leires | Ship Stuff

[ She slows down now that they’ve joined the crowd in front of it. The statue’s full size is now clear and it’s fucking massive. ]

Just watch!

[ And no sooner does she say that do the plates of armor start to spread apart in time to the music, revealing bright pink light beneath.

Welcome to the Unicorn Gundam Varian, you’re fucking welcome. ]

[Varian watches with rapt attention as the gundam changes in front of them, the armor shifting and opening up, showing off the lights it's been outfitted with. Varian can't help but join along with the crowd as they gasp in awe when it happens, though he does wish he could get closer than they are right now. What all can that robot do, he wonders? It's several sizes larger than any of the automatons that Varian built, and that alone has him feeling giddy just looking at it.]

You didn't tell me you had robots!

[ Aaaaaaaand this was what she meant by not wanting him to get the wrong idea. ]

It’s um… not quite a fully functional robot, unfortunately. Remember back at the school where the Wizard had that mechanical head and I said it was likely an animatronic? This is one of those technically - though all it can do is the transformation sequence every few hours. The rest of the time it’s just a statue.

[ It’s finished now and the crowd is dispersing but there’s still tourists and fans marvelling at it, taking plenty of pictures. ]

It’s a life size replica of one from a popular anime series though - it’s called Mobile Suit Gundam and it’s about giant mecha being piloted by human characters in space to fight other mecha. This one’s Unicorn Gundam.

Oh...so it's an animatronic...

[Technically. While he does sound a little disappointed by that, it's still not enough to completely squash his enthusiasm. If anything, it just gives him more ideas...more to think and talk about, for sure.

He tugs on Rina's hand just a little so they can get a bit closer, but not so close that they're in the way of people trying to take pictures.]

So what was it built for, then? Just as an attraction?

[ Don’t worry Varian, there’ll be real functional robots later 👀

As he tugs her forward she nods. ]

Mmhm. Gundam is really popular all over the world. Even my parents grew up watching it. So people love to see life size Gundams.

[ She points past the statue, at the mall behind the plaza. ]

There’s also a store in there that sells Gundam merchandise like model kits to make miniature ones yourself and a cafe with Gundam based food.

[Oh god why did you tell him that, it's like you're TRYING to create a monster-]

Okay, we have to go there at some point today. Please?

[He's going to buy one of those kits, mainly so he can study it for actual building purposes. Don't try to stop him because it's already happening.]

Sure. I can even buy you one if you like.

[ Yes. Yes she IS in fact trying to create a monster. ]

Did you want to go now or after?

[...

......

............]

...can we go now?

Of course we can.

[ She’ll take his hand again and lead him that way if he’s done gawking at the statue. ]

Come to think of it, I haven’t brought you to a mall yet have I…

[ It was pretty much just her school before which

Well

That was its own overwhelming experience, I’m sure. ]

[It was...so overwhelming that Varian had to just stay inside for a while afterwards. How on earth can a girls only school have that many girls in it

AND ALSO BE THAT BIG???

But he'll start getting more used to it as time goes on. He's already halfway expecting the Gundam store to just be unreasonably huge, if he's honest.]

Lemme guess...it's big?

Heehee... yeah. It's big.

[ Hmmm, how to explain it... ]

It's kind of like... a big indoor market place. There's all kinds of stores in there, and places to get food too. It's easy to spend several hours in one if you want to go shopping.

Maybe that won't be as unfamiliar as I'm expecting, then. The market place in the Kingdom is all outdoors, so it's pretty big.

[It's still nowhere near as big, but don't tell him.]

Maybe we can do that another day. I have a feeling today is going to be a lot already.

Mm. [ She nods in agreement. ] It is going to be a lot. And I think Farrah-chan would like the mall a lot if she could come.

[ She loves you but just has a feeling that shopping for modern clothes and stuff might be more fun with the modern day cheerleader gf than the medieval times disney bf.

...she might stop and buy a present for Farrah on their way out though, she feels a liiiiiittle bit bad that it's just them today. ]

The Gundam Base is on the 7th floor though, right near the top. We can take the elevator up.

[Medieval times...please take him to that someday, Rina. He'll lose his god damn mind.]

Oh yeah, that does sound like something she'd like...I don't know if she'd be as big into model robots.

[Varian and Rina are just...so nerd, when it comes to this sort of thing. They can't help themselves.]

I hope these aren't too expensive, by the way...I don't want you to have to spend a whole bunch on me.

[ Oh god. Big group murdergame family outing to Medieval Times. That would be a wild ass time. ]

Probably not. Just like you might not be as big into something like Hello Kitty.

[ Is she going to explain what Hello Kitty is? No. Not right now anyway. ]

Mmmm, the prices vary depending on the size and quality but a smaller one shouldn't be a problem. And even then, I'm sure I've spent more on my computer parts than what most of the models in there cost.

[Yeah, the face Varian makes when she says "Hello Kitty" pretty much speaks volumes. But he won't say anything, he'll just keep on making that face as they make their way up to the Gundam Base.]

Hhhuuh...yeah, you know, you're probably right...and I guess if it's something you enjoy, it's worth spending the money on, right?

[Varian's concept of money has always been that it's a super precious commodity, though. It's hard to spend on himself, since he grew up kinda.............poor.

And without indoor plumbing.]

Mmhm. [ Now that they're inside, she's making a beeline for the elevator. ] And I also enjoy being with you and making you happy, so I don't mind spending the money.

[ AH... ]

[A-AW...

Varian smiles so hard at that it makes his face hurt a little, geeze.]

Hah...I'm glad to hear that. Most people would have gotten tired of me ages ago by now.

[ Uh oh, the serious face is going up! ]

Well, those people are dumb.

[ She playacts at some kind of angry noise-- wait. Wait it's Kasumi's noise. She's imitating Kasumi. ]

I don't think I could ever get tired of you.

[Varian scoffs, half at what she says, and half at the Kasumi imitation. That...was pretty spot on actually, from what he knows of her so far.]

I'd wait to give your verdict on that after you've spent some time in Corona with me. Maybe after a weekend of me working on one of my newer inventions...

You think?

[ They make it to the elevator and she's pushing the button and waiting for it. ]

I don't know, that sort of sounds like fun to me... especially if I can help.

You...you'd really want to help me? Even if it's not, you know...really the same kind of tech you'd find here?

[He might be able to swing things that are a touch more advanced, but he can't be bringing too much modern stuff back home. That's just asking for trouble.]

Of course. Just because it's not the same tech I'm used to doesn't mean it won't be fun.

If anything, the challenge of working with stuff I'm not familiar with might make it even more fun.

[ She just... wanna tinker. ]

[OH.............

Varian's expression shifts, his confused smile turning into a softer, more genuinely grateful one.]

Then, whatever I make next, I want us to build it together. Maybe I can show you some of the automatons I've built back home? They're nothing as advanced as these mechs, but...they can do a lot more moving around, that's for sure.

Really?! I’d love that if we could! And I want to see all your automatons!!

[ BUILDING SOMETHING TOGETHER…… AAAAAAHHHH…… ]

Maybe you could even get some ideas from the robots at the museum.

[ ……

……

No she does not realize that she just let the cat out of the bag re: her other “surprise”. ]

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