2025-01-21: Miso Soup

• Log: 2025-01-21- Miso Soup
• Cast: Akane Shinjo, Rikka Takarada, Qivi, Alouette Pommier, Guy Shishioh
• Where: Tsutsujidai - Junk Shop Aya
• Date: 0100-01-21
• Summary: After a fun trip back to Tsutsujidai, Akane asks an important question on the third anniversary of the relationship between herself and Rikka.

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<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

It's required a little finagling, but a trip back to Tsutsujidai has provided a lot of fun opportunities (and in Akane's case a quick dip into work). Akane was hoping for a couple people not in attendance to make it, but the truth of the adult world is that you can't always get a clean sweep on these things. Ako's at an aunt's funeral, and Marusan has decided to support her; she's offering to treat them to dinner later in the trip.

(... She may be doing something sneaky and trying to engineer Ako into thinking about their future in the process, but she is offering Kani Douraku that Akane and Rikka don't have to pay for.)

Today's run of the trip -- since it's not all former Tsutsujidai High attendees -- has been pretty light and fun. Tsutsujidai's GROUND the ONE has played host to much of it; Akane is getting... marginally better with the cork gun and the darts, but still mostly manages to embarrass herself. An arcade is a good group activity, as group activities go -- especially when there's also some physical activities there.

Akane's stamina has improved, but it still isn't the greatest... and she wants to preserve some of it for reasons that all but one participant probably knows by now. Accordingly, she's called the Old Lady Pause in and dragged everyone back to Aya for a break.

It feels... strange. The first time she came to Aya -- a few months after coming to Tsutsujidai, to dump off a bunch of homewares her kaiju had created that she realized she didn't need but couldn't bring herself to just throw in the trash -- she was scared, miserable, and barely 15 years old. It'd been a quick drop-in visit, carefully timed to avoid Rikka for fear of needing to pull off a difficult bandaid, one way or another. The sensation that she could never love or be loved and the whole exercise was a lie had already started to set in, loath as she'd been to admit it.

Now... it feels different. It's not quite that it's like any other place, any other town. It's a place where she grew up, in a tangible sense. It's the place where Alexis holed up at her expense and told her it was hers. It's the place where she got the little brother she wished for. The place where her principles fell apart, the place where she did so many horrible things, the place she had to leave behind. The place that embraced her as Ruler of All Known Prom only after she stopped thinking of it that way, the place where she had the privilege and the honor to watch her girlfriend prove her fears about her world conclusively wrong.

... it's nostalgic -- not in a way where she wants to stay within that dream forever, but in a way where she wants to see where her world can go because of it.

She's behind the counter; the shop is closed for the moment -- supposedly to let Rikka's mom do inventory while Akane cooks for the group. So the fiction goes, anyway.

It all means Akane's looking in the fridge with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Heeeey, Rikka. Could you come over here for a minute? I want a second eye on meal plans... I know on a trip like this we're probably going to go somewhere for lunch and dinner but like, breakfast for the next however-long?"

... It looks like she's moving things around in there to do an ingredient census -- but she's actually slipping something into an empty slot in a cardboard six-pack of Ramune, then flipping it around so that's against the rear corner of the fridge. She knows that Rikka's not going to think twice about a set of carbonated drinks up against a fridge corner, and there's no incentive to move it to find other ingredients...

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

The chance to return to Tsutsujidai and see people and places she hasn't seen in some time has been a welcome one. Work hasn't been particularly heavy lately, but it's nice to get away from it all for a bit - and doing it with friends has proven to be enjoyable.

Rikka's accuracy has only gotten better in recent years, whether its with the cork gun or the darts. Anyone going up against her has a tough fight ahead of them. Still, she finds herself glad for the opportunity to relax and recharge as everyone returns to Aya.

It still feels like home, even after all this time. It feels different, now, but in a good way - the way things have grown and evolved in her absence but stayed the same in the ways that matter. She's grown and evolved, too. It only makes sense.

At the moment, Rikka chats idly among those present, leaning back in Aya's couch. Akane calls her and she looks up.

"Oh, sure." Rikka replies. She stands up, stepping around the counter to join her in front of the fridge. The pack of Ramune receives barely a cursory glance. It's the last place she'd look, after all. Instead, she sizes up everything else they have before looking toward Akane.

"What do you have figured out so far?" Rikka asks.

With Rikka's attention squarely on Akane, Orie looks up from where she's been conducting inventory, turning her attention to the two of them and watching them both intently - and waiting.

<Pose Tracker> Qivi has posed.

Qivi made it to Tsutsujidai.

Most of her memories of Tsutsujidai are a little unusual, as she'd only been rarely until the whole series of events that led to Tsutsujidai... let's go with 'moving'. She didn't grow up here; she didn't go to school here.

But she did work here, spending time at Aya, and when she was forced to find a place to live she had stayed up in Tsutsujidai for some time, so perhaps accepting an invitation isn't that unusual, especially when it comes from people she likes.

Also, Qivi is a not-great shot with a gun - even a cork gun - without the benefits of being in a wanzer, but she's much better with the darts, and if there's a batting cage she's a not-quite-unbeatable menace with a bat in her hands. (Her actual game of choice is rugby, but somehow she doubts that one is going to come up.)

Aya isn't home for her the same way it is for Akane and Rikka but it's still a comfortable place. She spent a fair amount of time here, way back when. Plus, she doesn't mind a bit of clutter.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

It's been a while since Alouette's been to Tsutsujidai, herself. She has a lot of good memories here... and a lot of bad ones, too, but when it comes to memories, it's important to take the good with the bad. It's also nice to know Tsutsujidai is fending for itself these days, but that doesn't mean you can't visit - even if getting around Side 4 is a little tricky in the current climate.

The trip itself's been fun, especially the arcade. Having such uncanny reflexes helps with aiming cork gun and the darts, but considering Alouette lacks for experience in such things... Rikka was a formidable opponent indeed. Akane... not so much, but it's still nice to see her try her best at something.

Alouette's social battery is still closer to Akane's though, so she's glad for the opportunity to stop by Aya and refresh. Especially since Aya was always such a warm and welcoming place when she really needed it. Like it is for Qivi, the junk shop part of the store only adds to the atmosphere for her, and she eyes what's on display as people filter in.

What's going on between Akane and Rikka seems pretty mundane. It's just meal planning. But it seems like everyone has their eyes on them, and Alouette is no exception... even if she makes it look like she's not paying attention by absently sipping her tea.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Akane had actually been a bit surprised by Qivi's lack of talent at the usual range of arcade ticket generators -- she was so certain that the much more athletic young lady would have been able to crush that. ... Alouette being one of the more talented members -- experience aside -- was its own surprise.

She looks back toward both of them as Rikka heads over, noticing that they're both, indeed, paying attention. A smile crosses her face, and she takes a deep breath in before letting it out. "I know I keep saying this, but I'm really glad you guys could make it," she says, pushing her hair back a little.

Akane looks in the fridge. "Well -- you know me... I like to stick to the classics. We do have a lot of dashi in here, that's kinda expected for a diner... eggs... Chinese cabbage." Akane taps her chin, musing, "We could do tamagoyaki for a breakfast protein, maybe... there's no sprouts, but we could substitute green onion?" Akane's always had a fondness for eggs with a little bit of spice and aroma to them. "That'll keep in the fridge for a few days, as long as we stay on top of cooking sides..."

Deep breath in. Long exhale. Akane shifts things around in the fridge a little more. "Well," Akane says, "I don't mind cooking sides every morning from here on out." Clank, clank. She turns the Ramune bottle pack to the side, hand snaking around a bit. "I know when we first met you didn't like your last name... but I kinda do, so I'd be even happier to make the miso soup every morning if I were 'Akane Takarada.'"

She turns to bow -- carefully, respectfully, comfortably hitting that 45 degree angle -- and in a single smooth motion extends her arms and opens a box held in one hand. A ring -- made of silver-white metal with a frankly-massive shield-cut purple diamond and ruby-red side stones -- sits in the box, bathed in faint blue-white light from an LED in the box's lid.

Wryly, she adds, "After this year's Obon, I know I'd be happy to lie in the same grave, too."

(Akane had to go for the hat trick of 'inversions of proposals only 80 year old men like.')

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

"Always." Rikka agrees to Qivi's comment as she stands, moving to join Akane behind the counter. Orie spares a brief glance toward the others who's attention has turned the same way - and offers them a wink and a knowing smile.

"Yeah, I'm glad, too. It's been nice to spend time with everyone." Rikka agrees. Her attention is still focused on the fridge. Maybe she senses the eyes on the both of them, but her guard is down and her attention is Akane - it doesn't register as anything more than curiosity.

"You do." Rikka agrees with a small laugh, turning back to the fridge and studying the contents as Akane lists things off. ...She pauses for a moment, and her brow furrows. One can practically see the gears turning in her head -

- and then Akane brings up her last name, says she'd be happy to make miso soup every morning. And then she says 'Akane Takarada' and they grind to a complete stop. It hasn't been the first time she'd alluded that classic proposal. Rikka half expects her to play it off as a joke. But, that last part's new, and...

Akane turns toward her, with a practiced, respectful bow... and produces a box with a ring inside. A magnificient ring, lit by an LED. Rikka stares in wide-awed awe. It's gorgeous, and she can see how much effort it's been put into it just by looking. She looks from the ring, toward Akane, and the gears start to turn again.

"...Oh my god." Rikka exhales. And right as she's getting her composure back, Akane continues. It hits her right as she's recovering and a snort of fond laughter slips out. All of this - it's so undeniably Akane, with her heart in every ounce of it. "Oh my god, Akane."

It takes another second for her to recover - and then she turns, taking a moment to exhale again and psych herself up. This is happening. It's really happening. Her answer was never in question - just the specifics, in the face of whatever Akane had planned.

Rikka turns to face Akane fully before reaching up, cupping her hand holding the box with her own.

"Well... I think I'd like that." She says. ...She sounds a little choked up when she says it, but she's making sure she gets the words out. "I'd love to share them all with you. Your miso soup, my name..." She chuckles, just slightly. "Even the grave."

From the side... Orie smiles, folding her arms in front of her. The look of pride for both of them on her face is unquestionable... but it's also hit her pretty hard, too. Even with all she's seen, in all her years... little could have prepared her for the sight of her daughter being proposed to - and reciprocating in turn. She sniffs. ...She could probably use a handkerchief.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

"Yeah, it's been a while since we did something without work getting in the way," Alouette agrees, though unfortunately it seems that didn't hold up for Qivi. But for now, they may as well have all the time in the world to themselves. She sees Orie's wink - this must be it then.

And then it begins. Alouette honestly has to hold back a giggle when Akane rapid-fires a series of the most cheesy-sounding proposals she's ever heard - including the morbid one that is just so Akane - and that's not easy to do when you have a cup of hot tea in your hands. It's also culminated in that ring Alouette knew Akane's been working hard on for a while now, which turned out so nicely.

Alouette stands up then, and mostly looks to Rikka's reaction with some anticipation. It's kind of sweet to see - and also a little surreal? - two of your friends you've known for years get engaged on the spot, even if Alouette knew it was coming for months now. "Congratulations, you two~" She smiles. "I'm impressed you said all that with a straight face. It must not have been easy." She adds, wryly, to Akane.

"But honestly... after everything that's happened, I'm just happy for the two of you." She concludes.

<Pose Tracker> Qivi has posed.

Qivi is fine with things that *aren't* a gun. Darts, pitching, baseball. She's just not good with a pistol, having never really bothered to train with them to any great extent. Even since she joined GGG! She's slacking.

Back in Aya, though: it's fortunate for everyone involved in this proposal that Rikka either didn't notice Qivi sliding over or misread it. Qivi is a lot of things; 'subtle' is not usually one of them, despite her best efforts. (Fortunately, 'keeping secrets' is, as long as she isn't expected to do anything about them; Akane was not in any danger by spilling the beans to Qivi ahead of time.)

She was clearly at least expecting the general shape of what was going to happen even if the details were unknown until now. From where Qivi is seeing, she cannot see the ring (though she can see the glow of the LED light). She still restrains herself...

...at least for a few moments, because once the proposal is *accepted* she can't help but hop to her feet. Her first instinct is to thump one or both of them on the back in congratulations, but she manages to keep it restrained. Mostly.

"Congratulations! A ha ha, I was really hoping it'd go off okay when it happened...!" She certainly has volume. And exuberance. "Seriously, it's - it's great it's finally happening! I'm real happy for you both!" It certainly stands in counterpoint to Alouette's more... polite response.

<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.

Guy Shishioh IS NOT a chaperone, although like all superheroes maybe he kind of comes off as one. Now that he's no longer the Super Human Evoluder, though, it's no longer objectively unfair for him to take part in games! Even if combat experience and being an absurd polymath decathlete meant he had to take a handicap once or twice. Still, he's always up for a day with friends and coworkers. He spent a long time unable to do much but watch days like that.

Guy didn't spend a lot of the relax and unwind time others did at Aya - for Guy, that whole period of time was a blur of rushing back and forth, desperately trying to save what he could save. But that does mean now he gets to be here to watch those seeds progress and grow further into their own future.

....these women aren't that much younger than he is, though. Time travel's cool sometimes.

Still, he pulls himself away from the walls once the words are spoken, sidling up with the rest. "How is she older than Dad?" he quips, adding to Alouette's jab. Still, the grin on his face is ear to ear. "Congratulations, both of you."

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Akane straightens back up as Rikka gently cups her hand; her heart pounds out of her chest, and she takes a deep, steadying breath in. It's -- it's really happening. The two of them are -- moving forward. Like this. Together. It's a dizzying sensation -- for a few moments she feels light-headed, now that she's out of the part she could run through and practice in her head.

"Thank you," she says, softly. She carefully slips the ring out of the box with the less-occupied of her hands, awkwardly shifting her own hands around until she's got the box solidly in one hand and the ring more solidly in the other... and then takes Rikka's hands in turn. She slides the ring onto Rikka's ring finger, and says, "... It -- looks even better on you than I imagined." Enthusiastically, she gestures everyone else over, saying, "You guys -- really have to get a look at this!"

In the meanwhile, she takes a moment to mentally clear her stack and talk to the others. "Ehehehe... I've been running through it in the mirror for weeks..." Being able to finally talk about it in detail feels... really good. She rubs at the back of her head, admitting, "I was a liiiittle nervous, but it really worked out." She can sense Qivi's intent -- but she's pleasantly surprised to not be thumped on the back.

Guy ribs her about being older than his dad, and Akane turns even pinker. "Hey, it's -- the classics are the classics for a reason!" she insists, shifting on her feet. "And I... I like cooking a lot." She does not comment on the last name or the grave, but she does add, "It feels kinda nice." ... it's not that surprising. Even if she's a little bit priced out of the post-war conservative turn of Japan for obvious reasons, it feels nice to claim part of that cultural identity for herself.

She finally gets the box out of her hands for now, carefully setting it aside. "So -- hehehehe... this was my class project I was waiting for the final review on." She's infuriatingly smug about having committed to this bit for literal months. "I like working with metal more than I thought, so I thought this would be a really good way to do something unique! Uh, teeeeechnically this isn't the original... the original is hidden inside the DX Totsukaiser we haven't unpacked yet at home. We scanned the original and made this one in the fabrication lab at work, because working this metal would have been really miserable... but it's a really tight scan, so it's even got most of the same imperfections." This whole process was a massive amount of effort and she's extremely happy to finally get to talk about it.

"The material is, um -- so you know the platinum-gold alloy we use in the Algernon Watchmen, on the electrical contacts? It's all that." ... That's not cheap even purchased 'at cost.' "The stone is... so you know that tiiiny bit of, like, light-scattering effect in your eyes? I went with a lab stone because I wanted to match that color." The sort of color you'd only notice if you were really into just staring dreamily into Rikka's eyes. "And then the red -- well, 'Akane'. I have a matching ring that's got that sort of orangey color you see in my eyes in bright light, and then the side stones in mine are blue like your eyes."

She could talk about this ring design forever. "I know it's not traditional, but the shield cut kind of spoke to me... I think Rikka's really tough." ... that seems like a good place to cut herself off, though, before she starts infodumping forever.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

It's really happening. They've always been moving, but this is a big step forward... but they're taking it together, hand in hand, now.

Akane thanks her and Rikka smiles with a small laugh.

"You don't have to thank me. We're in this together, now." Rikka replies. Akane shifts her hands around then takes her hands, sliding the ring onto her finger. Rikka draws in a deep breath.

That act makes it feel more real than ever.

"It's beautiful. I love it." Rikka replies, exhaling - then smiles, as Akane calls everyone over.

"Come on, show it off to everyone~." Orie encourages... and with a smile Rikka turns, holding up her hand with the ring facing outward so everyone can get a good look at it.

"Thanks." Rikka says with a rare sheepish look as everyone congratulates her, telling them how happy they are for them. "I'm really happy, too. I've kind of been hoping for this..."

Orie offers them both a smile, folding her arms in front of her.

"Congratulations. Ah, my daughter's growing up~... I'm really proud of both of you, you know." Orie says. "Look at you!"

Guy wonders how Akane can possibly be older than his dad and Rikka laughs, just slightly, as Akane defends herself.

"I already knew I was falling in love with a sentimental old lady~." Rikka says fondly, using Akane's own words. She wraps an arm around one of hers, once Akane has both hands free. "I've made peace with it already."

Akane enthuses, then, about the ring.

"So, wait -" Rikka starts, surprised. "The last person you were waiting to review it was -"

She pauses and laughs as the realisation hit her, shaking her head.

"Just how long were you planning all this?" She asks. Akane deserves to be so smug about it, for being able to keep it going for that long.

She listens with interest as Akane begins to enthuse about the ring itself. She's always loved when Akane goes on at length about something that interests her - you can see it in her eyes, the way she looks at her.

"You've really put a lot of thought into this..." Rikka remarks, mystified. Every aspect of it was something Akane considered at length. She raises her hand with the ring, looking at it again, turning it around in the light. She looks down toward Akane, then, as she says she has a similar one.

"That's really sweet. We'll match~." Rikka replies... and smiles. A shield - representing her toughness... "It might not be traditional... but I think it's perfect."

<Pose Tracker> Qivi has posed.

Rest assured that Qivi is merely saving the more physical forms of exuberance for a later date. Akane is absolutely going to get that friendly (to Qivi) thump eventually. So is Rikka, probably. Just not right now.

She's still going to be grinning real big, though, and probably will be for the next while.

"I heard some of the project, but not the whole thing," Qivi says. "She's been working on this for a long time, don't let her tell you it wasn't *work*. But when you really wanna be with someone..."

Qivi is a sucker for a big romantic gesture, okay? And this was about five of them. Just because she wasn't involved on either side of it doesn't mean she doesn't approve, strongly, of the whole thing.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Guy's quip only adds to Alouette's laughter, but Akane makes it clear - she really is serious about this. "Weeks, huh? Knowing you, I almost thought it'd be months~" She teases, because she knows it's been months of anticipation, and perhaps some anxiety. She can imagine how relieving it is to not have to keep a secret anymore. And despite the teasing, she's a little relieved herself it all turned out so well.

"It took a lot of effort, too, to let her use GGG's manufacturing labs all while slipping it right under the Chief of GGG Red's nose." Alouette says, when the ring comes out, with a wink towards Rikka. "I'm glad it turned out as well as it did." She adds, before giving Akane some space to infodump about it. It's her big moment after all - and Rikka's too.

She didn't realize, that Akane had even put that much thought into the colours. They look unconventional... but at the same time, it's something that could only be fit for the two of them. Besides that, she has to agree, that a shield is a perfect fit for someone like Rikka... tough, and is always willing to extend that strength towards others.

<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.

Guy doesn't even attempt to hide a grin. Tall as he is, he's still not a man who slouches, either, sharing that vibrant presence readily. "*That's* true," he replies to Rikka. "But it's part of what's special about her. We all know how hard she'll work to make the moment right."

As evidenced by this moment here, mostly. "She only told me a few days ago. I know I've been busy, but heck, I didn't notice either...was Mikoto in on this?" He laughs. "Like I said. You've worked hard to make it happen. Looks like it paid off."

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

"Ehehe... good!" Akane's positively giddy about hearing that they're in this together -- and that Rikka likes the ring. That's important, too. She gently wraps a hand around Rikka's wrist as she starts showing the ring off, supporting her hand.

At the comment about being in this together now, Akane agrees, "Yeah -- we really are," with a big smile on her face. "We're really... in this together." She sighs contentedly. She'd been so nervous, especially given they'd had a couple of tense moments here and there between when she'd decided to go for it and now -- both mundane 'you need to do the dishes' tension and very dire 'please don't pointlessly endanger yourself' tensions. But... they're here, now. And they're in all of that stuff -- big and small -- together.

At the comment about being a sentimental old lady, Akane admits, "Y-yeah... ehehe." The follow-up, though...

"Yep. You're my last reviewer," she says, with a wink. "And it sounds like I passed!" That arm-in-arm moment turns into a full-on hug for a few seconds, before pulling back away. "Hmmm... we should get some photos, both of the two of us and everyone here..." She wonders how they're going to get a full group photo... but surely there's a phone stand or a selfie stick in here somewhere.

Alouette's comment about it being months gets a little laugh. "Ehehe... that might be closer. I thinki I locked in on this, like..." She pauses, gesturing. "... a couple weeks after everything on Huffman Island? Like -- remember when we went to that sushi restaurant? I was thinking about it at that point, which is why I was kinda feeling you out for good locations..."

Taking a deep breath in and out again, she laughs a little at the mention of hiding the use of the fabrication labs. "Ehe, yeah... I had a lot of help from the rest of operations staff and Akamatsu, on that one." Perhaps that's an implied answer to the question of Mikoto's involvement, too. "And... yeah. I... guess I've always had a little bit of a perfectionist streak..." Laughing at herself, she admits, "I think this is a better use of it than a lot of others, though."

When Qivi mentions having been in on it for a long time, Akane nods. "Yeah, uh -- if you've gotten any weird questions from anyone else lately, that was me planning this out too. I wanted it to come when you were ready for it... I -- I really wanted this to be special for you."

She looks around the junk shop with a contented expression on her face. "... It seems like it worked out. I'm looking forward to the future."

An answer to her earlier question occurs to her after just a moment; she gestures Guy over, asking, "Can -- can you still do the remote electronics... thing?" It would solve the 'who takes pictures' problem...

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Akane's giddiness gets a smile from Rikka, and she nods as Akane repeats her. They're in this together. They've been through all of that - and their bond has only become stronger for it.

Akane admits that she is, in fact, a sentimental old lady, and Guy agrees. Rikka offers him a grin.

"It is. I wouldn't have her any other way." Rikka agrees.

And Akane confirms it - she was the last reviewer. Rikka laughs at that, returning that brief hug. "Yup. With flying colors."

To emphasize this she leans over, giving her a quick peck on the cheek!

Akane suggests photos, then, and Rikka nods.

"Oh, good idea... I definitely want to remember this." Rikka agrees. She hadn't planned for this, though, so she doesn't have anything ready... so, she looks toward Orie. "Mama, do we have any camera equipment here?"

By virtue of doing inventory as a cover Orie does, at least, have a fairly up-to-date record.

"We should. Leeet me double-check." Orie confirms, slipping away for a moment.

Alouette comments on the time - it must be months. Qivi says she's been working on it for a long time. Rikka laughs - especially when they both emphasise how much effort it took.

"I bet. I didn't even realise how far this all went." Rikka replies. Just how many people did she rope into it? She knew Akane was planning something, but not that it was something this big... She's honestly glad she let herself be surprised rather than going snooping. When you really want to be someone... Rikka smiles fondly, at that thought. "Yeah. When Akane cares about something, she really goes for it."

She doesn't mind at all that it's her she went for this time.

Akane explains it. A couple of weeks after everything on Huffman Island... That long ago?

"I remember that." Rikka remarks, surprised. "So that was what those question were about..."

She remembers that fondly.

Her perfectionist streak, though...

"You have. It's nice to see it being used for good." Rikka agrees. Weird questions, though... She nods. "Thaaat explains a lot."

Still, she smiles.

"And you did. This has been... god, it still feels a little unreal." Rikka replies with a small laugh. "But in a good way."

Her expression softens.

"...Yeah. Me too." She agrees.

Remote electronics...

"That'd be awfully convenient. It'd sure beat having to figure out the timer function on these old things." Orie pipes up, from where she's inspecting their camera equipment. "I think some of these are older than I am."

That's probably an exaggeration.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

"Right, that was almost half a year ago at this point." Alouette nods, when Akane mentions Huffman Island. She remembers the bizarre briefing Akane gave her shortly after that incident... only for it to be about the wedding ring.

As for hiding the use of the labs... "It definitely wasn't easy keeping something from you," Alouette asides to Rikka. "But it sounds like in the end, it was all worth it!" She smiles. She's also a little surprised that even Guy only knew a few days ago... it just goes to show how dangerous that perfectionist streak can be.

But as Rikka says... it's been used for good. A group phpto, though... "Let's hope so. Even I probably wouldn't be able to figure that one out." She spares a glance to the positively ancient camera equipment Orie has set up.