Session Start: Sat Dec 04 16:14:50 2004

<Ked> Last time, on Hunters:
<Ked> The Takeuchi Memorial history teacher continued to stick her nose into the 
team's business, this time cornering Taki, Minami, and Kyouko in her office 
until they told her their work consisted of errands for a detective agency.  The 
teacher was appalled, and promised further action.
<Ked> Junko's story finally hit the newspapers, and media attention focussed 
closely on the school.  The Card Club was thoroughly traumatized, and so was Tea 
Club, if perhaps a little less obviously.  The Princesses on hand gave the 
Ladies of the club a more formal introduction to the Hunters, and asked them to 
report suspicious activity to the team.
<Ked> After school, Anzu called the team up and invited all of them over to her 
place for a spur-of-the-moment slumber party.  Despite Norcliff having a weird, 
sick feeling about it, they accepted, and met Lord Darkmoon at the train station 
in Soka.  They were nearly to Anzu's place when a hardhat meteorite blazed down 
out of the sky and blew up their destination.
<Ked> Lady Hardhat was nowhere to be found, but the team did manage to extract a 
still-living Anzu from the rubble.  They rode with her to the local hospital, 
and are waiting outside the emergency room as Sakura comes running in.
<Ked> [Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 2010 local time]
<Ked> [Soka Community Hospital]
<Ked> [session start]
* Lord_Darkmoon rises from his seat (coincidentally next to Maya's) when Sakura 
runs in, and bows.
* PrincessSakura charges in through the emergency entrance.  She's wearing a 
somewhat grummy and paint-spattered pair of overalls and a dark pink winter 
coat, and nothing else.
* Lady_MakeBelieve looks up from her notes
* Maya shoots up from her seat and fixes on Sakura as she marches in. "... not 
the best of times to meet, Sakura."
* LadyNightshade looks up a bit at Sakura from her spot lurking in the corner.
* Leena half-heartedly waves at Sakura.
<PrincessSakura> ...how is she?
<Lord_Darkmoon> We don't know yet.
<Leena> Dunno...
* PrincessSakura eyes Maya.  "What?  What was I supposed to do about this?"
<Maya> No, it's just that I would have preferred to say hello on happier 
terms... but...
<LadyNightshade> ...
* Maya exhales. "You know how I am about Anzu. I'm a mess right now."
<PrincessSakura> *nod*
* Lord_Darkmoon tentatively rests a supportive hand on Maya's shoulder.
* Leena sighs. "You're not the only one."
* PrincessSakura pulls the group over to a quiet corner.  "Tell me what 
happened."
* Leena is pulled over! "Uh... where to start."
<Leena> The call!
<Lord_Darkmoon> I got a call from Anzu, inviting me to her house for a party 
with the rest of the team. I assumed you knew about it...did you?
<LadyNightshade> We were going over to her place for a slumber party thing... 
and just as everyone got there, a hard hat came from the sky and demolished the 
house.
<Leena> She said she'd try to get you to come too.
<PrincessSakura> I told her no.  Was trying to get my apartment painted.
<Leena> Norcliff had a really bad feeling about the whole deal, since the moment 
the phone rang.
<LadyNightshade> We could've helped with that...
<LadyNightshade> I mean, sorry. Not the time for that. -_-
<PrincessSakura> *blink*  A hard hat?  ...and I give you enough crap to do 
without drafting you for home improvement chores.
* Maya sighs and leans slightly in the direction of Rin as she lets the others 
talk. "A hard hat, yes."
<Lord_Darkmoon> It was...something malevolent. I've never felt anything like it; 
somehow, though, Norcliff sensed *lowers his voice* Earth magic *returns to the 
more normal conversational tones* that was hostile towards us.
* Leena nods glumly. "A hardhat."
* Leena looks up at Sakura. "You... you haven't had more luck than me trying to 
find her, have you?"
* PrincessSakura turns to regard Norcliff.  "How... interesting.  I'd have liked 
to learn that under better circumstances, but..."
* LadyNightshade mumbles something about how she wouldn't mind helping with 
chores.
* Lord_Darkmoon puts his arm over Maya's shoulders when the girl leans towards 
him.
<Maya> ... what bothers me that... if it's her, we might have to hunt her down.
<PrincessSakura> I've just been hearing a few sighting reports.
<Leena> ... hunt.
* PrincessSakura sighs.
<Leena> ... I'd rather find her, than hunt her.
<LadyNightshade> ... We should be looking for her right now...
<PrincessSakura> Did you actually see her tonight?
<Leena> Anzu, yes. Hardhat, no.
<LadyNightshade> No... I tried looking, but I didn't know where to start...
* Leena shrugs. "I've been looking for her a lot myself. ... even if I couldn't 
get a partner."
<Leena> Which has been most of the time, really.
<PrincessSakura> So this is some sort of long-ranged attack.  And one we didn't 
see before...  gah - Leena, I TOLD you not to do that alone!
<Maya> Leena, if you're going to do that kind of thing, ask me at the least. 
I'll probably agree to it, if only to keep an eye out for you.
* PrincessSakura holds her head - too many things going wrong at once!
<LadyNightshade> I asked you too to wait for the rest of the team...
<Leena> ... going alone is the only way. She's not gonna do anything with more 
than one, especially of the same team around!
<Leena> ... maybe not now, though...
<PrincessSakura> *growling* Leeeeeenaaaa...
<Lord_Darkmoon> Anzu was very insistent about the time. If we'd been there on 
time...this was too "perfectly" timed.
* Lord_Darkmoon is staring at the wall, thinking out loud.
<Leena> Save it! I'll be fine!
<Maya> Someone knew, then? But... how?
<Leena> I don't mind taking a few lickings if it means I could find her.
<LadyNightshade> Maybe she was spying on her old teammate?
<PrincessSakura> If you risk yourself like that again, *I'll* hand you off to 
Squeegee myself.
* Leena laughs hollowly at 'risk,' then catches herself, and sighs.
* Maya winces, a tiny bit. "Maybe... but for revenge? Or more? She's not exactly 
broken from Pie's orders, is she?"
<Lord_Darkmoon> We need to ask her...maybe it wasn't Anzu that invited us. 
Though I don't know how Hardhat would mimic her voice or cell... *shakes his 
head* I'm thinking too hard about this. Next I'll be looking for the men in 
black.
<LadyNightshade> Do you think she'd come after us next?
<Leena> Maybe she made Princess and Ordered Anzu to bring us over?
<LadyNightshade> ... Or Sakura?
<Leena> I'm gonna ask her about that when she wakes... but now that I think of 
it, we'd need a Princess ourselves.
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...Isn't Anzu under orders from the Queen, like our team?
* PrincessSakura slumps.  "It's obvious, in retrospect, at least to some extent.  
Hardhat would know where Anzu lived."
<PrincessSakura> I'm not sure if there's any more to it than that.  We'll have 
to ask Anzu.  I hope we can ask her.
<PrincessSakura> If it was a trap though, why would it have been sprung before 
you got there?  Especially if Anzu was somehow in on it.
<LadyNightshade> If we could get her to transform, she'd heal right up...
<Lord_Darkmoon> I don't think Anzu was in on it. *shakes his head*
<LadyNightshade> Maybe she couldn't see the place and she was just going off the 
time she was given?
<Leena> ... then Hardhat found out on her own, or she got Anzu to go along with 
it against her will.
<Maya> You're not the only one who can hope... and she'd have to consciously 
wish for it, Taki. If she pulls through, she'll be fine. Otherwise...
<Lord_Darkmoon> But I think Anzu knew nothing about this little party. I think 
Hardhat was long-range planning this strike; that's why the time was so 
important.
<Leena> Nuh-uh.
<Leena> Sakura refused, remember?
<Lord_Darkmoon> So? She could still get the rest of us.
<Leena> But Hardhat wouldn't be able to trick Sakura, I think.
<Leena> Or pass as Anzu, anyway.
* Leena glances at Sakura. "How much time do you two spend around each other, 
anyway?"
<Lord_Darkmoon> That's the part that bothers me.
<PrincessSakura> A lot these days.  She's quite the efficient little secretary.
<PrincessSakura> ...it sure sounded like her.  Right down to the little nuances.
<Maya> Any reaction from the Queen, or does she even know?
* Leena blows air though her lips, 'phhping.' "As if she'd care."
<LadyNightshade> I still think that Hardhat was just monitoring Anzu's calls.
<PrincessSakura> I passed the news along to the palace while I was at a 
stoplight.  Don't know if Her Majesty actually knows yet.
<Leena> ... too complicated, anyway.
<Leena> Hardhat found out on her own, or forced Anzu into it.
<PrincessSakura> Gods, what a mess.
* PrincessSakura finally sits down.
* Leena sighs. "... we can figure out which one of those it is when Anzu's up 
enough to talk to."
<LadyNightshade> So what do we do now? How do we find her?
<LadyNightshade> We can figure it out when we find Hardhat.
<Maya> That would be the best of ideas... Sakura, you said there were some 
sightings?
<PrincessSakura> I'd say we ought to try hunting her down, except we wouldn't 
know where to start, and anyway there's another protect mission I was going to 
brief you on tomorrow.
<Leena> Well, let's see YOU try and find her!
<Leena> I've been trying to find her ever since the whole thing with Pie!
<Lord_Darkmoon> Leena... *gently*
<Maya> ... another mission? Mmmmn.
* Leena glares at Taki. Glaaaaare.
<Doctor> *ahem*
* Lord_Darkmoon looks over at the doctor.
* Doctor is standing a respectful distance from the group.
* Leena blinks in surprise.
<Leena> Oh, uh.. *shakes off the glare and composes herself*
<Doctor> Pardon me - you are the group with Anzu Akahara?
* LadyNightshade looks up at the Doctor.
<LadyNightshade> Yeah.
<LadyNightshade> We are.
<Maya> Y-yes. How is she?
* Leena nodnods cutely. "Yep! How is she, what's the news, is she gonna be 
okay?"
<Leena> Please say yes!
* Maya leans away from Rinada and waits anxiously for an answer.
* Doctor grimaces.
* Lord_Darkmoon lets his arm drop to his side, a bit self-consciously.
<Leena> ... dammit, say yes!
<LadyNightshade> Leena, let him talk.
<Doctor> She was smashed up pretty good - several skull fractures, and lots of 
other broken bones.
* Leena curls up her fists impatiently.
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...
<Doctor> Not really any internal injuries, though - her rib cage took the brunt 
of the impact, and did its job very well.
<Maya> Anything... permanent, or will she be fine?
<Leena> Quit the drama already, we don't care about the lead-up! Yes or no!
<LadyNightshade> Leena. Shut up.
* Leena looks about ready to pounce on the Doctor.
* Doctor sighs.  "There's no obvious reason she can't recover, but we may not 
know if there's any brain trauma until she wakes up, and we don't want to rush 
that.
<Doctor> She'll be in a body cast for at least a couple of months, best-case.
<PrincessSakura> ...will she wake up, though?
* Leena mutters quietly, "Not if she has anything to say about it."
<Doctor> She should.  Call it... 90, 95% that she will.
<Leena> YES!
<Maya> That's all we ask... and those odds I can accept. Thank you, sir.
* LadyNightshade puts a hand around Leena, covering her mouth. "Shhh."
* Leena jumps up in the air, fist held high.
* Lord_Darkmoon bows gratefully to the doctor.
* Doctor quirks his lips at the response.
<Doctor> ...anyway, obviously you are not her parents.  Do you know where they 
are?
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...
<LadyNightshade> Uh...
* Lord_Darkmoon looks concerned.
* Leena mrrfs at Taki, and gently removes Taki's hand.
<Maya> W-well.
<Lord_Darkmoon> We... *falls silent when Maya starts*
<LadyNightshade> They're... out of... town?
<PrincessSakura> I didn't think they were, though she told me that they were not 
going to be around this evening...
<Doctor> Do you have any contact numbers?
<PrincessSakura> ...no, though her mother works for a local television 
station...
* Leena glances at Sakura, curious herself.
<Maya> Yes, she does. I don't remember offhand what her father does.
<Doctor> Hmm.  ...Akahara, huh?  I'll have the staff make some phone calls.
* Doctor wonders off around the corner.
<Leena> ... that's another thing to make sure of.
<PrincessSakura> Yeah... you know what else?  Anzu is going to need some 
protection until she's mobile again.
* Leena blinks.
<Leena> I ... didn't think of that.
<LadyNightshade> I can do it.
* Leena glances surreptitiously around. "... I doubt you want me protecting her 
in this kind of place."
<LadyNightshade> Unless you need me looking for Hardhat... or for the new 
mission...
* PrincessSakura looks at Taki and Leena.  "...I may have to get some outside 
support, actually.  Taki, do you really think you could take Hardhat on?"
<Lord_Darkmoon> 'Shade is probably the best for his kind of protection. She's 
the most subtle, and the best close-in fighter. ...do we really want to trust 
outsiders? Can we?
<LadyNightshade> I think I can manage.
<Leena> Would it be possible to get her to the Palace?
<LadyNightshade> And I have my phone so I can call for help.
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...that would be ideal.
<PrincessSakura> I was thinking more about getting a high-powered Lady to stick 
around here.
<LadyNightshade> I think they'd need her parents permission.
<LadyNightshade> To draw Hardhat out?
<Leena> ... and while we're at it, get the other members of Pies group somewhere 
safe.
<PrincessSakura> No.  We'll have to try drawing Hardhat out when we have a free 
week.  Which is not now.
<LadyNightshade> Sakura too... you're the one that... killed Pie.
<PrincessSakura> ...Amplifier.  ...oh, SHIT.
<LadyNightshade> Should we be running somewhere?
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...We should go. And call her, warn her. Now.
* PrincessSakura grabs her cell phone, and dashes out the front door so she can 
get a few bars.
* LadyNightshade follows on Sakura's heels.
<Leena> ...?
* Leena gives chase!
<Ked> A desperate-looking woman barges into the hospital, knocking over Taki and 
Leena as she crashes through the doors.  She looks... very familiar.
<Leena> Bwa!
* Lord_Darkmoon looks to the others. "Maya...-chan, if you can wait here to 
listen for Anzu's condition? We'd best go help Sakura."
<Maya> Mmmm... go ahead.
<Woman> Anzu!  Do you have an Anzu Akahara here?
* Leena gets back to her feet, and glances backwards. "Who...?"
* Maya sits down and just seems to zone out a bit, staring at the floor in deep 
thought.
* Lord_Darkmoon follows after Leena and Taki and Sakura.
* PrincessSakura can be seen out the front door, chatting.  She's looking 
somewhat relieved.
* LadyNightshade follows the woman. "Excuse me, miss...?"
* Lord_Darkmoon glances back at Maya once, and hesitates a moment before going 
on. Then he catches up with the others, and notices the woman, whom he studies 
curiously for a moment.
<Woman> ...huh?
* Leena lets Taki deal with the frantic woman.
<LadyNightshade> I'm one of Anzu's friends... we brought her in. Are you her 
mom?
<Woman> Yes!  Is she all right?
<LadyNightshade> She's unconscious... Lots of broken bones, they said there's no 
real internal damage, though.
<Akahara-san> What happened?  ...were you one of the girls she invited over?
* PrincessSakura comes back in out of the cold.
<PrincessSakura> Amp's going to join us here.
<LadyNightshade> Yeah. Something crashed into the house just as we got there... 
It fell from the sky.
<LadyNightshade> We dug through the rubble and pulled Anzu out...
* Leena nods at Sakura. "... Amp is about as bad as me, for keeping guard, I 
think."
<PrincessSakura> I was thinking about Lady Granite, and maybe one of her 
friends.
* Lord_Darkmoon stands quietly to the side, just observing the two 
conversations.
<PrincessSakura> We're going to need everyone for the other... mission.
<Leena> ... I don't like the way you say that.
<Akahara-san> And my husband?  Was he there?
<LadyNightshade> We didn't find him... She said you two weren't going to be 
home.
<PrincessSakura> Well, it's not a great situation, but I don't know that it's a 
catastrophe for certain.
<LadyNightshade> We didn't know how to get in contact with either of you. 
Sorry...
<Akahara-san> He was going to hang around until all of you arrived.
<LadyNightshade> ... Oh. I'm sorry. We didn't see anything... *looks down*
* Leena sighs again. "I guess we'll hear all about it later."
* Akahara-san frets, then goes over to the nurses' station.
* LadyNightshade looks around for Sakura and makes her way over to her.
<LadyNightshade> Um... That's Anzu's mom.
<PrincessSakura> Oh.
<LadyNightshade> I told her what happened.
<PrincessSakura> ...should we tell her everything, do you think?
<LadyNightshade> Well except the part about it being a hardhat that hit the 
house.
<Leena> ... if Anzu can't tell her herself.
<LadyNightshade> ... She said that her husband was at home with Anzu waiting for 
us to arrive...
<LadyNightshade> Are you guys sure there was no one else in the wreckage?
* Leena forces a smile. "... but she's gonna wake up, so Anzu'll be able to 
decide whether or not to tell her herself, ne?"
* Lord_Darkmoon steps up. "Normally... I'd say we shouldn't. But...she may need 
to know if Anzu doesn't wake on her own, soon. If there's something risky that 
could wake her... and she needs to give permission...she needs all the facts."
<PrincessSakura> She's going to find out what trashed the house, or at least 
that it was a giant hardhat thing.  And she's going to want to know why her 
daughter had a miraculous recovery.
* Lord_Darkmoon looks at Taki. "I didn't find anyone else. I hope there wasn't."
<LadyNightshade> We should maybe wait on telling her till Anzu recovers 
though...
<LadyNightshade> It'd probably be easier to accept.
* PrincessSakura chews on her lip.
<Leena> ... but with Goggles going public...
<Leena> ... how much longer will we be able to keep anonymous?
<LadyNightshade> Still, we shouldn't out every Lady that has trouble...
<PrincessSakura> ...she needs to know about the danger, though.
<LadyNightshade> Yeah... But Hardhat wouldn't come after her parents... would 
she?
<Leena> ... I doubt it. Why would her parents be involved?
<Lord_Darkmoon> We can't know. Hardhat is dangerously unpredictable.
<Leena> ... I'd say she's pretty focused.
<PrincessSakura> Blowing up the house the girl is in doesn't strike me as an act 
intended to avoid collateral damage.
<Lord_Darkmoon> If we are to post a Lady as a guard here, it would be best if 
Akahara-san knew why the girl is here. She should know.
<LadyNightshade> Yeah, but if she was listening then she knew her parents 
weren't going to be there...
<Lord_Darkmoon> But...by her daughter's lips, if at all possible.
<LadyNightshade> And stuff.
<Leena> ... perhaps it would be good to tell her everything.
<LadyNightshade> If it was one of us we could just say we're her friend watching 
over her.
* PrincessSakura visibly frets.
<PrincessSakura> ...that will do for tonight, I guess.
<Leena> ... there's too many secrets, and they'll do more harm than good, I 
think. ... with Hardhat unchecked, anyway.
<PrincessSakura> If she doesn't wake up by tomorrow noon, we will need to tell 
her.
* Lord_Darkmoon studies the floor.
* Lord_Darkmoon nods.
<LadyNightshade> Okay, so I'll stay here over night.
<PrincessSakura> ...yeah.
<Leena> ... I'm gonna go see Judo and Reaper later.
<PrincessSakura> And I'll order Amplifier to as well.
<PrincessSakura> ...not that she'll need convincing.
<LadyNightshade> You guys should go get some sleep for the mission tomorrow.
* Leena waves off the advice. "I'll be fine."
<PrincessSakura> ...no, we need to brief this one tonight.
<Leena> ... afterwards, then.
<PrincessSakura> Mmmm.
* Akahara-san strides back over.
<Akahara-san> Would you like to come up to Anzu's room with me?
<Leena> ... we're allowed in now? Sure!
<LadyNightshade> ... Yeah. Thank you.
* LadyNightshade smiles a bit.
* Lord_Darkmoon nods, and bows. "We'd be honored."
* Leena jumps just enough to change her orientation to face the room.
* PrincessSakura eyes the woman evaluatingly, and follows her to the elevators.
<Ked> [a few hours later - at a table in the virtually-deserted hospital 
cafeteria]
<LadyAmplifier> ...I'll go up and keep an eye on her, then.
* LadyAmplifier strides out the door, putting on headphones as she does.
<PrincessSakura> ...okay.
<PrincessSakura> I was going to brief you in on this tomorrow morning, but I'm 
going to be busy then, I think, so here goes.
* LadyNightshade looks over at Sakura. By now her head has cleared a bit, and 
she's noticed the way the woman is dressed and tries not to let it distract her.
* Lord_Darkmoon is sitting next to Maya, again, but attentively listening to 
Sakura.
* Leena half-smiles, without any heart. "Lay it on us."
<PrincessSakura> The Queen is calling this alert, apparently on a precognitive 
feeling she has.
<Leena> ...
<PrincessSakura> She believes it's Princess Oak, and probably Saturday.
<LadyNightshade> ... A Princess?
<PrincessSakura> Maybe early next week.  But the icky bit is that she isn't 100% 
sure that it's Oak, and that's not happened before that I know of.
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...
<Leena> Uh.
<PrincessSakura> Even, you know, when she picked out Handcuff.
<LadyNightshade> ... You don't think they're blocking her, do you?
<Lord_Darkmoon> Is there any...defining characteristic that at least rules out 
some of the myriad other Ladies and Princesses? Or are we just going to have to 
hope it's Oak, and guard her?
<PrincessSakura> I do have a theory, but I don't think you're going to like it.
<LadyNightshade> What's that?
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...but you will share it anyway. *smiles wryly*
* PrincessSakura smiles back.
<Leena> ... is there anything -to- like about this?
<Leena> One more thing we don't like won't really make us want to know any 
less...
<PrincessSakura> Look, Princess Oak goes to Takeuchi Mem, just like all, er, 
most of you do.
<LadyNightshade> You think they're going to hit the school?
<PrincessSakura> That's sort of a, er, target-rich environment.  I think that 
things are uncertain enough that Oak will be the one to respond to the Ningyo...
* Leena 'pfffts.' "Not unless I get to it first."
<PrincessSakura> Quite.
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...so we just scramble for the Ningyo attack, and protect 
whoever shows. You're right, I don't like it. 
<Leena> ... they all know about us, though.
<LadyNightshade> How would they get men into the school?
<Leena> So maybe they'll listen if we tell them to not respond.
<LadyNightshade> They'd have to use a sniper or... a bomb.
<Lord_Darkmoon> They almost always stalk their target before they st-- *goes 
pale at Nightshade's suggestion*
<PrincessSakura> So she's just the most likely one.  And it would make some 
sense that our enemies might be looking at TM right now, since there was just 
the news report of another Lady that attended there.
<Leena> ... bomb.
* Leena gulps.
<PrincessSakura> Eh...  I'd have thought that Her Majesty would have gotten the 
sense of multiple girls if that were the case.  That has happened before, though 
not since you all have been on the team.
<LadyNightshade> So... sniper?
<Leena> ... well, we can at least tell Oak.
<Lord_Darkmoon> A bomb would have to be planted ahead of time...and yes, would 
hit many. If she's sure it's just one target, then ... *takes a breath* It 
wouldn't be the first time they'd used a sniper.
<PrincessSakura> Well, it doesn't have to happen *inside* the school per se.
<Leena> If your theory holds, that should do some good.
<PrincessSakura> But yeah.  It's still an uncomfortable situation.
* Leena adds, grimly, "And then the other Ladies and Princesses will listen to 
us when we tell them to do or not do something, after this one goes down."
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...
<Leena> For better or worse.
<Lord_Darkmoon> With things as unknown as they are, it may be wise to set up 
a...perimeter of surveillance. For obvious reasons, my presence in the school 
itself would not be subtle.
* PrincessSakura shrugs.  "I'd think you would want to tell her ahead of time 
*this time*.
<PrincessSakura> Since, you know, you're allowed to.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Definitely, then.
<Leena> Well, I was gonna anyway, whether you said I could or not.
<Leena> She's sensible.
<LadyNightshade> ...
<PrincessSakura> I don't know that you would want to tell anyone else there, 
though.
<Lord_Darkmoon> I can, however, lurk around outside. If Taki's willing to give 
me some pointers, I can stake out the best sniping points, etc.
<Leena> Yeah... that's more iffy.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Telling too many would merely cause panic. Not wise.
<PrincessSakura> I'll leave that call to Maya, I think, but if we can keep the 
probabilities settled on one target...
<Leena> If we tell a couple of girls to just keep an eye out, though...
<LadyNightshade> That might end up being a mess though.
<PrincessSakura> You girls know these Ladies.  I don't.
<Leena> We've got enough people to at least keep an eye out, we shouldn't waste 
that.
<LadyNightshade> Let's ask Oak what she thinks then.
<PrincessSakura> Right, Rin, I'm pulling you from classes for the duration.
<Leena> We've got a huge advantage since this is home turf.
<Leena> We should use that.
* Lord_Darkmoon chuckles. "I figured as much. ...they're NOT going to like 
this."
<LadyNightshade> Should we all take the day off and spend it keeping an eye out?
* PrincessSakura pauses, considering something, then continues, "Even if it's 
just a perimeter watch, we're going to need everyone.  And Darkmoon can arrange 
one heck of a perimeter watch."
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...Does Princess Oak have a Pet?
<PrincessSakura> That's a hard one.  You'll be closer to her during the day if 
you attend classes...
<PrincessSakura> No, no Pet.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Thought not, or I'd know, but...it would have made this easier.
<Leena> We want to minimize the odds, too, so just Oak, and as little as 
necessary to help her finish off the Ningyo once it comes.
* Lord_Darkmoon chuckles. "I'll bring Aka and Tsubasa, of course, but I'll need 
all the help I can arrange. I'm going to need to shop for treats tonight."
<Leena> Me and her should be able to get it done, we'll have all the other girls 
stay out of it.
<PrincessSakura> ...ugh.
* Leena holds her head, and sighs. "God, now I'm worried about someone as 
reckless as me jumping into the fight when expressly told not to."
<Lord_Darkmoon> If we want to risk it - we should ask Oak her opinion - we can 
let her normal team in on it. Have them serve as support for our role while 
Mallet and Oak take down the Ningyo. Minimize risked personnel, and maximize 
counter-ambushers.
<PrincessSakura> ...sorry, I just had a flashback to the last time you and a 
Princess tag-teamed a Ningyo during a protect mission.
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...that's why we keep ALL other extraneous personnel ... 
backgrounded.
<Leena> Maybe that's why I have a bad feeling about my suggestion.
<Leena> If it's a sniper... well, headgear might not be so bad to look into. 
Again.
<Leena> Did you ever look into that? Vests, headgear?
<PrincessSakura> If it's a sniper, there is no headgear that would help.
<Leena> ... duh.
* Leena slaps her forehead. "There's gotta be a girl there with some kinda of 
power that could help."
<PrincessSakura> Well... not against a real sniper like got Spoon anyway.
<Leena> Have them stay out of sight, and cover or make obstacles or a force 
field or something.
<PrincessSakura> There are some shielders.  But... that's involving someone else 
in the situation.
<Leena> If we can do it without risking them...
<Lord_Darkmoon> Do you have a dossier of Oak's usual team? The ones who're 
likely to sortie with her, regardless?
<LadyNightshade> If it happens at the school, we should be on the lookout for a 
sniper.
<PrincessSakura> And their Princesses would not like loaning them out.
<Leena> They'd like losing a Princess less!
<LadyNightshade> Plus the media circus out front gives would-be assassins easy 
access to rushing in and blending back into a crowd...
<Leena> Dammit, I'm not gonna let our home-team advantage be wasted by a 
selfish, snobby Princess.
<PrincessSakura> That's what really scares me, sort of - if the enemy would 
attack in full sight of the media coverage... then I've misjudged them entirely.
<Leena> I'm not gonna ask any of them to fight. ... none of them want blood on 
their hands, just ... stay out of sight and give a little help.
<Lord_Darkmoon> If the Ningyo is not in easy camera shot, the media could be 
convinced it was the Ningyo that killed the target.
<PrincessSakura> Not that easy.
<Leena> As if.
<Leena> ... you know. How well does shocking a Ningyo work?
* Leena thinks... "No... wouldn't be accepted, I think. They like their power 
lines."
<PrincessSakura> Dunno.  And I don't want you playing with high voltage.
<Leena> Well, if it comes out, there's all that water.
<LadyNightshade> And you're usually standing in it.
<Leena> ... point.
<PrincessSakura> *nodnod*
* PrincessSakura sighs again.  "Are there more questions?  I was going to shoot 
for a longer briefing, but you know what you need, and I have some unexpected 
things I need to take care of."
* Leena shakes her head. "No, nononononono. Thinking too specific. General. Me 
and Oak, in and out. Get a shielder to cover us before we go out, hopefully with 
something that will stick so they don't have to expose themselves."
<Leena> If we could get enough people, we could get spot crews going around to 
keep an eye out... don't think that'll fly.
<LadyNightshade> You going to be okay? Maybe I should go with you to watch you 
back. Hardhat might come after you next...
<Lord_Darkmoon> I'll start making friends with the local wildlife, get them 
reporting to me.
<Leena> We've got the Ningyo battle plan set.
<PrincessSakura> Hardhat...  well, I think we're going to have to flush her out 
soon.  But as long as she doesn't know where to find me, I'm not concerned.
<LadyNightshade> But if she was following Anzu...
<PrincessSakura> I think I have a plan, but it's going to need a week or so 
where we're all free.
<Leena> We need to figure out before- that should work, Darkmoon, but if we can 
get more eyes, the better- and the after battle plan.
<Leena> Which is probably just have the Hunters kick their ass once everyone 
else is safe.
<PrincessSakura> I like the kicking ass part.
<Leena> ... It's lost it's fun for me.
* PrincessSakura stands and smiles at Leena... then frowns again.
<Leena> ... agh! Cameras!
<Leena> If the media is still there...
<Leena> Um. What's that do?
<PrincessSakura> Just don't transform in sight.
<Lord_Darkmoon> I fear I'm not very adept at the "kicking ass" part without 
transforming. And then, I enjoy it a bit too much. But it's better than the 
alternative. And lately...I've almost wished I dared more often.
<Leena> No, Darkmoon, you've got many, many eyes. We'll need those more than 
Feral, if there's a sniper.
<PrincessSakura> Rin... I think you *should* try it more often.
<Leena> We'll have plenty of firepower. We don't need Feral, especially if 
there's cameras around.
<PrincessSakura> ...that is a point, though.
<PrincessSakura> Oh, well.
<Leena> We -do- need all the eyes you can see through, though.
<PrincessSakura> Anyway.  Leena, this is an ORDER.  You will not go looking for 
Hardhat, not without Maya's permission or mine.
* Leena looks up from her deliberating, and looks evenly at Sakura. "... fine."
<LadyNightshade> Thank you.
<PrincessSakura> She's even more dangerous than we thought she was, and we can't 
afford to lose you.
<Leena> ... why?
<Lord_Darkmoon> I wasn't planning on transforming, anyway. Not unless the sniper 
was in front of me, and my katana failed to separate his spirit and flesh.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Why what? You're a valuable member of our team. And, more 
importantly, our friend.
<Leena> All I've been is a pain. In all honesty, I'd rather be back on the front 
lines...
<Leena> This whole protection thing... it's not something I'm good at, really.
<Leena> Anyway.;
<Leena> Taki... what're you gonna be doing?
<LadyNightshade> Whatever I can. It depends on the situation.
* PrincessSakura shakes her head at Leena, then turns to leave.
<Leena> Maya, Mina, Haruko, Kyo... them too. I don't think any of them are 
perfectly suited to any particular spot. You, though, you can be wherever you 
need to be really fast.
<Leena> ... which is what you said, pretty much.
* LadyNightshade gets up to follow Sakura. "Are you sure you're going to be okay 
by yourself?"
<PrincessSakura> Sorry, I have to be... three, no four places yet tonight.  And 
a couple of them you're not cleared for.
<LadyNightshade> ...
* Leena ticks off, "Bar, Palace, and the other two I don't know."
<Lord_Darkmoon> Take care, Sakura.
<LadyNightshade> Okay, well give us a call to let us know you're okay. And 
stuff.
<Leena> ... seeya.
<Leena> Come by more often!
<PrincessSakura> It should be fine.  ...and no, Leena, not a bar.  I'm just 
overstretched tonight, not royally hacked off.  *weak smile*  Seeya.
<LadyNightshade> Bye Sakura...
* Leena waves, smiling cheerfully.
<PrincessSakura> I'll be in touch tomorrow, one way or another.
* PrincessSakura exits quickly.
<Lord_Darkmoon> So, anything else, ladies?
* Leena looks back at the table. "The only thing left is... the pre-fight plan. 
It's rough, I think we can do better on that."
<Leena> ... but, maybe we should wait for more heads before thinking about that 
more.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Probably at least until we've told Oak. She may have 
suggestions. It's most likely her neck, after all.
<Leena> Yeah. She'd know if there's anyone we could use for extra eyes or 
shielding or support.
<LadyNightshade> And we have to watch Anzu...
<Leena> Amp'll handle it.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Amp's on that right now.
<LadyNightshade> I said I'd help.
<Lord_Darkmoon> We've got a long day tomorrow, Ladies. You in particular; you've 
still got school. I at least get the day off. But I need to go shopping, so ...
<Leena> I'm gonna go see Judo and Reaper.
<Lord_Darkmoon> That's up to you, Taki. Just make sure you get some sleep 
tonight.
<Leena> ... I want to be sure they know what really happened, and not just what 
the paper told them.
* Leena makes a fist. "Stupid paper."
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...
<LadyNightshade> Just don't wake them up if they're already asleep...
<LadyNightshade> See you all tomorrow.
* Lord_Darkmoon leans over and gives Maya a hesitant, nervous peck on the cheek 
before standing. "Good night, my Ladies, Maya-chan." He beats a hasty retreat, 
blushing just slightly.
* LadyNightshade makes her way towards the elevator.
* Leena waves at the retreating ninja.
* Leena megablinks at Darkmoon. "... talk about daring."
<Ked> [end session]