2022-05-16: Clarity
- Log: 2022-5-16 - Clarity
- Cast: Rikka Takarada, Renais Cardiff
- Where: Tsutsujidai
- OOC - IC Date: May 16, 0096
- Summary: Rikka and Renais get to know each other better.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Akane and Sayla had both suggested that Rikka pay Renais a visit sometime. After giving it some thought... it was a good idea, actually, and so she went through the necessary channels - potentially with Sayla's help - to let her know that she was interested in meeting up.
Fast-forward to today. They'd agreed to meet up at Kamesan Park, where there's a set of benches overlooking the lake. The weather is as is typical of Tsutsujidai - that of a typical pleasant, late-summer day.
Rikka sits at one of those benches now, watching the light of the sun on the surface of the water as it plays on the gentle waves caused by the faint breeze blowing through as she waits for Renais to arrive. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little nervous.
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
It didn't take a whole lot of doing to make the arrangements; as it turns out, Renais' particular situation makes for quite a bit of free time. She's in a bit of limbo at the moment, as it turns out--or, at least, she's no longer working for Chasseur or NERV.
So it was a fairly simple matter to get her here, and it's not particularly hard to pick out the cyborg when she arrives, thanks to the cooling coat. She approaches quietly, hands in her pockets, and stands in front of Rikka. "Madamoiselle Takarada?" she asks, almost expressionless.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Renais arrives and Rikka stands up.
"Miss Cardiff! Yeah, it's me... Thanks for agreeing to meet with me. I hope it wasn't any trouble." Rikka replies. She hesitates for a moment.
"I'm glad to see you up and around. I was worried after, well... you know." She says. She doesn't think she needs to elaborate on that. "Miss Sayla said you were recovering, but it's nice to see that in person."
She pauses. ...She hadn't really thought this far ahead.
"...How are you feeling now?" She asks.
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais raises her eyebrows a bit as Rikka stands--it takes her a moment to remember that this girl was out on the battlefield against her. "Here, ah... sit down. I'd rather not stand this whole time."
She takes a seat next to where Rikka is, and sighs a little. "In any event... it was no trouble. This place. Your world, if I'm not mistaken? It's... peaceful." A pause. "Kaiju attacks aside." She gestures vaguely. "I like it here."
How is she? Ren debates giving the generic answer, that she's fine--but... Rikka seems to be genuinely concerned. "... That's a difficult question. one would expect I'd be feeling better with *that* out of my head, and in some ways, I do, but..." She leans forward, supporting her arms on her knees. "I hate what it turned me into."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka nods and takes a seat.
"Yeah, Tsutsujidai is my home." She confirms. She smiles, as Renais says she likes it. "Me too. This is where my friends and family live... That's why I want to keep it safe."
And then there's the matter of how Renais feels. Rikka nods quietly as she explains, glancing briefly at the ground.
"It's frightening. To know that there's something out there that can... do that, to someone." She says. "I know it probably doesn't account for much, but I don't hold anything that happened against you... I'm sure others feel the same way."
She looks back up, then, looking toward Renais.
"Have you decided what you'll do next?" She asks.
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais nods. "It is... and... well, it helps to hear it, I guess." She smiles just a little, briefly. It turns back to a frown as she looks at the sky. "But it's... it still felt like me, though. Like I was in control. I know I wasn't, but..." That's what hurts the most. How hard it is to accept that it wasn't actually her.
"Sayla left me her card," she explains. "Offered me help. I've been thinking about what to do, now that I'm... well, me again, and..." She can't continue as the sort of person she was. Not after the way it was used against her. "Well. I'd like to see what she has to offer." She sits back up, looking over at Rikka.
"Mm. what was it like when you first found out about our world? About... well. Everything, I suppose."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"...Yeah. I... I can't imagine what that must feel like. I'm sorry you had to go through all of that." Rikka replies, her voice a low murmur. She wishes she could say more to help, but... that sort of experience is the kind of thing that would inevitably leave a scar, and not just a physical one. Rikka just hopes that Renais's will be able to heal eventually.
Renais says that Sayla left her a card and offered to help.
"Miss Sayla is a good person. She helped get my friends and I situated when we first found ourselves out there. She's... really cool." Rikka replies, and offers a smile. "Talking to her is a good idea, at least, wherever you go from there."
And then there's a question for her - what was it like? Rikka frowns pensively, thinking back.
"...It was... a lot? It's... really different. But at the same time, so similar enough that it felt wrong. And so much hurt that Tsutsujidai's never known." Rikka explains. "There was a lot to take in. ...But it wasn't all bad. We met some good people, and the music has been great."
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais makes a quiet sound, and nods. "I guess it's a bit different than comnig back to the world you left and finding things have gotten..." She trails off, and shakes her head. "You're right. It's not all bad. I've managed to catch up on Tarabaman recently--and the music has been rather nice, too."
She's quiet for a long moment, before finally asking, "You know Akane Shinjo, don't you?"
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka nods quietly, at that. ...She hadn't considered that angle. But, it sounds like Renais has been able to find some good too, at least.
"I wouldn't have figured you for a Tarabaman fan. I don't watch it myself, but I've got a friend who's real into it." Rikka replies. Two friends, actually, though she doesn't know about the other one yet. "...His info's been surprisingly helpful at dealing with real-life kaiju."
And then, Renais asks if she knows Akane. Rikka nods.
"Yeah... she's a friend of mine." Rikka confirms with a nod.
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais nods. "Well... I think we both know she's in need of help. I've let her know I'm going to help her, but. You should at least know what I do." She presses her lips together. "... There's a lot I can't remember. But... I know this much. Alexis Kerib--that's the man in the black mask, the one who stabbed me--is exploiting her. She thinks he's helping her, but..."
"It's like he's... feeding on her misery. I think he enjoys hurting her. A unique kind of monstrous, really... and he's got her wrapped around his finger, thinking he's lifting her up instead of stomping her down."
A mirthless chuckle. "I wouldn't put it past him if he were the reason *why* I'm missing so many details, either. I knew more--probably enough to hurt him badly, or at least... use as ammunition."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"...I know there has to be something going on, but..." Rikka starts... and she's rendered silent as Renais continues, explaining what she knows about Alexis Kerib and his connection to Akane. Rikka is left in stunned shock.
"...That's... that's horrible." Rikka replies, shaking her head. That explains why she was so defensive about him before. She didn't realise they actually knew each other. But if he's been manipulating her... Rikka's fists clench, bunching up the fabric of her cardigan. "If he's really doing something like that... we have to help her somehow."
...But of course, there's the question of what can they do? She frowns a little.
"...I guess that explains why he was so willing to help you, too." She says.
She goes quiet for a moment.
"...You should tell Miss Sayla what you just told me, too. I think she'd be interested to hear that." Rikka suggests.
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais nods, and sighs. "I don't know how, though. He'd be difficult to strike at, and a blunt instrument like me won't do much to talk her down... and of course, simply *telling* Akane won't help. I've seen cases like it before--a victim convinced the scum we're trying to save them from is on their side."
"He's a smooth talker, to be sure. I suppose if one can get past that tasteless exterior, he can *seem* rather... well, friendly, even."
That's how they get their victims, of course.
She nods to the suggestion. "I already did. Important information. Sayla was there when I woke up, actually... so was Guy." Her lips twitch up in a brief smile. "I don't know if you've met him. Guy Shishioh. He was the one piloting GaoFighGar. My cousin. He's a dumbass idealist, but..."
She looks up, nudging her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "I think most of the Braves are, really. And since he was part of the dumbass plan that saved me, I don't think I have the right to complain."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"...Yeah. Me either." Rikka admits. She knows it's a lot harder than just picking a fight with him. She remembers Sayla stressing how dangerous he was, just from his physical strength alone much less whatever other capabilities he might have. And as for telling Akane, Rikka nods grimly. ".He came up when Miss Sayla came to Akane and I to let us know you were recovering. The moment we suggested we didn't trust him, she got pretty defensive."
Fortunately, though, Renais has already told Sayla. That's one important thing off the list.
She notes the way Renais smiles when she brings up Guy. Rikka can't help but smile a little, herself.
"We've been in the same place a couple of times, but we haven't really spoken." She admits, shaking her head. "I guess it's good to have people like that around."
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais sighs and nods. "That's what I was afraid of, yeah. We'll have to be careful if we want to move against him. And Guy is... well, he's a hero in our world. One of the big ones. Saved humanity from destruction, back in 0087... and again in '91."
"... He's still a dumbass, though."
She sits back, smoothing out her cooling coat a bit. It looks warm, especially on a day like today, but...
"Mm. You have friends who have been fighting with you, right? Defending against those kaiju... I'd like to meet them, too. Maybe with a few more heads together, we can come up with *something*."
She tilts her head. "--ah, you said earlier you didn't imagine me as a Tarabaman fan... I can see that. Dour French cyborg... not exactly typical, I suppose. It was important to me as a child, though. One of those things I hold onto."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Wow..." Rikka murmurs, amazed. She'd been reading up on the history of the outside world, but she hadn't gotten that far yet. To save humanity twice... that's pretty impressive. She laughs good-naturedly, though, at the way she refers to him.
As for her friends, though, Rikka nods.
"Yeah... Hibiki and Utsumi. I would have never started this if it weren't for them, honestly... They're the ones who really keep things going. I'm just good at piloting Synchrotank." Rikka confirms with a nod. "That's a good idea. If there's something going on, they ought to know too."
Renais goes back to an earlier point, and Rikka... laughs a little sheepishly. ...She did say that.
"...Not really." She admits. "But it's good to hold onto the things that are important to you like that."
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais nods. Even with the massive gulf between who she was and who she is... that's something to cling to.
She looks at Rikka quizzically. "You say that like it's not important." She's quiet briefly, thinking about Akane's warning to her when she hit the Synchrotank too hard.
Taking a breath, she continues, "Miss Takarada, there was... a *very* real chance that you could have died when you faced me. You're putting your life on the line to defend your home. That isn't something you do lightly... and it is *important*. Not everyone can do that, but somebody must."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"It's not that I don't think it's important, but..." Rikka starts... but she goes quiet when Renais continues. It's the seriousness of someone who knows what she's talking about, the kind of thing that draws one's attention.
Renais points out how she could have died, how she's putting her life on the line to defend her home. It takes the wind out of her sails a bit and she looks down, turning a little pink.
"...I know." She admits with a nod. "I just wish I could do... more, sometimes."
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
"Mm." Ren nods slowly, sighing. "... Yeah." There's not much she can think to say to that, as someone who gave up wishing for that a long time ago. Eventually, she concludes, "Anything you do to support your friends is 'more'."
After that, she pulls her phone out of her pocket. "I know the signal doesn't cross the boundary, but... particularly if we're going to arrange a meeting with these friends of yours, we should probably exchange information, non?" She holds it out, ready to exchange.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Anything she can do to support her friends is 'more', huh...
"...I'll think about that." Rikka replies with a nod.
With that, Renais pulls out her phone. Rikka looks on with interest before pulling out her own.
"Yeah, good point." Rikka agrees. Fortunately, exchanging is a quick and easy process, and soon enough, they each have each others' numbers.
Rikka's icon is a picture of herself eating cake with two other girls. It's cute!
With that said, Rikka stands up.
"Sorry to run when I'm the one who called you out here, but I should probably get home before it gets too late." She apologises. "If you're ever in the area, feel free to stop by the Junk Shop Aya - that's where I live."
And with that, after exchanging goodbyes, Rikka will head on home unless stopped.