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Shards of a Broken Sun [Megaten/Shugo Chara/Exalted]

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Dice roll mechanics, willpower & stunts
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    • I did promise an overview of the dice mechanics. Well, I spent last night running simulations of a few options, and I think the standard Exalted dice-roll system will work fine. The probability of a botch is variable, instead of simply being 5%-
    • 1 die: 10.00%
    • 2 dice: 11.00%
    • 3 dice: 9.10%
    • 4 dice: 6.71%
    • 5 dice: 4.65%
    • 6 dice: 3.10%
    • 7 dice: 2.02%
    • 8 dice: 1.29%
    • 9 dice: 0.81%
    • 10 dice: 0.51
    -and given Amu's stats, she would normally have a dice pool of 5 to 7 dice for any important action, which feels about right. Unless you make her do something she's incapable of, in which case... the resulting probabilities also feel right. Bear in mind, dice rolls aren't that common in this quest.

    I don't like when you're forced to do a dice roll on a situation where you expect a success, and then, miraculously, the dice roll badly and you fail anyway. So there will only be dice rolls in situations where, without them, I'd otherwise be writing the 'inevitable failure'.

    Since not everyone is already familiar, here's a quick overview.


    Exalted uses a system primarily based on ten-sided dice.

    1. Dice Pool: When a character performs an action, they get a dice pool. This pool usually consists of a number of d10s equal to the relevant Attribute plus Ability. Sometimes, other factors like equipment or special abilities can add or subtract dice; to give an example, a mechanic might get 1 extra die for having good tools, or 2 for a superlative, best-in-class set of tools. The same applies to all other rolls.
    2. Target Number: The standard target number for a success is 7. This means that any die that rolls a 7 or higher counts as one success. It's rare for anything to modify this.
    3. Difficulty: I'll set a difficulty for each action, representing the number of successes needed for an action to succeed. Simple actions might have a difficulty of 1, while extremely challenging tasks could have a much higher difficulty.
    4. Exceptional Successes: If Amu gets more successes than the difficulty, she may (or may not) succeed better than hoped for. This will only ever help you.
    5. Botches and critical successes:
      • A botch occurs when you roll no successes and at least one die shows a 1. It might mean you stab yourself with a sword, or accidentally open a rift in the classroom, or...
      • "Saaya just experienced a botch"... maybe. That's certainly a feasible interpretation.
      • A critical success occurs when you roll a 10. These count as 2 successes. Yes, I'm aware that normally these only apply to Exalted, but we're in a different universe now; at least, that's my excuse
    Dice pool

    Amu's dice pool ends up being Attribute + Ability + Ability specialisation + Psionic Skill + Psionic specialisation + Equipment + Stunt.

    That sounds like a lot. It would be, if she were fully adult and her ability scores weren't trash; she has no equipment, for most possible actions her ability score is 0, and psionic skill doesn't apply if she isn't using psionics. She'll be dealing with situations that would make many Essence 4 solar exalted blanch.

    Be aware: There is a 1-dice penalty for using an ability with 0 dots.

    Willpower

    You can, on any dice roll, pay 1 or 2 points of temporary willpower in exchange for, respectively, 1 or 2 extra dice. I've added a willpower track to Amu's character sheet. This is a slight divergence from Exalted baseline, to account for dice rolls being rarer in general.

    Psionics

    Basic usage of psionics is free, for Amu. She uses it the way you use your eyes, ears, hands...

    However, any contested usage requires winning a contested roll against the opponent. Any contested usage, in any scene, requires paying 1 point of temporary willpower; this is true regardless of how much it's used, the payment is good for the duration of the scene. There's no equivalent of motes (where psionics is concerned), but Amu can certainly get worn down over time.

    Note that 'opponent' need not mean 'human', or even 'sentient, mobile creature'. Anything that actively resists would count.

    Stunting rules

    Stunts are supposed to add flair and narrative depth, while providing mechanical benefits. Fundamentally the idea is that, instead of simply voting "Amu does / tries this", you describe how she does it, how that interacts with the environment, etc. You will be scored based on how entertaining it sounds, and how well I can fit it in the story, but note that the lowest possible score is +0, and that's unlikely; there is no possible case in which stunting your votes will reduce her dice pool.

    In practice, +1 should be achievable on just about every vote, with +2 easy with a bit of re-reading, and +3 feasible if you feel you need to push it. If it's something that makes you sit up, go 'wut', and chuckle, then it's likely to be a viable stunt. If it makes you go 'ooh, that's clever', that's also a good stunt. You get the idea.
    1. Levels of Stunts:
      • One-point stunts are clever or interesting actions that are a step above basic descriptions. They might include using the environment in a simple way or an interesting attack maneuver.
      • Two-point stunts are more elaborate and creative, often involving complex actions, dramatic use of the environment, or interactions with other characters in a significant way.
      • Three-point stunts are rare and represent moments of exceptional creativity or narrative significance. They are often pivotal, game-changing actions that can alter the entire plot of the story.
    2. Mechanical Benefits:
      • Bonus Dice: Stunts grant extra dice, as described.
      • Willpower: Two-point stunts also restore one point of Willpower.
    Stunt dice are given out at my discretion, but I don't intend to be stingy.
     
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    Chapter 1.7
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    • October 5, 2009

    The world snapped back into focus, and Amu blinked. She was still standing, somehow, and her classmates were slowly getting to their feet, looking around in confusion. There was a crash as a desk fell over, and the sound of several people throwing up, but Amu barely heard it.

    Saaya had fallen on her butt, and was staring up at her, her eyes wide, her face pale.

    "You," Saaya breathed, and then, her voice rising, "You did this! You did this, didn't you? You must have!"

    She didn't sound like she believed it.

    "No," Amu replied, her voice quiet. "I didn't."

    She looked away from Saaya, who was starting to cry, and turned to the class, her hands clenching at her sides. Saaya was the last thing on her mind right now. Amu was more worried about the tear in reality. She could feel it, like a wound, a gash in the air that was steadily leaking—something. She couldn't tell. But it felt like the air was thinning, and she didn't know how to stop it.

    She didn't even know where to start.

    "We have to get out of here," Amu called, and the class turned towards her, their eyes wide. "It's not safe."

    "You think?" a boy muttered. "That thing is getting bigger!"

    "I know," Amu snapped. "Just- everyone out. Get away from the rift. Makoto-" She racked her brain to recall the name of the boy, then gave up and pulled it from his mind. He was the one who seemed clairvoyant. "And, uh, Takuya. Go find Tsukasa, or anyone else who might be able to help. Everyone else, form groups. Someone, go to the A and C class and get them out of here..."

    She was feeling her lack of familiarity. Someone had to evacuate the neighbouring classes, and she didn't know who! She was starting to feel a little frantic. She should have known, shouldn't have let herself drift, but she had, and now she was-

    "It's okay," a girl said, her voice firm. "I'll take care of it."

    Amu nodded, not bothering to check who it was. The rift was still growing, and she didn't have time.

    "Everyone else, stay back!"

    Amu glanced at the class. Some were already making a run for the door, but others were still standing, frozen, their eyes fixed on the crack—which had now spread to cover most of the back of the classroom. She gave them a mental jolt. That unfroze them.

    "Good. And, um, the rest of you. Just split up and find the headmaster, or the guardians, or anyone who can help. And get away from here!"

    Makoto and Takuya nodded, and dashed out the door, their expressions grim. The rest of the class was following, and Amu glanced over her shoulder, her eyes flicking between the crack and Saaya, who was still sitting on the floor, her head in her hands. She hesitated, and then started to turn away, her thoughts racing.

    But, in the end, she couldn't.

    Amu took a deep breath, head full of thoughts of her own stupidity, and stepped towards Saaya. She knelt down while keeping one eye on the rift, which was now starting to spill an actinic, painfully bright light. A few of her classmates who hadn't run yet, and hadn't seen it earlier, were starting to freak out, and Amu couldn't blame them. She gave them another jolt. They ran.

    "Saaya," Amu murmured, and reached out a hand.

    "No," said Saaya, her voice low and fierce.

    "Are you okay?" she asked.

    "Am I okay?" Saaya repeated, her voice hollow. "You're asking me if I'm okay? After you did... after you did whatever you did, and-"

    This wasn't the time, Amu knew, but she couldn't help it. Saaya wasn't nice. Saaya wasn't a good person, Amu had always known that, but she couldn't ignore her, either. They'd been classmates for years, and she'd never seen her happy, not once. Gloating, yes. Vindictive. Jealous. But never happy. And lately, she hadn't spotted even those.

    She couldn't ignore her.

    "I'm sorry," Amu murmured.

    "Sorry? Sorry? You're sorry?" Saaya laughed, and it sounded a little hysterical. "What good does that do? You did this, didn't you? This is your fault. Everything is always your fault!"

    She shook her head. This wasn't working. She reached out for Saaya's mind, but it was still a tangled, thorny mess, and Amu flinched back.

    "What was that?" Saaya asked, her voice soft.

    "What was what?"

    "You did something, just then. I don't know what, but..." She glared up at Amu, her eyes wet with tears. "Stop doing that! Whatever it is, stop doing it!"

    Amu froze.

    "I'm sorry," she repeated.

    She couldn't think of anything else to say. She nervously glanced at the rift, which was definitely growing. Carefully, a little worriedly, she reached out mentally in hope that maybe she could telekinetically pull it closed or something, and-

    The world rang, like a gong, and the Humpty Lock hanging around her neck got painfully hot for a moment, then went as cold as ice. Amu flinched away, her head suddenly tight and painful.

    "You're not, and you shouldn't be," Saaya told her, distantly. "I wish you'd just leave me alone. Leave me here. I'm a monster as well, so it's only fair, right? You're the only one who's not- not- not-"

    Her voice caught, and she choked off a sob. Amu looked up, her gaze flickering back towards the crack, which had started producing a low-pitched hum. The air around it was vibrating, and a faint breeze was starting to blow. Amu shivered, and a sense of foreboding settled over her, as if she was watching a storm cloud. Same as that morning, except in the morning it had been like storm clouds in the distance, and now they were straight overhead, and she could feel the electricity crackling in the air.

    She had to focus. She couldn't let herself be distracted by Saaya. This was bigger than her.

    "Just... go away, Amu." Saaya sniffled, and wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "Just- just go away, and don't come back. I'm not- I'm not-"

    Her words trailed off, and her head dipped forward, her shoulders starting to shake. And Amu, cursing herself, settled in for another attempt at making the damn fool girl just leave. They couldn't stay here! At the rate that was growing, they'd be cut off soon.

    "Saaya, come on," Amu said. "We need to go."

    "Go fuck yourself," Saaya mumbled.

    "Saaya, we don't have a choice! We have to get out of here, now!"

    This time Saaya didn't even respond. Amu got to her feet, standing between Saaya and the now-towering crack, and looked up. The air around it was starting to shimmer, like a heat haze. The wind was getting stronger, and she could feel the rift itself starting to tug, as though it was drawing her towards it. The air in the classroom was being pulled in. The back of the classroom looked like it had shattered, or someone had made a stained glass painting in the shape of a classroom. And the hum was growing louder.

    She shook her head, subconsciously leaning back against the pull. Staying was a terrible idea, terrible idea. So, of course-

    She physically took hold of Saaya and dragged her away from the rift. Or at least she tried—she got the other girl a couple of metres, then Saaya bit her. As Amu jumped away, cursing, Saaya curled up into a ball and wept.

    She should leave her.

    -the classroom would be destroyed if she didn't do something. The school, possibly. Distantly, beyond the roaring air, she heard the sound of a fire alarm and running feet. Someone must have used some common sense, and hopefully the school would be empty soon. That was good. She could leave. Probably this thing would stop soon, right? She-

    Memories of talking with the Guardians, or playing with Yaya in the flower garden, or… Amu took a deep breath, cursing herself for her sheer insanity, and pulled out her cellphone. Lulu had said to call her if anything weird happened. This definitely counted. She dialled the number, and waited.

    Come to think of it, was time was it in France? Would Lulu even-

    "Hello?" a voice said, sounding a little sleepy.

    "Lulu?" Amu said. She had to speak up a little, to be heard over the sound of the wind. A stray pencil rolled past her foot, and disappeared into the rift. "Are you free? Something weird is happening, and I don't know how to fix it."

    The walls seemed to be bending. The floor was rippling, and the desks and chairs were starting to shake, as if they were caught in an earthquake.

    "Yes," said Lulu, sounding much more awake. "Of course. Is it your sister? Or is it-"

    "Not Ami. Something else."

    "What's going on? Explain," Lulu said, her voice clipped. She'd caught on to the tone in Amu's voice.

    Amu gave a brief explanation, her voice a little shaky. As she did, she watched as the walls were pushed backwards, the ceiling starting to bow, and the crack—still growing—spread out, pushing aside everything in its way. Including the back of the classroom, which was starting to look swizz cheese. She hoped, very much, that her classmates had gotten everyone else out, and were safely evacuating everyone in 1-C.

    "I see," said Lulu, and then, more sharply, "Where are you?"

    "School! My classroom!"

    "And the crack is spreading?"

    "It's starting to look like a portal of some kind." Not that she'd ever seen one. Amu backed away further, until she was nudging Saaya with a foot. The other girl didn't respond, not even to pull out of the way. "Um. I'm not sure what to do."

    "I am," Lulu snapped. "Get out of there, now! It's too dangerous."

    "I- I'm not sure I can."

    "Why not?"

    "Because the wind's picking up, and the pull's getting stronger, and- um." She looked to the side, where the rift—the corruption—had grown enough to encompass the classroom door and windows. Most of it didn't have that stained-glass look, but the desks were being… crushed, slowly breaking down as it touched them, as though they were sculpted from paper that someone was crumpling.

    It seemed to be avoiding the half-circle in front of them. She didn't know why, or how long it'd last.

    "I think it ate the exit?"

    "Then use the window," Lulu said, her voice strained.

    "There aren't any windows. There's just the crack, and I don't- I don't want to get close to it."

    "Break the wall! Amu, I'm going to hang up so I can make some phone calls. Do not, repeat, do not stay there, or try to stop it." Amu, who had been about to try just that, guiltily pulled back. Mentally, it felt like nothing. Just... nothing. She still felt numb from earlier. "I'll send specialists there to help, so just run. You can't do anything on your own. Is anyone else there with you?"

    "There was, but they ran."

    "Good," said Lulu. "Run too. Please. Stay safe."

    The call was cut off.

    "Lulu?"

    Oh. And then there was Saaya. Right. She was there too.

    Amu glanced down, and her mouth set in a frown. She'd nearly forgotten. Saaya was still curled up on the floor, her hands pressed against her ears, her eyes closed. Her mind was a muddy tangle of emotions, full of cracks, and menacing with thorns of fear. Saaya, it must be said, was why she was still there at all—and Saaya, dammit- Amu didn't swear, but this time she would—Saaya seemed to have a death wish, all of a sudden.

    "Saaya," Amu said.

    The girl didn't react.

    "Saaya!" she shouted.

    Nothing.

    Amu tried again, reaching out with her thoughts, at the same time she reached down and physically grabbed her shoulder.

    'Saaya!'

    Still no reaction, and something was happening to the rift. A faint pinprick of light appeared in the middle, accompanied by a tinkling laugh. It didn't sound merry in the slightest.

    = = =

    Saaya is one of those people. If you've never met anyone like her, count yourself lucky. However, despite what it might look like, Amu is in no way trapped. You have two basic options: You can take Lulu's advice, or you might not.

    [ ] Escape
    - Feel free to define how, but no dice roll is required for this. (Punch the wall.)

    [ ] Escape, with Saaya
    - She doesn't seem willing to leave. A dice roll may be required, depending on what method you go with… on a failure, it won't be harmless to Saaya. (Punch Saaya then punch the wall.)
    - This roll is difficulty 1.

    [ ] Make another attempt at convincing Saaya to leave
    - Write-in how. There's at least one option that guarantees success; some will be contested rolls. Regardless of what you choose, this will take long enough that something else will happen.
    - (Punch Saaya in the brain?)
    - You're trying to do therapy in combat time. This is difficulty 2.
    - If you end up in a fight, it may or may not be harder. Depends on whether or not Saaya is helping.

    [ ] Spend that time preparing to fight
    - Amu has some experience with things flying up to shoot emotional bullets at her, and the only difference she expects in this scenario is that the things might not be shooting bullets, emotional or otherwise. She's creeped out already.
    - (Punch a fairy in the mouth.)
    - The overall fight will be difficulty 1

    Which set of attribute+ability scores (+ psionic / willpower if applicable) get used will depend on the approach you suggest, and yes, I realise how that will bias your thinking. Not every combination is actually usable, in any given situation. Creativity can overcome that.
     
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    Vote closed
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    • Scheduled vote count started by Baughn on Nov 12, 2023 at 12:10 AM, finished with 109 posts and 14 votes.
    • [X] Plan: Dream Again
      - [X] When Amu thinks Saaya will be able to actually hear her: "Saaya, I know you don't want to hear from me right now, or probably ever, but we don't have time. I've given you what I got, back when I was first learning about all this. The day we met, actually. The Lock is going to give you control, help you, and I'm going to try and lend you my power as well. I don't want you to die Saaya. I'm sorry for what's happened, but we are in this together now. If you can, remember that I was trying to help, when you Dreamt last."
      -- [X] This isn't the best speech, and that should work in our favour. Saaya will hopefully be able to tell that we aren't using UMI or reading her mind, that this is just plain old human speech.
      - [X] If it can be done and still remove the Lock after, transform before the next action.
      - [X] Remove the Humpty Lock, and loop it around the unresponsive Saaya's neck. It will boost her resistance further, yes, but that's what we want. Push her hazy partial immunity into the full bloom of Psionics, to bring clarity to the confusion, while giving her back the skills she is so scared of someone else using on her.
      -- [X] If she isn't moving even after that, then we will have to take a wider view. Attack her one last time, mentally, to force her to defend herself. Not with full power, but enough to force her to react and wake up.
      -- [X] If she is the cause of the rift, then her control should be improved enough to fix it.
      --- [X] The Lock took the brunt of this rifts rebound earlier when we looked at it, so we are going to need to lend our power to Saaya.
      [X] Escape, with Saaya
      -[X] Throw a desk through the nearest wall, scoop up Saaya, and run for the exit!
      [X] Plan: Dream Again
      - [X] Remove the Humpty Lock, and loop it around the unresponsive Saaya's neck. It will boost her resistance further, yes, but that's what we want. Push her hazy partial immunity into the full bloom of Psionics, to bring clarity to the confusion, while giving her back the skills she is so scared of someone else using on her.
      -- [X] If she isn't moving even after that, then we will have to take a wider view. Attack her one last time, mentally, to force her to defend herself. Not with full power, but enough to force her to react and wake up.
      -- [X] If she is the cause of the rift, then her control should be improved enough to fix it.
      --- [X] The Lock took the brunt of this rifts rebound earlier when we looked at it, so we are going to need to lend our power to Saaya.
      [X] Escape , with Saaya. The Safe Quick Way
      [X] Plan: Concrete Sarcophagus
      [X] No Humpty Lock, We Die Like Arisato
    Click to expand...
     
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    • Chapter 1.8
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    • [X] Plan: Dream Again
    - [X] When Amu thinks Saaya will be able to actually hear her: "Saaya, I know you don't want to hear from me right now, or probably ever, but we don't have time. I've given you what I got, back when I was first learning about all this. The day we met, actually. The Lock is going to give you control, help you, and I'm going to try and lend you my power as well. I don't want you to die Saaya. I'm sorry for what's happened, but we are in this together now. If you can, remember that I was trying to help, when you Dreamt last."
    -- [X] This isn't the best speech, and that should work in our favour. Saaya will hopefully be able to tell that we aren't using UMI or reading her mind, that this is just plain old human speech.
    - [X] If it can be done and still remove the Lock after, transform before the next action.
    - [X] Remove the Humpty Lock, and loop it around the unresponsive Saaya's neck. It will boost her resistance further, yes, but that's what we want. Push her hazy partial immunity into the full bloom of Psionics, to bring clarity to the confusion, while giving her back the skills she is so scared of someone else using on her.
    -- [X] If she isn't moving even after that, then we will have to take a wider view. Attack her one last time, mentally, to force her to defend herself. Not with full power, but enough to force her to react and wake up.
    -- [X] If she is the cause of the rift, then her control should be improved enough to fix it.
    --- [X] The Lock took the brunt of this rifts rebound earlier when we looked at it, so we are going to need to lend our power to Saaya.


    View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVVUjePzG0I

    The rift was growing at an alarming rate, the wind escalating from a mere storm to a deafening gale. Air was finding its way from everywhere around her—the cracked walls, the open classroom door—to hurl itself into oblivion. Amu felt it tugging at her, an almost magnetic force pulling her towards the blinding light of the rift. She shielded her eyes with her arm, but it was barely enough; the light pierced through, revealing the fracturing reality around her—the classroom, a thumping wound in the mental space surrounding her, and an indescribable elsewhere that seemed to stretch the very fabric of her understanding.

    Somewhere that she couldn't see. Somewhere she could barely sense at all, except that the mental space was getting bigger, in a way she found impossible to describe. The tinkling laughter was getting louder, crueller, and had somehow gained an undertone of irony.

    She glanced down at Saaya, sprawled on the floor, and felt a knot of fear tighten in her stomach. It wasn't fair. Saaya might have been mean, but this... this was a nightmare. Amu's heart pounded against her ribcage, each beat screaming that she was just a kid, too young for this horror.

    But then, so was Saaya.

    And she'd done this before.

    Lulu's words echoed in her mind—get out, leave—but Amu's gaze was fixed on the other girl. "Saaya!" she yelled, her voice almost swallowed by the gale. No response, only the eerie laughter from the rift and Saaya's faint whimper, as well as the rumble of debris rolling, sometimes flying from all around the classroom, tumbling towards the rift. A desk tumbled by, crumpling as it went until a small sphere of rubble vanished into the rift.

    Amu's breath hitched. She couldn't, shouldn't, go any closer. Panic clawed at her throat, her mind racing. She should grab Saaya and run, but where? What if the portal kept growing? What would happen to everyone else?

    The rift's expansion seemed to be avoiding Saaya.

    A horrifying thought struck Amu—was Saaya somehow restraining it? The realisation made her skin crawl. For a fleeting, shameful moment, she considered leaving Saaya behind. But that thought alone sent a wave of guilt washing over her. She couldn't abandon someone, no matter what. It wasn't who she was, or who she wanted to be, despite the terror that threatened to overwhelm her every thought. And Saaya?

    She wasn't pleasant company, but Saaya was still human, still someone she knew, and it wasn't as though every single memory was bad. A memory flashed in Amu's mind: Saaya, carefree and laughing, suspended in mid-air as Lulu's gem gave her what she'd apparently wanted.

    She reached for Saaya's hand, and recoiled as a bolt of electricity lanced up her arm. It felt like static shock, but a thousand times worse. The Humpty Lock, still looped around her neck, turned ice cold.

    Gritting her teeth, Amu reached for Saaya's hand again, only to be jolted by another surge of pain. It was like a thousand static shocks fused into one, sending her nerves into a frenzy. Despite the pain and her instinct to withdraw, Amu held on. Saaya's skin was scorching to the touch, yet underneath the heat she was sweating, her entire body shaking. Her lips moved, her teeth clenching and unclenching as she mumbled under her breath, a string of syllables and gibberish.

    "Saaya!" Amu shouted, her voice barely audible over the howling chaos. Saaya seemed lost in her own world, unresponsive to Amu's call.

    That was it, then. She had to reach her telepathically; it was the only choice. Or simply carry her out, but breaking a hole would take time and-

    She sat down, to hold Saaya down against the pull of the wind. Closed her eyes. And dropped out of reality.

    ⁂

    She didn't often do this, and never before while she was in danger. Amu felt a little frantic, and more than a little lost. She was standing—or not really, since there was no ground—in a field of swirling lights and vague impressions. They weren't thoughts, not quite, but they weren't just energy, either.

    She was dragging Dia up out of her semi-comatose slumber as quickly as she could, but that wasn't fast, precisely. In the real world, her eyes dimmed. Had anyone been there to see them through her closed eyelids, they would have seen them lose their faintly luminescent glow, regaining the same pure brown colour that they'd had when she was younger. But no-one was, and no-one did, and even Amu had never experimented with Dia in front of a mirror.

    The rift was still present in this world. Amu could sense it, a gaping wound in the space around her, and a distant part of her was aware that it was continuing to grow. But there was no wind here, only a distant awareness.

    Instead, she focused her attention on Saaya.

    And Saaya's mind was a mess. Amu couldn't tell where the world around her began, and where her mind ended. They were fused together, fragmented shards of Saaya spraying sparks and arcs of energy, her consciousness splintering. Amu reached out, and-

    She was drowning. She was-

    She was Saaya.

    Saaya, whose parents were ignoring each other again. Whose father had just come home late, and was arguing with her mother about how he was late, and he hadn't meant to be, and he'd been with a girl, and that was-

    Her parents, giving her a brand new macintosh for her birthday, when she'd asked for a gaming console. Not paying enough attention even to realise they were different, just picking out the most expensive option.

    Saaya, sitting on the couch, a glass of apple juice in her hands, listening. She'd never realised how much her parents argued before. She'd never listened before, hadn't known to, but then Amu had told her classmates about her summer vacation and how much fun it had been. How her cousin had gotten married, and how much her dad and mum loved each other, and Saaya had-

    Saaya, watching Amu. She was always so confident, always seemed to have everything in control, and it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair!

    She wanted what Amu had.

    Saaya, cutting her hair short on one side of her head, and being told off for it. She'd thought it looked cool, but it turned out she'd gotten a bad haircut.

    Saaya, staring at Ami, her heart in her throat. Amu's sister was adorable, and sweet, and perfect, and Amu didn't even appreciate-

    That night, with a burning heat pounding inside her, she'd realised how weird that thought had been.

    She'd gone home, and-

    That dream. That stupid, impossible, stupid, wonderful dream.

    And the next day, she'd woken up, and it was just her, in her room. Just Saaya.

    And she'd punched a hole in her door. Ripped it to pieces. She hadn't meant to.

    She'd been told off for that, too.

    And the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that, and-

    She had punched out against Amu, wanting nothing more than to turn her smirk into a hole, and had realised only a second after she'd done it what that would do to Amu, that she'd just tried to kill her classmate, and Amu hadn't even seemed to notice, and then-

    Reality had come apart, a yawning feeling just like her door-

    And then-

    She was-

    'Dying,' Amu realised. Sayaa's mind had been splintering for months, and now it was coming apart. Her last conscious thought, the one reverberating between all her shards, was that she had to fix this. That she'd broken the world, so she had to be the one to fix it, but she was going to die before she could.

    And on some horrifying level that Amu was firmly not going to deal with right now? Saaya was okay with that. Her classmate was almost seeing it as a relief, to exit the stage early, to escape without it being her fault.

    But.

    'I don't want to die,' Saaya's thoughts whispered, a million times over. 'I don't want to live,' said some, and 'I wish I'd never met her,' and 'I hate her, I hate her, I hate her.'

    But most of all, she just didn't want to die.

    And she was still there, her consciousness a muddled jumble. A million versions of Saaya, none of them able to agree on anything. But they all had a core, and they all agreed on a single fact. They were scared of everything, including themselves. They were attacking everything, including each other. They couldn't fit the pieces back together, couldn't remember what not being broken felt like.

    She was already gone. If Amu moved her right now, the rift would tear her apart. And some of her was being drawn in already—was already there, dragged away from Saaya and torn into a rain of diamond dust that was still, somehow, lashing out. That's what was holding it back.

    'How do I-'

    There was no time. The rift was still growing. Saaya had been holding it back, but doing so was tearing her apart. She was-

    'Saaya!'

    A thousand fragments turned her way, some greeting her with mocking laughter, others with rage, or confusion, or hope, or-

    'Saaya, you have to stop!

    'Why should I?'     the fragments replied.

    'It's not Amu's fault,' said a thousand fragments, and 'I want her to suffer,' and 'You have to run away!'

    Some threw themselves willingly at the rift, any end a relief. Others were dragged, pulled apart. A handful fought, stubbornly, and one by one they were torn to pieces, their last thoughts a desperate desire for help.

    ⁂

    Amu tore her way back to reality, gasping for breath. Her face was wet, her cheeks stained with tears, and she wasn't sure when she'd started crying. Her eyes were sore. Saaya's hand was still in hers, and Saaya was-

    Amu reached out, and Saaya was-

    Still there, her mind a shattered ruin, a storm of emotions and fear and rage and-

    Amu took a deep breath. She couldn't stay too close, and not just because Saaya had asked her not to. She glanced back at the rift, which had barely changed. How long had it been—seconds? It must have been seconds, but it had felt like an eternity. Running away with Saaya was, apparently, out. Her hands burned, a thousand mental cuts where she was touching her, and the air was starting to smell of ozone. She had to check to make sure her hands weren't being shredded, but there was no blood; only the feeling of papercuts.

    But Saaya's mind, the fragments that remained, was still there.

    'Su?' she thought, then discarded the idea. Su was the part of her that knew how to fix things—yes, but that was messes on the floor, or a broken toy, or a mistake, not- not a literally shattered soul.

    She looked down at Saaya, whose mind was in pieces, and realised she didn't know what to do.

    She didn't know how to put a mind back together, or even how to start. She wasn't like Dia.

    Dia-

    Her hands moved, nearly on automatic. She reached up to the locket hanging around her neck, and undid the chain. She held it up, the Humpty Lock glowing in the light of the rift, her hands shaking a little. She'd held onto the amulet for nearly four years. What it did was a mystery even to her. Support her transformations? Let her fly? Yes, but she could do those even without it, most of the time. What it did do—what she was sure that it did, with a certainty coming from nowhere at all—was act as a shield, a focus. A scaffolding.

    There was a single future in which Saaya lived, and was able to shout at her again, and it was the one in which she did this. She could see that future clearly now. Saaya walking next to her, snarking about her choice of clothes while they searched for a cafe to eat lunch in.

    She could do the things that led to that future.

    Amu took a deep breath, then slipped the locket around Saaya's neck. It was an awkward fit, given the girl was lying down, but the lock clicked shut. Her hands were shaking as she gently brushed a strand of hair from Saaya's face.

    She knew the Humpty Lock didn't act on its own, and Saaya was in no state to control it. With a deep breath, Amu reached towards the locket nestled against Saaya's chest. She didn't touch it physically; instead, she focused her intent on it. The locket responded, glowing a vivid pink that swiftly morphed into a dazzling, almost blinding, shade of deep-sea green.

    Saaya's reaction was immediate and terrifying. She began to scream, a sound filled with agony and fear. A shockwave ripped through the room, hurling debris in all directions. Saaya convulsed, her back arching off the floor as a torrent of green light burst from her, forming emerald ribbons of energy that writhed and then retracted back into her.

    The screaming abruptly ceased. Amu sensed something like ethereal bars of light pressing into Saaya, knitting the scattered pieces of her mind back together. The process was far from perfect; she was riddled with enough scars and missing pieces that Amu wasn't sure how she would ever recover. But she wasn't dying anymore.

    Meanwhile, the rift was in turmoil. The odd cracks in reality widened, the light pulsing erratically but intensifying. A sound akin to a wooden house collapsing filled the air. The gale-force wind was still there, stronger than before, pulling towards the rift. The fissures were reaching towards Amu now, the divot left by Saaya's self-destruction hungrily filling in now that she was no longer holding back the tide.

    The Humpty Lock was still, softly, glowing. Amu stared at it, then tucked it away inside Saaya's blouse. The other girl's eyes were still closed, but her lips were moving, tears streaming from her eyes. Amu pulled her into an embrace, then pushed herself to her feet, lifting Saaya with her.

    They were going to get out. They would.

    She just had to figure out how.

    She'd barely gotten started on that, hesitating between punching a hole in the wall behind them or a floor, when Saaya stirred.

    "No," she whispered.

    "What?" Amu said.

    "Stop," said Saaya.

    "We can't, not now, we have to-"

    "Just..." Saaya opened her eyes, the pupils dilated and unfocused. She sluggishly looked around, her gaze sweeping across the walls, the ceiling, the rift. "Wait," she repeated.

    Amu sighed, frustration building like a knot in her throat.

    "Saaya, no. We have to go, now."

    "No, no, no," Saaya said, her words barely audible over the cacophony of noise and the roar of the wind. She stared at the rift, and slowly, ever so slowly, her face relaxed. The rift, still expanding, was now almost three-quarters of the width of the classroom, and the air was filled with a sharp tang, like the scent of lightning.

    "Saaya..."

    "I did this," she mumbled. "This is... me."

    "You. Did not," Amu said, her voice suddenly fierce. "Saaya, I know you don't want to hear this from me now. Or probably ever. But this isn't your fault, and it isn't mine either."

    Saaya sluggishly shook her head.

    "I can fix it."

    Amu stared at her. She could feel the sincerity in her thoughts. She could tell that Saaya thought, in some corner of her mind, that she really could fix it. She couldn't, though. Definitely not.

    "Well, I won't let you." Amu's arms tightened, and she started to rise.

    "What," Saaya whispered, a faint tinge of anger creeping into her voice.

    "I'm taking you somewhere safe."

    "You can't. You can't make me."

    "Actually, I can." Amu said, a touch of desperation entering her voice. "I can pick you up, and throw you through a window, and fly us out of here. Do you think you can stop me?"

    "I," Saaya said, her eyes widening.

    "Look at the locket you're wearing," Amu continued, her voice growing sharper. Saaya's eyes dropped, staring down at her own chest.

    "You... you gave me your locket," she whispered.

    "I did."

    "I didn't want-"

    "Do you really think I care?" Amu snapped.

    "Why would you?" Saaya muttered.

    "Because you're not a bad person, and you deserve better."

    Saaya went quiet, her gaze fixed on the Humpty Lock, its emerald glow barely visible through the fabric of her shirt.

    "That's the locket I got , back when I was first learning about all this. The day we met, actually. The Lock is going to give you control, help you, and right now it's all that's keeping you alive actually." Amu took a deep breath, her arms tightening around Saaya. "I don't want you to die, Saaya. I'm sorry for what's happened, and I'll listen if you want to shout at me, but I'm not leaving you here. If you can, remember that I was trying to help, last time we fought."

    Saaya was silent, and the seconds ticked past, the rift still slowly expanding, the walls buckling under the strain. Then, slowly, she raised her arms, resting them lightly on Amu's shoulders.

    "I'm scared," she murmured. "I don't- I don't want to hurt anyone."

    "I won't let you."

    "You don't know-"

    "You're not going to, because you're not alone. I'll help."

    "I hate you," Saaya mumbled, her hands tightening. For once, Amu didn't need to be psionic to hear the undertone. 'I hate myself'.

    "I know. I'm sorry."

    "I hate that too."

    Amu nodded, then stood up, her hands moving to Saaya's sides. "Let's get you out of here. I have no idea how to close the rift, but I'm not risking you, not anymore. Okay?"

    Saaya nodded, her face pale. "Okay."

    Amu stepped back, then stopped, her gaze drifting to the side. She could feel Tadase in the corridor, his mind the same blazing inferno of self-righteousness it always became when he used his transformation mode. He'd gotten better about hiding it, but not enough to hide from Amu.

    She suppressed a smirk, then looked towards the rift, which was emitting a low-pitched groan. The expansion had slowed.

    "What," Saaya whispered.

    "Tadase's outside," Amu explained. "He's holding it back. Now will you leave? Please?"

    Saay looked back at the rift, her eyes wide, her hands trembling. "Okay," she said, then turned to look at the outside wall.

    The emerald glow from the humpty lock intensified slightly. Then the wall, already weakened, and entirely without Amu's say-so, exploded.

    = = =

    This was supposed to be a no-win scenario. The rest of you didn't make any mistakes. Anyway, I guess… this is where we're at now. Saaya will be keeping the Locket for the foreseeable future, but Amu doesn't need it that much anymore.

    The overall situation is:
    - Saaya needs to get to sleep,     right now. She could use a few weeks' rest. Give her at least a day or three… is what I'd like to hope. Never mind. She isn't an asset at present, and Amu knows that, but she is a concern for later and shouldn't be in this fight.
    - Tadase is currently resisting an irresistible force by using an immovable object (himself), and slowly being pushed backwards. Amu doesn't expect him to get tired, but that might not matter.
    - Amu didn't notice Nagihiko doing anything blatant, but you can probably assume he's there as well.
    - Kukai is likely helping with the evacuation of the second floor, which undoubtedly has taken damage as well.
    - Amu needs to evacuate her classroom     right now, because the location she's in will have a rift there in another few seconds.
    - Amu is at 5/6 WP.

    You can expect a difficulty 2 fight.

    It's been about two and a half minutes since this course of events started.

    Choices, choices…

    [ ] Evacuate the vicinity
    - You're down a lot of energy, missing your locket, and your head aches. You're not in good shape for a fight. If anything appears, hopefully the other former Guardians can handle it.

    [ ] Evacuate Saaya, then come back
    - You can't leave Tadase and Nagihiko on their own.

    [ ] Evaluate the situation before doing anything
    - While that might sound obvious, you     are in a situation where seconds count. It might or might not be a good idea.

    [ ] Call Lulu and update her on the developments. Yes she's going to yell at you, but if she's calling people in to help, they need to know what they are rushing into.

    [ ] Look for Miki. Chances are she's in the grade-school section with Ami, and you know the area well.
    - [ ] If she is in the grade-school section, she's near Yuu. Maybe he knows something about this from Easter's research?
    - [ ] Or Hikaru might.
    - It will take valuable time for them to answer either way, and every second counts.

    [ ]     Write-in
     
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    • Scheduled vote count started by Baughn on Nov 13, 2023 at 7:48 PM, finished with 61 posts and 8 votes.
    • [X] Evacuate Saaya, then come back
      [X] Evacuate Saaya, then take a moment.
      - [X] Dash out the wall and get Saaya to a safe distance.
      -- [X] Do not fly. Keep that in reserve in case the adults outside are hostile. They aren't helping evacuate, so they likely aren't teachers. This place hirers for quality and/or psionic involvement, and standing around indicates neither.
      -- [X] Don't leave Saaya and the Humpty Lock with the adults unless they are safe to do so with.
      --- [X] Text Rima to head your way for hand off if need be.
      --- [X] Ping Ami to send Miki to you with telepathy if possible, for the same purposes.
      - [X] Once out, call Lulu and update her on the developments. Yes she's going to yell at you, but if she's calling people in to help, they need to know what they are rushing into.
      -- [X] Take Lulu's advice on what to do, while circling around to reinforce Tadase and Nagihiko once Saaya is secure.
      -- [X] Specifically ask how long reinforcements are going to take. If they will be there shortly, check if Tadase can hold it back for long enough to let the professionals get there.
      - [X] Do these actions in the most efficient order once a safe distance from the rift. As in, call Lulu and text Rima while on the phone with her, if possible, and move with Saaya while on the phone.
      [X] Evacuate Saaya, then take a moment.
      [X] Plan Human Resources
      -[X] Evac out the hole, with Saaya, to a safe-ish distance. Transform and pick her up if it helps.
      -[X] "Saaya, I'm going to call Lulu. She's trying to get us backup. If she picks up, let her know what's going on and answer any questions she has." Then call Lulu and hand Saaya your phone.
      -[X] Transform if you haven't, shield up, and head back. Be ready to fight and/or talk to whatever comes out of the rift, probably both at the same time.
    Click to expand...
     
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    • Chapter 1.9
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    • [X] Evacuate Saaya, then take a moment.

    - [X] Dash out the wall and get Saaya to a safe distance.

    -- [X] Do not fly. Keep that in reserve in case the adults outside are hostile. They aren't helping evacuate, so they likely aren't teachers. This place hirers for quality and/or psionic involvement, and standing around indicates neither.

    -- [X] Don't leave Saaya and the Humpty Lock with the adults unless they are safe to do so with.

    --- [X] Text Rima to head your way for hand off if need be.

    --- [X] Ping Ami to send Miki to you with telepathy if possible, for the same purposes.

    - [X] Once out, call Lulu and update her on the developments. Yes she's going to yell at you, but if she's calling people in to help, they need to know what they are rushing into.

    -- [X] Take Lulu's advice on what to do, while circling around to reinforce Tadase and Nagihiko once Saaya is secure.

    -- [X] Specifically ask how long reinforcements are going to take. If they will be there shortly, check if Tadase can hold it back for long enough to let the professionals get there.

    - [X] Do these actions in the most efficient order once a safe distance from the rift. As in, call Lulu and text Rima while on the phone with her, if possible, and move with Saaya while on the phone.

    Saaya looked shocked for a moment, then nodded, a determined look in her eyes. "Okay," she said, "Let's go."

    A chunk of concrete tumbled from the ceiling, crashing to the floor in the middle of the classroom.

    "On second thought, run," Amu said.

    "What?"

    "Run! Just run!"

    The two girls ran. Saaya stumbled slightly, feet catching on some rubble, but Amu steadied her and a moment later they were through the shattered wall and into the flowerbeds. The building shuddered behind them, the walls rippling as if the concrete was melting. The light from the rift was so bright that it cast shadows right through the walls.

    "Where are we going?" Saaya asked, panting slightly.

    "Away!"

    "Away where?"

    "Somewhere not here," Amu said. She reached out, touching the mental space around her, and found-

    She clamped a hand over her mouth. Someone had been hit by collapsing concrete, killed on the spot. The viewpoint she'd got was from a girl in her class, who was hysterically hauling off the concrete with strength that wasn't remotely human. Then, from the corner of the same girl's eye, Nagihiko—no, that was Nadeshiko right now—was rushing towards her, shouting something Amu couldn't quite make out.

    Amu's blood went cold. Tadase wouldn't be able to hold back the rift forever. Or even maybe another five minutes.

    She looked back towards the school, then made her decision.

    "-come on," she muttered, grabbing Saaya's hand. She couldn't risk flying, with no idea who could see her and Saaya scared of her. Instead she pulled her towards the garden at the centre of the academy, her legs pumping as fast as they could without scooping the other girl up. Saaya kept up, her gaze darting towards the school and back again.

    They stopped beneath a tree, a safe distance from the classroom. Here the unlight from the rift was faint, just a shimmer in the air.

    Amu stopped, panting.

    "I think I'm going to throw up," Saaya muttered.

    "Just- here," said Amu.

    Saaya doubled over, and promptly emptied the contents of her stomach onto the ground. Her arms were shaking. Amu couldn't tell if that was a lingering effect of the rift or simple panic. Probably a mixture of both, she decided.

    She put an arm around her then glanced around, scanning for her classmates. Some of them had gotten out; more were streaming from the front entrance, running and stumbling as the ground buckled and twisted beneath them. She could sense Tadase still in the hallway, flaring like a bonfire, but that was all. Amu felt like she might throw up herself, but pushed it down. There would be time for emotions later.

    "Are you okay?" she said, giving Saaya a careful squeeze.

    "No," Saaya muttered, then spat on the ground. She looked exhausted, her skin pale and her clothes stained with dirt and sweat. She didn't even have the strength to brush the hair out of her face, so Amu did it for her, gently tucking the locks behind her ears. "Why are you doing this?" Saaya whispered. "I don't- I don't-"

    "And I already told you I don't care," Amu replied. She glanced around, looking for help. Surely some of the teachers had gotten out?

    "Why not?"

    Amu hesitated. "Because we're not enemies. Because if you're scared of me, then I don't want that. If I'm hurting you, then I want to know. Because… Because I'd hope someone would do the same for me."

    "I wouldn't."

    Amu gave Saaya an incredulous stare. Had she, or had she not, just attempted to sacrifice herself just so Amu would have an easier time? "You just did."

    "Yeah, well." Saaya paused, a slight blush colouring her cheeks. "That doesn't mean I'd do it again."

    Amu didn't know how to respond to that, and a moment later, the opportunity passed. She was feeling it too. Not exhausted, precisely—wired, if anything, her thoughts buzzing with energy. But the rest of her wasn't quite keeping up, and she could tell she wasn't the only one. Saaya was leaning against her, her weight getting heavier by the second.

    "It's okay," Amu murmured. "You did good. You can relax now."

    "No, no," Saaya muttered. She tried to stand up, but her legs buckled, and Amu caught her, carefully lowering her to the ground. Saaya started trembling. It was like her muscles had simply given up, and a moment later, she coughed up a mouthful of blood.

    This was not in the plan.

    Saaya was staring at her hand, her eyes wide. She coughed again, spattering the grass with blood.

    "Oh," she whispered.

    Amu felt like someone had punched her in the gut. "Saaya?"


    "I'm-" Saaya started, her words turning into a hacking cough. A second later, her body arched, and she slumped down, her eyes glazing over.

    "Saaya?" Amu repeated, her voice shaking.

    She didn't respond, blood dripping from her nose. Then her eyes refocused on Amu, full of fear. She tried to say something, but it came out as a wet cough.

    "Saaya!"

    Amu knelt down, cradling the other girl. She looked around frantically. There was nobody here, no-one who could help. She had to...

    She could fix her! She knew she could.

    She was reaching out, focusing her attention, when she heard a distant roar.

    Something was coming out of the rift.

    ⁂

    It was a bird. If birds could be two metres tall, and had a face like a human with the teeth of a shark, and wings the size of a small plane, and the claws of a velociraptor, then yes, it was a bird. And now she felt Nadeshiko's presence. A moment later she saw her. The 'bird' rocketed out through a fresh hole in the school's side, a stream of feathers and smoke trailing in its wake. It crashed into the tree line, a small figure leaping from its back as it hit the ground on its back.

    Nadeshiko hit the ground rolling and was on her feet a moment later, naginata held at the ready. She was wearing the girl's school uniform, her long hair tied back in a braid, but even so Amu recognised her. She decided not to worry about the how or why.

    A moment later Kukai ran into view, carrying the girl from her vision under his arm. Amu's heart leapt.

    "Kukai!" she shouted.

    "Hey, Amu," he called back, giving her a thumbs-up. "Give us a moment."

    The two of them looked like they'd seen better days. Both of them were covered in scratches and bruises, and Kukai was limping slightly. The girl looked shell-shocked, her expression was blank, and her arm was hanging at an angle that indicated it was badly broken.

    Amu watched as the 'bird'—a roc, or a gryphon?—scrambled back to its feet, its claws reaching for Nadeshiko but snapping at air.

    Kukai took a deep breath, then took off running. Away from Nadeshiko, towards—right—the rest of her classmates, who had gathered near the football field. That looked like a plan, so Amu looked away, back to Nadeshiko, who was now in mid-air. Her naginata spun in her hands, its tip aimed directly at the 'roc's' chest.

    There was a flash, and then a boom. The roc went down, the ground shuddering under the impact. It let out a startled shriek, but it didn't look like the blade had pierced its skin. Still, Nadeshiko had it on the back foot.

    Her eyes moved on and caught on a group of adults standing by the front entrance. They were arguing loudly, one of them attempting to push past the others, and although they were too far away for her to see clearly-

    Oh. That was Dad.

    Dad was there, and he was... fighting to get into the school. Trying to push his way through the other adults there. With his fists, not his brain, which meant he was being an idiot, and also she had no time. Amu closed her eyes, her hands balling into fists, but she couldn't go over there now. Saaya needed her.

    So she turned away, her mind focusing on Saaya. Saaya was still, too still, but she could feel her heartbeat, her breathing, the soft hum of her mind. The sharp edges where the shards had been pulled back into alignment, and the gaps left between them.

    Amu reached out with her senses, feeling the wounds that had appeared in her body. One of her lungs had a hole in it, and the blood vessels connected to her heart were... Her skin was starting to look like a single enormous bruise. It was like someone had taken a shotgun and blasted her insides. It didn't look fatal, not right away, but Amu wasn't a doctor and she was going to assume the worst.

    "Su," Amu muttered, her lips barely moving. She could almost hear Su's reply. 'Yes, I know,' the Chara would say. 'Fixing things is my specialty! Just give me a moment!'

    She opened her eyes, and was just in time to see Nadeshiko—now on the ground—dodge a slash from the pseudo-roc's claws, its teeth snapping at the space where she'd been a moment ago. That was great, really. Nadeshiko cast a glance her way, but she didn't look too concerned by the demon she was fighting. She looked calm. Like this was just another day.

    She closed her eyes again, relying on her sense for Nadeshiko to tell her if the fight moved in her direction.

    "I'm sorry, Saaya," she said. "I'm not great at this, but I promise I'll try my best."

    The most useful skill she'd inherited from Su was 'fixing things'. All sorts of things. One damn thing after another, as Miki was fond of saying. She could fix holes in the walls, and holes in her clothes, and the cracks in her pencils. She could fix broken glass, and contusions from when she fell, and Nikaidou's broken dream. She could, given time, even fix the scars in Utau's mind. Though that had been as much friendship and intuition as deliberate and she hadn't even noticed them until after meeting Kana.

    But none of that was enough. It wouldn't fix Saaya, not unless she spent hours on it.

    That wasn't an excuse not to try.

    = = =

    To everyone who was predicting an interrupt: Um, yeah, there may be one or two of those. The rest of the plan is still running, but you can redo as much or as little of it as you want, after dealing with this situation.

    Your dice luck could have been better, but maybe this will be for the best. Incidentally, let me know if you prefer me to do rolls publicly; the ones in this chapter were ad-hoc calls to random.choice in a python interpreter…

    So. XP rules. I'm going to do a proper write-up later, but some things you need to know right now:
    • Standard Exalted level-up costs are in effect for attribute and ability increases. They're priced as though Amu is a Solar, for Reasons™.
    • Increments to psionic skills cost max(1, [pre-increment # of dots] / 2) XP. This is up for adjustment later. If I reduce the cost, I'll refund any previously spent XP in excess of the new cost.
    • Training time follows the standard for a solar exalted, except-
    • You can pay 2x the required XP to skip the training time for a psionic skill. This has in-story consequences, but nothing terrible. It must be done at a stressful moment in which the relevant skill would be useful.
    • While I haven't done the full computation, Amu at present has a pool of at least 2 XP from events so far.
    • Which means that, given the rules as planned, you could take her biokinesis skill from 1 to 2 dots. XD
    • I'm going to need to find some other character to torture, aren't I?

    [ ][Saaya] Stabilise her, then move on.
    • "Moving on" means continuing with the plan as defined, unless voted otherwise. Yes, that does imply you'd be ignoring Nadeshiko's combat situation for the moment. Is there any difference just because you can see her?
    • Maybe.
    [ ][Saaya] Heal her fully. Then move on.
    • Cost: 2 XP for biokinesis upgrade…
    • Also it'll take a little longer.
    [ ][Saaya] Write-in.
    • I'm not sure what other options there are here, but that's why write-ins exist.

    [ ][Plan] Continue as planned
    [ ][Plan]     Write-in
     
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    • Scheduled vote count started by Baughn on Nov 18, 2023 at 6:58 PM, finished with 70 posts and 11 votes.
    • [X] Plan: Glue Saaya Back With Honey
      - [X] Upgrade Biokinesis: Spend 2 XP.
      - [X] Heal Saaya fully.
      - [X] Transform and use Remake Honey on Saaya.
      -- [X] The mental picture of Saaya that you hold is one torn apart, damaged and missing bits. Once upon a time, there had been another picture of someone cherished that you had seen torn, damaged and missing bits - a precious photograph of your mother that your father had tucked away in an old magazine, accidentally donated. When you'd found it again, you and Yoru had fought bitterly over it, leaving in tatters by the end. But Amulet Clover had managed to fill the gaps, mend the holes. Honey heals, honey revitalizes. Honey keeps bees alive throughout winter. Like the blood running through a person's veins, no cheap fake made of corn syrup can compare to the true thing - and Su makes the best honey of them all. Imagining Remake Honey's life-giving fluid spreading throughout the fraying edges and damaged gaps you see in your image of Saaya, you envision the same mending process taking place here and now, as you had done with that paper photograph of your mother before. It may not have been your real mother then, but paper is the flesh of trees and that paper had carried her spirit within in. Now, as before, you seek to heal a flesh that likewise carries within it the spirit of someone you refuse to see die.
      - [X] Carry Saaya to Tsumugu and tell him to keep her safe and make sure nobody removes the Lock.
      - [X] Rejoin Kukai and Nadeshiko to fight.
      [X] Plan Scoop and Run
      -[X] Stabilize Saaya.
      -[X] Pick up Saaya and carry her to Dad.
      -[X] Tell Dad he's now responsible for getting Saaya to the hospital.
      -[X] Go back and help your friends fight.
      [X][Scoop and Run]
      [X][Saaya] Stabilise her, then move on.
      -[X] Stabilising her is required, but we don't know what caused this, and she dislikes having psionics used on her. Let's do the minimum, then check with professionals as to the best care.
      -[X] Increase the call to Lulu to top priority and tell her about Saaya's health.
      --[X] Ask if there is anything immediate term that needs to be done.
      --[X]An ETA on the backup and add a med team to it please?
      [X][Plan] Continue as planned
    Click to expand...
     
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    • Chapter 1.10
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    • Amu flinched, as Saaya coughed another glob of blood into her hand. She had only a vague idea of what she was trying to do. Su's ability was basically 'fix things', yes. She could put pieces of glass back together. She could glue broken pencils back into shape and yes, she'd fixed scratches on herself before, but there was a world of difference between fixing her own bruises and fixing a hole in someone else's lung.

    If she tried, and failed, would it kill her quicker?

    The roc once again crashed into the ground, the grass around its neck burning. All around her there was shouting, the wind rising, the earth rumbling, but Amu was focused entirely on the girl in her arms. She couldn't fix Saaya, not completely, not like this. But she had to try.

    Saaya looked up at Amu, her eyes swimming. Now that she'd accepted Amu wouldn't let her die, the pain had returned, and with it, the fear. "H-hey," she managed.

    "Hey," Amu whispered.

    "It hurts."

    "I know," said Amu. "Bear with it. I'm going to try something stupid. Don't resist, okay?"

    Saaya stared at her for a moment, then nodded.

    "Okay."

    Amu closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt her own body, and Saaya's, her awareness sinking deeper and deeper. She could compare the one to the other... maybe? She'd never done this before.

    There was the damage. Saaya's entire chest was a mess of bruised and damaged flesh, with a dozen veins that had ruptured or had been cut by a rib fragment. Amu wasn't sure how she'd managed to run—had adrenaline overridden the pain?

    Her lungs had a hole, her stomach and intestines had several tears, and her heart was pumping blood out of a dozen tiny wounds. And, of course, she was practically all bruise. Bruises on your skin weren't dangerous, even if they hurt, but Amu wasn't sure that worked the same way if it was your kidney. And- Amu clenched her hands.

    And she couldn't do this.

    She didn't know how.

    Yes, blood should stay in the veins, and no, that wasn't how the heart was supposed to look, and no, her stomach definitely shouldn't be leaking like that, but those were the obvious things. There were a hundred thousand smaller parts, a thousand ways they could go wrong. She didn't know what she was doing.

    …didn't blood leave veins into smaller veins…?

    She felt Saaya's hand tighten.

    "Amu," Saaya whispered.

    She took it, squeezing back.

    But that was fine, right? It had to be. Because she didn't think a hospital could fix this.

    The Humpty Lock's energy was a constant buzz in the background, holding Saaya's mind together. That wasn't helping. It was just making the process more painful.

    Amu opened her eyes again, imprinting the image of Saaya's face in her mind. The other girl was looking at her, her face pale, her eyes wide, and now that Amu was looking, one of them had blood in it. Just a few burst capillaries, but it was there. Her lips were going white, which Amu wasn't sure, but- right, the blood wasn't getting there. She spent a moment wondering if she should force it, before deciding that would probably hurt Saaya more than help her. The thought made her feel a little sick.

    She had to, somehow, do better than she could...

    The first time Amu had undergone a chara change, she'd been nine. Too young to understand any part of what was happening or to wonder at how she was suddenly bubbly, confident and outgoing. She'd just known Ran had done it, and part of her was terrified—and part of her, a larger part, had thought it was fun. Hop, step, jump! Forget your embarrassment, you can do this!

    She'd gotten used to it, had stopped needing Ran's guidance, but she'd never stopped to think. Never asked herself how Ran's personality had become hers, or where Ran went while they were transformed, or why she could suddenly fly. And to be fair, she'd been nine. Asking a nine-year-old for deep thought wasn't fair.

    But she was thirteen years old now, and-

    -and she'd seen Utau, what her transformations with Eru and Iru did. Not just the physical changes, though the thought of Utau with wings was still enough to make her giddy. There were mental changes too, and they'd gotten more and more obvious to Amu. Even more so recently. Like Miki's skill with drawing or Ran's at exercise and sports. The skill came from the chara-

    But where had the chara gotten it?

    Amu reached out into the mental knot surrounding her. The same knot she'd just barely glimpsed before, the web-whirlpool-starry-cloud-pattern-thing that she'd only ever seen clearly when she was chara changed with Dia. She was acting half on wishful thinking, half on intuition, but...

    Amu reached out and pulled.

    The world spun, and then everything was dark.

    It was cold. She couldn't see, or hear, or sense anything, not really. Around here there were points of light, less seen than sensed. They were all around her, a vast sea of distant lights. A universe full of stars.

    There were four bright spots in front of her. She could barely make out the first three, a trio of shapes that were almost identical. The fourth was a little fainter, and a little further away.

    The world was a sea of darkness, an endless expanse, and the lights were everywhere. A million points of light, each one a mind. A million minds, each one a star, a billion stars, a billion billion, a trillion trillion- a vast road of lights leading into the distance, stretching on and on and on and-

    A spiderweb of shining lines.

    It was hard to focus. Amu's own mind was fading in and out, and every time it did she was a little more disoriented, a little further from herself. Su overlapped with her, Ran and Dia, their personalities merging and blending together. Miki sat in the distance, the bond stretched and frayed, but still very much there.

    And some of the lines-

    She reached out as Su, grasping for the minds that had given birth to herself. The sea shifted, most of the lights growing dim, but the ones she'd grabbed flared brighter and- her mind stuttered. And she yanked at them, insistently. They rebuffed her. She was guided by nothing more than intuition and fragments of memory from when she'd been born, but it was all she had. A vast cauldron of souls. Amu's desire, to be like her mother, to- to help people, to be there for them, and-

    -it wasn't enough. It was more than her mother, journalist-caring-help-plasters-on-cuts, could fix.

    She could fix some scratches, but Saaya needed more. She cried out for help, no longer holding back her emotions, hoping—begging—for the answer to come.

    There was no reply, and her panic built.

    She couldn't lose her here. Not now, not like this. She'd saved her. She'd held her and said she'd help her and promised and- she didn't care that this wasn't what she was for. She had to save Amu, she had to save Saaya, fixing things was her job, stop holding back, just let go, do it, do it, do it!

    Amu screamed, the sound echoing across the sea.

    She was falling. She was a rock tumbling through the air, a bird plummeting towards the ocean, a-

    -a lost child begging for someone to find her.

    Something heard her, and answered.

    A light rose up to meet her, the light of an entire nebula, and the universe was gone.

    ⁂

    Su- Amu- opened her eyes, and found herself staring into Saaya's. She was so close their foreheads were almost touching, and-

    'Pay careful attention,' a voice whispered.

    And she did.

    She looked down at Saaya, her vision no longer that of a teenage girl. It would be difficult to explain the difference, except that everything she saw had been imbued with meaning. Every colour, every shape, every curve and line, was a piece of a puzzle, and the puzzle was-

    Saaya.

    Through this lens she saw not just a wounded girl but a complex biological system in urgent need of repair. Saaya's condition was critical: a pneumothorax, the collapsed lung evident from the ragged tear in the pleura. Her heart was strained, showing signs of traumatic pericarditis, a dangerous inflammation from the blood leaking into the pericardium. Tachycardia; the rapid, thready pulse visible through her throat. A number of lacerated and punctured blood vessels, their bleeding slowing but not stopped. Multiple abraded ribs, some splintered, one driven into her liver. The bruising had spread throughout her entire body, a dark, sharp, ominous red that spoke of internal bleeding and organ damage.

    Easy enough to fix.

    Her newfound perception didn't stop there. She studied the abdominal trauma, the ruptured intestines and the damaged stomach lining. Every bruise, every internal haemorrhage, was catalogued with an almost clinical detachment, yet underlined with a sense of urgency and care.

    Bacterial infection was inevitable, but could be set aside for now. The cardiac seepage was slow, and wouldn't become critical for another five to ten minutes.

    The knowledge flooding through her was overwhelming, yet strangely coherent. She understood the intricacies of human anatomy and physiology as if she had spent a dozen lifetimes studying them, but there was a strange sense of lagging-behind. As if Amu's mind wasn't the one thinking these thoughts, but was instead being fed a series of observations, which she then translated into comprehension.

    Her focus next turned to the pneumothorax. She knew instinctively that re-expanding the lung was crucial, but also that it needed to be done with utmost care to prevent further damage.

    -damage? But why?

    A mild sense of consternation.

    The answer came instantly. It was possible to simply inflate the lung, but that would put strain on the chest wall, and could rupture the already-weakened pleura, allowing fluid to build up in the chest cavity. 'Fluid' meaning blood.

    She would have to drain the excess first.

    Amu blinked, her thoughts stalling for a moment, her vision blurring. The sense of urgency increased.

    -how, she asked.

    She had no tools. Nothing to remove the excess fluid, no way to drain the blood. Her fingers were the only tool she had.

    -no.

    Was she, or was she not, a telekinetic? Hadn't she healed contusions in the past? Couldn't she do that, only on a larger scale?

    -oh, right.

    Her hands moved, the air around her shifting. She felt Saaya's body, felt the damaged blood vessels, and-

    She focused, and the blood stopped seeping into her lungs. She could feel Saaya's heart beating, could feel the strain it was under. The heart was a pump, and the valves were mechanical, and they were designed to move a certain amount of blood per second, but there wasn't quite enough blood left even after it had pulled as much as it could to her core. It was straining itself, and Amu could feel it starting to falter. She had to-

    Amu's hand pressed down on Saaya's chest and the other girl coughed, blood and bile splattering against her shirt. No, no, this wasn't working. She was too slow. It would take long minutes to heal Saaya this way and by that time the heart would fail and then the brain would starve, and-

    Amu's hand slid upwards, to Saaya's face, once again brushing the hair away from her eyes. She could feel the other girl's fear, her terror at her own body failing. She could also see her own skin shimmer, as if in a mirage.

    -she wasn't human.

    -she was a creature of air and water, the light of stars and the flow of blood, and the air was hers to command.

    -the air was hers to command, and the blood was hers to command, but Amu couldn't channel the full force of her power, not without killing the girl. She refused to countenance the death of a child.

    -so instead-

    She rose to her feet, tapping into a secondary aspect of the demon which called itself Su. Amu's clothing faded away, replaced by green robes like those of a Silky. That was good. In Amu's mind it was associated with helpfulness, kindness and comfort. That was better.

    She was restricted, in this place, at this time. All she could do was follow in the trails blazed by Amu. However, Amu had a great deal of potential. She could use this. She'd healed before, and one of the... 'attacks', her host would dub it. One of the tricks this child had learned, and called an 'attack'...

    -was this a pixie's joke?

    The being's eye twitched, as it contemplated the frivolity of children. Very well. Why e'er not. It should work as well as any other story it could tell.

    -as you will, the being agreed, and reached out to its host.

    ⁂

    The mental picture of Saaya that she held was one torn apart, damaged and missing shards.

    Once upon a time, there had been another picture of someone cherished that Amu had seen torn, damaged and missing bits - a precious photograph of her mother that her father had tucked away in an old magazine, accidentally donated. When she'd found it again, Yoru had fought her bitterly over it, leaving it in tatters by the end. But Amulet Clover had managed to fill the gaps, mend the holes.

    Water healed, and what was honey but a stickier form of water?

    -there was something wrong with that thought, but Amu couldn't figure out what it was.

    Honey healed, honey revitalised. Honey kept bees alive throughout the winter. Like the blood running through a person's veins, no cheap fake could compare to the true thing—and Su made the best honey of them all.

    Amu wasn't sure if it was a memory or just an analogy, but either way, it seemed to fit.

    The blood that is lost must be replaced.

    -the blood was already going back to where it belonged, Amu thought, even as her clothes burst into flickering flames that reformed in the familiar form of Su's transformation, one she hadn't used in months.

    Honey healed, and fire burned. Fire purified, fire drove out infection and disease. Blood flowed through the veins, and fire was the fuel of life.

    The being's voice was a whisper, a susurration that was barely a part of her, and yet guided her thoughts in a way that felt more like a friend's hand on her own than an instruction.

    She knew what to do.

    Blood flowed back into the vessels, a trickle becoming a torrent, a river, a stream. Flesh stitched itself together and Amu had never had such perfect control over her abilities before. A dozen tiny lacerations sealed themselves shut, and then a hundred, and then a thousand. Fragments of bone and rib were drawn back together and where the flesh and bone were gone, eaten away by the desolation that this child held at her core, honeyed fire filled the void.

    The being's attention lingered on the wounds to the child's abdomen. It was a shame that it could not repair her fully. There was only so much it could do; already Amu was flagging, the energy needed to heal this degree of damage was enormous, the child had reached her limit. It would have to make do.

    Amu felt a twinge of regret, then nodded. Yes, it was a shame. But Saaya was breathing easily again, her heart was no longer trembling, and the bruises were superficial. She'd be able to move on her own, and-

    The being's attention returned to her abdomen, and a moment later it gave a soft, mental chuckle. Infection would not be an issue. The girl would not bleed out, and would not sicken.

    She might be a little hungry, though.

    That was okay, in a world as rich as this one.

    The being withdrew, satisfied.

    ⁂

    -as Amu found herself standing above Saaya, uncertain what she'd been thinking mere moments before. Her mind felt sluggish and heavy, and her limbs were trembling, but those were the least of her problems.

    There was a monster in the middle of the school grounds.

    Apparently only seconds had passed, because Nadeshiko was still fighting the roc. A second blade had appeared in her hands, and she was now holding it at the ready while the first hovered, blade towards the demon, a short distance above her. The ground around her was scorched and blackened, the grass dead, and a few nearby trees were burning from—what, precisely? Amu hadn't seen what set them on fire, but it must have been the roc, somehow.

    Nadeshiko's head was tilted towards Amu, her attention clearly split between the fight and the two girls behind her. The roc was—was it trying to fly past her, towards Amu? It did, and a second later that indiscretion cost it because Nadeshiko's naginata was in motion, slashing across the bird's chest and leaving a line of black smoke in its wake. The creature screeched, then a moment later another line was scored across its neck. A moment after that Amu had a chance to see where the fires had come from; the roc's blood was literally burning, and when it hit the ground it ignited, leaving a trail of flame.

    The creature was badly wounded. Amu could tell it was slowing. It was a matter of moments until it fell, and-

    "Saaya!" Amu shouted, finally remembering what she'd been doing. "Are you okay?"

    "I... think?"

    Saaya slowly rose to her feet and Amu quickly went to help her. She looked pale and unsteady, still covered in bruises, but she was breathing easily and moving. Amu stared at her. She was also covered in honey, like someone had—oh, well, right, yes, she'd done that hadn't she. She couldn't help herself; she started laughing.

    "Amu?"

    "You're fine," she said.

    Saaya brushed herself off, her hands still shaking. "I... don't feel fine," she muttered, "but I'm not..." she shook her head, her hand clutching at her chest. "How am I not dead?"

    "Magic," Amu replied, giving her a quick hug. The honey got all over her clothes, but it wasn't like the stains would stick around.

    "Magic," Saaya echoed. "Right. That makes perfect sense."

    Amu giggled again, and then looked back towards the roc, only to see Nadeshiko had gotten her naginata wedged inside its chest, and was currently holding it aloft by its ribs. The creature had its wings outstretched, its feet clawing at the air, and a moment later Nadeshiko ripped the blade out sideways, slicing through the demon's rib cage. Lava sprayed everywhere, but a second later the creature's entire body began to melt and burn, falling to the ground in a pool of molten stone.

    Saaya followed her gaze, and her eyes bugged out.

    "Is that-"

    "Yes," Amu interrupted. "Don't worry about it."

    "But-"

    "It's dead, isn't it?"

    Saaya hesitated, but nodded. Amu giggled again, then squeezed her harder. Not actually hard. Not enough that the bruises would hurt. But she'd been so sure Saaya might die, and now she was here, and alive, and-

    And she was maybe a little bit delirious.

    "Thank you, thank you, thank you," Amu babbled, pulling Saaya closer.

    "Um, Amu?" Saaya whispered, the arms settling around her.

    "You're a good person. I'm not going to let you die. I'm not."

    "O...kay."

    Amu looked up, her attention caught by a flicker of light, and found Nadeshiko now- crap- there was another pseudo-roc. This one was smaller than the first, but already well up into the air and flying directly towards them. Nadeshiko was sprinting, but-

    -the hovering naginata flew, impaling the demon. Its flight was knocked off course and a moment later Nadeshiko had jumped, catching it mid-air and using it as a foothold, jumping again to plant a second naginata's blade into its back. Wow, Amu thought.

    A moment later she realised her mistake. The new pseudo-roc was smaller, yes, but that meant it was faster and more agile. It turned and twisted and a moment later it was facing the same way it'd come and Nadeshiko was in mid-air, and-

    "Amu?" Saaya asked. "Are you okay? You're, uh, crying. And your face is covered in blood."

    "Yeah," Amu said, a smile blooming on her face. She wiped the tears away and watched as the naginata was wrenched out, and the pseudo-roc crashed to the ground, where it promptly melted. She heard more cries coming from the portal now, from more rocs. This didn't seem like a battle Nadeshiko could win.

    "Yeah," she repeated. "I'm going to help. You're okay, right?"

    Saaya glanced at the roc. "I guess," she said, taking a step backwards.

    "On second thought, I'm taking you to dad." Amu looked down, then blinked, and a second later her transformation faded. So did the honey, leaving Saaya looking mostly human. Mostly. The bruises hadn't faded, but the colour was lighter, and it looked like the swelling had gone down. "I should carry you," she decided, reaching for her.

    "Uh," Saaya began, but was cut off by Amu scooping her up and running off.

    "Hold on," Amu ordered.

    "Wha- hey!" Saaya exclaimed, grabbing onto Amu's shoulders.

    "Don't worry," Amu said, smiling down at her. "I'm really, really strong."

    "I- okay."

    Amu nodded, her smile getting a little lopsided, and a moment later—in Amu time, which right now was very, very irregular—they were near the school entrance. Dad was still arguing with someone, but they weren't important. What was important was that he was right there.

    "Dad," she said, skidding to a halt.

    She grinned up at him.

    —

    Now, it would be best to describe her appearance objectively.

    Amu felt wired. Not tired at all, but like her brain was buzzing with electricity. Her muscles were full of energy, her lungs were full of air, and her skin was practically humming. That was all good and fine, except she'd just run halfway across the school grounds carrying a girl who was just about her own size.

    She'd had a rough afternoon, but she was fine, really.

    So why was her dad looking at her like he was going to faint?

    She drew a finger across her face. It came away covered in blood. Saaya's, obviously. Her uniform was covered in dust from when the school had been collapsing on her, as well as a few tears from where she'd sprinted past rebar. And she still had some remnants of honey in her hair. Right, yes.

    That had been a thing, so Amu looked like she'd just escaped a combat zone. She also looked—and felt—a little loopy. She was slowly starting to realise that.

    —

    "Hi, dad," Amu said, misplaced grin finally fading to a simple smile. "I need you to look after her. Okay?"

    He didn't reply, so she carefully transferred Saaya's weight over to him, glancing worriedly back at Nadeshiko. She seemed to be okay, but beleaguered. There were two pseudo-rocs now, and their attacks were starting to overlap.

    "Dad," Amu repeated, tugging on his arm.

    "Am... Amu," he whispered.

    "Yes," she agreed, nodding. "This is Saaya. She's a classmate, and she's- um." Amu looked at Saaya, who was starting to protest being lifted. "She's injured, but not bad. Can you look after her for a while? Don't let anyone remove the locket she's wearing, that's mine! She has to wear it, or she'll die. And her parents are out of town," she said, which they probably weren't.

    "Amu-" he began, and stopped.

    "Dad?"

    She looked up at him, her thoughts catching up with reality. Dad was not having a good day.

    "Amu," he repeated.

    "Yes, dad. It's me. I'm here. Everything's okay." Her eyes glistened and her smile faltered. "Um. Except- can you keep an eye on Saaya, and- and tell her everything's okay, and- let me go? Because I still have to fight the, um, big flying things. Because if I don't then my friends might get hurt. Or my classmates. Okay? Please dad."

    She rubbed at the blood on her face, smearing it. Why wouldn't this go away?

    Her dad nodded, his arms tightening around Saaya. He was staring at Amu like he'd seen a ghost, his expression blank. She smiled again, but the tears were flowing freely, and her breath caught in her throat.

    "Amu," he repeated. He'd stopped paying attention to the others, his eyes focusing solely on her.

    "Dad?" she said. "It's- it's not my blood, I promise. It's Saaya's, and she's okay now, and- and I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't want to scare you, I didn't mean to- I-" she stuttered, her vision blurring. "I'm sorry. But I have to go, okay? I can't- I can't stay here. I'm sorry."

    She turned, her feet already in motion, and-

    Amu stumbled, and felt her dad's arms close around her. She was enveloped in a warm embrace, her father's breath tickling her ear. She felt him trembling, his grip so tight that her ribs creaked.

    "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice ragged.

    She twisted around to look at Saaya, who was standing on her own two feet now, her face set in an odd expression of mixed jealousy and concern.

    "Um, dad," Amu managed. "Can you take care of her? Please?"

    "I wanted to take you to the park," he whispered.

    "Okay. We'll go. And maybe I'll bring Utau? But I have to go."

    "I'm sorry," he said.

    "Okay."

    And for a while, the three of them stood together, and Amu did her best to hold it together. But only for a little while, because Nadeshiko was still in danger—acute danger, she literally couldn't stay here—and so she gave her father one last squeeze, and broke away.

    "I'm sorry," he said.

    "Me too," Amu replied, smiling through the tears. She could feel his distress, but the feeling was distant, like she was watching from outside herself. Saaya was holding on to his arm and there was a crowd forming behind them, and mutterings. And one or two camera flashes. There was a part of her that wanted to run and hide, but that would mean letting down her friends. And she wouldn't do that, not ever.

    She gave herself a moment to think.

    Nadeshiko was fighting, now barely holding her own against two of the things. Kukai was- was on the roof? Was on the roof, carrying third-graders down. Some of the flashes were aimed at him. And Tadase was somewhere. She could still feel him inside, but the response was weaker now, like he was tiring out. She needed to get back to her friends before something happened to them.

    "I love you, dad," she said, and then turned away, her legs already moving.

    "I love you too," he whispered, but by then she was gone.

    = = =

    I decided to roll for the social interaction at the end, instead of having an interrupt for the sake of a… two paragraph update. Things seem to be going fine for Amu.

    It has now been 5 minutes since the start of this situation.

    [ ] Help Nadeshiko
    - She's the one in active combat. She's still holding her own against two of the rocs, but who knows for how long?

    [ ] Help Tadase
    - Finding him is easy. Getting to him might not be, and then how do you help him?

    [ ] Help Kukai
    - He's searching for students who've been trapped by the collapses. You could do the same, probably better, though you're scared of what you'll find.

    [ ] Try to close the rift
    - It's incredibly risky, but you're not     completely out of ideas. The rift is a hole. You can patch the hole.
    - Difficulty 5, Stamina / Occult / Illusion. Amu will be exhausted whether or not it works.
    - This is the default approach. A stunt can change how she does it, but will only be accepted if it makes a modicum of sense, and can alter the difficulty.
    - What I'm trying to say is, it doesn't matter how well written the stunt is; you can't resolve this with Bureaucracy. You're not a Sidereal.

    [ ]     Write-in
     
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    • Scheduled vote count started by Baughn on Nov 22, 2023 at 5:11 PM, finished with 110 posts and 14 votes.
    • [X] Help Nadeshiko
      [X] United Front - Close The Rift
      [X] United Front - Close The Rift
      - [X] The rift is a mental hole. A cognitive void. But right next to it, once bright, now flickering, you feel Tadase's determined presence. Tadase is proof that a strong enough cognition can stop the void; so it follows an even stronger one can push it back- one stronger than yours or Tadase's alone.
      - [X] When healing Saaya, you had reached into that cauldron of souls. Dia had been alongside you then. Dia is no longer there, but she wasn't the only one you had ever traveled into that dimension with - once before, Tadase had dived in with you into that starlit road, back when you were looking for your lost Charas. With luck, he can lend you the strength to do so once more.
      - [X] Go to Tadase. For this to work, you don't just need to dive into the sea of souls - you need to gather the memories and souls of all those who knew the classroom as it was before the rift erased it. Kiseki is not Dia; he is no navigator. Instead, he is a king. He won't seek out the souls you need; he will rally them to your call.
      - [X] Platinum Heart: You open your heart and mind, empathically linking yourself to Tadase - with a ruler's authority, you call out to all the other souls, living and dead, who remember the room as it was before the rift: Saaya, Makoto, Takuya, your other classmates. Your teacher. The other teachers. Previous students. Electricians. Construction workers.
      - [X] Using yourselves as a conduit for their thoughts and feelings, you form a combined cognitive web between all the room's previous occupants such that, between you all, you are able to reconstruct the mental space of the room, exactly as it was before.
      - [X] With you and Tadase at the helm of this great unified web of souls, you push.
      - [X] All for one, one for all. Fill the void. Close the rift.
      [X] Help Tadase
      [X] Rewind Time - Close The Rift
      [X] Help Nadeshiko
      -[X] Drawing on Ran's athletic specialization, you conjure a pair of jump ropes, then cap their ends with giant jawbreakers courtesy of Su, for a pair of makeshift bolas. While Nadeshiko has the strixes distracted, you lob the bolas and wrap them around the enemies' wings to bring them down, then pin them to the ground with honey so Nadeshiko can finish them off.
    Click to expand...
     
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    • Chapter 1.11
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    • Not much time. That had been the watchword for today, but- not much time, so she made her decision quickly. Tadase would be okay. She could still feel him pulsing away inside the building, and he was clearly getting weaker, but Amu couldn't imagine him actually getting hurt. That wouldn't be like him at all, so she trusted him to handle himself.

    Kukai was, if anything, doing too well. Every few seconds he carried another student down from the roof and there were going to be lots of photos. Not that she wanted him to leave them there, but- no, never mind, he was probably enjoying the challenge. He'd be fine.

    Nadeshiko however was fighting. While Amu ran, she saw one of the demon-harpy-roc-things finally get past Nadeshiko's guard, its claws lashing out and into her side. Nadeshiko flinched but her naginata was there a moment later, slashing down, almost taking off the demon's claw and- the monster's talons were sharp, but Amu couldn't see any blood on them. Nadeshiko's kimono had been torn into ribbons though she wasn't 'dancing' like someone who'd been hurt. Maybe it had only hit her clothing?

    The creature recoiled, but not fast enough to avoid a naginata to the eyes.

    A moment later the second harpy swooped in to back its fellow up, but Nadeshiko's weapon was already moving to catch it. It let out a screech as it tried to brake in midair, wings beating the air frantically, and then-

    Was caught by a flash of steel, slicing cleanly through the wingtip and sending the demon spinning to the ground. A moment later it crashed, and a moment after that, a second flash, and a burst of lava as the second one died. Amu couldn't pay too much attention, because three more rocs were making their way out of the building and down towards the two of them, but she'd nearly made it to Nadeshiko now and-

    Okay, yes, she'd definitely had the right idea to stay here.

    Closing the rift would be wonderful if she could do it, but she couldn't. She couldn't. Almost definitely not! Saaya had nearly killed herself trying, and, and-

    -and it was a stupid plan, anyway.

    It wasn't like she could just pretend-

    "Hey!" Amu shouted, drawing Nadeshiko's attention. The other girl glanced her way, eyes widening. Her mouth opened a little as she saw the state of Amu's uniform. There was more than a little bit of blood there, wasn't there.

    "Are you-" Nadeshiko began, before cutting herself off. "What are you doing here?"

    Amu's mind stuttered, her mouth hanging open. A moment later she shook her head.

    "Helping," she answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "It's, uh, not my blood. I'm fine. Mostly. Um. What do you need?"

    Nadeshiko was still looking at her, her expression unreadable. Then her eyes flicked back to the building. Amu didn't need to turn to know the new group of demons was getting close. The sudden shift in Nadeshiko's posture was clear enough.

    "Watch my back," she decided.

    "Right."

    It took Amu just a moment's focus to project her not-a-magical-girl-outfit, her clothes transforming into something a little more appropriate for a fight. And maybe a little less appropriate for being outside her house, she thought, cringing slightly as the photographers came to mind. She'd never thought of it that way but she'd never gotten photographed while wearing it either! She could practically feel the cameras going off.

    That wasn't to say it was immodest, exactly. Her outfit was a riotous combination of a green bodice with a pink, floofy skirt. The top covered her chest, and the bottom covered her hips and her legs, so it wasn't like she was indecent. It was just...

    Nadeshiko snuck a glance her way, her lips quirking upwards fondly.

    The outfit was just really childish, wasn't it?

    "I know, I know," Amu muttered, her cheeks reddening. "I didn't have a lot of time."

    Nadeshiko giggled, and turned back towards the building, a new lance appearing in her hand.

    "I think you look nice," she said.

    Amu felt her cheeks heating, and her mind stalled.

    "Um, thanks," she murmured.

    And that was another whole thing, because 'Nadeshiko' was actually Nagihiko, a boy, even if she was acting and looking like a rather cool girl right now, and- and- and it wasn't important! Demons! Fighting!

    ⁂

    Two teenagers were harder for the monsters to deal with than one, even if one of them was tired.

    Amu didn't have a weapon. That was, she didn't have a bladed weapon like Nadeshiko. She did have a club, and there were broken branches from the trees lying all over the place, so realistically she always had a weapon. If they'd had the time, they could have had a bonfire. Which was the sort of thing she shouldn't be thinking about, but her brain was really having trouble settling down.

    The two rocs dived down, screeching in a way that made Amu instinctively flinch back, but then her mind latched onto a piece of wood stuck in the ground and flung it up towards the demon. It was an inaccurate throw, but sufficient to hold it off while Nadeshiko spun the weapon around her position. The harpy in front went down in a shower of black feathers, the weapon impaled straight through its torso. They weren't getting weaker, Amu thought. Nadeshiko was getting better at fighting them.

    The second swooped towards Amu. Later on she'd remember only glimpses. Sharp claws and burning eyes, and-

    She grasped a club that hadn't existed a moment ago—the heart rod, demoted to bludgeoning weapon—then flung it up hard enough that both her muscles and mind burned. It shot up and caught the thing in the chest, its claws bare millimetres from her skin. There was a screech, and a crunch, and her arm went numb from the impact. She felt its claws rake across her arm, trying to cling as it was sent flying, but the damage wasn't much. She could fix—did fix it, though—she felt a burning, bone-deep ache in her arm as the flesh knitted itself back together, blood soaking through the dress the demon had just cut to shreds, but she had too much adrenaline in her system to stop.

    In the meantime three more of the monsters winged their way towards them. She spared a moment's thought in gratitude that it was only three, only a few at a time, and that they didn't go for the other-

    She corrected herself, catching a glimpse of Makoto—her classmate—and two others standing between another roc and a group of possible second-graders. There were more demons. She just hadn't seen them. Makoto shouted something angry, while behind her a girl Amu swore she'd seen at lunch was lying on the ground, pale and motionless. A fifth girl was bandaging her with- was that frozen light? It looked like the moon-shard in her bedroom.

    The demon went for Makoto, then had a wing ripped off for its trouble. A sharp bang- an electrical arc skittered across Makoto's skin- Makoto screamed, though the demon got ripped to pieces.

    Amu looked away. Down. Then stepped back sharply; the ground underneath her was starting to melt. She cast a desperate glance at Nadeshiko, who nodded. They stepped sideways, away from the trees. And lava.

    Then the trio that were winging towards them were there, almost upon them, so the next moments were a blur of motion. Her mind seized on another broken piece of wood laying at her feet. It was only a moment's effort to send it flying upwards with as much force as she could manage—it shattered mid-air, but—the almost supersonic shards of wood caught the demon in the gut with a sickening, staccato of wet impacts.

    The creature let out a scream. A second later the air was filled with burning black feathers as it tried to twist away, its body sheared nearly in half.

    The lava-like blood spilled towards her. She caught it on a telekinetic umbrella. A few drops still touched down in her hair, setting it on fire.

    She patted it out. Her hair was left a little singed but otherwise unharmed.

    That had been exhausting. She couldn't do it again.

    Nadeshiko's blade took another demon's head clean off, the body falling neatly to the side, molten blood igniting the ground to her friend's side.

    She tried to be smarter with the third one. As it winged its way towards her, Amu conjured the thickest pair of jump-ropes she possibly could, capped at the end with the largest jawbreakers she could manage. The roc was moving fast, though, so the bolas she lobbed at it weren't especially accurate. The demon managed to dodge to the side, and the first one missed, though the second one clipped the tip of one wing, causing the demon to falter in mid-air.

    The roc screeched triumphantly, turning on its side to dive towards them, and-

    Amu grinned a little madly as she watched the monster's expression falter. A moment later it realised its mistake, but by that time the makeshift bola was already hurtling towards it from behind under the control of her telekinesis, and the only thing it could do was scream.

    A second later the bola's weighty, hard jawbreaker slammed into its back, wrapping its wings together and sending it careening until it slammed into the ground. Amu didn't give it a chance to recover, but sprayed it with sticky, goopy honey, pinning it to the ground.

    Nadeshiko's naginata flicked, the range put to artful use. That was three more demons dead.

    Three more packs took off from the rift. Amu's breath caught in her throat as she watched the demons fly, a dozen black specks rising above the school grounds. She glanced back towards her dad, who was standing there impotently. Holding Saaya, who seemed to have fallen unconscious. She could see some students running for cover, or just running away, and- and-

    She staggered. It took her a moment to recover.

    She looked at Nadeshiko, who was also staring upwards. For a moment her friend's composure broke. Nadeshiko's fingers whitened on the hilt of her naginata as she took a deep breath, and-

    More of her classmates were organising themselves. In the distance she saw Utau, dressed in a gym uniform, her face set and focused. She was standing with a small crowd of girls Amu had never seen before.

    An intangible pulse rose from the grade-school building. A single one of the demons screeched, seizing in jittery, spasmodic flight, and then it fell. It hit the concrete roof head-first, though Amu couldn't tell if it was unconscious or-

    "Hey!" she shouted at the remaining demons. "Over here!"

    She punctuated her shout with a glob of honey.

    It fell a good two dozen metres short, but it was the intention that counted. One of the packs wheeled around, and began making their way towards them.

    Nadeshiko shifted her weight, her stance lowering.

    The second pack didn't join the first. Instead it banked, turning away and towards the high school. The third pack split; a few of the demons followed the second, while the rest continued on towards Amu and Nadeshiko. This wasn't... optimal. Nadeshiko threw her a worried glance, but Amu was a bit too busy to pay it any mind. She'd decided the situation had a simple fix. They couldn't let the demons notice Kukai, still busy on the roof, so-

    She stretched out her hand, trying to pretend like she was holding a gun, and fired a pair of bolas at the incoming flight.

    Then another.

    She missed the first shot , but the second was more successful. One of the demons slammed into a tree with a screech, punctuated with snapping branches and shattering bones. Another demon plummeted to the ground and was pinned by a glob of honey, its wings glued down. A third was knocked off course, and then a fourth-

    She was getting the hang of this. Her mind burned, but she was getting the hang of this.

    Amu didn't bother watching to see if they were killed or not; she left that to Nadeshiko. Instead she settled in to play anti-air, keeping them from swooping down to attack them—well helped by repeated pulses from what she was sure was Hikaru, slamming into the demons' minds and causing them to falter. She could practically see his smug grin from here, and-

    "How many are there?" Amu wondered, not really asking anyone.

    The other pack, however, didn't make a move towards her or Nadeshiko. Instead they turned and started towards the high school, where Utau was waiting for them. Amu couldn't see it well from here, and didn't have the time to spare in any case, but she spotted repeated beams of pure telekinetic force peppering the sky from the corner of her eye.

    Then the rift pulsed. A loud crack filled the air and Amu was thrown to the ground by the sheer force of it, her ears ringing. For a moment she could only stare up at the sky, her thoughts disordered. A huge block of concrete tumbled past. It crashed into the ground nearby, crushing the remains of one of the demons she'd just killed.

    When she looked up again, she saw a hole in reality.

    It was the same size as the rift, except it wasn't there. Her eyes refused to focus on it. A darkness so absolute that it wasn't darkness at all. It was a hole in the world. The school around it flickered like a broken television, red-and-green-and-blue-and-purple light spilling from the gap, and-

    Her head hurt.

    She slowly got to her feet. Her legs were shaking.

    No more demons seemed to be coming. She cast a glance towards the high school.

    The other flight had been decimated. There were two demons still in the air, but as she thought that she saw one of them caught in a burst of fire.

    Fire? Fire. Not Utau, then. Amu turned in a circle, searching for more enemies, and found nothing. A burning tree crackled in the background. Continuing her turn, she saw a group of trucks just skidding to a halt in- in the middle of the garden.

    One of them had sirens blaring.

    Amu hadn't heard it until now.

    She was barely hearing it now. Her ears rang. Her head ached. She was tired. So very, very tired.

    Someone was shouting, and-

    "Are you okay?" Amu asked, turning towards Nadeshiko.

    "Fine," she replied. Her voice was steady, despite the blood on her clothes. She was staring at the rift, her grip on her weapon slack. "I think," she added a moment later, and then shook her head.

    "Me too," Amu whispered.

    Nadeshiko let out a weak chuckle, her posture slumping a little, leaning on the naginata.

    "Is it over?" Amu asked.

    "I hope so," Nadeshiko murmured.

    They kept watch on the rift until a group of men and women in dark fatigues and helmets approached them, carrying guns. Amu slumped to the ground. Really, she ought to have been scared. Or at least worried. But all she could muster was a mild curiosity.

    They stepped right past her, anyhow.

    Amu turned her attention back towards the rift, watching as they set up a barricade, as well as some kind of machinery. A few remaining demons had attacked, and been shot down. She watched as the hole in the world flickered, the image of the school behind it stuttering.

    A woman dressed in a lab coat with short black hair implausibly set in twintails started gesticulating up at it, talking in an excited tone to a man wearing a black suit, but Amu couldn't quite make herself pay attention.

    She looked away.

    The school was a mess. There were chunks missing from the building, and even if the worst had been dealt with, there were still injured students. She could still feel Tadase inside the building, apparently trapped. There were a lot of paramedics running about and she could hear people shouting, but her attention was caught by something else.

    Makoto was sitting on the ground, next to the girl who'd been hurt, a worried frown on her face.

    Amu stared for a moment, then blinked. She could heal Makoto's friend. That was-

    No, she couldn't.

    Her mind ached at the thought of doing pretty much anything.

    She dropped back onto the grass, staring at the sky, which was still how she'd last seen it, clear and sunny.

    Then she closed her eyes.

    ⁂

    She woke up a few minutes later, staring up at a man(?) roughly Ikuto's age. He was dressed in all black. Black boots. Black pants. Even a black jacket, with a black cape. White hair and white gloves, though. And the outfit was actually kind of cool-looking, she had to admit.

    He spared barely a glance for Nadeshiko, still sitting with the lance on her knees.

    "Himamori Amu," he said. It wasn't a question.

    She blinked, staring at him.

    "Yes?" she asked, a moment later.

    His eyes were dark, and his lips pressed into a thin line. He wasn't happy, that much was obvious. But he didn't seem upset with her. They took in her appearance, singed and covered in blood, and his expression shifted into a slight frown. At some stage her transformation had worn off, revealing her school uniform, which was torn and stained, and-

    "Do you know why we're here?"

    She shook her head.

    "To deal with the rift?" she hazarded, glancing over at the black hole in the world.

    "There is also that," he agreed, "but I was asked to come here by my... cousin. She can be very- insistent."

    His lips quirked upwards.

    "Ah," Amu murmured, and sat up. She rubbed at her eyes, and her fingers came away wet. She wiped them off on her skirt, then rubbed her eyes some more. She wasn't crying, she didn't think. Her eyes were just full of soot, and now she wasn't fighting anymore, her body felt heavy. She wanted a nap.

    "Don't do that," the boy… man? Teenager? -snapped. "You'll hurt yourself. Here, pour this on your eyes."

    A moment later he handed her a bottle of water.

    "Right," Amu said, her voice slurred. She blinked a few times, but- no, the tears weren't going away. She stared at it blankly for a moment, her mind going blank, and then nodded. She did her best to pour it on her eyes, and-

    She let out a little yelp as the pain hit. The water was freezing, and-

    "What is this?" she demanded. "Ice-cold water?!"

    "Obviously," the man replied, his voice flat.

    Amu glared up at him, then at the offending bottle, which it seemed he'd gotten from a vending machine.

    "This is cruel and unusual punishment," she accused, but he just shrugged, throwing a second bottle at Nadeshiko. Amu went back to cleaning her eyes, and-

    Oh.

    Oh, yes, that was a good idea.

    It took a while, and her eyes stayed sore and bloodshot, but her vision cleared up.

    "Thank you," she muttered, blinking her eyes open. "What's your name?"

    "Hotsuin Yamato," he replied, then paused. Amu didn't fill the silence. She was feeling more alert, but that only made her realise just how tired she was. She wanted to sleep. "Himamori," he said after a moment. "Do you remember what happened?"

    She tilted her head, frowning at him.

    "The Yamamoto girl-" He almost bit out the name, like it had an unpleasant taste. His mind stunk of annoyance. "-broke every rule in the book to get us here just one minute earlier, and she was right to do so. Can you tell us what happened?"

    Amu hesitated. She remembered a lot of things that had happened, but...

    = = =

    I can't imagine why Amu would consider her outfit at all childish.


    The fight seems to be over, but here comes the aftermath. You have a number of decisions to make, and I think this is going to be a plan vote—so start your votes with "[X] Plan Foobar"—but here's a number of points you should probably hit.

    - Hotsuin wants to know what's going on.
    [ ] Try to get away. You have a dad to go back to. Among others.
    [ ] Tell him as little as possible.
    [ ] Avoid mention of Saaya, specifically.
    [ ] Avoid mention of how you personally function.
    [ ] Avoid mention of <insert friend group here>.
    [ ] Avoid mention of exactly how you think the rift got started.

    - Tadase seems to be trapped inside the building.
    [ ] Just point out that he's trapped.
    [ ] Do that, but also explain how helpful he was.
    — At least, Amu assumes he was being helpful. It's plausible.

    - Demon fight
    [ ] Explain as little as possible
    [ ] Explain what exactly you did
    [ ] Leave it to Nadeshiko

    - Utau is probably ready to tear her hair out. You can try to get some word to her, though at this range a burst of emotion is about the best you can do. Alternately you can shout at her.
    [ ] Ask her to come help
    [ ] Warn her away.

    - Ami is outside as well and feeling     very proud, you can feel it from here.
    [ ] Warn her away? It's unclear if that'll work.
    [ ] Punt her towards dad? It's also unclear if that'll work.

    - Miki is probably headed your way.
    [ ] Let her. You can use the support.
    [ ] Warn     her away.

    - Hotsuin would probably accept being asked some questions in return.
    [ ] Ask some!
    — Which ones?
    [ ] Don't. You're tired.

    = = =

    As you can see, there are entirely too many possible options for a traditional voting setup. Don't feel too bothered if you miss some important element; I'll think up options that fit with whatever vote wins.
     
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