2023-02-23 - Company, Citrus, and Concerns
| Title: Company, Citrus, and Concerns | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Mami invites Kyouka over for cake, to make up for missing her party, and Kyouka gets a chance to meet Kozue. | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Shibuya Shopping Ward (Yamanote High City) | |
| OOC - IC Date: 2/23/2023 - Friday, February 19, 2016 | |
.***************************** Yamanote High City *****************************.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ Shibuya Shopping Ward +*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
Any rural ingenue looking to come to the big city and get swept away at
first sight would be well-advised to get off at Shibuya Station, where you
could fill a high school yearbook with the people teeming over a single
crosswalk, and a legion of ten-story department stores offer a choice so
broad it resembles existential crisis. Shinjuku might administrate Tokyo,
but Shibuya is its style capital. Its densest concentration of boutiques,
retailers, and restaurants is bound together by Shibuya Crossing, a bustling
pedestrian intersection resembling an even gaudier Times Square.
Within walking distance to Harajuku, Shibuya is less whimsical, and far
grander. Its most iconic symbol is the Shibuya 109 department store, a
cylindrical grey monolith famous even outside of Japan. Each floor of 109
has about a dozen shops, and with ten flights of escalator to ascend, it
doesn't take a mathematician to realize that even this single store can be a
lot to take in. But Shibuya too has its side streets and quirks, and it's
not hard to find a chic little cafe to rest in. Those who find themselves
energized instead have recourse to the night clubs that trade on Shibuya's
stylish reptuation.
Shibuya Station has a humbler landmark as well. It was here that the loyal
dog Hachiko waited for his owner each day, even after the owner had long
since died. A bronze statue of Hachiko waits here still, a reminder that
love and loyalty never die.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
As always, Mami's apartment is a work of art. Neutral walls trending towards warm, shelves of knickknacks and photographs, beautiful furniture including a triangular table near a couch with a few cushions in addition--and, of course, the smell of baked goods. Mami has prepared cake for this occasion. And what is the occasion?
Why, missing another occasion, of course!
Mami is putting the last touches on the cake just at this moment. "Kozue-chan," she says, "The tea should be ready. I think our guest is arriving any moment..."
She looks over at her, "I think you might like her. She's an athletic type. More to the point, the isn't one for nonsense."
Hm hm. Mami brings the cake over to the bar, and sets it down, where she'll cut it in view of everyone.
It is a lovely evening, and Mami is already out of uniform. She is in yellow, with her drill hair in place as always.
<Pose Tracker> Kozue Kaoru [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Kozue's idly doing her homework on the couch, when Mami declares, "Ara. Is it that time already?"
Closing up her notebooks and books, and taking them back to her guest room, she emerges again shortly after, she's wearing a black tank top with a flowy blue top over it and a pair of skinny jeans with kimono silk paneling.
It's hardly winter wear, but she doesn't have a photoshoot today.
Stepping up to Mami as she brings the cake over to the table, Kozue pecks a kiss to her cheek, and murmurs by her ear, "But I'm at least seventy percent nonsense even on my best days."
Her teasing is often shameless, just like her.
"That's why you like me." She says, offering her a lopsided smile, before moving behind her seat, not quite sitting down... just yet.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
The occasion being belatedly celebrated happened to be Kyouka's occasion, a party thrown for all of her friends, so that she and her friends could share with each other their favorite bits of culture from Japan and around the world (and also an excuse for Kyouka to cook a ridiculous amount of food.)
Mami had to miss it--a number of her friends did, for various reasons, and she doesn't begrudge them their reasons--but she was delighted to get a follow-up invite from Mami to come over instead. Aside from the chance to hang out, well... she could fill her in on what happened.
She knocks on the door (or rings the doorbell, or whatever is appropriate for this building), and is only a minute or two late. She's wearing a warm purple parka, black jeans, and a pair of hiking boots--all extremely warm and functional wear, and underneath is a dark blue t-shirt and a long-sleeved blue flannel shirt. In her right hand she's carrying a small box.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"It is!"
When Kozue comes back Mami smiles, glancing sidelong at her girlfriend. "True," she allows, and doesn't clarify whether it's the bit about the nonsense or whether it's why she likes her. But she has plenty of culture to share now!
There's a doorbell and a door to knock on; Mami's apartment is part of a larger complex, the hallway on this floor open-air to a central plaza.
"Ah, there she is," Mami says; she planned for a little potential lateness, and that's fine.
Mami steps to the door and opens it with a smile. "Hello," she says warmly. "Thank you for coming! I'm sorry about missing your party, but I hope this can make up for it a bit."
She is very polite. She also steps back to allow Kyouka inside. "This is Kozue Kaoru, my girlfriend. Kozue-chan, this is Kyouka Okazaki, a friend from Juuban."
Beat, "Come in! I made cake. And there's tea."
<Pose Tracker> Kozue Kaoru [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Mischief sparkles in her blue eyes as Mami confirms that is so, and as she gets the door, Kozue looks at the new arrival as if to confirm, "'A bit'?" Kozue sounds amused, "It's an invite from you." As if in fact, that says it all about Kyouka's fortunes.
Kozue then tells her after a moment, "Charmed." Kyouka may get the sense that she's seen Kozue's face before? Maybe even numerous times. It's on advertisements all over Tokyo for the Aohime clothing line. Even if she's not interested in fashion, she would probably at least get that sense a little.
"So, in what way did you two meet that you happened to catch Mami-chan's eye?"
It may feel strange to hear anyone refer to Mami as 'Mami-chan' but then again Kozue is her girlfriend.
In the end, she takes a seat in a casual pose, just leaning back with one arm over the chairback and her legs crossed, waiting for an answer.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka grins as Mami answers the door, pulling down her hood to reveal her hair--short and messy, dyed black with purple streaks--as she prepares to enter. "Hey, no worries, Tomoe-san. Everybody's got their own thing going on." The smile falters a little as she continues, "Besides, it turned out to be a whole thing, so..."
She trails off as she steps inside, and is introduced to Kozue. Under her breath she mutters a quick, "But we can get into that another time," before bringing the smile back up to full to greet Kozue.
"Hey, nice to meet you Kaoru-san!" she greets with a little wave of her hand. There is something nagging at the back of her mind, but... well, fashion isn't necessarily her specialty. (Her wardrobe is testament to that.)
That question, though, throws her for a loop. She looks to Mami questioningly, which is perhaps not a great way to sell an improvised story. "Uh... We met because of that Angel's Aid thing they did for Sanbu." Technically true, and hopefully vague enough to work around.
"Anyway," she says, trying to push on from that topic. She presents the small box to Mami. "I brought a gift. I made chocolates for a bunch of my friends, so I brought some to share."
She hangs up her jacket and moves to take a seat at the table.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
A fair question! Mami grins. "Kozue-chan doesn't really hold back," she says fondly. Then she notices the way Kyouka flaters. One, and... two...
Hmmm. Kyouka doesn't know if Kozue...
"That's true," Mami says of Angel's Aid. "Okazaki-san here has seen the 'extracurricular' activities I do," she explains for Kozue's sake, but also for Kyouka's; she's not going to lie to Kozue but she will provide Kyouka with the opportunity to answer whether she's involved in those activities for herself.
Mami is confident and smiley about it.
""Oh, thank you!" Mami says of the gift. "That sounds lovely. You made them yourself? My, then I'll have to appreciate them more!" Friend choco!
Mami moves to the bar, and in short order has come over with a tray sporting a teapot, cups, and three silces of cake. Today's is a light citrusy cake, with orange curd and a complementary frosting, done up all delicately with careful icing.
"There you are."
<Pose Tracker> Kozue Kaoru [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
"Nope. I have never held back in my entire life, not even once."
Kozue boasts, is that the sort of thing someone should brag about?
She gives Kyouka a look when it comes to Angel's Aid, her gaze sliding over to Mami, as she clarifies on the 'extracurriculars.' "Ah." Kyouka might notice Kozue looking at her hands in this moment, as if searching for something, "Makes sense. So what did you think, seeing my lovely girlfriend in battle the first time?"
Kozue is still teasing shamelessly, isn't she? "If you fell love with her at first sight, too bad. I have no interest in letting her go."
Kyouka hands out chocolate, and she chuckles dryly, "How thoughtful, homemade even." She glances back Mami's way, "Sounds like she has the right instincts on how to win you over. ... All of Mami-chan's cakes are homemade."
And indeed, Kozue takes her tea casually, taking a sip, before slicing off bite of the citrusy cake, popping it into her mouth, "Mmmm. As delicious as always, you've outdone yourself again."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka grins a little at that remark. "Hey, I like to go all-out, too." She can exercise restraint, but... it's more fun to test your limits.
Kyouka glances from Mami to Kozue and back again as Mami provides an explanation, looking a little relieved in the process. She looks a little relieved that she won't have to try and keep up that dance of careful lies and half-truths. "Pretty impressive, honestly." If Kyouka notices the look she doesn't comment on it. "Iiii'd like to think I did okay, all things considered."
She smiles and nods to Mami, "I did! I'm just glad this batch came out well. The first one was... mmm, not my best work. Don't do chocolate that often."
That follow-up comment gets a bit of a stunned blink out of her, though. "Wha...? H-hey, I'm not looking to intrude on anybody's relationship." She glances at Mami with a look that says, 'What the heck?'
"Pft, it's not like that. They're just friendship chocolates, nothing more. Like I said, I made them for a bunch of my friends. Would be pretty audacious of me to try and 'win over' so many people at once."
She takes the tea and the cake gratefully, smiling, "Thank you! This looks amazing." She starts in on both the tea and the cake, making appreciative noises.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
It's something Kozue can brag about!
"It's good to see what you can do, isn't it?" Mami agrees. But then--good. Relief, rather than other possibilities. But she doesn't comment on how lovely and excellent she is, instead laughing politely. "Thank you," she says. "And you did well!"
"Ahh, chocolate is tricky, isn't it? But definitely worth it." Then that follow-up--Mami resists the urge to laugh. "Don't worry," she says. "Kozue-chan just ilkes to tease." to win her over... "Oh, you can win over a friend, too! Finding another person so interested in sweets certainly disposes me positively towards a new friend."
"Aah, thank you. I thought that something light suited the season, given how gloomy it's been lately..."
"But I'm glad you like it." She takes a bite as well.
"So, Okazaki-san, did you want to talk about how that all went out, now that you know it's a safe topic?"
<Pose Tracker> Kozue Kaoru [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
"Mmmm." Kozue gives Kyouka a scrutinizing look, "Not really the kind of holding back I meant, but - I never turn down a challenge in the pool."
Kyouka's startled reaction though gets a smug look out of Kozue, even as Mami clarifies that she likes to tease, "Really? I think it's a fair thing to be worried about, given how ravishing and talented she is." And it might become clear that Kyouka was being used by a prop by her to springboard into a flirt Mami's way, still, it doesn't feel particularly mean spirited.
A tap of the fork against the side of her plate, "Absolutely someone can." As she agrees with Mami, "Why, did you think I meant something strange?" She asks Kyouka, again obviously, quite shamelessly teasing. "Friendship Chocolate or not - homemade certainly makes it a step up, especially in Mami-chan's eyes."
Kozue takes another bite, and a sip of tea, her blue eyes remaining on Kyouka, as if waiting for her to talk about the subject Mami asked about.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka arches an eyebrow at Kozue. "Yeah, that definite sounds more like my speed." She muses. "Been a while since I had a good swim..."
"It is," agrees Kyouka on the topic of chocolates. "I definitely do more cooking than making sweets, though I do make them on occasion." She's thinking of a box of peppermint bark she made not too long ago. "I know I could've just bought some, but..." She just shrugs a little, "Well, like I said, I like going all-out. It was a chance to try something new, too."
Kyouka regards Kozue for a moment, trying to get a read on her... and then she smiles just a little bit. Has she figured something out? Or is she just amused. "Yeaaaaah, I'm getting that sense," she says, in reply to Mami's comment about Kozue's teasing.
Kyouka snorts a little as Kozue tries to profess innocense. "Yeah, that's not the type of 'winning over' you meant, either." She says that with some certainty.
"It's a good choice," affirms Kyouka.
"Ah, well, as for the party..." Kyouka looks to Kozue again, and then to Mami. "Well, if she's in the know, then, I guess I should make one more introduction." Kyouka rolls up her right sleeve to reveal a black leather bracelet, with a small, purple, five-sided gem on top. "Kaoru-san, meet my partner, Strike Wolf."
The purple gem pulses with a soft light as it says, <Greetings.>
"I found him while he was being stolen, we formed a partnership, and I've been looking for his owner, and, well... they found me." A beat. "... at my party." And that smile falls a lot flatter this time.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Mami grins at Kozue. Whatever else is true, she definitely enjoys Kozue's particular brand of flirting, even if it involves a little collateral damage. Her look is clearly fond. But she looks back at Kyouka, too. "Oh, you swim too? I'm not much of an athlete myself," she says. She apparently has other good qualities. Ravishing and talented...
Mami accepts this.
"It's satisfying to do it yourself. I'm the opposite; I cook well enough I suppose, but baking is more of a passion for me."
Then a laugh. "A little bit, yes? It's very charming." Did she say that before? She might've. It's fine. "But she's right. I appreciate people who take their own steps."
And then the party... "Yes!" Mami smiles at the new introduction, between Kozue and Strike Wolf.
"...Oh," she says, "I see. They found you. You don't seem entirely pleased, though." Or pleased at all. "...How badly did it go?" she wonders.
"My sympathy regardless."
<Pose Tracker> Kozue Kaoru [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
"It is winter of course... but I still train in heated pools."
Kozue listens to her speak of making chocolates, before smirking and replying with "Isn't it?" to Kyouka calling her out.
Introductions are made, and Kozue's eyes give Strike Wolf an assessing look, "Likewise, greetings to you too Strike Wolf." Wait, she's being more polite to the Device even? "A Midchildan mage then, interesting."
Kyouka continues to tell her tale, and Kozue lifts her tea cup to her lips, blue eyes looking over the edge of it at her, "I take it that it didn't go as you might have hoped."
Her eyes slide over to Mami, as if something unspoken were passing there, before looking to Kyouka again, waiting for her to continue...
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"Ohhh, name a sport and I've at least tried it," Kyoka says in response to Mami's question. "Doing a lot of different stuff is good for versatility. I probably can't beat a dedicated swimmer, but... I'd like to think I can at least give anyone a good challenge."
Was there a bit of a challenging glance in Kozue's direction as she says that? She's looking back to Mami soon enough, so maybe not.
"Yeah, doing stuff yourself is definitely the way to go," agrees Kyouka enthusiastically.
Kozue's challenge of 'Isn't it?' just gets a "You tell me." in response.
Kyouka catches the extra politeness but lets it pass. "Practicing Midchildan magic, but I'm not Midchildan myself. I'm from Earth. I didn't know about anything 'extracurricular' before I found Strike Wolf."
She pokes at part of her piece of cake on her plate with her fork. "Sooo... nobody was hurt, but... Strike Wolf's creator, or at least... her assistant, I think, disabled Strike Wolf and then tried to put everyone at the party to sleep with magic. It seems like she was just going to take Strike Wolf and leave, but luckily a couple of my magical girl friends were there and kept her from making off with him. Otherwise I'd have never known what happened until after it was over."
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Heated pools...
"Oh, yes?" Mami wonders about sports. "My. You are dedicated!" She thinks of someone else who enjoyed sports... but only for a moment, this time. She only looks distant briefly. "Then we'll have to find out!"
It's natural to be polite to the Device!
"That's not as uncommon as you might imagine," Mami says, "Midchildan magic being practiced by Earth mages. A lot of Devices ended up finding their way to us, even before the dimensional distortion largely cut us off." And it still happens, apparently!
Cake, and...
"I see," Mami answers thoughtfully. "Perhaps it's best I wasn't there; I might've hurt her," she admits. She has been too quick on the gun in the past. "But she didn't intend to harm anyone? She could've just asked... But then, I suppose if she was afraid of resistance..." Hm.
"So what now, then? It seems you made some arrangement. He's still here."
<Pose Tracker> Kozue Kaoru [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
"Oh? Now you've got me curious. What's your best stroke?" Kozue asks her, even if Kyouka declares she isn't a dedicated swimmer.
'You tell me.' Kozue eyes her, and says without missing a beat, "No, it's more fun not to." Kozue then glances sidelong, "Imagine telling someone anything?"
They do make for a strange pair, but for some reason they seem to have connected - it would be hard to understand otherwise.
The explanation comes on what happened at the party, "Hmmm." Kozue taps her fingers on the edge of her teacup, "Not really Dark Fall's style."
Ends?
Kozue wonders without actually saying it, but that's a subject that she doesn't even discuss with Mami. Even the mere mention of it might put them both in incredible danger.
"It sounds as if she's in a desperate situation, wherein she thinks noone could possibly understand." Is what Kozue says in the end, taking a sip from the cup of tea, "Or perhaps she's simply indebted to someone, and doesn't have the stomach for what she's being asked to do."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"Well, sports are kind of... how I ended up establishing myself, in all the places I've lived, you know?" She pauses. "Have I mentioned that...? My dad's in the military, so... we've moved around a lot. Showing up and jumping into a game of soccer or whatever else was usually a good way to make friends quickly." That little tidbit might explain just a tiny bit of an accent, even though she speaks Japanese pretty fluently.
Kyouka thinks about it for a moment. "Hmm... front crawl, I think? Probably the one I use most anyway."
"Suit yourself," is Kyouka's only reply to Kozue's refusal. She... doesn't seem too bothered, either way.
"I know, I was just clarifying. There's still a lot I don't know about magic, and..." She looks to Strike Wolf. "Well... kind of a lot he doesn't know about, either."
She shrugs a little to Mami. "I don't think she was really ready for a fight against magical girls. Especially not after Strike Wolf fixed himself and got me transformed so I could wake up. She... pretty much accused me of stealing him, and Strike Wolf and I both had to tell her I didn't."
Kyouka shakes her head. "No. She asked for Strike Wolf back, I asked for time to think about it, and... she just left. We don't even have a way to contact her."
And a glum shrug to Kozue. "Yeah, I don't know. She said that she and her master built Strike Wolf--or rather, were in the process of building him when he was stolen. Apparently they hadn't even named him yet. That could be why she was so keen to get him back."
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Mami glances back to Kozue. "Ah," she says at the matter of 'imagine telling someone anything'. Apparently that means something. Kozue can needle Mami a little too...
But she thinks about it. "I see," Mami says of clarification. "If it makes you feel better, there's still a lot even I don't know. And I've been at this for a long time now."
Maybe a little honesty is better.
"I see... So she wasn't willing to push the matter. I agree. It's not Dark Fall's style." Pause. It's not... that 'other' style, either. But Mami doesn't broach it.
"So," Mami says. "It seems that she's not malevolent, at least. And if she's telling the truth, Strike Wolf is hers to reclaim." Mami's opinions on such things are fairly plain, anyway.
"What does Strike Wolf have to say about it?" she asks, and turns her head to look at the bracelet. "If you have anything to add, that is. I think your feelings are important, considering."
"And, failing that, what will you do, Okazaki-san?"
<Pose Tracker> Kozue Kaoru [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Kozue nods simply about how Kyouka establishes herself from move to move through sports, before, "Ah makes sense. It's my second best. I swim Butterfly most often on my team."
As Kyouka tells her to suit herself, there's zero reaction from Kozue on the matter, she's still looking at Mami over the matter of telling someone anything. She really does commit to flirtation, but she does enjoy the game of needling Mami.
"Most Midchildan mages are not, in fact, that powerful." Kozue says of her unwillingness to fight, "If she has no device by which to truly bring out her power, then-?" Kozue looks Mami's way, "Honestly Mami-chan could likely take out a mage like that without even transforming."
The matter continues, her fingertips tap upon the side of her teacup, Mami has already asked the questions she wishes to ask, for the most part, "I would at least hear her out so you can find out why she's acting against you, but if she has no good explanation - or none which she can back up with ironclad evidence?"
Kozue's eyes slip to Strike Wolf, "Then I'd honestly tell her to get lost."
Kozue may have... feelings, about the idea of losing one's partner like that.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
If there's something that passed between Kozue and Mami just then... Kyouka's completely missed it.
"Dark Fall or not, I'm still not thrilled she came to my house..." She's a bit more subdued at the moment than before, when the conversation was lighter, but there's a bit of a scowl undercutting her words just then.
"When I asked for time she said she couldn't force me to hand him back, so... I think she would've if she could. But 3 vs 1 wasn't very good odds for her." She looks to Kozue with interest as she describes Mami's capabilities, and then over to Mami. "Really?" she sounds surprised. "Huh."
"We think she is telling the truth, though. Strike Wolf said she had administrator access, and apparently that's really hard to fake, so... her story seems to check out. Someone with the resources to hack an Intelligent Device... would probably have had a better plan in the first place."
When Mami looks to Strike Wolf, the device responds. <I wish to keep working with my partner Kyouka. But I also wish to finish being constructed to carry out our goals more efficiently.>
Kyouka is very quiet as she relays their combined decision. "When we track her down, we'll try to reason with her, convince her to let us keep working together. But if not... I'll give him back, like she asked. If I keep him after all that then... I'm no better than the mage I rescued Strike Wolf from."
She's silent for a long moment after she says that, staring down at her plate.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
It's a good game. Few get to do it.
"True," Mami replies to Kozue. She doesn't blink as Kozue suggests she might be able to take her out without transforming, though; apparently Mami thinks it's possible, too, or else otherwise isn't surprised that Kozue would say so.
She looks to Kozue for a few moments, at her advice... but despite the fact that hers is the opposite, she doesn't speak against her. She gets why Kozue would have that approach. And frankly, if it were unreasonable...
"If she's telling the truth, that does make a difference." Pause. "True. You'd expect a better plan."
"Hmm... and you don't think she'll give you back if Kyouka hands you over. I see."
Mami listenss to the decision... and nods.
'I understand," she says. "It sounds as if you're following your principles. So I'll support you. Do you want or need company when you find her?"
Mami pauses. "We could quibble over morality," she says after that, "But in the end I think you've made your choice." She moves to refill all their teacups, as needed, as the hostess.
"I think it's admirable that you can make such a choice over your own preferences... though Kozue-chan has a point. You can't make a decision unless you consider both sides, or you'll regret it. But I do support your choice."
<Pose Tracker> Kozue Kaoru [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
"Hey, if it were a choice between a mage trying not to kill and Zoisite, I know which one I'd pick."
That's a pretty disrespectful way to look on the bright side but, it is a bright side?
Mami and her might disagree on the approach, but Kozue doesn't seem upset, or even annoyed with her. In fact she just seems to accept it as an alternate route of advice.
As Strike Wolf speaks of his desires, Kozue is thoughtful for a time, then...
"Even if she has this access, it'd be very easy to dangle what Strike Wolf desires right in front of you, but have a different aim entirely. Truth, as presented, is almost always a matter of omission to a certain degree. The question is, what? And why? Something about this... doesn't sit right with me. If it were truly so simple and straightforward..."
She eyes Kyouka, "... then why not just claim Strike Wolf as her lost property and demand him back? She sounds scared and desperate by how you describe the situation. Not angry and prideful, as mages often are."
Kozue takes another bite of cake, "I don't trust the situation, and I don't think you should either, without giving it a good long look."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka looks at Kozue, a bit confused. "... Should I ask who or what a Zoisite is?"
Kyouka, herself, has taken a mage out without transforming--or at the very least, she flustered a certain mage enough to get him to drop Strike Wolf, which... isn't quite the same as defeating.
"Nobody got hurt, so... I'm willing to at least extend the benefit of a doubt..."
To Mami's question, though, Strike Wolf can only respond, <Data not available.>
"Yeah," says Kyouka in regards to having made her choice. Not that she sounds thrilled about it. She nods, "Yeah... if we do find her again, I'll make sure to grab some friends for backup, just in case. If nothing else, if I end up handing him over, well... I won't have access to magic, afterwards."
Kyouka looks to Kozue thoughtfully as she explains her take on the situation. "Yeah, I know, but... I mean, right now I don't have any information to go on, so..." She thinks a moment. "Well, we think she's that fox woman that's been going around and causing messes and stealing food? But that doesn't really tell us much..."
"She did," explains Kyouka to Kozue. "She accused me of stealing him, even, and after we explained I didn't, she asked for him back. The only reason I didn't do it right then and there was because I asked for some time to discuss it with Strike Wolf first."
Kyouka sighs and pushes her plate a little so she can lean forward, with her arms folded on the table. "I know this could be some con, or ruse, or any number of things, but... until I can find her again and have a real conversation, all I have is speculation."
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"Bad man," Mami explains Zoisite. "Very dead."
It is a bright side!
It would be easy for it to be some kind of ruse; Kozue's cynicism appeals to a streak of the same in Mami that makes her consider the possibility for sure. However...
"Good. You can count on me if you choose to involve me," Mami says. "Though you may be best-served by people with more experience with Devices, of course."
"...Kouze-chan's approach is worst-case, but it's wise to keep it in mind. It sounds as if you're going in with your eyes open, at least. That is all you can do, in a situation like this, while maintaining your own code."
"It seems as if talking to her is the only way to get answers in any case." She considers. Hmm... Yes.
"Very well. In that case..."
"...More cake?" Mami offers. "You certainly can't go into a meeting like this on an empty stomach, magic or no magic by the time you're done."
<Pose Tracker> Kozue Kaoru [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Mami answers for her on who Zoisite is, Kozue lets that answer stand. Some grudges last even beyond death.
A sip of tea, a bite of cake. Kyouka clarifies, Kozue seems rather unimpressed, not with Kyouka - but with the mage in question.
There's silence for a time, as she just sips tea, and takes a bite of cake.
"And if she isn't particularly forthcoming." Kozue glances sidelong at Mami, "Well, we have someone in this room who is in fact, quite good with 'restraint'."
It's a different time of restraint entirely, but one Mami is... exceptionally good at.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"Ah." is Kyouka's only reaction to the explanation of Zoisite.
Kyouka doesn't consider herself cynical, but... she's not naive, either. People trying to rip people off seem to know no national boundaries.
"Yeah, Strike Wolf have discussed this... a lot, lately. We're trying to cover all the angles with what we have to go on."
"Yeah, I have a few friends who are device users, so I'll be calling them in, too. One of them was talking about a plan to cast search magic, and maybe we can repurpose that plan to finding this assistant, instead."
Mami speaks of sticking to her code, and Kyouka's only response at first is a "Hmm." After a moment she clarifies with, "Still feels like I have two bad choices without any good outcomes... at least if Strike Wolf's owner doesn't let us keep working together."
Kyouka smiles weakly and nods to Mami. "Sure, I'll take another piece."
Kyouka glances to Kozue, and then looks at Mami. "... What do you mean by that?"
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"Of course," Mami says as to discussion. But search magic, finding the assistant... all of that makes sense, at least. But for Mami, she looks wry, and a little sad, at the same time. "That's often the way it is," she says. "We don't always get a 'good' option. We can only do our best."
Then she stands, to provide more cake, and almost offhandedly turn s over her shoulder to glance back at Kyouka and Kozue both. She smiles.
"She means that I'm very good at restraining people. My magic involves ribbons. You can imagine how useful that is for holding the enemy back... and if you can't, well."
"Trust me."
<Pose Tracker> Kozue Kaoru [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Kozue replies with a simple affirmation of what Mami said there, "Extremely, good at it."
Amusement flecks within those blue eyes of hers as she looks upon Kyouka.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka sighs wearily as Mami confirms there's no good options, someimes. "I didn't even think I'd be doing these types of 'extracurricular' activities for this long to begin with. I just assumed this was temporary. That all I'd have to do was to find Strike Wolf's owner and return him and yet now... I feel kind of torn. There's... a lot of risk to this, but... I've helped a lot of people, too."
"Oh!" exlaims Kyouka as Mami explains. "I see." She frowns a bit. "Were you using ribbons at Sanbu? There was... erm, rather a lot going on that night, and it's a little bit of a blur..."
Kyouka blinks at Kozue. "... Right," is all she can say to that.
"Strike Wolf and I are melee fighters," comments Kyouka to Kozue, since the other girl hasn't seen her in action. "But I do a lot of martial arts, so I guess it was natural my fighting style turned out that way."
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Mami glances to the side at Kozue's simple affirmation. It isn't much, but the generally unflappable Mami can only go quite so far before she does something approaching embarrassment.
"I was," Mami says, "But primarily my guns. ...As for what it is to have these powers... yes, it is good to be able to help people, isn't it?"
"But there's something to be said for being about to live a normal life, too."
Melee... Hmmm.
"Yes, it is." Mami returns with more cake!! And... perhaps that discussion will continue.
