16: Life is too much a miracle to waste!!!

[gurrenbrigbonded]

(Post TTGL Finale)

Matthew had spent much of the battle with the Anti-Spiral hidden away in Gurren's cockpit, mustering his determination quietly and silently, a source of Spiral Energy that the Anti-Spiral wouldn't notice or take into account.

But then...during that final clash, that Final Drill Break, an inner barrier, a limiter of some kind had broken down, and Matthew had truly felt the Spiral flow through him.

Post mission, as he disembarks from the Gurren aboard White Chalice, he looks stunned, short of breath, with his heart racing.

"Simon, Rossiu...is that how you feel all the time?" He asks softly.

[2]

(To be added later)

Comments

[started_from_the_bottom]

If you mean just... invigorated from piloting alone. Then yeah, unless you're feeling something totally different.

It was a little... different having three people in the Gurren Lagan. I wonder if that made a difference...

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"Well, I certainly hope it did." Matthew tries to say wryly. "The battle against the Anti-Spiral was not something I wanted to be a bystander to. And I have utilized Spiral Power before against the descending moon."

Still...Matthew dismisses that train of thought for a period of time.

"How is Nia doing? And the rest of the Brigade?"

[started_from_the_bottom]

She's fine. Though... just to make sure they're keeping her under medical watch. [[His eyes shift to the side a moment at the mention.]]

I think other than Attenburough's ego, everyone's going fine. He felt like he didn't fire enough missiles.

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"No amount of missiles would be enough for that maniac." Matthew states flatly.

Matthew notices the twitch and decides to investigate it tangentially.

"And how are you? It seems like the battle you have fought for so long is at an end, quiaff?'

1)

[lastfeather]

Hm. Well someone seems to be pretty upbeat.

Re: 1)

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"Mercenary Ryou!" Matthew exclaims, looking a little wild eyed as he seizes you by the shoulders. "I just did my first Giga Drill Break! ...I'm having difficulty calming down! Do something!"

[lastfeather]

...

[Well it seems that Ryou has been grabbed by a crazy person. No. More than that, it seems that he's been grabbed by an overexcited Matthew.]

Matthew. You have a few seconds to let go of me before I send my foot upwards into your gene pool and make you see stars. And trust me I will enjoy every second of it before I repeat it again when you let go.

[gurrenbrigbonded]

Matthew...relaxes a bit.

"Your idle threats always manage to snap me out of my moods, Ryou." He says with gratitude, stepping away.

"How are you? Have you tracked down that treacherous maniac Jack-O yet?"

[lastfeather]

Still nothing... Even if his AC exploded you'd expect to find a body in the wreckage.

[Ryou just shakes his head.]

Then again he could have installed some sort of escape mechanism. Ravens are usually expected to fight to the death on missions... it wouldn't surprise me if he decided to be a hypocrite on meeting his end as one as well.

[gurrenbrigbonded]

Matthew blinks. "Your mechs...do not have escape mechanisms?"

For some reason, he seems really floored by this revelation.

[lastfeather]

They don't. Usually the fact that we can't escape either makes us fight harder or fight smarter since our lives are on the line. Why?

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"It just seems...wasteful." Matthew says after a moment. "Every warrior must fight as if defeat is not an option, but when a simple ejector seat can save their lives and preserve the experience they havve acquired..."

[lastfeather]

Except most Ravens aren't fond of sharing and they aren't the teaching type. If we die. That's it. There's always more of us to pick up the slack....

Or... that's how it used to be.

[That's right. There's only like two Ravens left... with a few independent stragglers peppering the world.]

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"Then what shall you do?" Matthew asks, curious. "Will you let the Raven mercenary tradition die with you, or rebuild it...or try something new?"

[lastfeather]

...That's.... a difficult question...

I wouldn't be a good leader anyway.

[gurrenbrigbonded]

Matthew gives you a friendly elbow nudge.

"Well, be reassured, Ryou Kimura! There shall always be a welcome place for you in the Brotherhood of Manly (Non-Gender Specific) Souls!"

[foreheadboy]

...All the time, no. Though that's just me - no clue with Simon.

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"Strange." Matthew muses. "Using Spiral Energy is more an art than a science...but correct me if I'm wrong:"

He starts pacing back and forth.

"Humanoid beings can generate Spiral Energy, they can channel and direct the Spiral Energy of others, and increase the strength of Spiral Energy effects by concentrating on their passion and determination. Is what I am saying right, from your experience?'

[foreheadboy]

Sounds about right. Though its... inconsistent, somewhat varying from person to person. Kamina was certainly more passionate than Simon from the get go, but he showed fairly minimal hints of spiral power, when you stop to think about it.

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"Hmmmm..." Matthew say, mulling over that possibility thoughtfully.

"For you, when was the moment that you transitioned? Going from using and boosting Simon's Spiral Energy to generating energy of your own?"

[foreheadboy]

...Not sure really. I never really paid attention to things like that when we fought as kids, and then it was seven years before I stepped into the chair again...

go go belated tag

[saikyocivrobo]

Feeling the rush that comes with the realization that you just saved the whole human race, hmm?

Re: go go belated tag

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"That could be it." Matthew muses.

[saikyocivrobo]

I'm reminded a bit of the final battle with Invaders. Though I didn't come to Saturn, unlike some people. And hearing from them, stuff got as crazy there as right now.

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"You could say that." Matthew admits. "For much of the fight, I was simply a spare battery, but..."

He chuckles.

"Alternate dimensions...planets being used as ammunition...an final enemy who loomed taller than galaxies..."

[gurrenbrigbonded]

His grin disappears for a moment. "And the Anti-Spiral's final gambit...an attempt to trap our minds forever in projections of alternate realities!"

[saikyocivrobo]

There is no way that attempt was going to work. I've already been subjected to too many mental attacks like this, and seen too many alternate realities when Dr West's machine malfunctioned.

...What was your dream world like, anyway?

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"Appallingly peaceful." Matthew says with a shudder.

"It was a alternate timeline where I failed my Trial of–well, where I flunked my final training exam." He amends.

"I was a member of the Technician Caste, repairing Omnimechs as the warriors of Jade Falcon invaded the Inner Sphere, daydreaming of what it would be like if things went differently for us–"

[gurrenbrigbonded]

He pauses and smiles. "Us...aff, Lola and Dex, and even Saul were there with me: we had tested out in solidarity and were inseparable comrades, even as lowly techs."

[saikyocivrobo]

A nostalgic feeling of longing for what you lost, huh? It seems the Anti-Spiral liked to capitalize on this.

And yet, it sounds a bit boring at the same time.