It's so crowded in here

Kage: We're not robots here, Shadowmaru. We're spirits, just like everyone else. We take on the appearance we had in death...or...most associate with ourselves. *no, he did not arrive he looking like a submarine.* But we're spirits, we can look as we wish, be what we wish. /Everyone/ needs a home...

Maru: ............ *one like this, though? It's like trying to pretend he's human, that he's equal to humans, and he's had it verbally beaten into him too many times that he's not...but he doesn't want to argue with his brother nor mess with his obvious happiness here - he deserves it! - so he just...nods...*

Kage: *reaches up to give Maru's shoulder a squeeze.* I know it's strange. I hope you can come to accept...being accepted as an equal. *will hug his brother*

Maru: *heavy sigh as he hugs back* We're /not/ their equals, Kagerou. That was a hard lesson to learn, but I /did/ finally. I don't want to have to learn it again. *resigned tone - he's not going to let himself forget*

Kage: We're not on earth anymore. Did you know there are entire races of robots? *he pulls back to look at Maru* We're not /just/ robots here.

Maru: *just…frowns back, /months/ of hurt in his gaze – for his age, it might as well be years*

Kage: *sad for his brother.* ...Come. I'll show you around.

Maru: *nods and will follow – he's a bit guarded now, though…just not sure /what/ to think or what to do with himself*

Kage: *will show him around. There's a small sitting area, a shelf full of books, there's a kitchen and Kage will explain that they don't /need/ fuel, but can still consume it, and other foods, if they want. It's acceptable to offer food or drinks to guests and friends as a welcoming geature even if it's not needed to sustain them. He'll show Maru his room. It is set up with a docking cradle that's leaned back a bit and...and a second in a corner.* I ah...always hoped you'd stay with me when you...got here. To be honest I was hoping, for your sake, that this day would have come much later...

*Maru is dying, he knows it. But he completed his mission, Earth is safe. As his consciousness floats in blackness, fading slowly, he'll feel arms around him. Not his body, but his consciousness*

Kage: Don't be afraid. I'm here.

Maru: *content – Earth is safe, his teammates will survive . . . /startles/ at the added presence . . . and then /turns/ with a jolt*  Kagerou!?

Kage: *smiles* Hello, brother.

Maru: Brother . . . b-but what- *"are you doing here?" . . . except more like /how/ is he here!?*

Kage: I'm here for you. I'm so proud of you.

Maru: *thinks he's hallucinating Kage, but that's okay, he'll take it - /buries/ in*  I've missed you…

Kage: I know. I've always been with you. And we'll be together for good now.

Maru: *sobs and buries closer*  Good . . . I'm glad . . .

Kage: *snugs him close* C'mon. We'll stop to see everyone before we go.

Maru: */grieves/ at that . . . but . . . he's ready – just nods as he pulls back…well, a little, NOT. LETTING. GO.*

Kage: * small understanding smile* We don't have to... They won't know you're there...we can check on them later, see how they're doing then...

Maru: …………what happens to me now? *he'd always figured he'd simply cease to /be/ when his Super AI failed*

Kage: *little shrug* Now we go to the afterlife.

Maru: ………….what is that? *he…"knows"…but he doesn't really /know/*

Kage: *smiles* I'll show you. *will shift beside his brother and draw Maru through the darkness...and towards a light.*

Maru: */gasps/, /tensing/ with sudden fear…not that he'll admit to any fear…*

Kage: *snugs him close* It's okay. Dying hurts, death doesn't. You've already passed the painful part, the rest is easy. You'll get to meet the friends I've made since coming here. They'll be happy to meet you. And as often as you want, we'll come back to check on the Brave Police.

Maru: ……………how are you even here?  *how is /he/ still conscious/thinking/whatever*  Your Super AI is gone.  Your memories, everything…

Kage: ......We were alive, Shadowmaru.  I know what we were told, and what the humans believe about us, but they’re wrong.  That we’re here proves it.

*And then he's waking, Toudou standing over him...and a strange sensation in his head...like he's not alone...*

Toudou: Shadowmaru. *smiles, relieved* Welcome back.

Maru: */shudders/…looks up*  C-chief Toudou?  Where am I? What happened?

Toudou: You're in the repair bay. You got pretty beat out there.

Hiroshi: *gives his arm a pat* You gave us quite a scare, big guy.  We thought we were going to lose you there for a moment.

Kumouri: *down by the console...* Hey, Maru, how're you feeling? *has a little frown on his face, still a little worried*

Toudou: Something wrong?

Kumouri: ......I'm getting some odd readings from his Super AI. *looks at Maru*

*And...Maru feels strange, almost like he's not alone in his body.*

Maru: *gives Hiroshi a small grin* My apologies, Hiroshi-san.  *looks at Kumouri, starts to respond, glances between him and Toudou…and frowns a bit himself, attention turning inward a bit, voice /soft/*  Ka…Kagerou?

Kage: *the voice that answers back is only in Maru’s head, and sounds disoriented and groggy.* //Sh-Shadowmaru...?  What...?//

*Toudou and Hiroshi exchange looks at what they hear Maru say...and Kumouri frowns...worried for the ninja...*

Terris: *still all praises for him, and when his lifts a dripping DB from the tub, he'll smile and softly touch DB's shoulder* Well, not just a little boy under the dirt, but a handsome one at that. Can I get a smile?

DB: *gives him a grin, pleased at all the praise – see, he's a good boy, really!  Mama would be proud…*

Terris: */smiles/* And you have a wonderful smile. I hope to see it often. Let's get you dressed. *will pick up one set of clothes Maru bought and help DB get dressed.* How does that feel?

DB: *looks up in surprise*  It . . . it doesn't!  *he doesn't really know "soft" in terms of clothes, just that it's not baggy or scratchy or full of grit or insects or something*

Terris: *chuckles* Is that a good thing? You like them?

DB:  Yeah . . . they don't make me itch.

Terris: Good. We certainly don't want that. How are you feeling? Are you tired, or would you like to start learning your letters? *that's also a hint to Maru and Kage that it's time for school.*

DB: *looks tired, but…*  Learn? *interested!*

Terris: Mn. *nods* We'll do a little bit today. *motions for him to join the older two at the table. He'll get Kage and Maru set with something to work on, then will sit by DB to start teaching him.*

DB: *fascinated!*

Terris: *will keep things as engaging as possible....but it's been an exhausting day for DB. So when he starts nodding off, Terris will close the book.* I think we're done for today.

DB:  N-no!  No, I'm good, I'm good.  *sits himself back up – thinks this is his only time, so he wants to learn as much as possible*

Terris: *brushes a hand over his head* It's okay, Drill Boy. We'll do more tomorrow, but you're tired now, and won't remember as much if you keep trying to learn right now.

DB:  We will?  You promise?

Terris: I promise.

DB: *grins*  Okay.  *and with that . . . HUGE YAWN*

Terris: *chuckles* Go crawl into bed, Drill Boy.

DB: M'kay… *looks around the room . . . goes and crawls /under/ the bed, shoving himself back against the wall and curling up*

Terris: That's not in bed, silly.

Terris: *won't make Maru wash the sheets alone, either. He'll show Maru how, and then help him do the job so he can get back to Kage sooner than later.* Thank you, for your help.

Maru:  No, sir, you're the one helping us more than we can thank you for.  *looks away*  You've done more than the entire rest of the town combined has even been willing to /consider/ doing.

Terris: I know...I'm sorry it's been like that for you. ....You two are welcome to stay, even once Kagerou is well.

Maru: ………you're sure?  That's a lot more mouths to feed suddenly.  We don't want to impose.

Terris: *smiles at him.* Absolutely. You are both more than welcome in my home.

Maru: *small grin*  Thank you, sir.

Terris: *smile widens* You're very welcome. *will get the sheets hung out to dry and will head in to get the bed made with fresh linens. And then he'll move Kage back to the bed.*

Kage: *soft gasp as he's picked up...especially since he'd dozed off again while they were making the bed.*

Maru: Sleepyhead.  *very soft chuck on the arm, tone fond - not as if he doesn't completely get it*

Kage: *sticks his tongue out at Maru...and smiles at his brother.*

Terris: *smiles and brushes a hand over Kage's head* Well, sleep some more.  At this rate I'd wager you'll feel better in the morning.

Maru: *will climb back into bed with Kage unless Terris has something else in mind*

Terris: *will let him.  That night, though, instead of moving to the couch, he’ll come settle in his own bed with them....the only reason he didn’t last night was because they both stank so bad.*

Wes: *hears the knock. He's always up early. So he and whoever is on last watch will hear the knock. He'll head for the door.*

Duke: You mean once you've /brainwashed/ me with your own demonic rhetoric, you sadistic heathen.  *takes the caning with /growls/ and cries, but there's still fire in his gaze as he focuses on the one torturing him . . . at the last, he /spits/ at the man and snarls that the only demon is the one he's looking at . . . by the time he's taken to what he recognizes as a med room, he's all but spent, only giving the medic a weakened /glare/ when he comes in*

Maru: *is the one on watch, /stiffens/ at the knock, watches Wes leave…*

Wes: *checks on both young men, notes that Duke is a new face here. He softly touches Duke's head and then will shift his attention to Duke's shoulders.* Your shoulders are dislocated. I'm going to pop the joints back into place. *will get a piece of wood wrapped in gauze and hold it by Duke's mouth* To help you brace, this will hurt a lot.

Duke: ……… *turns his face away, refusing the wood – for all he knows, the gauze has been medicated with something*

Wes: ...*nods and will set it aside and get a grip on Duke's arm, with a /yank/ and a twist, his shoulder will /snap/ back into place. He'll step around to do the other, then settle a towel over his lower body for some modesty while he sees to Gray, as Gray's wounds are worse.*

Duke: *CRIES out at the first arm . . . GRUNTS, breathing in /snorting/ huffs at the second . . . a-and lays there, not even caring about his nudity right now, will roll his head to watch the man take care of Gray*

Wes: *quick, efficient, and gentle as he cares for Gray. When he's done the other gray men will take Gray into the room. Wes returns to Duke and is just as quick, efficient, and gentle with getting him treated and bandaged up.*

Deckard – son of a constable and an officer.  His parents were murdered for botching a job of a notorious assassins guild.  He was claimed by the guild at the age of 15 and spent the next 2 years of his life with them.  They taught him many things, trying to corrupt the “cops kid”.

Duke – son of an upper class family.  Strict, proper, perhaps not around too much because of business (ambassadors maybe?).  Like Deckard his parents were killed and then he was claimed by the guild...few months after Deckard was.  They've been there about the same amount of time.

McC, PJ, Dumpson, DB - McC is the eldest at 17.  PJ and Dumpson are fraternal twins, both 15, and DB is the youngest at 13.  Pregnancy was hard on their mother, and she died in child birth when DB was born.  She should never have survived having one child, let alone four, it's a miracle any of the boys were born.  When McC was 8 (PJ/Dumpson 6 and DB 4) their father abandoned them. They were scooped up by the guild, always looking for young recruits.  They'd been with the guild for 7 years when they escaped with Duke and Deckard.

Kage and Maru - Mirrored Identical Twins.  They're both 16, and have been with the guild the longest.  Their mother was part of the guild...though not by choice.  She sheltered her sons as best she could.  They learned, and learned very well, but she was also able to instill morals into her boys.  They're good people, and they knew their mother hated the guild and so when she died (beaten to death by another member because she wouldn't just let him rape her) they determined to leave, just as they knew their mother would want.

Gunmax – ran afoul of the guild all on his own, after being orphaned at a young age. He got roped in – “either join us or we have our way with you (torture/kill).”  Well...much as he hated it, he wasn't stupid. But he also knows he can't trust /anyone/ . . . Deckard and the others have had to /earn/ his trust and it was HARD WON.

Ages: Deckard – 18, Duke – 18, McC – 17, Kage/Maru – 16, PJ/Dumpson – 15, GM – 15, DB – 13

*The brave band of young men has been moving from town to town for the last year.  They get by how they can..../honestly/.  They will help out, a band of vigilante heroes at times...and others they’ll take odd jobs and do street performances.  They’re not above panhandling now and then when they’re desperate, but Deckard and Duke are definitely big influences on keeping them honest.  They...don’t tend to stay in one place for long.  They always draw attention eventually, and when someone finds out that one of them is a “trained assassin”...they’re all forced to flee or face execution.*

*Today has proved to be a BAD DAY for all of them.  Doing a small performance for whatever coins people might spare, the whole lot of them were snatched up, arrested, and moved into cells.  DB, SM, and PJ are in the same hall.  They’re in separate cells but they can at least talk to each other.  They’ve had everything taken from them, pockets emptied....for now, at least, there’s no getting out.*

Maru: *almost doesn't dare believe . . . j-just . . . studies Kage, torn between EMBRACING him a-and…walking away before he can be hurt by the deception…*

Kage: *trembling faintly. Afraid Maru will turn away in disbelief, /aching/ to close the distance and hold his brother. His voice is soft, it's the only way he can speak with /static/ choking his voice.* It's really me, brother. I remember the time we hid the engineering team's tool kits, *a smile twitches his lips* so we could finish a movie uninterrupted. It didn't work. And I...I remember you on the submarine, ready to go down with what was left of me, but I wanted you to live... I watched over you...for so long after that, a shadow in truth then. *he manages to pull his gaze from Maru to look at DB for a moment.* I saw so much that happened...the friends you made. *he give DB a grateful little smile, then looks back at Maru.* Until the last three years. I was frustrated, I couldn't help you, and then I realized someone could see me. I-it was the hardest choice I made, leaving you. I couldn't do anything for you, and I...saw possibility. Starscream could see me, he could hear me, when no one else for decades had been able to. He found one of the AI chips originally used for all of us, and was able to...to download me into it. *he shrugs, not sure he gets well enough what Stars did to be able to explain it.* After that he rebuilt my body based on the designs I gave him, and I've spent the last year hoping to find you again. *a brief pause and then he reaches a hand towards Maru, hopeful and longing.* It really is me.

Maru: *gaping at him the whole time – if /nothing/ else convinces him, it's…it's the comment about hiding the engineers' tools that one time, practically /nobody/ but them and the few who'd been around that night knew about that . . . finally he sways a bit, catching himself against the door jamb*  K-kagerou . . . *voice /broken/ with static*

Deckard: */grinning/ . . . if Kage doesn't move on his own, he'll give the ninja's shoulder a light push*

Kage: *it does take a light push, and then he's to Maru, arms /tight/ around his brother. He's shaking softly, and the faint sound of something like a sob will escape him.* Shadowmaru. I'm so sorry.

Maru: *a faint squawk of surprise is the only protest before he's HUGGING back, static like sobs scratching from his vocalizer*  Oh, /gods/ . . . Kagerou . . . you're /back/!  You're really back . . . */sobbing/ as much as a robot can*

Kage: I'm back. I'm really back. I'm sorry I left you. I won't leave again. *murmuring the same sort of things over and over.* I love you. *finally goes quiet and just /clings/.*

Maru: *face buried against Kage's shoulder*  I failed you . . . I'm so sorry . . . I failed . . . I-I should have…s-should . . . */buzzes/ and falls quiet too, /clinging/ and trembling*

DB: ………….. *a little worried, to be honest, shifts over to Deckard*  Are they going to be okay?

Deckard: *wraps an arm around him, snugging him close*  Yes, I think so.

DB: *settles easily against Deckard*

Kage: *shakes his head, and will finally push Mari away enough to look at him.* No. /You/ never failed me. What happened was /not/ your fault. So many things went wrong, /you/ are not responsible for that, or for the choices I made, or the choices the board had decided for us, or what /anyone/ else did. /You/. Did not. Fail. Me. *gripping Maru's shoulders and...will pull him back into a /hug/*

Maru: *has lived with that guilt and grief for FAR too long to just accept that, plus still stinging from and processing the failure to protect and rescue DB . . . j-just . . . just keens softly, CLINGING to Kage*

Deckard: *softly rubbing his back*  Will you share with me?

Mitham: *face in his hands.* Just...nightmares. *swallows.* I have nightmares often. U-usually of when my parents died, or some of the masters I've had. After I found Shaila, they would often be of failing her, not being able to keep her safe, or even of my second master getting hold of her. *that makes him shudder....and he can't yet make himself say what last night's were all about.*

Deckard: …………….I'm sorry.  *not sure if he should press for more current details or not*

Mitham: ...*soft huff that might be a sob.* I can't...lose you. Not like that. N-not to those /things/. You have no idea what they'd do to you if they caught you. *he can imagine, even if he doesn't know*

Deckard: *quietly*  Better me than you, or anyone else here.  I can be rebuilt. *will catch Mitham's chin, getting the boy to look up at him*  You can't.

Mitham: *meets his gaze, tears in his eyes* Can you, though?  Here? 

Kage: Sirrah-sama can fix us, Mini Boss.  So long as our super AI’s are intact.

Mitham: ........*he curls forward, top of his head thumping lightly to Deckard’s chest.*