Problem Solving Skills [Mae, Morihiro]

Charles seemed completely nonschalant as he led Mae and Morihiro away from the feisty group, enough so that none of their yappering could interfere with their discussion, but also close enough to keep an eagle's eye on the sit. He was glad Morihiro has agreed to come talk to them, as he really wasn't sure how to predict the man's actions, but it was all right now. The android turned over to the two of them and placed his hands happily and eagerly onto his hips, smiling a satisified grin as he watched them. "So, we're all here!" He began. "Now then, Morihiro, I think you've already met Mae. Mae, you've met Morihiro too...under un-ideal circumstances, though...but I trust we can all put our differences aside for now and talk this through. Either way, Morihiro, I want to know why you and your accomplices are siding with Zachary. If there is anything that we as your opposing side are supposed to know, I'd be glad to hear it instead of having to resort to jumping to conclusions. In return, Mae and I'd be willing to offer our side of the story to you in an attempt for both sides to benefit from this. Is that okay with you?"

Mae gave Morihiro an investigative glance, seemingly scanning him from top to bottom, with her arms crossed over her chest. He was... a strange one. Hard to read, for sure. "Yes, let's." She replied to Charles, before offering Sada a handshake. "Pleasure to finally meet you face to face, Morihiro." Her voice was firm, but carried no hostility towards him. He hadn't exactly given Mae a reason to distrust him completely, and Charles seemed to like him, and as such, she was willing to give this man a chance. "Yeah, It'd be nice to get the whole picture, especially considering how divided we are in this time of need..."

Why  did he follow them? There was a few elements that kind of geared Sad towards doing so. One point kind of made him think that the way things were set up didn’t necessarily change the outcome, no matter what he did. Another point made him think that the others might seem together, but they were divided enough that it would lessen the strain of actually having an army of persona users to deal with if it comes down to Sada having to make a few tough choices of his own.  All he knew for now was that this woman in front of them was important to Charles.

“Yea, I met her I guess. She showed up, that’s about as reminiscing as it gets according to the last time we met, that and kicking sand in your face. “His attempt of a struggle didn’t last long, but Sada didn’t hold much of a grudge about it.   When Sada got the rundown of what  Charles wanted to know, Sada shook his head. “Well, you invited me to this party.  And if you want me to talk, you have to show just how willing you are to trust me.  Two of you, one of me, kind of scary Charles…. I’m guessing she’s the bad cop this time around? You got to make me feel comfortable man, you know the rules. 

Sada said in a somewhat sarcastic tone as he looked at the handshake that Mae attempted, and declined it. “ Well don’t start shaking my hand just yet, who knows if it’ll be worthwhile for any of us.  To be honest with you, concerning Zachary and the principals, I think I care the least.  You kind of have to convince me as to why I should……if you can't, i'll give you two tips...  of a good trade. Fair? Can i be trusted? Can you trust my words? Give up yet? ” 

Sada would say as he slightly shifted his body as if he was to walk away, but he wasn't. He was honestly just testing the waters.

Charles first frowned at Sada declining Mae's handshake, but then had to tilt his head to the side in confusion as he went through the man's words. He did have a point. The first and foremost rule of interrogation was to manipulate the other person into being willing to tell their story. And Charles had sort of skipped that part and just assumed Morihiro would've been ready to place everything on the table for them just like magic. The fact there were two of them against one of him also went against his intentions-another unanticipated issue. He jerked forward as he saw Sada starting to walk away.

"Wait a moment, please. You are most certainly right..." Charles placed a hand over his mouth, entranced deep in thought as he weighed his options. His first instinct was to glance around looking for a place to sit down but...well, no. He couldn't offer Morihiro the luxury of an interrogation room, unfortunately. So he gave it up after an exasperated shrug. "I had completely overlooked the basic rules of conduct in this type of situation. I apologize for that." He gave a warm smile to Sada as he approached him and Mae, placing a hand over Mae's shoulder. He'd give her a light nod just to let her know Morihiro didn't mean anything wrong by rejecting her greeting. "I assure you, though, Mae and I are only here to talk. If we wanted to put you out of commision, well...I can also assure you it would have been over by now~" The smile grew wider as Charles closed his eyes solemnly for a moment. "I'm willing to trust you, Morihiro. For the sake of our dispute, we need any evidence we can get to ease the tensions. Both sides must have their reasons. Ours are to put an end to all the chaos that had been going on around the islands lately. Perhaps on biased terms, we'd agreed that capturing Zachary would have done the trick, but now I might as well doubt it as well. Shunnosuke was mentioning something about Isla holding one of his friends captive. Do you know anything about that? What are the reasons behind you joining Zachary's side, or, at least assisting them? These are the kinds of questions I'd like to clear out for now. There is little comfort I can offer to you now but the promise that the two of us come here on friendly terms. Also, well...I'd just told you a bit of our story. Is that enough? I'm still kind of confused about what you mean...but we are willing to listen and trust you."

Hrm... it was little offputting that the man refused to shake her hand, but... he had his reasons for doing so. "So long as you don't start anything, we won't start anything. That I can promise you, Morihiro. My boyfriend here's honest. And I trust him. And by extension, I trust you too. This whole conflict is tearing everything apart, really. Friends becoming enemies, both sides not willing to give in, or even listen to what the other had to say... I... was just following Jack's lead because I felt it was the right thing to do. He's a good man, and a friend of mine. But in the end, my loyalties lie with Charles, and the people of Azores. This conflict needs to stop. After the demons attacked, and Isla put up that barrier over San Malarus made me trust her back then. Now, I'm not sure anymore, after seeing Shunnosuke, someone we fought alongside against that hideous demon, turn against us, I'm starting to doubt... Doubt my previous thoughts on how noble Isla's goals really are. Don't get me wrong, Zackary is still a sack of crap, being a druglord and whatnot, but I'd at least wish to hear both sides of the story. In this time of need, we need to stand united, and work towards a common cause. Doing things alone, or being scattered as we are, is counterproductive. And as such, Morihiro-san... we'd like to know..."

"Oi Oi..... over by now? Don't talk to me as if i'm a pushover...im MORIHIRO SADA! and one day... i'll have everything in the world that's precious. I don't lose to ambition weaker than mine......." Sada just needed the power to match it. He liked Charles, as much as Sada didn't want to admit it too often, but Charles had a loose mouth. In the end of his desperation, with every act and every consequence, those who underestimate Sada might have a hard time. " ....." Sada then folded his arms and heard them speak for a moment. "How far are you willing to go for peace? Will you defeat Jack? Shun? What good is the information to you if you won't be willing to fight?"
 
Poking the bear, but why not?" Tell you what, the more you convince me , the more i'll speak... as a matter of fact... i don't even like wasting time.... Lune is a sacrificial lamb, controlling her means you get to control the strongest pieces of the game.  Manipulate sides to tackle the main problems, stopping me wasn't very smart when Lune was sent to die over there by Zachary. Apparently, he knows where  Rinna is as well, he knows alot... probably....oh.. by the way... he's watching all of you now.. know's what's happening by extension of lune Maybe she's a bomb too? You think he doesnt have a kill switch? "
 
Sada then yawned. "Your plan of being led to him is fucked, lune is seriously a pawn, he used her as a walkie talkie, sees what she sees…. We had a conversation to Zachary using her as a device... atleast I was blocking her field of view..but you stopped me.. so enjoy your CVT camera i guess...you don’t have to believe me. But you better knock her out before you start talking about anything sensitive in front of her. “What else did he know?” Oh I remember now... Isla has Nozomi’s body under surveillance. Shun gets his boyfriend back if we defeat her. It’s the battle of the bodies..  Zachary wants Nozomi, Isla has Nozomi, and playing with someones life and treating a human being like an object is breaking Shun’s heart.  I’m just along for the ride.... should we pay Isla a visit? We need Zachary’s manpower… for now… id tell you to play along…until the time was right... but you ruined it... now all we have is wasted time.. and the only person that suffers are the people that could of been saved if you haven't showed up. ”


Sada shrugged casually, it was up to them. “ Alphonse will rather sacrifice the wild card to someones unknown ambition then break his moral code and retrieve the unconscious body of his friends lover.  Is that a common thing? Sacrificing people like that because no one else can do anything? Is that what weakness is?


Sada then had a dark smile on his face.




“Is that how Hyde died? Did the weakness of others indirectly kill him too? Same deal maybe? You guys must find it really easy to sacrifice people ...









I like shun’s ambition, it’s like honey to me… he would go against all of you for the person he loves.. same for you and ….Mae? Right? Don’t you hate seeing someone being used without a choice? Beat down both of them… only choice that makes sense… 

Charles listened intently at what Sada had to say. This was why they were here, to speak. And this time it was actually starting to work. Everyone was cooperating. But Sada's words only brought confusion to the young robot. Lune was really being controlled? What exactly was going on behind the scenes? Hyde? Alphonse the other robot guy he never really spoke to? Sacrifices? And most importantly, Shunnosuke had a boyfriend? Scratch that last question, actually. Sada was making some very clear points, albeit he had a very 'Sada' way of getting them across. Charles gave the other a puzzled look and spoke up.

"Before we start, I want to emphasize my intention of soving the matter peacefully. If fighting can be avoided, I'll work towards avoiding it. However, I am sure all of us will always stand by the weak and the oppressed, which neither of the two sides appear to be. If anyone is a victim, it's the people you mention. However...I'm afraid to say all this just...made me even more confused. Why is Isla holding this friend of Shunnosuke's? What does she need with him? If someone is being held captive, I know I will do my best to help out with saving them. However, I don't think this story helps alleviate Zachary Dunbar's crimes. If what you claim is the truth, then both sides are in the wrong. Sadly, I can't see any possible compromise...unless we all joing forces against Isla...but I don't see this happening. And I do understand what you mean. I know I would go the distance to save Mae if it was necessary. I suggest we share this story with the rest of our companions and decide on a course of action. But then Lune is the question...she is being guarded by that red haired woman. Combat would be inevitable. Hmm...I'm really not sure how to proceed. Mae, I need your input in this..." Charles turned to Mae with a polite and confused grin on his face. He wanted her to express how she felt about what Sada had just said. Were they supposed to fully trust him? All of this sounded bizzare at the very least, not to mentioned poorly explained and structured. It was to Charles's logistic brain what reading chinese was to westerners. He needed some help from her at the moment. "I'm afraid I cannot add anything on the discussion about Alphonse and Hyde and the Wild Card. That one is entirely foreign to me."

"Thank you, Sada. We appreciate the co-operation and warnings you've given us. Lune on her own isn't a threat, but she is being controlled by Zachary... Now her behaviour earlier makes more sense... Brainwashed." Mae replied, nodding lightly. She had gotten a better grasp of the situation now. And it was a complex one at that. Shun had his reasons for fighting alongside Zachary. Reasons she could understand rather well, as a matter of fact. Shunnosuke was just another puppet in Zachary's game against Isla. Well, a very non-willing puppet, but what other choice did the rich guy have? His boyfriend was basically being held hostage by the mayor of all people.

Mae frowned at Sada's harsh words about Hyde's death however. Sure, the two weren't perhaps the best of friends, but he was close enough to her that... his death certainly affected her life quite severely. Perhaps not as harshly as some other people she knew, but... hearing someone talk about Hyde's sacrifice as if it was some form of weakness was downright insulting. To both Hyde's memory, and Mae herself, as one of his friends. "Hyde sacrificed his own life so that we could live to see another day. It's not a weakness. It's strength. The ability to sacrifice everything you have including your own life, for the sake of others is an act of selflessness and heroism. You should be grateful. Had he not sacrificed himself back then... W-We wouldn't be standing here right now..."

This was painful. Hearing him talk about her good friend like what he had done was without purpose. Yet another reason on her long list of things that kept her going. Making sure Hyde's sacrifice wasn't in vain was close to the top of that list. Hyde had literally sacrificed everything so that Azores, and by extension, their world, would live to see another sunrise. "You think it's easy? To throw away your own life so that someone else may live? No... it really isn't. But taking that step, and being willing to do whatever it takes to save your friends in the time of need is true strength. It comes from the Heart, Morihiro. And no, it's not just a "friendships make you stronger" kind of crap. Like, really. If you can muster up the courage and will to throw yourself to the wolves so that others don't have to suffer, then you will go down in history as someone Noble and brave enough to make a choice that no one else would've."

He was right about one thing though. If Charles had been used by someone against his will (Which was entirely possible due to his nature as a machine), Mae would've done whatever it she could to set him free. "I would do whatever it would take to set them free... even if that meant joining up with Zachary. He's a scumbag. As rotten to the core as one can get... yet i'd still work for him... only if I could bring back those that I care about. In the end... Me and Shunnoske aren't very different on that front. If only I had known, I would've actually stepped down."

"Combat would be inevitable anyway. That red-haired lady is a dangerous one, for sure. A Priority to at least incapacitate. I'd hate to resort to killing her though... As much as a mistake that could potentially be... I... Just can't bring myself to take another's life. If there is a way to resolve this peacefully, that would be ideal, but... seeing the way things are right now, I wouldn't bet on a peaceful resolution anytime soon." She'd turn towards Sada. "You're just along for the ride, huh? Alright, then how about you take our side for a little bit? I think this conflict between these two people are doing more harm than good for us all. If we can stop it, no one else has to suffer anymore."

I did say the weakness of others didn’t I? Hyde had to die because the people he called comrades weren’t strong enough to pick up the slack. The true moral of one man shows as I like to call it, when It relies on one person to turn it all around. All the same, that one person takes the penalties all on their own. “Sada then had an idea”  Look, listen to what I’m saying next, there is possibly two keys right? Azami and Nozomi, the will of Z, as I like to call them. If Azami dies, everyone in azores is going with her, everyone. If Nozomi dies, anyone in the other world is going with him.  Now, why would you… ok… hypothetically speaking, obsess over the captivity of the other world over  a wild card of your own? Is it possible that she’s going to do something that cuts us off from the other world using Azami’s life so that everyone in azores is spared once more? Look, she’s the mayor, is her duty to people she doesn’t govern over?  After saving everyone, would she be worshiped as a goddess? Leaving the key in her hands, bad idea,  unless you’re ok with sacrificing another world for your own?   How much does your heroism weigh in this situation?”


Sada then shrugged. “Is that woman a zodiac or something? You can handle it. As for me, I’ll be around, lending a hand, if I feel like it. I mean I just helped you just now, but it seems as if Nozomi isn’t the top priority even after I said all of that. So I don’t know what you’re doing. Maybe I will help? Maybe I’ll just stay out of your way so I don’t get hit? You made it painfully obvious as to how weak I was to you guys, afterall. “ Sada was only waiting for the right moment for obtaining power, but he had no opportunities yet.

Charles blinked. And then blinked again. And then again.

But it didn't help. He was losing the thread of this conversation.

So he stared with blank eyes the two of his companions for a moment before glancing back at the rest of the crew. Huh, they've grown in number. Ooooookie. Hopefully there were no problems there.

Seeing as how Mae was upset, he decided to direct his attention to her first. "I think I knew Hyde too. But not as well as you. We met once in a sushi shop. Gao was with me. I also think we're going off topic... and uhm, well, I agree that one should not speak of the deceased in such a manner, Morihiro. Although you seem to be talking about an entirely different thing altogether...ah. Our priorities...worlds...uhm. Am I the only one thinking we should probably detain both Isla and Zachary somehow? I mean, there's a lot of us. And that should clear out our problems and then we can deal with these worlds you're talking about." It actually kinda made sense, with the alternate Azores and stuff, that different worlds were involved. Charles continued to stare at the two blankly, obviously embarrassed.

"We're slowly running out of time, Morihiro. We should try to get both of them down off their high horses. At this rate, their conflict's doing more harm than good. Detaining them both would be the optimal solution... Since they're both the cause of this conflict in the first place. Isla's been doing good things for Azores over her time as Mayor, but... with her keeping this... Nozomi, basically hostage, I doubt her intentions are clean. I know there are some who went to the other worlds. I have faith in them. They'll succeed. So we have to do everything on our end to make sure that they have a world to come back to, yeah? That means protecting Azami and Nozomi at all costs." Mae sighed deeply. "It's not gonna be easy. Charles..." She'd turn towards her boyfriend. "I'm having doubts about how trustworthy Isla is... while she did save San Malarus from the Demon onslaught as best she could, the other islands were much less fortunate. I know as a Police officer, your loyalties lies with Isla, just like how it was for Jack. Would you... be willing to go against your loyalties for the sake of the islands? For the people? For... your future son or daughter...?" Mae awaited the answer from her boyfriend. She just wanted to make sure he was truly okay with what they were about to do. "Zachary is still closer, we shouldn't waste any more time. We'll get information out of him first, then turn to Isla. Unless, of course, you think it's a better idea to Trust Jack and the rest with Zachary, while we take care of Isla? Either way, I'm going with you. I won't leave your side ever again."

Future son? Shes pregnant?" !!!!!" It showed on Sada's face when he said that, but he quickly maintained his composure. As a matter of fact, he started to laugh just a little bit. "I thought you were..hehe... a....hahha..wait how did you get it to work?" Sada started to laugh, but it was atleast a genuine laugh. She had to be joking, Sada atleast could possiby provide some way for any chick to reproduce with him, whoever that is. Or whatever, but it has gone on long enough. "All jokes aside with your cinderella version of IRobot, we have work to do. Im done talking for now, so just lead the way. 

Bfroger6 wrote:

Charles blinked. And then blinked again. And then again.

"Uhm..." Any way to logically comprehend what Mae had just said failed. His servers were running dry, processors overheating. He stood right there with a finger raised inquisitively and a blank stare, mouth wide agape. "F-for my future son or daughter?" He looked at Mae confusedly. He didn't wanna jump to any conclusions, maybe Mae had some sort of plan, but she did remember he was a robot, right? Which, of course, entailed the fact he did not posses a copulation device of any sorts. Perhaps she was going to ask Jack install one into him? Oh boy. Or maybe she was gonna have a baby with someone else? Did it work that way?

"U-uhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmae? W-what exactly did you mean by that..?" He asked his apparent future would-be mother of children. He was still looking at her confusedly and well, without any form of antagonism in his eyes or voice. *blink blink?*

"Oh, Charles..." Mae replied with a light giggle as she stood up on her toes, giving him a kiss on the nose. His overall confusion and flustered response was quite adorable. Had he really thought she'd... actually try and have kids with him? "I know what he is, Morihiro. We don't have to get a Biological son. I knew very well what I signed up for when I chose Charles. Hihi. We're gonna adopt a child, you silly! Once we're ready for it. Wouldn't you want that child to live safely on the islands with us?" Of course, she wasn't ready for a child just yet, but... might as well mention it now. She might not get a chance to do so later. "You'd make a good father, I think. Sure, you're a bit peculiar, but you have your heart in the right place, and you're a policeman to boot. But we can discuss the details later. Now..." She'd turn to Morihiro. "We're going to talk to Isla first then. I'll call Jack and tell him this. They have a good number of people already there, I'm sure." Besides, she trusted Jack with this. "We need to be quick about this. Let's move out!"

"O-oh. Phew." Charles sighed as an unexpected wave of relief washed over him. He didn't know what exactly he was expecting, but Mae definitely picked one heck of a moment to ask him about this, seeing how he was already stupidly confused about the whole Isla/Zachary topic. "R-right, I think I'll be ready if you're ready as well for it, Mae. I don't even know what to expect of having a child, but we'll make it work." He gave her a reassuring smile before nodding. "You're right, we should go along with the plan. Let's contact Jack and coordinate our strategy. If we all move at once, we can beat them."

Charles clenched his fist with determination in his eyes. He was feeling fired up for some reason he wasn't quite able to put into words. It was because of their fire which shone as one. They could do anything now.