2022-06-06: And to the Birthday Child...

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<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        Three weeks ago, sometime after the defeat of the Eighth Angel, Kaworu had approached Misato about what she intends to do for June 6th. Two weeks ago, he'd invited Rei to join in on the event planning. One week ago, he'd spoken privately to some of his classmates about what parts they might play. Yesterday, he'd traveled to Middle Hakone with Rei, Asuka, and Mari to handle some matters that had been left undone until then.
        
        And now...
        
        The rainy season approaches across the islands of Japan and Area 11--but they aren't here just yet. For now, while forecasts predict that storms are coming soon, blue skies yet shine overhead. It's a great day for a Monday. Maybe a bit hot, but fortunately fans within Misato's apartment keep the air moving.
        
        The windows are all thrown wide, the balcony is open for guest use, a buffet of food has been laid out on the dining room table (including a variety of chips, candy, crudites, hummus and other dips, edamame, chicken meatball skewers, fried tofu, pork and vegetable-only gyoza, takoyaki, fresh-fried chicken karaage from Ramen Burger, sodas and other drinks, and more), and decorations are in progress.
        
        Shinji isn't here currently. Misato sent him out on an errand with Kensuke and Tohji, who've been tasked to keep him occupied until everything is ready. Mari, who is driving Shinji's belongings over from the overnight storage unit where they'd been kept, isn't here just yet either. Misato herself is definitely here, dressed down in jean shorts and a tank top, along with Kaworu and Rei, for reasons that are about to become clear.
        
        "Closer to the center!" she directs as Kaworu and Rei stand on chairs to pin up a banner to the ceiling amidst paper streamers and balloons set up through the generally-accessible parts of the apartment. It reads, '<3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LI'L SHIN <3'; this was Misato's idea. "A little more to the left... Little more... Perfect!" She beams as she gives them a thumb's up. She turns to the rest of the guests currently in attendance, surveys the place, and enthuses, "Everything looks great! Shinji's mind is going to be *blown*! Now remember: when he comes in, you're all going to pop those poppers I gave you and yell 'surprise!' Got it?"
        
        Given some of those who've responded to the invitations that were sent out, explaining that much is absolutely a must.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


It's perhaps obvious that Asuka and Hikari have arrived in the cake by the sounds in the distance, Asuka's volume announcing herself like a blaring horn during rush hour traffic.

"I've got it alright!? You don't have to help up the stairs!"

"I know you can get it by yourself... I just want to make sure it stays stable..."

"Whatever." Asuka grouses, Hikari just smiles her way as if very little Asuka could say could make her mad, especially today, perhaps believing she has secret insight into her behavior.

Once up the stairs, Hikari backs off, only staying nearby in case she sees the cake tipping as Asuka carries it in balanced one handed on a palm. "We're back with time to spare, Misato-san." Hikari calls in as Asuka replies, "Of course we are. Even those two idiot friends of his couldn't mess this up." Deftly she turns her wrist to swivel the cake through the narrow halls, into the kitchen, and sets it down on the only spare space available - the kitchen counter.

"Nice job you two!" Misato says to the pair, as she moves over to give the cake a final inspection - an enormous Strawberry Shortcake, an old tradition in Japan. Hikari produces the candles shortly after and starts arranging them as a finishing touch. Misato then leans over to her, holding a hand near her mouth as she whispers conspiratorially, "Hey Asuka... what'd you get Shinji?" "Why does that matter?" "/o~You~know~why~" Asuka just stares at her as she sing songs, "What's with that tone?" She says as her own expression clouds over. "Better not expect much." Misato gives a small sigh, and Hikari and her share a small moment of solidarity in the glances they trade.

Misato promptly hands the pair a popper each and repeats the plan. "Even odds he hits the deck because he thinks someone's pulled a gun." Asuka grumbles - perhaps to make herself feel better about the fact she did when Ouka popped a Dodgeball.


<Pose Tracker> Zoia Surovy has posed.

So long as the skies are blue, Zoia's happy. Foul weather's not new to her, but the weather in Japan's been nice enough to make for a change from Moscow-normal climes. Little surprise that she's come dressed for the late-spring day and found herself a spot near a window. She picked out an airy blue sun dress with subtle floral patterns tracing through here and there, with a pair of white shoes that come a little ways up her calves in the form of little laces.

She even left her hair ungelled today. Without the ever-present gloss holding it in place, it has a natural volume and waviness, curling just a little at the tips. Her look is much softer for it.

The banner evokes a smile. Zoia is kind enough to cover it with one hand, eyes twinkling behind her big round glasses. "I will not forget," she assures Kaworu with a small blush, shifting her footing so that she catches a little more of the breeze before the time comes to hide. In her free hand she fiddles with her party popper.

The other hand is not free because she's holding a drink. It is a bottle of soda labeled 'Baikal' in Cyrillic characters. Another 11 bottles have been stuffed in the cooler. It's the first chance Zoia'd had to get a case of the stuff since she sacrificed her first one on the altar of Asuka Langley's ego.

It came with her present. There's a box near her feet, wrapped in blue paper with a white ribbon. Zoia hadn't known what to get Shinji; she doesn't know him that well.

<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.


Returning from Middle Hakone, Rei Ayanami had eaten a small 'Kung Fu Ramen Burger' (kung fu = monks = vegetarian) and a large matcha milkshake. Upon returning to her hovel in Tokyo-3, she went upstairs, took off her clothes, laid on her bed face down and immediately slept for ten hours.

She woke up in some pain, which was partially ameliorated by medication. It was worth it, though.

At Lt. Col. Katsuragi's residence, Rei (having learned nothing) opened the refrigerator door.

A penguin watching television on a small portable electronic screen looked at her.

Rei looked back.

The penguin looked back.

The penguin made an indication.

Rei closed the door.

After this, Rei - who is wearing what Shinji may later recognize as 'the same outfit she wore to the victory party au pizza a while ago' and which otherwise just looks like 'office suit suitable for wearing to semi formal event', with a faintly violet mandarin-collared blouse and a charcoal pencil skirt - has worked on pinning things up, placing things around.

Rei is issued a popper. Examining the object, she quickly determines its operation. "Understood," she informs Misato. The object is held at the ready.

The Second raises a valid possible concern. Rei frowns faintly at the prospect.

<Pose Tracker> Chibodee Crocket has posed.

Chibodee Crocket had a dozen things to do today on the wrong side of the world from Shinji Ikari. As ever, he needed to get up at 5 a.m. local time to pour protein into his body and do two hours in the gym. After that the actual work of the day began.

Chibodee needed to get more relief supplies into New Yark by bribing the Brittanian officials who were holding up his goods at port for no good reason; then there were a series of start-of-fiscal meetings to organize assorted fundraising campaigns for housing, job training, and widow/orphan relief programs; then he needed to do a 5-minute interview segment for Neo America cable news about the importance of the Special Relationship between the colony and Brittania; he then needed to commute to France via orbital insertion and re-entry (for speed) so the Crest Holders could meet. It was George's turn, which fortunately Chibodee justified to himself by saying he was going in the right direction to Tokyo-3....

And of course THAT takes forever. There were a variety of internal Shuffle Alliance matters to address regarding *their* start-of-fiscal, which always involves Domon and Chibodee getting into a shouting match because Chibodee hates spending money and Domon *always* wants to spend money; and then Chibodee needed to book it into space so he could hammer it back into orbit and express his ass to the vicinity of Tokyo-3.

BUT THEN Chibodee got a call that he needed to pick up Nidaime, so he pivoted again, picked up Nidaime at the agreed-upon pickup point for Tsutsujidai commuters (don't ask), and then drove extremely fast in the company car to make it to Shinji's party about five minutes late.

"Fuck," Chibodee says to himself, believing he's going to walk in and see Shinji judging him for not being there on time. "If anybody says anything, we're late because of me, okay?"

Chibodee walks in with Nidaime in tow. He's got a gift bag with him featuring a pack of high-end soy sauce and tamari, a New Yark Yankees pre-distressed ball cap, and a set of three New Yark subway-themed coasters with built-in bottle openers made out of old fare tokens. Don't ask him how much it cost. (He got all of it free. What, do you think he's made of money? Don't answer that either.)

Chibodee walks in, doesn't see Shinji, and is immediately visibly relieved. He looks for a gift table, gives everyone a tired-seeming wave, and is issued a popper.

<Pose Tracker> Eisen Daiwel has posed.

"I was sent here to help humans! That's my purpose!"

Eisen takes a pose right in front of the running Television, wearing his usual more casual clothing. Which obviously includes a long jacket that hangs over his shoulders, some fingerless gloves, pants with way too many chains, and a black undershirt.

The television that the Penguin is currently watching is doing a rerun of Sparkling Witch Athrusa, and Eisen is trying to replicate the pose of the titular heroine! It honestly looks like the youth is just having the time of his life. And it probably wouldn't look out of place, if his body was built to the age of the other Evangelion Children!

His gifts are sitting on a pile in the corner. Two long boxes of some sorts, and multiple smaller boxes. Each of them wrapped in black glossy paper, and tied with green ribbons.

Earlier, when he came in, he just kind of dumped them there the moment he saw what was on TV, and has not really been heard from since, until just now.

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime knows precisely what to get Shinji Ikari. She doesn't know him too well either. Actually, does she even know Shinji at all? She has never actually seen his face just heard his voice...

Nidaime also is not made out of money so she went dumpster diving to get Shinji's gift. It took her a while but she was eventually able to find what she was looking for, get it fixed up, and then giftwarp it.

Why is Chibodee tired-seeming? It might have to do with the, "Chibi!" She says. "Chibi Chibi Chibi...! The car ride... Was so fast! Wow! We definitely violated some vehicular laws to get here in--" Yeah this might have something to do with it. She looks around and doesn't see Shinji and says, "Oh okay." to Chibodee. "I guess it...worked out! Haha! Yay, thank you Chibi! I got him a gift and wanted to make sure he got it today..!"

How did she learn about when Shinji's birthday was? You don't want to know.

Instead she has giftwrapped something vaguely rectangular in shape (it's an old music player) by using a garbage bag she was able to uncover. She then got someone to give her a free ribbon she tied around it and--yes--!!--a card that she has slid between the ribbon on top of the wrapped up garbage bag.

She sets it on the table with a big smile. "He's going to love the gift I got him, Chibi...~"

She looks around and gives Rei a big wave and smile. "Chibi! That girl showed me the sunrise...!"

She beams happily. Then squints a bit.

She sniffs the air once, twice.

She waves to the group, "Hello everyone! I'm the Second!"

NOTABLY: Nidaime, yeah, still smells like she hasn't bathed in a few weeks because she hasn't. Breath: Usual level of bad. Smile? Perfection.

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

        For anyone who is surprised that Ouka Nagisa, aka Aurum-1 has showed up for a birthday party... well, no one was perhaps more surprised than herself. Up until very recently she has only had the most rudimentry notion of what a birthday party was: It was a party thrown for a person for which there was a unique day designated for which to have a party that there was approximately one in three hundred sixty-five and a fourth chance they'd share that same day with another random individual.

        She did require Cuervo to explain to her that the date was actually determined by the date that someone was born.

        But explain he did, and arrive she did! She even brought with her a nicely wrapped gift. A gift that, apparently, was wrapped in a store and based on the receipt she was carrying with her was probably bought last minute. But it is the thought that counts right? She is still wearing her school uniform (thus supporting the 'probably last minute' theorem to her involvement in this whole debacle), and as of current has exchanged the object in her hands from being her gift to being a party popper. Much like Rei she examines the object to determine its method of activation, then moves into position with the other guests.

        In these final moments before the Designated Target's arrival, Ouka takes a moment to glance across the others in attendance. She's honestly is a bit astonished by some of the people in attenance, like Asuka, who she had assumed based on her behavior and dislike of distractions that she'd find a way to skip out. Perhaps her attendance lends itself to explain Eisen's own, given how often one likes to egg on the other? Misato Katsuragi (who she has probably met in passing before, and in uniform) is less surprising to see attending... though she perhaps didn't expect her to be so unformal, even in off work hours. Kaworu's presence is not at all surprising given the sort of expressions she has seen from him regarding his classmate...

        ... but then there is Chibodee Crocket, and an oddly smelly child who calls herself 'The Second'. Both are shocking but fordifferent reason. Still toward the former she can't deny an appreciation for that radiant smile, and she gives the apparently younger girl a warm one in return. But she is silent for now... after all, this is a tactical stealth mission. 

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Kaas has posed.



She had stood in front of the door to the apartment in silence for several minutes before knocking. Alouette was acclimatizing to the others in school and finding her place in it, but such social functions were still daunting. As such, knocking was akin to saying "Go!" in the simulators where she braced herself before doing so.

No one had any task, or requested anything of her so there was no responsibility for Alouette. But she had accepted the invitation and while she hadn't said so, she was looking forward to this experience. Birthdays and Birthday Celebrations we're novel to her, more so finding that it wasn't just a Japanese or Eleven custom. On her own she had done her due diligence in trying to research it, and then invested herself in a key element: finding a gift for the Birthday Boy.

Alouette didn't know Shinji very well. So in the intervening period she had tried to establish a profile on him, without the help of Kaworu or the others. Whether she was successful or not, she tried to follow Shinji, and take notes without raising suspicion. The best she could gather however came down to Shinji's SDAT player he carried around. Without asking what music it contained, ALouette was left with some, guessing. She had visited numerous music venues around Tokyo-3 when she could, and spoken to the proprietors there.

All said and done, here she was. In some comfy baggy pants of a dark colored, but light material that came high on her waist, suspenders that matched, over a white tee. A breezy full sleeve kimono style jacket, and held tightly in her arms a square, thin object. The product of her effort. Her excitement, almost has her bouncy on her toes.

Alouette waves quietly to everyone coming in, still gripping tightly to the gift she worked so much for. She nods, at Misato's directions, though not quite understanding what the "poppers" do.

Alouette does everything she can to stay out of they way, and avoid collisions. Still she ends up bumping into Misato, and winces, but not from pain. Alouette recoils and backs up to a wall.

        "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! It was an accident! I'll, Try to find... somewhere else... I'm sorry!"

Alouette pulls at her lip with her teeth, and hurries to the Balcony. Surely she is out of the way here. She sees Ouka, Aurum-1 and waves, before clinging tightly to her gift again, thinking about how stupid she feels for crashing into Misato. It isn't a large space, but Alouette is... trying to deal with personal space. 

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        Liam remembers what it was like to have birthday parties, and to go to others' birthday parties. None of them were very fancy, because money issues were a constant, looming threat for all the adults involved, but he remembers store-bought cakes and colorful wrapping paper. He remembered begging his parents for a Captain Britannia lunchbox so he had something in common with the kids who did have slightly more money. He remembers both of his parents being upset with the very concept of Captain Britannia, but eventually, the lunchbox showed up, gift-wrapped, on his tenth birthday.

        Liam knows how birthdays work. He just doesn't know how to feel about them, now.

        The teenage supersoldier made his way to Misato's apartment without incident, as the complex is not far from his own. He's one of the last to arrive, and he doesn't announce his arrival at all--he just slips in, leaving his shoes by the door. He's wearing the civilian outfit from the garment bag Rei got him: a grey blazer, matching slacks, and a bright red button-up shirt. It's a little warm for the current weather, but Liam doesn't seem to mind. His skin is still terribly pale, and he isn't wearing anything to cover the scars on his head and neck. A glance around the room reveals...

        Well. The sight of Nidaime alone causes Liam to stop before he can say anything, his mouth open. Then he sees who she's with, and his eyes widen, and his brain spirals back to what he was taught by his captors. A Gundam Fighter. A real Gundam Fighter, not like him. One of the best of the best.

        The net result is that Liam ends up staring at Chibodee, uncomfortably silent, for a good ten seconds before he shuts his mouth and turns to Misato with a vaguely desperate look on his face.

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

The other day, Shinji Ikari committed treason.

He is technically a citizen of the OCU, though father arranged a general Federation civipass for quick deployment. ZAFT is at war with the Federation for reasons that legitimately confused Shinji Ikari, but somehow he ended up helping interrogate their pilot, who was seduced by what he suspects is an alien being who makes monsters out of tiny clay dolls. Somehow. It's an ongoing investigation, but the first big break in the case in ages which is why Shinji Ikari committed treason by giving the pilot his number. This isn't the sort of thing Shinji Ikari thinks about, cares about, but here he is, thinking about it because it makes the other thing screaming for space in his mind go away.

There was a name. Alexis Kerib. Shinji Ikari hasn't slept more than four hours at once since hearing that name.

Shinji has been watching a movie; the GeoFront has a little theater, installed at the insistence of GGG for reasons Shinji doesn't understand but in some way appreciates. He spent a lot of time back in the old neighborhood taking advantage of cheap air conditioning and cheaper popcorn, but movies themselves? Shinji sits in a dark room, glaring at a screen, half expecting a man in a suit to shoot him in the back of the head. He's sent a text message to a number that send an automatic response.

Instead a kid in a track suit grabs him by the shoulder. "Bro." Toji Suzuhara says. "Have you been here all day?"

"I think someone's following me." Shinji says, "I mean other than the government thugs who're always following me, which makes it hard to tell when someone else is following you, let me tell you."

"He's bad." Kensuke Aida says, "Must be the killing his dad thing."

"Dude!" Toji slapped Kensuke upside the head. "Who raised you?!"

"I'm just gonna take a nap here." Shinji says, staring up at the ceiling. "Eventually."

"Shower?" Kensuke offers, grabbing Shinji's arm.

"Shower." Toji agrees, lifting the boy bodily out of his seat.

A forced shower later, Shinji is still being bodied towards the apartment. "This is a bad idea." Shinji mutters to his friends, pulling on his favorite red polo shirt and wondering who put it on him. "I seriously think I'm being followed."

"Look man." Toji leans in, his voice taking a 'I love you Shin man but am about to deck you.', "I know you had a rough trip to space. But there are people in yer life, now, that care if you just vanish off th'face of the earth, alright? Tell me you at least left Misato a note or somethin'."

Shinji pales, a little, as he realizes he didn't. Hopefully she had a workaholic weekend too and didn't notice. "Alright. Alright. Big smile."

"That's the spirit!" Kensuke says, "Fake it until it's real!"

The Two stooges push their third into the apartment. "Why is it so dark-damn it did Misato miss a bill?" 

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        For his part, Kaworu's wearing a gray-and-white mid-sleeved shirt over a black-and-white striped undershirt, fitted beige cargo pants belted in place, a dog tag-like pendant around his neck, a few bands around his left wrist, and a metal wristwatch on his right. Shinji might recognize that last one.
        
        As he descends and sets the chair he'd been standing on back against the wall, he smiles back at Zoia. The presents are set up along the wall next to the "buffet" table, neatly stacked; as guests arrive, Kaworu slips over and moves them to the appropriate spot, taking care that none of them topple or crush one another. His own present to Shinji is mixed in among them, as of course is Misato's. He looks over at the cake as Asuka and Hikari bring it in, smile turning wry as Asuka grumbles about how party poppers might actually be a bad idea.
        
        Misato, meanwhile, outright scoffs at it. "It'll be fine! Shinji's not *that* high-strung!" she declares with the radiance of absolute, potentially undeserved confidence. "Besides, parties are all about making lots of noise and having tons of fun!" She turns to Rei and Ouka, planting her hands on her hips, and leans towards them. "That goes double for you two ladies!"
        
        She grins at Chibodee and Nidaime as they arrive; the fact that she has no idea who Nidaime is or that Nidaime smells like she's homeless doesn't stop her in the slightest from greeting them both with a big, "Welcome, welcome! Come right on in!"
        
        She *is* left wondering what, if anything, she should say to Nidaime about that smell--it's not exactly something she can just fix with five minutes in front of the bathroom mirror, and she doesn't want to kick her out either. While she's trying to figure this out, Alouette bumps into her, drops into profuse apologies, and escapes to the balcony.
        
        "It's okay, Alouette, I'm not--hurt..." Misato's in the middle of saying before she trails off. It's then that Liam, who's snuck in last, casts her a look of desperation. It's unclear if she interprets it correctly or not, because she gives him a robust thumbs-up and a broad grin. Maybe she's just trying to cover up her own moment of awkwardness.
        
        Double fortunately, a text chime comes in. Misato checks her phone, then brightens. "They're almost here! Everybody, hide!" she hisses excitedly, gesturing at Zoia (who's on the ball and already mostly in place) to turn off the TV and prod Eisen into paying attention. Kaworu, to one side, turns off the lights as Misato had asked him to earlier.
        
        For a moment, all is quiet. Voices can be heard indistinctly on the other side of the door. It opens up to the sound of Shinji wondering why it's so dark--
        
        "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" Misato hollers as the lights flip on, leaping up and pulling a noisemaker to 'pop!' and send out a flurry of streamers towards Shinji and, behind him, Toji and Kensuke. Presumably the others do so as well; Kaworu certainly does.
        
        When the loudest of the noise subsides, Kaworu's there smiling fondly at Shinji, off enough to the side to not obstruct his way in, but close enough to be seen and heard. He gives Kensuke and Toji a slight nod of gratitude for their help; then he focuses back in on his fellow Child.
        
        "Happy birthday, Shinji," Kaworu tells him with full affection and sincerity.

<Pose Tracker> Chibodee Crocket has posed.

Chibodee had one outfit that's not his Trace Suit. You know what it is. Makes it easy on you. He went nose-blind to Nidaime months ago. He doesn't even remember to notice. This is why Chibodee gets sacked with Nidaime carpool duty. He definitely broke the speed limit several times and did some moving violations, but Gundam Fighter reflexes will take you far in commuter traffic. The company car will need to get scrubbed out again, but soap and water is cheap and it will let him give some street urchins a job. Dignified, respectful work, he'll tell himself.

Chibodee looks at Rei. "Nice of ya," he says, nodding, and otherwise tries to find somewhere to stand that seems to be in line with Misato's intentions. He tips his head respectfully to Ouka, courteously tries to ignore Liam's staring for now, and senses 'quiet time' is upon us. It's also an excuse not to address how weirdly awkward some of this room feels, so he tries to be as stealthy as the giant American can manage. The only more cartoonish Shuffle at 'stealth' would be Argo. At least *his* eyes aren't glowing.

But Chibodee Crocket is a man who uses situational bonuses. The room is dark and when the lights come on, Chibodee fires off his popper, rallies up all the energy he's got left, and does his Jack King impression. "YEEEEHHAAWWWWWW!" he shouts, a shout truly worthy of cutting somebody's brakes. "Happy birthday Shinji YEEEEAAAHHHHHHH!"

<Pose Tracker> Zoia Surovy has posed.

"Never change, Pozjorchik," Zoia murmurs with a faint smile, shaking her head at Eisen's antics before moving to add her present to the stack.

Nidaime is met with a cheery smile as Zoia decides internally she's glad there's one friendly Second in the room. The stonk is slightly offputting - she does crinkle her nose for a second - but she puts it aside. It's not like LCL smells great, after all. "Hello, Second!"

Ouka showing up is more of a surprise. Zoia blinks at her and cants her head, all too ready to recall the older girl busting everyone's balls last time they crossed paths. She flashes a smile her way nevertheless, raising her drink in acknowledgment.

The apologetic Alouette is met with Zoia quickly migrating her way. "Hey... do not worry, dad? You are doing fine," she assures, though at Misato's coaxing she moves to double down on being on the ball, wiggling into a spot where she won't bump into anyone. It's not easy - she accidentally jostles Alouette in the process, and gasps with a blush and a smile. "Oop, sorry!"

The lights go out. Zoia wiggles around a little more to try and nestle deeper into her spot.

All is quiet. The birthday boy arrives. And then--

Zoia sets her nosemaker and jumps up on cue with a beaming smile and a loud and cheery, "Happy birthday, Shinji-kuuuuuuuun~" 

<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.


The arrival of a Gundam Fighter would be weird enough, but he also comes in with Nidaime. Rei's head tilts to the side as she sees Nidaime, and says in her low-volume, soft affect, "Good afternoon," as they file in and put down - gifts?

Gifts.
Tokens of regard.
I didn't bring it.
I will contact Ikari later and transfer the item.

Rei nods vaguely to Chibodee once. Her eyes track him - he stands out, between hair and international fame which has managed to reach Rei "I Don't Own A TV Or Consume Any Media" Ayanami. Afterwards, she looks to Nidaime, her head tilting in the other direction slightly.

Rei is then given an order to have fun and make noise. Her eyes turn momentarily towards Ouka, who is loosely proximate, and then back to Misato. "Understood."

She turns, in wait.

A room that smells like meat and life and humans.
Can I live here?
For a little while, at least.

Rei sucks in a deep breath as the door opens.

Signal. Mission begins. The cracker is pulled with a loud pop and Rei enunciates in a tone of 'across the room' voice-raising, "Happy Birthday," which is immediately submerged under all of the other shouting.

Rei feels her legs tighten with the desire to flee. It is suppressed.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


Asuka is perhaps genuinely surprised that some people are here, but not too surprised... not anymore at least. As Chibodee shows up though she actually lofts an eyebrow and wonders if Misato invited him with her connections.

Before she then eyes the stinky girl that rides Kaiju suspiciously. Like she's uncertain if she should trust her perceptions that she's even present here. "The Second what?" Uncertain if she's being made fun of by her. "Here to visit your boyfriend?"

Ouka perhaps last of all gets a single lofted eyebrow. She wouldn't have expected her here. "What's she doing here?" Alouette gets perhaps a dark look as she bumps into Misato and starts apologizing. Apologies in particular might be a sore spot with her right now, but she doesn't say anything.

What's she wearing by the way? Just a simple striped tank top that bares her midriff just above the waist of a pair of jean shorts as well as a pair of sneakers. It's a hot day so she's been going super simple.

Eventually though, they show up, and... the apartment is dark. Asuka barely even engages with the idea of the surprise party, just standing there with her popper in the dark, though when it goes off, she pops hers with a grumpy, disengaged expression. "Happy Birthday Shinji-kun!" Hikari is the one who says that. Asuka doesn't. "Stupid." She mutters, apparently bound and determined not to enjoy this party if it's the last thing she does.


<Pose Tracker> Eisen Daiwel has posed.

"Huh, what was that?" Eisen asks, picking up on some of Zoia's whisper, but barely present of mind enough to try and translate it.

The Television is turned off, no doubt to Eisen's dismay as things came to an exciting part of the episode being shown, and the lights had been turned off. Party Poppers were handed out, and only now does the youth seem to realize just how many people have entered this place. Truly, Eisen sometimes seems to go into his own little world when he's focused on something.

But with the lights turned off, Eisen is standing there, in the dark... being able to see things all too well thanks to that right eye of his. The thing glows the most minute bit of green, rather than just reflecting what is coming off of the door as it begins to open. Like a one-eyed demon eye, staring straight at Shinji as the youth steps in and views the darkness. The shape of it flared a bit outwards because of the metal, and 'high up' for any person you'd normally expect in Japan.

The young man can't help but feel a bit of that electric excitement of the moment. He remembers birthday parties! They used to throw those back for him at the lab for a while. And when people start calling out;

"Happy birthday, Ikari!" As his popper goes off and sprays its contents right for Shinji, its contents shining off of the green of that eye's light for a moment. Smiling at the youth like a dork.

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

"Hi Rei!" Nidaime is as low volume as ever.

"Hahahaha!" Nidaime laughs happily. SHe turns to Alouette and gives her a big wave too. "Hi I'm The Second!" She looks to Liam. "Hi I'm The Second!" She then looks to Misato. "Hi I'm the Second! Are you one of Chibi's bosses?"

Eventually she realizes that she's supposed to be planning an ambush and she curls up into a corner at a perfect 'jump out and tear the throat out of whomever steps in' angle but instead of trying to do that she hops up into the air and shouts, "YEEEHAWWWW! Happy birthday, Shinji! YEeaAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Yeehaww! Yeehawww!"

She is wearing the outfit that you expect,, of course.

"Alouette, gentille alouette~ Alouette, je te plumerai~"

She's having the time of her life. She hasn't been to a BIRTHDAY PARTY before. She remembers, a moment late, to also pop her own popper. "Haha! Wow!" She now wants to pop all the poppers.

Nidaime doesn't realize Asuka is making fun of her. "Mmhmm! I'm here to visit all my boy friends and girl friends. Do you want to be one of my girl friends too?" She doesn't really want to think of boyfriends and girlfriends either right now so she intentionally takes that reading.

She wobbles back and forth on her feet.

She looks to Zoia and says, "Hello...!" She doesn't recognize Zoia but--

--She sniffs again.

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

        In the near darkness of the room just prior to Shinji's arrival, Aurum-1's presence is a bit easier to notice than most. Part of her augmentations, the same that permanently altered her eye color to that of a golden hue, also installed a reflective film behind her retinas. It's a procedure that... honestly isn't done anymore by The School, given how often it resulted in blindness or crippling light sensitivity. Part of the reason Ouka is the First (and only) Aurum is that she was 'lucky' enough not to suffer from either side effect.

        'That goes double for you two ladies!' Misato scolds both herself and Rei. Ouka's expression is one of mild frustration, and exchanges a glance with Rei, but doens't talk back. After all she had the parameters of this operation explained to her beforehand and she intends to fulfill them to the best of her ability. That goes too for the nature of a surprise party and the purpose of the party popper.

        'HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!' Misato hollars, and activates her party popper. In that brief instant one might be concerned of the wisdom of operating a device designed to produce noise and and streamer-shrapnel in the vicinity of a child super soldier!

        "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Ouka also joins in the ruckus, and even deploys her party popper in time. If the effect bothers her, she hides it well and instead deploys a well practiced warm and reassuring smile.

        She then waits to give the Younger Ikari time and space to recover, and be greeted by the others. While she participated in this effort as directed she doesn't comprehend it... and if Shinji acts like he's under attack, like Asuka suggested, well that'd make perfect sense to her.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        Misato provides... less help than Liam was hoping for, but she does provide a party popper. "Hello, the Second," Liam says, seeming to take Nidaime's name at face value. He manages to force a smile. The nervousness creeps into his eyes.

        The lights going out at least means he doesn't have to process the presence of an actual Gundam Fighter, or the girl who turned into a giant, or Aurum-1. Allies, Pilot 7-020 reminds himself. Safe. This is a happy surprise. But old habits die hard. Liam crouches down behind a nearby chair, trying to compact himself into as tiny a space as he can manage. He's over six feet tall and pretty burly. It takes some doing. He tries to pretend he's ten years old again, and back in the townhouse waiting for a friend, but it doesn't work.

        The moment arrives. Liam drives his body upright, and pulls the popper in the same motion. "Happy birthday, Shinji!" he shouts, because everyone else is doing it, and in the back of his brain he is telling himself these aren't gunshots and everything is fine.

SCENESYS: Carina Cameron has posted scene #98, 'Second Strike', at 19:00 ET on 06/16. 

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Kaas has posed.


        Alouette squeaks in surprise, when Zoia jostles her. Before she can apologize, Zoia does and blush is met with blush. Alouette scoots further out to the balconey. She wonders if Zoia has a preference between Coffee or Tea, or neither and makes a mental note to ask.

        Others she isn't familiar with, lead her to withdraw a little more, as she watches them. Shinji seems to have many friends. Some of these individuals aren't even from school, so where did they come from? Alouette, gripping her square tighter with one hand, uses her other hand to retrieve her mobile device, and take some candid photos.

        The notice comes that Shinji is close, and the direction goes out to hide. Alouette, on the balcony takes a quick look and tries to think quickly. She weighs options, and makes a choice. Shinji arrives, poppers go off, but one is slightly fainter, and lagging behind the others, coming from outside.

        "HAPPY BIRTHDAY! CONGRATULATIONS ON ESCAPING THE WOMB!" It's muffled. Alouette was balancing on a ledge above the apartment. Where she had hid. 

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

Lights in the house. Shinji seizes up at one set of glowing eyes, another light to the left, and a set of gleaming, sharpened teeth. The monsters can be any size, he remembers, and even change shape. Whatever an Alexis Kerib is may have sent things to his home, in the shape of the people he's trying to protect, wearing their skins like a stretched leather suit. Or Coordinators, custom designed for killing, a flash of yellow his only warning. Why isn't he armed? His father warped him into a soldier, a killer, Shinji thinks, feeling again the impact of that shoving that manned suit through the Nadesco's shielding until the Earth's atmosphere melted it, feeling that Zentraedi terrorist-

Noises go off. Shinji stumbles backwards, but is held in place by his friends, who both seem to recognize that, perhaps, surprise poppers were a bad combination. Cruel Sachiel's burning, piercing touch, mighty Samshiel's electric prods, dread Ramiel's limitless, impossible plasma artillery, Shinji's eyes widen at all of the enemies in the room, at their stares and their smiles and they're like barbed wire, like hooks picking apart his skin.

"You got this." Toji Suzuhara mutters.

Shinji looks over people, some people he doesn't even recognize (I'm pretty sure I owe him money, Shinji thinks, looking at Chibodee.), he looks at other NERV assets, or people from school, or even his fellow EVA pilots, each close to his heart in their own way and it's not enough. He doesn't have this. He's going to be sick.

Shinji looks at Misato Katsuragi and imagines the look on her face if he loses it, right now, and swallows.

"W-wow!" Shinji says, and is almost sure that is his voice, "I, uh, gosh, I don't know what to say!" Shinji Ikari has, frankly, never had a birthday party, at least one he remembers, but he'll also bet a gilla most of the other kids here hadn't either. His misery isn't really unique. "How did you fit all of these people into our apartment even, Misato are we going to get calls from the landlord?"

Kensuke steps on Shinji's foot.

"I mean thank you! Thank you all for coming!" Shinji HAS seen parties in movies, and understands he is sort of the host and has a responsibility to at least shake everyone's hand once before he hyperventilates in his room for the rest of the night. "Really, uh. Please, dig in?" His nose twitches a little at Niidame's smell, but Kensuke Aida is again helpful in this regard, quietly hanging one of those pine tree air fresheners from the turtle girl's backpack.

<Pose Tracker> Zoia Surovy has posed.

Zoia loses track of Alouette in the dark. The fact that her voice is coming from *outside* startles her, and she leans out with a blink. "...Alouette?"

She leans back in because there is... a sniff. Zoia is not used to people smelling her, but she smells just slightly like a spring day - like fresh-cut grass and maybe a hint of something birchy. She blinks at Nidaime twice before smiling gently. "My name is Zoia, yes. I didn't realize people had that many girlfriends and boyfriends...."

Straightening her sun dress, the blonde girl maneuvers through the little crowd and out into the open, party popper in one hand and bottle of Baikal in the other. Her smile is bright and cheery despite Shinji's apparent awkwardness at the situation. "We got in with a great deal of wedging and a large supply of oil, of course," she assures. "But, yes! Happy birthday. You deserve the celebration, da?"

As much as Zoia hasn't had much time to just sit down and chat with Shinji, she got the feeling that he could use some actual warmth in his life. She's a decent supplier of that, at least compared to other kids her age who happen to have gotten in the robot.

"Try the Baikal," she invites. "There is some in the cooler!"

When tasted, it's a little odd - like a kind of Coke variant with more ginger and herby notes. It's different.

<Pose Tracker> Chibodee Crocket has posed.

Chibodee remembers a birthday party. If you get him drunk enough to tell that story you are already in *incredibly* deep shit.

Chibodee knows exactly how much money Shinji owes him, but you don't do a collections call on somebody's birthday unless it's a LOT of money, and it's not a lot of money. As he stands there, smiling, looking for all the world like a big dumb lug, Chibodee is interpreting through his fighter's intuition that nearly everyone in this room did not want to actually stand in the dark and use party poppers. The surreality of the moment will be processed in his dreams over several days. Did they feel obligated to do this? Did they, like him, learn how to be a person by watching TV? Almost certainly. There's a deeper meaning to this that Chibodee won't be able to find on his own.

Chibodee figures he's not first in line for Shinji, so maneuvers over toward Misato. Chibodee barely knows this woman but he knows *one* thing about her from Gal gossip.

"Hey," Chibodee says, trying to keep his voice down, "Could you point me at the 'adult' cooler?" A winning smile.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


"I think there's nothing I'd like less than that." Asuka replies to Nidaime with a levelled gaze, but she doesn't go harder than that. It's not that she has a soft spot for kids, she just doesn't see the point of going hard on shoving them away from her either.

When the cheers come, Asuka actively sideeyes Alouette, whereas Hikari who had been about to wave to the pair with Shinji actually puts a hand to her mouth thoroughly scandalized, "Y-You can't just say that..." Asuka eyes Shinji in these moments, seeming to examine him in these moments. Then she clucks her tongue, "Tck." As if annoyed by... well it sure looks like she's annoyed by his reaction.

When Chibodee asks for the adult cooler... Asuka sticks out a foot and promptly nudges opens the fridge door. It is everything Chibodee hoped for. Nearly all space inside is taken up by Misato's beer.

If one looks closely one will see the ingredients from Shinji's food shopping nudged into the tiniest amount of space possible.

"Knock yourself out." Asuka says, as if she never minds an excuse for someone to deplete Misato's beer supply...


<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.


Rei's rather round face gleams in the faint reflected light from the open door but--

No. It's just Rei and the others. Does she have a slight smile, despite the signs of strain?

Either way, chaos reigns. Rei is content to fade into the background, more or less. Though a man is near her, with a question. She looks at Chibodee and indicates the refrigerator/s. Which one contains brew and which one contains a penguin? Signs unclear.

The Second removes all doubt.

Rei then sidles up somewhat, threading around people to approach Alouette. To Alouette, she reaches up to place a hand on her shoulder, gently (Rei thinks; possibly actually abruptly and badly startling) before asking her, "What does that expression mean?"

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        Liam knew this was a terrible idea. His low-light vision is good enough to pick up on Shinji's nervousness--the poor kid looks ready to jump out of his own skin, or punch someone in self-defense. Cautiously, he takes a step closer to Shinji, but not so close as to end up looming over him. "Are you all right?" he asks. He shoots Kensuke a look, and while it may look decidedly intimidating, there's no real malice in it. "Do you need to sit down for a moment?" This was a terrible idea. Did Katsuragi come up with it? Why did no one stop her? Did they all just go along with it, himself included, because it was the path of least resistance? Because they're so used to following orders that doing otherwise makes them feel sick?

        It occurs to him that Shinji barely knows him, and may not want this kind of attention, well-meaning or not.

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

        'Dig in'... well Ouka DID expect Shinji to react to the surprise ambush with a desire to reach a defensive position, but the reaction is a bit late... especially since one would ideally build fortifications before the enemy arrives and not afterwards and oh it's actually one of those idioms that civilians use that Ouka more reflexively relates to one the military uses. You can see her expression slowly morph from compassion, to comprehension with mild embarassment, to quiet resignation. At least she didn't say anything out loud.

        Now with the purpose of the party popper extended, Ouka takes a brief moment to look for a place to dispose of it. But given how small the apartment is (and how many people have showed up) she probably eventually gives up and tucks it away in a hidden pocket of the uniform alongside the receipt she had.

        'CONGRATULATIONS ON ESCAPING THE WOMB!' ... well it sounds like someone else has just recently been informed about how birth dates are assigned and what it actually means. She merely gives Alouette a nod in agreement.

        She leans then leans down to collect the wrapped present box at her feet and moves to get in whatever line may be forming to hand off gifts to Shinji. The offer to 'dig in', which she now realizes was an offer to eat, is dutifully ignored. 'It's a shame...' Ouka reflects, '... that Seolla, or especially Arado couldn't make it. He'd love to eat some of this.' Maybe if there's some left over she'll ask if she can take some to them? There's a lot here there's colorful and sweet smelling that she doesn't recognize. Maybe Cuervo will help her sneak it in to them.

        It's not like she can have some and tell them later what it tastes like, after all.

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime collects the pine tree air freshener and eats the whole thing in one bite. "Thank you." She says to Kensuke because it's important to be polite even if it didn't really taste that good. She burps and suffers no other ill effect.

"I'm very easy to be friends with," Nidaime tells Zoia. "Because I'm a good girl."

In between poses she has collected like 5 of the party poppers already. She's grabbing a sixth and shoving most of them into her bag.

She glances over to Chibodee and remembers that Sayla usually suggests she try to pass as a human for these sorts of things.

Luckily through her interactions in Tsutsujidai she is pretty sure she can fake it.

She makes her way towards Asuka, clears her throat, and says, "School." To Asuka.

She knows this is something that human people talk about all the time.

"It sure is 'An Okay thing, I guess.'." Everybody she asked about school had the same answer about school. "Going to school is okay. It's an Alright way to spend time with your closest friends. There is nothing more okay for me than having an alright time with my friends at school. I go to school in Tsutsujidai, where I'm from."

"What's your favorite song?" She asks Asuka.

"My favorite song," Nidaime informs her. "Is all of them."

<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.

Mari Makinami Illustrious is not here. By all accounts, she is still on the road with Shinji Ikari's possessions in tow, and if that sounds worrisome, you need to put more faith in Mari Makinami Illustrious.

Besides, she's not even on the road anymore!

She's right
                h e r e .

Which is why Shinji is afforded all of a few precious handful of bewildered seconds to try to recover from his panic impulse and lower his guard enough to be a presentable host --

-- before the weight of another human being is abruptly ambushing him from behind in a full-on, merciless drape.

It prefaces the last few seconds Shinji is graced with the sight of '<3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LI'L SHIN <3' before a hand layers over his eyes, blinding him to his celebration.

"Guess who and win a prize~," coos a sing-song voice into his ear.

"Three hints:
        "Beautiful singing voice;
         infectious charm;
         big boobs."

Everyone else can see perfectly the assailant is Mari Makinami in the dining room with a yellow sundress and ribbon-tied gold scarf, hiding something behind her back.

Which is why she purses her lips and 'ssshhhhhhhh's them all, so as not to give away the surprise (??).

Regardless, at least, whatever the answer -- those fingers will slip away to give Shinji the gift of unobstructed vision again soon enough.

She just finds continuous surprise assaults are the best way to leave a lasting impression.

<Pose Tracker> Eisen Daiwel has posed.

Eisen shows a bit of a weary smile as he reads Shinji's reactions. The boy tries so well to show happiness for their sake. But he can tell that the boy isn't quite here. Unused to this. But how do you help someone like Shinji? The boy seems to just take all the hits, taking all the pain that comes his way...

But doesn't seem to have a healthy way to let go of any of it - unless it's in battle. He's seen the boy rampage around the battlefield, showing some side of him. But he wonders sometimes, is that him letting go... or is that just pain that has nowhere to go after he plunges the blade?

The young bites his bottom lip for a moment, for a moment almost feeling that irritation that he can only imagine Asuka feels around this youth. And she has to be around him a lot more than himself. But he doesn't hate Shinji. In truth, Eisen just... doesn't know how to best interact with him.

He doesn't say anything, and instead approaches Shinji with a firm step, looking down at him as he approaches. He pulls something from his long jacket from the inside. It's a gift he'd not put on the gift table because... he wasn't sure if it was right to give him. He uses his own large form to try and hide the handoff a bit, looking to put one hand onto Shinji's shoulder and grip him a bit in a friendly manner.

Unaware of any kind of 'line'; "When you have a chance, open this one out of eyeshot." He whispers to him. It's about the size of a book, but lighter. Before stepping away and repeating; "Happy birthday, Ikari. Hang in there." And might have said more, but the boy is assaulted by Mari. So he just quiets and watches the strange happening. 

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        From where he stands near the door, Kaworu has a close-up view of the look on Shinji's face as the surprise unfurls. It is a look not of joy, but of barely suppressed horror, an agony in silhouette as those who would celebrate his existence instead not only scrape at his very soul but force him to smile about it.
        
        Kaworu, who organized much of this, lowers his gaze as his own smile flickers away. "..."
        
        Misato, who's set in a similar position, only even worse because she was the one who insisted on party poppers, freezes up for a moment as she too sees that look on Shinji's face. She would have loved getting a party like this; it only now dawns on her how much she misread how Shinji would have felt about it. Frankly speaking, it makes her feel awful. This was supposed to be a happy day for him.
        
        However, Misato is much better at navigating the superficial layer of social situations than most of the people here, and that's because she's a master of Fake It 'Til You Make It. She plasters a bright smile back on and pretends not to have noticed his or anyone's discomfort, because as far as she's concerned, they're all already way too deep in it to just call the whole thing off now.
        
        "Huh? Oh, sure!" Misato utters, turning that smile over at Chibodee when he asks for the beers. She thumbs over at one of the fridges, just as Asuka nudges the door open. "There's plenty right in there. Help yourself!" She gestures rapidly at Shinji, Kensuke and Toji, laughing cheerily as Mari plays 'guess who?' with the birthday boy. "Oh, Mari, you made it! Perfect timing! Shinji, you're so popular with the girls!" she teases with over-exuberance. "But don't you all just stand there, either! Dig in, chit-chat, play some games, have fun! Chill out on the balcony or somewhere else quiet if you need a breath of fresh air!"
        
        She claps her hands together and turns that bright smile to the rest of the partygoers, fully prepared to take on all the hostess duties so Shinji doesn't have to. She's come to realize that she set up most of this for her own sake, anyway. "Same goes for everybody! Have your fill and have fun! Oh, but I know we're all busy people, so if you need to skip out early, it's totally okay!" She laughs like it's no big deal and waves a hand casually. "I know a bunch of you aren't really party animals, anyway!"
        
        Pen-Pen, from within the fridge, squawks in agreement. Kaworu merely watches on in silence. 

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Kaas has posed.


        Zoia peeks her head around the corner, and Alouette clinging to her gift for Shinji stands balancing on the ledge between apartments, on the floor above the party. Alouette had hid there while she had been on the Balconey when told to hide. Zoia's prairie dog impression Alouette takes as signal to come out of hiding, and she climbs back down into the apartment, to the side eye of Asuka and others for her choice of words.

        She is surprised to hear, "Y-you can't just say that.." from Hikari, and begins to blush looking down, when Rei puts a hand on her shoulder. Alouette stiffens like a nail.

        "It- a birth day is an anniversary of the date on which an individual was born, for lilim that is to exit the womb and the uterus, either escaping through the birth canal or surgical removal via a procedure called cesarian in which an incision is placed laterally a long the abdomen to access the uterus and another to get through the womb layers of placenta... when they close it up with surgical staples. But to digress, this as I understand it is what a birthday celebration is for, though apparently there is social protocol regarding the event I am still unaware of."

        Alouette fidgets with her feet and sighs softly, squeezing the square in her arms again and looking to Rei to give a smile. That's good right. Smiles.

        "Thank you Rei."She's not sure why, but she felt better and appreciated Rei talking to her. In fact this was the most they'd ever spoken face to face. What a good day. 

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


Asuka just looks at Nidaime as she approaches and says 'School'. Giving her a vaguely confused look, before her expression turns grumpy and she tries to pretend disengaged as the child talks to her. "Who talks about school like this you turtle-riding weirdo?" Hikari, sympathetic to youngsters given her own younger sister leans over and whispers, "Just humor her Asuka, she's just a kid."

Asuka eyes Nidaime at this prompting then finally answers, "School is a pain. I wouldn't go if I had the option - but I've been ordered to attend." Hikari just sighs, putting two fingers to her forehead. What's her favorite song?

"Don't have one." Asuka says, though as Mari shows up she adds, "My least favorites though are anything that Catty Four-Eyes over there sings."

Asuka then mutters with a sideways glance as the three hints sink in, "She's only one for three on that list." Asuka sounds super bitter about that. Perhaps there's a reason for that.

Whereas Hikari just... well, she's red from ear to ear and looks away as Alouette explains the birthing process with such precise anatomical words. Asuka seems to hardly react at all to it, seemingly unfazed by the detailed description.

The mood in the room has shifted though, and Asuka seems to realize that between Shinji - and Misato. At this turning point as Misato awkwardly indicates they should all have their fill she promptly walks to the table, and loads up a plate with Chicken Karaage, and only Chicken Karaage. Walks over to Rei, and hands her that Chicken Karaage, "Guten Appetit." She says without breaking eye contact with her.

She then returns to the table to get a plate for herself.

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

Kensuke's eyes widen at the girl expertly deflecting his move. 'Could this be the legendary master?!' Being a 15 year old boy, he wonders what exactly he could get the little kid to eat and how much a crowd would pay them to eat it in public. But how to broach the delicate matter of payment?

"Hey!" Kensuke says, "What do you think about giant robots?"

Toji looks kind of interested in Alouette's impromptu biology lesson. "She's pretty accurate, actually." Toji commentates out loud, realizes he just admitted he does his bio homework to Hikari, and coughs into his fist, suddenly awkward.

Eisen actually comes to shake his hand. Shinji has mixed feelings in Daiwel, mostly because of their radically different philosophies towards life and that one time Eisen implied Kaworu gave Shinji special treatment. Mostly because Shinji secretly suspects it's kind of true, which is frustrating for reasons Shinji hasn't unpacked. He's not a bad person, though, and they work well enough together in the field. Maybe this could be a fresh start. "Hey, uh, thanks. I know Party Misato's a little..." Shinji says, low enough that the woman can't hear, "...but this is nice. I think I just needed to catch his breath."

Then a woman in a yellow sundress jumps on his back, and he feels certain weights shift as she talks in his ear about her singing voice and Shinji almost falls flat on his face from the sudden impact. "L-laucus Clyne?!" Shinji guesses because his mind is on the coordinator assassin he is certain is looking to murder him. 

<Pose Tracker> Zoia Surovy has posed.

Zoia's dark secret is that the pop is her take on the adult cooler.

"Oh, well then." Zoia shifts so that she's standing with herself between Nidaime and the window, though she doesn't lose her smile. "You seem nice! Though I do not know you very well--"

Mari Makinami strikes. Zoia's lips form into a little 'o' of surprise, and she drops her popper to cup a hand to her cheek.

But there's Alouette to consider, and Zoia blinks with a lopsided smile as she leans back towards the other girl. "Ah, Alouette," she offers up gently, "most people do not think of the science when they talk about a birthday, da? It is a day for looking forward. You are one year older on that day, and have another year ahead of you!" Her eyes twinkle, and she clasps both hands around her half-full soda bottle. "Remind me when your birthday is, and we will have a party for you too, maybe." 

<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.


Rei looks Alouette Kaas dead in the eyes.

Her expression is cryptic as usual. There are conversations in the distance but in this moment Rei is focused on what Alouette is explaining, and when she reaches the point of fidgeting she tilts her head down and - back up - ah, it's a nod. (Alouette, perhaps, has not had the privilege of long Rei Ayanami exposure. There are side effects.)

"I understand," Rei says. "Liberation from the mother."

A beat. "... Understood," she answers Alouette's thanks, before Asuka hands her deep-fried chunks of bird flesh! Rei is briefly startled - her face tightens upwards with displeasure. She doesn't answer Asuka. She perhaps cannot.

Suppressing this sudden feeling, Rei's eyes turn down towards the karaage (which is honestly perfectly decent if potentially a little travelled; probably on the better side of distant) and then over towards Rei's newest friend, Nidaime. The chicken plate is held out to her. "For you," she tells Nidaime. "I can't eat it."

"Nidaime," Rei then says, perhaps on some automatic reflex, "This is Lt. Colonel Alouette Kaas."

She pivots slightly. "Lt. Colonel Kaas," Rei says to her, "this is Nidaime."

Two seconds pass.

Rei's head lifts. "Where is the balcony?"

<Pose Tracker> Chibodee Crocket has posed.

"You just made a friend," Chibodee says, Disney pointing at Misato, Asuka, then Rei with a big grin. With the deftness expected of a Gundam Fighter, Chibodee twirls, slides, and snags a beer out of the fridge. There's a penguin in there. OK, sure, let's go with this. Chibodee closes the refrigerator door behind him in a fluid motion like he didn't just see a penguin in there at all.

Chibodee holds the beer in one hand while he takes a chopstick off the table to launch the cap off in a fluid motion, twirling his fingers to smack the cap into the recycling bin. The cap goes into recycling just as Chibodee silently sets down the chopstick and takes a drink, having not stopped moving since he began. He walks past the kitchen island to get out of the way of traffic, vibing off to the side for the moment so to give Shinji time to talk to his other friends. Chibodee's *assuming* all these people know him better than he does -- I mean they all seem to be the same age, he thinks. Maybe they all go to the same school?

No, Chibodee is slowly figuring out, his side to the group. No they're not. Maybe a handful but not most. Sweet Christmas, maybe this is just what rich people's parties are actually like. Okay, gotta keep this rolling, think of what to do, Chibodee. Bunny isn't here to bail you out with her 'oh no I dropped something down my shirt' trick.

Mari shows up and drapes on Shinji. Suddenly, Chibodee draws the most dangerous conclusion he perhaps has ever unwisely come to: The redhead is his Shirley, the bluenette is probably the Janet, and maybe the brunette is his Bunny.

He'll be alright, Chibodee thinks to himself, and takes a swallow of beer.

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

        'School.'

        'I'm the Second'

        Ouka pauses for a beat, and glances back towards Nidaime again when she says that. Her expression is blank, and her eyes have only the slightest trace of curiosity to them. A smallish girl. Smells of trash. Dark skin. Bright smile. There's something to all of this that tickles the edges of the impressions of old and lost memories.

        She doesn't remember anyone by Nidaime's description... but she really feels like she should.

        As the girl continues to talk about school though, albeit in a way that most people would identify as being awkward at minimum, her attention is drawn away again. Though this time by the sudden appearance of another:

        'Guess who and win a prize~'

        Aurum-1's eyes widen as she once again meets... her. The girl with the glasses, the uniform, and the riding crop. Were it Ouka to whom she engaged in a sudden impromptu game of guess who. Were it Aurum-1 that she had attempted that on, Mari would have likely suddenly gone airborne. Especially after the shadowed room with shiny eyes and teeth. Especially especially after all the poppers went off and the lights went up on a room full of people they weren't expecting to see.

        Her eyes are then drawn to Kaworu. She sees instead of his familiar fond smiles instead his eyes lower and said smile flicker away.

        Ouka glances at the gift in her hands, then back at Shinji, then at Kaworu... then at the gift in her hands once more. 'Oh, but I know we're all busy people, so if you need to skip out early, it's totally okay!' Misato's voice is heard rising over the din. Yes, perhaps later would be better from a strategic standpoint. Perhaps she would have a better chance to present her gift in a way that will make a more memorable impression the Younger Ikari...

        ... so Ouka leaves her place in line, and instead walks up to Kaworu. Her voice is soft so as to not carry in the loudness of the party: "You did your best." The First Boosted Child says, "I'm sorry it couldn't have worked out better."

        Ouka knows from experience that sometimes you can do your absolute best and have the best intentions... but still fail. 

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime says, "Everybody'd I talked to about school before," to Asuka. "Should I talk about it in some other way?" Asuka also tells her her favorite songs are whatever aren't Mari's favorite songs. Nidaime gets this strange look on her face as she cocks her head to the side.

It's pretty obvious to her that Shinji isn't enjoying things here but she doesn't really know how to get him to enjoy things, especially at this point. Having a good sense of how someone's feeling doesn't exactly tell her why they're upset in the first place. LIke Misato, this is definitely the sort of fun surprise she'd like to get.

But she does!!

Have an idea!!!

That could help!!!!

"I'd like to hear your beautiful singing voice!" Nidaime swings an arm high up in the air because music always cheers her up. It cheers everybody up right? Right. "I don't mean to brag but my mom says I have an incredible singing voice too."

She's pretty sure she's going to impress all the older kids present with this information.

NIDAIME'S MOM BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7uEhGBPtvE&ab_channel=DEMONDICE

Nidaime doesn't get it but hey Unison did her best.

Nidaime starts scootching towards Kaworu, head twisting from side to side like she's in a staring contest with a fly.

ei approaches with karaage. "Oh!" Nidaime startles. "Thank you, Rei!"

She gets a handfull and shoves them into her mouth, chews noisily, then collects another handful.

"Et les ailes, et les ailes, et le cou, et le cou, et le bec, et le bec, et la tete, et la tete, alouette, alouette." She grinds wide. "I'm the Second, nice to meet you!"

She waits a moment and then--

"School is a pain, but I've been ordered to attend."

She can learn too. She shoves an extra handful of fried chicken in her mouth while staring at Alouette. "Do you know who that is?" She nods towards Kaworu because she keeps being deflected from asking Kaworu herself. 

<Pose Tracker> Eisen Daiwel has posed.

"I understand." Eisen remarks to Shinji. "Just hang in there. Just imagine how much relief you'll feel tonight when everyone is gone and you have your bed to yourself." He pats his shoulder once more, and then steps away so the others can have a chance with Shinji personally.

He'll figure the boy out at some point. Today is probably not that day. But at least he understands Shinji when he talks.

Eisen, normally the tallest person in the room - except for today - then makes his way over to Kaworu. "That boy looks like he's about ready to explode more than usual. You're practically his caretaker... care to explain?" One would think that Misato is the caretaker - what with living with the boy.

Yet he always finds that Kaworu is probably the one who pays the most attention amongst all of them. "Help me understand the boy, Administrator. I see the way you look at him. The care you give him." Eisen is keeping his voice real low. "But even you don't really seem to be helping his mental fortitude. Has he just... been alone for that long?"

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        Mari happens. Again, Liam goes perfectly still. He wants to sink into the floor, but his spiking adrenaline won't let him disappear from this. "Mari," Liam says, his voice tight with disapproval. "Please don't startle him anymore." The room feels much smaller. Liam notices he's breathing more quickly, and there's a pressure in his chest. Is this what Shinji was dealing with just moments ago? God, he feels awful.

        Liam looks back into the apartment, glancing back and forth; Aurum-1 is comforting Kaworu, Alouette and Rei and the Second are talking, and there's--

        "Chibodee Crockett," Liam says, his voice a near-monotone. "You... are Chibodee Crockett, yes?" His brain flashes back to the simulations. Hephaestus made him fight a virtual simulacrum of Maxter spliced together from public battle footage. He lost that bout, decisively, in his little virtual Bushnell--and it hurt. Part of him wonders if he blacked out in the elevator and hallucinated the last ten or so minutes.

        "Hello." The big, imposing supersoldier almost sounds like the child he feels like. "Are you Shinji's friend?"

<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.

'L-lacus Clyne?!'

"Bzzzzt."

The little wrong answer noise sounds off playfully in Shinji's ear as the hand in front of his eyes fans away with a dramatic flair. And its with a twirl that Mari circles around the First Child, depositing something in his palm as she goes.

"Sorry, wrong answer! I'm afraid that means you only get half the prize, Puppy Boy."

And there, left in his palm, is a present. Small, carefully wrapped in violet wrapping paper, with a blue ribbon. It's small, rectangular.

Roughly the size and shape of an SDAT tape.

"It's best used during quiet, reflective moments. Let me know what you think," she asides to Shinji, her smile a warm if mysterious thing. "I want to know your honest opinion. Okay?"

And with that, she fortunately (?) provides Shinji the mercy of her departure into the party proper, wiggling her fingers as she goes.

"Try to enjoy this moment, NERV Puppy. The next step of your eternal march to adulthood begins today~."

which might as well be 'happy birthday' in mari speak

For everyone else, Mari offers a warm, beaming smile and a simple, "Mission accomplished~!" presumably, about bringing back Shinji's things. Presumably. She detours here and there: first, as Liam chides her, she gives him a thoughtful glance before something alights in that gaze. Something foreboding.

"Noted!" she croons in a way too sweet to not be ominous.

Second comes as she feels eyes on her; sharp blues turn Ouka's way, climbing briefly at the familiar sight. She considers for a moment.

And then just wiggles her fingers, mouths 'hiiii,' and pivots to --

"Oho?"

Nidaime, asking her to sing. Mari's eyes alight at the sight of a stranger so eager for her singing voice!

And then she looks sidelong Asuka's way, contemplative.

"Mmm. Maybe in a bit." She rubs her chin, considerate. "And maybe we could sing together!"

oh yes

<Pose Tracker> Chibodee Crocket has posed.

Chibodee has tried to give Shinji some space as he has a beer to settle his *own* nerves. All this psychic noise takes a toll even on him, and he's nowhere near as attuned to this stuff as George. And he doesn't even realize the threat of kareoke to come.

Liam approaches him. A well-dressed young fellow, he thinks, nodding with approval. "Yeah," he says. "We've gone into scraps together. Maybe I oughta be hanging out here more often but I work on the other side of the world."

Chibodee puts out his hand to shake Liam's. It's like a baseball mitt made out of callouses. "Who d' I have the pleasure of meeting today? You got me at the advantage."

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


Hikari covers her face in her hands as Toji comments on the accuracy. Certainly she's glad he does his biology homework but... "Do you have to be so casual about it Suzuhara?" She mumbles in her hands. Asuka just stares at Nidaime, "Less like you're trying too hard for starters." Asuka retorts as Hikari peels her palms away from her face to give Nidaime a sympathetic look.

Asuka grits her teeth as Rei hands over the plate to Nidaime... it's not really about the Chicken to her. It's never been. However, she buries her displeasure. Making a scene right now certainly won't help matters with Shinji - or Misato for that matter. It's a displeasure she has to bury doubly as she sees Ouka and Eisen talking to Kaworu so casually.

Biting a hunk off a piece of chicken as she watches Mari hand off her gift, she walks over to the counter and puts her plate down, before putting her knee on the counter and raising herself up to the highest cabinet. Asuka then gets down a box that's not even wrapped but is small enough to not give everyone an idea of just what it is while it's in her hand. Misato eyes her, "Is that where you were hiding it!?" Asuka immediately counters, "It's the last place you'd look." Misato just gives her a brief stink eye on the comment as if that were just too brutal to say aloud.

It is also notably a cabinet that Shinji never stores anything for day to day cooking.

As Mari looks her way while discussing singing with Nidaime, Asuka scowls... "Not happening." As she tries to get ahead of it. This may be a futile gesture though.

Walking up to Shinji, she just hands him the box casually, "Let's just move this along... so here."

It's a high quality kitchen knife combined with honing rod. Not the kind from infomercials, but the sort a Chef that has actual stars in guidebooks about Haute Cuisine in the AEU might use. The kind Misato's kitchen notably doesn't have. The kind that she figures that Shinji would want given his known enjoyment of cooking and the massive amount of prepwork that's made difficult by other kitchen knives. However it's a utilitarian enough gift to pass off as an entirely self-absorbed gift... after all, she's started expecting him to cook for her every day at school.

Hikari eyes it, then gives Asuka a look of wonder...

<Pose Tracker> Zoia Surovy has posed.

Zoia cants her head as she watches Nidaime perk up about singing. She raises her eyebrows, but manages a faint smile nevertheless. "...I am sure your mom is very accurate and that you are a great singer."

The song is sung. The alouette song. Zoia covers her mouth with one hand because she's smiling, having sung that song in her head about a million times.

Maneuvering over to the presents, she waits for Asuka, then picks up her own box. She hangs off to one side for a moment before leaning in to watch the unwrapping process. Her eyebrows come up, a smile reaching her face as she gives Asuka an appraising look over, more interested in the way the redhead carries herself than in how Shinji reacts.

        Maybe she's normal after all.

"I am a bad gift-buyer, I apologize, but I tried," she eventually offers up when her turn comes around to give Shinji a gift. "But I thought of you!"

What is inside is... a fairly big plush toy shaped like an odd little cartoon monkey with giant ears. It is wearing a baseball cap with the NERV logo on it.

Zoia looks inordinately pleased with it. "It's Cheburashka!" She seems to think this explains it all.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        As Ouka approaches from one side, her voice so soft it's nearly lost in the din of the party, Kaworu lifts his chin to glance her way. "...Thank you," he says graciously. "I appreciate your coming by, senpai."
        
        Motion to one side catches his eye, and he glances further afield to see Nidaime trying to head over to him, only to get stymied over and over. But she seems to be talking to Alouette now, and Eisen is now approaching him, so Kaworu looks at him instead.
        
        "His caretaker? Don't you mean Lt. Col. Katsuragi?" he murmurs back, voice likewise kept low under the din. Something in his eyes flickers when Eisen continues, though. Over Eisen's shoulder, he turns his gaze at Shinji, maybe proving his point. Then he sighs almost noiselessly.
        
        "I believe it has just been demonstrated why I would be of poor assistance to you there," Kaworu murmurs back. "That being said, I'm surprised you're interested in understanding him better. Do you mean to say you want to be closer to him as friends, or is this merely scientific curiosity?" 

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        Liam reaches up to wipe the sweat from his brow. With no hair to hide it, it gleams a little in the light. Chibodee answers him, and he's not sure if that makes everything better, or worse. As near as Liam can tell, whomever commissioned both his augmentations and his Gundam wanted their own pet Gundam Fighter--maybe unsanctioned, maybe one they were hoping could earn the respect of recalcitrant commissions after destroying a few of the competition.

        It makes interacting with the real thing feel necessary, if only so he can try to pull away from what they wanted him to be. It doesn't make it any less awkward.

        "We've deployed together as well," Liam says. "The Eighth Angel, and the incursion at Ptolomeus." Chibodee extends his hand, and Liam hesitates. It takes visible effort for him to return the gesture, as he wrestles with his own traumas and manages a stalemate. His grip is firm but delicate--clearly unused to handshakes. "Liam," the supersoldier says. "I'm with NERV. Ms. Survoy--" And here he looks in Zoia's direction-- "--aided me when I was in trouble. I decided to stay, and bring my Gundam with me."

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

See that, Shinji thinks, grinding his teeth a little. So he's not mister sociable, that doesn't mean he's a black hole of misery. Insane women are jumping on his back as we speak, that's like being the life of the party! Then he swallows 'alone in bed', remembers something private, and blushes even more than when Mari was shoving her boobs into his back. Focus. Good host, Shinji demands himself. Shinji gives Liam a thumbs up, because he actually admires the Gundam pilot and his work on the lunar attack. He should say that, but it sounds too regular army and Liam is off after Chibodee and Shinji considers warning Liam about THAT.

No, Shinji decides, because that will be very funny.

Shinji tries one of Zoia's weird Zaftran sodas. It's pretty good, not as sickening sweet as the usual stuff. "These aren't bad." Mari continues to be a sociopath, but the present is nice. The presents are a bit overwhelming, honestly, but Shinji puts a bit of extra effort into being a good host, figuring even Misato will pick up everyone acting like he died because the birthday poppers startled him. "I'm not your dog, Makinami. But, um, thanks." Shinji has planned to check his presents after the party chills out because no one has told this kid how birthdays work.

Then Asuka asserts herself. He was just planning to find her/shake her down about harassing Rei (he wants to thank her and Kaworu before they slip out, fairly sure they had something to do with the logistics here-Shinji being overwhelmed doesn't mean he wasn't touched by the effort, and he gets the idea this may need to be spelled out for his friends from the moon.) when she just sort of shows up like Schwartz Bruder without a midriff. "Hey, listen, is Misato okay? I guess I kind of got startled and I don't want her thinking-" Shinji recognizes the symbol on the box, and looks at her in a way not dissimilar to how he looked when she handed him the money to get a proper winter jacket. Before he can think better of it, of the crowd, of the moment, he finds his hand lingering on Asuka's wrist where she practically shoved the box into his hands.

"Uh, listen-later, I need to. Fill you in on something." Shinji leans in to mutter, flustered and probably not doing anyone any good. Zoia is there, thank god. "Hey, listen, I'm honestly touched so many people showed up-" Shinji looks at the strange ape. "Oh!" He says, "Cheburashka!"

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Kaas has posed.


        Alouette nods along with Rei. She understood, perfectly. Zoia is a saving social grace, and rescues Alouette from her biology lesson faux pas.

        "Remind me when your birthday is, and we will have a party for you too, maybe." Alouette smiles. "Mine, is the Seventh of April. I learned this year. Kaworu gave me a gift. That is how I learned of them. and I brought Shinji a gift. But I don't understand why speaking of birth is bad. We are Shinji's friends, or, I want to be. I am happy he is here. I, worked very hard to find this gift for him. I have invested a quantifiable amount of emotion into it, I hope it will not be rejected. Though, I also understand that, we are not yet friends, and there is not much I know about Shinji Ikari, so there is a high probability he will not like it. But I hope... Zoia I would love to have a party with you, I would like to come to a party for you, if you would invite me."

        Alouette starts to feel a bit on the over side of whelmed with exploring these kind of things. But she is determined to stick it out.

        Small, distinct, and with a full plate of some kind of crispy animal. Nidaime. Alouette watches her and can't help but grin at the idiosynchratic one amongst all of the stand outs here.

        "Hmmm, well to me, that sounds like Ms Asuka. What do you think? Did I get it right? I love that you know the song with my name. Do you know the story it tells?"

        Alouette is curious and waits with a grin to hear what Nidaime has to say. Curiouser still when Mari entreats the little one to a sing-a-long. Alouette gives Mari a bow, "Hello Ms. Mari. It is nice to see you, outside of things. I need to give Shinji his gift, but it would be nice to, hang out if you stay around."

TAlouette does her best to excuse herself. She tries to navigate while not cutting through or interupting, waiting for her turn to give Shinji her gift. She finally lets go of what she has been hanging on to so tighly: a pair of vintage LPs Frank Sinatra and Miles Davis, there greatest hits respectively. "Happy Birthday Shinji Ikari. I hope you enjoy these musics. They are greatists, and have pleasant sounds. I hope we can do more things, and be friends. Thank you for having me."

        Alouette apologizes and hurries to get a bottle of baikal which disappears quickly. She rather enjoyed it.

<Pose Tracker> Chibodee Crocket has posed.

Chibodee glances at Shinji when he notices the look, winks, and otherwise doesn't break character. The Queen of Spades has ways.

But there's nothing to fear. Chibodee takes it easy on Liam. He learns lots of important things about Liam right away from the grip, the texture of his hand, how his blood moves through his fingers, how Liam's standing, the smell of him, things that he instantly, subconsciously assesses as a matter of course. The streets teach you how to find things in people.

"Good to meet you, Liam," Chibodee says, lowering his voice and taking more care. "Glad you're here. I think you and Shinji'd have a lot to learn from each other."

Chibodee eases his hand back and picks back up his beer from the counter. "What's your Gundam built like? You close-range, a beam guy, rockets?" Talking about work is nice and inoffensive -- maybe that'll make the guy feel more comfortable with him.

<Pose Tracker> Zoia Surovy has posed.

Zoia tilts her head towards Liam and waves as her name is mentioned.

But there are Alouettes, gentille Alouettes, in need of someone to keep them from being socially plucked, and so Zoia's attention is drawn back to the strange girl from the New Continent. Clasping her hands at her waist, Zoia sidles in and leans over to Alouette, dropping her voice to a more hushed tone. "Most people do not like to think about their mom's baby-making parts very much," she advises delicately.

Then she perks up a little more. "A party? I hadn't thought of that...." With a blink, she taps one finger against her cheek. "Ah, my birthday is on July 27, so I suppose it would be possible. But surely I can't imagine many people having much interest in that. I don't even know what I'd do for it."

Shinji, bless his heart, tries the Baikal. "Da, isn't it? It is an old Zaftran brand! Back from when Zaftra was called Russia, you know," she says, ever the font of useless facts. "It was how Zaftra defeated Britannia in the Cola Cold War!"

Cheburashka just looks up at Shinji like the adorable culturally-specific muffin he is. He cannot do anything else. He is but an adorable plush. In a hat. 

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

Fear not Toji Suzuhara fans!

He looks like he just made an ass of himself in front of the class rep. "Well, I mean." Toji graps for a way to make this right without backing down or, worse, humiliating himself by apologizing. "...Ayanami took an interest in the sciences." Toji crosses his arms, absolutely certain he is blowing things but at least he can drag someone down with him. 

<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.


Rei considers what Nidaime is proposing that they -- ah-- it's singing. All this singing lately.

A useless activity?

Rei's arms fold loosely as Nidaime is successfully bribed and begins to turn her attention towards Alouette. She doesn't answer Nidaime's question, unfortunately. She turns a little, away from the group, towards an arbitrarily chosen wall.

After a few moments of this, Rei moves towards the exit. It is full enough that she is interceptable, especially since she will have to re-shoe herself -- though she will step outside into the blessed quiet of Tokyo-3 to do so. Of course, to do that she has to pass by Toji and Hikari at what is, legally, the worst possible time. Hopefully Hikari won't hold any grudges.

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime isn't getting much out of Alouette but she does get a smile and that's enough for her.

Nidaime's eyes are shining for Mari though. Her mother taught her to love the world's singers. Mari apparently is one. And so.

Nidaime wants to pout and insist but Chibodee drove her here and if he's anything like Sayla (debateable) he probably would want her to stay within the realm of 'good girl' instead of 'pouty'. She can be patient. It was hard work, but she has trained for this.

"Okay!" She says. "That sounds great! I know, like, SO MANY songs. Though if it's one you made up I'm sure I'll figure it out quickly!"

Either way...this is her opportunity! She approaches Kaworu and--

*sniff*

She looks down at her plate.

About half of the chicken bits remain. She quietly offers the chicken platter towards Kaworu.

"This is a lot better than food out of a dumpster. It's almost as good as vending machine food. Have some, have some~" 

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        Liam offers Zoia his most reassuring smile, and it is maybe a little convincing.

        The other day, when he and Lucine went furniture shopping, Liam ran into Sousuke Sagara. That felt more like a meeting of equals--two people who were forced into the cockpit when they were far too young, gathering as much data as they could because that's how you survive. That part of Liam's brain is still doing its thing, but it's also trying to catalogue everything else happening, and the end result is overstimulation.

        "It's a Mobile Fighter," Liam says. It feels like a confession. "Highly experimental, almost certainly unsanctioned. It... makes plasma, and shapes it into weapons. I don't know who commissioned it." This is all very suspicious, and Liam starts to pull inward as he realizes this--but if someone wants their Mobile Fighter in that badly, and is willing to make an assassin to pilot it, then Chibodee might still be in danger. Liam at least owes him that.

<Pose Tracker> Chibodee Crocket has posed.

Chibodee has no idea why this is suspicious. Liam can see it in Chibodee's eyes. This man is not burdened with the ravages of robot knowledge. This man's sole task in life is to punch things until they stop moving.

"Man that's cool," is his take. "Do you like it? Does it feel good? Are you, like, doing that with a Trace Suit or one of those psychic power helmet thingos?"

<Pose Tracker> Eisen Daiwel has posed.

Eisen glances aside as Kaworu asks an incredibly pertinent question. Why is he even interested in Shinji? Would it not be fine to just interact with him like Eisen interacts with most people? Passing strangers, easily warded off by his eccentric behavior? An ally he can easily categorize and interact with in order to make interactions simply... easier?

The tall male turns to look to Shinji in that moment. No doubt Kaworu might be able to spot that Eisen is not yet come to an answer on that question. So, the best answer Eisen can give in that moment, in a rare moment of earnesty and frustration; "I don't wish to explore the answer to that at this time." Followed by, "Does it matter?"

The youth then looks back to the pale man before him. The Administrator. The one who refers to people as Lilim; and no doubt the source of the easily influenced Alouette's use of that word.

But the youth then decides he doesn't want to wait on an answer; "I suppose, as you say - you would be of poor assistance." And steps past him to find that balcony - grabbing a bottle of something cold on the way out to drink at the edge.

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

        In response to the voiced appreciation, Ouka gives a reassuring smile to the other Nagisa. She then glances towards Eisen as he approaches to talk to Kaworu as well... in particular asking for pointers on how to interact with that boy? Golden eyes blink at Eisen, and then she glances at Kaworu as he denies being Shinji's caretaker.

        Not technically a lie no... but Kaworu's expressions do call forth memories of her own feelings towards her own siblings. They're probably not exactly the same and even now she took upon herself a leap of logic... but she hopes it helped salve his sadness in some small way.

        Rather than continuing to engage with Kaworu and Eisen though, the First Boosted Child backs into the rest of the party. In particular her eyes watch as Asuka retrieves a hidden gift and hands it across to Shinji.

        A knife? Not for combat, but for cooking. Interesting. For some reason she expected something else from The Second Child.

        Zoia Surovy meanwhile delivers a gift of an adorable plushie animal with large ears and a hat. That gift is even more confusing to Ouka though.

        And then there's Alouette who has a gift of vintage LPs? At this point not only is she confused by the quality and nature and gifts but also of the theme. Perhaps the lack of theme is the point? Regardless she grips the edges of the box in her own hand a bit tighter than normal...

        'I need a gift for a boy.'
        'Oh is it a boy you like?'
        'Not particularly, he and I haven't had much of a chance to interact. He seems to be a bit difficult to take care of. However, I would like to get closer to him.'
        'Oh huh... what are his interests?'
        'I don't know.'
        'Oh... uh, well is he about your age?'
        'No he's younger.'
        'Huh... I thought teenage girls were supposed to pine after older guys. Heh, can't fault an old romantic for wistful thinking, huh?'
        '...'
        '... geeze ok, these are pretty popular with kids nowadays.'
        'This? This looks ridiculous. If I'm going to buy one as a gift for a colleague, I'd like it to at least appear and function as expected.'
        '... I'm beginning to think you're the one who is difficult to take care of. But you're into that sort of thing? Alright I think I know what will work...'

        Ouka Nagisa approaches Shinji and bows her head respectfully before holding out her gift box. It is wrapped in dark green paper and a gold ribbon, and inside is...

        ... a gun.

        Well actually it's an airsoft gun - an H&K USP gas blowback that is only distinguisable from the real thing due to the orange barrel tip. Also included in the box are several replacement CO2 cartridges as a small bottle of pellets. 

<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.

Shinji claims he's not Mari's dog. Mari's response is the tilt of her head, big blue eyes blinking as if this were obvious.

"Who said you were mine?"

Still, gratitude is met with a simple smile as if it were unnecessary, before Mari's attention turns towards the prospect of music upon the horizon. Hands clasped together against her stomach, she rocks on her heels as Nidaime enthuses, brows climbing at the girl's assertions.

Though if it's one you made up I'm sure I'll figure it out quickly!

Mari Makinami Illustrious smiles brightly. Approvingly, even.

"Mmm, good," she says. "Anyone can find the words to a new song as long as they listen to what their heart tells them. You can't ever go wrong that way." This is nonsense. But Mari says it with utmost sincerity. Maybe the lesson is that it doesn't really matter if it comes out wrong if you're enjoying yourself.

It's not expounded on though, because her next, most immediate thought is a sudden idea(!). "Have you ever heard of karaoke?" she asks, to the strange girl she just met, obviously not thinking of any sort of ambush social events that she can also spontaneously drag others to.

But, as Nidaime's attention turns towards Kaworu, Mari's turns towards the girl bowing at her. She blinks. She considers, for a moment.

And then she leans in as Alouette speaks to her, to

        sniff

exactly once.

"Hmmm," she voices, thoughtfully. "Sure~."

As if something about that sniffing moment cemented her decision. Sniffing moments, after all, are critical.

But she doesn't stop Alouette at all as she excuses herself. Instead? Instead, Mari just situates herself somewhere comfortable she can perch, and... watches, with a look of quiet, sincere interest. Like playing spectator to the unfolding events was just as fun for her as participating. After all...

What's more interesting than people being their most people?

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        Kaworu says nothing as Eisen, in response to his counter-questions, abruptly shies away from the conversation. Does it matter? That's a question Eisen will have to answer for himself. Kaworu watches him go as he grabs a drink and leaves for the balcony, but doesn't try to stop him.
        
        Ouka likewise excuses herself, if with a smile, to head over to Shinji and present her own gift. Kaworu watches her go, too. Just then, Nidaime approaches him at last, offering up the half a plate of karaage she still has in hand. He looks down at it, then up at her. His smile returns, soft and grateful.
        
        "Thank you," he replies. "But if you could deliver it to Shinji instead, I'd appreciate that. It's food from his old town, and..." He trails off then, glancing to one side. After a moment, he reaches out and accepts the plate. "Then again," he continues, "I shouldn't trample on your feelings, either."
        
        He spears one of the pieces with a tooth pick and takes a delicate bite, which he chews contemplatively. It might have been cooked here, but it was prepped by Mr. Takoyagi himself, and the Ramen Burger's chef's skill shows. Kaworu swallows, but instead of taking another bite, he looks at Nidaime.
        
        "I'd like to thank you," he says. "For helping Shinji out that day, I mean. He deserves kind and thoughtful friends like you."

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        He doesn't suspect a thing.

        Liam's guts start tying themselves in knots. Part of him wants to pick Chibodee up, pin him against the wall, and tell him that evil people--possibly working for a 'BioNet'--might want Liam, specifically, to kill him. But he can't do that right now. He takes a deep breath.

        'Do you like it?'

        Liam's gaze turns blank, as if Chibodee had asked him if he likes breathing, or having skin. "It's what I was made to do," he says, evenly. "No one else can pilot it without suffering heatstroke, or worse." The second question is easier. "Mobile Trace," he says. "Modified." He glances in Shinji's direction, and sees him unwrapping a gun--an airsoft gun. "You brought Shinji a gift, correct?"

<Pose Tracker> Chibodee Crocket has posed.

Chibodee plays it totally straight. He's tense, Chibodee knows. The way he uses those words. 'Made to do it.' Can't run that down in mixed company, of course. That kind of thing gets dangerous quick. Chibodee's met someone with a similar background before. How is Allenby doing, a part of him thinks.

"Sounds like you've got some real heat challenges up in there," he says. "Hopefully the engineers on your squad fix it up for you. No reason you oughta be getting hurt in there." Chibodee routinely leaves battles bloody, bruised, and with the occasional stress fracture, but he's a Gundam Fighter and that comes with the territory. "I did! Over there on the table. I mean it's not anything real extravagant but I got him some cool stuff. My gals helped pick things out."

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Apparently Nidaime sniffs people a lot too. Maybe this is why they're getting along with Mari so easily. Actually it's probably the music stuff. They have similar opinions about singing apparently.

Nidaime listens to the nonsense that Mari is saying and believes it 100 percent. Rather, it's like this is nonsense she ALREADY believed and is thrilled to find someone who is as crazy as she is. "Wow...! I love Karaoke! But I've never karaoked before!"

This might be pretty strange if this didn't fit with her characterization so far.

Nidaime is a little delayed in her response to Alouette because karaoke is just that awesome. But she says, "My mom used to sing it to me when I was a little k---id."

Does she know the story it tells? "It's about birds right?"

Kaworu attempts to thank Nidaime for how she 'helped Shinji that day'.

Nidaime blinks slowly. Does she...not remember? ... Or is she trying to think of the RIGHT TIME (it's the latter). "He's a good boy," Nidaime tells Kaworu. "He seems to have a lot of kind and thoughtful friends, they're really doing their best."

She thinks for a moment. "What do you like about Shinji best? I'm still figuring out what I like best about a lot of people. Chibi helps the homeless and has a lot of cool lady bosses." An example. 

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


Shinji's hand lingers on her wrist, Asuka looks away, her expression holding fast like she's trying not to meaningfully react in this crowd. She doesn't yank her hand away though as one might expect... nor does she let it linger too long. Just enough that it seems just the right amount to give over a gift. Though as he leans in, Asuka turns to look at him, puzzled. Then nods, "After then." As she agrees...

Perhaps it might help him feel a bit better about all of this if she lets him have this - she thinks.

Hikari looks towards Toji, as Rei walks by with the worst timing, and Hikari starts to scold him mildly, "Don't bring Ayanami into this when you're acting like that." Maybe Hikari's a little jealous? Only a little though.

Asuka eyes the other gifts, the Cheburushka and the Airsoft gun. She knows guns so she only does a small double take before realizing it's not an actual firearm. Then glares at Ouka as if wondering if she's being made fun of in some veiled way. Still she doesn't bring it up... she doesn't intend to ever bring that incident up again.

Turning as she turns away from it she witnesses Mari sniffing Alouette... and for a moment she's just... very still. Looking low key furious at Alouette when she storms back towards the other side of the kitchen and out of sight to the balcony, she starts to angrily polish off the plate she put down from before.

"Everything alright?" Hikari whispers Asuka's way, as she sharply replies, "Mir geht es gut." Hikari just sighs quietly, not understanding her German and the fact she chose to use a foreign language making her more concerned.

Though perhaps a conversation between Nidaime and Kaworu has her attention now in the short term...


<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

A moment happens. Maybe it means something, maybe it doesn't. If there's one consistent in the world of the Lilim, it's ambiguity.

Ouka shows up and Shinji blinks, having assumed the older girl would mostly orbit around Kaworu, who attracts mysterious older women like some kind of magnet. It's something Shinji would tease his friend more about if the man seemed to care at all about it. "

She gives him a gun.

"Finally!" Kensuke Aida shouts, "We can shoot each other at five in the morning like real men!"

"This is because of dodgeball isn't it." Shinji says, utterly perplexed by the gift but deciding it's the thought that counts.

"Oh no." Shinji says, leaning in as Zoia tries to deflect, "We're doing something. Just maybe no surprises." Turnabout is fair play, after all. "Thanks, Alouette. Excuse me, please."

Shinji frowns a bit as Rei bails for the exit. He should at least say thank you, and moves to do so as she gets to the shoe cubby. "Hey." Shinji smiles, and it's a lot more natural after some working out. Shinji doesn't touch her but there's an air of affection that would probably accompany a mild one between a pair of more normal friends. "Thanks for coming out. I know this kind of crowd is...a lot, for you. It means a lot. Listen, I need to fill you in on something, can we meet up in a couple days?"

<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.


Rei glances at Hikari and Toji on her way past. She is finally breaking clear, more or less. The smells and the din will soon erode. She turns towards the crowded shoe cubby and Shinji intercepts her while she is leaning over. Her head turns, hair hanging partly in her face.

"Ikari," she says.

"... it was difficult," Rei says, collecting the shoes and straightening upwards, her hair falling back into its usual (dis)array, "but, I'm glad that I did."

There is a fleeting moment where she smiles. Blink and you'll miss it. It's silent and there isn't any flashy grinning or laughter to go with her.

"Yes," Rei says. "I have something for you."

"... Happy birthday," Rei concludes.

And shortly after that she manages - barring some very powerful techniques coming suddenly into play - to be the first one to depart.

<Pose Tracker> Zoia Surovy has posed.

Zoia is graceful enough to pretend Liam's smile hits. Rolling with the socially-awkward punches has increasingly become her role - at least, as she's become more and more aware that she probably has some of the more developed social graces in the NERV camp.

Shinji won;t let her deflect, though, and she blushes and cups a hand to her cheek. "You don't have to," she protests, mildly flustered.

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

        'This is because of dodgeball isn't it?'

        "No?" Ouka is honestly confused by Shinji's response. At his friend seems to have his head on straight. Early morning combat drills are a common part of a Boosted Child's daily routine, after all...

        ... though they tend to use live ammunition and bullet 'proof' vests. Usually a few sore ribs is the worst they come away with before making their way to their morning meals.

        When Shinji moves out from under the attention given by herself, Zoia, and Alouette to instead approach Rei the First Boosted Child merely steps back to let him go. She's still confused by all of this. But as with earlier those words ring true: 'You did your best. I'm sorry it couldn't have worked out better.'

        She takes a long, deep, and finally resigned breath before turning away from Shinji and instead witnessing Mari ... sniffing people? That's odd though not wholly unknown to Ouka. She vaguely remembers that some of the upgrades tested in The School included things like auditory and olfactory augmentations. It's a bit odd that she can't remember any Boosted Child who actually HAD those augmentations though... but she does seem to remember that with the former it was determined that enhanced hearing around mecha and firearms was less useful than one would hope, and in the latter that it tended to amplify negative emotional outcomes due to trauma associated with smells. Smells like blood and smoke.

        ... what is far more inexplicable though is when she notices Asuka's response to the situation. This, combined with her reaction to Mari's appearance at the Angel briefing a couple of weeks ago...

        "I don't believe we've been properly introduced." Ouka's voice can be heard over the noise and bustle of the party, "My name is Ouka Nagisa, I've been attached as an auxiliary unit with regards to NERV's mission to defeat Angels, kaiju, and other extraterrestrial or extradimensional threats."

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        Kaworu smiles, a faint chuckle on his breath, at Nidaime's response. "He *is* good," he replies, and leaves the rest of it alone.
        
        Her question of what he likes about Shinji best, though, gives him pause. He looks again his way, in time to see Shinji grabbing Asuka's wrist, see her look back at him for a lingering moment, before at last they part. He looks down at the plate of karaage. Slowly, he twirls the toothpick of a half-eaten piece--back; forth; back; forth.
        
        Finally, he smiles fondly. "Everything," he says quietly. "I couldn't possibly pick one thing."
        
        As Rei approaches the door to leave, and Shinji approaches her to bid her goodnight, Kaworu gives them both a nod, simultaneously 'hello' and 'goodbye.' Beyond that, he doesn't try to interrupt their moment. It isn't his place.
        
        He takes another bite of the karaage, and offers the plate back to Nidaime.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        Did he get through? Liam doesn't know for sure, but he doesn't want to say too much more in front of Aurum-1. Instead, he nods, and pretetends that this is just something he's had to deal with in the course of his work as a totally normal aspiring Gundam Fighter. "It might be impossible to mitigate fully," Liam says, "but I'm certain they'll try their best."

        Liam reaches into his pocket and takes out a small, boxy package, wrapped very precisely in bright blue paper. There's no frills, no unnecessary decorations, just: 'To: Shinji, From: Liam' penned by a very neat hand. "I still need to give him this."

        And so he waits until Shinji's seen Rei off--he's not sure he would've had the mental fortitude to do that, were he Shinji's age, and in Shinji's shoes. "Shinji?" he says, and he holds out the present. "Happy birthday." Inside are... three SDAT tapes, still in their original packaging. (Liam at least remembered to remove the price tags.) The first is Sheryl Nome's greatest hits (so far), the second is a compilation of culturally-significant orchestral pieces, and the third--

        The third looks like it was picked up from someone who was making their own mixes and selling them. It's labeled "Lynn Minmay (DJ Koko Remixes)"

        "I didn't know your tastes," Liam says, "so I purchased a variety. If you decide to exchange them for something more agreeable, I have the receipts."

<Pose Tracker> Chibodee Crocket has posed.

Chibodee nods to Liam. He salutes him with his beer and doesn't interfere with the gift-giving. As things seem to be slowly calming down, Chibodee will probably be able to pass off his gift bag shortly. Before then, he goes and gets himself some chicken. It's been long enough now where he figures anybody who wanted some has gotten it. No need to crowd anybody. Slow and steady.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Kaas has posed.


        Alouette smiles and affirms what Nidaime says, "That's right! It's about birds. It describes their components, as if you were deconstructing it, but in a song so it is easy and more pleasant to say aloud."

        Nidaime is pulled away, and Alouette is content with her interaction. In fact just looking at Nidaime, brings up bittersweet memories. Which include Kaworu, and another who had recently resurfaced.

        Zoia again saving Alouette by telling her what goes unspoken. "Oh. Oh kay. I don't understand but, I accept it. Thank you again Zoia, always kind."

        The timing couldn't be more perfect, as Alouette catches that look of fury from the Second Child. One that stings deep. Alouette's fists clench and she fights tears, but her shoulders drop along with her head. So, she walks over to Kaworu, Misato if she is near. Alouette locks eyes with Kaworu, and begins what seems to be her mantra for the night. A soft smile she doesn't force.

        "Thank you, Kaworu. Colonel Katsuragi. Um. Please, give my thanks to Asuka and Shinji, and the fowl, for the hospitality of the home. I am grateful, I enjoyed my time with everyone. Hope-hopefully, I can be a party to... more. Thank you."

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

"Wow," Nidaime marvels, dumbstruck. "That's a lot." She shuffles her feet. "I hope I can find someone who likes me that much some day." Maybe someone already does--but she doesn't know who it could be. Everything is a lot, after all. Even someone who likes most of the things about Nidaime isn't liking everything about Nidaime. "I mean, who isn't my mom'n'dad."

She's a romantic at heart.

She collects the platter of chicken, shoves the rest into her mouth, then openly licks the platter before--

--NERV's mission to defeat Angels, kaiju, and other extraterrestrial or extradimensional threats

Nidaime keeps the platter covering her face.

As if someone could see through her disguise and know she doesn't belong here in more ways than are obvious.

"..." 

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

"Thanks, Ayanami." Shinji smiles a little back, and lets the girl go. "I'm finding out the best stuff is a little hard, yeah."

"God that's such a clich." Shinji mutters to himself, and blinks at a wall of Liam. "Hey. Oh, the new stuff? Thank you!" These are much more manageable things to get. "Nice, um, work, by the way? We wouldn't have stopped that monster without that experimental Gundam of yours."

Shinji frowns a little at a subtle change in mood, but he lacks super hearing and isn't sure what's spooked poor Niidame. He wants a word with Kaworu, who's been holding court in the kitchen like some evil sultan. And he wants something to eat because holy shit is that.

"Hey." Shinji says to Kaworu, and gives Niidame a smile, hoping it calms the poor kid down. She can look a giant monster square in the face and a little apartment party spooks her? "Huh, that almost looks like-listen, I just wanted to say thanks. I think this went pretty well for a room full of introverts, all and all." 

<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.


Hands planted upon the countertop and scooted into a comfortable seat atop it, for as spontaneously teasing (terrorizing) as she can be at times, Mari seems just as comfortable in the quiet of the social fringes. In fact, there's something there, buried in the otherwise half-lidded feline placidity her expression defaults to. Something warmer. Affectionate.

Fond...?

Half-lidded gaze drifts from party-goer to party-goer. She watches as Rei moves to exit, only to be stopped by Shinji in an exchange she can't hear. Her smile broadens.

She watches Kaworu sample the food Nidaime offers, and her smile dims to something difficult to place.

She watches Liam and Chibodee talking shop, and a twinge of interest sparks at the corner of those lips.

And then that gaze falls on Asuka, just as she abruptly disappears out of her bespectacled line of sight. Her head tilts. Brows climb. Her smile dims.

"Hm, hm," she exhales, and prepares to push off the counter--

'I don't believe we've been properly introduced.'

And that blue stare drifts towards the woman standing in front of her.

"Oh?"

She listens to the explanation. She watches something out of the corner of her eye.

Her smile returns.

"Have you?"

It's a wondering question that seems by itself largely rhetorical given how Mari hops off the counter not a second later in a flutter of voluminous yellow skirts, scarf swaying forward as she leans forward to offer a hand.

"Then I guess that makes us auxiliary comrades, doesn't it? Mari Makinami Illustrious~. Transferred from Euro-NERV. I guess you could call me, hm," she seems to think about this for a moment.

<3 "Vital support." <3

how does the idea of hearts come in with perfect clarit"So in a way, you and I are peas in a pod~."

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.


        Liam blinks. He hesitates a moment, dealing with the urge to downplay his contributions. But being thanked, honestly and hopefully, by someone who could easily be one of his fellow child-experiments, feels good. Even if it reminds him of the ones who're still trapped. The ones who still need him. "Thank you, Shinji," Liam says. "Managing the waste heat was difficult without factoring in the surges. I can only imagine how hard it was to budget Eva-01's power. But at the end of the mission, we made it back alive. That's what matters."

        And then Shinji goes over to talk with Nidaime, and while Liam doesn't follow him, he does reach out and give her a tiny little wave, and then a thumbs-up.

        And then the hairs rise on the back of his neck. Liam turns, and watches as Mari engages Aurum-1 in conversation. Can he watch? Does he dare watch?

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

It's true. Nidaime can look a giant monster square in the face and scarcely blink.

Nidaime sets the platter down, smacks her lips and, avoiding looking directly anybody in the eye reaches for the gift she brought--

Shinji gives her a smile. Nidaime smiles back. To be fair to her, she's not the only person who has looked a giant monster in the eye and seemed to get spooked by this party.

"I had a lot of fun," She assures Kaworu--and maybe Shinji too. "I'm not an introvert though." This is pretty evidently true since she introduced herself like seven times and licked a plate in a room full of people and it doesn't seem to have been a nervous reaction.

Instead she reaches over to her garbage bag and offers it to Shinji.

"I got you a gift." There's even a card!

The card is a picture of a heavy metal turtile rocking out.

There's colorful letters that say, "I HOPE YOU HAVE A SHELL OF A BIRTHDAY!"

And And Nidaime has signed it 'Have a happy ??ths birthday, Shinji Ikari!' with hearts and o/~s all over it.

Inside the 'garbage bag' is... an old music player that Nidaime had fixed up! She put a bunch of turtle stickers all over it. There's one cat sticker too.

"If you scratch them they smell like apples." 

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        "I hope you do, too," Kaworu tells Nidaime softly. "It's a wonderful feeling, being loved for all you are." His chin lifts slightly at Ouka's declaration in the other room, or more specifically, at Nidaime's reaction to it. He gazes at her, hiding her face behind that platter; then he offers her a subdued smile that he hopes encourages her.
        
        "It's okay," he tells her softly. He doesn't explain exactly what he means, but no matter. He has faith she'll understand.
        
        Alouette walks over then, and he looks up at her as she offers her gratitude and gifts for the residents of the apartment. He blinks, but accepts them all the same to hand out later. "I'm sure you will," he reassures her. "You're welcome, Alouette."
        
        As she leaves, Shinji approaches. Kaworu looks up at him, expression vague until he speaks. Then he offers him a slight, crooked smile back, sincere--yet restrained. "You're welcome," he replies. For a moment, he seems to struggle to find something else to say. Instead, he turns his gaze to the door. "We brought something for you. Rei Ayanami, Asuka Shikinami Langley, Mari Makinami Illustrious, and I, that is. If Mari Makinami Illustrious fulfilled her task for today, it should be in the parking lot downstairs."
        
        He holds out the card that Alouette had just given him to give to Shinji. "For you, from Alouette. She gives her thanks for the hospitality, and says she's grateful she was invited." As previously mentioned, Shinji's card includes a blank SDAT tape.
        
        Nidaime weighs in then that she's no introvert, and presents her own gift. Kaworu laughs a little at her enthusiasm. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," he tells her. He looks back at Shinji, pauses; then he murmurs, "...I hope you've had the chance to enjoy yourself, too."

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

        Something warmer... Affectionate... Fond...? Dims.

        And once again Ouka is confronted with an expression that calls back familiar emotions to her mind. Perhaps this is the singular and most important feature of Aurum-1: As traumatized as she was, as confused and scrambled as she continues to be, and as bleak as her life and future may seem, she is still a being of incredible empathy. Even for those she isn't manipulated by cruel forces outside of her to provide the warmth and comfort they'd otherwise be provided.

        ... that said, there are still plenty of things that confuse the heck out of her:

        "I... am not a pea and we're not in a pod. I don't think I understand what you're trying to say?" The First Boosted Child offers after taking Mari's hand to give it a firm shake. "That said, it sounds like we both serve a similar role? I do appreciate meeting you. And I wished to thank you for the information you provided in the briefing... even if it was delivered in an unorthodox fashion."

        Once the handshake is done, the hand is returned. Gold eyes turn away from Mari to glance towards where she was looking earlier, and the recently departed Second Child. She then turns back to Mari. Her expression is... conflicted.

        "Vital support." Ouka repeats, "You do seem to have an outsized impact on those around you. Both in Shinji, and in Asuka." Golden eyes close, and she takes a moment to reach up and feel the golden charm she wears around her left bicep.

        She sighs, "Perhaps you are needed more elsewhere though. It's good to be distracted, once in a while." With that she offers a pilot bow of her head, "Still, a pleasure to meet you. I will see about carrying home some... hm... leftovers, I think is what they're called?"

        ... to be fair to her though this is less Ouka struggling with an idiom and more her dealing with the fact that as long as Arado is around there's no such thing as leftovers.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


The Chaos of the party goes on around them, and Asuka eats her chicken. That doesn't mean she's unaware of everything going on around her. In fact she's perhaps acutely aware of basically everything - including the fact that Ouka vanishes from her line of sight in the direction of Mari. And even Alouette handing some things to Kaworu even if she does not know what those things are... even the weird kid looking sad for some reason. (She'll figure that out shortly as she remembers the first time she saw said kid.)

However... she needs a moment.

Asuka says nothing as Kaworu indicates that they all helped bring something for him that is in the parking lot downstairs... though she blinks and goes briefly cross eyed at the idea of Mari fulfilling a task... what was she up to???

"It was all their idea." Asuka says from afar as if denying she had any real part in it, "They just needed someone to drive them that wouldn't get three Eva pilots killed because some Catty Four Eyes decided to mess with them on the road."

It's mostly true, perhaps only the part about inviting her solely to drive so Mari wouldn't is the only fib. Apparently her driver's license application finally went through, though she's still mad about how it was processed.

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

Shinji sometimes misses the little hypocrisies in life. He still fundamentally thinks of Nidaime as a little girl, if one who's dad is a giant turtle, which might sometimes be doing her a disservice. In Shinji's defense he did learn how to be a person from TV.

Shinji blinks as he thought he'd spoken to Alouette. Maybe they missed each other when he grabbed Rei before she vanished. Must be, he thinks. "Thanks, Kaworu." And then.

Shinji genuinely grins at the little card. There is something horribly nostalgic about the old music player, remembering putting his own things together out of whatever he could find or steal from his teacher. "Thank you." Shinji says, sincerely. "I love it. I'm sorry, sometimes I say 'everyone' when I mean 'almost everyone.', it's a bad habit."

"I think it was pretty okay, even if Mari gave me a concussion." Shinji says, and looks up as Kaworu describes something. "Okay, wait, the four of you. The four of you worked together on something. And didn't kill each other." Shinji pauses, trying to process this. "I don't know if you can top that, Kaworu."

<Pose Tracker> Chibodee Crocket has posed.

Chibodee approaches when the queue around Shinji seems to be dying down a little more. He's had enough time to eat some chicken, which makes him feel better (and hits protein goal), and drink the rest of that beer. Now he's able to think straight and the tension seems to be... sustainable? It's not getting worse. Not sharply. You've got to take things as they are.

Chibodee offers Shinji his gift bag. "Well Nidaime definitely got me licked," he says, "I'll cop to being beat because that's a real fine machine there. But I got you some real rich soy sauce and tamari from this steakhouse on Neo-America that's like my favorite place to spend money on the girls. And these coasters here, you can open bottles with 'em, they've got old subway tokens welded on, and this here hat. I didn't know you were gonna get another hat but now you got two."

Chibodee considers a moment longer, and then: "It's good to have a hat."

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

NIdaime doesn't know how much Shinji knows of her, clearly. She clearly hasn't been as subtle about her nature as she thinks she has been. (She has not been that subtle).

She seems to be recovering from that tense moment. Nidaime rebounds quick even if she doesn't quite make it back to her original cheer.

Kaworu gave her an encouraging smile. It seems effective and she's about to say--

--but first, the birthday boy. Shinji seems to like the gift. That cheers Nidaime up terribly. She was worried she'd do a bad job for her first birthday. "Yesss--! thank you, shinji!"

She was worried that Shinji wouldn't like it. Not because she dug through garbage to put it together--but just for general reasons. It is a little old. But functional! People waste stuff a lot.

"Sorry Chibi...!" She says, completely seriously. "Wow Neo-America..."

She wants to brag about Chibodee's gift too and she's never been to Neo America so that's where she goes to.

"Thanks," She tells Kaworu softly. "Let's be friends."

Just like that, apparently. But she isn't going to get into heavy detail in mixed company. Instead she adds, "A gift by four people..." She tries to imagine...! "Maybe it's a cake."

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        The brightest Shinji has smiled comes when Nidaime gives him that card and music player of his. Kaworu watches the exchange, expression ambiguous for a moment before he settles on a fond smile for both of them. When he catches Nidaime's eye, he gives her a little nod of approval, as if to tell her she really is a good friend to him.
        
        Shinji meanwhile boggles at his managing to wrangle Asuka, Rei, and Mari for a single collective task, and Kaworu laughs a little, demeanor warming a degree or two. "We were united by our feelings for you." (Able to say such a thing without batting an eyelash is one of Kaworu's superpowers.) He leans in, raising his hand to hide his mouth as he whispers, "The karaage from Ramen Burger was the Second Child's idea."
        
        Chibodee comes in then to offer his gift to Shinji, so Kaworu withdraws. He still has a smile, though, this time for Nidaime. "I'd like that," he replies. A cake, though? He keeps on smiling and says nothing. 

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

Shinji looks up at Crockett and his first thought is 'is this being added to my tab.'

Of course it is.

"I can't believe you came." Shinji says instead, and tries on the hat, as required of anyone who gets a hat for their birthday.

Shinji flushes at the idea that people close to him saw where he used to live. God, that place is DANGEROUS, Shinji thinks, again indulging in his superpower of missing the obvious.

Shinji takes a pause and thinks, and blinks. He should probably just see what it is after the party dies down, but he gets the feeling he's going to have to think up something nice to do for Kaworu.

What the hell does Kaworu like besides being mysterious? Well, a name on their space ghost, but that's work. Shinji grabs a little chicken, giving Nidame another smile in what is increasingly obviously an unconscious emulation of Chibodee's reassuring grin. 

<Pose Tracker> Chibodee Crocket has posed.

Chibodee nods approvingly at Shinji. It will all work out, he keeps telling himself.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Kaas has posed.


        Alouette had made her way over to where Eizen had positioned himself while she waited for what she had researched as being the climax of the Birthday Party, The Song, THe Cake, and The Candles. She still wasn't clear on what they mean by 'blowing the candles out' but she was interested in seeing it.

        There was a strong mix of emotions, all whirlwinding inside her. She felt happy, to be among these people. She felt jealousy, of the bonds some of them shared. She felt scared, of being rejected, by individuals and the group. She felt scared of disappointing certain attendees. She felt angry, at being scared. She felt sad, at isolation created by the barriers that result from what she and others, had gone through to be here. She was anxious, that she didn't bring the right words to the song.

<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.

The idiom flies over Ouka's head. But such a thing is impossible;

After all, idioms are figurative expressions and cannot possess wings with which to soar so high.

Mari Makinami Illustrious, however, is not nonplussed. If anything, she takes this in remarkable stride; there's only a single, solitary "hee" that escapes her lips, and only the briefest of cat-like grins, at Ouka's insistence.

"It means we're destined to do great things together," is her sole answer, a firm handshake met with one best described as 'chaos in a handshake.' It's really just... hard to get a read on.

Ouka continues on, however. About Mari's unorthodox presentation. About her immense impact(tm) on the lives of those around her.

Mari watches the conflict swim in that expression in silence for five seconds before her expression gentles.

"Everyone needs a distraction," she says, as she wanders past Ouka. The Debatably Boosted Child pauses beside the First Boosted Child, leaning in to whisper something confidential:

"And everyone needs to have their expectations sabotaged by the irregular~."

And with that, Mari will continue on with a confidently lackadaisical stride, her hand lifting to wiggle her fingers as she goes. "Ciao! We'll meet again soon, Golden Girl. After all, it's destiny~."

And it's here, as the others talk about her contributions with Asuka, Rei and Kaworu, that Mari looks to make her exit; she only pauses, briefly, when she reaches Nidaime, leaning down to offer a simple, "We'll karoake soon," with the absolute certainty that it will happen despite her not actually knowing Nidaime, who she is, or how to find her.

Mari doesn't seem to factor these things into her chaotic equations. It will happen, all the same.

If nothing else, Mari is very good at crashing into people's lives.

But with that? She's on her way out, as uneventfully as her arrival was eventful.

The truck, as promised, is there -- with everything the quartet had retrieved from the depths of Middle Hakone.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


Asuka gives Shinji an annoyed look at the declaration that the four of them worked together and didn't kill each other, Asuka looking annoyed as Kaworu says they were 'united by our feelings for you'. "Tck." Though she looks intrigued as Kaworu leans in and says something she can't hear.

She watches Mari depart, and while perhaps she's disappointed, that is just Mari's way in her experiences with her so far - to come and go - in entirely unpredictable ways. Not unlike a cat.

"It's not." Hikari informs Nidaime. "Though... that doesn't mean we don't have one."

This is the moment that Hikari nudges Asuka and points at the cake with a glance. Asuka gives her a look like 'What?' Then gives her a confused look which might as well say 'Me?' Hikari nods emphatically.

Asuka glowers, but ultimately picks up the cake... as Hikari makes room at the table, clearing out some space at the table setting... "Here... come get your cake Stupid Shinji." As she opens the box to reveal a strawberry shortcake with multiple large layers.

"Ah~ Nice timing you two!" Misato takes out a lighter - does she smoke??? And lights the candles one by one.

Notably however, Misato does not call for a song... only to say, "Alright Shinji make a wish, then blow out the candles. You can wish for anything at all..."

Misato winks his way, hoping perhaps to jolt him into a better mood, "...even something a little naughty. It's your birthday after all."

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        Although Kaworu doesn't present it directly, he did bring a gift for Shinji separate from the moving truck filled with Shinji's belongings, including his freshly-tuned cello, from his old home in Middle Hakone. It's a small, discreet package wrapped in lavender gift paper. Inside is a set of high-quality earbuds in their original packaging, colored steel blue.
        
        Kaworu may or may not be around by the time Shinji opens it, though. He smiles for Shinji as the birthday Child blows out the candles on his cake, and he passes on Alouette's gifts to Misato and Asuka, and he hangs around until the end of the party to help Misato clean up the place (read: clean the place by himself). When he takes out the last of the trash, though, he heads home without returning.
        
        The best present he could give Shinji at this point is some peace and quiet. 

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

Shinji looks at the cake.

His first birthday cake.

He makes a wish.

Does it come true? That'd be telling. 

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime smells like... AN ADUL--

--no actually she just smells real bad. This might be the only outfit she has.

"Yeah! We will!" She bobs her head with absolute certainty despite ... well she knows her name is Mari, at least. Other than that, she has no idea who this is BUT--

--she has three hints. She'll just have to look for someone charming, with a beautiful singing voice, and big boobs. ... Maybe she knows Sheryl Nome too.

Kaworu is being mysterious about the gift. Nidaime is not going to realize what it is. But eventually even Nidaime will provide the gift of quiet.

Chibodee is likely going to have to endure more of Nidaime's singing whenever they go home though.

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