Rika enlightens Akito and Eileen of their score.
Current IC time is: Mon May 27 13:36:02 2002 - Day
Rika
This girl fits the textbook definition of ‘cute redhead’, and while she’s unmistakably asian, her relatively pale skin and dark green eyes, coupled with flaming red hair cut in a pageboy style make it easy to forget about it, especially since there’s no sign of hair dye. Overally, she resembles a fox - lithe and slim, and generally small, since she’s rather short.
She is dressed in the Eriol Gakuen girl’s uniform - white jacket with blue sailor flap and cuffs, not to mention the tacky crown-shaped medal, white and blue short skirt and the long blue stockings with regulation white shoes. She looks unsurprisingly feminine and attractive in this attire, which was probably the initial idea. She’s dragging around a thick cloth bookbag, and a microscopic Minolta Dimage X digital camera is hanging on her neck on a chain.
Cafeteria — Piffle Princess
The cafeteria of Piffle Princess shop is not an example of a generic fast food establishment - rather, like everything else in here, it keeps in style. Three tables are scattered around the room, and there’s a couple of bar stools too, but the important thing is the menu. Displayed on bright panels above the counter, it almost exclusively consists of pastries, ice-cream, soft drinks and candy.
The whole cafeteria section is about a floor above the Angelic Layer Training center, and sometimes people look down onto the Layers over the railing at the edge.
table by the railing
The table right by the railing offers the best view of the Angelic Layer Training Center.
You sit down at the table by the railing.
Looking down over the railing, you see…
The large and spacious hall is lit brightly with sunlight coming through the glass wall that overlooks the street. On the floor, four Layers are arranged in a long curve, with two chairs beside each - and most are busy and full of action, as Angels fight and onlookers cheer. You are standing within viewing distance of Layer number 1.
By the far wall of the hall corner, a counter with a terminal stands right below the railing of the upper floor, and a smiling attendant rents out the layers.
People: Eileen, Yuuzen Akito
On the floor below, Eileen gets up, and sighs softly, pushing off her visor and setting it on the chair. She gazes at Sentaku for a few moments, and with a small smile and a shake of her head, she closes the distance to her angel, and carefully picks her chosen one up. “…ano…that was a good match, yuuzen-san…”
On the floor below, Akito smiles, happy that he and Kazuma were finally able to beat Sentaku, but more happy that the match was such a fun, energized one. Both Deus’ had fought well and fought with flair! Though still amused at Kazuma bearing Sentaku to Eileen, he does wonder about how he ended up brushing his hand through Sentaku’s hair since he hadn’t told him to do so.. shrugging it off he figures it must’ve been something from his unconscious. “Hai, a very good match Airin-san. Sentaku fought well.” Luckily the crowds are holding back for now, out of respect for the match and the two Deus’..
On the floor below, Seiko elbows and squirms her way through the crowd, panting to catch her breath as she finally makes it with in viewing distance. After a oment of huffing, Seiko’s smile droops as she looks up. “It’s over?” she asks in a slightly crestfallen way.
On the floor below, Seiko huffs at the crowd, then slips towards the other layer.
Kaya enters the cafeteria.
Kaya has arrived.
Rika is sitting at the table by the railing, drinking coffee, or so it appears on the outside.
Kaya drops a 100 yen coin into the coin slot of the Love Calculator and types in ‘Yuuzen Akito’ for the first partner and ‘Patterson ‘airin’ E.’ for the second one. The machine dings, rings, makes a lot of noise and flashes colorful hearts all over. When it’s done, a bright 75% score lights up on the display.
Rika frowns at the noise and glances to see what’s going on.
Kaya giggles at the result of the love matching and thinks Aki would like to know this…
Rika quickly picks up her camera on a chain and snaps a picture of Kaya giggling by the calculator machine. The writing on the machine’s screen would probably be quite visible on the picture…
Kaya
A light skinned girl with dark purple eyes and red brown hair that goes down to her shoulder faces you. You notice she is about 5 feet 3 inches tall and looks to be very fit. As you look you notice that she has muscle in her arms and legs. She seems to be the genki type of girl. She is wearing a Eriol Academy Middle School uniform and a hat that looks to be made of straw with a sunflower in it.
Rika nonchalantly lets the camera dangle back on it’s chain and pretends nothing out of ordinary happened.
Kaya peers around and notices noting out of the ordinary and then resumes using the calculater.
Rika sips her coffee, looking at Kaya curiously but saying nothing.
Kaya looks at the score, blushes then turns around to make sure no one is watching and runs.
On the floor below, Eileen apparently didn’t see it, or had not really thought anything of the affectionate touch. For some reason, Eileen seems a bit relieved, breathing out a small sigh, closing her eyes for a moment. Then she ackowledges Akito’s words with, “…arigato, yuuzen-san. kazuma did well too…” She looks around then, noticing the crowd seemingly for the first time, makes a small ‘eep’ sound. “…yuuzen-san…ano…we should clear the layer…”
On the floor below, Eileen climbs the stairs that lead back to the main Angelic Layer floor.
On the floor below, Eileen has left.
Eileen enters the cafeteria.
Eileen has arrived.
Rika is sitting at the table by the railing and intently studying a picture on the small screen of her camera.
Eileen wanders in after another hard layer battle. It’s clear she practices often, almost religiously it seems. This time, the young american is dressed in a leather jacket and pants, with a white undershirt
Rika spies Eileen out first, and yells to attract attention, waving a hand, “Patterson-san!” In-your-face type when she wants to be, she is.
Eileen
Is that a boy or a girl there? Sometimes it can be tough to tell, and such is the case here. Those who try can soon enough distinguish the feminine features of this young girl, who appears to be in her mid teens. Her usual mannerisms are typically shy, however, in a strange contrast, she definitely will grab attention. However, this is not the typical way for a girl to garner attention. First, she is obviously of foreign decent, with her light, cream-toned complexion, and her gold flecked, dark green-gray eyes. Her mocha-brown hair is pulled back into an incredibly long, braided ponytail as thick as a rope. However, the hair not pulled into the ponytail, significantly shorter, falls about the sides of her face and over her left eye. Second, her clothing is obviously not normally found on the streets of Tokyo.
She’s wearing a black leather jacket with a white fur-lined collar, tailored to fit her small frame very well. The collar is nice and wide, nearly reaching her shoulders, while the fur looks soft and warm. The jacket is a bit oddly cut however, as it doesn’t go all the way to her waist, instead stopping about where her ribcage would stop. She wears a white t-shirt under the jacket, with an interesting pewter pendant cast in the shape of a cross, but with a lion’s head roaring off towards her right side in place of the top bar. The pendant glints harshly in the light, suspended from it’s delicately wrought silver chain. The pendant usually rests heavily between the young girl’s breasts, pushing the t-shirt’s fabric between. The shirt is tucked into a pair of matching black leather pants which have a male cut to them, but are sized once again to fit the gaijin. Three belts cross about there, all of reddish brown leather, one crossing her waist in the traditional manner, the two others forming an X pattern across her pelvis, the one going from her right down to her left in front, the one in back possessing a large, ornately engraved belt buckle. All three belts have silver fastenings, and the two crisscrossing belts sit somewhat loosely. Those very observant will notice someone has sewn the interior of each belt’s top loop to the pants in order to keep them from slipping. Three more belts encircle the English-featured girl’s right thigh, these a thicker, but are obviously from the same leather stock the pants came from. Why they are there is anyone’s guess, and the observant will notice that these too have the inside sewn to the pants. They aren’t pulled tight at all, nor are they loose. They’re just there, as if only to accent the pants. Finally, to round out the attire, the girl has chosen to wear what appear to be US military issue black boots. Definitely not suited to sneaking about, they make a solid ‘clunk’ with each step, accompanied by a metallic jingle that results by the bits of metal all over her that manage to clink about as she moves.
Eileen espies Rika and smiles a little, then picks up her pace a little to join her. “…ano…maeki-san! konnichiwa!” A small detour for her, since she seemed about to head to the food lines, but a detour she doesn’t seem to mind at all. clump-ching clump-ching Her outfit for today comes complete with it’s own sound effects, very characteristic of the character she’s cosplaying as. Sadly, she doesn’t appear to have made any effort to put a scar on her face.
Rika digs into her bookbag, getting out the big camera and snapping off a series of pictures as Eileen walks before responding, “Konnichiwa! Made a very interesting picture today.”
Eileen is mid-setting down Sentaku when Rika mentions this. “…ano…interesting?” She asks, stopping and looking up.
Rika nods and sets the camera down, digging in her bookbag again. The device she produces is one of the ill-fated digital photo albums, a very, very useless thing. She fusses with her gadgets, pulling out the camera’s memory card and sticking it into the album pad. “Take a look”
The picture clearly shows a light skinned girl with dark purple eyes and red brown hair that goes down to her shoulder face, about 13 years old - apparently, Kaya, for those who know her - who is giggling near the love calculator machine, apparently, having just used it. The machine’s display shows “Yuuzen Akito + Patterson Eileen = 75%”.
Rika adds, “I just thought this machine was very interesting. You’d think it would always give the same number for any two names… well, it doesn’t.”
Eileen -blushes-. “…….a-ano…” she says, once her ability to speak has once again surfaced. “…who is this girl..? she seems very mischievious…” She surreptiously, but not surreptiously enough, fishes for the end of her braid, and pulls it to her hand, then, brushes the end over the open palm of her other hand.
Rika shrugs, “Haven’t the foggiest idea. You sure you don’t know her?” Curiously, she adds, “In this case seeing her enter your names into the machine is rather irregular.”
Eileen, looking down, still brushing her braid as she tries to fight off her blush, mentions, “…ano…i think maybe once i might have seen her…but it would be like passing by someone in a crowd…it is a little wierd…” She heaves a small sigh, this obviously not related to her confusion about the girl.
Rika studies the picture intently. “Could anyone have any reasons to check your two names though?” she presses on curiously.
Eileen nods a couple times. “…ano…not hard to get my name…i took second place in the local tournament. my first match was against yuuzen-san…” She thinks about it a little more, then says, “…ano…i don’t think it’s public knowledge yet that he likes me though. eishi is very excited about it, but even then, i doubt a stranger would notice…”
Rika adopts an excited grin, “We might actually be on to something there!” she says, turning the pad off and hiding it in her bookbag. “I knew there was something odd going on around this game!”
Eileen blinks twice then looks up from her palm-tickling. “…ano…we are? there is?…” She waits for the expected spelling out. Meanwhile, Sentaku sits patiently, her electric hair sparking every once in a while, perched on the edge of the table with her feet dangling.
Rika nods vigorously, “I did some research.” she says. Well, it was merely reading a few magazines, but still. “Last year, when they announced the new control system, they also announced the whole project was started to make prosthetic limbs, and data collected through scanning people’s brains were used to make them. What, do you think, are they scanning for now?”
Eileen thinks for a moment, still flustered…gah…is EVERYONE going to know Akito likes her? sigh…oh wait…Rika’s asking about the Truth again. “..ah…love?” She asks, glancing back at the machine. “..or wait…feedback response? i read that was new…”
Rika shrugs, “I suspects they both are parts of the same puzzle. After all, you just said the most obvious connection between you two was the fact that you came first and second in the local tournament?” Apparently she’s deliberately ignoring Eileen’s reaction out of politeness or something.
Eileen shakes her head a little, coming out of her embarrassment enough to say, “…ah..gomen maeki-san…i came in second…yuuzen-san was the first one i fought in the tournament…he didn’t place.” She then realizes she doesn’t want a misconception there. “…gomen, don’t underestimate him though! i lost to him two days ago…”
Rika scratches her head, puzzled silly. “Uh… but I still find this highly suspicious!” she responds. “What does this machine know that it changes the numbers? Why does the girl type your names in and what does she know? And what data does the Angelic Layer Inc. collect now? They made prosthetic limbs - what if they’re trying for prosthetic souls?!”
Eileen blinkblinks. “…ano…can that even be possible? most people don’t even know what a soul is…” Eileen glances suspiciously at the crane game. “…ano…”
Rika shakes a finger at Eileen, “Assuming something is impossible is asking for that impossible to be tried out on you.” After all, she’s a natural japanese redhead, which is supposed to be practically impossible…
Eileen looks at the finger waggling at her, and giggles a little despite herself. However, she grows serious after a moment. “…ano…is that really so?” She thinks about that one for a while, in between thoughts about what she’s going to do about Akito. Which is to say, she mulls this over in a very confused state. “…ano…i guess so.”
Rika shrugs, “At least… that’s my current theory. I have abandoned a lot of theories of varying scale before, and might abandon this one just as well, but what I do know, is that there is something that I don’t know, and it’s somewhere close.” she says seriously. “And you’re in it, too.”
Eileen tilts her head a little, the shorter, feminine Squall seeming to be confused again. It must be nice to be smart and not get easily confused like Eileen is right now. “…ano..i am?”
Rika throws a glance towards the love calculator. Then she looks at Sentaku and snaps a closeup picture of her with the small camera. “Aren’t you?”
On the floor below, Yuuzen Akito climbs the stairs that lead back to the main Angelic Layer floor.
On the floor below, Yuuzen Akito has left.
Yuuzen Akito enters the cafeteria.
Yuuzen Akito has arrived.
Rika is sitting at a table, apparently talking with Eileen.
Eileen says in return, thoroughly confused, “…i don’t know…” She blinks again, as a picture of Sentaku is taken
Rika ventures a question, “Tell me… What do you feel when you put on that visor thing?”
Feeling a bit peckish after an intense round of layer practice Akito makes his way up the cafeteria stairs, hopping two at a time. He immediately heads to the line where people are shuffling forward, picking up whatever bits of food catch their fancy..
Eileen hmms softly, face still slightly red. “…um…what do i feel? ano…well…i usually psyche myself up before the battle…so i’m not so sure this is what you’re looking for. …ah…i feel more confident…” she then giggles a little, “…a little overwhelmed…” She pauses, then smiles softly, “…ano, and i feel excited, with a lot of pride when i perform the fall in.”
Rika props her chin with both her hands and looks at Eileen for a long time before saying, “And are you sure all of these feelings originate in yourself?”
After a bit of thought Akito reaches for a platter of pre-made sashimi, the perfect snack! As the line slowly shuffles forward he opens up the package and bites off half of a salmon piece, looking around, his mouth stuffed he catches a glimpse of a slightly reddened Eileen (not an unusual situation true, still, very cute.) After reaching the register he pays and begins making his way towards her.
Eileen thinks about this for a while. “…ano…i think so…? i don’t think someone else is giving me weird feelings.” (’Mind controlled 16 year old girls, next on Geraldo.’) O o . thinks the English girl… so bizzare. “…i know some of it is because of my psyche up…”
Rika sighs and starts digging about in her bookbag, “Guess I’ll have to start doing it myself to figure that out.” she says, retrieving a bunch of Angelic Layer manuals, leaflets and handouts and starts shuffling through them.
Finishing off the salmon roll on his way, Akito sees now that Rika is sitting right by Eileen. Probably asking the same sort of probing questions she was asking him earlier (no wonder she’s blushing!) For himself he didn’t see that Angelic Layer was doing any sort of harm, or changing people in some insidious way but being of a curious nature wanted to know and understand the connection between the layer and himself better. Swallowing down the last of another piece of sashimi Akito greets them, “Konbanwa, Airin-san, Maeki-san.”
Rika answers from behind her pile of glossy paper, “Oh, hello, Yuuzen-san.” she says, fumbling for her small camera and snapping off a shot, somehow, without dropping any of the manuals and leaflets.
Eileen watches Rika pull out all the angelic layer paraphenalia, and sits up a little straighter. “…aaah…! maeki-san is going to play the layer too? ano…do you have any ideas for your angel then?” She then looks up as Akito comes by. “…yuuzen-san!” Blush returns. “ano…konbanwa…i didn’t see you there.”
Rika blinks at Eileen over her papers. “I might. I still haven’t decided yet.”
Akito puts his hand to his chin and smirks at Rika, “I thought so Maeki-san, whatever else you were doing, it was research on your possible opponents too!” He then giggles at Eileen, “Heheh, not a new phenomenon for you Airin-san. So how’re you guys doing today, dig up anything new Maeki-san?”
Eileen goes quiet for a moment, to allow Akito and Rika some time to fill each other in on the new information.
Rika silently (with accompanying metallic noises) digs out a digital photo album, a very, very useless piece of junk, since most of those who want one, prefer handheld computers. “Something interesting, no doubt.” she says, pressing a few buttons on the large gadget.
The picture clearly shows a light skinned girl with dark purple eyes and red brown hair that goes down to her shoulder face, about 13 years old - apparently, Kaya, for those who know her - who is giggling near the love calculator machine, apparently, having just used it. The machine’s display shows “Yuuzen Akito + Patterson Eileen = 75″.
Wondering what she’s looking at Akito shifts around to see, and when he does Akito’s eyes widen and within a few seconds his cheeks redden to a deep crimson colour.. “Ite.. h.haii.. interesting”
Rika comments nonchalantly, “That was what I said.”
Akito blush lowers somewhat though he still looks a bit embarrassed. “Heheh, you sure have a good eye Maeki-san.. ano.. do you ever turn those things off?”
Rika shakes her head. “Not even when I sleep.”
Akito nods, not very surprised at her response. “So..” Akito coughs, “dig up anything about the -layers-, heh, or just dirt on me?”
Rika glances at the blushing Eileen and hides the photo album back into her bookbag. “That’s dirt? I didn’t know.” she comments. “I’m working on it.”
Akito snickers, “So, after looking through all these brochures, what type of angel are you thinking about making?”
Rika smiles at the small puddle of brochures in front of her, “I can’t say I’ve decided even on having one, I’m telling you.”
A skeptical look sneaks its way onto Akito’s face, “You know I don’t believe that for a moment, you don’t seem the type to leave an experience like angel battling pass you by. Especially if it’s already caught hold of your curiosity like this..”
Rika sneers skeptically at Akito. “It might be safe for the player… Is it really safe for everyone else though?”
Akito’s face changes from skeptical to one of amusement, “Heheh, a well played dodge, if you become as good on the layer as you are with conversation then I can expect to see you rise in the ranks fast. I’ll take the bait for now though and ask what you’re implying, danger for everyone else but not the player?”
Rika shrugs and responds in a serious tone. “I can not say I know. But last year, they announced they used the system to collect data required to make prosthetic limbs. Nobody knew. And then they changed everything. What is it that we do not know now? For all I know, they might be trying to make prosthetic souls.”
Akito sighs, maybe he’d been overestimating this girl.. she acts like she knows something but then goes off and says something as ridiculous as accusing Angelic Layer Inc. of trying to make prosthetic souls. Still, she’d caught Akito’s own streak of curiosity, her suggestion about the layers, that no-one knows what they’re capable of doing is still sound. Even if she is crazy she might end up finding out -something- useful about the layers in her multitudes of questions and millions of pictures. “I might be wrong Maeki-san, but I think prosthetic souls might be a little far-fetched.”
Rika shrugs, “It’s a figure of speech, mostly. But I’m not sure if I want my thought patterns be the basis of a future artifical intelligence for example.”
Akito isn’t sure -anyone- would want Rika’s thought patterns to be the basis of a future artificial intelligence but nods, “My question to you is, how are you ever going to find these things out? They don’t seem to be the sort of questions which can be answered by questioning Deus’, or even by experiencing it for yourself..”
Rika’s thought patterns are unusual, but then again, she’s a japanese natural redhead, which is supposed to be practically impossible. She shrugs, “I’m going to keep my eyes open. Something will eventually come up, if I’m there to notice it and remember it.” She’s quite capable of noticing stuff, that’s a given.
The sky darkens as the sun disappears behind the buildings. The burning hues of the disappearing daylight reflect from windows.
With the number of pictures Rika takes, even if she herself doesn’t notice something right away she’d likely see anything she missed as she goes through them (though how she’d ever find the time is beyond Akito.) The thought makes Akito grin and he notes “That’s one way of going about it I suppose, so did you say you were going for a speed type angel or more balanced?”
Rika shakes a finger at Akito and grins, “Don’t try to confuse me, I didn’t say anything about the type or even whether I really want one or not.”
Akito places both hands on his cheeks and an innocent look plays across his face, “Who me? How could you ever say such a thing..” Wagging his own finger at the girl he says, “You may not have already said, but I just know you want to bounce your ideas off someone.”
Rika stands up and starts collecting her paraphernalia into the oversized bookbag. “You’re assuming a little too much.” she comments. “Makes me wonder all the more if it’s really safe for the user, since you’re trying to convert me rather aggressively. Why are you so persistent?”
Akito inwardly rolls his eyes as Rika once again goes waaay over the top, “Maeki-san, it’s because I’m really an agent of Angelic Layer incorporated who was dispatched because the high-ups thought you were getting too close to the truth. Or… y’know it could be because I’m a competitive fifteen year old who loves playing Angelic Layer.”
Eileen peeks up, her blush now sufficiently under control finally. “…ano…i’ve noticed it too.” She giggles a little, then watches Rika stand up. “…ano…are you leaving, maeki-san?” She scoops up Sentaku, then giggles at Akito’s response. She has her eyes on the food line though. She never did get anything to eat.
Rika reflexively snaps a picture of Akito rolling his eyes and grins to him. She says, “Yes, it’s time for me to go home, so I guess I’ll leave you two to enjoy your food together in peace.” she smiles, tossing her glance between Eileen and Akito for a moment and then snapping a picture of the two together. She must be measuring their size in terabytes by now…
Eileen blushes as the picture is taken, but waves nonetheless. “…ano…ja!” She gives a shyish wave, then gets up and clasps Sentaku between her hands, which are held in front of her hips. She says to Akito, “…a-ano…i’ll be right back…i’m hungry…!”
Akito waves to Rika, “Jya Maeki-san, ganbatte!” and then turns back to Eileen and his somewhat neglected platter of sashimi. Once she’s far enough away, to Eileen he says “Hen na girl, heh, she’ll fit in well with the crowd at the Piffle Princess.”
Rika snaps several more frames of the two talking before she finally disappears in the crowd.
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