Capsule 004 💊 (Video)

[rassera]

[Kaneda had been in Heropa for a day or so when he say Kazu talking to a certain missing psychic. Kazu was his only clue to where he could be, and Heropa was the last place he'd been. Well, he wasn't exactly wrong; Tetsuo was indeed on the move and causing trouble, Kaneda now in pursuit of him. How does he keep up? Well, he just looked for the trail of betrayal and bitterness (and destruction) and followed that. His bike was fast, sure, but Tetsuo had a good head start, not to mention Kaneda was actually trying to avoid traffic an pedestrians. SHOUT OUT TO STILL NOT HAVING HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE.

Wait.

Traffic.

That's it. While in pursuit, and police sirens heavy in his ears, he pulls out his comm. Hello everyone! Don't use the phone and drive.]

KANEDA HERE!

[Why is he yelling? Well, the sirens in the background, as well as the wind whipping past him makes it hard for decent conversation. What can he say? He's doing this for all of you! He seems to be resting his wrist on his handlebar while holding the phone up with his fingers, eyes kept on the road as he surveys the situation.]

Figured now would be a great time to do a traffic report since some people [see: Quill] think I'm not dedicated enough to my job. Wanna see your traffic?

[His hand flicks the communicator up against the glass windshield of his bike, swirling around to show Tetsuo and a girl he can't seem to recognize off in the distance causing havoc, police just ahead of him in the chase. He knew those guys didn't stand a chance. Call it first hand experience from the Swear-In.]

THERE'S YOUR TRAFFIC, HEROPA. OUT OF THE WAY!

[He weaves past a few of the cop cars, only one following over the overpass that lies ahead. If he can just get past it, it'd be easy to take him down. Tetsuo wasn't much further, close enough to see him do what would normally be too dangerous of a jump for his skill--Oh wait. That's a flying police car in his direction. There's no time to react, except swerve his bike in the least damaging way to impact this.]

SHIT!

[And the feed cuts to static, a scream and a loud, sickening 'clank'. It fritzes for a moment or two, and when it opens back up, despite the video having a few glitches, shows a nice overhead view of the street below the overpass. gravel and dust brushes past the screen as something starts to move it. Seems like Kaneda's still got a hold of it, fingers gripping it for dear life as his initial signs of life move it towards his face. You look like a car ran over you, kid.]

Jesus Christ...Ow.

[The impact had certainly done some damage to him, his yellow shirt with a nice tear at the shoulder to the armpit, and his head hurts like a motherfucker. Some bruising, too, naturally, because he certainly couldn't get enough of that! But for the most part, he's pretty okay, which is more than a lot of people can say from being hit with a police car. Most of them are...you know. Dead. His one free hand reaches up to his hair, trying to get the constant wooziness out of his head before he turns, eyes cast down to--

!!

HE CERTAINLY IS HANGING OVER THAT OVERPASS--there's a slight moment of panic, hands scrambling to cling to whatever stone lie still intact beneat him, before trailing his own body to see just what's keeping him from becoming a pancake on the freeway. Upon inspection, it looks like some twisted metal from the railing caught around his ankle, locking him firmly in place, albeit upside down. Bending up, the puts his hands on his boot ankle to inspect it. Bad, BAD idea. Needles shoot up his side, lacing his entire chest with pain as he attempts to Maybe that car did a little more damage than he realized...and his bike? Well, that's nowhere to be seen.

Slumping in defeat, he holds the camera up and throws his free arm across his eyes. Heads.]

Say, anyone want to help a guy out?

Comments

[rassera]

[Aw Euphie, that's adorable. He smiles, but that's the only think he'll remark on that.

There's a small shake of his head, lips blowing a little bit of his hair out of the way as he gestures out to the crash damage. Surprisingly no bike to be seen.

But before he explains, he snaps his finger, his bike appears, parked on the side of the road as if it'd always been there. There's a few scuffs on the red paint, but other than that...working condition.]

A guy's got to protect his ride, you know?

[whitequeens]

Oh! [She takes a step back, hand going to her mouth in surprise.] That's-- where did you get that from?

Has it always been there?

[rassera]

It's one of my powers.

[Another snap, and it disappears before their eyes, and another, and it's back. Almost like a light switch.]

Sent it away just before I got hit, so it should still run pretty good.

[whitequeens]

Oh, my... [She steps forward again, now seemingly just interested more than anything else.] Where does it go?

--wait, are you saying you took that entire crash only on your own?

[rassera]

[He lets her inspect it, hand going up to rub the back of his neck.] You know, I never really questioned just where it went. Just that it went somewhere.

[Huh. Things to think about.

But the question gets his attention. And the only answer he can give is a little smile, shrugging.]

Guilty as charged.

[whitequeens]

Shotaro Kaneda! [Hands on her hips, again.] You simply must take better care of yourself! Machines can be repaired, but what if I hadn't been here! You could have been seriously injured, or worse!

[rassera]

[His head snaps around like a confused dog. He can't remember the last time his first name was used, and even now it's almost like a foreign language to him. Give him a moment to process that.

...

Okay. Got it.]

Hey! Hey...it's not just a machine.

[His hand reaches out to the bike, putting his hand along it and crouching down, investigating one of the stickers.]

It's a part of me.

[whitequeens]

[She looked it up on his network ID... sorry Kaneda.]

[She looks a little mollified when she sees the obvious care with which he treats the bike.] Well... even so. Your life is more precious, isn't it? I'm sure there are many mechanics here who can repair a motorcycle.

[rassera]

Would you believe me if I said I'm the tougher of the two?

[whitequeens]

...really?

But it's made of metal. And you're... not.

[rassera]

Who knows? Maybe some things are tougher than metal.

[He'd love to brag for hours about how tough he is, believe him, but...]

Just between us?


I can take a hit in this place. I got hit with a flying car and what you healed was the worst of it--you know?

[whitequeens]

Really?

...you were hit by a car?! And no broken bones, or...?

[rassera]

Just what you healed!

[Although he's going to roll his shoulders to make sure the whole 'broken bones' thing is legit. He didn't FEEL any different from usual, but...always best to double check.

When he's done, there's a soft knock of his fist on his chest.]

Durability.

[whitequeens]

Is that a... a power of yours? From here?

[rassera]

[A nod.]

I can't control it--it's kind of always there.

Damn if it doesn't come through for me, though.

[whitequeens]

Yes, I can imagine! That's very useful.

--oh, but you mustn't take it for granted! You still need to take care of yourself, Kaneda!

[rassera]

Heh, you're not the first person to tell me.

[Maybe you should actually start listening to that advice, Kaneda.

He thinks on that a moment, before giving her a little touch of his knuckle to her cheek.]

Maybe I'll take it easy for a week or so, yeah? Just for you.

[whitequeens]

[She smiles at that, her cheeks turning ever so slightly pink.] Thank you. I do appreciate that.

...ah, we should probably... get going?

[rassera]

[You're too cute, Euphie. He's about to say something, leaning forward a little, but sher statement catches him. With a flip of his hair, he gestures towards the bike, eyes sparkling.]

After you!

[whitequeens]

[She's wearing a skirt, Kaneda. She eyes the bike, and then Kaneda, chewing her lip for a moment.] Ah... can I sit side-saddle, perhaps?

[She doesn't feel like flashing the world her undies.]

[rassera]

[Ah, good idea there Euphie. There's a look at her skirt, finally putting two and two together.]

No problem~

[Putting a hand on the back of that bike, he pulls himself into it and kicks his heels into the slot meant for your feet. Honestly, he didn't mind this sitting situation one bit. His back goes against the seat, trying to make as much room as possible on his lap for her.]

[whitequeens]

[She looks at how Kaneda's positioning himself on the bike, on the saddle, and her eyes widen ever so slightly, her cheeks turning pink.] You want me to sit on your lap?

I-- I thought the passenger sat behind the driver...

[rassera]

[God, you're adorable to tease, Euphie. His mouth cracks into the widest smile.]

Depends on who's riding along.

[But as if she said the magic word, he scoots forward. He could honestly pull it off, but best not to give her a flustered heart attack after she just healed him.]

Should be enough space, Princess. Just hold on tight, alright?

[whitequeens]

[Her face turns a little darker red as she realizes she's being teased.] --okay, I can do that, at least...

[She slides behind him, sitting side-saddle, and tucks the back of her skirt between her ankles so it won't get caught in anything. After a moment's hesitation, she sets her arms on his hips, holding tightly around his waist so that she won't fall.] I'm ready.

[rassera]

[His muscles tense slightly as she wraps her arms around his waist, still a bit tender from the beating he took from the car. There was bruising there, but it was the one thing that healing couldn't touch.

After making sure he's got her, his hands pull the bike handles down, tapping at keys on his nav control to set a course. The bike seems to light up, engine at a warm hum as he finishes. Making sure her feet are tucked up in that area, he rotates the handlebar grips, engine revving a soft roar.]

Hold on!

[Green electricity pours out of that front wheel as it starts to spin, the back one soon following as they rocket off, all that's left of them is a ribbon like trail light from the tail end of the motorcycle. Like the tail of a kite.

As for them? They're rocketing down Heropa's highway.]