Exhaustion [Open]

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

The first thing that Asuka had done was open a comm post to see how long it had been. Then she'd learned she'd been gone for months. Precious, valuable months spent running mazes (she couldn't exactly remember it all - it was a blur, like a dream). She was probably left behind by now! So, the third thing she'd done was gone straight to the Sensoriums and started flying. She'd done combat scenarios, cold starts, everything that she'd learned before, she'd done over and over again, trying to improve her reaction times, trying to master the controls.

There was no way in Hell she was going to be the worst pilot in the squadron. She was going to be the best. Which was why she'd just gone for a day or so without sleep and was more then a little bit exhausted.

And still flying a simulated X-Wing.

You couldn't fault her dedication.

Comments

[fanservicesnegi.livejournal.com]

"I don't need to be in a fighter squadron!" Asuna retorted, smirking confidently while crossing her arms at the same time. "But you need constant watching, and if that's the case I feel sorry for your commanding officer."

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"I don't need supervision from a brat like you!" Asuka retorted with an icy stare, "And you should be grateful that we're around to protect idiots like you! You weren't even around when we formed fighter command!"

[fanservicesnegi.livejournal.com]

"...You should be grateful that I'm around now to supervise idiots like you!" Asuna grumbled, not backing down either with a stare of her own. "I'm surprised you're still here to talk about fighter command, if you treat everyone like they're worthless."

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"I only treat worthless people like they're worthless, so what does that say about you, Princess? If you don't like my attitude, there's the door!" She jabbed a finger over Asuna's shoulder, even as she pushed even closer. She wasn't about to back down.

[fanservicesnegi.livejournal.com]

Asuna was about to get closer herself, shoving her finger aside with a hand...and stopped mid-shove, though she had still gotten closer to Asuka.

"...You don't have any friends here, do you?" A huge part of Asuna felt like smacking herself; she'd NEVER admit this to the other girl, but she was kinda-sorta starting to see something of herself in her.

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"Why the Hell does that matter?" Even if i was kind of true. Julian was... sort of a friend. Antilles wasn't a friend. There'd been... someone else. But she was gone. So, no. She didn't have any friends. Suddenly, she found herself missing Hikari very, very much.

"It's none of your business anyway!"

[fanservicesnegi.livejournal.com]

"...Who else would tolerate having you around, if you don't have friends who'll look after you?" Asuna asked after a moment, coming to another realization - and definitely something she'd never say out loud: even though she had Negi around, Asuna could feel that the girl might be just as lonely as she was.

"It could be my business. Maybe not now, but someday."

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

Asuka was, at her core, fundamentally lonely. She hated being alone. She hated not being seen. She hated being unrecognized. At the same time, she believed that to rely on others for any sort of support - mental, psychological, physical - was to be weak. To be a child again. Thus, she usually ended up driving away almost everyone around her. "Plenty of people like me!"

Probably.

"I don't care what you do! Just leave me alone!"

[fanservicesnegi.livejournal.com]

Asuna's posture, as well as her gaze, went hard. Uncrossing her arms, she shook her head and looked around the near-empty room, save for the two of them.

"Kagurazaka Asuna. My friends call me Asuna." She got really close to Asuka by this point, eyes unwavering in her next response.

"You won't always be relying on that fighter plane. Sooner or later, it'll crash-land while you're in battle...and then you'll have to rely on someone else." A few seconds later, she pulled out her Pactio Card (http://watarukaze.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/asuna-hs1.jpg) and showed it to Asuka for a few seconds before putting it away.

"Maybe I'll still be around to help you then!"

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

Well, she supposed she might as well introduce herself. Even if she had no idea what the Hell that card was about. She rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest. "Asuka Langley Soryu. And you're showing me that card thing like it means something to me! And I'll do just fine on my own, thanks very much."

Hmmph. Like she needed help from her, of all people.

[fanservicesnegi.livejournal.com]

"It's my fighter ship, while I attack with my weapons." Simple way to put it that she could understand it, though when the day came that Asuna actually needed to use it would be a field day of sorts.

"Ha! Sure you will, Asuka."

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"It's a stupid card!" Asuka exclaimed, throwing her hands up. "Just... ugh. Just leave me alone."

[fanservicesnegi.livejournal.com]

"Hmph! No wonder you don't have any friends..." Asuna grumbled while turning around and letting out a deep sigh of annoyance. "Your foolish pride gets in the way."

At least she knew when being prideful could work - which wasn't all the time. Apparently Asuka was still going around with blinders on.

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"I don't need friends! I'm just fine on my own!" Even if there was a hollow place inside of her. Someone she'd liked was gone - she couldn't remember a name or a face, but the disconcerting feeling of knowing was enough.

[fanservicesnegi.livejournal.com]

"Right. Wonder how far you'll stick around with that attitude...!" Asuna made her way toward the doors while silently wondering which one of these rooms would be empty, also realizing that getting through to Asuka was like breaking down a brick wall - it'd probably take more than just words to get her to see reason, if ever.

"Best case scenario, you'll find yourself repodded - you don't need to know the worst-case scenario."