2024-01-03: Vacation in Valencia

• Log: 2024-01-03
• Cast: Alouette Pommier, Seolla Schweizer, Teletha Testarossa
• Where: Valencia, AEU Spain
• OOC - IC Date: January 0098
• Summary: In the weeks following GGG's return from Jupiter, Alouette reaches out to a couple of friends she hasn't seen in a few months, and joins in the effort to Make Tessa Take a Break. They eat crepes, go ice skating, and catch up on the increasingly collapsing state of the world and their future within it!

---

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

It is the beginning of January - the heart of winter in Europe. The Division Train has returned, successful in its mission in overthrowing the King of Ruin and ending the Invisible Burst. A hard first few days perhaps... coming home triumphant only to see all the strife that struck the Earth Sphere since they left. The cost of being a 'hero'... Genesic showed her that, too.

Difficult as it might be to adjust to a world state shifting so rapidly, Alouette has the luxury of not needing to immediately return to Orbit Base - a break is in order, of course. And there's certainly a lot of people she would like to catch up with now that she's back at the Earth Sphere.

Alouette might not be aware of Leina's devious plot to make Tessa take a vacation from her duties with Mithril, but Spain is not exactly a far commitment for her. She remembers talking about birthdays... they passed already. It's too late now, but that doesn't seem to matter.

Instead, after several months of disappearance from school for mostly obvious reasons, she reaches out to the two through VERTEX - three tickets for a modest outdoor ice skating rink in a cute little town in Spain.

> heard you two were in the area for winter break. it's been a really long time, ahaha... hang out and maybe grab lunch?

It might take some effort to get back into the rhythm of the role of a regular high school student. But she doesn't want to forget about those connections after vanishing for so long. And she's never tried skating before!

<Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.

        Definitely a sword hanging over Seolla's head the entire vacation is, well - thinking about what exactly the Division Train's had to do out there. After all - when last she saw Alouette, part of her wanted to actually set off with the GGG. Like she'd said - saving the world from a horrible menace that collapsed Jupiter into its hands almost seems easier than dealing with how complicated and hazy it's been here on Earth. Risking your life is easy, really, when you're used to it! Knowing how to risk it is the hard part.

>god it HAS been so long

>i've really missed you

>i'm making sure everyone hasn't burned themselves totally to the ground here.

>i'm glad you did it.

>ugh you're amazing

>i can't exactly say we did as much for the sake of humanity or whatever

>but i think things are alright now

>yeah i'd really like to talk with you

>spain's really nice this time of year

>we've been spending a few days in valencia

>it's nothing too amazing but i like it here, you know

        ---It's a little Much, to text Seolla sometimes, especially now that she's gotten used to it...

        She's NOT texting while driving though - and she is the driver here! A totally unassuming (but secretly armed and armored) station wagon has brought Seolla and Tessa from Sayla's manor all the way out here, near enough to the old town of Valencia - they park in a totally unassuming (but secretly thoroughly scouted to ensure it had no blind spots for any security cameras to monitor the car) spot, and traipse out to the planned meeting spot - a cute little cafe just outside the Placa de la Reina, still overlooked by Valencia's cathedral after so many centuries. Seolla's sorta lightly dressed for the cool weather - her jacket only coming up to mid-waist, a simple white blouse and black skirt beneath it, though her leggings are cozy enough. The ensembles completed by shades that are actually kinda outwardly conspicuous given it's a cool, slightly overcast day...

        She's eating a crepe, with a little bit of cream on her nose.

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

It takes a few seconds for a response to come back. A phone without Mithril connections is something that was secured early; Sure, she was meant to be completely disconnected from her work, but not being able to call on people when they're split apart in the markets, in the tourist destinations, in wherever anywhere other than Merida Base or her submarine...It helped to have a lifeline of knowing where to be.

All in all, she texted back after a few minutes.

> Way too long. Tomorrow?

That was all she sent before cashing in on her sleep debt some more.

Though, being in a car with Seolla...Is perfectly fine! She's not exactly pining at the walls and wondering about her job after the first few days, and the second few days were trying to get herself some sembalance of trying to be...Normal, as much as the word sounded hollow to her. Rubbing her eyes as she sorted herself out mentally, trying to arrange herself for seeing someone who she hadn't seen in...a while. A long while.

A deep breath in. A deep breath out. A normal high school girl on Winter Break. That was the cover over "Colonel on Forced Leave".

Granted, she did stretch out as soon as she was on solid ground. Keep pace. Keep the self straight. "Hnn..." A streeeetch as she brushed out that plaid sundress, shuffling on the blue cardigan on top. Leggings and a pair of sneakers, the perfect representation of "normalcy", bow-tied ponytail included.

"Should be the place...At least, the GPS and the local maps shouldn't be wrong." And if they were, some businesses would have to pay...!

That being said, a strawberry crepe did hit the spot.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

> It's good to be home...

> but I was worried about you too, you know

> so let's catch up a little!

> tomorrow sounds excellent. i'll see you in valencia

Alouette gets here by high-speed rail... which she should hope wouldn't be wrong about the stops.

But soon enough, she arrives at the Placa de la Reina, dressed for a light winter - a cute fleece jacket, paired with a breezy blue-ribboned scarf, a plaid long skirt and leggings. First stop, crepes...!

She decides on a classic blueberry crepe, joining Seolla and Tessa as soon as she spots them. "Seolla, Tessa... gosh it's good to see you both." She greets them, managing a genuine smile.

And because she's fashion-brained, she immediately scans their outfits first. The shades on Seolla vibe a little strange, but they're kind of cool, too. Tessa, conversely, looks like she's dressed in the cutting edge of the local trends, almost as if intentionally. "Wow... you both look really nice." She adds, approaching the waiting spot.

"Anyways! I'm just... I'm so glad you're both okay. It almost sounds like... the Earth had it even worse than Jupiter did." She sighs out. (She has the same brain worm as Seolla here.) "So much happened since October... honestly, I'm still catching up on it all." She admits. "I know you tend to rush into things Seolla, and there's a lot I don't even know about you, Tessa." Still... she can see how Tessa strains even now. "But it sounds like maybe a vacation was a good idea for all of us. So let's make the most of it... I won't take no for an answer." She concludes, rather seriously, before lightening her expression again. "So... what first? I guess we should finish our crepes, but we could talk a walk around the square before skating too..."

<Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.

        Seolla's quick to reach out and grasp Alouette's hand - before pulling her into a tight, firm embrace, for just a moment. When she finally pulls away, there's a little trailing tear down one cheek, obscured a little by the sunglasses. "...We're here to get away from it all, just a little, but I can only imagine you sorta wanna get away from everything you had to do. That said..."

        There's a little bent-over posture to Seolla's gait, wiping her face with a napkin and leaning on a little traffic-dividing bollard. "...I mean, it's GOTTA be more interesting than the swamp of fires we've been putting out. Just look at Tessa...well-" Seolla twists over a little bit, sizing up how the captain's been doing on this vacation. So long ago, it feels like - Seolla was so diligently reporting on every little facet of her physical condition on the daily to Tessa.

        ...and now, it's her who is making sure Tessa's drinking enough water. Getting enough sleep. Eating enough. Distracted enough from responsibility. "...she looked like hell before this trip. If she still looks under the weather, trust me - she's like, ten times better than she was, Alouette."

        The last bite of the crepe has, between those sentences, slipped past Seolla's lips - ever an expert in eating at an alarming rate without anyone noticing. Pushing back off to her feet, Seolla pivots on one heel, and breathes out, "Well. I've never been good at summarizing the complicated stuff - I...I still have to fight a bit to do more than just...what I'm told. So maybe you can give each other the back cover summary of what we all did while we are apart while we head out to that rink, yeah?"

        Seolla, of course, is bearing the burden of being the one on alert - the sunglasses are just as much for identity concealment as it is to hide that her eyes are all over the place, left and right, darting across the plaza to ensure a lack of imminent threats. ...It's to hide that from everyone else, naturally. No need to raise Tessa's heart rate...

        ...but then - to both Alouette and Tessa, isn't Seolla's rather tightened demeanor obvious all the same? Her heart can't easily hide it...it never was able to.

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

Chomp, chomp, chomp. The ubiquity of local cafes and other such small restaurants and tapas meant that she was never far from food...Save for the Villa, for understandable reasons. There's a munch of her own crepe as she looks over Alouette, that constantly tired gaze of hers brightening up at the sight of the blonde. Sitting herself up with a nod, her own smile matching hers.

It's still tired, the brief moments of respite failing to completely smooth over a year of trials.

"I could say the same for your side of things. Heading to Jupiter to stop such a thing from destroying us..." A sigh slipped out. "The vacation was mandated by people around me, so I had no choice but to take it." She's smiling, still. A nod of appreciation, those black-ringed eyes doing their best to manifest the energy of a teenage girl. "The weather should stay decent for the entire day, and sunset isn't for-" A flick towards the sky. Instinctual. "Another few hours."

There's a small tilt of her head at Seolla's own talk. Sure, she's managed to look a bit better before the vacation. The rings are a bit less gaunt, the caffiene has been replaced by actual water for the majority of the trip, and there's been the slight plumpness on her cheeks. Good food made for a good soul, some people say. "Ten times? That's overstating it." Surely, she can't have been that bad. Not at all. Not in the slightest, nope.

Another chomp of the crepe. "What happened while you were gone...Well, a lot of stuff." Mildly. To put it very mildly. "The North Pole was turned into some strange ice, an ancient Mazinger weapon was dredged up by Dr. Hell, a few skirmishes with unrelated parties-" What else. What else... "...Euphemia vi Britannia went insane and ordered the massacre of the Japanese populace, and..." She trailed off, her breath hitching for a moment.

A silent beat.

"...And some other things related to that." A clearing of her throat, holding back a sniff before sporting a bright smile. "So just as eventful!" Polishing off that crepe, she stands. The way Seolla acts and moves, it's obvious. Being reported to for so much, even picking out the smallest of twitches was something that the girl was getting good at, giving a small nod towards her technical subordinate. "But let's walk! I haven't breathed fresh air for a few months, and I don't think you've done so, either!"

And she walked.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

There's a brush of surprise when Seolla is quick to rush in with a hug, but Alouette takes her hand and returns the embrace. "Ah, Seolla..." She starts, seeing that tear flow past her sunglasses. "I'm sorry. Some of the things I said before I left were a little... I was probably way too in my head about what was going on, really." She admits, turning her gaze to Tessa next before Seolla pulls away.

There is no denying that those dark circles are present, if not fading a little, so Alouette takes Seolla's statistic at her word, even if Tessa herself is quick to deny it. "Ten times... ah. Oh my. No, I definitely believe it." She blinks twice. Tessa, then, brings up how this was a mandated vacation, and Alouette smiles. "Good. It means you have people looking out for you. Seolla must be working really hard for your sake..." Although the way she imagines it, it isn't quite to the extent Seolla truly takes it.

She takes another slow bite of her own crepe, poking at a piece of blueberry. "I don't really mind talking about what happened at Jupiter," Alouette nods. "Buuut why don't you go first, Tessa?" She suggests - it might be better not to linger on it later when they're supposed to be having fun. And so, she listens to the summary carefully, carefully enough that she doesn't even notice she has a puff of cream on her cheek.

"Mmm..." Alouette frowns. "I can't say that I'm surprised that the likes of Doctor Hell found the time to strike," Nor is she surprised that he was defeated in the end. Tessa says there's more related to it. "I've heard about the massacre... but it's still so hard to believe." Alouette shakes her head. "Uncharacteristically cruel, and for what purpose?" No, it's probably best not to think too hard about it right now. "...I heard GUTS got caught in the crossfire. Is everyone at school... are they okay?" She asks, instead. She waits for an answer, but the way Tessa's able to smile so brightly, even after listing world disaster after world disaster... she doesn't linger on it, standing up after finishing her own crepe. "Yeah... let's get some fresh air."

"I guess it's my turn. We stopped at Mars first, and we were attacked by a BioNet subsidiary. ...We took care of them." She starts, a hint of a cold glint in her tone. "Once we made it to Jupiter, a satellite Super AI tried to take over the Train and detonate GaoGaiGar. We weren't able to save him." A slight sigh. She stops to trash her empty plate. "At the same time, the King of Ruin began to compress Jupiter. We fought and purified the Ruin Apostles over the course of weeks from there, and saved Galeon and the girl powering the King of Ruin."

Alouette slows her steps, the ice rink in sight. "I think that's about everything? 3G Green has returned to duty, the Invisible Burst is gone, and Triple Zero won't be a problem anymore." She conveniently leaves out a lot of the super emotional aspects of it... because then she might be here forever talking about how amazing Mikoto Utsugi is. "...I'm really glad they're back." She decides on, even if they couldn't save everyone.

Having shared each of their past few months, Alouette turns her attention back to the present. "Oh right, it's January... don't third years have U-FITS pretty soon?" She asks, because she remembered Akane and Rikka are studying pretty hard for it now. "I don't have to worry about that yet, but are either of you going for it?"

<Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.

        Seolla grimaces just thinking about that bleak day in the stadium. For most of those students, her classmates she never managed to get along with - the horror in their eyes, the fear and desperation - it was likely one of the most traumatic days of their lives.

        ...Is it selfish, then?

        ...That feeling Seolla had watching them tremble and cower - these people she decided she just wasn't able to see evenly with...
        ((They just don't understand.))
        ((They'll never understand.))
        ((They shouldn't have to. It's horrible to.))
        ((...I can't stop myself from wishing they did.))

        Theeeeeere's a feeeeew nearly-visible little black swirlies emanating from Seolla as Alouette and Tessa go over the trials and tribulations of the last few months. But, with a sudden shake of her head, like a dog freeing itself of water, Seolla pushes the last bite past her lips, shoes scuffing over the old town's cobbles as she leads the trio across a bridge, just before the little dome-shaped skating rink. "...I made sure I helped everyone I could when I was at the Massacre Princess's stadium. ...It was...horrible, to be sure, but...they're safe, and I made sure of it. I can't believe so many of our classmates got caught up in that...I was thinking I might have to watch them suffer..."

        Deep breaths. Past the rink's sliding doors, Seolla's pushing in first to run a quick scan for hostiles, before giving a little all-clear sign next t the check-in desk. "...A...ahahah...I don't think I'm up to U-FITS stuff. ...Really, enrolling in school was kind of a mistake to begin with..." A little bead of sweat drops down Seolla's cheek at the subject of those entrance exams. "Really, I just ought to stay helping Mithril out with the dirty work, right, Tessa? I mean, you could pass those things, you could do whatever you set out to. The both of you, really..."

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

An eyebrow of curiosity crooked up at the emotional reunion, taking her time to savor the last bits of her crepe. Everyone had emotional partings, everyone had thoughts to say and spill. Glancing inward at herself with thoughts in mind...When it start feeling hollow, she wonders.

"You do?" Ten times? Just how bad was she? Her own opinion of herself...Setting that aside. "I don't think it was that much of a change, but I was working for good reason." At least, in her mind... "Honestly, being mandated and everyone appealing for me...The world may be scary, but who needs enemies when your friends are willing to do things to you for your own benefit?" Denying it as she was, she's still noticeably peppier than how she was only a few weeks back. Hell, just /wear/ing/ different clothes was boosting her own mood up. Not that she particularly noticed, but the spring in her step said it all.

"Yes, it's been...A time, to put it lightly." Thoughts swirling in her head. The emotional debt that she refused to look at, the choices one could take, the denial harbored in her soul. "I...I think they are. I haven't been able to head to Jindai, and with how things are...I fear it'll be worst if I come over. Mithril's been giving some money for therapists and assistance." They're just regular people. They're just students. Even in this broken world, they deserved...Deserved to know? Deserved to be sheltered? Deserved...What? Fresh air. Yeah. Fresh air. Good. "They'll be helped. They don't deserve what happened to them."

There's only silence as she listens on, watching Alouette all the while. Deliberate in her steps, the teenage girl taking note of the sudden drop in inflection. "It's good that everyone made it back...Or at least, those that could." Best to cap off with ambiguity. Learning about who was lost...No. Happy things. Better things. Teenage things.

Normalcy.

Walking right into the rink, already in the process of paying for rental skates. The kind of person who thinks absolutely nothing about pulling out the black card, unfortunately. "U-FITS? My guardians have been edging me a bit in that direction. He's the sort of man who thinks that I should find something I'm..." How to call it. "Not well-equipped but passionate for." Ruling out a giant swath of sciences and engineering degrees. "I probably will, since its a good opportunity for a day of rest. You know, regular testing. I don't think there's much I can study on it to help." A smile, completely unpreturbed by how these exams seemed to be a total pain for others. "You'll take it as well, Seolla. If nothing else, there's futures beyond going for the closest moment."

A state of knowing hypocrisy.

"And as much as it's good to have you deployed, having knowledge will help. No matter the knowledge. For example..." A singular tap of her own chin, before checking out the state of these rental ice-skates. "Anzus has history behind the terminology. It's not just about what you can do, but how to say it."

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

"Even those who work for the best of intentions need a break from time to time, right?" Alouette meets Tessa's sharp denial with a breezy smile. "After all, I can feel my hair turning grey just imagining what you two must have had to do all those months. So... it's good to be able to see you smile, Tessa."

Experiences are shared, but Alouette notes how Seolla's expression seems to darken when they get to the Massacre Princess. She knows what Seolla is capable of for sure, but... she can imagine the panic and confusion among the students. It must have been so much. "I'm glad you could keep them safe, Seolla. Mm... I still hate watching people die." She stumbles over her words a bit, for the first time today.

"I haven't been back to Jindai yet myself," Alouette nods. If she did... she might notice two very obvious absences. The popular class rep, and the guy who always seems to be at the center whenever there's trouble. What would Jindai be like without them? "Want to catch up on all the remote work first. Geez... there's a lot. And exams too." She sighs. "The massacre was awful. But I really do think it's best to make sure they don't worry." She agrees, shakily. "Not that they shouldn't understand what's going on... but putting ordinary students through that is just unexcuseable, right?"

But Alouette does remember that the three of them are supposed to be ordinary students, too. She follows Seolla into the ice rink building, while they talk about U-FITS. "Yeah. Passion is the most important part, isn't it? You may as well enjoy it if you're putting all that money into it." She nods, never mind that Tessa is perfectly willing to whip out the black card. She set aside some money for the three of them, but oh well... "I don't have to apply until next year, but I was considering the same thing. Akane agreed it was a better idea than just doing programming, so..." She brushes her hair down, putting on a helmet, while scanning the racks of ice skates, eyeballing the sizes. "It turns out there's a lot I'm not so good at."

Seolla's uncertainty, though... Tessa seems to advise against skipping U-FITS. "There's absolutely nothing you're interested in learning?" Alouette asks, almost a little surprised. She considered similarly just going for full-time work with 3G with her credentials. But Akane talked her out of that, too. "...Even if there isn't, I have to agree with Tessa though. It's good to branch out, I think... I mean, you've been protecting us this whole time. I noticed. But I don't think that's all you need to be." She says resolutely, even as she steps out into the ice. "It's your life, Seolla. Don't forget it."

And the moment she sets out... she stumbles down, only barely catching her balance. "Geez. Ice's got hands."

<Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.

        Even though she's never been outright ice skating, Seolla doesn't hesitate at getting her skates on in the slightest - there's something sorta familiar about it. The lacing is diligent, tight, and practiced - and all the while, Tessa and Alouette coax her to think a liiiittle more seriously about her future. About everything she...hasn't wanted to think about.

        The doors to the rink part wide, and Seolla pushes through. She's never done this...but after just a moment of uneasiness, her impeccable balance gives her a little more reassurance to push onto the rink, sliding stiffly but easily, taking a long, deep breath in, arms taking in the frigid air above.

        "...It's hard for me to think about any sort of entrance exams. I mean I told you both...I've really been...doing kinda badly at any sort of studying. It's hard to hold onto remembering anything..." Lips pursed and tight, gaze a little evasive, Seolla grouses out a frustrated little warble from the bottom of her lungs... "...I mean...it's way unlikely that I pass any sort of big exam like that when I kinda fail a lot of little ones a lot...so I can't really invest my future into something like that..."

        The moment Alouette stumbles, Seolla swoops in, stable enough on the ice to offer her hand in support, sturdy and reliable as ever. "...I mean, what would you two suggest? I can't really do much that relies on me keeping hold of a lot of info...it helps a little more if it's something with my hands. Like...I took a little welding workshop class a while back, and that feels like it stuck with me easier..."

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

A break. How long. How. Long. Stamping those intrusive thoughts with a giggle, nodding in understanding. "I can feel the same way. We both had our fair share, didn't we?" A smile? Just a smile? The self-recognizance of knowing how much it means to people, and yet. And yet.

"...You too, huh..." A small mutter to herself. She's luckier than Alouette. What a sick conclusion.

But she's trying. Trying not to think about it in the slightest. Checking as she laces her ice skates up, a small sigh slipping out of her on pure instinct. Even if the rational side said that she deserved this, that she was much better as this, more than anything else, even with her balance...There's still the twinge of guilt. Work. Push yourself. Help others.

"We can only do a single thing long enough before you get sick of it. I've heard it suggested repeatedly: Don't make your love your job. Something adjacent, but not defining." A glance at the rink in question: True to form, the engineering held up. No defects here! "Though, I enjoy what I do." Standing up, wobbling slightly before gaining her balance once more. One step. Balance. Two steps. Balance. A third step before swinging herself back down on the bench. "Just stability." A quick excuse before standing up. Better, better!

Tessa, smartly enough, puts on a helmet of her own. A lower-end ponytail will have to suffice. A hand on the rail as she steps out, slowly lowering her center of gravity. Steady, steady...One step, two. It's a start, even if the first few inches end up similarly lightly grasping against Seolla. The pillar of support!

"Ngh, how do they make it look so easy...But for you? The trades is an option, too. Building things, anything...You've seen how much metal is out there." A firmer grip. The slow usage of stance to keep herself from tumbling on her butt, even as Seolla is used as the mobile totem pole of the trio. "Someone, somewhere has to put it together. Everything that we use comes from places where these things had to be thought of and pieced together."

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

"Ah!" Alouette finds herself caught, kept stable by Seolla. "Thanks... let's try that again." She laughs, looking out across the ice. Happy couples, groups of friends just like them... "It really is better with friends." She enthuses.

Just a smile... and yet it was the smile of someone who felt like she was bearing the weight of the Universal Century itself, so perhaps that's why it looked so bright to Alouette. "Just some time to be selfish for once." She nods, adjusting her position.

"Ah..." It finally clicks in more why Seolla's shtick isn't learning. "I guess it's not for everyone." That Seolla can't even entrust her future to her memories... it's a little sad.

The advice that Tessa relays is something Alouette can understand, too. "Yeah... I love GGG, I truly feel at home there. But if all I ever did was programming, I bet it would get pretty miserable pretty fast." She tries to keep her gaze focused on Tessa and Seolla without losing her grip on the ice. "I was thinking... music or theatre? There's a certain 'rhythm' to it, but you can't exactly rely on it by the books either. I think working through it sounds like it'd be fun."

"I'm not sure if you would enjoy that any more, Seolla, but the trades sound like a practical idea, at least." She agrees, when Tessa brings them up. "And the pay is surprisingly pretty good, because at times like these, when everything starts collapsing, they always need more people in those fields, right?" She starts trying to build up some speed, aim to not just stay balanced but move within the field of ice. But she still sticks close by Seolla and Tessa for stability. "But whatever you decide, I'm guessing there's always time to change your mind, even if I don't really know what that looks like. Aha... my senior said she did a total 180 in her career choice right at the tail end of high school."

She quiets a little, because as much as they've been talking about the world climate and tough future choices, they came here to do one thing. So she asks a familiar question: "Hey... are you having fun?"

<Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.

        ...Despite confessing vulnerability, these two rely on Seolla. Gloved fingers clasping tightly with Alouette and Tessa, Seolla braces herself to bear a little bit more weight - readies herself to drag them back upright if they fall.

        ...even though Seolla herself hasn't really skated before either, and even for her, made to be superhumanly strong - her arms are quaking a little at this task.

        ...They're a little bit strengthened when the two offer an obvious solution, and a little gear ticks in Seolla's head. "...Maybe...maybe I'll ask about an internship at Mao Industries or something? They're staying out of all the power-grabbing going on with how much that Benerit Group's consolidated and acted out lately...and we're friendly with the lot of them...maybe I'll ask about that, and see what I can do for them, even though I have limitations like that..."

        The poor girl would clap her cheeks to re-center herself, to stop from thinking too hard about her future, when they're here in the present...but, for as much as Seolla's been trying to shield Tessa from that responsibility, it's sorta taken a bit of the burden on herself - and so finally, she resigns to let out a long sigh, gazing deep into Alouette's eyes, then Tessa's, a slow little smile across her lips. "...Of course I am. I...I wanna move forward with you two forever...we're going to stick together for life. We're going to celebrate birthdays together. I'm not letting either of you go, no matter what. ...No matter what hoops we've gotta jump through, we're going on journeys like this together, again and again and again."

        "I promise!"

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

Better with friends...That's what it's all about, huh? Friends. Companions. Even being practically welded at the hip to Seolla to and from the Mass Village, tugged around by Leila, trying her best to completely forget about work in all its trials and tribulations...This was life, wasn't it?

Still, the small turn of her head to look away from Seolla. She knows. It's easily inferred with the journals, especially when some of them recount things already known, forgetten, learned or vaguely remembered again...The battle of words were not her forte, so she quickly realized. A quick adjustment of her grip as she tried to keep herself up. A release. A wobble. A grab. Another release.

"Engineering is something I could coast through. I could grab the degree quickly and with little effort, but...Trade secret." A smile. The knowledge is already inside of her. "Theatre...Art?" A small hum while thinking. Something to express the self. It's...different than the art of war. ...Wait, was war art? Rhetorical question. Something to file...

"The trades, so as I'm told, is an art as much as a science. There's things to learn, but things that come naturally with time." The number of times she's walked up to a mechanic, asked them to knock on something, and then quickly tell her what was off...The hitrate was higher than normal. Human instinct? "It's not as if you have to decide now. We're all trying to do things right now because of who we are, but afterwards...I think the civilian life isn't out of reach."

Statements said while the mind thought the opposite.

...Fun. There's a deep breath as she pushes away, managing another smile from the tired girl who's selfishly shrugging the weight of the world's worries on her shoulder. "Yes, I am." This was...fun. Abstract emotions. Enjoyment. Delight. The sereneness of being able to bask in the moment without worry (even if Seolla was pushing herself). Fun.

"Then, keep doing what you do best, and don't try to run away from the U-FITS test, okay~?"

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Alouette can't deny that she sees Seolla as a source of strength. But she's also fiercely competitive - and she tries harder and harder to level herself on the ice, adjust herself without collapsing.

Tessa's admission that she could easily pick up a degree in engineering is intriguing, but... she always did seem like she had an uncanny skill and understanding of these things. Even at the water park, innately understanding how the slides work. But as for theatre and art... "I've always wished I could express myself better... so maybe that could help." She explains. "The idea that something like that is totally out of my reach is a little scary."

"If you decide to go for it, then... good luck!" Alouette nods, when Seolla considers interning with Mao Industries. "I think you'll do way better than you think."

And then, finally, there's a sigh of relief when both girls confirm that yes, they're having fun. "I'm so glad..." She beams, skating back up to them both. "We'll keep doing it together, and it'll keep getting easier every time, I feel. So even if we all take different paths... let's keep meeting on the way." She agrees. "... I'll be cheering you both on."