2022-12-17: Fall/Catch
- Log: 2022-12-17: Fall/Catch
- Cast: Sayla Mass, Akane Shinjo's Friend Ramo Marusa, Renais Cardiff
- Where: Tsutsujidai High School
- OOC - IC Date: 16 December 0096
- Summary: Ramo Marusa hits the wall.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
It's been a hell of a week. While others have been preparing for the battle against Alexis, Sayla has been barely handling combat business- apart from a tense conversation with Domon and the loss of a hipflask worth of awful alcohol.
Right now she's in the planning room that used to be the art club room- and many of the supplies have been repurposed for marking things out and about or keeping people occupied and entertained. Stimulus is fucking vital at a time like this.
She is, as is becoming usual, shadowed by a few people. Calibur stands nearby, lanky as ever, to run messages and help. "...I'm going to need to meet with Miss Ashford and her group soon, she's been doing good work. I should touch base with 3G, too, there's a few topics there." She sighs. "You haven't been able to find Akane yet?"
Calibur shakes his head. "N- No."
Sayla sighs. She needs to talk to that girl, and soon. Desperately soon. "Alright, keep me posted." She looks at the latest food reports. Supplies are good. She could ask Koji to dig a pit and Reito Beam the hell out of it to keep things cold, or see if the could rig up something extra for extra storage. She doesn't want to lose things to spoilage, but if everything is under control, it's better to focus on different targets right now.
"Okay, here's the plan. Supply groups should see if we have any sporting goods stores left for tents, sleeping bags, etc. If any of the media stores are in tact, it might be an idea to just grab what you can find. Movie nights are low overhead easy entertainment. Popcorn's easy to make and cheap as hell, and we're likely to be able to find real corn here still. Salt, butter, icing sugar- easy to make a treat out of too. From there-"
Calibur coughs, and Sayla looks at him. "I-It's feeding time." He says, by means of explanation, and Sayla nods.
"...I understand. I'll be fine here. Give them a scritch for me." Calibur nods solemnly, and then leaps out the window. Sayla takes the moment to watch him leave, appreciatively.
"Hm. Nice guy, kind of sad, likes cats. Decent ass. Could do worse."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Ramo Marusa has been running messages at lower priority than Calibur, bringing any number of small parts from location to location, and getting more comfortable on her moped. Notably, she's up all hours; it's a good question when she sleeps.
She has, at least, been seen sleeping periodically, usually in the dance club room, so it's not an Akane situation. The dark-haired girl steps into Sayla's 'office' as Calibur leaves, catching only the very tail end of, well, someone hurling himself out the window with purpose.
"Miss Mass," Marusan starts, a couple steps into the room. She sounds a touch out of it, to say the least. "The hospital is asking what we can do for low-GI ration packages. The immediate need for surgical assistance has passed, but there's..." She takes a half-step back and to the side. "Something."
She tries to sort through what she talked about with the hospital director and can't quite find it. It wasn't a medical supplies issue or a personnel issue -- but what was it supposed to...?
"I was supposed to ask about..."
Marusan falls backward. It's a controlled fall -- she weakly steps back toward the wall, knowing she needs to brace herself because she abruptly feels really woozy -- but it's still a fall. Her back slides down the wall, and her eyes shut for about eight seconds before dazedly fluttering open again.
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
"He's cute. Reminds me of a dog my mom had," comes a voice from the doorway, where Renais stands, leaning on the frame. She's wearing a black pullover hoodie bearing the logo for Taraba Q in white. "You'd think he'd learn out his swords are wider than the rest of him," she adds, glancing down as she enters the room to see if there are any scuff marks on the doorframe
She's about to say something else when Ramo steps in behind her, and she turns around to listen. Sayla's been keeping busy, and there's a touch of worry on her mind--which rapidly turns into alarm as Ramo starts to faint. After a moment's hesitation, she lunges forward to steady the girl and keep her from falling over.
"Hey. Hey, are you okay?" she asks. She looks over to Sayla, worried.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla smirks. "I see what you mean. Like he's got a stick that's too big to fit." Sayla's face is *impenetrable* as she says that. She looks to Marusan as she enters, eyebrow raising, listening. Low GI rations, certainly, but... "Ramo?"
Sayla is very lucky Renais is there, and Sayla kneels down, checking her. She doesn't have time to check pulse before Ramo starts to awake. "Ramo, can you hear me? Renais' and I are going to take you to the nurse's office, okay? Renais, will you carry her?"
Sayla's already moving, having given the instruction. There are murmurs down the hall as Sayla makes for the office, holding the door open for Renais to take Ramo through, and clearing a free bad. Thankfully there is one. "Place her down there, gently." She takes this opportunity to look the girl over, and check her pulse. But she already has a suspicion, looking at Ramo's darker than usual eyes.
"Ramo, when did you last eat? Or sleep?"
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Marusan feels herself get caught, though it's a little startling; she still passes out. If anything, she might be out a few seconds longer with someone there to catch her.
"Nnuh," she offers, as she starts to claw her way back to consciousness. "I'm -- fine, I could walk there on my..." She still seems pretty woozy, though she is bouncing back.
Nevertheless, she does let herself get carried to the nurse's office, where she settles in on the bed. "I slept... last night? I got four hours, and then I caught a nap some... where." It takes her a little longer to answer the question of whether she's been eating.
"... that one kind of got away from me," she admits. "The food. I... my routine was, mostly, eating with Ako... so I guess maybe...?" She stares up at the ceiling.
"There's so much to do," she mumbles. "Don't want to feel like... I left someone behind."
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais nods to Sayla, and gives Ramo a look as she quietly protests. "Nope," she says simply, leaning down to loop one arm behind the girl's knees and the other behind her back.
"Hup," she announces, lifting Marusan into her arms almost effortlessly, following behind Sayla, then depositing the girl in the bed.
Mm. "Four hours... and the night before that?" She pauses, then adds, "Actually... better question. How many full nights have you gotten since we got cut off?"
At the mention of food, Renais reaches into the pocket of her hoodie, producing a granola bar--the same kind handed out with some of the day's rations. She holds it out to Ramo. "Here."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"No you aren't." Sayla's voice is firm and inarguable. Sayla shakes her head, and looks around. Her bag still has the sealed convenience store Melon Bread from last night, but that's in the office. Fortunately Renais has her covered. It's not ideal but... something simple and with a little better flavour than CalorieMark. She gets that, and checks the water is flowing clear and safe, filling a paper cup with water.
She tilts the bed up slightly, positioning Ramo in a place she can drink, and holds the cup to her lips. "Drink." She gives her enough to drink, and ready to support her if she tries to take the cup- and to take it away if that's too much.
Sayla's very quiet for a bit. "There is lots to do. But there's people to do it. It doesn't have to fall on you. And it won't. You're off duty for the next 48 hours- at least- until you are in a state where you can work without mistakes." Sayla's tone is harsh, because she thinks it has to be.
It's here the kindness comes back, as maybe, for once, Sayla is realising the truth of what she's saying. "You don't have go home. We have the Office set up for sleeping, and I can make a private space for you in the meeting room if you want it. I'll meet you for meals when I can, and if I can't I'll send someone. Someone who could use the help of having some company- and nothing more. Understood?"
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Food... and Marusan isn't really in a position to refuse them, either. "If we're talking six consecutive hours... I... actually haven't. I've been sleeping two or three hours at a time most of the time..."
Turning her gaze down, she takes a bite of granola bar. When Sayla follows up with water, she takes a long drink; she can manage it, it seems. She's not having that bad a time. Being told she's off duty gets a small flinch from her -- but the added offer of somewhere to sleep besides home helps.
"That sounds a lot better," Marusan admits. "Thank you." Her lips curl up in a small smile... which only lasts a moment.
"... my girlfriend -- isn't in town. She's out there somewhere. I know the outside world isn't as scary as Akane acts like it is, but I'm still... I saw what the news was like when things -- got cut off."
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais winces. Not a full night's sleep since the event... She's been there. "No wonder," she murmurs, crossing her arms and leaning back on the wall. Nodding in agreement with Sayla, she adds, "Everyone here is doing something to help."
Well. Mostly everyone. She thinks back to the Abyss Guards.
"I know how it feels... trust me. Even once you get past shit like this, it hollows you out. There's no sense in pushing yourself so hard now you can't help someone tomorrow."
She falls silent when Ramo explains her girlfriend is outside. There's a slow nod, and eventually, she speaks again. "... yeah. We've all got people out there. People we're worried about." She looks at Sayla, thinking openly about Leina.
"We just need to trust them. And take care of ourselves so they won't freak out when we see them again." She smirks.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"You're doing worse than you were at your old job." It's not surprising, but ... The reasoning comes quick and Sayla nods. "I'm sorry." She looks down. for a moment, before looking to Renais as she speaks. "...Renais right. The world out there isn't as nice as Tsutsujidai was... but it's not without kind people."
Sayla takes a deep breath. "And Leina's out there too. Ako knows about the Foundation, and Leina has her number, right? She'll be okay." Sayla's hand reaches quietly to Renais 'safer' hand, possibly for emotional support. "So I'm going to make sure that you and Ako can be together as soon as this over. Alright?"
Touching, now, Renais can feel it. The uncertainty that Sayla is pushing herself to remain a solid bastion of certainty in front of Ramo. In front of everyone, probably. "...And that means you need to be in good enough shape to take her out for dinner as soon as you're back together, right? We can find you a McDaniel's." She remembers the reason Ramo picked that office after all.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
For an instant, the idea that everyone feels that way makes Marusan feel much, much worse. She lets her hand fall to her side, still holding the granola bar; she drinks the water instead, after a little thought, though.
"My old job wasn't in a crisis," she points out. "But you're right. ... Thank you -- both of you." She straightens out on the bed, looking out the window at the world, with its computerized sky and its eerie green glow almost regardless of the time of day.
Marusan and Sayla aren't that different in that sense, but Marusan... well, she's 17. When Sayla mentions getting MacDaniel's with Ako, Marusan's eyes start misting over immediately. "That's -- what she wanted, too -- as soon as she came back," she stammers out, before going from misty to crying.
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais squeezes Sayla's hand very gently, and the G-Stone on her other wrist glows faintly. Her own emotions come clearer--concern for both Ramo and Sayla. Frustration toward Ramo.
She stiffens a little, unsure of what to do as Ramo begins to cry, and closes her eyes a moment, taking a breath, and a moment to think. She runs her fingers through her hair. She should say something. But what?
"... so take care of yourself," is what she decides on. It's clumsy. She regrets it as soon as it's out.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"You kind of were, though." Sayla doesn't feel like she's wrong, here. She can feel Renais concern, too. But when Marusan starts crying, Sayla leans over to squeeze Ramo's shoulder. So many people, even here, left behind by those who should care for them, cut away from those they love.
"Renais, do you think you could ask Porc-Auto to be ready? I think I'm going to finish early today. I'll let whoever is site managing today know. Things are stable for now." The office has a small kitchenette, and Sayla has action to rations as much as anyone else, some of the remaining produce. Maybe she can do something here.
"You'll join us too, won't you Renais? I think... a cooked meal would do us all some good. And some rest." Sayla's not going to to be taking no for an answer.
Today, at least, she realizes it's not another cat in the mirror.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Renais manages to shock Marusan back to reality. "That's... a good point. If I crash the moped that's going to be a pretty big damper on getting MacD's," Marusan concedes, taking a breath and laughing. "Maybe a big delay, too."
Putting a hand up to her face, Marusan realizes what Sayla's getting at. "I guess I was," she admits, leaning into that squeeze. "Sure -- let's... get something to eat."
She sits up, still a touch shaky -- but she has two very reliable people to lean on, too...
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
The look of defeat on Renais' face turns to a small smile as her words actually get through to Marusan. "Exactement," she nods. Taking a moment to think--really, accessing a built-in chronometer--she looks to Sayla.
"Porc should be coming through the parking lot in about five minutes. I'll let him know."
Ugh. She misses her built-in radio.
"And... of course. I could use some time to relax and eat." She looks at Sayla. "You could, as well. Once we're there, no work." She points a finger at her, looking pointedly into her eyes. She'd look pretty intense if not for the grin.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla mouths a thank you to Renais. The two of them together are what pulled her back up. She's ready to support Ramo as she stands, if she needs it.
"No work." Sayla agrees- it's easier when she's making an example- and without phones working and internet limited. "Just... don't tell Leina you already got me to agree to that."
As they get ready to go, Sayla wonders what they'll do to pass the time. She never did get to catch up on Natural Lychee... and if that's not on her phone she'll still have Wonderful Persimmon. Maybe it's time for a little comfort.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"That sounds -- nice," Marusan says. She's still a little out of it, even if she's getting back to it. "Thank you both very much."
After a few more moments, she decides to fully get back up, screwing her eyes shut a little as she does so. Doing her best to remain as easy to support as possible, she pushes her hair out of her face and says, "I think I'm ready. ... no work for the next two days. And real sleep from now on. Okay."
... she can hang on until Ako gets back. However long that is.