So You've Been Hit By A Truck
- Thread starter FourthWall
- Start date
- Original Action
- Location
- va
[X] 500 HL
FourthWall
Love & Destroy
- Location
- Chiraq
Louise is currently biologically female, by the by. Think Tanya from Youjo Senki. Camille is more a very pretty Ranma Saotome, with Ran-chan locked out until further notice.
Interesting take, though.
Welcome to Crossroads 2.3
FourthWall
Love & Destroy
- Location
- Chiraq
Vote was right down the middle, but tiebreaker goes to the higher amount since @Hannz wanted big money
[X] 500 HL
@@@
You go to put a 100 HL coin in, but notice the sack dude is facing you. You can feel him staring a hole through your soul even with the bag on. His bag has a really fancy, Traditional Chinese character for sin painted on it with ink like dried blood. His aura radiates with palpable malice and you're starting to wonder if that ink doesn't just look like blood. Heiyou, beside you, is starting to flare similarly. She's staring down the sack guy and growling slightly.
Before Heiyou drains you dry by accident, you reach into your tunic and pull out four more coins from a hidden pouch. The aura fades, but he's still watching. You meet his gaze, unafraid, and drop the five coins in the donation box.
There's a windchime jingle from inside the temple. You hear hasty rustling and thumping, then loud Japanese swearing.
Huh. That's interesting.
After about a minute, a bedraggled looking miko with eggplant purple hair and bags under doe eyes comes out of the shrine. Her uniform is heavily worn and patchwork, kept together with strands from sacred red and white rope. Her gohei's talismans have spots of what you're certain is dried blood, and her fists are taped like a brawler's.
She walks to the donation box, her eyes darting to look inside. She shrugs, claps her hands together, and bows. "Greetings, traveler. I am called Lei-Lei Hsien. Thank you for your humble donation." The way she hangs on humble makes you think she wanted more money.
Heiyou backs away from her slowly. Sack Guy is keeping a fair distance, too.
"What's wrong, Heiyou?" You ask.
"Exorcist." Heiyou gulps. "Yaoguai killer."
So that's what they call them here. Explains the handwraps. "You good with your hands?"
"The Pink Pearl is up the road, traveler." She tightens her grip on the gohei with a smile that doesn't reach her closed eyes.
"No, I mean you can fight." Eventually you're going to stop sticking your foot in your mouth like this. "Your handwraps are well-tied."
She looks at you like a prizefighter. "You're more perceptive than you carry yourself, traveler. You wish to travel the rivers and lakes of this land, correct?"
"Honey. Jianghu already." Heiyou is trying to tug you away, but her strength isn't there. "We leave now."
"Oh?" Lei-Lei places a hand to her cheek, you can see its training-won ruggedness. "But I could serve as a guide. The Jianghu is treacherous; without the proper technique, our traveler would surely perish."
"What kind of techniques are we talking?"
She puts an iron shopkeeper's hand on your shoulder. "Well that depends on your donations, traveler."
[What do you do?]
[ ] Donate more
-[ ] 100 HL
-[ ] 500 HL
-[ ] 1000 HL
[ ] Ask about her techniques
[ ] Ask about the priestess
[ ] Ask about Sack Guy
[X] 500 HL
@@@
You go to put a 100 HL coin in, but notice the sack dude is facing you. You can feel him staring a hole through your soul even with the bag on. His bag has a really fancy, Traditional Chinese character for sin painted on it with ink like dried blood. His aura radiates with palpable malice and you're starting to wonder if that ink doesn't just look like blood. Heiyou, beside you, is starting to flare similarly. She's staring down the sack guy and growling slightly.
Before Heiyou drains you dry by accident, you reach into your tunic and pull out four more coins from a hidden pouch. The aura fades, but he's still watching. You meet his gaze, unafraid, and drop the five coins in the donation box.
There's a windchime jingle from inside the temple. You hear hasty rustling and thumping, then loud Japanese swearing.
Huh. That's interesting.
After about a minute, a bedraggled looking miko with eggplant purple hair and bags under doe eyes comes out of the shrine. Her uniform is heavily worn and patchwork, kept together with strands from sacred red and white rope. Her gohei's talismans have spots of what you're certain is dried blood, and her fists are taped like a brawler's.
She walks to the donation box, her eyes darting to look inside. She shrugs, claps her hands together, and bows. "Greetings, traveler. I am called Lei-Lei Hsien. Thank you for your humble donation." The way she hangs on humble makes you think she wanted more money.
Heiyou backs away from her slowly. Sack Guy is keeping a fair distance, too.
"What's wrong, Heiyou?" You ask.
"Exorcist." Heiyou gulps. "Yaoguai killer."
So that's what they call them here. Explains the handwraps. "You good with your hands?"
"The Pink Pearl is up the road, traveler." She tightens her grip on the gohei with a smile that doesn't reach her closed eyes.
"No, I mean you can fight." Eventually you're going to stop sticking your foot in your mouth like this. "Your handwraps are well-tied."
She looks at you like a prizefighter. "You're more perceptive than you carry yourself, traveler. You wish to travel the rivers and lakes of this land, correct?"
"Honey. Jianghu already." Heiyou is trying to tug you away, but her strength isn't there. "We leave now."
"Oh?" Lei-Lei places a hand to her cheek, you can see its training-won ruggedness. "But I could serve as a guide. The Jianghu is treacherous; without the proper technique, our traveler would surely perish."
"What kind of techniques are we talking?"
She puts an iron shopkeeper's hand on your shoulder. "Well that depends on your donations, traveler."
[What do you do?]
[ ] Donate more
-[ ] 100 HL
-[ ] 500 HL
-[ ] 1000 HL
[ ] Ask about her techniques
[ ] Ask about the priestess
[ ] Ask about Sack Guy
Karnewarrior
Leastmost of the Hanged Man Arcana
[X] We would, but we have little money to spare. We will require more than training before this journey is through.
-[X] Things like armor, weapons, and tricks, if she tries to imply we're going whoring again.
[X] Ask about the temple.
-[X] What's up with Sinsack? Is that unique to here, or is it a general theological thing?
-[X] Why is the temple run by a professional ass-kicker?
[X] Comfort Heiyou. We aren't going to just let Mother Theresa here exorcise one of our friends.
No money for Jesus, Jesus is a carpenter and we don't need chairs, we need armor.
Show good-natured curiosity about the temple and their beliefs. Religious people eat that shit up, and if she's some kind of badass I'd rather have her as a friend than an enemy.
Comfy Heiyou is a Heiyou that doesn't light the church on fire, which is not conducive to point 2.
-[X] Things like armor, weapons, and tricks, if she tries to imply we're going whoring again.
[X] Ask about the temple.
-[X] What's up with Sinsack? Is that unique to here, or is it a general theological thing?
-[X] Why is the temple run by a professional ass-kicker?
[X] Comfort Heiyou. We aren't going to just let Mother Theresa here exorcise one of our friends.
No money for Jesus, Jesus is a carpenter and we don't need chairs, we need armor.
Show good-natured curiosity about the temple and their beliefs. Religious people eat that shit up, and if she's some kind of badass I'd rather have her as a friend than an enemy.
Comfy Heiyou is a Heiyou that doesn't light the church on fire, which is not conducive to point 2.
InquiQual
Emanator of Mythus, the Enigmata
- Location
- The Astral Express
[X] We would, but we have little money to spare. We will require more than training before this journey is through.
-[X] Things like armor, weapons, and tricks, if she tries to imply we're going whoring again.
[X] Ask about the temple.
-[X] What's up with Sinsack? Is that unique to here, or is it a general theological thing?
-[X] Why is the temple run by a professional ass-kicker?
[X] Comfort Heiyou. We aren't going to just let Mother Theresa here exorcise one of our friends.
-[X] Things like armor, weapons, and tricks, if she tries to imply we're going whoring again.
[X] Ask about the temple.
-[X] What's up with Sinsack? Is that unique to here, or is it a general theological thing?
-[X] Why is the temple run by a professional ass-kicker?
[X] Comfort Heiyou. We aren't going to just let Mother Theresa here exorcise one of our friends.
Ultramandalore
Errant Quester
- Location
- just south of Parts Unknown
[X] We would, but we have little money to spare. We will require more than training before this journey is through.
-[X] Things like armor, weapons, and tricks, if she tries to imply we're going whoring again.
[X] Ask about the temple.
-[X] What's up with Sinsack? Is that unique to here, or is it a general theological thing?
-[X] Why is the temple run by a professional ass-kicker?
[X] Comfort Heiyou. We aren't going to just let Mother Theresa here exorcise one of our friends.
-[X] Things like armor, weapons, and tricks, if she tries to imply we're going whoring again.
[X] Ask about the temple.
-[X] What's up with Sinsack? Is that unique to here, or is it a general theological thing?
-[X] Why is the temple run by a professional ass-kicker?
[X] Comfort Heiyou. We aren't going to just let Mother Theresa here exorcise one of our friends.
[X] We would, but we have little money to spare. We will require more than training before this journey is through.
-[X] Things like armor, weapons, and tricks, if she tries to imply we're going whoring again.
[X] Ask about the temple.
-[X] What's up with Sinsack? Is that unique to here, or is it a general theological thing?
-[X] Why is the temple run by a professional ass-kicker?
[X] Comfort Heiyou. We aren't going to just let Mother Theresa here exorcise one of our friends.
-[X] Things like armor, weapons, and tricks, if she tries to imply we're going whoring again.
[X] Ask about the temple.
-[X] What's up with Sinsack? Is that unique to here, or is it a general theological thing?
-[X] Why is the temple run by a professional ass-kicker?
[X] Comfort Heiyou. We aren't going to just let Mother Theresa here exorcise one of our friends.
Welcome to Crossroads 2.4
FourthWall
Love & Destroy
- Location
- Chiraq
[X] Karnewarrior
@@@
You go to comfort Heiyou first. She's frozen fast, torn between fight and flight modes. You don't want either to happen; a Heiyou run amok brings heat you don't want to face. And the more nervous she gets, the longer she kicks up her qi aura, which drains you by proxy. If it does come down to a fight, you want to be 100%.
You stroke Heiyou's back. "It's okay, it's okay. Easy, Heiyou." You glance at Lei-Lei to see if she makes a move.
She takes her hand off your shoulder, holds it up in a non-threatening manner. The movement still makes you think she could palm strike your nose out the back of your skull. "I mean no harm."
Given her tone, and Sack Guy still staring you down, she clearly means "for now." Better play it smart.
"You're no ordinary shrine maiden, and this is no ordinary temple. What's your story?" You bow a fraction; politeness isn't really your thing but it seems important to at least try here.
Lei-Lei raises an eyebrow, the edge of her mouth quirks up in a smile. "Oho? You are quite the inquisitive one, traveler. This is a temple of the Pure Lightning Sect." She takes a pose that's half prayer and half pugilist. "We seek enlightenment through unhindered action; as only once our movements are clear can the divine flow through us."
"So a Wei Wu Wei thing? Action without thought?"
The smile reaches her eyes. "Astute."
"Honey. Know lots. About Kung-fu." Heiyou says. She sounds guarded, but also impressed.
Lei-Lei glances over to Heiyou, who squeaks a little. "Indeed he does. Perhaps he does not need a guide through the rivers and lakes after all."
"Actually, I wouldn't mind a guide. I am new to these particular ways, and would humbly accept any training. Especially from one as clearly skilled as yourself." You bow a little deeper.
Lei-Lei chuckles, looking down at you. "Any kind?"
You raise your head, eyes and cheeks burning. "Not that kind. Weapons, armor, techniques, even general knowledge. I have little money, but I'm willing to pay in other ways."
"The Kung-fu of the Pure Lightning Sect is not to be given away as a trifle." She puts a hand on her chin. "If you worked at the brothel for a month, you could probably afford my teachings. You are quite the attractive girl."
You grit your teeth, eye twitching. "...I'm a guy."
Lei-Lei gasps and says a quick prayer in Japanese. "I think we can work out an arrangement then, traveler."
Heiyou finds her courage again, enough to get in Lei-Lei's face. "No touch. Honey's gun."
Lei-Lei looks to her, than to you. Her gohei crackles with a qi you don't recognize. "Is this yaoguai your woman?"
[How do you respond?]
[ ] Yes, she's my woman
[ ] No, I'm her Honey
[ ] No, I'm her friend
[ ] No, we're just traveling companions
"Anyway," you change the question. "What's with Sack Guy over there? And why does a religious sect need a professional ass-kicker?"
"The Pure Lightning Sect believes that yaoguai are damned souls working through their karmic debts. We give them a little...push in order to pay those debts faster."
"...That doesn't answer my question."
"Sack. Sealing magic. Take away instinct. Take away thought." Heiyou growls slightly. "Like Jiangshi. Wicked magic."
"Rehabilitation is better than the alternative, no? But sometimes yaoguai need to be shown tough love." Before you can blink, Lei-Lei has her gohei underneath Heiyou's chin. The crackling energy drains Heiyou's flaring aura, causing her horns to shrink to nubs.
Heiyou scrambles behind you and pushes you forward. "Scary lady," she says in a hoarse whisper. "Honey deal with her."
Lei-Lei snaps her wrist, releasing the strange qi. It feels like a weight coming off your shoulders.
[Camille Notice Fail]
You have no idea what kind of qi she cultivates; it feels like black hole nothingness. You don't want to get on the bad side of it, that's for sure.
"So." She claps her hands. "With your humble donation, I can provide you one of the things you seek: armor, weaponry, or techniques. As a martially inclined sect, I assure you any choice will be worth your while. If you run a small errand for me, I shall grant two things." She gives you a predatory gaze. "If you give me your body, as my disciple of course, I shall grant you everything."
Heiyou grabs onto your arm and whines. "Scary lady. No trust scary lady."
You feel like you're getting scammed, but you cannot deny Lei-Lei looks and feels the part of an ass-kicker extrodinare.
[What do you do?]
[ ] Take the single thing
-[ ] Weapons
-[ ] Armor
-[ ] Techniques
[ ] Run the Errand
[ ] Become Lei-Lei's disciple
[ ] Get the fuck out of Dodge
@@@
You go to comfort Heiyou first. She's frozen fast, torn between fight and flight modes. You don't want either to happen; a Heiyou run amok brings heat you don't want to face. And the more nervous she gets, the longer she kicks up her qi aura, which drains you by proxy. If it does come down to a fight, you want to be 100%.
You stroke Heiyou's back. "It's okay, it's okay. Easy, Heiyou." You glance at Lei-Lei to see if she makes a move.
She takes her hand off your shoulder, holds it up in a non-threatening manner. The movement still makes you think she could palm strike your nose out the back of your skull. "I mean no harm."
Given her tone, and Sack Guy still staring you down, she clearly means "for now." Better play it smart.
"You're no ordinary shrine maiden, and this is no ordinary temple. What's your story?" You bow a fraction; politeness isn't really your thing but it seems important to at least try here.
Lei-Lei raises an eyebrow, the edge of her mouth quirks up in a smile. "Oho? You are quite the inquisitive one, traveler. This is a temple of the Pure Lightning Sect." She takes a pose that's half prayer and half pugilist. "We seek enlightenment through unhindered action; as only once our movements are clear can the divine flow through us."
"So a Wei Wu Wei thing? Action without thought?"
The smile reaches her eyes. "Astute."
"Honey. Know lots. About Kung-fu." Heiyou says. She sounds guarded, but also impressed.
Lei-Lei glances over to Heiyou, who squeaks a little. "Indeed he does. Perhaps he does not need a guide through the rivers and lakes after all."
"Actually, I wouldn't mind a guide. I am new to these particular ways, and would humbly accept any training. Especially from one as clearly skilled as yourself." You bow a little deeper.
Lei-Lei chuckles, looking down at you. "Any kind?"
You raise your head, eyes and cheeks burning. "Not that kind. Weapons, armor, techniques, even general knowledge. I have little money, but I'm willing to pay in other ways."
"The Kung-fu of the Pure Lightning Sect is not to be given away as a trifle." She puts a hand on her chin. "If you worked at the brothel for a month, you could probably afford my teachings. You are quite the attractive girl."
You grit your teeth, eye twitching. "...I'm a guy."
Lei-Lei gasps and says a quick prayer in Japanese. "I think we can work out an arrangement then, traveler."
Heiyou finds her courage again, enough to get in Lei-Lei's face. "No touch. Honey's gun."
Lei-Lei looks to her, than to you. Her gohei crackles with a qi you don't recognize. "Is this yaoguai your woman?"
[How do you respond?]
[ ] Yes, she's my woman
[ ] No, I'm her Honey
[ ] No, I'm her friend
[ ] No, we're just traveling companions
"Anyway," you change the question. "What's with Sack Guy over there? And why does a religious sect need a professional ass-kicker?"
"The Pure Lightning Sect believes that yaoguai are damned souls working through their karmic debts. We give them a little...push in order to pay those debts faster."
"...That doesn't answer my question."
"Sack. Sealing magic. Take away instinct. Take away thought." Heiyou growls slightly. "Like Jiangshi. Wicked magic."
"Rehabilitation is better than the alternative, no? But sometimes yaoguai need to be shown tough love." Before you can blink, Lei-Lei has her gohei underneath Heiyou's chin. The crackling energy drains Heiyou's flaring aura, causing her horns to shrink to nubs.
Heiyou scrambles behind you and pushes you forward. "Scary lady," she says in a hoarse whisper. "Honey deal with her."
Lei-Lei snaps her wrist, releasing the strange qi. It feels like a weight coming off your shoulders.
Task Difficulty: 6
Camille Fortune Die: 1
Camille Misfortune Die: 1
Camille Swerve: 0
Camille Skill (Wits + Rapport): 2
Camille Result: 2
Camille Fortune Die: 1
Camille Misfortune Die: 1
Camille Swerve: 0
Camille Skill (Wits + Rapport): 2
Camille Result: 2
[Camille Notice Fail]
You have no idea what kind of qi she cultivates; it feels like black hole nothingness. You don't want to get on the bad side of it, that's for sure.
"So." She claps her hands. "With your humble donation, I can provide you one of the things you seek: armor, weaponry, or techniques. As a martially inclined sect, I assure you any choice will be worth your while. If you run a small errand for me, I shall grant two things." She gives you a predatory gaze. "If you give me your body, as my disciple of course, I shall grant you everything."
Heiyou grabs onto your arm and whines. "Scary lady. No trust scary lady."
You feel like you're getting scammed, but you cannot deny Lei-Lei looks and feels the part of an ass-kicker extrodinare.
[What do you do?]
[ ] Take the single thing
-[ ] Weapons
-[ ] Armor
-[ ] Techniques
[ ] Run the Errand
[ ] Become Lei-Lei's disciple
[ ] Get the fuck out of Dodge
- Location
- va
[How do you respond?]
[X] I'm still trying to figure that out?
[What do you do?]
[X] Run the Errand
[X] I'm still trying to figure that out?
[What do you do?]
[X] Run the Errand
Ultramandalore
Errant Quester
- Location
- just south of Parts Unknown
[X] Yes, she's my woman
[X] Run the Errand
[X] Run the Errand
Karnewarrior
Leastmost of the Hanged Man Arcana
[X] No, I'm her friend.
[X] Extend your arm and give Heiyou some cover to hide behind - we like her more than this shrine maiden.
-[X] Make it clear you don't appreciate her scaring Heiyou and sapping her aura. Heiyou shouldn't have gotten in her face, but if what she says is right, she's doing some fucked up things to the Yaoguai...
[X] You know, on second thought, we really don't need her help right now.
I don't like Lei-Lei, or her cult. Let's take our demon and go shopping somewhere less racist.
[X] Extend your arm and give Heiyou some cover to hide behind - we like her more than this shrine maiden.
-[X] Make it clear you don't appreciate her scaring Heiyou and sapping her aura. Heiyou shouldn't have gotten in her face, but if what she says is right, she's doing some fucked up things to the Yaoguai...
[X] You know, on second thought, we really don't need her help right now.
I don't like Lei-Lei, or her cult. Let's take our demon and go shopping somewhere less racist.
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
So we're the girlyest looking thug ever to be produced by a Frenchman and the Yakuza, who did some moonlighting as a magical girl before they got taken by Truck-kun. Our current companions are a JSDF sniper reincarnated as a little girl and an Oni who might be a native but isn't smart enough to tell us on way or the other. We're traveling with what's left of a pack of bandits because their leader is mostly likely the women we agreed to study under while we were getting reincarnated, and at the moment, we're getting slightly shaken down by Kung-Fu Reimu.
This is exactly my breed of insanity. Hit it!
[X] No, I'm her Honey
[X] Run the Errand
This is exactly my breed of insanity. Hit it!
[X] No, I'm her Honey
[X] Run the Errand
- Location
- United States
[X] No, I'm her Honey
[X] Run the Errand
I got no idea what's going on but it's hilarous and awesome. I love Camille's status as the reverse harem protagonist. Can we still use our magical girl powers, or is there a reason we haven't pulled them out?
[X] Run the Errand
I got no idea what's going on but it's hilarous and awesome. I love Camille's status as the reverse harem protagonist. Can we still use our magical girl powers, or is there a reason we haven't pulled them out?
Welcome to Crossroads 2.5
FourthWall
Love & Destroy
- Location
- Chiraq
More work and schedule slipping makes FourthWall something something
[X] No, I'm her friend
[X] Run the Errand
@@@
You don't like Lei-Lei.
You know what you like less?
Dying.
So you'll suck it up for the chance to learn somewhere other than the School of Hard Knocks. You don't want to be caught ass out again, and you don't want to have to rely on Heiyou and Louise to bail you out again. Especially when there are people like Lei-Lei and her weird fucking qi. You don't even feel like haggling, given the way she absentmindedly flexes her hands. You can tell from the way her knuckles crack she's cracked more than a few skulls.
"I'll run your errand," you say, voice only wavering a little. Wanting to show some masculinity, you rest your arm on Heiyou's shoulder. "And Heiyou's my friend. Not my woman."
Heiyou makes a noise that's half squee, half sigh. She's happy you said she's your friend, but you can tell she wanted you to say you were her Honey. You get the feeling she wouldn't mind being your woman, either. Frankly, the way women keep coming on to you is starting to chafe; the attention is nice, but unnatural. You got hit on every once in a while back in the real world, but it feels like every woman you've met has either hit you or hit on you. You're starting to feel like a piece of meat someone's trying to tenderize.
Usually, you have to be in magical girl form for that.
Lei-Lei stifles a chuckle. "Good boy." You clench your fist behind your back. "And eager to fight, too." She smacks her gohei in her open palm. "Then I shall give you your errand. There is a certain man who frequents the brothel in town, Carp Faced Tohru. This man has committed a great many sins and needs to make proper...restitutions." She looks to her donation box, then back to you. "Bring him to me. Or at least 1000 HL of him."
"Wicked lady," Heiyou hisses. "No good priestess."
"Wait," you frown. "You just want me to shake this fucker down? All this," you wave your hand around, "religion and you need an ankle-breaker?"
Lei-Lei chuckles, smirking. "I don't need an ankle-breaker, traveler. Carp Faced Tohru is of the Jianghu. The lowest rank, yes; but ranked he is." She pokes you in the chest. "You have no rank. If you can handle him, I shall train you. If you do so in front of a crowd, you shall be chronicled as Jianghu."
You quirk an eyebrow. "Then what do you need the shakedown for?"
"You said it yourself, traveler. You have no money. I charge 1000 HL for my services. This "shakedown" is you getting the money to pay for my services. Sensible, no?" Lei-Lei smiles the sweetest you've seen her. "You can always refuse..." Her eyes open to slits and you feel Sack Guy at your back.
Heiyou puts herself back to back with you, not as afraid of Sack Guy as she is of Lei-Lei. "Heiyou. Protect Honey."
This temple is off the main drag, so if you start a fight, it should take a while for anyone to notice. Which could be bad, if Lei-Lei's even half as tough as she looks. You notice some odd lumps in the sand garden Sack Guy had been raking.
[Camille Notice Success!]
Yeah, those are bodies. You've seen enough people put in shallow graves to know what they look like. The only way someone like this could get away with being this brazen is if they were well connected or too dangerous to fuck with. Given how ramshackle this temple is, how worn the tenants' clothes are, and how hungrily Lei-Lei is eyeing you for 1000 HL, signs point to the latter.
If you had your transformation trinket (or Louise in a sniper's position somewhere), you'd take your chances at putting these two down. You did manage to beat that Abeshi guy pretty much from nothing, but he was a mid-boss. You're getting more of an Elite Four vibe from Lei-Lei right now. Back home, you'd jump in like a man crazy to die; with Aneki behind you, you felt you never would.
Well, you did die. And Aneki isn't behind you. Aneki isn't anywhere, anymore.
[What do you do?]
[ ] Head straight to the brothel and start some shit [Destiny +]
[ ] Regroup with Louise, then head to the brothel
[ ] Pump Lei-Lei for more intel, then make a decision
(2.0x) [ ] Fight Lei-Lei and Sack Guy with Heiyou instead [Destiny ++]
[X] No, I'm her friend
[X] Run the Errand
@@@
You don't like Lei-Lei.
You know what you like less?
Dying.
So you'll suck it up for the chance to learn somewhere other than the School of Hard Knocks. You don't want to be caught ass out again, and you don't want to have to rely on Heiyou and Louise to bail you out again. Especially when there are people like Lei-Lei and her weird fucking qi. You don't even feel like haggling, given the way she absentmindedly flexes her hands. You can tell from the way her knuckles crack she's cracked more than a few skulls.
"I'll run your errand," you say, voice only wavering a little. Wanting to show some masculinity, you rest your arm on Heiyou's shoulder. "And Heiyou's my friend. Not my woman."
Heiyou makes a noise that's half squee, half sigh. She's happy you said she's your friend, but you can tell she wanted you to say you were her Honey. You get the feeling she wouldn't mind being your woman, either. Frankly, the way women keep coming on to you is starting to chafe; the attention is nice, but unnatural. You got hit on every once in a while back in the real world, but it feels like every woman you've met has either hit you or hit on you. You're starting to feel like a piece of meat someone's trying to tenderize.
Usually, you have to be in magical girl form for that.
Lei-Lei stifles a chuckle. "Good boy." You clench your fist behind your back. "And eager to fight, too." She smacks her gohei in her open palm. "Then I shall give you your errand. There is a certain man who frequents the brothel in town, Carp Faced Tohru. This man has committed a great many sins and needs to make proper...restitutions." She looks to her donation box, then back to you. "Bring him to me. Or at least 1000 HL of him."
"Wicked lady," Heiyou hisses. "No good priestess."
"Wait," you frown. "You just want me to shake this fucker down? All this," you wave your hand around, "religion and you need an ankle-breaker?"
Lei-Lei chuckles, smirking. "I don't need an ankle-breaker, traveler. Carp Faced Tohru is of the Jianghu. The lowest rank, yes; but ranked he is." She pokes you in the chest. "You have no rank. If you can handle him, I shall train you. If you do so in front of a crowd, you shall be chronicled as Jianghu."
You quirk an eyebrow. "Then what do you need the shakedown for?"
"You said it yourself, traveler. You have no money. I charge 1000 HL for my services. This "shakedown" is you getting the money to pay for my services. Sensible, no?" Lei-Lei smiles the sweetest you've seen her. "You can always refuse..." Her eyes open to slits and you feel Sack Guy at your back.
Heiyou puts herself back to back with you, not as afraid of Sack Guy as she is of Lei-Lei. "Heiyou. Protect Honey."
This temple is off the main drag, so if you start a fight, it should take a while for anyone to notice. Which could be bad, if Lei-Lei's even half as tough as she looks. You notice some odd lumps in the sand garden Sack Guy had been raking.
Task Difficulty: 2
Camille Fortune Die: 1
Camille Misfortune Die: 2
Camille Swerve: -1
Camille Skill (Wits + Notice): 4
Camille Result: 3
Camille Fortune Die: 1
Camille Misfortune Die: 2
Camille Swerve: -1
Camille Skill (Wits + Notice): 4
Camille Result: 3
[Camille Notice Success!]
Yeah, those are bodies. You've seen enough people put in shallow graves to know what they look like. The only way someone like this could get away with being this brazen is if they were well connected or too dangerous to fuck with. Given how ramshackle this temple is, how worn the tenants' clothes are, and how hungrily Lei-Lei is eyeing you for 1000 HL, signs point to the latter.
If you had your transformation trinket (or Louise in a sniper's position somewhere), you'd take your chances at putting these two down. You did manage to beat that Abeshi guy pretty much from nothing, but he was a mid-boss. You're getting more of an Elite Four vibe from Lei-Lei right now. Back home, you'd jump in like a man crazy to die; with Aneki behind you, you felt you never would.
Well, you did die. And Aneki isn't behind you. Aneki isn't anywhere, anymore.
[What do you do?]
[ ] Head straight to the brothel and start some shit [Destiny +]
[ ] Regroup with Louise, then head to the brothel
[ ] Pump Lei-Lei for more intel, then make a decision
(2.0x) [ ] Fight Lei-Lei and Sack Guy with Heiyou instead [Destiny ++]
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- Location
- United States
[X] Head straight to the brothel and start some shit [Destiny +]
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
[X] Head straight to the brothel and start some shit [Destiny +]
Destiny calls! With a will to fist!
Destiny calls! With a will to fist!
Karnewarrior
Leastmost of the Hanged Man Arcana
[X] Head straight to the brothel and start some shit [Destiny +]
-[X] Once you're out of earshot, apologize to Heiyou
-[X] Sorry, we didn't realize the temple here was some kind of Magic Nazi concentration camp. Once we finish this job and aren't under threat of smiting any more, let's agree not to visit any more temples.
No reason to goad the DM by fighting random NPCs. We don't get to complain they're overpowered if we started the fight.
With that said fuck Lei-Lei, she's the worst and Heiyou is ten times better. Even if I'm not really into shipping her with MC-kun.
-[X] Once you're out of earshot, apologize to Heiyou
-[X] Sorry, we didn't realize the temple here was some kind of Magic Nazi concentration camp. Once we finish this job and aren't under threat of smiting any more, let's agree not to visit any more temples.
No reason to goad the DM by fighting random NPCs. We don't get to complain they're overpowered if we started the fight.
With that said fuck Lei-Lei, she's the worst and Heiyou is ten times better. Even if I'm not really into shipping her with MC-kun.
FourthWall
Love & Destroy
- Location
- Chiraq
The thing is, Lei-Lei's sister is a cinnamon bun. Loves yaoguai, too. She's a bum that's drunk most of the time, but it comes with the territory of Laughing God Sect members. If only you met her instead
I am also totally okay with no shipping happening. Heiyou will defend Camille's gun from all comers, including herself.
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