2024-09-29: We All Deserve To Look Fancy
- Log: 2024-09-29: We All Deserve To Look Fancy
- Cast: Emilia Eschonbach, Trem Firmal
- Where: Asticassia School of Technology, Orbital Ring
- OOC - IC Date: 29 September 0099
- Summary: Having forgotten to collect her things, Emilia finds herself returning to Asticassia to claim her items in storage. Despite hoping to avoid others, Emilia runs into Trem picking up a package. Trem awkwardly invites Emmy to talk about it, but after a short while Emmy finds an offramp- and distracts herself in helping Trem try on her old wardrobe- and Trem finds some things she likes in the Britannian fashion.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emilia's intention had been to avoid the ring for a longer period than this. Indeed, she had hoped to not have to return to Asticassia at any time at all.
And if she hadn't forgotten something very important, she probably would have. Unfortunately, between the tensions in NUNE and increasing heat on the Dawn of Fold, she might not get another chance to reclaim those precious memories any time soon.
This is why, around 11AM on a Sunday, Emilia has made her way back onto the campus of the rich and the famous. Her feelings towards the place have only worsened over time- so she chose a time that most students would have either left to take the day off, or have settled in for the day before lunch. And, ideally, a time when no one would be hitting the storage units on this particular front. It's a bit of a guess, admittedly.
So it is she is walking toward a particular storage unit, a keycard attached to a cheap brass key.
Maybe she had hoped something would change, Milly would have a change of heart. But... no. That bond was gone now.
You can't get back something that's gone extinct.
Emilia looks tired and warier than usual. Her previous dresses have given way to practical jeans, a light sweater and sneakers. Her long hair is tied into a ponytail. She just has to find a terminal to indentify the unit, find her things, and go. That's it. It should be easy.
So why is she dragging her feet?
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
Trem is in the storage facility for...
...entirely mundane reasons. She had a package arrive, and it was too large for her to carry; something sent her way from her uncle, who she only speaks with occasionally. Which is why she turns the corner; her pink hair bobs after her.
Then she stops in her tracks, and her silver eyes blink.
She didn't expect to encounter Emilia here. There is a momentary pause, before she looks towards the keycard -- then back to Emilia, herself.
"Emilia," Trem Firmal says, her voice quiet. And confused. "Hello. I didn't expect to see you here."
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
A familiar voice was, frankly, the last thing she expected.
And so, when she is greeted, Emilia seems stunned for a moment, before turning to face Trem. Her expression is hard to read, her body language muted and withdrawn. A far cry from the energetic if fed up girl who was on a student tour. She looks defeated and worn down.
She's silent for a good ten seconds before finally responding. "H-Hi Trem." She says, equally quiet if less confused. "...I w-wasn't intending to be here t-t-today."
She nervously rubs the keycard in her hand, not sure if she should say more, of if Trem is going to move one.
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
There is a moment of hesitation from Trem.
It isn't the usual sort of hesitation -- the way she stares off into space for a moment before she finds her words. Instead, Trem looks like she is uncertain -- and she looks Emilia over.
Her voice remains quiet, when she speaks. "I was... getting some mail that was delivered. It's large," she says, and then she falls quiet again.
She actually hesitates a moment more. Trem looks awkward -- which given her often gentle, somewhat placid look, says something.
"You... look like you've had a rough time."
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
"I s-see." Emilia responds. It's an easy enough explanation. But Emmy is ever sensitive to the little changes- especially the little changes in how others perceive her.
Trem doesn't have any reason to think Emmy's anything other than a weak spoiled rich kid. It stings but... better not to raise suspicions here. She doesn't need Leina hearing about her causing a scene and deciding she needs more caretaking... or a stronger watch.
"...Yeah." She settles on, rather than bothering to lie. "My... e-ex is a TA h-h-here." Emilia says, after another moment. "I. C-came to p-p-pick up my st-stuff. Th-that she had."
Emmy's kept it vague enough, right? ...it doesn't matter. If Milly gets found out from that, she can deal with some of the elite's prejudice for once in her damn life.
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
Trem is quiet for a second again, as Emilia explains. She wasn't, in truth, sure that Emilia would explain -- she certainly doesn't owe her an explanation. And, besides, people are sometimes difficult to figure out.
She looks at Emilia, and her expression becomes conflicted. Sympathetic, but -- but there's also more to it.
"I'm sorry," she says. "Your..." There's a beat. Something that almost approaches embarrassment. She considers a few words, and settles on:
"...Your ex-lover?"
Trem Firmal
Trem Firmal is a teenager, perhaps fifteen or sixteen. She has a slim build and is only about five feet, three inches in height. She is fair-skinned and has pale pink hair. She wears it pulled back into a ponytail, with no bangs, though two long locks of hair hang in front of each ear. She often looks like she is, mentally, somewhere else. Her pale silver eyes are usually staring into space.
Trem typically wears the Asticassia school uniform for girls, a two-toned dark green and black affair. In regular clothes, she prefers more androgynous clothes: white-and-blue shirts, with darker blue pants, which have a notably fancy and futuristic design.
She always looks like she is confused and not quite sure where she is going. She tends to squint a lot, and usually needs someone to talk to her twice before she hears them.
She is awake, but has been staring off into space for 3 minutes.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emilia frowns, slightly. "...Ex-g-g-girlfriend." Emilia says, flatly. Her left hand falls to her side... and tightens into a fist. Is it fear of Trem's response to the fact that she likes women? Or at least... that woman. Or is it something else.
Her eyes rise ever so slightly to meet Trem's, and there's something else there. Something... angry and vicious, underneath the exterior. Something hurt that is ready to scream out, to lash out.
To meet anger with anger and violence with violence.
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
"Oh--oh, yes," Trem says, with a blink of her eyes.
She considers for a moment longer. She has experience in a lot of things -- and she's had more explained to her. But this is something where her understanding is almost entirely theoretical.
But she knows anger. She has seen someone be angry and want to lash out before. It makes her hesitate -- and then it makes her fall quiet.
"...I'm sorry," she says. "It sounds--that sounds like it hurt. I..." She winces. She is failing at this.
"...Do you want to talk about it?" she asks. "Here, or... or somewhere else."
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
When Trem does not say anything confronting about it, Emilia relaxes her fist and her stance. She doesn't need to lean on her fight or flight today- or at least not right now. But the adrenaline is still there, her heart is pumping. "It d-d-did." Emilia says, a little harsher and sharper than she normally would. But it's there now. It still hurts- it's barely been two weeks, of course it does. But she had to bury it- her schoolmates might care, but she's trying not to let there be too many connections to her past. Her squadmates wouldn't care- hell, Peri would use it to aggravate her more. Mineva had to find out- and had been coddling her when she was around, and keeping a stronger eye on her. Leina had... been really good support, but she couldn't rely on her cousin's ex overmuch, right? It was weird and unfair. And the others in her circles...
She let out a held breath.
"Y-y-you still have to pick u-up your p-package, right?" Emmy says, giving the obviously uncomfortable Trem an out. "B-b-besides. D-d-doesn't Asticassia h-have ears everywhere? I-is there even s-s-somewhere we c-c-can talk privately?"
...Despite all those options she's given Trem to extricate herself... Emilia clearly does want to talk. It's awkward in it's own way.
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
Trem winces -- but she nods. Maybe she doesn't have experience, but she's seen enough things to know that a failed romance is painful. Literature, movies, television, they all cover it.
She still realizes she doesn't understand it.
She hesitates, though, at the question. "I do, but I can get that right quick..." She trails off for a moment, before she looks to the side.
"My room is reasonably private," Trem says. By which she means that she swept it for bugs; that would sound absurd, though. She looks back, and she smiles a touch awkwardly.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
"...I-if you're sure." Emmy says, quietly. "G-give me a s-s-second to, um. G-get my things, and I'll m-m-meet you back here? Or I g-guess I can follow you or y-you follow me or... s-something."
Plenty of time for Trem to change her mind last second, if she wants. Emmy won't push her too much. A room is a private place, after all.
Eventually, Emmy has her stuff- one large suitcase, and a securely packed postage crate. It's a lot for a trip- but very little for a whole life- and it practically was Emmy's whole life for the longest time. And indeed, the longest period of her life.
"L-lead the way," Emmy says, quietly. "...If y-y-you still want."
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
"Mm. I'll meet you back here," Trem says, with a nod. "And grab mine."
She doesn't take back her offer -- and indeed, after a moment, she is back. She has a large but flat box tucked underneath her arm; it looks like it might be a framed picture, perhaps.
She looks at the suitcase and postage crate; Trem doesn't offer commentary, though. She looks up and nods. "Follow me," she instructs.
The path is winding -- metaphorically, but also literally. To the nearby tram; then they take that two stops down, which leads onto the school grounds. There's a path through the manicured gardens, along a footpath that leads to the Peil House dormitory.
Then, up two floors -- and after that, Trem stops at a door in the hallway. She slides a keycard, and the door opens. The room inside isn't barren, but it's spartan -- a desk, a laptop, and a bed. The television is built into the wall, with a lamp on the nightstand.
It is a single room, for one person. Trem puts her box down.
"I thought," she says, "I should get... something for the walls."
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emmy has surprisingly little trouble carrying her stuff- part of that can be attributed to Asticassia's low-g hallways, but part of it is just that Emmy is pretty strong. Her left side is a little weaker than her left, but other than an occasional wince at the slight gravity shifts, she's handling it fine. She doesn't talk much, but she follows the path easily. Indeed, she seems to be memorizing the route as she goes- both in acquiring mental landmarks and counting steps, if the things she murmurs under her breath are to be judged.
Still, the room seems familiar. Very familiar. It resembles so many of Emilia's boarding school bedrooms. Spartan, with little more than the rooms own furnishings.
"Th-th-that makes sense." Emilia responds, quietly. "I t-tried to do the same w-when I was a-at boarding school. It d-didn't always help, b-but it could."
Emilia looks around, before skipping straight to asking. "Wh-where should I sit?"
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
"It's expensive to bring up from Earth," Trem admits, too.
Then she looks back at Emilia. She blinks at her question -- in fact, there is a rather surprised look on her face. She realizes she did not think of that. She looks around.
There's only two options.
"Would you prefer the bed or desk chair?" Trem asks. "I don't... have company over here much."
But it's a place she knows is private.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
"Y-yeah. I c-c-can imagine." Much like getting supplies into Area 11...
She briefly wonders how the Maid Cafe GP ended, which place ended up winning. If that smuggling operation paid off...
...Probably not. Not with the even harder borders. Not that she really has time to worry about what some Yakuza front is doing these days.
"D-desk chair is fine for m-me," Emmy says, feeling a bit rude to take Trem's bed. "Unless y-you prefer it." She may be the guest, but she's an unexpected one.
The temptation to pull out a scanner is tempting, but... she's pretending to be a civilian. And 'my grandfather's people used to bug my room' seems like something someone else wouldn't buy at all. 'One of my best friends is a military nut and showed me this thing' might fly but...
It's fine. She's not discussing anything sensitive.
"...th-this is the stuff f-from my old school. I... l-l-left in a hurry." She shrugs. "...M-Martial law getting imposed because of a m-massacre tends to d-d-do that." She's quiet for a bit. It's not like Euphemia the Massacre Princess has faded into memory- and the rich pulling family or assets out of danger is common. "...I g-guess she kept it f-f-for me. Before dumping m-me."
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
"Sure," Trem says. She walks over and sits down on her bed. The furniture, at least, is comfortable; Asticassia makes certain of that. Or, perhaps, Peil makes sure of that.
Then she blinks, before she looks down at the suitcase and the postal crate both. There is a flicker of surprise on her face. "A massacre... that's terrible," she says. Trem is quiet for a moment more.
"...She dumped you, after all of that?" she asks. She sounds incredulous, which says something, given it's her.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
The assent from Trem means Emilia takes a seat, getting comfortable, placing the suitcase in front of her. "...Y-yeah. Area Eleven. P-Princess Euphemia's grand g-g-gesture of. Kindness." That last word has an angry touch to it, but Emmy shakes her head.
'She dumped you after all that?'
Emmy frowns. "...Y-yep. It h-h-had been two y-years since w-we'd seen each other... and sh-she just gives m-me the k-key to her st-st-storage locker with m-my things and j-j-just..." Emmy can feel the tears in the corners of her eyes, and she tries to blink them away. Don't cry. Don't give her more of your tears. She doesn't deserve them.
"...I g-g-guess expecting h-her to want to a-a-actually go public w-with our relationship. W-w-was too m-much to ask." She's bitter, and trying to let the bitterness mask the hurt. ...Can't have anyone else thinking she's weak. Not a new friend.
"...But i-it's over now. B-better I kn-know who she r-really is after f-four years th-th-than twenty." It comes out as a growl, and she stops herself. "...I was st-stupid for th-thinking things could be l-like the movies."
Still, she feels awkward after voicing all that. In the silence, she unzips the suitcase, and opens it up.
"...I w-w-wonder how much of th-these still fit. T-taking extra stuff b-b-back on the shuttle costs e-extra, too..." The first thing visible in the suitcase is a Britannian frilly women's coat, in a style that was in fashion several seasons ago. It's a little dated, but in excellent condition.
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
"I remember that..." Trem trails off, her voice quiet for a moment. Who could forget the massacre caused by Princess Euphemia, though?
She is quiet for a moment though -- and she hesitates to see how upset Emmy is. "She sounds unkind," Trem says, after a moment. "I think... if you cannot be honest with who you are..."
She glances down. "...Then you shouldn't hurt others with that, in such a way."
Her lips purse for a moment. "I don't know much about romance," she admits. "I never... have, before. Movies would be all I could go on, I think."
She looks up -- and blinks as the suitcase opens. Her head tilts, as she sees the women's coat. Her silver eyes widen a little. "...It looks very fancy."
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emmy nods. "It... I w-w-wasn't there but..." She pauses. "...It seemed l-like a b-bad place to b-be." She settles on, trying to push the memories of the slaughtered Japanese to the back of her mind. That family in their own blood...
She stares down at her hands for a second, and swallows. Emilia's not awakened, and while she knows about newtypes... well, with how Mineva interacts with her, she has some doubts about the newtype ability to understand others.
Trem's words sting. Emmy *was* true "...I u-used to th-th-think she was the m-most wonderful w-w-woman in the world. Sh-she was my hero." Emilia's voice falls quiet, as if it hurts to think about all Milly did for her- but all that she didn't do for her. "...She w-was the first p-person I loved. B-but before th--at, I only h-had movies and f-fairy tales and the st-stories my m-mom told me b-before she died." Another stab of guilt.
Fortunately, she notices the way Trem's eyes widen and *that's* something she can distract herself with. "...D-d-do you want to t-try it on? It n-never really s-suited me, but the c-c-colour might work with y-your eyes."
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
"Mm..."
It is terrible. But, Trem thinks, she has seen terrible things. Her eyebrows knit for a moment -- before she looks up and blinks. She hesitates for a second, before she nods her head.
"Then... you learned what she is really like. Someone once told me..." She trails off; this time she does stare into space for a moment, as she recalls. Then she starts speaking, though it's clearly a quote. "'We humans can be very cruel creatures.'"
She looks at the coat again. Trem blinks -- and then she nods. "Can I?"
She has to admit some curiosity about it.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
"W-We can." Emilia responds, and is silent for a little longer. She can't really exclude herself from that, after all.
...Especially given how she had used her anger against Trem not that long ago, when she was just trying to be kind.
"Yeah, o-of course!" Emmy says, offering an all too genuine smile. "At my o-old school, w-we had a whole c-c-club where we'd sh-share outfits, and try out n-new looks. It's f-fun, and if there's a-anything in here y-you like, h-help yourself." She stands up, lifting the coat and walking over to Trem. "Y-you're only a little taller th-than me and I w-wore this with heels, so it sh-should be fine. It might, uh... b-be a little loose in the ch-chest, but alterations are p-pretty easy. I l-learned to do them m-m-myself. Y'know, a-as a hobby."
She holds up the coat for Trem to slip her arms into. "D-do you have a f-full sized mirror a-anywhere? O-otherwise we c-can use my phone t-to take photos so you can see h-how it looks."
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
Trem looks down for a moment -- but then she nods, too. Yes, she thinks. She certainly can be cruel.
But there is a slight smile -- the change of subject is welcome, because that isn't one to dwell on. She nods, before she stands. She takes the coat -- and starts to put it on over the Asticassia uniform.
Loose in the chest...?
She looks down, then she nods, before looking back up. "I see..." Then, she goes to her closet -- she opens it, and the inside of the door has a full-sized mirror.
She slips the coat and looks at herself, turning around thoughtfully.
"...I can't tell how I look," she says. "Fancier than anything I've ever worn, I think."
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emmy nods in approval at the mirror. It's a very useful thing for a girl to have. It also gives her a quick glimpse at Trem's current wardrobe, to get an idea for the other girl's existing style- it might give her some ideas.
Still, as Trem slips on the coat, Emmy takes a surveying look. She was right, the height's about right but Trem would be swimming in it if she tried to wear it buttoned. Right now it's merely hanging loose...
"Hmm. O-one second." She opens the postage crate and looks quickly- yes. Her sewing kit is near the top- though Grandfather's people must have reclaimed her makeup. Lucky. (She doesn't look at the rest right now. Some of those memories sting.)
Pulling out some safety pins, Emmy walks over. "Let me j-just adjust it a bit."
It's amazing how quick and deft Emmy is with this sort of thing, eyeballing the distance and quickly pinning the coat. Apart from the chest, their builds are pretty similar, so...
"...There. N-now it looks a bit m-more fitted to you. You can try b-b-buttoning it up too, but... I think i-it suits you."
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
Trem can tell that she's going to be swimming in it, if she closes it. It already feels a little loose -- and she seems torn for a moment, because otherwise, it does look rather good. Especially compared to the more utilitarian uniforms she wears.
But Emmy comes to the rescue. It really is amazing how fast she works -- and well, too. Trem blinks, trying to follow where all of those pins go.
"That does look better," she says. "And... feels better."
It's hard to say how exactly, though. Trem nods, and then she starts to button it up. Then she reaches a hand to the collar, adjusting it, and tilts her head to the side.
Her pink hair shifts, when she does. Then, she looks back at Emilia. "How does it look?" she asks. "It's... very fancy."
But she sounds pleased with that.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emmy steps back as Trem adjusts herself, taking a look herself. "...It looks good!" Emilia's a bit enthused too- there's something fun about helping others find what makes them feel like themselves, look right to themselves. And... honestly, clothes too. She enjoys them herself- but it's been so long since she's done something like this.
"And it s-sounds like y-y-you like how it looks, and th-that's the m-most important part. B-besides, we all d-deserve to look a little fancy when we w-want to." She smiles.
She nods after a few seconds. "Y-yeah, I think I have s-some more stuff in here th-that might l-look good on you. It w-works out for b-b-both of us, either w-way. I'd r-rather them g-go to someone wh-who feels good when th-they wear th-th-them, rather th-than sitting in a suitcase."
She digs around in the assorted clothes for more of the 'fancy' stuff that might suit Trem.
Maybe it's selfish to bury her bad mood in someone else's happiness... but maybe that's better than wallowing right now.
<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.
"I... do," Trem says. It's a surprise to her.
She never really had a reason to dress up much; she never really had a chance to find joy in it. But, she has to admit, that coat looks nice on her. She likes it; she could stand to get a few more like it.
She looks back at Emilia. There is a moment of hesitation, but then she nods. "If... if it's okay, then I'll take them," she says.
She looks at the open suitcase, curiously. Then, she looks back at the mirror.
She really could wear something like this.