Scene #7724: Meeting the (dog and cat) parent

Owner	Pose
Hellwarming Trio	After some vague amount of time procrastinating, Utsuho and Rin have finally agreed to take Shinnosuke to hell! For a home visit. He's never been there before, at least to their knowledge, so it's a good opportunity to show him what their daily lives outside of junior detective'ing is all about! After exiting the warp gate into Gensokyo, it's a fairly short walk to the hot spring at the Hakurei shrine that leads into their home. Luckily, there's no thieving witches or miserly shrine maidens there at the time, so his wallet is safe. The trek down is fairly busy, though, between all manner of mischievous fairies and inquisitive oni wanting to see who the new guy is. It's a warm and humid place, unfortunately, but the two youkai leading him along don't seem to mind even after a good five or six spell card duels later. Why would they? It's their home, after all. And yes, they actually engage in skyward battles of colorful balls flying every which way instead of setting everything on fire since... Well, everything's already kind of on fire in the distance, and also because it probably wouldn't be too fair if it was a straight power battle. Eventually, the reach the Palace of the Earth Spirits! Alternatively, the duo's home. The palace grounds and the mansion are still as beautiful as ever considering where it is, and there's even a flourishing fruit tree growing near a hole leading deeper into the earth. "I'll get Master and the rest ready. You two kick back and relax!" As Rin hurries inside to do exactly that and definitely nothing else, Utsuho sticks around outside. "So, Teach. What made you wanna come here all of a sudden?" Utsuho asks, speaking a little more loudly than usual. She's definitely not doing it to make it obvious she's asking that to anyone else that might be within earshot.
Shinnosuke Tomari	Tomari is in his casual clothes - a coat, a shirt, and some jeans. He watches with shock, confusion, and awe as they keep fighting people in spell card duels the whole way there, but eventually, they make it. Once they move into the palace grounds, Tomari straightens up, and turns to Utsuho. "Well, I'm 'Teach', right? I recruited you to the Paladins. So, in a way, I'm responsible for you there. I want to meet who is responsible for you here, come to an accord, and learn what kind of person they are." It's as simple as that. He really just wants to understand their Master and make sure they're on the same page about helping the duo.
Hellwarming Trio	Utsuho nods slowly as Shinnosuke speaks, looking satisfied for some reason and doing a bad job at hiding it. "Makes sense, yeah... Ah, you'll like her. Master's really kind, and she knows a whole bunch of stuff from all the stuff she studies. I don't get most of it, but... That's the difference between her and us, you know?" The reason for Utsuho's exagegerated question earlier might be... Well, it might not be obvious just yet as the doors to the palace open not long after. "Hope ya weren't waitin' long!" Rin's voice rings out even before she's thrown the doors open again, holding one open for a relatively smaller, but distinctly calmer and refined looking woman in a floofy blue and pink getup with purple hair. "A visitor? Except... You're expected, this time. I hope my pets haven't been causing you trouble, Shinnosuke Tomari. I'm Satori, the master of this palace." Introducing herself, Satori curtseys formally, and Rin glances eagerly between them before remembering to do so herself (despite Shinnosuke already knowing her). "I've heard a great deal of you from my pets. You're here to learn more about me as their Master, correct?" She asks, then freezes up briefly as Rin not-so-subtly gives a her nudge in the ribs. "I... Also heard of that from them before you came." She's not very good at lying, and the red eye thing over her heart almost looks like it's glancing around as she says that. "Please, have a seat. Would you like any tea or snacks while you're here? Fruits, perhaps?"
Shinnosuke Tomari	As Utsuho replies, Tomari lightly smiles and nods. As Rin calls out, and Satori and her deposit, he gives a formal bow of his own, as awkward as it is in his casual clothes, and then nods. (Wow, she's really pretty...) Not aware his thoughts can be read, Shinnosuke takes a seat. peacefully, and immediately realizes she's a bad liar. WHAT she's lying about, he has no clue, but if Utsuho says she's a nice person, he believes her. "Detective Shinnosuke Tomari, Tokyo Metropolitan Police. Chevalier of the Paladins. It's a pleasure. Tea would be nice, and I wouldn't mind trying this lovely fruit, if it's not imposing." He knows, even if he's expected, that it might be awkward to request. "They've been a handful, but nothing I can't put up with. They're interesting. As you know, they've joined the Paladins and are currently learning to become detectives of their own, after their assistance on a huge case. I'm hoping to train them to be compassionate and thoughtful, while still capable of doing what they need to do here." A pause. He wonders. "What are your duties here, Lady Satori? I know that these two handle the furnaces and such in Hell, but I never quite asked what exactly it is you do. Management?"
Hellwarming Trio	For no clearly visible reason, Satori's cheeks flush briefly, but she hides it somewhat by looking towards the tree, then at the duo. Satori: "Not at all. Rin, could you get some fruits from inside for Detective Tomari? They've already been washed, so you'll just need to cut them up." Rin: "Got it!" Satori: "Thank you. And Utsuho, the usual? So he can try something different from what he might find on the surface." Utsuho: "Really? Uh. Sure thing, Master." With the duo heading into the palace to take care of their various hospitality tasks, Satori leads Tomari to one of the benches surrounding the tree and hole in the ground, taking a seat and gesturing at a nearby seat. "That certainly sounds like them. I can tell just from the way they talk about you, the surface. It's quite fascinating to hear about, and I'm a little jealous." She chuckles softly and settles back into the bench. "Management is the closest way to put it, yes. There's many hell ravens and kasha here, and I take care of them all. I direct them where they need to go, too, so they're not just running amok and hurling bodies everywhere without any sense of direction or pacing. It's busy, but those two are a great help in keeping them directed, too." Satori pauses for a moment, then finally looks at Shinnosuke again while maintaining eye contact. "What about you, Detective? I've heard about you teaching them how humans behave, but what do you think about all of that?" The red eye squints briefly as she speaks. "Do you think it's worth anything for yokai and humans to collaborate in such a way?" Another pause, and the eye blinks once. "What do you intend for these two?"
Shinnosuke Tomari	As Rin and Utsuho walk off to get his refreshments, Tomari nods to them, before taking a seat at the bench. "Are you not allowed to head to the surface- ah, you must be too busy. I understand." He sighs, wondering how much of a burden that must be, but is happy she seems to at least accept her job with grace and passion. "They certainly are top of the line. They've helped me before." But then, Satori asks him important questions. He closes his eyes, thinking for a few moments. His answers are all entirely honest. "I think...well, they're rough students, and it's not a field I'm an expert in, teaching, but I think I can do it, and I should do it. They look up to me, and I appreciate their friendship. So helping them..." "Lady Satori, what is the true difference between yokai and humans? Is it that they think differently? Because I think that's only about what they've learned, not how their minds work. Is it because of their abilities? I think they're both types of people. I want all of them to collaborate. I think it's worth it, because it makes the Multiverse a richer place. A place of peace, a place where anyone, regardless of differences such as that, can get along." Tomari sounds firm, like he metaphorically straightened his tie. "Whether they want to work in hell forever or settle down on the surface, I want these two to be able to pick a path and have the compassion to live it. I want them to be able to spread that compassion to other yokai. They say, in the stories, that they're mischievious and prey on humans. The first isn't so bad, but does the latter have to happen beyond a minimum? I think life lived with others is better than a life lived alone. I noticed all the fights as we came here...and it was new, because that's not how it happens on the surface. If you get where I'm going with that."
Hellwarming Trio	"No, it's as you first thought. It's in keeping with an agreement between the surface yokai and the the underground yokai. Technically, they're not allowed to come down here, but we stay here as well to maintain the peace." Satori explains, grinning briefly for another undisclosed reason. "It's quieter here, anyway. Most yokai aren't fond of me, anyway, so living here with the animals is enough." She's not going to elaborate on that, of course, but it does sound like she's almost trying to goad him into asking anyway. "I'm glad to hear they're doing well up there. I was worried they'd be too..." She pauses, obviously searching for the right words. "... Like themselves for the surface to handle. Yokai and humans have a tricky relationship because of those stories, and it's not as if those are coming from a place of lies. Because of that, it's only natural for yokai and humans to think certain ways about each other, and animals like Rin and Utsuho are..." She pauses, then shrugs. "Not as good at thinking. Not in the same way either of us would, at least. Still, for humans and yokai to coexist more easily, it would take more people like yourself and them to bridge that gap. You would have a better chance at it than a satori like myself, for sure." Satori explains without explaining further about what she just said. "It's not a bad dream, though. Those battles you saw on the way here are part of that, too." And then she actually explains a little for once! "If yokai and humans fought for real, we would wipe them out with sheer power. If exorcists fought yokai, we would be wiped out. That's why spell card duels were created to level the playing field. That way, even the weakest of humans and yokai could stand a chance against their more battle-minded brethren." A longer pause, and then she looks towards the ceiling of this particular area of the caverns. "It would be nice to see the surface again, though."
Shinnosuke Tomari	As Satori talks, and explains the Yokai, Tomari nods. But why aren't they fond of her? There must be a reason... In his mind, photographs start to form, and in his eyes, they form around him. Her being a bad liar, especially about 'having been told things by the Duo'. Her blushing, without context - after he thought something in peculiar. Her name, which means 'seeing into one's true nature' in Buddhism. (Lady Satori, are you reading my mind?) He thinks it, clearly, but doesn't seem too bothered. (If so, you could have just told me. It's a little awkward, but I don't like you less for it.) Instead, he replies to her last thought. "Why don't you come to the surface, then? I'm a guest in your domain, under your protection. You could be the same in mine, under mine. I can gather some friends and we can show you whatever you'd like." There's no unpure thought there. Simply 'if she longs for it, why don't we just make it happen?'.
Hellwarming Trio	(Lady Satori, are you reading my mind?) Satori doesn't answer that question right away, although the stiff expression on her face and the breaking of eye contact from that red eye over her heart probably give Shinnosuke the answer to that question all too easily even before she outright says ".. Yes. I wish I could say it's a habit, but... I meant it when I said that most yokai aren't fond of me. The animals here, though..." She looks over towards the doors as they start to open. "Aside from those two, the rest of the animals can't communicate with humans or yokai other than myself. It works out for everyone that way, though, since all their work with corpses doesn't make any of them popular." She laughs, but it's a somewhat stilted one. Before she can respond to Shinnosuke's offer, though, the pair return, loudly announcing their presence by just jumping right on over. Somehow, they do it without spilling a thing, and they even set out the plates of freshly washed fruit (peaches! And some other berries, probably) along with pouring tea out carefully, if a little shakily considering Utsuho's general avoidance of fine motor control and Rin's hyperactive nature. Rin: "Weren't waitin' for us long, were ya?" Utsuho: "I heated it up myself! And I waited a while after boiling before putting the leaves in." Rin: "And the fruit's clean enough even for a human gut!" Satori: "Very good, you two. Ah... Detective." Satisfied with their work, Satori holds her arms up just in time for the pair to practically wedge their heads into position under said arms. "Your proposal... Are you sure about that? You know what I am, and you know how other people think, right?" "Won't humans that aren't used to yokai be put off by this kind of ability? Even the ones in your group might..." There's uncertainty in her tone, and it has the duo looking between them in utter confusion.
Shinnosuke Tomari	"So you can't control it..." Shinnosuke nods, as everything starts to make sense. His offer is interrupted by the duo, who bring out peaches and tea. "Thank you very much, Utsuho, Rin." He moves to try both as Satori continues, and seems pleased with what he tastes. "This is very good. Thank you for your hospitality." "I think they'd be fine, if you were honest. If you hid it from them and they found out, it'd be a problem...but I work with mind readers, too. They may have better control, but that doesn't mean you have to be a hermit just because you have this ability. People won't hate you just for being you." "Please, give it some thought, at least. You can always have Utsuho and Rin relay your answer to me." He sips at his tea. "I think I understand better the kind of person you are, though, Lady Satori, without even being able to read your mind. You care greatly about your work and the yokai under your care. You care what others think, and how they feel about you. But you don't need to be alone with only their company. You can have outside friends, too. Perhaps someday, even the other yokai will change their mind on you, too, if you work towards it. That's my hope." It's a lot of optimistic shit for someone he's just met, but it's genuine. If she's Utsuho and Rin's master, he wants her to be happy, because they both have the same goal - making these two numbskulls don't accidentally blow up a city or something. (And also, generally, the betterment of their lives.)
Hellwarming Trio	Satori: "Mostly. It's like trying to hear with only two of three ears." Rin: "You mean like mine when I'm in this form?" Satori: "Eh? No, it's more like... Erm. Breathing without smelling?" Utsuho: "With your mouth?" Satori: "N... Yes, close enough." Although there's a brief look of exasperation on Satori's face, she also laughs genuinely for the first time Shinnosuke's seen of her today. They seem to be enjoying the attention they're getting from her as well, just sort of curled up and eventually shifting into their animal forms to take up less overall bench space (and also to not make her legs fall asleep later). "Honesty, hm? I wish it was that easy to be so upfront about it, but..." Satori sounds uncertain, and the two in her lap actually seem to pick up on that instead of being blissfully unaware for once. Utsuho: "That's because it is. Humans think really weirdly from us." Rin: "Yeah! There's a lotta cool ones like Teach here! But there." Utsuho: "And jerks." Rin: "A lotta jerks, yeah." Utsuho: "But we usually don't get in trouble for beating them up." Rin: "/You/ don't." Between the pair trying to perk her up and Shinnosuke's words actually matching what she can read from his thoughts, Satori actually looks confused. She opens her mouth once, but doesn't say anything right away so much as she just sighs and chuckles in that relieved-to-be-out-argued sort of way. "What have you been teaching them, Detective? I guess... It couldn't hurt to try it once." That gets some synchronized whooping noises from the raven and the kasha. As they hops off Satori to continue hollering and rabble rousing, Satori lowers her voice as she addresses Shinnosuke again. "Thank you for keeping an eye on them for so long. They still have a lot to learn, but..." She sounds mildly troubled again. "They've been getting more confused than usual lately about what they've seen. During your investigation and elsewhere, I mean. What they're seeing, what they're learning about human desires and motivations. I know it's a lot to ask, but... Please, keep an eye on them for me, would you?"
Shinnosuke Tomari	Shinnosuke is visibly pleased when Satori decides to give it another chance, and is internally pleased as well. He laughs at Utsuho and Rin's rabble-rousing. "Be careful not to spill the tea, you two." And as they head off, he nods. "Yeah, they do. I'll keep an eye on them, and make sure that all's well. There's some bad influences out there...but good ones, as well, and those are the ones they should learn from.I want them to be happy." "And, who knows? Maybe they'll come back wiser." And then, Shinnosuke moves to finish his tea and peaches. Delicious!