Spinning Wheel Got To Go 'Round

[on_repeat]

WHO: Echo, OTA
WHERE: Various
WHAT: Soul-searching Something to keep him occupied
WHEN: Latter half of April
WARNINGS: N/A


> Option B (For Cayde)

Echo meant to go to the meeting.

Meetings are important. Like mission briefings, it catches everyone up on the intel they need to know and brings up new information if several of them have been unaware of such developments.

Currently it's another bullet point on his growing mental list; while he has every intention of listening and participating with others in their collective, this particular bullet point decides to stack sideways instead of from top to bottom, creating a more complicated web of thoughts that constantly shift on the way toward the amphitheater.

He barely gets to it when Cayde-6 interrupts, almost taking a step back with the Exo suddenly there. "–What, is it over already?"


> Run It Off

Restless wasn't a word the ARC Trooper uses frequently – maybe in describing other clones whenever they were in that state of mind before and during missions, but never really for himself. Not until that nervous energy slowly built up long after the return from Coruscant.

So he ran.

It was one of the quickest ways to burn it off. It also killed two birds with one stone, keeping him on track with his training. And it worked...for the most part. His mind continued at a clip, never stopping when he did along the available routes, never resting whenever he tried to distract himself with other things that needed to be done.

Which led to the third metaphorical bird: he could still check in with everyone on the way around. See if they needed any help.

If all else failed, he'd try target practice near the outskirts as a means to keep his skills sharp. And to blow off steam.

Comments

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Echo had clear visual on the individual, still surprised by the way the turtle dropped in, faltering in his steps as he began to slow down. While it was hard to ignore the sudden flashbacks to when he last saw Raphael, he saw no evident threat in the stance taken.

Habit however dictated he still be on his guard upon approach, one arm rising halfway to wave. "Hey."

[rage_on]

The hesitation wasn't something that had gone unnoticed. Raphael inwardly cringed; the man was hardly to blame for being wary around him. That he got around to wave at least was a good step in the right direction. Straightening up from his slight slouch, the turtle lifted a hand in an awkward sort of greeting back.

"Er...hey..."

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An internal sigh of relief welcomed the awkwardness of the situation. The clone's shoulders relax as he let his hand drop back to his side. "Haven't seen you in a while." Which was true – going to Coruscant wasn't really planned, after all.

[rage_on]

That was definitely a good sign. Raphael held back a sigh in relief, moving his own hand to scratch the back of his head as he glanced off to the side somewhat awkwardly. "Yeah..." There'd been ample enough time even before then to try and make amends, but he hadn't really followed up on that himself.

"That last planet was kinda wild. Still one of the better places I've been to." He mentally kicked himself to stay on subject. "So um. How've...you been?"

[on_repeat]

"Coruscant's not for everyone, but it has its merits," Echo admitted with a soft sigh. "More resources, for one. And it would've been harder to leave if we overstayed our welcome."

But yes, back on-topic. "I'm doing fine. Mostly fine." Mentally busy, but fine. He seemed to have a better grip on small talk and was open to having it. "How are you?"

[rage_on]

"Guess I can see that. I mean, between here and there, it's kind of a no-brainer which place is better to be stuck at." But that would have defeated the purpose of their being where they were now.

Raphael nodded, folding his arms. "Only mostly?" He managed a smirk at that. "I'm all right I guess. Hard getting back into whatever it is we're expected to do here after being gone for a month." There were less distractions here, so it was easier to be homesick, for one.

[on_repeat]

"Yeah," Echo halfheartedly chuckled. "Ga Re' meant well, but waking up en route to the planet wasn't ideal."

The turtle's smirk was mirrored under the helmet, relating quickly to what he said. "You're telling me. Productivity has been coming along, but it feels like the going's slow. Then again, being interrupted by those ghosts and giant arachnid attacks didn't help much either."

They temporarily filled in as distractions, but they (fortunately) didn't last too long. The lull they were in now brought back stray thoughts and slowly built anticipation for anything out of what was considered ordinary at this point.

[rage_on]

It wasn't hard seeing the grimace on the turtle's face at mention of the arachnids. After all, that had been the same time that sound had been driving them all crazy, himself included.

"Yeah...that," Raphael muttered, looking away again. "...look, about what happened then, I know I wasn't in the right mind and people keep saying it's not my fault, but it doesn't make me feel any better about it, 'specially knowing what could've happened." And he didn't remember everything clearly, but there were some things that stuck out. He remembers the face that was under the helmet after he'd ripped that helmet off.

[on_repeat]

Echo huffed a laugh, running a gloved hand along the edge of his bucket as if he was remembering a sore spot along his jaw. "It happened. And you weren't pulling any punches." An obvious statement, but also a compliment of some kind. "You're fast. It was different from fighting with my brothers. I also didn't expect the amount of force behind each swing."

[rage_on]

"For the record I don't usually pull my punches," Raphael said, but there was a faint quirk of his lips. "We're ninja. My father trained me and my brothers to be fast and make every move count. Aaand unfortunately for you I probably hit the hardest of my brothers."

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"Ninja?" It was obvious he didn't know what exactly a ninja was, but he understood there was a method connected to it. "No wonder. I felt that for days..."

He would have been kidding if it wasn't partially true. Even with all of his armor on, it only did so much to protect him from serious injury.

He remained curious, arching a brow behind the darkened visor. "How many brothers do you have?"

[rage_on]

"Like...fighters that focus on stealth and agility. And I guess it's not all about fighting but it's a good chunk of it."

Raphael isn't sure whether to grin or wince at that, but he does at least manage to look a little sheepish. "Sorry," he apologizes mumbles, scratching the back of his head. Apologies are so awkward.

At least the next question is an easy one. "I've got three. How many brothers do you have?"

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"Huh. Sounds like elite training to me."

The ARC Trooper holds up a hand. "Water under the city," he says. "We're okay now." And it's honestly how he feels about it.

Although answering the very same question should have had the same response time. Instead, Echo looks off to one side. "Uh..."

[rage_on]

"I mean...I guess you could look at it that way." Raphael can't help but look proud at that. His father's a master, and he's taught his sons well.

Echo's reassurance is a relief, that much is clear by the sigh from the turtle teen, the release of tension around his shoulders. He gives the man a nod. ...and then looks at him oddly when Echo stalls in what should be a simple answer. "What? You forget already?" he prompts, head tilting. Family questions should be easy, right?

[on_repeat]

"No, it's just..." Echo hesitates, palms turning upward as he shrugs. "It's somewhere in the millions."

[rage_on]

"Oh, right," the turtle nods before pausing abruptly. "Wait, what?!" He stares. "You're kidding, right?"

[on_repeat]

Under the helmet, Echo's eyes dart off to one side while he gestures. "Well, no. It really is in the millions," is his reiteration. "We're all clones."

And he sounds. Completely honest.

[rage_on]

"..............."

Raphael's expression remains much the same as he continues to stare and process this new information. Really though, what's a turtle supposed to say to that?

"...dude."

[on_repeat]

"Yeah. That's a response I've gotten more often than not here," Echo said dryly, taking it in stride.

[rage_on]

"Is it that normal back where you're from?" Raphael finds that hard to believe. "That'd be like living on an entire world populated by only you, wouldn't it?"

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The corner of Echo's mouth twitches. "Normal enough when there's a war going on across the galaxy. But when you put it that way, you're not wrong. Although we're all from Kamino, it was the Kaminoans who created us. An' you'd be surprised to see how different we are from each other."

[rage_on]

Raphael takes a moment to digest that, his brow knitting beneath his mask. "So you're a whole army? That's crazy... And...well don't take this the wrong way but that's kinda...disturbing. Different from each other though... That's pretty cool. Still weird, but cool, I guess." He tilts his head. "And you guys're...okay with all that?"