View source for 2024-08-07: What the Hell Are You?

*'''Log: 2024-08-07: What the hell are you?'''
*'''Cast:''' [[Character :: Mujina]], [[Character :: Asuka Shikinami Langley]]
*'''Where:''' Outside Nyan Nyan Cafe, Nouvelle Tokyo
*'''OOC - IC Date:''' 7 August 0099 
*'''Summary''': ''Asuka, on the hunt for information about the machine that appeared in Nouvelle Tokyo, runs into someone who stands out by how conspicuously she doesn't. Asuka launches into questioning Mujina- but the answers she gets aren't exactly what she hoped for. (CW: Significant Injury).''

----


 <Pose Tracker> Mujina has posed.
<poem>

        It had barely been a few months and Nouvelle Tokyo had already started to lose it's luster. The city- briefly bright and fascinating and loud and different had quickly become background noise. For a while, she would go and watch the science crimes that regularly broke out but that too had grown boring. There's only so many times you can watch a woman try to take over the mint to make only her currency legal tender, or see some berserk robot with an elaborate gimmick about magnets get arrested. It was... boring.

        It was all already so boring.

        There was also the fact that they had to worry about simple, mundane things. Money. A place to sleep. Food- or in Mujina's case, drink. It was all a nuisance. She had some money-

        Well. Juuga had a job, and she could sponge off him. And every so often Onija would likely get in a fight and take their wallet or whatever. Sizumu seemed not to care, and that worked for him.

        But Mujina could hardly be motivated to work. She could hardly be motivated to anything.

        But... sitting in a bar, drinking in the middle of the afternoon wasn't really doing anything for her either. She left her wine half finished at the table, and walked away- seemingly not noticed, for the moment, despite being one of the few customers at this particular Nyan Nyan Cafe. No one stopped her, so it's not like money was &#42;necessary&#42; all the time but. It's useful, just in case.

        Either way, she started wandering through the crowds of Nouvelle Tokyo, walking against the flow, moving through the crowd like they didn't notice her and she didn't particularly notice them. You'd think, in an outfit like that, she'd draw attention.

        But... one has to be doing something extraordinary to gain notice, don't they?
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
<poem>

Prism - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGzp08HBOX8

Hands in the pockets of a green military jacket that wasn't seasonable at all, the blind-folded girl saw the world in shades of crimson hues.

A picture was shown...

... to a middle aged man tending a ramen cart...

... to children playing ken-ken-pa...

... to a crowd of day drinkers sitting outside...

...  to two officers who followed her for a ways, before she sighed and flashed her NERV credentials...

... to a trio of high school girls gushing over something on their phones, laughing as she walked off...

Stuffing her hands deeper in her pockets, she entered the Nyan Nyan Cafe.

"Don't care what ID you have - I'm not serving you." A woman tending bar noted, as she wiped a glass, as Asuka slid onto a chair, "Not here to drink." "Sure you're not." As Asuka held up a blurry image of the Dynawing and Dynastriker. "Looking for these."

The woman squinted at them, then sighed, "This some online scavenger hunt thing?  Kid - don't waste your school break on something so frivolous."

"I'm not here for that.  It's official NERV business." "Yeah sure - just like you're not here to drink.  The cosplay really doesn't do a thing towards disguising your age."

Asuka thumbed towards the departing Mujina in that moment, "You aren't giving her grief for it."

"Who?" She asked, baffled, as Asuka did a double take, then looked at the doorway where she left.  Then stuffed the picture back in her pocket.

"Forget about it."

Asuka left the Nyan Nyan, threading the crowd - tailing her, it wasn't precisely hard doing so.

Sometimes one has to do something extraordinary to gain notice.  And other times...

...  a hand reaches out to grasp Mujina by the shoulder, "Hey Drum Major." Asuka chose rather than Majorette for off the cuff nickname...

"Going somewhere?" She asks, and perhaps not too casually, her visage is a blank strip of black cloth, aglow with crimson, her hair an asymmetrical mop of twintails that's almost grown back.


</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Mujina has posed.
<poem>

        Mujina did not expect, really, to have a hand put on her shoulder. It's unexpected. It's odd. It's...

        ...the first touch she's had in... millenia? More?

        She stops, as she's gripped, assessing what's happening. It's... strong, forceful even but...

        She's curious for the sort of person who would grasp her. She's curious of the sort of person who would call for her with that name.

        She turns to look at Asuka with unemotive blue eyes, and a somewhat blank stare. Not what she expected- someone small, blindfolded, but... that crimson glow.

        Curious.

        "...Drum Major?" She asks, her voice flat and uninterested sounding, despite her attention being entirely on Asuka right now. Something is nagging at her, but what? Still... She has no reason not to answer.

        "Not really," She responds, to Asuka's question, but volunteering no new information. "What do you want?"

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
<poem>

Asuka's eyes flick towards Mujina's uniform behind her blindfold, before she mutters, "What isn't it obvious?  Though what's with the hot pants?"

Asuka doesn't dwell on that, she just tells her. "Not sure yet.  There's just, something more to you..."

        ehehehe

"...  than meets the eye." Asuka grimaced, at the unintentional pun, but it's something that can be viewed in just the way the muscles of the left side of her face just tense up, visible at the jaw.

Something rictus.

Keeping a hold of her, she stuffs her other hand into her pocket, pulling out the crumpled picture of the Dynawing and Dynastriker.

"Seen these around?"

...  sometimes it's not standing out, sometimes it's the fact that you don't, that stands out.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Mujina has posed.
<poem>

        "...I didn't design the outfit," she says- a touch sulkily, perhaps. "It's just what I end up in." There's a strange passivity, or inevitability to that tone. "Also no, it's not obvious." She's still caught up on the nickname, apparently?

        "Oh." She says, still not moving. She can feel something faintly, tugging at her, but she can't place it. What is that feeling? It's annoying...

        Fortunately, that's when the photos come up. Dynawing and Dynastriker...

        Sizumu never told her what to do if anyone asked about it. Juuga would explain calmly and politely, Onija would shout about the fake kaiju and Gauma, Sizumu would be mysterious and evasive in a way Mujina could never manage. So... what should she do?

        "Yes." She answers, directly and unhelpfully. "Is that all?"

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
<poem>

That comment gives Asuka this odd impression it's meant to be a uniform, but she doesn't say that, instead responding with an irritated, "You're wearing it, aren't you?  'What you end up in'?  Whatever you throw on in the morning is how you present yourself to everyone."

For some reason that ''especially'' annoys Asuka, that idea, because...  she had to figure out how to present herself on her own.

"Sure it is.  What, you've never seen a marching band?" She scoffs at the idea of it, "You look like you're trying to lead one."

Then her answer...

"'Is that all?' In what world would I just go 'Sure yeah that's all I wanted to know - be on your way citizen?'" She says with this edge of sarcasm, "Where?  What do you know about them?"

Why isn't she letting go?  Well apparently Asuka realizes enough that whoever this is, they sure don't want to answer her questions.

What they want to do?

She has no idea, nor does she intend to care.


</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Mujina has posed.
<poem>

        Mujina continues to stare at Asuka. "Oh." She says again, with very little indication that she believes it. This was how she woke up. It was how she always woke up, the uniform in the same condition every time. But... she doesn't really seem to care, either. It's just... one of those things.

        "No." Another efficient, monosyllabic response. She hasn't seen a marching band, and she's not sure she understands the idea. "Do they happen here often?" She asks, and there's a spark- a tiny, almost unnoticeable spark- of life in her voice at the idea of something new.

        "You asked a question, I answered." She responds, flat again. She was hoping for something interesting, not... questions.

        "...They turn up to fight Kaiju." She says, as if that was evident. "There are four of them, and four people controlling them." She didn't really... pay much attention to the pilots, honestly. One of them sparked interest for a minute, but that's mostly Juuga's job...

        Would it be a problem to say more? ...Probably. She shouldn't just volunteer things without one of the others here to confirm. But none of the others are here, so...

        "...Did you have any more questions?"

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
<poem>

An eyebrow arches under the blindfold, and Mujina isn't likely to see the motion, but she's staring at her incredulously, "Often enough.  But not in the OCU."

Her next response? "So?  I asked another.  If you just complain about everything then we'll be here all day."

Isn't Asuka the one complaining though?

Still, she does answer it, and...

"Plenty." Probably a groanworthy response, "You're the only one in town who's given me such a complete answer in days."

Days?

Why's she so focused on this?

"Who do they work for?"


</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Mujina has posed.
<poem>

        Mujina nods, taking note of that. So... she's unlikely to see a marching band.

        "You're the one doing most of the complaining," she says, tactlessly and with a touch- just a touch- of her own annoyance. it's like... dealing with a smaller, no less angry Onija somehow. And that annoying thing on the edge of feeling is there... Still being a nuisance. What is it?

        "Could you ask more of them at once?" She asks, looking away for a moment put her posture largely not changing. "You want to get this over with too, right?" Definitely... getting boring.

        "No idea." She says, bluntly. "I've only ever seen them fighting the kaiju or at that river." She shrugs, as if that is enough to get Asuka off her back.

        (It is not enough to get Asuka off her back, off course.)

        The time Asuka's spent looking doesn't seem... that long to her? Mujina's spent just as much time this week wandering doing nothing in particular. It must be nice to have... something.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
<poem>

"You-!" Asuka says the word like an expletive, a second person accusative.  As she tenses, into an angry posture. "I'm complaining because I'm being forced to deal with someone who keeps acting like some creepy doll in how they answer everything!"

Still, there's something about her that keeps her from acting on that anger immediately.

Still, to her request, she doesn't actually - answer her verbally.  There's something like she's just 'looking away' which of course can't be seen.

"The river?" Asuka looks away for long enough to peer in that direction.

...  but it's not enough.  After a moment she stuffs the picture back in her pocket.

"Fine.  That works.  But..."

Asuka's staring at her again, in that moment, her hand still in that position.

"...  who are you?"

Then there's something, like a narrowing of her expression...  like she's listening to something before more words are spoken, this time a little more haltingly...

"...  what...  are you?"



</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Mujina has posed.
<poem>

        Mujina sighs with exasperation when Asuka explains. "That's still dragging it out." A creepy doll? Really?

        Mujina doesn't linger on it, though. "Yes. One of them is submersible." That does limit the number of places they can store it, surely? It's a long river... but not that long for NERV to scour. As the photo goes back in the pocket, Mujina starts to turn away, assuming they're done.

        But Asuka adds two more questions.

        These two... she knows how she's supposed to answer. How any of them should answer, the same thing in their own way. She turns back to Asuka, going back to that bored affect and unemotive expression.

        "I'm Mujina. A Kaiju Eugenicist."

        It's &#42;then&#42; that she starts to turn and walk away properly. Explaining it isn't her job. That's for Juuga or Sizumu. Even if the girl has other questions, she can find one of the others. Besides... she's had enough of this boring conversation.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
<poem>

"You're the one dragging this out by answering everything like this!" Asuka shouts, which may draw a few looks ''her'' way at least.

But not one gaze turns to look at Mujina...  save that strange, red hued one.

"That one...  I'm gonna give that jerk a piece of my mind."

Wait is she doing this ALL because she just wants to get back at Gauma for that MISS that hit Eva-02?

(No, but it sure sounds like that.)

Mujina however turns back, and with that bored affect, that just - total lack of feeling... and Asuka's fingers fall slack for a moment.

"Huh?"

Asuka replies, totally flabbergasted, caught on the back foot for a moment, as Mujina just starts to walk away.

She recovers within a few seconds at least.

"The hell?  Those two words don't even go together!  Eugenicist!?  Kaiju?  The shit is that supposed to mean!  You think you're gonna GEORGE GLENN some Kaiju?  Make some Kaiju Coordinators?"

Mujina is walking away, but Asuka starts to fast walk, "Hey!  Don't you just ''walk away from me''!  Explain damnit!"

She's definitely reaching out that hand like she's gonna just, grab her again...



</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Mujina has posed.
<poem>

        "By answering quickly?" Mujina responds, but it's hard to tell if she's responding earnestly or egging Asuka on or some indecisive mix of the too.

        "Go ahead. It's none of my business what you do to him." Onija would complain, but Onija always complains. She doesn't really care.

        That was supposed to be the end of the conversation, wasn't it? Drop the name, walk away, conversation over. She really didn't expect the girl to continue.

        "...George Glenn?" What kind of process is that? ...Did the girl just introduce a new, interesting topic to give Mujina pause? Still, when Asuka tells her she's not walking away, Mujina continues to do just that- until she feels a grip on her arm this time. She stops again, but she's not really bothered by the grip. It's not that Asuka isn't strong- she is. Very much so.

        It's just that... it's not like she can do anything that matters.

        "We're here to..." She pauses- perhaps overlong- as she works out what to say. "...here to help Kaiju remember what they can be." She finishes lamely, devoid of any energy or passion, with all the energy of a McDaniel's worker at hour six of a grave yard shift taking a late night drive thru order.

        But... that's the most recent reason she was given. For a second, it seems like she's going to start walking again- but she doesn't. Not yet.

        She seems caught up on something.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
<poem>

"By answering like some STUPID DOLL!" Asuka shouts again thoroughly escalated, but at the same time, answering in the exact same way. "Answering so literally!  Don't you have a single independent thought in that head of yours!?"

None of her business?  Well good but...

"How do you not know him!?  It's elementary school history!" What year?  Well...  Asuka wouldn't know the answer to that one.

She skipped all of it.

"The first Coordinator!"

There's something weird going on, she can't quite put her finger on it, she just knows her eye is twitching at her comment on remembering what they can be...

...  and not JUST from anger.

Without warning, Asuka's grip on Mujina's arm suddenly locks up even tighter, as she claps her other hand over where her left eye would be.

For a moment, she's just breathing, not knowing what to say, but then the words come - all too obvious.

"Kaiju... don't need... to know that." She hisses at her, through broken phrases, before telling her, "They just need to shut up...  and ''behave''!"

She wrenches at her arm, the girl eerily strong in this respect, perhaps. "If they can't do that much... then there's no place for them in this world."

</poem>
 
 <Pose Tracker> Mujina has posed.
<poem>

        Mujina frowns at the comment of being a doll, but doesn't reply to it. Instead... "The main thought is that you're as boring as Onija." She says, sharply. There &#42;is&#42; anger there, frustration, but a tiny amount venting through a crack rather than the explosive way Asuka lets her anger out.

        There's no recognition on Mujina's face as Asuka speaks of coordinators. Just that blank incomprehension like someone going too deep into a topic that the other doesn't understand. "I see." She says, even though she doesn't.

        Mujina is wrenched around in a manner that should be painful- MUST be painful- to face Asuka. And yet... she doesn't react. Something else has her attention. It's here. It's loud. It's so loud that even she can feel it. A Kaiju. She looks around, something like that... it had to be close, right? It had to be. But she couldn't see it. A kaiju that big, that much of a presence... even these people would notice it, surely.

        But nothing. Where the hell is it?

        She turns to stare at Asuka, confused. Uncomprehending. What could be going on here...?

        "...So this world is only for those who behave?" There's something there. But it's impossible to tell what. Not right now.

        "...whatever. That's not my problem. If you want more, go to Sevendarake. Or don't." She starts to move to walk, even though Asuka is still holding her, as if she is certain that Asuka can't keep her held. Even though Asuka is the stronger of the two, it's like she thinks that she'll slip the grasp- or that Asuka might for a moment forget that she's holding someone.

        "If you keep looking for that fake kaiju... Someone will explain it to you." Just like it was explained to her. She didn't understand but...

        What else was she to do?

        She keeps walking away, despite the pull on her arm. She's not dragging Asuka behind her or anything. She just seems to walk with an intensity that implies she won't be that bothered if the girl doesn't let go until Mujina's shoulder is dislocated, that she doesn't care if her body breaks.

        It'll be fine in the morning, no matter what.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
<poem>

The hell is an Onija?  How does this girl not know anything of Coordinators?  Asuka's panting now, one hand still clasping her eye like she's trying to keep it together.

Trying to keep it inside.

As Mujina just ''endures'' the grip without visible discomfort, Asuka rasps, "This world...  is for people.  Kaiju that don't accept that...  need to...  need to..."

Die?  Is it simple as that?  It is to her, at least.

Mujina moves, and Asuka tries to grab ahold, but in her current state, it's not that she couldn't possibly outstrength her, it's just that she has no leverage, no ability to just ''dig her heels in''.

It goes on until she finally catches her foot on the edge of a hole in the concrete and tugs hard, "Wait! Damnit!  What are you-"

The sudden pop of cartilage changes her tone in that moment to something softer, incredulous.

"-stupid?"

You're right

This is who I am

Asuka falls to one knee, suddenly gagging, and dry heaving as she lets go, her hands clutching her face.

Like she's worried it's not there.

"No...  nuh.... hck... BE QUIET DAMNIT!" She shrieks, before she's embroiled in heaving out her empty guts on the ground.

It calms down soon enough, leaving her shaking.

There's skin there.

"My face...  it's my..."

After a moment she repeats the word, "Sevendarake." Ordinarily pretending to be fearless, for once...

...  Asuka finds herself afraid of what she might find there.

And who this girl is.

"The hell...  are you?"

The answer she doesn't acknowledge to herself?  That too...  is frightening.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Mujina has posed.
<poem>

        Mujina pays no attention to whatever it is that Asuka is struggling with, or that pop that &#42;should&#42; have been something agonizing. She just keeps walking.

        When Asuka looks up again, finally...

        Mujina is gone. There's no trace of where she went, no track to follow.

        She might as well have been a ghost.
</poem>

[[Category:Logs]]
[[Category:Phase 2]]
[[Category:Phase 2, Turn 1]]