2023-03-15: Stars at the Heart of the World
- Cast: Alouette Pommier, Rikka Takarada, Sheryl Nome
- Where: Tsutsujidai High School
- Date: U.C. 0097 03 15
- Summary: Rikka introduces two mutual friends. For all the differences in their circumstances... a connection is formed through music.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka had promised to introduce two of her good friends to each other. They all have their own individual busy schedules, for one reason or another... but today, those schedules finally line up!
Tsutsujidai High School is a school in a clear state of recovery. It's come a long way since the disaster that struck the city, but some facilities are still closed to use - hence why they elected to hold a prom instead of a sports festival.
Not that Rikka would ever complain about that. It worked out really well for her.
This is to some, however, something of a boon as well - it means there are some club rooms that are currently not in use, making a convenient meeting room for students with purpose. Rikka may have had to pick the lock. It's fine.
She's taken a moment to tidy things up - so now, she sits at the table with her backpack next to her, waiting for everyone to arrive.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
Tsutsujidai High School... the location, admittedly, helps to bring Alouette in the mindset of a regular teenage girl, who just so happens to be meeting her idol. She hasn't gone all out, but she did bring along an album and a poster she'd like signed, if Sheryl's willing.
Alouette enters the club room, dressed relatively nice, wearing her white blouse and blue skirt plainclothes. "Rikka!" She exclaims, as she sees her waiting at the table, and elects to take a seat as well. "Soooo, I never did get the chance to ask... how was prom for the two of you? Wonderful, wasn't it?" She asks, a bright spark in her eyes.
"A lot happened immediately after, which is a shame, because I built quite the rapport with someone during the party..." She keeps the tone light, even in spite of facing the Banshee and Char Aznable in quick succession.
As she makes small talk with Rikka, she waits in anticipation for the arrival of her mutual friend...
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Between her work for writing one of the themes for Bird Human, an upcoming concert, final exams (which did not go well to Sheryl's chagrin), and various other things, Sheryl has been busy. So busy she couldn't even take the time to attend prom, something she absolutely would have attended otherwise. Her high standards are to blame there; she couldn't block out enough time to make sure she was at her most dazzling best, so why go at all?
The fact that she didn't get voted into Prom Court has absolutely nothing to do with it. Absolutely. NOTHING.
But she can at least take a little bit of time out for a casual meeting with a friend, especially if it's over in Tsutsujidai, which is growing closer to the part of the Orbital Ring where the Frontier is stationed day by day. Before long, they'll practically be neighbors! And so Sheryl, whose main home is now in Frontier now that Galaxy looks to be missing long-term, hops up from the shooting on the Pacific islands to meet this friend of Rikka's that she wants to introduce her to.
She arrives at the agreed-upon club room wearing the Mihoshi Academy school uniform: blue and black and white, with dark tights and a navy blue undershirt and a white felt cap to bundle up the lion's share of her hair with. She also wears non-prescription wide-brim glasses. It's amazing how much covering up half your face and changing your hair will get people to not recognize you. One day, Sheryl might be troubled by that. Right now, it's convenient.
"Rikka~!" she sing-songs as she enters, maybe a minute or so after Alouette. Because Alouette's there already, she pauses upon seeing her. "Oh! So I'm late, I see. Fashionably late, the best kind," she jokes. Setting a hand on her hip, she removes the too-round glasses and smiles at Alouette. She doesn't address her just yet, though, instead shifting her focus on Rikka. "I did hear you and Akane were voted Prom Couple! Congratulations~. Work kept me too busy to attend, but at least you had a good time, hmm? o/`"
SCENESYS: Beam Coat has posted scene #300, 'Zeong Rising, Palau Falling', at 19:00 ET on 04/02.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Alouette! It's good to see you." Rikka greets with a smile as Alouette enters the room. There's a small laugh - and, a slight blush as she thinks back to that night.
"Yeah, it was incredible... She was so beautiful, I'm still head-over-heels..." Rikka remarks with a fond sigh. She perks up, though, a sly smile crossing her face as Alouette continues. She listens with interest. "Oh, did you? Now I'm curious, give me all the details."
It's not long after that, though... that the door to the club room opens!
Sheryl, too, receives a smile, and a small laugh at her joke.
"Glad you could make it." She replies - and a nod, as Sheryl brings up the prom. "Yeah, we were! I'm still kind of in shock... One of Akane's friends was campaigning for us, but I didn't think she'd be quite that successful... I'm proud of us, though. Now all of GUTS knows about us."
She's quite pleased by that fact, too - but it doesn't distract her from why she brought them here. With that, she claps her hands together!
"So! Sheryl, this is my friend, Alouette Pommier. As I mentioned before, she was the one responsible for handling the technological side of the performance... If it weren't for her, I don't think I could have pulled that off." Rikka introduces.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
Alouette smiles as Rikka describes just how beautiful Akane was that night. "Really... if anyone deserved to win the Couple of Couples, it's you two. Congratulations~"
Alouette momentarily looks away as Rikka asks her to tell her all about this person who's caught her eye. "Well! She's actually a Getter pilot. Very cool, and classy too. We kind of teamed up against all the menaces that came at us during the party, ahahaaa.." Her gaze turns moderately more intense, but retains a playful air. "I look forward to getting to know her more... through a duel, of course."
And once the club door opens, Alouette turns her attention to the guest of the hour. She provides a congratulations for Rikka, who then makes the introduction. Keeping her composure the best she can, Alouette manages a classic French-style curtsy. "It's a pleasure. I'm a fan myself, so it was quite the honour to help with the lighting of a concert... if not an unconventional one."
She turns her gaze back to Rikka. "Rikka over here was a shining star that night... so it was just as much of an honour to help her shine to brightly." Her eyes darting between the two, another question comes on her mind. "How did the two of you meet, anyway? Was it really just by chance?" Either way, Rikka is a lucky girl.
She slowly sets her copy of the Universal Bunny EP and accompanying poster on the table. "Since I'm a fan, I've been collecting your work for quite a while. But my own work keeps me very busy so I've never been able to attend a fan meet or anything like that... I'd love if you could sign my copy, but since this is off-hours for us both.. don't feel so obligated to." She asks, a hint of shyness in her tone.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
"That doesn't surprise me. Akane has a lot of really passionate friends who care a lot about her," Sheryl says, giving Rikka a knowing look. Then she shrugs. "I honestly can't believe it took her as long to see that as it did!" She smiles and winks as she approaches the two. "At least we got good music out of it~."
Seating herself at the table, Sheryl looks at Alouette now that they're being properly introduced. Interest is alight in her expression as she explains she was handling the technological side of things. "Oh, really? Rikka showed me a video of the performance, and I was impressed--especially for a student production. So that was you!"
And she's a fan. Sheryl does love her fans, so she adjusts herself mentally accordingly--though it helps that Alouette is adorable, especially as she opens with that curtsey. "Oh, how cute! So I was an inspiration for both of you, hmm~?"
How did they meet, though? Sheryl's expression turns thoughtful as she looks to Rikka, perhaps sharing a look with her. "Hmmm.... I think I remember you showed up at a signing and asking me for an autograph... But we didn't really get to know each other until the Diamond Crevasse filming sweepstakes. Rikka was one of the winners, so she came to watch the shoot, and we had dinner together with the other winners afterwards. It helps that soon after that, we hung out again during the beach party on the Frontier, during the Deculture Festival. We played beachball with Alto and--what was his name--Yuta." She grins at Rikka. "It was a lot of fun!"
She purses her lips a bit as Alouette brings out an EP and a poster on the table. She of course knows what Alouette is going to ask. That hint of a frown turns thoughtful when Alouette mentions her work. "What sort of work do you do?" she wonders. Is Alouette actually a professional in the field? It would surprise her, given her apparent age, but then, Sheryl knows well how young professionals can be. Her smile reasserts itself.
"It *is* off-hours. Normally I keep my business and my private life strictly separate," she replies. Even so, she retrieves a rainbow gel pen from her purse and reaches over to swiftly sign them both. When she hands them back, she winks at Alouette. "I hardly ever do this kind of service for my fans," she informs her.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Thanks..." Rikka replies, as Alouette offers her congratulations. It's... still very good to hear. But, she listens intently as Alouette offers details.
"Oh, a Getter pilot..." Rikka remarks with interest. Cool, and classy... "I'm glad you were able to team up. ...Though, a duel~, huh..."
Rikka smirks teasingly, for just a moment, and then... Sheryl!
"...It's true, she does. She's finally starting to realise that, at least." Rikka replies with a nod, and a smile. "...We did. I can't be unhappy about that..."
She does her introductions, and then she watches the two of them to see how they react. She's pleased, so far. ...She can't help but look a bit sheepish at being called a shining star, though she appreciates the compliment.
"She's really good at what she does." Rikka says with an emphatic nod as Sheryl says she was impressed. And then when she says was an inspiration for them... Rikka nods. "You really were."
And then the question arrives - how did they meet? Rikka looks toward Sheryl in turn, sharing a glance.
"Yeah - I still have that poster up in my room, actually..." Rikka remarks, on the signing, and then nods. "Yuta, yeah. That was a lot of fun. To be honest, I'd always felt kind of intimidated around you because you're so cool, and so pretty, and so... you, but being able to share a moment like that really helped loosen me up. It was nice."
And Sheryl has a question for Alouette - and Alouette, one in return. ...Rikka can't help but smile, as Sheryl agrees to sign anyway.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
Rikka questions about a duel, a little teasingly, and Alouette smiles right back. "That's right.. I noticed she had a ceremonial sword on her kimono. That, and being a Getter Pilot, I thought she understood too that a duel is one of the best ways you can learn about someone." She explains. "I'll keep you posted on the results~" She adds, with a little wink.
Sheryl comments on how many passionate friends Akane seems to have... even if it took so long for her to understand, which Alouette can agree with. "I'm very happy to count myself as one of them. And.. it's good that she's starting to see the value of music, too." She smiles.
When complimented on her lighting skills, Alouette has to try to hold back on infodumping about how she did it... but it slips through anyways. "I'm glad you liked it! I actually integrated a little something called Program Ring technology... lightwave communication precise enough to facilitate complex combination mechanisms also comes quite in handy for working stage lights on the fly." She explains, with a smile.
...When she's called cute, she can't help but blush and puff up her cheeks a little. "I... suppose I was, yes. The lights in your shows are always so beautiful, so flashy, yet so meaningful... maybe I wanted to try to measure up to that a little bit."
She listens as Sheryl explains exactly how she got to know Rikka... first she won a sweepstakes to see the filming, and enjoyed dinner with her. "That's so lucky, Rikka.. I wonder what the chances of winning even were." And then not long after, a beach party, how exciting! Ah, but that was during the Deculture Festival... she couldn't do much of anything for most of that. Still, she tries not to look down. "It's a shame I couldn't make it then.. I could've met you a lot sooner. But it's better fashionably late than never, didn't you say?"
As Rikka remarks how intimidated she was, Alouette gives her a sympathetic look. "Mm, it's hard not to feel like that right now. I mean, she's all those things and more... it's nice to get to talk as an equal, though." She decides on.
Sheryl asks what her work is, and she takes a deep breath. "I'm with the Gutsy Global Guard. Operator and programmer.. maybe the second one is less of a surprise. We've had a lot on our plate lately, which is why I've been so busy... but it's very nice to get to be a teenager, too."
Her eyes widen as Sheryl decides to sign despite it all. "My, I thought you would turn me down for sure. It's true after all that victory goes to the one with courage... thank you very much~" She receives the signed work and holds it almost like a hug.
"...Say Miss Nome - am I supposed to just call you Sheryl - I wanted to ask.. what made you love singing? I'm still trying to figure out what it means for myself, really."
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
"Good to hear," Sheryl says briskly, of Akane. She already knew that--she'd talked about it with Akane some a while back--but there's a difference between hearing it from someone and hearing it from the people around them. Someone like Rikka's going to be a better judge of if Akane really is keeping up her upward trend. Alouette mentions that she's one of them, and Sheryl gives her a thoughtful nod. "Oh? So did you meet Akane through Rikka, or Rikka through Akane?"
Alouette's agreement about Akane's enjoyment of music gets a smug little 'ufu~' out of her. Sheryl's hardly above pride in her work.
"Of course you do! What else would you do with it, if not keep it up?" Sheryl says with mock outrage at Rikka. She grins and giggles, winking. "Just kidding~."
That doesn't stop her from basking in Rikka and Alouette's praise about how cool and pretty and self-possessed she is, and she flips one of her loose hair tendrils in unrestrained pride. "It's all right, I have that effect on people," she boasts. (Is it boasting if it's true?) "Still, it was nice. Not that I mind the attention of all my fans--exactly the opposite!--but I like getting to act like one of the girls from time to time."
It was something she never got to do growing up, after all. But Sheryl keeps that part to herself.
As for Program Ring tech, Sheryl can't say she recognizes it, but she makes a mental note of it to ask Grace about her. "Sounds like you were just the lady for the job, then! Actually, Rikka, I was considering adapting that performance for the music video--since you both worked on it, would either of you have a problem with that?" She leans her cheek on one hand with a knowing smile at Rikka. "I'd ask if you'd mind if I released it as-is, but you did say before you're not interested in more than a taste of fame..."
Better fashionably late than never. "The best kind," she echoes/agrees, smiling at Alouette. She isn't more than passingly familiar with the GGG, so the mention doesn't get a spark of recognition. Still, an operator and a programmer does make sense, and she nods. "I know how you feel," she says sympathetically. "Good luck with your work, Alouette."
She does end up signing, and smiles with a touch of fondness as Alouette hugs the poster and EP. "I almost did refuse, but... I changed my mind!" she says. "Lucky you~." She waves her hand at the pre-question question, saying, "Just Sheryl is fine! But I won't stop you if you insist on Miss Nome, either." The question itself, though... She leans back in her seat, thinking. The implication isn't lost on her either, and she says first, "You like to sing too, hmm? Hmm... Well..." Her blue gaze turns a little misty. "I was inspired myself, actually. Not by someone's song, but their dance. Not long after I was scouted, my manager took me to see a stage play, and I was blown away by the lead. They were the same age as me, but they were already dazzling the stage... Their performance drew me in and made me forget that there was a person behind the role. I got to see them backstage, too... It's one of my most precious memories."
She smiles warmly, and more than a little fondly. "Seeing them on stage and then face-to-face... It made me want to dazzle the stage, too. I swore then and there I'd make the galaxy tremble with my song, and since then, I've poured my all into my art. Then the more I sang, the more I fell in love with singing. They're not just songs--they're an expression of who I am. I love being able to share that with my fans. The hush before I step onto the stage is so electric--it's like I can feel them, and they can all feel me!"
Her voice and back both rising with her excitement, Sheryl suddenly takes a breath and settles back into her seat. "...But I'm getting a little carried away with myself! In short, it's fine if you haven't figured it out for yourself yet, Alouette. The more you sing, the more you'll come to understand what your song means to you."
BBSYS: Post 777, 'Closing FC 15 Mar 2023' has been published to Character Announcements by Prana Converter.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Definitely." Rikka replies with a grin as Alouette says she'll keep her posted.
Rikka laughs as Sheryl reacts to her comment with mock outrage, offering her a grin that suggests she understands fully.
Sheryl boasts and Rikka chuckles, and then offers her a smile.
"...In that case, maybe the three of us should find something to do together sometime, even if it's just meeting up to talk again." She offers. She's glad to give her any chance to act like one of the girls that she can.
She listens with interest, too, as Alouette talks enthusiastically of the Program Ring and what it can do. As for the performance...
"Oh, I don't mind at all. Go right ahead." She said... and then laughs, a bit sheepishly. "...It's kind of flattering that you think it's good enough for that. But yeah... I think I'm okay with the taste of it I got. I'm satisfied with that much."
She goes a little quiet, then, listening with interest as Sheryl tells Alouette where her inspiration came from, and how she got this far. It's really nice, to see that side of her...
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
"I didn't really meet one through the other, if I recall..." Alouette begins. "But I definitely did get the privilege of seeing their relationship grow and change... no matter what it takes." She looks at Rikka with a sly smile.
"It was Akane I met first though... circumstances led her to be along the ride for a GGG mission." The details of the mission were complicated so she doesn't say more than that. "As for Rikka... I remember her being a lot of help when I was new to this city, and we also worked together to help Akane. I'm.. really glad it worked out the way it did." She says, heartfelt.
When Sheryl says it's really nice to be one of the girls sometimes, Alouette nods. "I know that feeling all too well. It's pretty hard to fit in a high school... but at least they don't seem to really expect it of me." And she's hardly the weirdest at Jindai, anyways. Rikka suggests doing something again sometime, and Alouette looks enthusiastic. "That's a good idea.. there's plenty of things we could try. Lots of people are talking about HaroCon... And even just keeping up is a good thing." She nods.
"It's no problem at all." Alouette echoes Rikka, about adapting the performance. "It's good to know I have a potential future in stage lighting... even if I'm pretty happy with where I am now. And thank you for the well wishes."
Alouette can't help but laugh at Sheryl's teasing, and then listens carefully as she explains how she was inspired. "That's.. amazing. Even if I haven't seen you on stage, I think your singing was still able to touch my heart in that way." Like Rikka, she also thinks it's nice to see this side, how there's a real person behind the song, yet they're so immersive.
"Admittedly, I turned to music during a bit of a dark time. I thought it could be a replacement for all of the other things I love. I was wrong, but... I think there's room in my heart for programming and music." Alouette explains, wistfully. "I'm not so sure I'm ready to bare my heart onto a stage like you and Rikka can. But I won't ever forget your advice, Sheryl. I'll keep singing until I can find that for myself."
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
"Oh, it'd still need editing, but the concept is strong," Sheryl tells Rikka, matter-of-fact. "It's just whether we edit the original footage or re-do it from scratch." Still, when Rikka confirms that that's as much fame as she has a taste for, she nods. "You're both welcome! Honestly, it's become a real pleasure to see what my fans can come up with. Maybe I should have Grace run a fanwork contest sometime!"
For right now, ultimately, she'll likely re-shoot the video and simply give credit for the concept to Rikka and her friends. Sheryl's just too much of a perfectionist to do otherwise. But the idea of running a contest for a fan to submit something for her to perform has its appeal. She'll have to talk to Grace about it.
"Meeting up again would be fun. It feels like it's been ages since I went out for crepes with friends," she muses, thinking of both her outing with Ranka and her outing with Milly. "It was right around this time of year last year, too." One of those outings was even inspiration for a song that she'll be releasing soon--but she keeps that tidbit to herself. It'll be more fun to let it be a surprise. "HaroCon? Oh, I've heard of that! Grace did a deal with them to sell some of my merch," she comments. "I don't know much about those little robots myself, though."
So Alouette and Akane met through her work... and Alouette and Rikka worked together to reach Akane. Sheryl smiles. "Likewise."
Music during a dark time... Sheryl understands that too, and there's something in the glimmer of her blue eyes, in the dip of her long lashes, that might communicate it. She doesn't remark on that, though; she simply brushes her hair back as she smiles, eyes sinking all the way shut. "Glad to hear it. I hope you get what it is you truly desire out of music, Alouette." She looks to Rikka, brightening. "So you were saying about an outing--I've still got a little time if you want to grab a bite right now!"
Whether they do or not, it's been fun chatting with the two of them. Rikka's been a good friend, and Alouette seems like she could become a good friend, too.