under your command - the boy Arumat from the 9th Division, C platoon. He's raw and uncertain yet, but you and he share certain...qualities...that I think would make him a perfect fit for your sort of training regimen."
"In other words, you're giving me a crazy kid with talent no one else can manage to bring out." Raven's laughter rose sharp, eyes gleaming in the artificial light. "I like the way you think, Gaghan."
Gaghan pretended mild displeasure and crossed his arms again. "That's Supreme Commander Gaghan to you, Matias Thanatos."
Raven winced and ceased laughing, the pointed usage of his true name pulling a curtain of distaste over his amusement. "Yessir."
Smiling, Gaghan clapped a hand down on his shoulder and squeezed affectionately. "I'll get Arumat's paperwork changed over. Take care of him for me, Raven - you're the only one I can trust to bring out the potential I know he has." He hesitated, as if about to say something else, but then shook his head and lowered his hand. "Dismissed."
"...So how many officers did he punch to necessitate this transfer?" Raven asked dryly as he started for the door, and was rewarded with Gaghan's laughter following him the entire way out of the room.
"They're coming! Scatter!"
The sharply barked words rose high above the clamor of fighting, piercing sharp into trembling ears, but the voice wavered in its command and the ordered hesitated, looking about in confused fear and uncertainty as they closed into a tight circle, backs inward and weapons raised. Only one amidst them refused to move into the frightened formation, hands clenched tight on the handle of a long, vicious scythe and expression fierce as he lifted his head to the sun, verdant eyes and fiery hair catching the light in a flickering flash-gleam and sending his gaze nascent with life and determination. He seemed little more than a child too quickly forced to mature, lanky and awkward and yet still so full of grace and obvious skill, and the contrast was striking. "Are you fools?" he snapped over his shoulder, briefly turning his head to deliver the words with directed scorn, fingers curling in tighter and knuckles whitening beneath thick black gloves as he shifted his weight, slid a foot just slightly back and readied himself to move. "You've been given an order, now obey it! Or are you all so hopeless you can only stand there waiting for death? I'm sickened to be associated with you!"
His barbed tone cut home; the others shifted uncomfortably and those who faced him turned their heads away, unable to even look at this seeming god-given vision of a boy-man holding himself so brave and strong before them. Shame, it was - shame and fear and nervousness, and it rang all too helplessly clear in the tone of the one who dared speak up, sounding as though he might be sick. "But - we're surrounded, we can't possibly...the risk..."
"Are you even listening to yourself?! You sound like a spoiled child who refuses to do what they're told!" The redhead's temper exploded, flaring as bright as his sunstruck features. "You're making a disgrace of the 13th Division and directly defying your orders! You're lucky I don't strike you down myself and save the enemy the effort!" He slammed the butt of the scythe into the dirt, clenched his hands tight around the grip and leant his head against the handle, breathing deep a few times before the fury passed and he was able to raise his eyes again. "...I know it's risky. I know we're surrounded. But that's all the more damned reason to keep going! I don't care if the rest of you are with me or not; I'm not just going to stand around and wait to be killed! I'm going on ahead - and I can only pray the rest of you get your heads our of your asses and move before you find out just how much more of a risk you're taking staying behind!"
The words had barely even left his mouth before his feet left the earth and suddenly he was running, moving quickly and gracefully, a streak of red and gold aiming straight for the dark line in the distance that was the first line of the enemy forces. "And for the record - when the Supreme Commander himself tells you to scatter - you fucking scatter!" trailed back over his shoulder, a wisp of ephemeral breath that barely touched their ears before it died away, gone with his presence.
The remaining men looked helplessly among themselves, but not a one could bring himself to utter sound before the world around them abruptly faded, sunbright jungle and dark earth making way for the complex mechanical walls of the 13th Division training room, lines of blue and green warring their way wildly across the towering surfaces and mingling with the sharp glow from monitors set deep into every available space. "This exercise is over," a calm voice stated, the same voice that had issued the trembling, fearful order only minutes before, and the Supreme Commander came into sight from the shadows, arms folded tightly and a look of sour disapproval on his face. "I would not have put it quite so bluntly myself, but Raven is correct. You have all defied a direct order and put your teammates and yourselves into unthinkable danger in the process. If this had been anything more than simple training..." he trailed off, shaking his head and sighing. "Today you were lucky. The next time, you might not be."
Eight pairs of eyes turned downward; eight voices murmured soft, deferent apology, and the Supreme Commander took pity. "You're obviously tired. Very well, you're dismissed for today. Raven!" His voice raised, calling the errant redhead to his side like a moth to a flame. "Stay behind for a moment, I'd like to speak to you."
"Understood, sir," Raven responded archly, folded his arms and settled himself into a relaxed but alert posture, watching the rest of the squadron file in chastened silence from the training room before speaking up again. "You were right, they really don't know what to do if they even think their orders are given without full conviction. It's damned sad."
A sound escaped the Supreme Commander that might have been a chuckle, but he smothered it with a hand and kept his face serious. "You, on the other hand..." he began.
"Hey, at least I moved out." The retort was spoken brashly, no fear of retribution, Raven's eyes glinting with an almost-wicked amusement as he tilted his head briefly to look at the slightly shorter man. "Can't fault me there, can you?"
"Disrespectful brat. What am I going to do with you?" This time the sound was undeniably a chuckle.
Raven shrugged and grinned sharp. "Give me men who know what the goddamn hell they're doing to command, maybe?"
The question was met with silence, then the Supreme Commander matched that grin with one of his own and relaxed his own posture. "I think that can be arranged. But as for that, there's one in particular I'd like to put under your command - the boy Arumat from the 9th Division, C platoon. He's raw and uncertain yet, but you and he share certain...qualities...that I think would make him a perfect fit for your sort of training regimen."
"In other words, you're giving me a crazy kid with talent no one else can manage to bring out." Raven's laughter rose sharp, eyes gleaming in the artificial light. "I like the way you think, Gaghan."
Gaghan pretended mild displeasure and crossed his arms again. "That's Supreme Commander Gaghan to you, Matias Thanatos."
Raven winced and ceased laughing, the pointed usage of his true name pulling a curtain of distaste over his amusement. "Yessir."
Smiling, Gaghan clapped a hand down on his shoulder and squeezed affectionately. "I'll get Arumat's paperwork changed over. Take care of him for me, Raven - you're the only one I can trust to bring out the potential I know he has." He hesitated, as if about to say something else, but then shook his head and lowered his hand. "Dismissed."
"...So how many officers did he punch to necessitate this transfer?" Raven asked dryly as he started for the door, and was rewarded with Gaghan's laughter following him the entire way out of the room.
