
Achiwa
Anita Energy Company intern Achiwa frequently travels between the Chaos Space and the real world for exploration and pioneering work. Her work mostly involves... rock crushing, so it seems. She carries an exploration tool resembling both a bat and a hammer, functioning as a weapon and tool. The weapon has significant explosive power and has been well-modified by its wielder. Based on the outer casing and additional components, it might also have advanced technological features — why does an intern's weapon have such latest tech? Did she pay for it herself?
Even though Achiwa claims to be a problem child, she's well-versed in the exterior component and inner structure of all sorts of equipment, as well as how they function. Every now and then, she'll blurt out theoretical terms that only exist in textbooks as though it's completely normal. Yet, if you watch her raise her tools at Chaos Stones with what can only be described as a ferocious look, it is really hard to picture that she was once a (self-proclaimed) model student.
To quote her words, accidents that occur in life are like gears that have become damaged and slid off in mechanical structures. In order to put this gear back, it may take a ton of energy to take apart the whole structure and start over again. This is where she's currently at in life—the process of taking apart and starting over.
That may sound like she has put in huge amounts of resolve and hard work, but it isn't something you can tell based on Achiwa's typical conduct. Only when she's focused on work will she turn into a no-nonsense person, displaying a wholly different attitude as she hammers away at Chaos Stones seriously. Some people can't help but worry if her hammer needs to undergo servicing more often, but as for who's going to foot the bill, it remains unknown.
Achiwa tends to fall into a bad mood whenever she socializes, and her solution is typically to go shopping, a classic pastime of young women. When she's not at work, she's a regular at the clothing stores and boutiques in the malls of the Bonfire City, but the moment she chances upon families who are shopping merrily, she'll immediately get ticked off and turn to leave, seemingly unable to stand such intimate sights.
When she's feeling down in the dumps, Achiwa will sit alone in a family or fast-food restaurant to have a large serving of fries, and she usually eats faster as it goes. Going up to her to ask about it at this time won't give you any answers; it just appears as if she seriously loves fries.
"Why do I love fries? ...Because it's delicious, duh. Why else?"
She seems to enjoy eating in a bustling environment, but footing the bill just because someone's eating with her isn't something she does. To Achiwa, this feels like "paying to have a friend." Sometimes, people on the train or Anita, who know her, will invite her to lunch, and she never fails to accept. Despite never really looking thrilled, she truly hasn't been absent from one of these lunch dates.
Before joining Anita, Achiwa never really had a concrete plan for her life, nor did she think about what the job of Gardeners really was, much less envision herself as a Gardener who would personally advance into the Chaos Space.
She has an excellent familial background and managed to maintain exemplary conduct and academic results all throughout, even getting to join the student society of countless people's dreams to further her studies. Yet, after getting the approval to join the student society, Achiwa went to Night Chains Land and had the time of her life as though she was an entirely different person. She was no longer the same person she used to be when she returned, becoming temperamental and impatient, so much so that she resorted to using her fists to convince fellow students at an academic debate. The change in her personality was not totally without warning, though. In fact, it would be accurate to say that she had merely given up on herself entirely upon not receiving the love and concern she desired despite her life's worth of hard work and repression.
Regardless, the student society could never tolerate Achiwa's unreasonable behavior. They gave her two options: 1. take responsibility and withdraw from school; 2. contribute to society and regain the student society's approval.
Plagued with remorse and shame upon self-reflection, Achiwa pulled herself together and quickly landed herself an internship in Anita with her abilities. She, alongside her newly modified demolition hammer, then came to a decision to live a more honorable life.
Achiwa used to love dining in restaurants. When she was younger, her mother would reward her with lots of money whenever she obtained excellent academic results. Though she wasn't that cognizant about the amount of money she had, it was always more than enough to buy her tons of tasty food. Hence, the young Achiwa would take her money to the family restaurant near her home and order a large serving of freshly made fries to munch away merrily. The food in the family restaurant was delicious, perfect for Achiwa's palette, but she never once got to go there with her family. After all, even when she summoned her courage to ask her mother to have a meal with her, the answer she would get was always something like "I'm too busy recently. Let's talk about it next time."
After Achiwa's family moved house, Achiwa never visited that restaurant again. She did go on to taste many more tasty foods as she grew up, but the jealousy she felt seeing those happy families in restaurants also intensified, leading her to loathe all kinds of crowded places. To liven up Achiwa's spirits, the part-time helper that Achiwa's mother hired to look after Achiwa offered to make the girl some food she liked.
...Alas, no delicacies she tasted all these years ever seemed to measure up to freshly made fries. While having downtime on The Eternal nowadays, Achiwa tends to sit by the window of the dining carriage and munch away on a box of perfectly fried crispy fries. If you're close enough with her, you may perhaps get to try a fry or two if you try your luck.
Oh hello, Conductor, I'm Achiwa, a dropout with issues. Nice to meet you.
What? Oh, time for work already? I'll try my best, after all, as I want to resume schooling.
Uh, Conductor... others have always regarded you as a good person, right? But, if you're associated with me, it might affect your reputation.
Had I known that dropping out would end up in me being sent to Anita, I would have hit harder... Ah, I mean the classmate I sent to hospital for his big mouth.
I'm very serious and meticulous in my work? ...Maybe it's because other people are doing a rough job. I'm just doing it as usual.
Hey, Conductor! Where are you going? I'm planning to buy some clothes. If it's on your way, why don't you come with me? I'll give you a lift on my bike.
Whoa! D-Don't get too close to me! I need a sizeable personal space!
Those people are so clumsy, and it's uncomfortable to watch... Oh well, never mind. It has nothing to do with me.
Sorry, let's chat somewhere else. Over there... Heh, what a harmonious parent-child relationship. I hate that sight the most!
It's empty back home anyway. I prefer Anita's employee dormitory. It gets noisy often but it still feels good.
I hate those affectionate families because they make me so envious that I don't know what to do. ... I also hate my own ugly heart filled with such jealousy and anger.
The best thing in the world is fresh fries. I won't accept any disagreements!
Oh heyyyy! I-I-I said don't get too close to me! N-Next time I'll get mad!
Conductor, is The Eternal still recruiting... I mean... do you accept dropout students...?
Come here and let me crack some knuckles and relieve some stress!
Aren't you people the ones who stirred shit first?!
Itching for a lesson, huh?
If it doesn't work, try something else. This is how fighting goes.
So long as it doesn't affect my return to school, I'm in it for the long haul!
How's this possible?! Now you get me mad!
Ugh, I don't wanna care anymore. Whatever...
I'm the Best Teammate? Hmm... I probably would've been ecstatic if it were in the past. But now.... Well, all right. In that case, thanks for the compliment.