1235/Keys to the Shed

Keys to the Shed
Date of Scene:	05 March 2024
Location:	The Shed
Synopsis:	Coco runs into Kyouka at the Shed, and has something to show her that might be quite useful.
Cast of Characters:	Kyouka Inai, Coco Kiumi

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Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Although Kyouka does not often hang out in the Shed without a reason, she is there often enough that it is not unusual to find her within the small building. Currently, it seems she has stopped by after school has let out, as she is still wearing her 'uniform' of a white button-down shirt and black slacks, her jacket slung over her shoulder.

    She is tacking something up on one of the bulletin boards that have been hung on the wall. It appears to be a drawing of a small black-and-white wolf or dog creature, and she's frowning faintly as she presses it into the board to make sure it will stay.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco has been passing by the Shed. No reason in particular, just sometimes she has things to think about and she doesn't always have the time to head to her hideout in the city. The Shed is the next best thing since it is pretty close to the school.

When she walks in there, the first thing she does is notice the presence of Kyouka, and that reminds her of something she has that could contribute to the Shed. She can do that much, at least. "Hello, Inai-sensei", the mermaid exclaims. "I heard you were looking for security measures to the Shed, right?"

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Kyouka regards the paper she's hung up, then nods her head, turning back towards the door just as Coco is entering. "Oh, hello Coco." She greets the girl pleasantly enough, with a smile. When she hears the question, she raises one of her brows and nods her head.

    "Yes, well.. it's kind of an ongoing project, trying to improve the Shed and make it safer and more suitable for the work we're doing here. Having some way to control who can and can't get in seems like a pretty good step towards making sure that the place is safe to meet and make plans."

    A shrug of her shoulders. "So far nobody has come up with a proposal on how to do that though. Did you have an idea?"

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco nods at Kyouka's question. "Pretty much. It would be right to say I have a solution even." She brings her arms around the back of her neck, unclasping the necklace to which she has tied the Sealing Key, which is then removed and shown to Kyouka.

"This is something of our goddess, Aqua Regina. She used it to seal away the enemies that threatened the peace of the Seven Seas into their palace, and the wards she put there will always repel you if you haven't been allowed in by this key. Conversely the key can lead you there."

The key in Coco's hand doesn't actually resemble a key. It is curly into a spiral where one would expect the blade to be, and the bow is emblazoned with the head of a seahorse. "I could put the same enchantment on the Shed and an object of your choice if you want me to", Coco continues explaining. "Or well, a similar one, since you don't want the people inside to be locked in when the wards are closed."

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Kyouka looks down at the key, seeming quite interested. She doesn't try to take it or touch it, but rather bends over a bit to look at it more closely in Coco's hand.

    "I see.. so if you placed this enchantment on the Shed, how would it work? It wouldn't allow anyone in who hadn't been 'given clearance' using the key, so to speak? Do I have that right?"

    She straightens up again and taps her lip. "That does sound like it would be pretty useful, as long as we can get everyone 'registered' so to speak."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Yes, that's pretty much it", the mermaid confirms. "When the wards are open, you need to have been given clearance. When the wards are closed, things are completely sealed. I imagine this second step is one we can avoid, since you don't have any enemies to keep in here."

At Coco's behest, the key enlarges itself into a staff. "This is how it's used to cast spells, and well, we will actually need to use it in this form a lot more, since Gaito has cursed Usagi, so we will have to stage an attack on the underwater castle to undo the curse."

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    "I see." Kyouka murmurs, considering. "Plus, we don't want to accidentally set off the wards or have someone else do it and trap anyone in here, even if we don't mean to. But the part about giving clearance, yes. I think that could be quite useful. So we have to choose some kind of object to enchant to be our 'key' for the Shed?"

    She watches as the staff forms, and nods her head when Coco mentions Usagi. "Yes, Usagi-chan has told me a little bit about that. I've told her I'll help if I can."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Exactly", Coco confirms. "This one is like this because Aqua Regina also made it capable of returning the Hippocampus guardian of us mermaid princesses to his original form, but anything will do."

That had been a risky choice since it being stolen made Hippo powerless, but evidently Aqua Regina never thought he would be distracted on the job. Or that the thief would be a mermaid princess.

It's a good thing that Usagi has already told her something, makes things simpler. "We will try to gather everyone soon."

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Kyouka nods her head again. "Alright. Well, I definitely think this would be useful, but we'll have to think carefully about what we want to be the key. Obviously it needs to be something we won't lose, or is difficult for an enemy to steal, or something like that.." She considers, tapping her lip with a fingertip.

    "Tell you what, Coco, let me go and talk to some people, including Usagi-chan and a couple others who frequent this place, and we'll try to make a decision about what the key will be. You usually have that one with you?" She motions to the staff. "So when we make a decision, we'll have you do the enchantment for us."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Maybe she should have thought to call Usagi here herself, Coco thinks, but at least Inai-sensei knows now, so it's just a matter of her rounding up everyone that needs to be involved. "Ok, I will await your call then", she says, returning the key to its smaller form, and putting everything as it was.

"I will go take a seat there", Coco says, nodding towards a chair. "I have things to think about, and needed a place like this."

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Kyouka nods her head. "I'll do my best to get everyone informed and make a decision quickly, so expect to hear from me again soon." She says, with a smile. "Thank you very much for bringing this to me.. I think it will be a great help to us."

    She turns back towards the door. "I'll be on my way then, as I was just leaving when you arrived. Talk to you soon, Coco." And then she is exiting through the door.