Scene #9721: A Visit to Okinawa

Owner	Pose
Shira	OKINAWA, JAPAN It's the middle-swing of summer in the most famously tropical island of the Japanese archipelago. The beaches and boardwalks are all abuzz with activity, the hotels are bustling with tourists from the home islands and abroad, and all the resorts are busy-busy. It's easy enough to get here, between the airport and its local gate, and even easier to get directions to various landmarks pointed out by Shira, the Watch's latest and currently only kaijusapien. The ultimate locale is a nice little secluded lake. There used to be one of those cute little resorts here, though the buildings are abandoned now and have been for a few years. The docks are still in good shape, even if most of the buildings haven't fared nearly so well. Shira herself is present; and by the stirred up pea gravel, she's been pacing nervously for a while. The cronch of approaching feet on the path makes her stop, lifting her head towards the noise with an anxious expression that's mirrored by the uneasy motions of that long spike-covered tail of hers. There is only so much 'human' left to her in the bipedal posture and the splashes of peachy skin on her face, collarbone, biceps, and thighs. The entire rest of her is iridescent interlocking white scales with coal black showing through the seams, overlapping scales down the tail, spikes, and glimmers of an unnaturally bright blue glow here and there.
Regulus	Regulus has finally finished building her motorcycle! It is a pale blue thing and you better believe she doesn't wear a helmet while riding it but it is also a distinctly 1966-style motorbike with numerous lights and mirors at the front. She sings as she makes her way through. "When I got your letter just in time for a rockin' revolution! Sir APPLe help me alter your mind! o/~ Take the record down, a familiar sound I believe I got a new solution o/~ My radio waves treat you kind! o/~" She hums merrily as she pulls up to the lake, parking--well--where there is a spot for it, really, though she isn't really too concerned with parking in between the lines or anything like that partly because it seems like none of the parking spots are really being used so that's a worry she doesn't have to hold onto in the slightest. It's not just the cronch of Regulus moving across the dirt that will clue Shira in, because Regulus isn't being stealthy or sneaky at all--she feels that's sort of exactly the opposite reason of why she's coming out here int he first place after all! She's singing and moving irregularly, like she's dancing all the way over. "Get in line o/~ This is my world, I make the rules o/~ I rock my way no ship of fools o/~ I am your captain, understand? You'll always be my number one o/~" She's now hopping along on the gravel rather than approaching along as she shifts into the chorus. "Re-re-re-re Regulus alchemical genius call me what you like o/~" She's moving forward again, getting closer like a horror movie monster taunting the final girl. "Re-re-re-re Regulus, your record player's all you need o/~ The ocean and your rock and roll dreams!" She comes to a stop, both musically and in moving forward when she finally gets a glimpse of Shira. Huh, Regulus thinks, first Schneider and now this. Really, she's feeling like a prude these days compared to half the people she runs into. She's proud of the free love movement coming so far but she's starting to worry she's going to get left behind. Even space is so far grown compared to her time, it's incredible! "Is this our friend Shira? I'm Regulus and I'm here to check in with you, love!" She salutes with two fingers towards the kaijusapien.
Shira	To be fair Shira at least looks clothed; all the monstrous parts give the appearance of a bodysuit with the scales serving convincingly as armor plate, though they still have that pearlescent rainbow sheen in the sun. When looked at, she almost instinctively dips to reduce her profile, though it mostly just results in a quadrupedal 'perch' there in plain sight. She might have been a bit taller than Regulus before, but this posture definitely reverses the dynamic. "Um... H-hello, Regulus," Yeah, that's definitely her. The voice matches and she's just as skittish-sounding. She coils her tail around herself on the ground, flattening the lowermost spines to either side so the end can lay more easily, "Thank you for visiting. I'm... doing well." Turning a bit, she glances past her shoulder at the water, "I don't.. have much? But I could get you a fish to cook up, i-if you want." When Shira returns her attention to Regulus, the spikes on the end of her tail flex again at the thought of 'catching something', the points nearly coming together.
Regulus	Regulus says, "Hey no problem." She rubs at her neck. The people of the Watch have been weirdly nice to her as she thinks about it. Shira is way newer than the rest, and she seems like she needs help more than anything. "Is it alright if I get a fire going? I can clean out a fish and cook it over a fire, sure. Didn't exactly bring a knife with me, is there one around here?" This is 'doing well'? Regulus had gotten the vibe that she was pretty much doing the opposite of well, but maybe this is an improvement to what she's used to from what she's heard and she's just happy she is managing to chill out by herself without anybody trying to hunt her that much. She quietly dwells on this for a moment, wondering how ''The Timekeeper'' would manage it. Eventually she says, "But you uh, don't gotta ''host'' or anything. I just wanted to come by, get a feel for you and yhour situation, see if there was anything I can do. Right now the area outside the Suitcase is kinda littered with these rocks that Matilda placed everywhere that sets off fears so I figure clearing those out first might be a good idea. At least any that might be lingering near the Suitcase."
Shira	"Mmhm," Shira accents the noise with a little nod, "A fire should be fine. As for..." She lifts a hand, spreading her fingers out such that her claws catch the sun, "I'll... take care of that part." When she gets up, she's moving on all fours, that spiked serpent of a tail uncoiling with the movement. Within a few paces, she's back on two feet, wandering out onto the dock. "I don't really get hungry," she explains, sitting down more normally at the end of the pier where the water is deep, "I like the taste of some things, same as anyone, but..." That tail swings forward in an arc, spikes directed downward. Gently, without splashing, she lowers it in almost like a crane game grabber. "Ah?" Shira glances back, "I-it's okay, I don't mind." She closes her eyes with a thoughtful little noise, "I remember the fear rocks. A break from them must be nice, right?" "...I appreciate the visit a lot," she gets out after a pause, a little quieter, "And... not getting too freaked out." She catches herself, shifts gears, and brightens up a bit, "I heard you arrive. Was that a motorbike? Was the ride good?"
Regulus	Regulus has never been offered someone's claw for gutting a fish. She thinks about it for a moment before adding, "Alright, but you gotta wash 'em first." because as far as she's aware, Shira might not know about this element of hygiene and considering her hands have been touching things like 'the dirt', it's something on Regulus's mind. Regulus starts collecting sticks as she talks, a bit absently, as ingredients for an improvised firepit. "Yeah, I think you mentioned you don't get hungry, but eating is one of life's great pleasures you know? You should eat just because it's fun to eat, and if other people are eating you shouldn't be afraid to join in. It's nice." ''The fear rocks!'' Regulus hesitates, thinking about Matilda and just how miserable everything is again. "Y, yeah. It's nice to have a break from them. We'll clear them out eventually. Hopefully before anybody else decides to visit." ''And... not getting too freaked out.'' Honestly Regulus is more worried about freaking Shira out than being freaked out by Shira. It's hard to come off as spooky and bigscary when you're bashfully stammering the whole time, at least for Regulus. Also she doesn't want to be seen as lame by being spooked by a 'kaijusapien' so there's that too. Also!!! She does also know like some sort of shadow angel, some kind of super spider lady god, and a vampire. It seems silly to be spooked at someone just for gotting a unique look. "That ''was'' the motorbike! Aw I should've come with a sidecar, but if you wanted to ride it, you could--maybe--sit in the back and hold on? I feel like that might be uncomfortable for you though..." She is no doubt also thinking about how to accomodate things like 'tail' and 'claw' here. "It was nice getting to ride again." Regulus says, "I gotta grab some rocks if we're gonna make this owrk properly, digging a whole would be a good idea. Don't want the fire to get out of control and wreck a nice forest like this."
Shira	"Mmhm," that affirming sound again. Shira wiggles her tail in the water just a bit but otherwise remains still, "There are lots of foods I haven't tried yet... I only got basic rations before." Eyes closing, she complains, "Imagine growing up and it isn't until twenty-five when you find out food is supposed to have 'flavor'." Shira, having not met Tamiel, White, or Liza Grier yet, is oblivious to any such comparisons for how she doesn't stand out as much as she thinks she does amidst the Watch or the Multiverse in general. Here in her world, she's weird and freaky, or at least she's been treated so much like she is that's the image she has of herself. She nods a little again about the fear rocks, but doesn't chase up on it again. Rather, she hears out the motorcycle, giving her tail another wiggle, "I-it's okay, but thank you. I wouldn't want to damage it." She's thinking about scratching it up with her spines or scales, but there's a good chance her weight would be bad for the suspension too-- even if the dock is holding her up, that's a different sort of beast. "I'm glad it's such a nice day to ride a motorbike..." Shira suddenly lets out a metallic, inhuman beastly sound at the same time her body jolts. The water's surface jumps. In one smooth motion she draws her tail out; captured in the spines on the end is a nice, plump Ayu, "--Yes!" Before she takes the fish in her hands, though, she leans down to swishy-swashy the dirt off her hands. Only then does she collect the catch and dip her tail back in. "I was hoping for sweetfish. These taste so good!" With her tail back in the water to try for another, Shira sets about cleaning the one she caught over the water to keep the grime off herself, "Have you had one before? They're all over around here."
Regulus	"Are you twenty five? I kinda figured -- well, I guess I figured you were pretty young? At least as far as your memories go." Regulus says, since she does recall that Shira did have like a life before she became a kaijuperson except she doesn't seem to remember it exactly. Regulus is definitely not comparing Shira to Liza Grier though. Is Liza Grier a vampire?? She was thinking of Holly!! "Mm... Well that's a good point. I wouldn't want to damage it either, at least not so soon after building it--but maybe we could figure out a bike you can ride sometime." She jumps a little at the sudden beast-noise Shira emits, in the same way you might jump if someone shouts suddenly or if an animatronic just suddenly eats your friend but like in a video game on a video screen so it isn't that scary. Her shoulders sink back down once it seems like everything is alright, though. "Pretty big on fish huh...?" She smiles. "Uh, I've eaten a bunch of fish, but I don't htink I've had ayu before. I never made it this far east. I guess I always thought I had more time."
Shira	Shira dispenses of the unwanted parts of the fish right back into the lake for other fish to eat, humming a bit, "Yeah. I'm twenty-five." Letting out a breath, she admits, "I barely remember when I was still human, I think the lab took me in when I was super young." Pausing, she casts a look aside-- Northward, "That place is gone now." She did sort of wipe it off the map when she escaped, after all. There's a brief metal-ringing snarl when she catches another; trading the cleaned fish for the live one, she sets about the gutting while keeping the ready-to-cook snack in her tail's clasped spines. She even holds it back in case Regulus wants to take it. "Once I got out, I spent a lot of time in the ocean, and then here. So, um..." Shira pauses, rolling her thoughts over, "Yeah. Whenever I've wanted to eat something, it's been fish. I know there's all kinds of other things. Beef and chicken and all sorts of pastas and ways to do veggies..." "You sound like you're from out West. Um... England, right? Whenever the Doctor spoke English, she had that kind of accent, too. I think she studied at one of the big colleges there." The second ayu is added to the first, gripped delicately by her tail spikes when she stands up to return to the shoreline, hands freshly washed.
Regulus	''That place is gone now.'' "Totally totaled?" Regulus asks. She doesn't seem to really know what to do with this information, one way or another. But after a moment she adds, "...Do you kind of miss it, even though it was awful?" She nods a little and adds, "Well, you know, now that you mention it, you probably haven't actually eaten like seriously well cooked meals. Like there's only so much you can do without seasoning." ''Whenever the Doctor spoke English, she had that kind of accent, too.'' Regulus grimaces. "Ah, well, I've never been out here, but... Well, I can't really help it, love, but uh--I promise I mean no harm, eh?" She winks. "Never went to college, actually, haha." She hasn't gone to school period! It does seem like this is a person who probably needs a Wilderness but is it really her call? Especially in a time like this? "So have you been living on your own all this time?"
Shira	> "Totally totaled?" "Mmhm. I don't think anyone would bother trying to fix it, it's just ruins now," Shaking her head, she admits, "I don't miss it at all. There were some people I miss... but not the place." > "you probably haven't actually eaten like seriously well cooked meals." Crouching down near where Regulus is working out the firepit, Shira lets out a little sign, "Just whatever I steal. The convenience store in town has some really tasty spicy chips that I kinda can't get enough of. I hold off because I don't want to bother the employees too much." Glancing skyward, she hums, "So most of the time, yeah. When I want to eat, it's something I cook myself out here." Well at least she isn't eating them raw. > "So have you been living on your own all this time?" "Mmhm," Shira brings her tail around, though keeps the raw fish at a respectable distance, just to show she still has them, "It's lonely... but also nice? People don't usually come out to this place and I can float in the lake as much as I want." Lifting a hand, she taps her chin with one claw, "I found out that I sink when I fall asleep. So even if I take a nap, people wouldn't just stumble across me and freak out. It's pretty safe so far." Dropping her eyes to the firepit, she shifts some of the rocks around more out of nervous habit than anything resembling trying to make it better, "The Doctor taught me when she took over the project, but I feel like I didn't learn as much as I should have before-- um, she had to leave."
Regulus	''There were some people I miss...'' "Are they still around?" Regulus asks. She watches Shira like a slightly alarmed cat sniffing out who the latest potential housemate might be. She considers the possibility that Shira might just not want to be around people, but is that like a personal preference, she wonders, or is it just because people go AHHH!! A REAL MONSTER!! whenever they see her? That seems ... not impossible? Maybe a bit weird, but this is also a weird world as far as she knows. She can't really assume how people would react or how normal they'd be. "Well, maybe we can figure out how to get you in touch with the people you remember liking sometime, but for right now..." She unshoulders her bag and digs in it for a moment before drawing out... A BAG OF WALKERS PRAWN COCKTAIL CRISPS! And she offers it out to Shira before reaching back into her bag and drawing out another item. It is... A BAG OF WALKERS QUAVERS! "I can probably bring some snacks over here every week or so." She says. "It's a bit of trip to get out here, but if I match it with my grocery grabbing time I can swing over here and then head back after."
Shira	"I think so," Shira lets out a breath, "They left the lab long before I did. That's a big part of why I stopped putting up with it." She lets out a thoughtful, wordless noise, "Seeing Doctor Shimazawa again would be nice, but... sh-she also abandoned me... And the other two..." She pensively stares at the little pile of firewood for a few moments, seemingly abandoning that thought to say, "Um, just a second." The blue lights at the base of her tail and back spines pulse brightly with a sound like an ancient dynamo spinning up. It doesn't quite reach 'full speed' before she opens her mouth. Yellow eyes briefly turn bright blue when she spews out a thin jet of light for just a second or so. It stops with a metallic clang when she clamps her jaw shut again, obviously before the beam had fully resolved. Little flamelets escape between sharp teeth; but hey the fire is lit and the noise is winding down already. Accepting the chips, Shira turns the bag over in her hands a few times, examining it while she brings her tail around to hold the ayu over the flames. "Walkers prawn crisps..? Oh, I don't think I've tried these before, thank you!" > "I can probably bring some snacks over here every week or so." "You're so kind to me," Shira's voice softens, "You don't-- have to trouble yourself that much, but I really appreciate the offer. I really do." She realizes this has been all about her and she hasn't asked Regulus much about herself at all, something that's visible from the outside when she tenses up with the brief flicker of a worried look. "Your singing was very nice, are you a musician?" Perfect. The lizard relaxes.
Regulus	Regulus quirks her head, "Sounds like there's a story there. Do you know why she left..? Ah! Sorry, if I'm like, prying and all. I'm just trying to see how we can help, you know? I'm not trying to get you to say anything you're uncomfortable about saying." She rubs at her eyes and then she exhales at as Shira breathes light and fire and starts the fire. She feels a little weird about possibly eating fish that was heldd by someone's tail but she's going to be strong and assume she won't get sick, yes sir, it'll be fine. It'll be fine. "I'm just being normal. Call it being neighborly, I guess, but you're not the first Watchman I've met who's a little shy, and well--it sounds like you've had it rough. I haven't had it so bad, so." Well this isn't really true, she's had plenty of her own troubles, but the point is is that she's not really as drawn up in them anymore. Partly because she no longer has a world, sure, but also because she doesn't live a life where she is dragged down that easy. "Hey thanks!" She smiles. "Yeah I'm a rock star! I don't have any albums or anything out, so I guess 'aspiring' is more like it, but I used to have my own radio station. And hopefully, I'll have one again soon!"
Shira	> "Sounds like there's a story there..." "I'm not sure I'm ready to talk about it," Shira confesses, "It's... complicated." The texture of her tail spines is more like metal than anything else, and isn't fire going to kill anything nasty anyway? It's probably fine. "That's not right," Shira points out, "You told me about the Storm, and the weird evil cult, and the Foundation being terrible to everyone. So... it's neighborly, and really nice and generous." She closes her eyes with a little sigh, "I know everyone has their own troubles. Mine are... personal things. I'm a little scared, but--" Eyes open, Shira glances down, holding out her clawed hands palm-up, "I have strength. And I want to use it, for something bigger than myself. That's, why I joined the Watch." Shifting, Shira rests her hands on her knees, leaning back a touch and cocking her head towards Regulus, "So I can help stand up for the little guys who can't stand up for themselves." > "I used to have my own radio station, and hopefully..." "Oh!" Shira brightens a bit, tilting her face skyward, "And you'd play rock music on it all day? Would that-- work in the Suitcase you mentioned, if Vertin is okay with it? Then the Storm won't, um... eat it."
Regulus	"Sure, you don't gotta." Regulus was almost starting to believe Shira hadn't joined the Watch and had just somehow gotten on the band to ask for help, but apparently she did meet a recruiter and the recruiter ... left her in this area? Was that because she seemed happy here? ... Maybe this is just her city girl nature taking over, here, where she gets a little lonely feeling if she doesn't see like 20 other people in easy bothering distance. ''You told me about the Storm, and the weird evil cult--'' "Woah woah woah there, I think you're misunderstanding me..." Regulus manages. "I'm, like, yeah I've got stuff going on and problems, I'm not trying to say I'm not, but I've got friends looking out for me--it's not stuff I'm dealing with alone. Everybody's got their own limits on what they can handle and how much they can take before they gotta set stuff down and, sure, sometimes I hit that point but--" She shrugs both shoulders. "I feel like right now yuo need the help, you've been doing all your own lifting for a while, haven't you? If I'm wrong, tell me I'm full of it." But she can't help but give a sheepish little smile when Shira insists that she can still use her strength to yet help others. She supposes that's the kind of people who end up in the Watch, people who need a lot of help but are still willing to give it to others. "I don't know about all day, I gotta move around too and do stuff, and sometimes I'd want to do interviews and such--but yeah, more or less." She nods her head. "I'm sure Vertin's cool with it, I just ... gotta be able to talk to Vertin." She grimaces at the idea of having a second radio station eaten up by The Storm. "If not, well, we can build it off world. Though obviously I think the Suitcase is the best option."
Shira	"Mmm," that affirmative noise of hers, with a little nod. Shira might open up about that more complicated mess later, it's definitely still tender. When Regulus explains that she can be strong because people are helping her with her own things, Shira nods again, more firmly, "You're right. Even if I wasn't alone in the lab, I couldn't really rely on anyone there to be on my side... and it's been maybe... a week or two? Since I broke out on my own." She glances skyward again, her tail shifting to draw the fish out of the flame. She gives them a sniff, seemingly satisfied, and holds the pair out to Regulus to have first pick, "I think I did misunderstand, um, but I also didn't get across what I meant, either. I meant that-- you've got a lot, but, you're still reaching out to help others. And I think that's the kind of strength I really admire." There's hardly a sound when she slits the crisps open with her index finger, still watching the sky, "I have power... but that's the kind of strength I'd like to be known for, too." > "I just ... gotta be able to talk to Vertin." "What is with that lady?!" Not quite anger, but definitely frustration, when Shira's thoughts shift to Mesmer Jr, "She won't tell anyone what she's doing, she won't let Vertin go, she's mean and nasty to everyone..." The anger vents out of her with a little bright blue flamelet riding on the breath of a heavy sigh, "I'd offer to break her out... That nasty girl probably couldn't stop me... but I'd do more harm than good if I did that, your cause can't be seen as violent."
Regulus	''You're still reaching out to help others.'' "Well, it's actually pretty new for me. If I'm doing that, I learned from Vertin." She smiles, the stress reaching her eyes but fortunately she's wearing sunglasses so nice try noticing! "Maybe you'll get to meet her soon. I mean, I guess I'm accustomed to a differnet kind of reaching out. It was sort of this group activity of everyone reaching out to everyone, but reaching out to individuals like this, yeah, that's pretty different actually." She waves it off. "I'm sure you will, I mean, if it's that important to you. I think usually people just get in fights on banter all the time lately, it's a little exhausting, ahah, and sometimes the whole Suitcase rebellion is...exhausting. But I'm not gonna give up on this." Those fear rocks are doing a number on her. But all they're gonna do is a number on her, she's decided, and nobody needs to hear her scream into her pillow. ''What is with that lady?!'' Regulus of course immediately can tell that it's Mesmer not Vertin here that Shira's talking about. "Well, she got talked into breaking the rules once and it went bad and she overcorrected I guess." Regulus attempts to summarize in a sympathetic way. "She can't really just let Vertin go, though, her superiors gave her orders on that. And if she disobeys them, well, she probably has a lot to lose. I don't know." She honestly isn't sure if just breaking Vertin out at THIS point would do more harm than good. It's been like a MONTH. Not rescuing Vertin was a two week Regulus feeling. But she remembers Lilian's got her own plans going on with Madam Z. "Well, even if it didn't screw things up for me, I think it might screw things up for you. You don't want everybody's first impression of you to be a rampage right?" Regulus shakes her head. "Right now there are people trying to help us outside of the rebellion and we gotta give them their chance to do so."
Shira	Shira dips her head a bit in thought, then nods, "If it's exhausting sometimes and you want to get away, you could always go for a ride, and... um, come here." Shifting a bit, she glances over her shoulder at the lake, "It's peaceful since nobody comes here. So even if I'm not around, you're welcome to it. Like, a nice little retreat." Returning to her crisps, she adds, "I wonder what it'd take to fix up one of the cabins. Maybe, um, make it a base for the local Watch folks. They're meeting in some cave system at the moment, I think..." > "You don't want everybody's first impression of you to be a rampage right?" "You're right," she admits, a bit of guilt in her tone, "...I should make first impressions first. And then, um. See what I can do that isn't a rampage." Eyes shifting back towards Regulus, Shira dips her head forward a bit, "Maybe, see what else I can do. Like with Ember. I can-- carry big heavy things, or dig holes, or... I don't know, sleep at the bottom of the stairs." She wiggles a bit in place, drawing attention to the spikes on her back, as if to imply a burglar stepping on her.
Regulus	Well, not that there isn't sometimes a wonderful time for a rampage but probably not now yeah!! Regulus is kind of impatient for a rampage lately. "That's not a bad idea. If you want the company." Regulus offers. "I mean, that wouldn't be a bad idea. I could probably help fix it up a bit, like if there's any old equipment or systems set up in there that need refurbishing... Probably would need help to patch the cabin itself up. I mean, at least to make it look good." She snickers a little idea of a surprise Shira trap. "Might not be a bad idea, that. But first I'd rather get you situated. So let's do that first and then ... I guess ... we'll see!" She's not sure how to explain to Shira that while she's not exactly minding lake visits she's a City Girl here but. "And--yeah, I mean, I'm def gonna keep visiting until that happens so." She offers a thumbsup.