Session Start: Sat Jul 17 21:54:07 2004 [Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 0700 local time] [Blossom Detective Agency] [mini start] * PrincessSakura is already in the back when Maya arrives at the agency early- early for the meeting. She's transformed and dressed in a conservative blue (! - she NEVER wears blue) suit. * Anzu is not transformed, though. She's holding a large briefcase. * Maya makes with the arriving, looking like she really wanted to sleep in for the day. Nonetheless, she looks well-groomed and happy-gothy as seems to be her clothing taste, yawning once. "... mmmn. How early am I?" Not at all. * PrincessSakura looks groggy, and unhappy. Too early. ...Sakura-san is relentless. It's always too early, these kind of meetings. And she's... well, I figure it's part of the job. * Maya parks her butt in a chair and yawns again. Yeah, it's not fair - you ought to have the time to just grow up normally. And get up normally. Anyway, I have some general business for the team later, and places to be mid-morning, so we have to do this now. I am, uh, going to give Leena a tongue-lashing. Why am I not surprised? Heh. * PrincessSakura half-grins. * Maya tries to smile, but the attempt fails miserably. "I do not know what to do about that girl, aside from outright ordering her." It may come to that. If she gives me any grief at all today, I *will* do that. She's a spitfire, and she's stuck in Normal Magical Girl Mode. And now that she can actually take people out with little hesitation... meh. At least she's reliable, now. Reliable, huh? * Maya takes a moment to smile Anzu's way. "Well, she was a big help when our... friend was jumped after that one delivery." * Anzu smiles back. No whining, no hesitation, just... one and out. Turned out a lot better than I thought it would. That was good initiative. ...but yesterday, when the Sea Magic wave first hit, she decided to just hoof it away from the school, and ignored Oldman's summons to the office. * PrincessSakura grimaces. We had a fucking PLAN for this sort of circumstance, and little loony Leena goes and decides that she's going to take on the Big Boss all by her lonesome. God DAMN it. * Anzu puts a restraining hand on Sakura's shoulder. Sakura brushes it off, but does calm down. ... *mmmmn*. * Maya makes a face. She obviously didn't like hearing that. "I swear sometimes..." As it turned out, she ran into the others and joined them instead of just crashing in on her own. When I felt that, I'll admit I jumped, but... yeah, I can see that being typical trigger-happy Leena. But I got to hear about this from Princess Flare, who heard about it from one of her girls, who heard Oldman talking to another girl about it at the staging point. * Maya stares at the ceiling, exhaling. "I guess I can leave her to you for now. Just try to talk some sense into her, and pray it sticks... oh, yuck. Grapevine information-getting is the worst." If I hadn't heard it before it got to Squeegee or the Queen, and had a story ready... she wouldn't be getting just a tongue-lashing, and she wouldn't be getting it from me. * Maya shudders at the thought. You know? So... she gets a piece of my mind first thing. She's all yours. Like I can stop you. * Maya offers a small, uneasy smile. "... and Anzu, how's life been treating you?" * PrincessSakura sighs. Oh, it's going all right. The Princess here keeps me running. All very interesting, but quite long days. Same here, generally. Well, the Deer job was a close call. I wish I hadn't been sick, then... oh, heh. Welcome to the life. It begins and ends with the sun, almost. My parents are happy, though, since they think that I've gotten an internship with an up-and-coming businesswoman. * Anzu smiles. I suppose I have, after a fashion. The Queen likes her, because she's so meek. I like her, because she's reliable and smart. Not going to train her for real combat ops, though. Well, Sakura is up-and-coming. You don't know how proud we are that she's our Princess. And... hah! Is that so? I bet she gets tired of all the grumpy people, after all... * Maya nods at the second bit of info. "Good. In all honesty, if she can avoid our job, she should." You guys have got to be crazy, to do this job. * PrincessSakura bats Anzu on the shoulder lightly. "It's not exactly their first choice, either." Yeah, really. But... * Maya chuckles. "It's our job. So we'll do it as best as we can. Who knows, maybe this is temporary?" ... man, I'm too optimistic for my own good sometimes, I swear. Don't count on it. Even in the best scenario, the Queen seems to like the idea of an intel and spec-ops service. Of course if there weren't guys actively hunting Ladies down, this would a lot less ugly of a job. Well, yeah. It's the fighting that's the worst part. ... I still remember what that pie felt like. Anyway... what I really wanted to talk to you about was Haruko. I'm so sorry about just dumping her on you like that. May I ask something frank first off? Please. ... no offense to her, but is she... ah... mentally unstable? * Maya looks down at her feet, like she didn't want to word it that way. I think the precise term you're looking for is delusional. Yes. But it's amazing. This centers around her powers and everything. It's unlike anything I've ever heard of before from a magical girl. So far as we - that's Her Majesty, her former teammates, and a few, uh, specialists - can tell, all of her friends are essentially projections of herself. Except they really do have separate personalities. And they all have subtly different powers. Well, the "senshi" do - the others are quite different. So she's versatile, then? Yes... and when she gets a couple of them to come out and play, she can do quite well. But she herself is almost useless in combat. But what really, really drove everyone around her nuts is her belief in the whole backstory of her companions. She's petitioned the Queen to help them several times. She was so insistent this last time... well, let's just say she ended up here, and skip the unpleasantness in the middle. I've been catching bits and pieces. It's... well, it's pretty much the plot of every little show I've seen that they base on us. But I figure it would just be devastating to try and convince her otherwise... unpleasantness? * Maya squirms. "No, don't tell, don't tell. Just... gah." * PrincessSakura does a passable imitation of the Queen. "Sakura, dear, you're so good with the strange ones, maybe your troop can sort her out!" * Anzu giggles into her hand. ... Well, something like that, anyway. * Maya rolls her eyes. "Ah, the Queen. She loves us, but we're still just somewhere between useful and overly quirky. Or just PR nightmares." Yes. You understand exactly. She's had years to develop that mental habit - it will be years, I fear, breaking her of it. Anzu is one of my first steps on that road. I am? *big blink* Hm? Something I missed? She's pretty well-adjusted, all the meekness aside. Sure, you're normal, and working with me. Maybe next time we have to add someone to the ops squad, I'll be able to get an average Lady. * PrincessSakura turns back to Maya. "No offense intended." Well, I am average. ... I think that's my biggest problem. I'm too average, powers aside. Mmm. In any case, do what you need to do to get Haruko settled in and productive. I'll do my best, trust me. If she can work with us, then I'll be glad to have her along. Judging from her history, browbeating her won't work, so... sympathy and non-denial of her little fantasy might be best. I'm good at that, at least. She's on the Queen's shit list, too. Most of you have built up some credit with Her Majesty, but... if Haruko causes problems, she might just... disappear. * Maya chuckles into her hand. "... Sakura?" What did it feel like to become a Princess? Hmm? It was glorious, it was nothing. * Maya boggles at the answer for a bit. "Really." It was like I was suddenly *more* than I was before. But at the same time, I didn't feel any different, and I was as shocked as you were when my gun imploded Pie. * Anzu winces. Sakura doesn't notice. * Maya gives Anzu a momentary, comfort-minded look. "Well, I just heard it, but I knew something had happened. Something big... but that's the past. And now, you have a Leena to yell at." And both perspectives are still true. I know that I have the power to destroy almost any one thing that I can see, and I marvel at it. But when I transform, it doesn't feel any different. * PrincessSakura smirks at Maya. So you're still Sakura, no matter what. You, yourself are on the fast track for promotion. Most spontaneous ones happen to team leaders. I... I dunno if I'd actually be ready or worthy of that. And then... well... I could show you the numbers. Squeegee has statistics on *everything*. * Maya sighs. "For all that comes with it, there'd be a good chance I'd be taken off the field, and... I don't *know*, but I don't think I could deal with that." Eh, don't sweat it - it's still only a one in three chance. And you are somewhat younger - I got this slot as much because of my seniority and experience as my title. And it surely won't happen for a couple of years. That's true. So... I guess I just have to make it until then, hm? * Maya smiles that familiar smile of hers. I worry about the Hierarchy sometimes. There just aren't enough layers, and promotion has been... quirky. Sakura... Yeah, yeah. That's not a discussion I should start here. * PrincessSakura checks her watch. It is what it is. And in all things... I will trust the Queen. Eh, they'll be here soon. I need to freshen up. ... time? Oh, okay. I'll go out and wait for them. I need to go over a few things with the Secretary anyway. Not all things, surely. *grin* * PrincessSakura stands and stretches. ... okay, most things. * Maya grins back. "But someone has to be the good frontwoman, so..." [end mini] Session Close: Sat Jul 17 23:08:29 2004