Half an hour after his talk with his father and Professor Fuyutsuki, Prince Endymion heads back home, trying to wrap his mind around the new information that was revealed to him.
"Hey there, Endy," Alita greets Endymion, as he enters main palace grounds. "So, Clark called you at three in the morning? I'm sorry to hear that," she says, not sounding the least bit regretful.
OOC: Endy's up, Beryl's paused for the moment.
"I'll bet you're sorry," Endymion mutters.
Shaking his head, he changes the direction of the conversation, "Clark aside, I need to speak with you in private regarding a certain trip."
He figures she'll catch on to what he means, and waits for her to lead to some place quiet they can speak regarding the moon, their mission, and their new guest, Beryl.
Whistling a cheerful tune, Alita leads him to the rose garden.
"I come to this place sometimes," she says, twirling as she enters it. "The aroma is positively intoxicating, isn't it?"
"It's a pleasant place, I came by here last night," Endymion says with a nod after making sure no one's around. "It's also a fitting place to have our conversation. Do you remember our mission regarding the moon? We'll be having one more person accompanying us. Her name's Beryl, do you know anything about her?"
"Can't say that I do," Alita replies, sliding over to Endymion. "So gimme the details, you Casanova, you!"
"Amazing, I just give the name of a girl, and you're already imagining perverted going-ons," Endymion says with a shake of his head.
"For your information, I'd be surprised if she saw anything in me other than opportunity. She's apparently a member of a group that's putting some pressure on father, as I just learned," Endymion adds. "She's going with us to keep an eye on what we do, and we're apparently letting her just to keep an eye on her. I wanted to make sure you knew to be careful around that girl."
"I see," Alita says, nodding. Then, her expression turns mischievous. "Won't I be in the way of you two eyeing each other, though?"
Endymion places his palms against his face and lowers his face. "You just missed what I said about the lack of attraction, didn't you?"
Raising his face, he adds mournfully, "Besides...she's not a blonde."
"How would you know she's not a natural blonde unless you checked, you perv?" Alita grabs Endymion in a headlock. "Fess up, or else! Gimme all the dirty details!"
Endymion twists and tries to get out of the headlock.
"You know, your mind is the only thing that's perverted in here, I could have just assumed that red is in fact her natural hair color...Will you stop that?!?" he asks annoyed by the lack of success in breaking the headlock.
Alita blinks, releasing him from his headlock. "Why would you have assumed she was a red-head, had someone told you she wasn't blonde?"
"Because her hair is red, and most people don't dye their hair. Besides, who'd want to cover up such a great color as blonde hair?" Endymion asks.
"Whatever." Alita shrugs. "So, now what? You want me to keep an eye on that Beryl chick, too?"
"If you can, yes," Endymion replies. "Mostly I just wanted you to be careful about information around her, though."
Alita nods. "Well, if that's all...."
"That's all, really," Endymion says with a shrug.
Looking severly disappointed at the lack of dirty detail, Alita gives Endymion a look of long suffering, and leaves the rose garden. "Well, then, I'm off," she calls out over her shoulder. "There's a great party taking place somewhere, and I'm gonna find it."
"--and here is where the prettiest roses in the Kingdom are kept," a male voice intrudes on Endymion's thoughts. Startled, the Prince looks around, and sees his mother enter the rose garden, the Royal Gardener holding the entrance to the pavilion open for her. A brief, panicked glance at his watch reveals to the young Prince that he he has been daydreaming for almost twenty minutes, since Alita had left.
OOC: Akio and Queen Misaki enter, Beryl right behind them. Panda, you're on.
Beryl nods thoughtfully.
"Yes, they are quite lovely." He eyes finally find Endymion and she smiles.
"Speaking of lovely things..."
"Oh, mother, hello," Endymion says startled, noticing his mother. He gives a nod in greeting to the gardener and Beryl, before turning back to looking at his mother.
"Hello, baby!" Misaki exclaims, opening her arms wide. "Did you miss your mommy?"
Endymion smiles and gives his mother a strong hug. "Who wouldn't miss such a beautiful woman?"
"Mister Himemiya was just showing me his work," the Queen says, still hugging her son. "He is so talented with his hands!"
Beryllium hangs back, a gesture of respect that was the Queen's due.
Endymion just...nods, not sure how to reply to his mother's statement about talented hands. Besides, he was comfortable in her embrace.
Queen Misaki lets go of Endymion, and steps back. "I've been thinking," she says at length. "Are you lonely, baby?"
"Why would I be lonely?" Endymion asked, just a bit dissapointed in the lack of more hugging.
The Queen taps her lips thoughtfully with an index finger. "Well, General Zoisite was talking about this the other day, and I thought--" Suddenly, she bawls on Beryl's shoulder, "My manly son shouldn't have to resort to dirty magazines!" Wailing, she cries out, "Why didn't you ask Mommy to teach you, Endymion?!"
Endymion is shocked at his mother's statement and colors red. It's hard to tell if its because he wishes to kill Zoicite making him red from anger, or because of the thought of his mother 'teaching' him. Possibly a combination of both. All in all, he momentarily freezes on the spot, a red hue on his cheeks as he looks downward.
Beside the Queen Beryllium can be seen silently laughing her ass off. She covers her face with a fan, only the eyes left visible to show her good humor.
"If I may be so bold, Highness," Akio interjects, the fingers of his left hand curling around the topmost button on his shirt. "I might be of use in that department."
"Oh, my Prince. I *snicker* didn't know you were so manly." Beryllium is only just holding back from poping.
"Not that manly!" Endymion exclaims as he steps away from Akio. "If I'm looking for experience in that department, I'll get a woman, thank you very much."
Chances were becoming much larger that he'd be killing Zoicite.
"My baby is growing up!" Misaki wails. "He's talking about taking women and having his way with them!"
Beryllium turns toward her brother, laughter still in her eyes.
"And how would you help the prince?"
"I am well-versed in the ways of manliness, Sister," Akio replies, raising an eyebrow. "You, of all people, should know that."
"Er, right." The humor dropped from her voice.
Endymion coughs at that, suddenly feeling that the conversation is getting much, much more disturbing than it already had. Now how to get out of this mess...
"Err, mother, would you know where General Zoicite is? I'd like to have a few words with him," Endymion says, figuring he might as well try to kill two birds with one stone.
"Oh, the General would be so overjoyed!" Misaki cries out. "I didn't believe him at first when he told me about your special friendship, but now I see the truth! You can find Zoisite in your bedroom. Go with my blessing, baby!"
Strange woman
Beryllium feels her humor comming back instantly.
"Mother, I'm about to try and end his life to the best of my ability. I somehow don't think our definitions of 'special friendship' are meshing very well here," Endymion states as...calmly as one can when in an irrational yet near murderous state of mind. It was one thing for Zoicite to embarrass him, it was an entirely different thing to do so in front of his mommy.
"If you'll excuse me, the general has an appointment with my sword," he says as he starts to stomp away, pausing only a second to think about how his statement might have sounded and shaking his head.
"Have fun, Dear!" Misaki calls after him, waving a handkerchief. "Be sure to polish your sword first!"
Endymion makes a twitchy head motion as he waves back while continuing to stomp towards his room.
Beryllium can't help but to chuckle.
Turning her attention back to the she bows.
"It has been an honor meeting you, my Queen, but I must ask your pardon."
The Queen nods absent-mindedly, still waving her kerchief at the departing Endymion.
"Brother," Beryllium comments after moving away from the queen. "For what purpose have you called me here?"
"I know of your goals, sister dearest," he replies quietly, too low for the Queen to hear. "Can you really fault a loving brother for trying to have his little sister meet the mother of her groom-to-be and fall in her good graces?"
Beryllium studies the queen thoughtfully for a few moments.
"Somehow, I think speech isn't the way to go to get into that woman's good graces. Not unless it involved midnight manuvers of, you know, this and that sort." Beryl makes a few gestures. "And although I'd simply love to be instructed in the ways carnal pleasure by the queen, and I'm not just saying that oh no, it would be a rather difficult subject to bring up."
Endymion stands in front of his room, his hand wavering over his sword. On the one hand, he'd get great pleasure out of decapitating Zoicite right now. On the other, father would lose a good general, and he'd probably feel a little bad about it. Just a little mind you.
Taking a deep breath, he decides that if Zoicite is doing anything to his clothing or books, he dies. If he doesn't, he gets a chance to live. Yes, that was fair of him.
Taking his hand away from the hilt of his sword, it grasps the doorknob and opens the door to his room, looking to see what Zoicite is doing.
"It is your loss then, sister dearest," Akio replies with a shrug. Turning towards the Queen, he asks, "Would you like to see a new creation of mine?"
Queen Misaki and Akio move further into the greenhouse, talking animatedly about polka-dotted purple roses.
Endymion finds no sign of Zoisite in his room at first glance.
Endymion sighs, as he enters and looks around his room, for anything amiss or changed. Looks like Zoicite got to live at least.
Beryl stares at the retreating forms, her anger rising.
Why that... that... Getting me out here just for this!
Beryllium almost vanishes, but stops, her brother's words comming to mind.
Well, I'm here already. May as well find something to do.
She wanders off in the general direction of the princes' quarters.
Something indeed.
Endymions enters the room, finding it as messy as always. It's strange, though, that the closet door doesn't seem to be closed all the way.
Meanwhile, as Beryl wanders around inside the city-sized palace, she realizes that she has no idea where the Prince's private quarters would be. In fact, she would be almost completely lost, if she didn't recognize that corridor leading to the kitchens, where Endymion took her the other day.
"Something indeed," Beryllium deadpans, realising that wandering off by herself was, perhaps, not the smartest thing she could have done.
"Well there's the kitchen. Someone in there in bound to know." She enters, looking around a bit.
Upon entering the kitchens, Beryl hears snoring.
Endymion raises an eyebrow at the closet door and goes open it to see if there was anything there preventing it from closing completely, otherwise locking it.
Endymion opens the door, and a sleeping Zoisite falls out of the closet. He's clutching one of the Prince's favorite pornographic magazines in his hands.
OOC: Something about seven dwarfs. I'm not touching your porn.
Pondering who would sleep in a kitchen, even a royal kitchen, Beryl seeks out the source of the snores.
After travelling around the large kitchen area for a while, following the snores, Beryl sees the blonde cook she had met last night sprawled haphazardly over a table. Her clothes are messy, and she looks exhausted.
Poor thing. You must have had a terrible night.
Opting let sleeping cooks lie, Beryl looks for another of the cooks. Someone was bound to know directions.
Walking past Sasha, Beryl is surprised to find a half dozen apprentices peek from behind various tables in the room, their eyes trained on the sleeping cook.
"Excuse me," Beryl calls, aproaching the nearest. "I seem to have gotten a bit lost and..." Finally noticing the odd behavior of the cooks she stops.
"Is something wrong?"
"Shh!" the teenage boy Beryl approaches chides her, putting a finger to her lips. "We mustn't disturb the Mistress!"
"Who, her?" Beryl points to the blond. "Certainly she's tired, but shouldn't she retire to her room if she doesn't want to be desturbed?"
He steels his face. "We must protect the Mistress's beauty nap."
The rest of the apprentices rise to their feet from behind their makeshift barricades, brandishing various cooking utensils.
Beryl chuckles nervously, raising her hands and slowly backing away from the cooking staff.
Is Endymion the only sane person in this place?
"Oookay. I just need someone to escort me somewhere. I'll just leave your... mistress... to her nap."
Sasha moves in her sleep, and the apprentices tense for action.
Beryl tenses for ACT_SHUN!
The blonde cook rolls over, sighing, and her apprentices turn towards her to admire her sleeping form.
Beryl relaxes as well. Waving her hand to get the young man's attention, she points to him, herself, and then the door.
The apprentice follows Beryl out of the kitchen area, light glinting off the large butcher knife in his hand.
"How do I get to the prince's quarters from here?" Beryl eyes the knife warily.
The apprentice cook motions Beryl to come closer, a maniacal glint in his eyes.
Beryl steps back, smiling nervously.
The boy cocks his head in apparent confusion, and comes closer.
Beryl steps back faster, matching his pace.
"That's far enough!"
His expression darkens, and he whispers harshly, "Stop raising your voice!"
"Stop threatening me with a knife!" she whispers back, just as harshly.
"This is my livelihood!" he protests, still whispering, while waving the knife around.
"Gah!" Beryl exclaims, jumping back from the knife swinging cook.
"Quit doing that!"
A loud moan is heard from the main kitchen area, and five apprentice cooks charge Beryl, yelling as one, "For waking our Mistress, death awaits you!"
OOC: Yay! Beryllium vs. the Ninja Cooks! IRC fun. ^^
Endymion's eye twitches, he steps hard on Zoicite's hand so as to wake him up, deciding to give him one possible chance of defending himself. "Zoicite! What. Are. You. Doing. In. MY. Room?"
Zoisite groans as he awakens. Opening large, innocent eyes, he looks up at Endymion, and blushes. "I was just cleaning it?"
Endymion places his hand on the hilt of his sword, as he continues speaking, his tone cold. "Mother says otherwise. Care to give any reason for me not to hurt you? I truly wish to at this moment, you see."
He leans downward, pressing his foot down harder as he does so, even as he lets Zoisite see the anger in his eyes more closely. "I don't enjoy being embarassed in front of my mother, Zoisite. I truly don't."
Zoisite gulps and then, in an amazing feat of acrobatics, wraps his body around Endymion's leg, pleading, "Oh, please, please don't hurt me! I'm not into pain!"
"What's going on here?" Sasha asks, stepping into view with a plate of croissant rolls.
OOC: Beryl, back from the fight versus the Ninja Cooks! You're it!
"Um, the cooks are trying to kill me?" Beryl answers a little uncertainly. Saying it aloud, it did sound a bit rediculous.
"Why in the world would they do that?" Sasha asks, her eyes widening. "And why did you strip in the corridor?" she adds curiosuly, taking in Beryl's attire. "Are you hot?"
"Strip? What are you talking ab-ack! My clothes!" Beryl tries to cover her generous assets, only to wince in pain when she disturbs the knife wound.
"Ow ow ow."
"You seem to be bothered, too," Sasha commented, snickering.
Beryl pulls an apron from one of the fallen cooks, trying to save some modesty.
Sasha frowns, seeing the red-head take an apron form one of the prone cooks, and then put it on, bloodying it. "Seems like you went into heat, beat up my apprentices and are now looting them," she comments wryly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I suggest that you stop that."
"W-what?" Beryl starred, flabbergasted. How could that woman have come up with such a story?
"I did no such thing. All I tried to do was ask directions. The next thing I know I'm geting a knife and plates thrown at me!
"And I wouldn't be 'looting' anyone if they hadn't cut my dress up. And... and..." Beryl sniffles, hand pressing against the wound. "I think I need a medic."
"You interrupted Mistress Sasha's sleep!" the lone apprentice standing exclaims, glaring daggers at Beryl.
"Ah, I think I see what happened now." Sasha sighs. "But did you have to hurt them so badly?" She waves her hand at the downed cooks. "They were obviously just playing with you."
"... What? Playing?" Beryl gives Sasha an incredulous look.
Sasha twirls a tea spoon, before flinging it at Beryl before she could reacts. Like a boomerang, the spoon returns to the cook's hand, and Beryl feels a draft as her bra bites the dust, leaving her covered by an apron and her panties.
"After all, if they were serious, you would have been dead," the blonde comments idly.
Beryl opens her mouth to reply, but realizes she doesn't really have a retort to that. There is only one reasonable thing to do. She pulls herself up to her full height facing the head cook and bows deeply.
"Please forgive for my actions. I was not aware of the... joviality... of your staff, given the circumstances. I ask your forgiveness."
"Nah, it's okay." Sasha waves her hand at Beryl lazily. "I'm sure they had fun. Now, why don't I take care of your wounds?"
Endymion snorts with disgust as he shakes his leg. "Get off, General. It's unbecomming for one of your status to plead for his life like that."
'What a sissy Zoisite's being,' Endymion thinks. 'He needs to toughen u...Hmmm...'
A smile graced his lips. "You know what, General? I've decided not to kill you after all."
'Yep, instead, I'm going to request that Alita get a few hours a day with him till we leave to toughen him up and cause him that pain he dislikes so much. And get Alita to give him a crew cut, maybe he'll start acting more reasonably if he lost his precious long hair.'
Endymion cackles internally at what he believes is a devilish plan for Zoisite. The loss of the hair would probably annoy him more than the whole pain sessions combined too. He was still going to ban Zoisite from coming within 10 feet of his room anymore though.
Zoisite rocks against Endymion's leg, crying.
Endymion frowned, shaking his leg again, "General. I. said. LET. GO. OF. MY.LEG!"
"That would be nice," Bery spoke, smiling gratefully.
Zoisite lets go of Endymion's leg as the latter swings it, sending the petite general flying on top of the prince's bed.
Sasha leads Beryl into the main kitchen area, and helps her lie on a table, applying a white cream to her wounds.
Endymion growls and then sighs at Zoisite's landing.
"Zoisite...get...off...my...bed," he requests, almost tiredly. If he didn't deal with this clown of a 'friend' soon, he really would be killing him against his better judgement.
Zoisite quickly vacates the Prince's bed, mumbling about never getting off on it and all rumors to the contrary being vicious lies.
Endymion ignores Zoisite's mumbling and states, "Right, even if I'm -not- going to kill you, you still deserve to be punished. First, you're not to come within 10 feet of my room ever again. Second, I will be talking with father and Alita about having you taking some lessons from Alita, much like I do, to 'toughen' you up. Third...well, the third will be a surprise if I can convince father."
Beryl relaxes a bit under the treatment. Bleeding all over the place was hardly what she considered a good time.
"Mistress Sasha," Beryl says, using the more formal title the cooks had refered to her by, "I do not mean to pry, but I'm curious. Who trained your cooks to fight?"
"This might come as a surprise to you, Miss," Sasha replies, covering Beryl's body with whipped cream, "but General Kunzite is practically a regular to the royal kitchens."
Zoisite bows and scrapes, and generally tries to make himself seem as pathetic as possible.
Beryl sniffed.
"Is that whipped cream?"
"Naturally," Sasha replies, not missing a beat. "It holds mysterious healing powers."
"oh."
Learn something new every day.
Endymion shook his head.
"Begging won't work. And the ban from my room starts now," he said as he stepped out of the room, and waited for Zoisite to follow. "We're going to find father now to see about getting you started on the rest of your punishment, General. If you want to beg, do so with him."
Not hearing a response for over a minute, Endymion turns around, to see no traces of Zoisite. A lone red petal is lying on the floor.
Her blood flow stopped by the power of Whipped Cream, Beryl leaves the kitchen, thanking Sasha. After leaving the kitchen complex, however, she realizes two things. She had left the stolen apron back in the kitchens, due to Sasha's insistence, and is now clad only in her flimsy panties. And, due to how good the cream felt, while being worked into her skin, she forgot to ask for directions to Prince Endymion's rooms.
Endymion curses and shouts upwards, "Zoisite! Don't think running away will help!"
With that, he stomps outwards, an annoyed and foul expression in his face as he heads towards the professor's home to look for his father again. He was going to -insist- on Zoisite's "torture" punishment now.
Not in the condition in which she wishes to deal with the prince anyway, Beryl teleports home. After all, there is a lunar trip to prepare for yet.
Endymion reaches Professor Fuyutsuki's house without incident.
Endymion knocks on the professor's door and calls for his father, to see if he's still in.
Azusa's voice calls out to Endymion, seeming to come from the small dock located to the left of the house.
Endymion heads towards the dock, wondering if Professor Fuyutsuki had convinced his father to go fishing or some such. Oh well, if they planed to do so, he could join them once he spoke with his father about General Zoisite's behavior.
Endymion finds his father and Professor Fuyutsuki stand near a small fishing boat, talking about mundane affairs.
"Hello again, professor Fuyutsuki," he says giving a nod to his professor before turning to the king and doing the same, once he's next to them. "Father."
"Sorry to be a bother again, but I wished to request something, father," he continues.
"Go ahead," he says.
"General Zoisite has been..." Endymion ponders a good choice of word, but shrugs and goes with what was in his mind. "...somewhat of a pest lately. I figured he wasn't getting enough work to occupy his attention, so wished to recommend that he get training sessions with Alita so she can help him toughen up."
As almost an afterthought, he adds, "Of course, Alita would have to have separate lessons with him, so that she's not distracted correcting me when she should be helping him."
While it didn't feel nice to put himself down, it was probably the best way to get the point across and not get stuck having to spend extra time with the man. So he hoped anyhow.
"Endymion," Azusa says reproachfully. "What is this I hear? Are you not a man, running to your parents for help on such a matter?" The king looks at his son with disappointment. "After our discussion earlier today, I was hoping that you had finally grown up... risen above such petty issues."
Endymion frowns at his father's reaction, not liking the tone of disapproval. "I wouldn't exactly consider it running for help, father. He is your subordinate, and not under my command. I've tried to be polite about the matter for a while now, and he simply becomes more immature, which is unfitting for a general under your command. And as I doubt you'd approve of my running a sword through your general, I simply looked to see about having something brought up to keep him occupied and away from me. Of course, again, as he is your subordinate..."
Truthfully, stating how it might be his father's fault for not disciplining his own general wasn't the most diplomatic approach, but that remark about growing up hurt.
"Are things that bad, son?" Azusa asks. "In that case, we'll have General Zoisite... removed."
Endymion pauses, before asking, "Father, I don't wish to misinterpret, but when you say removed, you don't mean the 'have him killed' variety of removed, do you? I was stopping myself from doing that to him, as he is still a somewhat capable general, if a bit undisciplined."
"Your depiction of the situation sounded dire indeed." Azusa snorts. "And if it comes to choosing between a general and my only son, Zoisite will have to go."
"While I'm thankful for that, Father, I really think my original plan would suffice to set the general straight," Endymion replies. "Besides, if you did this, I would indeed feel as if I had come for you for help. Doing as I ask, even if not resolved entirely under my own power, I would still have a hand in the matter and have a right to say that I am not a child."
"Very well, I'll see what I can do," he tells Endymion, and glances at Fuyutsuki. "The professor and I were just about to embark on a short fishing trip. Would you like to join us?"
Endymion gives a mental sigh of relief, as Zoisite seems to be out of the fire, and just back in the frying pan. Thinking over his father's offer, he realizes he doesn't have anything else to do for the day, and gives a short nod, "I wouldn't mind joining you two if you'll have me."
Professor Fuyutsuki smiles, and that settles it. The three go out fishing.
OOC: Anything else you'd like to do that day? It's getting fairly late.
OOC: Right, we're timeskipping. You had a nice fishing trip, managing not to drown, and went to bed after a round against Alita.
IC:
Beryl is awakened by the incessant ringing of the front door bell. Checking her beside clock, she sees it is a minute to eight in the morning.
"Eight in the morning? Who in the nine hells comes ringing like that at eight in the morning? Son of a..." Beryl slides out of bed, noting that she is both in her own bed and alone for once. A glance in the mirror shows that she might not want to answer the door with morning hair. Pulling it back tightly, she bounds her hair with magic.
Satisfied with that much at least she heads out of her room, returning briefly to grab a burgundy colored robe from her wardrobe. She makes her way to the door quickly, peeking through the eyehole to see who would be knocking so incessantly.
Beryl sees a scowling blond head.
Frowning at the lack of imaging her eyehole has she opens the door a crack.
“Whatever you’re selling…” she begins.
The sight of a scowling, uniformed man in his mid twenties greets Beryl. He pushes past her unceremoniously, and plops down on the couch. "Yeah, yeah," he says dejectedly. "It's not a picnic for me, either."
“And you would be… ?” Beryl is annoyed. She closes the door, perhaps a bit harder than needed. “And why are you waking people so early in the morning?”
"Your worst nightmare," he grouses, ignoring Beryl's second question. "I assure you that the feeling is mutual."
“Do you even realize how cliché that sounds?” Beryl takes a closer look at the man. “Now you can give me your name and business here or I can find out when the coroner takes your body away. Really, its up to you.” Beryl is really not happy to be away now.
"J. F. Zoisite," he says, and snorts. "Go ahead, make my day, little girl."
“Zoisite, Zoisite; why does that name sound familiar? Oh, that’s right. You’re that stalker trying to get into the prince’s pants. No luck on that front I take it?” Beryl’s voice is haughty, just shy of demeaning.
"Like you should talk, you... you..." he stutters, glaring at Beryl. "You gold digger bitch!"
Beryl covers her mouth with the back of her hand and unleashes her Bitch Laugh™.
“Ohohohoho! That’s great, Mr. Zoisite. But really, at least I don’t make the prince run to his mommy to ‘make the bad man go away’. Now, what brings you to my humble abode?”
"Miss Beryl," he spits, in obvious distaste. "Meet your new bodyguard."
Beryl’s laugh dies off.
“You-you’re my bodyguard? By whose order?”
He throws a sealed scroll at Beryl, and turns away from her, appearing to take a nap on her living room couch.
As Beryl stares at the scroll she automatically caught, she sees an imperial seal on it. It looks legit to her.
Beryl breaks the seal and reads the scroll.
Beryl skims the scroll, mumbling to herself. "Miss Beryl.... etc, etc... diplomatic mission... imperial protection...."
OOC:
Yep, looks solid. Big, fat Azusa signature below.
“Oh well, at least I don’t have to worry about my purity around you.” She folds the scroll and puts it away in her robe.
“If you have nothing else for me I’ll be going back to sleep. If you want something to eat I’m sure there are a few bananas or sausages laying around you can suck on.”
A loud snore answers Beryl. Perhaps too loud?
“Awe, he’s so cute when he’s asleep like that,” She says, chuckling at the blonde’s antics.
“Now to prepare for that date the prince promised me.” Beryl makes her way back to her room, chuckling over recent events.
A loud crash sounds from the living room.
Beryl runs back to protect the sanctity of her house.
“What’s going on in here?”
Beryl finds that Zoisite had fallen off the couch and onto a low-set table, breaking it. The general also seems to be out of it.
“…Right. The palace will be paying for that. Out of your salary, probably,” Beryl says to apparently unconscious blonde. She returns to her room, her mood less cheerful than it previously had been. Sleep claims her, filled with blonde fairies and bonfires. A rather pleasant dream it is.
Beryl is woken up by another insistent ringing. At roughly the same time, Endymion is shaken awake by Alita.
Beryl slides out of bed once more, this time fully awake. She takes her time getting dressed; deciding that whoever was at the door could damn well wait. Maybe they’d even wake the blonde.
She chooses a Chinese style dress, all black save the single white lily design over her left breast and slit for ease of movement. She does dress with some speed, however, and soon finds herself opening the door for the second time this morning.
Two armed soldiers are standing at the door, both at the rank of sergeant. "Ma'am," one of them tell her, glancing at an electronic tablet in his hands before returning his attention to her face, "you are hereby summoned to the Imperial Palace."
“Lead on,” Beryl says, stepping outside and quietly closing the door behind her. She smiles beatifically, happy with the thought of leaving the blonde behind. Considering he was supposed to be her guard by royal decree he would probably be reassigned if she showed up alone to a summons.
“This day is looking up already.”
"Huh-wha?" Endymion states confusedly and sleepily at Alita's rough waking.
Bleerily adjusting to the light as he opens his eyes, he says, "Oh. It's you..." as he realizes just who's waking him up.
"What is it?" he asks as he takes a deep yawn, then sits up in bed while scratching his head.
"Is not!" a male voice grumbles from behind Beryl.
"Haven't you heard?!" she exclaims, her eyes wide. "It's all over the networks! The diplomatic mission to the Moon launches today!"
"What? Today? I thought it was still some time..." Endymion states with surprise as he is brought completely awake by the news. "How much time before we leave?"
“Sure it is!” Beryl says back, not bothering to turn around.
Beryl:
"Is not!" he repeats, putting an extra whine into his words.
Endymion:
Alita paces around the room. "Clark called me a few minutes before shit hit the fan to warn me. Apparently, the information was leaked out." She grabs her head, tussling up her hair. "Hell, there's a rumor the Lunar networks picked this up, too!"
“Lead on,” Beryl says to the messengers, falling in step behind them.
OOC: Unless you have some event planned to happen while traveling to the palace to can pause and/or time skip me there.
"Oh for..." Endymion starts to swear before sighing.
He wonders if it was that woman, Beryl, who leaked the news as he considers his father's warnings, but then shakes his head. This was not the time to be wondering about that.
"Okay, first things first, I'll need to change into proper attire," he states and then looks at Alita, waiting for her to leave and let him have a moment of privacy.
Alita snorts, but steps out of the room.
Quite a bit of time later, Alita barges back into the room, and unceremoniously drags Endymion out of his closet. Ignoring his protests, she helps him change quickly and efficiently, before dragging him over to the throne room, a guard of two armed soldiers following them silently.
There, Endymion sees his parents, Beryl and... Zoisite?!
OOC: All four soldiers stay outside the room. Beryl, you obviously see Endy, too.
“Good morning!” Beryl enthuses, all traces of her earlier demeanor gone. “How does the day see you?”
"Grumpy and babied," he grumbles, with a dirty look Alita's way.
For her part, the petite girl just whistles innocently.
Beryl covers a dainty little smile with a fan, her eyes twinkling merrily. She nods slightly to Alita as well.
“I’m sure the day will prove more accommodating, my prince.” She turns her attention back to the King. “Your Majesty?”
King Azusa is sitting on his throne, his face grim. At his side is Queen Misaki, devoid of her usual cheerfulness.
"As you might have found out, if you had been listening to the news," Azusa begins, "the mission to the Moon is now public knowledge. As the story has been leaked, we believe there also exists a chance of sabotage, if our opponents are determined to stop it at all cost." He takes a deep breath, before continuing. "Thus, we have no choice but advance the timetable." His gaze lands on Alita, Endymion, Beryl and Zoisite. "You four will be leaving immediately to our family's private spaceport. General Nephrite is there right now, securing your ship. After lift off, General Kunzite onboard the Stellar Bugbear will ensure your safe departure from Earth's atmosphere."
Azusa pauses once more. "Any questions?"
“Will the Lunarians be expecting us this early?” Beryl queried. “It would not serve us to start such a delicate process on the misconception of invasion.”
"They already do," Azusa replies. "General Kunzite has been in touch with Queen Serenity, and she would be expecting you."
Beryl dips her head more deeply toward the king.
“My preparations for departure have already been seen to, your Majesty. I am ready to depart whenever you will it.”
"Excellent," he says gruffly. "General Zoisite will show you the way."
"Good luck, my baby," the Queen adds quietly, sniffling.
Zoisite takes it as his dismissal, and turns sharply on his heels, leading the way out of the throne room. Endymion and Alita follow him, the latter whislting to herself as soon as she's past the throne room's entrance.
Beryl follows the others out, mentally adjusting her plans for the near future.
OOC: We're moving to the Lunar Boot Camp until further notice.