2026-02-01: Does a Flower Have Expectations About a Portrait
- Log: Does a Flower Have Expectations About a Portrait?
- Cast: Aigis, Fuuka Yamagishi
- Where: Iwatodai Dormitory
- OOC Date: February 01, 2026
- IC Date: September 11, 2012
- Summary: After the attack on the SEES dormitory, Fuuka repairs Aigis after she had sustained a significant amount of damage. Afterwards, in Aigis' attempt to take Fuuka's mind off of the attack, they both talk about art and fictional novels.
(|============================ Iwatodai Dormitory ============================|)
-================================================== Iwatodai City/Iwatodai ====-
A large four-story dormitory used by the Specialized Extracurricular Execution
Squad, only five minutes from Iwatodai Station. Upon entering, one passes a desk
with a sign-in book for guests to find a large carpeted common room that's well
appointed for co-ed gatherings.
A TV is usually on with the local news or a movie that's been loaded into the
DVD player for a student to enjoy. A table for shared dinners, or more often
study sessions, takes up the other half of the dorm, as well as a kitchen should
one dare to show off their skills to their fellow students.
There are two winding staircases on either side. The one on the left simply says
'Boys' while the other on the right states 'No Boys Except By Invitation.' The
implicit threat of execution need not be written down for those who violate
these rules. The second and third stories are living spaces divided by gender
with common spaces that have study areas and bookshelves available.
The fourth story is the command center with surveillance capabilities for not
just different parts of the city but each room within the dorms. The Chairman
has assured all who live here that this capability is strictly necessary.
BGM - Dormitory Theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj-FrFI0qnM
<Pose Tracker> Aigis has posed.
Later in the evening after Strega had attacked the SEES dorms, Aigis was in need of repairs. Her own dormitory room lacks the sense of personalization common to other students staying in the building, and among other things, a bed. Instead, it is furnished with a large Kirijo Group computer console attached to a chair on which she rests when recharging, desk drawers full of technical manuals and ammunition, and a currently-ample supply of replacement parts and limbs. (The more sensitive components of hers are, unfortunately, also more rare.)
While her voice synthesizer is currently damaged, knowing Fuuka to be a good hand with electronics, she had tapped her on the shoulder and gestured to her own dented chassis in a silent request for assistance.
She had been meaning to speak with Fuuka in any case, battle damage or no. This might give her a chance to do so, at least if it doesn't distract from the task at hand.
In any case, she will make absolutely sure to thank her.
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
Aigis had requested Fuuka's help with repairs. Fuuka can see the damage - if they were to call in Kirijo Group technicians for help, she might be out of commission for a while they wait... and more importantly, unable to speak. She's a little nervous about working on a person, but Aigis needs her help and she has the skills, so she agrees.
...Her parents always wanted her to be a doctor. Fuuka grimly considers this probably isn't what they had in mind.
Her room, though... a chair, a console, and equipment. This is probably all she needs, but... it still feels a little sad.
For now, though, she puts that thought aside.
"If anything hurts or feels off, let me know right away so I can fix it, alright, Aigis-san?" Fuuka asks. "Tap on the chair or shake your head."
With that, she gets to work. She's a fast learner, thankfully, and works quickly and delicately to replace the damaged parts with fresh new ones while trying to minimize stress. And once she's done... Fuuka steps back.
"How's that, Aigis-san? How do you feel?" She asks.
<Pose Tracker> Aigis has posed.
Aigis' room puts into stark perspective how her designers had designed her to be a weapon, first and foremost. Even her personhood is only useful as far as how much it contributes to her battlefield performance. Any concern aside from that is extraneous.
As Fuuka asks Aigis to respond, Aigis turns her head to look at her and nod -- accompanied by a series of louder-than-normal whirring sounds. She comprehends.
The console has a readout of various systems and their current functional status. The vital parts, thankfully, seem to remain unaffected, aside from the known issue regarding the voice module.
> PaHe Core integrity: 100%
> Personality Module: OK!
> CPU: OK!
> Electronic Memory: OK!
> PaHe-PM Memory: 1 Warning(s): Minor anomaly detected. OK!
> Visual sensors: OK!
> Audio sensors: OK!
> Voice synthesizer module: Please refer to ERR-9903 in the technical manual for repair instructions.
Another readout displays the damage suffered by her outer casing and joints, accompanied by a visual diagram.
> Left hand and fingers integrity: 9%
> Left forearm integrity: 32%
> Torso integrity: 53%
> Right hip servo range of motion impaired to 43% of normal
> Left hip servo range of motion impaired 12% of normal
> Recommendation: Replace with parts A7-225, A7-308, A7-492, A7-493. Refer to their entries in the
"Physical Components" index in the technical manual for further repair instructions.
Throughout the process, Aigis does not feel any need to inform Fuuka if something hurts. This is not due to any stoicism or inability to feel pain on Aigis' part; Aigis' design incorporates the ability to feel a sensation at least analogous to pain, if not identical to it. Rather, Fuuka proves herself to be adept at the necessary repairs.
"That is ..." Aigis tests out the repairs by flexing the parts of herself which were broken, by testing the waters with a few simple words of speech. "Much better, Yamagishi-san." She stands to bow deeply. "Thank you very much. I will strive to avoid taking unnecessary risks so that you will not have to go through this much effort again."
Aigis glances to the door of her own room. Feeling the need to repay the favor, she asks, "Is there anything I can do for you, in turn? Are you unhurt after the attack?"
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
It makes it so much easier when there's a readout she can check. Fuuka refers to it often as she works. She's curious about some of these entries... but she doesn't want to pry. She focuses on what she's here for - and watches as Aigis tests out the repairs. She steps away to give her space to move and flex her parts, and when Aigis stands to bow, Fuuka offers her a small smile back.
"You're welcome, Aigis-san. I'm glad I could help." She shakes her head, then. "I don't mind doing it... but none of us want to see you hurt, either."
She hopes it's a long while before she has to help her with anything this intensive again. She's surprised, though, if Aigis asks if there's anything she can do for her.
"I can't think of anything..." She replies. Is she unhurt? She pauses for a moment. "I'm alright physically, but..."
She hesitates for a second. A part of her feels like she shouldn't burden her with her problems, but she did ask.
"...I am still a little... rattled." Fuuka admits. "I never expected anyone to attack us directly. It's... scary. So... it's nice to have something else to focus on."
<Pose Tracker> Aigis has posed.
"The desire is mutual." There is no variation in how Aigis speaks or moves compared to normal. "I am relatively fortunate that I can be brought back to working order so easily. Humans are not afforded the same luxury."
There is still something which categorically separates her from everyone else, in other words. That's still how she perceives herself.
Aside from that one aforementioned 'warning', the console is lit up entirely in green. Effectively speaking, it reads:
> Everything: OK!
Fuuka's claim lines up with what Aigis can discern with her sensors: no physical problems. That's good, at least ... but --
Aigis pauses to consider another topic which may help to hold Fuuka's focus away from other psychologically-distressing matters. "We can speak of other topics for a while, if you would like that. While we she and I were discussing extracurricular activities which I could participate in, Arisato-chan had mentioned you are a member of the art club. I think I would be interested in joining."
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
'Humans'... Fuuka thinks about that distinction for a moment. But she nods reluctantly. It's true that if this situation were reversed, things would be... a lot more complicated. Everything might be OK for Aigis, but for her...
Best not to think about it.
For now, Aigis suggests speaking of other topics.
"Oh! Sure, that would be nice." Fuuka agrees, offering her a nod and a polite smile. It's a relief, honestly - she would've gone back to her room otherwise, and having someone else around is... a bit more reassuring. Aigis explains that Minako mentioned that she's a member of art club - and Aigis is interested in joining!
"Oh, you are?" Fuuka asks, curious. "You'd certainly be welcome. The people there are nice and glad to help. Do you know what kind of art you're interested in doing yet?"
<Pose Tracker> Aigis has posed.
Other suggestions had gone through Aigis' mind, such as offering a meal or watching something. Unfortunately, the fridge is busted, and the television downstairs sports a brand-new bullet-hole. At best, she would be able to retrieve a drink from a vending machine.
This seemed like the most feasible choice to pursue.
Fuuka's question catches her somewhat off-guard. It isn't due to lack of knowledge on the types of art, rather -- it stems from an abundance of it coupled with a need for exacting specificity. "Which kinds are you referring to? Do you mean which choice of medium I intend to work with, such as oil, acrylic, or watercolor paints? Or are you asking about which artistic style I wish to employ, such as impressionism, fauvism, cubism, et cetera? Or do you mean something else?"
The art club isn't the only topic she has in mind, either. "I have also been attempting to read various novels in order to gain a better grasp on ... people." She hesitates while she searches for that last word, lacking the vocabulary to more clearly state that she's trying to understand communication in writing, ethos, logos, pathos, kairos. The humanities aren't her strong point, sadly. "I was hoping to read something together with someone as an exercise so that I may check my understanding of its material with them. Would you like to do that sometime?"
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
Aigis asks for clarification. From medium, to artistic style, and beyond. ...Fuuka blinks, taken by surprise - though she admits to herself that she probably should've expected that response. It is kind of a broad topic.
"I'm curious about that, yes... but also what subjects you're interested in. I suppose I should have lead with that." Fuuka replies, a bit sheepishly. "I, for instance, like doing landscapes in watercolors, and other nature scenes. Animals and flowers, things like that..."
She smiles.
"It's alright if you don't know going into it, either - art club is for helping you broaden your artistic horizons among people who share your interests." She assures.
There's something else Aigis is interested in, too. Novels! As someone who greatly enjoys reading, it's clear this is a topic she's eager to talk about.
"Oh, you have? What have you read so far?" Fuuka asks."Yes, that sounds like a lot of fun! I'd love that."
<Pose Tracker> Aigis has posed.
It certainly is a broad topic, and yet Aigis' mental model requires that every quality of a piece she may create be properly specified and listed. ... at least currently. "That does narrow it down, somewhat."
As for which subjects, Aigis visibly pauses for a few seconds while she considers her answer. Her replies usually come instantly, but this apparently took her some calculation. "I would like to start with depictions of life. Flowers, animals, people ... portraits. I do not yet know which medium or style, but I appear to already have a preference towards certain subjects. Thank you for clarifying."
About reading: at first, Aigis' expression is downcast. "I have tried to read some of our assignments for class." These are typically just excerpts from novels, but never a full book. "I struggle with those, but I wish to do well."
She brightens up when she continues further. "Another student suggested that I read a particular book. I am still making my way through it, but it is set in the 1960s. The main characters are members of a roving gang of bikers searching for purpose in the economic turmoil of the post-war era."
Her expression returns to something more neutral and muted as she admits, "... That is the only one so far."
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
Aigis explains what her current interest is. Flowers, animals, people - portraits. Fuuka smiles.
"You're welcome. That sounds great, I think... There will be plenty of time to experiment, and of course you don't have to stick to just one medium and style. I'm looking forward to seeing how yours develops." Fuuka replies.
Her expression turns sympathetic as Aigis explains that she struggles with the assignments for class.
"Yes... it can be difficult when you don't have the full picture, isn't it?" She replies. ...Says the honor student, who tends to do pretty well with it anyway. "Reading more will probably help you achieve a better understanding of the material, I think... So it's a good start!"
Aigis has read one novel so far - but Fuuka can't miss how she brightens up when she describes it.
"Oh, that sounds interesting... I'd like to read that sometime, too. What did you like about it?" She asks. It's the only one so far, but... "Well... we can fix that."
<Pose Tracker> Aigis has posed.
Aigis nods. "I believe that it should make for a good starting point. Do you anticipate your own preferred subjects or styles changing, and if so, what are you looking to try next?"
She isn't looking to follow in Fuuka's footsteps, necessarily. She's trying to see if that was true for her, too. "Or ... has it already evolved? Did you do something different before?"
Her expression turns thoughtful for a moment. "I could perhaps seek out the full novels which our textbook pulls from. However, I believe it may be more efficient to develop a better sense of general understanding so that I may comprehend even the smallest of excerpts."
What does she like about the biker gang book? "I have given some thought to what I might do once I have accomplished my mission. Humans tend to find purpose after they are born, they are not imbued with it as I have been." She briefly turns her head to avert her gaze. "Distant as it is, I am aware that there may come a time where I may lack any new purpose to work towards, having fulfilled what I strive for today. I would like to be prepared for that eventuality."
'We can fix that.' Aigis quietly stares back at Fuuka, as neutral as she normally is. "What do you like to read, yourself?"
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
Fuuka considers the question thoughtfully. Does she anticipate her own subjects or styles changing...?
"Well... I've been interested in trying digital art." Fuuka replies. "Oh - by that I mean... there are programs that provide art tools you can use on a computer. It'd be nice to be able do things at home, too. Materials can get... a little expensive."
She nods, though.
"It did take a while for me to settle on nature scenes, though. I wanted to draw people, at first, but... flowers turned out to be an easier subject to sit down with." She explains, just a bit sheepishly.
She nods, then, as Aigis says it might be more efficient to develop a better sense of general understanding.
"I think so, too." Fuuka agrees. She listens as Aigis explains what she liked. Purpose... Fuuka thinks about that for a moment. She hadn't thought about it that way... but it makes sense that Aigis would.
"I see... That's really interesting." She considers thoughtfully. As for herself... Fuuka thinks for a moment. Just saying 'hard science-fiction' might, again, be a bit too broad.
"I like books that show a view of the future, or into different worlds." Fuuka explains. "The way the advances in technology or the difference in environments affect the people who live there, and how they go about their daily life because of it. I like to think about what it might be like to live in a world like that."
<Pose Tracker> Aigis has posed.
Aigis inclines her head as she considers the economics of physical vs. digital art. "I see. I imagine that the programs simulate what would occur when applying an artistic implement to a page or canvas. It is similar to how one can simulate the experience of another life when playing Drake Adventure. You have more room to experiment, you do not need to commit to a decision so strongly -- and thus save on the cost of materials. Do I understand that correctly?"
"Oh." At first, Aigis looks slightly crestfallen when Fuuka says she turned her attention away from people to flowers due to their difficulty. When she properly considers the thought, it doesn't quite add up, though, and she turns from crestfallen to confused. "In what manner are they easier?" Such a task might seem simple to Aigis, but she can cheat and save a snapshot from her visual sensors to recall later. This may be a difference she is unaware of.
She smiles at Fuuka, polite and pleasant. "Thank you for answering, regardless. I do appreciate the insight."
Fuuka describes reading visions of how the future may come to pass. Aigis' own thoughts first turn to history, facts and figures from the past, dry statements about the effect of the industrialization of previously pastoral landscapes across Japan. The books which Fuuka speaks of extrapolate and continue that pattern further. "I see. That does complement your interest in technology overall."
Aigis slowly turns her head to the computer console and her resting/charging chair. "How ... do you find yourself adjusting to advances which manage to arrive within your own lifetime?"
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
Fuuka is surprised when Aigis compares the act of digital painting to Drake Adventure, of all things. Not that it's inaccurate - but because she didn't expect it from her.
"Yes... that's it, exactly." Fuuka confirms. "It gives some peace of mind, while also allowing for colors and techniques that might be harder to accomplish with physical paints."
Fuuka sees that crestfallen look, as she says people are more difficult. She looks embarrassed, briefly. She didn't want to discourage her.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to -" She starts - but Aigis asks for clarification. She folds her hands together sheepishly. "W-well... Flowers don't care about the end result. A human model might have... expectations. It's just... difficult for me. Your experience might be different."
...It's hard, being a shy artist.
She smiles, though, as Aigis thanks her.
"You're welcome." She replies. ...She catches that slow turn.
"I'm adjusting well, I think." Fuuka replies. "I think it's important to learn and understand more. I don't want to be someone who lives in fear of change..."
<Pose Tracker> Aigis has posed.
Aigis looks pleased that she nailed that explanation! She has both Minato and Reiya to thank for her interest in Drake Adventure. Eagerly, she announces, "I comprehend."
She shakes her head at Fuuka's apology. "Do not worry." Fuuka speaks on the expectations of a human model. "Do you know that for certain? That a flower does not care about how it looks in a painting? It may just be that they do, but cannot communicate it. I wonder if Koromaru-san would have similar expectations."
That thought does give her an idea. "I do not know those answers, nor do I mean to chastise you. I am simply curious. Perhaps I should start with a portrait of Koromaru-san in order to experiment with this idea, then one day I can paint a picture that I know a flower will enjoy."
Aigis gives Fuuka a sheepish smile of her own. "I could just as easily be wrong, and flowers may truly be incapable of caring about the end result, but in the event they actually are, I am certain they would enjoy your works, Yamagishi-san."
To learn and understand more, to not live in fear of change. Aigis appears pensive for several long moments before she replies, "... I believe I feel the same as you do on that matter." She may remain constant, but everything else will change before her eyes, definitionally speaking.
"Do you wish to do anything else tonight?" There may be any number of other topics they can discuss, and Aigis is more than willing to provide Fuuka with some measure of comfort for some time yet. She's got nowhere to be. That's really up to Fuuka, though.
"I assume that visiting Tartarus today is out of the question."
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
Does she know that for certain? Fuuka pauses for a moment, thinking that over. She just assumed, took it for granted, but...
"...No, I don't." Fuuka admits. "I should probably consider them a bit more..."
A portrait of Koromaru... "That's a great idea. I'd like to see it, too."
Aigis wants to one day paint a picture that a flower can enjoy - and she's certain that they'd enjoy her works, too.
"Then... let's both do our best." Fuuka replies with a nod and a smile.
Aigis feels the same was she does, too, about not living in fear of change. Fuuka nods... and thinks about what else they can do tonight. The TV and the fridge remain at issue, but since they were just talking about flowers...
"I imagine everyone's too worn out, yes..." Fuuka agrees. "Would you like to go check on the plants with me? I'd like to see how they're doing."