<Nocturnal Harmonia>

[Bloodedge]

The Players' maturity level was hardly a thing to question at this point ─ at least in Yugi's opinion. No matter. Makima accepted their 'goals' and such, agreeing to continue her role as their manager, in essence. "There's a joke in that... and it's way, way too easy," was his only comment on that matter. Makima's desire to know their locations in the near future was normal, albeit a little strange for the current conversation. He supposed she had every reason to ask, given her propensity for keeping track of all Hunters and her inability to track them by normal means. Whatever the case, Yugi kept looking for an opening to broach his own thought... but something was strange about her reaction to Kaguya's name. Yugi spent a few moments in quiet contemplation, eventually recalling a thought he had when first meeting the lass. "Huh. So he was weird," he said absently. "Anyway... while we're not too far from the topic, am I right to assume your plans involved running for Prime Minister before the Gates happened? It's relevant for you to know there'll be need for a new one, and I'll... or rather, we'll likely be in a position to hold most of the say on who goes up. I've got no interest in being a politician, so..."

All the while, that blonde male was swaggering through the lobby to bypass someone working the front desk... who certainly wasn't the person he remembered being in that position. "She finally messed something up, huh? Figures," he commented in passing. "Hmm... Miwa Kasumi, isn't it? Is Kimacchi in?" he asked upon reaching the desk, fully intending to take the elevator up regardless of an answer.

[Apollymi]

The Players maturity and understanding of humans wasn't to be questioned. Miko knew that Yugi was well-versed in humanity's short-comings. And Miko spent way too much time picking apart people's personalities and being able to hear their conversations to not understand how people behave. As for the easy joke to be made about Makima managing the pair, she could only chuckle, "I appreciate you having some form of discretion," she mused with a hint of tease to her voice. "Her dad or her brother because both of them existing makes me uncomfortable," Miko added knowing that the Shinomiya men were not 'good' by any stretch of the imagination. "Also that look is making me panic a little," Miko said her eyes shifting to Makima. "It isn't malicious. I knew her mother. I'd intended to look after her but her father claimed her first," Makima said, and once again Miko didn't look terribly surprised by the information she was given, just that it extended to Kaguya. 'The tone on father was dubious at best... and if she knew Kaguya's mom then I have to assume that woman was involved in the underground too, and so was her father before becoming a politician.' Miko thought putting together quite a few things in a single moment, her thoughts dancing across her face. Not having to worry left the girl in a more casual situation. And then Yugi began to speak again, catching Makima's more direct attention. "Oh, another not really noble but well placed moment. Yes, that was my intention..." Makima mentioned almost casually before looking to Miko. "I'd do it, if I had to, but I don't want to, way too much responsibility," Miko said her hands once again up in surrender.

While that conversation wrapped up, a blue haired lass was now sitting behind the front desk. She'd been re-organizing the papers and important notes, making sure to push aside anything that had already been handled and making sure files made sense. But the entrance of a specific individual made her look up. He knew her by name and that was... surprising. "That's me! fuku-kaicho~" she said, truly amazed that someone like him even had her name. "I just got promoted to this spot, I am just organizing the desk... Shido-kaicho is in, she's in one of those private meetings, but you're always allowed in," she said having memorized quite a few important bits of information. "Go right ahead!" she offered quickly in a friendly but professional manner, even though she was obviously a bit star struck.

[Bloodedge]

"How much?" Yugi asked without even thinking, wondering how much Makima 'appreciated' his discretion. As for the connection to Kaguya and some male figure Yugi figured was odd in some way, Miko wondered whether it was her father... or her brother. "I didn't meet a brother. I only got to see the hentai antagonist," he declared. There was a lot wrong with that man. He didn't even seem like the usual degenerate; he seemed worse than even Yugi's father in a number of ways. Even so, the current Prime Minister remained his ultimate target. When that man was finally taken down though, Japan would need someone else in charge of it. The way Makima had been thus far, he had her penned as a reasonable person within. She may have made most people uncomfortable if they knew what she was doing, but... he'd seen worse from the current Prime Minister. "Sou. I guess that makes you the frontrunner now, huh? Right just now, you've got at least one of the two most important votes for the position. But... based on video game-style progression, there's probably something way higher than just Prime Minister of this country. Maybe keep your options open for the big future."

Downstairs at the front desk, that blonde man addressed as vice-chairman stopped to have a brief exchange with the girl who'd only just been promoted today. "Just? As in, today? Wow~" he said, his tone and cadence a bit fluttery and upbeat. "Lucky me, getting to see you shine from day one. When you're done getting your bearings, could you forward me the last week of affairs? I've been out for a bit," he requested. Of course, he was allowed up into the chairwoman's office even though she was in the midst of a private meeting... but he was in no rush. Not wanting to bother Makima too much with official business, the man figured he could just have a printout or something arranged to gather missing information himself.

[Apollymi]

How much did Makima appreciate a bit of discretion? That should be obvious by what he saw down in that dungeon of hers. "Enough that I've locked people up for not being able to manage it. For you though, I suppose it will be added to the tally of your treat," Makima decided in a moment. That entire treat was coming together moment by moment and what it would end up, would be based on all seen and given information. Ah but she wouldn't just be allowed to think it over, not with Miko and Yugi in front of her, discussing Kaguya's 'father'. When Yugi called him a 'hentai antagonist'. Miko nodded her understanding and a quick chortle was heard. "Kyahaha~" she trialed off trying and failing to recover quickly enough. "I am really going to need you two to stop making me laugh at random," she mused playfully. Miko would be shaking her head. "Not gonna happen, also her brother is just as bad. That whole family gives me bad vibes," Miko shaking away her unhappy feelings. There was a reason Kaguya was expressly allowed to visit Miko whenever she wanted and was assured safety and freedom within the household near equivalent to Miko's own. Still before that the issue of the Prime Minister was more pressing than anything else. Makima was the frontrunner in such a situation and Miko agreed. "She's already on my approved supervision list, and I respect a benevolent dictator," Miko said as casually as she said most things. And Makima hearing that the sky she imagined was no longer the possible absolute limit, made a smile break out across her face. Controlling Japan? Controlling the world? Controlling the most powerful entities this planet would ever see? Those were intriguing ideas. "Careful now, say too much Go-sei's going have to get back on bucket duty~" Miko chirped.

While that conversation seemed to be closing in on its natural end. The 'fuku-kaicho' was speaking with the new girl at the front desk. "Yeah, just earlier today actually. It's been crazy around here apparently~" the blue haired girl whose name was Miwa Kasumi mentioned. Only to be forced to further swoon by the notice of the man by the desk. A claim was made that he'd get to watch her shine from the beginning. "That's great but I'm really just trying my best!" the girl affirmed passively getting wound up in the man's words. He wanted the files of the past week when she finished settling in. "Hai, I'll send you everything I can compile. Though apparently everything was pretty normal until last night," she offered a bit of the information he would be looking for though none of the details. Well, it was her job as the receptionist to handle the paper work and small calls. It was well within her job description.

[Bloodedge]

Makima casually appreciated discretion to such an extent that some were kept in cells just to keep it. In Yugi's case however, she'd count his discretion as points toward his eventual treat, which was apparently building over time. "Oh shit, am I adding stacks to that? How many points is it if I can get your whole foot in my mouth? I hear that's all the rage lately, and I get the feeling that's what you were considering yesterday," Yugi said, his brain alight with ideas for enhancing a coming experience. Another unexpected occurrence was Makima's laughter. Yugi didn't think that 'hentai antagonist' comment was so funny; it was just a casual way of describing the man in question for him. As for the cease and desist order on making Makima laugh at random... "Yeah, no. One of us," he chanted. Moving right along from that, Miko eventually had a warning to offer. His talks of something beyond Makima becoming Prime Minister would obviously put her in a state, so there was mention of Gojo's bucket duty. "Noted. Proceeding," he said as if that warning only served as further fuel. It did. "Theoretically, it goes beyond that too. The alien overlord vibe has been growing and growing ─ especially after finding out the reality of gods and shit. Oh yeah, and I think we forgot to mention that. When Igris killed me and I saw the death goddess? Yeah, we both met her again when we extracted that army of Shadow Soldiers. Popped a boner, popped a route and popped the fattest load of my life all on her fucking face. Anyway, that title we got is something really old and... probably interplanetary. I might be going a little crazy with ideas, but maybe people end up having to run whole planets? That'd be pretty meta. Very... Aeons endgame."

Miwa Kasumi had only been assigned the position of receptionist earlier this day. The blonde male had returned to quite a few changes ─ many of which he couldn't even be privy to yet. Whatever the case, she didn't seem to believe in her ability to 'shine' as he put it. She was just doing her best. He primarily remembered this young woman because of her lacking self-esteem while being a member of the Hunters Association. "That's good. The more you try your best, the better your best gets. Bit of luck, bit of pluck, and you're on your way~" he asserted ever so casually. With that, he prepared to make his way, having Kasumi's agreement to deliver him all the information he'd been missing during recent absences. With a grin that never seemed to leave his face, he stood erect and reached into his pocket. "I guess the read will be exciting when I get to the last page then. Good girl♥. Here~" Before stepping away, he tossed the young woman a fob with a prancing horse logo set in a leather finish. "You'll know it when you see it. I'll be waiting for that file, Kasucchi. Ja ne!~"

[Apollymi]

Makima's appreciation of discretion was not to be questioned. She was an assassin, a politician and a woman, her need for privacy was higher than most people's would ever be and enforced beyond all recognition. In Yugi's case, though she made a few adjustments knowing he was the type to keep things to himself mostly. His response to the knowledge that his 'treat' was in a state of flux, was to question it, and figure out how to earn more. "I did consider putting my foot in your mouth yesterday but I decided against it. And that wouldn't earn you anything extra, standards are different yours especially," Makima said simply. Keeping this particular boy on a short leash and making him wait was a bit more effective than giving him even negative attention, Makima had decided. "One of us!~" Miko chirped happily echoing Yugi's sentiment after they'd been told to not make Makima laugh. Moreover even with the warning, Yugi was content to share information to get Makima squirming in her seat. Alien overlords, interplanetary domination, gods and goddesses... she was looking at a pair who spoke in absolute seriousness about things considered to be fiction. "I need you both to know that sounds unbelievable. Granted neither of you seems to be lying. Death?" she said. "Well, death lady made us gear, and our new powers are death adjacent so it kind of makes sense. It's definitely a thing," Miko said pointing to the crown on her head and the rope around Yugi's waist. "And apparently the Aeons are something I need to look into if I want to have any hope of understanding half of what you two talk about," Makima added with her brows furrowing. Just the same one couldn't miss that gentle shifting in her chair. A world domination? A planetary domination, a star system domination!~

While Makima considered her coming methodoly and a rise to power higher than the clouds... the Vice-Chairman was doing his fair share of managing human resources. The girl now working the front desk felt included and well-liked by the man. She was being encouraged, even enough to move at her own pace, luck and pluck permitting. "Arigatou gouzaimasu!~" Kasumi offered thanks and a quick bow as all good subordinate workers did. She also gave him a bit of information about the last week's evens mostly taking place in the last 24 to 48 hours. "Maybe, if it isn't all redacted..." she offered that information. Perhaps he'd be able to get his own unaltered files some other time. Soon she was given a key fob with a very recognizable logo on it, and told she'd know it when she saw it. "Wait wait... I can't..." she wanted to tell him she couldn't accept something like this but he was already walking off claiming he'd be waiting on that report. "Hai!~" she offered finally not even going through all the naysaying.

[Bloodedge]

At long last, Yugi had confirmation of a hypothesis that started when he met Makima. She did consider a bit of foot-in-mouth behavior in a more literal sense. He would have undoubtedly accepted that, and would definitely do so after finding out what Miko had been up to lately ─ what was surely in his future. Alas, Makima didn't consider that sort of activity part of the growing point system. "Booo~" he jeered playfully. The topic of meeting a death goddess and figuring this entire scenario might become interplanetary had Makima in disbelief, but there was only so much disbelief one could have in a world like this, dealing with people like the Players, and knowing how serious they were. "Totally a thing. Such a thing. And, a correction: Aeons are something you should look into if you want to understand most of what we talk about."

That blonde man had tossed the fob to a shiny new Ferrari toward Kasumi, either to congratulate her new position, to reward her future work, or simply because he didn't care to keep the car. Whatever the truth was, he wasn't going to take it back regardless of what she said. Such was the reason he merely walked away, hearing her futile and abandoned attempt to dissuade him. With that, he was in the elevator headed straight up to Makima's floor. Of course he expected to find her in a private meeting with someone, but... the last thing he could have expected was a pair of teens he'd never even seen, both visible the moment he set foot in that office. "Tadaima~" he announced either way, seeming right at home. "There. Real money," Gojo said after a long silence.

[Apollymi]

Makima was apparently being booed for telling the lad that foot related eating wasn't going to add to his potential treat later. "Oh? I don't ever think I've been booed so directly before~" Makima said seemingly amused by his activity of choice. Beyond that, she was trying to suspend her disbelief, as much as one needed to in a magical world of Dungeons, Gates and the only pair of people in the world who could get stronger. "I get it, I really do. But even given all I've seen so far... it's still a lot," Makima asserted. "Also most? Are you two communicating in references?" she wondered.

ah but that wasn't all... soon another would be joining them. After a gift was delivered to the new receptionist that elevator up to Makima's floor began moving directly. It was the sound of it, caught Miko's attention, but she managed to keep herself mostly in the conversation, until of course, Gojo drew extra attention and a new voice graced her ears. "Chii♪~ Jackpot♪~" that cute little sound escaped Miko simply because she decided in the moment she liked his voice. The last word happened by the time she saw him and decided he was one of the hottest beings she'd ever laid eyes on. As for that greeting Makima's eyes shifted away from the pair in front of her desk and a genuine smile spread across her face, "Okaeri♥~ Hi-pyon~" Makima actually greeted that man. A new face entered the building with the ability to speak on something normal, Miko's eyes fixated and so did her ears, she wasn't going to miss a word. "Did you enjoy your trip?" Makima asked not willing to immediately go into the craziness of the children in front of her.

[Bloodedge]

"Oh really?" Yugi questioned immediately, rolling right along with a joking exchange Makima seemed willing to be involved in. "I'll make up for lost time if you want. I'll fucking 'boo' you until the cows come home... which is a stupid fucking phrase, by the way!" he diverted before the conversation shifted to matters of death goddesses, interplanetary possibilities, and so on. He understood that it was a lot to think about, which was precisely why even he didn't bother much with it yet. Regarding the Players' reference-based conversations however, it undoubtedly filled most of their active topics. "I wouldn't say we exclusively communicate in references, but... it's one of those 'if you know, you know' things. Aeons fans almost have our own language at this point. Everything's a potential topic. You should watch High School DxD."

The entrance of that other male had Miko announcing 'jackpot' the moment his voice registered in her ear. The man walked by, looking at the teens and lingering over the one who'd accidentally spoken his language. "Oh? Are we gambling? I'm in~" he said lightly while passing the girl. His eyes lingered on her for an additional few moments beneath those dark shades, prior to him speaking with Makima herself. "It was... an eventful trip. I'll tell you all about it later. So, are you gonna tell me why Itacchi got so much shorter?"

[Apollymi]

"Yes, really. People are usually far too afraid to say anything crazy to me," Makima mentioned as if that wasn't totally obvious. "That tracks..." Miko uttered. She'd even called Makima scary earlier but that wasn't a personal fear kind of situation, she understood it was the energy the other woman gave off. Regardless, Yugi launched another tirade this time about a saying he didn't like, "For the most part I don't think anyone else will be joining you, have fun. Is that really such a big deal?" Makima wondered. "Actually I agree, that phrase can only make sense in a very particular situation. Unless it was a reference to women in which case it's just sexist. Unless it's a phrase for actual cows which would be weird since it proliferates and not every country has domesticated cattle," Miko uttered seeming to agree with Yugi's sentiment. Apparently the language of the Aeons came naturally to the fandom and Makima got a casual reccommendation for something called "High School DxD", "I wonder about a show with a name like that but I see no reason not to add it to the watch list," Makima added.

Ah, but all of that fell by the wayside as 'Real Money' walked into the door as stated by Gojo. In that same moment, Miko had looked and listened and accidentally allowed her tongue to slip in such a way as to garner positive attention. "I've been gambling for the last two days straight. Spin the wheel, pull the lever, roll the dice♪~ Whatever gets me to the table♪~" Miko asserted without any hesitation. Flirting was becoming second nature and she was really starting to enjoy it quite a bit. No matter, it would seem this was the type of meeting that would let Makima talk to the Vice-Chairman as if they were quite close. "Oh I look forward to it~" Makima uttered about hearing the story of his outing. As for the thing he was talking about, and whoever Itacchi was, her vision returned to Miko and Makima took in her visage once more and nodded. "Right, that's who she looks like. I really couldn't place it initially but smaller and with those eyes, yeah that makes sense," Makima said. "This definitely isn't her, I found this one in a cafe, it's been a wild story surrounding these two~" Makima couldn't hide her excitement.