Arc 2 setup log: Hotaru

[Anastasia]

This occurs right after the summer break after Gaia. Pretty much situation and mood setup, as well as a few longer term things.

[13:44:39] <Kotono> ---Advance setup scene go!---
[13:47:58] <Kotono> With Gaia behind her and life ahead of her, Hotaru Tomoe is ready to seize the day! This morning dawns bright and sunny, even if the weather predicts heavy rains come noon. But who cares? This is it - your first day in a new grade after summer break! Mom's even downstairs, a little relatively late to work as she sips at her coffee.
[13:50:25] * Hotaru-chan raises a bit of an eyebrow at her parent, but smiling none the less. "Morning, Mom," Hotaru greets her parent, starting to amke her own breakfast...okay, pouring cereal and milk doesn't count as 'making', she supposes. "Not going to enjoy your daily interlude with the traffic this morning?" she adds wryly.
[13:51:42] <Kotono> "I'm working until nearly midnight, so I'm taking a late morning. There's a big nighttime meet and greet, and your Dad's coming to be with me, so you'll have to fend for yourself. Go get some money from my purse on your way out." Casually sipping at her coffee, Mom mainly keeps to reading the paper and slowly eating oatmeal with mustard mixed in.
[13:53:26] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru winces sharply, more at the time constraints than the food. Her mother's eating habits at this point in time...well, it's been worse. "Ow...Hotaru nods, sitting and beginning to much through breakfast. "Mmm...do you mind if I'm at Mako-chan's tonight?" she asks curiously, glancing over to gauge her reaction. How much can she push this morning?
[13:54:49] <Kotono> "Mmm." Pursing her lips around mustard and oat, Reiko glances up at Hotaru. "...alright, but only after you've finished ALL you homework."
[13:55:53] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru sweatdrops. "What, you think I won't do it over there?" Hotaru hmphs softly, but offers a smile to her mother. "What else would I spend half the night doing?"
[13:57:05] <Kotono> The rather unamused, cold look back could freeze H otaru's cereal bowl into a block of ice. "It's your first day in an advanced grade level. Let's not have you screw up off the bat with your homework?"
[13:59:43] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru waves her hand defensively, signalling a retreat. "I understand, I understand..." Hotaru sighs, spending a minute working on breakfast. Thankfully she eats quicker these days. "So can I spend the first half with Rei? She's been in this grade longer..."
[14:02:01] <Kotono> "Maybe." Mom stops to get up and get a new cup of coffee, a goodly pause before she resumes. "At her house? Her Grandfather is a dear old man...mostly."
[14:03:43] <Hotaru-chan> "'Mostly'," Hotaru snorts softly as mom comes back, most of her breakfast gone. "I actually think he was posessed by Balder once...mmm. That's something else, wandering thoughts. Either her house or here, wherever Rei preffers," Hotaru clarifies, shrugging.
[14:05:03] <Kotono> "That's fine. Besides, being at her Shrine is safe and it's good cultural learning." Finishing up her oatmeal and going back to her paper in earnest, "Take a little more if you're going to be over here, so both of you will have dinner money."
[14:07:32] <Hotaru-chan> "You still put so much emphasis on 'safe'," Hotaru snickers, standing up and taking the paper as the signal to wind this down. "Mmm, so you want me to show Rei a good time?" she barbs lightly, moving over to her mother's purse after placing her bowl in the sink.
[14:09:23] <Kotono> "Hmmm." Mother doesn't dignify that with an immediate answer, quite a bit of money in her purse - nearly 10,000 yen.
[14:12:53] * Hotaru-chan picks out 4,000 yen. She ahs some of her own, but let's consider the company she's keeping. "Yeah yeah, I know," she replies to her mother's indignant silence while she slips the money away. "See you...probably in the morning," she admits, coming over to give her mother a loose hug before going.
[14:14:35] <Kotono> Mom does reach over to return it, "Good luck - and don't get in trouble," she adds quietly, a bit annoyed. "At school or after it."
[14:17:36] <Hotaru-chan> "I don't have a girl in my class spreading rumors that I'm pregnant, I hope I'll manage," Hotaru mutters, patting her mother lightly before separating. "Love you, bye!" she offers, before heading off to school.
[14:24:58] <Kotono> So off to school! Back to T*A! Students in teh gray uniform swarm in as Hotaru checks her notes. As she remembers she has to report to the front office to be assigned and then taken to class. Pretty normal stuff.
[14:25:37] * Hotaru-chan just heads that direction, keeping a general eye out for her friends.
[14:27:44] <Kotono> No luck on finding them before class today, but on the office? You get a pleasant surprise. Once directed to a little sitting office to wait, you find someone else there. Junki awaits, reading a textbook. There are several chairs around a long rectangular table, the window blinds on the far wall open to admit th esunshine. "Hey...Hotaru?" she looks up.
[14:33:20] * Hotaru-chan blinks, her guarded neutral expression slipping into a smile. "Hi, Junki," she greets, smiling and relaxing a little. "Had an alright summer?"
[22:24:20] <Kotono> "Healing up - spent a lot of time in water for my legs." Going down to pat said calves, a notable tan over her features. "I'm feeling nice. Anyway, I was waiting for one of the transfers, and if it's you, that'll be perfect. Helping out in the office this semester."
[22:26:09] <Hotaru-chan> "Ahhh...well, yeah, I was supposed to come here with for my transfer," Hotaru laughs softly, playing her senses lightly over Junki to look at the state of her injuries. Hopefully they're all gone, but she preffers to not take her chances. "Er...am I supposed to check in with them?" she asks suddenly, blushing. Total airhead right now...
[22:27:10] <Kotono> OOC - El soul-ochecko.
[22:27:49] <Hotaru-chan> roll 2d6
[22:27:50] * Hatbot --> "Hotaru-chan rolls 2d6 and gets 8."12 [2d6=5, 3]
[22:31:25] <Kotono> From what Hotaru can see she doesn't see anything obviously wrong in her weave and lines. "Yeah, there's some last paperwork. C'mon, it's pretty boring."
[22:33:21] * Hotaru-chan nods, standing to follow Junki. Hopefully this means she's in Rei's class... Don't get your hopes up, her mind chides, shaking her head. "Most paperwork is..." she snickers softly, staying close.
[22:35:19] <Kotono> The next twenty minutes is passed in mundane paperwork. This happens in a large working office with windows to the halls. You can see the flow of student passing slow, office workers and a fewnuns about. One is a smiling, kindly young woman, neat blonde hair tucked back. She takes your paperwork, skimming over it, sitting opposite you. "It's all in order. Go ahead - oh, and since you may miss it at this rate, there's an assembly this afternoon
[22:37:22] <Kotono> afternoon."
[22:37:46] <Kotono> Junki stands and nods, "Oh, I almost forgot. Thank you, sister," she bows politely.
[22:38:50] * Hotaru-chan nods, standing and giving the nun a small bow. "Thank you," she echoes quietly, beginning to smile. No more Mai! No more class that calls her a witch!
[22:40:46] <Kotono> "Class E-1, Room M-8." So nodding, the cute green eyed nun smiles. "Go on, you should get ther ein time to at least see your home room teacher."
[22:42:19] <Hotaru-chan> "Thanks!" Hotaru offers as they slip out of the office, heading onwards!
[22:48:15] <Kotono> Into the halls - now mostly quiet. A few nuns walk the halls, giving you serious nods for the most part. As you do, you notice the walls have been repainted a pristine white, the windows gleaming. "Yeah, that new headmistress really shelled out," she whistles, "I heard she had a professional cleaning service come and do everything from top to bottom. The nuns were talking about it today."
[22:50:05] <Hotaru-chan> "Wow..." Hotaru murmurs, eyes sliding around to catch the whole thing. "I just hope..." Hotaru's eyes flicker a moment to make sure she won't be heard. "That they didn't lock the tower...then again, maybe it's better if they did."
[22:52:01] <Kotono> You can see your reflection in the windows, and outside, the grass and shrubs have been neatly trimmed. By an expert hand, no less - even Mako-chan and her special talents in the area would be hard pressed to exceed that job.  "You mean the belltower. Yeah, yeah." That gets a less than friendly snort from Junki, "Yeah, just as better."
[22:54:12] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru's smile is more wry than before. "Well, for most, it'd be inaccessible, anyway..." Hotaru mrumrus vaguely. Even if Junki's experienced it, perhaps best to practice more discretion, for Rei's sanity at least. "Mah...so do you know if Rei-chan's in this class?"
[22:57:30] <Kotono> "Not sure offhand," So admitting, "They shuffled the room names around a bit. I think she is, but hell if I know for sure." Her agreement is cheerful as you come to the door to your room. It's ajar, the sounds of students and a teacher talking just barely trickling outside. "I'm supposed to go in and tell the teacher you're here, but if you wanna go ahead..."
[23:00:12] <Hotaru-chan> "Best to follow form?" Hotaru supposes, casting her senses into the room curiously to find a familiar blazing red aura. Hopefully...
[23:01:35] <Kotono> OOC - Soul check.
[23:01:42] <Hotaru-chan> roll 2d6
[23:01:43] * Hatbot --> "Hotaru-chan rolls 2d6 and gets 9."12 [2d6=5, 4]
[23:02:24] <Kotono> The mundane weave you glimpse through the door has lines of red focusing, the heat of the Sailor of Mars lurking beyond. So Junki goes in, closing the door behind her.
[23:03:49] * Hotaru-chan smirks to herself. Wish granted for once, she breathes, trying to not giggle. Okay...calm down, really. Rei wasn't real open about her friends, so... Hotaru smothers the expression, calm, easy. Don't embarrass her.
[23:05:47] <Kotono> So Hotaru stands in the gleaming halls. The floors have been waxed and polished to a glowing buff, reflecting Hotaru's uniformed appearance(And panties, she can note, if she looks just so.)  upward when she looks down. Junki is a few minutes, then coming out and closing the door behind you. "They're ready."
[23:12:47] <Hotaru-chan> "Awaiting their new princess..." Hotaru breathes the joke, really not wanting that to reach the class. "Well, they already have Rei..." she snickers softly. "Cya Junki...thanks," she offers the other girl, heading into the classroom.
[23:14:48] <Kotono> "Thanks - oh, and g'luck." With a smile and a wave, "Lemme know if you need anything. I know a few of the girls in passing." So she's off, and to the class! Older girls, much like Rei - who sits in the middle, tapping a pen against a notebook as she watches, a slightly cagey, catty, amused smile flickering on her face. Most look nice enough - one with ponytails, one with braids, one with long hair to her feet, the normal mix. (More)
[23:18:57] <Kotono> The nun is middle aged, a few laugh lines and wrinkles on her face. Soft, doelike brown eyes peek out, but her face assumes a half stern expression, one that doesn't quite work for her at all. In her youth, perhaps she was a soft featured beauty? "Miss Tomoe," she says, gesturing to in front of her desk(New, no less! Wow, it's nice, real wood if you're right. Hey, so are the student desks!). "If you'd tell us about yourself?"
[23:24:53] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru casts Rei an amused look with her eyes only, not...presuming recognition of the older girl on her part as she walks in. Hotaru bows respectfully to the nun, keeping the pleasent expression. Calm down...waht can you tell them... her mind whimpers, nearly panicking behind the facade of calmness. She bows to the class though, completely in form, rigid form, it's saving you right now.
[23:24:53] <Hotaru-chan> "My name's Tomoe Hotaru, I just transfered from first year." No magic...really, NO MAGIC. "I like to read and go nature watching. And I hope to have a really great year with all of you!" she offers the typical greeting, her fingernails biting into one palm to control herself as she lets just the miniscule amount of embbarrassment out for the typical reaction. Ugh, I hate this...
[23:29:55] <Kotono> "Not a delinquent?" Your teacher struggles to keep her voice stern, but it squeaks upwards several decibels over delinquent. Eeping after and blushing, "Go ahead and take a seat." Annoying, ther eisn't anything right by Rei, but there's one at a back diagonal from her.
[23:30:14] <Kotono> The class nods, Rei shooting you an amused look through it. She tries not to laugh, rolling her eyes as she starts to idly sketch in her notebook.
[23:35:02] <Hotaru-chan> "Thank you, ma'am," Hotaru nods, still offering a polite smile, but winking at Rei as she takes that nearest seat. It's far enough away to hopefully not intrude, but if Rei's feeling friendly, not an annoyance.
[23:36:06] <Kotono> "Aaah! Oh no!" Suddenly her voice gets even higher pitched! The slap of palm to forehead echos behind Hotaru, the nun's eyes squeezing shut. "I forgot again! I'm Sister Koshimo."
[23:36:45] <Kotono> Rei just chuckles again, glancing back at Hotaru. But she doesn't press it, getting her supplies for class ready instead.
[23:37:46] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru snickers very softly, giving Rei an open smile this time. "Sister Koshimo," Hotaru agrees softly, getting her own things for class.
[23:38:09] <Kotono> OOC - MAke a general mind check, Hotaru.
[23:38:56] <Hotaru-chan> roll 2d6 burning 20 ep
[23:38:57] * Hatbot --> "Hotaru-chan rolls 2d6 burning 20 ep and gets 6."12 [2d6=3, 3]
[23:40:40] <Kotono> Despite a bit of sleepiness throughout her lessons Hotaru gets the gist of the material. It'll be a few steps up and require more work, but it looks like it'll be okay so far. Lunch comes but it's a busy, distracted mix of little things. You do get a few names from the students, a few even chatting a bit, but everyone's mostly busy catching up from summer break. A Yuko, a Ruruna, a Lio(Chinese girl), that sort.
[23:43:20] * Hotaru-chan smiles and chats back, at least able to make this meaningless small talk. She keeps a general eye out to see what Rei's up to. Best to get a hold on what her routine is to not disrupt it.
[23:44:13] <Kotono> She has a few friends she keeps to. She smiles at Hotaru and even talks with her a bit, but both just happen to be really busy catching up and listening, respectively. However, you do note one girl make a sneering comment about 'Rei and that weird club she goes to'. But so lunch ends. (More)
[23:46:13] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru marks the girl off in her head for further observation. Knowing how these things work, she and Rei could use their disassociation to maneuver... Stop using concentric war theory in a social environment! she snaps as lunch ends, keeping it in her head. But it's fun... Hotaru dismisses the though as things head back to lunch, more relaxed now, but no less alert.
[23:48:27] <Kotono> So the second half of the day goes! It's truncated for one lucky reason - there is an assembly. So the girls gather in the shiny, gleaming halls, mostly sweet smelling young ladies going in gaggles along. It's a disordered affair, people heading at their own pace.
[23:50:58] * Hotaru-chan lets herself drift by Rei a moment. Okay, maybe it's obsessive and neurotic, but Rei was...mm. Well, Rei's Rei. Touchy, nice, angry, wonderful Rei. So Hotaru comes near, offering her a smile, but not approaching of her own violition just yet.
[23:51:55] <Kotono> Rei is walking by herself - she nods, "Hey," she says a moment as you pass into the auditorium. The stage has been expanded, all paneled wood and polished as well. The seats have new cushions. "Talk to you later, alright? I want to see what all the noise about this headmistress is about."
[23:53:14] <Hotaru-chan> "Sure," Hotaru agrees, offering Rei a slight smile. Yeah, active Rei. Hotaru sticks to herself thus, rather used to that role, and not so much bothered by it anymore.
[23:55:51] <Kotono> So Hotaru gets a seat between two girls of no note, no one she knows. After about ten minutes of waiting it begins - the curtains draw back. A flashback of memory - while the stage is nicer and nicely cleaned up, the same chair sin back and podium in front. Eleni's attack, and...mmm. Memories are brushed aside, however, as the grade 12 advisor is at the mike. Clearing her old, withered throat, "Ladies?" (More)
[23:57:27] <Kotono> The casual chatting dies down, attention on her as she begins. "As you may have heard, there has been a change in ownership for Thomas Aquinas School for Young Girls." A pause to put on reading glasses, a few sheets of paper on the podium. On ethroat clearing later, "During the changes, we expect the utmost in proper conduct and right behavior."
[23:58:39] * Hotaru-chan raises an eyebrow to herself. New ownership? How...odd. Hotaru waits patiently though, nothing overly interesting here.
[00:00:42] <Kotono> "To reflect being one of the most elite and proper schools in all of Japan..." What follows at first is the normal rigamarole. High standards of education, excellent classes, atmosphere, religious overtones, and so forth. Really, for a little while it's nothing that groundbreaking.
[00:02:03] * Hotaru-chan tries to not fall asleep. Well, it's not that hard. Hotaru instead plays out the Seven Years' War in her head as she waits.
[00:03:51] <Kotono> It only gets to year three before a change in tone gets Hotaru's attention. "In accordance to these principals, T*A must embrace it's roll as the preporatory school. A long reaching program of three fronts: Enrichment, Importation and Finishing." So she goes on, voice cleared one more time. (More)
[00:04:34] * Hotaru-chan perks up slightly. This could effect her life, she tells herself, listening closely.
[00:06:04] <Kotono> "Enrichment - the strongest curriculum possible for the students of Thomas Aquinas. As trained as such, to prepare them for Toudai and many other high schools. Importation - expanding the school. Within 5 years beginning an boarding program for out of Tokyo students of merit and prestige. Finishing, beginning a regimen of finishing school applications and electives to fully prepare our girls to be as graceful as they are well educated."
[00:09:13] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru tries to not choke on all of that. The curriculum...okay, she can probably handle that. Mixing boarding students and walk ins might be troublesome... But...finishing? What the hell?
[00:12:03] <Kotono> With that it ends - the normal gossip mill begins, students getting ready to flee out to home or friends or whatnot.
[00:13:09] <Hotaru-chan> Weird... Hotaru shakes her head, lingering and looking around, primarily for Rei, but a little corner of her mind wants to find Mai. Oh yes. She must be GLOATING today, whispering how she was expelled, Hotaru will be giving birth in a few months... She needs to walk past her if she can, and show off.
[00:14:31] <Kotono> Rei's lingering in the aisle, arms crossed and radiating slowly boiling displeasure. As Hotaru approaches, "That was certainly SOMETHING," she mutters, not glancing back. "I'm not sure if they're serious or they're going to turn this into a boarding school."
[00:16:08] <Hotaru-chan> /me latches up with Rei, her vengeful goals forgotten easily in the presence of an actual friend. "Yeah..." she agrees witih a small snort. "Mixing a baording and normal school would be...there might be fights, or something, and a full boarding school? Ugh. We should be graduated by the end, though."
[00:20:59] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru links up with Rei, her vengeful goals forgotten easily in the presence of an actual friend. "Yeah..." she agrees with a small snort. "Mixing a baording and normal school would be...there might be fights, or something, and a full boarding school? Ugh. We should be graduated by the end, though."
[00:21:53] <Kotono> "Yeah. Still...see how it goes." Rei just snorts, blowing out her annoyance. She starts to walk, "So, how was your first day in 1-8?"
[00:23:10] <Hotaru-chan> "Alright...I'm going to have to work to stay up with the curriculum, but hopefully by next year...." Hotaru shrugs, smiling warmly at Rei and walking with her. "A lot, lot nicer than my old class."
[00:24:44] <Kotono> "...nice." Rei even deigns to smile as she walks along, "I'll walk you home and we can chat it over. Don't worry, that one girl..." So she begins, Rei and Hotaru walking along and talking in the embers of the day.
[00:27:39] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru nods, sticking close enough to Rei, though mindfully letting the miko have her space. Bah, this is nerve wracking in some ways, nice in others. Oh well. A new sort of time at school started! Maybe she'll make friends, and keep her others.

[Halbarad]

[12:20:29] <Kotono> ---Arc 2 setup go!---
[12:25:05] <Kotono> So Hotaru prepares - a cafe afterschool. To get a picture and perhaps very much more, but one thing is needed. An umbrella, the rains of summer coming down in great heaving buckets.
[12:50:54] <Hotaru-chan> At least the rain brough the temperature down! A blazing hot summer isn't particularly comfortable for someone unused to exertion in one, so Hotaru's at least thankful for that. She wears simple enough clothing for the occasion, though it isn't like this is a big date...right? Whimper. Breathe. Mom said breathingw as good when you left...right?! Deep breath...
[12:50:54] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru calmed herself again, brushing soft black mini-skirt and violet blouse again. It's fine. It isn't. Shut up! She was even wearing makleup, as much as it made her nervous. How much of a 'sign' would he take it as? Mom had said it was good, and considering mom's approach on this...ARGH. Okay, try to calm down.
[12:54:20] <Kotono> As Hotaru's mind works in a frenzied panic attack, the sky threanens rain again as you head into the cafe. It's cool here, the air fresh and laden with the scent of treats. Your objective is dead ahead - Yoshi's at the front bar, alright, awaiting.
[12:57:53] * Hotaru-chan smiles a little, shifting the umbrella into her left hand. Maybe she should...that'd be funny. Smirking as Tomoe humor overcomes nervousness, she creeps up behind Yoshi. Okay...um...glomp might be a bad idea. "Hi," she greets softly, fingers brushing his shoulder as she sits down next to him. "Am I late?"
[13:02:05] <Kotono> "Hotaru!" Yoshi turns, nearly grinning from ear to ear as his 'friend' comes to sit down next to him. On the counter awaits a few pictures, discreetly face down for now. "Not quite."
[13:06:23] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru offers a war smile, hoping the bit of lipstick and barest hint of eyeliner don't seem too obvious. Stop fretting. Please. "Mmm," she agrees, smiling and sitting next to him, smoothing her skirt again. "So how're you?" she asks softly, quirking her head to him. The pictures were honestly not that important in any scenario.
[13:07:59] <Kotono> "I'm great. You?" AS he does he looks you over, eyes roaming once and then staying to lock eyes with Hotaru. His hands go to his sides for the moment, one close to yours, but not doing anythign for now. "Want something to drink?"
[13:11:54] * Hotaru-chan blushes slightly, trying to control it, failing as she sees his arms move in her peripheral vision. Don't look. "Mmm...I'm good," she smiles, offering that happy, reserved smile to him. "And...yeah," she adds finally, trying very hard to not just laugh at herself, laugh at this, or something...it's weird, it's giddy, it's nerve wracking...
[13:17:04] <Kotono> As you talk, you're aware of something - a warm hand folding over yours, holding. "So...yeah. The pictures came out well," he says, free hand flipping one over. It's the photo he took of you, a view of the c ity in contrast with Hotaru.
[13:22:49] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru keeps smiling, expecting that as she lightlysqueezes Yoshi's. He's probably as nervous as you are...yeah, just keep telling yourself that. ""Ooh..." she offers softly, looking and inspecting, not letting the er...well, there's nothing wrong with it, jsut that she can never...sigh. Hotaru smiles more though, warmer a bit and flickering over to Yoshi. "It's really nice..." she agrees lightly, humming.
[13:24:30] <Kotono> "Thanks." It is a good quality photo, steady and clear. Hotaru's likeness is captured forever, as Yoshi squeezes back, leaning in to inspect. "Yeah, I like it. It's yours, since I made a seperate set of prints."
[13:27:46] <Hotaru-chan> ...Should you? You should. Prussian! Think Prussian! There is no room for French in dating! Hotaru leans in closer, smiling as her arm and shoulder brushes Yoshi's. "Thanks..." she murmurs, a little bit of amusement in her voice as her free hand picks up the photo, holding it lightly and styill looking for a moment. Not in a rush to get rid of it...
[13:30:08] <Kotono> He's warm - you can feel his own body heat as you get closer. He smells good - it's something you can't quite explain. Something boyish and manish and strong and vigorful and right all at once. "You're welcome, and I wanted to buy us a milkshake to share after, if you don't mind?" Now he smiles, looking to Hotaru, face a lot closer now. His eyes are open, happy as they look into Hotaru's.
[13:36:13] <Hotaru-chan> That was blatant, Hotaru's mind twitches slightly. Then again...didn't you like him for that? Point. Bluntness is what makes him nice... Hotaru snickers softly, leaning half an inch closer and raising her eyebrows. "Okay," she finally says, not quite smirking, but relaxing back a little.
[13:39:29] <Kotono> He leans in a tiny bit more - you're really close now, virtually embracing. He does turn his head, "Milkshake," he asks one of the workers, then back, "Chocolate fine?"
[13:42:23] <Hotaru-chan> "Yeah, chocolate's good," Hotaru murmurs softly, her smile twisting a little. Should you...but that'd be...but didn't you... her mind swirls chaotically, shifting that one little bit closer. "So did your brother ever find out?" she asks softly, curious. Did boys talk about this kind of thing?
[13:45:39] <Kotono> "Heh, no. I haven't really talked to him since then. He's busy." A bit of relief is there, quite open. "It's just as well for now. I-" He stops as the milkshake comes back - in a cool glass cup with two straws in it.
[13:48:06] <Hotaru-chan> "At leas they're perceptive..." Hotaru snickers softly, shaking her head lightly. "Mmm...You...?" she hazards, taking the straw nearest in her lips and sipping slightly. Chocolate!
[13:50:11] <Kotono> Very chocolate! IT's a strong, sweet shake, Yoshi drinking as well as you do. Really rather good, as a matter of fact. "Me? I just like you," he admits, squeezing your hand again.
[13:51:55] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru swallows, making sure there isn't any shake in her mouth before she jsut sticks her tongue out at Yoshi and giggles. "Do you get nervous?" she asks frankly, raising her eyebrows.
[13:54:14] <Kotono> "A little." Sipping and well and laughing, even lightly sticking his tongue out in return, "I was afraid you'd yank your hand away."
[13:57:47] * Hotaru-chan makes a face, laughing very softly. "I held it last time..." she quips, more playful than anything. "I was tempted to try and tickle you when I snuck in, though."
[13:58:37] <Kotono> "If you want?" Yoshi offers right back, sipping away and keeping his eyes on Hotaru. He scoots over, firmly putting himself against Hotaru and vice versa now.
[14:04:52] * Hotaru-chan raises one eyebrow at him, but doesn't dismiss her smile as she relaxes a little. "What's next, trying to kiss me?" she teases softly, snickering. "Okay, that was probably unfair to preempt..." she admits with a snicker, fingertips tracing Yoshi's hand lazily.
[14:06:43] <Kotono> "Thinking about it," he admits, close enough to do so if he wanted to. "Not quite yet...I mean, not in public. I was going to offer to take you out to a movie soon. Do you want to go?"
[14:11:42] <Hotaru-chan> "And corner me in the back row?" Hotaru bars softly, leaning in far enough to touch her nose to Yoshi's a moment, retreating a few inches from there. "Sure, though I wonder how or if we skipped flirting," she muses wryly, smiling easily back at Yoshi.
[14:13:48] <Kotono> "Honesty?" Yoshi shoots back, blushing but not for long as he smiles. "What do you want to see - there's some anime showing down a few blocks, and there's more serious movies or romantic ones if you like."
[14:20:35] <Hotaru-chan> "Mmm..." Hotaru muses taking another sip of chocolate shake while she's at it, though not moving far from the impaction of her and Yoshi. He's nice. "Honestly, the bluntness is attractive, though I'm quirky," sshe snickers, humming. "Romance movies were always a little odd...weirder than novels, um...do you like samurai films?"
[14:21:42] <Kotono> "It is. I dunno, just it's better than trying to figure out if you really like someone over a few months." So agreeing as he stays close, "I like them. I'll go with anything with action," Laughing a little at that, "You like them?" At this he leans in just a little more, holding Hotaru's hand tight.
[14:23:22] * Hotaru-chan makes a bit of a face. "Period films, yeah...normal action ones I start pointing out inaccuracies and ruin it..." Hotaru admits, blushing and smiling, not moving too into the closeness, but not tryign to discourage Yoshi, relaxed seeming as she gives his hand a light squeeze. "I study military history in my spare time."
[14:29:58] <Kotono> "What periods of history?" Yoshi asks this curiously, "So you like things related to that, like war documentaries and all the history around it?"
[14:32:58] <Hotaru-chan> "All over I guess...mostly starting in the sixteenth century and heading onwards..." Hotaru murmurs, nodding a little bit. "Mostly books, since it's easier to stop and try something out in my head, or whatever...it's mostly just a hobby these days, though," she admits, blushing a little. "Mmm...mah, it's not all that big recently."
[14:34:29] <Kotono> "Mmm. Why not anymore," he asks, reaching into his pocket and getting a few yen out to pay for the drink. "Something else get your attention?
[14:36:38] <Hotaru-chan> "Friends, job, boyfriend," Hotaru lists far more casually than she thinks, emphasizing the singularity of the last word a little as she eyes Yoshi curiously. "Mom that wishes my bedroom wasn't a library..."
[14:37:39] <Kotono> The last gets a warm smile from Yoshi. He squeezes your hand back, "Heh...I want to say I'd like to see that bedroom if it's that close to a library just to see, but...well. Yeah." Looking away, "That's not something you do until she invites you. So...movie?"
[14:43:30] <Hotaru-chan> "Movie," Hotaru snickers softly, pecking Yoshi lightly on the cheek. He needs the encouragement, maybe. "Don't worry, I'm hard to...what would the word be..." she suddenly stop, frowning a moment. "...Maaah, just that even if it's something like that, I'll like hearing about it at least, okay?"
[14:48:18] <Kotono> To this Yoshi leans in, resting his nose against Hotaru's, so close. "Okay," he say squietly, close and closer and...and...?
[14:56:23] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru raises an eyebrow at the boy sitting across from her, giving his lips the very lightest brush of her own on an impulse and retreating. "Want to go?" she breaks, smiling more cryptically.
[14:57:01] <Kotono> He does press a little more, the barest kiss shared! You notice you do get a few glances from the various students and workers, but Yoshi nods. "Let's!"
[12:10:21] <Hotaru-chan> [14:37:39] <Kotono> The last gets a warm smile from Yoshi. He squeezes your hand back, "Heh...I want to say I'd like to see that bedroom if it's that close to a library just to see, but...well. Yeah." Looking away, "That's not something you do until she invites you. So...movie?"
[12:10:21] <Hotaru-chan> [14:43:30] <Hotaru-chan> "Movie," Hotaru snickers softly, pecking Yoshi lightly on the cheek. He needs the encouragement, maybe. "Don't worry, I'm hard to...what would the word be..." she suddenly stop, frowning a moment. "...Maaah, just that even if it's something like that, I'll like hearing about it at least, okay?"
[12:10:21] <Hotaru-chan> [14:48:18] <Kotono> To this Yoshi leans in, resting his nose against Hotaru's, so close. "Okay," he say squietly, close and closer and...and...?
[12:10:21] <Hotaru-chan> [14:56:23] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru raises an eyebrow at the boy sitting across from her, giving his lips the very lightest brush of her own on an impulse and retreating. "Want to go?" she breaks, smiling more cryptically.
[12:10:21] <Hotaru-chan> [14:57:01] <Kotono> He does press a little more, the barest kiss shared! You notice you do get a few glances from the various students and workers, but Yoshi nods. "Let's!"
[12:12:41] <Kotono> So off you go! The movie theater buzzes with life - students, parents, children, older people, workers, players, all sorts going in! In the lobby is the snack bar, some arcade machines and lots of theater entrances. Amid all the movie advertisements you find a good list of movies...(Go ahead and take some liberty here with a movie, Hot-chan.)
[12:23:15] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru glances at her date a moment, keeping a light smile on her face that honestly isn't much of an act. "Mmm..." she hums softly, eyes flickering between the posters and her date. Not the political drama... she notes, instead settling, at least mentally, on the Lone Wolf ronin flick. "Mmm...you thinking of anything?" she asks softly, looking over at Yoshi. Don't lean on him, most people don't gt as touchy as you...
[12:24:23] <Kotono> He's close, holding Hotaru's hand and looking around. "Mmmm." So he ponders, eyes flicking about. "Yous aid you like samurai movies?" He points to the poster for the Lone Wolf flick, "That's what you have in mind?"
[12:27:10] * Hotaru-chan lets her smile widen, nodding. "Mm...those are good, yeah," she agrees, her index finger tracing Yoshi's palm nervously. "You won't get bored?" she asks playfully, casting him a wry look.
[12:31:11] <Kotono> "Probably not, but we'll find out." Yoshi plays back, paying for the tickets and glancing at the clock. He stays close, but eyes the counter. "Do you want popcorn or anything?"
[12:37:06] * Hotaru-chan shakes her head a little. "No, thanks," she murmurs, smiling slightly. "I practically stop eating when I'm nervous," she admits, blushing slightly.
[12:37:13] <Hotaru-chan> *blushing.
[12:38:37] <Kotono> "Heh," Yoshi laughs a little himself, "How about a game?" he says, "Or just go get seats?" He squeezes Hotaru's hand back as he does, and to be fair, it's not like you're the only couple about this afternoon.
[12:44:20] <Hotaru-chan> "Mmm..." Hotaru hums softly, letting her head rest into Yoshi's shoulder. She shouldn't, but it's a little too easy. "I'm hedgeing all of a sudden...mah, lets just go get seats before the theater gets crowded or anything...well, and so I'll stop talking when the movie starts..."
[12:54:40] <Kotono> So in you go! As you do...Yoshi puts his arm slowly around your shoulders, drawing the two close enough to walk as one. Inside there are lots of seats and only a few people - Y oshi goes for something in the middle back.
[12:59:31] * Hotaru-chan sweatdrops, but doesn't protest. Is he...? It's hard to tell, but not uncomfortable yet... That has no small part to do with being able to cut him in half with your fingers, Hotarug ripes to herself morbidly, just smiling a little as she keeps pace. "Mmm..." she begins to snicker softly. "So what're you thinking about?" she hazards softly, smoothing her skirt as they sit. Just...try to be casual. Yes.
[13:01:26] <Kotono> "If the movie's going to be any good," he says, hands parted and bodies away as they get seated next to each other. "And...that's a nice perfume? It's something that smells good." He looks to Hotaru at that, pleasantly agreeing for now.
[13:05:15] * Hotaru-chan flushes. "I wasn't sure, so it was a really small amount..." she sighs, giving her head a very small shake. "Mah...: she snorts, glancing back, giving Yoshi an amusedly wry smile. "I'm jumpy."
[13:10:06] <Kotono> "Yeah..." So admitting as he scratches the back of his head, he slowly wraps his arm over the seat andcd your shoulders. "Just...yeah."
[13:13:56] <Hotaru-chan> "Mmm," Hotaru agrees, leaning in just a little to the embracce, her head on Yoshi's shoulder. "So here's the direct question one should never ask...well, mmm...this probably isn't as new to you as me, is it?"
[13:15:37] <Kotono> "...well..." Blushing, "A little, but...honestly, just relax. There's something nice about it. Brother says it's part of liking someone. Think he's right for a change."
[13:18:41] <Hotaru-chan> "Relax...yeah, I'm great at that," Hotaru just snickers, trying to at least and letting some of the tension go. You don't need to fill aural space. Really, she tells herself, closing ehr eyes a moment.
[13:19:37] <Kotono> So it goes quiet. Yoshi doesn't seem to push it audiably for now, simply resting and holding Hotaru. It's nice here, easy, peaceful. The opposite of so much in Hotaru's life, as slowly time passes and the lights begin to dim.
[13:22:10] * Hotaru-chan glances around half an instant, slowly perhaps calming down as nothing seems wrong with just being quiet. Or is it? She can't tell. Shut up, she mutters in the blackness of her own mind. "Mmm..."
[13:26:58] <Kotono> "Mmm." Yoshi returns quietly, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Thanks. Just...mmm." Looking out at the screen as it begins to show previews, the theater half full at best, "Idiot brother would be bothering me by now if he had his way."
[13:29:49] * Hotaru-chan smiles a bit more, tilting up to peck Yoshi on the cheek. "Mm...I'll take that as advice to not harass my sibling too much once they're born," she snickers, grinning lightly and settling for the movie.
[13:31:49] <Kotono> "Yeah...worst thing in the world you can do. You don'tw ant them to hate you." Yoshi sighs quietly, but does slowly perk up at the peck. As the movie begins he gets closer, seeeming to find his way in more and more. Just little touches of nose to nose at first, but...
[13:45:18] <Hotaru-chan> Hotaru blushes, but donesn't push away, or retreat. Prussian...remember. Mom would... She cuts the thought of 'what would Mom do' out of her head rather quickly. Okay, just... Her blush darker yet, Hotaru nudges back into the touches, her lips brushing Yoshi's again, loingering close this time, but not touching for her part.
[13:46:09] <Kotono> So it goes. The lip brushes become slowly closer and closer, the two of you seeming to slowly - so slowly but he is.
[13:50:30] <Hotaru-chan> Stop being Austrian, Hotaru gripes about herself, cutting across that slowness in a moment, lips met more aggressively with a slight push behind it all, stopping two beats at the apex for him to recover and return. You're leaving yourself open for a flank...aren't they supposed be sesnitive about that though? Boys...
[13:56:41] <Kotono> If he minds being flanked he doesn't show it - instead the two fall into kissing, into holding. It's easy to let the time pass on, the two close and occupied solely with each other. Time seems to fade by, but eventually there is a long break. Yoshi just looks at Hotaru, looking at the blush she feels burning on her cheeks and at her eyes. "How is it?"
[14:01:59] * Hotaru-chan tries to keep her expression under control, amaging only in part--she doesn't look shellshocked, for all that her blush might resemble something on the nuclear scale. "AHm..." she starts, brushing her lips with one hand. "It's nice," she murmurs finally, touching her nose to Yoshi's to punctuate it a bit more. "Sorry, jsut...don't know what to say," she admits with a darker blush.
[14:05:09] <Kotono> The way Yoshi blushes matches Hotaru! He fumbles a few times before he just nods, the movie onscreen utterly forgotten. "Y-yeah. It' sjust...mmmm." He doesn't linger, instead slowly going in again, hesitant but seemign tow ant more of that.
[14:10:36] * Hotaru-chan snickers very softly, smiling as she goes for an envelopment, arms slipping around Yoshi in return as they return to the less nervous, more distracting part of this.
[14:18:51] <Kotono> Indeed! Long kisses, short kisses, tongue!!! So much and so little - It's a shock when the lights begin to glint again at last.
[14:21:08] * Hotaru-chan gives a soft and surprised yelp into the liplock, pushing back a little more fiercely a moment and hoping he notices. She doesn't want to just yank away... So hesitating, Hotaru's arms start slipping down, no longer around her...well, this would positively speaking make him a 'boyfriend', she supposes...
[14:22:02] <Kotono> Very slowly they part, his arms as well. Blinking in the light as people rise, "Uh..." he smiles, eloquently out of words to speak, "Good movie?"
[14:28:01] <Hotaru-chan> "Ahm...yeah..." Hotaru coughs softly once the separate, blushing as furiously as ever. "Fun movie..."
[14:29:12] <Kotono> "So...best ever," Yoshi decides quickly, having the courage to stare into Hotaru's eyes. "So...I'll walk you home," he says, breathing trying to come down to sane levels. A few people pass in the walkways, mostly rolling their eyes at young lovebirds.
[14:37:00] <Hotaru-chan> "Sure.." Hotaru nods slowly, brushing her lisp with her fingers, and getting up with a slight smile. Well, it's not as bad as she'd imagined...rather nice, even if...still, that doesn't mean they can't have a good time.
[14:37:14] <Kotono> ---

[Halbarad]

> ---Arc 2 setup go!---
> It was certainly quite a date! Hotaru gets home past sunset, both cars in place. Mom's in the kitchen eating a late dinner, and Dad's dozing in front of the TV. "Goo devening," Mom calls out as Hotaru enters.
<Hotaru-chan> "Hi," Hotaru answers back a little dazedly, turning the whole thing over in her mind. "So um..." Hotaru goes into the kitchen, not really distracted enough to stumble, but not looking all there either while her she examines the whole sequence, opening the fridge on reflex more than current hunger.
> Mom's changed into a crimson sweatsuit. There are probably a lot of reasons you haven't seen it before, notably which because it isn't good on her. Ew. "...Good time," Reiko asks, voice showing a hint of amusement, albiet warily.
<Hotaru-chan> "Huh?" Hotaru looks up,k groping at, and finally grabbing a diet soda before closing the fridge and going over to sit. "Ah...yeah, you cdould say that..." she agrees distractedly, blushing.
> "...Hotaru-chan," Mother says, scooting her chair to be over to her daughter. In a measured, terrifying voice she whispers, "Spill. Now.":
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru turns slowly to her mother, and begins to crack a slight smirk. "We just made out..." she murmurs, cheeks turning fiery red. "For about an hour...maybe two..."
> "Just...made out?" Reiko's left eyebrow arches up in time to an unknown beat, but it sure has a lot of high notes with the way it nearly reaches her hairline! Her hands tighten into themselves, knuckles going white. "You 'just' made out?"
<Hotaru-chan> "Er...not 'just', we um...we didn't do anything...worse?" Hotaru blushes, shaking her head quickly. "You looked like you were thinking...nevermind, but...we met up, and we talked, and er...we ended up holding hands and leaning against each other and talking...and then we went to a movie, and we kinda didn't watch the movie."
> The tapping of Reiko's fingers against the table is the drumbeat of doom. The narrow focus of her eyes is the laser of annhilation. "Are you sure that's it," she asks quietly, rigidly, "Hm, Hotaru-chan. Should I be sniffing your breath?"
<Hotaru-chan> "...MOM!" Hotaru protests sharply, her voice gaining some of its normal sharp edge, even while her cheeks light up ruby red. "I would...gah, just NO!"
> Mom can't help but seem to smirk, viciously amused. "I think I meant for alcohol," she says quite innocently. "Hm, Hotaru-chan?"
<Hotaru-chan> "I don't think the reply needs changing," Hotaru growls, sipping her soda. "I'm just trying to ask Frederick the Great what he thought of it while he rolls in his grave."
> A deep snort escapes from Mom as she reaches out to pinch your cheek. "My," she says dryly, "I'd almost think Hotaru's growing up...but not too fast, is she?"
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru sticks her tongue out at her mother a moment, taking a deep breath and looking a touch more aware. "Who knows. It feels somewhere in between," she murmurs finally, closing her eyes. "Do they normally come on like that?"
> "If they like you or if they're horndogs." Mom leans back, watching her daughter before exhaling. "You know what this means, though."
<Hotaru-chan> "It could mean a lot of things, what're you thinking?" Hotaru asks more lightly. taking another drink and relaxing into the table.
> "Do you know..." Reiko closes her eyes a moment, as if to draw in strength. "I'll kill you if you do, but do you know how to protect yourself?"
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru gave her mother a long, violet eyed look. "I'm the Princess of Destruction, I could make an aggressor unrecognizable to his dentist."
> That doesnt'e ven bat an eyelid. "I'd prefer if you knew how to do that in ways that aren't felonies. Besides, that would kill the mood."
<Hotaru-chan> "...Oh. OH," Hotaru's mouth forms a little copy of that sound for a moment, blushing again before she shuts it. "...It's been mentioned in passing once or twice..." she admits, shaking ehr head. "No one's er...taught me."
> Now Reiko bows her head, as if praying to long gone anscestors. Her posture slumps as she sighs. "You know any quickie store or vending machine may have them...condoms. Just make sure they're rolled out correctly and you pinch the tip. Otherwise, go see a gynocologist and talk to them about options. But if I find out you need that," A flash of fire there, Hotaru given a deadly glare.
> "You're still young, Hotaru. Better safe than sorry...especially since safe and doing THAT aren't going to mix with me at this age. Clear?"
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru gives her mother a dry look that softens a moment later. "Yes yes," she sighs, leaning down onto the table, folding her arms and resting her chin on them. "If I was going to be really stupid, I'd say something like 'but you're having a baby! Why can't I!?'," Hotaru laughs, shaking her head and closing her eyes.
<Hotaru-chan> "I could say I don't feel like I want that...you'd say give it a year, I could say I don't think I'd let a guy go that far...you might suggest that it's easier than I think to get caught up in it, hmm...then I'd wonder if I could pry where that word of wisdom came from out of you." Hotaru eyes her mother, smiling warmly. "And now I've made myself curious."
> Mom rests a hand on her stomach, smiling. "Mmm. Just take my word on it, and the word fo your coming sibling. Now," That smile vanishes, "Go get cleaned up adn showered."
<Hotaru-chan> "Ah?" Hotaru asks, blinking a little at the sudden sharpness. "Is something happening tonight?"
> "No. Last time I checked," Now Mom gives you another sharp look, cutting as her voice is harsh, "You date after being close enough to someone to smell like them."
> *bathe
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru makes a face. "You weren't ever this grumpy when I came home smelling like Mako-chan..." she points out, sighing a little and standing.
> "Jsut go," Reiko insists, pointing onward. "Since you smell a bit like a man. Ahem."
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru rolls her eyes, snickering and getting up. "You should be glad, mom. My first makeout session wasn't with a girl, and more so, not on a dare!" she fires back, exiting at good velocity.
> Good enough to avoid a final comment, Hotaru fleeing for dear life!

[Asrana]

[22:29:13] <Anastasia> ---Arc 2 setup go!---
[22:29:22] <Anastasia> Feburary 4th, 1993.
[22:31:39] <Anastasia> Aaaah, 5 AM! A time for love and...oh, who are you kidding. 5 AM sucks. The only reason Hotaru's awake right now is a bit of a bathroom concern - dinner didn't sit right. Stumbling out of the bathroom directs Hotaru downstairs. Antacid, antacid. It's in the kitchen you dimly recall.
[22:32:56] * Hotaru-chan heads down that way, grumbling softly. At least she was alone in her bed for the sudden high jumps her stomach started... Ugh. Stumbling downstairs, she starts her bleary search, lighting off a glow of violet energy on her hands to avoid turning lights on.
[22:36:10] <Anastasia> A flickering, unsteady light helps Hotaru - it jumps and churns just as her stomach does. That takeout must've been bad, it-hm? The kitchen light is on as you stumble downstairs.
[22:37:33] <Hotaru-chan> ...Probably mom. So Hotaru heads in, dismissing the energy without much of a thought as she goes looking for antacid. "Mom?" she asks blearily, nearly a whimper.
[22:39:50] <Anastasia> "...Thank God," Reiko is leaning heavily on the table - a feat. Her stomach is bloated and rounded, a child well within. Her hair hangs around her, a loose muumuu worn. Not fashionable, bu so the ravages of biology court her.
[22:39:55] <Anastasia> "Hotaru...go wake up your father..."
[22:41:43] <Hotaru-chan> "...It's that time, isn't it?" Hotaru asks with suddenly widening eyes and a growing awareness of her surroundings. Not even waiting for a reply, because it's that obvious, Hotaru darts back up the stairs to her parent's bedroom, ready to shake and scream her into consciousness.
[22:43:01] <Hotaru-chan> *her dad
[22:44:55] <Anastasia> Dad's sprawled out in bed, snoring softly. He wears striped pajamas, stubble faced. He's quite oblivious to the world around him.
[22:46:18] <Hotaru-chan> "DAD!" Hotaru barks, her arm snapping sharply to slap her father across the cheek for added waking power! She doesn't have time for coddling right now!
[22:50:31] <Anastasia> "Mph. Lemme 'lone." Dad flops over onto his stomach, dazedly clinging to his pillow.
[22:51:36] <Hotaru-chan> "MOM'S HAVING CONTRACTIONS," Hotaru screams in her father's ear. Must not punch in kidney's...
[22:52:36] <Anastasia> "....WHAT?" Dad sits up ramrod straight! In a flash of blankets and sheets he grabs his glasses, stumbling out and forward! "Let's go! REiko!"
[22:55:40] <Hotaru-chan> "She's in the kitchen," Hotaru provides, taking a deep breath. "Anything you need that you don't have time to grab, since your daughter can fly and teleport?"
[22:56:31] <Anastasia> "Call Yuko and..." Family names follow, quickly blurted out as he leaves you behind at a run!
[22:57:10] * Hotaru-chan runs after! "What hospital?!" she yells after her father.
[23:02:50] <Anastasia> "Tokyo!" Dad reaches the kitchen as he calls, back, at Mom's side! "Let's go, Reiko," he says, the two exchanging a long look as she leans on him, waddling on out on his side.
[23:04:26] <Hotaru-chan> "Right!" Hotaru agrees, ducking off to the phone,c alling the lsited names, Yuko first, blazing down the list in her best imitation of Kotono!
[23:04:57] <Anastasia> This goes as expceted - it still takes about 15 minutes just by the raw numbers of it. It's pretty much say hi, say her water's brokena nd that's that.
[23:07:38] <Hotaru-chan> After that, Hotaru dashes back upstairs, changes, grabs a book, and disappears in a burning flash of violet, off to the closest safe teleport exit to Tokyo Hospital.
[23:09:37] <Anastasia> Another 10 minutes all told to get to the hospital? The sun is just peeking up for it's first sonata as Hotaru is directed to the maternity waiting room. It's not very filled today - just a few scattered, sleeping males. No sign of your Dad, a nurse mentions he's back with Mom.
[23:10:30] <Hotaru-chan> ...Wow, fast labor? Hotaru thanks whatever kept the time under control, and tries to find her mother!
[23:14:33] <Anastasia> You get to outside her white hospital room, but doctors are heading in and out. One stops a moment, wiping his narrow, wrinkled forhead and smiling down at Hotaru. "Looking for someone," he says kindly.
[23:15:46] <Hotaru-chan> "Reiko Tomoe, looking for her, because my father is not in the waiting room," Hotaru answers, a little jerkily, 5am wakefulness not all that friendly.
[23:17:43] <Anastasia> "...oh." His smile stays in place, "Are you her daughter? I see the resemblance."
[23:18:30] <Hotaru-chan> "Yes, Hotaru Tomoe," Hotaru provides, bright, bright violet eyes looking back up at the doctor.
[23:19:57] <Anastasia> "She's lucky - it's going to be a fast labor. In an hour or two at this pace, she'll be done." Kneeling ever so slightly to be closer to her level, "Go ahead in the waiting room - we'll call you when it's over. The less people in our way the better."
[23:23:10] * Hotaru-chan blows at her bangs, a somewhat narrowed eyed, sharply burning violet look at the doctor. "Fine," she mutters, her expression flinty as she retreats. Nothing to do...well, she could...hmmm. So she waits about fifteen minutes, reading to keep herself awake, waiting for something to happen.
[23:23:57] <Anastasia> The 15 minutes pass without incident. There are some old magazines here, a TV showing the morning news (Oh, stocks are up today. Yay.)
[23:27:41] * Hotaru-chan sighs. Probably a while until Mako-chan wakes up or can be woken up...Yuko won't be here for a while, and well...if nothing's happened, her senses are unlikely to show her anything new. So Hotaru opens her book again, reading until it hits six-thirty or something happens.
[23:29:46] <Anastasia> It's 6:21. That's when there's a call into the waiting room. "Hotaru Tomoe," The same doctor as before pokes his head in, vertibaly grinning.
[23:31:00] * Hotaru-chan clsoes her book, getting up quickly and rushing over. Quicker than expected, but there isn't any complaining about it from Hotaru as she just moves up.
[23:36:01] <Anastasia> Falling back to admit Hotaru, "It's time," he says, "Go meet your-" Stopping at the last moment, "Your Mother asked that I don't spoil it unti you get in there."
[23:36:45] <Hotaru-chan> "...Yeah, she's been aiming at that the whole time," Hotaru gripes a half second, not paying too much mind to the doctor as she slips back, surprisingly fast for a thirteen year old of her stature.
[23:42:39] <Anastasia> Into the room! A room with the sunrise showing through opened windows. A large white bed with rails on the side, white bedsheets. A woman resting there - Reiko. A wrapped bundle in her arms, her husbanda t her side. "Oh..." she cries softly, kissing a very red forehead. "He's beautiful, Soiuchi..."
[23:45:19] * Hotaru-chan blows at her hair. This will be painful. Instead, she plays her senses onto her sibling, checking him, and then her mother. "Well at least things went alright..." she offers quietly, not entirely intent on intruding.
[23:46:26] <Anastasia> OOC - S oul check. Don't 12. Oh God don't 12.
[23:46:33] <Hotaru-chan> roll 2d6
[23:46:43] <Hotaru-chan> roll 2d6
[23:46:44] <Reikobot> Hotaru-chan rolled : 2d6 --> [ 2d6=3 ]{3}
[23:51:11] <Anastasia> It's a bundle of energy mostly like your mother's still, small and interwoven lines. A tiny infinity, fresh to this world. "Come here," Dad says shortly, "Say hello to Hideo-chan, Hotaru."
[23:53:13] <Hotaru-chan> "Now remember, Hideo," Hotaru addresses her brother as she comes up to the side of the bed. "Your sister is a Princess, never disobey her," she nods affirmatively.
[23:53:44] <Anastasia> "Except when Mother says so," Mom smiles amid her tired tears, holding her baby close.
[23:55:14] <Hotaru-chan> "Note to self, boy needs brainwashing," Hotaru replies, smiling though, checking her mother for injuries. She ehard they go with this, so... "Now would normally be the time to say I want my own, but I'm not that cruel," she snickers.
[23:56:37] <Anastasia> There aren't any visible injuries on your mother. "Just shush and don't ruin the mood," Dad says, voice rarely firm. Heck, he even looks at Hotaru in a way that could be mistaken for parenting!
[23:58:06] <Hotaru-chan> Parenting? Her progenitors? Hah! Hotaru just sticks out her tongue, smiling and pulling a chair over to sit, touching her mother's arm lightly and willing some energy into her regardless. "So how long until people start showing, do you think?"
[00:00:12] <Anastasia> "Half hour? Hour?" Dad shrugs, holding Mom's hand and looking on at his son. He seems unusually aware, smiling hugely.
[00:00:43] <Anastasia> "Thanks," Mother murmurs, "Just for now...let's rest. Soiuchi, Hotaru...Hideo. My family."
[00:02:20] <Hotaru-chan> Males, Hotaru's mind mutters lightly, never totally willing to let go of its cynicism as she smiles at mom. "Mah," she agrees, jsut slumping slightly. A lap to fall asleep in will have to wait, she supposes.

[Anastasia]

<Anastasia> ---Arc 2 semi setup almost there go!---
<Anastasia> Aaaaah. A normal day in a brisk life. Such is what Hotaru Tomoe could say if she was in such a mood. Maybe she even is? Mom picking her up from school was a nice thing, really. So as you drive on, "Afternoon," Mom smiles, the other front seat taken up by Hideo and his car seat. Back seat for Hotaru, sadly. So T*A is left behind in a nice new station wagon - staid but family sized.
<Hotaru-chan> "Hi," Hotaru greets, smiling a little and leaning into the door. She honestly doesn't mind this, the back seat's more comfortable at times. Especially the days mom gives Mako-chan a ride with her, but hmm... Hotaru's thoughts drift mainly, watching out the door. "Busy day? Or day off?" she asks curiously, looking over at ehr parent.
<Hotaru-chan> *her
<Anastasia> "Day off. Hideo had to get some shots," At a stoplight, Mom reaches over to gently pat his forehead. Dark brown hair is growing there, and Dad's even predicting it'll either darken to match Hotaru or lighten to match him. Ther'es no way it's staying in the middle, he says. Something Mom agrees with for likely entirely different reasons! "Say hello to your sister, Hideo-chan."
<Hotaru-chan> "Just don't puke on me," Hotaru gripes wryly, snickering as she leans into the window. "Mmmm...work tomorrow, and then...mmm," Hotaru hums softly, glancing forward at her brother. At least he keeps mom distracted at occasionally convenient times!
<Anastasia> "Ho..raru!" Hideo blurbles, working on his words. He's to Ma-Ma and Da-Da and not much else, but he tries!
<Anastasia> "Gooood boy," Reiko gushes, patting him once more before the drive continues. "Well, for today, a meal out then grocery shopping. Somewhere that takes babies, so our options are limited. Sorry, get used to it." Mom says the last nicely enough, too!
<Hotaru-chan> "Well, he's got most of it right...maybe I should teach him to add 'Princess' to it," Hotaru murmurs, snorting. "I've never been amazingly picky. Five years of takeout desensitized me," Hotaru remarks, smiling. "Even as two years of making it myself is eating away at that."
<Anastasia> "Good. You won't mind applesauce and smooth food you can't chew." With that Mom parks and leads you into a very 'family' place. IT even has a kid's menu - at least Mom doesn't make you order from that! A half hour passes most pleasantly, then another ten to clean up Hideo. But his little sailor outfit is fixed, and thus it's time to go to the store. On arriving you see people coming and going, a typical later afternoon fair. "Help me with t
<Anastasia> "Help me with the stroller, Hotaru-chan."
<Hotaru-chan> "No, I'll just disintegrate it at my lips," Hotaru snickers, getting out. "Okay," she adds, going for the trunk and the stroller there.
<Anastasia> Lifting Hideo out of the carseat, Mom looks around the parking lot. She frowns as she holds her baby to her bosom, "No help around, of course," she murmurs. "Worst luck."
<Anastasia> "...wait." Mom freezes cold, staring ahead near the doors and looking oddly.
<Hotaru-chan> "What, I'm not enough?" Hotaru asks, setting the stroller up and unfolding it for Hideo, before closing the trunk. "Hm...?"
<Anastasia> Mom's looking at the door - my! You have to admit he's cute - long brown hair in a ponytail and strong features, a teenaged stocker coming out a moment, grabbing a few carts left near the doors.
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru looks him up and down frankly, though long hair definitely isn't her prefference. Cute none the less, just needs a little rough snipping with glwoing fingers...hm. "What's wrong?" she asks finally, her inspection of the boy turned back to her mother.
<Anastasia> "...just saw a ghost..." Reiko murmurs, gently placing Hideo in the seat. "Get him ready for me?" With that she takes off, making a good course for him! "Excuse me," she calls to the long haired youth.
* Hotaru-chan blinks sharply, taking Hideo and beginning to strap him in, taking her time to be slow and careful so she can watch her parent.
<Takeshi> "Hmm...?" Takeshi glances up from the row of carts he's manhandling to look at the woman trying to get his attention. "Something I can help you with, ma'am?"
<Anastasia> "Yes, actually." She has a slingbag purse of black to compliment her black hair, wearing sensible clothes like a violet skirt and white blouse. "I'm sorry, but didn't you work at a hotel a few weeks ago? I swear I saw you there - you were a bellhop and I stopped you a moment."
<Takeshi> "Uh, yeah," Takeshi says, a bit taken aback. "I did have a job as a bellhop a few weeks ago."
<Anastasia> "Oh yes," the woman blushes ever so slightly, "I was wearing the night gown and I was with a friend. I was just so surprised to run into you!" Her smile is quite in place, and you have to admit she's quite pretty on her own merits. "Your timin gis good, I was going to ask for helpw ith a cart for a moment since my daughter's pushing the stroller."
<Takeshi> "Sure, that shouldn't be a problem," Takeshi says with a slight shrug. She's familiar, but then at that hotel there were lots of folks in fancy clothes. Most of whom were really lousy tippers. Shaking his head to dislodge the thought, he gives the woman a slight smile. "Just lead the way."
<Anastasia> With that Reiko leads TAkeshi back! A few rows of cars are passed until the station wagon and Hotaru are met up with. "Thank you," she says, "This is Hotaru, my daughter." Reiko smiles slowly, stepping back a little.
<Takeshi> "Pleasure to meet you," Takeshi replies automatically. "I'm Takeshi."
* Hotaru-chan waves to Takeshi, giving the boy a wry smile from behind Hideo and the stroller. "Nice to meet you," Hotaru answers lightly, a petite but well formed teen girl in a T*A uniform. She might be passing for older or younger than her age, something about the slightness doesn't suggest fifteen or sixteen, but her figure might.
<Anastasia> Once she steps back, REiko goes to the side. "Let me get the stroller now, and would you two get a cart?" Reiko is sugar sweet and nice about it, starting to push her baby ahead. "Could you meet me just inside?"
<Takeshi> "Yes, ma'am," Takeshi replies, heading over to retrieve a cart - there are a few still scattered around the lot, no one's been out to collect them for a bit.
<Hotaru-chan> Nice try, mom. Hotaru gives her parent an amusedly sharp glance as she releases the stroller, following after Takeshi at her parent's command.
* Takeshi glances back at the girl behind him - she's not bad looking, although she does give an impression of being rather younger than he is. With a slight shrug he grabs the nearest cart and heads for the door, slowing his pace a bit so Hotaru can catch up to him if she wants.
* Hotaru-chan does end up beside Takeshi, her fingers brushing the edge of the crt to occupy herself a moment. "You know mom?" she asks softly, quirking her head at the boy, glimering violet eyes looking over at him.
<Hotaru-chan> *glimmering
<Takeshi> "Um... not really," Takeshi admits. "She looks familiar, but then I saw a lot of people working at the hotel. Not many of them stood out too much."
<Hotaru-chan> "Ahhh..." Hotaru nods a little, clearing away the myriad possibilities from her mind. Nothing in particular, probably just a company event. Just go meet up with mom, now. Hopefully ehr mother wasn't trying to set her up again...not that he wasn't cute, she just didn't quite feel like it.
* Takeshi heads into the store without further comment, seeming more resigned at this point than anything. Shoving carts around for customers was part of the job, but not one of his favorites - most of them expected him to engage in small talk as they went, and that had never been one of his strong points.
<Anastasia> Reiko does wait jus tinside! She's smiling nicely to both, nearly even bowing in thanks. "Oh, thank you...Takeshi." A glance at his nametag before she goes on, "Hotaru, would you go get some meat for dinner...and if I can bother you just a little more, would you show her the way?"
* Takeshi gives the woman a slight smile. "It's not a bother, ma'am," he replies, starting off in the direction of the meat cases. "This way, Hotaru-san."
* Hotaru-chan nods, rolling her eyes at her mother for just an instant. "Thanks, Takeshi-san," she offers, following closely.
<Takeshi> It's not far, at least, Takeshi threading his way through the store's aisles with practiced ease. For his part, however, the trip is made in silence - he doesn't want to SEEM unfriendly, since the manager's had a 'chat' with him about that once already, but what the heck is he supposed to actually SAY?
<Hotaru-chan> "Boring job?" Hotaru breaks the silence softly as she walks alongside Takeshi, glancing at the boy without much thought. There really isn't anythging to this, as ehr mind wanders.
<Takeshi> "Mmm, mostly," Takeshi replies, sighing a bit. "Mostly cleaning up one mess after another."
<Hotaru-chan> "I've had one or two days like that...in a couple years," Hotaru admits, blushing a little. "Do you normally have people asking for this much help?"
<Takeshi> "Occasionally," Takeshi admits. "Most often it's people with a bunch of small kids, couple times I've had to help street vendors coming in to fill their carts though. Sometimes can get two full carts of groceries for them."
<Hotaru-chan> "Wow..." Hotaru murmrus, shaking her head. "I think mom's just used to abusing interns, or something," she snickers, glancing around for the butcher.
<Anastasia> You're pretty much at the meat section now - getting something wouldn't be hard.
<Takeshi> "Heh, I was a little surprised," Takeshi says, chuckling. "Sure, you guys did have the stroller, but I'd think one of you could manage that and the other one with the cart. Not that I'm complaining, just seemed a little odd."
<Hotaru-chan> "I could, working in a bakery forces you to do stock sometimes," Hotaru winces, humming softly and letting her eyes skim the meat. Beef, prefferably, but hmmm. "Mom's like that, though..." she shrugs, not letting on her suspicion of ulterior parental motives.
<Takeshi> "Eh, it's not a big deal either way. 'The customer is always right'," Takeshi mimics his manager's voice and grins.
<Hotaru-chan> "Don't remind me..." Hotaru whimpers, humming softly and picking out at least medianly expensive steak. "Have to ignore so much waitressing in a maid uniform," she gripes openly.
* Takeshi makes a face at that. "Ugh, I can just imagine. The bellhop getup was half the reason I quit that job."
<Hotaru-chan> "At least it doesn't sound like something that attracts leering from a small legion of the opposite sex..." Hotaru sighs, picking out something else, and beginning to head back towards her mother, looking for the other Tomoe woman.
<Anastasia> It's not that easy to find her - looks like you'll need to look for her a bit, of course. Of course.
<Hotaru-chan> Of course. Hotaru's eyes flatten a little. Yes. Nice try. So very obvious, mom, Hotaru growls internally, beginning to look systematically for her mother, while picking up things she knows they'll need or want along the way.
<Takeshi> "You'd probably be surprised," Takeshi retorts. "Never gotten looks from guys - that I've ever noticed, at least - but I got the once-over from more than a few women while I was there. I'd guess they're just more discreet about it than guys probably are," he says diplomatically as he follows along.
<Anastasia> Mom's not easily about? Where is she? There's lots of nooks and crannies, and if she's moving?
<Hotaru-chan> "...Probably, yeah," Hotaru laughs. "By sheer numbers of high schoolers that come through we get a good number of er...how to say...open pervs?" Hotaru shrugs, frowning. "Dammit, mom..." she breathes, reverting to frustration, and casting her senses out across the area while she looks. She's certainly looked at her and Hideo's auras enough to hopefully recognize them.
<Takeshi> "Can't find your mom?" Takeshi says, raising an eyebrow. "Give me a minute and I can probably find her - had to look for lost kids in here enough times."
<Anastasia> OOC - Soul check.
<Hotaru-chan> roll 2d6
<Reikobot> Hotaru-chan rolled : 2d6 --> [ 2d6=4 ]{4}
<Anastasia> In all these infinities you can distantly see what you want, you think - but it's moving away towards the other end. As if avoiding you.
* Hotaru-chan shakes her head, frowning. "No, I picked up her game, she's avoiding us," Hotaru remarks dryly, the goal here becoming very, very clear.
<Takeshi> The eyebrow inches up a bit further. "Something going on?"
<Hotaru-chan> "Nothing particularly unusual," Hotaru sighs, rubbing her forehead. "Mom's just not quite so subtle when plotting around me," she murmurs, just directing them vaguely in her mother's direction, not caring so much now.
<Anastasia> Mom's moving, at least, vertically away instead of horizontally. She's making you walk quite a bit!
* Takeshi simply shrugs, letting Hotaru lead the way as he's left to draw his own conclusions.
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru sighs a little as the distance extends, picking things up here and there. She does finally break the silence, though perhaps 'shatter' would be a better term. "You are cute," she remarks, bluntly and glancing at Takeshi. "I just don't like long hair on boys, personally."
<Takeshi> That earns a pause from the tall young man. "Where the heck did THAT come from?" He gives the dark-haired girl a quizzical look.
<Hotaru-chan> "Mom," Hotaru sighs, pointing roughly in the direction forward of them. "Easy set up, cute boy, get her unattached daughter wandering alone and bored with him for as long as possible. That's why she's dodging us."
<Takeshi> "She..." Takeshi starts to comment, then falls silent, shaking his head. "Never mind. If it bothers you, I can probably shoot the idea down in about fifteen seconds if you want."
<Hotaru-chan> "No, let me play with it," Hotaru's smile turns a little wicked. "Just don't pay mind to it," she assures lightly, shaking her head. "We do this sort of thing all the time."
<Takeshi> "If you say so," Takeshi replies, letting the girl handle her own affairs. A small, perverse part of him comments internally that if this is the sort of thing parents usually do, he might have actually gotten some good out of being an orphan...
<Anastasia> On you go - almost there now. Around this next aisle - you can see it's baby food and the like from the hanging sign.
* Hotaru-chan just shakes her head a bit, around the corner to locate her mother, formulating the direction in her head.
<Anastasia> Mom's checking the prices between two types of formula, Hideo lightly sleeping. She looks up when you come, a totally normal  and polite smile on her face. "Oh, thank you so much," s he half bows to Takeshi.
<Hotaru-chan> Mom'
<Takeshi> "It's no trouble, ma'am," Takeshi says, nodding to the woman.
<Hotaru-chan> Mom's a good actor at least, Hotaru's mind clicks, smiling at her parent. "Found most of the list," she agrees, glancing at the cart.
<Anastasia> "Good, good, good." A bigger smile as Reiko looks both of them over, "Oh yes, one more thing. Would you show us over to your wine selection, please?" She's quite nice about it, even giving.
<Takeshi> "Of course, ma'am," Takeshi says, putting on a smile for Hotaru's mother. Even if something weird is going on, the customer is always right! Right? "Right this way." Turning the cart around, he heads off in the direction of the wine racks...
* Hotaru-chan follows, slipping glances at her mother to see what she's thinking, mostly. Not much to be done until they're in the car, really, not with Takeshi still here.
<Anastasia> Reiko follows, making light chatter all the while. "It's so nice of you to help Hotaru with all of that. Such a helpful young man!"
* Takeshi accepts the compliment with aplomb, at least. "Just doing my job," he responds. At least the wine department isn't TOO far from the baby food, if she's really trying to set her daughter up with him. Seems a bit weird to do that with someone she's seen all of twice, but he supposes there's some sort of reason in there somewhere.
<Anastasia> "Mmmm. Here," Reiko fishes into her purse as the two walk, a 1,000 yen note taken out. "So that at least a few of the pretty women tip well?"
<Takeshi> "I appreciate the offer, ma'am, but we're not allowed to take tips," Takeshi demurs, holding up a hand.
* Hotaru-chan just shakes her head. Despite your thinking, mom's so not trying to catch a toy with you around. Or Hideo. She's so better than that... Hotaru muses to herself, just politely smiling through all this.
<Anastasia> "Oh, that's too bad," At least Reiko doesn't argue it, again bowing. "Thank you so much. I'll have to make sure to shop here again, you've been wonderful."
<Hotaru-chan> "He's been very nice," Hotaru agreees, nodding and offering Takeshi a smile. Mostly for her mother's benefit.
<Takeshi> "I'm just glad I could be of service," Takeshi says, returning the appropriate drilled-in response.
<Anastasia> "Thank you," Reiko goes to the bottles, leaving the two alone again at least for the moment.
* Hotaru-chan jsut watches her mother. She and Takeshi didn't honestly have much to talk about overall. Just griping about jobs! Of course, mom doesn't need to know that yet.
* Takeshi waits in silence as well, although he does glance over at Hotaru as he stands. He can't help but wonder if this is a common occurrence for her, or whether he's just 'lucky' to have been picked.
<Anastasia> Mom soon returns with a wine bottle, putting it in her cart and noddign. "Well, thanks again," she nods. "I'll be sure to shop here more often now"
<Takeshi> "Did you need any more help?" the young man asks, sensing that the situation is probably only going to get more awkward from here and hoping for an escape route.
<Anastasia> "I think we're fine. Hotaru?" Mother asks archly and slowly as she goes back to pushing the stroller. "Do you want him to push the grocery cart for you?"
* Hotaru-chan just smiles, taking the cart and giving Takeshi a little wave. "I'll manage," she assures lightly, herself wanting Takeshi to escape this, for both their sakes.
<Takeshi> "Enjoy the rest of your shopping, then," Takeshi says, bowing slightly before heading for the stockroom at the back. Nice enough family, he supposes, but whatever the heck was going on there was plenty weird.
<Anastasia> Once he's gone, Reiko only smiles and pushes the cart on...

[Anastasia]

A small hanging thread we'd both forgotten dealt with. Hook for later things?

> -Arc 2 mooism go!-
> Aaah, winter! With Ami just gone and school in the doldrums, there isn't much of note going on. Until one day..."Hotaru, phone!" Dad calls tiredly, yawning after. And why not? It's past 10 PM, he's only up to finish watching a movie and you're reading a book nearby.
<Hotaru-chan> "...Who would ca...oh kami," Hotaru whimpers to herself, expecting a crying Princess of Jupiter on memory of her LAST 10 PM phone call, the Saturnian soldier almost blazing past her father in a rush to get to the phone!
<Hotaru-chan> "Hello?!"
> "Hello, Hotaru," It's not Makoto, thankfully. It's instead a more mature voice, Chikako Mizuno.
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru physically deflates, thumping lightly into the wall. Relieved wouldn't begin to describe her. "Chikako-san?" she asks curiously, wonder at why Ami's mother is calling her.
> "I..." Chikako begins, before stopping. "Can you meet me in the parking lot of Tokyo General's north side, by the benches, in ten minutes?"
<Hotaru-chan> "...What's wrong? And I can be there in five, probably..." Hotaru hazards, a little nervous.
> "I'll explain then," A terse, quick reply, "I'll see you soon." Then a click, crisp and abrupt.
<Hotaru-chan> "...Right. I'm going out!" Hotaru tells her parents, hanging up the phone and starting to pull her shoes on.
> Dad calls something or other - it's non offensive and it doesn't slow Hotaru down. So out and teleporting she goes, soon at well lit benches, alone save for one doctor's coat wearing Mizuno. "Sit down," Chikako says, looking out at the large, semi filled lot before following her own advice
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru blinks a little, following her and sitting down, brushing her jeans. "Alright...?" she asks, biting her lip.
> "Alright. I'll be brief - There's currently a 15 year old boy dying in intensive care. This is regrettable enough, moreso because it's a fluke occurance. He recently went to Africa and picked up a rare virus. The medicine he needs won't reach us until tomorrow at the earlist, and h'ell be dead before sunrise."
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru makes her best effort to not fall over. "Okay...this is a bit more Usagi's field of expertise..." she murmurs, biting her lip. "I can try, though...well, and I mgiht be able to simply keep him alive..." she murmurs, fidgeting a little. "Um...okay, just...I'm assuming you want me to use magic?" she asks, smiling weakly.
> "I normally wouldn't ask, but realistically? He's going to die by 1 in a trillion luck, and he has his entire life ahead." CHikako shrugs weakly, looking downcast. "People die here every day, but this boy doesn't deserve it. He's perfectly healthy and has a full life ahead of him."
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru takes a deep breath. "Okay...I can try," she agrees, her smile still shakey and weak. "I'll take a look and try a few things, at least, but...no one comes into the room, and I may collapse."
> "I know. I can get you a half hour or so and see from there. If it doesn't work...then it's out of our hands.
> " Chikako stands, ready, "Let's go."
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru nods, getting up to follow Chikako. "Yeah, a half hour should let me know if I can do something."
> So on you go! The CCU is a mess of beeping machines in open class rooms - Chikako has you wait outside as she draws the curtains, making murmur sto nurses and ushering you in. A young boy in the prime of growth, rougish blonde hair and fine features. He's very cute.
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru smiles jsut a little as she comes and sits next to the boy, lowering ehr mental walls, and casting her senses into his body, lookign for anything out of place, anything wrong...
> OOC - Soul check, +1
<Hotaru-chan> roll 2d6+1
* Hatbot --> "Hotaru-chan rolls 2d6+1 and gets 10." [2d6=3, 6]
> It's just weakening rapidly all over. The machine gives his vital statistics, weak and falling.
* Hotaru-chan frowns darkly. "I can't find something specific in it, but...we'll check later," she murmurs, summoning the white-violet energy of her more innate healing powers, touching the boy with two fingers to will the energy into him.
> Sothe power flows in! (How much EP, 'taru?)
<Hotaru-chan> OOC - Enough to observe how its interacting with the disease off bat, going to keep searching for anything that might be actually doing it.
<Hotaru-chan> OOC - *it's = my energy
> It's spread too widely to tell, but your healing does seem to be having some effect - the black lines tone down a little bit. (15 EP spent.)
<Hotaru-chan> OOC - Oh, so there are black lines here? >_>
> OOC - Yeah.
<Hotaru-chan> OOC - Helpful to know. =p
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru takes a deep breath. "Ugh, just..." she glances up at Chikako. "I might make a strange request or three in a while, but...right now, I just need to isolate it to a point where I can SEE it," she growls, laying both hands on him, letting out as much of a rush of the energy as she can manage, while her mind reaches out, taking a grasp of the black lines, and trying to draw them out, siphoning off the darkness.
> "If need be just do enough to stall it aday or two - you don't need to make a miracle, just an effective stall," Chikako informs you quietly, watching on as she chews her lip.
> OOC - Soul check +2
<Hotaru-chan> roll 2d6+2 burning 10 ep
<Reikobot> Hotaru-chan rolled : 2d6+2 burning 10 ep --> [ 2d6=10 ]{12}
<Hotaru-chan> roll 2d6+2 burning 10 ep
<Reikobot> Hotaru-chan rolled : 2d6+2 burning 10 ep --> [ 2d6=2 ]{4}
> Oh, there it goes - a grand mass of darkness, a knot of black lines. The healing slowly loosens it.
<Hotaru-chan> "Well, a miracle's what you're going to get regardless," Hotaru notes softly, raising an eyebrow. Okay...focus. Bringing together white, white-violet, and the purest shining violet energy, Hotaru weaves a shell around that knot of blackness, trying to cut it off, isolate and contain it inside her own energies, while her hands pour more healing into the boy.
> The healing is easy now -t he knot falls apart to a concentrated effort and amount of time. (40 EP). Going to check the vitals, "They're already improving," Chikako murmurs in amazement.
<Hotaru-chan> "I stumbled into the epicenter...luck," Hotaru admits softly, tightening and closing the shell, collapsing it into the blackness to crush and destroy it amidst its polar opposite and destruction. "Luck usually follows me, though," she adds, shaking her head as she doesn't let up.
> It's doing more than enough - it' slike you hit it just so to get exactly what you wanted. (10 more EP.) It's almost back to normal now.
> "Lucky," Chikako murmurs in amazement, "You can stop now - if it's a miracle this is going to be something to explain...though occasionally there are 'miracle' recoveries, so that's what everyone will hopefully write it off as. That or a gross misdiagnosis."
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru takes deep breaths, slumping just a little, but focusing in tightly. "He'll be free of it pretty quickly, I'll sweep the area for any traces..." Hotaru's smile is weaker as she shrugs. "I can't leave a problem half done, Chikako-san, I'll scour him, then I'll let go," she answers, doing just that.
> OOC- Soul check.
<Hotaru-chan> roll 2d6
<Reikobot> Hotaru-chan rolled : 2d6 --> [ 2d6=8 ]{8}
> It's falling apart - you did the trick by magic and fortune.
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru does take the time to make sure all traces are gone before she relaxes, slumping in the chair and closing her eyes. "How're his vital signs?"
> "Improving rapidly. Thank you," Chikako smiles as his breathing even steadies further, "He'll probably live now to see grandchildren."
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru rubs her face, sighing. "Definitely fortune...here I was preparing to spend a couple days supplying him with energy, and well...I'm barely below half full."
> "Good. Then we all win - so go home so Reiko isn't worrying about you not being home at midnight." This is followed by a real, serious smile from Chikako, "I need to go make nice to the shift nurses and set this all up now."
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru snorts softly, waving a hand. "Right...call again if you need me...it's probably better than me just wandering around Juuban Memorial with it," she sighs, rubbing at her eyes. "Or if You need help," she adds after a moment, her tone softening. "I watch a workaholic mother first person, and Ami-chan would kill me if I let you get into bad health from stress," she snickers, standing.
> "I'll be fine, but thanks." Her earnest smile says enough anyway, waving her hand, "Then as am other, I'm telling you to take care of yourself and go get tucked into bed."
<Hotaru-chan> "Please, I've done worse. Mako-chan and I distract each other in bed past 1am sometimes," Htoaru murmurs, taking a deep breath. "Anyway...mah, still. I'll go get myself to sleep...and hopefully not give mom a heart attack."
> "Good night and thank you again," Chikako says as she goes out, but honestly happy as a life is saved.
<Hotaru-chan> Hotaru just disappears, a soft flash of violet as the 'miracle worker' disappears to her own home.