03. [video] Show off

[mech_and_mutt]

I dunno if you guys have seen it, but...

[The feed starts off to the sight of Red reclining in a cockpit chair, with a drone of engines in the background and a passing of clouds in the windows surrounding him. Someone's more than a little bit proud of his airship finally flying again, it seems.]

There's some big new project goin' up by Curti Center, right? Well, back at the festival, I got talkin' with the guy that's settin' all that up. And I don't think he'd mind if I drummed up a li'l excitement in the meantime.

[His usual toothy grin quickly returns to his face.]

Two words: Monster Arena. Go ahead and think back to the biggest, greatest monsters you've gone up against, here or back home-- and keep those memories fresh, 'cause apparently that's what they're gonna be usin' to make the battles! I didn't know we even had that kinda tech here in Vaikuntha...

Now, I know not everyone here enjoys gettin' their hands dirty, but for those of you who do-- Got any awesome fights or big beasties you wouldn't mind givin' another go? I'm sure some of us might get some useful trainin' and experience out of it.

Oh, and speakin' of...

[He tips the camera over to his face, with a focused stare and a more personal and fond grin.]

Keep an eye out for me in the next Dragons match. They're finally gonna be bringin' me out to the field.

Comments

[acapriciousreaper]

...

Well. I suppose it does no harm for you to know. I was born on a world called Terra. I later emigrated to one called Gaia, where I spent about half my life; thirteen years, give or take. The place full of useless nobility was a city-state called Treno.

[mech_and_mutt]

Oh. So this ain't your first time hoppin' words.

[To be fair, it might have prompted a stronger response back before Red discovered that, apparently, moving from one dimension to another was surprisingly common in other worlds.]

You did say somethin' about having a way with magic back home. Didja do your share of fighting off monsters where you came from?

--Or where you ended up?

[acapriciousreaper]

It helps, when practicing black magic, to have a living target. While I was still learning, at least. The creatures of Terra made for fair enough 'sparring partners', I suppose.

He doesn't remark, however, on the creatures of Gaia. Usually he was the one that needed fighting off.

[mech_and_mutt]

You don't say.

[He was NOT liking the sound of that. He'd seen his share of people practicing on 'living targets.' But he'll give Kuja the benefit of the doubt for now.]

So what didja tackle that could actually fight back?

[acapriciousreaper]

When I was young and still learning, most of the Terran natives gave me trouble, at least until I reached a level of competency that made such an exercise pointless. After that... there were precisely nine people who could, as you say, 'fight back'.
One of them was... well, I've spoken about him around you before. My "father". Who is now dead, and good riddance.

The others... well, I'd rather not get into specifics, but suffice to say we clashed, and had it not been for extraordinary circumstances I suspect that fight would have ended with all of us dead.

[mech_and_mutt]

So you ended up with a bunch'a rivals. Why ain't I surprised.

[Honestly, Kuja seemed like the sort of person with a long, esteemed list of people who'd want to take a swing at him. If not a waiting list.]

Why'd'ja all end up fighting, anyway?

[acapriciousreaper]

...

The reasons varied.


All of it was my fault.

[mech_and_mutt]

[...Huh.

Okay. Red can admit it. That last part comes as a bit of a surprise, coming from someone with Kuja's... vanity.]

...So it's somethin' you ain't proud of.

[acapriciousreaper]

That

is accurate, yes. Mistakes were made.
It is one of the reasons I am not terribly keen on returning to Gaia. Everyone there I particularly care about would most likely think me dead, and would most likely be happier for it.
But, blind chance has apparently deemed it appropriate that I be allowed to start over, far away from all of that. On a happier note:

Congratulations are in order for your promotion. I could be convinced to purchase a ticket to a game, if I could ask you to 'splurge' on a ticket to a show.

It is, perhaps, a fairly transparent attempt at a change of subject.

[mech_and_mutt]

Consider it done. And I don't think you'll have to wait long seeing me on the field-- you know how often the substitutes come in.

[The change sticks- he's quite okay with talking about his illustrious up-and-coming career.]

You got any good shows comin' up?

[acapriciousreaper]

Madhuri is planning a show for Samhain- actually I think it's called Hallow's Eve or something, here. I shall certainly let you know when I've landed a part.

[mech_and_mutt]

["When." Well, Kuja did know a thing or two about theatre.]

Fingers crossed ya don't end up as the ditzy first victim.