The Bird and the Garden 2: Restart!

Chapter 24: Paradise

Disclaimer: Music and video not mine. Metal Gear Rising belongs to Hideo Kojima, and the YouTube video belongs to it's creator.

You all know what it means when Minty adds upbeat, adrenaline-puming music. It's a fight scene. And who's the enemy, this time?

It's Verde. I'm not lying, it's Verde. I'm sorry.

As you can tell by now, I fucking love MGR. This is the song that plays when Verde attacks in an effort to build her twisted paradise.

That's why I chose 'Red Sun' this time. I chose 'The Only Thing I Know for Real' for Rojo's fight because of his lust for a fight. 'Red Sun' was chosen for Verde because at the peak of her obsession she grew a desire to build a paradise for the abominations.

...

As Y/N climbed into Vao's car and waved goodbye to his new friends, he met the glare of the femboy in the rearview mirror. He wasn't happy about being beaten up.

"... I oughta make you walk back to the Club, cunt."

"Really? Gonna leave your brother all alone?"

"Don't try me. I'll do it."

As Vao began driving, Y/N looked out the window at the stadium. Tomorrow, they would return to watch their friends fight their battles. He was honestly a bit excited. How couldn't he be? The Festival got his mind off of current events. As Vao drove through the city, he glanced in the rearview mirror, adjusting it to see Cardin and Sasha. "Oi. You gonna thank me, Biceps?"

"Want another ass beating?"

Vao's attention snapped back to the road, not saying anything out of fear. Sasha snickered victoriously, knowing she had Vao wrapped around her thumb. Yin looked at Vao worriedly. "... Where's Verde, anyway? You didn't leave her, did you? That would be a terrible thing to do."

The femboy shook his head, taking a sip from his thermos of tea. "Nah mate, she told me she was going back to the Club a few hours ago. Oh wait, that reminds me!"

Vao suddenly spun the wheel, pulling into a parking lot and climbing out, leaving his friends in the car. Sasha, who had to curl into a ball to fit in Vao's tiny car, was struggling to see what store Vao was running into. Cardin leaned down a bit, arching his eyebrow.

"... A pet store?"

Y/N shrugged. "I think Vao just misses Zwei. Those two were like, best friends, and I'm ninety percent sure Vao could speak to him."

"... Zwei is a dog, Y/N."

The katana-wielder turned in his seat to stare at the ginger. "How many times has Zwei barked at Vao, and he goes and says something? And then Zwei always responds happily?"

Cardin begrudgingly nodded. It wouldn't be the weirdest thing Vao had done before. Soon Vao came out of the store with a small kennel hanging at his side. As he climbed back into the car, he pushed the plastic cage into Y/N's lap and began driving down the road again. Y/N looked through the wire door, a pair of feline eyes staring back at him. He looked at his older brother slyly.

"Aww, did Vao want a kitten?"

Vao let out a fake laugh. "Oh, ha ha. You're a riot. It's not for me, it's for Verde. She's been begging me to get her a kitty for a week. I figured I'd surprise her."

"Why does Verde want a cat so badly?" Sasha asked curiously. Vao shrugged his girly shoulders.

"I dunno. She just tells me she needs one and that I don't need to worry about it. So I don't worry about it. Simple as that. Hey, what should we name it though?"