Yoshino sighed loudly.

She didn't want to do this. She really, really didn't want to do this. But here she was, standing before Retsu's dorm door, ready to knock on it to announce her presence. The Student President had skipped breakfast to make time for Retsu's coffee, figuring that the other girl would give her a time limit or something. After all, Yoshino didn't expect Retsu to wait all day for her. And it wasn't like this was the first time Yoshino had gone off without breakfast. Just another trial to be faced and overcome by the one titled with Student President. Ignoring the slight rumbling of her stomach, Yoshino stood at attention and lightly rapped on the door.

[color=black]"Mhmm."[/color]

Retsu had her mouth full, but wanted to let Yoshino know she was there. Putting her bowl down, finishing her food, and wiping her mouth, Retsu grabbed two cups of coffee with one hand and headed to her door. Checking the peep hole, she saw that it was Yoshino. Alone. The door opened.

[color=black]"Hello. I'll admit, I'm surprised you actually took me up on my offer. Cereal?"[/color] Retsu beckoned for Yoshino to join her for breakfast. While she still had an incomplete bowl of cereal to finish, Retsu did also take out an empty bowl for Yoshino to eat out of.

[color=8493ca]"Greetings. I'm fine,"[/color] Yoshino lied, entering into the dorm room and taking a good look around. To be honest, she was surprised Retsu had such a large space all to herself, especially when it looked like it could house two or even three more people. The Student President sat down at the seat across from Retsu, not exactly sure what was the point of this session.

[color=8493ca]"It would be impolite of me if I didn't come. So here I am Goroshi-...Retsu. May I ask why you have such a big living quarters? The Purple Crown maintenance usually doesn’t make mistakes like this and if you want, I can arrange to move you to a more suitable dorm."[/color]

It was a nice start, considering Yoshino wasn't used to this interacting thing.

Retsu shrugged and went back to her cereal. Yoshino wanted to know why she lived in such a big room despite the lack of evidence that other people lived here. [color=black]"I was assigned dorm mates. It lasted for a little while before they simply left. I was told that more would be coming. Evidently that hasn't happened yet."[/color] What Retsu didn't tell her was that said dorm mates were the children of her father's friends. Retsu never really... bonded with them. They had their own circle. Retsu knew they didn't want to be with her, so she gave them permission to leave. It wasn't as though she really used everyone else's room for anything. The most she does is keep it from getting dusty.

[color=black]"I'm fine where I am. It'll be too much of a hassle to have to move to another dorm anyways. I keep my things in my room."[/color] Retsu finished up her cereal and began to wash her bowl.

[color=black]"Also Yoshino? I know that our alliance requires you and me to be in contact, but for the sake of both our secrecy it would be best if we don't see each other too often during school. While you may have the reputation of the student president, closest to the Black King, I have no such reputation. I intend to keep it like that. If I were to suddenly make appearances around you so soon after the Black King has opened her door to the Ebon Strykers, others may take notice and inquire about who I am. And the best way to keep a secret is to make sure no one ever has a reason to think about it. Not even my fellow Erasers know my true identity, while they at least know that you have some involvement with the Black King. Indeed, I've actually participated in an operation to investigate your own subordinates and to discover who they are in relation to the Black King. Nothing panned out, but I'd rather not be the one investigated myself."[/color]

[color=8493ca]"Yes, that makes sense,"[/color] Yoshino said with a nod, eyeing the empty bowl of cereal. [color=8493ca]"I could always have you assigned into the Student Council though I doubt that wouldn't end up blowing back in our faces. Besides, you don't strike me as the type to make herself known anyway. Though my client will have to inform the other Ebony Strykers that Dark Wraith will be the Black King's Deputy. At least that way they won't question your sudden appearance."[/color]

The bespectacled girl shifted her glasses, lifting the mug up and taking a small sip. Once again she only put about two spoonfuls of sugar with no cream, leaving the liquid bitter and almost tasteless. Taking in the comforting scent of the hot drink, she checked the time to see that they had half an hour left before school started.

[color=8493ca]"I went ahead and informed the school that we'll be coming in late due to official Student Council business. Just in case you wanted to chat more with me. I won't lie, it's nice to speak to someone that isn't part of the Student Council. As you can imagine, my job takes up most of my time,"[/color] she said mechanically.

[color=black]"I would imagine so. It does make me question... what's your stake in all of this?"[/color] Retsu looked directly at Yoshino. This was what she wanted to ask yesterday, but couldn't due to the time. Yoshino came off as the "perfect student council president" and yet she has an abysmal of DG Credentials, or so she claims, and allied directly with the Black King. And she knows fully well that the Black King wants to shut down the system; that was almost counterproductive to what a School President should do. Even if she dislikes games, they were part of the life and culture here. So why would Yoshino be so willing to risk her neck out for something that would tear apart the entire city?

[color=black]"It does seem rather strange to me that the Student Council President would be so willing to ally with the Black King, certainly after the controversy that destroyed the Black Guild last time. You know... if we start making progress... you'd be in danger. There's a reason why the Erasers work in secret. Despite what we want, no one wants Deep Ground gone. And if they figure out that's what the Black King is trying to do, they'll come after you."[/color]

[color=8493ca]"Very perceptive Retsu,"[/color] Yoshino said dryly. [color=8493ca]"But yes, I know the risks of getting involved. However, I've known the Black King since before the fall of the last Black Guild. I'm quite used to people putting their curiosities where they shouldn't be. I've managed to deal with things you couldn't imagine by myself. And I'll continue to do so for the sake of my client. I'm just a figure head for Moon Rider's plans. We both share the same goals and outlooks. That's all."[/color]

Yoshino stared into her coffee cup as she said all this, keeping from making direct contact with the other girl in the room. Yes, she had worked alone so far. This prospect was nothing new to her and it was the only way she knew now how to function.

[color=8493ca]"Besides, if I have to be perfectly honest with you Retsu, if something were to happen to me, the world would never know Moon Rider's secrets."[/color]

She left those words hang in the air, testing to see how sharp Retsu really was. It wouldn't surprise her if the redhead had already figured it out and from her stand point, it wouldn't change much. If Retsu defected, she was willing to find her own outcome alone once more.

[color=black]"Be that as it may, I doubt Moon Rider could operate so well without you."[/color] Retsu had her hunches. Yoshino was Moon Rider. Just about everyone had that guess, and frankly, Retsu figured it would be the case. But she never said it explicitly. [color=black]"Or could she? She's already been this quiet. If you were gone, who's to say she wouldn't simply choose another? Someone who's gullible or malleable enough? I doubt it was because of your status as student president that why you of all people were chosen to be the spokesperson of the Black King. Our goals align... and despite what little we know, it's uncanny how similar we are in perspective."[/color]

Retsu sat next to Yoshino, sipping her own coffee. She had poured a bit of her cereal milk into the coffee to cool it down and give it a creamy flavor. [color=black]"Everyone wants to know who the Black King is. But I want to know who Tsugumi Yoshino is. Without the Black King, without Deep Ground, without the school or the council... Who's this girl?"[/color]

Yoshino glanced over, not sure how to feel with how close Retsu was being and how she was asking such probing questions. Though even she had to be amazed that this girl was genuinely curious about her, and not her client for once. 

[color=8493ca]"Can I answer that with a question of my own? Why do you care so much? I keep saying this, but we only just met last night. And I know it's probably for business reasons that you would want to know me better...but it really doesn't sound that way. Retsu, why do you care about me, about Tsugumi Yoshino?"[/color]

[color=black]"Because if I wanted to know more about the black king, I would speak to Moon Rider. But right now I'm in the presence of Tsugumi Yoshino. Why should I speak about anyone else?"[/color] Simply blunt. Retsu downed her coffee quickly, standing up to get herself a second cup. She didn't pour any milk in it this time however, though she did drop a sugar cube and stirred. 

[color=black]"Without a doubt anyone who meets you only wants to know about Moon Rider. Who she is, what you do for her, if you are her. They see you as just a... a door to someone greater. That sickens me. Moon Rider is a character, and nothing more. Maybe if I was interested in her I would be in Deep Ground right now, talking to her. But I'm not. I never asked for you to bring Moon Rider, or for you to arrange a meeting for her and myself. I want to know you because you are a person worth knowing. You do so much for the school, not just the black king."[/color] Retsu took a sip.

[color=black]"But that means nothing. They only see Moon Rider, the enigmatic ruler of the Black City. As far as they care, you're not any more important to Moon Rider then Moon Rider's sword. I don't want to be like that. I don't see you as merely a tool, a means to an end, a method to a madness. I don't care about masks and the roles we play. I want to know about someone. And you're the only one who's important enough for me to know."[/color] Retsu took another sip of her coffee. She added another sugar cube.

To say that the Student President was surprised was a gross understatement. She listened on with slightly widened eyes, taking in Retsu's speech. This girl....she was simple but she saw through what most people could not see or perceive with uncanny ease.

[color=8493ca]"Well...it's been a long time since I've heard anyone say something like that, let alone to me,"[/color] Yoshino said with a growing smile. [color=8493ca]"Are you sure you don't want to join the Student Council? You have refined speech giving skills Retsu. But joking aside...there's nothing much to say about me really."
[/color]

Yoshino played with her glasses as she leaned forward in thought. There were quite a few people she could think of that would kill to be in Retsu's position right now. To have the enigmatic Student President talking one on one with them was almost as good as talking to the Moon Rider's real world Player. It was almost like they were one and the same, though it was too early to be jumping into conclusions.

[color=8493ca]"I can list off the name of everyone currently attending or staffing Purple Crown Academy,"[/color] she offered, hoping that was an acceptable starting point. [color=8493ca]"I don't have a favorite color specifically since I like them all, though I guess you can say purple and white are close competitors. Figures, right?"[/color]

Retsu smirked. [color=black]"It's a start."[/color]

An alarm rang in Retsu's head. Checking it, it said that they had ten minutes until seven. Retsu could make it on bike, but not on foot. [color=black]"We have ten minutes to get to class. We'll never make it on foot. Care to ride with me?"[/color] Walking towards the closet Retsu took out her bike. Same as before, though with a bit of adjustment, she would be able to give a bit more space for Yoshino to sit. [color=black]"We can talk more while we head to class."[/color]

[color=8493ca]"If you don't mind the extra weight,"[/color] Yoshino answered as she sat behind Retsu. [color=8493ca]"Though I can guarantee you that people will stop and stare. They'll recognize me and you. They might even think that we're..."[/color]

She didn't finish that statement, letting her new....friend fill in the blanks. Not that Yoshino cared either way given that it wasn't true but she didn't want Retsu to be the subject of teasing or threats from people already crushing on the Student President.

[color=black]"Don't worry. They won't see a thing."[/color]

Once the two girls were on the ground floor and mounted, Retsu kicked her kick-stand and rode off. Fast. [color=black]"Hang on and stay close."[/color] Retsu's normally ten-speed bike went about 40 mph down the hill, and from her furious pedaling, she intended to keep that speed. While she did eventually slow down, it was only to 20 mph, which was still rather fast for two girls on a bike. They sped past many people, including a gang of boys dancing in the street, but they never stayed around long enough for them to be seen.

Thanks to Retsu's need for speed, it only took them five minutes to get to the school. Their last obstacle was the Rules and Administration Office. Normally, Retsu would need to take a long winding turn through the parking lot and sidewalks to get by. But she could also just cut through the grass, and at this speed nothing short of the wall could actually stop her. Well, a wall, or a person.

Retsu turned a corner sharply, too sharply. Too fast, because she didn't see Morgan before Retsu reared up her bike and was about to run him over. Or her.

All the while, Yoshino clung on for dear life, casting an mildly annoyed glare at Retsu's back. She was all but launched off as the redhead screeched to a deafening grind near the Rules and Administration Office. It was a good thing she did though because Yoshino directed her glare at someone else hiding suspiciously. Someone that had better move before they get themselves run over.