Knightfall
Nui lover and Slaaneshi
- Location
- New York, New York
Great so now we're like Eva pilots in the Rebuild films.
Meguca Micro Empire Quest (PMMM)
- Thread starter inverted_helix
- Start date
Done
You are stressing way too much about this. I just don't think teenage girls minds are that twisty. Heck, my mind isn't that twisty.
helix has told us this will be a problem in the future, but so far we haven't had anything occur with it. Nine to eleven isn't impossible for a growth spurt to not yet happen. Some girls do sprout late, but another couple years and there will be trouble.
No. That's not true.
Vets are capable of casting short term illusions to pass as older when they need to. Not constant hard light illusions that would pass the scrutiny of family members.
Hmm. Where are you getting four casualties from? We've had two hunting deaths (Keiko on turn 5, Hitomi on turn 11), but no grief spiral deaths (though there was a close one with Kaoru; Mami spent extra cubes to keep her alive). Seto's team had 4 deaths before they joined us, from the class 3, but either including or excluding those wouldn't match your stated total of four.
notanautomaton
I've got 99 quests, I've finished one
I must be misremembering.
If we are really worried about the aging issue, then we need to get started on those body modification magic research options.
Something that I just noticed:
From what I remember, our next-youngest is Kaori, our 11 going on 13 1/2 Iwata kidnappee whose mother briefly thought Mami was a Yakuza princess. For now the only thing I can think of is constant illusions, and spending most of her free time at the safehouses.
It's been implied that actual shapeshifting magic is going to be... complex:
At the same time, a primary Diplomacy booster, with maybe a side effect of raising Morale, seems like a good idea for the Area 10/17 recruit actions, given that we're using Mami elsewhere this month.
Hey, now that you mention it how did that happen? I mean:
$2500 in apartments should get us 15 space, not 20; where is the extra 5 space coming from? Is it Mami's apartment (probably a condo, actually)? That's the one that's basically paid for, and we're keeping because it's something we own instead of just rent, but we can rent out for $1200 a month because even if it's smaller it's probably in a nicer area or something, right?
Heh, I was just thinking about this myself. On one hand, little 9 going on 11 1/2 Yuma is an orphan IIRC, so no parents to distract. She's probably using an illusion for school at this point, like many of our younger ones, and being careful not to touch anyone (compensating by being very huggy around the Serene?)
From what I remember, our next-youngest is Kaori, our 11 going on 13 1/2 Iwata kidnappee whose mother briefly thought Mami was a Yakuza princess. For now the only thing I can think of is constant illusions, and spending most of her free time at the safehouses.
It's been implied that actual shapeshifting magic is going to be... complex:
So, long-term research project at best, possibly with a side-order of bribing Kyubey for admin-level access to our Soul Gem programming. For now the only thing we can do is illusions. Maybe we can figure out a way to cross-train girls in illusion magic so it's less draining for them? @inverted_helix I've asked about cross-training before; any way to train meguca in different specialties? Maybe research ways to do it more effectively/efficiently?
While a good point about how every girl has different computing needs, this is PMMM, with its tech boost relative to our own universe, so I figure "netbook" is really more like a convertible tablet to begin with, the sort of thing you're starting to see in larger numbers today and I'm fairly certain will just be how things are by 2020.
Eh, maybe I'm over-thinking things. I still maintain that trying to use our big morale action to boost Diplomacy is probably going to negatively affect the primary Morale goal of the action, and I really want to get back up to the 5 morale we had back on Turn 14-15.
At the same time, a primary Diplomacy booster, with maybe a side effect of raising Morale, seems like a good idea for the Area 10/17 recruit actions, given that we're using Mami elsewhere this month.
Heh, I think you're forgetting how much more dangerous baseline hunting is without all our mods and training. Solo hunting starts with a base 20% casualty chance, even with no DS modifier. "Doing fine" means you only almost die every five months.
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Actually... isn't that $1000 per +6 units, so $4000 would be +24?
That suggests a house actually only produces one extra housing unit. That can't be right, I remember the difference being much greater. Maybe it got adjusted in the thread but never made it back to the main page?
Who is up for a thread crawl?
And yes, I think Mami's apartment does give us extra space...
Did you find the actual Kyubey quote? That would be useful to review.
Mami's is separate, and just 3 space.
Not sure how we ended up with 20 in the apartments, though I remember that we dropped rentals on a portion of them, so I think we were above 20, then dropped back to 20 with a certain cost reduction. Vaguely remembering that the houses were supposed to be slightly more cost-efficient than the apartments, but I could be wrong.
And also remembering that we have two houses, at 25 each. Makes more sense. (Also makes the house party much less tenable.)
Need to go review things to see how the money shifted around.
I'm going to guess that if we ever get around to completing the Strength/Speed/Durability research projects, that that experience in manipulating their bodies will open up a research tree for the general shapeshifting.
Yeah. Might be simpler from a game management standpoint to just call them netbooks, and not worry about whether they're more like tablets or notebooks.
Wow, I'd forgotten we'd gotten it that high. Was thinking 4 was a good goal. We really took a dive to fall all the way back down to 3.
True.Heh, I think you're forgetting how much more dangerous baseline hunting is without all our mods and training. Solo hunting starts with a base 20% casualty chance, even with no DS modifier. "Doing fine" means you only almost die every five months.
Knightfall
Nui lover and Slaaneshi
- Location
- New York, New York
Are we ever recruiting Oriko and Kirika?
Do we even know they exist? From either an IC or OOC perspective?
Knightfall
Nui lover and Slaaneshi
- Location
- New York, New York
I have no clue.
Housing history:
Apartments were originally acquired on turn 2, described as 4 cheap, run-down apartments in the same building. Upkeep was $3000 from the start. Implied cost of $750 each.
Turn 12: Our apartments reached max capacity when we gained 3 vets and reached 26 total meguca (except Mami). Upkeep was $3000. Reaching max capacity when going from 23 to 26 implies 6 capacity per apartment.
The house was rented on turn 16. $4000 upkeep for 25 capacity, while the apartments' description was changed to be 3 apartments with 8 capacity each. Implied cost of $1000 per apartment.
Turn 16 was also the start of the water crisis. House rent was lowered for a period.
Turn 17, the apartments capacity was changed from 3x8 to a flat 25. At this point the apartments and house have the same capacity (25), at a cost of $3000 for the apartments and $4000 for the house.
Turn 21, apartment costs increased to $4000, while capacity increased from 25 to 31. This was the turn was rescued Kaori, and set up an 'away' post in Iwata. Capacity increase was by 6 (matching the original implied capacity), while the cost increase was by $1000.
Turn 26 (after absorbing Seto's group), apartment rent increased to $5500, while capacity increased from 31 to 43. This seems to be $750 for 6 capacity, x2.
Turn 27, we get the second house. House rent is $4000 for another 25 capacity. Apartment rent dropped by $3000, to 20 capacity (a reduction of 23 capacity, which is approximately $750 per 6 capacity).
Overall, it looks like we're maintaining 1 apartment in Iwata, plus 2 in the Mitakihara area, at a cost of ~$800 each. Maybe $1000x2 for 8x2 in Mitakihara, and $500 for 4 in Iwata.
Apartments were originally acquired on turn 2, described as 4 cheap, run-down apartments in the same building. Upkeep was $3000 from the start. Implied cost of $750 each.
Turn 12: Our apartments reached max capacity when we gained 3 vets and reached 26 total meguca (except Mami). Upkeep was $3000. Reaching max capacity when going from 23 to 26 implies 6 capacity per apartment.
The house was rented on turn 16. $4000 upkeep for 25 capacity, while the apartments' description was changed to be 3 apartments with 8 capacity each. Implied cost of $1000 per apartment.
Turn 16 was also the start of the water crisis. House rent was lowered for a period.
Turn 17, the apartments capacity was changed from 3x8 to a flat 25. At this point the apartments and house have the same capacity (25), at a cost of $3000 for the apartments and $4000 for the house.
Turn 21, apartment costs increased to $4000, while capacity increased from 25 to 31. This was the turn was rescued Kaori, and set up an 'away' post in Iwata. Capacity increase was by 6 (matching the original implied capacity), while the cost increase was by $1000.
Turn 26 (after absorbing Seto's group), apartment rent increased to $5500, while capacity increased from 31 to 43. This seems to be $750 for 6 capacity, x2.
Turn 27, we get the second house. House rent is $4000 for another 25 capacity. Apartment rent dropped by $3000, to 20 capacity (a reduction of 23 capacity, which is approximately $750 per 6 capacity).
Overall, it looks like we're maintaining 1 apartment in Iwata, plus 2 in the Mitakihara area, at a cost of ~$800 each. Maybe $1000x2 for 8x2 in Mitakihara, and $500 for 4 in Iwata.
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Here; there's a whole discussion in Turn 21:
Keep in mind that these experiments were most likely done during the Madokami universal retcon, so results will likely vary now. I like the thought that completing Strength+Durability+Speed might unlock general shapeshifting, but I think we're probably still going to have to bribe Kyubey for admin access to our gems each time, at least for awhile.
From what I can tell, everything sort of shuffled around after Seto's group joined. (Edit): ninja'd by @Kinematics' far more in-depth review.
And yes, 25 to a house; they are rather small, after all, although even something that size is likely 5-6 rooms. A house party for 71 people is just not going to work in such a space; even hosting a dinner for 71 is going to involve very cramped quarters and putting tables in almost every room. That's one reason I've been waffling between 1.0 vets and 0.5 vets for the meet-and-greet, and only having half the Serenes attend (that's still out-numbering the invitees 3 to 1), or maybe having two separate dinners.
If they're anywhere they're going to be in the Coalition, probably leading it frankly. It's very similar to a situation from TTS itself, actually; in that one I don't think they joined Mami's group, and died during what in this thread would be considered a Class 3 demon attack.
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
There were spiral deaths on turns 1 and 5.
Ah. Turn 1 was a confusing read, and I thought it was saying that her sister had died, and that she had to live on. But yeah, looks like one death, there.
And I somehow missed that sentence in the middle of the turn 5 paragraph.
So yes, 4 total deaths: 2 in hunting, 2 from grief spirals.
Oof that's a confusing read even for me. I've swapped things around a fair bit as I assessed and reassessed housing costs. Each time I'm sure seemed individually reasonable, but collectively it's ridiculous.
What's with the eldritch text in this paragraph anyways?
And yeah if you get netbooks the distinction between them and tablets is pretty much just below level of abstraction. Especially as its a good point that you're probably looking at convertible tablets in PMMM anyways.
Because I didn't think I could put enough loathing into the word politics over a text medium without it.
Politics
Politics
p͓͎̺͇̤ͅo͇͈̤lit̮ͅi̥̮̦̰͈͓͓c̦͕̻̟s͖͇͍̤̠̭
p̤͖̻͉͓͔̳o͕l͚͈̼i̮̘̘t̥͚͖͚͉̬͈i̥c͖̲̭̦̤̖̹̗s̻̺̺̝̱̭̪
ṕ̧̛̤o̧҉̟͈͍ͅl̴̞̘̪̺̖̞̯̕i̸͇̦t͓̠̙͍̱̙͜i̖͍͠c͏̠̠̪̞ś̛͕̯
Pͬ͂̒̋͐̓͏̶͍̤O̵̱͖̭̗ͬ̌͌̽̐ͩL̨̧͉̩͕͋̏I͍̭̯̹̱̽̓͝T̖̝̰̰̳̫͕̓̒ͭ͠ͅIͣ͂́̓͑̚҉̵͉͙̥̞̝C̶̬̮̄̊̍̂̕͡S̢̲̬͊͑̿́̎͑ͧ͆ͫ
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Omake: Dreams of a Better Tomorrow
Now for something completely different. In honor of how I went just a little overboard with the whole magical functional programming language thing, I give you:
Dreams of a Better Tomorrow
---
"Keiko. Keiko.... Keiko!"
Keiko sat up at her desk and blinked at her teacher, Kagami-sensei. "Whuh?" she muttered incoherently, to the giggles of her classmates.
The teacher's lecture was interrupted by the bell and the sounds of quickly fleeing students. Keiko was asked to stay.
"Honestly, Keiko," Kagami-sensei sighed, "I know you're getting top grades in every class, but falling asleep is very disruptive."
"I know," Keiko looked down; she couldn't exactly explain what she was doing all night, after all! "I just... I'm sorry, sensei, but history is just so boring! I've read the entire book for the year already, so I'm just sitting here listening to a repeat performance of what I already know. It's not like chemistry class; there's some interesting properties of Group III metals that might help out with, well, one of my outside projects, and-"
"Keiko," the teacher interrupted. "Okay, I understand. I think I have something that can help."
Kagami-sensei walked over to the classroom's small bookshelf and pulled out a thin volume. "Here, try reading this in class if you get bored," she said, handing the book to Keiko. "I think you'll like that one; something tells me you would be kindred spirits."
Keiko stared down at the title. "My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla...."
--------
Katsuko had a hand firmly planted on her face. "Keiko, Kei, just... just stop. There's no way this will work."
Keiko stood proudly beside a three-foot tall metal tower she had built on her messy desk, made of salvaged antennas, duct tape, and pink rhinestones. "Of course it will Kat. It's brilliant! I read all about something similar they can do with electricity. This is just a small proof of concept, of course; the proper version will have to be as tall as the house, but if it works right we can use this to charge the air itself with magic, throughout all of Mitakihara. We'd never have to worry about recharging enchantments. Never have to worry about grief spirals. It's perfect!"
"It's cracked!" exclaimed Katsuko. "You have no idea if this will work at all, and even if it did it's far more likely to screw something up than be beneficial. This is not something to experiment with."
Keiko snorted. "Bah, you're just being negative. Can't you feel the magic in the air already Kat? It's already working!"
Katsuko paled. "You've already charged that thing?" she asked.
Keiko shrugged. "Just a quarter cube's worth," she admitted. "You can only feel anything if you put your gem right near it. Here, let me put the rest of the cube into it, see if you can feel it from the door. I-urk!"
Keiko suddenly found herself pressed up against the wall by two weapons, one held by Shinobu and the other by Kyouko. "What?" she gasped.
Katsuko held up her phone, the text "Defcon 3" showing on the screen. "Sorry, Keiko, had to call it in."
Keiko sputtered. "But! But that's ridiculous! This isn't anywhere near a 3."
Katsuko raised an eyebrow. "You were about to do the laugh, Kei. Admit it."
Keiko struggled a bit further, then slumped in defeat. "...okay fine, I was. Happy?"
"I will be in a minute." Katsuko walked over to Keiko's 'magic tower', and carefully started to drain and dismantle it. "Well there's your problem," she muttered, half to herself.
"Hey, how come you're allowed to quote Mythbusters and I'm not?"
"Because every time you quote them it's always, 'Something something C4.' And I didn't say you couldn't; I just said I'd raise the Keiko Defcon by a point every time you did."
Keiko pouted for ten minutes straight after that.
Dreams of a Better Tomorrow
---
"Keiko. Keiko.... Keiko!"
Keiko sat up at her desk and blinked at her teacher, Kagami-sensei. "Whuh?" she muttered incoherently, to the giggles of her classmates.
The teacher's lecture was interrupted by the bell and the sounds of quickly fleeing students. Keiko was asked to stay.
"Honestly, Keiko," Kagami-sensei sighed, "I know you're getting top grades in every class, but falling asleep is very disruptive."
"I know," Keiko looked down; she couldn't exactly explain what she was doing all night, after all! "I just... I'm sorry, sensei, but history is just so boring! I've read the entire book for the year already, so I'm just sitting here listening to a repeat performance of what I already know. It's not like chemistry class; there's some interesting properties of Group III metals that might help out with, well, one of my outside projects, and-"
"Keiko," the teacher interrupted. "Okay, I understand. I think I have something that can help."
Kagami-sensei walked over to the classroom's small bookshelf and pulled out a thin volume. "Here, try reading this in class if you get bored," she said, handing the book to Keiko. "I think you'll like that one; something tells me you would be kindred spirits."
Keiko stared down at the title. "My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla...."
--------
Katsuko had a hand firmly planted on her face. "Keiko, Kei, just... just stop. There's no way this will work."
Keiko stood proudly beside a three-foot tall metal tower she had built on her messy desk, made of salvaged antennas, duct tape, and pink rhinestones. "Of course it will Kat. It's brilliant! I read all about something similar they can do with electricity. This is just a small proof of concept, of course; the proper version will have to be as tall as the house, but if it works right we can use this to charge the air itself with magic, throughout all of Mitakihara. We'd never have to worry about recharging enchantments. Never have to worry about grief spirals. It's perfect!"
"It's cracked!" exclaimed Katsuko. "You have no idea if this will work at all, and even if it did it's far more likely to screw something up than be beneficial. This is not something to experiment with."
Keiko snorted. "Bah, you're just being negative. Can't you feel the magic in the air already Kat? It's already working!"
Katsuko paled. "You've already charged that thing?" she asked.
Keiko shrugged. "Just a quarter cube's worth," she admitted. "You can only feel anything if you put your gem right near it. Here, let me put the rest of the cube into it, see if you can feel it from the door. I-urk!"
Keiko suddenly found herself pressed up against the wall by two weapons, one held by Shinobu and the other by Kyouko. "What?" she gasped.
Katsuko held up her phone, the text "Defcon 3" showing on the screen. "Sorry, Keiko, had to call it in."
Keiko sputtered. "But! But that's ridiculous! This isn't anywhere near a 3."
Katsuko raised an eyebrow. "You were about to do the laugh, Kei. Admit it."
Keiko struggled a bit further, then slumped in defeat. "...okay fine, I was. Happy?"
"I will be in a minute." Katsuko walked over to Keiko's 'magic tower', and carefully started to drain and dismantle it. "Well there's your problem," she muttered, half to herself.
"Hey, how come you're allowed to quote Mythbusters and I'm not?"
"Because every time you quote them it's always, 'Something something C4.' And I didn't say you couldn't; I just said I'd raise the Keiko Defcon by a point every time you did."
Keiko pouted for ten minutes straight after that.
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Omake: Tsundere Taura (Part 1)
Omake: Tsundere Taura (Part 1)
When Goldilocks had told them all about the wonders of her organization, they really hadn't expected this. She really had a house, a big house. Suzuko looks around the big room off the entryway, there were almost a dozen other girls here, had the blonde princess called ahead for her whole team to assemble to meet the new recruits? Would there be some kind of hazing initiation? Yet... the girls all seemed to be busy watching television, television! A few look up curiously at the newcomers, while others smile and give a big "welcome home" to the blonde. They couldn't really be that casual about strangers walking into their base, could they?
Suzuko's frantic attempts to follow what the blonde girl was saying, (something about communal television policies), while at the same time watching every other girl in the room for a possible initiation of violence, was completely shattered when a loud telepathic debate erupted.
This is bad, Urako starts it off. They'll break us up to get us each alone, then fall on us like a pack of wolves.
Don't say that, Manami contributes, they look happy, maybe this is the miracle we've been hoping for?
Miracles have prices you don't want to pay, insists Urako, we're going to regret this. If we survive.
Suzuko tries her best to refocus on the blonde - Tomoe-san right? Now aware this was Hope versus Despair round nineteen, special circumstances edition, Suzuko knew that paying attention to the new boss was more important. The best thing she could do to help her team was to make a good impression. As long as they could show they were useful Goldilocks would value them. Once again Suzuko became self-consciously aware how worn out they looked. So far below all the other girls here, with their shampooed hair, and their clean clothes, and... and...
Suzuko panics a little when she realizes she has no idea what Tomoe-san had been explaining. Couldn't Manami and Urako keep their arguing private for just ten minutes? Fortunately golden girl wasn't expecting anything more than a nod. Apparently the tour was going to continue. Did she really have to push it in their faces how much better off they were?
The buzzing telepathic debate suddenly ended with the unexpected intervention of Kaiya, If they are going to kill us, I hope they feed us first.
Before Tomoe-san could lead them to the next part of her tour, one of the girls sitting in a chair in the room got up and approached them. Short dusty blue hair, and an emotionless mien on her face, Suzuko was getting creepy vibes. Without introduction the new girl interrupted Goldilocks's preview of the next stop on this tour., "Keiko appeared very excited about a new idea she had this morning, I think you should go talk to her."
Mami was surprised, and a little worried, what could Keiko be up to now that would worry Taura of all people. "I'll stop by right after I've shown our newest members around the house-"
"You should go now." Taura's carefully controled face and voice shows no emotion, but Mami is immediately on guard. "I'll show the new members around."
Mami's face shows none of the panic she is now feeling. For Taura to volunteer for social interaction with strangers? Keiko must be about to open a portal to unlimited demonic invaders, or something similarly catastrophic. "My apologies, apparently there is something that needs my attention, but Taura here has been with the Serenissima Imperium since the beginning." Mami then hurries as fast as she could while appearing not to hurry towards the basement where Keiko had her lab.
Suzuko had followed the byplay with great interest. Any clue as to the social hierarchies would be useful. No honorifics, or even a name, apparently Goldie wasn't the indisputable leader after all? Or maybe this girl was part of the inner circle? Allowed a certain familiarity?
She's gone to prepare the ambush, thought Urako.
Taura calmly stares at the four girls for a moment, who were feeling a bit on edge about their host suddenly disappearing, before speaking in a soft but firm voice, "Follow me."
The strange quiet girl leads them into the kitchen where she pulls out the makings for sandwiches and begins constructing one. Suzuko is a bit off kilter by the sudden shift from Goldie's volubility to this silent tour guide, still she notices that there are two more girls in the kitchen chatting over snacks. How many girls were there in this house? Could the claim of over fifty girls really be true?
Kaiya however was fixated on the sandwich making. Truth be told Manami was stealing glances as well, and even Urako was having a hard time, though she seemed to take this as a possible distraction attempt, and was even more on guard than before. Still Urako was salivating. As was Suzuko to be honest, not that she would show any sign of weakness, food wasn't even required by a magical girl anyway. She might be poor compared to these girls, but she still had her pride.
Before Suzuko could ask their guide what they should do next, Taura interrupts her by shoving the sandwich materials across the counter to her girls. "Here, make yourselves sandwiches," Taura deadpans, "Now I am being a good host. I'm not shirking my duties because I wanted to eat."
One of the other Serene girls, with short light blue hair, suddenly chokes on her snack. The other next to her pounds her on the back. Aided by this distraction, Kaiya and Manami begin making sandwiches before Suzuko can respond. Make mine without mustard, thinks Urako, keeping her back to the rest of her group and her eyes moving to identify possible threats.
Giving into the inevitable, and passing a request to Manami for butter, not mayo, Suzuko takes a seat on a stool at the counter, her mind whirling to interpret the signals this Taura girl was sending out. Taura, while chewing on her sandwich, pulls down a basket full of apples from atop the fridge. Sayaka (for the light blue haired girl was she), having recovered from her choking cuts in with a warning, "Taura-san, those are Kyouko's, you know how she gets about her food."
Taura takes an apple from the basket, holds it in front of her, and then with slow deliberation, takes a bite. After chewing and swallowing, Taura pushes the basket towards the Tokyo girls and responds to Sayaka. "The new girls asked for them," Taura glances over at them, "they were so pitiful, starving, they begged so desperately, I had to give them to them." Taura tilts her head, "Right girls?" Chills ran across Suzuko's back at the way Taura said this line without emotion in either her face or voice.
"Rght!" agrees Kaiya, her mouth full of apple, "We bevgd. Pbbtfitabbfuly."
"Sure" grins Urako while plucking an apple from the basket, "why not?" You know what this means, Urato sends to Suzuko.
"See Miki-san," Taura turns back to Sayaka, "you know what a soft touch Sakura-san is with new girls." Her look at Sayaka turns intent, "She can't be angry if they were starving." At this reassurance, Manami gives in and grabs an apple as well.
"I suppose that's true," smirks Sayaka, watching as Taura continues to slowly eat her apple and sandwich, while the Tokyo girls, with one exception, ate without restraint.
Yes, I know what this means, thinks Suzuko, internal politics. Obviously this Taura girl led one of the internal factions in this Imperium. Sakura-san no doubt was her main rival. She had arranged taking over the tour so she could recruit them, and she had now indebted them to her, while offending Sakura in their name. That meant Taura's faction was probably the weaker, if she had to snatch up new girls, but she did seem close to the leader Tomoe-san, so her faction might be the best bet for her little group. Catching Taura's eye, Suzuko could tell the emotionless robot knew what she was thinking. Deliberately, Suzuko reached for one of the apples, and without breaking eye contact slowly took a bite. There, now she'll think I've accepted her offer, thought Suzuko, and who knows, if her faction can offer us sanctuary I might even do so for real.
Oh well, thought Urako to Suzuko, I guess this means they won't be killing us today... probably.
Taura watches silently as the Tokyo girls ate their food, pondering how to deal with the next issue. Ah well, she's built up an influence, might as well spend it, if it would allow her to be more direct and avoid all this annoying subtlety. "You're filthy," Taura speaks bluntly, "before I take you on the rest of a tour we'll visit the bath." Noticing that Suzuko was feeling offended and inferior again, Taura amended her pitch, "after all, I prefer a nice bath after eating. Usually I have to wait in line, but with you new girls I'm sure I can get an exception."
Seeing that believing she was being exploited had once again soothed Suzuko's pride, Taura wonders anew why she had ever wanted to know what people where thinking, it was an awful burden, to know what was behind people's smiles. Noticing that the Tokyo girls were almost finished eating, Taura licks her fingers, before getting to her feet. "Follow me," Taura says simply, controlling her voice as she always does. People are so sensitive to the slightest hint of emotion on the face or in the voice, better to keep everything neutral to avoid sending messages you don't want to.
Sayaka watches Taura lead her contingent of four dirty, but no longer hungry, girls to the bath, before turning to Minako in stunned amazement.
Minako is no less astonished, "What was that?!" she complains to Sayaka.
Glancing back at the exit Taura had left through Sayaka tried to process it, "was that... moe? Some strange new form of... tsundere moe? From Taura!?" Laughing delightedly at having discovered a new faucet of the Ice Princess, Sayaka turns back to Minako, "come on, we gotta see what happens next."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whew that took a long time. I've been germinating this omake ever since @FixerUpper posted the Tokyo Girls omake. I hope I got the characterization right. I originally wanted to write it primarily from Taura's perspective, but I just couldn't get the introduction to work right, so then I tried Mami's perspective, and that didn't work either. Finally I had to give in and write it from Suzuko's perspective, I hope I captured her personality well.
Basically, I just thought about how Mami really does like to show off a bit, but that that probably wouldn't go over well with these girls, especially Suzuko. I also figured that they would probably be more interested in food and a bath than a tour. Then I thought, what if Taura was there and realized this, and knowing that Mami would feed and bathe them first if she thought of it, Taura decides to take it on herself to make sure they have a good start with the Serenes.
Of course... it gets misinterpreted as always for Taura, but she's used to that now. (It's one of the reasons she was so delighted to see the same thing happen to Mami during the Yakuza incident, it was like seeing your idol suddenly reveal they have a secret weakness that is the same as yours.)
When Goldilocks had told them all about the wonders of her organization, they really hadn't expected this. She really had a house, a big house. Suzuko looks around the big room off the entryway, there were almost a dozen other girls here, had the blonde princess called ahead for her whole team to assemble to meet the new recruits? Would there be some kind of hazing initiation? Yet... the girls all seemed to be busy watching television, television! A few look up curiously at the newcomers, while others smile and give a big "welcome home" to the blonde. They couldn't really be that casual about strangers walking into their base, could they?
Suzuko's frantic attempts to follow what the blonde girl was saying, (something about communal television policies), while at the same time watching every other girl in the room for a possible initiation of violence, was completely shattered when a loud telepathic debate erupted.
This is bad, Urako starts it off. They'll break us up to get us each alone, then fall on us like a pack of wolves.
Don't say that, Manami contributes, they look happy, maybe this is the miracle we've been hoping for?
Miracles have prices you don't want to pay, insists Urako, we're going to regret this. If we survive.
Suzuko tries her best to refocus on the blonde - Tomoe-san right? Now aware this was Hope versus Despair round nineteen, special circumstances edition, Suzuko knew that paying attention to the new boss was more important. The best thing she could do to help her team was to make a good impression. As long as they could show they were useful Goldilocks would value them. Once again Suzuko became self-consciously aware how worn out they looked. So far below all the other girls here, with their shampooed hair, and their clean clothes, and... and...
Suzuko panics a little when she realizes she has no idea what Tomoe-san had been explaining. Couldn't Manami and Urako keep their arguing private for just ten minutes? Fortunately golden girl wasn't expecting anything more than a nod. Apparently the tour was going to continue. Did she really have to push it in their faces how much better off they were?
The buzzing telepathic debate suddenly ended with the unexpected intervention of Kaiya, If they are going to kill us, I hope they feed us first.
Before Tomoe-san could lead them to the next part of her tour, one of the girls sitting in a chair in the room got up and approached them. Short dusty blue hair, and an emotionless mien on her face, Suzuko was getting creepy vibes. Without introduction the new girl interrupted Goldilocks's preview of the next stop on this tour., "Keiko appeared very excited about a new idea she had this morning, I think you should go talk to her."
Mami was surprised, and a little worried, what could Keiko be up to now that would worry Taura of all people. "I'll stop by right after I've shown our newest members around the house-"
"You should go now." Taura's carefully controled face and voice shows no emotion, but Mami is immediately on guard. "I'll show the new members around."
Mami's face shows none of the panic she is now feeling. For Taura to volunteer for social interaction with strangers? Keiko must be about to open a portal to unlimited demonic invaders, or something similarly catastrophic. "My apologies, apparently there is something that needs my attention, but Taura here has been with the Serenissima Imperium since the beginning." Mami then hurries as fast as she could while appearing not to hurry towards the basement where Keiko had her lab.
Suzuko had followed the byplay with great interest. Any clue as to the social hierarchies would be useful. No honorifics, or even a name, apparently Goldie wasn't the indisputable leader after all? Or maybe this girl was part of the inner circle? Allowed a certain familiarity?
She's gone to prepare the ambush, thought Urako.
Taura calmly stares at the four girls for a moment, who were feeling a bit on edge about their host suddenly disappearing, before speaking in a soft but firm voice, "Follow me."
The strange quiet girl leads them into the kitchen where she pulls out the makings for sandwiches and begins constructing one. Suzuko is a bit off kilter by the sudden shift from Goldie's volubility to this silent tour guide, still she notices that there are two more girls in the kitchen chatting over snacks. How many girls were there in this house? Could the claim of over fifty girls really be true?
Kaiya however was fixated on the sandwich making. Truth be told Manami was stealing glances as well, and even Urako was having a hard time, though she seemed to take this as a possible distraction attempt, and was even more on guard than before. Still Urako was salivating. As was Suzuko to be honest, not that she would show any sign of weakness, food wasn't even required by a magical girl anyway. She might be poor compared to these girls, but she still had her pride.
Before Suzuko could ask their guide what they should do next, Taura interrupts her by shoving the sandwich materials across the counter to her girls. "Here, make yourselves sandwiches," Taura deadpans, "Now I am being a good host. I'm not shirking my duties because I wanted to eat."
One of the other Serene girls, with short light blue hair, suddenly chokes on her snack. The other next to her pounds her on the back. Aided by this distraction, Kaiya and Manami begin making sandwiches before Suzuko can respond. Make mine without mustard, thinks Urako, keeping her back to the rest of her group and her eyes moving to identify possible threats.
Giving into the inevitable, and passing a request to Manami for butter, not mayo, Suzuko takes a seat on a stool at the counter, her mind whirling to interpret the signals this Taura girl was sending out. Taura, while chewing on her sandwich, pulls down a basket full of apples from atop the fridge. Sayaka (for the light blue haired girl was she), having recovered from her choking cuts in with a warning, "Taura-san, those are Kyouko's, you know how she gets about her food."
Taura takes an apple from the basket, holds it in front of her, and then with slow deliberation, takes a bite. After chewing and swallowing, Taura pushes the basket towards the Tokyo girls and responds to Sayaka. "The new girls asked for them," Taura glances over at them, "they were so pitiful, starving, they begged so desperately, I had to give them to them." Taura tilts her head, "Right girls?" Chills ran across Suzuko's back at the way Taura said this line without emotion in either her face or voice.
"Rght!" agrees Kaiya, her mouth full of apple, "We bevgd. Pbbtfitabbfuly."
"Sure" grins Urako while plucking an apple from the basket, "why not?" You know what this means, Urato sends to Suzuko.
"See Miki-san," Taura turns back to Sayaka, "you know what a soft touch Sakura-san is with new girls." Her look at Sayaka turns intent, "She can't be angry if they were starving." At this reassurance, Manami gives in and grabs an apple as well.
"I suppose that's true," smirks Sayaka, watching as Taura continues to slowly eat her apple and sandwich, while the Tokyo girls, with one exception, ate without restraint.
Yes, I know what this means, thinks Suzuko, internal politics. Obviously this Taura girl led one of the internal factions in this Imperium. Sakura-san no doubt was her main rival. She had arranged taking over the tour so she could recruit them, and she had now indebted them to her, while offending Sakura in their name. That meant Taura's faction was probably the weaker, if she had to snatch up new girls, but she did seem close to the leader Tomoe-san, so her faction might be the best bet for her little group. Catching Taura's eye, Suzuko could tell the emotionless robot knew what she was thinking. Deliberately, Suzuko reached for one of the apples, and without breaking eye contact slowly took a bite. There, now she'll think I've accepted her offer, thought Suzuko, and who knows, if her faction can offer us sanctuary I might even do so for real.
Oh well, thought Urako to Suzuko, I guess this means they won't be killing us today... probably.
Taura watches silently as the Tokyo girls ate their food, pondering how to deal with the next issue. Ah well, she's built up an influence, might as well spend it, if it would allow her to be more direct and avoid all this annoying subtlety. "You're filthy," Taura speaks bluntly, "before I take you on the rest of a tour we'll visit the bath." Noticing that Suzuko was feeling offended and inferior again, Taura amended her pitch, "after all, I prefer a nice bath after eating. Usually I have to wait in line, but with you new girls I'm sure I can get an exception."
Seeing that believing she was being exploited had once again soothed Suzuko's pride, Taura wonders anew why she had ever wanted to know what people where thinking, it was an awful burden, to know what was behind people's smiles. Noticing that the Tokyo girls were almost finished eating, Taura licks her fingers, before getting to her feet. "Follow me," Taura says simply, controlling her voice as she always does. People are so sensitive to the slightest hint of emotion on the face or in the voice, better to keep everything neutral to avoid sending messages you don't want to.
Sayaka watches Taura lead her contingent of four dirty, but no longer hungry, girls to the bath, before turning to Minako in stunned amazement.
Minako is no less astonished, "What was that?!" she complains to Sayaka.
Glancing back at the exit Taura had left through Sayaka tried to process it, "was that... moe? Some strange new form of... tsundere moe? From Taura!?" Laughing delightedly at having discovered a new faucet of the Ice Princess, Sayaka turns back to Minako, "come on, we gotta see what happens next."
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Whew that took a long time. I've been germinating this omake ever since @FixerUpper posted the Tokyo Girls omake. I hope I got the characterization right. I originally wanted to write it primarily from Taura's perspective, but I just couldn't get the introduction to work right, so then I tried Mami's perspective, and that didn't work either. Finally I had to give in and write it from Suzuko's perspective, I hope I captured her personality well.
Basically, I just thought about how Mami really does like to show off a bit, but that that probably wouldn't go over well with these girls, especially Suzuko. I also figured that they would probably be more interested in food and a bath than a tour. Then I thought, what if Taura was there and realized this, and knowing that Mami would feed and bathe them first if she thought of it, Taura decides to take it on herself to make sure they have a good start with the Serenes.
Of course... it gets misinterpreted as always for Taura, but she's used to that now. (It's one of the reasons she was so delighted to see the same thing happen to Mami during the Yakuza incident, it was like seeing your idol suddenly reveal they have a secret weakness that is the same as yours.)
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You know, given that we all seem to have the same idea about Keiko, I'd like to nominate Keiko for Elite status.
Keiko Elite ability: +10 on Research rolls; Keiko has the same casualty chance for hunting demons as any other Elite, but only has the grief cube production of a Veteran, as she can't stop herself from trying to SCIENCE the demons.
Probably not, but... well, is that something that is forever set in stone? You get one bite at the apple, and then that's it, you can never try again, never grow beyond the level you were at when you had 2-6 months of experience, no matter how many years you work at it? That's a little sad.
I mean, right now we have the "quick and dirty" way to train an Elite (and no way for them to train themselves, so Kyouko, Mami and Seto are impossible under the current system), but no slow way. You'd think one would exist, much like our long-term research chances: 5% +5% per month invested.
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