220/Lab Time

Lab Time
Date of Scene:	26 July 2015
Location:	Mitakihara - Infinity University
Synopsis:	Takashi spends quality time with his familiar, Ayana.
Cast of Characters:	Takashi Agera, Ayana

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Ayana has posed:
It is late--well after the time most sane people are in bed. It's late enough that Takashi may actually start wondering whether his Familiar plans to come home tonight, or if she's just going to stay out and sleep as a fox somewhere. But then the door opens, and the fox-girl enters the room, eyes lidded with either exhaustion or irritation or both as she quietly enters the room. "Sorry I'm late," she says first thing. She ditches her boots straight away at the door, then sighs and pads across the room to flop down on the end of Takashi's bed. "How was your day?"

Takashi Agera has posed:
Takashi looks up at her. 'Most sane people' doesn't include Takashi either, or he'd probably be very annoyed at someone barging into his tiny apartment so late. "Most of today was normal." he says, turning around from his desk, leanded back in the massive office chair he spends so much time at home in. The desk is covered in papers, and there's a laptop computer on it running some sort of incredibly complex simulation work.

"I'm going over some data... some of it Ms. White sent me, some of it the sensors I set up around Mitakihara grabbed." He's short and simple so as not to bore the fox-girl - one time he got too detailed and finished a speech to her curled up in human from totally unconscious. "I feel like I'm really close to a major breakthrough, but also so far away." The desk is somewhat littered with empty diet caffinated beverage cans.

Ayana has posed:
Ayana reaches into her jacket and pulls out a small card, then inspects it in front of her face. "I've been busy," she says honestly, "but I'm starting to get bored. But I should probably tell you what I've been up to, anyways." She throws the card towards him, and it flies to land on his desk. "That," she says, "used to be a Youma that I helped take down. Some third rate magician and his girlfriend created it to drain the energy of people at the shopping mall where I bought my phone. Two magical girls and a boy showed up pretty quick, not including me."

Takashi Agera has posed:
Takashi picks up the card. He turns it over in his hands, inspecting it while he talks to her. It takes him a while before he responds. "You're... bored?" he asks, somewhat incredulously. It's an issue that really hadn't occured to him before. "I don't think you'd rather spend your days cooped up in the house or in one of the labs assisting me there, though. Soon you'll have school started up, and that'll give you even more time to spend." he adds.

"I'm hoping to make things quite a fair bit less boring soon; but we have to strike at the right opprotunity. There's so much at stake that I can't afford to give up the advantages you're building just yet." he adds.

"Do you want more work to do? Is that it?"

Ayana has posed:
"I dunno," Ayana replies with a faint shrug. "I've met a lot of magical girls, though. They all seem to think Black Fox is very cute." Pause. "Ugh, there's one girl ... she tried to /pet/ me and squish my ears. It was very embarassing." She rolls her eyes a little, but she's grinning. "I kinda liked it, though. It's nice to be petted. Anyways! I think I did pick a school. I wanna go to Seishou. There are girls there who think I'm their friend. Oh. And did you know that there is a group of candy-coloured magical girls? Orange and Red, and apparently there could be more. They look like little chewy candies. Makes me think of fruit chews. Tasty tasty fruit chews. Hey," she sits up, then, and peers at Takashi, "Should I join any clubs at school? Iki-chan wants me to join the animal care club if I go to Seishou."

Takashi Agera has posed:
The silver-haired boy leans over. He takes a peice of paper and writes Seishou on it, as he listens, the card now placed on the desk, on top of one of those paper piles. It's organized, but might appear otherwise to an observer. "It's good that you phrased it like that." he says, looking up from the written reminder. "They think you're their friend, but you're not." he adds, rather directly. "Black Fox is just a stage mask and one day you'll be taking it off in order to do something for me with all that good will you're building." he adds.

"I think I've met one of the girls you were talking about. The red one." he muses. "I'm pretty sure I launched her across a Labrynth. Are you saying she's up and fighting again? Tenacious little thing, then."

"Do you think there's a club you should join that would help you meet more of the magical girls?" he asks. And then, a pause. "...or that would help you be less bored?"

Ayana has posed:
"Well I only met Orange," Ayana replies, tilting her head just faintly. "But she said there was a red, and that they are friends. Also, you might find it interesting to note that she's not very good at flying. She was practicing and like ... tangled herself in the chains of a swing? It was weird. And then this koi-fish flew up to greet her. It was a tasty looking fish, but it /talked/ to her. I think it may be related to how she gets her powers, somehow."

"I don't know if there's a magical girl club," Ayana admits, "and I'm not sure how to figure out who the magical girls really are, so ... I don't think clubs would help that objective, no. But they might make me less bored? I'm not sure. Can I be Iki-chan's friend for real? I don't think she's a magical girl, and she bought me meat and she seems to like me."

Takashi Agera has posed:
Takashi adds 'Orange-girl. Fish power. Bad at flying.' to his little written notes. Then, he pauses when Ayana asks her question. "You shouldn't be trying to make real friends." he says, plainly and directly. "Because they make you weak." He stands up and does a little pacing while he explains this.

"Friends, people you're attached to make you weak because they restrict your actions, and they give people a new way to strike at you. What if we needed to use this Iki-chan as bait, or if something that was important to her became something I wanted?" he asks, looking down at the fox-girl. "What if you had to hurt her in order to increase our power? I can't have you hesitating. You're not there to make friends, Ayana." He puts a hand over his heart. "You're a part of me, an extension of my will. If any person, any item, any emotion stands in the way of my plans you have to remove it. So pretend to be her friend, sure. But don't let her access to your heart - your heart which is partly mine."

Ayana has posed:
Ayana falls silent, considering Takashi's explanation for several long moments. She turns over and hunts for a bag of jerky near the bed, then pulls out a piece and nibbles on it. No chewing, she just tears a piece and swallows it whole, then frowns faintly. "That's why you made me so strong," she surmise at length. "Because I'm a liability for you, so I have to be strong if I'm going to not restrict your actions."

Takashi Agera has posed:
Takashi nods. "And why you're so intelligent. You carry a piece of me within you. I made a sacrifice to create you, so you need to be strong, capable, powerful. So you can help me. And by helping me, you help yourself." There's a pause, and he glances over at her as she stuffs her mouth. "After all, if I die, so do you. Our fates are the same. That's why I know I can trust you. Because if you were to take action against me, you would be hurting yourself."

Ayana has posed:
The fox-girl takes another bite of her jerky, then puts the bag away. "I understand," she says with a faint nod. She takes one last bite of jerky, then puts the bag away. "I will not fail you, Takashi-sama," she promises him, then hops off the bed and shifts into a fox mid-leap. The fox strolls across the room and hops up into Takashi's lap, all three tails wrapping briefly around his body and legs affectionately. ~Your plans will succeed,~ she telepathically continues. ~and I will do everything in my power to ensure it. Together, we will grow your power.~

Takashi Agera has posed:
Takashi almost reflexively begins to pet the fox. "You've done well so far, making them think you're one of them and bringing me little bits of information." he says, scratching her ears. "If you just keep doing as well as you have, and avoid getting into any trouble, you will be poised to strike when I need you the most. And you can still help me in other ventures." he says.

"In fact..." he begins, leaning over some of his paperwork. "I think we have a plan soon where you'll be most helpful working alongside me. We're liable to attract an awful lot of attention."

Ayana has posed:
The fox leans into the petting and ear-scritches, her eyes slowly sliding closed. It's not until Takashi leans forward--partially squishing her, though not uncomfortably--that she seems tor egain her sense of the world around her. Putting her nose up on his desk, the little fox peers at his papers curiously. Her mind reaches out to Takashi's once more: ~What will we be doing? Do I get to fight beside you, this time? To use all of the power you have given me?~

Takashi Agera has posed:
Takashi smiles, and nods. "Yeah. We'll probably need your help on this one." he adds. "I think, based on the energy signatures, what Hannah's trying to source is a magical device. Of a similar and yet different type to my gauntlet, Axion." he adds. "But... as you've seen, if you try to get anything done around here, all of the magical girls come out of the woodwork to stop you."

"And this time I do not want us to be stopped. So I think having you there as my familiar, fighting by my side, will be a great help."

Ayana has posed:
A feeling of warmth and excitement comes through the familiar bond, as Ayana is told she will be a great help. She leans into him again, headbutting his stomach gently. ~I look forward to defeating your opponents, Takashi-sama. And perhaps, if there are other lost logia, you will someday allow me to have a device of my own.~

Takashi Agera has posed:
Takashi leans back, still petting the little fox. "I think that's an idea worth thinking about, anyways. I can't promise it this time, but maybe. Some way to increase your power might be ideal for further purposes. You've saved me once already, which goes a long way towards showing your use." he adds. "But I cannot promise anything. This current toy, I believe, is destined for research purposes between myself and Hannah."

There's a long pause. "I tell you what. If you keep continuing on doing your work to the best of your ability, I will stay on the lookout for the neccessary materials to build you a device."

Ayana has posed:
The little black fox continues to lean into Takashi's pets, and her tails stay curled around his body and legs. ~I will do my best!~ the fox replies to him excitedly. She nuzzles his stomach, then lays herself down and closes her eyes. Contented and excited, the fox settles into silence, all concerns about 'friendship' removed. Who needs friends when you have Takashi?