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[atlas_shrugged]

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[atlas_shrugged]

I'm not so sure about everybody else, sir, but the Hounds at least call it Train Day, I believe. [ He lights up a cigarette takes a long drag. ] It's all just informal but we didn't really have anything else to call it actually.

[ He takes another swig of his beer and just waits. He can do quiet. That's mostly what he's been really since joining Netsach. Quiet. Waiting. Supplying input only when there's something to offer. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

It does sound better than its official serial number, that's for sure.

[Leaning back, taking another sip.]

I'm recovering.

[That's all that matters. No need to talk about how bad it got.]

[atlas_shrugged]

Well, that's all that matters, right? "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" and all that jazz. [ Brigade takes another swig and another drag. ] Glad you didn't take it all on yourself though. We might not be drinking here right now if ever you did. [ It's said off-handedly, but the concern can be heard in the tone ]

[icarusalsoflew]

Oh, I'm not that suicidal. Still would've made it out in generally one piece.

[Generally. As things stood, he knew better than to give way too much, at least in that direction. There was still so much to do.]

[atlas_shrugged]

Good to hear. To your health. [ He holds his beer out to toast while trying to relax a bit in his chair ] So how long before you're up and about again? I think the others miss playing "Where's Hikaru?" when they pass trees or shadows of buildings.

[icarusalsoflew]

[Tapping his beer can against Brig's with a rueful shake of his head.]

I don't spy THAT much, you know.

[Sure, Blade King. Whatever.]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brig laughs ] Now you're just joshing, the Blade King. [ The pun on a fellow blademate who doesn't like being talked about unintended. Only the denotative meaning of the idiom. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Heh.]

I'd like to think that I watch when I have to. Comes with the territory.

[atlas_shrugged]

[ He takes a swig and smiles ] I wasn't really talking about the "spying" or "creeping". [ Brig gives him a sincere look ] More that the Blade misses you randomly appearing with a smile on your face.

[icarusalsoflew]

I'm pretty sure that only some of your blade mates miss that.

[But it's mostly a deflection.]

Well, Brianna has had the pleasure of seeing me already. Greeted Taning and Yulia as well, when they moved into Kibo.

[atlas_shrugged]

And now there's me too. [ Brig tips his beer at him before taking another swig ] Which leaves you with just Josh, since Kaz is currently off taking his Everyman's Walk. You'll have collected 5 out of 6 rare, War Hounds Pokemon after that. [ He chuckles ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Lol, he's heard THAT analogy before. Anton and his schtick for popular culture. Jessie and his asshole tendencies.

But that is not the most interesting part of that statement.]

I'm almost touched to hear that you count yourself as one of my acquisitions.

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brig's feeling more relaxed. He reaches and pops open a new can of beer. Pulling out another and reaching it to Hikaru. ] Well, you had me at "One weapon to another", and sealed the deal with "See you on the battlefield, brother".

[icarusalsoflew]

[...Sure, why not. Might as well drink like he could drink. Fuck sickness.]

So those are the things that get underneath that soldier boy exterior, huh?

[Now he's just teasing you in that typically charming/annoying/hot Blade King fashion.]

cause Brig's too serious for his own good sometimes. haha

[atlas_shrugged]

122-year old Promethean Soldier without grizzled, battle-brothers? [ Brig glances at him and gives him a look ] Yes. More so when the person who tells him those things is a fellow "living weapon" [ Brigade does the quotation marks expression with both hands ], willing to lay his life down on the wire to save a lot of people.

[ A moment's pause. ] And does.

[ He takes a swig of his beer and a drag of his cigarette. It's the truth. ]

lol

[icarusalsoflew]

[Well, he should have expected that.

Odd, really, given how they started out. Outside of that first encounter with Saitou, really, since they had never gotten far with that one. That had been Saitou's moment, after all.]

We all do what we have to do, in the best way that we know how.

[atlas_shrugged]

Cheers to that. [ Brig reaches his beer out and waits for Hikaru to toast ] And that's why you can count me among your "acquisitions". Just think of me as Charizard though. [ Brigade chuckles as he says so, suddenly remembering episodes of the original series ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Amused, of course, as they're clicking their cans together yet again.]

Charizard, huh? Why that one?

[Yeah, he's played that game. All of those games.

He gets bored, okay.]

[atlas_shrugged]

Never watched the old series? [ Brigade's actually surprised at this. With how Hikaru is, he should have. Or he's just faking again, waiting for an answer to play with ] In the classic series, Charizard was Ash's most stubborn Pokemon. But when they made their peace, and Ash showed Charizard his true mettle, Charizard became arguably Ash's most loyal.

[icarusalsoflew]

Well, when you put it that way...

[Talk about uncanny accuracy. Thank you, popular culture.]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brigade laughs. He opens up two more beer cans. One for himself and one for Hikaru. ] We're halfway through what I brought.

Maybe after today, we should do this again. [ He suggests after handing Hikaru the new can and starts on his own ]

[icarusalsoflew]

Sure, I don't mind. [Smiles.] We could make this a regular thing.

[As things were, Hikaru didn't have a lot of people to drink with anymore. So maybe...]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brigade smiles at that. He'd actually like to make this a regular thing ] Just text me when you're free. And I'll text to ask if ever I need drinking company. [ He's very happy Hikaru made the offer to make it a regular thing ] What's your choice drink? So I can bring some next time.

[icarusalsoflew]

I drink anything, really. Besides, if you and I are doing this often, we should alternate on the booze duties. It's only fair.

[Yeah, he's kind of really not picky with his alcohol. He's choosier with his cigs.]

[atlas_shrugged]

Copy that. [ Brig smiles but gives another suggestion ] Or we can just both bring booze with the way we drink. [ He laughs. Unlikely either of them will get drunk anyway. ]