2024-05-21: Express Line from the Crevasse to the Northern Cross
- Cast: Muginami, Sheryl Nome, Emalya Zamana
- Where: Frontier Fleet
- Date: U.C. 0099 05 21
- Summary: Two renegades and an idol share stories of homes both faraway, closeby, and right next to each other.
<Pose Tracker> Muginami has posed.
As soon as Neo-Britannia finished its docking procedure with the Orbital Ring, Prince Villagiulio made no bones to the rest of the Yaman Rebellion that it may be best to find new hideouts throughout the Earth Sphere, rather than staying cooped up in enemy territory waiting for a chance to strike back. Especially upon learning that the Zuvorg Alliance and the mysterious man with the claw had already made haste cutting deals with Earth's authorities...what were a handful of ships and their fleet of Heavy Metals going to do beneath a growing enemy's noses?
And so, before the planned attack on Kamogawa, a target for a safer outpost was apparent. The Macross Frontier, an independent enough fleet for Villagiulio to decide might make a potential ally. Armed with the perfect disguise of ordinary tourists (garish sunglasses and flower-necklaces), Villagiulio and Muginami emerged into the central shopping streets of Island-1.
"I've never seen clothes anything like this, big bro!" Muginami's eyes are wide and mouth agape, covering a sugary little gasp passing just about every store along the way. "And those little pastries...do you think they're sweet or savory? It's hard to tell! ...Are those communication devices in that store? But they all look so...trendy! A place like this is really all inside one giant spaceship...?"
Villagiulio's got a broad smirk on his face, though he's not quite paying as much attention to the stores. No...his eyes are firmly narrowed and fixed on the military facility way off in the distance on a hill. "It sure is. For as beautiful a planet as this Earth place is, they sure did build some pretty swanky means to get the hell away from it! Hahahah! ...And on that note, Muginami. ...I got something important I gotta do here. Sorry I couldn't give ya more spending money. Let's see...meet up back at our ship in twelve hours, how's that sound?"
Bounding forward to give her big brother a hug, Muginami sends him off with a merry salute, and a confident little "Roger that!", and starts window shopping her heart out, while Villagiulio makes the long trek towards finding out who runs this place...
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
There's quite a few delightful shopping centers in the Frontier, not least because it's designed after the Earth city of San Francisco and thus has all its charm without the looming shadow of being a Britannian metropolis. There's trolleys shuttling down cobblestone streets, all manner of trendy clothes and treats, and even a store with a stiletto leg coming out of it.
There's one cafe in particular that Sheryl likes to frequent, and she's there now enjoying a hot tea with honey and a fancy salad with a side croissant. Seeing Ruri yesterday did a lot to brighten her mood, but Sheryl is someone who can't stay cooped up for long, and so--even though Grace is still busy with Ranka, to say nothing of Brera--she decided to go out for lunch.
Even so, she's still feeling a bit restless. Picking at her salad, she finds herself staring out the storefront window. (She doesn't tend to sit near it to avoid getting spotted and mobbed, but she does like the view.) As she watches the trolleys go by, she spots a couple of tourists passing in front of the storefront window. She smiles a bit to see the girl give the guy a big hug. It's very cute.
A little strange, though. She's sure she doesn't know either of them, but that guy looks a little familiar somehow. Somewhere in the shape of his face. It reminds her a little bit of...
...
A minute after Villagiulio's walked off and Muginami's started window-shopping, it strikes Sheryl. He looks a little like Yurikano--and didn't she have a missing brother? There's no way it could be him (how would he even have made it here, and why?), but Sheryl jumps to her feet and rushes out the cafe anyway. She's wearing heels as usual, which go with her pink babydoll dress, tights, dark shades, and broad-brimmed sunhat, but that in no way slows her down. The bell jangles as she shoves the door open.
"Wait!" she shouts--but Villagiulio's already gone.
But Muginami's still right there. And while she might have sunglasses of her own on, Sheryl's also right there.
<Pose Tracker> Emalya Zamana has posed.
Emalya Zamana has some business to attend for the Rebellion. But that's not what's important right now! What's important right now is that she just dropped in on her son and her daughter-in-law to say she's back!
...Now she can think about safehouses and such. But she also has some shopping to do, she needs to get some presents, and... Generally, not act like a fugitive at all, despite the fact that she operates a pirate ship. it's fine.
She is walking, and turns a corner, before her eyes widen in surprise and pleasure to see--
"Miss Nome!"
Emalya's Meltrandi diction is fairly distinctive, though less so here. Emalya starts to walk up cheerfully and then goes, "Hm? Is something the--"
"Oh! My new friend, Muginami!"
She is in a nice green dress that goes with her blue skin and hair very nicely, an off-the-shoulder number with boots.
She is smiling, of course.
<Pose Tracker> Muginami has posed.
Craning her neck over her shoulder at the sudden exclamation, Muginami catches sight of Sheryl calling out in the direction Villagiulio went, while her hand is occupied petting an alley cat. He's as tall and lanky as they come, so it's just about impossible to catch up to his gait.
Her eyes hone in - there's a lot Muginami doesn't know about her adopted older brother, and about other members of Kiss. But would he really stroll right past another operative if he was doing something important? There is something familiar about this woman...
The more recently familiar voice of Emalya makes Muginami stand up, and the leeriness in her eyes washes away in favor that cozy, cushy smile. "Ah! You said you were meeting with family you had here, Miss Emalya, right? I'm so happy you could finally meet back with them. I don't know what I'd do if I were countless stars apart from the ones I love, but I'm not gonna be parting ways from my big brother any time soon!"
"Miss Nome, you said...?" A finger at her lips, Muginami innocently ponders for several seconds longer than it takes to put two and two together. "...No way, it can't be, you're-!" The volume in Muginami's voice escalates juuust enough to threaten blurting it out way too openly - before, with a little shushing gesture, she leans juuuust a little closer to Sheryl, whispering: "...Ahaha, I bet you get this a lot, but your music helped me through a lot of hard times. It's good to meet you! My name's Muginami!"
...Why would Sheryl Nome, of all people, be calling out to Villagiulio...? Muginami keeps that question closely guarded for now. Recent acquaintances come up with excuses for possible sensitive questions too easily, and once they've given you a story, they don't like changing it even once you know them better. Just one of her many lessons!
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Sheryl might not have been able to catch Villaguilio--and even if she had, she'd have to both introduce herself and confirm it was him, since she's never met him and doesn't know what he looks like--but she does burst out just in time for Emalya to appear. Sheryl blinks rapidly when she hears that accented voice--one that she hasn't heard in ages, but that nonetheless recognizes her right away. And the girl she greets next is a 'new friend'--who also just called that man who just left her brother--?
For now, though, she smiles at the person she definitely does know she knows. "Emalya! You're okay!" She looks over at Muginami, who likewise recognizes her, but is a bit more circumspect about it. Her smile grows at her whisper, though, and she lowers her shades to look Muginami in the eye. "I do get that a lot," she whispers back, but that wink makes it clear that hearing it one more time is hardly a bad thing. "It's always good meeting a fan. <3"
She looks back and forth between the two, thinking. The street isn't too crowded at the moment, but there's definitely people looking around at the sound of her name. "And you two know each other too, huh? What a coincidence! But this is no place for a conversation. Come on, join me inside!" She winks again and adds, "My treat~!"
Once they're inside the cafe at her table, Sheryl gestures at a nearby chalkboard describing today's menu, and a glass case displaying all sorts of baked treats. "Everything good's here! Don't be shy, pick whatever you like." She takes off her shades and sets them next to her purse, which lies next to her on her side of the table. "So I'm sure you have one hell of a story to share, Emalya, and I want to hear every detail--but real quick--Muginami, you said?"
She looks over at the other blonde. Getting a better look at her now, it occurs to her that they themselves look a lot alike. Similar hair color, curls, and length--different eye colors, but a very similar body type. Sheryl's smile grows, but that's separate from the matter she wants to ask her about, and so she leans forward a little. "That man you were with just now--did you say he was your brother?"
<Pose Tracker> Emalya Zamana has posed.
"That is right! My son and his wife!" Emalya confirms for Muginami. "...it was difficult, but it is important for an adult to learn to, what is the phrase, spread his fins? Yes, that one."
She smiles at Sheryl. "I am! I have metal in my leg now! It is like the cybernetics of my predecessors almost, except that it is not actually cybernetics."
She joins HSeryl (and Muginami) inside! "Thank you!" Emalya says, and chooses a chocolate pastry. She likes those!
"I shall share," Emalya confirms for Sheryl--but first...
She looks expectantly at Muginami. It's a fair question!
She doesn't answer about her journey just yet; instead she spends that time looking around the cafe for a moment!
<Pose Tracker> Muginami has posed.
Muginami flaps her sleeve in front of her face, modestly laughing, "I'm not that big a fan, not compared to a lot of people I've met, tehehe~" She recognizes the purpose of pulling away from public plenty easily though, and strolls with swaying arms into the cafe.
Muginami takes her sweet time gazing over every possible selection of sweets on display, nose just about pressed up to the glass - and she isn't really paying attention to any of them. After all, she has to figure out how to respond to Emalya-
And hide the bitterness in her breath.
"Moms really are amazing, venturing so many lightyears back home and refusing to stop until you see them again! How did it go? Did you bring them anywhere nice to eat? Did you share a souvenir from your voyage with them? I bet all three of you couldn't help but cry a little bit when you came back together!"
Straightening her back hides the deep breath Muginami has to take there.
"Hiii, yes, could I get the large Galactic Latte, one of these montblancs, and an apple tart? Thank you!~" Her volume's just a little high there, and now, she gets to show her bounty enthusiastically to Sheryl and Emalya! They're just the three first items on the menu her eye happened to actually fall on.
Chair dragging against the floor a little too loud, Muginami takes her seat, pie to her lips, taking one little bite before answering Sheryl's question. A swallow later, and then...
"Hmm? Why do you ask, is he someone you know?" There's a swaying of her fluffy hair, as Muginami's head tips to the side like a cat at Sheryl's inquiry. Naught but dreamy innocence in her eyes.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Sheryl stifles a giggle at Emalya's 'spread his fins.' All told, though, not very well. So cute!
...but that cuteness is distorted when Muginami is Super Normal about Emalya meeting with her children. Sheryl doesn't necessarily clock the bitterness she feels--Muginami is, after all, doing her best to hide that--but there's something about the way she says it, and the way that she makes a little unnecessary noise afterwards, that makes her feel a little melancholy in a way that Emalya talking about her own children didn't.
I bet all three of you couldn't help but cry a little bit when you came back together!
Sheryl looks away and brushes her hair back a bit. In her case, she's never going to be 'the three of them' again. Not when it comes to her parents, anyway. And Grace has been there for her for the longest time, but... it feels like she's been pulling away from her too lately. Not even just with this recent manager thing.
She shakes her head to shake off those feelings, and reasserts a smile of her own for Muginami and Emalya as they put in their orders. "That wildcat really did a number on you, huh? Not as bad as you did on them, though! I'm glad they took care of you over on Ragna." Her smile fades a bit. "...Honestly, you might have lucked out, getting injured when you did."
She looks back at Muginami, twirling her salad fork a bit. Maybe she's not one of her top fans, but a) that would be pretty difficult given how many fans she has, so b) she appreciates the honesty.
"No... probably not. I just thought he might be..." She breaks into a small laugh. "Not even a friend, just the brother of a friend, and someone I haven't even met! But if he's your brother, then I must've just imagined it." She waves a nonchalant hand. "Never mind, then."
(Sheryl, people can have more than one sibling!! They don't even have to be blood-related!!)
"So--now it's your turn, Emalya," she continues, looking over at her. "How did you get back here from Ragna?" A curious glance back at Muginami. "And how d'you two know each other?"
While Emalya gets into her story, Sheryl will finish up her salad and croissant, then nurse her tea.
<Pose Tracker> Emalya Zamana has posed.
Fins! Emalya notices Sheryl's humor and laughs a little too. She must've gotten it wrong. But that's fine. Emalya doesn't appear to notice Muginami's bitterness, at least. Instead--
"I made them something!" Emalya answers, please to discuss it. "Kazsim did not. But Medzra did! They were both very worried!"
"...I am very lucky," she says seriously. "To have my family."
Maybe she noticed some of the feelings here after all?
But then she grins. "Yes! Also the cliff, of course." Of the wildcat. "They did! And... that is also what I hear," Emalya admits. "It seems that the mission went... badly, in many ways. Part of me wishes that I could have helped! But I try noot to dwell on 'what if'."
But between the two--hmm. Famliar... This, Emalya is not so sure about.
But it is apparently her turn, so--
"Well, with the understanding that Earth's ships would not be returning for some time, I took to travel! IIt was April of last year when I was ready to go. I saw many planets and people, and eventually took a job as a cook! But--"
She leans in, to whisper, "It turns out that I was a pirate cook!"
She smiles. "It was very fun to travel. They saw to a dark empire's military ships, you see. Eventually though, in a game with the Captain, I won the ship!"
"I also won much time with the Captain, ha ha."
"...We met after that, through some mutual friends." She nods to Muginami. She considers; someone might not expect it, but she does have a concept of opsec, unlike many people.
She doesn't share her mission just yet. Instead, "I am glad to be home, if nothing else."
<Pose Tracker> Muginami has posed.
By just a centimeter, tension loosens in Muginami's shoulders at Emalya's tact not to give away their purpose here exactly. Fingers prodding together both in thought and in a cutesy gesture, Muginami is willing to add, "We grouped up before coming to Earth, but we were too busy to really meet properly ourselves until we'd gotten here. Miss Emalya here's probably the type to get along pretty easily as well with my..."
The trailing off turns into a smile, as finally Muginami can decide to safely say, "Villagiulio's more like my adopted brother. We met several years ago, on a dark and cold planet called U-Go...the trash can of the galaxy, we should call it. Barely any food grew there for everyone stuck on its cloudy surface. He was close to starving to death...but I'd keep bringing him what little food I could get my hands on. It was...hard."
The way Muginami's smile soften at the corners, eyelids drooping in obvious wistfulness...there's a pang of something intentional backing her voice. "One day, he told me about his former home. A beautiful world called De Metrio. Not as blue as Earth is, but a wonderful place he had so many pictures of. ...Unfortunately, war for reasons I couldn't quite understand at that age threatened to ruin it all, and we've become forced to flee all the way here." Carefully dancing around everything she does and doesn't quite know about Le Garite's purpose in conquest of her brother's home...
"All the while, of course, your songs gave me lots of hope, Sheryl! When I got the communicators that could show pictures, I even learned a lot of my favorites had such wonderful visuals backing them! I think my favorite was always Diamond Crevasse, even if it's a rather sad song...sometimes, that's what touches you the hardest, isn't it?"
There's a gaze off to the side, a little bit bashfully, followed by Muginami taking the montblanc against her lips in one quick bite. Some part of her is stuck on a difficult feeling in her stomach, on just what Sheryl means by the way Villagiulio looks like someone she knows...
But it'd be too much if she had that answered, Muginami decides. It'd feel too cold to think that all this time, she was just - filling a gap left behind.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Whether Emalya says what she says because she noticed those feelings or not... it's nice to know she appreciates what she has. Sheryl was something of a spoiled brat for a while after she debuted, but that's because she knows well what it's like to lose it all.
"It did," Sheryl says, tension pinching the corners of her eyes. "It's not really good mealtime conversation, though. I'm guessing you know enough." And if she doesn't--they can talk about that privately, later.
She sips her tea as Emalya describes her journeys. Her blue eyes brighten at the mention of becoming a pirate cook, and she leans in with a mischievous grin. "Oooh, really? Sounds exciting!" she whispers back. That grin fades at the mention of a 'dark empire,' though. "Really? What empire do you mean?"
Surely she doesn't mean the Zuvorg Alliance. Things were a little touch and go at first, but they all turned out to be good people in the end. ...The people Sheryl personally knew were good people in the end. ......she assumes.
"I'm glad you made it home, Emalya," she says aloud. "God knows the Federation wasn't going to send another fleet--not least because the Federation fell apart. You were right to make your own way back."
She looks over at Muginami as she offers an addendum to Emalya's story. "So you two hopped aboard her brand new ship, then? Lucky for all of you! Travel really is a lot of fun."
But it turns out it's deeper than that, when Muginami explains more about her relationship with Villaguilio. Sheryl falls silent as she listens, melancholy shading her fades. She isn't sure at first--it's been such a long time since Yurikano told her about him that she's not sure she remembers the name right. The fact that his home planet is De Metrio, though--Sheryl sucks in a sharp breath as her eyes widen. She schools her reaction into a small frown right after, but... He must be Yurikano's brother after all.
She doesn't interject, though. Instead, she purses her lips a bit and nods Muginami on. When she talks about how her songs, her expression softens. "Hmmm... I'm guessing that means you saw the music video for Diamond Crevasse, then? Given what you just told me, it's no wonder it touched you." She bows her head a bit, fold crystal earring swaying from her right earlobe. "After all, it's based on my own past." She looks up, gaze now steelly and locked on Muginami even as she looks away. "That little girl was me."
For a few heavy seconds, Sheryl lets that statement hang. Then she chuckles as her eyelashes flutter shut. "...So I'm happy for you and your 'big brother' that you both got away from U-Go. Getting a second chance means everything, doesn't it?"
<Pose Tracker> Emalya Zamana has posed.
Emalya knows well what she has--because of having to build it from no 'culture' at all, an because of what she's lost. But she will not press on the mission for now. instead, "I do." She knows enough. Bu then she smiles.
"It was very exciting! I could tell you many stories about the romances of the ship, as well! I did not get overly involved in the battles for the most part, though. For the most part."
A dark empire... "...Perhaps I spoke overly hastily. I do not wish to trouble you with the grievances of pirates and rebels unless you tell me you are sure you wish to know. While the stories are fun, the darkness behind them is not best for meal conversation either."
She smiles then instead. "I am also glad. It is strange to me, but then, i have lived under many governments, so perhaps this one will not be very different."
It's not quite cynicism, except where it sort of is.
War...
Emalya nods to Muginami's story. "There are many beautiful worlds in the galaxy. I hope that you can return to your home one day."
She smiles about the songs. "...It is Northern Cross that touched my heart the most," she admits. "It reminded me of the strong feelings I still have for Kadoran..." She pauses, "That was my husband's name. And 'Zamana' of course. I know it is a tradition for some Earth women to change their names when they marry, and I did so as well."
"But I have enjoyed many!" Of her songs, that is.
"...Yes," she agrees. "A 'second chance' is vitally important."
<Pose Tracker> Muginami has posed.
A sip of her latte and the glowing talk of second chances quickly serves to bring Muginami right back to her usual fluffy sunniness. The way her eyes are closed - just a little bit of teariness makes them glisten, but the broad grin tells it all. "Yeah...it means absolutely everything. I...I think what I want most is to make sure everyone gets to have it some day! That anyone can leave behind whatever past they want and start somewhere new! Maybe it's why, even this far from home..."
Muginami repeatedly plays with the straw in her drink, glancing out the cafe window to the busy streets of Island-1 - the glimpse of its artificial sky peeking above the buildings next door. "I'm not sad about being that far away. No - there's already lots of wonderful people, so what I want is to connect the worlds we love together. Isn't that what these Macross fleets are all about, Sheryl? The people of Earth looking for new horizons, and sharing the feelings they found on the other end?"
Though she doesn't have her personal device on her at the moment (more opsec!), Muginami does her best to recall the exact video of Diamond Crevasse, pressing fingers to her temple in a showy "I'm thinking!" gesture. "Ah right, I remember now. Diamond Crevasse's story is kind of...about that. Maybe not in the physical sense of wanting to go real far away, but emotionally...that's gotta be tough. And you're probably the #1 idol in the galaxy for conquering it! So if you can do it, I know I can!"
A confident little fistpump, and a clap of her hands precedes Muginami locking eyes with Emalya. "Though we haven't known each other for long, it's something kinda similar for you too, right? As long as the vastness of the cosmos is easy to cross, it feels kinda like nothing is impossible. Me and my big bro stick together to make sure people don't have that future robbed from them! To think, empires that built their strength on traveling across the stars get so stingy offering that freedom to others..."
Muginami's cheeks puff up, and she blurts out, "Down with them all for that!" before chugging her latte the same way a merry band of thieves would gulp down a frothy mug of ale.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Initially, Sheryl leans in towards Emalya, a sparkle in her eyes. "Ooh, do tell!" she says of the romances of the ship--but then Emalya walks it back, saying that there's a darkness in those stories that aren't good meal conversation. Sheryl pauses at this; then she leans back, nonchalant. She's already finished her meal, but still... "I'm still curious--but we can leave it for another day."
She smiles at Muginami's enthusiasm--about the future, about distance from the bad and connections to the good. Her view of the Macross fleets might be naive, given what Galaxy was like... but even then, it was still home for Sheryl. "That's the ideal!" she thus says. She follows up with a scoffing, playful laugh and splays a hand on her chest. "I'm definitely the #1 idol in the galaxy! They don't call me the Galactic Fairy for nothing!" She winks. "So feel free to let me inspire you more and more! <3 ...Just kidding~!"
Emalya weighs in on her own favorite Sheryl Nome song. "Oh, good taste! I'm especially proud of the job I did on Northern Cross," she says, now winking at her. "Though Diamond Crevasse will always have a special place in my heart."
But Muginami weighs in on empires that expand across the stars refusing freedom to others--and it occurs to Sheryl that maybe this 'dark empire' is the Zuvorg Alliance. After all, there were tensions between De Metrio and Le Garite from the start. Gallia IV's destruction couldn't have done anything to help with that... But Sheryl is no politician at the best of times, and there's clearly a lot here she doesn't know about. In which case, there's a clear solution here.
"Aren't you the firecracker!" she teases Muginami--but there's a serious edge there. "Maybe you two should tell me more about this after a--"
It comes all of a sudden. It'd been a little while since her last fit, but not that long--only a couple weeks ago. Sheryl feels it coming on and so claps a hand over her mouth just in time for her to break into a vicious, relentless bout of coughing. Her shoulders spasm and tears bead at the corners of her mouth. This goes on for several seconds as she fumbles for her purse. She manages to pull out a small medicine box, and barely manages to pull a pill out of it without scattering them every which way. She hates taking medicine, and she hates this medicine in particular for how it makes her feel afterwards... but she takes a dose of Witchcraft anyway, as Grace has prescribed her for so long, and chases it with a mouthful of honeyed tea delivered by a shaking hand.
<Pose Tracker> Emalya Zamana has posed.
"Yes," Emalya says. "I would be happy to discuss the good and bad another day. For instance, i can tell you that the previous Captain is very sexy!" She winks, and then laughs at herself. "But yes, that is best."
The Galactic Fairy... it's a good name. Emalya believes it. But what Muginami says next... hmm. Their feelings, and what they shared... "Yes. After the humans made friends of my people," Emalya says, "They wished to explore the stars, in hopes of making more friends still. It is a beautiful story."
Emalya looks to Muginami, and meets her eyes. "Yes," she says. "I agree. We can chase anything! I believe in that." She smiles, at 'down with that'. But then, she's used to a merry band of thieves...
"Thank you!" Emalya says. "...My first love of idols was of course Miss Minmay, but I am very happy to see your succeess as well. That humans can continue to produce such beautiful music... It makes me happy. I am grateful for your skill."
But while she would be willing to tell Sheryl more--
"Miss Nome," Emalya says quietly but seriously. Her levity has all but disappeared; she doesn't panic, remaining quite calm, but she is now Alert.
"Do you require assistance?" she asks. She is clearly not 'all right', but whether she welcomes concern or help remains to be seen.
She won't push beyond asking, but the concern in her expression is clear.
<Pose Tracker> Muginami has posed.
"Miss Emalyaaaaa, you're not seriously gonna share bawdy stories with Sheryl, are you?!" To that, Muginami can't help but blush and cover the lower half of her face - but it's to conceal a faint smile of intrigue that can't help but compel her...
"What are you doing puffing yourself up so obviously, Sheryyyyl...you halfway make it sound like there's some other shadowy #1 idol we have yet to meet!" And there, Muginami can't help but gaze at Sheryl in a new light - someone so much realer than Muginami had known just a few short hours ago.
"I've heard bits and pieces of the 'Zentradi War' and how it all went down with the people of Earth and your ancestors...this planet's something else, if it changed the Zentradi so much. I wonder just how many other hearts it could change...if the likes of Dizelmine or Posaydal's hearts would be soothed by that girl's song." A much dreamier look in Muginami's eyes, a sparkle of hope amidst those olive seas, as her straw slurps at the bottom of her drink. If only it were that easy...
She wanted to keep laughing and gasping with these two for just about the rest of her life so easily, but the moment Sheryl starts coughing so badly, a look of fear and horror crosses Muginami's expression. Her hands fly up to her face with a loud clap and muffle a discordant noise of distress - before it turns to a sort of determined anger. All of this, in the span of two seconds at most.
It's a miracle Muginami's chair doesn't fly backwards from how hard she pushes back, rushing closer to Sheryl's side to make sure the idol doesn't topple over and hurt herself. A bead of sweat pours down her temple, and when she sees Sheryl reaching into her purse, Muginami's hands offer to stabilize the bag in place. Sheryl clearly knows just what to do here...so this is a regular occurrence.
"...I can tell this isn't a first, Sheryl...I had no idea. ...I imagine you've...been working hard to make sure nobody did. ...h...hhh...I barely even know what to say, besides..."
A little tear-trail falls down Muginami's cheek.
It was always unfair to see people who had to keep fighting through illness...
...the endings were the worst.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
"You don't think I'm going to be scandalized by bawdy stories, do you? Me?" Sheryl tells Muginami with a laugh. She grins at Emalya. "Hearing this Captain of yours is sexy only makes me want to hear more~!" That smile grows into a smirk at Muginami. She leans in conspiratorially, raising a hand, and whispers, "Her name's Ranka Lee." Then she leans back and laughs again. "Just kidding, just kidding~!"
(Sometimes jokes reflect our own fears and prejudices.)
Minmay is of course the OG when it comes to world-changing idols. Sheryl doesn't fault Emalya for being a fan of her first. Sheryl does glance at Muginami when she mentions Dizelmine--the King of Le Garite and Lan's brother. So she does know... And given that Sheryl performed live on Gallia IV at the military academy, it's clear her own song wasn't enough. (Never mind that Dizelmine wasn't there. Sheryl's standards are sky-high, especially for herself.) But then she breaks into that coughing fit... and that derails the entire conversation.
Muginami gets up to steady her purse; Emalya looks at her with concern. After Sheryl takes that medicine, her coughing peters off, then stops entirely. Her energy's taken a significant hit, though, as she leans back in her chair, one hand pressed to her forehead. Only conscious effort keeps her from outright sagging. She's in front of fans, after all.
"Ugh... How embarrassing," she groans. "Thanks for offering, Emalya, but it's nothing, really--just a fit that comes and goes sometimes." She looks up in alarm as Muginami starts crying, and pushes herself to sit upright. "Don't get upset, Muginami! Seriously, it's not as bad as it looks. I'm fine, really!"
The cafe owner behind the register doesn't weigh in. This isn't the first time Sheryl's had a coughing fit in this very cafe, and this time was definitely worse. (And while the last outright coughing fit might've been a couple of weeks ago, Sheryl's certainly felt like garbage plenty of times between then and now--and going back quite a ways.)
Forcing a smile, she picks her teacup back up. Her hand is no longer shaking. She's Sheryl Nome; she's not going to disappoint her fans. After a long sip, which helps soothe her throat, she says brightly, "So never mind all that! Tell me all about what exciting sights you two are out to see now that you're here!"
It's absolutely a redirect, and a blatant one at that. But given what Emalya and Muginami are themselves holding back, are they really going to call Sheryl out?
<Pose Tracker> Emalya Zamana has posed.
"Ahaha!" Emalya smiles and laughs at the matter of bawdy stories. "Of course!" Shee seems delighted by Sheryl's reaction. That part, at least, will be easy to talk about. But shadowy other idols... hmmm. Emalya tilts her head.
"Oh, it was not my ancestors," Emalya informs Muginami. "I fought in that war myself! I am the ancestor now, ha ha ha."
Fear grips Muginami, but not so Emalya; she keeps her composure. She knows that a hardworking young woman will not wish to seem too vulnerable. Andd it turns out that she's right.
"You are welcome then! Should you ever require aid, I will be happy to help."
Embarrassing. Yes, that seems right.
Emalya will not call Sheryl out. Instead she smiles at Muginami. "You see? All is well. Now, let us think of these places we wish to see!"
"I suppose I am less concerned with seeing places myself--though there are many i have not yet seen!--and more interested in showing the sights of the Earth Sphere to Radan! He is my previous-Captain, you understand. In my conquest I have earned many privileges, ha ha."
She'll be happy to give Sheryl some time to recover. She can worry about 'work' later.
<Pose Tracker> Muginami has posed.
An awfully pensive worry knits Muginami's brows. People who keep driving onward despite suffering these ailments...
It's not easy for her to just accept like this. She's hovering at Sheryl's side for a fair bit longer than she should - hand gripping the back of Sheryl's chair a little tightly.
"It's...a little hard to just switch gears suddenly like that...but...mm..." Muginami sighs in defeat, then that marshmallowy smile of hers is put right back on. "I can't say I understand it~ I can't say why you sound like you're going to keep pushing onwards like this instead of taking care of yourself~ But, well!"
The world's most awkward laugh falls from Muginami's lips. "It seems like everyone I meet can't stop acting that way~"
Hands clasped at her heart, Muginami starts closing the distance back towards her chair, but pauses just before she's about to take a seat. "Miss Emalya...I plan to do the same. It's hard to know just how long we're going to stay here, and what we might have to do and endure while we do. But I think we should enjoy every last second of this planet while we can~ I know it's gonna sound a little hypocritical to say that, when I'm just about to..."
Pivoting on her heel, Muginami waves both her hands forwards, and sing-songs a little "Say farewell for the day, I'm afraid! It's lovely to have spent this time with you both! It was nice to have better understood a friend and source of admiration alike. ...It was so nice. I'll never forget it. But there's...a lot I have to do while I'm here!"
Slowly turning around and cheerily humming Diamond Crevasse to herself, Muginami carefully pushes open the door, just in time to catch a passing trolley that'll bring her further into the hills of Island 1.
It's running away. But Muginami told herself a long time ago that everyone had the right to run away the moment they wanted to.
...Even if it's running away from the painful way those two were exactly like the people she loved and the people she hated alike...
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
"...."
Emalya might choose to go along with Sheryl, but Muginami opts for violence by way of passive-aggression. Sheryl's play at cheer fades as she speaks, and her lashes dip when Muginami excuses herself.
She puts on another smile for Emalya, but it's stiffer than before. "Honestly... She makes it sound like I'm dying! Of course I'm taking care of myself. I have medication right here, don't I?"
A light, fragile laugh that closes with a sigh. She shuts the medicine box and tucks it back in her purse. "...It sounds like I struck a nerve with her without meaning to. When you see her next, could you tell her I'm sorry for worrying her?"
She gets to her feet, keeping a steady hand on the back of her chair. "And to show I mean it, I'm going to head back home and rest. Sorry to cut things short, Emalya. But it really is good to know you're okay. I'll keep you in mind if I ever do need help."
She gathers her things, shrugs a little, and gives her a faint smile. "Until next time." With that, she'll excuse herself. No need to resolve the bill just this second; she keeps a tab here. The owner knows she's good for it.