2023-07-30: Can You Become the 'Glamour' You Wear?

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<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        The high energy levels from when the crew of the Nadesico and their escort first arrived at this little beachside resort isle has slowly faded. The heat does that to people! Those that were splashing and gallivanting around have started to float listlessly in the water, or have retreated to the shade, or any number of idling practices.

        ...Yurika, meanwhile...

        -So despite just how much Nergal and the SMS have cooperated and how regular a sight the Galactic Fairy has been in their company, it's constant that- that-!

        -Well, that Yurika has no idea how to approach Sheryl Nome as anything but this immense radiant superstar of spectacular cosmic acclaim! Sure, she's no stranger to the spotlight, but, like, her biggest spotlight was when she was five or six years old! Real celebrities are something transcendant and amazing and-

        ---Well, this internal agonizing has the likes of Minato and Howmei tipping their head and pondering just what on earth is wrong with the captain, whispering among themselves to ask if she's alright.

        WELL IT'S NOT ALRIGHT! Sheryl's not some distant legend one can only behold with reverence! She's part of their operations from time to time! She's flown a Variable Fighter a few times! A captain can't just find one of her key companions utterly unapproachable! But-

        Yurika had a plan. A plan to just. Take one of Uribatake's crummy but refreshing ramen bowls and hand it off to Sheryl. She's halfway there. She's 75% there. She's 82.5% there. But like Zeno's arrow, each halfway step seems to incrementally get shorter and shorter. No way, Sheryl's totally eating better stuff than this, that level of fame and fascination takes a diligent regiment and diet! Oh no! She's screwed up again!

        ---"AAAA, okay I brought you this but if you don't want it then that's fine I'll just eat it but I just thought it'd be good to-" Yurika freezes up, extending that bowl out towards the little table next to Sheryl's lounge chair, toes curling in the sand. A little crab scuttles around her feet - and pinches her little toe slightly.

        This does Not help Yurika, who is now boiling with the urge to yelp and jump up in the air, except for how that'd totally send boiling hat ramen flying over the Sheryl Nome so she's just. Suffering and agonizing all to herself. The tension is palpable. Poor thing. 

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        If Sheryl knew that Yurika was too intimidated by her to approach her, she'd find that genuinely funny. She and Ruri get along just fine--Sheryl taught Ruri a 101 on how to apply make-up recently, even--and while Sheryl's aware that she has her fans aboard the Nadesico, people have been mostly pretty professional about it.
        
        Maybe what she thought of as 'professional' was actually them also being too starstruck to approach, though...
        
        Right now, she's lounging on her beach chair, watching Alto and Ruri head off to the waves for a swimming lesson with a smile. She's finished off her 'shaved ice'--really more like a mediocre iced drink--and she's considering following after them to swim and see the fish when--
        
        AAAA
        
        Sheryl blinks over at Yurika, approaching with an offer of bad ramen and now yelling about an offering of ramen and then freezing up even though a crab is crawling on her feet. She might just vibrate herself out of existence at this rate.
        
        "Are you okay, Captain?" she wonders, getting up from her beach chair and walking over--oh no--to place a hand on--oh no--Yurika's forehead (OH NO). "You seem pretty hot..." Sheryl tsks and folds her arms under her ample chest, barely held in place by a melon-themed bikini. "You went to all that trouble to keep Ruri cool and then you go and walk around until you start to get heatstroke! If she hears about this, she's going to call you a fool, you know."
        
        Assuming Yurika lets her, Sheryl takes her by the wrist and guides her over to Ruri's now-empty Fortress of Coolitude. "And put that down! You're really going to eat something that's marketed as bad? Have more self-respect!" she scolds her of said ramen, before picking up and offering her a nice, chilly water bottle. "Drink this instead. Staying hydrated is good for your skin." She winks, her smile turning mischievous. "It'd be a waste of your good looks otherwise~."

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        ---So Yurika didn't really notice from the distance that she was how Sheryl picked something sorta provocative, if on the silly side. The captain's just in a slightly sporty yellow and white one-piece with a breezy jacket over top, it's really pretty basic, and yet-!

        The feverish look only increases. Arms shaking at Sheryl's naturally enticing aura, the captain caaaaaaarefully sets that little ramen bowl on a table. The creaking is audible, motions jerky. Pain and flustering flaring up. She's holding her breath the entire time.

        The MOMENT that bowl is safely Out Of Slapstick Comedy range, Yurika leaps into Ruri's Castle and rolls around, clutching her own foot and groaning audibly. "Th-that STUPID LITTLE THING almost RUINED EVERYTHING aaaaAAAAAA why why WHY - oh thank you Sheryl-chan - DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW CLOSE THIS CAME TO BEING HORRI - hnhhh. Get it together Yurika. C-come on. Haaah-"

        Twist. Crack. Glug glug glug. The water bottle's downed so fast that Yurika coughs a little as some goes down the wrong pipe, but she's done this dance too many times such that she's efficient at clearing it up. "Huuu. ...Sheryl...d-do you think I put too much into my appearance, and not enough into...other important talents? In this day and age...it takes more than just looking reasonably good. The people who score company beyond their station aren't just pretty, they're the ones who talk a good game and tell the best-sounding lies. Some of the greasiest bastards in the galaxy have friends in high places after all!"

        Rolling onto her side, she tries to breathe looking directly at Sheryl, but it only makes sense that the Galactic Fairy is a blinding supercluster to behold, yes? "...also wait, where'd Ruri and Alto run off to-?"

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        Melons for melons! What's silly about that? o/`
        
        Sheryl's honestly a little impressed with how well Yurika holds it together while putting that ramen down, considering she's clearly on the verge of a meltdown. When she actualy DOES go on a meltdown, that's even more impressive in its own way. Sheryl raises an eyebrow as she watches her, then grabs a couple more water bottles, hands Yurika a second, and opens up the other for herself as she settles in next to her.
        
        "I think it's gone now," she says with wry humor, of the little crab. After getting rolled around like that, it's no doubt scuttled WAY away from this drama-captain.
        
        But then Yurika asks her about abilities beyond appearances. Sheryl thinks at first Yurika thinks she's saying she's only got good looks, but before she can clarify that, Yurika seems to be assuming... all sorts of other things. Sheryl stares at her for a moment.
        
        "Oh, Ruri was saying that she doesn't know how to swim, so Alto's going to give her a few lessons," Sheryl replies, nodding over to the beach. "Don't worry, he's a good swimmer; she's in good hands." She uncaps her bottle, drinks a few swallows, and then peers at Yurika as she twists the cap back on. "...So, what's all this about 'other important talents'? If something happened recently, you're going to have to give me the gossip, because I haven't heard a word."
        
        Maybe she's been living too normal a life recently? She of course knows about the Three Ships Alliance and Nadesico essentially turning against the Federation, which might've prompted something like this, but that was ages ago. Why would Yurika still be worried about that now?

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        The tension sloooowly dissolves. Is it something disarming about Sheryl's voice? Is it the magic of hydration? Yurika happily gulps down Bottle #2 and it seems to only stabilize her further. So that's her pattern...

        "Well - no, it's... I mean, a lot has happened! What hasn't happened these past two-or-so years? And that's the whole issue! You know...we're trying to act a little more independently, but it still feels a little like...the world and everyone in it's changing underneath my feet. Maybe...leaving me behind, a little?"

        Hand over her eyes, Yurika sits upright to spy a glance of Ruri and Alto in the water - it all seems to be going well, and they're not too far ashore, so she can breathe easily. "...mm. ...She's changed a lot in that time, hasn't she? I worried a lot that she was really reclusive, that she'd have a hard time fitting in, that...her circumstances would hold her back, and it kept me up a lot thinking...she's with us at a really really important age, so is this really...the right place for her to be? Should I be getting her out of here somehow? Or is it...the other way around? If I want to look after her, and make sure she's not being taken advantage of, then...I need to look after her, yes?"

        Gently shaking her head, Yurika's eyes close, toppling onto her back atop a towel. "But she's already doing a lot. Everyone I know is moving forward. Can I really keep up? At this point, Ruri-chan's probably a better captain than I am, since she does all the hard work where it's important."

        ...maybe the tension is that there's been a lot more on her mind than just breaking ice with Sheryl...

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        It might be a little of both--but getting rehydrated sure looks like it's helping a lot.
        
        It sounds like it's been a lot of things over the past while. Sheryl still doesn't know why that's prompting Yurika to ask her something like that out of the blue, but maybe she just happened to be there? Either way, she leans forward, chin on one hand, the other draped over her lap as her water bottle dangles from her fingertips.
        
        "Leaving you behind, huh... You know, relevancy is always a big issue for stars like me, but I never imagined it'd be a problem for captains like you, too. Thinking on it, it only makes sense, though. Not like I've gotten involved in the Three Ships stuff personally, but it has to be a big change compared to working for the Federation."
        
        Though maybe disregarding Fed orders to do their own thing is still a Nadesico constant?
        
        Sheryl follows Yurika's gaze over to the shore. She smiles at the sight of Ruri, who might well be wearing a couple of bright yellow floaties by this point, and she looks back at Yurika. She... really has a lot on her mind right now, doesn't she? Not just about herself but about Ruri, too. Advice isn't really her wheelhouse (outside of the entertainment business, anyway), but she's not going to just blow Yurika off, either.
        
        So, Sheryl sits up straight and declares, "You've been captain for, what, around two years already now, haven't you? Have more self-confidence! If you're worried you're getting left behind, then sitting around fretting about it is only going to make it worse! Decide on what you should do, then do it!"
        
        For a moment, she pauses; then she leans in with slow deliberance. "...Unless you're saying you don't want to be captain anymore. Then there's no point in forcing yourself. Passion comes from doing something you care about, so if you don't care, you may as well dump it."
        
        But Sheryl doesn't think that's the case for Yurika. If anything, she thinks she might care too much. But confronting the idea of quitting might well help motivate Yurika.

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        Yurika's never bolted upright so fast in her life. "I've gotta be captain! I've got to! I know full well just how important it is! ...Nnnn. ...It's. ...I've gotta help protect the world! I've gotta help save people! I guess I do that a lot since we're always showing up at lots of crisis zones and all that!"

        Hands planted on one of the coolers she built Ruri's fortress of solitude with, Yurika finally manages to stare Sheryl right in the eyes. "See - - nnn. It's just! You're on this whole other level! I think if...if...if a lot of people were asked to name who they look up to, it'd be you! Not just here on Earth but apparently all over the galaxy! That's - that's what I want! That's my dr-"

        It suddenly clicks. Oh right, Yurika realizes. That's because Sheryl - Is An Idol! The captain swallows tight. Is this the path? Is this what she needs to consider? To be more of a superstar whose passion is heard in her voice?

        "...S-say. ...Could I- Learn how to sing a bit better from you? Maybe even perform some? I think. I think that's why I've had such a hard time talking to you until now! Because...because...I wanted to be more like you! But being kind of a fan of someone and trying to talk to them and get up in their face about how they do what they do has always...it's sort of a tacky move, isn't it? I suddenly get it!"

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        The way that Yurika bolts upright, states she must be captain without any hesitation at all, brings a smile to Sheryl's lips. Seeing that, she's sure Yurika will make it through whatever she's going through right now.
        
        But it is more serious than just a crisis of passion. Listening to her, Sheryl realizes that it's a problem of the scale of what Yurika needs to do. She's gone from a ship captain of one ship in however many ships the Federation has, to a ship captain of a tiny resistance organization that's basically up against the world order. When she thinks of it like that, no wonder Yurika's freaking out.
        
        ...Or that's what Sheryl's assuming up until Yurika starts saying people look up to her. Sheryl blinks, lowering her water bottle, as Yurika pauses... and then asks her question.
        
        "..." So that was it. Yurika was looking at her as 'Sheryl Nome' this whole time. That's not a bad thing, because she is Sheryl Nome, but it changes how she looks at this conversation.
        
        "It is a tacky move," she agrees. "But first things first: let's hear you sing."
        
        That's right: right here, right now. Sheryl watches her expectantly. 

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        The one-two punch! Yurika's back droops, defeated (slightly) by her reservations. Maybe is someone else told her it was tacky, Yurika would petulantly move to the beat of her own drum. But from Sheryl it sounds like objective truth from an arbiter who knows better than anyone else!

        And then her back stiffens up at the insistence on singing! Just like that! "Eh!? Wait?! Huh?" Those aren't lyrics, Yurika. (well they are but that's beside the point) Her brain's at war with itself, fingers curling into a handle on one of the coolers. She can't possibly - what would Yurika even sing? But - at the same time, Sheryl's pretty clear and unarguable! Let's hear her sing. What!? What would even befit her, what song from so many songs could it be, and how should she prepa-

        "Zutto sagashiteta konna emotion..."
        -I've been looking for so long for a emotion like this-

        "Kimi ga fui ni mune no tobira akete kureta kara-!"
        -Since you suddenly opened the door of my heart-

        The decision was so impulsive that Yurika's first few lines are too forceful. She hasn't breathed enough, but she's forced to now, the very loud inhale throwing her just a beat off the rhythm. The starting is the hardest part - eyes closed as she stands more upright, swaying from side to side...

        "Donna houseki mo iro aseru hodo..."
        -I could color in any jewel-

        "Pure nakimochi nemutteita no ne."
        -With dormant feelings this pure-

        Yurika's getting into the rhythm of it, but it's an easy-going enough song at this early stage. The lead-in to the chorus picks up a little more, and forces a little more passion out of her - conscious of her own stature in front of Sheryl, she's measuring herself too much, though, and something that could've been explosive is tempered too much.

        "Yume o oikaketara egao to namida no kazu,"
        -I know that if chase that dream, smiles and tears-

        "Dandan fuete yuku koto shitteiru kedoooooo-!"
        -Will grow in number, but even still...-

        At the urge to make this not so 'stiff' a performance, Yurika tries to do a little spin, made a little ungainly atop her towel, with the good old 'one hand on her heart, the other outstretched' gesture, and readies herself for the slightly faster chorus to come...!

        "Doki ni ha motto watashi rashiku kaze o kanji tai,"
        -Sometimes I want to feel the wind more like I used to-

        "Taiyou mo squall mo minna uku tomeru kara."
        -And holding everything, from the sun to the squall

        "Ashita ha motto watashi rashiku aruki hajime tai,"
        -Tomorrow I would like to start walking more like I used to-

        "Sare demo nai "watashi" no mirai ooooooo, mitsuketakuteeeeeee~"
        -Looking nobody else's but "my" future.-

        After holding that last note a LITTLE too long, Yurika's breathless and beet red at belting that out so passionately, sputtering right then and there, presuming that one verse and one chorus is 'enough' to demonstrate. "...T...that's just...the first...song that sprung to mind...it's an...old little song they played a lot on Martian radio. Huuuu..." She's using a cooler for support again, a bead of sweat down her cheek. An awkward performance, but passionate enough...! 

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        Certainly Sheryl knows better than most, and in this case, she's agreeing with something Yurika already said. But she's setting that aside for the moment. The first thing for a singer to do, any singer, is sing--and Sheryl already told Yurika that she won't get anywhere by fretting, that she needs to act. When Yurika does act by breaking into a song as requested/demanded, Sheryl listens closely, watching her, making note of the little details. And at the end...
        
        "Your breathing was irregular; you need to moderate it all throughout your performance if you want to last. It took you a long time to get into your stride, which made your singing lackluster for the first several verses. Finally, you held that last note too long," Sheryl states, matter-of-fact. Then she smiles. "...But it was definitely full of your passion. Even though you were put on the spot, you broke into song right away, and you did your best not just to sing but to perform. You've got a long way to go, but I'd say you have potential."
        
        An old song from Mars... It was a nice little ditty. Sheryl will have to look it up later. For now, her smile fades in favor of a more serious, business-professional look. "All that said... You were saying that your dream is to have people all over the galaxy look up to you, but do you really need to be a singer to do that? The entertainment business is rough, and you're already serious about being a captain. Your job isn't just to inspire, it's to lead. You have to come up with strategies and tell people what to do the middle of battle. Even Lynn Minmay, the legendary songstress, stood on her stage following orders, not giving them out.
        
        "Do you really think anything I could teach you would be useful for being a captain?"

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        The nervousness, relief from nerves, and singing too loud has Yurika recovering her breath for a little too long. Toppling back against the seat Ruri was sitting on (it's a little small for her...) Yurika can't help but laugh slightly at the same time as feeling a pit in her stomach. Why was that so strangely embarrassing?

        "I...I think...everyone has useful insight that you can...apply to your own life...if you think about it a little." Yurika finally speaks up, Water Bottle #3 being sipped upon with the faintest bit of misty splashing, briefly surrounding Yurika with little rainbows. "Someone who's seen as much as you, who's done so many extraordinary things an overcome as many trials as you have - of course you have a lot to teach me."

        Turning onto her side, Yurika bundles the collar of her jacket upwards over her lips. "...that's why I went to Nergal, even when it was riskier. I could've lived my whole life not questioning anything. A lot was handed to me, really. Sure...I did...when Mars was put through the wringer by the Jovian Lizards, I felt...really upset about that. But...I was long gone by then. I had new friends from where I lived up in Neo-Japan, and even though a lot of crazy stuff happened a few years back, I was always high on the priority list for safe and comfy evacuation. I didn't have to learn anything at all to just sit around in Federation chains of command, signing off operations I didn't understand and making commands that wouldn't affect me at all."

        ...the broadening grimace on Yurika's face says it all. "What kind of heroine settles for that, though?! Honestly! Before I saw the miracle that was the Love Love Tenyoken I was...I just had this constant knot in my stomach about the way my future was going! I've learned so much from Ruri's technical stuff I don't understand, from Megumi's own entertainment industry insights, from Howmei and Akito's cooking alike, from Mr. Prospector's agonizing about finances. I wouldn't have any of that if I'd just stayed in the system as a total yes-man surrounded by people who kept their competencies to themselves!"

        "...For example...everything you just told me about my singing...I know I have to give speeches a lot, and I can already think of ways you've helped me there!"

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        Sheryl smiles as Yurika delves into her thought process--not just in how Sheryl can help her, but in how the rest of her crew is helping her, all the time, into being a competent woman and not just someone who can rest on their laurels, totally separate from the people she commands.
        
        "If you know all that about yourself already, I think you're doing a fine job of keeping up with the times. You know that being a professional means knowing you can't do everything on your own--that you need other professionals to help support you," she replies. "I'll tell you the truth, Yurika: I don't get the impression you're interested in singing and dancing. I do get the impression that you're interested in being the best captain you can be. So you don't need to be like me. You need to be like you--just with a little help along the way from the professionals around you so you can develop into the best 'you' you can be."
        
        She winks, smile growing. "And when it comes to public appearances, what better professional is there around than me~? You're right that it's more about just being a pretty face, so your insight's in tune, too. We'll have to have you talk to Grace to get everything ironed out, but you've convinced me you're worth helping." She offers her hand to Yurika. "And that all came from you."

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        Rolling over yet again to settle her face in both hands, Yurika's gaze is wide enough to look more like she's peering past people. Onto a star only she can barely see - a star that lies in every person she meets.

        "...See, there's something just so...nnn. Like, your songs and performances are super romantic, but now I don't know if you're just naturally meant to be up on stage, like the blood for it just swims through you, or if maybe me asking a lot about that line of thought flipped the performer switch or something. But everything you say is just...it sends this crazy feeling down my spine. Really!"

        In the boundary of sand between the laid down towels and the coolers, Yurika's finger trails a few swirly shapes that resemble the blooming of a flower-vine, pressing a little deeper into the grains than usual, digging into the stiff layer of compacted and wetter sand beneath, with the gentle scratching sounds of friction faintly audible over the distant crashing waves.

        "...I wonder what it means to be like me. I guess that song came to mind because it's...about that! The me who dreams of so much, the me who daydreams of victory and romance and fantasy...is it the same me as the one who wants to make it true? ...ghghh, that's what's toughest about knowing an idol! Sometimes your songs make me ask the kind of questions that I don't even know the meaning of! How am I possibly supposed to answer it when something like that pops in my head!"

        A long, dejected little sigh nearly visibly puffs from Yurika's mouth. The very =3- shaped gust of wind. "...but. One thing I'm glad for. Is...I...don't think I'm nearly as scared of talking to you as I previously was! ...still a little bit scared. But less!~"

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        If there's anything Sheryl can't get enough of, it's the effusive and genuine praise of a fan of hers. With a rich little 'ufu~', she flips her strawberry blonde tresses over one shoulder. "I can't deny that the stage is where I shine best!" She might have started singing as a way to pay back Grace's generosity and earn her own way, but she's come to genuinely love it and the feeling being on stage gives her. In other words, she used to sing to live; now she lives to sing. "But it's not just natural talent. You see this earring?" With the back of her hand, she lifts up her hair and turns her chin to give Yurika a good look at her iconic drop earring. Now, too, it sways gently, the light shining off the violet crystal that hangs at its heart. "Beautiful, isn't it? But it had to be cut and polished to shine like that. Nothing in nature comes already like that."
        
        She lowers her hand and leans over to get a good at Yurika's sand-doodles. It's pretty. Sheryl wonders if there's any meaning to it. She rests her arms on her knees. "It was a pretty song. What's it called?" she wonders. A giggle soon follows, though. "I'm happy my songs mean that much to you! They mean a lot to me, too. I might make it look effortless, but trust me, I'm always pouring my heart and soul into being the Galactic Fairy!"
        
        Everyone calls her a Fairy, after all. She has to live up to that.
        
        Her smile softens a bit. "I'm glad for that too. I've got millions of fans all around. If we're going to be working together, I'd rather be able to call you..." Hm. Maybe 'friend' would be overdoing it. "...a respectable colleague." She winks, tapping a finger to her graceful jawline. "After all, you're the captain of the ship that the Sheryl Nome relies on! You can take pride in that, Yurika!"

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        "...You're right. You're right! I'll take pride in that much. We're trusted to keep a VIP like you safe and we've done an amazing job to that end!" There. There!! That's fired Yurika right back up, not that she ever needs that much help to break free from one of those weird oscillating funks. Some might even describe her as mildly manic-depressive?! (She only lets herself be sad for five minutes.

        Bolting upright to her feet, Yurika makes her bold decision - pointing towards the distant, difficult to see mission marking point of the island's Chulip that they came to investigate - a tiny long-lasting flare deposited earlier to mark it for any land operatives. "Alright! You've helped me make sure I know to keep acting boldly! I'm definitely gonna do it! I'm gonna do my best to protect everyone here, and that starts with getting a sneak peek at the enemy encampment! Sure, the Nadesico has lots of radar equipment, but it can't hurt to get a glimpse with your own eyes!"

        yes to keep Sheryl safe Yurika is going to leave her behind to see a massive mobile weapon unprotected this is a great idea.

        ---and she's marching off to do so rather fast!!! Someone might want to stop her, but as a counterpoint - isn't she cute when she gets serious and determined like this! There's a twist in her back and a merry wave behind her at Sheryl, with a loudly-voiced "Thanks for the chat, byeeeeee!~" before she runs off-

        ---to where she inevitably gets hopelessly lost, as per the end of what this is an interlude of!

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