TomoFlake: My Best Friend Is A Hero Who Thinks I'm In Love With HIm (an original anime mashup quest)
2.4 -- Showdown on the Subway! The Mysterious Torioi's Debut!
5/9 SUN, 1900
View: https://themidnight.bandcamp.com/track/nocturnal
The train back to Osaka from Nara is nearly empty this time of night. But it's slow, and every second that ticks by on that hour long ride, you worry. Seconds count, and now you're clenching your fists.
You knew protecting him was your responsibility. And now, at the first possible test you could have, you're an hour away. Sure, he can take care of himself from a frontal assault, but if they're as coordinated and have done their research as much as you think they have, they probably have some weakness of his that you've never thought of. Something dreadful and important.
Maru sent you her recording of the conversation, a hodgepodge of camera videos and social media posts. You did not, and do not, understand her organization system at all, but you did eventually manage to wrestle them into chronological order— and definitely question why she kept slapping weird expressions on the text captions.
"So let me ask you honestly. What is that guy to you, anyway?" Maru asked, unexpectedly.
"Officially, I'm supposed to be his bodyguard," you said with a shrug "Unofficially, as I'm sure you're aware, barring some seriously unforeseen circumstances or a well-prepared opponent, I'm sure he can handle himself."
You looked at the badge, now, in the good light.
Shirogane Nezuka Group
Nezuka Logistics Concern
One of the oldest acquisitions of the company, and one of the divisions with the most pull. It wasn't surprising that they would be people to oppose Kaneko. But how had they gotten their hands on such obviously advanced technology?
"Still, I think this is a pretty good place to start," you say, handing over the badge. "Wanna help me get back at them?"
[Swear An Iron Vow +Rapport: 3+3 vs 2, 1 STRONG HIT]
["Determine the reason Nezuka Logistics Concern wants me dead."]
[Difficulty: Formidable]
"… I just might." Maru passed the badge back and you pocketed it.
MARU [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
One thing was certain. If your new friends knew anything about it, they'd probably want to know. So would Ichigo.
At least your next steps are clear… even if the steps after that are murky, at best.
[You take +2 Momentum, restoring your 10/10 Momentum.]
[Rush To The Scene +Supply: 3+4 vs. 8, 7 MISS]
"Gakuemmae. This station is Gakuemmae." The doors slid open.
On one side of the doors, four women stepped in. Pretty clearly, they were university students, probably from Tezukayama.
On the other side, three salarymen. Mid-20's, shabby suits.
The suits parted. So did the students.
The man who emerged from behind the suits had padded gloves so disused they still had no scratches. The clothes— they had to be a custom costume, how much did that cost?— were flamboyant, a long-sleeved button up, nearly entirely unbuttoned, with an upturned collar, and a red vest that barely covered his chest. His hair was done up in a modish, spiky manner, and his shoes were leather boxing shoes. How exactly he planned to move in those black slacks he was wearing was a mystery, but you imagined that he was primarily a fist striker. He practically oozed 'smarmy, rich asshole', and you ought to know, as you've seen plenty.
As for the other side—
She was wearing a classic judo gi, in blue and torn at the shoulder. She had striker's gloves, and her hair was carefully tied up with flashy hairpins and a purple headband. While her outward expression was confident, you watched her footwork. She was a little bit resigned? No, perhaps the best word would be grim. She was resolved to defeat this opponent, whatever it took. You couldn't help but admire that a little. "I can't believe you're deciding this with a fight."
"And yet, here you are, willing to face me at last."
[oh, for fuck's sake. You lose 2 momentum as some bullshit threatens to tear what few plans you have to shreds. 8/10.]
FAILURES [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
She stretched her neck, left, then right. "Fine. Here I come!"
[Face Danger +Wits: 5+2 vs 4, 8 weak hit]
You start to walk down the train car, hopefully out of contact with these two idiots who decided to have a duel on a fucking train—
Just in time for both of them to notice you getting in the way, even as you're getting out of their way.
[Well, shit, guess you're doing this. -1 Momentum, 7/10.]
"I'm getting out in Chuo ward, can you please just leave me out of this?" You asked, hands up.
[Compel +Rapport: 6+3 vs 1, 1 OH MY GOD]
For a moment, they hesitated. Both of them were staring at you, and you almost cracked and told them that you'll go to the next car—
When they actually sat the fuck down, teams and all, both of them flanking Maru.
You sat in between Maru and the woman and wondered how it got to this point so quickly, as both Maru and the girl leaned on you and the smarmy git stared daggers at the judoka.
"So, what's this all about?"
By the time Namba was the next stop, the git had cried, Maru had fallen asleep, your shoulder and arms were a little numb, and everyone— at last— seemed to be on the same page.
"— Wait, please," the girl said, tears starting to form in her eyes. "Please, at least tell me your name."
"Oh, uh, that. I'm Torioi. I go to Osaka University. I'm actually part of the judo team there, but only as a second stringer."
She blinked, and tilted her head, as you gently woke Maru. "So I guess that means I'll see you again at regionals?"
"If I'm not kicked off the team," you said, brightly. "And— listen, if you need me to help you with that whole, uh, 'kidnapped twin sister' thing—"
"No, no, don't worry about it! I'm sure me and him will take care of it just fine."
"If you say so…"
Maru blinked heavily. "Eh?"
"We're here." As you step off the train, you hoped fervently that wouldn't develop into something bad.
[Somehow, that actually worked. You take +1 Momentum. 8/10.]
You were about to set up to wait in the station near the bento shop and the udon shop when you spotted Ichigo already waiting. His clothes were torn, but he himself looked whole enough to be standing, which was a decided improvement over the last two times he'd fought someone.
"Ambush got to you?"
"I am amazed you went all the way to Nar— holy shit. You actually found them."
Maru winked at Ichigo, and you smirked. "Let it not be said that I am not thorough in the completion of my duties."
Ichigo stuck out his tongue at you, a silent protest at continuing the servant shtick. "Still, you would not believe what I just had to put up with."
You handed over the badge. "Were you attacked by people from Logistics?"
He regarded the card for a moment. "No, actually. You were ambushed by them?"
[Face Danger +thoughtful+Detective: 2+2+1 vs 4, 2 STRONG HIT]
We're not alone. "Let's not talk about this here. Any ideas?"
"Where we won't be watched? You tell me." Maru shrugged. "Well, that's not true, I can think of a place, but I'm not sure you're gonna like it…"
"Hm. I think I know a place, but I've been going there a lot lately, they might be keeping an eye out for it…"
Let's go home.
"What?" You said.
"What?" Ichigo repeated.
Let's go home! Asura-chan insisted. There's no way they'll look for us there.
[You now have your choice of plans and have a pretty good idea of Logistics' capabilities right now. Momentum 9/10. This gives you options:]
[] [Hide] The Understacks. It's hard to get into, and the devil itself to get out, given that even your old master had a hard time leaving. However, at this hour, it'll require you to either break into the Library, or ask Iwai-sensei for a favor-- it's after closing.
[] [Hide] The Steam Tunnels. There should be an entrance close by, and time damn near stops in there. But your last journey there was a complete failure, and you definitely don't have the lay of the land there.
[] [Hide] Your apartment. Predictable, sure, but Gumi's there, and you can probably get reinforcements to arrive there quickly.
[] [Hide]Double back. They obviously have too many observers for this to work, at least with the Nara Line. Think of something else.
[] [Hide] (Unlocked: at least three progress with Maru) Listen to Maru's suggestion. (Unlock a new EXPEDITION SITE.)
[] [Hide] (Unlocked: at least three progress with Ichigo) Listen to Ichigo's suggestion. (Risky but will allow you a chance to get closer to Ichigo's friends.)
[] [Hide] (Unlocked: Demon Knight) Go to your house. Yes, the one that burned down. No, you will not elaborate. (Unlock a new EXPEDITION SITE.)
[] [Hide] Write-in.
Vote begins in one hour-- 2PM PDT-- and will end Monday.
View: https://themidnight.bandcamp.com/track/nocturnal
The train back to Osaka from Nara is nearly empty this time of night. But it's slow, and every second that ticks by on that hour long ride, you worry. Seconds count, and now you're clenching your fists.
You knew protecting him was your responsibility. And now, at the first possible test you could have, you're an hour away. Sure, he can take care of himself from a frontal assault, but if they're as coordinated and have done their research as much as you think they have, they probably have some weakness of his that you've never thought of. Something dreadful and important.
Maru sent you her recording of the conversation, a hodgepodge of camera videos and social media posts. You did not, and do not, understand her organization system at all, but you did eventually manage to wrestle them into chronological order— and definitely question why she kept slapping weird expressions on the text captions.
"So let me ask you honestly. What is that guy to you, anyway?" Maru asked, unexpectedly.
"Officially, I'm supposed to be his bodyguard," you said with a shrug "Unofficially, as I'm sure you're aware, barring some seriously unforeseen circumstances or a well-prepared opponent, I'm sure he can handle himself."
You looked at the badge, now, in the good light.
Shirogane Nezuka Group
Nezuka Logistics Concern
One of the oldest acquisitions of the company, and one of the divisions with the most pull. It wasn't surprising that they would be people to oppose Kaneko. But how had they gotten their hands on such obviously advanced technology?
"Still, I think this is a pretty good place to start," you say, handing over the badge. "Wanna help me get back at them?"
[Swear An Iron Vow +Rapport: 3+3 vs 2, 1 STRONG HIT]
["Determine the reason Nezuka Logistics Concern wants me dead."]
[Difficulty: Formidable]
"… I just might." Maru passed the badge back and you pocketed it.
MARU [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
One thing was certain. If your new friends knew anything about it, they'd probably want to know. So would Ichigo.
At least your next steps are clear… even if the steps after that are murky, at best.
[You take +2 Momentum, restoring your 10/10 Momentum.]
[Rush To The Scene +Supply: 3+4 vs. 8, 7 MISS]
"Gakuemmae. This station is Gakuemmae." The doors slid open.
On one side of the doors, four women stepped in. Pretty clearly, they were university students, probably from Tezukayama.
On the other side, three salarymen. Mid-20's, shabby suits.
The suits parted. So did the students.
The man who emerged from behind the suits had padded gloves so disused they still had no scratches. The clothes— they had to be a custom costume, how much did that cost?— were flamboyant, a long-sleeved button up, nearly entirely unbuttoned, with an upturned collar, and a red vest that barely covered his chest. His hair was done up in a modish, spiky manner, and his shoes were leather boxing shoes. How exactly he planned to move in those black slacks he was wearing was a mystery, but you imagined that he was primarily a fist striker. He practically oozed 'smarmy, rich asshole', and you ought to know, as you've seen plenty.
As for the other side—
She was wearing a classic judo gi, in blue and torn at the shoulder. She had striker's gloves, and her hair was carefully tied up with flashy hairpins and a purple headband. While her outward expression was confident, you watched her footwork. She was a little bit resigned? No, perhaps the best word would be grim. She was resolved to defeat this opponent, whatever it took. You couldn't help but admire that a little. "I can't believe you're deciding this with a fight."
"And yet, here you are, willing to face me at last."
[oh, for fuck's sake. You lose 2 momentum as some bullshit threatens to tear what few plans you have to shreds. 8/10.]
FAILURES [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
She stretched her neck, left, then right. "Fine. Here I come!"
[Face Danger +Wits: 5+2 vs 4, 8 weak hit]
You start to walk down the train car, hopefully out of contact with these two idiots who decided to have a duel on a fucking train—
Just in time for both of them to notice you getting in the way, even as you're getting out of their way.
[Well, shit, guess you're doing this. -1 Momentum, 7/10.]
"I'm getting out in Chuo ward, can you please just leave me out of this?" You asked, hands up.
[Compel +Rapport: 6+3 vs 1, 1 OH MY GOD]
For a moment, they hesitated. Both of them were staring at you, and you almost cracked and told them that you'll go to the next car—
When they actually sat the fuck down, teams and all, both of them flanking Maru.
You sat in between Maru and the woman and wondered how it got to this point so quickly, as both Maru and the girl leaned on you and the smarmy git stared daggers at the judoka.
"So, what's this all about?"
By the time Namba was the next stop, the git had cried, Maru had fallen asleep, your shoulder and arms were a little numb, and everyone— at last— seemed to be on the same page.
"— Wait, please," the girl said, tears starting to form in her eyes. "Please, at least tell me your name."
"Oh, uh, that. I'm Torioi. I go to Osaka University. I'm actually part of the judo team there, but only as a second stringer."
She blinked, and tilted her head, as you gently woke Maru. "So I guess that means I'll see you again at regionals?"
"If I'm not kicked off the team," you said, brightly. "And— listen, if you need me to help you with that whole, uh, 'kidnapped twin sister' thing—"
"No, no, don't worry about it! I'm sure me and him will take care of it just fine."
"If you say so…"
Maru blinked heavily. "Eh?"
"We're here." As you step off the train, you hoped fervently that wouldn't develop into something bad.
[Somehow, that actually worked. You take +1 Momentum. 8/10.]
You were about to set up to wait in the station near the bento shop and the udon shop when you spotted Ichigo already waiting. His clothes were torn, but he himself looked whole enough to be standing, which was a decided improvement over the last two times he'd fought someone.
"Ambush got to you?"
"I am amazed you went all the way to Nar— holy shit. You actually found them."
Maru winked at Ichigo, and you smirked. "Let it not be said that I am not thorough in the completion of my duties."
Ichigo stuck out his tongue at you, a silent protest at continuing the servant shtick. "Still, you would not believe what I just had to put up with."
You handed over the badge. "Were you attacked by people from Logistics?"
He regarded the card for a moment. "No, actually. You were ambushed by them?"
[Face Danger +thoughtful+Detective: 2+2+1 vs 4, 2 STRONG HIT]
We're not alone. "Let's not talk about this here. Any ideas?"
"Where we won't be watched? You tell me." Maru shrugged. "Well, that's not true, I can think of a place, but I'm not sure you're gonna like it…"
"Hm. I think I know a place, but I've been going there a lot lately, they might be keeping an eye out for it…"
Let's go home.
"What?" You said.
"What?" Ichigo repeated.
Let's go home! Asura-chan insisted. There's no way they'll look for us there.
[You now have your choice of plans and have a pretty good idea of Logistics' capabilities right now. Momentum 9/10. This gives you options:]
[] [Hide] The Understacks. It's hard to get into, and the devil itself to get out, given that even your old master had a hard time leaving. However, at this hour, it'll require you to either break into the Library, or ask Iwai-sensei for a favor-- it's after closing.
[] [Hide] The Steam Tunnels. There should be an entrance close by, and time damn near stops in there. But your last journey there was a complete failure, and you definitely don't have the lay of the land there.
[] [Hide] Your apartment. Predictable, sure, but Gumi's there, and you can probably get reinforcements to arrive there quickly.
[] [Hide]
[] [Hide] (Unlocked: at least three progress with Maru) Listen to Maru's suggestion. (Unlock a new EXPEDITION SITE.)
[] [Hide] (Unlocked: at least three progress with Ichigo) Listen to Ichigo's suggestion. (Risky but will allow you a chance to get closer to Ichigo's friends.)
[] [Hide] (Unlocked: Demon Knight) Go to your house. Yes, the one that burned down. No, you will not elaborate. (Unlock a new EXPEDITION SITE.)
[] [Hide] Write-in.
Vote begins in one hour-- 2PM PDT-- and will end Monday.
- Pronouns
- He/They
[X] [Hide] (Unlocked: Demon Knight) Go to your house. Yes, the one that burned down. No, you will not elaborate. (Unlock a new EXPEDITION SITE.)
Solarstream
It's all in the cards
- Location
- Zombie World
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] [Hide] (Unlocked: at least three progress with Maru) Listen to Maru's suggestion. (Unlock a new EXPEDITION SITE.)
2-4 Vote Closed
2.5.1 She Told You She'd Get That Date Eventually
"All right," you said. Your voice was quiet enough that you were worried they couldn't hear you over the trains, but that was the point. "You know the way, Maru. But first, we need to lose our tails."
The three of you buy bento and pack out. Don't run yet. Don't run yet—
SCENE CHALLENGE (FORMIDABLE)
OBJECTIVE: Lose your pursuers.
[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
TENSION CLOCKS
LOADER SQUAD ARRIVES 0/6
KIKAIDER GOLD RESPONDS TO COLLATERAL DAMAGE 0/4
The three of you continued walking until you broke contact, then sped up a bit to jump down the station's escalator, with Maru taking the lead.
[Face Danger +Quick:2+1 9 vs 7, 8 Strong hit]
Your own lack of spatial awareness almost shot this entire idea in the foot. You tripped on one of the light pylons in the the ramp of the escalator, and would have face-planted, but Maru and Ichigo were already there to catch you at the bottom.
You took a grateful breath.
[xx] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []
Maru nodded. "Come on, let's go up a different way."
You ducked into the main underground mall, and the others followed. Hopefully, you could at least lose them a little further among the crowd.
[Secure an Advantage +Resolve+[A Cat Goes Where She Pleases]: 1+2+2 vs 5, 7 MISS]
FAILURES [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [X/] [ ] [ ] [ ]
There was a sudden sound of scuffles behind you as people are turned aside. As usual, luck and fate were not on your side today.
LOADER SQUAD ARRIVES 1/6
[You lose 1 momentum trying to push through an increasingly panicky crowd who don't much care for being pushed around. 1/10.]
Now you broke into a run. Ichigo and Maru kept up with you easily. Compared to your companions, you're hardly the fastest feet in Osaka. But you are nothing if not small and generally unnoticeable. Where blending in failed, maybe the sheer weight of the crowd would not.
[Secure an Advantage +Thoughtful: 3+2 vs 2, 9 weak hit]
Somehow this works, for now. It wouldn't buy you time forever, but it bought you enough time to consider your next steps.
Ichigo waved the both of you towards an up escalator, and you nod. If there's one observer team here, maybe they didn't have another in place—
[You take +1 add on the next roll.]
[Face Danger +Quick+A Cat Goes Where She Pleases: 6+1+2+1 vs 7, 9 STRONG HIT]
You run up the stairs, and Maru pulled you along on the way. By the time your pursuers round the bend, they have lost you once more, at least in part due to Maru's quick thinking pulling you aside.
[XX] [XX] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []
Still, this was no time to be resting. They were certain not to wait to spot you again.
You took a walking pace again. There were too many exits to Namba station's mall and food court, so they might be at it a while, but the point here was to be long gone before they arrived without drawing attention.
[Secure an Advantage +Resolve+A Cat Goes Where She Pleases: 5+2+2 vs 2, 10 weak hit]
It's at least another two blocks before Maru's ears twitch and she draws you down an alley with a concrete park, and you hold your breath as she uses one hand to hold you and Ichigo back.
"They've got to be nearby, right?" One panted out, leaning against the wall.
"What about the loaders?" A second said, not nearly so winded.
"Still on their way from dockside. And if they come here and there's no one…" The first one warns.
The second one rolls his eyes. "Yes, yes. I know, but we can't afford to lose them."
[It's information, but more than that, you've now lost them more thoroughly. +1 on next roll.]
Maru nods. You look around in the dark and spot a drain access, and get both their attention to point it out.
Ichigo nodded, and helped you pry it open.
You lifted and hoped it wouldn't make a sound--
[Face Danger +Hard+Dragon's Fire: 5+2+2+1 vs 7,9 STRONG HIT]
Maru slips down first, and you and Ichigo carefully get under the access, and he slowly lowered it back in its housing.
Now you just had to hope that there wouldn't be an early summer rain, or things would start to get dicey quick.
[xx] [xx] [xx] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
"So it's to the river, then…" Maru said, grumbling. "That'll take us out of our way."
"If it gets us away from these guys before they call in whatever the 'loaders' are, I'm all for it," you replied.
Still, it stank to high heaven down there, and you had no idea where you'd end up. More than that, Maru probably couldn't help you check, and your cell phone got no signal this deep under the earth.
You climbed up the next ladder and saw—
[Secure an Advantage +Thoughtful+Detective: 3+2+1 vs 1, 4 STRONG HIT]
Mostly a lot of traffic and foot traffic— restaurateurs trying to get those last purchases before the dining specialty shops closed. You knew where you were, now.
You were heading North, and had doubled back. "OK. We've been going north," you said, "Which means we should head the other way."
"Eh?" Maru and Ichigo repeated at the same time.
"I don't know where you're going but you said the north river was the wrong way, right?" you said. "And if we triple back above ground, we're bound to run into those guys. So let's head back and take a different branch…"
[Valuable information in a situation where you can barely trust a street map anyway has given you a sudden advantage. +2 Momentum, +1 on your next roll. 3/10 Momentum.]
The real trick was not drawing attention to yourselves. A tough task given how hard it was to move in the storm drains. And gods help you if it rained. But so long as you were down there, your pursuers were going to have a hard time figuring out where you were.
[Face Danger +Resolve+1: 5+2+1 vs 7,2 STRONG HIT]
Thus began a slightly slow campaign upriver while you read off features and street names that you could see in the darkness and distance.
"Here, let's strike east from here—" Maru said.
"What ward are we going to again?" You asked.
"Taisho," Maru explained.
"… That probably means going over Sembonmatsu Bridge," Ichigo said, after a few seconds' thought on his mental map.
You consulted your own mental map. "That's too far, at least an hour's walk. Let's take Kitatsumori."
"Kitatsumori is too easy to block," Maru said.
"Sembonmatsu is just as simple to set up a roadblock on. Even if it is a Sunday, I don't like my chances on the car lanes."
[Compel +Rapport: 4+3 vs 4, 8 weak hit]
"By that logic we ought to just take refuge in audacity and take Taisho!" Maru said, just a little heated.
All three of you looked up, waited, waited. … No cars. No footsteps.
"Taisho it is," you and Ichigo say at the same time.
Well, the first part went well. You were out of the storm drain, though you felt the desperate need for a bath— one that, if expression was any indication, Maru shared.
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
And now, all you needed to do was avoid whatever patrols the Logistics had set up, and get to Taisho Bridge or Onami-dori. 1 km and a world away.
[Face Danger +Resolve+Maru: 4+2+2 vs 3, 4 STRONG HIT]
Your every nerve sang as you continued to walk down the streets of Osaka. It felt like everyone was watching you, and worse, everyone had a damned opinion about it. At least they couldn't smell you. Way, way too much of this day had been an embarrassment already.
But no one was following you and no one was calling anyone who they weren't already calling. You were pretty sure other people could see Asura-chan, so in an effort not to stand out, you had her stay un-manifested for now.
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Realizing that being friends on a walk in silence looked odd, you struck up a conversation. "So if you could do one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?"
Ichigo laughed. "Icebreakers? What is this, a mixer?"
"Mmmm… Well, I don't really want to do fur-hire work the rest of my life," Maru said, just after. "It's already starting to show its age, you know? You get betrayed once, things go tits up, suddenly people don't trust you anymore."
"I can't imagine you're talking about the job before this one?" Ichigo said.
You relaxed a little.
[Face Danger +Resolve: 5+2 vs 3, 10 weak hit]
You really shouldn't have relaxed a little, because as you rounded the next corner you spotted the same two goons, and quickly backed everyone up. You knew this lucky streak couldn't last forever, you knew you couldn't triple back above ground, and if they had spotted you before, there was no way you were going to escape into the storm drain system again.
You were nearly there, though. Just a few blocks after this. Taisho was in sight in the north, and Onami-dori to the south.
[xx] [xx] [xx] [xx] [xx] [xx] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
LOADER SQUAD ARRIVES 2/6
"… Take 'em out?" You asked.
Ichigo shook his head. "Around."
Much as you disliked doubling back, again, if they really hadn't seen you, it was your best chance to escape them before they did.
[Secure an Advantage +Resolve: 4+2 vs 4, 2 STRONG HIT]
You grumbled as you passed the bath-house, but there was almost certainly no time for that, and it was also almost certain they'd find a way to find you if you holed up in there. That was a predicament you did not want to be in. Or imagine.
You ducked north through a thin alley, and squeezed out on to a road with a straight shot to the river bank and the Taisho Bridge. Just a little further now.
[No forward progress, but Momentum +2 and next roll is +1 as you evade a patrol. Momentum 5/10.]
West. West and then north. You knew luck wasn't on your side, but maybe, just maybe, you could get out of this alive. You started up a conversation again to make you seem like normal friends on an ordinary walk. "Mm, so your last employers were a real black company, huh?"
"You don't know the half of it, kid," Maru said, but she smiled. She was picking up what you were putting down. Sometimes being unobtrusive came down to sheer, unadulterated guts.
[Face Danger +Rapport+A Cat Goes Where She Pleases: 2+3+2 vs 2, 3 STRONG HIT]
Two people, frantically talking on the phone to "Look, just set up the roadblocks, quickly. We need to find these people," almost made you laugh, but thanks to the ongoing conversation, your stifled giggle drew no attention.
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ]
There it was. Taisho Bridge, with its beautiful piano and rhythm motifs, a lovely flat bridge with absolutely no concealment, whatsoever.
Which meant that, of course, there were multiple goon squads waiting. Six total, two groups of three.
They hadn't noticed you yet, but… Maybe it was only a matter of time.
"… Double back?" Ichigo thought, for a moment.
[Face Danger +Resolve: 6+2 vs 1, 7 STRONG HIT]
"No," you said. "Charge."
There definitely was something to be said about taking refuge in audacity, moving towards the bridge, picking up speed as you went. You just had to hope something would give them pause, and if not, well…
It turned out, something did— a truck bearing the Nezuka livery passed the bridge, and they began to follow it on foot. "Closing the net!"
Sometimes, it turned out, being 148 cm and average looking had its advantages, after all.
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [] [ ]
[END THE SCENE: 8 VS10 4, 3 STRONG HIT]
[LUCK 0/1]
The other side of the Taisho bridge remained unwatched, and you proceeded without incident, until a black-white racing bike with a woman in a matching black-white leather jacket and wildly mismatching hot pink tight pants rode up to you, specifically you, and waved, lifting her helmet. "Hey, stranger, going my way?"
Asamiya!?
"Uh… well, I'm following Maru and Ichigo, so—"
Maru looked at Asamiya skeptically. "You've heard about the converted factory, too?"
"At this point, who hasn't? It's been there for nearly a decade." Asamiya said, getting off the bike and pulling out a spare helmet from under the saddle. It was in a red/white motif matching her own motorbike outfit, and had a full face plate. "But it's loud, and it's got good music, so what's not to love?"
You took it up and started to secure it. "I hope you two don't mind if I go on ahead?"
"Ha, we'll probably get there before you," Ichigo replied. "If we don't kill each other first."
"C'mon, no hard feelings, right?" Maru said, sweetly. "As far as I'm concerned, I got a good bread ticket in you two."
For a moment, you sat on the back of Asamiya's motorbike, listening to the exchange. She cleared her throat gently, reminding you she was there. "Don't just sit there, hold on," Asamiya said.
You leaned forward. Pressing yourself against leathers was an odd experience, but not an unwelcome one.
And if you hung on a little more tightly than necessary, you could hardly be blamed. You'd never ridden one of them before, and holy shit Asamiya went like a speed demon given these were industrial streets. What was she doing, 120!?
You were maybe, just maybe, a little terrified.
You found yourself laughing, regardless.
ASAMIYA YUKI [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Next update Friday.
The three of you buy bento and pack out. Don't run yet. Don't run yet—
SCENE CHALLENGE (FORMIDABLE)
OBJECTIVE: Lose your pursuers.
[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
TENSION CLOCKS
LOADER SQUAD ARRIVES 0/6
KIKAIDER GOLD RESPONDS TO COLLATERAL DAMAGE 0/4
The three of you continued walking until you broke contact, then sped up a bit to jump down the station's escalator, with Maru taking the lead.
[Face Danger +Quick:
Your own lack of spatial awareness almost shot this entire idea in the foot. You tripped on one of the light pylons in the the ramp of the escalator, and would have face-planted, but Maru and Ichigo were already there to catch you at the bottom.
You took a grateful breath.
[xx] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []
Maru nodded. "Come on, let's go up a different way."
You ducked into the main underground mall, and the others followed. Hopefully, you could at least lose them a little further among the crowd.
[Secure an Advantage +Resolve+[A Cat Goes Where She Pleases]: 1+2+2 vs 5, 7 MISS]
FAILURES [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [X/] [ ] [ ] [ ]
There was a sudden sound of scuffles behind you as people are turned aside. As usual, luck and fate were not on your side today.
LOADER SQUAD ARRIVES 1/6
[You lose 1 momentum trying to push through an increasingly panicky crowd who don't much care for being pushed around. 1/10.]
Now you broke into a run. Ichigo and Maru kept up with you easily. Compared to your companions, you're hardly the fastest feet in Osaka. But you are nothing if not small and generally unnoticeable. Where blending in failed, maybe the sheer weight of the crowd would not.
[Secure an Advantage +Thoughtful: 3+2 vs 2, 9 weak hit]
Somehow this works, for now. It wouldn't buy you time forever, but it bought you enough time to consider your next steps.
Ichigo waved the both of you towards an up escalator, and you nod. If there's one observer team here, maybe they didn't have another in place—
[You take +1 add on the next roll.]
[Face Danger +Quick+A Cat Goes Where She Pleases: 6+1+2+1 vs 7, 9 STRONG HIT]
You run up the stairs, and Maru pulled you along on the way. By the time your pursuers round the bend, they have lost you once more, at least in part due to Maru's quick thinking pulling you aside.
[XX] [XX] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []
Still, this was no time to be resting. They were certain not to wait to spot you again.
You took a walking pace again. There were too many exits to Namba station's mall and food court, so they might be at it a while, but the point here was to be long gone before they arrived without drawing attention.
[Secure an Advantage +Resolve+A Cat Goes Where She Pleases: 5+2+2 vs 2, 10 weak hit]
It's at least another two blocks before Maru's ears twitch and she draws you down an alley with a concrete park, and you hold your breath as she uses one hand to hold you and Ichigo back.
"They've got to be nearby, right?" One panted out, leaning against the wall.
"What about the loaders?" A second said, not nearly so winded.
"Still on their way from dockside. And if they come here and there's no one…" The first one warns.
The second one rolls his eyes. "Yes, yes. I know, but we can't afford to lose them."
[It's information, but more than that, you've now lost them more thoroughly. +1 on next roll.]
Maru nods. You look around in the dark and spot a drain access, and get both their attention to point it out.
Ichigo nodded, and helped you pry it open.
You lifted and hoped it wouldn't make a sound--
[Face Danger +Hard+Dragon's Fire: 5+2+2+1 vs 7,9 STRONG HIT]
Maru slips down first, and you and Ichigo carefully get under the access, and he slowly lowered it back in its housing.
Now you just had to hope that there wouldn't be an early summer rain, or things would start to get dicey quick.
[xx] [xx] [xx] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
"So it's to the river, then…" Maru said, grumbling. "That'll take us out of our way."
"If it gets us away from these guys before they call in whatever the 'loaders' are, I'm all for it," you replied.
Still, it stank to high heaven down there, and you had no idea where you'd end up. More than that, Maru probably couldn't help you check, and your cell phone got no signal this deep under the earth.
You climbed up the next ladder and saw—
[Secure an Advantage +Thoughtful+Detective: 3+2+1 vs 1, 4 STRONG HIT]
Mostly a lot of traffic and foot traffic— restaurateurs trying to get those last purchases before the dining specialty shops closed. You knew where you were, now.
You were heading North, and had doubled back. "OK. We've been going north," you said, "Which means we should head the other way."
"Eh?" Maru and Ichigo repeated at the same time.
"I don't know where you're going but you said the north river was the wrong way, right?" you said. "And if we triple back above ground, we're bound to run into those guys. So let's head back and take a different branch…"
[Valuable information in a situation where you can barely trust a street map anyway has given you a sudden advantage. +2 Momentum, +1 on your next roll. 3/10 Momentum.]
The real trick was not drawing attention to yourselves. A tough task given how hard it was to move in the storm drains. And gods help you if it rained. But so long as you were down there, your pursuers were going to have a hard time figuring out where you were.
[Face Danger +Resolve+1: 5+2+1 vs 7,2 STRONG HIT]
Thus began a slightly slow campaign upriver while you read off features and street names that you could see in the darkness and distance.
"Here, let's strike east from here—" Maru said.
"What ward are we going to again?" You asked.
"Taisho," Maru explained.
"… That probably means going over Sembonmatsu Bridge," Ichigo said, after a few seconds' thought on his mental map.
You consulted your own mental map. "That's too far, at least an hour's walk. Let's take Kitatsumori."
"Kitatsumori is too easy to block," Maru said.
"Sembonmatsu is just as simple to set up a roadblock on. Even if it is a Sunday, I don't like my chances on the car lanes."
[Compel +Rapport: 4+3 vs 4, 8 weak hit]
"By that logic we ought to just take refuge in audacity and take Taisho!" Maru said, just a little heated.
All three of you looked up, waited, waited. … No cars. No footsteps.
"Taisho it is," you and Ichigo say at the same time.
Well, the first part went well. You were out of the storm drain, though you felt the desperate need for a bath— one that, if expression was any indication, Maru shared.
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
And now, all you needed to do was avoid whatever patrols the Logistics had set up, and get to Taisho Bridge or Onami-dori. 1 km and a world away.
[Face Danger +Resolve+Maru: 4+2+2 vs 3, 4 STRONG HIT]
Your every nerve sang as you continued to walk down the streets of Osaka. It felt like everyone was watching you, and worse, everyone had a damned opinion about it. At least they couldn't smell you. Way, way too much of this day had been an embarrassment already.
But no one was following you and no one was calling anyone who they weren't already calling. You were pretty sure other people could see Asura-chan, so in an effort not to stand out, you had her stay un-manifested for now.
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Realizing that being friends on a walk in silence looked odd, you struck up a conversation. "So if you could do one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?"
Ichigo laughed. "Icebreakers? What is this, a mixer?"
"Mmmm… Well, I don't really want to do fur-hire work the rest of my life," Maru said, just after. "It's already starting to show its age, you know? You get betrayed once, things go tits up, suddenly people don't trust you anymore."
"I can't imagine you're talking about the job before this one?" Ichigo said.
You relaxed a little.
[Face Danger +Resolve: 5+2 vs 3, 10 weak hit]
You really shouldn't have relaxed a little, because as you rounded the next corner you spotted the same two goons, and quickly backed everyone up. You knew this lucky streak couldn't last forever, you knew you couldn't triple back above ground, and if they had spotted you before, there was no way you were going to escape into the storm drain system again.
You were nearly there, though. Just a few blocks after this. Taisho was in sight in the north, and Onami-dori to the south.
[xx] [xx] [xx] [xx] [xx] [xx] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
LOADER SQUAD ARRIVES 2/6
"… Take 'em out?" You asked.
Ichigo shook his head. "Around."
Much as you disliked doubling back, again, if they really hadn't seen you, it was your best chance to escape them before they did.
[Secure an Advantage +Resolve: 4+2 vs 4, 2 STRONG HIT]
You grumbled as you passed the bath-house, but there was almost certainly no time for that, and it was also almost certain they'd find a way to find you if you holed up in there. That was a predicament you did not want to be in. Or imagine.
You ducked north through a thin alley, and squeezed out on to a road with a straight shot to the river bank and the Taisho Bridge. Just a little further now.
[No forward progress, but Momentum +2 and next roll is +1 as you evade a patrol. Momentum 5/10.]
West. West and then north. You knew luck wasn't on your side, but maybe, just maybe, you could get out of this alive. You started up a conversation again to make you seem like normal friends on an ordinary walk. "Mm, so your last employers were a real black company, huh?"
"You don't know the half of it, kid," Maru said, but she smiled. She was picking up what you were putting down. Sometimes being unobtrusive came down to sheer, unadulterated guts.
[Face Danger +Rapport+A Cat Goes Where She Pleases: 2+3+2 vs 2, 3 STRONG HIT]
Two people, frantically talking on the phone to "Look, just set up the roadblocks, quickly. We need to find these people," almost made you laugh, but thanks to the ongoing conversation, your stifled giggle drew no attention.
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ]
There it was. Taisho Bridge, with its beautiful piano and rhythm motifs, a lovely flat bridge with absolutely no concealment, whatsoever.
Which meant that, of course, there were multiple goon squads waiting. Six total, two groups of three.
They hadn't noticed you yet, but… Maybe it was only a matter of time.
"… Double back?" Ichigo thought, for a moment.
[Face Danger +Resolve: 6+2 vs 1, 7 STRONG HIT]
"No," you said. "Charge."
There definitely was something to be said about taking refuge in audacity, moving towards the bridge, picking up speed as you went. You just had to hope something would give them pause, and if not, well…
It turned out, something did— a truck bearing the Nezuka livery passed the bridge, and they began to follow it on foot. "Closing the net!"
Sometimes, it turned out, being 148 cm and average looking had its advantages, after all.
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [] [ ]
[END THE SCENE: 8 VS
[LUCK 0/1]
The other side of the Taisho bridge remained unwatched, and you proceeded without incident, until a black-white racing bike with a woman in a matching black-white leather jacket and wildly mismatching hot pink tight pants rode up to you, specifically you, and waved, lifting her helmet. "Hey, stranger, going my way?"
Asamiya!?
"Uh… well, I'm following Maru and Ichigo, so—"
Maru looked at Asamiya skeptically. "You've heard about the converted factory, too?"
"At this point, who hasn't? It's been there for nearly a decade." Asamiya said, getting off the bike and pulling out a spare helmet from under the saddle. It was in a red/white motif matching her own motorbike outfit, and had a full face plate. "But it's loud, and it's got good music, so what's not to love?"
You took it up and started to secure it. "I hope you two don't mind if I go on ahead?"
"Ha, we'll probably get there before you," Ichigo replied. "If we don't kill each other first."
"C'mon, no hard feelings, right?" Maru said, sweetly. "As far as I'm concerned, I got a good bread ticket in you two."
For a moment, you sat on the back of Asamiya's motorbike, listening to the exchange. She cleared her throat gently, reminding you she was there. "Don't just sit there, hold on," Asamiya said.
You leaned forward. Pressing yourself against leathers was an odd experience, but not an unwelcome one.
And if you hung on a little more tightly than necessary, you could hardly be blamed. You'd never ridden one of them before, and holy shit Asamiya went like a speed demon given these were industrial streets. What was she doing, 120!?
You were maybe, just maybe, a little terrified.
You found yourself laughing, regardless.
ASAMIYA YUKI [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Next update Friday.
2-5-2 Thunder Devil Dance Hall? The Iron Devil's Debut!
The sign had been painted over several times, but you could see hints of a childish hand in hiragana underneath the loud, spray-painted stylized kanji that proclaimed it the "THUNDER DEVIL DANCE HALL".
You could see at least half the people there were wearing the wooden masks you had come to understand that those under them were youkai or other spirits in disguise.
By the time you got out of your helmet and Asamiya got out of her biking gear, you noticed Maru and Ichigo near the front of the line. Maru was hanging on Ichigo's arm, and Ichigo, as was his habit, was looking sour about it, at least until he spotted you, waving both of you over.
(Art by Just Shawn#0130.)
Out of her gear, Asamiya had gone for loose, flowing sleeves in a deep blue double breasted jacket, and powder pink slacks, with two belts, one of which seemed to be exclusively for a series of belt pouches. You found yourself watching the way her hair and hands moved as she talked. "So what exactly were you doing out there?"
"It's exactly that which we were trying to discuss, though I'm surprised we went to a dance hall to do it."
"Yeah, good luck hearing anything but your heart out here." Asamiya grinned. "It's great."
You reached Ichigo's and Maru's point in line. "Mei! So you didn't die after all," Ichigo said, with a grin. "Oh, and you're one of her friends, right? Uh, Asamiya, isn't it?"
"Yes. I'm surprised you remembered." Asamiya turned to look at Maru. "Who's this?"
"Ah… This is Maru," you explained. "That's a long story as well—"
"Nah, it's real short. I attacked him, she tracked me down, some asshole exorcist decided to ring bells at me, and she saved me from dashing my brains out on the sidewalk, you know, typical girl-meets-girl stuff," Maru said. "That said, I'm dying for a bath and a good rest, but…"
"But a youkai club is the best place to hide right now," Asamiya said.
You reached the head of the line, and the wooden-masked bouncer blinked, taken briefly aback. "Ma'am? I didn't see you leave."
He was looking right at you.
You held back a groan. "Well, here I am again."
"Y-yes, of course. I'll let you in presently. It's just not a party without the Iron Devil!"
Ducking in, you saw a menu in painted wood, and a picture—
[Face Danger +Rapport: 2+3 vs 2,4 STRONG HIT]
Of your mother, with black bands, like this was her wake.
Fuck. In the picture, she looked just like you. If you put a bat in your hands, and stood leaning on it like that, the only difference would likely be the burn scar on your neck— the one you got just last week.
Incense burned in a small shrine underneath the picture.
[SITE UNLOCKED: THUNDER DEVIL DANCE HALL, a Magitek Revel. When this place got started, it was the mid-90's, the factory was closed down, and your mom and a bunch of her sukeban and youkai friends were hanging out here. Well before you were born, it was slowly transformed from the hangout of a gang to a hotspot, especially once she went legit. When your mom died, it grew a culture… and a Heart.]
Your heartbeat quickened. You sniffed up the tears that threatened to flow. You didn't have time to cry right now.
When Ichigo and Asamiya put their hands on your shoulder, you took in a breath you hadn't known you'd been holding.
"Still hurts, huh." Asamiya said.
You nodded, wordlessly.
"Let's find that quiet place. If there even is one here," Asamiya said.
[Well, that could have been worse. +1 Momentum, 6/10.]
Maru's ears went flat as you entered the hall proper and the world became SOUND.
You had never heard music so loud in your life, a driving beat that your heart couldn't help but beat in time to. Above you, a purple-white light shone down through strange apertures and a half-dozen disco balls, pulsing in time, which was suspended on a chain and power conduits, and encased in steel. The hall was light and color. Scaffolding ran all through it, but in the darkness you couldn't see where the access point was. In the distance, you thought you could see conveyors re-purposed as tables, soft chairs, a u-shaped bar which slowly trundled down drinks. It smelled of alcohol, sweat, and other things you couldn't identify.
[Undertake an Expedition: Thunder Devil Dance Hall]
[Objective: Find somewhere decently quiet to talk.]
[Difficulty: Dangerous. This is, after all, a DANCE HALL.]
[Undertake an Expedition +Resolve: 4+2 vs 2, 6 weak hit]
Still concerned about goons following you in here, you moved through the main dance floor and found that the more time you spent there, the more you had to move with the beat. The more the music pounded in through your ears and made you want to move.
What was in that fixture up above?
For a moment, Asamiya took your wrist and you moved together, but— but she could be off rhythm and you simply couldn't. She adjusted, and the beat of the both of you dancing and moving only chained your heart tighter to the rhythm. She, at last, pulled you free of the main floor, and you caught your breath.
[This has got to be some kind of strange magic. But why is it affecting you in particular? -1 Stress, 3/5, -1 Momentum, 5/10.]
[XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
"Sorry, I. I don't know what happened—" you started, in a normal speaking voice.
She shook her head and pointed forward, where Ichigo and Maru were already waiting. They were ready to lead the way.
[Undertake an Expedition +Resolve: 3+2 vs 1, 3 STRONG HIT]
Now you were heading towards the bar, and if you weren't underage, you'd take it, if only to calm your poor ears and heart. The music was almost all you could think of, and honestly, the technicolor concoctions on the conveyor belt held a certain appeal.
Wait, there—! Wasn't that a flash of a red ribbon in straight black hair, moving towards the sound system?
The girl— she had to be tiny, she barely got her head over the stage, leapt up and faced the crowd, one finger pointed to the sky, and a microphone in her hand.
This compelling image was broken by Ichigo finally tugging you along.
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
[Undertake an Expedition +Resolve: 5+2 vs. 2,9 weak hit]
The music briefly wound down, and everyone else turned towards the stage, offering you and yours a chance to slip by, even as you heard her address.
"SANKYUUU!" She shouted over the cries of the crowd on the dance floor, in just barely passable English. "I HOPE YOU'RE ALL HAVING A GREAT TIME TONIGHT, EVERYONE!"
The roar was deafening. You had to get out of here. You had to.
[Face Danger +Rapport+Miko Detective: 6+3+1 vs 2, 9 STRONG HIT]
You squeezed both Ichigo's and Asamiya's hands and kept going despite it all, even as your ears kept getting drawn back to her speech.
"THE IRON DEVIL IS PLEASED BY YOUR APPROVAL! BUT WE'VE GOT SOME SPECIAL VISITORS TONIGHT. LET'S HELP THEM FEEL AT HOME, THESE FOUR, INCLUDING TWO NEWCOMERS, AND--"
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
"Hey, wait a minute, you four…!" Her voice faded into the distance and you weren't sure you wanted to find out what she was up to.
Ichigo glared at Maru. "MARU, WHAT THE FUCK?"
"I TOLD YOU YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE IT!"
Asamiya just smiled at you and put an arm around your shoulder. "Don't let it get to you. Everyone has their look-alikes, right?"
Right. Right, this was nothing. Surely it was just a coincidence that in your mother's dance hall, where they celebrated her memory, someone who looks like you and called herself The Iron Devil—
No, no, that was ridiculous. You weren't about to think it was about you, but this had to be intentional. Hiring an idol to look like your mother, perhaps? "Mm, you're right. But you've been here often, right? Did you think that was me, up there?"
"And if I did? What would you do about it?"
Your voice caught in your throat for a second, considering that possibility as you felt your ears start to burn.
"Ha! It's not bad to want to be admired, Torioi." Asamiya's hand didn't leave your shoulder for a little.
Your hand moved on top of hers, just… drinking it in instead of listening for where was a good place to stop.
[Hearten +Rapport: 3+3 vs 3, 7 weak hit]
You shook your head. If this Iron Devil was anything like you, you didn't have the time to stand around in this place quietly. "We can talk about that later, I think."
Asamiya nodded, but she smirked the entire rest of the way.
[Unsurprisingly, inner conflict and outer lack of time make it a bad idea to do that here. +2 Stress, 5/5. -1 Momentum, 4/10.]
Spires held aloft by nothing you could see spread across what was once a factory floor and was now divvied up into dozens of rooms. From the door, you could hear different kinds of music, played loudly enough to clash, both against each other and the main dance floor. All the same, at least it was quiet enough to hear yourself think.
[Undertake an Expedition +Wits+A Cat Goes Where She Pleases+Detective: 3+2+2+1 vs 7, 10 weak hit]
In fact… You're listening in and you hear at least one room that's far, far quieter than the others, and you open the door—
[Face Danger +Quick: 5+1 vs 1, 10 weak hit]
The scream of shock, the compromising position the two of them were in, and the flung speaker that winged you in the shoulder indicated that this was supposed to be an entirely private room and you quickly shut the door, blushing furiously in embarrassment. "Let's keep moving."
Up the steps it was, then…
[Ow. -1 Body, 3/5.]
[Endure Harm +Body: 1+3 vs 5, 5 MISS WITH A MATCH]
FAILURES [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ]
You felt your shoulder's pain increasing as you go, And you moved it a little. Yes. Yes, it's still mobile, but you won't want to do anything with it for a little while. Damn.
[You take another -1 Body. 2/5.]
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ]
Still, this seemed quiet enough. You leaned against the railing, and it took your weight easily. "OK. I think we can talk here."
[Finish An Expedition: 8 vs 7, 9 weak hit]
MYSTERIES [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
[Mei gains 2 XP.]
And just when you thought it was going to be all right, there's a sound like thunder, or perhaps a jet engine. Your lookalike alit the scaffolding in front of all four of you. She's grinning from ear to ear, and a microphone is in her hand, though she had obviously switched it off since her voice wasn't booming from the stage. Her sukeban schtick outfit was torn strategically to show well muscled legs and midriff, and she wore a spiked collar and bracelets just to complete the look. "Just when I thought I'd seen everything, you actually show up. Isn't it amazing?"
God, she sounded just like you, didn't she? Why did she seem so different? What was it about her that made you want to join her?
"What is?" Ichigo said, suspicious for reasons you couldn't place.
"This! This whole place!" She threw her arms out wide, turning in place and laughing. "The beauty of the lights, the way everyone has their grudges soothed, their sorrows buried! The Wild beating of its thundering Heart~! In fact…"
And now, she looked into your eyes, and you saw that your eyes were very different. Hers were a burning, unquenchable gold, with a little blue fire in both pupils when she was fired up. "You feel it most of all, don't you… Torioi Mei!?"
PANIC! AT THE DISCO: At the time you did the only thing you could think of:
[ ] Pressed her for questions. What the hell did she mean!?
[ ] We should never have come here so unprepared. Run!
[ ] Surely there was somewhere else private enough to be safe?!
[ ] Maru, Asamiya, and Ichigo surely had some ideas about what to do, right?!
[ ] Write-in. Note that Mei is a little panicked right now, so these should be spur of the moment, impulsive actions.
Vote opens at and will close .
You could see at least half the people there were wearing the wooden masks you had come to understand that those under them were youkai or other spirits in disguise.
By the time you got out of your helmet and Asamiya got out of her biking gear, you noticed Maru and Ichigo near the front of the line. Maru was hanging on Ichigo's arm, and Ichigo, as was his habit, was looking sour about it, at least until he spotted you, waving both of you over.
(Art by Just Shawn#0130.)
Out of her gear, Asamiya had gone for loose, flowing sleeves in a deep blue double breasted jacket, and powder pink slacks, with two belts, one of which seemed to be exclusively for a series of belt pouches. You found yourself watching the way her hair and hands moved as she talked. "So what exactly were you doing out there?"
"It's exactly that which we were trying to discuss, though I'm surprised we went to a dance hall to do it."
"Yeah, good luck hearing anything but your heart out here." Asamiya grinned. "It's great."
You reached Ichigo's and Maru's point in line. "Mei! So you didn't die after all," Ichigo said, with a grin. "Oh, and you're one of her friends, right? Uh, Asamiya, isn't it?"
"Yes. I'm surprised you remembered." Asamiya turned to look at Maru. "Who's this?"
"Ah… This is Maru," you explained. "That's a long story as well—"
"Nah, it's real short. I attacked him, she tracked me down, some asshole exorcist decided to ring bells at me, and she saved me from dashing my brains out on the sidewalk, you know, typical girl-meets-girl stuff," Maru said. "That said, I'm dying for a bath and a good rest, but…"
"But a youkai club is the best place to hide right now," Asamiya said.
You reached the head of the line, and the wooden-masked bouncer blinked, taken briefly aback. "Ma'am? I didn't see you leave."
He was looking right at you.
You held back a groan. "Well, here I am again."
"Y-yes, of course. I'll let you in presently. It's just not a party without the Iron Devil!"
Ducking in, you saw a menu in painted wood, and a picture—
[Face Danger +Rapport: 2+3 vs 2,4 STRONG HIT]
Of your mother, with black bands, like this was her wake.
Fuck. In the picture, she looked just like you. If you put a bat in your hands, and stood leaning on it like that, the only difference would likely be the burn scar on your neck— the one you got just last week.
Incense burned in a small shrine underneath the picture.
[SITE UNLOCKED: THUNDER DEVIL DANCE HALL, a Magitek Revel. When this place got started, it was the mid-90's, the factory was closed down, and your mom and a bunch of her sukeban and youkai friends were hanging out here. Well before you were born, it was slowly transformed from the hangout of a gang to a hotspot, especially once she went legit. When your mom died, it grew a culture… and a Heart.]
Your heartbeat quickened. You sniffed up the tears that threatened to flow. You didn't have time to cry right now.
When Ichigo and Asamiya put their hands on your shoulder, you took in a breath you hadn't known you'd been holding.
"Still hurts, huh." Asamiya said.
You nodded, wordlessly.
"Let's find that quiet place. If there even is one here," Asamiya said.
[Well, that could have been worse. +1 Momentum, 6/10.]
Maru's ears went flat as you entered the hall proper and the world became SOUND.
You had never heard music so loud in your life, a driving beat that your heart couldn't help but beat in time to. Above you, a purple-white light shone down through strange apertures and a half-dozen disco balls, pulsing in time, which was suspended on a chain and power conduits, and encased in steel. The hall was light and color. Scaffolding ran all through it, but in the darkness you couldn't see where the access point was. In the distance, you thought you could see conveyors re-purposed as tables, soft chairs, a u-shaped bar which slowly trundled down drinks. It smelled of alcohol, sweat, and other things you couldn't identify.
[Undertake an Expedition: Thunder Devil Dance Hall]
[Objective: Find somewhere decently quiet to talk.]
[Difficulty: Dangerous. This is, after all, a DANCE HALL.]
[Undertake an Expedition +Resolve: 4+2 vs 2, 6 weak hit]
Still concerned about goons following you in here, you moved through the main dance floor and found that the more time you spent there, the more you had to move with the beat. The more the music pounded in through your ears and made you want to move.
What was in that fixture up above?
For a moment, Asamiya took your wrist and you moved together, but— but she could be off rhythm and you simply couldn't. She adjusted, and the beat of the both of you dancing and moving only chained your heart tighter to the rhythm. She, at last, pulled you free of the main floor, and you caught your breath.
[This has got to be some kind of strange magic. But why is it affecting you in particular? -1 Stress, 3/5, -1 Momentum, 5/10.]
[XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
"Sorry, I. I don't know what happened—" you started, in a normal speaking voice.
She shook her head and pointed forward, where Ichigo and Maru were already waiting. They were ready to lead the way.
[Undertake an Expedition +Resolve: 3+2 vs 1, 3 STRONG HIT]
Now you were heading towards the bar, and if you weren't underage, you'd take it, if only to calm your poor ears and heart. The music was almost all you could think of, and honestly, the technicolor concoctions on the conveyor belt held a certain appeal.
Wait, there—! Wasn't that a flash of a red ribbon in straight black hair, moving towards the sound system?
The girl— she had to be tiny, she barely got her head over the stage, leapt up and faced the crowd, one finger pointed to the sky, and a microphone in her hand.
This compelling image was broken by Ichigo finally tugging you along.
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
[Undertake an Expedition +Resolve: 5+2 vs. 2,9 weak hit]
The music briefly wound down, and everyone else turned towards the stage, offering you and yours a chance to slip by, even as you heard her address.
"SANKYUUU!" She shouted over the cries of the crowd on the dance floor, in just barely passable English. "I HOPE YOU'RE ALL HAVING A GREAT TIME TONIGHT, EVERYONE!"
The roar was deafening. You had to get out of here. You had to.
[Face Danger +Rapport+Miko Detective: 6+3+1 vs 2, 9 STRONG HIT]
You squeezed both Ichigo's and Asamiya's hands and kept going despite it all, even as your ears kept getting drawn back to her speech.
"THE IRON DEVIL IS PLEASED BY YOUR APPROVAL! BUT WE'VE GOT SOME SPECIAL VISITORS TONIGHT. LET'S HELP THEM FEEL AT HOME, THESE FOUR, INCLUDING TWO NEWCOMERS, AND--"
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
"Hey, wait a minute, you four…!" Her voice faded into the distance and you weren't sure you wanted to find out what she was up to.
Ichigo glared at Maru. "MARU, WHAT THE FUCK?"
"I TOLD YOU YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE IT!"
Asamiya just smiled at you and put an arm around your shoulder. "Don't let it get to you. Everyone has their look-alikes, right?"
Right. Right, this was nothing. Surely it was just a coincidence that in your mother's dance hall, where they celebrated her memory, someone who looks like you and called herself The Iron Devil—
No, no, that was ridiculous. You weren't about to think it was about you, but this had to be intentional. Hiring an idol to look like your mother, perhaps? "Mm, you're right. But you've been here often, right? Did you think that was me, up there?"
"And if I did? What would you do about it?"
Your voice caught in your throat for a second, considering that possibility as you felt your ears start to burn.
"Ha! It's not bad to want to be admired, Torioi." Asamiya's hand didn't leave your shoulder for a little.
Your hand moved on top of hers, just… drinking it in instead of listening for where was a good place to stop.
[Hearten +Rapport: 3+3 vs 3, 7 weak hit]
You shook your head. If this Iron Devil was anything like you, you didn't have the time to stand around in this place quietly. "We can talk about that later, I think."
Asamiya nodded, but she smirked the entire rest of the way.
[Unsurprisingly, inner conflict and outer lack of time make it a bad idea to do that here. +2 Stress, 5/5. -1 Momentum, 4/10.]
Spires held aloft by nothing you could see spread across what was once a factory floor and was now divvied up into dozens of rooms. From the door, you could hear different kinds of music, played loudly enough to clash, both against each other and the main dance floor. All the same, at least it was quiet enough to hear yourself think.
[Undertake an Expedition +Wits+A Cat Goes Where She Pleases+Detective: 3+2+2+1 vs 7, 10 weak hit]
In fact… You're listening in and you hear at least one room that's far, far quieter than the others, and you open the door—
[Face Danger +Quick: 5+1 vs 1, 10 weak hit]
The scream of shock, the compromising position the two of them were in, and the flung speaker that winged you in the shoulder indicated that this was supposed to be an entirely private room and you quickly shut the door, blushing furiously in embarrassment. "Let's keep moving."
Up the steps it was, then…
[Ow. -1 Body, 3/5.]
[Endure Harm +Body: 1+3 vs 5, 5 MISS WITH A MATCH]
FAILURES [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ]
You felt your shoulder's pain increasing as you go, And you moved it a little. Yes. Yes, it's still mobile, but you won't want to do anything with it for a little while. Damn.
[You take another -1 Body. 2/5.]
[XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ]
Still, this seemed quiet enough. You leaned against the railing, and it took your weight easily. "OK. I think we can talk here."
[Finish An Expedition: 8 vs 7, 9 weak hit]
MYSTERIES [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
[Mei gains 2 XP.]
And just when you thought it was going to be all right, there's a sound like thunder, or perhaps a jet engine. Your lookalike alit the scaffolding in front of all four of you. She's grinning from ear to ear, and a microphone is in her hand, though she had obviously switched it off since her voice wasn't booming from the stage. Her sukeban schtick outfit was torn strategically to show well muscled legs and midriff, and she wore a spiked collar and bracelets just to complete the look. "Just when I thought I'd seen everything, you actually show up. Isn't it amazing?"
God, she sounded just like you, didn't she? Why did she seem so different? What was it about her that made you want to join her?
"What is?" Ichigo said, suspicious for reasons you couldn't place.
"This! This whole place!" She threw her arms out wide, turning in place and laughing. "The beauty of the lights, the way everyone has their grudges soothed, their sorrows buried! The Wild beating of its thundering Heart~! In fact…"
And now, she looked into your eyes, and you saw that your eyes were very different. Hers were a burning, unquenchable gold, with a little blue fire in both pupils when she was fired up. "You feel it most of all, don't you… Torioi Mei!?"
PANIC! AT THE DISCO: At the time you did the only thing you could think of:
[ ] Pressed her for questions. What the hell did she mean!?
[ ] We should never have come here so unprepared. Run!
[ ] Surely there was somewhere else private enough to be safe?!
[ ] Maru, Asamiya, and Ichigo surely had some ideas about what to do, right?!
[ ] Write-in. Note that Mei is a little panicked right now, so these should be spur of the moment, impulsive actions.
Vote opens at and will close .
- Location
- England, unfortunately.
- Pronouns
- She/They
Ah fuck, another bit of our inheritance when we really didn't expect it.
- Location
- Wingmaiden's Reach, the Near Roofs, Town
- Pronouns
- She/Her
...
...
...
[X] Punch her.
Oh god someone please have a better idea I'm sorry it's just she suddenly popped up in Mei's face and is all super-sus and invading personal space and a weird doppelganger; knee-jerk reaction is 'aaaaah surprise scream go away smack'
- Pronouns
- He/They
[X] Punch her and ask what the hell she thinks she's doing.
Solarstream
It's all in the cards
- Location
- Zombie World
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Punch her and ask what the hell she thinks she's doing.
Vote closed
2-6 Hold Her Hand
For a moment you were all rage and fury. You didn't stop. You didn't even think.
You took two steps forward. You didn't kid yourself that it was like lightning. You'd just seen like lightning, and you weren't it.
[Secure An Advantage +Hard+Brawler+Demon Knight: 4+2+1+1 vs 2, 7 STRONG HIT]
You opened with a lunging elbow strike.
She fired back immediately. You recognized one of the more basic forms of karate, and decided to use a different style to see if it'd mix her up, using your forward hand to push her up and off-line.
Asura-chan followed with a knee, which she caught with one hand and a grunt of effort.
She completely missed, therefore, your incoming left hook to her jaw.
Fuck, it was like punching a block of iron, and you've had plenty of experience with trying to smash iron with your bare hands.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" You damn near shouted, still high off the adrenaline and the fear.
She laughed, even as she struggled to stay standing for a moment. "Good hit! But, really, listen. You can't be up here, it's employees only. Maintenance gantries for the lights and sound systems. I'll set you up with a private room, it's the least I can do for the daughter of the founder."
[... That is, technically, exactly what you wanted. You get +2 Momentum and +1 on your next roll, and +3 momentum from Asura-chan and Brawler. 9/10.]
[Gather Information +Thoughtful+Detective+Miko Detective: 5+2+2+1 vs 7, 9 STRONG HIT]
"-- What's your game?" Asamiya suddenly asked.
"No games. I genuinely want all of you to enjoy this place to the fullest." She'd apparently recovered, because now she was stretching.
"And the bill?" you said.
"Well, we are a business, after all," The Iron Devil replied. "But I'll pay the rental on the room. Sit, eat, drink. Listen to the music. Enjoy yourselves! But uh, please get off the maintenance catwalk. We need that to adjust the lights."
"Fine. Show us the way," you said. "No hard feelings?"
"Nah, not a bit! Why shouldn't you be good at fighting? You come by it nice and honest." She herded everyone down the steps and then slid down the handrails herself, as if it were the most natural thing in the world and not completely reckless.
[X] (Tragic) Shattered Spirit: "The actual pieces of my inheritance are scattered, and do not wish to return."
[You gain 1 XP.]
[ICHIGO'S PARENTS BREAK UP HIS SENTAI TEAM 2/6]
The walk wasn't too long to a room that, if not quite quiet, had its own sound system, which could be switched to any of the live shows at the preferred volume. "I'll just leave this ordering tablet here."
When she had closed the door after her, Asamiya finally said, "You know, you'd look good dressed like that."
You weren't entirely sure how to take that comment.
Maru, sensing blood in the water, struck. "I mean, sure! You'd look like some kind of manga hero like that. War-torn and made of iron! Heaven knows if you'd shown up like that on our date--"
"Date?" Asamiya said. "I thought you and Morisawa--"
"I'm not dating anyone," you said. "I thought I was going to Nara to settle accounts."
Maru and Asamiya looked at each other. A similar pleading expression was in both their eyes, and they turned back to you, as if they had conceived of a plan in that brief moment where their eyes met.
"..." Asamiya cleared her throat gently. "Let's start with drinks, then. Maru?"
"It's all bitter to me," she said. "Might as well make it a beer."
Ichigo seemed to think for a good second, before saying, "Something without much alcohol in it."
You nod. "I have to get home on the train, and I'm underage…"
"I'll get you home," Asamiya immediately offered. "Pick whatever looks appealing."
You scanned the tablet for a moment and picked something colorful, purple, and tall, and passed the tablet back to Asamiya.
Soon enough two beers, a coke, and your own pint cocktail arrived. It was bittersweet and reminded you of blackberries, cucumber, and watermelon.
[Face Danger +Hard: 3+2 vs 4, 1 STRONG HIT]
The discussion begins and you start by taking a long pull from the straw and setting it down in front of you. You're matching Asamiya and Maru for speed, while Ichigo took his drink slower.
"So…" You discussed the basic situation that happened with Maru in a little more detail.
"Basically, we're in hiding here unless we figure out where the exorcists are, and whatever the heck 'loader' means, then," Ichigo said, more calm than he usually was.
You, Maru, and Asamiya have finished your drinks. Ichigo is taking his sweet time, having got halfway through his glass of sweet sake.
Asamiya nodded. "That's not the best situation, but I can tell you the bellringers at least won't get past the bouncer. And any stakeout will likely be dealt with by the Iron Devil herself."
"What's with her, anyway?" you asked, suddenly. "I understand keeping us out of the employee maintenance area, but… Why did she come personally?"
"Probably because you're you," Asamiya said, gently. "As the daughter of the Founder, you do have a certain amount of influence here."
"Mm." You didn't feel particularly warm, still, and the drink had actually tasted pretty good. "So better to have the company idol gently turn me aside than get kicked out by bouncers…"
Maru stared at your empty glass with a measure of reverence. "Have you ever drank before?"
"Nope," you said, grinning. "Not sure what the fuss is about."
"Maybe you should slow down a little," Ichigo added, concern in his voice. "At this point you don't know your own limits."
"Aw, come on, my spirit's made of iron!" you said, still grinning.
"Still, it could be a problem," Asamiya said.
You looked over to her. God, she looked beautiful in the dim light like this. Maru, too.
A shame the world was full of things you could never have.
"There's a balance here," Asamiya explained. "Between all the little factions of youkai. I do my best to keep the peace, but the fact that Logistics is moving so openly makes me wonder if they don't have some backing from somewhere other than the main Group."
That makes you sit up and pay attention, pulling yourself away from the quieted rhythms of the other rooms. "So this could be a serious matter. Well. More serious. I can't imagine the police taking kindly to a force like this."
"Mm, usually that's handled by a Kikaider, but… He's been busy, too…"
"What, like the show?" you said, more excited than shocked.
Asamiya shook her head. "No, not like the show. He's a bastard who likes the peace and doesn't care who he Cricket Kicks to get it."
"And that's why Osaka doesn't explode," Maru said. "Much."
"Well. That and the Realm of Light. The aliens have gotten quiet since they decided to guarantee Japan."
"-- When was that?" You asked. Of course you'd heard about the major invasions, the ones that had crippled the Soviets and the Americans both, and nearly destroyed the JSDF entire; the ones that had only been solved through international cooperation, however brief. That had served to end the threat of nuclear war for decades, replaced with far stranger spectres.
"About, uh, 20 years ago, now?" Asamiya said. "Anyway, it keeps it so the aliens try to stay low, for fear of drawing the Realm of Light's wrath."
"Realm of Light…" The name rang a bell, but unfortunately, you didn't remember the prayer. "Well, that's reason enough to step carefully from now on, I guess."
[Well, now. That's useful information! And you're not even drunk! +3 Momentum, 10/10.]
[Condition: Had 3 Already-- Stacking penalty to further drinking.]
Asamiya nodded. "I'm glad you understand that the situation is delicate."
"Is that why you came here tonight, Asamiya?" You asked.
"Eh, I was just hoping to blow off some steam," Asamiya said. "But it seems my job follows me everywhere."
You laughed. "Shit, doesn't it, though? Sometimes I wish I could just relax for a day or two, but it's all so much."
"Well, you don't have to do it alone, right?" Ichigo said, taking another sip of his sweet sake.
"Ha, you've got me there," you replied, blinking a little. "You two ready for the next round?"
"You're in high spirits," Maru observed.
"I got out alive, that's worth celebrating," you said, looking at her and Maru again.
"... You value survival a lot, don't you?" Asamiya added, her expression unreadable.
You blinked, and then said, "Yeah, sometimes, sometimes all you can celebrate, is that you lived another day. Sometimes, that's enough."
"Well, now you're gonna get to live," Asamiya said, gently punching your shoulder. "I guarantee it. Let's get you some food with the next one."
"'Sok, I brought plenty," you said, pulling out the rental bentos. Sure, they weren't pretty anymore thanks to your trip through the storm drains and your general muck-ups on the dance floor, but they sure were there.
"You think you're gonna have room after those monsters?" Asamiya said, with a grin.
"You've never seen Ichigo eat."
[Face Danger +Hard-1(Had 3 Already): 1+2-1 vs 1, 5 weak hit]
You leaned into Asamiya when the next order arrived. Maru and Ichigo had gladly polished off most of the three kilograms of bento, and considering how fast they'd gotten here, you couldn't blame them.
Still, you wish you could have gotten more of the fish and sausage. Maru packed the boxes in your satchel again and your next round of drinks arrived.
This one was strawberry pink, and didn't lie, having strawberry, pineapple, and lemon to mask what you had quickly learned was the taste of alcohol.
That said, you also availed yourself of the karaage and the rest of the bar snacks with a voracity Asamiya maybe wasn't expecting. She also probably wasn't expecting you to lean on her and turn up the piped in sound a little, letting the music seep in.
Ichigo saw this, and sighed, letting his shoulders drop from their tense stance and his hands stop curling. He took another sip of sweet sake.
"Hm?" you said, looking at him.
"It's good to see you're finally making friends again, that's all," Ichigo said, smiling.
Maru, deeper than you on the beer, flattened her ears. "Friends, he says."
"Did she act like this in high school?"
"Middle school, really. Well, ok, she wasn't exactly this, uh, affectionate, but she was always excited to see new friends." Ichigo paused. "In fact, the only time in high school it seemed like that was when she was at the judo meets."
"'Cause all my friends in high school were after you," you said, more than a little annoyed this topic has come up. "'Oh, what's he like', 'Do you know what clubs he's in?' 'We've seen you walking home together, what's your relationship?'"
Asamiya rubbed your back.
You considered this tacit reason to continue. "I mean it's not your fault, but… You know I got real good at telling when people were real interested in you more than getting to know me. And, uh, you know they might've been rivals, but they really loved the sport."
Ichigo laughed. "Oh, you're not the only one! Don't forget you were on top of test scores, too, so the number of guys I had walk up to me and ask what our relationship was was hilarious."
"Shit, really?" Mei said. "Did any of them ever confess? I don't remember. Felt like one generic face after another."
Ichigo laughed again. "Sounds like me and girls, doesn't it?"
Asamiya carefully set down her beer, nearly dislodging you, and looked at Ichigo. "Yeah, doesn't it?"
There's something important there you were trying to put together, but all the pieces weren't arriving in your head. Maybe, maybe you'd had too much. You felt suddenly heated, like the room had suddenly got a bit stuffy. "Man, though, if he'd seen you two. I am absolutely certain that in high school you would have hit it off with him. You're both really pretty, aren't you?"
Maru pursed her lips, looking at Asamiya again. "I think you'd better take her home."
"Yeah, you're pretty drunk, Mei," Asamiya nodded.
"I'm as together as I've ever been! Bet I could take on that Iron Devil. Even in a singing contest!" You stood up and stumbled, but recovered your feet easily.
"Let's try that some other time," Asamiya said. "Or, you know what? Let's see if you can dance like this."
"Uh, sure, if they don't mind…"
[Secure an Advantage +Rapport:2+3 10 vs 8, 8 MATCH]
At first you take the formal, Western position that you've been taught-- had drilled into you, and Asamiya laughs. "No, no, just-- Just feel the beat."
You closed your eyes, and your heart beat in time with the music. And then, all at once, you moved, in a way you hadn't practiced.
Maybe you were stumbling all over yourself, actually.
But you were doing it to the rhythm in the main hall, perfectly, and Maru and Asamiya joined you, hands and arms never quite intertwining, the hint of press of bodies.
It was the touch that brought you, briefly, to your senses. Asamiya put a hand on your hips.
You looked up into Asamiya's eyes, into Maru's eyes, and you grabbed hold of both of them at the lapel.
The winning vision was clear in your mind. You leaned on them and went up on tiptoes.
If this was the way you gave your first kiss, you didn't mind it in the slightest--
Asamiya put a glass of water in your hands. "Drink."
You blinked, more out of the revelation that you had even thought that, than anything Asamiya had said or not said.
It wasn't the first time such a thought had ever occurred to you, but now you had the leisure to really examine it instead of the moment passing and forgetting all about it.
You drank the water in one long pull and slammed it against the table so hard you were worried it would break in your hand.
ASAMIYA YUKI [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
MARU [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Asamiya must have seen your thousand-yard stare, because she nodded. "It's a little heady, isn't it?"
You nodded.
"Mm. Listen. Your haunts are probably being watched right now. Let's try my place instead," Asamiya offered, typing something into her phone.
"Mm… I dunno. There's four of us here, is that gonna be--" You blinked. Where had Maru gone? Why was there a cat here? "Three of us, still, is that gonna be ok?"
[You get +2 momentum and +1 Forward. 4/10 Momentum.]
"Kaneko, you still good?" Asamiya asked.
Ichigo nodded.
"We'll be fine," you said.
[Face Danger +Rapport+1: 3+3+1 vs 1, 5 STRONG HIT]
The ride to Asamiya's place felt more than a little awkward, even if Ichigo was flying alongside you, even if the cat was nestled between the two of you and huddled with her ears flat against her head to keep the wind from swirling about.
Even here, trying to keep it all together against the speed and the wind, you held on to her tightly.
The minute you arrived in Asamiya's apartment, you asked where the shower was, and apologized for the smell, and closed the door. You'd started noticing it again on the way up and you didn't even want to think about what Asamiya, or, worse, Maru felt.
No wonder Asamiya had decided not to take you up on it. You rinsed out and soaped up your clothing as well as you could, and then--
And then the door opened suddenly, and you yelped.
"Take it easy, it's me," Asamiya said, gently. "I'm cleaning up myself. It's been a long night, and like to get longer at this rate."
You nodded. "Listen… Don't. Work too hard, okay? Even if what you do is pretty important. That. Balance of power thing you were talking about."
"You are the last person in Osaka I want to hear that from," Asamiya replied. "Tell me when you're done with the shower head."
You handed over the shower head shortly after rinsing out your pants and socks. There was nothing to be done about your shoes until later, sadly.
Asamiya nodded. "That'll need time to dry."
"I'll sleep in it. It'll be fine."
"You'll sleep in a change of my clothes and like it."
"A-are you sure you'll be okay?"
Asamiya guffawed. "What, losing out on one set of pajamas for a day or two is going to break me?"
She sprayed you with the shower head just as you were about to ask for it back. "Hey!"
"You should start relying on people more often. Or at least admitting you are." She took a beat. "And don't forget to have something to drink before getting to sleep."
Oh shit, were you staring? You were probably staring. You collected a towel and dried off immediately--
5/10 MON 08:00
View: https://themidnight.bandcamp.com/track/prom-night-instrumental
Despite Asamiya's warnings, you couldn't help collapsing nearly as soon as you arrived at her apartment, and now, awake, you regretted it, just a bit.
Your shoulder hurt.
Your head hurt.
There was a cat, and an Asamiya, sleeping on top of you.
You couldn't exactly say that last one was unexpected or undesired, but unfortunately you had morning classes and an afternoon run to get to.
[You take +1 Momentum, even if you're not in the good spot you'd want to be. 5/10.]
You'd have to be careful about this. A misstep would be a terrible thing right about now, and worse--
"Hm…?" Asamiya stirred as soon as you started moving. She smiled.
You were still in her clothes, and her lips were right next to yours. Right there. Waiting.
"Oh. uh. Good morning. I, uh, i have to go wake Ichigo up and--" You blinked as you remembered this wasn't your apartment. "And I have no idea where he is. Great. Twice in one day I'm completely out of reach of my charge--"
"Relax, he's on a futon in the next room. You weren't kidding about being his bodyguard, huh?"
"Officially, anyway. Unofficially, well. You've seen him."
[Heal +Hard+Detective Miko: 2+2+2 vs 1, 7 weak hit]
The herbs you'd scrounged out of the nascent Fushio Ryokan site were not what Asamiya was used to using, but the bruising in your shoulder came to very little other than embarrassment.
"No loss of motion, no pain when you move it?"
You shook your head. "Just a dull ache."
"Good. I don't know how to do surgery-- I can only do so much, even with magic."
[Your shoulder heals without incident, save for a hefty price tag… +3 Body, -2 Supply. Supply 2/5, Body 5/5.]
You thought back to the previous night, and started recording what you remembered in your journal. Asamiya helped, until you got to the part where you danced, and finally, you said, "... I want to apologize for my behavior last night."
Asamiya suppressed a laugh, coming out as a snort. "If I didn't want to see what you were like drunk, I wouldn't have given you drinks."
You got up and looked for how to make breakfast--
"You sit your ass back down. It won't be much, but…"
You looked ahead to your week while you waited.
… You knew at least one thing you had to do.
Armed with what you knew-- or understood-- now--
It was time to meet Kazue again.
Actions, choose 2 in addition to the mandatory:
[X] [Action] Visit Kazue, one more time. You know what you have to do, now. This is mandatory.
[ ] [Action] Investigate: This may be selected multiple times, but you must choose a different subject each time:
- [ ] Nezuka Logistics
- [ ] Shirogane Site 1
- [ ] Your legal situation
- [ ] The Loader Project
- [ ] Kikaider Gold
- [ ] Ichigo's sentai team
- [ ] The Realm of Light
- [ ] Judo Club
[ ] [Action] Spend some time with a Connection. Each is 1/2 an action:
- [ ] Ichigo
- [ ] Asamiya Yuki
- [ ] Maru
- [ ] Kisaragi Rei
- [ ] Morisawa Rin
- [ ] Yumeno Sakura
- [ ] Iwai Kanna
- [ ] Yagami-senpai
- [ ] Hanabi-senpai
- [ ] Raimoto Haru
- [ ] Gumi
[ ] [Action] Expedition: all delves require write-in goals, except for the Ruins. As usual, a successful delve in the Tunnels will take no actions:
- [ ] The ruins of your own burnt-down house
- [ ]The Understacks You're doing this already this time.
- [ ]The Night Market is not around this week.
- [ ] Mountain Hell Pass
- [ ] Thunder Devil Dance Hall
- [ ] Steam Tunnels.
- [ ]Shirogane Site 1 You don't know how to get in here yet.
[ ] [Action] Training:
- [ ] Focus on your studies. This may be selected multiple times.
- [ ] Focus on improving your judo.
- [ ] Focus on improving your striking.
- [ ] Focus on your supernatural abilities.
[ ] [Action] Focus on recovering your supplies and body.
Are there any favors you'd like to ask?
[ ] [Favor] Write-in, any connection, for any reason. Note asking for a date is "Spend Time With:" above.
Should we Learn From Our Failures this turn? We are at 6 full boxes. That's 25% chance miss, an additional 25% weak hit, 50% strong hit.
[ ] Yes, it's past time we took a good look at ourselves.
[ ] No, we're fine as-is.
since this is a big-ass goddamn array of choices, I'm going to leave this open for planning.
You took two steps forward. You didn't kid yourself that it was like lightning. You'd just seen like lightning, and you weren't it.
[Secure An Advantage +Hard+Brawler+Demon Knight: 4+2+1+1 vs 2, 7 STRONG HIT]
You opened with a lunging elbow strike.
She fired back immediately. You recognized one of the more basic forms of karate, and decided to use a different style to see if it'd mix her up, using your forward hand to push her up and off-line.
Asura-chan followed with a knee, which she caught with one hand and a grunt of effort.
She completely missed, therefore, your incoming left hook to her jaw.
Fuck, it was like punching a block of iron, and you've had plenty of experience with trying to smash iron with your bare hands.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" You damn near shouted, still high off the adrenaline and the fear.
She laughed, even as she struggled to stay standing for a moment. "Good hit! But, really, listen. You can't be up here, it's employees only. Maintenance gantries for the lights and sound systems. I'll set you up with a private room, it's the least I can do for the daughter of the founder."
[... That is, technically, exactly what you wanted. You get +2 Momentum and +1 on your next roll, and +3 momentum from Asura-chan and Brawler. 9/10.]
[Gather Information +Thoughtful+Detective+Miko Detective: 5+2+2+1 vs 7, 9 STRONG HIT]
"-- What's your game?" Asamiya suddenly asked.
"No games. I genuinely want all of you to enjoy this place to the fullest." She'd apparently recovered, because now she was stretching.
"And the bill?" you said.
"Well, we are a business, after all," The Iron Devil replied. "But I'll pay the rental on the room. Sit, eat, drink. Listen to the music. Enjoy yourselves! But uh, please get off the maintenance catwalk. We need that to adjust the lights."
"Fine. Show us the way," you said. "No hard feelings?"
"Nah, not a bit! Why shouldn't you be good at fighting? You come by it nice and honest." She herded everyone down the steps and then slid down the handrails herself, as if it were the most natural thing in the world and not completely reckless.
[X] (Tragic) Shattered Spirit: "The actual pieces of my inheritance are scattered, and do not wish to return."
[You gain 1 XP.]
[ICHIGO'S PARENTS BREAK UP HIS SENTAI TEAM 2/6]
The walk wasn't too long to a room that, if not quite quiet, had its own sound system, which could be switched to any of the live shows at the preferred volume. "I'll just leave this ordering tablet here."
When she had closed the door after her, Asamiya finally said, "You know, you'd look good dressed like that."
You weren't entirely sure how to take that comment.
Maru, sensing blood in the water, struck. "I mean, sure! You'd look like some kind of manga hero like that. War-torn and made of iron! Heaven knows if you'd shown up like that on our date--"
"Date?" Asamiya said. "I thought you and Morisawa--"
"I'm not dating anyone," you said. "I thought I was going to Nara to settle accounts."
Maru and Asamiya looked at each other. A similar pleading expression was in both their eyes, and they turned back to you, as if they had conceived of a plan in that brief moment where their eyes met.
"..." Asamiya cleared her throat gently. "Let's start with drinks, then. Maru?"
"It's all bitter to me," she said. "Might as well make it a beer."
Ichigo seemed to think for a good second, before saying, "Something without much alcohol in it."
You nod. "I have to get home on the train, and I'm underage…"
"I'll get you home," Asamiya immediately offered. "Pick whatever looks appealing."
You scanned the tablet for a moment and picked something colorful, purple, and tall, and passed the tablet back to Asamiya.
Soon enough two beers, a coke, and your own pint cocktail arrived. It was bittersweet and reminded you of blackberries, cucumber, and watermelon.
[Face Danger +Hard: 3+2 vs 4, 1 STRONG HIT]
The discussion begins and you start by taking a long pull from the straw and setting it down in front of you. You're matching Asamiya and Maru for speed, while Ichigo took his drink slower.
"So…" You discussed the basic situation that happened with Maru in a little more detail.
"Basically, we're in hiding here unless we figure out where the exorcists are, and whatever the heck 'loader' means, then," Ichigo said, more calm than he usually was.
You, Maru, and Asamiya have finished your drinks. Ichigo is taking his sweet time, having got halfway through his glass of sweet sake.
Asamiya nodded. "That's not the best situation, but I can tell you the bellringers at least won't get past the bouncer. And any stakeout will likely be dealt with by the Iron Devil herself."
"What's with her, anyway?" you asked, suddenly. "I understand keeping us out of the employee maintenance area, but… Why did she come personally?"
"Probably because you're you," Asamiya said, gently. "As the daughter of the Founder, you do have a certain amount of influence here."
"Mm." You didn't feel particularly warm, still, and the drink had actually tasted pretty good. "So better to have the company idol gently turn me aside than get kicked out by bouncers…"
Maru stared at your empty glass with a measure of reverence. "Have you ever drank before?"
"Nope," you said, grinning. "Not sure what the fuss is about."
"Maybe you should slow down a little," Ichigo added, concern in his voice. "At this point you don't know your own limits."
"Aw, come on, my spirit's made of iron!" you said, still grinning.
"Still, it could be a problem," Asamiya said.
You looked over to her. God, she looked beautiful in the dim light like this. Maru, too.
A shame the world was full of things you could never have.
"There's a balance here," Asamiya explained. "Between all the little factions of youkai. I do my best to keep the peace, but the fact that Logistics is moving so openly makes me wonder if they don't have some backing from somewhere other than the main Group."
That makes you sit up and pay attention, pulling yourself away from the quieted rhythms of the other rooms. "So this could be a serious matter. Well. More serious. I can't imagine the police taking kindly to a force like this."
"Mm, usually that's handled by a Kikaider, but… He's been busy, too…"
"What, like the show?" you said, more excited than shocked.
Asamiya shook her head. "No, not like the show. He's a bastard who likes the peace and doesn't care who he Cricket Kicks to get it."
"And that's why Osaka doesn't explode," Maru said. "Much."
"Well. That and the Realm of Light. The aliens have gotten quiet since they decided to guarantee Japan."
"-- When was that?" You asked. Of course you'd heard about the major invasions, the ones that had crippled the Soviets and the Americans both, and nearly destroyed the JSDF entire; the ones that had only been solved through international cooperation, however brief. That had served to end the threat of nuclear war for decades, replaced with far stranger spectres.
"About, uh, 20 years ago, now?" Asamiya said. "Anyway, it keeps it so the aliens try to stay low, for fear of drawing the Realm of Light's wrath."
"Realm of Light…" The name rang a bell, but unfortunately, you didn't remember the prayer. "Well, that's reason enough to step carefully from now on, I guess."
[Well, now. That's useful information! And you're not even drunk! +3 Momentum, 10/10.]
[Condition: Had 3 Already-- Stacking penalty to further drinking.]
Asamiya nodded. "I'm glad you understand that the situation is delicate."
"Is that why you came here tonight, Asamiya?" You asked.
"Eh, I was just hoping to blow off some steam," Asamiya said. "But it seems my job follows me everywhere."
You laughed. "Shit, doesn't it, though? Sometimes I wish I could just relax for a day or two, but it's all so much."
"Well, you don't have to do it alone, right?" Ichigo said, taking another sip of his sweet sake.
"Ha, you've got me there," you replied, blinking a little. "You two ready for the next round?"
"You're in high spirits," Maru observed.
"I got out alive, that's worth celebrating," you said, looking at her and Maru again.
"... You value survival a lot, don't you?" Asamiya added, her expression unreadable.
You blinked, and then said, "Yeah, sometimes, sometimes all you can celebrate, is that you lived another day. Sometimes, that's enough."
"Well, now you're gonna get to live," Asamiya said, gently punching your shoulder. "I guarantee it. Let's get you some food with the next one."
"'Sok, I brought plenty," you said, pulling out the rental bentos. Sure, they weren't pretty anymore thanks to your trip through the storm drains and your general muck-ups on the dance floor, but they sure were there.
"You think you're gonna have room after those monsters?" Asamiya said, with a grin.
"You've never seen Ichigo eat."
[Face Danger +Hard-1(Had 3 Already): 1+2-1 vs 1, 5 weak hit]
You leaned into Asamiya when the next order arrived. Maru and Ichigo had gladly polished off most of the three kilograms of bento, and considering how fast they'd gotten here, you couldn't blame them.
Still, you wish you could have gotten more of the fish and sausage. Maru packed the boxes in your satchel again and your next round of drinks arrived.
This one was strawberry pink, and didn't lie, having strawberry, pineapple, and lemon to mask what you had quickly learned was the taste of alcohol.
That said, you also availed yourself of the karaage and the rest of the bar snacks with a voracity Asamiya maybe wasn't expecting. She also probably wasn't expecting you to lean on her and turn up the piped in sound a little, letting the music seep in.
Ichigo saw this, and sighed, letting his shoulders drop from their tense stance and his hands stop curling. He took another sip of sweet sake.
"Hm?" you said, looking at him.
"It's good to see you're finally making friends again, that's all," Ichigo said, smiling.
Maru, deeper than you on the beer, flattened her ears. "Friends, he says."
"Did she act like this in high school?"
"Middle school, really. Well, ok, she wasn't exactly this, uh, affectionate, but she was always excited to see new friends." Ichigo paused. "In fact, the only time in high school it seemed like that was when she was at the judo meets."
"'Cause all my friends in high school were after you," you said, more than a little annoyed this topic has come up. "'Oh, what's he like', 'Do you know what clubs he's in?' 'We've seen you walking home together, what's your relationship?'"
Asamiya rubbed your back.
You considered this tacit reason to continue. "I mean it's not your fault, but… You know I got real good at telling when people were real interested in you more than getting to know me. And, uh, you know they might've been rivals, but they really loved the sport."
Ichigo laughed. "Oh, you're not the only one! Don't forget you were on top of test scores, too, so the number of guys I had walk up to me and ask what our relationship was was hilarious."
"Shit, really?" Mei said. "Did any of them ever confess? I don't remember. Felt like one generic face after another."
Ichigo laughed again. "Sounds like me and girls, doesn't it?"
Asamiya carefully set down her beer, nearly dislodging you, and looked at Ichigo. "Yeah, doesn't it?"
There's something important there you were trying to put together, but all the pieces weren't arriving in your head. Maybe, maybe you'd had too much. You felt suddenly heated, like the room had suddenly got a bit stuffy. "Man, though, if he'd seen you two. I am absolutely certain that in high school you would have hit it off with him. You're both really pretty, aren't you?"
Maru pursed her lips, looking at Asamiya again. "I think you'd better take her home."
"Yeah, you're pretty drunk, Mei," Asamiya nodded.
"I'm as together as I've ever been! Bet I could take on that Iron Devil. Even in a singing contest!" You stood up and stumbled, but recovered your feet easily.
"Let's try that some other time," Asamiya said. "Or, you know what? Let's see if you can dance like this."
"Uh, sure, if they don't mind…"
[Secure an Advantage +Rapport:
At first you take the formal, Western position that you've been taught-- had drilled into you, and Asamiya laughs. "No, no, just-- Just feel the beat."
You closed your eyes, and your heart beat in time with the music. And then, all at once, you moved, in a way you hadn't practiced.
Maybe you were stumbling all over yourself, actually.
But you were doing it to the rhythm in the main hall, perfectly, and Maru and Asamiya joined you, hands and arms never quite intertwining, the hint of press of bodies.
It was the touch that brought you, briefly, to your senses. Asamiya put a hand on your hips.
You looked up into Asamiya's eyes, into Maru's eyes, and you grabbed hold of both of them at the lapel.
The winning vision was clear in your mind. You leaned on them and went up on tiptoes.
If this was the way you gave your first kiss, you didn't mind it in the slightest--
Asamiya put a glass of water in your hands. "Drink."
You blinked, more out of the revelation that you had even thought that, than anything Asamiya had said or not said.
It wasn't the first time such a thought had ever occurred to you, but now you had the leisure to really examine it instead of the moment passing and forgetting all about it.
You drank the water in one long pull and slammed it against the table so hard you were worried it would break in your hand.
ASAMIYA YUKI [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
MARU [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Asamiya must have seen your thousand-yard stare, because she nodded. "It's a little heady, isn't it?"
You nodded.
"Mm. Listen. Your haunts are probably being watched right now. Let's try my place instead," Asamiya offered, typing something into her phone.
"Mm… I dunno. There's four of us here, is that gonna be--" You blinked. Where had Maru gone? Why was there a cat here? "Three of us, still, is that gonna be ok?"
[You get +2 momentum and +1 Forward. 4/10 Momentum.]
"Kaneko, you still good?" Asamiya asked.
Ichigo nodded.
"We'll be fine," you said.
[Face Danger +Rapport+1: 3+3+1 vs 1, 5 STRONG HIT]
The ride to Asamiya's place felt more than a little awkward, even if Ichigo was flying alongside you, even if the cat was nestled between the two of you and huddled with her ears flat against her head to keep the wind from swirling about.
Even here, trying to keep it all together against the speed and the wind, you held on to her tightly.
The minute you arrived in Asamiya's apartment, you asked where the shower was, and apologized for the smell, and closed the door. You'd started noticing it again on the way up and you didn't even want to think about what Asamiya, or, worse, Maru felt.
No wonder Asamiya had decided not to take you up on it. You rinsed out and soaped up your clothing as well as you could, and then--
And then the door opened suddenly, and you yelped.
"Take it easy, it's me," Asamiya said, gently. "I'm cleaning up myself. It's been a long night, and like to get longer at this rate."
You nodded. "Listen… Don't. Work too hard, okay? Even if what you do is pretty important. That. Balance of power thing you were talking about."
"You are the last person in Osaka I want to hear that from," Asamiya replied. "Tell me when you're done with the shower head."
You handed over the shower head shortly after rinsing out your pants and socks. There was nothing to be done about your shoes until later, sadly.
Asamiya nodded. "That'll need time to dry."
"I'll sleep in it. It'll be fine."
"You'll sleep in a change of my clothes and like it."
"A-are you sure you'll be okay?"
Asamiya guffawed. "What, losing out on one set of pajamas for a day or two is going to break me?"
She sprayed you with the shower head just as you were about to ask for it back. "Hey!"
"You should start relying on people more often. Or at least admitting you are." She took a beat. "And don't forget to have something to drink before getting to sleep."
Oh shit, were you staring? You were probably staring. You collected a towel and dried off immediately--
5/10 MON 08:00
View: https://themidnight.bandcamp.com/track/prom-night-instrumental
Despite Asamiya's warnings, you couldn't help collapsing nearly as soon as you arrived at her apartment, and now, awake, you regretted it, just a bit.
Your shoulder hurt.
Your head hurt.
There was a cat, and an Asamiya, sleeping on top of you.
You couldn't exactly say that last one was unexpected or undesired, but unfortunately you had morning classes and an afternoon run to get to.
[You take +1 Momentum, even if you're not in the good spot you'd want to be. 5/10.]
You'd have to be careful about this. A misstep would be a terrible thing right about now, and worse--
"Hm…?" Asamiya stirred as soon as you started moving. She smiled.
You were still in her clothes, and her lips were right next to yours. Right there. Waiting.
"Oh. uh. Good morning. I, uh, i have to go wake Ichigo up and--" You blinked as you remembered this wasn't your apartment. "And I have no idea where he is. Great. Twice in one day I'm completely out of reach of my charge--"
"Relax, he's on a futon in the next room. You weren't kidding about being his bodyguard, huh?"
"Officially, anyway. Unofficially, well. You've seen him."
[Heal +Hard+Detective Miko: 2+2+2 vs 1, 7 weak hit]
The herbs you'd scrounged out of the nascent Fushio Ryokan site were not what Asamiya was used to using, but the bruising in your shoulder came to very little other than embarrassment.
"No loss of motion, no pain when you move it?"
You shook your head. "Just a dull ache."
"Good. I don't know how to do surgery-- I can only do so much, even with magic."
[Your shoulder heals without incident, save for a hefty price tag… +3 Body, -2 Supply. Supply 2/5, Body 5/5.]
You thought back to the previous night, and started recording what you remembered in your journal. Asamiya helped, until you got to the part where you danced, and finally, you said, "... I want to apologize for my behavior last night."
Asamiya suppressed a laugh, coming out as a snort. "If I didn't want to see what you were like drunk, I wouldn't have given you drinks."
You got up and looked for how to make breakfast--
"You sit your ass back down. It won't be much, but…"
You looked ahead to your week while you waited.
… You knew at least one thing you had to do.
Armed with what you knew-- or understood-- now--
It was time to meet Kazue again.
Actions, choose 2 in addition to the mandatory:
[X] [Action] Visit Kazue, one more time. You know what you have to do, now. This is mandatory.
[ ] [Action] Investigate: This may be selected multiple times, but you must choose a different subject each time:
- [ ] Nezuka Logistics
- [ ] Shirogane Site 1
- [ ] Your legal situation
- [ ] The Loader Project
- [ ] Kikaider Gold
- [ ] Ichigo's sentai team
- [ ] The Realm of Light
- [ ] Judo Club
[ ] [Action] Spend some time with a Connection. Each is 1/2 an action:
- [ ] Ichigo
- [ ] Asamiya Yuki
- [ ] Maru
- [ ] Kisaragi Rei
- [ ] Morisawa Rin
- [ ] Yumeno Sakura
- [ ] Iwai Kanna
- [ ] Yagami-senpai
- [ ] Hanabi-senpai
- [ ] Raimoto Haru
- [ ] Gumi
[ ] [Action] Expedition: all delves require write-in goals, except for the Ruins. As usual, a successful delve in the Tunnels will take no actions:
- [ ] The ruins of your own burnt-down house
- [ ]
- [ ]
- [ ] Mountain Hell Pass
- [ ] Thunder Devil Dance Hall
- [ ] Steam Tunnels.
- [ ]
[ ] [Action] Training:
- [ ] Focus on your studies. This may be selected multiple times.
- [ ] Focus on improving your judo.
- [ ] Focus on improving your striking.
- [ ] Focus on your supernatural abilities.
[ ] [Action] Focus on recovering your supplies and body.
Are there any favors you'd like to ask?
[ ] [Favor] Write-in, any connection, for any reason. Note asking for a date is "Spend Time With:" above.
Should we Learn From Our Failures this turn? We are at 6 full boxes. That's 25% chance miss, an additional 25% weak hit, 50% strong hit.
[ ] Yes, it's past time we took a good look at ourselves.
[ ] No, we're fine as-is.
since this is a big-ass goddamn array of choices, I'm going to leave this open for planning.
- Location
- Wingmaiden's Reach, the Near Roofs, Town
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Mei and her laconic perspective strike again!
Right, this world was invaded by aliens! Aliens are public knowledge! Good to know! This is a good thing to learn now, seventy-one thousand words in!
AAaaaaaAAaaa honestly this doesn't really affect our planning that much, Mei has never really given a shit about maintaining whatever masquerade may or may not exist, why do we care what is or is not public knowledge anyway
I will contemplate planning planish planny plans but I got nothing right at this particular moment
- Location
- Wingmaiden's Reach, the Near Roofs, Town
- Pronouns
- She/Her
With respect, I do not feel that "The US and the USSR were toppled by alien invasions" is the first interpretation most readers went to for that.
EDIT:
Though I mean yes I suppose it makes sense in hindsight; I certainly jumped on "okay, right, magical apocalypse maybe? Possible explanation for masquerade", naively assuming that there had to be a masquerade when there is, as yet, insufficient evidence for me to argue one way or the other about whether the weird and magical is common knowledge or not.
EDIT:
Though I mean yes I suppose it makes sense in hindsight; I certainly jumped on "okay, right, magical apocalypse maybe? Possible explanation for masquerade", naively assuming that there had to be a masquerade when there is, as yet, insufficient evidence for me to argue one way or the other about whether the weird and magical is common knowledge or not.
Last edited:
Fair.
I'd like to say I planned this but no, no I didn't.
ETA, shop talk: but yeah, I generally wanted to make reasons other than "we have to keep our identities secret to protect people who can't magic" for any secrecy we have.
And I already knew we had an alien princess and robotics and sentai heroes running around, and let's be real, a Megazord is not the most subtle thing in the universe.
So I made most of the Showa and Heisei eras some seriously bad times for the Earth in general, and also where you got things like Spiderman (1974) and Sun Vulcan and Getter Robo.
I'd like to say I planned this but no, no I didn't.
ETA, shop talk: but yeah, I generally wanted to make reasons other than "we have to keep our identities secret to protect people who can't magic" for any secrecy we have.
And I already knew we had an alien princess and robotics and sentai heroes running around, and let's be real, a Megazord is not the most subtle thing in the universe.
So I made most of the Showa and Heisei eras some seriously bad times for the Earth in general, and also where you got things like Spiderman (1974) and Sun Vulcan and Getter Robo.
Last edited: