2022-11-10: Unpressured

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<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


Today Asuka actually showed up at school, Ouka had improved enough that she could. And thus she showed up today at music club. She'd signed up on a whim, rather than taking two athletic clubs. And well... she'd done so as a violinist.

Music had suddenly become important to her because of Akane Makinami and thus she wanted to keep up practice. Today she managed a flawless solo of Ave Maria on the violin, which was impressive for reasons most people wouldn't understand as she's been practicing only for a few months rather than... years like she pretends.

It's after clubs now today, and after she switches her shoes at the shoe lockers, she sees Alouette about, which prompts her to comment, "Hey Curl-" Pause, Asuka was trying to break her habit of nicknaming everyone on sight, Akane didn't seem to like it, "-Pommier." She tears her eyes away from her, as she... just mentions, "Not half bad today. You were... pretty good in fact."

It's still weird for her to compliment people. Especially not with just faint praise that they weren't entirely terrible.

"Find I'm looking forward to more... after school club sessions. ... Was pretty nice."

She's a bit painfully awkward, trying to squeeze out these words, but she's... making an attempt isn't she?

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

"And that's all for today! Great work, everyone!"

Whoo. Marusan really knows how to make her club mates work up a sweat! But each practice session feels better than the last. He's really learning something. Something unique to himself, not from whoever he was before he lost his memory, or inherited from Gridman. This is all Yuta, and he feels like... he's doing pretty well!

"Thanks, everyone!" Yuta calls, as he slings his backpack over his shoulders. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

Humming to himself, the young man makes his way to the shoe lockers. It'll be good to get home and find something to eat. Dance really makes him hungry... As he comes around the corner, he finds himself face-to-face with a rather odd couple. "Asuka, Alouette! You must be just finished with your own clubs, right?"

Yuta opens his locker, raising his voice so he can still be heard over the lockers. "Dance Club's going great. How about Music Club?"

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

After a somewhat quiet and low-energy day yesterday at school, Alouette's mood is noticeably brighter today. The wonderful news of Ouka's improving condition lifted her spirits, and Guy's words for her from last night are still ringing in her ear.. even if she's not certain what to do with them yet.

Because of this, she put her all into today's music club session, performing the Gymnopedie No. 1, a step up from the absolute basics. It's.. not perfect at all, but it seemed to have more heart put into it than her past attempts.

Still, Alouette's surprised when Asuka approaches her and compliments her, because she didn't think her performance was all that worth noting. It wouldn't be very nice to argue it, though. "Merci, Miss Langley," she smiles. "You were amazing too, you know." Asuka must really put her heart into practicing... Alouette hopes she can one day reach that level, too. Playing music requires its own form of courage, doesn't it?

As they're talking, Yuta joins in, and Alouette waves enthusiastically. "Bonjour, Yuta-kun! We just had our first major performances in Music Club. I was nervous, but I tried to give it my best effort.. hopefully it paid off." And to Asuka, she nods. "I'm looking forward to it, too. I never went to clubs at my old school, really." She smiles wistfully.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


"Ah yeah. Mastered the violin years ago." It's a lie. It's a total lie. She's just put in a lot of hard work and effort - in the way Asuka always does. Because it's more embarrassing to admit that her skills are the result of hard work and effort than people thinking she's naturally just a genius that's that talented.

But Akane Mari also lent her a hand over those months, she was an exacting taskmaster, that helped Asuka learn to feel the music rather than just mechanically play it... but her technical mastery has become amazing in such a short time. "Just haven't had time to really... show anyone those skills until recently."

Alouette's rendition may have been far from perfect, but she knew she was a beginner, which makes her... actually further along than Asuka was just a few months ago. And to her that's praiseworthy.

"Hibiki." Asuka nods his direction as he approaches, "Could say that. We were just on our way out. What kind of routines were you working on today Hibiki?"

Asuka glances Alouette's way then notes... "Me neither. Was just, too busy to commit to a club. ...get the feeling it was a similar reason for you."

She's definitely more sociable than Yuta remembered her before - or Alouette might have heard over the NERV radio. Maybe she really is taking to this new beginning.

Part of her wants to ask if they're... going to be walking in the same direction, but she finds herself struggling with that. Hikari was always the one to ask her before, she finds she misses her a little.

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

"Bonjour!" Yuta tries, again. The greeting goes a bit better compared to last time! Maybe he's looked up some videos of how to say it properly. "Hey, I'm sure you were amazing. Both of you."

Yuta stretches his arms above his head. "Today was mostly learning new moves. Always plie when you land, point your toes, all that stuff. Marusan says you've got to start with the basics, no matter how advanced you think you are. Once that's done, we're gonna start planning a few routines for the upcoming festival, since Tsutsujidai is hosting. We've got to put on a good show!

Will Asuka and Alouette still be here when that happens? Yuta's smile wavers, and he looks down. What's going to happen to all of them..? At least they can enjoy this time together. No matter how long it lasts -- it's nice to see his friends happy. Though it's certainly new to have Asuka as a friend.

Once his familiar red sneakers are securely laced back on, Yuta comes around the corner of the lockers, smiling. "I was going to go out to get some food. I'm half-starved after practice. Would you two like to come with me? I'll buy! There's a great place near the Junk Shop that does skewers..."

Thank goodness for Shuffle Alliance funding. Maybe this isn't quite the emergency Sayla told him to use the money in, but it's fine, right? Nobody will find out.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Alouette doesn't quite catch the lie.. she doesn't even notice a hint of hesitation in it, which is how Alouette usually catches lies. But she does know what it means to transition from mechanically understanding a concept towards "feeling" it. "I see! The fact that you can still put your heart into it, after all those years, is impressive in its own way."

Admittedly, the lack of experience with clubs being a similar reason for Alouette is only half-true. In that six-year period when she had amnesia, she had all the time in the world to pursue club activities. But even though she was superficially likeable, Alouette never found herself able to truly connect with her classmates. So she avoided the clubs. After her memories flooded back, she stopped attending school altogether. No time for clubs when you're preventing the death and rebirth of the universe. "It's something like that," she replies.

Asuka does seem quite different to Alouette, but she considers that perhaps she never got the chance to truly know Asuka in the first place - first impressions shouldn't always last. Similarly, Asuka likely only heard Alouette as GGG's ever-meticulous operator with a razor-sharp wit. The smiling Alouette, constantly fascinated by new stimuli, is almost certainly unfamiliar to her.

"Team Tsutsujidai~" Alouette makes a mock-cheer, at the mention of the next festival. "I know you'll make a strong impression. Maybe our clubs could even collaborate?" Alouette does have to wonder though; Akane seemed avoidant at any mention of the festival. But it never got cancelled, either.

"I don't have any other plans tonight so..." Eating actual food that isn't a convenient little nutrition-cube has been in a work in progress, but it's progress nonetheless. "I think I'll take you up on that!" 

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


Alouette notes that she's still putting her heart into it, after all those years. That it's impressive in that way. "Yeah actually I have... M-Akane to thank for reigniting that passion a little." What did she almost say there? Was it another stupid nickname for Akane? Ughhh, it must have been.

"Would you expect anything else but that from us?" Is her reply to Yuta, before listening to him discuss new dance moves, "Would swear you're learning ballet by how you describe it." Which, she doesn't seem to think is a negative? She'd probably be good at ballet since she trained as a gymnast as her primary source of physical education when she was just another face in the Shikinami Line. Got the flexibility down. "We'll see if you can pull it off." She comments on the show, before Alouette suggests, "Collaboration? Could be alright I guess, depending on what their plans are..."

Then Yuta suggests they walk together and get "... Skewers?" Asuka seems shocked beyond belief. Misato would never spring for going out for steak. Ramen at best, and only for celebrations.

"Got nowhere I gotta be." She says, in a way that echoes Alouette in a way.

In fact, she was kicked out of Ouka's hospital room, told to go to school. So...

"So why not?"

Once they start walking, she idly asks Alouette, "How are you adjusting to the move?"

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

"I'd love that! Kaworu plays for the dance club sometimes, so the idea could work, I think." Yuta smiles at Alouette's mock-cheer. "Hey, you could do great in the cheerleading club like that!"

Asuka almost says... something other than Akane? M? Does he know anyone who starts with an "M"? Nobody he can think of in Tsutsujidai, anyway.

"Yeah, ballet's important for the basic movements, Marusan says." Yuta doesn't seem to think ballet is a bad thing, either. "I don't think we'll exactly be performing Swan Lake or anything. Everybody likes the more modern stuff. And besides, that wouldn't go over well in a festival environment." Asuka gets a grin, even though her encouragement isn't exactly soft. "Thanks. We'll all be grateful for your support, Asuka."

Alouette accepts, and Asuka along with her. "Great! It's not far."

True to his word, Yuta guides them to the little restaurant. It's nice hearing the two girls getting along so well... He smiles to himself. Pulling his phone out, he sends a quick text to the Neon Genesis Junior High Students. There's no need for Borr to come rushing into the restaurant thinking Yuta got kidnapped or anything.

Holding the door open for the girls, Yuta walks in behind them. "Here we are!"

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Like Yuta, the "M-" before Akane also gets a brief look from Alouette. But of course, being under that influence herself, she isn't aware of the memory-altering effects of Bujack. So she assumes that Asuka must have simply misspoke for a moment. Happens!

Yuta's comment about Alouette potentially making a great cheerleader turns her very red... but she also takes it in stride. "I'm not sure if I could keep up that energy, hahaaaa.. but I'm glad you think so," she softly laughs.

When Asuka asks how the move's going, it hits a little similarly to Akane asking it, and it makes her wonder if Akane ever asked Asuka about having a world of her own. But she doesn't bring that up. "I've been... adjusting okay. I made a slight mess of things on my way out, so a lot of people from outside wanted to talk to me at first," she admits. "But I think they came around to my decision, which is for the best." She doesn't quite connect that it's less that and more kind patience, but in the moment, it puts some relief in her. She doesn't feel the need to echo the question to Asuka, because she knows she was very busy with helping Ouka. "I think things will get more stable for all of us after the first month."

And then they arrive at the restaurant, not a fancy place, but the atmosphere is warm. Yuta is a gentleman who holds the door open for her, and she proceeds to make herself seated, preparing to order.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


Asuka squints to try and picture Alouette as a cheerleader. She'd probably be the head cheerleader with those looks of hers. "... Could maybe see it. But she seems more like the refined type to me." Asuka comments, and indeed Alouette's interests do seem rather refined.

"So they're the fundamentals, makes sense." Before Asuka arches an eyebrow at the Yuta, "What kind of modern stuff are you working on?" She doesn't pay much attention to... dancing to be perfectly honest. But... she's not an Eva pilot anymore, there's no need to show... contempt for the interests of other people.

Alouette made a mess of things on the way out? "Don't blame you. I just don't think NERV will let us go. I actually took Evangelion Unit-02 on my way out. That way, when they come for us, I can beat them back."

Asuka stares straight forward, "Few folks came to talk to me about it too. Misato, Shinji - tried to convince me I wasn't myself. Guy the other day told me there's an order in place not to engage, and that he supports what I chose but-"

She grunts lightly in frustration, "-I'll believe it becoming more stable after a month when I see it. The Commander's going to lose patience sooner or later. So I'm gonna stay on guard... the last thing Akane needs is for Section 2 to come bother her."

Yuta holds the door open for them, and Asuka gives him an odd look as they go inside. "So what's with being the big spender, Hibiki? This about trying to impress us?" Part of her wonders if Yuta is angling to ask Alouette out at some point, which well...

... both of them could do way worse then each other.

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

"Marusan wants to pick a few popular songs and arrange routines to them. We're gonna start voting on songs next week, actually. A lot of the girls want to do some of those new Sheryl Nome songs. Big crowd pleaser type things." Yuta scratches the side of his cheek, looking just a bit hapless. "I don't really know much about popular music. Do you two have any favorites?"

Yuta listens quietly to the girls talk. A mess of things... And people from the outside came to talk to Alouette? He wonders how Akane took that. It has to be a good thing that Alouette's friends are respecting her decision, but Yuta still feels a bit uneasy about this. Something just feels off.

Asuka's a bit more proactive. "Woah, seriously?" Yuta asks, about Unit-02. "Isn't that a huge deal? You know, um, Gridman can protect you too! You didn't have to do that." Isn't the point of them being in Tsutsujidai that they won't have to fight anymore..?

"Shinji was pretty upset." Yuta mentions, but nothing more than that. It's not his business to get between Shinji and Asuka. "I hope you two can stay friends, at least."

As for the money.. "Well, my parents," there's a bit of a pause. Yuta tries to disguise it by taking his time to sit down next to Alouette. "left me behind some money so I'd be okay while they're gone. I realized I haven't really done anything fun with it. And food tastes better with the people you care about, don't you think?"

It feels bad to lie. Hopefully the food will make up for it...

Yuta places his order. It's the same thing he ordered when Rikka took everyone out for skewers months ago -- nothing too fancy, but full of protein sure to fill his stomach after a long afternoon of floor exercises.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Refined... that's definitely Alouette dressed herself before Akane bought her some new clothes, and to an extent, it remains in the way she carries herself. She couldn't imagine leading a cheer squad, but some things do change, as it happens.

Although she didn't chime in too much, the topic of ballet dancing also reminded her of how she used ballet moves to muster up the physical strength to break the Program Drive button. She wasn't quite like Miss Mikoto, who could shatter the button with one hand. Still... she doesn't need to initiate Program Drive anymore, so she kept it to herself.

The topic gradually shifts to modern music, and like Yuta, she didn't used to be all too big on popular music. That is, until recently. "Hmm... well, you certainly can't go wrong with Sheryl Nome," Alouette suggests. Sassy, strong, and elegant, Sheryl Nome is a woman that Alouette respects.

Alouette didn't know about Asuka stealing EVA-02 away, and like Yuta, she feels suddenly uneasy. Evangelions make her feel uneasy in general, really. But... "I suppose it's much better in your hands than theirs," Alouette fidgets her fingers around. "I imagine Section 2 is much less easygoing than GGG.. but Akane didn't seem bothered last time we talked. I wonder if she has a plan.." And she wonders if that plan is helping her friends to retreat into their own world.

"Oh, and you spoke to Guy?" she tilts her head while asking. That's pretty similar to what he told her. "He's something like family to me. Part of why I moved here was to avoid fighting people who are like family, actually. So... I've been glad his discretion is to avoid engagement." A somber smile emerges on her face.

Alouette orders the restaurant's signature skewers, but a rather small amount, because not only does she not want to make Yuta overpay, her appetite isn't terribly large. Cash isn't something that you can use to win over Alouette romantically, but she has a feeling Yuta is just trying to be a good friend. And she respects that. "Thank you Yuta-kun, this was very kind of you," she nods politely. 

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


"Kinda surprised Sheryl Nome hit it so big here in Tsutsujidai." Asuka says absently, because even under the influence of Bujack, she knows how difficult it is for the modern world to influence this place, it must be that... "Akane must be a big fan."

Asuka however immediately gets asked a hard question, Oh no! She's not a big pop fan. In fact she barely listened to music at all prior to learning the Violin. Sure she heard music in public, and there were video game soundtracks she knows by heart... but pop music.

Her eyes dart a bit from side to side, as she struggles to pick one, "... Fire Bomber isn't... the worst." Now she's trying to remember a single song from them!!! Just in case there are follow up questions!

Asuka however gives Yuta a look, "Gridman is fighting Akane. You think I'd rely on him to defend me? Get real." And Alouette... "Yeah. Section 2 is... be glad you haven't had to deal with them. And I bet she does, but it can't hurt to have the option to... lend her a hand in that way."

She seems tense over the subject of Guy but eventually, "It wasn't the worst experience. But he too believed that you and me are just, being controlled." Asuka rolls her blue eyes, "Otherwise, I didn't mind chatting with him."

Yuta bringing up Shinji... Asuka's eyes shoot over to him and he gets a 'watch it' kind of glare, "I wanted to be, even asked him out on a second date, but he just told me I'm 'not myself' and turned me down. Whatever that means!" She grouses over that yet again, "Doesn't matter, eventually he'll figure out that he'd be better off transferring here."

Once they've arrived, and Asuka orders, she listens to Yuta talk about his parents, and the money they left for them...

'food tastes better with the people you care about, don't you think?'

Asuka doesn't say anything for a time, because... every time someone implies she's a person, attention just gets called to the fact that she's just playing house. She's not a person...

... she's a thing. A thing with the purpose of learning to love Akane.

"... It's your money."

'to waste on me.' ... she, doesn't say.

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

"Yeah, I know Rikka likes Sheryl Nome too? We went to her beach party thing. We actually got to play beach ball with her for a bit!" Yuta smiles at the memory. "It was a great night. I get why her music is popular, I just haven't heard much of it, really. Fire Bomber, I'll look them up. Thanks, Asuka."

Yuta shakes his head, meeting Asuka's gaze steadily. "Gridman fights to protect Tsutsujidai. Whatever that looks like. If someone tries to hurt the people of Tsutsujidai, he'll be there, no matter what that looks like. And if you guys are here, that means you're under his protection too."

"But, if anyone could keep Unit 02 safe here, it'd be Akane." Yuta says, quietly. "I hope it won't cause any problems, but -- it must be important to you, right, Asuka? You spend so much time with it. It's only natural you'd want to keep it close."

Shinji turned Asuka down? Oof. But what a brave move from the timid boy! "S--sorry about that... It'd be fun if we could all go to school together, of course. Kaworu's already here, too, sometimes."

The food is quick to arrive! Yuta eats hungrily, not standing too much on manners, or impressing the girls. His intentions are pretty pure: the boy was hungry. "Sure thing, Alouette. Besides, you've gotta let loose sometimes. At least I'm not buying a car or something." he manages, between bites. "If you want, you guys can treat me next time. No pressure though." 

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

"Oh wow, that's really lucky," Alouette responds, about getting to play beach ball with Sheryl Nome herself. Alouette thinks it'd be great to meet the idol sometime.. although she wonders what she would even say if she got the chance.

Naturally, her feelings on Gridman right now, like Asuka's, are complicated. He's a Vessel of Light... and if he moves to attack the Ruin Apostles who appeared, "in the name of protecting Tsutsujidai", or something similar, well.. Alouette is just right back where she started then. She just hopes it doesn't have to come to that.

When Asuka describes her chat with Guy, Alouette looks at her, inquisitively. Mind control, he never mentioned anything of the sort to Alouette. Although, it was almost definitely implied. Alouette isn't stupid. "Mm.. still better than dragging us both back."

Alouette wasn't aware Asuka was interested in Shinji, but getting turned down like that must hurt. Unless, obviously, you aren't expecting a reciprocation. That's more than fine with Alouette! "Ah, I'm sorry to hear. Hopefully things can work out later, right?" She doesn't want to say, she's sure he'll understand, because frankly, she doesn't know him well enough to make that judgement.

Being the proper young maiden she is, proper manners are quite important for Alouette, and she takes slow bites from her skewers. That rule only applies to herself though - she's not particularly paying attention to how Yuta wolfs down his own.

Hmm... she could treat Yuta and Asuka sometime - but she doesn't have a strong idea of where to. After yesterday, Hatsuno Diner sounds pretty tasty... but she doesn't plan on going Earthside anytime soon. She'll think of something! "Of course! I don't leave my debts unpaid, you know," she smiles, slyly. 

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


Yuta doesn't ask any follow up questions on songs about a band she knows nothing about? Score one for Asuka. However, Yuta's insistence on Gridman fighting to protect Tsutsujidai, Asuka just snorts derisively as she meets his gaze, "You really want to go into this right here? If Gridman is keeping the people of Tsutsujidai safe - then why doesn't Akane feel safe right now?"

Asuka tears her eyes away however, "It used to. I'm not an Eva pilot anymore. Unit-02 is just a tool to me."

And indeed... Asuka feels no connection to what's inside of it.

Asuka just stares at Yuta as he tries to recover from learning about what happened with Shinji, not even answering him on the matter, but instead answering Alouette, "Guess we'll see what happens. I'm definitely not asking him again." If he can't accept Asuka as she is... which was a large part of the reason why they connected before, then what hope is there? "... He asked me first by the way.

Why's she even throwing that in? Because... she still has her pride on some level. And her pride was definitely stung by these events.

Asuka, is much less of a proper maiden, and she basically just gnaws away at the skewers, before he suggests treating him next time. Asuka looks sidelong at Alouette as she says she doesn't leave her debts unpaid...

... then back at Yuta.

Part of her really wonders if Yuta is angling for a date with Alouette here. Whereas she's pretty sure Alouette is teasing him on some level.

"... No pressure he says."

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