Session Start: Mon Oct 18 21:59:31 2004
<Ked> So Sakura hung around the Agency into the evening, taking advantage of its 
facilities, electronic and fluidic.
<Ked> Eventually, Taki came back from the prefectural police HQ with a manila 
envelope filled with copies of the composite sketch that she helped with there.
<Ked> The Secretary lets her in, and she finds that Sakura, still transformed, 
is studying a map on the big screen.  Anzu has detransformed and looks like she 
is going to doze off at the computer station.
<Ked> [evening of January 31, 2004]
<Ked> [mini start]
* Anzu looks up and waves tiredly.
* LadyNightshade enters the main area with the envelope tucked in her arms. She 
had talked the others into letting her return it by herself.
* LadyNightshade waves politely back at Anzu, before turning to Sakura. "... Hi 
Sakura."
* PrincessSakura turns around.
<PrincessSakura> Ah, Taki.  How did it go?
<LadyNightshade> It went okay. I guess. I've never talked to the police before. 
Never even been in a police station...
<PrincessSakura> Not that you didn't try.  *smirk*
<LadyNightshade> I generally tried to avoid them on principle. *nervous smile*
<PrincessSakura> Or wouldn't have tried, I should say.  Anyway, let's see.
* LadyNightshade steps closer to the other girl and hands her the envelope.
* PrincessSakura opens it, riffles through the contents, then removes one copy.
<PrincessSakura> Hm.  Well, I suppose that will do - not exactly detailed, but 
the two of them together ought to be distinct.
* LadyNightshade doesn't even really glance at it. She's seen it more than 
enough this evening.
* PrincessSakura jabs a finger at the map on the screen.
<LadyNightshade> Yeah. I'll try and find them as quick as I can.
<PrincessSakura> No.
<LadyNightshade> What?
<PrincessSakura> We're all going out together, early tomorrow morning.
<LadyNightshade> Oh... of course.
<PrincessSakura> This neighborhood, HERE.  That's where they probably are.  
Apartments within five minutes walking distance of the mall.  We will canvass, 
we will learn where they live, and we will get our own back.
<LadyNightshade> I meant when we were all looking together... *wasn't planning 
on going out on her own tonight, really.*
<PrincessSakura> Sure you did, Taki.
* PrincessSakura didn't make that too sarcastic - just enough to express 
tolerant doubt.
<LadyNightshade> I do work better at night though... With the sun being out it 
makes it hard.
<PrincessSakura> I know... but it's better to do this as a team, I think.
<LadyNightshade> Yeah. But still if they see anyone snooping around... It might 
put Junko in danger.
<LadyNightshade> Sorry, it's not my place to question the plans. You put Maya in 
charge...
<PrincessSakura> No, I'll be along for this one.  There are a couple of possible 
scenarios where you'll need me.
<LadyNightshade> Like they work for someone else?
* PrincessSakura wrinkles her nose with distaste.
<PrincessSakura> More like they don't work for someone else.
<LadyNightshade> ...
* LadyNightshade shudders and pales quite a bit at the thought.
<LadyNightshade> I don't get how people can be like that...
<PrincessSakura> You don't need to, Taki.
* PrincessSakura turns away from the map.
<LadyNightshade> But if it was me... Oh god... *takes a seat on the couch 
abruptly*
* PrincessSakura goes around behind Taki and lightly hugs her.
* LadyNightshade blushes a bit at the touch.
<PrincessSakura> Don't... think too hard about that sort of thing.  You'll make 
yourself as paranoid as the Princesses.
<LadyNightshade> I try not to. I try to think that everything has a greater 
purpose and random bad things don't just... happen. It's hard sometimes, though.
* PrincessSakura sighs.  "Though in truth, their paranoias are somewhat more... 
arcane."
<LadyNightshade> About the Ningyo?
<PrincessSakura> ...no.
<LadyNightshade> ... *ponders*
<PrincessSakura> Random bad shit does happen, Taki.  If it didn't - if the Earth 
Magic or whatever other deity you care to believe in could make things work out 
right - then there wouldn't be a need for us.
<PrincessSakura> Call it free will.  Call it random outcomes.  Call it the 
balance of fate.  Just don't use it as an excuse to simply accept it.
<LadyNightshade> Fate is hard to fight though...
<PrincessSakura> Destiny is hard to fight.  Fate can go fuck itself.
* Anzu is taking notes again.
* LadyNightshade smiles a bit at that.
* PrincessSakura lets go of Taki.
<PrincessSakura> So.  Black?
* LadyNightshade looks almost sad at being let go.
<LadyNightshade> I don't know if Maya talked to you much about what happened 
at... at my home village.
<PrincessSakura> Hardly at all.
<LadyNightshade> Oh.
<PrincessSakura> Not any of the detail, anyway - just that your father seems to 
be in charge now and has declared a truce.
<LadyNightshade> I'm not sure what happened, myself. It wasn't even like a heat 
of the moment thing like when you... Princess'd out.
* PrincessSakura makes encouraging motions.
<LadyNightshade> He was always in charge. He just reasserted himself as the 
leader.
<PrincessSakura> Politics?
<LadyNightshade> Bureaucracy. He brought clans together, and the council 
influenced more and more decisions and he kinda... let things slip.
<LadyNightshade> I think my going there was a good thing. Even if it was a dead 
end as far as finding Junko goes...
<PrincessSakura> Well, it was a delay.  You guys really should have put some of 
the pieces together better, though that may largely be Leena's fault.
<LadyNightshade> It wasn't his fault that the clan entered into the contract 
with the assassins. The council out voted him. And it was good for the village. 
Financially, anyway.
<PrincessSakura> Did you find out who hired them?
<LadyNightshade> I'm sorry. I should've been more aware. I was just... There was 
so much I had to accept about my past so suddenly. Things I'd been avoiding... I 
had to visit them again, even if it had been without the team.
<LadyNightshade> My Dad said it's wouldn't be honorable to betray them like 
that. ... But I still have a fairly good idea.
<PrincessSakura> Hmm?
<LadyNightshade> My Mom, she said I should avoid shipyards. Or... you know, NOT 
avoid them as the case may be.
<PrincessSakura> ...right.
<LadyNightshade> So after we got Junko back, I wanted to... continue my 
investigation.
<PrincessSakura> Well... it might be better if you didn't.  Squeegee is still 
evaluating Hitachi-2osen, and she doesn't want anyone spooking them more than 
they already are.
* PrincessSakura frowns.  "She's been taking her sweet time about it, though.  I 
should ask her to share."
<PrincessSakura> But... black?
<LadyNightshade> ... *avoids pressing matters for now* Anyway, to show the 
council that they were hurting their own with the contract, Dad told me to 
transform in front of everyone. And when I did, when I thought everyone would 
see my in my pink... thing, it ended up complete black. It was a relief, but 
still. I don't like people seeing me transform.
<PrincessSakura> Huh.  Just cosmetic?
<LadyNightshade> And it's not just a color change... I feel stronger. And 
faster.
<LadyNightshade> Does this sort of thing happen often? I mean, I'm not a 
Princess now... I'm not, right?
<PrincessSakura> Well...  who are you?  Can you say that you're Princess 
Nightshade?
<LadyNightshade> I'm... Lady Nightshade.
<PrincessSakura> Well, there you go.
<LadyNightshade> Still, it's weird. I've never heard about this happening 
before.
<PrincessSakura> Power upgrades aren't exactly common... but they're not 
unheard-of either.
<PrincessSakura> The self-upgrade to Princess seems to be a combination of 
experience and emotion in battle.
<LadyNightshade> I don't think I could handle being a Princess...
<LadyNightshade> Not when I have to inherit a Ninja Clan too.
* LadyNightshade looks over to Anzu. "Er, please don't write that down..."
<PrincessSakura> Power upgrades are more... well, they can happen in battle too, 
but they seem to happen more naturally as a Lady matures, and perhaps when one 
comes to grips with what one is on some level.
<Anzu> No, no, I was just writing down the Princess's little speech earlier.
<LadyNightshade> So... I'm a better person now? I don't feel any better really. 
I got really mad at Haruko for that whole fucking puppy thing...
<PrincessSakura> Self-realization brings - geez, Anzu, I was just being profane.
<PrincessSakura> Don't think of it as being better - think of it as knowing 
yourself better.
* LadyNightshade smiles a bit at Sakura for the profane bit.
<LadyNightshade> Oh. So... now I guess I have to put that knowledge to good use?
<PrincessSakura> Anyway, a lot of girls find that their powers grow slowly over 
time - you just got a bunch of yours at once.
<PrincessSakura> You can do whatever the hell you want to with the knowledge.
<LadyNightshade> Well, technically yeah.
<LadyNightshade> But I don't want to disappoint my parents...
<LadyNightshade> It's weird, I didn't even think they cared.
* LadyNightshade swallows and looks a bit embarrassed to admit that.
* PrincessSakura half-smiles.
<PrincessSakura> It's good that you got together with them.
<LadyNightshade> And I need to work harder at my training. I wasn't even 
thinking about it that much. I just kept the same routine every morning. I 
should've been pushing myself to improve instead of just staying the same...
<PrincessSakura> Unfortunately, we *gestures vaguely at herself* can't help you 
in that regard very much.
<PrincessSakura> Well, I can get you in a lot of fights... but you're the most 
skilled fighter I know.
* LadyNightshade blushes a bit and looks down.
<LadyNightshade> No offense, but that might be why I thought I was doing fine.
<LadyNightshade> But... if I didn't get this upgrade, I might've died that day.
<PrincessSakura> Ah.
<LadyNightshade> I was challenged to a duel of honor, because of one of the 
ninjas that was killed at the Mall. I couldn't say no, but I was sure she was 
going to beat me...
* PrincessSakura knows nothing of ninja-stuff, so she doesn't know what to say.
* LadyNightshade looks a bit embarrassed that she was talking about things that 
no one else knew about. "Uh... anyway, my parents said they'd work something out 
so I could advance my training and stay here and continue working."
<PrincessSakura> Hm.  We'll see how that works  out.
<LadyNightshade> I hope this doesn't mean I end up with a strange roommate or 
something...
<PrincessSakura> If you get even better in a brawl, I frankly don't care if you 
have an unwanted roommate.
* LadyNightshade blushes again.
<LadyNightshade> I'm... not that good. Really.
<PrincessSakura> Sure.
<LadyNightshade> I'd make sure you approved of whatever I had to do though...
<PrincessSakura> Taki, as long as you can perform your role in this team, I 
really don't care what else you have to do.
* LadyNightshade nods.
<LadyNightshade> Um... My parents asked me a hard question. They wanted to know 
what side I'd be on if there ever became a problem between our clan and the 
Queen...
<PrincessSakura> Hmm.  Well, that rather depends on the Queen.
<LadyNightshade> Yeah. She does kind of dictate what I can do.
<PrincessSakura> I'd hope she would have the common sense not to force any 
issues, and I would advise her that way.  But she has... other priorities.
<LadyNightshade> I had to tell my parents that I'd defend the clan though.
<LadyNightshade> And I don't think I could if she ordered me not to...
* PrincessSakura sighs.
<LadyNightshade> I don't like what if's. I'd like to think that I'd try and 
prevent anything like that from happening. That I'd do the best for everyone 
concerned. But it's hard to live up to your own ideals sometimes...
<LadyNightshade> I don't want anyone to get hurt. *whimpers a bit*
<PrincessSakura> Keep your clan away from this mess.  That's the only way you'll 
be able to work through this.
<LadyNightshade> You don't think they should help us in our fight?
* LadyNightshade swallows back on her emotions she almost let out.
* PrincessSakura looks away.
<PrincessSakura> I don't think that we know what the fight is well enough to be 
bringing outsiders in to fight it for us.
<LadyNightshade> ... I suppose not.
<LadyNightshade> So you're not mad at me, are you?
<PrincessSakura> For what?
<LadyNightshade> Um... for not telling you... about stuff. When we left, I 
thought you were never going to talk to me again...
<PrincessSakura> Oh.
* PrincessSakura sits on the arm of a chair.
<PrincessSakura> I'd almost forgotten about that today.
<LadyNightshade> Sorry...
<PrincessSakura> Look, Taki, fundamentally you have the same problem as Leena.
<LadyNightshade> ... What do you mean?
<PrincessSakura> Both of you want to deal with everything on your own terms.
<LadyNightshade> ... I just don't want to worry anyone else...
<PrincessSakura> Turn that around, Taki.  You don't have the right *not* to 
worry anyone else.
<PrincessSakura> If you can't communicate your problems with your teammates - 
especially ones that relate to business - then you're not really part of the 
team.
<PrincessSakura> The reason why you kids are so successful where I had lots of 
failures over the years is because you are a team.
<PrincessSakura> If you can't be a part of the team, then we have a problem.
<LadyNightshade> But... I didn't want to get them in trouble. I'm not supposed 
to tell anyone who I am or where I'm from... People could die because of 
knowledge like that... I should've told you as soon as I knew that my clan was 
involved...
* PrincessSakura laughs.
<PrincessSakura> Taki, all of you - ALL of us - are in such deep shit already, 
whatever you bring to the table isn't going to matter much.
<LadyNightshade> ... I suppose not.
<LadyNightshade> I guess it was habit.
<PrincessSakura> Now.  *looks Taki in the eye*  Do we have a problem?
<LadyNightshade> I'm really not used to people listening or caring what I have 
to say.
<LadyNightshade> Well there's a girl that's been kidnapped that we need to 
rescue and a shipyard that needs some blowing up. *awkward smile*
<PrincessSakura> That wasn't what I asked, Taki.
<LadyNightshade> I know.
<LadyNightshade> I'll work with the team. I'll be good.
<LadyNightshade> I'll... stop doing my own thing.
<PrincessSakura> Don't stop doing your own thing.
<PrincessSakura> Just... don't shut the team out of it, okay?
<LadyNightshade> Alright.
<PrincessSakura> Now, go home and get some sleep.  We're up early tomorrow.
<LadyNightshade> Okay. Though I really don't think I'll be able to sleep.
<LadyNightshade> Too much to think about...
<PrincessSakura> Hmph.
<PrincessSakura> Anzu, get the hot tub going again.  And send my apologies to 
Squeegee and Purity - I'm going to spend the night here.
<PrincessSakura> Taki, go home.
* LadyNightshade looks down and thinks for a moment. "I really miss you being 
around all the time."
<LadyNightshade> ... Sorry for taking your time.
* PrincessSakura makes shooing motions as Anzu follows orders.
<PrincessSakura> Don't be sorry.  Just be ready tomorrow.
* LadyNightshade turns to leave before remembering she's still in uniform.
* LadyNightshade detransforms as she heads towards the door.
<PrincessSakura> Good night.
<Taki> I will be. Night night.
<Ked> [end session]
* Taki waves a bit before rushing out.