2023-01-30: Repair

• Log: 2023-01-30 Repair
• Cast: Banagher Links, Ujico Issa
• Where: Sweetwater Colony
• Date: January 30, 2023
• Summary: After an unexpected meeting in battle, Banagher invites Ujico to visit him in Sweetwater. They repair a swingset and talk about ways to make the world a better place.

---

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

"Leina, I do sympathize with wanting to keep your significant other safe, but this isn't medically ethical." Rain Mikamura tells her, exasperated.

Leina met her gaze head on with a stubborn look, "I wholeheartedly disagree with your evaluation."

Now it was Rain's turn to look annoyed as she crosses her arms and faces her down, "And since when were you an expert on medical ethics, Miss Ashta?"

Leina doesn't answer the question, instead moving to a different train of thought, "From what I understand, if a patient is not in their right mind, they cannot consent to treatment?"

Now Rain looks at Leina like she lost her. "...Right?"

"Well... this dummy took an anti-fleet reaction missile head on to protect me, suffered significant trauma, and tried to go into a warzone with a wrecked mobile suit before he was medically cleared. Does that sound like he's in his right mind?"

"You could have led with that!" Rain looks momentarily vexed about her playing this kind of a game before she shifted stance and looks thoughtful, perhaps thinking of another hothead that didn't like staying in bed, "... ... ... ... Well it is only a few hours to Sweetwater, so there's little danger of bedsores... maybe there's no harm."

-=-=-=

On a medical bay stretcher extending from the wall lays Banagher links, his entire mid-section, wrists, and feet are surrounded in duct tape that extends around the circumference of the stretcher.

In a chair beside him is Haro, who is only restrained in by the webbing of the hammock Leina had installed in the Unicorn.

There will be no escape until they arrive at destination.

-=-=-=

Days in the future, but not many, Banagher pokes away at his phone. There's not much to do in Sweetwater for a young man needing to stay out of sight. At least Haro's here.

"I win again! I win again!" Haro chirps, his new hands holding a game controller expertly.

"You sure do, buddy. You're getting really good at this." Banagher smiles.

Scrolling through his contacts, he lands on "Ujico". Thinking back to the battle against the Cerberus, Banagher's thumb hovers over it. There's nothing wrong with checking in, right? They both already know each other's secrets...

Tap. Ring... Ring...

-=-=-=-

With a fluffy hoodie pulled up over his head, Banagher holds Haro in his lap. Like most of Sweetwater, the park he waits in is run-down. Children still play on the equipment, however, and a few benches are in good condition. It reminds Banagher of his own childhood.

Smiling at the children running across the park, he looks down to check his phone. Ujico should be here soon...

<Pose Tracker> Ujico Issa has posed.

        Ujico, whose mobile suit did not take a nuke to the face, was fine after a shower and a nap. How is that fair?!

        Over the next few days she did think about it - about the successful mission, about assisting the Shuffle Alliance, about being called out by Banagher of all people. She wore her helmet! She disguised her voice! And he figured her out anyway. How is that fair?!

        She hasn't told anybody on the Ptolomaios. As far as she knows/ none of them can read minds, although Tieria constantly gives everybody looks that indicate he does know what they're thinking and he disapproves. She's /pretty/ sure he's faking it, or she's misinterpreting it.

        But nobody busted down her door back on December Colony, nobody came to her job and asked questions, nobody threw her out an airlock for screwing up. ...Miss Sumeragi and Lockon probably wouldn't let them, but it's still stressful!! So maybe Banagher didn't tell anybody else, and maybe she's okay, and maybe things will work out fine.

        And then she got a phone call.

        Now, she's on Sweetwater Colony, a place she's never been to before. There are a lot of places Ujico has never been before. It's a little run-down here. The spaceport was a little dirty in the corners. It doesn't feel like it's going to [fall apart], though...

        A message pops on Banagher's phone.

I'm here
By the swings

        Dressed in a black pleather jacket and blue jeans, Ujico hits send and looks up at the swingset, a little put out. She wanted to sit there and talk, but there are kids already playing on it. :/

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Banagher, living under the weight of his own conspiracy, never dreamed of telling anyone Ujico's identity. Not that he particularly had time to do so.

Instead of replying to Ujico, Banagher pockets his phone, stands up, and walks over to her, Haro in his arms.

"Hey!" He greets, once they're close enough. "It's good to see you. Are you doing okay after-- all that?"

Following Ujico's gaze, Banagher looks at the swing set. He wouldn't mind swinging a bit, either... Next to the two swings the children are using is a space, and then two more, though these ones hang down mournfully, dragging in the dirt.

Banagher grins. "Would you mind helping me fix this, Ujico? It's super easy. If you can hold the swing up for me, Haro and I can do the rest."

"Ujico! Ujico!" Haro says, waving his flaps cheerfully. He's a bit different since Ujico last saw him -- a strip of glowing material lines the center, where he can split open, and further glowing material creates a small unicorn-like horn just above his eyes.

<Pose Tracker> Ujico Issa has posed.

        And that's the problem with Ujico - for someone who wants to be kind, and make the world a better place, she's still kind of solipsistic (or maybe plain old self-centered). It didn't even occur to her that maybe it was an important thing that Banagher is the pilot of the Unicorn! She assumed everybody else knew and maybe just forgot to tell her. Or that it was in a briefing and she forgot to read it.

        The quiet scuff of shoes is what makes her look over at him, pocketing her phone as she does so. "--Banagher," she smiles, though it's a bit forced. She's [nervous] - but it eases up a bit when he doesn't act any different than last time. "I'm fine. It's good to see you too. You too, Haro," she nods to the little bot. He wouldn't bring Haro if he was going to yell at her.

        And Haro wouldn't yell at her at all. So maybe it is [safe].

        "Can you really fix it? Do you have tools?" she asks, following him over to the broken swing. Maybe they can borrow some. Oh, but Banagher's an engineering student! Maybe he just carries some around all the time! "Haro! Haro!" she sings back to Haro, more of her tension bleeding out with the notes.

        Her jacket has patches on the arms, and a hand-painted skull on the back (with horns, naturally) surrounded by flowers. She picks up the chain and finds the broken end, then holds it up once it's time to do so.

        "Were you hurt?" The Unicorn looked really banged up. Spade-7, on the other hand, looked just fine!

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Haro shifts back and forth in Banagher's arms, perhaps showing off his new modifications to Ujico? The little robot does seem to enjoy attention.

"Of course. Haro's got me covered." Banagher says, excited. "It's nice to be able to do stuff like this."

On command, Haro opens, revealing an interior compartment with a miniature multitool inside. Banagher flicks through a few options before transforming it to a pair of pliers. Gently placing the little robot on the ground, he steps forward.

"Your jacket is really cool." Banagher offers, as he works open the final chain-link on the broken side. It takes only a few minutes to open it, hook it to the swing, and then close it. After a thoughtful glance, Banagher moves to the other side, removing a link there. The swing hangs balanced, now.

A grin of triumph. "Easy! You just need the right tools. That's all engineering is, honestly."

Haro rolls along with Banagher as he moves to the next swing, repeating his actions. Once both are repaired, he picks up Haro and rests in one of the swings, pride in his eyes.

"Thanks for the help. This is way harder without a second pair of hands." Was he hurt, though? "...Yeah, I got a pretty bad concussion. I was asleep for a couple days. This madman launched an anti-fleet missile at my girlfriend, and... well, I tried to stop it."

He ducks his head slightly. Someone has told this young man exactly how bad an idea that was. "But the Unicorn was more damaged than I was. She's still being repaired."

<Pose Tracker> Ujico Issa has posed.

        Haro definitely didn't have a [horn] last time. It's cute...! But he opens right up and there's a whole secret compartment/ in there. Ujico can't help but gawp a bit. "Did you have to take the projector out, after all?" she asks, because there's no way even a full-size Haro could hold all /that/ and still have room for hands. Right?

        "Haro, when did you get a horn?" she asks it, as she moves to hold the second chain in place for Banagher. "And some shiny new lights, too!" Ujico is not immune to Haro's many charms... But who could be?

        More than just warm, her jacket is... "Thanks. It's fun to wear stuff like this." It makes her feel tough and strong! Though if she told him that, he would definitely laugh. "Engineering, huh... is that what they meant when they said 'Give me a big enough lever and I will move the world'?"

        But she settles down in the swing next to him, happy to enjoy the fruits of their efforts before more small children can lay claim to the New and Improved Swings. "You're welcome. I don't always know what to do to fix things, but if someone directs me I can help. So it's fun." And she'll learn. "It's easier to build a kit. There are [instructions]." She doesn't have to guess.

        "Concussions suck," she frowns sympathetically. If it's anything like the headache she had after... Only it would be worse, wouldn't it? Ouch. "--Wait, tried to stop it? Like..." Ujico grasps for an answer and can only imagine Banagher, with the determination of a golden retriever, just tanking it in the face with his Gundam. ...Kids these days are terrifying. (Ujico, you are nineteen.) "But your girlfriend's okay, right? Was it Audrey or... uh, Leina?"

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

"Yeah, I did. It's kind of a shame, but I think he's happier now. He's even been playing video games!" Banager holds Haro out to Ujico, if she'd like to hold him. "The tool holder is a bonus!"

"Hands!" Haro chirps, opening his flaps and displaying them. Ujico is given a double thumbs-up. "Hands!"

Haro proudly shows off his glow, dimming it and brightening it seemingly on his own. "Mods! Banagher!"

Banagher laughs. "Yeah, we worked hard! That modding kit really came through. He picked out the horn himself. He knows how much I love the Unicorn. Now we're really a team, right, Haro?"

Haro makes a triumphant series of beeps, a victorious fanfare.

"I've always liked my hoodies too. My girlfriend got me this one for Christmas." At last, Banagher lowers his hood, letting his brown hair fluff out. "And yeah, pretty much. I think, if people had access to professional tools, places like this would be a lot better off."

Looking out across the park, Banagher seems a little sad. "My park growing up was like this, too. I figured out how to fix the swings myself, and my mom told me I was her little engineer. Maybe that's why I studied it."

"W--well." Banagher blushes, a little embarrassed. "It was Leina. Her mobile suit was stalling, and so I just took out the Unicorn's shield and flew at the missile. We almost made it! The Unicorn is stronger than you'd believe."

"To be honest, I didn't even know it was that bad of a missile. I saw something shooting Leina and my body just... moved on its own." Banagher kicks his legs back and forth, swinging gently. "She's totally fine, thankfully. And... I don't regret it. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe."

A quick glance up to Ujico. "But don't tell her I said that. I got lectured by her and Audrey. I don't need another."

"So, um. What about you? Were you safe after that fight?"

<Pose Tracker> Ujico Issa has posed.

        She reaches over to take Haro with a smile and a quiet noise of happiness, giving the little bot a hug and settling it into her lap. "I guess you only have so much need for a projector. Hands and a secret compartment seem like a pretty good use of space." Pushing herself backwards a foot or so, Ujico lets the swing go back and forth a little bit, laughing. "Good job, Haro! Good job, Banagher!" Everybody should be able to give a thumbs up if they want to~

        Without giving it a lot of thought, Ujico echoes the fanfare with a whistle. It must be nice, to have a friend like that. She and [Apple] are still getting used to each other, but friendship doesn't happen overnight. Every book had said so.

        Ujico nods when his hood comes down. His hair's every bit as fluffy as the trim on his jacket! Hers is up in twintails again. She looks out over the park. It's a little rundown... not like the playgrounds at her schools. "I wonder if there's a tool library? Or if you could start one? It's like a book library, but... well, for tools. People can borrow them. And that way everybody can have access to them, but only one or two sets have to be bought." There were chapters about it in some of the community action books she'd read. "If we could raise the money, do you think they'd want one?"

        

        "I can't believe you flew right at a missile," she laughs, kicking her feet up a little bit. She was sure there must have been a mistake or something, right?! But no, it's just Banagher, doing something unbelievable and pulling it off somehow. But he goes on to explain, and Ujico lets the swing slow until it's stopped. "...She was worried," Ujico guesses. That's when her father had yelled at her. When she made him worry. "It means she cares." Which, duh.

        "But it's important, isn't it? To do what's right, even if you get yelled at for it."

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Haro seems to appreciate the hug, his lights glowing just a bit more brightly.

"I used the projector all the time for school, but." Banagher shrugs, a little sadly. "That time in my life is over. So it's better to adjust." A little laugh, at Ujico's praise. "Thanks! It was great to build something again. I made gifts for Leina and Audrey, but nothing compares to technical stuff like this."

Mirroring Ujico, Banagher swings a little harder, letting his fluffy hair float around him. "Did you ever decide on a Haro of your own? No pressure, just curious."

"That's a great idea, and I'd honestly love to do something like that." Banagher says, looking at the nearby town buildings. "But I'm... kind of a fugitive. The last time I was here, I accidentally was spotted and the Feds decided to occupy everything. I don't want anything like that to happen again."

He's quiet for a moment. "...if you could do the public stuff, Ujico... I do have some money I could donate. I don't have much to do with it. Audrey and Leina -- have their own money. Way more than me. So if I could help people." Banagher looks to Ujico again, grinning. "I'd love that. Maybe I could teach a few people some basic things and they could pass it on."

Banagher seems excited by this idea, smiling and making plans. "I mean, kids can do what we just did. If everyone was able to do a little bit to help, this place would look better overnight!"

"Y--yeah!" He laughs nervously. "I wish I could take more credit, but it just -- happened!"

"Scary!" Haro chirps. "Scary!"

"Haro was there too." Banagher's voice is a little quieter as he admits that. "Leina and Audrey were right to worry. It wasn't just my life I was risking. Haro, and the Unicorn, too... If anything happened to the Unicorn, a lot of bad things would happen."

Ujico is encouraging, and Banagher gives her a grateful look. "Thanks. That's what I think, too. If I just sat back and let that missile hit Leina -- what kind of person would I be? Not defending her when she's helpless?"

<Pose Tracker> Ujico Issa has posed.

        He seems to be missing school. She's opening her mouth to tell him that he can continue to learn on his own, when the realization that he's probably not talking about learning hits her. Her mouth shuts with a quiet click of teeth. Some people like school and that's good! "What did you make for them?" she asks instead. If it wasn't something 'technical'...?

        "Oh, I did actually. I'll show you--" Ujico hands Haro back over to Banagher and opens the small crossbody purse bumping against her hip. While she's fiddling with the zipper, she listens. ...So he's a fugitive. That's not too different. The minute someone were to see a Gundam Meister's face...

        --Wait. "Shouldn't you put your hood back up?!" she stage-whispers, hands stilling. But she thinks about it. The public stuff... "Let me think about it," she decides eventually. A patient beep from inside her bag brings Ujico back to the important matter at hand, and she brings out... well, it's a small ball. A pinkish-red one, similar to the cherry red of Palisade's trim. "Wake up, Apple," Ujico tells it, and the aqua-colored eyes light up.

        "Hello," Apple says in a vaguely feminine voice, a pair of ear-tennae popping out. "Hello."

        "I think you'd be a great teacher even if you had to wear a mask or something," Ujico holds Apple up so she can see Banagher and Haro. "Mysterious Teacher X!"

        But he's worried, about Unicorn and Leina and Audrey. She doesn't know anything wise and comforting to say. "I think you did what was right. Even if they were angry at you." She pauses to think for a moment, looking down at the mini-Haro in her hands. "Do you think Unicorn understood, too?"

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

"Oh, for Leina -- she really likes magical girl stuff. And those girls always wear ribbons and things. So I made a ribbon she could put on the back of her piloting chair. It's really cool -- it's magnetized, so she can keep it up in gravity or not, and dump it to the floor with a single string pull if she needs it out of the way."

He might be a little proud of his work.

"For Audrey... I'd been carrying these cherry blossom petals around for ages. Just waiting for a chance to give them to her. I didn't know if she'd ever seen them before..." Banagher blushes a little. "So I put them in resin, and fixed it in a locket. They were -- pretty dry and crumbled by that point. So I hope it wasn't too lame."

Banagher stops swinging, eagerly scooting over near Ujico. "I can't wait to meet them, and ah-- yeah, probably." Flipping the fluffy hood back up around his face, he looks intently at Ujico's bag.

"Apple! Apple!" Haro greets, waving his flaps excitedly. "Hello!"

"Apple!" Banagher echoes his Haro, looking thrilled. "Oh, she's a mini! What generation -- oh, I see. And those ears! Did you mod those yourself? I know some minis come with accessories. I've actually thought about getting one as a friend for Haro, but I don't really have the time to socialize them properly..."

Realizing he's talking quite a bit, Banagher blushes. "Sorry. But I really like her! Haro does too."

Indeed, Haro rolls close to Apple, waving his flaps all the while. "Apple! Apple!"

"A mask?" Banagher laughs. "A mask and a hood, maybe, my hair would give me away in a second. But that wouldn't be so bad.... When you put it that way, it sounds like a superhero."

Banagher gives Ujico a grateful smile, his eyes soft. "Thank you. I do too. I promised to look for other solutions if it happens again, but all I care about is Leina and Audrey's safety."

"Unicorn... She understands. We're connected far more deeply now." Banagher talks about his Gundam as though it were a person. "She loves Leina too, in her own way."

<Pose Tracker> Ujico Issa has posed.

        Who doesn't love magical girls? It does give her a little insight - the idea of Leina Ashta having a less forceful side is a little reassuring, somehow. "Those are wonderful presents. And even if the petals were a little dried up, I don't think their meaning was lost." Audrey would understand, Ujico thinks, and it would probably be dearer to her.

        "Hello, Haro. Hello, Mysterious Teacher X." Apple wiggles her ears a bit in greeting.

        Ujico's mouth does that twisty thing that means she's trying hard not to grin. "No no, his name's Banagher. I was just being silly." Apple peeps in acknowledgement, ears wiggling. "It was an add-on kit from a third-party seller. They had some videos up on their website of how to do the mod, and I thought that even if I messed it up really bad I could just buy a new shell." It had taken her a lot longer than she thought to put it together, and then even after that she'd had to figure out how to install the voice mod, but... "It was so exciting when she powered on for the first time. I get it now, why people love to spend so much time tinkering with them!"

        If he's talked too much, surely Ujico understands! "It's fine! I knew you'd enjoy seeing her, so I brought her along." (And maybe it was for comfort, as well.) Apple peeps at Haro, a short line of musical sounds. "...I think she likes you guys, too."

        But Banagher mentions a mask and a hood, and all she can think of is Banagher wearing Char Aznable's weird space samurai helmet and that's it, Ujico's lost the battle to not burst into laughter. "I'm s, sor--" She buries her face in her hands, Apple hopping down before she can fall. "Eeheehee...!" She can explain! She just has to stop laughing first!

        "Funny?" Apple guesses, rolling next to Haro to stare up at her. "Funny."

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Banagher laughs at Apple's designation, putting a hand in front of his mouth. He doesn't want to discourage a Haro's socialization! "Thank you, though, Apple, that's very thoughtful! I'm Banagher Links, and this is Haro."

"Hello! Hello!" Haro greets, once again, just for good measure.

Banagher leans in close, examining Apple's ears. "Well, it looks like they haven't done any damage... There's a lot of good third-party stuff out there. I think you did a great job!"

Ujico's job may be a little rough around the edges, but the amount of love she put into constructing Apple is clear. That's what matters, more than anything else.

Haro 'sings' back to Apple, rocking back and forth. A few high beeps, a few low beeps, trying to accompany the other companion's song.

"They're really a little living being. At least, they feel like one." Banagher smiles softly, watching the Haro interact. "I'm so glad she's getting along well with us. Sometimes Haros just do not like each other."

Ujico breaks into laughter, and Banagher blinks, then blushes, laughing a little too. Haro rolls over, steadying Apple with one of his own hands.

"You have a really nice laugh, Ujico. It's so cheerful..." Banagher grins. "I'm really glad you were able to meet me today. I feel so much better about everything."