2023-09-07: What's Real
- Log: 2023-09-07: What's Real
- Cast: Rena Lancaster, Anita Rosetta
- Where: Ra Mari II
- OOC - IC Date: 2023-09-07
- Summary: Rena returns her shared quarters with Anita after all of the preparations to go into Denver Colony. They talk about the upcoming mission.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
The briefing with Beltorchika Irma happened earlier today. Tomorrow, the Three Ships Alliance returns to Denver Colony and does their reconnaissance of the area -- and then goes inside. Rena did her part in preparations, then she went to update Eight.
Now, she is coming back to the room she shares with Anita. She stopped by the cafeteria on the way -- it was noodles night -- and has a plastic bag with two cardboard containers with Chinese takeout. There are also drinks, napkins, and the rest inside.
She swipes her card, then the door opens. Rena pokes her head in -- and waves a hand, as she steps inside.
"Hey, Annie," she says. She holds up the bag full of food. "I got dinner on the way back. I don't know about you, but I haven't had a chance to eat."
And tomorrow's a day she'll want to be fed and rested for.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Big meetings always take it out of Anita. She only has so much stamina for that kind of thing. Meaning, when Rena returns to the room... she'll find Anita sprawled out across the couch. In response to Rena's greeting, Anita offers a lazy wave...
...but the moment she hears food, she perks right up, sliding herself upward into a sitting position.
"Nah, not yet. I figured there'd be a rush, so I decided to head back here to wait it out." She replies. With that, she stands up, offering Rena a grin. "I'm definitely starting to get hungry, though, so your timing is perfect."
Anita feels the same way about tomorrow. She remembers how difficult their last visit to Denver Colony was on them... she trusts that it won't be quite as rough on them, but the feeling is the same - they definitely don't want to go on an empty stomach.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"Hm," Rena muses, "So you can be roused out of your torpor."
She cracks a smile, before she walks over and sets the bag down on the table in their room. She looks back towards Anita, her head tilted a little bit to the side. Then, she makes her way towards the kitchen to start pulling some plates and chopsticks out.
"You had the right idea," Rena says, with a smile. "There was definitely a rush. I didn't get sucked into too many meetings, but... lots of flight commander stuff."
She slides the plates and chopsticks on the table. "And I wanted to check in on Eight, too."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"With the right motivation." Anita replies smugly. Should she be proud of that...? She joins Rena in the kitchen briefly to see if there's anything she can help with - but it isn't long before she's seated at the table.
"See? I've got the knack for predicting that kind of thing." Anita comments, and then grimaces. "Oof, yeah, I bet. Lots of preparations we gotta make... Hang in there."
She smiles, though, as Rena mentions checking in on Eight, too.
"Yeah, that's a good idea... How's she doin'?" Anita asks.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"So am I good motivation?" Rena asks, with a little laugh.
It doesn't take them that long to get everything ready -- containers open, with spicy drunken noodles with beef inside one, a Thai curry with chicken and vegetables inside another, and then a third filled with white rice. Rena starts scooping hers up with a spoon.
She looks up, then, and she smiles at her. "Yeah. I'm doing okay," she says. "Especially since I'm back here now."
Then, Rena nods. Eight...
"She's doing okay. I think she's a little worried about us, going in there tomorrow. And... I think she wishes she could go. But, she believes in us, too."
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<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"Always~." Anita replies, stepping over to sneak in a quick peck on the cheek.
Soon enough, everything's situated, and Anita is scooping up her share as well. It all smells really good.
"That's good. Hopefully you've got the rest of the day free, at least." Anita replies. She takes a bite... and then nods appreciatively. "...Oh hey, this is great. They did pretty good."
Rena says that Eight's doing okay, and Anita nods. She smiles, just slightly.
"...Yeah, that don't surprise me none." She replies. "Can't really blame her for being worried. That place is spooky enough as it is, without all the talk of ghosts and a whole field of explosives..."
Her smile grows.
"...Yeah. I know she has a lot of trust in us to do it and get back safely."
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Rena laughs, her cheeks reddening a little bit when Anita kisses her.
"Yeah, I'm not going anywhere," Rena says, as they're seated and eating. She takes a bite of her noodles, and then she grins. She nods; the cooks on the Ra Mari II have always been good, in her opinion.
"Yeah," she says. "I can't blame her either. And it's..."
She trails off for a moment. Her voice is quiet, as she does -- she looks forward, her expression thoughtful. "I promised Rita -- the Phenex -- that I'd help the ghosts there. I want to."
She looks down. "...But it's a lot."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Rena's blush gets a pleased grin out of Anita as she settles in.
"Perfect." Anita replies, continuing to dig in. She listens - and watches Rena carefully as she trails off, her voice quiet. Anita pauses.
She made a promise, huh... Anita massages the back of her neck.
"I don't really know much about ghosts... but I can tell how important this is to you, and to her." Anita says. "...Yeah, I bet it's a lot. We've seen the state of the place... I can only imagine what they went through. But... I think it's a good thing to try."
Anita smiles.
"I dunno how much I can help... but I'll do what I can to back you up. You don't gotta do it all alone, you know?" She says.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"Yeah, I know..." Rena trails off a little, as she picks up some more noodles with her chopsticks. She looks up from them, though, as she looks at Anita. "I'm trying to think of how to explain it."
Since Anita isn't a Newtype; she doesn't see and feel the world the way that Rena does.
"I can usually feel the presence of most people around me. It's... honestly, a lot of the time it blends into the background. How you maybe get used to certain sounds or smells. Sometimes, I'll have a sense of what their emotions are."
Rena tilts her head. "It's easier if someone's a Newtype, of course," Rena adds. "But... I could sense them, but it was like it's through a veil. And they didn't feel... human. Not the way someone else does."
She quiets after a moment, though, then she smiles. Rena nods her head.
"I know you'll be right there, with me," Rena says. "And you'll be amazing. I have no doubt about that, Annie."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Anita nods. She doesn't rush it - she waits as Rena figures out how to describe it, working on her dinner as she does. And once Rena gets her thoughts together, Anita listens along, nodding in understanding.
"That makes sense..." She considers. But she could sense them, too, but like it was through a veil and they didn't feel human... Anita can only imagine how that must feel. "...Must've been a strange feeling. But if you can feel 'em, then they gotta be there."
Anita smiles back at Rena, and chuckles a bit sheepishly.
"Well... with you showin' that kind of confidence in me, then I definitely will." Anita replies, offering Rena a grin.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"It was. It was... eerie. It's a little scary," Rena admits, her lips pursing for a moment. "But... they're still people. They still think and feel things, and they were asleep, so--so I want to help them."
Rena nods her head, and then she smiles at that grin. "I know it," she says.
She hesitates for a moment more. "I know it's a little hard," she admits, after a second. "Something that... that you can hear back, but can't feel for yourself. But..."
She trails off, as she tries to think of how to phrase it.
"...Knowing you're there, that you'll see what's in front of us, and not just what I'm feeling. That's important, too. It... helps me know what's real."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Sensing ghosts... yeah, that would be eerie. Anita can't help but smile, though, as despite that, Rena still says she wants to help them. That's just one of the things she loves about her.
"Well... I'm glad you feel that way. Personally, as long as that's how you're thinkin'... then I think if anyone can do it, it'd be you." Anita replies. She nods, though, as Rena continues. It is a little difficult. But... well, as Rena says, there's good things about her position, too.
"Don't worry. I'll do my best to help you keep your eyes on what's real. Someone's gotta help you stay centered." Anita replies.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"Eight said something like that too," Rena says, with a little laugh. Her eyes turn down to her plate for a moment, before she looks back up. She smiles, then.
"I'm glad you think so. It is easier to believe in myself, when someone else believes in me," she says. Rena tilts her head a little to the side.
"And I know you will," Rena says. She smiles a little bit more. "Besides. As long as we're together, we'll do anything."
She reaches a hand out, across the table, closer to Anita. Maybe it's a pain to eat one-handed, but Rena can deal with that. "And nothing is going to pull us apart."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"She did, huh?" Anita replies with a laugh. "...Well, somehow that doesn't surprise me."
She grins, then.
"Then I'll just have to believe in you extra hard to make it that much easier." Anita replies. And Rena knows she'll do her best.
As long as they're together, they'll do anything...
"That's right." Anita says... and then smiles, reaching across to grasp Rena's hand with her own.
"Nothing." Anita agrees.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"You two do have at least one thing in common," Rena says with a little laugh.
She smiles, though, her expression a little warmer when she hears that Anita will believe in her all the more. She never doubted that, though. She looks down for a moment, as Anita takes her hand.
Rena squeezes her hand. She looks up at her, then, and smiles -- and she doesn't think about her noodles.
"Mm." Rena's smile widens. "I love you, Annie."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"That we do." Anita replies, laughing along with her. She smiles, as she notices that change in expression - and when Rena squeezes her hand, Anita squeezes back, her eyes meeting hers.
Anita's noodles, too, are forgotten for now.
"And I love you, Rena." Anita replies, with that casual but genuine smile of hers.