[Day: Tuesday, June 9th. Time: 12:15 a.m.] [Roseli is in her office and hard at work into the midnight hour with a cup of coffee nearby. Her desk is (as usual) covered with paperwork, though she's presently concentrating on her computer screen at the moment. The office itself is well lit, and her couch is prepared for the inevitable sleep-in-the-office situation that occurs when one works this late.] [She's listening to Portuguese rock or punk music, and while it's not loud, it probably carries better than normal past her door and into the silent Blitzkrieg halls.] [Minisession Start.] (By "Portuguese" I actually mean "Brazilian", and the language is Portuguese. If that makes sense. ^^;) (Nod.) * Keiko might find that interesting another time... but that would require her being there physically, and not deciding to appear, like a ghost, glowing very slightly, in the middle of Rose's room. * Roseli catches Keiko's glowyness out of the corner of her eye, and she jerks to face her. The gun's pointing at the ward before Rose recognizes her and relaxes (very) slightly. "Keiko?" * Keiko appears to be wearing her standard dress and silver collar, along with two bracelets, as she stares at Rose. Her hand comes up and appers to run her fingers along her collar, and then floats backwards, gesturing with her other hand in a beckoning motion before fading back through the door. * Roseli frowns, and she stands... then remembers to save her work. That done, she puts a different clip in her gun and then follows Keiko. * Keiko isn't immediately outside the door, but she is at the corner. When she sees Rose look her way, she drifts down the hall, towards the bedrooms and the balcony. * Roseli follows at a normal walking pace, gun loosely in her hand. She's not frowning anymore, at least. * Keiko 's astral form drifts out to the balcony, to rejoin her body, which is leaning back against the balcony railing, before her eyes open and she stands up to face the oncoming Roseli. She's in black on black, like she was for the last half of the day. * Roseli steps out just as a chill wind goes by, and she shivers slightly. "Keiko?" she asks a second time. * Keiko stands up slowly, putting her hand to the railing, and then nods slightly and says quietly, "Figured I could always turn back until I became seen." Wouldn't explain why you led me here. * Roseli holsters her gun, but she doesn't move closer to the girl. * Keiko is silent a moment, as she glances up at the sky, then sighs and says quietly, "You... once offered talk." * Roseli nods. I did. * Keiko licks her lips and turns her back on Rose to look out off the balcony. "I... could. Didn't... want to wake Luana just to be silent." (Sorry, Dre came in and started talking. ;P) * Roseli looks concerned now. Just a little, but it's there. "What happened?" * Keiko is silent a moment, then says softly, "If I can't see you... it won't hurt." * Keiko then adds, "Sometimes... I don't... want to feel her pain at mine." * Roseli nods. She doesn't say she understands, because she can't really, but she gets it. * Keiko mms softly, then stays looking away. "She's gone. I didn't even know her. She didn't even care. What was wrong with me?" * Roseli shakes her head. I'm not Heinrick. I can't follow what you're saying, Keiko. * Keiko sighs, then gives the context with, "Emily is gone." * Roseli ahs. But she's like you, isn't she. * Keiko murmurs, "Maybe. I... was never that young." She rubs her face and adds, "She's not... she's blind too." There was no reason. * Roseli shakes her head. "No. There is a reason." That's what's bothering you. There is a reason, but you don't think there should be one. * Keiko glances over her shoulder at Rose, then looks out in another long moment of silence. * Roseli falls into silence, too, before she breaks out with, "Would you feel more comfortable somewhere else?" * Keiko looks to Rose, then shakes her head and says, "I... this is the second best place in the building.... for whatever that's worth." * Roseli smiles slightly and asks, "What's the best place?" * Keiko looks back to Rose, then turns towards her fully and runs her finger along her collar as she replies, quietly, "I'd... rather not say." * Roseli nods. "Well. Meet me in the garage, if you want to continue this talk." * Roseli turns and walks off. (I suppose "garage" should be "parking lot"? Wherever it is Rose's car actually is.) (Does she park in the garage garage, or is there a real parking lot for civvie cars?) (I have no idea.) (I'd guess that there's a separate garage for vehicles not owned by Blitzy.) * Keiko watches her go, then lets out a little sigh and reaches into her coat to pull out her duck. She looks it in the eyes and murmurs at it, in Japanese, After a few seconds of that, she tucks it under her arm and then floats over the side of the balcony down to the ground. (Want to blipvert to the garage? Past that, do you want to blipvert to wherever they're ultimately going? ^^) (That's fine! Keiko will probably be silent once she realize Rose is kidnapping her. Well, okay, and slightly surprised. But mostly quiet.) [Rose gets to the employee garage about twenty minutes after Keiko does, but she's ready to go and leads Keiko to her car (or at least a car - maybe it's someone else's!). It's a very plain sedan. They go for a drive!] [And they drive, and drive, for a good twenty-five minutes or so, eventually coming to the German equivalent a 24/7 diner. Here is where Rose parks, and she gets out of the car.] (+of) * Keiko steps out too, as opposed to floating, because that'd probably be weird. She walks into it slowly, asking Rose, "Is this... something you do often?" When I can't sleep? It happens. Honestly, I just want coffee. Coming? * Roseli heads in. * Keiko lets Rose go in ahead of her, duck stull in her arms. She walks in with her, though. [Inside is... well, it's diner-y. Like most good diners, the PCs are ignored when they walk in. Rose leads the way to a booth on the side, farthest from any other patrons.] (Bah, I don't want to come up with locations!) (Ha.) (I seriously don't. I don't have the energy for NPCs and stuff. ^^;) (That's fine! We can ignore them!) (Sweet.) * Keiko follows after her, glancing around at a few of the people, and then slips into the booth before rubbing her face and sighing. "I should enjoy this more. Happens not enough." * Roseli chuckles. "Can see about arranging it more often. Get whatever you want - no alcohol, though. Haven't cleared it." * Keiko 's eyes widen a touch, then she looks at the menu with more interest. [A broad shouldered woman comes up to the two of them, looking a bit tired, and asks, "Know what you're getting?"] * Roseli glances to Keiko, then says, "Coffee and a basket of rye-wheat to start." * Keiko looks up and says, "Ah... coffee." Beat. "And lemonade." [The woman nods, scrawls and walks off!] * Keiko licks her lips and looks across to Rose, then smooths her hand over her duck. After a few moments she murmurs, quietly, "Luana." * Roseli raises an eyebrow, but she doesn't say anything. * Keiko looks back at her and then says, "Favorite place." She looks aside slightly, redness coming to her cheeks. "There. Now we're even." * Roseli nods. "We are." * Roseli leans back. "Don't worry. Tonight is confidential." She smiles a little and clarifies, "Except what you eat, but that shouldn't matter." * Keiko nods slightly, then after a moment looks to Rose and says, slowly, "I... can't promise the same." She exhales with annoyance and adds, "Orders. You know." Fine, so long as you promise me that you'll do your best. (To clarify, that isn't intended as an order from Rose - I think it's worded in such a way that it's not.) (Nod.) * Keiko nods slightly and replies, "I'll try not to mention it." Thank you. * Roseli folds her hands. "So, why is your normal method insufficient?" * Keiko looks back at her, "Which normal method?" Dealing with things. Why can't you talk to Luana? * Keiko looks aside. "She... doesn't undersand everything. And I--" she cuts herself off, then sighs. "There are things I don't... want her to think about me. And... things she doesn't understand." A small beat. "And I know it." * Keiko looks down to her duck. "And things... she shouldn't have to deal with." * Roseli nods. She looks concerned and interested, but she waits. * Keiko is silent a long moment, still not looking at Rose. Then she lets out a soft laugh and glances off to the side, murmuring, "I'm just... waiting for Eileen to show up." Feels like she's everywhere, sometimes. Yeah. Kind of know what you mean. [The waitress returns, with drinks and a good sized basket of warm rye-wheat bread rolls. She places them on the table. "Anything else?"] * Roseli looks to Keiko to see if, well, she wants to get anything else. * Keiko doesn't reply to the woman, except for rubbing her shoulder and still looking slightly off to the side. * Roseli looks to the waitress and says, "Not now, thanks." The lady nods and heads off! The less people to serve, the better. * Roseli , meanwhile, pours some cream in her coffee and stirs before taking a sip. * Keiko finally shudders a little. "I sometimes wish she would. Just... because it might stop this time." She picks up the coffee cup and takes a sniff before murmuring, "Jamie would hate this." * Roseli makes a hrm sound in the back of her throat and sets her mug down. "She would. Likes the smell, though." * Keiko mms and blows on it a moment, before finally tilting her head and saying, "Is that... weird?" I think it is. A little. Taste and smell are linked, right? Probably has to do with her only having bland food most of her life. No such treatment for her sense of smell. * Roseli reaches over for a bread roll and, getting one, proceeds to cut it open and spread butter on it. * Keiko blinks, then chuckles a little and murmurs, "I meant Eileen." She lets out a sigh and takes a taste, wincing a litle. * Roseli glances up from her roll, then goes back to buttering. "Try some cream and sugar." About Eileen, don't think it's weird at all. * Keiko picks up the sugar and starts pouring it in slowly. "But is it _weird_." * Keiko looks to Rose. "You... might understand things too much." Maybe. And maybe other people would tell you it is weird, but listen... * Roseli gestures with her roll as she talks. "The only way to know something's gone - to know you've won - is to defeat it. That's the case with everything. Eileen, fears, yourself." Can't confront something if it's not there. * Keiko nods slightly, and then says slowly, "Only way to know you've lost, too." True. * Roseli takes a bite of her roll, chews, and washes it down with coffee. * Keiko sighs and waits a moment, then picks up some of the cream too, trying to balance out her coffee. "Do you... know how much someone feels different about you than you feel about them?" Has it happened to me, you mean? * Keiko mms, then says, "I guess. But... how often." * Roseli chuckles, and there's some bitterness to it. "It's happened." She pauses, then adds, "Often enough." * Keiko smiles weakly, then murmurs, "I thought 'bitter' was normal for it. I just... don't think people see it happen as much as it does." No. Most of us see other people through our eyes, not theirs. If we feel one way, they should feel the same. * Keiko leans forward. "They should, shouldn't they?" * Keiko then picks up her coffee and takes a sip, licking her lips slowly before sighing and adding, "Blindness." * Roseli tears her bread apart with her fingers, popping a bit in her mouth. She nods, looking introspective herself now. It's an unusual look on Rose. "They should." * Keiko looks back at Rose for a moment, then smiles weakly and says, "Who is it? I could always change their minds." * Roseli closes her eyes. "No." She lets out a long sigh. "There's no point." * Keiko tilts her head. "Why not?" It wasn't going to work years ago. Changing his mind would change nothing. * Keiko is silent a moment, then sighs and looks out the window. "I guess." * Roseli stares at her bread for a moment longer, then shakes off her introspection and goes back to eating her roll. * Keiko takes another sip of her coffee and then murmurs, "It hurts so much to see it every day." * Keiko closes her eyes. "And... to not be able to turn away." It does. But if it's any consolation, it happens to many of us. * Keiko reopens her eyes and hisses, "You can't _see_ it. I shouldn't even--" she cuts herself off and sighs. "I never... it was easier before. But I keep melting." Emily. Zarina. Jamie. Luana... * Roseli nods, then says, "Detachment is a defense mechanism, but that's all it is." Try not to think yourself weak for not being detached. * Keiko tilts her head and says, "It--that's not how it was." She snorts and adds, "That's not what Heinrick thinks." * Roseli smiles a little. "Not surprised." She has a sip of coffee. Detachment to a certain degree is an admirable quality in a ward. It increases functionality. Like I said, defense mechanism. * Keiko rubs her face and says, annoyed, "No, it's not a..." * Keiko then sighs and says, "Nevermind. Words." Sorry. Can't help that. Try, though. * Keiko shakes her head and takes a drink of her lemonade before replying, "Not worth it. I... don't think you can understand it either. I've never read anything like it before." * Roseli shakes her head and sighs, then says, "Keiko." * Keiko pets her duck as she looks to Rose. Before I joined this organization, I helped troubled kids. That was my job - it's what I wanted to do, and it's what I still want to do. I might not actually have experienced your problem, but it's possible I've helped someone with something like it. So try me, if it's bothering you so much. * Keiko shakes her head and wraps her arms around herself. "No." A moment, then, "It's... not really what's bothering me, I--it doesn't seem like I should. I didn't want to tell Luana... I guess I don't want to tell you either." * Roseli shrugs. "Your choice, but your actions tell me otherwise." * Roseli drinks coffee. * Keiko is silent a long moment, looking down into her coffee, then murmurs quietly, "What... was it like?" Working with the kids? * Keiko nods a little. "Working with kids." A minibeat, then she adds, quietly again, "Having a son." * Roseli winces a little, but she speaks: "Stressful. Those kids... they had problems, all of them. Some of them, big ones. I took their problems on myself, more than I should have, and my family suffered for it. But I could help them." That's all I had to do. Help them, make sure they could function, make sure they could live. It's kind of like now, without all of the baggage tacked on. * Roseli sips coffee. "Sometimes, it worked. Those kids would leave me. It was worth it." * RDMgryphon is now known as RDMenchi * Keiko nods slowly and lets out a small sigh, trembling a little as her hands clutch around her coffee. She finally replies, "Sometimes." * Roseli shakes her head. "Always." She sounds certain of that fact. * Keiko looks back to her, then smiles weakly and says back, "I almost believe you." She then looks away and murmurs, "I wonder how my mother is doing with her new daughter." If she's... even still alive. Probably fine. Far as I know, we at least hold no grudge against her. I'm sure she misses you, though. * Keiko clutches her coffee again and murmurs, softly, "I wish she wouldn't." * Roseli reaches for another roll and starts buttering. "Wouldn't be a mother if she didn't." * Keiko mms softly, then chuckles a bit and brings her hand down to rub her stomach. "I... guess not." * Roseli gives the stomach rubbing a curiousish look, but she decides not to comment. * Keiko sits there for a few, then looks to her and asks, (ignoring that look), "You seemed so cold, before. Much warmer now. What has changed?" You decided to approach me. (So far from the total truth. But I bet Keiko knows that. ;P) * Keiko tilts her head and says, "More that I am a troubled kid?" * Roseli snorts and decides to elaborate a bit. She speaks more coldly (in Keiko's terms): "I originally thought Heinrick had you well in hand. No offense, but not my job, not my problem. Turns out he's lost, in some ways." You could use help. But again, not my job. So I'm here - no forcing. * Keiko 's lips creep into a slow smile, then she murmurs, "He is at times without clues, and other times sharper than a needle." * RDMenchi is now known as RDMgryphon Yes. I respect him, but there are some things even he has trouble with. And I thought that if you needed to talk to someone outside of your guardian or the other wards... * Roseli shrugs. And starts tearing apart the now buttered bread roll. * Keiko mms quietly, then replies, "Better than Karin or Gertrude." Gertrude would never offer. * Keiko rolls her eyes. "No, but... you would be a better choice even if she would." * Roseli chuckles. "I'm flattered?" * Roseli eats a piece of her roll. * Keiko seems surprisingly startled at that, then looks off to the side. "Glad you enjoy it so." * Roseli gestures. "These rolls are for you, too. If you're hungry." * Keiko shakes her head. "No... just tired." * Keiko murmurs, "Always tired," as she decides to drink lemonade. I understand. * Keiko mms and replies, after a moment, with a faint smile, "I don't think I could ever mention this to Jamie. Her jealousy might overwhelm me." Then don't. * Roseli sips more coffee, because the world could always use more coffee, though she's approaching the bottom of her mug. * Keiko tilts her head. "I was not planning on it... it was more of a joke." * Keiko then shudders and murmurs, "Thank you for apologizing. It was hard to see for both of us." You're welcome. * Keiko then adds, "Don't... do it too much. She... dances on the edge." (I have no idea which apology you're referring to, but you're welcome just the same!) * Roseli blinks. "Who?" * Keiko replies, "Jamie." * Roseli ahs. She's improving. Some of that, I might have you to thank for. * Keiko smiles weakly, then looks away. "She would take anything you would do to her, if you would do it to her. I say this because... I do not think you would." (s/take/enjoy) * Roseli sighs. "I know." She lifts her mug, realizes it's empty, and sets it down again. * Roseli nibbles on her bread instead. * Keiko slides the cup across to Rose with her mind and picks up her lemonade. * Roseli blinks in surprise at the second up of coffee, then chuckles and shakes her head. "It's yours." Should cultivate a taste for it, anyway. One of the more harmless addictions. * Keiko mms and pulls it back, before saying, "People are... heady enough." I'm sure. Always been a bit glad I'm not a telepath. * Keiko says, after a moment, "... always?" More or less. * Keiko mms quietly, then says, "I... can barely think of another way." It is like being blinded. * Roseli looks at the roll in her hand, then sets it on her plate. "Not surprised. But it must be hard to distance yourself when you know. Would never be able to do what I needed to do." * Keiko mms quietly, then, "Perhaps... sometimes, I think that is not weakness. Sometimes... I cannot comprehend how it can sunder your spirit." So long as you use it instead of letting it use you... that's the way with everything that makes us who we are. * Keiko tenses, then murmurs, "The only thing that uses me is Blitzkreig." * Roseli nods and murmurs something to herself in Portuguese before catching herself and repeating in German: "So it is." * Keiko lets out a soft sigh, then murmurs, "Which is why I shouldn't trust you. But it is... unavoidable." * Roseli shrugs. Now that her hands are free, she rubs at her bracelet, which is bound tightly to her wrist as usual. * Keiko 's eyes flick to the bracelet, then she absently rubs her collar, before catching her self and chuckling faintly. "Ahm... well, I don't quite use this in a fight." Your collar? Ah. * Roseli pulls her hand away from the bracelet. She looks almost embarrassed, and she clears her throat before asking, "Feel better?" * Keiko mms, then says quietly, "Y--" she interrupts herself, then switches to, "Some." Good. * Keiko looks over at a couple other teens at a table. "A strange moment of normalcy." She then shudders and makes an 'ugh' noise. "So normal, anyway." * Roseli snerks. "One of the reasons we do what we do." So other people can be normal. Well. One of the reasons I do it. * Roseli checks the time, then adds, "Can't stay out much later. You need to get some sleep if you want to stay on schedule tomorrow." * Keiko mms, then replies, "You... have that choice." * Keiko sighs and says, "Luana doesn't, but she thinks that way anyway." Had. * Keiko blinks, "... had?" * Roseli looks past Keiko, and she must be tired, because she elaborates: "I had that choice. Togo is right about one thing. Once you're in, you never leave." * Keiko blinks, then lets out a choked laugh and says softly, "How... can you and he not leave?" * Roseli focuses on Keiko and smiles slightly. "Orders." * Keiko looks confused, then murmurs, "You're not under geneti-chemical treatment." No. I'm not. * Keiko snorts and looks up. "Then you're not stuck. You don't have to look at every escape chance and say, '... and then one word across a wire and I am theirs.'" * Roseli closes her eyes. "Keiko, think. For this moment, please. Think about why people from other countries, with no allegience to this one, would lay down their lives to defend it. Would participate in an organization when there's no way out." You know that no pay is that good. * Keiko looks flatly confused, then says, "Because... there is something to be gained." What? Does Heinrick look like a military man to you? Does Togo look like someone who agrees with even half of their policies? I can save Jamie, true, but there are so many others I could help, without the paperwork and pain. * Keiko squints. "Heinrick gets something. There is some angle that he must be working. You as well. Togo..." she frowns. "... does not make much sense, no." But that is a problem he has all the time. * Roseli smiles a bit. "True. Glad he got Luana. You or Jamie would have eaten him alive." * Keiko chuckles faintly, then murmurs, "He has some steel. He... hides himself from me well." Smart man. I haven't been so smart, tonight. * Roseli gestures. "Going to finish your lemonade?" * Keiko mms faintly, then, "Nothing operational have I learned." She leans over and takes a larger sip. You will in time. * Keiko tilts her head, then says, "Is that... saying this will happen again?" Only if you want. * Roseli moves, getting to her feet. "Going to pay the bill," she explains, before she walks off to do that. * Keiko watches her go, then lets her eyes scan over the room a moment, shuddering again before she rubs her face with her duck and murmurs, (And would you like to end?) (Sounds like a plan!) [And so, Rose paid the bill and they went back to HQ and their respective rooms to sleep.] [THE END!]