2023-06-28: Future Together
- Log: 2023-06-28- Future Together
- Cast: Akane Shinjo, Rikka Takarada
- Where: Tsutsujidai - Wadatsumi
- OOC - IC Date: 0097-06-28
- Summary: The Galeoria Pliers, still running, still keep Tsutsujidai tethered to the world, rather than remaining born of a single heart and sheltered away. After all they've been through in the five months since the Pliers were activated, a question lingers:
Is it worth it?
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
While the Wadatsumi has a lot of things on it that defy conventional explanations, one of the most crucial pieces of equipment on the vessel has a whole room to itself: the Galeoria Pliers. Improvised from ongoing research in a desperate situation, the Galeoria Pliers hold Tsutsujidai to reality, bearing a burden that Akane Shinjo could not.
Whether or not Rikka was scheduled for therapy today, she's been called in anyway; with Leina rescued, Hinoki's moving back to 3G France for the moment to attend to her rehabilitation. It's a last chance check-in with Rikka on whether she's doing okay -- whether she's comfortable with telehealth at this point or they need to find new personnel. A somewhat lengthy attitude inventory cross-checked against a psychological profile 3G started building... over a year ago, now.
Akane's chosen the Galeoria Pliers as her spot to sit and wait for Rikka. She's had a lot to think about herself, lately -- it's not really fair to say she's obsessing, but there's definitely been some sorting out. She's not actually sure how long has passed with her just sitting here with her thoughts -- she doesn't even have her phone out or anything.
At this point, all she's doing is -- sitting and staring, as if the answer to her question will come if she just looks at the Pliers themselves long enough...
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka's been called in for a check-in. ...She had a feeling this was coming, of course. She's not the only one in need of help right now. But, ultimately... it's something she's fine with. She's made a lot of progress with everyone's support, and now it's time to take a few more steps outward.
She's able to be around people again. She can manage Aya's counter on her own. She can manage to be on her own without needing someone to stabilize her, to keep her from slipping back. She is visibly herself again - scarred, changed, but still wholly Rikka Takarada.
She's comfortable enough, now - she can manage with telehealth.
The session ends on a positive note and Rikka is pointed in Akane's direction, currently waiting for her in the room housing the Galeoria Pliers. When she arrives... she founds Akane staring at them intently. Rikka just watches her, at first - partly entranced by the look of deep thought on her face, and partly curious what has her so wrapped up in her thoughts... until, eventually, she breaks the silence.
"Hey, Akane. We finished up." She greets with a wave as she moves to sit next to her. "...Something on your mind?"
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
It takes Akane a second to pry her gaze away from the Pliers -- but when she realizes Rikka's there, that snaps her out of whatever loop she was running almost immediately. She doesn't get up and rush to her, though -- instead, she gestures for Rikka to come sit with her, on the bench where she's been waiting.
"From the way you sound, I'm guessing things went pretty okay," Akane offers, nodding to Rikka. "And... yeah. A lot, actually!" Taking a deep breath and sighing it out, she says, "I've been thinking about stuff a lot since we got back. About these things."
For a little while, she's silent. Then, slowly but surely --
"Part of the reason I thought it was better if I stayed away was that --" There's no coming back from having said this, she realizes. Once it's expressed, it's out there in the world. "... sometimes when things go wrong, I think about turning them off. Like I'd just let this city go back to where it was."
For a split second, it sounds like there's footfalls close to another entrance besides the one Rikka approached from; they're gone just as fast, though.
"I thought I was done feeling like that, but after this stuff..." Here, she trails off. She's not sure what to say -- or how to say it, even if she did know where she was going with it.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Akane gestures, and Rikka takes the seat next to her, taking a moment to settle in.
"Yeah. It was... a pretty good session. I feel really good about it." Rikka replies with a smile. Akane confirms that there is, in fact, something on her mind - a lot, actually. She nods and listens, her eyes straying briefly toward the Pliers at the mention of 'these things' before returning to Akane.
She doesn't interrupt her - instead, she thinks over her words, rolling them over in her head.
"If you could... would you? Do you still think that'd be best?" Rikka asks. It's an idle question, rather than one pointed or accusatory - just a way to figure out where her head's at.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"I'm glad," Akane says -- and she decides to leave the session in the past. What happens with Rikka in those is Rikka's business; if she wants to talk more, she'll decide that.
... and, speaking of which...
"Hard to say some days," Akane admits, at the follow-up question. "It'd be a lot easier. And now that we're not as close to the PLANTs, it'd probably be safe, too." 'Easy,' 'safe' -- hearing herself say those words is, itself, a bit of a wakeup call.
... Akane laughs, though it's a strained, slightly heaving laugh -- a little bit at her own expense. "I already told you 'this doesn't need to involve you' once, and I sounded like an idiot then too," she eventually answers her, rubbing at the back of her head...
... and then moving her hand toward Rikka's, instead. "It's tempting. But... you found so much to like in this world. I don't want to take that away from you, and --" She swallows. "... It's still better with you in it," she finishes, with a little giggle.
It doesn't last, as Akane turns to face Rikka with a more serious expression. "What about you? To tell you the truth, something like what happened last month happening to you was exactly the kinda thing I was trying to make sure you never had to deal with." Despite the comment, she's asking from much the same place as Rikka herself -- she wants to know where Rikka's head's at.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Akane says she's glad, and Rikka smiles - and for her part, she does decide to elaborate.
"We've decided that I'm going to be moving to telehealth sessions. I'm doing well enough now that I don't need to go in for face-to-face meetings all the time anymore." Rikka explains. "It's going to take a little getting used to, but... I think it's a good step."
And then, Akane answers her question. She says it'd be a lot easier - and safer, to do it now, now that they're not as close to the PLANTs. Rikka nods in understanding - and then Akane lets out a strained, heaving laugh, and gives her answer. With a small smile, Rikka takes her hand as Akane moves hers toward it.
"...I think so, too." Rikka agrees. It's better with her in it. She wants to be in this world - with her, and with all of the friends she's met. Akane giggles - but her expression turns serious.
What does she think...? Rikka's own expression turns pensive, as she thinks it over.
"I think... for as awful, horrible, and cruel as that was... I'm okay." Rikka replies. "It happened - but we're still here. What you were afraid of happening, happened... but we dealt with it and survived. We made it out. And while she has a long road ahead of her... so did Leina, eventually."
Rikka considers a bit further.
"While, obviously I'm not glad that happened... because of it, so many people came together. I got to see people stand in the face of such unrestrained cruelty and put their foot down. And then you, and mama, and everyone did so much to care for and look after me while I was recovering from it." Rikka explains. "Liam even met with me, and opening up about our shared experiences seemed to be the push he needed to try and get a support group together for people who've been through the sort of things you, and I, and he's been through. And... it's nice, to think our experiences will be able to help others."
She hesitates a bit longer before concluding.
"...I guess... In a pretty short span of time I've been able to see the extremes of what the world has to offer. And it got me thinking... Despite everything, I'm really glad to be alive. I'm really glad to be able to be here, in this world."
She lets out a small giggle of her own.
"...I think it's better with me in it, too." She ultimately agrees.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Oh! I do that stuff too. Sometimes the connection cuts out... it's way, way better to plug in and do it wired, even if it's super tempting to walk around and pace and stuff." Akane has... more appointments than she'd like, but that means she's the expert! "It sounds like you're gonna do great."
It's hard for Akane not to study facial expressions too closely -- even though it's an anxious sort of thing for her. ... the more time she spends with Rikka, though -- bit by bit, it gets easier to trust rather than obsess. As Rikka talks, she nods, occasionally -- she's glad Liam found the time to catch up with Rikka, too, from the sound of it; whatever shared experiences they talked about... it sounds like it really helped them, to have the chance to open up.
To be able to meet that heavy topic with a laugh and a smile... Rikka's strength feels -- superhuman. It feels like the two of them could move the world together, if they needed to -- or even if they wanted to.
"If you're gonna say you're happy with this world after all that, I'm sure not gonna stop you," Akane eventually answers her. "I think both of us have had enough of people making choices for us for one lifetime." She scoots a little closer, leaning in toward Rikka. For an instant, it looks like she's going to lean a little closer -- her eyes half-lidding --
-- there's a quick knock against the steel walls of the Wadatsumi. Akane startles, sitting up a little straighter and looking off to one side, and --
"Oh, you two? Hey," Akane calls to their late arrivals -- Sho Utsumi and Keita Aono. "Is this Pliers maintenance or something? ... no, that wouldn't explain Utsumi..." Her eyes track slightly down. "Or the boxes."
"You guys have been here a few hours, right?" Utsumi asks. "The two of you could probably use something to eat."
Keita brings his free hand up to his glasses for just a second. "By the way, Akane, when you head back to Earth next time, check in with the shop! The DX Totsukaiser is getting kind of pricey on the secondary market, but we've got a reputation to uphold! If we didn't honor a preorder, what kind of store would we be?" Conspiratorially, he adds to Rikka, "If she's dragging you into the swamp, maybe you should stop by too..."
Akane looks at the two of them -- and tries desperately to play it cool as they bring over molded-fiber food containers. Inside is... still-hot teriyaki chicken and rice, mostly, plus some veggies.
"Thanks," Akane manages. "Don't listen to him, Rikka. He's angling for a promotion. He's gonna upsell you." Here she pauses. "... right?" Keita manages not to look like he's been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Briefly.
It's Utsumi who senses that they're probably interrupting something (though he doesn't regret bringing the food). "Keita and I already ate," Utsumi says, "and it seems kinda rude to just sit and watch you guys, huh..." he offers. "-- Wait! My magazine! I left it in the cafeteria!"
This is actually true, even if it is an excuse for the two of them to head back out with a last, "Have a nice dinner," from Keita.
Akane gets re-situated with her food, whatever extremely slick move she was going to pull temporarily delayed. "... I am really hungry," actually, she admits, opening the box. Oh hey -- chopsticks, too!
Akane gets her chopsticks ready, and without further ado, starts eating. ... She still seems game to talk, though.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"That's a good point..." Rikka replies consideringly. Her only experience has been the time she's used it for long-distance schooling when staying with Akane... but thinking about it, that would be an issue. She smiles, when Akane says she'll do great. "Thanks, I'll definitely keep that in mind."
...And then, eventually, Akane answers her. Rikka smiles. It means a lot to hear her say that.
"Definitely." Rikka agrees. Akane scoots closer. She leans in. Slowly, Rikka starts to lean in too -
...and then, Rikka jerks back, cheeks pink at the sound of a knocking on the walls indicating that they have company. Her attention immediates locks onto the offenders - and she relaxes when she sees that it's just Utsumi and Keita.
"Hey there." Rikka greets with a wave. ...Her face is still a little pink, but her expression is as neutral as she can make it right now. And... they've brought food? Rikka lightens, just a little.
"...Oh yeah, I could probably use something... Thanks." She replies with a hint of a smile. Keita informs Akane of the rising price of a piece of merchandise - and asides to her, too.
"Is there a discount in it for me?" Rikka asks, with zero hesitation. She smirks at Akane's comment. "Don't worry. I know how the system works."
Utsumi finds an excuse to leave, and Rikka finds herself quietly appreciating him for that.
"Thanks for the food. Take care, you too." Rikka waves goodbye, and then turns her attention back toward Akane.
"...Yeah, me too." She agrees. She gets her own chopsticks ready and starts to dig in.
"...This is actually pretty good." Rikka considers - and her mind wanders to other things, too. She's quiet for just a little bit longer as she works up her courage.
"...So..." Rikka starts. "...The Serena stageplay is coming up pretty soon. I've been following along with pretty much all of the prerelease material... I'm actually kind of optimistic about it."
It's a topic she's legitimately interested in... but it's easy to tell that she's working herself up to something, too.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Before leaving, Keita gives Rikka an, "Ehehe -- you're a sharp one... I'll see what I can do!" Keita, too, is a player of the game, it seems.
Akane is mostly just surprised that that wasn't a straightforward 'nah,' but... well, she is successfully dragging Rikka bit by bit into the swamp, so maybe it shouldn't be that surprising.
They get situated again, and Rikka initiates on a new topic. It's one that catches Akane's attention, too. "I barely realized stage shows for anime even happened -- I thought that was just a tokusatsu thing," she starts; it seems Rikka has things to show her about the world, too! ... Sometimes it seems more like Rikka's the one who makes Akane's world bigger, despite having originated in such a small world.
"Really, though? Is it a retelling, or a sequel, or what? It seems like it'd be kind of hard to make all the cuts you'd need to do something like that on stage..." Nearly ten hours down to two? Akane can see where she'd make cuts, to be sure, especially since that kind of thing is for enthusiast audiences and doesn't need to spend nearly as much time establishing the characters, but still...
Taking another bite of chicken, Akane spends a little time working through it in her head. It's not that it's not obvious Rikka's building to something -- but there's a lot of potential somethings that could be.
"I've only been to one Taraba stage show myself," she adds, after a second. "They're mostly just fights... sometimes you can make guesses about the next show from that kinda stuff, though! That part's fun." Before she manages to drag herself too deep into her own experience, though...
"... Do you want to go?" she asks. "It's not exactly a road trip, but it might be nice... summer vacation's coming up pretty soon, too."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Then I'll think about it." Rikka replies with a smirk. Keita, indeed, does seem to be on her level. That's good, she approves.
They get settled in, and Rikka listens as Akane replies. She nods.
"Yeah - sometimes, like... they're a musical? Or just a straightforward, condensed adaptation..." Rikka replies, then considers. "It's a retelling, I think? I heard rumors that they might be splitting it into two separate shows, but nothing concrete yet..."
She listens as Akane brings up the Taraba stage show she's been to. She looks interested, actually.
"That does sound kind of fun..." She considers - she's not entirely about the fights, but there's something about seeing them in person that would make it more of an experience...
Akane asks if she'd like to go, and Rikka nods.
"...Yeah. I do." She replies with a smile and a nod. "I have tickets already, even. I've been meaning to tell you about them ever since we finished the series, but things kept coming up... but now feels like the perfect time. Sayla and Leina gave me a pair for my birthday. Full VIP package and everything, of course, coming from them..."
For her birthday. That says a lot, in and of itself.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Oooh -- two would definitely take a lot of the pressure off. I think you'd have to cut later than the midseason? Maybe like... 17, and then do 18 through the end as a separate show." She, unlike Rikka, hasn't been looking at the prerelease material -- her engagement with Serena is mostly churning out fanart left and right... though she's been a little busy to do that lately, too.
Then Rikka mentions that she already has tickets, and Akane visibly startles a little. She lets her finish explaining how she got them, though, and... "They would do that." A pause, as her brow furrows, and she follows up with, "-- They would do that!" Even in December, those two always believed that Akane was going to make it out not just alive but well, in less than a year...
... the weight of other people's belief in her recovery is heavy -- but Akane's happy to bear it, at the same time. She nods to Rikka, saying, "We can definitely go. I'll look forward to it." Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she notes, "If we were really motivated, we could take a shot at cosplay... hmmm, but there is the question of which characters. It seems like we could trade off pretty easily. ... if there's two days, we could even do two sets..."
That already seems to have her thinking -- though she seems more interested in what Rikka has to say.
... she's also still interested in the food. "Hmm -- this is a little sweet... I think you see this kind of stuff in the Neo colonies more than actual Japan, but I kinda like that."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Oh, yeah... That would be a pretty smooth division..." Rikka considers. Akane visibly startles at the mention of already having tickets - Rikka judges her reaction, and then smiles.
"They would. I was surprised, too... but mostly just really touched." Rikka says with a small laugh. And she brightens, when Akane expresses interest in going too. "Great! I'm looking forward to it, too."
And Akane brings up a very interesting proposition, too.
"Oh, cosplay... Yeah, absolutely. That would be a lot of fun." Rikka considers. She definitely wouldn't want to pass up that chance... And, they could do two sets, even. "I definitely want to get Cecilia and Serena in there... I'd be up for it if you wanted to experiment a little, too?"
She leaves the offer on the table - she wants to know what Akane thinks, too.
The food, though.
"Yeah, you're right. It's kind of nice..." Rikka agrees with a nod. "I guess... it really shows how different food can be based on where's it's from, even if it's technically similar... It's really cool."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Oh, that's not even a question," Akane enthuses, at the mention of doing Cecilia and Serena. "We have to do that at least for one of the days." After another bite of chicken, she adds, "I know they're minor characters, but I think the girls from episode 7 would be fun. Or, well..."
Her lips curl up a bit. "... If you don't think it's too much, the outfit Antheia wears when she actually has to fight is so good. I know there's all the discourse about how it's too ridiculous for the show, but that's kinda the point? Like, by that point she's totally dispensed with the 'oh-I'm-just-this-mild-mannered-blonde-businesswoman' thing. ... I think you could seriously pull it off, though the coat might get kinda pricey if we really wanted to go all in on it."
She doesn't seem nearly as worried about this kind of pitch as she has in past VERTEX conversations. "I could do pretty much any Cecilia or Serena look across from that," she adds. Wait -- is she suggesting that Rikka plays Antheia?
There's no aggressive teasing, either; she's so confident and casual about it this time that she just gets back to eating her chicken. "I definitely need to learn the secret here," she murmurs, mouth still a little full.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka nods, pleased that they're on the same wavelength - and then 'hm's consideringly as Akane presents an option.
"Oh, yeah, I did like them. I do think it's great to give the minor characters a little more attention..." She starts - and then, Akane presents another option. Rikka thinks it over, and... actually seems to be giving it legitimate thought?
"It is a really good outfit... And, yeah, I agree. It never bothered me? ...I mean, it's partially because it is kind of hot, but it's also, like... fully emblematic of her position and who she is once you strip away the facade. If you couldn't see her wearing it, you weren't really paying close enough attention to her." Rikka agrees. ...It hits her then, though, that Akane is suggesting this for her. And the thought is...
...She's hesitant for a second at first, but once she really gives it some thought, she finds she's actually kind of okay with that?
"You think so...? In that case, it might be fun. Let's do it." She says. "...You're right about the coat, though... We'll have to consider our options."
It doesn't escape her that Akane hasn't seemed as worried about it. ...It's kind of nice, actually. She takes a moment to assess Akane, then.
"You've always been the Cecilia to my Serena... maybe it'd be a good opportunity to get you into one of Serena's outfits." Rikka considers.
...And there she goes right back to eating. Rikka watches her for a moment with a small smile.
"You definitely do. I wouldn't mind having more of this in the future." Rikka agrees.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"You really get it," Akane says, almost dreamy about it, as they sort through visual design. "It's different from the design for something like a kaiju but not in a bad way at all. You can say a lot with the way someone dresses..." Chewing on that (and her chicken!), Akane finally finishes up dinner.
... It feels really good, the more she talks to Rikka. She seems, if anything, more open than she used to be -- not that that's ever quite been a problem between the two of them from Rikka's end, but... it's hard to miss that for all this experience hurt, Rikka seems to have come out of this with the capacity to be even stronger than ever.
"Ooooh, yeah. I don't know if I could've pulled it off before? The look's kinda butch for me... but honestly after wearing that Vist junk I think I could make it look good. I never felt like I looked bad in that stuff, even the stuff that was kinda oversized for me?" She's gotta think her way through it, but -- she did mostly kill it in all that stuff.
Taking a bite of vegetables and thinking the outfit options through, Akane finally puts the last two threads together and -- "Oh, that's gonna. Oh. Oh." Now she's turning red.
... Something still nags at her, though. Normally, she'd just let it go forgotten, or not checked up on... but when things are happening all the time -- it's easy for something to get lost in the shuffle.
"After we get back to Aya... I wanna finish out the first cour of Tarabaman W, but after that -- do you feel up for that talk? It's okay if you're still kinda sorting yourself out. I can wait."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Yeah, definitely. It's just as important as what they actually say, sometimes." Rikka agrees, nodding eagerly. She's glad they both agree on that point - though it doesn't surprise her that they do, either.
Rikka listens as Akane thinks her way through the subject of wearing one of Serena's looks. She doesn't interrupt her - it's important to hear what she thinks.
"Yeah, I think you'd look great, honestly. You can definitely pull it off." Rikka agrees. "So, as long as you'd be comfortable with it... I'd definitely like to see you in one of them."
Akane seems to realise something, though, and Rikka watches curiously.
"Oh yeah, I'm definitely good for that..." Rikka says of Tarabaman W - and then, she brings up the talk. She remembers exactly what she means.
"No, it's okay. Thanks for being patient." Rikka replies, shaking her head before offering her a smile. "I'm ready. I'm sure of myself, now, and what I want."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
The affirmation comes -- and keeps coming -- and Akane starts to feel herself getting nervous about it -- at least a little. Being wanted comes with so many complications, actually! ... But navigating those things is its own kind of fun, too.
"We'll have to get everything ready, but -- hmmm..." Akane's never been much of a seamstress -- she's probably going to have to buy a lot of components of this off the shelf. (Or, heaven forfend, she could learn a new skill. She's already got the spatial reasoning and skill with her hands, so that might not be so bad...)
As Rikka acknowledges her check-in, and says she's ready... "... okay," Akane agrees. "I thitnk I'm about done with dinner -- do you wanna get ready to go home?" Pulling her phone out of the side pocket of her bag where one can store a phone without having to rummage through loose objects, Akane says, "I'll text Porc-Auto if you're good to go."
They're... together, even still. No matter where they go -- no matter what happens. This is a world where they can be together -- and Akane, at least, wouldn't trade it for anything.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Yeah. That part'll be pretty fun too, though." Rikka replies with a smile. Getting everything assembled might be difficult... but it'll be fun, especially when they're working on it together. It'll be nice to see things come together piece by piece.
And... Akane agrees. Rikka nods, and then, finishes up her own meal. She'd be lying if she said this hadn't given her a certain amount of eagerness...
"I think I'm about done, too. I just need to gather my things up and I'll be good to go." Rikka replies, then offers Akane a nod and an earnest smile. "Let's go home."