Scene #2951: Ace in the Hole

Owner	Pose
Ace Saijou	Ace Saijou's daily life is nowhere near as hectic as his life in Paris was. People may joke about the woes of a celebrity, but there's quite a bit that goes info film and stage work even when the cameras are off -- training, promotion, networking, and any number of things that eat into one's personal time. But having left that life behind other than the bare minimum to keep his overseas reputation and to continue supporting himself, Ace is discovering the simple joys in day-to-day living, even if they end up taking him in unexpected directions. Today, for example, it takes him to a toy store. Under other circumstances favoring a place like that might might have gotten him odd looks, but fortunately here most are used to catering to a variety of crowds, from casual shoppers to die-hard collectors. And so, the young man in the stylish jacket and pants steps out of the store in a cheerful mood, having found a helpful stuff and able to make his purchases without any hassles. And turning to walk down the street, absently swinging the carnation-pink shopping bag that said purchases are tucked away in.
Amy Faust	Amy is tracking a faint signal. Not as strong as any Witch she's seen... could a Familiar have come this way? If she finds it, does she ''want'' to kill it now? Does she even ''want'' to find it? She's a bit unclear on how Familiars become Witches -- note to self, ask Madoka or Homura, and Kyubey about that -- but if it's just a matter of time or it just drains someone a little... well... She'd save a lot more people from more than just draining, with an extra grief seed. But then... if the Witch kills anyone before she finds it... She's just stopping on a rooftop to check the direction, when hey, she's seen that guy before! Foreigners really do kinda stick out here, huh... She drops into an alley just after he passes by, and dehenshins, then steps out. "Hey." She calls out, though in a speaking voice, not shouting. Then she smiles and waves her hand. "Ace, right?" She's still in her school uniform, having not bothered to change before henshining and going out on patrol. "You know, I just realized, I don't think we've ever gotten to talk about magic?"
Ace Saijou	"Ah?" Ace looks over as he's called to, a look of pleased surprise and recognition on his face as he raises his hand to wave back. "Ah, hello! Amy, isn't it? How nice to see you again!" The school uniform gets a glance, but just an absent one -- figuring she's just gotten out of class, perhaps? Though what she says next gives him pause. "Magic?" Tilting his head at that. "You mean like stage illusions? Ah -- or is there a new club at the school perhaps, you wanted to tell me about?" Envisioning some sort of private summoning circle in an empty classroom -- it's the sort of stuff they tell stories about, isn't it? The ones that tend to end badly.
Amy Faust	When he remembers her name, she nods, "Yup!" Although, when he assumes that magic being brought up unprompted means like stage illusions, she looks a bit confused as to why he'd assume ''that'', cocking her head to one side a bit. Oh. Maybe he doesn't know ''she's'' magic? "It's fine, I sparkle too. Do you remember having a weird dream about a bridge awhile back? Your princess -- err, well, the moon princess was there too?" The senshi must have reached out to him, she figures... right?
Ace Saijou	"Eh?!" That catches Ace completely off-guard. He does remember the dream (vaguely) and he does remember Amy had a place in it. He had been ready to come up with something glib to play it off with -- but then she mentions her own special nature. Which he was not aware of. So it looks like the senshi did not reach out to him about her -- or maybe he has his own reasons for not communicating with them? And so he finds himself completely wrong-footed for a moment, staring openly at her. Finally closing his mouth, and taking a quick glance up and down the street to make sure they have the space reasonably to themselves. Fortunately, none of the passers-by seem to have taken notice of him gawking at her, or have decided it's none of their business to get involved with. And he gestures to her to follow along as he turns to walk, thinking this is a conversation that's probably not best had right out in the middle of things. "What... exactly do you know about all that?" he asks after a moment. Trying to gauge just what it might be safe to talk about.
Amy Faust	Amy smiles a bit. Phew, if he'd kept playing dumb -- or something weird was going on and he really didn't ''know'' -- this would have been ''incredibly'' awkward. She walks with him, lowering the volume of her voice slightly. "I contracted in July 2023. Not long after Sailor Moon and many others first became active... although I guess your princess has been active longer." ''One of my soldiers from before. In this life, like the Shitennou, he was taken in by Obsidian and corrupted with Dark Energy. I had to face him as Sailor V. He chased after me. Romantically, I mean, and I had to kill him. Aino-san's words come back to Amy as she thinks back to what she was told, and-- oof, ''awkward''. "Oh. Right. I guess your... experience was rather... awful. But... you're free of Dark Energy now, and alive, right? So now you can save the world together with your friends! There's so many of us!" Amy grins awkwardly. "I know about the Silver Millenium, that you're a Heishi of Venus..." Amy blinks. "Wait, ''you'' know about this, right? They did -- the Senshi did bring you in at some point, right?" How could they not have? If Usagi and Mamoru know too... but, a lot ''has'' been going on... Amy wonders to herself, ''did they just not get around to it yet?!''
Ace Saijou	Ace lets out a slow breath as he parses what she's talking about. It did occur to him that at some point, he might need to go into his true nature -- not to mention his past -- to others outside of the Silver Millennium and the Shittenou, especially since there are so many others taking up the fight against the dark now, as she says. But because he had been mostly amusing himself with his masked role and discovering what his life would be outside of the shadows, it was something that hadn't been at the forefront of his thoughts. And here that moment is, all at once. "I do know most of what you're talking about, yes," Ace murmurs, likewise careful to keep his voice down even as he gives her a reassuring smile. "My memories are -- well, a little spotty I guess you could say, but I do remember the Silver Millennium. As far as being brought in though... not so much. Not because I have been made unwelcome, mind you," he adds, "though my comrades and contemporaries have every right to distrust me. No, it's just... they all have their lives, and I'm still discovering my own. And what that means my place in them will be." His smile taking on a wistful tone. "Especially in hers -- my princess, as you say."
Amy Faust	Amy nods. Spotty memories... well, he did die, apparently, and she's never asked how complete the others' memories are. "Well... your place in Aino-san's life is between you and her. And if you fear distrust, I think Mamoru can probably help clear that up." She does not mean to casually suggest Mamoru's telepathy as a solution to problems, but this is 'part of their circus' as someone once put it so it seems likely he'd want to. "But... uhh, right." Concern creeps onto her face. "I wasn't thinking about... what it's like, to have grown up under Obsidian. You're free and just getting a second chance now, huh?" She places her hands behind her head and looks up at the sky a moment. "''Mood.'' It can be hard to find a place, this society isn't as kind as the past ''or'' the future. But I get to have friends this time around, so..." she smiles at him, "that's more of a place than I ever thought I'd have." She looks ahead thoughtfully as they walk along. "...I wish I could tell you how to find a place, but... didn't you say you were kinda famous or something? Or was that tied to Obsidian work?"
Ace Saijou	"Ahahaha! Er, somewhat," Ace hedges, actually looking embarrassed now. "As part of that work, I was sent out to establish a 'Dark Agency,' a means to spread our influence through popular trends. Most people were unsuspecting of me, of course, so I did make legitimate connections in media and entertainment. I ended up creating the role of 'Kaitou Ace' -- I think they still have episodes of that show re-running overseas," he adds thoughtfully. "Not sure about here, though. Hm!" "But even though there was an honest aspect of that life, and I did enjoy the work... I don't think my place is back there," Ace murmurs. "At least, not for now. I'm discovering there's so much more that I just... missed out on! That's part of why I wanted to enroll here -- I never did go to school," he adds, glancing aside at her with another embarrassed look. "I was privately tutored, you see." "So while I am trying to find my place, I'm taking the time to experience the things I never really got to -- not in either of my lives, as the Kingdom's soldier, or Obsidian's general. For now, I'm just... me," Ace finishes with a rueful smile, giving a little shrug. "And I'm still trying to figure out just what that means."
Amy Faust	> There's so much more that I just... missed out on! "Mood!" Amy smiles. n_n "It's... nice. To go to school with friends instead of having it be where I go to get bullied and get grades that will get me empty, hollow praise from adults." She cocks her head to one side while holding a curled finger to her chin. "I used to see no other point in it, since I'd learn faster at home. Although... I guess now, I live here, so there's that. And school in Japan is more academically challenging." > I'm just me, and I'm still trying to figure out just what that means." "Mood! What's that expression Mamoru uses... worm." Word + Mood! She holds out her arms. "Are you someone who likes hugs? I figured out that I'm someone who likes hugs."
Ace Saijou	"Hm?" Ace blinks as she asks that question -- and can't help but grin as he replies, "Well, I can't see myself as someone who wouldn't like being hugged by a cute girl! But I don't mind finding out for sure~." Despite his teasing tone, he behaves himself as he steps into those outstretched arms. His own coming up around her, still holding his shopping bag but firmly clasping around her shoulders and back, hugging her firmly as he bows his head over hers... ...and feels a tension he didn't realize he was holding, seep out of him. This... this is nice. "Thank you," he murmurs down to her, his breath ruffling lightly her hair. "For this. And -- for hearing me out. I didn't realize it was something I actually neededto talk about."
Amy Faust	She does give him a bit of a ''look'' at the tone he takes, preceeded by a flicker of... surprise? As if it simply hadn't been on her mind that a guy would be likely to react that way. But, there's also a smile at being called cute, and she doesn't seem to feel any need to be ''wary''. She hugs him just as firmly, apparently also having decided to go with a squeezy hug. "You're welcome!" She replies, cheerfully, "I feel like guys probably don't get enough hugs, 'cuz people are weird about it." She relaxes her grip, although she doesn't immediately let go if he needs more hug still. "I'm terrible at keeping things bottled up. Well, most things. I'm glad I could help." It's not that she doesn't ''notice'' she's hugging a boy, or can't imagine how it might feel with romantic feelings attached, but... romantic feelings ''aren't'' attached, as with hugging Taro or Mamoru. "I'm happy to talk about magic, or most things, but really, the other folks are pretty nice! You should talk to Usagi and Mamoru--" She blinks. "Ah. I guess I can see how if your last memories of them are as foreign royalty you might not have met, that might be a little intimidating..." "Well, they're pretty nice. We're all kinda finding ourselves in these lives, whatever other lives we may remember, right? We're all goin' through teenage stuff and finding our place amongst others and all that. So there's... more common ground, with your fellow students, than you might think."