Promotional Considerations (Takashi Agera, Precia Testarossa)

Promotional Considerations (Takashi Agera, Precia Testarossa)
Date of Cutscene:	20 January 2025
Location:	Dark Laboratory
Synopsis:	Precia considers how to motivate Takashi to provide more Jewel Seeds, and finds a winning strategy... which she implements a little stronger than she originally planned.
Cast of Characters:	Takashi Agera, Precia Testarossa
Tinyplot:	Jewel Seeds

---

Precia looked down at the blue seeds sitting on the desk in front of her. Four gleaming blue gems, sealed currently, each of them powerful in their own right. But that was four... of twenty one. And there were four - fully half - that weren't on Precia's desk, that were in the hands of various other forces. Primarily that damn wayward enforcer, the young one - and then secondarily in the hands of what she assumed were natives to this planet. A waste.

As much as that bothered her, she had to realize that Takashi Agera, or Riventon - he'd been instrumental in most of the ones that now sat on her desk. A moment of consideration that she'd take things into her own hands more directly was immediately cut off by a coughing fit - a hacking, sick woman cough that was muffled by the privacy of her office but also echoed, reminding herself that she may very well have been on a timer to complete things.

At first, she had wanted to go to Al-Hazard purely to do what she couldn't... to revive Alicia Testarossa. But increasingly, she realized she'd have to make it there to save Precia Testarossa as well.

As to what would happen to Fate 'Testarossa' - she didn't really care. As far as she was concerned the girl was a failed experiment, and all she ever really did was remind Precia of the girl she'd lost - was fighting to save. The moments where Fate was at her cutest was just Alicia, but there was still so much wrong...

Another coughing fit and the woman was pulled from that line of thought and back to the gems.

Riventon. 'Agera-san'. The boy not only helped her get these gems, but he also did a good job of pointing Fate in helpful directions and isolating her from that painful reminder of her failure to return Alicia to life with her own power so far.

She needed to manipulate him to do more for her, to work harder, before she ran out of time - but she couldn't show weakness, not as a director. And he reminded her of someone she'd worked with back on Midchilda... he was driven, motivated by his own self importance, his own goals. He wasn't like Fate, she couldn't beat him into service, and he held no particular affinity for her, not like that failed copy with the sad eyes.

How does one... motivate, without spending resources. For some people she could say some flowery words, but she suspected any praise he gained would be secondary to the words he spoke to himself in his own mind. The tall woman leaned back in her chair and thought. And then she hit upon it. Appealing to his self importance and using motivating words he couldn't give himself but cost her effectively nothing... a perfect strategy.

---

Riventon stood in Precia's office, which was well... less an office and more a gate to the Garden of Time that she'd put a desk in front of. She kept all of her research in the Garden, all of her precious work. And having a desk in front of the entryway to your own private pocket dimension as a power move.

Normally, Riventon would be a little nervous here, but he had little to fear from his boss today. He'd taken her research to another level and forcibly activated a Jewel Seed, giving her one of the things she wanted so much. His subordinates had made Testarossa Technologies look good in the tug-of-war that Obsidian Departments so frequently found themselves in. So he stood, respectfully, but without that fear.

It was something Precia noticed; the boy seemed to fear her and from reports, even other directors a little bit less than some. Despite her throwing him around. Stepping in to a fight between a new Director and his subordinate and talking them both down, giving lip to Joker. Things like that were... evidence of... probably ego again, she supposed. Not much of a problem as long as he was focused on her goals though. Her best partner in this sort of work had an ego the size of an Ancient Belkan Battleship. She just needed to play to it.

"Riventon... or do you prefer, Agera Takashi-san?" she asked, looking up at him from a bit of paper. There was nothing on the paper but scribbles about the Jewel Seeds.

"Either is fine, Director Testarossa." he replied, still maintaining his politeness. Politeness was free, after all. Then he paused. "Though, in official capacities I am trying to shift to the use of my henshin name, to maintain the separation." he said after consideration, thinking of Mamoru wanting to disclose.

"Riventon then." she says. "You wanted to speak to me, and I've wanted to speak to you as well. Let's deal with your request first."

"Thank you, Director Testarossa." Riventon began. "As you well know, my subordinate, Catra, gathered more energy over the last quarter than any other individual. Additionally, my other subordinate, Glimmer Brightmoon, had a magical aptitude that has proven helpful in the initial Jewel Seed Forced Activation work and has had a few insights that may allow me to activate them without them becoming youma as well, so I feel as though both of them have been quite useful to you. However - a new Director, 'Horde Prime' has stated he would be attempting to transfer them to his department. I would request you deny this as they are both instrumental to the current project you've placed me on."

Precia's brow furrowed. "I don't know who this new Director thinks he is, but no such request was filed with me and I'll not have him trying to build his department by removing useful individuals from mine. I'll deny it personally. Emphatically." She said.

"Thank you. That's all I had from my end." Riventon replied.

"Now, as for my portion..." Precia began. "Obviously, your work with the Jewel Seed Activation was vital to what I want to achieve." she said. And she could see Riventon start to brighten up, visibly. He was happy to be recognized. "Plus your subordinate, Catra, has collected enough energy to keep us in good graces with the rest of the organization."

He totally had nothing to do with that, but he'd totally take credit for it, so he nodded.

"I'm going to tell you a little bit more about why we need the Jewel Seeds. With the Jewel Seeds, I can open a gateway to Al-Hazard, a place of forgotten magical and scientific advancement the likes even my homeworld had never seen." Precia begins. "With this, we will be capable of anything; taking this world would be easy, even raising the dead would be child's play!" She says.

Riventon's eyes brightened even further. "Ah, so you and Fate would take up residence there like you do in the Garden now?" Riventon asked.

Precia's eye twiched at the comment about Fate, and her next words came without her thinking. She waved a hand dismissively. "I will. Fate can do whatever she likes once the gate is open." After she said it, she could see Riventon's facial expression change. And she knew she'd made a mistake. Riventon was giving her a look that told her she had not acted like a mother in regards to Fate and wheels were turning.

"We will, of course... That's why I've decided to make sure to reward you for your help... and since we won't be here, someone would need to take control of this divison!" she says, quickly. Well, maybe it wasn't the promotion she was intending but it didn't really matter. Nothing on this world would matter once she'd opened the gate to Al-Hazard and was able to revive Alicia. She shuffled her papers a bit.

"I'm going to inform HR that I intend to name you Vice-Director of Testarossa Technologies." she said. And she could see it in his face. Like that, any of his thoughts about Fate's status in regard to Precia left in favor of his own fancy new title. "You've largely been managing this divison as it is, so... none of your responsibilities will change much, but you'll have the title and a pay increase." The way he was practically vibrating with energy made her feel safe that he'd forget the momentarily slip in regards to Fate.

"So I'm... Vice-Director Riventon, then?" He asked, hardly able to keep the excitement out of his voice.

"As soon as HR finishes the paperwork." Precia replied. "I trust this means I can look forward to continued results from the Jewel Seed Activation work?"

"Oh, absolutely, Director Precia. Absolutely. Yes! I'm already working on building up from the last one. And that one put a Jewel Seed on your desk!" She could feel the energy. Oh, yes, she'd absolutely motivated him. Even if it was a little more than intended. "The next time should do even more!"

"Excellent. Then see to it, Vice-Director." she says. "The sooner the better. Before more of them fall into the wrong hands." And then she could feel it, her body shuddering, something so very wrong with it. "Hurry now." she said, waving him on.

She could have sworn that she saw Riventon skipping out of the room before her coughing fit started anew.