2023-06-06: Returning Strength ~REUNION~
- Log: 2023-06-06- Returning Strength ~REUNION~
- Cast: Alouette Pommier, Akane Shinjo, Guy Shishioh
- Where: Tsutsujidai - Breakfast Buffet
- OOC - IC Date: 0097-06-06
- Summary: Guy Shishioh reunites with Alouette and Akane in Tsutsujidai for breakfast at a local breakfast buffet. They decompress and talk about recent events, steadily re-finding the new form of their resolve.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
It's been a few days since Alouette, Akane and Rikka broke themselves off the Garuda... only to learn of the crisis enveloping Nouvelle Tokyo at the hands of the Ruin Apostles. Which meant several days of agonizing before she could even break the news to Guy.
As soon as they regained contact, a shuttle was very quickly arranged to get Guy over to Tsutsujidai, where the two were staying for the time being. It's a recovery day for Rikka, so she's mostly been given privacy in the Junk Shop while they waited.
[VERTEX] We're in Junk Shop Aya. Akane's staying there with Rikka (15m ago)
[VERTEX] I think she could use some air though. Breakfast instead? (5m ago)
Coordinates are intuitively sent to Guy, while Alouette and Akane wait at a table. It's a very 'western' inspired place, featuring pancakes, french toast, bacon and eggs, sausage - the works. Definitely more filling than the calorie bars she restricted herself to on the Garuda.
"...How are you feeling today?" She asks Akane simply. She knows she doesn't have to be careful around Akane anymore and yet... "It's a little rare that it's me fussing over you about food." She comments.
She's watching the entrance door like a hawk, though. It's really important to her, that she have this conversation and meeting.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Getting out of Aya before she turns it into a place to obsess is essentially always to the good; Akane's deeply grateful for the chance to get breakfast. Come to think, this wouldn't even be the first time she caught up with Guy at such a place -- though their relationship has changed a lot since the last time.
Her hair is back to that comfortable dark brown, after having reverted to lilac on the Garuda; she's wearing an unofficial Taraba X4 screenprint tee and a skirt. She seems... comfortable in her own skin!
After hitting the buffet and settling in, Akane says, "I'm doing okay. I..." Her gaze sweeps to the door, then back to Alouette. "Whenever I'm not fussing over Rikka it gets harder, like -- I just kinda get in my own head and start thinking about Alexis, or whether some of this stuff can even get fixed, or I start blaming myself for not signaling good enough to you, or..."
... at least she's saying she's a catastrophizer? Like. That much is an improvement.
<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
It was Yang's decision, delivered quietly but sternly. Guy would be updated on the situation once the crisis in Nouvelle Tokyo's transit hub was under control. Guy was a true Brave and a genuine born hero, and wouldn't abandon Nouvelle...but that very fact would tear his attentions in a way they couldn't afford. The fact of who was involved made the matter too personal to him. Better, then, for him to see that GGG could acquit itself without him even in a crisis he might otherwise fly to like a shot. A Chief needs to get used to seeing a crisis happen far from his hands.
Sometimes, Yang makes it a little easier to remember he used to be a commander in the REA.
Still, with a few days' passage, communications are open again, and Guy is able to get himself to Tsutsujidai. In a show of profound restraint, he lets the shuttle take him, rather than blasting into space directly with Galeon. Galeon would need maintenance for a while, anyway.
[VERTEX] Gotcha. I'll be there soon. (3m ago)
One of Guy's simpler pleasures is being a grown man with an official GGG sticker pack containing his own face, these days. The fact he didn't think to use it says a bit about his state of mind, perhaps.
It's another few minutes before he arrives. Still, he's apparently stopped outside to catch his breath because when the entrance door opens, it's Guy Shishioh, eyes casting around and his hair swept back like always. He's not in high panic, but he's definitely tense until he lays eyes on the girls. Then he smiles.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
When Akane notes that when she's not fussing over Rikka, there's too much on her mind, Alouette nods. "I have a lot of questions too, honestly. And a lot of loose ends we haven't tied yet. But we will." Like Leina...
"I've been thinking about Dakar a lot, too. And I decided.. I couldn't blame you, not fully. I saw the signals, a little bit, but I thought it'd be fine if I could see you face to face." She pauses for a moment. "And the fact stands that if you didn't involve me, you might not have made it. I.. don't want to think about how that one ends."
She slowly shuffles her way to the buffet, going for a few pancakes to start, getting Guy's message that he'll be there soon.
And when she does see him, she can't help but let her eyes water, even if it's a much sooner reunion than their last. "Guy!!" She exclaims, getting up from her seat to wrap the taller man in a hug as long as he's willing. It feels cathartic, like holding her courage tight was finally worth it. "I'm... I'm so glad to be back."
"You've probably had time to read the full report on the way here, if you can stomach that on a high-speed shuttle," she says, more seriously, as she takes her seat again and lets Guy take his. "But the most important part is that neither Akane, or I ever gave up... no matter how bleak it got." Her eyes meet Guy's warm smile. "It's the only way we managed to get all three of us out together." She looks to Akane, to see if she has anything to add.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Fear has always been one of the emotions Akane Shinjo activates on -- especially in adults. When Guy arrives, Akane spots the tension in his stance -- but when it evaporates, she takes the hint and decides to do her best not to mirror that back to him. ... it's at least somewhat successful. She can hold it together.
"Guy-san," Akane starts, trying to keep it together and remain respectful. "... I -- jeez, it's good to see you again," she starts, and she's tearing up a little. She's not crying, at least, as he approaches; she lets Alouette take the hug. That's more her speed. "Sorry for getting Alouette into this mess. ... she helped a lot -- I don't think we could have gotten Banagher and Mineva a chance to help Leina if it wasn't for her."
The tension won't quite leave her shoulders, and the... it's complicated. Guilt's still pretty up there. "The 3G charter kind of helped," she elaborates, instead. "It... gave me something to hang onto when there wasn't much else, and I think if I hadn't had that I dunno if I would've found something for Rikka to hang onto either." Only once she's said that does she look less tense.
A little sheepishly, she adds, "I -- guess I don't have much to worry about about the. Handling BioNet captives thing anymore!" Despite the fact that she delivers it like a joke, it sounds...
... well, exactly the kind of faux-cheery Akane sounds whenever she's dealing with something heavy.
<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
Alouette runs at him and Guy stoops to catch her in his arms, pulling her close and holding her there for a good few seconds. "Welcome back," he says, pulling back to look at her eyes. "Hell, I was worried sick even with the report in my hands, but..."
He turns his gaze up to Akane, and there's no judgment or anger; nothing there but alleviated concern. He knows the hugging isn't her speed, so he lets it go at eye contact and a small smile. "I'm glad to see you too. It sounds like they threw some of the worst there is to throw at you and you handled it like a Brave." Singling out Akane, for a moment. He suspects she needs that kind of encouragement.
He draws in a breath and awards them both a big smile. "I'm so proud of both of you."
Sitting, then, he nods to Alouette's summary. "I managed, even if it was grim. I'm so sorry you had to see that." Sorry he couldn't protect them, especially Akane and Rikka who were trying to simply enjoy themselves. He manages not to let that thought metastasize. He looks to Akane. "You reached out to your friends in the only way you could. You didn't give up, no matter how dark it got. And you won a big victory. I'm worried about Leina, but...you handled yourself like a pro, Akane. I don't think Entoji or Hyuuma could've done it better." Well Hyuuma probably would've smashed everything in sight, mostly, probably...
He does let her have a grin at that joke, but it's half-hearted. He can tell how forced that is. "I hope you never have to again. That's the kind of field experience I wouldn't wish on anyone."
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
"Thank you," she smiles, taking in that hug. Just saying it doesn't feel like enough; it really does feel good to be back.
And for his praise to Akane, Alouette nods. "Akane's work was exemplary. She even had me scared until the very end... but that all worked out, at least."
"I'm worried about Leina, too. But I'm not ready to give up on her, either. At this point, it'll probably be up to Banagher and Audrey... but I did my best to encourage them."
She takes a bite of pancake with that. "Hmm. Doesn't feel like breakfast without coffee." she comments.
Guy's comments about Entouji and Hyuma, Akane's own about working with BioNet captives... brings up a brief thought. "You have a bit of a unique way of seeing the world, I think. And this operation and Rikka's prognosis proved how valuable it is." When she was really boiling it on the Garuda, she felt that preventing these cases should've been her duty, but seeing her feel less worried about it.. Alouette wonders if Akane'd handle it better... but it feels too early to express that part of the thought.
"But.. Guy's right. A victory is a victory, and this puts us in a better position to rescue Leina and stop Vist and Murasame Labs." She nods; that's why she chose a suitably celebratory place.
Before she notes, "I... definitely won't be able to return to active operations duty right away, though." Dr. Sai's set up therapy sessions for her due to her delicate situation in the meantime, and.. "It sounds like I don't need to worry too excessively, though. If you were able to make it, it sounds like you were able to clear out Nouvelle Tokyo?" She wonders a little, how that went.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"... I'm trying to tell myself that, at least," Akane replies to Guy. "I kinda feel like I ought to be trying to get going again -- this place is still kinda... I dunno." It's still something she's trying very hard to avoid slipping back into. The temptation to treat it as 'her' place and Rikka as 'hers' and spiral is... vast.
... but maybe it's okay for her to come back here, when she comes as a friend.
When he says he hopes she never has to again, though -- Akane does her best to meet his eyes. It's hard, but she looks serious. Alouette gives her the courage to say what she wants to say next, when she mentions her work was exemplary -- and more so, when she points out Akane's unique way of seeing the world. "... I actually kinda think -- this might be my thing. Whenever Rikka goes in for treatment, or when I think about what I did to make sure she got a shot at it..." How does she even say this? "It's not that I wish I were the one doing it for her? That's a whole mess. Kinda inappropriate. Even doing what we did was hard. But... B minus work from where I'm at right now makes me think I've got an eye for this kind of thing."
Her expression gets a little grave as she finishes, "I said I wanted to be the kind of amazing person who was there for me, but... I think maybe I wanna be the kind of person who makes sure other people get a shot at being amazing people."
Breathing in and breathing out, she says, "Mobile Corps isn't my speed." She'd struggle to walk the thought all the way out as to why, but she knows there's something there, and it's better expressed imperfectly than not expressed. "I -- wanna transfer to Research or Intelligence."
She's a little pained as she adds, "Sorry if I got your hopes up. God, I feel like a flake, haha..." When Alouette mentions that she won't be returning to active operations duty right away, she opens her mouth -- and then catches herself. "... I was gonna volunteer to delay that until Alouette got back to work, but I can't be in two places at once."
She moves on to the Nouvelle Tokyo question. "... Yeah, I kinda want to know what's up there too. It sounds like I missed a lot..."
<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
Guy is only able to keep his head even remotely because the two girls are here, in front of him. The thought that it happened at all is still a simmering something that feels like it's in his every cell, but...it's handled. They handled it. His eyes do tick down at the mention that Leian's still in danger. "Leina. I don't think I've even seen the girl since I came back. Makes me wish I'd talked to her more." ... "I won't be much use, for that, I think. Recovering from this kind of manipulation takes loved ones. She's fortunate to have many." He cracks a smile, nodding to Alouette to indicate her bringing up Banagher and Audrey.
"It's fine," Guy says. "Take it easy. Though..." He frowns. "...with the nature of what happened, and that it's still going on, you should probably be accompanied by one of Porcauto or Volfogg if you're away from a GGG branch." He's not making it a full security detail because frankly he doesn't want to play fair.
His gaze turns to Akane. He nods, slowly, at her self assessment. "I can imagine. Let me know if you need to get away, or anything, OK? I'll get you in Galeon, if I have to."
Then...she demands his attention. He straightens up reflexively, and his own expression levels. "You think so, huh..." he says, slowly, thoughtful.
He nods, and lets a smile spread on his face with a light laugh. "Guess Yang wins that bet. I saw half a transfer application filled out on his desk earlier. He's been stuck on what you went through himself, I think, in his own way." He glances to both Alouette and Akane, smiling for both. "Recover. That's an order. You've been through something horrible and we're not barely stumbling through Zonders anymore. We have people who can hold it up for you." Though that might mean Ayame back on Mobile. That'll be fun... 'fun'....
Nouvelle Tokyo is almost easier for him to talk about, and though he has to rally himself to change topics, he does seem more at ease. "More or less. We're learning a lot about what 000 does when it infects something at a structural level. Looks like we'll be able to purify it without reducing the whole substructure to scrap, but there's gonna be damage for a long time, and if we miss anything too big it could come back. We've got the worst done, but we might be playing whack-a-mole down there for a while."
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
Akane puts a finished form of Alouette's own thought into words. Mobile Corps isn't her speed, and she'd like to transfer to Intelligence and Research. Because although there's a lot of baggage in involving herself in Rikka's recovery, it's a skill she wants to further develop.
Alouette's silent for a few moments after Akane speaks. "...No, I think that makes total sense?" She replies, fidgeting with her fork. "We think similarly but our skillsets aren't exactly the same, right? All things considered, we come from different places - even if I'm touched you wanted to model me."
"Your long-term commitment to a plan makes you a pretty good mobile operator if every battle happens to go exactly the same... but maybe an excellent researcher or intelligence agent." A more devious smile creeps up when she adds, "I'm still going to call you kouhai even if you switch branches."
Guy encourages her to take it easy, but also suggests having Porc-Auto or Volfogg with her. "If I'm here, it's usually close enough to the Wadatsumi, and my home is near the 3G France base by necessity." She clarifies. "...But having one of them is probably for the best if I go any farther. Safer too, honestly."
As for Leina... she decides to bring up one of her many loved ones. "You're one of Doctor Mass's friends, aren't you? It might be a good idea to check up on her. I've only seen her briefly since the battle at Dakar, but..." She frowns, thinking about how heartbroken the woman must be.
"Yes sir!" She mock salutes when Guy orders her to take time to recover; she hasn't actually felt the need to be formal with Guy for a while at this point. "Yes, I think I can rest easy leaving things in your hands - that's what 3G is about. So.. I'll be sure to let you know when I'm ready." She affirms.
As for Nouvelle Tokyo... "That sounds like good news, I think? Even purifying a person takes multiple hands and a lot of energy... so it's good to know we have shortcuts when dealing with entire structures." She nods, making a mental note of it. "I'm a little surprised they chose now of all times to strike." She muses, then, quietly. But it must've just been being opportunistic.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"I've been calling Porc-Auto on the days I go to the Wadatsumi with Rikka," Akane notes, for Guy's benefit. "I can't drive, and it's important she has a ride to and from that stuff." ... She can tell that Guy's struggling a little with the idea that more people he knows are in danger, so it's best not to drill in on Leina talk in favor of underlining that she, Rikka, and Alouette are safe.
At the mention of getting her in Galeon, though, she quails a little. With a slightly awkward smile, she says, "I'll keep it in mind, but like -- I do like minding the shop." At least in this context. When he mentions the half-filled out transfer application, she has to laugh and concede, "... hahaha, wow, I'm pretty readable, huh..."
Clack clack. Scrape scrape. Get over the awkwardness of the moment with your best friend: egg. No one can feel too awkward with egg. Greasy buffet egg is the ultimate ally to all.
Alouette underlines what makes Akane maybe better-suited to everywhere else -- and points out what she'd been doing in the process. "... God, I was doing that," Akane mumbles, before getting ribbed. "... I don't mind being 'kouhai,' at least not here."
Mention of orienting on Dr. Mass... "Hey, yeah -- that's a really good idea. She's been doing her best to keep her chin up around me, but I think she probably needs someone to just, like, freak out and cry at."
But again -- ultimately, practicals. "That makes sense. A little cut heals on its own, but a big wound's gonna need surgery and stitches, or something like that," she says, as Guy affirms that they can fix this ridiculous problem too. "I'm not that surprised, though. Taiga's a good strategist, right? He's not gonna just throw stuff out there if losing means someone gets purified. That's worse than just having one of your guys die, because you're down one and the other guy is up one. Unless they have a big plan, they kinda have to move behind something. ... and there was a lot of 'something' the last couple weeks..."
<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
Guy nods. "Agreed. While you're here, the Wadatsumi's contingent should be plenty." Saying GGG controls the Tsutsujidai Colony is possibly more than they're due, but pulling a stunt like they pulled on Earth in here is Pretty Unlikely. Though, they can't count on Akane feeling her best here, either...is what he thinks at first. Might be a deflection? But it's fine. "I understand. I'm sure Miss Takarada," as in Orie, "is happy to spoil you rotten."
"Sayla...yeah, that's a good idea," he agrees. "Now that things are stable in Nouvelle, I have some time for that. I'll swing over later. She's filling that house of hers up pretty nicely, but...I bet it feels pretty lonely right now."
Like his quarters. ...moving on.
He laughs at Alouette's mock salute, and gives her a fond wink. "I know you will. Take your time! Get your classes in, didn't you miss exams?" He says, because he knows Alouette could probably do the exams actually asleep.
He does, finally, actually stand up and excuse himself to let them talk to each other while he retrieves some food, because now that he's SEEN them he is receiving non-survival-related impulses again.
Also apparently he's a Bloody Mary guy because he comes back with one in addition to a sampling of most of the rest of the options. There's that Evoluder metabolism...
Despite an entire celery stick in his drink, his face is actually pretty serious when he sits: "It started with Alexis Kerib throwing a bunch of Kaiju at Nouvelle. The Ruin Apostles showed up, but not in much force. Sigma's Shinobilar, some others. For all Alexis complains about working with them it sure happens a lot...regardless, the kaiju he sent weren't very impressive. But given the timing..." He gives them each a steady look, but doesn't make the jump for them. He almost hopes Akane will catch it and refute it out of hand. It'd be nice to be wrong.
Then, reaching for a fork, he decides to face it head on: "How's Rikka today?" He knows the overview, of course, but he'd like to hear it from them.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
"We might actually run into each other more at different desks than if we were at the same one, too?" Alouette points out. "Usually before we'd have to be on opposite shifts, but now we have the option of racking our brains together on cross-desk work. Which is probably to our benefit, I'd think." The Garuda escape somewhat, was a demonstration of that in a high-stakes environment.
As for Dr. Mass... "Mmm. She's trying to stay strong, but there's no way it's not lonely for her. It sounds like it'd be good to... you know, talk, and, drink?? Whatever it is you adults do together." She did eye that bloody Mary of course. And last time they talked one on one he mentioned bringing Mamoru out for drinks.
She grins at Guy's wink, and then clarifies, "I got exams in just in time, but I missed everything right after. Which means I never actually got to see my grades. And have a mountain of next term's work to look at." She's not freaking out over that of course. "...Sounds like me and Jindai both had way more pressing matters to worry about."
"But taking it easy also means I have a lot of books and TV that I can catch up on." She looks at Akane for a moment and then back to Guy. On second thought, she's not sure she can stomach finishing the rest of Truthseeker Serena for a little while. But there's a whole world of stuff out there, beyond what she used to confine herself to.
She listens to the situation at Nouvelle Tokyo. For all Guy wishes he was wrong... "It happened on the 26th, right? Considering his other moves up until now, I don't see how it was anything but a distraction attempt. Still... you made the right choice." She affirms, about protecting Tokyo. "Especially since it sounds like it spiralled far out of even his control."
As for how Rikka's doing... Alouette leaves his one mostly for Akane. "I think it's looking hopeful for her, even if she's not fully back on her feet yet. And might not be for a few weeks. I'll... let Akane say the rest."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Ahaha... Takarada-san's incredible. She's always really on the ball," Akane says, when it comes to getting spoiled rotten. "But I don't really wanna just freeload? I wanna make it easy for her to spend time with Rikka, too." She looks to Alouette, discreetly adding, "There's a lot more computer junk kicking around than the last time I was here, if you wanna stop by some time."
Akane isn't bold enough to invite Alouette to someone else's house -- but if that house is also a business, and there's business that might interest Alouette to be done... it does take the burden off.
While Guy's gone for a bit, Akane asides to Alouette, "Yeah. At your desk I honestly kinda feel like I'm crowding you? But Intelligence and Research kinda seem strapped for people, and putting together a crew is a little bit about chemistry, too..."
When Guy gets back and Alouette continues, she adds, "If you're looking for something pretty light, you could try an 0070s Taraba?" Tarabaman is A Lot to catch up on.
Back to practicals. "He was definitely trying to split the party. He showed up on the ship during one of the times they were torturing Rikka... he's definitely in on whatever this is, even if I don't get why. Or, like... I kinda do? It's weird. The whole thing's... I only almost have it. If I manage to get to 'download complete' you guys will be the first to know."
The last question. "Rikka's..." She glances off. "Yesterday after treatment she was okay? She's taking visitors other than me and Takarada-san again, at least... Her relationship with food and her body is getting a little better, but Aya's an easy place to build that up even outside of treatment." Akane would know. "And... there's a few other things that are kinda nagging. She's doing really well for being only a few sessions in, but you never know with these things, you know..."
She trails off, saying, "Anyway -- speaking of a good relationship with food..."
Clack, clack. Nothing can be that bad with hash browns.
"Let's eat," she encourages.