Solitary [Open]

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

Asuka felt terribly alone. The people who'd actually given a damn about her on this stupid ship were long gone - repodded by the stupid ship. Not that she actually care all that much, of course! She didn't need anyone. She had herself, she had a working Unit 02 and that was all she needed. She was still one of the best pilots on the ship. Sure, she had Rogue Squadron and she'd flown in the last engagement (every time she went out, she was terrified), but what the Hell did they care for her?

So she found other ways to keep herself occupied. Away from the others, so she could be by herself. After all, she was the only one she could rely on time after time (even when she was scared). The great Asuka Langley Soryu didn't need anyone.

Of course, the one place on the ship where she could actually go swimming was the Sensoriums (or she could've scoured the city for appropriate facilities, but that would've taken too much effort). In the Sensoriums, she could have an Olympic-sized swimming pool, all to herself. Never mind that all the open space and the echo of her solitary splashing gave the whole room a sense of loneliness and emptiness. That didn't matter to her.

She had to keep herself in shape - running and swimming seemed to be the best options here. Both let her be alone with her thoughts, both were easily doable. And she was good at them. She hauled herself out of the pool, water pooling underneath her feet as she stretched.

Maybe she ought to do a few more laps.

_{[[OOC: Thought I needed to put Asuka out there a bit more, so come bother her! Open to everyone who feels like dropping by.]]}

Comments

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Well, what do you know. It had been quite a while since Zouichi had last talked to Asuka -- since before the NiSaris mission, if he recalled correctly. He raised a hand in greeting as he stepped into the Sensoriums,

"Having fun? Or is this strictly for training purposes?"

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

Asuka wasn't really all that surprised that she'd been interrupted - she hadn't locked the door, after all. She craned her head to peer at Zouichi as she wrung some water out of her hair.

"I enjoy sit! And I need to stay in shape, so I figure it might as well be swimming."

She remembered him. Kind of.

"What was your name again?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

He didn't seem especially put out that she'd forgotten his name, though he was sort of wondering why she was bothering to dry her hair when it was only Sensorium water, anyway. "Zouichi. I'm with Skull Squadron."

...actually, she'd been complaining about all the new recruits at the time, hadn't she?

"So, did Stephen ever get you that power supply?"

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"Oh, right. You're one of the newbies they brought in ages ago..." Asuka commented dismissively. Although considering how long ago that had been, he wasn't really a newbie.

Well, he was new compared to her and that was what mattered, right?

The question about the power supply caught her attention, though. She turned around with a nod, an arrogant grin on her features.

"Yeah! Unit 02 will be back in action next time we have to face the Ohm. It's almost a pity how it's going to make the rest of the mechs on this stupid ship obsolete."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Well, it was pretty clear she still thought highly of herself. Extremely highly. Sigh.

"Ah, it still hasn't been fixed yet? That might be a problem, with all the other systems and vehicles on the ship that need repair."

[quick_strike]

Alendian walked into the Sensorium and as far as she was concerned, she owned the place. After all, no one was better than an Eldar. She was fully prepared to take over this one, regardless of who was using it but it was a pool. And it was actually a nice alternative to training. Unfortunately, she was completely clad in her armor so she turned back around and left without a word.

Only to return a short while later without armor so she could swim properly. Silently, she dove in and swam fast, keeping underwater until she reached the other end. Popping back up, she took a breath and did a few simple stretches.

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

Signum walks in the door, rather distracted, and immediately facepalms. As handy as the Sensoriums were, someone really should learn how to indicate properly when one is occupied.

...then again, she had been coming in here to exercise anyway, and the pool was the opposite of crowded...

Signum decides to wait until the small, watter-blurred figure of the only person in here comes back to the near side of the pool before asking if she could also use the facility.

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"Oh, it's been fixed! I just need to give it a test run to make sure the new battery isn't going to explode or something," Asuka replied flippantly. "Besides, Unit 02 is way more important than any other stupid piece of junk."

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

Asuka eyed the strange woman as she walked in. She'd been about to say something when she left.

"Weird," she muttered and was about to dive back in when Alendian returned. Again, she simply stared as the pointy-eared woman simply walked up, dove in and started swimming.

Actually, holding her breath all the way to the other end of the pool was kinda cool.

"Impressive!" Asuka yelled from the other end, her voice echoing. She could compliment others. Sometimes.

"What's your name, anyway?"

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

Asuka glanced over as Signum walked in. A moment later, she shrugged and then dove in again. It only took her a short while to swim to the other side and a few moments later, she had draped her arms over the edge and was treading water as she peered up at Signum.

"Yeah? What do you want?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi blinked. "To be honest, I'm surprised your Unit 02 even made it out of production with a glaring design flaw like that. If anyone in the R&D Division had proposed a mech that had to be attached to a power cord in order to operate, they would have been laughed out of the building."

[quick_strike]

Her head turned to look at the call. Oh, it was just the other human in here. Alend spoke up, her voice reedy as her body wasn't exactly built to speak human in any measure.

"Of course it was impressive. My name is Alendian."

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

"I was going to ask if you minded my using this pool," Signum says, "since you're the only one here."

She looks downward at the redhead and tries to remember her name. It's been a while, but she's quite sure she remembers the girl.

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

Asuka rolled her eyes, "Back home, we didn't have the technology to make portable fusion generators."

Well, not when they'd made 02, as far as she knew.

"Besides, it's still one of the most devastating weapons around! It's better than anything else on board!"

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

Asuka settled onto the lip of the pool, legs dangling in the water.

"Are you new or something? I don't think I've seen you around here before."

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

Asuka gave Signum a long, hard look. Well, she knew her from somewhere. They'd talked once or twice, hadn't they? Knowing Asuka, it had probably been an argument.

"If you really have to. Can't you find another pool to swim in?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Talk about running before you can walk." Why build something you don't have the power to support?

...Zedd.

"Ah, yes. That must be why it gets its own armored escort wherever it goes."

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"It doesn't need an escort! It just needs me!" Asuka jabbed a thumb at her own chest with a grin (and a bit of irritation). "With its AT Field, I can take on anything!"

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

That tone of voice jogs Signum's memory. That's right. She'd been someone whom she'd mentioned her genesis as a program to offhand and who had been less understanding than, say, Aibghalien. Or most people. Still, she didn't hold it against her, and tact and common sense demand that she not bring it up.

She looks around. "I suppose I could, but this is a very large pool...even if it's artificial space, it seems a bit of a waste."

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, well, I don't like sharing my pool," Asuka grumbled, "I'm trying to get away from all of you people."

Because she didn't need them. Yeah. Totally.

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

Signum stays calm with a bit of mental discipline. She doesn't have a 'racial heritage' to take offense at 'you people' over. Just her own status. And that of most of her family. But that's probably not how she meant it this time anyway.

Instead of raising her voice, she asks a question. "Someone do something to offend you?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"You don't... have a lot of friends, do you?" It was more of a statement than a question.

Whatever an AT field was.

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"No! I just don't need any of you. Is that suddenly a crime?"

And if she didn't get to know any of them, she wouldn't get hurt later on. She wouldn't come to rely on them.

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

Asuka folded her arms over her chest with a shrug and a 'harumph'. "What do I need friends for? We're just going to go home when this is all over!"

Well, that, and she didn't want to rely on anyone. Scared of relying on someone else. Not that she'd ever admit that.

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

"...it is a bit strange as something to shout all of a sudden," Signum admits.

Signum's not exactly the most empathetic soul in the world, but anyone (well, anyone under 30) insisting this hard on wanting to be alone probably did not want to be. Especially with that kind of language.

"How'd you come to such a solid conclusion?" Signum asks, curious.