2023-12-03: Care
- Log: 2023-12-03 Care
- Cast: Shinji Ikari, Eight Orlodhari
- Where: Ra Mari II, Magallanica
- OOC - IC Date: December 3, 0097 UC (2023)
- Summary: It's been two days since the Nagoya Massacre, and Shinji hasn't left his room. Eight checks in.
<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.
Recently, Princess Euphemia li Britannia announced the opening of the Special Administrative Zone--a place in Area 11 where Japanese could once again call themselves Japanese as their neighbors to the northeast still do. Shinji had heard about and seen it on the news. He'd actually smiled a little about it, being the first good news in the world he'd heard in a while... at least, from his own perspective.
Two days ago, it had happened. And it had been a massacre, ordered by that very same princess. The girl who'd seemed so kind and sincere when she'd announced that this would happen had personally gunned down countless Japanese herself, accompanied by the many Britannian soldiers who followed her orders, before Zero and the Black Knights had put a stop to it, gunning her down to put an end to her bloodbath.
Shinji had seen that on the news, too. Immediately afterwards, he had shut himself in his dorm room.
He has not been out since.
This is cause to worry for several reasons. For one, it means he hasn't been to the kitchen to work; for another, it means he hasn't eaten or drank anything, or bathed, or been to the bathroom, or anything.
It's no surprise that as a Japanese person, a sensitive soul, and someone who absolutely hates murder, Shinji would be shocked. It's easy to imagine that he'd need time to process, and so no one has pushed him about coming into work. Two days of silence is worrying, though. Word has consequently been passed on to Eight about it.
And now...
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
While Eight is still busy with her twins, she's achieved a little of a rhythm; she's able to fit in a couple more matters to her days. ...And one thing she makes time for is this. She brought Shinji on; she won't abandon him now.
She's made a point of making the visit productive, of course; checking in with the ship in general, picking up a few things that the Ra Mari II was able to deliver while it was out on deployment. But the most important of these missions is...
Knock, knock. "Shinji?" Eight's voice comes at the door. He has that small room that he never let her upgrade for him...
"Shinji, it's Eight."
<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.
It's a small, cramped room--just a dorm, a shared space that is currently not shared with anyone, a temporary place for him to stay while Eight set up a proper room. But by the time she'd gotten a proper room set up, Shinji had gotten used to it. He didn't want to have to get used to another unfamiliar ceiling. And so there he stayed, small and cramped as it was.
Knock, knock. There is no response. But if Eight puts her ear to the door and listens closely, she'll hear the faint strains of music. It's so faint, it's impossible to tell what song or even what genre.
It'd seem to imply that at least he doesn't have earbuds in, but if he doesn't respond when hailed, it makes little difference.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
No response; Eight listens closely, though, and she does hear music. So faint, but... audible. Which means maybe he can hear her after all. ...She doesn't move to try to open the door; instead she speaks up a little louder.
"...I've heard about what happened, in Japan. The tragedy there. I know it must be difficult for you."
"I just wanted you to know that we care. That we know it's hard, and that we'll give you the space you need... But that we are waiting, for when you're up to come out again."
She can't stay forever, but... She can at least say that much.
<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.
Inside, Shinji lies on his bed, staring vacantly at the wall, back to the door. The only light in the room are the eyelights of his Haro, Bud, who lies on the floor next to the bed and stares up at him. The Osanshoo-san phone remains draped on their head, and through Bud, plays a random assortment of classical music.
"Shinji. Eight's here. Shinji. Eight's here," Bud whispers, eyelights flashing as their winglets flap very softly.
His eyes focus a very, very little bit. On the other side of the door, Eight raises her voice and speaks, just loud enough for him to hear.
"...."
He doesn't move.
But he does hear.
'In Japan,' she says. Even though, politically speaking, it's Area 11. Britannia's territory. Another place where they can squash whoever they want underfoot for no reason at all.
'In Japan.'
His fingers curl in to his palms.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Eight thinks of it as Japan, even under Britannian occupation. Britannia has conquered many places. But Area 11, as they call it, is still fighting for itself.
...Maybe she should go along with that plan, to weaken 'nations' in favor of groups. Maybe....
"...That's all," Eight says. "I just want you to remember tht we care about you, Shinji."
"And I'd like you to come out and eat something, today. It's a request I'm making." Not an order. "...When it's hard, we have to rely on each other."
"That's what helps."
She lingers, for a little while longer, in case of a response.
<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.
Eight waits for naught; there is still no response. She'll walk away without ever hearing a word from him. He won't be in to work tomorrow, either.
But later tonight, very late in the night, Shinji will quietly emerge from his room to fetch something from the kitchens to eat and drink.