[013]

[better_than_aliens]

[Christine's... a little shell-shocked from the previous fight with all of those aces. It took her awhile to get over missing the chance of snatching up one of those awesome MP F-91s to let something else important hit her.]

...I fought the Blue Death... and survived. Oh, my God, I... I... holy crap, I fought an Ace and lived to tell the tale. I-I mean, sure, I ended up busting up Josh's mech by accident, but... I fought an Ace and escaped! I...

[Monsters, inhuman beasts, on-the-rampage aliens from another world? It seems like going up against a named Ace Pilot from the Federation and coming back whole seemed to register a whole lot more to her. Then again, when your machine's just a tricked up civilian suit, coming out on top like that is an accomplishment.]

Holy crap, I... wow...

Comments

[space_macgyver]

Congrats! See, I knew Astray wouldn't let you down!

[better_than_aliens]

It... it really didn't. And here I was, wanting some sort of change. Heheheh... I guess I shouldn't of looked it down for as long as I did!

[space_macgyver]

Looked down? But it's an awesome customized suit! If you trusted it sooner, it'd open its heart to you even earlier than only now.

[better_than_aliens]

I should have and that was my problem - I wanted something cooler than what I had and never let it have that chance.

...heh, sounds silly, but I wonder if it forgives me? [she grins sheepishly at saying that.]

[space_macgyver]

Depends on how you treat it from now on.

[better_than_aliens]

Well, then... guess I'll have to treat it a whole lot better.

[curse_u_reflexes]

[Considering how crazy things had been in Azadistan, Julia'd honestly been worried that her girlfriend might've come out of this feeling worse for wear. Instead, with the blonde's epiphany...]

Hey. Haven't I always said you should have confidence in yourself?

[better_than_aliens]

Ah! W-Well, yeah, just... didn't have confidence in my machine, that's all!

[curse_u_reflexes]

And your machine's a part of that! Up until you get to the really high levels of aces and tech, skill's a lot more important than if your machine's got one gun or a bunch.

... Not that I have anything against your taste in weapons.

[better_than_aliens]

I wish I had figured that out earlier instead of just now, though...

[curse_u_reflexes]

What's the problem with learning it now?

We've got our whole lives ahead of us, and this is a lesson some pilots never realize it at all!

[better_than_aliens]

Really? ...huh. I... did not know that. Huh.