Lending a Hand
Mar 23, 2022 5:03:26 GMT -5
Post by OrochiGeese on Mar 23, 2022 5:03:26 GMT -5
*It is one week after Continuum III and we fade into a room at an undisclosed medical facility. A heavily bandaged Mr. Clyde lies in bed with his full ninja gear absent his mask. He is clearly in pain but conscious enough to acknowledge a knock on the door and invite the visitor in. Geese Walker enters the room and immediately stops in place upon looking at his long time friend. A mix of emotions cross his mind while he retains a stoic expression. Finally, he smiles.*
[Geese:] "A twenty foot fall after being engulfed in flames and you still look like you could take on an army."
*Geese walks over to Mr. Clyde's bed and extends his hand.*
[Clyde:] "A less demanding friend wouldn't expect a handshake from me right now."
[Geese:] "I don't expect a handshake, I expect a triangle choke. This isn't amateur hour."
*Clyde smiles and gives Geese's hand a slight twist just to accentuate the moment.*
[Geese:] "I come baring gifts."
*Geese knocks on the still open door and a black and tan Doberman Pinscher enthusiastically runs in. Geese holds onto his collar so he doesn't jump on Clyde but Clyde motions him over.*
[Clyde:] "Interceptor. How did you find him?"
[Geese:] "Once Joachim was released from the hospital, he contacted Robin and gave her back Interceptor. He didn't know where you would be recovering but he was certain that we would."
[Clyde:] "Where exactly am I?"
*Geese laughs as Clyde pets a happy but concerned Interceptor.*
[Geese:] "Thunder didn't tell you? Sometimes his penchant for secrecy is taken to futile extremes."
[Clyde:] "You still haven't told me."
[Geese:] "I didn't say they aren't amusing extremes, just futile."
*Geese smirks as he takes a seat on a chair next to the bed.*
[Clyde:] "I suppose my location doesn't matter until I am better."
[Geese:] "And just how is that mission going?"
[Clyde:] "I assume Thunder briefed you."
[Geese:] "He did but I'm not really interested in what his medical team says. They've never seen you before. For almost twenty years I've watched you perform, what Jean calls, 'feats of astonishment." So if the doctors say you won't be able to walk for another six months because of that fall, I figure you'll be performing back flips in three."
[Clyde:] "Three months is a bit presumptuous."
[Geese:] "I assumed three weeks."
[Clyde:] "Your confidence in my abilities are refreshing."
[Geese:] "Now let's trade roles. Whether it be 3 weeks or 3 months for you to get better, I don't want to wait 3 more seconds. Clyde - give me permission to avenge what happened to you."
*The mood in the room changes along with Geese's expression. Clyde looks at Geese and holds his hand up.*
[Clyde:] "This will hurt worse than a triangle choke but I will not allow you to take revenge on my behalf."
[Geese:] "It's revenge on behalf of all of your friends.
[Clyde:] "I know you are angry but I sense another emotion too, one that is less frequent from you: guilt."
[Geese:] "Clyde, you need to know-"
[Clyde:] "That you weren't in the building when I was attacked? I could have deduced that by the very fact it even happened. But Thunder told me that Wingate asked you, Robin, and Kyle to leave the arena along with William King and Kathy Queen after your near brawl with them. Arthur didn't want there to be any chance that tempers would flare up again. I certainly can't blame him given the mood that you were all in, especially Kyle."
[Geese:] "I had no idea that Gauntlet would attack Joachim. If I did, I would have realized you'd be there."
[Clyde:] "I should have told you in advance that I would be there. None of this was your fault and none of this is your responsibility to make right. And that is one reason why I can't allow you to do this. You were given a mission by Celes that you have upheld to your fullest. You have sacrificed your health, time, and dignity in ways that we never could imagine.
I was also given a mission and that was to protect and guide Joachim. You can't get involved except in an extreme circumstance. That has already passed. You can't help me then by taking revenge now. You need to honor your vow to Celes to continue fulfilling your objectives by not doing anything impulsive that could sacrifice your mission. That means avoid giving any public comment on what happened to me and refrain from taking violent action. We both know Jarec is a little further down than the tip of the iceberg that Ruby was, but we still need him in play so Gauntlet stays public. Wiping him off of the map just obscures the true virus beneath him. Your role is getting the intel on what the nature of that virus is."
[Geese:] "What is the other reason you won't allow me to take up this fight?"
[Clyde:] "Call it what you want: your threshold, your growth, your rehabilitation. I can't give you sanction to do anything at all, especially in my name, that risks a return to your old self."
[Geese:] "That is where your confidence in me has to come in."
[Clyde:] "This is too big a test at too crucial a time. Geese, even if you hobbled Gauntlet with one strike, we could still lose if that beast inside of you tastes one drop of blood and is unleashed again."
[Geese:] "I don't thirst for that anymore. Certainly, from atop the rafters, you saw my restraint against Ward."
[Clyde:] "As much as you once desired revenge, that grudge turned cold a long time ago. But even if it still ran hot, he was no match for you. It was laughable watching his pathetic attempts. It's easier to restrain one's violent tendencies against a fly than a lion. That threshold is much easier to clearly spot and honor when you are in no real danger and in control of your emotions like you were against Ward. Against Jarec and the others, your rage would be piqued and your life could be threatened. That means you would be more likely to reach for dangerous weapons that you once swore off."
[Geese:] "The Raging Bolt and Infinity Chaos Hammer?"
[Clyde:] "Yes, and with rationalized violence as the bigger picture. If you want to prove to everyone, including yourself, that you have made true progress in controlling your old tendencies, don't go after Gauntlet now. Go back to your assigned investigation, advance your mastery over your threshold in and out of the ring, and win the Continuum League."
*Geese takes a minute to think as he observes Interceptor falling to sleep on Clyde.*
[Geese:] "I will honor your wishes but if Gauntlet threatens us directly-"
[Clyde:] "Then do what you must. After all, Celes would come back and beat you senseless if you let Gauntlet harm a hair on Jean's head."
[Geese:] "I would want her to. I also just want her and Figaro to come back."
*Interceptor's tail wags when Figaro's name is said.*
[Clyde:] "Know they weren't defeated. There is a good reason for their absence."
[Geese:] "You still don't know it though."
[Clyde:] "I have reason to infer. They left at the same time as two threats to us disappeared."
[Geese:] "I don't accept that trade."
[Clyde:] "Even if it was intentional, it's not a permanent one. It never is with her. But she's a soldier, Geese. And that means allowing her allies to have doubts about her well being as long as it continues the greater mission."
[Geese:] "Well you better not be next. What you did was heroic but it put you in danger. I respect that you took up the mantle of guiding Joachim but it's time that you, him, and Jang Bae recruit more overt allies."
[Clyde:] "Now that's an idea I can support."
*Geese stands up from his chair which wakes up Interceptor.*
[Geese:] "Since you're better now, we're all going to visit you each day and bring Interceptor."
[Clyde:] "Geese, one more thing."
[Geese:] "Yes?"
[Clyde:] "I am proud to call you a friend. But that means I have to look out for you too. Even a man testing himself has to be reminded of his current limits. Don't take the imposition of them from me as a sign of a lack of confidence. Your progress has been remarkable but your very acknowledgement of a threshold means that you still have to find that correct balance when it comes to violence. Right now, with the stakes being so high, it serves all of our interests for you to let me handle what Gauntlet did to me. But since you are my friend, I can reveal my impulses too. So if you want to know if, for one moment, I wanted you to take revenge on Jarec? The day after I regained consciousness, I imagined that you and Kyle would tear them apart. And I reveled in that vision and the gesture."
*Geese grins.*
[Clyde:] "That's further proof of your growth. Your smile was more in support of our friendship than it was in visualization of their destruction."
[Geese:] "Yes, but a few scenes of Jarec's agony did creep in."
[Clyde:] "The arm, right?"
[Geese:] "Watching that spear sail through the air into his shoulder was visual cuisine."
[Clyde:] "Next time I see him, I'm ripping it off for good."
*Interceptor barks and Geese smiles big as they leave the room. The scene fades.*
[Geese:] "A twenty foot fall after being engulfed in flames and you still look like you could take on an army."
*Geese walks over to Mr. Clyde's bed and extends his hand.*
[Clyde:] "A less demanding friend wouldn't expect a handshake from me right now."
[Geese:] "I don't expect a handshake, I expect a triangle choke. This isn't amateur hour."
*Clyde smiles and gives Geese's hand a slight twist just to accentuate the moment.*
[Geese:] "I come baring gifts."
*Geese knocks on the still open door and a black and tan Doberman Pinscher enthusiastically runs in. Geese holds onto his collar so he doesn't jump on Clyde but Clyde motions him over.*
[Clyde:] "Interceptor. How did you find him?"
[Geese:] "Once Joachim was released from the hospital, he contacted Robin and gave her back Interceptor. He didn't know where you would be recovering but he was certain that we would."
[Clyde:] "Where exactly am I?"
*Geese laughs as Clyde pets a happy but concerned Interceptor.*
[Geese:] "Thunder didn't tell you? Sometimes his penchant for secrecy is taken to futile extremes."
[Clyde:] "You still haven't told me."
[Geese:] "I didn't say they aren't amusing extremes, just futile."
*Geese smirks as he takes a seat on a chair next to the bed.*
[Clyde:] "I suppose my location doesn't matter until I am better."
[Geese:] "And just how is that mission going?"
[Clyde:] "I assume Thunder briefed you."
[Geese:] "He did but I'm not really interested in what his medical team says. They've never seen you before. For almost twenty years I've watched you perform, what Jean calls, 'feats of astonishment." So if the doctors say you won't be able to walk for another six months because of that fall, I figure you'll be performing back flips in three."
[Clyde:] "Three months is a bit presumptuous."
[Geese:] "I assumed three weeks."
[Clyde:] "Your confidence in my abilities are refreshing."
[Geese:] "Now let's trade roles. Whether it be 3 weeks or 3 months for you to get better, I don't want to wait 3 more seconds. Clyde - give me permission to avenge what happened to you."
*The mood in the room changes along with Geese's expression. Clyde looks at Geese and holds his hand up.*
[Clyde:] "This will hurt worse than a triangle choke but I will not allow you to take revenge on my behalf."
[Geese:] "It's revenge on behalf of all of your friends.
[Clyde:] "I know you are angry but I sense another emotion too, one that is less frequent from you: guilt."
[Geese:] "Clyde, you need to know-"
[Clyde:] "That you weren't in the building when I was attacked? I could have deduced that by the very fact it even happened. But Thunder told me that Wingate asked you, Robin, and Kyle to leave the arena along with William King and Kathy Queen after your near brawl with them. Arthur didn't want there to be any chance that tempers would flare up again. I certainly can't blame him given the mood that you were all in, especially Kyle."
[Geese:] "I had no idea that Gauntlet would attack Joachim. If I did, I would have realized you'd be there."
[Clyde:] "I should have told you in advance that I would be there. None of this was your fault and none of this is your responsibility to make right. And that is one reason why I can't allow you to do this. You were given a mission by Celes that you have upheld to your fullest. You have sacrificed your health, time, and dignity in ways that we never could imagine.
I was also given a mission and that was to protect and guide Joachim. You can't get involved except in an extreme circumstance. That has already passed. You can't help me then by taking revenge now. You need to honor your vow to Celes to continue fulfilling your objectives by not doing anything impulsive that could sacrifice your mission. That means avoid giving any public comment on what happened to me and refrain from taking violent action. We both know Jarec is a little further down than the tip of the iceberg that Ruby was, but we still need him in play so Gauntlet stays public. Wiping him off of the map just obscures the true virus beneath him. Your role is getting the intel on what the nature of that virus is."
[Geese:] "What is the other reason you won't allow me to take up this fight?"
[Clyde:] "Call it what you want: your threshold, your growth, your rehabilitation. I can't give you sanction to do anything at all, especially in my name, that risks a return to your old self."
[Geese:] "That is where your confidence in me has to come in."
[Clyde:] "This is too big a test at too crucial a time. Geese, even if you hobbled Gauntlet with one strike, we could still lose if that beast inside of you tastes one drop of blood and is unleashed again."
[Geese:] "I don't thirst for that anymore. Certainly, from atop the rafters, you saw my restraint against Ward."
[Clyde:] "As much as you once desired revenge, that grudge turned cold a long time ago. But even if it still ran hot, he was no match for you. It was laughable watching his pathetic attempts. It's easier to restrain one's violent tendencies against a fly than a lion. That threshold is much easier to clearly spot and honor when you are in no real danger and in control of your emotions like you were against Ward. Against Jarec and the others, your rage would be piqued and your life could be threatened. That means you would be more likely to reach for dangerous weapons that you once swore off."
[Geese:] "The Raging Bolt and Infinity Chaos Hammer?"
[Clyde:] "Yes, and with rationalized violence as the bigger picture. If you want to prove to everyone, including yourself, that you have made true progress in controlling your old tendencies, don't go after Gauntlet now. Go back to your assigned investigation, advance your mastery over your threshold in and out of the ring, and win the Continuum League."
*Geese takes a minute to think as he observes Interceptor falling to sleep on Clyde.*
[Geese:] "I will honor your wishes but if Gauntlet threatens us directly-"
[Clyde:] "Then do what you must. After all, Celes would come back and beat you senseless if you let Gauntlet harm a hair on Jean's head."
[Geese:] "I would want her to. I also just want her and Figaro to come back."
*Interceptor's tail wags when Figaro's name is said.*
[Clyde:] "Know they weren't defeated. There is a good reason for their absence."
[Geese:] "You still don't know it though."
[Clyde:] "I have reason to infer. They left at the same time as two threats to us disappeared."
[Geese:] "I don't accept that trade."
[Clyde:] "Even if it was intentional, it's not a permanent one. It never is with her. But she's a soldier, Geese. And that means allowing her allies to have doubts about her well being as long as it continues the greater mission."
[Geese:] "Well you better not be next. What you did was heroic but it put you in danger. I respect that you took up the mantle of guiding Joachim but it's time that you, him, and Jang Bae recruit more overt allies."
[Clyde:] "Now that's an idea I can support."
*Geese stands up from his chair which wakes up Interceptor.*
[Geese:] "Since you're better now, we're all going to visit you each day and bring Interceptor."
[Clyde:] "Geese, one more thing."
[Geese:] "Yes?"
[Clyde:] "I am proud to call you a friend. But that means I have to look out for you too. Even a man testing himself has to be reminded of his current limits. Don't take the imposition of them from me as a sign of a lack of confidence. Your progress has been remarkable but your very acknowledgement of a threshold means that you still have to find that correct balance when it comes to violence. Right now, with the stakes being so high, it serves all of our interests for you to let me handle what Gauntlet did to me. But since you are my friend, I can reveal my impulses too. So if you want to know if, for one moment, I wanted you to take revenge on Jarec? The day after I regained consciousness, I imagined that you and Kyle would tear them apart. And I reveled in that vision and the gesture."
*Geese grins.*
[Clyde:] "That's further proof of your growth. Your smile was more in support of our friendship than it was in visualization of their destruction."
[Geese:] "Yes, but a few scenes of Jarec's agony did creep in."
[Clyde:] "The arm, right?"
[Geese:] "Watching that spear sail through the air into his shoulder was visual cuisine."
[Clyde:] "Next time I see him, I'm ripping it off for good."
*Interceptor barks and Geese smiles big as they leave the room. The scene fades.*