food, food, food and piloting

Aila grabbed the boys hand as he invaded her space, she wouldn’t lose to him. Not in any arena. The last time they fought she lost but that would be the very last time she would ever lose to him at anything. Even in a battle of personal space. 

Pulling him by the hand she practically tosses him into the battle room, both entering an occupied space as a battle was already raging. With just a glare from her the two combatants shuffled hastily out, she huffed, strutting to the other side of the room.

She grinned, she really only did enjoy Gunpla battle with him. It was strange really. How something she had hated so much became something she enjoyed just as equally. All because of the boy in front of her. 

"Hah! I could say the same for you, Reiji! I’m going to eat my heart out and you’ll have no choice but to watch! Better prepare yourself!"

 [Please. Set your GP Base.]

Stumbling as she suddenly took his hand and pulled him along before quite literally shoving him into the battle room. That sure did surprise him, otherwise he wouldn't have been thrown around like such. Poor guys, he thought, as they exited the room at Aila's glare.

Standing before the stage, Reiji's shock quickly turned into excitement.

"We'll see about that!" he said, setting the Beginning Gundam onto the arena, the particles working its magic and setting the field for their battle.

》field 1, space《

A nostalgic stage on which they had once fought back to back against that intruding Gunpla...

"Reiji, Beginning Gundam, let's go!" 

"I-It’s not like that! Those scientists just gave me the Quebley is all…!! It’s… not like I like doing this… only when I’m battling with…"

She felt a hard red encroach her face. The color threatening to invade her ears if she thought anymore about the boy. She shook it quickly from her head. Their fight was so clear in her head, as if from days ago. His voice so clear in her mind when it went blank. 

Defensively she backed against a wall, hand at her hard leather pouch. She gave a scowl at the red head, when she got an idea. Her scowl turned upside down, as her entire face seemed to simply tighten with mischief. 

"Well! Since I see you have your Gundam…! How about it, Reiji? If I remember, I sliced that same Gundam in three! We’re One to One you know…! And this time, I’ll definitely win! But I’ll go easy on you since it’s that Gundam and not Sei’s.”

Her smile was almost as smug as his, her eyebrow raised high. She knew he would take her bait, so she added a little extra. Hands placed at her hips she stood tall, her expression just as defiant as his usually was. 

Reiji leaned in, curious as to what she never finished saying. He never really did take the term 'personal space' into consideration, regardless of who the other person was.

But oh, was she getting cocky… She sure was asking for another defeat handed to her. Though, he always welcomed a good fight against strong players, and he would be lying if he said no to her challenge. Plus there would be free food if he won. That was more than enough to get him fired up.

Aila must have come to really enjoy Gunpla Battle to dish out such a challenge, he thought. For that, Reiji was glad to be able to play it with her once more. Such a thing should be enjoyed; it wasn't something that should be the root of anyone's despair.

Unfazed by her sudden change in demeanor, Reiji retorted with a jab of his own. "Oi, don't insult this one! Also, if you go easy on me, you might not be able to reach me! I'll defeat you again, no matter what Gunpla I'm using!" 

He wasn't afraid of losing-- what mattered most was that the fight was enjoyable.

"… Eh? What’re you talking about?"

It seemed there was a miscommunication between the two; both boys eagerly searching for their own personal hobby… neither of which matching up very well. They both had it in their heads that the other might have been playing what they wanted to play, Yuuma eagerly seeking a duelist, and this boy looking for… er, what was that? Boyish admiration looked over the small robot held up for him to see, observing the small parts with fascinated interest. Of course, that prompted him to drive his own point home, digging through his pockets to procure a few of the randomized cards he had ended up with upon coming to this city, fanning them out for the other to see.

"Is that fun? Doesn't seem all that exciting to me…" he drawled, examining the cards the boy held out. The illustrations looked cool, that he would give, but he couldn't see the drive behind such a card game. Now, explaining Gunpla Battle, that he could do. It was something that he came to love and enjoy, after all.

He would have said something; had he not noticed that the small sphere in question had been a gem, which the boy now before him replaced in a bracelet around his wrist. With a small start of surprise, Thomas’s gaze traveled instantly to his own right hand as he lifted it quietly to examine. The model was definitely different from his own, and the stone was much smaller, but for some reason the other redhead’s presence gave him a chill when he decided to speak and address him.

"Why do you have that—!?" The indignant, half-confused words spilled from his mouth before he could think, in the form of almost a snap at the other. Nothing like the casual and friendly words he’d been met with, which went almost discarded.

At the very least, there was no way the other boy, too, wouldn’t notice the remotely similar bracelet clasped over his sleeve around his own wrist, a large violet stone set as the centerpiece. Thomas was making no efforts to hide it, his own narrowed eyes fixed on it for now more rather than on his company, a mild frown on his features. No doubt, he considered the possibility that the ‘coincidence’ in their meeting was false. That thoughtful expression changed slowly, into some kind of a scowl, as he finally sharply turned to look at the redhead before him. With that sort of blatantly suspicious expression, he did at least hide the fact that, for some reason, the boy’s voice unsettled him deeply.

"Oi, asking for another's name before giving your own? That's a little rude, isn't it?" he shot back with a sarcastic tone, only slightly annoyed at the other because well-- he'd managed to retrieve the stone. Speaking of which, didn't he ask…? He seemed oddly interested in both Reiji and the bracelet-- he briefly wondered if he'd encountered this particular person and did something to him before. Nothing came to mind, as expected. 

Reiji held up his arm, the bracelet now in full sight. Waving it a little, he continued, "Also, this isn't much, though it is of my home country, I guess." Letting his arm drop to his side again, Reiji took a proper look at the other. The bizarre mix of colours of his hair reminded Reiji of a certain food Sei and his mother had brought him for once… pizza? As he was staring, a glimmer by the other male's side caught his eye. In plain view, Reiji was sure that it was a bracelet around his wrist as well. That was probably why he was interested… but to Reiji, it didn't matter. Complicated things weren't up his alley.

"It’s a gunpla. You wouldn’t happen to be a fighter, would you Reiji…?" Aila knew that she was one, yet she wasn’t sure why. Was there a purpose to fighting with these silly toys? If so, why did he have it with him now? And just so haphazardly carrying it about. She didn’t bring her Quebely, it didn’t seem like a necessity to walk about with. "It’s a… game… I guess…" Game, that’s what they called it but to Aila, even with her memories wiped just the sight of the toy causes her discomfort. 

Now that she mentioned that it was a game, he was curious and excited to know what exactly people did with these things in a game. If he had one of these Gunplas of his own, what were the chances that he used to play it often? Maybe playing with it would help him recall.

What… what exactly did she do in the past? Names and faces popped up, but not many. She tried her best to remember certain things. All she knew was that her name was Aila and this feeling of loneliness wasn’t foreign to her at all. She buried her face into her knees as she sighed. Nothing about this situation made sense. Why couldn’t she remember? Why did she have to be alone?

Or maybe… she was always alone…

Getting up, she dressed herself and decided that she’d lean on the most familiar thing in her life at the moment. Which was ironic for this city could hardly be called familiar. Turning a corner her white hair whipped about her as she placed a gloved hand to her face, pushing back renegade strands as the wind took them. Then she heard a voice, she spun on her heel to look behind her, her same saddened expression plastered on her face. But, just the sight of his red hair suddenly forced her frown into a small wobbly smile. 

Aina? 

He tilted his head, wondering at the name that he'd just been given. "Eh? Alia? Did I remember wrong?"

Taking a good look at her just to try and remember if he'd mistaken her name, he noticed that her smile was stiff, as if forced. It even looked sad. Did he do something to make her have such an expression? He wondered if she'd decided to stay or leave after the announcement by the scientists. Though really, thinking about such things weren't really his style, much less asking about it.

Aila’s eyes widened as she saw the Beginning Gundam in Reiji’s hands. It was a fond memory…. maybe one of the only times Aila actually…. enjoyed herself while playing with these mechanized figurines… 

He held it so carefully. Was it the experience or the fact it was his only gunpla that made him hold it so fondly…? She mused it over as she stepped back half frowning. 

"I-I was just passing by….! I just thought maybe… it was kind of like home…!!" 

"Home, huh…"

In a way, he could understand what she was trying to say. There were people he cared about in that world and they cared about him too-- was that what made a place feel like 'home', even though it wasn't where he was from? Something like a second home, maybe...

As she turned, something at her hip caught his eye. A… hard leather case? Reiji recognised it as a pouch which some people used to carry their models in. His lips turned up into his usual grin as he moved closer to her.

"So you really do like Gunpla~ You're even carrying one around."

Wandering the streets, Yuuma’s hands were tucked behind his head, almost careless in his gait. Gloomy didn’t quite describe his mood - but he certainly wasn’t on top of his game, by the defined pout and disheartened sigh that escaped his lips. He wasn’t as plucky as usual, his steps gradually slowing to a stop at a corner, overlooking the stretch of streets and people milling about.

"Why can’t I find any other duelists…?! I can’t believe in a city as big as this, nobody has any cards! I’m itching for a duel…!"  His head hung as he let out a whining sigh, dramatized by the childish predicament he was having. Though he’d crossed paths with a few familiar faces, he sought new friends, new challenges - and, most important of all, to find out where you’d be able to buy extra booster packs. With the minimal number of cards he had been given, he’d make it work somehow - it’s not like he could live without dueling! Maybe it was simply that he was trying to find a little faith that duelists did exist here, and he wouldn’t be so out of his element…

A small ping! tapped against the back of his shoes drew him from his thoughts, as he paused to turn his head over his shoulder, peeking down at his feet. The tiny, glittering gem caught his eye against the dusty streets, and a soft hum of fascination escaped his lips. It wasn’t long after that someone came chasing after it, scooping it up and returning it to it’s rightful home; Yuuma turned to face the individual, matching the smile that was offered to him with one just as warm.

"Don’t sweat it! Though I didn’t do much~" he laughed, taking credit for the small deed. He had to admit he was curious, as wide crimson eyes examined the bracelet on the other boy’s hand, the small gem secured once more. He was no stranger to owning a precious artifact - he had his own Emperor’s Key, after all - and he wondered momentarily what that trinket might have held for the other. It had to be precious, by the way he chased after it. "Must be important to you, huh?"

… But then he paused, examining the red-head before him. Come to think of it, he was the right age… and a guy with an appearance like that — you could never know, it sort of looked like… was there a chance? Sneakily, as if he were sharing some big secret, his eyes slimmed and the back of his hand covered over the side of his mouth, creeping a few steps closer.

"Hey, hey~ You wouldn’t happen… to be a duelist, would you?”

It wasn't everyday that Reiji met people with… strange hair, but apparently, today was one of those days. He was curious about how the  other got his hair like that, and he seemed to have some strange equipment on him. He'd said something that was unfamiliar-- a duelist? 

"I'm a fighter-- a fighter who takes part in Gunpla Battles. What's a duelist-- another way of saying 'fighter'? You play Gunpla Battle too?" Reiji maintained his grin, holding up his Beginning Gundam.

Aina…? Aina?! Who the heck was she?! Some other girl that that idiot red hair had been stringing along? How dare he just toy with the hearts of women as if they were gunpl-… Wait. That’s right. 

She was Aina….

“Of course I’d find you here of all places…!! You’re in my way…. So…!” She tried to step to either side of him, trying to look past his shoulder. “Excuse me!” 

…This was ridiculous. Every time they met, they'd argue-- without fail. More like, she'd start being defensive and take an offensive stance.

Stopping, he tilted his head and looked at her.

Aila was lost. So terribly lost. Meandering through the streets of her sector she sighed heavily. The Ghetto…. Well, she was already used to living on the streets. Aila herself had been a street child for who knows how long. She would rather not dwell on that for long though, shaking the thought from her head. The familiar look of garbage and litter strewn everywhere, people sleeping with newspaper tucked over them…. All of it was familiar. It didn’t phase her at all. 

The snowy girl tread lightly, looking around. There was no exotic Japanese food to eat, no sweet smelling stands of food… not a single thing… But she turned to look into a window. The familiar sounds of beam rifles firing…. of beam sabers whirring…. she looked with wide eyes. 

It couldn’t be…

Lightly sprinting inside the store, a rush of blue plavsky particles took hold of her as she rushed in, she winced slightly. Even here of all places, she couldn’t escape from it…. 

Even here… There were Gunpla battles….

She frowned, turning as she stepped out of the blue light. Sighing she ran into someone, maybe a person here who wanted to partake in this childish game…? 

Being in this place could wear a person out, but not someone like him. One thing he really wanted to find out about the city was if there might be any gunpla systems around. Reiji could be hopeful, but yet, he found it highly unlikely that he'd find any battle systems, much less any fighters--

He whipped around as a familiar flash of blue caught his eye-- plavsky particles? Putting his legs to work in a sprint, he arrived at the door in no time and nearly fell forward into someone as the door handle turned at the same time. Even though they'd apologised, he was annoyed.