Scene #2603:

Owner	Pose
Domon Kasshu	Neo New York looks, in a word, rough. Much like the rest of Earth, all or most of the money has left, and what was formerly seen as the cultural center of a nation is now just a dirty stain left over. Those buildings that still stand long for the touch of a pressure washer, and are outnumbered by buildings either partially or completely reduced to rubble. With the absence of any sufficiently funded restoration crews, the chunks of concrete and rebar have mostly been brushed to the side, out of the way of public and private transportation alike. Ellis Island's famous Statue of Liberty is missing from the waist up, a long-standing scar from the expatriation riots. Times Square still stands, but even that famous spot isn't without its battle scars. Still, the vital parts of the city are still alive. People live here, and have lives here. Having fallen so far, the opportunity for success in this place is now greater, and ironically, the American Dream is more alive here than ever. The citizens of this city may be poor, and they may be struggling, but they're alive, with bright hopes for the future in their eyes. With every new Gundam Fight, the people place their hopes on a new hero--and this time, they seem to have picked out a real Cinderella story. It's hard to be here without seeing some kind of poster or ad for Neo America's Chibodee Crocket and his flamboyantly American Gundam Maxter. The papers say he grew up on the mean streets and clawed his way to success--which is exactly what the people of this city are doing or trying to do. Word is that Crocket's got a fight today...
Allenby Beardsley	Ugh, Earth. For someone who resides on a colony, who would /want/ to go to Earth? Gundam Fighters, for one, and they don't get much of a say in the matter. Earth is the ring. Allenby Beardsley is one such Gundam Fighter, haviing arrived in the broken city of Neo New York early this morning after a fruitless side trip through Neo New Jersey. The latter was an unfortunate waste of time for the Gundam Fighter, all of which can be blamed on a translation error from one of her team members. No, the Neo American Gundam Fighter could be found in Neo New /York/, not /Jersey/. No matter. Fortunately, the mistake was corrected and the Neo Sweden team was lucky enough to discover that Chibodee had a fight today. With a bit more digging, they discovered it was a boxing match and not a Gundam Fight. That, however, could always change. For now, the blue-haired girl stands amongst a crowd of Americans, clamoring and pushing at a ticket window for the arena.
Domon Kasshu	Opinion seems to be divided, as it often is with Americans--some think that it's arrogant for Chibodee to continue to box during the Gundam Fight. Others think that it's his passion, and that everyone should be allowed to pursue their passions. This is but one topic covered by eager would-be spectators waiting to get their tickets, discussed freely and openly with anyone who will listen or contribute. Even Crocket's critics are here to see him fight, though--so whatever can be said about the Gundam Fighter, let it not be said he can't draw a crowd. His opponent today is Killer Konomy, and today's match will prove to be explosive. Both of them are known to be highly aggressive fighters who have succeeded despite an atmosphere favoring more conservative approaches. Tickets are selling like hotcakes thanks to a decidedly aggressive advertising campaign which seems to be the renaissance of Pay-Per-View ads of old, and thankfully, the ticket booths came prepared for a large showing. It's only a few minutes before Allenby is at the booth, the head of her own crowd of clamoring Americans.
Allenby Beardsley	"This guy's got a marketing strategy that's definitely working for him." Allenby remarks, if a little cynically, as she pushes her way to the window to drop money at the ticket window. MINUTES LATER... Allenby finds herself in a seat that can be described as 'average'. It's not the nosebleed section but it isn't ringside. There are huge TVs clustered at the center that are going to display close-ups of the match anyway so there isn't some important detail she'll be missing. Allenby herself seems at least to be moderately excited. Watching people fight was not nearly as fun as fighting herself but it also beats having to do whatever whacky test her team wanted to put her through. "GET ON WITH IT!" Allenby heckles from her seat.
Domon Kasshu	The primary delay here is actually Crocket himself. His fans love him, and he knows it. There's a big smile on his face, too dopey to be fake--he really, really feels at home here. He's waving and high-fiving on his way into the ring, and even once he's in there he hams it up for the crowd. By comparsion, Killer Konomy... well, he looks a little bit under the weather, actually! He's waiting in the ring, arms by his side, head bowed, and wearing an orange hooded robe that conceals most of his features, even in the bright arena lights. Most of his skin is hidden by the robe, but his wrists look a little pale. He quietly waits for Chibodee, but apparently he's in the minority there. "Yes, get on with it," yells an old woman to Allenby's right. "Yes, get on with it!" A entire section of seats around Neo Sweden's Gundam Fighter repeats her rallying cry. As if goaded on by this, Konomy rushes forward while Crocket's back is to him, despite the clear absence of any starting bell. Some of Chibodee's fans warn him, but not quickly enough. Crocket turns around right into an uppercut from Konomy, and hits the mat with a thud, flat on his back. A chorus of boos and jeers erupts from the crowd, and Konomy sheds his robe. Stunned silence falls over the crowd, enough that the commentator may be heard. "That's not the champion! It's... someone else!" A seat in front of Allenby, a blond-haired man confirms it. "That's the man from Neo-Japan!" His accomplice, to the right, nods. "That's the King of Hearts. Domon Kasshu."
Allenby Beardsley	Allenby squints carefully at Chibodee as he comes waltzing in, showboating like Allenby might expect out of a professional wrestling match buildup. /Really/ makes her wonder about the state of American sports these days. The other guy...weird. She was expecting a Mike Bison-looking dude. That's what the posters showed, right? But this guy doesn't seem to have the height or build that Allenby expects. Something's not adding up even before the 'combatant' takes a surprise swing at Chibodee before the match even begins. Doesn't help that her heckling seems to have caused it...but that's silly, right? She joins in the booing, being familiar with the rules to American boxing. "Wait, Neo-Japan?" Allenby stands and leans forward, putting a hand on the blond-haired man in front of her to get a better look. Her other hand falls on the head of the other man as she blinks. "So that's him. That's Domon Kasshu!" She pushes away from the two guys and shoves her way out of the crowd seating to make her way to the ringside.
Domon Kasshu	Domon's certainly not a dead ringer for Konomy, but he is inexplicably dressed in boxing shorts, shoes, and gloves. "Chibodee Crocket. I hereby challenge you to a Gundam Fight Match!" "What?" Chibodee wipes his mouth. "What did you say?" "You're NOT gonna refuse me! Not if you truly claim to be Neo-America's hero!" It seems, bell or no bell, there's going to be a fight today. Understandably upset at being sucker-punched and challenged in his own city, Crocket fumes, gets to his feet, and bellows. "I'll shut you up NOOOW!" He telegraphs the swing like crazy, and Domon manages to evade it--fortunately so, given the punch would have likely hit like a freight train. Cheers erupt from the crowd in earnest. "H-Hey!" One of the men reaches into his jacket after Allenby uses him as an armrest, but he's quickly stopped by the black-haired man beside him. Allenby's descent to the ringside is nearly unopposed. Everyone's interested in seeing the fight that's sprung into action! They say Crocket's record is 100-0-0. It's hard to see why, given that, according to the traditional rules and strategies, nearly the only thing he's got right is the posture. He's aggressive, he doesn't measure his opponent, he alwsys presses and never retreats--but... as Domon weaves from side to side, it becomes clear that's /all/ he can do. Crocket isn't even breaking a sweat. Maybe this is the secret to his success? "What are you waiting for?" says one of the men back in the stands. "Get him already!"
Allenby Beardsley	"Oh man-!" Allenby scrambles down the stairs, completely ignorant of the likely concealed weapon carrying guy she just pushed on to get away. Whoops! She's excited, figuring she's going to see a /real/ fight on her hands. But as she nears, she starts picking up on things. Part of her training did include exposure to boxing and similar systems so she can pick ou this lack of technique. Aggression did count for something but it could only take a person so far. "What he said!" Allenby calls out before she hops the metal barrier set out around the ringside with ease. She sticks her arms and head up onto the ring and glares at the two. "Get it together and have a REAL fight! What kind of Gundam Fighters do you think you two are!?"
Domon Kasshu	Evidently, everything up to this point has been kid stuff. Crocket's hand becomes a blur as he unleashes a perfectly precise series of lightning jabs--and Domon matches each one with an accompanying juke. The American follows up with a left hook, which Domon evades just barely. Crocket's gloved fist smashes into the turnstile with such force as to bend it at a near-right angle and knock it upwards out of its post, snapping the ropes free of their constraints. If he's capable of /that/, why, indeed, was he wasting his time with all of that angry-kid-in-a-sandbox stuff? Maybe the both of them overestimated each other. It's a thought that comes to both men's minds just as Allenby criticises them. There's no time for further speculation, though. Apparently, the man heckling was speaking into a radio to call bodyguards. Domon pauses briefly, confused by the sudden influx of armed individuals, and for his hesitation, notices too late the incoming swing from Crocket. The punch just barely grazes his ribs--so why does it feel like he got hit with a tree? He pauses, cradles the spot of impact, and peers at Allenby... then points to Chibodee. "She's right! Respond to my challenge for a Gundam Fight Match!" Domon leaps onto the turnstile nearest Allenby, then off of it out and out of the ring. Domon takes off at a sprint down the exit hallway. The crowd shouts complaints at being deprived of their entertainment, and the suited bodyguards attempt to circumnavigate the ring in order to catch him.
Allenby Beardsley	As Chibodee punches the turnstile into smithereens, Allenby suddenly finds herself ducking so she doesn't get smacked in the face by the suddenly freed ropes. Were she not preoccupied with doing this, she might be making more comments at the two men. Unfortunately for her, the next time she pops her head back up over the edge of the ring, Domon is suddenly bailing on the American after perching on the other in-tact turnstile nearby her. She turns to watch him sail overhead and take off for the exit hallway...followed by a mob of suited bodyguards out to catch him. Allenby makes a thoughtful noise and disappears herself through the other contestant exit hallway opposite of Domon. Fortunately, Domon's little stunt pulled all the security onto him leaving Allenby with no resistance or delays. Which is why when Domon makes it outside, he'll find that the blue-haired gundam fighter is already waiting there. She looks very amused.
Domon Kasshu	It takes Domon a while to give the guards the slip (so he thinks) and to get back into his usual clothes. Even Domon knows that walking around downtown New York in boxing shorts and gloves is going to draw attention--thank goodness for small blessings. "Urg... I don't understand." He hasn't yet noticed Allenby, as his head is turned downwards. "He barely hit me..." His hand cradles his ribs, and he leans on a park bench for support, only to see a strange pair of shoes. Eyes widening in suprise, he looks slowly upwards to see the amused Gundam Fighter standing there, watching him. "The girl from the arena..." He mutters it quietly under his breath. His tone is then direct, blunt. "What do you want?"
Allenby Beardsley	It turns out tht Allenby gets a very, very fafr head start on the other Gundam Fighter. Not only was she not being hunted down by a security team but she didn't have to deal with magically changing her outfit to be seen in public. Still, even without Domon's boxing match contestant disguise, she's able to identify him, tracking Domon via his facial scar. She stretches her hands behind her head to rest casually. "You ran out on him right there. Man, how annoying, I was hoping to see a fight between the two of you." There's a pause before she finally answers Domon's question, "I'm Allenby Beardsley of Neo Sweden and I want to challenge you to a Gundam Fight, of course."
Domon Kasshu	"What?!" How /dare/ she ask him right after he's already challenged Crocket? He fumes. She must be trying to goad him into reneging on his challenge--to make him look bad. Or, maybe she's thinking he'll say no because of his injuries, that he'll make himself look like a coward. "You want to fight me, Allenby Beardsley? Just name the time and--" He's cut off by a sudden flinch, clutching his rib as if he could somehow quiet the pain by so doing. "Rrgh." This is no time for his body to be failing him. He's just got to ignore it, and it'll get better on its own. "Place."
Allenby Beardsley	Allenby looks a little taken aback all the sudden. Clearly expecting a more enthusiastic response, her own enthuiasm fades just a little bit and she adopts a more guarded, reserved attitude. "Yeah, a Gundam Fight. That's what you're here for, right? Well, yeah, I bet it's /specifically/ for that Chibodee Crockett guy but might as well get another one out of the way, right?" She eyes him up, looking at the way he's holding his ribs. "Looks like he dinged you pretty good though. I don't want to fight you anytime soon if that doesn't clear up. It'll make the fight even more boring for me if you can't keep up." she says with a touch of arrogance.
Domon Kasshu	That's what worries Domon. Crocket /grazed/ his ribs, and this is the result of that. What would've happened if he'd let the American get the first swing? Chibodee's in a rare group of people, to be able to match his strength. Now, his chances of an even fight are as smashed as his ribs apparently are. "Even MORE boring?" His brow furrows with anger. Evidently that remark struck a chord, but before Domon can get to his feet, he seems to be occupied with something behind Allenby. "I thought you wanted a fight," he says accusingly. Behind Neo-Sweden's Gundam Fighter, coming from under an overpass, approach three men in black suits and shades, three M1911 pistols raised confidently.
Allenby Beardsley	It actually surprises Allenby a little that Domon got away from that with an injury, especially since what she saw of Chibodee's fighting technique back there didn't impress her all that much. That, in turn, made her wonder about just how good Domon was: "Yeah. The Gundam Fight is a drag, nothing but lousy opponents so far." Allenby grumbles. "If I could quit and go do some kind of multiverse tour thing instead, I'd do that in a /heartbeat/." Something about Domon's gaze to a point past her makes her frown and eventually look over her shoulder. "Ummm. Why is the MiB coming?"
Domon Kasshu	"Department of Defense, actually," says the man in front. "But what's the difference, these days?" This elicits a chuckle from his two compatriots. "Your friend Mr. Kasshu there made some very important people upset today. Looks like Crocket gave him some humble pie, but you know what they say." The man in front levels his gun, his fellows fanning out to do the same, creating three angles of attack. "Can't send a boy to do a man's job. You're free to go, though, Neo-Sweden. Think of this as a lightning disqualification."
Allenby Beardsley	"Uhhh, wait a second." Allenby turns around and spreads her hands out at her sides. "This is a Gundam Fighters thing. Shouldn't Gundam Fighters sort this stuff out and not you government guys? That IS why we have this dumb Gundam Fight to begin with." Despite potentially being in the line of fire of three guns (but probably not really, depending on where Domon is standing), she doesn't seem all that bothered by the weapons being waved around by the suited thugs.
Domon Kasshu	"We're just making an investment in Mr. Crocket's victory." His smile is thin as he utters a challenge. "You're not going to bring this to the Gundam Fight Committee, are you?" Just as he adjusts his aim towards Allenby, the sudden and unmistakable rush of air associated with repulsor crafts blows across the pier. A spotlight shines on the three agents, and their guns are knocked away by bolts from a stun rifle. "I hear your riot police use these," says Rain Mikamura from atop an old skiff. The craft's repulsors hold it a few feet in the air. "Want to see what the full setting is?" The thugs look towards their guns, which lie scattered several feet away. The general consensus seems to be 'No,' evidenced by the fact that they turn tail and run off into the shadows. Domon loses consciousness just as Rain inquires, "Are you okay?"
Allenby Beardsley	"No, but if you shoot me, you're going to have to answer to a very, very angry Neo-Sweden. And that's not even getting to what /I'm/ going to to do to you." The blue-haired girl sounds far too cheerful to be at all threatening. She lowers her hands, her muscles start to tense. Domon with his knowledge would definitely recognize that she's positioning herself to move in to strike. But then air ruffles the Gundam Fighter's hair and Domon's partner hovers overhead with a stun rifle. Allenby squints carefully at Raine, trying to identify her, assuming that she too is also a gundam fighter of some kind. "I'm fine! But he-" Allenby turns around to see Domon lying in a crumpled pile. "...uh, he might need some help. He got hit by the American."
Domon Kasshu	Rain nods. "Thank you for protecting him," she says. "He doesn't have the good sense to do it himself. Can you help me get him onto this skiff? We have a hotel room not far from here." She slings the rifle over her shoulder and picks up a control module that likely wasn't standard on this model. Making some adjustments on it, the vessel banks horizontally towards the edge of the pier.
Allenby Beardsley	"Oh, yeah, sure, keep it steady for a moment." Allenby takes a step backwards and stoops down, scooping up Domon and throwing him over a shoulder. Despite the size difference between the two, she bears her unconscious burden with ease. She walks forward, slightly slower with the weight of Domon on her, right up to the edge of the pier. Without waiting for Rain to lower the skiff any further, Allenby jumps up onto the hood, balancing carefully, then over into the passenger's seat where she lays Domon down. "There you go!" Allenby crouches, one hand grabbing on to the back of the passenger seat to stabilize herself.
Domon Kasshu	"I'm Rain, Rain Mikamura. I try to keep him out of trouble, but it's a full-time job." She sighs, then sets the skiff on a course to a location across the water. "What's your name?" she asks over the noise of the engines. As the speed picks up, the warm winds become kind of refreshing--perhaps even enough to make up for the inconvenience of goons with guns. The ride is short, but pleasant, and the rest of the locals on the water are thankfully more friendly than the ones from earlier. Eventually, the skiff pulls up beside a decidedly rougher-looking part of town, and, considering the state of the Big Apple itself these days, that's saying something.
Allenby Beardsley	"Allenby Bearsley!" she speaks up so she's heard over the engines of the skiff. She tightens her grip just a little bit more as they start to move though she finds it not that needed. Rain is a mercifully non-intense driver. That is, at least compared to some of the grip strength training Allenby's hard to endure. "You guys are staying here? I'm not even from around here and this place looks shadier than normal." She reaches down to pick up Domon again once the skiff lands.
Domon Kasshu	"The idea was to keep a low profile," replies Rain as she cuts the engines off and steps off. The statement is dripping with sarcasm, yet also possessed of a certain acceptance. She didn't know he'd crash a boxing match on national television, but his rescue from the thugs is partially because of that incident. She sighs. "This is us," she says, turning a corner onto a dilapidated old building with peeling paint.
Allenby Beardsley	"I think your Gundam Fighter just torpedoed the hell out of that." Allenby laughs. "What with the televised boxing match crashing and stuff. Pretty hilarious in retrospect, actually. Well! Maybe those thugs didn't know what direction we flew off to so the cover of being in the /real/ bad part of town still stands, right?" Allenby is just too cheerful about all of this. "Hope this guy recovers in time for that match." Allenby follows Rain into the dilapidated building with no hesitation. "I want to fight him too but not when he's like this."
Domon Kasshu	"He's entered the fight for... personal reasons," Rain says as she unlocks the door to their room. She switches the light on and enters, motioning with one arm to a cot in the corner. "I can fix his body, but I can't make him stop breaking it. Every time I try, he just... pushes me further away."
Allenby Beardsley	Allenby hauls the Neo-Japanese Gundam Fighter over to the indicated cot, shrugging him off her shoulder as she lies him down on his back. "I'd say just stick him in one of those science tubes but I don't think they have those facilities here." She straightens and looks around, frowning. "Hey Rain, where's the rest of the Neo Japan team? You're the doctor, I'm guessing, but where are the mechanics and stuff?"
Domon Kasshu	"You're looking at it," she says. "I don't have a clue how to fly a fishing skiff, so I rigged up a control module myself. It took about fifteen minutes. The hardest part was finding the power relays. I'm good with machines--and that includes the human body." The human /mind/ is a different story. She reaches into her satchel and starts removing what appears to be medical equipment--several of the machines are, in fact, very sciency. As she gets to work sorting everything out on the nightstand, Domon stirs on the cot. "Mnh... where...?" "Where do you think?" asks Rain coolly. "You're in New York. Skid Row, to be exact. Do you remember who I am?" "You're Rain." "You're right." Rain leans in and holds a flashlight to Domon's eye, holding it open to observe dilation of the pupil.
Allenby Beardsley	"So you're the doctor /and/ the tech?" Allenby blinks in disbelief, "Wow, my crew's kind of enormous. But you can do /everything/." Well, almost everything. Rain can't un-jerk Domon. Allenby steps aside, giving Rain wide berth to do her medical work. She seems a shade bit more wary than usual. "You don't remember who I am, do you?" Allenby asks skeptically.
Domon Kasshu	"Allenbeugh--" He coughs slightly, swallowing a pill Rain tossed into his mouth. "Allenby Beardsley," says the Gundam Fighter, shooting a petulant glance at Rain. "Neo-Sweden's Gundam Fighter. What was that for?" The sullen question is directed at Rain. "To prevent an allergic response to this," Promptly, Domon's technician sticks him in the rib with some kind of modified injector--probably harden than medically necessary. He flinches, but doesn't say anything. "You should be fine in a few minutes. You're overdoing it, you know." "Leave me--" "Domon, I'm serious. You think you're the only person who has something at stake here? This city makes people want to pursue their dreams because it's so rough... and they feel like they have to get there through aggression. Chibodee's their hero--but even he's got that streak in him. You just waltzed in there and thought--" Rain is interrupted by a polite knock on the door. She reaches for something in her messenger bag, a stun gun maybe. "Come in, it's open." A girl in a pink suit reminiscent of casino employees opens the door just a crack. Her blue western tie and expressionless eyes are visible through the opening. "I've come to give a message from Chibodee Crocket," she says in monotone. "I'll accept your challenge. Be prepared to meet me at 8 on Broadway. That's all for now." With that, she promptly and robotically closes the door.
Allenby Beardsley	"Oh, huh, you remember that part." Allenby crosses her arms over her chest, looking vaguely impressed by this but rather uncomfortable with the aggressive medical care. She strangely does not say anything about it as her discomfort slowly builds. "It was kind of cool though. With the interruption." Again she goes silent, watching their visitor. "Wow, they found you guys after all!"
Domon Kasshu	"Was it just me, or did she... seem a bit out of it?" Rain asks. "I could care less," says Domon. "I'll be ready to fight him tomorrow, and I don't care if he has the U.S. army with him!" "We'll see about that," says Rain flatly. "For now, you need to get some rest. Allenby, do you have a place to stay? Is there anything I can get you? I... just want to thank you for helping me earlier."
Allenby Beardsley	"It wasn't just you. There was a weird look in her eyes. Kind of glassy-looking, if you ask me." Allenby chimes in even if she wasn't directly asked. In fact, she realizes Rain was probably talking to Domon a moment later. "Oh, uh, hey, no problem. Domon better give me a good fight later for it!" she points at the Neo-Japan Gundam Fighter. "Or I'll be /really/ disappointed. But...um." She looks thoughtful, "I don't suppose you're also the team cook? I could use something to eat. I've got a hotel my team is staying at right now though so I'd have to get back there later. Or there might be problems."
Domon Kasshu	"I'm not, but... there's a Haitian place a few blocks away from here. I don't mind buying--it's the least I can do for you." Domon blinks. Usually, he's the one that leaves her behind. He never realized how... Well. He's never thought about what that feels like. He's not sure he likes it. "What about /me?/" "What about you? You need your rest. I'll bring something back for you okay?" Domon fumes--but seems fine with this suggestion. "Fine." He's already got a time and place for the fight, so he supposes that's all he really needs.
Allenby Beardsley	At that moment, Allenby realizes just how sheltered she's been in the Neo-Sweden team as the thought of 'there's no team cook?' pops into her head, "So you guys just eat whatever? No special diets or anything...?" she tilts her head to the side. "Huh." She turns away from Domon, "Sure, let's go! And Rain's right. Get your rest. You wanna fight that American so bad, right?" There is not a single scrap of sympathy for Domon from Allenby in this situation. "Do it at full power so it's a real fight."
Domon Kasshu	Domon huffs, but is otherwise silent. The Haitian place itself is indeed just a few blocks away, and ends up being a very fairly priced and decent suggestion on Rain's part. Sure, the building itself has seen better days, but the owner is an old man who seems to have exactly what he wants out of life. He greets the girls like an old relative might, welcoming them in and almost immediately presenting them both with menus, inquiring about their days, and what they'd like to drink.
Allenby Beardsley	All of the buildings have probably seen better days on Earth. As sheltered as she sounds, the level of decay on Earth is probably one of the few things that doesn't surprise Allenby all too much down here. Being underaged, Allenby asks for soda. Whatever unease she might have been feeling around Rain earlier seems to have abated for now. "So how do you get by with being a one-woman team? Does Domon help out with anything there?"
Domon Kasshu	Rain, for her part, asks for iced tea. At Allenby's question, she shakes her head. "Domon... doesn't know how to do much other than fight. He's very good at giving feedback on what kind of maintenance Shining Gundam needs, but that's about it." She flips the pages of the menu, peering at the items therein. "I... wanted to be a doctor," she says thoughtfully. "I went to college to learn how, but... my father is one of the foremost scientists in our country, and he needed help at home. I've never minded helping, so I came back. Maybe it runs in the family, but I picked up engineering and physics pretty quickly."
Allenby Beardsley	"Hm, weird. You'd think with such a small team he'd have to pick up the slack on other team duties." Allenby starts fiddling with her napkin, twisting it around her finger as her hands demandn that she do something with them while they wait. "Ah well. Is he good at what he does? I'm hoping he'll be a challenge when we fight." She drops the napkin. "Damn, just picking up engineering like that? You must be some kind of genius."
Domon Kasshu	Rain coughs shyly at the compliment, as if she's not used to them. She doesn't even offer so much as a 'thank you' in words, but just looking at her one can detect that she appreciates the sentiment. "It's working off of a system of rules, which is something I excel at. A lot of engineers like to joke that engineering is how much rules you can safely ignore." "You'd expect Domon to be the scientist, really. He doesn't put much faith in things that he can't see for himself, or that aren't immediately useful. At least... that's the way it seems lately." She looks to the side for a moment, then changes the subject. "He's a fantastic fighter, for what it's worth. He learned from Master Asia--the same man who ended Gentle Chapman's winning streak. Master Asia's known Domon since he was a kid." The owner of the place returns with their drinks, then inquires after what they'll be eating this evening.
Allenby Beardsley	"/The/ Master Asia? Wow, lucky guy. I remember my team trying like crazy once to get him to come teach me stuff. They weren't successful at all. Something about a one student one successor only thing?" She shrugs. "Hmm, well, if he learned from Master Asia then he /better/ be good." Allenby, who actually knows nothing about Hatian food, asks for a dish with some sweetness to it. "I'm not too thrilled about the Gundam Fight to be honest. But being able to fight some challenging opponents at least makes it bearable."
Domon Kasshu	Rain makes her selection, and the owner smiles at Allenby knowingly. He nods and heads into the kitchen to prepare everything. "I think it'd do Domon some good to meet someone who shares that attitude. More than anything, what he needs are friends who understand that. Goodness knows I don't. Well... I guess what I mean is that, for him, winning the Gundam Fight is the means to an end."
Allenby Beardsley	"A means to an end? You mean like getting Neo Japan control of the colonies, right? Same reason any country goes to the Gundam Fight?" Again that peek of just how sheltered the girl was starts to rear its ugly head again, "What other motivations would be involved, right?" She shrugs casually and sips her soda. Once done, she starts messing with the straw wrapper. "What's your take on the Chibodee guy by the way?"
Domon Kasshu	"He seems nice, like he might actually be what they advertise him to be, but... I don't know. There are a lot of things that don't add up. The government thugs, and then his crew member. I think you're exactly right, what you said earlier--she looked glassy-eyed. I want to believe there's nothing untoward going on, but there are too many coincidences for me to belive everything's on the level." The owner returns once more with food! Per Allenby's request, she gets what the owner calls 'tchaka,' which is a stew made from pumpkin, pork, beans, and served over a bed of what can only be described as inflated corn. He's also given her a side dish of fried plaintains! Rain herself receives a vegetable stew with some patties, and some take-out for Domon, of course. "As for Domon's motivation... well, I think it'd be best if you asked him that. He's very... driven."