2022-06-25: Sweet Sixteen
- Log: 2022-06-25: Sweet Sixteen
- Cast: Emilia Eschonbach, Milly Ashford, Shari Loom, C.C., Nunnally Lamperouge, Excellen Browning, Kallen Kozuki, Ranka Lee, Sheryl Nome
- Where: Ashford Academy, Nagoya, Area 11
- OOC - IC Date: 24 June, 0096
- Summary: Emilia Eschonbach has the best birthday she's ever had.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
An hour ago, Emilia Eschonbach was woken from an afternoon nap by a message on her phone. Milly needed to see her in the student council building about something important- in about an hour. For once, she didn't stress about it. She freshened herself up a bit, and, still in her uniform from the days classes, made her way to the student council building.
She did not expect whatever it was to involve the ballroom, but that was where Milly was guiding her.
She *really* did not expect the ballroom to be occupied, and full of balloons and decorations, tables with food laid out, and something hidden under an oversized cloche. The sound system is set up, light music playing. And there are, as pointed out before, people she knows waiting for her. And... wait. Surely not.
The look on Emilia's face is stunned confusion, as though she's completely unsure what's happening here. Largely because she is... completely unsure what's happening here.
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
Walking Emilia in is among the fun parts -- not the only one, but seeing her reaction to the gathering is itself a satisfying moment. ... Maybe a little melancholy, because it's genuine confusion rather than the light of recognition, though. Has Emilia really never...?
... no, probably not, Milly thinks, and for a split second she grimaces *just* a touch.
She's never been one to flinch from that type of thing, though. "I thought it'd be pretty pointlessly cruel not to set up a sixteenth birthday party for a ranking member of the Student Council," she says, confirming that this is in fact a birthday party. (And confirming the idea of 'a lack of good experiences' as 'pointless cruelty.')
While Milly is usually a big planner, she has no specific plans for the *order* of events here; she'll prod Emilia here or there, but letting her freely explore things is part of the joy too.
<Pose Tracker> Shari Loom has posed.
"Happy birthday!!"
Shari reports this brightly and cheerfully, despite the dark makeup and generally dour aesthetic choices. It's hard to be too spooky with pink hair, though--but if Emilia looks, she'll notice that she did take some of her tips, with the red shadow in particular. She also blows a kazoo, which reports its "BRRRRRRRT" happily.
"Yeah," she says, "There's gotta be a party. It's a rule? I'm pretty sure Milly made it a rule."
She sets down the kazoo. Are there hats? If there's hats she's wearing one.
<Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.
The invitation comes as a bit of a surprise.
After all, C.C.'s mostly a free-roaming layabout who comes and goes throughout Ashford Academy more like it's an interesting place to go take a walk when she's bored, and one who's a bit tricky to actually keep in contact with or find when needed. (She covers the fact that she's staying at Lelouch's with a meticulous observance and dodginess that'd make international spies feel like they've been careless.)
But there it is, an envelope slipped to her oh so covertly when she's out and about. It was enough to give C.C. a bit of pause. and indecision. A surprise birthday party, huh... right, that's something people celebrate.
C.C. arrives so late that one might almost think she found it beneath her. She certainly didn't...like...help set anything up. But suddenly, she's just kind of...There. Sitting on top one of the sound system's larger speakers. Legs swaying. She's wearing a terribly slinky and tight-fitting black dress for the occasion.
"Hooh? Birthday girl's here." That look in Emilia's eyes...C.C. grasps it oh so quickly. It's how hers would be if she had a party in her favor celebrated so suddenly too. "...Yes, Milly arranged something like this to throw for you, she insisted and threw all this together, no it's not for any incentive, it's just sentimentality around the birthday thing. So don't think too much on it and just relax, yeeees?"
Her gaze flits to the unfamiliar Shari, shifting her posture a bit to be leaning on one hand, playing up the cool and collected sauciness oh so far. "...Aren't you a fetching little study in contrasts? Hmmmm...I'm Cyzarine, no I'm not on the council. I've just had a few little fated encounters with Milly and Emmy here, mhm."
<Pose Tracker> Nunnally Lamperouge has posed.
Nunnally has gotten dressed up in a dress which she is assured is very cute; she can feel the strap of a birthday hat resting under her chin, the elastic providing light pressure and the way the weight rests suggesting a slight tilt to one side. The music is light and uplifting, and she's sure the people here are ready to lift Emilia up, just the same.
It's nice.
When she hears two sets of feet enter, and hears Milly's voice, Nunnally waves a streamer she's clasped in her hand. "Happy birthday, Emilia!!" She calls out, with all the heart and warmth the Student Council can expect of her, and a big, big smile.
"You're already sixteen...! I'm going to have to work hard to catch up, huh?" Nunnally asks, cheerfully, in Emilia and Milly's rough direction.
She does not betray the woman who lives in their house. This time!
<Pose Tracker> Excellen Browning has posed.
While not much the sort of person for punctuality, Excellen Browning actually arrived for this occasion a bit early! After all, this is a very VERY special day! The Sweet Sixteen of a dear old friend. And she's here to make sure it's one she'll never forget! That said she admittedly seems... under-dressed for the occasion: Wearing gray sweatpants and an ATX Team-branded zip-up hoodie. Incongruent to the rather dressed down nature of her bottoms and tops are a pair of... red pumps? And are those fishnets? Speaking of which... what is that odd bulge on the back of her sweatpants? Hrm, weird...
Well anyone who knows Excellen would certainly be hardly surprised at her eccentric and ecclectic fashion choice. Though she's hardly the type of person to ONLY dress up her feet.
Alongside herself and her odd wardrobe, she has brought (of course) a gift. A medium sized rectangular box wrapped in cheerful paper with pizza slices, cake slices, confetti, party hats, and multicolored 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY!' written across it in bold bright English letters. Along with the present is a card in an envelope signed 'From Exe-nee~<3 to Emmy-chan~<3' in flowing, if cutesy, cursive.
Whilst waiting for the guest of honor to arrive she's happy enough to flutter around the room like thes social butterfly she is, and introduce herself as "Excellen Browning~! But for tonight, you should call me Exe-neesama~! It's a party rule, and a party foul of you don't!" Is it? Did she run this past Milly? ... honestly Milly might have, and it's a chilling thought what sort of punishment game might be lined up for someone who conducts a 'party foul'.
As soon as she spots Emilia appears in the ball room though, Excellen is quick like a bunny. Hopping up on an empty table, and producing a microphone from one of her hoodie's pockets. Is it hooked up to anything? Does it have to be, with someone as loud as Excellen using it? "EVERYONE~! Can I have your attention please!! I'm happy to announce the guest of honor has arrived. The one, the only, the supremely adorable Emmy~CHAN!!!"
"Happy Birthday to You~"
Excellen pulls a pair of red bunny ears from another pocket of her hoodie, and dons them atop her head.
"Happy Birthday to You~"
Slowly unzipping her hoodie reveals, to no real surprise, a white collar with a red bow tie around her neck and a strapless red top with a generous amount of cleavage. She shrugs out of her hoodie in much the way a stripper would engage with a strip tease, and then hold it off to the side of the table with all the care she would a rag.
"Happy Birthday dear Emmy~"
More effort is taken in removing the sweatpants, particularly due to the large fluffy cotton tail placed on the back of her outfit! A crimson thong is worn over black fishnets stockings which go all the way down to the red pumps she has already been seen wearing. With a playful kick, she sends the sweatpants off her foot and onto the floor (or perhaps one onlooker's face). This leaves her wearing... well... perhaps an even odder choice of attire than sweatpants and a hoodie to wear to a girl's Sweet Sixteen:
https://static.myfigurecollection.net/upload/items/large/82614.jpg
"Happy Birthday... tooooooo... yoooooooooou~! HAPPY SWEET SIXTEEN EMMY!!!"
As the song finishes Excellen lowers herself to lay across the table, lounging luxuriously as if expecting someone to paint her like one of their French Bunnies. Then after her song is finished she breaks from her sensuous pose to sit up, placing her microphone in her lap and clapping and cheering excitedly.
<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
Mystery text messages are becoming common lately. Though for many who remain hidden in shadow, lurking in the corners of the ballroom... Or are just out in plain sight, in some cases, the messages were much less vague. Kallen at least, knows why she's here. She even brought an amount of the food. Not pizza, because SURELY someone else handled that. But she went out and got several types of ice cream, some of them notoriously difficult to get ahold of.
And she's wound up in a dress that's a suspiciously familiar shade of red, with a little, orange party hat settled atop her head. "Happy birthday...!" Emmy's been having some better days recently, and she's hoping to keep that streak going strong. She may not know every secret that's been cooked up, but she's reasonably certain in their ability to make one sad girl very happy today.
...Excellen's bunny suit was not one of the things she had warning of. And she nearly falls over as a result, face as red as her hair! Did... should she have done something like that too? Maybe come bursting out of an oversized cake to deliver a pack of presents?
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Ranka's come wearing the dress. You know, the one from Never Have I ever. Where she admitted she'd spent a whole three paychecks on it once upon a time. It's pink with a white frill, a tasteful V neck with a pink bow over the bustline. She has a pink hat on her head that looks like it's between a beret and a pillbox in it's sort of vintage style accessorized with a red bow and she's also wearing a pair of dark red tights and black heels.
It's not that she's trying to show anyone up here, she doesn't expect to show up Ashford girls at all, she just promised she'd show it one day.
In synch with the others, she calls out, "Happy Birthday Emilia!" Squeezing her orange Salamander like phone causes it to make a loud noise akin to a Kazoo, as a long pink tongue flits out like a streamer. Her hair flaps up on each side, spurred on involuntarily in her sheer enthusiasm. "A sixteenth birthday deserves celebration." Ranka says, in agreement with Milly, it's a big one. However... then Hurricane Excellen takes over and Ranka watches her with a sense of surprise.
As Excellen sings and she joins in just naturally as one of those singing, noticing most everyone has a party hat, she slowly trades out her hat for the party hat, laying the hat atop her bag beneath the handles as an extra layer of Ai-kun cover/shielding. This would do absolutely nothing if he escaped, but at least people wouldn't see him for a few seconds longer???
Despite her excitement, she is taking the time to assess Emilia's mood, because well...
However then she gawks, turning a shade pink as Excellen performs her impromptu hoodie strip tease to reveal the bunny suit. It's not like it's too racy or anything, she's been to many Sheryl concerts after all. However Ranka slowly trails over from there to the closest person, Kallen, whom she knows is in the know about many things around this school and asks with a whisper. "Do you know if she-" Ranka nods her head towards Excellen, "-is a member of the... the fantasy seduction club?" She takes a second look, and amends, "Or... the faculty advisor?"
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Sheryl Nome isn't here. Obviously not--what would an intragalactic superstar be doing at something as mundane as an ordinary girl's birthday party? Sure, it might be a *special* birthday, but still. So if a girl in the blue-and-white Mihoshi Academy school uniform, with a white beret from which two blond tendrils of hair extend, and large round sunglasses that cover half her face, slips into the ballroom almost right before Milly and Emilia themselves show up, and she simply joins in on the clapping as she grins and laughs at Excellen's stunning performance, well, surely that's just a fellow ordinary student joining in on an ordinary celebration. Some might recognize her as one of the Mihoshi Academy representatives who attended Milly's big inter-school meeting (and thus one or two folks might recognize her for who she actually is). What was her name again? Sharon? Shelly? It was something like that, surely.
She has a gift, of course, which she carries in a white tote bag hanging over one shoulder. It's cube-shaped, about one foot by one foot by one foot, wrapped in sparkly silver wrapping with a curly gold ribbon that holds a white envelope in place.
There's definitely not a cyborg bodyguard on standby outside in case anything goes pear-shaped. *Definitely* not.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
'I thought it'd be pretty pointlessly cruel not to set up a sixteenth birthday party for a ranking member of the Student Council.'
Realization dawns on Emilia as Milly, well, spells it out for her. Her eyes scan the room again, taking in the people present. Cyzarine is here, calm and disaffected and mysterious and maybe a Zaftran Princess (Emmy still needs to work out if those are a thing), laying out that this is 'normal' and Milly's doing. Shari gives her an earnest happy birthday, and Nunnally carries that on with her typical spirit and kindness. W-wait, work hard to catch up? On being sixteen?
Kallen and Ranka and- is that the dress she meant? It's gorgeous...
And then Excellen takes the stage and Emmy is rapidly turning... bright red and would be stammering if she weren't too overwhelmed to talk at the second. It's a little weird to have an emotional reconnection then go to this ... that's what makes her Exe-nee, right? It takes some will to spirit a girl from the home that is her prison and take her for pizza on a whim. She does let out a surprised sound. And the girl from Mihoshi looks... familiar enough. Maybe Ranka brought a friend... She'd like to meet Ranka's friends.
Her mood is... yes, overwhelmed, but happy. She takes several steps forward into the ballroom, as it becomes real. This is. Real.
Emmy's lips turn into a smile, as she turns back to look at Milly, before everyone else. She's nervous, she's thrumming with excitement, she's very clearly not sure what happens. But above all else, she's delighted and it shows on her face. "Th-th-th-th-thank y-y-y-you!"
Someone might need to take charge, though. This is *a lot* for her.
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
Milly doesn't blush at Excellen in the least; she's done worse at least once. (Shirley's birthday last year. No survivors. No one talks about it.) She just lets that happen, with a playful little smirk on her face the whole time.
"I *did* make it a rule," Milly announces, brightly. "Though I'm a little lax on satisfying it with some of the at-large members... but officers need the whole production! Getting the right mix of people was a little tricky, but I think you're among friends."
She moves slowly in front of Emilia, reaching out at a *very* slow, even pace; she puts one arm on her shoulder gently, and says, "Get out there and have some fun. No pressure."
She then heads out into the party *herself*, deciding to scoot toward Kallen first. "The dress looks good," she says, a little teasingly. "... I think I want to see that shade on your face again a little more often, too~."
Nunnally gets a warm smile, after that, and a few steps toward her; she affirms, "I think you're catching up at exactly the right pace... though if you want, I can give you a few more responsibilities as our mascot~."
<Pose Tracker> Shari Loom has posed.
Shari blinks at C.C. when she addresses her--she's given her a few glances, but hasn't actually spoken to her since she arrived. Hard not to with the slinky black dress and everything. "I am? I mean. Yeah. I am," she says, straightening her shoulders a bit, pressing her black-painted lips together. "I'm not on the council, either; I'm just a friend. I transferred here not that long ago..."
Excellen happens. Shari blinks slowly, and then moves to pinch herself on the arm. "Ow." That's really happening. "You uh. You do have my attention..." There's clapping. Shari finds herself joining in, because it would be polite. She is not entirely sure what to do with this. She does not notice little Ai because--well. She is distracted! Extremely distracted.
Until Emmy smiles, and thanks them, and Shari beams at her. She starts looking around as Milly starts talking to people, herself included--and then stops short as she looks at Nunnally.
.....?
Blink. Blink blink. "Uhhh," she says. "Hi."
<Pose Tracker> Nunnally Lamperouge has posed.
The present-box in Nunnally's lap is of a size to be held in one hand, all wrapped in a cheerful pink bow. Almost as cheerful as Nunnally is -- and without any clue what Excellen is doing, all she can go off of is her words and the emotional tenor of the room.
"You're very energetic!" Nunnally giggles, to Excellen, with those ever-closed eyes. She neatly sidesteps the Japanese nomenclature for siblings, given how for Nunnally, that's a little complicat...
Anyway.
She directs her wheelchair forward, palm to that psycommu control orb. "Milly made sure to get some wonderful food together," Nunnally does sell Milly out, conversely. "Why not start out trying it? I think you'll like it!" This, of course, puts her in the firing range of --
Milly, for one. "Haha," Nunnally laughs, smiling, when she offers to give her more mascot responsibilities. "Do you really think I'm ready, Milly? That's a big..." --
......!
Her chin lifts; her head casts from side to side, unseeing, surprise written on her face. And then she hears someone's voice, and her face turns to Shari, in turn. "Hello," Nunnally offers her a smile, despite her surprise.
How strange...
<Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.
C.C. does have to ponder just what to assess of Nunnally's being here...sure, she's keeping her thing with Lelouch on the down-low here, and she did tell Nunnally to keep her staying there a secret. Probably in tones subtly nudging at 'hiding here for my own safety' or so. But she can still share that intangible presence they do together. The color beyond senses in the back of the mind - the light the two lamps cast on the wall. The least C.C. can do is flicker it a bit warmly. In a 'yeah it's me. It'll be alright' kind of way.
...that dance certainly captures, well - most of the attention in the room. C.C.'s seen a lot, and yet this is a bit bewildering even to her. ...Now, she wouldn't exactly claim something like: "Milly Ashford wouldn't hire a bunnygirl dancer for the occasion" because. Uh. She kind of would. But there's more going on here. The way Excellen just gets so into it. That's the mark of someone who had this idea herself.
She can't help but chime in. "...So, Birthday Bunny. ...You're not a student here, right? ...What, exactly, ah, is the story behind...all this, hmmm?"
Kallen's flustering mode at the display gets that wry little cat-smile on C.C.'s lips. "It's clearly a performative sort of night, and you're dressed intoxicatingly enough to join her. Mayhaps you should give center stage a go, Kallen~"
And for Shari, a simple, "That makes two of us. Fufu. This place is terribly eventful by school standards, isn't it? They're usually such painfully boring affairs. Hopefully you're basking in the whirlwind-like glow during your tenure here."
<Pose Tracker> Excellen Browning has posed.
Subtle and Controlled... thy name is Excellen Browning...
... well, actually that's Lemon Browning. But she doesn't even exist in this universe.
Still, as far as Excellen is concerned, she has a lot of of time to make up for. Not only has she realized recently that Emilia thought she had abandoned her in New Yark... but up until recently Emilia had thought she was pretending like it never happened, and basically mocking her pain to her face!! It was a hard realization for her. And when confronted with that sort of angst, what is an Excellen to do?
Well what any healthy red-blooded Neo American would do: Put on a bunny suit, and pour all that emotional energy into joy and excitement!!
The blushes, the shocked expressions, and best of all... Emilia's genuine expression of thanks is all the reward she needs. Now done with her impromptu song she slides off the table and makes her way across the room. To the terminally blushing Kallen she just gives a playful wink before strolling towards Emilia. Along the way she will pass by the gift table, and pick up her own gift from the pile.
Just as Milly is urging Emilia to mingle, Excellen is approaching! She smiles gently down to her. She leans in close to whisper into her ear, "Happy Birthday, Emmy." This one, unlike the excited song and cheerful clapping and yelling, is soft and tender. She will then, if allowed, give her hug, a kiss on the cheek (leaving a little lipstick).
She will then hand the gift box over to the envelope. Inside is a card with a watercolor bunny wearing heart shaped sunglasses (https:'cdn.shopify.comsfiles1037122572423productsil_fullxfull.2520346920_gpus_740x.jpg). And on the inside a simple message:
"Dear Emmy~<3, Here is a little something to let you know, no matter where I am and no matter where you are, you have a piece of Exe-nee's heart with you!!"
Should Emilia open the gift she will find... Excellen's pilot jacket. Specifically it's Excellen's current pilot jacket. A little rough around the edges, and you might be able to find a few wavy blonde hairs sticking to the collar. But it's special for that reason. It was something Excellen wore, and now it's an hand-me-down to a little girl who never had a big sister to give her something of hers to wear.
But back to the party...
'Do you know if she is a member of the... fantasy seduction club?'
One of Excellen's bunny ears implausibly, somehow, lifts in attention at the mention of such a club. "Oho?! Is that an ACTUAL club at this school..." Then she gasps, feigning actual pain as she clutches her chest, and looks towards Milly as if on the edge of tears. "Milly~! How did you fail to mention this to me earlier. And after all the ... things we shared with each other when we met~!"
It actually wasn't that much thanks to Rivalz... not that Excellen will clarify.
Next Excellen looks towards Nunnally, the girl in the wheelchair, and smiles so brilliantly that it's not implausible that she'd know Excellen was smiling by the sheer warmth it radiates. "Of course~! This is a very exciting day, after all!! You're only sixteen once of course!!"
... though you're seventeen multiple times, isn't that right, Excellen?
Next her attention is directed to C.C.
Her expression shifts from excited to a bit sly. After all she recognizes that unique type of smile on C.C.'s lips "Oho, Birthday Bunny~ I like the ring of that. " She slides up to the green haired girl. "You're right, I'm not a student here. A shame, considering what I just learned about the club offerings this school has. Tell me..." She asks, glancing towards Kallen, "Does the Fantasy Seduction Club perhaps... keep their club outfits on campus? Maybe they wouldn't mind us borrowing a few for a bit."
Uh oh... schemes are cooking.
BBSYS: Post 44, 'Mind Hugs' has been published to Daily Spotlight.
<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
Shirley's birthday was before Kallen's time, so she's blissfully unaware of THOSE events, for now. So far as she's aware, Milly's personal antics have never exceeded those of Sheryl Nome or... Exe-neesama? ...That woman has too much infectious power, and she's mentally calling her such, despite her complicated feelings regarding family. Well... it's just a nickname anyway, right? ...How did Milly actually find out about this woman Emmy knows of anyway? She never thought to ask about it until now, as she's taking a drink to calm down.
That drink was a mistake, given Milly's INSTANT assault upon her. She sounds like she's choking on it for a moment, before wheezing out an affirmative response. Milly could DEFINITELY find ways to make that happen to her face after all. She has that power, and then some.
Her eyes track around to all the collected people... Most she knows. And somebody she doesn't? But she's not able to approach now, for twin reasons. First, that person is talking...? to Nunnally. For some definition of talking. The second, is C.C.'s decision to drive a metaphorical arrow into her back. "...M-me? I don't even have the right o... n-no that's not the issue." It is partially. And she REALLY does need to learn better, how to be enticing, for... that. Maybe she should. Of course, the other flaw to the dress she's wearing, is that unlike the long-sleeved uniform, or most of her casual outfits up to now... It's impossible to miss the fact she's a bit... Toned. Which while normal for Shirley, who is on the swim team and thus works out as a known quantity... Kallen has no such excuse. And even putting aside the myriad reasons that's awful for her rapidly shattering cover story... Are people normally attracted to girls like that? Would her putting on a bunny suit and doing that whole show be anything people want to see?
She's ripped away from that dire train of thought mercifully fast. By Exe-neesama. She nods to the woman, and gets up to guide her way. "I-I'll lead you to their club room. Emmy's a member, so if it's for her they definitely won't mind at all." Rest in peace Kallen, for in this offering, you will not be spared from what is in store.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Ranka can see that Emilia is low key overwhelmed, yet Milly seems to have it in hand, as she watches her put an arm on her shoulder. She decides not to crowd her for now at least - and Milly is way better at taking charge. Though she's absolutely going to drop by before too long.
"Mascot?" Ranka mouths as she looks between Milly and Nunnally in wonder, though she's not thinking anything negative of her title. After all, she has the job where she actively goes to storefronts and advertises by singing jingles in costume. "Huh."
Excellen though apparently catches word of what she said, and Ranka suddenly just looks a bit embarrassed - though it does answer her question. As Hurricane Excellen keeps going though, she reddens. What did she set off here!? Though at least she thinks Emilia will likely be fine about all this. She said the club made her feel good! As Excellen singles out Kallen, she tries to look anywhere but her way, seemingly trying her hardest not to draw her attention until she gets a better sense of her.
Ranka hadn't noticed the girl in the blue and white Mihoshi uniform with the beret before before, in all of the spectacle of getting ready for the party, the excitement of waiting for the surprise. However the moment she sees her, she starts and both sides of her hair flap up again. Putting both of her hands over her mouth.
Just, instant recognition. She's seen enough of Sheryl's disguises by now plus, the Mihoshi uniform is a dead giveaway to her at least. Ranka slowly sidles up to the Mihoshi representative, taking her time as she's in heels and outright abandons Kallen to her fate. Then she leans over to her and smiles as she whispers to her, "I didn't realize you'd be here! I'm really good to see you again." As a sense of delight enters her voice, "And... thank you for coming. It will mean a lot to her."
Though she then gives her a look of wonder, "I didn't realize you'd come to know her that well though... or..."
As she speculates happily, perhaps remembering the first few times they met, "... is this a special service for a fan?" Though she doesn't assume private concert necessarily, her mere presence is certainly special enough.
<Pose Tracker> Shari Loom has posed.
To C.C., Shari grins for a moment. "Yeah," she says, it's pretty exciting. "I'm enjoying it! To my surprise, anyway. I expected it to be kind of like any other school, but after I met Milly..."
Then she turns, because--well. She has noticed something.
"...Blue," she murmurs, softly. And then--oh, right. "Oh, shit, sorry--"
Pause. "Er, I mean. Uh."
She walks over to Nunnally, "I mean. Hi. I'm Shari."
She doesn't say anything about clubs!!
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
"Honestly, every time I've left something to you you've more than stepped up. Ah, the days when the Lamperouges were helpless..." She laughs a little at herself, before affirming, "The Lelouch and Nunnally I'm dealing with now are definitely my favorites, though." Here she walks over, gently patting Nunnally on the shoulder.
After *that* bit of gentleness is out of the way, Milly scoots over toward Cyzarine with a big, enigmatic grin on her face. "Former babysitter." ... who's pressing her on the issue of the Fantasy Seduction Club, at that! "I was part of the club myself in my first year! It's really come a long way since then, though -- it used to be mostly an excuse to stuff ourselves into cute clothes, but I drilled down and made it a *study*."
She emphasizes, again, "I don't fund pointless self-indulgence. ... *Pointed* self-indulgence, on the other hand..."
... right. She owes Ranka's comment an answer, too! "Nunnally's a middle schooler... but she's *very* dangerous in her own way, and very helpful~ So Student Council Mascot is about right, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Emilia is *so happy* about the surprise! Sheryl--oops, we mean Sharon, or maybe Shelly--smiles to see it. Seeing her in person, too, it finally clicks in her mind where she's heard of 'Emilia' before; she was one of the lucky winners of the meet-and-greet in Macross City. Well, Milly had already told her that the birthday girl was a fan of hers, so that's hardly a shock. It's nice to finally be able to place a face to the name, though.
After that, though, Sheryl finds she's at a bit of a loss. Here is a group--a *crowd* even--and they're all focused on... well, someone else. Sheryl likes to think she's not so arrogant that she should be the center of attention at someone else's birthday party, but as she'd refused to tell Milly, she's never actually been to someone else's birthday party before. What do you... do, at this point?
Well, a party's a party, isn't it? she reasons internally. You walk around, you eat snacks, you chit-chat and meet new people, you have fun. And it's hardly as though she doesn't know anyone here. In fact--isn't that Kallen over there, getting teased by Milly and a girl with green hair? That red dress really looks good on her! Sheryl smiles and weaves through the crowd until she comes to a rest next to C.C.--but by then, Kallen's gone off with Excellen for the club room. Oh well.
"Birthday Bunny *does* sound fun," she comments at C.C. ("Cyzarine") all the same. "When I got invited here, I didn't think I'd be in for a show, too. This really is a fun school! Too bad I don't attend it."
Ranka sidles in then, though, and Sheryl gives *her* a growing smile of her own. She tugs her shades down and winks over them, raising a finger to her lips. "Milly invited me--as just a fellow student in the GUTS Initiative. It's unrelated to anything else," she replies, lowering her voice. "So don't overthink it too much!" She glances over at Milly and winks before pushing her shades back up. "Right~?"
<Pose Tracker> Excellen Browning has posed.
Honestly... of all the people that Excellen EXPECTED to help her out with finding the Fantasy Seduction Club's room, Kallen was the last one. Though it's actually a pleasing turn of event. That the red headed Stadtfeld girl would be willing to take her to the club room will simplify the logistics of getting her into one of the costumes!! And she'll even know where to take the outfits back later!!!!
It's fool proof.
"So kind of you to offer, Kallen~! Let's get going... but... hmm... maybe we could use a little help getting the outfits together. I wonder if there'd be someone willing to help us out..."
... as Ranka attempts to avoid her notice, Excellen feels something odd. She's not a Newtype by any description, but she still gets flashes of something - call it woman's intuition! It usually manifests as her ponytail feeling a bit off. In this case her ponytail feels a bit tingly. It's the same sort of feeling she gets when she enters the showers at the ATX Team's barracks and Bullet is trying to sneak out before she notices he's there.
It rarely ends well for him either.
The sniper's cool blue eyes cast a glance across the room, and eventually land upon the shorter green haired girl with the radiant red glow to her cheeks. Excellen approaches, and abruptly throws her arm around Ranka's shoulder as she leans in closer. "Say~! Since you gave me the idea about the Fantasy Seduction Club and all, why don't you be a peach and lend me a hand?" She looks up towards her companion...
... huh, weird, she sure looks familiar. Excellen hesitates... her ponytail just gives her a shrug asci in response. Oh well! "Don't worry, I'll return your little friend in one piece. I promise~!" And with that she'll go to gather up Kallen in her other arm and the three will be off... to the Fantasy Seduction Clubroom... and ADVENTURE~!!!
<Pose Tracker> Nunnally Lamperouge has posed.
Nunnally dutifully remembers nothing of Shirley's birthday, of course.
As for C.C.'s secret, well -- Nunnally has spoken of Lelouch's Mysterious Girlfriend, once, but what is said in a slumber party stays in a slumber party. She trusts these people! And the warmth of her lamp is returned, by that gentle girl.
"I'm Nunnally," she introduces herself to Shari, in turn. "Nunnally Lamperouge. I'm glad to meet another friend of Emilia's. You're a good listener, aren't you?" Blue...!
She smiles, in Milly's vague direction. "I'm happy I can meet your expectations!" She chirps, and seems to have no issues with being called a mascot. She giggles, to Ranka, and adds: "Maybe you can teach me a song to help!" Because Ranka, after all, is very good at mascoting.
(Is that a word?)
But Excellen is moving her attention over to Ranka, and so Nunnally moves hers to Emilia, waving to try and get her attention. "Emilia, can you come here a moment?" She asks, rather than try to navigate through a party floor on her wheelchair -- she can, certainly, it has proximity warnings transmitted to her through strange methods, but it would be a little awkward, and Nunnally doesn't mind asking for help. Assuming she approaches, Nunnally hands her powder-blue-and-pink gift to her, with a bright smile. "It isn't much, but..."
What is inside that little box is a soft hairbrush, of the type designed to make brushing out a mane of hair a painless process. There's a little sliding panel on the back, and if it's slid down, it reveals a mirror! A mirror which can be obscured by sliding that panel back up. "... I thought you'd like something like this," Nunnally explains, warmly, "since I used to have a lot of trouble brushing my hair, too, and yours feels like it's just like that..." When did Nunnally have the opportunity to touch Emilia's hair? During that same slumber party, perhaps.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Milly encourages her to have some fun, and Emmy nods enthusiastically. It's always hard to talk when she's overwhelmed but she can step forward into the party. Her party, she mentally corrects. Shari's beaming face is... sweet, and Emmy beams back.
Excellen is the first to make an aggressive move, unsurprising. And Emmy is feeling well enough to actually accept the hug, even if the kiss leaves her a little suprised.
It's not the first present Emilia's received. But she only ever got them on Christmas, from her Mother. And so often they were taken away after. Emilia moves quietly to a seat with a present- sitting close to Nunnally when called and maybe Ranka (the calming influences). She opens the box and let's out a surprised gasp. It is the jacket Excellen wears and it's... a little big, the sleeves are definitely too long, but Emmy slips out of her uniform jacket quickly to try it on and- ...she is VERY good at quick changes. She'd fumbles around for a moment, seeing where she can adjust. She might have to tie the sleeves up and-
Excellen is kidnapping Kallen and Ranka. Oh dear. But... "U-u-um, E-E-Exe-nee..." That sorry sure did a lot of work. "I r-r-r-really like i-it! B-b-be back s-soon!" She's getting her mouth back, so she turns to Nunnally calling her attention, and the other Mihoshi student. "Th-th-thank you," she says, the genuine happiness audible in her voice- and to other senses. She takes the small box and opens it carefully, to not damage the ribbon.
From the little gasp that comes from Nunnally, thoughtfulness does a lot of work too. Emilia does have a lot of brushes, but they've all been the one's she was told to buy. She runs her thumb over the bristles, feels the grip, slides down the mirror with a little bit of delight. It's practical. It's useful to take with her. Nunnally... really thought about that one. She doesn't even think why Nunnally would know. Still, it's held tightly in her hand. "I-I... It's w-wonderful."
After a moment, she looks up to Sharon/Shelly. "U-um, th-thank you. Too. For c-coming." She's a little nervous, she'd hoped Ranka would introduce them. "A-a-are y-you a f-friend of R-Ranka's?"
<Pose Tracker> Shari Loom has posed.
"Ahahah..." Shari rubs at the back of her neck, awkwardly, when Nunnally calls her a good listener. "Shari Loom," she says, and the name may be familiar; there's a government minister in Area 11 by the name 'Loom'. "I think Emilia's great," she says. "And uh... well, I guess you could say I do a lot of listening," she decides is true enough. She considers. Mascot... That's interesting. But Shari scooooots away a little bit from that cluster, finding herself a little socially overwhelmed, and instead finds herself just watching Emilia stammer and thank and smile.
She got her a preesent, too, but it's just one of the pile; she isn't going to make a production of it.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Oops, and there goes Ranka too. Still, it looks like this "Exe-nee" is going to be pulling Kallen and Ranka into performing with her, and Sheryl really does want to see that. Her smile broadens as Excellent gives her a curious look and then shrugs it off, raising one hand to wave good-bye to the trio. "I'll hold you to that. Looking forward to seeing what kind of stage you three set~!" she lilts.
Nearby, the young lady of the hour receives a present from Nunnally. Sheryl looks over their way with a smile. She remembers Nunnally from that same meeting, though they hadn't gotten a chance to speak. She seems like a sweet young lady--and her gift seems thoughtful, too. A mirror and a handbrush in one... Very convenient!
But then Emilia turns to *her*. Sheryl giggles a bit and nods. "You're very welcome. And yes, Ranka's a friend of mine, though it was Milly who invited me to your party. Happy birthday, by the way! Sixteen is an exciting age to be, isn't it?"
After all, she'd debuted when *she* was sixteen. Sheryl of course doesn't say that. Instead, she shrugs off one of the handles of her shoulder bag and plucks out the present within. "I know we don't know each other well, but here! This is for you, Emmy."
A curious turn of words, all considered. Inside the square package with the glittery silver wrapping and gold ribbon is a set of high-end noise-canceling headphones. It's a reputable brand popular in the Macross colonies, which tracks, considering this girl is clearly a Mihoshi Academy student. The headphones are also powder blue: Emilia's favorite color. Looks like someone did their research.
There's also an envelope with it. If Emilia opens it up, she'll find a star-spangled greeting card, gold text on a black background reading, "Happy Birthday!" Inside is a simple message written in rainbow gel pen: "Dear Emilia, You've got a lot of wonderful friends around you. Make sure you cherish them! <3, Sheryl"
Having gotten the Galactic Fairy's autograph before, it will of course be instantly recognizable.
"You don't have to open it now, of course," Sheryl comments then in present day, before Emilia has a chance to do more than accept said present. "A little later might be best, when you're somewhere private." She winks over her shades. "Just to be on the safe side~." (Sheryl is perfectly content to let this statement go misunderstood, especially after Excellen's bunny-girl number.)
<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
The look upon Kallen's face as she's pulled from the room is one of slow realization, shifting into existential dread. A look at screams 'save us!' to everyone in the room, on both a physical and psychic level... despite Kallen's lack of particular otherworldly awareness. But there is no salvation from what is to come.
On the other hand... this is both excellent practice for what Kallen's already been planning... which she needs the club's outfits for anyway, and a confidence builder... Because as she begins to explain to Exe-neesama why she wouldn't be as attractive as somebody like Milly or C.C.... That notion is shoved into a wood chipper. Leave it to the Living Hurricane of Carnal Knowledge to be able to articulate exactly what about Kallen's athletic form would be enticing to anyone with a quarter of a braincell.
Still, nobody could expect what happens sometime after. When the lights dim, and a traditional Japanese tune begins to play from... somewhere. Soft instrumentation, light drumming... And individual spotlights in a line, leading up to a woman in red, laying across a slowly moving automated stage to replicate the visage of being carried along on something akin to a palanquin. That is to say, Kallen, wearing the ornate, layered attire of a Japanese woman of status and fame. Her hair is the same as when she left... save for the decorations lining it, and... what look a little like mecha-musume fox ears poking up from the back? In a familiar, devilish crimson. The robes hang loosely off her frame, partially open and hanging off her shoulders, demonstrating how healthy her figure truly is. An ornamental choker is latched around her neck, intentionally drawing eyes upward. Hidden beneath the layers are a pair of classic, wooden geta. But to some, their eyes may be drawn to her right hand. Lazily holding an old kiseru pipe as it's brought to her lips in a fashion imperious enough she HAS to be deliberately copying C.C.'s mannerisms.
This costume... who in the club made THIS? And why? ...Did someone have eyes on Kallen, and plant it with the intent of one day coaxing her into it? The world may never know for certain. Honestly she's not even sure how Exe-neesama pegged her as the ideal fit for something like this. Or where she got the blossoms and petals that are strewn about on her 'stage'.
<Pose Tracker> Nunnally Lamperouge has posed.
Emilia is happy, and that means Nunnally is happy, too. She smiles, brightly. "I'm really glad you like it." A present like that, which thinks about Emilia's everyday comfort...
Well, maybe it's no wonder Nunnally would offer something like that.
Nunnally smiles, in turn, to Sheryl -- Sheryl, not Shelly or Sharon, though she hasn't said her name, either. Her eyes have been closed this whole time; perhaps it's no wonder she'd recognise Sheryl's voice, given that. "Oh... you're very thoughtful," she says, to the songstress. "I hope you'll keep visiting!" After all, she knows Ranka and Milly... so couldn't they be friends?
She leaves Emilia to receive her other presents -- which, well, really just means Nunnally stays where she is, but the effect is similar. Her head turns, when a traditional tune begins playing; she's a little lost, looking about, but she's sure someone is trying something. "Ah, it's a show..."
There are a lot of interesting feelings here, but there's one she notices above the others -- because it's overwhelmed before the music starts up, perhaps. Nunnally places a palm on the arm of her wheelchair, and directs it forward -- slowly, and with pauses, before she runs into anyone or any tables.
To come to the corner Shari's found herself in, in fact.
"Shari..? It seems like Milly has found someone else very strong to help with this party," she asides, quietly, with understanding. "So it must be very exciting... but it's all in good fun." Nunnally, let's remember, can't actually see the show which is surely scandalising everyone. But she has a certain sense for the mood of the room. "You don't go to a lot of parties either, right..?"
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Ranka of course puts a finger to her lips, and winks back. As she's used to keeping this secret for Sheryl. Even so much as asking other people who noticed not to notice. "Right! As a fellow student of Mihoshi, I'm proud to have you here representing our school!"
Excellen however cottons on to her avoidance and approaches with the idea, an arm around her shoulder... "Oh ah! I was only wondering if you were a member-!" Thoroughly entrapped at this point, she's a non-confrontational person by nature. So she just goes along with it.
As she says to Emilia, "I won't be gone long, promise."
-=-=-
When Ranka returns, she takes a deep breath, putting on her professional work face as Kallen presents herself. It's when she's out singing in public that she lets others see her in costume, and she's used to it by now.
Still though from her place offstage, she can't help but look impressed by just the sheer amount of work in the presentation.
Once Kallen's is done, the stage shifts, into a set of magnificent pastel human sized cat towers. Pawprints rising from the stage decoratively.
A melody starts to play that some in the room might recognize beforehand from her promo song, before the lyrics even begin: Brief BGM Change: Cat's Diary - Ranka Lee - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H02T8H1ICU
Ranka then steps out with a smile, she's wearing a corseted dress vaguely reminiscent of some princess fantasy, furry sheathes along her arms and feet, accessorized by beads and ribbons, and a pair of translucent heels reminiscent of the Cindarella fable. On her head is a beaded set of cat ears with abow decorating one of them, and a collar adorned with bell around her neck. As a prop, she's holding a furry book that looks vaguely reminiscent of a diary.
It looks just like this (Diary not Shown): https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/macross/images/1/1c/RankaUta21.png/revision/latest?cb=20200817132421
Apparently she leaned into it?
Walking down the stage, she wields one hand like a cat's paw batting at the air, as she moves in an impromptu feline like way down to the edge of the stage. When she gets there. She leans out from the stage, and hands the diary down to Emmy - motioning for her to open it. The diary is hollowed out and inside is a simply wrapped minidisc over a card. A mix tape she carefully crafted of so many idols and bands of the Macross Colonies that were formative for her. With it is a card in an envelope which says, 'Do Not Open Until You Have Finished Listening.'
Why? Because there's a secret track at the end that's meant to be a surprise. Just her own amateurish recording of Aimo, no professional studio used. Just her phone, then editted into the tape. It has a rougher quality like the kind someone might post on the internet on their channel. It's meant to be a gesture for her to listen to, so that she knows she's there for her, even when she's not able to be. The Card says as much, and just asks that she keep it to herself.
When Emilia does open it, Ranka then says to her with a wink and a broad smile, "Happy Birthday! Nyaaa~!"
<Pose Tracker> Excellen Browning has posed.
Sometimes when the mood takes her, even Excellen isn't quite sure where she's going to end up. She was happy enough to simply dress up herself and perform on a table by singing a Happy Birthday rendition to her. But then one thing led to another, looks were given, words were said, and soon she was excitedly dragging two of the party-goers off to get them dressed for their own shows.
Of course that doesn't mean she doesn't have time for the girl at the center of this, the entire reason for this gathering, Emilia. When she opens Excellen's gift and even goes to try it on... well... the first thing she notices is that it's a little big for her. That's the thing about hand-me-downs though! Sometimes they DON'T quite fit. Maybe she can get those sleeves tailored? Well anyway the second thing she notices is Emilia expressing her gratitude, and calling her Exe-nee still. It fills her heart with genuine joy, and she gives the other girl a wink before exiting the room.
As expected... along the way to the fantasy seduction club's room, there's a bad case of cold feet going on!! Kallen and Ranka both seem to have some hang-ups about their bodies, and that's not the sort of thing that the Fallen Angel of Love is about to let slide. After all, all bodies are beautiful! Not just hers, or Milly's or C.C.'s... both Kallen and Ranka are beautiful in their own unique way, and really they just need to learn how to own it.
... and that's exactly what she wants to help them both do.
As far as the stagecraft... how did Excellen manage to organize all this on short notice?! Well truth be told she didn't. It looks like the fantasy seduction club was preparing their own exhibition, and she's not the sort to look a gift horse in the mouth. That said she didn't QUITE have the time or opportunity to figure out what order everything should go in or how it's supposed to work together... so! It's time to rely on some of that ol' Chaos Witch Magic!
And honestly... what results is far beyond her own expectations. Perhaps things were just set up really intuitively? Or maybe she was a Galaxy-class Talent Manager slash Secretary in another life?! It's hard to say. But she's proud of what she has accomplished... and even more proud of what Ranka and Kallen have managed to put forward, and overcome, with a little bit of urging. And all to celebrate Emilia's birthday and make it a little more special!!
Once it is all over, Excellen dashes out on stage still modeling her same Bunnygirl Outfit. What? You were expecting her to change too? First rule of the game sweetie, always leave them wanting more~ She pulls up her microphone as well, though this time it is actually hooked up to the sound system. "Thank you everyone~! I hope you enjoyed our impromptu exhibition!!! We didn't have much time to work it out, but we all really put our hearts into it. Thank you Kallen, and Ranka, for working so hard to make Emmy's birthday extra special. What I'd like to ask is for the birthday girl, and anyone else who'd like to join in, to come up on stage so we can have pictures taken in order to remember this special day together, forever!"
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
Milly does absolutely nothing whatsoever to save Kallen or Ranka, because if they really wanted to be saved they would probably make at least some kind of move to save themselves. They're not the types of flowers that need some perking up on that front first.
(Put a pin in that one for later, Milly. Maybe some introspection is in order.)
Milly has her own gift stowed away, that she decides to get while *that's* happening; she doesn't want to monopolize the people here. This isn't her special day -- she's already *done* the work of organizing things, so here she's content to be a warm, casual presence.
... It also gives her a chance to glance up toward Kallen with a decidedly appreciative stare. "At least we had the party supplies together," she murmurs playfully, as she brings out a modestly-sized box.
She lets the performance continue -- only once it's over does she scoot up to Emilia. "This was a little bit difficult to get together, but I hope you like it."
Inside is: a small music box. The following has been engraved on a plate on the front:
Emilia Eschonbach, Ashford Academy Student 0096-
There's space left, too, to engrave her graduation year. More than that, it's a commitment, coming from Milly -- that she intends to protect Emilia's chances at staying at Ashford and getting to engrave that other year.
(The music box itself plays Ashford's school song.)
Milly's confident in the gift; she doesn't say anything. She lets it speak for itself.
<Pose Tracker> Shari Loom has posed.
Shari is happy to see everyone seeming happy; it's nice. And the whispers are fairly quiet at the moment, which is also nice for her. The costuming is... extraordinry, to be sure. The presents are fine! And Nunnally has followed her.
Wait, Nunnally has followed her!
"Oh, um." Pause. "...Ahahah, yeah. The bunny outfit is... really strong," she says. "I guess it is pretty exciting, but--you're right. I don't really go to a lot of parties, so I'm..."
"It sounds so uncool, but I'm kind of at a loss," she admits. "...But I'm glad she seems to be having fun. I want her to have good things."
That doesn't mean she goes up for Excellen's picture call though. She will clap for the people who do!!Though she does realize after a moment--
"Hey they're using our club's--" Pause. "I mean, where did they get all that stuff?? What a mystery!"
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
She accepts the gift from not Sheryl thankfully but being told it might be best opened in private... "O-o-oh... okay." She's... not sure what it could be. Like she's seen things she'd expect to open in private, but that's a hell of a gift for a stranger.
NOT LONG AFTER THE PARTY:
Emilia opens the box to see quality headphones, miles away from the small earbuds that came with her phone. She looks astonished. She picks up the card inside, and opens it. She reads it three times over, her eyes getting wider each time. The final time, she folds it and puts it back carefully, and falls backward, allowing herself to faint with with disbelief.
BACK IN THE NOW:
Emilia still gives a warm smile. "Th-thank you v-very much." This week has been as many positive experiences as the rest of her life put together. Indeed, she's the happiest she's ever been, something she never thought could happen after everything else.
And then the music starts. Emmy turns to the stage and... Emilia's eyes widen. The look on her face as she stares at Kallen looks a hell of a lot like the look she had seeing Sheryl perform Universal Bunny. "Kallen... l-l-l-looks g-gorgeous..." She says, hopefully loud enough for Nunnally to hear. She knew Kallen loved this stuff, ever since they picked out the Yukatas. But it works so well for her.
And then the stage shifts and Ranka starts her performance and she steps down from the stage, well. Sheryl is not the only idol Emmy is transfixed with. The outfit is adorable, and the music. She takes the diary in hand, and opens it and the adorable Nyaaaa~ and Emmy blushes and giggles. A minidisc... She'll be listening to that later. Especially the secret recording, just for her. "Th-th-thank y-y-you!!"
Milly sneaks up on her, with a present of her own. She opens the box gingerly, then sees the music box inside. She runs her finger across the engraving, feeling the blank space left for her future. She opens it, and Ashford's school song plays. Gingerly, again, she closes it. She looks up at Milly slightly disbelieving. "U-um... M-M-Milly...C-c-c-can I...."
No. It's too scary a question to ask. And Milly would go all in. So Emmy decides to do that with the woman who changed her life's trajectory, and suddenly moves in to hug Milly. It may be a quick, short thing. But small moments can mean eternities.
When she pulls back, she looks up at Excellen. "E-E-E-Exe-nee, w-wait." She says, to the blonde on stage. There are still presents left. "I. I w-w-want to... b-be able to... to properly th-thank e-everyone f-f-first." She wants them to know that she appreciates what they've done for her, today.
<Pose Tracker> Nunnally Lamperouge has posed.
"It's okay," Nunnally assures Shari, smiling gently. "Parties can be overwhelming... it can get really loud with everyone having so much fun." People are not, particularly, being loud here. The music is at a perfectly acceptable level. That's not what Nunnally means, anyway. "Sometimes I have to leave early... but I hope you'll talk to Emilia beforehand, if you do. That's why you came here, right? You belong here, too."
She cants her head, though, as she considers: "Your club...?" She won't press the issue, at least. Because, instead --
"But, she's in a bunny outfit?" Nunnally giggles. "So that's why!" It sounds like Ranka has found one of the cat costumes, at least. Nunnally curls a hand up to the sound of her voice, and calls out to Ranka, pitch-perfect: "Nyaaaa...!"
(Nunnally has a very good meow, and can even match the Japanese cats of her new homeland.)
She would have gone up on stage, surely, except -- Emilia's asked her to wait, and so Nunnally is waiting.
<Pose Tracker> Excellen Browning has posed.
When Excellen is in party mode, things tend to happen a mile a minute. She's very much a 'burn the candle at both ends' type of girl. The fact that there isn't even any alochol (BUT IMAGINE IF THERE WAS) at this particular gathering hasn't stopped her either! It's why the notion of 'Hurricane Excellen' is such an apt metaphor. She has been gathering, building up steam, and up until now has been pulling everything into her swirling chaotic path...
... but there is, of course, a difference. Hurricanes are implacable. Once they begin their path of destruction nothing can stop them other than the forces of nature herself. In Excellen's case though, Emilia asks her to wait and...
... Excellen smiles, and steps down from the stage. She walks over to Emilia and says simply: "Of course." And with that, she even hands over her microphone over to the floofy lavender haired girl. As if she's passing the baton, and saying quite clearly 'This is your party, and you're in control now.'
... that said, don't think for an instant that Excellen has failed to notice you two, Nunnally and Shari. Maybe those bunny ears are just for show. Maybe she didn't hear what you said about being part of the fantasy seduction club, Shari. But she heard that pitch perfect meow... and she knows two wallflowers when she sees them!!
But that's for another day. It's Emilia's time now.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Sheryl smiles indulgently as Emilia accepts her present with confused gratitude. It'd be nice to see her reaction personally, but... this is her day, after all. Sheryl's got plenty of days to herself. No point in making it about her.
Even so, when Nunnally praises her, she allows herself to laugh and declare, "Aren't I, though?" With another giggle, she adds, "Just kidding~. But I just might!" (Keep visiting, she means.)
Kallen comes on stage then in a sultry kimono. Sheryl nods her approval at the ornate costume, worthy of anything she's ever worn on stage herself. Red's definitely a good color on Kallen, too. And the kiseru? An exquisite touch. She definitely makes good use of her sexiness.
Ranka comes on next in her kitty costume, and Sheryl bursts into giggles of delight that she hides behind one hand, not wanting to come across like she's laughing *at* her. "She's just so adorable!" she enthuses, keeping her voice down. And that's her debut song, isn't it? Ranka had sent her a copy of that promotional disc. It's very sweet--it suits her well. And when Nunnally chimes in with her *own* perfect little 'meowww!', Sheryl giggles again in delight.
As Emilia asks Excellen if she can address everyone, though, Sheryl settles down, coughing into one fist and collecting herself. Then she folds her arms under her chest and fixes her attention on the birthday girl.
<Pose Tracker> Shari Loom has posed.
"It really can," Shari agrees, and she likewise isn't talking about the music volume. But when Nunnally says that she has to leave early sometimes, Shari starts to say something--and then instead shes surprised by what Nunnally says, looking out for her. "Oh, I..." She smiles, faintly. "Yeah. I'll... remember that. I should at least pop over and say 'hi'."
She does not elaborate on the club matter, but instead, she says, "Oh, yeah--and it's a--" Pause. "Very...nice, bunny costume." She's not sure she should describe it in detail. Maybe not to a girl she just met. Whew...
"Oh!!" Nyaaaa. "Wow, you're good at that."
---
Her present is a simple black box with white ribbon. Inside is a small card, and a small box. The card says, 'I know we haven't known each other long yet, but I hope we can stay friends. ...So I made you something, so we'll both have a reason to remember.'
Inside the box is a delicate bracelet in a silvery metal, with a few green gems that would be hard to identify for the average student. It... does not look like something the average teenager could make, but...
Whenever Emilia gets to it, Shari will be looking over nervously in her direction. And she also has no idea of the danger she's in from Excellen.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Ranka probably missed a half step in her intended choreography over hearing Sheryl giggling and calling her adorable. Not that she thinks Sheryl's laughing with her, she's just, blushing a little on her kitty face. Maybe she's actually pleased?
Either way when Emilia thanks her, she mouths, 'You're welcome.' Before turning to Nunnally and giving her another: "Nyaaa...!" Ranka's Nyaa is perhaps not as refined as Nunnally's, but she'll work on it. It's a vital skill now that she has released a song about cats.
She's happy to cede the stage though to Emilia, as she asks Excellen for the floor, and moves over to stand beside Definitely-Not-Sheryl again.
"Didn't think I'd be doing something like that tonight." She murmurs, not speaking so loudly as to interrupt Emilia, though as she looks towards Excellen, she asides to Sheryl, "She's a bit forceful but... that was pretty fun actually."
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
*Being* hugged -- full-on hugged -- by Emilia actually... it's not that it startles Milly, exactly? She's very touchy. (*Very* touchy. She's not shy about pointing out that she knows more about the girls of Ashford's student council than they themselves do.)
But it does surprise her, in a pleasant way. She returns it, letting Emilia decide exactly how long that hug lasts, before saying, "Have fun~ We've got a decently-long night ahead of us." She goes to do a little more organizational work -- not a lot, but she needs to confer with a couple of the other student council members on logistics. They've got to keep the food and drink coming... and handing the microphone to Emilia is a great time to do it.
<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
With the 'show' largely finished, Kallen is absently puffing on the pipe... A bubble pipe, as it turns out. Given all the shimmering, ethereal orbs floating around her head. She picked up her present for Emmy along the way, with a little slight of hand as she passed where it was hidden. In her opinion it's not a huge thing, but... it's an idea she came up with a while ago. She's held onto it in secret for some time, just waiting for this occasion.
The gift is... strictly speaking, incomplete. But that's because of what it is. A longer package, holding an ornate book inside, which unlike the diary from Ranka, isn't hollow. Much like what Milly gave her, it's a commitment. In this case, it's obvious what the commitment is to, when she opens it. In her spare time, she's been getting pieces of the events they've gone to. The Blossom Festival. The Concerts. The Sleepover. A mix of pictures and objects to press into it. The memories they've been making. A promise that they're all going to fill the book together, with things to make her smile for years to come... after all, there's space enough for... probably not an entire lifetime. They'll almost certainly have to make a Memory Journal Volume Two... But a decade? Maybe more? That's an easy sell.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Before addressign everyone, Emmy goes to the last two presents. She opens Shari's first, and reads the card carefully, then picks up the bracelet. This was something Shari made? "I-it's beautiful..." She says slipping the bracelet on her wrist carefully, like the precious treasure she is, before walking closer to Shari with a smile, not to crowd her, but so she can tell her the response to the card privately.
"I-I-I hope we s-stay f-friends, t-too." Emmy says, quietly. "I-I-I'll t-treasure t-them... O-our f-f-friendship... and y-your p-p-present."
Kallen's present, too, is unexpected. She takes the gift, and unwraps it. It takes her a few seconds to realize what it is as she opens it, and as she goes through it, she's surprised. How long had Kallen planned this... pressed blossoms, the other concerts. Was this even before Milly came up with the party? Had she... Had she really been ready to keep that smile going that early? Even when she was...
This is the gift that pushes Emmy over the edge, and Kallen too gets a hug, even as Emilia is careful not to disrupt her gorgeous outfit. The tears fall on Kallen's shoulder instead, as it seems for a second that Emmy is too overwhelmed to speak. The hug will have to do.
She takes a few steps back, taking the microphone. "I. Um, I-I." She shakes her head, trying to work out what to say. She's never had a birthday before, the date had become completely unimportant in her head. Until...
"U-u-um, thank y-y-you. Every- everyone for, um, for... for..." It takes her another second. "F-f-for making m-m-my b-birthday... matter. F-f-for... c-caring." She's crying now, fully, but those are happy tears. That's also the end of the speech, as she hands the microphone to Excellen. She takes a few moments to dry her eyes, but after that... well.
She needs some pictures to put in that diary.