Isolation

[infinite_rabbit]

1. [Some of you might have noticed that a certain IS pilot has been back on the ship for a while now, though for some reason she's avoiding others whenever possible.

The times you'll likely run into her are when she's relentlessly pummeling punching bags in the gym or just dining and reading in the mess hall. She's looking plenty irritated regardless of the location. Bug her?]

---

2. [There comes a time when everyone has to rest, even someone like Laura. What you probably wouldn't expect is finding her, seemingly asleep, in the changing room adjacent to the hangar. She's still in that skintight IS suit of hers too.

It doesn't seem like her to be so lax, but she is sitting all stern-like on one of the benches with her arms crossed, if that counts for anything. That eyepatch isn't on her either...]

Comments

[infinite_prince]

[Charles (male form) is just watching you pound that punching bag into dust.]

Um...Is everything okay, Laura?

[infinite_rabbit]

[She does indeed keep pounding.]

...Yes. Everything is fine.

[No, it's not. But she's not going to admit that easily.]

[infinite_prince]

...Are you sure?

Your form looks a little off. That's not like you...

[infinite_rabbit]

[And she suddenly stops. Her hand reaches for a nearby towel.]

...Positive.

Isn't there anything else you should be doing right now?

[She's definitely colder than usual, but this is pretty much her last shot at trying to turn Charles away...]

[infinite_prince]

No, actually. I got all the calibrations done yesterday, and did plenty of working out...

1

[mecha_eihwaz]

Something is bugging you, isn't it?

[infinite_rabbit]

[She doesn't even turn to face you, Lily. And it almost seems like she's talking to herself...]

This isn't why I joined the Academy...

[mecha_eihwaz]

Why did you do it, then?

[Lily doesn't intrude by getting into Laura's view or anything. She knows better.]

[infinite_rabbit]

Ichika Orimura.

[Much venom.]

My Instructor's younger brother, her supposed source of strength and one of the two male IS users in the world.

His mere existence aggravates me, and I joined to show my disapproval. I thought that if I could defeat him, I might be able to find out how and why he's so important.

1

[orewagundamda]

[It had been quite some time since Setsuna had last seen the woman known as Laura Bodewig, and much has happened to him and CB in that time span. While he doesn't let it show, the information regarding his position of Meister being handled by something outside of protocol weighed heavily on him.]

[Laura, on the other hand, seems to be visibly having a hard time with something.] It's been some time since we've seen each other, Laura Bodewig. [Much like when they first met, he had run into her in the mess hall. How would this proceed?] You seem to be troubled by something.

Re: 1

[infinite_rabbit]

[That Gundam Meister, huh?]

It's just your imagination.

Re: 1

[orewagundamda]

It's entirely possible. [Their relationship had pretty much always been defined as him talking at her about what was going on in his life, and Laura saying absolutely nothing about herself. Better keep to those precepts, then.]

I was told to my face recently that I had been planted as a Gundam Meister candidate by the man who likely compromised Celestial Being as an organization. [Dropping bombshells in the mess hall. Just like old times.]

[infinite_rabbit]

How your organization works has always puzzled me.

[She takes another bite from a biscuit.]

And? You don't plan to quit, do you?

[2]

[redcomet]

[ It's hard to put something past a Newtype. Char had only stopped into the changing room for a moment - after all, he never wore a normal suit, even while in space, due to that being his personal motivation not to allow his mobile suit to be damaged - to retrieve something from Haman's own locker. Clearly, Char had expected this room to be empty this time of night. And that's when he saw her. ]

... Oh. I'm sorry.

[ Skintight IS suit or not, Char very much remembers their last interaction. Oh, hell, he can't help himself. ]

Are feeling alright, Laura? Most people choose not to sleep on a hard bench in a room that smells like sweat.

[infinite_rabbit]

That's because I'm not sleeping.

[She still has her eyes closed, but your voice is unmistakable, Char. It's a cold response, and it seems like she's too busy thinking about something to be fangirling this time.]

[redcomet]

Is everything alright?

[ This is starting to get a little worrisome. Laura was never much of a talker - even with him - but it isn't like her to brood in the locker room. ]

[infinite_rabbit]

Yes. Perfectly fine, sir.

But, what exactly are you doing here at this time?

[Clearly, that warrants at least some suspicion.]

1

[hominilupusinexilio]

Resnick grunts through his own rounds on the bag and, lost in that pure concentration, doesn't notice Laura's next to him until after the shrill buzzer sounds. He slaps it silent then finally notices her.

"Ah...Laura Bodewig, quiaff?"

[infinite_rabbit]

Yes.

What is it, Star Captain?

[hominilupusinexilio]

Nothing, I had just heard you were reassigned.

[infinite_rabbit]

You heard right.

[She keeps attacking the bag...but it looks like she's using it for stress relief instead of actual training.]

Twice. First, back to the Academy, and then here again. With the number of threats increasing, the teachers must have thought I'd be better off on the Chalice.

1

[psychosemantics]

[[Waiting a bit for her to punch away, there comes a throat-based melody that sometimes synchs up with each punch. But when Laura goes off beat, Zatonichi keeps it.

But does this start making Laura punch in-beat now? ]]

[infinite_rabbit]

[Nope! She's going at her own pace...melody or not.

It is getting kinda annoying though...]

[psychosemantics]

[[He can't see your irritation. He shall persist! Layin down phat vocal beats while listening to her punches.]]

[infinite_rabbit]

Gh...

[That's when Laura finally stops.]

You should be doing that elsewhere. It's distracting.