2022-03-12: The Reasons We Keep Going
- Log: 2022-03-12: The Reasons We Keep Going
- Cast: Sayla Mass, Judau Ashta
- Where: Paris, AEU Continental Europe
- OOC - IC Date: 11 March 2022
- Summary: Seven years after their last brief meeting, Judau and Sayla have a small heart to heart. Judau is still a dessert fiend.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Paris is, quite frankly, a very nice city still. And it's where Sayla works when she needs to be in the office. Which she was until about half an hour ago. Now, in the mid afternoon, Sayla is waiting at a patisserie several streets over from the foundation's offices, comfortably sitting at an outdoor table, sipping a water. It's rude to order before your guest arrives, after all.
For once, there isn't a member of the Shuffle Alliance watching- this is a safe area, and a meeting between... well, acquaintances, really. But it's long, long ovderdue. At least in Sayla's mind.
The streets are busy enough, but the area is on the bougie side. Part of that's a side effect of the people she has to extract money from but part of it is the fact that despite her best efforts, Sayla Mass has been, well, amassing wealth. Money has an effect, as much as you try to use it constructively and for good. And after everything, well, she's developed a taste for nice things. That's mostly fine, right?
<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.
Some things really don't change.
Take Paris. It's still Paris. He's never actually been to Paris before - his time on Earth was incredibly limited and, indeed, incredibly bleak - but even he knows what Paris looked like. Looks like. Sort of.
He knows there's that tower, at least, and that's still totally here.
The point is -- some things really don't change. At least, on the surface. Paris is still Paris, through all the wars and the loss. But things still change. The people change. What they want and need, changes.
Which brings us to --
"Yo!"
Judau Ashta, eight years later, still looks like Judau Ashta. A little older, sure -- but that grin that tugs at his lips as he makes his way towards Sayla Mass' table is that selfsame Judau grin, easy and carefree. The friendliness of his wave, the way he just kind of bonelessly flops back into the seat opposite Sayla in stark defiance to the classy air of the cafe, all Judau Ashta, just like he was during the First Neo Zeon War. He's even got his signature red jacket, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, same as always. as he looks around him with wide, wondering green eyes.
"Wowwww. This place is kinda fancy, huh?"
Judau looks as unchanged as Paris. But past that...
"Hi," he greets, and there is the slightest bit of hesitation there that might not have always been characteristic as he rubs the back of his head. "Been a while, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
When Sayla hears that 'Yo!' echo out, she looks up to see...well, Judau. It's almost like he exudes an aura of easygoing existing. Sayla moves to stand up when he arrives, but is too slow. She smirks, and sits back down, returning his wave with a smaller, more delicate one. Honestly, she can manage this.
"It's one of my local favourites." Sayla responds, avoiding commenting on the actual fanciness. He really does look almost the same. It's incredible. For her part, Sayla mostly looks a little older and a little tireder. There are definite rings under her eyes not hidden by her makeup, crows feet if one looks closely. The fact that her hair hasn't started to grey yet is a minor miracle. She's dressed formally, a white blouse with something like a cravat, black trousers, a green coat she wore when Judau left. Paris may not have changed, but the people in it have, often in small ways that aren't obvious.
"It has. Seven years, give or take. How are you doing?" She could ask harder questions but... that's not why she's here. It's just catching up, for now at least.
<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.
How are you doing?
It's an easy question. A basic one, honestly. Judau's initial response might have been a blithe one, seven years ago, give or take.
Now, though. Now, he pauses; Judau can't help but wear his heart on his sleeve, and in the emotional wavelengths privy to Newtypes, and in that moment he looks uncertain, in both the way his brows and lips scrunch, and in the way he simply feels like he briefly wavers.
How's he doing?
His ultimate answer is a shrug.
"I'm back," he settles on, because he's not going to lie and say that this is a great feeling. However, the way that uncertainty washes away into a simple, easy smile is also genuine. "S'good to see Leina again. She's gotten so damn big. What the hell!" He laughs, shaking his head -- and it's here he slyly leans into the table, one brow arched conspiratorially. "... She hasn't been givin' you problems, has she? She keeps telling me she's doin' everything proper, but, y'know," he needs ammunition to act as a buffer against her lectures. He's desperate here.
A second passes by. Paris may not have changed, but the people in it have -- and Sayla's no different. And even Judau's not so oblivious as to not pick up the subtle signs.
"--How about you?" he queries, head tilt. They might not have known each other well, but -- in many ways, Sayla saved the most important person in his life.
And besides -- at this point Judau can't help but care about the people who have become important to him, for whatever reason.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla nods, slowly. It's a straightforward answer that says a lot. Or at least, that's what she reads into it. And since Judau switches topic, Sayla smirks again. "She has, it's been wonderful to see the woman she's grown into." There is genuine love and pride in Sayla's voice, emotions she's often careful not to to show. But Judau is, if anything, a person who knows how to get someone to relax and Sayla has honestly needed that for a while. Even talking with Guy had been pretty grim. So this is... nice.
And then Sayla laughs, covering her mouth with her hand so she doesn't just laugh in Judau's face. "The most trouble I have gotten from Leina is when she chides me for not taking breaks." She gives Judau a sly look, as though she can see through him. "And the school hasn't given me anything to gainsay that, so I think you're just going to have to endure." The unspoken bond between little sisters is a powerful one, Judau.
A waiter interrupts, placing the menues on the table. The place is pricey, definitely, but Sayla seems so calm about it. "Order whatever you like. It's my treat."
This may just be what Sayla does when she's stressed. Take someone out to a fancy foodery and get them to eat. Whether she comes to regret this with Judau is a question we'll soon discover the answer to.
Sayla orders a pot of tea, rather than coffee, and a mille-feuille. She keeps it simple. It also gives her time to formulate the answer to Judau's question.
"...Managing might be the best way to put it. The foundation's going strong, Leina's getting ready for University, I've reconnected with some old friends." She doesn't talk about being in the cockpit again. "Everything's going about as smoothly as can be. I've got aid going up to the colonies again, after everything with the PLANTs." She sighs. "...Hopefully, tomorrow will make things easier."
Sayla Mass is easily one of the most guarded newtypes in the Earth Sphere, and she had time to learn how to protect her feelings and keep a low profile. Her face is pretty guarded too. But between the two... there's a lot of grief there that she's trying to hold back, as best as she can.
<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.
In one fell swoop, Judau Ashta is denied the fleeting hope of victory against his greatest nemesis, Leina Ashta. He looks immediately crestfallen at the good news Sayla has to provide him with, slumping back in his seat with a groan that pairs well with the way he wipes his face, long-sufferingly.
"Damn," he utters, but there is still a little twinkle in those green eyes. "It's hopeless. I knew it."
And somehow, despite his lamentations, he manages to sound very happy about this fact. Really.
The suffering is worth it.
Plus he's still pretty sure he can come up on top of any argument just by shouting really loud.
But, it's at Sayla's offer that the former junker of Shangri-la blinks owlishly, head cocking to the right. "No joke, really?" Most people might insist they can cover, that it's a very generous offer but they could never take Sayla up on it--
"Awesome!"
But Judau is from Shangri-la and that was never going to be an option*.
*NOT ALL SHANGRI-LA-ANS ARE AS SHAMELESS AS JUDAU
Still, to Judau's credit the Newtype does offer a heartfelt thanks before he props open the menu and goes to town perusing his cornucopia of options. His first response is a wide-eyed, slightly loud, "Holy shit!" at the gilla numbers accompanying those options.
His second response is to order an entire tiramisu and their biggest, fanciest sandwich. Times two.
--
And a water.
Afterwards, Judau settles more comfortably back into his seat, indulging in imagining all the food to come. It's only when Sayla answers his question that he pauses in the middle of patting his proverbial (and literal) belly in anticipation to consider her quietly. Sayla is guarded -- but Judau, by now, is used to that. And besides that...
... some things you can just tell, when they hit close to home.
The eldest Ashta's brows furrow. Managing, she says.
"... Y'know," Judau begins, after a long moment, "I don't think I ever got t'say this, but... thanks. For everything. For a while, I was so sure I'd lost Leina, y'know? It was terrifying, and everyone kept tellin' me to give up hope, and..." He shakes his head.
"Whatever! It's not the point. Point is -- you did a lot for me back then." He seems to have more to say, as he weighs his words -- but for right now, at least, he just points out, "Figured that was somethin' super overdue."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Judau's melodramatics are oddly heartwarming. It's a sibling relationship she never had, and she envies Judau and Leina that. From what little she's seen, the two fall back into brother and sister like it was nothing. Maybe it's supposed to be. "To be fair, I think she's been looking forward to it. Apparently I'm not much of a challenge." Sayla Mass, an absolute softy? ...Maybe sometimes.
"Really." Sayla reassures, before Judau goes full burst. You'd think Sayla would have more regret and giving Judau a blank cheque for food, but it actually makes her... giggle? "I really wish more people had your attitude for this." She says, her mood easing a little more. Generosity is something that should be accepted freely, not given the side eye. Still, she needs to not go into speech mode. "If you have the chance to enjoy something, you should."
And then the tone shifts, and Sayla is caught off guard. But she listens, her eyes on Judau. She smiles softly, sadly. "You're welcome. I'm glad I could help both of you." She looks down at her hands on the table. "That's not something anyone should have to go through. The fear, the uncertainty, the loss..." Even if it's all too common in the universal century. "I'm glad you're back together now." Sayla continues to not make eye contact, as she collects herself. "I just ask that you both do all that you can to stay in each other's lives." That's not an unreasonable, selfish request, right?
<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.
There's a little scoff that fills the air at Sayla's confession. Leina is truly an overwhelming opponent. But...
"The trick is to just distract her with somethin' else," Judau confides. "Like this one time, she was getting on me about skipping school, and then Beecha crashed the Petite into the side of a car, and then I just booked it."
...
There feels like there should be some more dots to connect that context, but none are forthcoming.
Instead: "Heh heh," is Judau's proud little chuckle at Sayla's praise, leaning back and rubbing underneath his nose with smug satisfaction. "Right? People need t'just go after what they want outta life. That's how I've always done it!"
He pauses. Considers this. His brows screw up and his lips purse together and the wheels are turning aggressively for a few precious seconds--
"Uh. As long as what they want outta life isn't, like. ... shitty."
A second passes.
"That's not me. I'm -- y'know. I'm not shitty."
There, he thinks he covered his bases pretty well.
But it's in the aftermath of this that Judau considers Sayla for a moment. He clears his throat awkwardly at her response, rubbing the back of his head and looking aside for a brief moment. "Well, y'know -- yeah. No matter how far apart we are, Leina's the most important part of my life. I don't think she's ever gonna forget that. I'm gonna make damn sure she doesn't, at least. An' coming back here... I might not've, if she wasn't there waiting for me. An' that's thanks to you."
A second passes. And Judau suddenly blows air out from between his flapping lips in frustration, waving a hand through the air errantly.
"Argh! I mean -- I'm really grateful! But the POINT is -- y'know -- you're a good person. A real, honest, good person. For a while, I thought maybe those kindsa people didn't really exist anymore. An' if they can -- if you do--"
He struggles, for a moment. Forthright as he is, he's never been one for eloquence. But even so--
"... it means I still think things can get better. Will get better." And from him - for him -
That means a lot.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla blinks. And then blinks again. "Judau, as tempting as it is, I am not hiring someone to crash a mobile worker into a car to avoid a lecture from your sister." That's definitely the lesson, right? "Besides, she was on the 800 metres team for a while and I am a woman in my 30's who is usually wearing heels. It wouldn't end well for me." Sayla seems to be grabbing on to the moments of levity where she can. She doesn't get them as much as she'd like.
Sayla nods. "...You're right. But more people need an environment where they can do that. And the Earth Sphere right now isn't that." But once again, Judau gives her a reason to break seriousness. "I'm aware. I'd say on most days Leina agrees." Certainly a lot better than some brothers
It'd Judau's firmness on the importance of Leina to him... That actually seems to hit Sayla hard. She falls quiet again, looking away. It's a lot all at once. It's heartbreaking and reassuring. At least neither of them will have to go through what Sayla did, with feelings like that.
Sayla looks back up at Judau, once she's taken it in. "...It will. As long as we're determined to change things for the better. And don't give in to despair. I'll do what I can to make sure you keep thinking that way." She smiles, tired and worn, but genuine. "It helps me to keep believing it when other people do too. Thank you."
<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.
That's definitely the lesson, right?
"Hmm. Okay. So that one's a no go. Then... lemme think..."
... right??
There's a lot that Judau could say, though. About the state of things. About the Earth Sphere. About how even as far out as Jupiter, things are still bound by the pull of that pale blue dot.
It's part of what brought him back, after all. To try to think of something more than this. Something better. But...
"Hah. You got it," Judau says instead with a lopsided smile that accompanies the little thumbs up he offers well. It's brimming with reassurance. "You don't gotta worry, anyway." With -confidence-!
"Everyone always tells me I'm too dumb to quit!"
... -Unassailable-. -Confidence-.
He beams, like this is the greatest reassurance he could offer, as the food arrives. But it's less the point, now. He could voice his thoughts about the Earth Sphere. About this status quo that left him feeling at an utter loss, and how he still isn't sure what can - what should - be done about it. But right now...
"I still gotta thank you for the meal somehow, though -- oh! Y'know, Roux an' I, we got these crazy, uh... fruitish... things, that are supposed to be super tasty, and they're covered with spikes! You wouldn't believe the deal I got on 'em, it was like they couldn't get rid of 'em fast enough! We can share some of that, sometime!"
He'd rather focus on just enjoying the moment with someone he owes so much to.
"... ... Once I, uh. ... once I... figure out... how to open it. It's a tricky sucker. Almost gave me a concussion."
it's a durian
"We decided to call it a spikeonut!"
he's talking about a durian god help him
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
It's incredible, how Judau can turn from kind and earnest to absolutely ridiculous to both on a luke. Sayla's surprised and bemused and perhaps mildly concerned. "I'm... glad?" She says, hesitantly. "As long as it works for you."
"Oh, it's alright-" She starts, before Judau presses on. "You mean du-" Oh gods a concussion, really? "You just-" Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear oh dear. "...It sounds like a durian," Sayla answers, once Judau's stopped talking. She doesn't want him to suffer. "A sharp knife should do the the trick, I think? They taste quite nice- Oh, thank you."
Mid sentence, the food arrives, and two ridiculously fancy baguette sandwhiches, an entire Tiramisu, a pot of tea, some milk to go with it, another glass of water, and a sensible mille-feuille. Which means the food is there when Sayla, pouring her tea, mentions, "They taste quite nice, but the smell is quite intense." Judau will definitely hear that, right? Certainly.
"...That could be nice, though. You're both always welcome to visit, and we have plenty of space if you want to stay the night." She takes a sip of her tea, thoughtfully. It's strange, for so many connections to be forming and reforming recently. It's... pleasant. Even if a part of her fears losing them again. But for now, as Judau does, she can enjoy the moment, right?