( psl ) this hell is better with you

[irreversal]

Comments

[mrknifeguy]

( from here. )

[ He moves to sit with her, setting the bag of snack between them. ]

Busy as ever. We got quite the batch of recruits this year. They're keeping me on my toes.

[irreversal]

[ The very corner of her lips twitch in to a grin. ]

Hoh? It's that time of the year again?

[ Time is such a flat circle. ]

What're they like?

[mrknifeguy]

Truthfully? Probably the most talented bunch we've seen in the Defense Force's history.

[ A beat, then he just cracks up laughing. ]

And the funniest. There's this old guy who's a total riot!

[irreversal]

[ She'd heard that Shinomiya girl was among the bunch, which would explain them being a talented bunch, but... ]

Wait a sec, what do you mean by old guy? I know they raised the age limit this time around, but not by that much, right?

[mrknifeguy]

He's an old timer compared to the rest of us. A whopping 32.

[irreversal]

[ lmao ]

Don't you know 30 is the new 20?

[ that's what she's read on the internet anyway. as far as she's concerned, in both her line of work and his, anyone would be lucky to make it past their 40s. ]

[mrknifeguy]

You say that, but... the guy has beans for unleashed combat power. He can't even lift a rifle. It's hilarious.

[ POSSIBLY ONLY TO YOU HOSHINA ]

[irreversal]

[ YEAH, ]

Hold on... You're not that desperate for people, are you? Are you trying to get someone sent my way?

[ wHY DID YOU LET HIM IN BRO... she sighs, a cloud of smoke gusting out of her before she shakes her head. No, it's Hoshina, so... he has his reasons. Maybe the guy ate a couple of kaiju fingers or something. ]

[mrknifeguy]

[ He waves her off. ]

It's fine. He's great for morale.

[ ??? ]

[irreversal]

Geh...

[ After one last drag, she grinds the end of her cigarette down on the ledge beside her. Now it is time to open those chips... ]

And what's the unofficial reason?

[mrknifeguy]

[ There's a bit of a pause as he glances sideways at her. Well, if he can't be open with her, then who? She knows his history, anyway. How his whole life, everyone around him told him to give up. It's not worth it. You'll never make it. ]

He reminds me of me, a little.

[irreversal]

[ there it is. ]

So it's like that... Even you had better than beans as far as combat power coming in, though.

[ but that's probably why he said a little, not a lot. ]

You're sure he's gonna be all right out there? I'm the one that has to deal with it if not, you know.

[mrknifeguy]

He's sharp, and he comes through when it counts. Plus, this group of rookies look out for each other.

[ He got cookies for himself, and pulls them out of the bag. ]

Remember how we didn't have a single casualty despite the incident at the training grounds?

[irreversal]

[ She nods, popping a chip into her mouth. ]

Mm. I thought that was all the Shinomiya girl, though...

[ Word of her performance has certainly gotten around. With a pedigree like that, it's not so surprising. Another sidelong glance, a questioning look he'd recognize by now. Does he have another theory? ]

[mrknifeguy]

As far as we know, it was... but we lost track of a certain old-timer's vitals around the same time it all went down.

[ He shrugs, chomping on a cookie. ]

It could be nothing.

[irreversal]

Oho...?

[ Now that is interesting. ]

You'll let me know if something more interesting happens, right? So I can get a closer look at him?

[ Medically, of course, ]

[mrknifeguy]

How much pull do you think I have? If something more interesting happens, the top brass is gonna want to look at him first.

[ Girlfriend privilege will only get her so far. 😔 ]

[irreversal]

Ehh? What a shame.

[ she says, knowing full well that would be the case. ]

I only ever get the first look at corpses these days...