Private On The Rocks

[Kaito Starfall]

A silent figure stood several steps away, having borne witness to the scuffle between the three boys. Initially, he said nothing and made no move to stop things from escalating. Upon hearing the sound of broken bone, he decisively moved in to intervene with the 'children.'

He caught Roten by the back of his pants and hoisted the teen off the ground mid-leap, hauling him back and away from his intended target. He held the boy at arm's length, keeping him suspended and well clear of his own form.

His icy blue eyes then fell upon Jackie Rosso in a silent stare. He made no move to grab the Zeltron, having already determined that Jackie was disengaging from further violence.

The figure remained quiet as that harsh, unyielding gaze seemed to bore straight through the young Zeltron for a few long moments. Only then did it shift downward, settling with an unimpressed glance on Valor, who lay on the ground,

"This is the cost of arrogance without restraint. You... should recognize it.... If this is what you do with freedom... then it's a wasted upon you."

He glanced to Roten then to Jackie Rosso , "Who is responsible for the two of you? Or do you often wander off unsupervised?"

 

[Jackie Rosso]

​

Location: Veridia
Tags: Valor the Forsaken | Roten | Kaito Starfall

---

Once his boot connected he was about ready to pull it back and swing it once more into the echani teen. But the second he realized that he’d hurt Valor he paused and planted both his feet down on the ground and stood over Valor. “There, now we’re even.” Jackie stated, feeling like he got even after they wiped their own boot over the back of his jacket. He was still highly protective and attached to the single article of clothing.

But his attention was suddenly snatched away towards yet another ‘snowball’. Now there were two of them, Jackie feared that things were getting out of hand. He took a defensive stance when he saw them holding up Roten by their leg. Listening to the disparaging comment they shot down at Valor, Jackie frowned.

“Let him go!” Jackie replied to Kaito before adding. “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. But if you’re looking for our Old Man, you’ll wanna talk to Matthew.” ​

 

[Roten]

Veridia
Tags: Jackie Rosso , Valor the Forsaken

Kiba no Shimai​

"Ah, what in the-" Roten yelped as he was snatched out of the air, only to be a bit stunned by what he saw.

"Who is responsible for the two of you? Or do you often wander off unsupervised?"

"Hey, you're that guy from the arena!" he noted, wriggling out of the man's grasp and brushing himself off. "You had a bomb collar on last time I saw you, how the hell are you still alive?"

The Bursantain let out a scoff, trying to brush off the embarrassment of being grabbed in such an undignified way. When Jackie mentioned Matthew, he couldn't help but frown a little deeper. That sure was specific. Matthew was a common sounding name for smooth-skinned folk.

"That's Matthew of Valendale ," Roten specified. "You don't have to worry about a lack of disciplinary action. If that's what you want then I doubt you'll have to wait long. If that satisfies you I'd ask you don't lecture me. I know what I did, and chances are I'm already getting an earful."

He didn't speak in a way that implied frustration, more acceptance. Roten chose to not leave Jackie to get his ass kicked, and now he was going to pay the price for that decision. There wasn't any apology, however. He didn't regret making that choice. Any way you slice it, Roten wasn't leaving someone behind. So he'd take the hit for that. The young man let out a sigh, reaching up to wipe the blood from his nose.

"You better not make this a habit," the young man scoffed towards Jackie. "I'm not losing any more blood than I have to."

Not of Jackie couldn't keep it together.

 

[Valor the Forsaken]

Roten Jackie Rosso

Valor was, suffice to say, sufficiently injured. He did not move to rise at once, even as one of his progenitors chided him, the pain keeping him pinned where he lay longer than pride would have allowed.

His jaw was clenched shut, teeth bared, eyes squeezed tight against the residing pain. A rough, strangled inhale followed, then a dry cough and a strangled cry.

 

[Kaito Starfall]

Kaito had released Roten, letting him stand on his own two feet.
"I would advise you to mind yourself," he stated simply in reply to the purple-furred youth.

His attention shifted briefly to Jackie before he added, "I pray that you do not presume to dictate demands to me. That said, the information is noted. You have my thanks for it."

He returned his attention to the smaller look-alike and knelt down beside him, one hand settling firmly at Valor's shoulder to keep him from moving. His eyes tracked the shallow rise and fall of Valor's chest, noting the uneven rhythm.

"Stay still, Valor. You're hurt, and I'm taking you to be treated."

He drew a medpac free and administered a stabilizer, enough to blunt the pain without dulling Valor's awareness. Carefully, he adjusted Valor just enough to ease the pressure on his ribs, then glanced up as if already planning their route.

With a dry sort of tone, he added quietly, "Has no one ever told you discretion is the better part of…"

 

[Jackie Rosso]

​

Location: Veridia
Tags: Valor the Forsaken | Roten | Kaito Starfall

---

Jackie’s blues snapped back towards Roten after his comment. Letting out a dejected huff. "I'm not some damsel in distress that needs to be rescued, you know. I was just doing what I was told to.” He replied before looking back down to Valor. Feeling a pang of guilt for surely breaking a rib.

He realized he had been clenching his fists still and finally eased the tension in his extremities and relaxed some. Letting out a deep breath he spoke up again. “I think a bacta injection will help. I know it helped me when I broke a collar bone…” He said, thinking back to a time when he fell off his swoop and tumbled hard into a traffic pole.

Turning away from the three of them he added. “I’ll tell Master Valendale what’s happened here…. Maybe I’ll let him know that I’m not even cut out enough to stack rocks…” Jackie said before beginning to step away. In a little outburst of frustration he kicked one of the small rocks at his boots. Sending it flying into the garden wall where it bounced off at an odd trajectory. Falling back and landing solidly and firmly onto a larger stone with a single click resting perfectly on it. But Jackie paid it no mind and didn’t notice. Deep in his own head where his mind was occupied with the memory of Matthew telling him to come to him whenever trouble seems to inevitably find him.​

 

[Roten]

Veridia
Tags: Valor the Forsaken , Jackie Rosso

Kiba no Shimai​

"I pray that you do not presume to dictate demands to me. That said, the information is noted. You have my thanks for it."

"It wasn't a demand, sir," Roten sighed, backing down and losing his edge. "Sorry, I'm just a little... a lot in pain right now and I get a little bit of an edge. It was just a request..."

He wasn't gonna be the ass here. Roten was in pain, though. He would remember what Valor chose to do for a lifetime, and that was something he would make a mental note to repay if he ever had the opportunity.

"I'm not some damsel in distress that needs to be rescued, you know. I was just doing what I was told to.”

"I didn't say you were, Jackie," the Bursantian snapped back. "And for the record, I was doing what I was told. If you want me to leave your ass behind take it up with the boss."

He didn't stop Jackie from storming off, though. In truth, he was ready to get out of there himself. Mostly to start treating his wounds... Less the nose, more the other damage. Roten turned away, wiping more blood from his nose before he began to limp off.

"I'm gonna go find a shower..."

 

[Matthew of Valendale]

TAGS: ​

Sure enough, Valor was taken home, and Kaito sought out a conversation with Matthew. Once the Echani had departed, Matthew summoned both Roten and Jackie Rosso to meet him in one of the training rooms just before dinner.

Matthew took a seat on one of the small couches nestled along the walls. He waited in silence, hands folded, intending to hear the account from his two wards directly and to understand exactly what had happened from their side of things.