Atsuko Chiba | Paprika { APP }
Dec. 12th, 2012 09:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
missingspiceCharacter Information
General
Canon Source: Paprika
Canon Format: Animated movie
Character's Name: Atsuko Chiba | Paprika
Character's Age: 29
What form will your character's NV take? A flip-phone.
Abilities
Character's Canon Abilities: She has created an alter ego for herself: Paprika, whom, in the physical world, is Atsuko with a different appearance and behaviour, but in the dream world exists independently from herself as well as existing as a projection of herself. In reality she is also shown as being able to converse with Atsuko separately, see the world from a vantage point other than through Atsuko's eyes (in being able to warn her of danger Atsuko does not perceive, for example), and as part of her personality, recall subconscious urges within Atsuko and those around her. Paprika is able to quickly adapt to changes in the dream environment and manipulate certain aspects of the dream (changing into a fairy so that she can fly through small spaces, or appear as a character in the movie being recalled in the dream, for example) that Atsuko, as well as the patient wearing the DC Mini, cannot, although Atsuko is just as skilled at dealing with and analysing dream logic. She would only able to manipulate reality in this way if dreams and reality collided.
Conditional: If your character has no superhuman canon abilities, what dormant ability will you give them? Atsuko is already able to access the dreams of her patients and those around her when using the DC Mini, but only when both her and the recipient are using the device. Her dormant ability will allow her to access dreams whilst awake and physically transform into her dream alter-ego, Paprika. At first she will only be able to enter the dreams of people whose dreams she has seen previously using the DC Mini but with enough practice will be able to enter those of strangers.
Weapons: Not a weapon in the strictest sense, but Atsuko will have two DC Minis on her person. It is a small, earpiece or headset-like device that clips onto the scalp and fits over the ear. It is strictly a PT (psychotherapy) device, specifically for sleep disorders, dream therapy and neuroses, to be worn by the doctor and the patient for treatment and only during treatment as with extended wear or use it may burrow into the user's skull, preventing them from distinguishing between dreams and reality, and ultimately obliterating their consciousness. In the past the device has been used to enter and create dream sanctuaries, often for personal fantasies, but Atsuko and Paprika use it purely for treatment, with the second DC Mini reserved for a patient. Its development is incomplete; there are no security or specified access controls, so with enough mastery or obsession one can access dreams whilst still awake and project them onto others using PT devices, making it a very dangerous weapon to fall into the wrong hands.
History/Personality/Plans/etc.
Character History:
Atsuko Chiba is a research psychotherapist working within a psychological institute in Tokyo, Japan. Since completing her studies in psychology at university she went straight into the research field, using the funding and freedom offered at the Institute to found the field of PT device research with her coworker, Tokita. While her work encompasses the rise of technology in medical and physiological treatment it is not entirely legal, publically accepted nor deemed safe at the time of its foundation and use, but she perseveres, as it has been found to work effectively in psychotherapy.
Since the age of 23, when PT devices were first developed albeit in the form of a complex system linking a visualising monitor, a "Gorgon" cap that processes brainwaves, and a device for the doctor to oversee the subconscious, she has been treating patients both within and illictly outside the Institute. Within the Institute, it is reserved for neuroses, sleep disorders and the like which, in Freudian theory, can find their expressions and roots in the subconscious, and as the head of her department she has proven PT device methods to work effectively. However, as the treatment is still illegal outside of purely research-based facilities, she carries out PT device treatments on well-paying patients with good connections and an oath of secrecy. She does this under the alias of Paprika in order to avoid being penalised and ejected from the Institute, as well as to continue her research. Paprika is a younger dream avatar of herself with a different personality, attitude, and habits, although naturally they share the same knowledge of psychotherapy. When meeting patients before the sleep treatment she changes her appearance by changing clothes, speaking in a higher pitched voice, wearing a wig, coloured contacts, and even adding freckles to make her almost the polar opposite to the normally reserved Chiba. While it is known that she has treated her higher-up, Torataro Shima, for his neuroses two years ago, Paprika ceased to treat people quite so frequently, eventually stopping altogether for a time. Paprika is known as a kind of black market psychotherapist by some, but the only ones aware of Chiba's double-life are Tokita and Shima.
Less than a year after the DC Mini-- a small, portable version of all the PT devices that allowed playback of recorded dreams on a computer-- was first developed, shortlisting Chiba and Tokita for a Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, three were stolen from the Institute. Chiba was in possession of two for her treatments as Paprika, but the missing three could not be found, whilst it became apparent that the dream of a schizophrenic patient who had been undergoing treatment using a DC Mini was becoming contagious and affecting not the dreams but the waking states of related psychologists within the Institute, including Shima himself. During the hunt for the missing devices as well as suspicions of who might have taken them, two other psychologists within the Institute are controlled by the dream, leading them to injure others in the Institute building and later on cause traffic accidents in central Tokyo. As Paprika is currently in a series of treatments with a police officer, Konakawa, a trusted friend of Shima's, she is brought into the investigation much more frequently than Chiba cares, and navigates the trail of dreams beginning with a parade seen in the schizophrenic patient's dream to find the culprits. One DC Mini is found with Tokita's assistant, leading her to search within the Institute itself, all the while battling with the President of the Foundation and her assistant Morio Osanai, who wish to make all PT devices illegal due to their unstable nature. Through a series of risky dream invasions into Himuro (Tokita's assistant, found with a DC Mini burrowing into his skull and his consciousness wiped by the parade dream) and then Tokita's delusions, the dreams collide, and Konakawa is brought into the growing dream. After an attempted confrontation with the Chairman, it becomes apparent that he and Osanai were the ones to have stolen the DC Minis for personal use, fantasies, delusions of grandeur and desire for control. Atsuko-- and then Paprika-- is chased by Osanai through various dream worlds until he captures Paprika, violates her, and is overpowered by the Chairman: meanwhile Konakawa saves Atsuko whilst overcoming his own neurosis in his recurring dream. It is when he kisses her in his dream that she wakes up to the real world again, only to discover that the parade dream and reality have indeed merged.
Point in Canon: After being saved from the Chairman by Detective Konakawa in the dream world, and waking up.
Character Personality: In most aspects of her life, Atsuko is controlling, calm, and rational, although not harsh in her need to oversee everything. Her role as a psychologist has demanded the ability to deal with complex or urgent situations effectively and quickly, with even more pressure to make the right decisions as the head of her department. Being fairly calm does not mean aloof, however; her temper kicks up easily when her ego is threatened, or somebody close to her is taunted, but she makes an extra effort to control her emotions. This does not make her out of touch with her feelings, however: she can still feel nostalgia over a homemade bento box, fight over petty things, and feel love deeply for other people. The fact that she works so hard to restrain or repress her emotions, although stemming from a necessity for her work, only emphasises how much she enjoys the small pleasures she allows herself: good quality coffee or alcohol, days off, an interesting case to work on, or a trip away from the country.
She can connect and understand people very well with enough observation and analysis, but does not express this fact, nor does she attempt to form bonds with patients deeper than what is required for effective treatment. Relating to other people is very important to her, but she remains mainly alone or with a select few friends, both for the trouble that her looks cause her in terms of unwanted attention, and for the trouble of keeping in touch with many people with her hectic lifestyle. She has trained herself to keep a clear distance between her feelings and her behaviour for years, and thus facilitated the birth of her Paprika persona.
Although Atsuko is the dominant personality, Paprika is so vividly different in behaviour that the patients who do recognise her when seeing Atsuko in-person are shocked at the complete divide in personality. Paprika is playful and coy, to the point of flirting with her patients (but gently enough so as to keep a professional distance, while freely giving enough hints that she might reciprocate romantic advances-- although she has never shown attraction towards a patient), or playing along with men even when being threatened by them. This is usually due to her utmost confidence in reading people's motives quite easily and her own power within dreams to escape from troublesome situations. It also tends to lead her to bait or hurt people with cutting insults as easily as she might jokingly tease them, a trait that she shares with Atsuko and seemingly cannot help due to her tendency to spot weaknesses in the characters of those she meets. Normally both personas would avoid such a confrontation for their own benefits, but under stress, this edge to Atsuko and Paprika comes out.
In the real world, Paprika keeps an eye out for Atsuko, despite her advice often being refused or ignored. Paprika was created as a different persona that Atsuko at first-- and after long periods of not using Paprika-- had trouble with, but as Paprika deepened and gained more experience with others through her work in dreams, her emotions much less concealed than Atsuko's, she began to exist as a separate self. Occasionally they can act like opposites: Paprika is outspoken and optimistic, Atsuko keeps to herself and stays realistic or pessimistic. Atsuko tends to deny her autonomous existence, especially in cases where Paprika's actions seem irrational, and at times even denies that Paprika is anything like herself, but Paprika seems to remain fond of Atsuko, especially for the fact that they are so similar-- after all, they both reside in the same person. She does not seem to bear the same resentment for her other self as Atsuko does for her, instead focusing on the task at hand.
Again, Paprika and Atsuko share this aspect: in their own different ways, they avoid serious or otherwise deeply emotional communication with others in their lives, either as Atsuko merely not divulging anything at all, or Paprika acting just too playful to seem to take anything seriously. But when the stronger emotions do spill out, it is usually from Atsuko. She is in love with Tokita, despite the huge differences in maturity and their attitudes to the same field of work, but is strongly repressing those feelings; only Paprika is plainly aware of it, as a separate being able to see parts of her subconscious that Atsuko cannot. In this way Atsuko feels more intensely than Paprika does, but rarely shows it: and likely it is due to lie in Atsuko's dominance in daily life rather than Paprika, who essentially serves to carry out psychotherapy using Atsuko's skills.
Character Plans: She's a researcher, and will certainly want to continue her research in Siren's Port, more specifically, with funding by a more scientifically-orientated assocation that will provide the technology to complete the DC Mini.
Appearance/PB: Chiba on left, Paprika on right.
Writing Samples
First Person Sample
[ At first the image seems pixelly, static, when the video begins, but as the cellphone camera adjusts to the light and the recording quality, it clears up to show Dr. Chiba sitting upright, facing the camera directly. She used to be comfortable making video logs to record her work, but with more and more interferences between video devices in the workplace, she'd taken to audio or writing. This, however, is easiest. Resisting the urge to adjust a slightly awkwardly-pointing collar tip on her shirt, she begins in her businesslike tone: ]
In a city like this, there have to be some reliable experts in foreign technology. Not everything here was built to run on the Siren's Port network. Someone must know how to make adjustments and fix what was broken in another world. That's what I believe, anyway. [ She pauses, narrowing her eyes slightly, properly registering for the first time how low-tech her cellphone looks like in comparison to the smartphones she's been seeing around lately. Continuing, a hint of a sigh in the tone of her words: ] And the technology here is impressive, too, but somebody like me is much better at using it than tinkering with it. The fact is, there is something from my world I need fixed and the big kid I usually go to with this specific item isn't here. Or. Well. [ A hand lifts to tug at the awry collar-tip. ] Not so much fixing as adding an extra feature... urgently, and securely. So don't bother replying if you don't have decent credentials.
[ As though that summarises her point perfectly, she seems to want to finish the video there; but a blush of embarassment very nearly colours her cheeks, and before that can happen, she adds; ] I'll pay well for the work, and I won't discuss this on the network. Just make an appointment with Dr. Chiba at the Institute here-- I am not consulting with anybody who doesn't know what they're dealing with first. [ -before snapping the phone shut quickly, ending the feed. ]
Third Person Sample
Makes a nice change from Radio Club, doesn't it?
"Depends on your definition of 'nice'. I can't hear myself think here."
True, Lion's Gate was much noisier than Atsuko's most frequented bar back at home, much smokier, much hotter, and full of shifty types who just barely balanced out the number of high-class but clearly dishonest people staying at the bar amongst the clamour of the place. But then, Radio Club didn't have the same status at all. Not even as a bar-- it was a website, an online virtual rendezvous spot. Of course it was quiet; Atsuko could have kept it open in a tab and only listened to the soft relaxing bar music as she took a break, until whoever she was waiting upon found her. The nice change, if she had to phrase it for the two of them, was that both bars had the same drinks selection, but those in Lion's Gate were real. She swirled her glass gently and took another sip of whisky.
"I don't know if I want to think, though." Atsuko murmured against the rim, hiding all but the smudge of lipstick against the clear surface; she didn't fancy other customers believing she was talking to them. To herself might have been a more acceptable impression, but either way, she wasn't looking to attract anybody's attention tonight.
Silly. Why come to a bar this busy if you're not going to have any fun? This isn't a place for drowning your sorrows! It wouldn't do you any harm to relax, after everything that's happened.
'How does this place facilitate relaxing at all', she almost asked, but realised the futility before the words could make it past a fleeting thought. The truth was, Atsuko was relaxed; whether it was the alcohol diffusing the tension from her shoulders or simply the opportunity to have a drink by herself without a care of who might be doing what with whom at that point in time, she felt innately calmer. Without trying to be calmer-- that was the difference. No need to pretend that the heel of her shoe wasn't, in fact, slipping off, nor any heed paid to the fact that her face was recognisable enough in the community that she might be bothered by unexpected company at any moment. It was... relaxing, she would admit, after each sting of alcohol on her tongue. Far from the chaos of settling into the Port catching up with her, or feelings of separation from her little sterile apartment back in Tokyo, what mattered the most at that moment was the moment itself. Alone.
"This is fun, and you can't tell me otherwise." It was almost a whisper, but the bartender seemed to glance at her as though called.
How lonesome. It's my turn to go drinking next time, okay, Atsuko? I'll show you how to do it properly.
'When you get your next job', Atsuko thought as she gulped the last of her drink; quietly, she hoped that wouldn't be for a while. Finding company for drinks other than herself was more trouble than a relaxing evening was worth.
General
Canon Source: Paprika
Canon Format: Animated movie
Character's Name: Atsuko Chiba | Paprika
Character's Age: 29
What form will your character's NV take? A flip-phone.
Abilities
Character's Canon Abilities: She has created an alter ego for herself: Paprika, whom, in the physical world, is Atsuko with a different appearance and behaviour, but in the dream world exists independently from herself as well as existing as a projection of herself. In reality she is also shown as being able to converse with Atsuko separately, see the world from a vantage point other than through Atsuko's eyes (in being able to warn her of danger Atsuko does not perceive, for example), and as part of her personality, recall subconscious urges within Atsuko and those around her. Paprika is able to quickly adapt to changes in the dream environment and manipulate certain aspects of the dream (changing into a fairy so that she can fly through small spaces, or appear as a character in the movie being recalled in the dream, for example) that Atsuko, as well as the patient wearing the DC Mini, cannot, although Atsuko is just as skilled at dealing with and analysing dream logic. She would only able to manipulate reality in this way if dreams and reality collided.
Conditional: If your character has no superhuman canon abilities, what dormant ability will you give them? Atsuko is already able to access the dreams of her patients and those around her when using the DC Mini, but only when both her and the recipient are using the device. Her dormant ability will allow her to access dreams whilst awake and physically transform into her dream alter-ego, Paprika. At first she will only be able to enter the dreams of people whose dreams she has seen previously using the DC Mini but with enough practice will be able to enter those of strangers.
Weapons: Not a weapon in the strictest sense, but Atsuko will have two DC Minis on her person. It is a small, earpiece or headset-like device that clips onto the scalp and fits over the ear. It is strictly a PT (psychotherapy) device, specifically for sleep disorders, dream therapy and neuroses, to be worn by the doctor and the patient for treatment and only during treatment as with extended wear or use it may burrow into the user's skull, preventing them from distinguishing between dreams and reality, and ultimately obliterating their consciousness. In the past the device has been used to enter and create dream sanctuaries, often for personal fantasies, but Atsuko and Paprika use it purely for treatment, with the second DC Mini reserved for a patient. Its development is incomplete; there are no security or specified access controls, so with enough mastery or obsession one can access dreams whilst still awake and project them onto others using PT devices, making it a very dangerous weapon to fall into the wrong hands.
History/Personality/Plans/etc.
Character History:
Atsuko Chiba is a research psychotherapist working within a psychological institute in Tokyo, Japan. Since completing her studies in psychology at university she went straight into the research field, using the funding and freedom offered at the Institute to found the field of PT device research with her coworker, Tokita. While her work encompasses the rise of technology in medical and physiological treatment it is not entirely legal, publically accepted nor deemed safe at the time of its foundation and use, but she perseveres, as it has been found to work effectively in psychotherapy.
Since the age of 23, when PT devices were first developed albeit in the form of a complex system linking a visualising monitor, a "Gorgon" cap that processes brainwaves, and a device for the doctor to oversee the subconscious, she has been treating patients both within and illictly outside the Institute. Within the Institute, it is reserved for neuroses, sleep disorders and the like which, in Freudian theory, can find their expressions and roots in the subconscious, and as the head of her department she has proven PT device methods to work effectively. However, as the treatment is still illegal outside of purely research-based facilities, she carries out PT device treatments on well-paying patients with good connections and an oath of secrecy. She does this under the alias of Paprika in order to avoid being penalised and ejected from the Institute, as well as to continue her research. Paprika is a younger dream avatar of herself with a different personality, attitude, and habits, although naturally they share the same knowledge of psychotherapy. When meeting patients before the sleep treatment she changes her appearance by changing clothes, speaking in a higher pitched voice, wearing a wig, coloured contacts, and even adding freckles to make her almost the polar opposite to the normally reserved Chiba. While it is known that she has treated her higher-up, Torataro Shima, for his neuroses two years ago, Paprika ceased to treat people quite so frequently, eventually stopping altogether for a time. Paprika is known as a kind of black market psychotherapist by some, but the only ones aware of Chiba's double-life are Tokita and Shima.
Less than a year after the DC Mini-- a small, portable version of all the PT devices that allowed playback of recorded dreams on a computer-- was first developed, shortlisting Chiba and Tokita for a Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, three were stolen from the Institute. Chiba was in possession of two for her treatments as Paprika, but the missing three could not be found, whilst it became apparent that the dream of a schizophrenic patient who had been undergoing treatment using a DC Mini was becoming contagious and affecting not the dreams but the waking states of related psychologists within the Institute, including Shima himself. During the hunt for the missing devices as well as suspicions of who might have taken them, two other psychologists within the Institute are controlled by the dream, leading them to injure others in the Institute building and later on cause traffic accidents in central Tokyo. As Paprika is currently in a series of treatments with a police officer, Konakawa, a trusted friend of Shima's, she is brought into the investigation much more frequently than Chiba cares, and navigates the trail of dreams beginning with a parade seen in the schizophrenic patient's dream to find the culprits. One DC Mini is found with Tokita's assistant, leading her to search within the Institute itself, all the while battling with the President of the Foundation and her assistant Morio Osanai, who wish to make all PT devices illegal due to their unstable nature. Through a series of risky dream invasions into Himuro (Tokita's assistant, found with a DC Mini burrowing into his skull and his consciousness wiped by the parade dream) and then Tokita's delusions, the dreams collide, and Konakawa is brought into the growing dream. After an attempted confrontation with the Chairman, it becomes apparent that he and Osanai were the ones to have stolen the DC Minis for personal use, fantasies, delusions of grandeur and desire for control. Atsuko-- and then Paprika-- is chased by Osanai through various dream worlds until he captures Paprika, violates her, and is overpowered by the Chairman: meanwhile Konakawa saves Atsuko whilst overcoming his own neurosis in his recurring dream. It is when he kisses her in his dream that she wakes up to the real world again, only to discover that the parade dream and reality have indeed merged.
Point in Canon: After being saved from the Chairman by Detective Konakawa in the dream world, and waking up.
Character Personality: In most aspects of her life, Atsuko is controlling, calm, and rational, although not harsh in her need to oversee everything. Her role as a psychologist has demanded the ability to deal with complex or urgent situations effectively and quickly, with even more pressure to make the right decisions as the head of her department. Being fairly calm does not mean aloof, however; her temper kicks up easily when her ego is threatened, or somebody close to her is taunted, but she makes an extra effort to control her emotions. This does not make her out of touch with her feelings, however: she can still feel nostalgia over a homemade bento box, fight over petty things, and feel love deeply for other people. The fact that she works so hard to restrain or repress her emotions, although stemming from a necessity for her work, only emphasises how much she enjoys the small pleasures she allows herself: good quality coffee or alcohol, days off, an interesting case to work on, or a trip away from the country.
She can connect and understand people very well with enough observation and analysis, but does not express this fact, nor does she attempt to form bonds with patients deeper than what is required for effective treatment. Relating to other people is very important to her, but she remains mainly alone or with a select few friends, both for the trouble that her looks cause her in terms of unwanted attention, and for the trouble of keeping in touch with many people with her hectic lifestyle. She has trained herself to keep a clear distance between her feelings and her behaviour for years, and thus facilitated the birth of her Paprika persona.
Although Atsuko is the dominant personality, Paprika is so vividly different in behaviour that the patients who do recognise her when seeing Atsuko in-person are shocked at the complete divide in personality. Paprika is playful and coy, to the point of flirting with her patients (but gently enough so as to keep a professional distance, while freely giving enough hints that she might reciprocate romantic advances-- although she has never shown attraction towards a patient), or playing along with men even when being threatened by them. This is usually due to her utmost confidence in reading people's motives quite easily and her own power within dreams to escape from troublesome situations. It also tends to lead her to bait or hurt people with cutting insults as easily as she might jokingly tease them, a trait that she shares with Atsuko and seemingly cannot help due to her tendency to spot weaknesses in the characters of those she meets. Normally both personas would avoid such a confrontation for their own benefits, but under stress, this edge to Atsuko and Paprika comes out.
In the real world, Paprika keeps an eye out for Atsuko, despite her advice often being refused or ignored. Paprika was created as a different persona that Atsuko at first-- and after long periods of not using Paprika-- had trouble with, but as Paprika deepened and gained more experience with others through her work in dreams, her emotions much less concealed than Atsuko's, she began to exist as a separate self. Occasionally they can act like opposites: Paprika is outspoken and optimistic, Atsuko keeps to herself and stays realistic or pessimistic. Atsuko tends to deny her autonomous existence, especially in cases where Paprika's actions seem irrational, and at times even denies that Paprika is anything like herself, but Paprika seems to remain fond of Atsuko, especially for the fact that they are so similar-- after all, they both reside in the same person. She does not seem to bear the same resentment for her other self as Atsuko does for her, instead focusing on the task at hand.
Again, Paprika and Atsuko share this aspect: in their own different ways, they avoid serious or otherwise deeply emotional communication with others in their lives, either as Atsuko merely not divulging anything at all, or Paprika acting just too playful to seem to take anything seriously. But when the stronger emotions do spill out, it is usually from Atsuko. She is in love with Tokita, despite the huge differences in maturity and their attitudes to the same field of work, but is strongly repressing those feelings; only Paprika is plainly aware of it, as a separate being able to see parts of her subconscious that Atsuko cannot. In this way Atsuko feels more intensely than Paprika does, but rarely shows it: and likely it is due to lie in Atsuko's dominance in daily life rather than Paprika, who essentially serves to carry out psychotherapy using Atsuko's skills.
Character Plans: She's a researcher, and will certainly want to continue her research in Siren's Port, more specifically, with funding by a more scientifically-orientated assocation that will provide the technology to complete the DC Mini.
Appearance/PB: Chiba on left, Paprika on right.
Writing Samples
First Person Sample
[ At first the image seems pixelly, static, when the video begins, but as the cellphone camera adjusts to the light and the recording quality, it clears up to show Dr. Chiba sitting upright, facing the camera directly. She used to be comfortable making video logs to record her work, but with more and more interferences between video devices in the workplace, she'd taken to audio or writing. This, however, is easiest. Resisting the urge to adjust a slightly awkwardly-pointing collar tip on her shirt, she begins in her businesslike tone: ]
In a city like this, there have to be some reliable experts in foreign technology. Not everything here was built to run on the Siren's Port network. Someone must know how to make adjustments and fix what was broken in another world. That's what I believe, anyway. [ She pauses, narrowing her eyes slightly, properly registering for the first time how low-tech her cellphone looks like in comparison to the smartphones she's been seeing around lately. Continuing, a hint of a sigh in the tone of her words: ] And the technology here is impressive, too, but somebody like me is much better at using it than tinkering with it. The fact is, there is something from my world I need fixed and the big kid I usually go to with this specific item isn't here. Or. Well. [ A hand lifts to tug at the awry collar-tip. ] Not so much fixing as adding an extra feature... urgently, and securely. So don't bother replying if you don't have decent credentials.
[ As though that summarises her point perfectly, she seems to want to finish the video there; but a blush of embarassment very nearly colours her cheeks, and before that can happen, she adds; ] I'll pay well for the work, and I won't discuss this on the network. Just make an appointment with Dr. Chiba at the Institute here-- I am not consulting with anybody who doesn't know what they're dealing with first. [ -before snapping the phone shut quickly, ending the feed. ]
Third Person Sample
Makes a nice change from Radio Club, doesn't it?
"Depends on your definition of 'nice'. I can't hear myself think here."
True, Lion's Gate was much noisier than Atsuko's most frequented bar back at home, much smokier, much hotter, and full of shifty types who just barely balanced out the number of high-class but clearly dishonest people staying at the bar amongst the clamour of the place. But then, Radio Club didn't have the same status at all. Not even as a bar-- it was a website, an online virtual rendezvous spot. Of course it was quiet; Atsuko could have kept it open in a tab and only listened to the soft relaxing bar music as she took a break, until whoever she was waiting upon found her. The nice change, if she had to phrase it for the two of them, was that both bars had the same drinks selection, but those in Lion's Gate were real. She swirled her glass gently and took another sip of whisky.
"I don't know if I want to think, though." Atsuko murmured against the rim, hiding all but the smudge of lipstick against the clear surface; she didn't fancy other customers believing she was talking to them. To herself might have been a more acceptable impression, but either way, she wasn't looking to attract anybody's attention tonight.
Silly. Why come to a bar this busy if you're not going to have any fun? This isn't a place for drowning your sorrows! It wouldn't do you any harm to relax, after everything that's happened.
'How does this place facilitate relaxing at all', she almost asked, but realised the futility before the words could make it past a fleeting thought. The truth was, Atsuko was relaxed; whether it was the alcohol diffusing the tension from her shoulders or simply the opportunity to have a drink by herself without a care of who might be doing what with whom at that point in time, she felt innately calmer. Without trying to be calmer-- that was the difference. No need to pretend that the heel of her shoe wasn't, in fact, slipping off, nor any heed paid to the fact that her face was recognisable enough in the community that she might be bothered by unexpected company at any moment. It was... relaxing, she would admit, after each sting of alcohol on her tongue. Far from the chaos of settling into the Port catching up with her, or feelings of separation from her little sterile apartment back in Tokyo, what mattered the most at that moment was the moment itself. Alone.
"This is fun, and you can't tell me otherwise." It was almost a whisper, but the bartender seemed to glance at her as though called.
How lonesome. It's my turn to go drinking next time, okay, Atsuko? I'll show you how to do it properly.
'When you get your next job', Atsuko thought as she gulped the last of her drink; quietly, she hoped that wouldn't be for a while. Finding company for drinks other than herself was more trouble than a relaxing evening was worth.
