2023-11-25: Famous Last Words
- Log: 2023-11-25 Famous Last Words
- Cast: Ranka Lee, Sheryl Nome
- Where: The Nadesico, Gallia IV
- OOC - IC Date: November 25, 2023 (UC 0097)
- Summary: Late at night--for a given value of "night" on a tidally locked planet--Ranka talks to Sheryl about the Global and their respective connections to it.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Ranka wasn't sleeping as well as she wished she was on this trip. Though nights cuddling with Ai-kun helped. She was being extremely careful on keeping him in her room, as she didn't want the entire expedition to get in trouble for breaking some alien ecology laws or something.
But sometimes when she was trying to sleep and her eyes lulled shut, her mind wandered to this place. And since it couldn't stay focused on details very long of herself...
...instead it moved to Sheryl, thinking about how she must feel. From her time on the streets of the Galaxy, an orphan...
Evidence of her Grandmother being here...
... and likely killed by the Vajra. Hopes risen, hopes dashed. A yearning for family...
Eventually Ranka swept the sheets off the bed, and started to put on her slippers, sleepily telling Ai-kun, "I'm... gonna go talk to Sheryl... stay here."
The door opened, closed-
A shadow fell over Ai-kun, whose head lulled back in, and then the door rapidly opened again, flooding Ai-kun with light as she ran back in the room.
"But not in this!"
As she pulled at offending her Hippo-Cow Kigurumi Pajamas.
-=-=-
It was still thankfully pretty early on the ship's clock as she'd gone to bed much earlier than usual owing to a lack of sleep, not TOO late for an unprompted visit.
Ranka had changed to her light and breezy cream colored dress with light blue patterning on the hem.
And knocked lightly at the ship's door, deciding not to use the offending buzzer, in case she was actually asleep.
A tap tap tap.
"It's me." She added, although it's debatable whether she'd be heard at all.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
For what it's worth, if Ranka had gone to Sheryl's room in a hippocow kigurumi, Sheryl would've thought it adorable. She might not go in for the 'cute' aesthetic herself much, but that doesn't mean she doesn't adore it.
As it turns out, Sheryl is still awake. Ranka would have trouble waking her with just knocking anyway, since there's an outer living space for guests and an inner chamber for her sleeping quarters, but she's at the guest chambers, gazing out the window at the twilight of Gallia IV. Her blue eyes are distant as she takes in the never-ending burnished light; the violet crystal in her single drop earring glints.
"Dear Lord in Heaven, back when I was deep in love with you
"There was not a moment when I imagined such a parting would tear us in two... oooh..."
Tap tap. Sheryl's broken from her reverie, and she blinks wide-eyed over at the door. She doesn't need to call out Who's there?; Ranka speaks before she has the chance.
A moment later, the door opens. Sheryl's in a spaghetti-strap yellow babydoll dress with a pink sash tied under her bust. On top of her usual earring, she's wearing that limited-edition jewelry that went on sale last year on her birthday--one necklace, one ring, one bracelet, from each of the three color sets.
"Ranka... I thought you went to bed already." Still, she smiles and steps to one side as she opens the door wider. "Come on in. What's on your mind?"
Once Ranka's inside, she'll shut it behind her, then head on over to one of the couches and seat herself, gesturing for her guest to do the same if she hasn't already.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Indeed, to some degree Ranka already understands that about Sheryl, and yet - insecurity still reigns. Despite making it as an idol, she can't help but compare herself, even if their aesthetics are wholly different.
Perhaps it might be distantly that she heard the singing, as indeed, Ranka's hair lifts on one side over her hair, her weight shifting to the foot closest to the door.
Ranka immediately straightens up when the door opens, hands behind her back, a tired smile on her face, "I couldn't sleep." She admits. Even as Sheryl invites her inside.
And waits for the door to shut, before heading to the couch, and settling in, as she takes a breath, her shoulders lifting, then... relaxes subtly, but her fingers are still knotted up in her skirt. "I don't know what it is about this place, it's like my mind's moving a light year a minute when it's quiet."
Probably because it gives her time to think, and thinking is unwelcome when it runs her right into a wall of something painful.
"So I thought I'd come over and check how you're doing."
Perhaps it's not easy on it's face to understand how she got from Point A of not being able to sleep, to Point B of wanting to check on Sheryl but...
... perhaps ordinarily she wouldn't say why, too insecure about her own thoughts or feelings, but she's at least grown more secure in them around Sheryl as of late, enough to say why, "Because... well... I know Grace isn't around right now, and she... raised you, so it must be hard on you... with everything we're learning about... your Grandmother, in this place, not having her around to talk about it."
Perhaps it's deflection, or distraction from her own troubles, but in this moment, at least, she wants to be there for her.
"So I know, a little spur of the moment, but-! I thought... I'd offer." Her red eyes give her this searching look, "If you did want someone to talk about it, that is."
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
"I see... I have a little trouble sleeping here myself," Sheryl admits as she shuts the door behind Ranka. "I always have to shut the windows when I'm ready for it. The light staying the same all day messes with my head sometimes." Sheryl isn't learned enough to know the term circadian rhythm, but that's precisely what she's talking about.
It might not be what Ranka's talking about, though. She has her own issues with this planet, as Sheryl well knows.
"Don't you? You said yourself you've been here before, didn't you?" she points out, folding her legs as she and Ranka sit next to each other. She blinks, though, as Ranka goes on to say that because of that, she'd check in on her. Sheryl breaks into a smile and a laugh. "What? Why?"
...And so Ranka explains why. Sheryl sobers, sadness misting her expression as she bows her head. "...That's true," she murmurs, brushing her hair back and settling her earring aquiver. "There's lots of things I wish I could talk to Grace about right now, but she's who knows how many light years away... There's Brera, but--" Sheryl shoots Ranka a smirk. "He's not really the conversational type!"
...Plus, he has his own problems going on right now. Sheryl hasn't pressed him ever since she shared her suspicions with him, since it's his right to do with that information what he wants--especially since Sheryl can't know for certain if she's right or not--but either way, he's got his own things on his mind. (More than she realizes, even.)
She breathes a little sigh as she leans back, turning her gaze out the window across the room again. "...That's sweet of you, Ranka. I know you must have a lot you want to talk through, too. You haven't really regained your memories, right? Only bits and pieces, if that." She bows her head. "...I was only six when my parents died. And Grandmother Mao died before even that... I think. That time in my life was really chaotic, and I don't really like thinking about it much. It's funny that this all started happening the same year that Bird Human came out. It's like the cosmos knows, and made sure we'd know too just in time."
She looks over at Ranka. "...What about you? Have you remembered anything else since we got here?"
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Ranka does know the term circadian rhythm, from all her research on habits she'd have to change to become an idol, but she doesn't bring it up.
"Mmm. Maybe?" Is all she has to say on the idea that she's been here before. "I'm still not..." A hand moves through her hair, and a shake of her head.
A smile, as she mentions Brera, "Yeah, you can say that again. I've learned to just, you know, talk about normal stuff otherwise he just says it's classified or something."
A small shake of her head, "Military guys." She says only with faint exasperation, because well, she knows what it's like from Ozma. But she'd prefer that to Ozma lying to her SO!
And indeed, she flushes a tiny bit as Sheryl says it's sweet of her, though, she does nod faintly as she mentions her memories and her not regaining them.
So she listens to Sheryl, and there's a thoughtful look, "It must have been really difficult, feeling alone like that so young." Ranka's eyes drift down briefly, "I can't imagine, what that kind of loneliness must feel like."
There's a soft breath and, she looks towards Sheryl again, "But you're right. It is strange, the movie already made me feel this - sense of connection, just in who your Grandmother was, what she went through. How she must have felt."
And a hand sorta sweeps over as if to indicate this world, "And it's only grown since we came here. Even if you didn't get to know her."
Her hands ball up further, "It really feels like - you really are connected to something greater, Sheryl! It's... upsetting, like we're just missing something! Something that's yours - and we could... get for you, even if we can't bring her back."
She sounds frustrated, as if frustrated on Sheryl's behalf, in this sense?
However, Sheryl did ask a question, it's been implicit throughout this conversation, "Not... not really? Little flashes. One time I think I saw your Grandmother - but... I'm not sure if it's because of the pictures they showed us, when we were making the film."
She puts a hand against her face, "Maybe my mind is just playing tricks on me? But that feeling just... just stays with me."
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Sheryl shrugs broadly and shakes her head. "That's Brera for you. You can tell his instructors really drilled the military lifestyle into him!"
...Once again, Sheryl has no idea just how true that is.
She folds her hands in her lap, growing quiet about the loneliness of living on the streets of Galaxy. "No. And you shouldn't try," she murmurs. "I'm sure you've been through enough awful experiences of your own, Ranka. You don't need to try to take mine on too." It might not have been quite what Ranka was trying to say... but Sheryl wants to make sure that's clear. After all, Ranka has special abilities, doesn't she? And she's kind enough that she'd try. It's why she's here in the first place.
Mao's feelings, though... It's ironic that between the two of them, the one who relates to Mao the most is Ranka. It didn't bother Sheryl at the time of the filming--it was enough for her to be able to record a song for Sara--but... it's a strange feeling, now.
"Yeah... Those lab notes we found on the Global say that she came here because she thought she found a trace of Sara. I don't know if she really did or not. Even if the Bird Human actually is real, what we saw in the movie was just that--a movie. We don't actually know how all of that actually went down. It was a dramatization based on Shin's journals, and even those journals might not be totally accurate. It's just one person's perspective. There are things he might have misremembered, or left out, or thought was true but wasn't, or dramaticized, or even outright lied about. And if Shin really did fly off into space, there's no way he would've had time to write everything that happened towards the end down. So there must be other accounts of the time, or else there's huge chunks of the movie that're just made up. So, yeah, I'm sure there's a lot that's missing. But I'm not so sure any of it is something we could 'get back.'"
Still, she smiles softly. It's touching that Ranka is so impassionate about this for her sake. Sheryl has a lot of fans, and she's sure many of them would go to a number of lengths for her sake, but few of them understand her like Ranka does. It makes her want to pull her into a hug.
She refrains. For now, at least.
"Hmm... You do have those special abilities you told me about before," Sheryl points out. "That Newtype sort of thing, if I remember right? It might be something like that." Rita, too, had a vision of certain things that were found on the Global. But that's a separate matter. For now, she leans closer. "Maybe... maybe we ought to go back. Just the two of us. We've already done a preliminary exploration, so we know how to get around and what to avoid."
She's not sure, though. Just the two of them is a big risk. Sheryl's bold enough to do it, but she doesn't want to get Ranka hurt, either.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
There's a chuckle, at first, but when Sheryl gets more serious about her time in the Galaxy, Ranka's eyes grow wide for a moment.
It then becomes a certain thoughtfulness. It is a real danger isn't it? Especially if they connected while they were singing certain songs.
So many of them were written about Sheryl's experiences in the Galaxy. So could it happen? Ranka's eyes shut, after a moment, thinking of what Sheryl is saying.
Then she nods slowly, "I promise, if that's what you want - I wouldn't ever try anything like that. I don't even know how it works." Ranka continues slowly, "But - I'll also say, if you ever want to talk about it normally, that - I'll listen."
She looks at Sheryl again in that moment with open eyes, "I do listen, whenever you're singing. There's always such pain and sadness, in your songs about your time on the Galaxy." But now she smiles, "But - even if that's how I learn about you, as your fan - I'm your friend too - which means I'm here for you, no matter what you'd want to say."
And indeed, coming off of that, she takes a breath, and needs a moment, thinking about what they found on the Global. Part of her is steeling herself in case she has enough flash of memory, but it doesn't come.
Indeed she listens to Sheryl speak about the inaccuracy of Shin's accounts, and she nods, "For all we know? It could be your own Grandmother who filled in the gaps at the end, herself."
It's an interesting thought in her mind, that perhaps Mao Nome finished the journals for Shin in the end, but Ranka doesn't actually ascribe to that being the definitive theory. "I don't know. Maybe I just hope there's something you could get back." Ranka says after a moment, "For you."
Maybe Ranka's just been so frustrated knowing the unknowable is out there for herself, and finding it unachievable. Maybe she wants it for Sheryl for that reason.
Ranka looks faintly startled, as Sheryl remarks about her abilities again, "You think?" And indeed, she does present a tempting offer.
"Hmmm-!" Indeed, for one long moment, her face becomes serious. Quite serious!
"Well, we did manage to get along without Alto last time."
Ranka remarks, and Sheryl might get the impression that even if Ranka has FORGIVEN him she hasn't quite FORGOTTEN it.
"Why not? We found so much before! If we only gave it a more thorough search-!"
Then maybe - just maybe, they'll find something more of Mao Nome.
Certainly she's not hoping for more for herself...
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Sheryl's gaze softens as Ranka thinks her words over and promises she won't try to do anything supernatural--but that she's there to talk and listen normally, as her friend. She may be a fan, but she's also a friend, as well as now her rival. Ranka's lived up to everything Sheryl saw in her that first day they met... and more. Part of why their romantic rivalry is so hard is because Sheryl doesn't want Ranka to be hurt, either. She doesn't want to lose, but she doesn't want Ranka to be abandoned, either. When Alto went off on his own during the Global investigation, Sheryl genuinely got angry on her behalf.
So: "I know," she murmurs. She scoots closer and, if Ranka lets her, slips her arms around her in a tender hug. Eyes drifting shut, she rests her head atop hers. "I'm here for you too, Ranka."
However long that moment lasts, it does eventually end. When she scoots back, and the conversation resumes to the matter of Shin and the accuracy of a fictionalized account of real-life events, she nods. "That's true. I read the script for Bird Human cover to cover, over and over, but I've never seen the documents that the scriptwriter read to write the script. We know Mao survived, and if the movie's ending is to be believed, she witnessed what happened with the Bird Human. It'd make natural sense that the details of the ending came from her instead of him." She purses her lips. "I wish I could go ask George about it, but that's not happening until after we get back home. I don't know if he'd even be interested, or if he could or would want to give me whatever materials the scriptwriter was working with.
"Besides, could you imagine? Hearing about--" She gestures to the window. "All of this, and deciding, hey, it would be great to turn this into a blockbuster! It's a tragedy that happened a long time ago, but there's still people alive dealing with the fallout." She turns her own distant, melancholy gaze towards the window. "...I wonder why I never thought about that until now."
Hope. Ranka's always so full of hope, isn't she? Sheryl would like to feel that too. She makes that suggestion, and a little bit to her surprise, Ranka takes it seriously--even accepts it. Sheryl blinks wide, then brightens with a smile. "You really have gotten a lot bolder, Ranka! I honestly wasn't sure you'd be on board with that!" She sobers. Alto might be forgiven, but it's not been forgotten, huh... It's about the same for her. Actually, she's probably forgiven Alto more than Ranka has. But that all aside, Alto has his own information that he can't share with the others. It's not fair to him to put him in a position where he's forced to lie to them more. They really will have to do this on their own. Or, actually--
"If you're serious about that, then actually, we should take one more person with us--specifically, Brera. He..." She pauses in consideration, tilting her head to study Ranka's face. "...Has he talked to you about anything recently? About this planet, or the two of you...?"
She's fishing, but she'd like to at least gauge where Ranka might be at before she commits to revealing anything.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Indeed, it's difficult for Ranka in the same way, the rivalry. And for more reasons besides, perhaps. And indeed, just as Sheryl got upset on her behalf, she got upset on behalf of Sheryl's... for a different reason entirely.
When Sheryl slips her arms around her in a hug, Ranka looks, genuinely touched, as her arms slide around her, and she holds her there for a long moment.
Perhaps momentarily overwhelmed, she eventually answers in a similar way that Sheryl did.
"... I know you are." Then softer, "... I know."
For a time, perhaps, she doesn't want to let go. For a time, but eventually perhaps, certain realizations, and happiness makes the room feel warmer, to some degree, and she lets Sheryl loosen the hug at any moment, slipping back to her seat.
But perhaps, it's only natural that she's seated closer.
As the discussion turns back to bird human, Ranka indeed nods perhaps more energetically as Sheryl accepts the possibility, "Definitely. I think there's a strong chance. Especially if she felt compelled to become a scientist and search for her Sister later."
Indeed the need to document things feels fundamental to being a scientist. "Maybe once we get back, I could call him for you. He can be hard to talk to, but I think - he'd answer for something so important."
As Sheryl remarks on the tragedy becoming a blockbuster, Ranka listens for a time, as she becomes distant, melancholy... and her hand, slides over, and simply grasps Sheryl's, squeezing it.
"Sometimes it's just easier."
She can understand the idea of not thinking about something painful until it's thrust right into one's face. Indeed, much of her life has been spent not thinking about what came before it.
There's a giggle that becomes a laugh as Sheryl calls her bold, "Well! I'd have had to right!?" Ranka beams at her, but then she sobers as well, "And besides, this is important. And I'm not sure everyone would give it the same importance... you and me would."
Indeed, Alto knew about Mao Nome being here and didn't SAY ANYTHING to Sheryl!? She's still upset about that, even if Sheryl was okay with it.
But then she mentions bringing Brera, and the thought DOES come to her in a sense, that it makes sense for him to come. Though she's not sure WHY it makes sense for her. "Um? Not, really. He doesn't say much about himself, ever. I did ask how he knows Aimo and..."
A shake of her head, and indeed...
"... well, it's like I said, he said it was classified. And I got scared he'd get upset and run off if I kept asking."
It's an easy thing to connect the dots to isn't it? If Ranka learned Aimo from before - from here, then it makes sense Brera is from here too, doesn't it?
Certainly it seems far more difficult for her mind to make such connections, which are just a matter of simple logic.
How painful must the memories from before be?
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
She knows, and she knows she knows. And that's enough for now.
The conversation moves on. The idea that Mao also contributed to whatever information there might be on the Bird Human incident gains traction, and Ranka offers to talk to the director for her. Sheryl's sure she could do it herself--but Ranka would probably have more success. She's the one George discovered; it's her song that charmed him so much. If the actress who played Mao wanted to learn more about Mao, Sheryl's sure he'd help her out with more speed and enthusiasm. ...and maybe also actually speaking to her, rather than having his aide do it for him.
"Sounds good," she thus replies. "I'll be counting on you, Ranka."
Ranka slips her hand into Sheryl's, and Sheryl looks over at her. She doesn't pull away; she squeezes back. Ranka really is very sweet; her heart flutters with fondness, even with the conversation as gloomy as it is. She might be in love with Alto, but Ranka... Ranka really is special, not just to her but in general. Is this, too, love? Well... who can say? At the very least, it's a kind of love.
"Probably not," she agrees wryly. "I don't mind that. Hardly anyone knew what we'd find here. But it does make me want to keep it to ourselves." And Brera. But still.
Her lips purse as Ranka goes into asking him about Aimo. She'd tried to research into that song with him, to help him regain the memories he'd lost. As inexpressive as Brera is, Sheryl knows that he does care in his own way. But... so he hasn't talked to her.
"I won't go too far into it, then," she says out loud. "The short version is, I think he might have some connection to what happened here too. I talked to him about it already, but..." She shrugs and shakes her head. "It's just like Brera to keep it to himself. Still--I don't think he'll turn us down on this. He wants to know his past, too."
...in which Sheryl simply assumes Ranka knows Brera's also missing his memories of the past.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
It's more than enough for her.
Indeed, as Sheryl says she's counting on her, Ranka bobs her head, with a serious look of resolve, "Right! If he knows anything, I'll be sure to get him to say."
Indeed, as Sheryl squeezes her hand back... she'd have never been this bold with a boy, with Alto, but with Sheryl? It's... it's different. Some things are simpler, even as some things are more difficult.
What she knows is that Sheryl is special to her, and being with her just makes her feel... warm. In a way that's not unlike how Alto does...
"I don't think there's any harm, really. And well." Ranka shrugs, "Even if they did catch us they'd probably forgive us anyway?"
It's perhaps NOT something Ranka usually takes advantage of, her fame and Sheryl's fame, but in this moment? She can at least acknowledge that they can get away with way more than the average person because of it.
"So let's do it!"
She grows more somber as the conversation goes back into Aimo, and Brera, and as Sheryl brings it up, "Wait you think!?" And indeed Ranka's eyes grow briefly, distant, almost glassy - thinking about it, "Oh." It's like Sheryl allowed the logical connection to be made.
"That makes sense."
It does, make her wonder as Sheryl mentions that he wants to know his past too, what struggles Brera himself is going through, being back here, Ranka's eyes fall, as she considers that several long moments.
"... He doesn't know his past either?" Ranka, murmurs quietly, as if upset by that. However, she peps up. "Yeah I don't think so either... he might, protest a little? Since his job is to protect us, but I think he'd come."
Ranka then nods quickly, "So it's decided! We'll investigate the Global on our own! And with Brera along there's nothing we have to worry about!"
Famous last words, perhaps.