2023-06-15: Barbecue and Bold Moves

• Log: 2023-06-15: Barbecue and Bold Moves
• Cast: Emilia Eschonbach, Milly Ashford, Kallen Kozuki
• Where: Nagoya, Area 11
• OOC - IC Date: 15 June 0097
• Summary: A few weeks after getting caught up in the Triple Zero attack on Nouvelle Tokyo, Milly invites Emilia and Kallen out for dinner. The three conspire to train Milly on KMFs- each of them keeping their own big secrets.

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<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        It's been a few weeks since the incident at Nouvelle Tokyo and Emilia has been busy. Schoolwork, DecuFes prep. work... It's been easy to keep herself occupied since.

        Tonight would have been another quiet night in her dorm room- she hasn't had a shift at the hobby MS shop since Nouvelle. Instead, she got a message inviting her out for dinner.

        She arrived a little late, dressed in some black jeans, a plain tee, sneakers and a newsboy cap she'd bought in Nouvelle (it wasn't particularly fancy but she really liked it).

        But one didn't have to dress particularly nicely for family style barbecue. Indeed, dressing up was risky for such a thing.

        "Hi! S-sorry, I'm l-late!" She says, as she arrives at Kallen at Milly's table, slipping in next to Milly. She at least looks cheerful in the moment.

<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.

Milly has been busy with her own business; she's had to take a lot of steps lately. Even with how many unique advantages she has in getting started with things from both her position and her connections, it still takes rather a lot of time and effort.

Milly, of course, is delighted to invite Emilia and Kallen for some Britannian-style barbecue. (Even if her allegiances are gradually... undergoing a reassessment, her palate hasn't. She's still a Britannian girl.)

"You're right on time," Milly says, leaning over and giving Emilia a quick peck on the cheek... though Emilia's outfit is making her -- in a sharp green blazer, matching pants, and a white blouse -- feel more than a little overdressed. "It's my treat today! Order anything you want."

She has, after all, recently saved a little money, so why not use that on those closest to her?

<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.

The time in between her Nouvelle incident and today being quiet has been something of a godsend. It's allowed her to relax and focus on the little things. Like working on her university plans. Or helping out on Knightmare work. It's all so normal, and that's fantastic.

But that is neither here nor there. Today she's going out to dinner with her two closest friends! Slightly like Emmy's later arrival, Kallen is wearing semi-casual clothes. A plain blue shirt fully buttoned, a moderately short skirt with tights underneath, and a nice jacket. The pockets of which hide secretly within them, the strange, intelligent pet she was gifted.

She's made sure to sit opposite of Milly, so Emmy gets all the closeness time. And the two of them being cute and affectionate just makes her heart soar. "You two are adorable together. I hope you know that." Anything they want to eat... well. She won't hold back too much then.

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        The peck on the cheek in this public a venue is a surprise, but a welcome one. Emmy responds with a smile, and scooting ever so closer to Milly, slipping her hand into Milly's. It's not like this is a surprise to Kallen, right? She was at Prom...

        She gives a little giggle to Kallen's compliment,. "Th-th-thanks." That emboldens her to return Milly's kiss with one of her own, swift and mischievous, no fan this time.

        Emmy is finally at the point where she no longer reacts to Milly's generosity with confusion or disbelief. "Th-thank you!"

        She skims the menu quickly, before eventually making her decision. A Brisket Sandwich with a side of tater tots, a side of mac and cheese, and a large chocolate shake. Simple and straightforward.

        With ordering done, she settles. "...I'm. R-really glad we c-c-can all. Hang o-out like th-this." Especially after what happened a few weeks ago.

<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.

Milly, at least, is increasingly done hiding. (She recognizes the risks for Emilia, but at the same time... they're literally half the world away -- they can get away with at least some small signs of affection here and there. They did go to prom together, and that was riskier...)

When Kallen points out they're adorable, Milly says, "If you're calling me adorable I might be losing my edge. I think I'll have to step things up a little bit," with that cat-like smile and those fox-like eyes she gets when she's getting into Mischief Mode.

Milly elects to have the cowboy steak, but matches Emilia on sides and drink. "I am too," she enthuses, before looking to Kallen. "You two are both much better pilots than I'd have expected, too... The Deculture Festival must have really lit a fire under you two."

<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.

It takes only seconds after speaking up, for Kallen to realize the mistake in what she said. Rather, who she said it TO. "Well, you two together are. But... go on, what are you planning, about stepping up?" Kallen having the extra boldness from her time with the student council hasn't necessarily made her harder to tease... Just far more willing to be a co-conspirator in Mischief, really.

"I'm glad too, we've not been out together like this in a long while." But then there's the uncomfortable thing again. She doesn't REALLY want to keep lying about it. She hates that Milly is the only one of the three that isn't in the loop. But... she doesn't really have a choice, yet. She'll just have to hope for forgiveness later. "You don't know the half of it. It lit up a competitive feeling like I've never felt before. Feels like a bit of a waste now, but... who knows."

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        Emmy can't help but laugh again at Milly's denial. "I d-don't know, I th-think you can be v-very adorable. At t-times." She slips her hand into Milly's, and lean on her. "B-but if we n-n-need to keep your c-cool, suave image. I can. K-keep adorable M-Milly to myself."

        Oh dear for a moment Emmy seems to have forgotten they're in public. Or she hasn't, and is just that bold.

        It's talk of piloting that seems to help flatten her out a bit. "Y-Yeah..." She sighs. "I t-t-took losing in the. Pageant. And th-the games p-pretty hard." It seems like a shameful admission, but it's at least part true.

        Kallen talks about it being a waste. "I m-mean... it got us. All o-out. I d-d-don't think that's a w-waste." She tries to push "B-b-besides. Maybe your c-college will have a W-Wanzer Football team, or s-something?" Emmy looks down for a moment. "Th-though I wonder. I-if we're g-g-going to have to have. R-r-rules about r-ringers this year."

        There's a definite sulkiness there, not quite touching on the true subject.

<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.

"That's the first time I've ever wanted to be 'kept' at all," Milly replies to Emmy; the joke is a little dark, but... well, if you lose the ability to make jokes that are a little dark, it's usually because you've already given up.

Enigmatically, Milly answers, "That's my secret." She hates that she has to keep things from Kallen and Emmy, but... well, if it ever comes out she'll have to ask for forgiveness then. (Science crime is not, precisely, the sort of thing you do with an eye toward the long term.)

Something clicks. "I actually wouldn't mind a hand learning that kind of thing myself, if the two of you want something to do with all that energy and talent!" she enthuses. "I've been around KMFs long enough in my life to know how to do the basics, but I'm a little lost past that..."

<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.

Kallen's a bit bad at making dark jokes herself... at least, she thinks as much. But she can't help a little laugh when Milly makes one. "Couldn't be in better hands, if you ask me." Where she's concerned, these two are an ideal match. "And that's just fine. Ah... who was it that said once, secrets are the privilege of a lady? I forget." It may well have just been something she saw in a movie, honestly.

"I'd be happy to teach you a few things. I'm not particularly great at machines other than KMFs... yet. But we can just learn those together, if you feel like branching out." It's fine. It's not like other KMFs pilot like the Guren. Or accommodate her style in that machine. The worst that could happen, is if somebody compares it with her days in the Red Glasgow and realizes she's an old Arena Fighter. Which won't get linked to the Black Knights.

Besides, thinking about it... that little secret coming out, might not be the worst. Let an old, small secret slip, to obfuscate a larger, more dangerous secret.
                                                                              

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        Emmy can laugh a little at that slightly dark joke. Still, she can't help but be curious about Milly's new secret. "I g-g-guess I'll look forward to wh-whatever's up your s-s-sleeve.

        Kallen and Milly start talking about teaching Milly the ropes, and Emmy seems a bit surprised. "R-r-really?" Well... Milly could very easily source a trainer suit or two, probably."Um, I-I'll h-help if I can, b-b-but Kallen's w-way better th-than me," she admits. "B-but, um, she's a r-really good t-teacher!" After all, it was Kallen who put Emmy through her paces with a KMF in the first place. It was part of how she found a place. "...I th-think... I might be. Better w-with ARM Slaves than K-KMFs, anyway."

        There's a pause, b efore something sparks. "B-b-but, it would be n-nice to help t-teach you s-something for once. It'll be r-real different to Ambition. E-except maybe y-you can u-use a Haro for p-piloting t-too."

        She pauses. "A-and I th-think I m-might have an idea for wh-where we can practice u-unbothered."

<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.

There are definitely ways for Milly to secure suits of all kinds -- indeed, if she doesn't need it to be a fairly discreet affair, she has lots of options for that. She could even just walk right back on campus and use the Ganymede, if she wanted. "That sounds really great, actually. Thanks, Kallen." They can figure out the rest as they go -- though it's still so strange to imagine that once-sickly girl as an incredible pilot.

... Everyone's got a few different facets, so maybe that's not the worst thing in the world. It is still nice to see people grow; Milly hasn't lost touch with that side of herself in the least.

When Emmy starts to suggest a location, that actually has more of Milly's attention. "Oh really," she says, with just a hint of mischief in her voice. "Where's that?" She leans in a little, her expression turning conspiratorial.

<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.

It may be somewhat suspect that Emmy knows how good Kallen is. Especially when she was downplaying it slightly. But in the end, it's not really a huge deal. It surely won't cause any problem. It does though, make her face entirely too red. It's embarrassing, hearing herself be praised like that.

As a result, she winds up falling quiet for several minutes. She can't help it. It's just... not in her usual experiences, moreso now that she's not in a position to be subject to Milly's ever-present teasing. Still, she's listening. And when Emmy offers an idea for practice grounds, she first lifts an eyebrow. Then finally speaks. "Please, go on. That would help a lot."

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        "W-w-well," Emmy says, starting. "The f-f-first option is... s-somewhere you gave me the k-keys to." She says, straightforwardly. "I-it's not hard to. S-sneak both of you on to c-campus, and o-once we're underground, i-it's easy. We c-c-could even get the, um, the u-units b-brought in and s-say we're doing some. M-Millympic Games testing, a-and you offered to h-help out." It's a straightforward and easy plan, and gives them a good testing environment.

        "O-o-or... You know the w-w-warehouse district on the docks th-that was destroyed l-last year?" The time everyone had had to be rushed to the shelters under the school. Behemoth.

        "...O-One of the regulars at th-the sh-shop told me that the kn-knightpolice don't g-g-go near it often, a-and security don't check it. S-s-so a few customers use it to. P-practice d-difficult terrain, or sh-shoot videos."

        Emmy pulls out her phone, and opens a EverydayMoving channel- and there are a bunch of night videos of some Britannian kid doing KMF stunts. "...I th-think h-he might have. B-been trying to h-hit on me, when he g-g-gave me the link, but. We c-can still t-take advantage."

<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.

Milly takes note of a few things... but still doesn't have all the pieces together yet. (In truth, she's got a little bit of a blind spot around Emmy...) Here, she tap-tap-taps her chin, as Emmy suggests going back onto campus. "Hmm -- that could work," she muses -- but it's the warehouse district that really gets her attention.

"Oh, that's a good thought. If this kind of thing happens all the time, they probably won't see anything but a bunch of kids messing around with a rental even if they do check in," Milly muses. "I'd be up for that. I'm surprised that's not a hotspot for rebuilding, but..." Well, she won't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Turning her body toward Kallen a little, she asks, "Is there anything you'd recommend on this front? Emmy seems to think you're the expert on this one."
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<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.

The Ashford underground IS tempting... but no. Even if that's what they settled on, Kallen wouldn't want to. That's a safe home for people. Even the Black Knights (mostly) know better than to go after the school. Thankfully it isn't the only suggested option. She just... wouldn't feel right, risking ANY chance of that place being linked to her... side job.

She considers the warehouses, and the video. Laughs at the notion of the person hitting on Emmy... mainly because she's way too good for some guy trying to look cool. "Those will probably do fine. Plenty of room, and no real risk of people asking uncomfortable questions."

But then there's another question. One she's well-equipped to field, thankfully. "For now, a general purpose KMF is good practice for you to get the basics and fundamentals on. We can figure out what comes more naturally to you during practice... It seems like, people don't recognize their strengths and weaknesses, until they're in motion and working with them. Does that make sense?"

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        "W-we'd just n-need a t-truck to transfer i-it, then," Emmy says, nodding. "A-and that's e-easy to get." She's honestly caught up enough in being able to help that she doesn't even think about the dots she's connecting.

        She shifts back in her seat a bit, her earlier sourness seemingly gone- forgotten in the wake of 'activities with friends that she's at least a little good at'.

        "So... s-sounds like we h-have a p-plan th-then," she says with a smile, before turning to Milly. "I c-can't wait to s-see how y-you pull off a p-p-pilot suit."

        There's a little pink on her cheeks there.

<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.

Nodding to Kallen, Milly agrees, "All things being equal, I'd rather do this somewhere outside Ashford too, and not just to avoid questions! It's a little weird if I'm still hanging around unless it's to come see my grandfather." It makes things nice and easy -- and it seems like literally no one wants to get Ashford Academy involved in this type of thing anyway. The near-miss of the Behemoth was enough.

General purpose, hmmm... "That definitely sounds right -- I don't know much more than how to move it around, so we'll see how it goes from there."

Turning to face Emmy a little more, she expects follow-up commentary on the plan... and then --

Now it's Milly's cheeks that turn pink. "You think so? I admit I hadn't given it a lot of thought..." Right, back in the saddle. Playful. "... Any recommendations~?"

<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.

"I can't really get us a truck, so I'll leave that to one of you." She's glad things seem to be taking shape smoothly, and quickly too. "Right... so, for general purpose, a functioning Glasgow will do fine. We can probably get one of those easily, since everyone uses Sutherlands at a bare minimum at this point." This is really just basic knowledge. Even discarding the fact she personally trained up on a Glasgow, which will make it easier to teach.

But then there's the subject of a pilot suit. "You'll want something that won't get too hot, when you're starting out. I know Soldiers tend to wear those musty outfits to pilot, but they've gone through especially rigorous training... and they're not really going for protracted use either. It's just 'hop in, do the job, get out'." A proper piloting outfit though... She can't help but imagine a honey-blonde version of what she wears in the Guren, and that makes her need to hide her face.

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        This entire table is dangerously at risk of being set to horny jail, all of a sudden.

        "I... th-think I can. C-come up with s-s-something that'll work." Emmy says, after a moment. There's a long pause. "I'll... s-s-see if I c-can get something p-practical and s-s-something matching y-your style. We can. Go f-from th-there, right?"

        Though, judging by Milly's new style, practical is going to be the last thing that suits. "S-s-something that can b-breathe, then." That seems to be Kallen's advic. She has to wonder what thoughts are going through Kallen's head.

        She'll have to vertex later and find out.

<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.

<poem> Kallen has a lot of practical advice on a pilot suit -- and that, too, gets noted. She smiles at Kallen, saying, "A Glasgow, hm? I didn't take you for a," pause as she turns the word over, "mili-ota? But it's not that I don't appreciate the help, though." When she notices Kallen hiding her face, she adds, "My, my. I'll have to ask for your help with the pilot suit, too, then."

She does not specify the kind of help.

Nodding to Emilia, Milly agrees, "We'll go from there. I'll look forward to it~."