Aim to Win [Closed, pre Beyond the Sea Plot]

[thewunderkind]

The excitement of the poddrop had died down after a few days and Lash found herself back to her usual routine on the ship. It was rather amazing how much she could manage to do each 'day', from working in the labs, to shop management to training in the sensoriums. Truthfully, everything served to keep her occupied, which was an excellent thing--if Lash ever got bored anywhere it was a sure setup for a disaster of terrible repercussions. Probably explosive ones. Speaking of which...

"Fire! Fire!"

One of the ship's sensoriums was now being taken by her as she played it wisely and used it to tested out various prototypes before building them. They'd come out with a lot of robot parts to build thanks to SHODAN's rampage, and she was going to make the most use of what she'd gotten. With a typical Lash twist and flare, of course.

The soldier obeyed and fired the first cannon with a button press, the cannonball flying out and landing far away. Lash kept tabs using a CO pad, analyzing how the prototype fared. Upon landing, the cannonball opened itself up amongst the surprised enemy soldiers and turned into a small robot with turrets built on each side.

"Tee hee! It works, it works! Now, if I adjust the energy here, I should be able to build a small army, and that would be useful to aid during away missions..."

As she was about to approve it, the robot exploded. Soldiers, trees, dirt and burnt robot pieces flew into the air, landing close by.

"Oh oops! Hmmm...better not put that much energy into that one. The crew could lose a few arms and legs like that!" She said it with such a calm voice too, even if she was speaking to no one but herself and the nearby soldiers. With a small flick, she brushed off a piece of cracked robot, and began another prototype test.

Just another typical day for a wunderkind.

Comments

[thewunderkind]

Lash gave her a look that was half 'are you serious' and half 'are you really, seriously, serious'...before giving her a whack on the back of the head.

"That's also for coming in here without asking," she added.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

0. 0. 0.

This wasn't a game, it wasn't even fun, and no hint of enjoyment showed on the Overlord's face. He dropped to the ground with enough force to displace a broad crater of sand outwards, but the moment he hit he exploded forwards with speed unlike anything before demonstrated, sword slashing at her --

And even before he reached her, another image of the Overlord appeared, just to the left, launching itself at her --

And then another, and another, as Zetta attacked again and again with speed so fast he could launch another three attacks before he'd even finished the first. This was not showing off, nor posturing, nor posing. This was sheer raw intent to put his disciple in her place with the power of the strongest Overlord in the whole freaking cosmos.

[hit_girl_mindy]

SHIT.

And this was just about the last thing that she expected. She could have maybe attempted to take on the Overlord, and that in itself was a stretch, but tree at a time was way to much, even for Hit Girl. She hadn't even had enough time to use her magic, and it was through the power of her barrier jacket that she hadn't gone flying, but she would now. Her weapons repelled and her shield broken through, she did fly, and she hit the ground hard.

[thewunderkind]

Lash remembered that attack, when she had last seen it, coming towards her in super slow mo. The only reason she had survived it at all, apart from the fact it was a sensorium simulation was, she suspected, a combination of the fact it had slowed down enough so she had seen them somewhat coming and her ranger outfit which boosted her defenses. That and the Overlord was not as angry as he had been now, and the attack wasn't as vicious. She flinched a little, remembering the bruises and pain it had left.

Well Mindy, you wanted to fight and be like an adult, this was quite a way to hit reality.

She stood silently by watching otherwise. Hit Girl and Ruffnut were Zetta's disciples, not hers (and thankfully no one was her disciple because that would be terrible in all regards.)

[ruffntumblenut]

Ruffnut was perplexed, she was actually scared for the first time in a long time. But it was conflicting with months of throwing herself willingly into peril. Even during the robot invasion she hadn't felt this creeping uncomfortable ickyness from what she was watching. None of their training sessions had been like this. It felt like a line had been crossed and she was...Odin forbid, learning something.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Zetta slammed to the ground next to Hit Girl, reaching out to grab her by the upper arm with one hand -- and Ruffnut with the other.

"Today you learn NOT TO INTERRUPT THE OVERLORD'S DATES!" he roared, as he hurled them both towards the sensorium exit -- from which he had banished the massive death course, fortunately. Outside, a pile of Prinnies blinked helplessly at their sudden summon, entirely unaware that they were about to serve as a landing cushion, while the healer minion waited next to said pile with her usual blissfully airy look about her.

In some respects the Overlord was, in fact, a softy. Best not to point that out to him.

[hit_girl_mindy]

That was a lesson learned the hard way. Granted, it would have been nice to talk with him, maybe apologize, but it wasn't like that was the Overlord was that kind of person, and they were lucky to, well, be alive. What was more, she had seen a sample of the Overlord's power, and that in itself had been pretty impressive.

And she would think this, well, when she was done feeling like she went through a meat grinder.

She turned over to Ruffnut, coughing out some blood. "Are you alright?"

[ruffntumblenut]

Ruffnut sat up in a daze, eyes crossed with a look that could only be described as "Derp" and the tips of her braids on fire.

"What?" She asked sticking a finger in her ear wiggling it around. There was a loud ringing she couldn't get rid of.

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy sighed and wriggled her way toward Ruffnut, still pretty banged up, and wet the tips of her fingers and put out the tips of her braids. That actually required sitting up though, which Mindy did, and immediately regretted.

"Ugh, that sucked. We are never doing that again...by accident, anyway."

[ruffntumblenut]

Ruffnut nodded and smacked the side of her head a few times till her eyes uncrossed. "Guess they must be serious then." She remarked and then snickered thinking about Lash making out with a book.

[hit_girl_mindy]

"Of course Ruff," Mindy said. "The only time they can really be on a date and even, like, do something as basic as holding hands is the fucking Sensorium. No wonder Overlord Zetta was pissed. He wanted his time with her to be undisturbed. Why the hell do you think I choose to stay and fight, and not just apologize off the bat? I knew we we wrong, and that the only way to get that out was him showing how pissed he was."

She shrugged. "He really likes her. We made him admit and now they both know it. And he wanted her to see how important his time with her is."

[ruffntumblenut]

"As if she didn't already know." Ruff blew idly on one of the burnt tips of her braids watching the black hairs drift off. "I think it just made him feel better."

[hit_girl_mindy]

"Sometimes people have to be reminded," Mindy said, shaking her head. "Anyway, at least you didn't get your ass handed to you. But that was ow I wanted it anyway."

[ruffntumblenut]

Ruff rolled her eyes, "You know self sacrifice is only cute so many times." She pinched Mindy's cheek playfully. "Eventually you're gonna have to stand back and let me get what's coming to me."

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy was quiet a moment. "Yeah, I know. What the hell man, you broke your arm and I just didn't want it getting worse. Whatever. you can totally get your ass kicked the next time. That really hurt."

[ruffntumblenut]

"No pouting. You got your ass kicked in the big robo battle too." Ruffnut argued standing up and hauling Mindy to her feet. "Healing minion girl thing. Get to it." She ordered Zetta's abandoned healing minion ready to get back to doing...well whatever it was she and Mindy did all day.

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy winced but got up, shaking her head. "Yeah yeah. What the hell man. Maybe I just like looking out for you. I know you can kick ass by yourself, but I wanted to make sure I got the brunt of the ass kicking this time. It's cool."

She sighed. "Man, I do have a weakness. Fucking annoying."

[ruffntumblenut]

"Well it's reckless, foolish and just plain crazy." Then she daringly gave Mindy a peck on the cheek. "And I love all that." Way to send out mixed messages.

[hit_girl_mindy]

"You knew what you were getting into since the beginning," Mindy said, turning slightly pink. "Anyway, you don't get anywhere by playing it safe, right? It's good to be a little reckless."

As was the kiss, but Mindy was deciding not to mention that, not that she thought she had to.

And she groaned as the last of the healing was done. "Now what do we do?"

[ruffntumblenut]

Ruffnut shrugged, "Anything but going back in there." she joked leaning against Mindy as they moved away giving their friends and mentors the privacy they deserved.

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy snickered. "Man, if we went back, I wouldn't blame the for killing us! We went in there by accident and we still got trashed! Nah man, let's head over to the cafe. I'll make you some food and we can eat it together in Hydroponics. Those head cases aren't the ONLY ones who can have a date."

[ruffntumblenut]

Ruffnut got that ravenous smile that looked like she might just eat Mindy if they didn't hurry along and let the smaller girl lead the way.

In retrospect? She'd have done the same thing if she were Zetta.

[hit_girl_mindy]

If Mindy had heard that particular thought, she might have had to throttle the viking herself, if only because she would have gotten her meaning wrong.

As for that, well, Ruffnut was already aware of what Hit Girl would do to protect Ruff: someone interrupting them would have been beaten the shit out of.