2022-08-22: Charity
- Cast: Leina Ashta, Yuta Hibiki
- Where: Tsutsujidai
- Date: U.C. 0096 08 19
- Summary: A young woman walks into a junk shop wearing an unusual t-shirt. This attracts the attention of a young man with an unusual wristband.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
It's a calm summer day in Tsutsujidai, even though a threat looms. Nidaime told her that Akane intended to attack the Deculture festival, and while she can't really be a part of the defense force, she's strategizing the best way to tell her and prepare an evacuation route for her friends.
To pass the time however, Leina's here at the Junk Shop Aya, Rikka told her to try its coffee - the best in town. And Leina has a steaming cup in hand as she sits at the counter. She hasn't added cream or sugar yet. Instead she just takes a sip...
It's not the best coffee she's ever had, but it's also surprisingly up there. She's from Spain, which has a robust coffee culture, but neither is she some snob. Convenience store coffee will do in a pinch, she just adds cream and sugar. That she hasn't to this cup is a good indicator of its quality.
"MMmmm- Rikka wasn't kidding, this really is the best coffee in town." She says to Orie with a smile. "Mind if I look around for a while? I'm helping a classmate of hers set up an office for a charity."
Once she was assured that she should go right ahead, she leaves her coffee at the counter, browsing throughout the store. Even being around the junk was... nostalgic. Shangri-la was so full of it, mountains of scrap and metal. However, these were the quality items. The ones that never should have been thrown away, or could be cheaply repaired.
She's not a snob when it comes to these things either.
"Lamp... clock... office fridge... could use some more chairs..."
Leina murmurs as she browses the shelves. Leina herself might not raise many waves herself, just another customer in her late teens, in a pair of shorts, sneakers, and a T-Shirt - a pink ribbon in the left side of her short curly brown hair. Though once one looks closely, it's easy to see she doesn't belong. Her T-Shirt, for example, is a war protest T-Shirt. In particular it says:
Stop the War
Never again: Remember Bloody Valentine
It's quite a statement, though it's also a sign to those aware of the outside world that she doesn't quite fit in, in this place that's known no war since the One Year War.
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
It was tough to focus on festival preparations with his classmates, while Akane's threat looms over Yuta's head. Everyone seemed so excited, working hard and laughing together... even his usually-distant teacher seemed to be having fun with his students. Admittedly, Yuta was a little put out by it all. He couldn't remember ever experiencing a festival like this, he had been looking forward to it! If only Akane would listen to reason...
The thought of returning to an empty apartment and being left alone with his thoughts wasn't appealing, and before he knows it, Yuta finds himself before the Junk shop. Maybe the Neon Genesis Junior High Students would be around to keep him company? When he enters the place, it's fairly empty, and he sighs. Well, a nice cool drink wouldn't go amiss.
Apple juice in hand, Yuta glances around the shop. There was actually a customer in today -- that was unusual. Even more unusual was her shirt... Yuta's brows come together in worry. If Akane was to see that... how would she react?
Realization hits him as he takes a drink. This must be someone from the outside world! No one in Tsutsujidai would have access to a shirt about the Bloody Valentine incident. Sputtering a little, Yuta stands from his place at the bar. He browses through the shelves of junk -- with a far less expert eye than Leina -- trying to look casual. When he finally makes his way to the same section of the store Leina is in, he offers a little greeting.
"Hi. Sorry if this is weird, but, you're from the outside world, right?" Yuta looks almost apologetic at the question. "It's your shirt. Nobody here would have one like that."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina feels Yuta come in. In a city so empty of people who track as having intentionality at all, his is like a bright beacon by virtue of the fact that he has some. However, she doesn't so much as look up from what she's doing, she perhaps turns herself to give him a better angle of her. However... that's it.
"Hmmm, maybe we should consider other appliances just in case she might need to stay over... microwave definitely..."
The moment she feels his intent upon her, she knows she's hooked him. It's a bit like a fishing game, and perhaps manipulative in that sense, but it's not mean spirited. She just wants to meet the people of this city. This ensures that she will without just running right up to people.
As he walks up to her, Leina looks up from the shelves, and gives him a curious look. As he asks if she's from the outside world, she answers "Yeah. I guess that's obvious huh?" Leina says as she looks at her shirt, "Maybe not the most low key choice of wardrobe, but couldn't help but pack it given that Tsutsujidai looks like a PLANT right now."
Leina has this slightly sad smile, "Doesn't feel right not to acknowledge that."
She's being honest in that sense, she's just not saying everything perhaps.
"Leina Ashta by the way..." She says as she extends her hand for him to shake, though she doesn't force it, if he didn't take it she wouldn't seem offended, "... I've been sent to Tsutsujidai to open up a branch office of the Yumi Foundation. It's a charity that looks out for war orphans."
Leina's smile seems to perk up a bit, "But just because Tsutsujidai doesn't have any, doesn't mean that there aren't people here that need our help."
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
Yuta's presence might be a bit strange, being a young man hosting a giant of light. Who can say? He certainly looks the part of an average high school boy, still in his school uniform. A knitted vest is layered atop his shirt, despite the sweltering weather outside. Perhaps this is the reason he holds onto his apple juice so resolutely, grateful for the cool relief it provides.
Leina is given a smile, and the apologetic look on his face fades. "Thank goodness. Can you imagine if I'd said that to someone who wasn't from the outside?" A little laugh, as he extends his hand as well, shaking Leina's gently. "I'm Yuta Hibiki. It's great to meet you, Leina! Working for a charity is so cool!" This girl doesn't appear much older than himself, and she's got such an impressive job!
"We're lucky to not have much in the way of war. Well... not any that most people remember." A little shrug. Maybe this is a test, to see how much Leina knows? "But there's always people who will be grateful for the help. I know we've just met, but please let me know if there's anything I can do to help!" Yuta smiles brightly, doing a little fist-pump. "I really love this city. I want to do everything I can for it."
Yuta looks hesitant, for a moment. He has more questions, but he doesn't want to distract from the Junk shop making a sale... "Um... I know this isn't a great topic, but... could you tell me what Bloody Valentine was all about? I've only heard bits and pieces, and it's important to one of my," A pause, that lasts just a bit too long. "friends. I understand if you don't want to talk about it, though."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Yuta's presence /is/ odd, but this whole place is odd. As such, Leina doesn't assume more of it other than 'Tsutsujidai is Psychically Strange' once again. Leina laughs lightly at the idea of him saying that to someone who wasn't, "That'd be awkward. They'd probably think you're a Chuunibiyo or something."
Before she shakes his hand with a perhaps surprisingly firm grip, she must work out, "Great to meet you too, Yuta."
Before she grins at him, "It has its moments, seeing people whose lives we've touched first hand, giving them opportunities they never would have had otherwise. Seeing the joy of them discovering sides of themselves they didn't know about, because they don't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from."
Leina though tilts her head to the side, giving him an appraising look as if catching some possible intent from him, "Not since the One Year War right? Yeah. I was a toddler back when that was going on, and I can't remember a time when some kind of awful conflict, or just... outright war was going on."
She then smiles at him anew, "I definitely will! Thank you for the offer. The more locals offering hands, the better. I'm still new around town, though I've spent about a week and a half getting the lay of the land."
However, he asks about... Bloody Valentine... and Leina's expression turns serious. "You might want to sit down for this one. Maybe in the cafe?" Fortunately Orie is busy in the back right now so... she doesn't have to worry too much. As she guides him over to there, and slides her coffee to their new seat...
"Ah. Where to start." Leina takes a sip of her coffee, "I'm not a Coordinator, and I don't live in a PLANT, so don't take what I'm saying as an expert account. They deserve for their voices to be heard on this but... I'll tell you what I can."
Her hand plays on the handle of the coffee, "So Coordinators existed about thirty seven years before the One Year War. Around here, you hear it, and people might say 'Oh cool!' like it's just, something unique or different from everyone else. In most Federation nations the process to create coordinators is... banned. And there's a lot of Anti-Coordinator sentiment. The ruling political party in the Federation right now, the NIA, is the source of a lot of it. Most Coordinators have been deported from Earth, or fled to the PLANTs, which are agricultural colonies that the Federation set up to be entirely dependent on Earth."
She glances sideways at Yuta, gauging his reaction, "To do this they set caps on production, which aren't even enough to feed their own people - while forcing them to export food. It's an awful policy, that led to a lot of starvation amongst PLANT citizens, and violent protests. So the Chairman of the PLANTs, Siegel Clyne, made treaties with independent nations a few years back to make sure their people would be fed. This ended the riots, but not the unrest."
Leina's eyes move to her coffee cup, her expression becoming sad, "When they tried to negotiate higher food production caps for peace, the Federation delegation was destroyed by a terrorist attack. Since Chairman Clyne's ship was delayed from arriving at the delegation before the attack happened, Coordinators were blamed for it, and the PLANTS were ejected from the Federation on suspicion of being behind it."
Leina pauses for a while, eyes closing with a somber air, as her tone quiets down, "Junius 7. Where Tsutsujidai appeared in space? That was the site of a PLANT colony. 'Was'... because it was destroyed in a nuclear explosion."
Steadying herself with a long inhalation, she looks sideways at Yuta, "That was the Bloody Valentine. The Federation declared war on ZAFT, the PLANT militia. The war has been going on ever since."
It's a long, heavy story perhaps but... even in this world without war, Leina thinks it's important for him to know. After all, Tsutsujidai seems inextricably tied to it, whether anyone likes it or not.
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
Yuta blinks at Leina's strong grip. He'd tried to go easy on her, since she was a girl... but it looks like that wasn't necessary at all!
Leina's enthusaism for her charity work is infectious. A part of Yuta almost feels like it's resonating in response. How wonderful would it be to be able to help people without fighting, and getting hurt? Without risking lives? Just providing happiness and opportunity for others... He smiles gently, a faraway look in his eye for a moment. When he snaps back to reality, Yuta nods eagerly. "I really do like the sound of that. I know this place is a little unusual, but that doesn't mean the people don't matter. They deserve happiness and safety, too. I don't have many talents, but I'm good at lifting heavy things!" He laughs a little, shrugging.
It seems like Leina doesn't know about Akane and Gridman, then. That's probably for the best. Yuta laughs again, a little awkwardly -- "Y--yeah! It's always been strange to me how life can go on so peacefully despite everything happening around us. Earth and the colonies have all these problems, and Tsutsujidai is as quiet as ever." He fidgets a little, at that, adjusting a wristband on his left arm.
Yuta's expression turns serious to match Leina's, immediately picking up on the change in temperature. He follows her to the cafe, placing his almost-gone apple juice on a napkin as a coaster. "I appreciate it, Leina. Things like Bloody Valentine aren't in any of our books, or online here, so hearing from people like you is the only way I can really learn about it. If it gets to be too much, please don't trouble yourself for my sake." Yuta inclines his head slightly, as though making a polite bow from his seated position.
"Coordinators..." The word is familiar, but only just. It's connected to the concept of 'Newtypes', in his mind -- categories people from the outside world put a lot of value in. "They've been around a lot longer than I thought." Yuta frowns at the thought of Coordinators being deported and experiencing prejudice. "That's ridiculous. They didn't choose to be born that way! If anyone should be prosecuted, it's the people who made them! Not that, I think it's right to persecute them." Yuta hastily tacks on. He'd heard people talk about Kaworu being a Coordinator before... Yuta doesn't know if it's true, but he's certainly not going to support persecution either way.
Taking in a soft breath, Yuta's blue eyes widen at Leina's next words. "That's... they just left all those people to starve..? They must've known what they were doing! How could anyone be so heartless!" Distress rolls from Yuta like fog, clouding his thoughts for a long moment. It's like nothing he's ever heard of... Government mandated suffering. For a moment, he wishes he hadn't asked, the weight of such a hideous crime overwhelming. But this was the purpose of beings like Gridman. To right the wrongs of the world, to protect people..! He can't do that if he turns away from the truth.
Yuta takes another drink of apple juice (maybe his hands tremble, just a bit), and looks back at Leina with clear, determined eyes. He listens to the rest of the story quietly, nodding at appropiate moments to show his interest. Akane stays in his thoughts as Leina describes the place Tsutsujidai now occupies. All that pain, all the suffering and injustice... no wonder Akane tried to retreat. No wonder her heart is broken. "Thank you." Yuta offers, looking down for a long moment. There's a sense of guilt, now -- Tsutsujidai lived in such perfect safety, compared to the world these Cordinators had known. Even if Akane was hurting people, she'd spared them all from so much grief and pain.
"I want to say... 'What can I do to help?', but I think this is a problem bigger than myself." Yuta begins, his voice quiet. "Does your charity help the people in the PLANTs, too? I'd imagine there's... a lot of war orphans there."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
The people of this place matter indeed. Sayla would have done this, even if it were only for Marusan. Just the one. Though if they could help Akane and the rest? All the better...
"Might need your help there soon if you don't mind. I'm thinking of cleaning this place out of some heavier appliances for the office."
And while Leina thinks Marusan is a capable girl of many talents, helping her lift a refrigerator, even with the assistance of a dolly is probably not one of them.
Leina knows about Akane at least, and she does know of a Gridman from Nidaime - as her good friend. Though she doesn't know many details. Her job here doesn't require her to know them, and she's not pressing Sayla or the others to tell her. She'll figure it out on her own in time.
Leina nods sadly when it comes to the idea of Coordinators not choosing how they were born, "And it was only because their parents wanted them to have a better life. The law banning the process shouldn't exist at all. If anything, more research should be performed into it, to help those that exist right now."
Leina can feel Yuta's outrage, and she turns on her stool. She hates this. First with Banagher, and now with Yuta. Crushing innocence, even if it's necessary - even if it's asked for. "It's because the individuals at the top of Federation are politicians who only care about grasping for more power for themselves, not the people they're supposed to be serving." Leina says delicately, as she can feel his distress, she wishes /she/ was this distressed discussing it anymore. She still had her fire, she still had her passion, but right now it's just matter of fact, "Human life means little to them. They'll give a speech about how it does after each tragedy, then behind closed doors be relieved about there being 'fewer mouths to feed.'"
Leina's focused more on sympathy for him in this moment, "I'm not telling you this because I want you to go out there and think the Federation should be overthrown at all costs, like they're some villains. Trying would hurt countless people, make their lives collateral. But... it does need to change."
The guilt she feels though, it's just... awful, she can only imagine, but /he/ didn't choose to escape the real world, and he shouldn't feel badly for it.
"It is. Bigger than you, or me. As for whether our charity helps them? We would, gladly. However, they don't let us in." Leina's green eyes remain sad on this fact, "They don't trust that we mean well, after being hurt and betrayed so many times. Many of them see 'Naturals' as the enemy now, because of that."
After a time, Leina's hand comes to rest on Yuta's shoulder, supportively...
... as she decides to take a risk, because she can just sense he's not saying everything about how he feels. "Yuta. I'm also not telling you this because I want you to feel /ashamed/."
Leina says with a soft squeeze, "I can see it, it's written all over your face. You didn't know about any of it - and it's only natural for people to only see the problems right in front of them. The Kaiju attacks are what threatens people here, now, in your home right?"
Even if her eyes are still sad, she gives him a smile. She knows that if he knows about the Outside World, that he must be one of the few people who remember the Kaiju attacks, "That means they're at the top of the list. I get the urge to wish you could work towards... fixing everything, all at once. One thing at a time though." She winks, "You can join me for the political protests all you want after your home is safer."
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
"That'd be great!" He wasn't scaring away a sale from the junk shop after all! "I'm happy to do whatever I can." Yuta doesn't look particularly strong, but he sure seems confident.
After a moment of hesitation, Yuta decides to put a little more trust in Leina. "I have a friend who might be a Coordinator. He hasn't really talked about it, but people spread rumors. You know how it is." Yuta drums his knuckles against the bar top. "Is there anything I can do to help him? Do Coordinators have special dietary needs, or anything?" It'd be terrible to offer Kaworu sleepover snacks that he couldn't eat.
"It's such a tragedy. It's only natural for parents to want the best for their children. It seems... I don't know if 'natural' is the right word, but it's a normal progression of science, maybe?" Yuta scratches the side of his cheek. "Sorry, I'm not making sense. Maybe this is naive, but I can't believe there are people who say they've dedicated their lives to helping others, and then... do things like that. Valuing their own people so little." Yuta shakes his head, unsure what more to say. This was a problem even Gridman couldn't solve...
Yuta nods. "Trying to just attack the people responsible would lead to more anger and prejudice. They'd surely blame it on the Coordinators, somehow. I -- really wish there was something to be done. Some way to prove to the people of the PLANTs that we really do want to help." Yuta smiles at Leina as she places a hand on his shoulder. His knit vest is soft, the natural fabric well-worn and comfortable to the touch. "I wonder how they'd feel about the people from Tsutsujidai. We're not exactly, uh, 'Naturals'. I think Nidaime put it as 'Repli-Compoids'? It's definitely not the same thing, but maybe different enough they'd trust us?" Yuta shrugs. "I don't know. It's just an idea."
Blue eyes blink a few times as Leina so accurately reads his feelings. "That's amazing, Leina. You're so insightful." Yuta smiles. "I admit, I've been feeling discouraged about the kaiju here. We heard another attack is coming soon, and... even though everything gets fixed, the people who die don't come back. It's good to have a fresh perspective on things. We could have it a lot worse." Yuta brightens a little, easily matching Leina's energy. "I've never been to a protest! I'll take you up on that! I bet I could get a couple friends to come along, too."
"On a happier note, if it's okay to ask. What's going to be your first project here?" Yuta wonders if anything will be heavy enough to require Gridman's help. Would that be a worthy use of his power? "We have a school festival coming up soon, maybe you could do advertising to find volunteers there!"
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina cheers up at his eagerness, before he relates he has a Coordinator friend, the 'special dietary needs' actually elicits a soft giggle from her, before...
"Nah. Just treat him like you would anyone else. And if someone mistreats him because he's a Coordinator, stick up for him. That's the best thing you can do." She winks at him, "Also, just ask him, how he wants to be treated - what he wants you to do."
Leina nods quietly though about the Coordinator situation, "It's a complicated issue, with a lot of ethical dilemmas involved. It's not clear cut what should be done. I just understand that what we're doing, is wrong. We should be figuring the problem out, hand in hand - rather than persecuting them."
Leina's eyes dim a bit though as he says he can't believe there are people who are hypocritical in that way... "It's not something most people believe, until they witness it with their own eyes." Though Leina wishes it had just been her eyes. Instead, she saw right into their hearts - in the worst way, understood their intentions.
And immediately knew she never wanted to be an adult, if they were the examples of what being an adult meant.
Leina's brow furrows at the word 'Repli-Compoids' before... "Huh. I don't know the answer to that. To be honest, I didn't even know that myself. What's the difference between a Repli-Compoid, and everyone else?" Leina asks, genuinely curious about the subject.
As Yuta calls her insightful, she looks bashful, because in a way she cheated. "The Deculture festival right?" She says of the upcoming Kaiju attack, "A friend warned me. I'm trying to get everything ready here as quickly as I can so we'll be ready for the attack... and the aftermath."
Leina grins at him though at his enthusiasm for protests. "That'd be great. More hands for the cause are always welcome."
Though he then asks what her first project is, and Leina mulls it over a bit, "Honestly? It's getting the office set up mostly, so we'll have a place to coordinate logistics for aid. It's... not at all straightforward here, due to the way Kaiju attacks affect the memory of everyone here, and repair the city. During an attack, we'll be focusing on evacuation, since the city doesn't have the infrastructure for that. In the aftermath we'll be focusing mainly on residents who /can/ remember the attacks, and what needs they have."
Leina gives him a mildly sad look, "Everyone else won't think they need our help at all."
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
Yuta blushes a bit when Leina giggles. "That's good to know. I don't know if he's actually one or not, but... I'll always have his back. He'd do the same for me." Yuta thinks about Kaworu helping him with that huge meeting, despite being still so injured. The least he could do is make sure Kaworu is treated respectfully.
Concern crosses his face as Leina's enthusiasm seems to fade a bit. "I'm sorry. This must be difficult to have to talk about, especially to a stranger. Can I get you another drink, or anything? Or, maybe..." Yuta steps behind the counter, fussing with an old-fashioned-looking boom box. After a few moments of fumbling, soft music plays through the junk shop. It's a cheerful tune, some pop song or another. "My friend Nidaime says music is powerful. She believes in song spirits." Yuta doesn't mention her mother is a song spirit. That was Nidaime's story to tell. "She always tells me how important music is. Maybe it'll help you feel better?" Yuta blushes a little, once more. It's a silly idea, but it's the best he has to offer.
As he comes back around to his seat, he winces a bit. Whoops. How can he explain Repli-Compoids without getting into everything surrounding Akane? Leina doesn't seem like the type to go after her, but... "Uh, w--well! We're creations from someone's heart, instead of... normal people, I guess? I don't really know all of it, myself. I was thinking, maybe that means we were made 'on purpose' like the Coordinators? Something small to have in common. I don't think we're better at anything, or stronger, than anyone. But, uh, we live in a PLANT, now! So that's a comparison already, right?" Yuta finishes his apple juice, a wobbly, embarrassed smile on his face.
"Oh, thank goodness you know already. I was trying to find a subtle way to get around to that. We need to have a planning meeting about how to handle it, we've never had this much advanced notice before. In a way, it's really very kind." In another way, it gives him so much time to dread the fight. "Evacuation is the best help we could ask for. I wish it was easier on you, but... at least there won't be destruction to deal with!" Yuta offers a small silver lining with a bright smile. "There aren't too many of us who can remember the attacks, but I can help you get in contact with everyone."
Yuta fidgets a bit. "I hope this is okay. You see, we've been having lots of allies and friends from the outside world come to help in fights, lately. Even helping with planning meetings, or... just hanging out together. It's wonderful to have their support, and I'm grateful, but.." Yuta twists the bottom of this vest in his hands. "I'm afraid of what will happen if one of them is badly hurt, or dies, here. Maybe their organizations will try and retaliate against us, or destroy Tsutsujidai entirely." It hadn't seemed like a possibility until Yuta fully understood what the Bloody Valentine conflict was. But now... knowing people would turn a blind eye to the actions of their leaders acting unjustly... "It's something I've been thinking about a lot, lately. I didn't mind so much when it was just me, but now..."
"I'm not really sure what I'm asking." He inclines his head apologetically. "Do you think it's a possibility, retaliation like that?"
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"It's not uncommon for someone to want to hide it, if they're not living on a PLANT. So be careful not to accidentally out him to people too." Leina advises, before...
... Yuta's concern is visible, "You're sweet, Yuta. Sure. I wouldn't mind another cup of coffee." Hers is nearly drained by now... though her eyes do light up when he says he's friends with Nidaime, "Oh you're friends with Nidaime!? Ha! Well that changes a lot. I grew up with her."
Though wait, didn't Nidaime say her only 'for sure' friends in Tsutsujidai were Uncle Siggy, Gridman, and Anti? Puzzling... maybe Nidaime just isn't presuming she's friends with him yet.
"She lived with me about eight years ago in my household, as far as I'm concerned, she's family." At the very least, she's smiling again now, "Yeah, though, as you may have guessed based on what I just said, music is pretty important to me too - it's how the two of us used to bond."
However, that smile becomes more wan yet again when he speaks of Repli-Compoids. Created people... just like Elpeo and her sisters. Though perhaps not created intentionally... Leina looks abstracted, as if in thought, then gives Yuta a serious look, "Who created all of you, if you don't mind saying?"
He's relieved that she already knows that much, and she grins, "It's fine. I didn't come to Tsutsujidai because I'm the type to shirk a challenge." She winks, "Please do. Does that mean you're part of the Kaiju defense force?" She asks again, out of curiosity.
Though she pays attention to his gratitude, smiling, despite feeling his obvious anxiety in how he twists his vest - not even needing Newtype powers for that. An elbow on the counter, she listens to him... afraid if someone gets hurt, or dies here. And her expression gentles. "It's hard isn't it? Worrying whether the people you care about, might not come back from the next battle?" It's a feeling she knows well, "I don't know if I have any advice to help you with that feeling. It still affects me, because I chose to sit on the sidelines long ago - rather than climbing into a mobile suit."
Leina does adds softly, "It's something I've never gotten used to, no matter how many years pass. And I kind of hope you never do either... because the moment it becomes easier, it feels like you've lost something."
Though, that's not all of it though, it's him worrying about retaliation if one of them passes...
"I won't tell you that's not a possibility, Yuta. However, I will say... even more frighteningly... that it might come from a place you don't even see coming." Leina gives him a supportive look, "If it does, you just have to trust that you and your friends will be up to the challenge of defending this place... because the alternative is too terrible to contemplate."
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
Nodding with a smile, Yuta stands to prepare Leina more coffee. "I'm not even sure he actually is one, honestly, so it's not something I think I should really talk about. I'll keep his secret safe, either way."
"You did? I thought--" Yuta looks completely shocked. This would mean Leina knows about Nidaime being a kaiju, right? Maybe he should play it safe, just in case. "W--well, I thought she was native to Tsutsujidai. I've met her mother before, but I thought they were living on the streets, or in the woods, or something." He stops himself before he talks about Nidaime occasionally smelling... less than pleasant. "How'd she wind up living with you? Honestly, it's a relief to know she has somewhere safe to stay. Don’t get me wrong, I know she can look after herself. But she still looks like a little girl. I worry about her. "
As the music swells around them both, Yuta hands Leina her coffee with a smile. "I'm so thankful you've been there for her."
"A--ah." Yuta fusses with his wristband again. "Well, it's a little farfetched... Kinda, um. Mystical? There's a god of this city, you see, and... she made us!" He winces. "I know that sounds like a religious belief, but it's a physical fact here. Nidaime told me all of Tsutsujidai is our, uh, god's heart."
Happy to change the subject, Yuta nods eagerly. "Yeah! My friends and I have been doing all we can. This is kind of our home base, actually. It's Rikka's family's place, we owe her a lot."
Leina understands. Yuta breathes a soft relief. He didn't want to come across as some kind of worrywart. "I hope you never have to fight, Leina." His voice is soft. "But I know what you do is just as difficult. I wish there was a way to prevent retaliation, or make everyone understand our intentions, but... I guess I'll just have to be ready for whatever comes. I'll always do whatever I can for my home."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"It just ended up that way, about eight years back." Leina says of Nidaime, "At the time she was such a wild child." Leina shakes her head with a fond smile, "I just thought she was a war orphan that... well, needed help learning how to act, but that wasn't the case. Then four years ago, something bad happened, and she had to stay in our care again."
There's a distinct pause, "She had to leave every so often, and at the time I thought it was because her parents - or guardians just were involved in something where they couldn't always take care of her." Her head cants to the side, "I don't know if she's a native here. Maybe she is? I just know she likes it here... though she still drops by every now and then to visit for a few days. Just... she always has to go before too long." She does look, sad about that? Though her mood seems to perk up again.
"It feels like she can thrive here without any problems though. So uh, well, maybe if she's going to be spending a lot of time here, you could consider getting her into school here? It might do her some good."
Leina though gives him a peculiar look as he talks about a god of the city that made them. "Well, honestly... it does. It sounds very Japanese? Like, Shintoism. With local gods." Leina actually spends some time mulling that over. "A city that's a god's heart huh? That actually explains a little about how it was before... huh."
Though, it also disturbs her a little, that so much of this God's heart is /empty/. Psychically hollow, with people who are like... noise.
"Ah." Leina grins at Yuta, as she adds another name to her 'Probably Shuffle Alliance' checklist. Though that's not something she's going to say aloud, "Your home base?" Leina blinks, then looks to the back room, before leaning in and whispering with a cupped hand, "Is Ms. Takarada in on it? Just wanna be sure I don't say too much if she's in earshot if she's not."
She gives Yuta a small smile, "Thanks, I hope so too." Leina mulls it over, "Honestly I wish I could offer you better advice on that... other than being ready but..."
Leaning in, Leina whispers again, "I have a feeling that some very well-connected people are already looking out for any signs that something like that is already coming." Leina does this with a wink, after all, one can do much worse when it comes to intelligence than Sayla Mass.
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
"Oh, of course. She'd look like the exact kind of person you're trying to help." Yuta nods. "I'm really glad she had someone to care for her." Yuta lays his arms along the bar top, looking a little rueful. "I've never really thought about where Nidaime must come from, or go, after she helps us. I feel bad about that now." Memories of the Death Knight fight flash through Yuta's mind. He should've sought Nidaime out afterwards, no matter how tired he was.
"I've only met her mother... twice, now, but she looks like a normal woman. Even if she's um," Leina listened to the 'God' stuff, maybe she'd understand this part, too? "She's a song spirit, I guess? I'm not sure what that actually means. But Nidaime's father is a giant turtle kaiju. He's appeared to help us fight before, with Nidaime by his side. The whole family seems to know a lot about this city, but they're not the best at straight answers." Yuta laughs a little, shrugging. "I'm going to make it a priority to learn more about her. I never realized how little I've done for her in return for her help."
Yuta's blue eyes blink. "School?" He tries to imagine Nidaime in a school uniform, playing with other children. "Well, she did seem to get along well with Anti, and he was a younger kid.. What grade would she be in..? If she's spent eight years with you, that's at least... third?" For that matter, should Anti be going to school? Yuta grimaces. Would Anti turn into a kaiju if he got a bad grade, or squabbled with someone on the playground? Maybe that's not such a good idea... "It can't hurt to try! I'll ask Rikka about it, too."
"Our god is a lonely girl, and someone's... using her for his own ends." Yuta says, quietly. "I think she's been through a lot. She's in my class, and everyone really seems to like her, but I don't think it sinks in?" Yuta grasps for words, pulling his phone out. "I text her every day, but she never replies.." Tapping on the screen quickly, Yuta holds up a contact named "Akane Shinjo" to Leina. True to his words, there's messages going back a few weeks -- each one a picture of a kaiju with a nice saying on top of it. 'I liked your outfit today!' 'Wasn't the weather pretty?' 'Hey, special dogs are on sale!'. "I heard memes are popular, so I've been making some to send to her!" Yuta looks rather proud of this. "But she never replies. And when we meet in person, things go," A pause. "badly."
At the mention of Ms. Takarada, Yuta glances to the back room too. "She's not, really. I don't know what she thinks we're doing, but she doesn't make much of a fuss. I think she might be like the rest of the civilians." Is that true..? Rikka's mother did seem to be oddly chill about almost everything, but she's never seemed out of touch, or stupid.
Yuta leans in as well. "That's such a relief, Leina, thank you! I still have no idea what I should be looking out for. We'd really be in trouble if it wasn't for our allies."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina's head tilts, and then there's a coy grin, "Anopapa you mean? We've met. I've never met her Mom though, she says it's hard for that to happen." Song spirit though? That makes sense, given Nidaime's love of music. Though that confirms at least to Yuta she knows she's a Kaiju. "And yeah, she's told me that he's been showing up to lend a hand here, and she offers her support best as she can." Laughter bubbles out, "Not being the best at straight answers is right but, that's just her way. I'm used to it."
Leina shrugs her shoulders and smiles, "I've tried to tutor her in a few subjects, but the best idea would just... to have her take a placement test, they they can transfer her in whatever level she's at. It'd be good for her." Leina winks, "Might convince her to make bathing a more regular habit too."
Oh she knows that struggle real well.
Leina though listens on... their God, and then sees the name Akane Shinjo. That he sends her a lot of Kaiju memes and pictures. Suddenly a lot of pieces just click together, though she doesn't say that right now. "A lonely girl being exploited..." Leina says quietly as she thinks upon the past sadly, "... feels like a story that repeats itself over and over again... just in a different way each time."
Leina mulls it over, "It makes sense things go badly if you're on the defense force. It means she probably thinks of you as her enemy." A pause, and she... "It's not going to be easy to change her thinking on that." She says quietly. "Doesn't mean I think you should give up. Just... it's a long, hard road you're taking."
She'll have to give this some more thought, now that she's put together more and more...
... as the subject switches to Orie though... Leina doesn't say anything about the fact that she's like the other civilians, as she doesn't want to tell Yuta what she psychically senses about the civilians. It doesn't feel right, to inflict that upon him... the idea that people are background noise...
... it's not right... especially when her mom might mean so much to Rikka...
"I'll keep that in mind."
Before she grins at him, "Just take it one day at a time. The important thing's having your heart in the right place, the rest? That can come as you go. You'll get there, just so long as you never stop learning."
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
"What was it like, meeting him? I've only seen him from a distance. Could you talk together?" Yuta laughs a little at the thought. "The most I've heard from him are earsplitting 'gronk's. I have to admit, when all this started, I never thought a scruffy little girl would be one of our greatest allies." Yuta grins in return to Leina. "I never expected a lot of things to go the way they have. Was that what it was like for you, when you started volunteering?"
Yuta laughs again at the mention of Nidaime's bathing habits. "She has been getting better about bathing lately, though! Or at least, her breath isn't so bad anymore. A placement test.. that's a great idea! Though -- do you think Nidaime would want to go to school? She's such a free spirit." Yuta props his chin up on his hands, thinking. "I wonder if we could do a mock school day for her, to let her try it out before getting all signed up. There'd be trouble if she enrolled and then never showed up."
As Leina's voice grows sad, Yuta looks at her, concerned. "My friend knew her before she was our god. She got in a lot of trouble at their school, just for dumb things like her natural hair color. It must've really weighed on her, and then when Bloody Valentine happened..." It was just all too much. "I wish I could understand how she feels, but I've never felt sadness like that. I wonder if I could do more for her if I had." Yuta looks at Leina. She'd been in the world for Bloody Valentine, just like Akane. Maybe Leina could understand her, and help her, more than Yuta could? "I don't want to ask you to take on my troubles, but maybe if you talked to her? You're so insightful and kind, I wonder if your words would be more helpful than my own."
Yuta nods. "That's what my friend said to me. I'm going to keep sending her one every day, and trying to be nice to her in class!" Yuta tries to brighten again, making a show of his determination. "What she's doing isn't okay, but everyone's told us we have to save her, not stop her. It isn't as simple as fighting her. Some of our allies want to just, um. Take her out. But I won't let that happen."
It's odd that Leina goes quiet about Rikka's mother so quickly, but... maybe she doesn't like talking about people behind their back. Yuta nods. "She's always been kind to us, letting us hang out here and have snacks."
"You seem like an expert at all this, Leina. I'm jealous, I feel like I'm fumbling around no matter what I do!" Yuta laughs, his eyebrows coming together in slight distress. "I hope you're right, that it'll be enough." That I will be enough, Yuta thinks. "One day at a time.. I think even someone like me can manage that."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"Hmmm- wellllll. It's a good thing Nidaime was there." Leina grins at him. The truth is though, she could communicate fairly well? Nidaime, Anti, and Anosillus are the only Kaiju she's ever connected with though, and Anosillus was the least... verbal of them. However, she's not about to say she's a Newtype like that. "But I got the impression that he cares for his daughter a lot."
Leina grins at him, "Oh has she? I always have to twist her arm a little when she visits. But I have noticed that her breath is definitely fresher!" Leina mulls over the topic on whether she'd like to go to school, "I think so. She's, curious, and says she's in this sort of 'training' in which I think that school will help her out. It's at least worth suggesting it."
Before she bobs her head, "Yeahhhh that's a good idea, though it feels like in Tsutsujidai at least she can show up?"
Yuta though, he talks to her about Akane before she became a God, and how this situation weighed upon her. It's... a lot of shared experience, and a heavy weight to bear. And Leina slowly considers the topic, eyes half lidding - she wishes it were so simple as just being insightful and kind, "I'll try, but first I have to get the sense of what kind of girl she is. It sounds like she's the type to retreat from something uncomfortable - given how she's treating your texts. And if that's the case, talking about something like that might just cause her to bolt. It might be a slow process, to get her to open up to talking about something so serious."
Those green eyes of her look pensive, "I'll try, but like I said, it might not be easy to get her there, to where she'll talk about it."
Leina looks towards the back room where Orie is, then back at Yuta, "Well, I'm glad she's so understanding - even if she doesn't really understand, you know? Tough position to be in for a mom..."
Leina actually laughs and waves it off, "Expert? Nahhhh. I'm not even out of high school yet. I just have plenty of life experience. Due to... well..." Leina just shrugs, "... let's just say I've had a complicated life... I'm no expert, just I have a lot of perspective I guess?"
She's trying NOT to brag about her grades or anything like that, last thing she needs is for everyone to think she's an elitist. "Besides it's not like you chose to be in this position of where you are, you know? Some of these things, you were just denied the opportunity to know at all."
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
"They do seem like a happy family, don't they?" Yuta smiles, a little wistfully. "I guess even kaiju care about things like that. The world is pretty simple when you zoom in enough. Everyone wants to be happy and safe. I think... that's what our god wanted for us, too. Why she made this place the way it is. I know there's problems with Tsutsujidai, but I think she did the very best she could for us."
For someone on the front lines of fighting Akane's kaiju, Yuta sure talks about her in a warm way! It's easier to love someone once you understand them, after all, and Leina has given him important pieces to that goal.
"It'd be fun to make a mock-school for Nidaime! Rikka could be a teacher, maybe you could too, if you wanted! Or other members of your family, and -- I could teach gym, maybe?" Yuta laughs. "I'm not very knowledgeable in other subjects. We could find her a little backpack, and a desk... A cute lunch break! Nidaime would like that kind of thing, I think, especially if we joined her for the pretend classes." Yuta thinks for a moment. Nidaime probably knows a lot more than he does, with his amnesia. Hmm.. "Or maybe she'd think it was silly, and be way beyond us." He laughs, a little embarrassed.
"I'm sorry if I'm saying to much about our problems. You're here, already trying to help us -- I don't want to burden you with more." He nods at Leina's assumptions about Akane. "I know we've just met, but I trust that you're here to help. If you wind up meeting her, please treat her kindly." Yuta smiles gently. "I'll do whatever I can for you, in exchange. That way it's fair!"
When Yuta hears Leina is still in high school, he grins. "Oh, I thought you were a college girl! Is your school doing anything for the Deculture Festival? I -- well, maybe it's a little silly, but I'm really excited for everything. I've never been to a big event like this, and I want to see as much as I can! So -- if your school is doing anything cool, I'd love to come see!"
"A complicated life..." Yuta nods. "I think I can get that. Though you have me beat on perspective, I -- um, I actually got amnesia a few months ago." He admits, his smile turning a little wobbly, and he quickly waves off any worried objections. "It's totally fine, the doctors say there's no problems or anything dangerous. I just have a lot to learn, even for someone in Tsutsujidai."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"Some Kaiju do at least. I'd say they're pretty unique that way." Leina says wryly of that, "Though I think even the Kaiju that... can't communicate, still at least care for their young. The ones I've seen outside of Tsutsujidai are more like... wild animals? Just real dangerous ones. I'm not a real expert on the topic though."
Leina laughs at the idea of giving Nidaime a mock school where Yuta teaches gym. "I'm sure you're exaggerating - bet you could do more than just gym easily. But yeah good thought! Though maybe shouldn't be me as a teacher. She already sees me as her big sister. If I'm already an authority figure in her eyes it won't be as effective?" Leina rubs her chin pensively, "I could be another older student, like her 'senpai' or something?"
Fortunately Leina's spent a lot of time in Japan with the Kabutos, enough that doing a mock of a Japanese school wouldn't be a problem for her. "Sounds cute, maybe we could set it up with some of the stuff here at the Junk Shop."
Leina puts up a hand as Yuta apologizes, "Hey no, it's fine. I want to know all this. It's helpful for me figuring out what kind of charity work this town will need in the future. It's not a burden so much as it's just making those plans more and more complicated. That's fine though." She grins at him reassuringly, "Every new country we go to for charity work, there are complications, cultural dynamics, different bureaucracies to navigate... all kinds of things! Even if your situation isn't like everyone else's, it's pretty normal that we have to field these kinds of things."
She does smile at him though, "Though I'm glad to have your trust, promise I won't let you down." She does wink at him, "That offer of heavy lifting when we do the office move is a good start, and I'm sure there's other things I'll need - and want to know. If we could like, exchange contact information? That way if you feel like you really have to pay me back, I can just ask you questions every now and then."
Leina laughs and shakes her head at being called a college girl, "About to start my last year of high school. University next year." Leina looks at him, "I missed a few years due to personal life stuff, so I started a little behind. I've just thrown myself into catching up."
Leina though shakes her head, "Not so much, because uh..." Leina rubs the back of her neck, "...you'd be hard pressed to find anyone at my school but me that speaks any language other than Spanish. I'm kind of our only representative to GUTS." She gives him a sheepish smile, "But I'll definitely be around during it."
Though she blinks, then gives him a long look, "Like, amnesia amnesia? Not just you were created and don't... remember anything before that?" Leina does ask after a moment, "What kinds of things don't you remember?"
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
"Oh, really? I thought they'd all be like Nidaime and her family, when they're not artificial. I guess it makes more sense that they'd be like animals." Yuta smiles. "I bet there's whole fields of study for it. Kaiju-ology, maybe?"
Yuta beams at Leina's idea. "That'd be perfect! It'd be way more realistic if there were other students. I'm think we've got a chalkboard around here somewhere, we could be totally retro." He laughs. "I have a couple friends who could do a music class, she'd like that, I'm sure!"
He can't help but blink as Leina winks. A real girl winking at him -- and an upperclassman, at that! Embarrassed, Yuta scratches one of his cheeks, trying to get rid of his blush. "You're so cool, Leina, I feel like I'm talking to a real hero, like someone from a history book! Still in high school, but you've been to new countries, all to help people... It's like a movie, or something!" Which is it, Yuta?
Here's my cell number!" Yuta brings out a little piece of paper with the number written down, rather than telling her himself. "I'm happy to do whatever I can. I do know the best place to get sodas in town, if that's ever in need." Again he imagines Gridman, sitting crouched outside a building, lifting desks and heavy equipment from the ground floor and gently putting them inside a window at a higher floor. Hopefully the building Leina's moving into has an elevator...
"Oh, gotcha." He's a little embarrassed at touching on what must be a sensitive subject. "Sorry, I hope I didn't bring up painful memories."
"Wow, you've really come a long way. Well, are you excited for any of the other events, then? I've, um --" He blushes, then clears his throat. "Rikka and I are going to Sherly Nome's performance. I've never been to a beach before -- well, that I can remember. Maybe I have! Really, I'd like to go to all the events, but that seems a little excessive.."
With a wobbly smile, Yuta nods. "Yeah. My friends remember daily life for quite a while before I do. I guess we all could've been created right then, but I didn't get fake memories, or anything." It's certainly something he's thought about. "But all I know is one day I woke up here, on the couch. Everything before that is just gone -- when I try to think about it, it's just like there's a wall of static. I've had to figure out where everything was in my house again, my class schedule... I'm lucky I didn't lose the ability to talk, or anything. It could've been a lot worse."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina does laugh at Kaiju-ology, "I'm not sure what the field of study is called, as its niche, but I do know organizations like NERV and STORAGE have Kaiju researchers." Leina tells Yuta, "They're do attack population centers on Earth, and are dangerous but... definitely not like Nidaime or Anopapa. Except superficially?"
A chalkboard? "Do you have chalk though? And erasers?" Leina asks in amusement, "And a music class is definitely the way to hook her, if we want to keep her in school.
Leina does shake her head though as he calls her a hero, "Nah, I'm no hero. I'm just trying to do my part. The world is messed up, you know? And the only way it's going to get there is if enough people do that. Plus, the only reason I've gotten to do that is I've had opportunities others didn't have? I grew up a poor girl in the Colonies, didn't have much of anything at all, but now I've got all kinds of privilege. No shame in that, just means I've got to use it for good."
Leina happily takes his cell number, and immediately starts inputting it in, "That'll be useful." Re: Best Sodas in town, "I'm sure we're going to throw a few office parties. Nothing better to get everyone into charity work than a pizza party."
There is thankfully an elevator and there'll be dollies but... the appliances are still BIG, and some of the furniture they'll have to test if it can fit in the elevator.
She smiles at him as he apologizes for bringing up painful memories, "Oh nah. Nah. It's fine. It doesn't bug me in such abstract terms? It's just I'm nineteen, and entering my last year in high school. So pretty obvious I just missed a few years."
Yuta though, his smile is so wobbly and Leina just... "That's horrible! I'm sorry that you've had to go through that... have you... seen any glimpses of anything that happened before? Anything at all? Even the smallest thing?" Leina pauses, "Though, if it's a painful for you, we can change the subject."
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
"I hope they don't cause too much trouble.. I know the Earth doesn't exactly have Gridman to come running when a kaiju appears. I'm glad there's other organizations studying them, if nothing else."
"Er." Yuta's never even seen chalk. "Well, maybe we could find some around... or just use a smartboard like normal people. I'll ask Kaworu and Shinji if they'd be interested in helping the next time I see them. Kaworu is amazing on the piano, and Shinji's been playing the cello since he was five!" Yuta clearly thinks this is incredible. "Nidaime's already knows them, too, so that'll help."
Yuta smiles. Leina's response is the exact sort of thing a hero would say. "Yeah. All we can do is our best, with our circumstances. I think, with an attitude like that, you're already doing pretty great."
"Yeah, pizza is practically a requirement for working hard! It'll bring all the high school kids out to help, for sure. Half the guys in my class would cut off their own leg for a pizza." He laughs. Maybe Gridman will get to experience moving office furniture after all!
"That makes sense. I've heard age doesn't matter in college, so I'm sure it'll get easier. People from all kinds of ages will be all together, learning the same things."
Yuta thinks hard. If he really pushes against the static... It's a little painful, but it doesn't cause any lasting damage (he thinks). "Sometimes I get flashes, when I wake up. But they don't really make sense, you know? It'll be like..." Yuta holds his hands forward, making the shape of a triangle with a wide bottom. "A silhouette that looks like this. Or a long... hockey stick, or something? Without the bend at the end?" Yuta sighs, lowering his arms. "Never anything with my parents, or my friends. I would think that'd be the stuff I'd hang on to the most, but.. maybe not?"
Leina gets a gentle, sincere smile. "Thank you for worrying about me. A lot of the kids in my class refuse to believe it actually happened. It's a little painful to be treated that way. This is something that affects my entire life! I don't need a ton of sympathy or anything, but it's nice to be believed."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"To be honest I barely even know what a Gridman is?" Leina laughs at him lightly, "I know Nidaime likes him. On Earth there's Ultraman? I saw him on the news. And a bunch of mobile suit pilots."
Leina adds another name to the list - that of Shinji, "Nidaime knows them too? Wow, she's way more prolific at meeting people than she told me. But yeah hey, that's a great idea." Leina almost wishes she could play the piano again but... there's no need. No need to open old wounds. "Maybe we can start drawing up plans in texts?"
Leina actually flusters mildly, as she laughs, "Well thanks. I think you're pretty great too, given what you're doing for this city on its Kaiju defense force."
Leina actually shrugs, and smiles, "Going through high school a bit older than everyone else isn't the worst thing anyway. It's actually been a big plus - especially for the confidence? But I am looking forward to the university. Feels like I'm slowly getting to where I want to be."
The subject however turns to his amnesia, and she listens. It's a serious subject - and she tries to give it all due consideration. As she tries to imagine the things she sees. If he were another Newtype, she'd probably be able to help him in some way. However, it's trickier when he isn't. And who knows what's beyond that wall of static? "It's hard to say. You were created a little differently from everyone else, you know?" Leina says gently, "So I don't think it's healthy for you to think - 'My parents and my friends aren't the things my mind considers a priority to remember.' You're probably the first Repli-Compoid that's had amnesia... but you're thinking of it from the standpoint of how everyone else experiences amnesia."
Leina gives him a concerned look, "That doesn't mean I don't think you shouldn't think of yourself as a person though, mind you. Just, that you're experiencing amnesia different from other people might, that's all. Things are a little different for you."
There's a lengthy pause and...
"I'm sorry your classmates are treating you like that. Not being believed for what you're going through? That's... the worst."
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
"Gridman's pretty cool," Yuta says, trying to sound nonchalant. "He's a big Giant of Light who always appears and fights the kaiju here. Sometimes he has a sword." Yeah, that was normal. Totally normal and fine. "Mobile suits are really cool! We don't have much like that here, but I've seen some of our friends bring them in."
A nod of agreement. "Nidaime is pretty popular! Every time I'm in some kind of group setting, she's hugging everyone, or feeding them snacks, or something. You know how she is. Let's make a group chat! 'Nidaime School Team', or something! I'll add Rikka and Kaworu and Shinji... and you can add anyone you think would want to help too, of course. This is going to be fun!"
"O--oh! Thank you!" Yuta isn't used to such a straightforward compliment. "I really couldn't do it alone, I'm lucky to have so many allies. And -- we'll all be cheering for you with your school, too! You can count on all of us here to support you. Getting where you want to be is just the first step, after all." Yuta smiles -- he has a feeling wherever she goes, Leina is going to be just fine. "It's really cool that you know yourself so well, to know what you want with so much clarity!"
"Yeah. I mean -- I have worried that our doctors here aren't really proper doctors. Or if they're treating us properly.. I don't know how our bodies differ from humans, but there's got to be some changes, right?" Yuta's wobbly smile returns. "I admit, I worry something's wrong that they've missed." That smile gets a little more wobbly as Leina continues, and Yuta's eyes mist over a bit. "S--sorry. This is the first time someone's taken this seriously, and I guess.. I've been a little more upset by it all than I thought! It's a relief to, um, know I'm not doing something wrong." Yuta grasps for a napkin, wiping his eyes. "Thank you, Leina."
Yuta laughs a little, trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah, it's a little wild to find out you and your friends are aliens, or something! I wish we could get scanned by somebody so we could find out what we actually are like inside. I was joking with my friend Utsumi -- what if we've been seeing the sky a different color from you guys all along? Or tasting sweet as sour?" He breathes out, seeming to have recovered. "Maybe if there's people who study kaiju out there, someday we'll get people who study Repli-Compoids. That'd be pretty cool."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina raises an eyebrow at his description of Gridman and smiles, "So you're a big fan of Gridman, I take it?" 'Mobile suits are really cool!' Leina's smile remains, though it's because that naivete is endearing. She could tell him, how ubiquitous they are out there, the death and destruction they cause... but she's crushed enough innocence for one day. It won't take him long to realize that on his own. "Yeah. Some are really cool. My personal favorite is the Double Zeta Gundam." She winks at him, "That's the one my brother pilots."
An arm on the counter, as she props up her cheek on it, and smiles, "Honestly? I don't, not in a big group setting. I know her mostly in more private settings where it's just her, me, or my Guardian. So it's nice to hear she's getting along with everyone." A beat, "And sure, a group chat sounds like the way to do it."
Leina just grins and takes this compliment in stride though, "I appreciate the support, and if I can support y'all too, just let me know."
Leina blinks though on knowing where she wants to be with such clarity as... it's more, she knows she wants to be a part of changing the world. She just... doesn't know exactly which path she wants to take, and university is an important step to that.
Though more importantly perhaps... she understands why Yuta would admire it, because of his amnesia.
She listens, sympathy in his eyes as the dilemma becomes, whether doctors are proper doctors, how they differ... however, the fact that noone believes him? She can sense it, with such clarity that he's being honest. He just has no intentionality towards deceit, at all. Leina just leans over, and puts a hand on his shoulder, and takes another napkin to wipe his eyes, "It's okay. It's okay. You're definitely not doing anything wrong. You're just in a unique situation - and a uniquely difficult one too. And people should be supporting you through it." Leina pauses, then adds, "If you want, I know a Doctor that has the resources to properly examine you, and would do it in a respectful way, entirely confidential of course."
She just puts that offer out there. "Maybe it won't open a new field of study, but maybe it can help you right /now/."
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
"O--oh, well, I mean -- he protects our city! It's hard not to be a fan, right?" Yuta laughs a little nervously. "...and he does look pretty cool. All that bright red is pretty sharp." Leina may notice that Yuta is wearing bright red sneakers, the one sharp point of individuality in his otherwise bland school uniform ensemble. When Leina mentions Judau, Yuta's mouth falls open. "No way, your brother's a pilot?! He must be famous! Everyone loves mobile suit pilots, like... Chibodee Crocket! Your brother's got to be amazing, if he's in the same class as Chibodee!"
"Well, you're going to be part of us now, with your charity in Tsutsujidai." A smile. "So if you want to come to planning meetings or anything, you're welcome! You can see Nidaime try and eat her note-taking paper. Actually, we're facing a weird problem right now." Yuta leans forward, lowering his voice a bit. "You know about the announced kaiju attack at the festival. We've tried talking to, um, the kaiju's creator, but they won't be moved. It's going to happen, essentially. We're trying to work out how to keep people from getting hurt." Yuta sighs. "I can't think of a thing."
Yuta leans into Leina's touch, just a hair. With his parents out of town, and having so few friends... is this the first affectionate touch Yuta's felt? Surely not the very first one.. but it must be one of a very few. "T--thank you. It's not that my friends aren't supportive, there's just so much else going on. People are dying. I don't want to put my troubles above that." His eyes flicker shut as Leina wipes his eyes. "I think I'd like that. Seeing the doctor you know. As long as it wouldn't be any trouble, of course." Yuta sniffles a bit, patting the sides of his face to clear his head a bit. "I really would like some help. Some answers, mostly. And this could even help other people here."
"You're really amazing, Leina. I'm so glad we bumped into each other here." Yuta's smile is no longer wobbly, though his blue eyes are still a bit overbright. "I hope you have a lot of furniture to move, I sure owe you!"
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina laughs gently at the idea that it's hard not to be a fan, "Well if he's protecting this place, then you've convinced me... but aren't you protecting this place too?" Leina just winks at him. Before she gives Yuta a wry smile, "Judau's not famous. Even though he did accomplish... so much. You'd be hard pressed to find people who know his name." Leina shakes her head, "That's just not how it works out sometimes. But I do like Chibodee. He came from an even worse place than I did - and he does good work with the poor."
Leina gives him an amused look, "Sure, I'll show up for that. If anything it'll at least get her to behave while you're coordinating."
Though then he mentions that it's a serious problem, the Deculture festival attack, and Leina gives him a more serious look, "So, if she can't be convinced, the best bet is to have a solid evacuation plan. Get it ready with a few people you can trust not to panic and raise an alarm before it happens - because if you do, then the creator might change the attack to a more unpredictable date, and people will die. Have the defense team in position at key points, ready to engage immediately and buy time for the evacuation."
Leina pauses for a moment for other considerations, "Mobile suits are big and obvious, so if you're going to have pilots ready for the attack best not to station them directly at the school, but maybe a short distance away under cover. If there's any defenders they couldn't detect ahead of time, put them in the school itself."
Leina's brain is working fast, because the logistics of this are tricky. Her plan is a bit sneaky, but that's because a few things need to happen. The attack needs to happen, it needs to happen at a predictable time, and the maximum amount of people need to be saved.
She offers affection, and touch perhaps so freely, "I understand why the instinct would be to focus on saving people Yuta, but you also need to take care of yourself? If you're strained too much by this, then you won't be able to help anyone." Leina, a hypocrite in this regard herself... "Alright, I'll see what I can do. We'll figure something out after this next attack. See if you can get some answers, some actual relief."
Leina offers a genuine smile his way, "Yeah, me too. You're a good guy Yuta. Let's see if we can't figure this all out together okay?"