1213/In the field of the Corn

In the field of the Corn
Date of Scene:	29 February 2024
Location:	Plot Room 1
Synopsis:	Norie visits Naru and Hinoiri... So, of course, Hinoiri antagonizes her. She is so good with people.
Cast of Characters:	Hinoiri Kirara, Naru Osaka, Norie Okana

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Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara was, once again, nudging through the food for a vegetarian option. Granola bars... really not the best thing to subsist on. And, frankly, she was bored.

SHE'D MISSED HER TEEEEEEST! She had been SO PISSY about it. For alllllll day. Just. So much. But now? Now she was bored. "I studied, you know. I was going to wreck Mizuno..." Hinoiri muttered. She coulda been a contender.

As it was, she was taking notes. If she kidnapped somebody? Make sure there's a video game console or something. Treat them like it's a vacation. A weird vacation where someone comes and experiments on you every so often or something. She picked up a bag of jerky and then chucked it at the corn youma, for all the good it did. "Have you people ever heard of VEGETARIAN OPTIONS? Meat tastes DISGUSTING! Just, GUH! RUDE!"

Naru Osaka has posed:
There's a certain level of zen from Naru as she sits on the floor with her sketchbook. It's almost like she's done this 'captive' thing before, somewhere.

"Do you want half of a vegan protein bar?" Naru asks, without looking up from what she's drawing. The pencil scratching against the paper.

"I know you studied." Naru reassures Hinoiri. "You would have totally aced the test. You will totally ace the next test."

Norie Okana has posed:
The corn youma growls, but does nothing as it has something chucked at it.

La Crima finally re-arrives with a test cart. It's some strange device on a cart she's reeling in on wheels as the corn opens the door for her and she pats the corn. "Good boy." she says as she finally addresses the other two. "When I'm done soon, you'll be able to leave." she says to Naru. "But Hinoiri-san is staying!" she says.

She tosses a small box of more provisions at the two. This one is more vegetarian friendly since this one is actually planned for Naru being here. It has granola bars in it, but also Mushroom Jerky. Vegetarian protein bars. That sort of thing. Also. Coffee. Canned Coffee. But coffee.

"Don't get too excited this one is planned for Naru, just your complaining is a happenstance!" she says to Hinoiri.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara shook her head, "No, keep your stuff. Just... ugh. Annoyed. haven't had korma in days..." Yes, korma withdrawal. A dangerous condition. "And yeah, Iwould have. Ugh, knowing my luck this'll be the one test she didn't ace and it'll be weeks before I get another chance to crush her."

Aaaand then La Crima was here. She had to resist the urge to hiss at the girl. She didn't even know why, but she blamed Catra. Spent too much time around the furball. "Gee, but--" And she bit her tongue. Right. Don't antagonize her kidnapper. "Whatever... what... is that cart... anyway? You don't really strike me as the scientist type. Unless, secretly, you are really a big investigator type, shocking the world with your..." She trailed off and glanced to Naru before sighing. "Right, right. What do you even *want* with me, La Crima? We've never even met."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"It's okay." Naru starts to protest Hinoiri's refusal, quite well aware that pretty much everyone at RHA eats more than she does. The girl truly is an air plant, but then La Crima returns.

Naru lifts her hands away from her drawing to keep the box from crashing into her and after peeking into it there's a little ooh. "Thank you."

Naru casually tosses a protein bar from the box over to Hinoiri as she cracks open a can of coffee.

Priorities.

"What are you testin, La Crima?" Her voice is calm.. that practiced calm that she's pretty much notorious for. A drink of coffee and then a little sigh. So much better.

Norie Okana has posed:
La Crima scoffs at Hinoiri, but looks to Naru. "Oh, I'm seeing what dark energy will do to someone normal, through actual careful application, not just shoving it into them willy nilly." she says. "But the machine needs time to charge still." she says, dramatically. "It'll be ready tomorrow." she says.

She then ughs. "This question again!" she says with a huff as she just... let's the illusion of Norie Okana overtake her dark energy and stamps her foot on the ground.

"REMEMBER NOW, You pillock!?" she says angrily.

"I'M NORIE OKANA! AND YOU MADE FUN OF THE FACT I CAN'T EXPRESS MYSELF." she says angrily. "AND YOU DID IT AGAIN WHEN I WAS TAKING YOU AWAY!" she says.

"I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY!"

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara caught the protein bar and, despite her objections? She did take a bite out of it. She was hungry and even protein bars were good when you hadn't eaten for a while... and okay the coffee would be nice. She wasn't the best coffee drinker (even if she was Easter's World's best Employee), but she missed caffeine.

But then when she was told what was up, sheblinked a few times, staring at the machine. Oh gosh. Did... did Lacrima steal that out of Takashi's lab? Or did she make that herself? Why couldn't they just inject her full of dark energy by like, putting it in her food or something?

... She didn't say that, though, because she was still vulnerable and didn't wanna die. However, when La Crima made her grand display, finally explaining why Hinoiri was so loathed... she just... stared for a few moments.

Blink blink. Blink.

"... What? That wasn't me. I've never even met you before. Let alone made fun of your stupid tone thing."

... She was so incredibly good with people.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I.." Naru starts and then pauses as she considers how to phrase it. "I cannot say that the dark energy that got shoved into me was 'all willy nilly'. It was pretty focused." She glances to the machine and then back to La Crima.. Norie now.

"Do you really want to give her /power/ for making fun of you? Isn't that more like rewarding her than punishing her?" Naru quirks her head, curious about the choice of punishment.

Naru glances back over to Hinoiri and then sets her coffee down, only half finished and sighs a little. Yep, that'll go well.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana almost growls like an animal, almost. Instead she clenches a hand and punches the wall she's next to. "YOU DON'T EVEN REMEMBER, BECAUSE YOU'RE A JERK! IT WAS IN THE YEARBOOK'S CLUB ROOM, YOU MADE FUN OF ME TO MY FACE IN FRONT OF VERONICA-CHAN!" she says.

She eyes Naru. "NO, Now I'm gonna teach her how it's fun to have your emotions dampened by dark energy and see how she likes it when... when she can't laugh or smile or even enjoy anything anymore!" she says. "I want to see her punch one of her best friends lights out because she can't control it.!" she says

"I..I...OOooOOOoH...!" then she all outs tries to slap Hinoiri right in the face because she can't control herself anymore.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara blinked a few more times and glanced to Naru. "Do you know who Veronica is?" she asked. "Is she a sparkle skirt or something?" she really didn't get it. She put her hands on her hips and looked a little annoyed. "And you know, she has a point. Putting dark energy into me will just make me more powerful. Who knows? Maybe then I'd be able to beat up your--"

And then she was slapped. her head relapsed and then she immediately turned and just SLAPPED HER BACK! Except... she wasn't dark energy using right now. It was just instinct. And she looked furious! And...

And then she squeaked and took a step back. "S-sorry... I just... reacted and... and... o-oh... s-sorry?" she said sheepishly. Wait, was she supposed to say sorry here? PROBABLY! "For everything?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Yes, I know Veronica." Naru confirms, although she doens't specifically comment on the 'sparkle skirt' assessment. "We've worked together in the past." Although that truly doesn't narrow it down, Naru works with a lot of people.

She watches the slap.. and the slap back, which seems entirely reasonable, actually.

"I did not find that dark energy dampened my emotions.." Naru points out calmly, gesturing at the slap fight that was brief. "It just highlighted different ones."

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana gets slapped and all she sees is red, and a dark aura immediately begins to surround her. She glowers and raises her hand, palm out and spreads her fingers. "BE GONE!" she yells as she produces a dark flash of dark energy, the power meant to throw Hinoiri backwards and into the wall. She doesn't care she said sorry. She doesn't care if that was a natural reaction.

"We'll see what happens!" she snaps suddenly, clenching her hands as she lowers them. "When it happens." she says angrily.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara sighs and glanced to Naru. "Do you have any idea how little that narrows it--"

BAM!

Hinoiri hit the wall and she *dropped*. Collapsing to the ground, she gave a very, very light groan. Ow. Owwwwww. So THIS was what it felt like. To be the mundane and helpless one. She... did not like this. She whimpered and stayed down. Why? Because she screwed up, a lot. But she also learned her lessons realllll quick. Well. When they had violence. "R-right... f-fair... fair point..."

"T-tomorrow... w-was it? C-can't... can't wait... s-sounds like... f-fun...."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Are you alright, Hinoiri?" Naru asks as she sets her sketchbook down and gets up to go over to where Hinoiri is curled up against the wall, putting herself between La Crima and the one who is wisely staying down. "You should probably let us go, La Crima." Although Naru doesn't really have any authority here, but she's calmly confident on that.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana frowns. "As I said, you'll be leaving when I'm done. I can't have you bringing people here that easily. I'd be done by now but these things take time." she says angrily.

She then she turns to Hinoiri. "She stays though!" she says dramatically again with a point downward as she angrily leaves the testing cart there, a meter slowly going up on it.

"Caspicorn, please knock some sense into them if they mess with the cart. <3." she says. "I'm LEAVING." she says angrily as she stomps back out the door, tendrils reforming back up the side of the door after her.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara just laid there for a moment, waiting to see if she came back... but when she didn't, she sat up and then, slowly, got to her hands and knees. Her hands clenching into fists. "Naru-chan... how... do you do it?" she asked softly.

"Not being able to... hit back... to defend yourself... to hurt them when they hurt you... how do you not... how do you take it?" she asked. She wiped her eyes. "And I'm not crying! It didn't even hurt that much. Girl... probably held back. Somewhat... maybe..." There were some bruises, but... maybe she was lucky. Or maybe Norie just... didn't wanna murder her. Or maybe the wall was softer than it looked.

"... Ugh... I wish that... boy was here. The healing one. Usagi-chan's boyfriend." Pause. "Actually, I wish Usagi-chan was here. Some magic hammering might be nice," she grumbled, glancing to the corn. The angry corn. "You should be turned into bread!" she snapped at it. As if that... helped.

She then looked to Naru. "If... anyone asks... I didn't slap her, okay? The last thing I need is a lecture on what to do and not do when kidnapped."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Probably should have slugged her one." Naru comments dryly as she offers Hinoiri a hand to sit up. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Generally, I do hit back.. to defend myself. Certainly against most things that are trying to hurt me. I don't just lay there and take it, at least not while I can help it. I don't generally get myself kidnapped /quite/ like this though. I never got the sense that my captor was actively trying to hurt me, not until the end at least."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara would take that hand, at least. Letting Naru help her up. "I don't... think anything's broken. A bit battered, but I've been through worse. Not like we can get her to kidnap a nurse or something to come take a look at me, anyway."

She'd kind of... wobbly... make it to the bed to sit down. "Stuff me full of dark energy... huh... you do know if she does that and I get like... dark... energy powers... I'm going to beat her flank, right? Cause like... I just have to say she deserves it." Spiteful? Hinoiri? Who would have thought?

"Oh... yeah. You were kidnapped before, huh? You ever slap the girl who did this?" Pause. "Ever... feel she hated you or anything? Ever hate her for it?" Not that she had a reason for really wanting to know. "She ever slap you?" Pause. "And did you slap her first?" That, at least, was a teasing tone.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"She doesn't seem to be taking requests, no." Naru smirks a little at the suggestion for La Crima to kidnap a nurse. "Yeah.. that would track if you end up cranked full of dark energy. It amps up emotions.. not dampen them down.. at least in my experience, and angry is totally a dark energy emotion."

Naru mmms softly. "I don't think I've ever slapped her. I did smack her in the butt with a mop once, but that was before I got kidnapped." She shakes her head. "No.. I never got the sense that she hated me." Naru is quiet a moment. "I think she's delusional sometimes.. and shoving me full of dark energy .. I think.. came from a place of actually wanting to help, even if how it went down didn't actually pan out very well. She's done a lot of other pretty miserable things to people I love, but I never got the sense she hated me."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara sighed and just... laid there on the bed for a moment. "Yeah, well... I'm definitely full of a lot of anger right now. Kidnapping me, of all the... it wasn't even a GOOD kidnapping! Like... rude! Why would she kidnap you too? Meh... at least she plans to let you go..."

Hinoiri sighed and lifted a hand up to her forehead. She guessed she could probably take the corn. But... if she did... Naru would know who she was. And then Usagi would know and... Maybe... maybe if nobody came soon. If the dark energy seemed dangerous... she could handle it. She was sure.

"You hit her in the flank with a mop. Truly, you are Naru-Chan, fierce mop warrior of justice..." she groused. "Your last kidnapper? Heh. Yeah... well... if she's delusional... maybe she'll be better next time she kidnaps someone. Or at least do it better. Just... don't hit La Crima with a mop or anything. She hates me, the last thing I want is you getting hurt because I was dumb enough to let this happen. Gosh. If she pumps me full of dark energy... just don't hold whatever I do to her against me, okay? As it is, I think I'm going to take a nap. That's the rule, right? Go to bed and the bruises hurt less when you wake up?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Clearly you need to post a review and give this kidnapping like two stars." Naru teases a little. "I should do that with various youma attacks and stuff. Give them star ratings."

She heads back over to where her sketchbook is, to settle back on her floor, cross legged. "Hey, don't knock the mop. It's a highly effective weapon." She snickers softly and then shakes her head. "Dark energy makes everything weird." She picks up her pencil again, and her coffee. "That is actually exactly how it works. Sleep is healing, and bruises usually hurt less after you sleep.. more colourful, but hurt less." She gestures. "Sleep well Hinoiri."