2022-10-04: Gored

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<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


Where did they all end up? In a hospital on Side 6. Independent from the Federation, they were beyond their reach.

It was a flurry of activity when they got there at first. Prehospital care transitioning into emergency care. And then about an hour into that, everything calmed down. Sayla and Leina were both fine. There was nothing life-threatening about their injuries.

In Leina's case, as was outlined to Judau and Roux, there's an ugly welt half-hidden by her hair from the point of impact, but scans show that her skull and neck are quite intact, and there's no hemorrhage in her brain.

Unfortunately, that doesn't mean she's unscathed. The full body trauma scans show that her pelvis has nondisplaced fractures in two places, and that she has fractures to the vertebrae of T8, T12, L2 and L3. She's not suffered spinal cord damage, and a surgical option for her fractures aren't indicated at this time.

Provided she doesn't exacerbate them.

Admitting her and Sayla was pretty swift, they can't release either when they're unresponsive and they can't speed them waking up.

Thus they ended up in a room on this Side 6 Ward, two hospital beds only thinly separated by curtains in the same room. There's one large couch and a few chairs, the spartan decor and beige paint job trying to bring warmth to what's a mostly sterile setting and mostly failing at it.

Sporting an IV line in her arm, and a hospital gown, when her eyes slowly open in a haze that's part euphoric from the Neo-Dilaudid the nurse administered, and part just the somnolent vibe of someone newly learning to be conscious again. Green eyes slowly blink. A moment later, she tries to shift in bed, and there's this distinct grimace like she made an awful mistake, and goes back to laying still.

There's a pause, then... "Hey." She says quietly, to anyone in earshot, only just now seeming to comprehend her surroundings, as she searches her memory for how she got here.

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

Judau Ashta hasn't got much sleep. Or any sleep, really.

Despite his (loud, mildly aggressive) insistence against it, he was ultimately brought in just the same as everyone else to have his injuries checked up on when they arrived at the hospital. In the end, his head injuries were nothing; a mild concussion, they said. He got lucky, they said; it could have been much worse.

He didn't feel particularly lucky.

Judau's spent the entire rest of his time since his release at Leina's side, not leaving until he was absolutely forced to. He listens to the doctors' explanation in a numb way; he might be a little dense, but he knows what the backbone is, and he knows what happens when it gets injured. It just all felt so... far away.

She's alive. She's alive. She could have very easily not ended up that way, with just the slightest, most infinitesimal of tilts.

But even so...

Judau is still here, seated at Leina's side in her room. There's bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep; he looks exhausted. He feels exhausted, rolling off his emotional spectrum like dragging waves. Exhausted, and frightened.

And angry.

It's an anger that simmers beneath the surface of it all -- and an anger that's easily forgotten, for the moment, as he feels the faintest shift in the bed -- as he feels, in a more esoteric way, Leina begin to wake up. He blinks; those sea green eyes widen.

'Hey.'

"L-Leina?"

There's a certain sense of relief there in his expression, palpable even to non-Newtypes. His first instinct is to want to hug her, to tell her she's okay, she's alive, and that it's such a relief -- but the instinct to pounce is reined in, remembering her injuries. Judau pauses in his first, forward motion.

Ultimately, he settles for trying to take her closest hand in both of his.

"'Hey,' what the hell kinda thing to say is that?" he wonders, a smile on his lips even with the cocktail of emotions still bubbling in his heart. "Hey yourself! Worryin' the shit outta me like that!"

But mostly what he feels, at least in this immediae moment, is just relief.

"Are you -- how're you -- y'know--"

And the tiniest sliver of trepidation.

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Dreams chase Banagher. Formless, nameless fears.

His sleep is fitful, but he can't seem to wake -- for nearly a full day, he is unconcious. Unlike nearly everyone else involved in the battle at Torrington, Bangaher is almost entirely uninjured. His only real injuries are from his fight with Zinnerman beforehand, and some jagged wounds from where Leina and Judau pulled him off the NT-D's injectors.

A grey-haired man in a long coat walks through the roiling darkness, reaching out. "Banagher." He murmurs, and brightness overtakes everything Banagher can sense.

When his golden eyes flutter open, Banagher sits up, gasping. He's alive. The Unicorn is gone, and -- memories come flooding back. "Leina--!"

Fumbling in cheap blankets, Banagher manages to stumble out of bed. His normal suit has been removed, leaving him in soft, thin hospital clothing. The bits and pieces of the battle Banagher can remember are dire. The Unicorn was out of control, and -- somehow, Amuro Ray was there. How -- How could any of this have happened?! No one was supposed to get hurt! Is Loni alive? His blood runs cold, and Banagher freezes. Ms. Mass. Amuro stabbed her. Is she...

"Leina.." He murmurs again, tears coming to his eyes. Trying to quiet his panic for a moment, he reaches out energetically, searching for her.

Sunlight glimmers distantly, dimly. She's alive. Banagher lets a few tears fall down his face. Making his way out of his hospital room, he makes his way toward that familiar energy. Tile floors are cold against his bare feet, but he doesn't care -- all that matters is getting to Leina.

When he arrives, and finds her laying in a bed, unconcious, Judau by her side... Banagher can't bring himself to enter the door. Wiping at his face roughly, he backs up until his back hits the far wall. There's got to be an empty room somewhere nearby. Hopefully, within one or two doors, Banagher finds one, and holes up inside. Pulling blankets off the nicely made bed, Banagher curls up in a corner, wrapping them around himself. Hunching his shoulders, he sobs, wracked with guilt and grief.

Even if everyone he knew was okay, there must have been a horrible death count. Just Loni's actions would've been horrific enough, but to have the base-city turn into a battlefield... History lessons flash through his mind, other times peaceful cities have turned into warzones. Industrial 7 turned into a hellscape, and that was with only a few mobile suits. How many people showed up to fight at Torrington?

Ms. Mass. Leina's precious guardian, and one of his heroes. How could Amuro have done that to her? She's alive, next to Leina, but -- would she recover, from a hit like that? If he hadn't gotten lost in the NT-D, none of this would've happened. He wouldn't have been taken by surprise by Amuro. Ms. Mass wouldn't have had to take that hit for them.

There's too much. Guilt and fear are overwhelming. Audrey was there, and he attacked her ship again and again. Is she alive? Is she safe -- on a Federation vessel? He trusts the crew of the Gwennangorn, but if they were given orders to turn her over, would they do it? Everything pales in comparison to his fear for Leina. The sickening noise of her hitting the side of the cockpit because of his own actions --

Sunlight shines a little more brightly, and Banagher raises his head. She must be waking up. He can't be like this -- feeling sorry for himself! Leina's the one who's hurt! Banagher grits his teeth and stands, rubbing his face on the blankets he keeps huddled around his shoulders. If Leina doesn't want to see him, he'll accept that decision. If she hates him now, that's her right. Banagher steels himself, taking a long breath in. But until she tells him to leave, he's going to do whatever he can to help her.

After a few false starts, he finally gets his body to move to Leina's room. Quiet footsteps enter the room. Banagher can't bring himself to look at Judau, or to say anything. He simply hovers just inside the doorway, huddled in trailing white sheets. 

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.


Roux, for her part, got checked up on the pirate ship. Roux had no meaningful injuries other than some stress related nausea which was probably what they call an "Amuro Rayogenic reaction." Roux is lucky; this is not an exposure with a high survival rate.

She washed her mouth out and ate a chicken ramen flavored ration bar with the pilot of the Jagd Doga while waiting for news. When it came, Roux realized with a quiet tightening of the small of her back that this is how she would have to fight; this is where you have to shift the load.

THEN, she clasped Judau's hand for a moment.

NOW, Roux has been in and out more than Judau.

You could probably clock her at being here about fifty percent of the time. She left the first time to go obtain a change of clothes and find some rental hotel approximately near the hospital that wasn't too usurious. A pleasant distraction, in its way.

Roux came back then with food, not for the first time, and by now, perhaps more like the fifth time. But it's as they always say, five's the lucky charm. Roux is coming in the door into the hospital room wearing an image-wrap around T-shirt that has a glossy photo montage of Proteus, the shiniest moon of Neptune, along with a glittering sea-blue leg wrap and shorts which seems to be this year's fashion. She is also carrying a generously sized bag from Macdaniel in one hand.

Just in time to see--

"Oh!! Lucky!" Roux chirps, before she looks towards Leina with a beam of a smile and takes several further steps inwards--

At which point a realization bolts through her consciousness.

Roux's head turns.

She gazes at Banagher, in his shroud of woe.

Roux shifts the bag around and opens it up, reaching in to take out a paper-wrapped sandwich. The paper wrapping has festive images of peeled shrimp because it's a shrimp-and-breading patty.

The shrimp burger is extended to Banagher without words.

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.


        Someone is notably missing from the immediate Leina circle.

        That's because she's in the next bed over, eyes closed, arm in a sling, head wound treated and also on an IV. The movement and sound, however, causes Sayla to stir from her light rest. She tilts her head towards Leina, watching Judau fuss over her, Roux bringing food relief, Banagher being an emotional mess.

        Unusually, though, Sayla can be felt remarkably clearly. The most obvious feeling is huge, immense relief that everyone's still here. They're here, and there together. Underneath that is an undercurrent of jealousy and loss, with distress and despair simmering under that.

        "Welcome back." Sayla's voice is quiet, but she moves her bed into a reclining position. She's trying to keep it together, but it's immensely clear to a room full of newtypes that it's a front. She just doesn't want to worry Leina- or anyone else. 

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


The wave of the familiar, palpable relief from her sibling is just comforting in it's nostalgia. Like those moments when they were kids when she got off easily from a bad tumble while playing with only a skinned knee, or her fever came down while she was sick only more than that - only a different order of amplitude

The relief from her that he's there to greet her on waking up is just as warm, albeit muted - probably from the drugs, like those moments when Judau came back from a hard day's work doing things he'd rather she not know about. That he was just there. That they had another day together.

Before they didn't have these senses to experience these things in this way. They just had to use their eyes and ears and pick up those non-verbal forms of communication.

Now it's just like that between them, even before he takes her hand.

And her fingers curl into, featherlight as she puts on this smile, "My kinda thing." She slurs her cheeky response back like it's obvious, before... "Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I'm-" It's like she's groping through memory to try and remember how she got there, a struggle against the pain medication. It's like she's come upon a glimpse of the Shamblo when-.

"-doesn't hurt to move my fingers and toes." She answers him eventually, "See, can wiggle them..." And to demonstrate she picks up her other hand like she doesn't realize she already demonstrated to him by grabbing his hand, and does this little rhythmic back and forth of her fingers, her toes underneath shifting the covers near the foot of the bed. "Can wiggle them good. Let me work my way up from there."

Her eyes get a better look at him then, "... you look like you really need a nap."

There's this small wrinkle of her nose, the radiation of guilt and fear which draws her eyes to the figure slinking into the room, "Banagher's here too? Huhhh..." It feels like she's trying to comprehend that mix of emotions from him, "...get in here silly." Before she turns her head at the neck and waves at her with wiggling fingers as she hands a sandwich over to Banagher, "Roux-! Oh gosh, lifesaver, please say some of that is for me."

She's been feeling Sayla for a while to her right but not quite seeing her, in part due to not quite turning her neck far enough and her back being unavailable for movement without causing S U F F E R I N G - "Thanks." She responds, still trying to sort through all those emotions she's been feeling. Then, give her a second. Neo-Dilaudid is a helluva drug. Then it all comes back in a memory as vivid as the- "Wait. You're-" -Saint Lance exploding. "- still here."

Leina looks at her like she's seeing a ghost, taking a sharp breath, like she's doing her best to hold it together. Then closing her eyes as she takes a moment to process it, on this emotional rollercoaster of relief, to remembering past unprocessed grief, then back to overwhelming relief, "... ... This is upsetting. Can't... even get up to hug all of you."

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

'Sorry.'

Despite himself, despite the situation, Judau Ashta can't help but laugh. At the situation. At the relief of seeing Leina waking up, alive even if not necessarily whole. Shutting his eyes, the former junker from Shangri-La just shakes his head, squeezing his hands around his sister's.

"Yeah, you better be sorry," he admonishes past his fading laughter in a tone that can't even commit to the bit. "Trying to apologize when you didn't do a damn thing wrong. How dare you."

Sayla wakes up. He can feel it before he sees it; his gaze cracks open, looking the other bedridden patient's way as that feeling of relief, of jealousy, of loss and despair. Even if he can't place the reasons why for every ingredient behind that sentiment, it doesn't stop him from offering Sayla the smallest smile, before tilting his head Leina's way as if to say, 'look -- she's okay.'

As okay as she can be, given the circumstances.

It's only then that Judau's attention turns back to Leina, as she demonstrates her current status. "Looks like you're gonna be kickin' my ass again in no time," Judau remarks, sincerely. Encouragingly. "I better get ready, yeah?"

'... you look like you really need a nap,' Leina observes, wisely. Judau's response is eloquent and inarguable:

"Pfffffffft nahhhhhhhhhhhh."

Complete with puffing his cheeks to get the -maximum degree- of deflating dismissal sounds.

"Hey -- is there anything you need? Roux's gettin' food, but if you -- oh," he continues on -right past- any concerns about his own well-being, just in time for Roux's timely arrival. "Damn, that was fast. You get those shrimp burg--"

And then his gaze falls on Banagher.

"-ers."

The truth is, Judau felt the young man before; it was hard not to. But seeing him there --

That simmering anger spikes.

Maybe it's not fair. Maybe it's not important now. But he can't help it. Memories flash; that anger still boils up all the same with the narrowing of the elder Ashta's eyes. He tenses, as if preparing to get right off that chair. "What the hell are you doing--"

'...get in here silly.'

Judau's teeth grit. But the impulsive emotions of the young man are reined in by context and (vaguest) maturity. So instead, for now, the young Newtype just frowns at the Unicorn's pilot for several long seconds before he tears his gaze away, looking at Leina.

Focus on what's most important, right now.

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

...he is pretty hungry.

Banagher takes the burger from Roux gratefully, murmuring a, "thank you." Half the blankets fall off his shoulders as he begins to unwrap the burger. He couldn't care less what kind of burger it is, honestly, he takes an enormous bite. Another bite follows the first, then another -- and the whole thing is gone in what feels like moments. Banagher crumples the wrapper and goes to put it in his hoodie pocket, but... his hand only finds air. Hospital clothes, right. He'll just hold the wrapper for now.

Breathing gets just a little easier when Sayla wakes up and speaks to them. "Ms. Mass." Banagher manages, "I'm -- so glad you're alive." The older woman's distress is palpable, and Banagher can't help but feel it swirl into his own dismal emotional state. Tears well up in his eyes again, and he blinks rapidly, trying to force them away. Part of him wants to get on his knees and thank her for saving them all, but he has a feeling she wouldn't exactly enjoy a big emotional outburst.

Looking back to Leina, Banagher's heart beats hard in his chest as she starts to speak. Leina's clearly still affected by some kind of medicine, -- surely she'll remember what happened, and--

Judau's anger reaches Banagher, and he shrinks back. "I'm -- I --" Unable to find any words to defend himself, the young man looks down. With such immense emotional pressure, Banagher wonders if he should just leave -- this was a family moment, after all, and he's an outsider here. Just before he's going to turn and run--

"Get in here silly."

Banagher sobs in relief, dropping the rest of the blankets and the hamburger wrapper as he rushes to Leina's side. Careful not to get between her and Judau, Banagher positions himself ever so gently at the edge of Leina's hospital bed. "Leina." It's clear he wants to wrap her in his arms, but just like Judau, he's wary of her injuries. "I'm so -- I'm so sorry, I'm sorry. All of you, Judau, Ms. Mass -- I'm sorry. This is all my fault! I thought I could keep make sure no one got hurt but--" His voice breaks. "I was wrong. I'm not even -- sure what happened. I'm sorry."

Voice shaky, Banagher lapses into silence. Leina's emotions echo into his own heart, comforting and worrying in turns.

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.


Roux, invited, enters the room, much like Count Dracula does; she smiles at Leina, even as she demonstrates her wigglin' skills. "Hey," Roux says. "I've been trying to get him to, but he loves you too much."

Her eyes turn towards Sayla for a moment, then, and she walks over towards the weary woman. The sack of burgers is lightened of its burthen somewhat: a rather large burger (it smells like it's bacon, cheese, MacDaniels' patented Meaty Blend with both beef AND pork, and a range of vegetables for fiber) and a carton of tempura carrot sticks to go with it.

As she's making the hand off, Roux says, "Be patient, be patient, geez." Her voice lifts a little. "Leina, I don't know if you're supposed to not eat or whatever, so I'm going to give you the small potato wedge for now, okay? Actually I'm going to make Judau give 'em to -"

There's a passed beat. Tension.

"You," Roux says, before reaching into the bag to take out one shrimp burger and a small carton of the same tempura-sticks she gave Sayla. The bag is like one-third emptied by this, and she hands the rest of it to Judau. "Chew," she tells him, before going to sit down, turning the chair she has used in the not so distant past around a bit so she can face towards Banagher-- which becomes moot when he rushes in.

Over his head, Roux exchanges a glance with Judau. Her expression is a lot more solemn than it was a moment ago. As she unwraps her own burger, she says, "Banager."

Declarative sentence.

"You've been through a lot. Take deep breaths. You've alive, and so are all of we. Collect your thoughts! Apologies aren't worth anything if you don't back them up!"

Yeah, that was absolutely effort to sound like Bright for a minute there, if with a leavening of Uquarn Lox (Fleet Home 2's flight-base manager, who absolutely does not have male pattern baldness)

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.


        "Still here." Sayla confirms, with a weary smile. She knows that's not enough. Not for Leina, but it's enough for now. "You'll have time, pollito." Okay yeah Sayla's not entirely with it either. She does feel Judau's surging anger. She wants to reach out and arm to stop him, but that anger... It's not that she doesn't share some of it. "Judau Ashta." Oh no it's mom voice, in a hissed whisper. "Do you think Leina would not have been there if she didn't want to. God's sake you've lived with her only slightly longer than I have."

        She takes the offered burger and tempura carrots. "...Thank you, Roux." For a moment, she takes them and puts them on the bedside table before trying to unwrap the burger one handed. It's not working super well. Damnit. She let's out a small, frustrated sigh, before leaning back in her bed. She fails to ask for help immediately.

        Instead she turns to Banagher again. "Don't you *dare* take the blame for this. You can't and it doesn't help us for you to do so. Unless you somehow control the remnants of a dead universe that dragged Amuro back from wherever the hell he went after the Axis Shock, that's not your damn fault. And if you do, give Guy and Renais their friends and family back, they deserve that much." It's an extreme approach, but an extreme approach is needed in these moments. It's more extreme than what Ramo needed.

        There's a swirling mess in Sayla's feelings right now, bringing all these up. But she's keeping focused as she picks up one of the tempura carrots and bites it. "Wallowing in guilt won't do a damn thing."

        Sayla Mass, Extreme Hypocrite.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


There's a broken up laugh like she's trying to but then it carries to her back and she makes herself stop. "You sure? Bet I could find something... if I think long enough. Gimme a minute. Drugs." Beat, "Hope it's drugs." Before she teases out a grin on kicking his ass again in no time, "You better."

His dismissal of the nap gets him a 'look' but at the moment she's honestly just happy he's here so she lets her inclination to make him take care of himself slide. This time.

Before a wedge is offered and she gives Roux a 'thank you' look, extending a hand to take it, "I'll take what I can get. S'long as its not hospital food." Between the anger from Judau, Sayla refuting it, the guilt and sadness and regret from Banagher as he comes to the edge of the bed and everything from Sayla, the room is just suddenly a maelstrom of emotions.

However, it's like all of it is focusing her, rather than sweeping her away. And something builds up, "Banagher..." She tries to get a word in, but it's such a frantic, sincere apology, "Banagher..." She tries again...

Her face scrunches up by the time Banagher's apology ends and- Leina looks like she's going to say her piece. However, Sayla says hers first by turning it back on Banagher, and she gives her this startled, then worried look, which becomes one of profound sadness that she radiates in the space of a few moments. It's not that she's disappointed in her right now or anything. She's just... probably knows better where it's coming from than anyone in the room.

She takes a deep breath as she recomposes herself, focuses, and at first addresses the issue at hand by raising a hand and taking on an imperious tone, "Okay. Time out. It's my turn now. Judau... I really appreciate that you didn't just, go off." She gives him a fond look, "I do."

Leina can definitely see how far he's come from the belligerent older brother she always knew, especially in her defense, "However, this still needs to be said - so this doesn't escalate later. Sayla is right. I chose to be there. I knew all the risks."

She gives Judau a look like she's going to drive each point into both of them one by one, "All of them." Before it returns to Banagher, "He explained every single one about being in the Unicorn." Back to Judau, "I knew what I was getting into, asking him out. You knew that too because I told you what he was in the middle of - and you gave your approval anyway."

There's the slightest pause to take a breath before she continues, "Then maybe you recall that I unbuckled to let you in-"

A switch back to Banagher, "-and stayed that way because I thought I'd have to pull you out. Those were all my choices, and it's not the best feeling that got forgotten a bit..."

She puts her hand down, "So you two. Are going to have a productive talk later, while keeping that all in mind. And since it's not going to be honest while I'm there, there needs to be someone to mediate to be sure noone else ends up in a hospital bed."

She then looks Roux's way, "Roux, could you handle that?" That's not the most fair to her, Banagher, or Judau, but she seems pretty sympathetic to Banagher on most days. "Please?"

Pause. "For now, please... stay." There's a soft sigh, then she smiles at them, "I want you both to stay. That can wait."

She takes a moment, and suddenly all air of command drops, as she turns back to Sayla, "Sayla. For the love of God... please come here." As she holds out her opposite arm and her expression softens, "I don't care if I can't get up. You need this after the day you just had."

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

Woe betide, ye mortals -- the Mom Voice is invoked!

The whispered words from Sayla come with a sound of authority to them -- and unfortunately, authority is what makes Judau Ashta bristle most of all. To her credit, those whispered words at least get Judau to pause for a moment before the young man just balks with the set of his jaws and the stab of a finger in Banagher's direction.

"S'not about that--" he begins, his frown intensifying--

And then the mother lode of food is delivered promptly to Judau Ashta, buying precious seconds of freedom from a junker's wrath. First, in the abruptness of having said bag kind of shoved into his hands, making him - briefly - juggle said bag to keep it from falling and spilling its precious contents everywhere. And -then- in processing what Roux's saying.

Once he's digested this all (figuratively; later it will be literally), he just gives Roux a -look-. He knows what you're doing, Roux, trying to distract him with food!

There was a time he wouldn't have hesitated to take that swing, hospital be damned. Honestly, that time is probably still now; he's not -that- understanding. But... Leina's here. She's here, and she's hurt, and she's awake.

That alone is enough to make him belay whatever impulsive acts might have been building in once-curled fists.

Not that it goes away, of course: slumping back into his seat, Judau is about to pry open the back to sift through its carb-heavy contents when Banagher drops blankers and wrappers alike to find a place near Leina. Judau just peers at the exchange from over the brim of that bag as Banagher blames himself, as he offers apologies. Judau's gaze narrows fractionally.

"... tt."

It's hard to say -what- Judau is exactly feeling in those moments. He wears his heart on his sleeve; unfortunately, his heart is big, and the roiling tempest that it is right now doesn't provide clarity so much as chaos.

At the very least, he -doesn't- interrupt what Leina has to say. Instead, he stuffs a hand inside of that bag, fishing out the container for those remaining potato wedges. Leina voices her appreciation. Judau mumbles a simple, "s'nothing." But once more, that frown is back as she continues, talking about how it was her choice, how she knew the risks -- how he knew the risks.

It's clear just to look at him he has something to say on that front, too -- but ultimately, if there's any voice of authority that has a reasonable chance of winning out over Judau Ashta's kneejerk impulse to do the opposite of what it asks, it's Leina's. His stare is still a heavy thing as he looks at Leina, weighted by many conflicting emotions. And then Sayla. As Leina makes her proposal - her imperative - those narrowed green eyes look at Banagher. And then Roux.

... before ultimately looking aside.

"... Fine."

As he thrusts another potato wedge in Leina's field of vision.

"Now eat an' stop it with that voice. It's creepin' me out."

He can't really afford to dwell on the situation there; if he does, he'll just get mad. So instead... that green gaze turns towards Sayla, instead. He hesitates. And then ventures:

"Did they -- how's the recovery lookin' for you, Ms. Mass?"

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Banagher turns to Roux as she says his name, anguish still clear on his face. But she's right -- he's got to back up his apologies. Wiping at his face again, Banagher nods. "Y--yeah." Struggling to get himself together, he takes a few deep breaths. It helps. "I'll do anything you all ask of me -- anything to make this up to you."

Sayla's orders are every bit as overpowering as they were the first time they met. Banagher nods, quietly. "Alright. Um, I can help you with that..." Banagher reaches over and unwraps Sayla's burger, placing it back on her bed where she can reach it "...I wish I could." He adds, softly, about Guy and Renais' friends and family. Sayla's approach seems to have shocked Banagher out of his destructive spiral -- for the moment, anyway.

Leina's words are as law. Even more now than before. "You're right." He murmurs, sitting a bit more comfortably on Leina's bed. "I don't want to take away your agency, but I -- wish things had gone differently." The energy Banagher is radiating finally begins to settle. Warm relief cuts through the storm of anguish. Golden eyes soften as he looks at Leina, clear hints of love shimmering in his energy.

"I'm okay with that." Banagher says, to Leina's request. He looks at Judau and Roux -- Judau with a bit of trepidation. "Whenever is good for you." It's not like Banagher has anywhere to go, anymore. His few clothes and items are back on the Garencieres. Even Haro... Hopefully the Captain would treat the little robot okay, after their big fight.

It's a little overwhelming, feeling Judau's anger. From Leina's stories, there's very little this man isn't capable of. Banagher doesn't miss seeing Judau's fists bunch up, and tenses up. No stranger to street fights, Banagher could probably hold his own for Judau, at least for a little while, but -- there's no way he'd fight back. Not when Judau's anger is so justified.

Now that he knows everyone is stable, at least, another pressing issue comes to mind. "Does anyone know where the Unicorn ended up? If it was captured, um." Banagher hesitates. "We're -- I'm -- going to be in trouble. If those Zeon pilots, or A--Amuro-- got it."

It's getting to be too much again. Banagher stops talking. Deep breaths help, as does looking at Leina. They're all safe. That's what matters. They're alive. 

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.


Roux unwraps her shrimp borgr and takes a bite out of it as Leina begins to speak. There's apologies flying everywhere. A TIME OUT is declared aimed at Judau.

Roux eats her burger.

Leina has a favor to ask of her.

Roux points the burger at her. "Leina," she says. "You just had a back injury in a mobile suit while horrible things were happening. You need to lay back there, and have a little small voice, and let us fuss over you and pinch your cheeks and tell you how good you're doing, and bring you flowers and sliced fruit, and give you cute barrettes and stuff. Don't *delegate* at me! Gosh!"

Roux adds, "I'll do it," afterwards, with a slightly haughty lowering of her eyes, "if you men still want it. But I had to say that before we started having to take minutes." *hompfh*

She looks at Banagher as he speaks. Afterwards, she says several things.

"See? It's easy to be polite even when you're a teenager," this to Judau. "I ~told you~." She pokes her tongue out for a moment. It would be easy to overlook because she doesn't make the full face. But it happens. Is that legal for adults??

She crosses one leg over the other as she settles back, holding the remains of her burger. Roux addresses Banagher. "Well, neither of them have it," Roux says, "because I gave it to the hangar crew on that weird woman's ship and I saw them securing it while I was powering down the ReZ-II. Miss Mass's friends have it, and -- I can't explain it, but I could tell they aren't going to just give it up to the Federation, or,"

"To him," Roux says, "without a fight, anyway, and we'd hear about it if Domon Kasshu was getting in a fist fight with, Amuro Ray."

Roux takes this moment to eat her tempura carrot sticks. Amuro Ray is good at ending sentences. Or all kinds of things, really, when you think about it.

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.


        Sayla is a little surprise when *Banagher* reaches over to unwrap her burger. "Thank you." She picks it up and takes a bite. Not dainty, but nowhere near an Ashta family chomp, before putting it back down. It takes her a few seconds to chew and swallow, as grease and salt cover her tastebuds. Does Sayla have a tendency to grab these when hungover? Maybe.

        Still she, pulls herself to the side of her bed. She's not going to fight Leina on this. She does need a hug, at this point. She's so grateful that Leina's still alive. It takes her a bit with one arm. "...can you please just call me Sayla?" There's an exasperated sigh. She can feel the tension right now but for some reason she is limited in her capacity to give a shit. "Or at least remember I'm a fucking doctor. Ms Mass is what colleagues who wanted to try and embarrass me called." And there were plenty in 0083.

        She pauses. "...Weird woman?" A pause. "Oh, Nastasha? That means... the Gorby-II. I think Argo has a base but he keeps on the move a lot." Another long pause. "...I know. I have a lot of explaining to do. But not here, and not until I'm lucid."

        Judau's not happy with this. It's pretty fucking obvious. Neither is she. But not right now. "...Three to six weeks for the arm, maybe faster depending on if the regrowth accelerators take." The perks of being rich. "I think I might have aggravated an injury from-" She stops. How fucking fitting. "...From the One Year War. And I've reinjured those ribs from last time." Sayla shakes her head. "Also you'd be surprised. I haven't heard anything about Amuro yet- including from the fight at Torrington. And Domon's gotten a bit better at being discreet."

        She leans in and hugs Leina as tight as she can, with her good arm. They're both messes. She's struggling lots, it hurts to bend. Her eyes arre tearing up now, now that it's really real. She's alive. They're both alive.

        "...Judau, Roux, I'd like to ask you a favour. I know Leina approached you about moving in... I don't know if you've made your decision yet but... Leina's going to need assistance, and unlike before I'm going to need it too." She pauses for a moment, breathing out. It's easier to ask for help for Leina. "Even if it's not permanent, would you be willing to stay until she's recovered?" Why was that so hard?

        Because she's going to look directly at Judau. "It's time like these that a girl should have her older brother around."

        She certainly wishes she had. So, so many times. Maybe things wouldn't have turned out like this. 

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


"Well. Me too." Leina says to Banagher, of wishing things had gone differently, and gives Banagher an appreciative look at how he unwrapped her burger.

Judau wears his heart on his sleeve, it's certainly true. And in these moments she feels like she's not quite getting why he's angry at Banagher. Oh she can definitely sense that anger. However, somewhere about halfway through what she says, she gets the feeling she's not really seeing all sides of it. Like the anger is just so big and vast that all the stormfronts are blending together. She wants to ask him, 'What is it?' but after doing that in front of the whole room to him, she doesn't feel like she can right now.

Instead she takes the potato wedge and chews on it, brow furrowing, and Judau feels just this trickle of sadness, it's not the best thing to feel like that voice of hers is creeping her older brother out. Like the side of her that developed while in Glemy's care and after in Sayla's is just...

... she can't bring herself to bring that thought to its conclusion.

But BORGR

It's pointed at her and at first she thinks Roux is taking mercy on her and giving her one, when- suddenly there's this look of shyness on her face like she's never quite, used to this treatment.

She feels she has to be the adult in the room at all times and take care of everyone. However, she was ten when Roux was the oldest of the teens on the Argama- and hearing that makes her feel ten again.

However it also reaches her, hearing it from someone who was an authority figure to her back then that's been separated from her for eight years now and gets her out of her head on those prior thoughts.

Her voice becoming smaller as if on request, "Sorry I... it's..." She looks sideways awkwardly away from the borgr, "... yeah, alright. Um. Could I have more potato wedges? I'm not too nauseous or anything." Pause before she mumbles, "Pretty hungry."

She is an Ashta after all in the end.

Leina definitely doesn't know where the Unicorn is, so she lets Roux fully field that one, a small inhalation as the explanation ends on Amuro Ray. She decides not to touch that one. The more and more that she doesn't the more she realizes Roux is right, because it's more enforced by the physical reality of her situation. Drawing herself out of that opiate fog to do what she just did was... draining.

It doesn't stop her from completing her hug with Sayla though in that moment, as she smiles at her. It may have been brief, but, she thought she lost her. And there's just relief, and celebration in that moment of them both being alive. However, that goes to bewilderment at the moment Sayla asks them to stay to take care of her. "I mean." Again that shy tone. She really really doesn't want to pressure them to make this decision. It's been eight years though, and she finds, she actually does want this, "I'd be okay, really, if now isn't a good time." Is perhaps the most protest she can muster right now.

However, after she says this, her eyes slide over to Sayla again. It feels like she's feeling her invoke Edouard more and more lately...

... and that makes her worry about her even more than what Amuro's return might be doing to her.

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

'See? It's easy to be polite even when you're a teenager. I ~told you~.'

"What the hell? I'm polite. Shut up!"

D--

does anyone actually believe that

Still, angry as Judau is - and he is, indeed, the Big Mad, about many things - the former junker of Shangri-La is at least mollified for now by Leina's words and present circumstances. 'Mollified' is a relative thing, of course; no fist fight's going to break out, but of course, when Sayla sighs out her exasperation, Judau's process of digesting this information goes like this: 1) a blink and a "huh?", 2) a second of sputtering "really?? wait no i didn't mean it like--", 3) and finally, waving his hand through the air in concession, just as he was about to offer up Leina her next potato wedge, the result of which leads that crispity crunchety carbo-loadedy treat bouncing just outside of Ashta Family Chomp range for a few terrible seconds.

"Fine, fine, Sayla! Sorry, I got it," he apologizes, before slumping to the side of his chair with a grumpy mumble: "Like I'm supposed t'be able to keep track of all the damn doctors, even Kamille's a doctor now--"

He could be a doctor too!!*

He just -- doesn't feel like it!

At the very least, his relent means that he realizes he's been depriving Leina of potato wedge goodness. He blinks, offers an, "oh shit, sorry Leina" because he's not entirely sure even injured as she is she couldn't just destroy him with furious hunger if she put her mind to it. It's that trickle of sadness, though, that causes Judau to blink. Brows furrowed, he looks Leina's way, considers. And offers:

"Sorry," almost impulsively, but much more sincerely. For something other than the potato torture.

"... Just reminded me of when we were younger, is all. S'not a bad thing." He offers the smallest smile.

"Just means you're way more grown up than me, throwin' your weight around even in a hospital bed."

He doesn't think it's a bad thing at all.

He lapses into silence, though, as the others speak about the Unicorn. It's here -- wherever here is, really. That's a small relief, he thinks. Sayla is injured, but at least she'll recover with time. Between her invoking the One Year War, and them talking about the mystery of Amuro, though, Judau's frown deepens.

"Of course they're not gonna bring up that their big damn hero who saved the planet is tryin' to destroy it now. They're gonna bury that crap, or blame it on Zeon if it actually gets out, or whatever," mutters the Man From Jupiter (not that one) unhappily. He's not really so naive as to believe otherwise -- especially not now. "An' Zeon's just gonna keep doin' the same thing they've been doin'. The thing they were doin' here, even. Makin' shit worse. It--"

Oh, yeah, Judau's angry about that too. Judau's angry about many things! He is large (not especially though), he contains multitudes. But before he can begin in on his tear in earnest, Sayla calls out to both him and Roux. Judau blinks. He looks Sayla's way, as she makes her request -- as she talks about the importance of Leina having her older brother around. That she'll need help. He doesn't have to have vast Newtype powers to be able to tell there's more to that statement, that sentiment than as it relates to the Ashtas -- he just needs to have the heart to see it.

"..."

He keeps eye contact with Sayla, for a few handfuls of seconds, before looking Leina's way as she tries to assure him that it would still be alright if he didn't want to -- if they didn't. "Leina..." he begins, before shaking his head.

That sea green gaze turns Banagher's way again, for a few quiet, unreadable seconds, before turning Roux's way. Whatever was there -- it's replaced by a smile. A small one, but all the more sentimental for it.

"... We already talked about this," he says, finally. Talked! Like polite grown ups! "We were gonna tell you, before all of... this... happened. But--"

And here, finally, he looks Leina's way once again, his smile broadening.

"Of course we wanna be with you, Leina. We'll stay with you an' Sayla."

He still isn't sure about living on Earth. But some things are more important than that.

For example:

Offering up Leina two (2) big-ass potato wedges -at once-.


*god help any academic institution that would willingly give judau 'if i strap active space mines to my mobile suit it will fight better' ashta a doctorate

maybe some anaheim academy

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Banagher sags in relief once Roux reassures him. "Thank you. So much." Knowing the Unicorn is safe brings such a feeling of comfort, Banagher lets himself flop sideways at the bottom of Leina's bed, laying down on his side. "If anyone else had her after we broke the seal, it'd just be a matter of time until they had the Box."

Watching Sayla as she comes closer, Banagher nods at her request to answer questions when she's lucid. He's practically frantic to know more about what's happened to Amuro, but it isn't going to help to press her when she's still this unwell. "Sorry, Sayla." Getting to call one of his heroes by her first name is a bit of a thrill. Banagher smiles just a little.

Part of him wishes Sayla had asked for his help, too, but -- it makes sense that she hadn't. He's not family. They barely know him, and despite their reassurances, nobody would be in this state if it wasn't for him. This is a moment for family.

...where was he going to go once he was out of the hospital? It's not like he has any family to turn to, and -- no friends he could endanger with Unicorn's presence. A little knot of anxiety forms in his heart.

Distracting him from his worries, Sayla's emotions wash over the room. Banagher blinks in surprise. "Sayla?" He says, before thinking. His eyes are wide and soft, surprise clear. "Did you have an older brother..? Did something happen?" Her emotions are so clear to him, so driven to that one idea -- he can't help himself.

Judau meets Banagher's eyes. Banagher holds his gaze, doing his best to look friendly and contrite in equal measure -- but Judau quickly looks away. It's a good thing Judau's going to stay with Leina -- and Roux, too. It brings a smile to the young man's face. "I'm glad you're going to stay with her, Judau." He murmurs. "I think -- that's important. You mean everything to her." He fusses with the blankets a little, drawing little circles with one finger.

It's a strange feeling, knowing everyone in this room is family in one way or another except for himself. Banagher hasn't had a family in a long time, and certainly no siblings. A little pang of lonliness spreads through his body, cold like morning mist. He does his best to brush it away, instead watching Judau offer Leina two (2) potato wedges at once. It's amazing how different siblings can be, but still love each other so much. 

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.


Roux's attention tracks back over to Sayla. She raises a hand to her mouth as if to stifle a silent laughter. "Yeah," Roux tells her. "She sure had a vibe. That entire ship smelled funny, but I mean, so do a lot of private ships, so who am I to judge?"

Roux is thinking the place smelled like a seedy boutique, but in deference to Banagher she doesn't *say* it. The concept links remain, however. Linked. She scratches her cheek. "Mm," she says.

"Okay," she answers Sayla, rather softly. "I think I'm going to have to write some emails, but, I mean, whatever. I have to do what I have to do, right?" Roux crosses her legs. "That's all there is to it."

She settles back in her chair as she looks back to Leina as Leina enters the natural habitat of the Ashta: the BURG*ZONE. She's smiling, a little. Almost apologetically.

("He's a doctor now?" Roux asks, about Kamille. This seems to be news to her, although it is incredibly plausible that she has just managed to avoid learning it by comical happenstance.)

For the rest -- what he says sounds true. "I mean, he did disappear," Roux says, though it's kind of diffident. "They don't want to start a panic, especially if it might mean these people start getting recruits or something like that... I had the feeling that they weren't looking for that, but like, do you want people to be... trying to be like that?" She doesn't quite look at anyone as she says this. She eats a tempura carrot stick, crunching quietly.

Her eyes rest on Banagher. Not for the first time.

They're different, but Roux thinks she can understand what's in his eyes, in his shoulders, in how he's speaking. In the little nuances of him. There was a time, of course, when she was the one who was bashing into a family with a steel pipe and riding high on her own talent and skill. It worked, of course. It carried her a long, long way; all the way to Jupiter.

"So what's with this seal and box thing?" Roux asks Banagher, quietly. "I missed most of the briefing. I mean, I know they're after it." They here comes with a vague memory of Vitaly's face, Roux's instincts prickling at the memory of the older woman. "And it's good that it's not in their hands, but... do you think that's what *Amuro Ray* was after?"

"See," Roux says to Judau, "the LAST time this kind of thing came up, some wizened old prune of a 'I'm totally not a Titan wink wink' walked up and talked shit. It was pretty awful. But look at this! No Titans to be found!"

SOMEWHERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COLONY

Yazan Gable looks over his shoulder. "Eh?" he says. Someone was calling him...?

The feeling fades. Nobody much is there. Yazan finishes ordering his porkchop on a stick.

No; *two* of them. But why...?

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        Leina's voice quieting, becoming smaller... That sems to both worry Leina and ignite that protective instinct in Sayla. Fortunately, Judau manages to course correct easily enough, and that momentary feeling eases off. "And Fa. Surprised they don't have their own clinic somewhere by now."

        "...That's the federation's MO. Amuro's story has been so fucking sanitised so far, they wouldn't want to hurt that image. " Four years of being spied on by 'staff' in that mansion. "And whatever Zeon were, they're nothing but the death throes of the Zabi Family's desire for conquest. They're about as likely to cause spacenoid independence as a cat is to miss dinner." There's a lot of anger and bitterness there, despite the playfulness of her remark.

        Banagher asks his question, and Sayla's mood sours. Her walls come up, just a little. "...I did. Edouard. The last time I saw him was when he shoved me on a one way shuttle to Side 5, and told me he'd write." The bitterness before is nothing compared to the bitterness here. "I never saw him again, but I'm reasonably confident he died in the One Year War." Hopes. Hopes he's dead. "I'd rather not talk about him any more." She doesn't lash out at Banagher like she did last time.

        Roux offers an off ramp. "She used to work for Neo-Russia as a prison warden for a Zaftra based prison. I'm honestly surprised the vibe isn't weirder." Kiiiinda would though.

        She really doesn't realize she's broadcasting, huh.

        "That's... Banagher knows more than me. I found out through another contact. I think keeping it vague until we're somewhere secure is the best idea." She looks meaningfully at Banagher there. "Side 6 is neutral... but there are plenty who'd exploit that neutrality for their own gain." There's a pause. "Lots of corporate espionage and the like."

        Judau says yes, and Sayla squeezes Leina's shoulder ever so gently. She wants it to be a bigger hug, but- The everything. "I'm so glad." She seems it, too, genuinely relieved and happy for Leina. "I can help with that, Roux. I have some contacts who can cover moving anything you want to bring with you. We've got plenty of room."

        It's slowly becoming less, though, and Sayla can't help but be thrilled. 

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


'What the hell? I'm polite. Shut up!'

There's a small snort and this wry smile from Leina as he says that, obviously she doesn't believe it. before she looks at Roux's apologetic smile, and just gives this subtle shake of her head like she's grateful.

Like Roux managed to ground her again.

However, she doesn't need to call him out either, it's clear what she thinks as she chomps on the potato wedge, crunching it as he navigates the conversation with Sayla. She's still not feeling great, when he apologizes to Sayla. And...

She gives him a surprised look, and it so easily draws a smile out of her, and dashing away that sadness as she puts her non-potato chomping hand his way and over his. "Maybe that's true but... you've grown up so much too." Even in bed, she winks at him in a gesture that feels like one of sibling solidarity, "So I feel like I can let you off a little easier, every now and then."

A beat.

"Still won't hold back on an ass-kicking if you really need one, so watch yourself." As Judau draws the rare curse out of her that feels affectionate more than cautionary.

Leina finds herself in agreement with Judau on this, as his heat causes her to simmer a bit, however, she keeps herself from commenting too much. She feels if she starts...

... she won't be able to stop. It would just hurt Sayla, and she already feels so tired.

Sayla's offer - and Banagher's response causes her to look at Banagher for a moment in horror, then Sayla. This isn't something Sayla even talks about with her. The mere invocation of Edouard means... bad things generally, but Sayla at least gives Banagher the details. Honestly, it's as much as she's ever gotten save... Sayla gets a little more emotional, and it's clear to her how much she misses him on some level, even if he abandoned her.

Between that and Judau's silence at Sayla's offer, it has her trying to put those emotional walls up - and only partially succeeding. If Judau and Roux can't, won't. She doesn't want to guilt him into it. She won't do that to him. They'd have nothing to apologize for turning her down in her eyes. To want their independence, their space, to find their own way.

Then he turns to her with a broad smile and she... knows his answer even before the words leave his lips. The walls fall down even as Sayla's hand squeezes her shoulder. And there's just, pure, unvarnished joy, as she sniffs lightly, grasping those potato wedges as her voice cracks a bit, "... S'not even my birthday."

Maybe it's been an awful couple days for them, but honestly this makes up for it all at once.

The sheer amount of emotion makes her feel scattered at first, as her brain free falls right towards the more practical matter, "Um, if you need help with the moving. Sayla offered-" Sayla's already on it, which jars her out of that thought. "And..."

Pause, as her brain latches back onto something much, much more important...

"... Judau, can you come a little closer?" As she holds out her arms, one still grasping the pair of undevoured wedges, and assuming he does, she hugs him of course - not very tightly, because that would cause untold agony but - she still does, but she does hold it for a long while and the pair of wedges can be seen at the small of Judau's back as she does so.

She'll eat them after the hug of course.

The seal and the box thing... she's tired, and emotionally overwhelmed, and even given her second wind she decides to let Banagher and/or Sayla tell them as much or as little as they want. She can't stop smiling right now, it's just so earnest. However at Roux's invocation, of a wizened old prune of a Titan, a small hint of silliness enters her grin, "Still wish you had gotten to hit that guy with a pipe too, before we left."

Roux hitting someone else with a pipe to save Judau remains a fond memory.

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

A little smile blooms at Leina's insistence about how much he's grown. She even uses the dread Cursed Language, which means he -knows- it's sincere. And he does. He -has- grown up. And grown polite!

stop laughing

Banagher just out and asks about Sayla's obvious raw nerve. Really, Judau can't even be mad at him about that, either. In other circumstances he knows he would have done the same and not even thought twice about it.

Sadly he's also not in the right frame of mind to appreciate that fact more than he might so Banagher only gets about ~.5 Judau Points added to his affinity chart.

Still, Sayla's mood sours; the former AEUG pilot listens as she relents to a bitter explanation. He blinks. He considers this. She'd rather not talk about him anymore. Judau can respect that.

"Sounds like an asshole anyway," he decides, and politely (politely, Leina!) moves on.

This opinion probably would not change if he knew literally anything else at all about the context.

He still has misgivings. About Earth, about everything going on in its orbit. It's Leina's response to his and Roux's decision, however, that lets him completely forget all those misgivings and feel honestly -good- about said decision. Smile becoming a grin, as moving assistance is offered, he waves a hand through the air. One might assume this is dismissal--

"Hah, are you kiddin'? Heck yeah! Think of all the money we'd save! Movin' is a huge pain in the ass!"

--but of course he's not because what, is Judau Ashta going to just leave money on the table? Ridiculous.

As it stands, that good mood endures, even as Banagher offers his happy well wishes; even if the "Yeah, I know" might be a bit dismissive, it's still not infused with the anger he was smoldering with just moments ago, and that's something. He feels that lonely pang from the other Newtype; it's hard not to. But, well.

They're not there yet, no matter how happy Judau is right now.

And, fortunately, it's a happiness that just grows as he leans in; Leina's arms go around him, and he hugs her in return -- carefully, just like before. As much as he'd like to just pick her up and spin her around like they used to; this is good, too. It's warm. It's fuzzy. And even as he knows the reasons why he has to be careful... it lets him put those issues aside. Because for right now, Leina is happy. And that's what matters most.

After the hug, Judau leans back. Roux talks about the box, piquing Judau's memories of the oddities of the Unicorn. He has his own questions, but for a big host of reasons... he doesn't ask them. He lets Roux take point there instead, as he indulges in a purloined potato of his own, just tossing the whole thing in his mouth and chewing contentedly until Roux Louka calls forth ancient memories,

"Huh? The last time we had potato wedges?"

that Judau Ashta completely does not pick up on.

"The last time we had wedges was on the Energy Fleet, an' there's no Titans from there, an' if there were, they sure as hell wouldn't like potato wedges; what the heck're you -- oohhh. OHHHHH. Not potato wedges. Right. Yeah. Okay. I remember. I remember!"

SOMEWHERE IN THE FROZEN VOID OF SPACE

Paptimus Scirocco is long dead and cannot weigh in his opinion on potato wedges.

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Banagher glances at Sayla when Roux asks about the Box. She's just lectured him about not telling everyone he meets every detail, after all. Roux seems trustworthy, she's clearly a part of this family, but is it okay? The flash of Vitaly's face makes Banagher react in fear, breathing in sharply. The young man brings one hand up to his shoulder, brushing his fingers over an almost-invisible scar.

Sayla says no. Banagher gives Roux a sympathetic glance and a shrug. "It's kind of a long story anyway. But when she says it's okay, I'll tell you everything you want to know. But -- Unicorn and I are the only ones who can find it, and it's very dangerous. It wasn't supposed to be like this." Banagher murmurs.

Though he doesn't react outwardly, a memory floats through the room. An older man, hair grey, dressed in a long tunic within the Unicorn Gundam's cockpit. He's bleeding badly, but he smiles when he turns to face Banagher -- urging the young man closer. It's clear Banagher doesn't know this man from the suspicion and caution in his movements, but somehow, the two have a powerful psychic bond. All around the pair are flames, with the sound of explosions and screams heard in the distance. The older man takes Banagher's hand and presses it to a screen within the Unicorn's. Flames lick closer, and the man hurries Banagher into the pilot seat and then -- vanishes, overtaken in a curtain of fire.

Beyond just staring into space for a moment, Banagher doesn't seem aware at all that he's broadcast a vision. After a moment, he simply turns his gaze on Sayla. "I'm sorry." The older woman's distress is intense, and Bangaher hunches his shoulders a little in the face of it. After feeling the love between Judau and Leina, it's startling to feel Sayla's anger and bitterness toward this Edouard. "I won't bring it up again."

A prison warden has Unicorn now? And people would really spy on a hospital? Banagher wants to flop back over.

Leina's joy washes over Banagher, a welcome reprieve from his misery. He grins broadly, resisting the urge to laugh in sheer delight. She was so happy -- this meant everything to Leina, and finally, something good is happening. It's exhausting, being hit with so many powerful emotions one after the other, it reminds Banagher of how things were before he met Audrey. But... this time, he doesn't mind. "I'm so glad." He offers, watching the siblings embrace each other.

Out of curiosity, Banagher's eyes slide over to Sayla. Does this expression of love from an older brother to a younger sister hurt her? With how fresh her pain feels...

Banagher is happy Judau acknowledged him, but he lets that moment stay between the siblings. Any stories of potato wedges or dead enemy pilots goes over his head. Instead, he draws little circles with his finger in the blankets.

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.


Regarding the woman of mystery and too much leather, Roux's opinion is withheld. "Ah," Roux says, "and yeah, I mean, that makes sense," this being about the mysterious Box. Which seems less intense, right now, than the question of mysterious SIBLINGS. This is a sore spot, that much is obvious. Roux finishes off her snacky crunchies.

She smiles, a little, in a soft way again, when the siblings embrace. And then a question comes up and Roux's eyebrows lift. "I could have hit a lot of people!" she says. "I sometimes wonder if I should've stopped! Ugh. I'm not really proud of it, I guess, but some people..."

Judau raises a question. That of cost sensitivity. "You know," Roux muses, "you're kind of right... I guess we wouldn't have to get the furniture again" (we means Roux) "or assemble much if we're going to be in that big house, it seemed mostly furnished. Which I suppose is good because I told Minae she could use it and I'd hate to go back on that."

Her eyes turn back to Banagher. He speaks in some detail. Roux is not sensitive enough to pick up on a vision, not in a moment like this. But -- there's more there.

There's a lot.

For a moment Roux wonders how much is past her pay grade. How much is titanic flows that will draw them all under. The moment doesn't last.

"I guess it's something to worry about later," Roux murmurs.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


Honestly Judau earns ~.5 Leina affinity on calling Edouard an asshole, since Leina has to deal with the emotional fallout whenever his name rears its ugly head. However, this doesn't matter because his affinity with her was maxed out years ago.

Leina gives Banagher a look as if to tell him 'That's for the best' when it comes to Edouard. It's not so much a warning, as it is just this painful underpinning to it all. Like it's an unhealed wound in Sayla, and every mention just picks off the scab again.

"I know most of it but it's Banagher's story to tell really... once we're somewhere more secure." Roux though, she can tell by that look, because it's one she's shared with her multiple times getting involved in what Banagher's going through. "What I can say is that the two of us are definitely feel in over our heads."

And maybe that's saying a lot, given what it previously took to make all of them feel in over their heads during the First War, and now after years of processing and growth... back to that place.

There are some parts of what she could say that she knows would bring him a lot of sympathy to Judau and Roux there, but... they're also the most painful, the most personal. And there's just this soft shake of her head that shifts her fuzzy brown hair, as she finishes polishing off the potato wedges in hand.

She tries her hardest not to laugh at Judau being excited on saving that much money. Because she certainly knows he is. And despite her having access to money - Judau probably would not be surprised at how frugal she is to this day.

The hug is warm, and wonderful, and she still feels herself just enjoying those fuzzy vibes afterwards, basking in them even. Suddenly the pain feels trivial in comparison. Before Leina has this pronounced slow blink when Judau doesn't quite get what Roux meant.

... For some reason she thinks of him mistaking cheese for plums.

-=-=-

Days later, a wheelchair is rolled into the room. There's still some Magical Girl Wonderful Persimmon Stickers still fixed to the chair back, the stickers worn from age. And its accented - very pink in colors. It's obvious that this wheelchair is not new. However, as much as she's grown in some ways, she's not much taller than she was back then.

Leina's already dressed for discharge, in just a simple T-Shirt and Jeans. "Just a month." She tells everyone, "A month is nothing."

... which, compared to last time, that really does seem true in one sense... but... there's a deep breath, as Leina slowly slides herself over to the edge of the bed to transfer herself into the wheelchair, trying her best not to grimace too hard and - failing.

Her breathing becomes shallower and quicker, but eventually she puts a hand to the edge of the chair, and lifts herself, transferring over quickly, like she's ripping a bandaid off. As she lands on the newly added cushion, and leans back for support, "Haaa... ha..."

All but panting, she makes it.

She lets herself rest for a bit, it just starts to move. There's no controls, there's no using her arms on the wheels to roll herself. It's apparently an old, very early model Psycommu wheelchair. That Sayla was able to get her one kind of, speaks for itself. However, once she's settled, she looks to Sayla, and reaches out to take a bag from her.

And she rolls up to Judau with it.

"Before... we go. I know it's a day early, but... since we're traveling back Earthside, and everything's been chaotic, so I wanted to be sure to give it to you now, just in case."

Digging into the bag, she holds something up.

The first gift is simple, it's several pre-paid tickets to a Tapas buffet with dessert in the town about a half hour from the Mass Villa known as the 'Itapa Catalunya'.

"Whenever we do get back, you should get to eat as much as you want for your birthday."

This is dangerous, forbidden knowledge to give to Judau Ashta, and yet give it she does. In part, it's because she wanted to have a party for him and now, she just can't. However, she doesn't say that to anyone. She figures that for him and his appetite, this is just as good, possibly even better.

Then taking out her phone, she shows him a picture...

... of a green motorcycle. It's obviously second hand, probably straight from a junkyard, but it's in surprisingly good condition. It's the exact same make and model that Judau used to ride around in in Shangri-la.

"It's a fixer upper but, I thought you'd enjoy riding around on something more familiar than some crummy expensive Earth model." She tells him with a wink that seems more a gesture of solidarity between Spacenoids. Though then she pauses as if remembering something, "I uh- had it sent to Londenion so, I'll just try to get it... redirected back?"

Reaching into the bag one last time. She draws out the final gift and sets the bag to her side, she seems hesitant to let go, like she's uncertain of it, it's a partially worn binder that she sets on her lap as she starts to speak more shyly, "Um. This is less a birthday gift and more something I've been working on for a while... I thought you might still appreciate it today? It's just, I wanted to start trying to make up for lost time."

As she hands it over, it's... a scrapbook.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


There are dividers by age within it. And it's candid. It's all the good, all the bad for the past eight years of her life. Just flipping through there are so many pictures and so many moments from her life:

There are pictures of her in the hospital, in the pool, going through physical therapy with Sayla helping her. Pictures of her in the wheelchair with a younger Shiro and Mamoru. Another of her celebrating the day she got out of it, and yet another of her playing in the snow in Paris, still the same size Judau remembers her when he first left. There's a few with a younger her and Nidaime who appears to have been more of a little hellion back then.

There are pictures of her at school, with other girls her age, training, running, swimming - acting. Several of her celebrating victories in school supports holding up a medal, or getting academic awards. There's the first day at her Middle School - and her Graduation too of course.

More moments her dressed up for the theater, learning to shoot, learning to drive. Pictures of her ready for her first date ever. Still more with her and Shiro Kabuto at various stages of their relationship.

There are pictures of her visiting locations all over Earth, and Space for her volunteer work with the Yumi Foundation. Pictures of her and War Orphans she'd connected with.

Cat pictures, so many cat pictures of her with Foras and Buer, quite a few labeled with silly jokes - and so many more with various Haros of different colors until it settles on her current blue-violet one, Giovanni.

There are pictures of her with people Judau and Roux certainly remember with Leina now older in them, like Beecha and Elle, Bright Noa - and more. But also figures they might have more trouble placing until they do image searches online (The one with Master Asia might surprise them)...

There are copies of year book pages within, school transcripts with her grades, various history papers she wrote for school - including the one which was unjustly failed and her outspoken reaction getting her sent to the office - until Sayla stepped in. One can see a grade and comments crossed out, with the new grade at the top. There are jewel cases inside containing mini discs with labels like Swim Meet UC 91, Twelfth Night UC 95, Middle School Graduation UC 92.

Perhaps unsurprisingly there's a large gap of time around UC 93 where there's nothing. No pictures, nothing to speak of. The absence speaking volumes of just what kind of time it was for her.

It's not enough, perhaps. Not nearly enough. She can't truly encapsulate eight years of her experiences for Judau to live vicariously through. But...

... she certainly can make an earnest attempt as she smiles his way, "Happy Early Birthday, Bro."

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