2022-05-20: Ramen and Moving Forward
- Cast: Rena Lancaster, Anita Rosetta
- Where: Japan
- Date: U.C. 0096 05 20
- Summary: Rena and Anita get ramen, talk about Verdiska, and try to look ahead... while also discussing the past.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
By now, Rena has recovered from the fight where she was injured. She had a few days off -- and got some sleep, after working on a project that kept her up all night -- and is meeting with Anita in Japan, while the Ra Mari is there.
She is waiting for her friend off-duty, near one of the sidewalk cafes in this particular town. She is in civilian clothes, today: a light jacket over a T-shirt and blue jeans. She leans up against a lamppost, with her phone in her hand. She has her hair cut shorter now -- just a little past the shoulders, and styled differently.
It still feels wrong. Her fingers keep reaching up to play with it.
She'll get used to it, eventually. Maybe.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
After spending far too much time on duty, it's nice to get out and about in casual wear. Anita's always been the type to shun uniforms and the like.
Anita's outfit today consists of a nice shirt and vest combination, perfect for showing off her choice of arm. Today's model is one that's nice and sleek, with an understated design lacking in extra ornamentation. Sometimes subtle is nice, too.
Anita approaches, offering Rena a wave and a smile as she draws close. Her eyes briefly track up to Rena's hair - more specifically, the way she reaches up to play with it. It's still bothering her... it's not like Anita can blame her.
"It looks good on you, I like it." She offers, as an attempt at reassurance. "What's the plan for today?"
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Rena isn't much of one for uniforms, either... but she tends to put up with them. When she spots Anita coming, she waves -- and lowers her phone, too. She pockets it, before she stands up straighter, and smiles. She does glance at Anita's arm; she has learned that she swaps them out, by now, and it's good to see which one.
"Ah, thanks, Annie," Rena says, with a smile. "I'm not really used to it, yet... but I'm glad you like it."
She glances around for a second, and then she looks back at Anita. "Maybe we can take a walk in the park?" she asks. "Then see what we've got for food options. There's a lot of places around here. I'm not sure what all of them are... some serve, um, ramen?"
She hasn't had it much.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Anita nods, massaging the back of her neck. Yeah... it's something that'd probably take a while to get used to. As for things to do today...
"That sounds great. The weather's nice today, it's a good day for a stroll." Anita agrees. "I hear they've got some nice ones - plenty of good scenery and places to relax."
As for food...
"Ramen, huh? That sounds great... I've kind of been wanting to try it." Anita considers, and then chuckles to herself. "You'd think I woulda been since I spent some time here in the OCU before winding up in Londo Bell, but I didn't get a whole lot of opportunity to sightsee before things went south."
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"It's weird that they don't schedule the weather," Rena says, a little automatically. It comes with being in the colonies. And, despite spending some time on Earth now, she isn't used to it. "But that's what I was thinking!"
She starts to walk -- not too fast, and slows deliberately for just a moment so Anita can walk next to her. She glances sideways at her, then she blinks -- then she smiles.
"That's right," she says, "I remember that... it's a shame you didn't get a chance to try it out! Did, um... you get to do much fun stuff at all in the OCU? Or... not really?"
She knows it went south pretty quickly. And, indeed, pretty decisively.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"Right? The surprise is a little exciting sometimes, but it's so inconvenient when it can just ruin your day in a snap." Anita comments with a chuckle and a snap of her fingers as a punctuation.
She walks beside Rena, her hands slipping into her pockets in her usual casual way as she does.
Rena asks if she got a chance to do anything fun, and Anita thinks back, 'hmm'ing pensively as she does.
"...Nah, not really." She eventually replies with a shrug. "It was mostly a lot of panic at first, then a lot of training."
She pauses for a moment, and then chuckles.
"...Well, wrecking those guys was pretty fun, but not exactly a, uh, recommended recreation activity." She adds. Not that she wouldn't do it again given the chance, of course.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"Mm-hm. And you have to remember your umbrella or your coat..." Rena sighs. "Life on Earth is weird, Annie."
She glances sideways at her friend -- and then she tilts her head to the side. She frowns a little, because not seeing or doing anything fun for months sounds a little frustrating. On the other hand, Anita seems fine with it -- but Anita is fine with and calm about most things.
"Just means you can make up for it now!" Rena says.
Then, at her second statement, she blinks -- and then laughs. "Well... I can't say I blame you. I never heard exactly what happened..." She trails off. "But I can only imagine what they did to deserve it."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"...Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Maybe I should have brought one with me..." Anita considers, pausing in her tracks. She considers this for a moment... and then, shrugs dismissively. "...Nah, I'll be fine. If it rains, it rains. I'm rust-proof, anyway."
With this she continues forward again.
"It sure is." She agrees, about life on Earth. She smiles, though, about making it up.
It's true - she has the opportunity to make up for lost time now.
"Yeah, exactly. ...And if I'm being honest, I'd much prefer experiencing it with the people I care about than by myself, you know? It's just not the same." Anita agrees.
As for what happened...
"I'll spare you the full details, but they basically tried to make my life hell in the pettiest ways possible, trying to goad me into doing something I'd regret." She says, shaking her head. "'Cept... you know me, so I wouldn't budge. And eventually they just got so impatient they tried to gang up on me during a piloting training session. They were expecting a quick and easy ambush rather than a real fight, so when it turned out I already knew they were planning something, they crumbled real quick."
Anita grins at the thought.
"...They had both numbers and the surprise. I bet they still haven't lived down losing with those odds." She comments.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"It's okay," Rena says. "I forgot, too... well, at worst, we duck under somewhere and wait it out." She glances sideways -- then she cracks a smile at the comment about being rust-proof. "Definitely wouldn't want that to happen!"
Then, Rena nods in agreement, as they start down one of the paths through the park. "Yeah," she says. "Doing something like that alone... I mean, it's not awful, but it's not really the same."
She glances sideways, back at Anita. Her eyes blink -- and then she smiles. "Mm-hm. That sounds like you... I'm glad you stood up to them. I'm sure they're having a rough time of it. Though..."
She glances downward. "I'm sorry that happened. I guess life's been complicated for awhile. But... it meant you ended up here, too."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"Yup. There'll probably be a rain shelter we can use somewhere along the way." Anita agrees with a nod. "...'Cause I mean, they ought to be used to preparing for this by now."
They start through the park. It's pretty nice, getting to spend some time like this after everything that's happened.
"Yeah. There's just something about sharing the experience with folks." She agrees with a nod.
Rena apologizes and Anita nods, briefly massaging the back of her neck again a bit sheepishly.
"...Yeah. I guess so. It was probably pretty complicated for all of you, too, but maybe in other ways..." She agrees. "...But, thanks."
...And it's true. Because of what happened, she got reassigned to Londo Bell.
"Yeah. Would've preferred better circumstances, but... things ended up working out eventually!" She agrees with a smile.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"I'm not so sure... they seem to just take it in stride. Even with lightning and thunder..." Rena stares forward, a little pale at the idea. Lightning still feels like something that should come from a book.
She looks back at Anita -- and then she smiles, even if it's apologetic. "A little, but only a little," she says. "And it was worth it. I was really glad you could come be with us."
She smiles, then she nods her head.
"...How're you holding up?" she asks, after a moment. "After... you know. Everything that happened, the other week."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"...Yeah, maybe." Anita agrees with a nod. When even she agrees that someone might be a little too lax, that might be a bad sign!
Rena smiles, and Anita smiles back.
"...Yeah, me too." She agrees. "I think... Londo Bell is more my speed, anyway. I don't know how long I would've stuck around if I didn't end up getting kicked out."
Rena asks how she's holding up, and it takes Anita a moment to think about that. She frowns pensively for a moment.
"...I'm doing better now that you're up and about. I feel like I can relax again." She decides after a moment. "I was... real worried when you went down. I'm just glad Doctor Athrusa was able to administer first aid."
Mentioning that, though, causes her to frown a little deeper.
"I'm worried about /her/, too, but it's not like we can watch over her 24/7... I just hope she's okay out there."
She pauses for a moment before glancing Rena's way.
"How about you?" She asks.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"I heard they're kind of sticklers in the OCU," Rena says. That couldn't describe Rena -- not that she didn't work hard (quite the opposite) but she had a way of not quite fitting into the formal structures of most militaries. Londo Bell had a way of being laid back, though.
"I'm... ah, I'm sorry," she says, quieter, after a moment. "I didn't want to worry you like that. I'm glad I'm up and about, too, though."
She hesitates for a second -- bites her lip, even -- and nods. "Me, too. It's a little spooky... but hopefully we'll see her again."
She hesitates, a moment, at the question.
"I'm okay," she says. "I'm still a little spooked. And... they're working on getting me a new unit, too. I'm a little worried about what happens, next time we run into that Celestial Being pilot again."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"They totally are." Anita agrees. "It's so much easier working with all of you. You and Eight... I like the way you run things so much better."
As for the rest of the higher-ups... well, being as low on the pole as she is, she doesn't have to deal with them that much. But that's fine with her - she's satisfied right where she is, with people who know how to put her to the best use.
Rena apologises and Anita shakes her head, offering her a smile.
"Hey, don't apologise. It's not like you asked for that to happen." She replies. "I'm just glad you're healed up now, too. That's the important thing."
A little spooked...
"...Yeah, me too. Knowing there's someone like that out there..." Anita murmurs. "I hope we don't have to face her again... but, we're probably going to have to."
She shakes her head, then, deciding to fixate on something else.
"But, hey, a new unit. What kind? Another Nu?" She asks, curious.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"I'm glad. It doesn't really feel like I'm in charge, but..." Maybe that was why it was nice. Rena wasn't really the sort to get too into that space, mentally.
She glances sideways at Anita -- then she smiles back, nodding at her. "Yeah. We both came out of it okay. And the doctor. That's what matters. And..." She hesitates, trailing off for just a second.
"I'm not sure," she admits. "I hope not. But..."
But they could.
Then, she glances at Anita -- and shakes her head. "No, um... they might roll some out. But, after we went flying in EX-Gears, I decided to do some work in my downtime and wrote an OS for variable fighters, to do AMBAC movement like a Mobile Suit, and--"
She flushes. It came out, but it sounds like bragging. "They're talking about getting me a unit to test it on. It hasn't gotten here quite yet, though."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"And that's why you do such a good job." Anita says with a nod. As for that fight, Rena reaffirms what matters - that they all made it out okay in the end, even if there was some time for recovery.
And then, there's news - Rena wrote an OS for a Variable Fighter, and she's getting a unit to test it on. Anita whistles appreciatively.
"Hey now, that's pretty impressive." She says, and grins as she spots the look on Rena's face. "It's okay to be proud of it. That's no mean feat, you know? There's a reason most 'em don't have it."
Anita nods, at that.
"Of course, you're gonna have to let me see it when it comes in. It'll be nice having another Valkyrie pilot on the Ra Mari." She says. Underneath her usual mellow exterior, she seems pretty excited for Rena.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Rena laughs, a little sheepishly, and glances to the side. "Y-Yeah, I know... I just don't want to boast," she says, with a sigh. And then she looks back at Anita, and grins at her.
"Yeah, of course!" she says. "As soon as it does and I get the OS installed, you'll be the first to know!"
She beams. She might be trying to hide it and downplay it, but she is pretty proud of herself. There is something nice about being able to admit to that particular accomplishment.