[04:01] <Wraithstrike> It's the week after Christmas, and Agata has been invited to Crimson's Lair for a small get-together. The Ambassador is also going to this meeting.
[04:04] <Agata> If possible, and through the same mysterious method of message delivery that she was invited through, Agata responds that she will be present and that she apologizes for not having revisited the lair. She has been meeting all sorts of new people, and she did not quite know what to travel to the lair 12for.
[04:05] <Agata> Agata mentions the meeting to her mother and her father, and makes it a point to inform helpful teacher Florian and recent convert Valentin too.
[04:06] <Wraithstrike> As you enter the tunnel, you can hear Crimson talking to someone else. "Are you sure that's what you wish to bargain with? You cannot change your mind." The voice that responds is female and she says "I'd rather fade away than die in pain. I'll do it."
[04:06] <Agata> It is at this time that she sends out messages to her classmate-friends profusely apologizing for being distant from them lately, under the excuse of being caught up with family matters. That always works.
[04:07] <Agata> Agata simply assumes that Crimson has already invited Nina, Sasha, and Sergei, and that if he did not, the man does not wish for their presence.
[04:08] <Wraithstrike> He did invite them all.
[04:09] <Agata> Agata considers saying something along the lines of "Hmmm? Is that a new arrival?" out of inquisitiveness, but then reminds herself that nobody interrupted or bothered her during the girl's own critical decision-making. Agata simply approaches discreetly out of respect.
[04:11] <Wraithstrike> Looking into the room, you can see an older woman, about 37 if you had to guess. She has short black hair, and tattoos up and down her arms, most of them from one prison or another. She's holding the Peacock Fan item, and as you're watching, she makes the contract with the item. Once the lightshow dies down, Crimson notices your arrival. "Come on in, Agata, and meet our newest soldier in the war. This is Lidya Murin."
[04:13] * Sergei arrived with the Ambassador a couple of minutes later, following the older man inside curious as to why he was being called there.
[04:14] <Agata> Agata nods in acknowledgement and steps in a bit closer. "Good day, Mr. Crimson, Ms. Murin." And once she notices (against all odds) Sergei and the Ambassador arriving, turns to them as well. "... Sergei, Mr. Saad."
[04:16] <Wraithstrike> The Ambassador nods to Agata. "Sergei, do be careful. Don't take anything to drink unless it has been disenchanted."
[04:17] <Agata> "I was offered orange juice the last time I was here..." Agata tells Sergei and the Ambassador.
[04:17] * Sergei nods lightly, still having trouble getting used to all this even with the Ambassador teaching him off and on when he has the time. "I'll be careful." He looks over to Agata and smiles gently. "Hi Agata, how are you today?"
[04:18] <Wraithstrike> Lidya looks around. "These are the people fighting in this war?" At this moment, Florian enters, his cat-ears hidden under a wool hat.
[04:19] <Agata> "How am I today...?" Agata wonders slightly. Oh, right, a greeting, that. "I am fine, Sergei," she replies cheerfully.
[04:20] * Sergei looks over to the older woman. "And who are you?"
[04:21] <Wraithstrike> "Lidya Murin, a new Magical Maiden." She's not more forthcoming than that.
[04:22] <Agata> "In other words, she is like Nina now. She had chosen the peacock fan as her artifact," expounding for Sergei's sake, "which... allows the user to create illusions of solid light."
[04:23] <Sergei> "I... see... I'm Sergei Volkov. Nice to meet you."
[04:23] <Wraithstrike> "Volkov...I think I worked with a woman named Volkov back in Astrakhan..."
[04:24] <Agata> "My name is Agata," following on Sergei's lead. Since this is an older lady, she is careful not to bring up surname, like her parents have instructed. "I am pleased to meet you too."
[04:24] * Sergei noticably twitches at the mention of that fact.
[04:25] <Agata> Agata looks over at the Ambassador and Florian, waiting to see if they will introduce themselves.
[04:26] <Wraithstrike> They do introduce themselves, and Crimson gets down to the purpose of the meeting. "Right now, we, all of us, are all that stands between Moscow and Oblivion. We are strong, but not completely unified yet."
[04:28] <Agata> Agata belatedly realizes that the concept of a 37-year-old magical girl is quite foreign to her and certainly not something she has ever seen in her (admittedly limited) anime repertoire in the past. She figures that real life is different.
[04:30] * Sergei just listens for now, trying to take everything in before he is tempted to ask any questions, especially with so many much more magically acquainted people in the room.
[04:31] <Agata> "I have been trying to help organize Nina, Sasha, Sergei, and I together right before we face a Nocnamora..." Agata chimes in, placing a closed hand beneath the brooch and ascot adorning her blouse, "... but we could use some way for everyone else to pitch in too."
[04:32] <Wraithstrike> "For tonight, ther will be gifts given out. But the real purpose is complete transparency. We are going to explain our goals, and how we can help each other achieve them. Let's start with Sergei. What are you looking for?"
[04:36] <Agata> "Sergei was beaten up by a mysterious man who might have been a Nocnamora... or maybe a Night Wave general. He ran away from home in Astrakhan and came here all injured. He does not know what he is, but I have told Florian," turning to face the boy in question, "to try to help him figure out. I think Sergei might be a half-beast like him."
[04:36] * Sergei was about about to speak when Agata rudely interuppted him by telling everything, including things he wasn't going to share.
[04:36] <Agata> Agata gets what she knows out of the way, so that Sergei can give out anything that he has yet to reveal.
[04:37] <Agata> Welp.
[04:40] <Agata> Little miss Tatlin is overly eager to speak on behalf of others, apparently.
[04:40] * Sergei shoots a glare at the overeager and overly perky girl before looking around the room and meeting the eyes of the Ambassador who hadn't been told about that yet as he had kept forgetting to talk about it with him. "Sorry Ambassador for not saying anything before about being attacked."
[04:43] <Agata> Agata takes Sergei's glare as a suggestion to lean back in her chair, stay a bit more silent, and humble herself.
[04:43] <Wraithstrike> "I'm not offended, Sergei. Everyone has some secrets they don't want revealed. As to helping you, I offer you my home, as I did for Sasha. You can have access to my laboratory and magical library for anything you need."
[04:47] <Wraithstrike> Florian: "As Agata said, I'll try to help Sergei uncover what he needs to know. I know of a few spells that might be able to unlock memories, but I will not use them without his consent."
[04:47] * Sergei glances back to the rest of the room, sighing softly. "Well, since Agata has already said a bit about me including her theories on my person I guess all that is left is my goal. I came here for one reason even if I ended up mixed up with this war because of it. I came here to try and find my father. A man I never knew and maybe a family that will actually give a damn about me."
[04:53] <Agata> "... we have been trying to care about you, Sergei," Agata plops down a heartfelt statement.
[04:53] <Wraithstrike> "Very well then. Agata, what purposes do you have?"
[04:55] <Agata> "The same as Nina and Sasha, to defeat the Night Wave and stop them from opening the Outer Gates and destroying the world. You know... the bunch of kids saving the world cliché," Agata gives her view on the matter. "I would really like to awaken everyone else to the problem along the way though. Opening people's eyes and letting humanity fight for themselves, teaching people to fish... like that."
[04:56] <Agata> "My family is very strong and can give a lot of manpower to this war. They have money, technology, and guns," quite matter-of-fact.
[04:59] <Agata> "Something my mother told me months ago was..." trying to recall exactly was it was. "The rebels in countries like Libya feel much better when they get to overthrow an evil dictator themselves, instead of getting super-strong countries to do it for them. So, empowering people is what I would like to do to help out in this war."
[04:59] <Agata> She tries to see if the Ambassador has any more qualified a viewpoint on that matter.
[05:03] <Wraithstrike> The Ambassador responds to that. "In my experience, opening mortal eyes is difficult and tedious work. At least it was when I was a hero. This modern age has some many new tools that make it that much easier. Since Ms. Tatlin's family is so well-connected, it should be possible to do so much more. However, be cautious with who you tell. While everyone in this room is at least somewhat trustworthy, there is no supernat
[05:06] <Wraithstrike> no supernatural group that does not employ human spies."
[05:11] <Agata> "Well, yes, the internet makes that job a lot easier. It would be really cool to see people tweeting over Nocnamora sightings... but you are right," acknowledging Mr. Saad's wisdom, "there could be spies watching and trying to mess it up. My brother and some of my other family members are really good with security, so they could help defeat spies while we open people's eyes to the Night Wave, right?"
[05:12] <Agata> "I think it would be a good idea to give everyone secure cell phones too," Agata continues, bringing out her "acceptable for Top Secret voice communications and Secret e-mail and Web sites" Sectera Edge PDA-phone. "My family can buy these for everyone."
[05:23] <Wraithstrike> Lidya has been silent through the proceeding, but at the mention of the phones she answers. "It's not necessary for me. I'm probably not going to be around for much longer."
[05:23] <Wraithstrike> In response to the stares she clarifies: "I'm a felon and likely to go back to prison if I'm caught. And there is the matter of..."
[05:29] <Agata> "You cannot be planning on fighting the Nocnamora only temporarily..." Agata opines in a serious tone. "We need as many allies as we can in this war, for a long time, too."
[05:31] <Wraithstrike> "My part is this war is temporary, because I am. I have an inoperable brain tumor and was given one year to live."
[05:32] <Agata> "Mr. Crimson," Agata directs a plea towards him, "is there anything the contract can do to help her? Wait... the contract takes away something important to the maiden, so it might not..."
[05:34] <Wraithstrike> "She has already contracted. She will fight for us, but her contract is taking her out of this plane. As she fights, she will become more like a ghost."
[05:36] <Agata> "So..." Agata processes the gravitas of this. "... I guess that is your way of reaching for Heaven..." directed at Lidya.
[05:37] <Wraithstrike> "If you wish to be so poetic about it, then yes. With my past, heaven would be highly unlikely."
[05:38] <Agata> "We all have a chance to redeem ourselves, right?" Agata points out. "This can be your way, Ms. Murin."
[05:40] <Wraithstrike> "That was my thought. I will not need to stay in touch with the rest of you. But do not worry. I will be there to help if the situation is dire."
[05:41] <Agata> "If that is what you want, then okay..." Agata acquiesces. "But we can help you not go to prison, you know."
[05:42] <Agata> "We may not be able to carry all of your burdens, but I know a way to help with that, at least."
[05:42] <Wraithstrike> "It's on me to stay out of prison. It always has been. If you could make it so I did not return to prison for anything shy of murder, I would accept that. But don't go out of your way to do so."
[05:43] <Agata> "It is really not that hard... I think," Agata half-awkwardly states.
[05:46] <Wraithstrike> "Thank you for the offer, but I will decline."
[05:46] <Agata> "Alright..." a bit disappointed, since Lidya was just about to accept it.
[05:47] <Agata> "So, the idea of secure phones for everyone is new," the girl changes the subject, "but I had already asked my family to help bring together some equipment to help Nina, Sasha, Sergei, and I fight the Nocnamora... and help out a little with everyday life too."
[05:48] <Agata> "The things should be ready in a few days, or maybe by tomorrow if they really hurry." She makes eye contact with Sergei. "I also tried to get something special for you, Sergei."
[05:50] <Agata> "I know the two of you are way more equipped than any of us, but..." directing her words to the Ambassador and Crimson, "... still, if there are any things or favors you want, please, just ask me."