Video/Action

[terminally_clever]

[Action; Scorpio District]

[It's the first night of the Firefly Festival, and Fumi's out to observe the light show.  To anyone who's just met her for the first time since her arrival in Hinoto-Ri, it's probably a bit of an odd sight.  She's sitting on a small hill overlooking the festivities below and just watching the fireflies dancing through the air and lighting up the night sky with their brilliance, laptop nowhere to be found for a change.]

Ah... it's so amazing...

[The smile on her face and the sparkle in her eye are like nothing she's displayed since coming here.  She really seems to be genuinely enjoying herself, just sitting idly by while she takes a moment to enjoy the scene.]

[Video; 13th Hour; Leo District; locked to Yamato and Miyako Hotsuin]

[As the feed flickers on, Fumi's face is illuminated by the light from her COMP.  The room she's standing in is dark, so it's rather hard to see what's behind her.]

Chief.  Miyako.  You're both going to want to see this.  Meet me in the Leo District.

Comments

[Video | Locked]

[capitalbackup]

What is it and where in the Leo District?

[Miyako is already getting up and picking her things as she asks. It's the 13th Hour, so it would be foolish to go outside unarmed.]

[Video | Locked]

[terminally_clever]

Near City Hall. I'll show you when you get here.

[Which means it's not something she wants to talk about over the network, even if the communication is locked.]

[Video | Locked]

[capitalbackup]

[She picked up on it easily and prefers it. Miyako doesn't completely trust the network's privacy for any topics she wish to discuss.]

I'll be there shortly.

[She leave her apartment, making her way over to the Leo Distict.]

[Video | Locked]

[terminally_clever]

[Fumi only has access to the government's network security protocols, not the visitor network. She hasn't had enough of a chance to test out how private it can really be.]

I'll be waiting outside.

[And that's more or less all she says about it until Miyako arrives in person.]

[Action]

[capitalbackup]

[Already familiar with the city's layout and routes, Miyako take the quickest path towards the City Hall. After a while, she arrives there.]

Kanno.

[Action]

[terminally_clever]

It's right over here.

[Without even so much as a greeting in return, Fumi starts walking about half a block down before stopping at another government building.]

[Action]

[capitalbackup]

[Miyako followed after Fumi, stopping and gazing up at the familiar government building.]

So it's here as well.

[She saw the network posts about locations appearing in the city. The most immediate example would be Aoi's house.

A small, cool smile appear on Miyako's face.]

Text | Locked

[drakenguard]

Where?

Text | Locked

[terminally_clever]

Half a block down from City Hall. I'll be waiting outside to meet you.

Text | Locked to Action

[drakenguard]

Be there in fifteen.

[And right on the dot of fifteen minutes, Yamato had arrived at the proper meeting place, half a block from City Hall, dressed in a casual dark coat - he hadn't worn his military coat in weeks. He was beginning to miss it]

Kanno. Evening.

Action

[terminally_clever]

Good evening, Chief. It's right through here.

[Fumi opens up the door, revealing the main hall of the JP's Nagoya office just behind. There's no lighting in there yet, so it's a little hard to see, but the silhouettes in the room are fairly distinguishable given all the clockwork.]

[drakenguard]

[Yamato recognised it immediately, of course, and he narrowed his eyes against the gloom, picking out the familiar silhouettes]

Nagoya Office... hah, so it arrived here, mm? Shame it wasn't Osaka.

[However, this was troubling. He knew how the government responded to these types of buildings - they had to give it an inspection first, before hooking it up to the local electricity, and they would no doubt be very interested in the books lining the walls - if they were there of course. Yamato couldn't see from here]

Is everything here?

[terminally_clever]

Unfortunately, I don't think we're in much of a position to complain.

[Fumi walks in fully, holding up her COMP to provide at least a bit more light.]

It's only the main hall, but all of the research is here. The government will certainly want to get their hands on this information, but we should be able to work out an agreement.

action; scorpio district

[jumyouboshi]

[Fumi Kanno was a strange woman, even for Alcor's standards.

But even the strangest human being would be somewhat curious about the sight of fireflies, would they not? He was aware, of course, of her arrival and presence in Hinoto-Ri (tracking the network constantly was a necessity if one wanted to gather information), but hadn't thought about seeking her out personally. It wasn't his place to do so.

...Yet he did anyway. If only because she was a child of possibility as well. (Even though she hailed from the meritocracy possibility...which did not really fly well with him, but if that was humanity's will, then there was no helping it.) Alcor took a seat somewhere on the small hill as well, on a branch of a nearby tree, far enough from the fireflies so his presence (and existence) wouldn't cause them to flee from him and the vicinity as a result.

However, Fumi Kanno was intelligent and perceptive, incredibly so, and even she probably couldn't miss the sensation of a certain something with a blue aura engulfing him descending onto said tree branch.

Dead star walking. Or rather, floating, as always.]

[terminally_clever]

[It certainly does not escape Fumi's notice, but her gaze doesn't move from the scene in front of her. As far as she's concerned, Alcor is nothing to be particularly concerned about. She's not above a bit of conversation, though, at least.]

Come to watch the fireflies with me, Alcor? Or is it Saiduq now?

[jumyouboshi]

...I am Alcor. The name of Saiduq belongs to the other.

[And he's grateful for the lack of hostility. Given that his last encounter with everyone else, as a group, was Last Assassin, simply being able to talk with them was nice.]

But yes, I suppose you could say that. You seem to be enjoying them.

[Little lights flickering and hovering about...for some reason, they reminded him of stars.]

[terminally_clever]

How irritating. As if keeping track of one of you wasn't enough of a pain.

[Fumi huffs, shaking her head for a moment before staring back out over the field of lights in front of them.]

Yes, they're quite fascinating, aren't they?

[jumyouboshi]

My apologies.

[Said on reflex.

...Though it wasn't his fault for being dragged here and supposedly causing that irritation. After a moment or two, Alcor nods, even though Fumi wouldn't see it anyway.]

Indeed. I see that knowing the science behind such bioluminescence does not detract from its wonder.

[terminally_clever]

[It was really more of a passing remark than anything. Fumi brushes the apology off rather easily.]

I'd argue that knowing the science behind it makes it even more interesting. The research applications alone are staggering.

[greyerrant]

[ A ghostly figure in armor watches the fireflies as well, and notices Fumi. That foolish woman. Ah. Well, his body language subtly shifts, but he neither approaches nor retreats. ]

[terminally_clever]

[She's content to ignore him if all he's going to do is stand there, so this is going to be a game of conversation chicken.]

[greyerrant]

You seem cheerful.

[ He finally manages, gritting it out through his voxcaster. ]

[terminally_clever]

Hm. I suppose so.

[greyerrant]

The festival amuses you? I admit, I don't understand them.

[terminally_clever]

The festival?

[She sounds almost indignant.]

No, I couldn't possibly care less about that.