2024-02-18: A Welcome Routine
- Log: 2024-02-18
- Cast: Alouette Pommier, Mikoto Utsugi
- Where: Orbit Base
- OOC - IC Date: August 0098
- Summary: No longer saddled with their respective burdens, Mikoto and Alouette have lunch as coworkers and good friends. As the conversation shifts from education to matters of the heart, there's relief in such a routine.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
It's August, and summer is slowly coming to end... not that you'd be able to tell from the indomitable space fortress of Orbit Base. It does mean Alouette's on summer break before her final semester at Jindai, so she's naturally on Orbit Base more often right now.
With the battle against Triple Zero and the King of Ruin over, it's inevitably quieter over in the Mobile Operations division, though there is still some work to be done. And Alouette finds herself staying just a little longer to finish on some personal paperwork...
With everything sorted neatly in an envelope, she heads off to the cafeteria - and with the familiar click of a pager, invites a treasured coworker and friend to sit down for lunch with her. It's so very routine... but this time, such a thing really is nice.
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Utsugi has posed.
Things have quieted down- but it's not all smooth sailing.
That Snooby swarm on Nouvelle Tokyo, for one thing! That was a surprise, a joint operation with the Brave Police and Powered Zenon, suddenly out of nowhere-
But it was prevented all the same and right now *was* quiet. As such, when Mikoto gets the message on her pager, she sends back a simple '209'. "Swan, I'm taking my break!" She calls out, and picking up her bag, she heads on over.
Which is why she reaches the cafeteria maybe a mmoment after Alouette and, with all the decorum she can forget, moves to pull Alouette into a brief hug. "Alouette!"
Yes, lunch had become routine now, but she had so many years to make up for. Besides, a routine hug isn't a bad thing either.
"How are you? Has today been busy?"
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
It was a stroke of luck for Alouette that summer break was on when the Snooby Army struck... but all the same, being so far away meant she wasn't of much help during the time of the incident. Catherine Vuitton and her pink cats aren't exactly the most threatening of characters among BioNet... but it's a relief to know things didn't get too bad. (For Nouvelle Tokyo.)
A smile flashes when Alouette gets an instant 'on my way' - and seconds later, she's pulled into a hug! "Mikoto!" She exclaims, wrapping her arms around Mikoto's shoulder, before taking a seat back down. She already has a tray with two Orbit Cafe specials set down at the table.
"I'm doing fine," Alouette answers, reaching for her drink - a slightly sweetened, and very much iced coffee. "Actually, I finally got around to filling some paperwork..." She explains, gesturing to the envelope hanging out from her bag. "It won't be long before I graduate... so it's finally time to start thinking about the future. University, finding a place to live... stuff like that." She leans a little closer then, with a faint hint of a smirk. "...Hehe, after all, I'm only a few years younger than you now."
She sips from her coffee, and tilts her head inquisitively. "How about you? I can imagine there's a lot of work that GGG Green needs to do, so I'm sure you and Guy are busy but... I bet there's some paperwork you're eager to start on soon, too, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Utsugi has posed.
Mikoto sets herself down opposite Alouette, getting comfortable before looking at today's special. It does, in fact, look delicious. But- Alouette first!
"It's already that time... You've grown up so fast, haven't you?" It's a little bittersweet, that Alouette's already that age. "So... do you know what you're going to study, yet? You could ace any computer science course they put in front of you." She pauses briefly. "...though, it wouldn't really teach you anything new, huh."
Wait, does Alouette already *have* a degree? Has she had it all this time? Has Mikoto inserted foot into mouth before eating?
"Well... It's good to be back, really. I missed it. Guy's got a lot on his plate as Chief now, so I want to do all I can to help him." She smiles, that dorky little smile she has when she's daydreaming about Guy. "...Well, I mean, there's all the new citizenship paperwork and getting legally declared un-dead and all that-"
Oh. Ohhhhhhhhhhhh. That sort of paperwork.
"aha... yeah. We're still... working out where we go from here. The situations a little... complicated. But... Yeah. Guy and I said we'd marry when the Earth was out of danger but... maybe we can speed up that timeline a little."
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
"Oh, come on..." is the instinctual response to Mikoto's classic 'you've grown up so fast', complete with reddened cheeks turning away. "But I suppose you're right... to you it basically happened right before your eyes." It's not like she can blame Mikoto for all that time dilation.
As for what she's going to study, she can't help but giggle a little when Mikoto puts her foot right in her mouth. "You know, Akane said the exact same thing when we were talking college. But..." Another slow sip. "When Nouvelle Tokyo Tech took a look at my credentials, they actually offered me a position with the part-time comp-sci faculty." Education from BioNet certainly doesn't count as a legitimate degree... but her work with GGG has proven the skills are quite transferable.
"Still, there was a lot missing from my 'education'. There's plenty of less technical things I'd like to learn... so I'm eyeing something adjacent to the arts or music?" She pauses then, to get started on her noodles, as she listens to Mikoto explain how she's been.
"Hehe... that's so you," Alouette laughs, seeing that oh-so-dreamy expression on Mikoto's face as she talks about Guy. "Even if he's busy... I haven't seen Guy so happy in a really long time. It was long overdue." She smiles. "It's been nice seeing everyone else from 3G Green back, too. Even if we have to hear Entouji-san snoring, or Dr. Liger skateboarding around the place, Orbit Base is finally... starting to feel the same again."
Paperwork, too... "Geez, they really did legally declare you dead... they gave up way too fast, don't you think? But~ that's not quite what I was alluding to." Her smile widens.
Complicated... Alouette can understand that. "That's true... sometimes it feels like it's never going to be out of danger." She gestures out the space-facing window, alluding to... all that. "But I think there's still room to be happy, no matter how the world is. It took a little push for me to really internalize that one, but when it comes to you two? I'll be cheering for you. Always!" She affirms.
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Utsugi has posed.
"I mean-" Alouette kind of jumps ahead of Mikoto. The last time- and that was... fairly recent to her internal clock- she saw her clear headed, Alouette was a little girl she was giving an icecream to. Seeing her all grown up in Tsutsujidai was a surprise. But now they're actually talking like this, well... She's glad the girl didn't stay there.
"Really? Huh..." It seems someone else had the same sort of thought path. "Oh, so... part time study, part time work?" Mikoto muses a bit, finally taking a sip of her own drink. (Iced tea, actually sweet.) An arts degree, huh? "...You know, maybe that would be an interesting challenge for you. I remember when you didn't have time for that sort of thing..." Mikoto nods. "I definitely support it! I'm sure you'll do great!"
"...Yeah. It's good to be together again, finally." Certainly, GGG were side by side under Triple Zero- but they weren't themselves. A lot of what made them who they were as a group was lost under the crushing weight or what they felt they had to do. "It's nice to be somewhere with this energy again, after so long. I still haven't met everyone new here but... it still feels like our GGG, even with all the new hands. You really kept the spirit going."
Mikoto nods. "I mean, there was that memorial and all. I took a look at it once. But it's all settled now, at least!" Mikoto nods solemnly at Alouette's comment, but... "Well... I'm getting a little impatient too, I guess." She admits, blushing a little. "I think we deserve it by now, don't you think? I don't want to have to put it off for *another* crisis."
She does giggle a bit at Alouette's support. "...So, Alouette..." She asks, a slightly devious look appearing on her face. "I guess since you're all grown up now... do you have someone special yet?"
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
Alouette is glad herself that the finality behind their conversation in Tsutsujidai was far from the truth after all. And she's been working hard to show Mikoto the type of person she really grew up to become - and is becoming in the years to come.
"Mhm, something like that," Alouette nods, about part-time study and part-time work, then. "Oh, don't get me started... super embarrassing." Alouette light-heartedly sighs at how she used to be, with a shake of the head. "But, well... most of the mistakes I made were because my thinking wasn't flexible and creative enough. I've been trying to work on that..." she admits, more seriously. But Mikoto's earnest support... it really does make Alouette happy. "Aw, thanks, Mikoto. I'll do my best!" Sometimes Mikoto's energy really starts to rub off on the younger Operator.
"For real, this time," Alouette nods, about everyone working together - across Blue and Green. "We really tried to live up to the legacy you left," Alouette affirms, about keeping up the GGG spirit. "And deep down, we knew we'd be able to welcome you all back to the Solar System one day." She smiles. She's seen the memorial of course - but it never changed that once her memories came back, she vowed she'd find Guy and Mikoto again no matter what.
She giggles, slightly, when Mikoto gets all flustered about being impatient. "I think I'd be pretty impatient in your position, too...!" She agrees. "You could've proposed on the spot right after the King of Ruin fight and it would've checked out. But... I think you should go all out, when the time comes~" She means the ceremony, certainly, definitely.
But this time... it's her turn to be put on the spot!! "W-Well..." She starts, shuffling her drink in her hand. "Y-yes. I'm dating this girl named Sho Tachibana. I'm not sure if that counts as a school or a coworker romance? Both?" She flusters, seeing how devious Mikoto looks. "Turns out she's of the pilots of the new Getter Robo. She's, um... really intense. But sweet at the same time? That's kind of my type, I guess..." She laughs, awkwardly. "We haven't done much but kissed, and some political shakeups could make things messy... but I'm happy." She concludes.
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Utsugi has posed.
Mikoto gives a thoughtful nod, as Alouette talks about her mistakes. "I mean... given how old you were that's not really your fault, is it?" Alouette may have been a super genius, but she wa also a child. "Still, that's something worth doing. I'm proud of you, Alouette."
The legacy they left, huh? "...I think you all did a wonderful job. And... you brought us all back. You're Braves in your own right. You should be pretty proud of yourself too."
Mikoto rubs the back of her head, a little awkwardly. "Definitely!" Mikoto pauses briefly. "...Though I guess it's not appropriate to ask you or Hana-chan to be the flower girl now, huh..." Had she been considering that even that long ago...? "...I mean, you're old enough to be a bridesmaid now..."
Alouette, meanwhile, reveals the dread secrets. "Oooh, a girlfriend? I'm so happy for you! What's she li-"
Getter Pilot.
Mikoto stares at Alouette for a few moments. "...I see. She's um, she's not... She's not as bad as the old Getter pilots, right?" There is a brief worry on Mikoto's face, remembering the times GGG worked with Getter Robo. "...But, as long as you two are happy!" She overcorrects a little, and her eyes shift. "Well, I hope I get to meet her soon! It'd be nice to meet some of the people close to you, now we have a chance."
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
"Mmm, you're probably right. Children can be pretty stubborn..." Alouette nods, when Mikoto brings her up how she was still young back then. "But I'm really glad you think so! I think it'll be a lot of fun, too." She grins.
"We worked really hard to make it happen," she agrees, about them bringing everyone back. "So it does feel nice to hear that. And now, even if there are more challenges we have to face... we can do it together." She concludes.
"You've already been mentally planning, huh? Maybe wedding ring duty would've made sense for me." She almost stops herself - that was such a dumb pun. "To be the bridesmaid, though... that's a duty I would accept with the highest honour, Mikoto!" She sparkles.
Alouette stares and sips at her coffee for a moment as she gets the usual reaction to 'I'm dating a Getter pilot'. "You're... not the first person to ask that! But I promise, she's not the second coming of Hayato Jin when it comes to personality." She assures her. "We did get together after a fencing match though, if that explains anything at all."
But despite what Alouette assumes is scary past experience with the pilots of Getter Robo, Mikoto shows interest in meeting her. "Oh, I'd love to introduce you sometime! Graduation might be a good time for it... it's coming up and we're in the same class, after all."
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Utsugi has posed.
Mikoto giggles again. "'Children' can be, huh?" Is she going to let that go by without more teasing? Yes, actually. The fact that Alouette remembers what she was like now is more than enough. "I hope it will be."
Mikoto smiles warmly as Alouette speaks of facing challenges together. "Yeah. And there's nothing we can't beat with both our teams working together!" With that much courage, who even needs to know the odds.
The dumb pun gets Mikoto though, dead to rights. "Well, if you want to whispher suggestions in Guy's ear..." Alouette's ready acceptance of the sacred duty of Bridesmaiding, though... "I'll be counting on you. ...if we can get through whatever Bachelorette party Swan has planned..."
"Ah, sorry! I didn't mean to, I just..." She does seem visibly relieved as Alouette reassures hber that Sho is not. A completely insane ex-terrorist. "Fencing, huh? That's an interesting first date..."
The invitation to graduation is the second Mikoto has received in recent memory, but just like last time. "Of course! I'll be there cheering you on! Guy too, I'm sure of it!"