004. video + action.

[astrobleme]

Who: Shinji Ikari and you?!
Broadcast: Fleetwide.
Action: Any ship in the Fleet, beginning with the Heron.
When: Throughout the week.

[network.]

[Shinji has felt like total crap for weeks and weeks now, after that unexpected attack on the Fleet's ships... but the curtain of despair suddenly lifts one morning, for no apparent reason at all. He's a little bewildered about feeling okay, if not good, if not great, and he spends the first day catching up on the laundry that he's been neglecting.

But then it kind of maybe spirals out of control. He's filled with determination to clean--not just his own clothes or his own room, but every unwashed pile of clothes and every messy room he comes across. He doesn't really notice his own hyperactivity; he just wants to clean and clean and clean until not a speck of dust or engine grease remains. He sweeps through the Heron, to begin with, and then he branches out...]

Hey, [he says, coming into view on the feed. He's a little blurry at first, with softly glowing lights all around him, which soon resolve into... fireflies?] Have you seen these things yet? They're called cleaning bugs! And they're freaking awesome. The Co'kal made them--they can deep-clean anything, no problem, and... [Shinji is practically ranting and raving about these inventions he found in his quest to clean everything.]

If there's something you need me to clean, let me know, okay? I'll take care of it right away. Or my new friends will.


[action, aboard various ships in the Fleet.]

[Needless to say, Shinji can be found pretty much anywhere in the Fleet, on any crew's ship or the Iskaulit, waging war against uncleanliness. Don't mind him if he decides your kitchen needs a good scrub down, or your bunks, or your bathrooms, or even the engine room. He's constantly accompanied by a halo of cleaning bugs that change colors depending on the amount of dirt nearby.

They may even decide to target a person that they've deemed a little too dirty...]

Comments

[willynilly]

Oh, that's a good idea! Yeah, I think that would be fine. We should have a cleaning party!

[Cleaning isn't fun, but, uh. All things are better with company!? Or something.]

[astrobleme]

[Judging by Shinji's widening eyes, this so-called cleaning party is...]

That is the best idea ever. I could bring the cleaning bugs over to your ship?

[Later on, he'll probably be embarrassed to death for being so freaking dorky in front of a girl, but right now the glitches are glossing over his sensibilities.]

[willynilly]

[Meanwhile to her this seems like a perfectly reasonable reaction to have. A cleaning party is a cheap and efficient way to spend one's time without spending money! Who wouldn't love it!?]

Sounds wonderful! Are they good with cleaning up in the kitchen? I bet there's plenty of places for dirt to hide there.

[astrobleme]

Definitely! They can even fit behind the appliances without having to move anything around... [Addressing the cleaning bugs, he says,] Hey, come over here. We're going to a different ship now. [The little machines seem pretty excited about visiting a potential dirt mine. They gather around Shinji's head again, reforming a halo, and he starts off for the nearest shuttle bay.]

I've never been to a cleaning party before. Or many parties in general.

[willynilly]

I've never really been a big party-goer myself. [It's cheaper to stay home, plus there was a lot of moving around.] Oh, but I do like parties! Being around people is my jam.

[astrobleme]

Last year, there was this really cool party called Gravity Rush. Basically a masquerade party, with everyone wearing costumes and masks and stuff.

[The video feed gets jostled a little as Shinji makes his way onto the shuttle. There's a shot of his fingers poking at the control panel, then hesitating for some reason.]

--Crap. Which ship is yours, again?

[willynilly]

Oh, I'm on the Starstruck! Sorry, I never said. I'll meet you in the cargo bay!

[astrobleme]

Got it, thanks.

[Before too long, Shinji's shuttle arrives at the Starstruck. He disembarks and steps into view with his glowing, ever-circling entourage of cleaning bugs, and he's smiling hesitantly, too. It isn't often that he'll visit anyone other than Kaworu and Asuka, after all. So it's kind of scary in a good way.]

I don't think I've ever been to this ship, [he comments, once he's within earshot.]

[willynilly]

[Ochako offers up a cheerful wave as he enters the bay, tilting her head in delighted curiosity as she watches the glowing bugs.]

Oh, well then welcome! Happy to have you on the Starstruck. It isn't much, but it's cozy, and the people here are nice!

[astrobleme]

Ohhh... [Looking around, Shinji is surprised by how lavish the ship seems to be, at least compared to the Heron. He isn't jealous per se, but it's interesting to him. He has to wonder who even built these ships, what their original purpose was. It couldn't have been the reality show. No way.] It does look pretty cozy. And a nice crew is one of the best things you can have.

[He steps closer and holds up both of his hands--a gesture that attracts the attention of the cleaning bugs. They drift downward and land on Shinji's palms, nestling there like a collection of jewels. Then he shows them off to Ochako.]

But here they are, you can see how they're just little machines. Really cute, though. So, uhm, the... the kitchen, you said?

[willynilly]

Ahhh, they are cute! Just look at them...

[Ochako takes a moment to properly admire the floating lights in person, leaning in close to his hand for a better view.]

Yeah, I think they could do a number on the kitchen, for sure! Sometimes I get my bots to float along the ceiling, but there's plenty of nooks and crannies they're too big to reach. But these guys are so little!