View source for 2023-09-28: Aren't There 'Countless' Truths?

{{Log
|cast=Yurika Misumaru, Ruri Hoshino, Maya Jintek, Sheryl Nome, Trevor Teach, Rita Bernal, Hikaru Amano, Akito Tenkawa
|location=Orbital Ring - ND-004 Shakuyaku
|summary=Big celebratory going-away party for the Gallia IV expedition team! Bunnies! Ghosts! ...and a bit of heartbreak.
}}
{{PhaseAndTurn
|phase=1
|turn=3
}}
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 <Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.
<poem>
        Tomorrow, the Earth Sphere's most adept crew at venturing deep into the unknown - ventures forth again. There's a fair bit of uncertainty in the air! A lot of doubt and tension, considering just HOW unknown this destination is!

        The solution? A party, of course! Raising spirits on board the - Shakuyaku! Yes, they've decided not to just host every event on the Nadesico itself, since the Shakuyaku's a newer ship and could use the attention and prestige maybe! But if you can't tell the difference that's okay! They are basically the same ship structured somewhat differently. It's still very luxurious! It still has familiar fittings! It's just way easier to get lost if you think you're on the Nadesico!

        Those who enter are overcome by party poppers! Music is loud and almost overwhelming! Yurika, captain of the Nadesico, and - someone unfamiliar - are both in bunnysuits merrily performing duets of that music up on stage! (that someone else is Kaishi Aihara, a purple-fluffy-haired guy about Yurika's age! he's a little nervous on stage but Yurika's encouraging him! especially in the silly outfit!)

        There's lotteries and prize raffles! Buffets! NO ALCOHOL because everyone kind of has to partake in a Fold Warp tomorrow and we can't have hungover space sailors! ...but there ''are'' drinks that are ''evoking'' liquor in their colorfulness and presentation. They're just not alcoholic!

        Basically it's all a whole lot, and for as high-density energy as Nergal can often be, it's even causing a number of level headed crew members to be a little...to the edge of the ongoings. Minato Haruka and Jun Aoi are in that boat especially - they're striking up a conversation about how this might make the departure a little ''more'' stressful. (Jun's stressed out. Minato's assuring him. That's the way it shall always be in this world.)

        ...a usual sight at these events, Megumi Reynard, is nowhere to be seen...
Trevor Teach teleports in.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
<poem>
        "Hello," Ruri says, when she boards the Shakuyaku.

        (She's not talking to her party.)

        She wouldn't be drinking alcoholic beverages either way -- she's fourteen! -- but she has a nice cup of juice as she hovers about near Minato, on the edge of everything. She, too, is one of the level-headed crewmates of the Nadesico.

        Under duress, Ruri is dressed in her Big Sis outfit, those same overalls she wears when explaining the various functions of the Nadesico. (Naze Nani!) Yurika's in her bunny suit, and so...

        ''Sigh.''

        Ruri sips her juice, watching the Captains make idiots of themselves. "Fools," she reflects, watching them.

        Now they're leaving the Earth again, and...
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.
<poem>
"Well, this isn't at all what I thought they meant by 'bring your bunny suit,'" Trevor Teach says, from...

A couch, where he is reclining like some kind of regal, well-groomed cat, except he is not dressed like a cat.

He is dressed like a bunny.

And not one of the fluffy kinds that are prancing about on stage. Oh no. Trevor was told 'bring your bunny suit' and he assumed THE OTHER KIND because WHAT ELSE DO YOU EXPECT IN THAT CONTEXT?

Certainly not the captains dancing about in fluffy bunny costumes.

He sips slowly at a glass of Definitely Not Wine, stretching one hose-clad leg across the couch, because Trevor Teach is not an individual who half-asses anything.

Also, regardless of anything else, his appearance here is... calculated. For certain individuals who may or may not be attending.

Or at the very least, to properly make an impact for such a momentous occasion. It's not every day you sally forth boldly into adventure far beyond the boundaries of the Solar System. Why ''wouldn't'' this cosmic corsair volunteer himself for the task?

"They're not that foolish," Trevor asides happily to Ruri. "If anything, I'm probably the biggest fool here, but I do get 'wine,' so it's not all bad."

...He didn't sneak actual alcohol in, did he...?
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
<poem>
This is a party!

...this is a party?

Rita isn't quite sure what she was expecting. A lot more balloons, to be certain, and fancier outfits. More dresses. The people on stage are dressed strangely, but the bunny ears are cute.

The Phenex hasn't exactly asked permission to be here. She simply flew into the hangar and landed in an open space. Those with hearts more open to the world could, perhaps, see the spirit of a young women depart from the golden Gundam, lightly flying down hallways to reach the party.

Leaving the Earthsphere is something Rita was already planing on. Isn't it strange, how fate twists? With Jona and Michele settled, and the Photon Power Laboratory safe for the moment, the Heart of the Phenex finds herself at a loss of what to do next.

Making choices is... more difficult than Rita thought it would be. After very little thought on the matter, she decided she may as well accompany her new romantic partner into deep space. And so, here she is, haunting the Shakuyaku. Koji Kabuto's miraculous projector is safely packed within the Phenex, but Rita didn't want to set it up quite yet. Better to learn who can actually see her in her spiritual form, first.

Is this what all parties are like, Trevor?

Rita floats next to the handsome pirate on the couch, perched 'atop' Trevor's leg. She's dressed herself in what she ''thought'' was a party dress, with wide, poofy skirts and a tight bodice. It's a charming dress, glowing in the same golden hue as Rita herself.

There's more food than I thought there would be. And where are the games? Or dancing? Do we just... talk? The entire time?

"Fools", says Ruri. Rita recognizes her as the child who spoke with the Phenex, once. She isn't entirely sure if Ruri can see her, but Rita waves to her all the same.

I think it's cute that they're trying! I'm not really sure why they're dressed as rabbits, though. Is that a Nadesico custom? Should I change?

It must be ''something'', compared to what Trevor is wearing... If Rita's spiritual appearance happens to let off sparks when she looks his way, that's certainly just an odd fluke of her manifestation. And she does look Trevor's way, quite often -- thank goodness those sparks aren't physical, or the entire couch would be ablaze.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
<poem>
        Sheryl Nome is a social creature, as anyone who has paid any attention whatsoever to modern musical culture would know. The loud music doesn't bother her at all, and if Jun is over there on the verge of a nervous breakdown, then Sheryl's in the middle of the throng, a virgin cocktail in one hand as she cheers on Yurika and Kaishi on stage in their adorable bunny outfits. Maybe Sheryl should've worn a certain bunny outfit of her own~
        
        But they ''do'' have to take off tomorrow, so it's better that she didn't get anyone too stimulated. (Besides, someone ''else'' already did something like that.) Because underneath all these festivities, there is a palpable sense of nerves that even someone as non-psychic as Sheryl can easily pick up on. You don't need to read minds to be able to tell when there's tension in the air.
        
        Still, the cocktails are good, and it's a chance to put on a tight red dress and pin her hair back to better show off her drop earring. Overhearing the exchange between Ruri and Trevor--but ''not'' Rita's addition to it--Sheryl smirks over her shoulder at them.
        
        "I think it's fun to be foolish sometimes," she says, winking. She gestures at Trevor in his bunny suit with her free hand. "Just look! You're making me wish I'd gone that extra mile too, now~."

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Maya Jintek has posed.
<poem>
         A going away party just before the voyage seemed like a grand idea to Maya. Sure, people had made such travels before, but it was still not exactly normal. And there was a dangerous element to their voyage too. But Maya wasn't going to let that get to her today. She'd made sure to wear something nicer - a purple dress just above the knees, with black lace above the bust and matching black armwraps. Although, as she walked in to the party, she wondered if maybe she'd gotten the wrong idea.

         After all, the Captain was dressed in a bunnysuit on the stage, singing her heart out.

        'Oh wait, it doesn't look like EVERYONE is dressed that way...' That would have been really embarrassing if she'd been the only one dressed normally. Although... she did note for next time that maybe she could have a little fun should there be another party. She'd never done cosplay before, but maybe that'd be a good idea. Not knowing where to start, Maya went over to the drinks table and grabbed a bubbly green mocktail of some kind. It... definitely tasted green, but in a good way!

         And then she saw her. Sheryl. It looked like she was over by the systems operator. She'd missed her chance to see her perform at Orb because all the tickets had sold out before she could get one, and she couldn't afford the price of a scalper. But now she was here! She didn't know Sheryl was making the voyage! Was she just that out of the loop? Before she knew it, she was already walking over. It might have been liquid courage if the drinks were alcoholic. Maya did catch the tail end of the conversation as she joined the little group. "You too? I was just thinking the same thing. Maybe next time on the way back if there's another party?" She was trying hard not to stare and be weird. Surely she had enough weirdos that she didn't need another. "The Captain's definitely putting on a good show though!"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.
<poem>
Party time! Hikaru hasn't really been thinking ''too'' hard about the expedition to the distant cosmos. Is it really any different to be so far out when you hardly call anywhere in the Earth Sphere home? As long as she's on the Nadesico, things will be just fine she's sure!

And it certainly helps that they have pals from the Macross and Shakuyaku on their side, too. Even if some of them are just as weird as the Nadesico's crew!

Everyone seems to be dressed in bunny suits... but Hikaru's a rebel! She's wearing one of her cute little cat-hooded hoodies. It helps to be comfy even at big parties like this one.

Hikaru found herself gravitating towards the Shakuyaku's own manga-loving ace pilot at first, a ''terminal'' poster named Yuki Kikuchi, who thought herself far out of Hikaru's league, in battle, and on To-witter. After ''several'' hours of spirited discussion on the history and genre conventions of manga through the A.D. era to the Universal Century, they found their taste profiles had a lot more in common than they figured at first... and promised to meet at Comiket when they all get back from this adventure.

Being one of those who Ruri would call a fool, she's not off to the side but right at the heart of things, watching the bunnysuited Captains perform! "Woooo! Go Yurika-chan! Go... Mr. New Captain!" Sorry, she forgot his name.

She also naturally floats towards Maya Jintek, one of their new recruits, as she passed by to watch the show, holding a cocktail of her own. "When it comes to the Nadesico, it's more of a question of 'when' the next party is, not 'if'~" She adds, with a wink. "And at that point, you might as well go the extra mile and get everyone to go hunt down easter eggs too!" That actually sounds kind of fun in such a big ship.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.
<poem>
        With a merry pyon pyon wave and spin and thanking of the audience, Yurika hops down from the stage and into the slightly quieter corner where familiar faces have congregated - her bounding and enthusiasm getting her on a crash course with her crew and companions-!

        Before, like magic, the rabbit ears on Yurika's costume flip upwards with enough force to plant Yurika on her feet! Ta-da!

        "Ehehe, I hope all of you are having a lot of fun! Honestly, helping organize this party was a little tough, but I just figured - 'make it as fun as possible and put every idea in there', and it basically worked! It's a looooong day tomorrow though, so I can't play too hard, ahaha...


In Yurika's sisyphean quest to ensure Ruri doesn't Simply Eat Cake, she's taken it upon herself to spin towards Ruri-Oneesan's table and plant a hearty meal of rice and veggies and soup unto her table. "Heeeere you go! The food's good! I promise! ...it's not as good~ as the Nadesico's~ But nothing ever will be! And I'm sure the Shakuyaku will become a bit be-

        Yurika sputters mid-sentence at the sight of Trevor in THAT kind of bunnysuit - and tries to keep her composure! Then she sputters at the more mystical, just, in general, sight of Rita Bernal! "...I...think...we've found...the two people who'd be the obvious 'best couple'-! You two are like the actual center of attention here oh my gooooosh-! Maya, Sheryl, you gotta agree, these two are dazzling and fascinating tonight-!"

        A hand extends out to Yuki Kikuchi. "Hihi, Nadesico captain, Yurika, V!" Yurika's breathless from all the introducing she has to do. "Aahhh, it's good to see you getting along! Hikaru-chan's secretly one of the most reliable people you'll ever meet!~ Speaking of which."

        Tipping down to murmur into Hikaru's ear, Yurika furtively looks around and wonders, "...t...there's missing faces here tonight. D-did...Megumi get in a fight? Did...Akito-kun get injured recently? I don't know what's happening and it worries me, heeelp-"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
<poem>
        Maya is certainly hanging with the right crowd for cosplay. And by the right crowd, we obviously mean Yurika.

        ... and Hikaru...

        ... and Izumi, if it's funny...

        ... baka bakka.

        "Fool," Ruri lambasts Trevor, just the same, for his ridiculous swimsuit. (She thinks of it as a swimsuit. It's not SO dissimilar from hers.) "It's not real wine. You're not supposed to drink, there's a mission tomorrow." He said he was the biggest fool, and lo, Ruri delivers!

        She blushes when she thinks of how embarrassing ''Sheryl's'' bunny suit would be here, though, and insists: "This isn't a pool party." But she looks out at Hikaru making a fool of herself, too, insisting once and once again to herself that it's quite stupid. (Don't call it a defence mechanism.) "I guess everyone is having fun," she reflects, mildly.

        And then there's a glimmer of gold from the corner of her own golden eyes, and Ruri's head turns to stare, unblinking, at an empty spot in the room. Like a cat watching something only cats can see, she stares at a woman who isn't there, saying words which can't be heard.

        Just because she hears her doesn't mean that it's ''normal.'' Ruri Hoshino has seen a ghost; she stares, for long moments, and does not reply. Not until --

        "Huh?" Ruri asks, as she blinks and looks to Yurika, when she places a plate of rice and vegetables by her. "Oh. Thank you, Captain." And then she follows Yurika's gaze ''back'' to Rita, and back to Yurika, and gives her a look as if to say 'what on Earth', and then she picks up a fork and eats a mouthful of rice instead. There's a ghost and the Captain is talking to her. Okay.

        On the other side of the room, a wizened old woman is playing ''Go'' with Mr. Prospector, on a table they've set up just for this. "Heh... heh heh... heeeh!" The old code witch cackles, as she wins another round. With a broad grin, she insists: "You're fifty years too early to get me, son!"

        "Mrs. Honda, you're as sharp as ever," Mr. Prospector sighs, as the Shakuyaku's Operator takes the pot.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.
<poem>
Isadore is likewise aboard, but that probably wasn't much of a surprise. Where the junker machine's pilot goes, it too will always be close at hand...!

Sadly, Isadore cannot attend the party, because quite frankly there's just not enough room in here for a giant robot to do much of anything. So Trevor will have to enjoy it twice as hard for the both of them.

''Speaking'' of which, there is a lovely bird perched upon his leg, trapping the helpless bunny in her talons like the heart-stealing predator the she is. Or maybe that's just the kind of line Trevor would use out loud, if he really wanted to mess with her (affectionately). Instead, he simply thinks it to himself and wonders if Rita is peeking in at his surface thoughts in the process.

Well. It's not like she's the only one who's stealing furtive glances, so all's fair.

"Oh, well, there ''could'' be dancing," Trevor offers with a smile and a swish of faux-wine. "If you would be so inclined to join me once they start playing the right music. I think, with a dress like that, something like a waltz would be appropriate...? But yeah, these kinds of things-- it's an opportunity to get to know your coworkers. I'm not too familiar with these kinds of parties, myself. Ours were always a bit more, uh."

...He's a ''space pirate.'' You can imagine what their idea of a party must be like.

"Festive??"

Alas, there goes that crazy pirate, talking to someone whose voice only he can hear. Or so that might appear to Sheryl and Ruri and possibly Maya and Hikaru as well. Trevor smiles a cheshire grin in spite of the possibility of being seen as a crazy person. It is, after all, FAR too late for that.

"Quite right, quite right! A little foolishness from time to time is just the kind of thing to add some spice to life. If you're wise, upright and proper all the time, you're liable to get stiff! And hardly anybody likes a stiff." Sheryl, in a bunny outfit, here?? The scandals would be ''catastrophic'' but also potentially hilarious. So, worth it??

(Probably not.)

--And then the captain arrives.

Only to summarily stumble ass-over-teakettle at the sight of the Ultimate Couple. Trevor sparkles independently of Rita's. His may appear amidst a field of distinctly rose-shaped (and rose-tinted) lights. Such a curious hallucination, that. "Ahahaha, you flatter us, captain! I would not have arranged to come in such spectacular attire if you'd not put out word about 'bunnies' being in-theme for the party, but it is what it is!" 'You Two' she says. Trevor smiles broadly, "Yes! Rita is especially enchanting this evening, isn't she? I'm a lucky bunny tonight~"

Beat.

Ruri lectures him. Trevor nods forlornly, "Right, right. If only this outfit had anywhere I could stash a vial or two of whiskey or something like that. Alas! But you know, a few drinks aren't terrible even before a mission, as long as you don't drink ''too'' much, right?"

Beat.

Trevor slooowly looks towards Rita, "...I mean, if you wanted to go Full Bunny, I wouldn't object. But which kind of bunny would you be, I wonder...?"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
<poem>
        "Oh, there'll ''definitely'' be another party," Sheryl says with confidence to Maya, nodding to Hikaru in her cat hoodie as she chimes in on the matter. (Really, the diversity in dress at this party is kind of wild.) Does she recognize Maya? Not at all! She's coming into this conversation with the assumption that she's a member of the Shakuyaku's crew; Sheryl has spent a lot of time on the Nadesico, but this is her first time on the Shakuyaku.
        
        "It ''is'' quite a party, though," she adds to Maya. "It's just like Yurika to decide to just do everything!" And indeed, when Yurika comes over to sputter and declare 'these two' the center of attention, Sheryl... assumes she means her and Maya! After all, those are the two people Yurika just ''named'', and they're in roughly similar types of clothes, and most importantly, Sheryl cannot see Trevor's radiant date.
        
        As such, Sheryl tosses her curls over one shoulder, half-turns on one heel to pose as she blows a kiss to the group, winks, and smiles. It's all so fluid one might assume it was practiced, and in a sense that's true. Sheryl's been put in the spotlight so much that this reaction is automatic for her. It might seem out of place to those who ''can'' see Rita, though.
        
        "Right! And that's the important part," Sheryl tells Ruri loftily of everyone having fun, and never mind that she has no idea what she means by a pool party. (No pool party would see Sheryl attend with so much on.) That's just another thing she's misunderstanding--though when Ruri starts staring at nothing, Sheryl furrows her brows, looks over at the seeming empty space she's staring at, then back at Ruri. "Ruri? What's the matter?"
        
        In the same way, Trevor invites Rita to dance and Sheryl raises an eyebrow, thinking he's talking to her. She smiles anyway, coquettish. After all, weren't they just talking about foolishness being fun? If this is his way of playing the fool, sure, she'll humor him. "You're right about that!" she says, of nobody liking a stiff. "So I'll think about it~. If the music moves me. &lt;3"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Maya Jintek has posed.
<poem>
         One of the other pilots apparently caught what she said - Hikaru was her name. Given what she'd seen of the Nadesico so far, she wasn't wrong. Often she had to work with Uribatake as Maya had worked a lot on the Nivalis, and he... well, he had some strange ideas to put it lightly. But he DID get results. Although his record keeping was non-existent! Still, she'd have to adjust to his rules, given he's the chief. 'But it seems like there's always more and more parts just lying around and I don't know where they came from.'

         "Haha, well, that's good to know at least. I've never served on a ship before, and I didn't expect it to be so lively. It's nice!" Given all the preparations involved in getting ready for the jump, they hadn't had much time to interact, so this was a great opportunity. Sheryl was also amazing in person. The grace and confidence were just... wow. Yurika coming over and and praising them was almost too much and she flushed a bright red colour. It didn't sound like she was talking about them as a couple initially, but she didn't see anyone else, and the way Sheryl had just run with it... no, there's no way she'd make a mistake. Maya was the one who was wrong. "Best c-couple?" There was no way she could share the stage with this idol amongst idols. But here she was, being praised by the Captain in the presence of a star.

         Yep, she was having a tiny major overload.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.
<poem>


"Lively, yep! They hired the best of the best and didn't worry about the rest~" She chimes at Maya's comment. "And don't worry about being called a fool. From Ruri-chan, it might as well be a mark of honour!" Foolish. Hikaru didn't think twice about Yurika's comment with the amount of couples around, but when Sheryl singles herself and Maya out--

"Ehhhh? You two are an item?!" She gasps, as if it was the most scandalous thing in the world. "Congratulations!"

"Y-Yeah they are a pretty star-shattering coupl-" She blinks twice, as if Yurika's mention suddenly spurred her into sight. So Rita Bernal ''is'' here. She points an accusing finger towards the ethereal ghost. After all, she's seen enough miracles she can take them in stride. "You can't play tricks on me! You were here this whole time and you're... you're beautiful and everything! Dang, Trevor aren't you a lucky guy?"

In the meanwhile, Yuki Kikuichi dramatically flips her sea-blue hair, as the Nadesico's Captain greets her, taking a ''tight'' handshake. "Pleasure, Captain. I see you've been acquainted with our own. He's ''sorely'' lacking of charisma, but at least he's reliable enough."

As for Hikaru... "I ''guess'' she's not half bad... although your crew is far too reliant on those IFS tattoos. I'm proud of say I've graduated at the top of my Variable Fighter piloting class without such intricacies to assist me. Therefore... I won't lose to her so easily! Ohohohoho~" She clears her throat. "Hehe, I'm just joking. What I'm truly concerned about is that she doesn't seem to see the appeal of the masterpiece that is 'Help! My Catsitter is my Girlfriend from Another Dimension?!'"

"Yeah, because the time travelling and dimension hopping doesn't add a single thing to the plot!" Hikaru shoots back. Yes, they get along so well. "Sure, the couple was cute and all... but 'cmon! I'm not saying you ''can't'' execute something like that well, but I kinda just wish the 'catsitter' part of her character got fleshed out better."

Anime argument aside, Hikaru listens as Yurika whispers something ~important~ in her ear. "Now that you say it... it ''is'' weird that they didn't show up." She scratches her cheek. "Nah... we had to bail him out a little in the last fight, but Ryoko-chan made sure he didn't leave with a single scratch! I dunno what he would be skulking off about. He didn't even show for our Gekiganger watch party last night!" She frowns. "Yeah, they don't always get along with you perfect, but this definitely isn't like them at all." She agrees. "...Maybe we should check on them once things die down."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
<poem>
Ruri stares. Rita smiles, staring in return. It's fine -- the Phenex told her Ruri has her own way of experiencing the world. Perhaps this is merely a step along the path to understanding Ruri.

With the crowd around them, Rita isn't quite as in-tune with Trevor's thoughts as she usually is. Souls press in around them, each with its own unique song, each competing with its fellows for space to be heard.

All that to say, should Trevor wish to use his line later, it'll be brand new!

Rita laughs, blushing softly as Trevor invites her to dance.

I'd love to! I've never really danced before. I hope I won't step on your toes. A waltz? I want to try it!

There's so much to experience now that Rita has accepted that there's more for her than wandering the expanse of the cosmos. Rita leans toward Trevor, smiling brightly. It's all the better to explore with someone you love.

I've never really had coworkers...

Rita watches her new coworkers. Everyone looks friendly, if a little strange. Maybe that is simply the way of the Nadesico. As Rita considers this, Yurika arrives, certainly affecting the Newtype Spirit's opinion.

Golden eyes widen, and Rita blushes -- a rosening of the gold lining her cheeks -- at Yurika's words. It's enough to see the Captain again after the ''last time'' they met... But to have Yurika immediately assign Rita and Trevor the Ultimate Couple?

Rita giggles, bringing her hands up to cover her face shyly.

I -- I'm!

She giggles again, shaking her head bashfully.

I'm happy to see you, Yurika. You look so beautiful. As always!

Trevor compliments Rita, and she reaches out to poke the pirate's cheek. She can't make contact, not really, but the pirate may feel a sudden burst of warmth and connection where the spirit's finger 'touches' him.

Full Bunny... Rita thinks this over too. It seems like the kind of thing Trevor would appreciate, right..? Boys like that kind of thing, don't they? Rita isn't sure. Closing her golden-hued eyes, she focuses, and slowly that ballgown changes...

''I think it's fun to be foolish sometimes,''

Rita hears an ''extremely'' familiar voice, and her eyes fly open. Stuck partway through changing her clothes, she's left in a half-bunny suit (the sort Trevor wears), half-ball gown. As her gaze lands on Sheryl Nome, Rita floats away from the couch, hovering about a foot higher than she was before.

A psychic squeak echoes across the party room.

Sheryl -- Sheryl!

In a blur of gold, Rita flies to the idol's side, orbiting around her like the galaxy's fastest moon. Her eyes are ''wide'', full of wonder and enthusiasm.

Sheryl! Your music --! It was the first music I chose for myself, I was --! I was at your show! In hiding!

Rita practically chirps in delight, finally settling to float before Sheryl, spinning in place. This is incredible! Is Sheryl here for the party? Is she coming on the mission? Imagine if she's coming on the mission! Rita could actually spend time with her! They're sure to be the best of friends. Someone with a soul so radiant with music has got to love birds, the first idols, and--!

...oh.

Rita's face falls, and her golden light dims slightly. Sheryl can't hear her. Sadly, she sinks into the floor, until only the top of her radiant head can be seen.

Of all the people who could see her... Rita was sure Sheryl would. She was ''sure''. Sadness echoes from the Newtype spirit -- a feeling she isn't entirely sure how to deal with. This isn't the deep regret of Rita's inaction, or the grief of the fallout of her chosen path. This is something far more shallow, and yet no less difficult to come to terms with. Perhaps more so, for the lack of Rita's experience with emotions that aren't world-shattering.

Another familiar voice reaches Rita's spiritual ears, this one making her wince. Lifting herself just enough for her eyes to clear the floor, she looks at Hikaru, expecting to be shouted at... But Hikaru compliments her?

Rita floats up and out of the floor, managing a little smile. She blinks, once, and her outfit (finally) settles on a matching bunny-suit to Trevor's, complete with fluffy white ears sprouting atop Rita's golden hair.

Thank you. You're Hikaru, right? I'm really sorry. Um, again. You look beautiful, too. I'm lucky to be by Trevor's side. Isn't he handsome, especially as a bunny?

Rita floats back to Trevor's side, half-hiding behind his shoulder. She's a bit more shy now...
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
<poem>
        Hikaru gasps about Sheryl's scandalous new paramour. "That's right~ Everyone, meet my new girlfriend," she lilts, arching her body into Maya's with a sultry wink. She holds that pose for a second; then she giggles and straightens into a more normal position, one hand on her hip. "Just kidding! I don't even know her. Though, Yurika called you Maya, right?" she asks, looking over at the her with a smile. She winks, that smile pulling up into a smirk. "Now you've got something to brag to your friends about. &lt;3"
        
        But then Hikaru jabs a finger at a point in the air and starts yelling at someone who isn't there. This startles the smile off of Sheryl, who stares again at the empty space. She looks over at Ruri. That's the same spot that she's staring at... (Rita gushes to her about her music, about how special it is to her. Sheryl sees and hears none of it, including how crestfallen she is afterwards.) Goosebumps start rising on her skin. Th-they're just messing around, right?
        
        Right! Of course they're just messing around. Even Ruri acknowledged that sometimes it's fun to act foolish. That's what Sheryl's decided, and she won't be convinced otherwise. She purses her lips a little about being made the butt of a joke, but opts to take it in stride and drink her drink.
        
        "The mocktails are good, Yurika," she asides to the captain, gesturing gracefully with her glass. "Did Howmei make them, or did this ship's chef handle the catering?"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
<poem>
        "Something's... here," Ruri starts, vague, when Sheryl notices she's preoccupied. "Who are you...?" She is very much a cat who's seen a ghost, even as she tries to eat her rice.

        She watches the apparation, for some time, before she turns those big gold eyes to Sheryl again. "Trevor-san is haunted by a ghost," she says, "and she is fond of you, Sheryl-san."

        She returns her attention, fey and strange, to Trevor, with a long, slow blink. "... it's very foolish," she says, at length.

        And eats another forkful of rice.

        Ruri's having a strange day.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Maya Jintek has posed.
<poem>
         'Oh no, stop, stop, I'm dead, I'm dying and I'm dead!' Sheryl holding herself against her like that was just so much! How had she ended up in this situation? But it was such a good situation, even if she was dead. Thankfully, she was soon returned to the realm of the living when the idol broke the illusion with her name. Of course, a joke. Ice cold relief flooded her body, along with... disappointment? It would be nice if that were real, but there was no way such a thing could be. It was just a fantasy. "Y-Yes, it's Maya! I'll definitely treasure this!" Had she embarrassed herself? Maybe. Almost certainly. But at least now she had this little moment in her mind. Concerts would come and go, but how many people could say that they'd had such an encounter? Not that anyone would believe her, but it didn't deny reality.

         Speaking of reality... 'Wait, there's someone else here?' Maya wasn't quite sure what was going on having been a little overwhelmed and starstruck, but it sounded like there was someone... invisible here? With the guy who looked like the very picture of a pirate. "Oh... I think I see now... maybe...?" She HAD thought that Yurika was talking about someone else, after all. Could it be that eccentricity that she'd heard about? Some kind of delusion? ...no, other people here seemed to be aware as well. Lots of strange things happened every day, after all. She turned in the direction the others were facing, hoping she was right. Sheryl was behaving as if everything was fine, but there was no way she could embarrass herself any further. "Uh, sorry, I'm... not able to see or hear you. If you're there and can hear me... it's nice to meet you?"

         She turned to Ruri who seemed to be able to cut the the heart of the matter the best. Maya decided to take Hikaru's words to heart and assume - for now at least - that fool was a term of endearment. It did seem to be something she said a lot. "Is she... a friendly ghost?" She ventured, wondering how best to broach this topic.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.
<poem>
        Tipping her head at the haunted look in Ruri's eyes, Yurika oh so flatly asks - "Eh? Ruri-chan, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost or something. Oh, the music's probably too loud, I can ask them to turn it down-!"

        Yurika just goes ALL bright red at Rita calling her beautiful, especially when she returns in a much cuter variant of bunny compared to Yurika's sillier mascot affair! "Aaaah, ''me'', compared to you, so able to float around and change your style on a whim? What the heeeeck, you're always such a flatterer. And you're so lovey dovey with a charmer like Trevor..." Yurika's pouty pouty for a second, before that changes into a honey-like little laugh. "Honestly, it suits both of you well. Distant and mystical, but inherently adventurous. You two are great for each other. It's like a storybook watching you~"

        Of course, the wild misunderstanding that seems to have happened (Rita being kind of just obvious-ish for Yurika-) only makes for a MORE Yurika-melting tease, as she seems to have accidentally entwined Sheryl's fate with Maya's? "W-w-w-w-wait, what's this sudden ultra-charming meet cute that happened somehow? ---Mayaaaaaa, you'd better not be upstaging me in the fate of a heroine's romance!

        Buuuuuut- Yurika's got muuuuuch bigger problems - as, passing by the door to the party, a few quiet voices perk over the din within.

        "...You're sure you don't want to say bye, Akito? Or at least stop by for a bit?"

        "...It'd just make it way more awkward. Besides, it usually goes a little better if I just move on. These companies won't drag you back to work. ...at least, Nergal probably wouldn't. What about you, Megumi...?"

        "...I left a note. That's fine. It was so hard to get a word in during this whole process that...hm. ...It's rude of us to leave right before they go off, but I just..."

        Yurika's ears perk up at the sound of those passing voices, and she props open the nearby door to gasp at - wouldn't you know it - the sight of a dress-clad Megumi carrying two suitcases, and a backpack-wearing Akito rolling his bicycle along the Shakuyaku's halls.

        The Captain gasps wide, and blurts out, "THERE you two are! Mou, I was worried about you! Come in, there's so much more food! Everyone's here! And . . . and. . .!" ...She already detects something's off, from how Megumi's stepping forward with a deep breath, steeling her resolve.

        "...We've decided we're not going along with this expedition. We're taking an elevator back down to Earth, and getting a place down in Nouvelle Tokyo."

        Akito, somewhat more conflicted about the decision, nods along with Megumi. "...Look...it was one thing getting wrapped up in the Mars journey, since I needed to see what was going on there myself. And coming back - I had nowhere else to go. ...You've all treated me well, don't get me wrong. Just. ...Going all the way out to a different solar system? ...I...can't think of any good reason to go, not for a cook like me. I never wanted to be some kind of galactic explorer..."

        Yurika can only blink balefully. Bunny ears flopping unceremoniously. "...wait wait wait, what?! But you've been with us for so long, d-don't be silly at the last minute like this. Besides - I was just thinking about you, and entering us for the Best Couple raffle contest!~"

        Megumi's grip on Akito's arm tightens defiantly. Akito, for his part - just sighs out, "...That's just not what we are, though. ...Really, Captain. ...We're both sorry about how sudden this is, but it's time, you know?"

        ...Yurika's frozen in abject shock at the door.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.
<poem>
"Ahahaha, I feel like I might've bitten off more than I can chew," Trevor laughs, because what ''else'' can you do when you've been propositioned for a dance by the Galactic Bunny herself? Sheryl is like, basically Bunny Queen, isn't she? But sadly, "Unfortunately, I think that would be very unfair for my little bird, so I'm going to have to decline~&lt;3"

Oh no. Another one with that dread power... The ability to speak... ''heart emoticons!!''

How terrifying.

But hey, she'll bounce back from rejection fine, won't she? See, she's already flirting with that other girl! It's ~all good.~

"Hmhm, well, 'treasure hunters' have to have pretty good luck, don't we?" Trevor sparkles and hoists himself up off the couch, bunny ears bobbing as he drains the rest of his drink. He does ''not'' toss the wine glass aside and decry the manipulative nature of humanity, instead placing it helpfully on a nearby table. "Oh, we've danced before though, haven't we?" Trevor asks, tapping his chin. "You know, in my dreams~?"

...

It might SOUND like a pickup line, but no, in this case it's a pretty literal question.

It's almost so distracting, his reverie, that Trevor almost misses Rita's metamorphosis (first into a half-bunny, then into a sad blob sinking into the floor, then into a ''full'' bunny, hiding behind him in a spot where he ''can't'' crane his head back like a dumbstruck moron, which is honestly probably best for everybody involved). He does not, however, and instead offers his hand to the Other Bunny, "We ''are'' a pretty adorable couple though. Just a pair of bunnies, having bun on a festive, happy evening before an unimaginable adventure."

"Also, bunny is ''way too cute'' on you. Like, I'm pretty sure this is more illegal than most of what I've done??"

...

A pang of what can only be 'heartbreak' sounds through the emotional resonance of the party. Trevor blinks as a dreadful chill washes over his thoughts, and frowns slowly over to the door...

...Something... is wrong...

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.
<poem>
"The one and only!" Hikaru proclaims with a cute salute at the bunnyformed Rita. "N-Not a lot of people call me 'beautiful' you know... but hey, thanks! But all that? Water under the bridge by now. S'all good!" She replies all too casually. Unlike Ruri, it's not the ghost part of the equation that concerns her.

"So you really do got eyes for him, huh?" She asks, her eyes slowly meeting Trevor in that handsome bunnysuit. "Not my type, but he is ''quite'' the catch, hehehe. Just watch out... with handsome eyes and a flattering smile like that, between you and me, I can smell a heartbreaker from a mile away!" Oh, poor Trevor... hit by the tropification beam.

"A heart-pounding surprise love story like this... I can't believe you two!" Hikaru clasps her hands together before the ~truth~ comes out. "Ehe, of course... but you're still pre~ee~tty lucky, Maya-chan!" Hikaru reassures her new coworker with a grin. "I mean! You're both coming along for the expedition, right? Plenty of time to sit in that tension, or make something more of it. Shoot your shot! It's the only one you got." She winks. She doesn't care if Sheryl overhears it.

"Well, well, well... look who finally showed their faces!" Hikaru enthuses with Akito and Megumi stop by. "So hey, where were you during Gekiganger night-"

She stops, slowly realizing their expressions. "Oh."

"B-But! Is it really any different if we're still here or way out there? Sure, we're seeing new frontiers, encountering new enemies. Still! We always overcame everything we did because we were all together!" She insists.

"We're comrades, always! Both of you are-" She sinks into Yurika, as she's overtaken by shock. "Alright... take care, you two. I'll um... let Ryoko and Izumi know for you."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
<poem>
        Ruri is distracted both from her Healthy Meal (she'd rather have some cake...) and from the matter of spirits -- by Yurika wandering to the entrance. She follows, when she hears her greeting people, only to come up behind her and see:

        "... you're leaving?" Ruri asks, and the world will break in her eyes, standing behind Yurika.

        "...", her lips part, and nothing else comes out.

        She looks away.

        Akito... and Megumi, too. They don't want to come with them... it's too much of a burden, for a normal cook. He doesn't want to...

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
<poem>
        Even if Maya might have been dying and dead, Sheryl giggles mischievously when she says she'll treasure this. "Of course you will. I'm Sheryl, after all!" she declares, flipping her hair with the back of one elegant hand.
        
        But then Ruri intones that they're heeeeeeere. Sheryl folds her arms and turns to squint at her as she explains the situation succinctly. She eyes Trevor, who appears to be going along with this, even implying he's turning down ''his own'' offer to dance in favor of this 'bird'? Well, he might mean someone he's actually dating, but still. She shakes her head and shrugs. Maya looks to fully believe this prank, so Sheryl opts to play along.
        
        "My songs are full of spirit, so of course spirits would like me too!" She winks at Trevor. "But if you've already got a date with the dead, I won't interfere. &lt;3 Even in death, love goes on! Isn't that how the song goes~?"
        
        Oh yes. Two bubbles in a heart mark, Sheryl and Trevor.
        
        She laughs, too, when Hikaru openly encourages Maya to try to seduce her while Yurika gasps about it all. "I ''am'' joining the expedition," she confirms, blue eyes sparkling. She doesn't mention that she already has someone(s?) in her heart. Why crush a poor girl's dreams~? (...She might eventually have to tell Maya that she's not actually available, but right now, Sheryl thinks they're all just playing around.)
        
        This merriment is interrupted by the arrival of Akito and Megumi. Sheryl doesn't know them ''well'', but she's acquainted with them as members of the Nadesico. "Oh, you're just in time!" she says, waving a hand at them as if to beckon them over.
        
        She does not beckon them over. In fact, Akito lays some pretty devastating news on Yurika. Sheryl's cheer slips away, leaving behind a sober frown--and a concerned look over at Yurika. She doesn't try to convince Akito or Megumi to stay; that's they're own decision to make. But she does walk over to join her and Hikaru and offer a hopefully reassuring hand on her shoulder. Even Ruri seems shaken.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
<poem>
My name is Rita Bernal.

Rita answers Ruri, patiently watching. Ruri comes to her own conclusions soon enough, and Rita nods. Haunting Trevor, fond of Sheryl... That's close enough to the truth that she's comfortable with it.

I hope it's okay that I'm haunting you, Trevor.

She winks at the pirate. It's a playful gesture, one not entirely suited to Rita's demeanor. She must've picked it up from someone else.

Maya greets the general area Rita is floating in, and though Rita realizes she can't be seen, the spirit waves to Maya. It's nice to be noticed and treated this way.

Hello, Maya. Please don't worry, I'm very friendly.

Someone might tell Maya what Rita's said. Or maybe no one will. Either way, it's alright.

Yurika is even more beautiful as she blushes, and Rita smiles a bit more brightly.

It's not a competition, right? Besides, I really like you a lot, Yurika. You're brave and strong. And really, storybook? That's what I've always dreamed of.

Rita looks back to Trevor, golden light dusting her cheeks. A pirate and a firebird... They really are like a storybook, aren't they? Rita brings both her hands over her heart, smiling so widely her eyes squeeze closed.

Hikaru seems to have forgiven Rita. Or at least, isn't actively angry at her anymore! It's a relief.

Your soul is radiant. It shows through your eyes. I think, anyway! And yes, I really like Trevor a lot. He's always been here for me. I don't think he'll break my heart! He's far too kind.

With a smile, she turns back to Trevor. Rita missed Sheryl inviting him to dance while she was hiding in the floor, but she catches that heart emoticon, and 'little bird'. Rita laughs happily, floating at his shoulder as Trevor stands.

I think so. We've done so much in your dreams, haven't we? Mars, and snow...

If this is a line, Rita likes it. She's never heard pickup lines before, after all. Taking his hand (or as close as she can come to doing so), she floats after him, fishnet-stocking covered legs hovering just a few inches off the floor. Somehow, she still isn't wearing shoes...

You really like it? Thank you! I think you look pretty great as a bunny, too. Maybe we should dress this way all the time!

Rita laughs. It'd be hilarious to try and pilot a mobile suit dressed this way. But for the way his legs look this way, maybe that'd be alright.

Just as Rita raises her hands to get into a dance position with Trevor, heartbreak echoes across the party. Rita frowns, feeling it just as deeply as her partner.

We should go find out what happened. Come on, Trevor!

'Pulling' Trevor along with her, Rita winds her way through the party to reach Yurika. There seems to be a confrontation of some kind -- Rita doesn't know these extra two people, but they're clearly important to Yurika. The spirit frowns, coming to a halt just behind Yurika's shoulder.

Friends belong together! You shouldn't waste the time that's been given to you. Listen to Yurika.

Rita's eyes are serious, now -- it's hard hard to realize who she's thinking of, as she speaks.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Maya Jintek has posed.
<poem>
         Hikaru's suggestion that she try and 'genuinely' court Sheryl was almost enough to make her melt down again. Almost. Maya was still as red as a tomato at the whole thing but at least she had started to build up an immunity, perhaps? "I... I couldn't! It'd be disrespectful! ...Wouldn't it?" She wasn't the sort of person who thought that idols couldn't date or anything - that was INCREDIBLY old fashioned - but there was a whole power dynamic involved! It was one of those 'parasocial relationships' she'd heard about in the news! No, as amazing as Sheryl is, on stage and in person, she should just be sure to treat her as a person! But as Hikaru said, they were going to be on a journey together, so chances were high they'd get to know each other as people... oh no.

         "De-culture..." Maya murmured as she took deep breaths to steady herself. 'This must be like what my father and the other Zentradi felt. It's... powerful.' Sheryl was 100% right she'd remember this moment. "I-I'd at the very least like to be able to call you a friend by the end of this voyage!" She ended up saying. That wasn't being TOO presumptuous, right?

         It also looked like they were going to be losing some of their crew from this. Akito and Megumi. She didn't precisely know them, so it wasn't like it affected her too much, but she could see that they were both treasured comrades going by the expressions of the others on the Nadesico. "I'm sorry to see you go, but I'm sure you're making the best choice for yourself. All the best!" Maya said, doing her best to be polite for them. It wasn't like she could give a truly heartfelt farewll or anything.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.
<poem>
        It's a dissonant feeling. The sudden drop in morale even with the happily cheering party blaring behind everyone. Even Akito feels the pressure a little bit, rubbing the back of his head, before Megumi provides her own comfort, holding onto his shoulder tightly. "...Mm, I see Ruri over there. I should've figured it'd be the hardest on her. You two got along in a weird little way...look, I don't want to get all caught up and lost, we ''already'' somehow wound up on this ship during the hustle of people getting to and from the party. But...go on, say goodbye properly."

        Akito concedes that point...and walks right through Rita - the two of them, unfortunately can't really perceive her much at all. Crouching down a fair bit to get on Ruri's level, Akito makes an awkward breathe inward, and carefully reaches up to hold onto Ruri's shoulder - though not too much that she couldn't pull away if she needed. "...I'm sorry about how sudden this is. We had it on our mind a lot over the past few weeks - really, the day after it was announced, we really started to talk about staying out of it. ...Hey, Ruri-ruri. Can you promise that you won't become an adult who keeps that kind of thing secret?" There's a conciliatory little smile from Akito, a forced little laugh. "After all, one day you might have your own junior who'll pout about how foolish you're being, and that'd just be backwards, ahaha."

        Standing upright and giving Ruri a warm wave, Akito leaves her off with - "Have fun out there. Even I could tell you get excited seeing new parts of the world, even if you don't let it show. And tell me all about it when you get back. I'm counting on you."

        To Hikaru and Sheryl, clearly supporting the rather shocked, slowly teary-eyed Yurika, Akito's a lot more...stiff and awkward. The sight does make him stop - the rather pitiful way Yurika bends over, craning her head upwards at him, quietly begging him not to go. "...take care of her for me too, okay? Sorry to put that on your shoulders especially, Hikaru, even in the piloting department. But - I'm a cook, damn it. And you just got new help in the form of Maya here. ...Maybe...help her learn that she doesn't need something to be 'fated' to be happy. You and Sheryl both. I think that's what this is all about. I've kinda always had to tough it out on my own, to make hard choices, to give it 110%. It's not like I haven't noticed you're thinking the same way, Yurika. ...You know, going out into the stars like this, leading an expedition into the unknown, ''that's'' something...'romantic' to me."

        "...Akito, come on now. With Ruri, sure, but the Cap - but Misumaru-san's an adult whether she knows it or not. Let's get this going already." Megumi grouses, looping her arm around Akito's. She's never had quite as much sentimental to say, and the idea of this meeting becoming that's clearly making her rather uncomfortable. ...Akito claims he's the one who has to make clean breaks, but isn't Megumi the one trying to just run away immediately?

        The two pull away from the noise of the celebration - and Yurika's dejection...definitely lingers. But...with everything said like that, she thinks more about what Akito wanted to tell her - and less about painfully watching him go. She can, at least, manage a soft, "...I'll be alright.", even if the tension that makes her want to wail out her troubles is clearly bubbling in her poor tender heart!
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
<poem>
        Ruri's bangs shade her eyes, as her head tilts down. She doesn't, tellingly, pull away from Akito's hand; neither does she meet his eyes.

        He can probably tell, anyway.

        It's in the tremble and shake of her shoulders.

        "Fool," she condemns him, all sharp-tongued in the face of her own pain. "You decided that, and you didn't say anything... is it really because Omoikane and I made trouble for you?" If they made him leave...

        Then they've made all that is normal on the Nadesico flee, and with him, any hope of a normal life.

        The one man who wasn't recruited for his eccentric genius... it was the accident of his arrival that meant so much, this young man who only wanted to cook.

        "I'm ''not pouting,''" she insists, a shade hoarsely. "I hope things go well for you in Nouvelle Tokyo. Good luck."

        But when she's free, it's not exactly ''subtle,'' the way she turns and hurries off.

        Or the way she rubs at her eyes, when she thinks they can't see her any more.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.
<poem>
It-- Doesn't take a genius to know what just happened. For someone who means so much to so many people to just drop that he's leaving out of nowhere and...

Trevor takes a few deep breaths from just out of the way. Part of him ''absolutely wanted to slug that guy.'' But it wouldn't have helped anything. Paraemotional rage and betrayal surge in his heart, but vicarious vengeance taken in the heat of the moment wouldn't soothe the pain.

Nor would it stop Akito from leaving.

...

...Well. No. He ''could'' chase Akito down right now, punch him out and tie him up inside a closet somewhere on the Nadesico, but Trevor is 99\% sure that doing so would be ''extremely'' unhelpful.

He would, though.

HE ABSOLUTELY WOULD THOUGH.

...

But this bunny can't. Not today. Trevor shakes his head slowly, "I think... if we were dressed like this all the time, it'd stop being special," he says to Rita, trying to steer the emotional tenor even a little bit away from... all of that. "...Man, really put a damper on things, though. I can't believe they waited for now, of all times. The worst possible timing, that guy..."

Ruri... Runs off. Trevor stares after her, then glances to Rita. "...Hey. I know this is our date night and all, but... I think I should probably go keep an eye on her. You can come along too, if you like?"

A slight smile, then: "After all, bunnies get lonely. And you're haunting me right now, aren't you?"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
<poem>
        Deculture indeed. Sheryl crooks a half-smile at Maya, settling a hand on her hip. "We'll see how it goes," she tells her. After all, they only just met. Still, they'll definitely have opportunities to become friends over the next couple of months.
        
        That cheerful atmosphere drains when the next few events unfold. Sheryl doesn't stop frowning at Akito when he encourages her and Hikaru to support Yurika, help her see she doesn't need a 'destined' romance. Her eyes flick over to Megumi as she pulls him away, but she doesn't say anything. He didn't actually address her directly, and anyway, Yurika and Ruri are both having the worst time of it.
        
        So when Yurika collects herself enough to claim she'll be fine, Sheryl offers her an arm to help her up. "How about we have a chat a little later, in private?" she murmurs to her as she leans in. "I know a little about how you must feel right now."
        
        She won't explain that right now, though. That's what 'later, in private' is for. As for Ruri... poor girl. Sheryl watches her go with upturned eyebrows--but she hears Trevor say he's going to go keep an eye on her, so she'll leave that one be.
        
        For now.
</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
<poem>
Akito walks ''through'' Rita, and may find himself struck with a burst of warmth and connection. Rita floats out of the way as soon as she can, shaking her head to clear her brief synchronicity with the stranger.

Yurika, Ruri, and Trevor seem to want this Akito to stay. Briefly, Rita considers making him. It'd be simple enough, reaching out with her psychic power to lift the man from the ground. But... what would happen next? With a frown, Rita simply watches the scene play out.

I would too. But I don't think it'd make a difference to stop them. If they choose not to be with the people who love them, they'll just have to learn from the sorrow it brings.

Trevor speaks, and Rita gives him a smile, trying to help raise the mood as well. Perhaps she'll hold a grudge against Akito and this other person for ruining her dance with Trevor. Rita hasn't decided yet.

They really ruined the party... I'll come with you, Trevor. Ruri was kind to the Phenex before. I'd like to repay her. And bunnies have to stick together.

Placing her hand over Trevor's, she follows him after Ruri, looking back over her shoulder once to check on Yurika. For now, it looks like Sheryl has things taken care of... But maybe Rita will check on Yurika later, too.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Maya Jintek has posed.
<poem>
         While she was happy that Sheryl had left the door open for a friendship - really, that was more than she expected, it seemed that the fallout of Akito leaving was... well, huge. It seemed that he was really important to Yurika and Ruri especially. This... was really awkward, to be honest. How were you supposed to react to this kind of thing? Ruri had run off, and Sheryl was helping Yurika to compose herself. She wanted to help as well, but that might make things too crowded for the poor Captain. "If you need to talk about things any more, I'll be available as well, OK?" She said to Yurika as well, leaving it open to her if she needed another friend now, or later, or never. She made sure to down her mocktail, as she began to contemplate leaving the party early - it wasn't exactly a festive mood any more, after all.
</poem>