genessia | 1st Flight ♥ | [Audio/Action]

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1st Flight ♥ | [Audio/Action]

[Waking up in a pod was a startling thing. She'd looked around frantically when it opened, and seeing a familiar black and white cat curled up on her lap was a bit of a relief, but Berkut was a little less important to look for right now. She quickly felt under her jacket, letting out a quiet sigh of relief as she felt her hands touch a familiar pin that she always wore. She then checked beside her, finding her small bag and looking into it, letting out another relieved sigh when she saw her tablet in there. That was two for two, and Berkut was there, so maybe her panic was unnecessary. She took a deep breath to calm down, nudging the small cat awake before noticing the small box next to him. She glanced through its contents, her brow furrowing at the pamphlet's words. That all sounded so made up. Still, her fingers wrapped around the videophone and she put the rest of the box's contents in her bag before she put it over her shoulder, making a quick check on the bag to make sure her favorite F-22 charm was still there too. With a small smile, she picked Berkut up under her arm and stepped outside the Bay.

While she was watching the hologram play its message, she hadn't noticed she'd turned on her device, and it was broadcasting the audio to everyone who may have been paying attention to the network. She looked around the city- none of it was at all familiar. Was this the city on Asherah Island that was under construction still? She was content not accepting the whole "different world" excuse the pamphlet and hologram gave her right away, chalking it up to an extravagent ploy by the other Aerial Hearts to play a prank on her. Mariella did need to get back at her for that last prank. She let out a small laugh and spoke aloud.]

Wow. You guys really went all out with this! That girl you guys got for the hologram was really cute! You must have spent weeks on this to drop me off on a part of the island that I've never seen!

[She hesitated, noticing the girls not stepping out around her. She huffed.]

Come on, I know it's a prank so you can come out! Anna! Fiona! Marie! Yuuka!

[She paused again, her voice trembling this time.]

Okay... now it's getting into 'not funny' territory. Anna! Anna!

[She shivered. The girls wouldn't leave her hanging like this. Not when they'd realize she was getting genuinely nervous. Berkut let out a curious meow as she held him closer. Her voice cracked as she murmured out another name.]

Alyosha...?

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[A certain young man's face shows up on the video feed. He has an apologetic expression on his face.]

I'm sorry, but...I'm afraid this isn't a joke. All of us here were brought here like you just were.

It's...not easy to explain. But we're essentially in a, er, alternate world.

[There's a startled yelp after she heard Athrun's voice when there was no one around. She quickly looked around before lifting her device to look at it, puzzled to see Athrun's face on it. The sounds of fumbling around with the device are heard before her face appears on the feed. There's a flash of fear and disbelief on her face before she puts on an unimpressed scowl, but it was pretty obvious it was just a front.]

So, if I accuse you of being the kidnapper and demanded you take me back to Asherah, what would happen?

[Athrun sighs. What's up with all of the recent arrivals accusing him of being the kidnapper?]

I'd say you weren't the first to suggest that, but I'm a victim as much as you are. And if I knew a way to get home, I wouldn't be here any more.

[Admittedly, she feels a little bad since it's easy to tell that this guy's gotten that before. He does seem pretty genuine about it, so there isn't any suspicion in her face. She still tries to keep up a brave face, but without her friends around, fear was cracking through that front, especially in her voice.]

It seems like it's too nice a place to have been a simple kidnapping. Which just makes it plain creepy.

[She kept trying to make lighthearted comments but they weren't really helping her. She looks a little nervous before finally managing to ask.]

Are you from Asherah Island too?

[Athrun shakes his head. He's never heard of such a place.]

I'm afraid not. I'm a soldier from a nation known as the Orb Union. Before that, I lived in the PLANTs -- space colonies.

[He doesn't want to leave it at that, though.]

If it helps, many of the residents here have been nothing but kind. I got all the help I needed finding a way to make a living here while I'm stuck here.

Space... colonies?

[That was something that even in her age was just a pipe dream. She'd never heard of the Orb Union either... part of her wanted to tell him that this joke was being taken too far, but she felt her heart sink as the reality of the situation was sinking in.

Her hand trembled, making the video feed shake ever so slightly. She hadn't felt this scared in a long time- she hadn't had to face such a serious situation alone before. If her fear wasn't showing before, it was now.]

You... said you were a soldier, right? Can I... can I talk to you in person..?

[Athrun's gaze softens. He can see the fear as clear as day from where he's sitting right now. He stands up and calmly nods.]

Stay where you are. I'll come meet you by the Bay, all right? Give me between ten and twenty minutes, and I'll be right out there.

But before I go, let me introduce myself. My name is Athrun Zala. I'm currently residing in Nova City. Would you mind giving me your name?

[She nods slightly in acknowledgement.]

It- It's Jessica. Jessica Ryder. Athrun... thank you.

[She takes a deep breath, trying to make sure she her eyes don't well up. Having someone, anyone around would makes things easier to handle, and if he was a soldier, it'd make her a lot more comfortable with the situation.

In the meantime, she'll be shuffling about and nervously tugging at the strap of her bag while getting a better hold on her cat. Having Berkut was comforting, but there was only so much a cat can do.]

It's all right. I'm always glad to help. See you soon.

[With that, Athrun ends the transmission. He then immediately leaves his apartment and catches the bus to Nova City's archway, crosses through to Genessia, then takes further public transport to the Bay. As he said, the total amount of time spent was in the neighborhood of fifteen minutes.

Once he arrives at the Bay, he spots Jessica quickly. It's fairly easy to notice the girl looking anxious and holding onto a cat. He raises his right hand and waves to get his attention.]

[She almost doesn't notice immediately amidst her own fidgeting, but she looks up and notices Athrun. Almost immediately, she rushes over to him, and if she wasn't holding onto Berkut she probably would have latched onto him. Luckily holding the fluffball keeps her from embarrassing herself.]

Athrun, you- you're real! [Wait.] I-I mean, of course you're real, but-

[Way to get even more flustered there, Jess. She puts a hand over her red face and takes another deep breath. She takes a step back, realizing she's probably a little close in his personal bubble there.]

I'm sorry, I- I'm probably humiliating myself. Thank you for coming out here.

[She has no idea how far he had to travel to get there, but regardless he did go out of his way for her, and it means a lot to her.]

[Athrun shakes his head. He can tell she needs reassuring, so he'll do his best to act strong for now.]

Not at all. I can understand perfectly well why you could be scared and even questioning your senses. I never knew that alternate worlds existed until I first arrived here, myself. It was...quite the shock.

Anyway, come with me. There's a couple of places you should take a look at to help you get settled in here.

[She slowly nods, sniffling as she looks up at him. She kept mentally telling herself to "pull herself together, she's been in rough situations before!", but this time was a lot harder to handle.]

This seems like the plot of a weird scifi movie. "Wake up in creepy pod, meet people from other worlds, save the kidnapped from soul sucking aliens" or something.

[She's trying hard to joke to make things a little easier, but they were... pretty forced. In both tone and humor.]

How... long am I expected to be here? I'm not- [She swallowed.] -we're not gonna be stuck here forever, right?

[It's enough to make Athrun laugh, at least. Or maybe he's humoring Jessica to make her feel better. Who knows?]

Sometimes people get sent home, but there's no real rhyme or reason to it as far as anyone has been able to tell. No one has found a way to leave of one's own volition, however.

That being said, there are some who won't settle for being stuck here forever. I certainly won't. I'm needed back home, and I won't let the people counting on me down.

[Humoring her was one of the best things he could possibly do for her right now, but the determination he had in those words did wonders too. She let his words sink in before she nodded again. She was still scared to hell and back, but his "I won't let the people counting on me down" struck a chord in her. She took a deep breath again, putting on a small smile.]

That's right. I have people counting on me too. I can't just sit here and mope and cry that "life is terrible, woe is me!"

[Berkut does let out a little meow, as if in agreement. Her smile does fade again.]

But I guess... in the meantime I need to settle here, huh..? Since it might be a while?

[Athrun gives a smile smile in return, though it disappears as quickly as it came when he opens his mouth to talk.]

You too, huh?

But yes, that's the long and short of it. One of the other people here runs an inn that offers a discount to new arrivals, but I'm not sure what their policy is on pets. You can also stop by any of the Schnee Welcoming Centers to find general information -- places you can rent, open jobs, and other such things. For now, we're headed to the inn.

[She bites her lip, looking down at Berkut.]

Okay... I hope he doesn't cause any problems. He is really well behaved... [Berkut responds with a meow, Jessica patting him on the head.] But if I might have to pay extra for him, I will.

[Which does make her slightly more nervous since she's not entirely sure how much anything costs yet or how much money she even has from that box, but she'd sooner sleep on a park bench than leave Berkut unattended.]

But how- how difficult is it to get a job here? I don't really have much experience in anything except singing.

I'm sure there are plenty of pet-friendly places. It's just a matter of finding one.

[He then falls silent for a few moments, before responding to his question. She also happened to say a thing that made him curious.]

Singing? You mean, like being an idol singer? That's not something I've thought about in a long time.

[The memory of Lacus comes to mind, and Athrun can't help but feel homesick. It's been over a year since he last saw any of his friends apart from Kira.]

[She perks up a little at the question as she readjusts the bag on her shoulder.]

Yeah. I was part of a five girl idol group at home, and each of us were all from different countries.

[In hindsight, thinking about how that even happened was kind of weird. Minus their second job as a team, anyway. But Asherah Island kind of was the second cultural melting pot of the world by that point, so maybe it wasn't so weird.]

But something you hadn't thought about? Were you involved in music at all?

Huh, that's interesting. I can't say I've seen anything of that sort happen. Usually the language barrier alone would cause problems.

[Athrun seems decently prepared for her next question, though.]

Not me, no. Not directly, anyway. But one of my dearest friends is a former idol singer. She eventually left to pursue a career in government, but her songs still get played on the radio all the time.

[Though "left to pursue a career in government" is understating what Lacus did by an astronomical unit. It's technically true.]

It does seem like a big fluke, doesn't it? Just about everyone who lives on Asherah Island actually has these neat little ear pieces, and through some technobabble somehow lets us understand other languages. Without it, I don't think we'd be able to understand each other.

[She wasn't wearing hers right now and it was in her bag, but it hadn't occurred to her until now that she should probably wear it. Right now, she'd just assumed Athrun happened to speak English.

Her eyes do widen slightly and then she smiled nervously.]

She left singing to go into politics? Wow, I'd never be able to do that. She's sure way braver than I would be.

[Probably because she hated politics because it was all gibberish to her. And it was always such a downer topic compared to performing.]

Your...your world has that sort of technology?

[Athrun's eyes are as wide as they can go right now. That was not what he had been expecting to hear. That kind of technology sounds absolutely amazing. He may ask to study it at a later date.]

Er, um. Yeah, more or less. Her father was a world-famous politician, and was even the Chairman of the PLANT Supreme Council -- the PLANTs' equivalent to the commander-in-chief -- for a while. So it runs in the family.

[Athrun was mainly trying to get his head back on track there with the conversation. Even so, there's a hint of admiration in his voice when he speaks of Lacus's father. Athrun had always looked up to Siegel, as he was everything that Athrun believed a politician should be, albeit sometimes mired by red tape. Not even the Bloody Valentine Tragedy had been enough to change his character or his convictions -- nothing like Athrun's own father.]

I imagine she misses it, though. As stressful as an idol career is, it's nothing compared to politics.

[Jessica nodded, adjusting the cat to a better position under her arm while she reaches into her bag, pulling out a blue earpiece and holding it out for Athrun to look at.]

I have no idea how it works, but there are a whole buncha languages and an auto-translator all packed in this tiny thing. All you have to do is switch it on and put it on your ear and taa-daa! It does all the language work for you. Which, I... should probably wear this while I'm here, huh?

[She kind of hoped she didn't have to, but it probably was best if she did later. At least she didn't need it while talking to Athrun though.]

Wow. After being an idol, it's hard for me to imagine getting away from it for another job. But I did toy with the idea of joining the Air Force and training to be a pilot when I was younger, since my mom was one. Living near an air base probably helped with that too.

[It sure helped with her F-22 love, that was for sure.]

I don't think you'll need it. I've been here for over a year, and so far I've had no trouble whatsoever understanding what anybody says.

[He walks in silence for a few moments before speaking up again.]

A pilot, eh? That's what I am back home. It's a good job to have during peacetime. It's interesting, too.

Is this had been a joke, I don't think anyone of us would still be here.

[She wouldn't even know why someone would want to prank her anyway.]

[At least she doesn't jump at a sudden voice this time since Athrun startled her already, and she feels kinda dumb for having accidentally turned it on and not noticed. She slowly looks at the device, biting her lip.]

This would be a pretty sick joke. [She very much wants to insist to herself that it's a prank but all signs are pointing to otherwise.] But is it... is this really a thing? This isn't some weird dream or anything?

I really is a thing. Not much I can say about it. But I'm sorry you got brought here, I'm sure there was something you were meant to be doing than being here.

Oh, no, no, it's fine. It's not like I'm part of a team who has to save the-- [world] ..eeehhntertainment industry.

[Nailed it.]

In that case, I don't... suppose the name 'Asherah' means anything to you, does it?

How can one team save the entertainment industry?

[She didn't understand, but she shakes her head slightly.]

Sorry, I've not heard that name before.

By being totally awesome and out performing those talentless hacks that are overrunning it!

[She sounds so smug and proud of herself with that, and she would look it too to anyone who might be around. She knew she and her friends were incredibly talented! ... but then that smug visage immediately drops back into the worried and depressed mess she was before.]

So this... whole 'other world' thing is real...

[There's no one in the world who wouldn't be aware of Asherah Island if she were home.]

What am I supposed to do then?

Edited 2016-05-06 00:44 (UTC)

So that must mean you are very good. I would like to hear you sometime.

[She smiled happily, she would like to see

Sadly it is, but what you do is do what you always wanted to. If you want to entertain people you can still.

[She hesitates a little, but the thought does make her perk up a bit. She's not sure how she could manage it by herself- she was part of a team of five... but each of the girls did have solo songs once in a while.]

Is there really a place for idols here?

[Granted, if there wasn't, she did have a fallback to help people... but she did kind of want to keep that a secret still.]

Yes, I mean I don't see them as much, but it is possible. Music is a good thing to have after all.

[At least she was sure of that.]

[That does give her a little hope. If she could do what she did at home, then that would be ideal for her. Granted, the idea of having to settle into an entirely new world was still unsettling, but at least it was getting a little easier to accept.]

Aren't there any other musicians at all? Or are they just... few and far between here?

Just very few, but odds are someone out there is a musician.

[On one hand, that did give her some much needed hope to be able to continue at least her idol career here. On the other, if there were few musicians around, it might be unlikely for her to find them if the world is so big. Still, she'd rather take the confident route.]

Then I'll see if I can find them! Who knows, maybe a little ragtag group of musicians may take this place by storm soon!

[She nodded slightly.]

I hope to see that someday. I rather like music after all. Oh! And if you do, I can always take pictures if you'd like.

Edited 2016-05-16 09:31 (UTC)

[She couldn't help but sound a little excited then.]

You're a photographer? I think we'd definitely want pictures! Promotional pictures are always a necessity for good publicity!

[There she was talking like the group was already a thing. She'd really need to get people together before she could actually consider things like promotional shoots.]

I like to take pictures. Though I don't think I would ever do it as a career. But it is good practice.

[She was getting back into it at least and it always meant good memories at least.]

Ohh, yeah. I can see just wanting to keep a hobby away from being a full-time thing. It's nice having something like that to fall back on just to enjoy it.

[She pauses, waiting a few seconds before she realizes- whoops. She should probably actually... be polite.]

Oh! Oh geez, I'm sorry, I never gave you my name. My name's Jessica, Jessica Ryder.

I think if you don't put too much stress on it like a career you become more creative, which is fun.

[She smiled slightly.]

I never gave you my name either, so you don't need to apologize. I'm Hiari Yagami.

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