View source for 2014-04-10 - Last-Minute Hokkaido Souvenir

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! style="background:#CC6699; border: 2px #CC0033 solid; font-size: 110%;" align="center" colspan="2" | '''Title: Last-Minute Hokkaido Souvenir'''
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|'''Summary''':<br>
''One last quiet day in Hokkaido before it's time to depart - and Runealy has a last-minute gift to give.  Such a shame Mai's bad at accepting praise, this could take some work...''
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| '''Who:'''<br>
[[Runealy Waldia]], [[Mai Tokiha]]
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| '''Where:'''<br>
Hokkaido - Crab Buffet
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| '''OOC - IC Date:'''<br>
27 December 2014 - 4/9/14
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'''<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.'''

	The second-last day of winter vacation is drawing to a close. Many of the students of the Sister Schools are frantically running around, disregarding the schedule in order to get last-minute souvenirs. Or selfies in front of monuments, or to get in just one more minute of ogling the ski instructors...er, that is to say, to go enjoy the ski slopes. As a whole, the resort is rife with activity, people off in all directions.

	However, not all students are inclined to frantic activity. Either due to being more sedate naturally, having been worn out by events in the past week, or simply not being interested in doing anything more - some have just found a nice place to take in the view and just relax. Among them - for whatever reason - is Mai Tokiha. She's found a nice small table by the window during the off-hours of the meal schedule, ordered a good cup of coffee, and is just enjoying the chance to sit and rest for a few minutes.

	In between glances out the window at the (admittedly gorgeous) landscape, she checks her phone for any new messages. Mikoto's off doing who knows what, and Takumi hasn't answered yet today. She did send a few texts to those few contacts at this and other schools, just to see what's up - but most people are off having fun. (Or getting caught up in another battle for the fate of the world. Either or.)

'''<Pose Tracker> Runealy Waldia [Ohtori Academy (7)] has posed.'''

	Rune hasn't been particularly active either, be it on the slopes or on the phone... but she is out there. Stepping into the lodge's dining area, she's bundled for the weather in a variety of faded reds and light purples... a coat, pants, gloves, scarf, and so on all of a notably older make; not a local style, not local materials, and not made by modern methods.
 
Glancing around the area, she spots Mai and paces over. Rune moves with a lack of energy, but not a lack of spirit; she is smiling despite obvious fatigue. "Was hoping I'd find you around here."

'''<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.'''

	Mai's own outfit is - as seems to be usual - her Ohtori school uniform. There's a jacket and scarf hung on a coatrack next to the table. She looks up from her phone when Runealy comments, and tucks it away. "Runealy!" She waves the heiress over with a smile, though the smile turns to a frown as the girl approaches. "Are you all right?"

'''<Pose Tracker> Runealy Waldia [Ohtori Academy (7)] has posed.'''

	"Getting there, at least." Rune flops down into a nearby seat. "I'm tired, but have a lot to show for it. Important things, fun things, good things, things to hand out too. Things to ask. I'll start with the easiest part." A little digging around into a coat pocket produces a small green box. Unwrapped, but clearly sorted into a bottom half with a slightly larger top serving as its lid. "These are just little things to remember all this by."
 
The box is set down on the table, and slid slowly toward Mai before being released.

'''<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.'''

	"That's good to hear. I'd worried that maybe..." Mai's frown turns back to a relieved smile. "It's been quite the adventure, certainly - and there was a lot of fun to be had." And then comes the green box - Mai blinks, confused at first. She looks at the box, then up to Runealy's face.

	"Um, thank you. You didn't have to give me anything, you know..." She can't help but be curious, and she lifts the lid for a peek.

'''<Pose Tracker> Runealy Waldia [Ohtori Academy (7)] has posed.'''

	"That maybe, what? If you're worried about something, go ahead and say it? Maybe I have an answer." Rune's calm about this, her demeanor quiet but generally pleased. "'Didn't have to'... wanted to, though. I can think of a lot of things you didn't 'have' to do." She's apparently bouncing from thought to thought mid-sentence.
 
The box's contents are a trio of keychains, all metal... all likely from either the resort's gift shop, or some place in Sapporo. They are not special in and of themselves, mass produced trinkets. Two have obvious winter themes, as one depicts a stereotypical snowflake, and the other a fairly cartoon-like snowman.
 
The third is simply a pink heart, which doesn't quite fit the theme of the other two. Rune tries to preemptively explain: "The snow ones are just symbols about this trip, since we did some stuff together on it. ...Couldn't find anything about the cooking you did, so these are more about where we went. That other one, though?" Her expression firms up, more intense. "Where I'm from, people know about the sort of things you're up against. If they saw you do any of that for them, you'd get a medal and a parade. I can't really give you that last one, and don't have real medals on me, but..." The implication trails off with her voice.

'''<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.'''

	Mai glances to make sure there's no waiter in sight. "...I was a bit worried that you'd been injured by something, honestly. I don't know if anything's happened since the mountain, but..." She shakes it off, and finishes lifting the lid.

	Mai stares at the keychains for a minute while Runealy gives her explanation. It's not quite what she'd expected - though in honesty she wasn't sure what she'd expected. The first two get a pleased nod, while the third...she lifts the heart-shaped keychain out of the box entirely for a better look. It's a long moment of staring, and she's nearly about to protest.

	"...I feel a bit guilty accepting all this - I didn't think to get anything for you." She finally looks up to meet Runealy's gaze. "And...I'm not sure I could accept a medal. I don't feel like I accomplished all that much, really..."

	...is she blushing? Yes. Yes she is.

'''<Pose Tracker> Runealy Waldia [Ohtori Academy (7)] has posed.'''

	"Injured? Probably. I'm going to have to take my own 'vacation' after this. Important part is I'll get it, it's all going to be fine. Yet the protests over gift shop trinkets prompt more forceful responses; Rune is provoked. Not angry, but fired up on this point. "You haven't accomplished much? I can name four things, and those are just the ones I know about. One I admit isn't exactly world-shaking heroism, but it was still nice. The other three... maybe someone needs to tell you outright about them, and what they mean."

'''<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.'''

	Mai winces. "My sympathy." The small of her back is still a bit sore, but that can be chalked up to skiing yesterday. "If you need to take any time off of school, I could try finding out from Takumi what gets covered...

	And then Mai winces again. With care, she sets the heart-shaped charm back in the box, and looks down at the three charms within. "...could you? Tell me what you think is worth a medal, that is."

'''<Pose Tracker> Runealy Waldia [Ohtori Academy (7)] has posed.'''

	"The least of them is when you took up what this place wouldn't. When I said I'm from another world where we don't have electricity, I was being literal on both points." Rune has the unusual air of a politician going into an at-length speech... which is an odd demeanor to have at the age of thirteen. "Even a lot of the food here doesn't make sense to me. Whatever it was they switched to earlier... it tasted okay for a piece or two? But after that... ugh. Didn't sit right with me. Until they got their act together again, you at least made sure there was something I could eat without having to go somewhere else to 'stockpile'."
 
She pauses briefly to address a few other things. "A few days at least would help. School's only part of it, but that would help." A breath, then, "The cooking isn't why you ought to get a medal and parade, though. I'll get to that."

'''<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.'''

	Mai laughs, and looks up. "...you know, that's not unexpected. I know foreigners normally have trouble with Japanese food - we get quite a few tourists at Linden Baum for that reason. On top of that, having all that fried food...ugh. No thanks necessary, it's my pleasure to get away from it." She smiles. "I'd like to hear what kind of food you have in Waldia sometime - I've learned a few recipes, maybe I can find something familiar."

	As for the school issues, she nods. "I'll see what I can do."

'''<Pose Tracker> Runealy Waldia [Ohtori Academy (7)] has posed.'''

	"Sure!" For just a moment, Rune is at-ease and enthused. "I, personally, have no idea what the recipes are. But if we get a chance some time, I'll ask if someone can write some of this down and get it to you." It's an easy favor to look in to, if one likely far off into the future; trips back home are infrequent.
 
Then Rune regains her intensity. Speaking of culinary troubles being solved is nice, a relatively light topic. "Now, let's go back six days. Right when final exams ended and everyone was going to Tokyo Station. When those strange 'robot' people showed up. The ones who wouldn't tell us why they wanted to do this. They were fast. Really fast, fast enough to get there. And if they made it? They probably would have attacked a lot of people with those invisible arrows. If you hadn't helped, who knows? Maybe they wouldn't have been contained. Maybe one would have gotten through. Think about it. There wouldn't have been a trip to snowy mountains. Just lots of funerals. In part, people are here because of you."

'''<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.'''

	"Even if you can tell me what kind of food it is, I might be able to find something similar. Western cuisine includes a lot of things you don't normally see here." It is a longshot, but... "And if you do get any recipes, I'll give them a shot." She pumps her arm with a grin.

	Rune's intensity comes back, and Mai's expression turns solemn as well. She'd done her best to put the 'robot' incident out of mind. "...for what it's worth, you and everyone else deserve at least as much credit. I don't mind stepping into danger." She looks up from the box briefly, looking a little haunted. "...and Takumi was getting ready to board the train. If my loved ones are in danger, of course I'll step in."

	A stray statement catches her attention. "Also, I think those were bullets, not invisible arrows - metal chunks that are fired too quickly to see." Is that any better?

'''<Pose Tracker> Runealy Waldia [Ohtori Academy (7)] has posed.'''

	"Meats, breads, soups... it was a decent mix, that much I can tell you." Rune is not particularly insightful on meals. She hasn't been at any point in their discussions, even during the 'hot pot gathering.' This is one princess who is very much stereotypical in needing others to provide the food and so long as it's good she doesn't ask questions.
 
The trip itself comes up again. "I know. We all helped. Even if it was 'for Takumi' though, it was still good. What if people knew? What if they could understand what happened? Do you think anyone would be mean about it and spit on what you did just because you had some personal reasons for it? It really doesn't matter why you did it, just that you did."
 
Mai proves to have foresight. "What are bu--" The answer cuts Rune's question off, and her head tilts back a little. "Too fast to see. Then that means...!" There's a sudden tone of excitement. Not because bullets delight her; obviously not. But now she grasps what they are, and confusion is giving way to working on coming to terms with them.
 
While she ponders that, Rune adds: "And that's just the ''first'' thing you've done this week. There's more."

'''<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.'''

	Some people care largely that there's food to eat; others pay closer attention to what it is. Mai is in the latter category. Still, that gives her something to go on... "Well, that's something start with. I'll check the Lenden Baum menu when we get back for recommendations - though if there's any recipe from home you want me to try, let me know when you have it."

	The robot incident...Mai seems uncertain, but finally nods. "It's more my personal pride - or lack thereof. I think intentions should matter...but you have a point." She looks down at the box again, looks at the heart-shaped pin as Rune seems to gain understanding of this aspect of Earth weapons. "They're what 'guns' or 'pistols' are for - those robots just had more advanced weapons."

'''<Pose Tracker> Runealy Waldia [Ohtori Academy (7)] has posed.'''

	Rune jolts back in her seat, letting out a tiny but startled noise! "Y... you could? I..." That offer takes her out of the at-length speech. "That would be really nice... even if it was just once in a while...!"
 
Yet she gets back to the other topics quickly. "Intentions do matter, but would you have just shrugged and said 'not my problem' even if Takumi wasn't there? You were talking about being a good person or not when we got into the hospitals mini-train, and that was over things you had to actually think through. Could really give yourself such an easy reason to doubt yourself like that?"
 
Talk of bullets lingers for just a moment more. "So that's how they work? I'll have to figure something out, some way to deal with them. Maybe..." Rune trails off, intrigued but not willing to immediately derail this conversation with the specifics on how guns work. Guns fire metal, not directly explain medals.
 
"Then a few days later, everyone gets sleepy and we find out why. I got to see Takumi, you know. I got to see a messed up, ''wrong'' Takumi that shouldn't exist. You saw it too." That part is obvious; Mai was probably the one most shaken by the sight of Takumi amongst the 'heart-crushed', mindless drone-workers on the colorless tower. "So you did that for Takumi. Just like with the train. So you stopped him from really winding up like that. There were a lot of other people on the tower, though. Most of them had someone like you, someone who would have been taken away. And once Earth was entirely like that? Once you've ruined one world for your ego, why stop there? Do you think he would have repeated that on my world? I do."
 
She takes a breath before adding: "So you helped stopped... what, hundreds of millions of people losing someone like that? Across three worlds at the very least? And that's not even the last thing you did this trip."

'''<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.'''

	Mai just smiles and nods emphatically when the topic of food comes up again. "Any time you'd like, Rune-chan."

	Intentions matter. Rune asks a serious couple of questions, and Mai looks down with a frown again. "I...have to make sure. I look for those reasons to doubt myself, to make sure of myself." Her coffee mug is close at hand, and she looks into it for a minute. "...but that's one of the things I'm trying to do. Not ignoring problems in front of me."

	The discussion of bullets doesn't laugh long, and Mai just nods. Serious thing to watch out for. And then...the mountain incident. Her fist clenches at the mention of Takumi's fate - but finally, she looks back up to Rune's face. "...I was furious. Not protective - furious that that madman would do something like that. And...I was focused on Takumi's plight more than anything else."

	After a moment, Mai manages a small smile. "So, Waldia was all right in all of that? I was wondering."

'''<Pose Tracker> Runealy Waldia [Ohtori Academy (7)] has posed.'''

	"Thank you!" Rune is moved by this offer. "It's going to be a while before I get a chance to get them, but I'll make it happen." Mai's explanations bring her back to a serious mood, but also debate. "So you fought for personal reasons? So what? That's just your best reason to do it. Even if you doubt yourself, I don't think you would have walked away from the chance life would become pointless."
 
As for her home, "I don't know, not directly. The dream world had nothing about where I'm from. But it's pretty easy to guess that as soon as he finished up with Earth... why stop with just one tower glorifying him? Why not find ways to other worlds and make them make towers? One world, then two, then three and four and on and on. A god would have forever to make sure everyone lived just for him, after all."
 
Then Rune presses on. "You could have stopped there and it would have been pretty amazing anyway. No... you did your part to save the trip, then Takumi, then every world, ''then'' decided to make it personal for one more person and help them too."

'''<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.'''

	Mai seems uncertain, still...but finally smiles. "If you're sure personal reasons are acceptable...I'm always unsure when I hear those grand speeches about peace and love. It makes me feel like my reasons are petty by comparison."

	Waldia's state...well, that's understandable. "Well, if you didn't see anyone important to you on that tower, that's at least a good sign. Though imagining that man inflicting his dreams of divinity on other worlds...I'm glad Mikoto was there, because that's someone who deserved what he got."

	...and back to looking down with a blush. Mai has a good idea what Rune means here.

'''<Pose Tracker> Runealy Waldia [Ohtori Academy (7)] has posed.'''

	"Love starts at home. For most people, the first ones you feel love toward are your family. Aside from a few people who didn't get that, for whatever awful reasons, the foundation of love is always personal. Everyone who talks big about those things, myself included..." Rune makes a slow, deep nod. "We're building it on that foundation. Love for everyone sounds great, but it usually starts with one person, then one family, before you share it with others."
 
Rune works her way toward a conclusion. "So after saving worlds, you saved one more person. You jumped in front of me, and started attacking her weapons instead of her. You held back just enough to let her decide... suffering for thousands of years, but not one day more. She's going to have a lot to work through, but she has that chance now when you could have just been 'smart' and finished her off. All that..."
 
Rune calms down, a smile taking hold as she applies a playful tone to a 'demanding' question: "And you mean to say you didn't accomplish much? What do your ''productive'' days look like?!"

'''<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.'''

	"...in all honesty, I approach this by thinking about who I'm protecting. Who might be hurt if I just ignored things." Mai looks up, and bites her lip. "I made the mistake of ignoring a plight, thinking my help wouldn't matter. Once." She shakes her head. "I'm not sure how good a hero I am, because I do pick favourites. If I had to choose between protecting Takumi..."

	Rune builds up to a conclusion, and Mai can't help but interrupt. "I stepped in front of you for two reasons. One - if she'd still been attacking, I have Takumi and maybe Mikoto depending on me. You have a kingdom relying on you, Runealy Waldia - so I did have to step in. And...you're my friend, and I don't need a medal for protecting one of those." She looks out the window.

	"I went for her weapons because...we were hit with her emotions. I got a taste of her pride - so proud of what she'd done, so proud of her power, that she created calamity for the sake of that pride. And...I was proud that I'd protected Takumi from the 'monster', I was ready to unleash all the fire I could just to prove my might." Mai sips her coffee. "When I realized what I was doing...I decided I'd only unleash more hurt if it was necessary. Attack the weapon, keep her from hurting anyone else, without going berserk."

	Mai looks to Runealy's face, earnest - and then can't help but laugh. "Well, ideally I'd get some homework done, and pull a work shift to contribute more to my savings. Alas, this is only vacation." She smiles - and pulls the box of keychains to her. "...thank you, Runealy Waldia. I accept your recognition."

	A pause, and Mai glances to the kitchen. "Do you want to try the desserts here?"


[[Category:Logs]]