A Cafe, somewhere in Maryland -- Friday Morning
It was nice, to sometimes be able to slip away for a bit of shopping on her own. Dōjima hummed to herself as she sipped at the latte, her bags of purchases piled around her feet. Some days, it was good being a princess.
Father Juliano Colegui
A tall man in dark clothes had been following Dojima since she entered began her little outing. The dark clothes, the archaic hat, all of these things should have made him stand out in a crowd. And somehow they didn't.
He didn't approach her. Not yet. For now he was content to wait.
Dōjima Yurika
Yurika had been aware of her shadow for the last two hours. She'd realized who it was approximately fifteen minutes ago, and was still mentally kicking herself.
Really, if she was that stupid, they should just fire her already.
Dōjima's demeanor didn't change as she sauntered over to the counter to grab some extra napkins to mop up a tiny spill, nor did it alter as she made her way back to her seat.
"You could always join me you know," she murmured the second time she passed him, voice pitched for his ears alone. "Unless you prefer lurking, Father."
Father Juliano Colegui
A hint of a smile stole across the man's face. "Perhaps I shall," he murmured.
Of course he waited a few minutes. Long enough to make it look unconnected to her own trip. Then he stood up, obtained more tea from the counter, and when he sat down again he was at the table next to Dojima.
"Good afternoon, child."
Dōjima Yurika
"Ohaiyo gozaimasu, Father Juliano," she replied, trying to keep her tone neutral. "How may I be of service?" Considering how long he'd been following her, Yurika doubted it was a social call.
Father Juliano Colegui
"You are an intelligent young woman," Juliano pointed out, voice warm and somehow businesslike at the same time. "Perhaps you could attempt to answer your own question."
Yurika
"The Americans have a saying," Yurika mused, watching the surrounding crowd casually. "I learned it at school. 'To assume makes an ass out of you and me.' You will pardon me, Father, if I do not wish to make an ass of myself by trying to anticipate SOLOMON."
Father Juliano Colegui
That little twitch of a smile was back for a second before Juliano nodded in approval.
"Very good."
"We," by which he meant himself, of course, "Have been contemplating the timeline for your insertion into the STN-J." His smile was cold, "It is time for you to undergo final evaluation Miss Dojima."
Yurika
She sipped at her drink to stall for time, trying to frantically analyze the different options.
"You must be rather confident in the outcome," she said aloud, trying to stay calm. "It's barely September, and my graduation from high school is not until next spring."
Father Juliano Colegui
"We," by which he still means himself, "Are confident. We selected you quite carefully, after all."
Juliano's smile hardens slightly.
"The evaluation will not take place immediately. I am notifying you now so that you can prepare." And, of course, so he can see how she reacts to the assignment.
Yurika
"Evaluation," Yurika murmured, tasting the word in her mouth. "I hope that's not a nicely sanitized way of saying 'Inquisition', Father."
Father Juliano Colegui
"Take it as you will, Miss Dojima."
"You will have approximately one month to prepare yourself. And your team." Somehow Juliano's voice was simultaneously warm and menacing.
Yurika
"My team?" Her eyes flickered momentarily in undisguised confusion. She was to be on a solo assignment, what team was he talking about? "For what?"
Father Juliano Colegui
"We," by which he still meant himself, "Have decided to adjust the parameters of your evaluation."
"You will assemble a team from among your classmates which you will then lead in an extremely dangerous hunt." Juliano's smile grew almost predatory. "We feel that this will provide a much better picture of your skills. Leadership, manipulation, and deception."
After all, she'd have to tell them something to get them to come. And if it happened to be the truth? Then it would make keeping secrets from the rest of her classmates all the harder.
Yurika
Oh God.
"My classmates?" Yurika felt her heart drop into her stomach as she watched his smile grow. Stupid, to underestimate him. He was the greatest Hunter that SOLOMON had ever produced, if rumor was to be believed. Stupid stupid stupid.
"Is Headquarters really that short on Hunters," she asked, trying to get a grasp on the situation, "that they," by which she meant him, damn him, "would risk strangers in our world?"
Father Juliano Colegui
"Your reports suggest that your classmates are quite capable. The risk should be minimal." Well, minimal for a Hunt, at least.
"Or," he leaned forward, voice softening dangerously, "Do you feel your evaluations were inaccurate?"
Yurika
"My concern was for SOLOMON, Father Juliano, not the capabilities of my classmates." True. Mostly. Close enough to true that even a craft-user wouldn't pick up on her slight deception.
"Does SOLOMON," and again, she meant him, "want to risk the Organization and the mission in that manner?" Her own smile sharpened slightly. "Since you read my reports, you know that my fellow students aren't stupid. Sir."
Father Juliano Colegui
This time Juliano's smile was broad and almost friendly. Which was what made it so chilling.
"I trust you to keep them from presenting a threat, Miss Dojima. That is part of what we wish to evaluate. However, if you prove unsuited to this task, SOLOMON will, of course, ensure that they do not remain a threat."
Yurika
"Hence why I asked, I didn't want to assume anything." Despite the temperate day, Yurika's hands tightened around her latte slightly, as though for warmth. "I'm not going to be effective unless you give me the details, Colegui-sama. I deal in facts, not conjuncture."
"What, where, and when?" Since refusal at this point was, clearly, not an option.
Father Juliano Colegui
"A Hunt. This one will be rather dangerous." And, he didn't add, using her friends meant no need to risk SOLOMON personnel.
"Intelligence division expects to have a location for in early October. I suspect Italy. Probably Rome."
Yurika
"Understood." Yurika sipped her drink thoughtfully. "Are there any restrictions on my team, such as weaponry or recruitment, or do I have authority to operate as I please?"
Father Juliano Colegui
"This will be your Hunt, Miss Dojima. Recruit who you wish, equip them as you wish. Just see that the job gets done."
And that they do not present a threat to SOLOMON.
Yurika
Yurika stomped down on the surge of elation, careful to keep her body language neutral. He was giving her free reign? For everything? She'd take it and use it.
She wondered for a moment if Father Juliano knew he was giving her permission to tell the truth, and what he was plotting, and decided she really didn't care.
She nodded once. "Hai. Arigato, Father."
Father Juliano Colegui
That smile came back. It wasn't any more comforting this time either.
"May the Lord watch over you, Miss Dojima."
He finished his tea and stood up, slowly disappearing into the crowd.
Yurika
She watched him fade into the city, eyes tracking him as far as she could before he vanished completely.
"Sometimes I hate that man," Yurika muttered to herself. "I really really do."
She waited another ten minutes before picking up her packages and heading in the other direction. There were some people that she needed to talk to.
[OOC: NFB and NFI due to distance. Pre-played with the ever-awesome iseewhatyoumean, who I love like pie!]
Father Juliano Colegui
A tall man in dark clothes had been following Dojima since she entered began her little outing. The dark clothes, the archaic hat, all of these things should have made him stand out in a crowd. And somehow they didn't.
He didn't approach her. Not yet. For now he was content to wait.
Dōjima Yurika
Yurika had been aware of her shadow for the last two hours. She'd realized who it was approximately fifteen minutes ago, and was still mentally kicking herself.
Really, if she was that stupid, they should just fire her already.
Dōjima's demeanor didn't change as she sauntered over to the counter to grab some extra napkins to mop up a tiny spill, nor did it alter as she made her way back to her seat.
"You could always join me you know," she murmured the second time she passed him, voice pitched for his ears alone. "Unless you prefer lurking, Father."
Father Juliano Colegui
A hint of a smile stole across the man's face. "Perhaps I shall," he murmured.
Of course he waited a few minutes. Long enough to make it look unconnected to her own trip. Then he stood up, obtained more tea from the counter, and when he sat down again he was at the table next to Dojima.
"Good afternoon, child."
Dōjima Yurika
"Ohaiyo gozaimasu, Father Juliano," she replied, trying to keep her tone neutral. "How may I be of service?" Considering how long he'd been following her, Yurika doubted it was a social call.
Father Juliano Colegui
"You are an intelligent young woman," Juliano pointed out, voice warm and somehow businesslike at the same time. "Perhaps you could attempt to answer your own question."
Yurika
"The Americans have a saying," Yurika mused, watching the surrounding crowd casually. "I learned it at school. 'To assume makes an ass out of you and me.' You will pardon me, Father, if I do not wish to make an ass of myself by trying to anticipate SOLOMON."
Father Juliano Colegui
That little twitch of a smile was back for a second before Juliano nodded in approval.
"Very good."
"We," by which he meant himself, of course, "Have been contemplating the timeline for your insertion into the STN-J." His smile was cold, "It is time for you to undergo final evaluation Miss Dojima."
Yurika
She sipped at her drink to stall for time, trying to frantically analyze the different options.
"You must be rather confident in the outcome," she said aloud, trying to stay calm. "It's barely September, and my graduation from high school is not until next spring."
Father Juliano Colegui
"We," by which he still means himself, "Are confident. We selected you quite carefully, after all."
Juliano's smile hardens slightly.
"The evaluation will not take place immediately. I am notifying you now so that you can prepare." And, of course, so he can see how she reacts to the assignment.
Yurika
"Evaluation," Yurika murmured, tasting the word in her mouth. "I hope that's not a nicely sanitized way of saying 'Inquisition', Father."
Father Juliano Colegui
"Take it as you will, Miss Dojima."
"You will have approximately one month to prepare yourself. And your team." Somehow Juliano's voice was simultaneously warm and menacing.
Yurika
"My team?" Her eyes flickered momentarily in undisguised confusion. She was to be on a solo assignment, what team was he talking about? "For what?"
Father Juliano Colegui
"We," by which he still meant himself, "Have decided to adjust the parameters of your evaluation."
"You will assemble a team from among your classmates which you will then lead in an extremely dangerous hunt." Juliano's smile grew almost predatory. "We feel that this will provide a much better picture of your skills. Leadership, manipulation, and deception."
After all, she'd have to tell them something to get them to come. And if it happened to be the truth? Then it would make keeping secrets from the rest of her classmates all the harder.
Yurika
Oh God.
"My classmates?" Yurika felt her heart drop into her stomach as she watched his smile grow. Stupid, to underestimate him. He was the greatest Hunter that SOLOMON had ever produced, if rumor was to be believed. Stupid stupid stupid.
"Is Headquarters really that short on Hunters," she asked, trying to get a grasp on the situation, "that they," by which she meant him, damn him, "would risk strangers in our world?"
Father Juliano Colegui
"Your reports suggest that your classmates are quite capable. The risk should be minimal." Well, minimal for a Hunt, at least.
"Or," he leaned forward, voice softening dangerously, "Do you feel your evaluations were inaccurate?"
Yurika
"My concern was for SOLOMON, Father Juliano, not the capabilities of my classmates." True. Mostly. Close enough to true that even a craft-user wouldn't pick up on her slight deception.
"Does SOLOMON," and again, she meant him, "want to risk the Organization and the mission in that manner?" Her own smile sharpened slightly. "Since you read my reports, you know that my fellow students aren't stupid. Sir."
Father Juliano Colegui
This time Juliano's smile was broad and almost friendly. Which was what made it so chilling.
"I trust you to keep them from presenting a threat, Miss Dojima. That is part of what we wish to evaluate. However, if you prove unsuited to this task, SOLOMON will, of course, ensure that they do not remain a threat."
Yurika
"Hence why I asked, I didn't want to assume anything." Despite the temperate day, Yurika's hands tightened around her latte slightly, as though for warmth. "I'm not going to be effective unless you give me the details, Colegui-sama. I deal in facts, not conjuncture."
"What, where, and when?" Since refusal at this point was, clearly, not an option.
Father Juliano Colegui
"A Hunt. This one will be rather dangerous." And, he didn't add, using her friends meant no need to risk SOLOMON personnel.
"Intelligence division expects to have a location for in early October. I suspect Italy. Probably Rome."
Yurika
"Understood." Yurika sipped her drink thoughtfully. "Are there any restrictions on my team, such as weaponry or recruitment, or do I have authority to operate as I please?"
Father Juliano Colegui
"This will be your Hunt, Miss Dojima. Recruit who you wish, equip them as you wish. Just see that the job gets done."
And that they do not present a threat to SOLOMON.
Yurika
Yurika stomped down on the surge of elation, careful to keep her body language neutral. He was giving her free reign? For everything? She'd take it and use it.
She wondered for a moment if Father Juliano knew he was giving her permission to tell the truth, and what he was plotting, and decided she really didn't care.
She nodded once. "Hai. Arigato, Father."
Father Juliano Colegui
That smile came back. It wasn't any more comforting this time either.
"May the Lord watch over you, Miss Dojima."
He finished his tea and stood up, slowly disappearing into the crowd.
Yurika
She watched him fade into the city, eyes tracking him as far as she could before he vanished completely.
"Sometimes I hate that man," Yurika muttered to herself. "I really really do."
She waited another ten minutes before picking up her packages and heading in the other direction. There were some people that she needed to talk to.
[OOC: NFB and NFI due to distance. Pre-played with the ever-awesome iseewhatyoumean, who I love like pie!]