The Garden at Seiyou is, without question, the Headquarters of the Seiyou Guardians. What many people don't know is that it is also one of the most prominent and public ways to reach Virtue: the organization of magical girls spanning most of Tokyo.
It is Tuesday, and school has already been out for hours. Club hours are over, and most of the Guardians, even, have already gone home. Two, however, have remained behind with a very special interest in mind. No not that interest, get your mind out of the gutter, we're talking about a meeting with one of Virtue's more ... ecclectic members.
"Are you sure she's gonna show?" Amu Hinamori asks, pacing across the small dais on which the Guardians' table rests. "I don't even know if she looks at that stupid phone. She probably won't. She's probably not going to show. She's probably too busy trying to figure out how to summon Cthulhu to do her bidding." She might be a little nervous about this meeting.
Meanwhile, the trio of Amu's charas are nowhere to be found. They are probably off with Kiseki hunting for the Embryo.
Tadase shrugs. "I hope so. The pressure's mounting." he says, cryptically. "I mean... Eclipse isn't going to wait much longer. They really want that book of hers. And I don't think they understand how decentralized we are. But they've been getting in contact with Tsukasa. Trying to explain to us how dangerous the book is."
He sighs. "I don't like this. I mean, it all just feels too dangerous. And... maybe this is just me being a jerk, but I'm not sure she's done much to help us in return for this."
"I at least need to know more about her and why she's doing this. So I hope she does show." he says to Amu. This is Tadase in All Business mode.
Typically, Blue Lotus is not easy to get ahold of. Most contact with her, before this whole book incident, came through the Taisha. She most often appeared as their representative and seemed to be on a very short leash. However, she was in posession of a Virtue Phone, so sending her a message that way seemed fairly like to reach her. Whether she would respond or not is an entirely different matter.
It seems, however, that the Guardians are in luck this afternoon. Because here she is. She seems to stride out of the shadows, appearing in an instant without any warning and without much sound. She approaches the dais where the Guardians wait with a steady stride, the dark holes of her mask hiding any sign of her eyes. Unlike Tadase, Blue Lotus is always in All Business mode.
In fact, it's worth remarking upon that although she has been known as a Virtue operative for some months, she only ever seems to appear when 'on business'. She is never seen without her mask and sword, and seems to be an absolute master at keeping her civilian life and identity a secret- either that, or she doesn't have one at all.
She pauses before the dais, her head turning slightly as she regards the two waiting for her. "You wished to speak with me?" She asks without greeting, her voice slightly muffled, as always, by the mask.
Amu startles at the sound of Blue Lotus' voice. She hadn't noticed the girl appear; hadn't heard her footfalls. "What the heck!" she says, rounding on Blue Lotus irritatedly. "Don't you know how to use a door like a normal person!?"
She huffs, then crosses her arms and steps aside, letting Tadase do the talking. Because if it were up to her ... well best not to dwell too much on that.
Tadase nods at Amu. He doesn't react the same way that she did, but he does tilt his head. "Or you know, not lurk out of the shadows like that. Usually when things do that they do not want to sit down for a friendly chat." he admonishes.
"Look, I need to know more about what you're doing. I'm happy to help people, but some of the things I've heard about you and your book are suspicious to say the least. Dangerous at the worst. I don't want to expose my friends, my allies to danger if there's not a good reason for it. So what I want you to do is have a seat and talk it out with us."
Tadase gestures to the seat across from him and Amu. "It's safe to tell the truth here. Nothing's getting into the Garden."
"It's not my fault if you do not pay adequate attention to your surroundings. There is often tactical advantage in not being seen. It is reflex more than anything I do on purpose." Blue Lotus replies, with a hint of admonishment in her voice, as if she is the one who called this meeting and not the other way around. She regards the chair for a moment.. then shrugs and sits down in it, her back straight.
"I have already told you to the truth. Well," She amends, "Not you personally, but representatives of Virtue. My brother is beind held captive, and that book is, as far as I know, the only way I am able to rescue him. It may be dangerous.. I am willing to admit this. However, I am not willing to change my course." The mask shows no emotion, and her voice doesn't give any hints, communicating only firm resolve. "I believe in the tenets of Virtue, and of Justice. I think I have demonstrated that adequately in the past. But this is about family. I am afraid I will not compromise."
Tadase doesn't look chastized at all by what Blue Lotus says in reply - nor does he look offended. The only word that could come to mind is stoic. And then, Tadase shakes his head. "Well, I didn't ask for your presence in order to go over the finger points of entry ettiquite." he says, hopefully killing that conversation dead.
"You're only giving me the framework of a story." Tadase continues, folding his hands in front of him. "You're telling me the book can rescue him, but not how. You're telling me the book is dangerous, but not why. I'm glad you believe in the same things we do - but one of the things we need is openness. Especially if it turns out there's an alternate way to save your brother, in a way that would prove less hazardous to you, to us, and perhaps to him as well." he continues.
"Don't mistake my need for information to mean I oppose you getting your brother back - I know the sort of things I would go through for a family member. But I'm also aware how that connection might blind me to dangers I would otherwise be able to overcome. Let us look where you might not be able to. Let us help you - that's why you came to us in the first place, isn't it?"
Blue Lotus listens to what Tadase says in silence, without any outward change in her posture or appearance. It is hard to tell if his words are having any effect on her. Eventually though, a small sigh escapes from behind her mask. "I do not believe there is an alternate way. I have a.. source. And no, I am not willing to disclose that source at this time, because I made a promise not to do so and I believe this source is trustworthy."
"However, I do not suppose it would hurt, at this point, to at least inform you of the mechanism by which I intend to rescue my brother." She shifts slightly in the chair, her hands resting atop her thighs, relaxed. "I have reason- good reason- to believe he is being held in a pocket dimension which is very hard to access for those who are not meant to access it. The Compendium of Infinite Worlds (that is the name of the book) has the ability to reach that pocket dimension. It has, as far as I know, the ability to reach nearly any dimension. That is what it does. This could, I admit, be dangerous in the wrong hands. However, I intend to use it for a simple purpose- to rescue my brother by accessing the pocket dimension in which he is being held captive."
"Afterwards, you can do with it as you wish. However, I do not, for the record, endorse returning it to Eclipse."
Tadase nods as he listens intently. He's not here to pass judgement, only to seek information. He'll leave the judging to Amu. The unmentioned source makes him shift a little, but he nods at her promise. "I will trust your judgement." he says, quietly.
"Do you know what kind of timetable you're looking at? I'm not sure I want to give the book back to those guys..." he says, making an annoyed face for the first time, thinking of Eclipse, and of Hannah Sharpe. "...but if their concern is genuine maybe they can give us information on how to use it safely. They seem to be of the opinion it's dangerous in any hands. They've been in contact with us..." he admits, in the interest of disclosure. "They're concerned it's dangerous in any hands. They're... very concerned." he adds.
"Part of the reason I wanted to talk to you about this.... is that I think they're going to start acting out to get it back soon. They don't usually care enough to open dialogue with us. Kinda defeats the whole 'acting in shadows' thing they try to do. In fact, this may have been the first time they did."
Although her expression is still hidden behind that omnipresent mask, there's a sense that Lotus' eyes narrow when Tadase mentions that Eclipse has been in dialogue with some members of Virtue. She is well-aware of how unusual that is, and it clearly does not please her. "I would urge you," She says, her voice low and somewhat tenser than it was before, "Not to trust them, although I would hope that you do not need my warning in this case."
"They will likely say whatever they think is most likely to get the book back in their hands, regardless of how truthful it is. Eclipse does not like to let its posessions.. any of its posessions enter someone else's control. It is my assumption that they are overstatin the threat in order to get back what they view as their property with a minimum of loss."
She pauses at the question of a timetable. "The rituals required are.. complex. I believe I should be ready to act within a few weeks at the very latest."
Tadase looks across the table at Blue Lotus. "I think it goes without saying I find all of them highly untrustworthy, and dangerous." he agrees. "But that doesn't mean that they might not have a valid concern. And a valid concern would make sense given the unorthodox way in which they are acting. I don't have to trust them to think that in this circumstance they might be correct."
"I'm torn... because I feel that I should urge both haste and caution, and I know the two are somewhat exclusive. I wish you were comfortable sharing some of the work with us - there's many bright minds here - and doing this alone will probably only increase the chances that something bad will happen."
Blue Lotus stares out from behind her mask, although as usual aside from the faint glitter when something behind the mask catches the light, there isn't even a glimpse of her eyes visible behind it. It may occur to Tadase, as he talks about trust, that as far as he is aware, nobody in Virtue has ever seen the face behind that mask.
"Do not think I am being antagonistic when I say this," she says, tilting her head slightly, "But trust goes two ways. Leave me to do as I must, and when the time comes, I will share more." She moves to stand, the folds of her traditional chinese dress fluttering slightly as she rises. "It is not my intent to bring danger to this city or to its people. But this is a responsibility I cannot escape. You must, of course, act as you think is best. In your position I would do the same."
"But I will not be put from this course. I have already sacrificed too much. I will not stop short of my goal and make those sacrifices meaningless. I will inform you when I am ready to act, or when I have more.. concrete information to share. Until then, tell Eclipse whatever you like. If they wish to come after me, so be it. They will meet the same lack of success that they have so far."
Amu asked Tadase to handle this meeting because she knows she's too aggressive for more delicate conversations. She asked Tadase to do it because she's angry and probably irrational. She asked Tadase to do this because Virtue is his labor of love, and for her it's more of a frienemy.
For this reaosn, Amu has remained quiet, alternately standing and pacing or seated behind Tadase as he talked with Blue Lotus. She has trusted his judgement, and his charm. She has backed him silently like a caged tiger on its chain.
Unfortunately that chain isn't strong enough to withstand what, to her, looks like a threat.
Amu leans forward, eyes narrowed, and glares at the girl across the table. "I'm sorry, but what gives you the right to decide what is and isn't an acceptable sacrifice for Virtue? We've already given you a lot, and all we've gotten in return are vague promises and mild reassurances. Prism Keeper Orange would have died if I hadn't blown everything to shield her. I might have died there, too. Kukai wound up in direct confrontation with one of our allies over this stupid book of yours. I'm sorry, but you are being antagonistic, by constantly asking us for backup, but not explaining what's going on. I get it: your brother is very important to you. And you know, for your brother, I'd probably do just about anything. But not blindly.
"Intent or not," Amu says, "You've already brought danger to this city, and to its people. You may not be able to escape this responsibility, but you can damned well tell us what we're helping you do."
Tadase starts to hold Amu back, considers trying to interrupt her - but then (perhaps wisely) doesn't, and he lets her say her piece. There'd be no reason to have her here otherwise, even if her tone is vastly different than the one he wants to strike. "They've only met a lack of success because we arrived to assist you, Blue Lotus." he says, calmly. "Amu's expressed a lot of what other people are thinking. Virtue doesn't exist soley to help you. Everyone pitches in to assist everyone else, and that needs - it requires - more trust than you're showing us here. I'm trying to be kind and outstretch a helping hand."
"But the book you're using - that you refuse to let us have a look at, to help you with - is also posing a threat to the city in its own way. You've admitted as much. Isn't there anything else you can give us to go on, or some other agreement to at least render assistance? It seems like you only arrive for things relating to you. And I'm starting to feel a bit like you think it's okay to take advantage of us for your brother's sake."
Blue Lotus hesitates in her motion of turning away as Amu speaks up, leaning towards her and listing off the trouble that this particular incident has caused for Virtue. She remains silent as Tadase says his piece as well. At times like this, that damned mask is mighty inconvinient as it prevents any clue being transmitted as to whether the accusations are having any effect, though the tall, slender girl's posture does not change a bit.
"I have told you what is going on. My brother is being held captive, and I will use the book to open a portal to his prison and rescue him. I am sorry, but to tell you more at this juncture would be to risk the entire operation and I am not willing to do that, although I am sure in your place I would have similar concerns."
"However," there's a glint behind the eyeholes of the mask as her eyes shift to Amu. "I would remind you that I am a servant of the Tashia. Just because you are not aware of the majority of my work does not mean I am not working constantly for the benefit of this city. Have you seen many Vertexes attacking the city recently? No, I think you have not."
"This particular operation does not, I admit, occur at the behest of the Taisha. This is not 'official business', as you might say. However, to accuse me of 'giving little' in return to Virtue is to belittle the work that the Taisha does. While it is not my place to make such decisions, I would say this- The Taisha is part of the Virtue Network because its leaders believe there is value to be gained in cooperation- in sharing resources."
"However, the Taisha does not need Virtue. The Taisha operated before Virtue and, I imagine, will operate long after it disintegrates, should such a thing occur. So do not presume to treat me as some misbehaving subordinate. I do not work for you."
She returns her gaze to Tadase. "I have offered to keep you informed. That is more than I am obligated to do, but as I said, in your place I would likely feel the same. If you feel this is insufficient.. well. Then I am sorry. Do what you feel you must. I have said all that I intend to say."
She turns her back on them, long black hair flaring out with the motion. "You do not need to fear. I will succeed, with or without Virtue's help."
"Oh, I have no doubt about your success," Amu replies with a growl. "I just question the cost of your success. The fact that you think it would /jeopardize/ your success to have people who are clearly less idiotic than you are helping sorta tells me that you don't give a damn about the costs. But I don't speak for Virtue. Good luck," she says. "I will be keeping an eye out to see if you need help again."
Tadase folds his arms, and leans back in his chair. It's a resignation - a physical display of how he feels. "Well, it looks like you're unwilling to share anything more. Which means we can't help you anymore than we already do. That's a shame, but it seems like that's just the way things are going to be."
"I will note: As this isn't official business for your Taisha friends, it necessitates this higher level of concern and scrutiny. You're not trading on what the Taisha does, but on what Blue Lotus does, and it's there I have my concerns."
Tadase thinks on it. "It looks like we'll continue operating under the status quo..." but there's a momentary pause. "Don't put my friends at risk needlessly. Don't let your pride bring others down. That's what I ask from you."
"Your request has been heard." Is the only reply from Blue Lotus as she walks away and vanishes into the shadows of the Garden as silently as she appeared.