Studious girl!

[waterfell]

In this corner of the moonlocket space, Mizuno Ami is de-transformed for once, studying in her room and making notes while listening to a Kuroki Mio CD she's conveniently been able to procure in a different dimension. It was probably a gift from the artist

Comments

[dropped_rock]

Pierre had always hated the Nexus for this little trick, and the locket doesn't seem to be much better about it. Still, it's a little more comforting to be pulled out of a walk, rather than the middle of a villainous dialogue.

The surroundings were oddly familiar, but... not. A twist of a familiar theme, perhaps. While he wracked his brain to figure things out, he walked on this scene. Another odd familiarity nagged at his brain, but he shoved that aside in favor of clearing his throat. "'Scuse me. Have you seen the exit, by any chance?"

What? It's a decent question.

[dropped_rock]

He's never tried any of those experiments. In his mind, it will work perfectly because he can't think of a way it won't, outside Metallia's interference.

He blinks at the sudden change in tone. "...Only if it's not a bother." Tea is Not His Thing, but if offered, he can't just refuse.

[waterfell]

Simple science, Jadeite. Or not-so-simple, in this case. The unpredictable elements of group behavior, even computer program behavior.

Ami nods. She'd been studying, which means there's a canister of tea leaves ready at hand already. She's also not known for leaving her rooms unless someone drags her out if she's on the trail of new research. Everything she needs to prepare the tea can be found in her chambers.

Before long, steaming cups of the hot beverage are set in front of Ami and Jadeite both.

[dropped_rock]

He doesn't get it.

"Thank you." He offers a small smile before blowing carefully on the tea, then taking a sip. "It's not bad."

[waterfell]

Such a polite companion. He could only be better company if he played chess.

It doesn't take long before Ami charges right back in, taking up the main subject of the conversation again.

"The question is, what's still fueling Metalia to grow? It's not energy gathered by us, not at the levels she seems to be reaching. But... the princess hasn't fully awakened, either, so it isn't the ginzuishou."

[dropped_rock]

Wouldn't you rather a game of cards? Or maybe checkers? He doesn't feel like losing at chess to a girl not even a tenth his age.

"Well, the ginzuishou shoudldn't be a problem unless Metallia gets her hands on it, so we can discount that directly, but if she got her hands on the nijizuishou, or... No, unless she replaced you with someone else, I can't see where she'd be able to come up with that many options." He shrugs. "Maybe she's got a few other agents you don't know about? It's not impossible that she's come to the same conclusion that intelligent youma would be bad for the opposing team."

[waterfell]

But it would soothe her ego after all the games lost to Kunzite.

Ami sits up a bit straighter, a clear sign Jadeite has gotten a reaction in her somewhere. She'd argue with what he just said, but it explains too many things that had nagged at the back of her mind anyway - mostly, why Metalia seemed mostly apathetic about how well she was served. Even in her weakened state, she was hardly powerless and yet she seemed to share Beryl's willingness to overlook the plots and schemes and antics played out right under her nose. If Metalia has a whole other set, a whole other kingdom of servants, of course she can feel secure like that.

That frozen half-second passes, and she does shake her head.

"I understand that from a world where I've seen the nijizuishou, but they didn't make up the ginzuishou at all in mine. It was in the princess' body the whole time and appeared in her tears. And anyway, it empowers Metalia even that way. Every time we've seen the ginzuishou, Metalia's gotten stronger."

[dropped_rock]

But not his. B|

He glances to her, cocking an eyebrow at the sudden reaction, but nods and sips his tea when she shakes her head like that. Must not have been important after all, right?

But her revelations about the ginzuishou do make him frown. "That's odd. In my world, she was afraid of it, unless she was getting her hands on the crystal. I wonder how that could be... Unless she managed to corrupt the bindings Queen Serenity placed on her, and linked herself to it, but. That's impossible, it would shake off any attempts to corrupt it so." Hn. "There's got to be some trick to it."

[waterfell]

"There's a connection, but it's not a trick," Ami says after a moment. "It's the princess. Her hatred fuels the ginzuishou and Metalia both."

[dropped_rock]

"Ah." He shakes his head. "The ginzuishou is partially guided by one's emotions. If tilted towards the darker end of things, it only makes sense that a being of darkness could take advantage."

[waterfell]

"The reason doesn't matter. In the end, Metalia and the Princess - and the ginzuishou - will be taken out," Mercury says firmly. "But if we can find why she still has energy and cut that off, it should become easier and her youma should stop troubling us."

[dropped_rock]

"With the Princess gone, what great power are you going to throw at the other things that threaten the planet?"

Pierre taps his fingers again. "...In your world, is there any record of a 'Danburite' or a 'Dark Agency'?"

[waterfell]

"The ginzuishou's never helped this planet anyway. It's only destroyed it," Ami points out a bit harshly. "It being gone can only be helpful, since enemies attracted to its power would no longer be a potential threat."

She shakes her head. "No, nothing like that. They're part of the Dark Kingdom?" The -ite name and 'Dark Agency' name sort of give that part away. If they do exist in her world and she simply doesn't know about it, "They could also be helping Metalia, is that it?"

[dropped_rock]

"Different worlds." He points out. "But I can see your point easily enough. It's definitely a magnet, but I'm at a loss as to how you can destroy it."

He nods. "Yes. They worked for Kunzite in my world, before Sailor V destroyed them." Of course, Danburite being a moron didn't help things. "Our worlds are different enough that they could work under someone else, or Metallia directly. I'd suggest Hematite, but... He was pure physical power, I doubt he'd have the slightest clue about energy gathering."

[waterfell]

"I already have an idea about that," Ami says with some definite satisfaction, but she doesn't elaborate. And different worlds or no, right now they're discussing hers, where there is more justification for the idea that the ginzuishou destroys.

"If they're connected to Kunzite, you could be right that it's different worlds, but it might also be they don't exist. I'll find out." That last is said with confidence.

[dropped_rock]

He just nods. If she thinks she can do it, he'll leave it to her to succeed or fail. It's her own world, in the end.

"It's worth a shot, I figure. Good luck with that." He sips his tea again. He might actually mean what he said, there.