You dun goofed

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

Who: Jade Curtiss | bootsweremadeforcasting and Alister Azimuth double_edged
Where: Clinic
When: After the incident with Kimblee
Style: Either or
Status: Closed

Jade had been sitting there a while. He'd heard of the fights with Alister and part of him wanted to see the General was okay, and part was just ready to say an intelligent version of "I told you so". Unfortunately, it was more the latter. Alister had acted like an idiot and he'd gotten what was coming to him. But Jade was mature enough that he wasn't going to be a child about this situation.

Currently, Jade was reading a book, sitting next to Alister's bedside. He'd been told Alister should be waking up soon enough. If anything, Jade would go the apartment and come back tomorrow. But reading quietly was the best option until he awoke.

Comments

[double_edged]

The General sighs and leans his head back against the pillow, wincing again when he feels a sudden, sharp pain on the right side of his face. He'd known he'd been injured there, which had landed him in the clinic in the first place. However, the realization of how grievous the wound was... that much hadn't occurred to him just yet.

"A white suit." He says suddenly, looking up to the ceiling again, but not at his companion. "At some point, I... everything became all too much. The man..." Swallowing hard, the Lombax starts to gingerly turn on his side, away from the Colonel.

"The man compared me to a beast."

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"And what do you think?"

A simple question with no short amount of various and complex answers. Jade figured he could try to get through to Alister now.

[double_edged]

"...it depends on the context."

His tone is even, his words solemn. People could say what they would about him, but to make that kind of generalization about the Lombaxes themselves... it was no better than watching that Cragmite gloat about.

"Would you assume Ratchet and Angela were beasts by looking at them?"

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"In what context, General?"

Two can play this game. Answer his question straight and he'll answer yours.

[double_edged]

"What would your opinion be of Lombaxes as a whole?" A little more effort into his voice this time, though it's still wavering. First, he wants to know how the world views his species, his race, just by appearance alone.

He won't get a straight answer from the attacker himself, so why not a trusted companion?

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"And interesting, intelligent race."

[double_edged]

"...hm. I suppose I truly am the outcast, then." There's a smile on the old Lombax's face, though it's sad. He's finally able to turn back over in the bed, however, and his next words come hesitant.

"I've been acting like a fool. I was so... terrified of having everything start to fall apart again, that. It was just so easy to become what I wanted to run from. I acted needlessly towards you, and so many others."

He pauses, then there's a quiet sigh.

"Colonel, I'm sorry."

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

There's certainly silence at that. Jade was relieved though. Relieved that Alister had finally come to his senses. THat he was acting rational. The loss of his ear was certainly not what Jade wanted, but he certainly wasn't going to complain at this point. Jade, after all, knew knowledge sometimes came with sacrifice.

"Even in adulthood, there are many lessons to learn."

[double_edged]

"The road to paradise is paved with pain." At least in Vatheon, he can say he'd created more of a paradise for himself than anywhere else in his home universe. "I remember hearing that years ago, some time after the Great War had ended. But for the life of me, I can't remember who it was who said it."

Pausing a moment, the General starts to push himself up against the bed, into an upright position. And even though most of the injury had been to his face, he's still very much winded from blood loss, and a bit of shock.

"My point being - I'm waiting for the 'I told you so', Colonel."

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

Jade smirked a bit at that, but his expression returned shortly to that of a relatively undisturbed one. He shook his head a bit.

"The child in me wishes to say so, but the adult I am simply wishes you a speedy recovery."

[double_edged]

"Are you not feeling well, Colonel?"

Somehow, the Lombax manages to raise an eyebrow without even knowing the full extent of his injuries, and he sags against the pillows, successfully seated in an upright position. He'll have to see about walking later, when there weren't so many people around to disturb his concentration; or worse, stop him.

"Honestly, how bad could it have been if you're acting in this manner?"

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"I encourage you to feel the right side of your head."

1/2

[double_edged]

"What, a concussion? Is that the worst of it? Honestly, Colonel, you seem to be making a big deal about noth--"

2/2

[double_edged]

But he feels up, furred hand brushing against thick bandages, and...

Nothing else. Nothing else. Why wasn't there anything there? What did that white-suited piece of Kerchu shit do to his ear?!

He feels his hands start to shake, his heartrate increasing. Everything seems to muffle out around him, and the only thing the General can feel is pure, seething anger. Never, not even in all of his years in the Guard, had he sustained an injury that was enough to remove a limb.

The realization hits him that he would be permanently altered for life and the Elder just screams.

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

Part of Jade thought it just deserts, and part of Jade felt a little sorry for him. The things that must have been going through the Lombax's head, the anger then and now the remorse and final learning now. Part of him was also frustrated. Again, that it took just this much to teach Alister that and that he was irreparably changed because of it.

"Alister--"

Jade has to cover his ears from the sudden noise of Alister screaming. That was nearly unexpected. He knew Alister wouldn't be happy with it, but he was hoping for a calmer reaction. He keeps his eyes covered, but takes a peek at Alister, trying to make sure he didn't try to do anything rash.

[double_edged]

Try, but he wouldn't get very far.

The Lombax starts to scramble out of bed, feeling around the edges desperately for his wrench, but the sudden movement combined with this newfound shock gets to be just a little too much all at once. He clutches his head suddenly, leaning off the side of the bed with a shaking arm, then slowly starts to lower himself back down with a glazed expression. The General, for the moment, is far too dizzy to continue, and with the way things looked, he wouldn't be continuing for awhile.

The slow decent then turns into a limp fall, the Lombax staring dead ahead on the mattress at nothing at all.

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

As the Lombax tries to move, Jade quickly counters, trying to keep him back in bed with some uttered comments trying to get him to stay down. When Alister begins to fall, Jade grabs him under the arms and sits Alister's head on his shoulder, pushing back. He's a little bulky, but Jade keeps him up for the most part.

"Slow down, you can't get up that fast." When Alister seems to be trying to return to the mattress, Jade assists as best he can and pulls the blankets back up. He let there be silence for a bit, trying to give Alister some time to think.

[double_edged]

For what seems to be the longest time, the Lombax does eventually blink slowly, one good ear turning back in confusion, raising, then falling again when his strength runs out and he fails to keep it at its usual position. He still feels his vision swimming and his head's pounding a little more now, the General's tone now croaked and spent.

"...h-how many people know about this?"

He wants to remember what happened after the man's attack, but Zoni, it was difficult. He can hear voices and rushed faces but they're mostly detached and nothing is sounding familiar to him. It's just a lot of panic, and so much blood...

"Colonel... please. He can't go free. They... t-they don't deserve for suffer for my mistake."

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"I'm unsure. A few, but really, I only just heard about it myself."

Jade liked information, but really he hadn't asked around to figure out who knew what about the Lombax. For the most part, he'd just wanted to get there and see what Alister had to say.

[double_edged]

"...It's... not something I wanted to make a show of. I hadn't even intended to fight at all." He closes his eyes again, laying his head back carefully. "I don't claim to be a stable being. I'm not. But if I can halt someone who goes around, maiming others like that..."

There's been too much death. Too much violence. He's tired of seeing it, over and over again.

"...I have purpose here. I'm not just some rebel, pretending to be a hero."

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"What happened, happened, and it's none of my business."

It was a conceding tone, one that seemed to say that Jade believed Alister for one. On the other hand, Jade did wonder what sort of man would just pull Alister's ear off like that. Regardless, Alister would take care of it on his own time. It wasn't Jade's job to play referee.

"You have good intentions." And that was all he could say about that. Alister wanted to be a good father, but sometimes he was a little misguided, Jade understood that, at least. When it came to Anise, he supposed he felt a paternal air. Enough to warrant a fear for her safety, even if Jade was not a man fit to be a parent. No, Jade had his demons as well.

[double_edged]

"...just poor execution."

The Lombax tried to give a light laugh, though it's hoarse and choked and soon melds more into a rough cough. Once that fades, he simply clears his throat and glances off to the side, remaining quiet for a moment more. It was a little humiliating to have to be seen in this state, after everything that had transpired. It was because of him. It always was.

"And yet you stay. Is it because of that? That you believe in my capabilities?"

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"I believe you're an idiot."

That was all Jade said for a while, hand moving to adjust his glasses as he remained silent. He sat like that, one leg crossed over the other and fingers laced together against his stomach.

"But I also think there's more potential, emotional instability aside."

Think of it this way. Alister was the only person who's been able to put a hole in Jade's leg and still be completely intact, current situation notwithstanding.

[double_edged]

"...maybe I am." Said with a smile, the Lombax starts to close his eyes, relaxing back against the mattress. But it's meant with good intentions, just the same as Jade's words. He just... needed to learn how to reign in his anger better, in the future.

"But I'm an idiot who's alive. That's all that should matter."

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"You're alive and recovering, which is more to say for others." He remained contemplative, his expression passively unreadable. He stood up and left the room briefly before he returned and sat back down, settled in the position he was in before.

"For now,t hat should be your focus."