Flandre's Quest (Touhou) World - (Madness Quest)

[Entropy Judge]

[X] Take Satsuki aside and ask her about her reaction to the movie.


"… Well, thank you for inviting us to watch the movies. And Shari, thank you for the popcorn. But we'll let you go, for now. Satsuki?" You hop out of your chair and look at your servant; she puts up a smile when she notices you watching her and stands up.

"Um, thank you for the movies - and for playing with us, earlier. I - I had a lot of fun!" She bows deeply, then lifts the hem of her long skirt so it doesn't entangle her legs and scurries out of the room. You smile and curtsy at the girls.

"Ah, it's not a problem, of course. If you want to watch something some other time, we'll see what we have," Ginga says, and you bow your head in acknowledgment. Shari leans forward excitedly.

"So which did you like better? Slathered in butter and with lots of salt, right?" You shake your head, smiling, and she sighs disappointedly.

"I'm sorry, Shari, but I think I will go for the drier option the next time I have some."

"I'm surrounded by heathens," she half-mutters to herself teasingly.

"Of course you are. Now then, in case we don't see each other before morning - good night, everyone. Rest well." Cinque nods and looks like she wants to say something, but just shakes her head and looks back down at her hands. Nove and Wendi watch their sister worriedly, and you shrug when Ginga gives you a questioning look. Then you finally follow your servant out of the room. She relaxes a little when she sees you, and you motion for her to follow you as you walk toward the cafeteria. She remains quiet, nervously waiting, as you walk onto the balcony and look up at the dim moons. "Did you enjoy The Boondock Saints, Satsuki? You seemed a bit … fidgety, afterward." She laughs, shortly and nervously, and looks away.

"I'm fine, Flandre-sama. Really!" She smiles at you and holds her hands out to her sides non-threateningly. "It was just … just a little … much …." Her smile fades and she looks away. Her tongue darts out to wet her lips and she clutches her hands together.

"Really, Satsuki? You're fine?" She nods jerkily and you sigh quietly. "Then … would you like a drink?" You take out one of the few frozen blood packs you have left and hold it up. She half-turns, but when she sees the blood pack she freezes, stares at it for a moment, then spins away and stumbles against a table. Curiously, what she's covering isn't her mouth, but her eyes ….

"No! No, nonononono! P-please! No! I don't - I - I!" You put the pack away and step up next to your shuddering servant, then pull her away from the table and make her face you before pulling her hands away from her face. Her eyes, usually a light, warm brown, sometimes tinged red, aren't simply gleaming - they're practically shining brilliant red. They would be so beautiful, if it weren't for the tears, and the terror evident on her face. You pull her against you, off-balance, her face so close to yours, and then you sink to your knees, forcing her down as well. She suddenly lunges forward, wrapping her arms around you and burying her face against your neck. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I - I just -! I …!" You pat her back, stroke her hair, and murmur wordlessly, and she shakes her head, still not lifting her eyes from where they're pressed against your collarbone. "I … it was just … I saw … they were so - so handsome and wonderful! And … and there was blood, and it made me feel weird. And … and then …." She finally draws back slightly, enough to look up at you with her beautiful eyes, still full of tears and fears. "And then their friend was dying, and they were covered in his blood and theirs, and I … I thought it was so beautiful. And … and that … it would be so wonderful, to have - just one bite." She shakes her head, maintaining eye contact. "I … I don't want that, Flandre-sama. I don't! I don't want to be a monster, someone who just looks at people like they're food! They're not! They're people! And … and they're in there. I - I don't … don't …." She trails off as tears overwhelm her again, and you pull her back against you. She starts crying and you consider your options.

On the one hand, she's trying to deny her nature, at least in part. True, seeing humans as just food is bad and going to get her in trouble, but she has to accept that humans are food, and she seems to be rejecting that as much as she can. You're also a bit miffed that she seems to think she'd be able to threaten Ginga, Shari, and the others while you're around, but she doesn't seem to be thinking entirely clearly, so that might be why. As for what you can do … a lecture might help calm her down, and she should be reminded that keeping things like this secret isn't just creating a problem for her, but also for you. Moreover, she's still young, hasn't really been eating right, and that Church woman probably filled her head with nonsense. On the other hand, you could simply force the issue by heating up a blood pack and making her drink it. Even if she does go wild, she can't really do anything to you, and you can keep the others away if it comes to that. Or maybe you should just exhaust her physically - go for a run and not stop until she can't keep going. It won't help much, as far as the underlying causes go, but it'll be something to do, and she'll learn that she can push away non-essential hunger by working herself in other ways.


What do you do?

[ ] Lecture.

[ ] Make her drink some blood.

[ ] Go for a run.

[ ] Other?

 

[Entropy Judge]

[X] Lecture.
- [X] Discuss some control methods. Maybe she could set her feeding to a regular schedule and quantity, so she neither starves herself nor gluts herself.


You let her sob against your chest for a few minutes until you make your decision. Exhausting her would be a temporary fix - but it would only be a temporary fix, and if you let her start thinking it's something she can use long-term, you'll need to get your sister to convince her of reality. In a similar fashion, forcing her to drink blood might clear some of her reservations about hurting people, but if she did make some noise then everyone might find out what's going on and just how close to the edge she is, which would be … impolitic. Of course, her being so close to a breakdown is, itself, a major problem. Finally, you gently push her away and hold her up until she calms down a little.

"I- I'm sorry … F-Flandre-sama …." Her voice is soft and weak, a you let her go and sigh.

"Satsuki, you have a problem, and it's one that you need to start working on right now." She nods miserably.

"I … I will. Self-control …." You close your eyes and sigh more forcefully, more frustratedly, and when you open your eyes you see Satsuki leaning away from you, frightened.

"Self-control may be a problem you have, Satsuki, but it isn't the one I was referring to. I suppose that problems may be the correct word - plural, you understand. So I'm going to try and explain things to you, so you know where you stand. First, Satsuki - you aren't human. Human morality no longer applies to you. You are a vampire, you are a monster. Human blood is your new food, your new source of life and existence! They are to you - to us, you and me and my sister - as cattle are to them." She shudders and shakes her head, and a thought occurs to you. "Satsuki, what use is a cow?" Surprised by the sudden softness in your voice, she stares at you for a moment, lips quivering, before responding.

"They … their meat. And milk?" You stare at her for a long moment before sighing in disappointment as she hangs her head.

"Food and drink. And you didn't mention cheese or butter." You laugh bitterly. "But what about their hides? Leather is a material for clothing, furniture, and light structures like tents. Cows are animals that are suitable for the harness and yoke, so they can be used for field work or transport. They can be ridden, as well. Their dung can be used for fuel, building materials, or fertilizer. Their horns make useful decorations, or can be used as cups. Their sinew can be used for cord or rope! And that is all without getting into the magical properties that they can have. They provide almost everything that a human needs to survive. In much the same way, Satsuki, humans are our cattle - and like the aurochs of old, humans can be a threat to a vampire. And like the kine of today, they must be cared for and treated well so they don't become useless. Remember all this, Satsuki - cows are not bread. The one is more valuable than the other." She nods slowly - then you lunge forward and jab your finger into her chest. "But! Back to the issue. You, Satsuki, need to stop thinking like a human. You are a vampire, and you must conduct yourself as such if you want to survive. Concern over some humans, certain humans, is fine. But to fear the consumption of blood so much as you do - that is wrong." She shakes her head.

"I - I don't want to lose myself! If I drink blood - if I - I - I …." You reach out and slap her cheek gently. She flinches, but she isn't thinking in a rut anymore.

"Did you not tell me that you needed to consume the blood of humans because you were human? Because the makeup of a human is required to keep your body from breaking down? Why not, too, your heart and mind? Is not your own humanity restored by savoring the life of those whose kind you so recently were?" Her mouth works helplessly. "Yes, Satsuki - both your natures draw you to consume human blood. Your vampire nature, for survival; your human nature, for remembrance. You must feed, Satsuki, but death is not a requirement - not unless you fail to keep yourself healthy, unless you fail to take care of yourself." You stand and spread your arms. "And, Satsuki - consider me. I am a monster, the sort of creature you probably do not wish to become. But which of us was it that nearly lost control at, not even the presence, but the depiction of blood? Which of us was it that lost control and was driven to a feeding frenzy? Can you truly tell me - can you look me in the eyes and say that it was the monster who accepts who and what she is, and not the girl who keeps trying to be something she no longer is?" She doesn't even bother to meet your eyes.

"No … it … it was me. I …." You reach down and carefully cradle her cheek with one hand, making her look up at you.

"There is … another issue, Satsuki. Imagine yourself, not as you are right at this moment, but - a few minutes ago. Immediately after we had finished watching that movie. What if, at that point, instead of coming out here with me, Shari had asked you to come into the kitchen with her while she made something. What if you had accepted … and, what if, Satsuki, what if she had cut herself with a knife, entirely by accident?" Her face takes on an aspect of terror, and you nod. "I am not so fast that I could get to you before you killed her, and she is no mage able to defend herself. That would get you into some amount of trouble - and it would get me into a great deal of trouble as well. You are my servant, Satsuki Yumizuka, and I am responsible for you. What you do is my burden as well as yours. Therefore, Satsuki, so long as you are my servant, you will keep yourself fed. You will not let yourself become so hungry that the mere depiction of blood puts you on the verge of a breakdown. Am I understood?" She nods.

"Y-yes, Flandre-sama. I … I'm sorry, Flandre-sama. I … I …." She tries to fight back tears, and you gently wave her forward. She hesitates, then hurls herself into you, crying, fingers almost clawing at your back before your wings dip down to give them something to latch onto that won't bleed. You slide down to a sitting position and stroke Satsuki's hair once more. After a few minutes, however, you hold her up again.

"Satsuki, we need to work on this problem, and that means we need to talk about it. Sooner, rather than later. Okay?" She wipes her eyes, now dull red, and nods. "Alright. When do you normally drink blood, and how much do you drink?" She looks down.

"When … when I get hungry. And I drink enough to make … make the cold go away, and so I'm not hungry." You shake your head and she hunches her shoulders defensively.

"Satsuki, you know that's making things worse, right? Getting hungry is your body telling you that you aren't taking care of it. When you were human, did you wait to eat until you got hungry?" She shakes her head. "Right, you had roughly regular mealtimes. And you didn't really feel hungry unless you exerted yourself, right? So why did you change your method when you became a vampire?" She sniffs and wipes her eyes.

"Ci-Ciel-senpai said … most of it was in my head, that I could control it. That …." She shudders and wraps her arms around herself.

"She may be right," you say, and Satsuki gives you a pleading look, on that begs you to just tell her what to do. "Humans get addicted to things that make them feel a certain way - drugs and alcohol, mainly. Maybe, because you used to be human, you have a sort of addiction, and a lot of that is mental desire rather than a physiological need. Of course, there are physiological consequences to stopping the intake, so it gets complicated depending on the severity of the addiction … but if that woman was thinking about your need for blood in those terms …. Well, anyway. The point is, that's not going to work. What we should do, Satsuki, is get you on a schedule of feeding, one that you do not stray from unless you expend a lot of energy. How much do you usually drink to feel better, and how often?" She hunches over and wraps her arms around herself tightly.

"It's … I don't know." She shivers and you force your breathing to remain steady. It's … it's a lot. And … maybe … once a week? I was - was going to drink some tomorrow, or tonight before I went to bed." You sigh. Well … you take out your blood flask. Whatever became of Tarbin, anyway? The last time you saw her, she was sleeping in the hospital. She was one of your servants - of her own desire, no less! - but considering what people said happened to Marino's unit after you left …. You shake your head. You'll keep the flask. Your clones slip out and one heads into the kitchen to retrieve a modestly large mug - a blood pack would barely fill half of it. You set it down on the table next to Satsuki.

"Satsuki. You see this? From now on, you're going to use this mug to drink blood. The question we need to work out is how often, and how much. What are your thoughts on the matter?" She looks blankly at it and swallows nervously.

"Not - not every day! Please!" You stare into her dim red eyes and nod once. She droops, relieved, but you simply cross your arms and wait for her to continue. "Ev- every other day? Um, half-full?" She tenses, waiting for your approval or denial.

"Will that be enough to keep you satisfied without you drinking far more than you need?" You see her face collapse before she ducks her head to try to keep you from seeing how broken she is.

"I … I don't know!" She presses her hands against her eyes. "I don't, don't know! Don't know, don't know …." Your mouth twists in irritation. You got by on two teacups of bloody tea a day for decades … but then, you have a real biology to help keep maintenance down. Satsuki probably doesn't, and in any case she's still so young, and she didn't know anything about youkai or magic until a few months ago.


What do you do?

[ ] Half a mug, every other day, when she wakes up.
- [ ] Send her to rest and relax.
- - [ ] Wait quietly until the piano people come.
- [ ] Teach her something.
- - [ ] Politics.
- - [ ] Etiquette.
- - [ ] Singing.
- [ ] Go for a run.

[ ] Half a mug, every other day, before she goes to sleep.
- [ ] Send her to rest and relax.
- - [ ] Wait quietly until the piano people come.
- [ ] Teach her something.
- - [ ] Politics.
- - [ ] Etiquette.
- - [ ] Singing.
- [ ] Go for a run.

[ ] Other?

 

[Entropy Judge]

[X] Half a mug, every other day, before she goes to sleep.
- [X] Teach her something.
- - [X] Politics.


You shake yourself, take a calming breath, and then put one hand under Satsuki's chattering chin. She stiffens, freezing and going silent, and you nod. "Alright, Satsuki. Let's do it this way: starting tonight, every other day, before you go to sleep, you'll drink half a mug of blood. And after a while, maybe a week or two, we'll talk about it and see if we need to change the frequency or amount, okay?" She nods. "Good. Now, go in the kitchen and wash your face, calm down a bit, then come back out here."

"Y-yes, Flandre-sama. … Thank you, Flandre-sama!" She scurries into the cafeteria. Pretty soon you'll need to start using more specific examples in some of your lessons; it'll probably be more worth it to set up one of the conquest games to demonstrate the situation rather than describe it entirely in words, but … for now, you'll leave it alone. Let Ginga and her charges enjoy some more free time by themselves. You review your subject until a refreshed-looking Satsuki walks back out onto the balcony. You wave for her to sit down and take your own seat across from her.

"So, Satsuki, what do you think is the most important part of politics?" She stares at you for a few moments, blinking at the sudden question.

"Um … compromise?" You nod to yourself.

"A nice choice. I can understand the reasoning behind it. More important, however, is the ability to determine what your party or the other party actually wants. After all, politics governs all interactions between states, including war, and in a lot of cases compromise is either unnecessary or undesirable. But knowing what you really want, and what your opponents and rivals really want - that is invaluable. For example, let's say you control an independent city that has the only local source of a resource that is necessary for making particularly effective weapons, and I control a modest country that hasn't indicated any expansionist desires. Then I declare war on you with intent to conquer your region. Why would I do that?" Satsuki frowns at you.

"Um … because you want that resource?" Again, you nod to yourself - then you grin.

"Ah, but what if I don't want the resource, but only want to deny it to others? Or if I've decided to start expanding, and am simply going after your city because it's small and presumably easily crushed, and the resource is simply an extra bonus? Or maybe it's because I think your buildings look silly. Or maybe it's not about the military resource at all, but about the fact that your city has a large harbor that does a lot of sea trade, and my country is land-locked so I lose a lot of trade profits to your tariffs and because I have to go through middle-men." Satsuki stares at you for a moment, then scowls indignantly.

"You never said anything about those things, though!" Your grin widens and you shrug.

"Politics, Satsuki. What I actually want is for you to think about and understand that politics is an extremely complicated field. There is almost never only a single reason for anything - if someone tries to justify an invasion based on a single, relatively limited resource, poke around to see how else that invasion would affect that person's state. Or his personal affairs. Maybe I don't want the invasion at all, but several of my important advisors have personal loans to investors in your city that are coming due, and they can't actually pay them off, so they want an invasion to take those loans off the books." Satsuki's expression changes from one of moderate outrage to one of contemplation.

"Oh. That's …." You nod.

"Yep. Most youkai are actually really bad at that sort of thing - we have low imagination in general, and a lot of them aren't too bright, so they only see the blunt and direct options and reasons. Those who are good at that side of politics normally also have a great deal of experience, so they can look at how humans act in certain situations and make guesses based on apparent similarities." You sigh. "I really don't like this sort of thing. Thinking out all the possibilities and the ramifications of each - it's just so difficult and boring. And if you don't have all the information you really need to make a guess … then you're just out of luck."

After that, you start moving into a general discussion of all the important things that go into politics - negotiation, diplomacy, and compromise; logic and passion, and how they can be used to sway both the populace and rivals; the importance of consistency and character in your dealings with others, especially honesty and keeping your word; a very brief foray into the value of economics. It's all far, far too much for a single night - even a single subject could easily take up weeks, if you were thorough! - much less the half-night or so you have with Satsuki, but she pays attention and asks questions that show she's actually thinking about what you're saying, so when it comes time for her go to her room you feel like you've gotten something accomplished. Of course, with her gone you don't really have anything external to occupy yourself before the piano people arrive, and you're too worried about it to be good company for Headless and Giltless, so you simply curl up in a room overlooking the front of the building so you can watch the road coming in. You can be patient, after all ….

---

You keep near the technician as he finishes putting everything into place, making sure you aren't so close that you're annoying. It's not that you don't trust him to do a good job - he handled everything up to now as perfectly as a human could, after all - but you really want everything to go extra perfect, and now that you almost have a working piano ….

"Alright. All that's left is making sure everything is in tune. Shouldn't take more than ten more minutes, then she's all yours." Excited as you are, you can't help but be surprised at how quickly he thinks it will take.

"Eh? Only ten minutes?" He gives you a surprised look before grinning and nodding.

"Yep. I mean, my Device does the hard work. It's got a program for tuning, so I don't have to do anything except press the keys. Come watch." You skip closer and watch as the floating box hovers over the keyboard. The technician runs through the piano keys, letting the Device record the sound, giving you a brief explanation of what's happening. And then, after setting the Device with the piano's information, he starts at the beginning again, and the Device creates several magical manipulator arms to dampen the excess strings and tune the current string. Your eyes widen - it's certainly much faster than doing everything by hand and ear, and he is indeed finished in less than ten minutes. "There. All tuned up. Care to play something?" He smiles as you slide onto the bench and hover your fingers over the keys. Of course, he isn't the only one listening ….

You grin and flex your wings and fingers, then launch yourself into Night on Bald Mountain. It's not quite the same as a solo piano piece - your favorite instrument doesn't have quite the range to do everything justice - but it's still quite impressive, and the technician stares open-mouthed at you until you turn your head to grin at him, at which point he simply goes white. Not too surprising, considering you're on one of the more intricate parts when you do that, and you don't miss a single key. But all good things come to an end, and when you finish the song you bow to the technician. "It's wonderful, perfect! Thank you." He tries finding his voice and settles for a nod before swallowing.

"It's … it's my pleasure. That was … amazing." You giggle and bow your head, accepting the compliment. You glance at the doorway out of the corner of your eye; Nove and Wendi are both in danger of having their jaws hit the floor. But now … now you have a piano. And Fate is supposed to be back today sometime, too.


What do you do?

[ ] Play the piano. Forever and ever.
- [ ] Time-skip:
- - [ ] Mission.
- - [ ] Visit Lutecia.

[ ] Arrange something for Fate.
- Write-in.

[ ] Other?

 

[Entropy Judge]

[X] Arrange something for Fate.
- [X] Set up a short concert on your new piano, invite everyone to listen.


Business concluded, the technician packs up his tools and departs. Once it's polite to do so, you make your way to Ginga. "Can you call Admiral Lindy Harlaown for me?" She blinks, confused, and you nod. "There's something I want to do, but I need her help." They all stare at you concernedly, but after a moment Ginga nods.

"Alright. Give me a few minutes." You bob your head quickly and return to your piano. For an upright, it really is a marvelous instrument, now that it's been repaired and tested. And, being an upright, it's a lot easier to move and store …. "Flandre!" Ginga waves you over, but instead of the admiral, you see the skeptical face of Alph scowling at you.

"What are you up to? Lindy's busy with Fate right now." You nod; maybe Alph can help you, since she is Fate's familiar.

"Fate's coming back today, isn't she? I finally got a fixed-up piano, so what I wanted to do was hold a little concert for her, so she feels a bit more relaxed and knows that people care about her. Nothing so large and formal as the party when she came back, just something to let her know that this is a good place for her and she doesn't need to worry. The thing is, I don't know about the music she likes, so I wanted to ask her mother if she had any sheet music for the stuff she likes to listen to." Alph stares at you, perhaps wondering if you're being truthful, then her eyes flick over your shoulder. You look back - she's looking at the prisoners, waiting with Ginga farther back - and when you turn back to her, one of her eyebrows is quirked questioningly. You shrug. "Well, Ginga and I are here, and I'm pretty sure that they won't do anything, if nothing else." You and the familiar stare at each other for a moment.

"… How much time do you need with the songs before you can play them?" There's a curious gleam in her eyes, but you shrug instead of bringing it up.

"If it's a notation I'm familiar with, none, really. Unless it's really complicated or complex, I can play anything you put in front of me. Having them beforehand makes things easier, of course, but it's not really necessary." That seems to give her an idea of some kind, because her expression turns fiercely glad for a moment before she smiles more normally.

"Alright, I think … yes. It'll take a bit of time to get the - what did you call it, sheet music? It'll take a bit to get those to you, but then it should be all good. That work for you?" You smile and nod, and she grins fiercely again while rubbing her hands. "Alright, good. I'll contact you or Ginga with the stuff once I have it ready." She cuts off the connection before you can say anything else, and you scowl at the terminal for a few moments before shaking your head and turning away. Not really much to do until you get the music and Fate gets here, but you can still play other things ….

---

Fate looks quite surprised - almost stunned, in fact - by your impromptu performance. Unfortunately, with the short notice and everyone being so busy, most of her other friends can't show up; Hayate does, bringing Vita - who won't stop scowling at you - and Shamal, and Erio and Caro come along with Lindy and Fate. But it's quite difficult to tell whether you're doing any good, or if Fate just wants to be left alone for a bit. Alph told you these were songs Fate enjoyed listening to, especially when she feels bad, but … maybe it's because you're playing, or because Ginga is singing some of them, or something else. Before you can get really upset, though, Alph scurries over, still in her diminutive form. She smiles and gives you a thumb's-up, then holds a physical sheet out for you to look at. You nod at the music rest and she sets it there, then leans closer and uses telepathy to tell you, "Next song." You nod and she claps her hands. The song you're on is almost done, anyway, and you scan the new music as you continue playing the other. This one has lyrics - a love song. Does she want you to sing it? You glance at the wolfish familiar, but her attention is on Fate, not you.

You finish the song and wait a moment for everyone to finish clapping, then move on to the new one - and the singer reveals herself. You almost - almost - miss a key as a screen flickers to life, showing Nanoha standing in an open area against a blue-green sky, lightning flickering in the distance. You glance at the widely-grinning Alph and Lindy, wanting to scowl … but this has finally broken through to Fate, and she finally lets herself break down. Which … isn't really what you wanted, but it probably helps. Once the song is over, Nanoha waves.

"Hello, Fate-chan. I guess things aren't going so well? Alph-chan didn't want to tell me what happened, not when I couldn't come myself, so I don't really know, but it's something we can get through, right?" You sit at the piano, wondering why they didn't just call Nanoha to begin with. It's not even that she's stealing all the attention; it's that if she's all Fate's going to remember, why bother with the concert to begin with?

"N-Nanoha …." Nanoha shakes her head and waggles her finger at Fate.

"No, no, Fate-chan. I'll be back when I can, but you're not alone, right? Lindy-san and Alph-chan, Caro-chan and Erio-kun, and Ginga-san. And Flandre-chan, who set all this up." That is unexpected - and not just by you. Fate's mouth drops a bit and she looks at you; recovering much more quickly than she does, you smile and shrug a little … and she ducks her head, not wanting to look at you anymore. "We're all here for you, Fate-chan. You're not alone, and the people around you do want to help." Fate slowly nods and looks up at Nanoha.

"… You're right. I'm sorry. Nanoha - Flandre, and everyone -" Before she can continue, however, a warning tone sounds - from Nanoha's screen. She looks up and sighs.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Fate-chan. I have to take care of this. You'll be alright now, though, right?" Fate nods.

"I will. Thank you, Nanoha. Good luck." Nanoha is surrounded in a ball of pink energy, then flies off in her combat uniform as the screen shuts off. A bittersweet reminder of what they're doing, perhaps … although you can't help but wonder if she's going to be fighting, and how much fun it would be to really get to destroy things again. Because that takes a long time to get old. Fate stands up and walks toward you, but instead of simply stopping to talk to you, she leans down to hug you. You respond, a little awkwardly because of the angle, and she tightens her grip. "Thank you, Flandre. Thank you."


What do you do?

[ ] Time-skip:
- [ ] Mission.
- [ ] Visit Lutecia.

[ ] Other?

 

[Entropy Judge]

[X] Other?
- [X] Oh hey, you have some time now and Hayate is here! It's a good chance to see if she talked with Zafira regarding training Satsuki and if something can be worked out.


You play a few more songs, waiting to make sure that Fate is really comfortable, then swap out with one of your clones. After all, just because you have something else to do doesn't mean you should deprive others of good music! Vita's scowl intensifies as you approach Hayate, at least until Hayate gently raps her knuckles on her subordinate's head. "Now, now, Vita - you could have said no." Vita rubs her head and pouts at Hayate. "It's very nice to listen to." You smile and nod happily.

"Yep! It finally got fixed up today, so I'm glad you like it." You glance at Vita, but she seems to be compromising between her dislike of you and Hayate's chastisement by wandering over to the snacks. Shamal is busy talking with Shari, probably about Ginga and the prisoners based on their proximity. "Did something else happen?" Hayate chuckles and shakes her head.

"She agreed to go to Gensokyo with Fate and Nanoha - although I haven't told them yet, so don't say anything!" She sighs wistfully, then shakes herself. "Anyway … what did you want to talk about?" You hop onto the chair on her other side and kick your legs idly.

"Have you talked to Zafira about whether he would be willing to help teach Satsuki?" She taps her lips and stays silent for long enough that you wonder if she forgot and is simply trying to figure out a good way to tell you.

"Well, I did, and from what we saw of your training session in the Simulator - we asked Shari if she knew anything and she sent the recording over; I'd have asked you, but you were on your mission - from what we saw she mostly needs strike training and getting used to fighting. But … does she really want to learn how to fight?" Your mouth twists unhappily and you cross your arms as Hayate watches you.

"… Not really. What she wants is to not have to hurt anyone, ever, and just live out a contented, if not happy, life. Unfortunately, that isn't really possible, for a number of reasons. More importantly, right now she's my servant and I'm instructing her in life lessons, and I think it's important that she be able to fight effectively if she has to, rather than simply relying on superior physical abilities - especially if they aren't that superior." Vita carries a plate brimming with sugary-looking things and sits down on Hayate's other side. She holds the plate such that Hayate can easily reach things, but you would have to lean across the colonel's lap to get something. Not that you have any such intention to begin with.

"Hmm. And would she try her hardest to improve?" You tilt your head slightly to the side, then nod after a moment's thought.

"I think so. She doesn't want to disappoint me, and she understands why I want her to learn how to fight. I think she even agrees, at least a little. At least, she seemed to agree when I explained things to her." Vita frowns at you - not exactly hostile, now, so much as generally grumpy. Does she think you're intruding too much into her family's existence? Or is she just grumpy because she still doesn't really like you?

"Well, I guess he's fine with teaching her, then. The only problem …." She trails off, watching Fate's little group thoughtfully.

"Compensation?" Hayate starts, apparently distracted, and Vita snorts as the young woman shakes her head quickly.

"Oh, no, no! That's not it. The problem is one of timing and meetings. Satsuki sleeps during the day, right? And from our house to here is … a bit of a drive. And magic use is restricted within city limits, so getting permission for flight or teleportation would be troublesome, especially for such a regular and non-threatening activity." You nod and can't help but scowl a bit. Home and Genoskyo spoiled you. At home, people would come if you and your sister wished it, and they would stay nearby if it was a long-term project - even staying in your home if it was something important. And Gensokyo is so small and undeveloped that this would never be a problem. But here, with its civilized society and rules about everything ….

"Right. Willing, but something has to be worked out. Hmm …." What to do about that?


What do you do?

[ ] Too much effort for not enough gain; apologize to Hayate for taking up her time and thank her for trying.
- [ ] Time-skip:
- - [ ] Mission.
- - [ ] Visit Lutecia.

[ ] Other?


DM Note: I'm not trying to push you away from Zafira, I just really don't know how to resolve the logistical issues regarding the distance and timing. (For sake of the story, assume at least an hour's drive between the Yagami Residence and Long Arch, if you want to try working something out.)

 

[Entropy Judge]

[X] Thank Hayate for trying, but it seems we'll have to work out a schedule with Alph.
- [X] Time-skip:
- - [X] Mission.


You sit for a minute, trying to come up with something - with something fair, anyway - but nothing comes to mind. You sigh and shake your head. "I can't think of any way to make it work, either. Everything that comes to mind is too disruptive for one or the other of us." You sigh again, then smile at Hayate. "Thank you for trying to help, and thank Zafira for being willing to entertain the possibility." Hayate smiles back awkwardly.

"I'm sorry we couldn't be more helpful. Maybe in a few weeks we'll both have stable schedules again!" She laughs hollowly and scratches the back of her head, but her eyes sweep toward Fate.

"Well, I'll see if Alph is willing to be a training partner for Satsuki for the time being. Maybe I can get a car for personal use while I'm here, since it won't be too long before I go back home." You shake yourself and pretend you don't see Hayate's shocked/amused expression. "Anyway, enjoy yourselves - snacks, music, whatever. And maybe see Fate before you go, too." Hayate nods.

"We will, thank you." She elbows Vita, but the red-headed knight grumbles something unintelligible and refuses to look at you. Hayate gives you a pleading look, but you simply smile mischievously.

"Oh, children. I'm sure she'll grow up someday." You spin and float toward the piano to replace your clone, but you hear Hayate giggling and Vita sputtering in outrage as you leave. So satisfying ….

---

Almost a week passes. Fate turns to work to keep busy - paperwork, mostly, for herself and her unit, and when she can get away with it she helps with the base paperwork as well. You pay attention to what she does, so if you have to you can help out, but most of the day you spend with the piano, practicing and just playing. Despite her initial strong showing after the concert, something seems to darkened Fate's mood - even after a visit by Nanoha, you occasionally find her staring uncomfortably at you, although she apologizes when you ask her about it.

Satsuki progresses well, too. Your lessons for her are shorter, not because you have less to teach her, but because she has more to occupy herself now besides serving you. You set up a game of Stormwrack and the eight of you spend an hour or two after dinner progressing. Satsuki occasionally has good ideas, but she doesn't present them very well and gives in too easily, so your lessons focus on correcting that, teaching her about logical arguments and pitfalls to avoid. She also starts training with Alph, who seems to like Satsuki, even if she's still ambivalent about you - and since you can handle teaching her the forms and stances well enough, and Alph handles contact sparring and getting her used to using the techniques you're teaching, it works pretty well.

The most interesting thing happens when you walk into the cafeteria one day to find everyone else watching something on a screen. It turns out to be part of the trial of the man who had been using Carmilla and Tool - a dull, homely man. If he were a woman you might call him frumpish or dowdy, but as it is you can simply say that he isn't ugly, despite his thinning brown hair and advancing age. You cock your head as he explains himself.

"No, not kidnapped. If the Saint Church had merely kidnapped my wife, I wouldn't have been so upset. But they stole her from me, and that is why I've been punishing them." He says it matter-of-factly, and the interviewer rubs one eye tiredly.

"I don't think I understand the difference. Could you explain what, exactly, happened?" Trabant smiles calmly and nods.

"Of course! You see, Lily and I had been happily married for nineteen years, seven months. She had always been interested in the Church, and because I loved her, I let her go whenever she wanted. Of course, they had been poisoning her against me - one day, she walked up to the house and rang the bell. I answered it, of course, and she was there with two people from the Church. She slapped me, then, and told me that she despised me and had ever since the first time we'd met. She told me that she was leaving and never coming back, and that we would never see each other again." He sighs and shakes his head. "I was sad, of course, that she had fallen for whatever scheme they had concocted, but I resolved myself to rescue her from her captivity. Fortunately, it wasn't long after that that I found out about Tool, and once I had my first one under control it was a simple matter for her to obliterate that church and take Lily to my new home - but even then Lily refused to cooperate. No matter what I did to her, she wouldn't accept me. After the third time she tried running away, I broke her legs and put her back in her room. The next morning, she was dead. She'd managed to tear one of her legs off and driven it through the dresser, then slammed her head into it over and over until she died. I think it took her four or five piercings before she managed to inflict lethal damage on herself. And it was all the fault of the Church, so I decided to punish them. Well, and Tool, of course, since she was supposed to make sure that Lily was alright." You shake your head and wonder, again, why Mid-Childa doesn't have a death penalty. Considering the man's lack of remorse and emotion, as well as Carmilla's fear of disappointing him and what happened to Tool, it's pretty obvious that Trabant isn't capable of cooperating with a normal society - he's far too self-centered. Fate shudders and keeps her eyes screwed shut, but Alph is even more obviously outraged. Even Nove seems shocked and horrified by Trabant's story. It wouldn't be a good idea to tell them, of course, but if you ever find yourself in a position where you can kill him, you'll make it happen. Not likely, but ….

Two days later Fate interrupts your piano-playing shortly after noon. "Flandre, we have to go. Emergency mission from headquarters." You frown at her - she's in her combat uniform already.

"Satsuki -" She shakes her head.

"Not this time. I'll teleport us to a warship, and we'll head right to the target. It should be in the day, local time, when we arrive, anyway." Scowling, you nod. You put away the few things you had out and write a quick note for your servant, leaving it on the piano, and walk up to Fate. A magic circle appears beneath your feet, and after a short chant from Fate, you appear in another ship, just as promised. You follow Fate into a meeting room; one of the walls has a series of images showing some sort of facility that looks like it's been built into a mountain. Several people - unfamiliar, of course - are looking at those images or similar ones on screens. Another wall has the images of five people - two men, three women.

"Enforcer." A woman nods to Fate before glancing at you. You grin and she frowns before shaking herself and turning back to Fate. "We don't have a complete floorplan, of course, but it looks similar to a lot of space-based civilian labs, so it's probably got a similar layout. We've found what look like entrances on the mountainside - the roads helped - but the weirdest thing is this central column. Looks like it goes right to the generators, so it could just be a venting system, but it's pretty extravagant if that's the case. Could also be a hangar or just an emergency escape, but -" Fate nods and waves a hand, cutting her off.

"We know where the targets are?" A man sitting at the table nods without looking up. He taps something at a screen and a section of the facility flashes red. It does have easy access to one of the presumed entrances on the mountainside.

"They should be in this area. … Well, we hope. This could still be a mistake in our information." He scowls and shudders. You look around until you notice Fate watching you.

"Flandre. This mission … those five cannot escape. None of them. Headquarters would like them captured, but there won't be any problems if they die." Her voice is very quiet, and she looks quite distressed … but that must be why you're here. You study the base layout more closely. "They're involved, among other things, in recreating Doctor Scaglietti's Gadget Drones and in AMF, so the whole base is going to have a very heavy effect." The man at the table nods again.

"And our computer worm is probably going to be found sooner than later, so the plan is to come out right over the planet, send you as close to the base as we can, and let you do what you want. The targets have priority, of course - but none of them are mages themselves, so if you take out the base generator then they won't be able to transfer out and it should be easier to operate, since the primary AMF will be gone." You glance at Fate - but she really doesn't look like she wants to be part of this. And if you just have to kill five people, do you really need help?


What do you do?

[ ] Go alone, Generator shaft.
- [ ] Hit the generator first.
- [ ] Hit the targets first.
- - [ ] Kill them.
- - [ ] Try to take them captive.

[ ] Go alone, attack the door.
- [ ] Try to take them captive.
- [ ] Kill them.

[ ] You take the Generator shaft, Fate attacks the door.

[ ] You attack the door, Fate takes the Generator shaft.
- [ ] Try to take them captive.
- [ ] Kill them.

[ ] Other?


DM Note: So I'm tired, and I'm not sure how well I'm describing the mission. From what Flan can see, the mountainside door is more heavily protected than the Generator shaft, but once actually inside it's a lot easier to get to the targets before they scatter or escape.

YOU DO HAVE SOME TIME, so if you want to have Flan ask a bunch of questions about the base/targets/whatever instead of just jumping straight to the assault, that can happen, too. Anyway. I'm going to sleep.

(PS: If you had gone to see Lulu, Vita and Hayate would be taking this mission instead.)

 

[Entropy Judge]

[X] Ask about possible alertness state. Are they expecting the TSAB anyway or it's all stealth until things start blowing up?
[X] Go alone, Generator shaft.
- [X] Hit the generator first.


"… So how much surprise will we get? Is it possible to get inside the facility before they know we're here, or do they know we're coming?" The man hesitates, shrugs.

"Assuming it's not a trap -" You whip your head around to stare at him and he throws his hands in the air. "A few weeks ago, one of our human agents got word that two of the targets would be meeting for … ah, a personal visit. We sent a team, they got wiped out by drones, and what evidence we found indicated that the targets weren't even planetside. Then our agent disappeared on us. This time, they would have had to find our worm and turn it without being spotted and the worm destroying itself, so it should be safe. And in that case - unless they have no sensors whatsoever, they'll know someone popped in over the planet, and it's not time for one of the regular visits. They'll definitely know that someone transferred to the planet, as well." He waves a hand lazily. "And if it is a trap, they probably know what color pants everyone is wearing." You scowl for a moment, then shrug.

"Can we just blow up the whole facility without going through it?" You're not sure if you could break the facility without being close enough to be caught in the blast radius, but the Bureau might have something … except Fate is shaking her head.

"It would be possible - an Arc-en-Ciel, or a suitably large bomb - but since the goal isn't merely the destruction of the facility, but stopping the scientists, there needs to be a human presence to verify their presence or absence." You nod, irritated.

"Anyone else in the facility that I need to worry about?" The man at the table gives you a sharp look, then glances at Fate. She doesn't say anything, though, and he shrugs.

"Maybe a couple dozen researchers and technicians? Shouldn't be many guards." That makes you stare - considering the size of the facility, a few dozen wouldn't make use of a tenth of it. The woman who first spoke to Fate clears her throat.

"It seems to be a testing and research facility, and possibly data storage. At least, that's what it looks like they're using it for - they might not have been the original builders." You stare at the floorplan again, estimating how long it should take you to reach the generator, then look at Fate.

"I'll go first, take out the generator. You stay here -" She shakes her head, and you feel the stares of the other people in the room.

"I'm fine, Flandre. I've fought in an AMF before, I know how to take care of myself." You snort derisively and she pales in anger.

"I'll go first, and take out the generator. You stay here, and when the generator is gone there shouldn't be an AMF anymore, right? No power, no AMF - you'll be able to scry the facility, make sure the targets actually are there, and teleport right to them. And if it is a trap, you won't get blown up or whatever. Because frankly, even if these people are completely secure, they probably have defenses we don't know about, designed to take out mages. Those doors are probably heavily defended, and if that weird generator shaft isn't, then the way up through the facility is. And if you're going to say that you're in charge and you're going anyway, then you're going to sit down and write an apology to Nanoha for doing something stupid or I'm not going to go." The room is very, very, quiet as Fate wrestles with your ultimatum … but after a moment she sags and nods.

"You're … right." You smile and float up to pat her shoulder gently.

"And when we're done, and it turns out that there was nothing to threaten you, you can lecture me on proper respect for rank and authority, and then make me clean the whole ship with a toothbrush, and I won't complain or get angry." She shakes her head, not even a glimpse of a smile on her face.

"Wait by the teleporter, please. I'll go see the captain." She moves briskly, businesslike, as if she hadn't just had the fact that she's done something stupid recently thrown in her face as evidence that she shouldn't go on this mission. After she leaves, you look at the other people in the room, who all quickly find themselves terribly busy, then stare at the faces of the targets until you have them memorized. Only then do you make your way to the teleporter to wait for the mission to start.

---

You leap into the teleporter once Fate gives you the signal, and after a dizzying transfer you find yourself high in the air above a mountain. The sun is much to hot and bright, and there are no clouds to give even the hint of shade. You plunge toward the mountain, not bothering with invisibility - if they don't already know you're here, your entrance won't do anything to change that, not until you start destroying things. You summon a danmaku orb as you fall - and it winks out immediately, so either their AMF is really strong normally, or they powered it up when they realized someone was coming. Not an issue, not for you ….

You plummet into the generator shaft, watching the interior become alive with motion as Gadget Drones - both the flying kind and the cylindrical ones - surge up to escape. Some take shots at you as you dart past them, but you're far more at risk from a simple collision than you are from their attacks. You force yourself to slow down a bit; physical impacts may not damage you through Loki's protection, but slamming into many of the Drones in succession would likely hurt and disorient you. Then a light builds up far below you, starts circling around the wall of the shaft. You look up, but by this point you're probably closer to the generator than the exit. Your eyes flick sideways, but without knowing where in the facility you would come through the wall, there doesn't seem much point, especially since you'd still have to descend to destroy the generator. You look back down and take a deep breath - and when the rippling beam surges toward you, you fling yourself around the wall, circling it as best you can. The walls light up as the beam erupts past you.

When the pain fades you shake yourself and control your fall. You hurt, burned even through Loki's protection … but that's it. Not a perfect graze, but you're not done yet! Even if it is too hot, too dry, and you feel like you're being cooked. You grin nastily and Laevateinn appears in your hand as you reach the end of the shaft, not quite bouncing off the floor starting to glow with heat. You look around for the generator, throw yourself through the open door before anyone can think to close it against you. Large drones, the size of a large shed, fly about the gigantic generator - as big as the mansion! - and you hurtle toward them, feeding power into your sister's gift. Flames erupt from the end and you swing the burning blade into the generator, drag it around the outside, carve off a piece. The drones begin reacting to your presence, scattering in a panic, and as you start your third pass something in the generator snaps and cracks. An explosion tears out the side, knocks you and some of the drones flying, and you're plunged into darkness. Well, except for the flames. And after a moment, some lights flicker back into existence … but when you summon a danmaku orb it lasts a whole fifteen seconds before fading away to nothing. So there's still an AMF ….

An aggravating whine assaults your ears and you look up to see an army of Gadget Drones flying into the generator room. Well, that explains the massive volume of the facility, at least. And now that you think of it, Fate did say that Gadget Drone's were one of this group's projects …. Some of the larger drones that were working on the generator limp feebly away from you, while others lie motionless on the floor. You continue watching the growing army of Gadget Drones. On the one hand, if you fight them here you'll have plenty of space and you won't be burdened by trying to figure out where you're supposed to go. On the other … if the AMF is still up, maybe the teleporter is, too ….


What do you do?

[ ] Fight the drones in the generator room, then try to find the targets.
- [ ] Send your clones to scout ahead while you fight the drones.
- - [ ] Take prisoners if possible.
- - [ ] Just kill them.

[ ] Focus on the targets.
- [ ] Leave your clones behind to fight the drones.
- [ ] Bring your clones along for Four of a Kind Fun Times!
- [ ] Take prisoners if possible.
- [ ] Just kill them.

[ ] Other?


DM Note: One of you has been auditing the Mad Scientist's Lair Construction class, I see. (And Flan's easy survival of the death cannon is a result of a disgustingly normal roll by a certain other someone )

 

[Entropy Judge]

[X] Focus on the targets.
- [X] Leave your clones behind to fight the drones.
- [X] Take prisoners if they're smart and surrender. If they think they can take you on after everything so far, they're clearly too dumb to live.


No, better to stay on your targets. If they still have power, they might be able to escape, and stopping that is your mission, and if the AMF is still up then Fate probably can't find the targets and get to them before you. Fighting a bunch of machines isn't worth compromising your good record, not yet. Of course, to get to the targets …. You snarl and throw yourself toward one of the doors that looks like it heads up. A swarm of Gadget Drones moves to intercept you; you lash out with a suddenly-ignited flame blade, then summon your clones to hold off the machines. Then you smash your way through the door and head deeper into the facility.

You couldn't memorize the entire floorplan, especially since the ship didn't have one available, but - if their information was correct - once you get out of the lower maze of small hallways and little rooms there should be some easily-identifiable major corridors that you can use to reach the area the targets should be in. But traveling through the lower maze is extremely frustrating: parts of it lack power entirely, forcing you to tear through doors and spend energy lighting otherwise-pitch-black areas, and there are a number of dead ends. And you're frequently assaulted or ambushed by small squads of Gadget Drones - never enough to be a threat, but more than enough to be annoying … and your clones seem to still be fighting elsewhere, the energy you gave them not having run out yet.

And then you reach a room that is vaguely familiar - it should be right by one of the major access corridors. But as you fly in, the air blurs and you tumble, stumbling on your feet as your head starts pounding fiercely. You look around - several of the odd, large Gadget Drones float near two people dressed in dark green outfits, with several spherical Gadget Drones with legs attached standing by them. Almost too late you notice that the legged machines have extra weapons, bulky cannons mounted on their upper hulls. You throw yourself toward them, ducking low, and barely dodge the barrage of physical projectiles. The two humans rush forward and you shake your head … although, to be fair, they probably think they have some kind of advantage, given that the AMF in this room appears to be strong enough to have a physical effect. Or maybe it's just focused on you? Regardless of what's happening, though, it doesn't stop you from perceiving the eyes of the Gadget Drones, or from crushing them in your hand. One of the humans slows and looks back, but the other charges forward, bringing a huge club overhead to smash you flat. You lunge forward again, slamming into his chest - your shoulder hurts, and he feels a lot tougher than a normal human - and while he's distracted you climb up him and tear open his throat, gluing your mouth to the wound to waste as little of the meal as possible. Of course, your little feast ends prematurely when the man explodes against you, sending you tumbling away, but you still feel much better when you get up.

The other human tosses away a smoking launcher as the remaining shed-sized drones flee. A few clenches of your fist, however, and they explode as the gunner charges toward you - and then something in the ceiling explodes, showering sparks all over the room and shutting off the lights. You dart forward and slam Laevateinn down onto the now-faltering gunner's shoulder. You had intended to rip it off, but instead of a spray of blood, your strike is answered by the shriek of tearing metal, and your victim's right knee folds beneath her. You savor the fear and pain on her face before closing in to feed once more in the dying light.

You toss the carcass aside and conjure a danmaku orb. It doesn't flicker, fade, or even dim noticeably in the otherwise lightless room, so the AMF is probably out completely. Maybe they had to overcharge something to get the effect they were using on you and it took too much power? You shrug and continue on, only to find numerous destroyed Gadget Drones once you reach the main corridor. Fate must have come down already, then. You grin and follow her path of destruction. Flashes of magic - her own yellow, a bright orange, and a sickly green-white - warn you when you get close.

You find her dueling with two mages. One concentrates on ranged attacks, confining her movements a bit, while the mage with the orange magic uses a pair of glowing sticks to fight her in melee, although the two of them aren't averse to throwing out small bursts of bullets or holding spells. Beyond them are four of the targets, missing only one of the men, and a third mage who seems to be focusing on some kind of warding spell. The targets see you; when you wave, two of them simply sigh and sit down on the floor, while a third stares at you curiously, and the fourth just stands with her head lowered. The mage looks at you, eyes wide, then at his partners fighting with Fate - and sags, defeated. His partners, though - the old man throwing out almost enough magic to qualify as danmaku, and the woman barely holding off Fate - they don't give up. The woman surges past Fate, ignoring the slender golden sword that rebounds off her side. The two orange sticks come up, blazing brightly, and the woman charges for you, intending to hit you from both sides. Your wings pop up and forward, sizzling against her magic, and you thrust Laevateinn into her chest, then yank it up and rip out her throat. Fate raises a shield to block against an attack from the old man, but instead of her or you, he turns his beam on the targets … but when it ends, you see the third mage collapse, and none of them look injured. The old man roars incoherently and prepares another spell; you simply charge forward and shatter his skull with a lazy swing of your precious gift, and his magic sizzles away. You glance at the targets, then turn to Fate.

"Wasn't there a fifth? Another man?" She stares at the two dead mages for a moment, then takes a shuddering breath and returns her Device to its axelike form.

"He's already dead." She approaches the targets. "How do we deactivate the security?" The woman still standing shakes her head.

"Can't. We got locked out because Pet tried doing it on his own. Designed it that way, so any defections would need to be a group effort." She smiles bitterly. "It'll calm down in half a day, if you're really concerned about getting the data, but for now everything's just running on its own to boot people who don't belong." The woman who was staring at you hops to her feet and walks over to you, studying you closely - insultingly closely. You glare and shove her back. "Heh. Maybe that's what he sees in her." She grins at you and shakes her head. "Well, if we're leaving, might as well do it now. Unless you want to fight a nearly endless horde of second-rate Gadget Drones for twelve hours." Fate moves so she's in the middle of the group, and a moment later a yellow circle appears beneath your feet - and then you're back on the ship. Security troops move to arrest and contain the targets and the unconscious mage.

"… Good work, Flandre." You smile at Fate and she fails to mask a shudder. "Um, you should probably clean yourself up. I'll take us back to Mid-Childa in a few hours …." Her expression falls, but when you tilt your head curiously she just shakes her head and walks away. Hmm … well, you probably should clean yourself off, first ….


What do you do?

[ ] Talk with one of the prisoners before leaving.
- [ ] The one who stared at you.
- [ ] The one who spoke.
- [ ] The mage.

[ ] See if you can get Fate to explain what's wrong with her.

[ ] Just wait to go back.
- [ ] Timeskip:
- - [ ] See if you can visit Lutecia.
- - [ ] You got mail?
- - [ ] Go shopping.
- - - [ ] Bring Cinque so you can use her as a model.
- - - - [ ] … And Wendi and Nove. You did promise you'd try, after all.

[ ] Other?


DM Note: In case you were curious, here are the other possibilities I had for that roll:

Spoiler: Results

1-5: Fate killed, Vita/Flan crippled/hospitalized.
6-15: Fate hospitalized, Vita/Flan badly injured.
16-40: Fate badly injured, Vita moderately injured, Flan effectively uninjured. (Escape back out the barrel.)
41-80: Minor injuries.
81-95: No injuries, damage to cannon systems and facility. (Escape into facility, explosion widens breach.)
96-100: Cannon system failure, critical power disruption. Target escape impossible.

 

[Entropy Judge]

[X] Clean up first
[X] Talk with one of the prisoners before leaving.
- [X] The one who spoke.


You nod; there are only so many ways to respond to someone telling you to clean up, and you weren't exactly planning on parading around like a food vendor, anyway. Fortunately, you were using Loki, so you don't have to do anything about your clothes, only your face, hair, and arms. Magic is so convenient ... you sigh wistfully. Maybe Remilia can make some kind of magic wardrobe thing for you - like a Device with a Barrier Jacket, but without the protection so it doesn't need as much power? You shake your head. Woolgathering, at your age! You giggle and look yourself over in the mirror, making sure you got everything, then walk to the secured area. The man who briefed you about the facility frowns as you approach.

"Hi! Can I talk to one of them for a bit?" His concern turns to confusion and he tilts his head to the side.

"Talk? Er ... which one, and about what?" You shrug.

"The talkative one. Female, reddish brown hair, sort of hazel-green eyes. And about ... I dunno. Stuff. I mean, I have a question about something she said, but after that there's nothing particularly pressing." His frown returns and he taps at his desk for a bit. He shrugs a minute later before nodding.

"I guess it's alright. Give me a minute to have her moved to a private room." He gestures down the hall, back the way you came, and a door slides open. You nod and curtsy before spinning and giggling.

"Thank you!" You scurry into the room to wait. It's a fairly bland room, perhaps an office of some kind, with two chairs on opposite sides of a desk. Of course, you take the large, comfortable chair - but mainly because it spins, and the other one doesn't. So your interviewee's first sight of you is spinning around in the chair, giggling happily. You stop the chair by sticking a leg out to hit the desk and wave. "Come in, come in, sit down. What's your name?" The woman, dressed in the same kind of white outfit that Cinque and her sisters usually wear, gives you an amused look as she takes her seat.

"Asta. And you're Flandre Scarlet. I didn't think they'd start interrogating us so quickly. Elise is going to scream." You lean forward, not intimidatingly.

"So earlier, when that other woman was staring at me, what did you mean about something someone else saw in me? Who were you talking about?" Asta smiles.

"Ah. Well, Elise has a bit of a gigantic crush on a fringe reporter named Korosh Manta. Just about the time she was psyching herself up to write to him, though, he started gushing about you. Not that anyone had any idea who or what you were, then, but Elise has put almost as much effort into researching you and why Korosh might be interested in you as she has into her actual work. Pet used to tease her about it ...." Her smile turns a little bitter.

"Pet was the other one in your group, then?" She nods.

"Yes. My lover, and weapon designer. He's the one who thought about expanding the exhaust shaft and turning it into a magicannon that shoots curving lasers. ... And he's dead, now, because he tried shutting down the facility by himself with a backdoor. Idiot." You wait for a bit as she stares down at her cuffed hands. She looks up at you. "Not going to apologize for bringing up a painful memory?" You shrug.

"I was going to change the subject. Besides, you brought him up." She laughs and shakes her head.

"Oh, that's refreshing. I keep watching those stupid shows. 'Oh, I'm sorry for your loss, now please talk some more about this painful subject.' 'Your husband died doing what he thought was right, so be proud of him!' Hah! Not everyone's a sap-belly, sometimes they don't want fake sympathy! ... Sorry." Not that she looks it, smirking and shaking her head. "Anyway, what was the subject you were going to change the discussion to?" You nod.

"Back to what you said. What were saying that that man might see in me?" She blinks before chuckling.

"You don't care. Rules, traditions, what people expect. I mean, take Elise. She's a prisoner, she's basically allowed to study you all she wants until you actually put restraints on her, but she stares at you for a few seconds and you're glaring back and ready to shove her through a wall. It's more extreme when you fight - I've only seen that sort of reckless abandon on thrill-seekers, and they don't get themselves into fights like you do. That said, you really think it's a good idea to let your boss get into fights, with her acting the way she is?" You shrug.

"I guess the Bureau is still trying to get itself back together. And it's not like I would have taken much time to get to her, so even if she got hurt, she would have been able to hold an enemy off until I got there to save her." She gives you a look, complete with raised eyebrow, but just snorts and shakes her head when you cock your own head to the side.

"Whatever. Although I must say, you guys are particularly good at being really dumb. You've got a manpower shortage, but you refuse to use the explicitly useful and mass-producible Gadget Drones because ...?" You shrug.

"Don't ask me, I'm not involved in policy. I'm here strictly temporarily." Her eyes widen.

"Wait, really? Then - can I get your autograph?" You blink, dumbfounded.

"Huh?"

"Okay, yeah, that was out of stone - but if you're only going to be here a short time, then that means I get a famous person's autograph and pretty much no one else will! Especially if we get it notarized so there's official documentation and video of it! Find the right person, and I won't need to code junky-clunky combat programs for rip-off weapons and can settle down on a nice world, buy a comfortable house and live-in servants so I'll never have to be alone ever again, and mock stupid people until old age finally gets me. The Bureau's pretty lenient, I can get away with working for them under glorified house arrest for a few years or so, and as long as I repent and don't do anything noteworthy they'll let me do whatever." You blink and stare at her, then slowly tilt your head to the side, still completely baffled. She grins. "Well, I guess you don't have to make up your mind right now. And I'm not trying to pressure you or anything; it's not like I can't do anything to support myself, and you did kind of have to fight your way through a hostile facility filled with machines I helped make try to kill you, so it's completely understandable if you don't want to." You'll have to think about it ....


What do you do?

[ ] Find somewhere to nap until it's time to go back to Mid-Childa.
- [ ] Timeskip:
- - [ ] See if you can visit Lutecia.
- - [ ] You got mail?
- - [ ] Go shopping.
- - - [ ] Bring Cinque so you can use her as a model.
- - - - [ ] … And Wendi and Nove. You did promise you'd try, after all.

[ ] Other?

 

[Entropy Judge]

[X] Find somewhere to nap until it's time to go back to Mid-Childa.
- [X] Timeskip:
- - [X] See if you can visit Lutecia.


"I'll consider it," you tell her, and she nods knowingly. "There won't be any problem if I have it sent to you, right?"

"No, that should be fine. Your boss shouldn't have any trouble tracking me down; just remember my name is Asta." You nod and start to get up, and she suddenly twitches. "Um! I, uh, I know I'm just a prisoner, and I really shouldn't be making demands - but, if there isn't anyone right outside the door, would you mind waiting with me until someone gets here? I - I really don't want to be left alone." You blink and stare at her for a moment as fear and helplessness express themselves on her face … but it's irrelevant, because a couple guards are waiting just outside, so you just wave them in, take in the sheer relief on Asta's face, and go looking for a comfortable place to nap. After a few minutes you curl up in a large chair in a sort of lounge area. No one else is around, but you aren't hiding or anything, and this is the perfect sort of area to wait for someone for a few hours. You curl around your knees and fall asleep.

---

You scowl at Nove as she snickers at you. "Hey, you're the one in the fancy get-up. Never gonna catch me in something like that!" You glance at your reflection and scowl even more fiercely. On the one hand, you get to visit Lulu's place today! On the other, Fate said the best way to go there would be to hold an inspection, and that means you have to dress up in a uniform. Cinque frowns worriedly.

"Nove, that's enough," she says quietly. Her sister sighs and resigns herself to a victorious grin; apparently the oldest girl is still worried about your interactions, but as long as they don't try anything personal, you really don't care. You check again to make sure you have everything you'd planned on bringing - parasol, Loki, and that. Your secret weapon against Lulu …. You grin and giggle, then relax. Almost a shame that Satsuki won't be able to come, but if Fate thinks you'll be back before nightfall, it's hard to argue for her presence. Besides, this is time for you and Lutecia, and Satsuki would probably get nervous. You glance a clock, but before you can complain, Fate sweeps into the room, ignoring the fussing-over given to her by Alph. The Enforcer looks more comfortable than she has over the past couple days, so maybe Alph took your advice and gave her something to help her sleep. Or maybe it's just that now she's doing something that's her job, instead of burying herself in work taken from others.

"Are you ready to go, Flandre?" Still as polite as ever, of course. You incline your head and she nods, as much to herself as to you. "I'm sorry we'll be leaving you for a while, Ginga." She shakes her head and holds up a hand at Fate's apology.

"It's fine, Fate, really. No need to rush or worry - nothing's going to come up before you come back." Alph winces at that, ears going flat, but Fate just nods.

"Yes, that's right … sorry." Ginga smiles and shakes her head again, and Fate sighs. "Then … we'll be going now, Flandre. Alph, we should be back before dark." She gives her familiar a hug before turning to the prisoners. "Cinque, Nove, Wendi - take care of yourselves, okay?" Nove tries to scowl at being mothered and waves desultorily; Wendi grins and waves extravagantly; and Cinque bows politely.

"Thank you, Fate. Please take care of yourself, as well." The one-eyed girl is scrupulously polite, as she always is, but when she straightens up and looks at you, you stick your tongue out before she can say anything, then wave to everyone.

"'Bye! I'll say hi to Lutecia for you guys!" You dart out and toward Fate's car before anyone can respond, hopping into the passenger seat and buckling yourself in. Fate follows more sedately and frowns briefly at you before getting in and starting the car. You keep your eyes open as she drives, making sure you know how to get to your destination, both on the ground and mentally plotting a flight path. Fate is quiet and reserved, as she usually is when the two of you are alone, and apart from briefly summarizing your duties - just making sure that everything is running smoothly and that there aren't any situations that could develop into a problem - she doesn't say anything.

She finally pulls into a small parking lot near a modest complex of buildings. "Remember, Flandre, behave yourself." You scowl at her when she's looking at the young man coming out to meet you. It's not like you're a child, needing to be constantly reminded of something, and you're quite capable of behaving yourself … as long as everyone else does, anyway.

"Enforcer Harlaown, Officer Scarlet, welcome. Please, the major is waiting for you." You glare up at the sun and walk quickly to catch up with him and Fate.

"Is everything going well, Lieutenant? There haven't been any accidents?" He shakes his head.

"No, Ma'am, everything is going fine. We had a big meeting when we got the news, and the major really put his feet down." You lean forward and look up curiously at Fate.

"Another medical training camp had an incident where a couple trainees seriously hurt themselves trying to make a practice run more believable." You ponder that for a few steps, and wait until you get inside to respond.

"… Was it good practice for everyone else?" The lieutenant gives you a shocked look, but Fate just sighs and shakes her head. Major Tedrel's office is conveniently close to the entrance you used, so there's no further conversation, and the lieutenant stays in the anteroom after announcing you to the major.

"Enforcer Harlaown, Officer Scarlet, please come in, sit down." You watch the skinny, almost nervously-twitching Major Tedrel as you take one of the three chairs in front of his desk. The fingers on his right hand curl and uncurl almost rhythmically, and he smiles as you tilt your head slightly to keep them in view. "It's just a physical tic, nothing to worry about; they've checked me many times for likely disorders and never found anything."

"Major Tedrel, it's good to see you again. I hope you don't mind my coming here on inspection." He shakes his head.

"You know I'll never willingly say no to the pleasure of your company. I only wish I'd been able to go to your party the other day. I understand you all were singing long into the night." You look back and forth between them, and Major Tedrel's smile fades a bit. "I first met Fate some years ago, when I was one of the physicians helping Nanoha recover - ah, but that's probably nothing you're interested in. If you'll -" A tone from his desk interrupts him.

"Sir, Private Alpine is here," the lieutenant says.

"Good, send her in." The major disconnects and smiles. "Right on time." There are two stiff, formal knocks on the door, and he calls out, "Enter." You turn to face the door as it opens, and Lutecia takes three steps in, barely paying attention to what she's doing, and salutes.

"Sir, Private Alpine reporting as or-" You wait until after she notices you to grin and wave, and her eyes bug out slightly as her lips fail to form words.

"Ah, Lutecia, thank you. Work on that, though - and not so stiff. This is Officer Flandre Scarlet. Why don't you show her around the compound, explain what goes on around here? I'll stay here with Enforcer Harlaown for a bit, then show her around." She stares at him, mouth still working, until you bounce out of the chair and wrap your arms around her. Then she blushes and smiles happily at the major.

"Yes, Sir! Thank you, Sir!" You pull her after you, heedless of propriety and protocol, and when you turn at the door to wave, you see Major Tedrel smiling and Fate scowling. Oh, well. Once you get out of the anteroom and into the hallway and give Lutecia a proper hug, one that she reciprocates, she mock-glowers at the office. "That … ooh! He didn't tell me you were coming! He just said that some very important people were coming to inspect us, and he wanted me to show one of them around!" You giggle.

"What, are you saying we aren't very important people? I happen to think I'm very important people, myself." She laughs at that and finally relaxes. "… Feel better now?"

"I do. Thank you, Flan." You grin and she takes a deep breath. "So, what do you want to do?" You look around and shrug.

"Well, it's your place … but for now, maybe just do what the major said and show me around? If anything interesting happens, we can look into it, or else we can just find somewhere to sit and have fun." She nods.

"Right. It shouldn't take that long, anyway - two of the buildings are just living quarters, anyway, so unless you want to look in peoples' rooms, I can just show you the open areas on the first floors." She pauses for a moment, thinking, then nods and leads you down the hall. The tour is fairly brief, but she still hits the major areas - the male and female living quarters, with common areas on the first floor; the cafeteria; the classrooms, of which the only one currently in use is being run by a very strict woman who doesn't care for interruptions; the courtyard, which has a small physical training area; the gym, with an indoor swimming pool; and the records and office building, where she'd been working when you called her, and where you thank the supervisor, Lieutenant Hoff, in person, and also say hello to Angela, the still-terrified young woman who was in charge of the makeshift hospital from your first mission. "And … I think that's all the important places." You stick your tongue out at Lutecia.

"What would you have done differently if I had been someone else, someone on an actual inspection?" She sticks her tongue out back at you.

"We would have stayed and thoroughly investigated each area, and I also wouldn't be doing this alone. Really, I don't know why I was so surprised to see you …." You nuzzle her cheek.

"Because I'm a surprising person?" She giggles, then frowns and looks down from the window to the extra parking lot. A car is pulling in, and someone is heading out to meet it.

"That's … Isabel? What's she doing?" Your mood shatters and a scowl appears on your face when you see who gets out of the car, however - Korosh Manta. What, exactly, is he doing here … and why is a cadet greeting him? "Flan?" You sigh and shake your head.


What do you do?

[ ] Ignore him; this is Lulu time!
- [ ] Hang out in one of the common areas.
- [ ] Visit the classroom!
- [ ] Go to the cafeteria and have a snack.
- - [ ] Deploy the secret weapon!
- [ ] Have your clones keep an eye on Korosh.
- - [ ] If he starts getting close, make him have an 'accident'.
- - [ ] If he starts getting close, move away.
- - [ ] Have them lead him into Fate.

[ ] Drive him away; this is Lulu time!
- [ ] Hang out in one of the common areas.
- [ ] Visit the classroom!
- [ ] Go to the cafeteria and have a snack.
- - [ ] Deploy the secret weapon!

[ ] … He's here for you, isn't he? Give him an interview.
- [ ] Grudgingly.
- [ ] You can at least be polite.
- [ ] Get Fate and Major Tedrel involved.

[ ] Other?