Session Start: Sat Apr 03 20:28:39 2004 Much later: [Friday, December 5, 2003 - 230 local time] [Sakura's place.] [mini start] ... mmmngh... * Maya opens one eye, taking her sweet time in coming back to the land of the living. After all, having one's head nearly blown apart does have a lasting effect, healing or no. The team is sprawled over various furniture around the apartment. Most of it, anyway - Darkmoon is not in sight, Sakura is presumably back in her (closed) bedroom, Minami is somewhere. Pretty much everyone is obviously asleep, though Anzu is huddled against one wall with her eyes open. Lady Amplifier is at a desk, reading something under a dimmed table lamp. * Maya takes a moment to assess how far she's recovered, then hauls herself up and takes a look around. As soon as she spots Handcuff and Amp, she ambles over, less than steadily. "... hey. Not sleeping?" Amplifier quite aggressively ignores Maya. ...huh? I suppose not. * LadyMysteria comes to a stop in front of Anzu and sits, rubbing her temples, then wiping at her nose. "... ghn, need to clean up later... anyway, um... there's a lot I really need to apologize for..." ...why? * Anzu looks down. "You did your duty. You did what your Princess told you to do." Well, I really don't like lying to people, even if it's my job to. You had me fooled. * Anzu twists her face into a frustrated smile. We'll just see if that was a good thing or a bad thing. * LadyMysteria chuckles, emptily. "I guess. All I can tell you is that the Queen isn't as bad as you think at all." She pauses. "... she's a bit of a priss sometimes, but she's vital to our fight against the Ningyo." Besides, you'll probably be assigned to a new team... you may even eventually lead one. You're strong for a Lady. Really strong. ...really? The Queen isn't going to lock us in a dungeon or throw us out to sea or something? I mean, we're rebels. We tried to... kill you. It may not seem like it, but every Lady is important in some way... and besides, it was Pie who had you tricked. You had to follow her orders. *sniff* Amp says we have killed Ladies before. * LadyMysteria saddens a little at the mention of Pie, thumbing at her lip. "... you don't remember any of it?" I mean our team did. I'm new, and... you would have been the first one. And the Princess was always going on about how vindictive the Queen was... was that entirely untrue? * LadyMysteria nods, slowly. "It's horrible, yes, but... now that's in your past, Anzu. You should never have to worry about doing something like that ever again. As for being vindictive..." I'd lock me away. *bites lip, trembles slightly* * LadyMysteria chuckles to herself. "The Queen acts like a child sometimes, but she's fair. Pie simply may have wanted to become her own boss... and I wouldn't." ... because you have a mother and a father you need to get back home to tomorrow, because I'm sure they're worried to death about you right now. ...I hope you're right. I can't quite believe it, but I hope you're right. * LadyMysteria offers another, warmer smile. "I hope so, too... anyway, if no one's told you, I'm Lady Mysteria... but you can call me Maya." I'm... Anzu. I know. ^^ * Anzu sit-bows. "You're too kind, Lady Mysteria." This is a scary, dangerous job we have, Anzu. If we can't learn how to respect, care for and love one another, we'll fail. So... I guess I try to think with my heart first. Amp... Amp called you the Queen's hit squad earlier. * Anzu blushes. I think she's mellowed out a little since then, but... * LadyMysteria hehs at the mention of 'hit squad'. "Far from it. We just... as far as I can tell you, we're answer-seekers." Protectors. That sort of thing. And you were called in because of Lady Spoon, then? And stumbled into... us. No, we were called because of you. * LadyMysteria leans back on her hands. "Things just fell into place from there... you've been in the middle of it, so I guess I can tell you that." I don't understand. There was word that you were the target, not Spoon. ...me? * LadyMysteria nods once. "Mmm-hmm. Had to do a bit of digging to find out what we did, and then everything went wrong and Spoon died." Her mouth turns down a bit. But... but... how...? * Anzu shrinks. Maybe I'd be better off not knowing. There's a lot we don't know. That's the bad part... * LadyMysteria stares at the ceiling. "So we're trying to fill in the blanks." * Anzu sits, huddled. After a minute she tears up a little. "Princess..." * LadyMysteria takes a long moment to act, but finally scoots by Anzu and pats her on the shoulder. "It's alright... I wish it didn't have to be this way, too..." I... I don't know what she was anymore, but she always was so *good* to me... She really cared about you all, more than I see most Princesses care about us Ladies. But at the same time she... was brutal, in a way. * LadyMysteria pauses. "Were you... tested, like she tried to test me, Anzu?" But... she had to. And it was her... ... ...her right to. * LadyMysteria shudders. I know you think... it is... oh gods. * Anzu shudders violently. *ranting, trying to convince herself* I pulled the trigger. It was the right thing to do. I proved I was hers. * LadyMysteria turns the pat into a bit of a consoling one-armed hug. "I think it's best you stop thinking about it and get some rest. It's been a crazy night for all of us." ... and you, orders or no... are nobody's but your own. * Anzu pulls away slightly. "But you resisted. Others resisted. I'm... I'm not strong enough to be my own." I resisted because I have orders to obey no one but the Queen and Sakura. Otherwise, I would have had to do it. ...maybe. * Anzu turns away. ...maybe. ... please, Anzu. Rest. * LadyMysteria slowly hauls herself up to her feet. "We'll sort it out tomorrow... I promise." I'll try, Lady Mysteria. I really will. * LadyMysteria offers Anzu one more smile. "... please. Just Maya." That said, she moves to the bathroom to wash up a bit. [end mini]