voidtreckernet | Domino Day 18 [Video]

So you're saying I have to listen to you?

That's fucked up.

I'm just making another team. I don't see why you have such a problem with it. I'm not putting anyone at risk by using the color black. It's a pretty awesome color.

I'm the leader of the train, kid. I'm the leader of the red team and the council's moderator. It's been my ass who has gotten several people out of harm's way and I'm one of the first to be on this train for the last few months.

And you don't understand what you're messing with. I get you want to assert your independence when all your control has been taken away. Really, I do get that. But the teams are for our missions and our missions are dangerous for us and for the people we're helping. I don't really care if you want to make a black team for while we're on the train. I'm really not doing this just to be an asshole no matter what you might think. The thing I care about is that we know where everyone is on the missions so when we're back on the train we can account for everyone. That hasn't always been the case and people have almost died because of it.

If it's just for the train, I'll even help you dye your shit black if you want. I don't like the conductor any more than anyone else and would love to give him the middle finger too. I just have had too many people die to let anyone here die on my watch.

Come talk to me, Yuffie. Or tell me where you are and I'll come to you.

[Blah blah blah.]

Really because you just sound like an asshole.

I don't know you and you don't know me.

[And she doesn't want to listen to a self-righteous ass or tell him where she is but that's just because she's trying to be difficult. It's her first reaction when faced with someone who's so unyeildy.]

I will keep people safe. I know what that shit costs. So shove it.

How old are you? Twelve?

[She grinds her teeth but actually answers this time.]

Nineteen.

And how old are you? 100?

Yeah about that. Alright, I'm done with this conversation. Good luck with your temper tantrum.

[She genuinely looks confused.]

You're the one having a tantrum.

[Weird old jerk.]

Bye.

[Making sure she gets the last word, she hangs up.]

[Man, man, he got there too late. Edge is all but skidding into the room, one hand waving for Tony to put the doodad down.]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, you're going about this entirely wrong!

[Tony was mid-pouring himself a drink when Edge shows up.]

Excuse me?

[Edge sticks up a hand, mostly to keep Tony from interrupting him before he can get enough of his thoughts out.

Yuffie. Team Black. That whole thing. Look, you've got a girl who's capable and powerful in her own right who's just been kidnapped away from the home she values above everything. [That's what Edge takes from the Single white Rose of Wutai talk, that and her pride and how he can grab her by it to manipulate her into considering doing chores.] She's trying to adapt to this in a way that works for her, a way that lets her put aside all the negativity and feel like she has some control over this situation and her life. You want her to be safe and contribute, you gotta work with her, not just slam down on it!

I told her I'd come talk to her and I said she can have a team black on the train after saying she can't. How was that not 'working with her'? And I realize she's in a tizzy over her independence and crap. Everyone is who comes here.

[Wait..]

Is she from your world?

No, no, she's just a fellow ninja. I understand the thinking. [Devotion to your people and your home? Yuffie may be a brat and trouble, but Edge respects that utterly.] She's staging a rebellion against authority, and that's both the train and you. You're not her people, you're not her clan. And trying to enforce that, that's just legitimizing her rebellion. Makes her feel all the stronger about it when you react.

Just give it to her. [Edge shrugs one shoulder, eyebrows lifted to convey just how harmless it is.] I'll take care of her and anyone who goes with her, and make sure it won't mess up her missions. I understand what matters to her.

Uh, no. I'm not going to let someone form a mutiny on the train because she's just 'feeling' rebellious. It's dangerous for the missions. I'm not putting people in harm's way over this.

You can't mutiny against the train, it doesn't care. And it's assigning the teams, not you. What reason have you got to support it, other than you're worried about danger? And for that matter, in what way is it dangerous? People don't even stick to their train-assigned teams half the time, in my experience.

You can mutiny against the council and the team leads who have been voted in by the people on this train to govern and protect it.

You've been here long enough that I shouldn't have to explain why I'm worried about danger.

[His gaze narrows at Edge.]

Right, because we get the objectives and move people around. Their team leads are told about it though so we can keep track of everyone.

So give me one good reason why this makes any sense other than you hit on everything that moves and she's the next pretty face you want a piece of?

[If that was really it, that blow would have landed. Edge isn't slow or subtle with his anger, after all. But this goes deeper, because Edge does understand. He doesn't rebel or get airs because he's the freaking King and head of the ninja clan, but if he weren't and someone else basically told him he had to be loyal to something other than his parents and his people?]

[Yuffie's reaction is downright mature compared to what his would be.]

Because it's good for everyone to put one in the eye of the train every once in a while. We didn't ask for this. We didn't sign up for this. We help where it takes us, because helping is the right thing to do, not because it tells us to. Who says purple team has to do laundry and orange has to sweep? The train and only the train. We could choose to do it any way we want. We could swap our chores around. We could do missions however we wanted, for that matter.

We're people, man! We have feelings, we have souls, we have lives, and they count a lot more than some entirely arbitrary color sorting! You want to lead us, lead us, don't just say the train wins because it's easiest and most convenient! If you're in charge, you're our heart and soul, so be those! And help us live our lives the way we want to instead of the way the train says we have to do it!

[Edge is not a good King in many respects. He ignores paperwork, pushes his financial work off on his advisers, and blows off administration to hit on girls. But no one can question that his heart beats and his soul burns for his kingdom and his people.]

[He listened, hearing Edge out. A lot of it made sense, but he disagreed with some. It was a mix, just like all the rest of the situations on this train. No one, not even a king of ninjas was 100% right.]

I am leading it. I protect people. I've been building things to make their lives easier here and trying to find ways to get us home. What useful thing have you been doing? I've checked out every mission we've gone on for legitimacy. Take that last mission for example. We were given a mission and told how to do it. From what we found, there was a lunatic terrorizing a city of innocent people with a weather machine. Every team had an objective that made sense. People in that team made sense too. The red team was the right one to go and take down that lunatic. Now if we get one I don't agree with, or if you find an objective you don't find as helping people then tell me or the council. That's what we're here for.

Now as far as chores.. sure. Do whatever the hell you want with those. The problem is we're stuck here and when you live with a group of people, things get dirty. So whatever, Edge. If you have a better way of doing that or just a different system, let's here it. I just didn't give a crap enough about chores to make an issue of it.

And sure, maybe after three and a half months, I don't see the point in continuing to fight certain aspects of living here. I thought I'd be able to get us home a whole lot faster than this, but I haven't. That doesn't make me a sell out because I've prioritized things now that I understand this is a marathon not a sprint.

I just di--! [Edge slaps a hand into his face, fingers curling as he gets his temper under control.] Look, any team could have gone and stopped a crazy science guy. I've done that before. The teams are just convenience. We'd do whatever it took and to hell with teams, if that's what we needed to do to take care of business, and you know that. So why pretend they're nothing more than conveniences? More to the point, I'm saying there's a very good reason to fight those aspects -- doing stuff on our terms is reason enough. We need victories, even just symbolic ones. If we're stuck on a mission, let it be our mission at least a little bit. That's the long and the short of it.

Because there does seem to be a reason behind these teams. Not everyone could've done what the red team did. I find your judgement of your capabilities questionable after you told me you were excellent at everything when I met you.

[He crossed his arms over his chest and sighed.]

Great, glad to hear your opinion. Are you done now?

[Yes. That does it. Edge lowers his hand, straightening up to his full height.]

No. One more opinion.

You are a supremely incompetent leader. You care about only yourself and nothing for the people here. You've made it clear you care only to control the people here to serve your own ego, and if that's measured in successful missions and unhurt people, it's only because you'd take those as a blemish against you. Congratulations on spreading the mutiny you despise, because I'll offer no allegiance to a leader whose only care is for himself.

[And with that said, Edge turns on his heel to march out.]

[He really didn't think he should have to justify himself or argue when he knew things someone else believed about him was untrue but..]

How exactly do you conclude that? Because last I checked you weren't the one who has made two men prosthetic hands, helped the kids on this train on multiple occasions, rescued a team member and someone from another team from dying, and yet I'm the one who has to justify whether I care or not?

I help everyone on this train. I protect everyone. It's on you, not me, if you can't see that and haven't seen it for the length of your time here.

[Edge flicks a hand in midair.]

That last sentence? That proves everything.

[Ninja art of getting in the last word and then vanishing!]

Domino Day 18 [Video]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

[action]

Re: [action]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject