2023-09-07: Echoing Courage
- Cast: Yuta Hibiki, Alouette Pommier
- Where: Tsutsujidai - Kamesan Park
- Date: U.C. 0097 09 07
- Summary: Alouette meets a familiar-looking young man who's nonetheless entirely new to her, seeing melancholy and loneliness in his eyes. Sometimes, it takes courage to be yourself, too.
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
After yesterday's encounter with Shinji and Kaworu, Yuta's mood has been lower than ever. He dragged himself through school and back home, locking the door to his apartment as soon as he enters.
"I'm home." Yuta says, to no one.
Slumping his backpack down next to the couch, the young man sighs. He's got to get a fish or something. This sucks.
After a few hours spent failing to focus on his studies, Yuta gives up. It's not healthy sticking indoors this much anyway. He quickly changes into a more casual outfit and heads out, troubled.
Though Yuta doesn't intend on heading anywhere in particular, he finds himself at Kamesan Park soon enough. It's still fairly lively this late in the day, with children gathered on the playground equipment and adults jogging or chatting together at the picnic tables.
A swingset off to the side of the playground equipment is abandoned for the moment, and Yuta walks over to it. Though he has memories of swinging, he's probably... never actually done it in reality, has he? Well, that's one thing he can change.
With little motions, Yuta sends the swing back and forth. He's not aiming for any real height. It's just something to keep him occupied.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
It's not all the time that Alouette finds herself in Tsutsujidai anymore, now that Alexis' defeat - and Akane's healing has stabilized the place for good. But she did make a promise to a friend who recently had to leave - they'd all take care of protecting this city together.
Today, specifically, she's here on some GUTS business, still wearing her Jindai High uniform. She could just head home to Orbit Base straight away... but she's always enjoyed the breezy, yet lively atmosphere of Kamesan Park.
As she takes her stroll across the park, she notices a flash of very familiar red hair. It's almost instinctual for her to stop and wave at this point... but she knows full well this isn't the young man she became friends with.
When Gridman remembered who he really was, Alouette had a wealth of advice for the young man grappling with the unusual circumstances of his self. On the other hand, she's not sure what she'd have to offer to the Yuta Hibiki who was left behind, save for wasting his time.
If she just walked past, he'd probably think little of her, except for being a strange-looking foreigner. Yet, the melancholy in his eyes is clear... is she still a person who would walk away from that?
He could probably use the company, she settles on, taking the swing next to his. She'd probably used a swing countless of times as an ordinary girl, but she didn't really think about it until now. "Yuta Hibiki, right?" She asks, in an accent resembling that of Renais. "I'm Alouette. It's... nice to finally meet you, I think I should say." She adds, a little awkwardly.
She feels the wind blowing on her curls, as she swings. "...It's more fun than I remember," she comments.
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
Along with the melancholy in Yuta's eyes, something else flashes -- recognition. Once again, the young man finds himself besieged by half-present memories. They're vibrant, but still confusing. This person must've been important to Gridman, Yuta thinks.
Yuta looks wary as Alouette approaches. Yesterday still stings. He messed up so terribly. He's got to make sure not to do it again. As she sits down, he works up a smile.
"Thanks. I'm -- well, you know my name." He looks away shyly. "It's nice to properly meet you, too."
The two swing together, Yuta meeting her enjoyment of the swing with a little nod. It's quiet, but not overly awkward. The noise of the children playing nearby fills in the silence.
"...I remember you, a little." He says, at length. "I have his memories, but they're fuzzy. It's like trying to remember a dream once you wake up." An awkward, self-depricating laugh. "I guess that's pretty much exactly what happened, though."
Yuta tries to keep his swing in harmony with Alouette's so they can talk together more easily. "What brings you all the way out here? If it's not, um. Top secret, or something."
There's a little nervousness in Yuta's voice. Is something else wrong with the city, for someone from... GGG (it takes him a second to put a name to the group) is present?
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
"You remember me? Geez, that sounds a little embarrassing... even if it's just a little bit." Alouette laughs, good-naturedly, at Yuta's recognition. "But I understand it probably isn't easy, separating it all and making sense of it." She nods, as he likens it to waking up from a dream.
"I was friends with Gridman, and we made a lot of memories together. I realise it wouldn't be fair to hold you to any expectations because of him, so I won't... I just figured ignoring you because of him wouldn't be any more fair." She admits, as she continues to swing.
"Not much," She answers Yuta, when he asks what brings her here, and it honestly isn't any sort of cover-up. "Just school business, really. Jindai and Tsutsujidai were thinking of doing some kind of joint club program, and I offered to stop by for the student council just because I know the city decently well." Which is an understatement more than anything.
"What about you? Are there any clubs you were thinking of trying out? I'm guessing you never really got a chance to do these things or make friends because you were asleep... but it's never too late until you graduate, right?"
"Oh! Not that I want to speak for you or anything..." She covers her mouth and shakes her head, realising she might have been projecting on Yuta a little just there. "My line of work, and... other circumstances means such experiences are rare for me. I don't blame anyone for that... but I bet you don't want your entire life to revolve around Gridman, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
"It's all good things. Don't worry." Yuta smiles at Alouette's laugh. It has a nice ring to it, putting him at ease. "It has been pretty hard to figure everything out."
Yuta's eyes are so changed from Gridman's, as brilliant a blue as the noonday sky in Tsutsujidai. There's so much hesitancy in his body language. Their demeanors couldn't be more different.
As Gridman is mentioned, Yuta looks away. The Giant of Light is clearly a sore subject for him -- hardly surprising. "That's fair. I, um... appreciate you being so kind about it. I wouldn't have held it against you if you ignored me, but..." He works up his courage to make eye contact again. "This is nice, too."
Just school business. Yuta visibly relaxes, taking Alouette at her word immediately. Why would she lie? He's not important enough to warrant that much effort.
"That's nice of you." Yuta murmurs. "I didn't know Jindai and Tsutsujidai had that much of a connection, but... That's cool. I bet people here would get excited about a joint thing."
Yuta swings quietly for a few seconds.
"I hadn't, um... I quit the dance club. I guess he liked it, but it's not for me. I don't know, I'm not really." Yuta laughs nervously. "Good at anything? And with how much I've missed, I have no idea what's cool or whatever."
It's probably better for everyone that he just minds his business. Nobody wants their club to be dragged down by someone like him, especially if he'll just start yelling if anyone looks at him weird. Yuta slumps a little in his swing.
"It's alright!" Yuta reassures Alouette quickly. "But, yeah, you're right. I guess you can understand, huh?" He doesn't remember Alouette's past, not beyond a sense of tragedy and anger. It must be pretty bad...
Yuta looks up at the setting sun. "Yeah... I want to be my own person. But I don't have anything inside me. When I woke up, I found out pretty much all my memories are fake, so it's like." He shrugs. "Who even am I? Do I even count as a person like this?"
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
It's... surprisingly easier to distinguish Yuta from Gridman than Alouette thought it might've been. The way he carries himself, his manner of speaking... they couldn't possibly be more different. "He made a mark on a lot of people... I don't blame you for finding that hard to deal with." She nods.
"I don't think anyone deserves to feel that alone, is all..." She answers Yuta as she points out her kindness. "But you're right. It is nice. I didn't exactly have anything else planned anyways, so it all works out, right?" She smiles, looking into his deep, bright blue eyes, not too dissimilar from her own.
"They didn't have much of one, originally. But Tsutsujidai opening up to the rest of the world has meant a lot of students from so many different schools have stopped by. Just as much part of the community as any other school. I'd like to see that as much as I can before it's time to graduate."
Quit the dance club... Alouette thinks about that for a moment. Gridman really loved the dance club, he was so passionate about it. "You're right. It's not for everyone. But I think... it doesn't mean that there's nothing out there for you." She assures him, trying not to pressure him into joining a club no matter what, but at least lightly encouraging it. "I don't think you really need to be good at it to join, though. Like... I totally sucked at music when I first tried, because I was trying way too hard to make it 'good' instead of having fun. It's all up to what you're willing to put into it."
"A little bit..." She nods, when Yuta intuits she might understand. "I lost my memory for several years, and when I got them back... I learned they weren't all happy. But it meant that I also remembered the people who were able to finally show me what happiness is like." She shakes her head. "It's similar enough, but I worried it might make me understand you less rather than more. I mean.. despite everything, those memories are mine. I can't imagine having to deal with having memories that aren't even yours." She frowns, slowing down her swing.
"But I think one thing is for sure," She adds, speeding back up as the sun starts to set, shimmering and beautiful. "It just means you have the opportunity to make your own memories, feel your own feelings, become your own person. You have more room to grow than anyone... but that's okay. Just by telling me this, I know you're more than a leftover husk left behind Gridman." The sun reflects their faces for a moment, and the way it hits Yuta's eyes is different than the way it ever hit Gridman's. "It just takes a little bit of courage that I know you have."
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
"It's a lot." Yuta answers. "People, um... keep coming to visit, and it's... I've already messed up pretty bad. I yelled at someone really important to him, and... I feel like a total jerk. I was a total jerk."
Yuta sighs. Alouette's smile makes him feel a little better. At least he's not messing up now. Well, so far, anyway. "Yeah. I mean, Tsutsujidai is pretty great. If you like it here, why wouldn't anyone else? I like that, um..." He gestures vaguely. "Wanting to be a part of the community thing. It's a really nice idea."
It's the kind of thing Yuta wonders if he should want. Building connections with others and getting to see new things... Isn't that exactly what everyone says Yuta should be doing?
Blue eyes blink, just the once, at Alouette's words. "Really? You don't have to be good to join? I had no idea." Yuta looks away, thinking. What is there that he would like to be good at?
Nothing immediately comes to mind... It's going to take some thought.
"Music is pretty great. What do you play, Alouette?" Yuta asks. Maybe music would be right for him, too. The sound of a piano, played skillfully, floats into his memory. It's lovely, but very confusing. Yuta wonders where it came from, originally.
"Oh, uh." Yuta looks horrified. "I'm so sorry to have brought up such bad memories. O--or, not memories, I guess?" He winces, wishing he could disappear. "I'm glad they came back! That's what matters! Even if they weren't happy. They're, um, real, and yours. Like you said. You deserve to... have them."
Does that even make sense? Yuta turns his head away, grimacing. He's so bad at this...
As Alouette slows her swing, Yuta mirrors her. "It's been really weird so far, and I'm not sure who to talk to. I've been pointed to the Yumi Foundation, but it's intimidating. They're going to help me with paying for food and stuff, since my parents..."
He trails off.
"Well." A little smile. It's nice to hear her say all these nice things. Yuta's eyes especially light up as Alouette says he has courage. "Really? I don't..." He looks shy. "I'm not a husk. And I want to grow. I want to catch up with everyone, more than anything, and... Yeah."
It's a bit of a lame way to end a sentence, but he looks determined. Yuta's smile seems a little more genuine, and his eyes have a bit more sparkle to them. In the back of his mind, he remembers Asciel's offer. Maybe he should pursue it, hearing Alouette talk about growth and courage...
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
"Ah..." She frowns, when Yuta tells her he already messed up bad with someone close to Gridman. "It must've been a hard lesson. Sometimes you say things you just can't take back. And the best you can do is try to make it up to them, or give them space for a while..." She suggests, carefully.
"I think so, too." She smiles about Tsutsujidai being a great place. "I mean... It's not every day I get to watch a sunset as beautiful as this one."
"It's more about having fun than anything. It gives people a way to hang out and do things together after school." Alouette answers Yuta. "And then if you keep on trying and practicing, you can be good at anything!" She adds, encouragingly.
"Well... I started with the piano. It has a sort of melancholy feel to it, and at the time I thought it resonated. A friend of mine helped me learn after school... he's extremely talented." She doesn't name him, probably for the best, because he shared a more special relationship with Gridman than most.
"These days, I think singing is what I want to try learning the most. Using your own voice as an instrument... I think it's incredible. Besides, my name is one of a songbird, so maybe it was meant to be." She grins, enthusiastically. "I'm still a little shy about actually... singing in front of people, though. So maybe I can feel your apprehension on that one..." She laughs, slightly.
"It's okay, Yuta," Alouette interjects calmly. "I've made peace with it a long time ago, and those memories have helped me reunite with some truly incredible people." A lot of them, are still people that must be saved, but she doesn't bring that part up. As far as she is concerned, those reunions are inevitable, one day.
"And I still mean what I said. You deserve to have happy memories too, to meet amazing people who you never thought could possibly exist. You probably already have, right?" She's pleased to see her words have some sort of effect on Yuta. "I know you will, just like anyone in Tsutsujidai can." She nods, as he expresses his desire to grow, change, and catch up with everyone. "Then show the world who Yuta Hibiki is." She declares, smiling. "And never forget that you won't be alone on your own journey, to rely on your bonds... that's facing the world with courage, too."