[hider=The Day Before] Ana and Percy share a look, the both of them smiling - Ana through tears - before Percy speaks again. [color=d3d3d3]"Are you hungry or anything?"[/color] Ana shakes her head. [color=d3d3d3]"Are you sure?"[/color] [color=violet]"Yes, Dad."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"Absolutely positive?"[/color] Ana looks less than thrilled when he asks the third time. She ate at the house before she decided to.. [i]run off.[/i] [color=violet]"Yes, Dad."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"Alright."[/color] Percy stands up from the chair, then helps Ana up even though she could have easily done it herself. He then asks, [color=d3d3d3]"D'you want me to walk you around the place?"[/color] Ana makes an adorable but thoughtful little duckface, then she looks up at her father with a smile. [color=violet]"That'd be cool."[/color] Percy [i]honestly [/i]didn't expect her to take the offer up. There's so many things that could go wrong - a tank could explode, something could fall over, she could walk into something and cause some horrible chain of reactions that ends up in her getting hurt in some insane way.. But not wanting to disappoint his little girl - especially when she looked so excited - he walks around the building with her, keeping a [i]very[/i] good distance away from anything that could possibly do any of the things he's paranoid about. Ana kept kind of pulling at him to get close, but he keeps a firm grip on her hand as he shows her around. When they get to the NCs, Percy and Ana are practically outside of the hangar as they're looking at them. A plus to being so far away is that Ana can see them all fairly well without having to crane her neck upwards. Percy can't help but grin while Ana looks at the huge robots with glee on her face. Anna suddenly whips her head around to look at her father. [color=violet]"When can I pilot one of those things? It's gotta be so [i]cool![/i] Stomping around and being all.. All [i]cool[/i] 'n stuff!"[/color] Percy's smile immediatelyfades. [color=d3d3d3]"You're [i]never [/i]getting on one of those things. [i]Ever.[/i]"[/color] [color=violet]"Dad, I didn't mean like [i]right now[/i]. I meant- What about when I'm 18? When I'm 20?"[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"[i]No.[/i]"[/color] [color=violet]"..You can't even control what I do when I'm 20."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"Yes, I [i]can[/i]. You're never getting into one of those things as long as I live, and then some."[/color] Ana doesn't argue, but Percy can tell she has a lot more she [i]could[/i] say - he's known her literally since she was born, so he can tell when she's keeping her anger to herself. He doesn't patronize her, however. He just kind of stands there. The strained silence between them when Percy realizes Zach's probably losing his shit back at their house. He'd meant to try to contact him during their little tour, but he completely forgot because Ana's just so cute when she's excited. [color=d3d3d3]"Ana?"[/color] [color=violet]"Hm?" [/color]Ana still looks a little angry, pouty lip, stink eye and all. Just like her mom used to, actually.. He clears his throat a bit. [color=d3d3d3]"Are you tired, hon?"[/color] [color=violet]"A little."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"D'you want to go to bed?"[/color] Ana nods. [color=violet]"..It'll take a while for us to get back home, though."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"No, no, it's alright - there's.. There's barracks here."[/color] [color=violet]"..There's what?"[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"Barracks."[/color] Ana looks at her father with a look she [i]thinks [/i]she knows what he means, but she's making sure. [color=d3d3d3]"..Bedrooms. I have a bedroom here."[/color] [color=violet]"Oh. Cool. Let's go see it!"[/color] Percy and Ana walk to the barracks, unlocks his door with the key he was given, and he allows Ana to go inside. He walks in behind her, and then locks the door for paranoia reasons. When he turns around and gets a better look at the place, he realizes how plain it looks.. Which is to be expected, and really he shouldn't mind, but it doesn't feel welcoming or inviting at all. It almost feels like what he imagines a prison cell would feel like. It's excessive organization is what really sets him off. While Ana gets all comfy in the bed, Percy takes it upon himself to actually mess up the room a bit, to make it feel more lived in. By the time he's satisfied with the changes he's made, Ana's fallen asleep already. Percy gently kisses her forehead, then he gets the phone that's in the bedroom. He dials his house phone, but gets no response. He checks Zach's house phone, but still no response. He just leaves a quick message, [color=d3d3d3]"Hey, This is Percy. Ana's alright.. but I'm not happy with you, Zach. You shouldn't have let her outside, and you shouldn't have let your guard down like that.. I'd be screaming, but Ana's asleep and I don't want her to wake up to me screaming.. But I'm definitely [i]not [/i]happy with you right now. If, if, if you could pick her up tomorrow, that'd be great. Bye, you.. you fucking [i]turd[/i]."[/color] Percy hangs up before he can get more irate, looking at his daughter again. He makes himself a little spot on the floor to go to sleep - getting in the bed with his daughter just doesn't feel like an appropriate thing to do. [/hider] [hider=The Morning] Percy woke up with a start in the middle of the night - he didn't know what he heard, but he could have swore he heard something. He had checked all around the bedroom to see what could have possibly made the sound he heard until he can calm himself by telling himself Ana just snored a little bit. It didn't calm him enough to go back to sleep.. Only when he heard other people start to leave their rooms did he realize he must have stayed up for [i]hours[/i]. He groans a little bit, rubbing his eyes. He's so not prepared for the day, he knows it.. But he'll deal with it. He gets up off the little makeshift bed and makes a note to try to not do that ever again.. Which is going to be easy, because Ana is definitely NOT going to be running away from home again. He fumbled into the bathroom to get a quick hot shower and brush his teeth at the same time, then he half-assedly dried and brushed his hair.. Took a minute to look at himself in the mirror and realizing how exhausted he looks. It's not his fault that there was a fucking noise in the middle of the night. By the time he was done, Ana was up and looked peppy as ever. [color=violet]"Good morning, Dad."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"Mornin'"[/color] Percy wiped his eyes again. [color=d3d3d3]"You can go ahead to the cafeteria- W-wait, no, no!"[/color] Percy looks to make sure his daughter didn't move- she didn't. [color=d3d3d3]"don't go, just.. ...Gimme a minute. I'll walk with you."[/color] [color=violet]"You don't need to do that."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"I don't trust any of these people to not do something to hurt you yet. Just.. ...Just hang on a minute."[/color] [color=violet]"..You look kinda tired, Dad.."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"I am."[/color] Percy saw no reason to lie to her. He WAS tired. [color=violet]"...Is it 'cause we're not the house?"[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"Might have something to do with it."[/color] Ana got out of the bed. [color=violet]"I can really go to the cafeteria alone.."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"Ana."[/color] [color=violet]"Dad, I kinda walked all the way here alone."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"And you're [i]never[/i] doing that again."[/color] [color=violet]"I'm just saying, I could walk to the cafeteria alone. I'll be fine."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"[i]Ana[/i]."[/color] [color=violet]"Dad, I'm really hungry anyway.."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"Alright, ok, ok, let's, let's go then. Alright."[/color] The two walk to the cafeteria together until a mechanic tells Percy he needs to be in the brief room. [color=d3d3d3]"I can't be there right this minute-"[/color] "You need to be. It's starting [i]now.[/i]" Percy didn't even realize his chest got tight and he felt a fire ignite. [color=d3d3d3]"Don't [i]boss [/i]me, you f-"[/color] [color=violet]"Dad. I'm gonna be fine by myself."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"Ana-"[/color] "Percy, you really need to be in there. It's important." Percy looks at the mechanic, then his daughter. He forces himself to exhale. [color=d3d3d3]"Alright. Fine, fine! Jesus H. Christ.. Then [i]you[/i]-" He looks to the mechanic, "-can walk my daughter to the cafeteria and make damn sure she doesn't get [i]kidnapped[/i]."[/color] The mechanic looks at Percy incredulously. "...That wouldn't happen-" Percy glared. "B-but, uh, of course, Percy. C'mon, Ana." Percy stalled a little bit watching Ana leave with the mechanic, but if he's late, he'd better get a move on. [/hider] [color=8493ca]"...Volkov, they'd want us to assist one of their anti-tank chopper units in taking out a duo of siege tanks that are protecting a portion of the coast from naval landing teams..."[/color] Percy opened and closed the door as quietly as he could, trying to not make an entrance. He's pleasantly surprised as nobody seems to really notice. As the captain droned on about whatever this mission was, he felt himself starting to fall asleep. He heard bits and pieces, but he's exhausted. Before he can really stop it, he's using his arms as a pillow. [color=8493ca]"...and Percy plus Jingo should take the train. I'm open for any inputs. I'll divide the pay from each mission fairly to everyone, should get 14,000-16,000 to burn, each of you."[/color] Percy jerked up and gasped softly when he heard his name - maybe he got some looks, maybe not, but either way hearing his name woke him up again. He shuts his eyes tightly and then wipes whatever sleep is in them. When the briefing is over, he goes to his NC and, after trying to wake himself up more via stretching his arms up into the air, he gets in. [color=d3d3d3]"Start the sync,"[/color] Percy mumbles. He felt that weird twinge of pain in his neck as the plug went in. He shuddered and made little discomforted noises. He hates the sensation and he has no idea how he's ever going to get used to it. [color=39b54a]= INITIALIZING = > System: ✔ > Weapons: ✔ > Ammunition: 100% > Power: 99.91% > Cerebral Resonance: 37.54% > Cerebral Resonance FAILURE =SHUTTING DOWN=[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"God damn it," [/color]Percy mumbles. [color=d3d3d3]"Start the [i]fucking [/i]sync!"[/color] [color=39b54a]=INVALID COMMAND=[/color] The pilot couldn't help but laugh. He's not in the mood for this fucking specific command shit. He has to really force himself to not [i]scream[/i] in frustration as he states once again. [color=d3d3d3]"Start sync."[/color] As the computer went through all of the processes, he tried to focus on one specific thing so then maybe the damned resonance thing doesn't fuck up again. [color=39b54a]= INITIALIZING = > System: ✔ > Weapons: ✔ > Ammunition: 100% > Power: 99.91% > Cerebral Resonance: 41.23% > Cerebral Resonance FAILURE =SHUTTING DOWN=[/color] Percy buried his face in his hands and leaned into the chair. He's tired. That's the only reason it's not letting him in. It's gotta be. He takes a deep breath, and then he sits in an uncomfortable position so he can't relax into the chair. [color=d3d3d3]"Alright. Start sync."[/color] Again, he tries to just focus his thought on one specific thing. [color=39b54a]= INITIALIZING = > System: ✔ > Weapons: ✔ > Ammunition: 100% > Power: 99.91% > Cerebral Resonance: 79.91% > Cerebral Resonance SUCCESS =Welcome PERCY=[/color] The machine let him in just in time, too - it was only a couple moments later that the Captain began counting them down. After the launch, he heard Duncan speaking. [color=8dc73f]"As you guys are fully aware we are heading off for two jobs today with Mad-e, Swarm and Blur taking on a coastal force; while Wessex and Papa Mike will be escorting a train to its final destination."[/color] As Percy realizes he was just going straight ahead, he quickly changed course and tailed Jingo. When he heard Duncan refer to Mad-E, Blur, and Swarm, he cut comms with them, leaving only HQ and Jingo. [hider=OOC Comments] I spent literally hours on this post. I'm happy with myself for the most part! :D percy's an asshole when he's tired omg. I know I [i]definitely[/i] didn't use the right colors for the Captain's and Duncan's dialogue, but I didn't want to have to suffer and find the damn hexes so... ye. I'll try not to do that much. IT FEELS PRETTY GOOD TO BE POSTING AGAIN THO WOO [/hider]