2024-09-22: Return Of Haro
- Log: Return of Haro
- Cast: Rena Lancaster, Anita Rosetta, Eight Orlodhari
- Where: The Orlodhari Home, Magallanica, Side 3
- OOC - IC Date: September 22, 0099
- Summary: After a hard day's work preparing for the worst case with Orb, Rena and Anita get a chance to visit Eight's for dinner. Eight is glad to see them--but also has some news.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Rena Lancaster is visiting Magallanica, with Anita in tow. She is here for Terminal business; part of the preparations for a potential evacuation from Orb is investigating places that refugees might live in Magallanica. Fortunately, they found such a place -- a recently finished Colony, which isn't yet claimed.
She made the necessary calls to have it set aside for a few months, for a potential immigration.
But after that, it was time for some personal travel.
Which is why Rena and Anita are arriving at the Orlodharis' house. Rena walks up towards the front door, before she glances sideways at Anita. She flashes her a smile.
"I'll be glad to get off my feet for a bit," she says. She is a little subdued -- looking at a refugee system that includes them has been at the top of Rena's mind.
She walks up to the door, then, and knocks.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
It's an odd feeling, one Anita shares with Rena. It feels different, looking into places they might evacuate to. Still, she feels better about doing something than nothing... even if she'd rather they didn't have to do it at all.
Still, they're here in Magallanica, now, and they might as well take advantage of that. Anita approaches the front door of the Orlodhari's house alongside Rena, meeting her glance and offering her a smile.
"Yeah, me too, not gonna lie." Anita admits with a small laugh. She turns her attention back to the door, then, as Rena knocks.
Tucked under one arm is a certain ball-shaped robot. Haro is here too. She made a mental note to make sure to bring him just in case next time she came by, and she kept to it.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Eight is at home! The workday is over for her, and it never particularly started for certain other residents of the Orlodhari home.
Eight knows it's difficult; she also knows Rena's been working on it, because she gets related paperwork. She further knows Rena and Anita are coming! ...But that's at least partly because they said as much.
Eight answers the door, dressed in a red long-sleeved shirt and dark jeans, instead of her Admiral's uniform. "Rena, Annie," she welcomes them with a smile. "It's good to see you."
She opens the door the rest of the way. "I see you brought a friend," she notes to Anita. "Aarmi will be happy."
The twins aren't immediately visible, but there is the scent of food in the air, Lavhi in the kitchen working on dinner for the group.
"Come in, come in. Make yourselves at home. Let me know if I can get you anything, all right?"
She gestures towards the couch, or maybe the loveseat, but seats regardless. She knows that particular feeling...
"How's it going?"
'It' does a lot of heavy lifting here.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
It feels a little strange, too, as it's an empty colony: only some parks, freshly-planted trees, and empty lots that will eventually have prefabricated buildings placed. It has a feel of a skeleton of a colony.
"Yeah," Rena says to Anita. "And... not think about work--" And about other things. "--for a little bit."
When the door opens, Rena smiles. She looks at the kitchen -- smelling dinner -- and she smiles, before she steps in. "Thanks, Octo," she says. "It's good to see you, too."
She looks at Eight, before she smiles. Eight can feel the worries, the tiredness, the anxiety.
"We did a lot of work and checking up on stuff. But..." She smiles. "...I think it went well."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"Yeah, for sure." Anita agrees. They could definitely both use that. Her attention turns toward the door, then, as Eight appears. Anita offers her a wave with her free hand, a smile crossing her face. Anita, of course, has already changed out of her uniform and into her classic hoodie and jeans combo.
"Hey, Eight. Good to see you too." She greets, and chuckles. "I'm glad."
Eight welcomes them in and Anita steps into the house, immediately noticing the scent of cooking in the air.
"Oh, something smells good." She notes, looking at seating Eight indicates before settling into the loveseat. "I should be alright for now, thanks."
Still, there's question in the air. How's it going?
"I'm doin' alright, now that the work day's over. How've things been here?" Anita offers with a smile. Alright is subjective, of course, but she could be doing a lot worse. She nods, then, as Rena explains. "Yeah, I think so, too."
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Empty colonies... Eight remembers when Magallanica was so empty.
But she won't make them think too much about work in the face of that anxiety. Instead, she reaches out to take Rena's hands for a moment, squeezes them, and then smiles at Anita. "Good," she says. "I'm glad to see you both."
"Lavhi's cooking," she explains as she follows them back in, closing the door behind them. "The twins are due to wake up anytime."
She brings out some tea even though Anita said she should be all right, because she wants tea and Rena might too. No coffee, though. Not for her anyway.
"Well, that's the day done then. As for here, things have been good. I've been imposing on Lavhi to do most of the cooking for the last few days," she says with a laugh.
"Zaress actually drew me something on paper today instead of on the walls. I'll show you when Lavhi's done in the kitchen, it's on the fridge. And..."
"I get to have two of my favorite people over for dinner! So I certainlyc can't complain."
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Rena is, likewise, out of uniform; she has a black jacket on, over a dark blue shirt, and blue jeans. She walks over -- and then she sits down next to Anita on the loveseat. After all, it can fit two.
She looks sideways at Anita, nodding after her. It's good that she thinks things went well, too.
She looks at Eight -- then she grins a little bit. She takes some of the tea, and has a sip from her cup. "Mm."
Then she nods. "That's good!" she tells Eight. "Sounds like Lahvi's been busy. And Zaress."
She laughs. "And I'm glad we could make it. It seemed like a shame to pass up on while we're up here." She tilts her head. "Magallanica has really come along, hasn't it?"
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Anita returns Eight's smile, and nods thoughtfully as she mentions what Lavhi and the twins are up to.
"I see, I see." She says. And when Eight brings tea out... she didn't want to trouble her, but if Eight wants some for herself, Anita isn't going to say no to a cup, too.
Rena moves to join her and Anita scoots over, making sure there's enough room for the both of them. She nods back, too, when Rena looks her way.
Eight recounts, then, on how things have been here. She laughs along with Eight as she mentions she's been making Lavhi do most of the cooking.
"Well, I'm sure he's glad to get the chance to flex what he's learned." Anita says with a with, and listens with interest as Eight continues. "Oh yeah, he did? That's a good step! Definitely wanna see that."
You have to fawn over the toddler's artwork. It's the law.
She laughs fondly, then, at Eight's conclusion.
"Yeah, I'm glad we could, too. We weren't gonna miss a chance to meet with some of our favorite people." Anita replies, and nods. "Yeah, it really has, huh...?"
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Eight chooses the couch! She's in the middle of it, where she can easily talk to Anita and Rena both. And of course, there's enough tea for everyone.
"They both have. Aarmi, too, though she never had as much problem with coloring on paper..." Someone's better-behaved, maybe? Or maybe she just makes trouble differently. "He is, that's true. Even though we've both been busy. But you can smell the difference. All the time I spent waiting for Rena to do the cooking hasn't made me great at it..."
She laughs a little. And the law will be obeyed. But first--
"It has. I remember when I was cooped up in a residential block near the old Vist mansion, waiting around for anybody to be nearby. Now, we've got thriving neighborhoods. Places to go. I even occasionally manage to get Ruri to relax out here. Occasionally."
"...But it is good timing, too. Being able to talk to you both."
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Rena smiles at Anita, and after a moment, she slides an arm around her shoulders. She'll go over and give Eight a hug in a moment -- they'll have to move into the kitchen or to the dinner table soon, she thinks.
She cracks a smile, at the mention of Aarmi. "That sounds like her," she says. "Zaress... well, um, it sounds like he's making some progress."
She grins, then she laughs a little -- scratching at her cheek. Her cheeks flush. "W-Well--I do like cooking," she admits. "And Annie says I'm pretty good at it, too."
She glances at Anita for confirmation. Then, she looks back at Eight.
"We've looked at a few places for Orb refugees," she says. "We found a potential colony--though, I've got my eye on some unclaimed spaces in Magallanica proper, too. I'm glad Ruri's at home, too."
Then, there's a blink. Rena glances sideways at Anita -- that sounds not quite ominous, but important -- then back to Eight. "Good timing...?"
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Anita smiles back at Rena as she slides an arm around her shoulders before looking back toward Eight. She chuckles, just a little, at Eight's comment.
"Oh, I'll have to see hers too, then." Anita replies. ...She'd definitely believe she causes trouble differently, though. Causing trouble is just a part of growing up. "Yeah, it smells great. I'm looking forward to it."
She cracks a smile at Eight's comment, and Rena's sheepish response.
"You're great at it." Anita confirms with a firm nod - though she can't help but grinning not long after. "I'm definitely a little spoiled by your cooking. But -"
Anita puffs herself up for a moment, looking proud.
"No one can beat me when it comes to cleaning up afterward." She boasts jokingly with a wink.
"I remember that, too..." Anita considers, as Eight reminisces. And now... there they are. It's really been built up. "It's still growing... and thriving. And," Anita laughs. "I'm glad to hear that, too."
It's no small feat - but Ruri definitely deserves opportunities to relax.
She nods, too, as Rena explains some of the places they've looked into. But, good timing...
"What's up?" Anita asks, curious. She meets Rena's glance before looking back toward Eight. Is it about some of the things she brought up last time she visited...?
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
"For sure." A beat, and Eight laughs. "He is. He's... Well, you know him by now. He's very bright. And very energetic." But for Rena's cooking, "You're great at it. If I thought I could've gotten away with asking you to cook as a guest, I might've!"
A laugh, then at Annie's boast.
But they do remember. Growing, and thriving. "It is. Despite certain individuals' best efforts..." A grimace.
But then, the matter of what they're looking for. "Whichever you decide is beset," Eight says, "I'll bend my efforts towards making it happen. Orb is near and dear to me; her people, if they need a place to stay, will have a place."
"I can see the benefits of either, though; a fresh new Colony can be molded more... but it's more work, too. Lonelier in its way."
A pause. "But yes, actually. You see, I..."
"Mommy's sick!" Zaress asserts as he toddles into view from the other room, wiping sleep out of his eyes.
"I am not sick," Eight insists. "Mommy just was feeling a little unsettled earlier."
"Hmmm..."
That's when Aarmi comes out. "Annie!" she says. "Rena!"
"Haro!"
She rushes over, outpacing Zaress who suddenly rushes to catch up.
Eight puts out her arms and Zaress detours into a hug from his mother.
Aarmi, meanwhile, stares up at Rena and Annie. o_o.
"...I'm having another baby," Eight explains, a little embarrassed now that she's saying it. "I know it's not the best timing, but... It's the timing I have."
They can get more privacy again shortly, but for the moment it's suddenly a much bigger conversation.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"It's true," Rena says with a smile after Anita boasts of her cleaning prowess. "She is pretty amazing at cleaning. And you know me, sometimes I do an experiment and make a bunch of dirty pots."
The smile turns into a grin. They've both, doubtlessly, been subjected to the good and bad sides of Rena's determination to try something new in the kitchen.
She looks back at Eight -- and she cracks a smile. "I would... but I'd need to get here sooner," she admits to Eight. Then, she looks up, and she nods. Whatever Orb needs, Eight will help with.
She's content to leave it there for now.
Then she makes a face as Zaress approaches -- she can't quite hide the concern when he says his mother is sick -- and then she relaxes a little when Eight corrects it.
"Hey Zaress, hey Aarmi!" she says. "How's my two favorite kiddos?"
She looks down at Aarmi and smiles. "How're you doing, Aarmi? How is--"
A beat. She looks up at Eight, eyes going wide.
"Bwuh!?"
Then she looks at Anita, and asks again for clarification:
"Bwuh!?"
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"Definitely." Anita agrees with Eight, and then grins as she agrees that Rena's great at cooking. She looks proud for a moment, then, as Eight and Rena both play along with her boast.
"Don't I know it." Anita confirms, as Rena mentions her experiments. Sometimes it works out really well! And, sometimes...
...Well, the scrubbing power of a cybernetic arm is awfully convenient.
Eight continues, then. Hearing her affirm her support helps - it was never in doubt, but it's still good to hear that she'll have theirs, and everyone's back.
"Yeah. On one hand... having a lotta people around might help them settle into a new place. But on the other, it might be rough to adapt to a social structure that's already been built up..." Anita considers with a thoughtful frown.
...But, they can think on it more if it gets to that point. When it gets to that point.
Because for now, Eight has something to say! She starts - and then is interrupted as Zaress appears.
She looks to him, then looks to Eight as she insists that she isn't sick. Still, she smiles.
"Hey, Zaress. Hey, Aarmi. Good to see you two again!" Anita greets brightly. And as Aarmi greets them, and greets Haro... this is when he finally awakes. Anita had waited to activate him, perhaps.
Haro's eyes light up and his 'wings' flap, in greeting.
"Hello, Aarmi! Hello!" He greets. Anita smiles down at Aarmi as she moves to stare up at them, taking it in stride as Rena begins to ask how she is.
And then, Eight drops a bomb.
Anita stares for a moment, blinking - even she's taken aback. She was wondering what kind of news Eight had wanted to share, but another kid... wow. Soon enough, though, a bright smile crosses her face.
"Bwuh." Anita clarifies for Rena, before looking back toward Eight.
"Wow, though... that's incredible! I'm happy for you! When'd you find out?" She asks.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
"I do," Eight knows Rena of experimenting. She laughs along a little more at the sheer cybernetic dishwashing power Anita brings to bear. And of course, when Rena says she'd do it, "Oh, I know. That's why it'd be tempting to let you do it. But it would be very rude..." Pause. "Maybe outside a holiday..."
Hmmm.
"Right," Eight agrees with Annie on just what Orb's people might need. "And they'll certainly be stressed by the transit, and adapting to life in space... Well, I hope it doesn't come to that."
Also: Zaress does not really understand the distinction between being sick and being 'unsettled' but he is proud of his word choices anyway, especially when it results in a hug from his mother!
"Good!" Zaress says to Rena as he buries himself against Eight.
Aarmi, instead, says "Haro! Haro!" and moves to embrace the little robot. When he lights up, Aarmi lights up just as much, a little green ball of energy.
Bwuh, Rena says, and Eight pauses. Then she says 'Buwh' again, and Eight laughs happily at having managed to stun her girlfriend without even seeming to try. It makes her feel a lot less embarrassed, anyway.
"Well," Eight says, "I was late this month, and I took my third test yesterday just to be absolutely sure," she answers,a nd then smiles. "Thank you. I know this early it's no guaranteees, but... I'm really happy. So is Lavhi! He's the only other one who--"
Pause. "Actually, Ruri knows," she admits. "But that's because she guessed it when my sense of smell was acting up..."
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"Oh, I don't mind!" Rena tells Eight about cooking. "We'll just need to plan it out in advance a little. To make sure I have the time needed to make something good."
Because, of course, if she is cooking for one of these get togethers, she plans to go all out.
Rena's grin at Anita turns playful. She knows she can get away with some things because Anita has a cybernetic arm and can save pots from situations that might, otherwise, be certain doom.
She looks sideways at Anita -- and then she nods. "That's what I'm not sure of," she says. "And... I don't want to break up communities more than it might already happen."
She exhales, with a little smile. There is a glance at Haro and Aarmi.
But then she isn't really thinking so well. She blinks -- looks at Annie as she 'confirms' it -- and then looks at Eight.
"O-oh! Oh, wow!" She stammers. "That's amazing! Do--ah--do you know the due date?"
Rena had planned to hug Eight later. 'Later,' it happens, is now. She hops up -- then she walks overs, and gives Eight a side hug. She has to be careful of Zaress, after all.
"Do the twins realize yet...?"
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Anita laughs as Eight is tempted by the idea of letting Rena cook, and as Rena assures her it's fine. She meets Rena's playful grin, then, with one of her own. She certainly doesn't mind it - it's just one of the many perks she's grown to appreciate.
Her expressions goes thoughtful again, though, as Eight considers. Adapting to life in space... She's so used to it, having lived in space all her life and in recent years going back and forth from it to the Earth, that she hadn't even considered that. She nods, too, at Rena's concerns.
"Yeah..."
ut for now... Zaress say's he's good, and Anita smiles.
"Glad to hear it." She says - and she can't help but smile at Aarmi's enthusiasm for Haro as she moves to give him a hug.
"Aarmi!" Haro flaps again, in greeting.
She listens, then, as Eight explains. Anita nods thoughtfully.
"So only recently..." She replies, and offers her a smile. "Well, I'm glad. I'll be wishing you the best."
She nods, then.
"Wow, she caught on that easily?" Anita replies, impressed, before looking toward Rena - and then to the twins. Anita's curious, too.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Rena definitely would go all out, and Eight's training in being a good hostess do not make her immune to the allure... of Rena's cooking. She considers. "...Well, Lavhi wouldn't mind, probably..."
He'd more than not mind; he likes Rena's cooking, too.
"Yes," Eight agrees of breaking up communities. "It's a hard situation for everyone involved. I want to make it easier if I can. If we have to do it at all."
Zaress looks up when Rena comes to hug Eight, and smiles a big baby smile at her. "Hiiiiiiiii Aunt Rena," she says. Eight accepts the side hug, leaning into Rena, and she'll go for a fuller one later.
Haro and Aarmi seem to be having a good time, at least. Aarmi claps in front of Haro, and smiles up at Annie. "Yay! Haro, let's play!"
Eight says, "You can play a little if Aunt Annie is okay with it, but we have dinner shortly too. So you'll get to play more after dinner."
Then she looks at Rena, and Anita again, with a lopsided smile. "I don't think they get it yet," she admits. "But they will. I'm hoping they respond well. But they're used to each other, so one more shouldn't spook them too much..."
Due date! "Late May," Eight answers. "I'm just over a month in. So it's still really early." It adds up; that suggests conception might've been... around the last crisis, if anyone does the mental math.
"Thanks, you two. And--haha, yes. Ruri's pretty sharp. She told me it was obvious... And that I was an idiot for thinking it wasn't."
She smiles fondly. "But hey, you two hungry? I think Lavhi's almost ready."
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"We can make sure with him," Rena tells Eight, regarding Lavhi and her cooking.
Then, she nods -- her expression thoughtful. There is a lot to consider about bringing refugees here.
"Aaw..." Rena looks down at Aarmi hugging the Haro and smiles. It is nice to see that Anita's Haro knows the twins' names. It doesn't surprise her, though; after all, that Haro has been a companion for Anita forever.
She looks back at Eight -- then she nods, with a cheerful look. "I'm sure," she says. "It'll take some time. But... I'm sure they'll understand."
She scratches at the back of her head -- then she nods. "Late May... that makes sense. It'll be here before we know it." She cracks a smile, head tilted. "I'm not surprised Ruri figured it out so fast, though."
Then, Rena glances at Anita -- she grins a little again -- and looks back at Eight. "I know I am!"
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Anita smirks, at that. She has a feeling it won't take much convincing.
"Yeah... absolutely." Anita agrees with Eight.
Aarmi claps for Haro, smiling up at Anita. Anita smiles back, then looks to Eight nods.
"I'm okay with it. You two can play, as long as you're both ready when dinner is." Anita says. "Like your mom says, you'll have plenty of time after dinner, too."
With Anita's permission Haro rolls off of Anita's lap, bouncing a little when he hits the floor. Anita's perfectly fine trusting Haro with the kids and vice versa, of course. With her own initially being made as a medical companion, he's both sturdy enough to endure playtime while being gentle enough that there's no risk of anyone getting hurt.
She nods, though, as Eight explains that she isn't sure they get it yet.
"Makes sense..." Anita considers, massaging the back of her neck. It must be unimaginably big at that age, the thought of new life.
She nods, then, as Eight explains.
"Yeah." She agrees... and chuckles, as Eight explains how Ruri found out.
"Thaaat sounds like her." Anita says fondly - and then nods, glancing Rena's way.
"Definitely." She confirms.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Perhaps Lavhi has developed pride in his own cooking. Perhaps he'd like to help! Or maybe he'll appreciate the break. They won't know until they ask!
Eight is also happy Haro knows the twins' names, but she's not surprised either. Especially not the Haro that Anita brought especially!
Rena's cheerful look gets a warm smile from Eight. "Yes," she says. "...If nothing else, give them a couple months and they'll have trouble not noticing," she admits with a laugh.
"Yay!" Aarmi says, and moves to play with Haro. Zaress hugs Eight a little longer and then, "Me too!!"
They will both play with Haro. Eight trusts Anita and Haro both... not just because the kids are sturdy, but because she knows this Haro, and knows Anita even better.
"Right?" Eight says. "I hope it'll be easier this time, now that I know what I'm doing. On the other hand, I have these two to look after, too..."
Ruri is smart. They all know that. But Eight smiles.
"Then I'll go check in with him, and we can start setting up for dinner! I think it'll be good--he told me he started on it last night."
Eight stands up, and heads to the kitchen.
Dinner will be nice.