Session Start: Sat Aug 20 15:35:33 2005

<Ked> Last time, on Hunters:
<Ked> A day of study took a sudden swerve into stranger things as a girl 
appeared on the Agency doorstep insisting on hiring the team.  As a detective 
agency.
<Ked> Her sister was missing, and her family did not want to bring the police 
into it, since there was some suspicion that she had eloped or simply run away.
<Ked> Yuki had been seen multiple times in the company of an unknown young man, 
and the family was typically enthusiastic about getting her married off.  The 
team's suspicions were aroused, though, as it was also revealed that Yuki was a 
magical girl - Lady Peavine.
<Ked> They took a few minutes to eat lunch as their tutor returned with it, but 
quickly returned to the matter at hand.
<Ked> [Friday, March 18, 2004 - 1330 local time]
<Ked> [The Agency]
<Ked> [Session start]
* LadyNightshade comes out of the other room all transed and dressed for work.
* Secretary is still pounding at the computer, and printing out information as 
she finds it.
* LadyMallet is watching over (or under) the Secretary's shoulder as she does 
it.
* LadyNightshade comes up behind her. "Learn anything new and exciting?"
<Secretary> Not especially.
* Rin is still in that overly-elaborate kimono and hairdo. She must like 
dressing up like this or something. "Well, then. Now that we've eaten, we should 
find Lady Peavine's teammates and more mundane friends."
<LadyNightshade> Yup.
<LadyNightshade> Guess we get to go catch a train now.
<Secretary> Peavine was pretty rank-and-file.  Team kills, but no individual 
kills.  No vigilantism.  Decent student.
* LadyNightshade grabs her coat.
* Haruko comes trudging into the room, still in the clothes she wore when she 
stormed out, and looking tired and sheepish.
* Haruko politiely coughs for attention.
* LadyMallet waves at Haruko.
<LadyNightshade> Does it say what school she was planning on transferring to?
<LadyMallet> Hey, Haruko, we got work.
<Secretary> She was apparently still choosing between a couple of technical 
schools in town.
* LadyMallet taps the Secretary on the shoulder, then bounds over to Haruko, 
bouncing to a stop.
<Secretary> ...one is the same that Lady Octane goes to, incidentally.
<Secretary> ...what, Leena-san?
* LadyMallet turns back. "Just getting out of your way!"
<LadyNightshade> Hmm... Well I doubt she'd disappear just so she could go to 
college...
* Rin rises, and waves the Tessen over her form, transforming her clothing into 
a simple blue dress with a pink sash around the waist, letting her hair fall 
loosely down her back and held out of her eyes by a simple headband. "Perhaps we 
should pay Lady Octane a visit, as well, then. She may have had some recent 
contact with Yuki."
<Secretary> Her friends are easy to find, pretty close to where she lives.  
Lived.  ...lives.
* LadyMallet then looks back up to Haruko. "You up to playing detective? We get 
to go around and talk to a whole buncha friends of this missing MG to try and 
find something out to find her!"
<Haruko> Er, that sounds fine..  but first I wanted to say something....
<LadyNightshade> How close is where she lives to where the Lord got off the 
train with the Mallet?
<Rin> Secretary-san, I have no doubt that the young lady yet lives. *doesn't 
sound like that's entirely good news, though*
<LadyNightshade> Maybe we can figure out where he's based.
<Secretary> Um... sort of the other direction, really.
* LadyNightshade looks a bit disappointed.
<Rin> Yes, Seijouno-san?
* LadyMallet tilts her head at Haruko. "What's up?"
* LadyNightshade shuffles through papers, scanning the information while Haruko 
says whatever she's gonna say.
<Haruko> Um, about Wednesday... I was talking with Mara... and um, I'm sorry.  I 
still don't think what you guys did was right, but what I did wasn't right 
either.  So.. um.. I'm sorry.
* Haruko looks at her shoes.
<Rin> I accept your apology, Seijouno-san. *offers a small, polite smile*
<LadyNightshade> Hey at least you didn't attack anyone this time. *doesn't even 
look up from her papers*
* LadyMallet 's expression softens, looking a bit sad. "... it seems you're 
growing up a little, Haruko."
<Haruko> Anyway, before we go somewhere, do I have time to change?
* LadyMallet nods. "Yeah."
* Haruko points at her rumpled outfit
<Rin> Of course. 
<LadyNightshade> Besides your dragon thing showed up so you helped anyway, even 
if you didn't know about it.
<LadyMallet> Go on, pretty up. Need any help?
* Haruko 's head snaps up. What?!
<LadyMallet> We're gonna be talking to lots of people, so we'll want to look our 
best. ^__^
<LadyNightshade> You know. The thing that was at the school and junk.
<LadyNightshade> Not the one that attacked Rin but the other one.
<Haruko> The Dragon Lord?  He's alive??
<LadyNightshade> ... Yeah, I guess.
<LadyNightshade> He said something about wanting to talk to you.
<LadyNightshade> Or something.
* Haruko forcibly tries to calm herself.
* Rin rather pointedly ignores this conversation.
<Haruko> What? Where? When?
<LadyNightshade> Uh...
<LadyMallet> He said something about finding him at the Dragon Lines.
<LadyMallet> And that he was stuck there.
<LadyNightshade> Yeah that.
<Haruko> But the Dragon Lines run all over... I'll never find him...
<LadyMallet> ... Haruko, hang up a second.
<LadyMallet> Are you a magical girl?
<LadyNightshade> ... Duh?
<Haruko> Um, they tell me so.
* LadyMallet waves dismissively at Taki.
<Haruko> I usually don't feel very magical.
<LadyMallet> Okay. Now. Is there such thing as a coincidence for magical girls?
* Rin walks over to the secretary, with an exaggerated regalness to her bearing. 
"Is there a place we are likely to find Lady Peavine's team gathered this 
afternoon? Or any other good way to get in touch with them you would recommend?" 
She asks in a tone that shouldn't interfere with the Dragon conversation, but 
definitely ignores it.
* LadyMallet giggles. "The right answer, Haruko, is 'No.' You'll find him."
<Haruko> Er, well... I guess things always work out... you think so?
<LadyNightshade> Well don't the Dragon things like meet somewhere? It's probably 
there.
<Secretary> Lady Wrench should be at home, or thereabouts.  I don't know about 
the rest of her old team.
* LadyNightshade mumbles to herself. "God why am I helping her..."
<Haruko> But why didn't he come back to find me... I wonder...
<Haruko> But you really saw him?
<LadyNightshade> Yeah.
<LadyNightshade> He was all big and dragony.
<Secretary> Yuki had a friend names... Yukiko that lived next door... isn't that 
cute?
* Haruko gives a very detailed description of the Dragon Lord. "And he looked 
like that?"
* Rin smiles softly. "Very. Was Yukiko-san a Lady, as well?"
<LadyNightshade> Yeah.
<Secretary> No, I don't think so.
<LadyNightshade> Just what we need is more cuteness.
<Haruko> Wow... anyway... I guess I'll go change, you said we had detecting to 
do.
* Haruko practically jumps up the stairs, her tiredness a thing of the past.
<LadyMallet> !
* LadyMallet gives chase. "Hey! What happened?"
* Haruko pauses a second. "Happened when?"
<LadyNightshade> This better not lead to anyone else getting eaten or turned 
into anything...
<Secretary> ...um.  Hmm.  A friend named Chihira several blocs north.
* LadyMallet doesn't pause, and forces herself to stop before running into 
Haruko, flailing wildly. "You're all... cheery now!"
* Rin nods. "It would perhaps be best if only one or two of us interviewed 
Yukiko-san. More could be intimidating. Lady Wrench, however, can know who we 
are, and thus we can speak with her as a group."
<Haruko> He survived!
* Haruko grabs Mallet's hands and jumps up and down, but stops when she almost 
falls off the stairs.
<LadyNightshade> Well we can split up and talk to them all separately.
<LadyNightshade> Cover more ground that way.
* Secretary blinks.  "This can't be right.  Another, younger friend, Elly, who 
lives on the northwest side?"
* LadyMallet does the same thing- except without the almost-falling part. 
"C'mon! Lets get you looking good for this!"
<LadyNightshade> What's wrong with that?
<Rin> ...oh, really?
* LadyMallet drags Haruko the rest of the way there. XD
* Haruko keeps up for once!
<Rin> I wonder... what is her address?
* Secretary hands over the directions sheet.  It sure looks familiar.
* LadyNightshade looks over at it.
* Rin looks at it, a triumphantly amused smile playing over her lips. "I believe 
we have our first interview."
* LadyNightshade cringes a bit. "Uh... I'll go talk to Yukiko while you do 
that..."
<Rin> Hm. Yes, that sounds wise, Lady Nightshade.
<Rin> Secretary-san, is Chihira-san also a non-magical girl, according to your 
records?
* LadyNightshade blushes a bit at the compliment.
<Secretary> I can't see that she is.
<LadyNightshade> Well do we have the addresses of all her team?
<LadyNightshade> And have we heard from all of them lately?
<Secretary> Sometimes it's not entirely apparent when you're working from the 
civilian identities, but no.
<Rin> ..hm. I think Lady Mallet may wish to accompany you, as well, Lady 
Nightshade.
<LadyNightshade> I thought she liked Princess...
<LadyNightshade> Ah well.
<Rin> I just believe that the combination could be overly volatile. *looks at 
Taki meaningfully*
<LadyNightshade> I think either of them alone is volatile enough. *sticks her 
tongue at Rin*
* LadyNightshade gathers up all the names and addresses.
<LadyNightshade> Well, shall we get going then?
<Rin> If you and Lady Mallet would visit with Chihira-san and Yukiko-san while 
the rest of us visit Princess, we can meet up to compare notes before seeing 
Lady Wrench and the others as a team.
<LadyNightshade> That works.
<Secretary> That sounds like a plan.  If you need anything, or need me to look 
up something, please call.
<Rin> And we should wait for Lady Mallet and Seijouno-san to come back 
downstairs.
<Rin> We shall. Thank you, Secretary-san.
<LadyNightshade> Leena! This isn't the prom! Hurry up!
* LadyMallet yells back down, "QUIT TRYING TO RUSH PERFECTION!"
* Rin smiles, then frowns. "Ah, yes, I should get dressed properly, myself. This 
will not do for seeing Princess."
<LadyNightshade> Well are you going to transform and have her start humping your 
leg?
<LadyNightshade> I think you look better like this, personally.
* LadyNightshade blushes. "I mean, err... nevermind."
* Rin points her Tessen at the floor, and swings it up in the clock-like arc 
that triggers her transformation sequence. The purple moon that rises behind her 
is almost full, and, when she swipes the open Tessen across her face and snaps 
it shut at her side, Lord Darkmoon immediately returns the Katana to its smaller 
form and transforms his clothes to street-appropriate garb.
* LadyNightshade goes back to doing... something else.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Thank you for the compliment, Taki. I generally prefer 
being...myself...to being this Lord. However, I would not have Princess know my 
untransformed state. I...hope you understand.
<LadyNightshade> Of course.
* LadyMallet drags down Lady Make Believe. She's in a professional-looking thing 
which doesn't make her look that much older, but more serious. It's a knee-
length dress and half-sleeve business jacket, made of a light purple slightly 
reflective material. The dress has a slit about halfway up. Underneath the 
jacket is a white dress shirt, with a cute little black tie. Haruko's in the 
same thing, only blue.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> How do we look?
<LadyNightshade> Uh...
* LadyMallet grins. "She's speechless."
<Secretary> Is *that* what you did with that clothing requisition?
* Lady_MakeBelieve smoothes her skirt unconsciously
<LadyNightshade> Yeah, I'm something.
<LadyNightshade> Can we go now?
* Lady_MakeBelieve sighs at Nightshade.
<Secretary> Maybe Taki-san should change into hers, too?
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Don't you ever enjoy anything?
<LadyNightshade> ...
<LadyNightshade> I told you I'm never gonna wear that.
* Lord_Darkmoon bows to the two Ladies. "You both looks quite attractive. Leena, 
the current plan is for you and Taki to visit some normal friends of Yuki's 
while the rest of us visit Princess. Lady MakeBelieve, that means you're with 
me. Any last-minute suggestions?"
<Lord_Darkmoon> Madam Secretary, I actually think Leena's choice of clothing is 
quite admirable, if she is to perpetuate the image that we are a Private 
Detective agency. ^_~
<Secretary> Oh, I'm not disagreeing.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> A Private Detective agency with a boutique as a sponsor 
maybe.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Oh, don't forget your radios. *taps his ear*
* LadyMallet giggles. "Oh my god! A girl knows how to look good for the 
occasion!"
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Somehow I don't think your average detective dresses this 
nicely ^^;
<Secretary> We're a professional agency, dear.  You watch too many movies.
<Lord_Darkmoon> At the price I quoted Yuki's sister, we can afford to. ~_^
* Lady_MakeBelieve giggles
* Secretary smiles and puts her tie back on.
<LadyNightshade> Ugh.
<LadyMallet> Pfft. Only smelly old guy detectives look like they came out from 
under a rock.
* LadyNightshade just grabs her quote and the files and heads out the door.
<LadyMallet> C'mon, c'mon, let's get ready!
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Wait, if there are fashion police, does that make us the 
fashion detectives?
<Lord_Darkmoon> We should go. The day is escaping us.
* LadyMallet runs off for a second, to load up on headsets and gun.
* Lord_Darkmoon turns to the door, and holds it open for the Ladies.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Ah! Yes, could you get my gun for me, too, Leena? It should be 
in its box next to yours.
<LadyMallet> Sure!
<Lord_Darkmoon> Thanks.
* LadyMallet grabs Dorkmoons while she's up there, too.
* Lady_MakeBelieve pulls out her phone on the way out. "Hey Mara. ... Yeah, I 
got back ok. ... Yeah, I apologized like you said. ... No, they seem mostly ok, 
except you-know-who. All right, Bye!"
* LadyMallet hands it off to him as she passes by him, going out.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Sorry, told her I'd call once I got back.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Let's detect!
<LadyMallet> It's detectiving time! *poses energetically, one hand held up in a 
'V'.*
* LadyNightshade shakes her head as she heads for the train station.
* Lord_Darkmoon uses the Tessen to vanish it up his sleeve, and follows the 
girls out to the train station after waving good-bye to the Secretary.
<Ked> It's a cold day for Tokyo in mid-March, and everyone is somewhat chilled 
before they reach the relative protection of the train.  Darkmoon and Haruko 
have a long way to go, so there is plenty of time for uncomfortable silence on 
the way to see Princess.
* Lord_Darkmoon isn't uncomfortable in the silence. He just has nothing to 
discuss. He is, therefore, a stony and silent figure the whole trip.
* Lady_MakeBelieve keeps herself occupied and warm by sipping from a continual 
string of hot tea cans.
* Lord_Darkmoon has surreptitiously managed to be wearing a jacket he originally 
didn't have, though. And offers one to Haruko, too.
<Ked> It's several blocks from the train station, and they are struck once more 
by the relative wealth of this neighborhood.  There is not much yard space, but 
the buildings are all perfect and sporty or luxurious cars fill the roads.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> I appreciate the thought, but I'll be fine.
<Lord_Darkmoon> As you wish.
<Ked> Elly's doorstep has fresh flowers - drooping in the cold - potted 
decoratively.  As they ring the doorbell, there is loud barking inside.
* Elly answers the door, and beams brightly at her guests.
<Elly> Rinada-san!  You should have called!
* Lord_Darkmoon smiles, and kneels down so he's on eye-level with Elly. "I 
should have, you're right. Do you have some time?"
<Ked> Darkmoon is bowled over by a very large shaggy dog, who proceeds to lick 
his face.
<Elly> I imagine I could makes some, yes...
* Lady_MakeBelieve waves Elly. "Hi, have you been well?"
<Elly> Yes... *hesitation* sure.
* Lord_Darkmoon laughs, and wrestles in a friendly manner with the dog for a 
bit. "Hi, Wolfy. How've you been?"
<Ked> The dog steps off of the Lord.  "Woofy.  And I'm just fine."
* Norcliff pops out of Haruko's purse.
<Norcliff> Hi Woofy.
<Norcliff> How's tricks?
<Lord_Darkmoon> That's good to hear. ^_^ 
* Lord_Darkmoon gets a bit more solemn. "While it's a pleasure to see you two 
again, I'm afraid we're here on a bit of business."
<Elly> Oh?
* Elly looks around, then steps back inside quickly.  "Come on in."
<Lord_Darkmoon> Thank you. *gestures for Haruko to precede him inside*
* Norcliff jumps on Woofy's back.
<Ked> The dog rumbles back through the door.
* Lady_MakeBelieve enters the house, and looks around.
<Ked> The interior of this house is surprisingly old-fashioned.  Immaculate, but 
it looks like it was last redecorated in the late fifties.
* Lord_Darkmoon follows. "Is anyone else home?" he asks quietly.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> You have a very nice house here, Princess.
<Elly> Mom is off visiting her sister, and I don't have any friends over.
<Elly> Thank you, Lady... uh... Make-Believe?
<Lady_MakeBelieve> That's what they call me.
<Lord_Darkmoon> It is lovely. Anyway. We came here to talk to you about... Yuki 
Hayasumi.
* Elly blinks.  "Is Yuki-sempai in trouble?"
<Lord_Darkmoon> Possibly. When did you last see her?
<Elly> I was at her graduation, Sunday, and the graduation party a couple of 
days before.  We hadn't been in touch a whole lot this last six months, though.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Oh. What caused this separation?
* Lord_Darkmoon has assumed a bit of a business-like manner, trying to set Elly 
in the same attitude. No sense upsetting her.
<Elly> Well, she got busy.  It was her senior year, you know?  And... she seemed 
to have interests, as I couldn't reach her as often.
<Elly> It wasn't like we stopped being friends or anything...
<Lady_MakeBelieve> You just sort of drifted apart?
<Elly> No!  And she's going to take me camping this summer!
<Lord_Darkmoon> She ever tell you what her interests were? The ones that made it 
harder to reach her?
<Elly> No.  I thought maybe she was sneaking out to see a boyfriend - that's 
what her sister says, and it would... fit.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Did you and her ever talk about boys?
<Elly> She wouldn't say anything about it, though - it was just like I could 
never reach her in late afternoon or early evening a lot of days.
<Elly> She did like boys, yes.  And I, uh...  *looks at Darkmoon, blushes*
<Elly> But what's happened to her?  Isn't she in Hawaii?
* Lord_Darkmoon graciously doesn't react. "...no. We were hoping you might have 
some information about her boyfriend. Or where she would go to meet him, or even 
just when."
<Elly> Late afternoons, must be.  ...what do you mean she's not in Hawaii?  
That's where the whole family went this week.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Princess... please sit down.
<Elly> I am sitting, silly.
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...so you are. *smiles sheepishly, then continues in a gentle 
tone of voice* Yuki's sister came to the Agency today.
<Lord_Darkmoon> She thinks we're a detective agency. Go figure, someone would 
fall for our cover. 
<Elly> But - uuuhm.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Yuki...disappeared between Sunday night and Monday morning. Her 
sister wants us to find her. Her parents think she ran off to elope with her 
boyfriend, so don't want the police involved.
<Elly> Yuki, elope?  ...granted, she wasn't telling us about what she was doing, 
but... that's just not like her.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> You didn't notice her acting at all odd during the graduation 
party?
<Elly> No.  No, and she told me she was really looking forward to their trip, 
too.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Hm...
<Lord_Darkmoon> That's what her sister said, too.
<Elly> So... she's really missing.  Do you think the Lady-killers got her?  She 
was pretty careful... I would never have guessed if 'coz hadn't told me when she 
set up the tutoring sessions.
<Lord_Darkmoon> No, we're pretty sure she's still alive. Though her sister also 
suspected her...extracurricular activities.
* Lord_Darkmoon thinks for a bit.
<Elly> Family is always the hardest.  ...you know, I think Mom may know?
* Lord_Darkmoon laughs. "Oh? About you, or about your Cousin?"
<Elly> Well...  actually, I think that she was told about my cousin, and pieced 
together the bit about me.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Oh. Well, you're still a bit young and aren't actually fighting 
the fight, yet. So she's probably not worried. *ruffles Elly's hair a bit* And 
you know all of us are here for you.
<Elly> She gets really quiet whenever the news about the... incidents is on.  
And she seems to be deferring to me.  Yeah... Rinada?
<Lord_Darkmoon> Hm?
* Elly sniffs, fighting back tears.
<Lord_Darkmoon> What's wrong? 
<Elly> I've been having a recurring... dream.  I'm in a brawl with a Ningyo, and 
it's like the fight never ends.
<Elly> What happens is a little different each time... but the one thing that's 
always the same is really weird.
* Lord_Darkmoon asks gently, "What is it?"
<Elly> Off in the distance, the Tokyo Tower is spiked, upside-down, in the 
ground.
<Lord_Darkmoon> That -is- strange. Can you imagine field trips? Take the 
elevator up to look at the sewer system of Tokyo. *winks*
* Elly grimaces, and looks back and forth between her guests.  "I'm sorry, I 
shouldn't have mentioned it."
<Lord_Darkmoon> No, no. I'm glad you did.
<Lord_Darkmoon> If there's anything that's bothering you, tell us. We should see 
you more often. I meant what I said - we're all here for you. You're a good 
friend.
<Elly> Thanks...
<Lady_MakeBelieve> You can come and play with Norcliff any time you want.
* Norcliff jumps up on Elly's shoulder
<Norcliff> I'm cute and fuzzy!
<Elly> ...I'll... remember that.  Certainly Woofy and you get along really well.
<Norcliff> Us Pets have to stick together.
<Norcliff> You girls would never get anything done otherwise ^_~
<Ked> The dog pants for a moment.  "I can't jump on Lady Make-Believe's 
shoulder, though."
<Lord_Darkmoon> Then why do I keep having to baby-sit you, huh? ^_~
* Lady_MakeBelieve pets Woofy. "I appreciate you not trying also."
* Lord_Darkmoon sighs, getting more serious again. "Anyway, we want to talk to 
this boyfriend, if he exists. In case he might know something of where Yuki's 
gone. So...if you know or even suspect anything, please contact the Agency. 
You've met the Secretary, right? She's a nice girl, and you can tell her 
anything you'd tell us."
<Elly> Seriously, please find Yuki.  We've all lost people in this mess, but 
she's been a good friend to me.
<Elly> I know how to reach you, yes.
* Norcliff huffs. "Baby-sit nothing"
<Lord_Darkmoon> We will find her. I promise. *to Norcliff, good-naturedly* Tell 
that to Sunset and Patches. They've spent every school break at my house; I 
swear, their Ladies go on vacation more than they're home. 
<Norcliff> Just bring them to me, I'll straiten them out.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Before we leave, did Yuki have any other close friends you 
can think of?
<Elly> I didn't really intersect with her normal circle of friends.  I remember 
her best friend from the party last week, though - Yuki and Yukiko - it's like 
they were born to hang around together.
<Elly> I think she lives like next door or something?  Not exactly sure.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Thanks though.  And it was nice to meet you again.
* Lord_Darkmoon nods. "Thank you. We'd love to stay and talk more, but we need 
to get back on Yuki's trail. If there's anything more you can think of, or that 
we can do for you, though, we'd be happy to before we go."
* Elly stands up and hugs Darkmoon.  "Good luck.  Stay safe."
* Lord_Darkmoon hugs her back. "Thank you, and we will. Come see us at the 
Agency sometime."
<Lord_Darkmoon> Bye, Princess. *rises and bows politely*
<Elly> You too, Lady Make-Believe.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Goodbye.  Be well.
* Elly lets the two out the front door, and waves cheerfully as they go.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Back to the Agency, or are we meeting up with the others 
elsewhere?
<Lord_Darkmoon> We'll call the Agency to see if they've called in from their 
interview yet. Then arrange to meet them at Lady Wrench's place when they're 
done.
* Lord_Darkmoon pulls out his cell phone to do just that.
<Ked> ...much farther south, Leena and Taki had a rather frustrating time 
reaching their destination.
<Ked> Yuki's neighborhood is relatively far away from a train line, and they 
ended up getting off at not so much a wrong stop as a less-advantageous one.  
Eventually they wound their way through the twisty housing developments to a 
small cluster of thirty-year-old condos.
<LadyNightshade> I told you we should've gotten at that other station.
* LadyMallet shrugs. "Look, I usually find the right way. We're here, aren't 
we?"
<LadyNightshade> Yeah yeah.
<LadyNightshade> At least it gave my eyes time to adjust to your outfit.
<Ked> Indeed they are.  Yuki's house is just to their left, Yukiko's is right in 
front of them.
<LadyMallet> So let's stop by and say hi! ^__^
* LadyNightshade also knocks on the door before she notices Yukiko.
<LadyNightshade> Uh... Hi!
* LadyMallet poses and glitters the sun off of her outfit. ^__^
* LadyNightshade smiles politely. Or something.
* Yukiko opens the door.  "Hello?"
* LadyMallet waves cheerfully. "Hello!"
<LadyNightshade> Hello.
* LadyNightshade bows politely.
<Yukiko> We're... uh, we're not interested in buying anything.
* Yukiko goes to close the door.
<LadyMallet> It's okay. We're not selling.
<LadyNightshade> Uh... wait!
* LadyMallet sticks her foot in the door, too.
<LadyNightshade> We wanted to talk to you about Yuki.
<LadyNightshade> Leena, don't be rude.
* LadyNightshade kicks Leena's foot.
* Yukiko frowns sharply.  "What about Yuki?"
<LadyNightshade> Umm... have you seen her lately?
<LadyNightshade> We're trying to find her.
* LadyMallet doesn't budge. "Miss Yukiko? It's really important..."
<Yukiko> If you're asking, you know that she's missing.
<LadyNightshade> Um... yeah, we do.
<LadyMallet> Good. You mind if we talk with you for a little bit? We're trying 
to find her.
<LadyNightshade> Her sister hired us to try and find her.
<Yukiko> And who are you, exactly?
<LadyNightshade> We're the uh... Blossom detective agency.
<LadyMallet> A detective agency your friend's little sister hired. ^__^
<Yukiko> Meiko is a sneaky little git, but she does have a good head for a 
crisis... except you don't look like detectives, much.
<Yukiko> Aren't you a little young?
<LadyMallet> Aren't all child prodigy teams?
<LadyNightshade> No!
* Yukiko sighs.
<LadyNightshade> We're really good though. We promise.
<LadyNightshade> We've been doing this for a while now.
<Yukiko> Let's assume that you know what you're doing for a second.  How can I 
help you?
<LadyNightshade> We'd like to ask you a couple questions if that's okay.
* LadyMallet glances at Taki. Her foot is still in the door.
* Yukiko folds her arms across her chest and waits.
* LadyNightshade looks around. "Uh... I guess we could do it out here."
<LadyNightshade> Um... when did you see her last?
<Yukiko> Sunday, after the graduation.  She had stuff to do with her family, so 
we only talked for a minute.
<LadyNightshade> You didn't see or hear from her Monday at all?
<Yukiko> No, of course not.  She was supposed to be leaving on their trip, and I 
didn't want to get in the way.
<LadyNightshade> You weren't going to see them off or anything?
* LadyMallet sighs. "... I really hate talking outside like this. But, if you 
insist... the supposed boyfriend." *she suppresses a shiver* "... know anything 
about him? Anything at all? Whens, wheres, name, -anything-?"
<LadyNightshade> Er... yeah.
<LadyNightshade> I was trying to build up to that.
<LadyMallet> Well, if she insists on being so hostile, we might as well make 
this short so we can get to something productive as far as finding her best 
friend. *looks straight at Yukiko while she says that*
<Yukiko> I don't know anything about him.  ...she wouldn't tell me ANYTHING!  It 
was so fucking frustrating - she always told me everything before, and I always 
told her everything.  It's like she didn't trust me any more.
<LadyNightshade> Well we could try to you know, make her comfortable.
<LadyNightshade> Her best friend just disappeared after all...
<LadyMallet> ... did she act like she wanted to, but couldn't?
<Yukiko> No, she just completely denied it, and she was so sincere about it... 
Yuki's a lousy liar, most of the time, but she really could keep a straight face 
about this.
<LadyNightshade> Did you ever see him? Or them together?
<Yukiko> A couple of times, like just after she kissed him goodbye or something.  
Even then she wouldn't even acknowledge he was there.
<LadyNightshade> ...
<LadyMallet> Mmm. How long has this been going on, do you know?
<LadyNightshade> What do you know about her uh... extracurricular activities?
<Yukiko> I can't know, exactly.  First time I saw him was four, five months ago.  
Meiko says she saw him last summer.
<Yukiko> Her what?
<LadyNightshade> Um... The things she did besides school and all that.
* LadyMallet frowns.
<Yukiko> She studied, a lot.  She tutored some girl up north... We used to hang 
out a lot... lately we'd just talk on the phone a lot.
<LadyNightshade> So she's been busier lately?
<LadyMallet> ... know any wheres? Where she usually studied, or where her and 
her boyfriend- *shudder* -met or went?
<Yukiko> She studied at home.  Her boyfriend... the one time I saw them at the 
train station, the other was at a restaurant just a klick east of here.
<LadyNightshade> Do you think she would've just eloped without telling anyone?
<LadyMallet> Which restaurant?
<Yukiko> Sometimes she would be busy after school, too.  I think she was 
studying stuff at the school library...
<Yukiko> Yuki, elope?  Bullshit.  She was smart, and a bit headstrong, but she 
never did ANYTHING without getting permission.
<LadyNightshade> Hm...
<LadyNightshade> Well could you describe him to us?
<LadyNightshade> Everything seems to point to him so far, so I think finding him 
should be our first priority.
<Yukiko> I wish I could help you... he had dark hair, a slightly rounded face, 
but pretty average.   Both times I saw him he had a brown leather jacket on...
* LadyNightshade nods.
<LadyNightshade> Did she seem to act different around him? Like she wasn't 
really herself?
<Yukiko> I never saw them really interact...
<LadyMallet> when was the most recent time you saw him?
<Yukiko> ...maybe it was sort of like she was little spacey the one time 
afterwards?  She's usually really sharp, but it was like she couldn't remember 
the afternoon.  I thought she was just hiding what she was doing, but...
<LadyNightshade> Hmm... So she didn't even acknowledge that he existed? Even 
after you saw them together?
<Yukiko> Yeah.
* LadyNightshade repressed a shudder at the thought.
<LadyMallet> ... what about when you last saw him, or them?
<Yukiko> It was January, I think.  A couple of months ago.
<LadyNightshade> Anyone else you know that might have gotten a better look at 
him or know him better?
<Yukiko> Meiko saw him more than the rest of us, she's... disturbingly nosey 
sometimes.
* LadyNightshade nods.
<LadyNightshade> Alright. Do you have a cellphone we could reach you at if we 
think of anything else?
<Yukiko> Yeah...
* Yukiko jots down her number.
<LadyNightshade> Thanks for your help.
<LadyNightshade> We'll find her. Don't worry about it.
<Yukiko> I hope you can find her.  I really do...
<LadyMallet> If you think of anything else, anything at all, no matter how 
trivial or unimportant on seemingly unrelated...
<LadyMallet> ... call us.
<Yukiko> Sure.  Even if you don't look like real detectives, at least someone is 
trying.
* LadyNightshade digs out an agency card from her coat. So it's a bit crumpled. 
It still works.
<Yukiko> Ah.  Okay... I think I know where that is.
* Yukiko reaches to close the door again.
<LadyNightshade> Thank you for your time.
* LadyNightshade bows again politely.
* LadyMallet frowns. "Oh, one more thing. What was that restaurant you 
mentioned?"
* LadyMallet lets her foot out of the door.
<Ked> The door is shut, and she doesn't hear you.
<LadyNightshade> Well that was something at least.
* LadyNightshade walks back down to the sidewalk.
<LadyNightshade> Now where was this other friend's house?
* LadyNightshade pulls out the map.
<Ked> [end session]