D4 MM | Flying Away | Expecting

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Ichitaiyo gazed onto the coast from the window, writing little notes on her booklet.

One of her flights had to be delayed after the holo production event consumed far too much of her time, and she wished she did again sometimes, as the pounding from the party's hangover still rung between her ears. It had been calm flights, filled with small talk and silence, both well understanding and comfortable with the moments of peace.

"So.. how long have you been flying?" she asked the pilot.

[Utaku Itsuka]

"Flying... here in Shiawase Island, you mean? Or in general?"

They were well on their way to the north coast now. A lower flight through part of the coast, all the way to Namigashira Bay, then a visit to an islet a small distance off the coast, then back by Mt. Nakahama, maybe going for a closer look if the weather and time allowed.

"If the latter... well, Skyriders start learning in small craft very early on. So.... some 20 years?" Her eyes wrinkle a bit as she seems to take a short trip down memory lane. "Maybe more... can't quite remember when we switched from simulators to small test craft. Now, in Nakahama..."

There's a rather long silence as the plane slows down and slowly loses altitude, rocky shores and rather small sandy beaches along the northern coast becoming clearly visible now.

"... half of all that. Time really does fly, doesn't it?", she eventually adds. Her eyes keep on the features around them all the while - maybe the usual care and attention, although it does seem like she's quieter.

"And Kitsuki-san", she adds, after a long while. "You've probably seen more of the island than most other visitors by now. Scouting possible locations for investment?"

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"Flying... here in Shiawase Island, you mean? Or in general?"

They were well on their way to the north coast now. A lower flight through part of the coast, all the way to Namigashira Bay, then a visit to an islet a small distance off the coast, then back by Mt. Nakahama, maybe going for a closer look if the weather and time allowed.

"If the latter... well, Skyriders start learning in small craft very early on. So.... some 20 years?" Her eyes wrinkle a bit as she seems to take a short trip down memory lane. "Maybe more... can't quite remember when we switched from simulators to small test craft. Now, in Nakahama..."

There's a rather long silence as the plane slows down and slowly loses altitude, rocky shores and rather small sandy beaches along the northern coast becoming clearly visible now.

"... half of all that. Time really does fly, doesn't it?", she eventually adds. Her eyes keep on the features around them all the while - maybe the usual care and attention, although it does seem like she's quieter.

"And Kitsuki-san", she adds, after a long while. "You've probably seen more of the island than most other visitors by now. Scouting possible locations for investment?"

"I..." And the detective leant into the side of the window. "It is because I think it helps me feel safe to know my way around. I was schooled as an Investigator, so.. there's plenty of, looking under the shadows, behind the corners. It's not like I'm in danger, but habits die hard. If for some reason I was shot down on an island, I'd know a little more of where I am."

"Feels paranoid, but.. life deals cards and such. Foul play always runs amok."

[Utaku Itsuka]

"I..." And the detective leant into the side of the window. "It is because I think it helps me feel safe to know my way around. I was schooled as an Investigator, so.. there's plenty of, looking under the shadows, behind the corners. It's not like I'm in danger, but habits die hard. If for some reason I was shot down on an island, I'd know a little more of where I am."

"Feels paranoid, but.. life deals cards and such. Foul play always runs amok."

The Utaku's eyes cast a side glance on him, her look a bit askance, but only for a short moment.

"I do hope no-one tries to shoot us down", she says in her usual flat tone - although it might sound a bit [un]usual in that context. "Hopefully my training could handle it, but that'd be a first here."

Her gaze shifts to an islet, down and ahead, starts manoeuvering to approach it.

"I definitely understand wishing to know your way around, though. When I first got to a new place... it almost felt like walking through the dark. Although the feeling when those dark recesses suddenly gain colour, shapes, smells, feelings..." her expression lightens a bit, her eyes shimmering slightly as if a small flame flickered in them... again, just for a moment, then it's gone.

"That discovery... is that what keeps you going, Kitsuki-san? Despite all that foul play?"

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

The Utaku's eyes cast a side glance on him, her look a bit askance, but only for a short moment.

"I do hope no-one tries to shoot us down", she says in her usual flat tone - although it might sound a bit [un]usual in that context. "Hopefully my training could handle it, but that'd be a first here."

Her gaze shifts to an islet, down and ahead, starts manoeuvering to approach it.

"I definitely understand wishing to know your way around, though. When I first got to a new place... it almost felt like walking through the dark. Although the feeling when those dark recesses suddenly gain colour, shapes, smells, feelings..." her expression lightens a bit, her eyes shimmering slightly as if a small flame flickered in them... again, just for a moment, then it's gone.

"That discovery... is that what keeps you going, Kitsuki-san? Despite all that foul play?"

"I don't know. I just regained my impulse to fight once again, once I began to roam Nakahama. Until recently, I just survived." The Kitsuki confessed, maybe to the disappointment the Unicorn that she was not so well composed.

"But foul play has never.. deterred my or scared me, though. I was schooled as an Investigator. We.. get to see both the depths of darkness of the soul in detail or when the rules and system simply crushes a life on it's path."

She raised her binoculars and took some detailed glances into the greenery.

"I need to take off a particular leash, and then I'll be able to figure out where to go."

[Utaku Itsuka]

"I don't know. I just regained my impulse to fight once again, once I began to roam Nakahama. Until recently, I just survived." The Kitsuki confessed, maybe to the disappointment the Unicorn that she was not so well composed.

"But foul play has never.. deterred my or scared me, though. I was schooled as an Investigator. We.. get to see both the depths of darkness of the soul in detail or when the rules and system simply crushes a life on it's path."

She raised her binoculars and took some detailed glances into the greenery.

"I need to take off a particular leash, and then I'll be able to figure out where to go."

"Un", she answers simply with a nod, her eyes set on the path. She keeps quiet for a long time, then, before finally making another comment.

"It's... good that Nakahama had that effect on you, Kitsuki-san. I... I suppose I went through something similar. Not due to a leash, though... I felt freer here, I guess."

She doesn't prod further, or talk about herself. But that might be a hint that she'd be listening if she wanted to say more - and maybe willing to share if she had something to ask.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"Un", she answers simply with a nod, her eyes set on the path. She keeps quiet for a long time, then, before finally making another comment.

"It's... good that Nakahama had that effect on you, Kitsuki-san. I... I suppose I went through something similar. Not due to a leash, though... I felt freer here, I guess."

She doesn't prod further, or talk about herself. But that might be a hint that she'd be listening if she wanted to say more - and maybe willing to share if she had something to ask.

"Free to do what, if I may ask?" The Investigator prodded with curiosity, following her need to know more.

[Utaku Itsuka]

"Free to do what, if I may ask?" The Investigator prodded with curiosity, following her need to know more.

She takes a while to answer again, looking outside from one landmark to another in silence.

"To... be, I suppose. Even now, after..." she falls silent, shakes her head slowly. Her eyes seem even more hollow for a while, darker. She shakes her head again, looks to the horizon. "I.... it might be a limited horizon, but we... I'm free to roam it. Even alone"

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"Free to do what, if I may ask?" The Investigator prodded with curiosity, following her need to know more.

She takes a while to answer again, looking outside from one landmark to another in silence.

"To... be, I suppose. Even now, after..." she falls silent, shakes her head slowly. Her eyes seem even more hollow for a while, darker. She shakes her head again, looks to the horizon. "I.... it might be a limited horizon, but we... I'm free to roam it. Even alone"

"I can understand that well. I am learning to Be again. Not be a tool anymore. I'm learning to not be alone as well." Ichitaiyo confessed, turning back to the pilot. "The way you mention.. 'alone'. There was somebody, was there?"

The Kitsuki had a reputation of knowing beyond anybody should know.

[Utaku Itsuka]

"I can understand that well. I am learning to Be again. Not be a tool anymore. I'm learning to not be alone as well." Ichitaiyo confessed, turning back to the pilot. "The way you mention.. 'alone'. There was somebody, was there?"

The Kitsuki had a reputation of knowing beyond anybody should know.

Her head actually turns to the Kitsuki now, but it turns back to their path and she falls silent for some time.

"... it's that obvious, isn't it?", she eventually blurts out.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Her head actually turns to the Kitsuki now, but it turns back to their path and she falls silent for some time.

"... it's that obvious, isn't it?", she eventually blurts out.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Ichitaiyo says solemnly, taking a gaze over to the coast passing by. "For what it is worth, I relate to loss like that. It gets easier, with time."

"And is not as much easy, as much as that loss is the first thing one thinks when they..." And thought for a moment how to put it succinctly. "Are quite outwards with the grief."

"There is nothing wrong with that. No need to apologize."

[Utaku Itsuka]

"I'm sorry for your loss." Ichitaiyo says solemnly, taking a gaze over to the coast passing by. "For what it is worth, I relate to loss like that. It gets easier, with time."

"And is not as much easy, as much as that loss is the first thing one thinks when they..." And thought for a moment how to put it succinctly. "Are quite outwards with the grief."

"There is nothing wrong with that. No need to apologize."

Each answer takes a good while again. It's clearly not an easy topic for her. She eventually shakes her head again.

"... I've heard similar things. I thought it was getting easier, even."

Ichitayo will feel the plane lowering, see the land and the water slowly getting closer - not dangerously so, but the movement somehow seems to follow her own thoughts and feelings in a way.

"I... even try to convince myself the grief is through."

Now closer to the water, she seems to speed up the plane - once again, it's almost as if the Float somehow reflected her own state.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Each answer takes a good while again. It's clearly not an easy topic for her. She eventually shakes her head again.

"... I've heard similar things. I thought it was getting easier, even."

Ichitayo will feel the plane lowering, see the land and the water slowly getting closer - not dangerously so, but the movement somehow seems to follow her own thoughts and feelings in a way.

"I... even try to convince myself the grief is through."

Now closer to the water, she seems to speed up the plane - once again, it's almost as if the Float somehow reflected her own state.

Ichitaiyo couldn't deny she reached for the handle above her when the plane went lower and relaxed when the plane went up.

"And.. do you think there is something that could make it easier for you?"

[Utaku Itsuka]

Ichitaiyo couldn't deny she reached for the handle above her when the plane went lower and relaxed when the plane went up.

"And.. do you think there is something that could make it easier for you?"

The question immediately brings to mind an easy, obvious answer. One very likely to be also impossible, of course. A delusion.

She heard rapping at the door, saw the door opening, saw her standing on the doorframe, waving, her hoarse, deep, caring voice apologising for being away for so long. All in her mind's eye, of course.

Eventually, she shook her head again, then turned to face the Kitsuki, for the first time in a long while now.

"Kitsuki-san. How much do you know of Spider space?"

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

The question immediately brings to mind an easy, obvious answer. One very likely to be also impossible, of course. A delusion.

She heard rapping at the door, saw the door opening, saw her standing on the doorframe, waving, her hoarse, deep, caring voice apologising for being away for so long. All in her mind's eye, of course.

Eventually, she shook her head again, then turned to face the Kitsuki, for the first time in a long while now.

"Kitsuki-san. How much do you know of Spider space?"

Ichitaiyo's face hardened, not in the way it steeled hearts, but the way a dilligent soldier readied for duty, as work to.be done presented itself.

"Few intruders make it out of there, and the rumors of what kind of danger they command abound." And she straightened on her seat. "Obtaining more information is part of the job description, of course."

[Utaku Itsuka]

Ichitaiyo's face hardened, not in the way it steeled hearts, but the way a dilligent soldier readied for duty, as work to.be done presented itself.

"Few intruders make it out of there, and the rumors of what kind of danger they command abound." And she straightened on her seat. "Obtaining more information is part of the job description, of course."

She nods, thoughtful. "And... I assume you did fulfill that job description?"

She falls silent for a while.

"I've asked a com... a friend. There were civilian losses... of course. It's not surprising."

She shakes her head, sets her gaze ahead again. Eventually she speaks again.

"Official records... I've never found them. For... some, that is."

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

She nods, thoughtful. "And... I assume you did fulfill that job description?"

She falls silent for a while.

"I've asked a com... a friend. There were civilian losses... of course. It's not surprising."

She shakes her head, sets her gaze ahead again. Eventually she speaks again.

"Official records... I've never found them. For... some, that is."

"What I meant to say is that I have the bare knowledge on Scorpion Space, and I will need proper research on the matter before I give you any proper conclusions."

Then a moment of pause and thinking held in, as Ichitaiyo tried to to fit the pieces from the cryptic speech. Some space 'accident' on Spider Space, the records are possibly doctored, someone important to her was.. not there.

"In case of catastrophic engine failures, people close to the fusion generators leave very little to verify. In case our person of interest was an engineer."

As she did, she took out her little booklet and began to write down.

"Did she disappear from the ship manifest as well? You're telling me there the accident report might be touched, but in interclan transport, the departing port should log their own version of the load, crew and passengers, and reaching out to edit those takes far more resources and favors."

Next page.

"And we can still follow the thread, even if they edit that, they would have to be through to change the manifests of every stop the person of interest might have done. It might even tell us how far the resources of the actor are. We can cross compare with other civilians that 'disappeared' and try to find if this was a general action, or maybe, for some reason, they were targeted."

Disappearing people.. something she knew too much about.

[Utaku Itsuka]

"What I meant to say is that I have the bare knowledge on Scorpion Space, and I will need proper research on the matter before I give you any proper conclusions."

Then a moment of pause and thinking held in, as Ichitaiyo tried to to fit the pieces from the cryptic speech. Some space 'accident' on Spider Space, the records are possibly doctored, someone important to her was.. not there.

"In case of catastrophic engine failures, people close to the fusion generators leave very little to verify. In case our person of interest was an engineer."

As she did, she took out her little booklet and began to write down.

"Did she disappear from the ship manifest as well? You're telling me there the accident report might be touched, but in interclan transport, the departing port should log their own version of the load, crew and passengers, and reaching out to edit those takes far more resources and favors."

Next page.

"And we can still follow the thread, even if they edit that, they would have to be through to change the manifests of every stop the person of interest might have done. It might even tell us how far the resources of the actor are. We can cross compare with other civilians that 'disappeared' and try to find if this was a general action, or maybe, for some reason, they were targeted."

Disappearing people.. something she knew too much about.

The Kitsuki's flood of questions is met with a look shifting towards him, then back to the path, to the horizon, to the sky.

No words. For a long time.

Her expression goes from its usual blank canvas to one painted in dark tones.

"I...", she eventually tries. The words fail her. She sighs.

"... there's a lot I..."

The words die in her tightened throat again.

"I... could start with the simplest things, I guess. Ship manifest... " she wasn't sure about even that. Kiki was probably in her own, small craft, but there was likely a base of operations nearby. She should be able to find that among the things she'd left behind. Maybe.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

The Kitsuki's flood of questions is met with a look shifting towards him, then back to the path, to the horizon, to the sky.

No words. For a long time.

Her expression goes from its usual blank canvas to one painted in dark tones.

"I...", she eventually tries. The words fail her. She sighs.

"... there's a lot I..."

The words die in her tightened throat again.

"I... could start with the simplest things, I guess. Ship manifest... " she wasn't sure about even that. Kiki was probably in her own, small craft, but there was likely a base of operations nearby. She should be able to find that among the things she'd left behind. Maybe.

Ichitaiyo prussed her lips.

"Sorry. I.. asked too much. We can discuss this with more calm. And paper on the table."

The booklet closed. "I want to help. That's.. what I intend to say."

==

OOC: Just as a note, Ichitaiyo's a woman, but she's not-femenine enough to pass as a dude lol

[Utaku Itsuka]

Ichitaiyo prussed her lips.

"Sorry. I.. asked too much. We can discuss this with more calm. And paper on the table."

The booklet closed. "I want to help. That's.. what I intend to say."

==

OOC: Just as a note, Ichitaiyo's a woman, but she's not-femenine enough to pass as a dude lol

She takes a long time to react again (not quite as long as IRL though, sorry ). When she looks back at Ichitayo, there's a faint, tentative smile on her lips.

"I..." she breaks the sentence, falls silent, looks ahead again. "... thank you, Kitsuki-san. I.... I never quite had the spirit to ... but .... I should".

The broken, strangled words barely make up a proper sentence. Still... they might convey a lot.

"... I wonder if there's something obvious we could do from here..."

The we does suggest help is accepted - and appreciated. The 'how' woud still have to be figured out, though.

-----------------------
OOC: Ooof I thought I'd got that wrong once, then did so again - must say it's the avatar getting me unsure all the time XD
Funny trivia - I've found out AFTER using Itsuka's avatar where it's from (sadly not the artist though), and she's actually someone's drawing of what's actually male character XD

And with that - I guess we can /scene here and try to see if we can talk to GMs about poking at something?

And again, I'm sorry for the LONG delay!