[x] I'm fine
-[x] it wasn't my arm, just something from this museum
--[x] try to get her to explain the situation. She mentioned something about a Jewel Seed?
[x] leave room for conversation
[x] Put it back in the box. No one will be the wiser. Might need to explain to Nanoha that it wasn't your arm.
You try your best to smile reassuringly, despite your distinct lack of cheer. You tuck the stone into a small pocket on the inside of your front, rose patterned, panel. Her eyes flicker at the motion for an instance before turning back to you as you reply, "I'm fine, it," the fake, "wasn't my arm. I suspect it is from this... museum?" You hope it is a museum anyway, if it isn't you would have just given yourself away.
The magician's eyes light up, "ah, that's good!" just as fast as they lit up they dimmed as the looked at your distinct lack of an arm.
"Ah, that? That is an injury from... a long time ago," you give a bitter smile, memories of your past foolishness stabbing into your chest.
That a human could cut off your arm should not be.
Turning your attention to the arm once more you contemplate destroying it. You have run into many dead ends during your search for your arm, but none had the absolute gall as to actually have claimed to be it. Nor have they ever tried to forcefully attach to you.
Perhaps destroying it is too... petty.
That is not the way of the hermit. You are above such meaningless earthly desire. It is not with an effort of will that you let go of it, but rather acknowledgment of the truth. Your smile turns sincere and Nanoha's frown at your earlier words noticeably lessens.
"I think that for now it deserves to be put back in its rightful place."
You pick up the arm and put it back in the box. You close it, frowning as you see the tell tale signs of the former presence of wards, probably to bind and preserve the arm. Yet the absolute lack of lingering magic tells you that the wards have been gone for a while, and so you put it out of your mind and put it back on the stand.
Your acceptance of the arm's existence doesn't remove the fact that being in this room feels unpleasant. More than that, you should not stay in the room for too long, you don't know who summoned you, but you would much rather that they do not find you.
You take a deep sip of your sake, relishing in it taste, "Perhaps we could have this conversation somewhere else?" She gives an eager nod as you both walk out. You let her take the lead though you frown at some rather unrealistic, and frankly, ugly, depictions of oni as you take yet another sip of sake.
To your surprise, a ferret, of a type you know you have never seen, jumps onto the girl's shoulders, her familiar you presume, and the girl that starts the conversation, " I am Takamachi Nanoha, third grader at Seisho Elementary," your mind halts for a moment, processing that she is in fact as young as she looks, but restarts at her earnest look, "I'm collecting Jewel Seeds, because I don't want to see the city or people in danger. Yuuno," she stated, looking at her familiar, "was the one who found them, and is the one who needs to collect them." ah so he is not her familiar. Is Yuuno actually the instigator of this incident?
You move to take another sip of your sake to find your box empty. You have nowhere to put it down, but you don't have to. An oni's item is central to themselves, and is of themselves. With a few moments thought it disappears, returning to your essence.
The jewel seed shines for a moment, hidden from view
It doesn't take much to conclude that the jewel that brought you here is a Jewel Seed, so you go for the much more pertinent questions, "What are the jewel seeds, and what is your purpose of collecting them?" Just him finding them is insufficient reason for him to keep them after all. Especially if he already lost them once.
Magic tries to connect to your mind, a delayed part of your summoning perhaps, or someone trying to control you, and so you smack it down with instinctive ease. Yuuno flinches as if struck, and your gaze falls to him, "What did you attempt to do?" Nanoha was no longer smiling, a bewildered look, backing away from you, her hand on her staff shaking.
"I just... I was just using telepathy, what did you think I was doing?"
"Any magic that effects the mind is dangerous and can be exploited, using it against someone without warning is suspicious." you don't really believe it to be something as simple as telepathy, especially considering that he can talk, and wouldn't need it at this distance.
Ripples spread throughout space time.
"Telepathy isn't dangerous!" His eyes meet yours.
" You were certainly hurt in the attempt." The two of you stare at each other, and he relents first.
"I... I didn't know that could happen. Sorry." He bows his head in apology.
You:
[x] forgive him
[x] do not forgive him
[x] decide to let it go for now but note to remain more careful around him in the future
"Anyway, what I was trying to say is that I am an archaeologist, and found the Jewel Seeds on an expedition on my home world," home world? Before you can question it he continues. "They were originally meant to grant wishes, but their power usage is unstable and they activate causing harm to others. I sent them with a research group to study them but the space-time transporter," what, "must have came upon some type of accident and the Jewel Seeds fell towards Earth. It is my fault that they are here and so I need to retrieve them." It was commendable of him to try to fix his mistakes, if he was telling the truth. You're not sure he is though.
"So now the Jewel Seeds are spread out and people are trying to collect them?" The power to grant wishes is potent but... thinking back to that fake arm... you are not sure you want such a half-hearted wish granting device.
Nanoha cut in, "I and Yuuno are, as well as Fate. She won't tell us her reason, mou, but she has lonely eyes. I just want to talk to her but she won't listen!"
As if on cue, a girl in black, with Yellow twin tails wielding a black scythe with a glowing yellow energy blade seems to round the corner, upon seeing Nanoha, she halts, looking lost for a moment, and in that moment you could glimpse the loneliness Nanoha spoke of. Yet it is not long before her red eyes harden, "Give me the Jewel Seed."
"Fate..."
A fight is inevitable:
Do you:
[x] Let Nanoha fight
[x] Fight her yourself. After all you are the one currently with the Jewel seed.
-[x]fight with overwhelming force
-[x] Show them the defensive might of a protector. Any power they bring against you is meaningless.
-[x] You are in control. Adopt a more calculating fighting style, countering what is thrown at you and punishing mistakes.
-[x] Act Without Acting.
If you choose to fight yourself:
Lecture well fighting?
[x] Yes
[x]No
How much of your ability do you wish to hide? (invalidated if you choose Act Without Acting)
[x] write in.
About your Jewel Seed:
[x] keep it for now. You don't necessarily trust Yuuno yet.
[x] Keep it. There might be use for it later.
[x] Give it to Yuuno and Nanoha. You have no need for it, and their goal is admirable.
Author's note: I make no excuse for the delay being as long as it was. Originally I stopped in the middle of writing this update because I realized that my plans didn't give Yuuno the relevance he deserved and had to adjust them, but after that, things fell to the wayside. That said I refuse to let this be a quest that ends so halfheartedly. I'll try to do better next time. Sorry.
The earlier option about leaving the room or not increased the time it took Fate to find you. Which is important because the interrupt would have happened before Nanoha could mention Fate, but more importantly, before Yuuno could have tried clearing up the misunderstanding with Telepathy. Pink Text also wouldn't have happened. Yet. Sorry that this chapter was a bit info-dumpy.
I don't really have someone to read over what I write so please point out any stupid errors I made.
Also do people have a better way to describe the rose thorn fabric panel Kasen wears? "front, rose patterned, panel" felt so awkward to write.
Vote closes Thursday Feburary 4th, 10 PM EST
All that said, I updated the Character sheet:
Act Without Acting: A basic Taoist concept. You are accepting of the world, and at your most sincere and genuine: While in this mode all knows your sincerity, and you can tell no lies. Your nature as an Oni is different from that of a human, and so fundamentally alters this ability. You become more likely to consume sake you see, and while combat might for most be seen as resisting the world it is a part of the nature of an Oni. You hide no combat skill and your identity as an Oni could be surmised by those with sufficient knowledge. On the other hand, there is no need to think of a response, you will just act. Reaction time becomes zero and the speed in which you call upon your powers, as well as your mastery of them, rises. Action without thought, but not necessarily to your detriment.
