2023-05-25: A Meeting to be Savoured
- Cast: LiSA, Kaworu Nagisa, Koji Kabuto
- Where: Fujinomiya City - Boss Ramen
- Date: U.C. 0097 05 25
- Summary: Finally making good on an agreement made months ago, Koji introduces Kaworu to LiSA. They talk of many things - possibilities, wishes, and enemies among them.
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
Many months ago, Koji invited Kaworu to take a look at one of the Photo Power Labs' greatest secrets: Infinity. They'd discussed the parallels between it and Tsutsujidai, and Koji had spoken of LiSA, who was born from Infinity. Kaworu had indicated his interest in meeting her, but contact with Infinity had left him with a crushing headache that sent him away.
Many things have happened between then and now, but it seems it's finally time for them to meet--under Koji's watchful eye. A proud and protective father, perhaps?
Regardless, Kaworu agrees to meet the two in Fujinomiya City at a neutral location, following Koji's directions. He arrives at exactly the designated meeting time, not a second sooner or later. And that designated place... once he enters, he strolls in until he meets Koji and LiSA, and greets them both with his usual laidback smile.
"We meet at last," he says amiably.
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
Boss Ramen has seen its fair share of arguments and incidents recently, despite its owner's best attempts to levy a positive atmosphere. Today, however, Koji hopes that things will be better - after all, there should be no reason for Kaworu and LiSA to be at odds.
He and LiSA are already seated at their favourite booth when Kaworu arrives. Koji looks better than he did at the debriefing on the Ra Mari II but still a little fatigued - evidently the revelations of 2100 Ra-Shalom are taking a while to leave his mind. He's dressed in his usual casual wear of jeans and a white tee, with a khaki-green jacket folded up next to him in case of a sudden change in the weather as Japan approaches summer.
"Administrator Nagisa," he says as Kaworu greets them, returning the smile. "It's good to see you again." He indicates the powder-blue-haired young lady sitting next to him. "This is Lisa, the young lady I told you about a while ago. I've ordered a House Special for each of us, but I didn't know what you'd prefer. Shall I order something?"
<Pose Tracker> LiSA has posed.
LiSA has yet to meet a good friend, seemingly, of the Power Labs. That is Kaworu.
Sitting in her second favorite seat in the world (the first is her seat in Koji's lab), next to someone she likes very much, LiSA is in a good mood. Not that she's ever in a bad one, but still ... Boss (Ramen) has a way of winning her heart. When Kaworu comes, she slides out from her seat and gives him a polite bow. He knows Koji, but not her, so it's a first time greeting!!! "Good day, I'm LiSA! Please, join us. How are you doing today?"
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
Boss Ramen... Yes, it's a fine place for anyone to meet. This isn't Kaworu's first time here; he's not generally a food person, but many of his close friends are. He came here with Shinji, Liam, and Lucine some time ago and ate with them. He doesn't mind eating again with Koji and LiSA.
The atmosphere should definitely stay positive, too. It's exceedingly rare for Kaworu to lose his cool, and even when he does, it happens in a subdued way.
That aside, Koji does look like he's gotten a bit more sleep since Tuesday. It's good to see, even if he's also not at his peak yet either. For his part, Kaworu's dressed in his school clothes: white button-up shirt, violet undershirt, belted black slacks, and cream high-top sneakers. And as usual, his hands are tucked in his pockets.
"You as well, Dr. Kabuto. A House Special is fine, though you don't need to go out of your way, either," Kaworu tells Koji. As Koji gets introductions underway, he returns LiSA's bow with one of his own, then seats himself opposite the two and folds his legs elegantly. "Good day to you, LiSA. I'm Kaworu--Kaworu Nagisa. Today, I am well. I've finally gotten the chance to see you face-to-face, after all."
His red eyes meet LiSA's blue, his crooked smile faint but sincere. "I knew right away you would be a fascinating individual. You were born into this world from infinite possibility."
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
Kaworu says he doesn't mind what Koji orders and the Mazinger pilot raises an eyebrow, ordering another House Special for him.
The NERV Administrator seems to have understood LiSA's nature far more intuitively than Koji does - he considers, then speaks. "... 'from infinite possibility'. You're referring to the Fuji Anomaly, I take it." That is, Mazinger Infinity, from whose brow the young lady emerged like Athena from Zeus's head.
"We did name it 'Infinity', but only for the possibilities it was suggesting for our technological advancement..." He trails off, thoughtfully.
<Pose Tracker> LiSA has posed.
Lisa does smile! She likes meeting new friends. She may not have a smidgen of the awakening Kaworu or even Lucine has when it comes to helping understand, but that's okay. She's like a four year old, after all. People around her are helping with her development!
(Tetsuya is a wonderfully terrible influence.)
"I was... born?" She takes this phrasing into consideration, then frowns, just slightly. "By virtue of that definition, though, I was not. I am incapable of such a thing, as far as research shows, I am a creation born of both technological and biological resources that have never been known to meld, within the womb. It is more like ..."
"... someone wished for me?"
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
It isn't hard--at least, not for him. After touching Infinity and hearing from Koji about where LiSA came from... and Kaworu does have a keen sense for these sorts of things in general.
"Yes," he tells Koji. He chuckles a bit as Koji trails off, lost in his own thoughts; Koji doesn't actually ask a question, so Kaworu doesn't speak. The easiest attack to dodge is one that never actually comes.
To LiSA, Kaworu concedes, "A womb is not always necessary for birth--but let us say brought into existence, then." He considers what she says it's more like, then nods. "Yes... The future becomes the present as countless choices shape it and fix it into the current reality. Those choices are born of wishes--such as the wish you describe."
His smile warms, but there's something in the corners of his eyes that gives it a melancholy cast. "It's a wonderful, terrible thing, to be wished for."
A beat. Then, conversationally, he continues, "What, then, is your wish, LiSA?" He looks to the side of her. "And what would you wish of her, Dr. Kabuto?"
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
"So you're saying it's... more than just a machine." There's a note of concern in Koji's voice as he comes to his delayed conclusion. "Many such machines are, of course, but..." He sets the thought aside when Kaworu asks that question.
"... What would I wish of her?" He blinks a couple of times. "... I don't know. I don't even think I wished for her - it's more like she was a gift." He's thinking aloud, not really realising what he's saying until the words have left his mouth, and he flushes slowly after that.
<Pose Tracker> LiSA has posed.
"I ... came from it, it has to be more than a machine?" LiSA sounds uncertain.
Kaworu asks his question, Koji replies, as he replies. LiSA is not surprised. Lisa cannot be surprised. She's been around him and Sayaka enough. She looks down at the table for a moment, thinking (not aloud.) Then she looks up at Kaworu.
"Well... this. I like helping Master, and miss Sayaka. Jun and Testuya, baby Gai ... all these people I've met... I wish I had a family!" A pause. "There's ... something else... but I can't put my finger on it."
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
Kaworu regards Kabuto with mildly puzzled curiosity. "I'm surprised, Doctor. Weren't you the one who approached me about your hypothesis that the anomaly crossed over dimensions into this reality? If you truly believed that, then surely you realized already it's more than just a machine."
LiSA weighs in similarly on the matter. But then, communication is always a tricky thing. It's good to discuss this know while they have the chance to--and it's not as though anyone in Boss Ramen is going to make trouble for them about the matter.
His eyelids pinch upwards as Koji describes LiSA as not something he wished for, but... "A gift," he repeats. "That truly is wonderful." He focuses back on LiSA, listening to her answer. The one she gives him warms his smile again... and, again, brings something bittersweet to the corners of his eyes.
Family is a fraught issue where he comes from. But then, he and LiSA don't come from the same places, do they?
"Knowing your wish is the first step to making it come true," he says, apparently wholly unruffled by her use of 'Master.' But... something she can't put her finger on, hm? "If you think talking through it would help you, I'd be pleased to listen. It doesn't need to be now--simply in your own time."
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
"It's not impossible that one could develop technology to achieve that, but for it to be able to do that without even a control machine, let alone a pilot?" Koji runs a hand through his hair and gets back to his ramen. "It raises many questions. I recall you reached out to it and it seemed as though you were... stuck, for a moment. ... I oughtn't ask what happened, I think." He gives the younger man a wry smile.
"Yeah. A gift unasked for but treasured all the same." He smiles - an expression that broadens when LiSA gives her own answer and he turns towards her. "Is there anything else you'd like to do? Things to learn? You've made a lot of friends in a short amount of time."
<Pose Tracker> LiSA has posed.
"Um... well..." Lisa looks a bit awkward, but recovers for a moment. "I was going to ask you and miss Sayaka this, but ... can I go to school? Or at least visit a school? I think it would be fun! Sometimes sitting around in the labs all day is a bit... boring." A pause, then hastily: "Not that I don't mind helping you and Sayaka, but ... sometimes it would be nice to get out for awhile."
"... and thank you, Kaworu!" LiSA adds on, businesslike - meaning it. "I like talking to people. It's nice."
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
Kaworu returns that smile. I appreciate your discretion, it might seem to say--but that will be up to Koji's imagination, since he doesn't say anything either way. (...This is probably where the communication issues are coming from.)
Without a control unit or a pilot, though... Kaworu regards LiSA again, but doesn't openly remark on that, either.
Infinity is full of mysteries, isn't it? Even he couldn't fully grasp them. How can you grasp something that is literally infinite?
Whether LiSA should attend school or not, he'll leave to Koji to decree. Instead, he remarks, "School is a fine way to enrich your daily life. You meet all sorts of people that way." His smile broadens at LiSA's gratitude. "It is," he agrees.
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
"I've been thinking about that myself, actually," Koji answers LiSA. "I'll talk with Sayaka about it, but a visit to a school at least shouldn't be out of the question! Kaworu's right, it would give you a lot to experience - and, yeah, getting out of the Lab more often is important." For himself and Sayaka, too; an idea springs forth in his mind, for later.
He looks back to Kaworu. "It seemed pretty rough on you, is all - I don't want to ask you to relive the experience. I trust you're feeling a lot better now, since it was a while ago?"
He frowns. "I'm concerned about Infinity, to be honest. 'Atrytone' raided us shortly before her attack on Tokyo-3, and her team discovered it. I think she assumed the Photon Power Lab have been drawing from it to provide power. Given that she just had a redebut stream where she announced herself as responsible for those attacks... I suspect we might face another attack from her."
<Pose Tracker> LiSA has posed.
Koji's last bit gets ran through her brain again, and LiSA blinks a few times, then looks puzzled. Surely he realizes ...? Hmm. Topic for later, when both he and Sayaka are around. Kaworu is seemingly all well and good, but still. They are the two closest to what beats as LiSA's heart.
"Ah, yes, thank you Koji!!" She practically bounces in her seat, acting like the teenager she visually is, instead of the weirdo young adult she mentally is. Er... technologically is? Hm. "I'm sure Sayaka won't mind, she's always trying to get us to do other things. Or, well... try to get you to do more with her."
"But we're not, and we can prove it, right?" She asks of Atrytone.
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
"That's kind of you. It was rather intense," Kaworu admits. "And yes, the headaches have mostly died down since. Contact with Infinity didn't cause those, only exacerbated them, so there's no need to worry about that."
His smile fades at the mention of 'Atrytone.' He knew about that attack, but the PPL doesn't report to NERV, so there's a matter of details there. Given her fascination with the MAGI, it would only follow that she might also be fascinated with Infinity.
"I wouldn't be surprised. I've heard that she will be putting on a concert in the near future also. As long as she's doing that well away from here, I see no reason to interfere with it... the problem is if she decides to trespass again." He rests a hand on his chin. "If I were to guess, I think she's likelier to attack the Photon Power Lab again. 'Atrytone' invaded the Geofront through structural insecurities that are in the process of being audited and addressed. She won't find a repeat performance so easy."
And of course there's the MAGI effectively booing her off the stage, but Kaworu doesn't mention that part. He smiles anew at LiSA's excitement over the prospect of attending school. Which will Koji and Sayaka send her to? He's sure LiSA will have a good time wherever she goes.
Her question about Atrytone, though, gives him pause. "Do you think if you did prove it, she would leave the Photon Power Labs alone?" he wonders.
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
At the question about proving what they do to Atrytone, Koji shakes his head. "It's trivial to prove, if only by the fact that the only instruments we have pointed at Infinity are monitoring and scanning equipment, but..." How to put this. "There's an... element to her approach that feels very... fixated. As though once she starts processing an idea, it can't be shifted. She stole chunks of Japanium from our supplies, just analysing those would tell her everything she needs to know, but..." He shrugs. "I'd like to try and get through to her, but... I have a feeling it wouldn't go well."
"I think you're right," he says to Kaworu, "she's going to strike again if she can get the opportunity."
<Pose Tracker> LiSA has posed.
"No." LiSA replies to Kaworu, soberly. "My time reading and learning when I'm not helping in the labs has shown me multiple times where just because one thing is disproven, it doesn't disprove everything. There's always going to be something for someone, somewhere, to argue or fight about. That's why... we fight for peace."
"This world..." She shakes her head.
"We can't let a feeling stop you though, you know." She tells Koji, softly. "Otherwise, you'll turn my whole worldview upside down!" Lisa gives him one of those not totally rare, but brilliant smiles.
Her stomach gurgles.
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
Kaworu's smile turns rueful at LiSA's response. "Quite true," he agrees. "It's not intrinsically a bad thing to disagree and hold fast to one's own point of view. But Asciel is proving herself to be the type to force her point of view onto others."
To Koji, he offers, "Perhaps it's best, then, to ensure she doesn't get the opportunity... though I realize it won't be that easy. In NERV's case, it seems as though she was controlling or perhaps sponsoring dummy contractors that did some work on Tokyo-3 infrastructure, and during said work left weaknesses that she ad her combat unit later took advantage of. They'd already liquidated by the time the attack happened, so we weren't able to track them, but it has meant we know what to look for in the future."
He pauses. "You may want to consider auditing any contractor work that's been done here in Fujinomiya City, on that note."
Fixated. He nods in consideration. "There is a NERV operative who is familiar with her as both Atrytone and Asciel Colette, whose intel helped us prepare against her incoming invasion. If you like, I can pass on the information she shared on her to you later."
There is a steaming ramen to eat, though, as his House Special presently arrives, just in time for LiSA's stomach to gurgle. (Hers has no doubt arrived already.) Kaworu thanks the waiter graciously, then snaps a pair of wooden chopsticks cleanly apart down the center. "For now, shall we pause this discussion?"
He's not a big on eating, but he won't refuse to eat what's been made for him... or keep others from theirs.
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
"Of course not," he smiles to LiSA, "But if my time fighting Hell and the end of the Mycenae War taught me anything it's to be prepared for the worst outcome even while fighting for the better ones. Sometimes a victory just reveals a greater threat waiting in the wings, after all."
... Like at 2100 Ra-Shalom, he catches himself thinking again, as a frown creases his brow.
Kaworu offers to pass them NERV's intel on Asciel/Atrytone and Koji smiles. "I would appreciate that. Thank you." Then the administrator's order arrives, courtesy of Mucha, and Koji nods. "yes. Best not to let talking get in the way of enjoying good food." He cracks his chopsticks open and gets to work.
<Pose Tracker> LiSA has posed.
"Ah... yes, that's true. There is no worse victory than one that uncovers further issues, or one where a victory is actually a failure, but... ahem."
Lisa flushes at the acknowledgement of her rumbling stomach. "Ahem... sorry, Administrator, Koji..." She adds on, sheepishly. "Itadakimasu!" Then there is ramen, nom nom nom.