671/Silver Crystal: Beryl Helps

Silver Crystal: Beryl Helps
Date of Scene:	29 October 2023
Location:	Obsidian Tower - Board Room
Synopsis:	Hematite gets called to report to Queen Beryl, and part of the progress he reports involves a video made for Clock App...
Cast of Characters:	Beryl, Mamoru Chiba
Tinyplot:	Silver Crystal

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Queen Beryl has posed:
Beryl was a queen. She knew this in her heart of hearts - knew that she alone was the rightful ruler of Earth, who had taken the planet once by force and would do so again, when the time is right. Once, she had been a girl foolish enough to believe herself in love, but that time was long gone.

There was no need for anything so fickle as love, not when power would do nicely. Power, and her great leader, would give her everything she so desired.

To the outside world, she was Director Beryl, her Dark Kingdom refashioned as Beryl Holdings. To the outside world, she was merely another corporate head, a woman of business, with global operations, each serving... purpose. In that outside world, it was inappropriate to lounge in a low-cut dress fitted like skin on a throne of ancient stone, in a throne room of despair hewn stone crafted in the spine-chilling image of an ancient and distressed skull.

The outside world, frankly, lacked a sense of drama.

In public meetings and corporate engagements, Beryl might lock herself away in bespoke suits of rich color and tasteful adornments, but in the locked doors of her own office suit, where she could summon her delectable minions at a whim, she dressed as she pleased.

The old horned tiara was gone - abandoned as a relic of a bygone era. In it's place, she had chosen a headpiece of braided metals, rich purple intwined with gold, meeting at the center to secure a cut and faceted amethyst stone, itself framed with branching gold.

She did still have something of a throne - rather than some insipid rolling chair, she sat in a comfortable arm chair, black leather and plush, contouring to the lines of her body while still providing ample support. Delightful, genuinely. The modern world had it's conveniences.

One such convenience was the cellphone, by which she could support her favorite at a mere moment's notice.

"Hematite," his name was as sweet in her mouth as rich candy, "Attend me."

She hung up on him without giving him the chance to respond. What would he say, besides yes?

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
He almost never makes her wait. The few times he has, it was merely... unfortunate timing. He's almost always there in under thirty seconds, and this time is no different, though he's slightly out of breath and his hair is damp and ruffled, wavier than it is if he has a chance to blowdry it.

His uniform holds nothing out of place, though, as he opens the door and closes it behind him. His face is composed and pleasant as he gets down on one knee-- at the prescribed distance-- and bows his head over the fist clasped over his chest. "My Queen," he says, controlling his voice so the mild breathlessness is barely audible.

Queen Beryl has posed:
He never makes her wait. He knows better. His few... lapses, were always promptly corrected.

Beryl's lips curve in something approximating a smile, seeing him before her. His face, faintly flushed with exertion, yet composed, rendered artfully blank before her. His hair, dampened and wavy, a fluffy mass. Stray strands cling to his skin, discreetly marring his otherwise perfect presentation.

He kneels before her and she is pleased. Ah, he has grown so much from that frightened, fitful child she found those years ago.

"My Hematite," she savors it, his name, his presence, her power to have him before her as her whim demands. "Your cohort descended in mass upon a mortal ball, in search of the Silver Crystal. As you have not presented it to me, I must conclude this effort was a failure."

Her tone is not a question - but this is, indeed, a demand for further information.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Hematite looks all the way up at Beryl's face, all his height -- not nearly enough to match hers even standing -- taken from him in this routine; he knows this dance by rote at this point. Too close to her for his comfort, close enough for her comfort, definitely too close for his neck's comfort.

His familiar dark blue eyes, calm like the Earth's oceans, regard her with steady deference. He is not cowed, he is not broken, but he is clearly hers. "It wasn't actually the Silver Crystal at all, Your Majesty. The treasure that was eventually unveiled was," he gets a look of distaste, "a gaudy carving, in ordinary diamond, of the first Princess of D----- Kingdom from ancient times. I give you my most profound apologies for the wasted effort."

He takes a breath and very briefly closes his eyes, a quick breath longer than a blink. "And unfortunately, a new Sailor Senshi awakened in the process: Jupiter. They still seem to be scattered though, and are strangely at odds with each other, so I'm certain we'll find the Ginzuishou first."

Queen Beryl has posed:
Hematite is tall, but there are few alive as tall as Beryl. Even if he were not on his knees for her, he would be looking up. Now though - she knows his neck will start to ache, if he has to maintain his kneel. He would not ask for relief. He was not broken or cowed, did not show the flash of their great ruler in his eyes, as his weaker companions did.

He was strong, her most precious toy.

She considers ordering him to stand, as he explains the failure. A gaudy trinket, rather than the silver crystal? And another of those wretched Senshi.

"Who brought the information that this trinket might be the Silver Crystal?" She asks idly, as though she did not care to punish the full. She does not seethe. The failure had cost nothing of her resources, only irked her. "Your apologies are pitiful without results. Another enemy, set to oppose our great leader, our grand rule. Tell me of your successes, my Hematite. What have you done to please me?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"I'm not sure which of us it was, my Queen," answers Hematite uncertainly, "it was in the newspaper, and we all spoke about it. I'll take the blame, as I ought to have known something so magical couldn't have been in the hands of a tiny nothing of a mortal kingdom."

Even if she's not paying much attention to the answer, he dares not neglect any question of hers. He never knows what she's thinking, and his heart's always in his throat that he'll say something wrong and get one of his guys in trouble on accident--

--but then she's asking about his successes, and the uncertainty leaves him like water off a duck's back. "I've opened six more call centers across South America, in the Indian Subcontinent, and in the Philippines. The new 'pipelines' of energy that this has created have been hooked up to the main organizational facility, and you should be able to see the influx even now. I've catalogued visible attacks and weaponry of three new enemies fighting youma they felt confident enough to be flashy about killing, so that when they inevitably attempt to attack us in future, we'll be better prepared to flatten them. I've also come up with a plan to use social media to get everyone looking for the Ginzuishou on our behalf, but I'll need to take Zoisite off of his old assignment to help me make it as efficient as possible."

His neck is really starting to hurt.

Queen Beryl has posed:
He is afraid. Afraid of her wrath, her power. His porcelain face may not crack, but his voice is flooded with uncertainty, and she rejoices in it. Delights in it. This failure - it is not so bad. No resource other than time was committed, and their enemies -

Well. She will address that later. For now, let him relax. She likes the way he looks when he's confident, assured. When he finishes his sharing his list of accomplishments, she inclines her head, pleased with him.

"You may rise. I will overlook this error of yours, my Hematite. Your successes outweigh the cost of your failure."

The Global South, as it was deemed in this era, was a monumental source of energy, largely unprotected, and without the need to spend Inhuman Resources for their manuevers. The effort was less flashy, true, but it was rewarding. Hematite had always been clever about diversifying his resources.

"Tell me more of this strategy to use social media to our advantage. What precisely will you require from Zoisite, that he should leave his... amusing little information gathering strategy."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Hematite does rise, and there's the briefest small-scale flare of dark energy in his person just to fix the crick in his neck enough that he has full range of motion immediately; it's a reflexive thing, not new. He rises and bows again, then straightens up. "I'm considering making a short video literally just asking people to help me find the Silver Crystal, and saying it's because I need a miracle, and using bokeh light and sparkle filters on it to make it look more appealing. I'd need Zoisite to help me make it go viral, and to help me make supporting media to explain it. I can ask Jadeite to direct dark energy appropriately through the video itself to influence people to give it to us should they find it."

Queen Beryl has posed:
"A novel tactic... rapidly expanding the number of those searching on our behalf to outnumber those mewling children who consider themselves our enemies. Using these social media platforms to spread our message would recruit thousands to our side, arm them with knowledge to use to our benefit.. however."

Beryl frowns as she contemplates the idea, thinking through the benefits and drawbacks to such an arrangement. The benefits were as Hematite had listed - however, the drawbacks...

"Exposing the existence of the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou to the public will also expose it to those within Obsidian who might seek to use such power for their own beneift."

There was risk in that which even Beryl would not tempt lightly, confident in her power as she was. True, there were none here who could truly rival her in power, but the loss of resources between a battle of divisions was best avoided. The allegiance of those gathered by Obsidian was loosely won, if it could be called that, each more intrigued by the opportunity to advance their own agenda than by any collective good. Power such as that promised by a miracle would be enlessly sought after by their erstwhile allies.

"How have you accounted for this?"

There was also the matter of Zoisite and Jadeite, and utilizing their talents. It was not a trouble, per se, but still - "I understand Jadeite's use. What would Zoisite add to your efforts to go viral? Is this about that... academic persona he's cultivated?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Yes, someone who appears to be both knowledgeable and respected, simulcast on television and the web, talking about the lore of the Silver Crystal and why it's important, could definitely boost the belief in the thing--" Hematite looks briefly faintly abashed.

"I was also hoping that Zoisite, who's definitely better at telling people what they want to hear than I am, would be able to explain the miracle part away as a fairy tale but emphasize the importance of finding it. He's so good at spin, Your Majesty, he's so good at spin," he says earnestly, clearly proud of the other boy. Zoisite is especially good at spin when it comes to covering up Hematite's mistakes, but he doesn't say anything about that.

"Either way, Zoisite would also know which shows to grant interviews with, who to talk to to get the widest possible exposure..."

Queen Beryl has posed:
Zoisite did have an aptitude for saying that which others wanted to hear. It was a talent for manipulation almost as keen as Beryl's own - one reason among many she watched him closely, even compared to the others. It did not do to underestimate such a clever mind.

"He does have a talent for speaking towards what others want to hear," she acknowledges. "And supporting materials would improve your tale..."

If they took this course of action, the additional details and supporting actions would be necessary, to sell the story. But did they want to reveal the Silver Crystal at all?

"I will consider this," she says and frowns. "There is another matter, I wish to turn your ear too. In your civilian guise, you have presented yourself as an ordinary child, have you not? Living an ordinary life? Have you encountered young men who seem... extraordinary?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Hematite bows basically in gratitude for her consideration, and then looks puzzled when he straightens again. "I... wouldn't say ordinary," he says honestly, in spite of the general caution he has about what comes out of his mouth in front of Beryl. "Or a child," he adds and immediately regrets it, but he flushes a little and clears his throat. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. There are any number of extraordinary young men that attend my school. Many of them both driven and handsome, some of them probably magical."

Queen Beryl has posed:
"No, you most certainly are not," Beryl says promptly, and rakes her eyes over Hematite in a manner most possessive. He is hers, her treasure, her possession. However - "But you are, in the eyes of the human world, a mere school boy. One among many."

And the boy she was looking for, he would be - well. There was every chance that Radiant Heart Academy would have gathered him, as it appeared to have gathered so many others, given the preponderence of magical combatants who fought the creatures that dared take aim at the school.

She waves off the apology, focused on the description of these young men. "How about... princely?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"..." Hematite gets... a somewhat distracted look on his face for a moment. "Possibly? There are a few that could fit that description." A beat. "Definitely one from France. He's very handsome and charming."

He's NOT mentioning Kazuo. He's not.

He's not mentioning that he's even been called a prince himself--

"His name is Adrien Agreste."

Queen Beryl has posed:
"Adrien Agreste..." A foreign name, but no more than any name in this era was, this time which had once tricked even she into believing she was less than what she was. She had not entirely expected a name. She had wished to plant a seed. But. A foreign boy, inexplicably drawn to Tokyo as her power grew -

"Play close attention to this Adrien Agreste. Is he a leader among men? Does his charisma draw the eye and ear? Is he - kingly, and yet, rather naive? Find the answers to these questions."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
From what Hematite can tell, yes yes yes yes and also yes, but he recognises when he should dole out accomplishments one at a time, especially if he's probably going to be a disappointment with something else sooner or later.

He bows his head and puts his fist to his chest again. "Yes, my Queen. And," he says as he lifts his head once more, "if the answer to any of them is no, I'll keep an eye out for other possibilities."

Queen Beryl has posed:
"Very good. In the meantime - show me this video you crafted. For hunting the Silver Crystal."

Something he deigned attractive to mortals, she was certain, with the filters he spoke of, and the inspiration it would craft in mortals to give over a miracle, rather than keep it for themselves. He would find her prince, he would find him and bring him to her, where he would see that he had chosen wrongly, all that time ago - but until then, there was no bylaw against enjoying the eye candy.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Obligingly, maybe a little abashed again, Hematite takes out his work phone -- he legitimately has Clock App on his work phone -- and scrolls through it swiftly. He comes closer without giving any visible or contextual clues that he doesn't want to, and holds his phone out to Beryl. It's up on the screen but not playing yet. "You can, um, just touch the middle," he offers, "and it'll play. Unless you'd like me to start it?"

Those nails.

Queen Beryl has posed:
And as he approaches, Beryl takes note of him, his smooth face, his calm, his - explaining how to use technology. She is briefly, mildly, irked, but the thought of forcing him to remain close, to attend to her, is enough that she will allow.

"I would like you to play the video for me, my Hematite."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
He's very close and he's not giving a single indication that his skin is crawling and he would like his shadow to actively grab him and spirit him away because that would make Beryl more aware of Himeko and just--

--a smile. Hematite just smiles, and it looks enough like the smile of someone who's pleased to be able to help that it could even come across as the smile of someone who's pleased to serve. He leans in just enough to tap the screen for Beryl, and the video starts, with every sparkle and every single shoujo bubble and bokeh light only existing to accentuate his appeal, goddammit.

Queen Beryl has posed:
The video is - exactly as Hematite described. It is not precisely to Beryl's taste, but she is no longer a squealing young girl. He is, however, handsome, sparkling, and most definitively appealing to the young heart, seeking aid from someone, anyone, who can help him. The sparkle effects and bubbles do enhance that, she has to admit.

She reaches out, intending to pause the video on an angle of his pleading face, and her long fingernail drags across a button shaped like an arrow. The app pings.

Posted!

Ah.

"And this means...?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Hematite dies a little inside.

Visibly.

He'll ask Zoisite to fix it, oh god Zoisite can fix this right?