2867/Debrief And Delong Of It

Debrief And Delong Of It
Date of Scene:	08 December 2025
Location:	Cafeteria Plaza
Synopsis:	Kyouka and Rei get the Museum Curator Briefing from Mamoru in cafeteria plaza.
Cast of Characters:	Mamoru Chiba, Kyouka Inai, Rei Hino
Tinyplot:	Kill the Fade

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Mamoru Chiba has posed:
It's a cold day; people are rushing between buildings, bundled up. Mamoru's got his leather jacket on over his school blazer, and a hat with a pom pom on top, and his glasses are fogged as he unwinds his scarf. Everything gets dropped on the back of his chair once they're at a table, though.

"So I know you've met before, briefly, but Rei-san has since transferred to Radiant Heart and can therefore partake in a lunch that isn't watched over by nuns."

He picks up his tray to get some food. "But I need to tell you both about the exhibit at the museum, and the curator. But in a second." And he swans off with his tray.

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    For her part, Kyouka doesn't seem to feel the cold- it's probably just bravado, there's nothing to suggest she shouldn't feel it, but the way she walks about as unhurried as always suggests it's not less pleasant outside than a sunny spring day. She does have her own leather jacket on, though, school regulations be damned- she's not wearing it to appointments but when she goes outside the thing is going on at this time of year.

    "I already know about the exhibit," Kyouka tells Mamoru, as she removes the previously-discussed jacket to hang on the back of her chair. "But I don't know the curator, so I'm listening." Well, she will be once he gets back.

    Rei is greeted with a nod and a slanted smile. "Hino-san. Good to see you again."

Rei Hino has posed:
    "The nuns aren't that bad, so long as you don't do literally anything wrong." she says, waving her hand. "Really though, most of them aren't any trouble at all." she says. For her part, Rei is bundled up in a black coat with white fur that makes her seem much bulkier than she is, and heavy gloves, which help her to not need to scramble in an undignified way. Privately, it's a lot nicer than her shrine outfit in the cold!

    The girl shrinks down to her actually slender size as she carefully lays her probably-expensive big coat the back of her chair as well, before standing next to it to smile and bow a bit. "Good to see you as well, Inai-sensei." She may not be as close as many of the other girls, and she's certainly not going to be so familiar with a teacher without permission - certainly, not with her upbringing. "I hope you've been well. All things... considered."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
'All things considered' sure is load-bearing. When he's back with his tray -- a boring lunch but with two glasses of chocolate milk -- he slings himself into his chair and he says with all due drama, "She's an adult. In her like 40s. And she never had magic but she for sure knows about it. She's part of the same organization as the Headmistress but she's able to talk to us without forgetting and we can ask her questions!"

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Kyouka doesn't have any food at the moment- she'll get some eventually, but is apparently in no rush. She has a whole hour for lunch and when food is placed in front of her she tends to inhale it, so it's not like she'll be pressed for time.

    To Rei, she responds "Still breathing, still myself, hard to ask for more. All things considered." It does carry a lot of weight, that phrase.

    When Mamoru returns with his lunch and speaks, she raises a brow at him. There's no shock, because she's more than aware of this organization's existence (she works for them, after all, even as what amounts to a subcontractor) but the news that the curator of this exhibit is a member is significant information.

    "Did she happen to mention how they achieved that? I had to make a deal with a shady deity to achieve the same." Of course she also got to keep some amount of her powers, which is a different sort of arrangement altogether.

Rei Hino has posed:
    As Rei herself hadn't talked to the Headmistress, she didn't have a whole lot to say on that point, except... "I wonder if somehow it matters how you percieve things. For example, I've had 'strange' abilities all my life. Now that I know my past, I understand where they came from, but I always wondered if, after the Fade, I'd be a fully normal girl, or if I'd still have all of my 'strange' abilities and carrying that burden anyways." she says, softly. She has put some thought into that, and the term 'burden' may give some insight into where she lies on it.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Yeah, they were basically raised to believe without having seen. And some of them had access to pieces of the Crystal Heart, which preserved their memories from the Veil somewhat. When mahoujin join, they usually leave when they Fade, she said," says Mamoru, drinking some of the chocolate milk immediately. "A lot of those things in the exhibit have memories attached to them, I read a bunch of them. Kazuo came with me and he picked up energy from the Crystal Heart on a lot of them... and then as part of the breakin, because of some of the stuff I saw in the memories, we went to dig through the curator's office and she was still in there."

He glances at Rei and looks uncertain. "I don't know who I'd be without magic, it's shaped my life, too."

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    "It probably depends on where those 'strange' abilities come from." Kyouka says to Rei, with a shrug. "I don't have a handbook which lists all the various ways to achieve power and how they're categorized, but it seems to me there's 'magic', and then there's just.. various other supernatural stuff which doesn't quite fit the same bill. The Fade seems to target magic in the sense of magical fighters, but people like priests? Psychics? That kinda seems like an entirely separate 'thing'. But that's just me speaking from experience. Like I said, I'm no scholar."

    "Did she give you any clue what they're trying to achieve with this exhibit, anyway?" Kyouka asks Mamoru. "Nobody's clued me in on that. They mostly seem to view me as a blunt instrument, which.. fair, I guess. But nobody's clued me in on why exactly this exhibit is happening here, now. You know, beyond just 'its an art exhibit' which sure, it is, but I don't believe that's all there is to it."

    She nods in agreement with Mamoru because she, too, feels she has no identity beyond the magical world. It's the reason she went to such lengths to preserve it.

Rei Hino has posed:
    Rei nods. "It's shaped my life, yeah. Or rather, having magic in this life has been shaped by my life - my previous one." she corrects herself mid-reply. "But in any case, we'd certainly be in different positions without it." She doesn't explain whether that would be better or worse. It would just be.

    "Does she know anything we can use to stuff up Obsidian, or get out ahead of them?" She asks. "The past is interesting, but I want to know how we can use it to deal with what's going on in the present." she says, while tactically avoiding Naming Any Names. After a bit she steadily pulls out a politely, dignifiedly wrapped bento in a red tin. She begins to pick at it with a pair of chopsticks.

    "Bringing a bunch of magical history stuff to Obsidian's back yard feels like a big risk if there's no gain."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"It was to catch our interest and make us investigate so that the Curator could make contact. She and the Headmistress apparently disagreed on how it should be presented -- Siddig-sensei, the curator, wanted to privately contact us so we'd know it had some real history in it in addition to the utterly fanciful, but Hanasaki-sensei, the headmistress, wanted it to be on campus where it would be easily accessible to us, but Siddig-sensei thought that was a perfect way to get it targeted as real instead of dismissed as fantasy," Mamoru explains, then drinks some more chocolate milk.

He sets his glass down and tilts his head at Rei, looking wry and a little apologetic. "That's why we're researching the past. We're still trying to figure out what the Fade is, and disparate pieces of history that have to be puzzled together is what we've got to work right right now. They just call it The Phenomenon."

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Kyouka eyes Mamoru. "Yeah but.. they could have just like, walked up and said "Hey, we have some information for you, let's have a chat. All this.. pageantry seems unnecessary. Like, is it really that hard for the Curator to walk up to me, or you, or anybody and say "Hey, let's talk about Magical history, there's some shit you should know?" Why make ya'll jump through so many hoops?"

    This is why Kyouka isn't invited to the meetings. She has little tolerance for subtlety, ritual, or hemming-and-hawing. Blunt instrument, in the eyes of the organization, as noted.

    She nods to Rei's words. "I'm all for learning from the past- hell, I'd even say it's a significant portion of why I'm here, either as teacher or example, but surely there's more efficient ways than setting up a museum exhibit and hoping you ask questions. Good job doing it though, when I was your age I would have broken out in hives even thinking about going to a museum."

Rei Hino has posed:
    Rei pauses. "Well, when it comes to the Fade, Obsidian's totally involved, right?" she asks, after a moment. "I mean, there's notes up. Hinoiri thinks Obsidian's messing around with it and thinks the Jar she got can help. And Coco-san thinks... forgive me for bringing him up, but that your brother's people were talking about doing something with the Fade." she says, picking at her food with her chopsticks for a moment.

    "It bothers me to say it but if they think they can do something with the Fade they might know more than us. Or they might not, because it is Obsidian and I don't know if that's ever stopped them. But I guess it was nothing Beryl's group would have known about or someone would have said something." Rei notes.

    "Sorry, it's just on my mind and... we're talking about history and all that." she continues. "Inai-sensei is right, if they have information that can help us, they really shouldn't be dancing hoping we'll stumble onto it randomly." she gripes. "And when it comes to targeting, Obsidian's been after that museum before - before the exhibit even showed up, I think..." she adds. "Though I guess nowhere in Tokyo is really safe from Youma."

    "Was there some stuff they were, I don't know, worried about us learning? I mean, our own history..." she says, pointing between herself and Mamoru "... had some things that were bitter pills to swallow."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Yeah but I'm a nerd, I like museums," Mamoru says patiently, already halfway through inhaling his omelette. "At any rate, Hanasaki-sensei didn't want to give Siddig-sensei our contact info, and so Siddig-sensei literally just had to hope for the best. Despite me doing my best to make myself an easily reachable contact, I don't hand out the mahou MSF business cards to everybody. I don't know why she didn't talk to you, though, Kyouka-sensei. But me, I want to join the organization. They need more outreach to support us, and I'm happy to try to facilitate that."

Beryl's group.

Mamoru pauses for a moment, stillness briefly overtaking him, but it's done and he finishes the first chocolate milk, and he's fine. "I can confirm, if Beryl knew about it, she didn't tell me or my guys. What's the fire have to say about any of this, by the way?"

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    "My sources inside Obsidian," Kyouka tells Rei, without naming names despite two-thirds of the table knowing exactly who she is referring to, "lead me to believe the same. That Obsidian is 'involved' with the Fade, but what exactly that means I've never been able to figure out. They're pretty good about keeping high-level secrets when they want to be."

    "If there's stuff in the history they're worried about coming out, putting it in an exhibit isn't going to stop that, just slow it down. I still don't see the point." She shakes her head.

    She rolls her eyes at Mamoru's explanation. "Bureaucracy, got it. God I hate politics. I couldn't even handle working with ONE partner due to the drama. Actually being in an organization like this sounds like hell on earth, but honestly kid if you can stomach it and maybe convince them to be a little less obtuse I say godspeed."

Rei Hino has posed:
    Rei puts a finger to her lips in thought. "Maybe they don't trust Inai-sensei because she has magic. She's able to bend the rules without the costs of Hanasaki-sensei or a peice of the Crystal Heart, and the other person with the same power source is..." is HR at Obsidian.

    The question about the fire allows her to not finish that thought out loud and she takes the chance. "Not much, I ask about the Fade and occasionally I get Obsidian's logo, but we know they're mucking with it anyways. Sometimes, though, I see a tall woman with... her hair looks kind of like a palm tree, I don't know how else to explain it. She's old. Really old. Like she's someone's obaa-chan's obaa-chan. And I get a sense of intense evil about her. But I haven't seen her around in Tokyo, and for all I know she's long gone, because whenever I see her it seems to be in ancient times." she says. "And I haven't been holding out on you or anything - she's just started to take shape in the fire this week. But I don't think any of the visions are present-day... I've been debating if I should put something in the Shed about it. I probably should." she notes.

    "Well, I'm not one to completely deny the value of tradition and such..." she IS a shrine maiden "... but sometimes it needs to step aside for more pressing matters. Still I feel like Mamoru-san understands that and so it'd be better to him within than without?" she offers.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"My stupid brother worried about me being king of the world, and all I want to do is go into social work," mutters Mamoru, sliding down a little in his seat. "But if we can kill the fade, maybe I can be a guidance counselor for magical kids, too, when I grow up." He says this and he looks at Kyouka, smiling faintly. "If I'm going to be in academia or government-run social work, I'm going to have to get used to bureaucracy and politics. Fortunately I have a whole life's memories of learning about bureaucracies and politics, so my theory is sound."

He looks at his second glass of chocomilk, then slides it closer. He glances to Rei and looks thoughtful. "Well, they'll have major problems with me, then, since I was actually in Obsidian, I'm not just guilty by association. But I'm absolutely determined to join, and I agree." He drinks some of the new cup. "I mean, about tradition, keeping it, and gently shunting it to the side in emergencies."

He blinks at Rei, then. A tall ancient evil woman with palm tree hair.

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Kyouka smirks just a little bit at Mamoru's words. "If we successfully get rid of the Fade, positions like mine are going to become more important than ever. I think that's a good thing to aspire to. And I'm not just saying that to toot my own horn."

    "Well, like I said, godspeed." She says with regards to Mamoru's academic ambitions. "I might hate it with a fiery burning passion but I recognize that somebody has to do it, and if you're both willing and able then I think its a noble sacrifice you're making for the rest of us who would rather just be punching bad guys in the face."

    She adds, "You were in Obsidian because you were brainwashed, essentially. Anyone who can't make that distinction doesn't deserve to be in charge of a powerful organization. Besides, inside knowledge, no matter how it's obtained, is always going to be valuable."

    She glances to Rei then, lips twisting in a sardonic smile. "They don't trust me because I do what I think is right, not what I'm told. They're happy to support me and give me a paycheck so long as I behave myself, but they're afraid if they tell me too much I'm going to hare off and do something they disapprove of." She shrugs. "Which I absolutely would, if I felt like it was the right thing to do."

Rei Hino has posed:
    Rei leans back in her chair a bit. "Tradition... it's important, sometimes. And sometimes, it's just because this is how something has always been done. And you can't really judge that until you're on the inside." she says, after a moment. "But yeah, if they hold what you did while you were being brainwashed against you - well... you'll just have to form your own replacement for them, because if we can deal with the Fade and they push out people like you and the Boys, they're gonna become irrelevant pretty quick." she notes simply. "Once we have actual people with experience to guide them instead."

    She looks at Mamoru and shrugs. "I'll draw a picture, but it won't be a very good one. Trust me, if you saw that hairstyle you'd agree." she says.

t    To Kyouka's comments about doing the right thing regardless, Rei smiles a bit. It's a small thing, but the older woman can see it, Rei does on some level approve of Kyouka's comments, even if she doesn't come right out and say it because of propriety. "When it comes to the stuff we deal with, a sense of what's right and what isn't is probably one of the most important things you can have."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"They're also a secret organization and I'm good at keeping pretty much any secrets but my own, and you'll hare off and tell the world about a high-schooler's dating life if you think it's the right thing to do," laughs Mamoru, reaching over to lightly shove Kyouka's shoulder. He's smiling, it's warm, it's teasing.

Then the smile fades a little. "Part of the bona-fides Hanasaki-sensei gave me about Siddig-sensei was that neither she nor anyone in her extended family has never been in Obsidian, and have always rebuffed any overtures. I just figure I can convince them to give me a chance, maybe they have a probation period or something."

Mamoru shrugs. "I'm not making the boys join if they don't want to. I don't want to make anyone do anything, other than my brother shutting up."

He eats the rest of his omelette as they speak and he listens, and then starts working on finishing the chocolate milk. "Like you said... I want to learn their systems, I want to learn their priorities. And I want to make sure they're appreciated for preserving this information while the people who can actually use it were vanishing. Like the monks keeping copying ancient Greek writings from papyrus to parchment for centuries after the fall of Rome."

He waves his chocolate milk around (carefully) and explains, "It's like a religion and every once in a while they get a bodhisattva or a saint or prophet or something, when a mahoujin joins them for a while and then Fades. But yeah," schlrrrrr, he finishes his chocolate milk, "if they don't want me I'll just do the organizing myself."

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Kyouka gives Mamoru a look at his gentle shove, teasing or not, and looks at Rei. "You see, this is the problem. Too often people don't agree with me about what the right thing to do is. I'm a big enough woman to admit I may not always be right, but I'd also much rather make a well-meaning mistake and apologize for it later than not act and fail to stop some tragedy or another. That kind of philosophy doesn't usually play well with the secret society red tape types."

    She shakes her head. "You and I both know that "working with Obsidian" is not in itself an eternal condemnation. It's a huge group, people have many reasons for joining, and just as many for leaving. You can't hold someone eternally accountable for errors of judgement made in good faith, especially if they've since shown they want to atone for them."

    She sighs. "I dunno, I'll readily admit I am not the best at seeing the big picture. I've always been a better tactician than strategist. But the way they go about things just doesn't sit right with me." She looks at Mamoru. "Which is not to discourage you. If anything, it makes me want to support your desire to get in because I know you'd probably improve the situation."

Rei Hino has posed:
    Rei jerks forward and sits a little bit more straight, like she noticed she was being so casual in a public space. She continues to poke at her bento, deep in thought, while the others talk, piping in occasionally.

    "Good luck with that." Rei says regarding his brother, under her breath, and then stuffs her mouth with some more rice before she can say more. "That's a noble goal." she notes appreciatively once she finishes the rice. "Careful, people can be very attached to their religious ideals. Take it from the girl who used to go to school with nuns." she comments. "Whether it's for good or bad. I have to figure anybody who has devoted themselves to this situation has a lot of feelings, it's probably a lot of who they are, inside." she continues.

    "I can't think of anyone better to bridge us, though." she says, nodding to Kyouka's comments. She knows she's not the person to comment on the whys of being part of Obsidian, but... "I feel like being brainwashed into it gives you a little more sympathy than just making bad decisions, too." she adds. "But I'm sure they have things to offer people want, or think they need. The world out there can be tough if you don't have people who understand you. Magic or not, really."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Yeah. That was how they got me: hey, do you want to find the people you're missing and the grand purpose and reason to your life? Me, at thirteen, yeah duh Director Beryl of course I do," Mamoru says, putting his empty glasses on his tray along with his empty plate, watching his own hands as they busy themselves.

And then he looks up at Rei. "Yeah, I'll be careful. I haven't forgotten that it seems too good to be true. But someone has to jump in with both feet, and I've got the Don't Let Endy Get Killed squad watching my back, so... it can be me. But boy, if jumping in with both feet just results in more paperwork instead? At least it'll be voluntary paperwork."

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Kyouka shrugs again and then stands up. "Well, I wouldn't want to swap places with you, but you got a good head on your shoulders kid so I think if anyone can make a difference in there, you can. Just don't start drinking the kool-aid and forget why you joined in the first place, huh?"

    She smirks at him, showing that she's teasing mostly- the message is sincere, but she trusts him not to fall into that trap so easily.

    "I'm going to get some food. I'll be back in a few minutes." She tells the two teens, as she walks away to do just that.

Rei Hino has posed:
    Rei smiles. "Well, at least anybody that does try to turn it into a trap for you is just going to lead a whole lot of angry senshi to them. Traditionally, messing with one of us has really ended poorly." She says to Mamoru, that smile slowly turning into a full on grin for just a moment.

    She calmly puts the top on her mostly uneaten bento and packs it back away in its little sack. "Well. I've got a bad picture to draw of a grandma with palm tree hair and a note to write, so I'll get on that. It was good to eat lunch with you both, thank you." she says as she stands, bows to both in turn, and puts her coat on.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Kyouka-sensei can come back to an empty table," laughs Mamoru, also standing to put on his outerwear, then picking up his tray to head to the kitchen with it. "See you later, Rei-san."