2022-11-17: Appointment
- Cast: Celebro, Namiko, Leina Ashta, Rikka Takarada
- Where: Shopping plaza in Tsutsujidai
- Date: U.C. 0096 11 17
- Summary: Leina and Rikka are having a fun, casual day of nothing important. Unfortunately, two very good friends arrive.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
It's Always Sunny in Tsutsujidai.
On this ordinary Thursday in an ordinary PLANT, Leina's come by on Yumi Foundation business, which inevitably means she's texting up someone to meet up with. In this case, she texted Rikka to ask if she'd like to meet up after school for some ice cream and to catch up.
She's deep enough into physical therapy that she spent most of the day on crutches, but that meant her tiring out enough that she's now back in the wheelchair for the meet up. She's wearing a short sleeved green blouse and a pair of tapered tan pants, there's a small Haro clip on the left side of her short fluffy brown hair.
Currently she's working at some Mint Mochi Ice Cream with Sprinkles, and some gummies for good measure at a table outside they picked because sadly she can't reach the counter in the chair.
"... Would you believe that Sayla eats all three flavors of Neapolitan ice cream in a single scoop?" As Sayla relays Sayla's nonsense Ice Cream Habits to Rikka. "I'm serious. Sometimes, she's a true monster."
Apparently the two bicker frequently about such small things as ice cream to much bigger things like politics. However, that's their way of getting along perhaps, sparring with each other.
Her intent perhaps is to give Rikka just a nice afternoon away from the more serious side of things, like Akane and the transfer students. So she's avoided anything more weighty so far.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
When Leina texts Rikka, she gratefully accepts the invitation. She's had a lot on her plate lately - the battle with the Angel was only a few days ago, and she still hasn't quite come down from the shock of literally flying into a hurricane. She knew what she was getting into, but. It's still a lot! It's good to be able to just... get away from that and hang out with a friend.
She's seated across from Leina, currently, still in her school uniform. It's fine - it's a good, comfortable fit when she's otherwise not sure what to wear.
She sits across the table from Leina now, a bowl of chocolate mocha ice cream sitting in front of her. It's accompanied by a drizzle of strawberry syrup, and some actual strawberries poking out of the ice cream itself.
"Really? I'm shocked..." Rikka replies with a laugh. "...Though, that's almost kind of impressive, honestly."
<Pose Tracker> Celebro has posed.
It is a fine day in Tsutsujidai for conversation about not much. Of course, there's PLENTY of gossip to be had, about all the new classmates 2-E has been accumulating, and about the mysteries swirling around each one of them. About the murmurs of weird orange lights sometimes visible around the town at night. About aliens and Angels in the world below. All the sorts of things everyone's favorite class gossip Namiko would surely be thrilled to chatter on about!!
She hasn't been. Ever since Hass returned from her streaming marathon (which is to say, stopped falling asleep or rushing for the door the second she could), Namiko and Hass have been heading out together. Her interactions with Rikka have been mostly normal, during lunch and such...but after school, they just head out, usually with a wave from Namiko and a more distracted than usual nod from Hass. Something's up!?
So maybe it's a surprise when a familiar duo wander up, casting a shadow upon the after-school ice cream date!
Namiko's sneaker hits the chair with her usual bombast. "Rikka! What's up, cutie!" she giggles.
She has a big ol' cone of vanilla ice cream because it is the supreme choice of intellectuals. Hass has a cup of chocolate.
Hass says nothing, but her eyes scan between Rikka and Leina with focus.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"Impressively bad." Leina laughs back, fully intending this just to be an afternoon of gossip without anything heavier going on. And that might have even happened, when suddenly she gets the sense of someone familiar approaching. She doesn't turn prematurely though, that's always a dead giveaway.
There's a cheerful smile as Namiko shows up, "Hey Namiko, good to see you." As she puts on her acting skills to work to act like it WASN'T a little bit of a disaster how they met recently. She doesn't want things to be awkward between them, especially in front of Rikka. "How're things? Welcome to join us - at least I don't mind if Rikka doesn't."
Leina's seagreen eyes come to look upon Hass next. And the smile dims a touch. As her head just tilts to the side, like she's trying to figure out what this is.
"Hey there. You must be Hass." She tells her affably, again trying to act like nothing's wrong here, "Namiko's told me a lot about you. I'm Leina Ashta, here all the time due to GUTS and charity work."
It's so strange, she's not sure what she's feeling here. Suddenly she finds herself wondering if there wasn't something to those boys trying to steal her mask after all, as revolting as it is for her to even think about it, "How's the recovery from the Streamathon going?"
Surely, that's just it right.
Ordinarily she'd offer to shake someone's hand on first meeting. Rather than do that, she just takes another bite of her ice cream.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka laughs again at Leina's follow-up. It's a nice, casual, conversation... and then, Rikka feels an enthusiastic kick - well, maybe more of a friendly nudge with a lot of energy behind, but it equals out to about the same - to the back of her chair, followed by a familiar greeting.
"Oh, hey, Namiko! ...Oh, and Hass is with you, too! Hey!" She greets. The latter is a surprise - she hasn't really gotten a good moment with her in a while. They've both had things they need to do. Still, it really was strange, seeing Hass and Namiko apart from the other...
She looks between Leina and Namiko. She knows they've met from Leina's message to the Shuffle Alliance. She remembers what she said... but for now, she just nods.
"Of course not! Come on, join us." At that, she fixes Hass with a look. "Especially you, Hass. We've got a lot of catching up to do."
<Pose Tracker> Celebro has posed.
Namiko glances to Leina and she gives her a bit shallower of a smile. "Ah, hey. Uhhh Leina, yeah?" In fairness she has heard the name once. She does not look like she immediately wants to flee at full speed. Actually she looks a little like she's barely even thinking about last time? "Yeah! Things are good, things are good."
She doesn't accept the invite. She looks at Hass. That is, itself, a little weird.
Hass' mask has not moved a millimeter but some of her ice cream is gone now. This too is the power of an Ultra (villain). Hass is supposed to be a little sleepy, a little quiet, a little retiring, letting the energy bomb of Namiko handle a lot of interaction for her. Some of that's still the same, but...there's just nothing sleepy about the look she SPEARS Leina with. "I am," she says, unhelpfully.
It sweeps to Rikka, momentarily taking her in. But then she says, "Yeah. Alright," and moves to take a seat - next to Namiko, who glees like she just got permission to put her hand in the cookie jar and then sits in the chair she claimed. She seems a bit less like she might fire lasers out of her eyes now.
"Hass," Namiko says, puffing up, "did SOOOO good!"
"Yeah," Hass says, fiddling with her ice cream spoon just a little bit too much like her hands aren't doing what she thinks they should. "The sponsorship deals off of that should be worth the time."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina actually grins as Namiko has trouble remembering her name, "Yep. From that tea shop." She seems fine about what happened? She doesn't sense anything really negative from her at least.
Not even the way she looks to Hass for guidance trips too many alarm bells. After all, two friends going out, feels they should both have their own say.
Leina's eyelids blink a few times under the intensity of Hass' stare. There's not enough sense of 000 or Kaiju to trigger any alarm bells with her. It's just the intentionality is...
... strange is the only word for it. Especially the obvious bite in her ice cream. When did she take that mask off to eat?
Hass apparently decides to join them. Namiko puffs up about how Hass did and Leina smiles Hass' way, "Hey congratulations. Sounds like you really grew your follower base if you got those kinds of deals."
There's a pause, and she taps her chin, "You know don't think I ever asked Namiko now that I think about it, what kind of streaming do you do?"
She steals a glance at Rikka as if trying to parse whether... Rikka thinks anything is off here, since she knows the two of them well. "You've all known each other since... middle school right?" She asks the table, but perhaps Rikka more than the other two, "Kinda envy how close you all must be."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka... doesn't immediately notice anything off with Hass. She isn't the recipient of that stare, and she knows her to be a fairly reticent person - especially fresh off a big, taxing event like she just got through. What she does find strange, though, is Namiko - usually, she'd be jumping at a chance to hang out.
"Sorry, did we catch you two in the middle of something...?" Rikka asks, curiously. But, they do both eventually agree to join them, and she seems pleased at that. Opportunities to hang out with both of them have been rare, these days - she has to cherish the chances she does get.
"Really? That's awesome, congrats! I know you've been wanting to broaden your base for a while now..." Rikka says. She lets Namiko handle the question of what kind of streaming Hass does, instead nodding toward Leina as she speaks.
"Yeah, we've been practically inseperable since then." She agrees with a nod. "I don't think I would've made it through school without them... especially these days."
...She pauses, and a smirk creeps across her face.
"...Of course, they wouldn't have made it without me, either, so we're even." She says, her tone of gentle, friendly teasing.
<Pose Tracker> Celebro has posed.
Namiko may perhaps seem...just slightly flat, to an attuned ear. Someone like Rikka would know Namiko's contours enough to see that some are missing. And, indeed, is doing so. Namiko does steal a glance at Leina, then scratch just slightly at the side of her head - just a shade of uncertainty - but covers it quickly by turning a smile on Rikka. "Ahahah, busted!"
Namiko is paying zero attention to however Hass is eating without the mask. Maybe this is just a mystery of the Sage Sleepycore Wizard. "Nothing special," Hass deflects. "Looking around."
"Yeah," Namiko agrees, smacking her lips at tasty iced creams. Then, Leina asks a question!
Namiko is the one who attempts to answer first, chiming a cheerful, "Oh, you know, she's, uhm," and then her mouth catches up with the fact her brain contains NO information on Hass' streaming, and she looks at Hass with an expression...kind of weirdly close to alarm.
Hass glances at her and then those eyes settle back on Leina. "Gaming. Zatsu. No food." ... "News, sometimes. When something interesting happens."
Namiko giggles. "Which is never!"
Hass does not dignify that one, instead considering Leina closely. "Yes," she says, and then slowly tips her gaze toward Rikka. It's...that's not...quite the right face, for Hass? There's a certain curiosity to it. "I think reaching a broader audience will make some amazing things possible. I plan to."
Then... teasing. "Hah! Darn right! Rikka would fall apart in a day if she didn't have us around~"
Hass looks at her for a long, LONG second, after that.
Namiko, though, abuses chair proximity to lean over and fully snake an arm around Rikka's shoulder, hugging her right into her side. "Speeeeaaaking of which, Doc Ohta's macrobiology class is wild and if I read too many ten letter words at a time I explode, sooooo," she begins.
Then Hass, very quietly, adds, "No, we won't need that."
And Namiko blinks at her, and says, "Oh. OK!" and backs off.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Rikka doesn't seem on guard or anything, so Leina tries not to tense up. Still it begs the question of why Hass feels a bit... off to her. She finds herself paying close enough attention to the answer to Rikka's question.
Namiko's answer strikes a confusing contrast with Hass' deflection. Leina's brow furrows with uncertainty as she takes a bite of the ice cream.
... Leina can't help but look faintly startled at Namiko not knowing. She couldn't stop talking about Hass last time. Surely she knows right?
The blue of Hass' eyes meets the Green of Leina's and Leina smiles politely. If it's forced, it's hard to tell, "I'll have to recommend your stream to my friend Mamoru. He and his friend Ikumi can't get enough of gaming. ... Just a casual myself though."
Which is never!
Part of her wishes she could just... tell her, like she told Ramo. However, she's already distressed Namiko enough for one lifetime so she's understandably hesitant to tip her over that edge.
There's a smile at how Rikka talks about them, it's nice that she can think about things like - a middle school that didn't happen without distress or despair. And Namiko's reply? Leina finds herself giggling as she starts up talking over Dr Ohta's macrobiology class - she can see the writing on the wall here, what's going to happen. "What'd she just say? Sounds like you'd be lost without her t-"
'No, we won't need that.'
'Oh. OK!'
It's like a balloon of good cheer in Leina was suddenly popped, her face becoming one of confusion, her eyes asiding to Rikka, then back to Namiko. There's something... strangely controlling about Hass here, and Namiko didn't make it sound like that at all.
"You must take really good notes Hass, if Namiko doesn't need Rikka to lend a hand here."
She asides, resisting the impulse to mouth 'what the heck' to Rikka.
Change the subject change the subject. "Say Namiko, did you happen to run into that airsoft... Robot guy again?"
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka looks a little closer at Namiko, but she doesn't get long before that smile is turned on her. 'Busted', she says, but Hass claims they're doing nothing special - just looking around.
"Alright, alright, you don't have to tell me. Keep your secrets." Rikka says, raising her hands. It's said in good cheer... though, a part of her feels a little bad, with how many secrets she's keeping from them.
What surprises her, though... is that strange look on Namiko's face. Surprise? She thought she would've jumped at the chance to gush about Hass... or at least admit she didn't know. Rikka's gaze lingers on her for a moment longer before looking back toward Hass. ...And, as strange as Namiko's look was, Hass's is even stranger. That's... a new expression. Rikka's not sure it's a good one.
"Oh yeah...? Well, you know I'll be right there cheering you on." Rikka replies. ...Everything's fine, right?
She chuckles a little as Namiko fires back with her own teasing, and then makes a show of rolling her eyes dramatically as an arm snakes around for a hug.
"Oh, heeere we go." Rikka says, right as Namiko starts asking her question. She's about to give a response... When, suddenly, Hass cuts her off. Rikka pauses for a moment. Her expression when Leina looks over to her makes it clear that this is a surprise to her, too. 'We'? And that tone...
"...You know I don't mind, right? It's okay, really." Rikka assures, her tone hesitant. This... definitely feels weird. Her gaze falls on Hass for a moment, and she really takes a look at her this time. She's almost thankful when Leina changes the topic.
"Y-yeah... What happened with him?" Rikka asks.
<Pose Tracker> Celebro has posed.
Hass looks to Leina and there's just this...vibe to it. It's not a threat, but it might be irritation? Is this really Leina and Rikka's friend?
Namiko not knowing Hass' streaming isn't that weird (chalk that one up to Akane, Hass hasn't been the most open about it), but as Rikka observes, Namiko not rushing to laugh off her own ignorance is a little fishy. Still, Namiko sees Leina's shock. "ehehe, honestly, we thought Hass wasn't that serious about it until recently..."
Hass....does not reply.
Leina probably doesn't know Hass well enough to see it but on close inspection from Rikka, Hass' body language is...COMPLETELY wrong? She's sitting less like the cozy blanket-wearing sleepycore palfriend and more like she's stiffly enduring even being here. Her posture is closed off, half-hunched. But her eyes...what is that look in her eyes?
Her ice cream is 3/4 gone. Namiko is licking hers idly.
Until she's prompted! "Oh! Mic, right? I went looking for him again but that's when I ran into Leina here." She...blushes, just slightly, and scratches her cheek. Hass does not react in any meaningful way. "Haven't gone again since."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina knows that Namiko in particular was... feeling a little left out by Rikka hanging with Yuta and Sho lately, but not enough to actually take action? It's a weird part of Akane's world that it just never occurred to her to go to Junk Shop Aya. So she watches Namiko and Rikka interact with a bit of interest, like she just learns more and more about this place just from watching them.
However, she'd swear Hass doesn't like her, when they barely know each other. What is it? Did she do something wrong? Or did Namiko just... tell her about the conversation she had?
"Thatttt explains it." Leina takes Namiko's explanation with good cheer, "Well, now that you know how serious she is about it, bet you'll be one of her biggest fans!"
Leina says, as the hairs raise on the back of her neck. Unfortunately she doesn't know Hass well enough to understand just HOW wrong things are. Right now they're just off.
How is her ice cream still decreasing!? Leina swears she's been only looking away for a split second, but that amount is sure shrinking.
Namiko answers her about Mic... and Leina actually looks at Rikka here. Since she's the only one in the room that she knows of that knows... the reality of things. Leina decides to probe a little bit here, seeing if Rikka might follow her lead, "Ah that's a shame, was wondering if we could convince him to play with all of us together sometime." A bite of ice cream and... she isn't looking right at Hass, she keeps her eyes on Namiko here. She doesn't want to tip off Hass what she's doing... "Well, maybe the four of us could go after we finish up here. Assuming the three of you don't mind me being an easy target." There's even a good natured wink there...
... the reality is, she wants to see if Namiko says yes, and if Hass... tells her no yet again.
"Could make for good content for your stream." She asides to Hass.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Hahah, yeah..." Rikka admits, as Namiko points out that they hadn't realised just how serious Hass was about it. ...That much is true, admittedly. But, Hass... Something's definitely up. Did something happen during the streaming marathon...? She usually isn't... like this. She considers just coming out and asking about it, but hesitares, just a moment.
She does catch Leina looking her way at the talk of Mic. She's a little surprised Namiko would just let that drop, after how excited she seemed about the meeting... And then, Leina gives her a good prompt. She knows her well enough by now that she can see it for what it is, and... yeah. Yeah, she needs to see just how bad this is getting.
"Hey, that'd be fun. It's been a while since we've done anything together and I've got, like, no plans for the rest of the day." Rikka chimes in with her agreement.
<Pose Tracker> Celebro has posed.
"Alouette seemed worried about him," Namiko admits. "I wanted to see him, try to...clear the air, you know? But...I'm just wasting my time to just wander town hoping, you know? He hasn't answered on VERTEX, either..."
It's a good excuse. And leave out something that this time only she and Hass would know...
And then Leina AND Rikka set bait. ANd Namiko, who would *absolutely* tapdance her way along with Rikka anywhere...glances at Hass.
Who should, usually, also do that.
Her ice cream is gone now. "We had plans," Hass says, and stands. "Can't miss it."
"Ah, dang, that fast?" Namiko says, like she knows what Hass even means by that, and stands too. "Sorry! It's a good idea, though! Next time, maybe!"
They're not, like, RUNNING, but stopping them would need to be done soon, before they move to go.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina knows EXACTLY what Mic has been up to lately. Because she was on the Ra Mari near Frontier when his attack on Island 3 began. However, tipping off Namiko that he's dangerous would be counterproductive. Triple Zero doesn't seem to dislike Akane's place, or her creations. So perhaps the wise move is just to keep the Gridman Alliance informed. To let Ramo and Ako make moves of their own.
"Oh yeah? It makes sense that Alouette would, she's the type."
Leina tries not to sound upset, yet again, about Akane ripping her hope for moving forward into a better future out of her. She is though, she can't fail to be.
Leina's eyes however are on... Namiko, and there's a reason. She can't really read Hass well, but Namiko?
And that immediate glance towards Hass is telling.
Hass is of course the first to answer. "Ah really? That's a shame. Sorry it can't happen." Rather than try to say something's wrong, instead she just, implies it a little, as she cants her head Rikka's way while looking at Namiko, "Was hoping to give you some of that quality time with Rikka that you were hoping for here, didn't want to hog her afternoon you know? But if you've got plans..."
As she knows that Namiko has been desperate for hangout time with Rikka. Ordinarily she wouldn't say THAT much even, but right now she's actively worried about her. Enough that maybe making her... say something, would be good.
"Anyhow, see you two around! I'll check out your stream soon Hass, next time you're live."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense..." Rikka replies, as Namiko comments that she'd just be wasting her time. And if he hasn't answered... she supposes there's no point in waiting around for him.
But, where Rikka fully expected Namiko to at least consider it, she only looks toward Hass, who shuts it down. They have plans, she says - even after saying earlier that they were just doing nothing special...
Rikka hesitates, gripping the side of the table. She can't respond right away... but when Hass stands up, Rikka does to. She can see the both of them start to move away quickly... She can't let this conversation just end like this.
"Hass, wait!" Rikka calls out. "...Did something happen? During your marathon, or something? You haven't been... acting like yourself - you're quiet, but you're usually not this... guarded."
She hesitates for a moment, and continues.
"...I know I haven't been around a whole lot, and I've been flaking out on you two a bunch... but if something's wrong, you can talk to me, you know? We can figure it out." She says.
BBSYS: Post 418, 'Just Wingin' It With These Puns' has been published to Daily Spotlight by Lucine Azul.
<Pose Tracker> Celebro has posed.
Leina puts out another trap, and Namiko half-turns, giggling. "I mean, yeah! Obviously I wanna. But we got stuff to do! I'll catch you later, Rikka!"
...but Rikka's not as passive about it. Namiko looks back with surprise. Hass looks back with...
Actual nothing.
It's like she's looking at The Least Interesting Object.
"I know," she says, and the mask makes it impossible to tell if she's smiling. She should be. But...there's none of that liveliness to her face. "Just got a lot on my mind, right now. We'll see each other again soon."
Is that malice in her thoughts...? She adds, "We can talk then."
Then the two continue on their way.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"Alright, see you two later!" Leina responds to Namiko's giggled reply.
If Leina called out to the two and asked if something was wrong, it'd be unnatural. She wouldn't talk about... the subject that drove Namiko away before. However, Rikka does. And Leina finds her expression soften as she hears Rikka appeal to them, like there were failings on her side.
Leina knows why Rikka hasn't hung out with them as much. So she feels wholly sympathetic to her.
And Hass, Hass stares at them with such disinterest. She listens to Hass' words, and then, they're gone.
And Leina just, exhales into a deep sigh right away, rubbing the side of their head. Not long after, Leina's wheelchair is moving to Rikka's side, her hand sliding what remains of her ice cream on over.
Leina just lowers her voice, "Something's wrong there. The vibe Namiko gave me before... their friendship wasn't so, controlling? This almost felt a bit abusive."
And Leina just... decides to trust her with something, being Shuffle Alliance. As she reaches for a pen in her pocket, and scrawls something on a napkin. And holds it up long enough for Rikka to read it.
'I'm a Newtype.'
The napkin is bunched up, then put in her purse, as she recaps the pen. "Please keep it a secret, even from your friends. The reason I'm telling you is I felt something... off there."
She gives Rikka a worried look, "I have no idea what it is. It was just a little abnormal? It wasn't like Triple Zero, or a Kaiju, or whatever Akane has been doing to the recent transfers. It was more subtle, just weird enough that..."
Her eyes move to the front of the Ice Cream Parlor, "...I don't even know. So maybe keep an eye on them. But be careful as the way Hass was acting towards Namiko? I don't think she'd react... well, to someone trying to get in the way of that."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Hass looks back at Rikka. She's almost taken aback by that expression. Anger she would've been okay with, but this...? Somehow, complete disinterest feels a lot worse - like she's barely even worth looking at. Hass says that she has a lot on her mind, but they'll see each other again soon.
"...Yeah, okay." Rikka replies after a while. She nods, just slightly. "Um... take care, you two."
She doesn't sit back down until it's clear that neither of them are turning back, and when she does, she sort of wilts into her chair. She's quiet for a moment. She hears more than sees Leina wheeling herself over. At her kind gesture, she manages a smile... and then, shakes her head at her question.
"No, Hass isn't like that at all. She can be blunt, but she isn't... controlling. She's usually okay with getting carried along with Namiko's flights of fancy. I don't get it... I don't know what happened." She replies. She pauses for a moment as Leina begins to write something. She looks down at the napkin quietly, and then back up at Leina. It's probably expected that she doesn't make too much of a reaction - but when she says to keep it a secret, Rikka nods.
"Abnormal...?" Rikka replies with a frown. ...What could it mean? Maybe something did happen. She considers that for a moment... and then, nods. "...Yeah. I'll be careful."
She looks down for a moment, a brief scowl crossing her face.
"...I hate this." She murmurs. She hates the idea of having to be careful around her friends, that something like this could happen...
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
There's a nod from Leina and a look on her expression like 'I was afraid of that.'
As she listens to her... what happened? Leina looks distant, she knows she distressed Namiko recently, but that couldn't be it right? She doubts even if Namiko does have a crush on Hass that she'd be brave enough to confess.
It's expected that Rikka thinks of it as no big deal that she's a Newtype, which is why she emphasized the secret part of it. It may not be a big deal here but... outside Tsutsujidai, it's the kind of information that can get someone targeted. She trusts Rikka though.
Her reaction... Leina's seagreen eyes briefly close. Then...
"... I hate that you're having to go through this, but... you've done good work. Really good work for the people here. And I have no doubt you'll be able to do right by Namiko and Hass too, no matter what's going on. I know at least that I have faith in you, and the whole Gridman Alliance."
Her seagreen eyes open, looking upon Rikka for a few moments of silence. And then...
"Hey Rikka..."
Pause.
"...do you need a hug?"
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Leina assures her that she's done good work work - that she has no doubt that she'll be able to right by her friends. That she has faith in her, and the Gridman Alliance. Rikka nods.
"...Thanks. I... appreciate that." She replies. She hesitates a bit, when Leina offers a hug... but after a moment, she nods.
"...Please." She replies quietly. She'll gladly accept it.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina bends over to offer Rikka a hug, as tight as she can manage. It's not a comfortable exercise for her with her back injury but...
...it's something she can do for her, so she doesn't even grimace in complaint. She doesn't hold on either for uncomfortably long. Just long enough, before it loosens.
"Dang." Leina says as she gives her an apologetic smile, "And here I was hoping to give you a nice afternoon away from all of this for a while."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Leina gives Rikka a hug, and she manages a smile for her. She knows it can't be easy for her... but the fact she does it despite that means a lot.
"...Yeah." Rikka admits with an awkward laugh. "...But I guess this had to happen sometime. I'm kind of glad I didn't have to face that on my own..."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"Yeah... me neither I think I'd have had a hard time trusting my own intuition if you hadn't been here."
She tells her after a moment, "Guess each of us was able to back each other up here?"
Pause. Leina considers something for a moment then...
"... Hey Rikka. Maybe once you've got a handle on this, invite Namiko over to Aya sometime?"
Leina suggests with a smile, "I know you've had the best of reasons for not having as much time for your friends. It's important. And they can't know why you're spending so much time with Yuta and Sho instead of them. Not really."
She weighs what to say next for a moment, with a pause, then, "But her feelings are still real, and I know she must feel a little left out. I don't think... it even occurs to her, to ask for your time in ways like that."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka nods. It makes sense - she's known them for so long, after all, while Leina only met Namiko for the first time just the other day from what she knows, and never knew Hass. It can be hard to tell when something's off with people you don't know.
"Yeah." Rikka replies with a nod, then looks on with interest as Leina seems to be considering something. And then... she suggests she invite Namiko over to Aya. Surprise briefly crosses over Rikka's face.
Somehow... It'd never really occurred to her that Hass and Namiko had never visited, in all the time they've known each other. It seems like such an obvious thing to ask, but... Somehow, she hadn't.
"...Yeah. You're right. I should. I... don't know why I haven't yet." She agrees with a nod. "The last thing I want is for her to feel left out, or... that I don't care about her - either of them - anymore."
She should... think of other ways she can show that, too.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
'I... don't know why I haven't yet.'
There's the implication of guilt in that statement so, she tries to smile at her...
"Don't blame yourself. I'm not sure but... I think..." Leina hesitates, as she doesn't want to put this on her in a sense, but if it'll stave off guilt...
"... I think the reason you haven't is the same reason it hasn't occurred to her."
It hasn't escaped Leina's notice in all of those times with Ramo, that Akane...
... really, really doesn't want people coming over to her home. That Sayla indeed, warned Leina about going over to Akane's place, talking to her like that.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Leina tells her not to blame herself - that the reason she hasn't is the same reason it hasn't occurred to Namiko. She's not quite sure what she means by that, but she can hazard a few guesses.
"...In that case... We'll have to make an effort to change that." Rikka replies with a nod. She wants it to become natural - wants to be able to welcome them into her space.