2023-06-11: Post-Garuda Social: Wadatsumi
- Log: 2023-06-11: Post-Garuda Social: Wadatsumi
- Cast: Akane Shinjo, Rikka Takarada, Alouette Pommier, Knight, Qivi, Liam 7-020, Gridman, Koji Kabuto, Sousuke Sagara, Namiko
- Where: Tsutsujidai PLANT - Wadatsumi
- OOC - IC Date: 0097-06-11
- Summary: Three of the young women captured by the Vist Foundation -- those whose lives were inextricably bound up with those of Vessels of Light -- finally tell their story. It's a little painful, and involves a lot of clarification and some difficult conversations. Nevertheless, the path forward receives some much-needed illumination.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
A conference room on the Wadatsumi is as good a place as any to get this done.
It's been almost two weeks since Akane, Rikka, and Alouette escaped the Garuda and Murasame Labs. Akane, for her own part, is finally back in uniform; it feels good, though she's expecting enough people that she has her hoodie up and is taking this meeting sitting rather than standing. She's getting better at dealing with crowds, though it's still kind of difficult for her.
... there's a lot of 3G staff here too -- and while Akane's able to talk herself into being okay with things, 'lots of people in uniform in a meeting setting' has gotten a little difficult.
The process of getting everything set up takes a little time and -- in that time -- a lot of effort. Keita, Tamara, and Utsumi... were handling dealing with a tangly mess of AV cables? At one point? But then Keita let slip that his other job got a shipment of Tarabaman Inferna henshin devices a week early by mistake, and the siren song of prerelease merchandise got Utsumi talking... which meant neither of them got anything done at speed past a certain point.
... yeah, okay, Akane egged them both on by asking about whether there's a Dark Taraba or kaiju controller version of this season's toys and then letting them both get wound up.
But -- five minutes past the intended start time -- everything's ready to go now! Really!
Straightening out her ribbon tie but not moving to get up, Akane says, "Hi. I'm going to start with the basics! One -- yeah, we're out; two -- yeah, all three of us have been cleared on security essentials at this point. But... you know, structured meetings are kind of stupid, actually! So I'm just going to hit you with the basics and then we can do this as more of, like, a chat thing?"
Akane likes structure more than she sometimes admits, but... not right now and not about this. This is a 'rip the bandaid off and see what's next' kind of moment.
A big picture of the Garuda class of atmospheric supercarriers comes onto the screen. "This is the Garuda! It's in the custody of the Three Ships Alliance right now. I know they're technically an armed insurgency but this is still a huge improvement even if according to the Federation Assembly it's worse. Everyone here lived through the AEUG -- uh, except the people from Tsutsujidai... ahaha... anyway, this kind of political arrangement just happens sometimes! Don't worry about it."
"Unfortunately, the Sleeves, Banagher, and Mineva -- oh, uh, yeah, right. If you weren't there at Dakar, it came out that Audrey Burne is Mineva Lao Zabi and Sayla Mass is Artesia Som Deikun." No way around those. "Anyway, they didn't catch any of the big fish. Dr. Murasame, Mrs. Vist, and Alberto Vist all got away." Akane winces a little, before adding, "That's... in order of how bad they suck. Alberto's the weak link. I tried to drop him a line and let him know he's got options, but I dunno if he took it."
In through the nose, out through the mouth. "The good news is that every captive but Leina Ashta is -- free." Saying that word activates something deep in her gut, and the presentation gets a tiny bit easier. "3G is going through the steps of getting the Vist Foundation designated as a science criminal organization." A pause, before she adds, "That's, uh -- shorthand, for some of you guys. There's technically a way longer term... there's a bunch of laws about organizations that use untested technology or kaiju to get what they want." ... technically, the Three Ships Alliance would itself be covered by this due to the number of Psychoframe units, but Akane's kicking that down the road in her head.
She scoots along. "What was going on at Dakar was... mostly, I was trying to make the best of a bad situation by getting you guys enough information to do something about it, and make sure Rikka and Leina didn't..." It's here that she trails off.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
A meeting... Rikka considered stepping out and letting the others handle it but, ultimately, she decided that this was something she needed to do. She needs to be able to face it, if only to help arm others by sharing the perspective only she has. She sits next to Akane, leaning back in her chair a bit.
She's been mostly quiet during set-up, though the others getting completely side-tracked did get a laugh out of her. Right now, though... it's time for them to begin. Akane starts things off, and Rikka listens attentively. She goes through all of the major, important points. And eventually... Rikka nods, as Akane asks if she wants to jump in.
"They wanted to turn me into a weapon. Because... I'm a Newtype. They used... traditional, and not-so-traditional methods to recondition me, to try and erase my identity and replace it with one that'd be more willing to fight and kill for them. Someone aggressive, and angry, who wanted to punish the world for its cruelty." Rikka explains. "...They got pretty close. Akane kept me pointed toward people who could take it, and made me seem worse than I was to keep them from going further with it, but... I was still pretty bad."
She shakes her head.
"I'm doing a lot better, but I'm still... not quite myself again yet. Recovering's been kind of a... long, difficult process. And unraveling everything they put in my head's taken a lot out of me. So if I need to step out of this suddenly, that's why. No offense to any of you." She explains. She goes quiet again, then, to let everyone take this in.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
Alouette's a little more in her element here, finding it a lot easier to address the issue head-on than to continue stewing in it. So she's here on the Wadatsumi, in her 3G uniform and all!
She's fine with leaving untangling the mess to Keita, Utsumi, and Tamara... even if that ensemble of dorks gets it done very quite slowly. It's fine though.. it's a good thing more than anything to relieve all that tension before a meeting like this.
When it's time to start, she takes a seat on the other side of Akane, glancing Rikka's way to make sure she's doing okay. Akane speaks first, explaining the basics: the Garuda, who had it, who has it now, and what they're doing to address the issue. And that everyone except Leina is free...
And then Akane asks if she and Rikka would like to add anything. "So, while I was on the Garuda, most of my knowledge of what was happening was limited at best." She notes, to start. "This was very much the point. Their timeframe was limited enough that they were pretty easily able to plant the idea that I've already been compromised, so it'd be easier when it actually came time." She frowns, sharply.
"Needless to say, it's been a bit of process untangling this from the actual facts of what happened." She admits. But it's enough that I can confirm Akane's account is accurate. The Vist Foundation is without a doubt a science criminal organization."
"If you're here, you probably know about my past with BioNet, and if you don't... now you do. Their technology, much like BioNet's, show absolutely no regard for the safety or humanity of their subjects." As Akane says, there's a number of laws for that. "And I probably don't even need to mention what Doctor Murasame being on their payroll means. Even if they disavow and get rid of him, we cant offer them any goodwill."
"We still need to rescue Leina Ashta, and as Rikka says, the damage they caused doesn't heal overnight, so... we're grateful for your support." She concludes to their audience, with a polite French-style bow. "If you have any questions for us, please ask. I'll do my best to answer."
<Pose Tracker> Knight has posed.
Off to the side are a couple of irregulars. Nidaime's swanned off to go bother Utsumi -- that is, offer him help -- and Knight is leaning on the far wall, arms crossed.
He doesn't have much to say; his intense expression is, as always, largely inscrutable, though it's fair to say the scowling means he's bothered by all this. His one exposed blue eye falls on Rikka, for long moments. Back to Akane; and to Alouette. "..."
He settles on Rikka, again, finally. "I can take it. And I heard you, Rikka Takarada. It's good you spoke up." His lips are still quite terse, in that line, but he nods firmly just the once. "All of you," he adds, a moment later.
<Pose Tracker> Qivi has posed.
Qivi is not a member of GGG but she *has* actually been on the Wadatsumi before, so this is not uncharted ground for her; she operated out of it (partially) when Tsutsujidai was closed off from the rest of the universe, because it had a power source and spare space sufficient for her to rig up a macronization tube and park Minokawa, the only unit she'd had on site.
But, more importantly, she's been in Tsutsujidai a lot lately. She made some time to go to Nouvelle Tokyo and help NERV (and GGG) there, with the 000 situation, but she's also been spending a lot of time at Aya, helping out to make things go at least a little more smoothly. She also does work with the Photon Power League, which helps her credentials. And so she's here, too.
She wasn't entirely sure whether this was formal or not and Qivi does not own very many formal clothes, except for things that are *definitely* the wrong kind of formal for this. So she's now feeling a little underdressed compared to all the 3G uniforms kicking around, even though she has a perfectly nice pair of black slacks and a shirt in a shimmery colour that can't seem to make up its mind whether it is blue or green, rather like her eyes. This is because over it is the decidedly *not* formal bomber jacket with her arena battler logo on the back: a snorting bull's head in the center of an arc of seven gems, set rainbow-like over it.
Well, she tried.
Qivi does well with a less structured lifestyle and so Akane and the others deciding to run the meeting like this doesn't bother her and honestly makes it a lot easier on her. She doesn't interrupt though it looks a couple times like she's about to say something (or, given Qivi, possibly yell something); each time she bites her lip. In one case it's literal.
"Fuck 'em," she says, speaking for the first time. "I mean, the science criminal bastards. Uh, sorry about the language," Qivi adds. "But I mean it. They've gotta be priority... if not one, at least they get a single-digit number. I guess 000 is still probably out in front."
She means to be a lot more careful with her language when she continues and *still* almost blows it immediately, flushing slightly across her cheeks and down her pointed ears. "It's a f - It's a disgrace that they did this kind of thing to any of you." She looks especially at Rikka there, her gaze slipping. "Newtype or not - I don't know a whole lot about Newtypes beyond what everybody knows, or everybody 'knows'," complete with finger quotes. "I never learned more, but that's just disgusting."
"I wasn't at Dakar so I didn't see the worst of it, but I heard what it was like secondhand, and that was bad enough. I promised then that I was gonna help find you guys - well, girls," Qivi thumps her chest with her fist for emphasis, " - and though you found yourself first, if there's anything I can do, that's what I'm here for."
Then - and only then - does she realize that not everyone here actually knows her. "Uh, I'm Qivi," she adds, slightly sheepishly. The red on her ears darkens. "From Huffman. Just for the record."
Having thoroughly embarrassed herself in front of a crowd, Qivi almost slumps back down, but she keeps going: "Like BioNet, huh?" She looks at Alouette for a moment, but doesn't pry. "When you say treat 'em like a science criminal organization, do you mean they're legally getting lumped into the same kinda thing? Like, NERV can go after their funding and resources and stuff?"
<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
Liam had a stop to make before the meeting. His talk with Gridman just the other day reminded him of something else he can do to ground himself; he took the train directly to the Community Garden, and helped with the first-ever crop of hydroponic strawberries. A few hours picking berries and making small talk with Mrs. Sakai--the garden's full-time director--made him feel prepared for what he had to do next. She picked up on his concern. After thinking about the best way to put it, Liam told her that Rikka's family had been going through a crisis, but that things were gradually getting better.
The net result of this is that Liam shows up three minutes late, carrying two boxes, one larger than the other. He unpacks quickly and efficiently, setting everything on a side table: a bulk package of bottled water, paper plates and napkins, and finally the grand prize: a bushel of freshly-picked, thoroughly-washed strawberries. It's... not easy for him to eat when talking about things like this, and that may be true for the others, but the worst that can happen is that people take them home.
Liam takes a seat, folds his hands, and listens. At least he's one less person in uniform; he's wearing the same hoodie and shorts he wore so often in Tsutsujdiai. He lets out a breath as he hears about the Garuda's status, and for an idle moment, he wonders if the Captain would give him ten moments alone with Murasame's equipment and a sledgehammer. (For want of five minutes alone with Murasame and his own bare hands.)
He stops himself. The rage is born of empathy, and his own suffering. He gives it time to sit as he listens to Rikka and Alouette. His gaze wanders over to someone leaning against the wall, and--
That's Knight? Liam blinks. He looks so... professional. But Alouette asks if he has questions, and Liam's face twists. There is a water and a plate with five strawberries in front of him and he hasn't touched either. "Do you have any idea where Leina is right now?" There is pain in his voice.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
Sitting to Rikka's other side is Gridman, the young man looking tense as the girls speak up. Calibur stands guard outside the door to the meeting room, nodding at those he knows as they enter. Those with sharp eyes will have seen Borr and Vit atop the parked ship outside, and Max stands just behind Gridman, his arms folded in front of his chest.
Gridman looks down, unsure what to say. He doesn't really have anything to add. Except...
"...if an organization like this has come after Rikka, as a Repli-Compoid..." His voice is quiet, unsure. "I don't think it'll be the last time. Other organizations are going to come for Tsutsujidai. We've already known BioNet has an interest here."
Gridman shifts in his chair. "I've been worried about this for a while now, but after this, I think... We're going to need more protection for the city. I know we can't prevent all harm, but, I want to do all we can! Nothing like this should ever happen again."
"Not to anyone." Gridman murmurs. "I want to go after Leina right now, but I can't leave the city unguarded. And I don't know where to start."
Qivi's fervor earns a quiet chuckle from the enormous man behind Gridman. It's a sound of approval. "You are correct, Miss Qivi. I cannot imagine an organization investing so much into the resources necessary to commit these crimes and stopping after one reprimand. The Vist Foundation must be ferreted out and brought to justice."
"My comrades and I have done so in a small way." Is that a hint of pride in Max's voice? "They attempted a further advance into Tsutsujidai, and were soundly halted. This does not mean we can rest easy, however."
As Liam enters, Gridman begins to stand to help him unload his boxes, but Max puts a hand on the Hyper Agent's shoulder and walks over to Liam instead. Without words, he helps the young man set everything up, then moves to prepare a few plates.
Akane, Rikka, Alouette, and Gridman are all presented with water and fresh strawberries. Once this is done, Max returns to his vigil behind Gridman's chair.
"Thank you, Max, and you too, Liam." Gridman gives a wobbly smile. "This is great."
"Um, everyone's been looking for Leina, especially Dr. Mass, and..." Gridman shakes his head. "Nothing. Of her, or that creepy robot Vist had her piloting."
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
Officially speaking, Koji Kabuto is here to check on the Galeoria Pliers, since he was one of the people who helped develop and design the tool keeping Tsutsujidai stable.
Unofficially: He's here as an old friend of 3G, and a potential new friend to its newest recruits - and as moral support for Liam.
"Before I get to my questions," he starts, "there is one thing I would like to say." He looks across the table directly at Akane. "I know you've all been through a lot, and you've probably heard this multiple times already, Akane, but - given the situation you found yourself in and the resources at your disposal, I would say your actions to get control over the problem and get out were beyond commendable."
He grins. "Ugh, I hate professional language. Bottom line: I think you did great, considering the circumstances." His mien becomes more serious: "The Photon Power Research Institute, as a friend to 3G, seconds designating the Vist Foundation a science criminal organization and bringing Murasame to justice. OCU Intelligence has been gathering information on their operation since the end of February after they used the Banshee - with Leina piloting it - to attack the Lab. Shiro has recommended that team coordinate with 3G Intelligence going forward - I assume they'll be in touch soon if they haven't already."
With all that said... "... Why did they specifically target Rikka, though?"
<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
A bit toward the back, a young woman is here in the 'uniform' of the Tsutsujidai Rescue Team, which is to say there's no uniform and it's a black shirt that says 'ANGEL' on it but the text is red and has devil horns. Namiko has a duffle bag next to her. The reason she has a duffle bag is that there are EIGHT thermoses of various labeled teas spread out on warmers in the back.
Some people have their coping mechanisms. She must've been working out to carry all that, though.
For the most part she is alternating between struggling not to tackle Rikka out of her chair and listening with her eyes cast down. This isn't the kind of situation for her to act out in her usual fashion, and it's hard to feel like she wants to push those limits right now. But when Gridman speaks up about protecting this place, Namiko feels it's within her place to note, "The Rescue Team isn't equipped for fighting. Not...people like that."
ALSO present is a young man with brown, shaggy hair and a straight-backed posture, grey eyes and a scar on his cheek. Sousuke Sagara is... ...well, in theory, what he does is secret, but after the Tsutsujidai lockdown he's a well enough known face to these parts. "Troubling they could have such effects so quickly," he says, because he cannot shut his mouth under any circumstances. "The methodologies I've seen are..."
That's where he gets himself to cut off, at least, because he's remembering things he'd rather not.
His eyes drift to Knight, who he hasn't seen much of since his change, and, like, what?
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
When Rikka recounts her end of the story, Akane scoots over toward her a few steps; she doesn't immediately crowd her, but she makes certain that Rikka knows she's there for her, physically. She looks to Knight when the two of them exchange that look.
She stays quiet for a little while, but does think to add a clarifier. "To try to thin out the security, I asked for a small security detail to go on a trip to do... something they wanted me to do. It didn't go quite the way I planned it, and Knight kinda ate the worst of it." Her eyes meet his for a split second, then turn down. "... thank you for helping us get room to move. I'm sorry I put you at that big a risk, but... I didn't realize everything they did to her."
Qivi expresses her support, and Akane gives her a small nod. She elects to let Alouette handle the actual questions -- though she does note, "Real talk, you stopping by the shop and helping every couple days is already doing a ton."
Akane takes a strawberry before handling the question of Leina. "Gridman's right -- we have no idea where Leina is. My guess is she's with one of our three other VIPs, with an outside chance of getting picked up by another group."
Gridman's comment on people's interest in Repli-Compoids gets Akane to think. "Well, 3G's already got a big resource commitment here. But I guess Porc-Auto isn't enough of an add, and can't be here all the time, either..." She starts thinking on something. "I told Dr. Murasame a small lie? But it's the kind of lie that only really buys us any time the first time he tries something. We're gonna have to come up with a long-term solution." A pause. "I can't stop you guys from popping off, but I think if you want to do something about him, you should ask Rikka or Alouette first." She doesn't leave an opening to disclaim that, either. It is necessary that they be reminded they can make choices about this. "And yeah -- the Rikka Corps," Akane affirms for Namiko, "aren't that kind of organization either."
She nods to Koji about the practicals, and gives him a slightly cringing smile at the encouragement. What she offers him in the end is about his last question. She looks to Rikka briefly, then back to Koji. "There's kinda two answers here. One is why Repli-Compoids, and two is why her." She breathes in, then out. "Repli-Compoids have pretty regular DNA and might not be able to get Algernon, and Alexis was pushing Murasame's research along as hard as he could. In that sense they're pretty great subjects for, uh. Memory manipulation." Akane's mood craters, and it's obvious the way her head hangs, dark hair curtaining her eyes. She keeps going in spite of it, though. "As for why Rikka... well, when you're making a Cyber-Newtype, you kinda need to have four things. Piloting experience, minimum physical tolerance threshold, ability to use remote weapons, and obedience."
... yeah, she's having a bad time explaining this. She slumps into her seat. "Rikka was a Repli-Compoid who already had the first three." ... all of those were things she developed in the process of helping save Akane, too, Akane realizes as she says it.
It doesn't feel especially good.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Akane scoots toward her, and Rikka offers her a small smile. ...It definitely helps, and she's able to tell the rest with a bit more confidence.
Rikka looks toward Alouette as she speaks up. It's good to see her in her element again. And having Gridman and Max next to her is plenty reassuring, too. Coming after her as a Repli-Compoid, though... is it possible there will be more?
...She suppose it's happened to Hass, already. And Namiko wasn't safe, either. She frowns... but instead of dwelling on that for now, she looks up toward Knight.
"...Thank you." Rikka replies, offering him a nod of her own in return. ...It means a lot, coming from him.
She nods her thanks, then, as Qivi states her opinion on Vist and what they did. As for Liam, he also receives her thanks - as does Max, for passing out the water and strawberries.
Dr. Murasame...
"I don't... know that I can make a decision on him right now. I hate him, but... I don't want to let that be me right now." Rikka murmurs.
And Namiko... it is good to see her here. She's really missed seeing her friends. Rikka offers her a smile and a small wave - and then a nod, agreeing with her assessment. And Akane's, too, when she speaks up to agree with Namiko.
"...Yeah. I feel the same way." She agrees. "And... now more than over, I don't want anyone fighting who doesn't want to."
Sousuke, of course, also gets a smile.
And then, Koji, who asks a very important question. Why her? Why Rikka Takarada, specifically? Akane handles that one - and Rikka can tell how difficult it is for her to get through it. The guilt...
It's Rikka's turn to scoot over this time, reaching out to take one of her hands in her own.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
Although she knows she's equipped for it, and she's the one who brought up questions... maybe it's no surprise that this is a little overwhelming for Alouette. Liam and Max provide some temporarily relieve from that as she accepts some water and strawberries. "Thanks. I'm probably going to be talking a lot so... I'm going to need the refreshments." She manages a smile... the strawberries really are fresh.
Next, her eyes meet Knight's. "Yes, and... thank you for giving us the platform to use our voice," she answers him. The escape probably would've cut it even more close if Knight didn't help them out.
Qivi is loud about her disdain for Vist and Dr. Murasame, and the support feels appreciated. "I think the language is more than warranted in this case," she assures her. "As for your question... yes. I'm not certain about the other branches of NERV, who are more Angel focused, but 3G will be using our full extent of resources to stop them... just like with BioNet."
Liam's question, then. As Gridman and Akane answered... "We don't know right now, unfortunately. But those who are close to her have affirmed that they can feel she's still alive." It's not a very scientific answer, but she's willing to trust it. "Bringing her home, won't be easy, and she'll probably fight it due to her conditioning... but we will. I'd hate it if we escaped and she couldn't..."
Gridman's focus is understandably on Tsutsujidai. "At this point, we're committed to turning the Wadatsumi here into a full-time base. But like Akane said, we have a lot of responsibility at Orbit Base, too... I don't think we'll be able to handle it all on our own, but that's part of being in the wider world, I suppose." She spares a glance to Akane.
Alouette also doesn't know how to feel about the decision regarding Dr. Murasame being passed to her. "Ah, I-" She looks at Rikka, who's not ready to decide. "I agree with our official decision on this one. Being with 3G taught me that justice comes in many forms - and we still need to save Leina, so I'd rather focus on that first."
Finally, Koji Kabuto pledges his support. "Thank you, Doctor Kabuto. We'll have Volfogg working with your people in no time." She replies. "And... I know Guy trusts you a lot and that means a lot to me." She adds, more heartfelt, fidgeting a strawberry in her hands.
She's mostly quiet as Akane explains why Repli-Compoids and why Akane, but sees fit to speak up at one point. "...I don't mean to sound impersonal, It's a lot of the same reasons they used to use a lot of Coordinators from scratch." She comments. "Although Repli-compoids, being new to them, misses a lot of the political baggage and barriers from using Coordinators. That... might be why." She frowns, looking at Rikka. She has complicated feelings about when she told her at least she wasn't born for a world like that. And she'll continue to fight for Repli-Compoids' rights in that respect.
<Pose Tracker> Knight has posed.
Knight nods, to Liam. And he nods, again, to Sousuke. This is how he looks, now. And if his hair is a little scrappy, like Sousuke's, well. ... he borrowed from a few sources.
No explanation, obviously. He's a complete sentence.
"You just needed a clear shot," he points out, to Alouette. "You're the ones who took it."
Akane apologises, for putting him in danger. "It's all right." If Knight's still bandaged up, well -- his snappy suit covers it up. Perhaps that's why he's leaning on the wall, though. It might not all be disaffected lonership. He meets Akane's eyes with his solitary blue, though. "Marusan knew something was wrong. So we kept her safe. And I told you I can handle it."
If there's more to say, he won't say it in front of so many people. She's already at strain, presently, and Knight's own empathy is a patient thing.
He does say one more thing, seeing her hang her head, as is their family habit: "You didn't do this, Akane Shinjo." He doesn't move to physically comfort her; Rikka's far more the expert, at something like that, and he doesn't suppose it's good to crowd them. But his words aren't harsh, either.
<Pose Tracker> Qivi has posed.
Qivi gives Alouette a quick grin. "I'm trying to be *professional*," she says about her language, playing up her accent - Huffman Britannian, which is mostly made up of 'Area 1 and 3' immigrants, or at least what used to be those areas.
Liam might have expected people not to eat much, but Qivi is one of those people for whom stress and adrenaline makes them hungry. She took only her fair share, but they're not going ignored. She has a big bottle of water, too. He definitely receives her thanks, too.
Despite having (she feels) thoroughly embarrassed herself, Qivi recovers quickly, especially when Max approves. "Yeah, no kidding." She gives Koji a quick nod of thanks when he handles it a lot more professionally, and then a longer look at Knight when Akane reveals his part in things. Huh, she thinks. He doesn't look like he'd be the one she'd pick to do that, not really. But appearances are deceiving.
Qivi clears her throat again. "I can't talk for her, but I know there's a lot of people looking for Leina, yeah. Like he says." She tilts her head toward Gridman. "It's an all-hands operation for a whole lot of people. Myself, I've been thinking if we can hunt down Murasame Labs, we can find her that way... I didn't have a better plan, but if someone does I'd love to hear it." Though Akane and Rikka doesn't want them to waste Murasame... that only makes it slightly more complicated. They still need to challenge his actions.
And then: "Well, I don't exactly have a fixed address," Qivi says, thoughtfully, to Gridman. "I won't say I can stop an attack all by myself if they go all out, but I *will* say there's nothing that stops me from staying up here for now, and I can run off a unit or two or at least hold them off for people to get away. So I can at least help with more than just the shop, and keep that going too." That with a quick nod of acknowledgement to Akane.
But Qivi looks apologetically at Namiko. "Don't mean to take away from what you do. You do a lot of things I can't. There's a lot of s...tuff I just don't get. But fighting - that's one of the things I am good at." Some days she's pretty sure it's the only thing. "So, consider that my volunteering. Though I guess the Wadatsumi kind of outguns me..."
She knows nothing about Repli-Compoids, really, beyond what she's been told by these people, who are explaining it better than she ever could anyway. But: "Don't kick yourself," Qivi murmurs, leaning forward - it's meant to be just loud enough for Akane and Rikka, though other people may pick it up if they're sharp-eared. "A guy like that... he would have tried something anyway. Possibly by forcing someone else into it... maybe someone who would've been even worse off, after."
She drops back down. "So, we'll just stop him from trying that, now."
<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
Liam finally uncaps the water, and takes a drink. He knows of Zeon Zum Deikun and the Zabi family from school, but that was a while ago, and there's not nearly as much for him to chew on. He knows Sayla as a nice woman who gave him advice about attraction and relationships--and as the founder of the charity that helped him long ago. He knows Mineva as a sweet, good person, and Banagher and Leina's girlfriend.
Old, rancid jealousy tries to well up, but it's crushed beneath the weight of newer traumas. And they both suffered too, because of Vist. What would have happened to Mineva if she hadn't escaped?
His face falls as Gridman gives voice to one of his worries: "They will," he says, and there is absolute certainty in his voice. His fingers tighten around the bottle. "We know Alexis was working with BioNet. We don't have... proof Murasame was, beyond working with Alexis. Do we?" His eyes widen as Gridman mentions a 'further advance' on the Foundation's part. "How?"
Gridman's praise earns a faint smile, but the way Akane explains--and sags beneath that explanation, and its implications--makes him want to tell her everything's going to be okay, but that's the last thing she needs.
"Algernon immunity," Liam says. "That's..." A piece of something, maybe? He stops, takes a breath, recenters himself. "Crucible was much, much larger," Liam says. "But they tested for similar traits. Genetic and epigenetic markers. Obedience. Intellectual and emotional plasticity. Likelihood of surviving extensive augmentation. Algernon is one more on the stack."
Both Alouette and Rikka give their verdict on Murasame. Liam's face goes emotionless for a moment, before he bows his head. "Understood. I..." He looks at Qivi. "She's right, though. He doesn't need to die to--not hurt anyone else."
"As for Leina, I--" Liam swallows. "Maybe that's our lead. Those bonds. Maybe they can't break her conditioning, but they can find her." He's starting to sag. He wishes Lucine were here. "Or maybe she'll find them. Vist still needs the Unicorn, right? The Box?"
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
Koji turns Akane's answers to his question over in his head, quieting down as he considers the implications of both those facts.
Something about the details inside this puzzle box - especially regarding Alexis's involvement with Murasame - feels really bad.
He looks up as Liam talks about the process used in the Crucible, sitting back in his chair and adding that to the things being rotated in his mind.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
Koji is here! Gridman gives him a little wave. He's not very good at professional things, either. "Akane, Rikka, and Alouette are incredible. I would've crumbled if I was faced with the same thing they were, and -- Akane held out, and saved everyone! She fooled them!"
Pride shines in the Hyper Agent's voice.
"Everyone needs to realize how brave they are, and how hard they're fighting, even now. Healing is... really hard. And Rikka is facing it every day without flinching. Alouette faced her worst fears and managed to protect others at the same time. And Knight was there to get them out when the right moment arrived." Gridman nods to the other young man. "He protected Tsutsujidai, and got everyone home. I'm... so thankful. For each of them, and how strong they are."
Gridman looks embarrassed at having said that much, flushing and scratching at his cheek. "That's... all. Just... please appreciate them."
Namiko speaks up, and Gridman raises his head, making eye contat with her. He smiles, unsteadily. "T--thanks for coming, Namiko. Please don't worry about fighting, I'll keep protecting everyone. I won't give up, not ever."
Unearthly yellow eyes turn to Sousuke next. Gridman listens, his eyebrows drawing together in concern as the young man cuts himself off. "Sorry... please don't push yourself. This is a painful topic. I'm so grateful to have your support."
Gridman turns to Akane, unable to help a little smile at the term 'Rikka Corps'. "What was the lie? If it's okay to ask."
"Indeed. Justice must be decided by the man's victims." Max rumbles, casting a Look over the room. "He must not be killed. Bring him to captivity, and allow them to decide his fate."
Though Gridman can't sense Akane's emotions like a Newtype, he knows her well enough to see how badly she's feeling. Letting her hair cover her face like that... it's always a bad sign. "Akane... This isn't your fault. Nobody here blames you."
Another Look across the room from Max, as if daring anyone to disagree.
"Alexis wanted to hurt you. That's got to be a reason he picked you and Rikka, too. You beat him, and he's mad about that. He wanted to punish you." Gridman clenches his fists. "Because he's a sick, cruel person. His actions aren't your fault, or your responsibility."
Max nods an assent.
"You need not decide Murasame's fate now, Rikka." Max offers, softly. "All you need worry about is your own recovery. By the time he is found and brought to justice, you will be in a better place to decide. For now, I believe you should put it out of your mind. But that decision is yours to make."
Rikka and Akane scoot close together, and Gridman smiles, a little helplessly. He wants to do more, but... Akane and Rikka have a bond he doesn't share with them. And that's okay. He believes in them, as individuals, and together. Maybe, he hopes, just being here will be enough.
"Should you wish additional refreshment, Alouette, simply say the word. I am at your service." Max promises. His mask obscures his face, but there's a smile in his eyes. "These strawberries represent the hard work and love of both Liam and Tsutsujidai itself. It is the perfect moment to enjoy their bounty."
Max looks over to Liam, giving him an approving nod.
Alouette reveals the plan to turn the Wadatsumi into a full-time base, and Gridman's eyes light up. "Really? That would be amazing! Such a huge help! I know there's lots of places in need, but--! Please, choose Tsutsujidai! My comrades and I will help however we can!"
Maybe it's a selfish request. But Gridman has always had one priority, above all others.
"Honestly, I think, if you guys aren't ready to decide about that freak doctor, it's fine. When he's found, throw him in jail for a while. He can wait." Gridman says, a vicious note in his voice. "Leina deserves to have a say, too, anyway. You're right, Alouette, that's where our focus belongs."
"Coordinators and Repli-Compoids... I guess we have a lot in common." Gridman shrugs helplessly. "Not a lot of people know about Repli-Compoids yet, I guess. Do we need to do something... political, to apply for protection or rights or something? I don't know how that stuff works."
Knight's wounds are known to the Neon Genesis Junior High Students, but Max is not about to point out just how serious they were. Calibur's mad fervor at the sight of his wounded student was proof enough of how much they care for him. Max simply fixes the young man with a stare, then gives him a manly, approving nod.
"I'm just glad you're okay, Knight." Gridman says, smiling, ignorant of just how dire things became. "Thanks for protecting Marusan."
"I think the Shuffle Alliance is organizing manhunts for Murasame." Gridman offers, to Qivi. "I haven't really volunteered. I don't want to leave Tsutsujidai. Part of me hopes he tries to come here to hide out. He wouldn't get away from us."
Again, there's an odd, uncharacteristically vicious note in the Hyper Agent's voice. Perhaps he's been more affected by all of this than he's showing.
"I'm sure they'd be glad for your help, Qivi. Dr. Mass knows the most, I think. This is really personal for her..." Gridman adds, sadly. "I'm really glad we can call on you here, too. Having you around makes everyone feel safer."
Gridman looks at Liam, worry in his eyes. He knows the other young man is sensitive to this information, but lying won't make anything easier. "I've been told BioNet has some kind of secret facility somewhere in the PLANT. We've been trying to hunt them down, along with a couple other people." Is it okay to name them? Better not, for now.
"Since we cannot locate BioNet itself, we have been patrolling the city with great regularity. There are no unusual power surges or excessive supplies being delivered anywhere. It is... puzzling." Max rumbles. "When we find them, we will raise the alarm immediately. Until then, all we can do is stay ready."
Gridman isn't exactly sure what Algernon is, but now isn't the time to ask. He glances back at Max curiously, but the large man offers a miniscule shrug. He'll look it up later...
"Liam, um." Gridman looks at his friend, worried. "If this is too much for you, it's okay to step back. You can rely on us, and everyone else. Leina's got so many people looking out for her, you don't need to hurt yourself. I'm... I don't want anything to happen to you. You mean a lot to everyone here, and in the city. And you've fought so much already..."
The Box? Gridman has heard of it in the Shuffle Alliance meeting, but he doesn't really... get it. He'll leave that question to one of the others.
<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
Sousuke meets Knight's eyes. Part of him wants an explanation, but...that's how he and Anti have always communicated, isn't it? Indeed. He is a complete thought.
Sousuke might not be, yet, but these things take time.
He returns that look to Rikka, a thin smile - he does know how to make the face, sometimes. "You seem to be recovering well, Rikka," he says. She can speak clearly and stand unsupported. Excellent progress from what he was most afraid of. "It's good to see. It's common to retire entirely from such an ordeal." His gaze casts down, thoughtful. "Don't want to let it be you," he says, the thought swirling in his own mess of feelings without quite bonding to anything at the moment.
He looks up a moment later, nodding to Gridman. "It's not a problem. I've just dealt with more...aggressive, forms of enforced compliance. I'm glad it does not seem to have been put to work here. I have my own responsibilities, so I cannot promise myself without reservation, but please contact me if I can help. I'll do whatever I'm able. Kaname and AL feel the same, I'm sure."
-
Namiko, for her part, actually first gives Gridman a worried look. She remembers clearer now, the day Yuta went so suddenly from wide-eyed delight to fierce-eyed protection. That was cool. It really made her think about Yuta differently. This look, though... "...I know what I said, but...don't take it all yourself, either, OK? Even if you just need to come talk, I'll get something soothing whipped up for you."
Then she waves a hand downrange at Rikka, grinning wider. "I'm still...pretty scared of the idea of fighting...Hass and I had a pretty rough time under Nouvelle, ourselves. But I'm here for you to rely on. That'll never change, Rikka. Not ever."
She giggles a little at Qivi, rallying despite the serious talk. "That's why we keep a wide roster, right? These days, a rescue team has to have a few people who can put people in the lake, yeah? Besides, Akane's right. Rikka-mama's gonna need all the help she can get for a while with her star waitress off the board."
She also turns her eyes on Akane, and....can only rub her cheek unhappily. "Yeah," she mutters. "Guess all that fits..."
...she still has a few things from her own tenure under Celebro rattling around. Apparently that includes the logic for brainwashing victims. Cool! Hate that one.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
When Rikka says she can't make a decision about Dr. Murasame right now, Akane nods. "If... he dies because he resists arrest, or because he's still hanging out with the Vist Foundation or BioNet or something, do what you have to, but..." She looks at Rikka, then at Alouette. "... yeah," she finishes, lamely. "I wanted really bad to kill him. I bet a lot of you guys do too. But..."
She finds Rikka's hand with her own, giving it a squeeze. "When you start blowing things up just because they don't fit your own sense of justice, it's kinda hard to stop, and a lot more people get hurt than you think."
Alouette's mention that Repli-Compoids might be seen as a replacement for combat Coordinators gets a nod, and a brief -- "That checks."
When Knight answers her, she gives him a nod, trying to meet that eye with her own. "... I know," she agrees. They can discuss it more in private if they need to, though that conversation might be a touch on the laconic side.
When Qivi tells them not to kick themselves, she nods -- but the second part stirs a maelstrom of emotions inside her. ... she'll keep them to herself for now, though, instead saying, "Yeah. He won't get many more cracks at that."
Liam has a lot to comment on, but it's the question of whether Dr. Murasame works with BioNet that she primarily hangs on. "We don't, but..." She pauses. How to explain this... ... well, like a 3G Intelligence agent, one supposes. "For people like him, the line between guys like BioNet, nationalist groups, corporate conspiracies, and government black sites is pretty small? One time when we were talking he pointed out that 'men in power will always need people like him.' I think we have to take that part for what it is. He's too much of a liability for the Federation, but the other parts are still on the table."
Gridman's encouraging words get Akane to smile at him. "I owe you for a lot of this," Akane answers him. She dodges the comment on her responsibility for Alexis's actions, in favor of explaining the lie. "I told him that the maintenance kaiju used a gas that they don't actually use? But the way I decided that stuff was still the thing I said, and there's only like two or three options for that. It does buy us a little time if he tries something again, but only a little."
Gridman points out that Leina also deserves a say, and Akane nods. "Yeah. I'm... mostly trying to get people not to just run off and cave his head in."
She lets Sousuke encourage Rikka without getting too involved; instead, she turns to Namiko, giving her a nod -- and then her expression softens, just a bit. "Oh jeez, you guys got caught up in that stuff in Nouvelle? That's... I'm still trying to get my head around what even happened there..."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Gridman speaks positively about her and RIkka smiles a little. She's far enough along now that she can accept that praise directed toward her, at least.
Rikka nods as Alouette gives her own opinion - that she agrees with the official decision. Focusing on saving Leina... that's something she can agree with, too. She can tell her decision is difficult for some people... but the fact that they accept it means a lot to her. She accepts Max's assurance with a nod, too. She definitely appreciates it - she can think on it once she's in a better position. So for now... when Akane squeezes her hand, Rikka gives hers a gentle squeeze right back in return.
Her words get a nod, too. It's something that's important to remember.
Knight, too, offers Akane his support in his own way. It's good to hear that. Rikka nods.
"He's right." She confirms. Qivi offers support in much the same way, and Rikka nods in agreement with that, too.
Alouette, too, has a perspective to offer on 'why Repli-Compoids'... Rikka grimaces just a little. Less political baggage...
"...That makes sense, but I hate it..." She murmurs. Gridman asks if there's anything they can do to prevent that. "...Yeah, is there something we can do...?"
She looks toward Sousuke - and he actually smiles. That much gets her to smile back at him.
"Thanks. I'm doing my best. It was... pretty bad, at first, but thankfully I've had plenty of support." She says, sending Akane a knowing smile.
And then there's Namiko. Rikka sends her a smile, too.
"You got caught up in that, too? I'm glad you're both alright." She says, and then nods. "...Thanks. I know I can always count on you. And..."
She hesitates. She doesn't know if it's appropriate for a meeting setting... but decides to do it anyway.
"...I really, really missed you. It's so good to see you again, Namiko." Rikka admits. It almost feels like she's been separated from her friends for an eternity. "I want to see Hass again soon, too..."
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
"You can't have justice without kindness," Alouette appends to Akane's statement. "I know it's hard to balance the two... but showing kindness to those who need it almost always helps. Even if they don't seem receptive of it." She thinks of Leina, where her belief seemed to bounce off of her... but she's certain that it'll help her in the long run, reminders that people care.
"That's true," Alouette concedes to Knight. "We were all a vital part of this mission, in the end. We wouldn't be able to get out if we weren't all giving it our all." Gridman says it best, pointing out each of their strengths - hers, Akane's, Rikka's, and Knight's - and how they all came together.
As for Qivi trying to be professional... "Ehe... I wouldn't worry too much about that. I mean, Akane said we weren't doing it structured, right?"
Liam's question about Murasame and BioNet is also one that Alouette orients on. "Doctor Murasame knew about me, Liam." She answers, with maybe a more sharp tone than she intends. Probably because of the man she's thinking about. "Granted, Alexis could have told him, but he certainly had a lot of knowledge about me that only BioNet could." Akane's argument, about how the lines blur for him, also makes sense.
Alouette smiles at Gridman's boundless devotion to keeping Tsutsujidai safe. "You and the Neon Genesis Junior High Students have always been such trustworthy allies... even if we need a lot of support, I know we can always count on you. Because you're... Tsutsujidai's heroes, aren't you?" Using the specific word yuusha, she alludes to them being Braves.
He also mentions people have been operating against BioNet in Tsutsujidai. "Right. The Neo Getter Team. You can trust them to keep the city safe too. I think they're still in Nouvelle Tokyo, helping with the stragglers... I hope they're okay." She keeps this part to herself... but she really does miss Sho a lot.
She takes another strawberry, sipping down a large gulp of water with it. "Ahh, they really are incredible... thank you so much, Max. And you too, of course, Liam."
Finally, she focuses on Repli-Compoids and their similarities to Coordinators. "I hate it, too," she agrees with Rikka. "We've been working to try and get Tsutsujidai citizens recognized like any other citizen. And hopefully then, they won't be able to exploit you like that anymore." She pauses then. "...I'm worried about groups like Blue Cosmos finding out, though."
Sousuke and Namiko also get a nod of recognition from Alouette. "Sousuke-san," She starts. "I'll be back in school this week. It's good to see you, though. I've... actually missed class a lot." Seeing Sousuke here reminds her of that.
<Pose Tracker> Qivi has posed.
Qivi's grin returns at Namiko. "Yeah, exactly. And hey, if something comes up where you need something big moved without a mobile suit, or something bashed together out of shitty parts, you'll have me on hand." She can jury rig, and, well... there's nothing like a Meltrandi for pushing things around with no mobile suit.
Qivi's lips purse when Gridman addresses her.
"Yeah," she says. "They are. But I think keeping Tsutsujidai's safe actually more important. When we were looking for EVERYONE, it made sense. I went out and had a look, didn't find anything - well, no, that's not true. I found something else. But it's not related to this. Anyway... now that they might wanna strike back here, since people got away..." She nods toward Akane and Rikka, not wanting to interrupt their moment, "I think I'll play defense for a bit. But if you want to strike out," that to Gridman, "then I'll follow that lead. Or GGG. I'm already an associate with the Photon Power Labs, anyway."
"And yeah. They're real close. I thought about..." Qivi considers how to put this. "I mean I might be able to find out if they were hooked into the Federation. But if they're not, it's a lot of trouble for no point. And I don't think that's the way to handle it, because, like you said. Bit of a liability for them to support at this point. They'd ditch him now if they'd had him before."
She's not sure if she said something wrong to Akane, but she can tell she feels something even if not what it is. Qivi distracts herself - and covers for any embarrassment - by taking a long, long drink of water.
"I was down in Nouvelle Tokyo too," Qivi volunteers, after. "It was pretty bad. But it's getting better... I think." Her expression shifts to something stormier - Qivi is absolutely atrocious about keeping her emotions off her face. "I hope so. It'd better."
On Tsutsujidai citizens: "Of course they're citizens like anyone else. Look, I do know what to do about Blue Cosmos. I'm half-Meltrandi, right? They don't give the full Meltrandi and Zentredi grief, much, but they sure give 'us halfbreeds' a problem. It's why I hid it for a while when I went pro," she says. Even now it's hard for her to talk about this. She feels like she's giving away secrets, even though anyone can just look at her ears. "Actually I've got someone here to thank for convincing me to give that up." They know who they are!
"But if THEY start causing problems, I know what to do." Pause. "No, I'm not going to beat them all up. Even though it'd feel pretty good. Just gonna... convince them to move along and bother someone else."
<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
"Thanks, Max," Liam says. "If... any of you three want more food, we can ship more to you. Mrs. Sakurai's putting together care packages for people in the community who need them." He eats a strawberry, and sets the leaves down on his plate.
"I thought so." This time, his voice is even, level. "The way they came out in force when the maintainence kaiju were killed. Again, when Ampere deployed her drones. They're buried deep in there." The part about the Shuffle Alliance organizing manhunts earns Gridman a momentary break from that intensity of level focus, but mostly because he mentions... he was involved.
And then Akane mentions the Neo Getter Team, and Liam says, with absolute seriousness: "The Alliance of BioNet Fuckers." Pause. "Go named it."
And then, back to Gridman. "I know you're worried," Liam says. "Thank you. I promise I won't act without support." He takes a breath. "Leina helped me. She knew I was a survivor. She knew what BioNet did to me, who they built me to kill. I think she singlehandedly stopped Domon Kasshu from trying to kill me."
Liam turns back to Alouette and Akane. "The people who did that--their goal was to be a blacksite. Or just to sell "services" to the highest bidder. It's like a--a cable knot where every cable is a live wire."
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
Koji nods in agreement with Akane. "Death's too good for Murasame. Or Vist-Carbine. As much as I want to beat them all into a pulp - " He cuts himself off. "Mazinger Z's better at dealing with larger-scale loose ends they might throw around as a distraction, anyway - if Kerib's still helping them, for instance."
He's still turning all of this over in his head. "... Murasame isn't going to let go of the 'possibilities' Repli-Compoids offer to his work." It's easy to think like Murasame; after all, he's a scientist too. Just scrape off the principles that guide how he approaches his work - throw ethics out the window - and... "'men in power' only need 'men like him' if he has something to offer them. Otherwise he's a liability."
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
Sousuke earns another worried look from Gridman. "I'll call if we find anything, thank you. Are you, um. Are you okay, Sousuke?"
They don't really know each other. But that doesn't prevent the Hyper Agent's heart from going out to the other young man. 'More aggressive forms of enforced compliance'? What exactly has Sousuke been through? Is he safe now?
"Namiko..." Gridman didn't expect this from her. After Hass... Shouldn't she hate him? Shouldn't both of them? "T--thank you. That sounds really nice. I've never had tea as good as yours. Before I drank some that you made, I thought I just didn't like tea, but... Yeah."
Gridman looks seriously to Akane, his expression mirrored by Max. "You're amazing, Akane." He smiles. "I think you're so brave and strong. Don't forget, we're with you. Everyone here wants to see you succeed, and smile together with us."
The dream he talked about in the pageant, nearly a year ago... Gridman still has hope it'll come true.
Akane dodges half Gridman's sentence, earning a slight frown, but he listens to her explanation all the same. "Gotcha... So he'll be wasting time. That can only help us. Thanks for thinking on your feet like that! I'm impressed."
"If anyone kills Murasame for no reason, they're hurting all his victims. That's selfish and cruel." Gridman proclaims. "Putting your own feelings first in a situation like this would be disgusting, and... nobody here is like that. I'm sure of it."
Rikka seems so tired. Gridman watches her with concern, knowing that before this ordeal, she would've been an active, fierce part of the conversation. She's giving all she has right now, and that's enough, but part of him feels the loss and pain of what she's been through all over again.
In an effort not to make a fuss, Gridman pops a couple strawberries in his mouth all at once. It's a bit too much. He tries to chew and swallow, but winds up choking, coughing loudly from his place at the table. Max looks down, thumping him on the back, and Gridman coughs all the more.
"S--sorry! I'm good!" He manages, after a second, face as red as the strawberries he failed to snack on. "Just swallowed weird!"
Alouette speaks up, as Gridman recovers, shaking his head as Max pushes a water bottle close to him. "H--heroes..." Gridman echoes, voice awed. "You really think so? We're just doing the best we can, and--"
"I like that." Gridman admits, shyly. Max rumbles a quiet laugh from behind him.
Alouette names the Neo Getter Team, so it must be alright. Gridman won't mention that he nearly fought that mean guy, though... "Yeah, that was them. It took us a second ot understand each other, but I trust them. They care about taking down BioNet."
Max inclines his head to Alouette, more a slight bow than a nod. He's always been fond of her, out of all of Gridman's friends.
"Thank you for fighting for us, Alouette. I don't really get politics and things, but, um. Let us know what we can do to help. I'll testify or whatever is needed." Gridman promises.
"Tsutsujidai has been peaceful as of yet." Max informs Qivi. "Though there is an odd increase of sleepwalking, nothing seems to have come from it. We are keeping a close eye on it, all the same."
Gridman tilts his head. "Yeah, that's pretty weird... Maybe it's part of the PLANT finishing its move? People's sleep cycles could be weird..."
With a shrug, Gridman lets it go, finally taking a sip of water.
"We're gonna play it safe. We can't risk any other citizens getting taken. If the outside world needs us, we'll be there, but other than that, this is the time to protect our homes." Gridman says, seriously. "Giving organizations like Vist and BioNet less to work with can only be a good thing."
Gridman laughs softly at Qivi's promise to not beat people up. "I won't either. It's a struggle sometimes though, right?"
Liam speaks up, and he sounds okay. Gridman breathes a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Liam. I'm sure it'd be great to have some strawberries like this at Aya. Not that Mrs. Takarada's cake could get any better, but with fresh strawberries..."
"Yes." Max agrees, simply. Can he even eat with that mask?
"No matter how deep, we'll get BioNet out of here." Gridman's eyes open wide, and he barks a quick laugh at the Alliance's colorful name. "Thanks, Liam. You can always call on us -- and I'm sure lots of others, too."
Koji's words earn a scowl from Gridman, directed down at his empty plate. "That's so disgusting... He won't lay hands on single other Repli-Compoid. I swear it. I hope -- whoever catches him isn't too gentle."
<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
Namiko laughs, a bit strained, at Akane's interest - and by proximity, Rikka's. "It sucked out loud!" she says. Her face falls the whole way. "There were those...maintenance kaiju down there. Venora? That was...." She swallows hard. "Way, way scarier than I thought it'd be. For all we knew they were going to..." ...She just cuts herself off entirely, already looking haunted. "But, uh, we got through!" Smiles, a bit forced. "And I guess I can drive an Alto now, that's cool." Decides not to burden the meeting or Rikka with her own traumas too much.
She does, however, brighten up even further and more sincerely for Rikka. "Yeah. I was so worried when we got the word from Marusan! I, uh," She looks at the excess of teas available. "...had to work it off a bit! I missed you so much! Uh, let's talk more, like, later, but..yeah. I couldn't wait to see you again. Hass couldn't make it but we'll talk to you and the docs about a personal visit soon!"
Namiko nods excitedly to Qivi. "That's right, that's right. Neutron's stronger than you'd think, but you've got WAY more leverage!" On account of standing like sextuple the height of the teensy Kobu-based craft.
-
Sousuke actually appears to relax a bit when Rikka smiles back. The young man tries not to let it show, but he has a catastrophizing streak a mile wide, and he KNOWS what the worst-case scenario of those drugs is. Also anyone who pays him the faintest attention knows that about him because it's behind like 80% of his behavior.
It's with that more relaxed posture he turns no Gridman, nodding. "It's not a problem. I confess, I was rather affected by...all this. And that Leina is still missing weighs on me. We'd had our disagreements before all this, and...I find I don't want things to end this way. Besides which...I was quite worried about Rikka." His eyes do briefly flick to Akane. So this is her. He feels like he's getting a better idea of her; before, most of what he knew about her was the abuse Anti received. "...rescue," he murmurs to himself, recalling a conversation with Arbalest. "Ah, that is," and back to Gridman. "I don't want people like them to be touched by this kind of horror."
Wow! That's a sentence with some layers!
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"The idea it's politically convenient..." Akane games that one out in her head. PLANT accession makes treatment of Coordinators a hot-button issue; Repli-Compoids are a relative unknown; they're also a very small population. "... checks. That sucks."
... she can't be responsible for every bad thing that happens to every Repli-Compoid. She is not a mother-goddess no matter how many people try to paint her that way.
The paint, after all, is designed to paint her into a corner -- and what's been bought in blood time and time again is room for her to move.
She lets Alouette handle more detailed practicals. She asides to Qivi -- well, nothing out loud, but she gives the half-Meltrandi a nod back when mentioning that she's given up on hiding herself. The conversation keeps moving.
Several people -- including Qivi --take point on striking outward toward people like BioNet, Vist, and Murasame, and Akane's... actually inclined to let them, now that the stakes -- and her preferences -- are very clear. ... something about that gets her to think about something else, though, and she turns to face Gridman. "... I know this probably isn't the setting for this, but if you're gonna say I'm amazing and then say that I gotta say it." Tension creeps up her shoulders. "... I'm sorry for what happened with Tonkawa and the special dog. It's... the thing I'm trying to do better on this time. I can't imagine you'd've wanted that, and I -- get it now, I guess."
Akane's serious moment shatters in the face of the apparent name of the anti-BioNet task force in Tsutsujidai. She looks to Liam and Koji, blinking. "Really? ... really? The Alliance of Bio -- you know what? Sure. Whatever. Seriously..."
Namiko's explanation somehow hits much more cleanly than what she's learned from 3G reports. "If you need a friend about the whole thing -- or, uh, any of this... we can catch up soon, too."
Her gaze tracks to Sousuke -- then back away. ... She has trouble with Knight sometimes, and he's her brother. To meet a similarly intense gaze without any connection -- that's too much for her right now.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
No justice without kindness... Rikka nods to herself, at that. It's something that's important to keep in mind - and something she'll definitely remember. And Alouette outlines, too, that they were all a vital part of the mission.
...She can believe that for herself, now.
And 3G's also been working on getting them recognized like anyone else...
"I'm glad... I hope it doesn't take long." She replies with a shake of her head. Blue Cosmos... she frowns. "...I feel like they'd probably take offense to us anyway."
She looks back toward Qivi.
"I do feel a little better you'll be around for defense. ...And watching the shop, too." Rikka replies thankfully.
...It's true, though. Rikka is tired. She's doing a lot better, but putting herself out there like this is starting to take it out of her - talking, as well as keeping some of her more troublesome lingering instincts at bay. She's feeling pretty drained at this point...
...But she can still crack a smile as Gridman brings up the effects of fresh strawberries on her mother's baking. She nods her thanks toward Liam.
"Yeah, mama's gonna be pretty thrilled to see these..." She agrees.
Her attention turns to Akane, though, as she faces Gridman. She can see the tension in her shoulders... and she can understand why, when Akane speaks. That apology...
It's significant.
Namiko brings up what happened in Nouvelle Tokyo, and Rikka can tell she's holding back a little. She feels just a little bad about that. She can tell when her friend is forcing herself.
"That sounds awful..." She replies, shaking her head.
But, the conversation turns a bit brighter as Namiko brings up how worried she was. The excess teas... it's heartwarming to see.
"Definitely. I think I could use it." She agrees.
And Sousuke... it's nice to know that he was worried about her.
<Pose Tracker> Knight has posed.
Out of nowhere, Nidaime appears, behind Namiko. "Hey~," she chimes, melodic. "You know Marusan and I got lunch, back then? Waaay far off from where Vist thought she'd be. So..." She's another point of support, implicitly. But where did she come from?!
She's an irregular person, and she must keep some secrets.
Knight is, of course, still being stoic and quiet against the wall there. He quietly looks to Alouette instead of Akane when she looks away from Sousuke; he has some sense that she's struggling with so much scrutiny, and it's a quiet way he can offer her some privacy, there.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
"They could stand to be knocked down a peg." Alouette replies, when Qivi suggests not beating them up even if it would feel good. She's a Coordinator; she has opinions! "Although you're not wrong... just trying to punch the problem won't solve it for the Repli-Compoids. I see what you're suggesting, but just be careful, okay?" She's not going to outright encourage Qivi to put a target on her back.
Alouette goes into one of her full giggle-laughs for the first time in... awhile, when Liam brings up Go's name for the Anti-Bionet operative in Tsutsujidai. And it only gets louder at Akane's increduality. "Seriously! I was going to suggest something classier, but I guess it stuck..."
"I do." She answers, when Gridman gets shy and awestruck about being called a hero. "Isn't that what a hero does, doing the best they can?" Most people would falter from exhaustion but to see Gridman so passionate, still... she just hopes he doesn't take too much on his shoulders. Heroes do that, too.
Alouette then mirrors the gesture to Max. Of the NGJHS, he's one she's spent a lot of time with. Her memories drift back to tea in Junk Shop Aya with him, worrying about Gridman's condition, but hopeful.
And when Gridman thanks her for fighting for them, she nods passionately. "Of course. It's a wonderful city, filled with wonderful people. How could I not fight for that? If we need you, we'll call on you for sure."
Alouette looks down at mention of what happened at Nouvelle Tokyo. If none of this happened, she'd probably have been helping out down there too. It sounds like those who did... didn't have an easy time of it at all, so she's anxious to talk to Sho about it.
"I hope so, too," Alouette answers Rikka. She's starting to notice the fatigue set in her, too. "After this situation, I think it definitely needs to become a priority. With the PLANT moved, it shouldn't be too difficult anymore." She affirms.
<Pose Tracker> Qivi has posed.
Qivi says to Namiko, "You know, if you want some practice with that thing, I could give you a hand while I'm up here. Not in fighting, even, though some of it might be useful for that. But I've been piloting for a while, and I know there's some things that you just learn by doing... but I've been through it, so I know how to throw you at them." Not literally, one hopes.
"Sometimes," Qivi admits to Gridman. "It also doesn't solve as much as you'd like it to. I found that out a while back." She makes a face. "Some things you just can't punch, no matter how much you want to. Either it's too big, or when you go to do it, it's like hitting mist. But sometimes... it really is part of the answer." She agrees with Alouette on some of that, at least.
Qivi has made her offers, and asked her questions; she doesn't have a whole lot to add for the moment. She can feel the tension as Akane speaks, and doesn't want to interrupt, returning Rikka's comment with a smile. "Hey, I don't mind," she says, quietly, but something Liam has said has just hit her.
"The Alliance of - "
Qivi cannot help it. She lets out a snort that is her way of trying to hold a laugh back - and then she fails; she laughs. An honest, heartfelt sound.
"Sorry! I'm sorry," she says, trying to wave it off. She feels she kind of interrupted someone's dignity there. Possibly hers, but not only hers. "But I can't believe you actually CALLED it that! I thought *I* was bad at naming stuff and then here you go..." She forces down another laugh with a muffled sound into her water bottle.
<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
"I'll workshop something more--" is all Liam gets out before Akane just... lets it drop. Before Alouette starts giggling in a way Liam hasn't heard in... quite a while. Before Qivi laughs. Despite the gravity of the subject at hand, Liam's face is starting to turn bright, cherry red--but he's laughing, too. "...Or not? I mean... it appears to have value as levity."
Who'd have thought that Go's name would be actually useful?
"It's nothing," Liam says, to Rikka. "The mushrooms are coming in, too, so some of those as well... Probably some of the chilis. If you have any requests, I'll see what we have ready for shipment."
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
Namiko fought in Nouvelle Tokyo too? Gridman hadn't even known. He looks at her with a new perspective, clearly impressed. "That's amazing, Namiko."
If Namiko is brave enough to go out and fight, Gridman can be brave enough to face her.
"Hey, sometime... It'd be nice to hang out and catch up with you. Maybe Hass too, if she wants. I'll treat you to skewers or something." Gridman says, hopefully, nervously. "It's been a while."
They've never really talked. Is this weird? Even if it is, he needs to clear the air. Kaworu was right, letting things stay as they are hasn't helped anything.
Gridman turns to Akane, a nervous look still on his face, which slowly vanishes as she speaks. He falls into that serious, near-emotionless face he used to wear when he first woke up after Akane stabbed Yuta. Yellow eyes reflect the light of the meeting room.
"Akane... Has that been hurting you all this time?" Gridman asks, softly. "Of course it has. That's the kind of person you are. You would never have forgotten them. I haven't, either. I didn't really know Tonkawa or the others, but I think about them. And their families."
The room is still. Max offers no guidance or opinion, choosing to let Gridman face this on his own.
"I'm not the one who can forgive you for this, and I don't think I'm the one who you want it from, anyway. But that doesn't change that I know that's not who you are anymore. And I don't blame you for the things that happened back then. Who you are right now is the real Akane." Gridman smiles, and his eyes soften. "And I'm really proud you're my friend."
Alouette laughs, and Gridman's own laugh gets all the brighter for it. Max puts a hand on his shoulder and nods, as if reassuring the young man. Things are going to be okay. Healing is possible. If Alouette can still laugh like this, then it can't be so terrible.
"Thank you, Alouette." Max answers for Gridman. "It means a lot to us, to be noticed in our efforts."
"And we'll be there. No matter what you need." Gridman adds. Hopefully that's the sort of thing heroes say.
Qivi's laugh is every bit as refreshing as Alouette's. It brings levity to the room, lifting the dark clouds summoned by the dire conversation. Gridman sighs, his shoulders relaxing ever so slightly.
Making eye contact with Liam, Gridman offers him a thumbs-up. Mentioning that goofy name was the perfect thing to do in this moment. Liam really is good at friendship stuff! Gridman has a lot to learn.
"I really feel like we're going to be okay." Gridman says, with a smile. "Maybe it's too soon to say that, but, it's what I believe. As long as we stay together like this."
<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
Namiko favors Akane with a smile. "That'd be nice, actually. We haven't talked in ages, huh?" The last time they REALLY spoke, Akane was still a goddess and Namiko was still a teapot. It'd be nice to talk, even if it's...a bit to unburden. She can tell she hit Akane pretty square.
She knows Rikka can read her, just as well as she can read Rikka, so for now, she leaves it at that promise: Soon, the Rikka Corps. can get back together.
Then Nidaime's just LIKE, THERE? and Namiko looks up at her with a bit of a start. "Oh hey!" ...the last time she saw Nidaime she was a sewer gremlin, but, "You got bigger!" Not even the weirdest thing she's seen this year. "That...is really good to know." She smiles bigger. "Thanks. It's easy to feel kind of adrift in all this, but I'm grateful to know people are working hard to protect everyone."
She gives Gridman a smile, though it's a bit tense. Everyone's stressed, right now, really, so that's no surprise. "It was rough, but we didn't really have a choice. Yeah, let's catch up!" She lets that big sunny smile back onto her face. Even if it's a little forced, she wants to be the person people can rely on to brighten the mood. "Especially if you're paying, Mister Agent."
-
Sousuke does not sense he has made Akane uncomfortable because he is a human cinderblock. Still, he directs his attention back to Gridman soon enough.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Blue Cosmos did take offense to us," Akane says, and here there's a very deliberate meaning-slide as she turns to Rikka and gives her a very smooth wink. "Remember? We had to review bomb a rental place over it. I had to get nasty on To-witter!"
It pulls her a little further out of what could've been a very dark place -- and she orients on Gridman with a smile, while leaving other elements of this to Alouette... and giggling along a little with Qivi, too. ... really, the more she lets this conversation be everyone rather than just her, the easier it gets.
Addressing Gridman more directly... "I'll do my best to buy that," Akane answers him, still looking down a bit. "It's -- nice to know you think of me as your friend! ... We can talk a little more about it on VERTEX or something. I don't think everyone here needs to know all our business." Indeed, the thought of everyone -- even Namiko, who all things being equal Akane thinks ought to have a slightly easier go of it than she has lately -- hearing their business get aired out... yeah, that's a little much.
She gives Rikka a quiet look, canting her head a bit and widening her eyes for a split second in an unstated question. She doesn't say anything -- but she doesn't think she needs to.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Akane gives her a wink, and brings up the rental place... and this actually gets a small laugh out of Rikka.
"Oh yeah, you're right... I think you handled that pretty great." Rikka offers. "...Once you dialed it back a bit."
Akane apologizes, and Gridman... says that he isn't the one who can forgive her, but that he knows that isn't who she is anymore. Rikka can't help but smile a little, at that. Akane's answer is about what she expects...
Liam, meanwhile, mentions mushrooms and chilis.
"That sounds great. I'll check with mama to see what we need back at Aya and get back to you." Rikka replies with a nod toward Liam, before offering Qivi a smile of her own in response.
She has a promise for Namiko... and for now, for Rikka, that's enough. She meets Akane's look, and offers her a nod in reply before standing up.
"Alright. I think... I need to go lay down for a bit. It was really nice to see you all again, really... Thanks for stopping by." Rikka says with a small smile. And with that, unless someone has any last parting message for her, she departs for one of the Wadatsumi's medical rooms.
This was... good, she thinks. She's really glad she made the effort to appear today.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
Tonkawa... it's a name Alouette's not familiar with, and ultimately it's Akane and Gridman's business. But she thinks ultimately, it's good that they can still be friends despite what happened... and with Namiko, too.
The atmosphere of hope that's filled the room, in general, is reassuring. And as Gridman says, if she's really still able to laugh like that... maybe she'll be okay.
It also helps that she has Knight's watchful eye on her, even as she was focused on the conversations.
Although, checking her 3G phone, it's almost time to call the meeting to a close. Rikka's getting too tired to stay as well. "Ah, I.. have a session with Doctor Sai in a few minutes, so I should probably get ready for that. But... thanks everyone, for coming. It's helped a lot, honestly, at least for me personally."
She stands up, brushes her uniform dress.. and although she takes an opposite hallway on her way to Hinoki's office, she still passes by Rikka, and says something quietly. "Take care, and... you're still one of the most courageous people I know, Rikka."