[ACTION]

[raced_god]

[IT'S SATURDAY. IT'S SUMMER. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and this dude is out on the quad. Like, right in the middle of the quad.]



[He is accompanied by a cooler of something that is definitely not soda and seems largely unresponsive to most things. Probably (definitely) he's thinking about how all y'all are nerds.]

Comments

[icequeen_aran]

[As soon as she got the text she's on her bike and roaring through the forest towards the academy. In very short time Samus glides to a stop in the quad itself (screw the rules) on another semi-relevant conversation piece--her long term favorite pet project since crash landing here so many years ago. While it does have wheels and while Samus does occasionally use them for the simple thrill of it, she is also very much on on team "primitive 20th century tech is suffering" and the bike is hovering and maybe is bedazzled with glowing lights on the bottom (no small thanks to Falcon).

She sort of just fixes the boys with a good long back and forth stare. Ian is definitely here. He isn't incorporeal. He's alive. She liked to think Halloween had prepared her well enough for this possibility--or more like she had long since become so jaded through all of Smash Academy's Smash Academyness that this didn't come as some incomprehensible surprise.

No. What surprised her was that the two boys appeared to be getting along. Maybe they were talking about cars.]

...Ian.

[Hi. Ian. Hello. You're not dead.]

[redshirted]

[There Ian was. Very not dead and talking about cars.

Of course as interesting as he finds cars Samus is moderately more important than cars at least for right now, so Ian is alright with pausing that conversation. He looks over his shoulder. His grin is already pretty large from the conversation, and it actually falls slightly when he sees her. She was real. She was really real and very much old an adult and somewhere deep down that's very strange and kind of disappointing for the young Malkovich.

But he does his best not to dwell because this is just as strange if not stranger for her so he's quick to get up, offer one of his biggest smiles and then give her a giant BEAR HUG.]

Hey!

[raced_god]

[They were totally talking about cars--in fact, Falcon is about to invite Ian over to see the Blue Falcon, but then Samus shows up and Ian is hugging her. It seems almost unnatural, but he supposes he's going to feel awkward about a lot of things, very soon.]

We were just, uh. Talking cars.

[They sure were.]

[icequeen_aran]

[It is definitely very strange for her on multiple levels. Looking at Ian was almost looking into a time capsule, no less chipper and warm as he was the day he...

It probably wouldn't come as a surprise to the younger Malkovich that she stiffens and doesn't return the hug immediately. She was much older now, many years jaded and further hardened compared to her Federation days. Maybe not so much terribly older looking physically--she might consider her Chozo DNA both a blessing and a curse in that regard--but her experiences have worn on her without a doubt. The skin around her eyes was a little sharper and more chiseled, the bags under her eyes threatened to get a little darker each passing year, and nicks, cuts, and scars peppered her body that individually weren't worth a mention (sans perhaps one or two Smash Academy acquired ones) but still added to the collective whole.

Standing flush with him feels all at once like such a stark contrast, yet it also doesn't. He was the same old Ian, and now she knew she had a unique opportunity to appreciate him in a new light.]

Oh, is that all?

[Carefully she gives him a strong shoulder pat, probably the closest thing she'd come to a hug, before she separates herself from him and gets a good look. It's hard not to at least smirk. He was always contagious like that.]

I guess I should leave you two alone then.

[redshirted]

[No, he's not surprised at all at the stiffening. Not even years could change Samus Aran that much. He squeezes her shoulder as they separate, his next question chasing the storm cloud of heavy conversation hanging over them far away.]

No, that's a pretty nice set up you've got there.

[He doesn't really want Samus to go, which is maybe selfish, but she's the only familiar thing in this new stage of life (if he could call it life?). There are also a lot of Big Things he needs to ask but this is not really the time or place to do so. He is pretty happy to leave that alone for now and talk cars.]

[icequeen_aran]

[They can talk cars. They can talk about whatever he likes, because Samus is fully aware she has a special and rare opportunity to do so now. She'd be a fool to not take advantage of it, knowing he could disappear again the next day. Such was the nature of this place. For that same reason she couldn't bring herself to get too optimistic or attached to the idea, but she could live in the here and now, especially for Ian who was an expert at that already.]

It's a pet project. [She vaguely gestures to the bike.] A little more practical than my ship for local navigation. I take it you don't have anything of your own here, do you?

[raced_god]

[Falcon almost busts in with how he helped, but stops himself before he can open his mouth. This is a very important reunion--if anything, he should be the one offering to leave. Instead, he sort of thumbs in the direction of the school.]

You can use the autoshop, if you want.

[Look. Look at him trying to be nice, Samus.]

[redshirted]

[Ian's eyebrows go up. It's not hard to tell how nice Falcon is being compared to their last encounter, but it's overshadowed by cars yessss cars so Ian figures maybe he was just having a bad day on Halloween or something.]

Yeah! Guess I can finally start working on something now that I've got time.

[And not, you know, actively enlisted in the military. What a weird concept. Guess this is the "stationed somewhere more permanent" he always kind of wanted?]

[icequeen_aran]

[Wow look how nice and well behaved Falcon was being he was going get a big gold star sticker when they got home.]

Falcon can give you the grand tour of autoshop later.

[She shoots the other bounty hunter a quick glance, one accompanied by a dangerous glint in her eyes, a warning for him to continue to behave. Not that she didn't want to spend time with Ian and catch up.]

Once you get something to work with, anyway.

[And again she flashes a glance at Falcon, though this one is decidedly less ominous and more, Junkyard? Junkyard.]

[raced_god]

It's mine. The autoshop.

[He seems very proud of that fact, even if the autoshop technically belongs to the school. He has thoroughly commandeered it. Samus' glance doesn't go unnoticed, and he shoots her a similar one that's perhaps a bit petulant.

HE'S BEHAVING LOOK AT HIM BEHAVE.]

If you want to build, I can hook you up.

[Shrug!]

[redshirted]

Hey, if I can't work on spaceships anymore, this is the next best thing.

[Even with how he met his end, he'd go back to them in a heart beat. Passions die hard. Apparently.]

Thanks, bud.

[icequeen_aran]

[Yeah they die hard alright. AREN'T THEY. GETTING ALONG SO WELL. Samus is not sure if this is a good thing or bad thing. But. Falcon is an important person in her life and an important part of her life, as is Ian. She would much rather they get along as opposed to not.]

Ian was very skilled with in-house repairs and tech support back in the Federation. [She lightly gestures to him with a pseudo introduction, not even sure if he needed it, then turns to Ian.] I wouldn't be surprised if you got slated with a similar job here.

[raced_god]

He's going to be our new maintenance guy.

[Said in a good luck with that kind of way.]

He'll have his work cut out for him.

[redshirted]

[Ian laughs a little bit, very clearly not taking Falcon's comment as much of a warning. This is a school! How much crazier could it be compared to military life.]

It'll keep me busy at least. Don't want to get too soft during a forced hiatus from the Federation.

[He can't help but talk like he's going to be able to go back...]

[icequeen_aran]

[She exchanges another look with Falcon, easily knowing the next subject matter wasn't as lighthearted as the one currently going. She knows Ian and military life is what he knows, so it doesn't surprise her he'd probably thinking of his occupation here along the lines of:

hiatus

temporary

as in

not permanent...

She's heard tales of some people literally being unable to leave Smash Academy, but so far (thankfully) she's never had a problem with it. If she wanted to jet out into space and sign a contract with the Feds, she could. Not that she would and for more reasons than Ian could ever suspect.]

The Galactic Federation has... changed.

[She cautiously and vaguely starts, not sure where to start on that or if she even should more than what she's already said.]

[raced_god]

[Falcon sort of

coughs

in a way that indicates he knows exactly what Samus is talking about. Maybe.]

[redshirted]

[WAIT NOW YOU'VE GOT HIS ATTENTION.]

What'd you mean?

[icequeen_aran]

They're... not as altruistic as you might remember.

[redshirted]

[Ian's eyebrows furrow just a little at her words. The idea that the Federation would be anything but a force of good was foreign and alarming, especially with his brother climbing ranks...]

What's Adam think about this? He's probably at least commodore by now, right?

[icequeen_aran]

[She's aware they just went from boyishly discussing cars and probably having a great time (???) to talking about dead brothers but she's also aware this conversation was inevitable and needed to happen at one point or another. That didn't mean she was looking forward to this, and her discomfort is probably obvious with how she looks at the ground briefly and crosses her arms tightly over her chest.]

He died, Ian.

[Staying dead by multiple technicalities was another thing entirely, but one bombshell at a time.]

He sacrificed himself to save me in light of a Metroid Militarization Plan conducted by a faction of the Galactic Federation. The rest of the Federation was quick to cover that, and Adam's death, up.

[redshirted]

What?

[His brow is pulled into a look of disbelief, and his mouth falls slightly as if he wants to ask again. He wants to object, like this is some impossible fact. He wants to yell at Samus for lying to him. This is cruel and it isn't funny.

But Samus, even years from when he knew her, didn't joke especially about this. His chest tightens and his brows furrow together tightly. When he finally manages to make any sort of noise, it's just a pained, sort of quiet wheeze from the back of his throat.

He looks down, almost ashamed that he can't hide this visceral reaction, feet shuffling as if he might try and run away. Maybe if he ran he could go back to the reality he was supposed to occupy. It was a world without his own presence, but at least that maintained Ian's perception of his brother's invincibility.]

He-- [He can't even make himself say the words. He doesn't even catch all of what she's saying. The world might as well went fuzzy after her initial statement.] to save you--

[That part was very much Adam, he thought.

It's only when he reaches up and touches his face that he realizes there were tears on his cheek. Ian was never particularly good at being stoic.]

[icequeen_aran]

[Contrast Samus who was good at being stoic... had to be good at being stoic. She's long since come to terms with Adam's death, with Ian's death--with seemingly every death that's occurred in her life and those were many. It was plenty enough to jade her from ever expressing herself with the openness and sincerity he currently was. She envied Ian in a way; that it was probably much more liberating not being emotionally constipated your entire life, but, watching him now...

It was more gut-wrenching to watch than watching him die.

Samus is not good at comforting, not good with tears and she knows that. The only brother he knew is gone. The Federation was different. The Platoon was survived only by Anthony and even that was extremely questionable at this point in time. Ian... Ian probably felt like he had nobody left now.

Her brow furrows but she finds her legs moving of their own accord towards him and closing the gap. She pulls him into a hug, stiff and awkward at first but soon it felt natural enough--like she'd had some practice getting used to it (which probably said a lot). She said nothing.

Loneliness was painful, Samus knew that so much.]

[redshirted]

[It's Ian's turn to be less than receptive to the physical contact. He's numb, still reeling from the news of his brother's death, and doesn't immediately reciprocate.

But the gesture means a lot to Ian, especially when it comes from a woman he remembers who would balk at the slightest physical contact or jump when he threw an arm around her shoulder. He tentatively wraps his arms around her and is soon pulling her tightly into a hug. He isn't quite sure how long they stay like that, time seems to be standing still. Maybe surprisingly, he is the one who ultimately breaks the contact. He pulls away, but keeps his hands planted firmly on her shoulders.]

He, uhm-- he cared about you a lot.

[It was an obvious statement, but he's still processing. This helps make sense of it all.]

[icequeen_aran]

[Her hands drift up to rest over the tops of his hands, content to stand there. She offers a smile though it is the epitome of bitter-sweet. Her voice is barely just above a whisper.]

...I know.

[She doesn't have the heart to mention who uploaded his mind into a computer. Even that was long gone in her timeline now.]

He cared about both of us a lot.

[She sincerely hopes he doesn't take that the wrong way, considering it was Adam who ultimately caused Ian's demise. She didn't suspect Ian begrudged his brother for it, knowing his personality, but she supposed she would soon find out if that was not the case.]

[raced_god]

[After trying really hard to hold it in, Falcon sneezes.]