prodigalstar | (no subject)

(no subject)

[January 2188. Quite recently, the Riskbreakers have caught and turned in a certain time-bending pervert and been roped into having more of the Disciplinary Committee's work fobbed off on them. Around the same time, Retsu had his location sold and Hotaru sent Hisoka off to find the poor boy. Somewhere in the timestream, the student council president came to school with the most magnificent of hickeys and it nearly caused a riot. All of these things, plus a variety of other rumors, mean today, one Mibu Hotaru just dropped about six inches of paperwork squarely on her older brother's desk and then locked herself in the disciplinary committees room, barricading it against Tess and Johnny.

...Someone might need a day off.]

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[Of course, locking oneself in a room doesn't do much of anything for a man trained to defeat barriers. While he was entered into the school under a very unique combination of MOSes, Seijirou possesses a unique number of skills that are not taught at the academy. This is only befitting for the man trained since birth to bodyguard one of the most important families from before the calamity.

Of course, why he is standing behind her, facing away and almost touching backs is unclear and may be a personal flourish.]

Lady Mibu, this sort of anger isn't particularly becoming of the next heiress.

[...Stopping her stopwatch.] 3 minutes and twelve seconds. Were you delayed by something?

[She sighs, and almost leans back a little...it seems natural to her, to find his presence comforting.]

And don't call me that. We're in private, Seijirou.

[Well, if she does lean back she will find that in addition to a bodyguard and personal ninja, he makes a very good wall.]

Pray forgive my tardiness. There was another lead on one of the aberrant criminal cases. I had to bring the dossier to the Riskbreaker's handlers, as we have been giving them those jobs.

...Which is it this time, and has Sechnall been restrained yet? [Rubbing tiredly at her temple.]

I swear, these are getting more frequent. Is it too much to ask for nothing monumental to happen for twenty minutes?

The one who's been destroying property. We think we know where they have been hiding.

[He considers for a moment.]

If you are so tired, then perhaps it would be permissible for you to take a short day? A leader so overwhelmed is scarcely capable of leading.

[Exhaling.] I'm almost more worried about what's going to happen if I do. Haruka's plenty busy himself.

Master Haruka is incredibly resourceful and used to operating alone. I dare say that in this condition you're more likely to be a hindrance to him.

[Neither his tone nor his body language betray anything, meaning it's hard for her to know how he really meant that.]

...Seijirou. [She's turning around to face him now.] Speak plainly--what is it you want?

[Considering they were back to back, she just turned to face his back. But, he will glance over his shoulder when she says that.]

Honestly, what I want is the same thing that I always want: the continued happiness and health of Lady Mibu.

[And she should know him well enough to know that, flippant answer aside, he's not lying about that in the slightest.]

[One of these days, she will get him to drop the formality when she tells him to, but it probably won't be today. She watches him for a second, before shrugging and spreading her arms out helplessly.]

...Alright, I'll admit defeat on this one. Did you have any ideas as to that, or at the very least an escape plan? I don't think we can use Retsu as bait today.

[It takes him a moment, to laugh both nearly inaudibly for a second, and to turn to face her with a small smile and a respectful bow of his head.]

...I am trained in the arts of stealth and assassination, in addition to the further training that the school has provided. If my mistress will close her eyes and trust me, I can get us out of here very easily. Beyond that, I confess, I'm not entirely sure how you would like to relax.

On one condition, then! [One hand on her hip, and holding out one single finger. This would probably look adorable instead of imposing on most people.]

Wherever we go, for the rest of the afternoon...You're to be just Seijirou, my friend, and not the shadow. I don't expect you to suspend your duties, to be clear, just the formality of it. Understood?

If that is my mistress' wish, then...

[He closes his eyes, nods, exhales audibly, and reopens them.]

Then please come here and close your eyes, Hotaru.

Alright.

[She'll go over and take his hand then, and close her eyes as requested.]

[Then she'll definitely feel him pick her up in a princess carry, after a second, and it seems like he just starts running forward at a pace where they should slam into a wall, from her perspective, in two or three good strides. These strides last about a dozen paces instead, before he jumps, and lands, running a bit more.]

You can open your eyes, if you wish. Or I can just keep carrying you everywhere, but your brother might have questions for me after that.

Haruka can deal, he knows I have more dirt on him than he wants.

[She does open her eyes, then, but she's in no hurry to be put down.]

[He has somehow managed to slip out of the building and through the commons, into the back, quieter, richer neighborhoods beyond the academy. How he manages to cover such ground is difficult to explain but definitely involves a substantial amount of magic; in another lifetime, Seijirou could have been a powerful summoner or black mage himself.

He also seems in no hurry to put her down, and in fact amused by all of this.]

If you insist. I just think you like being carried.

If I do, it's a secret he can't do shit with.

[Looking around, and considering.]

..Isn't one of the old botanical gardens near here? Where they keep what they kept alive?

[He follows her gaze one way and then the other, and then seems to consider for a long moment.]

Yes. Yes there was. Would you like to go visit it?

If I recall correctly, it's pretty much abandoned by people our age, especially at this time of day.

Seems like a good spot, no?

I'd expect nothing less from a mind as brilliant as yours.

[Which seems to be his way of agreeing with her. He could set her down and go in the boring, ticketed way, or... He gets a running start, hits a trashcan, then a lightpost, gets enough footing on the wall before the security barbs, and clears it, landing on a footpath.]

There.

[She laughs at his method for getting in, and then nuzzles into his neck before starting to stand on her own.]

Perfect. Good job, Seijirou. [Hairruffle for the ninja.]

I live to serve.

[Perhaps literally, but it does work well enough in this situation. He'll set her down though rather expertly, making sure she doesn't fall.]

[He gets a cheek kiss for his troubles, because Hotaru has no compunction being sweet in private, apparently.]

...Thanks. I mean it.

There is no need to thank me but... you are welcome.

[He smiles a bit, despite himself, and blushes rather noticeably.]