2024-05-23: A School Visit

• Log: A School Visit
• Cast: Leina Ashta, Eight Orlodhari
• Where: Asticassia School of Technology, Earth Sphere
• OOC - IC Date: May 23, 2024 (0099)
• Summary: Eight Orlodhari comes to Leina Ashta's school to see what the fuss is about. They and Eight's twins have a picnic about it!

---

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

The Orbital Ring is as Eight remembers it, a testament to Spacian power, surrounded by Neo-Colonies, Macross Fleets, and various Fronts. It is an easy Shuttle Ride from there to Asticassia's front.

What happens upon arrival?!

*A Haro on a pedestal greets them!
*Options for transportation are given!
*Noting that she has young children, paired Haros are offered on follow mode as child monitors and locators.
*Various tour options are given including potentially audiobook ones.
*There is a Linear Rail if she wants to travel that way, but there's also a Haro E-Scooter that automatically, before Eight's eyes has an attachment of a cart with buckled childseats placed on it for children to ride along. (It cheerfully notes that Asticassia is a family friendly school.)
*It's an interesting trip, with it's holographic, paneled sky, it's rich green and blues that makes it feel as natural as an Earth highway through a colorful plain, so long as one doesn't look up.
*The buildings however look quite military from the outside, there's a strange metallic bunker style to them, though if Eight actually looks towards the entrance then she might be taken aback by how one looks like a Five Star Hotel lobby.
*What probably really takes her aback though is when an entire part of the Front in the distance - beyond the school buildings start, and the sounds of battle erupt. Two mobile suits are... dueling? There's messaging at least alerting her with guidance.
*But a little more warning would have been nice???
*Oh it's over already, that was fast. Not even a single explosion!

Leina's meeting up with Eight in a courtyard like park meant for students. There's scattered students in uniforms walking in the distance, Leina herself in one similar to them with purple accents. She's got a picnic setup? A blanket - and a basket of food which isn't yet set out!

There's also several separate thermoses, including ones safe for children. She set up the menu in advance with Eight. Eight won't fail to note the men in suits at strategic distances, though they're not hindering traffic and keeping others away.

Upon sighting the trio, she waves from a distance, and waits until they're in earshot.

"Aarmi~ Zaress~!" She doesn't make a motion like she's expecting hugs or something, though obviously she wants them, as she asks Eight, "Hopefully not too much trouble getting here?"

She's definitely feels embarrassed - the recent duel is... almost certainly the source.

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

It's just Eight and the twins, this time--Lavnadim is working hard on some upgrades to the Magallanica fleet, which has left Eight to handle this visit herself. ...She is in a good mood, though, as that happens.

A Haro on a pedestal... Maybe Annie would like this.

'No thank you' to the child monitors, but yes thank you to a hand-pushed double stroller for the twins. She doesn't want to tire them out with walking.

THey are adorably dressed, and Eight is a little worried; some people on the Orbital Ring might have unkind things to say about her green daughter and her not green but still pointy-eared son.

It's all very much handleabl so far; she looks to the entrances, looks up to the 'ceiling', notes the family-friendly school...

And then--

"Wh--" Aarmi is alarmed by the sudden sounds of battle, and startles. Zaress looks curious! Eight has to calm both of them down, until--

They reach the picnic setup. "Leina," she says warmly as she pushes the stroller. "Leina!" Zaress agrees, and Aarmi, "Leina..."

"Not too much," Eight agrees. "The duel on the way here was a surprise, though."

She has to admit that. "...But other than spooking the little onens a little, it was fine. It's a beautiful school. ...How are you doing?"

"Up--Up!!" Zaress holds out his arms.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Leina's already standing of course, to greet them. "Hey Zaress! Up you say?" Leina hoists up Zaress, holding him up, as she instantly rubs her nose against his in an exaggerated fashion. "Missed you!" She smiles, before shifting him over to her hip.

There's a sigh, and a roll of her eyes, "Sadly a bit unpredictable when that goes down. This time I think it's some girl 'making eyes' at a rival's crush or something, if the school rumormill is to be believed."

Eight might notice the school datapad open to chat, which is probably talking all about it.

"I'm doing pretty good actually-! Things have been low key for a bit, so mostly attending class, doing my front management shifts..."

She looks at her, shifting Zaress on her hip, still fussing over him, "... and I'm dating again."

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

"Ahahah!" Zaress gigglees at Leina's action. "Missed youuuu!" They're talking! ...Mostly they repeat people. But they do talk!

For her part, Eight unbuckles Aarmi and picks her up, which makes the little girl put on a small smile. "Mommy..."

"Yes," Eight answers. "It's nice to see Leina, isn't it?"

"Mm!" Shee waves.

But then, "I see. So it happens a lot." Eight is thoughtful. "I mean, I've been in more than one argument over making eyes at the wrong person, but it doesn't usually happen in mobile suits..."

But Leina--

"That's great!" Eight answers with a smile. "Low key is pretty good in our lines," she says. "But dating again? That's very interesting!"

"...You're going to give me the details, right?" A grin.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Mostly repeating is fine, that's the basis of learning to communicate right? At their developmental age, it's completely normal.

Leina is still fussing over Zaress, but waves to Aarmi, "Hiii~" She doesn't however force her to want to be touched though.

"It's - borderline encouraged around here." Leina gives her a chagrined look, "Apparently rich people doing this in the Ring during school is how the Gundam Fights originally started. Which wow."

She's rolling her eyes notably, before she looks at Zaress, "People settle everything by dueling around here. I get challenged a lot too but - I've turned them all down."

Settling down with Zaress in her lap, she asks him, "Wanna help?" And she brings the basket in front of them, opening it up, and passing out food (And giving him out things to take out too, though she's watchful and gives instructions).

It's mostly Japanese Bento style for her and Eight, though for the kids it's whatever Eight arranged in advance for Leina to make.

"Hm~hm~hm~ Now would I be the type to kiss and tell, Admiral York?" Her eyes twinkle with mirth, because 'yes absolutely', "... Kikka Kobayashi, we grew up together, once I started living on Earth."

Of course she figures that Eight knows her, as she's her subordinate, it's just that she's not about to divulge things - like that out here.

"Just you know, we're going at a casual pace right now but - I've got a good feeling!"

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

Eight isn't worried. She's happy to expose them to more places and people. And might be doing so with an eye towards linguistic development...

"Wow," Eight agrees. "That's..." She looks back at where the duel happened. "...intensely wasteful," she decides on. "Though maybe I'm biased. Give me a few minutes in the rink with someone and that'll be that for me."

"Help!" Zaress answers. "Duuuuuuuuuuel..." Eight is only slightly alarmed by that one. But he does want to help, though he's not very good at it, frankly.

The kids get soft foods mostly, not too hard--vegetables and, perhaps surprisingly, a good deal of meat.

Half-Zentradi nutritional needs.

Eight laughs. "I hope so!" she answers. Then, "Oh... Yes, I see." She doesn't mention knowing her, "It's nice when it's someone you've known a long time, isn't it? It's different that way."

A casual pace. "Well, good. There's no rush." Pause. "I mean, I know I rushed," she admits with a laugh. "But still."

She sets Aarmi down, who says, "I.. want help..." She looks determined at Leina.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"Yep." Is Leina's easy remark, "The cost of one duel, even if it's just - minimal damage is probably enough to feed several small villages for weeks."

Definitely she resents that, "But they don't wanna feed several small villages, they wanna enjoy their rich kid bloodsports." It's not even that Leina doesn't enjoy utilizing mobile suits to train.

Just - utilizing it to settle disputes? It isn't right.

Leina looks alarmed at Zaress' reaction too, but she doesn't admonish him, and instead actually gives good, patient direction to helping.

He isn't good, but it doesn't matter, you instill good habits young.

"Thanks for helping." She indicates, while squeezing him in a hug.

Then Aarmi says she wants to help too, and Leina smiles, "Oh! Thank you- Aarmi." She indicates her on over, and gives her something, "Can you take this back to your Momma?"

It's a Bento Box sealed by a bindle, thankfully mostly drop proofed by that fact. "It is. I always used to wonder why noone realized what a real catch she is."

She winks at her, "So I guess I decided to try and take her off the market myself."

Then, more seriously, "But - I'm her first relationship, and she's a couple years older than I am - so I'm trying to take everything at her pace. I want to be careful that every step we take - it's because she truly wants to take it with me."

Looking at Zaress and Aarmi, she smiles, "God - is it weird that we're only at the casual stage but - already thinking way beyond that?"

She shakes her head ruefully, "I keep thinking I'm crazy! It's only been a few dates - I want kids some day, so part of me is just... maybe always thinking about it. Even if the conversation is months - years away?"

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

The cost of one duel...

"Right," Eight says with a grimace. That's what it comes down to, doesn't it? Eight of course is not in love with mobile suit piloting in the first plce, but she knows it's necessary. This... isn't.

Zaress does his best. "Yaay!" he says to her thanks, and Eight says, "When someone thanks you and you're glad to do it, it's important to tell them 'you're welcome.'"

"You... welcome," Zaress repeats.

"Very good," she says. "Aarmi?"

"Your... welk," Aarmi manages, and then taks the box and toddles over to Eight.

"Thank you very much!" Eight tells her happily. "This looks very good!"

She accepts her lunch, "Take a seat, you two." She'll get ou their lunches, next, gently setting food before them and helping them with sitting down and getting ready.

Then she smiles at Leina. "I see! Well, market forces are very impotant in dating."

Hmm... her first relationship. "Yes, that makes sense. I remember with Rena I had to take it slower, too."

A laugh, then. "It's not so weird. It's part of the early period too, I think. Imagining everything that could be..."

"I definiely think about it when I date someone new. What if it works out...? What if we're still together in a year? Two?"

"...At least, I prefer to. I used to have trouble keeping a partner, you know."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

There's a chagrined smile, "This school isn't a really good fit for me, I know. It's just... well didn't have many options?" Her eyes slide up to Eight, "It's the price of making serious allegations against someone in power - you become... radioactive, to college admissions boards."

It's upsetting perhaps to know this, but it's just the reality. Leina's given up a lot because she was the victim of someone powerful, hasn't she?

Given up so much for Rena, the Three Ship's Alliance, Magallanica - so they can live without aggression.

"It's convenient at least, for work."

She smiles, and gives Zaress another hug as he repeats 'You... welcome' because positive reinforcement is a thing, "Good job! So polite of you to say so."

Aarmi tries, and Leina smiles as she brings it back to Eight, "Good work Aarmi! Thanks for helping."

Leina cracks open her chopsticks, and watches Zaress as he eats, not quite helicoptering it, but just making sure he's safe. "They are. And oh yeah? Was it her first too?"

Then she flushes a touch, but grins, "I guess so, still - it's kinda embarrassing... you know? I'm always the girl that suggests people don't rush into things like 'calling it love' until you're sure. Much less - all the rest!"

She gesticulates with her chopsticks, "We're trying to be open about communication from early on so..."

However she still looks at Eight as she indicates that, "Because of... after you got out?" Leina indicates, trying not to use language that's 'too serious' around the kids.

The last thing they need is for people around the Ra Mari to be called 'Cybers' or the like.

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

"...Right," Eight says, and looks sympathetic. She recognizes, at least, what Leina has given up--she sees it more than most, now that she's in the position she's in, since she was in on those negotiations in the first plce. No, it's not easy to know or live with, but...

"I hope it works out for you anyway," Eight says. "It's a beautiful campus, at least," she says more gently. She would offer to help, but...

What can she do, othr than negate that sacrifice? That she isn't doing.

...Well, she can keep an eye on her, for one.

"Yaay!" Zaress says, and then finds a very interesting spot on the blanket to smash. "Yay!"

Aarmi smiles, but doesn't go quite as hard. Eight's watching both of them. It's...

Well, the blanket has food on it, too. That's just life now.

"Her first serious one, I think."

Then a laugh, but it's a gentle laugh, at the flush. "It's cute," she says. "It shows you really feel strongly." Eight opens her chopsticks, too, but she might eventually get to eating as she handles her twins, first.

"It's important to be open." Then, Eight shakes her head. "No, no. By the time I recovered enough--and got old enough--to date, it wasn't becuase of that anymore."

She sighs, and gives a lopsided smile. "I put out too fast and get too clingy," she self-deprecates. "At least, the latter is what some of them told me. I wanted to go straight from first date to girlfriend..."

"Well, not an issue now, anyway." She smiles.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Leina does sense that it's difficult for Eight, and perks up, as if she's better at seeing the bright side, "Thanks. It's Pre-Law program is top notch at least. Even if I clash all the time with one Poli Sci Professor."

Leina giggles at Zaress, before gently ushering him back, and distracting him with some finger foods he can have.

It's fine if the blanket has food on it, it's fine.

"That makes sense. She was a little older than me back where we met but - dating was probably not on her mind at the time."

A beat.

"Had to get out to Winter Wonderland first. Just didn't know her... 'history' once she got there."

Then as Eight calls her cute, she actually grins, hiding part of her face for a bit by a hand, "Yeah, I do. I want ... I want it all. Everything life has to offer me. Maybe that's selfish by itself - but I want to give back even more than I get."

That grin smoothes out into a genuine smile, "To leave the Earthsphere better than I found it. That's what I want."

And then - as Eight indicates the reason, Leina raises an eyebrow, grinning again, "Hey nah - don't do that - don't look down on yourself for your history. You were in your first relationships, as a Newtype after it all. That's hard! There's no guidebook to navigating that. I completely understand the impulse to give so much right off."

Leina takes this as an opportunity to put Zaress on her lap, tickling him lightly, "Nope. It is very much not." She grins, "And it gives me the opportunity to play with these adorable little cuties every so often. So win-win for us both?"

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

"Oh, yeah?" Eight asks. Pre-Law... "Well, that's good. Except the clash, anyway." Eight didn't go to an ordinary university, so she can mostly guess at how that is.

She smiles at Zaress's fascination, but her attention is mostly on Aarmi at the moment, since Leina is watching Zaress for her, and that means she sees it when Aarmi chomps down on a bite.

It's very cute.

"Probably," Eight agrees about what wasn't on her mind back then. "Ah, Winter Wonderland..."

A bright look, and a nod. Where a moment earlier was difficult, Eight practically radiates warmth at what Leina says about life. "That's a wonderful way to look at it," she says. "I want that, too."

But a laugh. "It's okay. I don't mind," she says. "I got a lot of heartbreak out of it, but also a lot of fun. ...Though if I never see another mini-car's backseat again I could probably be happy..."

But it is true that there was no guidebook. "Right. It's like that. I was chasing that... feeling. The way someone could look at me."

But thn she smiles back. "Yes," she agrees, and Zaress giggles at the tickling while Aarmi continues to intently chew her lunch. "Win-win," Eight agrees. "For us both."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"Eh, used to that part." Leina smirks at her, "There's always 'one'."

However, she's bright too, when that discussion transitions, "You're well on your way to getting it, I think." Leina tells her as she stops eating long enough to 'suggest' one of the vegetables to Zaress.

By holding it out for him.

"That's just how most past relationships are I suppose - equal parts heartbreak and fun."

There's a giggle at that about mini-car backseats, and- "The Unicorn's cockpit for me." She winks at her, and for a while she isn't even so sad about that being a place where - she doesn't want see anymore.

Even though the two are no more.

"Funny though isn't it? The whole Earthsphere hinges a defense strategy around it like it's this impossible miracle maker..." She shrugs her shoulders, "... but two teenagers were just - teenagers in it."

Still, chasing that feeling, "There's nothing wrong with that, you know? Some people live their whole life that way - passionately giving their whole self to someone - but only for a while."

She just gestures from Eight back to herself, "It's just not our way."

'Win-win,'

She smiles at her in that moment, "So how's life treating you back on Magallanica anyway?" She winks at her, "Got these two on the preschool wait list yet? Gosh I remember when there weren't preschools."

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

"Aha."

Eight smiles. "I think so, too. So long as I can hold on..." She watches Aarmi and Zaress both a moment. Zaress, during htis time, blink blink and reaaacches for the vegetable!!

Aarmi is more discerning. She turns her nose up at one like it, until Eight demonstrates eating one herself. Then she tries it.

"Haha, really?" Eight asks, and is amused by it. She does wonder if Leina will be sad to bring it up, but--

"It is funny," she agrees. "It's... a reminder that life goes on, however we try to contain it, I think. We can pin it down, but not forever."

A smile back. "True. I might've, if I hadn't met Lavnadim. But it was different with him."

A nod. Not their way.

And Magallanica? "Oh, they've built them," Eight answers, "And we're hoping to get more--but we haven't decided yet how we're doing their education that way."

"I remember, too. ...Speaking of wait lists," she jokes, "I got in some time with Lavhi last night, finally."

Aarmi says, "Daddy..."

"That's right!" Eight says. "I'm thinking about him, too. We're going to see him when he finishes his work tonight!"

Back to Leina, "But other than recent events, it's treating me well. I wish I could get out onto the ship more, sometimes... But at the same time it's nice to be 'home', too. There's so much tracking my attention..."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"Good for you."

Leina tells Zaress for eating the vegetables, because she's all about children having positive reinforcement for good behavior.

"It does." Leina agrees, with a smile, "But - at it's own pace."

Not someone else's. Not Rita's - not Murasame's - not Elisa's. Humanity should not be forced to change in that way - it should decide to change, or it should happen naturally.

"He definitely helped calm you down..." She teases, "... some."

Leina does blink, "Oh yeah? Considering home school on the Ra Mari?" She asks, now curious... before, "Good for you!" She grins at her, "Where's he at right now anyway?"

There's a blink, and then a chuckle, "So ship life has got a hold of you that bad huh?" She smiles, "Just like sailors long ago."

Bouncing Zaress every now and then, she does say... "In some ways it's just simpler, I guess. It's a smaller world to keep track of - and even if the targets change - most of your priorities remain the same."

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

Zaress chomps another vegetable. Positive reinforcement! Maybe he'll even remember tomorrow that he liked it!

...Probably not, though.

"Right," Eight agrees. "...Humanity doesn't need to 'become' something else to matter."

Calmed down? Eight laughs. "Aw. Only some? ...He really did, though. "

"Well," Eight says, "Not as much--I'd have to quit my job to school them full time--but we're thinking about... school in Magallanica, or if we should try to get tutors, or..." She gestures. Then a smile. "He's back doing some work on the ships," Eight explains. She's vague, but that's not weird, right? "He had some upgrades in mind for the Ra Mari II."

Then, "I just have so many good memories on that ship. It's 'home' in a lot of ways. ...I carried these two on it. She looks down at herself, and smiles. "Well, it's probably not he best idea to keep them growing up on a spaceship anyway. But..."

Aarmi comes when she finishes her meal to lean up against Eight, and Eight puts an arm around her. "It is simpler. And it's... It's strange to put it this way, but cozy. For a while, I had everyone together. Now we're scattering all over..."

"I guess I'm a little of a homebody after all."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Probably not!

But some things could potentially stick.

"We're just fine figuring it out together."

Leina smiles warmly at her, before wagging a finger, "Now now - you think I haven't heard stories from your crew." She winks at her, "But to be fair to you - I've been there for a lot of moments when you weren't able to be calm."

Eight mentions Tutors, and Leina eyes her and- sticks out her tongue, "Blech." At that option, quite childishly, as if to make her opinion known.

"I get the safety concerns, I just feel like that socialization while learning is important."

Leina looks down at Zaress, "I just feel if you keep children apart - they start to believe they are apart."

She does look at her however, and smile as if understanding, "Well - I get it - I wasn't on the Argama all that long, but I do. Things were... rowdy, and we were understaffed which meant... I was doing basically all the laundry and cooking."

There is a wistful look, "But in a lot of ways it was even simpler than life on Shangri-La. Funny right? Even in the middle of a war."

There's a murmur of "Mmm." And a smile, "Me too." And if she looks just a little sad - it's because... she understands fully.

For a while so many lived with them in the Villa, but it was only - just a while before they all scattered all over, herself included.

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

"Yes," Eight agrees for sure.

Then she laughs. "If you heard them from the original Ra Mari, in my defense I was a Comms Officer back then." A pause, and the matter of those moments... "That's true. It's not always possible."

Leina blechs, and Eight considers her--before she menions the socialization concern. "Yeah," she says. "That's a good point. I don't want them apart from everyone... I'm just sared that they'll be mistreated," she admits. "I can't protect them at school..."

A sigh, and she gives Aarmi a squeeze, and a smile for Zaress.

"I see, yeah..." Simpler. "It is funny. But war has a way of simplifying a lot of things in life, even as it makes some things a lot more complicated."

Eight can share that sadness with her for a while. Even if it's just a little while.

"...But I'm glad everyone is pursuing their own lives. Being happy. I want to protect that happiness with all I have."

"And I think maybe I won't be eager to send them to a school like this just yet."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"I get it. That urge to want to protect them but..." Leina pauses, and just tells her quietly, "... they will be. One way or another. Kids can be cruel... and adults even worse."

She says it so matter of factly, and she has every reason to know this one, from Glemy and Elpeo onward to her experiences in middle school - high school - with the prejudices shown to her on Earth.

"And they'll have to figure out how to deal with that. You protect them by raising them well- and stepping in when that's not enough."

Even if she'll likely grapple with the urge towards hypocrisy when she has her own, it's perhaps clear what kind of mother Leina might one day be.

But right now she understands that sadness - the idea that you can't protect your children forever.

She certainly wasn't.

"It does." She agrees, "Even I once saw it as an opportunity for... my brother. To - I don't know? Get some discipline, live a more honest life."

A shrug of her shoulders, "Maybe worry about our next meal, and how he was going to get the money for it less. It... simplifies even choices like that."

There is a smile for a moment, but it turns into a laugh, as she grins, holding Zaress closer for a moment, "Please don't - I'd rather they go to ZIT than here."

Pronounced ZeeEyeTee. ... Zeon Institute of Technology. It's accredited, mostly!

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

Leina gets it--but the harsh truth of it is...

"That's true," Eight admits. Leina has every reason to know it, and Eight knows it, too. She's seen it. But she doesn't want it for them.

"I know," she says. "I can't just keep them from the world, and I wouldn't want to... mostly. They won't always be this small, either..."

Eight sometimes feels that tightness in her chest, that need to try anyway. But she's gotten better at setting it down.

Instead, "That makes sense. It even worked for me," she admits. "The military gave me the kind of structure it turns out I needed." A pause. "...But I knnow it's... different."

Then a laugh. "ZIT," she says. She does not pronounce it 'ZeeEyeTee'. "I'll keep in mind your recommendation," she teases.