Praise and Punishment
- Location
- San Ramon, CA
Onogoro Omake: Praise and Punishment
Watanabe Imperial Academy
Kanazawa, Japan
Monday Afternoon, June 15th, 1992
"Before I forget: Team Stallion, you will be reporting to my office after classes let out."
There were very few teachers who would dare to give a request, let alone a demand, of the sons and daughters of the Kuge. However, given Mistress Sato's position on the High Council, and the increased relevance of the Team's information, Kin and the others decided NOT to play any "power games" regarding whether to show up late in meeting with her after school.
"…She's not going to chew us out over getting in a fight, right?" Naoko asked nervously as the Team made their way through the halls.
"We did nothing wrong," Kin replied. "No innocents were involved, the property damage was minimal, and we even established contact with a friendly vigilante who's unaffiliated with the Pretty Cure or the Senshi." He frowned. "Of course, if they met up in order to take on that oversized tree, that's probably no longer accurate."
"Just stick to the story, and we'll be fine," Sakiko said. "If all goes well, we're certain to be looking at some form of reward for our timely intel."
Kin knocked on the door to Mistress Sato's office, which shortly opened by itself. Mistress Sato was reviewing some papers at her desk, which had four chairs to the front of it, and a metal cart with a television and VCR set up to the side. "Ah, Team Stallion, thank you for your promptness," Mistress Sato said. "Come, take a seat, we have much to discuss."
"Always happy to accommodate, Mistress Sato," Kin said with a smile as the students took their seats. "I take it this is regarding our Uminari City report?"
"Indeed," Mistress Sato confirmed. "You have successfully identified a distinct new threat to Japan, and obtained actionable intelligence regarding both its workings, and to the… vigilante currently working to keep it at bay." She sighed. "It is not a comforting thought to have ANOTHER magical mess spill into our domain, but blissful ignorance is a luxury we cannot afford at this time. I also appreciate your promptness in submitting the report; having some degree of context for the sudden forestation of Uminari City was invaluable in determining the appropriate response for the forces of Onogoro."
"…What response was that, exactly?" Naoko asked.
"If we had been working under the assumption that this was an action of a faction like the Dark Kingdom, then we would have been forced to consider full mobilization of our forces," Mistress Sato answered. "Such a blatant escalation from their prior tactics would have been seen as the opening salvo of a full-scale assault. However, with the knowledge that this was 'merely' an oversized reaction to a misplaced magical artifact, we were able to hold off on any rash actions, and instead organized an appropriate strike team that could step in if the actions of the Senshi, the Pretty Cure, and this 'White Meteor' were insufficient in keeping the tree contained. Fortunately, this proved to be unnecessary. There was a valiant attempt by one of our citizens to try and hamper the tree's growth, but otherwise our forces did not need to risk any undue exposure."
Sakiko winced. "With all due respect, Mistress Sato, isn't leaving a massive problem like that to be confronted by magical vigilantes and only intervening if they failed a touch…"
"Negligent? Irresponsible? Perhaps even ruthless?" Mistress Sato responded. "Yes, such claims would not be entirely without merit. Unfortunately, with so many distinct threats appearing all over Japan at a time, the Ministry is forced to allocate its resources carefully. We may have the means to decisively win a particular engagement, but if there's no telling where and when the next will occur, then we could leave ourselves expended and vulnerable. Sometimes, the best way to kill a snake is to leave it to the hawks; if these magical vigilantes possess the unique strengths to act as natural predators to these encroachments, then letting them do what they are inclined to do anyway is not only pragmatic, but efficient."
Rokuro scoffed. "While the thought of our enemies exhausting themselves is enjoyable, I hope there is some plan in place to avoid us being dependent on their 'benevolence' indefinitely," he said.
"Rest assured, we are refining our strategies, sharpening our blades, and concocting all sorts of surprises," Mistress Sato replied. "Perhaps these Jewel Seeds may present some new opportunities for us. Which brings me to a few questions for clarification." She flipped to a page of the report. "Rokuro, you said that there was a particular setting on your Rashinban that allowed you to isolate the magical signature of the Jewel Seed. Would you be able to reproduce this setting for the Guardian's analysts?"
"Naturally," Rokuro said with a smirk. "It would be beneath me to forget such a crucial detail to use on future missions." His smile faded. "That is… if we are allowed to seek out further Jewel Seeds ourselves."
"If the worst result of these Jewel Seeds was a tiger-sized rat, then there could at least have been a discussion," Mistress Sato answered. "But when mishandling could lead to another record-breaking Masquerade violation? No, I'm afraid that further action must be left to the professionals. Now, am I to understand that the Jewel Seed had different forms between when it was first encountered and when it was extracted from the rat?"
"Correct," Kin confirmed. "We were informed that the glass crystal is a form of containment for the true 'black spindle' within to prevent its… reactions to living things. Unfortunately, as we've seen, then it is far from foolproof."
"Far from foolproof, indeed," Mistress Sato said. "It is a shame that you did not spot the rat before it approached the shiny bauble. One must always be mindful of your surroundings, let alone your target."
"…Yeah, such a shame," Naoko said, as she managed to keep herself from glaring at Sakiko.
"This led to your first fight against a truly unprecedented enemy," Mistress Sato said. "I know that your Team was the most… vocal regarding the 'scouting only' parameters of this assignment, so how do you feel about finally getting the fight you sought?"
The students looked a touch shamefaced before Sakiko cleared her throat. "As always, your wisdom regarding foes with unknown capabilities bore out. If it had any surprises or tricks like projectile spikes or acid breath or mind control, the fight could have become… difficult very quickly. We were lucky that the rat was little more than a dumb brick, and even then, the best we could do was a short-lived containment. It was… a touch more humbling than we anticipated."
"Blessed are the lessons remembered with scars, more blessed are those that can be remembered without them. May that one stay with you all," Mistress Sato replied looked back over the report. "In spite of that, I'd say you did rather well. Your 'Icarus test' might have gone badly if the creature DID have mid-air maneuverability, but it was better to run the test than assume that a seemingly ground-based opponent would remain so. The one thing to be aware of is that your strategy primarily worked due to the creature seeming to possess mindless short-sighted aggression; do NOT get used to the idea of drawing your opponent's attention at will like that in the future. Otherwise, you seemed to be able to plan and coordinate effectively, and above all else you kept your heads against a seemingly invincible opponent. Now, tell me, were you able to tell if Kin's finishing ritual provoked some type of rapid regeneration, or if the creature was "simply" utilizing an incredible degree of overall durability?"
"…We didn't quite rush over to the pit in time to confirm that one way or another," Rokuro admitted. "The most we could say is that by the time we looked down, the rat creature looked as healthy and whole as it was when it fell in. We… had assumed that the attack would be enough to finish it off."
"An understandable mistake," Mistress Sato said. "Your strength in combat is impressive for your age, but it has led you, and many warriors like you, into the complacent belief that if you can manage to bring your mightiest hammer down just right, it will always flatten whatever is in your way. Be mindful: no matter how far you travel and how much power you may amass, there's always a bigger monster out there somewhere. Next question: Sakiko, your notes mentioned that you felt that White Meteor seemed 'potentially open for further collaboration'. Could you go into more detail?"
"While her glamour prevents any true confirmation of her age, her height and mannerisms seemed to indicate someone VERY young," Sakiko said. "Simple enjoyment of our elementalisms, a desire to be respectful to her 'seniors' in magic, surprising empathy for the rat. While she seemed proficient in her ritual, she seemed to be a novice to magic overall, so I thought if we could establish further contact, we could present Onogoro as the rightful keepers and teachers of magic in Japan." She grimaced. "Unfortunately, if the tree attack caused her to meet up with the Senshi and Pretty Cure, she's equally likely to view them as appropriate magical peers and teachers, and it would be easier for her to swing by the Crystal Millennium building for further meetings than seek out our Team whom she had only met for a few minutes."
"Your report also mentioned the possibility of White Meteor 'hidden minder'. What gave you that impression?" Mistress Sato asked.
"As Kin suggested meeting up for a future meeting, White Meteor seemed very enthusiastic at the prospect, but then suddenly stopped and said that she was tired and had to leave," Sakiko answered. "Granted, there is a chance that she simply remembered some former training she had regarding meeting with strangers, but with such a forthright personality, one could suspect that she wouldn't have stopped talking unless she was stopped."
"There's also the matter of how she got her 'training' in the first place," Naoko added. "The sealing ritual, the flying spell, the whole story of about how the Jewel Seeds' civilization had been wiped out. All that information had to come from somewhere. I mean, maybe she learned it from the staff that talks in that unknown language, but who knows?"
"I see. One final question, then." Mistress Sato twisted her ring and produced three photos. One was a zoomed-in photo of a figure with red hair and a white dress flying through the sky. The second showed thin streaks of pink light bursting in all directions from the top of a skyscraper like firework streamers. The third showed a massive pink laser beam shooting out toward the tree. "Can you confirm if any of these look familiar?"
The students looked at the photos. "Yes, that's White Meteor," Kin responded. "The pink streamers are reminiscent of the bindings we saw in the ritual, but… no, this seems to be some different type of spell. The color of the magic is definitely the same, though. If that larger beam is meant to be the actual sealing spell, then it's possible that White Meteor needs to modulate her output for different sized targets."
"As I suspected, but it's always helpful to confirm," Mistress Sato said. "That's all the questions I have for now. Congratulations on your success, Team Stallion. The Guardians, and even the High Council itself, thank you for your pertinent contribution in these difficult times."
"Glad to hear you say so, Mistress Sato," Kin said with a smile. "Of course, this level of excellence is only to be expected from the next generation of Kuge."
Mistress Sato's mood seemed to shift at that comment. She seemed…more tired than anything else. "And would you say that Team Stallion's FIRST excursion falls under that 'level of excellence', Master Kin?
Kin's smile remained, but it stiffened a bit. "Merely an overenthusiastic attempt made by my subordinates. Let me assure you that we have all learned from the experience, and I hope that we can put that little embarrassment behind us."
"…I truly, TRULY, wish that we could do just that," Mistress Sato said, twisting her ring to replace the photos with a TV remote. "Unfortunately, I have come to find that mistakes often come back to haunt us."
She picked up the remote, and used it to turn on the TV and activate the VCR. The screen showed an exterior shot of the Crystal Millennium building, angled toward the front door.
"So… the Senshi have now installed security cameras?" Sakiko asked, confused. "I mean, I suppose that our endeavor would have led to them properly investing in their security, but 'coming back to haunt us' seems a touch overdramatic."
"Wait, what is this attached to?" Naoko asked. "The only way to view the entrance from this angle would be if they were standing in the middle of the sidewalk-"
Naoko stopped as a blurry image started to form in front of the camera. It started with the white framework of a skeleton, before rapidly ballooning out through the red of… muscle and tissue, before finally resolving in a figure of skin, hair, and clothes. The figure was still blurry, its face had no features, and it seemed to leave after-images behind itself as it moved. If it had been presented as an illusion assignment in class, it would have received rather poor marks. Still, the brown suit and blue hair were distinct enough to be recognized, particularly by the present watchers.
The blue-haired figure looked both ways along the sidewalk before stepping to the door, then motioned to someone behind him. Another figure resolved itself in the strange 'reverse-flaying' process, and a young woman with long brown hair and surprisingly refined clothes stepped forward. She seemed to reach into a pouch at her side, pulling something out which she then clenched in her fist. Creeping vines started to grow from her hand and press against the crack between the twin doors, trying to worm inside. This continued for a few seconds, but then the brown-figured seemed confused, first moving her head closer to the handles, then glancing up at the top of the doors. Blue-hair shifted to an impatient posture, and Brown-hair suddenly turned to face him. Their postures then shifted again, Blue-hair angrily gesturing toward the door while Brown-hair shifted her attention between the growing vines and her companion.
A third figure resolved itself, a shorter black-haired girl with a white shirt and black skirt stepping forward. She looked squarely at the door, then at the two figures silently bickering, then back at the door. Two bracelets suddenly lit up on her wrist, and the other figures quickly got out of the way as Black-hair suddenly grabbed the door handles and pulled. The 'real' door was replaced with a blurry image of the lobby interior as illusions of the twin doors flew open.
Blue-hair and Brown-hair stared at the companion. Black-hair shrugged, deactivated her bracelets, then strode into the illusionary lobby. The video then shifted perspective to a corner of the 'real' lobby, showing the three blurry figures stepping inside.
"I think that's enough," Mistress Sato said, using the remote to turn off the TV. "The Crystal Millennium has distributed copies of these… 'recreations' to MCAT, the TMPD, and even to members of the Total Equality Party. They are offering rewards for anyone willing to provide information leading to the arrest of the vandals, who may be using such aliases as… 'the Penguin Gang'." This last phrase was uttered with as much disdain as she could muster.
"I… what… How!?" Sakiko exclaimed. "What divination technique did they perform to recreate our appearance and actions in realspace? And why would they hold off on distributing these until now?"
"Wait, why do you think they 'held off' on distribution?" Naoko asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Sakiko snarled. "That presentation was atrocious for a regular illusion, but for a divination, it's shockingly clear. The ability to properly divine a past event decreases drastically over time. The impressions can be recalled from further in the past for drastic emotional events like a mass slaughter, but to get that level of detail for a simple break-in, they must have performed the ritual within a matter of hours of the crime. Why sit on it for three whole weeks?"
"Wait, are you saying that some youkai-loving students have gotten their hands on this footage?" Rokuro interrupted. "Mistress Sato, you must forbid anyone from showing these tapes on campus. Or in their homes, or anywhere else-"
"Rokuro, shut up!" Kin snapped. "As of right now, the only people at this school who know about these tapes are students who generally do not want attention brought to themselves, or at least do not to stir up an excess of trouble that can be traced back to them. Any students with the TEP would be likely to keep whatever they found to themselves. On the other hand, if there is an announcement banning the viewing of 'the Crystal Millennium break-in', it will be like the Chapel Theater footage all over again. Everyone in the school will have somehow gotten to see it by this time next week."
Rokuro stammered for a few moments in righteous indignation, but then simmered down into a sulk.
"You don't think… anyone in the TEP would actually tell on us to the Senshi, would they?" Naoko asked, a bit nervously. "I mean, that would practically be treason."
"Regretfully, we cannot fully discount the possibility," Mistress Sato said. "While a majority of the TEP seeks to stay within the Ministry's good graces to have any hope of having their reforms passed, there is a small faction that is tempted to view the Senshi as the fastest means of realizing their goals, regardless of the calamity that would ensue. This risk, among other things, was what led me to bring these tapes to the High Council's attention."
The students suddenly froze. "T-the High Council has viewed that tape?" Sakiko asked, her eyes widening.
"It is standard policy to inform the High Council when there is sufficient evidence to show that an enemy faction is specifically targeting a member of the Kuge," Mistress Sato replied. "Granted, we have no reason to suspect that the Senshi or MCAT know your actual status, especially given your utterly juvenile conduct, but if you were arrested by MCAT for petty vandalism and they tried to determine your identity… well, I believe the phrase 'hostage of opportunity' would be accurate. Thus, I regret to inform you that, until further notice, Team Stallion should consider its 'monster-den-hunting license' to be suspended. The High Council is also 'highly discouraging' any extended travel or excursions into public Japan, but is willing to leave the particular details to your estates."
"WHAT!?" Rokuro exclaimed. "B-but that's not fair! I heard that Team Lion got fully compromised by one of the Pretty Cures; are you telling me they're off this assignment too?"
"The circumstances are different," Mistress Sato said. "The specific degree of memory manipulation that Team Lion endured showed that they were fully at Cure Flower's mercy. However, instead of being turned over to MCAT or ransomed back to Onogoro, they were released. While their situation is less than ideal, we do not have evidence to show that they are currently marked as targets for MCAT or any other magical vigilantes."
"What if we prepared disguise glamours?" Sakiko asked. "Surely that should be enough to let us continue!"
"Forget glamours; what about a wardrobe change and dying our hair?" Naoko asked. "They don't even have our faces!"
"Glamours would be sufficient if you could guarantee that your endeavors would stick to pure reconnaissance. However, as the rat encounter has shown, hunting monsters sometimes means that monsters hunt you back, and any glamours that are shattered during conflict would be sure to draw attention if the Senshi or MCAT were in the vicinity. New clothes and hair dyes are more sustainable, but I have reason to believe that the Senshi are seeking assistance to refine their 'divination' further, which may lead them to eventually getting footage of your faces." Mistress Sato shook her head. "To top it all off, your greatest success so far is now looking to be your greatest vulnerability."
"…White Meteor," Kin said, frowning. "While she doesn't know our names, she's seen our faces and heard our voices. If she chooses to tell the Senshi about her encounter with us, then they're likely to put the pieces together, and will have more information they can use to hunt us down. I take it that the High Council's 'discouragement' applies to me as well?"
Mistress Sato nodded. "There is a chance that as time passes, I will be able to reevaluate the risks to you all, but as the tapes have only recently been distributed, I cannot grant you 'permission' to go looking for trouble right now."
"…Purely as a hypothetical," Kin said in a crafty tone, "if one of us was traveling through public Japan in the course of our business as Kuge, and we happen to stumble across some crucial intelligence in the course of our regular business and go to investigate-"
"Then the Guardians will file an injunction against your House for threatening the security of Onogoro."
Kin blinked. "…I'm sorry, what did you say to me?"
"You seem to be misunderstanding the situation, so allow me to clarify," Mistress Sato said, her tone turning increasingly harsh. "This conversation is not your 'dear old teacher' warning you that wandering off the beaten path could be dangerous. This conversation is the head of the Guardians conveying a warning from the High Council to the scions of the Kuge, and politely reminding them that my role has special dispensation in regards to ANY citizen of Onogoro who is proven to be an 'ongoing security risk.' The hostage negotiations with an utterly hostile entity like MCAT for Lord Kurayami and his retinue are fraught enough as it is; trying to secure the safe return of any additional Kuge who are reckless enough to expose themselves while 'monster-hunting' could prove exponentially costly. So, with all due respect, Young Master Kin, if you spotted the Senshi themselves preparing to, say, drop their glamours just out of sight of the route you were taking through public Japan, I would suggest that you have one of your retinue contact the Guardians immediately, and then keep. On. Walking. Any 'surprise discoveries' will be viewed in the least generous light, and if my investigators determine that you have deliberately defied the will of the High Council…"
"I have given you all full warning. The High Council will be told that I have given you all full warning. Defy us at your peril. Am I understood?"
"…Yes, Mistress Sato," Kin replied, trying to keep his temper in check.
"Good. Now, in the meantime, I would advise you to focus more on your studies. Your other teachers have commented that since I granted you this assignment, your work in other subjects has been lacking the… 'level of excellence expected from the next generation of Kuge'. Deficiency in education now will be felt by your subjects in the future; you have a responsibility to do your best in ALL your classes. ….That will be all, students," Mistress Sato said, giving a polite nod of dismissal.
The students gave a polite bow to Mistress Sato as they stood up, but Rokuro could barely hold onto his emotions as they left the office. "This is outrageous," he muttered. "We single-handed exposed a new threat to the Masquerade that the Ministry didn't have a clue about, and they repay us with threats to keep to ourselves? How could Mistress Sato do this to us?"
"She's covering her ass," Kin said harshly. "This assignment was always about weighing the benefits and liabilities of asking students to collect intelligence during these incursions; the tape firmly pushes us into the 'liability' column. She's probably already facing some pushback for Team Lion getting mindwiped by Cure Flower, and now that we're being hunted down by MCAT, she's cutting her losses." He thought for a moment. "…That Shinju peasant wouldn't dare to out us to the Senshi by helping them with 'hints' on what to look for during the divination, would she?"
"Unlikely," Sakiko said, catching up from behind. "I saw her standing just outside the office. She had the most gormless expression when I asked her if she had anything to do with this. She wouldn't have been able to keep the smirk off her face if she thought she had caught us being brought low."
Kin sighed. "Fair enough. At any rate, we need to start thinking about how to work around these new restrictions."
"… 'Work around'?" Naoko asked. "Kin, Mistress Sato didn't tell us to slow down; she told us to stop. She said that she would review the situation later once the heat has died down, and even if we're done for good, we're ending on a high note without any public embarrassment or injury. Why don't we just catch up on our other classes for a while and wait a week or two for this to blow… over…"
Naoko's speech came to a stop as Kin glared at her. "Sorry, I must have misheard you. It sounded like you said that we should just give up and let Team Eagle show us up in this contest, but that can't be right, can it?"
"N-no, I'm saying that… we have a healthy lead, and that means we can afford to do this right," Naoko replied nervously. "Our ability to do, uh, groundwork has been… limited, so we need to be smarter. No more going out every other day after school hoping to stumble on something. Reading the newspaper for other DK schemes, that kind of thing. If we're going to come up with some story that justifies us finding things, then we need to be 80% that there's something to find first, right?"
Kin considered this for a few moments, then smiled. "You know what? When you're right, you're right. Our earlier strategy only struck gold once at random; surely our resources can put together a better 'dowsing rod'. The reset of Rokuro's Rashinban helped us find something we didn't think to look for; maybe there are other angles we can examine in our investigations…"
"However we proceed, we will need to remain cautious," Sakiko advised. "The Senshi and MCAT are continuing to expand, and with the recent events, even the rabble of public Japan will be less likely to… ignore…"
The other Kuge scions turned to face Sakiko as she trailed off. They followed her gaze out the window, looking down into a courtyard where several students had gathered. A large tree had been painted on a wall with green paint, with stenciled letters below:
THE TREE HERALDS THE DAWN.
"…That's a touch concerning," Sakiko said. "It seems that this latest Masquerade breach is getting to some people's heads."
"…The peasants will panic over anything; it's their lot in life," Kin responded. "It is our role to keep a clear head and remind them that Onogoro will endure, just as it always has."
"I wonder if Mistress Sato would give us some partial credit for tracking down these fearmongers," Rokuro said. "We wouldn't even have to risk going into public Japan for that."
"Maybe when you find them, you can ask them for pointers about graffiti," Naoko said with a smirk.
"Shut UP, Naoko!" cried the blue-hair mage.
Watanabe Imperial Academy
Kanazawa, Japan
Monday Afternoon, June 15th, 1992
"Before I forget: Team Stallion, you will be reporting to my office after classes let out."
There were very few teachers who would dare to give a request, let alone a demand, of the sons and daughters of the Kuge. However, given Mistress Sato's position on the High Council, and the increased relevance of the Team's information, Kin and the others decided NOT to play any "power games" regarding whether to show up late in meeting with her after school.
"…She's not going to chew us out over getting in a fight, right?" Naoko asked nervously as the Team made their way through the halls.
"We did nothing wrong," Kin replied. "No innocents were involved, the property damage was minimal, and we even established contact with a friendly vigilante who's unaffiliated with the Pretty Cure or the Senshi." He frowned. "Of course, if they met up in order to take on that oversized tree, that's probably no longer accurate."
"Just stick to the story, and we'll be fine," Sakiko said. "If all goes well, we're certain to be looking at some form of reward for our timely intel."
Kin knocked on the door to Mistress Sato's office, which shortly opened by itself. Mistress Sato was reviewing some papers at her desk, which had four chairs to the front of it, and a metal cart with a television and VCR set up to the side. "Ah, Team Stallion, thank you for your promptness," Mistress Sato said. "Come, take a seat, we have much to discuss."
"Always happy to accommodate, Mistress Sato," Kin said with a smile as the students took their seats. "I take it this is regarding our Uminari City report?"
"Indeed," Mistress Sato confirmed. "You have successfully identified a distinct new threat to Japan, and obtained actionable intelligence regarding both its workings, and to the… vigilante currently working to keep it at bay." She sighed. "It is not a comforting thought to have ANOTHER magical mess spill into our domain, but blissful ignorance is a luxury we cannot afford at this time. I also appreciate your promptness in submitting the report; having some degree of context for the sudden forestation of Uminari City was invaluable in determining the appropriate response for the forces of Onogoro."
"…What response was that, exactly?" Naoko asked.
"If we had been working under the assumption that this was an action of a faction like the Dark Kingdom, then we would have been forced to consider full mobilization of our forces," Mistress Sato answered. "Such a blatant escalation from their prior tactics would have been seen as the opening salvo of a full-scale assault. However, with the knowledge that this was 'merely' an oversized reaction to a misplaced magical artifact, we were able to hold off on any rash actions, and instead organized an appropriate strike team that could step in if the actions of the Senshi, the Pretty Cure, and this 'White Meteor' were insufficient in keeping the tree contained. Fortunately, this proved to be unnecessary. There was a valiant attempt by one of our citizens to try and hamper the tree's growth, but otherwise our forces did not need to risk any undue exposure."
Sakiko winced. "With all due respect, Mistress Sato, isn't leaving a massive problem like that to be confronted by magical vigilantes and only intervening if they failed a touch…"
"Negligent? Irresponsible? Perhaps even ruthless?" Mistress Sato responded. "Yes, such claims would not be entirely without merit. Unfortunately, with so many distinct threats appearing all over Japan at a time, the Ministry is forced to allocate its resources carefully. We may have the means to decisively win a particular engagement, but if there's no telling where and when the next will occur, then we could leave ourselves expended and vulnerable. Sometimes, the best way to kill a snake is to leave it to the hawks; if these magical vigilantes possess the unique strengths to act as natural predators to these encroachments, then letting them do what they are inclined to do anyway is not only pragmatic, but efficient."
Rokuro scoffed. "While the thought of our enemies exhausting themselves is enjoyable, I hope there is some plan in place to avoid us being dependent on their 'benevolence' indefinitely," he said.
"Rest assured, we are refining our strategies, sharpening our blades, and concocting all sorts of surprises," Mistress Sato replied. "Perhaps these Jewel Seeds may present some new opportunities for us. Which brings me to a few questions for clarification." She flipped to a page of the report. "Rokuro, you said that there was a particular setting on your Rashinban that allowed you to isolate the magical signature of the Jewel Seed. Would you be able to reproduce this setting for the Guardian's analysts?"
"Naturally," Rokuro said with a smirk. "It would be beneath me to forget such a crucial detail to use on future missions." His smile faded. "That is… if we are allowed to seek out further Jewel Seeds ourselves."
"If the worst result of these Jewel Seeds was a tiger-sized rat, then there could at least have been a discussion," Mistress Sato answered. "But when mishandling could lead to another record-breaking Masquerade violation? No, I'm afraid that further action must be left to the professionals. Now, am I to understand that the Jewel Seed had different forms between when it was first encountered and when it was extracted from the rat?"
"Correct," Kin confirmed. "We were informed that the glass crystal is a form of containment for the true 'black spindle' within to prevent its… reactions to living things. Unfortunately, as we've seen, then it is far from foolproof."
"Far from foolproof, indeed," Mistress Sato said. "It is a shame that you did not spot the rat before it approached the shiny bauble. One must always be mindful of your surroundings, let alone your target."
"…Yeah, such a shame," Naoko said, as she managed to keep herself from glaring at Sakiko.
"This led to your first fight against a truly unprecedented enemy," Mistress Sato said. "I know that your Team was the most… vocal regarding the 'scouting only' parameters of this assignment, so how do you feel about finally getting the fight you sought?"
The students looked a touch shamefaced before Sakiko cleared her throat. "As always, your wisdom regarding foes with unknown capabilities bore out. If it had any surprises or tricks like projectile spikes or acid breath or mind control, the fight could have become… difficult very quickly. We were lucky that the rat was little more than a dumb brick, and even then, the best we could do was a short-lived containment. It was… a touch more humbling than we anticipated."
"Blessed are the lessons remembered with scars, more blessed are those that can be remembered without them. May that one stay with you all," Mistress Sato replied looked back over the report. "In spite of that, I'd say you did rather well. Your 'Icarus test' might have gone badly if the creature DID have mid-air maneuverability, but it was better to run the test than assume that a seemingly ground-based opponent would remain so. The one thing to be aware of is that your strategy primarily worked due to the creature seeming to possess mindless short-sighted aggression; do NOT get used to the idea of drawing your opponent's attention at will like that in the future. Otherwise, you seemed to be able to plan and coordinate effectively, and above all else you kept your heads against a seemingly invincible opponent. Now, tell me, were you able to tell if Kin's finishing ritual provoked some type of rapid regeneration, or if the creature was "simply" utilizing an incredible degree of overall durability?"
"…We didn't quite rush over to the pit in time to confirm that one way or another," Rokuro admitted. "The most we could say is that by the time we looked down, the rat creature looked as healthy and whole as it was when it fell in. We… had assumed that the attack would be enough to finish it off."
"An understandable mistake," Mistress Sato said. "Your strength in combat is impressive for your age, but it has led you, and many warriors like you, into the complacent belief that if you can manage to bring your mightiest hammer down just right, it will always flatten whatever is in your way. Be mindful: no matter how far you travel and how much power you may amass, there's always a bigger monster out there somewhere. Next question: Sakiko, your notes mentioned that you felt that White Meteor seemed 'potentially open for further collaboration'. Could you go into more detail?"
"While her glamour prevents any true confirmation of her age, her height and mannerisms seemed to indicate someone VERY young," Sakiko said. "Simple enjoyment of our elementalisms, a desire to be respectful to her 'seniors' in magic, surprising empathy for the rat. While she seemed proficient in her ritual, she seemed to be a novice to magic overall, so I thought if we could establish further contact, we could present Onogoro as the rightful keepers and teachers of magic in Japan." She grimaced. "Unfortunately, if the tree attack caused her to meet up with the Senshi and Pretty Cure, she's equally likely to view them as appropriate magical peers and teachers, and it would be easier for her to swing by the Crystal Millennium building for further meetings than seek out our Team whom she had only met for a few minutes."
"Your report also mentioned the possibility of White Meteor 'hidden minder'. What gave you that impression?" Mistress Sato asked.
"As Kin suggested meeting up for a future meeting, White Meteor seemed very enthusiastic at the prospect, but then suddenly stopped and said that she was tired and had to leave," Sakiko answered. "Granted, there is a chance that she simply remembered some former training she had regarding meeting with strangers, but with such a forthright personality, one could suspect that she wouldn't have stopped talking unless she was stopped."
"There's also the matter of how she got her 'training' in the first place," Naoko added. "The sealing ritual, the flying spell, the whole story of about how the Jewel Seeds' civilization had been wiped out. All that information had to come from somewhere. I mean, maybe she learned it from the staff that talks in that unknown language, but who knows?"
"I see. One final question, then." Mistress Sato twisted her ring and produced three photos. One was a zoomed-in photo of a figure with red hair and a white dress flying through the sky. The second showed thin streaks of pink light bursting in all directions from the top of a skyscraper like firework streamers. The third showed a massive pink laser beam shooting out toward the tree. "Can you confirm if any of these look familiar?"
The students looked at the photos. "Yes, that's White Meteor," Kin responded. "The pink streamers are reminiscent of the bindings we saw in the ritual, but… no, this seems to be some different type of spell. The color of the magic is definitely the same, though. If that larger beam is meant to be the actual sealing spell, then it's possible that White Meteor needs to modulate her output for different sized targets."
"As I suspected, but it's always helpful to confirm," Mistress Sato said. "That's all the questions I have for now. Congratulations on your success, Team Stallion. The Guardians, and even the High Council itself, thank you for your pertinent contribution in these difficult times."
"Glad to hear you say so, Mistress Sato," Kin said with a smile. "Of course, this level of excellence is only to be expected from the next generation of Kuge."
Mistress Sato's mood seemed to shift at that comment. She seemed…more tired than anything else. "And would you say that Team Stallion's FIRST excursion falls under that 'level of excellence', Master Kin?
Kin's smile remained, but it stiffened a bit. "Merely an overenthusiastic attempt made by my subordinates. Let me assure you that we have all learned from the experience, and I hope that we can put that little embarrassment behind us."
"…I truly, TRULY, wish that we could do just that," Mistress Sato said, twisting her ring to replace the photos with a TV remote. "Unfortunately, I have come to find that mistakes often come back to haunt us."
She picked up the remote, and used it to turn on the TV and activate the VCR. The screen showed an exterior shot of the Crystal Millennium building, angled toward the front door.
"So… the Senshi have now installed security cameras?" Sakiko asked, confused. "I mean, I suppose that our endeavor would have led to them properly investing in their security, but 'coming back to haunt us' seems a touch overdramatic."
"Wait, what is this attached to?" Naoko asked. "The only way to view the entrance from this angle would be if they were standing in the middle of the sidewalk-"
Naoko stopped as a blurry image started to form in front of the camera. It started with the white framework of a skeleton, before rapidly ballooning out through the red of… muscle and tissue, before finally resolving in a figure of skin, hair, and clothes. The figure was still blurry, its face had no features, and it seemed to leave after-images behind itself as it moved. If it had been presented as an illusion assignment in class, it would have received rather poor marks. Still, the brown suit and blue hair were distinct enough to be recognized, particularly by the present watchers.
The blue-haired figure looked both ways along the sidewalk before stepping to the door, then motioned to someone behind him. Another figure resolved itself in the strange 'reverse-flaying' process, and a young woman with long brown hair and surprisingly refined clothes stepped forward. She seemed to reach into a pouch at her side, pulling something out which she then clenched in her fist. Creeping vines started to grow from her hand and press against the crack between the twin doors, trying to worm inside. This continued for a few seconds, but then the brown-figured seemed confused, first moving her head closer to the handles, then glancing up at the top of the doors. Blue-hair shifted to an impatient posture, and Brown-hair suddenly turned to face him. Their postures then shifted again, Blue-hair angrily gesturing toward the door while Brown-hair shifted her attention between the growing vines and her companion.
A third figure resolved itself, a shorter black-haired girl with a white shirt and black skirt stepping forward. She looked squarely at the door, then at the two figures silently bickering, then back at the door. Two bracelets suddenly lit up on her wrist, and the other figures quickly got out of the way as Black-hair suddenly grabbed the door handles and pulled. The 'real' door was replaced with a blurry image of the lobby interior as illusions of the twin doors flew open.
Blue-hair and Brown-hair stared at the companion. Black-hair shrugged, deactivated her bracelets, then strode into the illusionary lobby. The video then shifted perspective to a corner of the 'real' lobby, showing the three blurry figures stepping inside.
"I think that's enough," Mistress Sato said, using the remote to turn off the TV. "The Crystal Millennium has distributed copies of these… 'recreations' to MCAT, the TMPD, and even to members of the Total Equality Party. They are offering rewards for anyone willing to provide information leading to the arrest of the vandals, who may be using such aliases as… 'the Penguin Gang'." This last phrase was uttered with as much disdain as she could muster.
"I… what… How!?" Sakiko exclaimed. "What divination technique did they perform to recreate our appearance and actions in realspace? And why would they hold off on distributing these until now?"
"Wait, why do you think they 'held off' on distribution?" Naoko asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Sakiko snarled. "That presentation was atrocious for a regular illusion, but for a divination, it's shockingly clear. The ability to properly divine a past event decreases drastically over time. The impressions can be recalled from further in the past for drastic emotional events like a mass slaughter, but to get that level of detail for a simple break-in, they must have performed the ritual within a matter of hours of the crime. Why sit on it for three whole weeks?"
"Wait, are you saying that some youkai-loving students have gotten their hands on this footage?" Rokuro interrupted. "Mistress Sato, you must forbid anyone from showing these tapes on campus. Or in their homes, or anywhere else-"
"Rokuro, shut up!" Kin snapped. "As of right now, the only people at this school who know about these tapes are students who generally do not want attention brought to themselves, or at least do not to stir up an excess of trouble that can be traced back to them. Any students with the TEP would be likely to keep whatever they found to themselves. On the other hand, if there is an announcement banning the viewing of 'the Crystal Millennium break-in', it will be like the Chapel Theater footage all over again. Everyone in the school will have somehow gotten to see it by this time next week."
Rokuro stammered for a few moments in righteous indignation, but then simmered down into a sulk.
"You don't think… anyone in the TEP would actually tell on us to the Senshi, would they?" Naoko asked, a bit nervously. "I mean, that would practically be treason."
"Regretfully, we cannot fully discount the possibility," Mistress Sato said. "While a majority of the TEP seeks to stay within the Ministry's good graces to have any hope of having their reforms passed, there is a small faction that is tempted to view the Senshi as the fastest means of realizing their goals, regardless of the calamity that would ensue. This risk, among other things, was what led me to bring these tapes to the High Council's attention."
The students suddenly froze. "T-the High Council has viewed that tape?" Sakiko asked, her eyes widening.
"It is standard policy to inform the High Council when there is sufficient evidence to show that an enemy faction is specifically targeting a member of the Kuge," Mistress Sato replied. "Granted, we have no reason to suspect that the Senshi or MCAT know your actual status, especially given your utterly juvenile conduct, but if you were arrested by MCAT for petty vandalism and they tried to determine your identity… well, I believe the phrase 'hostage of opportunity' would be accurate. Thus, I regret to inform you that, until further notice, Team Stallion should consider its 'monster-den-hunting license' to be suspended. The High Council is also 'highly discouraging' any extended travel or excursions into public Japan, but is willing to leave the particular details to your estates."
"WHAT!?" Rokuro exclaimed. "B-but that's not fair! I heard that Team Lion got fully compromised by one of the Pretty Cures; are you telling me they're off this assignment too?"
"The circumstances are different," Mistress Sato said. "The specific degree of memory manipulation that Team Lion endured showed that they were fully at Cure Flower's mercy. However, instead of being turned over to MCAT or ransomed back to Onogoro, they were released. While their situation is less than ideal, we do not have evidence to show that they are currently marked as targets for MCAT or any other magical vigilantes."
"What if we prepared disguise glamours?" Sakiko asked. "Surely that should be enough to let us continue!"
"Forget glamours; what about a wardrobe change and dying our hair?" Naoko asked. "They don't even have our faces!"
"Glamours would be sufficient if you could guarantee that your endeavors would stick to pure reconnaissance. However, as the rat encounter has shown, hunting monsters sometimes means that monsters hunt you back, and any glamours that are shattered during conflict would be sure to draw attention if the Senshi or MCAT were in the vicinity. New clothes and hair dyes are more sustainable, but I have reason to believe that the Senshi are seeking assistance to refine their 'divination' further, which may lead them to eventually getting footage of your faces." Mistress Sato shook her head. "To top it all off, your greatest success so far is now looking to be your greatest vulnerability."
"…White Meteor," Kin said, frowning. "While she doesn't know our names, she's seen our faces and heard our voices. If she chooses to tell the Senshi about her encounter with us, then they're likely to put the pieces together, and will have more information they can use to hunt us down. I take it that the High Council's 'discouragement' applies to me as well?"
Mistress Sato nodded. "There is a chance that as time passes, I will be able to reevaluate the risks to you all, but as the tapes have only recently been distributed, I cannot grant you 'permission' to go looking for trouble right now."
"…Purely as a hypothetical," Kin said in a crafty tone, "if one of us was traveling through public Japan in the course of our business as Kuge, and we happen to stumble across some crucial intelligence in the course of our regular business and go to investigate-"
"Then the Guardians will file an injunction against your House for threatening the security of Onogoro."
Kin blinked. "…I'm sorry, what did you say to me?"
"You seem to be misunderstanding the situation, so allow me to clarify," Mistress Sato said, her tone turning increasingly harsh. "This conversation is not your 'dear old teacher' warning you that wandering off the beaten path could be dangerous. This conversation is the head of the Guardians conveying a warning from the High Council to the scions of the Kuge, and politely reminding them that my role has special dispensation in regards to ANY citizen of Onogoro who is proven to be an 'ongoing security risk.' The hostage negotiations with an utterly hostile entity like MCAT for Lord Kurayami and his retinue are fraught enough as it is; trying to secure the safe return of any additional Kuge who are reckless enough to expose themselves while 'monster-hunting' could prove exponentially costly. So, with all due respect, Young Master Kin, if you spotted the Senshi themselves preparing to, say, drop their glamours just out of sight of the route you were taking through public Japan, I would suggest that you have one of your retinue contact the Guardians immediately, and then keep. On. Walking. Any 'surprise discoveries' will be viewed in the least generous light, and if my investigators determine that you have deliberately defied the will of the High Council…"
"I have given you all full warning. The High Council will be told that I have given you all full warning. Defy us at your peril. Am I understood?"
"…Yes, Mistress Sato," Kin replied, trying to keep his temper in check.
"Good. Now, in the meantime, I would advise you to focus more on your studies. Your other teachers have commented that since I granted you this assignment, your work in other subjects has been lacking the… 'level of excellence expected from the next generation of Kuge'. Deficiency in education now will be felt by your subjects in the future; you have a responsibility to do your best in ALL your classes. ….That will be all, students," Mistress Sato said, giving a polite nod of dismissal.
The students gave a polite bow to Mistress Sato as they stood up, but Rokuro could barely hold onto his emotions as they left the office. "This is outrageous," he muttered. "We single-handed exposed a new threat to the Masquerade that the Ministry didn't have a clue about, and they repay us with threats to keep to ourselves? How could Mistress Sato do this to us?"
"She's covering her ass," Kin said harshly. "This assignment was always about weighing the benefits and liabilities of asking students to collect intelligence during these incursions; the tape firmly pushes us into the 'liability' column. She's probably already facing some pushback for Team Lion getting mindwiped by Cure Flower, and now that we're being hunted down by MCAT, she's cutting her losses." He thought for a moment. "…That Shinju peasant wouldn't dare to out us to the Senshi by helping them with 'hints' on what to look for during the divination, would she?"
"Unlikely," Sakiko said, catching up from behind. "I saw her standing just outside the office. She had the most gormless expression when I asked her if she had anything to do with this. She wouldn't have been able to keep the smirk off her face if she thought she had caught us being brought low."
Kin sighed. "Fair enough. At any rate, we need to start thinking about how to work around these new restrictions."
"… 'Work around'?" Naoko asked. "Kin, Mistress Sato didn't tell us to slow down; she told us to stop. She said that she would review the situation later once the heat has died down, and even if we're done for good, we're ending on a high note without any public embarrassment or injury. Why don't we just catch up on our other classes for a while and wait a week or two for this to blow… over…"
Naoko's speech came to a stop as Kin glared at her. "Sorry, I must have misheard you. It sounded like you said that we should just give up and let Team Eagle show us up in this contest, but that can't be right, can it?"
"N-no, I'm saying that… we have a healthy lead, and that means we can afford to do this right," Naoko replied nervously. "Our ability to do, uh, groundwork has been… limited, so we need to be smarter. No more going out every other day after school hoping to stumble on something. Reading the newspaper for other DK schemes, that kind of thing. If we're going to come up with some story that justifies us finding things, then we need to be 80% that there's something to find first, right?"
Kin considered this for a few moments, then smiled. "You know what? When you're right, you're right. Our earlier strategy only struck gold once at random; surely our resources can put together a better 'dowsing rod'. The reset of Rokuro's Rashinban helped us find something we didn't think to look for; maybe there are other angles we can examine in our investigations…"
"However we proceed, we will need to remain cautious," Sakiko advised. "The Senshi and MCAT are continuing to expand, and with the recent events, even the rabble of public Japan will be less likely to… ignore…"
The other Kuge scions turned to face Sakiko as she trailed off. They followed her gaze out the window, looking down into a courtyard where several students had gathered. A large tree had been painted on a wall with green paint, with stenciled letters below:
THE TREE HERALDS THE DAWN.
"…That's a touch concerning," Sakiko said. "It seems that this latest Masquerade breach is getting to some people's heads."
"…The peasants will panic over anything; it's their lot in life," Kin responded. "It is our role to keep a clear head and remind them that Onogoro will endure, just as it always has."
"I wonder if Mistress Sato would give us some partial credit for tracking down these fearmongers," Rokuro said. "We wouldn't even have to risk going into public Japan for that."
"Maybe when you find them, you can ask them for pointers about graffiti," Naoko said with a smirk.
"Shut UP, Naoko!" cried the blue-hair mage.
