[start mini] ... * Lord_Darkmoon stands in the middle of the room, contemplating the decor, then. The house is decorated in very tasteful, slightly expensive Modern. He can see a HUGE bathtub around the corner, and an office with a large, heavy-duty safe. * Sakura sits back down. Lord Darkmoon. * Lord_Darkmoon sighs, and turns to face Sakura. "Yes?" He looks like he knows what's coming, though. I've... heard of you, of course, but not at any length. The Princesses seem to be... I don't know... a little afraid of you? I got that impression somehow. I might be mistaken. Oh, please sit down. * Lord_Darkmoon smirks sadly, a touch, and accepts her invitation to sit. He seems nervous, though. Not afraid, I'm sure... but, well, they and I have a rather round-about relationship. You see...the Magical Pets are my friends. Not many of those, but that would be a powerful political base for you, it seems. * Lord_Darkmoon nods. "I imagine it's the only reason I've not been 'used up' in the line of duty." I also often wind up Pet-sitting for the Princesses. And a few Ladies, but not as many. Mmm. That explains why they keep you around, but why do they... mislike you? * Lord_Darkmoon averts his eyes. "I try to be polite...but...I just can't stand them! The-- you don't mind if I rant a bit, do you? I'm about to me most impolitic." * Sakura smiles. Anyone with a brain has thought just that. Go right ahead. *takes a big breath and releases it* I _hate_ this. I hate my transformation, I hate the Queen for making me what I am. My life was my own before this all happened! Why couldn't it have just left me alone? Why must I be a- a Lord? I hardly think the Queen is responsible - or at least I don't think she is... Is it all that bad? ...oh, yes. *laughs bitterly* Yes, it is. You think Taki-san's transformation is bad? Why do you think the Queen smirks at me? She knows. So do some of the Princesses. I hate ... *trails off* ...you hate what? * Sakura tries to sound sympathetic. Anyway, they dislike me because I did not do a good job of hiding my...distaste. I hate being Lord Darkmoon. I can't stand it, sometimes; but I have to. If you transform, you can't just pretend you don't. Believe me, I tried. The Queen and her Princesses disabused me of the notion. But why? Why do you hate it so? I-- I guess you have a right to know. Please, I beg of you...don't tell anyone about this, okay? The Queen knows. *his face darkens* So do some Princesses. Far more than I would like. But...please, don't tell anyone. * Sakura blinks. * Lord_Darkmoon waits for her promise...or refusal to do so. ...what can be... I won't tell anyone unless I need to, but what can be that awful? Good enough, I suppose... * Lord_Darkmoon grasps his boken again. * Sakura leans forward, intrigued. * Lord_Darkmoon dissolves, hair falling out of the ponytail, and boy's uniform shifting. The pants become a skirt, and the shirt becomes a girl's shirt. When it's all done, a girl, every bit as beautiful as Darkmoon was handsome, stands there. * Sakura can't believe it. Her jaw drops, her eyes widen, she gasps in sheer surprise. ...wow. My name is Seishou. Seishou Rin. You... I'm... sorry for the deception. But, you can see why I hate it. * Sakura gets up and walks over for a better view. You see her stop herself from poking at Rin. So you're really a girl? And you transform... into a Lord. Wow. * Sakura half-sits back down on a couch arm. Uh... *she looks extremely embarrassed* Yeah. *stares at her hands in her lap, where she twiddles her thumbs nervously* And you don't want anyone to know. Hoooo, boy. No! No way! I _hate_ it! I'm a girl! Not a guy! Please, you won't tell anyone, will you? I try so hard to keep my normal life normal...if other magical girls knew, I'd never get away! * Sakura begins to ask a question, stops herself. Starts to ask another, stops again. Um... are you okay, ma'am? ...I think... trying to keep it a secret makes it more of a problem. But if that's the way you want it, I will keep your secret. And call me Sakura, please. Thank you! *looks VERY relieved* Of course, Sakura-san. Uh... I guess you can call me Rin, too... So... the Princesses are... creeped out by this? They do tend to be pretty closed-minded. If they're creeped out, they have a funny way of showing it. Those that know, make fun of me. Not many know, thank heavens. Huh. So... um. About contacting me. Yes? I don't go to the Queen's school, for obvious reasons. I can get a cell phone, though. Unless there's a better way... I... guess. It really is a good school, Lor- er, Rin. If you've got a pet or something that is intelligent enough to find me, it can tell me when you need me. You should consider joining. No, I don't keep pets. ...I'd never keep it a secret, if I joined. Mmm. It might be hard. But there are other considerations. Your choice, I guess. The queen signed off on it. A cell phone... * Sakura stands up and pokes around her office for a second, then comes out and tosses Rin a phone. Here. * Rin fumbles a bit, but manages to catch it. "Oop- oops-- Ah! Thanks." The queen will make arrangements with your school. * Rin nodnods. You'll have to commute farther... are you far from Nakano? I actually live in Shinjuku; commuting shouldn't be a problem. Ah. That's good. * Sakura eyes Rin, still sort of suspicious. Wow. Well, so you'll be transforming before you leave? *nodnod* Definitely. Don't want your secretary asking any questions, do we? *she winks* Mmm. She won't. You can trust her in that regard. Well, that's good, at least. I'd still prefer to leave transformed. I don't want me connected with magical girls. No offense-- I just-- you know. * Sakura shrugs. It's your life. Thanks. I'm trying to keep it that way. So...uh... anything else? ...I don't know. Is there? ...oh...yeah...almost forgot... Full moon. ...yes? I can't be Lord Darkmoon during the days and nights surrounding the full moon. That's... really bizarre. But I guess it's not any stranger than changing sexes. If I transform then...Lady Mallet would do less collateral damage than what I become. * Sakura blinks. You want to explain that? Ever read about werewolves? Western myth about people turning into hideous beasts and slaughtering innocents? * Sakura really sits back down. You're kidding. * Rin actually seems less reticent about this particular part of her transformation than she did about the sex-change. No... but, it's easily controlled. I just don't transform then. And I don't let it happen when I'm Lord Darkmoon at any other time. ...you mean, this is something you can do any time you want? Well... I can do it whenever I'm Lord Darkmoon, but then... I'm out of control; not myself at all. I destroy, and kill, and don't stop until I collapse. Mmm. Completely out of control? I mean, would you attack a friend? A teammate? I... I have. Almost killed a Princess after slaughtering Ningyo. Took two others to play lion tamer until I exhausted myself. * Sakura nods. That would explain... the vibes I was getting. And why you're here. This is why I don't do it. Ever. And why my only weapon is my bokken. Vibes...? Like I said, a few of them almost seemed afraid of you. Oh. I really didn't mean to do it! But, er, anyway. I won't do it. I don't like it, and it isn't useful. So, um... In an emergency - if I told you to - would you? ...maybe it's too soon to ask that question. ... ... If there was no other choice. I mean...it's better to risk it then to let us die for certain, isn't it? I just can't believe that your power could be so... malevolent. It doesn't fit with what I know of... things. Regardless, I'm glad you told me. * Rin laughs quiety...then stops. "Huh?" Doesn't fit? *leans forward* What do you mean? * Sakura thinks. ...there are some secrets that I do not have permission to reveal. ...I understand. If I expect you to keep mine, then I shouldn't pry for those of others. But, our power - the powers that all Magical Girls have - does have a purpose. And it is not part of that purpose to be in conflict with itself. Oh. It's inevitable that we, the people who bear the power, will fight and despise one another - in any group, that happens. But that the power itself should try to oppose us... that bears some thought. I'm sorry. I shouldn't drag you into my musings. No, no. This is facinating. But, if you don't want to discuss it, I understand. Do you have male clothing? Or can you change your clothing into whatever you want? * Rin smiles mischeivously, and picks up the bokken. It changes into an iron and black silk fan. "This is a useful little toy." * Rin opens the fan, pulls it across her face, and snaps it shut. She's now dressed in a boy's uniform. ^^ No offense, but you make that look good. Uh... thanks. *snaps the fan again, now dressed in a woman's kimono* I prefer to dress this way, though. You know, maybe I should loan it to Taki-san...but I can't transform without it. ...right. Right. Maybe I should organize a group meeting where we all discuss our powers. *nods* May I go, now? Some of the Pets back home need to be fed, others need to be let out. But that's for later. All right. Be here Tuesday, in civillian clothes. After school, as soon as you can make it. All right? * Rin nods, and points the tessen at the floor. Moving it in a half-circle like a clock-hand, the background changes to show a dark purple moon rising behind her. When the background fades, Lord Darkmoon is standing there once more, wearing the boy's uniform. Nice effects. [end mini] Session Close: Sat Oct 25 19:46:23 2003