View source for 664/Cloak and Hat

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/12/03
|Location=The Observatory
|Synopsis=Minori and Mercury meet Tadase and Asclepius to get their help with the orphanage trap.
|Cast of Characters=38, 54, 62, 116
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:38|Minori Hino (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Daisuke and Tadase both got a text from Mamoru Chiba earlier, asking them to meet in the Observatory.<br /><br />It's a bit later in the afternoon, now, exactly the time Chiba specified he'd be there; he's not there waiting for them.<br /><br />He also told Virtue he'd be going off-radar, and that his apartment was unsafe and compromised.<br /><br />A minute ticks by, and then another.<br /><br />Finally, a middle-school girl in a Seishou uniform comes running in, long black hair flying behind her, then skids to a halt inside; she pushes her glasses up on her face and glances around the inside of the place, then back out the door.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase Hotori is already in the observatory, waiting, with a book in his hands. Kiseki is curled up on his shoulder, sleeping under his cape - and when the girl comes running in, Kiseki is startled, flails, falls off Tadase's shoulder, and nearly hits the ground before he remembers that he flies. He quietly flies back up to Tadase's shoulder as Tadase stands and turns around.<br /><br />"Hello miss... can I help you?" Tadase asks. He's not expecting a random Seishou student to run into the observatory - but the place does have a strange way of being found by people who are lost, so his question doesn't seem unfounded at all.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:116|Asclepius (116)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Asclepius is politely standing in his 'Asclepius' mode, opposite of Tadase and politely keeping his staff in front of him as he grips it with a hand and another gripping his wrist. Chiba-san is late. That seems... not like that is usually a thing.<br /><br />Oh---crap that's someone that isn't Chiba...<br /><br />And he's in this getup.<br /><br />Um... maybe. He's practicing. For a thing.<br /><br />Oh. Well. Tadase seems to have this, still, he approaches.<br /><br />He looks past the girl to the door then back. "Is everything okay?" he asks politely.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Sailor Mercury (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Only a few seconds after the black-haired girl enters the observatory, Sailor Mercury steps inside as well. She glances over her shoulder one last time, then closes the door and looks to Asclepius and Tadase.<br /><br />"Probably better keep it on," she notes, uncertainly. "Not many windows here, but if you get in the habit of changing back when you think no one's looking ..." she trails off. Well, he knows.<br /><br />Clearing her throat, Sailor Mercury says, "Hello, Hotori-san, Asclepius."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Minori Hino (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Ah-- no, Tadase-kun--" the girl says distractedly, holding up a hand, and then Mercury's coming in behind her as Asclepius is asking if everything's okay. She keeps her hand up until Mercury's closed the door, then nods firmly to Mercury. "I'm in the habit of keeping it on as long as possible. It wears off sometime while I'm sleeping, I'm not sure if it's being asleep that triggers it or if it's a twenty-four-hour thing, I haven't really had the opportunity to check," she explains to the blue-haired Senshi.<br /><br />Then she looks to Tadase and Asclepius--<br /><br />Those are really very very familiar eyes: the same blue as the oceans of this planet, seen from space; sharp and uncannily perceptive, belonging to an old soul. That's a very familiar stance: confident and self-possessed, a bearing almost regal without even trying.<br /><br />It's just... she's a girl, and she's fourteen and all of five feet tall.<br /><br />"Gentlemen, thank you for coming. I'd like to fill you in on the current difficulty myself and the Senshi are facing, because we're going to need your help dealing with it, but I'd rather it didn't turn into a free-for-all, and I'd really rather my upbringing doesn't become common knowledge," the girl says gravely, walking forward and taking a seat, smoothing her skirt beneath her as she does so.<br /><br />A beat. "Yes, this ''is'' a magical disguise. I wasn't kidding about going off-radar."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:116|Asclepius (116)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Asclepius listens, nodding. Mhmmmm. mhmmmm Mhmmmm--- wait a moment.<br /><br />"...oh...."<br /><br />Flash of proper recognition.<br /><br />"OH!"<br /><br />"What..." he says. "What has you so spooked as to go this far though?" he asks, not using a name-- what does he even call Chiba-san right now!? Ugh. Though it sounds like Mamo--- Minori is going to tell them. He frowns.<br /><br />He bows over to Mercury and stands for now, as he has no problem doing so.<br /><br />He frowns and merely seems ready to listening.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase Hotori is politely nodding, keeping all of his emotional opinions of this to himself. Kiseki, however... is not. He is visually very shocked and he's juuust about to point and say something inappropriate when Tadase grabs him and puts both hands over his mouth, pulling him away. Then Tadase coughs. "That's... a very effective disguise, Mamoru-sempai. What should I... refer to you as?" he asks.<br /><br />Then he settles himself andf gets down to business. "I'm happy to help with anything I can, if you tell me the details. So I guess you want my help, specifically, rather than just Virtue's help? That's how it sounds. Unless I'm being presumptuous." Tadase says all of this while holding Kiseki back still.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Sailor Mercury (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Not that," Mercury is very quicky to say, pointing a finger in Tadase's direction, then hastily dropping it. "Hotori-san, Asclepius, may I introduce to you Minori Hino," she motions towards Minori. "She is a cousin of Rei Hino, and is in from out of town for the next few weeks. I believe she would also be an asset for Virtue, especially while Mamoru Chiba is sick with mononeucleosis."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Minori Hino (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Minori bows very slightly at the introduction; it's hardly more than a slow nod with a hesitation at the nadir. Then she glances up at Mercury. "Hardly an asset. This is not a combat transformation, and I should not be identified as magical, even to Virtue as a whole." Her attention turns back to the boys, and she clarifies, "In the know is acceptable. There are very few people I'm comfortable with even knowing about this, because the more people who know, the less safe the secret is."<br /><br />She folds her hands in her lap, glances down at them for a second as she narrowly avoids clenching them, then looks back up, expression steady. "The Dark Kingdom has been targeting Chiba Mamoru in specific for what I've come to understand is months now. Recently, they somehow discovered that he and Tuxedo Kamen are the same individual. I don't know how. I found out that they knew because Kunzite -- who's probably their most powerful leader aside from their queen -- directly threatened the orphanage in which I was raised the last time we interacted. Mercury was there. I was Kamen at the time. I regularly visit-- every other week-- to basically teach a class. The amount of surveillance I've apparently been under means they also undoubtedly know that schedule."<br /><br />Her voice has been calm and even throughout this, her gaze steady. But now her knuckles are white, and behind the glasses... there's such a mixture of fury and helpless fear, it's a wonder her face hasn't changed. "It's a trap. For me. If I don't go, then it'll be sprung when we're not prepared for it. So I'm going to have to go. But I am hoping to prepare for it with more resources than they're expecting. Does that make sense?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase nods a bit. "Secret's safe with me, Minori-sempai." he says with only a small smile, and not a hostile or joking one.<br /><br />And when 'Minori' explains what's going on, well... Tadase may not be an orphan - but you don't have to be one to get the feeling that targeting an oprhange is incredibly wrong. But he's also logical at moments like this. "Well... that means we need to be very careful. Not just for them, but for you. They want you badly enough to devote a considerable amount of resources to this, it sounds like - enough to know you in uncomfortable detail." he says, laying it on the table bluntly. "So this probably is a trap to get whatever it is they want out of you, and possibly get rid of their enemies at the same time. But at the same time, we all know that you can't just avoid it."<br /><br />"I can't avoid it either, now that I know. So sure, if we have to walk into a trap and fight our way out? I'm onboard for that. They're not going to hurt anyone there, and I'm not going to let them get whatever they want from you, either."<br /><br />Kiseki folds his arms as he floats. "That's right. A King has to protect his subjects." Apparently, he calmed down enough Tadase let him free again.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:116|Asclepius (116)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Asclepius frowns. "The Dark Kingdom again...." he mutters. "Still don't know why that name makes me wretch inside." he says as he finally sits down. "..Do you know why they've been targeting Chiba?" he asks.<br /><br />Oh, then Kunzite is going to threaten an orphanage. That hand suddenly tightens on his staff a lot harder. It makes his knuckles white.<br /><br />"That's..."<br /><br />"Just tell me what you need me to do. Don't ask, just tell." he finally says. "I can think of a lot of ways to place myself there that are all valid right now, most likely through one of my charity contacts." he mutters.<br /><br />"Regardless. I'm not just going to sit on my hands. Not... with that. Not that." he just says shaking his head.<br /><br />He manages to relax himself. Well. This is entirely unpleasent to hear about.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Sailor Mercury (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sailor Mercury leans up against the wall and crosses her arms. "It's bigger than Minori's explaining," she says faintly. "I have a lot of hypotheses I'm working on right now, and many of them may not pan out, but there are a few which are more and more proving true." She glances between Tadase and Daisuke, then explains, "I think you should both understand what we are really dealing with.<br /><br />"To the best of my knowledge," Mercury continues, "the Dark Kingdom is a remnant of a time we know only as the Silver Millenium. I still know not nearly enough about that time, but what I do know is that we Senshi lived then, as we do now, as guardians of the Moon Princess, and her Kingdom. I don't know how that past came to an end, but I do know ''why'' it did. During that period, the Princess fell in love with the Prince of Earth and despite our better judgement and admonitions, the pair of them continued to see one another."<br /><br />Mercury pauses a moment, considering he words, before she explains, "I have come to believe that Kunzite--along with some others--were advisors to the Prince, but something (or someone) corrupted their intentions and caused them to misunderstand his reliationship with the Princess. As a result, war broke out between the two kingdoms, and the result was total annihilation. Why we have been reborn ''now'', ''here'', I do not know. What I do know is that the someone who corrupted Kunzite and the others is known as Queen Beryl, and recently, she showed her hand. She is here, once again, and I believe she is directing Kunzite's actions." There is a brief pause before Mercury says, "Mamoru Chiba is the Prince of Earth. He died protecting my Princess, at Beryl's hand. We cannot allow history to repeat itself. I am operating under the assumption that we only get a single second chance."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Minori Hino (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Thank you both," Minori says, fractionally relaxing; her hands smooth out her skirt and splay across her knees; she regards them for a moment again before lifting her head once more, posture straight, maintaining as much dignity and pride as she can under the circumstances of asking for help. Kiseki gets a faintly incredulous look, but-- Minori knows full well that the little Guardian Chara has a big mouth and no filters.<br /><br />To Daisuke she says gravely, "I'm going to need your focus to be on the children. The two main types of victimization for Kunzite seem to be energy draining and turning living beings into youmas, and when those youmas are attacked, the hosts retain some of the damage afterwards. They do not remember their ordeals. We're going to need everyone capable of purification concentrating on those types of attacks, and once the youmas revert, they'll need immediate evacuation and medical attention. If it's straight energy-draining, the children will need to be removed so they're not trampled in the battle, but not taken far, because I'm not sure how close they need to be to have their energy return to them instead of dissipating once it's released."<br /><br />She quiets down again once Mercury begins speaking, and ... just closes her eyes, resigned.<br /><br />In the middle of it, when Mercury gets to 'the Princess fell in love', her eyes snap open and she ''moves'', hand reaching up to flip her hair and then flickering back out with a twist; she's abruptly holding a top hat, and in the same motion, tosses it with another flick of her wrist. In an instant, it's settled atop Tadase's head.<br /><br />She doesn't say another word, only returns her attention to Mercury for the rest of the explanation.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase is listening intently, and also trying to process the idea of another time and kingdom away from the world he knows. It's not surprising, given the things he interacts with on a daily basis, but still kind of mind-blowing in its own way. Then, though, some words hit his ears. "PR..." and there's a hat on his head. The hat is a bit big for his head, and it drops down over him for a moment - and much like the bucket, it allows him to get control of himself, so he lifts the tilted, oversized hat up over his eyes with a finger. It's clear this sort of thing isn't even wierd for him.<br /><br />"Well, that's an awful lot to take in..." he admits. "But it doesn't change what I said earlier. I want to help."<br /><br />Kiseki floats down and adds. "You couldn't even stop us from helping! You might have been a prince, but Tadase and I are /kings/." Kiseki is then promptly grabbed by Tadase and shoved into the hat, which Tadase then somewhat grumpily-faced puts back on his own head, trapping Kiseki in the top hat.<br /><br />"Don't worry. We'll stop the Dark Kingdom, and anybody else that thinks its okay to hurt other people for thier own gain or purposes."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:116|Asclepius (116)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Asclepius gently looks to Mercury as she expounds her hypothesis and a lot of this gives him a sinking feeling. She continues on..... 'Silver Millenum' it sounds like his heart sinks. 'Moon Princess'... someone important- but not to him. But...important... to someone he knew? He just shakes his head. Beryl...<br /><br />He already spoke some about that Venus and Mercury recently. He already knows Beryl is bad news. He doesn't like the feelings she invokes, not even a little but- that. That bad!? And she--- /what/!?<br /><br />He gets snapped out of it for a moment.<br /><br />"I can.... be there. My L----" he sighs. "Great. Now...I want to call you something else. 'My Lord'" he scoffs as he rubs his face.<br /><br />"You're The Prince. That's why you're familar to me. I'm.. sure that's the reason. I'm sure--- well my 'past self' was there..."<br /><br />He just sort of sighs and crosses his arms.<br /><br />"Regardless. Yes. I'll be there. I'll do what I'm able. I--- I'll do my best to defend- or hang back and help." he says.<br /><br />Then more quietly....<br /><br />"Regardless. All that makes a lot of sense to me. I'm pretty sure most of it's right in ways." he says as he just holds his staff. "...but that's just a gut feeling. Nothing more." he says with a sigh. Well this is overwhelming. It does answer a few small questions in his head, but... now does he really wish he had the answer?<br /><br />"If you..." he motions a hand out. "Or anyone... ever needs help. You better call me." is all he says, trying to regain some confidence.<br /><br />He looks to Tadase. "....is Kiskei going to be okay in there?" he asks.<br /><br />He crosses his arms.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Sailor Mercury (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Mercury gives Daisuke a flat look at the 'my lord', then shakes her head. She doesn't chase it, just like she doesn't chase the fact that Tadase literally just stuffed his little fairy thing in a hat. These are not her problems.<br /><br />Her problems are the girl in the adorable dress next to her, looking very, very resigned, and all of the millions of questions that remain unanswered hanging in the air around that girl. Sailor Mercury lets out a soft sigh, then closes her eyes and lowers her chin, resting it on her chest as she waits for him to be done. She doesn't have anything else to add, right now; nothing she feels confident enough in, anyways. So instead she merely goes back to her hypotheses, and sorting through the mass of information she's acquired over the past six months. Somewhere in there, she's certain, is the answer.<br /><br />Somewhere in there, she's sure she can find the Princess.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Minori Hino (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There's a quick, serious nod from Minori at Tadase, and those Earth-blue eyes are warm and grateful, and at this point she's even managing to keep her hands flat on her knees, no curling, no wrinkling of the skirt. And then there's Kiseki's outburst, and Minori gets this bright flash of something that's mixed indignation and mischief behind her eyes and she lifts a hand to point a finger at Kiseki as Tadase is grabbing him. One eye's closed and the other's focused straight on the little Chara. "You may be kings, but I'm still the senpai here," she says, corner of her mouth twitching.<br /><br />At least-- at least she's got her humor in there, still, somewhere.<br /><br />Then Daisuke's having issues with titles and modes of address and everything, and Minori sighs, taking her glasses off and rubbing at the sides of her nose where they rest. "Don't call me that." She drops both hands to her lap, looking tired, and looks up again, glasses held lightly between small, delicate fingers. "This is modern Japan, Asclepius. Japan has an Emperor. I am not it. I'm not even in the royal family anywhere. I'm an orphan with a paper trail that's nearly nonexistant before I was six. I might not even have a name. Now you know I'm Tuxedo Kamen-- but aside from that, I'm not your Lord. I'm not anyone's Lord."<br /><br />With a brief flutter of her glasses-free hand, the girl rallies herself and says, "I need to work on securing the help of the other people I'm comfortable with asking. Again, thank you both. I'm sorry this is so cloak-and-dagger." She stands up and gives a quick and graceful bow, not very deep, and glances to Mercury, then to the boys again. "Have you any other questions? If anything else comes up, I'll be sure to let you know."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>From inside Tadase's borrowed hat, Kiseki can be heard - quiet and muffled - but thankfully not understood, so it's just muffled indignation. Tadase, though, seems far less upset. "I'm just happy I can help out, Senpai." The term isn't used sarcastically or jokingly by Tadase. "I think I've got everything I need here, but... if there's anything else, I think you all know how to contact me with the phones.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:116|Asclepius (116)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Asclepius sighs and crosses his arms. "It's weird... fricken reflex. It won't happen again. I wasn't even thinking... just... brain made the connection and---" he sighs and pinches the own bridge of his nose.<br /><br />"No.. cloak and dagger makes perfect sense for this. As for questions...." he pauses.<br /><br />"I guess.. I have a lot to think about now really but that's it." he says. He stands up and gives his usual respectful Daisu-kun bow.<br /><br />"Thank you very much, Minori, Mercury." he says sofltly. "I'll be there. Count on it."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:54|Sailor Mercury (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>With the meeting all but concluded, Sailor Mercury pushes off the wall and opens her eyes once more. "Thank you both," she says to them, perhaps on behalf of the Senshi, rather than Mamoru? "Asclepius, if you do have more questions about the Silver Millenium ... you know how to find me. Don't go on all of Virtue for it, please; most of them don't need this information. But you're a part of this, too, and I will try to fill you in with what information I'm certain of." At least some of it.<br /><br />She turns to go, but pauses at the door, allowing Minori to preceed her. "So who's next?" she asks uncertainly, as if ''she'' is resigned to following Minori to each and every meeting. Moral support? Bodyguard? Babysitter? Who knows; maybe it's all three.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Minori Hino (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>With the meeting wrapped up, Minori gives both boys a small smile and puts her glasses back on, then walks out ahead of Mercury. As the door's closing behind them, Minori's lingering a little, waiting for Mercury; she says something, but it's lost to the door.<br /><br />Out the window, if either of them should be able to see, Minori's hugging the Senshi of Wisdom tightly for a second, face buried in her shoulder-- and then they depart.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:116|Asclepius (116)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Asclepius offers a genuine smile to Mercury. "Thank you." he says. "..and I understand. I've been being careful. I promise." he says.<br /><br />He lets them depart as he gives a soft nod, and-----<br /><br />Well when Tadase turns around he's gone! Though there was that tell tale flash of dissapearing away into a teleport.<br> <br>
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