View source for 795/Some Innocent Gossip, Gone Awry

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2023/11/21
|Location=Radiant Heart Academy
|Synopsis=A chance to catch up with Daifuku turnss into chaos when Dark Lover Maria starts freezing people at Radiant Heart Academy and calling for Sailor Moon. Can a team up between Sailor Moon, Guardian Daifuku, and La Crima chase her off? Later, Coco arrives on the scene and is looped in on her enemies actions.
|Cast of Characters=43,57,94,55
|Tinyplot=Usagi's Abyssal Nightmare
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>"Okay, now that ''that's'' done," that being the remnants of the youma they'd defeated, slowly dissipating into wisps of Dark Energy, "Daifuku-chan, you're not going to ''believe'' what Luna told me!" <br><br>It's late afternoon, with classes being long over, and patrol hadn't taken these mahou particularly far from Radiant Heart Academy. Darkness has fallen, but it's not quite night - it's just that, this time of year in November, darkness falls early. Sailor Moon hadn't planned to find Guardian Daifuku on her patrol, but she'd hardly regretted the chance for some back-up in her fight against a low-level youma, or company on the rest of her patrol. <br><br>"Come back to the school with me, pleaaaase? We need snacks for the aftermath of this reveal!" <br><br>Yes, she is being dramatic. Who wouldn't be? She's still not over finding out that she's an ''alien''. Sort of. From the Moon!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:57|Guardian Daifuku (57)}} has posed:'''<br>Guardian Daifuku grasps the handle of her hammer in both hands as she leans heavily onto it using it more like a staff or walking stick at this point as she just... catches her breath. She wasn't out of shape, but the colder air of the approaching Winter wasn't exactly pleasant to be taking large lungfulls of when battling. A wan smile is offered over to Sailor Moon at her pleas. "Okay, but I want something hot to drink too."<br><br>"What could Luna tell you that's so important, though? I thought she would have already told you everything." There's a long pause as she contemplates ideas, her mind wandering to various manga storylines she's read in the past. "You're not a swapped-at-birth Princess, are you?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>A youma. She had no hand in this, but the girl was drawn by the dark energy of it all and had watched the end of the fight from the nearest tall thing (Trademark, Hematite Industries, or something.) and then went ahead and ooozed down the side of the building in shadow form before forming up near the other two girls as she frowns a little.<br><br>"M...may I ask what.. what that... youma was doing that...that prompted it's... destruction?" the girl asks quietly in a stilted, stammering manner.<br><br>She isn't being demanding, but she seems to want to know, as she looks between the two girls.<br><br>"Was..was it. Stealing energy...?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>"Definitely! There's coffee in our room, but Naru-chan probably knows exactly how many grams of it we have - the hot chocolate is better, anyway! And the cafeteria probably has tea, too." <br><br>The cold is bracing, that's for sure, and Sailor Moon's skirt protects from the ''effect'' of the chills, in the sense that she won't get hypothermia, but she still feels cold. <br><br>"You would think, right? It totally makes sense that she would have spilled ''everything'' important, right away, especially once we started finding the other Senshi, but nooooo, she was still keeping secrets, and it turns out I'm an ''alien''-" <br><br>Shock! Awe! Stunning reveal! <br><br>She would have kept going, only, there's another person - a ''familiar'' person. "You!" She almost says ''you're the one who said I tasted like a donut'', except La Crima had said that to ''Usagi Tsukino'', not Sailor Moon. "You're that vampire I've heard about, right?" <br><br>It's not the best cover story, but it's a cover story, alright? <br><br>The question registers, then, and she blinks a little, but answers easily enough. "It was following some kids when I attacked it. We're not really looking for trouble, so I hope it wasn't your pet or anything..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>Darn that Sailor Moon and that axe-girl, she was so close to close to winning if they hadn't ganged up on her. And they call themselves heroes! Nevermind that bunhead turning her precious book to cinders! The umiliation as her beloved Lord Gaito reprimanded her was still burning!<br><br>A small blur becomes visible in the middle of campus and Maria in her icy dress makes her appearance right on campus. Let's see how she enjoys the bad news! Oh, she is so going to have the last word on this, and Sailor Moon will regret crossing her.<br><br>"Sailor Moon, come on out!" Maria starts loudly calling out. "My Beloved Lord, Gaito-sama, has sent me to tell you how displeased he is over your action. Come out, so you can hear his message."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:57|Guardian Daifuku (57)}} has posed:'''<br>Guardian Daifuku straightens from her kind-of-slouch to sling her hammer over her shoulder as if it weighs nothing. It's one of those giant-but-easy to carry things for her, at least. "Alien? You mean a foreigner?" She starts to question the rambling of Sailor Moon when La Crima pops up with her own questions.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;he unfamiliar figure is regarded with a hint of uncertainty at the question. "Well... Mostly yes. And attacking people." She looks over toward Sailor Moon, then back to La Crima. "If there were another way to solve it besides destroying I'd gladly do that but unfortunately it seems our powers sometimes don't... work that way." She already knew from experience that feeding her cooking to something 'dark' would cause it pain.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima is frowning. "So it was stalking children? Not even attacked them? C..could ..." she shakes her head. "Ugh nevermind. I just feel many of these creatures just end up lost from their homes and need to be put back instead." she says with frustration... before she 'ehs' and blinks.<br><br>"Yes I am... a La Vampira. Vampire. I am... named, Lacrima... yes. I just..."<br><br>Then there's yelling from nearby, demanding Sailor Moon come out. She blinks a little. "Uh. That isn't ''me''.." she says. "Sailor Noon is. One of you?" she asks, curiously at the two other girls.<br><br>"Now I'm curious what a Gaito is."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>Curses, what is taking her so long! Does she not care about what Lord Gaito has to tell her? All the worse for her. But maybe she should give her an extra motivation. On school grounds students are plentiful after all.<br><br>"Lover's Ice Darts!" she shouts, throwing big crystals of ice from her fingers to some unfortunate students, who don't get hurt by they attack. They just get cubed in ice. That's not healthy either. "So, Sailor Moon, will you come out now?" she grins triumphantly.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>Not like a foreignor, Sailor Moon would have wailed, but there's La Crima here now, and Sailor Moon may have been more than a little content to be silly, but she wasn't going to let her guard down around an enemy. <br><br>Especially one who was just fine with attacking strangers! Even if she was being totally calm, now. <br><br>"I don't have a way to put them back," Sailor Moon says, and she's not apologetic, for once. "All my abilities do is destroy youma - either by purifying them or by tearing them up. And I don't known anybody who'd want to take one back, and I don't have a place to hide a monster until I find someone so... plus, I 'm not going to spend all day, watching to see if just this one time, a youma doesn't want to eat someone." <br><br>She doesn't feel bad about it. Youma are youma, and they eat people, so she defeats them... <br><br>And very distantluy, she hears the yelling. And - "Moon! It's Sailor ''Moon''! But Gaito is..." <br><br>And before that can get derailed, there's even ''more'' yelling, a voice calling out. <br><br>"Aaargh, I better go see what's going on - Daifuku, La Crima - you guys come with me!" La Crima, you've been temporarily recruited to solve problems. <br><br>Running! That's what's happening, as Sailor Moon leaps up to the nearest roof top and goes running for the sound of yelling.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:57|Guardian Daifuku (57)}} has posed:'''<br>It's a lot going on all at once. The talk about ethics regarding youma makes Daifuku very, very uneasy. Though she does have enough sense to add, "We sent the youkai back when they came. Those that didn't outright attack at least. We gave them the option. Youma though..." Every time she'd seen one it had been MADE by someone pulling the strings not far off.<br><br>Before she can even get any more in-depth in thought about it, the far off voice garners her attention too. "Sailor Moon?" The question comes with a look of concerned confusion as she's not sure if it may be a friend of hers or...<br><br>Or it didn't matter it seemed as she's off running. Daifuku takes off after her hoping that it's not another attack underway.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima follows along and frowns a little, as she floats off the ground a few inches, hovering along.<br><br>"Maybe it's the person who created that youma?" she asks. Forgetting the ethical debate for now, it isn't important if something dangerous nearby is happening.<br><br>"I wonder what their reasoning is."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>Maria is slowly but surely decorating the campus with ice statues of random students. She certainly doesn't care about how they will feel when they get thawed out later.<br><br>"So, Sailor Moon? I thought you would care more about your fellows students." Internally, that's another story. Is her thought process off? Is Sailor Moon actually not a student here? Those are the doubts Maria is fretting over.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>"Maybe? Usually people who make the youma stay with the youma, though," Sailor Moon isn't afraid to theorize with a vampire, even one who's caused her friends plenty of trouble. "...Wait, wouldn't you be one of the people who usually make the youma?!" <br><br>This is a bad guy! Shouldn't she know all about that? <br><br>It doesn't take long to reach campus, and then to see the ice statues that are all around. Ice statues frozen in positions of running and panicking... ice statues that are - <br><br>"Did you ''freeze'' all these people?!" That kills people! Sailor Moon stares at the girl in horror and realizes vaguely that she ''recognizes'' her. "You're that girl who was after Yellow-chan!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:57|Guardian Daifuku (57)}} has posed:'''<br>Guardian Daifuku comes to a halt near Sailor Moon to stare in just as much horror as she was: Those were people frozen. Frozen solid and rooted in place. Possibly all right given 'magic' but there were still mundane things like cold, and frostbite, that could cause damage even if they might be alive otherwise.<br><br>Looking a bit disgusted as well as angry she swings her hammer forward to point toward Maria. "What are you doing!? These are innocent students--People!"<br><br>The hammer swings out to the side with a huff of breath, and she glances aside to Sailor Moon. "I can try to thaw them if you can distract her?" She tries to keep her voice down to properly strategize without the woman knowing what was going on. She hoped.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima seems offended. "I..I don't even know how to make youma...!" yet. "I bet my youma would probably be weak and useless anyways if I could make youma..." she sighs softly. "So I wouldn't worry about it anyways." she says.<br><br>Then they reach campus and ... "Ah... things are getting a little cold here..." she says as she looks over to Maria and then the interaction between the two girls and the other girl freezing students.<br><br><span style="color:purple">"Pica...!"</span> she shouts as she forms a large spear-style of weapon from dark energy, spinning it as she rests it's bottom half to the ground.<br><br>"Undo this." she says. "There's no good purpose in doing... this." she says stiltedly. "Besides making everyone else angry."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>"Sailor Moon, finally! I was waiting for you!" Maria grins with pleasure at her. "Really, what took you so long? I almost ran out of people to decorate the campus with." She passes a hand over oven of the frozen students. "Though, it wasn't bad. Maybe I should bring a few of the prettiest back to decorate Lord Gaito's palace. All he has are columns and a sleeping mermaid. I dare say he will appreciate the change."<br><br>She shrugs with a grin still on her face at Daifuku. "Sailor Moon here was taking so long. I thought to give her a reason to pick up the pace. Too bad these students had to pay the price for her tardiness at school."<br><br>Maria either doesn't hear or doesn't care about Daifuku thawing out students. She has already gotten her prize.<br><br>"Who are you supposed to be?" Maria asks with a very perplexed gaze at La Crima. "You have the power of the dark too. Shouldn't you be working with me here?" She shakes her hand with a smirk. "Either way, I wouldn't worry about them. They will get out later."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>Really? She'll ask La Crima about it later, but she'd thought every bad guy made their own. Mamochan made ''his'' own youma, but he was really strong, so maybe that was just his strong guy privilege? Maybe other people just weren't as cool and strong as him, just like they weren't as handsome. Daifuku proposes a plan, and Sailor Moon nods, prepared to throw herself into her role of distraction. <br><br>"I wasn't ''at'' this school," she says defensively, trying to pretend she definitely doesn't attend Radiant Heart Academy. "You can't just make people suffer because you want my attention! Do you know how big this city is?" <br><br>She's this close to striking a pose and making a justice speech. <br><br>"Why did you want my attention? Who's Lord Gaito? And what kind of guy keeps a sleeping mermaid in his house anyway?!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:57|Guardian Daifuku (57)}} has posed:'''<br>"You've got our attention now," Guardian Daifuku responds only to look toward Sailor Moon when she starts to strike a pose and ask the pertinent questions.<br><br>That was certainly distraction enough for her.<br><br>A half-step is taken backwards, then another, until she's at least enough away from Sailor Moon and La Crima that neither will get in the way of what she's about to do. Her hammer swings overhead to crack down on the concrete causing a fissure to split that splinters out in the directions of the frozen students. Nothing huge, nothing apparently dangerous, but from the cracks comes a hiss of steam. Warm, and moist, and easily melting ice at a ... Well, a decent pace that she hopes won't cause further injury to those that may thaw out.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima frowned a little hard. "That's a lame take. I don't even know who you are or who you work for." she said a little bluntly. When she threatens to take students, she blinks rapidly and gasps. "What!? Why would you do that!?" she says with a shocked expression. "All kidnapping does is get you gang beat by like, every magical girl in a 10 million mile radius." she says more angrily.<br><br>"Also. It's wrong. I..I think." she says with intense uncertainty there.<br><br>She looks over to Sailor Moon. "Creepy guys." she says softly. She knows about creepy guys. She dreams about one every so often. ._.<br><br>She points the spear at Maria. "I'm going to stab you, if you don't go away. And it's going to hurt a lot." she says, more angrily. "Poke... and twist."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>"The kind of guy who wants all the mermaid princesses in his possession", Maria replies as if the thought gives her deep joy. Which it probably does. Anything for her Lord. "And that brings me to why I am here. Give us the Mermaid Princess of the Yellow Pearl, and Lord Gaito may forgive you for the destruction of his magic book."<br><br>She certainly isn't caring about the sound of hammer on ice right now.<br><br>"Well, that's easily fixed", the pale blonde answers to La Crima. "I am Maria of the Dark Lovers, and one of Lord Gaito's servants in the task he has so magnanimously given us."<br><br>She shrugs when Norie proves uncooperative. "Do as you wish. But don't come crying at his doors when Lord Gaito obtains absolute power over land and sea with the strength of both Panthalassa and the powers of Aqua Regina."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>"That's right! Kidnapping is wrong! And will get you beaten up by every mahou in all Japan! And Europe! And maybe even America!" Sailor Moon doesn't actually know where all the mahou she knows are from. But she's confident all of these places are included! <br><br>"La Crima is right! You work for a ''creepy guy''!" <br><br>There's the faint hiss of steam behind them, so Sailor Moon quickly does strike that pose. "You already know me - I'm the one and only Sailor Moon! Freezing innocent people and threatening to kidnap them is totally creepy!" <br><br>And then Maria makes her demands, and Sailor Moon actually gawks. <br><br>"You're kidding, right?" She doesn't look like she's kidding. "I am ''not'' helping you kidnap Yellow-chan, especially if you've kidnapped one of her friends. You get that you're a total ''creep'', right?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima frowns. "Right. So stabbing you now." she says as she lunges forward, hovering a few inches off the ground as she attempts to drive that spear forward and into Maria. If she manages to hit, she'll do as she warned and ''twist'' it. If she misses, she gets ready for another attack as she frowns.<br><br>"I'm sorry, but I have no idea who this 'Yellow-chan' is, but I know you must be stopped for right now." she says as she grits her teeth.<br><br>"Remember, we gave you plenty of chances to just ''leave''." she says. "''Without'' reprisal."<br><br>"-and I'm not going to be as forgiving...!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>"So not scared", Maria comments when Sailor Moon threatens to bring all the magical girls she knows. "And is this really your so-called heroism? Ganging up on people with numbers? Maybe you wouldn't be out of place with us", Maria maliciously teases Moon.<br><br>"I suggest you to watch your tongue about Lord Gaito", Maria gets offended more about him that about herself. "He hasn't endured all those years of loneliness just to be mocked by some girls that can't understand how things go."<br><br>"I am just helping Lord Gaito achieve his vengeance", Maria says. "If we are actually creepy, remember it's Aqua Regina who did that to him."<br><br>Maria barely dodges La Crima's strike, and that does erase the smile off her face for once. "You should learn more about the playground you stand on before doing risky moves like that", she warns.<br><br>"Well, I am not going to overstay my welcome. Sailor Moon clearly doesn't want to budge and you aren't as cooperative as one of our equivalent from the land should be."<br><br>Before vanishing in a blur that is going to bring her back to Gaito's underwater palace, she gives one last glance at Sailor Moon. "Expect consequences, Lord Gaito is not at all pleased."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>All this ''stabbing'' talk is making Sailor Moon particularly uncomfortable, given the dear friend she has in the hospital right now who was stabbed, but she can't exactly... she doesn't want this awful girl to ''die'', but still - <br><br>"People who freeze innocent students in place deserve to be ganged up on!" <br><br>She is unwaveringly confident in her goodness, at least compared to Miss Turn People To Ice Statues. <br><br>"If he's so lonely, he should making friends instead of kidnapping and drugging people!" How else do you make someone sleep all the time? Mega creepy! Sailor Moon is ready to jump into the fight, if it looks like she's got to, but instead - <br><br>"He can get in line! None of you jerks are pleased with me!" And once she's vanished in a blur, Sailor Moon scowls, looking around at all the chaos... "Are you alright, La Crima? That girl really got under your skin."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima angrily leaps into the air and throws the spear into the blur that is Maria porting away, missing her completely. "I have ''reasons'' for what I do..." she says quietly. "She's just doing this because she wants some damn attention and to tell you what. Some jerk is displeased. Please..."<br><br>"Dark energy is wasted on people like this. Riven-senpai would have opinions on this I imagine..." she trails off.<br><br>She sighs "S-sorry. It's nothing important." she says.<br><br>She looks down. "Sorry I couldn't stop her." she says, as she unsummons the spear, holding her hand out towards it to make it so.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>After a few minutes Coco comes into the school, in her Yellow Pearl Voice guise. She had actually already untransformed after the patrol she was on, but she assumed the worst after hearing the sound of hammer on ice and seeing all those ice statues.<br><br>She looks between La Crima, Guardian Daifuku and Sailor Moon, worry on her face. "What has happened here?" La Crima doesn't have ice magic, and neither Daifuku nor Sailor Moon are attacking her, so Coco too isn't doing anything. She is mostly just confused.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>"It's okay. We're... going to fix this, and she'll get hers, eventually." Eventually. Usagi didn't really need another enemy, but, it probably means she's doing something right, right? <br><br>Before they can discuss further, Yellow Pearl Voice is rushing over. Sailor Moon smiles, relieved. "Yellow-chan! Oh, I'm so glad you didn't get here any sooner, that could have been a mess - that girl who teamed up with Sunbreaker, Maria? She was here! She froze all these people, but Daifuku-chan has been helping defrost them while I distracted her. She just left because La Crima tried to stab her." <br><br>Huff. Not a disapprroving huff.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima huffs, too. "I did try to stab her. Because she was being creepy. And this Gaito is a creep. Ugh. Sorry...I don't... can't... help unfreeze these people. Hold on... uhm..."<br><br>"Secador de pelo!" she calls out, throwing out her hand. Nothing happens. She wilts in place. "Yeah sorry, I guess I can't make magical hair dryers." she says.<br><br>"Oh is this. Yellow-chan? The singer?" she head tilts. "Ah. Okay." she says as she frowns a little. "I have nothing to do with this! I.. just. Just tagged along with these two!" she says. Not wanting to be blamed for anything.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>"Maria was here?" Coco repeats, both surprised and not at once. It explains the statues at least. "Why has she been doing this?" she looks displeased at all the ice statues. "Was this another ''genius'' plan to draw me out?"<br><br>"I am sorry you had to be here for this, and glad you drew her away before she could anything worse than..." she looks around at the students, sighing. "Well, this is plenty bad already."<br><br>"I got that, don't worry, I won't do anything", Coco reassures La Crima. "Though I don't believe I know your name", she looks at La Crima curiously, albeit with a warm smile. "I would introduce myself, but I would bet that Maria told you both my alias and the fact I am a mermaid."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>"She was," Sailor Moon says, grimacing. "She said that some guy named Gaito is mad at me for the book I ruined, and that I could make it up to him if I turned you over to him." <br><br>She rolls her eyes. <br><br>"Like I would do that! So instead, we sent her packing - well, okay, mostly La Crima did, this time... but - she said that Gaito ''does'' have a mermaid-" <br><br>Should they be... worried? Yellow's been looking for someone, hasn't she?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima looks at Yellow Peal Voice and blinks. "Did she? I nostly. Phased out what she was saying past a certain point of... blah blah blah-Gaito-blah-blah." she admits.<br><br>"Oh. I guess. You don't... um. La...Lacrima." she says. "I am. La Vampira. Vampire." she says quietly. "Energy Vampire." she says.<br><br>She looks to Sailor Moon. "Oh, you destroyed this creepy guy's important thing. So sad." she says, deadpan, the sarcasm might leak from her ears.<br><br>She turns back to Yellow. "You're a mermaid? W--what's that like?" she asks with a series of blinks, preventing herself from asking a bunch of related questions in rapid succession.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>"Thanks lots, Moon-chan", Coco says once Usagi has finished explaining. "Gaito is... Well, he is quite monstrous, so I am glad you three are good."<br><br>Coco nods sadly when Usagi mentions he already has a mermaid. "Yes, Noel of the Artic Ocean", she mentions. "Though, that's just the one they have captive. Sara..." she hesitates, her tone quivering. "Sara is actually cooperating with him. I am sorry." she looks apologetically at them.<br><br>"Thanks a lot for the help, La Crima. I am sorry you had to get caught in all this", she apologies again to her. "Yes, I am in fact a mermaid", Coco confirms. "What's what like?", she asks back. "I mean, I could mention that we are better at swimming than humans, but I don't think it's what you asking", she replies with a calm smile, awaiting for a clarification.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima head tilts. "I didn't get caught in this. I just think that maybe turning students into statues and threating to keep them in kinda creepy." she admits.<br><br>"Not that I won't help again in the future." she admits lightly. "But I have other more pressing concerns than. Whatever this is." she says.<br><br>She head tilts. "Well. Is it true Mermaids sing sailors to their doom? Do they... they fall in love with humans because mermen terrible beings? How do you handle life on land? Are there actual mermen or there just underwater guys, or do mermaids kind of just happen? Who's the Gaito guy? And why does his choice of decorations suck?" she asks in rapid succession.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>"I understand", Coco nods when she talks about her having her own things to do. "I am glad you were around to help save these people", she gestures at the other students.<br><br>"No, our songs are songs of repose, healing and purification", Coco explains. "I would let you hear, but, well, you use dark energy, so that would achieve the opposite of what I seek to do. Even for a friend that got infected it hurt until the dark energy was removed."<br><br>"We are however just as prone to getting overtaken by feelings of hatred and pain just as much as anyone else, so that may be the origin of those myths. It's what happened to Sara, both her heart and her colour turned dark, and when it happens to a mermaid princess the results are the most disastrous." Again with the apologetic look.<br><br>"It's my fault, I am her best friend, I should have been able to prevent it, but I failed and she found consolation in Gaito's own pain and hatred instead." She shakes her head.<br><br>"As for why we tend to fall in love with humans, it's simply because mermen are quite rare compared to mermaids, even if they exist. Underwater guys are what we call the Panthalassa, and they dispersed a long time ago, when most of their upper echelons waged a war for the supremacy of all the waters. Gaito is the last Panthalassa nobility as far as I know, but we mermaids isolate ourselves from humans until danger strikes, so I can't say for sure."<br><br>"Mermaids don't just happen, they too have parents. Well, with seven exceptions. The seven mermaid princesses don't have parents, they are instead born from the seven pearls that are the source of their powers. I am the Mermaid Princess of the Yellow Pearl, reigning over the South Pacific Ocean", she explains, showing La Crima the Yellow Pearl currently nested in her E-Pitch Microphone.<br><br>"Life on land is normal if we choose to live there. We can appear human if we want to. We just have to take care around certain sounds, which can be rather painful to our ears, and to the fact water on our pearls reveals our true forms."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima listens and mphs, taking mental notes. Probably will add these to her big note binder later. For now she's inquisitive. "So... she... fell in love with him? Or... just. Fell in with him?" she wonders. She listens a little.<br><br>"Ohhh, I see. So Mermen are rare and... underwater guys also exist. Hrm. Okay." she says as she taps her foot and crosses her arms thoughtfully. "Sorry. I am... I am a researcher of some. Magical life. So I. Study and.. ask questions a lot. Feel free to just say... No comment if you don't want to answer anything..." she says quietly.<br><br>"I mean. Feel free to ask me questions. I'll try to answer them. I just. Am. self-conscious. A lot of the time..."<br><br>"What's it like living underwater? It must be strange suddenly not having an up and down?" she asks. "Of movement I mean."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>"I am not really sure about it, since the last contact I had with her is when she gave me over to Gaito, but I believe that she may have actually fallen in love with him."<br><br>Coco shakes her head. "I don't mind questions, I have had to explain myself a lot ever since I came up here. In fact, I could give you some books about our culture and history if you prefer. I had prepared them for someone else, but never had the chance to actually give them. I can just take more for if I find a good time later on."<br><br>"I don't think that's an issue, I have never had a problem orientating myself underwater outside of the kingdom. And inside, well, lots of reference points there. One thing I do have to note about swimming is that I miss the freedom of direction. Here on land, I am forced to use my magic if I want to up, and that's a bit stifling."<br><br>Coco ponders La Crima's offer. "Hmm, well, since you say you are self-conscious, I think a good way to start knowing about you is asking what you would want people to avoid."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima thinks. "I think...I'd like books..." she says quietly. "About your culture. I try to. Compile my own notes. Mostly. I study life in the Dusk Zone. But I like to study other magical life too. It's... I dunno what you call me. Riven-senpai calls me a duskologist..." she blushes a little at this.<br><br>"So you have no orientation problems but you do miss the freedom of movement..."<br><br>"Don't sing around me." she admits sheepishly. "Your singing makes me ''itch'' in the worst way." she admits. "I mean. Your singing. Singing. In general. I don't mind just..." she trails off.<br><br>"Also. Don't...touch. hug. me. I energy drain on contact. and. Squeezing." she says. "Even if I don't want to." she admits.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>Coco nods. "Just a second then." A quick run in and out of the academy and the mermaid is back with the three books: one on literature, one on history and one on language. "Here you go. Anyway, the term Riventon uses seems a bit reductive. It could be said you are also a duskologist, but if you study all magical life, maybe something like maiebiologist could be more comprehensive."<br><br>"Oh, I didn't know if was just singing in general that affects you", Coco replies awkwardly. She makes a mental note to never sing around her if she can avoid it. She is in no hurry at all to find out the differences with human singing.<br><br>"And avoid contact of any kind, got it." She doesn't say it to avoid stressing what La Crima is missing, but that has to be a pretty cruel and a torture.<br><br>"Do you have some sort of sense that lets you perceive energy since you feed on it?" she asks next.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima mphs and shakes her head. "Normal singing. Fine. Not. Whatever you do. When you sing. That makes me itch and feel...w..wrong.." she says a little more quietly.<br><br>She head tilts and 'ohs'. "I mean I can sense. Energy in a vauge way. Not. Anything specific. Just if it's... well a meal or not." she admits.<br><br>"I didn't...ask. For any of this." she admits. "I just bought a necklace in a second hand shop. It was... cursed or something." she says quietly. "I also don't.. have all my emotions. I have. All the bad ones. And basically. None of the good ones. I dunno what's wrong with me. But... I've been told to. Explain it as. Being clinically depressed. By the school nurse." she says dryly suddenly.<br><br>"Can't smile. Laugh. Can't even..fake it. If I wanted to." she says gently.<br><br>"Um.. I like. Donuts a lot. But I dunno if that's a vampire thing. But it's a ... centering thing. Something. Easy to obtain that. Helps me. Find. Neutral.." she says with a little awkward tone. "Neutral. Feeling is... close I can get. To anything resembling 'happy'." she says. "Just existing. No.. strong feelings. One way or another."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>"Ah, ok, sorry for getting it wrong", Coco replies. Well, not like it would have changed much. She wouldn't have sung around her anyway. "At least you can still enjoy normal singing like this."<br><br>"Well, that would make sense. It's meant to keep you fed, so anything else would be ignored."<br><br>Oh, so she isn't a natural born vampire. "Adapting must have been so hard, I am glad you still have something to colour your life at least."<br><br>"How about I treat you to some donuts then? As thanks for pushing back Maria." She wouldn't want to know what would have happened to the other students otherwise. Thankfully they are all free by now. Though nurse Meiou is probably going to have her whole day booked at minimum.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>La Crima gently thinks on this as she nods. "Alright. Let's go, then. You go ahead and. Pick the place." she says. "Since it's your treat. Otherwise. I suggest Karou's." she says. She shifts a bit.<br><br>"Adapting is still hard." she admits. "When you don't know what's right or wrong anymore." she says quietly.<br><br>"Come, let's go then." she says softly.<br><br>"-and thank you for the books..." she says.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:55|Coco Kiumi (55)}} has posed:'''<br>Coco doesn't really have a preference with regards to places to eat at, so Kaoru's Donuts is it. "I am glad they are in the hands of someone who finds them useful, La Crima", Coco smiles at her as they walk. Off to get those donuts now.<br> <br>
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