View source for 2024-04-06: Extra Sweetness

*'''Log: 2024-04-07'''
*'''Cast:''' [[Character :: Alouette Pommier]], [[Character :: Sho Tachibana]]
*'''Where:''' Lyon, France (AEU)
*'''OOC - IC Date:''' 14 February 0099
*'''Summary''': ''At a point of calm amidst the brewing storm in the Earth Sphere, Alouette hatches a plan for a quieter Valentine's day date with Sho. There's lots of affection even between the knowledge that the weight of the world is slowly splitting them apart.''

----

 <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
<poem>
It's been an interesting change of seasons this year for Alouette. It's hard for her to believe she's eighteen now, though the desperate clash above the Moon and its aftermath hardly gave her time to celebrate... nor did she really feel like she was in the mood to at the time.

Now, it's February, and the U-FITS entrance exams came and went by like a breeze. There's something else that falls every February though - and this time Alouette made certain to leave a spot open in her calendar for it. Though she had fun with the hand-made chocolate last White Day... she decided on something else this year.

Since she's moving next month, it might be the last chance they ever get to go out in France, so she invited Sho for a date chic little cafe in a tucked-away corner in Lyon - which she insists has the actual best coffee ''and'' desserts in the country (not that she cares about the desserts, she'd also insist). Besides that, it's a quiet place to just talk... which is probably well-needed.

It's a high-speed rail trip away from what will soon be her former home. She waits at the stop by the cafe, dressed in a cute, fluffy blue sweater, a long black skirt, leggings and a pair boots. There's some light snow, but it's mild by winter standards. There's perhaps a hint of melancholy to her expression - and she's always on her guard to some extent in France... but she tries her best not to show it too much.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Sho Tachibana has posed.
<poem>
Having only had cause to visit France occasionally before she started dating, Sho would say that the nation has grown on her hugely in recent years. Seeing Lyon lightly dusted in snow only reinforces that feeling, as she steps into the cafe Alouette picked out.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
<poem>
Alouette thinks the oufit Sho picked out today looks really good, but also she's the type who can't help but tease. "Ca va, mon chou?" She asks, which is a very affectionate term, but also literally means 'my cabbage'. "Hehe, I was waiting for you to wear green again to use that one." She smiles. "It's a lovely look on you."

After they exchange those kisses, not uncommon for the locale, Alouette takes Sho's hand, firmly but not forcefully. They're not the only couple in the cafe today, but Alouette keeps her attention on her own partner.

"My favourite? Well... you certainly can't go really wrong with just ordering cafe au lait. Desserts, though..." She squints over the menu. "I heard the chocolate-drizzled crepes with whipped cream are pretty good. I mean, that's just what I heard, of course." She winks. "You want to split?"

"So... did you end up taking the U-FITS?" Alouette asks, casually while they wait to have their order taken. "It sounds like you have enough on your plate with everything NISAR has you doing... but I guess that's not so different here, either." She concedes, with a wave of her hand.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Sho Tachibana has posed.
<poem>
"'ma chou', or 'ma Sho'?" the redhead fires back with a grin, cheeks pinking slightly as she translates in her head. "It's good to see you." She squeezes Alouette's hand as she takes the seat.

"Oh, those crepes sound good, let's split a plate. I guess if someone asks, I'll have to tell them a little bird recommended them to me, huh?" She winks back.

She sighs a little as Alouette brings up the U-FITS. "Yeah, I didn't have much time to study but I tried my best. I'm not sure what school I'm angling for though, even with the options a lot fewer on the table."

"It did get me thinkin', though. I wondered what my career might have been if I hadn't decided to become a pilot." She shrugs. "Maybe a kendo professional, run the tournament circuit, see how that goes." She smiles. "How did you do?"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
<poem>
"Why not both?" Alouette answers, playfully, pleased to see Sho trying to match her on the pun game. "I'm happy to see you too, I..." She fidgets with the menu. "I'm glad we could make the time." It'll be a lot harder once they both graduate... being on opposite sides of the NERV-GGG split.

"Of course," Alouette winks in understanding. "If I recall correctly, that little bird ''also'' said that whipped-cream is pretty good as a topping for such crepes, so I guess I wouldn't mind giving it a try." She adds, as the establishment's waiter takes their order.

Perhaps that sigh says everything about how Sho feels about the U-FITS, though, and Alouette nods. "Sometimes your best is still better than what some other people are giving." She points out, taking a sip from her newly arrived coffee. With an extra shot of espresso, of course. "Hmm... do you think NISAR's offering any scholarship programs?"

"That's an interesting thought..." Alouette says, when Sho considers what other life paths she could've taken. "A kendo master, huh? That's definitely something I could see. Mmm.. I could even see you being a pretty good instructor, ''Sho-sensei''~" She giggles.

How did she do? "Well, I can't say I'm really worried." She answers with a wry smile. "Most of it was a breeze, but some of the Japanese history questions were actually kind of tricky... because I've only lived in the area for a few years." She adds, with a laugh.

"Sometimes I've thought about that, too, though. What kind of career I'd have if my memories never came back, I mean." Alouette says, absently stirring her coffee around. "I think asking myself questions like that is a little pointless, though. You know, I'm happy right where I am now~" She squeezes her girlfriend's hand once again.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Sho Tachibana has posed.
<poem>
Sho nods. "We need to grab as much time as we can, for sure. Before our jobs get even more complicated."

"Ooh, yeah, definitely add the whipped cream," she chimes in to the waiter with a grin, before looking back to Alouette. "I'll have to talk to Captain Hayato about scholarships, but the thing is I've already ''got'' my pilot's wings, so in theory I have a career lined up as long as I want it." She pauses. "Maybe I should consider a college that'll broaden my horizons."

She laughs when Alouette calls her 'sensei'. "I'm a long way from that right now.... but I bet you're picturing me in the outfit, huh?" She nods when Alouette describes her own U-FITS performance. "You'll pick it up. I'm sure some of your coworkers know all kinds of stories about history and landmarks."

She listens to Alouette conclude she's happy here, and after a moment she nods. "If you hadn't got your memories back... would you have even gone to that GUTS prom? We might never have met." She returns the squeeze. "Yeah I think I'm happy with you where you are now too." She leans across the table for a quick kiss.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
<poem>
"Honestly, I was hoping things might get ''less'' complicated after we stopped the Triple Zero." Alouette admits, taking another sip. "But even then, the Mechasaurus Empire  could become a major problem again anytime." In that sense, she doesn't blame Hayato Jin for playing it cautious, despite his reputation.

"That's true," Alouette nods, when Sho points out she already has a career lined up as Neo Getter-2's pilot. "It's pretty much the same for me. It's not like I have any plans of leaving GGG right now." Broadening one's horizons... "So I mostly wanted to go to college to learn something I was less familiar with." She explains, after the waiter leaves with their order. "I was thinking I could help faculty with their research on the side, too."

"Maybe~" She answers, when Sho brings up the outfit. "I can't deny there's a certain appeal to it." She's never exactly been shy about admiring Sho's technique with a sword, either. "It's true, I've picked up quite a bit." She agrees, about Japanese history and culture. "As for landmarks... I'm sure we could always make time to see them in person together, right?"

Would she have gone to that GUTS prom? She nearly didn't go even when she ''had'' her memories - she doesn't regret changing her mind. "It's hard to say. And even if I did, who knows if we would have connected in the same way?" She pauses, as the waiter arrives with their crepes. "So yes... I'm glad we're where we are now."

She leans in for the kiss, too... but pauses for a moment. "Oh, wait... I think I still have some whipped cream on my cheek." She laughs, moving to wipe it off.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Sho Tachibana has posed.
<poem>
"Yeah, honestly I can't imagine you resigning from 3G either," Sho admits with a fond smile. "You belong there, and you've fought hard for your place there!" She nods when Alouette talks about landmarks. "Tokyo Tower for our next date, then?" She grins, and laughs when Alouette points out she still has a bit of whipped cream on her face. "Oh ''no'', extra sweetness," she laughs back.

"So, Lou-chan, did you have any other plans for us today?"

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
<poem>
"It's like home," Alouette nods. "Not everyone can say that about their job."

"Tokyo Tower? Sounds fun," She agrees. As for the whipped cream... "Oh, don't get me wrong. ''I'm'' pretty sweet, you know~" 

She goes in for the quick cheek peck to illustrate her point.

"Plans? I think..." She considers, between bites of her crepes. "I'd like to spend the rest of the day with you." She answers, honestly. "We could stop by a museum... and my place isn't too far away, either." She feels they should enjoy it while they're here.
</poem>

[[Category:Logs]]
[[Category:Phase 1]]
[[Category:Phase 1 Special Disc]]