3678/A Little Guidance In Subtlety

A Little Guidance In Subtlety
Date of Scene:	16 January 2016
Location:	Human Resources Offices
Synopsis:	Lu-Mey gives Yari the gentle coaching she needs to be a more subtle operative. Then they dance~.
Cast of Characters:	234, 691

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Lu-Mey (234) has posed:
    Meanwhile, back at the Legion of Doom-- that is to say, the Citadel...
    Lu-Mey is, for once, in her own office for this, rather than her usual spot napping sprawled out as obnoxiously as can be atop Starless Night's desk in the offices of Human Resources.
    Now, there is one manner in which the Oni's office differs...
    The pulsing sweet beat of sugary-sickly over-chipper J-pop can be heard blaring from half-way down the hall by the time Lu-Mey's expected prey should be arriving. The door is left ajar, with a post it note stuck right on it reading:
    'Come in! I won't bite!'

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
By now, Yari is too exhausted to be scared of one of her bosses. This might not be a good thing, given how horrible and dangerous the Oni is, and how she just botched a very simple job.

She stands outside that office for a good minute dithering, before that note is spotted. Blink. She knocks anyway.

"Ensign Takane, reporting, Ma'am." She's still trying to get over that formality. It's worse today, given the circumstances. At least she then just walks in. There's a sharp salute. Standing at attention, even as it makes her wounds ache, she looks the Oni in the eyes. Already, that music is making her horns vibrate. Awful. Where's some nice, sweet, soothing jazz? The ninja's fears are definitely resurfacing in her mind. So too, do thoughts of shame fill her: both for screwing up, and a little bit of shame for essentially violating the sanctity of someone she respects. But it's tempered by duty. She was doing her job.

No more words from the ninja. She just seems /awkward/ as she stands there.

Lu-Mey (234) has posed:
    That's the thing isn't it? That exhaustion must be taking a toll... How odd it is. The scrabbling whisper tht slides in just behind the ears-- or in this case the Au'Ra's horns. Just before even knocking on the door, a soft, breathy kind of voice whispering in sultry dulcet tones from nowhere.

    . o O (She's going to eat you alive...)

    "Come in, come iiiiiin~!" The Oni chirrups in return. And so, the door opens- all on its own, it would seem. Though the quick eyed might catch a glimpse of the silvery gossamer strands of the Sha emerging from Lu-Mey's silk fan and tugging at the knob before they vanish.
    "One-two-three! One-two-three! One-two-three!"
    Moving to the beat, the red clad Caretaker shuffles and shimmies, sashays and twirls, feet gently thumping a rhythmic pattern out on the steel pad and light up arrows of...
    A DDR machine.
    Blazing neon lights flare with every step, before the song comes to a close and Lu ends it with a flourish and a stomp that twirls her to face the object of her current irritation, lashes fluttering as she holds her fan up in front of her face to hide her expression. But it doesn't hide those eyes.
    Glimmering scarlet eyes, predator's eyes. Hungry eyes, lingering on the Au Ra like a beast waiting for a piece of meat to fall off the grill.
    "Ara ara... You look like death warmed over... Have a seat, have a seat, Yari my dear, dear, Yari~." She says motioning for her desk. Just as another one of those whispers filters in again no sooner than she's gone speaking...

    . o O (Run while you still have the chance, worm...)

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
To say that voice from nowhere is unsettling is an understatement. She actually shivers, and lets out a hiss of pure fear. She's quivering already, poor thing. But she stands tall.

...And then she notes that her boss is moving and sashaying and playing DDR. She watches, a bit enraptured by her dance skills for a few moments, before shaking her head and trying to not be mesmerized. A bit of jealousy flits through her mind.

Eyes stare, and thankfully, Yari resists the urge to clap for the little performance. Another shiver, animal fear, fight and flight warring in mind and soul. She sucks in her lip, and bites it gently, getting the urge to flee or grovel out of her mind.

She slowly sits down, crossing her legs, and she starts to speak. "Of course, Miss Lu-Mey. I have no excuses for my carelessness and foolishness." It seems she's choosing humility. Then that whisper enters her mind, and her eyes go wide. Thoughts of what the Oni could do to her, and whether or not she's going to end up a meal for the scary woman start to take over. Her tail is between her legs, and shaking. The ball's in Lu-Mey's court, and her scared prey is cornered and injured. One can almost smell the scent of failure and a tired animal-brained ninja.

Lu-Mey (234) has posed:
    Ah there it is. The primal, baser, animal fear. The wordless, primal, terror that rises from the lesser developed part of the hindbrain that screams for immediate action... Lu-Mey drinks Yari Takane's fear like a fine wine, letting the moment stretch on for the span of a few beats, before the Oni snaps her fan shut with a click and saunters off the dance pad. "Now, now, let's not worry about apologizing just yet!" Piped sweetly as she sidles behind the Au Ra and sets hands on her shoulders.

    . o O (You should have run.)

    She holds there for a moment, uncomfortably close, and only leaning in closer, drawing an exaggerated sniff at the ninja's hair, before nudging Yari into the seat, and promptly taking her own place. Now, Lu-Mey does not so much sit in her own chair. No, she climbs right onto the desk and lays herself out in a lazy recline on one hip, before reaching to tip Yari's head up with a single finger under the chin. "Yari, Yari, Yari... How about we start somewhere simple... I am kind of curious!" Lu muses, tapping at her lip with her other hand.
    "Just what, exactly, are you doing?"

    . o O (Don't lie.)

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
That fan-snap has the ninja jumping in her boots. In comes the smaller Oni, so very close, and Yari's mind goes through her life. She's convinced she's about to die. Apologies to everyone from Sanary to Momoyo to even /Gawain/ run through her head before she's shoved into that chair. Lu-Mey walks around. That voice hits her brain.

Any thoughts of lying flees. She drops the tough act, quivering in fear before her boss.

"I've been attempting to spy on and determine the capabilities of Momoyo Kawakami and her subordinates." Pause.

It's more than that. "...She's strong, and I respect her strength. My desire to learn more about her, why she's so strong despite being born in a land without war, made me careless more than anything." And, though she doesn't speak it, she wants to find a friend in the odd battle-crazed woman.

It's at least cathartic to let it all out, and she slumps in pure exhaustion and fear. Most of it towards Lu-Mey. But a lot of it towards Momoyo as well. Her feelings on the other woman are complicated indeed.

Lu-Mey (234) has posed:
    Oh isn't that just adorable...
    Lu's palm wanders upwards, a warm stroke along the cheek slowly brushing warmth in an easing contact. But for all her touch is gentle, the voice puts words to what the Oni's eyes silently speak.

    . o O (You -failed- something so trivial!)

    Still! Lu-Mey is all smiles when she gets an honest answer. "Ohhhh I see... You. A valued confederate asset, and member of Human Resources, has just been gallivanting off looking to make a friend in a non-war affiliated world..." Lu-Mey doesn't need to read the Au Ra's mind for that one, but it's there, among all the hasty silent apologies isn't it? Nevertheless, fingers scritch lightly behind a horn.
    "Well there's nothing wrong with that!" Piped genuinely as she braces her hand on Yari's right leg.
    The squeeze is soft, but it's in just the place where the re-attached limb would feel just the most agony, as the Lu-Tirae flashes a fanged little grin. "Really though, it's a lot easier to make friends without sneaking around their tree houses and gaining utterly useless intel. You should honestly know better than that... So let's go over everything wrong here..." Murmured as she leans back and sprawls herself starfish on the desk.
    "You angered an obviously temperamental non-aligned Elite... Caused potential damage not only to your own personal relationship but could have caused added political ramifications as a result... But worst of all..."
    "You were caught."
    Now there's that melodramatic sigh as the Oni goes completely limp, staring up at her ceiling as though she was suddenly so bored. "But that wasn't what I asked!"
    In an instant, she's sitting up, bright and chipper again, clapping her hands once in a fit of excited pique. "You told me what you were doing, but not what you're -doing-." And now she's off the desk.

    . o O (Lying by omission is still lying.)

    . o O (She can read you, Yari Takane.)

    . o O (She can read you like an open book.)

    "Do you dance? Oh! I'm sure you do! I'm told, ninja are very good on their feet!" Piped as she usher the Au Ra onto the dance pad and flicks a few buttons.
    "Well, how about you dance a few rounds with me! When we're done, you can go on your merry way, and I'll just forget all about how you're so busy wasting time!"

    . o O (She'll forget. But you won't.)

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
The gentle strokes to her cheek and horn barely help. If anything, she feels like prey being toyed with. She stares in those eyes, the accusations in them and now in her head causing the poor ninja to shiver uncomfortably.

Yari lets out an agonized cry at the squeeze, slumping over as her vision blackens and then fades back in. Pain and shame mix on her features as Lu-Mey lays out her failures. She lets it all sink in, teeth gritting. She shamed the Confederacy with her stupidity. In her mind, she thinks she deserves the pain.

More voices, and the fear is naked in the au ra. "...I failed everyone." She finally admits, fear turning to anger inside of her. She has to improve. To serve better. She can't let this dishonor stand.

No, she definitely won't forget. The ninja is easily led, limping along to the DDR machine. Her eyes go wide a moment. What was the oni doing? Given the agony in her leg, this will be torture.

"...I'll accept whatever punishment you see to give, Ma'am." She finally adds, before the song starts, and she starts to dance. In fact, the ninja has a bit of talent. Unfortunately, she's wobbling, her leg sending up horrible spikes of pain along her wound. She's soon crying, holding in howls of pain as the dance begins. And there's no doubt more to come as she sweats and suffers.

Lu-Mey (234) has posed:
    It's such a sweet smile. Because Lu-Mey is already flitting through the song selection by the time Yari admits her failures. "Oh no no no, dear, you failed yourself." Chirruped matter of factly. "After, all, you're the one who got caught." Added as a pointed afternote. One hand gives a lazy wave before the scarlet-clad Caretaker hits play. "You're lucky she didn't kill you, you know!"

    . o O (Not lucky enough. Maybe it would have been better if she did.)

    Because Lu is selecting difficulty now...

     Beginner
     Medium
     Heavy
    >ONI

    Arrows are already flying up the screen, and Lu-Mey is effortlessly swirling along on her side of the pad, blaring music and flaring strobes of neon light making the flurry of motion all the more nauseating, on top of the extreme agony...
    But Lu-Mey must be feeling generous today. The song just may be the most abusive one minute and forty seconds of the Au Ra's life, but after it comes to a stop, the game starts to calculate the scores.
    Naturally, Lu-Mey ranked triple S grade.
    "Fwuah~. Wasn't that just fun? Anyway... I'm glad we had this talk, I'm sure you learned something very valuable, so I won't poke you any further about it!"

    . o O (Never... Fail again.)

    "Until the next time you screw up, anyway~<3"

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
The oni's words are like knives to the gut, and the exhausted, pained ninja soaks in her shame and pain. Indeed, she failed herself. The guilt eats at her, for so many things. The ninja's suffering might well be like fine wine for Lu-Mey.

And it quickly increases. The ninja dances along, every step burning pain, all of her wounds on fire. Her feet are relentless, hitting every arrow she can. Her legs are a blur of motion soon tinged with red. That leg of hers is bleeding, blood in the air, and soon her other wounds open up. It's beyond painful, and Yari's tail grips the bars as she bleeds and suffers, crying openly as she submits herself to this torture. The neon lights have her stomach churning, eyes burning, And at the end of it all, she wants to punch in the machine, thanks to that horrible, horrible song that will now haunt her nightmares alongside Lu-Mey ahd Momoyo, irrevocably linked to horrible j-pop and true suffering.

Yari comes to a rest, gasping, and falls to the ground to curl up and sob at Lu-Mey's feet. She's getting that machine nice and bloody, too.

"Y...yes Ma'am!" She manages to cry out. Never fail again. It echoes in her brain as she lays there.

And to top it all off? When Yari eventually limps to her car? It's out of gas. A kick to the knees at the end of it all.

Lu-Mey (234) has posed:
    It's over... It's finally over, and the Oni hasn't even broken a sweat.
    Hugging knees to chest as she scoots to crouch on her toes over the fallen Au Ra, Lu doesn't seem to show any mind in the least to the fact that Yari is bleeding. At least she shows no disgust anyway as her touch gingerly roves over a re-opened wound.
    "Tsk tsk tsk..." She sucks on her teeth with a slow shake of her head. "Dear, Yari you're just a wreck... Why don't you head on over to medical now." She sighs with melodramatic concern. As she brings her bloodied hand up, beginning to gently suck the blood off one finger in a blatant display of quiet hunger. An unnecessary reminder for the ninja of the red clad dancer's particular palate.

    . o O (You really are pathetic. You let that happen on top of getting caught. you had every chance to get away...)

    "You know..." Lu-Mey does idly note, glancing aside, as though struck by a mild thought. "I really wouldn't have held it against you, if you had run away. Part of being in Human Resources is learning how to evade your consequences to live another day, after all!" Pointed out with a saccharine sweetness. "Anyway! I'll have to clean this mess up now! So you should get going~."

    . o O (Get out of my office.)

    Despite the venemous hiss of that phantom voice, which sounds so much like her own, Lu-Mey positively beams.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
That touch brings screams, and the ninja writhes as that wound is played with. There's pure terror once more in Yari's eyes as her blood is licked away, the urge to run burrowing into her mind. One vicious voice, and one sweet one just puts a knife into the wound of her failure. She could have ran. But no, she deserved it. That's what repeats in her mind. But more than one lesson is learned. Next time, she's not letting herself get tortured by her insane superior.

The wounded ninja has to crawl out of the office, leaving a bloody trail before she just collapses and is taken to medical.

The Oni might note that the ninja still got an A-rank. For one second, before an angrily flung kunai sends a charge of electricity magic to short out the machine. Maybe Yari's indeed learning. Or she's just being childish.