sweetdevil | 65th ♫ | by the look of the sky, i wonder if the raindrops will turn into snow

KFC wine, huh...it really does sound gross. Even the "good" stuff tastes like piss anyway though.

[It's hard to keep alcohol out of the hands of a boy with psychic powers and the incredible determination to be as much of a problem as possible every time they pop open a bottle, though not for a lack of effort from Taeko and Matsu both. The fact that he hates it keeps him from being much of an underage drinker at any rate—he just steals a sip every now and again to see if he gets why people drink so much of the stuff.]

I'm right there with you on the cake too. Maybe other families are fine with cake from some American chain restaurant, but my little brothers and sisters deserve the best. Just don't tell 'em I said that.

[Their lives are happy enough, but it's still a fact that they've all lost their parents. A really nice cake once a year is really the least they deserve for enduring that kind of loss.]

Or, maybe you should say that, and then just not tell 'em I also said it. I bet they'd like that.

[And that way he gets out of being bullied for being soft.]

Maybe I will. And I'll make sure not to let it slip who really said it until most of them are out of earshot.

[ having ryoko around really just means the kids have gotten an ally in Mission: Bully Akira Out Of Existence, huh ]

While we're out looking for Christmas, we could see if there's anything in the way of New Year sweets as well. It's a little bit in advance, but we might have a better chance at getting something if we start looking around now.

[ That and – if they're going to be sharing their year end traditions with her, it might be nice to do the same in return. She and her parents didn't celebrate much while she was growing up, but she remembers scraping together pocket money to buy whatever they could afford with Ei, sneaking them under their parents noses and being thrilled that they'd gotten away with something that really didn't need "getting away" with.

It's a little nostalgic, is all. It'd be nice to share that with another rabble of younger siblings, even if they aren't strictly hers. ]

It's fine if you think of them as yours, y'know. I know they all think of themselves that way.

[He'd been peeking into her thoughts for something to get back at her for threatening his questionable status as the coolest kid at Bright Sparks, but he ended up finding something wholesome and cute instead. Life isn't fair at all.]

...If you're worried about getting too attached, you can always think of it like...big sisters go away eventually, right? So just enjoy being here while you can, same as me.

[Big brothers will need to leave too, after all, though Taeko's already more or less promised there's always a place for him until he can either support Kaori himself or she ages out of the system, whichever comes first. Even then, he doubts he'll go far. Bright Sparks is too important to him to just pack up and leave.]

I'm always sneakin' 'em some snacks from the stand during naptime, so it'll be a lot of fun for the kids to get something secret from you too.

[ She turns to him with a bit of a start, with a look on her face like she's torn between scolding him for peeking and letting it slide now that he's gone and said something so sweet. Life isn't fair indeed. ]

It just seems a bit... presumptuous, don't you think? You've known them for so long and I've not even been here a whole year.

[ But her slightly bashful smile makes it clear she's not displeased and she's certainly not denying it. Maybe it is fine to let herself be a big sister again, at least while she's here – for all she knows, it won't be that much longer before she finds her way back to her own era. Maybe it's a good idea to make sure she doesn't go back with regrets. ]

I'll make sure I get enough for all of them, then. [ Then– she raises her eyebrows a bit and her sheepish smile turns into a little grin. ] And you as well, of course. You wouldn't want to be left out, would you?

It's part of being in an orphanage, isn't it? Kids come and go.

[It sounds almost heartless when he says it like that, so he frowns and clarifies:]

Kids with no parents...we're pretty adaptable. Since we don't have a family anymore, it's only natural to get attached to whoever's around. As far as I'm concerned you're just as much family to them as I am.

[To them, not to him. The distinction's important, because to him, she's...]

You don't have to get me anything, but if you do I'm not gonna turn it down. You've gotta let me get you something too though, okay?

[Though he still has no idea what.]

And on that note, I'm banning you from saying "you've already done so much" til the end of the year. That includes Taeko too. Once the holidays are over you can say it again. Sound fair?

If you're all so determined, I guess I shouldn't protest too much, then.

[ She says it like this is something she's going to oh-so-graciously permit, but the way she drains the last of her tea to hide the pleased smile on her face tells the real story. She knows, really, it's wiser to not get attached when she'll need to be leaving who knows when – but it's much too late for her to be telling herself that now. Wise or not, she's already attached. ]

I'll warn you in advance, I'm very boring to buy gifts for. I'm a bit too practical for it.

I wouldn't say it's boring. Nothing wrong with being practical.

[Ryoko simply wouldn't be Ryoko if she weren't so straightforward and practical. It's not always a trait he likes in people, but it's one of the things he likes about her for sure.]

It probably wouldn't kill you to find, I dunno, a hobby or something, though. Maybe I'll help you find one for the new year.

[He is only half joking.

Once he sees she's finished her tea, he starts to stand, but remembers they're still sharing a scarf just in time to not choke her or himself and quickly sits back down.]

Ready to head out? I'm all warmed up.

[He doesn't do anything to unwrap or otherwise return half of Ryoko's scarf, though.]

Maybe I'll take up stamp collecting. Or model kits. Or... whatever's popular for people to do in 2010. I actually have no idea.

[ she says, as if she's even remotely up to date on pop culture in her own era. you're lucky she even knows what a light novel is.

She sets her cup down and stands up instead, taking advantage of the fact that with her advanced height of 5'2'' she's at least a little less likely to throttle them both. ]

We may as well get started. We've got some good ideas, so I think we've got a bit of a head start... should we go with presents first, then pick up sweets once we know how much we'll need to carry?

We'll get you into wrestling. I wonder if you'd be a Misawa kind of gal.

[His tone is clearly joking, it's just the funniest thing he can imagine her developing as a hobby.]

Sounds like a good plan, but don't worry too much about carrying stuff.

[He taps his own head. It might be slightly more of a problem when they're heading back to the orphanage, but Akira's a startlingly effective pack mule with the telekinesis and all.

And after a quick few moments to make sure their table's nice and clean for the next guests, they're off.]

Oh, you can't tell any of the kids about this since it's a surprise, but we're making Taroimo dress up as Santa this year. Though I'll be the one actually giving everyone their stuff, since he's got no hands and all.

[ You know, if she were a more contrary (than she already is) girl that would absolutely be her cue to get into whichever wrestler is Misawa's biggest rival. But it's Christmas, so she'll be merciful. ]

Santa Taroimo... [ She cracks a little grin. ] Was that your idea or his?

[ She's pretty confident she already knows, but she wants to make him say it!! ]

No, actually – the most important question is, will he have a beard as well?

Th-That isn't important, is it?

[It was just...easy to alter the costume that Akira and Taeko would bully Matsu into wearing every year to fit him, that's all. It's too big for anyone else, given how huge Matsu was. It's not like Akira wanted to see him in a Santa costume or anything.]

'Course he's gonna have a beard, though the problem's gonna be keeping him from eating it. Sometimes his turtle instincts kick in at the worst times.

[He'll figure something out, though. For now, they've arrived at the department store—it's just a short walk from Legally Distinct Starbucks.]

We should probably get what we're here for before browsing. Let me know if you see something good, 'kay?

[It'd be faster to split up and set a meeting point so they can browse after that's all done, but it wouldn't be as fun that way.]

[ Sometimes she wonders if it wasn't worth getting thrown all this way back in time just to be made aware of the eternal mystery that is everything about Taroimo... ]

That's probably wise... should we start at the toy store, then? We'll probably be able to get plenty of things in one place there.

[ ... Or so she's assuming. It occurs to Ryoko even as she says it that she doesn't think she's ever set foot in a toy store in her life. ]

And after that, we'll concentrate on getting something for Taeko-san?

[He links his arm with hers—handholding's a little too much of a leap, he thinks, especially when he'll have the chance to give that a shot after the shopping's done and they're looking at the lights, but it is a little crowded, so it simply cannot be helped (he tells himself).]

Good thinking.

[He'll know what his brothers & sisters like when he sees it, but it might be nice to get them some surprises too. In that case...]

Say, what kind of stuff did your little brother like?

[He knows they weren't actually siblings, but the distinction isn't so vast that it would make too much of a difference in the result of finding things that little kids enjoy, he thinks.]

[ Obviously it's just practical! It's crowded and they're still sharing her scarf so wandering too far apart isn't really feasible! If Ryoko seems entirely too comfortable nestled against his side, don't think about it too hard. ]

Hm... come to think of it, he used to like board games as well. Card games sometimes, too, but mostly board games. Anything we could sit together and play for a few hours.

[ Anything that kept him out of his own house for a few hours, Ryoko thinks but absolutely does not say. ]

Oh, but... he liked action figures as well. Mostly tokusatsu and sentai heroes. [ She cracks a little grin to herself. ] He'd make up all sorts of stories for them – most of them were even more complicated from the shows they came from.

[ sekigahara in 1985 doubling up and clutching his head, not because of dd426 but because of psychic cringe damage rippling back through time ]

You should tell me about 'em sometime. If I ever get the chance to meet him, I can pick on him a little to thank you for always being so kind to Kaori.

[And also because he really, really thinks it would be funny to hear Ryoko trying to recount something as animated as a sentai show with her even tone of voice.]

Yuki does that too, though. Every doll that looks kind of like a guy is Misawa as soon as she gets her hands on it, and he's beaten the shit out of every other doll in the building. She makes up all kinds of stories about how he's thrashed 'em. She'll even throw the doll at us and yell the name of one of his moves and if it hits us, that means we lost to Misawa too.

[It's caused no small amount of fights, especially between the younger kids, but it's pretty fun to watch when things remain good-spirited.]

Kids are the same, no matter what the era is, huh...I guess there's something weirdly comforting about that.

When you put it like that, I'll make sure to give you a full synopsis.

[ she might have forgotten a lot but she absolutely remembers how to harass her younger brother. ]

It's good when they get to be boisterous like that, I think. When they know it's fine for them to be loud and cause a bit of trouble. Usually when they're like that, I think that's when they're the happiest.

[ If only because she herself knows that she was happiest back then when she was with Ei, getting into the relatively small scale amount of trouble that they did. It's been nice spending time with Akira's myriad younger siblings and being reminded of what happy, high-spirited children sound like. ]

Should we see if we can find something Misawa branded for Yuki-chan, then? Even if it's not as exciting as a doll, she might be happy just to have his name on something.

That's the plan. Still not sure where to get official sports goods since I'm not super into that kind of thing, but I think if she doesn't get something with his name on it she'll be sad, y'know?

[He prefers being in fights to watching them, but he's also not about to let his own personal preferences dictate what one of his little sisters gets for Christmas.]

A lot of the kids are really into robots right now, too.

[It's a value neutral statement, but it's said with a lot of mixed feelings. He's pleased because it's almost, maybe, sort of like they respect him for something for once if you squint, but he's also sort of hoping they never have to see it in action again.

The more distance he has from being in the cockpit, the more he can come to terms with the fallout, but it'll never really be a completely positive experience.]

It's a shame we don't have that gate working so I could just hop onto Cube's spaceship and borrow 'em for a little while. All the robots in your era are those weird freaky ones, right?

[Plus the Sentinels, he supposes, though he'd honestly probably file them under weird freaky ones if he saw them.]

[ This is usually where she'd suggest something to do with online shopping, but then she catches up with herself and remembers, ah. She actually has no idea how good online shopping actually is back in the 2010s or if any of it will even arrive in time... ]

... well, chances are good that we'll come across something while we're browsing. [ See how neatly she sidestepped that uncomfortable topic? so smoothly done. ] I don't know that we'd find any wrestling merchandise at a toy store, but... if everywhere's stocked up for Christmas, we'll have a better chance here than anywhere else. ... especially my era.

[ Knowing Akira's siblings, they'd probably dig her Sentinel but the size presents an issue......... ]

What, you mean you're not gonna summon your huge fuckoff war machine to show my siblings? Unbelievable.

[Dripping with sarcasm, of course; he's already refused similar requests to see the Steel Titan up close too.

Before long, they find themselves in the toy and game aisle, and Akira pulls two lists out of a pocket with his free hand. One of them's got nigh unreadable chickenscratch all over it and the other is a neat, well-written one. It's pretty easy to tell who the two lists belong to.]

Let's see...we'll have to go to a different part of the store for my present for Kaori, but I guess there's nothing stopping me from getting her more than one thing. No point in having a little sister if you don't spoil her, right...

[There's a stuffed turtle he's eyeing as he says it, but he's not just gonna buy the first thing he thinks she might like. He's got to marinate in the options for a little bit.

Speaking of marinating, something she said has been bothering him for a bit. Especially her era, huh...]

I guess you probably don't have a lot of time to do this kind of stuff in your era, huh.

[The thought just kind of occurs to him as he tumbles her words over in his head. It must be hard to set aside time to celebrate when a monster could attack at any moment.]

...You don't have to answer that, I was just kinda thinking aloud.

[ The department store overall is just edging on what's tolerable for Ryoko in terms of crowding and noise – but while the toy isle has a little more noise and bustle with the children excitedly milling around too, Ryoko finds she likes this a little better. She's finding more and more as she spends time with everyone at Bright Sparks that this sort of noise, happy chattering children, is one she doesn't at all mind. ]

It's alright. I don't mind you asking questions. [ She says it maybe a little too casually as she reaches and pulls down a board game plastered with a group of smiling anime characters she doesn't recognize. ] To be honest, I was never really into celebrating or anything like this to begin with. When I was younger, my parents would take me to a special meal on my birthday if we had time but once I got into middle school, we didn't do it as much. I had friends, but... there's only so much you can do for someone's birthday when you're that young.

[ She puts the box back, then pulls down another. Even as she's busily going through the toys, she has a wistful, faraway look on her face that she doesn't often have when she talks about her own era. ]

Then when the kaiju came along... I had bigger things to worry about. I was fighting to protect all those little things, of course... but I had to put them on hold to make sure there was a world still standing for them to happen in.

[Akira watches her out of the corner of his eye. Her faraway gaze makes her look lonely, even though she's standing right next to him, so he unlinks their arms just long enough to put it around her shoulder instead, tugging her into a halfway approximation of a hug.]

If you don't mind me asking questions, can I know when your birthday is?

[Maybe she won't be here by the time it comes around. But there's no harm in asking, and no harm in keeping a date marked on the calendar. Just in case.]

I just figure...the kaiju don't exist here, so all those little things you're fighting to protect...it might be nice to have 'em for yourself again while you can. Even if it's just something lowkey.

[He gives her a quick squeeze, just long and firm enough to leave a little residual warmth, before letting his arm fall and returning his attention to the task at hand.]

...Your birthday aside, I guess I'm just glad you get to take some time for this kind of everyday stuff. Living through shit like the kaiju invading and getting all fucked up in a crash landing...no one's built to go through that all the time.

[He finds a pack of playing cards with rabbits on them and tosses it haphazardly into their basket.]

Though if there's anyone tough enough to be able to, it's you.

Ah–

[ He doesn't pull her in at all roughly, but Ryoko still sort of stumbles awkwardly into the hug – half not expecting it and half because this is Ryoko who is probably the most awkward human being in this or any era when it comes to hugs. But she doesn't protest or try to pull away and after a moment, her wistful expression turns a little warmer.

Really. She should've known better than to think Akira would let that slide. There's the instinct to insist that he doesn't have to do anything, but... that would probably go against the spirit of her promise not to protest when it seems like they're going out of their way for her over the holidays. ]

You're flattering me a little too much. [ Though she definitely doesn't sound displeased. ] I'm managing well enough in the short term, but I definitely couldn't spend the rest of my life fighting kaiju. Being here... it's been a bit of a relief in that way.

[ It seems like she won't be giving him an answer to the question, at first, or that she's cleverly dodged it – but then she glances up at him from the corner of her eye as she continues browsing. ]

... It's April 1st, by the way. If you really do feel like you have to do something.

[Well, if she dies fighting them, then she certainly will have spent the rest of her life doing it. But that singularly miserable thought isn't worth saying aloud even when it isn't the holiday season, so Akira simply lets the thought wither where it's born.]

April, huh...well, the goal's to have you home as soon as possible, so hopefully that'll be my early birthday present to you. But if you're still around, I'll make sure you have a good one.

[He says it aloud more for his benefit than Ryoko's, because the less he thinks about her eventually leaving, the more it will hurt when it happens.]

Oh, this is kinda funny. Don't they kind of look like Taroimo?

[He's found a knockoff of Hungry Hungry Hippos with turtles instead...he tilts the box to show Ryoko. It's gonna go in the basket as soon as she's looked at it, of course.]

[ It's a little scary how easy it is to imagine still being here when April comes around – seventeen years old, decades away from any of the responsibilities of the Sentinel Project, or even her own birth. But if she lets herself linger on it for a second and really think about the people she'd be surrounded by... she has to go back. If only to make sure to pay back their kindness by making sure they have a future to enjoy.

And while she's here, she can make sure she does her best to help them enjoy the present. ]

It's almost a little uncanny. You don't think he'll get jealous, do you? [ Like a dog that's spotted its own reflection... ] We'll just have to make sure he knows we like him best.

[ Board games do give her an idea, though... She peers up at the shelves with a thoughtful look, then glances at Akira. ]

How do they all feel about jigsaw puzzles?

I'll have to rig up some way for him to be able to press the button so he can play with Kaori...he'd just smash it as things are now.

[Though he's not really great at designing things. He's become an expert at swapping out parts on Taroimo and fixing him up with whatever he can get his hands on, but entirely new equipment would probably have to come from Tobei.]

We've got a nice even spread of kids who love to put stuff together and kids who love to ruin shit other people put together, so I think that's a great idea.

[No guesses as to which of the two categories he falls into himself. He's not above putting a puzzle piece on top of the fridge for petty reasons.]

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i'm sorry i'm making him ask this and making you think about this

joke's on you i've already overthought it

sasuga

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