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Asuka wasn't sure how long she'd been running that maze. It had seemed like forever to her. Just endless circles, following the commands of an AI, trying to get out. She could handle the puzzles and traps. She'd hated the isolation. Finally, she'd been spat back out into the welcome (the fact that she'd been relieved to see them disturbed her) corridors of Stacy again. She ran a hand through her hair with an irritated huff. How long had that taken, anyway? She needed to check up on her training and she needed to get back in the saddle. Quickly.

She headed off on the run - the sensoriums were calling her name. Grounded or not, she intended to take a virtual X-Wing out for a spin. It was the work of a few moments to call it up. She spent a few minutes circling the virtual craft, the virtual hangar deck stretching out white and empty around her. Yeah, she'd get in trouble if she got caught, but she wasn't going to get caught (although part of her was afraid of that and part of her wanted to go and see Arha). She shoved those feelings away. She wanted to have some fun first.

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"Oh, yes, that's the mature response: Insult the person." Tsukasa replied, keeping his tone level, but with lots of sarcasm.

"I said get out!"

Her voice rose as she turned toward him again. "I don't want to deal with you right now!"

"Oh, and you think people are just going to come and go at your whims, Little Ms. Elementary School Student?" Tsukasa replied, using terms he knew would piss Asuka off, but he pressed on, "You can't run from people. Guess what? People pass through as they desire, not on your desires. Live with it and grow up." Tsukasa let a bit of the frustration he was feeling come out in his voice.

"I'm not running from anything!"

Asuka advanced on him, a ball of red-haired fury. "I didn't ask you to come in here, I don't want you here and I think you're a moron! Now get out!"

She would have slapped him if she thought it would've done any good.

"If you wanted to be alone, why didn't you lock the door? I'm pretty sure the computer would let you do that, little miss." Tsukasa drew himself up before continuing. "Despite all your protests of wanting to be alone, you didn't lock the door or put up a sign or anything."

He gave a small smile before continuing. "You know what I see under that tough exterior? A young girl, lost, separated from her home, family, and friends. You aren't helping yourself with that contrary attitude of yours." His tone changed, from one of frustration to one of an older brother lecturing his siblings; kind, but with an undercurrent of harshness.

Asuka visibly bristled, drawing herself up to her (not so impressive) height. She shoved her palm into Tsunkasa's chest trying to force him back with the sheer force of her anger and embarrassment. "What the Hell do you know? You don't get to lecture me, you idiot! You don't know me! You don't know anything! I don't care who you are! I don't want you! I don't need you!"

Why me? Are there no therapists here?!

Tsukasa didn't say this, though; he kept a stern poker face. "As much as I would like to wash my hands of you, I can't. That's what a part of you wants; to have the people you meet push you away and leave you all by yourself. I'm not that kind of person. I have no plans on abandoning you to your own isolation."

Sayo...I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm sorry. For everything.

Asuka's face colored in rage and embarrassment - her hand come up and around in a vicious slap. "Get out! I don't want you! I don't need anyone! And I certainly don't need you!"

Tsukasa let the slap connect; he knew he was goading her. Taking a second to check for any extra damage, he said, "Feeling better?" In a tone that said, 'I know you needed that, so I let you do that.' The look in his eyes mirrored that sentiment.

"Then what?" He asked, pressing on with his line of questioning, "With that attitude, what will you do when everyone abandons you? What will that leave you with, huh? Cold, lifeless machines?" He gestured to the X-Wing, and then turned back to Asuka. "Well? What happens when you're all alone?

Asuka decided to end the conversation with a swift kick to the groin.

Tsukasa saw the leg coming, and grabbed it. "You didn't answer my question." He said, looking Asuka square in the eye.

(OOC: I apologize if this is godmoding, but a slap is different from a Groin Attack)

"I don't have to answer your question!" She tried to yank her leg back, hopping awkwardly. "Let go of me!"

Tsukasa let go of her leg, and took a step back, just in case she wanted to try that again. "Why not? Are you afraid that I won't be satisfied with your answer? Or could it be that you don't have an answer?"

"I'm not afraid of you! I just want you to stop bothering me!" Asuka folded her arms, glaring. "I don't answer to you and I never will!"

"You're right. The only person we truly answer to are ourselves. So...when you look inside, deep within the recesses of your soul, what do you see?"

The passing through Kamen Rider didn't know if she would answer, but that wasn't the point.

Asuka turned on her heel and stalked back to her X-Wing. "I see myself. I'm fine."

"Let me tell you what I see," Tsukasa began, leaning on the X-Wing's nose cone like it was a wall. "I see a young girl who, because of something in her past, has hardened her heart to the prospect that anyone will ever care for her."

Asuka threw her (virtual) helmet at him and headed for the door. "I'm finding a different sensorium! Stop following me and stop bothering me! I don't want or need any of your stupid 'help'!"

Tsukasa chuckled as he caught the helmet. "Struck a nerve?"

He considered his options for a second and then said, "Heads up, little one." He tossed her helmet back to her and headed toward the exit himself.

"At no point did I want to force you to leave," he said as he neared the door. Before he left, though, he said, "It's customary to give your name to a new friend, right? Mine's Kadoya. Tsukasa Kadoya. See you around." He casually tossed a wave and left.

I don't know if anything I said to her got through...but that woman is going to get herself killed with that temper.

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