(3/14/02-3/17/02)
Well, at least a little of the tension in the air is gone. The Cafe is a touch on the quiet side-- a usual thing, perhaps? Maybe more, 'as of late'... the afternoon-toward-evening air feels rather... comfortable. At least, to her... Sitting quietly amidst the tables, Kaori enjoys another mug of that tea Gabriel suggested to her, the warmth of the drink obviously not enough to penetrate the gloves she wears. Her jacket is draped on the seat-back, and she seems to be off-duty, at least... for now. A cautious peer out the window leads her back into second questions, and thoughts about this whole mission... will they be successful? That's... actually, her only question on her mind...
How incredibly baffling. And frustrating. And confusing. And -worrisome-. The moment the Holy Mother is let out of her makeshift.. Well, what -did- just happen? In paranoia, one is tempted to call it a forced holding of the Holy Mother in her own cathedral. In a more rational sense, perhaps one can get away with calling it a number of days of 'overprotective ambassadorship'. But regardless of what one calls it, Margie was just held in the Cathedral for several days with no communication with the Yggdrasil at all.. And now that she's out, she can't -find- them. You know... If Margie didn't know any better, she'd think that something was, well.. Wrong. Anyway... With not much else to do for the moment but fret over makeshift conditions of peace--Which doesn't seem to hold Margie's attention quite as much as the notion of finding out what happened to Bart and his crew--She has instead come to the Cafe, wondering if, by some lucky chance she might run into them. Or, failing that.. She could just sit down for a while and try to stress a little less and think a bit on what is going on. And so, it is with a gentle chime of the bell hung upon the door that the young Holy Mother steps into the Cafe, worry and confusion etched across her features, distraction in her palest blue eyes.
Indeed, think that-- think just whatever you want... It's not that she enjoys holding people 'captive', in a sense, it's just that... well... it's her job. Not that it's a grand excuse, but on a superficial level, it serves purpose. Kaori turns the mug a bit in her grip, staring down at the liquid in the mug with a subdued, rather nice and calm expression. Wonderful stuff, this is... takes off the edge of everyday life. As the door opens, her gaze flutters up toward the Holy Mother, watching her quietly for a moment-- then taking the more civil route, and standing up. "Greetings." she says, her head bowing a bit.
It would help, really, if Margie knew -what- she thought to accuse them all of so far. Something about this all seemed so utterly and entirely suspicious. There was no denying that. But on the other hand.. They were all so frighteningly nice. So terribly helpful. So overwhelmingly gracious. And while Margie wanted so very desperately to pull away all of Yui's good cheer and find the truth to this all, she simply couldn't find the one thread of blatant fallacy to unwind the entire argument. Sigh. The pains of knowing something's wrong, but not knowing what. How irritating. Regardless... She startles at the note of 'Greetings', whether she oughtn't or not--This entire thing has left her jumpy, hasn't it?--Blinking up quickly to one of the only people in the Cafe at the moment. That's.. The woman who barred Bart's entrance into the Cathedral, isn't it? And Margie blinks, not quite sure what to make of that.. Before she offers a polite smile--That being all that can draw her to outright smile--And gives a polite nod of her head, "Ah.. good afternoon." That's all Margie can really think to say. Other than wonder, distantly, why she can't place where that accent's from.
Kaori offers a smile-- ah, it comes so much more natural, less forced. Indeed, with almost that same sort of kindness that her superior shows... Obviously, time on the surface managed to kill whatever accent that would make Yui's origins obvious-- whereas she... well, kept it. Seating herself again, she gestures slowly toward the wooden chair across from herself. "Join me, if you like..." she offers, taking up her mug and taking a brief sip. "Maybe you should have some of this tea... it's rather relaxing." Her fingers lightly fall to the table, the smaller metal plates on the backs of her fingers (and individual knuckles) rapping lightly against the wooden surface.
Well, it didn't matter all that much, anyway. Margie hadn't been exposed to the Shevvite accent often enough to be able to catch that this is what it was. But is it not strange? Yui and Kaori both are so friendly, so welcoming. While so many dozens of odd things happen around while they smile and smile on. It's -strange-. It's certainly suspicious. But it's not quite enough for Margie to openly suspect foul play, or to even be as rude as to seek an excuse to leave the cafe. Why not, after all? She might figure something out. And so, she simply nods, that polite smile still highlighting her relatively young features as she takes the offered seat. Simply. And sits quiet a moment before she finally talks. As if there were some degree of serious consideration involved in this. "If you don't mind the company, I'd be glad to. I seem to be a little short of company for the time being, as it is." Ah, hints, hints. Where is the Yggdrasil crew? Sigh. But that's enough of being blatant. "Hm? Oh, maybe I will, actually. Rel-.. Er, well, tea is something I would like right now." Relaxing, too. But to say that aloud would be rude, wouldn't it? Especially when they were all going to such lengths to be so -kind-. Complaining, whether or not it had a basis in truth, would be rude.
Indeed, her occupation leads her to be false and misleading, but ... that's actually not how she's attempting to come off. Off-duty? Aaah. Yes, one of those comfortable moments where she can just /lounge/. Her heel grinds a little against the floor as she gestures again toward the chair, "Ah, I don't mind at all! Sit, sit." Very polite... and, she then waves her hand toward the counter, beckoning out a signal for another mug and a refill of her own. Kaori smiles a bit, and takes a sip of her nigh-empty cup, nodding on a little. "Gabriel suggested this to me. It's very good. Calming." Almost made her fall asleep, the first time she's had it, but... a little time helps one get used to many things.
It's simply hard to draw that line these days: Things are so entirely suspicious-but-cheerful normally that.. Non-malicious-but-cheerful is something that seems rather worthy of wariness as well. Bleh. Well, let's just get down to the root of it: Margie is just confused, concerned and rather lost in the whole mess of things going on. And so what can she do, but take some offer of kindness at face value.. With just a quiet reminder to herself to be cautious? Still, she manages that perfect-polite smile--Forged across her face even while she wants to blink and look more dazed than not. And she sits down in the seat neatly, folding her hands across her lap as Kaori calls for another cup, "Well, thank you then. Something like that seems nice around now..." And yet, a blink suddenly, a beat off and a moment later, "Gabriel?" Would that be the one she knew? He was with the Yggdrasil's crew, certainly, but Margie is unsettlingly ignorant of anything they've been up to or where they are or what's going on, honestly enough. Sigh.
As if ordained by divine irony, not two seconds after his name is mentioned, the young Priest of the Nisan Sect, Gabriel Taisen, meanders into the Cafe. His head is down, though, and he is severely lost in thought. "If we can just get set up in the right spot..." he mumbles to himself, already withdrawing the few "G" coins to pay for a cup of coffee... Needless to say, he does not notice the two most important women in his life right now-- one his charge, the other his rival.
No more mistakes like behind the cathedral, this time-- be it slightly out-of-sight in a underarm holster, Kaori /does/ have her gun with her... though, the ammo's in the jacket pocket. Gloved hands settling onto the table again, her head bobs in a bit of a nod. "He's one of your caretakers, isn't he?" She takes up the mug and finishes off the last within, as a fresh mug is brought for Margie, and Kaori's own is refilled. "I'm sorry this all seems so rushed, and mysterious... believe me, if there was any other way..." Her head shakes a bit, and she tucks a bit of her bangs behind her ear. "... It's stressing to everyone, myself included." Her gaze lifts over her guest's hat and toward the door, a little bit of a grin quirking her features. "Well, speak of the devil..."
Aha! So they -are- speaking of the same Gabriel. And that is an odd little comfort, in situations like this... The notion that there are people she knows still about. For.. Ever since she was released from the Cathedral, she hasn't been able to find a soul. Erk. Worry abounds. "Er, well... Yes, I suppose that's a word for it." A bodyguard, a caretaker.. Well, words are words. It works. She grants a soft 'Thank you' for the drink, falling to silence to take a soft sip of it before she speaks again, looking up at Kaori with a slightly surprised expression. That she'd address the issue was unexpected. But somehow comforting, "Well, I wont lie and say that this -doesn't- seem rushed, mysterious and strange--No offence meant in the least, of course--But.. If this is how it must go, I can't complain. You've all been nice enough, after all." She pauses for a moment, "It simply.. Would be easier to come to a decision of this sort of gravity if I knew more of what was going on." Margie would pry further, likely, but.. That last line makes her blink and turn around. And she blinks in pleasant surprise, having to remember at the very last moment not to drop her mug of tea at the surprise of it. And she blinks aside formality for the moment, if just to snap a surprised yet happy and quite short, "Gabriel!"
Gabriel snaps his head up, surprised and, amazingly, pleased. "Mother Margie!" he calls out in a rush of emotion-- both of the names he knows her by, one for her position and one for his feelings, slam together as he lays tired, stressed, but now relieved eyes upon her. However, not a halfsecond later, they flit over to Kaori. "--?? And miss Scivenhein..." his face hardens alot in the space of two seconds, his arms tensing and his body shifting slightly, ready to dart into the folds of his robes for his gun. "... I see you two have gotten... 'acquainted.'"
Ah... yes, to be left in such an awkward moment. "... It's... all very long, and complicated. I'm sure you could understand, were I able to disclose everything, but... ergh. My hands are binded." she comments, hands spreading a bit. Peering at Gabriel, now, however, her mild cheeriness and relaxation seems not to be leaving her for a moment. "Afternoon, sir! How're you feeling, today?" she inquires, taking a sip of tea. "We've only just sat down... that is, if you care to join us?"
The slip of her name is actually rather missed by Margie. Well, it's a common nickname for her, after all, and even if it's likely improper for Gabriel to blurt out like that--Goodness, what does she care? She's just glad that she's finally found someone that she knows. Who is here and safe and she can actually confer with on what is going on.. Phew. The relief in her eyes is overwhelming. And for once, her smile is brightly honest. "It's so nice to see you, Gabriel. Wont you join us for a while?" Please? There's a certain comfort in knowing someone you know is there, when everyone else seems so friendly-but-off. And she finally blinks back to Kaori at that, and nods, although a touch more seriously, "Ah.. If that's the case, I can't properly pry now, can I? But I must say, it's quite odd to wish peace from a country you can't even tell the entire truth to."
"... I would be delighted, ladies." His face softens again, remembering his "manners". He relaxes on the whole and steals a chair from another table, sitting at their table-- a bit closer to the Holy Mother than to Kaori. His gaze immediately shifts to Margie, concern slipping back into his features. "I was... very worried about you M.. Mother Margeruite. I'm glad you're alright... and I'm very glad I stayed here in Nisan."
Kaori notes it, however-- an affinity? That's right... Gabriel laid out hints, now and then, in their previous conversation... "I really do apologize for it. It feels so barbaric to have to deal with sensitive matters in this way." Tilting her gaze at Gabriel, she nods a little and offers a smile. "Would you like some tea, too? I love this kind now, I'm glad I had it..." she adds, her hand lightly gesturing toward the counter, falling back to the table after a moment-- palm-down, of course, as not to dent the tabletop with the metal plates.
And what Kaori notes, Margie simply.. does not. Blatantly. Instead, she blinks a little at Kaori's words--She described this all as barbaric? Hrm. Somehow.. it seems odd for her, on the side of the strange ambassador and all, to say such a thing. But it is strangely comforting to hear. Be that a good or a very bad thing. "It's.. an unsettling way to handle things, I admit. But as long as no ill intent is meant through it, I can hardly protest." And this had -better- be such a situation. Well. Margie has no reason to suspect otherwise. And so, she takes another small sip of the tea. She's stressed, even if she is a little bit calmer and more relieved now that Gabriel is here. And that Kaori seems more open about some things. And she returns her glance to Gabriel, granting a light little smile, "I'm sorry that I worried you, then. But there really is nothing to worry about, really. They've been very nice, even if the way they're doing it is a bit.. Unique." A small pause then, as she blinks at the odd choice of words for his last comment.. And she sneaks in a line that is obviously of some concern to her, "How is everyone?" She's only been away a short while. But it feels like she's been out of touch forever. How is Bart? The crew? Gabriel himself? She's blatantly -concerned-.
Gabriel shakes his head, "The crew are fine-- the Ygg got called away for reasons which the Captain couldn't fully explain. They're all fine... I'm just..." He fights the urge to get any physically closer to her... but only sighs and smiles back to his 'charge'. "... I'm just glad that I can keep an eye on you now." He turns to Kaori, the relief now visable in his features. "... I'd like some coffee, if you don't mind..." He smiles at the waitress as she passes by, with her nodding and already knowing his pleasure. The young priest merely folds his hands on the table, trying to relax more... "Well, don't let me interrupt you two-- did I interrupt you two?"
Kaori offers another smile-- lame, relaxed... lazy. "I just hope it's not too much for you too quickly, Mother." Settling a little more in the chair, the pilot's fingertips drum together with a bit of a lofty gaze toward her mug. "No... you weren't interrupting at all, sir. As I said, she only just sat down for some tea. It's not every day I'd have an oppertunity to have such an open, person-to-person conversation with a woman of her stature, you see..."
Margie simply shakes her head in response to that, mild and offhanded. There's no reason to make a large deal out of getting a conversation out of Margie, after all--She didn't really care to put so much importance up against her title that people didn't feel all right talking to her.. And person-to-person honesty was something she very much wanted in this sort of baffling situation. "It's nothing to worry about, Gabriel. We're just talking. And it's nice to see a familiar face after so many days of discussion with Miss Uzuki." And most of it made no sense to boot. Gyah. Although she.. Looks more than a little confused, then, "Bart left? And didn't explain exactly why?" That... That isn't quite normal. Or right And Margie allows herself a rather worried frown at that, lowering her cup of tea to the table for a moment as she considers this, "That's.. Very odd. Did he give you any notion of exactly -what- happened?" She pauses then, remembering a moment away that Kaori had said something as well... And she glances over with a fainter and more distracted smile, and she nods, "It's.. quite a lot to deal with at once, I admit. But it's all right, I suppose."
'I was hoping you wouldn't ask that question.' Gabriel thinks, pausing slightly to consider his answer. "A brief situation that only he could resolve." he says, settling on being nice and vague. "He did mention that it shouldn't be long." He leans back a bit in his chair, nodding and smiling to the waitress as his coffee is delivered. He sets it on the table to cool a bit, "He left me here and he gave me the ship's emergency frequency, in case he was needed-- but I pray he won't be, ne?" He smiles softly and glances at Kaori-- as subtle as subtle can be.
Kaori lifts her hands a bit, fingers spreading with a bit of a smile. "Well, my job's to help prevent emergencies, so... godwilling, we won't have much to do, or a need to use that frequency." Tilting her head a bit, the pilot cradles her teacup once more, looking oddly curious. "But, I do hope your Captain is successful." Not. Looking back the way of Margie, she seems inquisitive-- while she was briefed on what they were going to be /doing/, she doesn't know of what's actually happened. "So, then, I hope you reached a favorable agreement?"
Margie doesn't much like that answer, either. And Gabriel's words make the Holy Mother frown at that. Concerned. Bart, running off on something only he could do, leaving Margie all alone in Nisan while she deals with really strange Shevvites with really warped requests? Either something is going on that is critically important or Bart is going to get seriously screamed at for the thoughtlessness of it. Really! Either way, Margie is worried. "I hope everything's all right... I was hoping to talk to him about something..." And yet, this complicates things. Margie's... Still on her own on this issue, then? This simply gets more frustrating by the moment. So much so that Margie doesn't quite know what to say to Kaori's question. Erk. "Uhm, well... I guess so. Your ambassador was very kind about the entire issue, but it is a little of an.. Odd request. She's left the writing of the agreement in my hands." Which is odd. If they're up to no good, they're the -friendliest- bunch of villains she's ever dealt with.
Gabriel reaches for his coffee cup, trying desperately not to look as interested in this as he is-- this is the information that he had been dying to hear: why are these people here, and what do they want from us? "An 'odd request'?" he says casually, lifing his cup to drink, "Assuming I'm not overstepping any bounds, Mother Margeruite... what request was this?" He takes a sip of the steaming coffee, not noticing how hot it still is...
Kaori nods her head a bit. "I imagine it's not to impede upon you anymore than we've already have." The mug of tea is turned slightly in her hands, before given a brief sip. The leather of her gloves creak slightly, as her thumb dashes across the corner of her mouth to catch a little bit of tea that decided to fall across her chin, rather than be drank like the rest. Silly beverages. The Shevvite's gaze lulls again from Margie, toward Gabriel as he asks his question, and once again back to the Holy Mother. She's almost acting like an observer... at least, right now.
"It's very strange.. And Miss, if I get any of this wrong, please tell me." Margie frowns a touch at that, not quite sure how to word this. And so she takes up her cup of tea, gently sipping it.. Before she nods and places it down, turning to Gabriel, "These people are from Shevat, and didn't want us to know about it beforehand because they didn't want me to not come. But.. They seem to just want peace. Or... Well, more like the promise of peace. They're afraid that Nisan might shun them because of the rough way that things have been going lately.. So they want a statement of Nisan's unyeilding neutrality. Or something along those lines. And now the ambassador wants me to write up a statement like that that would serve Nisan's best wishes for it." And said aloud.. It sounds every inch as peculiar as it feels. With a claim like that, someone almost -has- to be hiding something, don't they? And yet for all the smiling and friendliness around, Margie can't find exactly -what- is going on. Erk.
The young priest raises an eyebrow to the lot of this, "Our 'unyielding neutrality'?" he repeats, his confusion fused into the words. "I don't see how our declaring ourselves for one nation or the other is relevant-- Nisan has no weapons to speak of; our SDF is just that, a Self Defence Force capable of holding off an attack at best. If anyone is injured in a war, we take them in anyway, reguardless of what side they're on...." He shakes his head, taking another drink of coffee and setting it down. "With all due respect to our guest," he says with a nod to Kaori, "I think that it's both uneccessary and unwarranted. And again, with all due respect, they're making sure that the bunny doesn't hurt the baby. Something's not right."
Should she let the cat out of the bag? Ah, well, to a degree, if one thinks about it... "I apologize for how it must seem, but... please... I'm only a member of my own country's defense forces, which is in itself, just that-- it's just about all we can do, these days. Moments like these, where we can walk around the surface? They don't come often." Kaori takes a drink, peering up at the ceiling, as if she could see the pink-hue Gate that protects the floating nation, "In many ways, Nisan /is/ a refuge... perhaps our Queen would like the ability to allow people to come here themselves, without fear of anything ill happening to them..." Or without having to inhale most of the smog that Nortune belches out on a constant basis.
Hrm.. Gabriel has a good point, doesn't he? And the faint smile that tugs at Margie's expressions, despite how she knows she oughtn't, is somewhat hinting at that. Gabriel just said aloud what Margie has been fretting over for so long. And yet.. She really couldn't out and -say- it without seeming paranoid or like she's accusing someone of foul play. Ugh. And yet... that expression fades as Kaori talks, and Margie simply gives a half hearted nod. But what she says is what she feels is the most appropriate answer.. It's obvious enough that it's not exactly how she feels. "I... Well, I suppose it's just a safeguard, right? Nisan has been neutral for years, and has no intention of turning it's back on anyone--I certainly hope that no one feels that we would ever do otherwise. But all they're asking is for a sort of more binding assurance that that's what we believe in. It's a little offencive on one hand... But I guess, while paranoid, it's somewhat understandable." Somewhat. Kind of. But not really.
"Reguardless, Mother Margeruite, for them to force us into contract shows that they do not trust us-- which I find offensive. We do not need the words of man to seal any documents..." He throws a look at Kaori-- not angry or venomous, but merely pointed-- "... We have our faith and hope in God that seals our promice for peace. What more does any mortal need?"
Kaori sighs. "... Humans are imperfect creatures, sir. I could easily trust the word of the Holy Mother, but personally...? After seeing Aveh align more than it has already with Solaris, my whole nation has cause to worry. This isn't exactly something we cannot be careful about..." she murmurs, staring more intently upon the tea in her cup. "... I have a /home/ in jeopardy, sir... and if I were to lose it, where would I go, without having to worry about Solaris looking over my shoulder? Living in Nortune is no safer than anywhere else, and I for one dislike the thought of being on the run. So pardon me when I say, I sometimes am wary of everything."
"As you can see, this is a very hard subject for me for this very reason..." Margie trails off then, sipping her tea if just for that small illusion of -calm-. Yes, yes, feel less and think more, this has to be reasonable somehow. Right? And yet... Gyah, that's so easy to say, and nearly impossible to do. Especially while Gabriel becomes stern and Kaori almost defencive... Well. "On one hand, I can understand why you would feel threatened. And why you feel like things are getting out of hand. But isn't that a little.. Well, paranoid, to go to such huge lengths to make sure that we don't turn our backs on you, when we've shown no sign that we were intending to?" Margie frowns, sighing a little, tapping a finger gently against the side of her cup before she continues, "But what Gabriel said is true: What you're asking is for Nisan to enter politics. Even if this is a positive, equally beneficial agreement, you're still forcing us into a political situation. And I'm not sure if it'd be right for Nisan to do something like that at all." Certainly, Nisan participated in some politics. But treaties and whatnot... Were somewhat nerve wracking.
Gabriel nods, allowing himself a small victory-- but peace was not formed from accepting victory. The young priest sighs softly and sips his coffee, unconciously mirroring his superior. "Besides, then we'd have to sign similar agreements with Kislev, Aveh, Solaris-- it would become a sea of paperwork, and alot of diplomats who don't like each-other."
What to say in a moment like this...? Kaori's head lowers, mouth drawing a bit into a tight line. "I'm sorry. I told you... I don't... make the plans. I just follow them." In a way, true, despite the fact that... in truth, she /is/ one of the conspirators. Perhaps a shred of guilt in the inevitible screwing-over of Nisan...? "I'm not the ambassador, either... if that is what you would like to discuss, please... bring it up with her, rather than myself. I understand, you have your opinions of the matter, but... ... agh, I don't know." Sipping at the mug more feverently, she scratches lightly at her head and stares at the table. "Perhaps I should let you two discuss it alone..." Even /if/ that'll give them more time to get the utterly wrong idea of things-- and figure out the truth of their plans.
Oh... Wait, right. They were kind of picking on the hired help in a way here, weren't they? And that makes Margie blink a little until she blushes ever so faintly. Somewhat embaressed. And she grants a little smile over to Kaori at that, her tone a little apologetic, "You're right.. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to quiz you. You're absolutely right, though: I should bring this up with Misses Uzuki. I didn't mean to sound so critical of you... I know that you're just following orders." She pauses, smiling just a little, offering then a quieter, "This just has been a very confusing and somewhat stressful last few days." In that sort of a tone that seems a little guilty... As if she knows that she shouldn't supply any excuses, and thus was hushing her tone to forgive that break in propriety.
Whether this was a tactic or true dissapointment, Gabriel couldn't tell... but the least he could do was follow Margie's lead, "... Yes, I am sorry, miss. You and I have been at-odds alot these last few days... I certainly hope it's not all for naught." He manages a small smile.
Kaori cracks but a slight smile, rubbing her head a bit as she fetches her jacket from the back of the chair, leaving coins on the table-- enough to cover her and Margie's drinks, it seems. "... Well... I ought to go report in, anyway... make sure nothing's happened. Holy Mother, I enjoyed speaking with you-- I hope we can talk again..." she says, head bowing in a very respectful fashion. And toward Gabriel...? Just a quiet, momentary look, before her gaze shifts toward the jacket in her grip, flipping it around and pulling it on, as she starts out the door of the cafe. As she takes her first steps into the town, out of earshot, her head drops, one hand on her hip and the other cradling her forehead. It's about then she utters a single word, reflecting her changing mood. "Shit."