2024-09-01: A Timely Visit
- Log: A Timely Visit
- Cast: Lacus Clyne, Eight Orlodhari
- Where: The Orlodhari Home, Magallanica
- OOC - IC Date: September 1, 0099
- Summary: Aarmi Orlodhari meets Mr. Pink, a wonderful Haro belonging to Lacus Clyne. Also, Lacus shows up and gives Eight some reasons to worry about her.
<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.
Of those structures near-and-inclusive of Reverend Malchio's home on the Marshall Islands... only the garage survives, and only then because of some particular insistences on the nature of its construction.
Unfortunately, some ten-odd children, two very traumatized adults, and an elderly blind man cannot live in a garage.
This is the sort of situation Lacus (thinks she) excels in; the goals and next moves are extremely clear and the amount of data necessary to start taking action is very small.
She and Kira have split up for this particular task; while in a nicer world it might be nice to tour houses together and at least play at being in a genuine relationship, right now decisiveness trumps intimacy -- as it so often has in their relationship.
So it is, then, that she's managed to catch a ride to Magellanica. Her first step, of course, is to visit an old ally -- who may be able to help.
Adjusting her dress, Lacus approaches Eight's door. She takes a deep, stabilizing breath -- and knocks. "Ah, Eight Orlodhari? It's Lacus Clyne," she calls, through the door. She is a little earlier than she said she'd arrive; she can't be certain Eight is in.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Eight's home is easy to find; it's a matter of public record where she lives in Magallanica. That does mean that she has security, but they're largely unobtrusive, as is her preference.
They don't bother Lacus. Not just because Eight is expecting her, but because, well--she's Lacus Clyne.
Eight is the one to open her door, and she smiles to see Lacus again. She's in red, as is her usual--civilian clothes rather than her uniform, a light dress and slippers for walking around inside the house. "Hello, Lacus," she says.
Behind her peeks out a small girl, green-skinned and blonde-haired. Aarmi Orlodhari is curious about the visitor, but stays behind her mother. "...It's all right," Eight says gently down to her, "Miss Lacus Clyne is a friend."
She steps out of the way, and Aarmi moves with her. "...Zaress is still napping," Eight explains. "This is my daughter, Aarmi."
"But come in, please. Make yourself at home. Can I get you anything?"
She wants to be welcoming, even if these are pleasantries compared to the reason Lacus came. Maybe, in a situation like this, those are more important rather than less.
<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.
"You look like you're doing quite well, for the circumstances. I'm happy to see that," Lacus says, as Eight answers the door. It's good to see her in civilian clothes, especially -- a sign that the world isn't rushing to war immediately is welcome, in circumstances like these. And more than that...
Seeing Aarmi brings a smile to Lacus's face. She genuinely loves spending time with children, and offers a smile, squatting down a little to take a look at that faint green skin. "Hello there," she says, softly. "It's very nice to finally meet you, Aarmi."
As she heads in, she says, "Ah -- water would be quite nice, thank you." At first, she feels like that's all she can ask -- but her stomach responds to the offer in a way her head does not, and she adds, "... If you have something light to eat that wouldn't take much time to prepare, that would be nice as well."
She glances off to the side, before asking, "... Before I go looking myself, I don't suppose you have anywhere that could host a dozen people for the long term..." She knows that Murrue could probably take them in, as a fallback -- but that feels like a last resort and an imposition besides.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
"The battles at large right now are more political than military," Eight answers. "...The advantages to being in charge are that you can occasionally decide for yourself where you work from."
A smile back, then. Aarmi also has pointed ears, and an adorable outfit. (It does not match Zaress's today, as it happens.) "...Hi," Aarmi says after a moment, still half hiding behind Eight's leg. "...Ice to meet you."
"She's a little shy," Eight explains. "Come on, Aarmi. Let's go into the living room."
A pause. "Sure, I have water. I'll make you a salad, too." Eight heads to the kitchen, while Aarmi follows her, assuming that Lacus will too for the moment. But...
"Sure," Eight says easily as to housing. "We have room here on Magallanica. There's a lot of places renting or selling in the long term, and in the short term I can arrange something."
She doesn't pry into why, for the moment. But... She can guess.
<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.
"Ah, of course..." Lacus looks relieved, at that. She wonders if she ought to touch that herself. She wouldn't feel right doing nothing, but by the same token, the world ought to decide its own path.
Lacus does indeed follow along with Eight, as she heads to the kitchen. She's happy to talk there; she genuinely likes cooking, and observing others cooking is part of that. There's always something you can learn from someone's cooking techniques; everyone approaches food differently, and that's part of the joy in it. That is, after all, why we have encounters.
"That's excellent news... yes, the short-term arrangement would be quite nice. As to the long term... you won't be the only person I ask about this, but any help you could provide in that search would be appreciated..." She wonders if Reverend Malchio and the children would rather stay on Earth... it's a difficult question with a lot of factors. Still, having at least one thing she can be certain could work out -- that's helpful.
"It seems as though you've managed to move forward since the Bloody Valentine Conflict," Lacus says, looking around. "Your home and family are quite lovely."
Lacus's bag jostles. Then jostles again.
"Do you mind if I let Haro out?" A pause, before she adds, "Ah -- Mr. Pink is the only one with me today."
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Eight would counter that Lacus is part of the world. Maybe she has before.
Eight is deft; she picks up the lettuce from the fridge, chops it in a little tool designed for the purpose, and adds a few more things as she speaks. There's dressings! "Any preference?" Eight asks.
She'll do a Caeser if Lacus leaves it to her choice. She has croutons! It's light, and it doesn't take her longer than a part of the conversation to make it happen.
"Sure," Eight says. "Most of what I can offer is places here, but I do have some contacts in Orb, too."
Her girlfriend lives in Orb with her best friend, after all.
"...Thank you," Eight answers, and Aarmi comes out of hiding to look up with big eyes at Lacus. Eight is the first to keep speaking, "...The home is recent. The family... Well. It's important to me. If we wait for the world to be 'ready' before we follow our dreams, will we ever have the chance?"
"My husband will be back in a while."
But Haro! Jostle jostle. "Haro!" Aarmi says, staring at Lacus.
"Would you like to meet Mr. Pink, Aarmi?"
"Yah..."
"Then sure, Lacus."
<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.
"Hmmm..." Lacus considers whether she has any salad preferences today. "Ah... a Caesar salad would be nice. If the dressing is store-bought, I'd appreciate a little extra vinegar added... when I make my own, I usually add extra Worcestershire sauce, but adding that to store-bought sauces outright tends to make the anchovy part of the taste a little overpowering for me."
It sounds like someone's spent a significant amount of the last two years refining her already fairly refined palate.
"Oh, that's where we're going to look next. We do have a lot of friends who moved to Orb after the last conflict... it would be nice to live close to so many people we know, either way." The Marshall Islands were a nice place to recover, far away from the conflicts of the era -- but maybe Lacus should take the destruction of her home as a sign that she ought to get closer to people again.
... Maybe.
When Aarmi sounds enthusiastic about Haro coming out, Lacus nods and opens her bag -- and sure enough, out pops a Haro with a flap-flap-flap of the ears. "Haro! Haro!" comes its proud declaration, before flopping to the ground and wobbling about in front of Aarmi.
Lacus ducks her voice just a little, taking a half-step in toward Eight as they talk. "... That's very true. I'm very happy for you -- I look forward to seeing your husband again, too." Her left hand comes up to her elbow, rubbing at it just once before taking a breath and focusing again. "I've been able to spend a lot of time with Kira recently, myself..." ... She isn't actually sure where their relationship stands.
"There's something else I should discuss with you, too. It's.. business, though it's not too sensitive." ... There's no more putting this one off, either.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
"It is," Eight confirms, "Though now you make me want to see if Lavhi will make some up for us himself. ...He's gotten very into cooking, since..." She laughs, "Well, since I was pregnant. I was very hungry."
She pulls the vinegar from the cabinet, and mixes the dressing and vinegar in a separate dish. She puts it on the side, though the bowl's big enough for Lacus to mix it in to her preference.
"...But most of what he likes to make are meat dishes," she admits.
She pauses, then. Orb... "Yes," Eight agrees. "Me, too. It would be nice, wouldn't it? I might have gone to Orb myself, if Magallanica didn't need me."
Aarmi lights up at the presence of the pink Haro, clapping her hands and reaching out for it. "Haro!" she says.
"...She loves Annie's Haros," Eight explains, "So any Haro makes her happy."
A pause, then. She nods. "I'm glad you've spent time with him. As for business..."
"Aarmi, how about you go and play in the other room for a while? Mommy has some work to take care of."
"Okay..."
She looks to Haro and to Lacus, but it's Lacus's decision if Mr. Pink can join Aarmi.
Once that's settled, and Aarmi toddles off...
"Take a seat," she suggessts, and does so herself in the dining room. Water is secured for both of them, in glasses.
"What's on your mind?"
<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.
"I'd like that," Lacus agrees. "We could probably cook something together... I've been working on that as well." She doesn't say why, but just talking about the cooking process is enough to bring a smile back to her face, so there's an easy inference there.
"Haro! Let's play!" ... As standoffish as Mr. Pink can be, he has no objections to playing with a child.
(He's aligned with Lacus, in that way.)
As Lacus and Eight get settled, after a moment to start on her salad, Lacus gives Eight a somewhat serious look. "As things change, it... does become likely that I'll become more involved with our organization than I have been over the last two years or so," she starts.
After a deep breath, she says, "There are a few people who work with us who would rather that any orders or intelligence requests come from you than myself. I know Liu Hei Fong feels that way, and there are a few others who would probably feel similarly. I'm sorry to add more work to your table at an already difficult time, but this was... important to discuss, with the situation as it is."
Poke at the salad. Poke. ... Eat.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
"Oh? That's fun," Eight answers of cooking. "Maybe you can, then. I'm just happy to eat." She smiles back. ...She is definitely not the primary cook of the household.
But Mr. Pink is happy to play, so Aarmi is more cheerful when she goes to the other room with him.
Eight matches the serious look. "Good," Eight says. "You were a large part of how we got started in the first place. I'd be glad to see you involved, if you're willing and able."
A pause. But...
"Mm. Is that so?" A shake of her head. "It's not a problem for me. At least, not in and of itself."
Eight drinks some of her water. Then, she looks at Lacus. "So, why is that?"
She's had a number of reports, of course. Maybe even on this topic. But she prefers to hear why Lacus thinks this from Lacus.
<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.
The idea of having a chance to cook for Eight, who's doing her several favors, continues to buoy Lacus's mood. It's enough to keep her fairly level as she approaches the somewhat thorny topics they're about to approach, at that.
Eight asks the question, and Lacus... can't really hide the answer. "My mother was someone who left the project that ultimately led to Japan's recent silent coup attempt," she answers. "She left the project before my birth... and was documented as pregnant with a candidate child at the time of her departure."
Continuing to eat, Lacus affirms, "Before you ask -- I don't have any objections to the request, and I can't be certain of any connection to these things." ... the salad is good. (It's ended up a touch vinegar forward compared to her own recipe, since she never specified an amount, but Lacus still prefers such a taste to store-bought by a fair margin. She's certainly not going to complain.) "My mother died when I was quite young."
Swallowing, she says, "I felt it was important for you to know these things, however."
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Eight would be glad to have Lacus cook for her! And perhaps that can even happen later on. ...She'd be glad the salad is pretty good, too. She doesn't consider herself an excellent cook, but sometimes she has to pinch hit; when Lavhi's at work and she isn't, she's the sole caretaker unless her assistant is around...
But Eight does ask the question. "I see," Eight answers. "So 'the sins of the mother', is it?" She says that calmly, with a little distance--not from Lacus, but as if analyzing the concept.
A 'candidate child'. So Lacus could be...
"All right then. If that's how you feel." A nod. Her mother... of course.
"It is. While I personally won't judge you for it--you know why that would be hypocritical of me," she starts, and indeed, her Cyber-Newtype history is well-known at this point. "...I understand that some will, and that we can't entirely avoid political realities."
"I appreciate that you told me. As far as I'm concerned, it changes nothing about our working relationship, at least."
"...Was there anything else on your mind? It doesn't have to just be business."
<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.
"... Perhaps. Mr. Liu has his own connections to that project and its staff, of course." (... For that matter, it isn't impossible that he killed her mother. Lacus has discarded that as 'irrelevant and not guaranteed,' but it's not off the table as a possibility.) She spears a little more of her salad onto her fork, and yet again takes a bite.
"Very well. Then we'll continue to work together," Lacus agrees, nodding to Eight. "Thank you for taking the time to discuss this." She looks down into her salad, and considers whether she has anything else to bring up. She has lots that she could bring up, but...
... what she asks instead is, "While we're on Magallanica, would you like to send your children over to play with the ones Reverend Malchio is taking care of? They're... I'm guessing about a year younger than the youngest, but we'd be delighted to take care of them sometimes while things are heavy, at least for a little while."
There's some uncertainty still in her heart -- but if she can't make herself even settle the feelings on a specific topic, certainly she can't bring up a specific topic.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Unfortunately, there's not much they can do about that possibility right now. ...But if Lacus brought it up, Eight might try to change that. Instead for now she waits.
"You're welcome," Eight says about her time discussing it. She waits, then, for Lacus to make an answer; Lacus can tell if she pays attention that Eight's attention is only mostly on her, a portion reserved for listening to whether the sounds of playing in the other room stop.
They don't yet, as it happens. Aarmi is not nearly as shy towards Haro as she is towards people.
The offer comes, and Eight actually smiles a little more brightly still. "That sounds lovely," Eight says. "I think they'd appreciate the company. They get to hang out with the kids of a few other MDF parents, but more socializing would be good for them."
She can feel the uncertainty--but Eight doesn't pry. What she'll do instead for now is offer a safe haven...
And hope that it helps.
<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.
The sounds of play seem to continue on Haro's end too, of course. Haro -- like Lacus -- seems to be good with kids. (Necessary, given the amount of time spent around a fairly large number of orphaned children.)
"Thank you for that," Lacus says, with a smile. "Do you mind if I stay a little longer? I can't stay the whole night, since I ought to do my own searching as well, but nevertheless... it's been quite some time. I want to see a lot of our old friends again!"
Her eyes shut for a few moments, as she contemplates asking something a bit more specific -- a bit more targeted, given Eight's already mentioned that her own history gives her reason not to judge.
She elects not to. Cyber-Newtypes are a different category of enhancement than Imaginary Numbers, despite the overlap; the answer probably wouldn't be relevant to her situation, either way.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Lacus will have the chance to be good with a second kid shortly as well. Zaress is bound to wake up anytime.
"Not at all," Eight answers. "You'd be welcome to stay for dinner, if you wanted. That way you can see all of us. I think Lavhi was planning to surprise me with something..."
A smile. "I'm glad to see you, Lacus. I was worried."
It's very different, of course; but Eight doesn't ask for now, either.
"Once you finish your salad, we can go pick up Aarmi and Haro again."