View source for 1586/Twinkle lights and paint and questions.

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/06/10
|Location=Earth Court Frat House
|Synopsis=Conversations about communication, powersets, encryption, information gathering and the wisdom of indoor waterfalls.
|Cast of Characters=38,127,109
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Very few days lately have been uneventful. A terrible idea last night bore horrible fruit, and one of the results is a round of chastised knights and prince; another result is a sleeping Nephrite on the couch that Mamoru is not occupying. The patch of carpet that has been ripped up and not yet replaced is, surprisingly, not a result of last night. There are currently two Shitennou missing, but they're ones Naru is used to not seeing -- the mythical Jadeite, and the rarely-present Zoisite.<br /><br />Notably, the enormous alien plant stalk that had taken up residence not too-too far from here is gone, replaced by a beautiful tree. Additionally, the power is out-- but the elevators and emergency power are running off the expensive highrise's generator, at the moment.<br /><br />Mamoru is leaning on Kunzite on his couch, looking exceptionally drained, unenthusiastically awake, and honestly pretty broody for a guy on heavy-duty painkillers. He's listening to an audiobook, thumb on the pause-button, and he's staring at the wall. His pajamas are impressively fuzzy.<br /><br />When Naru knocks, it's his voice that calls only loud enough to carry, "It's unlocked."<br /><br />After all-- whoever's out there would have had to have gotten past the concierge and talked them into keying the elevator for the top floor.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Naru is pretty good at getting past the concierge and talking them into keying the elevator for the top floor. Something about being on the 'approved guest list', and even recognized by some of the concierges.<br /><br />Compared to everyone else, Naru looks all the more well slept and awake and generally chipper. There's an edge of concern to her expression, but she's actually slept. More than a little even. Multiple nights in a row. One might even say that her life has been relatively normal for the last few days. Relatively.<br /><br />Naru closes the door behind her, turning towards the sleeping and not-sleeping collection of people in the living room, before her attention goes to all of the ways that the decor has changed in there. She settles her attention upon Kunzite and Mamoru as she moves further in, absently nudging her school bag further up on her shoulder. "Hi."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kunzite's already turned his head to watch the entry, though he's moved as little of the rest of his body as he can get away with. He looks, unsurprisingly, like Kunzite -- well, like Kazuo, jeans and white shirt rather than the uniform. Largely expressionless. Something maybe a little tighter than usual around the eyes. "Good afternoon, Naru." There's a small, brief nod toward the coffee table, which is playing host to an array of conveniences for invalids and, apparently, walk-ins. A pitcher of water and glasses. Small anonymous bottles that contain medications of dubious legality. Fruit. A plate of cookies. It's that the cookies are nearly untouched that's the most ominous, really.

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It's possible that the cookies are sitting there as a pointed reminder of guilt. Makoto did, after all, make them. And they did, after all, nearly get her boyfriend killed. Either way, at the moment they are completely unappetizing, even for those who have anything resembling an appetite at the moment.<br /><br />Mamoru pauses the audiobook and lets the e-reader fall from his hand to the couch next to him, shifting a little bit and with a laborious slowness. "Naru-chan," he says, some of the clouds having lifted immediately on seeing her. "Sorry 'bout the mess. Won't wake Neph; he's sleeping off getting drained. Have some cookies." Please. Please eat them so they stop glaring at me.<br /><br />There are, thankfully, chairs that are not couches.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"It's actually a whole lot less messy than I expected." Naru notes as she just settles on the floor near the coffee table and the couch with Kunzite and Mamoru, utterly unconcerned for the possibility of chairs.<br /><br />She does have an appetite, and not even a hint of guilt on the cookie front, and reaches for one at the offer. Naru glances to Nephrite, considering him a moment. "I've never actually met him while he's been awake." She comments, almost absently and then turns back to the other two as the takes a bite of cookie.<br /><br />"By the feeling in here right now, the two of you looking like you got hit by a brick wall, and Neph sleeping off drain, I'm going to guess more has gone horribly horribly wrong?" Naru prompts as she kneels casually, reaching over to tug her bag over to her side so she can root into it.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Less messy. Kunzite glances at the -- sizable -- missing patch of carpet, but doesn't say a word on that topic. He gestures a little one-handed, instead, on the side Mamoru isn't leaning against. "Flowers," is all he says.<br /><br />He's been painstaking, today, about keeping 'flowers' separate from 'Fiore.'

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"He's a cheerful guy. Also, dating Mako-chan," Mamoru tells Naru, a brief sparkle in his eyes at the last, before guilt consumes it. "Um, and yeah. He got a plan and we backed him on it and he almost died. I mean he didn't so it's okay but Makoto's really mad at us now." A beat. "Really, really, really mad."<br /><br />Hm. Power outage.<br /><br />"Also, Fiore kind of knows where I live now so basically any time you come over be prepared for sudden getaway teleport," he says, and now it's his turn to glance at the missing patch of carpet. At least he's using something closer to full sentences now. Maybe it's because Kunzite's not. Maybe it's because the painkillers kicked in. Maybe it's just because Naru's a very bright and grounding presence in the beleaguered apartment.<br /><br />"I don't suppose you have any scandalous news, do you?"

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Naru winces sympathetically at the 'really really mad' part, especially with the extra 'really' along too. "Not actually dead means that it will be okay in the long term, but that doesn't make her any less mad in the short term, right?" She mmms softly and nods, reaching for another cookie. "Did it work? On any level? The plan, that is. Or just a complete blow out?" She asks with that same note of curiosity, no judgement.<br /><br />"Well that sucks. Although I'm not all that surprised." Naru comments on the notion of Fiore gaining more intel. "Is he getting any traction in fighting whatever is in his head?" More curiosity, just as gently asked.<br /><br />Naru giggles softly at the last question, probably the only one in the apartment capable of giggling at the moment. "I am really not a scandal kinda gal. I keep meeting more people? Most of whom I am pretty sure are .. uh.. special in some way, and they don't know that I can read between the lines on what they're talking about." She considers a moment and then adds. "That's not really a scandal. I did some new drawings for the walls?" She offers that as well. "I had a sense that you might not be ''super'' keen on the vine and foliage motif right now, cause I know I'm not. I've some questions about how far you're willing to let me play."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"The first part, 'trick Fiore,' worked," Kunzite says. "The last part, 'get back still breathing,' worked." Well. They got him to start breathing again, at least. That's close enough. "Whether the 'retrieve information' part worked -- we won't find that out until he's conscious enough to complain." Apparently this is Kunzite's yardstick for Nephrite's coherence. How this matches up with 'cheerful guy' and 'dating Mako-chan' is an excellent question. "I'm not certain Fiore's capable of getting more traction than he has now. But he's been here and left, twice, without making an immediate try to take Mamoru. Either it suits the flower's purposes, or he's had just enough control to switch his priorities for a few seconds. The second isn't as small as you might think."<br /><br />Drawings. Well. The walls are Mamoru's problem.<br /><br />They might be unsettled by vines for a few months, though.

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Apparently Mamoru doesn't want to talk about Fiore anymore; every time 'fight himself free of the Xenian's control' comes up as a topic lately, he finds himself thinking about the incident that resulted in a huge swath of carpet being torn up, and desperately needing to think about literally anything else.<br /><br />Thank god. The walls.<br /><br />Endymion's eyes close briefly as he relaxes again, which hurts a little more before it's better than the tension baseline, and he lets out a little laugh. "I want to see," he says, lopsided smile. "And vines...maybe not for a while in the interest of avoiding giving anyone flashbacks. I love the twining too much to ban them forever, though. As far as how far you can play-- each of the guys' own spaces are up to them, but otherwise-- how free of a hand do you mean? Like I really don't want dinosaurs riding spaceships but..."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I have more questions for you, Kunzite. Later." Naru gestures easily to the slightly less vocal of the pair, but the one who is probably ever so slightly less actively avoiding the hard questions. Say about Fiore. And stuff. Perhaps even things.<br /><br />"Uhhh." Naru quirks her head, holding the cookie and considering that. "No. I can't say I had thought about dinosaurs riding spaceships. I ''had'' thought about a couple of more mixed media." She gestures, using the cookie as a pointer first. "Up in that corner of wall and ceiling, I was thinking of a night sky, with twinkle stars. That you could turn on or off, depending on the mood." She continues her gesturing as she sweeps across. "And then sort of shading that down, into terrain.. well.. hopefully with the different sorts of terrain in each of your palaces. Although I don't know what they all are, but they do all have a very different feel, right?"

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Slightly less vocal becomes distinctly less vocal, at least temporarily. Kunzite keeps a hand where Mamoru can reach it without more than a fingertwitch, if he starts to tire, but ... well. There are some questions that Mamoru avoids. There's an entirely different set that Kunzite avoids. Apparently mixed-media interior decoration is one of them.

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Aaaaa, that sounds awesome! I love the sky," the prince says utterly without reserve, ''sounding'' more or less okay even if he hasn't actually lifted his head the whole time; his hand moves to touch Kunzite's even if he's not borrowing any focus, not borrowing anything. "When I was little, I--"<br /><br />He pauses, and laughs oddly. "I got glow-in-the-dark star stickers for my bedroom ceiling."<br /><br />That's something he almost wishes Nephrite ''had'' been awake for.<br /><br />"I'm not sure about the palaces, though, I mean-- that is really literally up to the guys. They do have them if they want to go to them, you know? And sometimes-- sometimes just having things normal and modern is, is a very big comfort. And the places are very different, yeah. But they're not all there is. So me, I'm just speaking for the common areas."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"It's less about a faithful reproduction of the palaces, but more a touch of inspired by." Naru explains as she takes a bite of her pointer cookie. She pauses as she chews, a smile lighting her face. "I wanted those stickers, and my mother always said no. I should get them now, just because I can."<br /><br />"I know its just for the common areas, and it's going to be normal and modern, because you have me painting it. Generally, pretty much everything I paint is both normal, and modern." Naru quirks that half smile as she digs in her bag to emerge with her sketchbook.<br /><br />New sketchbook. Barely even beat up yet.<br /><br />"I also considered coming from the night sky into fairly classic Japanese sort of forestry, and then as one moves around the room, visually, it would slowly transition landscapes from foresty to urban and then tie in the urban view from the windows." Naru flips a few pages in her sketchbook, passing pages that look more notes than drawings. "But I decided that was probably too busy visually."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kunzite observes, "What Mamoru is too polite to tell you is that we want to make certain that Nephrite remembers that showers exist. Which he occasionally forgets when he's permitted to retreat to his forest long enough." His eyes flicker to Naru, study her sketchbook for a moment. "You should still see them. After this is over."

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I-- I didn't mean anything weird by not normal or modern," Endymion says, suddenly flustered. "I just meant--" Kunzite to the rescue! The upperclassman calms, letting out a sheepish little laugh. "That. Yes. And you should. And-- and you're the one with the eye for design, but I'd like cityscapes too, I like-- I like everything that's this world."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Naru giggles easily and reaches for a grape from the fruit basket. She is clearly the only one eating, but post-school is hungry time, although it's on a Naru scale of hungry. "You're the one who brought up dinosaurs riding spaceships." She teases gently. "Which has been the least normal suggestion so far."<br /><br />Naru digs out her pencil. The Pencil. A few notes get added to her notebook. "Right, so gentle on the forest to remind Nephrite to shower. Should I paint a waterfall to really reinforce it?" She asks with a laugh and then quirks her head. "Actually.. that would be really pretty awesome too. Not mixed media, or you guys would forever have to go pee."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>She's also clearly the only one post-school. Unless Mamoru's audiobook is a textbook. Which is not altogether impossible. The number of medical absences from this household may wind up getting them a look if they're not careful. Fortunately, they technically have a legal adult in residence.<br /><br />Sort of.<br /><br />He should probably get around to taking care of missing-persons status sooner rather than later, the way things seem to be going.<br /><br />Naru's waterfall suggestion wins a twitch at the corner of Kunzite's mouth. No actual words, but the hint of expression might have been more valuable.

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Not a textbook as such-- required reading-- but listening to something in English that /isn't/ a reality show, even /if/ it's required reading, is actually a break. So it doesn't count as school. Either way, Mamoru laughs a little again. "Ehh. Also running water mixed media around electronics isn't the best plan. But yes, definitely paint a waterfall. And if you want to do every room you do in a different style, that would also be amazing."<br /><br />His eyes are closed, but it's because he's imagining-- or maybe looking. Kunzite would know for sure, given the prince's hand is still over his. The likelihood is that he's imagining, since looking right now definitely involves a lot more in the way of pink flowers and screaming planets than is particularly comfortable.<br /><br />"Sometime when everything isn't terrible, I want to show you, Naru-chan. You're so good at translating."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I'd be more concerned about people getting shoved into a fountain and then it splashing.. and yeah. Paint." Naru decides after only a half moment of thinking ''that'' notion through just a little bit further. "Totally paint."<br /><br />Naru mmms softly. "Like different art style, or different subject sort of style? I'm not really sure I'm good enough to bring a whole lot of different art styles into play here. I mean.." Naru looks down at her notebook, flipping through a few pages. "My realism is getting better, I do want to do most of it that way. I.. the silly little chibi doodles are fun, but not really mural stuff." She doesnt mention any other art styles, per se.<br /><br />"Translating?" Naru quirks her head, curious. "I.. my english kinda sucks." She chews her bottom lip a little. "And this isn't supposed to be a cruel comment, but it's kinda an obnoxious one.. especially right now.. but is there ever actually time when it isn't terrible? I mean. It kinda seems like you guys bounce from one crisis to the next without having time to breathe. Which has to ''suck''"

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Translating an idea or a feeling or an essence into art." Kunzite fills in that particular blank for Mamoru, though the style question is beyond him. "And - mn. I have something under three months' worth of experience to draw one; but those three months included weeks when our primary concern was construction and house repair. Surely that counts." Well. Not in Zoisite's opinion, but.

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"That," Mamoru says again, after Kunzite translates his comment about translating. "So if I show you what I see, maybe it'll be something you'll want to paint. It's just not nice right now. And not something I'll want to see again, even in paintings. But later."<br /><br />Then the second part, really, and the boy actually lifts his heavy hand to rub lightly at his eyes. "We do get brief breaks. It's just that a lot of us are still messed up. Um, all of us actually. So it's not really enough time to build cope... but, Naru-chan-- you need to know something important."<br /><br />Endymion drops his hand, and his face is really gently wry. "It seems like that, I know. But what things were like before--? Of course I'd rather the terrible parts didn't happen. And of course I'd rather there weren't terrible things happening now. But if it's a choice between horror in the past and horror now and in the future, and going back to what things were like a year ago--? I'll take the horror. Every time. Things are-- everything is so much better ''now'' than it ''was''. Before I met Usa. Before I made all the friends I have. Before I got my Shitennou back. Before I understood who I was, and got my memories back. I didn't even believe I was real. So maybe it's selfish of me, to admit I would rather have all this suffering for so many people than be alone and lost? But it's why I can't see it as so horrible, so impossible to bear."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There is a quiet Naru for a few moments at the notion that she's good at translating non-tangibles into art, her expression unreadable and thoughtful.<br /><br />The quiet Naru doesn't stop for the explination from Endy, she's almost as thoughtful through it as she was at the notion of translation and emotions into paint. She's even quiet for a few moments after, gathering up her thoughts.<br /><br />"Weeks are a start." Naru nods to Kunzite at his perspective, glancing to him first before her attention settles upon Endymion and she watches him. A tiny smile, quiet and gentle, and understanding. "It's worth it, in the big picture, I understand that. I get to worry about you all, and distract you with doodles and twinkle lights, and paint, but I gained a huge extended family, and its even more so for you guys, and no, there's no going back and I wouldnt want to either, although as the one with the doodles and twinkle lights and paint, its easy for me to say. Weeks are a start. I can't imagine you guys not doing everything you do, but I also get to worry that you never have time to heal, not just physically." She quirks a brighter smile, a touch more teasing. "It's a little sister's perogative to worry about you all, and be the lazy one."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kunzite, unsurprisingly, is quiet and nearly expressionless. Nearly. There's just a hint of a familiar shading in his expression. Something like what Naru's seen on the occasional exchange student. Someone with a partial and limited understanding of the formalities of a language, trying to keep up with some little shred of understanding when faced with that language as a complex and living thing, with its own culture, with rules and usages that render those formalities utterly outdated, with idioms changing as fast as they're learned. As if the two of them were literally speaking a foreign language.

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>From where he is, Endymion can't see Kunzite's face-- but his hand's still over his guardian's. This may explain why the high-schooler's face gets a long-suffering expression, briefly, somewhere in the middle of what Naru's saying. Then he just gives her a helplessly apologetic look. "It definitely is. Sorry about making you worry." Then he takes a breath, closing his eyes, and it's a deep breath, and the whole next bit comes out in one long run-on, "If you want to ask Kunzite your questions go ahead because also sorry I just lost steam so I'm going to sleep and it's okay if you talk too tired to need quiet."<br /><br />With the massive ''amount'' of energy expenditure lately, on top of the physical and emotional exhaustion, and on top of his own source of power being actively forcibly depleted more and more every day, it's... it probably shouldn't be altogether surprising. Also, people being pillows is about the least troubling contact he can stand right now, so it also shouldn't be too surprising that Mamoru doesn't actually ask Kunzite to put him to bed or anything. Just literally falls asleep right there.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"No sorry required." Naru shakes her head at that, and the longsuffering look. "It's the only job I've got, so you don't get to steal it away from me. Well that and distractions and twinkle lights." She smiles a touch as he rambles pre-crashing. "Good night, Endy. Sleep well."<br /><br />Naru turns her attention to Kunzite as Endy throws him under the Naru question bus. "Do you actually want questions, or do you want to nap as well? Or just not think about it all for a few more minutes."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Having a Mamoru asleep against him does not seem to trouble Kunzite any more than having a Mamoru merely leaning on him did, except that he shifts slightly to make sure that there's no point of contact that involves bone jutting directly into bone.<br /><br />"I won't sleep until after Jadeite and Zoisite are here," Kunzite replies to Naru. Whether there's ever a time when he doesn't think about it is left for her to guess about. "If you have questions, ask."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I.. er." Naru flips through her sketchbook towards the back. "I have a list." She admits, a touch sheepish about it. "I almost just tacked it to your door, that was the plan if you weren't here." She looks down at the list, reading it over again and then back up at him. "Although now the list just kinda seems dumb, cause .. well.. not entirely."<br /><br />Naru makes a note of her own on the page with the list and then looks up again. "Based on the fact that people dance around telling me anything until they figure out if I already know or not, I'm going to guess that having my notes just written in my sketchbook, would be bad if it got stolen. Any thoughts? And. Well. You guys.. like.. the guys.. seem to have some sort of communcation between you all. The girls, well.. don't. That seems really really tactically awful, and I love Usagi a lot, but she doesn't seem to realize that."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tacked it to his door. There's a twitch of an eyebrow, that probably means that he's considering whether corkboard will be more useful or more of a temptation. But never mind; the door itself will eventually be enough of a temptation. Alas.<br /><br />"Notes written in your sketchbook are available to anyone who reads your sketchbook," Kunzite replies to Naru. "Melanite, say. Fiore. Riventon, particularly, though it's not so likely you'd come to his attention -- he's interested in information by whatever means he can get it, but he focuses on his experiments. I don't know what suits you best, whether it's figuring out some way to encode mnemonics into your art, or whether it's simply learning to memorize details quickly." As if both of these things are perfectly ordinary conversational topics.<br /><br />Communication is another matter. "We're not perfect on the subject, either," Kunzite admits. "Intentionally so, to a degree. There are ways in which it's more important that we learn to deal with other people than that we're always up to date. But we live in the same place for a reason; we're in regular contact whether we like it or not, and that facilitates passing information. But the girls --"<br /><br />And that's where he hesitates.<br /><br />"Tsukino-san is their heart, always," he says, finally. "But tactics were never something she had to be concerned with. She doesn't know what her people need to function as a unit, and she's not temperamentally suited for making sure they have it. That's someone else's job, and that someone else is ... still recovering. Mercury is -- also still recovering, in her way. She's making progress; we talked two nights ago about getting her assistance, so that she isn't trying to deal with every problem alone. The Senshi are strong enough that they can overcome those disadvantages. But you're correct in thinking that they'd be stronger still if they didn't have them to overcome."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Naru resettles from kneeling to cross-legged on the floor, her attention upon Kunzite and she nods in agreement about the reality of people reading her sketchbook. She's not put off by the matter of factness of Kunzite's tone, nor the pragmatic notions.<br /><br />"I'm not sure I trust my own memory entirely to simply memorize details, especially as they're becoming fairly diverse and I haven't entirely put all the tidbits together yet. And everytime I get mind controlled, or thrown into mirrors, my head gets a little weird anyhow. I will need to work out how to encrypt them properly, or encode them." She mmms softly, making another note to herself, no matter that the notes are currently entirely insecure.<br /><br />"Wait.. Riventon?" Naru picks up on the new name in the mix of people. "I don't know that name. Who is he?"<br /><br />"It goes back to those back to back crisises where you guys, and especially the girls I thik, don't get a moment to catch their breaths before there's something new going wrong." Naru comments. "It feels like people are getting isolated, not on purpose, but just because they're tired, and taking a moment to breathe, and then something new happens."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kunzite, in turn, does not regard 'every time I get mind controlled' as an unusual statement. For Naru, it's been a valid concern the last few months.<br /><br />"Riventon is a scientist," he says. "Unfortunately, he is a scientist whose primary field of study is dark energy. Whatever his initial motives or ideals were, he now uses human beings as involuntary research subjects. By using experimental equipment on entire wards, for instance. I've run into him twice; Endymion somewhat more."<br /><br />Naru's explanation of what might be happening to information flow wins her a nod of Kunzite's head. "That's possible," he says. Nothing more than that. Maybe he doesn't think it's his place to say more than he has about the Senshi. Maybe he thinks of 'taking a moment to breathe' as a logical possibility he's not entirely familiar with. Maybe something else.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"How is Riventon connected with you guys?" Naru asks, likely to add to the notes in her book, which highlights a whole new layer of encryption requirement. "Or is it just that he's a currently known threat, to add to the list. Is he likely to pull a Fiore and add me to his list?"<br /><br />Naru chews her bottom lip a little. "I don't know how to approach Usagi and offer to help communication. Or if it would just offend all of the senshi and I should stick to twinkle lights and paint."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Currently known threat," Kunzite replies. "I don't know whether he has any present personal animosity sufficient to make him target any of us; I suspect he'd need either that or scientific curiosity to add you to his list. Still. I've only encountered him twice. Not much actual information to go on.<br /><br />He studies Naru for a moment longer, after that, and then says, "I mentioned that I spoke with Mercury two days ago. I mentioned your name as someone who might be able to offer assistance. She's still ashamed what happened with the chocolates; she may put off talking to you if she can. But she's their lady of information. It might be best to talk with her."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Naru nods at the information about Riventon, making another note. "So. In my list of currently known threats, you've got Fiore as primary and huge and giant. Riventon is a lessor issue. Is Melanite active at the moment, or did you just include her for completeness sake on people likely to read my sketchbook."<br /><br />There's a little mmm and a nod from Naru. "I don't know if she'll accept my help, but I'd hoped to chat with her regardless, so now I'll have something else to add to that conversation." She is quiet a moment. "If I asked how you really are, you wouldn't answer me honestly, would you?"

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I included Melanite on the list because she had access to anything you were carrying at the time. So far as I can tell, she's dead." That's said in that same matter-of-fact tone, as if it held neither less nor more importance than explaining why painting part of the place in redwoods might be not the best of plans.<br /><br />The last question wins Naru ... not quite a change of expression. Kunzite's eyes narrow, and there's a shift somewhere that turns things chill. But he glances away a moment after, and by the time he looks back to Naru again, it's back to what passes for normal with him. "I have no present reason to lie to you," he answers. "I'm intact. I haven't suffered significant injury for a month or so, and that's recovered from. I've expended more energy than I prefer to, but I have methods of making up for that while the condition holds, and other methods of regenerating it. Is there something else you're concerned about?"

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"That's handy." Naru comments, and to judge by the movement of her pencil, she is literally crossing something off in her sketchbook.<br /><br />Naru considers that reply. "No. I do not expect that you would lie to me, that is why I pepper you with questions. You answer, even the answers I don't like. I also know you simply do not answer if you don't want to, and that's more what I meant." She seems fairly accepting of the answer. "It often seems that the ones that don't seem like you need to worry so much about, you probably should worry about them too. I gave in to that whisper and asked. I am glad of the answer."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kunzite almost shrugs in answer to Naru. Almost. There's a Mamoru sleeping against him, still, and that halts the answer. "If I broke easily," he says, "or in ways that kept me from doing my job, Endymion's mother would have chosen someone else. The others came later; they could afford to have a little more flexibility."<br /><br />If he's considering what that whisper might say about Naru, who is herself someone who doesn't seem to need to be worried about, he doesn't let it show.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I am not sure I even know where to start encoding my notes." Naru changes the subject fairly abruptly, after a few moments of silence. The sort that is fairly comfortable, all in all.<br /><br />"How closely do you, and it's a more general you than necessarily just /you/, keep track of other weirdness? Like pixies, or fairies, or phantom empire, or witches, or .. well the list is getting long." Naru continues on the question arc, probably with more detail than if Kunzite had just gotten the piece of paper.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Encoding her notes isn't a question. It's something she'll need to figure out. Encoding them so that they aren't obviously encoded will be worse. But none of that is Kunzite's specialty; Zoisite would be better, or Mercury, and she's already likely to talk with Mercury.<br /><br />"Not as closely as I'd like," Kunzite answers. "Tokyo has quite a number of active factions I hadn't been exposed to previously. Pixies, fairies, and phantom empires I'm unfamiliar with. Witches I watch for signs of regularly. I've agreed to help deal with some sort of nightmare creature in the near future, evil alien flowers permitting. At least one kitsune has my phone number. Endymion has quite a number of friends and contacts, and doesn't particularly discriminate based on arcane details."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I haven't been exposed to any of them previously." Naru points out with a little half smile. "There's a lot of new, all at once, and honestly, it all feels about the same sort of level of weird, so I'm not always sure what you guys focus on what you don't." She blinks a moment at the mention of kitsune and that prompts another little note in a different spot on the page. She mmms softly and nods. "I rarely know the arcane details, and often no one knows that I might be interested in the arcane details, which makes for awkward questions periodically."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"The same level of weird. If you mean the 'distracting to apocalyptic' level, that covers a great deal of ground." Kunzite glances aside at the top of Mamoru's head for a moment; is quiet for a second or two, then continues. "If we don't try to track what we learn about, though, we can't build an accurate picture of what's going on. Of who's likely to be on which side of a given problem, or who's likely to care about it at all. Of what's a threat that needs specialist attention, as opposed to a threat that unrelated parties can take care of, or a threat that everyone should be made aware of. Information matters."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I've a different perspective, remember?" Naru points out gently. "To me, with the information I have to work with, there was not a lot of distinction between the two different Friday attacks. Both wished to remove me. One was Phantom Empire, one was Fiore. I know now that one was opportunistic, and one was planned. I know now that one threatens everyone I love, and one continues to be opportunistic, I think. I also don't know much about the Phanom Empire, the girl I was chatting with was fairly new to her powers. There's a bit of a sigh. "I really missed your kind of answers, Kunzite."<br /><br />"Still. Information does matter." Naru agrees and then there's another of those smiles. "And it's really /interesting/."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It's not actually a contradiction -- Naru's perspective is from someone just beginning to collect information; Kunzite's from someone who has a solid base in one area, but is entirely missing others. They're at different points along the curve. But they're both aware that advancing along the curve is important.<br /><br />"This would have been the --" The name escapes him for a moment. "The Pretty Cure, that you were talking with?" He shakes his head, just slightly, not enough to disturb Mamoru. "You might know more about them than I do, now. I hadn't heard the term -- no. No, wait."<br /><br />This time, when Kunzite's eyes narrow and grow distant, there's no subliminal sense of threat.<br /><br />"Queen Mirage," he says finally. "That's right. Queen Mirage of the Phantom Empire. She and Beryl had ... something slightly more than a nonaggression agreement, something considerably less than an alliance of convenience. Interests in common, might be a better phrase. Once in a great while we'd do them a small favor, or they'd feed us a scrap of information. I don't know much more than that."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It might even be argued that they are on different curves entirely. Naru writes a few more things in her sketchbook and nods. "Yes, the Pretty Cure. I didn't know about Queen Mirage, that's rather interesting."<br /><br />"I'm not sure I know more about them than you do, but I do know different things. Some of which is relevant, and a lot of which is not." Naru has a little smile. "The fact that those attacks are startling but not actually painful, as I spend them unconscious is something you would never know. Nor is it especially relevant."<br /><br />"Is it totally a faux pas to ask after people who I don't know how they fit, if they fit into the general groups I'm starting to see emerge?" Naru asks, the irony of asking Kunzite about social niceties is not lost upon her.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>As opposed to Fiore's attacks. Fiore's attacks are definitely painful. Not just for Mamoru, or more recently Nephrite...<br /><br />"I don't know." Straightforward answer to Naru's question. "Endymion likely has a better idea; he's dealt with more of them on a social level. My dealing with them on a social level still occasionally ends in someone coming after me with a naginata."<br /><br />It is completely impossible to tell if Kunzite is joking, recounting something that actually happened, or both.<br /><br />"There are always groups who prefer to keep their identities or weaknesses to themselves. And you remain an anomaly; many people won't want to talk around people who don't themselves have magic. But you seem to be getting results so far. Or perhaps Pretty Cures are just talkative. I've only met one that I know of, and we were on opposite sides at the time; there wasn't a great deal of chatter."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Cure Spark is pretty talkative." Naru nods in agreement. "Momo was fairly talkative as well, although odd. A high amount of odd. I couldn't get a read on Maki, although if she wasn't kidding about art magic, I absolutely want to learn more about that." Naru looks rueful. "I think she was joking though, which is too bad. Kukai, also not a great read on, but he was amusing."<br /><br />Naru considers her list a little longer. "I think I might be temporarily out of questions. At least without going into things I suspect you don't know."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I've talked with Momo, largely thanks to your telling us about her. She has reasons to be odd. We've put her sister back in touch with her; we'll see if that helps." Or at least if it gets her the ability to eat more often.<br /><br />Kunzite considers Naru for a moment. "Cure Spark I haven't met, though that was obvious enough. I don't know the name Maki. Kukai. Kukai Souma? Athlete?" With mini-athlete?

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"She's sweet. I liked her." Naru clearly isn't put off by odd. Which is a good thing. "I'd hoped to call her soon, and see if she wanted to do something. I'm glad to hear she's gotten in touch with some family. That's cool."<br /><br />"Yes. That Kukai." Naru nods her agreement on the designation of Athlete for the boy. "We got chatting at the flea market." She pauses a moment. "Is it a problem that I know you, and think of you and refer to you as Kunzite? That's how I always think of you, much as I think of Enymion as .. well.. Endymion."<br /><br />"Maki.. er.. Jiaying Maki. She's at our school, but a grade behind, I think. Also an artist. She had some good ideas for murals." Naru provides Kunzite with more tidbits of info for his spy empire.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"That's situational," Kunzite says to the question. "It's not a problem to me; that's the name I'm familiar with. It is, however, a name that stands out." Since it's not a name that's legal to give a child in Japan, aside from being weird. "So it may draw attention to you that you may not always want."<br /><br />Endymion stirs for a moment, as if all that use of his name were drawing some degree of attention. He doesn't open his eyes, though, or show any sign of coming to consciousness. Instead, he shifts position a little -- Kunzite glances down at him -- then a little more, at which point Kunzite carefully withdraws the hand he'd had in contact, pulling it back and out of the way.<br /><br />Which is probably a good thing, since it keeps it from being trapped under the Invalid Prince as the latter slides down to stretch out on the couch, now sprawled across Kunzite's lap rather than propped on his shoulder.<br /><br />Kunzite gives the prince one more glance, this one just barely perceptibly amused, and then returns his attention to Naru. "I should warn you that the Souma boy appears to make flirting something of a hobby. Don't take it too seriously, if he starts. It's good to hear that he's up and around again." Apparently the guys in the apartment are not the only ones who wind up on the injured list.<br /><br />"Jiaying Maki," Kunzite repeats then. "Art magic. That's an interesting idea, yes. I trust you'll warn us in advance if you decide to employ any on the murals in here." Probably teasing? ... ''probably'' teasing.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Sometimes, I use it because it stands out. It helps connect me with you, and Endymion, and Moon, and so on, rather than necessarily just with Mamoru and Usagi, as mundane.. which sometimes is relevant. And sometimes I simply forget." Naru admits with a touch of sheepish.<br /><br />There's a few moments of quiet as Endymion resettles to a different, possibly more comfortable position to sleep in.<br /><br />"It seemed pretty harmless, and there was a moment where I thought he was going to bring up a girlfriend, or boyfriend, which makes it seem even more harmless. I think I'm pretty much immune to flirting." Naru considers that only a moment before she nods. "He did mention getting exploded, and spending some time in the hospital. He sounds like he's fairly well healed again, he got back on one of the sports teams just this week."<br /><br />Naru giggles softly at the request to warn them in advance. "I have no plans to stop being boring and normal anytime soon, so you should be safe."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Definitely more comfortable. It was probably a princeling's trying to avoid a developing crick in his neck.<br /><br />"Now and then, we should probably try harder to connect with the mundane ourselves." Difficult, when they're generally avoiding the hell out of uncovering their modern lives. Kunzite isn't exactly setting an example himself in that regard. "As long as you're reasonably careful not to tell, say, Riventon where we live by accident, I have no complaints."<br /><br />Girlfriend? Boyfriend? Only one? Kunzite's mild surprise might be perceptible, by now. "I somehow don't think that, say, Kukai intended to stop being boring and normal either. Other than in sports."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"They're more likely to find my house via me than yours. I don't visit all /that/ often." Naru muses on passing out info by accident. "And that's if they follow me home. Which I think I'd notice, but not necessarily."<br /><br />Naru mmms softly, a touch of a frown hitting her brow. "It's not always a choice?" That is something she hadn't entirely considered.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Mamoru and Usagi," there's the briefest of pauses before Usagi's name, "certainly didn't choose to have had previous lives." Kunzite pauses for a moment. "Kukai's people have their own method, but it seems to be something that happens to them rather than something they choose. I'm not sure about Device users -- there seems to be an inborn element, but the Device is external, and can apparently be abandoned."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I suppose they didn't, but they also both already know." Naru considers. "And Endy's guardians and Usa's senshi already know, that's all be settled." She frowns a little. "I might yet get surprised, I suppose, but I think for the time being, I'm going to run with the assumption that I won't suddenly wake up with powers."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There's just the faintest glint in Kunzite's eyes, the continuing hint of amusement. "Not so long ago, they didn't know. I didn't know till I was nineteen. But it's a reasonably safe assumption to make, yes. No harm done. And if it happens otherwise, you have people to call."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"If I wake up with powers.." Naru leaves that hanging, shaking her head as she tucks her sketchbook into her bag. Its as safe there as anywhere, for the moment. "I should probably get to homework."<br /><br />And some research into encryption.
}}