Retrospective '96 (Layla)

[Layla Amare]

Layla took another sip as she listened. She knew about the executive building and the hospital, although she hadn't actually been in the latter. Other places, she apparently wasn't strong enough for yet. Layla could relate there, too. She had taken a peek in a nasty-looking sinkhole, but could tell without even going too deep in that she wouldn't be a match for the shadows within. Being daring was one thing, but Layla knew...most of her limits, at least.

"Well, if you mean places like the executive building, there's an old mine right on the edge of the outer circle that's also full of shadows. Then there's the car factory at the edge of the city. I ended up fighting a tank that came out of there at one point, and it's also full of shadows on the inside. Anything bigger than that, though, is probably beyond my ability as well."

[Ayakura Alisa]

I nodded and fidgeted. I had been to those places already. "Been there, done that, so we can work together if you'd like to visit those places again," I said. Which was true. I had already encountered a lot with Chidori inside the mines. And the car factory too, I guess. Huh, I had been to a lot of places with Chidori. That... set off something in me. Not necessarily a bad feeling, though. "It looks like we could be matched in ability. So we could also be searching different areas simultaneously to form a pool of knowledge. Well, I'm sure along the way, we'll also get stronger." I figured that if things continued as they stood, then they would eventually get somewhere. That was the way things worked. When faced with a brick wall, either find a way to get over it, find a way to break it, or leave it. The third choice was not an option.

[Layla Amare]

That sounded reasonable enough. Layla was certainly not opposed to working together, although splitting up and tackling multiple areas also had its benefits. Normally, doing such a thing would seem dangerous, but there wasn't much reason to worry about that when she had been doing most of her exploring alone anyway. And Alisa was right about getting stronger. She got stronger with every battle, every experience, and would keep doing so. That was what living was about, after all.

"I would be fine with either of those. Everywhere I've been looks like it's been well-traveled, so I imagine people have explored the places we can't get in yet as well. We'd just have to find out who they are and ask for their cooperation as well." She leaned in a little closer, lowering her voice. "There's no way I would be able to get in without getting beaten almost immediately, but...if you ask me, that floating castle that appeared near the barrier recently is the most likely place to hold some answers. Have you seen it?"

[Ayakura Alisa]

I blinked as Layla leaned a little closer and began to continue from where she left of, stating that she would be fine with either of the options that I proposed. Yeah, that seemed about right. There were many of us Users out there and it would make sense if many of them had explored the same places we did. We should probably seek them out and get information from them if they weren't willing to join us. "The floating castle? I don't remember seeing that thing very often, but I hadn't been paying too much attention to those surroundings. It's a possibility, after all, it does look like a very dangerous place from down here. If such a place really did hold the answers we sought, then we'd also expect to face heavy resistance. Let's make it a point to check that out some time."

[Layla Amare]

Layla nodded. Once again, Alisa seemed to be thinking along the same lines that she was. It could hold their answers, but there would be heavy resistance between them and whatever answers might be found there. "I don't usually worry about this sort of thing, but it seems like the kind of place that we shouldn't try to tackle alone. Even when we do get stronger," she said. Normally she wouldn't have cared much. While she certainly wanted to keep living, her mindset up until that point had been that if she died in the place of someone else, or if it happened when she was at her best, then it would be okay. Maybe that was why she kept throwing herself into dangerous situations. And maybe that was still the case, but there was no way she would be satisfied if it came because of sheer carelessness or an easily avoidable situation. "Whenever you do plan on going, let me know."

[Ayakura Alisa]

As Layla said she usually didn't worry when it came to this sort of deal, she seemed to relent to the fact that even a strong fighter may face challenges in a dangerous, precarious, unexplored area. Yes, it was for the best to have even another person to watch your back. Everyone is capable of being caught offguard. Even people with superpowers. "I agree," I said. "It would be for the best if we at least stuck together. That way, we could watch each other's backs... I'll let you know when I plan on going to that particular area." I continued, finishing the thing I had ordered (I had forgotten what I had, to be honest). "It's good that I managed to meet you. You seem to be a reliable person."

[Layla Amare]

"I don't know that I'm that reliable," Layla said, thinking back on a few very stupid things she had done near the beginning of the lockdown. Like going into the outer circle in the first place. "But I do my best, at least." She really did want to be someone people could depend on, for as long as she stuck around. Although that fact also posed its problems, in a way. She didn't even want to imagine what would happen if a lot of people came to rely on her, only for her to die suddenly. That was why she'd tried to avoid getting too close to people. But even professional relationships could cause people to depend heavily on each other.

"Here," Layla said, pulling out her phone, bringing up her number on it, and turning it around for Alisa. "You'll need this, I'm sure. Feel free to call me for anything you need."

[Ayakura Alisa]

I nodded, as Layla mentioned that she did try her best, questioning my comment on her reliability a little. Regardless, I needed all the help I could get, and soon enough Layla procured her phone and showed it to me, prompting me to bring out my own phone and quickly save Layla's details. "Thank you," I said simply. "Here, here's my card." I responded by procuring my 'business' card (in fact just a plain card with my contact details and website details on it) and passing it to Layla by sliding it along the table. "We can keep in touch with each other should anything come up, alright? Thanks for taking the time to come and meet up with me. I really do appreciate it, as I'm sure you have your own commitments and errands to run off to."

[Layla Amare]

Layla accepted Alisa's card, quickly copying the number printed onto it into her phone once Alisa was done with it. She nodded as Alisa thanked her. "It's no trouble at all," she said. "I do have other things to get to soon, but given the nature of what all's been going on I'd be a fool not to accept this meeting. Especially since I passed on what I'm sure was a very 'productive' meeting the other night." She gave a small laugh as she said the word 'productive'. If it went anything like the last time, it probably would have devolved into a drinking contest after the first ten minutes. But, after the fact, she still felt bad for passing on it.

She finished the rest of her tea, then stood up and nodded to Alisa again. "I'll be seeing you around, then," she said, offering Alisa a handshake. Once that was done, she turned to make her way out.