Utena just lounges around. She's been taking it easy today, sipping
quietly from a cup of tea (which she made herself, thanks anyway,
Jasmine...) and she has a rare look of relaxation. For whatever reason,
she got a decent amount of sleep the night before, her body is starting to
get over the sudden return to a 'normal' state... She idly skims one of
the Big Magic Tomes left on the table, until she sets it aside with a
grumble that it's 'hurting her head'.

Hawk is playing pool with himself, for practice. And pondering over the
strange names some games have with Jasmine. "Or 'Go Fish', for that
matter. What's up with that one?"

Utena lifts her head. "Explain 'Gin Rummy'. I mean, do all these start out
as thinks a lot of drunken sailors do?"

Somewhere in the kitchen, there's...a sense of magic, maybe? A familiar
power to you, Utena...and then, of course, the sound of a crash and metal
clanging on the floor. "OW!"

Utena eases the heavy book off her lap and nods, leaning back along the
back of her couch with a bit of a smile.. about to answer when she hears
the WHANG from the background. Instantly, she's out of the couch, her eyes
are focused on the kitchen, and that painful 'effect' that you can't look
at directly starts to appear around her hand. "Did I just hear
something...?"

Jasmine blinks, "Ano?" She look sover at Utena, "..I dunno. I think -I-
heard an 'ow'.."

Hawk looks up from the table briefly. "I mean...'blackjack'. 'Jump rope'.
Those make sense. But--did you leave the tea on, Jasamine? Something just
blew up in the kitchen."

Jasmine says, "Gee, I hope not.. I'd hate to have ruined Utena-san's
kitchen."

From the kitchen: "Ow!" Another clang of metal. The voice is...faintly
accented, as if from the hinterlands of Arabia, maybe? And very annoyed
sounding. "This spell never works. I don't understand why she asked me
to..." The voice trails off into mumbling. And the sound of cookware being
replaced to it's proper position.

Utena looks at the others, and sweatbeads faintly, murmuring. "No,
Utena-chan, let US check it out for you, don't you worry about anything."
She moves toward the kitchen, a strange combination of grace and
irritation in her movements.

Jasmine blinkblinks, again at the noise, "Dude, there's like totally
someone in the house." She looks at Hawk, "So much for your burglar proof
stuff." o.o

Amenatsu Yuri appears in the kitchen doorway at roughly the same time as
Utena's trying to walk INTO it. "Stupid powers, I didn't ask for this..."
She glances up and sees Utena marching at her, and immediately panics.
"AAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Amenatsu Yuri (OOC) looks like:
http://www.sega.co.jp/sega/saturn/utena/img/5_20img12.jpg
Minus the sword.

Jasmine blinks a few times at Yuri-san, "Ano?" Sweatrop.

Hawk sideglances at Jasmine. "Must've come in some other way. Magic
probably." He follows Utena, but not closely enough to crash into her when
this happens. He just...steps off to the side, and lets the boss handle
this. n.n;

Utena promptly WHACKS into the person who screams, stumbles back on a
rebound, and .... *thump* On the floor, on her butt, *glare*.... Stands,
brushing off her lower legs. "Okay, not to be rude or anything, but..."
She fixes the newcomer square in the eyes. "Who are you, and why are you
in my house?"

Jasmine hangs over the couch, "Oh of course." She answers cheerfully,
"Magic." blinks at the rebound off the lady then off the floor move, and
watches the scene unfolding.

Amenatsu Yuri ums, looking confused for a moment. She stares at the
ceiling and ticks the answers off on her fingers. "I'm Yuri Amenatsu, I'm
here to find you, and I'm your Knight." She blinks, then nods with a
satisfied look on her face, turning to Utena and offering to help her up.
"Is that alright? Did I miss anything?"

Utena *WHAM!* again. Singular slender leg in the air, twitching....

Jasmine says, "Ano.."

Jasmine says, "Utena-san, are you okay?" o O ( She sure is clutzy tonight.
) Looking to Yuri, she peeeeers at the woman for a minute. -.o o.-

Amenatsu Yuri sweatbeads. "Ano..." She giggles a little. "Maybe that was
bit too much to deliver in one sentence."

Jasmine asks, "Totally.. I mean like.. You're Utena-san's Knight n'stuff?"

Jasmine mutters to the air, "I didn't even know Utena-san _had_ a Knight..
I mean.. totally.."

Utena reaches up a bit dizzily for Yuri's hand, giving out a soft, low
groan. Her hair sticks out in odd angles, little curlicues of pink jutting
out from her loose wavelets. When she's back on her feet for the second
time, she shakes her head quietly. "It's a mistake. I'm sure you mean
well, but I don't need a Knight."

Hawk just...blinks a few times. Yep, this house is a focus of madness. He
really ought to look into the source of this.

Amenatsu Yuri blinks. "Oh, you actually don't have a choice in the matter.
Came with the powers."

Utena says, "I don't HAVE any powers." Utena instantly retorts. "I'm
holding a key, that's all."

Jasmine just leeeeeans over the back of the couch, propping her chin
against her palms as she watches. Totally.

Amenatsu Yuri nodnods sagely. "Exactly."

Utena crosses her arms over her chest. "I'm NOT Urd. I'm not even close. I
won't even try to pretend. I have no right to access Ygdrasil, no right to
take her place... just as she had no real right to take over the Altar
from me..." Her voice softens, though; she's not really angry. "Please
understand. I'm human again, and right now, that's ALL I want."

"Err..." Yuri pauses, then sighs and slumps into a chair, putting a hand
to her temple. "Man...this sucks."

Utena smiles a little, not wholly unsympathetic. "As I said, it's a
mistake."

Amenatsu Yuri frowns a little, then BAWLS into her hands. "Get dragged out
of your old life at the last second to be the Knight of a goddess who just
UP AND DECIDES to lock herself in a chair and hand her powers over to
someone else, then the someone else has no USE for you...no marketable
skills in this era..."

Amenatsu Yuri produces a LONG piece of paper from extradimensional space.
"I've got a resume as long as your damn arm! But this is the Inquisition
or whatever so maybe I can be a buxom barmaid or something..." <sob>

Utena twitches, almost instantly falling for one of the oldest tricks in
the book: Guilt 101- How to get your way through whining. Her face falls
as she swallows and gazes helplessly toward Hawk and Jasmine, and then
takes the paper to scan over it a bit.

Jasmine sweatdrops at Utena, offering a sympethetic and utterly clueless
expression.

Hawk wanders back over to his couch and flops over on his back. Then he
changes his mind and heads back over to the pool table to finish the
game...he'll let Utena handle this one, yeah.

Utena glares at Hawk. "Traitor." She grumbles, before her eyes return to
reading aforementioned 'resume'.

Jasmine stifles a giggle.

The resume is a long list of qualifications, abilities, and study. All of
them magical.

It was, of course, made with Microsoft Word 1497 (tm)

Ah, the Year 1000 problem..

Utena hands it back. "Uhm." She says. And then says it again. "Uhm. It's
all impressive, but... frankly, this is a rotten time for magic, and I
really..." She pauses. "I don't need a Knight. I don't want to be a
goddess. But I can always use another friend."

Amenatsu Yuri recovers from her bawling fit and sniffles, taking the
resume back and banishing it to ResumeSpace (tm, where all those "We'll
call you" resumes go). "Please? Just until Urd-sama gets freed and we find
some way to fix the whole balance thing."

Utena sits down with a heavy sigh. "No. No more Knights, no more Rose
Brides, no more people doing what I say because I'm me and they have to or
feel like they owe me or some stupid crap like that. I'"

Utena says, "I don't need any servants. I'm sorry. That's how it is."

Amenatsu Yuri shakes her head at Utena, and manages a wry smile.
"Uh...your idea of what Urd's Knight's relationship to her goddess is, is
kinda skewed." ^_^

Utena focuses a dark blue eye on Yuri for a moment, before grumbling and
crossing her arms over her chest defensively. "You would too, if you were
me. So... what exactly is it supposed to be, then? Not that I have any
intention of being anyone's goddess."

Amenatsu Yuri shrugs. "I just hang around, freeload your food, and
generally protect you from threats of an otherworldly nature until
Urd-sama is back on her feet."

Kaoru smiles at Utena as he walks in.  "Hello, kaachan....."

Jasmine sweatdrops. o O ( Ano.. that's what a knight does? )

A snicker comes from the direction of the pool table. The owner meanwhile
resists the urge to say 'Welcome to the family.'

Jasmine looks over her shoulder, waving to Kaoru in greets.

Kaoru whispers, "Does that voice sound familiar?" to you.

Utena.. blinks a moment, then turns and gives a warm little smile to
Kaoru. "Hey, brat." she greets him, chuckling, though there's a warning
note in it. "Looks like we have another house guest..."

Amenatsu Yuri waves nonchalantly. "Yo."

Kaoru waves and smiles at Jasmine, the sickle dangling noiselessly from
the chain around his waist.

Kaoru looks at Utena oddly, waving absently at Yuri.  "Hey there.....  
Kaoru desu."

Utena can't help but laugh as she thinks over what Yuri just said. "... if
that's all it is, I've got about twenty Knights already." She brushes her
fingers through her bangs and sits back in the couch. "In which case,
that's okay with me. But if you start calling me -sama or a goddess or
refuse to do something without asking me first, I'm going to kick you out
of the house."

Jasmine is suddenly very glad she only refers to Utena as '-san' n.n;

Amenatsu Yuri looks at Utena like she's crazy. "Does Urd-sama sound like a
goddess that would have that kind of rule in place?" In
retrospect...probably not.

Utena gazes back. "Urd never struck me as someone who'd just randomly drop
everything and lock herself into an Altar." She shakes her head, mournful.
"I wish she hadn't done it. But, it seems like regretting is what I do a
lot of these days." She glances toward Kaoru, and looks him over
carefully, "You haven't been fighting again, have you?"

Amenatsu Yuri shrugs, as if to say "She never second-guessed you."

Kaoru smiles widely.  "Me?  I'd never start a fight....."  Absently
flipping through the yellow book in his hands, he moves over towards a
chair and sits down.

Utena narrows her eyes. "Haruka."

Amenatsu Yuri blinks. "That came out of nowhere."

Utena shrugs to Yuri. "It's... sort of a long story. Just like
everything."

Kaoru shakes his head, still smiling.  "Nope.....  Didn't fight him.....  
Someone did attack me, and I did defend myself, but....."

Utena's attention fixes on Kaoru now, fear and alarm in her eyes. "...
He?" Some of her color bleaches away from her face.

Amenatsu Yuri raises an eyebrow. Utena's concerns are her concerns, after
all. She'll just humor her and not say it out loud.

Kaoru shakes his head again.  "Nope......"  Flipping to a different page,
he continues reading.  "Kagato."

Utena says, "WHAT!?"

Just like that. Not exactly house-splitting volume, but definitely Not
Happy.

Chichiri walks over from the foyer.

Amenatsu Yuri blinks, then clutches the arm of the chair so hard she snaps
it. Cue flaming background special effect, dark-eyes, slow syllabization:
"KAAAAAGAAAATOOOOOOOO!"

Jasmine MEEPS o.o "Oi .. Who's this Kagato dude?" (backbacks on up)

Chichiri quietly looks into the parlor, then blinks behind his mask.  
o.o;  "Nani no da?"

Utena rises from the couch, nodding very briefly to Chichiri to show she
recognizes his presence before she SNATCHES the book (whatever it is) from
Kaoru and puts her hand on his shoulder. "Explain yourself, Kaoru... right
now. What do you mean, you just FOUGHT KAGATO?"

Kaoru nods.  "I fought him a few days ago, too....  That's when I ruined
my shirt....  Managed to put an arrow through his throat then, but he kept
going....  I guess he didn't notice me this time....  He was a bit busy
with this ice queen.  Ran away before I could actually take anything more
then a defensive stance."  He looks up at Chichiri.  "Oi, you remember
that fight with Kagato a couple days ago?"

Chichiri steps inside, looking around at everyone, though what Utena said
certainly caught his attention and he looks over to Kaoru.

Chichiri nods to Kaoru.  "Hai no da."

Amenatsu Yuri mutters, attempting to resurrect the chair through magic,
failing miserably, and deciding to scrap it and conjure a new one.
"Kagato...damn @*#&@^#..."

Utena just reaches out and pulls over another. "Here.."

Amenatsu Yuri waves a hand at Utena dismissively. "No, no, I'll clean up
after my mistake. Lesse..." She hmmms, then chants: "Soul of the tree,
soul of the builder, anything imaginable...craft one for me, just as it
should, be really comfortable!" Of course, there is the requisite amount
of flashing special effects, and then in place of the old chair...is a
barka lounger, circa 1967.

Chichiri just...stares.  o.o;

Buffy has left.

Jasmine..likewise.

Kaoru looks at Yuri oddly.  "Errrr.......  Okay."

Utena doesn't. She just.. tries to ignore it. Honestly. She flips through
the book she snatched from Kaoru... "Teleportation for dummies??" and
sighs, before handing it back. "It could be worse, I guess, you could be
reading pornography." She sighs, folding her fingers before her face, then
turns to look at Chichiri... takes quick note of the bloodstains. "That's
not yours, right?" she asks quietly.

Amenatsu Yuri sweatbeads. "Damnit, I screwed up the time-space thing.
Gimmie a minute." She whips out an abacus and a pad of note paper and
starts doing calculations, snapping her fingers every once in a while.
With every snap the chair takes on a different form: La-Z-Boy, barstool,
electric chair, rocking chair, barber's chair...eventually she settles on
a nice, normal Ethan Allen piece and lets it alone, turning to Utena's
guests.

Jasmine o.o o.o at Yuri. o O ( .. Dude. )

Chichiri looks down at his stained shirt and sweatdrops.  "No, they're not
no da."  ^_^;  The front isn't anyway.  He just continues to stare as Yuri
plays musical chairs though.  o.o;

Utena closes her eyes a moment... and says quietly to Chichiri, "If you're
hurt, sit down, before you fall down. I won't have this 'macho heorics'
stuff going on around me any more."

Chichiri smiles and sweatdrops.  ^_^;  "I'm fine no da."  And he appears
to not be in any sort of pain.  But he does walk over and takes a seat.  
He's not willing to argue with Utena.  <.<;

Kaoru looks at Utena oddly, then sighs a bit.  "I'm kind of thirsty....  
Anyone else while I'm up?"  He makes his way over towards the kitchen,
stopping to take Utena's hand for a moment and squeeze it.

Kaoru whispers, "Note in hand:  What's wrong?  I obviously missed
something... did something happen today?" to you.

Jasmine pull her attention to the magical changing chairs, looking at
Kaoru, "Like, tea for me dude!" She looks at Chichiri, "Did Aerith-sama
come back yet?" n.n

Utena squeezes Kaoru's hand back and thinks a moment. "No, I'm all right.
I'm just about tea-d out." She blinks, finding a small slip of paper in
her hand. Reads it, and shakes her head, a silent 'it's nothing,' toward
Kaoru.

Chichiri nods to Kaoru.  "I'll have the same, thankyou no da."  He then
turns his attention to Jasmine, "Not yet, I believe it will be awhile
longer before she returns no da."

Amenatsu Yuri looks skeptical. "I think anything I could ask for I'm in
the wrong century for. But thanks."

Jasmine says, "Che. Dude. Okay. n.n"

Utena looks at Yuri a moment. "LIke what? Ice cream? Coffee?"

Amenatsu Yuri ehehes and rubs a hand across the back of her head. "Crystal
Pepsi, actually. Don't know why they discontinued the stuff, *I* happen to
like it."

What time period is she FROM, anyway? c.c;

Kaoru flashes an 'If you say so' smile to Utena, and looks at Yuri (say it
with me) oddly.  "Okay, three teas."  He walks into the kitchen, and is
back in a ffew minutes with three cups and some hot water.  "There was
water already on the stove, so I just reheated."

Jasmine just .. blinkblinks at Yuri a bit.

Chichiri looks over to Yuri strangely.  He shakes his head slightly, not
even trying to figure out what she was talking about.

Utena makes a face, but carefully restrains herself from any comments
about said fizzy. Her life's complicated ENOUGH.

Alis is curled upon a couch within the conversation pit; quite happily
looking to be asleep with one hand draped off the side of the couch and
grasping the sheathed silver sword that lies upon the floor lightly; one
eyelid twitching slightly as she lies listening to the conversation all
around her.

Amenatsu Yuri pauses at all the looks. Of course, being the Knight of a
belligerent goddess: "What're YOU staring at?" >.> <.<

Jasmine hides behind Chichiri. *meep!*

Utena hastily clears her throat in an instant attempt to change topics:
"How's the situation with Aerith's shop, Chichiri?"

Kaoru smiles widely.  "Nothing.  Nothing at all."

Chichiri wasn't looking!  He's not looking in even the general direction
of Yuri!  Though he fumbles a bit as Jasmine hides behind him, looking at
either side of him to see her back there.  o.o;  He then looks over to
Utena and sweatdrops.  ^_^;  "Well, it's not there any more no da.  
Though, I havn't been back since the day it was destroyed no da."  Having
had quite a few problems in the last few days.  "Though, I did see the
man," and he uses the word loosely, "who destroyed the shop the other day,
in Darra village no da."

Utena groans. "I wonder if it's time to move..." She comments softly while
touching the back of her neck, then nods. "Go on.."

Chichiri says, "Duplica and I came walking through the village, where he
was trying to grab Link no da.  Though he rode away before I had the
chance to confront him no da."  Saying the last with a hint of
disappointment in his voice.

Amenatsu Yuri hmmms, thinking about the problem. Hmmm. Hmmm.

<cue Yuri in various poses around the room and clock-tick sound effect>

Hawk finally finishes his game...plopping back down on 'his' couch. "Did
anyone miss me?"

Utena says, "There's been too much confrontation and fighting in this area
in general. I have to wonder what the hell's going on..." She shakes her
head, and thinks quietly. Even if it was JUST Balance being out of
balance.. no. There's something else.... she's felt it poking fingers at
the edge of her sanctuary, something vague and sinuous, but clearly
malevolent. The girl's brow furrows. "It's probably best that there wasn't
another confrontation in the open. It's no wonder people are starting to
talk about another Inquisition.'"

Utena grins at Hawk. "You left? n.n"

Jasmine blnks, "You went somewhere?"

Kaoru says, "Obviously not."

Jasmine n.n;

Amenatsu Yuri blinks at Hawk. "Who the hell are you?"

Utena holds up her hand. "It's okay, he's my security expert."

Amenatsu Yuri blinks. "I didn't mean it in a bad way. I have to follow my
schtick, though." ^_^

Hawk nods in turn to Utena, resisting a turnaround play. o.o;

Utena looks around the living room a moment, a small smile touching her
lips. "Well, I guess I can't say the house is empty any more.. now I'm
actually wondering if I have enough room for everyone. o.o"

Kaoru ^_-

Jasmine ^.^

Kaoru smiles again, and takes his book back.  "Don't worry about it...  
If need be, I know of a few other places where we can go, that might be
bigger."

Utena blinks at Kaoru. "I wouldn't leave here."

Amenatsu Yuri errs. "I've got an extradimensional office, don't worry
about me."

Chichiri is not looking at Yuri strangely.  Nope, not at all.  >.>;

Jasmine dittos. She's still hiding behind Chichiri thanks.

Kaoru smiles oddly and winks at Utena.  "We know that....  No reason for
anyone else to know that."  Going back to his book, and opening it to the
page he was at.  "Besides, I have a few other things that might be
useful."

Hawk says nothing. Indeed, all he seems to be concerned about at the
moment is finding a comfortable position.

Chichiri looks a bit paranoid as Jasmine hides behind him.  He's had too
many people glomp him from behind lately.  o.o;

Utena feels fit to ask, "I thought World of Elegance...?"

Amenatsu Yuri shakes her head. "She can't...hatch...as long as you have
the key. If she did, she'd be bonded to you, and you wouldn't be able to
control her. She'd end up like Noble Scarlet."

Utena's eyes widen. "I don't want that. Look, if I just gave you the key,
would that..."

Kaoru asks, "World of Elegance?"

Amenatsu Yuri erks. "That would cause major program issues with
Yggdrasil."

Utena shakes her head quickly to Kaoru. "Yet another Long Story." She
removes the small gold key from the chain on her neck and looks at it.
"Geez, with this and the Order Key, I'd have a matched set..."

Chichiri sweatdrops and looks over his shoulder at Jasmine.

Amenatsu Yuri EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKS and panics. "DON'T TOUCH
THOSE!"

Jasmine squeals at the YEEEK and panicked yell, clinging to Chichiri's
back X.x

Utena blinks. o.o?

Kaoru files something away mentally, for further analysis later.....  
Then instanly springs up, readying his kisarigami at the shout.

Utena waggles the key around in her hand toward Yuri. "What?"

Chichiri winces at the eek! then as he get's glomped from behind...you'd
think he'd be used to it by now.  n.n; he falls over backwards in alarm.  
"DA!"

Alis opens her eyes quickly at the sharp noise; hand tightening around the
sheath held on the floor while sitting up quietly. ".....?!"

Amenatsu Yuri takes deep breaths. "Don't...touch those keys...together..."
SHe sounds serious (for once). "That would be bad mojo."

Jasmine gets squished X.@

Kaoru says, "Define bad mojo."

Utena uhms. And then ohs, softly. "Look, it's not something you have to
worry about. I have the Order key to Francois, who buried it somewhere
even *I* don't know about."

Chichiri sits back up, shaking his head.  @_@ Then looks down at Jasmine.  
"Jasmine-san?"  o.o;

Amenatsu Yuri whews, wiping her brow. "Good. Considering, if you touch
that key to something like the Altar Manacles or the Order Key or
whatever...let's just say the explosion would not be pleasant."

Hawk sits up slowly. Well, there went his attempt at getting a nap. He
flops over onto his front, propping his head up on the arm of the couch.

Utena nods softly. "I'm not -that- dumb. Even I know better than to mix
things like that." As she notices her various friends and family tensing
she quickly smiles to each in turn, Alis, and Kaoru, soothingly.. then
nods. "Those aren't a problem any more."

Kaoru sits back down, coilling the chain and sickle in his lap, and
placing the book over them.

Amenatsu Yuri turns to the guests idly. She hmmms. "I'll explain in the
short way: items belong to gods. Gods involve chair. Chair involve Urd.
Items touch, big boom-boom. Nothing too major." SHe giggles. "I'm sorry
for talking over all your heads all this time."

Alis relaxes slightly at Utena's smile, sighing quietly and brushing her
hair back absently with her free hand before standing smoothly; taking the
sheathed weapon up with her and bowing once in silent apology to the room
before turning and heading for the foyer without even a pause.

Jasmine helpfully states in response to Chichiri's question, "....Ouch
dude."

Utena fidgets, looking toward where Alis went, and letting out a small
sigh as she realizes she has to let the girl have her space. Instead, she
asks of Hawk softly, "Did you change your mind about the ritual..? I don't
know what you have in mind, but I'm still not sure I want to let you do
it... I just..." She looks down. "I don't want to put anyone else on the
line. Once the Mazoku latch into you as an enemy of their kind.. you just
don't get out."

Kaoru smiles and whispers something to Utena.

Chichiri looks around at everyone.  Things certainly are different from
the last time he came to visit.  o.o;  Although he's still baffled by all
the talk, he just sits back quietly and listens.

Kaoru whispers, "You couldn't get rid of me if you tried....  And besides,
It'll be fun spanking Revi a bit.....  ^_-" to you.

Utena TWITCHES at Kaoru's whisper. o.o

Amenatsu Yuri EYES Utena and Kaoru.

Hawk shakes his head, with a small fragment of a grin. "I'll still do it,
I've got everything planned out and all. Might work, might not...we'll
see."

Amenatsu Yuri blinks a bit. "A ritual? I could help! Sort of. Depends on
the ritual."

Kaoru smiles a bit more, and gives Utena a small peck on the cheek, as a
son might give to his mother.

Utena reaches out and ruffles his hair, but it's obvious that she's
worried. About him, about almost everyone in the room, really. It's a lot
for one girl. She uhms to Yuri. "An old Mazoku-summoning ritual. There's..
a need for it. We don't know if it'll work on the higher classes, but..."

Kaoru says, "It'll work.  I know it'll work."

Amenatsu Yuri blinks, then rolls up her sleeves. "Oh, FUN. Demon
summoning. Like Gaia Graze, things like that? Or something bigger?" She
pauses. "You realize that with the new Mazoku lords, it might take some
alteration. Dunno." She summons up a big manual ("Necronomicon For
Dummies") and flips through it.

Utena shakes her head. "It's not the Lord's we're worrying about. We're
about 50% sure it'll work. The preoblem is the other 50% of it is that he
might resist us."

Kaoru snaps.  "Damn....  I missed."

Kaoru shakes his head.  "I don't think he will."

Amenatsu Yuri ohs, tossing the book over her shoulder (where it
conveniently disappears). "You considered a magic circle? Orihalcon
chains? Threaten him with 'Eight is Enough' reruns?"

Utena pales. "I..."

Utena bows her head. "I don't want to keep him. I just..." She rubs her
arms along her chest, glancing beside herself.

Chichiri looks over to Utena, he shakes his head slightly, as he's still
confused, but smiles.  "Utena-san, although I don't understand fully
what's being said here, you know if there's anything I can do to help I
will no da."

Amenatsu Yuri ohs. She hmmms. "That's tricky." Completely oblivious to the
fact that Utena's feeling not-so-hot right now.

Utena smiles a little to the monk, but shakes her head. "I appreciate
that. But it's.. almost even out of my hands now." She glances at Hawk,
not willing to voice what she feels- that he might well be her last chance
to get the loving, goofy Xel that she knew back to her.

Hawk nods once, and smiles reassuringly to Utena. "I have something very
dastardly planned. Such that it might actually work."

Utena says, "I hope it does. I really, really do. I hope you can still
reach him. The longer it goes, the harder it's going to be."

Hawk grins, wagging a finger from his position slouched over the couch
arm. "I agree. But I have this feeling...it'll be interesting."

Amenatsu Yuri looks sheepish. "If you're summoning a Mazoku, I don't know
if having me involved is a good thing or a bad thing. Consider, my patron
is half of their side. But..."

Kaoru mutters something to himself.

Hawk shakes his head. "Not to worry...what I'm thinking of won't require
too much power. I'm not trying to muscle our friend into coming here,
actually I'm inviting him...kind of. He should come, trust me."

Amenatsu Yuri shakes her head. "I think summoning a Mazoku, even a weak
one, without some kind of binding is foolish. But it's not my call."

Hawk says, "He'll have other things on his mind than attacking us...or so
I hope."

Utena rises, looking unsettled now. "I'm .. going to check on Alis," she
says softly. It's a good excuse.. it gets her away. Suddenly she just
needs the open air, the space, to not have to explain herself all the time
and feel the weight of the gap between herself and those around her. She
hurries out.


Akio> Amenatsu Yuri says, "Zen and the Art of Automotive Repair."

Akio> Kaoru stares at Yuri.  "You said you were a knight, correct?"

Akio> Amenatsu Yuri rubs a hand across the back of her head. "I *am* a
Knight, yes. But it's a bit more complicated than the standard version."

Akio> Kaoru asks, "Whom do you serve?"

Akio> Chichiri looks at Yuri curiously.  Still just quietly listening.

Akio> Hawk nods. n.n; "Right." He flops back over onto his back...maybe
-now- he can get a na--well, he'll leave that alone; Utena will doubtless
straighten Yuri out in regards to that anyway, no problems. Ahem. He will
get that nap now. He -will- get that nap now...

Akio> Amenatsu Yuri blinks. "You couldn't tell from the hours of witty
dialogue? Urd-sama. Although she's indisposed at the moment."

Akio> Kaoru looks at Yuri for a moment.  "You serve Urd?"  He nods a few
times.  "That explains a few things, actually."

Akio> Amenatsu Yuri hmphs. "You've got issues, apparently."

Akio> Chichiri tilts his head to side curiously.  "Indisposed no da?"  
Not being able to figure out how a Goddess could be indisposed.

Akio> Kaoru shrugs, and hands Yuri a few magazines.  "Yeah, some.....  
Which one are you looking for?"

Akio> Amenatsu Yuri smiles darkly. "Cute. WRong, but cute." She turns to
Chichiri. "Long story, no da."

Akio> Kaoru smiles at Yuri again, matching hers.  "Hey....  I try, right?"

Akio> Chichiri smiles.  "I don't suppose there's a summarized version no
da?"

Akio> Amenatsu Yuri shakes her head. "Divine politics don't come with
C-Span transcripts, no."

Akio> Kaoru mutters something about politics actually being comprehendable
if they did.

Akio> Chichiri nods and sits back comfortably in his chair, lacing his
fingers together.  He won't ask Yuri to try and explain it to him.  
Besides, he's just a monk, and probably shouldn't know -too- much about
divine politics.  Stuff like that might just confuse or change his mind
when it comes to his faith.

Akio> Amenatsu Yuri sighs and rubs her temples. "Maybe I should just get
some sleep."

Akio> Kaoru frowns and shakes his head.  "I'm sorry.... I'm letting
personal feelings get in the way of doiing my job."

Akio> Hawk, from the couch, "Excellent idea."

Akio> Chichiri smiles and quietly stands, taking up his staff.  Feeling
the need for a little night air.  He gives a curt nod, "Have a good
evening no da."  Before walking out.