Scene Listing || Scene Schedule || Scene Schedule RSS
Owner Pose
Nagato     It's evening, the battleship is resting in the water, steam and fog obscuring most everything. Nagato's wearing her Amusphere and seems to be in her little trance, either in game or doing something else, though it will be easy to get her out of it. Behind the battleship is a timer, seconds ticking away indicating when the woman is finished repairing. For now, she doesn't say anything, unaware of anyone here... more so when most of her fleet doesn't know that she plays an adorable catgirl...
Yuna Kagurazaka "Excuse me~?" Yuna's voice rings out softly in the repair docks as she ventures in. If there are other kanmusu undergoing repairs, then Yuna will greet them in her usual friendly-and-polite manner; mostly, though, she's looking for Nagato.

... who isn't here, she realizes, seeing the AmuSphere in use. Yuna shrugs slightly to herself and takes a seat nearby, her smile fading somewhat as she reflects on how Nagato got hurt this badly.

"Maybe I should've brought flowers for her, too," the blonde idol muses.
Nagato     There are, fortunately, no other kanmusu here for repairs, just the singular Admiralship there in a far bath, close to the window. It is a couple minutes before the Amusphere is taken off, the Admiral blinks her eyes, stretching slightly, the bath modified to support the Admiral to play. "Ah, a couple quests finished... at least this is better than popping bubble wrap." she comments to the supposedly empty repair docks. She turns around to look at the empty area..

    Baths. Baths. Kagurazaka. Baths.. wait.

    Nagato's head turns towards Yuna and a light, if pained, chuckle is given. "Kagurazaka, it's rare to see you in the repair docks, are you injured or did you just want to see if our baths worked on you?" she gives a slight chuckle again, "Come closer, there's a seat nearby for you..."
Yuna Kagurazaka Yuna smiles ruefully, "I probably got out of that scrap last night the least injured of anyone on either side ... thanks as usual to my Light Suit." She gets up, moving to the seat that Nagato mentioned. "I came here to visit you, actually, Nagato. How do you feel? You got torn up pretty badly fighting Sanary ..."
Nagato     Nagato shakes her head a bit, "Almost like you didn't get damaged at all. I'm sorry for putting you through that, Yuna." she gives a brief sigh, "But I'm feeling okay. It's painful but I can dive into ALO when I need to." she gives a shrug and looks towards Yuna, "I'm glad you visited me though, it means something good." she smiles.. which is strange, Nagato almost never smiles. "Is somethign concerning you?"
Yuna Kagurazaka "A little," Yuna admits, letting out a breath. "I .... I didn't think we were going to go as far as we did, to be really honest. I understand *why* - you said as much, you didn't want Yari to have the chance to hurt anyone else, especially the people we're close to. We didn't expect Sanary to be there, either ..."

She trails off, looking away. "Do you think there was another way to try and stop them?"
Nagato     "I see." Nagato looks away, "I know you don't want to kill, it's part of the reason you're anti air for my crew." she thinks a moment, giving another sigh, "The blood is on my hands, Yuna, not yours. I chose to do this to end a problem." she thinks a moment, "Violence begets more violence, I'm aware.. but I do not, nor saw any other way to stop them." she takes a deep breath, "Maybe I could have asked your opinion, and not seeing what others would like to do..."

    "What would you have done in my position?"
Yuna Kagurazaka "I don't know," Yuna admits, turning her gaze back towards Nagato. "Sometimes the only way to protect people is by hurting other people. I don't always reach out as stubbornly for a peaceful solution as I should, though, so maybe I don't even have a right to criticize you. Still ..."

Yuna gets to her feet, pacing around a little bit - not leaving the side of Nagato's 'dock,' though. "If we'd gone out and asked Yari to stop trying to kill you or the other kanmusu, I don't think that would have worked ... she's still a Confederate Elite, she has her own chain of command to answer to, and she has her own friends whom she fights to protect on top of that. Maybe she has family on top of that, or a home that needs to be kept safe from anyone, including the Union ... there's so much we don't know about her. And Sanary -"

Yuna grimaces. "Sanary's been an enemy a bunch of times that I've crossed paths with her, but not *always*; we've been on the same side a couple of times, facing those threats that pose a danger to both Union and Confederate territory or personnel or just interests. But the way she was talking and fighting last night, it's like she forgot all about those times ..."
Nagato     "They were Confederate elites, Yuna." Nagato rebuttles, "The Union and Confederacy, last I remember, are still at war with each other. People will get hurt, maimed. They tried killing me, Yuna. They tried to assassinate the leader of the fleet. Do you not think retributive action, such as what I did, wasn't called for?" she shakes her head, dunking herself in the water, only to pull back up a second later.

    "People change.. mayhaps they were done trying to be so called allies with you." she shrugs in the water, making a small splash, "She did look different than before, so perhaps it may have not been Sanary..." she attempts to reassure, but knowing her.. it might not be. "I have no intention of pursuing Yari beyond what we did, I got my retribution, I can be satisfied with that."
Yuna Kagurazaka Yuna nods slowly, still looking less than convinced. "It's just ... Just because we're on opposite sides of the war doesn't mean we *have* to be enemies all the time. There are threats that have forced the Union and Confederate Elites to work together, whether it's protecting our own interests and they coincide across factions, or just dealing with a bigger threat that would wallop us if we *didn't* close ranks and fight together. And even if ..."

The blonde trails off, pacing back to where she was sitting before and settling down again. "You know, my world's first contact with the Multiverse - after we Unified - was the Confederacy trying to invade. You'd think that alone would make me hate them more than anything, yet ... hating people is hard. I look at somebody, and I don't see a 'villain' or a 'monster' - just somebody. Maybe they got lost in the Dark, maybe they were ill-treated and forced to fight on the other side, maybe they mean well and just took a wrong turn ... I think even with the Abyssals, I look at them and see who they could be. And to be part of the assault we just pulled on Yari, and on Sanary when she came to Yari's aid ..."

She closes her eyes for a moment. "I wonder if they'll ever be willing to stand by me again, if circumstances call for it, when I was part of hurting them like that."
Nagato     "War has always been black and white..." comes Nagato, "Perhaps I'm holding onto outdated ideals of the old world, back before I..." she gestures to her body, "became this." Nagato mutters, taking a look at the pacing idol, "Hating comes hard, yes. But you have different views than I do as well. I can't fault you for what you think after all." Nagato dunks herself once more and then pulls up, possibly splashing the idol in the process. "Yuna, you do know I wish to end this war between the Abyssals and my girls, right?"

    "Return the seas to saftey... reunited with our sisters... even if they've been on the other side during that war. It's... possible that can happen with the Union and the Confederacy... or the two that you wish to have stand with again, but after everything they've done counter to the Fleet's advances, they're no less enemy than the Wo-class or Samar." she pauses a bit... "The Abyssals are the Dark. Shooting them and sinking them has a chance to return them to the right, to the Light. Perhaps it may work with some of those other Confederates."
Yuna Kagurazaka "It isn't actually always that simple, I think," Yuna replies. She giggles faintly at getting splashed - she *is* wearing her SDP fuku, which is water-resistant enough that she can't complain (too much) about getting drenched. And at the moment, she doesn't seem to mind some splashing.

Her mirth is short-lived, though, as she turns her mind back to the topic of the conversation. "In your case, it *is* that simple. You and the other kanmusu rose from the depths as friends to surface-dwellers - but the Abyssals emerged from the sea as ... well, 'monsters'. But you didn't *choose* the side that you're on, did you? It was destined, I guess."

Yuna sits back for a moment, staring into space. "Back when Elner recruited me to start with, the Queen of Darkness had taken a bunch of girls - seduced or beguiled or whatever - into her service, as Frauleins of Darkness. I'm not sure how much choice any of them really got; I do know that when I was in her clutches, she tried to woo me into being her friend. It didn't take - my Light Suit protected me, and she wanted me to destroy Jiina and the others as part of the deal, so I don't think I'd have taken her up anyway. The girls who'd been enticed into Darkness were freed by my fighting and beating them ... that doesn't mean all of them are best friends with me, but they kept enough of their powers that they've fought beside me when I needed the help."

"Still," Yuna sighs wistfully, "I only wish it worked that way in the rest of the Multiverse. I've tried a couple of times - when it looks like somebody could be drawn out of the Confederacy and into the Union ... and most of the time, they're Confederate by choice. The same way we chose to join the Union - maybe because the alternative was intolerable deep down in our hearts, but it was still a *choice*. I don't know what informed Yari's or Sanary's decision to join the Confederacy, but ... well," the blonde gives a brief, rueful smile, "that's the thing. We don't know. I kind of want to, though - to understand them better, so I can be more of a friend to them. I may not agree with them, but I want to keep trying."
Nagato     Nagato listens to her Cruise... her ally's story, nodding slightly here and there. "So they tried to convert you and failed so you fight on the good side." she nods a bit and turns to look towards Yuna, "MOst of the time they're in the Confederacy by choice, you're right, but they don't get a choice to leave. We don't have a choice to leave the Union, even if we wanted to." she sighs slightly, "I still do not understand being friends towards your enemy. I know about an enemy of my enemy is my friend..."

    Nagato thinks, "I know that taking down a mutual enemy is the only reason i can think... to ally with those who wish to do us harm..." mmm.. "MOrality is hard, isn't it?"
Yuna Kagurazaka "It's more than that," Yuna says - kind of meekly, almost as if she's embarassed about it. "I guess ... well. I talk about 'choice' but ... I didn't really get a choice. Elner was sent to me because I was the one girl who could be the Queen of Light's champion, and she didn't give me the chance to say 'no'. But with everything that happened after that ... if I could go back and actually make that decision, I would have agreed. Maybe the Queen of Light knew that all along ..."

She trails off, looking pensive for a few seconds. "I guess what it comes down to, for me, is that I don't like it when anyone is suffering. And I don't like to be a person who causes others to suffer, even if that's what it takes to prevent even greater suffering to more people. So ... 'greater good,' 'acceptable losses' -" She shakes her head. "I have trouble with those. I don't like to even hurt an enemy ... and like you said, that's why my primary duty with the Fleet is anti-air defense," she admits with a nod.
Nagato     "So you never got a choice. Like I never got a choice to be like this." she gets this sigh, then looks towards Yuna, "I have to ask, after what you've been saying. Do you feel comfortable in the fleet, fighting alongside us?" she tilts her head, "You've always had a choice in the Fleet, but from what you're saying, are you sure you want to continue on with us? At least, by our side with gear?"
Yuna Kagurazaka There's a part of Yuna - a strong part, really - that wants to answer even before Nagato finishes asking the question. But rather than simply blurting out the answer which seems so obvious, Yuna catches herself and thinks consciously about it for a moment or so.

The biggest reason for her to keep fighting alongside the Hikari fleet daughters, of course, is that they're her friends. Maybe not all of them, but more than a few, and that number generally grows as she gets to know more of them. Then there's the fact that the Abyssals are likely to menace other oceans if they ever get the chance, and as Nagato said, it's possible to 'redeem' the Abyssals by sinking them .... but, only with the sort of weapons used by the fleet daughters. *Maybe* other weapons could have a similar effect, but it's just as likely that there are weapons - alien to Nagato's world - which would simply destroy the Abyssals without a chance of them resurfacing as kanmusu in their own right.

That's not something Yuna wants to see happen, even if the Abyssals are more likely to terrify her than not. But then, it was aiding the Hikari girls (albeit in her own Marine Form armor, at the time) which let Yuna connect at all with Wo, and *that* encounter helped Yuna learn to look past the admittedly-freaky symbiotes.

And it was because of getting drawn into that fight in the first place which led to Yuna being able to set sail as the light cruiser Kagurazaka.

Yuna smiles, not wry or rueful, but bright and warm and pure. "I don't see how I could turn my back on Hikari at this point, Admiral. I may have obligations that keep me from always being ready to sail beside you all, but when you need me and I can be here, I want to continue as a member of your fleet, adjunct or not."
Nagato     Yuna's answer draws a soft smile from the Admiral as she sinks a bit under the water. "Yuna, I appreciate your answer." she replies, "I sometimes worry if I've ever made a mistake allowing you humans to wear our equipment but knowing what I know now, especially with you and Amakasu, I know I've made the right choices. I'll be keeping a few things in mind of what you said. Perhaps your way may be best for some, to show them kindness where others may show them fear or opression."

    Nagato looks back at the timer, there's quite a long time left upon it, "Ah, Yuna. Shall we retire from these talks and do something more enjoyable? I don't think I've ever seen you dance or do your idol routine. Having someone different from Naka would be quite a change."
Yuna Kagurazaka "If you'd like," Yuna replies. "One second, though ..."

Literally, one second is about all it takes for Elner to blink into the baths next to Yuna, and with another blink of light, to materialize a small microphone-and-speaker rig. Yuna secures the belt around her waist, positioning the speakers on either side of her waist, then does a bit more fiddling to plug the microphone in. "Elner, if you could handle the backing music ... ?"

A moment after *that*, music starts playing from the speakers, ascending glissandos (or something) hinting at a haunting melody, before they resolve into a fairly upbeat introduction. Yuna takes advantage of the delay and intro to move away from Nagato's dockside, somewhere that she has more room for dancing if it seems appropriate, and then starts singing:

o/~    The flexible spiral imitates a galaxy
    Quietly, the energy spreads
    Thousands of twinkles resemble a lovely gaze
    That faraway memory I started to forget

And she does dance to the music. It may not be as intricate as Naka's dance routines, but Yuna moves as if letting the music guide her, her free arm moving as if to trace the arcs of the cosmos, above and around her, 'shaping' the starscape which the lyrics describe.

o/~    Racing through the depths of consciousness
    I have a hunch that someone's waiting
    Let's set out and awaken the promise of a childhood day
    Through the geography of space, one by one
    The precious stories take place
    I want to make sure, with my own eye
    Facing forward without hesitation

o/~    There's a person whom I want to meet ...

The second part of the lead-in repeats, and Yuna looks briefly towards Nagato before she continues her song.

o/~    Another star is being born
    A red wave swirls and shines
    Unknown to anyone, that signal swells
    Until someday it's connected, reaching to overcome time

o/~    The stars' whispers rain incessantly, so many
    Is it all right to search for the sign
    which bears just one answer? ... Tell me!
    Seeking the skill to discover it in the endless galaxy,
    Let's set out quickly
    There's no need for sighing
    As we dive through the sea of light

It's a pretty short song, actually, and the music ends right about where (or when, rather) the lyrics do. Yuna shifts the microphone into a two-handed grip as she finishes, looking again at Nagato.