2022-10-25: Diamond is a Girl's Best Friend
- Log: 2022-10-25: Diamond is a Girl's Best Friend
- Cast: Sayla Mass, Leina Ashta, George de Sand,
- Where: Villa Mass, AEU Spain
- OOC - IC Date: 25 October, 0096
- Summary: George de Sand pays a visit to those who have been injured in battle.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
New routines seem to have started to settle in at Villa Mass. The Villa staff are here more often to handle increased cooking and cleaning. There have been a few ups and downs- hurriedly setting up Leina's remote exams, Sayla being aggressively put on sick leave by both of her jobs, getting Judau and Roux's living space set up, Anti's sudden departure- it's been a lot.
Right now, Sayla is... at a loose end. Which is rarely good. There was the incident with the photo albums already, and she's been- slowly- making certain phonecalls. Okay she's only called Kai. Bright is next on her list. She's not looking forward to it.
So what's Sayla doing now? Well she's dipped into the world of vinyl. Nidaime's gift was a surprise, and it appears that collectors and reprints are still a thing. There's a few Minmay albums, some albums from colonial musicians of 20-30 years ago, a few golden oldies- it's an eclectic mix. The main problem is-
"Damnit Foras, stop batting at it!" She's slow to get the needle and case down with one hand, shooing the cat. "Not everything new in this house is a toy." With some difficulty, she gets the cover down, as the music- 0075 Colony Pop Act 'Noisy Vacuum'- starts playing, and she makes her way to a seat.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
It's not far away from Sayla, the faint hum of the Psycommu wheelchair that's becoming a constant in this household again, just like it was seven years ago. Leina can feel Sayla frayed at the edges, and she understands why.
As she shoos Foras away, Leina is just entering the room - wearing a cream colored jumper and jeans - as she puts the datapad on her lap aside, and lightly just pats her lap. The Blue Main Coon takes the invitation instantly.
Leina's lap, which is now constantly mobile is free real estate for him.
Soon enough he's settled in under her designated petting hand as the wheelchair hums into the room.
The look she gives Sayla is just slightly exasperated, but she doesn't say anything. She knows why she's so irritable right now, and doesn't blame her.
The wheelchair settles in near her seat, and she just listens.
"Mmm."
She actually remembers this one, it wasn't so long before she was born, which means it was playing at a lot of shops and on radios all over when she was a kid.
"Little nostalgic." She notes idly.
<Pose Tracker> George de Sand has posed.
The Jack In Diamond of the Shuffle Alliance had obviously been one of the first notified of the incident at Torrington. All hands had been on deck for him and the other Crest Holders for the last few weeks, checking in with their respective groups and planning their next moves. However, George de Sand was a gentleman at heart, and could not keep his mind off of their woman at the center of it.
Sayla Mass had been an invaluable asset to the Alliance, keeping operations managed even through his fellows and his...let's call them flights of fancy. Of course, she was probably the one at the scene most harmed by the return...George shook his head as he walked up to the villa's door. Non non, we won't think about that right now. This is not only a wellness check, but a social call.
George approaches the door and rings the bell, to signal his arrival. "Dr. Mass! It's me, George. I came to see how you were doing."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"Well, they say the best music was what was being played when you were 15." Sayla responds, as Leina settles next to her. "And this band were from Loum, so they got a lot of air time when I was in medical school." At 15. "Besides, I wanted some things I knew- see if I could tell the difference."
It's then that the intercom of the Villa transmits to Sayla's phone, and she pulls up the camera. Seeing it's George, she goes for her Shuffle phone. When that verifies a second later, she remotely unlocks the door. "Come in, George. Leina and I are in the sitting room." Her tone is... a little happier, but still not happy.
As she waits for George to arrive, Sayla looks back to Leina. "Do you have many more exams to go? Are you handling everything okay?" They've been through a lot recently, but Sayla's concerns about school are not something Leina can put onto herself.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"Is that what they say?" A broad smile forms on her face, "It's kind of amazing you even had time to pay attention to background music, given the pace you were setting in Medical School." A light tease, "Relam~pago~"
There's a thoughtful look on her expression, "Mmm, since I got set back almost two years, maybe it's seventeen for me? When Sheryl debuted."
She's a rather big Sheryl fan. There's no shame or sadness in the statement of being set back two years.
The proximity sensors tripped long ago, but Leina felt George's intent on this place even before then. There's a relaxed posture to her as she notes to Sayla, "George is here." A moment before the intercom transmits and Sayla lets him in from afar.
"I'm alright. Almost all caught up." She gives Sayla a reassuring smile, "Not the most convenient time for this to happen but when is it ever?" And then there's a light sigh, "More concerned about all the time training I'm losing... I'll play catch up once I'm cleared for the pool again."
That's probably what she misses the most.
"Actually kind of going a little stir crazy just... trying to find things to do when Judau and Roux are out. Even taking on more remote work for the Foundation just-" There's a shake of her head, Leina just lives a very active life. "-yeah."
<Pose Tracker> George de Sand has posed.
George arrives in the sitting room, carrying a bouquet of roses. It was not an uncommon sight to see him with some of the blooms, but this bunch was probably the most either woman had seen him with. "Sayla, Leina, it's good to see you two again. I apologize for not contacting you earlier."
He looks over to Leina in her chair and can't help but feel a tinge of sadness, quickly shaking it off lest the girl sense his perturbance. Leina was in the thick of it, too. He regretted not being there to help them. It was a failure of leadership on his part.
It wouldn't happen again.
The Jack in Diamond walks up to Sayla, handing her the roses and kneeling down to give her a kiss on the hand. Old gentlemanly habits never died.
"And I apologize for what happened. To the both of you."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"You'd be surprised what sticks in your head when you're doing your study at a cafe because you keep getting stares at the library. ...And they do unlimited refills of coffee." Sayla looks a little bit embarrassed. Leina brings up Sheryl's debut, and something sparks in Sayla's mind.
"...Ah, that's right. Apparently Miss Nome was apparently interested in some work with the Foundation. I've dropped the ball a bit but someone's working on it. I can find out who if you want, but there's going to have to be a face to face eventually."
As George enters, Sayla stands only to see a frankly astonishing amount of roses. "George, it's been too long." She allows the kiss on the hand, before offering him a seat with her hand. She shifts back to Leina- "I'm sure it won't be long." The guilt radiating off Sayla is huge. "Oh, they'll let you work?" Sayla sighs. "...I'm obviously not the best person to ask, though. Roux and Judau must have had time to pass over at Jupiter."
Sayla's mood sours slightly, though, as George apologises. "...I don't think the outcome would have changed had you been there. Maybe all five of you, but what happened at Torrington... The Federation had the floor wiped with them. We're lucky that northeast Australia isn't a radioactive wasteland."
Sayla leans back in her chair. "It's just a matter of what to do now. Not that it's my call right now."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"Oh my gosh I couldn't-" Leina says quickly of taking advantage of her charity work connections just to meet her. She hasn't yet even been able to justify paying full ticket price to go see one of her concerts. "-I mean I wouldn't mind being involved in... helping organize. Just..."
She trails off by the time she feels George near.
The wheelchair turns the moment George comes in, and he'll have a very clear view of her petting Foras on her lap, a smile forming easily, "It was chaos after Torrington George, noone could blame you for that."
George if he looks closely may notice Leina is not ever moving much from her upright position, and there are cushions strategically positioned on her seat to take the pressure off of her spine. He probably heard about her injuries second hand. Four broken vertebrae, pelvis fractured in two places.
Fortunately her prognosis is good, she'll be off her feet only a little over a month at most.
"Remotely. Lots of spreadsheets. Data entry. Processing Grants." She tells Sayla idly, "It's something I can do right now."
George kneels to kiss Sayla's hand, and Leina says to George, not unkindly - but firmly, "I only have myself to blame for what happened to me. Even if it's a matter of honor - I can't let you take responsibility for that."
What Sayla has to say... Leina just winces, and then nods, "She's not wrong... it was hell on Earth out there."
Part of her thinks that both Sayla and her are extremely lucky to be talking to him right now at all.
<Pose Tracker> George de Sand has posed.
As George takes his seat, he lets out a sigh. He had read the reports, he knew just what had happened in Australia. And yes, it might have been true that anything less than the full hand of the Shuffle Alliance would have made a difference, but...it was unfortunately in his nature to still feel a tinge of guilt. For a second, a memory of Marseilles flashed in his mind.
"Well, either way, it is heartening to see the both of you in good spirits otherwise. You might be more the heart of our Alliance than the King of Hearts himself, after all."
He had truly meant that. While yes, Domon, Chibodee, Argo, Sai, and himself were the public face of the Shuffle Alliance, the truth is that none of them were particularly suited to the monumental duties of leadership thrust upon them. All five of them were grateful to have Dr. Mass to help guide the way.
"If there is anything at all I can do for you or Miss Ashta while you recover, simply say the word and it's yours."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"It's important to have someone in the target audience to think where things will have the greatest effect. I think the team would have you, and then it's their decision." A pause. "But these things often come with VIP passes."
"You have Triple Zero to blame for it." Not Banagher, not Amuro, not herself. Her eyes skate to George's. "It's not the same as DG Cells, but... George wouldn't tell you bear the blame for the actions of someone under their control." Oh no George, you've been pulled into the Mass Villa blame attribution challenge.
Sayla looks down. "...If I'm the heart, maybe we need a cardiologist." She sighs, deep and sad. There's so much wrong with that idea in her head. She's too callous, too violent, too bitter to be the heart.
Still, Sayla then lets herself a rare moment of levity. "A drink, perhaps- once I'm off painkillers. I came into possession of a '62 Pinot noir from one of the first dedicated viticulture colonies, and I'd love to have it with someone who could appreciate it. I got it for N-" She stops, mid-word.
"...That's it!" She turns all her attention to George. "You've had the crests four years now, do you know how Nassius managed to purify you of the DG Cells?" The possibilities run around her mind. "If the five of you had that power, it would mean Guy and Mamoru wouldn't have to respond to every threat themselves, and we wouldn't be reliant on NERV."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"Sayla really!" Leina sounds scandalized at the idea of a VIP pass, as it feels like nepotism as the real excuse over the stated reason. Then there's a yearning sigh because she obviously wants it, despite her principles, "So long as I'm doing my share of the work."
Which means, she's going to be doing more than her share, to justify taking it.
And then comes that moment assigning blame, "You say that... but he was there to activate that damn system. It could have happened just as easily without Triple Zero than with it. It was my choice to unbuckle in a mobile suit that was bouncing around like a pinball to let Judau in - and try to pull him out of it."
Leina hears George's statement of calling Sayla the heart, much less Sayla's comment - after-
"Heart-2, the Heart of the Alliance?" Leina taps her chin, "Foras, do you agree with George?"
Leina picks up Foras, who doesn't seem all that discontented by this treatment, as she changes her voice to what she might imagine a male cat to sound like that, "But of course! Though if she were more timely on filling my food dish after a mission she'd really cinch my endorsement~nyaa."
Honestly she's giving Foras a lot more credit on his level of refinement, her interpretation would be much doofier if she wasn't the biggest cat lover.
Rolling closer to her, Leina gives her this smile, and puts a hand on hers - she knows how big Sayla's heart is. Which is why it's so easily hurt...
... just because it's been hurt for so long does not mean it's grown any smaller.
However, she listens to the exchange, and is jolted by surprise as she blinks and looks between them...
... she doesn't respond herself to this, she just looks to George. Could that be the solution? She dares to hope. Sayla promised she'd come back alive from Amuro - that she'd bring him back.
But Leina isn't kidding herself on how difficult that's going to be for everyone.
<Pose Tracker> George de Sand has posed.
George's eyes widen as he looks to his hand, Jack in Diamond glowing on it. She was right! The purification abilities of the crests might help! However...
"We've not had much reason to use that ability, but I suppose we could give it a shot. The only thing that gives me pause is that it cost Nassius and the previous Alliance much of their power to do it. Granted, they had already been weakened beforehand, but they gave their lives in the process. It's potentially a risk, but if we've got an avenue, it's our duty to explore it!"
He clenches his fist, still staring at the crest."And it would behoove us to be able to take matters into our own hands, so to say. I'll confer with the others."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"Oh of course. *Your* share of the work." Oh no this is gonna be a problem. Sayla pauses. "...And maybe in your scenario, things would have happened differently. But that's not how it happened." This is also going to be a problem except Leina is ganging up on her with the cat. She lets out a sigh and shakes her head.
"...Please do. Just... don't sacrifice yourselves here. If it won't work without your death, don't do it." Her voice turns sadder. "I've already outlived one Shuffle Alliance, I don't want to repeat the experience."
The record continues to play in the background- the big hit, a sad song about lost love, comes quietly through the speakers.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"Sure. Just let me know who to contact and I'll arrange it."
It might be a good idea for Sayla to arrange this one, or else she'll end up taking it all on just to justify this gift.
Her stare though says she's not budging on the idea that unbuckling is her fault, her responsibility, end of story. Period. However, she's dropping it for now, in front of George.
Leina has zero shame about ganging up on Sayla with the cat in front of a Shuffle Leader.
Z E R O.
Leina doesn't say anything as George seems to be resolved to explore the option, all she does is squeeze Sayla's good hand as she says she already outlived one Shuffle Alliance. As that song about lost love comes on.
As appropriate as it is, she wishes she could cause the record to move on...
"Whatever all of you decide... just come back George." For all the levity before, there's a sad look in her green eyes, "For her sake, if not your own."
As Sayla already laid out painfully, she's suffered far too much hurt already without attending another funeral.
<Pose Tracker> George de Sand has posed.
George stands up and walks over towards the door of the sitting room, hands behind his back. It wasn't fair for the both of them to hit him at the same time like this. He had no choice but to be cool...
"Do not worry. I have no intention of dying anytime soon. After all, I'll need to present the trophy when Neo-France wins the Gundam Fight." He gives a small chuckle at his joke. "I suppose I've taken up enough of your time tonight. I'll be on my way. Again, if you need anything, please contact me or any of the others. We'll move Heaven and Earth for your sake."
Giving an elegant bow to the two, he turns on his heel and heads out of the villa.