2023-03-02: HaroCon Reunion
- Log: 2023-03-02- HaroCon Reunion
- Cast: Banagher Links, Akane Shinjo, Rikka Takarada, Mineva Lao Zabi
- Where: HaroCon
- OOC - IC Date: 0097-03-02
- Summary: Two couples meet once again after months of separation; they catch up, and realize their lives are a little more entangled than they thought.
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
With his hoodie pulled up to cover his hair, Banagher makes his way back to Mineva. Taking her hand with a smile, there's a sort of exhausted enthusiasm in his face. "Everything's all set up. They liked my notes!"
"Excited! Excited!" Haro chirps, from Banagher's arm.
With a laugh, Banagher smiles. "Maybe a little... Come on, I know we shouldn't hang around too long, but there's this amazing crepe place in the vendor area. I've been wanting to take you there for ages, Audrey."
Should she agree, Banagher will lead the way down to said crepe seller. Their fingers stay entwined the whole way. Partially for both of their enjoyment, partially for safety. Nobody will be able to take one of them without alerting the other. And in a place as crowded as HaroCon, that's important.
"I was thinking we could look around for a gift for Leina while we're here, too." Banagher says, as they wait in line. The crepe vendor has set up against one of the walls in the enormous main room. "She loves Haros almost as much as I do."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
HaroCon is a lot for Akane, to be sure -- she hadn't expected a con that runs this long to also be this full; she's had to cling a little bit, in the early goings of it. She's kept one hand wrapped around Rikka's, with the other stuffed into her bag gripping a recent present tightly.
As time has passed, though, she's been a little less clingy -- having a little more fun. The secret to living out in the world is to feel safe enough to do it, and then to keep doing it; the longer they go, the more delighted she is to be here... even if it does disrupt her catlike sleep cycle a bit.
"Hmmm... I think I'm feeling crepes," Akane says, glancing at the line. It's not horrible, so she starts gently leading Rikka along. It's not long until she notices, though, that --
"Wait, Banagher?" For all that her time in Tsutsujidai is a little bit of a mess to sort through, she does remember faces... and talking to photo-happy Leina about their relationships doesn't hurt on that front. "Talk about a coincidence."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
HaroCon! It's a cute, low-pressure convention, and Rikka is glad to be here with Akane. ...It's nice to be able to do a thing together like this as a couple. She walks through the convention hall along with Akane, pleased to be holding her hand and occasionally pointing out things of interest.
...But eventually, Akane decides she wants crepes!
"Crepes sound pretty great right now, actually." Rikka agrees, allowing herself to be lead over to the line. It's Akane who spots the others in line first. Rikka blinks, looks in their direction and then, with a smile, waves with her free hand.
"Oh, hey there." Rikka greets.
<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.
Mineva smiles as Banagher returns to her side, giving him a hug. "That's great! They're going to love your panel, I'm sure of it. It's hard not to get caught up in your enthusiasm," she says brightly.
She pats Haro on the head a couple of times. "I'd love to get something... I haven't eaten since this morning, actually." As if to punctuate, her stomach groans. "Crepes sound perfect... and so does gift-shopping."
Someone calls out Banagher's name from nearby while they wait in line--instinctively, she grips his hand just a little tighter, looking over toward Akane and Rikka. "Oh, hello!" she says, smiling before looking back at Banagher. "Do you know these two?"
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
Haro waves his winglets excitedly. "Audrey! Love Audrey!"
Banagher's eyes go soft, watching one of the girls he loves interact with his precious companion. He really is so lucky... Someone calls Banagher's name, and much like Audrey, he instinctively tenses up. But when he turns to look...
"...Akane, right? And Rikka!" He smiles, a little warily. It's clear Banagher and Audrey both are on-edge. "No kidding, it's been... a year? I can't believe you two know each other."
Turning to Audrey, almost as if to display her, he smiles. "This is Audrey Burne, my girlfriend. Audrey, this is Akane and Rikka. I met Akane in this... really weird city when I got lost once, and Rikka helped me collect the cherry blossom petals I gave you."
"Here, come up and stand with us!" Banagher offers, as the line moves forward. "My treat, if you two don't mind helping us find a gift for our girlfriend."
Akane and Rikka would surely have a more 'normal girl' perspective on these things, right? Not that Leina was anything but extraordinary, but still. Banagher still isn't entirely sure what things girls like, when it comes to gifts. There's only so many times you can rely on mobile suit engineering for a present...
"I'll have a chocolate crepe, please." Banagher orders, as they come to the window. "And whatever these ladies would like."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
It's been a little surprising -- and a little relieving -- to be less the subject matter expert here; Akane often feels like she has to be the expert to have fun, and this is doing a great job of hewing against that. ... she does find herself glancing longingly at the customization area, too, a couple times. That might be a fun together-project...
"It's been a long time since I had one," Akane admits, on the topic of crepes. "Yeah. Akane Shinjo," Akane enthuses, absently pushing her lilac hair to the side a bit. "I guess it has been like seven or eight months," Akane reflects. "And -- wait, really? ... both of us meeting you when you were messing around with those cherry blossom petals is kinda spooky." That gets her to laugh a bit.
Akane glances at Rikka as they're invited up, and gives her a small nod. She seems to feel safe here, at least. "Ehehe, this is kind of weird, but... you two are dating Leina, too, right? I actually live with her now. Kinda convenient, right? Oh, and, uh --" ... Gifts are hard, but she forces herself to say, "Strawberry crepe with chocolate, please."
Finally orienting on Mineva, Akane adds, "I don't think the two of us have met, but I think I've seen pictures. Audrey, right?"
(She doesn't touch 'weird city' for now.)
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Yeah, it's been a while... It's good to see you again." Rikka greets... and then, looks toward Akane with a mischievous grin for a moment. "Well, I'd say we more than know each other, at this point..."
She looks back at Banagher. ...She looks briefly awkward at the mention of a weird city, but thankfully he gives her something else to latch onto. She looks toward Audrey with a smile.
"Ah, so you're the one... It's nice to finally meet you after all this time." Rikka greets. She laughs a little, too, as Akane points out the coincidence.
Akane glances toward her and Rikka looks back, and when Akane nods, Rikka nods back. If she feels safe with them, then she's glad to join them.
"That seems like a fair trade to me. A gift, though, huh..." Rikka says consideringly. "I think... she'd appreciate pretty much anything because it's something you both wanted to give her together, especially if she's a Haro fan, but I'll see what I can do to help you narrow things down."
And... they're dating Leina!
Rikka chuckles a little at that, and perks up at Akane's order.
"...Oh, that sounds great, actually, I'll have the same." She decides.
<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.
Mineva can't help but smile softly at Haro's proclamation.
She nods to Akane, "That's right, Audrey Burne." She softens. "When we finally met again... the fact that he'd saved all these things to share with me, all these mementos of things he'd done and seen... it was really sweet. So thank you for helping him."
There's a small laugh. "Coincidences tend to be a little weird like that... but maybe it just means we were meant to meet again. It's lovely to meet both of you."
She thinks a moment as they approach the front of the line, looking over the menu. "Hmm... I'll have a mixed berries and cream crepe," she decides. Aside to the others, she confesses, "I'm feeling a little indulgent today. And hungry... hm. I'll definitely need a bit of help picking something out for Leina, actually... I'm not too knowledgable about Haro things. Mostly, I just know I love this little guy." Her head tilts indicatively toward Banagher's Haro.
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
Banagher blinks at the connection factor of the cherry blossoms. "Wow, no kidding. I guess we're all connected because of them!" It's said so genuinely. Banagher hasn't grown any less earnest in the months since he's seen Akane and Rikka.
"Yeah, you two know Leina? Oh, you're the person who moved in. You just missed Audrey and I, then. We moved out the day before." He doesn't say why. No need to drag down the mood. "This really is a little spooky now. If you're friends of Leina's, then you're friends of ours, too. I'm really glad we bumped into each other."
Oh, they're dating. That much should be obvious by how Akane and Rikka walked up -- but holding hands is nice, really. Why don't people do it more often? Why is it saved for only romantic relationships?
Weird.
"Congratulations." Banagher says, with a genuine smile. "You two seem really happy together. I'd really appreciate some help narrowing things down! I know there's a Sheryl Nome booth, but Leina's Haros aren't really Sheryl-themed, so I don't know if that'd be weird... She's always so fashionable, so I don't want to mess up."
Banagher gets a soft, affectionate smile as he talks about Leina. "She's too kind to say she doesn't like something, so I want to make sure our gift is a total winner. She'll use it either way."
Balancing Haro in the crook of his arm, Banagher manages to pick up his crepe all without letting go of Audrey's hand. It's a little impressive, honestly..! The young pilot leads the way to a nearby picnic table. Sitting down, he immediately chomps away at his crepe.
"Just as good as I remember." He grins between bites. "My mom got me one of these when I was a kid, and I've made sure to have a crepe every year since then. It's even better to be able to share it."
Haro rolls himself onto the tabletop. As Audrey says she loves Haro, Banagher leans in, kissing her cheek (and leaving a bit of chocolate behind). Said companion robot rolls over to Akane.
"Hello again! Hello again!" Haro chirps.
Slowly, Haro turns from one side to the other. He seems to be trying to show off his new modifications. The seam where he can open is lined in glowing vinyl, and a small, flat, vinyl decoration of what seems to be a Unicorn horn has been added above his eyes. Will Akane notice the change..?
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Hmmm... I'd say 'know' is a pretty good word for it, actually," Akane murmurs back to Rikka, playfully adding, "Though I can think of a few ways I'd like to get to know you more~"
Yeah, there's no just kidding this time. She's just playing, but she is playing for keeps.
"Ahahaha, I didn't actually help that much! Really I was kinda a jerk about it, ahaha... sorry, I was going through some stuff back then." Akane looks nervous -- but the fact that Banagher seems fine talking to them... that means it's probably fine, right?
When Audrey says it's nice to meet both of them, Akane gives her a small nod back. "I used to not believe in that kinda stuff, but I'm starting to warm up to it," she says. "I guess you end up going where you need to go!" That leads her to a realization she might owe Banagher an explanation of something, but... nah, later. For now she'll stick close to Rikka and keep it light.
Once they finally have crepes and a seat, Akane muses, "Wait, really? That's kinda wild... it would've been nice if we'd been able to catch up there, right?" The more intimate setting might have taken some of the edge off...
Akane does notice the decorations, as Haro shows them off to her. "Oooh, someone's been getting taken care of. Do all of you do mod stuff or is that just you, Banagher?" She looks down, musing, "You've done a really good job of unifying the aesthetic... a lot of stuff like this can get kinda tacky looking but this isn't bad." Tapping her chin, she glances to Rikka, asking, "Do you think Haro case mod stuff would be fun to do together? Drawing is nice, but I could use a project with a little more... stuff to it, too..."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
It sounds like Audrey and Banagher had been separated for a time... but, the idea that he'd been saving up things for her sake is a little romantic. Rikka can't help but smile at that.
"That is sweet... You're welcome. I'm glad I was able to help out." She replies, and then nods. "Yeah, it's nice meeting you, too."
And then, Akane addresses her mischievious comment... and, one-ups it!!
Rikka goes a little pink, but she can't help but laugh, too.
"Akane...!" Rikka whines, amidst her laughter. It takes her a second to get herself under control.
"Thanks..." Rikka says to Banagher's congratulations on her and Akane's relationship. She 'hm's for a moment as she takes a seat.
"I know she's a big Sheryl fan, but for a Haro... that's a good question." Rikka considers. "We'll have to swing by and take a look at what they've got - we can consider some other options, too, just in case they don't have anything appealing at the booth."
She starts to work on her own crepe, but as she does, she looks on with interest as Banagher's Haro shows off his decorations. ...It's pretty cute the way he's trying to get her attention...
"Yeah, that looks really nice." Rikka notes, then looks consideringly toward Akane as she suggests an activity.
"That sounds like a lot of fun, actually. It'd be nice to have something we can show off together at the end of the day, too..." She agrees.
<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.
Mineva blinks at Banagher's realization. "--oh! Yes, I'm sorry we couldn't meet then..." She doesn't elaborate either. The flirts between Akane and Rikka elicit a blush from her, and a little bit of a giggle at Rikka's protests. And then she turns red at the smooch, grinning and giving Banagher a kiss on the cheek in return!
"I probably would, but I don't have a Haro of my own," she explains at the question of modding. "... maybe it's not a bad idea to get one, actually," she muses, partly to herself. She nods at Akane's compliments to Banagher's skill. "Yeah... he's got a lot of talent. Doesn't he, Haro?"
She takes a mouthful of crepe. Mm! "Ooh, that's *really* good," she says with her eyes a little wide, mouth still full.
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
Just like Audrey, Banagher blushes softly at Akane's joke. Rikka and Akane really are in love, if they're making jokes like that in public, wow. He doesn't mind, but it's a little surprising! Rikka seems to take it well, so it must be fine.
Of course, he doesn't have long to think it over, as Audrey kisses him back. He blushes, bumping a shoulder into hers playfully. This easy affection between them... It still feels like a dream.
Banagher shrugs, smiling easily. "It's alright. We all have bad days, right? I was going through a lot of stuff back then too. Still am, honestly, but--" A glance to Audrey. "--it's a lot easier with someone by my side."
"Meeting at the Villa would've been great. Have you tried the pool yet? I'm sure Leina's shown it to you by now." He laughs. "It's her first love. Once things calm down for us a little, I hope we can come back. I -- really miss being with her every day."
Haro is thrilled at the attention! Winglets flapping, he plays a little triumphant ditty. Rikka gets an equal share of gratitude, Haro turning to wave his little flaps at her.
"Oh wow, he doesn't play that sound very often. He really likes you!" Banagher says, looking equally as pleased as Haro. "I do the modding myself -- I wouldn't risk anyone else touching him. He's really important to me. But Haro is a great help. He has..."
"Hands! Hands!" Haro chirps, extending two spindly arms from the space his winglets cover.
"...now." Banagher finishes the sentence. "Oh, if you want some recommendations, I'd be happy to help out! I know a lot about this stuff. And there's nowhere better to shop for Haro stuff than HaroCon. Especially if it's a group project!"
Haro rolls back over to Audrey at her words, retracting his precious hands. "Banagher! Banagher!" And then, a moment later: "Amuro!"
With the appetite of a teenage boy, Banagher is through his crepe in record time, but he'll politely wait for everyone else to finish before suggesting they move to the vendor area.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Hehe... I can still give you as good as I get~"
Rikka may be gradually unlocking a certain sort of teasing energy of her own -- but Akane does have a head start and an... interesting internal narrative. She is not yet a trivial opponent.
"If we're going to finish during the con, we probably want to try it with a Mini..." Akane murmurs. "I could do a full-size mod in that time, but I wouldn't be having a fun time with it, you know? The Minis are kinda stripped down, but still..." Besides... physical art might actually kind of suck for her still, so it's best not to commit to a project and then have to punch out.
"If you're gonna pick up a Haro, now's a great time, right?" Akane says to Audrey in between bites of crepe. With her mouth a little full and her cheeks a bit puffed out, Akane seems to notice something about her face... she squints for a moment, then ultimately dismisses the thought. It's probably just movie-star good looks.
"... Yeah. It's a lot easier when you're not alone," Akane agrees with Banagher -- before he brings up the pool. "We were going to poke our heads in the other night, but Rikka and I already hit a pool pretty recently... I'm kinda scared of letting our days get to the point where they're the same all the time." Glancing down at the enthusiastic Haro, she finishes her crepe.
As they transition to the vendor era, something occurs to her to finally mention. "Oh," she offers Rikka. "I passed my intensive!" Realizing their newfound conversation partners have no idea what she's talking about, she adds, "Oh -- I'm training as a Gutsy Global Guard operator now. I had my first round of practical tests yesterday."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka sighs dramatically, but there's a fondness to it too at the way she looks up from it toward Akane with a smile.
"I wouldn't have you any other way." Rikka replies.
...It's cute to see Banagher and Audrey share in their own relationship, too. It'd be a little awkward if she and Akane were the only ones flirting like that.
"Yeah, starting small seems like a good idea, I think. We definitely want to have fun with it - and it'd be easier to figure out if that's something we like, too." RIkka agrees... and then, nods toward Audrey along with Akane. "Yeah, this is probably the best place to be for that."
Things are a lot easier with someone by his side... Rikka can't help but smile as Akane echoes Banagher's sentiment. Even this far out, it still feels good to hear her saying things like that.
"Yeah..." Rikka agrees with a nod, as Akane recounts the tale. "Still looking forward to trying it, though."
Audrey comments on Banagher's skill - and Haro looks proud. Rikka chuckles as he shows off, then looks toward Banagher as he explains.
"That's pretty impressive... I've repaired a few for my family's shop, but I've never tried doing any modding work." She notes with interest.
Rikka, soon enough, finishes off her own crepe, too.
"Right?" Rikka replies with a nod toward Audrey. "They must've brought in a really good baker..."
Once everyone's finished up Rikka stands, joining in the move toward the vendor area. And as they walk... Akane has some exciting news!
"Oh, wow... that's incredible! I'm so proud of you!" Rikka says, sweeping Akane up into a brief, excited hug. "I knew you could do it, but it's really good to actually hear that."
...She might've spent a lot of yesterday waiting with a mix between of worry and eager excitement for news.
<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.
Mineva gives Banagher's hand a little squeeze, and she laughs softly as Haro 'sings' happily. "Awh... he's so cute," she murmurs, still debating whether to buy one for herself. She nods to Akane and Rikka in agreement, "Yeah. It'd be best to start small, for sure... you wouldn't want to overwhelm yourself, after all."
She reaches down to give Haro a handshake while his hands are still out... and she blinks once at the name 'Amuro'. It shouldn't surprise her, but it's a little disconcerting.
--Akane's with 3G? She gives the girl a look of impressed surprise, and smiles at her. "Ooh, a 3G operator... that's really impressive!" She hadn't expected something like this at all. "It must be difficult..."
Browsing the stalls, she looks thoughtful. "Hmm... Banagher... if I were to get something for myself... what do you think I should buy to get started?"
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
"A Mini is a good idea. You could probably finish two in this time, really. Even if you did some custom stuff." Banagher smiles. "There's a new generation just released for the con, too. They'll never be as good as a full-sized Haro, but they're better than ever."
The thought of Audrey wanting a Haro of her own has Banagher practically vibrating with excitement, but he's trying to play it cool. Haro shakes Audrey's hand happily. She's going to be so great with a Haro of her own... If she wants one. Stay calm, Banagher.
"That's impressive too, Rikka." Banagher says, with a smile. "I always liked engineering-type things, so it's a natural fit for me. But repairing something broken is way harder than boosting something perfectly fine. What kind of shop does your family have?"
"Makes sense." He replies, to Akane's decision about the pool. "The hot tub is great at night, in case you ever wind up in the mood for something like that."
Banagher's eyes go wide. "Woah, GGG? That's incredible, Akane, congratulations! We've got two things to celebrate now! The operators are so cool, one of my school friends always dreamed about working as one." A little sadness enters his expression. "I'm sure you're going to do great."
As they begin to walk toward the vendor area, Haro rolls safely back into Banagher's arms. Audrey asks The Question. Banagher practically lights up. "Well!" He starts, grinning. "It really depends on what you're looking for. We've already got a lot of accessories for full-sized Haros that you could use if you go that route, but Mini-Haros would be a lot easier for you to carry around. Sometimes I have to leave Haro behind because of his size, after all. And then beyond that, do you want something you can customize, Audrey?"
The vendor area stretches out before them, perhaps overwhelmingly vast. Mini Haros have a whole section toward the front of the room -- maybe that's a good place to start?
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"I know," Akane affirms to Rikka. "... Whew, that crepe was a little heavy for me, but not in a bad way..." She might regret it later, but she's not going to worry about it just yet.
... and then she gets swept up into a hug?! "Aa --" she starts, with a little giggle, before returning the hug. "I had to do manual Fusion Out with the pilot vitals getting wrecked... I held it together okay. I cut it closer than the pros in the same situation, but..." She waves it off, saying, "A win's a win, right?"
Talk of repairs and modding doesn't quite activate her directly, but she does pay attention. Instead, she orients a little more on Audrey and the question of beginner buys. "What I hear is mostly that the Minis are great if you either really don't want to get into modding at all... or really want to get into modding bad. One time when I was bored I watched a video of someone getting every full-size feature onto a Mini with layered circuit boards. It was kinda intense."
The congratulations all around bring a smile to Akane's face, as they head through the dealer room. "Hm," she murmurs. "This one has the internals and the case packed separately, in case you wanna do some painting or sculpting... that might be kinda fun." To Rikka, she elaborates, "We could pick up two and swap jobs, maybe."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Right." Rikka agrees with a nod toward Audrey and Banagher. And there's a new generation out for the con, too... that's also pretty exciting.
Akane's statement of 'I know' gets a giggle out of Rikka, and then she nods as Akane comments that the crepe was a little heavy.
They share a hug, and Rikka is still beaming as the two of them separate and Akane explains what she went through.
"That sounds like it must've been pretty rough... But yeah, a win's a win." Rikka agrees with a nod. She's glad, too, that Audrey and Banagher show the same excitement toward Akane's good news. "I bet you'll be a pro too, soon enough."
Rikka nods and smiles back as Banagher comments that doing repairs is impressive too.
"We run a junk shop. We take in goods that people throw away, abandon, or donate, clean and fix them up, and then pass them along to a new owner." Rikka explains. "So we've pretty much got a little bit of everything."
He also suggests the hot tub to Akane. This catches Rikka's interest.
"...We'll have to keep that in mind." Rikka decides with a nod in her direction.
They reach the vendor area, and Rikka joins everyone in looking on with interest. She 'hm's to herself curiously, listening as Banagher explains some of the ins-and-outs to Audrey, then looks up to Akane. She considers that for a moment, before looking toward what she's looking at.
"...Oh, that's a good idea. I like that." She agrees with a nod. There's a lot of things they could do that way...
<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.
Mineva nods to Akane, "For sure! It sounds like a real challenge..." Working under pressure, with someone's life on the line... even in a simulation, that's not something everyone can do. "You're something special, Akane." Her eyes twinkle a little, and she grins.
Taking Banagher and Akane's thoughts into consideration, she taps her chin, looking over the various items on offer. "Hmm. Well, modding sounds really interesting. I'd enjoy that, I think--I need some new hobbies," she laments. "A mini sounds like the better fit, honestly, with how much we move around... more than anything, I want a friend like Banagher's Haro, here." Her eyes catch on a peripheral set. "An external screen and keyboard might be a good idea, too, if I get a mini, so I'm not stuck with the just the thumb-keyboard and voice commands."
"Mmm. I'd definitely like something I can paint and customize the shell of."
Her ears perk up a little at the the mention of a junk shop. "Ooh, that sounds great... I'd love to see the shop sometime!" Who knows? Maybe it'll have some nice things for Haros. "And... yeah, the whole pool complex is incredible. Maybe when we come back to the villa..." She gives Banagher a sidelong look and a grin.
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
Akane and Rikka really are adorable. Banagher grins at Akane's little "aa" as she's hugged. "I feel like you'll get the feel of how to do manual Fusion Outs just like a pro once you have experience. A win's a win."
Banagher nods at Akane's description of Mini-Haros. "Woah!" He interjects at the description of the Mini with the full-sized features. "You've got to send me that! I'd love to see how they did it. With so little space..."
Rikka's family runs a junk shop! "Oh, that's amazing, Audrey and Leina and I have got to come visit. I love places like that. So much possibility in one shop."
Boxes of Mini-Haro kits line the wall, in every color and configuration imaginable. Generations two, three, and four are represented. Nearby are printers offering custom add-ons and decals. That part, at least, seems to be free.
"Audrey, maybe we can work on something for you alongside Akane and Rikka working on their Minis?" Banagher asks, cheerfully. "A Haro as responsive as mine will take years of training and love, but you'll get there. As long as you keep exposing them to new things, it goes fast! And I'll teach you everything I know -- so will Haro!"
"Friend! Friend!" Haro chimes, looking excitedly at all the boxes. "Friend!"
Three repetitions... someone's excited!
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Ehehe... wow, I'm really getting the vote of confidence here, but... I guess I'll take it," Akane says, only barely audible above the noise of the dealer room.
When Rikka talks about the junk shop, there's... honestly something almost romantic about it, the way Rikka says it here and now. "And sometimes it seems like you get to take the best of it to keep," she teases, and she's not talking about the nice bar stools or the high-definition TV.
Mineva mentions wanting an external keyboard and screen; that's a little outside Akane's knowledge level, so she doesn't engage too hard. Instead, the moving around... "... yeah. It's hard to keep a full-size Haro if you're bouncing from place to place all the time," Akane acknowledges.
The enthusiasm of the Haro seems to get her a little excited -- and breadcrumbs her over to the printer. "Hmmm -- anything you'd like yours to look like?" she asks Rikka, before glancing back to Banagher and saying, "I'll see if I can find the link. It might take me a while to find that exact one again, but if I do I'll let you know."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"You deserve it." Rikka says with a nod, as Audrey and Banagher voice their confidence in Akane too. She sends both of them an appreciative look... and then laughs, as Akane teases her. The hidden meaning doesn't go unnoticed.
"It's a job with a lot of good perks." Rikka replies with a confident nod.
Banagher and Audrey both show interest in visiting the junk shop, too.
"Leina's been there before, so if I'm not in when you drop by, I'm sure she could show you around. Just her know you want to visit Junk Shop Aya sometime." Rikka replies with a nod.
She can't help but smile a little at the enthusiasm of Banagher's Haro, and the way it seems to get Akane excited too.
"Hmm... I think I kind of want to go with something simple..." She starts, then pauses for a moment as she spots something that catches her interest. "...The ones with the little cat ears on the wings are kind of cute, though..."
And then she pauses for a moment, her gaze lingering on Akane.
"...I think I already have an idea for what color I want, too." She decides.
<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.
Mineva perks up at the offer to work on their Haros together, and nods! "Yes! I think that's a great idea..." She chuckles a little at how long, and how much teaching, it's taken for Banagher's Haro to become so smart. "It's like teaching a kid, ehe..." She smiles, booping the Haro just below its eyes. "And you're about to have a sibling!"
She nods to Akane, "Yeah... Banagher almost lost his at one point. I hope that never happens again." Thank God for Captain Zinnerman. "Hmm... I guess it's settled, then, isn't it?" She pulls out her wallet and debates... "It'd be a good idea to get the latest generation if I can afford it, wouldn't it? There's nothing weird about the newer ones that'd make an older generation easier to use?" she asks. ".... And Leina doesn't have one of her own yet, does she?"
She grins a little as Rikka decides on the color she wants. "They're *adorable*, aren't they?" she says to Banagher, quietly. To everyone, she agrees, "Cat ears are really cute... hmm..." She looks closer at one of the examples, "that doesn't get in the way of rolling, does it?"
Really, she just loves the idea of excited flapping *also* being ear-wiggling.
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
"Thanks, Akane." Banagher says with a smile, as the girls all turn their attention to the display of Minis. "My VERTEX is thelastHaro."
"A lot of people online call themselves Haro Parents." Banagher laughs a little. "That never felt quite right for me, but I get the comparison."
"Brother! Sister!" Haro nearly wobbles out of Banagher's arms in excitement from Audrey's words, causing the young pilot to hold on a little extra tightly. "Sibling!"
Banagher thinks for a moment, hugging Haro. "I'm convinced Leina knows everyone in the Earthsphere at this point. As soon as it's safe, the three of us will come for a visit. I'll make sure it's a time when you're there!"
"Oh, those are Momo Haros." Banagher says, to Rikka. "They're super popular. They used to come in only pink, but now you can get them in any color you want." Rikka seems to have a color in mind already... Banagher watches, curious to see what she'll pick.
"I'll help you pay for whichever one you want, Audrey. Not like I'm doing anything else with my money. Newer generations are generally better, yeah! More quality of life features, more advanced software and hardware... Hmm, Leina has two full-sized Haros, but no Minis. Do you think a new one would be a better gift than an accessory for one of her current Haros?"
Audrey points out Akane and Rikka's sweetness, and Banagher puts his free arm around her, smiling. "Yeah. I get the feeling they were made for each other, just like you and me."
Banagher wonders what their story is, but they're not quite that level of friends yet. Maybe someday...
"Generation one of the Momo Haros couldn't retract their ears, but they fixed that with the second generation and on. So no worries there! They'll roll with the best."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"And you're so good at it," Akane affirms. ... it's unbelievably nice.
Rikka's attention hits the cat ears, and Akane smiles. "Oooh -- yeah, I can see that. I kinda feel like the sculpt would be cuter if they were a little more rounded? But that's the kinda thing you keep me around for. If they were all-plastic construction and didn't retract it'd be easier, but... I'll figure something out." She laughs, saying, "Let's do the cat ones for sure. That's always kinda hit for me."
At the lingering gaze at her, Akane turns bright pink... and then ends up staring right back. "We'll have to make sure the colors are as close to perfect as possible," she says, her tone a little dreamy.
When Audrey asks about the possibility that the new generation Haros might have something weird going on making them harder to use instead of easier, Akane is cruelly forced back to reality. She pops out her phone. The screen is still cracked, of course. "Hm, I'll look some stuff up," she says; conveniently this also means she can add Banagher on VERTEX. "Aumerei-Seijin," she notes. "With the underline."
The shift from lunch hour to exploration time is starting to get the place a little full. "Do you think we could get back to the mod room soon?" Akane asks Rikka, a little nervous. "Obviously we should pick up what we want, and I can do a little more shopping, but... it's starting to get a little much in here."
That gets her to also address Banagher a little more fully. "Sorry -- this is actually a little higher-traffic than I was expecting..." With a slight grimace, she says, "It was really good to see you though. Seems like things have changed a lot for all of us! Oh, uh -- Audrey, do you have a VERTEX, too? Might not be a bad idea for us to trade..."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka enjoys the company, listening with amusement as they discuss Haro families. It's a cute idea, though she's not sure she'd go for it herself either.
"Oh, that's awful. I'm glad he didn't." Rikka remarks, as Audrey explains that Banagher almost lost his once. She looks toward Banagher, then, with a smirk.
"She's pretty well-traveled. But, yeah. We'll figure it out! If you come hungry, you might even get to try some of mama's cooking." She offers. She doesn't explain how that relates to their being a junk shop...
She listens intently, then, as Banagher explains the ins-and-outs of the cat ear Haro - Momo Haros, he says.
"...Even the name is pretty cute..." She remarks, and then nods toward Akane and smiles. "Yeah, that does sound cute. I'll be counting on you, Akane!"
They stare back at each other for a fond moment, and Rikka nods.
"Yeah... definitely." She agrees.
But alas, it can't last forever - but sometimes, it's the temporary things that are the best.
"Oh, if we're sharing handles... Mine's just Rikka." Rikka offers.
The place is starting to get a little busy, though, and the fact that this has caused Akane to start getting just a little overwhelmed hasn't escaped her notice.
"Yeah, of course. Let's grab our things and head that way." Rikka replies, offering her a smile - and a hand, if that'll help.
She nods toward Banagher and Audrey, too.
"Yeah, it was great meeting you both - this was nice. Let's talk again sometime soon." She says.
<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.
Mineva nods, smiling at Banagher. "Okay! If you're sure. Hmm... I think I want a purple one," she decides. "And... no, actually, I forgot about those. We should get her an accessory, definitely... what do you think she'd want? Ugh, I'm terrible at gifts," she mutters as an aside.
The crowd starts to pick up around them, and she smiles sympathetically to Akane. "Yeah, it is getting kind of crowded... we shouldn't spend too long either, I don't want to get separated or anything. Let's see..." She pulls out her phone as well, taking down Akane's screen name. "Yes! I'm FullBurnern on there," she says, clarifying afterward that it's spelled with an E-R-N.
She picks out a dark purple fourth-generation Momo Haro for herself, unless Akane's digging pulls up anything unusual. "Let's see. Ooh, maybe a cat nose decal, too..." She starts going through accessories, now, excited. She's keeping an eye out for something Leina would enjoy, too...
Soon, it's time to part, and she smiles toward Akane and Rikka. "It was great to meet you, too! I'd love to talk more. Maybe we can get together and work on our Haros soon!"