7889/Space Dad Activate

Space Dad Activate
Date of Scene:	19 September 2021
Location:	Computer Hall
Synopsis:	Noriko is passing time, waiting out her boredom in the computer lab and runs into Michael Erickson. Naturally, the discussion turns to Jubilation.
Cast of Characters:	Noriko Ashida, Michael Erickson

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Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko can count the number of times she's been in the computer hall.  She's not even sure if she's technically supposed to be in here, but she hasn't been in here enough to institute a rule.  Screens begin to flicker a little to some shouts as she nears the hall and then remain on.

The gauntleted blue-haired speedster waits outside for a good minute or two before she comes into the Hall.  The waiting does nothing.  As soon as someone spots her, there is an audible sigh somewhere in the lab.  Noriko rolls her eyes and flips the bird to the bank of computers before walking all the way back to sit in the well of one of the large windows that overlook the backyard, bathed in darkness now.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    The good thing is, of course, that there's already adult supervision in the form of the alien teacher -- he's a teacher, right? -- sitting there at one of the desks, fingers clicking away at the keys of his chosen computer. He wears a grey suit most of the time on the campus, and this is no time for deviation; face lit up with the pale glow of the monitor Michael works away, expression flat and grim with concentration as he does so. Must be some important teacher stuff. Right?

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Is it?  Was it?  Important teacher stuff?  The monitor gutters again when she suddenly appears over Michael's shoulder.  Then suddenly she's at the computer next to him.  She doesn't take off her gauntlets.  It's pretty clear that computer use is a pain for her given how bulky the gauntlets are (at the very least).

Does she maybe look over curiously at Michael's screen?  Absolutely.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    But it's not...important teacher stuff. It's space. SPACE. Maps of the Milky Way, which are - because it's from Earth sources - depressingly unhelpful. I mean. It's not that he expected star charts, but there's no mistaking the faint note of disapproval in his expression as he peers at the monitor, glancing aside as The Gauntleted One arrives in a blur. There's a slight tensing of his body, the pause of his hands, that suggests that he was, in fact, startled - but not enough for him to do a Wartime Veteran Flashback Freakout and try and choke her to the ground.

    "Miss Ashida." His eyes flick her way, then back to the monitor. "How are you this evening?"

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"Bored.  Waiting for Jubes to stop sleeping in."  Noriko shrugs and leans back in her chair, tipping it to balance on the back two legs.  "Hungry.  That's a given though."  She shrugs again.  "You?"

The girl may have noticed Michael's tenseness she caused, maybe not, but she doesn't seem to register it visibly in any case.  "What part of space is that?"  She moves over a little closer.  "Oh."  Obviously recognizing the Milky Way.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Nothing exotic." He chuckles. "And I'm fine, thank you. Thinking." Wth a pause, Michael looks her way, brows arching faintly. "You ever been offworld?"

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"Offworld?"  Noriko's brows shoot up.  "Nope.  I ran here from Japan, mostly.  So I've been places."  She probably has no ideas all of the places she's been.  "But never offworld.  Only where my feet have taken me...so everything but Earth is exotic to me."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Lots of planets out there." Michael scoots back in his chair, gesturing to the screen. "I've been looking to establish data about the surrounding planets of this system, and surrounding systems as well. Thought perhaps that in future we might visit them. Of course, getting a starship would be complicated at the moment. I can travel easily, but you guys..." He taps his lips, expression growing grim once more. "Mmmm. I wonder."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko reaches up and rubs the back of her neck a little.  Old habit that won't leave her even with those gauntlets.  "I should have asked for a spaceship for my birthday.  Instead I got a pony."  A half beat later.  "I didn't ask for that either."  She smirks lightheartedly.

The fact that they don't have access to opportunities to expand their galactic education seems to be a treat to talk about in and of itself.  "I'd build one if they'd let me."  Or try.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Starships are very difficult to assemble with this planet's technology," he points out, "But perhaps I might find something in future. I'll probably want to do so in future anyway, now that I my mission on this planet is complete. But still..." Michael chuckles. "I'm sure it wouldn't be a candle to a pony."

    With that said, and a wink, he turns in his seat toward her. "So," he says. "What's with the gloves?"

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"Yeah.  That's what everyone keeps saying.  I don't know anything about it so I assume it's true," the bold teen readily admits.  "It also wouldn't be afraid of my girlfriend," she says with a chuckle.  "How funny would it be to see a pony in zero g?"

"I suppose not that funny after you realize it is terrified," Noriko concludes a moment later.  Then she looks down at her gauntlets.  "Oh.  Hank made these for me so I don't have to be on drugs to keep from overloading all the time.  I absorb electricity and stuff.  It helps me focus the energy to discharge it directionally.  I broke my last ones.  It's just...I have to be really careful with these things," she says with a sigh.  They are big, bulky.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "They don't have ponies in space," Michael says, "But they have other riding animals. We rode trained thalvaa on Teterum, they're....sort of horselike. But reptilian." He grins a tad. "Kind of like an ostritch and a lizard combined. Very good to ride, though - and bah, your girlfriend. I know it's hard, Miss Ashida, but don't be too angry with your fellow students. This planet sees vampiric life as steeped in mysticism and dark tidings, but there are worlds out there where they're just an everyday fact of being. The walking dead thing, I'll grant, is unusual. But she's just a predator, and they'll see that eventually." A beat. "My people are descended from hunting birds, you know. Predatory instinct is bred in ours as well. I suspect I understand her better than most because of that - and Mr. Logan, of course."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko's posture twitches into a more...alert position when Michael mentions space creatures.  "First, that sounds awesome," she just has to say.

"I don't know.  I think some of the kids think it just makes her cool or something."  Of course there are a way more kids who do not.  "I don't care what they think.  I just want Jubes to be okay and gets what she needs and wants."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    Her energetic statement just brings a grin to Michael's otherwise aloof features. "Noted," he intones, then nods along with the rest. "It's a good way to be about her, that - and you're going to get people warning you about her, and...maybe not being so kind about it. Because you're so close. And she has her own fears about hurting you. So." A pause. "If I teach you anything about her at this moment, let it be this: Jubilation isn't the problem. It's the instincts, this 'Dark Passenger' that she refers to. Whatever change has come upon her, she isn't /evil/. She's hungry. That's what everything leads to: this selfish, predatory drive to feed and stay alive. All of these new powers, these new instincts, they flow from that - and it's /that/ you need to be aware and wary of. She might snap, she might say mean things sometimes. She might try and get things out of you. But this...is the thing inside of her. And until she masters it, you'll need to be /very/ understanding so long as you want a relationship with her of any kind."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"I knew she was different immediately," Noriko admits.  "I've just been chilling and seeing how things go.  I mean I figured it's just hard to deal with a whole new set of urges and stuff.  We don't know a lot about what she's going through," and Noriko seems to be totally okay with that.

"Things haven't been difficult...well.  I mean.  Obviously they are difficult for her, but I mean between us."  If there has been any snapping, Nori certainly can't recall it.

There's a moment where words aren't just flowing from Noriko's mouth, a pensive moment.  "I love Jubilation.  I'm not going anywhere just because she's going to get a little hangry.  I mean.  I get that."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "I just want you to know that she's likely going to be hurtful sometimes," he says. "Because that's what the drive sometimes pushes her to do. Sometimes my people have problems with other species, especially romantically, because we can be so..." He frowns. "Prideful, combative, and generally, you know. Predatorially-influenced." Heavy brows waggle, and he chuckles. "Our whole religion is built upon people who don't like each other getting married and falling in love afterward, though."

    That said, he gestures to the computer. "I'm going to keep doing research here. Just know that I'm on your side, all right? I've seen a lot before coming to this planet, and just as much on this rock alone. If I can help, I will."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"You only have a single religion?"  Noriko is, obviously, from a melting pot of a planet, so it's more a statement of passing curiosity than a question.  "I do not plan on going anywhere, unless that is to stay by her side."  Noriko nods to Michael and slowly reaches to close out her incognito search window.

"Thanks.  I appreciate it...I should probably get going before I make more enemies.  I like to keep my lab visits short."  But Noriko does not explain why.  Poof!  The speedster is off to probably see what is taking Jubes so long.