Temple of Divina (Electopia)

From the outside, it wasn't overly obvious that the building before the trio was, in fact, meant to be a religious building. It looked more like a two floor office building than anything. The only reason one could even tell what it was, was thanks to a hand painted sign reading 'Temple of Divina' placed above the entrance. "It doesn't look like much from the outside, I know...I've been focusing our efforts on the interior first. I guess I don't have much else to say...so I'll unlock it. Just a sec..." She brought up a screen on her PET, and started going through menus. There was a password that was 10 letters long, but neither man was in a good position to see what she'd typed, if they were the sort to pry. A clicking noise showed that it was successful, and she stood before the double doors. "I officially welcome you...to the Temple of Divina!"

The inside, as it turned out, looked quite similar to the Net version of the temple. After a small entryway, there was a very large, auditorium-like room. There were only 100 folding chairs for seating, though, although each one had a surprisingly comfortable looking cushion on them. There was also no stage, and instead a hologram projector occupied the space the chairs were facing. No doubt that real world followers of Divina watched her via that. There was also a mural occupying the wall behind it, but while it was the same subject of Divina protecting innocent Navis from darkness from the virtual temple, the actual temple's was done in a traditional Electopian style; if it was in worse condition it would pass for at least 250 years old.

"What do you think? Until recently, we were stuck having to use a computer screen and some magnification to watch Lady Divina's preaching, but thanks to a large donation from one of our followers, we were able to install state of the art hologram machines in every temple, to capture every last bit of the goddess's radiance! We were also able to hire an artist to liven the room up! I think next up, I might get better chairs...though, everyone seems to enjoy those cushions, so maybe that can wait? Hmm...oh, I'm sorry! I got sidetracked for a moment...anyway, if you move into the main area and turn around, you'll see two doorways. The one on the left hand side - left as in you just entered the temple, like we are, is just a broom closet, where I keep cleaning supplies and a few extra chairs and cushions. To the right, there's a staircase to go to the second floor. Up there, we have several rooms that work as just about anything, a rec room, a computer room, and my personal living area. ...Um, I request that we stay out of my room, though...anyway, I'll let you two pick where we go. The main temple would let us see Lady Divina's, Kabuki's, and Pirouette's exploits in incredible detail, but since it's right in front of the entrance, there's less privacy, and there may well be a bit of an echo with only the three of us there. Side Rooms A and B upstairs are off-limits, as they're being signed out to members, and I don't wish to disturb what's set up in there. Side Room C is available, and there's plenty of room in there, but since it's completely empty we'd need to bring in some amenities if we wish to be comfortable. The computer room would give us screens to watch the mission, but it's relatively cramped. And finally, the rec room would give us things to do, should we decide to not see how things are going, but if we wish to talk, the things in there might be a bit distracting. ...Whew..." Hikari had to stop and catch her breath after saying that much. But at least she'd gotten out everything she needed to. At least, she thought she had, anyway...wait, no she hadn't. "Oh! If there's anything you need, just let me know. You are guests, of course...would either of you like anything to drink? Let me think...we have water, tea, lemonade, milk, and soda. Alcohol's not forbidden here or anything, but since I myself don't touch it, I don't keep any around normally."

Yoshitsune was the type of man to pry (and to be tactless), thus, he tried to peek over Hikari's shoulder as she entered her password. Unfortunately, she'd entered the password with a practiced hand before he could get a peek, so he had to be content with trying to think up what sorts of ten digit words a priestess might use for a password. "I must say, it's different than I expected," he murmured, not masking his low opinion on the exterior very well. "But thank you for the warm welcome." He followed Hikari inside quietly, looking around to all sides and making it abundantly clear to anyone watching that he was a tourist in the temple.

"She really is obsessed," he thought to himself, thinking that the giant mural at the back of the temple looked like it cost more than the entire rest of the building. Of course, he really wasn't in a place to judge, living in a rented room with a shared bathroom inside an inn. "I think it seems very..." he murmured in response to Hikari's question, then pressed his fist to his chin, thinking for an incriminating period of time. "Modest." In the right occasion, modest could be a compliment... towards a person. Towards a place, it usually wasn't. His interest seemed to pique back up as the priestess described various rooms in the temple. The young man's face grew especially bright when she mentioned her room; she'd mentioned she'd been with men before, and he was willing to bet that was where. It fell back into a sulking frown once she mentioned that they ought to stay out of there.

"All choices being equal, I say we take the computer room. I will enjoy the use of the screens, and what is a bit of closeness amongst friends?" Part of him probably wanted to be close to Hikari, too, rather than talking to her from across a pew. He'd enjoy the privacy, too... although Mikhail was going to hang around either way. "A drink would be pleasant. I shall have milk," he continued, unintentionally picking the one that would make him look the most childish, as he was wont to do.

Yoshitsune would follow Hikari wherever she ended up leading them and jack in right away, so as to get Kabuki into her mission.

((Jacking in, heading to mission))

((From -> The Navi Shop))

Following his unexpected companions, Mikhail kept a calm expression and an attentive eye to his surroundings as they went. Briefly he had contemplated how things may have gone if he had not bothered to change before nipping out to the shops; his practice leotard would have stood out badly at the navi shop, but that was a place where one might also see people coming and going at any hour of the day or night, dressed in anything from ball gowns to bathrobes, almost as you might a corner store... now that he was out in public in a more true sense, though, the dancer found himself quite relieved that he had indeed changed back into his simple day clothes. A pair of dark trousers, long-sleeved shirt and his jacket were a much more suitable look.

He caught himself frowning slightly when he noticed the boy trying to get a look at Hikari's password, and considered saying something chastising, but the moment passed quickly enough and he let it slide, following the two inside quietly. The interior was... Well, the boy had used the word 'modest', and while Mikhail wouldn't have make it sound quite so derogatory, he couldn't' really disagree too strongly. It was a simple place, of sparse comforts, though the man had no doubt that what there was was still greatly appreciated by those who came here.

The mural in particular caught his attention; it looked a though it had been done up to appear aged, and done quite well at that, but he had to doubt that it was actually old. New faiths sprung up freely these days, though most belief systems tended to distance themselves from the concept of 'religion', while Hikari and Divina's opted instead to embrace it with full fervour, so Mikhail couldn't fathom that the faith itself could be any older than a decade at the most, and probably younger... Hikari herself was likely the only 'high priestess' the order had ever had, by his guess, but that wasn't by any means a complaint or a problem. Still, it was clearly doing the best it could to provide for its followers, and that was commendable; it wasn't his cup of tea, but he found himself wishing the fledgling organisation the best of luck.

"It is charming, Hikari. Humble, but charming." The tour was expectedly brief and to the point, and the boy was quick to speak up in return. Mikhail caught himself wondering if his parents knew where he was, then gently pushed the thought away as unfairly uncharitable. The dancer himself shrugged and spread his hands.

"It is no different, for myself, Hikari. I am sure we will be quite comfortable wherever we settle. We can always wander around later if more is needed, yes? If the young master prefers the computer room for now, then I suppose that makes the strongest preference. Perhaps you'd like to go ahead first and pick the spot that best suites you?" This last he directed towards the boy with a wry grin. Turning back to Hikari, he inclined his head more graciously.

"If you offer, I would not mind a cup of coffee, if you have it. If not, tea would be perfectly fine, I am not fussy. Perhaps you would like a hand preparing the drinks, Hikari?" He was vaguely hoping that the boy would jump at the chance to monopolise whatever place struck his as the best, before either of them arrived, since it might give him a moment to ask the priestess a question or two about him, out of earshot. To help cement the possibility, he looked down at his PET briefly.

"You are prepared, Pirouette? Be careful and do not get in over your head my little lebedёnok. The others will take care of you, I'm sure, and I will be watching as well."
"I am ready, and I have the destination. I do think it will be fun; please do not worry Mikhail." Mostly, the ballerina sounded excited, and Mikhail nodded, smiling to himself. Then, he handed his PET over to Yoshitsune, still smiling.

"If you could jack Pirouette in as well, please, just while I help Hikari prepare the drinks. We'll join you in just a few moments." They'd all likely have to head up the stairs together, but from their host's description Mikhail was guessing that they'd part ways between heading to the computer room, and whatever kitchen facilities Hikari used. He had to assume that the kitchen and preparation space fell into the category of her personal living area, just as other essential rooms would need to if the priestess actually lived here in the temple, as she seemed to.

((If he's able to palm off his PET successfully, then assuming that Pirouette gets jacked in shortly after Kabuki, else however things pan out, she'll get in one way or the other. Pirouette, Jacking in to -> Electown Net))

"Why, thank you!" While for most places 'modest' wasn't a compliment, a temple dedicated to a Navi was decidedly not most places, and so Hikari smiled and clasped her hands in front of her chest. "Ideally, the temple has just enough to make people's lives easier, and no more. If that's the first impression for the two of you, we must be currently succeeding!"

"Personally, I do think we need better chairs, though, before we can be truly happy with it. A couple of the older members were complaining about their backs after the last sermon, weren't they?"

"That's true...perhaps we could just get a couple for them? But then the others might start to envy them...I suppose it's an all or nothing thing. Darn...oh, sorry, we got off track again. The computer room? All right, I can guide the two of you there." She quietly nodded as the men made their orders, though she did give Mikhail a slightly puzzled look upon hearing his request. "Well, I certainly wouldn't ask a guest to make their own drink...but, if you really want to, I won't stop you."

With that, she moved over to the right, and opened the door. "Shall we be off?" The stairs were wholly unremarkable, though they were thankfully quite sturdy. "Hmm...maybe we should add an elevator, or something. As-is, the temple's not the most handicapped accessible..." They reached the top before Hikari could muse further, and she opened the door, revealing...a hallway. It was a pretty long one, with a bunch of doors on each side. Aside from the one leading to the stairs, and the one right next to it, all the rooms had clipboards hanging next to them. At each end was a big window, each large enough that on a bright sunny day, it didn't even really need lights on. "Welcome to the second floor! Now, from here..." She turned her back to the window, so that she was looking straight down the hallway. "See those last two doors on the left? I must ask that neither of you enter those rooms, as like I said, I don't want people disturbing the side rooms in use. That door without a clipboard by it, though, is just a restroom, so feel free to use it if the, um, urge arises." She started to walk down it, eventually stopping about halfway down and turning to the right and opening the door. "This is the computer lab. How does it-" Before she could finish, Yoshitsune went in ahead of her and jacked in. The room itself had six desks, each with a computer on it, and chairs. The problem was that that was about all the room there was, so they'd definitely be nice and cozy, to put it nicely. She probably shouldn't hold up the mission while getting people their drinks, so she also jacked in quickly...though Divina would still probably be the last one to arrive. "Mikhail, if you want to come with me, there's a kitchenette in the rec room. I'll show you to it. Yoshitsune, look after Lady Divina while I get everything ready, okay?" Fortunately, since she still had her PET on her, that was all he'd be able to do.

The high priestess led her more considerate guest down to the last door on the right, and opened it up, revealing the rec room. It was handily the biggest room on the second floor, having plenty of space for a fairly large TV, a couple of couches and chairs, a big table with several more chairs, and a small kitchen, all while still having enough room to stretch one's arms and legs, wherever one was. But the latter area was where she focused on, walking over to the cabinets. "I'm not entirely sure if we have coffee, since I don't drink it, myself...but if we do, it should be...here." She opened the overhead one, and gave it a quick scan. "...Oh, we do have some! I hope you don't mind that it's not decaf." But there was an immediate and obvious problem; it wasn't on the bottom shelf. She reached up on her tiptoes to reach it...but, she couldn't even get a finger on it. "Well, this is a problem...is what I would normally say. I guess it's a good thing you came along after all! Could you please reach up and grab that coffee can for me? As you just saw, I'm not tall enough to get it on my own..."

Their hostess continued to bubble along contentedly to herself about her plans for the temple, and Mikhail found himself grinning with an amused expression, although the way she spoke make it sound less like they were a struggling faith, and more like... they were trying to look more non-profit than they actually were. Hmm.

He held his peace as she took them upstairs, then continued on to the rec room and the small kitchenette with Hikari. As they went, Mikhail paused briefly, his brows knitting. Hikari had used a different name for the boy, than the one he'd signed the mission request with. So... a young man, probably barely past his majority, and using a false name. Was he a run away? He followed the priestess with one additional question on his mind.

As it turned out, there was coffee to be had, but relegated to the place of little use, on a high shelf. At first he had leaned on the counter watching Hikari get things out while he waited to see how he could assist, but getting the coffee down was the right kind of hook and he was more than happy to oblige, reaching up to pull it off the shelf.

"Of course. so, if a guest should not make his own drink, then I shall make whatever you are having, and then they will be ready al the faster." Provided Hikari offered instruction to him about whatever drink she intended to have for herself, Mikhail would set about it quickly, asking any time he needed to know where something was if it proved necessary. If it turned out Hikari wasn't going to drink anything, he would instead pour the boy his glass of milk while the priestess made the coffee.

"So... The boy..." Mikhail wasn't looking directly at her while he spoke, politely occupying himself with his task. "He seems... unsocialised, if you'll pardon my saying. If you don't mind the curiosity, how did the two of you come to be travelling together?" He'd unconsciously assumed that they weren't related in any way, and with the age difference, he felt fairly safe assuming that they weren't partnered either. He continued after finishing up whatever task he was occupied with.

"I have heard two different names for him now, also. I apologise if I'm prying, of course, but I work at the university, and it is... it is my inclination to be concerned for a situation like this. He is safe and well?" It occurred to the dancer that he'd also unconsciously made the assumption that Hikari, as the more mature lady, must be in some way his minder or taking care of him, but after he caught this the urge to correct the assumption quieted quickly; Hikari would correct him if he was mistaken anyway, certainly.

By the time the two of them were returning to the computer room, Mikhail made sure they were done discussing anything directly to do with the boy, lingering in the kitchenette if necessary to conclude the discussion before heading back. Once he returned to the computer room and had his coffee in hand, Mikhail offered a thanks to the boy and reclaimed his PET.

"So, young man... we were going to discuss some of the ins and outs of kabuki theatre and its culture, were we not? Tell me, how did you come to the trade?" He didn't sit at once, preferring instead to lean casually against one wall while he sipped his coffee.

The young kabuki set worker was completely dense to the fact that he was making himself the third wheel in today's gathering by not joining the others, but satisfied with not having to pour his own drink, he took both his own PET and Mikhail's to the computer room while the others visited the kitchen. Unconcerned with decorum, Yoshitsune allowed his pretty but sullen eyes to stare into the PET, squinting slightly as he looked Pirouette over. Like the priestess, the little ballerina was much too little for his personal tastes. He found himself suddenly pondering whether Mikhail made her that way out of personal preference, sure that he must have made her, despite the fact that he himself had acquired Kabuki and not designed her. "Ballerina! I am Hideyoshi Serioroshi! We are both thespians who have lived our crafts. Know that while I am not currently employed as an actor, my knowledge of kabuki is second to none! Feel free to question me on anything regarding kabuki theater, and know that, as a fellow performer, I will hold you to a high standard as well," he warned her, giving the most intimidating introduction possible.

Thankfully, it didn't take too long for Mikhail and Hikari to return, although he had already activated a misison-granted GMO file for Pirouette in the mean time. "You have my thanks, fellow performer," Yoshitsune greeted Mikhail, exchanging the extra PET for the drink he was offered. The young man took his milk in both hands and began drinking it slowly. His large but thin eyes leered over the rim of his cup as he sipped; he seemed to surprisingly be clamming up a bit now that Mikhail was genuinely entreating him for his knowledge of kabuki theater. "I was born into the trade! A prodigy, of sorts," he boasted, seeming very much as though he was worried Mikhail was going to talk down to him and was thus putting himself on a pedestal from the start. "My father and his father were all great kabuki actors. However, I deny that pressure! I will not devote myself to kabuki theater simply because they did. Nay, I seek to carve my own path in life now, venturing from place to place to learn of all kinds of professions. Some are worthy investigations; others are trifling time-wasters. You could say that I am now a professional explorer... just one with a great knowledge of kabuki theater," he smirked. It seemed like, despite his claims, he hadn't really moved on from the theater life, however, judging by his navi, his state of dress, his place of living, and, for that matter, the way he was constantly talking about it.

"So, with that in mind, how did you come to be a performer? Do you take it as seriously as I do my former trade?" Yoshitsune asked, then pressed his cup back to his lips, looking broodingly over it. It was quite likely he'd already determined the answer must be "no." "Also, do you own your own property, as the priestess does?" Despite his earlier derision of her dwelling, he secretly thought it somewhat prestigious that she owned her own building. He, after all, had been renting a room for all of his limited adult life. "On that note, Priestess, note that our navis have received new GMOs. You should activate Divina's, if you have not already done so." He was not so secretly interested in scoping out the line of Divina's figure, not that her regular outfit hid that too much.

"A host that has their drink made by a guest is an extremely bad host. I simply cannot allow it." At this point, it was pretty clear that Mikhail wasn't going to be doing much. After setting up the coffee maker (which had been in a lower cabinet), Hikari opened the fridge, got out a carton of milk, and poured a glass for Yoshitsune. "Do you like milk or sugar in your coffee? If you do, I think I can let you do that much without being a terrible hostess."

As they waited for the coffee to be made, the Sharoan started to ask about the third wheel. The priestess stopped and thought about it for a moment, before answering. "Well, I only met him earlier today, while aiding the goddess in her endeavors. Let's see...he lives and works at a kabuki theater and hot spring. It seems like he's not much of a fan of the other workers, but I think that's more his personality than anything they've done to him...they seemed nice enough to him. And until the mission request, I thought Yoshitsune was his name. My guess is that it's a nickname, and Hideyoshi is his actual name." She stopped for a moment to take a sip from a glass of lemonade...wait, when did she do that? Divina wasn't the only miracle worker here, it seemed.

"At any rate, I wouldn't worry about him. And that's not something I would just say lightly..." Hikari took a step to the side, revealing a mug filled with coffee. ...Again, how did she do that without him noticing? The world may never know. "The sugar's in the second largest jar on the countertop. There should be a spoon in there already."

Once the coffee was made to taste, she grabbed the two glasses and led the way back. "Here, Yoshitsune. Please be careful not to spill it...that goes for everyone. Myself included." Everyone managed to situate themselves well enough, though there really wasn't a whole lot of extra room with three people inside the computer lab. She kept quiet and sipped on her lemonade as she listened to the Electopian theater worker. Most of it she'd already heard, though she didn't know his kabuki lineage went back that far. As for his notice..."Oh, Lady Divina can activate those sorts of things on her own. It wouldn't be right for her to ask me permission for...well, just about anything, really, so I fiddled with the PET settings so I wouldn't need to authorize it." Having mentioned it, she took a quick look at her PET. The suit her goddess was wearing somehow managed to be both less and more revealing simultaneously. But, what was she doing with her staff? ...Oh. OH. "Oh my...that looks...quite painful..."

Amused by her insistence, Mikhail nevertheless glided nimbly out of the Hikari's way as she prepared things. He'd picked up enough snippets of their dialogue to understand that the religion was mostly focused on joy, or happiness itself, and he had to stifle a small chuckle as he contemplated telling her that her preventing him from helping was making him deeply unhappy... but it would have been more a gentle rib than a true complaint, so he held his tongue on that score and instead smiled at her in a more generally friendly way.

"Whatever makes you happiest, priestess. Thankyou."

He helped out with the little bits she would allow while he turned the lady's answers over in his mind; he didn't need to go for the sugar, but accepted the milk from Hikari with a grin. Adding it revealed that the coffee she'd made wasn't quite as strong as he'd normally have preferred it, but it wasn't an issue worth mentioning.

"I regret I am unfamiliar with the construction of most Electopian style names. I wonder if he would object to me just calling him 'Yoshi' for short, since it is present in both..." A short chuckled followed this, and hopefully it would be clear that Mikhail wasn't meaning the suggestion seriously. He continued after clearing his throat and returning to a more serious voice.

"Still I must apologise for assuming. I didn't realise you'd only just met; you seemed more friendly than that, especially given the boy's..." He fumbled for a delicate word. "Ahh, well, especially given the boy." The dancer took a sip of his coffee and nodded politely to Hikari. "I suppose we had best not keep him waiting though. After you, Hikari. The coffee is pleasant, my thanks."

Back in the computer room, Pirouette had been just beginning to scold Yoshitsune for his liberties with her when Mikhail deftly reclaimed the PET. Instead, her harsh words trailed away into a more indignant 'telling tales' tone.
"Mikhail, he changed me, and he did not ask. And he was looking, Mikhail! It was not..." He shushed her gently.
"Ahh, Neschastnaya kotenok... there there. Poise and grace, yes? Is this not the mission you wanted? You must work with others now, little one, and perhaps they will not always be as considerate as you or I. It was not a true and proper costume anyway, now was it, so no harm was done. Are you happy to continue?" His comforting brought at least a small smile back to her lips as she mentally forgave the trespass and nodded. Mikhail turned his gaze up towards the boy, arching one eyebrow.

"Still, one should not change a lady's clothes without her permission, young man. It is not so becoming, after all." He paused to take a longer sip of his coffee, still content to lean against the wall rather than sitting, as long as he was still drinking. When it came to their discussion of his art form, though, Mikhail would have to have been very inattentive indeed not to notice that the boy made a great many claims of superiority, but backed them with next to nothing. The story he told made it sound more than ever like he was running away from something, and it was slightly concerning to the teacher, despite the young man's standoffish nature.

"Well, I cannot say I have the same degree of dedication to my trade as you seem to, young man..." which, in Mikhail's mind, was true, since it sounded like the boy had more or less no dedication to the craft, in reality. "I began learning ballet, and general dance, when I was a boy of six, back in Sharo. It swiftly grew to a passion, and though some of my family did not think kindly of a man pursuing the profession, I studied and trained for many years. I've worked with several Sharoan ballet troupes over the years now, and it is still one of my great joys to perform the classics, but I have discovered that I do love teaching my art to new youths as well, so, I settled in Dentech, as an instructor." He paused to take another longer drink, and shifted his pose slightly. "Male dancers, in my field, they are... they are harder to come by, than women, especially skilled males, so I find I am much sought after by various troupes in the area. I have been very much delighted to perform many new pieces which I was not acquainted with, before moving." Though he wasn't quite as graceful in conversation as he was on his toes, Mikhail nevertheless glided gently around the boy's questioning about his financial state; such questions were not healthy to be asking new acquaintances under any condition, really, so he decided it best to leave it aside.

"I wonder though, young man... If you are a prodigy of your own art, but you do not truly wish to pursue it, then perhaps it sounds as though the love of the art; that which drives a person to dedicate their heart and soul to their performance... if you'll pardon my suggesting it, of course, but it sounds as though it is not truly with you, for now. Perhaps you are unready, and you must first go out and experience more of life's own natural beauty with your own eyes, before it will call you back again. There is no shame in that. Maybe you will travel far, dress wildly and taste of exotic fruits before your heart calls you back to channel that experience into passion. Perhaps you will answer me this, young man: do you yet care for those you leave behind? Do they yet care for you?" Mikhail realised, by his own choice of words, that he'd reached the conclusion that you young man, as boastful as he was, had to be running away from what sounded like family pressure, without knowing really where he was running to. It might not be the case, he had to allow, and he'd keep his mind open if the boy said anything that indicated otherwise, but to his own mind it seemed like the simplest explanation.

Hearing Divina's operator refer to him by his real name caused Yoshitsune's eyes to widen in a mix of alarm and outrage. "Y-You were aware all along? Have I been a fool, thinking you did not realize that you were in the presence of celebrity?! Damn! I should not have alluded to my true identity with my vast array of knowledge on kabuki theater and my amiable personality!" he gasped, sinking into his chair and collapsing his neck further into the collar of his black garb. "My quest for independence... stopped so short! Now I'll surely be hounded by the two of you for the rest of my life! I have no bribe money to give you."

... When the two didn't heckle Yoshitsune for bribe money or an autograph, the young man was forced to realize that perhaps they weren't acquainted with his name, despite his self-assumed celebrity status. "Well... if you two are willing to keep quiet about it, then I will accept that you know. But don't be loose-lipped about it! In fact, continue to call me Hideyoshi, to stay in practice! After all, I choose to use the names you all prefer to be called by! Isn't that right, Priestess? Ballerino?" he inquired, looking between the two while ironically not using their actual names.

As it turned out, everyone in the room was actually less concerned about that than they were about his mistreatment of Pirouette. "Aieee! Such a hassle!" he swore quietly, as his own navi heckled him for having so little consideration for her favorite new little sister. The young man was forced to issue a hasty apology, then sit quietly as Mikhail answered his earlier question. "Hmph! So you say, but we in kabuki theater are always relying on others to change our costumes! In front of large audiences, for that matter! Pirouette hardly has anything to be ashamed of," he whined, averting his eyes and crossing his arms discontentedly, while slouching even deeper into his seat.

"That is the art of HAI~YA~WA~GAH~REE, my brother, and this is a most improper time to evoke it! That is COM~PLETE~LEE different, as we actors and actresses wear another costume beneath the outer one, while being assisted by trusted stage-hands," Kabuki barked from his PET.

The young man amazingly slouched even further into his chair; it didn't really look like his butt was on the seat any more, although it was hard to tell with the suit being as form-concealing as it was. "Fine!" he answered, closing his eyes and speaking through his teeth. He was then further subjected to Mikhail's explanation of his many years of experience and the hardships he'd faced to get where he was today. "Hmph. My field is quite the opposite. A woman in kabuki is quite the rarity indeed," he murmured, with obvious disdain for that fact. That foul mood still allowed him a smug smirk. "You see how difficult it has been for me! With so many other men, it's hard to stand out," he shrugged, as though it were no big deal, despite his reiterating the point for emphasis.

Mikhail got the one up on him again by suggesting that his passion for kabuki theater was less than substantial, based on his willingness to abandon his craft. "What foolery! I am the most passionate kabuki actor you'll ever meet!" he boasted, now sitting up straight in his chair again. Despite Mikhail telling him that wanting to take time away from his profession was nothing to be ashamed about, he seemed to harbor a lot of guilt, which had now been stroked the wrong way. "However! Just because my mind is so keen for the theater does not mean that I wish to be dominated by it. My ancestors, one after another, have given their whole lives to kabuki while sampling so little of the rest of the world. I won't let that be my fate! Let not my horizon point be kabuki; nay, I wish to see what lies beyond! To... how did you put it... taste exotic fruits!" he announced, disturbingly allowing his eyes to dart to the priestess for a moment before returning them to Mikhail. The last words caused him to sink again and gulp. "They're all very busy with their lifestyle, at both the Blood Red Hanamichi and the Burnt Gold Hanamichi. A-And to all of them, I am nothing more than their meal ticket! Surely, they must be in some dire financial straits without me, but that is on them for putting all of their eggs in a single basket! I am no one's golden goose," he pouted, convincing himself of his own narrative. "If they'd cared about me, they wouldn't have hoisted such expectations against me as they did. They would have allowed me more freedoms and less responsibilities," Yoshitsune concluded, squinting his eyes tighter shut and frowning deeply.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry!" Hikari cringed as she realized she'd just used his actual name instead of the one he'd given her. "It just came out without me thinking!" Some...very Yoshitsune talk later, it appeared that it wasn't a very big deal, however. She was still going to call him Yoshitsune, though. It's what he wanted to be called, after all.

From there, she assumed a more passive role in the conversation, allowing the men to discuss. The longer it went on, though, the more she felt like she needed to pull the plug on it. After all, she could tell that the kabuki actor was growing...agitated. And that might not bode well for the room, considering how little extra space there was. "Um..." ...But the words just weren't coming, as she somewhat expected. She had to take some sort of action, though. What would work...oh, what if she 'accidentally' fell from her chair? Since she wasn't a very large person, she had just enough room to pull it off...yes, that'd do. She quietly set her lemonade on the desk, and started to slide forward a little, in preparation for her 'mishap'.

...Unfortunately, her accident all too suddenly became real, as she slipped to one side, and the next thing she knew, she was lying on her shoulders on the floor. "Ow..." Her legs, on the other hand, were sticking straight up, causing the laws of gravity to obey, and cause her toga dress to come down, allowing the entirety of her plain white underwear to be visible to both Mikhail and Yoshitsune. There was some faint movement, but Hikari was momentarily too stunned to move. Fortunately, she at least wasn't hurt, nor were any drinks spilled in the process. She probably would've been more distressed at losing a computer than at anything the guys caught an eyeful of.

Of course... What else would explain this young boy's dual name but the fact that he was secretly a famous performer going incognito! Mikhail felt like he ought to have been surprised to hear the young man make the claim, but from what he had gathered of the boy's personality so far, he simply couldn't muster it. No, no, he was not surprised at all to hear that; believing it was another matter, of course, but he was more amused by young Yoshitsune referring to his own 'amiable personality'.

Too late, Mikhail realised that his own good-humoured chiding was an assumption he shouldn't really be making anyway, and for once, he felt that the boy was at least part way justified in his defence. Their modes of performance were very different, and the social proprieties of one were not going to be the same as the other. He probably shouldn't have said anything... except that the boy's own navi, also a Kabuki actress, seemed to agree. Oh well. If the boy got told off any more he'd probably fall right out of his chair at this rate.

The conversation got back on track, but as Yoshitsune answered him Mikhail found himself feeling more like a counsellor than an artisan exchanging professional discourse. Aside from the fact that he seemed keener on boasting about himself than actually talking about his art properly. It was also interesting to note that the boy objected to his suggestion, then explained the objection by way of agreeing with him completely. Maybe it was pathological? Was that such a thing? He didn't honestly know, but it truly seemed as though the young man felt compelled absolutely to disagree with something said to him.. even if he agreed with it. Very peculiar. Maybe a shift in direction was needed.

"Miss Kabuki... If you aren't too busy," He spoke clearly enough that, provided communications were still open, the young man's navi should probably hear... but he was vaguely hoping that it would spur the boy himself to engaging in a more edifying discussion. "I have a passing familiarity with the hayagawari technique... I apologise if I am not saying that correctly... but it has always intrigued me. Perhaps you could tell me some more about it, and how it is achieved?"

While he asked, his eyes were drawn towards Hikari. Now they were both slouching for some reason. As he tried to work out what was going on, the apparent game of chair-slouch chicken went a bit to far, and Hikari came off her perch completely, in rather dramatic fashion. In the small computer room ,there wasn't really much space for such things and as she ended up sprawled on the floor in a decidedly uncomfortable-looking fashion, Mikhail stood straight on instinct, then promptly set his coffee down and crouched to offer the priestess an arm and a help up if she wanted.
"Easy... You are unhurt, Hikari?" Provided he could be sure she hadn't actually caused any damage, Mikhail followed with a wry chuckle. "You are sure that it is just lemonade you have there, yes?" He honestly hadn't paid that much attention to the brief flash of her unders, save so far as helping her up and decent again swiftly. Once he was sure she was alright again, the dancer reclaimed his coffee and took another drink, casting eyes back to Yoshitsune as he did.

"Freedom is a wonderful thing, Hideyoshi, but only so great as what you choose to do with it, yes? It is what you do, more than what you say, which defines you, you know?" He spoke using the name that the boy had asked for, though a part of his mind wondered what the real reason for his assuming a false was... or possibly if there really was a proper reason, all things considered.

Having not expected to become part of the cultural exchange, Kabuki was happy to divulge everything she knew about the arts. "No, that is quite fine!" she chuckled regarding the pronunciation; if anything, he might note that her pronunciation of things tended to be rather unusual or off the mark. "HAY~YA~GA~WAR~EE is used by kabuki actors to change their costumes while acting on the stage. There are multiple techniques, although one of the most common, and one which I sometimes employ, involves wearing one costume over AN~NOTH~AR; strings are attached to the clothing and yanked away by KUR~RO~KO workers, or stage-hands, to remove the costume and reveal the one beneath. This usually SIG~NEE~FIES a change in character, occupation, or even another type of REV~EL~AY~SHUN! There are other neat types of hayagawari as well, however! For instance, some actors wear masks on the front and backs of their heads; simply turning around will indicate playing AY~NOTH~AR character! Exciting, isn't it?" she giggled. "Altering make-up is also another TECH~NEEK!"

Yoshitsune rolled his eyes, feeling that his navi was going into unnecessary detail of what he considered to be a relatively rudimentary topic. Hikari provided a questionably needed change of topic for Hideyoshi, who could hardly continue going on and on about his situation or even kabuki theater when the object of his desire was presented to him. "O-Ooh!" he cried out, moving his sleeves up to cover his nose as quickly as he could, but failing to get them there in time. The sudden arrival of erotic stimulus hadn't caused just a trickle, but rather a spurt, which left his nose and hit Hikari's white underwear, tainting the back of her panties with the red of his blood. His expression quickly became aghast once he realized what happened, and he finished covering up his face with his sleeves, to hide his guilt... though, Mikhail would have seen, regardless. His wide eyes also made it pretty clear that he'd been staring.

Before Yoshitsune could decide whether he wanted to continue staring at Hikari's indecent pose or help her up to win some brownie points, Mikhail deprived him of either opportunity, swooping in to save the day. "Bah! That do-gooder! Does not he know fortune favors those who seize upon it?! If there are gods, they would not look kindly upon his waste!" he thought scornfully, sulking over his cup of milk again. "And the priestess could stand to wear more exciting under garments!" he added, although his nasal reaction had indicated he was plenty excited by what he'd seen. Worse than all of this, Mikhail then attempted to sweep the mishap under the rug and get back to questioning him. The audacity of it all! Yoshitsune switched the position of his legs to be discrete about anything that had just happened in his pants, though the bagginess of the material would already be hiding that well enough. "You are absolutely correct, Ballerino!" he answered defiantly, crossing his arms and tilting his nose up. "That is why I cannot be held only to kabuki theater! Freedom is wonderful and I shall ne'er have the freedom to accomplish truly great things if I am shackled to the profession of my lineage!"

Thankfully, Kabuki was busy with her own circumstances, or he'd probably have gotten three scoldings just now: one for dismissing their useful discussion of hayagawari, one for staring at Hikari and not helping her, and yet another for staining Hikari's underwear... which hopefully the priestess herself wouldn't notice.

It wasn't too long before Hikari regained full awareness, along with a nice, dull pain on her head. As she did, she noted someone joining her...Mikhail? He swiftly offered his assistance, which she was most certainly not too proud to accept. "I-I'm okay. You needn't worry." Completely oblivious to the show she was putting on, she was righted, and sitting safe and sound in her chair once more...though this time, she was gently rubbing the back of her head. It might've been a problem helping her if she was larger, but she was petite enough that she didn't actually need much space to move around. "I'm most certain that's lemonade. I made it just yesterday." Unlike her hand, the sarcasm had flown high over her head.

She took a look around, noting that everyone and everything was where they'd been before, with the obvious one exception of the Sharoan. "Everyone else all right? Good. And it seems nothing is damaged...that's a relief..." The priestess let out a rather large sigh, extremely grateful that no computers were harmed in the making of herself look like a complete idiot. They weren't state of the art, but they were still rather nice, so replacing even one would've taken a bite out of the temple's finances.

The question Mikhail had asked after returning to his seat caused Hikari to slightly, but visibly, flinch. While he hadn't spent much of the day with Yoshitsune like she had, she had to wonder if he was trying to provoke him at this point. And that...was not something she allowed here. "E-Excuse me, Mikhail. You've been asking Yoshitsune some rather...well, personal questions. I'm all for reflection, but I cannot say this is a proper time for it. I believe you should keep your questions to the actual art of kabuki. What he does with his life is his business, regardless of whether you agree with it." ...Ohh, did she sound too forceful there? She might've been too forceful...certainly more than she meant it to be. "...Um, I apologize if that came out a bit harshly. But this is a building for easing hearts, not burdening them. I must ask that, if nothing else, you respect that." ...Was THAT too forceful? Oh, she was so nervous now...hmm? That was odd. Did she just feel something a little...moist on her panties? ...No, that couldn't be it. She must've been imagining things due to nerves.

He was vaguely disappointed that the young boy hadn't jumped in to share the wealth of his knowledge, rather than letting his navi answer the question, but regardless Mikhail nodded along, listening with interest to Kabuki's description of when and how the different forms of the technique were used. There were some similarities in some ways, even in ballet; usually though, the most extravagant on-stage changes they ever performed were the sorts that the dancer him or herself could pull off with a simple move or two, in a way that disguised it from the audience. A multi-layered folding costume, or the like, that allowed for a single switch.

The sight of Yoshitsune having what could only be described as a borderline medical problem in response to... was it really in response to catching a peek at Hikari's underwear? Seriously? The dancer wanted to sigh, but restrained himself. Unsanitary accidents aside, what occurred next was quite astonishing to Mikhail; of all the reactions he might have expected, being scolded by Hikari for asking personal questions and disrespecting the wishes of others had not been on his radar. As far as he could tell, Yoshitsune himself was the only one so far who had asked something inappropriate, and the priestess was the one using the name he'd asked them both not to already. It truly baffled him and he took a long breath to order his thoughts.

"I apologise, Hikari, if asking about costume-changing techniques was not enough related to Kabuki-theatre, and too personal a question for your tastes. Master Hideyoshi did not seem to think it was, nor miss Kabuki. I found the information shared quite interesting. Should I also apologise also for not respecting the wishes of others? I'm am not sure where I transgressed, since master Hideyoshi was quite... ah, the word... quite affirmative to my most recent comment." He sipped his coffee and raised one eyebrow at her. "If we are on the topic of respecting the wishes of others, perhaps I should remind you that master Hideyoshi requested that we not use the name you have spoken twice since." He chuckled softly as he spoke, doing his bet to show that the gentle ribbing was not really intended as a chastisement, then glanced towards his PET to ask Pirouette how everything was going.

He held his tongue at first, to appreciate the costume she had now changed into; it was quite impressive, and he was surprised by how well it seemed to suit her. His eyes darted to her wing-tips, where the hint of gold colour had been filled in, and wondered if he was going to have the delight of listening to Pirouette complaining about getting the colour out again later. It was also enough time for him to notice, from the view, that they were about to record something more serious, so he lowered the device again without asking her anything directly.

"As I was saying, young man, I find your field of expertise quite fascinating. It strikes me that, unlike in my own field, the work of the stage hands... What did you say the name for them was again? It seems much more involved and detailed a job, than managing the same for ballet." He rolled his mug in his hands briefly, then finished off the drink and set the cup down.
"The coffee was very pleasant, thank you Hikari."

"Ha! Nay, I'm not bothered in the slightest," Yoshitsune informed Hikari, turning his head aside defiantly. "My life and the world of kabuki, hitherto, have been one and the same. It is hard to talk about one without talking about the other, as it stands. That is why I am so adamant about my freedom; as fine as the art of kabuki is, it shackles me, and I am eager to break from it," he explained, gesturing with both of his hands to show a motion indicating breaking his handcuffs. More practically, Yoshitsune was the type to go on and on about his personal life regardless of whether anyone asked, so keeping him from speaking about it would mean having to gag him.

The young man was bottoming out the last of his milk now, but he had a clear, puzzled expression as Hikari exchanged concern that he was being prodded too closely and Mikhail, in turn, reminded Hikari that he'd asked her not to use his real name. His eyes widened a moment later when he realized that she had indeed been saying "Yoshitsune" rather than "Hideyoshi." "Yay, Priestess, the ballerino has a point! It is mete that you call me by my given name, Hideyoshi! No good can come from using my relatively famous kabuki family name right now, as I attempt to sever my fate from that of my heritage," finally realizing the transgression so that he could be offended about it.

He cast his eyes down at his PET from time to time, finding the newly formed idol group too juvenile for his tastes. "Cutting-edge idols are sexy as well as cute, posing for swimsuit shots while wearing bikinis. They should follow that example," he thought to himself, crossing his arms across his chest as he contemplated. He was interrupted from that thought my more questioning from Mikhail over kabuki theater specifics. "You are referring to the kuroko. Indeed, like in many aspects, kabuki requires excellence even from its stage-hands, who race about the stage to ready actor's costumes, move set-pieces, and create other effects. The purpose of the black clothing is so that, in the dark of the theater, their presence is unpronounced, drawing the eyes of others to the finery of actors instead. Although, I hear that those without an acquired taste for the theater find themselves distracted by the kuroko instead some times. They are like tourists, looking at tall buildings in a city! Ignorance is a fine excuse for a fledgling kabuki enthusiast, I suppose," he sighed. "But as you can tell, the kuroko is the perfect guise for me. As the kuroko work in the background, away from prying eyes, so do I. With this outfit, I won't stand out at all," he announced proudly, although the fact that the role of kuroko was such a curiosity to Mikhail ought to have tipped him off to the fact that regular people would instead find him all the stranger for wearing that outfit, perhaps even more so than if he wore kabuki make-up.

"How about you, Ballerino? I must admit, when I think of ballet, I usually think of a small girl, like your navi. What made you decide to take up that profession?" he asked; it was hard to tell whether he was genuinely curious or whether he was making a stereotypical jab at Mikhail. "And you, Priestess? Certainly you didn't rise from the cradle, knowing that you wanted to be a priestess for the Goddess Divina? At what point did you come to understand what you now consider to be your calling?" he asked, looking to the other. "Ha! I can imagine the two of your professions swapped. She looks as though she could be a ballerina and you look like you could be a minister of some sort, if you were dressed differently! Well, really, your navis look the part; it is you two who look odd. That is fairly unusual, is it not?" Again, not seeming to understand that he was the most strange-looking one in the room.

"That...is not what I meant." Hikari placed her hands on her breast, one over the other, almost making it almost look like she was praying. Those that knew her best would recognize it as a sign of her forcing herself to overcome her nerves. "I mean, things like questioning the meaning of freedom, that seem to have no obvious meaning other than being provocative. It's a bit personal for those that have only just met!" That Yoshitsune was okay with it didn't matter here, oddly enough. She honestly wasn't sure if he'd even notice that sort of thing. "And furthermore...hmm?" The name she had spoken? But she'd called him...oh. OH. "...Oh my goddess, you're right! I've been using the wrong name! I'm so so so so sorry, Hideyoshi!" She immediately stood up, placed her hands in her lap, and bowed profusely to the young man. "I don't know how I got things mixed up...I'm so sorry!" As she sat down, the high priestess almost looked like she might cry...chastising someone else for getting too personal, only for herself to make such a basic error...she fully realized the hypocrisy in that, and hated that she'd done such a thing.

Luckily, no bodily fluids of any sort were lost in the meantime, as she calmed down by drinking a bit more of her lemonade. Even after that, she still had a good half of her drink left, while the others were nearly finished. The conversation, surprisingly, took a turn that let her contribute. "Oh! That reminds me of something I read once. You know how ninja are usually portrayed as wearing nothing but black all over? That actually comes from kabuki . As Hideyoshi noted, kuroko are supposed to be ignored as they work. However, if a play called for a ninja to kill someone, a kuroko would perform the act, and not an actor. Since they're intended to be as nothing, it would be as if the ninja had struck from nowhere, then vanished without a trace! I thought that was interesting, anyway..."

Yoshitsune then engaged in another Yoshitsuneish remark, which made her look down at her clothes. He wasn't really wrong; if it wasn't for her outfit, she wouldn't look at all like a priestess. But as for how she became that to begin with..."Oh, of course I didn't. Divina hadn't even been incarnated as a Navi until several years ago. Truthfully, at first, I was skeptical of what she claimed to be. I suppose most people would be. But after being with her, and seeing all that she'd accomplished...there's no doubt in my mind, or my heart, that she is as she says. And as long as I draw breath, I shall serve her, as her arms and legs in the real world. I may not look like it without this dress, but at the end of the day, I am who I am: the high priestess of the goddess Divina." This seemed to lighten the woman up a bit, and managed to give herself a small smile as she turned to Mikhail. "What about you? How did you end up in a profession you don't appear to look the part of? ...Unless it's too personal to share, of course." She blushed, mostly at herself for invoking her previous embarrassing acts.

Mikhail held his peace while Hikari profused over her error. It seemed as though she was more than punishing herself enough for the misstep without calling nay further attention to it. In truth he felt a little bad for causing the woman such distress from what he had only meant as a well intended nudge. As the boy finally loosened up enough to show some meaningful knowledge about his art, Mikhail listened with half an ear while pondering the strangeness of Hikari's own behaviour. He wanted to comment that Yoshitsune was perfectly dressed to blend into the background, provided that he were on a kabuki stage, but he bit his tongue on that one too, choosing not to rub any more fur the wrong way.

His eyebrows rose for a moment as Hikari chimed in with a very interesting little fact of her own on the matter. It was a clever thing, now that he thought about it, and the idea made him smile softly. It was something he had not known, and it was very clever indeed.

When the conversation moved on to how they had each come to their life's calling, Mikhail was beginning to understand that the young boy was probably not going to hear much of what Hikari had to say after her unfortunate choice of words part way through; he wagered, quietly to himself, that the boy would be entirely caught up in imaging what Hikari looked like 'without this dress', as she said.

He nodded to both of them once eyes turned his way, shifting to stretch slightly. He'd already told them that he'd been drawn to dancing from a very young age, but, if they wanted to her more it wouldn't really do to refuse.

"Yes, it is common to think of female leads, for ballet. Even today, a male entering the field must often pretend he is doing otherwise, to his peers, or face ridicule. Still, if a man is established and finds a place in a well known troupe, then the accolades are high. For myself, as I said it began quite young. In school in Sharo, even from first form, we have speech and music as part of our core, you see. It often also covers rhythm and sometimes dance, and I did well in this. In my home, my family always had a very strong ideal that one should..." He lost the word he was looking for briefly then continued once he found it. "Ah, immerse ourselves in the heritage and the pride of our nation, and so there was always some piece of traditional, classical music playing, so it became natural for me to appreciate the rhythm and movement of such things. I do not suppose it is what my father intended, but it is what happened.

"My second form instructor, noticed that I always moved well with music that played in our classes, and he asked my parents if they had noticed." Mikhail chuckled softly to himself. "The story goes that my father assured him that I would grow out of it, while my mother said it was cute for a small boy." He paused, making a small spooling gesture with one hand. "It will not translate, but, she used the words that said it to mean only a child, and not for a man, if you follow. Anyway, it was enough that my instructor began to encourage me more towards such things, even knowing that my parents did not approve. He was a lover of the arts, and I am grateful for his keen eye. When I was in fourth form, at the age of ten, we went to see a production of Don Quixote. My old second form teacher was one of the adults asking us, and I think he had a hand in picking which production we saw. You see, Don Quixote is a very notable ballet, because it contains fully seven male lead pieces, and only four female lead roles... it is highly unusual like this, you know? My instructor asked, at the end, if I would like to learn to dance, as they had, and he said it was the most enthusiastic agreement he had ever heard from me.

"It took some convincing, but he prevailed upon my parents to allow me to move beyond the formal schooling courses, and enrol me in a ballet school, and I was accepted into the Vaganova academy. I have not looked back since. Right to the day I graduated, and performed my grand pas de deux for my teachers, I believe my father thought I would give it up, and get a 'proper' job. It was only when I was nationally acclaimed for my performance as Abderakhman in Raymonda, two years after my acceptance into the Mariinsky Ballet company... ah, I think perhaps, abroad it is better known as the 'Kirov' ballet company... it was not until then, that I think my father finally accepted who I am." It only occurred to Mikhail after he had chatted at length about his origins that he was at once doing a rather gratuitous amount of prestigious name-dropping... and also the almost certain probability that neither of his companions would recognise any of it at all anyway. He supposed the two facts cancelled each other out, more or less.

Again he glanced at his PET, hoping to jump rails quickly with an update from Pirouette, but the trio still seemed to be engaged in their interview, so it would need to wait. He contemplated drawing Hikari further on the sheer hypocrisy of a woman who made it her life's duty to spread her faith to complete strangers, calling a conversation about differing philosophies between new acquaintances too inappropriately personal and 'provocative'... but the woman seemed to be internally suffering enough as it was, so he promised himself not to bring it up again unless she did.

"Hmph! You are forgiven!" Yoshitsune announced, holding one hand forward dramatically towards the priestess. He'd never pass up an opportunity to be a gracious person when it cost him nothing to do so. The conversation continued to agree with him; he smirked and nodded slowly. "Indeed! I am rather like a ninja, am I not? While I stay hidden in the shadows, my skills are sharp and my role is vital to the success of my entire association," he added, thinking that he liked the comparison. Somehow, in his head, the portrayal of ninja being derived from Kabuki had transformed into "Hideyoshi is like a ninja."

Hikari answered his question next, offering answers he only half-cared about, but was still listening to hard enough to criticize. "All that she has accomplished, you say?" he asked, with a vague accusation that he hadn't seen her accomplish much himself. "True, I suppose her number of followers is somewhat sizable. I'll ask you this, then: how did she get started? Who were her first disciples in the net? She must have performed some kind of miracle to make them follow her, as did Jesus Christ of Nazareth, or so they say."

Mikhail had his own answer to offer; this one he paid attention to even less of than Hikari's, given that he had, perhaps unconsciously, perhaps not, mostly said it in an attempt to ridicule the ballerino. Not to mention that Hikari had unintentionally just gotten him thinking about her without her robe. "Well, Ballerino, like myself, you defied expectations, reaching out to what was in your heart of hearts and rejecting the things others told you that you ought to do! Noble, noble indeed. Perhaps I shall find my true calling in much the same way and accomplish many such accolades myself?" he asked nobody in particular... although, if his story was really like Mikhail's, he wouldn't have rejected his father's kabuki legacy, seemingly just to pursue a life in a different role in another kabuki theater. "It is interesting to compare the three of us, who search individually for our calling, to the three navis we watch over: each has 'free will,' yet each does more or less what they were programmed to do. I suppose it's lucky that they have a passion for it, then? But it would have been just as possible for Kabuki to be made a Kabuki navi who hates kabuki! What a travesty that would have been... But it makes me wonder. Has Pirouette ever rejected her profession? And has Divina ever rejected her... divinity?" he questioned, not knowing a better way to name the profession of being a goddess.

At the same time, it seemed a noteworthy development was occurring on the net; he watched, critically, as MoCapMan bowled into the tent, seeming highly unprofessional in his behavior. Yoshitsune became mildly more sympathetic once MoCapMan revealed what had happened. "Sounds like even the world of net idols, where girls are prided in their youth and innocence, can be a cut-throat business!" he observed, rubbing his hairless chin thoughtfully.

((Pirouette Returning From -> First Annual Net-Idol Canival))

Mikhail glanced down at his PET again as it gave him sign that Pirouette had returned. the chat had ambled a little bit since they began, sometimes checking in on the mission and other times not, but the instructor's concern for his navi led him to focusing mostly on her for the next few moments at least. The screen of the PET was displaying her room still, and the ballerina was standing with her back to him, looking at her dressing mirror. He could see her wings trembling slightly, and the way her arms were folded it was obvious that the girl was tense.

"Pirouette... you have returned, is all well with you?" As much as he had expected the wordless shake of her head it still put a frown on his features. "The mission board, it appears all has been a success, has it not? But you are not pleased with how things turned out are you, young one?"

"It is unclean money. I feel dirty and unclean. I will not take it." She had turned her head slightly while she spoke, not looking directly at him, so much as talking over her shoulder. The folding of her arms had become more of a self-hug as she answered, and Mikhail winced.
"It is rather a lot of money for the time, little one. Remember how excited you were to earn some spending change for upgrades? Are you sure you—"
"I do not want it!!" The girl's shout cut him short, coming out with a surprising amount of passion and force, and Mikhail nodded more to himself than anyone else.
"Alright, my little lebedёnok, alright. I understand, it is well. Perhaps you should have a shower, yes? It will make you feel better, and I will make you a deal. You do not need to accept the payment. I will take it for you, and I will spend it on other things, yes? If then I later decide to buy you a present, it will be with my own money, as the school pays me, yes? It will be fine." At last the girl turned around properly, letting her arms unfold until she was simply clutching one by the elbow. Her wings had fallen back and she sighed when she looked up to meet his eyes.

"Net, no da tol'ko dlya vas... I am going to bathe now. Please say goodbye to the others for me?"
Mikhail gave her a small nod and she darted through swiftly to her private bathroom. The ballet instructor sighed and slipped the PET into his pocket for the time being before looking at his companions again.

"I am sorry, she is very upset it seems. I would apologise for her, if she has been rude to either of your navis." After a moment he brought his PET out again. "In fact, I recall, yes... Hikari, your Divina, she offered her contact details, but Pirouette forgot to return them. Do allow me. I will pass them to you as well, if you wish, young master... your Kabuki seems the friendly type, so I'm sure she would appreciate the exchange, yes?" He quickly set about rectifying the lack of mutual details that Pirouette had left, then went on to collect the offered reward from the mission board as well. With that done, he slipped the PET away again and stood.

"At any rate, I should return. Classes to teach and prepare for, you know? Thank you both for the interesting time. I hope you will forgive me for going abruptly, but I think we have both had enough excitement for one day now, no? Be well in yourselves, until we meet again. Hikari, Hideyoshi," He inclined his head to each of them, and offered a hand to shake in case either of them felt like the gesture, then began to make his way back to the entrance of the temple building, with the intent of heading home.


((Returning To -> Mikhail's Home))

Conversation was cut short as matters turned from professions and life stories to the matter at hand, namely winning the idol tournament and setting things straight between Glow and Mo. Once that was done, Yoshitsune sat brooding, resting his chin on one fist while Mikhail and his young navi conversed. He narrowed his eyes, beginning to open his mouth before Kabuki revealed her return, calling out his name to gain his attention. She shook her head quickly, indicating that the two probably weren't going to appreciate his input right now. Still watching them with thin eyes, he spoke quietly to his navi. "The girl is a fool. She understands naught of the value of money, that much is clear. I surely expect I will have to dirty mine own hands to sustain myself before my quest is through, and if it is in as harmless a manner as what she was made to suffer, I shall count myself lucky. You could barely begin the first few acts of a dramatic performance with that snippet of a challenge," he scoffed. "Think about it! She didn't even have a doppelganger who wished to be a prostitute or lead a religion astray. Hers only wished to master a dance. Her tears are the foolishness of comedy, not tragedy. Ha! The early kabuki hands would practice prostitution to make their money, unable to feed themselves as actors."

"And you, my brother, do not know the feelings of a woman, nor the feelings of a father towards a daughter. Indeed, you know very little," his navi scolded, faded back to black. "Very little of anything at all. If money was as important as you thought, the two of us would never have left to find your freedom. Caught up in this web of betrayal and misdirection, it's no wonder poor Pirouette finds herself feeling so uncomfortable."

"Ha! Poor Pirouette indeed. She must live a dull and boring life, if such a minor trifle is all it takes to move her to tears. I suppose some look for the drama in everything," he countered.

"While some live such easy lives that they instead create it for themselves by abandoning their possessions and friends," Kabuki reminded him. "You're hardly one to criticize anyone for the logic of their behavior or for letting their emotions rule them. But enough of this..." she begged. "Look, it seems they're done speaking..."

Yoshitsune spun his head with cat-like quickness to lock eyes with Mikhail, a somewhat guilty action. "Of course. It is mete that I have others I can depend on, even in an existence as inherently lonesome as mine. I would be happy to offer you my contact information," he responded with a semi-polite frown, a bit better than his judgmental, sulky pout. "You will be well as well," he ended queerly, giving Mikhail a quick bow as the instructor left. "Hmm... Sister, I have been harsh, but the two are fine enough folks. Both enslaved to their craft somewhat I would say, which has unfortunately colored the lens with which they view the world... a narrow scope, if you will."

Kabuki rolled her pink eyes, thinking her brother grew more ironic and hypocritical with every word. "Priestess," she spoke up, "it's been a great pleasure to work alongside the goddess Divina again," she offered. "We should be going as well, though we thank you for your hospitality. I hope that this hasn't caused too much trouble for Divina; I know that having a doppelganger is troublesome for most people, but rarely does it border upon sacrilege," she added, although it sounded more like a joke than she'd meant it to. "I'm sure the matter's in hand, though."

"Indeed. I take my leave," Yoshitsune finished, his drive to study the priestess more closely, perhaps in private quarters, somewhat tempered by his recent diversion. "To the stores" he said aloud in a somewhat cheerful voice, although it wasn't clear who he was speaking to. Having money was pretty rare for him, but he was more eager to spend it than save it.

((Leaving to Scilabs))