ic contact;

[psycholawgy]

You've reached Athena Cykes. I'm currently unavailable, but leave a message and I'll get back to you pronto. Danke! (voice/call → text → video → action)

Comments

[psycholawgy]

You know, my earring is made from a real life moon rock.

Pretty cool, huh?

[ she'll try to pat phobos with a finger. she's nervous about it, though! ]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei chuffs a small laugh.]

Does it have special meaning?

[Phobos nuzzles her finger! Yay! Friend!]

[psycholawgy]

This earring, [ she starts poking at it. ] and Widget are the only things my mom left me before she died.

[faithfulflame]

[That...gets a response from Rei. Her eyes shift, softening and her steps slow a fraction. They're near the park anyway, so no reason to be in a hurry. Her own necklace feels a bit heavier on her neck at the statement.]

I...how old were you?

[psycholawgy]

I was eleven then.

I had nobody else in the US, so my I stayed with my relatives in Europe after that.

[faithfulflame]

Nobody else? What about your father?

[Heading towards a secluded glen!]

[psycholawgy]

My dad? He's gone.

[ that's all she can say about him. and athena just follows rei, wherever they may be going. this picnic sure looks like it's going to be fun. ]

I don't know him very well, either.

[faithfulflame]

Ah.

[Rei's heart? Wrinkles just a bit. She doesn't have a high opinion of fathers in general.

And inside the glen, there's a table already prepared. Rei sets down her basket and holds up a hand, sending will-o-wisps up to light the area.]

Well, tell me about your mother then? That's my first question for you. What was she like?

[psycholawgy]

[ woah... she kind of stares at the little embers for a while before moving on to answer the question. ]

Well... she was married to her work. Simon actually knows her better than I do. My mom was a psychologist who worked for GYAXA - the company who runs the Cosmos Space Center. She was working with Simon's sister, Aura, in making robots who had emotions.

Simon knows her better since he used to go to the space center all the time to ask for tips in psychology. It's his brand in the courtroom; that, and using the power of suggestion.

[faithfulflame]

[While Athena stares, Rei sets out the boxes of food and drinks, doing her best to be a legitimate host.]

So, that explains why Simon's so important to you, too. But when you say robots that have emotions, do you mean ones that you and I could understand with out...gift?

[She twists that word, it comes out awkwardly. She's never seen that particular talent as anything but trouble.]

[psycholawgy]

[ gift... she looks nostalgic for a moment before putting up a bright smile again. she never really considered her special hearing as a gift when it gave her so many headaches before. it's only very recently that she has, especially when hearing hearts of certain people bring her happiness. ]

That's right.

They were supposed to be robots for the space center, to help astronauts. When astronauts go up into space, their companions will be those robots. And they need to be able to feel emotion to be good partners.

[faithfulflame]

[Rei is probably the one person who can relate to that particular problem. It took her most of her early life to not feel terrified of using her talents and the heart of an idiotic girl to really make her okay with them.

Now, discussing Metis surprises Athena, which is another oddly appropriate name for her mom. Not because she was thinking that her mom was up to no good, but because of the nature of that research project.]

That's an amazingly complex sounding project. She must have been a genius, Athena-chan. I...assume she was very intelligent? Like yourself.

[psycholawgy]

Of course, she was.

[ she doesn't need to know much about her mother to have some pride regarding her intelligence. ]

Remember when I said that I had to save someone, and that's why I became a lawyer? It was because when mom died, Simon was arrested for her murder.

[faithfulflame]

I remember.

[She'd told Rei when they'd met, initially. But Rei never asked why. It felt impertinent and rude. But now? Well, now she wanted to know.]

How...did she die? And why was Simon-san accused?

[With that, too, the raven haired girl sits, sliding a mug across the table.]

[psycholawgy]

She was in the room when The Phantom - an international spy - was there to steal the moon rocks collected by the satellites.

[ she pauses... sitting across rei. she just lets her fingers play on the mug before answering- ]

As for Simon, there was nobody else there but me. . . in the crime scene, I mean. And he knew that, so he pleaded guilty to protect me. I never knew his reasons until the case was put back to trial, and I was the defendant that time around.

[faithfulflame]

This spy...? He killed your mother?

[Rei's face lowers, suddenly feeling a little bit guilty for asking Athena to tell this story. It was something that she needed to know, sure. A way to better understand her dear new friend, but...it was still troubling.

Her esteem for Simon Blackquill, however, grew immeasurably in that moment. She liked him, yes, but...knowing why he was jailed? That he'd given up years of his life for Athena? That was something that truly marked him.]

[psycholawgy]

[ she nods slowly in response, not saying anything else. ]

[faithfulflame]

Why?

[It's the first word that comes to mind, and Rei hops up, walks around the table, and sits beside Athena.]

[psycholawgy]

Because she was there, where the moon rock was.

Not to mention, she had information on the Phantom... She had some files that she was helping Simon with, since he was tracking down this spy too.

But it's all resolved now. We found the spy, and he's behind bars.

[ she suddenly feels a bit uneasy, though, because she was sure she saw the spy here a couple of months ago. ]

[faithfulflame]

Athena.


[She feels that unease, she knows the worry. She'd contemplated what it might mean, herself. If the Sailor Animamates appeared, or Galaxia, or Wiseman...old enemies without a shred of decency and sense...there would be trouble. Not all, it wasn't like she felt the Shittenou would turn on them, or even the Black Moon Clan. They had reasons to return home too. And were something that any Super Senshi could deal with.

Her hand reaches for Athena's shoulder.]

If this man comes, I'll deal with him. Don't worry about that. He won't hurt anyone, I promise.

[psycholawgy]

Hey, it's fine.

[ it's a sincere smile that she gives rei before continuing. ]

I can deal with him on my own. When he showed up... he was even afraid of me.

[faithfulflame]

He should be. You have something a killer can't have.

[Rei laughed a little at the thought though. It was like being afraid of Diana.]

Though...why? Why were you put on trial?

[psycholawgy]

That's— [ she cuts herself there and puts a hand over widget. it's not something she obviously wants to talk about. ]

[faithfulflame]

Athena.

[Rei puts her hand on the other girl's back, slowly rubbing a circle as the other had done. She doesn't want to pry, not really. She's curious but...]

If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to. I was just asking. I mean, I'm here for you, if you want to tell me.

[And she's given the other a lot of trust. A lot of it. Because she cares. Whatever it was, she knows Athena didn't do it.]

[psycholawgy]

[ she sighs, though a smile still on her face. ]

All of that was hard enough to say.

And can you please not tell Simon I told you about it?