Critical Error to Critical Repairs (private)

[Takahashi Aki]

Continued from here

Attempting to deactivate the MkIII was proving difficult. The form was simply far too large for the Steward to handle. The Steward did not believe in luck, but luck was perhaps the best term considering how the battle in the Maw turned out. Perhaps in moments of battle the mind attunes itself so clearly that all actions occur as they properly do without concern? The Steward's massive armoured form paced back and forth. This was slightly embarrassing. Merging with the Ebon Blade brought with it unknown additions. The Steward's mind felt exposed, but expanded. Perspectives entered his mind. Were they perspectives of the Ebon Blade? Certain phrases had now carried with them certain meanings, and certain metaphors now made sense.

The Steward had called for his cousin to attend him in his lab. Going to the medical grounds right now would cause too much of a show. The Steward was also concerned about once having deactivated the MkIII what exactly the damage to his flesh was. At the time he had been rocked by an explosion, and had pushed himself past the pain to capture the criminal. He didn't expect the damage to be that critical, but still Sousuke was able to push himself further than most. There was something too about calling Shiori here, that part of Sousuke felt was a sort of ... accomplishment? Or was it appeasement? It didn't make sense initially as it was a sort of decision that he would not normally make by himself.

The Steward felt more talkative than usual, and that was rare. Was it the Shade? Yes. Part of the pact was that the Shade would protect Sousuke... but did protecting Sousuke truly involve calling Shiori to attend his wounds? Not initially yes, but then the argument could be made over time. Thus the Steward awaited his cousin.

 

[Michi]

She was called in, although she had no idea why. She was searching for someone on her spare time and had yet to locate him, or rather it. While malicious intent was rare, she was certainly after someone. She was actually in pursuit of the shade, but she had her own reasons. She sought to destroy it and to release Sousuke from its influence. When it came to things that she did not understand, she felt one of two ways: the item was below her need of attention or the item was terrible and would be subject to her wrath. His talking sword was the later rather than the former. She thought she was getting close, she had located a similar sound in the Obsidian Palace.

"Sousuke?" Shiori called as she entered Keystone Prime. Her voiced echoed through the space, the sounds reverberating off every dormant hunk of mass as well as the living subject of interest, her cousin. "Sousuke?" She called out a second time, she was not seeking an answer, but rather releasing her voice so that it would paint her a picture of the space. She did come upon him in only moments, she had rushed there. She was now dusted in beads of sweat, her hair pulled back in a clip was now in disarray. Wisps of hair had set themselves free during her dash to Keystone. She was wearing gladiator sandals in a sparkly gold and a sweater dress in a muted brown. She almost looked coordinated, a rare feat for the blind woman. If only the dress was not backwards, she would have been all set.

She was afraid that Sousuke had gotten himself injured. While part of her was thankful for the tin can he always insisted on wearing. the clanking sound was worse than a yowling cat in heat but at least it offered something. "What happened? Are you alright?" She asked the moment she came upon him, potentially interrupting whatever he was working on if it was a project or a conversation.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

The Shade occupied itself waiting for Shiori by exploring aspects of Sousuke's mind. In some respects the Steward had the same account of access, but the Shade did not detect the Steward entering his domain of the mind. This particular section of the Steward's mind was a library, or was it? For a library it was very empty... except a quarter portion of it. A very strange concept. "Hallo."<i></i> spoke a child Sousuke. The Shade would merely turn his head and look down to see the child. "Have you come to see my collection of books? They may be few, but they are quite knowledgable."<i></i> The Shade paused for a moment. The child-version of Sousuke offered him a book. He began to rapidly flip through the pages and found that three quarters of the book was missing content wise, but when he did come across the content it was a very rich and engaging read.

Why is this book only one fourth written? Where is the rest of it?<i></i> The Shade would inquired. Slowly though as he would flip back to the blank pages, the script was filling in with the details of the Shade's existence. No... it can't be...<i></i> The shade turned to the child. You're ... not complete are you? You're frag--<i></i>

The heavily armoured entity snapped out of the trance that was a more dream sequence. He was on the verge of discovery of sorts. Sousuke's cousin was calling. A glowing set of yellow eyes opened from the helmet. The yellow eyes set sight on Shiori. "Your dress is on backwards. You may find it most advantageous to fix that."<i></i> twin voices would speak as the observation was made. "Aside from that, I think you are actually in matching colours."<i></i> A slight pause would follow as she in turn then asked questions. "What happened? I suppose ... one could say that we made an advance on the case of the Butcher."<i></i> A pause would follow. "The problem is that we panicked ... or perhaps was desperate and opened a Pandora's Box... whatever a Pandora's Box is... granted we did walk onto a landmine of sorts."<i></i> Another pause. "Damage to the ligament shouldn't be too drastic, but damage before transformation is unknown."<i></i>

 

[Michi]

The dress did feel a bit tight in places and a bit loose in others.

His voice was strange, at least it was to her. He explained what happened, kinda-sorta. Who was the Butcher? Shiori actually had no idea who he was, she was never one to keep up on criminals and the like. They were a disgusting lot, every last one of them. They made life hard for working citizens such as herself. It made her angry knowing that there were people out there just beating other people up. Apparently this one was a rather strong one even. Her cousin was not a weak man. Of course, Sousuke may have done something to deserve it. He could have had some long dramatic speech about justice. He was also a man of ethic, or so she saw him as one. He would not resort to unsporting tactics, but there was no promise that his opponents would offer him the same luxury.

"What tendon?" Shiori asked after he gave his brief explanation, adding "...and what transformation?"

Thankfully ninja chakra medicine was almost like magic, those with healing chakra skills can often sufficiently heal others with only mediocre knowledge of anatomy, the actual injuries and of course pathophysiology. She could require contact at some level, she looked for an opening in his armor. Can you take off the armor over your injury? She queried. It was likely that her diagnostics would be unreliable considering the likelihood of hematomas on a man who walked away from a man with a moniker like "the Butcher."

"So where is this man? Did you get him?"

[MFT]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

"Left leg, calf area."<i></i> Sousuke spoke as he turned around. When it was inquired if he could take off the armour there was a long pause. "... I think so. Perhaps though it would be now best to have this form completely disperse."<i></i> The combination of Sousuke and his sword began to deconstruction. Various gears shifted and chakra began to pour out of the armour as the process continued. The fusion of Sousuke and his blade was something both mechanical and spiritual. More clicks followed the shifting of the gears and ultimate Sousuke stepped out of the armour except he was hindered slightly by his injury. He was about to fall when Shade grasped him with a metallic hand. It was enough to keep Sousuke up for a moment as a seat for him became readily available. The Steward was seated promptly just as the rest of the armour vanished.

"I ... sort of merged with the Ebon Blade and became something else or someone else entirely. It was strange. The Mark III was an idea, but now it has application. I need more data on it."<i></i> Sousuke would speak as remained seated. The sound of chains rattling could be heard as the Shade phased in after being dispersed from the remains of the armour.

We're not going to do that right now Sousuke. You -are- going to be treated.<i></i> The Shade would speak in a commanding voice asserting that it was not the time for experiments but it was time to have a break and receive proper treatment.

When asked if they got the man, Sousuke would nod his head. "He was going up one of the elevators in the Maw, but we ultimately had damaged the gears and had the platform drop. He was then caught and delivered to the Anbu for interrogating. Hopefully the Anbu will be able to ... get some more information out of him. No one was hurt thankfully."<i></i>The Steward would pause for a moment looking up and down at his cousin. "Are you matching today?"<i></i> He would then inquired.

Almost.<i></i> The Shade would respond in kind.

 

[Michi]

With the racket of armor being pushed and pulled by numerous little pistons and gears. The armor was like Sousuke's second skin to Shiori, the man beneath it often hidden by this mechanical facade. How he could stand living in that suit was beyond her. He mentioned something about merging with his or -a- blade, she did not know which. The fact that he became someone or something else. He seemed like the Sousuke she always knew, at least peripherally. He sounded the same. He walked and talked the same. Data collection was still a primary objective. But, is it possible to truly know someone. To understand their hopes, ambitions, reasons. To truly know what they endure, hope and dream about. We all share only little bits of ourselves, be it to feed out ego or to prevent someone from escaping arm's reach. We taint our vocalization of dreams with what we wish society could see, our truest ambitions possibly shielded even from ourselves.

The voices -- was the voice of the nothingness that lived in the blade now in his armor?

Something moved and caught the stumbling Kage. It moved to catch him. By Homura's hammer the nothing voice is now living in his armor. She did not trust the nothing voice, this 'wholesome champion and facilitator of knowledge.' The air does not talk, nor does it live in a weapon. It was spreading as well. Living in Sousuke's metal skin. "It is spreading!" Shiori cried out. Shiori grabbed something hard, potentially sharp but blunt would have been fine and chucked it as hard as she could at the armored suit. She did not take notice of how it effected her target or if it even hit. She was not even paying attention to Sousuke's injury, he was not hemorrhaging or anything. He'd live even with a bit more blood loss.

She did not trust this Mikaboshi character. All of this living in swords. Sousuke was not injured from a catching someone at the Maw. That was ludicrous. "Get away from the armor! I am going to kill it!" If she was able to grab his blade she would, any weapon would do. Sadly she was not a weapon user, never wielded a blade in her life. Well, she had tried on numerous occasions whilst training as a shinobi but a blind child with a weapon was a poor combination, something many of her classmates bore scars from. All the same, his suit was moving without Sousuke. She had no idea why, but she was going to break it and then figure it out later.

"Crap..." The first word that came to mind was defecation. She had no target. "Where did the armor go?"

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke raised his hand, "Shiori, cousin, please would you not panic or try to kill Shade, my armours, my weaponry, or anything else that is mine in some form. I'm asking you, quite possibly pleading with you, I'm not sure which because I usually do not plead. Wait, is it possible that I might even be begging? I'm not sure. Doesn't begging usually require a tone of voice?"<i></i> The Steward watched in horror as Shiori attempted to wield the ebon blade. "Please put down the Ebon Blade. I don't want you to get hurt."<i></i> Sousuke watched as his cousin swung around his weapon.

An emotion, or concept grasped Sousuke. Fear. It grasped him a few times in his life. "Don't worry about the armour. It dispersed. Returned to the land of the summoned, or so that is how it was described to me ... granted that in truth it returned to a phase station within the forty-second rule of the third state of exsistence which is where summoned creatures come from which isn't space, but the space between spaces."<i></i> The Steward would wait for a moment and analyze his cousin's movements waiting for a moment for her to slow down or to have a weak movement so he could grab the blade back. When Sousuke saw his opportunity he moved, only to neglect the fact that he was injured. The Steward would rise, and simply fall as his injury was problematic.

Sousuke laid stomach on the floor. He then proceeded to crawl back to his chair. "Stupid limitations."<i></i> With some effort Sousuke got back up and sat in the chair. "Please stop swinging my sword around. I don't want you to hurt yourself, and you know full well I am incapable of giving you medical support. It wouldn't be because I wouldn't do so, it's because I lack the knowledge to perform medical jutsus."<i></i>

 

[Michi]

Sousuke begged for her to stop her attack on the blade. Did he not understand that the nothing-creature was evil. It talked and it knew things but it had no form. People do not live in weapons, they live in... well, nothing but are something. People walk, talk, poop. Mikaboshi did not poop. People do people things and this thing was not people. People do not live in weapons. Mikaboshi was not a person. IT was put in the weapon for a reason. The thing is evil. Sousuke just failed to realize it. Sousuke is an idealist, that was one of the many things she adored about him. His ideals of justice, victory, patriotism were only surpassed by his rose-colored glasses. It could be sucking out his soul and he would be taking it out for drinks, not that she noticed him to be much of a drinker.

She would save him. Shiori had grabbed hold of the Ebon Blade. It was big, much bigger than anything she had ever wielded yet it was lighter than she expected. The weapon was still heavy enough for her to audibly grunt under the weight as she hoisted it over her shoulder. The metal felt strange, she could feel it through the thread bare cloth she wore this day. It was cool yet burning hot at the same time to her. She swung with all of her weight behind the weapon and smashed it into the floor. The floor was undamaged... the blade was undamaged... A better warrior might have chipped the legendary weapon or at least left a crack in the floor but Shiori was not a taijutsuist in the least. In fact, she was actually rather lucky she did not poke out an eye with that dramatic demonstration. She heaved the weapon from the ground with both hands clumsily in place as she tried a second time.

*tink*​

She tried again a third and fourth time with all of her might. Her arms were getting fatigued from her first pair of rough, sloppy attempts. She could feel the sinewsin her arms strain under the weight of Sousuke's blade. Her jugulars distended and her face ruddy, her visage contorted with boundless rage she would destroy this weapon with this pair of strikes!

*tink* *clink*​

"GGGAAAAAHHHH!!!!" She yelled out in frustration. This weapon was forged of pure immortal evil that refused to die a death of smashing. She tried yet again, her arms straining under the weight and force. She learned with the weapon and almost toppled over as she used her weight to assist her in her latest endeavor.

*ping?*​

Even the impact sounded unsure. "Mother Suna dammit! Demon blade!" She blamed the weapon rather than the wielder for its durability. Sousuke was trying to crawl over to the weapon. Her thin lips drew into a deep frown as she glared at the weapon. She hated that weapon. Venom laced her thoughts and desired actions. She then dropped the blade in defeat in front of Sousuke, it clamored on the ground more-so than it had when she tried to shatter the blade with pure force. "Break it," Shiori pouted. "It won't break for me."

 

[Takahashi Aki]

The Steward watched as his cousin went back and forth with the blade. She had to use both hands. Usually the ebon blade could be handled with one hand. Sousuke always kept his right hand free to do seals, or to do interject with a hand block, or anything really. It's not that he couldn't weild the ebon blade with both hands, it's just a choice that he did not.

The upper part of Shade's body phased in for a moment. Shade would not be noticed by Sousuke, but he would speak very directly to Shiori. I brought you one of your favoruite things - your cousin. I'm not exactly sure what you were referring to when you claimed him to be yours, but wouldn't it be better for you to ... do as most families do and have family time instead of trying to destroy my corporeal form?<i></i> The Shade merely would nod his head and disperse. Do what you would with your time wisely.<i></i>

When Shiori asked Sousuke to break the sword, he merely snapped his fingers and caused the blade to burst into flames. These flames would not harm Shiori in any fashion, but it may come as a surprise to her. "Shade isn't a demon... he's a 'ghost', and you know how much I depise using that term. Demons are oftentimes beings of flesh and bone. Ghosts lack a physical form, you could try and punch Shade, but your fist would go right through him. Don't do that though because I don't want you to end up going through a wall or falling flat on your face. I am no medic, so if you're hurt, and I'm hurt then we're both ... in as you would put it 'deep do-do', whatever do-do is....?"<i></i> Sousuke explained as he was still seated looking quite concerned at his cousin. Granted of course she couldn't tell he was looking at her, but there was something slightly unusual in his voice. His voice while monotone, had traces of hesitancy and concern in his voice. A sort of ground breaking change, given that usually Sousuke spoke coldly, calculatedly, and precisely. "You seemed to be straining with the Ebon Blade, are your muscles that underdeveloped? I know my muscles aren't ... massive, but at the very least I can consistently handle the Ebon blade with or without my armour."<i></i>

 

[Michi]

Shiori ...again blind, would not be able to see the flames that caused no harm. Without the pain of heat and without solid form she was oblivious to the fact that the sword had burst into flames. Had she continued to hold the Ebon Blade in both hands, she would not have realized the flames even then as it did not burn. She was thankful to have released herself from the burden, the Ebon Blade was heavy and her shoulder's hurt. Her ulna seemed to bow under the mass of the blade despite holding it in both hands. Her privileged last several years have afforded her the luxury of a ninjutsuist's arms. Sousuke prattled on about the ghost and how she would not be able to strike him as he was incorporeal. She doubted this very much... there was a lot of real things that had not form, she heard of these things called shadows once. They copied everything that you did but sometimes they attacked. If shadows could attack then logically there had to be form, she just needed to determine when they had substance to strike.

"...So be it," Shiori announced after a moment's hesitation. She frowned while she was momentarily in thought. Could shadow ninjutsu be an effective counter to this creature of no substance that tainted her cousin? She did not know of these shadow arts, only rumors since she could never hope to visualize the act. Sousuke's attention was then brought to the blade. She was too proud to admit that the weapon was far too heavy for her, his helmet alone would be far too great a burden for her to carry through the day. She defiantly placed her hands on her hips and announced "I can do anything you can do... in fact I can do it better!"

Her nostrils flared she added, "I bet you can't..."<i></i>

 

[Takahashi Aki]

"Why are you frowning? Have I offended you?"<i></i> Sousuke's eyes would widen for a moment when Shiori claimed that anything he could do she could do better. "...What? Is this some sort of music routine that I'm supposed to respond to by stating that I can do anything better than you?" Or am I supposed to denounce your ability to do so?"<i></i> A very confused look would come over the Steward. He would then let out a cough. "I'll admit that you can probably do certain things better than I can, but ... not anything. I don't think your capable of besting me at chess yet. To date I think I have bested you ... forty-two times to twenty-nine, but then again most of our games usually have been canceled because ... I think you merely got bored."<i></i>

Hesitantly Sousuke would cross his arms. "I'm also confident that my cooking is better than yours too. My food may have no taste, but at least the taste isn't completely inaccurate... like your salty cookies."<i></i> He would then add, "Oh. Yes. There was that experiment of yours, that spicy cake... with the peppers. That was a most ... uhm ... different experience."<i></i> Sousuke would pause and shift his gaze sideways for a moment. "I suppose you could say that you're better at being experimental than I am, but let's be honest how many of your experiments have come to a truly positive conclusion? That's not an insult mind you, that's a question."<i></i>

"What is it exactly that you bet I can't?"<i></i> Sousuke would then inquire. "I bet you... I bet you can't ... make a book shelf like the one you destroyed back a few months ago."<i></i> There. A challenge. A throw-down as it were!

 

[Michi]

Why he thought that moving little squiggly pegs on a flat board was beyond her. She was sure he cheated anyways, claiming she was no in the proper square or that she was using one of his pieces. All this black and white, no this is my knight or you can't put your king there business. For such a silly game to have so many rules. "I am sure that you cheat anyways."

Shiori planted her hands on her hips as she added in rebuttal, "I word 'diabetes'... someone would lose a leg with your maple crunch glazed chocolate chip sugar cookie." She would then consider some of his other foods, an onion that looked like a flow, was there a reason for this? "How would you know if your experiments are better than mine? My experiments involve LIVE people," She countered. He was right though, most of those people did die, her theory may or may not have been accurate but the execution may have left something to be desired. She did have one significant victory of course, the utilization of sound waves to "look" inside a person [essentially a human - ECHOcardiogram].

She glowered at him for a second as she remained in thought. "I bet I could!" Shiori declared. The bookshelf was not that badly destroyed in their little accident that was also totally Sousuke's fault too. He was all the way up there and she was not. It was not fair of him to go so far away, the only logical thing to do was to pursue him. He was couple in her actions. "I bet you could't find your way through the Diamond Maelstrom!" She announced. The chaotic winds, vision being totally obscured. Most people used teams or external assistance of some sort to get through the chaos. While she had never been up there and was unaware of the dangers involved with the surface, she was aware that she could SEE through the haze. Surely the sand would be grating, like thousands of explosions but the picture would be crystal clear.

"I bet you would not be able to walk a straight line in and out of the storm without help," she challenged.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

"Okibi has tried my food before."<i></i> Sousuke spoke, "With great hesitancy she declared that she liked it. I wonder why... I know my food lacks proper taste but ... I've always followed the instructions, I've never even created a maple crunch glazed chocolate sugar cookie. That does sound dangerous though. Quite. Extraordinarily. Exceptional."<i></i> Shiori then proceeded to challenge him to walk straight in the Diamond Maelstrom. Sousuke's eyes narrowed. "I went to Deadline and Eastwatch before. Those are technically in a straight line. Not to mention the last time I did that ... I was subjected to overexposure and I'm still suffering the side effects of those on occasion. I'm still coughing up diamond sand from time to time as my body rejects the final bits of grains."<i></i> Sousuke countered. Wait. That didn't come out right. Sousuke paused for a moment. "That is to say... don't worry too much over me... because I think you will or are about to given the fact that I just revealed that I was subject to overexposure in the desert."<i></i>

Right so. The new problem. Shiori going into panic mode. Sousuke was thinking quickly of how to diffuse that bomb before it went off. Ah. Her clothes. Yes. Women like being complimented. Yume turned red and pink and lacked the ability to speak for some time when he complimented her. Maybe the same applied to Shiori? Thus was the mind of Takahashi Sousuke. A man who knew puppets, weapons, forges, anvils, and most unanimated things better than people. "I like your sandals."<i></i> He would finally say when he looked down at her legs. Well. Truthfully he was concerned about her ability to turn. Really her footwear seemed to ... cause problems for one's ability to move the ankle, or so it seemed. Regardless... yeah. Compliments. He complimented her footwear. Yeah. That was a good start right? "They're so golden and ... wire... structured. What splendid protection they must provide your feet."<i></i> Yes. Continue. Proceed. More compliments.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

(Thread left due to inactivity)