2023-02-22: Questions Answered

• Cutscene: 2023-02-22: Questions Answered
• Cast: Akane Shinjo (ft. Alexis Kerib, Akane's friend Ramo Marusa)
• Where: Tsutsujidai - Akane's House/Junk Shop Aya
• Date: 0097-02-22
• Summary: Akane trades texts with some old acquaintances.

---

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Hey Marusan
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I've been really busy
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I wanted to say uh
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: if you're still keeping any of my secrets and I'm pretty sure you found a way to worm out of that
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: You should probably stop
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I asked you to do some stuff that super sucked.
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I'm sorry.
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: You probably have a ton of questions...
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I can answer them.

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: ???
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Akane.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: I knew all the crazy stuff starting from the Deculture Festival. I didn't know exactly how you were involved but people kept bringing it up to me because they cared about you and they knew I did too.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Miss Mass asked me to try to be there for you.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: what?
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Is that why you were like
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: suddenly insistent on hanging out

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: It wasn't just that. I really did want to spend more time with you already. You have this way of looking at things that's uniquely you. There's a cuteness there, even if it's a little weird cute.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: But Miss Mass asked me to try to get you out of your shell a little, and be there for you.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: And knowing what I know now, I think it might have worked?
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Sure, there was... whatever you were doing around the GUTS stuff, and whatever had everyone transferring into 2-E.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: But for the most part it seemed like you were handling things better.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: ... I guess you're right
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Sorry this is a ton to take in
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Haha what the heck...

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: I wish things hadn't worked out the way they did, but at the same time... I met Miss Mass because of you. I'm really happy working for her. I have a lot more time to hang out and be a teenager, and things aren't... as bad at home.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: My father laid off, at least. 
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: I think we should talk a little more about you, though.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: I know the roads are clear from where you and Rikka live to school, but you both keep Cometting in.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Something I should know?

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALREADY KNOW
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: YOU AND LEINA ARE TERRORISTS. UNBELIEVABLE. THE TWO OF YOU WERE APPARENTLY IN CAHOOTS THE WHOLE TIME?

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Hee hee.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: So you know. That makes things easier.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Are you coming to the prom? I don't really get it, myself. I was wondering what it even was. It's some kind of Britannian-style thing?

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: ... yeah
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I'm a little nervous. Some of it is for normal reasons and some of it is for weird ones

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: You know, if you haven't come to school, you haven't seen my flyer campaign.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Your w hat
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Flyer campagin for what
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: * campaign
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Marusan
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Marusan now that you and Leina are in cahoots and I know you're in cahoots I feel like I don't know you anymore
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Marusan what flyer campaign
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Marusan
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Marusan you delinquent
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I'm going to egg your house

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: You're going to egg my house and yet somehow I'm the delinquent.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Interesting...
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Do it. My father could use the stimulation.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I'm going to throw myself into vacuum the next time I have to go out into town
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Out the airlock. woosh
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: ... okay for real though. What flyer campaign

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: There's something called Rulers of All Known Prom. Apparently in Britannia it's usually Prom King and Prom Queen, but on the Orbital Ring they do things a little differently and that's starting to propagate out.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: I thought if you weren't dating yet, it'd be a good push, and if you were, it'd be a fun occasion.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Was I wrong?

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: oh my god.
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I CAN'T BE PROM QUEEN

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Ruler of All Known Prom.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I'm going to dump model kit weapons all over your house for you to step on

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Oh, so you're finally going to start going over to your friends' houses. That's a big step for you.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I SWEAR YOU ALL MAKE EACH OTHER WORSE

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Lol. Lmao.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: ... thanks though
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: jeez now I actually have to care about like. picking a prom dress? oh god
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: like I already cared because it was an event but uughfnbh so many eyes on me
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: have you seen Truthseeker Serena

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: I'm dating another girl and I'm under 40.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Of course I have.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: ok yeah that one is on me
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: ep12 ep19 or promotional art

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Oh, hm. That's definitely a question.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: We've already seen Rikka in Serena 12. Do you think she'd look good in a suit?

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Half the reason I came on your spring break trip was to see her in a swimsuit
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: So like I mean
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: She would look good in a potato sack
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: actually that might literally whip. have you SEEN those legs

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Right. Bad question.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: 🍤

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I'm going to come back and chase you all the way to the park

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: You're going to come back to town to get winded a third of the way there, but sure.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Well, 19 it is then, probably.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: I think you could pull off Cecilia 19. The bolero jacket is a nice touch... very much the kind of thing you'd wear. 

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Hmm. Yeah
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Thanks, I'll pitch it

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Any time.

---

Another VERTEX chat beeps. Akane tabs over.

Her heart sinks, but she can't bring herself not to tab back away.

---

[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: Akane-kun. I hear you're doing well. I see you finally changed from a_shinjo; is the confusion about which alien was in your profile picture still bothering you?

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Don't contact me again.

[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: Akane-kun, I know I treated you poorly, but I'm still quite invested in your story.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: don't contact me again. 
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: please.

[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: If you insist. But I really do think you ought to know this.
[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: You're moving to the Mass residence, yes? And taking up with the Gutsy Global Guard, and the... 'Gridman Alliance.'
[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: Do you really trust every member of these groups so easily, after they were your opposition for so long?

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: ...
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: they were YOUR opposition.
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: not mine.
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: they're good people. unlike you

[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: Hm. Well, you can believe as you will, I suppose.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: wait
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: every other time you said that kinda thing it was because i was doing something that was going to blow up in my face later
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: what do you know
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: tell me

[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: I have other relationships besides you, Akane-kun. I wouldn't betray them.
[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: I doubt you'll get anywhere simply by asking all of them, though.
[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: Do you know anything about the other residents of the Mass household except that they're the family of a friend?
[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: What about 3G? They do still ultimately take the Federation's direction. Can you be confident that Intelligence is on the same page as Mobile Operations in this matter? In every other matter?
[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: Why, they might not even know it! Who knows what BioNet did to poor Alouette and Renais. They could be reading out your secrets right now over tea and not even know it. Certainly you have some firsthand awareness of the ways BioNet left them so malleable.
[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: Repli-Compoids are so adaptable and yet so durable, too... do you really think the backdoors you used wouldn't make Utsumi-kun and Rikka vulnerable? Even if Gridman is something different...

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: shtu UP
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: shut up shut up shut up there's no way any of that's true
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: PLEASE STOP CONTACTING ME

[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: I have nothing more to say for now, of course.
[VERTEX] Alexis Kerib: Good luck, Akane-kun.

---

Akane runs back down the street to Aya. She can't be alone right now. (... and more than that, she's hungry, and there's leftovers from last night.)

She doesn't even need to exchange words with Orie; the visible distress makes it pretty plain what's going on with her.

She gets back to texting.

---

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: marusan
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: marusan my...
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: ... Alexis. His name is Alexis.
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: he texted me again and reminded me of a bunch of the bad stuff I did
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: some of it was stuff he encouraged, some was just stuff he gave me the tools to make happen
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: anyway
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I am SUPER not okay

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: That sucks... Your guardian, right?
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Are you in town?
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: I guess it doesn't matter. I can be on VERTEX either way.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Yeah
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I'm at Aya

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: OK, cool.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Do you want to talk about any of that stuff?
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: I don't mind helping you with this.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: We can do it over VERTEX or I can come sit with you.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: ... sure, face to face might be nice
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Do you know about the uh. The part where I used a kaiju to brainwash a bunch of people who are now my friends and coworkers
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: into being my friend in my class.

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Technically, I didn't know exactly that.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: In a practical sense, you sure did stuff people into clothes with broken hearts and barcodes on them and then they all left school the same night after a kaiju attack. It was the same as when you were showing off that clay model -- the robot one.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: You really want people to see what you're doing. You are an 'Unless?' meme in the form of a teenage girl.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: (affectionate)
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: (Tarabaman 60 Heartful Shot gif)
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: ❣️ ♥️ 💗

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: pbbbbbbbbbbb
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Rude and also extremely mean spirited use of 60. Next you're going to tell me you own a full set of the original diecast metal toys from that show

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Do you not?
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: They were my uncle's, but I do actually have those. They're cute.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: PLEASE LET ME BUY THEM? I WAS TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A 60 COLLECTION SINCE BEFORE I MOVED HERE??

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: No. They're cute.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: But... yeah, fair. Anyway he told me that, like... I shouldn't trust any of these people
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: like... half of them are easy to brainwash (he said as much but not in those words exactly) and half of them I'm also stuck with THEIR friends and family who I don't know anything about
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: and I can't really deny any of that. since.
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I did that! I did that. and it worked. and i don't know more than half of these people?
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: It's like he doesn't... want me to trust anyone

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: You get that that's actually what's going on, right?
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: He doesn't want you to trust anyone. Because if you can't trust anyone, you'll probably run back to something where you know how it works.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Which is him.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Akane... we're here for you. And even like...
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Say he's right. Say that, like, I don't know, Utsumi gets picked up by those guys with the ninja robots and they steal all your secrets from his brain.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Or the... other... ninja robot is secretly monitoring you for the Federation because they still see you as a big kaiju threat or something.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: ... please tell me those are both ridiculous and not, like, things you have to worry about happening.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: No that's essentially accurate to my life in 0097

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Yikes. I hate that. I was trying to crank it up to 11 to prove a point but I guess it still works.
[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Anyway, who are you going to be mad at? And what are you going to do about it?

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: What the heck
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: That's 
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: That's actually a good answer???
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: obviously I'm not going to be mad at Utsumi for something bad happening to him or Volfogg for doing his job
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: wtf
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: OK yeah... that makes sense

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: What about the other half?

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: If I had a friend who needed that kind of help, or who was having their arm twisted like that...
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I mean. They did it for me, too

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: I thought I was good at dancing.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: Fine I'll say it
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I'd help them

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: Thought so. Anyway, I'm almost to Aya. How hungry are you?

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: I have leftovers from staying over but frankly they're not gonna cut it

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: You're getting the combo.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: They're not gonna not cut it THAT hard

[VERTEX] dancing.pawn: You're getting the combo.