2022-11-07: Only One Bed
- Log: 2022-11-07 Only One Bed
- Cast: Emilia Eschonbach, Milly Ashford, Kallen Kozuki
- Where: Hotel, Japan/Area 11 Border
- OOC - IC Date: 0096-11-07
- Summary: Three Ashford Academy representatives have a rough time getting home after a GUTS event. They talk about a lot of things.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Since the attack at JOSH-A, anti-Coordinator sentiment has been rising. In Area 11, it's boiled over. A Blue Cosmos 'demonstration' at the border has predictably turned to violence- and the Britannian authorities have been somewhat lax in their duties at stopping it. Kallen is the first of their group to get a warning before it's even kicked off, Ohgi sending a heads up that Blue Cosmos are out in force.
But now, as the GUTS students that travelled to Jindai arrive at the border, something has become clear: The OCU border is turning people away until things are under control. No one from Area 11 is going home tonight.
This has, perhaps surprisingly, not dampened Emilia's spirits. Indeed, she is still feeling good, and has gone immediately into action mode: Milly can arrange the hotel, Kallen in charge of managing students, and Emmy acquiring supplies for students who need them- this wasn't a planned overnight stay or anything. The hotel provides lots (Pyjamas, Toothpaste, Toothbrushes) but things like medications are more difficult. And it all comes out of the GUTS emergency fund right now.
It does mean that the three reconvene at the hotel Milly arranged at about dinner time- there are two obvious issues: What to get for dinner (delivery or even room service feel real good right now to Emmy) and well... The layout of the room itself.
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
Milly actually looks a little worried for once; the emergency fund isn't small -- Ashford has fairly deep pockets, and the other schools aren't particularly low on funds -- but having to dip into it like this...
She lets out a long breath. The first order of business for her is getting food arranged. "Is everyone okay with skewers?" is Milly's first line of suggestion -- she's already got a delivery app open, lying on the bed with her phone -- but more importantly...
"Oh, by the way, all the rooms that were open were single bed. The hotel has a few futons, but not a lot," comes Milly's parenthetical -- as if it weren't abundantly obvious that that's the case, given... well, there's one bed and she's on it.
<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
Being in charge of managing unruly high school students who want to get home to their comforts sounds difficult on paper. And it is. Unless you know a few secrets and have some weight to throw around. Kallen doesn't have MUCH weight... but she's still part of the student council. She is fully capable of leveraging things like bribery and blackmail in this case, to get people to fall in line. Suggestions about club funding and expenditures. That those willing to be deputized and put in the work on keeping order might see their budgetary allowances increased. And that those who cause trouble, will be penalized. And just to be on the safe side, there will be reporting, to make sure noooobody tries anything funny.
Truthfully, it still wouldn't work from most people. Kallen's second advantage is that, as she's learned from those girls who were always hanging around and sucking up to her, there's just enough status in her family name that people who don't outrank her won't be willing to risk the possible damage to their own names. Even if Kallen would never ACTUALLY take advantage of that... not a single one of them knows that.
So that's her present condition when they reconvene. A little bit tired, and her thermos of 'give a damn' is critically low. So if she slips a tad into the 'Kozuki' way of speaking, a little more clipped and rude, a little more sass, a little of her natural accent showing its head through the Proper Britannian one she had tutored into her... can she really be blamed? "I'm fine eating whatever, no dietary restrictions or anything like that." And promptly she drops herself onto the bed as well. "One bed, three of us. It'll be a tight fit, but we'll make it work if you're both fine with it." She's still high spirits. Just... coordinating these kids? It's harder than coordinating the Knights.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emmy did have the sense to grab some drinks from a vending machine on her way back- with her personal funds. She didn't recognize the brand- chu something?- but apple, orange, cream soda, pineapple and grape seemed like a good mix. (And she didn't want to pay minibar prices.)
"O-oh, skewers s-sound nice!" Emmy's still upbeat, sitting on the edge of the bed and putting the drinks on the one table in the room. "Th-there was o-one I h-had when Ranka took m-me to Nouvelle to m-meet her f-f-friends. Um, Oden, I th-think?" She looks to Kallen for confirmation. "I-it h-had a big sl-slice of radish on i-it." Honestly, Emmy is rarely this relaxed, even around them. Meeting her cousin seems to be having a huge effect.
One bed, huh. The last time this happened, she'd chosen to sleep on the couch not to inconvenience anyone. It only seemed fair. But there's no couch and a futon shortage. And besides that... Emmy decides to muster up some courage.
"U-um, is it okay i-if I g-go in the middle?" She asks- there's a hint of nervousness in her voice, but nowhere near the usual. It isn't quite the determined girl who made a point with Omurice, either. It's just... Emilia.
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
Milly's a little surprised to see that Emilia and Kallen both seem fine with the idea of sharing one bed; she was expecting a little more pushback. Then again -- none of them suggested getting a futon, just assumed it'd be off the table.
... good data, Milly thinks to herself, unable to quite keep the smirk off her face.
Tapping at her phone, Milly affirms, "Skewers it is," Milly says, tapping out her order. She snags a drink from Emilia without really thinking about it -- once she starts drinking, something about the flavor catches her a bit off guard, but...
"I know it's complicated," Milly starts, "but I'm really happy for you. Everyone deserves a chance to know their family."
Just to be sure, Milly adds: "I don't mind if you take the middle! I think it's a little easier to get on the pillows from the outside."
<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
The little smirk on Milly's lips brings a questioning raise of an eyebrow to Kallen's own face. What could she be thinking about just then...? Hmm. The confidence looks good on her though.
Unaware to the oddity, Kallen similarly takes one of the drinks to give it a testing sip. It's not bad, in her opinion. An interesting twist to the flavor, but it doesn't seem to throw it off in a remotely disgusting way. "It took more courage than you might think it did, to meet with her. I'm proud of you, for taking that chance.
And the quick follow-up as well. "I don't mind it either, so feel free to take the middle." She reaches out, to pull Emmy over a little closer to the both of them. Edge of the bed isn't exactly comfortable.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Did they though, Milly? Did they though?
She grabs the pineapple (her favourite soda flavour) and sips. Weird aftertaste, but only mild. Must be some local additive. Still, she nods earnestly. "Th-thank you. B-B-Both of you. I w-w-would n-never h-have had the chance without you r-reaching out to me." Emmy goes along with Kallen pulling her in more. She's still small compared to the other two, but she doesn't seem to be trying to hide herself with her body language anymore.
"Y-you taking me t-to that concert.. really ch-changed everything." There's a soft, almost wistful look on her face. "Th-then I m-met Ranka, a-and Sousuke and Kaname and Kaworu and a-a-and so many people..." She positions herself to look at them both, with a smile so very earnest, it could almost match Nunnally for brightness. "You're both... i-incredible."
She takes a long sip. "...I'm s-s-sorry I didn't tell y-you earlier. Or sh-show you. I w-wanted to but... I o-o-only showed Banagher when I w-was at the museum. Wh-when I went off al--one. It w-was a big r-risk but.. he c-convinced me he r-really knew A-Audrey." The safe name. "A-and I was sc-scared how y-you'd react. To. Um. A h-half-Zeon bastard." She looks happy saying those words, now. She can own it now, that's her. That's who she is, and she wants to be. "I j-just never th-th-thought... He'd be able to f-follow through. A-and he did."
Another big drink from her can. "I-I've n-never been so h-happy."
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
Milly takes a long drink, looking to Kallen; she makes sure to scoot over to make as much room for everyone to get situated as she can. It is kind of a tight fit... "Oh, Kallen -- when we get back home, there's something I want to talk to you about." The topic of family has her thinking about it, anyway.
When Emmy mentions that she's thankful to both of them, Milly says, "You needed it. I think you needed to see the world flowing instead of standing still. ... don't sell how incredible you are short in the process, though."
With a light laugh and a strained smile, Milly admits, "... I figured it out on my own, though apparently I might have been the last one to figure it out. You aren't even the first political secret I've had to keep... and besides -- I don't think it's right to judge people by their parents one way or another."
<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
It makes her feel warmer, to see Emmy happy like this. More confident in herself, even by a little. And ready to accept that she CAN have good things in her life. She's come such a long way. "I think that goes for the both of us really. Those concerts... making all these friends, thanks to everything we've done together, have changed so much." Maybe more than she'll ever be able to admit to Milly... though she'd like to tell her the whole truth one day. Hopefully. And hopefully she won't hate it.
The smile Emilia sends their way nearly blinds her. At least, that's how it feels, like staring into the sun. She can't really be bothered by that though. And then she admits to why she was hiding it... "I understand. Telling us would have been a risk. Though..." How does she admit to having known the secret for about half a year now? She'll have to just say it. "Who your parents were, it never changed my thoughts about you, when I first figured it out. It certainly isn't changing them now. But I'm glad you were finally able to tell us. Like Milly said, judging somebody based on their parents or grandparents is... shortsighted, no matter which way you slice it."
Now if only Kallen could take her own advice. She takes another drink. A proper one this time, not just a sip. "Alright. Student Council room for this, or should I come pay your house a visit." Alternatively... they COULD just do this right now. If it's just the three of them here... Kallen does feel a twinge of paranoia. Of worry as to what then, is secretive enough even Emmy can't be part of it. But she's too relaxed to dwell on it. That... that comes later. Once they're back home, and she's not basking in the warmth of all this happiness.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emmy drinks some more, as Kallen and Milly talk some her. Still a little weird. As Milly makes space, Emmy scoots in to be nice and close to both of them.She definitely blushes bright red when Milly tells her she's incredible too. "O-okay." She'll try to remember that.
She continues to smile to Kallen, her free hand reaching out to squeeze Kallen's. There's things Mlly doesn't know about but.... Kallen made sure she had a place *there* too.
She does startle a little when they both say they already worked it worked. "R-r-really!?" She blinks a few times. "I o-o-only found when I g-got this locket..." She doesn't sound sad, just mystified. "I-I-Is it obvious?" Banagher didn't seem to realize without prompting, and Ranka had no idea. Is that how it really is. Emmy... pauses. "W-well... Thank y-you for not s-saying anything. Wh-while you th-thought I d-didn't kn--ow."
She does look a little worried between Kallen and Milly. What's wrong? It's up to them... and if it's something Kallen's ready to tell her, she'll tell her. She squeezes Kallen's hand tighter- it's her turn to support.
She does offer an off-ramp. "It was s-surprising, th-though. F-f-finding out Audrey had a boyf-friend AND a g-g-girlfriend." As she says it, Emmy starts to shuffle just a little bit more towards the middle. "I g-g-guess that's just s-s-something they haven't t-taught in class y-yet."
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
"Actually," Milly says to Kallen, expression characteristically inscrutable, "I was thinking of coming over to yours." She knows what she's going to be talking about, and... it's something she'd much rather do in a place where Kallen has control over the conversation than where Milly does.
(She doesn't want to let on, but it's definitely family talk that has her circling back to that.)
When Emmy asks how obvious it is, Milly just says, "You're an Eschonbach born nine months after a picture of your grandfather sullenly standing off to the side from Garma Zabi and Icelina Eschonbach; it's not a hard guess." ... no, that's a little dishonest. It's one thing to maintain your mystique, but --
"... I'm kidding. Mr. Zinnerman noticed immediately and I had no idea until I was given a little prompting. I don't know how I put my shirt on in the morning."
When the topic turns to relationships, though --
Milly finishes her first can; she's starting to feel just a little flushed. It's... actually a familiar feeling, but she can't put her finger on it yet. "In Britannia they won't. Conventional, monogamous relationships are..." She glances off. "Culturally load-bearing," she finishes, a little grimly.
Milly knows she has a few months to figure out an alternative path, but... she can't help but get moody about it.
<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
Milly wants to come over? Sure, that shouldn't be a problem really. "I think that shouldn't be an issue. She'll be... out for the next several days, so we'll be able to have the house to ourselves. The serving staff won't bother us." She means her stepmother... but can't well call her something like that. It's not like with Sousuke, where she could avoid calling her mother or something. Milly would definitely find it weird, that she's not calling a parent a parent.
She'll just have to make sure she hides the starter-key for the Guren exceptionally well. Better than usual... Milly's a bit more eagle-eyed and quick to catch onto such things.
Then there's the questions about how obvious it is. "...I saw that picture Milly mentioned. Just a bit before we started the campaign to elect you into the Council position. I put it together then, because... Look. You have his hair. Every bit of the perfect fluff in it is completely your father's. There's no way around that." She feels a little embarrassed to explain how she got there.
Kallen is not yet done with her first can, but she's making decent headway. Whatever this pleasant warmth is, she's just attributing it to Emilia's good cheer, and having the best company for the night, she could ever ask for. "Yeah, th-that surprised me too. I've never really seen that before, but... They all seem happy about it. And I hope that works out for them." Her eyes glance at Milly, then to Emmy, then back again. Several times. Milly's mood suddenly downswinging at this point...
Maybe there's more things to talk about when they get back. Not just whatever she's coming over for. And she'll be in the ideal position to press the issue a little. Or... a lot. They've spent all this time helping Emmy, so now it's her turn to be helped.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
It seems to be unofficial, at least. That's good.
Emmy blinks a few more times. "Th-there is?" She and Professor Martel hadn't had much time to get very far through the One Year War yet. It probably says so much, honestly, but she doesn't dwell when Milly tells her the truth. "...H-he did? Huh..." No one seemed particularly interested in telling her. It was odd. A problem for later.
But Emmy feels warmed by how Kallen talks about her air- and the perfect fluff. Prefect fluff? That's an odd phrasing. Emmy drains the rest of her can. It's not bad, but she's had cheaper soda that was nicer. She leans over Kallen to put it in the nearby bin, then...
She flops fully backwards, lying between Milly and Kallen. "I s-s-see. I guess th-th-that explains all the a-affairs." She pauses. "W-w-well, some of th-them." She nods to Kallen. "Yeah... Banagher's nice, and Leina s-seems to be too. But I-I'll have m-more chances to get to know them. M-maybe we all will."
Emmy reaches up, and gives Milly a gentle tug on the arm, encouraging her to lie down. "It'll b-be much, much longer. As l-long as we w-want, i-if I h-have any s-s-say. And I d-do." She smiles again. "A-a-after all, I'm here w-w-with people who sh-showed me th-the impossible was p-p-possible."