1533/Thorns and Fangs

Thorns and Fangs
Date of Scene:	31 May 2016
Location:	Mitakihara/Pikarigaoka - Botanical Gardens
Synopsis:	Shiniko and Lacrima talk about curses, Riventon and justice, and a little bit of love while they're at it.
Cast of Characters:	Sora Hisakata, Norie Okana

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Sora Hisakata has posed:
Shiniko's first trip through the Dusk Zone under her own power was terrifying, as was her first usage of dark energy to hurt someone. A nagging at the back of her mind insists that this is a mistake, that she should get rid of these foul powers while she still can, before she gets used to this.

Her pride tells that nagging to shut up, that she knows what she's doing, and that no power worth using is free. And thus, she's taken a moment to visit the park, to visit the botanical gardens her mundane counterpart had once intended to take Kukai when he'd be out of the hospital.

And she's looking at the roses, wondering if she should curse them. She knows exactly what curse she'd place on them, but for now, she's just looking.

Norie Okana has posed:
The Dusk Zone is less terrifying for Lacrima. She's used to it. She doesn't explore it though. She gets to where she needs to be and she slips out. She's been there for an extended time before. Things live there. They're awful- but they ignore her. She might aswell just be another youma that lives there to the rest of the Dusk Zone.

She doesn't hate it because it's scary, she hates it because it makes her feel less like a person. She steps out into the gardens. It's nighttime. Why is she here? Because it's a place outside she knows she won't run into anyone when it's closed- and those silly enough to hop the fence perhaps deserve to be drained of energy. Yeah.

However, when she arrives, she isn't alone, is she? There's someone there and she can lightly sense it. It feels.... huh.

She peeks around a bush lightly, purple eyes peeking out. Oh. It's Shiniko, and she seems to be regarding a rose bush.

She steps out more proper and floats quickly through the air over to Shiniko's side.

"Hello Shiniko. How are you?" she asks softly. "You look agitated." she asks. She probably knows what's wrong. But she doesn't want to go into it yet.

Sora Hisakata has posed:
"Never been better." Shiniko lies, her voice cold, dead for all emotions but malice. Those red eyes glow as she turns to behold Lacrima, "I've finally fully accepted my duty as arbiter of justice. Do not get in my way, or you will fall like the..." She stops herself before naming the insult that came so naturally to her now. "No, you wouldn't, and I won't do you disservice by pretending you might." The malice is more subdued there, still present, but only background level.

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima purses her lips as she listens, the young vampire listening, not seeming to react, letting Shiniko finish completely before she talks. She talks. "You seem different." she says.

"I don't know why I'd get in your way of cursing people like you seem to do." she says softly. She purses her lips and then frowns a little.

"I can make a guess as to what's wrong- but." she says.

"Not right now." she says softly.

She looks over to the rosebush. "Why are you looking at roses?" she asks. "They're just plants. Like any others. With nasty thorns. Meh." she says.

"...Roses are kind of like liars like that. Aren't they?" she asks. "They look so sweet but when you get close to them... they prick you." she says.

Sora Hisakata has posed:
"Foolish children believe these roses bring fortune in love." Shiniko answers, ignoring the comments on her seeming different. She's not going into that whatsoever, the conversation is not one she intends on having. This is communicated with nothing but the cold malice and clear focus on the other topic.

She picks one of them, "I thought I would teach them a lesson about love. To make it so any who plucks a rose here with intent to give it to a lover would find their love twisted into obsession; and the recipient willing to abuse this obsession without returning in kind. It would be fitting, would it not?"

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima purses her lips. Really? She looks over to the roses and reaches a hand out to pluck one simply. She sniffs it, before she hrmmms and softly slips it into some sort of magical pocket. She otherwise makes no notice of this. "I don't see what's so magical about them." she says softly.

Also, she's totally not going to try that. Nope. It's not like she wants to figure out how love feels.

She thinks a moment. Isn't that out of Shiniko's usual perview? Cursing people for the heck of it-- rather than for something they actually did-- as far as she knows, that's how it worked.

Norie sees two possibilities. She could question this, like some sort of shoulder angel, or she could say something assuring, and be a shoulder devil. In the end, what she says won't matter- it seems Shiniko's made up her mind regardless. This won't stop her however, from talking.

"Intresting." she says. "So you want to make the rose manipulative. That would be novel." she says. "But..."

Yeah she's going to ask a question. "Have these people earned that?" she asks curiously.

Sora Hisakata has posed:
"No, they haven't. But it was just a thought, not something I'd do." Shiniko justifies herself, the malice in her voice ebbing once again. She throws the rose away, casually destroying it with dark fire before it can hit the ground. "The many should not be punished for the errors of one, as tempting as it may be."

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima purses her lips. "The errors of the one." she says. Then she just says it outright. "You mean Kukai Souma." she says through her teeth. "It's okay. He's a filthy liar who's hurt a lot of people I understand." she says. "I have my own words for him soon." she says.

"I met someone recently who said everyone is naturally like that. Mean, cruel, lying-- and that anything else they are- is a lie. I think I understand that a little." she says. "Maybe not fully. Like when people lie to me when they tell me they want to fix me, but can't-- those that think I'm 'broken' to begin with." she says.

"You know Shiniko." she says. "If you need time alone, UMBRA has dorms for it's employees that you can rest in. There's lots of intresting benefits for working for Riventon-san you know." she says.

Sora Hisakata has posed:
"I've spent far too much time alone already." This is a threat, not so much towards Lacrima as Tokyo itself. Shiniko looks towards the crescent moon. "The shadows grow dark. Those who do their dealings out of plain sight will be taught to fear the darkness, will be taught why good people do not tread those shadowed paths. Mark my words."

Then, that dark promise complete, she untenses a little, and looks towards Lacrima. "Join me, help me teach them to fear the darkness. I promise you this, Lacrima, there will be plenty energy for you in it." She giggles, though it does not express joy. It's as cold and dead as her words, conveying naught but malice. "I'll look into UMBRA."

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima head tilts and purses her lips a bit. Shiniko wants her help. Okay. "Fine. But I still do things my way, Shiniko-chan~" she almost sings out. Though that giggle is as unnerving as always. Why does she giggle. She doesn't laugh or giggle. Heck Lacrima barely smiles and when she does it's...

Wrong seeming.

"When you do, let me know. For some reason, Riventon's been holded up in his lab I think. Usually he comes out every so often- but..." she purses her lips.

"Maybe he'll come out for you. Or maybe I need to go in and drag him out kicking and screaming~" she says teasingly.

She lifts her left arm and shows off the bangle there- midchildian tech, along with something else-- some weird runes. "He made this for me, a part of his promise keeping. It's meant to help inhibit some of my energy usage." she says. "So I can keep my disguise up longer at less cost, and such things." she says.

"He keeps his promises." she insists.

Sora Hisakata has posed:
"I have his number." Shiniko says almost dismissively, like she's contacting Riventon as a favour to Lacrima rather than for her own benefit. It's just pride, asking Lacrima to aid with her plans is in her twisted mindset for the good of all, asking Lacrima to help personally is admitting weakness.

"I will remember your advice, but I believe it best I leave now. I have much to do, and more." She smirks, displaying two rows of sharp teeth. That bit is new, "My reign of justice is just beginning."

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima hrmmmms, she remembers Shiniko saying she didn't trust her book. She wonders if it finally got into her. Still, she purses her lips. "Be well, Shiniko." she says as she looks away. "Remember. Just let me know when you intend to make a move~" she sings out again, before she walks away, over to one of those rose bushes...

...can a silly rose teach her what 'love' feels like? She picks a few more. Maybe she'll try an experiment.