Conversation Space I.

[powersthatbe]

The room is small, intimate. You are alone. There is no sign of a way in or out. Ping-pong balls crunch underfoot, and empty giftboxes, meticulously wrapped and ribboned, are lined up against one wall, while a humming wall of server blades are racked on the opposite wall. A high-backed, gilt chair with red velvet cushions faces an ornate, full-length mirror, and beside the chair is a mug of steaming hot chocolate on a tiny side table, steaming invitingly from beneath a layer of fifteen half-melted marshmallows.

What do you do?

Comments

[claudiometer]

Investigate the hot chocolate, of course.

(What? It's the most Mei thing here.)

[callmemeibe]

The unmistakable citrusy, flowery scent of Mei's perfume comes with a warm, comforting feeling. There is a small peal of laughter like silver bells, and behind her stands Mei, absolutely resplendent in all her rosy glory.

"Greetings, Lady Claudia. Thus, we meet again... on good terms, I hope."

(The hot chocolate is, by the way, perfectly nutritious.)

[claudiometer]

"Figured you'd turn up sooner or later. So do we get to have an actual conversation this time? I know you were working under... certain restraints last time, but I couldn't very well not try."

She's not exactly upset to see Mei, though, so that's a good sign. (Better than her dear husband is facing once Altair figures out who he's talking to, anyway.)

(Nutritious and delicious. Just the thing for after clambering around that stupid maze.)

[callmemeibe]

"I suppose it depends on what you mean by actual, lady Claudia." Her smile is at the same time comforting and coy. "But I would love to chat with you, dear. We never did finish our tea." She reaches for Claudia's hands in an instant, quite pleased to see her.

[claudiometer]

"Didn't we? I do seem to recall leaving the parlor." But hey, humoring Mei is a thing she doesn't mind doing. She may not know what to think of the rest of her cohorts, but Mei in particular? Not so bad.

Overly fond of terrible puns, sure, but. Not so bad.

"So what happens now, other than you guys... picking your dodgeball teams, or whatever this is?"

[callmemeibe]

"Lu Yu once said this: 'Tea tempers the spirits and harmonizes the mind, dispels lassitude and relieves fatigue, awakens thought and prevents drowsiness, lightens or refreshes the body, and clears the perceptive faculties.'" She seems to be quite interested in the intimate chat over the actual tea, but having tea never hurts.

Carefully, Mei leads Claudia to the throne, ushering her to sit. With a flick of her wrist, a matching throne appears opposite a small tea table, teapot full to the brim with rich, perfectly steeped black tea. She pours two cups before sitting.

"The only ball game one might play here is with my husband, as an attempt to bond paternally," she answers, head tilting curiously to the side and making her headdress jingle. "You are my Chosen, lady Claudia. After this, I'll have chosen ten. Sadly, lord Worick is no longer online... but nine Chosen suits my sensibilities well enough."

[claudiometer]

"Well, fair, it's hard to have a proper conversation when one of you's not actually yourself." She's just glad the overlay Mei met first was close enough that Claudia can't see answering her questions any other way, save maybe how important Joshua is.

She does have a seat, even if she's not really inclined to be all prim and proper about it. "A multiple of three would make you happy. In this case, though, the balls are a metaphor." Not a euphemism, Mei. "You guys are clearly divvying us up, and you've been busy securing yourself some extras. So, what for?"

[callmemeibe]

"We don't necessarily have to have a proper conversation," she answers teasingly, her red lips curling into just a hint of a flirty smile. But that's all it is, because she busies herself preparing the table, with a honey bottle and some sugar cubes, and a few scrumptious finger-foods.

"I remembered the honey, this time," she says, smiling. "Is there anything else you need with your tea?"

[claudiometer]

"...Yeah, you'll want someone else for improper conversation. I'm not fluent in flirt, and that's not what got me here regardless." Claudia's extremely good at the Family box. If you want a good flirt-style conversation, you want Helena.

"I think I'm good, thanks. This is already one hell of a spread."

[callmemeibe]

Mei lets out a silvery laugh, but does not continue further.

"You have questions. You must have. I will answer what I can." Her teacup levitates into her hands, and she blows gently on the steaming cup before taking a sip.

[claudiometer]

"What's your end goal here?"

There has to be one, or they wouldn't be going to all this trouble. And she'd rather know what it is she's working toward.

[callmemeibe]

"Now that would be telling, dear," she teases, eyes twinkling with amusement over her teacup. "But I can say I mean you Travelers no harm, lady Claudia. In fact I only wish the best, for all of you Travelers. You are... very precious to me."

Her eyes droop, then, and she slowly lowers her teacup, her expression falling. "I will tell you one thing. If I win... I want to revive whom you would call Star. The ones you call Hierophant, Wheel of Fortune, Temperance... I would revive them, as well. But with Star..."

[claudiometer]

"So it is possible to revive them. I'd been wondering." Maybe not as strongly as she's considered some of the other questions in play around here, but.

"Star's family in a way the others aren't. I think I get it."

[callmemeibe]

"It is... difficult. Improbable, perhaps, but... theoretically not impossible. And I will stop at nothing to save them."

Her fingers tighten into fists as Claudia speaks further, and she falls silent, her head bowing and her shoulders sagging. They suddenly begin to shiver with silent sobs.

"It’s been unbearable. I miss her - Hoshiko - so much," she answers, her hand quickly rising to hide her tears behind her long pink sleeves, trying not to give away her crying in her voice.

[claudiometer]

"I know the feeling."

And she does - every last bit of it.

[callmemeibe]

Her sleeves brush at her eyes to clear away her tears, and she tries to keep it together, mostly for decorum's sake - though it is clear she is still upset.

"I'm sorry, I... do not mean to dump my feelings on you."

[claudiometer]

"You might've noticed I've stumbled my way into being Liminal Therapist. Next to Malik's back catalog of issues, grieving a loved one is cake - especially when I've been there myself."

[callmemeibe]

She smiles at the words, despite her tears. "I knew I liked you for a reason, love." Mei continues drying her tears, before finally resting her hands back in her lap and pulling as aloof of a mask as she can muster. "But a mother must not burden her children with her own troubles. Particularly one who is already burdened, as you say, by another's troubles."

[claudiometer]

"Doesn't mean I won't listen. It's probably not good for even you guys to bottle this stuff up. On the other hand, wallowing in it won't help either, so if you'd rather not dwell on the topic, I totally get it."

But hey, she wants her family back and will do everything in her power to make it happen? Been there, done that, got the nosebleeds.

[callmemeibe]

"One day, perhaps," she answers, "you might hear the whole story. But not today. Today is for next steps, no? We should talk of moving forward, of our strategy."

[claudiometer]

"Fair enough. You're more likely to have something resembling a strategy than I am, though. So what is your plan?"

Not 'the plan.' Claudia will decide for herself if it's one she wants to back. (Given the emotional stakes involved, it's likely she'll be on board, but she promises nothing.)

[callmemeibe]

"For now, we do nothing but wait; our time has not yet come, lady Claudia. We must conserve our strength for times to come."

So... her next time to run this show isn't for a while.

"As for next steps... it depends on the victors. Who wins going forward from here. That will change the plan completely."