Choice Made:
[x] Purchase Items From N20's Shop
-[x] Magical Audio Book 'Curtana' (5 shards)
-[x] Magical Audio Book 'Grendel' (5 shards)
-[x] Mundane Audio Book 'On Dragons' (1 shard)
-[x] Mundane Audio Book 'On Angels' (1 shard)
-[x] Mundane Audio Book 'Gae Bolg' (1 shard)
-[x] Total Cost: 13 shards
-[x] Morning
--[x] Interaction Option (Effects PEP for Magical Girls (33% Base Chance.) (Effects ??? For Non-Magical Girls (25% Chance) (Specifying Actions / Topics improves chances on a Case by Case Basis):
---[x] Aya
----[x] No need to rush things. Spend time getting to know your "new" friend.
----[x] Thank her for intervening earlier with Mrs. Balamore.
----[x] (If Aya's behavior seems off for any reason, ask what's wrong.)
-[x] Afternoon
--[x] Read a book. (Free Action)
---[x] On Grendel (Magical Audio Book, 50% Chance of Adding +10 to Training Rolls relating to Grendels Arm)
---[x] On Angels (Mundane Audio Book, 40 % Chance of Adding a +10 to Training Rolls relating to Angels Halo)
--[x] Rest and Relax with someone
---[x] Satsuki (Invite her for some cake and ice cream. Hang out. Relax. Have a good time.)
-[x] Night
---[x] On Curtana (Magical Audio Book, 50% Chance of Adding +10 to Training Rolls relating to Curtana)
---[x] Advanced Book on Runes (Roll 1d50 percent additional progress on Advanced Runes) (Currently at 18%)
--[x] Talk to the Assassin.
---[x] Bring more of Mum's cooking. And don't forget about your tea set.
---[x] Ask for more info on the Assassin Guild.
----[x] Reaper called herself the third best assassin. Who are the others? And what abilities do they have?
----[x] She mentioned them earlier but does she know anything more about these 'hunters'?
----[x] Ask her about her own abilities. You should know a good amount of them already but perhaps not everything. Her experience with using poisons for instance was a surprise. You're not asking for every single trump card but a general overview or skills she takes particular pride in. That could be useful.
----[x] How good is she at infiltration, scouting and information gathering?
--[x] Hunt Rifts
---[x] Tier 3
---[x] Tier 4
----[x] Summon Morgana to help you fight in the Rifts for a trial run and see how it works out.
Rolls:
Morning: Aya Interaction Total: 81
Afternoon: Grendel Audio Book Total: 61
Afternoon: Angels Audio Book Total: 77
Night: Curtana Audio Book Total: 71
Night: Advanced Rune Reading Total: 38
Effects:
Major Effects:
- Argent Gains a PEP (New Friendship Acquired)
Minor Effect:
- Gained 38% Proficiency at Reading Advanced Runes (46 Total)
- Gain + 10 to the next Grendel, Angels Halo, Curtana Training Roll.
POV: The Director
Your eyes narrow as you flick a finger and continue to scan over your data-slate. The thin piece of strengthened glass enchanted with various runes along its edges to help with clarity and a bunch of other things you honestly don't understand.
A mixture of technology and magic into a very convenient device that blends both privacy and convenience.
Unfortunately, the text you're reading on the screen is the complete opposite of convenient.
Well, no. It is convenient. The Hammer's Core finally came in this morning. And with it, a bunch of incredibly classified, restricted and whatever other word you can use for, Don't let the Grunts see this, documents.
A large white sphere, almost too large to fit into the loading bay doors, apparently having inflated in size beyond initial estimates after having to reforge the outer, mythril alloy shell for additional shielding and robustness. A strange mixture of metals that's very much redacted, but the Core itself has the Orders white, gold, black color scheme all over it along with various insignia's, emblems and what some might even call charms…
Being The Director means you can't just let the tech heads down in Engineering read over the technical documents, nooooo, you're also meant to understand most of the basic stuff about this piece of magical technology or whatever.
Well, okay, you're not. You could be clearing your Dailies right now and finding that next Waifu on one of your many Gacha games…
But Sam's sitting in your lap as you nuzzle into her shoulder, so you've got to put your best foot forward when it comes to this!
She giggles quietly as she somehow senses your distracted self, a gentle nudge with elbow bringing all your focus onto her in a split second before you untense and grunt quietly.
Apparently the Core was crafted from some sort of incredibly dense mineral found in an old mine off in some Order blacksite.
No actual location listed, even to you. But those fanatics always were stupidly guarded about their more powerful experiments.
The crystal, named The Goddesses Blessing, because of course it is, is infused with a frankly ludicrous amount of raw magical essence. So much so that it has to be stupidly old to have sucked in that much magical power… the crystal's been chipped and shaped in some way that amplifies the resonance of magic inside… creating the equivalent of a nuclear reactor, but fueled by a magical crystal that probably won't run out. Ever.
The reflection of magic creating an immense amount of heat in the core and said heat is funneled through a series of magically enchanted siphons to split some of the magic off to be used as needed.
Mostly turned into mechanical power, though the raw magic can be funneled into other parts of Hammer's form if you or whoever happens to be driving it wants it to.
Another slate, the one in Sam's hands, lists the overall state of Hammer's frame. Various weapon mounts, both mundane and magical lighting up green as she taps and fiddles with their placement.
She's always had a better eye for this sort of stuff, at least when it comes to precision and proper firing angles and whatever else.
…Though you're rather happy that Engineering and the Council agreed that the Hyper-Velocity Driver was needed.
Every Mech needs a Big Fucking Gun. And nothing screams BFG like a cannon as large as the mech is tall mounted over one of its shoulders.
…Sadly you can't actually fire the thing in city limits. Or anywhere near it unless it's a full scale Breach event.
The shockwave alone promising it to shatter at least half of the city's inner circle in radius based on its projections alone.
But eh, it's a sniping weapon, not a close combat one.
You've got a literal building sized plasma blade for that!
Sam can probably sense your excitement at reading that being ready if her little wiggle on your lap is any meaning, and the way her eyes glitter on meeting yours with a mixture of amusement and charm.
All boys dream of giant mecha. And that wish only gets stronger the older you get!
In more annoying news, the remote control systems for Hammer aren't ready. And probably won't be for a few months. Meaning you won't be able to actually use it. The joys of being, quote on quote. Magically Null.
Not actually like the Nulls. But just not able to form magical links with stuff.
Meaning, it's either Sam or someone who'll be piloting Hammer if something happens for the time being.
A finger flicks through Sam's slate, and as if reading your mind, she flicks to the training charts like you'd been wanting. She gets a cheek pressed on hers, and she shifts her hair a little so you can read easier.
Sims are going well, the two main pilots, codenamed as Rage and Calm, and the spare, Fear, all getting good scores … even if they aren't as good as Sam's solo one.
But your wifes always been exceptional in everything magical, and you'd have it no other way…
Though it's a bit… odd that there's a way to psychically connect with the Core even though you're not meant to send anyone with too high a magical sense or psychic sense close to it…
Yeah… definitely odd…. Also means you can't have Lily have a look at it when she gets back, no ones got a better feel for magic and machinery then she does. And if the eerie feeling the tech heads have been whispering about means anything, it'll only feel stronger for the Magi.
A few more flicks through your data-slate. More questions on why this spherical Core took so long to manufacture. Mostly answered by redacted answers relating to the Crystal forming the inner core and what you manage to piece together as being "really hard to shape and pierce without it exploding or cracking".
There's an addendum… right before the warning to not let people with high magical abilities near the Core…. But that's entirely marked out with black ink…
Either way… probably safe to assign another squad or two of guards to it… last thing you need is someone nosey poking their head where it doesn't belong.
You've gotten way too many complaints of Aqua poking around and trying to record things in far too short of a time…
A head shake, a sigh, a pat on the thigh by Sam, and you keep skimming through the stupidly long report while Sam does the same with hers.
Maybe today will actually be quiet and uneventful?
…Fuck you just jinxed it didn't you?
POV: Fillia
Morning comes around once more, and this time, it's not with any terrifying nightmares or strange visions.
…Actually, it's not with a dream at all really. Just you flopping onto bed with a wonderfully exaggerated flump. And then blacking out.
All after a warm shower to get any water or chill from your hair. Babr-e Bayan protected you from actually getting wet, but you still felt slick and damp just being in the rain.
Maybe you don't like rain? Or maybe you like it, but just don't like the getting wet portion of it?
You contemplate the thought as you roll around in your bed, silently making a sound of joy in your head as you twist from one side to the other, hands unconsciously clutching the Doll to your chest as it gets squished whenever you roll onto your stomach.
But there's no complaint from the bundle of fluff and warmth and cloth in your hands as it pops back into shape.
Your hands hold it above your face. Looking into its button eyes as they stare back at you. Yet nothing changes. And so you let it fall onto your chest again and slowly rise.
A hand brushing through a pair of cream pajamas as your arms stretch above you and your joints pop in a satisfying feeling.
Today feels like a good day. And while Murphy or Fate or whatever other cliche might rule otherwise. You're going to do all you can to make today better than yesterday. Or any other day.
… You were gonna say that's not hard to do… but if you exclude all the nightmares and stuff… that's probably actually rather easy to do….
Maybe?
Eh, you'll make it up as you go, that's kinda how you've always done it. Don't fix what's not broken and all that.
Mum seems to notice your more chipper mood if the smile she gives you is anything to go by, eyes opening just a bit wider when she spots you up and about when she opens your door.
You smile back at her, leaning into her hug as she tells you food should be ready soon.
The rest of the morning is textbook, eating with family, getting dressed with Mum's help to tie your ribbon. Ignoring that flash of chilling Fear when she touches it.
Honestly, it's all become kind of robotic at this stage, though noting small changes does keep things interesting.
Like how your sisters wearing her glasses today on the way to school, your raised eyebrow getting a small blush but no explanation.
Alice is a constant in a life of whirling wind, always at the front of your door when you open it, always smiling brightly at you, though your own smile and hug into her chest has her sputter on her reply…
You think she actually keens a little when you do that, but that might just be you hearing things.
A glance around shows that the usual assortment of guards follow along in their hidden, but not really hidden ways.
Grey on the rooftops, invisible, but a wireframe.
Vermont doing his usual gig and flirting with various ladies when he passes… somehow making it look stealthy and natural, even if his eyes occasionally look at someone a little lower than you think they should.
The voices grumble a little too, and you agree that he seems as shady as always, even if he hasn't done anything…
Strom's as dapper as always. A mix of white and blue and orange blending into a flashy but surprisingly ordinary look as he follows close by. Eyes on a swivel, and very much alert for anything.
Maybe being a crook gives him training on this stuff or something. You dunno.
A flash of blue hair reveals Hayate or whatever Alice's guard was called. Smiling brightly at some people who approach him, and joining in conversation with them, yet never letting Alice stray from his gaze before cleanly joining back up with the group as if he was never gone.
You enjoy Alice's company as you get to school. Taking a breath and running through today's plan. Time to start integrating yourself into Aya's friend group. And seeing just what you can make this friendship into!
And here we have Chapter 74 for you alll~ Hopefully its a fun chapter with some plot advancement! We've got a heap to do, but a bit of worldbuilding never hurts right?
Stuff is advancing as the days tick over. Lets see if this Hammer is ever needed, or if it ends up being mothballed by our actions~ Should be fun either way!
Cya tomorrow for more AMA goodness! And thank you all for the support and feedback! love hearing your lurkers coming in and sharing your thoughts. Every opinion is super helpful to hear! Huuugs all!
