2745/It's Mister Sato's Day Off, Emi Hoshino!

It's Mister Sato's Day Off, Emi Hoshino!
Date of Scene:	22 August 2025
Location:	Juuban Ward
Synopsis:	Emi gets caught absconding to mischief by Mr Sato, who offers a stern warning. Amy and Roman are there to help head off the leery old man. It would appear Emi needs to figure out where her information leaks may be.
Cast of Characters:	Emi Hoshino, Amanda Faust, Roman Talleday

---

Emi Hoshino has posed:
It's a Thursday night and Emi Hoshino, for one, can't wait to get off campus. Sure, school may not be in session anymore, it's summer after all, but that doesn't mean she can cavalierly wander around Tokyo all day! She has things to do on campus!

Sleep, mostly.

But now that the cool summer evening has rolled around and Tokyo's night life is kicking into high gear, she has every intention of making it -somewhere-, and she's dressed to the nines for whatever that is. Emi has laboriously coifed and prettied herself up for -something- in her full gothic-lolita style, parasol over her head offering her shelter from the lingering sun's lingering rays. She is exactly one, two, three, four, -five- steps out the gate when a sharp and familiar voice freezes her in her tracks.

"Hoshino. Emi."

It's from a sharply dressed man, perhaps in his later forties or early fifties. Greying temples, sunglasses and black suit. He's been weaiting for her, it seems.

Emi twirls around slowly, gothic parasol lazily spinning in place.

"Miiiister Sato. How nice to see you. Isn't today your day off? We're not even scheduled to meet until Monday."

"I thought I would come see how my favorite charge is doing," he remarks, "and ensure you weren't getting into trouble again."

"Me? Trouble? Why, Mister Sato, I'm a changed girl. I don't get into any kind of trouble anymore."

"Is that why your name came up with one of my colleagues?"

Emi closes her eyes tightly in visible resignation.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Regular class isn't in session, but summer school, on the other hand...

    Amy's glad she only has one class. Poor Usagi...

    Amy is actually just returning to campus from the arcade. She sees Emi walk out of the gate, dressed up as always -- and Amy suddenly wonders if she could pull off that look -- and strides forward, raising her hand to call out and compliment, but then there's--

    Mister Sato.

    Amy strides forward to stand next to Emi and glare at Mister Sato with her hand on her hip and all the menace a soft-hearted 150cm girl in a scoop-neck T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers can muster (which isn't much, apparently.)

    "Fond of busman's holidays, are you?"

Roman Talleday has posed:
Roman, who having come from a training session in the Shed was wandering aimlessly through Campus and deciding upon dinner options, happened to be nearby.

Blue eyes slid, with a cant of blond head, towards the gate. He recognised those two. Emi, who he had become familiar with recently, was easy to spot for the kind of kit she wore. The other girl he remembered from the sleepover, that one time. Both talking to some geezer.

Him, in ripped denim jeans and studded belt, a light windcheater open with a t-shirt and a well-loved tamagotchi around his neck, was a good bit taller than both of them. Athletic built and, currently, idly swaying his baseball bat about.

Judging from posture, and the glare of the redhead, now was probably a great time to sidle up. And so he did, casually approaching them with the bat rested on his shoulder. "Alright, Emi-san? Amy-san?" He called to greet them. "What's good, Sir?" A jut of his chin at the older man, less friendly.

Emi Hoshino has posed:
"Ms... Faust, isn't it? Ah, don't look surprised I know you, we've interacted before and it is part of my job to ensure that my charge here avoids falling in with any delinquent elements again," explains Mister Sato to Amy, smiling at her without mirth the entire time. He's entirely serious minded, sober, and he turns that intense gaze back on Emi Hoshino before cataloguing Roman and squaring him away for later, should it become necessary.

"Please, let's not be hostile this time," he adds.

Emi groans, putting her hand over her face before taking Amy's hand in her's -- something she -never- does, and squeezes it tight.

"Yes, Amy. Let's not be hostile." She is -well aware- of the horror that Amy expressed at finding out some of the restrictions that Emi is subject to given her status of, as she puts it -- 'ON FUCKIN' PROBATION'. She eyes Roman a moment, then explains, "This is Mister Sato. He's my moral north star."

He is most definitely not her moral north star.

Mister Sato snorts.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy's eyebrows do go up when he calls her by name, but it's hardly unbelievable. There are what, a half-dozen red-eyed redheads in the upper grades and maybe half of them are foreigners?

    She stares back at the fake smile, refusing to be cowed.

    She startles when she feels Emi's hand on hers, though, and gives her a surprised look, and then weighs whether to speak up for Emi despite what she says, but...

    ...Well, Emi hasn't actually been accused of anything yet, so Amy hasn't any defending to actually do, anyway. She relaxes...

    ...and then what Sato actually said hits her and she gives him a surprised look. "Wait, do I count as a delinquent???"

    She's not sure if she'd consider that a bad thing or a badge of pride, at this point!

    Although if she does, she wonders what the charges against her could possibly be.

Roman Talleday has posed:
"Oh, is that right?" Roman doesn't take his eyes of the man, even as he responds to Emi with a slight chuff of non-amusement.

He grins, and it is a false one-- it is the cheeky smile of an upstart that knows how to play games with authority. He nods. "Evenin' then, Mister Sato. Wouldn't wanna hold you up from your business. You can rest well assured, we'll keep your 'charge' outta the knick."

He tilted his head. "Unless there's anythin' else?"

Emi Hoshino has posed:
Emi Hoshino lets go of Amy's hands. She was worried for a moment, okay? And it's not like she had no reason.

She twirls her parasol above her head before setting it's haft against her shoulder, looking totally at ease, a casual indolent indifferenc towards the authority of the officer in front of her. She rolls her eyes at Roman's words, as if to say ... well ... 'as if'.

"See, Mister Sato? Everything is golden. I'm not in trouble. Amy's even a really good student."

"Is that right," remarks Mister Sato, "if that's so, why are your grades still well below your potential?"

"Because I'm talented. And gifted. Haven't you seen all the memes?"

"I have not seen 'all the memes', and frankly neither should you. You have studies you should attend to instead of spending your time gambling."

"I don't gamble! Especially not for cigarettes!"

Mister Sato stares at her.

Emi smiles, cheerfully. It's completely fake. He knows it. She knows it.

"Hmmm. Well. Be aware that we've had reports of certain youths engaging in, shall we say, prohibited activities together none too far from here. That I have reports that you've been part of these associations."

Amy, in fact, has been part of these associations once previously too. "And I wouldn't want you violating the rules of your probation which, as you must remember, preclude spending time with delinquent elements that might distract you from your reform. I'll be seeing you, Hoshino." He bows towards her respectfully -- yes sincerely -- and then turns and walks away.

Emi -swears- as soon as she's sure he's no longer in earshot.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    "Memes aren't gambling..." Amy facepalms... and then goes wide-eyed at Emi's brazenness. Although, Amy would have taken it for refuge in audacity if she hadn't witnessed Emi gambling for cigarettes.

    Prohibited activities?! "Wh-what?!" Amy asks, concerned and alarmed.

    Also alarming is the thought that *were* she judged a delinquent element, adults would try to keep Emi and Amy from being friends. She continues to look concerned and alarmed as he walks off, only once he's out of sight turning to Emi:

    "'Prohibited activities'??? What do they know about us doing magical girl stuff???"

    How is that what she thought he meant?!

Roman Talleday has posed:
Roman pays no mind to Emi's eye rolling, he's mostly there to head off whatever business the geezer has with her. He's getting a better idea, though. When the older man leaves, he sucks his teeth with a loud, distasteful squeak.

"That's one stiff upper lip, mate, you got a real boot-stepper on you," He remarks to Emi, drumming his fingers upon the bat grip as he turns her a look. "He seems like fun."

He passes Amy a glance too. "Oi, look, calm down. He wouldn't, would he?"

Emi Hoshino has posed:
"Damn it, damn it, *damn* it," hisses Emi. "This is a problem."

She whirls to eye Roman, "/Tell me about it/. If they know about the get togethers, that means someone got caught and squealed, or they caught on through the CCTV or something." She makes a face, "Or he knew nothing at all and was just -guessing-. He's annoyingly good at his stupid job and he actively means well. That's the worst part."

She pinches the bridge of her nose in dismay. "If I can't see those idiots in person, I can't get a read on anyone who might be having a /problem/." Her kind of problem, that is to say.

She eyes Amy, "What on earth are you talking about? Of course he doesn't know about that."

A beat.

"... I think."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Roman gives off the air of someone more used to dealing with adults in an adversarial context and Amy's relieved to have him here. When he says Sato couldn't know about that, Amy shrugs. "I dunno! I mean, ob viously not the magic part, but maybe he's noticed we get together...?" But then she looks thoughtful. "...But Emi doesn't come to anything outside school. We just have the sleepovers..." She relaxes. "So he couldn't know..."

    And then Emi is worked up. This is a problem?! Oh, right, the actual gambling. Amy gives Emi a look that isn't quite as sympathetic as it should be. "Are the cigarettes really that great?"

    But she explains, and Amy is, once again, shocked at the revelation: "That's why you meet with them?! It's really about checking if they're being attacked by nightmares???"

    Amy considers this problem. "I guess I could meet-- no, I can't sense nightmares. Uh... maybe we could sneak you out...?"

Roman Talleday has posed:
Roman nods some, because he's familiar enough with the sort, and rolls his shoulder.

"Maybe it's pushin' luck a bit for me turnin' up to the sleepover in them pigtails. Would get up a bloke like that's nostrils if he's watchin', true," He concedes, "But that just makes it funnier."

He snaps his fingers though. "So, you got an information leak that needs pluggin' somewhere," He glances back the way the older man went, "And you clearly got somewhere to be right now. Is he likely to tail you if you take off?"

Emi Hoshino has posed:
"Yeah, maybe," says Emi to Roman, thoughtfully. She paces back and forth a few steps each way, restless and agitated. "Yanking my chain, as they say, but very succesfully either way because I can't possibly know what he knows about what, and who." She scowls. "And it's not worth the risk to anyone." She blinks at Amy and pauses. "Uh.. Yes. That's totally it. You got it. Yep."

She nods her head. Totally not the cigarettes and gambling and fun. Pure business and g uardianship. Our Emi is a HERO, not a delinquent.

She puffs her cheeks with a sharp exhalation through her mouth and then pulls out her elderly phone and starts tapping on it. She's texting -someone-.

"...check the group chatse.." Do her delinquent associates have a group chat? APPARENTLY SO. This is what LINE is for.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy blinks at Roman suggesting that maybe Sato would have an issue with the hair. "I don't think he's allowed to get mad at that." she notes, plainly. "What if you were exploring your gender in a safe space? Radiant Heart's really LGBT-positive."

    Though mildly amused at the thought of some hardass unable to handle anyone gender-nonconforming, she can't find it that amusing when the person hypothetically in question is in a position of authority over her friend... although he should have no reason to take issue with Emi over that, anyway. ...Emi's never mentioned a girlfriend, right?

    Although, she's certainly associating with an awful lot of girls who have girlfriends...

    Amy shakes her head a little. Not a problem at this school, thank goodness.

    Now, Amy's not one to do this, generally, but when Emi mutters about group chats, and Amy hears the familiar texting and messaging sound effects, Amy does lean over to glance -- just glance! -- at the screen and identify the interface. "You're using LINE for that?! Shouldn't you be using Signal or something?! ...I don't actually know if LINE holds onto data anyone could subpoena, but even so..."

Roman Talleday has posed:
He grins a little bit at Amy, if only because that sounds like an absolute pearler of an excuse for him to slog the next time he was caught in a girl's dorm, especially after hours.

Roman nods at the phone. "Ami-chan can set you up secure like you wouldn't believe. I'm talkin' proper private, yeah? Don't even need to pay roamin' fees or nothin'."

He gestures his hand around casually as he says it. "You need help sniffing out a rat or what, you should hit her up. I ain't paid credit in two months. Legendary."

Emi Hoshino has posed:
"These are a bunch of other kids who are all fairly savvy but SIGNAL is a bit out of their depth, mostly," remarks Emi, "Not all of them are read in on operational security, you know, or have any need for it."

She waits a moment, other messages start replying.

For Amy's eyes, she can see that everyone is agreeing that they're gonna call it off for the day. Seems the coded message Emi sent -- something about 'weekly pork roast' -- was enough for people to get the idea. It's the best she can do for the time being.

She lifts her gaze and eyes the two of them before putting her gloved hand over her face.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy just smiles back at Roman's grin, taking it instead for an indication of comfort and solidarity with queer folks. If she knew what he was thinking...

    Amy nods to Roman about Mizuno-san's skills, "Although, he can search her phone for any apps that aren't supposed to be there. Which I suppose would make Signal suspicious, but maybe Mizuno-san knows a way to hide apps..." shouldn't she know, herself? She's supposed to be a computer person, right...? Amy makes a mental note to look into that.

    The other kids don't have need for operational security. "Well apparently they do now."

    She didn't read the chat itself, having looked away as soon as she identified LINE.

    She looks to Emi. "And what do you mean, they don't know anything about..." Amy sighs. "Come on, it's tradition, isn't it? Adults block everything except approved websites, kids figure out how to get around it and play flash games. Are kids these days really not interested in having control over their computers? You grew up with smartphones since before you could even read--"

    She holds a hand to her own face and continues with resignation. "...It's really not a thing, huh? Everyone just uses their data plan and their phone if they have to go around blocks... it's not like the school blocks social media sites and that's probably most of what everyone does anyway..."

    "Don't tell me that just because they've never seen a command prompt, my current peers are almost as bad as boomers at technology..."

Roman Talleday has posed:
It is incredibly evident that Roman does not really follow what Amy is talking about, the blank look and the slight tilt of his head making that apparent. He does not in fact readily know what a command prompt is, and if asked, would have guessed it to be a shooting game of some sort.

He points at her with a lazy swing of his hand. "Are you like one of them retro-tech nerds?" After a perk of his brow he asked, "You must be in the computer club, then? That's proper smart, like. I can't do nothin' like programmin' or that, maths ain't my jam. I'd get well mixed up."

He clicks his tongue and shifts his weight to the other leg. "I don't do too much social media either, anymore. Crashed out. Went dark. Had numbers on Clocktok before that, but. Happier now, anyway."

Emi Hoshino has posed:
Emi Hoshino just stares at Amy. "... everyone uses LINE, Amy. Everyone. For about everything. Most of us aren't being resrtricted from it -- not even me! Thankfully none of my ALLEGED," she clearly ennunciates that part, "crimes have anything to do with computers."

She has never actually said what's gotten her on probation, and she's not about to start now.

"Anyway, meeting is cancelled." She scowls. "I'm going to have to touch up on everyone's -dreams- instead. Ugh." She pinches the bridge of her nose.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy's shoulders slump a bit at being called a retro-tech nerd. Despite everything, for just a moment she feels old.

    When asked if she's in the computer club, though, she nods with a slight smile. "Yeah. And thanks. I guess I'm no Mizuno-san, but..."

    She gives him an appraising look. "It's really not all that hard to learn, at least the basics. I got a book on BASIC when I was like, seven... it was outdated even then, but if anything that just meant the tools I had were easier to use than the microcomputers the book was written for... I think that non-technical people just go 'I can't understand that' and throw up their hands a little too readily."

    Amy looks back at Emi. Everyone does use LINE. "I know! Well I mean, I use Datcord too..."

    Still, at Emi talking about (what the school would consider) computer crimes, she makes a mental note to go over her own procedures and review whether 3rd-party DNS and occasionally random proxies or TOR are really enough in 2025. She hasn't gotten any nasty emails about downloading anime yet...

    But at Emi's next words, Amy's furrowed brow quickly changes to an interested expression. "Ooh, can we help somehow? I'd love to see more of the dreamscape... maybe we could visit Molly after?"

Roman Talleday has posed:
There's something about 'a book on basic' that is just memetic enough to amuse him, though the rest just confirms to him that Amy is indeed smart and a tech-nerd, and apparently has been since she was a kid. And that's something he can respect, at least. Honing skills from very young. "Fair enough. Learnin' somethin' new can be hard, but buildin' up a skill don't come free."

He spares Emi a sympathetic look. "If it's any constellation, I know a few vendin' machines about if you're short for sticks. I gave away the habit a year ago myself, but." Unless it's just for the gambling aspect, for the sake of it-- that's something he understands less, but to each their own fun.

Emi Hoshino has posed:
"FINALLY, someone who gets it," she jabs a finger at Roman.

"...but Hinoiri would kill me, so no." She rubs her face with obvious exasperation. She hesitates as she takes in Amy's offer, letting out another frustrated sound.

"Every person I take into the dreamscape and every dream I visit comes with a magical cost, Amy. It's not 'free'. But ... maybe I can have you patrol the Radiant Heart dreamscape for me while I keep an eye on things further a field. That might be okay. As for Molly... dunno if she's in any shape for visitors yet."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy nods to Roman, smiling, "Exactly! I know all this computer stuff, but learning girl stuff and about clothes and stuff... well, I'm not complaining, but I've had a lot of catching up to do, you know?"

    Her eyes widen a bit at Emi's explanation of the magical cost. "Oh gosh. I didn't know..." But, at the offer that she could do something, she still smiles eagerly and nods. "I'd be happy to do what I can!"

Roman Talleday has posed:
"Right. Well, you ever got contraband you need somebody to hold temporary, like, so your clink or nobody don't get wise to it," Roman nods to Emi, jutting a thumb at himself. "I got you."

Neighbourly thing to do, and all. Repay some of that magical cost, for the training.

Blue eyes slid back to Amy, and he nodded some. 'Girl stuff' did seem complicated, and he supposed there was a fairly long list of expectations in Japan to be loaded on top. He didn't get it, really. Culture shock had well and truly gotten the best of him, and he was doing the best he could to keep up.

"Right, yeah. Bit of an adjustment, then?" He didn't fully grasp it. "Emi-san's well fashionable, like. Imagine the crash course that took, lookin' reem. That's money fit."

Roman shrugged. "You need a favour to piss off the boot, though, I'm down."

Emi Hoshino has posed:
As her sense of style is complimented, Emi preens sligghtly. While she has never been particularly vain about her appearance, it's nice to have the effort it takes to get these clothes looking like this, alongside the makeup, recognized by -someone- ... even if she doesn't always (always always) feel comfortable being 'seen'.

She sniffs once and says, "I'm glad someone appreciates a sense of style," she mutters.

"All right. Amy, I'll grab you tonight for dream patrol when its time."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy nods in agreement with Roman's offer to Emi. "Least we can do."

    She looks over to Roman. Bit of an adjustment? She nods... and she's not sure what he's saying about Emi, but at the comment that she's fashionable, Amy nods. "Yeah! I wonder if I could pull that look off?"

    She allows herself a small, excited squee of glee at getting to go on dream patrol! "See you then!"

    She looks back to Roman. "'Bit of an adjustment' is right... I'm not sure what to compare it to. I mean, imagine if you had to learn all that, except, like, you wanted to, as much as I presume you want to know how to be a boy and a man and stuff and interqct as one... maybe imagine you were raised by aliens and didn't know...?" She scratches her head. "I dunno..."

Roman Talleday has posed:
"I think I can imagine something of the feeling," Roman says to Amy in Russian, the point made with a small nod and an expression that suggests he understands enough. He grins at her though, language switching back, "There's a lotta pressure and rehearsal what goes in, before a performance. You want to get every step right, so nobody can say, 'that's not it, you're not good enough'."

He pockets a hand, easily, and hums. "Real recognise real, but."

He turns a nod to Emi, taking a step back and swinging the bat idly, twirling it. "You're good, yeah? If that's it, I'll be off, then."

Emi Hoshino has posed:
Now, Amy's done it. She's just done it. She's said -the magic words-.

Emi's turned her eyes on her, narrowed them. Cool. Speculative. Dangerous.

"... I think we can make that happen, Amy. We'll need to shop. In fact, now that I'm not going to a -party-, you're going to head to the vintage stores with me and we are going to goth you. You comin'?" she says to Roman.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy gives Roman a blank look. She doesn't know Russian. But then she nods and smiles at the next part. "Yeah! It's... well, fortunately, no one can tell, so I get the breathing room of just... of just passing for awkward, no one's gonna suspect..." She looks away awkwardly and nods at 'real recognize real.' "...Anyway, now you know why I thought it was such an honor they counted you as 'honorary girl' for the sleepover." She looks back to him. "See you around?"

    And then Emi makes that offer and she gasps, eyes almost sparkling. "Really?! I... thanks! I'll try my best!" She looks between Emi and Roman, curious whether he does want to come alonmg.

Roman Talleday has posed:
Another nod comes, context being gleaned slowly. Roman isn't 'book smart', by any great measure, but despite his own claims otherwise, he isn't dumb either. "I think I get what you're throwin' down, yeah."

Going to goth her? Roman pulls a considerate face at the curious invitation, setting a look back over his shoulder at the campus, before pursing his lips.

He could probably pull off a bit of gothic, if he wanted to. Hell, he pulled off Ouji well enough. Vintage, though, is a no brainer for good jackets.

"Yeah, alright." He offers a lopsided grin, setting the bat down like a walking cane. "I could hit some shops."