Lazarus 4.6
- Location
- SV's Only Complete Persona Quest
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Cornus in Full Bloom. He was a Wand who could communicate with dogs, and was also a trans man who'd married a cis man.
[X] Emet."
[X] Emet."
"Wait, did you say you already have a trans guy on staff?" Miyako asked. She of course knew that Hanazakari weren't exclusively female, but she even could forget that at times.
"Naturally. RUNE exists for the good of all mankind, which of course includes transgender people. And Cornus in Full Bloom is as valued at RUNE as any of our members," Yumemi said.
"Yeah, for your given definition of 'value'," Koyomi said. When Yumemi didn't acknowledge that barb, she then asked, "And as for Project 'Lazarus', really? You blame me for the Resurrection not happening then name it that?"
"I didn't 'blame' you for it. I just raised the possibility that your Emet dying on your watch might be one possible thing preventing it," Yumemi told her. "And even then, you brought most of that up yourself."
As Koyomi just snarled, Miyako, regretful as ever for having mentioned the Resurrection, spoke up to ask, "So, do you also have former Frost Pawns working at RUNE? I thought maybe they could help out Kazuya-kun."
"Oh, plenty. Recovered Frost Pawns are concerned about a future monster invasion more than anyone," Yumemi said, but after quickly hesitating had to admit, "though none are currently stationed at this base as of today."
"And how about Frost Pawns who were saved after the Frost Decade, any of them?" Koyomi brought up, side eyeing Yumemi.
"Well, you understand that us professionals cannot disclose exact numbers..." Yumemi 'answered'.
"It is okay," Kazuya then said, "I am the 'plus one' here, as you say. You do not need to concern yourselves with me, I'll be fine. If no Frost Pawn is here, that's how it is then."
Those words gave Miyako a chill, afraid that shame and self-doubt were among Kazuya's first emotions. "Hey look, you can always talk to Higashi-sama when we get back, she was a Pawn too. Several times," she said to him, ignoring that Asahi had been a Pawn nowhere near as long as Kazuya.
"You had to remind me," Koyomi muttered, as memories of Asahi's numerous captures came flooding back.
Close enough to finally get a good view of RUNE's Taito Base, Miyako could see the towering steel grey building sloped upward to blend into the mountains, with the whole thing opening up to reveal a looming hangar upon Yumemi pressing a single button on a remote. The interior did have a bit more sheen to its silver, with greenish-blue lighting at least adding some variation in colour, if not breaking up the clinicality. Er, maybe this place just takes some getting used to, right? Miyako thought.
Yumemi then handed her passengers three keycards coloured identically to the base, but with symbols on them that glowed amid the greyness. "Civilian passes, you'll find your names already imprinted on them," she said. The eerie glow did keep Miyako entranced a little while.
"Imprinted already? Working a little fast there, aren't we?" Koyomi started at her.
"I had nearly a whole day's notice to get them ready, so I'd urge you to ease up on the suspicions, Koyomi. Here and in general," Yumemi muttered back.
From the hangar they followed Yumemi into a foyer room, the spotlessness of the rest of the base now accompanied by sleek black waiting chairs. "Brigadier Hoshizora Yumemi, good to see you back," the receptionist chanted and saluted on cue, no prizes for guessing what colour they were dressed in.
Only nodding in return, Yumemi then picked up a microphone and spoke into it, "Requesting Lieutenant-Colonel Ōgami Hachiro, Cornus in Full Bloom, to report to the front desk."
While they soon heard an "On my way there" back, it'd take a while for Hachiro to make his way down to the foyer. Miyako would busy herself trying to count each individual light in the room, while Koyomi kept tapping her foot louder and louder and Kazuya just stared off.
When he finally arrived, Ōgami Hachiro bowed and said, "Sorry I couldn't get here sooner, ma'am. Oh, we have civilians visiting the base?" Hachiro was about the same height as Yumemi, clad in a similar if less elaborate uniform. His skin was fairly smooth but with some noticeable wrinkles and protruding stubble, and his wavy brown hair was beginning to grey. Per his Cultivar he was accompanied by two dogs, one a fluffy Shiba Inu and the other a dark Xolo.
"Hi there!" Miyako was quick to spring up now the person she wanted to see was finally here. "I'm Nozawa Miyako, and wow, I never would've guessed you were a trans guy had Hoshizora-san not told me," she said. As complimentary as she was trying to be, Hachiro couldn't help but be a little taken aback.
"Nozawa-chan is a visitor here. As she's a transgender woman with interest in joining us, naturally I thought it'd be a good idea for you two to meet," Yumemi said.
"Ah, so that's it. Though you know I would've told her my identity myself," Hachiro said. He then gestured to the two dogs with him and said, "And where are my manners? My Xolo here is Karasu and the Shiba is Seizonsha." Miyako slowly knelt to meet them and was relieved that the two dogs had no objections to pats and tummy-rubs.
"Ooh, she also told us your flower name is Cornus in Full Bloom. If it's not too much," Miyako then asked, her eyes beaming, "can you transform?"
"Sorry, I'd love to but now's not really the time, you understand. But besides seeing transformations, what makes you want to join us at Responsive United Nations Esotericists?" Hachiro asked, then had to laugh, "Because you don't have to be crazy to work here, but..."
"Well, part of it's practical, I'm told you've got a better chance getting into a good college if you've got RUNE backing you. But it's also... that I've been obsessed with Hanazakari for like, well, ever, and RUNE's the top worldwide Hanazakari organisation, right?" Miyako said, unable to help letting it all out.
"I mean, we don't like to toot our own horn, but yes. And you're sure already making an impression as a go-getter, always good to see," Hachiro smiled. He then looked back at Yumemi and asked, "So, who would the other two guests be?"
"I believe she needs no introduction," Yumemi said, hoisting Koyomi upright by her collar.
"Arisugawa Koyomi," she gave one anyway, pushing out of Yumemi's grip.
"Oh my, the infamous Arisugawa. How often the Brigadier's brought you up," Hachiro smiled then sighed. "I can tell she hasn't arrested you though, she'd have taken more 'extreme' measures were that the case. And Mikoto my husband's a Witch, er or Warlock I guess, so believe me I don't hold that against you. Except when he hogs the remote."
Nobody laughing at that, Koyomi then said, "You're already in RUNE, of course your husband's 'allowed' to be a Witch."
Choosing to move on, Hachiro asked, "And the young man?"
"The spare," Kazuya said, with Miyako at least seeing him give a faint smirk.
"He's Kai Kazuya," Koyomi spoke up, "He had a Heart Leech in him for most of his life, and we had to take it out ourselves, with zero assistance from RUNE."
Hachiro took a while to respond to that, but then said, "Did you try to contact us? Busy as we are, I'm sure we would've been able to send someone."
"Indeed, especially since I found out that Koyomi almost killed him in the process," Yumemi said, only then adding, "Accidentally".
"At the very least, it's good that you did survive, and the Leech was removed," Hachiro said. He then asked Yumemi, "Okay, so why is Arisugawa here then, since it can't be an arrest? You can't just have come to show Taito Base off to Nozawa-chan."
"Ōgami, Koyomi here insists that we at RUNE have done nothing for humanity other than prepare for an invasion that isn't even coming," Yumemi said then smirked, "We can prove her wrong. Project Lazarus will see to that."
Hearing that made Hachiro go pale. "Well yeah, I don't deny it'll have some impact on her, whatever it may be. But you really want to jump straight to Lazarus of all Projects?" he had to whisper.
"Trust me, with getting through to her it's go hard or go home," Yumemi said back.
It was then Hachiro turned back to Miyako, who'd been trying to listen in but couldn't help being distracted by the dogs. "So, Nozawa-chan, you do realise that working for RUNE, even at the lowest ranks, is one serious job. Like think of the worst kid you've ever babysat, that's nothing compared to serving the UN. Oh there's benefits for sure, as ma'am has gone over, but you seriously do need to think about whether this is the right job for you. As an agent myself, it's only right I warn you," he then told her.
Article: Miyako's mind was so weighed down that it took her a while to answer:
[ ] "I'm still leaning on yes; I really do want to meet more Hanazakari and get into a good college. Just, y'know, emphasis on 'leaning on'."
[ ] "I kinda don't think so, I've got stuff elsewhere. I've already got a part-time job at a shrine, and this friend with a struggling theatre."
[ ] "Maybe I should wait till I've got more info, like seeing this 'Project Lazarus' first?"
[ ] "I just... don't know. Sorry, it's too hard for me to decide right now."
[]"I don't super-trust Hoshizora-san, but it sounds like I can trust you. Plus, this place gives me the creeps, so yeah, thanks but no thanks."[Miyako does not have the needed Emotional Intelligence to say this.]
[ ] Write-in
"Anyway, onto Project Lazarus," Yumemi then cut in. "I will remind you all that you're under the watchful eye of not one but two highly trained RUNE officials. Nevertheless, we cannot deny there is potential for risk-"
"Because of course there is," Koyomi had to say.
"-Ahem, so for your own personal protection, you will all be issued standard firearms," Yumemi finished, before passing out everyone handguns.
In a second, Koyomi went from unamused to livid. "You would have me use a gun?" she spat out, then went "Henshin!" Transforming for a second into Black Rose in Full Bloom, she singlehandedly snapped the gun she'd been given into pieces.
"Koyomi, you are aware you've just destroyed RUNE property?" Yumemi asked her, though without the amount of shock you'd think she'd have.
"They're guns, like you aren't sitting on thousands more of the things," Koyomi snarled. "And if whatever Lazarus is really is so dangerous, then I'll just transform as I did then."
"Have you forgotten that we Hanazakari can only stay transformed for so long before we exhaust our emotions?" Yumemi then asked.
"Really? You're telling me whatever you've got down there can outlast three transformed Hanazakari? What the hell are you pulling?!" Koyomi ranted.
Seeing how quickly Koyomi had been overtaken by fury, Miyako racked her brain for how guns could provoke such a reaction out of her. Then she remembered exactly:
Given a gun, how could Koyomi think of anything else?
"What about Nozawa-chan and Kai-kun then? You'd leave them with no means of self-defence?" an undaunted Yumemi asked.
Article: Miyako looked down at the gun she'd been given, and decided:
[ ] "Sorry, Arisugawa-sama, but... it really sounds like I'll need a weapon, if it's that dangerous. But I won't fire till it's my only option."
[ ] "I can't carry this. If it got Arisugawa-sama that mad, I just couldn't bring myself to fire it."
[ ] "Look, I've never used a gun before in my life, let alone in a super-dangerous situation. If I wanna stay safe, I shouldn't have this."
[ ] "I'll use this, but can you load it with blanks or something? Whatever this thing is, can't we just stun it?"
[ ] "Yeah, I've got three Hanazakari with me, should I really need a gun?"
[ ] Write-in
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