2023-08-21: Formal Alliance
- Log: 2023-08-21: Formal Alliance
- Cast: Akane Shinjo, Rikka Takarada, Gridman, Sho Utsumi
- Where: Tsutsujidai - Akane Shinjo's House, 1F
- OOC - IC Date: 0097-08-21
- Summary: With Gridman's departure for the Hyper World on the horizon, Akane suggests sealing the Gridman Alliance's bond with their own take on a traditional ritual. It's not perfect, and it's not the version that'd be handed down to them -- but it, like that Alliance, is theirs.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
If Gridman's really leaving...
... Well, Akane has some thoughts on that. Her departure from Tsutsujidai wasn't quite the same thing, but at the same time... it's not that different, is it? She left for a world that she feared, with the hope that her courage was enough to make it through.
And she does know, now, things that would have made that departure easier and kinder.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"We should do sakazuki," Akane had said, at 2am, holding Rikka's hand tight.
Then she'd promptly thought about it for two seconds and had to panic and go, "Uuuh, not -- not the one you're thinking of. Not that -- I -- well, you know, maybe in three or five years -- ANYWAY no, I mean, uh. Brothers' cup? I don't think I'd even be participating?" Once she'd found her footing, she'd laughed at herself before moving on.
"There's so many weird variations on it, uh -- anyway, it's for you guys. You and Utsumi and Gridman. ... and Yuta, I guess? He and Gridman are kinda... it's gonna follow both of them either way... uuhh, I dunno what I'm saying, ahahaha..." She'd rubbed at the back of her head, saying, "We'll figure it out tomorrow."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The cavernous house Akane had chosen to live in, next door to the Junk Shop... well, she can let people in, now, at least. She can do that much, even if before too long it's going to be just another house.
The TV and sitting area make a terrible place to entertain -- but just about perfect for this. Akane's set up cushions next to the low table to sit on, pulling it away from the functionally-useless Western-style couches. The PLANT's artificial sunset has just started; the cicadas cry and the sky dyes the whole room the sunset-red of goodbye.
"So I know this kinda damages the authenticity or whatever, but I don't think Rikka-mama would be too happy if I snuck off with a bottle of sake," Akane says. (... yes, she's calling her that now. Sometimes she even just fires off a 'Mama'.) "So what I got was...!" She pulls out three bottles of Ramune -- one sakura, one setouchi melon, one blueberry. "So I know the carbonation's not gonna be a hit with Rikka, the sakura's too subtle for Utsumi's palate, and the blueberry-melon combo is gonna feel weird on Gridman's tongue probably." Akane looks thoughtful for a moment.
With a little giggle, she says, "That's kinda the point. It's not gonna be perfect, but you're gonna remember it." She's already pouring all of it into a standard wooden sake bottle; there are cups set out on the table. (Those -- and the bottle! -- she bought from Aya, as a set.)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Sho Utsumi has to kind of think about that one. It's the sort of elaborate nonsense Akane would get up to, for sure. "Are you sure you're not just making us drink something gross?" he asks, while Akane sets things up. ... He doesn't linger there, though, because despite everything --
-- he gets it. "... no, yeah." Tsutsujidai wasn't 'perfect' for Akane, by any stretch -- Akane couldn't control every 'irregular,' nor all the lives it gave rise to. And the Gridman Alliance couldn't stop all the world's horrors, either -- whether those chosen by Akane or those chosen by the world she came from -- the 'world of the gods.' But...
... well, Akane's doing this stuff here in the real world, now. And if 'they could have been friends' if Akane had simply 'done this stuff for real'...
... what does that make the four of them?
"Yeah, okay. I'm good if you guys are." He gives Gridman a smile, in particular.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"...Huh?"
It's 2am. With Akane right there, holding her hand, Rikka is slowly start to drift off... but then, Akane comes out with that right out of the blue, and suddenly she's wide awake. Her mind races. N-now? So soon? She isn't against it, but... Is she, are either of them, ready for -
Fortunately, Akane clarifies her position. Rikka relaxes, chuckling a bit along with her - but it gets her to thinking.
"That's... a good idea, actually." She considers. "...Yeah. We'll figure it out."
Fast forward to now, and Rikka seats herself on one of the cushions surrounding the low table. She's made a point of wearing the charm bracelet Gridman had made for her so long ago - what feels like an eternity, but in reality was just under a year. This is all about celebrating their bonds - and this, too, is emblematic of that. She looks toward Akane, then, as she begins her explanation.
"...Probably not." Rikka agrees with a small chuckle. And then, Akane brings out the Ramune. Rikka stares at it for a moment. She doesn't say anything right away, because she figures Akane has to be up to something - she's always been in tune with everyone's tastes, after all, so to bring out something that runs up against that...
...And it turns out, that's the point - it's not going to be perfect, but they'll remember it. Rikka considers that for a moment, before looking toward Utsumi.
...He seems to get it, too. She nods.
"...Yeah. I'm good for it." Rikka agrees, looking Gridman's way as well.
Nothing is ever as perfect as they'd like it to be - but it's those imperfections that make life memorable. ...Maybe just this once, she'll make herself be alright with the ephemeral nature of carbonation.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
It was difficult, but Gridman managed to split himself back into parts, once the battle against Alexis was over. He couldn't bear to lose his comrades. Not yet. Gridman estimates they have a week to get their affairs in order before they must return home, or risk the Hyper World sending someone out to find them.
There's so much to attend to, but for today...
---
Gridman knocks politely at the door to Akane's house. He's dressed up somewhat -- his nicest pair of jeans and an ironed button-up shirt -- for the special occasion. Once he's let inside, the Hyper Agent takes his place at one of the cushions as well, happily placing himself next to Utsumi. Rikka's charm bracelet is noticed, and Gridman has to blink rapidly for a few seconds. He's not going to cry! Not yet, anyway!
"I guess it's a little early." Gridman says, unknowingly mirroring Rikka and Akane's conversation. "Akane and I were talking about doing something similar for New Year's, a long time ago. But I'm not complaining."
He grins, hair the same shade as the fading afternoon light.
"Woah." He comments, upon seeing the set of cups and Ramune flavors. "You really went all out, Akane, thank you! I've never tried the dark blue soda." A little laugh. "Remembering it... that's what matters. And there's no way I'll forget a second! But aren't you going to join us?"
Utsumi gets a light bump to his shoulder from Gridman, playfully chastising his friend for asking if Akane's trying to make them drink something gross.
"All four of us, um." Gridman scratches at the side of his cheek, flushing slightly. "We're a family now. With everything we've been through, how could we be anything else? So... I don't want anyone to be left out."
Maybe the flavor's going to be a little weird, but who cares? Golden eyes catch the light as Gridman watches Akane pour the Ramune into the sake bottle. She's always had such steady hands for this kind of thing. Maybe it comes from the sculpting.
"I'm good with it. For sure." Gridman looks at each of them in turn. Utsumi, Rikka, then Akane.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Akane carefully swishes the bottle around a little bit. (Gotta get those flavors well-mixed, after all. ... it probably doesn't hurt that it gets a little of the carbonation out. Not a ton, but at least a little.) Once she's satisfied with that, she sets the bottle at the middle of the table for a few moments, looking thoughtful.
Rikka seems game, despite the carbonation; Utsumi seems game, despite the roasting of his palate; Gridman seems game. It's good!
'Family' is something of a loaded word for Akane; she weighs it for a few moments. Is that what they are? ... Well, she'll keep it to herself, either way. She wouldn't mind being 'family' with this crew, anyway. "Okay. So like -- this is such an old tradition with so many different ways of doing it or whatever that we're already pretty off-script, so... I think what we should do is..."
As Akane pours, she explains, "Take a sip, then pass the cup to the person to your left. Try not to drain it before you give it to the next person. I get that these are kinda shallow cups, though. Once you've each taken a sip from each cup... that's it, I guess!"
Once she finishes pouring, she says, "Okay -- let's get started!"
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Nodding, Utsumi takes the cup. Despite himself, he can be pretty serious about this kind of thing; he takes a sip. Sure enough, he wouldn't mind this flavor combo if it weren't for the sakura -- it's a really confusing topnote in what, to him, would otherwise be an okay stack. ... It's not as bad as he was expecting, though.
"I remember that first time we ate noodles together -- uh, with -- Riku." (Utsumi has to stop himself from calling him 'Ultraman Geed.' He's gotten so used to 'Gridman,' now, that it's looped back around and become weird for a completely different reason from his usual hero fixation.)
"I dunno if I 'got it' at the time, but when I think back on it now, what Chibodee said really stuck in my head. 'It doesn't matter about what universe you're in or what you remember so long as you're here, now, and have the will to act. All that cosmic stuff isn't where we are.'" ... Utsumi's gotten a lot better at 'being where he is,' since then -- and it's a power he's not quite so humble to miss that he's passed on to everyone around him.
He holds his cup, waiting for the other two to tell their stories and take their sips before passing it to Gridman and waiting to accept Rikka's.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Family, huh...?" Rikka considers, rolling the idea around in her head. She hadn't thought of it that way before - but she can't deny that they've all forged a very strong bond.
She nods in understanding and accepts her cup as Akane explains how this is going to work - and, ultimately, the first one to go is Utsumi. She listens intently, and thinks back.
"...I remember that." Rikka considers. "I don't think I thought that much about it at the time, either. We'd emerged into a world that was much bigger than we realised... but I appreciate it a lot more now."
With that said, Rikka takes a sip from her own cup. ...The flavor isn't bad, actually - but she does cringe a little at the unfamiliar sensation of carbonation, as much as its died down by this point - the pops and fizzles in her mouth... This is why she hates soda.
She powers through it, though.
"'The will to act'..." Rikka considers, then looks toward Akane. "...That reminds me of when you approached us so long ago. On the surface, it was about Renais, then. You asked us what we would do if we ever encountered someone who didn't want to be saved... I said, 'I'd try anyway, because I couldn't bear to think what'd happen if I could act but didn't at least try'."
Or something like that - it's been so long.
"...I'm more sure of that answer now than I've ever been, I think." Rikka concludes, passing her cup to Utsumi and waiting to accept Gridman's.
The will to act, to help, because you can, and because you want to... It's put her through hardship, but she's gained so much because of that. She doesn't regret her choices.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
"Yeah, I mean -- if that's not too weird to say!" Gridman looks a little flustered at having called them family, now. "'Friends' just feels a little too lightweight, I guess."
Gridman listens carefully to the instructions, before nodding. "Got it."
It's simple! Thank goodness. The most complicated thing here will be the flavor, he thinks, and even that won't be too bad. Utsumi takes the first sip, with Gridman smiling at him. The memory he brings up feels like a lifetime ago.
"I hope he's doing well." Gridman says, of Riku. "Him and Chibodee both. They did a lot for us back then."
Utsumi's words -- or Chibodee's, really -- bring a soft look to Gridman's face. Being here, now, with the will to act. Gridman's been blessed to have that be true for such a long time. Back then, 'cosmic stuff' felt so untouchable and distant, but now, it's only days away.
Leaning his weight back on his hands, Gridman stares up at the ceiling for a moment. What is it going to be like? Is he even going to have physical form there?
It's not important, at least in this moment. He's here, now.
Rikka chooses to speak about a memory with Akane, and Gridman smiles, nodding again. Rikka stayed true to her ideal, reaching out to save Akane, even when she didn't want it -- twice now.
Has he stayed as true to his beliefs? Gridman hopes so. There's definitely been moments he's faltered, but hopefully not too many.
When Gridman thinks back over all their time together... Where is there to begin but the start?
"You've always been so steadfast, Rikka. And you too, Utsumi." Gridman looks seriously between the two of them. "Even back at the very beginning of all this, before any of us had a clue what was going on. You both chose to fight by my side. To protect our home. We had plenty of allies we could've relied on, but even so, you both put yourselves at risk, too."
Gridman laughs. "I always worried so much! But it all paid off. Even Synchrotank never let us down, until the very, very end."
Bringing his gaze back down, the Hyper Agent picks up his glass. Curiously, he looks inside, examining the strangely-colored liquid within. It smells okay... With a smile to Akane, Gridman takes a little sip. It's a surprisingly foreign sensation not to simply gulp down the entirety of the drink before him.
...huh. It's really not so bad. The blueberry-melon does feel strange on his tongue, but it's quickly replaced by the aftertaste of the sakura. Passing his cup to Rikka, Gridman accepts Utsumi's.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Akane nods, glancing at the levels of liquid in each cup. ... They seem fine, she thinks -- they're pacing themselves well. Mostly, she's here to listen and officiate -- she's not a participant. This is the bond between the three of them -- even if the bond was 'about' her. Her relationship with them is just a little different.
And she does listen, as she stands there, patiently. It's a lot to think about -- how much these three have grown, how much they've come to be people willing to change the world... and yet, those memories start so soon after the world opened. Maybe they always had that strength in their hearts... and so, for that matter, did she.
When Rikka mentions the time she'd approached them, Akane admits, "I dunno if it was conscious, but... yeah, I guess I kinda wanted to know where you guys would be at if things started spilling out..." Rubbing at the back of her head, she concedes, "I'm glad you guys felt that way, haha... this'd kinda be a different story if you didn't."
Her eyes get a little misty -- just a bit.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Utsumi takes another sip, nodding to Rikka before turning to Gridman. "Family, huh... I dunno -- it's different for me. I've got a pretty big family, and I guess for me that's not the same kinda thing. How about 'comrades'?" ... yeah, Utsumi's a little media-poisoned.
Sometimes it's a good thing.
"Sometimes I kinda worry about you two," he admits, feeling a little more like he can be candid, as he accepts the cup. "Both of you are always going pretty full-blast on your feelings. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but..."
... he trails off for a second, then takes a sip as he thinks. He can feel himself about to step in it, so maybe he needs to watch where he's stepping, too.
"Guess that makes it my job to keep you two from going too crazy." It's not that he's insincere --
-- but he is having a bit too much fun with the thought. ... that does remind him, though.
"Gridman, you're going back to Hyper World, right? What're you gonna do with Alexis? And Rikka... Any plans for after you graduate? You are gonna take the U-FITS, right?"
... yeah, he's okay with nudging people toward the practical stuff.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
'Comrades', huh. Rikka gives Utsumi a bit of a look, at that, but honestly...
"...I kind of like the sound of that too." She admits eventually.
Akane, meanwhile, gets a smile. She's glad they felt that way...
"Well... I like the way this one turned out." Rikka replies with a smile. She can see her getting a little misty-eyed...
And then, Gridman has his own story to tell - about the steadfastness of herself and Utsumi, and how they chose to stand and fight by his side.
Her smile becomes just a little sad at Synchrotank.
It really didn't let them down - holding on and remaining strong even against the most dangerous foes. Like he said, it held out until the very, very end...
"Yeah... We were worried about you too, you know. You were so brave, choosing to fight like that... we couldn't let you shoulder it all alone. I'm glad we were able to fight by your side. Even if there were others, I wouldn't have had it any other way." She replies. Even if Utsumi eventually had to step back from combat duty - he made the effort, and that counts for a lot.
Gridman passes his cup to her, and Rikka looks toward Utsumi as he speaks. ...He worries about them, huh?
"Keep us from going too crazy, huh?" Rikka repeats with a small laugh - but she doesn't mind the idea. It's nice, in a way, to have someone looking out for both of them. ...But then he assigns her the scariest question of all.
A pointed, practical one.
"Uh." She starts. ...Rikka takes her sip from Gridman's cup, partially as a distraction and partially to give her time to think. ...But she can't hold it for long, passing the cup over to Utsumi.
"I've got a few ideas - mostly falling under the field of rescue work. I think I'm pretty well suited to that. Hass and Namiko seem pretty eager to follow me, however I decide to go about that." Rikka eventually concludes... and then admits, "...I... guess I probably should take the U-FITS too, though, whatever I decide."
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
Gridman's still a little worried about leaving Akane out, but she seems comfortable with it. Maybe it's fine. Their own bond has been forged already, after all, through their mirror-image hearts.
"Comrades, huh?" Gridman's had his own use for the word, but it won't hurt to expand it a little. His relationship with the Neon Genesis Junior High Students is something like 'family', anyway. "I like it. Comrades it is."
If 'comrades' is a reference to something, it goes over Gridman's head.
"Thank you, Rikka. I always felt more brave when you were with me, even if I worried a lot, too." A soft smile. "I never lost myself or had any doubt when you were there. You reminded me of what was really important."
With a laugh, Gridman pokes Utsumi's cheek. "Full-blast, huh? I think you're right there with us, most of the time! But." A smile, as Gridman pulls his hand back. "I'm really glad you're here to watch over us, Utsumi."
U-FITS is mentioned, and Gridman groans, burying his face in his hands. "I did all that studying for nothing, ughhh... I knew it was pointless! I have no idea if Yuta will even keep my memories!"
What's a Hyper Agent supposed to do with all these facts about math and history, anyway? There's no way the Hyper World is going to care about that stuff!
Rikka speaks up, though, and Gridman hears the hesitance in her voice. He raises his head, looking at her with concern. "It's okay if you don't want to, right? I still don't really get how all this college stuff works, but with all the incredible people we know, I'm sure one of them could help you get where you want to be, right? Sayla, or someone in GGG..."
"As for me, um, yeah..." It's too hard to make eye contact for this bit. Gridman looks into his cup again. "I need to take Alexis with me back to the Hyper World. They'll have a way to safely contain him there. I don't remember exactly what it is, but I feel confident that it exists."
Sip. The taste is just as strange the second time.
"I thought about just... trying to stay. We could throw Alexis in a bank vault or something." It's a little joke. "But Sigma and I talked about it, and I guess Hyper Agents are kept track of, so if I stuck around, someone would come to bring me back anyway. And they might try and take Sigma, too." Gridman shakes his head. "But his partner is still corrupted by 000. I couldn't make Sigma take that risk with Takeshi in danger. So..."
Gridman looks up just enough to pass his cup, and accept the next one.
"I want to come back. But I don't know if it'll be possible, or even how soon it'll be possible. They might assign me somewhere else right away. Or maybe I'll get some vacation time? One thing, though..."
A breath.
"I'm going to leave the Neon Genesis Junior High Students here. I haven't talked to them about it yet, but Tsutsujidai is still in danger, and the Hyper World doesn't know about them." Gridman's expression is half-hidden by his bangs. "This world has so many terrible things happening, I can't bear the thought of just abandoning it. Even without me, they're still strong enough to at least help fight to protect people."
Turning the cup around in his hands, Gridman's voice goes quiet. "And they all have lives and identities here. If they came back with me, they'd just become part of my soul again. I can't do that to them."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
The cups continue to move along. Akane glances; there's just a little too little, she thinks, in the one that started at Utsumi -- so she leans in, taking a second to top it up now that it's reached Rikka. (She's not letting her get away with less, even if it is carbonated.)
It's kind of funny to see the side of Rikka she shows Utsumi, the side she shows Gridman. It's not that she's never seen those -- but even when she has, those moments have been a lot more about her. It's interesting to see the three of them together -- see their bond, like this.
She thinks she gets why it took all three of them, now.
She remains pretty quiet; she's mostly just listening. She'd known a lot of this, of course... but it's so nice to hear Rikka say it again. If you're inspired to be a hero by a hero, that's the most powerful friendship of all, right?
"The Rikka Corps might really be a corps soon, huh," Akane muses. "That's pretty great, actually." She looks to Gridman, wobbling a hand. "I think it's hard to lose everything. And even if he does, he'll at least have decent grades..."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Rikka's answer seems to meet with Utsumi's approval; he gives her a nod, and a knowing smile. "If you want a study partner, let me know. ... we're probably gonna have pretty similar knowledge gaps, though, so we might want to get another third..."
When Gridman groans that studying was pointless, Utsumi shakes his head. "Akane's right. I dunno if Yuta'll remember that stuff either... But hey -- Gridman. It's not just about Yuta." His expression turns a little serious. "You might never get another shot at being a human. I think you kinda owed it to yourself to let it be a different thing than being a Hyper Agent." He grins. "Besides, who knows? You could be Hyper World's first Human History teacher! Tarabaman's had a couple of teacher hosts before -- why not flip it around?" If a hero can inspire you to be a hero...
... maybe a human can inspire you to be human, too.
... He looks down at that last cup. This is it, he realizes -- it might be one of the last times he gets to spend with Gridman as a close friend. (He's thinking about following along with Rikka, too, though he hasn't let himself say it yet. ... and if he's being honest, he's not sure what he has to offer.)
Gridman mentions that he's leaving the Neon Genesis Junior High Students to stay here -- and it takes Utsumi a bit to digest that. ... he doesn't seem opposed, even though his first words are, "I guess I'm gonna be on shin kick watch forever..."
He looks to Gridman again, expression serious, before he finally says:
"If you come back... dwell in me next time, instead of Yuta." It's not that he wants to be the hero of everyone's dreams... ...but he does want Gridman to learn the same lesson he did, about burdens shared being burdens lessened. He was so scared for Yuta, so worried about him being crushed under that burden...
Drink. He lets out a long, content sigh, once he finishes.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Akane notes, "I think it's tradition to keep the cup you end up with? These weren't super pricey or anything, either. ... even if Gridman can't take it, maybe we should at least keep it at Aya? Somewhere safe."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Eventually, Rikka receives Utsumi's cup... which Akane helpfully tops up.
...Rikka wouldn't have objected receiving less, but she supposes it is part of the tradition that everyone receive the same amount, when they're all on the same standing...
Gridman seems accepting of the term 'comrades', too. So... comrades it is. Rikka smiles, at Gridman's thanks.
"No problem. I'm glad I could help you with that... I owe you a lot on that front, too." Rikka replies. Seeing him be brave made her want to be too, after all - and in that regard, they helped push each other onward.
"Yeah, we really might be." Rikka replies with a chuckle. The Rikka Corps... she looks pretty happy about that, too.
...Gridman laments all that studying he did though and, solemnly, Rikka reaches over to pat him on the back.
"You don't know that he won't, though... and I don't think it hurts to learn more about the world." Rikka points out.
He says that it's okay if she doesn't want to take the U-FITS, that someone could help her out, and Rikka thinks it over. It's true - Sayla or 3G would probably be an incredibly useful reference, but...
"...I know. But I guess... I want it more for me, maybe? I want to prove I've earned it on my own merits. ...Which means tests, unfortunately." Rikka replies with a sigh. Still, Utsumi offers his help as a study partner, and she nods.
"Thanks... It definitely wouldn't hurt to gather up all the help we can get. I should probably check on Hass and Namiko, too." She considers. Well, they can make a list and form a study group.
Utsumi, though... has some pretty important words for Gridman. Rikka finds herself a bit stunned. ...He really has come a long way, too.
Eventually, Gridman announces his own plans. He has to go back - they'll come looking for him eventually, and if he doesn't go, it might bring trouble to Sigma. Rikka nods, a bit sad.
"I see..." She murmurs. And... he's leaving the Neon Genesis Junior High Students here, too.
"...They'll probably be upset when they find out." Rikka points out. "When are you going to tell them? Still... I guess you're right. They're people of this world, too. I don't think they'd really want to leave it... and I'd be sad to see them go, too."
She's quiet for a moment, as Utsumi requests that Gridman dwell in him next time... and then, offers Gridman a smile.
"...We'll see each other again. Even if I'm an old lady at that point... I'll be ready to greet you with a smile and show you how far we've all come." She says.
And so, bracing herself, Rikka finishes off her cup, as well. She looks toward Gridman, then.
"...Are you allowed to take stuff with you?" She asks, curious, then nods. "Yeah, we'd be glad to hold onto it for you."
She knows she's going to keep this one. The cup itself might not be worth much... but the memories that have passed through it are beyond value.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
"Yeah, I can at least leave Yuta that much." Gridman responds to Akane, sighing. "I gave school stuff my all, even if I wasn't very good at it." He pauses for a moment, then smiles as Rikka pats his back.. "You know who was one of my best tutors? Knight. I guess the whole 'learning kaiju' thing works for pretty much everything."
Gridman raises his head to listen to Utsumi. Golden eyes shimmer, and grow misty. He laughs a little, scrubbing at his face with his arm. "I -- I think I'd like that. And there were a lot of good times at school! I can't ignore those."
"Ahh, man, you're really getting to me..." Gridman wipes away a couple tears. "I guess I can't criticize you about being emotional when I'm like this, huh? I sure could've used some Human lessons..."
Utsumi earns a wobbly laugh from Gridman mentioning the Shin Kick Watch. "Sorry about that..."
"I haven't decided yet. It's got to be soon, obviously. I guess... I'm a little worried about it. I know they'll be upset. But you're right, Rikka. Each of them has a reason to stay here. Borr with their plants and Shozo, Vit with Ennil, Calibur with his cats..." A little frown. "...Max is who I'm worried for most. He's not going to take being left behind well at all."
But as Utsumi's blue eyes meet Gridman's gold, the Hyper Agent looks startled. He hadn't considered the burden he placed on others, by taking away Yuta, not like this. And Utsumi is willing to bear that burden so freely...
Gridman extends his hand to Utsumi. "It's a promise, Utsumi. I'd be honored."
"And it's a promise with you, too, Rikka." A hand is extended her way, as well. "No matter what I look like then, I'll always have a smile for you."
As Utsumi finishes his drink, Gridman does too, wiping a few tears away from his eyes again.
"Um, I have no idea if I can take stuff..." Gridman looks at his cup. Something that's become so precious, so quickly. "The Hyper World isn't really a physical place, right? So maybe it'd be safer to leave it here. I know I can trust you guys to take care of it."
A soft breath out, and then: "I know I can trust you guys to take care of everything."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
It'll never be perfectly equal -- but Akane's happy to keep things flowing and at least a little bit fair. (Even if Utsumi may have accidentally tried to bear a different burden, for Rikka's sake.)
Akane blinks in momentary surprise as she hears that Max will probably take it the hardest. "... I think Max might really take to 3G's vibe. I think once we track down the rest of 3G Green, he'll come around a bit," she suggests. "Every story I hear about Taiga and Hyuuma makes it seem like they'd really be his speed..."
... one more reason to try hard and bring everyone home, then. Akane feels her fist clench with resolution -- even as it's Gridman's turn to get a little misty-eyed.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Rikka wanting to stand on her own power inspires a mix of emotions in Utsumi. He's not sure if that's good or bad, in the long term; she's become so strong, but he'd had a moment of that worry at the pageant, too. ... more reason to do his best to be her friend, lest she pick up the self-sacrificing tendencies of the rest of these clowns.
... it's his turn to inject a little levity. Piggybacking on Rikka's comment about being an old lady, Utsumi teases, "Aw, man... if I end up a host in my 60s..." He protests, "I didn't like REBUILD that much! The original S and Man hosts showing up was way too sentimental!"
... maybe he'd like it better now, though.
The protesting doesn't last, though. "... I'd still do it, though," he says, shaking that hand. "Deal."
He looks down at the cup. They're empty, now --
No, they're filled with memories. He takes his.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Akane looks at the bottle. There's still a good half of the bottle in there; she did mix three bottles of ramune. She looks at it thoughtfully, and then muses:
"You know, I'll put one away every now and then for the summer vibe? I'm not quite as picky. Bu~ut..."
Picking up the bottle, she drinks the remaining ten or so ounces all at once. A little bit splashes down her cheek, and her eyes scrunch up a bit from that much carbonation at once; when she finishes, though, she's smiling.
"I can't really handle carbonated drinks much, either."
She sets the bottle down in the center of the table again. Even if it's in a totally different way -- she's part of that imperfect bond, too, now.
(This is the first time she's done this to Gridman and Utsumi; on the other hand, the 'winding around to her dramatic point' is something she's pulled on Rikka more than once in recent memory, including with Akane asking for help with her meds...)
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Knight was?" Rikka replies. She's surprised at first - but then she thinks about it for a second, and... "...Yeah, that makes sense, actually.
Gridman's starting to tear... Rikka smiles, just a little. It's easy to see just how much they all mean to him. ...He means so much to them too, after all.
Gridman is worried about telling everyone, though... Rikka nods. She can't blame him. It's not going to be an easy conversation. ...Like Akane, though, Rikka is surprised to hear that Max will be the one taking it the hardest. She smiles, just slightly.
"We'll look after him - make sure he knows he isn't alone. He'll still have us, after all. And everyone else too, of course." Rikka points out. And Akane makes a good suggestion, too. 3G Green... she hopes it won't be much longer.
But Utsumi teases, and it gets a laugh out of Rikka. She actually gets the joke, this time.
A hand is extended to Utsumi - and then to her, and Rikka takes it, shaking it without hesitation.
"Good." She replies with a nod. ...And then another nod.
"Then we'll keep it. We'll make a special place for it." Rikka nods. He knows he can trust them to take care of it... and he knows he can trust them to take care of everything.
...Now it's Rikka's turn to get a little misty-eyed.
"Y-yeah. For sure." She confirms, wiping at her eyes a bit... and then watches as Akane takes up the bottle.
...And downs it in a single go!? Rikka stares for a moment, surprised and impressed... and then she starts to laugh. It doesn't take long for her to realise what Akane's done, given her experiences, and it makes her feel all the more fond.
"We're glad to have you too, Akane~." Rikka says with a smile.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
"I'd be really grateful if you could watch out for Max, and the rest of them. Thank you, Rikka." Gridman nods to Akane. "Max has always liked helping others, and he's strong enough to make a real difference in a place like that, I think. It's a great idea."
Gridman laughs at the idea of a 60 year old host Utsumi, shaking his head. "I hope I'll be back sooner than that!" But Utsumi is true to his word, promising even his 60 year old self. Gridman has a strong grip as they shake hands.
Rikka accepts the handshake too. Gridman's grip is a little softer with her, but not by much. "Thank you so much. I'll be sure to ask for it back once I come home!"
Right as things feel almost too emotional to bear, Akane takes the bottle, and -- drinks it all in one go?! Gridman's mouth falls open. Should he clap? He claps, just to be polite -- then breaks into laughter with Rikka.
Imperfect as it may be, Gridman feels this bond will endure, no matter how long he's away. That truth settles in his heart, making him feel strong enough to face what must be done.