[b]Scene Title:[/b] We All Got Secrets

[b]Characters:[/b] Dani, Azumi Ian, and Gregory Zivaku.

[b]Context (Situation):[/b] During a break from active duty and a lull in activity at the Crimson Dawn, Azumi takes the time to visit her old commanding officer, picking up a piece of gear he had made for her, along with catching up on things that had happened lately. However, when she walks in, she gets into an awkward conversation between him and Dani. For Greg, this takes place after "End of Line", which itself is after the scrapbook entry "Golden Tongue in the Fires of Chaos". For Azumi, this is after the scrapbook entry "Friends in High Places", but before her second sequence in "Ashes of Arkham" during "Harley Queen's Revenge", meaning that she has been promoted to the role of Dani's aide concerning worlds and the people in them and Rikka's First Priestess of Dawn. For Dani, this is after "Friends in High Places".

[i]Gummi Ship[/i] Redemption


As he was putting the finishing touches on his latest project for Azumi, one he had had on the shelf for months due to a lack of proper components and schematics, Gregory Zivaku, in his customary lightly colored clothing, was interrupted by a call that came up on his large monitor, a computer screen he had kept in the forge that he had built for himself. The number of the call was familiar, having been given by a personal source, so he decided to accept it, turning it on.

Locking his latest complete project in a box, he answered, looking to the mysterious, platinum haired woman who appeared: Dani. It seemed that she wanted to call up on him, perhaps as a check up. [i]"Hello, Greg. I was wondering if we could talk. There are several things I wanted to talk to you about."[/i]

A nod. "Hello, Dani. I was finishing something up, and have someone waiting outside, ready to come in soon. Azumi, actually. Haven't seen her in a while, and she gave me a request."

[i]"Do you have any available time?"[/i] To his nod, she spoke again. [i]"How is the armor? Did the adjustments do well? And how are you after our little talk?"[/i]

"My Svalinn is working well in tests. Thank you for it. I've been talking to more people as well." He turned that way completely then, having some questions of his own. "I was curious. What do you do aside from worry about me, Dani? I know you're Azumi's friend, but not much else. Do you have a job of your own? And how are you?"

She nodded. [i]"I am a singer and pianist. I perform at many clubs across the worlds. Perhaps I can provide you with a list of my upcoming work so that you may see and perhaps speak after. And I am very well, thank you for asking."[/i] She appeared to want to ask more questions, but it was then that the door behind Greg opened.

In walked Azumi Ian, in her military outfit of a set of brown and grey flight suit fatigues, but not her armor, a comfortable middle ground between casual and military attire. As per usual outside of the White Night, she had her hair done up in a braid that wrapped up into itself, remaining above her neck, but the hair itself normally about a quarter of the way down her back. She wore no hat, though she likely had a military cap somewhere. The soldier froze in place, seeing the two talking and not knowing if it was right to interrupt, nor what the reaction would be from Dani if she did so. However, that was solved quickly.

The Keeper's Hand evidently noticed the arrival, turning swiftly in some alarm, but grinning on seeing Azumi. He hadn't seen her since a while back, and although the scar on her face was new, likely a remnant of her usual work, he didn't comment on it, instead mentioning something else in his greeting. "Hey, Azumi. You grow your hair out longer?" To her nod, he continued. "Looks good on you done up like that. Also good for your missions. You should keep it like that, at least for now." He didn't pay much attention to her embarrassment, instead motioning for her to come on in. "You can come on in, sergeant. I'm finished with what you asked from me, as promised." Noticing Dani still watching, he looked back toward the screen. "My apologizes, Dani. It's a private piece of gear. Can you please keep it to privacy? I'll let you know when I'm done, but please turn your head away."

After Dani did as requested, turning away while not turning off the screen, Greg took out the piece of gear from the container he had put it in.

The device was a rope line launcher of sorts, but unlike any other single one she had come across. The end of the line had two possible heads: a magnetic one for metal attachment points, and a spearhead for sticking into some places. The line was not strong enough to hold her on her own and pull her, but could be stabbed into two different points of entry, one fired, the other stabbed or otherwise attached, to create a zip-line. Aside from the firing mechanism and the ropes, it also had a second component: a rope ascender for climbers that could be used to quickly ride up lines that are on an angle (aside from vertical, which would need manual climbing) or a three-pronged hooked end. The latter could be spun using a trigger mechanism that is very close to that of the rope launcher in order to either pull the user over a line by spinning, or to catch a line as the user falls. These hooks could also hook into vertical surfaces to allow for faster parkour techniques and better grip, so long as there is something to latch on to such as a craggy surface. This entire device could be held in two components on her waist for easy transport and harder assembly, or attached directly to her Deadshot-gained armgun (which only Greg and a select few others, excluding the Collective, knew about) for harder transport without a need for assembly. Although the device could not carry the user, it could pull on ropes by spinning it through the wheels of the device if held in the user's hands, making manipulation of pieces of the environment possible.

The soldier looked at it, taking it in her hands and testing several of its mechanisms for performance, not including the rope launching itself. She could work on that through archery if it didn't work. "Thanks so much," she said, putting it in an etherspace pouch tied on to her uniform.

"It was nothing," her former CO stated, and turned back to Dani's image. "We're ready," he said. "You can look now. Thank you for that."

[i]"Of course,"[/i] the platinum haired woman replied. She looked to the recipient of the gift. [i]"How has your promotion been going for you?"[/i] Although she internally hit herself for her blunder, the singer acknowledged its dual meanings, which would cover for her.

Azumi grinned very slightly. "Very well. Not sure if I'll be allowed up any further, but we'll see. I don't know if I could handle more authority currently."

"Huh?" Greg looked to Azumi, then to Dani, then back again.

The soldier crossed her arms, smiling as she took out a badge. It had a red background and yellow printing, with a sequence of three upturned "chevrons", and one underscoring "rocker", the [url=http://www.halopedia.org/images/2/23/USMC-E6.png]symbol[/url] of a UNSC Marine staff sergeant, the second-in-command of a platoon of between twenty and fifty marines. "Got promoted after the destruction of Alpha Halo II, Installation 04B as they called it. Probably has to do with how hard I worked with making sure we didn't run into too much crap from the spooks, and how I helped keep the sergeant major alive."

The angel smiled, patting her on the back and giving a light hug. He knew Sergeant Major Johnson, and was very proud of her for managing to avert his death. "Congratulations. This is great for you."

On the screen, out of Greg's sight but in clear view of Azumi's, Dani mouthed but two words. [i]'Good job.'[/i] She didn't mean the promotion, or at least not directly.

The staff sergeant nodded, then spoke out loud to them both, hugging Greg back before letting him go. "Thanks."

Greg looked to the two women, from one to the other and back. "Is there anything else you two would like to talk about?"

Her softened gaze turned to Azumi as Dani spoke. [i]"How are you overall, Emily? The war must have been hard for you, but we haven't had time to talk."[/i] Although she again used Azumi's middle name, this time it was out of friendship, and therefore not grating. That said, nobody else seemed to do so.

A nod, brief as it was. "Yeah... but let's talk about that when we're alone, okay? I don't want to ruin this reunion with that kind of nasty stuff."

[i]"Of course."[/i]

"And... thanks for the spa trip. It was really nice."

Dani chuckled at that. [i]"You looked as though you needed to relax. Glad to help, though you don't want to loosen your convictions too much."[/i] To Azumi's joking roll of her eyes, she just turned in Greg's direction again. [i]"May I talk to you alone?"[/i] She looked back to Azumi. [i]"If you do not mind."[/i]

Greg laughed himself a bit, though mostly to the latter comment. "Been a while since I was dancing to women's tune in my own house. Refreshing change of pace, really." Still, he allowed it.

Azumi nodded. "I'll see you later, Dani." She walked toward the exit, but stopped by Greg, tapping him on the shoulder. "I'll pass on that dance, but maybe you can show me a thing or two later." She noticed the stunned silence from the angel, and laughed softly before walking out with her new gear, which she would take time to name.

Shaking his head at her antics, Greg turned back to the screen, where Dani was smirking. "Well... what did you want to talk about? Is something wrong?"

[i]"Oh, nothing is wrong at all,"[/i] she told him. [i]"I was going to ask you if you want to get out of that ship again some time soon, and not just to help out your friends and family directly. A type of practice."[/i]

Knowing he would regret it, Greg asked the question that was most obvious. "What kind of trip out?"

[i]"Dinner,"[/i] she said flatly, tapping her device a few times and expanding and retracting the screen from her body, as if projecting a hologram to allow it to show half of her from the waist up for convenience. A gift from Azumi's technological aid, a holographic modification to the chatter. [i]"I know of a nice place for us in Agrabah."[/i] She seemed to see that he was opening his mouth to decline, so she continued. [i]"While you are nicer to people, as I can surely tell, you still need to learn the same things that Emily did. I can help you relax over dinner, and perhaps we will be able to test your Svalinn armor outside of your current situation."[/i]

Silence for a moment. Apparently he was considering the weighed benefits of his status as a dead woman's lover (or rather, widower) versus his freedom otherwise. Eventually, however, he responded, though nervously. "Um.... when and where do I pick you up?"

She shook her head, a bemused grin on her face. [i]"I will find you there in the bazaar. I am also sending you the location and the time of the reservation I will be making, adjusted for Gummi Space discrepancies."[/i]

As she seemed to be ready to turn off the call on the chatter, he spoke up again. "Before you go... why did Azumi act like that? Why are you acting like this?"

A shrug and a smirk. [i]"Why would they not? From your expression, I can see you do not find it impossible to find more than one woman attractive. What do you think of them, I wonder?"[/i]

"I'll see you in Agrabah," the young man said, blushing deeply as he wanted to cut her off.

Her laughter continued until she cut off the signal, ending the call and letting the screen go blank.

Greg rubbed the back of his head, thinking to his half of the Light of the Heavens as he spoke aloud. "Aska... am I making the right choice?"

[i]Thou must not continue thy guilt and grief for all time,[/i] came the cryptic, but somewhat helpful answer.

The angel nodded, feeling his psychic connection to his son through the two Lights of the Heavens across the worlds. He wouldn't want him to give up either, especially now that he himself was born.

It would have to be enough some day.