The library is probably the last place one would expect to find Utau Hoshina, but she has her reasons. Fortunately she's in somewhat of a disguise so she doesn't attract too much attention in her oversized slouchy hat and casual jeans, t-shirt and leather jacket. The only thing that really stands out is her somewhat expensive white leather bag.
Currently she's in the archives section of the library, a quieter, less populated area full of older materials. As she browses the shelves, her bag occasionally rustles softly, currently housing two slumbering charas in their eggs.
Chloe is also in the library. However, since she has already finished her homework, she seems to be looking up something else, two something else's. Thankfully, the library is mostly empty, so few would recognize that Chloe is looking at odd books of engineering and mathematics.
unfortunately, Chloe has a case of swirlie eyes after looking at all of the mathematics and engineering designs. "Ugh....all of these are way too advanced for my primitive little brain." 'I HAVE FAITH IN YOU, MASTER!' Says Blazing Soul to Chloe and Chloe slumps back in her chair. "thank you, but this is still to advanced. I'm barely getting into high school, and my grades with math weren't exactly high."
It seems there aren't a lot of books in the archives that suit Utau's needs, except one dusty old tome which she takes with her. Aside from that, she manages to have gathered a small collection of books from the supernatural collection with such titles as 'Vampire Lore' and 'Vampires and the Occult', and an interesting one from the fairytale selection entitled 'The Heart's Egg'.
That last one probably isn't difficult to figure out but the other two are pretty odd reading, even for the often gothic dressed teen idol.
Once she has all the books she needs, Utau peers around for a seat..And eventually spies Chloe sitting not far away. She sighs inwardly, considering just leaving and avoiding her..However, it's been a while, and perhaps there is much to talk about between them both, so instead, she starts to head towards the other girl.
Chloe rubs her face with her hand and sips at something that she's had nearby. She doesn't really see Utau walking up to her, so deep is she in her thoughts. After a few seconds, she starts to pack up the books at the table. It doesn't seem like she's giving up, but just exhausted.
Going to put one of the books away, she nearly runs into Utau......and Chloe literally stares into Utau's eyes for a few long seconds. Her expression fades from surprise....to anger, to neutrality, to cautious. "Utau. How come you're here?"
"Hmph." Her cool, amethyst gaze darkens a touch as Chloe questions her, pondering how to respond. The last time they had met, Chloe had seemed rather volatile, and Utau had immediately decided she disliked the other girl. However, she was allied with some of Utau's allies, which means she might be...Useful?
"What sort of a question is that? Clearly I came here to check out some books..And it seems you did the same.." She peers thoughtfully at Chloe's selection of mathematics and engineering books? Ugh, that looks utterly dull she thinks. Probably some advanced school work or something. Her own feelings towards the other girl are largely mutual as well, seeming to reflect back some of Chloe's own expressions.
"Oh. You were there with Sky Jack during that incident at WPS, weren't you?" she had heard that from someone..Daichi, was it? And yet there didn't appear to be a scratch on her. Had Chloe hightailed it out there to let Sky Jack take the brunt of the attack? Somehow that made her all the more annoyed.
"I was." Chloe says as she turns back to her table and started putting more of the books away. She is also speaking softly so no one else would hear. "You weren't there....but I'm guessing your friend who told you didn't tell you that Sky Jack decided to kick a ball through the building when Miss White said She didn't have what he was looking for? Of course not. Sky Jack is too virtuous to do something so obvious underhanded as to attack people that couldn't defend themselves, isn't he?" Chloe's clearly being snarky, and not in a friendly manner. "I'm not absolving myself of guilt either. I fired a few shots into the building too, but I made sure that no one else was around where I hit....and I made sure the wounded was close to other, uninjured people. Did you know that Miss White was stealing Heart Eggs too? With a little gun, since she couldn't do it naturally?"
All this time, she had been putting books away where she had found them.
Utau just glares quietly at Chloe's back as she puts her books away. "Of course, I know about all of that. I was the one who warned him in the first place of what Miss White was planning, but.." She sighs, "Forget it. I didn't come here to point fingers or to place blame. I don't even know why she did what she did, but I suppose, I'm not in a position to judge her either.."
Her own books are a bit heavy however, and so she briefly rests them on the table, fingering through them thoughtfully. Hmm, they all look pretty interesting, she'll have to read them thoroughly another time, however. "But I am curious to know what your next step will be..Are you planning on attacking Easter next?"
"No, you're not." Chloe says looking to Utau. "From what I found, the WPS building didn't have the heart eggs anymore. That's what Miss White said before Sky Jack flew off.....and started attacking. When Miss White attacked, looked for myself. I figured someone who would willingly steal other people's dreams...would also lie without batting an eye. But...in that instance, she was telling the truth."
"As for my next step, if it means setting Ikuto....and you...free from their grip, then yes, I'll go after Easter.....and bring the whole building down if I have to. After Ikuto is freed, that is. And he will be freed....just like you will as well." Chloe says before turning back to Utau. "I've seen what you chara change into, Utau.......and I don't really like it. And you tried to attack a friend of mine. But you're also worried about Ikuto, so there must be SOME good in you, somewhere. That is what I'm hoping will be your driving force when we try to rescue Ikuto. I haven't met Ikuto yet, but I'm going on Mikoto's faith in him......and Yoru seems to be a sweet little kitten, despite his willingness to steal."
Utau arches a brow at Chloe, "The eggs weren't there, because she handed them to Easter.." she sighs, "But bringing down Easter towers will only destroy more lives.." Not only would it harm more innocents, but Utau has a personal stake in her career there now, too, and there's not much left for her outside of Easter anymore.
She pauses, thoughtful as Chloe suggests freeing her and Ikuto, and of what Utau turns into. That last part actually causes her to smirk. Not because she is wrong. In fact, Chloe is right, Utau literally turns into the Devil when she chara transforms, although she does possess an Angelic guardian character as well, one whom she has yet to transform with. But it's pointless to bring that up now, it's not like Utau has ever had the freedom to express her more angelic side either.
"Hmph. Good and Evil are not so cut and dry. I dont steal peoples' dreams because I want to hurt them. Everything I do, I do in order to protect Ikuto, however, it no longer matters..They wont let me see him anymore.." Utau's icy stare nearly breaks as she says that, and if only for a moment, Chloe may even notice the slightest pain in her voice, but she does her best to cover it up.
But no, she's saying too much now, and right now, Utau needs more information out of Chloe. "Ikuto has always been my driving force, Chloe. You should have figured that out by now. But I'm more interested in how you're planning on bringing down Easter..And you're working with Miko-chan, too?"
The way she says that, makes it sound like she and Mikoto are friends. But more importantly, she brings up Yoru as well. So if Yoru trusts her..Maybe Chloe's not all that bad either. Maybe she can even be trusted.
Why, it almost makes her laugh, enough so that Utau has to turn away to collect herself. "Well, aren't you full of surprises? And here I thought you were just a hot-headed brat."
"And it's freeing Ikuto that's driving me right now. Your opinions down't matter to me in light of that. Once Easter goes down, you and Ikuto will be free.....and hopefully you'll stop taking heart eggs. And I knew they went to Easter...thanks to you." Chloe then picks up her soda and walks around the table. "And yes, I'm working with Mikoto. I'm guessing she's your friend too." She gets past the table and starts for the door. "if I'm such a brat....why do you care?"
Utau's eyes darken, "I never really did like you, Chloe. Although I am curious to know why you're so intent on 'freeing' Ikuto and myself given the history between the two of us. Is it simply because you're trying to be a 'hero?' Or..Are you working with others on this, besides Mikoto..And Yoru?"
She's picking for information, that's for certain. But for what? And whose side is she on, anyway?
Chloe's last question does cause Utau to smirk again, looking slightly amused. "Because if your business is with Easter, then your business is with me. And I dont want to see what happened to WPS to happen to Easter towers. The only thing I want is Ikuto's.....Freedom..."
Utau pauses then, glancing around nervously at a pair of shadowy figures that quickly slip behind some nearby bookcases. Her eyes narrow, realizing they're being watched.
"Then we agree on one point, Utau." CHloe says as she starts to walk out of the library, sipping at her soda. It seemed Utau was going to have to leave anyways, thanks to those dark figures she spotted, so why not hasten the process?
Utau does indeed quickly gather up her books and head for the door, quickly checking out her books first before slipping them into a cloth bag. No need to let her bodyguards see what sorts of books she is reading these days; That might just give away her game plan afterall.
She barely even pays Chloe any attention until she's made it outside and, assuming the other girl follows, she pauses for only a brief moment, "You still haven't answered my question...Why are you so involved in all of this? Are you just doing this because you like playing 'hero' or something?"
Not that she wouldn't owe her a debt if she did somehow manage to free Ikuto - with Mikoto's and Sierra's help too, of course. But Utau still has her doubts that this girl has any true potential, partly because she's never seen her in action.
And of course, that last comment goes ignored. Utau knows fully well that Chloe doesn't like her anymore than she likes Chloe. Probably because they're both very similar in personality, surprisingly enough.
"If you don't want me involved, I can walk away. But from the situation you described, you're being abused. Whether you realize it or not...you are, and Ikuto is the only reason you endure it. he's the only reason you don't run, and he's probably the only reason you're talking to me....." And Chloe turns to face Utau now. ".....and not trying to take a heart egg from me. I keep thinking that, in your faith with Ikuto and doing what you can to protect him, that there's a decent person under there. And from what I understand, a Guardian Chara is what someone wants to become. So, Yoru is what Ikuto wishes to be.....free as an alley cat. So, I'm hoping that you're a decent enough person, to try and help free him.....or keep him under Easter's control."
"As for my reasons......you don't need to know them. You don't care enough, nor do I like you enough to give you that information. Goodbye, Utau. I wish you luck on getting your brother back." And she starts to walk away again....tossing her soda into a waste bin.
Utau just arches an eyebrow as she listens quietly to what Chloe has to say. It's true, the only reason she'd even give Chloe any attention at all, is because of her desire to free Ikuto, and her link with Mikoto and Yoru.
"Hmph. Fine. Fair enough. Just dont try anything stupid with me!" Although Utau still doubts Chloe would have the power to do something like bring down Easter on her own. But she knows better than to underestimate someone whom she knows little about in the first place.
She turns and walks away in the opposite direction, sighing. Yoru..Mikoto. It's been a while..