2022-11-11: A Step Away

• Log: A Step Away
• Cast: Lucine Azul, Leito Igaguri
• Where: Tsutsujidai
• OOC - IC Date:0096-11-11
• Summary: Leito and Lucine discover where Liam disappeared to. Lucine is fine.

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<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        According to Lucine, this was the order of events:
                - When Lucine went to visit Liam, he was sleeping.
                - Lucine left.
                - Lucine came back, and Liam was missing. His clothing and an empty envelope was left behind.
                - No word from NERV of any appearances since then.
                - No sign of him at his apartment.
                - No contact from him at all.

        Which left one terrible possibility that Lucine had to see for herself. Thankfully, Leito and Zero are here to help! However, they are sharing one body, which works because, as it turns out, there is just room for one more passenger in the Dianthus.

        The journey over there isn't too bad. As stated, the Dianthus does have a passenger seat, but it seems like it was an afterthought due to the shape of the unit than a conscious design choice. There's a seat, it's cramped, but considering Liam still fit, Leito would likely have no trouble as well. There is also the part of the seat being in a semi sitting position, which is... a thing. Lucine doesn't even seem to be all that cramped.

        The insides have little touches of its pilot, with affixed knicknacks in small corners, out of view for safety reasons, but there for those moments when there's not much to focus on but space. Like now.

        At least there's music. Some of Sheryl Nome's work, as well as some of Ranka's recorded music. A lot of music from Mars, like jazz, bebop, and some ballads. And then, if the music choice wasn't chaotic enough: classical tracks, mostly piano.

        "... I think the envelope... is the same as the one me and Liam got when we received a letter telling us to be in an area just before it was attacked, by a weird kaiju with poisonous green smoke. Like something out of a horror novel, not like Akane's kaiju at all, from what I've seen."

        The envelopes are passed back for Leito to examine, being largely nondescript. ".... They're so plain that maybe I'm just reading into it, since... I don't have the letter at all."

        Lucine's hands grip the controls. "... If we do see Liam, I'm going to not confront him. I just want to know he's safe.... I can... think of what to do, from there. That's my only goal. If you want to look at something, we can do that too."

        Her shoulders tense up, but she tries to relax. "... Any sign of danger, and we are retreating, though. We're in their domain, after all..."

<Pose Tracker> Leito Igaguri has posed.

Leito agreed to come the second he was told of the situation. He doesn't know Liam like Lucine does, but he's a good kid. Cramped in the backseat, he nonetheless takes the envelope as he remarks to the music. "Ah, my daughter loves Sheryl Nome..." He says, trying to break the fog of anxiety awkwardly.

And then, as he looks over the envelope, he removes his glasses with one hand - the transition between personalities probably feels normal to Lucine by now. "You're not reading into it. Alexis Kerib - the Devil of Tsutsujidai, name no longer taboo to merely speak - endangers this world, and his ward endangers our friends."

Leito-Zero takes a breath. "I'll wait until you're gone. But I plan to stop his madness sooner than later."

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        Hearing Leito talking about his daughter brings a smile to Lucine's face. "... She does? Has she listened to any of Ranka's songs yet? She'd probably like those too."

        On more serious subjects, Lucine shakes her head, which isn't really noticeable since she's looking straight ahead. She then looks over her shoulder instead. ".... Well, ah, that's the thing. That kaiju who attacked us isn't Alexis or Akane's doing, I don't think. It wouldn't make any sense for them to go after us. Kaworu thought the same." She turns her head back, as the PLANT containing Tsutsujidai looms into view. "There's someone, or something, else. But, until I get to the bottom of that... it might have to wait."

        "... You're... going to stay there? In Tsutsujidai?" Worry creeps into the tone of her voice. "... We don't know enough about what Akane or Alexis's plans are, and with our friends there, that complicates everything. The ones already there don't want to leave, for some reason... it's... not like brainwashing, exactly, since they're the same as before, but... not. That's... why I don't want to see Liam directly... I just... want to know he's okay. So then, when we know how to get them back...."

        She wishes that time where right now.

        Entering the PLANT's atmosphere, Lucine picks a spot to land, and pilots the Dianthus into (or what she thinks is) a discreet spot, in a park.

        The cockpit opens, and she quickly states, "Ah, be careful, getting out. You'll have to get around my seat, but... it's not too far to the ground since I have the Dianthus in a kneeling position."

        If Zero's in charge, she could see him flipping out with nimble ease. But maybe, Leito's legs might be cramped, and Zero might not realize that, so...!

<Pose Tracker> Leito Igaguri has posed.

"No, I'm not going to stay. I'll come back on my own. But I don't want you to get hurt. And I won't let anyone else get hurt, either." Leito-Zero says firmly. And then, as they get out of the seats, the 'old' man (he's like 30 and in shape) just...climbs out and jumps to the ground. "Ow..."

Yeah, he pulled something, solely because he's not used to THAT sort of movement of the legs on this body. "I'll be fine. Leito, take control."

He puts the glasses back on with a fumble, and Leito suddenly winces. "Ow...! Zero...!"

Leito sighs. "Where are we going first?"

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        "Oh, thank goodness... not that I don't have faith in you, Zero, just... doesn't Alexis need someone like Gridman or you to... do something? I was unclear on that part..." Besides, it's an entire town there, full of people.

        .... People that are developing minds and wills, even. Lucine frowns. ".... Is there... any way the town can somehow become... okay? If Rikka and Yuta were able to become regular people like you and me, there would be more like them, right? We'd... be able to save them, right, once Alexis is dealt with? So Tsutsujidai can be a real town, with real people."

        But, would that be a different sort of nightmare for all the people held within, if they develop a will and are cast away from 'their world'--

        Zero jumps onto the ground, as Lucine expected, and the teenager, having climbed down carefully using the Dianthus's arm, immediately drops down beside him. "A-ah, be careful!"

        He'll be fine, he'll just leave it to-- "Eh...?" 'Ow!' oh. Zero was just leaving it for Leito. ".... Ah, Mr. Igarugi..."

        But, Leito's will is just as resilient, in some ways, as Zero's. "If you're sure, ah." She looks around the park. "... This is the second time I've been here, but I think I saw a building that may have been a school, uh, that way?" She points in a direction. It is a direction.

        "Or I could ask! Where the school is, that is. Though that may not work because there's likely more than one school, but, ah..."

        She looks around, observing some people in the distance. "... Let's just see."

        She gets within a certain distance, but trails off, a confused look on her face. "... Oh... that's right. They wouldn't... feel like..." She makes a face. "... but, they do, sort of? I don't know. It's not like when I met Rikka or Yuta face to face, but... the landscape here... isn't dead quiet, either."

<Pose Tracker> Leito Igaguri has posed.

It's Leito who responds to Lucine's musing, softly, as they approach and start looking for the school. "Are you aware of the concept of tsukumogami? They are tools who gained spirits through the love and use of their owners, and became yokai. Monsters, but alive, real."

"If all of these are Akane Shinjo's 'tools', but some of them are already alive...that means the hope lives for all of them to become real, doesn't it?" A pause. "A-ah, but what do I know? I'm just a salaryman..."

Leito finds: a town map at the park! He glances through it. "Ah, here's the school...let's go." A smile towards Lucine, in an attempt to keep her strong.

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        "Mm? Tsukumogami?" Lucine looks over her shoulder at Leito. "... Ah... so... because they were born from Akane, and were used to construct this world... they could become a part of ours..." As Leito continues, Lucine shakes her head. "No, no, I think that makes sense... It's like, ah, Pygmalion? A Greek myth, about a sculptor who creates a statue that he falls in love with. The gods looked favorably upon him, and the statue came to life, and they... lived happily ever after. Which... is unusual, for a Greek myth, when you think about it..."

        Not everything needs to be a tragedy.

        There is a town map, but... Lucine stops.

        "A-ah!" Lucine holds the side of her head in sudden despair. "There was a very important detail I missed... We need disguises! Uh..."

        She looks around, for a store. Any store. An accessories store. "There! We just need to change our silhouette..."

         **Flash Forward How Many Minutes Later**

        Wearing a pair of fake thick-rim frames and a beret, Lucine looks.... not much different from her usual attire, though her flight suit is now packed in a sporty duffel bag, ".... Right, ah, let's go, then..."

        The school is easy enough to get to, thankfully, despite Lucine's possible attempts at a delay. Or perhaps, it was a legitimate point, but how can she say?

        Besides, it was this delay that allowed for the perfect time for just the right moment, where Lucine and Leito...

        ... see students walking around, from afar.

        "... There's... lots of students. But... I think..." She paces in front of Leito with a sudden burst of energy, now going towards a signal she dreaded finding instead of running away.

        If just to see Liam again--

<Pose Tracker> Leito Igaguri has posed.

"Pygmalion...I think there was a book, too." It's a book that's 400 years gone (in this world), so Lucine may or may not have depending on her knowledge of English classics, but Leito at least doesn't entirely miss the point. "In my eyes, they're real either way. Even if animals aren't people, we're not cruel to them if we can help it..."

FLASH FORWARD TO THE DISGUISE

Leito is dressed in a hoodie and a sideways cap (and his normal glasses). He looks...wrong. But it'll be fine, right?

As they approach, Leito stops. He also feels the emotional tenor, and turns with Lucine. As they move, he whispers while staying close to her. "Don't run too fast, people will notice!"

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        "Oh, yes, it was taken from a book of Greek mythology. At least... that's what the computer said my version came from..." Alas, no, Pygmalion the book did not make it to Lucine's Martian homeschool education. "... You're right. Whether a Greek god, or human, a creator doesn't determine how important the person is..."

        Now disguised to blend in with this city of Akane's creation, poor Leito and Lucine navigate through the crowd at lunchtime. Or rather, poor Leito, as if he doesn't keep up, he'll lose track of where Lucine is going.

        But never completely, for the same reasons Lucine was able to zero in on Liam's 'signal'.

        It's lunchtime, and the students are beginning to spread out, their lunches in hand. Some crowd with each other, some separate for a level of peace and quiet during the hectic school day. Liam is one such person, choosing to seat himself underneath the shade of a tree, its leaves rustling in the idle breeze.

        It's Liam, alright, if you look past the stylishly(?) tousled blonde cosplay wig and the school uniform, with a cowled sweater-vest. He looks... not sad(?).

        ".... it's him. That's Liam. He's... here...."

        That jolt of energy seems to dissolve, as does Lucine's own ability to stand straight. Leaning against the tree she was using as cover as she moves to the opposite side, the pilot slides down its trunk on suddenly wobbly legs. "..... He's here," she repeats as she stares ahead, as if trying to find some modicum of sense in the words.

        ".... He's... getting to be a student. .... I could never give him something like that... but.... that's got to be a wig... he's not even.... being allowed to...."

<Pose Tracker> Leito Igaguri has posed.

Leito stares quizzically, but then they spot Liam at lunch. Hiding behind the tree, he whispers..."We can't do anything now, then. I doubt he's truly happy, but you're only likely to hurt your relationship if you force him tot leave." He pauses, and then speaks with a melancholy look upwards.

"...You love him, don't you?"

Leito moves slowly to hug Lucine if she'll let him. "We'll get him back. Come on. Let's get back to the Dianthus before anyone spots us." He releases her from his hug, and moves to gesture her back. It'll only hurt her if they keep watching for too long.

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        As Liam's peaceful(?) existence is confirmed, the pit in Lucine's stomach opens, and deepens. He's safe. He's okay. He'll be there until they get them all out. She can confirm it to Kaworu, and they won't have to worry about wasting time looking in spots he isn't at. He'll be fine.

        She'll be fine.

        She'll not be fine.
        
        "... I know...." It's like a wheeze from a child coming down from a loud, screaming tantrum. She knows, but she *doesn't know*. What she wants is not what is right, in this second. She curls in on herself at the tree's trunk, diverting every impulse to just run out and run towards him.

        'You love him, don't you?'

        Lucine cranes her head up, her eyes already red with tears through the skew fake tortoiseshell lenses. "Yes." She doesn't even hesitate; she's let herself get too wound up to even attempt at softening her words. ".... I took his clothes because I was afraid they'd get lost in the shuffle, when Liam left. I ended up crying into one of them... I feel so useless...."

        In the end, Zero made the right call. Some things aren't meant for a Zero; they're meant for a Leito. As Leito hugs Lucine, she hugs back tightly, trying to stifle her sobs. "... Right. Right. We need to go. I might need a moment, when we get to the Dianthus, but... I can still drive.... I could pilot the Dianthus in any state...."

        She'll feel better, there.

        "... Thank you for coming. Leito..." She flubs the name, but she can't bring herself to correct it. ".... Let's go back home...."