Whatever jab the Maverick was trying to make, whatever psychological attack? Doesn't land. What works on Zero does not work on Quint, all instead single-minded focus. Pushing down, and down, and not giving his opponent any ground. Rock wouldn't be so rough. Rock would have hesitated, and he would have agonized. But not Quintet.
"I'm no Megaman. You're right, that my name is Quint. Special Variation Number double-oh-one, one of the MKNs. You're right. Neither of us should exist."
And then he rears back, all at once. Oh, it's with one last shove, and oh, it's clearly calculated all the same. But he rears back, and stands there, Sakugarne growling and imposing behind his back.
Gesturing with that spear at the Maverick's throat, optics narrowed, he snaps, "But we do. We're both still here. Get it? It's a fucking privilege. Taking a new name is, too."
This reploid, this other Zero- Of course he's a threat. Of course Quint isn't stupid. Giving him an out? Isn't smart.
But Sakugarne and the promise of his super adapter is at his back, and he breathes in, and then out. He's no Megaman, no hero. A killer. But you tried to make the world better anyway, right?
"At least I'm doing something with this second chance. I might be a killer, but at least I can choose when to stop. Can you?"
He can give a mech a name. He knows which one this reploid would want, from him. But it's always going to be heavier than just syllables in the mouth.
He can feel how this teeters. Can he make it mean something?
The grinding and whirring of servos and hiss hydraulics gives way to a dull tangle of clanking, as with Quint's final burst of strength, his endoskeleton gives way. He crumples to the floor, the keen tip of the spear wet at his throat. Quint and Sakugarne looming over him. Stoic. Incorruptible.
Quint was master of his own fate. He was unique. Beautiful
What now? The Maverick ponders. Maybe he did love killing. Maybe he did ache for battle. And as a result, he laid here, broken, toothless motors revving in place to move arms that could no longer respond beyond a strained limp.
He'd stopped killing and fighting by choice once before. Staring into the eyes of Optimus and seeing something there like himself, yet greater. His position now mirrored that. The spear nicking his skin reminds him that his only other option now is to die. Quint had once again offered him a chance at life he didn't deserve.
A fitting end it would be too. Deserved. Honourable. But what a waste of a life that he shouldn't even have. He could be so much more too.
He stares up at Quint, his eyes still smouldering red, but the grin is gone. He looks... sad. Humble. Ashamed even. He spoke softly, his usual manic tones drained of weight, his voice almost a whisper
"...Ok... ...I give."
He struggles to sit, sliding backwards on his thigh. Grinding his abdominals to manage a crunch. Arms limp at his sides unable to push himself up. Auto-repair systems were kicking in now, the adrenaline high fading into the ache of his damaged components.
"Just... ...please give me this. I want to walk to medical under my own steam. My legs are fine, but my torso... just... doesn't have anything to give. Please, help me stand."
Quint sags, just a little. The spear is pulled away, collapsing easily and stuffed away. He's not so ready to let his armour drop, though. He doesn't know this other-Zero well enough for THAT kind of trust, yet. But this was a start.
"Saku, help me get him up."
Hands that could kill so easily now reach for the Maverick gently. An arm around his shoulders, under his own arm. Sakugarne is there on his other side, helping push him up. Take the weight a little.
Honestly, he'd been scared there that the Maverick would've refused. He likes Zero, but even if he did? He'd still neutralize the threat this other self presented. Not killed. But all the same. It's going to be one hell of an awkward discussion with the doctors as it is...
"Okay. I'm going to stay right here on this side, Saku on your other. You feel like you're gonna fall over, let us know. We'll catch you." It was also a perfect range for Sakugarne to bite if he tried anything funny, but Quint figured that was a fair trade off.
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stableparadox
no subject
Date: 2025-03-18 12:41 pm (UTC)Whatever jab the Maverick was trying to make, whatever psychological attack? Doesn't land. What works on Zero does not work on Quint, all instead single-minded focus. Pushing down, and down, and not giving his opponent any ground. Rock wouldn't be so rough. Rock would have hesitated, and he would have agonized. But not Quintet.
"I'm no Megaman. You're right, that my name is Quint. Special Variation Number double-oh-one, one of the MKNs. You're right. Neither of us should exist."
And then he rears back, all at once. Oh, it's with one last shove, and oh, it's clearly calculated all the same. But he rears back, and stands there, Sakugarne growling and imposing behind his back.
Gesturing with that spear at the Maverick's throat, optics narrowed, he snaps, "But we do. We're both still here. Get it? It's a fucking privilege. Taking a new name is, too."
This reploid, this other Zero- Of course he's a threat. Of course Quint isn't stupid. Giving him an out? Isn't smart.
But Sakugarne and the promise of his super adapter is at his back, and he breathes in, and then out. He's no Megaman, no hero. A killer. But you tried to make the world better anyway, right?
"At least I'm doing something with this second chance. I might be a killer, but at least I can choose when to stop. Can you?"
He can give a mech a name. He knows which one this reploid would want, from him. But it's always going to be heavier than just syllables in the mouth.
He can feel how this teeters. Can he make it mean something?
Hope Defiant, let him make this mean something.no subject
Date: 2025-03-18 01:40 pm (UTC)Quint was master of his own fate. He was unique. Beautiful
What now? The Maverick ponders. Maybe he did love killing. Maybe he did ache for battle. And as a result, he laid here, broken, toothless motors revving in place to move arms that could no longer respond beyond a strained limp.
He'd stopped killing and fighting by choice once before. Staring into the eyes of Optimus and seeing something there like himself, yet greater. His position now mirrored that. The spear nicking his skin reminds him that his only other option now is to die. Quint had once again offered him a chance at life he didn't deserve.
A fitting end it would be too. Deserved. Honourable. But what a waste of a life that he shouldn't even have. He could be so much more too.
He stares up at Quint, his eyes still smouldering red, but the grin is gone. He looks... sad. Humble. Ashamed even. He spoke softly, his usual manic tones drained of weight, his voice almost a whisper
"...Ok... ...I give."
He struggles to sit, sliding backwards on his thigh. Grinding his abdominals to manage a crunch. Arms limp at his sides unable to push himself up. Auto-repair systems were kicking in now, the adrenaline high fading into the ache of his damaged components.
"Just... ...please give me this. I want to walk to medical under my own steam. My legs are fine, but my torso... just... doesn't have anything to give. Please, help me stand."
no subject
Date: 2025-03-18 02:09 pm (UTC)"Saku, help me get him up."
Hands that could kill so easily now reach for the Maverick gently. An arm around his shoulders, under his own arm. Sakugarne is there on his other side, helping push him up. Take the weight a little.
Honestly, he'd been scared there that the Maverick would've refused. He likes Zero, but even if he did? He'd still neutralize the threat this other self presented. Not killed. But all the same. It's going to be one hell of an awkward discussion with the doctors as it is...
"Okay. I'm going to stay right here on this side, Saku on your other. You feel like you're gonna fall over, let us know. We'll catch you." It was also a perfect range for Sakugarne to bite if he tried anything funny, but Quint figured that was a fair trade off.