002 | In which Liquid is banned from Sprout Tower for life | Video/Action for Violet

[liquidation]

[When the vid feed turns on, it shows Liquid standing against the vast blue of the sky,  statuesque and impassively looking outwards, as though he was a king surveying his domain.  There is strength in the line of his shoulders and the set of his jaw.  This has clearly been staged, because no one looks like this without careful planning and a keen sense of melodrama.  Anyone who knows this guy and what he's like should be running for the hills right now, because every single inch of this is screaming I'M GOING TO RANT AT YOU UNTIL YOU LIKE IT.]

If there is anything that I have learned in my life, it is that all creatures endeavor to thrive.  Life itself is the constant struggle against all the forces that would seek to extinguish it.  All creatures, from the smallest to the greatest, abide by this principle-- even humanity.

[If you're still here, you are either brave or stupid.]

In the course of this, it is inevitable that conflict would arise.  Friction between those who would strive for the same goals.  There are only so many resources, after all, and there are so many who would wish to possess them.  It is immaterial whether that resource is food, energy, or dominance-- there is only so much to go around.  Only those with the will to take them will prevail.

[Liquid being some kind of stupid Nietzsche wanna-be social Darwinist is hardly surprising.]

War is this struggle at a macroscopic level.

[Is everyone taking notes?  There will be a test.  Everyone take out your notebooks and start taking down everything Professor British McDipshit says.]

But here, this principle is violated.  There are petty criminal undertakings and minor disturbances, but there has been no war.  In a world where every creature is a walking weapon, instead of being used in combat, they are treated as pets.  This is a world that is innocent of the true nature of warfare-- it merely plays out the simulacrum of it with its glorified dogfighting.  Like children playing with toy guns, it is unaware and uncomprehending of what it mimics.

[He smirked, and there was something feral about the set of his teeth.]  I think it is high time that this innocence be lost.  I think it is time to show this place the true meaning of--

[There was a brown and white blur, a squawk, a yell, and Liquid got nailed in the face by a passing Pidgey.  The 'gear that was recording this fell, as did Liquid, and-- wow holy shit he was high up.  Looks like he was taking the fast way down from Sprout Tower.]

Comments

1/3

[vulpesvivus]

Oh great, here we go...

[He'll just sit here and listen because god knows he's put up with it before.]

2/3

[vulpesvivus]

...

[Was that a Pidgey?]

[vulpesvivus]

Uh...

[Snrk.]

James, are you--

[pffhaha]

A-are you okay?

[pfffffhahahaha]

[liquidation]

[For several long moments, there is only the sound of wind whistling past the speaker on the 'gear.]

[Then there was a thud.]

[The gear is now recording some very nice grass with a big crack in the lens.]

[Brb, Liquid is taking a powernap.]

[vulpesvivus]

[He'll be fine.]

[Everyone knows he's had worse.]

[liquidation]

[A few minutes later, there was a string of muffled cursing. If it had been clearer, it probably would've taken the paint off of walls.]

Son of a bitch.

[A hand groped around in the grass for a moment for the 'gear. There was a glimpse of Liquid's face, which... definitely had a mark on it. And possibly a broken nose.]

voice;

[usedshooshpap]

Someone give that bird a medal.

voice;

[liquidation]

Kindly take a long walk off of a short fuck you.

[OW GOD HIS FACE.]

voice;

[usedshooshpap]

Oh no you did very well fucking not.

You are not challenging me to a battle of the insults, you grubfisted moron.

I mean who even gets knocked out by a goddamn PIDGEY?

voice;

[liquidation]

Anyone who gets hit in the bloody face by one.

[And then falls the 100+ feet off of the tower. Liquid is mostly indestructible.]

And don't flatter yourself to think that I give half a damn about whatever ridiculous insults a loudmouthed child can lob at me.

voice;

[usedshooshpap]

They're not even all that big OR fast.

[ an eye roll here. ]

And you only say that because the old man can't keep up.

[Text]

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

[Cobra's sticking with text for two reasons. Their last conversation went well enough until it somehow turned horrible, and text might reduce that. Also, he really doesn't want to risk another promise due to how hard he's laughing at the Pidgey collision.]

If you want war, try Vermillion City. The Gym Leader is a lieutenant of some sort.

[Text]

[liquidation]

[Liquid is just kind of like that. Threats are how he says hello.]

Interesting. I'll look into it.

[That's the closest to a 'thanks' that anyone will get from Liquid.]

[Text]

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

I take it that would be after you recover from any injuries from that fall?

[Because he's not really sure how Liquid's even typing right now.]

Re: [Text]

[liquidation]

Why wait? It would take a longer fall than that to harm me.

[Liquid is kind of indestructible.]

[Text]

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

[Cobra's not sure if Liquid is part ninja or what. At the least, a fall from that height would put most of his minions in the hospital.]

Why wait indeed. Are you familiar with how to get there?

[Because Cobra is willing to give directions to anyone who wants to cause mayhem for Surge.]

Text

[shallbeavenged]

[Ai has found this rather odd, with her own views on humanity being very low.]

They say it's impossible to die here.
That might factor into it.

But you'd think they'd have found other ways to seek vengeance. Humanity usually does.

Text

[liquidation]

I can see that being an issue. I intend to test this theory thoroughly, but even if it holds up, there are fates worse than death.

[He knows a thing or two about those.]

I am certain that the capacity is there, it's simply a matter of drawing it out. Human is human, after all, and we are all bloody bastards, with no exception.

Text

[shallbeavenged]

Yes, there are.

[So does she. Comes with the job.]

Is the history of this place known? Surely they would have had wars or past atrocities. Other then a group of people who seem to do nothing more then blow things up and steal.

Re: Text

[liquidation]

I'm not entirely sure how much history is available. I've been told that there's a lieutenant in Vermillion City that may have some more information, though. If this is true, I'd like to know why there are ranked men in a world that barely has a functioning police force, nevertheless a standing military.

Text

[shallbeavenged]

...I wonder if they have libraries here. There might be history books there.

[Audio]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[... He's by Sprout Tower. Why does that realization hurt a little?]

[Her voice is wry when she speaks, although she doesn't expect him to answer for awhile.]</sub>

Any broken bones?

Re: [Audio]

[liquidation]

No, but my pride could use a patch job.

[Not even a broken arm this time; his immunity to gravity has only gotten stronger with age.]

[Audio]

[foolishwren]

You think so? Personally, I think this is probably what your pride NEEDED.

[Audio]

[liquidation]

What does a man have if not his pride? I'm in no hurry to lose mine.

[It's just that his face is apparently such a good target.]