View source for 696/A Simple Matter of Alliances

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2023/11/02
|Location=Clover Tower
|Synopsis=Riventon approaches Hannah with an offer that she's too involved in to refuse. An alliance is made, all for the downfall of one Count Otto!
|Cast of Characters=108,40
|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:108|Hannah Steiner (108)}} has posed:'''<br>Another night, another patrol. Tonight, however, it's not youma that Hannah of House Steiner is after. No, she's out here looking for a /person/! Gravity-jumping from building to building, she pauses at the highest point each time. A small stop, and another Area Search. Then a gravity jump, and she does it all again, dilligently seeking out a very particular signature that she knows far, far too well. <br><br>And again, even as she reaches the top of Clover Tower? Nothing. The bastard isn't here, as usual. But every other night? She's out here searching. <br><br>He tried to kill her. It's only a matter of time before he goes after the people she loves. And /that/ is the fear that keeps her up. Perhaps she doesn't value her own life. <br><br>But she certainly values Chrono, Rashmi, Usagi, Ami, Koji, Amy, all of the people in her life. And thus, Hannah Steiner hunts for her murderous kin!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:40|Takashi Agera (40)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's no murderous kin out here, but there is an... injurious nerd. Riventon, who has been looking for Blauer Greif's weilder since the last meeting between them with the blasting and the giant stuffed doll. Riventon's stronger now than he was then, thanks to upgrades and time training, but that's not actually WHY he's looking for the girl.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He's looking for her because she finds her kin absolutely obnoxious, and figures it's time to do something about that, rather than about the girl herself.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Hey." Riventon calls out, a very different signature and person than Hannah's uncle. In fact, he's different even visually from the last time they met - the clouded face is gone and the jacket's heavier. His hands aren't visible outside the cloak.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I didn't come to fight you, just to talk. It's just me. This isn't a fighting thing unless you make it one and honestly, if you try I'm just gonna leave." Riventon says.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:108|Hannah Steiner (108)}} has posed:'''<br>Hannah drinks in that new signature, or rather, one she knows that seems...different. BG confirms it, too, shunting some data into Hannah's head. <br><br>A sigh escapes her, and she shakes her head! "Acht, you are just as bad as Chrono-kun. I am not /always/ about fighting und dueling! I have other hobbies! ...Besides, I wouldn't enjoy it anyway, I am hunting tonight herr Riventon und that puts me off." <br><br>A shrug, and then she dips into a Belkan bow, sweeping her Device at her waist. It doesn't hurt to be polite. <br><br>"To what do I owe the honor of your presence, oh dear adversary?" A smile. It's genuine enough. Riventon may be a /jerk/, but he can fight, and she /almost/ likes him for his clear technical skill - if ones of a backwater planet in her estimation.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:40|Takashi Agera (40)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Your relative brings me here. He's rude, haughty, ugly, and frankly I could tolerate all of that but he talks down to me in a way my own chain of command doesn't." he says. To be fair, some of that's because Tomoe is less of an outright unvarnished jerk than a lot of Directors. "I dislike him and want to make him go away. I figure since he tried to have me make you go away, you're probably not super-interested in his continued presence either."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"So what I want to know is, can we help each other make this guy stop being around in some way?" he asks. "I don't really want to put up with him any longer than I have to, but my divison looks down on direct confrontation with other divisonal managers. Otherwise I'd just blast em'."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:108|Hannah Steiner (108)}} has posed:'''<br>Hannah Steiner gives a bitter laugh as Riventon explains himself. There's no humor in her voice, the usually loud and friendly Steiner seeming to darken just by hearing her Uncle mentioned. She silently considers. Riventon could be lying, but while she wouldn't put lying past him if it gets him power? Well, knowing her Uncle's ways, it entirely tracks that he would simply annoy people to the point of wanting him gone. <br><br>"I see mein Uncle has been as charming as ever! His presence here, und bringing him swift justice is the whole reason I am even on this little unsophisticated dirtball, herr Riventon. Which is to say..." She rubs her chin, and grins. <br><br>"I am listening! What do you propose, hm? We may be adversaries, but any ruler well knows that one moment's adversary may become next year's ally! Und frankly I like people that show ambition, no matter how...acht, well, we are not here to debate your dreams!" Smiiiile! It's...she's showing a lot of teeth. One can /feel/ the malice in it, hate coming oh-so-easily when her Uncle is concerned. <br><br>"He was not worthy of being in mein family's company. Even Obsidian is...lesser for his presence." She adds.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:40|Takashi Agera (40)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Good that you're on board with the theory behind it, anyways. Now, unfortunantly, all I know is that your Uncle really would like you to be dead, and he also really wanted scans of your device for some reason - badly enough to share them with me, too." he notes.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"But that doesn't give me a lot to go on as far as ruining his plans besides not killing you, which frankly wasn't something I was super on board with in the first place. I murder you, someone else tries to murder me, my kohais try to murder them - it really doesn't go anywhere good." He says, shrugging. "But I figure you have to know the guy pretty well, given the whole seething hatred in your eyes thing. So maybe together we can make him as miserable emotionally as he is to be around."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:108|Hannah Steiner (108)}} has posed:'''<br>A tap of her chin. Is she really going to partner with /Riventon/ of all people? <br><br>He has a plan to make her Uncle miserable. There's...really no reality where Hannah isn't going to jump at the opportunity! And any residual 'learning about her adversary' that gets involved is just a bonus. And so, the Scion of House Steiner throws herself happily at the alliance with all signs of enthusiasm! <br><br>"Und I am fond of breathing! Yes, we are on the same page as it were! Acht, you know, I could get to /like/ you if you keep this up!" She teases, already treating the Obsidian member as if he's her best friend. Which...is just Hannah really. She /wants/ to like people, and making her Uncle feel awful is a great excuse. <br><br>"Well! He is a small minded, venal, man that enjoys power und being /seen/ to have power. So! Public humiliation! We need mein Uncle's name to be associated with failure, incompetence, and general 'failing upward'! I want everyone in your company to know his name und associate it with complete worthlessness! So. We need to catch him during an operation, und then simply break him in half!" Smiiile. It's a very Belkan plan, but reputation is everything!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:40|Takashi Agera (40)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Riventon considers it. "So you're saying if he were to be entrusted with a mission of some significant value, and you were informed ahead of time, you could perhaps make sure it fails in truly glorious fashion?" He asks. But he's not so much asking as indicating it's a possibility.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"And perhaps if the youma he had brought to assist him turned out to be a dud, and he suddenly found himself alone and outnumbered, a humiliating defeat might occur."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I've got some ideas, but I'll need a little bit of time to line them all up. What's the easiest way to contact you, should I just fly up to this roof again and hope?" he asks.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:108|Hannah Steiner (108)}} has posed:'''<br>Hannah's sightless eyes all but /glow/ with hatred as Riventon cottons on. "Indeed! Reputation is everything to someone with royal ambitions. He believes himself superior to me. To mein family, und that something owed to him is taken by mein mere existance. Which...well, by the law, mein death would have him inheriting the throne. Hence the whole 'wanting mein head upon a stick' obsession." She offers. And then, a nod. <br><br>"The man has no magic himself. He was a failure from birth. So he is merely relying on whatever you gifted him no doubt from scans und his own tepid feelings. Humiliation shall diminish them greatly. Yes, you have the shape of things!" It's a good plan. And surely nothing could go wrong! <br><br>"Yes. I need this to succeed, so take all your time. Hah. Well, you know mein secret already. Here. Consider it an...olive branch." She already considers her true identity compromised with the young man, and so her cell phone number is a small price to pay. <br><br>"The House of Steiner, whatever our other complications with one another Riventon, shall not forget your aide. I am a Countess-Palatine of honor. Try to not take /too/ much advantage of a debt, hm?" And then, she writes down her number, and after some consideration, her dorm room number. <br><br>"You might make for a good study partner anyway." A smile. This one genuine. <br><br>Oh gods. Is she...trying to be a friend to her adversary? Freaking sparkleskirts!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:40|Takashi Agera (40)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I've eaten toast more superior than that man." Riventon opines. He takes the number and pockets it. "I'll let you know when something good is afoot. I'll have to talk him up to some people as an asset, but I'm sure once they go to ask the guy he'll gloat and bloviate and soon he'll be writing checks with his mouth his talent can't cash." Riventon notes.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Look, the favor to me is getting this guy out of the building so I don't have to share my air supply with the rat." Riventon notes. "If I think of anything else I'll let you know, but as I see it we have a common advisary, which means we should work together at least for a time. I still think we'll find outselves at odds more often than not." he warns.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"But when it comes to this, we can deal from the same deck."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:108|Hannah Steiner (108)}} has posed:'''<br>Hannah throws up her hands! "By the Sankt's own blood! No consideration of honor und debts on this tiny little rock, I swear, you Obsidian people most of all! Nevermind. I take back anything positive I said about you!" Pause. <br><br>"Minus the 'humiliating mein Uncle' part! That is most righteous und preferred! So let us stick to that one agreed point!" Oh yes, she's going to definitely keep trying to stab him, but maybe with some added enthusiasm. Slightly more /positive/ stabbings. <br><br>Not like there's a difference for the stabee! <br><br>"Und while I prefer mein decks clean, in this case? I do not mind a bit of card counting! Until we make a mockery of mein Uncle, I await your siren's call of righteous fury with bated breath, herr Riventon!" She does an exaggerated bow! And then, she gravity jumps away, her Hunt shifted. <br><br>She's smiling, malice in her heart and fury in her hand. She's suddenly seeking out a youma. <br><br>She laughs as she gives in to her worst nature, happily carving up the creature as she taps into old, awful urges that Ancient Belkan so often reveled in. All while imagining her Uncle's form with every flick of her blade!<br> <br>
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