View source for 3479/Conductors and Insulators

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2018/10/23
|Location=Pikarigaoka - Clover Street - South
|Synopsis=Lacrima relates the results of studying sand from a potentially evil sand creature of a type that seems to prefer hunting Kokoro. Over fast food rice bowls.
|Cast of Characters=160,200
|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima calls Kokoro to meet her at a fast food restaurant that specializes in rice bowls. She's in a way too fancy business suit as she has her hands folded over on her lap. There's a rice bowl, filled with white rice that is topped with shrimp and vegetables and some sort of savory sauce.<br /><br />There's chopsticks crossed in front of the bowl, and she's merely staring down at the palm of her left hand into Paige's palm-based gem. She's reviewing the data again just to be sure on a few things, as she waits for Kokoro to arrive. There's a similar bowl waiting for her on her side of the table. It's filled with similar things, but beef instead of shrimp mainly.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It doesn't take Kokoro long to find the place, the reason for which becomes evident when the tall girl walks in the door - one of the workers at the counter gives a cheerful wave and calls out, "Welcome back~! Someone else has your tab today, Akakuma-san." Kokoro replies to them with a light nod, then sweeps her gaze around the restaurant until she spots... oh wow, is that Norie? That's Norie. "Yo," she greets, heading over to slide into place. It's probably a bit weird seeing her in her school uniform. She tries not to wear it around much.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima looks up and nods. She looks at Kokoro in her school uniform. Yeah, not used to that. She sighs a bit. "Hello, Kokoro-chan." she says softly. "First. Thank you for your help on the 13th." she says quietly. "I know it wasn't the party everyone was expecting." she says quietly. "Secondly..." she raises her left arm, motioning to the odd, fingerless glove, with a sleeve that runs down to halfway down her arms. "This is Paige. He's my Intelligent Device. Like Rashmi-chan's." she says. "Just mine is a glove." she says as she lowers it. Paige isn't gonna spout 'hello!' in a crowded place like a fast food restaurant.<br /><br />She grabs her chopsticks. "Sorry, I didn't know what to get you, but it was suggested beef by the workers up there. Figured better to have food waiting for you." she says.<br /><br />She does smile, just a moment. "Right. I apologize it's taken so long on my study of the sand from that beast, but my lab was moved out from under me due to overzealousness so I had to use other machines to analyze. I also got a 'work promotion' so yeah." she says.<br /><br />"Anyways." she says. "Want to hear the run down of what I learned?" she asks.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kokoro's response regarding the 13th is a simple, "Yeah." She doesn't need to say much more; she doesn't make friends easily, but when she does, it's a safe bet that anyone messing with their birthday is gonna have a bad time, free of charge. On the other hand, mention of another Intelligent Device draws her attention. Kokoro glances down at it, then up at Lacrima, then back down at the device...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yo."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then, the taller girl is eating. She's a couple mouthfuls in before Lacrima can even apologize, and the look in that one uncovered brown eye says it all - 'What is there to apologize for? It's food.' So she keeps right on shoveling. "Mm," she agrees simply, giving a small nod. Go right ahead.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima is eating and talks in between bites. "First, it's sand." a pause. "Yes, I know. Duh. But that's important that we know it's sand and not something merely taking a sand-like form." she asides as she takes a deep breath. "It is-- err. Well ''was'' charged with a magical charge of what you might call 'Elemental Energy', specifically rock, stone, earth." not 'Earth' with a capital E. "Things like that. It dissipated from the sample- so it's basically just like playground sand now."<br /><br />"I can't quite source the sand. It doesn't match anything in Tokyo, or places you imagine that it might-- various famous desserts, etc. It's magical signature was odd." a pause.<br /><br />"There was something else there too, but that faded within a few hours of my study, though this one is a little more... erm... concerning..." she says.<br /><br />"That was- there was something... odd. Like. A contagion there. But it faded. I'm not sure if it actually ''is'' 'a contagion'- but I know it wasn't 'earth elemental'. I'm pretty sure it's what was making Donkey Kong there quiet like a mouse despite being gargantuan." she says.<br /><br />"I can make some guesses as to what these things are and what they're doing but that's it." she says. "-and I'd probably be wrong, too." she offers. "But given the presence of certain energies here- it makes the most logical sense."

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kokoro listens as she shovels, taking in each word with a surprisingly intense focus for someone packing away food soe quickly. Processing what she's being told, turning it over; if there were any lingering concern that the thundergirl might just be a big dumb musclehead, this probably banishes it. She has her areas of expertise, sure, but give her information in a format she can understand, and she can analyze it pretty well, if from no other angle than the tactical one.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"So it's some kinda magical sand creature, probably not from Earth," Kokoro summarizes, setting down her chopsticks. "And it had whatever that... 'quietness contagion' is. I think maybe I can assume the other one had it too. And both of 'em that we've found, they came looking for me." She mulls this over for a moment or two. "...You heard any rumors of more, by any chance? Random attacks by silent sand monsters? Or just the two?"

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima shakes her head. "Just the two." she says. "My guess... is that. This may be some sort of... elemental conflict? I mean. It's no surprise to me that--" she says. "--the horrible, potentially elemental earth sand creature immediately seeks out the girl potentially filled with elemental lightning." she says.<br /><br />"But more importantly, they're ''seeking'' you out. Because if these things we're just attracted to that, I'm sure Sailor Jupiter would be punching these things regularly." she snorts.<br /><br />A pause. "Wait. Maybe she is? I need to find her and ask her." she says. She taps her bottom lip.<br /><br />"I need to talk to her about other things as it is." she says. She continues eating quietly. She brushes a hand up along her face. "If I can get another sample, I can start to see if there's things in common. Things I could 'scan' for or 'sense'. Right now I could do that, but if these things aren't the same, it won't matter." she says gently.<br /><br />"Maybe find out where these things are originating from."<br /><br />She nods. "And- yes. A good chance these things are either alien or extra-planar." she offers.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Lemme know what she says," Kokoro says, though it's more of a formality at this point. By now, she's pretty sure herself that these things are targeting ''her''. They're just not showing up very often. In fact...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You know, I never saw one at all 'til I came back to Tokyo. That night I found the hammer, that was the ruins of my parents' home. Legally I'm gonna own that lot once I'm old enough, but it ain't like I got a lot to do with it." She frowns, one hand absently going up to the necklace she keeps the shrunken hammer on. "...keep wonderin' if maybe that's why. Keep thinkin' 'bout something I said back during that... that thing Earth did." At this point, she's slipped back into her more natural 'rough' speech, without even realizing it. "Couple things. 'Thundersmiths' and 'Storm General Elysia'. Feel like most of it meant somethin', but I can't remember what 'Alma' knew. But 'Elysia'..."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Faint frown. "...that was my mom's name. That, I ''know''. Akakuma Elysia. Gotta be connected to these things somehow. Wish I knew ''how''."

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima thinks on this. "I'll keep my ears open for names like that." she says. She nods a little. "Well, why not build a new house...?" she asks softly. She shrugs. "I'm sure you'll figure something out." she says quietly. "I mean it isn't.. my place to really tell you what to do with it." she says softly. "Just.. suggesting.. I guess."<br /><br />She fidgets, she's getting off track. "...You mean... the ball..." she fidgets uncomfortably. "I don't like thinking about that. I hate analyzing it. Because there's truths in the fakery." she says quietly.<br /><br />She shifts and stuffs her face. "I wish I had more to tell you." she says gently. "I'm glad I have like... memories of the asshole who had this power before to give me answers here or there most of the time." she says gently. "-but I feel bad others don't have the same ability." she offers.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yeah, well..." Kokoro trails off, not sure how to finish that sentence for a moment or two. Thinking about it seems to be souring her mood quickly. "...Guess I gotta settle for 'truths in the fakery'. I ain't got nothing else. Just memories of seein' my mom's face, dad's face, memories of runnin' around... then lots of scary noise, and bein' real frightened, and dad carryin' me away, and-" Tch. She's getting carried away metaphorically; she stops herself short. "...now all I got's a pile of shattered, rotted wood, and a hammer that makes my hair stand on end, my body sweat lightning and my muscles strong enough to flip cars."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally, Kokoro utters an irritated grunt, and starts back in on her food. It's clearly still bothering her, but she's trying to push past. "...there's gotta be somethin'." Pause. Oh, she's doing it again. "...There has to be something. All this other magic stuff, it's all over the place. No way all that's left of... wherever I come from, or wherever mom came from, or whatever, is just me, a hammer and a couple sand monsters. We just have to keep looking."

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima nods. "Like I said, I can only make guesses, assumptions and I'd probably be wrong. But it sounds like.. like...." she furrows her brow. She shakes her head. "Remember when we first spoke back and forth?" she asks. "We talked about the potential of an alien origin or a magical origin? Maybe your mom or your dad or maybe both we're refugees from some sort of war with these creatures or whoever is sending these things out?" she asks.<br /><br />"Maybe you touching the hammer pendant was kind of like activating a homing beacon of 'Hey, I'm here afterall, gotta come get me'?" she asks. She looks down. She's about done her bowl. She places her chopsticks down.<br /><br />"If.. another pops up. Text me. Even if I get there late I can still get another sample." she looks back up. "-and with Paige I can do some of that on site now before things like that contagion energy dissipates, if it's there again." she says.<br /><br />"These things seem to generate a feeling of dread and silence, right? So I'm betting that it's a good way to determine if there's one coming up on you, right?" she says.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kokoro shakes her head faintly. "That's backwards, though. It was already chasing me when I found the hammer. I was in the neighborhood for a walk to clear my head, that thing showed up and came after me. I ran to the only part of the area I knew at all, went to hide in the wreck while everyone else fought the thing, and that's where I found the hammer. It was full size at the time, didn't shrink down until I wanted it to, later that night."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dread and silence? Kokoro thinks. "...maybe, I dunno. I didn't notice much of that, but I did have a feeling like something was hunting me. The little noises, the sense of something moving when you're not looking. I always had good instincts, I guess. I'll let you know if another one shows up, though."

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima frowns. "That's.... that's a little ''more'' concerning because it means someone or something knows ''you'' exist and they don't ''want'' you to exist." she says softly. "Before you even obtained things to protect yourself." she rubs a hand up her face. "I..." she says. She shakes her head, no need to worry Kokoro.<br /><br />"Yeah. That instinct, that feeling. Yeah. I makes you feel odd." she says. "You're not the only one feeling that around those things." she says. She fidgets. She keeps fidgeting. She taps taps Paige and it turns back into it's bracelet form. "I should go now." a pause. "Er, not you just. Thinking too much. Making me uncomfortable about things." she says quietly. "Do you need anything else from here before I go?" she asks softly. "I mean. The restaurant." she asks. "Another bowl or...?" she asks.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kokoro muses on that. "...I don't think it was the monsters, just..." She shakes her head. "I dunno. I'm good at noticing people sneaking up on me, too. Hard to explain." But having her attention at least ''partially'' redirected from the subject of her past, does a lot to re-establish Kokoro's appetite, and now she's shoveling about like she was before. Which, of course, means that it's just about gone. Blink, blink blink. Oh right, that stuff's finite.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After a moment's consideration, Kokoro shakes her head. "I still got dinner tonight. I oughta keep some room."
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