2022-03-31: Escalation

• Cutscene: Escalation
• Cast: Akane Shinjo, Alexis Kerib
• Where: Tsutsujidai - Akane's Room / Tsutsujidai - Shogi Parlor
• Date: 2022-03-31
• Summary: Akane and Alexis have a talk about how things have been going, lately. Also: Sentiment outpaces memory.

---

Alexis's visage sits on the monitor, as always. "You wanted to talk to me, Akane-kun?" he asks. "I've placed your things outside your door."

Akane's not having this kindly uncle act, for once. "You said we could win if we controlled the space and designed a kaiju around it. We even souped it up with that card from Juggler! I budgeted in my head for this thing to be tough enough to handle those cool toys, even! Not only that, you brought a messed up version of one of my *other* kaiju out! So what gives?"

"For such a tremendous kaiju, the performance of this one was a little bit lacking, yes." Alexis asks. "Maybe size isn't everything, Akane-kun... or maybe it's your heart wavering? I assure you, I have only the utmost respect for your creations -- but strong feelings make for strong kaiju. Has your heart been preoccupied with something besides Vessels of Light, lately?"

Akane puts her head down and wraps her fingers around her craft knife. Her nose scrunches up a bit. "What do you mean? I spend every day thinking about this stuff... that counts for something, right?" A beat. "It *oughta* count for something."

"Oh -- the last thing I want to tell you is that your feelings don't count!" Alexis coos. "But perhaps you're biting off more than you can chew, Akane-kun! Give it time. You said you expect GaoFighGar to depart after you address the Chasseur woman... I'm sure if you can keep those feelings in your heart until then, you'll make an even better kaiju."

"... I gotta make these smaller," Akane says, back on task. "I wonder why it took Gridman and his buddies so long to get here this time... maybe we need to ambush them next."

---

Another day, another shogi opponent. The same unfamiliar school uniform, though. It never quite sits right on Ramo Marusa's shoulders, no matter how long she wears it.

Marusan's phone buzzes. She can't check it right away -- but she can play worse, at least. The game is over in five more minutes. She thanks the patron respectfully, and heads into the back room.

She checks her phone at last, one corner of her lip quirking up. It's not quite a smile -- but something about it has that radiance, as she reads.

I wish they hadn't had to evacuate us to do an emergency controlled burn, but the trip was still fine.
Maybe next time I should ask more questions when I'm scheduling, though.
Sorry if it wasn't fun, Ramo.

She starts changing back into her usual outfit. Something nags at her. There hadn't been anything that strange on the trip, other than the early punch-out, but... something about her feels like she remembers worrying about Ako. Some deep feeling tickling at the back of her brain remembers caring just a little more, just a little extra-honestly. Something in her feelings clarifying.

Maybe it was just the mountain air.

I had a good time.
I have Saturday free. This'll be the last one before Dance Club starts up again.
... I want to spend it with you, Ako.

Somewhere else in Tsutsujidai, Ako Furuma holds her phone close.

---

Akane stews in silence. She looks at her phone. At her new laptop. Irritation overflows. If she didn't know any better, she'd think this whole stupid world was set up to make her the butt of every joke.

Still... for all she'd wanted to put it in the rear view mirror... the spring break trip was nicer than she was expecting. She'd almost say she had a genuinely nice time. Even the kaiju fight going sour wasn't enough to leave her feeling bad about it.

It leaves her with such an awkward feeling. She *wants* to be mad at Gridman. But Anti performs better every time he goes out -- gets smarter, cleverer, stronger, faster. And her kaiju, even as she soups them up, up, up... feel like, if anything, they're on a downslide.

... maybe she's getting in her own way. Maybe *all* of this is her getting in her own way.