Scene #709: Checking in

Owner	Pose
Takashi Agera	TEXT to 'Darien': Do you have time to talk soon, or do I have to kidnap you to get some time with my childhood friend? Because I will, it'll just be better thought out than the last time someone tried kidnapping. It turns out Takashi did not need to kidnap Darien which is a good thing for a lot of people. Rather than meet at Obsidian, Takashi's just come to Darien's dorm and is standing expectantly outside of it. Patiently. For about five seconds, anyways, before he's knocking. "Either you come out or I'm coming in. Also what the hell is a clock app and why do I know it exists? This is your fault."
Mamoru Chiba	Darien opens the door, and wow! He's wearing the green jacket. It's rare. It usually only comes out when he feels gross (like after talking with Beryl), hates himself a little (honestly less frequently than it used to happen, by far!), or is feeling especially like a jerk. Sometimes none of the above, but ''that's'' as rare as hens' teeth. He also looks like he's upset and trying to hide it, which is something Takashi hasn't seen from him since before Obsidian. "It's a stupidly popular short video medium that a lot of kids and young adults have on their phones," he answers, stepping back and opening the door wider. "I know it's my fault. Sorry."
Takashi Agera	"I thought we agreed you were gonna burn that jacket." Takashi says when he walks in. "Well, I told you to burn it, which is close enough." But he can tell Darien's distraught and so his mood changes pretty quickly, his voice softens, and he relaxes his face as it goes from looking annoyed to looking concerned. "Okay, whatever's going on we can fix it. We always fix it." Or ignore it after they can't. "Close the door and we can talk about it. Is this why you've been so hard to get ahold of? I just assumed it was the blonde. My bad."
Mamoru Chiba	Mamoru definitely closes the door, and his hands open and shut a couple of times before he turns his desk chair around and sits on it backwards, the back of it in front of him like a shield. "I don't think we can fix this. I'd love to ignore it, but it's ''everywhere''. My stupid boss posted it on accident. I couldn't delete it fast enough," he says, then takes a breath and holds it for a second, closing his eyes, "and then I figured I should leave it up so I'd at least get the comments, and now I have to get Zoisite involved to clean up my mistakes again. This is way worse than tanking a furnace for a kid." He takes another breath. "I mean I did get kidnapped by Usagi yesterday when some evil butterfly possessed her and she started turning people into toys, but that was more like a nervewracking vacation than anything else."
Takashi Agera	Takashi sighs. "Well, I didn't so much mean fix the fact that your other mode is a viral internet thing. I can do the implausible, but scrubbing a meme off the internet - that's impossible." he admits. "But anybody who can connect that to every day Darien Shields should be on our side anyways. Worst you get some office teasing." he says. "And maybe you'll get info on the shiny bit of rock your boss wants and then you can not give it to her because she's awful." Takashi suggests. "Also, man, when I threatened to kidnap you, I did not know she'd already beaten me to it." he sighs. "But really, people have survived internet meme stardom. Maybe you'll be able to parlay it into whatever the next grift is after NFTs and get some money out of it, who knows."
Mamoru Chiba	"Yeah about that. There are, uh. There are some people who know Darien Shields is Hematite that are not, in fact, on our side, because I was with Usagi and they were shooting at us and we had to get out of there and so I transformed so I could teleport? Without... knowing she could teleport..." Mamoru exhales through his teeth and shuts his eyes tight and then thunks his head against his forearms, crossed over the back of the chair as they are. Muffled, "You're right about the rock though. I gotta find it before Precia too. And I'm definitely not giving it to my boss."
Takashi Agera	Takashi raises a finger. "I may be able to help with the whole 'finding the rock and not giving it to anybody else' thing. Well, at least with the keeping it hidden. Ever since the incident with Precia - and the table - I realized I needed a way to transport stuff without people being able to sense it, so I've been developing a little box that's basically a magical faraday cage - no signals in or out. Put something in there and they probably can't find it. I have to say probably, because we're working with magic and magic is bullshit. But hey, see? Already helping." Takashi says. "Well, at least it's good to know Hematite's comprimised. You pick out a new henshin name yet? Please do not henshin into the green jacket. It really does not bring out your best side. I say this to you as a friend who is deeply concerned about how people see you, because you're seen with me." Takashi says, and he is -absolutely- messing with Darien a little bit, now. But hopefully in a good natured way.
Mamoru Chiba	There's a glimmer of hope at the magical faraday cage idea, and the slightest amount of tension bleeds out of Mamoru's shoulders. He looks-- not relieved, exactly, but like he might get there. And then the good-natured messing with Darien comes out and the black-haired boy snorts, sitting up. "Please. You're glad to be seen with someone as popular and pretty as I am. And it's not like Usagi's leaving me because I'm on the side of... whatever the hell side my boss even counts as being on. I don't even think she's actually interested in Obsidian at all, not really." And then he makes a weird little half-dismissive gesture. "I can't be anything other than Hematite without getting in a lot more trouble than even this. There are boats I can't afford to rock yet."
Takashi Agera	"Fair enough." Takashi says, at all of that. "Anyways, all of that's not super-helpful if you can't find the thing. I figure its not radiating some sort of extra special glowy mega-energy or it would have been noticed, so it's hidden somewhere. Honestly I figure any non-magical person who's seen it forgets about it, if it's as magic as it seems to be, the wish-granting variety. Or just remembered it as a diamond." "Also, since Hotaru has informed me in no uncertain terms that my romantic situation is everyone else's around me's concern, I am compelled to tell you I am ''regularly'' seen with someone who is prettier than you are." he says. "Also I think I'm making some progress on the whole business with your linker core. And Norie's. And Hotaru's." he says, looking around at Mamoru and Koji's shared workspace. "In the sense that they're all different but related." he notes.
Mamoru Chiba	"Yeah Koji really wants to know who. I just assume she's blonde and you're keeping her identity a secret because you don't want me to make fun of you," Mamoru says much more cheerfully than he was when Takashi came in. "But it's fine. Usagi says I'm prettier than Cat Noir." He props his head on his hand, then, tilting it a little as he regards Takashi. "I mean I would hope they're all different but related. They're all linker cores. I really want to get the dark energy off mine, now that I know it's not supposed to hurt. But I really can't afford to." Says the dark energy, probably. "Anyway if you can figure it out, that'll definitely put you one up on Harlaown. That kid has no chill." The place looks like a completely average -- if overly neat -- dorm room.
Takashi Agera	"It's not like it's a whole cloak and dagger thing with her identity, I just thought it would be funny to see if I could derail the conversation and not have to respond to the question. The answer, by the way, is yes." he says with a smile. "Her name is Mami Tomoe, no relation to Hotaru or the Professor, before you ask." There are other distinguishing characteristics, but he'll let those come out of any questions are asked. "If I was keeping her a secret I wouldn't be seen taking her places or walking around with her." he notes. "There's no way I would ever have a girl I couldn't be proud of anyways." "Tch. ''Harlaown''. You know that kid lives right here, on this floor? Like, right between you and me. He's lucky every day I haven't put a daimon in everything he owns and doesn't wake up to a herd of youma." Takashi notes. "I'd be perfectly happy if I never saw him again - especially while I'm trying to get work done." He pauses. "Speaking of work, and research, I'm kinda running into a snag. In that the whole 'less lethal Heartstealer Rifles thing' was supposed to be part of getting dogpiled slightly less, but I went out and not only did they give me just as much trouble, but they blew up Eudial's car. And yes, she's livid about that. Thankfully, not MUCH at me."
Mamoru Chiba	"I knoooow that kid lives right here, he's Adrien's roommate and everything. I met him while Adrien was out and he basically launched into the whole 'I grew up in outer space' thing, so I let him. Like I said, no chill. I am really glad you've got a girlfriend, too, by the way. Maybe she can make an honest man out of you," Mamoru teases. But. They blew up Eudial's car. Mamoru can't quite keep the laughter off his face, out of his voice, but he tries. "You went out personally? What happened to not tanking with your face?" he asks.
Takashi Agera	"Well, they didn't so much blow it up as they arrested the movement of part of it but not all of it and physics kind of took over from there. Regardless the car is no longer together. Notwithstanding the fact that stopping her from driving is a public service, it's not really the results we're looking for." he says. "And lately the Witches 5 have been onery about my status since its 'not the witches 6' or some nonsense, so they have been pushing me into all sorts of crap. Co-operative project with another Divison? We're busy, send the Agera boy. The other divison wants backup? Send Agera. Going into the field and need someone to second you? Grab Agera-san." he says, shrugging. "As ever those with low intellect seek to keep down those with high intellect who threaten them. I take it as a compliment. But it's an inconvinent compliment." he says. "But the real issue is, if I don't start bringing home something, it undercuts my argument for using them, and I'd rather them not start making knockoffs of the v1 rifles. Plus..." he pauses. "I need to grab at least two, so I can keep one for all this research - for you, for the girls. People are counting on me, on my research, and... If this keeps going on I'm gonna have to start like... ''really trying'' in fights. Let the emotions flow. That's a... messier business."
Mamoru Chiba	"That ''blows''. And I take it your division doesn't look kindly on murder as a form of promotion," Mamoru surmises, sounding -- worried, actually. Sympathetic, certainly, but worried. "I mean, you're doing it right, making sure your team likes you, but... no accidents." He lets out a breath, deflating a little on his chair. "I'd offer you mine to get me out of this mess, but that's counterproductive. And would only account for one, anyway. Can't you do like. A sniper thing? You need a vacuum attachment. Or a high-speed tractor beam--" His phone starts buzzing on his bed every couple of seconds, and then a couple of times a second, and he glances over at it. Mamoru sighs through his teeth and picks it up, then puts it on Do Not Disturb-- but glances at the screen anyway. "Oh my god," he says, head down again, muffled again, and then there's a despair-laugh that sounds more amused than despairing, at least, now. "Just gotta ride it out..."
Takashi Agera	"Eh, I wouldn't trade my work troubles for yours. At least I'm not trapped here. With a bunch of wasps stinging my spirit that I have to keep stinging me for a bit for whatever reasons." he says. Darien hasn't shared the reasons, and Takashi figures if he intended to share them with him he would have already. But he's zen about that, he's coming to terms that Mamoru's situation is very different than Takashi's. He doesn't like it, but he's accepting the truth of it. "I just need two minutes or so before sparkleskirts show on the scene. Or for the W-5 to not be useless." he says. "All of the other fancy stuff would just get broken, I think." "Also, I'm pretty sure I should absolutely not shoot you right now. In theory it might help, but it also might harm. Plus the last girl I shot turned into a giant bird monster for a bit." he notes. He tilts his head inquisitively when Mamoru glances at the phone. "More internet meme stuff? Or is this more important, personal?" He asks. "If you're not gonna ditch your identity you might at least ditch your phone and app logins."
Mamoru Chiba	"Meme stuff but personal but not immediately important. At least the app logins are tied to the business phone, but like, unfortunately, the app logins are tied to the business phone, which means I have to keep checking. I dug my own grave," mopes Mamoru half-heartedly. He tosses the phone back on the bed. "The reason I have to keep my linker core hidden is that I'm pretty sure it's identifiable as whoever I am when I'm not any of my identities, and I don't want my boss to see it now that she looks at me differently. It's just a whole 'I have a bad feeling about this' thing." For a moment, Mamoru just looks thoughtful. Then, "Does the dark energy do anything awful to Hotaru? Does it feel bad for her?" A beat. "You turned into a giant bird too, sort of, that one time."
Takashi Agera	"She reacts negatively to it. She can't duskjump like we can, it makes her feel ill. It's some sort of interaction between her core and her artifical limbs and all of that. Haven't figured it out. That's why she doesn't really weild it. She has to keep her levels even more balanced than I do or the seizures and such start up." Takashi explains. "You probably have a bad feeling about this because your boss is a creepshow. But I get it. I'd love to help you get your identities and past sorted out - but like.... Norie can't feel feelings normally, and Hotaru's getting sicker over time, so I gotta triage that stuff. But if you get any leads let me know." He pauses. "The whole reason I'm in Obsidian in the first place was trying to figure out stuff about me. I had no idea you'd end up like... losing stuff about you." "Well yes but I ''chose'' to turn into the bird." Another pause. "Hey, speaking of birds... I don't suppose you know where we could find another emu? I saw someone report on yours and it gave me ideas. Mostly funny ones but you look like you could also use something funny from time to time. Probably pull some energy out of it too. Your boss still needs that, right?"
Mamoru Chiba	"Yeah... it's okay, you worry about them. I'll worry about my stuff. And-- neither of us had any way of knowing, so..." Mamoru just shrugs, a little uncomfortably, but it's clear it's not because of Takashi. It's because his boss is a creepshow. "As far as emus and energy go -- I ''could'' get another emu, but the one there were reports on, I built out of toilet paper tubes and a down pillow. I don't build youmas to win or keep energy, mostly, I build them to see what kind of attacks get used against them. Data. I get energy from call centers my employees run. Doing something funny? YES ABSOLUTELY. But let's do a different bird. A parrot or something else that talks."
Takashi Agera	"So here's what I'm going to do, I'm going to see what kind of stuffed animals they have at the toy shop down the way. Maybe they'll have a parrot. Or a peacock or something. I can probably make the bird talk. Whatever kind of bird it is. We'll make a science experiment out of it, though. It'll be good fun." Takashi says. "If we work it out together I'm sure it'll be enough to get data and drain energy, so we'll both 'win' and then we'll get to see some sparkleskirts, IDK, reduce it to stuffing at the end." he says. "I should get something for Hotaru... and maybe Norie, and Mami?" he asks, though it's more of asking the universe than Mamoru. "Girls like stuff like that, right?" he asks, scratching his head. Truly, he is a master of all knowledge. "Anyways, I'll text you pictures of whatever they've got. Maybe they'll have like, a reject parrot stuffie with a derp face." he suggests. "On your personal, not your too busy work phone thing." he says, already getting up to leave, because when Takashi has an idea, it means the enacting of at least part of that idea is impending.
Mamoru Chiba	"Excellent," says Mamoru, unfolding from his desk chair and standing up. He laughs, and says again, "Most excellent. Next time I go out I'll get candy to fill the youma one with, just to add insult to injury. They can bust it like a pinata, and then feel weird about wanting to eat the candy." A beat. "And yeah, girls like stuffies." Nevermind the lump next to the wall side of Mamoru's pillow, under the blankets. "Thanks for coming to check on me."
Takashi Agera	Takashi smiles as he gets up to head out. "The candy thing is twisted. I dig it, let's go with that. Also... you're welcome. You know, somebody ought to take care of you, and it's not gonna be you. Eventually I'll maybe be able to pass that off to Tsukino-san. That's her last name, right?" he says more than asks, as he's walking out the door... How does he know that? Thank Luna.