Sometimes you just gotta talk [Closed]

[faithfulflame]

Who: Rei Hino & Koumei, possibly others.
What: Rei talks to some people? Sort of a catch-all
When: February
Where: Vista City
Warnings: None except maybe language.




The news was difficult, a text and then nothing. It didn't matter if they'd split up before then, it still hurt seeing it and knowing he was gone. Somewhere, presumably home. A bitter pill, but one she had to swallow for the moment. Of course she wasn't about to leave it at that. A quick call and a few curt promises and Rei was out and about to meet someone. Sitting in the lot of a favorite cafe, her little car idling, she waited for that walking mop of red hair. When it appeared, she beeped lightly, not wanting to get out into the cold.


((ooc: Closed catch-all for a few scenes. If you want to catch Rei, poke me on Plurk and we can discuss a scene.))

Comments

[lightthedarkness]

"Well... uh, you play the piano. But no, you aren't a musician back home. You're training to be the head priestess at your family shrine."

Usagi took a seat and buckled up. Was Rei mad at her again?

[faithfulflame]

Probably. Rei turns the car on and starts out slowly.

"Head priestess. So that much was true. Do I have family?"

[lightthedarkness]

She tilted her head as she looked out the window.

"..... You have relatives... and a family, but they aren't one and the same," she said softly.

"I don't know if you want to hear this one, Rei."

[faithfulflame]

"I do," Rei said sharply. "I'll have to go back eventually. It can't be any worse than what Luce is dealing with. Please don't treat me like I am a doll, I won't break."

[lightthedarkness]

She was silent a long while as she stared out the window. She wondered if she was doing the right thing. These were all Rei's memories, so if she suddenly remembered, it wouldn't endanger the other rescuers.

But it could endanger Rei, and that idea terrified Usagi.

"It's not that I think you will break, but it's phrasing like 'I'll have to go back eventually.' I don't... want to say something and make you think 'oh how much better it would be to stay here,' that's what scares me."

She couldn't look Rei in the eye, because then Rei would realize how scared Usagi was that this world of fame and fortune and most of all, family, would be the place to stay. That Usagi would be the one to rip that all apart. How many times would Usagi have to see a loved one get twisted and turned into something they weren't?

Would she ever be strong enough to protect them all properly?

"But... your mother, your real mother, she passed away. You wear a pendant that she gave you at all times. You live with your grandfather at the shrine, he loves you very much and doesn't see any issue with you inheriting the shrine. Then... then there's your father. You... don't like talking about him much, you barely acknowledge him if you can. He's very wealthy, a politician too, but you don't depend on him at all except to pay for your education."

[faithfulflame]

"I'd rather be a little hurt than afraid for my life and my memories," Rei said, practically snapping that out. She didn't like the way this was being phrased, and she hated the very notion of having something so basic being withheld.

The revelation is born with quiet dignity, though. Her face doesn't change, just stays set into a hard line. Her words don't tremble. Not a bit.

"They didn't change that in my memories, then. I have no mother, I hate my father, and then there's Grandpapa. He's nice, but I remember leaving the shrine to pursue music. So, a small lie."

She's not talking about her band family though. That's...a different issue entirely.

[lightthedarkness]

She doesn't flinch at the snap, she doesn't think Rei can't handle hard or difficult matters. She's a senshi, specifically, she's the senshi of war. If anyone can handle such a thing, it's her. She watched as the city rolled by, still only look out the window and she listened as how they hadn't changed her past regarding her parents. How interesting.

She was reminded of the dream.

Rei had asked her this then too.

Afraid for her life and her memories... that first part.

"Do," she swallowed and pressed her lips together. "What is your next question?"

[faithfulflame]

Rei remained silent for a long time, taking slow breathes, watching an early spring thunderstorm beginning to roll in overhead. Long, dark clouds slowly gathering from offshore, but she knew somehow...could feel...that it would pick up speed in the near future.

"Di. I know her real name, but I'll refer to her as that. What's our relationship like?"

[lightthedarkness]

Does she answer this? She wondered if she should answer this in place of Minako?

"It's... not that I can't answer this, it's that this is a better question for Di. But... she loves you, deeply. And you her," this was very true for all the senshi. "I mean in general. She's your family."

[faithfulflame]

"Probably. I think there's more than that between us, or she wants more, but that's more for us to sort out."

And then Rei goes right into the next question.

"I have powers. I know I do. I'm psychic, strong, and pyrokinetic. That's not new, is it?"

[lightthedarkness]

"There's much more, but that's for you and her to talk about. I don't want to speak for her feelings."

She snorted in amusement and shook her head.

"That's... not even half of it, actually." She wondered how much of this she could reveal as well. "No, it's not new... but your psychic abilities and your 100% accuracy with it did scare people. Not to those who loved you, though. It was just a part of you, like everything else. You're actually... a much stronger psychic, not like... reading minds or anything, but no one could ever lie to you without you knowing it. You could see into the future, though that was more or less at random or when you were asleep. You're sensitive to spirits and had all the abilities of a priest, from exorcisms and warding to everything in between."

She smiled fondly as she still recalled how they met, an ofuda to the face.

She didn't want to mention the senshi matter just yet, especially not the crystal and being the princess of Mars.

[faithfulflame]

Rei made a turn and snorted, head shaking. "Somehow that's ironic. I'm afraid of people, but it should be the other way round."

It's an interesting dichotomy, at least.

"Am I more social? I feel like you expect me to be."

[lightthedarkness]

"Ah... no, not really. You aren't shy around people at all, but you aren't... mnn... social may not be the right word. You're always in control. You have a lot of fans back at your school, and you're a really good student. But you're too busy to be I guess rock star social? I don't know what you mean. But you've never missed a party that was for your friends."

[faithfulflame]

"I guess that's what I mean. I never expected to find myself a social butterfly. I don't think any amount of brainwashing could change that about me. Though, it's good to know I'm less anxious."

Really, she hates that, quite a lot

"How about the migraines. Have I ever mentioned them?"

[lightthedarkness]

"Migraines?" at that, Usagi finally turned away from the window to look at her. "The only headaches you get are from visions and not even really then. You've never had a migraine!" that wasn't magic induced by an enemy but Usagi was leaving that out.

Was that from the brainwashing and suppression of the Mars Guardian?

[faithfulflame]

"When I'm around people, in a crowd...I get migraines. It's like...I can't filter out all their emotions, and it makes my head hurt." Rei grumbled a little and made her final turn.

"Some people are much louder than others. That's why I can't stand being nearby in a room with you and a crowd. You can't control that though. I feel like I'm missing something..."

[lightthedarkness]

"Well... you're incredibly emphatic," she offered gently. "I mean, you had several years to control and meditate to help with any of your psychic abilities. But... I don't I mean, I never want to hurt you. But it sounds like your psychic abilities and you just haven't found a way to channel them properly. But... I can't help you with that. I don't have any sort of power like that."

She wished Mamoru or Michiru or Hotaru were here. All three of them were very strong psychics in different ways, they would know how to better help Rei.

[faithfulflame]

"Ah. So...we don't share the same abilities, either." Rei nods and pulls into the mall parking lot at last. That answered several more questions.

"Alright. So something more mundane. Do I still like pandas, and what's my favorite food?"

[lightthedarkness]

"No, not at all. You're way more incredible." All the girls were, it made her so proud to see them be so amazing, honestly, and she got to experience it.

"You love pandas and you're favorite food is fugu but you don't get to have it very often," they never really went anywhere fancy enough for such a thing. "You like crows as well, though. You had two pet crows, in fact, who loved you very much."

[faithfulflame]

"Crows. Huh. I guess they're...actually kind of cute, yeah." Rei pulled into a spot and turns off the car, leaning back in her seat to mull over those answers.

"I think that's about it. I mean, I have a lot of questions, obviously. But I'd rather focus on something else. I'm...a little afraid that if I think too hard, those memories won't come back. And I'm so tired of feeling afraid."

[lightthedarkness]

"Deimos and Phobos certainly would agree, they're very nice crows." She smiled as she thought of Rei's two guardians, just like she had Luna and Minako had Artemis.

When the car stopped and was turned off she unbuckled and was about to get out but paused.

"I think... the memories you are looking for will come the further away you get from Virgo emotionally. Sometimes... the worst things trigger memories, though." Like the death of your beloved and watching his pocket watch tick-backwards.

"But... when you remember everything, you won't be afraid," at least, not for the same reasons. "But it's okay if you are afraid, there is a lot to be worried about here, there is a lot at stake," Usagi was personally terrified she'd not be able to rescue everyone and had to keep believing in it for herself and the girls.

[faithfulflame]

"There certainly seems like there is," Rei said as she pushed open the door. "I just...I don't want to die. And the more I think about it, the more certain I am that Blanche will probably kill me if I give him half a reason. Or I'd run away, right now, and not come back."

Her voice does tremble a little, terror of what happened that night filling her. The lightning, Naomi Wood's heart. Lesedi's rampage. All of it. It was horrifying. And she didn't know what this girl could do to stop it, but she was willing to at least...hope...she could do something.

[lightthedarkness]

She pressed her lips together and pressed a knuckle to her lips. She then looked around and leaned in close.

"Oh Rei, are these new earrings?"

Once she was close she whispered.

"You can't runaway until we can get the chip they implanted in all of you to track you out."

She leaned back and smiled.

"Ah, they're so pretty, did you get them here? We should head to that store and get you some more."

She knew she had come in close and had invaded Rei's personal space, but for her own safety, she couldn't have Rei running away yet and getting hurt. She was a tiny bit proud of that little bit of trickery there.

[faithfulflame]

Rei froze, still as a statue, cowed as much by the words as anything else. She blinked, nodded, and forced a smile to keep up the act. In case she was being watched.

"I did. It was on the second floor, so, let's go."

She starts off, and while she walks, pulls out her phone. Opening the text thing, like she'd gotten an email, she taps out a reply.

Chip? Where? How?

"Serena, is this rude of me? I want to send this to that jerk, but...I want a second opinion."

Passing it over she keeps going, waiting for an answer.

[lightthedarkness]

"Eeee yay! Maybe they have something for me!" she exclaimed as they walked in that direction. She looked at Rei and was so glad about how smart the other was and was able to play along with this. She took the cell.

"Hmm... here let me add something. It's a tiny bit rude."

Tracking chip. Brain. IDK but we're trying to find way.

"There, how's that sound instead?" she asked as she handed back the flag.