1342/Scouting vs. Recruitment

Scouting vs. Recruitment
Date of Scene:	25 March 2024
Location:	The Shed
Synopsis:	Naru and Hinote run into Corona near the Shed. She is very adamant about not being engaged in 'recruiting'.
Cast of Characters:	Naru Osaka, Hinote Kagari, Kyouka Inai

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Naru Osaka has posed:
It's a quiet enough time on campus, what with it being between terms.. and indeed, between grades. Still, there's more than a few students who live on campus and who have not chosen to go home for the break. Naru is one of those, and on this lovely early spring day, she's wandering down the path towards the Shed. A coffee in one hand, and her phone in the other. She's got her satchel over her shoulder, but she's clearly not paying much attention to where she's going, focused instead upon whatever's she's reading on the tiny screen in her hand.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari has decided The Shed is 'The Office', a term with Tracy keeps using to claim any area he can think and work in peace and on the tinest chair and desk, Tracy was in the shed, feet propped up, the tiny detective thinking on things. Mainly, the mystery of who ate the last bakery cookie in The Shed!?

But in all seriousness, Hinote Kagari was curious if any new information had been posted about the Eclipse Towers and was walking Shedways when he notices someone else also going Shedways into that clearing. Huh.

Someone in the know? Or not? Now he's curious.

"Hey there." he says politely, as to lift Naru from her phone reverie. "The coffee smells good. Regular. or Decafe?" he asks curiously.

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Before Naru can quite reach the Shed, she is greeted by a voice. Not Hinote's voice, though that also greets her close to the same time. Rather this voice is a feminine one, though mature and deep enough to not quite be appropriate to the term 'girl'. It seems to come from, of all places, up on top of the Shed.

    "Interesting," the voice says in a musing tone, "That this broken down old shed would see such a profusion of traffic. I suppose like many things around here it is more than meets the eye."

    If the two should look up, they will see a form perched on the edge of the roof- a small quadrupedal form. It's not Kyubey though. This creature is about twice the size of an Incubator, and more dog-like, resembling a small dog or large fox. It is also primarily dark in color, black or dark grey it is difficult to tell, with white feet and stripes on its hindquarters, and a little white mark in the shape of a crown on its forehead.

Naru Osaka has posed:
There's a half glance to Hinote as he catches Naru's attention and she comments to him without really looking up from her phone. "Regular. My life couldn't handle decaf." Which considering how much coffee she /drinks/.. she's less of an air plant and more running on pure caffeine and adreneline.

It's the unfamiliar voice that draws Naru's attention up and unerringly to where the critter is perched on the roof of the Shed. She considers the not-Kyubey a moment and then smiles just a touch. "More than meets the eye, wasn't the the slogan of a series of toys? Transformers, I think." She considers Corona. "Hello. Who are you?"

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari chuckles at the descriptor. "I don't think many lives could handle decaf." he says. "So uh.." he's about to ask Naru something when a small..dog? Fox? Thing? Speaks as it's hanging out on top of the roof. A talking animal isn't the weirdest thing he's seen the past twenty four hours, actually.

"It does?" pause. "I mean of course it does." he says.

That's an interesting mark the creature has.. Didn't the talking black cat have one, too? That's strange. He makes a note.

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    As the two students look up at her, Corona lowers herself to a relaxed sitting position on the edge of the roof, crossing her two front paws over each other. Her eyes, which are pale white, study the teens below her as her head tilts slightly to one side, large ears twisting slightly as if keeping track of all the noises in the vicinity.

    "My name is Corona." She tells Naru, as the girl asks for her identity. "I'm a... patron of sorts. Specifically I'm looking to revive a line of magical humans that has regrettably ceased to exist." She means she's a mascot, but one supposes calling oneself a 'mascot' might seems a little diminutive to one with a large helping of pride.

    "Some observation of the traffic around the school leads me to believe this shed is a good place to stake out to accomplish my goal, though I'm in no particular hurry I must confess."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"A pleasure to meet you, Corona." Naru replies as she tucks her phone back in her pocket and drinks from her coffee. Clearly a chatting critter of pet size doesn't phase Naru in the slightest. Day that ends in 'y' and all of that. The surprise might come in the fact that she hasn't been chewed on, folded, spindled or drained. At least not yet.

"I'm Naru." Naru replies and she glances to Hinote, with a glance that she hopes conveys that the young man does not need to introduce himself if he doesn't wish to, but her attention is soon back up with Corona. "Are you here recruiting?"

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari puts his hands into his pockets and regards the creature. "Corona, then. Hello." he says. He listens a little. "A patron looking for magical humans. Sounds like a plot out of a manga." he says. "Any luck?" he asks as he asks. "Why exactly are you trying to revive them, actually?" he asks.

"Are there more threats to be weary of?" he asks.

"My name is. Hinote." he says, looking to Naru. Who seems un-phased. Is she magical, too?

He does catch the glance, but gives a little wiggle of his fingers. He's fine with it.

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Corona seems unbothered by the questions. One supposes if she didn't want to be asked questions she wouldn't have revealed herself in the first place.

    "Recruiting is such a pedestrian word," She sighs towards Naru, with a flick of one ear. "Let's just say I am currently exploring options. Candidates of the quality I require are not exactly plentiful, but I have confidence I will locate suitable individuals. Eventually."

    To Hinote, she says, "There are always threats, but I am not here to warn anyone. That is outside my mission. As to why I am trying to revive them, well. My people believe it is necessary. The mission my predecessor was sent here on was unfortunately cut short due to unforeseen circumstances. So I have come to resume it, after a brief delay. Travel times you know."

    "I haven't located any suitable candidates yet. But I am optimistic."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Mmm." Naru decides on after a moment, listening to Corona. "So scouting more than recruitment." She nods a little and then there's a slow smile. "I should think that this school in particular would not be the most favourable scouting grounds. Too much competition."

Naru takes another sip from her coffee and then asks. "Who are your people? Or your predecessor?"

Based on the complete lack of freak out, it's a pretty good bet that Naru is /some/ sort of magic. Or at least magically aware.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari seems to think on this a moment and replies after Naru. "Well. Yeah this school seems like bad candidacy location. Also. People heading this way are either in Garden Club or like... spoken for." he says as he keeps his hands in his pockets.

"Right. What mission. Are all your people ... f..foxes." another pause.

"Politely. What are you exactly? You look like a dog or a fox. But. Those don't speak." pause. "Those don't speak Japanese." he adds.

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    "Competition is healthy." Corona says to Naru, with a faintly lecturing tone. "After all, when you are looking for exceptional results, you have to expect others to also want them. The trick is to make sure that your offer is the most attractive. I believe that I have a strong advantage in that area."

    The rest of the questions from both Naru and Hinote seem to fall more or less in the same general category, but Corona does not seem offended to be questioned in such a way. Perhaps she recognizes that its simply logical since she is clerly not 'from around here'.

    "I believe the term you are looking for is 'canine'," she says to Hinote, "and yes, my people to bear a passing resemblance to your Earth-canines. But I am not from this world. The resemblance is merely a coincidence. My people are called the Statera. We inhabit a world far from this one, but we make it our business to try and influence the universe towards a more harmonious state. Earth is not the only world we visit, but it is one of the more interesting."

    "As for my predecessor, well. He is not important any longer. Suffice it to say that he failed rather disastrously. But I intend to make up for his mistakes."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"And what do you offer, Corona?" Naru asks plainly enough, her expression mild but curious.

There's a little bit of a chuckle at the mention of Earth being one of the more intersting plants that she visits, that tracks from what Naru is given to understand.

Naru seems comfortable enough standing where she is, having such a conversation with a critter upon the roof of the Shed.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari listens with intent. "So not from this world. From this universe maybe. How long did that travel take." he asks curiously. He seems unphased now by the fact there are different worlds. That's news a few days late for him to be too surprised. He does seem curious.

"Naru-san asks a good question. What exactly are you offering?" he asks a little wearily. He guesses a few things in his head. But keeps them to himself.

"-and what makes you think you'll succeed if he failed?" he asks.

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    "I offer power, Miss Naru." Corona says, with a hint of smugness. "Considerable power. I suppose you might say that is true of 'the competition' as well, but everything comes in degrees. That said, that is why I am looking for exceptional candidates. Not everyone is worthy of what I offer, as much as I might wish they might be."

    To Hinote, she adds, "The conditions which caused my predecessor to fail have been... rectified. The situation is no longer the same. Besides, I'm smarter than he was." So very smug.

    She then adds, "As for how long the travel time is.. let's just say 'a while'."

Naru Osaka has posed:
Were this conversation happening over a conference room table, this is when Naru would lean forward just ever so slightly, to bring a touch more intimacy to her words. That effect is challenging at best when the conversation is happening across such a distance, but yet somehow, Naru's posture conveys that little lean in, that little smile of comfortable confidence. "Of course you are, Corona." She replies at the mention of the offer of power. "So many do. The devil is, as they say, in the details." She nods her head a little. "I wish you luck in your scouting."

Corona's smugness on the matter of her superiority compared to the previous scout banished to the backwaters of Earth doesn't surprise Naru in the slightest.

That's how she'd present herself too, in a similar situation.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari's expression draws into a frown. Offers of power. He seems to think on this a moment, looking down and bringing a finger to his chin in thought. He would had taken such an offer, maybe, a month ago. Right now? Nah. He's happy where he's at. He looks back up.

"So you want folks who want power. Huh." he says. "You're- like- a month too late to catch me." he says, with a little smile.

"But what is it you need folks for. Give them power to do... what. Exactly?" he asks. "A mission, yes."

"But what's the mission?" he wonders.

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    "I don't want people who want power." Corona says, lifting her snout a little bit. "I want people who deserve power. There's a great difference between the two. Many people want power. Few deserve it." She doesn't say whether or not she thinks Hinote would pass, were he still available.

    "The mission is simply to preserve harmony." She says. "To keep the universe in equilibrium and prevent it from becoming.. unbalanced. My people believe this is a sacred duty. So we send representatives out to planets with intelligent life all over the universe in order to pursue that goal. Earth is no exception."

    She tilts her head to Naru at the girl's wish of luck to her. "I appreciate the sentiment. And the conversation."