241/More Waldians!

More Waldians!
Date of Scene:	02 August 2015
Location:	Japan
Synopsis:	Princess Runealy, Hinote and Gao go meet a friend from Waldia!
Cast of Characters:	Runealy Waldia, Gaofele Doiru, Hinote Kagari, Solomon Novak

---

Runealy Waldia has posed:
It has been slightly over two months since the expedition to the Unknown World began. What started with just two members has grown to three, but Rune feared that would not be enough. So she sent messages through the portal, the tiny crack that was still open of it, requesting two people cross over as soon as they could. One was Raine; the princess has no idea that request was never received, nor that Raine is in fact already in motion.

She's not sure if the other one was received either, but the guards on the other side had nonetheless picked it up and brought it to Solomon. The letter was hand written (what else would it be, when the princess has no idea what printers and word processors are?), and stamped with the royal seal. It read:

'Solomon, you are needed here. If there is no pressing reason to stay in the capital, no demon attacks or any such thing, please come as soon as the portal is large enough to let you through. Set camp on the other side and we will come for you. Supplies will be left in the trees where you emerge. We will tell you what we have found once you arrive.

Brace yourself. The Unknown World is far larger than we imagined. It is actually called Earth, and we are in a nation called Japan. One of its major cities is Tokyo, and it alone is hundreds of times larger than any city of ours. It is full of inventions you and I would deem impossible, including tiny boxes that send your voice across the city in an instant, metal wagons that move with no horses to pull them, and glass candles that make the streets visible even at night. It is full of heroes who have the energy we need, and full of monsters as awful as any demon. It will be very difficult, but you truly are needed.

You will be here for quite some time, as the portal is unstable. Please say any goodbyes you need to and gather any belongings you need before coming over... you probably won't get a second chance until we all return home.'

It is signed 'Your friend, Runealy' at the end. Certainly a new friend in her life, as he kept distant from her up until now, but his resolve was genuine; the Oath had been established.

And so the portal - a blue sphere, one shrinking down to a tiny ball almost immediately after Solomon finished crossing over - hums and hovers in a forest several miles south of Tokyo. Everything is as the letter said, and Solomon can find plenty of food, some reading material (including sketches of Puella Magi artifacts, with a quick explanation of how they, seemingly unique among Earth's protectors, do not restore their magic naturally and will die if it runs out, thus they are absolutely off limits for any draining attempts), even some local currency and other very brief primers on topics he might want to be ready for.

And thus on this afternoon Rune rode with Hinote to the edge of the forest in a private limo. "Thanks for coming with me on this check-up... hopefully they're here by now. I'm sure they'll be glad to give you some ideas of what life is like back home, different ideas than I have." Something to look forward to, perhaps.

And once they arrived, the walk through the forest will bring the pair toward the portal. In some ways, Rune looks just like how Solomon last saw her; her mood is very 'low' and sad, just as it was before she left for Earth. On the other hand... she's now wearing a thick red scarf around her neck. That looks out of place given the season, and it's certainly nothing she has ever worn in his entire time knowing her.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari arrives with Runealy in the limo. This is not Hinotes first time in a limo. It will not be his last probably. Having a famous father has it's advantages. He looks to Runealy as the drive goes. "So. What's this person's name again?" he asks to her. Runealy says they need help. What Hinote interupted this as is: 'Hinote, you're doing horrible and we need someone to pickup your slack.'. He feels secretly bad about this. Maybe quitting his clubs is a better idea now. He can devote more time to ambushing the protectors of Tokyo. Besides. He was going to dissapear off to Waldia in the near future anyways. Did things like... Schools... Clubs Even matter then?

Regardless, he manages a slight smile to Runealy, despite his own confusion and worry. He's trying to reassure her with his usually happy polite demeanor.

"...Thanks for taking me by the way. I'm looking forward to meeting them." he states. He wants to meet all the Waldians. All of them.

Solomon Novak has posed:
    Solomon was not happy to be here. True, he was rarely happy to be anywhere these days. Particularly, the thought that Queen Lene's killer still roamed free made his stomach churn; coming to Earth would be admitting his inability to avenge her. Yet despite his personal desires, he forced himself to read the letter from the Princess rationally - he was more use assisting the living than avenging the dead. So he said his goodbyes - most of them to certain gravestones - and then packed as best he could. A satchel with what he figured would be most appropriate to a spy in a foreign land, namely provisions and clothing. The simple kind ordinary citizens were prone to wear: tunic, trousers, but also travelers cloaks in different colors. Who knew what the style was in Tokyo? But hooded cloaks were used everywhere that bad weather touched, so it would surely help him blend in.

    The blonde haired man ops to pass through the portal as Guardian Sol, figuring that it would best prepare him for an ambush, and it would help ensure his civilian persona be kept a secret. Guardian Sol stands out. Solomon Novak, however, would only draw attention if observed emerging through a magic portal. It turns out to be for naught however, as the arrival is peaceful and without any witnesses.

    The portal shrinks; Sol does not look back. Instead he makes a quick patrol around the area, releases the henshin, and then begins studying.

    After picking up the books and climbing a tree where he can watch from a hidden vantage point. No doubt Gao would have found a superior observation post, but Solomon does the best he can.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
"We're there to pick up two people, actually." Rune remarked during the walk up the forest. "Raine Delacroix and Solomon Novak... Guardian Rai and Guardian Sol. We have another six months at most, and... my mistakes have made sure we're behind on what we need. So I called them in to... well, make up for it." Hinote is perhaps not the only one with fears of inadequacy, it seems; the princess just outright voices hers. "And of course I'd bring you along. You're one of us now, and you should be meeting the rest of the team!" That last bit was upbeat; she's looking forward to him meeting the pair.

"They should be right up ahead," she adds while pointing toward the portal area. "Let's go see them." A nod over to Hinote, then she walks faster... what Rune doesn't know is she'll only be meeting one of them at the moment.

Gaofele Doiru has posed:
Even for a short trip to meet allies, Gao is still alert, keeping an eye out for trouble. The day is relatively peaceful, though, and the shade of the forest makes for a cooler day than it otherwise would be.

Still, watchfulness is a good habit to maintain, especially for a forester. An alert person will rarely have trouble in the woods; an unwary person will often bumble from problem to problem.

His eyes narrow slightly as he spots a figure in a tree, then he relaxes slightly. "Enjoying the shade?" he calls up to Solomon.

Solomon Novak has posed:
    When he hears the approach of people, Solomon closes the book softly and sets it down on the branch beside him. Yet before he can take a good look at the group he is called out. Picking the book back up, he leaps down from his hiding place onto the ground, giving a simple nod towards Gao. Hardly a cheerful greeting, but certainly there is respect for a fellow Guardian Knight, and for spotting him. Although his attention briefly sweeps over the other two, it settles for the moment on Runealy next.

    "Good afternoon," he greets her semi formally, purposely omitting her title as he glances to the unknown boy.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari smiles over to Gao, and Gao spots someone in the trees. Reflex to shove his right hand into his right pocket. But then Solomon comes down and seems familar. So Hinote just makes the assumption they are one of the persons here to meet. He gives a wave to Solomon as his hand comes out of his pocket. "Hello!" he says with a smile, as best as he can manage. It's a sincere one at least.

"My name's Hinote Kagari. You're one of the ones Runealy sent for, right?" he asks.

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" he says offering out his hand for a handshake.

... Do Waldians handshake? Oh crap. Do they!? This results in his hand twitching a moment as he's stuck in cultrual confusion hell for a moment.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
"Huh?" Rune blinks as Gao pipes up. She's not surprised that he spoke; he was along for the ride too, after all. No, she is surprised he saw anyone. "Who are you... oh?" NOW she sees Solomon, once she realizes where Gaofele is looking. Her own greeting is fairly casual once Solomon is on the ground. "Hey." Soft toned, friendly enough given her mood.

Then she picks up on where Sol's eyes are focused. Her head turns to follow where he's looking, and realizes an introduction is more than called for given the team is on a secret mission and the guy from Earth most certainly was not present for the meeting where they decided on this desperate plan. He has given his name, but she opts to add to it: "He's Guardian Hino." She talks fast; she's expecting a 'wait, what?!' reaction to that and is trying to cut it off. "It's a long story, but he knows. He's the only one who does, and there's a pretty good chance he saved my life a while back. So he's one of us now."

Then she realizes something aloud. "Wait... where's Raine? Is it just you? I'm really glad you're here, but I sent for both of you." It's possible Solomon doesn't know the answer to this question, but she's asking about it anyway. "Even if it's just you, you've come at a really important time... I just wish you could get the chance to explore this place more peacefully. It's... it's incredible. Loud and scary, but amazing too."

As for Hinote moving forth for a handshake... Rune shows no shock at the gesture. It looks more familiar to her than bowing has been, and she makes no comment on it accordingly.

Solomon Novak has posed:
    Thank goodness the Princess is quick on the uptake, as it potentially saves Solomon a great deal of cautious, vague comments that give as little information as possible. The introduction removes a small amount of tension from the new arrival's stance, but he doesn't exactly warm up. In fact the look he gives Hinote is one of open suspicion. The hand that is offered in greeting is given a dismissive glance before he resumes silently staring at the cheerful young man. When Rune mentions that this new guardian knight saved her life however he dials it back a bit, the look going from open suspicion to thinly veiled suspicion. And, being Guardian Hino, his question does deserve a response.

    "Yes."

    With that taken care of, the blonde boy kneels down formally before Rune, paying her the proper respect deserved royalty. "I do not know, Princess," he answers apologetically. "I did not see her." Rising back up, he finally has a chance to take in what the three are wearing. It becomes immediately obvious that none of the clothing he brought will be the least bit helpful in blending in.

Gaofele Doiru has posed:
Gaofele Doiru unslings one of the bundles he was carrying. "This should help you blend in," he remarks to Solomon as he hands the bundle to the arrival. Inside is a set of clothes from Earth, roughly Solomon's size. "Couldn't remember your size, so they might be a bit large, but it should work long enough to take you shopping."

The other bundle remains on the forester's back; it undoubtedly contains a similar outfit for Raine.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari does not get a return handshake. This makes him a little more sheepish about the meeting and makes him feel awkward. "Rune is right. I can talk about it more later, right now...." he pauses when Rune mentions someone else was supposed to be here. That's right! She did send for two! "Maybe she just has some other things to finish up in Waldia before she comes over here." he adds.

He looks at Sol. Oh. Right! Oh--- thank god Gao is on the uptake there.

"Yeah. If you need help understanding things here on Earth, I'm willing to help." he says at Sol. "Been doing my best to make sure no one asks hard questions at least." he says.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Rune at least is mostly wearing attire from back home, save for the glaringly obvious red scarf. Sol's kneel causes her to blink and insist, "Y... you don't need to do that." Others might, but she doesn't seem fond of someone who magically swore to be her friend showing that degree of deferrence to her. Even if he does seem to be off to a chilly start with Hinote, something she has noticed but can't really justify openly commenting on just yet. "But thank you... it looks like we'll have to keep checking here each day until we find her, too. When you're done with the things we left for you, could you put them back so she can use them when she arrives? For now though, /you're/ here and that's... that's really good."

Her gaze lowers as she addreses Solomon again: "Thank you. Really, thank you for coming here. That's one of the bravest things anyone will ever do, and... with you, our chances of making it through this are that much better."

Then Runealy raises an eye in confusion as Gao offers him something and explains what it is. "Huh?" The realization hits, visible on her face. "Oh! You're right! That's really good thinking." She nods over to Sol. "Our money /kind of/ works here. Some places will take it, but usually we have to sell it to special stores in return for local money, called 'yen.' Don't worry, you'll get paid in a mix of both just to be on the safe side, just like the others. Get what you need, and... it's okay to get some things you just /want/, too."

Then she backs up Hinote's remarks. "Yeah, you're probably right. We'll just make sure our eyes stay open for her. And you're really good at explaining all this Earth 'electricity' stuff, too. I'd still be pretty lost on that without you, you know."

Solomon Novak has posed:
    The thoughtfulness, or at least the uselessness, of the bundle demands a proper reply, forcing Sol to give a soft "Thanks" to the forest guardian. "It will work." The boy knows how to sew - if need be he can alter the size a bit.

    Deciding for the moment not to ask about the scarf - which for all he knows is hiding a massive scar - he instead gives the tiniest bit of a smile to her when she reacts to him kneeling. It does make him feel better to see her. "Anything that you need," he concludes, after she thanks him.

    "We have to sell our money to get money?" Now that's just weird. Sol already suspects he will not like this place. And, seeing as how Hinote is a native, he turns his next remarks to the young man.

    "What is electricity? And what is the most common profession in Earth?"

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari nods. "Silver coins don't really work here. But Silver is worth a /lot/ here in Yen. Silver in itself is valuable here. Coins just make it easier to exchange, because they all tend to have the same weight. Though. I've been saving my coins the Princess pays me for when I go back over to Waldia with you all." he asides. "Electricity is a kind of force that powers a lot of things here on Earth. Like......" he thinks. What was the term Runealy used. "Glass Candles-- Lightbulbs. Telephones-- the boxes you can speak into Runealy also mentioned in her letter. Things like that." he thinks a bit. "Well. For yours and mine ages? Usually you find a shop who'll hire you as a waiter or a waitress. Or some kind of clerk attendent. Where you going to find a job?" he asks curiously. "I can help with that." he says.

"But.. I think you should take a few days to get used to Tokyo. Don't worry, you'll pickup on things fast." he manages a smile again.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
"What Hinote said. They treat it as silver or gold," Rune comments to Solomon. Gold is certainly the rarer of the two, of course. "Which it is." To be fair, no store on the planet is going to recognize coins that bear the image of the queen on one side, and the nation's 'shield with a heart' emblem on the other. Certainly not when both sides also read 'Always Safe'. In any case, talk of Hinote saving up for when he goes home with the rest of the team is met with a nod; of course he's coming along!

When talk of a job comes up, Runealy points out: "You don't need to do that, though. Some of us go to school to fit in and use it as a way to look for leads to investigate, but... you don't need work outright. You're getting paid for being a Knight, after all. So it's up to you how you want to schedule what you're doing."

Solomon Novak has posed:
    The way Hinote explains it makes much more sense to the newcomer - precious metals instead of currency. Though 'electricity' proves far harder to understand. What could make glass burn but also make a box boost a speaker's voice? It sounds like 'magic' to him. Or perhaps a local version of it.

    "If people ask what I have done to earn a living until now I can't explain the truth to them without raising a number of questions. So I need a local profession." A small frown at Runealy - school? Did children not work? Or at least assist their parents?

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari nods. "Having a cover will help." he says. "Besides, it'll let you meet people." he says. "---and you never know what may happen, where it happens- so I think it'd be kind of useful for that purpose. Get us more spread out doing things." he says....

"I still... haven't really caught anyone yet. Most of who I met are.. Puella Magi. They're off limits." he says with a frown. "For good reasons, mind you." he says.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Of course, school was a thing for some children back home as well. Not all, but it wasn't at all unheard of or even unusual. Nonetheless, Rune concedes the overall point to Solomon: "You're right. It's up to you though. School or local job, either one. Whichever you think is best."

Her head lowers as Hinote brings up the results of his hunts thus far, and Puella Magi. "That's okay. I think we're all 'behind' what we expected to be on by now. We'll just have to push harder. But... yes. Just them, I... I can't bring myself to say we should attack them, even for this. It..." Her throat tightens, words failing her as she even considers the vague possibility of targeting those who would be driven much closer to death by it; it's unsettling.

Gaofele Doiru has posed:
"Puella Magi require magic to live," Gao explains to Solomon. "If they run out, they die." His information might be incomplete, but it's what he's been told by Rune; it's 'best available' info. "That's why they're off limits; they don't have magic to spare."

Solomon Novak has posed:
    Meeting people. That was the worst part of life. Well, that and dying, probably. "I have seen it mentioned that their magical power is deficient somehow, though not why," Solomon answers Hinote. Gao enlightens him some, though that still strikes him as peculiar. Someone who can't regenerate their power is like... someone who can't heal. It's just not normal. Something to think about.

    But wait, didn't the Princess mention school? It's a topic he begins to bring up before the sorrow prctically overflows from Runealy, causing pains of sympathy, though they don't show. "We will find a solution," he promises her wholeheartedly; not an idle statement nor a platitude, but something he resolutely believes.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari nods. "The Princess knows more about that. I haven't had the pleasure of sitting down and talking to one. Everyone runs away after handling things." he says with a sigh. "I spend more time putting things like witches and monsters down then I do getting chances to fight someone down to take thier energy." he sighs. "Sometimes, I'm just tired after handling things. Gao. Remember that Witch? The Moon one? I was pretty wiped after that one. Right?" he asks, scratching the side of his head.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Rune winces as Gao fills in the blank. Someone had to, but it's a touchy topic nonetheless to her. She adds something to it: "We don't know why, either. They just are, and... if we go after them, they... they'll get just as scared as we are. Not because their whole world might die, but they personally might. That's probably just as bad." Rune's gaze lifts slightly, but her eyes remain lidded as she concludes to Solomon, "I know. We have to. We really have no other choice, because going home and saying 'we failed. Sorry.' is... we just can't. So we have to find a way to get what we need, from who we must, without... without being unable to live with ourselves afterward. That's a pretty thin line to walk, but we're here to do exactly that, aren't we?"

Hinote's concerns draw a tiny, worried noise. "I know... I know. We're trying to fight everyone at this rate, but by the time we get done with the Witches and conquerors from kingdoms who think it's great to kill people and everyone else like that, we're not making much progress. If we just don't have enough left in us afterward to attack those we're fighting beside, then we need to step up ambushing them. Maybe... maybe we should start setting up fake incidents. Where we're not actually hurting anyone, but it looks like we're about to?" She's not proud to suggest this, speaking from a mix of shame and frustration. "That way they can't just run away from us like they've done so far."

Solomon Novak has posed:
    "We will do what we have to," the Guardian Knight of Light affirms. "How has investigation gone into alternative sources of power? What about the Witches," not that he knows who or what they are yet, "or electricity?" Because hunting down heroes AND fighting villains sounds like it has been spectacularly unsuccessful, and he doesn't want to have to resort to even more drastic measures. "Or, instead of assisting in the defense of Tokyo, allow its native defenders to do their job, and then confront them in their weakened state." The normally reserved, somewhat cold boy's suggestions are said with gradually decreasing amounts of emotion, until the last suggestion is delivered with all the emotion of a golem.

    Then, after giving that a chance to sink in but hopefully before anybody can bring themselves to reply, he changes topic, knowing that it will be a tough sell. He looks at Runealy's scarf, then very noticably looks at Hinote, and points to the scarf. At first addressing Runealy, and then both her and Hinote, he asks, "What is with the scarft? Is that part of an Earth courtship?"

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari frowns. "Because, we can't just take. And not give back, Solomon." he says a little conceredly. "It's important we help when we can. We have to leave this place better than it was found if we can help it. No one's going to give us a medal. But it makes up for.... well. The attacking of people. out of the blue." he says.

Then Solomon asks if that's a courtship thing. And he looks between him....

And Runealy.... and back to him.....

Hinote begins to blush because he might had caught that undertone. "What? No!" he says flusteredly. Deny! DENY! /DENY!/.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
It is perhaps because her friend doesn't know what Witches are that the suggestion was brought up, but Runealy turns alarmed and immediately rejects the idea. "No no no no. Absolutely not! You have no way of knowing, you haven't seen one yet, but... there is no way we're putting their energy into the Barrier. They're twisted and don't make any sense whatsoever. Even their little miniature worlds you get drawn in to if you get too close to one are just... they look impossible. Like an artist who was really, really ill decided to create a huge work dedicated to everything that's just /wrong./ I hope you never have to encounter one!" Rune is nearly crying by the time she finishes that summary.

She's quick to join in with Hinote's rationale. "There's that, plus what might happen if we sat out. I really think that staging our own 'attacks' for them to come deal with might be better at this point. They won't know we're not really going to hurt anyone, so they can't just run off. We won't be getting any medals for that either, but..."

The scarf question chills her out of tears though, drawing wide-eyed worry. It would have done so even without the implications he's suggesting. Yet she opts to combine it with another topic, going back to Solomon's ideas on other tactics to employ. "That's part of the problem. If we sit out, sometimes I'm really worried the balance of power will shift just enough to let the monsters win, and... I don't even want to think about what would happen to people then. We're kind of stuck if we use that approach, so... no." She uses that honest answer to come up with time to make a lie. "And no, this scarf is just... it's a local fashion someone talked me in to trying! I know it's kind of dumb to waste time on that when we're supposed to be doing more important things, but it only took a few minutes and I wanted to try it, so... ...so that's why."

She sounds very guilty on this point. It's possibly plausible for both reasons, both the lie she has come up with of feeling bad for wasting time, and because she's convinced that revealing the truth would be a terrible idea. Rune can imagine how it would go if she outright admitted she's poisoning herself in order to gain an advantage in fighting Tokyo's defenders. In any other case, 'are you dating' would have been enough of a surprise to fluster Runealy regardless... but in this instance, it's outweighed by other concerns upon her heart and mind.