Scene #7844: The Mandatory Sleepover Episode

Owner	Pose
Hibiki Tachibana	It's a lot of nights past Christmas and all through the house, two girls are stirring, one of them an extremely big louse. With the sun only just beginning to set in Japan, those invited or otherwise friendly enough with her or Rita to know about and ask to come to Hibiki Tachibana's First Sleepover In Forever will find the event to be hosted at an entirely ordinary-looking apartment building not all that far from Lydian Private Music Academy. Living this close to it, it once again begs the question of why they don't just stay at one of the dorms on campus, but don't worry about that. Hibiki is in charge of manning the door to let visitors in, while Miku Kohinata is going to-and-fro in the kitchen, specifically setting aside an extra big metal pot onto their stove to be used Soon. Both of them are wearing matching t-shirts, comfy sweatpants, and fuzzy slippers with the only actual differences being the colors, one in orange and one in purple. It doesn't take a genius to decide whose idea that was between the two of them. The inside of their place is also about what you'd expect, or maybe not - one bedroom, one bathroom, a single spare room, with a living room right adjacent to an open kitchen. Close to the way in, there's a stand off to the side where several photos of Hibiki and Miku together have been put up. Some seem to be taken from when they were both just barely teenagers, while others are only from the last year or two. That said, it's also a fair bit bigger than you'd expect from a two-person arrangement, with said living room plenty big enough to accommodate a lot more than just those two alone. The main couch can definitely seat three or four comfortably, with it and two other big comfy chairs that may or may not have been gotten for the occasion set around a low table prime for putting snacks down on. Hibiki's posture may or may not be mildly nervous. Mildly. She hasn't had anyone who wasn't Miku (or Muramasa) actually spend the night in... ...She doesn't remember.
Rita Ma	Whew. Sleepovers really are a lot of work. Mix the spices, dice the pears, brine the crabs, do some kitchen cleanup, run the laundry, make sure your face is on, go out through the teleporter and fetch lobsters, put them in one of the aquarium tanks, put the gruyère and brandy and eggs in a cooler, vacuum the living room while the crabs brine, pack the crabs in the cooler too, make sure your face is on again, do final kitchen cleanup, remember you forgot the salmon, go out and get the salmon and breadcrumbs and onions, pack those too, head for the teleporter- Rita looks slightly tired when she arrives on Hibiki and Miku's doorstep, but her eyes are still bright and her smile unfailingly sunny. She's still wearing a little beige apron over her humble sundress, and a tied bandana meant for keeping the hair out of her face adorns her head. "Hibiki! Miku!! I'm so happy to see you again. How long ago was that party? We didn't get to talk much then, anyway..." Her lowkey superhuman strength handles that incredibly heavy cooler admirably, but it's still obvious how much it weighs from how much her posture has to adjust to its center of gravity. "Sorry I'm not as early as I wanted to be! Liza will get here in just a minute, I think. Do you have a place I can put all this down? The gejang's ready, but the lobster will take a minute, and the salmon patties..." When she finally does put the cooler down on a kitchen counter, the resulting vibration can be faintly felt through the floor.
Dark Generals	Of the visitors invited to the gathering, there is one - and his entourage - who appears to knock on the door seemingly without having been informed. In all reality, Heart had been intending to come here for an unrelated reason, but Hachi had tipped him off to the sleepover taking place. And while Hachi had been invited, he'd had to turn the offer down in lieu of an entirely different sleepver happening at Yamada's house on the other end of town. That's a story for another time. Brain sweats nervously as he adjusts his collar, tightening and loosening it in sequence with light, nervous bobs of his adam's apple as his eyes flit from side to side in desperation. "Uoh ... t-this is sudden. What do you even do at something like this? No, no, no, I'm overthinking things. Of course. We're not even going to stay the night, we're just visiting. Yes. That's so." A black latex hand grasps him firmly by the skull and begins pushing him closer and closer to the floor. "Shut up. You're being seriously annoying, and I'm already annoyed.. - " "Gh-! Damn you, Medic! You'll get my immaculately pressed, ironed, and starched outfit filthy with the dirt on the ground! Release me!" In contrast, Heart stands with a pefectly calm and genial smile on his face when the door opens, a sharp contrast to the chaos going on behind him. "Hello, Hibiki Tachibana. I understand that we're not expected - I hope it's no trouble for us to visit? For only a while." In offering, he holds up a tin of candied popcorn that very much looked like it was obtained in a post-holiday sale. "My greetings, of course, extend to Rita Ma, also."
Karlan Nobles	It's finally time to see Hibiki's home! After making sure that all her morning-stuff is covered back home (along with making a few people swear to secrecy), Pramanix arrives in her evening... Best? Not even close. She's wrapped up from head to toe in a surprisingly plain trench coat, wide-brimmed hat, and scarf combo that all but hides her face. If not for the poofy tail poking out rather blatantly from the bottom of her coat and keeping the back raised, she might just look like some creepy weirdo at the door! Pramanix has also brought snacks! Although she nor her home are renowned for any particular snacks, she does show up with a good number of essentials that she definitely didn't do too much research about: Instant noodles (the fancy ones with their own bowls and dried vegetable packets), a child-shaped and sized tub of individually wrapped jello shooters (with the juicy choking hazard cubes), and a variety pack of waffle cones with various artificially flavored syrups from a big box store because moderation is for nerds. "Hello, friends! Ah, just in time. Hibiki, Miku, how are you doing? Oh, Rita! Do you need a hand with the cooking? I haven't done much of it before, but I've got the hands if you need them! And..." She doesn't actually recognize Heart, Brain, or Medic. The first definitely gets some long stares, though, before she remembers that she's supposed to at least pretend to look mature and reliable, instead focusing on the decor moments later. "It's so different here from back home... I like it! It's cozy, just like John's place."
Hibiki Tachibana	"Rita! Hello! We really didn't back then, did we?" "Yeah, I guess we didn't. Guess we'll just have to make up for lost time today, huh?" After a greeting wave (and maybe a tiny bit of drool wiped off her mouth from imagining what Rita had brought) from Hibiki, Miku is more than happy to guide her into the kitchen and direct her to an empty spot to put her cooler down. She'd normally offer to help with it, but... That thud tells it all. Miku pauses in surprise, then puts a hand to her mouth with a giggle. "I'll be happy to help with getting everything together! I even bought a brand new pot just for tonight. You're really going to spoil Hibiki, bringing all of this...not that I have any room to talk!" She produces her own apron, which she ties over her pajamas in one smooth motion with a sunny smile. "Have you been doing well?" This leaves Hibiki on door duty, who's more than happy to let them all in. 'All' being actually three more people than she was expecting. "Pramanix...! Wow, you came dressed...warmly. You really think so?" Hibiki puts on a small smile at the comparison, scratching her cheek...and looking to the trio of Roidmudes. She thinks deeply. "Well, if you're visiting, I'm not gonna turn you away at the door. What kinda host would I be?" She nods, then lightly points that same finger forward. "...But no back and forths in here, alright? Sleepovers are where everyone's supposed to be able to enjoy each other's company and have fun." Hibiki steps to the side so they all can shuffle in. "...Or at least that's what Miku told me, anyway." She mutters as Miku calls in from the kitchen, "I can't speak for Rita, but I wouldn't mind one bit, Miss Pramanix! You can set anything you've brought on the table out there, too!"
Liza Grier	Liza does indeed get here in just a minute, but it'd be hard to know. Specifically, it happens after some random woman shows up on the doorstep carrying a duffel bag. One who is possibly slightly too old to be wearing some cyberpunk hoodie, cutoff shorts, leggings, and boots with too many buckles, but who is pulling it off anyways. She stands out on account of the actual non-anime albinism which she hasn't done anything effective about, just kind of letting wavy hair bunch up around her shoulders and staring at Hibiki opening the door with not nearly enough eyeshadow on to hide the little actual shadows under her eyes. This woman pulls a hand out of her hoodie pocket, and holding it up (wearing gloves? suspicious), says "Hey. It's me." as if she expects that to help. She has the kind of voice someone would normally remember, practically the Hollywood picture of a calmly jaded and tired lady doctor who's going to turn out to be a total badass and then possibly die in the third act. A long and awkward pause passes. Then she leans forward enough to properly loom over Hibiki. "I know Rita's here. So no funny business. Okay?"
Dark Generals	With a small smile, Heart nods his head and carries his tin over to set it down with the rest of the food; off to the side, where cheap desserts ought to go. In the meantime, Brain had been left wallowing on the dirty ground while Medic gives Hibiki a very intensely clipped smile - almost aggressive in the twitch at her lips as she daisies past her. "Huooooooon ... you'd say that after what you just saw? F-fine, I'll just plot to get back at her later. Yes, revenge is both sweet and icy cold, I understand. Maybe you're more savvy than you look," he nods, having had an entire conversation with her without her even being part of the conversation in question, before moving on inside and unsheathing his very own lint roller to clean himself off with. In the meantime, Heart gives a kindly nod of his head with the corners of his eyes and mouth crinkling with his smile as he introduces himself, "It's nice to put a face to your voice, Pramanix. My name is Heart - " before Medic interjects, even more clipped than she was with Hibiki or Rita moments ago, placing herself directly between her and Heart, "I'm Medic. Let's get along~." Heart clears his throat, an awkward finger rubbing his cheek, " .. yes. And that, is Brain. I'd like it if we could all become friends." By the time Brain is done rolling himself off at what seemed like the speed of light, half the lint roller having been used up and deposited in the trash in the process, he's practically sparkling. And like a preening peacock, he spreads his arms wide and cocks his hip, "There. Now I, the great and incredibly handsome Brain am spick and spam once again! Ha ha ha!" Taking a moment while Medic visibly restrains herself from doing something awful to Brain, Heart chuckles before turing to Miku. "I apologize for appearing uninvited. Actually, we'd wanted to show our gratitude, for what was done for number - ah, no, he calls himself 'Hachi', now." Brain appears quite puzzled at Liza's implication, and says, "She's no comedian, so I don't see what 'funny business' she could get up to."
Karlan Nobles	"I needed to make sure nobody knew I was leaving." Pramanix explains to Hibiki, tugging off her scarf and hat once the coast is clear and she finishes getting her snacks set up on the table. She shakes her head quickly to let her ears recover from that hiding place, too, then lets out a relieved noise once she's not bunched up so much. "Much better.. Ah, yes! It's not as empty and cavernous here, and there's still enough room to move even while everyone's inside. I can see it getting really lively soon~" Of course, with Heart turning on/defaulting to that charming look, Pramanix can't help but stare when he addresses her directly. "A.. Ah, and likewise to you, Heart. It's so good to meet more-" Medic breaks Pramanix's line of sight, and the snow pope looks... Actually kind of relieved. Irritated for an incredibly brief moment, of course, but relieved right afterwards. "And Medic! So nice to meet you as well, friend. And Brain! You're looking quite dapper as well." Laughing lightly at the whole display, Pramanix finally starts getting that overly bundled coat off before joining Miku in the kitchen to give her a hand. She's not actually sure what most people wear to sleepovers, so she's just opted to dress in her usual sleepwear: a loose fitting t-shirt with frills on the sleeves and edges, and floofy pajama bottoms in a matching grayish-blue color. "Alright! Let's see what we can put together, hm? My actual skill might not be up to snuff just yet, but I'm ready to... Learn?" Pramanix peeks back out when she hears a potential stranger showing up! There's something familiar about Liza's voice, but not quite enough for her to recognize her right off that bat when she does that looming thing while looking completely unfamiliar. "Good evening, miss. Can we help you...?"
Rita Ma	Rita cranes her head and body around the corner to look at Heart, Brain, and Medic through the doorway. There's a live lobster clutched in her hands, making snappy motions at her fingers. "Oh, um, that's me! Have we met?" There's a look of slight apprehension on her face, but it vanishes utterly when Heart offers the popcorn, replaced with an innocent little smile. Anyone who brings snacks can't be bad. Back in the kitchen, she chats up Miku while heating some oil in a frying pan and setting the big pot to boil. "I really appreciate it! I would've brought one of our pots, but..." She eyes the already-formidably-dense cooler. "... well, you know. You'll let me spoil you too, won't you?" Have you been doing well? Rita pauses to think for a second, but doesn't flinch. "Yeah. Almost too well, honestly. For a couple of weeks, things were really hard. But now I'm doing a lot better, and even though I'm so happy, it makes me nervous. I'm waiting for something else to go wrong, I guess." Another short pause as she chops up an onion, then frowns. "It sounds silly when I say it out loud, doesn't it? I'm sorry. Um, how've you been? I hope it's gotten quieter for you." She startles a little when Pramanix comes in, as if she's gotten a little too loose with her words. "Oh!! Miss Pramanix. I'm glad you're here! Can you plate these and put them on the snack table, please? Make them look pretty however you want!" She hefts an earthenware pot out of the cooler, pours the surplus marinade out into the sink, and passes the remaining food to Pramanix with a bright smile. "Careful! It's heavy!" Yangnyeom gejang: crab legs and halved shells oozing with bright red sauce. The tender creaminess of the raw, marinated meat is a vessel for the hot spices and intensely salty soy brine. Great at burning your mouth and unclogging your sinuses. Accordingly, when Rita peeks back around the corner to spot the weird tired-doctor-lady, her fingers and apron are spattered with a shocking crimson. It's a good look on her when paired with that unbearably sunny smile, and not an unfamiliar one. Rather than giving a verbal greeting, Rita simply dashes forwards and gives the stranger a big hug. "You're here!! I was worried you'd be busy and the crabs would get warm," she gushes. "Come on and try some! Have I made you the soy sauce kind before, or just the ganjang?" The hug transitions smoothly into gently insistent wrist-tugging.
Hibiki Tachibana	"It wouldn't be so bad to be on the other end of getting spoiled for once, I think." Miku happily chats with Rita while helping prep, nodding with perhaps more understanding than she shows outwardly. "And that doesn't sound silly at all. But you can't live life always waiting for things to take the wrong turn. I know a certain someone like that too...so we'll do our best to forget all about that tonight! We've been doing just fine here too, thankfully. As quiet as it gets." Which implies a few things, but she seems happy enough. And after taking in the Roidmudes' eccentric greetings, Miku briefly looks surprised--before settling back into that same warm smile, turning her head up to Heart. "Well, I didn't do much of anything. It was everyone there who worked so hard for it...but still, I'm glad. And I think I can speak for all of them when I say you're welcome!" Had Hibiki talked with her about Heart before, or is she simply quick on the uptake? "Having friends who are willing to look out for you and help you like that...it's a wonderful thing, isn't it? Hachi is incredibly lucky! And I think everyone at school is getting more and more used to things, too. I think Hibiki has more of a soft spot than she lets on." This is where we'd put the montage of misadventures at Lydian involving Hachi's friend squad plus Tsubasa, but slice of life episodes don't have that budget. As she turns, Miku produces an apron out of seemingly nowhere for the snow pope with a glint in her eye--this isn't the first time she's handled teaching. As everyone else is allowed to shuffle in - and after a very confused blink to Brain where she decides it's better not to say anything at all - Hibiki is left glancing back to the last one at the door. There's a moment where she's quiet, wordlessly turning her attention all the way down towards the overbuckled boots and then back up to the mystery woman's pale face and shadowed eyes. Then she raises her own hand up just enough to mirror the gesture. And she holds it equally awkwardly, until she's leaned over. But she stays standing exactly where she is, purses her lips--and then lets out a long sigh. Even with the totally unfamiliar appearance, it'd be impossible for her not to know. "No funny business. It's just a sleepover, after all. Besides, we might have disagreed on some stuff in the past, but..." She peers back over her shoulder towards the kitchen. "...I can at least say thanks. For what you did for her." Hibiki moves to let her in, which neatly puts her out of the way of the incoming Rita bullet. "...By the way, you pull off casual better than I thought for always being in that suit all the time. I like the hoodie."
Liza Grier	The strange lady at the door turns sideways to look at Brain. Somehow, slowly turning mostly at the hips, rather than just twisting her neck, makes it feel more vaguely menacing. "It's a sleepover." she says, as if it were self-explanatory. "Though, you'd have to be that dense to be showing up to a teen girl's house. So don't worry. I forgive you." Somehow, the verbal fry she puts on that sentence sounds as if he'd just dodged a bullet by inches. "Evening." she replies to Pramanix, shrugging just slightly with impossible unhelpfulness. She glances around, and upon visibly not finding something, nods just a tiny bit. And then Rita comes scooting around the corner, plastered in bright red goo. A smile creeps up the corners of the random suspicious lady's mouth, then it drops off instantly. "Rita it's been five--." She quickly unzips the duffel bag, and has her hand on what appears to be a folded up plastic tarp and a hacksaw(?!) before Rita achieves hug-collision. "Oh. Oh yeah! No, just the ganjang; that's why you picked yangnyeom this time, remember? Don't get all worried like that; I said I'd be here, didn't I? When have I ever not kept a promise?" Somehow, a lot of affected, fried-tiredness disappears all at once from her. She lets the plastic handle settle back into the bag and --that absolutely looks like the butt of a handgun poking out of her hoodie pocket-- wraps both arms around Rita's shoulders. Definitely apparently Liza looks to Hibiki. "Don't sweat it. You're with the right people." A little snort-laugh follows. "Rita was surprised that I even have a closet. She kept pushing around in it asking what everything was for." She pinches Rita's cheek just a little at that. "Well, I figured anything would go, but it's rude as hell to show up wearing something your host couldn't get their hands on, right?" Upon actually entering the household, Liza sets down the suspiciously heavy bag, laces her fingers, stretches out her arms and back, and then waves to Miku, adding on "So you're the girl brave enough to take care of this kamikaze songbird? I'm impressed." without elaborating. "Damn, this place must be four times as big as what I had in college. Earth girls really are loaded." Partially unzipping her hoodie, Liza pulls out and begins tapping at a backless tablet computer of some kind. "Hey, what's the legal drinking age here? Haha, just kidding! Like I give a shit." Finally actually meeting the Roidmude trio for herself though, Liza puts her thumb and finger to her chin, nods approvingly at something invisible, and says, "Heart. Actually, looking at you, that's a pretty good nom de guerre. Kind of a 'kill the part that cringes' type of vibe. I wondered if it'd be some teen wannabe trying to wear a name like that, but you're actually pretty good-looking, and you seem pretty strong too." Then over at Brain. "And Brain, right? Yeah. Yeah that's good. You two match. Heart and Brain. Passion and intellect. Emotional drive and logical support. It's a good kind of duality. You even got the colour coordination down." And then Medic. "But I always wanted to ask; shouldn't you be 'Soul' or something? 'Medic' is . . . I mean, it's passable I guess, but it doesn't fit at all. Heart, Brain, and Medic? I mean, in the first place, a medic is a role, right? Anyone calls 'medic' when they get hit. Is there a reason for selling yourself down so much? Or are you just hanging around with these two on assignment or something?"
Dark Generals	In the face of Pramanix's kindness, Medic's irritation can only worsten. But acting too jealous and mean in a public setting like this would be a very embarassing, bad look - the least she can do is, probably, take advantage of that kindness and smooth things over. She'd worry about anything else, later. Flattening her skirt, she plasters a very plastic and model-like smile on her face while nodding her head, "Yes, of course. But don't compliment Brain; his head is already ten sizes too big for his body." "My head is sized perfectly." is his only input. Heart leans slightly, clasping both of his hands together as he speaks with Miku, nodding briefly. "Hm hm .. yes, I think that too. Hachi .. my entire family has been through very difficult times. It makes me very happy to see him finally being able to take those first steps past all of it, into whatever is next for him." He pauses, almost pointedly, before saying, "I didn't think that it was possible for a Roidmude to do that without evolving." Even now, I wonder if it would be a mistake to let him continue like this instead of resetting him. But ... while I cannot explain it to myself, I feel it deep inside that doing that would be the incorrect choice. Heart turns to face Liza, "Ah? Such a frank appraisal, but, I do appreciate the compliment, Liza Grier." Brain is practically vibrating next to his side, clutching both hands onto the elbow of Heart's coat, "Y-you mean it? You think so? -- I mean .. of course, yes! That's one hundred percent correct, how astute of you. Heart and I go together as a matter of course -" "Is this some kind of personal attack?" Medic blurts. To say she looks peevish is an understatement as she wrings one of her hands, "I'm ... I'm here of my own free will, not because I feel responsible for anything. Don't insinuate something like that ever again." She very specifically avoids addressing the most important part, though, that Brain is all too happy to bring up. "Hnnnn? But she has a point, Medic. Even your color coordination isn't up to snuff - you wear black all the time because its inoffensive. But it doesn't 'pop', you know?" he states with a leer. "BLACK LOOKS GOOD WITH RED!" she raises her voice in return. And so, what was ultimately a very simple and straightforward set of statements turned into a right pickle. Heart gently pries Brain off of his arm and says," ... ah, but we shouldn't overstay our welcome. We were asked not to cause a scene, after all. Now that it looks like you're all almost ready to eat, we should be leaving. No, Brain? Medic?" The two assume their standard positions at Heart's side immediately after taking a moment to cool down and even out, "Oh, uhm. Yes~. We'd hate to impose, we only came here to thank you for everything you've done for that troublesome one." Medic says, touching the tips of her fingers together. It's actually impressive how quickly she was able to turn a near mental breakdown into a well cultivated mask of politeness. "Hah!" Brain scoffs, before turning to give a big and energetic wave, "The pleasre was all yours! Being in the prescence of the great Brain is my gift to you. Uhm, enjoy the popcorn, too. I left toothpicks so it doesn't mess with your teeth; I hate the feeling of - " Medic pulls him by his ear towards the door as Heart chortles, just a little, and follows after her. The tall, red-clad Roidmude stops, before turning and giving a small wave of his own with a smile so perfect you could imagine it on a colgate commercial. "Thank you very much for having us over, we'll be around. Good-bye!" The door closes with a click after him. " .... lobster sounds yummy ... " Brain admits. "It does, doesn't it? Perhaps we'll go find some. We can take it home, and even have Chase dine with us." Medic kicks Brain in the back of the knee as they start walking.
Karlan Nobles	Although Pramanix can certainly tell that Medic's smile is a little less than genuine, she still keeps that serene-yet-relaxed smile on her face that's probably the same one most everyone back home has already seen her wear all the time. "Really? Ah, he might get along pretty well with some of my co-workers, then." Her tone is still about as informal as ever, of course, as she laughs to herself and waves gently at Brain before getting to work with Miku and Rita. With Miku's apron secured around her neck, Pramanix is ready to cook and learn! Or start another house fire. It's hard to tell which will happen, but Rita thankfully has either the foresight or sheer dumb luck to keep Pramanix busy at least for a little longer with plating stuff so she's not spending time actually handling fire. "I'll make them look like they're fit for royalty! Or rich people so we can all feel fancy tonight~" She's true to her word, too, as she gets to work putting the plates together. She spends a bit longer than she probably needs to making sure each plate has a balanced amount of stuff on each one, pairing the smallest legs with the largest legs while also making sure the middling-sized legs make even the smaller ones look similar-ish. The patterns she makes with the legs probably help with that, too, between setting them up in little curved boxes, intersecting lines that all curl in a consistent direction, or even abstract shapes entirely without any of it looking too bunched up or unbalanced on one side of the plate. It seems that quite a few people recognize Liza, at least, so Pramanix is able to lower her guard once she catches onto her identity and shifts right back to her previously chill smile. "It's good to have you with us. Hibiki's right, by the way. I hope you brought something more comfortable to sleep in! Although..." After she finishes plating up the crab legs and washing her hands to make sure she doesn't accidentally spread raw crab or sauce all over the place, Pramanix approaches Liza with all the care of someone that isn't a kidnapping target. "So this is how you look without all the equipment... You'd fit right in at home. Ah, we even match~" Pramanix flicks her own hair briefly in amusement, although hers is definitely closer to the gray side, even going black at the ends. When the trio get ready to leave, meanwhile, Pramanix actually starts looking over the plates she's already helped put together. "I think... We might have...?" She doesn't commit to finishing that thought, leaving that to those actually hosting tonight's sleepover and mealtime. She does, however, linger by the plates, ready to rearrange things a little more at a moment's notice!
Rita Ma	Rita emits a bright, cheery 'mmm!' as Liza returns the hug, fading into softly annoyed 'mhhh...' when her cheek's pinched. Blessedly, she seems not to have noticed the hacksaw or the tarp, being too busy replenishing her cooking-depleted stamina by resting her head against Liza's side. "She has a lot more clothes than I do!" she says to Hibiki, though that comes off as more a symptom of how hard clothes are to get in the postapocalypse than as praise of Liza's sartorial variety. "Even if most of it's in the same colors. I was a little surprised, too! Especially by those red dresses..." Mercifully, before she can start obliviously blabbing about slinky cocktail dresses, the sound of sizzling oil calls her back to the kitchen. "I'll be right back out in just a few minutes, Ms. Grier!" Lightly teasing: "You'll be okay without me, won't you?" As the lobsters boil, Pramanix is given another simple task: hand-forming the salmon patties. This one's a little trickier, like making especially finnicky snowballs: too much moisture and they slop into a shapeless blob, too little and they crumble into pieces. There's a definite knack to it, but no way to set anything on fire, and if she messes up she can just try again. "Great job on the gejang, Ms. Pramanix! They look really pretty. Are you an artist?" Rita asks cheerfully while mixing the thermidor sauce. "Why's your hair going white, anyway? I know a lot of people who just had white hair always, but it's darker at the tips, that means it's new, right? You're too young for that." When the oven's preheating, the lobster's boiling, and the patties are sizzling, Rita finally takes a little break to lean back against the countertop and sigh. She really ought to be sweating, but somehow isn't. "People spoiled me way too much, for a long long time. It feels really good to be the one doing it for once. You know?" She shuts her eyes, exhales through pursed lips, and finally laughs just a little as she tries to absorb Miku's advice. "Once you've learned to be on your toes, it's hard to unlearn it. But... you're right. That's not a good way to live." She turns back to her cooking; the lobsters are done, so she starts pulling them out of the pot and cutting open their shells. Though her back is turned, "'as quiet as it gets'" earns a little understanding nod from her. "When you live with really important heroes, it's never totally quiet, right? Even if things are calm at the house... whatever they're doing out there, you feel a little bit of it through them, right? I know how that is."
Hibiki Tachibana	Seeing Liza utterly fry Brain, it's hard to reconcile that same person - or honestly, Hibiki's almost eternal impression of the woman - with how she looks the moment Rita jumps on her. The way she talks, the way her look entirely changes, it's almost an unrealistic change. The hacksaw(??) and the butt of the pistol(???) barely visible helps bring some of that back into reality, but still. And then when Liza addresses her again, she just makes a scoffing sound and smiles a bit wider than she thinks she is. "...Yeah, fair. And I mean, I couldn't imagine you having a closet without seeing it either. Like I'm seeing a whole new side of you today." Even though she's the one who said no bickering, she can't help but have to stop herself from giggling some when Medic and Brain start at it with each other. As they all make to leave, Hibiki pauses to consider something for only a moment before she gives a big wave to all three of them. "Uh...thanks for the food! We'll--Hachi will be in good hands, with all the friends he has, so you don't have to worry! And, uh...you know, if you want lobster that badly, we're probably gonna have extra...!" It's while Hibiki is distracted with that, that Miku takes the chance to reply back over her shoulder towards Liza. "I wouldn't call myself brave at all. Honestly, it's mostly thanks to Hibiki that we have a place of our own at all!" There's a 'what can you do' brand of smile on her face at the last bit. "You and Rita are especially close yourselves, aren't you? I can tell there's something...incredibly special there. I'm very glad." Without elaborating herself, she happily helps Pramanix along while speaking, and actually learns a thing or two about plating herself in the process. It's not long before she's commiting it to memory and pretending the occasional shifting the still-sizzling food she's supervising is her trying it out herself. There's a definite look of self-satisfaction and even tiny little fist-pumps by the time Rita is coming back, and she has plans in mind for their next dinner. And she also takes the chance to lean next to her and help get a few of the lobsters out to hand over. Even without eye contact, Rita can probably pick up the understanding in her tone. "...Mm. Every time she leaves, whether it's this world or another. But Hibiki is Hibiki. I wouldn't ever ask her to do anything else. You had someone like that yourself, Rita...?" Hibiki, whether the Generale Trio take up the offer or will simply possibly come back for leftovers, goes to position herself close by Liza. She resists the temptation to peek at what's on the tablet. "Twenty, by the way. And what was that about 'red dresses'? I /really/ didn't figure you for the type." She looks down at her own fuzzy slippers. "...But maybe I'm a hypocrite there."
Liza Grier	Liza makes a slightly deflated noise with Rita around her waist and Hibiki trying to help. "Come on, it's like you guys wouldn't even recognize me without a hardsuit at this point." she says, completely fucking obliviously. "Obviously I have clothes. And other things. Lots of things. Nosey girl." When they separate, "I'll find a way to survive. I may have to put our hostess in a sundress to get by." delivered in total deadpan. To Pramanix, Liza blinks as if she'd asked her something obvious and yet profound, staring at her with a slightly dull, even doll-like stunned expression. "Yeah, obviously. I just sleep in--" Liza's expression sudden darkens. Her fingers clutch her chin again. She stares down at the floor in thought. "Huh? Wh- Oh. Yeah I wondered. I thought you just dyed it to match the tail though." she startles from turbulent reverie.^ It's just in time to catch the trio leaving. "Oh. I thought you'd stay for a game or something. Well, it takes all kinds. Have fun." Somehow it definitely seems like she's gotten the wrong idea.^ "That's not the kind of brave I mean." Liza barely elaborates to Miku. "You don't owe her anything. It's the other way around at the end of the day. It's . . ." Liza tilts her head back and forth a little before just deciding to come out with it. "It's easy to love someone who fits into your life. It's hard to put your heart out there for someone who might not come back one day. That's brave."^ To Hibiki, "You're not going to complain if I mix something then, right?" A scoff. "I didn't grow up in vat, come on. And I still have to go places."
Rita Ma	Overhearing "something incredibly special", Rita looks back over her shoulder at Liza and gives her a devastatingly adorable smile. "Yeah," she says. "Miss Grier is a Very Special Friend." The capital letters are audible. "My big brother and my big sister were both like that," Rita answers Miku as she scoops out lobster-meat and piles it in a bowl. "I always got so scared when they went out to fight. You know? But... I knew it was important, too. That nobody else could do what they were doing. I'd wish they didn't have to risk themselves, but I knew that was a selfish wish to have. And now I'd be a hypocrite, anyway." She sounds weirdly bittersweet about it, rather than sad. A simpler time in her life. "I can send you some of my recipes, if you want," she adds after a few more few moments of companionable kitchenwork silence. Evidently she noticed the interest in the salmon patties. "I never kept a cookbook before, but... ever since I started living with Ms. Grier, I've been holding onto my favorites so I don't forget them! How far do you live from the ocean? Do they have fresh seafood out here?" The patties are gently pressed between paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Rita pulls a pack of buns out of the cooler: "Ms. Pramanix, Miku, do you want to help plate these too? I hadn't decided on condiments, but they're savory and oily, so they go well with something fresh, bright, or sharp." Then she just has to mix the lobster meat with the breadcrumbs and sauce, stuff it back into the open shells, top the shells with chese, and put them in the oven. She washes her hands, shucks off her beige apron and teal bandana, staggers over to the table, grabs a plate of gejang and a drink, and flops down onto the couch with a look of total exhaustion. "I'm tiiiiired," she complains softly, but she really has nobody but herself to blame.
Karlan Nobles	Miku gets some smiles and nods of encouragement as Pramanix watches her joining along in the plating work, taking a few cues from there as well to figure out some new tricks from the copy-of-a-copy perspective. Professional judges would probably still balk at it, but Pramanix is luckily there's (probably) no such judges around! And then it's time to handle RAW FOOD. Good thing Pramanix isn't shy about handling raw fish, and she gets to work forming up those salmon patties! Hypothetically. It's going to take her a couple of tries to figure it out, but she's certainly not lacking for persistence even if her technique there is nowhere near as good as her plating technique. "I've learned from the best! The chefs at home could make anything look good, so I like to think I've picked up on some of that even if I can't cook it myself." She laughs lightly, then resists the urge to tap her chin while thinking about the hair thing. Instead, she starts separating the probably-okay patties from the still-chunks patties. "Oh, I wish I was younger than I am now. At least halfway towards your ages! Ah, but I think it's just something in my family's blood. Not everyone back home has colors like this, but it's been like this as long as I could remember." She raises her tail towards Rita and Liza, showing off that similar (but patterned) coloration while giving them a chance to get a better look or grab on while she's distracted with salmon assembly. "No dye, although I've thought about it a few times. My sister's hair and tail are like this, too, as are... SilverAsh's." There's a bit of an awkward pause there, but it fades quickly enough as she nods in agreement with Rita. "Always having people doing things for you is comfortable, but... It really does feel different the other way around, especially when it's..." She furrows her brow, as if considering something. "... Something physical? It's different from spurring hearts with words, but it's a good different. Everything out here is so much more exciting and liberating than home, too, if... More physically tiring." Cooking realy is some hard work, but she's enjoying it! As she gets to work on plating the salmon patties once the actually heating part of that is done, she raises an eyebrow at Liza again. "You don't sleep in the jacket you wear outside, do you? No, no, you need something much more comfortable than that. Something you can really lounge in and just let the troubles of the day melt away as you fall right into bed, curl up under the covers, and doze off with a tr... Calming book on your face." She's definitely used to sleeping in comfort, and she squints at Liza more directly. "What size are you?" Pramanix doesn't stare for too long, at least, as she gets back to plating. "Sharp, sharp... Why not a mix of everything? Mint for freshness, orange marmalade for brightness, and mustard for sharpness?" There are many reasons she's not allowed to cook.
Liza Grier	"I said you should have let me help." Liza says as Rita enters from the kitchen, immediately bogarting the couch next to her even while standing. "Well, at least I can be satisfied this cat isn't getting handouts from a second family." she adds, not explaining the terrestrial idiom for shit. She glares at Pramanix just a little. "What the hell? How old do you think I am?" Then "I don't sleep in a jacket!" Finishing up with the tablet, Liza collapses it by the corners and stows it away, and a little glassy crack-ping happens just before something falls out, which she deftly catches in her hand. A red teleporter splash hits the table, and phases in an entire minibar's worth of brightly coloured glittery glass and stainless steel clutter along her . . . third. "Demon's Blood again?" she offhandedly asks Rita, already politely flipping the bird to gravity with the amount of things she is juggling and pouring and shaking at once. "Hibiki seems like the type who actually likes sweet, and Miku the one who appreciates mature flavours, right?"
Hibiki Tachibana	Miku, in the midst of getting things together, pauses briefly as Liza speaks. It can't be seen all that well while she's still facing the counter - but after a moment, her face lights up into a more subdued but still no less sunny smile than her last. "That's true. Heehee...if that's what makes me brave, then I'll happily accept that. I shouldn't be surprised you know a lot, Miss Grier. I don't know you very well, but I can tell you've been through a lot. And you're all always fighting out there...as the ones who might not come back one day yourselves." There's something on the tip of her tongue, but instead of voicing it out loud, Miku simply gets back to work with a bit of thoughtfulness in her expression. Which gives Hibiki the chance to lean back slightly where she is. Moving past the mixing question, she speaks up slowly. "...Yeah, you got me. I guess it's just...easy to take people at face value. Even when you can't see their face most of the time," she says in her own deadpan, before perking back up. "It's easy to only think of you as...you know, all the parts that stand out the most. Not going through clothes, or doing normal things. But I like to think I've gotten a little bit better about that lately." In the kitchen, Miku certainly isn't in her thoughts enough to not help get the rest of the plating squared away on request. "Oh, I'd be happy to! And...I understand. Feelings like that aren't just limited to here, huh?" Noting but not pointing out the wistful tone in which Rita says that, Miku extra-perks up for the purpose of finishing up to inject as much energy into the room as she can. "Ahaha...too much, and we won't even be able to taste the salmon! I think mustard is the best choice here, but hm...let's see what we have up in the pantry. Or we could also just let everyone pick out their own!" Fortunately, she'll keep Pramanix from getting too wild, and help cart out all of them once they're all set. "And for what it's worth, I think you look /very/ young." Hibiki has to suppress a laugh, again, at seeing Rita pile in as tired as she is. It lingers for a bit watching Liza pull her deft handywork, more out of 'wow she really just dropped a whole ass minibar right here' than anything else. "Oi, are you stereotyping what I like now? I'll have you know, we were asked that just the other day, and the answer'll probably surprise you." That was not denial.
Liza Grier	'You've been through a lot.' Liza's lips twitch unreadably. "Yeah." she replies, and says nothing else for a while. Only later, when Miku tries her hardest again. "You're precious. That's where Tachibana spent all her common sense and good taste I guess." Liza stares dead on at Hibiki while she sorta-kinda-protests, now lining up glasses without actually looking. Nodding in recognition of this incredibly important input, Liza turns to Rita and says "Yeah, Miku's definitely the top." Then turns back. "Screwdriver and a white russian then?"
Rita Ma	"No marmalaaaade," Rita calls out in the direction of the kitchen, but even that panicked apocalyptic warning sounds a little bit drowsy and limp. "I should've let you help, Ms. Grier," she ruefully agrees. "But it's a good kind of tired, and a good kind of hurt. Like your workouts, remember? The more you take on, the better it feels at the end." She motions for Liza to sit down next to her, but gives up on that idea and perks up immediately when the minibar appears and "Demon's Blood" is mentioned, whatever the hell that is. "Yes please!!" Little grabbyhands are made, purely symbolically, even though there's nothing yet to grab. The deft movement of liquids and glass has her transfixed. "Is it going to do the fizzy thing again?" Once the salmon patty toppings are agreed upon, and they're all plated up, she starts cheerfully munching on one of her own. When Liza's finished mixing drinks, too, she insistently pulls her roommate down onto the couch and drapes Liza's arm around her own shoulders. She is, for a little while, the absolute picture of contentment. Then she perks up at an invisible stimulus, a little timer going off in her head. "Oh!! Miku, could you please get the thermidor from the oven? I think it's ready! Oh, we'll need forks too." Lobster Thermidor: the body of a lobster is halved the long way, serving as a bowl for its own meat cooked in a brandy sauce. This is covered with soft cheese and left to brown in the oven. Creamy, nutty, subtly sweet. "What's a top, Ms. Grier?"
Karlan Nobles	That idiom has Pramanix giving Liza a confused look, but not in the offended way so much as it's just a completely clueless sort of way. "How old... Let's see! Your voice makes me think... Thirties? But you can't be older than me, I don't think. Then again, I could see you being a teacher or professor in another life, so..." She strokes her chin, thin heads over to a sink to wash that raw salmon fat off her face while continuing to consider this puzzle. With Miku calling her young, through, Pramanix skews her results just a bit. "So I'm going to guess that you're... Thirty, no older!" She throws out that number with a baselessly confident smile, then strokes her chin with her now clean hands when the drinks start coming out. "Oh, I'll have... Whatever tastes the cheapest and won't kill me, please!" She sounds excited as she asks for that, then goes wide-eyed when she hears Miku being described as the top. She looks from Liza to Miku, then Hibiki, and then Rita when she outright asks Liza what that means. That's more than enough reason to focus on eating instead of answering for now. Good thing Rita stopped her from adding marmalade, because Pramanix actually looks like she's enjoying the food quite a bit.
Hibiki Tachibana	Hibiki promptly goes from sorta-kinda protesting to leaning in as she jabs a finger in Liza's direction and sputters. "First Lilian says crap like that, now you are too! What does that even /mean/!? And where the heck did you even get that read?" While she's complaining about that which should be left unexplained, Miku simply nods entirely to herself in the background. "Not a problem!" Miku has a double extra-pep in step as she swings the oven open, hauling out the well-prepped lobster with an immensely pleased sound. "And it's perfect! You knew exactly when it was ready! And it /smells/ delicious, too. This is amazing, Rita!" She has much to take notes on still, even as the one who does the cooking in this house. And an apparent expert at managing several things at once, probably a must given who she lives with, Miku is swift on gathering all the silverware they'll need and making sure she won't be needing to make any return trips to the kitchen any time soon. By the time she's handing things out and finally taking her own seat, she's holding back a very overpowering urge to giggle. Exactly like Pramanix, she remains tight-lipped. The wild Tachibana does not recognize this, but the smell of thermidor will surely quell some of her rage.
Liza Grier	"Sure, but I don't work out right before I need to do something." Liza allows herself to be physically requisitioned into 'hey babe' arm draping position, and looks as if she's about to squeeze Rita's shoulder to poke at muscle fatigue, and then stops short when putting two and two together about that one. "I'll make it do the fizzy thing again." she says warmly. And then, "That means she tells Hibiki what to do and looks after her; she probably keeps everything organized and makes all the little boring decisions for her too. She's the reliable and in-control one, and Hibiki does everything she wants. Often a top is matched with a bottom, which is the opposite." She gestures spitefully at Pramanix. "Like her. She's obviously completely helpless." Rita acquires her ominously fizzy and slightly glowing red drink, intoxicatingly rich and tinged with the real thing again. Hibiki has a glass filled with bright yellow-orange sweetness with a very heavy punch to it. Miku is the recipient of beautifully marbled black and white on rocks with that sweet coffee taste and bitter vodka hint. Pramanix ends up just being handed a can of fucking soda, except the label keeps changing every time she looks away. Liza herself has something in a cocktail glass that is an unnaturally bright red and sure does look like it has something glowing in a weirdly centered spot of darkness in the middle. "The read? Well, if Miku told you to shush, nicely as could be, you'd sit down like a puppy and shut right up. But I can't even imagine you doing the same thing back to her; you'd fall all over yourself. Isn't that right? Miku makes it all seem easy. You look like she has to remind you where your pants are in the morning." This is all said while Liza helps herself to Rita's cooking (with a thank-you because she's an adult). Once she has been sufficiently spiced, she unzips her hoodie for the thermidor, and then takes off the bulletproof vest under, leaving her with just cutoff tank top and an underarm webbing for hiding a handgun on one side and an e-sword hilt on the other. "Damn. Got hot in here." she says, 'obliviously' in every sense for knowing it's from the spice.
Hibiki Tachibana	"Hah...?" Hibiki just listens as Liza starts up with a surprised blink, still staring even as hot food is right in front of her and a drink is slid her way. Then as it keeps going on, she opens her mouth like she wants to protest but nothing comes out. She looks down at the pants she's wearing right now, then turns her head to look at Miku seated next to her. The black-haired girl gives her an awkward laugh and clasps her hands together, shrugging with her shoulders. "Well...it's not as if that hasn't happened before, Hibiki..." The smile on her face is wide, but there's a tinge of guilt in her voice for saying it out loud. Hibiki just picks up her plate and stuffs a forkful of food right into her mouth on the spot, only after a mutter of 'thank you for the meal'. She has the look of a dog that's been kicked while its down, hanging her head in her lack of ability to openly refute pretty much anything that was just thrown in her face. "Y-Yeah, well..." Sensing her struggles, Miku puts an arm around her to reassuringly pat at her shoulder. "It's fine, don't make that face. I like doing the things you can't do!" Nod nod. At least part of this might still be riding Liza's earlier compliment.
Karlan Nobles	Miku trying not to giggle makes it harder for Pramanix to hold in her own, but the snow pope has had a lot of prior practice holding her tongue and maintaining a poker face! The fact that Liza actually explains it all rather succinctly has her looking fairly impressed, although Pramanix is also caught in mid-bite when Liza motions right at her and declares her a bottom as well. That, of course, has her gagging on something just as she's being called helpless. "Ach... Wh-wh-what?! I'm not helpless at all! Erk... I've done plenty of things without having a top! I mean... A guide!" She blurts out with a visible pout, huffing for a moment before popping open her soda. She pauses before sipping, squinting at the label as if there's something wrong with it. "B-but anyway... There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, Hibiki. Being kind-hearted is a virtue, so don't feel like you ever need to change just because of that read." She states with a put-on authoritative voice. "After all, even a bottom can be a powerful force to be reckoned with in other areas! Just not... Ehm." She clears her throat, then conveniently distracts herself with seeing Liza's extra gear. "You're not planning to sleep with all that equipment on, are you?"
Rita Ma	"Mmm! You get a feeling for it!" Rita says brightly, receiving her thermidor plate in both hands as if it were a sacred treasure. It's set aside on the couch's arm so she can receive the Demon's Blood next. She trades thank-yous with Liza, of course, because they're both adults. "I'm really, really glad you like it, though!" It only tastes vaguely like actual blood, but that's enough to see the physical stages of Rita's loss of self-control: she starts off with a dignified sip, immediately transitions into a larger gulp, then holds herself steady there for a few seconds with a visible effort of will. Her pupils constrict to tiny points as she gives up and knocks back the entire rest of the glass at once before cleaning it out with her tongue. Abrupt clarity follows, resulting in her finally setting the glass down and projecting a sheepish, I-meant-to-do-that air like a cat that's just tripped over itself. "Ms. Pramanix is right. There's no need to be embarrassed! It's nice to have someone you can rely on like that," Rita says to Hibiki, trying to lift the poor bullied girl's spirits. "Someone who can make sure you don't have to worry about too many things, and keep life simple for you. I used to be the same way." She takes a spoonful of her thermidor, savors the aroma, lifts it to her lips, and then appears to have a minor existential crisis before she can put it in her mouth. "Um, I just remembered I'm not hungry. Ms. Grier, did you want a second-" Rita is halted mid-sentence by seeing the bulletproof vest. Her eyebrows lift in an expression of unarticulated shock. "Miss Grier... have you been padding your abs?"
Liza Grier	Liza rolls her eyes at Pramanix. "For the tenth time, no, I don't sleep wearing all of this. What's your malfunction?" Then a betrayed-sounding 'haa?!' at Rita. "What?! This is armour! You-- You've seen my abs!" Now gravely offended, Liza grabs Rita's wrist and intentionally presses her hand to her midsection below where her tank top cuts off. "I dare you to say that again! It's all been very fortuitously timed with Rita declining her lobster. Hmm. And she keeps it going too, completely straight-faced, absolutely not giving up the bit. "Yeah, take it from her. Rita does a little of both, so she knows what it's like." She has to be doing this on purpose. The eyes she's giving Hibiki and the subtle bouncing of her shoulders indicate that she thinks this exchange is silently hilarious. "You know the last sleepover I went to, everyone wanted to talk about boys and school. This is an improvement as far as I care."
Rita Ma	Rita's hand is forcibly pressed to Liza's midsection. For a moment she holds a serenely smug expression. In chess, moves that would place yourself in checkmate are illegal; this is a mercy real life does not grant. Her hand, and that expression, are withdrawn in short order. She crosses her arms over her chest and looks away, but she can't be really annoyed because she doesn't object to the continued presence of Liza's arm around her shoulders. "I said used to," she grumps softly. "Eventually you get tired of being coddled and being helpless all the time, and you start looking for ways to protect and take care of your friends, and you realize that feels way better. That's just the way it goes," Rita pronounces, as if that were some kind of universal experience. (It's definitely not, Rita.)
Hibiki Tachibana	To Hibiki's credit, she does not immediately spit out her drink as she tries just a bit of it, when it comes to Liza's totally exaggerated reaction to Rita. She has to work for it, but she manages it - Miku is the one who brings a hand to her mouth to keep her voice in, stealing only a singular glance towards Hibiki's own midsection before turning her eyes elsewhere again. With a resolve-steeling sigh as she puts the glass down and takes the plate back up, Hibiki glances between everyone else sitting around the table (with a raised eyebrow at how the snow pope closes off) before stopping, nodding, and putting on the tiniest of grins. "...Mm. When you put it like that, I can't really argue. Honestly, I'd be totally lost without her..." She meets eyes with Liza again, takes in the body language, and shakes her head without that small smile leaving her face. "I'm not sure if it's better or worse than what I was expecting one of these to be like. Then again, I bet most of them don't have food this good." Her eyes briefly go to Rita and then back, as she sits back in her seat some. "Our school's all girls, so you can write off talking about boys at least. Actually..." She tilts her head at Liza with a squint. "When /was/ the last time you were at one?" All that age talk from before has gotten her wondering.
Liza Grier	Too bad, Liza is already demolishing Rita's share of lobster thermidor. It was never hers. She even flexed a little just to be extra emphatic. "You'd be surprised." she does actually say to her though. "Most people don't . . . They aren't really aware of how much other people take care of them. Everyone wants to help their friends, but not everyone wants to 'make decisions' their friends can't. Not everyone . . . No, most people don't return all of the care invested in them." "It's . . . Things are even built for it to be hard for them to tell where the care is coming from. They think that what they really owe to their coworkers is owed to the company, their neighbours to the government, the architects to the landlord. But that's work talk." Her tone subtly changes even without a pause between sentences. "Nobody here questions that you top, Rita." Liza responds to Hibiki without actually responding to Hibiki. "When I was studying to be an EVA tech with a career grant under Letheia Corp." she says, shrugging airily. She puts her boots up on the table, then remembers where she is, and lowers them again. "I barely had time to hang out with anyone there though. None of us did. Everyone had a company breathing down their necks before they even entered. This is nice. And on solid ground too."
Rita Ma	Her thermidor being stolen suits Rita absolutely fine. It will go unmourned, delicious as it is. Gradually recovering from her pout, she gives Miku a tentative smile. "'Lost without her', huh? I hope it's not being mean if I say that I believe it. Thank you for taking such good care of my friend, Miku." Rita listens along to Liza's explanation with a slightly grimacing, awed receptiveness. "I guess... it was always easy to tell, for me, because it was so direct. If there had been those big systems, maybe I'd have gotten confused too. But-" Nobody here questions that you top hits her like a brick to the head about three full seconds after it's spoken; the delivery is so casual that she takes massive hitstun before the knockback. When she registers it, her eyes go wide and both her hands creep up over the lower half of her face. It looks like she's going to be horribly, hopelessly flustered. And then it doesn't look like anything, because Rita turns invisible on the spot. The thin air where a Rita ought to be still makes soft, grumpy sounds.
Hibiki Tachibana	Hibiki and Miku both listen closely to Liza's explanation, even if it's not directed at them. It's mostly the first part that strikes a chord with each of them in turn, with the former shuffling in her seat at they aren't really aware of how much other people take care of them and the latter looking thoughtful at not everyone wants to 'make decisions' their friends can't. "...That sounds pretty lonely," Hibiki says towards Liza, after a moment. "Hardly being able to hang out with anyone even during a time you should just be able to have fun. Or maybe that's not the right word, with the company hovering over your shoulder all the time, but...you get what I mean." Either not worried about or not realizing her actual question didn't get answered, she keeps going after a second to find a way to phrase what she wants. "So I'm...glad it's different now. Though to tell you the truth, I've been in space only a couple times, and I'm not gonna be in any rush to do it again. I'll take being down here with Miku any day of the week." Miku /was/ going to beam at that, but she's currently too busy stuck speechless as Rita pulls her embarrassed disappearing act. Both of her hands go up to her mouth in surprised until she hears those couple of telltale sounds, at which point she blinks and slowly lowers them, her expression falling into the same kind of smile she probably gives Hibiki after one of her own 'teased and flustered' acts. "...It wasn't mean at all. And I promise I'll keep on doing it, just like I know you'll do your best to take care of her when I can't." She says while clasping her hands together, staring exactly where Rita is as if she can still look in her the eye. She can't, of course. "I think you're one of the kindest people I know, Rita. So you don't have anything to be embarrassed about either! Hehe. If you want to repay me, you can just keep on being you. For Miss Grier, Hibiki, and everyone else."