2024-06-17: Growth

• Log: Growth
• Cast: Anita Rosetta, Eight Orlodhari
• Where: Magallanica, Side 3
• OOC - IC Date: June 17, 2024 (0099)
• Summary: Anita Rosetta manages to get Eight Orlodhari away from her work and into the colony for a nice walk. They have a talk as they do.

---

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

Magallanica's city bustles with activity. There is much life here - and more and more by the day, as refugees keep flooding in. With so much going on, there's always something new to see - and so today, Anita is accompanying Eight on a walk through one of the newer sections. Anita wanted to hang out and they could both use the fresh air, so it was a good opportunity!

Anita walks down the streets, hands slid into her pants pockets as the two of them take in the sights.

"Feels like this place is always changing." Anita notes. "Just the other day, I stumbled upon an open-air market I didn't know we had. A lot of good fresh... well, goods there, too."

She looks Eight's way.

"Guess that's just a sign of how alive it is, huh? ...Kinda nice." Anita comments with a chuckle. "Did you ever think we'd be doing something like this?"

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

It's nice, to see it like this. Eight remembers when it wasn't so bustling, when it was the ruins of a mansion and not a whole lot else. It was a good opportunity! Eight really needs to get out a little more...

So she's not in uniform, dressed casually for a walk around the colony. "Really?" Eight asks. "That's a fun discovery. It is changing a lot. It's because we get so many people from all over, I think."

Goods!

A look back to Anita and a smile. "I think it is. ...And growing even more." A beat, and a shake of her head. "Nope," she answers easily, amused. "Walking around the colony, sure. Being part of why it can grow ad live like this..."

"That I didn't expect, back on Winter Wonderland. I didn't really know what I was going to do anyway, though. You might remember--I sort of... drifted."

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

"Yeah. People from all over, each with their different talents and needs... Put 'em all together, and that's when things really start to shine." Anita replies with a nod. Of course, there are concerns with how many they're getting... but for now, they're doing everything to accomodate that.

She smiles as Eight agrees with her, and nods as she answers the question.

"Me either." Anita replies with a shake of her head and a small laugh, and listens.

Just sort of drifted, huh...? For a moment, Anita's eyes rise up the colony sky, before looking back down toward Eight.

"Yeah, I remember that..." Anita replies with a nod, then massages the back of her neck. "We were both kind of in the same boat, I guess. Kicking that particular can down the road."

Anita had her Homo-Avis club, but it was only ever a hobby, not something she ever planned to Do with her life.

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

"Right!" Eight agrees--and they are doing what they can. She grins, when Anita confirms that she also didn't expect it. But, she sees the way Annie looks to the colony sky, and it reminds her of those days, too.

"We were. ...I was done with school, didn't have a steady partner, couldn't really do hockey pro without revealing what I was..."

"If not for Rena, I'm not sure where I'd have ended up."

She smiles. "I guess you'd know something about that too, considering."

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

Eight grins, and Anita grins back. She nods as Eight remembers her situation. She remembers those days, too. Anita nods... and smiles fondly at Eight's comment with a small laugh.

"Yeah, I do." She agrees. "She's always been kind of like that, huh? Giving us something to aim for, helping us to want to move forward..."

It takes a lot to get Anita movitated to get moving, after all - though far less now than it used to be, thanks to the influence of her friends.

"And I owe you a lot too, of course. You and her... you both helped shake me out of the gloom that kept me from recovering after I ended up on Winter Wonderland." Anita replies, then smirks. "And now look at where we are."

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

"And all we have to do is make sure she doesn't light herself on fire to guide the way." Eight says it lightly--but it's true, too. They're both looking out for her!

It does take a lot... And Eight recalls that. "Well, I was doing what I could; I had to figure out who I was as a person, and heping you shake out helped me build myself up."

"We're somewhere, all right. Careers, relationships, the works. ...Though it is nice to get out like this. To remember I've stil got somebody underneath all that."

"Right?"

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

"Exactly." Anita agrees with a nod and a grin. It's something they both know all too well - and in that way, they help balance each other.

Eight did what she could, and Anita's smile softens.

"...Yeah. We all kind of helped lift each other up, I guess." she replies. The friendships shared between herself, Eight, Rena, and everyone on Winter Wonderland... she's not sure what she would've done without that kind of support.

The grin is right back, though, as Eight continues. Careers, relationships, the works... Anita nods, and then chuckles.

"Yeah. Underneath it all... you're still my best friend, and even if we had none of this, I figure we'd still be out there walking and chatting like this somewhere." She agrees. "We just ended up on a bit bigger stage, is all."

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

They did. Eight smiles to remember it. Rena and Anita and everyone--she treasures those memories, even the first while that was very difficult. She wouldn't be where she is without all of it.

Which is why it shouldn't surprise her whhen Anita puts forth what could've been. But it does. "Annie..."

"...Yeah" she agrees. "Same. Though I admit, it's hard to envision anything else about that world that 'could've' been. Other than that much. I'd definitely be talking about whatever I'd gotten up to with you."

"...I hope to be for a while yet. But I'm a littlle jealous that you get out more. ...Part of me misses the more active life. On the other hand, i wouldn't trade what I have..."

"The 'bigger stage', either. We can do good this way. I think that matters."

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

Eight agrees. Anita isn't surprised - she smiles back.

The world that could've been...

"Well. I bet it would've been easier than this one in a lot of ways. ...Still wouldn't give this one up for anything, though." Anita replies. That's the choice she made on that day, when she saw a glimpse into another world, another possibility - and she stands by it.

"...Yeah, me too." She agrees, and listens as Eight laments a bit. She offers her a small smile.

"That's the price of responsibility, I guess." She offers, then grins. "Don't worry. I'll keep finding excuses to drag you out of the office."

She nods, though.

"Yeah... you're right. It does matter." Anita agrees. "We're here because of the choices we made, and because of that, we're in a position to help. Nothing more important than that."

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

"Heh. True. This one isn't easy." A nod back. "I feel the same. And not just because of Lavhi and the twins, either." She wasn't there, for that 'other world', that other possibillity, but she has many possibillities in front of her all the time.

"Ha," Eight replies to Anita's cheerful rejoinder. "I appreciate it. Especially when it feels like I don't have the time to."

"Right. I value those choices. But it does make me wonder..."

"Let's say the world doesn't explode tomorrow. ...Where do you think you might be, in a few years?"

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

Eight feels the same... Anita nods. It's good that they're on the same page, in that regard. And she grins, as Eight says she appreciates her getting her out of the office.

And then, Eight asks her a question. If the world doesn't explode tomorrow, where might she be in a few years...?

"...Hm... that's a tough one." Anita considers, folding her arms in front of her with a thoughtful expression.

"Well... it kind of depends on the state the world's in, but it might be nice to relax a bit, focus on my hobbies. Maybe start taking Haro mod commissions again, or designing my own companion robot with the skills I've picked up." Anita considers. "I'll probably still be living in Orb, and Rena..."

Anita goes quiet for a bit... and then chuckles sheepishly, massaging her neck.

"...By that point, I'll probably have proposed. I'm still working my way up to the idea... but, it'd be nice." She looks toward Eight. "...How about you? Where do you think you'll be?"

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

"I thought it might be," Eight admits, but doesn't take the question back. It's not really Annie's way to plot ahead too far, she knows, but even so she wonders. So when Anita starts answering, Eight doesn't interrupt. She just comes to a stop, regarding her friend with red eyes.

"A companion robot... that sounds fun. I'm definitely interested."

Living in Orb. Eight hopes so. Though of course, Magallanica would be more convenient for her...

She smiles wider at the matter of proposing, though. "Good," Eight says. "You two deserve it. In your own time, of course. ...You're unlikely to have the reason we had for hurrying," she jokes.

"...But me? Well, the house should be ready by then," she says--they're having one built here in Magallanica. "The twins might be old enough to start school, and..."

She looks a little embarrassed, "And I want another baby. Keep it under your hat, but the docs wanted me to wait a while, and I have, so... Maybe sometime."

"Magallanica will be bigger by then, too. And we'll have to see how that goes. But... that's it for me personally, at least."

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

It's a tough question, for Anita especially, as Eight knows... but, sometimes, it's good to think about tough questions.

"Yeah. I mean, I love Haros and always will... but as fun as coming up with new designs and ideas for them is, it'd be nice to build something new I could call completely my own, you know?" Anita replies. And she continues - and can't help but grin as Eight smiles wider at some of her other plans. Her approval definitely feels like good encouragement.

"Thanks. I'm glad you feel that way. I think... it'd be good for both of us." Anita comments with a fond smile. It's a big step, especially for her... but, like she said - it'd be nice. Rena'd told her she always wanted to be proposed to...

"Pretty unlikely." Anita agrees with a smirk, then listens. "Oh yeah? That's good, I definitely wanna see it once it's ready. I hope they take well to school, too."

And Eight... has a secret! Anita offers her a small smile.

"My lips are sealed." She assures. "...But, hey, good luck. Here's hoping, yeah? I'm looking forward to meeting them someday."

Anita nods, then.

"Yeah. We'll have to see how it all goes, but... if even half of it worked out, I couldn't complain. That's a future I could live with." She says.

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

"Right!" Eight answers. "Having something 'yours' is... an important feeling. I know it too." A grin back--and then, that fond smile for Rena makes Eight happy to see. Once, she imagined she might be the one to propose to Rena but... she made her peace with that. Besides, "You two are wonderful together. I think it would be great for you. I'm definitely on your side," she says, and she means the two of them, Rena and Anita both.

Then she laughs. "Good!" Eight answers. "I'll want to show you, especially. And I hope so, too--I thought a lot about it, and I want them to have that social experience, even if it means I have to leave them sometimes on missions."

Eight smiles back. "Thanks," she says. "I am, too."

"Right. ...And a future where we can all move forward... that's a future I want, too."

"...I think the more immediate future I want is a future with noodles, though. What do you think? I think there's a stand up the way..."

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

"Yeah." Anita agrees with a nod. And then she grins, bright and wide. It feels good. "Thanks. I think... we'll be happy."

She listens, then, as Eight continues.

"Yeah, I can see how it would be a tough choice to make... I think you're making the right one for them, though." Anita replies. "They'll get a lot out of that."

A future where they can all move forward... Anita thinks about that for a moment.

"Yeah... that sounds pretty good to me, too." She says. And then, there's the more immediate future to think about. Anita grins.

"Now that's a future worth choosing. Let's do it." She agrees wholeheartedly.