Participants:
| Scene Title | Less Complicated |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | After scaring everyone off, Sarisa does her best to cover her tracks in regards to Noriko Amagi. |
| Date | January 17, 2010 |
It's been a long, and difficult day for Noriko Amagi, re-learning how to be yourself is a terrible thing.
Situated at Noriko's bedside, with a stack of folders in her lap, and one very cleaned file that she's allowing Noriko to read, Sarisa Kershner is scrutinizing the young woman perhaps more intently than she should. Watching Noriko with a quirk of her head to the side, the blonde offers an affirmative nod and a smile. "Amagi, yes. They were involved in burgeoning genetic engineering in the eighties, and died in a laboratory experiment. Your… foster family were former co-workers of theirs. They wanted to raise you as their own, and since foster families aren't required to inform their children that they are adopted…"
There's a mild frown on Sarisa's face as she folds her hands atop the paperwork. "There's a lot of things about your recent life that's not in these files. Where you've been, what you've done. Truth be told, when you and I last spoke, you'd told me you would rather have forgotten the lion's share of it anyway. So…" Sarisa's brows furrow, "it's perhaps fortunate that you have." Fortunate for Sarisa, in a calculating manner.
"All you really need to know, is that you volunteered for a government mission that— coincidentally, was top secret. You fought for your country, and you have a reward waiting for you back home."
It's like a twelve step program.
Noriko looks at the folders that she has been handed, more out of habit than anything else. Reading is one of those things that she's going to have to work at, and she doesn't want to really admit to how bad she currently is at it. She frowns, however, as she sits there and she shakes her head a little and says, "But… why would I volunteer? The last I knew you all wanted me in jail.." Her eyebrows knit together as she tries to piece through the memories that are missing an entire block of her life that is utterly and totally gone.
"Think of it like a plea bargain." Sarisa explains in the simplest way possible. "What matters now is what's ahead if you," she explains with a wave of her hand towards nothing in particular, "not so much the past you can't change, or remember." Offering Noriko another folder, Sarisa manages something of a hesitant smile. "Those are both yours to keep, the records about your family, and that." She taps the manilla folder with her gloved fingertips.
"What's inside is your agreed upon stipend for your services. A paid-for condominium in Manhattan, tuition to Columbia University, and matching tuitiot for a young woman you met while incarcerated named Tenshi Mamagoto." Sarisa's head tips down to the file. "We've included her contact number for you there, so you can get in touch with her afterwards. Both your criminal records and that of miss Mamagoto's have been cleared. You're a free woman to do with your life as you want."
Furrowing her brows, Sarisa looks intently at Noriko. "You've just gotten what few people in the world could ever hope for. Freedom and a fresh start. You're back at square one, with a good foundation under you. If I were you," she offers with a raise of her brows, "I'd put all of this behind you. Everything here, everything that's come before. You get the chance to reinvent yourself, start over, and get a new lease on life."
Noriko looks down at the folder that is put in front of her and she says, "Angel is still around? I.. can't even remember." SHe lets out a sigh, and her head falls forward while she rubs at her temples. "I want to know what happened out there, something happened to me," she says, as she closes her eyes trying to remember it, but she gives up with a groan when she quickly realizes she doesn't have the memories, she doesn't know what Antartica looks like except for pictures she has seen in books. "So… I got injured out there, and my brain got hurt," she tries to rationalize what happened looking at Sarisa for confirmation.
"You overloaded your ability." Sarisa explains in simple, quiet terms. "Honestly, it's better for everyone if you don't know the details, because there was a confidentiality agreement between all parties not to bring up the mission specifics once you return home. It will be easier for you simply not knowing. But you should be proud of yourself, miss Amagi, you helped protect the world from a very serious nuclear threat. You've done your country a great service and…" she tries to drive this fact home, "I think you should be very happy that your life is where it is at right now, not in a much more complicated place."
"How is this not complicated," Noriko asks while she looks at Sarisa, eyebrows still knitted together as she sits in her bed, a frown on her lips. "And how bad am I injured? Why is my shoulder all wrapped up if it was just my ability?" Well, everything else is wrapped up, but one arm is kept bandaged close to her body, the other left to wander around freely. Bullet in the shoulder and all.
"You'll be fine," Sarisa offers as an explanation, settling a leather-gloved hand down atop Noriko's. "Trust me, this could all be much worse. You were injured in the mission, but you'll be fine. The United States Government is handling all of your medical costs at the moment, and the damage that was done is contained in your personal file," she motions towards the brown folder, "so you can review it if you want. The details on how and why, again… it's best for everyone involved if you don't know. Just know that you helped save all of the nations of this world from a very serious threat, along with everyone else on this ship." There's a reaffirming squeeze of Noriko's hand, before Sarisa rises up from her stool.
"Consider yourself a hero," Sarisa notes in a hushed tone of voice, "and think more about the life you're going to have, more so than what you aren't able to get back." Then, with a furrowing of her brows and a narrowing of her eyes she asks. "Would you like me to bring you a phone, so that you can contact miss Mamagoto? You can let her know you'll be back in the States by tuesday."
Noriko blinks a little before she nods her head and says, "I… guess. Though, its been a year, I don't even know if we're stil together." Her free hand reaches up to rub at her head, before she asks of the woman, "Did I make any calls on… whatever brought us to Antartica? I mean, if I was still going with Angel, then I'd probably have called her, or told her before I left." She frowns and shakes her head a little and says, "A hero for something I don't even remember doing." Her eyes look at Sarisa for a moment, before she nods her head, "I'll try to do that."
"You arranged for her to have a full college education, so…" Sarisa cracks a smile. "Unless you happen to be in a very amicable breakup, I surmise the two of you are still together." Rolling her tongue over the inside of her cheek, Sarisa considers Noriko's question a bit further, folding her arms across her chest. "She was not informed of your departure, no. Most everyone on board of this vessel was not allowed to give notice to their loved ones. Some of the people were recruited from prison sentences or… similar situations. It was all very difficult at the time. But, much of that is behind us all."
Eyeing the folders one last time, Sarisa seems to thoughtfully consider Noriko's situation before making eye contact again. "Most people don't ever get the chance to know they did something good with their lives. To be honest, the world at large will never know what you and everyone else did here. Just rest, knowing that you've become a good person, and that what you lost in that service, was only bad memories."
Noriko nods her head a little while she sits there, before she says, "You didn't answer as to wether or not you would check the phone records to be sure." Her eyes look at Sarisa while she sits there, "Would you please do that for me?" She frowns while looking over the folders, and lets out a soft sigh, so much that she feels she isn't being told.
"Of course." Sarisa answers with a slow nod of her head, lips tucked into a very neutral expression. "I'll do that, then come back with a phone for you to make a few calls." With herbrows knit together, the blonde takes a step away from Noriko, about to turn away fro the door before she offers over her shoulder; "If you need anything else… just hollar." When she turns her back to Noriko, there's a crooked quality to her smile that Noriko is not made privy to— which in a way would make her parting comment somewhat less kind sounding, and more unsettling.
"Someone will be keeping an eye on you for me, just in case."