2023-01-02: I've Read That Story

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<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        The crew of the Nadesico's cashing in their vacation hours! This is actually official policy straight from the CEO - as they're more than aware of the gradually heating up political tensions and steady escalation of the war with ZAFT, they've essentially decided that any moment the Nadesico is not actively put on call for some high-importance operation, they should be resting and recharging as much as possible. Perhaps Nergal is truly the company that realizes overworking employees leads to burnout and disaster at the worst possible moment!?!?

        It's Yurika who suggested going to the Winter Wonderland colony at this specific time - especially since they already had plans to go somewhere tropical down the line! Her line was, to quote, "The best way to make sure a hot and humid tropical resort is as amazing as possible is if you remember it being bitter and cold recently! That only makes it a better getaway!"

        That might be coming more true than anticipated imminently.

        ++AT THE SUMMIT++
% "...Y...Yurika, I think we picked the wrong side to go down," Jun frets, peering down what is assuredly a double black diamond grade ski slope, perilous and imposingly clad in towering spines of stone. (it's actually pure vibes! those are made of foam. it's the idea that it's more hazardous than it looks that counts for thrillseeking visitors. they don't tell people that, however.)

        "...Jun-kun is right," Goat gruffs, clad in well worn but still durable straight-up arctic paratrooper equipment that miraculously anchors onto his roughly refrigerator-sized frame. "You can't underestimate slopes like these, even in a controlled environment like a resort. The mountains in winter are always dangerous, and I've led one too many doomed search and rescue parties to-"

        "Oh my GOSH, could you not!?" Yurika exclaims, puffing and pouting in her much more fashion-oriented ski gear, complete with fluffy earmuffs, sportily colored poofy outercoat, and an outright rainbow-colored set of sunglasses. Her skis are even cutely decorated to look like the Nadesico! (it's mostly that they have orange tips.) "This is a ski resort! A s-k-i r-e-s-o-r-t. It's as safe as it can possibly get! The big warning signs are mostly there to make you feel good about conquering something super dangerous! More people probably go down this one than the safest slopes!" (she's onto the marketing scheme?!?!) "If anything happens to any of us I'm sure they know exactly where we are and how to fish us out ASAP, so stop whining and worrying and let's GOOOOOO!~" Tactfully, Yurika launches off the slope mid-sentence before the others can stop her, cheering and woo-ing on her way down the windy, twisty slopes - urging Jun and Goat to follow-!

        ++AT THE BASE LODGE++

        ...basically the rest of the crew is perfectly happy not going skiing, thank you very much. Minato and Inez are comfortably enjoying hot chocolate - Megumi is chatting up a few friends who happened to be here, Mr. Prospector's reading the newspaper. They're as comfy as they can get.

        "...hm? There's...something going on at the slope the Captain and the others went up," Megumi chimes in, peering at the imposing mountainside beyond - a trail of powder kicking up in the wake of something.

        "...You're right. It's getting closer and closer...they're not caught in an avalanche, are they-?" Minato covers her forehead with one hand, squinting and getting a better view, walking out onto the snow-covered porch...

        It definitely is getting closer. A massive, snowbound meteor rolling at a breakneck pace down the mountainside...and in its center, head (somehow) poking out, a wildly flailing, help-begging Yurika rolls and rolls and rolls, imminently on a collision course with the rest of her crew, with a wildly gesticulating and signaling Jun and Goat behind-!! 

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.


This ski resort is not at all unfamiliar to Eight. She didn't go out to all of the touristy things often, but sometimes! And this one in particular...

"So this is it," Eight says, her voice coming up the slope ahead of her. "Candidate #3 for the best hot chocolate in Winter Wonderland."

"I see... It is unassuming, but appearances are only appearances." Her Chief Engineer replies, and then the two of them come into view, chatting amiably. Eight's in a red coat, and Lavhi in a yellow one. They both stand out against the snow! She is more accustomed to it than she is, but he's not having much trouble in it so far. Their boots go crunch, crunch, crunch.

"Do you hear...?"

"I do hear," Lavhi answers Eight. "What is..."

"...Oh, that's not great," Eight comments as to the rolling snowbound meteor headed towards them.

"Hey guys!" she calls. But Lavhi rolls his shoulders and steps up towards the coming catastrophe. "Allow me," the broad Zentradi says, and plants his feet, preparing to catch Yurika out of the snowball!!! He is green. He is not mean. And he is not a machine!!

But he is really strong. 

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        Obviously, the captain in peril quickly rouses the idle crew to stand from their seats - but they're kind of at a loss for what to do about this situation? Other than, effectively, letting it happen? Inez retrieves a hair dryer from somewhere - good luck with whatever scheme's come to mind there!

        Miraculously as the Yurikaball approaches, her earmuffs and sunglasses are still on, rolling and rolling into an even greater and greater mass. Surely, a calamity befalling the entire lodge-!

        KRRRRRRRRRRRRT goes the screeching halt of the rolling snowball as Yurika's pulled free from it at the right moment - her very being the structural core that turns the hurtling mass into a cracked flurry of powdery snow, drenching Yurika's crewmates in the fluffy substance. Minato is shockingly unfazed, casually handkerchiefing herself like the storm never struck - Megumi is shockingly upset, flailing and fidgeting and shaking herself free of the snow.

        "...Haaah, thank goodness you were he-KFHFFHFHFH-" goes the Yurika as additional powdery snow is coughed up all over Lahvi. (isn't it really bad that it got to that point?!) "Huuuu. Aaaah. ...N-nice catch!!" Yurika stammers, recovering and getting onto her feet remarkably fast, giving Lahvi and Eight her merriest wink and V-sign. "V!", as she does.

        By this time, Jun and Goat have caught up, with Jun in particular looking far more exhausted than Yurika does, hands on his knees in exasperation. It might be more personal anxiety than actual exertion. "...Haaaah...you're amazing, Mr. Lahvi...if only we were faster to nip this in the bu-"

        "Ahahahah, that was so much fun! I almost wanna go up again! Would you wanna join me, Captain York?~"

        This dreaded sentiment from Yurika immediately prompts Mr. Prospector and Inez to forcibly pull Yurika towards a chair, with Mr. Prospector interrupting with- "I'm afraid our insurance would be in flames if anything happened to you, Captain Misumaru. You're sitting tight here until the adrenaline wears off."

        Inez has replaced her looming hair dryer with a looming roll of duct tape. 

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.


Lavhi is very satisfied with his catch. He smiles down at Yurika, though he pauses politely to wait when she coughs. Then suddenly she's standing!!

Eight grins at Yurika when she winks at them, coming over to stand by Lavhi and take his arm for the moment. They're off-duty! It's fine!

"My father always taught me," Lavhi says seriously, "That the best way to catch a falling girl is with both arms!"

He nods, firmly.

Then Eight looks to Jun and starts to explain--before Yurika invites her in. "Ah ha ha, I ah..."

Eight doesn't have to explain that she doesn't ski much, thanks to that!! She watches them pulling and considers--

"Insurance must be a big factor on the Nadesico, huh?" she asks thoughtfully. She doesn't do anything to stop Inez. Who would ever stop Inez?

But Lavhi--Lavnadim Orlodhari--steps around to nod to Goat and Jun both. "Mr. Jun," he says. "It is fine." Then with Eight he takes a seat. "We came to sample the hot chocolate," he explains with grave seriousness. "Eight tells me that it is perhaps the best on the colony."

"Might be; we've gotta check what they have today to be sure. But it's definitely in the top three."


<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.


        "Oh, is the hot chocolate here any more special than it is elsewhere? Hmmm, I guess this kind of colony would pride itself on that more than others...I'm used to it just being the powdery stuff you can get anywhere, but if it's made a little more specially here, I'll indulge!" Yurika thinks to herself about if she's ever had hot chocolate in any more home-made form, while Inez busily tapes the captain's arm to the chair, taking advantage of how she's off in her own little world.

        "You don't know the half of it," Mr. Prospector grouses, rubbing the bridge of his nose with thumb and forefinger. "Or maybe you do? I've never worked with the military, but here, paperwork may as well be the blood in Nergal's veins, and it's my job to make sure any sudden wounds are halted, just like how blood cells clot up to put a stop to everything pouring out the exit. It'd be easier if the Captain wasn't a bit foolhardy about getting herself in a pickle..."

        Yurika suddenly bolts to her feet, now attached to her chair like the shell of a snail, realizing Eight and Lahvi are all arm in arm. "Wait a minute - did we get in the way of a date!? ...Wait a minute, Captain York, are you two dating?! How'd I have no idea - was I never paying attention to the sparks of love between you two? Uuuu, you've gotta tell me how you two breached the ice! I've been trying for months and months to get my dear Akito to realize we were meant to be, but fate always seems to divide us just as it brings us together, cruelly teasing us...does it take a maiden's willpower to be so fierce in bridging this gap!?"

        There's a bit of a shadow over Jun's eyes as he slowly flanks the busily duct-taping Inez, essentially undoing her work at a slightly slower pace than Inez entombs Yurika to her seat, to very little avail considering she's excitedly closing in on Eight and Lahvi, examining their body language in meticulous detail. Her skis are still on and they're clattering everywhere she walks... 

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.


"Oh, you haven't lived," Eight assures Yurika. "Some people say they take you out back and shoot you if you mix that stuff up here." She nods, firmly. ...She's probably kidding though. "It is, though! It's much better." Eight... doesn't comment on the duct tape. That's just Inez's life.

However, Eight does now Mr. Prospector's pain! "Oh yeah. There's paperwork for which pen I want to use!" A thoughtful look. "You're pretty poetic, Mr. Prospector. Though..." She can't help but laugh a little. "She seems to do OK there."

Yurika bolts up!! She asks a question!! Then she asks--more questions, before Eight can actually answer. Lavhi doesn't even try, though Eight opens her mouth and closes it a little until Yurika is done. Clatter clatter clatter...

Well, it's fine.

"We are!" Eight says. "It's fine if you didn't notice--you usually see me on duty, and we try to keep it professional then. Right?"

"Yes," Lavhi answers. "As to how, I used a very careful technique. I waited for the appropriate moment after a meeting. Then, I approached Eight and engaged her in conversation about the topic. Finally, I changed the subject and said:"

"'I wish to invite you to the mess hall this evening.'" Pause. "'To dine with me.'"

"Yep!" Eight says. "That was pretty much it! I said yes, once I made sure it was supposed to be a date, and... Well, it was a little more complicated that before we started actually going out, but that was our first date!"

"But it would have been fine if Eight had requested the date of me instead," Lavhi says. "I simply acted first."

"It's true, I had my eye on you for a while. You look great in your uniform."

"Thank you."

"But it does take willpower and work to keep the relationship going once you start it! So... Don't give up, Captain!" This is Eight. She smiles at her. "I believe in you two." 

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        Mr. Prospector seems to have adopted the same disposition as Jun in this moment - they can commiserate about the shared shadows over their eyes, though not really. . . the nature of each despair. "Never a moment's leeway...the grass isn't any greener on the other side. But that's just how it is. Especially when we're out in the stars so much...not much requisitioning you can do when you're a few thousand miles from civilization. The old woe of sailors, and the even older, woe-er of the quartermaster..."

        "Yeah yeah, like that's the reason you get so nosy about belongings we bring along, even though the Nadesico's got capacity to spare," Megumi complains, pulling Mr. Prospector's ear. She's a liiiiittle bit in a foul mood from Yurika getting so uppity on how to win over the guy that...like...she's arguably -more- dating. They kissed each other this decade and on this planet! But she's nothing if not professional - her and the captain have an unspoken pact to just...leave this conflict unspoken about!

        Yurika for her part is huffy and pouty about it being that simple, that easy... "D-don't you two worry that without something more unforgettable, the relationship won't be as miraculous and heart-thumping? Maybe for people like you, who are easier-going...but my poor little heart couldn't prevail if it was as simple as asking someone out on an ordinary little dinner, it's gotta be somewhere special!"

        "...Sometimes, it really is that simple," Goat chimes in, having cleaned himself of snow - responding a furtive, flighty little entwining of hands from Minato. She's good at keeping it concealed - Goat's face is beet red.

        "No, it really is that simple," Megumi mutters under her breath, gazing out the window with her hand under her chin.

        "Hah! That's the way I met my wife, and you might be onto something, captain!" chimes in a suddenly entering Seiya Uribatake, messing around with a high-spec GPS he got from the lodge store, mostly for rich travelers paranoid that the 20 minute rescue service with complete coverage of the colony might be late. He's more interested in the parts. "Maybe a meet cute here at a scenic place like this would've been the right way to go with someone!"

        "Nobody asked you!", the rest of the crew agrees in unison. 

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.


Very... very different despair.

"It's true," Eight answers of requisitioning. "I dunno our our Ops officer manages," she admits. She's not using their name! It's nothing personal. We just haven't introduced them yet.

Megumi's complaint gets a laugh from Lavhi, but Eight recognizes her bad mood more. Perhaps there is not such an agreement...

But Yurika!!

"Oh, I think that date was plenty unforgettable," Eight says, looking up at Lavhi. She looks absolutely smitten, for the moment. He smiles back, and then, "Hmm... Yes, somewhere special, I see..."

"Isn't the Nadesico full of cool facilities?" Eight wonders. "You've got those simulators, you could do any location you wanted, I bet!"

But Goat chimes in, and Eight's eyes immediately go over his red face and his proximity to Minato and hmmmmms.

Lavhi, on the other hand, gives him a simple look, a solidarity of stoic men. He understands.

Uribatake... Eight thinks of the last thing Ruri said about his marriage, and opens her mouth before closing it. 'Nobody asked' they say, and she's--she's willing to go with that.

"It is pretty nice," she says. "But uh..."

Hmm. "Well," Eight says, "I guess that means it's complicated for you. I understand--it was complicated for me for a long time with my girlfriend, too."

"Yes, you pursued her for some time," Lavhi agrees, nodding along as if this is routine. 

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        The war between Inez and Jun about whether or not Yurika should be rendered immobile to get her out of trouble concludes when Inez runs out of usable duct tape, and an even more exhausted Jun settles into his hard-won pile of crumpled but still tacky tape. Terrifyingly, the resolute look of determination stays on her face, and it's clear she's intent on marching off to get more.

        Minato snatches Inez's arm mid-stride, and gives her that most glowing of smiles. "We'll take it from here, Doctor. You understand, yes?"

        This is, perhaps, the one gesture that can cow a motivated person like Inez Fressange, and with a sigh of concession, she accepts her loss in this war.

        "The simulators...nnn, I've tried taking Akito to a bunch of different attractions, but maybe I need to re-create something more special to him...the magic of it is a little bit lost being just a VR thingy, but...I'll work it into my battle plan!" Now finally free from her chair prison, Yurika paces back and forth, tossing aside her fluffy coat to reveal the shockingly comfy deep blue sweater she's wearing beneath it. Mr. Prospector, helpfully, fetches both himself and the captain a cup of hot chocolate - she sips it up without even leaving her reverie.

        "Even for someone as smooth and laid back as Captain York, her girlfriend was kept waiting for a long time too, so maybe destiny isn't as straightforward as-" Yurika stops herself there, actually observing Lahvi a bit - she doesn't know him well enough to be sure Eight isn't referring to him as her girlfriend, but it's clear they mean a third party. "...Wait. Wait. Oh! Oh!!! You two just - You can do that!? The captain can be so brilliant that everyone's a suitor! ...Doesn't this mean..."

        Yurika's hair tousles this way and that as she shifts around in scanning the room, before finally locating Megumi's presence. "...Megumi, can't we settle this if all three of us just-"

        "Not interested, Captain," Megumi sighs out rather harshly, not even looking away from out the window. "You're not my type at all, and I promise that I'm not really yours." ...She's thought about this, clearly, to state it all that fast.

        Yurika has become a heap on the floor, gazing downward on her hands and knees. "...the war never ends...on the battlefield or off it..." 

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.


Eight thinks that the Nadesico is a very colorful ship. It must be nice...

But Minato has it covered. And Yurika, meanwhile--

"Yes," Eight answers thoughtfully. That is a very comfy-looking sweater, too. She regards it thoughtfully. Anyway, "Hmm. VR isn't that special when you can do it all the time, I guess. Well, there's plenty of other nice places. I'm sure you can think of something!"

But she mentions her girlfriend, and Yurika stops herself. Eight realizes that she just said that casually in front of much of the Nadesico's bridge crew and flushes faintly despite her usual confidence. "Ah, well--"

Lavhi pats Eight's hand. And then he watches Yurika. "No," he says, "We are not adding any additional partners at this time--"

Yurika tries it. Eight winces openly. "Ah... Shot down," she says. Lavhi nods slowly. "Completely shot down," he agrees solemnly.

Then he helpfully adds, "It is not a solution to jealousy. In fact, it can heighten jealousy!"

Eight nods. "Yeah, it's... a little more complicated than just going out with both of them unless you're all up for that..."

She kneels down. She doesn't have hot chocolate. Yet. "There, there," Captain York says to Yurika. "I still believe in you. I'm sure he won't turn you down when you finally ask."

...Probably? 

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        "...Jealousy..." That's the right word for it. Yurika's so unfathomably, intensely jealous that it's what's been animating her this whole time, over the past several months. "...It's just tough...no matter how much I step it up, he doesn't seem to consider celebrating with a kiss-"

        And isn't that the whole thing? From Yurika's perspective, the destined childhood friend has already claimed the prize of Megumi's lips. She can't get the thought - the sight - out of her head! She's competing with someone who didn't even have to ask to be in the running!! She's so jealous. Unimaginably jealous!! Can the victorious maiden even afford to be jealous?! Isn't that the trait of the one who'll ultimately be out of the running? Has Yurika...become the villainess of this affair?! (This all manifests in the form of wiggling, of squirming, of agonizing rather openly down here on the ground.)

        ~~And then, an epiphany - as if from Aphrodite herself.~~

        Yurika hops up to her feet, grasping Eight on the shoulders. "All I can do, if I've traveled down a dark arc contorting me into the farther away temporary enemy of this love story-" She didn't vocalize any of that internal pondering incidentally so this probably sounds insane- "-is to put my all into this role! To descend further and further - until it reaches the point where it's obvious that the object of my affections must save me with his love and care! I must be bolder, more forceful, more openly made bitter by the tragic deprivation of love! Then, only amidst the fierce snowstorm, when it seems like I might walk away entirely, will I be saved by his hand reaching out, calling my name, rushing in to pull me back into the light-!"

        Yurika twirls around, pointing at the distant mountaintop, a splash of hot chocolate arcing from her cup at the gesture. "It's a new year, also, isn't it?! This is a time for drastic image changes! Luckily, a beautiful young woman like me can pull off the role of a mountain-ascending rival of stern resolve...there's nothing for it but to give it my best!"

        Jun, for his part, is completely starry-eyed, and immediately slides in, "...Captain! It won't just come with a change in attitude. You'll need the wardrobe to match! If you go all out, we may need some sort of lacy, feathered hat and brooding dark dress-"

        "Oh! Oh, and an amulet or brooch to go with it! You're so right, Jun-kun, I'm so happy I can count on you in times like these-!"

        Jun has, perhaps, ascended to heaven as this goes on, unaware that Yurika is maybe seeing him more as the gay best friend who knows fashion like the back of his hand.

        The captain is completely lost in all this, and Megumi is just forlornly staring into the distance, in complete disbelief that she has to put up with this, so it's up to Minato to offer her hand of comfort to Eight and Lahvi for their efforts. "...Unfortunately, you may have to consider that prospect a lost cause. The same thing that makes our captain a completely brilliant tactician who can see eight steps ahead is. . . well . . .the same part that can't imagine anything as simple as what's right in front of her. Part of me wonders - didn't you meet with Ruri-chan the other day? She told me she was curious about this very same thing. I wonder if she took her curiosity in simply stating her feelings a bit more to heart than the Captain ever would~" 

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.


Yurika says 'Jealousy' and Eight worries at her a little. She is.. certainly... making movements. That is definitely a thing that she is doing. "...Captain?" Eight starts, and then looks at Lavhi, who looks back at her to shake his head. He ahs no idea either. However, Eight blinks and looks back at Yurika as she's grasped by the shoulders. "Wh--"

"A... A dark... what?" Eight stares. It does sound insane. She has no idea what to do with this. Her red eyes are practically dots. She just looks down into Yurika's gaze and--and then her twirling.

"Ah, yes," Lavhi says seriously. "I have read this story."

Eight looks at Lavhi again. "???"

Eight opens her mouth and closes it as Jun 'helps'. She starts to say something else, but Minato at least offers... a moment of comfort, yes. Eight turns towards her, bewildered, and then listens, as she hears... "Ah." Lavhi nods. He looks at Yurika thoughtfully. He seems to understand something that Eight does not.

But Eight says, "Oh, yeah. I did! We had a chance to talk, it was nice. And she did..." Pause. How to say? "Ask about my relationships, yes. She had some interesting things to say, too."

Pause. "...Maybe we should go get some cocoa of our own," Eight musse, and Lavhi turns back to look, "Thank you," to Minato. "I think I do indeed see what you mean..."

"I'm glad one of us does." 

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        There's an oh so smug look in Yurika's eyes as Lahvi understands exactly what she's rambling on about. "Ahahaha! Eight, I know you would score someone who gets it. You're so so so lucky!~ Sometimes I feel like the sage on the mountaintop, but seldom few visitors will walk the path of my wisdom...!"

        Chugging down the last of her hot cocoa - then giving a brief 'owie!' at the still hot beverage's sting, Yurika quickly goes on the march, breaking out her phone to peruse shopping centers here in Winter Wonderland to see if any of them have accessories and clothes she's looking for. "My road to this New Yurika - the Newrika - is a long and difficult one, but I swear I will achieve it! Thank you so much, both of you, for the advice, I can always count on you! I have the greatest friends I could ask for." Approximately 100% of what Yurika is doing is entirely her own suggestion to herself, but when it comes to her it's really only the thought that counts.

        Minato's mostly amused as Yurika and Jun depart in a storm of fantasy, a smile gracing her ever-lipsticked face. "Aaah, the passion of young love. At the end of the day, it's usually better to let the delusion run at least a little rampant for a while, yes?" A gentle finger-tap to her lips as she thinks on the ways Ruri's employment has changed her. "...When Ruri-chan was first aboard the Nadesico, I don't think she'd have ever sought questions like that, or thought she had anything to say about it herself. So I'm glad we can take care of her, and I'm glad she has someone she can rely on. I worry she doesn't have many real 'peers' on our crew, so it's nice that you're never too far as someone to talk to."

        An ever so slightly relieved Megumi cranes her neck over, pouting slightly. "Huh? Does she think she can't talk to me? Sure, I've been employed for a long time, but I've been a voice actor since I was younger than her, so it's not like I'm that much older."

        Minato laughs away the tension inherent in Megumi's preconceptions. "It's tougher than you think to get along with a girl like her. You're maybe a little too...'normal' for Ruri to feel comfortable with?"

        "I'm not really sure I get what you mean..." Megumi trails off, stymied by not getting it, and burying her woes in hot chocolate as the eternal maelstrom that is Yurika's presence finally quiets down, and the crew starts discussing their plans for the rest of the vacation, and what Eight's been getting up to on her trip here, and all of that idle small talk-!

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