2023-09-02: A Summer to Last

• Log: A Summer to Last
• Cast: Emilia Eschonbach, Rin Starking, Shinji Ikari, Asuka Shikinami Langley, Rikka Takarada, Teletha Testarossa, Cascade Vermilion, Alouette Pommier, Akane Shinjo
• Where: Japan - Temple Festival
• OOC - IC Date: 0097 09 02
• Summary: Summer is drawing to a close... but this season will remain forever in our memories. One last summer festival in the heart of Japan, with two long rows of booths full of food and carnie games at a Buddhist temple, where one can pay one's respects... even if Obon already ended a couple weeks ago. At the end of the celebration, a fireworks show will close the night and the season both with literal explosions of color.

---

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        Obon is past, and so too, officially, is the time for summer festivals.

        But sometimes, well, strings can be pulled for one last summer memory- and the Deculture Festival can end on an actual festival.

        It's the early evening, the sun starting to set. Later tonight there'll be fireworks, but for now it's the full experience of a temple festival. Stalls line the temple, with games and foods galore. Shooting ranges, mask vendors, folk dance, festival rides, and a space in the temple where people can pay their respects.

        The festival is not exclusive to GUTS students, but they are the most populous. Yukata are prominent, and where they aren't, breezy summer clothing seems to be the go to.

        Even though school has been back for a week, the final event of DecuFes 0097 is in full swing. It's time to farewell summer with a blast.

        ----

        Dressed in the pink sakura-patterned Yukata that Kallen and Milly had chosen for her on that first trip together to Sheryl's mini-concert. Back then, she was scared to be around people, too nervous to take up space.

        Now, however, she was waiting for some friends, taking photos to send to Milly and Kallen- and not shrinking from the crowds.

        What a difference a year and a half- and people who care- make.

<Pose Tracker> Rin Starking has posed.

The Virtual Geography Club at Ashford Academy is facing something bittersweet. While there are members who have joined simply in order to experience the good clean fun of playing video games with their school club funds, the three knights at the top are all seniors now.

Their lives will doubtless go separate ways. Louis Lioncourt's planning to put in an honorable term of military service before moving into a role at the family business of producing signal-processing equipment for spacecraft. Rin Starking's weighing between college study of something academic or taking up the offer of several stuntmen to get in good with the performers' guilds of Britannia. Sam Crowley had planned to study the most brutal, darkest cosmic body of them all -- the BLACK HOLE -- at Pendragon's astronomical institute in the Sonoran desert.

But for now, they are friends, and they came here together.

Right this moment, Rin and Louis are walking together. (Louis is a tall and somewhat gangly Britannian young man with dark brown hair, worn short.) Rin is wearing a yukata, albeit one with an apple-blossom applique pattern which is not... really Japanese, but the fabric and cut is pretty correct. Louis, lacking appropriate attire, is in an aloha shirt stamped with tropical fruit and macaw patterns, which is at least appropriate for the weather.

Louis, just this moment, is frowning at a mask vendor's offerings. "That's just rude," he complains, looking directly at a Zero mask.

"Eh, they like him here," Rin shrugs. "Maybe he bought the mask at one of these festivals."

"It could be," Louis says, with tones of complaint. "Even so."

"I'll buy you one," Rin says, before laughing at the grimace on Louis's face. After this, some actual mask purchasing gets going; Louis gets a plastic version of a men-yoroi, while Rin gets a fox-faced one. After this there is some dispute over what to get for the missing third party.

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

        Shinji Ikari wasn't planning on heading out here in a yukata. For one, he doesn't have one. But when he saw that there was going to be one last DecuFes event and he asked Asuka at the breakfast table if she wanted to go, Misato immediately took on a catlike grin.
        
        "Are you two going to go on a ~ * date * ~ ?" she asked, one hand lifted to her mouth, eyes and eyebrows arching upwards.
        
        Shinji had looked at Misato; looked at Asuka; looked back at Misato. He drew up his shoulders and clenched his hands.
        
        "Yes," he said decisively.
        
        Whether this was wise or not, he still doesn't know. But Misato decided to take it on herself to use her precious Saturday to take him out shopping for a yukata for later that night. Asuka had gotten the same offer, but she'd refused, only for something else to happen on that mark...
        
        But that's Asuka's story to tell.
        
        Shinji had picked out a pale blue yukata with a pattern of mid blue and pale blue hexagons, tied at the waist with a dark blue-striped obi and set off with straw sandals with dark blue thongs and a matching wallet.
        
        It hadn't been his only choice. He'd sent some pictures to Kaworu to get his opinion, and that's what he'd encouraged him to get, saying that it would go well with one he'd gotten before--but when Shinji said he'd be going with Asuka, Kaworu had simply bid him good luck.
        
        Shinji feels a little bad about it. It would've been nice to go with Kaworu. But he already went to Tashirojima with him and Rei. He resolves to get Kaworu something nice.
        
        ~ * ~
        
        "Wow... I haven't been to one of these in ages," Shinji remarks to Asuka, looking around at the festival grounds. "It's actually bigger than I'd expected." Masks, rides, goldfish... aha! He points at the shooting range and smiles over at his girlfriend. "How about that one?"
        
        He's certain that's what Asuka would like.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

It was just getting ready for a festival date. 'How hard could it be?' Asuka thought. Cut to now, where she's in front of a mirror, with a 'How to' webpage open.

And...

"How does anyone tie this stupid thing!?" As her hand thumps a dresser in frustration loudly enough, that she doesn't hear the slide of a door. Not until...

"Oho!" Cue Misato, tank top and cut off denim shorts grinning from ear to ear in the doorway to Asuka's room, "Saw that I got one for Shinji-kun for your date and you couldn't resist trying to surprise him, huh?"

Hurriedly, Asuka turned around, trying to hide the trouble she was having, "No!" A glance over her shoulder, "Nothing like that! It's just - when in Rome!"

Taking a sip from a beer in hand, Misato wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, "Real cute Yukata for 'nothing like that.'" Wagging the can from side to side, she got a nostalgic look in her eyes.

"... Sure you don't need a hand there?"

"No!" Asuka reflexively shot back, as Misato grinned again, "Realllyyy? Sure you wanna risk being late for your date?"

Asuka glowered at her, before eventually... "Fine! Get over here!"

-=-=-

~*26 and a half minutes later*~

"I thought you knew how to do this!"

"Look I wasn't even your age the last time I put something like this on! Give me a break already!"

"Give you a break!? You're the one who offered your expertise damnit!"

-=-=-

~*Now*~

Asuka is in a pink Yukata with impressions of subtly darker pink blossoms upon it, coming into focus at the ends of the sleeves in white and pink upon colorful green stems. Her Obi is red, tied in elaborate loops behind a white flower, with tasseled ends sporting beads.

"Ages huh?" Asuka asks Shinji, but it's not truly a question, she can understand why it's been so long after seeing where he came from.

"It's pretty alright." Asuka says of the festival grounds itself, with a sense of neutrality, until Shinji points out the shooting range.

Asuka watches for a moment, as someone tries their luck, watches where the guns fire - where the shots land, at the technique of those firing.

And declares...!

"It's probably a scam."

It sure sounds like she's shooting down her date's ideas, but then she takes him by the hand, and pulls him along in that direction.

"Win me something - show me what you're made of."

Wait what?

Isn't Asuka the one with all the experience!? Why's she putting it on him?

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Rikka had been... busy. Because of that, she didn't really get to go to any Obon festivals - so she was pretty happy when one last festival was scheduled to close out the Deculture Festival.

Her last Deculture Festival as a GUTS student, a farewell both to summer and her high school life(barring any incredibly unfortunate events)... it only feels appropriate to close it out this way.

And so, she arrives. Rikka's yukata is sky blue, featuring designs of wide-petaled sakura flowers and a dark red obi. Her hair is tied up in a ponytail with her signature orange bird scrunchie, and she's wearing sandals.

"They really went all out..." Rikka considers. There's a lot to do here, and she definitely needs to swing by the shrine before she leaves... but her first stop, as it happens, is the masks. There are plenty of traditional masks, of course, but there are the hero masks that are plenty common. Rikka considers her options...

...and eventually selects a Tarabaman mask - the Man himself, specifically - wearing it at a stylish angle atop her head.

...Everyone she knows she's been fully dragged into the swamp now, she doesn't mind if everyone else finds out, too. She just wants to enjoy herself today.

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

Festivals. Festivals! The end of the Deculture Festival is something to celebrate with every end, so she'd love to think. Even with everything (continually) happening around her, it's important to take time off...So she's been told.

Granted, it was Kurz who suggested the yukata stuff, but with Mardukas coughing and having one already stashed for her...

---

"Really, Mardukas could have said he had one in store for an important moment..." So he says. Was this his way of saying she should try to not shoulder everything? ...She had to admit; He had a good eye in fashion. A white-turning-blue gradiant yukata with a blue obi wrapped around her waist, yellow string dividing the top and bottom. The usual braid and bow, otherwise.

Though, work was never far away in her thoughts. The low din of the crowd, the easy movements between people (so long as she kept her wits about her). Relax. Let your feet wander. What was it that Clouseau says? Keep calm and carry on.

Right into a back or two. Or three. Clumsiness isn't genetic, she hopes. A few apologies later, and one candy apple...Secured!

Though... "Mhm? Ah, Emmy!" One familiar person in the crowd, giving a wave as she steps forward, stumbles, regains balance, interally puffs herself up, and makes it the rest of way. "Aiming for another Top Three Day?"

Seems like something stuck with her at the water park.

<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.

Cascade Vermilion...

...was pretty eager to go to this event. She's never been to a Japanese summer festival in her life, as she only arrived in Ashford last October. (She wasn't actually around yet last summer, and she's never been to any kind of summer festival, but she's not going to say that part.)

It's as was said. You can always make another summer memory. This will, after all, be Cascade's last year at Ashford.

But Cascade has decided not to be melancholy about it; she's going to go out and enjoy herself. There's just one catch: She did not own a yukata, and she was absolutely going to go all out if she was going to go at all.

So over the last half of DesuFes there was an agony of:

1) trying to find a yukata
1b) that fit and that she liked the feel of
2) with a colour palette that looked good on her
3) with a flower she thought was appropriate (because Cascade, armed with the Internet, was looking up absolutely everything she could get her hands on about Japanese flower symbolism).

And, eventually, Cascade managed it. More or less. She had to compromise on point 3.

Which is why Cascade, despite looking Britannian as all get-out - tall, redheaded, pale and a little freckled - is dressed up in full yukata; a deep indigo blue with stylistically white cherry blossoms interspersed with other flowers that she failed to identify. And geta. She does not appear to have any more trouble with geta than she does with heels - that is, none.

She came alone, but that hasn't stopped her from joining up with other people she knows from school or otherwise, then breaking away later on. She has sampled quite a lot of the foods (ever since Cascade really got interested in cooking a month or so ago she's been quite the little gourmet... not that festival food is the most gourmet of treats, but she likes making her mind up about it) and tried several of the other festival events, though she hasn't bought anything she needs to carry.

At the moment, though, she is without escort or group, simply walking. She's considering going to the temple, but at the moment is fairly aimless. Her path is taking her past the shooting gallery, which she stops to watch for a minute.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Summer is coming to an end... Alouette wanted to be able to make it to at least one summer festival before the leaves fall for autumn - as September begins, now is the perfect time.

She was aware it'd be fine to wear normal clothes for such a thing, but Alouette's always liked to go all out. So for that, she enlisted the help of her friend and coworker Hana - whose extended family is huge on these sorts of festivals and other traditional events.

What she put together was a striking, wide-sleeved purple yukata, patterned with flowers, and a red obi. It's tied together with a silky light-purple ribbon on the back - her own personal touch. She's styled her hair a touch different today, curled as it usually is, but tied up into a ponytail instead of flowing down.

With her look all set, all that's left is to make this a night to remember! But while everyone else is starting to have fun, Alouette actually decides to take some time at the shrine while it's relatively empty. She'll be sure to come back later with everyone else - but perhaps there was something on her mind she wanted to think about before joining the festivities.

She emerges again, her first stop taking her to the shooting range. She likes to think she's a pretty good shot -- but none of the prizes immediately capture her attention. Besides, it's currently occupied at the moment! Shinji and Asuka on a date... "Good luck, Shinji-kun!" Alouette waves, slightly winks at Asuka, before wandering elsewhere. Does she mean on the shot... or the date?

It's the masks that catch her attention next, as Rikka tries on a distinctive, recognizable mask. "You look... so heroic, Rikka!" Alouette comments, as she looks at the other masks available to try on. She spots one resembling Dark Hineon from X4. "I wonder what Akane would think of these..." She considers, sizing the mask up over her face.

As she continues to walk around, she runs into the similarly aimless Cascade. "There's a lot to do here... have you ever been to a festival like this before?" She asks, between tiny bites of some cheap festival food she picked up. "Admittedly, this is all new to me... so I'm just looking around too." Her gaze turns back to the shooting range. Prizes aren't a really good motivator, but competition is. "Do you want to give shooting... a shot?"

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Akane, too, had had quite the busy time of it the last few months; Obon is one of her favorite holidays by a long shot so that actually did bug her a bit. That GUTS managed to pull enough strings to get something like this going delights her; she's decided to go all out on it, in an off-white yukata with an azalea pattern.

(It's always going to be in her heart, no matter where she goes or what she does. Some part of her will always be connected to that.)

She'd been getting festival food until just a moment ago; she makes her way over with a takoyaki boat, practically appearing behind Alouette as if she's a ghost. "Hehe... I love these. I'm really surprised to see Hinoen here. If you don't get that I'm going to."

She takes a moment to assess Rikka and the classic mask, too, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"Yeah, it works," Akane concludes, after a little more thought. "You're definitely my hero," she teases, before moving up a little closer. She doesn't kiss her yet -- but wow, she's thinking about it.

She spots Shinji out of the corner of her eye, and a moment later, Asuka; she calls, "Hey, good luck!" when Asuka challenges Shinji to win despite it being a scam. ... maybe a little unfair, but that's not a huge problem. ... she is curious how he'll handle it.

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        A familiar face in the crowd is a pleasant thing. "Tessa!" Emmy waves enthusiastically. "T-Top five, maybe?" She says, with a little smile. (It's a little hard to make a top three with none of her closest friends here.) "What a-about you?"

        It's a busy event- but Emmy seems remarkably calm. "I-I'm not s-sure where I w-want to start. Th-the closest I've e-ever been is the S-Sakura Festival. And that w-was pretty overwhelming." She didn't calm down until she fell in a pit trap, after all.

        "W-was there anything you w-wanted to hit? It's m-more fun to. Do stuff like th-this together, a-after all." She's honestly happy to just hang out with a friend, and make the most of the evening.

<Pose Tracker> Rin Starking has posed.

"Oh, Tarabaman! That's perfect," Rin says to Rikka.

"Will she like Tarabaman?" Louis asks skeptically.

"Everyone loves Tarabaman," Rin says to Louis.

"But Samanatha hates everything," Louis replies.

"Then whatever we get her, it'll be the same," Rin answers.

"And in that case, it will be funny to see her in a Tarabaman mask," Louis concludes. "Madam," he bows slightly to Rikka, "My thanks as well."

* Bought a Tarabamask!

The mask stall is diagonal to the shooting gallery, and so the Virtual Geographers drift in that direction. Rin slides her hands into the sleeves of her yukata, which Louis, of course, cannot do. What he can do is raise a hand to wordlessly wave to Cascade, and inform Rin, "Your roommate is approaching."

"Cascaaaaaade!" Rin calls over to her. "Get me a snack, could you?!"

After this, they've got shooting to look at. This seems to interest both Britannians and so they turn their attention towards the shooting. Rise, young man, and become a legend! No pressure.

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

        Asuka's yukata was definitely a pleasant surprise. When he'd seen it, and more specifically her in it, his eyes had gone wide. He hadn't said he thought she looked really cute, because he wasn't sure how well Asuka would take to being called 'cute.' Rest assured, though: Misato could tell, and would be gossiping to Ritsuko about it for at least two hours.
        
        Right now, though, it's still early evening, and they're having a pleasant time so far. Even bringing up the past is flavor neutral as Shinji replies, "Yeah, not since I was little. A bunch of my classmates were going and they let me tag along."
        
        He suggests the shooting range, and Asuka declares it a scam, and Shinji is about to be disappointed in his ability to read her after all this time when she grabs him by the hand and drags him over.
        
        "W-whoah--wait--A-Asuka!!" he protests. Then again, this is what he wanted, right? He's the one who pointed it out to her. And it's nice to have her basically say she's relying on him, right?
        
        Even so, he gives her a dumbfounded look. "It's probably a scam, but you want me to win you something?" he says skeptically. Even so, he brings out his wallet and hands over some coins to the booth runner in exchange for a cork rifle. "Okay... but don't get mad if I miss, all right?"
        
        Before he aims, he spots Rikka not too far away, getting herself a Tarabaman mask and setting it stylishly crooked upon her head. He smiles to see it. (A Zero mask though? Really? Shinji doesn't know how to feel about that one.)
        
        Maybe one of those would be good for Kaworu-kun, he reflects. It might remind him of Gridman. Oh, but maybe that'd be a bad thing right now...
        
        He shakes his head, then waves to Rikka. He assumes she's on her own date right now though, what with Akane heading over to Rikka from the takoyaki stand, so he starts to focus back on the shooting range--only for Akane and Alouette to call out to him. He smiles, a little embarrassed but mostly pleased. "Thanks!" he calls back.
        
        As he draws the toy rifle up, he looks at Asuka. He essentially told her not to expect anything, but... right now, after having a couple friends cheer him on, and with that look of expectation Asuka's got, he finds he wants to impress her. Besides, that's what a good boyfriend should do, right?
        
        Eyes lighting with determination, he picks a target... aims... fires--!
        
        *pop*, goes the cork off the back of the booth, just to one side of his intended target.
        
        "Too bad! Want to try your luck again?" the booth runner offers.
        
        "..." says Shinji, now becoming aware of those Britannian teenagers who're watching. He dies a little inside, but still manages, "...yes."
        
        He might end up spending a lot on this booth before he wins anything...

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

It's a sight for sore eyes. Knowing one's occupied with the sudden onslaught of work, and the other is buried in her own occupancies...The sight of Emilia is a welcome one, indeed. "You're right, if I knew more people, it'd be...better." She, conspicuously enough, isn't taking any pictures. Just taking in the sights like any tourist would.

"Honestly?" A finger against her own cheek. "Neither have I. Last year was too tumultuous, and this year was...a forced vacation?" A smile. "So I'm told." Yes, it was just that.

"But as for what to hit..." Her eyes cast over the venue. Fish. Masks. Popguns. Ah, there's two people there she saw once. A date...? How cute... "How about..." There's a relatively sparse stall filled to the brim with fish. Paper nets. A few a pop, catch one if you dare?

"...How about some fish catching?" She could always just consult her team on where to put them afterwards. (No, not in the ocean.)

<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.

Cascade calls back to Rin, "It might be a moment!" But she does intend to get her something. "Did you get a mask?"

The delay is because, well. There's Alouette, who she knows and respects and who is effectively challenging her to shooting. It could be interesting - it seems to be difficult judging by the fact that Shinji is really working at it to get a shot.

"I haven't ever been to anything like this before," she says. "Back... before," and she doesn't explain more about that, "I wasn't brought to events like this... so it's new. I had to find a yukata since I certainly didn't own one, and it is harder to get tied yourself than I expected."

She even had directions! It still took her more than two tries, which is Cascade's boundary for 'harder than expected' for what she expects to be something simple. But the last thing she wanted was for something to come untied or loose.

But Cascade smiles. "I think I could give it a shot. But you first." Knowing how Alouette does will let Cascade know if she has to cheat... not to win more, but to not win by too much. She's not supposed to look quite as talented as she actually is.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Rikka turns as Alouette addresses her, and laughs a little at her comment.

"You think so?" Rikka replies consideringly. She hesitates for a second - even she has to brace herself a bit before doing something like this - before performing the signature pose. "How do I look?"

...And suddenly, Akane!! Rikka is just a little surprised to see her pop up so suddenly. ...Naturally she's seen her in her yukata already, but she's still breathtaking every time she sees her. She holds the pose a bit longer as Akane asseses her - and smiles, as Akane reaches her conclusion.

"I'm glad~." Rikka replies, scooting a bit closer too.

It seems she's inspired someone, too.

"No problem, glad I could help." Rikka replies with a small laugh to Rin and Louis. "Good luck with your friend."

She returns Shinji's wave - and then winces, just a little, as she sees the outcome.

"...Good luck, Shinji..." She murmurs. ...Why does it sound like more of a prayer for the departed than well wishes...?

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

Mid-drag, Asuka catches Alouette's wink, and after a moment- "Not a bad Yukata, Curls." And eyeballs Akane as he wishes him good luck. There's, a small nod after a moment.

It's hard to say what that nod conveys, is it really just about Shinji's good fortune hitting a target? Or is it about... something else?

Either way, "Why wouldn't I want you to win me something? ... Just do it! I'm not gonna get mad, alright!"

She certainly sounds like she's gonna get mad! But then again Asuka ALWAYS looks low key mad about everything!

And indeed, she stands there with arms crossed, now accentuated by those voluminous Yukata sleeves.

Shinji tries and...

... misses. And despite it all, Asuka doesn't look upset, well, MORE upset. In fact...

"It's pulling to the left."

Is she... giving him advice? "Also..." She then moves up to him, hands onto his, adjusting his arms as she does so. "...the way you're holding it, your stance."

It's about midway through it she realizes what this looks like, is like - and a small blush colors her cheeks. Still she already did it!

She's committed! Let it not be said Asuka Shikinami Langley doesn't finish what she starts!

She taps a foot with her own as if to tell him to adjust his footing, while adjusting his arms subtly more.

"There. Try now."

Though, it's still up to him to aim! And remember... to the left!

<Pose Tracker> Rin Starking has posed.

The good news for Shinji is that while these are definitely Britannians, they aren't howling bigotries at him. (Well, not at the moment.) Rin, in fact, answers Cascade by raising up her fox-faced mask, and goes ahead to put it on -- it's difficult over her glasses, so she takes them off and tucks them into the yukata's interior pocket.

"Thanks," Louis answers Rikka, briefly. As Asuka steps forth to try and assist Shinji -- a sort of 'aim assist' - he smiles in an abstract sort of way. He doesn't put on his mask, although he does attach the strap and sets it tilted to one side over his forehead, as is common in these moments.

"Bet you he makes it," Rin comments to Akane.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Seeing Rikka doing the pose makes Akane's heart skip a beat, even if she'd never admit it.

"Hmm... his shooting form sucks," Akane muses, as Rikka offers Shinji a quiet prayer. "Not that mine's probably any better, though." She watches Asuka adjust his form, and thinks a little about that for a second -- it is a really intimate kind of touch, huh... maybe they're more compatible than Akane thought at first? Come to think, they do have kind of the S-Haru vibe.

... not that she ever shipped that. She's never quite bought into transforming heroes falling in love.

When Rin comments, Akane taps her chin. "I think I agree," she says, rather than taking the bet. "Oh, right. I put a video up on MeTube explaining that trick we talked about this week. I can send you guys the link?"

After a few moments, Akane turns to Rikka, a little bit of mischief entering her smile. "Do you think you can outshoot the two of them? I know these games get kinda scammy... but I know Rikka can win a rigged game, too~"

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        Fish catching, huh? "S-Sure, s-sounds like fun!"

        Fun is... a word for it. The little paper nets are fragile once dipped in the water, and Emmy's first attempt scores her... a fully broken net. She frowns, holding the bowl. "Th-they're delicate." She warns Tessa, as she pulls out another 1 gilla coin. (Yes she saved her tips for celebrating tonight.)

        Her second attempt goes more... swimmmingly. She waits, watching the fish swim around, waiting for the time to strike- and her hand dips in with control and speed, scooping one fish into the bowl, then another, and then one more- She goes for a fourth-

        Only for the poi to break, and the fish to fall into the water. Still, three in one go is a good shot. Emmy looks to Tessa with a look of achievement on her face.

        "I d-d-did it!" She looks *very* pleased with herself, handing the bowl to the stall runner to bag up her fish. "Go for it, T-Tessa!" She cheers, when her friend goes for her own attempt. After all, if Emmy can do it, Tessa definitely can, right?

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

        Obon might have come and gone, but there is the sound of a prayer for the departed coming from a certain direction... With more and more awareness of how much attention's on him, Shinji flusters, and for a moment, it's sure he'll miss his next shot too--
        
        'It's pulling to the left.'
        
        "Huh? It is?" he utters, blinking over at Asuka. He hadn't even noticed--he's good at piloting the Evangelion, as little as he likes that, but there are systems to aim for him. Little things like a rifle pulling to one side--he hadn't noticed that at all.
        
        He definitely notices when Asuka gets in close and puts her hands on his to adjust his aim, which in turn necessitates that her chest pushes up on him. His face turns BRIGHT red, which isn't helped when Asuka blushes too. "U-um. Th-thanks," he stammers, letting her mold him to the correct stance.
        
        The 'correct' stance anyway. It feels weird. He suddenly has an awareness that this is an approximation of a gun, and Asuka can correct his form because she has used a real gun. He does his best to not think of why that is. It's not her fault. It's not her fault that awful adults forced a child like her into being a soldier.
        
        She bids him try again. It gives him something to focus on that isn't what Asuka has done as a soldier, so he aims anew--aiming now not for dead center but slightly to the right--
        
        *pop*!
        
        ...The little target falls over as the cork 'bullet' strikes it. Shinji gives a wan little smile as the booth keeper rings a bell.
        
        It's weird. He should feel good about this, but he doesn't.
        
        "What prize do you want?" he asks Asuka to cover that up to both of them. It's probably just the shooting booth. To that end, he adds, "Let's try something else after this though, there's other people lining up behind us."

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Rikka strikes her pose! Really, it's something she never could've imagined her doing if this was a year ago... but it's very charming. "Very triumphant!" Alouette answers, clapping slightly at the display.

Not long after she says that, there's a certain presence from behind her... and suddenly, Akane's back with takoyaki... and a high-quality pickup line for Rikka, at that. "Hehe... you two look really nice together, by the way." She comments, the contrasts of the colours catching her eyes.

As for the Dark Hinoen mask she's holding... "Hmmm... I was honestly considering it." She admits, having a clear and predictable favourite from her X4 experience. "But I think she's all yours," She decides. "I feel like the look fits you better, at least."

Shinji bravely takes his shot...! And completely and totally misses. It's never been more over for him than it is now, Alouette thinks, but there's nowhere to go but up. "You can do it, Shinji!" She encourages him again, as he opts to take another shot.

"You're not looking bad yourself," Alouette replies to Asuka with a smile, as she compliments her yukata. "Pink is a really strong colour on you." It doesn't escape her notice who's yukata Shinji's matches better, though...

"I'm used to unusual clothes so that part wasn't as hard as I'd thought it'd be," she nods though, it's definitely more challenging to tie up a yukata than your average clothes. "But I had to do a lot of research about what's expected at events like these first. What's respectful and what to avoid. They don't do festivals like these back at home," Not that she went to any French festivals, either.

"Oh? Is that a dare?" Alouette's smirks, as Cascade tells her to go first. "All right then... watch this!" Soon enough, after Shinji finally gets it and receives his prize, she's aiming a dart herself. By all accounts, she does everything right - her stance is perfect, her eyes scan for the perfect angle, she locks on and fires. And she's completely off the mark. "O-oh," she frowns. "That was pretty embarrassing..." Are these machines really as rigged as they say? She feels like she can definitely do better than that. Still... she doesn't even consider doing some cheating of her own and trying to hack the machine.

"Anyways... looks like it's your turn, Cascade. Show me what you can do~" She bounces right back up emotionally, cheering her friendly competitor on.

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

Fun sure is a word! She can tell that this place may be rigged. Just the slightest bit. The way these nets are constructed, the way these papers are soggy and so paper-thin so as to be nearly see-through...Well. She can approve of how effective they are.

Tessa kneels down by Emmy's side, paying her own coin for her own tries in the meantime. One. Aim for one, swing...! And a torn paper. "They really are flimsy...But that's the fun of it, isn't it?" The proper touch. The proper poke. Not too strong, or too weak. Just...right...

The second works worse. And the third. Fourth. Fifth. But the sixth works, after Emmy has scored one of her own! One goldfish gained! "And I did, too!" A face of innocent celebration, giving a smile and a pump of her fish as she recieves the bagged up fish from the attendant.

"I think I know where to put you..." For a later date. "Still, it's cheap for what you can get." Oh well. "For now..." She scans the stalls. Flicking here and there, keeping an eye on the time with a quick scan of the sky. "We have a bit of time, still. Want a mask?"

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

"... Yeah, true." Asuka mentions to Alouette on pink being a really good color on her, she's not always the most normal in her responses to compliments is she?

It certainly isn't Asuka's fault, is it? The image of her in those NERV corridors as Oath over Omega took over, wielding that STORAGE beam rifle...

... it's something Shinji might be acutely aware of right now, the clash. She looks so normal right now in that Yukata.

She's definitely killed people in that war. Just like she's killed Angels.

Seeing him go that red, she tries her hardest not to meet his eyes. Not to look at his face, but she's blushing a little more forcefully too.

And then *pop!*

"Good work." She nods in approval, "We should go to a range some day, so I can teach you properly."

After all, in her eyes, if Shinji is going to pilot Eva, he needs to be able to do something as basic as shoot a gun right?

Right? There could be other invasions, his life is valuable!

... To NERV... not her, shut up.

He then asks though, and Asuka's eyes sweep the shelves of prizes, landing upon a single plushie. Asuka's eyes narrow.

"Really?"

If Shinji, if others follow her sight line, they'll see a plushie, with a dark body in chibi proportions with bone like white upon it, an adorable red circle over its belly...

... and a bone white mask with eye holes. It's an Angel. Sachiel to be specific, the first one that Shinji ever killed.

Asuka seems utterly unimpressed at first by it's presence, but then she lifts an arm and points at it. "That one."

Then looking sidelong at Shinji... actually explains, "... It's stupid, but it's also weirdly fitting that you won that in a shooting game for me."

Because he killed it. Because THEY kill Angels all the time.

<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.

"As did I," Cascade agrees with Alouette. "Honestly, I suppose I'm here more because of the people than any other reason, but I suppose that's likely true for many of us..."

It's a *festival* after all.

Cascade glances over toward Rikka and Akane, mentally cataloguing them before giving them a slight nod of greeting. She lingers, trying to listen in to what 'the trick' Akane is talking about is with Rin, out of curiosity. Plus, it lets her watch Alouette -

- miss. Cascade wasn't actually expecting her to miss. Maybe it is rigged? She accepts the air gun, holding it thoughtfully for a moment before sighting down it. She doesn't fire, at least not the first time. She's just taking stock of it. Getting a feel for it. (It would be easier if she *could* shoot, a time or two. But pride won't let her take more shots than Alouette does... also they'll charge her more for extra.)

Cascade eventually finishes sighting, takes aim properly, holds her breath, and fires - it looks like she's accustomed to realer guns than this, perhaps some sort of sport shooting.

And she actually manages a glancing blow! It's just barely contact, and Cascade isn't sure that it's going to fall for a moment, but it does!

Cascade, who had been trying for a direct hit, looks at the gun suspiciously. But she can't *complain*... "I probably should have looked at what the prizes were first," she says, a little self-conscious about it. Asuka seems to have found a plush...

...something. It's so unlike its actual shape that Cascade does not immediately recognize it, especially since she never saw the original directly.

<Pose Tracker> Rin Starking has posed.

"We can't both take the same terms of the bet," Rin muses to Akane. "I guess we'll just have to cheer him on. And yeah, send me the link!" Was Rin even in that group chat? Probably not. Well, she likes to invite herself.

"Oho," she says behind the fox mask as Akane challenges her girlfriend.

And then Shinji --

-- makes it!!

"Hurrah!" shouts Louis, throwing his hands into the air. He says to Rin, then, "You want to do it?"

"I think I do want to do it," Rin says with a nod. "Hold on, though." After this she has to mess with the mask and her glasses, wiping sweat out of the hollows of her eyes.

"Ladies first," Louis indicates to Akane and Rikka, sweeping a hand forwards. "But he's going to give you a different gun, I bet you."

"I'm the oddsmaker here," Rin says as she puts her glasses back on.

"What's the over-under," Louis says immediately. This gets him kicked in the shin, not hard.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Rikka laughs a little as Alouette compliments her display, and smiles as she compliments her and Akane's yukatas. And it looks like Alouette and Akane both are interested in the Dark Hinoen mask...

"Thanks. You look great today too, Alouette." Rikka replies.

Her attention, then, turns back to the shooting. She wasn't optimistic about his chances before... but he actually succeeds, with some help from Asuka!

"It's not easy..." Rikka admits, as Akane comments on Shinji's shooting pose. The first time she held a gun with intent to fire... she ended up dropping it when she might've needed it, and ultimately, the day passed without her needing to use it.

That was probably for the best, in the end. Still... she's come a long way since then. Rikka nods her greeting toward Cascade, too. After a comment to Rin, Akane turns toward her and... she knows that look. That mischievous look... How can she say 'no' to that?

"I don't know about 'outshoot'... but I'll do my best." Rikka decides with a smile. And, well... if Akane has confidence in her, then that's all the encouragement she needs.

She approaches the booth along with the others, nodding thanks to Louis as he lets her go first, pays her entry fee, and picks up her dart rifle.

It's definitely a different one than the one Shinji used - Asuka's tip won't work here. Still, she weighs it a little in her hands. If this were a real gun she might be in trouble... but a lot of items have passed through Aya. She generally knows how something is supposed to feel. She takes aim, making sure to brace the barrel a little with her expression focused, and fires.

The first one is a little off... but it gives her all the information she needs to recalibrate and try again. And this time...

...It's a direct hit! Rikka sets the gun back on the counter, looking pleased with herself.

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

        Now that Alouette has said it, and Asuka has accepted the compliment (however understated it might have been), Shinji relaxes a bit and smiles at her. "She's right. Pink actually looks really nice on you," he comments.
        
        (She does look normal right now. You'd never guess she was a child soldier. That she's still a child soldier, technically.) (no don't think about that)%
        As an attempt at a joke, he adds, "Don't worry, I won't tell Makinami-san."
        
        ...Mind you, Shinji is unaware there's a non-zero chance Mari is not only watching them but video-recording them as they speak.
        
        That smile turns awkward when Asuka says she'll take him to a range someday and one of those Britannian kids cheers on his aim. (At least it's not jeering, but that doesn't make him feel better, actually.) "A range? Like... a shooting range...?"
        
        Do those even exist in Japan? He thought those were for police only. Then again, after Britannia invaded, he wouldn't be surprised if there were more open to the public these days...
        
        He looks away, discomfort deepening. This at least lets him look at someone else, specifically the other players. Alouette makes her own attempt at the shooting game, but misses. Shinji winces in sympathy and offers her a rueful smile. "It is pretty embarrassing, huh? Don't worry, it's easier the second time." He rubs the back of his neck as he glances over at Asuka. "Though I can only say that because I had some help..."
        
        Also Alouette's already ceding the toy rifle to Cascade. But there's no reason she couldn't get back in line.
        
        Asuka points at a plush. Shinji looks over. He turns pale. If this were an anime, blue lines would be trailing down his face. He meets Asuka's eye... and she explains her reasoning.
        
        ...Hearing that, he has to laugh a little. "Yeah, you're right, actually," he concedes. "I just can't believe there are people who'd turn them into plushies. Who'd look at one of those things and think they're cute?"
        
        He walks away from the booth, gesturing his head to one side to encourage Asuka to follow. "C'mon. It's getting pretty crowded here. Do you wanna try goldfish scooping? It's really hard, so I bet you'll do great at it."
        
        He definitely was never able to scoop one when he was a kid. And if there's anything else here that Asuka might actually enjoy doing, it's that. Even if Shinji has no idea what she'd do with the goldfish afterwards...

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        Emmy becomes more and more convinced that landing three was actually something of a coup. The way Tessa goes through nets- but when she lands one succesfully, Emmy gives a little cheer. "Good w-w-work!" Success against adversity...

        Tessa mentions she has an idea of where to put hers, and Emmy realizes that she hasn't thought that through at all, caught up in the whims of success. "...H-Hey, Tessa, m-maybe you can t-take care of these th-three as well?" She looks a little embarrassed, "A-Ashford doesn't allow p-pets. And e-e-even if it did, G-Grandfather wouldn't." She pauses. "And b-besides, it m-might be a little lonely in a t-t-tank just for one."

        Tessa suggests masks, and Emmy nods. "Th-that's a normal s-souvenir, right?" She follows along to the booth- her head gazing at the nearby crowd at the shooting booth- and Shinji and Asuka walking in the opposite direction. Emmy gives a little wave to Shinji- he seemed nice, and he was Kaworu's...

        Friend seems a little weak but, she doesn't know what's happening there. She might ask sometime, but not when Shinji is on a date.

        Still, as they get towards the masks, Emmy blinks. She recognizes *none* of these, and has no idea what would suit. A strict Britannian upbringing will kind of make it hard to recognize so many beloved Japanese figures.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

"Yeah, but I don't take sucker bets," Akane fires back at Rin.

Alouette ceding the mask near-immediately gets Akane a little bit on the back foot. "Uh?" she starts, blinking slightly exaggeratedly. A moment later, with a mouth full of takoyaki, she says, "Well, uh -- I mean, I already have a lot of Hinoen merch. I think you should get it."

... she can't quite shake the Reflexive Self-Exclusion brain, even now; she's getting better, not magically fixed, despite the very magical nature of the fix.

She doesn't quite hang off Rikka as she advances in line -- but she's visibly excited when she sees Rikka aiming. ... she's fully distracted from the actual result by the time she does fire; she's too busy looking at Rikka's face. While she doesn't quite reach that dreamy, almost-expressionless sort of look, there's a small smile on her own face. Serious Rikka...

...might be her weakness.

This time, unlike last time, she does give her a peck on the cheek, when she succeeds. The whole exercise gets a followup whisper of, "I think I have a few more date ideas suddenly, though it'd have to be you coming to the AEU for it," with a smile.

She turns back to Shinji, adding, "You know, actually, I do kinda think they're cute," before Shinji and Asuka start to head away.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

Asuka turns a shade of pink about the same as her Yukata as Shinji compliments her too, "Mmmph." As she replies in a light sound, rather than with actual words.

Her eyes flit to him as he makes the joke though with the response he might not expect of, "You should tell her." She says, because the two have an ongoing bet over who has the better fashion sense.

(Asuka is losing. She just won't admit it.)

"Yeah there's one at the Geofront we can use." She says, as if not understanding his discomfort at all.

And when he pales, she arches an eyebrow as if to say 'What?' before he laughs, "Yeah, I know right? I guess it's a Japanese thing, to turn everything into a mascot." And she tucks the plush under an arm. "Goldfish scooping huh? Sure. I'll give it a go."

Still as she goes, she looks after Alouette, should she adjust her technique too for her to try again? No. No she's on a date with Shinji, it'd be weird.

And Rikka, Asuka simply says, "Not half bad." It's Akane's comment on the plush as they go that earns her a look, and a "You would." But Akane perhaps gets the sense it's not actually hostile? Like she's softening it on purpose to tell her she doesn't think it's weird.

Privately she finds the chibified plush a little cute herself even if she won't admit it, which is why she really asked for it.

As Shinji and Asuka approach the booth together, hand in hand she asides, "It looks pretty simple?" Asuka says, handing him her plushie as she kneels down, taking a scoop and...

... her hand violently swishes down in an arc, raising a splash and...

What she's left with is a goldfish scoop with a giant hole in it. She looks at it in disbelief. "What do they even make these out of!?" She complains, as she tells the attendant, "Give me another!"

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

There's a slight bit of spark in her eyes now; What once was nothing but acceptance, there lit a bit of a fire in her. "Four...?" If she remembered her books correctly while reading off-time... "I'll do my best." Did Jindai allow pets? Maybe the Student Council needs an aquarium. After so many shoe locker bombs, they need something to soothe their eyes with.

"Four really is better than one for fish. I think they're communal." She has absolutely no idea.

The want of people-gazing does track her eyes along, following Emmy's gaze to the same duo of people she spotted previously. A boy and a girl? ...Fight, for all wars are the same in spirit! (She's assuming and allowing her imagination to run.)

Still, these masks...The confusion is palpable on Emmy's face. "Something like..." Let's see. What fits, what fits... "I was born on the New Britannian Continent, but I don't remember much..." Think, think...Maybe this? It sort of...Fit.

A simple brown cat mask was handed to Emilia; One of the more generic ones, but she trusted her own gut on this. And as for herself, maybe...Maybe this Tarabaman one! Year: Unknown! Series: Unknown! But she'll still strap it to the side of her head (after paying)!

"How do I look?"

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

        Akane tells Shinji she thinks the Angels are cute. "Eh..." he utters, one side of his mouth twitching up in the ultimate in awkward smiles. It turns into a little laugh at Asuka's response, though. "Yeah, if there's anyone who'd find Angels cute, it's definitely you," he concedes. He gives her and Rikka a friendly wave as he leaves with Asuka. "Have fun on the rest of your date!"
        
        On the way away, Emilia waves at Shinji. For a second, he falters as he gives her an uncertain look; then he realizes he recognizes her, specifically from the recent Ranka concert, and he brightens and waves back.
        
        She's one of Kaworu-kun's friends, he thinks. Kaworu has so many friends everywhere, it's incredible. It's just like him to be so loved.
        
        Except, apparently, by the Earth. He frowns a little to himself at that particular memory. ...If he'd thought of it at the time, would Alexis have been able to tell him who the Earth is...?
        
        He shakes his head quickly. No, it's better that he didn't. And it's even better that Gridman's made sure he's not going to be poisoning anyone's minds anymore.
        
        No, focus! He's here on a date with Asuka. She looks really cute, she was happy about his compliment (he thinks), she--
        
        "Huh? Really??" he utters, blinking when she tells him to tell Mari. "Then... I could take a picture and send it to her...?"
        
        His wallet, which is actually almost the size of a purse, is large enough to hold his phone, after all. Really, isn't this the kind of place where they should be taking lots of photos? He took plenty when they were at Tashirojima.
        
        He doesn't respond to the fact that there's a shooting range at the Geofront. Responding to it means acknowledging it, and acknowledging it means--
        
        Well, anyway.
        
        He holds Asuka's plushie for her as she takes one of the scoops, giving it a strange look for a moment. "Yeah, you just use one of those little scoops to snatch up a goldfish out of the water. The thing is--"
        
        Asuka BULLRUSHES the water and blasts the hell out of her scoop.
        
        "...the thing is, the scoops are made out of paper," he continues, fighting back a smile, "and that's why it's really hard."
        
        It dawns on him that Asuka might actually find it particularly hard since a successful scoop apparently requires a subtle hand. Rei would be better at it, he suspects, but he knows better than to say that. Kaworu might be really good at it too... but then, he's really good at everything, isn't he?
        
        Either way, he juggles the plushie and his wallet for a moment to bring out his phone. "When you're ready, I'll record you, if you want," he offers.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Rikka gets a prize - and a peck on the cheek! ...The latter is definitely more important to her. She smiles, and listens intently.

"...Now you've got me curious." She replies. "That sounds fun, though. It'd definitely be worth the trip."

Any amount of travel would be worth it to her, to be fair.

"Thanks." Rikka replies, as Asuka gives her a compliment. 'Not half bad' counts!

Shinji gets a smile, too.

"Thanks! you too!" She replies with a wave.

...She does also agree that Akane, out of everyone, would be the one to find an angel cute. But to Rikka, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

"What's next..." Rikka considers, then, then looks toward Akane. "What sounds fun to you?"

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Akane blanking out as Alouette attempts to do her a favour by handing her the mask - catches her off-guard in turn. "Really? Are you sure?" But realising they'll go on forever in circles if they keep this up, she makes an offer. "Then it's only fair if I pick something out for you. Deal?" There's actually a pretty much variety. Gekiganger... Donshine... she's not sure if Akane actually vibes with those. Unfortunately, she doesn't recognize if there's anything from Serena.

"Oh! That one kind of looks like Magical Lychee," she points out a rather sparkly looking mask. She grew up with some shoujo so there's some lingering familiarity... and she knows Leina is a huge fan, too.

she decides to don the mask, doing some kind of ridiculous chuuni anti-hero pose. "Hehe... this is actually kind of cool," she admits.
        here's a slight smile from Alouette at Asuka's unorthodox way of taking compliments. "Have fun with the rest of your date~" she adds, as she and Shinji begin to wander over to goldfish catching.

When she hands the rifle over to Cascade, she's watching and studying every movement carefully - seeing how she handles it. She's a smart shooter, Alouette surmises, and it pays, because she just barely gets a hit in! "Wow... not bad!" She comments enthusiastically as Cascade is asked to select a prize. "So... what are you thinking of taking?" She eyes that plushie of... is that seriously an Angel? "I think that one over there is Mazinger Z... I guess it's not surprising they'd have something like that in Free Japan." She points to a higher shelf, completely unknowingly, of course.

"I'm still surprised I didn't get that one," she sighs, uncertain whether to rejoin the line. "Turns out melee combat is way more my forte." She adds, definitely referring to fencing. "You're right though, Shinji... no shame in taking a second chance."

Rikka gets a perfect shot too, so that settles it... she's getting back in line. She absolutely refuses to take the L. Instead of carefully taking her shot and trying to get it perfect... she just fires without a second thought, aiming where her gut takes it. Somehow... that's enough to knock it down. "Wh--!" She's in utter disbelief. "I don't understand this at all..." She looks back at Cascade, shaking her head.

From the prize booth, she eyes a legally distinct orange squeak toy hammer. She supposes she has no choice... "I want that one." She points.

<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.

"I will take the bet," Cascade says, suddenly. "It's difficult enough to use I can't see them switching it regularly."
Alouette may not be willing to take the L, but Cascade is currently pretty confident about the W. Which is, you know. Enough.

She suggests a Mazinger Z plush. This is, surprisingly, not the first time Cascade has been suggested something like that. Her expression is neutral. "I don't think it's really for me," she says, before looking over the options. ...there honestly aren't a lot of them that she really likes.

But then something catches her eye, and though Cascade does not immediately admit it... she really likes it. "This one," she says, picking up...

...

...an extremely round, almost aggressively cute bird.

Cascade doesn't know why she wants it. She doesn't even like birds. She never thinks about them. Most animals, in fact, don't really get along with her, and she doesn't know why - they aren't seeing through her disguise. She checked. There's nothing they could be spotting. But this one, she likes.

And so, armed with the distressingly adorable plush, Cascade tucks it under her arm to watch other people take shots. Rikka gets it; Alouette does, a second time. She'd clap except now one of her hands is full. "Well done," she says. "Honestly, I think they *must* be rigging it somehow." Fortunately, she is juuuust quiet enough that the guy running the stall didn't hear it. (Probably.)

"I said I would get Rin a snack," she says. "Does anyone else want anything? Alouette... and your other friends?" She means Rikka and Akane, who she knows in passing (and knows more about from her files) but doesn't, like... know *well*.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

Asuka just eyes him as he offers to take a picture, "Yeah sure just..." Her eyes dart from side to side, "... make it to the group." So that, she doesn't know it's for that purpose, Asuka doesn't say.

Is this Asuka's life? Doing everything to spare her pride the vulnerability of being known?

Absolutely.

Asuka glowers at Shinji as he delivers that fact that it's made out of paper, "I know that!" She replies, when obviously by her own comment a few seconds back...

She didn't know that.

She realizes her error in a moment as she looks down, taking another, getting this extremely intense look in her eyes.

"Sure. Record what's coming."

Asuka this time, she makes a quick motion that arcs more subtly, and for a moment it looks like she has it. The goldfish is on the scoop, it's on the scoop-! It's quickly rising out of the water and-

Oh the scoop collapses as it gets too wet, dumping the goldfish unceremoniously back in the form as the paper of the scoop disintegrates.

Asuka stares at her scoop again, then snaps her head Shinji's way as she realizes he was recording that failure and exclaims, "Delete that!"

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        Emmy realizes she is handing off a responsibility unto Tessa- but Tessa's eyes seem to brighten a bit at it. "Y-Yeah. Th-that's what I th-th-thought." She also has no idea about fish being communal. Do fish get lonely? It's not really something Emmy wants to experiment with either.

        She takes the cat mask offered her, trying it on. It's simple, and wearing it slightly to the side like a fascinator seems to be the style, but it's not bad. The brown's maybe not the best match for her hair, buy... that's not really the important part. It's a simple symbol of friendship and a memory of summer.

        "Hmm, I th-think it works." Emmy says, reaching for her phone. "W-Wanna get a picture? Th-that way you can s-see for yourself."

        If Tessa agrees, Emmy scoots in next to her, holding the camera on her flip phone up for a two person selfie. She's gotten pretty good at angling these right.

<Pose Tracker> Rin Starking has posed.

Rin pushes her glasses up her nose in silent response to Akane's countershot. Sadly, the light is wrong for Glasses Gleam out here. Even so.

Louis picks at his ear a little as Shinji and Asuka discuss the Angel and then move on out of the way. He continues to wait turn, conceding to others for perhaps exactly one entire pose round. He does comment to Emilia, "Goldfish have a very interesting characteristic, you know. They'll grow to suit the water they're kept in. That's how the Japanese goldfish got so big."

"Koi," Rin comments.

"Is that what they're called?" Louis muses.

"Yeah. You can keep 'em in a pond," Rin says.

It's Rin, this time, who cheers for Cascade, and who steps up some time after the fact in order to take her shot. The first one goes wide, wide enough that it probably seems like she's goofing around or that she's somehow tricked a festival stall into giving her beer.

Second hit: Dead on.

Rin, after some consideration, opts for a gray dog -- no, it's definitely some kind of wolf puppy, it's just so super-deformed that it doesn't really look very wolf-y at all. Other than, perhaps, its blue bead eyes, instead of black. The lolling tongue doesn't help, though. Rin raises the plush up to situate it on her head, messing with hairpins to make this goofiness work out.

Louis, for his part --

-- misses all three shots he takes.

He grunts once in disappointment, but hands the weapon back with a single nod and turns with his arms folded loosely. His melancholy, or brooding, is interrupted by the topic of food. "I'm in for food," he tells Cascade, defeat seemingly forgotten.

(Rin resituates the wolf-puppy plush on her head like four times over the next two minutes. This is an ill-advised idea but she's committing to the bit.)

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Akane almost flinches from Asuka's 'you would,' but as it starts to sit... huh. Is she actually fine with that? "... Haha, yeah, I definitely would," Akane says, with a snicker to Shinji and Asuka.

Thinking for a few seconds, Akane eventually answers, "I'm kind of up for anything, mostly. It looks like a lot of people are trying for the goldfish but that's not really my speed..." She's not inclined to capture things, even little fish.

She needs to think for a second, though -- which gives her time to answer Alouette. "Oooh, I really like the Donshine one. Usually hero stuff isn't my style, but... I think maybe I need to learn to be my own hero, too."

Cascade asks after them for a snack, and that distracts her, too. "Hmmm... I could use more takoyaki," Akane says. "Here -- try it. This is seriously good," she says to Rikka, holding out a ball on a toothpick.

She finally answers, "Maybe we should just get in position to watch the fireworks? Usually I'm not into that kind of stuff, but this year kinda feels more special."

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

        "How about we take our picture together, then?" Shinji suggests, having a hunch why Asuka would prefer any pictures of her get sent to the group. Besides, he also has a hunch Rei and Kaworu wouldn't be interested in photos of just Asuka... Either way, should she agree, they can take a moment to get in close and have Shinji take a selfie of the two of them.
        
        He makes a face, eyebrows twisting up and to the center as one side of his mouth pulls away, when Asuka says she knows the scoops are made of paper. "You just asked what they were made of!" he protests.
        
        But she bids him record, and he holds his phone up dutifully. "Ready," he says once the recording has begun. The goldfish glistens in the air as she catches it--!
        
        The second scoop breaks.
        
        Shinji grimaces. "On it," he says, ending and deleting the video. This is not something to push back on, after all. When he has the recording set up, he prompts, "Ready again!"
        
        ...It might be a while here now. After all, Shinji can't return the favor from earlier and instruct Asuka on how to successfully scoop a goldfish.

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

Don't worry! Jindai is full of unique people! Surely one of them knows! And if not, Kyouko would love to find a home for them! Or the Student Council! (She has completely forgotten in the moment that she hasn't went to school in a bit. Pray for her.)

"Maybe I should've went for black...?" She's not the fashion-conscious one, but with everyone close to her being so official, it's hard to get a bead on casual fashion. With a nod, she scoots in, smiling right at the camera and flashing a peace sign. Normal teenage things, on a normal summer, in normal clothes.

A prick of shame needles at her skull, even with her smile.

"Ah, you've gotten better with photos so quickly..." Gazing at the picture and giving a nod of approval. It works, and that's what matters! "Though, the knot might slip if you jerk it a bit too hard." Nautical experience teaches a lot...

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

"You both did great, too." Rikka compliments Alouette and Cascade, as they both take their shots. She's pleased that it turned out this way. Cascade's hands are full - so Rikka claps for her.

Akane, eventually, considers a mask. Being her own hero... Rikka smiles.

"...I like that." She says. She hopes that for Akane, too.

But then, there's the question of a snack... Akane suggests takoyaki - and then holds out her toothpick for her. Rikka leans forward, snagging it... and her face lights up.

"...Oh, you're right, it is." She agrees. That settles it. "I could go for some takoyaki, too."

But eventually, Akane comes to her decision, and Rikka nods in agreement.

"That's a good idea... That way we can grab the best seats before they get taken. Shall we?" Rikka offers - and starts that way. They can also try to save some seats for their friends, too, so they can all watch them together...

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

Together? A picture together. That does feel like a normal boyfriend/girlfriend thing to do. Asuka tilts her head and then nods thoughtfully, "Sure. That's fine."

Asuka doesn't reply to Shinji's protest that she asked that. Because she knows she's goofed but she has to keep up appearances.

Shinji fortunately is compliant, though she does eye him overlong as if wondering if he actually deleted it.

This time she gets a third scoop. Asuka takes a deep breath, and-

-the scoop descends, and out comes a goldfish, flopping on it. "Heh." It's strange how she expresses her first time triumph isn't it?

It's not cheerful. Her expression doesn't even look smug. There's no sense of 'I did it.'

It's more like 'Of course'. As if her success was an expectation. The thin, already disintegrating scoop she puts her hand under, even as the attendant moves over and it's placed in the plastic bag full of water.

"There."

She stands, and holding it in her hand, she moves alongside Shinji, "We can send them a picture of this."

Holding up the bag, she leans in for the festival date selfie... realllll close. So that both goldfish and plushie are in frame.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Alouette waits for Cascade to pick out a prize, interested in what catches her eye. A bird, huh? She likes them too... but perhaps she was fated to. "That is pretty adorable... I think it's a good choice." Alouette agrees, as Cascade squishes it in her arm. She giggles a little too at the comment about it being rigged. "Feels nice to beat the system then," she replies, quietly, shaking around her little totally not Goldy toy.

"I'm not very familiar with Donshine," Alouette admits, taking a closer look at that mask of hero... "But I have to agree. You wear it pretty well these days, too." She hands the mask to her friend, with a smile on her face. "Besides that... I guess that means you're both each other's heroes~" She affirms, focusing on Rikka's Taraba mask again.

When Cascade asks if they want her to pick anything up for them, Akane and Rikka both go for the takoyaki, so it has Alouette a little curious - it does look very tasty. "I think I'll try some of the takoyaki, too." She answers.

While Akane reminds her that the fireworks are about to start. "Oh, I definitely want to see those... let's go!" She nods, gesturing back to Cascade. "Would you like to join us?"

<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.

Generally people seem to approve of a snack. "I'll pick some things up. But I will have to ask you to hold this for me for a moment," she says, offering the bird (slightly begrudgingly) to - well, anyone who wants to hold onto it for long enough for Cascade to run off and pick up food for the group.

It is going to be takoyaki. Cascade doesn't know what the best kind is but she is about to experiment and find out.

But as she unloads her plush, Cascade's yukata beeps.

Cascade, slightly perplexed by this, reaches into the upper folds of her yukata and pulls out... her phone (nobody ever told her not to keep your phone THERE). She looks at it for a moment, unlocking it with her thumb... "I don't know how that spam gets past my filter," she says, with a slight sigh.

Cascade slides it away again. "I would love to watch the fireworks! I have honestly already done most of the rest of it today... if you will save a spot I'll catch up with the takoyaki. I can get enough for the group." Cascade, like a lot of minor nobles, does not really seem to care much about keeping track of budget on that level... the bigger challenge will be carrying it without making a mess, but there are ways.

She smiles, and it doesn't look forced at all. It will be good to do one last thing with a group tonight...

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        Louis- someone Emmy doesn't really know but that she can surmise is one of Rin's friends- makes a comment on the goldfish. "R-R-Really?" It's a fact about fish she didn't know, which, admittedly, is a fairly large strike zone. :I w-w-wonder how big these four c-could get?"

        Emmy shakes her head. "I don't think so, it st-still stands out against your hair." Emmy has a broad smile in the photo, squeezed in next to Tessa. "W-Well, I've been taking a l-lot more, lately." She still doesn't post them anywhere. Even her private vertex is a little fraught to post anything, just in case someone finds it. Tessa comments on the knot, though, and she nods. Careful adjustments, then

        She sees Rin balancing the plushie on her head, and Emmy giggles at the sight. "I d-d-don't know it's suited to b-be a hat." She says.

        An announcement echoes over the PA system. "The fireworks will be commencing in ten minutes, earplugs and a limited amount of earmuffs are available at the first aid tent."

        Getting the good seats before they get taken seems like a good idea.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

It's... nice to have friends support her weird metaphor. Akane accepts the mantle of Donshine, trying the mask on. "Hmmm -- it's a little bit big for me, but that's okay." It doesn't have to be perfect -- and maybe it's something she'll come to wear a little better with time.

Alouette invites Cascade along, and Akane nods at the idea of saving a seat. "We can do that."

Stretching out a bit, Akane considers earplugs. "Hmmm... usually I'd get earplugs, but... this is the last high school summer festival... I kinda wanna see and hear everything. Even if it's messy and loud."

It's at this point that she finally realizes she's going for two takoyaki boats, and murmurs, "... the gym is gonna be so bad this week..."

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

        Don't worry, Shinji definitely deleted it. He wouldn't risk Asuka's wrath like that. But if someone were to hack into his phone and restore the data, well, there's nothing he'd be able to do about that.
        
        He does record her third-time's-the-charm success, though. Maybe it's because it was the third time that her response is so understated. ...Maybe Asuka's also wondering what she's even going to do with this goldfish. Either way, he nods and comes in close, letting Asuka hold the spoils of the night...
        
        *click*
        
        (and it comes in focus)
        
        "That looks pretty good!" Shinji says, taking a look at the photo. He holds the phone to one side so Asuka can see too. The goldfish scooping both is in the background, as are a couple other booths. He's smiling, but... does she look happy?
        
        Whether she does or not, he says, "I'll send it to everyone now!" By 'everyone' he means his contacts list, which might be a little broader than Asuka was hoping for. After that, he tucks his phone away and takes another look around. It sounds like the fireworks show will be starting pretty soon. There's probably not enough time for a ride, and while he does want food, that hopefully shouldn't be hard to take care of. Something quick and simple...
        
        "Let's go pray at the temple real quick," he tells Asuka. "Then we can grab something to eat and settle in for the fireworks show--how's that sound?"
        
        Once he's gotten the green light, he'll hurry over to the offering box. He tosses in a coin to the offering box, then shakes the two-colored rope and thus the bells hanging at the top of it, claps his hands twice, and bows his head to pray. ...He doesn't explain to Asuka how to pray. He honestly assumes she already knows. She's been in Japan long enough, right?

<Pose Tracker> Rin Starking has posed.

"Yeah, I'd just want to put the fish back," Rin concurs about the goldfish. Snacks? Takoyaki? This sounds solid to her. ("Where would we even keep it?" Rin asks Cascade, rhetorically.)

Louis looks towards Emilia. "Quite big," he says. "I think there's a limit for most of them, but it's really quite big - Japanese goldfish, the 'koi' Rin mentioned, get about --" He holds his hands about half a meter apart. "So I would say that that is the maximum you could expect with good care."

He laughs a little and tells her, "My mother keeps fish tanks."

"Yeah I know," Rin tells Emilia, "But I like it when I look a little silly, you know? It helps keep people in the festival mood. And it'd make me easy to find, right? So it's a win-win-win." Rin is a redhead, which is not exactly COMMON here, but it's not UNknown. Why, there's another one right over there, ASUKA.

"So look for the wolf pup," Rin tells Cascade, as she volunteers to get her food and bring it to all of them.

"We'll definitely save you a spot!"

GOOD NEWS:

At the fireworks watching space, an enormous beach towel has been spread out and is being sprawled on by a young woman in a black halter top and frilly skirt. She is also wearing little wristlets with chrome spikes on it. She is actively playing a portable game console, and occasionally glaring at people who try to ask her if they can maybe scoot in...?

"Hey Sam!" Rin calls as they get closer.

"Sup nerds," Sam tells them. Immediately spotting new objects in their possession, Samantha says as she whirls herself upwards, "Where's mine?"

Louis surrenders the Tarabaman mask.

Sam considers it and immediately puts it down. "Lemme save," she continues, before looking back at her game console. She does not save the game or stop playing it until accosted.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

Asuka does not look happy. But it's not because of anything Shinji did - in fact all of the elements of this time, this event, they're perfectly set up to make her feel happy.

So why isn't she?

"Sure, whatever." Asuka acts indifferent to the idea of him sending it to the group, even as she was the one who asked for him to do that.

"Pray?" Asuka looks at Shinji, "Sounds fine. Let's do that." She means to getting something to eat and the fireworks show.

But it would be easy to mistake it as 'Sounds fine.' about the praying right?

Asuka follows him to the temple, then stares. She watches him go through all the rituals without following along. "You're paying your respects to the dead right?"

Asuka asks, without saying what follows up in her mind, 'That's stupid.' because she knows that Shinji doesn't have a mother.

She knows.

But, it feels like it's stupid in relation to her. As she remembers...

        ... so many ...

                 ... one by one...

                          ... lives worth...

"There's noone worth paying my respects to." Asuka says quietly after a moment, and turns away from the shrine, "Let's go grab something to eat, we're gonna miss the fireworks."

It's an ill omen to not properly pay one's respects isn't it? But she hardly seems to care.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

They're each other's heroes... Rikka chuckles, a bit.

"...I guess we are." She agrees, then looks toward Cascade.

"Sure, I can hold onto that for you." Rikka offers, accepting the bird plush from Cascade. ...It's really cute. Rikka does like birds, too. She'll be sure to take good care of it until she returns with the takoyaki - it's only fair to help her out when she's doing something for them!

"Yeah, you're definitely welcome to join us." Rikka chimes in, offering Cascade a smile. This is the kind of thing that's best enjoyed with friends, after all.

And so, they find a place and get settled in - Rikka briefly offering a wave to Rin and her friends before looking back to Akane.

"I guess it is, huh... Then let's enjoy it to the fullest." Rikka agrees with Akane - then pauses and laughs. "Good luck, Akane..."

Yet again, a prayer for the departed...

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

Louis's comment does ring in her mind. Goldfish, growing...Massively...An ocean of goldfish, eating up everything? Worrying. "I hope...Not all the way to an ocean." There's more than enough monsters under the sea!

"It's good!" She doesn't comment on encouraging her to do more; If there were reason to take more, she would've done so already! ...Was the conclusion she took.

Rin's Plush feels like an equipment slot. A natural nesting for the Plush, aiming to use it as a nest and a place to return to every night...Or too many nature docs.

"Ten minutes...Emmy, do you need either?" A quizzical glance over just to make sure. Loud noises and loud flashes were piece and parcel for herself, but call it...the worry of a civilian (in her own mind). "I think..." A tap against her own chin. "If we follow the crowd, it'll be obvious." Genius common sense!

"We can hit the shrine after and end off on a high note. How's that?" The final piece while heading for that viewing area, to have her eyes focus on the night sky. Looking upwards at the cloudless night, that selfsame gaze sparkling with the wonder of new experiences.

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

        Later, after the festival, Shinji will look again at the picture and realize Asuka really doesn't look happy, and wonder if it's because of him. He won't ask Asuka about it--at least not yet. But he will worry about it.
        
        'Sounds fine, let's do that,' she says, and Shinji indeed assumes she means praying along with food and fireworks. They head over, or more accurately he leads her there, and goes through the ritual. When he's done, and she comments on it, he blinks at her. "Yeah," he replies, and doesn't add 'of course' since he does remember that she grew up German.
        
        She's dead-on on why he's paying his respects, though. Sadness shades his expression when she says there's no one worth paying his respects to. He knows she doesn't have parents either. And while he's made the incorrect assumption about it... what she says only seems to underscore that misunderstanding.
        
        So, he only says, "Okay." She's not Japanese; he's not going to force her to pray. It's only now that it occurs to him that he might've actually been really insensitive to her, so he's more than willing to simply move things along. He scans the food booths as they head over and remarks, "The takoyaki line looks really long--actually, so does the yakitori... How about some yakisoba? As long as we're careful not to spill, it should be fine."
        
        Once they get their paper plates and wooden chopsticks, it's off to find a good spot for fireworks-watching.

<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.

Cascade, who has perfect hearing, glances toward Akane as she passes by. "It will be fine," she assures her, with the self-confidence of someone who only spends time at the gym for appearance's sake.

And not hers.

Cascade vanishes from the party for some time before returning. She is loaded down with a bag, now, which proves to contain a whole bunch of takoyaki in styrofoam boxes - it's a lot easier to carry this many than open boats and it means she could get quite a few of various kinds; most of them are the 'usual' octopus and picked ginger-forward flavours, but there's a few that are actually chokoyaki, with minced fish and egg. If anything, she's brought too many.

"I hope everyone found something they liked, today," she says. And, a few moments later: "Before the fireworks, do you mind if I take a picture...? A group picture, that is. For... future memories."

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Alouette, at least, thinks Akane looks cool with that mask on, even if it's a little oversized.

And Cascade is agreeable to seeing the fireworks, so as promised she'll save a seat between herself and Rin.

Everyone else begins to gather 'round where the fireworks go off, and earmuffs and earplugs are offered. Alouette doesn't even really consider it for herself... she's rather used to explosions right now. And this, at least, is the fun kind of explosion.

"Hmm... I think I'll give one of the octopus ones a shot," She decides, accepting a box from Cascade. It's known that the French have strange cuisine, but she's not sure she's actually tried anything with octopus in it before. And it turns out to be actually pretty tasty!

"I'm good with it if everyone is," Alouette nods at the idea of a group picture. Cascade really is more of a sentimental type than she seems, isn't she? As she's quite tall, she takes her spot towards the back, behind Akane and Rikka in particular, genuine smile on her face.

As the sky begins to darken and darken, Alouette waits patiently for the firework show to begin, sending off the season of summer.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

"Yakisoba?" Asuka considers the options, Octopus, chicken on skewers and- the noodle dish at least sounds the most appetizing to her.

"Yeah let's do that." It's a mild answer, but eventually...

The two are balancing paper plates, the plushie and goldfish. It's not long before they DO find a spot. Neither of them brought towels, so it has to be in the grass.

There's something that feels traditional about that at least, settling in on the grassy slope and eating their Yakisoba as the sky grows dark.

When the fireworks DO eventually start, Asuka's head jerks up abruptly, and it's a moment where one might wonder where she mistook the sound of the fireworks going off for a different kind of explosion.

Eventually however, mid-show, when she's finished eating and set the paper plate aside... her hand drifts over to his, and after a moment, there's a squeeze of her fingers into his palm.

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

        It's a mild answer, but Asuka's been fairly mild all night--the main exception being her getting mad at the goldfish-scooping booth. Shinji will wonder about that like he'll wonder about the photo later, but for now he's... more or less having a good time.
        
        On the way home, he'll make sure to pick up a Tarabaman mask for Kaworu after all, having concluded that he'd probably like the reminder. For now, though, he sits with Asuka and eats dinner carefully.
        
        And when the plates are set aside, to be thrown away properly later, and the fireworks are in full swing--and the way Asuka jerks at the sound of them is only one more reason for Shinji to be quietly upset about her past--their hands overlay.
        
        He doesn't look at her, any more than she looks at him. But he squeezes her fingers back, and for a moment, everything is just fine.

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        "I s-see..." Tessa floating the idea of some kind of giant goldfish Kaiju... It's an odd mental image. "C-C-Could a goldfish that b-big r-really cause t-trouble?"

        Emmy shakes her head. "I-I'm fine. I c-can handle it." She gives Tessa a little smile. "F-Fireworks aren't a-anything to worry about." Follow the crowd and it would be obvious. "C-Can we snag a s-seat with you, Rin?" Cascade seems to be slipping in with Alouette and her friends.

        Going to the shrine after get's a pause. "S-Sure... I've n-never been to a shrine. Like th-this before. You m-might need to w-w-walk me through it." It might help her to pray for her parents. She never really tried before.

        The fireworks show starts not long after, opening with the whistle of a firework flying into the sky, then a single green bloom lighting up the sky, before more colours follow. Reds and oranges and yellows and blues, simple patterns and carefully timed displays to make shapes and designs. As the show goes on, images like dragons and samurai- and even the GUTS Logo.

        Next to Tessa, Emilia watches the sky, all her attention on the sky. When she was little, she'd watch the New Year's Eve Fireworks from her bedroom window, alone.

        Now she can say assuredly it's a much nicer experience with friends.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Cascade returns! Rikka offers her plush back to her, then looks on with interest at the bag she's brought with her. She's acquired a lot of takoyaki, it seems. Rikka, ultimately, picks out some of the chokoyaki for herself. This, too, works out just fine.

"I did." Rikka agrees, and then considers. A group picture... Rikka smiles. "Sure, that'd be great."

This, too, is an important part of the festivities. She wants to be able to remember this day, and everyone here...

...And the fireworks that follow will stick out in her memory for quite some time.

<Pose Tracker> Rin Starking has posed.

Rin and her cronies are glad to pose for the group photo, though Rin has to actually steal Samantha's console to get her to look upwards. She manages something like a pleasant expression even so. And afterwards:

The fireworks cement a memory. And here's to many more.

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

"I don;t think we've seen any aquatic kaiju, so..." Maybe not. Hopefully not. Kaiju are strange, but there's definitely...an inkling that there could be one.

"Good..." It never helped to make sure. A nod towards Rin as she sat down, eyes gazing towards the sky. The gentle lick of the night breeze, the people before them. The stars in the sky.

Tessa takes a deep breath. Treasure this moment.

"Sure...It's my first time, too, but I've looked it up beforehand." A summer festival to enjoy with friends. Top Five, definitely. "Just pray for what you want with a donation." The specifics can be taught literally two minutes before the shrine proper.

But for now...She leans back, watching the sky light up in the colors of the rainbow, a show for the ages. She can't stop smiling. Push away the thoughts about work, about Sousuke and Kaname, about the rigors of tomorrow and the days to come. This is what you're fighting for.

To be able to smile without a care in the world.