2022-05-10: Suspicion

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<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        Tsutsujidai is a sleepy little town most of the time. People are usually content to just chill and live their lives without any particular excitement. They go to hobby shops, they stop by the local buffet, they hang out with friends... Nothing all that excitement happens most of the time. Kaiju attacks? Pshawww. Those things don't happen here. Ask anyone. A s k a n y o n e .
        
        But when ads started going out about the Galactic Fairy, Sheryl Nome, coming to Tsutsujidai as part of her Earth Sphere tour... maybe some excitement has grown? It wasn't a planned stop originally, but somehow Sheryl's manager squeezed it in. A little special extra service for her fans, considering she's already completed the East Asia portion of her tour, through the Indian subcontinent and up into Russia, then well into Europe with her sights on plunging deep and hard through Africa next. Tsutsujidai isn't really on a normal map, though, and Sheryl couldn't say no to going from an intragalactic diva to an interdimensional diva.
        
        For attendants, tickets are sold normally, both online and at ticket stores and so on. Reaching Tsutsujidai by train is a simple enough prospect--simpler than usual, even. One train towards the Fujiyokidai Ward, a strange fog and a micro-nap later, and they'll be there at the train stop. From there, it's not a long walk to the town's central park, where the concert hall is located. There are plenty of signs directing out-of-towners to it, even.
        
        That was earlier, though. Right now, the concert's already midway, pulsing with lights and holograms at the open-air stage set up at the heart of Tsutsujidai Park. Starting out with the perk and pep of What 'Bout My Star?, moving at high passion to Lion, slowing down with the still-hard thrum of Welcome To My Fan Club's Night and cooling off by crooning Diamond Crevasse. As if unsatisfied by leaving her fans soft, though, Sheryl's heating the audience back up with one of her sexiest songs:
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0mVRxzR5kA (Pink Monsoon)
        
        Those who attended her concert in Macross City will recognize her costume: a tight black halter top that, when she turns again, would brazenly show off the milky way of her cleavage save for a miniature black tie. Skintight black pants paneled in pink down the thighs, revealing skin underneath, complement it, as to the stiletto-heeled boots they tuck into. A faux butterfly tattoo adorns her upper left arm while a jewel-toned bangle adorns her left, and fingerless black gloves cover her palms. Her long hair is tied up in a high ponytail, and a lacy black mask is affixed to one side of her forehead, while a long black-and-pink ribbon drapes down from the back of her belt. They'll recognize the dance moves, too: swinging her arms around to lock wrists and rock back and forth, index fingers outstretched; sweeping around until she presents her profile; raising a single finger as she winks on the bass drop; until she faces the audience again, both in the intro and after the first chorus.
        
        Now she winks to the audience as she caresses her own curves, fingertips tracing across her belly and up her breasts until it reaches her ponytail. She drapes it to one side with one smooth, long, sinuous motion, then lets it drape away. She clutches her head and swings her legs back and forth, knees coming together and pulling apart before she sweeps around. One foot forward and one back, and then they switch. She steps her foreleg back and forth to the beat before she swivels her hips and knees and bends at the waist:
        "For the most part, I'm a hot mess--you know that
        "But I'm keeping my hair neat and pretty; I'm old-fashioned
        "It's a 100% juice kind of game! It's pretty crazy, I am crazy for you
        "Let me influence you deeper and deeper, and then dump me on a rainy day!"
        
        The throbbling hot pink lights arc lines in the sky as the panels of the stage twinkle on and off, all shades of white and red and in between. The sound speakers tremble with the bass lines as shades of blue cut in to sweep across the stage from the left, then the right. Sheryl slides her hand back over her hair, then down the side of her chest and across her belt as she twitches her hips back and forth. She raises her arm just above her eyes, letting her hand crawl to one side as she curls her fingers, then sweeps it back and forth in front of her. At last, she stetches it out towards the audience, winks, and gestures 'come hither' with one finger.
        "Baby pink monsoon, baby pink monsoon
        "Lady sings love, mmm... Until your fingers touch me here, don't stop
        "Baby pink monsoon, baby pink monsoon
        "Lady sings love, mmm... I wanna lose control! Hey you, let's do communication!"
        
        The bass throbs. With it, the lights burst like countless fireworks exploding over the sea. As their glitter falls around Sheryl, her expression turns pained as she slowly strides forward. One hand rests at her chest as she sings into her iconic golden microphone, while her long legs sweep runway model-style in a straight line to the edge of the stage. Then she turns away in a tight circle, waggling a finger at the audience, and grinds her way back until she arches her back and cries out as if in agony, or maybe ecstacy, or both.
        "Even if this whole world is an illusion, even if clinging to you marks the end
        "I won't forgive you if you make me realize I'd have been better off alone
        "Ahh... yeah... crazy for you... yeaaahh!"
        
        The spotlights come on again, searching all across the stage as if unable to reach their target. As they dance around her, Sheryl twitches her hips, gesturing to one light after another as if calling *them* hither and anchoring them upon her. She turns with the bassline, leans forward, and crooks a finger to the audience again, before dropping into a crouch and arching her chest and head back. As her body rests in that curve and the music stops, the tie holding her hair up in a ponytail breaks. Her curls settle around her, glinting in the artificial lights.
        "Baby pink monsoon, baby pink monsoon! Lady sings love, mmm... A scandal so hot we fog up the glass window
        "Baby pink monsoon, baby pink monsoon! Lady sings love, mmm... I want you to do whatever you want, don't stop
        "Baby pink monsoon, baby pink monsoon! Lady sings love, mmm...
        "I wanna lose control! Hey you, let's do communication! Let's do communication! Let's do communication..." 

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

It's... rare, that Akane Shinjo goes for something like this; Tsutsujidai is miserably hot, and what's worse, this is -- for Tsutsujidai -- a *crowd*. It feels like half the population of the ward must be here. Then again... everyone from school is going to this! She can give it a shot. Even Alexis sounded fairly encouraging of the possibility when she'd floated that she was considering it, so it's probably a good thing.

So far, she's actually had an okay time. There's something about Sheryl's music that... it's not that it's nostalgic, per se? Certainly Akane didn't experience decades of off-planet stylistic development in music. It's more... familiar. There's a sense of *need* that...

... Akane doesn't need anything, of course. But she can comprehend the shape of that need, and the act of comprehension brings some warmth with it.

By the time the camera focuses in, Akane is... honestly, giving it her all. She's managed to work her way over to most of her classmates; several of them came straight from school and got here early, so this isn't a particularly difficult task. (And once there's a lot of you, it's easy for the ones that *didn't* come straight from school to find you.) And Akane herself is...

... well, her sense of rhythm isn't perfect, and she's not precisely the greatest dancer, but at least Akane Shinjo is going for it. She's a touch off the beat, and... well, let's be honest: she doesn't have Sheryl's build, so flaunting her butt isn't exactly doing much for her, nor does she really know... what she's playing at. Honestly, if her bluff was called she'd probably have a tough time figuring out where to take things from there. For that matter, while she'd probably play the ball where it lay at that point, she wouldn't have much fun.

Either way, though... let's just say there's a somewhat specific audience for this one and most of that audience is part of 2-E.

As the music dies down, Akane decides to play a little hard to get; rather than immediately moving toward anyone her age, she starts moving toward the pergola that seems to have been turned into a semi-private booth. It'd be a bold move, if the dynamics were just a little bit different.

She leans over the edge of it a bit, looking to the assembled... staff? "What made you decide to throw this here?" she asks, curious.

Akane feels the hair on the back of her neck standing up, like she thinks someone's looking at her. ... Maybe several someones? 

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

         Lina's foot tapped to the beat, despite herself. To be honest, an idol concert in a sleepy little town like this was one of the last places she had expected to find herself. Earlier that day, she had been in a meeting with a supplier in Nouvelle Tokyo, and true to form, her boss had arranged the cheapest flight back home to Moralia, which meant that she wasn't leaving Japan until tomorrow morning. If it was up to her, she'd probably be in some bar drinking the night away, but once her meeting had finished earlier that afternoon, she got a call from one of the mechanics at CDS.


<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime would never miss a concert in Tsutsujidai. She waa really excited for it, really, because she hasnt really had experienced an actual concert before. Most of her musical experiences have come directly from her mom. Or her ipod. Depending on how you see it.

"Baby pink monsoon!" She sings with her mother. For once she doesn't have a single earbud in her earholes . Her mother dances along with Sheryl, draped across the lyrics, embodying the dramatic and energetic tones. Rather than be stuck experiencing her mother through headphones now gets to enjoy her mom blasting out from a grand stage! "Baby pink mosoon! Lady sings love, mmmm.... I want you to do whatever you want, don't stop!"

Nidaime hops up and down in the crowd high enough that she occassionally even gets glimpses of the stage. For once in Nidaime's life she feels like she is truly a part of the human world, in this time. In this moment. She feels free and lighter than a feather.

Her gratitude to the Galactic Fairy cannot be measured. For a moment, Nidaime gets to forget that she is alone, she gets to believe she is truly part of something other than just herself.

But even so, in a subconcious undercurrent...Is she really alone? Two is not alone, right? Being unique together...

But even so it is nice to pretend. So Nidaime pretends. Has been pretending. And her every word Sheryl sings is her mother playing with her, smiling at her, loving her. 

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

@paste "Hey, Miss Lina! I know you just got out of your meeting, but I need you to do a huge favor for me! There's a concert in Tsutsujidai, and there's this really cool singer there, and I'd REALLY appreciate it if you could go and get me some merch! I'll reimburse you for it and I'll even pay you extra for it and I'll put in that expensive fuel you like in the Alto on your next mission!" 

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

         So here she was. Truth be told, idols and deculture weren't entirely Lina's jam, a better evening for her would be in some smoky club listening to a jam band or something. But it's not like she had anything better to do tonight. And she had to admit, this Sheryl was pretty cute, and this Pink Monsoon song had a nice vibe to it. So her foot taps.

         She closes her eyes for a second and lets the music wash over her. God, what was the last time she had some time off? Even if for an evening, Elias' shallow pockets had actually come in handy for once. 

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.


        Going back to Tsutsujidai's something of a strange prospect to Arriety, because she somewhat associates the sleepy ward with the first time she was ever brought out to fight... the first time the Bio-Sensor activated, and the first time she brought her psychic flame down on someone and risked killing them.

        On the other hand, she did meet Akane here, and she kinda wants to say hi again. Even if... she didn't actually get her number or anything. Maybe she'll try visiting the hobby shop again after this....

        Still, Arriety's already come this far with her concerts -- first the one that ended up with a Zentradi attack, then the Macross City one where she wound up getting a signed CD from Sheryl herself, so she figures... she's probably all right enough with this to keep doing it.

        Aaaaand if she's not all right with it, her best friend Lorazepam can fix everything she's not okay with.

        However, Tsutsujidai is *hot* and Arriety doesn't know how to wear anything but turtleneck sweaters so she's getting kinda owned right now. At least the jacket is off, but the scars prevent her from rolling her sleeves up, so she has a large bottle of comically mispelled Coola to go with her...

        Glowsticks.

        Oh yeah, Arriety's dual wielding glowsticks and is getting into it, even if she's not singing along. Why's her face so flat even as she cheers, though? She's so tired. The sun sucks. 

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        This is the third Sheryl concert that Alto has been to. But in only one of them was he actually a member of the audience. And it's not this one. Having been officially contracted to serve as a bodyguard for the Galactic Fairy, Alto now stands backstage, within one of the trucks where all the monitoring equipment for the concert is. He's wearing a large black trench coat, though judging by the boots visible poking out the bottom, he appears to be wearing his flight suit beneath it. There's also a small headset over his ear, to help listen in on the inner workings of the concert.

        Alto stands behind one of the stage technicians, looking over the man's shoulder at a number of screens displaying a combination of equipment information and visual feeds of the various cameras recording the concert. The impact of the concert and its singer is not quite as strong from the backstage, which Alto is partially grateful for. There's only so much of Sheryl Nome's overwhelming presence that his heart can take and he usually ends up enduring it more than most.

        Though even as he watches on the screens, the song filtering in through from open doors of the truck, Alto can't help but go a little red in the face as Sheryl dives into Pink Monsoon. He scratches his cheek a little awkwardly, before suddenly shaking his head and returning to trying to focus on his job here.

        Alto turns around to face a different set of screens. Though the views on these ones are decidedly less exciting as they're not actually of the concert, but rather the areas surrounding it. Security cameras on the various concert trucks, or strategically placed around the concert, to keep an eye on what's happening.

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.

        Indeed, tonight is a Special Service... as Grace's protege often likes to say. The existence of Tsutsujidai wasn't something that either the Galactic Fairy or her minder was aware of before they arrived in the Earth Sphere. In fact, it seems like it has recently become a place that most of the EARTH SPHERE has only recently become aware of. Some strange, interdimensional pocket so much like the world Would Be were the tragedies of the past sixteen years not allowed to occur.

        And more importantly, a place largely unaware of the exiwstence of the Galactic Fairy, Sheryl Nome, intragalactic and soon to be interdimensional diva!

        Speaking of Special Service though, Grace herself is taking a bit of a break from the back stage managerial duties in order to participate as part of the audience. The presence of two able bodied individuals - one handsome, one beautiful, to play role of protector and handle several managerial tasks backstage. It is a bit strange for someone as dutiful and diligent as Miss O'Connor it's rare to see her at a point of leisure. Though given her fairly recent heroism and injury (both of which she has fully recovered from) during an unexpected disturbance of a Vajra nest this could perhaps be considered a well deserved rest.

        That that end, she actually arrived earlier on with a special guest as her plus one: The eternally precious (and as her brother would say, precocious), Ranka Lee. Grace herself is dressed in her usual dark green business attire and leads the young woman through security without a need for a ticket. Part of the benefit of being associated with Miss Manager after all!

        The two have been enjoying the show from a private booth for the two of them and a few other guests. After all it would not do for Grace to mix with the (increasingly sweaty and excited) audience while she is resting. The booth is set up in a already-existant structure at the concert in Kamesan park: A wooden, rectangular pergola. The wooden benches have been temprorarily modified with cushions and back rests for a more opulent seating experience. The booth has also further customized with quiet fans and even a small buffet table full of snacks and cold drinks for those who shelled out for the more VIP experience.

        Several times throughout the show, Grace has gotten up to go check on things back stage matters but for right now she's merely relaxing in the booth and tapping her fingers against her thigh with the beat of Sheryl's song. A serene smile on her face as she comments toward no one in particular, "Pink Monsoon is always a crowd pleaser. We often get requests for her to play it at a show even over some of her newer music."

        'What made you decide to throw this here?'

        "Hm? Oh, just a suggestion from a mutual acquaintance of ours. It helps that Tsutsujidai is one of the few untapped venues of future Sheryl fans, after all." She adds with a playful wink, "Speaking of, are you and your friends enjoying the performance, Miss Shinjou?" 

<Pose Tracker> Anti has posed.

        So long as there's a world where people can listen to and enjoy music...

        Someone else followed Akane into the concert, back then. It's a good thing Anti trailed her, of all people; a boy this scruffy definitely didn't have a ticket of his own. He hasn't dressed up for the event, in his usual navy with its usual flaming edges. It doesn't even smell like he WASHED HIS CLOTHES for the event -- certainly, the scarf wrapped around his neck is greying for more reasons than just its natural colour. His short white hair is unbrushed.

        He's pretty short, though, so he's easy to miss in the crowd. Maybe that's why he's standing in that pergola, instead. One hand curls around the wood of the lattice, as he looks up to Sheryl, with an expression which hasn't wavered from intensity once. He doesn't blush, or look away.

        "She's..." Anti trails off, gravel-gruff, voice low as banked embers. It is easy -- and wrong -- to think he refers to the girl dancing on the stage.

        He does not finish his thought.

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        Minae has yet to really figure out how she feels about Tsutsujidai.

        The robot doesn't have a problem with the place existing in general - she's perfectly fine so long as she can feel it beneath her feet and see it with her eyes and smell a dozen different little hole-in-the-wall restaurants. She's not even all that fussed about the kaiju standing implacably on the horizon, because they're things she can still pick out with her senses. They're visibly There, which means a lot to her.

        What unsettles her the most is not having a line to the outside world, the background chatter of networking and wireless communications that makes up most of the places she's lived. As someone who is always habitually connected to something, even if that happens to be a time server and news feed or the Ra Mari's databanks, the lack of feedback in the sleepy town feels all the more empty.

        Maybe that's important? Some inner instinct tells her that it is, that even if she doesn't have the information to help the situation yet, she should at least keep an eye on it. It somehow makes her think of Algernon, of patients staring dully past their bedside walls at something far in the distance she didn't have the empathy to see. It makes her think of her first meeting with a haunted young girl in Winter Wonderland. It makes her mull back over a conversation with someone who seemed to skip through Tsutsujidai like it wasn't really there.

        * * *

        Minae has yet to really figure out how she feels about concerts in Tsutsujidai.

        "This doesn't seem very responsible, to attract a bunch of people in here..." she trails off, leaving it at that because the absolute last thing she wants to do in any situation is be a killjoy. Besides, the music is very good. She's not dancing because she's busy holding up a parasol for Arriety to try to hide under, but she is bobbing on the balls of her feet, and her cover isn't very useful when she keeps joining in with the waves of the crowd.

        A number of Arriety's lightsticks have been taped to the top of it in a decorative pattern, strobing through colours in time with the songs as Minae controls them directly. 

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.

Not so long ago, Garrod Ran would never have expected he'd be near anything like this. Granted, most of that is because he's had other concerns than music, like staying alive on his own. He's also never really taken well to large groups of people in the open, and even now he's decidedly ill at ease in a big crowd - he probably wouldn't have come in the first place, if not for a modest group from the Freeden deciding that *this* was the best chance to see the Intergalactic Fairy live in concert. But here they are, and here *he* is.

At least the music isn't bad; Garrod isn't exactly dancing, but he's bobbing his head with the rhythm, even when Sheryl turns up the sexy enough for Garrod to look away. He's drifted away from his crewmates amidst the Brownian motion of the crowd, but he's still keeping half an eye out so he knows where to go to catch up with them. And if worst comes to worst, he knows where they'll be meeting back up to head home.

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.


Tsutsujidai is a sleepy little town. Which makes it strange that Ranka has been acting perhaps a bit off to Grace's eyes ever since she came here. It's not obvious. Just every so often she may look in a direction that feels unusual, or spaces out when someone is talking to her before she seems to snap back to attention.

However her energy has picked up ever since the concert began. Nothing like a Sheryl concert to lift her spirits. She's been into it just as much as ever in the Pergola private booth the two are in through each of the numbers.

And then Sheryl sings Pink Monsoon. Ranka's knees might seem locked together in this moment, her hands over her mouth. She looks flushed, a touch of sweat on her forehead. It's easy enough to remember that moment last concert... when the holographic Sheryl drifted, from Alto, to her. Watching Sheryl's dance moves.

Ranka isn't dancing right now like Akane. It's taking a lot of her focus just to hold it together. As the music dies down, she starts clapping as enthusiastically as ever. Though when Akane drifts back towards the booth, and Ranka smiles her way politely - it's easy enough to imagine that she was watching her.

Ranka herself is dressed in a pink dress with a bow, a beret with a red bow, red tights and black flats - though she's taken the beret off and placed it on a blue bag she's brought with her.

Does the beret move every now and then? Couldn't be...

She didn't realize the weather was going to be like this, which might explain most of the sweat on her forehead.

As Grace talks to Akane, Ranka gives Grace and Akane a surprised look, "Untapped? Is Sheryl not well known here in Tsutsujidai?"

That surprises her.

<Pose Tracker> Sho Utsumi has posed.

Sho Utsumi is among the throng of high school students. He is trying not to die. Pink Monsoon is *extremely hot*. Instead, as he waves his glowsticks eagerly, he sticks to his classmates.

It's weird this concert is here, though. He saw fliers in the other dimension. Why would one of their idols be in Tsutsujidai? He'll need to investigate, later...

And then the music stops and she finishes the song. He's trying not to go pink in the face. "Isn't this great?" He asks in the direction of the other classmates. "Real superstar."

<Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.

        C.C.'s not in the stands on this one. Not after how last time frazzled her senses.

        No, being here is all about taking a long, leery assessment of... 'alright, but really, why's an interplanetary-famed idol performing a concert in a weird uncanny parallel dimension'. That's weird, right? It all seems so normal on a surface level that -

        She claps her cheeks once once thoughts start going in this direction. Head tipped towards one of the vomitoriums (yes she's going to call them that!), catching brief glimpses of Sheryl's familiar flamboyant performances. Head tipped in the other direction, out towards Tsutsujidai, this irresponsibly 'normal' place surrounded by the distinctly abnormal towering kaiju beyond the boundary of the fog.

        "...yes, this goes a liiiiiittle bit beyond the ruthlessness of the entertainment industry to capture new audiences. I'm getting to the bottom of this."

        One meandering around that assesses the pathing that Sheryl's staff takes, and one pilfering of a crew uniform later (green hair in a big old ponytail sticking out the back of a hat!), and C.C.'s on her way, guided towards the technician access ways.

        Her path passes by the pergola, with a familiar pink-haired acquaintance! Right within earshot (or what should be earshot were this not a concert. . . C.C.'s going to cheat and 'project' her voice a liiiittle bit), she lets out that flat-affected "miko mikooo~" with a waggling peace sign at Akane. "Working the stage part-time on this one. Ha~a~a~a~ave fuuuun, Akaneeeeee," before strolling off.

        Her eyes briefly flash to Grace...but this is a spot check C.C. fails. Nothing -instantly- pops out to her as abnormal about this lady. Maybe if Akane weren't distracting her - pushing her perception wholly on 'hey it's that person I still think they're the suspicious one', she might have felt that sense of Grace being an outsider.

        But alas, there's not anything to 'catch'. And so C.C. strolls straight towards the technician booth, where she spies a particularly rosy-cheeked Alto all flustered at Sheryl working her magic on the crowd.

        "Pretty dangerous to give the security detail a full-on view of the whole concert, isn't it? Captivated so easily, I see." C.C. hops herself up onto sitting on a table, sipping on a ~*~hydrating beverage~*~ oh so carefree. Step 1 in sneaking into places: present like you belong there. "...you a local, or did you come along with the management? Don't recognize you." 

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        Liam was discharged from the hospital earlier today with prescription painkillers, a wheelchair, and some extra dressings just in case. His burns have responded well to treatment, and while the doctors urged him to stay off his feet, he shouldn't need followup for a few more days--so long as nothing bad happens. Getting used to the wheelchair was certainly something, but he's gotten his strength back. On the way out of the hospital, he ran into Kaworu. The Administrator had a ticket to a Sheryl Nome concert, but couldn't use it himself because work had come up. When Liam asked him why he was offering, Kaworu elaborated on both the educational and tactical merits of attending a public event in Tsutsudaiji.

        Liam had no idea what he was in for.

        The train ride in was uneventful enough--Liam's gotten used to Japanese mass transit, and the staff helped him secure his wheelchair after he boarded. Yes, he nodded off on the way, but only for a few seconds. Maybe a minute or two? Nothing unexpected.

        Getting to the concert involved a bit of doing, but careful observation of the flow of foot traffic--as well as posted signage, and information on the ticket itself--guided him there. There's something deeply off about this place, though, and it takes Liam a while to put his finger on it. He's built for combat, and correspondingly alert compared to most civilians. These people seem even sleepier to him. Something he'll have to keep in mind.

        NOW...

        Liam sits towards the front, vaguely out of place for multiple reasons. For one, he's gotten a new outfit, graciously donated by one of his NERV minders, who wears roughly the same sizes: sandals, a t-shirt, and matching athletic shorts, both bearing the colors and logos of a baseball team from Nouvelle Tokyo. Smart burn dressings cover his exposed legs, as well as--oddly--the crown of his head. Liam does not have the raw enthusiasm of Arietty, but he is watching with rapt attention. He's finally gotten himself to eat again, and as Sheryl does one of her biggest, showiest, thirstiest numbers, he alternates between a large metal water bottle and a chocolate CalorieMark. But one thing's been bugging him--and as the number winds down, he turns to the woman waving the chemical glow capsules. "Were those issued at the gate?" Liam asks Arrietty, his voice soft and hesitant as he glances between her and Minae. "I didn't receive any."

<Pose Tracker> Riku Asakura has posed.

Right now:

Riku is in the crowd in his jean jacket, orange shirt, and jeans pants. He's Weilding a glowstick and of course, jumping to the beat and swinging the thing back and forth, also enjoying the rhythm of the song. It's been a long time since he's been able to enjoy a concert, even back in his world he barely had the money to enjoy it. Part-time work doesn't pay the best, even if it's good work.

The turn up in the sexy is enough to cause the secret Ultraman to blush a bit. "Wow these things are a bit more...uh...forward than back home," he says to anyone that happens to be near him. Not that it's a bad thing, but he's also from a place that isn't the future.

Earlier:

Riku arrives at the concert, having purchased tickets hours before. He's likely not to get a great spot, but he did solve the issue of not being sure if he could afford them. He does also pick up some glow sticks because these things are just mandatory at a concert. Fortunately, someone reminded him that he gets a paycheck so that Sayla doesn't have migraines with dealing with this dufus.

Far Earlier:

"So who's Sheryl Nome?" Riku says in hearing range of Sho. 

<Pose Tracker> Brera Sterne has posed.


Brera is not here for a concert. He is here on security, with cybernetics connecting him to the communication channels he needs. The layout has been committed to memory data after meticulous patrolling before the concern began, along with making himself aware of every detail of the concert's intended execution that he could. Each song and its expected runtime and visual effects so that nothing blips on Brera's radar -- literal or otherwise -- as a threat that should not be considered a threat.

Which now leaves him backstage, his attention flitting from one security screen to the next. Sheryl is singing, but that only matters in so much that he identifies which song it is and how the stage will need to change when it's over.

The audience is large. Some dancing. Some singing along. Nothing dangerous to worry about. But they feel something. Sheryl's voice and movements inspire them.

Yet the sound of Sheryl's song drowns away a moment as a different melody echoing in his thoughts. He shakes himself free of it. There is nothing to gain from that now.

...And there is a job to do. Brera steps up behind C.C. as she confronts Alto. "You are not authorized to be here," he says. "I will escort you back."

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

         Lina turns to the flustered young man, a signature smirk on her face. "Well, compared to some shit I've seen, this is pretty tame, actually. But you wouldn't see THOSE kind of shows in a place like this. Maybe when you're a bit older!" She snickers and lifts up one leg, dramatically crossing it over the other as her head starts nodding to the beat now as well. 

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

"Rikuuu..." Nidaime shashays over to him, swinging around her own glowsticks. She has a Galactic Fairy t-shirt on thats like two or three sizes too big for her that hangs down to her ankles. "Mama is so happy! Someone brought her a concert!"

She is quiet for barely a moment before she adds, "Piggyback? I cant see the Fairy...and mom...from down here..."

She gives Riku...THE EYES

She senses Anti's presence. Is he here to enjoy music too? The thought thrills her. 

<Pose Tracker> Anti has posed.

        That strange, white-haired boy turns, and looks straight at Ranka, unblinking and unwavering. A low hum of a grunt grants texture to his statement: "..."

        Emotionally, there's not much to him; he's half-new and half-empty, and hard to get a grasp on, as if his emotions were never meant to be read. This is not, entirely, because he doesn't have any -- it's growing stronger day by day -- but because the heart under his skin isn't human at all. This much, in fact, is perfectly clear to Grace if she scans his biometrics: there's already a kaiju, here, with them.

        ... he's just shaped like a person. And he can talk.

        He apparently doesn't care to often, though; he's scarcely said more than a handful of words since they got here. After that long, intense look at Ranka and her hat, Anti goes back to looking up to the stage, and down to the crowd in front of it.

        He spies a glimpse of the Second's hood, in the crowd, and now it's not conjecture. His eyes widen; his nostrils flare.

        How does that make him feel...?

        Does he... feel anything, thinking that Nidaime made it to this concert, her mother piped with such volume throughout an entire crowd...?

        Does that make him happy...?

        His fingers tighten in the lattice; he looks back to Akane.

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.


        Arriety is a comical mixture of raw enthusiasm and deflating energy, because as Pink Monsoon dies down. Curiously, unlike a lot of other people, the raw sexiness of the song doesn't seem to do anything to her, since physical sensuality just doesn't... seem to stir much within her, empathic as she is. ... which isn't to say the music doesn't inspire. Just not in the same way.

        The dark-haired girl just about flops onto the seat and sighs at Minae. "... I'm not sure how people manage to do that all concert long," she puffs up. She takes a drink from her bottle.

        "What do you mean by it's not responsible?" Arriety curiously asks Minae. But, then Liam arrives to greet them! She looks him over for a moment, catching note of the faint scars and the covered burn marks. "Oh..." she shakes her head. "No, I brought these from home. I had some left over from the previous concert."

        She rummages through a half-opened pack and holds them out. "Here, do you want some?" A pause. "Oh. My name's Arriety... Arriety Hearn." Look at that, Minae, she's proactively introducing herself!

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.

        Oh what a wonderful smell you've discovered...

        Anti's arrival was earlier met with a mixed reaction from Miss Manager. After all she was expecting something a bit more... Grand in meeting Alexis' young protege. And while Akane isn't exactly... disappointing, she does look just like a normal girl. Meanwhile one of her entourage looks like a poorly socialized boy and smells like he'sbeen rolling around in the dumpster. She's thankful the fans installed around the pergola provide more than just relief from the heat.

        Out of reflex more than concern, her eyes start to glow a brighter shade of purple as she engages a brief medical scan. After all it would not do for Major Lee to found out that she let Ranka get sick with some sort of weird interdimensional flu while under her protection!

        The glow in her eyes abruptly stops as her eyes widen. She quickly recovers, and her lips slowly spread into a pleased smile.

        ... oh yes things might get interesting indeed.

        Meanwhile, the virtual avatar of Grace stands amidst the blue-green glow of her cybernetic O.S., watching from Brera's perspective as he approaches the mysterious green haired girl who has tried to bluff her way back stage. It's not unusual for people - particularly the more aggressive of Sheryl's fans - to attempt this gambit. For now she doesn't feel a need to intervene.

        Still it is enough to split her attention so she isn't at all aware of what Ranka may (or may not) be keeping under her hat. Instead she just comments to Ranka, "Part of being an effective manager is not just maintaining the current fandom, but finding and exploring ways to expand to new fans. I'm sure Vector Promotions has been having you pursue unorthodox means of building your own audience, hm?"

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

There's a Sheryl Nome concert in Tsutsujidai! This occurrence is a surprising one for... a number of reasons, and Rikka's curious as to how and why they were able to arrange this. It's probably something she should be a little concerned about right now with everything that's been going on lately...

...But, concern is the furthest thing from her mind, because this means she gets to make up for a missed opportunity. While watching the concert live in Macross City had been an exciting and wonderful experience, there was a part of her that couldn't help but be a little... disappointed, that she couldn't bring her friends with her. Hass and Namiko didn't know the truth about the outside world, after all. But if Sheryl Nome is coming /here... that's a different story.

...Which means that when Rikka attends today's concert, she's joined by two other girls - the enthusiastic Namiko and the more subdued Hass, as they join the rest of their classmates that have gathered to see the show. They've had a good time all around. It's been nice - it feels like with everything that's been going on lately, Rikka hasn't really had a lot of time to spend with the two of them. There's something a little sad about that.

"Woo!" Namiko cheers, a single glowstick raised into the air and waving to the thrum of the music as Pink Monsoon starts up. It's an intense song, and Sheryl's performance is even more intense... but at the moment, Rikka's attention is a little split.

Akane... is dancing. It's nice to see her enjoying herself, especially after the way they parted yesterday. She might not be focusing as much on the concert as she should, at least, not until the music starts to subside, and...

"Hey." Hass says, giving Rikka a gentle nudge in the side with her elbow to bring her back to reality.

"Oh, uh... sorry." Rikka apologizes. She's trying to keep her own composure, herself, so she can't really blame Utsumi for trying to keep his.

"Yeah, she really is..." Rikka agrees. "It was definitely worth it to come today, right?" 

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto hears a voice apparently directed at him from outside. Turning to look, he sees someone wearing one of the staff uniforms for the concert. He doesn't recognize her... Though to be fair he hasn't been on the job for very long. Still, he's cautious as he walks to the truck's exit, standing there and looking down at the C.C. sitting on the nearby table, "Need to keep an eye on all aspects of the concert." Though, while he doesn't admit it outwardly, he can't deny that he got a little distracted.

        C.C. claims to not recognize him. Alto crosses his arms, saying, "I could say the same about you. Let me guess, you're new here?" Technically he is new here too. Though he's not about to say so.

        It's at this point that Brera suddenly appears behind C.C. like some kind of cyborg ninja, claiming she doesn't belong. Alto isn't too surprised, glancing past C.C. to his fellow bodyguard, "Let me guess, you loaded the entire staff database into your head and performed a facial recognition on her?" Man, cyborgs have it easy.

<Pose Tracker> Riku Asakura has posed.

Riku turns his view over towards Lina. "That's a line I haven't heard since I was a teenager," he laughs. "Though I'm not from a place like this, I'm from somewhere else! I just happen to live here."

Then he gets a lost Kaiju Child giving him the eyes and asking for a piggyback. He laughs and gives her head a ruffle. "Of course!" he says, leaning down so she can get on his back and helping lift her to his shoulders so she can see over his head. He also hands her his other glow stick, as he's going to have to balance her.

"Enjoying yourself, Nidaime?" he asks, with a grin. "This is a blast. I don't get to see many concerts!" 

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.


Anti... is different, the whole vibe of what she feels down to how he asks, but then again she doesn't think it's anymore unusual than how Tsutsujidai has been for her. Though, she has wondered if perhaps the Pergola is too close to a dumpster or something. She doesn't suspect him of that smell!

Ranka notes him staring at her with such intensity, and she looks back furtively to those eyes. Did she do something wrong? She shrinks into her seat as she mumbles his way, "Are you enjoying the concert?"

Thankfully Grace seems to distract away from the awkwardness of the situation by giving her something to agree to, "Oh I- yes of course! Elmo has been working very hard to expand my following. I was just a little surprised that Sheryl had any places... untapped for fans left."

Ranka's part of Sheryl's fan sites, so she has at least a decent idea of how widespread her popularity is. "If Tsutsujidai didn't know her well before though, then I bet they're all going to be big fans after today. Look at this crowd!"

Even as strange as this place might be, she feels a certain solidarity with the people here just for the energy at this Sheryl concert.


<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        As the crowds roar and cheer, Sheryl rights herself and rises to her feet, smile sparkling with professional pride at their joy. No break for her, though; the performance continues right into the next song with a jolt as the electric guitars of the opening riff to Sagittarius 9 PM Don't Be Late, one of her first songs along with Diamond Crevasse, resound. Spreading her arms out as the stagelights project an inky night sky strewn with the countless stars of the Milky Way, Sheryl bobs to her own beat as she calls to the audience: "Here's something to get your hearts soaring. The perfect date song for a rendezvous under the stars!"
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM5quxrQ_4I (Sagittarius*9PM Don't Be Late)
        
        As the guitars strum out a circular melody, gaining more energy and power with each repetition, the "stars" cascade down and swirl around Sheryl. For a moment, it seems she's stripped nude, her modesty barely protected by the shimmering as she extends her arms; then the sparkles that cling to her changing into her signature costume for this song: a gold-embroidered blue captain-like coat, double-breasted over her considerable chest; the sleeves at her wrists fold back red to show off her white gloves. A black choker belts around her neck, and a huge black belt--almost more like a corset--wraps around her midsection. A single drop earring dangles from her right ear, sparkling violet when the light is clear. Poofy blue slacks tuck into knee-high black boots, but the inside of her pants are cut out, showing off skin-tight black shorts. On her head is a matching blue cap with black visor, and her golden curls spill out freely from under it. She swings her hips to one side as she turns her heels, hair flowing around her as she sends a dazzling smile out into the audience. Then she brings her golden microphone to her lips and sings:
        "Inversely proportional to gravity, the glow on the fins is like a volcano
        "Do you know? My heart is beating..."
        
        Holographic stills of Sheryl whirl through the air across the concert hall, and Sheryl twirls with them as massive crystals begin to slowly float up out of and above the stage. Sweeping one hand to her side, she steps side to side rhythmically, pointing up and then bringing her hand down as if to aim for the audience. She shakes her hips, and the illusory crystals shine as they float around her, lazily spinning, until she strides forward and leaps into one--
        "If you slip and fall off the galaxy of fantasies, what lies below is a poison sea
        "Cross countless light years with a daring kiss; I'm hungry
        "Let's head for the next stage!"
        
        The crystal bursts, and Sheryl lands deftly on the stage before it. Her costume has changed into something far more daring than before: a strip of tight black material across her breasts, matching gloves and hot pants, and red suspenders that barely hold it all in place. Her hair is still loose and free, but it's a shade of violet now instead of her normal blonde. She pumps a fist into the air, then sweeps it back and forth as she dances and sings:
        "Carry me! Bring me on a date through the falling stars
        "Here is a rare challenge; let's ignite our ecstasy!
        "Fly higher! Your chest smells sweet
        "Leave it all to me; I'll make you feel better, trust me
        "Sagittarius 9 PM! Don't be late! Don't be late, lovely date..."

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

         "Oh, got a little one here, eh? Hey, sport!" While everyone's standing up and having the time of their lives, Lina remains seated. She probably can't see Sheryl too well at this point, but her closed eyes and swaying head show that she's still enjoying the concert. "Yeah, I don't get out to too many of these myself. Was lucky I had a gap in my schedule and an idol freak coworker who wanted a shirt."

         She finally decides to pull herself up to her feet, standing up to take a look at the fairy on stage. "What is it the kids say? Yack deculture?"

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        Minae hadn't spotted the wheelchair at first among the press of people, but the moment at which she does is very obvious. She perks up slightly, then her gaze flicks between several spots - the brakes against the wheels to ensure they're still safely in place, the ground around the wheelchair to make sure it's level, that the boy sat in it has everything he needs within reach. Once a nurse, always a nurse.

        Satisfied, she nods to herself as she moves across a little, covering the pair in case anyone decides to mosh a little too heavily in their direction. She seems completely unaffected by the heat but is also dressed much lighter than the younger girl next to her, a white vest and a long blue skirt. The exhilaration of the concert doesn't seem to have done anything for her - she's not breathing heavily nor looking particularly dazzled by the lights.

        Actually, it doesn't look like she's breathing at all.

        "Aw, sometimes people just like to let the music carry them!" she beams brightly in Arriety's direction as she waves the parasol one last time for emphasis. The lightsticks on top flick in unison, some of them turning off and others on to form a rough smiley face. "Of course, then some of them get super dehydrated afterwards, but I guess that's life."

        She watches Arriety introduce herself with a jolt of pride and a smile growing on her face. "Hehe, and my name's Minae. We've got plenty to share around." She doesn't ask if there's supposed to be someone supervising him; for all she knows, he made it here on his own. If she frowns at all, it's when she imagines trying to fit a wheelchair back onto the train home. The station didn't exactly look all that accessible.

        She takes the opportunity to scan the crowd between songs, as she's been doing for a while now. There's a tiny frown on her face, but it dissolves again as she looks back to Arriety and smiles. "... it's hard to explain, but it feels a little bit like we haven't asked permission." 

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

"Ehehehehehe...!" Nidaime giggles like a maniac. "Me neither! Thanks Riku...!" She is hefted up pretty easily. She is not a heavy gal (not at this size). Mass is a suggestion.

She feels his presence but is having difficulty spotting him amongst all the glitz and glamour and PEOPLE. She is not used to seeing so many human beings of so many shapes, sizes, and natures...

A new song starts up. She can almost see her, her mother flitting from love song to love song. Can Sheryl feel her singing along? Dancing along? When a fairy dances and sings, there's bound to be spirits joining jn.

"Cross countless lights with a daring kiss; I'm hungry! Let's head for the next stage!" Nidaime sings along, eyes scanning, searching.

Can he see mom? Feel mom? Sometimes its like only Nidaime thinks she's really there.

She waves the glowsticks, using her legs to hold onto Riku.

"Tsutsujidai doesn't get many concertd like this these days... It is a dream come true. But it's real..!" She tells her compatriot with all the excitement of any tween.

<Pose Tracker> Sho Utsumi has posed.

Sticking close with Rikka, Namiko, and Hass, Sho nods vigorously between songs. "Definittely. Everyone's having fun. I even saw Shinjo dancing..." Not that he'd ever say anything to her.

As the next song starts, glowsticks go up a gain. "Woo!" Except now she's affecting as nude. Oh no.

Sho's gonna die.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

A mutual acquaintance... oh, of course. Despite her unassuming demeanor, this must be another friend of Alexis's. He sure is well-connected... if he really suggested this in the first place, he's kinda spoiling her! It makes her feel... honestly, kind of ungrateful, after all her messy feelings about how things have gone with Renais. He always works so hard for her.

"Well, I'm pretty impressed!" Akane answers, truthfully. "I wasn't sure how I was gonna feel about it, but Rikka really talked her up... she's really good." Ranka's comment about Sheryl not being well-known... well, best to play it careful. "This is a pretty nothing kinda ward. People aren't always up on this kinda stuff. I'll get out of you guys's hair, though. I've got a lot of concert to take in!"

'Shiranui' gets a brief wave, as Akane starts to make her way toward her classmates again.

She arrives, is about to say something to Sho, Rikka, and Rikka's friends, and --

(Earlier: It was definitely four someones.)

"Hey! We saw you out there dancing a little bit ago and you looked super great!" comes the enthused comment of a man... probably in his early to mid 20s -- certainly the better part of a decade older than Akane, at any rate. "And that other girl from your class is a streamer too, right?" Here, a look to Hass.

One of his friends notes, "We should totally get both of them on stream with us some time. Arcadia could use a couple guests!"

Akane pulls out her phone, doing her best not to look especially enthused. She snaps off a quick text, offering a, "Ahahaha, I guess Tsutsujidai does only have a few Internet celebrities, huh --"

Marusan's phone beeps. She glances over. Unfortunately, by the time she does --

"Ooh! Nice icon -- Alien Hothton, right? Super nostalgic." He does an admittedly passable impression of Alien Hothton's characteristic "Gyerk-heh-heh-heh-heh..." as he leans on Akane's shoulder a bit, subtly reaching over to tilt her phone toward him so he can get a better look

... except that Akane's profile picture is Super Nalgus.

Akane grimace-grins, laughing out a, "I just kinda picked whatever... I wasn't really looking," twitching slightly out of that uncomfortable position. She glances down at her phone, and --

"Oh! Oh look at the time, it's curfew -- if I'm not home in the next 20 minutes or so, uh, well... my guardian's probably gonna..."

Akane starts moving with a little urgency -- and then rather a *lot* of urgency. She is Exiting the Park. Whatever she was going to say to her classmates is definitely not getting said.

She *does* make sure to route past Anti, though, as the next song kicks up. She gives him a quick whisper -- only audible to him alone amid the din of the concert:

"Check your phone."

She's gone, a moment later. Anti's phone, meanwhile, reports:

If a Vessel of Light shows up, handle the situation. I'm counting on you.

The college boys, meanwhile, look at each other for just a moment. "Uh, wow. That's a real early curfew... her guardian must be pretty strict. So anyway, about getting you to show up on our stream..." ... They're back at it with Hass, apparently. 

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        Liam got one of the better wheelchairs, at least--the ones designed with personal autonomy in mind. The back is high enough to support him, but not high enough to get in the way, and there's a battery built in beneath the seat in case manual control doesn't work out.

        "...I see," Liam says, glancing between Minae and Arriety again. "They're an optional activity?" He makes note of the way Arriety wilts as the song dies down. He takes another sip of water, thankful for both the sunscreen he applied--advice from the same security officer who'd given him the clothes--and the food and water he brought along with him.

        It's miserably hot and muggy out. Notably, unlike most everyone in the audience, Liam isn't sweating at all.

        The young man eyes the offered glowstick, his face settling into an expression of severity. After a moment of deliberation, he reaches out to take the glowstick. "Thank you," he says. "Be sure to remain hydrated; humidity makes it harder for most to thermoregulate efficiently." That faint, struggling smile reappears. "I have additional water if either of you need it." He looks eighteen--nineteen at the absolute most--and he definitely does not carry himself like a teenager, or a young adult, or a soldier.

        And it's with some hesitation that he offers his name, though it's more of the contemplative look he gave the glowstick. "Liam. Pilot. Good to meet both of you." He doesn't tell them the number, though. Past experience has taught him that civilians will likely react... oddly to that. Are these civilians? Something seems off with Minae, but he can't put his finger on what.

        Liam finishes the CalorieMark, stuffs the wrapper into the storage bag, and removes another. Plastic wrap crinkles. Bright blue eyes, ever alert, watch Sheryl as much as they watch the others, taking in the spectacular visuals.

<Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.

Yikes, is Brera imposing to suddenly show up. He definitely makes C.C. freeze up for just that fraction of a second, before she shoves her way past that paralysis. One short, deep breath. Avoid getting caught up in a lie. Modern security's tough, and this is an organized outfit. The gig's up, so adapt to it.

        "...haihai, you've got me. Thought I could pass off as a local hire and sneak in to figure out what's going on. It works for the little podunk concerts and events here. Been in this very venue several times before. That's what makes this so weird."

        She stands up, caaarefully complying with Brera's insistence, tipping her hat upwards. No idea yet if this guy's armed - Alto did just imply he's some sort of cyborg, so for all C.C. knows, he's got a .50-caliber folded up behind his wrist.

        "...I -am- a class rep here in town, and I make it my business to keep other people out of trouble. And like...nothing has ever happened on this scale in Tsutsujidai. Something about 'outsiders'. Usually just one or two. But...this?" She gestures to the overly radiant, overly lavish event.

        "...are you gonna be able to do me the dignity of explaining why some self-proclaimed intergalactic idol's making such a scene here?" 

<Pose Tracker> Riku Asakura has posed.

Riku laughs a little at Lina, "Nah, not mine! She's uh..." a pause, "Friend of the family so to speak! I'm a friend of her father's," he makes an effort to hold onto Nidaime's legs so she doesn't fall off. Though it seems like she's giving him absolutely no trouble at all. "Wow, she's a very daring artist...or maybe this time is a bit more open than what I'm used to," he says out loud, without thinking.

"Oh, a shirt for your coworker? That's nice of you! Though getting tickets for just a shirt...that's really nice of you!"

Riku smiles at Nidaime's excitement, happy for someone feeling good. It's nice to put the tragedy of what recently happened behind him. "Well hopefully this won't be a first for our idol here!" he says to her. "She's an amazing singer!"
Nidaime has connected.

<Pose Tracker> Anti has posed.

        Is he... enjoying the concert...?

        Anti looks over to Sheryl, as she tells them not to be late. He doesn't answer Ranka's question, for a long time. It might seem like he forgot, or he just ignored her.

        (He is searching for Nidaime, in the crowd. Perhaps he could even find her. Perhaps --)

        He looks to Ranka, again, now the song is distracting everyone.

        "I..." A word like a plough through the earth, solid and churning, "like music..." It is a thing he drags from himself, a thing he dug up for himself, a thing --

        Akane didn't give him --

        And a thing which trails to nothing, as he orients to Akane, head turning to look to her as she passes him. He nods, to something or another. Perhaps he recognises her.

        He pulls out his phone; he reads the message, with that same intense scowl. He puts his phone away, and shoves his hands in his pockets, turning away from the section of the crowd where he last glimpsed Nidaime.

        Not today, he thinks, with resignation.

        Not today, he thinks, with trepidation.

        Not today. Not today. Not today...

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.


        "I'm not exerting that hard and I already feel dehydrated in this weather..." Arriety answers, very much the picture of a spacenoid who still is getting owned by hot days and heat fronts and rain and lightning and what have you. Liam's wheelchair reminds her of when she needed one a long, long time ago, fresh off her accident... but it's enough of a memory to let her know he's got a good one -- not one of those nasty hospital ones.

        "Yeah, it's just a way to show your support... one of them, at least," Arriety answers. When Liam takes a glowstick, she motions to her own one and bends it. "So you want to bend the center of it, as if you're going to break a pencil in half... that makes the stuff inside mix and glow."

        She blinks a few times, though, when he starts talking about thermoregulating. "Ahaha... yeah, thank you. I think I'm good right now... oh--" She looks a bit confused. "Pilot? Like a... plane pilot, or a mobile suit pilot?"

        A hesitant pause. "I'm kind of one myself, but I'm still considered a civilian. It's... a weird thing I have right now." 

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

         "Pfft, well, she's paying for everything, so I'm gonna get her a lot more than a shirt." Lina shrugs and chuckles. "'Sides, it's not like I ain't enjoying myself. Sometimes it's nice to know just what it is that you're fighting for." The smirk disappears from her face from just a second before curling back up.

         "Damn, it's getting hot in here, and I don't mean the lady on stage." She slips off her jacket, wiping a bit of sweat off her brow and leaving her in her sleeveless top. "Though she's no slouch either." 

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime looms to Nidaime for a moment and smiles at her. "Hi! I'm the Second!" uh. Well it is an introduction, maybe.

"Eheheh... Sheryl Nome is a BIG DEAL." Nidaime boogled it (its sci fi trademark innocent google!). "I'm a big girl too." She bobs her head excitedly at Lina--

She looks around a bit again. She searches for Anti and this time...this time she finds...

The back of his head. Nidaime's excitement dims some for a spell.

She kicks her legs back and forth a bit from atop Riku

"I guess he didn't notice me." She murmurs to herself. "Or maybe he's busy..."

She sounds a bit sad about that even in the midst of such a joyful day for her. Somehow she manages both. 

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.

If it would make Lina feel any better, Garrod *is* a kid by almost any standard, and *he* doesn't know that expression. Yet.

One song wraps up, and the next begins - a beginning that even Garrod has heard, this time: a 'preview' of sorts, a sample of what to expect at the concert. And the lively rhythm brings a lopsided smile to his face, even as he inwardly scoffs at the 'date night' line from Sheryl. There's only one girl he'd want to go on a date with, and crowds aren't a good place for her.

Garrod actually does start dancing again as Sheryl launches into one of her oldest hits, and a glowstick seems to just appear in the green-haired boy's hand, toggling through colors until settling on one which matches the predominant lighting. Even joining in on the dancing, though, Garrod's still alert, glancing around to keep his bearings relative to the crew,, and noticing a couple of familiar-ish faces in the process. It's the latter which draw his attention when it wanders away from Sheryl's flaunting ...

And Garrod finds himself gravitating towards where Riku and Nidaime are chatting with Lina.

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.


'she's really good.' "It sounds like you're a new Sheryl fan in the making! In which case, welcome! As a fan of Sheryl since the start... we're happy to have you!" Ranka replies back to Akane. "Oh I see! And no no you weren't bothering..." Yet Akane is already gone. All the same she smiles as she thinks of how many fans Sheryl might be making tonight.

Ranka can't help but get drawn into the next song, it's hard to maintain a conversation during a Sheryl concert! Though she keeps one eye on the booth as she doesn't want to be seen as rude. Sagittarius 9 PM - Don't be late, just is that kind of song that draws her in.

(Though the same could be said of all Sheryl songs for her.)

Watching the illusory crystals burst, and Sheryl dancing so wild and free... but that one eye directs her back to Anti. 'I...'

Ranka blink blinks as she looks back Anti's way... unsure what to expect.

'like music...'

Ranka looks momentarily stunned, and then her reaction couldn't be more opposite to what it was before. Suddenly she puts her hands together with this bright toothy smile, as the sides of her hair just lift in delight.

"Do you like Sheryl's music? What's your favorite song so far?"

His eyes might be on his phone, yet she's still asking him these question.


<Pose Tracker> Riku Asakura has posed.

Riku laughs a little at Lina, "Ahh, gotcha," in regards to her coworker. The comment about enjoying herself gets his smile to lessen just a bit. "Yeah.." he says, for a moment, remembering the situation with the giant robot. What was going through the man's head...

"I understand, it's important to remember what it is you do things for!" he says, the cheerfulness returning. Commenting on the heat, he shrugs. "It is a bit warm...in fact has been summer the entire time I've been here."

Riku laughs at Nidaime's comment about Sheryl being big, and Nidaime's own size. "Yeah, I got a...lesson today so to speak. Though I don't know Nidaime, she might be bigger than you," he teases just a little. Though he pauses when she mentions him.

He looks towards where she is and see's the back of Anti's head. "Oh do you know them?" he asks her. "We could try getting his attention?" he says, with a grin. He does notice Garrod making their way over, "Hey Garrod, enjoying the show?"

<Pose Tracker> Brera Sterne has posed.


Brera barely looks past C.C. to address Alto. "Knowing who is and is not meant to be here is a crucial component of security." Advice? Scolding? Just plain stating facts? Brera doesn't have the tone necessary to read into it -- or has the tone to read whatever Alto wants (or doesn't want).

But Alto's right, cyborgs do have it easy in this regard. Especially, presumably, ninja cybrogs.

It is C.C. that demands Brera's current attention, because, again, not authorized. He listens to her attempt to adapt, bluff, and excuse impassively, then:

...are you gonna be able to do me the dignity of explaining why some self-proclaimed intergalactic idol's making such a scene here?

"No." Well. It's honest.

"Come with me." He motions for C.C. to follow him and waits to see that she actually will. "I am authorized to use any means necessary to protect the venue."

Sheryl's beginning a new song. It's appropriately within the schedule. There is nothing else notable about it, as far as Brera can recognize.

It isn't for him. But few things are.

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.

        ... though Grace would never admit it out loud, there is something nostalgic to sitting together with Ranka...

        A long time ago, a scientist with lilac hair and purple eyes sits at a computer feverishly typing away. She rewriting the code for the fold wave communicators being used in the observation bay in an attempt to prepare for their newest test protocol based on previous results. As per usual this sort of work falls to her - the most technically minded on staff - to perform most of the heavy lifting. Meanwhile it's Dr. Mao who goes over the results and map out the Fold Wave program analysis in broad strokes...

        ... sometimes she feels like her lab assistant, rather than her colleague. It's a burning ember of indignity deep in her chest that is only interrupted by the feeling of something ice cold pressing against her neck!!

        "RANSHE! I told you not to sneak up on me like that!" The young scientist jumps, turning to look at woman with long green hair in a lab coat while wiping at the back of her neck with one hand. Ranshe meanwhile is laughing while holding a soft drink bottle - the offending object - out before her for Grace to take "You had that serious scowl on your face again. I thought you probably needed a break. It's going to be a long night so I figured I'd get some Chinese food for us."

        Grace sighs... try as she might she can't be mad for long as this woman's bright, unassuming smile. She takes the soft drink, but says "Actually, we should be able to get home early. I'm almost done." With a small amount of pride she hits a key on the keyboard. A strange song starts to play over the speakers in the observation bay, and a few small insectoid creatures turn to the speakers and begin to wave their antennae with the music. Ranshe gasps with joy, "Grace!! I can't believe it, you're a marvel! With you we'll have the network mapped in no time at all!" In excitement the green haired woman throws her arms around her colleague in a hug...

        ... it's all bitter ash now though. Whatever joy, whatever pleasure, she may have felt in that time has instead been burnt out of her. And in being forced to remember these old things she feels an echo of resentment towards Ranka too. Without thinking of it, Grace reaches a hand to her own stomach and closes her eyes.

        'Sagittarius*9PM Don't Be Late' starts playing, and Grace allows herself a pleased smile as she regards her young protege on stage. Her gaze then turns back towards Akane as she speaks, the smile turning patient as she nods her head, and then a bit guilty towards the end. "Oh, not at all, Miss Shinjou. Please feel free to enjoy the show however you like."

        While Akane wonders off she then watches the exchange between Anti and Ranka. Grace merely laughs politely, "Well you're in the right place for music. Though let me know if there's anything else I can do to make you more comfortable. You can even check out the food and drinks, if you like... but... ah!" Miss Manager produces a bottle of hand sanitizer. A LARGE bottle. "Please use this first, if you don't mind."

        From there she watches curiously the conversation between Akane and the four older boys. Hm. Well based on what she knows she doubts she'll need to intervene. Still it's a bit of an uncomfortable looking situation - one made only more uncomfortable looking at Akane suddenly moves away from the group and back toward the pergola quoting something about a curfew. That ... is strange. Given this concert was in part planned for this meeting she would have thought their mutual acquaintance would have made her aware of any timing issues. But oh well...

        Alexis is pretty flakey, after all.

        Meanwhile Grace is still watching the interaction between Brera, Alto, and C.C... she hmms softly. What an odd question to ask.

        <Brera, bring her to the private booth before returning to your standard security algorithm. I'd like to ask her a few questions.>

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

         Lina chuckles at Nidaime's comments, completely unaware of the girl's true nature. "Yeah, you're a big girl, huh? Ah, kids." It seems like she's returned to her normal sense of cheer. Don't have to worry about company stuff until at least tomorrow, Leen.

         She raises a brow and turns to peek at Garrod, giving him a silent nod. 

<Pose Tracker> Anti has posed.

        Somehow, Akane can tell that a Vessel of Light is going to appear... and Anti has to handle the situation. Of course he does. It was always going to come to this. Gridman is not the only Vessel invading their world. It was only a matter of time until...

        Ranka looks delighted. Anti does not.

        Though -- being fair -- his intensity hasn't much wavered since he arrived here, so who could tell?

        ... Akane is counting on him.

        Because Akane is counting on him, Anti has to... Anti has to...

        '... and if the music stops?'

        '...Mama would cease to exist.'

        Anti looks up, at the stage, and the girl in her strange outfits. Sheryl... that's her name, he thinks. That's who this girl is asking him about.

        "Yes." He replies, after a long pause.

        His gaze, but not his head, turns to regard Grace in turn. He looks at the bottle of hand sanitiser, and back to her.

        "All right."

        Anti picks it up, unscrews the pump, and takes a drink of something which is mostly alcohol. It's quite glurgey. It's extremely ill-advised. If a human were to misunderstand things like this, they'd need to go to hospital. Anti...

        Anti just kind of makes a face, and hands it back to Grace.

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto feels a little attacked by Brera's comment. It's not like Alto didn't know that. And he DID actually study the staff list. But in his defense, he is just flesh and blood unlike SOMEONE here. Brera might not be willing to give an answer, but Alto will, though probably not one C.C. likes, "Sheryl Nome cares for all her fans." That's all she gets. Partly because Alto is trying to keep from saying anything that might be misinterpreted. Partly because he's not entirely sure why either.

        As Brera proceeds to escort C.C. away with some insistence, presumably either back to the concert or off the premises, Alto calls out, "Don't go too hard on her. The last thing we need is a news story about concert security harming one of the fans." Alto is... Not entirely confident that Brera wouldn't end up doing something like that. He definitely falls into the category of Serious. Adding Dangerous to that, it's not a comforting combination.

        Alto sighs as he turns back to return to watching the security screens, muttering to himself a bit, "Just can't work that guy out..."

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime smiles at Lina. "mmhmm! Very big!" She sticks her tongue out briefly at Sheryl being bigger than her. "Maaaybe." Though, of course. in some ways Sheryl Nome is gigantic so Riku isn't really wrong. She glances over to Garrod and waves to him with a glostick.

She quiets some when the topic turns to Anti. Lyjng is a discordant note against a tapestry of music, a dissonance unparalleled. She could say lots of things about Anti but she doesn't want anybody thinking he is a bad guy.

Because he isn't a bad guy.

It's better with both in.

"Anti..." Nidaime says. "He's..." How does she put this? "He is a good boy." She says eventually. "Best boy. I want to protect his heart from all the stuff that's bad for the heart."

She shyly looks down. "u...umm... eheheh..." To the matter of getting his attention. "Maybe..." 

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.


There's so much that Ranka has inherited from Ranshe. Maybe not her keen mind for academics... but even beyond the superficial characteristics, it's obvious how much she takes after her. Ranka is of course oblivious to Grace's relationship with her mother. She's oblivious to her mother. She does not remember one single thing about her.

Save a singular song that she cannot connect to memory, only someone else present at this concert.

'Yes.' And... not much comes after, Ranka supposes he must be shy, so she puts herself out there. "Well it's nice to meet another Sheryl fan. I'm Ranka Lee by the way."

Ranka gives a look at the large bottle of hand sanitizer. Is Grace very fastidious about that kind of thing? Suddenly Ranka reaches beneath her beret and into her bag. Giving something within a scritch, she brings out a small handful of sanitizer from a bottle she feels out and rubs her hands together.

Looking across the table at Anti, she sees him drinking out of hand sanitizer. "Um..." Then looks back between Grace and him, putting a hand up to her mouth.

Is this something other teenagers do??? To get drunk??? Fast??? Ranka seems mildly scandalized, before she says quietly in wonder. "...Tsutsujidai teenagers are so adventurous."

That's definitely a polite word for it, but she doesn't want to offend him!


<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        "Yup," Minae nods to the way in which the boy in the wheelchair sums the situation up. "You don't have to use them if you don't want. Or you can use them in whatever way you think is best. Either-or, really! It's all about how you feel."

        The robot catches herself at about that point. She hadn't really meant to fall into into a lecture like that, but something about Liam's cadence - not to mention he's currently sat in a wheelchair turfing down CalorieMates like no tomorrow - activated her protective nature and left her falling back to common habits.

        "Oh! Thank you, but I'm alright. I don't really need water or food or anything," Minae bobs her head with a bright smile, and holds position for a moment as if she's done this sort of introduction before. It takes a moment to spot, but her eyes are unblinking - and the pupils are distinctly mechanical. "I'm a Super AI, you see. I'm here to help make sure Arriety's okay, and just enjoy myself too!"

        She bobs her head along with Arriety. "Ah, I'm sort of a pilot as well, though I guess you'd say I'm more of a support role," Minae notes afterwards as she straightens up. "I'm really a civilian counsellor more than anything, who just happens to be able to fly a plane. Sometimes, with just my mind."

        She hesitates, as the song catches her attention. "Goodness," is all she notes, not sure if she should approve or not when there are schoolchildren around. Arriety's delicate eyes...!

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

"Sheryl's concerts always have this kind of energy." Rikka replies to Sho, suddenly speaking as if she's an expert even though she's been to only, like, one of them. Hass and Namiko share a knowing look at this, but it doesn't last long as the music starts up again. The three girls' attention turns to the stage. It's another good song, and even Rikka manages to get into it a little this time, cheering right alongside Namiko.

As it concludes, Rikka notices Akane heading back their way. She's about to wave and say hi, when suddenly...

"Hey, is that Arcadia?" Namiko points out. Hass's attention immediately turns that way, her face mask doing an excellent job of hiding her interest. "It is. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, it's not like they'd miss an event this big... Wait, aren't they looking this way?"

Rikka raises an eyebrow, looking their way.

"...Who's Arcadia?" Rikka asks. Namiko and Hass whirl on her immediately. "You mean you don't know!?" "Don't you watch their videos?"

Before Rikka can respond to that she glances over toward Akane, frowning a little at the way one of the Arcadia crew leans on her.

Akane leaves... and soon enough, their attention is on Hass. As a big fan, she's excited by the attention.

"Really!? Are you sure? My audience isn't that big, but-" Hass starts, but Rikka puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Wait, isn't your schedule getting a little full? Sorry, I don't think we'd be able to fit it in..." Rikka says, taking over. She glances, briefly, to Utsumi for back-up, as Hass shoots her a glance... but doesn't immediately correct her.

"Come on, Rikkaaaa, how could you pass this up!?" Namiko complains.

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        As the music shifts after the first chorus of Sagittarius*9 PM Don't Be Late, Sheryl winks to the crowds. A seeming galaxy shimmers outwards from the floating crystals, expanding outwards endlessly. Sheryl spins her hand up and around, as if gesturing for the audience to get even more hype, as her outfit shimmers back into the captain-esque costume. She spins as she croons to show off the jacket coattails; then as she faces the audience again, the starlights burst outwards and cling to the ground. She thrusts an arm out, then sweeps it back to her forehead and past the curve of her cap and waggles a finger as she dances:
        "What's unforgivable is your false destiny
        "Beauty is but a fleeting miracle
        "A moment of romance melts and is soon followed by regrets
        "In this weightless state, my feet do not reach the ground..."
        
        Sheryl points outwards and dips into a bow; as she rises, she sweeps her hips back and forth as she gestures broadly as if to encompass all the world. Bringing her arm back around in a point to all the audience, the blue of her costume heats into a sultry wine red, and she locks in dead ahead.
        "This universe is filled with my feelings
        "My heart is throbbing, I want to give you my love!"
        
        An explosion of glittering light bursts out from Sheryl as she thrusts her fist into the air, missiles sailing out from behind her as if she herself was firing them out from her own body. They sail into the audience and erupt with the outlines of pink hearts, golden stars, and blue diamonds, no bigger than the size of one's palm. The stardust from before rises as life-sized versions circle around Sheryl herself as she sweeps across the stage, and pulled in her wake, it seems as though she's creating a new galaxy of her own that spreads out to encompass not just the concert hall, not just the block, but seemingly the entire city:
        "Take it! It's a freshly-picked pretty chance
        "Don't try so hard to hide it, just break the barrier
        "Fly higher! The charming part of you will then expand infinitely
        "I'll make your heart beat faster, trust me
        "You are a Virgo? Fascinating!"
        
        As the guitars and strings pound out a frenetic instrumental, Sheryl grabs hold of the side of one of the floating crystals, and as if affected by her very touch, it's then swept up in the expanding vortex of stars. It brings her out to sail over the audience, the crystal reflecting her image up in the air and down across the floor as if to project her to both heaven and earth. Sheryl herself sails alongside the crystal, further and further out with each revolution, as she croons a wordless cry into her microphone. As it whirls, the crystal rises until it's well above the audience; then as the music slows, so does the crystal, turning a quarter-turn to bring Sheryl up on top of it and let her seat herself atop it.
        "Ooh... even if I get hurt...
        "The future of my love and life is not gonna say good-bye!"
        
        At a casual crawl, the crystal orbits as Sheryl smiles knowingly down at the crowds. Then the music spins up and so does the crystal, sending her up into the air in an abrupt burst. "Carry me!" she trills, and then falls as her costume changes back into the black-strip suspenders. Shooting stars carry her down as she sings to land on a seeming throne of stardust, and she bounces off and lands on her heeled feet:
        "Bring me on a date through the falling stars
        "What a rare challenge this is for today's time; let's ignite our ecstasy!
        "Fly faster! At the speed that my feelings travel!
        "They will spread infinitely; I'll make your heart beat faster, trust me..."
        
        She strides forward, brilliant in all meanings of the word as she smiles to the audience. Sparks of light and green triangles float up around her from the stage, the center of a galaxy she created herself. Her arm arches to one side, then the other, then cuts straight up as she sings with immeasurable passion:
        "Fly faster! We'll pass through time; how deep is up to you
        "I'll make your heart beat faster and give you my love
        "Sagittarius, 9 PM! Don't be laaaaate!"
        
                As the closing instrumentals of Sagittarius*9 PM Don't Be Late wind down, Sheryl waves to the crowds and the zig-zag of their glowsticks, the golden microphone in her hand almost like a road flare. She might not be able to hear any spirits singing along with her songs, but she can at least hear the audience at large. That's for certain.

<Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.

        "Wow, seriously a buzzkill-type," C.C. muses at Brera, locking eyes with the cyborg intently, unflinchingly. "But I guess you might not know what's going on, if you really are that type. I see that stern-ness, you're definitely the sort who just listens to what your orders are a bit too loyally."

        A slightly catty smile crosses C.C.'s lips. "It can't possibly be any fun, can it?"

        She turns to finally follow Brera along out of restricted areas - unwittingly, on her way right to her proper initial contact she sought. Before she goes, though, her fingers wiggle in a little wave goodbye at Alto. "If we leave you alone in this booth, you won't get too worked up to contain yourself watching Sheryl, will you?~" 

<Pose Tracker> Sho Utsumi has posed.

Things might be going on, but before the next song starts, Rikka looks to Sho for backup. He gives a 'why me???' look, before relenting.

"Yeah, you've been pretty busy..." He says, trying to think of something on the spot and failing, but hopefully it gets these weird older dudes to go away. Namiko might be mad, but, hey, they're high-schoolers. They don't need to get caught up with college creeps.

As the next song starts, the glowsticks go back up. That's why he's here! 

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        "A chemical light," the young man says, nodding as Arriety explains how it works. Once he's finished eating--a fastidious yet efficient exercise--he picks up the glowstick and snaps it along the midline. A good shake to mix the chemicals, and it lights up... bright blue-green, a notably different color than the lights he was forced to use during his meager survival training.

        "I was--" Liam catches himself. "I pilot a variant of Mobile Suit, though I'm trained on AMBAC, MULS-P, and Arm Slave controls." His brow furrows. "...'kind of?'" It's like the concept is honestly baffling to him.

        Then--

        'I'm a Super AI, you see,' Minae says, and Liam's eyes light up. He doesn't say anything, but the tension is plain on his face--like he wants to say something, but can't, because it would give too much away.

        "You look human," he says, as he looks at the ground. Embarrassment--shame?--ties a knot around his heart, and lights up his cheeks with a brilliant red.

        The glowstick. He's not using it. Liam focuses on it like it's the most important thing here, fumbling it into his hands. He starts waving it, his arm moving with a jerky back-and-forth, like a primitive machine trying to keep pace with a human limb. Nervousness. Compulsion. This is a behavioral tic, and not a small one.

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.

"Hey, Rick - no ... Riku, that was it." Garrod is at least socialized enough to realize he messed up somebody's name, and winces apologetically as he corrects himself. "And yeah, this is pretty good! Coming wasn't really my idea, but some cr-- some friends decided it'd be worth the trip."

Yep, Sheryl is apparently famous enough to bring 'out-of-towners' to visit for the concert's sake. That might not be good news for some people, but the production staff probably don't care who buys the tickets as long as they get bought.

Garrod also nods, in between beats to some extent, to the woman he doesn't know (Lina), and spares some attention in curiosity as to what's got Nidaime distracted. "Didn't interrrupt anything coming over, did I?" the green-haired boy asks, possibly ready to sidle away through the crowd again.

<Pose Tracker> Riku Asakura has posed.

Even as the song goes into full gear, Riku continues to listen to Nidaime. Though he does have a chuckle at her expense when she says maybe at the size of Sheryl. Though when the topic turns fully to Anti, Riku has a grin on his face. "Sounds like you have a crush on him," he says, with a chuckle.

Riku thinks about how to do this before he nods. "Well, standing around doing nothing won't get us anywhere!" he says and starts making his way towards Anti. "We'll be back!" he says to Garod and Lina.

This is, of course, Nidaime on Riku's shoulders heading for Anti. "Hey you, in the scarf and the white hair! Your friend wants a word with you!" he says brightly. 

<Pose Tracker> Brera Sterne has posed.


Grace receives an understood from Brera as soon as she issues her order.

Brera is as unflinching as C.C. herself, but there is a telling subtly to his poker face that those used to looking for such things might glean: there is no effort to mask emotion. Nothing has been provoked to hide... except for the smallest flicker in his empty eyes, struggling to exist more than it's struggling to not, when she taunts him on the matter of fun.

The concept is too foreign to understand what she's getting at.

Alto shoots his own warnings to Brera who only pauses half a second to look back at Alto before continuing. That was, hopefully for everyone including Brera himself, an acknowledgment of Alto's incredibly good advice that Brera will definitely follow instead of following the cyborg instinct to violently pin problems.

"Do not run off again." He wordlessly leads C.C. to Grace's private booth as directed. If C.C. thinks it's weird that she's not being lead to where the general audience should sit, Brera is unhelpful in providing an upfront explanation.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Akane gets back to her room at the literal first unobserved moment she has. Finally, something unambiguous, something easy, right? She glances over to the mostly-finished kaiju statuette sitting on her desk, lazily rolling a piece of clay between her hands. Just one last tentacle, and --

"I wasn't expecting you back for at least another hour," comes Alexis's familiar voice. "Did something bad happen at the concert...?"

Akane considers how to play this... and decides to go for it with a smile. She can push down how she feels about having heard Anti enjoying himself. Having heard Ako and Marusan talking between numbers. About...

"Yeah," Akane says, with a shrug and a slightly sardonic smile. "You know how it is! Dancing like *that* always brings out creeps and pervs." Cracking her knuckles as she finishes affixing that flexible tentacle to her new toy, she affirms, "So you know what that means! Cleanup time~ I'm counting on you, Alexis! Let's show 'em what we've got."

"Oh, of course. You know how happy I am to give you a chance to express yourself," Alexis affirms. "Is Anti in play tonight, though? You may want to take precautions... he does have a tendency to go off your script, doesn't he?"

Akane lets out a small sigh, then says, "I already told him that if a Vessel of Light shows up, he's gotta handle the situation," Akane says. Before long, she's back to smiles, though: "Let's do it~"

Alexis chuckles. "Very well."

"Instance Abreaction!"


This time, there's no immediate crash of a kaiju entering the city. No reflexive sense of dread for Newtypes and other such creatures of the cognitive, of the empathic. The only thing that signals that anything is amiss is that after Sheryl's next song completes, things seem to get just the tiniest bit foggier. The effect is subtle... for now. It honestly might just be a test of the fog machine for a future number; nothing to worry about... yet.

Marusan and Ako approach Rikka, Hass, and Namiko, glancing between them and Arcadia. Marusan gets a little closer to Rikka, and asks, quiet enough that only the girls probably catch it, "... Did we miss Akane?"

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

         "Darn, didn't even get to hand out my card. Boss'd lay into me for that. 'Networking, it's all networking, Lina!' Sheesh."

         Lina flops back down in her chair and goes back to jamming to the music, leaning back a bit as the vibes wash over her. 

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.


        "Remember when I was... eight, and I refused to eat, Minae?" Arriety brings up to her counselor-slash-guardian. Conflicts of interest, ahoy. "The CalorieMark bars remind me of that. I think you found a brand of granola bar I'd eat, and then I ate that for two weeks until I got sick of it and wanted something else."

        Minae introduces herself as a Super-AI, which brings Arriety on edge a little because she hasn't quite ironed out that the chances of there being cartoon kidnappers with burlap sacks around the corner is pretty low.

        She stops to take Sagittarius*9 PM Don't Be Late more, though; she likes this song. There's a message in there, about making your own internal universe bigger...

        Even if it hurts, don't say good-bye. Don't burn your bridges, don't tuck yourself in; keep letting it spread and spread.

        She's not sure when she started appreciating lyrics like that.

        Liam explains that he can pilot a variety of suits. "Wow..." Arriety sounds stunned. "Oh, um... well, I was just a regular high school girl until a kaiju attack in our colony left me in a mobile suit cockpit. The kaiju tried to eat me and it ended up... fusing together with the Gundam? So now it's keyed to me and I can't just leave it, since--"

        As if on cue, a foot-tall Bean-shaped bug DROPS from above onto Arriety's lap and knocks the wind clear out of her.

        Myrme's mouth is also absolutely FILTHY with the stink of processed cheese, chili and greasy fries. She's got a full basket of it in her tiny stubby hands too.

        "Arriety the chili cheese fries are AMAZING," Myrme gurgles. "Hey, who's your new friend! I'm Myrme!"

        "...where did you even... find chili cheese fries here," Arriety whimpers. 

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.

        Well at least the boy has some manners...

        ... Grace just watches in silence as Anti unscrews the top of the offered hand sanitizer, and takes deep pull from it. If she had not performed the earlier medical scan she might be worried for the poor boy's health. After all... even an ALCOHOLIC wouldn't take a drink from a bottle of medical alcohol like that, much less be able to survive it.

        Instead he just makes a face and then hands the bottle back to her. Grace hms, "Thank you..." before taking the bottle back. She pauses to analyze the bottle's contents and make a mental note of just how much he had imbibed...... well that certainly proved an earlier hypothesis at least.

        Meanwhile Grace notes Ranka's shock at Anti's behavior with regards to sanitizer. For her part the secretary gives a long-suffering look followed with a resigned shrug - the sort of thing she has well practiced from having to indulge her protege's most abrupt and outlandish of demands. "Must be one of those local 'Challenges' people used to do. Even as a talent manager focused on growing and maintaining one's audience though... I wouldn't recommend it. There are healthier ways to achieve a few extra clicks, after all."

        Her eyes turn back towards stage as Sheryl performs the second half of her song. Merely letting the sound wash over her.

        ... though as usual her attention isn't merely on paying attention to the show alone. As per usual she is multi-tasking, and one such task is monitoring the fold waves being produced on stage. As Fairy-9 progresses the waves she produces become stronger. Unlike her attempts earlier in life to use code to create music to modulate fold waves in a way that Vajra would react to, the method of producing the waves through singing is much more direct... much more intuitive, and effective.

        At a price.

        Grace's lips curl in a way that seem less kind and more smug, but this expession melts as she takes a moment to glance at Brera and C.C. Her eyes regarding one of Sheryl's body guards coolly before she gives him a slight nod. She then provides a friendly wave to them both as if to try and reassure the girl that she isn't in trouble.

        ... she might be in trouble.

        "I have a small bit of business to attend to." She says to Ranka, "Just typical concert management things. Feel free to get some refreshments as well."

        ... then something strange happens. A light fog rolls in. Grace can't remember there being a stage call for fog in the next performance. Is it a local weather phenomenon? Or has someone back stage started a fog machine on the wrong cue? Well it's barely noticeable yet. Still she sends a message to the Tech Booth to make sure someone didn't hit the wrong switch...

        'If a Vessel of Light shows up, handle the situation. I'm counting on you.'

        "But don't wander too far." Grace adds to Ranka. "I did promise to give Major Lee regular updates, after all." Her voice a bit apologetic. 

<Pose Tracker> Anti has posed.

        "..." Anti says, when Ranka introduces herself. Is he... always this intense? It doesn't seem that he's eager to introduce himself in turn.

        Something is bothering him, and it isn't the thing-which-definitely-isn't-food in his stomach. A challenge, Grace calls it; Anti thought it was just a drink in a strange bottle.

        The Vessels of Light...

        Do they appear without prompting?

        Whenever Gridman and his allies have shown up... it's always been because Anti or another kaiju was attacking. They're reactive to the point that Renais had to lure Gridman out, for Anti to be able to fight him.

        (He thinks, for a moment, of the contrast between this reactivity and the phrasing of Akane's orders, telling him to respond if they appear. It's so hard to defeat them, when he has to lie in wait for them to show themselves... he thinks of this, and then puts it aside, deprioritises it in favour of his current problem.)

        Caught in the gears of the machine which grinds them all to dust, Anti turns, hands still buried in his pockets, as he hears someone call him out. Wait, he thinks -- that boy --

        The Second.

        Anti's eyes widen, seeing Nidaime, all riding on Riku's shoulders. "She's --" he says, again, more pressure to the word.

        Sharply, he turns away. His head ducks; his shoulders hunch.

        No.

        He doesn't... want to look at her, if something like this is bound to happen. He doesn't want to... he doesn't...

        he doesn't want to.

        It's so simple, Anti thinks. If he doesn't transform, the Vessels of Light won't appear. If the Vessels of Light don't appear, Anti doesn't have to ruin the concert. It's not as if they're all Gridman, after all... so he doesn't need to take every opportunity to defeat them.

        He takes a breath. Straightens up. Turns back, to Nidaime, and to Riku.

        "The Second," he recognises her, with his typical intense brevity.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Utsumi gives a 'why me?' look... but he does help out, and Rikka appreciates that. She'll have to remember to thank him for that later.

"...Yeah, sorry, I forgot. I've got a lot to do. Another time?" Hass says, making that that. She doesn't know why Rikka has her guard up, but... she trusts her judgment as a friend. Namiko relents, too, playing it off with a shrug.

At this time, Marusan and Ako approach. Rikka offers them a smile, and when Marusan asks her question, Rikka nods.

"Yeah, sorry... She left pretty quickly." She replies apologetically, lowering her voice so that only they can hear over the crowd.

With all of this her attention's been drawn away from the concert, but at least she can still hear the music, as inspiring as ever. 

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.

"Don't let me keep you," Garrod says idly to Riku and Nidaime. Another polite nod to Lina, and then Garrod's on his way back towards his crewmates. He might detour in search of some munchies, or maybe extra souvenirs.

Whatever he might turn his attention to next, he *does* join in the applause after Sheryl finishes her current song. He might not be whooping out loud or wolf-whistling or anything that noisy, but nothing stops him from clapping with the crowd.

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        "I do," Minae confirms with a nod, and her smile is nothing if not completely patient. "I was created to help with counselling and nursing, so my design was based around making sure patients could be as comfortable as possible. That's a bit hard when most of the Super AI around are in big stompy robots with lion faces," she adds with a bright grin. "It's alright to have not noticed, but-- ah, by the same token, I apologise if it's a bit of a fright. I promise, I'm pretty harmless."

        "I'm quite old, though, so I've had a lot of time to get used to human behaviour. Nowadays I help look after Arriety and her friends, together with some of the pilots on the ship I'm on." She smiles a little wider; she's aware of Arriety's worries over what might happen to her if she reveals who she is, though Minae doesn't really have anything to offer in return except ongoing evidence.

        "Aah, I remember that. It was around when we first met, too, so I felt kind of bad about it in hindsight. It wasn't my proudest moment, even if I didn't mean it at the time," she muses. "I remember thinking CalorieMark looked too dry--"

        She's interrupted by a Myrme dive-bomb. Again, it's hard to take her by surprise - but with half of her thoughts perpetually spinning plates on the nature of Tsutsujidai, it doesn't take much to glance at the bean on Arriety's lap, then look up at the kaiju in the distance, comparing the two. Something about it makes her pause; for a moment she wonders about the level of fog in the area, but then discards the thought. It's fog, after all. It's not like it's uniform.

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime promptly covers her face with her hands after Riku's 'assist'.

But not for long. She splays out her fingers, peeking between them.

A fog starts rolling in. Nidaime is oblivious. "Nuh uh." Nidaime tells Garrod, snffing a couple times. He smells familiar but she doesn't immediately recognize him. "Are you friend shaped?" She asks but her eyes largely focus on Anti in the moment. Not interrupting exactly, but in the lull of the concert...

He spotted her! Nidaime feels a pounding sensation in her chest like a bass drum going off the chain while maintaining rhythm.

And then....

He turns away. For a moment the world falls away. Did she do something wrong? Should she have been...quieter? Kept her big smile invisible upon eye contact?

While Anti's back is turned to her, Riku feels someone, someTHING step beside him. A young woman, maybe in her early thirties, late twenties...with short black hair and a pink yellow and white dress with a darker violet treble clef on it...she rests a hand on Riku's shoulder. It is like half there.

She doesn't say anything though she does smile at him. There.

And when Anti turns back around--he first says Nidaime's name--but after a moment he might recognize the Compoid looking back at him, and smiling at him too like she knows him.

Nidaime hasn't seen her yet. She says, "Anti...!" spritely. "You came to the concert! Are you having fun?? It is super big! I've never seen so many people enjoying music at once! My mom is so happy..." She beams. Then, a faint blush.

"I'm really happy too. To see you." Her heart is light again.

"Nidaime..." The Compoid murmurs.

Nidaime turns her head, eyes wide. "Mom...?"

Perhaps mom is letting the Galactic Fairy be the music for the time being so she can see her daughter again. 

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        "Thank you! Thanks so much, everyone!" Sheryl calls to the audience and their applause, sparkling under the spotlights as they shift to a neutral white. The summer heat of Tsutsujidai is oppressive, but she seems to barely notice; she's always working up a sweat while dancing on stage, and besides, there's a bit of a fog on the fringes of the stage. A little odd, considering there wasn't any fog during her last performance, per se. Maybe that's what the 'galaxy' translates to once the holograms are done. Still a little odd, though, since her outfit doesn't shift just yet, so she's still dressed in what is functionally two strips of black leather with only a pair of red suspenders to hold them in place.
        
        Well. Technically, she's dressed in a form-covering silver holograph suit, but it sure doesn't look like it to the crowd. The crystal drop earring that hangs from her right ear is real, though; anyone familiar with Sheryl would know it's an iconic piece of jewelry for her, that she never takes it off. ...except for the fact that it used to be a pair, as earrings usually are. Where did the other earring go? Hmmm... where indeed?
        
        "Are you all having fun? I know I am!" she continues. "We've reached the intermission, which means we're already halfway through the night, but there's still plenty of excitement left for all of us!"
        
        If excitement isn't a good thing to drum up in Tsutsujidai, Sheryl either doesn't know or doesn't care--maybe a little of both? But then, she's not the only one who decides where she goes while she's on tour. It's Ms. Manager, Grace, who's got the final call on those things. She's the one who actually negotiates the venues, after all. Who exactly did she negotiate with to get a venue here? Good question! That's something Sheryl definitely doesn't know. All she really knows is that this town is apparently in a parallel dimension or something like that, and that was more than fascinating enough for her to agree to add the spot in, even though the global tour was otherwise already set, and she'd be in a completely different part of the world and have to double back to get there. So much the better for the locals; so many of them seem to be enjoying it, and she revels in their enjoyment. ...hm. That fog's drifting further in, though.
        
        "You've all been such a fantastic audience. Earth is still incredibly new to me, so there's a lot of cities I don't know anything about, but this one's been really special so far," Sheryl continues, not yet noticing. Grace told her to be discreet about other dimensions since apparently most of the locals don't actually know anything like that is going on, so she doesn't specify why it's special, but she wholeheartedly means it. Where else can you go where kaiju are part of the skyline? "It's like there's an energy here you can't find anywhere else." She laughs and adds, "A chill energy's still energy, after all--and good to have, with all this heat!"
        
        Though that fog really does have a weird chill of its own clinging to it, and it's drifted in to cover most of the stage at this point. Sheryl opens her mouth to keep addressing the audience, only to finally blink and glance a little to one side to spot the curling tendrils of mist. For a split-second, her expression tightens; the more empathically sensitive members of the crowd might catch a flash of anger. But she has it on lock an instant later, and she projects a smile to the crowd. "So for now, I'll let you guys cool down a bit until the next number. See you again real soon~!" She winks and blows a kiss to the crowd, then steps backward to sink into the fog as if that had been the planned move all along.
        
        In truth, it's anything but. Once she's sunk out of sight, Sheryl moves quickly to the backstage, reaching up to the receiver in the collar of her hologram suit. Once she's absolutely certain she's transmitting to the backstage crew and not the audience, she demands, "What is going on?! Who set off the fog machine at a time like this?! I can barely see back here, and the next number's not supposed to have that anyway!" 

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto sighs with some relief as the song comes to an end and the concert goes into a brief intermission. He turns away from the screens, walks over to a chair and slumps down into it for a moment to rest. He's been part of security contracts before, escorting transports through open space. This is... A lot harder. And more exhausting. Even though it's mostly been a lot of standing around. Of course, this isn't open space when you can usually spot someone coming from quite a distance away. And you've got a radar and threat assessment system to notify you of it.

        Alto's brief respite is unfortunately interrupted by an irate Sheryl over the radio. Alto stands up, moving over to the stage technician monitoring the stage equipment, "What's the status on the fog machine?"

        A bit of typing and the technician then confirms with some confusion, "It's in standby mode..."

        Alto frowns a little. He looks to the screens still showing footage of the various drone-bound cameras focused on the stage. And sure enough, he can see the fog billowing out onto it. He points to it, "Then what do you call that!?"

        The technician obviously sees it too, starting to get a little panicked in fear of getting fired for screwing up. He's tapping on his console rapidly now trying to figure out what's happening while saying, "I'm telling you! The system says it's in standby mode. There shouldn't be any fog!"

        Well, that guy's useless. Alto starts to walk out of the truck, tapping the headset over his ear, asking, "Has anyone got a view of the fog machine? The tech says it's in standby mode, but we need to... Double... Check..."

        Alto trails off a bit as he finally steps outside the truck, only to see that the fog isn't just creeping out onto the stage, but also starting to form all around them. With some concern, Alto wonders over the radio, "Did anyone check the weather forecast for today?" It doesn't seem like it's the fog machine after all... But then what is it?

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

The fog builds in earnest, now. Where before it had been just the tiniest little bit of possible inclement weather, it's *really* rolling in now. Enough for Sheryl to be concerned about, certainly.

Something moves in it -- just barely perceptible, coming from not *too* terribly far from where security has gotten set up for tonight. A keen eye -- a pilot's eye, if you will -- will notice an oh-so-concerning shape: a tentacle, writhing slowly toward the stage.

<Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.

The fog gradually settles in. It's not a thing C.C. notices is awry - that much could easily be part of the performance.

        Ever so faintly, there's the slightest notion that something is 'off'. It's not a thing C.C. notices is wrong - she is, after all, in the grips of security. She's focused purely on modulating that - on keeping herself in the clear.

        "Don't you worry one bit. I'm a natural when it comes to being where I'm supposed to be." Confusing the poor Brera is really what C.C.'s a natural at.

        She's brought before a familiar face - one she just observed not a few moments ago. Tipping her hat forward, her gaze gets a little more focused on Grace O'Connor...and she takes a step forward.

        "...You were talking to Akane-chan, weren't you? ...Yeah, I just stopped by to say hi to her here. Looks like I missed her...this never did seem like her sort of scene." Her lips press together slightly finely, assessing Grace's posture, her demeanor, that way that she seems...sharp, yet laid back. This is a woman who definitely -is- in her element here.

        "...I take it you're some sorta head of security? ...Ah yes. Best to introduce myself. ...Shiranui Shirome. I'm one of Akane's...not one of her classmates. Only seen her on a few occasions. At the same school though. Sorry to be nosy about this whole fancy event you've got going on here, but my curiosity gets the better of me." 

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        It's difficult to match the rhythm of the crowd while interacting with the other two, but Liam tries. They're both priorities. Minae's presence reminds him of someone he left behind when he fled.

        'I was created to help with counselling and nursing--'

        And Liam's eyes grow wet as the words tear into him and memories spill out. A voice from a monitoring terminal, reading a science book to him because he wanted to know how far up space was.

        Liam takes a breath, and focuses on Minae's face. She's different. Liam keeps breathing, even as the fog rolls in--it merely registers as 'a shift in the weather'--and looks between Minae and Arriety. "A kaiju?" he asks. That's... bizarre. But then--

        Liam jumps. He can't really do this in a wheelchair, but the shock is plain on his face, and his hand darts for a knife holster that isn't there. Breathe. Not a threat.

        "It talks," Liam says, eyes still wide. But the fog keeps getting thicker. Liam doesn't quite come down from state of alert that Myrme--however accidentally--triggered. "What's... what's happening?"

<Pose Tracker> Brera Sterne has posed.


Arriving at the booth, there is not merely Grace, but Ranka. Brera stops.

Fun, C.C. had said. What is and what isn't. ...Is Ranka having fun?

Even as the fog rolls in, he's watching her. It takes too many seconds to jerk his head up, viewing the fog. That isn't part of the performance. He double checks his memory data on that, and all of him goes on alert, scanning the crowd for dangers he can't identify. This is not unheard of concerning his information on Tsutsujidai, but Brera is not here to brush anything off as harmless. (As C.C. can now attest.)

Sheryl helpfully confirms it further: this is not supposed to be happening.

What he should do is rush backstage to assess the situation and do his job making sure one Sheryl Nome is protected from whatever dangers may be threatened with these abnormalities. But the rising sense of threat roots him in place with hesitation. Ranka is here in the audience. But why does that matter?

<Pose Tracker> Riku Asakura has posed.

Riku notices that Anti looks away from her at first. It's...definitely a mood. He's been where the boy is, pushing others away when he shouldn't. He's going to be patient on this one because usually, they come around. Though he can hear the fear in Nid's voice, he gives a leg a pat, and then makes an oof, sound so that he moves to first get her off his shoulders, and use his hands to catch and make her trip to the ground soft right as Anti turns around to address her.

The music falls away right as he feels a touch on his shoulder. Something about it felt like it was only half a touch. He turns to look at a woman he's never seen before but has a familiar look to her. Though Nidaime's excitement gets his attention back. Oh good, that didn't end as...awful as it could have. It brings a smile to Riku's face.

'Mom...?'

Riku turns to stare at her, eyes blinking. "Wait...her mother is..?" a pause, now what's going on here? Why did she feel like she was only half there? Was she...there the whole time? Riku remembers when Nidaime had mentioned her mother, but he thought she meant the music...thinking that maybe it was her way to fill a loss.

"Uh...well nice to meet you!" he says, despite the situation being what it is. He brings his hand to scratch the back of his neck...but then something moves. His eyes sharpen, as he looks around him. Of course, now of all times, something would rear its head. Calm down Riku, he thinks. It could be a trick of the fog.

The fog was getting thicker, it definitely wasn't part of the show.

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.


Ranka tries to focus back in on Sagittarius 9 PM but she finds it harder than usual to focus on anything between the contrast of the music and paying attention at the table, as she puts a hand to her forehead some reason exacerbate the problem in an unexpected way.

She truly has no idea what's been wrong with her ever since she came to Tsutsujidai with Grace Maybe it's that Yuliana has her spooked, jumping at shadows.

So for a time she just tries to focus on the conversations at the table alone. "Oh. Ohhhh!" Ranka replies to Grace, "That makes sense..." Before she leans over to Anti over his phone to get a glimpse, "Are your followers watching? I hope you got a lot of likes for that..." Honestly she actually hopes the opposite, so as not to enable him, but if he's going to do a dangerous challenge hopefully he at least... got something out of it.

Grace though announces she has business to take care of. "I understand. I'll be here when you get back Grace."

Ranka does sink into her seat though at the idea of Ozma getting regular updates though. It's so embarrassing! She wishes he wasn't like this.

Before she looks over to Nidaime and declares, "Anti was just telling me how much he likes music - and Sheryl." She only got that his name was Anti from them though, but she's not trying to

'Though maybe you should monitor his drinking problem'... no she doesn't actually say that.

Ranka claps as Sheryl rolls in the intermission... not noticing the fog rolling in...

... and then Ranka catches that flash of anger from Sheryl that cuts through the strangeness of this place like a knife, it stuns her.

"I wonder if something happened..." She mumbles to herself... sounding worried. Though as she starts considering actually getting up for some concessions... she just happens to spy Brera not too far from the booth, she just gives him a small wave... he's working after all, so she doesn't want to distract him or interrupt him more than that...

... as she's utterly oblivious to the idea that she could be in danger right now.

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.

        Riku and Nidaime's approach to the pergola also do not pass unnoticed by Grace. Particularly when it seems to be indicated by Anti that he knows at least one of them. And what an odd trio they make. Are they ... compatriots of his? Servants of this world's God?

        ... and then there is a fourth.

        'Nidaime...'

        'Mom...?'

        "Ah, do you all know each other? How nice to know Miss Shinjou's friend has so many friends of his own." Miss Manager says, signaling a bit of relief with her face and voice, "I was worried a boy with an intense... stare like his might have trouble making friends. Anyway my name is Grace O'Connor, I am Sheryl Nome's manager, and this young woman is Miss Ranka Lee - an intern with Nergal Industries who has been helping provide support for us during our tour of the Earth Sphere. Please feel free to stay for a bit during intermission and help yourself to some refreshments."

        ... she considers giving the three a quick scan as well. Unfortunately though in between the fog rolling in, and Brera approaching with C.C.... or rather Shiranui Shirome, she doesn't have time.

        "Brera." Grace's voice is soft, but there is a stern edge (no pun intended) to it. "It would seem the tech booth is having a bit of trouble with some local weather. Perhaps go back stage and ensure Sheryl's needs are being met, while I take care of things out here? We might have to change a few things up after intermission, after all..."

        Her gaze then turns to regard C.C., and she gives a soft chuckle, "I suppose you might call me that as well? A pleasure to meet you Miss Shirome. I am Grace O'Connor, Sheryl's manager. I got the impression you had concerns with the show, or our choice of venue? I was just hoping you might be willing to share the reasons for those concerns with me..."

        Once again Grace's eyes start to glow as she performs a basic scan of C.C. to ensure she's not carrying any sort of explosives or weapons.

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

         Lina, unfamiliar with Tsutsujidai and the significance of the fog, stands back up and stretches out a bit, making her way out to the merchandise table to get the bounty that she came here for. She was getting a bit tired anyway, she figured she'd get the goods and turn in early before the next part of the show.

         "Train ride back to Nouvelle'd probably have me in after midnight if I stuck around anyway..." Finally noticing the fog, she waves a bit of it out of her face, letting out an annoyed grunt. "Come on, it's intermission, turn off the effects already!"

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.


        Myrme seems completely unaware of the state of alert she's inspired in Liam, continuing to gobble down the basket of chili cheese fries with aplomb -- then pops that plastic basket in for good measure. Hey, at least she's not going to be polluting? Myrme's good for the planet, y'know.

        "That's all right. The important part was finding something I wanted to eat..."

        She looks to Liam and notices the tension, reassuring, "Myrme... will behave. If not, you can spray her with a spray bottle, and that'll get her to behave."

        Myrme makes a strangled noise of 'HOW COULD YOU BETRAY ME LIKE THIS', but she's got too much fat and potato in her mouth to protest.

        But then Arriety herself pauses as she notices the fog rolling in thicker and thicker. Sheryl's keeping a cool game face, as she bids farewell for the intermission, but there's a sense of unease radiating with her extrasensory perceptions.

        Then she spots something writhing, so deep in the fog, something tentacle-shaped.

        "It's going to happen again..." Arriety murmurs to herself, her eyes looking kind of glossy, like she's far away. "It's going to happen again, isn't it?"

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        This fog is really' not normal. As irate as Sheryl is, she has to slow her roll--both figuratively and literally--as the further in she walks, the thicker it becomes, the point where she can't even see her own feet. Considering there's still the back half of the concert left to go, she's got no choice but to walk extra-carefully at almost a crawl's pace.
         
        Which is irritating in its own way. She needed to get a water bottle to rehydrate and refresh, too. As cool as she presented herself on stage, this place is godawful muggy and she could really use a drink.
        
        Alto's voice comes on over the staff line. Sheryl frowns. "This is absolutely not 'on standby,'" she says curtly, essentially agreeing with her bodyguard. She reaches a hand out into the haze to feel her way forward--there was a table nearby with some bottles, she spotted it on the way in--and as long as there's some kind of technical error going on, she'd better get the chance to rehydrate in.
        
        A tentacle slithers in the same direction through the fog, its silhouette no more than a shadow that Sheryl doesn't yet see... Until she closes her hand around a grooved plastic bottle and tucks it under one arm to open it up, as she's still holding her (now-muted) microphone and can't use that hand to twist the cap off. That sinuous shadow falls over her. She looks to one side in time to see its source loom above.
        
        Sheryl screams, sharp and shocked, as she instinctively jerks away. The violet crystal in her earring glows softly as it swings in time with her, transmitting her fear to somewhere... 

<Pose Tracker> Sho Utsumi has posed.

Well, that solves that. Hass, Rikka, and Namiko get a nod, as Sho looks at the growing fog. As it goes on...Sho sees Something. He moves to grab Rikka's arm, turning to the other girls.

"I need to borrow Takarada. Be back in a bit." He'll let them speculate (he's not even thinking about it).

Once they're out of earshot, he points to where he last saw the tentacle, also looking for Riku. He struggles in the crowd, so he grabs his phone and shoots him a text message.

<"i saw something in the fog. not sure what. we should get ready in case something happens.>

And then, he speaks to Rikka. "I'd like to not be paranoid, but the fog grows and then there's shapes in it? I've seen enough Tarabaman to know this is a classic kaiju attack trigger." 

<Pose Tracker> Brera Sterne has posed.


Grace snaps Brera out of his thoughts. "Understood," he tells her, a second too slow. It's another second before he turns and hurries his way back. Imperceptible to most, but seconds can cost everything. This is a problem. He will have to analyze it later. Just as he has tried before with no answer.

Sheryl screams, and Brera moves faster.

"Alto, what is your position?"

Closer, hopefully.

<Pose Tracker> Anti has posed.

        It takes him a moment to place the Compoid; Anti is used to dismissing the Repli-Compoids of Tsutsujidai underfoot, after all, so the resemblance doesn't catch at his brain for a moment.

        Particularly given his attention, on Nidaime.

        "Yes," he says, simply, to everything that pours out of her. Yes, he came to the concert; yes, he's having fun; yes, it's super big; yes, there are a lot of people enjoying themselves; yes, her mother must be happy. All these things are true, and so she gets only that one word, out of him.

        But she blushes -- she says something else --

        "I wanted to be here."

        It is not, entirely, that he wanted to see Nidaime. That he wanted... but maybe there's more than one way to express these things. Riku isn't wrong, to notice how delicate he is, bird-hollow bones and uncertainty. It's buried under his scowl, to be sure, but... well, these things can be terribly familiar.

        He looks back to the Compoid, alongside Riku, his brow tightening in momentary confusion -- and then he nods, to her. He doesn't interrupt Nidaime any longer, though. He...

        ... he wants her to be able to speak to her mother face-to-face, since it seems she's not able to often.

        But Ranka starts muttering, and Anti's attention orients on her again, head turning just so. "No." He tells her, firmly. "It isn't necessary today." Even if that fog is rolling in...

        His hands tighten to fists, in his pockets.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

The tentacle strikes. Its whole weight comes down on the stage, smashing it; it's a good thing Sheryl noticed, or she might be a Sheryl pancake -- though it doesn't actually seem particularly oriented on *her* at this stage...


"Oops! Hey, soft wrong target, but that's fine," Akane says, kicking her feet gleefully at her desk. "Maybe it's good if Sheryl gets spooked out of performing here again, right?" She giggles, noting, "Tsutsujidai doesn't really need a whole ton of this kinda stuff anyway. Anyway, c'mon, get it together! You have four targets! Figure it out!"


Four targets, but only two tentacles. Cruel to set Gonglee up for failure like that. The form emerges from the mist fully, now -- a metallic... almost like a scorpion's tail with a mouth on it, perhaps? That metallic-silver sheen is split down the middle with a faintly pulsing red, though. A pair of tentacles extends from either side of its body; one of them lashes out into the crowd with a dull thud, smashing into... mostly nothing, honestly. The second has slightly better luck, lancing out to leave Imai -- one quarter of Arcadia's stream group -- smashed then and there.


"Oho... an ambush kaiju. You've really gotten your head around this, Akane-kun!" Alexis enthuses. "In a situation like this, I think I'd prefer such an indirect fight myself..."

"I know, right? I was kinda hoping I'd be able to pick them off one at a time, but... this is fine." Even if she *did* just interrupt the concert.

... then again, maybe that's a good thing. Anti doesn't need things Akane can't offer her. Rikka and Utsumi can see as many concerts as they want anywhere else, now that the walls are so far down. It's for the best.


Now, you would think this would leave Gonglee momentarily defenseless -- and attackless, at that. Two tentacles, an awkwardly placed mouth. That's it, right?

A third tentacle sprouts from the bright red ball, lancing out at top speed for yet another member of noted local microcelebrity group Arcadia. He can cling to the ground, but... only for so long.

The good news is that *now* Gonglee is... probably out of tentacles not massively overextended, for the moment. 

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.

Intermission? At first, Garrod doesn't understand what 'mission' Sheryl's talking about, but a quick word with one of the Freeden's hangar techs clears it up: it's not a 'mission,' just a break from the concert, a chance for people to take care of stuff.

In Garrod's case, like checking for munchies or souvenirs. He already has a few glowsticks - one he's been using now and then, one to give to Tiffa when they get back to the Freeden, one he might try taking apart to see how the insides work. On the other hand, the implication is that there's still as much concert left ahead as they've already been here for - and it feels like it's been long enough that things should be wrapping up, not just taking a break.

Oh well ... or at least, that's what Garrod's thinking as the fog becomes more noticeable. Sticking close to the Freeden crew seems like a really good idea at this point.

"Roabea, next time you tell me not to pack for a concert ..."

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.


Alto is glancing around as he slowly starts to walk for one of the nearby trailers. Something about this doesn't feel right. He thinks he catches sight of something in the fog... Shit. This might be bad. Alto starts into dash, quickly reaching the trailer. It looks like a different design to most of them, wider and with a long seam down the center. Alto jumps up to the side door of the trailer and smacks his hand against the door panel. It opens and he quickly slips inside.

        It's a little dark inside the trailer, Alto's eyes taking a moment to adjust. But the silhouette of his variable fighter, lying on its back in its humanoid mode, comes into focus. Climbing into the cockpit, Alto settles in to the waiting Ex-Gear inside, before pressing a button and causing the cockpit to slide back into the machine's chest.

        Alto is flipping switches to bring his VF out of standby mode when the earring hanging from the necklace beneath his flight suit glows with a soft blue light. Alto can't see it but he pauses for a moment as he feels... Something...

        Is it... Fear?

        But it's not his...

        Sheryl!?

        'Alto, what is your position?'

        The trailer splits open and moments later, the VF-25F Messiah blasts into the sky. It quickly transforms, sections of its torso splitting up and rearranging into it's half-fighter, half-humanoid, GERWALK mode.

        The Messiah blasts in towards Sheryl's position, Alto crying out as he moves his gunpod sights over the tentacle that had hit the stage, far enough away to not hit Sheryl, and fires. Warding the tentacle away with gunfire, Alto swoops down and lands close to Sheryl, his machine leaning down close to her and canopy opening as he calls out, "Sheryl! Are you okay?"

        A quick glance around, briefly staring at the large monster that has emerged from the fog, and it's clear that the situation has gone VERY bad. So Alto makes a decision, carefully maneuvering the free hand of his VF to scoop Sheryl up and raise her up to the cockpit, "Climb in. I'm not leaving you out here."

<Pose Tracker> Riku Asakura has posed.

Riku's phone goes off, and he reaches in to look at it. He gives a text back to Sho.

'sawit to
somethin over here happin'
goin try somethin
get to safety first
I'll distract'

Riku's head snaps up, bowing to Nid's mom. He turns to Grace, "Get the word out for people to evacuate.." he looks at Nid, "Can you take care of your friends?" she knows who he is.

And what he's about to do. He suddenly bolts, but not away from the monster that just burst onto the stage, but towards it. The fog will cover his tracks, and the crowd will be going the opposite way. He pulls the Z-Raiser out from his coat pocket.

A flash of light and a portal open up, but he's through it quickly.

Moments later, on the other side of the fans and towards the stage a glowing figure rises. Until it takes the form of Ultraman Geed. He runs forward, aiming to try and throw himself right into the face of the beast, trying to gain its focus so it won't aim at the people...which it seems to be doing right now.

With the 'Hyaa' sound of an Ultraman, he throws his back into it.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

The music winds down, and Rikka's attention turns briefly back to the stage as Sheryl thanks the audience and announces the intermission. All the while, though, a fog begins rolling in. It's even covering the stage, now.

"...Maybe we should go sit down until intermission's over. I'm feeling a little drained." Hass suggests. Rikka nods.

"Yeah, I-" She starts... when suddenly, Utsumi approaches, grabbing her arm.

"Whoa! You two don't have too much fun now, you hear?" Namiko teases with her signature cat-like grin.

"Shut up." Rikka replies with a roll of her eyes, allowing herself to be dragged off by Utsumi... who, once they're far enough away, brings up his suspicions. Rikka frowns.

"...Yeah, I... hate to say it, but I've got a bad feeling about all this, too." She admits. He knows kaiju more than any of them, after all... she should trust his judgment. "Let's call Calibur and the others - assuming they haven't already noticed..."

They've always been more an in tune with the presence of kaiju - with any luck, they've already been alerted to it and are on the way.

Especially since all hell is beginning to break loose! 

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

         Lina stops dead in her tracks as the creature appears, eyes completely wide.

         KaijukaijukaijukaijukaijukaijuSHIT IT'S A KAIJU GET AWAY!

         Completely abandoning all intent to purchase, she joins the crowd of evacuating civilians. "Shit! Of all the times to leave the Alto at home!"

<Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.

        C.C. absolutely notices that Brera's given pause from her poking and needling. The tension he carries suddenly...it makes her purse her lips. There's never any reason someone becomes something like this that's positive, that much C.C. knows. The firmest iron is that which has weathered the most hellish flames...and if un-tempered, it'd snap.

        The glowing of Grace's eyes certainly catches her attention. Of course she's immediately alarmed - there's certain eye-glowing that activates her deepest analysis! ...but this isn't that power. It's something else, thankfully, and she breathes a sigh of relief.

        "...It's unusual, that's the main thing." C.C. jerks a thumb back over her shoulder to Sheryl's performance. "You're clearly one of those 'outsiders'. This is a place very disconnected from everything else...and if you've organized an event this elaborate, you clearly know that. Ya know? This place is too sleepy. We're all used to that here, so when something this crazy rolls into town, it's a little bit suspicious, yeah?"

        Feigning being a resident of Tsutsujidai has its advantages...if that scan Grace performs isn't the sort of thing that can pick up on the differences between herself and one of the people who come from this place.

        ...The disquiet amplifies. The fog thickens. And the scream emerges from onstage, making C.C. whip around and see that shadowy tendril assailing the star of the show. "...How did I miss a thing like-!" The sensation fully hits C.C. by now, inducing a sudden throbbing headache - one that gratefully passes. She's close to falling over right atop Grace, but before such a thing can happen, she pushes away. This location is at the edge of the chaos, and people are liable to be fleeing in terror at quite a pace, leaving anyone caught in the throngs vulnerable.

        Instead, C.C. almost immediately blows her cover that she's just some sort of average resident of Tsutsujidai, and makes a shockingly agile jump upwards into the supports of this booth, then upwards to more secure ground, hopping onto all sorts of structures that definitely were not meant for human traversal. Cat Mobility is one of her first instincts to getting in a position she can -actually- leave from.

        ...Oh look at that, it's Ultraman Geed! Briefly, C.C. calls out, "Sorry about the other day, it was nothing personal-!", in reference to the Darklops attack that Riku absolutely shouldn't associate with some strange green haired girl running atop something she really shouldn't be running on, but it makes her feel better getting that off her chest. 

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        "Hello, Myrme," Liam says, though his voice is a little hollow, and extremely tense. His eyes dart about, and his fingers twitch against the armrests of his wheelchair. Of all the times--! he thinks, and he wonders if he could get up and investigate without injuring himself. If he could get these three out of the way. If the parasympathetic routines could help him power through the pain long enough to do something, anything. "Understood, Arriety. I don't have one. Will bottled water--"

        Sheryl screams. A moment later, something smashes into the stage. Liam sees something else rise up, and a scream of "RUN!" rips from his throat. He can do no such thing. His eyes trace the tentacle, and his thoughts drift back to those awful tongues in Jophiel's gullet. He reaches back in his mind, and--easy as flipping on a light switch--he toggles the parasympathetic overrides. Several of the bystanders--teenagers--stare in horror. "GO!" Liam roars at them, and his heart hammers in his chest. Both of his hands reach down to pull off the brakes, and Liam shoves, putting a surprising amount of muscle power into getting himself between the civilians and the stage.

        They're scared. For lack of a better comparison, he's trying to herd them away from the thing trying to kil them.

        Then, engines. And-- "Alto?" It doesn't make him feel much better. He should be in a Bushnell--his Bushnell--and fighting.

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime's first thought when Anti looked back was 'Chibi was right. I shouldn't have doubtrd him.' She understood that but in the moment...

Ranka speaks about Anti, eliciting a faint giggle. "I like Sheryl too." She smiles at Ranka. "Do you like music too? Singing?"

Nidaime's mother...Unison... gives Grace the saddest of smiles, almost something akin to pity. A strange reaction but she doesn't seem entirely... No words from her.

"Mom mom mom!" Nidaime hops off of Riku to hug her mother. "Mom mom mom! This is Riku! And you've sung to Anti! And and that is...some ladies I don't know! And I'm so happy to see you..!"

She embraces her mother tightly. Anti allows her this moment. Another gift from him though this time it isn't returning something that had been on loan.

"I am glad," Unison says. "To see you with these eyes. I have a moment thanks to the Fairy..."

She gently ruffles Nidaime'a hair. "I'm glad you are making friends." She tells her.

"Yeah they're all the best friends." Nidaime agrees.

"And you have been behaving with Miss Sayla, yes...?"

Nidaime'a cheeks redden guiltily. "...Mooostly..."

Unison brushes at Nidaime's hair. "And you have grown so much... I'm proud of you, my dear Anosillus..." She looks like she is about to say more.

But there is a scream. And the stage is smashed. And the music--the music as a location, as a state of being--Its presence shatters in and instead gives way to fear, chaos, uncertainty, and terror. Far from music, as easy as that. A distant memory, in an instant.

With a spark, Unison vanishes. Nidaime panics like a girl who has lost her parents in a grocery store.

"Mom...?" She asks. "Mom...!" The fear blooms inside of Nidaime rapidly, exponentially.

She fumbles for her earbuds but she packes them away in a far off security locker... Infinitely far in the moment.

Tears well up in her eyes as the crowd becomes real and imaginary. It destorts. She hums to herself fearfully, as if searching...a musical marco polo...

No song returns it.

She should call for him...

But she hasn't seen him in a long time. So in a tiny fearful voice she whispers a different name.

"Anti..."

She sinks low. It is so lonely without a song holding her hand. 

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        Minae hesitates at the way the boy in the wheelchair pauses stock dead, and an internal counter starts to track his breathing as it speeds up and deepens into gulps in the wake of Myrme's landing. Ever so slowly and carefully, she places a hand on Liam's arm further up from wherever his hand went to reach. "It's alright. It's just Myrme - she won't hurt you, I promise," she says with a placid smile and a light tilt of her head.

        Part of her registers the murmur that ripples through the crowd, and she draws in a quiet breath. "I think it would be good for us all to get away from the crowd and the lights," she explains slowly. "If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed, it can't be helping. Okay?" she glances from Arriety to Liam and back, her expression sharpening as she realises that Arriety's also picking up on something. Like a reflex, she looks back to the big kaiju that remain stock-still at Tsutsujidai's perimeter - before realising there's something much closer.

        "I'm going to take the handles of the wheelchair, if that's alright," she says quickly. Her voice is still held gentle and polite, but there's an urgency behind it that wasn't there before. "Ah-ri. Ah-ri, focus on me," she orders as softly as she dares. "There are a whole lot of pilots here, and I think some of them have--"

        The Messiah makes her point for her by landing right in the middle of things, alongside a large tentacle. Minae does not need to breathe, but that doesn't stop her from emitting a loud 'pffffffff--' at the sight of both, and the way Liam rockets forwards.

        "We need to get clear so that they can do their job. Ah-ri, let's do what we can to help on the ground," she adds in hopes of knocking the girl out of her fugue, before looking up at the teenagers scattering from the stage. "Everyone, please follow me!" she suddenly belts across the crowd, her voice suddenly sounding like she's using a loudspeaker. "We are establishing an evacuation route. Please try not to panic--" she glances up again at the kaiju in the distance, relieved they haven't moved yet, and gets to directing people down as safe a path as she can spot. 

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.


"I am. I'm trying to become a singer myself." Ranka says to Nidaime, distracted. Despite Grace's introductions, she seems thoroughly distracted, she just nods absently before looking towards Anti, "What do you... what do you mean?"

That is when Sheryl screams. The scream is far away - and causes her to look, but as tha violet crystal in Sheryl's earring transmit Ranka feels the fear. That isn't just 'something happened' it's Sheryl is fearing for her life right now. Ranka clutches her abdomen as she stands up.

"SHERYL!"

And beyond even the simple fear a second wave is transmitted outwards, invisible, ephemeral. Not in words so much but in a simple emotional plea.

Help

A muffled screech resounds from within her bag as Ranka snatches it up over her arm and looks like she's going to run... she does not get the chance. Because a tentacle erupts out of the mist... feeling herself start to hyperventilate from terror, she grabs ahold of the closest familiar face...

... in this case it's Anti. Encircling both her arms around one of his and clinging to it with a death grip.

SCAREDSCAREDSCAREDHELPSCAREDHELP

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        "Hello, Myrme," Liam says, though his voice is a little hollow, and extremely tense. His eyes dart about, and his fingers twitch against the armrests of his wheelchair. Of all the times--! he thinks, and he wonders if he could get up and investigate without injuring himself. If he could get these three out of the way. Minae reaches down and touches him, and he goes stock-still. She can feel the tension in his muscles, the rapid pulse of his heartbeat.

        "Stage zero parasympathetic reaction triggered," Liam says, his voice hollow--repeating words he understands from context and explanation, but words that were said about him. About parts of him. "You're concerned. I've been tracking the kaiju around the city limits. None have moved. But the environment--

        Sheryl screams. A moment later, something smashes into the stage. Liam sees something else rise up, and a scream of "RUN!" rips from his throat. He can do no such thing. His eyes trace the tentacle, and his thoughts drift back to those awful tongues in Jophiel's gullet. He reaches back in his mind, and--easy as flipping on a light switch--he toggles the parasympathetic overrides. Several of the bystanders--teenagers--stare in horror. "GO!" Liam roars at them, and his heart hammers in his chest. Both of his hands reach down to pull off the brakes, and Liam looks up at Minae, gesturing away from the stage with his head. "Evacuate them. Please--I'll survive--"

        They're scared. For lack of a better comparison, he's trying to herd them away from the thing trying to kil them.

        Then, engines. And-- "Alto?" Liam breathes. He recognizes that voice as the cockpit opens, but if anything, it makes the fear and guilt worse. He should be in a Bushnell--his Bushnell--and fighting that monster.

        It's what he was built to do.

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.

        Sheryl screams

        And somewhere, deeper in the fog, a creature stirs. For the first time in months it hears something: 'FEAR'. Four red eyes light up. Another swing of the pendulum: 'DANGER'. Upon six legs the beast rises up, shaking off layers of dirt, grass, and weeds rolling from its the crimson chitin covering its body. Its eyes scan the horizon, mouth pieces clicking as it tries to process thie strange landscape. It's so quiet here. So strange and desolate. But in the distance it can feel another crying out in fear.

        And so the beast unfolds four bright insectoid wingsfrom its back and takes off towards the sky, deeper into Tsutsujidai!

        ... meanwhile back at Kamesan Park, Grace's head whips around sharply at the sound of the screen. She frowns, first towards Anti... not what she was expecting then. The glow in her eyes remains as she flips her vision to infrared to try and see what she can make out through the fog. Even without the vision mode change she can make a few tentacles out. Her mouth tightens.

        <Brera, maintaining safety of asset F-9 is your primary objective. Provisional asset L-Q is in my care. Secondary objective: Assist Alto Saotome in elimination of unknown assailant. Safety of audience members is outside your concern.

        In between her attention being taken by the Kaiju, by Riku's sudden teleportation, and then by the approach of Alto's VF-25... she hardly has time to notice C.C.leaping around like a cat onto the supports of the booth!

        Another missed opportunity, oh well.

        Grace turns to Ranka, trying to give her her best reassuring smile, "Major Sterne and Warrant Officer Saotome will see to Sheryl's safety. We need to get to safety as well." Once again she offers her hand out to Ranka...

        ... and not a moment too soon. A familiar shape comes swooping through the sky, barreling at high speed towards the concert carriedon insectoid wings. As it comes close it slows, performs a quick airleon roll to help cancel its forward momentum before landing heavily on the ground between Gonglee and VF-25. Still clicking its mandibles the creature turns its gaze toward the Kaiju, before sweeping it back towards the VF-25. Unfamiliar creature and familiar foe. It immediately assumes a battle posture, the cannon on its back lowering to fire while Alto is still vulnerable, still trying to get Sheryl up in the cockpit!!

        'Help'

        The creature hesitates.

        'SCAREDSCAREDSCAREDHELPSCAREDHELP'

        The creature rears back on two legs and shakes its head before raising larger set of arms to attempt to brutally knock over both Gonglee and the VF-25 with a combination of flailing, heavy strikes!! 

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.


        Everyone is screaming and shouting. The sudden spike of emotions hits Arriety in the face as only a sledgehammer made out of fear can; she barely registers Gonglee emerging out of the fog, grabbing people in the crowd -- people she doesn't know, but people nonetheless.

        It's happening again...

        Shouting. Screaming. Urges to GO! Urges to RUN! A Messiah ducks in extremely close to them, and she momentarily hunkers from the blowback of displaced air; an enormous Vessel of Light appears.

        "hhh--" Arriety's breath is low as Myrme starts tugging at her. "I can't do it..." she responds vaguely to Minae, who's a green and blue and white blur to her right now. Liam and Minae, in her vicinity, are directing the evacuation but Arriety is approximately--

        SIX MONTHS AGO IN TIME

        An enormous explosion; concrete and rebar collapse around the street in Winter Wonderland. Smoke, and fire -- and the low but telltale howl of a great white beast with gossamer insect wings in the distance.

        Arriety shifts, stunned from where she's been thrown into the open cockpit of what looks like a white mobile suit.

        "You'll... you'll be okay, young miss," a calming, older male voice speaks. She sees him; an older man, in a jacket of an autonomous corp. Londo Bell.

        ... he's not doing too well. There's shrapnel scattered over his back as he slumps over with a groan. "Just hide in here... okay? You'll be safer... in here."

        With the last of his strength, even as Arriety protests and pushes herself forward, he takes a step back and presses the cockpit hatch shut. The panoramic monitors come online, and she's just in time-- time to see him fall into a sea of flame below. 

<Pose Tracker> Anti has posed.

        The stage shatters, and Anti can't pretend, any more. His expression is drawn; his lips part, to show the teeth grit beneath.

        "No," he says, again, quiet and harsh all at once. "No... not today! I refuse!" He should mind his tongue; there are people beside him, people who can hear him, and this is personal business, between the family. It isn't Riku's business, nor Nidaime's, nor Ranka's.

        He takes a step back, only to find himself unable to leave -- he looks down, sharply, to Ranka. His mouth opens; he can't form the words. Not him. Not him! She'll find no safety with Anti!

        Not as people run -- and out of the fog, the Vessel of Light, Geed, erupts upwards. Anti's pupils grow small against the wide white expanse of his eyes, trembling against his edicts, as he watches the Giant unfurl. "I... I have to..."

        But he hears his name -- and his gaze snaps down.

        Nidaime... she's hurting. Nothing to put in her ears.

        "I... I...!!!"

        He throws an arm out -- and SCREAMS.

        Anti's voice isn't always so quiet.

        He's just usually so -- much -- smaller.

        "rrrRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH....!!!!"

        Red light pours from his eyes, as his mouth opens too, too widely; there is a harsh smudge of POWER, as he changes, tranforms, shatters the roof of the pergola. At once his arm becomes too thick across for Ranka to possibly hold; his claw moves to grasp her, and shifts her up to the protrusions on his shoulders. "FINE!" He yells, he bellows, as the embers catch to inferno.

        And he charges forward, blades extending from those claws now they're not holding a tiny person --

        To lash out --

        At Gonglee.

        "GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" Anti screams, all raw, all angry, as he crashes into the kaiju alongside Geed. He isn't looking where he's stepping, but...

        He attempts to physically grab Gonglee by its tentacles -- and seeing this new threat emerge, he's going to plant his claws and physically try to wrest it around, to fling it into the Vajra.

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        It's an extremely good thing that Sheryl jerked back without thinking. Thanks to that, when the tentacle comes down and splinters the door, she only gets sprayed with debris instead of reduced to a red smear. She gasps, strangled, as she continues to back up, unthinkingly clutching her arms to her chest. She has to run--but with the fog this thick, if she tries, she'll trip over some wire somewhere and smash face-first into the ground or sprain her ankle or worse. For a moment, she's paralyzed.
        
        But then the aptly-named Messiah swoops in, blowing away some of that impenetrable fog, and opens fire on the tentacle to drive it back.
        
        "Alto!" Sheryl cries, voice lifting with relief and something infinitely more tender. She can't help but smile as he lands and calls down to her, lowering his VF's hand to give her a leg up, so to speak. "Right!" she replies, hopping on. A moment later, she's in the seat behind him, the adrenaline and something else making her a little light-headed.
        
        She looks down at her arms. She's still clutching the water bottle and her microphone. She breaks into an unbelieving laugh at herself, then tucks the latter between her thighs to keep it in place. Cracking open the bottle's cap, she guzzles half its contents in one go; then she splashes the rest on her face and neck to wipe away the sweat. Just in time; a surprise Vajra flies in then, just as out of nowhere as the kaiju had been, and as it turns to attack them, suddenly another kaiju (and a giant man??) appears and knocks into both the Vajra and the first kaiju. As shocking as it is, at the moment, it feels like, everything's gone pear-shaped, so this may as well happen right now. So when Sheryl yelps again, there's a different quality to it now. Now she has someone here with her--someone to protect her. And while she's still inexperienced at piloting, she nonetheless has another way of fighting back.
        
        "Alto, take us up. Brera, keep those monsters busy; don't let it get close to the rest of the staff or the audience. Grace, tell everyone to prepare for the next number," she commands, seemingly right back to her normal blazingly confident self despite the terror she'd just suffered, as she screws the cap back on and tosses the bottle at her feet. "I'm not about to let this creepy thing or that Vajra ruin MY concert!"
        
        She doesn't know what this kaiju is about, nor does she know that certain locals and related folks are mobilizing as the audience otherwise evacuates. She doesn't even know about how her earring sparkles and transmits her feelings--transmits those feelings back, Ranka's fear mingling with her own. She only knows that she's Sheryl Nome, and she won't back down for anything or anyone.
        
        Not even God. 

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.

Screams and giant robots and sudden Ultramen; staying closest to familiar allies is DEFINITELY the right move at this point, in Garrod's opinion. The Freeden crew detachment who were here are sticking together, at any rate - and Garrod finds himself in the unlikely position of trying to figure out the best way for them all to stay safe, or at least something that can pass for it.

At least Tiffa's still safe, he reflects - although he wonders if she had some premonition about trouble at the concert, that maybe it wasn't just her aversion to large groups of unknown people in heightened emotional states, even *positive* emotions. But if she'd had that kind of a bad feeling, she'd have warned against them going, right ... ?

And then there were *three* monsters - the tentacled thing that had been lurking in the fog, the entirely-too-giant bug-thing, and now that purple one. "Not even a grappling hook," Garrod growls - but hey, at least all three uglies are in the same general direction from him and his crewmates.

That makes it easier to go *away* from Clearly Apparent Danger, at any rate. Although Garrod would be much, MUCH happier if he wasn't stuck on foot with the monsters wreaking havoc so close by.

[Big-Scene] * Kaworu Nagisa blu-rays in a mention real quick
[Big-Scene] Nidaime> *bluraying nisaime shaking her head real fast at riku. sorry bud!

<Pose Tracker> Brera Sterne has posed.


A tentacle smashes through the stage. Grace's orders are in. There is no need to argue with them. This is the plan. A spike of something wants to argue. Why? His harmonica is heavy around his neck, and colder against his chest.

He does not object. He does his job, as ordered.

The irises of Brera's cybernetic eyes turn and spin, clicking into position and adopting a bright glow. "Connect." The VF-25F Messiah is not along in the skies for long. As Brera sprints to a more open location, another VF sails through the air, twisting effortlessly into the more hover friendly GERWALK mode to lower itself to Brera's position. So much like Messiah, but red and armed with a large rifle: the VF-27 Lucifer. And it is a little close for comfort for some members of the audience, but not so much they can't flee.

Brera makes an unnaturally tall leap to its arm, then another to climb into the cockpit, taking off before it even has time to shut. Once it does, Lucifer is back in fighter mode, full speed toward the newcomer in this battle and the enemy that has flown up Brera's priority list: a Vajra.

Sheryl has her own orders, which mean quite little to Brera unless Grace agrees to them, though it may look as if he's going along given the circumstances. He opens fire on the Vajra with a spray of beam bullets, developed specifically for the task of anti-Vajra combat. ...For as long until their next adaptation. Each use of his weapons against them brings each shot one step closer to uselessness.

The fly-by attack follows with a dizzying maneuver, Brera and Lucifer twisting and weaving between both monsters as he keeps the pressure on.

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        Minae is no stranger to pilots having bad days, or even very bad days. She accepts the very matter-of-fact summary of the situation from the boy in the wheelchair - not to mention registers the very cold and empty way in which he diagnoses himself - and for the time being takes it all at face value. She is extensively trained in knowing when there might be better times to ask.

        "I'll prioritize them, I promise," she promises instead, and quickly, as she turns the wheelchair towards the escape route she's already plotted out in her head. "But not to the exclusion of everything else. Ah-ri, I'm--"

        For the first time in a long while, she feels very nervous. Even the cockpit of the Zeta felt safer than a situation like this - a situation where she needs to move Arriety immediately but where that impulse wars with the desire to give her a comfortable blanket of distraction.

        "It's okay," she mutters, sparing a few moments to touch her hand with that of her charge. "I'm here, okay? I'm right here. ... I'm going to pick you up, if that's alright?" She waits only a few precious seconds for the first sight of a reaction from Arriety, then scoops the other girl up in one arm, cradled against her body. Her other hand grabs several of the lightsticks together, flicking them over to a new pattern - alternating red and white.

        Something makes her pause before they start moving, and she glances at Liam with an understanding smile. "I know it can be frustrating, but it's important to look after yourself as well. If you're not in a condition to fight, that's okay. There's always plenty of other ways to help out, even if it's in the aftermath of everything."

        "--GGG have been alerted to the situation! This way, please!" she booms across the crowd, grimacing a little bit as a second kaiju comes to join the first. Her statement is not strictly a lie, though all she's really done is left a very confusing voice message on their answering machine - but it's a useful name drop at least for now. "Please make sure you all get as clear as you can!" Then she's moving, herding people along with her as she makes for safety. 

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Ultraman Geed is the first on the scene. Akane remembers seeing Riku at the concert, out of the corner of her eye... She makes a note in her notebook casually, nodding. "That's not a *hard* confirm," Akane muses, "but we're getting there, and since I'm mostly sure Hibiki's Gridman... I guess Vessels of Light *would* room with each other, huh?"

That one kinda stings. Riku stands as a pretty harsh contrast to guys like those creeps, Akane reflects -- even when she'd started trying to practically throw herself at him, he'd kept his cool big time. ... It sucks that it has to go this way.

"Another kaiju, another Vessel of Light," Alexis offers. "You shouldn't be too surprised, Akane-kun! Kaiju are the stars, after all. They dictate what matters and why."


Gonglee has a mission, and it does it with aplomb. It pulls its tentacles back toward itself in response to the gunfire, now only using the one from its head to 'feed;' it lashes out into the audience with one, sending people scattering away from it.

As for the poor sap getting grabbed by the head tentacle: he is now in a mouth.


"That's two! Oooh, can we do better?" Akane asks, as the kaiju --

-- is ambushed by another kaiju?! *Two* more kaiju!?

Akane's fingers grip her tablet firmly, and she lets out an exasperated, "Are you kidding me!? Alexis, is this you pulling something out of your pocket again? This one doesn't seem like it's under control!"

"Oh, most certainly not," Alexis offers. "I'd thought there was no path between one of the areas you'd abandoned and your city, but it seems that wasn't the case. This thing came to rest in there; I thought I'd let it simply leave, but it seems something about this situation woke it up. ... the music, perhaps?"

Akane scowls. "Whatever." Her mood quickly picks back up a moment later, as she says, "Just -- get what you came for, okay? It's not like you're going to beat a Vessel of Light with Anti beating on you too!"


It's hard to tell if Gonglee is unusually focused for a kaiju or has a death wish -- but even then, surrounded like this, it can't quite deal with the situation. The Vajra knocks it over, and Anti grips two of its tentacles; rather than try to defend itself, it lets out even more tentacles from the nodules along its sides, lashing out into the crowd one final time. It's hard to tell what it actually *hits*, if anything -- there's an enormous spray of dust and debris...

... but the oblique angle it gets means it only even gets *near* a few people. Casualties might not be zero -- but they're at least extensively minimized by the presence of... well, everyone. That Vajra is still dangerous, as are the concert's increasingly numerous defenders. And of course...


"I thought you told him to 'handle the situation'?" Alexis asks of Akane, sounding genuinely curious.

He is met with a harsh, "Shuddup," punctuated size six, one-and-a-quarter-inch, Mary Jane strap.

Akane slides her shoe back down against the edge of the desk, dislodging a shard of glass. "I'll give him something to scream about."


Gonglee rights itself, trying to wrap those tentacles around Riku and Anti instead, allowing the rest of the concertgoers -- including however many members of Arcadia still exist -- plenty of time to run. It has no idea what to do about Brera or the Vajra, favoring the loudest and most immediate threats to its mission; the two of them seem like they'll be more concerned with each other in a moment, after all. 

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.


Grace reaches out to Ranka. And terrified as she is, she tries to let go to accept her help - she knows how competent Grace is. "Gruh-" Ranka doesn't.

She tries to tug away again with a sound like she's trying her hardest to do that. Her fingers don't let go, they've spasmed up.

Anti is stuttering, he sounds so scared to her too. He feels so conflicted. And then he screams. And Ranka suddenly just explodes out of the Pergola too, clinging onto his accordion like arm that she can no longer actually grip. Shocked by the sudden shift of fortunes, she's plucked by his claw and put on his shoulders in the middle of one long prolonged scream. Clinging onto one of the protrusions, she lays against it, keeping her footing.

Right as Anti hurls himself at Gonglee.

This does absolutely nothing to deescalate Ranka's terror... as she feels the angry shift from the titanic creature she's riding on, closing her eyes and shaking she just gibbers with terror for a while.

SCAREDSCAREDSCAREDHELPHELPHELPSCAREDSCAREDSCARED

The tentacles wrap around Anti, jerking him forward - and that movement causes Ranka's grip on him to slip, as she's suddenly sent hurtling backwards off him and on a precipitous drop towards the park ground.

HELPHELPHELPHELPHELPHELPHELP

<Pose Tracker> Riku Asakura has posed.

Ultraman Geed attempts to punch the side of the Kaiju as it strikes at the audience again, attempting to send its tentacles off target. It's a gambit, but it's the only thing he has at that moment. Of course, things quickly go south. People join the fight, which is good...but there is another Kaiju, it attacks THIS Kaiju, but also one of the other suits. What is going on here..?

He'll have to trust the VF to handle itself, this thing is targeting civilians exclusively. Why..?

Of course, what happens next REALLY surprises him. Anti...the familiar form of the Kaiju he has faced before is revealed. "You..?!" he says, only for Anti to strike the Gonglee. The voice was familiar because he heard it just a second ago. "...Well I'm glad you're helping," Geed says, before the tentacles aim for him.

There is only one way..!

In Geed's hand appears a new weapon. Blue around the handle, but the blades are a combination of black and red, with the blades themselves being silver. "GEED CLAW!" he calls out, the claw swiping to deflect the tentacles away before he dives in.

"CORKSCREW JAMMING!" he shouts, before the claw and Geed start spinning, a red tornado of energy aiming to literally launch itself into the Kaiju.

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime cant barely move let alone help anyone.

Her mother's presence has faded. Almost entirely gone--But Sheryl makes a decision and in making that decision, a spark remains. A thought remains.

Unison, invisible, imperceptible, lingers near Sheryl Nome. She follows her. She stays close. Music isn't just singing, dancing, and humming. Music is a state of mind. Sheryl embodies that state as she declares that no monster attack is gonna wreck her concert.

Nidaime hears Anti's voice. She hyperfocuses on it, her head turns back to Anti.

He screams but it is a different kind of scream than the melody that escaped Sheryl's mouth a moment ago. She stands up and hobbles towards Ranka as Anti gets big and...goes after Akane's kaiju.

Dangerous, she thinks. Danger, danger. Tears in her eyes, she covers her mouth. If only she was older and wiser and tougher...

She walks to Ranka. She senses her fear, her terror. She needs to be a big girl. She can't just...

She can't let Anti be alone either, right? She takes in a deep breath. Be brave, she imagines her mother telling her. That's what she'd say.

Ranka starts to fall and Nidaime transforms herself mid run.

She doesn't turn jnto a beast but she does get big. Bigger. As a giant she doesn't need to fear the crowd--

But there is still a crowd. She can't just stomp on them.

Not even to save Ranka. So all she can do, at this size' is crouch down and serve as cover for panicking civilians even if some of that panic might indeed come from her.

"Anti..." She rumbles, like a quiet mountain.

Ranka wants to become a singer.

And yet she cannot reach her. All she can do is watch. 

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto is waiting for Sheryl to climb in when he notices a VAJRA land on the ground between him and that giant monster, "What the hell is that doing here!?" The Vajra seems to be having trouble deciding on who to shoot at, but ultimately settles on Alto first. Alto quickly raises his machine's left arm, bringing the attached shield up.

        The Vajra fires a light burst from its back-mounted gun, the alien rounds streaking towards the Messiah. But a circular barrier of light appears just beyond the Messiah's shield, helping to block the shots.

        Finally Sheryl climbs in and Alto closes the canopy. Just in time too as the Vajra hesitates for some reason, before charging them. Alto is able to brace the Messiah, the machine only skidding back a short distance on the ground. In the back, Sheryl tells Alto to 'take us up'. Alto doesn't object.

        The Messiah's legs start to blast out thrust as it quickly rises up into the air. Briefly free of immediate danger, Alto notices that there is a giant... Person? Attacking the kaiju. What now?

        Another kaiju appears from seemingly nowhere. But this one goes after the first. What the hell is going on here!?

        However, as his machine rises into the air and Alto is watching, he notices something on the second kaiju. A person? He zooms in with his HUD, bringing up a screen of Ranka clinging to the large monster. Alto wonders with some confusion, "Ranka?"

        The screen then shows Ranka being flung from monster, Alto calling out, "RANKA!" Alto is too far away, he won't make it in time!

<Pose Tracker> Anti has posed.

        Anti is afraid, yes. He is conflicted, yes.

        And he is furious.

        The tentacles wrap around him, and he grasps at them, determined to keep his footing -- not for his sake. "No!" He howls, as the tension jerks, and he tumbles forward.

        The thing is... Ranka's too small, too slight.

        He can't even feel her, there by the folded salmon of his shoulders.

        He certainly can't feel her fall.

        It's not until he's wrested around by those tentacles that he catches a glimpse of green, hurtling to the ground, behind him.

        So, even when he tried to mind one of them... he couldn't...

        (Of course he couldn't. Anti can't worry about small people. He'd never be able to move.)

        There's no real heroism, from the defiant kaiju in this ever-more-complicated brawl. A sense of crushing despair, perhaps. Anti's claws crush more than that.

        "Next time, I'll defeat you," he warns Geed, darkly. "But I was listening to that!" 'That', presumably, being Sheryl Nome.

        Using Geed's own assault to help him tear himself away from those claws, he turns, and charges the heavy Vajra -- implicitly, leaving the kaiju to the Giant.

        (Seems there's unrest in the house of God.)

        "AND WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" He demands, as his own claws lash out in a crushing blow, coming down right on that overlong protrusion on its head.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

There's panic and chaos. Namiko and Hass's attempt at finding a place to sit has been, unfortunately, interrupted by the presence of a giant kaiju.

"Wh-where's Rikka!? We should-" Namiko starts. Hass shakes her head, and begins rummaging through her phone.

"She's probably fine. Utsumi's with her, and they were heading away." Hass replies, tapping through pages of apps. "Right now we should be getting out of here, too. But first..."

Namiko looks over at what she's doing, her eyes lighting up.

"Oh yeah, that thing..." She comments. Neither of them are really sure when the idea got in their head, but at some point they got together and started looking for apps that could be useful in the case of an emergency. And this, certainly, is an emergency. Hass presses a button and raises her phone up into the air, the light on the back emitting a strobing light to cut through the fog and, hopefully, grabbing the attention of panicked concertgoers.

"This way! Everyone, get away from the kaiju!" Namiko calls out, trying to raise her voice above the chaos of the crowd. The two try to make their way away, trying to help guide others out of danger. They can hear others doing the same... Hopefully, between all of them, it'll be enough to save as many people as they can.

- At the same time... -

Indeed, the Neon Genesis Junior High School Students had already taken notice of the kaiju. They would have been here sooner, were it not for Gonglee's more subtle nature. Synchrotank and Phormocannon arrive, right in front of Rikka and Utsumi. Borr climbs out of the latter, gesturing quickly toward Utsumi before moving to take his seat in Synchrotank. Rikka climbs right in after him, taking her seat at the front.

"I'm going to help fight it." Rikka says for Utsumi's sake.

Not long after that, the rebuilt Guntank R-44 appears at the concert grounds.

"Stop... hurting people!" Rikka demands. Pressure builds in Synchrotank's cannons, before releasing a pair of dangerous, high-pressure streams of water right for Gonglee! The water cannons seem like the safest weapon to use in this situation...

...But, also on the scene, is that talking kaiju... but, his attention seems to be on the other kaiju?? Maybe they won't have to worry about fighting him this time around...

<Pose Tracker> Brera Sterne has posed.


Vajra and kaiju fight against one another, and Lucifer pulls back as its pilot observes the battle. Analyze. Assess. What is the most efficient path here...? Another kaiju in the fight, a spot of green --

His every tense pulls taut, panic racing through him like it never has.

The Lucifer's flight path making a sudden, sharp shift straight for Anti. Constantly shifting, constantly moving, its mechanics unfurl, fighter becoming GERWALK once again. It slows, but never halts completely as the cockpit opens, moving downward in a careful calculation to catch Ranka safely against the will of terminal velocity.

Lucifer pivots, momentum continuing to carry it a fair distance further, barely avoiding smashing into the ground itself as it skates across it instead. Brera brings one arm tight around Ranka to keep her from being tossed in the maneuver.

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.


'Grace, tell everyone to prepare for the next number,'

        Ah, that girl. Even in the midst of a titanic free-for-all between... she counts, two kaiju, a VF-25, a cybernetic super-soldier, and even an Ultraman... and she's still thinking about keeping the show going!! She's so determined, even when it seems everything is lost, to make something out of her pain and disappointment.

        ... really, she has no idea where she gets it from.Speaking of kaiju, it appears that Ranka is now actually riding one of them. Grace's hand it seems is now past the point of relevance.

        <Field Update: Subject Unknown Kaiju 2, internal-only callsign update to Anti, is currently carrying provisional subject L-Q. Provide defensive support for Anti until L-Q can be recovered.>

        "Everyone please stay calm and maintain a safe distance from the ongoing stage show." Grace announces in a voice boosted by her cybernetic adaptations. "Evacuations will proceed in an orderly fashion, but please continue to enjoy the show until evacuations are complete."

        Her voice returning to normal, Grace smiles politely to those remaining nearby and offers an apologetic tilt of her head. "It seems like a manager's work is never done."

        With that she takes off towards the tech booth! The show must go on!!

        MEANWHILE: 'SCAREDSCAREDSCAREDHELPHELPHELPSCAREDSCAREDSCAREDHELPHELPHELPHELPHELPHELPHELP'

        The Vajra is pelted by the VF-27's beam bullets, each one burning deep... PAINFUL glowing hot holes through its outer exoskeleton. The beast turns its attention at another familiar foe, this one even more familiar than most. It raises one of its smaller arms and begins to biologically produced bullets at its foe before suddenly Gonglee, flung by Anti, SMASHES into its body.

        As it recovers the beast's four eyes stare at the small figure falling to the ground, broadcasting most loudly its fear and need for help. The gentle green child, is it too young, is it unable to fly? It sees others rushing to Ranka's position and rushes forward!! Its smaller claws attempting to sweep Nidaime aside, its body trying to barrel through Geed as it sends a red tornado of energy at the Gonglee, even risking injury from that same tornado in the process!

All in an attempt to reach where the gentle green child is falling.

        Just short of its goal, Anti slams into the great red beast with all of his weight! Claws lashing forward to crush through the protrusion on the Vajra's head. Suddenly the creature's body goes limp, dead weight in Anti's kaiju arms...

        Until it isn't!

        All six arms suddenly attempt to wrap around Anti's body, cannon on its back aiming down directly at Anti's own head as the beast powers up a devastating ground-zero artillery strike!!

        All in an attempt to reach where the gentle green child is falling.

        And Grace watches, her eyes widening.

        <URGENT!! Subject L-Q in Immediate Peril! Suspend all other orders and recover IMMEDIATELY!> 

<Pose Tracker> Sho Utsumi has posed.

As their machines arrive, with the giant talking kaiju there, Sho's grimacing. He's helping, but he still...Sho's not strong enough. Should he even be in this cockpit?

He closes the hatch, and grabs the controls to the Phormocannon's levers. As he moves forward to the concert-grounds, voice-masking speakers fire off, as he tries to escort people to safety. There's offworlders here. People who will remember. This is terrible.

"Everyone! This is the Phormocannon! Steady! If you are trapped, shout to me! If you need help exiting, shout to me!"

If any debris is in the way or falls, the Phormocannon moves it aside. If the fight spirals off the stage, he's grabbing his glue gun. Menacingly. But he believes in Riku and Rikka.

He doesn't belong up there, anyways... 

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        In the chaos of the sudden battle, it's hard to follow what's going on. Sheryl didn't even notice Ranka on the second kaiju (Anti)'s shoulder until she's falling off of him. She can see Nidaime's mother as she materializes nearby her, but only barely--so hazy that she can't be certain of what she's seeing. She writes it off as a trick of the fog; she can't afford to be distracted now, especially with her dear friend and fan in danger. Her eyes widen as her heart leaps in her throat, a different type of terror searing through her as she sees Ranka drop. "RANKA!! Brera, save her!!" she shouts, for an instant forgetting the concert.
        
        Fortunately, she needn't have worried, much less told Brera to do anything; he's on the ball all on his own, definitely, and wasn't following anyone else's orders. (Right?) Sheryl breathes a shaky breath of relief; then she sucks another in and straightens her shoulders. Over and around her, her hologram suit shimmers, until suddenly Sheryl is clad in a long, silken, scarlet evening gown, tying a large bow up in the back, with a rose in her now-lavender hair. The music for Infinity cues, and she stretches out a hand as she begins to sing:
        
        "Remember how, on the day we decided to escape our despair,
        "What laid before us was nothing but the blowing wind?"
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JquUm6ji1cQ (Infinity) 

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.


Ranka screams as she falls, eyes still shut tight, her bag still linked over her arm as a creature within goes for a wild - but at least contained ride. Ranka's been saved by Alto many times, though she doesn't take it for granted that he'll be there. Distantly though through the haze of fear, she wonders if he will this time...

... and then suddenly she is caught, and trembling, shaking, she opens her eyes to see-

"B-Bruh...Bre...ra?"

Ranka suddenly huddles against his arm... "Th-Thank you..." ...and with those two words said, her eyes fill with droplets of water and he'll soon find his sleeve stained with tears as she looks weak from the sheer relief that she might be safe after all. "...Thank you so much!" Realizing that she's crying against her savior though... she tries to recompose herself, she rubs her arm across her sleeve instead... "Shuh-Sheryl...is Sheryl...?"

With all that happened - she has no idea what state she's in right now... but Brera certainly will, she's sure of it. Though, before he even answers... Sheryl begins to sing Infinity.

....Sheryl is fine...

... Sheryl is fine...

Now she's shaking with a new sort of relief. "S-Sheryl!" She felt her so acutely, that fear, she knew Sheryl was fearing for her life, was in immediate danger of losing her life. And she's singing... now? Huddled against Brera, she tries to take slow deep breaths... and calm herself down...

... because Sheryl was just as scared as she was... and that parallel makes her want to be as brave as her.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

For a kaiju of Tsutsujidai, Gonglee feels... weak. Some of that can be explained away by being an ambush predator, rather than something designed to stand and deliver like Go'yavec had been. Some of it cannot; it honestly barely feels like it's made of the same stuff, even though -- as Riku takes a large bite out of it with Corkscrew Jamming -- it has that same hollow-and-wire emptiness as all the others. The bits of it that get taken out crumble to claylike flakes.

Everyone else rounds on the Vajra. (Good, Akane thinks, back at base; give me a second to see if I have this...)


Ako and Marusan are the first to form up with Namiko and Hass; that strobing light gets Ako's attention, and without thinking, she grabs Marusan's hand. "Hey, wh --" comes the initial startled noise from a rubbernecking Marusan, but before long she gets the hint and they're off. If nothing else, 2-E seems to have this evacuation thing down pat at this point.


Synchrotank and Phormocannon arrive. ... From where? Akane was too focused on the fight to notice. Sure enough, though, they're handing off to the real pilots... Utsumi sorts through the wreckage; he manages to find a good three or four people to evacuate, including Arcadia's Yamato.

Blue water issues forth, and Synchrotank -- no, Rikka -- blasts that hole in Gonglee. Now very distinctly *waterlogged* on top of everything else, Gonglee is at a near-total standstill. (What's more, it... there's something about that feeling of defiance from Sheryl that seems to give Gonglee -- or at least, whatever embers of being keep Gonglee's one 'eye' a bright red -- pause.)

Gonglee is still, for now. Its tentacles do continue to whip at everything close by, but it is, *itself*, not moving -- a sitting duck.


Akane chews at her lower lip. "You know what? I bet two or three is good enough," she concedes, now smiling. "That kinda stuff only gets worse when they're all enabling each other. I think this'll be just fine!"

Alexis, from the broken monitor, notes: "Fine? Far be it from me to disagree, but Anti's barely even taking direction from you... Perhaps he needs some encouragement...? Something he can't misinterpret."

After a little thought, Akane agrees, "Yeah, that sounds good. I'll give him an easy one! ... I mean, he might also need a little extra 'encouragement' to stay on task, but hey! That's easy. It sounds like I'm gonna have to go back to the usual way, but..." 

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto's screen tracks Ranka's fall... Until another machine swoops into the line of sight, briefly obscuring it and Ranka's fate. Alto holds his breath for a moment...

        ... The other craft finally rolls over, revealing Ranka held safely in the grasp of Brera.

        Alto can breathe again for a moment, before beginning to scrutinize that machine. It's definitely a VF. Though it's not a model he's seen before... Regardless, Ranka's safe.

        Behind him, Alto can hear Sheryl starting to sing. It brings a little relief to him. He pushes the throttle forward, his Messiah boosting forward, flying to catch up with the Lucifer. Alto brings his own VF up next to the other one, before opening a visual channel to it, "Ranka!" The sight of Ranka huddled up to Brera doesn't even bother Alto, he's just relieved that she's alright. And the expression on his face shows as much.

        Finally having confirmed Ranka's safety, Alto's eyes instead turn to Brera. Alto's still not entirely sure he trusts the guy...

        ... But for now, Alto's willing to try. With a more serious expression, Alto says, "Let's finish this."

        As the tempo of Infinity picks up, Alto swings his controls up and around. The input causes the Messiah to transform once more, this time going into full fight mode. Its engines glow brighter as it bursts forwards, before angling down towards the Vajra.

        In his view, Alto can see the creature struggling against one of the kaiju. The one that had been fighting with him. Alto has no idea what's going on what that, but it doesn't really matter. Instead he turns his focus on the Vajra, aiming his sights on it and pulling the trigger. The Messiah starts to rain down bullets on the Vajra from the twin guns in its wings, potentially giving Anti an opening.

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Slowly but surely music returns to Tsutsujidai. At first from Sheryl outright singing, then the resonance of those that believe in her. That kind of resonance is also...

Unison. That is why she is called Unison.

Anti defending the concert (sort of) with Geed? Also a kind of Unison.

Those struggling and hoping to save Ranka? Also Unison.

And enough people in unison always make a concert. And a brilliant determined singer brings it all home.

Hazy, then slowly clearer and clearer. Almost as clear as day for Sheryl. She gets the sense this lady has been with her for a long time.

Unison smiles at Sheryl. She loves her, loves her in some strange abstract way.

But here in this moment the Spirit of Sound can actually talk back in words rather than sensations and melodies and she says--

"Thank you." to Sheryl, almost a whisper but as easy to hear as if it was shouted.

She turns tk Nidaime.

And she waves.

And Nidaine's anxiety fades in a moment. And she relaxes And she smiles back.

And Unison vanishes into Sheryl's melody, becoming a Song once more.

'There are ways to be needed outside of fighting together, my dear sweet child'

'Be brave and hold the faith'

And Nidaime turns to look at Sheryl, still kaijj sized, still wearing her giant oversized Galactic Fairy shirt...

...And she wiggles some very tiny glowsticks. 

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.

        Everything is a measured risk...

        ... but even this had turned out far riskier than anticipated for Grace.

        While losing Subjects F-9 or L-Q would have been a setback, losing both would have been devastating. It's not lost on her that the God of Tsutsujidai vanished and then Unknown Kaiju 1 attacked Sheryl from the fog. The thought that Sheryl might be attacked at this concert was something she was willing to risk. But not by a kaiju. Not by 'God'.

        ... it would seem that Alexis and Grace will have much to discuss later.

        For now though she remains ensconced in the relative safety of the tech booth, encouraging the crew to stay on. As Sheryl's song starts coming in through the equipment, Grace immediately recognizes the lyrics and begins delivering detailed on-the-fly orders for them to bring the house lights up through the swirling fog that remains around the devastated stage! The lights and colors changing in time with the music as the spotlights follow the VFs, Kaiju, Vajra, Ultraman and Synchrotank Phormocannon still fighting overhead.

        It is a feast for the senses... and one might be forgiven for thinking that it was all planned as part of the show, thanks to Sheryl's singing and Grace's steady hand directing stage craft.

        Meanwhile, Grace's virtual avatar takes an (unnecessary) breath in relief as she sees Brera catching the falling Ranka. Of course she's having to modify some video feeds for later, just to ensure Major Lee doesn't blow a gasket, but that's a far easier problem to deal with. Meanwhile the data she has been collecting has been... sublime. Thanks to the relative Stillness in Tsutsujidai she has been able to 'See' more clearly how the Vajra reacts and interacts with the fold waves. Both those produced by F-9 and L-Q. It also helped her reaffirm her hypothesis that the beast was 'asleep' simply because of the Silence, and introducing stimuli would stir it to wakefulness.

        ... but enough experiments tonight. It's time to clean up this mess.

        <Confirmed retrieval of L-Q. Confirm elimination of Vajra and recovery of F-9. Defense priority for Anti revoked - feel free to fire at will.>

<Pose Tracker> Riku Asakura has posed.

Geed looks towards Anti for a moment, "Fine, but not here and now. I'll honor that request if you honor my wishes," he says, turning his eyes back on the Gonglee. It's not moving, but rather swinging its tentacles around. More than that, the bits falling off are...not right. His vision catches the falling woman far too late, but fortunately, the VF caught her. More than that, he can hear Sheryl singing despite all of this.

The Vajra tries to swing through his attack, but some sparks across Geed cause him to stagger. Two Kaiju was going to be a problem.

Geed takes a stance, once more and stares down the monster. The Vajra quickly gets people on it, and Geed focuses on what he feels is the bigger threat. Geed's getting backed up in the form of Synchrotank and Phormocannon. Geed nods his head towards them, and leaps from his position. Tentacles are swung, but he shouts again.

"CORKSCREW BLOCK!" he says, the claw taking that tornado of energy and trying to drill through the tentacles. He takes hits from the tentacles but is nowhere near enough to cause sparks. The claw vanishes, as the blades on his arms glow. He swings, in a dance of glowing blades, trying to cut through those tentacles.

"I'll get the attacks, just keep on it!" he shouts towards the Synchrotank and the Phormocannon. Geed moves more on interception, trying to give the two of them a shot at the center.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Fleeing civilians stream out of the park. From behind the tenuous cover of a tree, Liam watches, his guts twisting in knots. The cavalry has arrived, and he recognizes all of one of them--two, if he's being generous and including the brief glimpses of Geed he got during Nagoya. His eyes dart back and forth, taking as much in as he can. The two kaiju, the auxiliary(?) defense units, Ranka's terrifying fall--Liam's heart is in his throat the entire time--the inexplicable giant child covering for the audience.

        He focuses on them, because if he focuses on the crowd, he starts to remember, and risks freezing up again. He can't risk that.

        Part of him recoils in horror as Sheryl starts singing again--is she serious?!--but he can't stop her.

        He is a young man staring out from behind the cover of a tree, recovering from injury, and bereft of his machine. If he tried to intervene, he'd be a liability.

        He hates it.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Ako and Marusan join up with Namiko and Hass before long. They're both relieved to see the two of them alright - it felt like they had only seperated for a minute before everything went crazy.

As they move to escape Namiko pulls out her own phone, shooting off a quick text to Rikka before pulling up the same app Hass did.

"This is the app we're using - want me to beam it to you?" Namiko asks. Indeed, somehow, this all feels natural to them...

- Back with Rikka... -

Rikka watches as Gonglee is filled with water. It comes to a standstill, but the tentacles keep lashing out...

"This is Synchrotank." Rikka broadcasts, for the pilots on the scene. "It looks like it's come to a stop, but it's still lashing out instinctively... Try to keep your distance and I think we'll be able to take it out."

Riku - Geed - moves in to intercept, to keep the tentacles busy so that the rest of them can deal with it.

"Right!" Rikka replies. She's used up her main weapons so, now that the concert grounds are a bit more clear, Synchrotank's hands raise, fingers pointed outward. She unleashes a hail of vulcan fire into the kaiju from Synchrotank's fingers, hoping to put a stop to all of this.

...And, she can hear it, too. Even after all this, even through all the danger, Sheryl continues to sing. It's almost enough to take her attention away from Gonglee.

"...Wow. She's... really incredible." Rikka murmurs. ...She hopes she can be that incredible too, someday.

...She hopes, too, that Utsumi is safe during all this. But, she trusts him to save whoever he can, while she's busy here.

<Pose Tracker> Brera Sterne has posed.


<Subject L-Q secured,> Brera reports, but his brain waves are alight with erratic activity. Pain lances his skull briefly. He has fought through worse pain before. It is of little consequence. He has his new orders, and Grace gets his affirmation and his obedience, as always.

Ranka huddles closely, her tears burning against him, and Brera reflexively squeezes against her, convinced that he is merely securing her against him to minimize the possibility of injury -- or aggravating existing ones. It's a moment so brief even Ranka might miss it, or think she misremembered it. Brera may misremember it.

"Ranka," is all he manages to say in the face of her fear and relief. He helps secure Ranka into her own seat behind him in the cockpit, unless she refuses to be pried off -- he'll put up without that without forcing the issue.

Over the visual channel, Brera responds to Alto with a nod. "Understood." Lucifer becomes a fighter to mirror Messiah, chasing after it.

Sheryl sings, despite everything. Ranka feels it. Alto feels it. Does everyone feel it but Brera?

Data surrounds him thanks to his direct, cybernetic connection with the Lucifer. To Ranka, it looks as though Brera makes no effort to command the VF, seated and glancing back and forth to various displays that exist solely in his mechanical augmentations. He'll have to adjust his flight patterns to account for her lack of cyborg implants. That should not be a problem in this battle.

Lucifer pulls up just above Messiah to unleash an array of micro-missiles against the Vajra, but with a scatter shot instead of a homing spread. They're as likely to burst into Anti as Brera's priority target -- Brera makes no pains to avoid it.

<Pose Tracker> Sho Utsumi has posed.

With people rescued, Sho isn't sure what to do. But Geed shouts out. Telling him to move. To attack. Isn't he the leader of the Gridman Alliance? Doesn't feel that way, sometimes...

But moving works. The glue cannon is holstered, as the mattock is suddenly grabbed. The Phormocannon dashes forward, takes it with one hand, and moves to clobber into Gonglee, away from Rikka's vulcan's trajectory.

"...Sorry I'm late, Synchrotank, Geed. I managed to free some people from the debris, but there were..."

Casualties. 

<Pose Tracker> Anti has posed.

        Anti is just about to toss the Vajra aside -- when the Vajra makes that quite impossible. "What?! Damn!" He yells, writhing back and forth in the bug's grip.

        Shit, he thinks, envenomed. If he hadn't defied his orders, this thing would have just been another help, and now...

        The cannon lights up, and the concert receives an education on what types of kaiju can scream. Throat all raw and torn, it is a horrifically HUMAN sound, in all its despair and agony.

        That reptilian kaiju sags forward, against the Vajra, claws coming up to grasp at two of those too-many legs. "As if it's that easy!" He snarls, pulling himself up on the form of the hulking bug. "I still... have something... to do!"

        Alto firing on the Vajra gives Anti the distraction he needs to wrest a claw free, and thrust it towards the bug's underbelly in a vicious stab. His insistence on staying to hurt it, though, only leaves him in close quarters with the Vajra -- which poses a problem for Anti, too, as Brera's micromissiles scatter towards them.

        It makes a horrible kind of sense, to Anti. He's not their ally -- even if he's making testy agreements with Ultramen which he doesn't even have the stomach to verbally confirm. This concert is afraid of him as anything else.

        Even so, he's angry. Angry that wanting something for himself turned out this way -- angry that he couldn't change what he is. The futility of it all is so, so obvious, to him. Where he's standing, he could never see anything else.

        "Rrrrgh...!" Anti howls, as he plants his feet, and grasps the Vajra about its belly. "You--!! Just... don't stop the music!" He demands, as his knees flex, and he leans into the Vajra -- to leverage it UP --

        -- and Anti bends backwards, as he sends the Vajra over his shoulder to slam it down into Gonglee, bringing the both of them crashing to the ground.

        If Geed wants to get in the way, that's fine with Anti, but he's not aiming for him.

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        The string orchestra resonates through the park while spotlights cut through the fog to illuminate this small world, audible and visible even in the distance to the evacuating audience. The song rises to a crescendo with Sheryl's opening stanza, then drops to something slower, calmer, but still determined and resilient--something with the strength to move forward even in the face of adversity. It's with these feelings that Sheryl sings, the camellia in her hair ruffling as she sweeps her arm around slowly, even as Alto maneuvers the Messiah around to take on the now oddly-placid kaiju.
        
        Yet as she sings, Sheryl has the strangest feeling... that feeling once again that she's not alone as she sings, that this is not a solo but a duet. A familiar presence, as soft a glow as the one lighting up her earring now... This presence... Ranka?
        
        Not just Ranka, either. Though Alto doesn't sing, it feels almost as though Sheryl can feel his heart, too--his relief at seeing Ranka safe with Brera, his determination to put an end to this. Crowning all of that, a woman Sheryl doesn't even know (and yet, seems infinitely familiar?) seems to come together before her out of thin air. Sheryl's eyes widen as this stranger smiles at her as if she loves her, whispering the faintest words of gratitude--then disappears, melting away as if into her very voice.
        
        She doesn't know what to make of it. It doesn't in any way stop her. There'll be time to think everything over later. Hell, it might just be psychosomatic, an illusion her mind conjured up in the passion of the moment; after all, everything is so chaotic right now, one unbelievable sight and one astonishing giant (one wearing her merch, even!) after another sprouting up before her like a field of wildflowers. But right now, she lives by how she feels, and it feels as though three hearts are beating as one--as though two voices are twining together line by line until they become inseparable. Anti doesn't need to worry. This song won't stop until there isn't a single unexpressed emotion left.
        
        "The more feelings I have to convey, the more my words fumble
        "Unable to tell you anything, the truth is I live in uncertainty
        "If people could somehow see tomorrow
        "Then we would probably have to live without realizing our dreams..."

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.


Eventually she's calmed down by Brera enough that he can shift her over to the rear seat of the cockpit, she doesn't resist going, telling herself that he has to fly the plane. She scrambles over like she's had experience doing this... several times now.

It's only once she's in the rear seat that she realizes that he's not... having to make any discernible movements to fly the Variable Fighter. While startling to her, she doesn't remark on it. She's met all kinds of interesting people with cybernetic modifications - and outright super AIs since leaving the Frontier (She even has a text chain going on with one right now.)

A screen appears Brera's VF, and Ranka calls out in relief. "Alto!" Every time he flies in a battle, she worries about him. "I'm okay."

The battlefield is a panoply of chaotic imagery and violence. Ranka can't make sense of it anymore... but there is one thing she can make sense of.

Again she feels Sheryl. Afraid. Relieved. Feeling bravery despite the fear. She felt Sheryl's loneliness before, she felt Sheryl's fear today. And despite the dire situation for Ranka just moments ago - she forces herself to be brave too. Feeling her so acutely, the two just synchronize, and Ranka begins to join her in the song, with the feeling like Sheryl is right beside her in the cockpit despite being on stage - and through her right beside Alto... two voices, and three hearts linking up in song.

And while Brera may not feel it as acutely as he would Aimo... he is still treated to Ranka singing it within his cockpit, as a perfect collaborative match to Sheryl's singing outside of it.

The tempo of Infinity revs up, breaking once more into the sweeping passion of the blowing wind.

        "Embrace that goodbye! Embrace that affection!
        "I want to bury this entire world with my feelings for you
        "I flew so nimbly, so lightly! I cried so hard, so much!
        "I just want to see you once again at our promised land!"

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.

STERNE-Prototype ' Abnormality Detected ' Unusual Hippocampus Activation
STERNE-Prototype ' Emotional Irregularities Detected ' Automatic Correctants Applied

        Hm... it seems there's another good reason for things to draw to a close. Compared to the other night, the amount of irregular activation being recorded from Major Sterne's cybernetics is like a storm to a drizzle. It's something to keepa close eye on. For now Grace is satisfied to allow the automated system to keep him in line.

        Meanwhile the Vajra is in a bad way. Most of its head is missing, and after firing what should be an artillery cannon at point blank range most of its upper body's exoskeleton is brittle! Still it is clinging to Anti with whatever strength it has left. No longer capable of sight, unable to rely on the sight of others to make up for its blindness, it can only cling to its foe in a desperate attempt to destroy it.

        It is this other's fault, after all. The gentle green child needed help, and it could not reach her. Surely she is gone. Surely this other is to blame!

        But it is too weak to do much more than cling even as Alto fires into it, the rounds crunching through its shell and weakening its grip enough that Anti can wrench a claw free! Same claw thrusting into the beast's underbelly with a vicious stab. PAIN!! But it only causes the Vajra to start swinging more violently with its multiple arms, more desperate than ever now to destroy the creature it is wrestling with. Even as the micro missiles explode around it, explodes around them, causing it to lose yet more of its weapons... yet more of its body the Vajra in the silence - in the absence of its nest can only react in an instinctual need to destroy!!

        And in the midst of those explosions it is hoisted up and then brought harshly down against the Gonglee. It's three remaining limbs still scrabbling and swinging in anger, though its claws have long since been broken by the assault. Just what does it take to kill one of these things?! Even without its head, even with nearly half of its body missing, it is still attacking in blind violence...!

        Until...

        Once again, it hears the song of the gentle green child. It also hears the song of another. They are singing together now. Is that the nest, singing to the gentle green child? The Vajra does not think. It cannot think. But the song soothes its violence and suddenly its body goes limp atop the Gonglee.

        For this lone Vajra, the fight is over. 

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Descending on a waterlogged, immobilized Gonglee is a great way to get rid of it, as it happens. What little movement the kaiju does do is misdirected thanks to vulcan fire from Synchrotank -- and that leads it into...

... everything else.

Phormocannon's mattock comes down, and puts another hole in the kaiju -- this one smaller, of course, being from a mattock and not a blast from a Giant of Light. It wavers, for a moment, amid the growing song -- it tries to lash out, but Geed keeps the tentacles from getting all that far out from the creature. It's... thoroughly locked down --

-- especially when Anti suplexes that Vajra into it. Regardless of anything that happens with the *Vajra*, Gonglee, at least, is *done*. Putting it in the same place as Alto's missile target certainly doesn't hurt matters, even as the kaiju is already crumbling. Once the blasts clear from the missile barrage...

... Gonglee is no more.


Akane flops unceremoniously into the garbage in her room. "Uuuugh, I was really hoping for all four..." she moans, pathetically. "Like I said, two or three is probably *fine* but still!"

Alexis -- still a broken, glitching monitor -- murmurs, "Is your heart not really in it today, Akane-kun? I was so sure things would go better this time... but there's a weakness here that doesn't seem to be any fault in your design."

... *is* her heart not in it? She'd been upset, sure -- but even then, she'd kept her cool better than usual... is she becoming a weaker, dumber god? "... I should've stayed out there with the Bio Devizer," she reflects. "Even if I didn't use Maga-Orochi's power, I could've at least figured out why that kaiju turned out kinda anemic..." It's an answer, but it's not an answer at all, really.

"Maybe I'm just in a slump," Akane eventually answers. "Lemme be alone for now, okay? I need to focus on getting this place back together anyway."

"Hmhm... as you wish, Akane-kun. Best of luck."


Alexis stands on Akane's rooftop, one teal panel at the corner of his 'mouth' blinking on and off for a few moments. When he speaks, they return to their usual symmetrical dance. "Hm... worrisome. It's not a 'slump...' but then, that's the problem, I suppose," comes his reflection on today's events, inaudible even to Akane. 

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

The battle such as it is comes to an end. By tommorow there will be people who never existed and, in never existing, were never truly killed right? Of course, data is data and does data truly die? A newtype might have a thing ti say to you about that!

Nidaime sets aside such thoughts. It is a hope she cannot count on so long as God rules this land like this.

But it isn't as if she wanted to be enemies even if this attack felt like a declaration of war. Instead she turns to Anti dor a moment.

"My family repays its debts."

Before schlorrrping back into a smol form and vanishing into the crowd. Lingering too long will only bring more danger upon Anti than he may have already brought upon himself. 

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

The fight... is over. Rikka breathes a sigh of relief, sinking into her seat. She's quiet for a moment, as she considers what to say to Utsumi. It sounds like it hit him pretty hard, but... of course it would.

"...Hey, listen. You did a good job, okay, Utsumi? ...Thanks." Rikka says. It might only seem like small encouragement, but... maybe it'll help.

"Um... thank you, everyone." Rikka says to the gathered pilots. A lot more people could've gotten hurt, if it wasn't for the quick response.

She pauses for a moment then and brings out her phone. She missed a text - from Namiko, letting her know their group made it out.

"...Oh, thank goodness, they're alright." She says. She's glad they didn't get hurt because she brought them somewhere... 

<Pose Tracker> Riku Asakura has posed.

Geed jumps back right as the two (well three) Kaiju fall on each other. The assorted toku explosion destroys one, disables the other, and the third is Anti. Geed looks at Anti for a moment. He walks towards him, is another fight about to start?

Instead, Geed offers the Kaiju a hand. It is up to Anti to take it or not, and it's not like Riku will be offended. "Whatever your beef with me is, thank you for your help today..." he says, the corner of his eyes seeing Nidaime, and her words to Anti.

"If you really want to defeat me, then I won't run...but don't involve anyone else," he says. Rather or not the shake happens, Geed makes an Ultra sound and flies into the air.

Somewhere, near the leaving Nidaime, Riku falls out of the portal. "Are...you alright?" 

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto watches as the second kaiju sends the vajra crashing down into the first. Just as the missiles from the barrage dance in to explode against bother of them. There's a brief explosion hiding them from view. But finally it fades and the smoke begins to clear. There's not much left...

        Alto finally relaxes a little, coming down from the high of emotions that were flowing through him from Ranka and Sheryl singing. Along with the adrenaline of the fight.

        With the battle over, the Lucifer and Messiah slowly descend back down towards the concert site, both switching over to GERWALK mode as they come in for a soft landing out in the open. Not too far from the damaged stage itself.

        It's a bit of a drop from the cockpit to the VF's hand, then again from there to the ground. But it's nothing that the active Galactic Fairy can't handle. And Alto is there to keep her from falling, if she ends up needing it.

        But once the two are finally on the ground proper, Alto goes into a short run towards the Lucifer, looking to check up on its passenger. Part of him already knew she was alright, having heard her singing during the end of the battle. But part of him just couldn't believe it until he saw her in person.

        "Ranka!"

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        The fight is over. Missiles explode like brilliant fireworks, and in their wake, the kaiju and the Vajra collapse on each other. Sheryl vocalizes as the last instrumentals of Infinity play--a shortened version of the song, since at this point the concert is for better or worse also over--but she smiles in relief as she sees the monsters go down. Her gaze goes then to the VF-27 Lucifer as it lands along with the Messiah near the stage.
        
        "She's okay. I know she is," she says, as much faith as fact, as she and Alto climb out of the Valkyrie, going from cockpit to hand to ground. Even so, she's right at his side as he races across the grounds to the other Valkyrie to see its passenger for himself.
        
        "Ranka!" she shouts in unison and in equal measures anticipation and joy. If Ranka's on the ground already by then, her arms are already open to pull her into a fierce hug. 

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.


Fortunately or perhaps unfortunately depending on one's perspective, Ranka Lee doesn't know the struggle that the Vajra has put forward for her sake. If she did, she would be devastated. As it finally goes limp, dying within the peace of their music...

... Ranka suddenly doubles over, in the fighter's cockpit behind Brera, panting, sweat beading on her forehead that has nothing to do with the heat as she holds her abdomen. "Why... why again?" She whispers to herself, trembling... it was nowhere near as bad as last time but...

... Ai-kun will be extra affectionate later... because he feels it too, but has no other way to communicate it with her...

Deciding it's probably just stress from intense situations... (Inez did every test available in the Nadesico's medical facilities and found absolutely nothing wrong last time.) ... she sits back up. As Brera lands, in sight of Alto and Sheryl in Alto's VF, she waves to them as the cockpit opens to get out, before leaning to say to Brera again, "Thank you... Brera."

As Alto and Sheryl come to her, she's climbed out of the cockpit, and takes two short leaps from the hand of the Gerwalk to the ground (this might cause Alto a little worry given how clumsy she can be), as she runs to them both... "Alto... Sheryl!" ... and straight into a tight hug with Sheryl...

...and when she eventually part, which may take a while... Alto definitely isn't exempted, as she hugs him too.

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        They reach Ranka, with her and Sheryl quickly going in to a hug. Alto stands closeby, watching with a smile. It's definitely a huge relief to see Ranka alright. Especially given what happened. Or almost happened. Watching the two, it's clear that Ranka is still pretty shaken from it. And to some degree, Sheryl as well.

        Alto decides to try and lighten the mood a bit with a joke, letting out a short chuckle before saying, "I swear, before I met the two of you, my life was a lot safer and less stressful."

        But Ranka then releases Sheryl, suddenly pulling Alto into a hug. He looks surprised for a moment, before returning the hug with one arm and saying more softly, "Though I can't say I don't prefer this more..." Alto gives Sheryl a smile as well.

<Pose Tracker> Anti has posed.

        The reptilian kaiju hits the ground, at the end of its suplex; it bounces, once, twice, as the light at its forehead flashes warning.

        Geed approaches; the reptilian kaiju tries, and doesn't quite manage to rise.

        "Ch..." He growls, glaring at the Ultraman. Geed --

        -- offers him a hand.

        Anti's claw reaches out...

        ... and swipes it away, before he shifts the movement into a roll, pushing himself up. "I'm out of time," he growls -- which is more of a tectonic RUMBLE, large as he is. "... don't think something like this will happen again."

        Geed's leaving, at least.

        The remaining kaiju stomps off, too -- and disappears, soon after.

        There's a boy, standing in the lonely street, looking back towards the ruined concert. "... yeah," Anti mutters, burying his hands in his pockets and facing forward again. "The Second... I hear you. But..."

        He stalks off, face set in a grim expression.

        "... so does mine."

        And how much debt does he owe, after this..?

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.

        The Tech Booth is all but abandoned now.

        Once the battle was finished, and once the song was over, Grace gave the IT crew permission to evacuate with the remainder of the audience while she handled clean-up. After all it suited her purposes: Giving her a chance to squeeze the last dregs of data from the feeds before she turns out the light.

        She is watching on one of the monitors as the two fighters, Messiah and Lucifer, land nearby in GERWALK mode. Their flight canopies open, and three of their occupants rush out to check on each other and express their relief and appreciation towards each other's safety while standing. Sheryl, in particular, rushing forward to pull her into a fierce hug.

        In excitement the green haired woman throws her arms around her colleague in a hug... Grace reacting first in shock, and then softly she smiles, before returning that hug. For her entire life she had been appreciated for her intelligence, her ability. That was the whole reason that the Galaxy Executives insisted she be brought onto Dr. Mao's project with the 117th Long Distance Research Fleet.

        It was the first time that she didn't feel appreciated. After all, her own hypothesies and protocols were placed on the back burner. She should have been angry, she should have been hateful, she should have demanded to be reassigned but...

        ... through Ranshe, for the first time she felt appreciated as a person and not just for what she could do. She wanted to stay with Ranshe, to work with Ranshe, and after seeing the joy that Brera and Ranka had brought to her she wanted to raise her own famiy alongside Ranshe's. If she could have that at least... she would be satisfied.

        In that darkened tech booth, Grace shuts off the monitor. Subconsciously, she once again raises her hand and holds it against her stomach. Her fingers tensing, moving as if to dig through cloth and artificial flesh alike.

        She was given nothing.

        With her other hand Grace, with perhaps a bit more force than necessary, removes the data drives from the equipment and tucks them away into a briefcase. She transmits orders to Brera to perform basic medical diagnostic scans on L-Q, F-9 and Warrant Officer Saotome before meeting up for a rendevous outside of Tsutsujidai.

        Grace picks up the briefcase and walks briskly out of the room. An old, serious scowl on her face:

        She won't wait to be given what is hers.

        This time, she will take it. 

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        Sheryl's chest tweaks surprisingly hard when Ranka goes from hugging her to hugging Alto--but at the same time, she's not upset. It's a confusing cocktail of emotions, but right now, it's enough that they're both here with her. Anti and Geed might be having their own moment to one side, and Grace might be having a very different kind of moment on her own, and maybe even Brera's having a moment in his own fashion, but right now, right here, everything feels just right.
        
        "And a lot more boring, right?" Sheryl teases Alto, tilting her hips as she plants her hands on them. Alto as much as admits it, and she giggles. All the adrenaline that rushed through her over the past few minutes (was it really only minutes?? It feels like it was literal hours) has made her giddy with the knowledge that she and the people she cares about most are all safe.
        
        The people she cares about most...? ...It really is that, isn't it? Alto she was already enamored with from way back when, but she was also keenly aware that the person he really is might be very different from the actor on the stage. And Ranka's very dear to her, but she started out as a fan, as a face in the crowd. Now...
        
        ...Even if I'm forcing this love into a triangle, I'll still go! There are no do-overs in life, so I'm happy... o/`
        
        "That's what I thought," she says fondly, and adds herself into Alto's one arm while reaching out for Ranka too, changing the two-way hug into a beautiful triangle.

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

Ranka /could/ say the same to Alto. Her life became a lot more stressful after meeting him and Sheryl... but she wouldn't trade her new life for her old...

... not if it meant that the two of them wouldn't be a part of it...

As Sheryl notes it'd be a lot more boring, Ranka... giggles herself after a second, despite the life or death situation she was in, and accepts Sheryl back into the hug in that three way triangle.

"He didn't deny it... I guess... that means he's stuck with us."

Which keeps the three of them together... and she wouldn't have it any other way.

[[Category:Plot]

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