743/Squabbles and Other Sticky Matters

Squabbles and Other Sticky Matters
Date of Scene:	05 November 2023
Location:	School Library
Synopsis:	Now that Hematite has revealed himself as Darien, Coco meets up with him, seeking to have some questions answered. It ends with the two promising each other their assistance.
Cast of Characters:	Coco Kiumi, Mamoru Chiba

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Coco Kiumi has posed:
For a change, it is a fairly calm day for some students, only the issues of homework and of their social life to occupy their minds. The same applies who ended up meeting a new Sailor Senshi in a fairly unexpected way. Curious how things work between yesterday and now. And now she is going to address even more things related to them.

The mermaid is entering the library, having looked all over for Darien, and she finds him there at last. "Hello, Darien", she waves at him, neither particularly cheery nor especially serious, looking up at the tall student. "I am Yellow Pearl Voice, I was hoping we could discuss some matters, pertaining both Trager des Blauer Greif and what happened yesterday."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Darien's been waiting at the front desk with a small stack of books, since there are several people ahead of him in line. When Coco -- the girl from the tarot readings -- comes in and up to him, and introduces herself as Yellow Pearl Voice, he blinks down at her.

"Ah," he says, and picks up his stack of books, then nods his head in the direction of the table he was sitting at before, as if to ask her to come with him. He goes back to the table and gestures toward the chair opposite him before sitting down himself. "We can talk," he says amiably. "What are your questions?"

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco follows him towards the table and heads to the chair Darien pointed her at. So far, good. He seems rather calm at least, Coco considers, given she hinted this wouldn't be a casual conversation.

She fixes her skirt as she sits down on her chair before looking back at Darien. "Regarding Trager, I would like to know your view on what happened since Hannah told me you did a half-hearted approach of not actually fighting, but put people in danger still. And how did she end up having to be hospitalised?" The latter is a rather important point especially to Coco, since she knows Usagi trusts Darien.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
The tall boy -- who's deliberately made himself shorter by sitting down -- listens with a casual, unworried posture, though his expression's first a little puzzled and then a little amused. "First of all, I'd like you to understand that I don't have to justify my actions to you. But since Tragar is a good friend of my girlfriend's, and you've proven yourself to be a decent person, I'll explain."

He drags a hand down his face with a sigh and then leans an elbow on the table, propping his head up on that hand. "I was hoping Sailor Moon would show up. I made what was basically a training youma for her out of something she hates -- carrots. Something she could beat up on without getting hurt. It was sloppily made and rather silly-looking, and it was draining tiny bits of energy out of passers-by, all of which would go back to them once the youma was defeated."

He lifts up his other hand, closing his eyes as if composing himself, or trying to keep from laughing. "This offended Tragar-san's sensibilities so thoroughly that she pulled a limit breaker on a carrot and then called me out for being a coward who doesn't fight people directly. Would she listen to an explanation? Nooooo. I told her she really didn't want to fight me because it'd take at least twelve of you to take me down, and she took that as a challenge and attacked. Then she figured out I was pulling my punches. I kept pulling my punches until she took a motorcycle I threw at her and turned it into a gravity sword and set it on fire."

A beat.

"I really hate fire. So I put it out and slammed her down. Then her power did something weird and bounced her across the street into that wall, and then I called Hanzo for help."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco looks at him as if looking at an imperscrutable mystery. Really, that is what he starts with? "Trager is a dear friend of mine. I believe my worry is justified when something happens that ends up endangering my friends." She passes a hand over her shell locket, reminiscing how it shone out of nowhere that day.

"I didn't want to accuse you though, that's why I asked for your view on what happened rather than reporting everything Trager told me. I know she can be difficult at times due to her culture."

The explanation he gives her does check out - mostly, at least. "Carrot? I thought it was out of paper." Her tone is confused on that matter. "And what was it about still draining people? Were there other people around when you made it?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Darien stares at Coco for a second. "Did... did you miss what my job is?" he asks hesitantly. "I'm Hematite of the Dark Kingdom, leader of the Shitennou. We're the bad guys, and it was a youma? Of course it drained energy. And it was definitely a carrot. I know, I'm the one who made it." He exhales a little disbelievingly. "It was on a street corner, standing up and like... busking or something. Like a mascot. Ish. Look, what does this have to do with anything? I warned her off, she attacked, I pulled my punches, she attacked harder, she pushed a button, I hit harder, her power went haywire and she wiped out. You had questions about yesterday?"

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco is lost now. She knows who he is and what he does, but he just said that was a training youma. "I don't get it now, you said it was a training youma for Usagi, but then you said you were intending on hurting bystanders. What kind of training requires you to actually put people in danger?"

She leaves the paper vs carrot thing aside. "I wouldn't have been surprised if you did this when you were on the job, so to speak, but you just said it was for training and the whole thing happened despite your best efforts in the first place." She stays silent for a few seconds before deciding it's best to add a disclaimer. "Again, I am trying to understand here, not accuse you."

Then he brings up yesterday. "Yes, you seemed odd yesterday, with how you half-heartedly did things. You said you couldn't stop her, so I just wanted to check if you were all right. I don't know how those hours alone with Usagi and Naru must have been for you. Especially since something happened that turned her into a plushie."

She bites her lips. "Then there is also..." She stops, folding her arms and turning her gaze to the side. "I presume you heard what I said when I was all... And since the cat is out of the bag, I wanted to know if you had any contact with Gaito or his servants. I really need to help my friend and save Noel."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Ahhh. Here's what to understand," says Darien earnestly, leaning forward a little bit. "I have a job I don't like, that I currently do to the worst of my ability, but that doesn't mean I don't have to do it for the moment. You can trust me with Usagi, no matter what face she wears, and you can trust me to try my best to pull my punches, but you and I have been on opposite sides before and we'll undoubtedly be on opposite sides again. What happened with Tragar was unintended."

Then he sighs and rubs at his face with both hands. "If I tried to stop her, she would have turned me into a toy, and then she would have been alone and felt that no one was on her side. So instead, I just texted everyone I could think of to come stop her, and I helped in that way. But I couldn't obviously fight against her, and I didn't want to fight against anyone else, either. Does that make more sense?"

Then the last part comes, and Darien's face changes; he looks actually actively sympathetic, he looks gentle. "I'm sorry. You asked me that before, too, and I've never even heard of him except when you mentioned him that other time. The bad guys aren't any more organized than the heroes, Yellow Pearl Voice. There are teams, and a lot of them have some knowledge of each other, but... I have to admit I really only pay attention to my Shitennou and to Riventon. I'll keep an ear out for this Gaito of yours, and if you give me a number to text you at, I can do that if I hear anything."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco didn't expect her job simile to actually be truer than she thought. She wants to ask if there is anything she can do to help, but she would bet both Usagi and him have tried everything and in-between, so she avoids digging that up. "Is that your wish? The miracle you want to use the Silver Crystal you talked about on Clock App for?" She looks pensively at him, her behaviour becoming much more tender.

She should have expected that answer from him, but actually receiving it isn't any more pleasant. Still, she is grateful he is willing to put in the effort, and gives a slow nod with a smile. "Thank you, Darien. I really appreciate it. My number is XXX-XXXXXXX."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"That's one of them," the boy says wryly. "I have a whole queue. Meet my parents, bring someone close to me back from the dead, get my Shitennou out of this situation too... miracles are in short supply. I'll probably have to pick one, if I even get near the thing. That might be even worse than not having a miracle at all."

He takes a phone out and thumbs in Coco's number, nodding to her. "It's no problem," he assures her, and then sends a text immediately so that she has that number. "I might be on a different phone by the time I hear anything," he says, "so I'll say it's Darien if I text you, okay?"

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Those are a lot of miracles he needs. It's surprising he opened up to her to that extent. Her mouth dries out as she thinks about all that he listed. Seems like tragedies sprout up in no short amount...

Coco looks at the message she has received and saves that number under Darien Shields. "I will keep Usagi informed then, so I know it can only reach you in case someone else takes your phone." Like Beryl, or a certain xxxxxxxx, maybe.

Just then an otter scurries in and Coco and the new arrival look at each other, as if holding a conversation. "Thank you for answering my questions, Darien. I need to go deal with something now. Be well." And with she and the otter walk out of the library.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Be well," Darien answers, getting back up from the table. He still has books to check out. Why do people have to be so sincere? is a question he asks himself almost daily, and today's no different. It's just that this time, it came with an otter.