Alternatively, each group of foes is told that their SPECIFIC heroes will be at a certain place and time (didn't we discuss our HQ location in front of Danbura and Yosuke?), but none of the villains were told that the other villains or other HEROES would be there as well.
Samui stares at Sailor Moon for a long while, watching as the magic flows from the Senshi to the superintendent. Finally, after a long moment, the woman speaks up. "Fascinating. At the very least, I will be putting forth my own recommendation to my own superiors within the government to approve this procedure. For now..." The Yuki-Onna makes sure to catch Sailor Moon's eye as she continues her statement. "You should begin to think about what kind of price you wish to put on this procedure. I do not mean to undersell it, as the Government would likely be willing to pay near any price for the advantage that you are offering here."
That is a statement that Usagi has never really thought about, an interesting idea that actually brings the Senshi up short. There had been a few idle thoughts about expanding the reach of her abilities to awaken others, with more than one thought pointing towards the thought of trying to cover the whole of the world from the moon...
But this is a thing too.
And if the Yuki-Onna is talking about the government being willing to pay for the service, then it is more than likely that other governments around the world will be willing to do the same.
That is indeed something that the Senshi are going to have to think about. Not just the Senshi, either, but it would probably be a good idea for the girls to bring in Alice as well.
However, before Usagi can try to think about how to handle that, Sailor Mercury speaks up. "Everyone, I somehow forgot that there was someone else here in the morgue. Not invisible, but so boring that I nearly forgot about them all together. Keep an eye out for anyone like that."
The moment that the words leave the communicator, Samui goes stiff, and for a brief moment there is an actual look of worry and fear that crosses her face, before she manages to slide that mask of control and grace back across her features. Whoever this invisible, unseen individual is, the very idea of him seems to worry Samui.
Sailor Moon isn't the only one to have noticed the way that the acting director stalls for a moment when she heard about the hidden infiltrator. Natsuda slowly shakes her head, a slightly dazed look on her face. Then, air hissing through her teeth, the woman closes her eyes and slaps her own cheeks twice. Opening her eyes again, the superintendent's gaze is clear and sharp as a winter morning.
"Director." She says simply, "What is Mercury talking about?"
"空の顔 The director whispers, clearly nervous despite the calm look on her face.
"Empty Face?" Kimiko asks, trying to understand exactly what the acting director means. However, before the director can answer, Sailor Moon's communicator speaks up again.
"Moon, I've got a situation." Sailor Jupiter calls out over the communicator, "One of the officers managed to accidentally shoot one another. I'm going to do what I can, but I'm not a healer."
Sailor Moon reaches down to her own communicator, but before the girl has a chance to hit the button, another voice calls from the magical machine. "I'm not as good a healer as Moon," Sailor Mercury says, "but I've got Danbura captured and contained with the Youma down in the Morgue. I'm not entirely sure what else to do to keep him here. Moon... if you could find out if the MCAT people have some way to keep mages, that'd probably help."
Thankfully, having a question thrown her way seems to be exactly what the acting director needed to draw her thoughts back together. The woman blinks, before she tilts her head, thinking. "I..." She starts to say, "I don't know, actually. We've never actually had to try. We've got cells set up, but those are for the two Youma that the Police have."
That statement causes both Natsuda and Kimiko to pause for a moment, absolutely baffled looks on their faces before they turn to each other, horror starting to dawn. "Two Youma..." Kimiko starts to ask, before her eyes widen.
"Fuck." Both woman say, nearly in sync. All at once, Sailor Moon has a really bad feeling.
Samui looks between the two woman with confusion on her face, before Natsuda looks over to the acting director. "We don't have the second Youma." Natsuda says, confirming exactly what Sailor Moon was hoping not to hear.
"You..." Samui starts to say, sounding more than a little confused. "Do not have the second demon?" The woman asks, "You said that you did." She accuses, and Natsuda does at the very least look embarrassed, even as she sighs.
"Yes, well, until you mentioned that rabbit monster, I had completely forgotten about it." Natsuda says, and if anything that seems to confused Samui even more for a moment, before it all clicks.
"Sora no Kao." The acting director says, somehow managing to make the words rhyme with filth, the woman practically spits the words. "The Imperial Ministry's 'Truth-makers'." There is something... unsettling about that name, but Kimiko is quicker on the draw than Sailor Moon is, the girl instead focusing on the halls around them as they start to move faster through the police department.
"Truth-Makers?" Kimiko asks, a scowl on her face.
"They are the ones in charge of the Masquerade." Samui says, drawing a dirty look from the rest of the group. "I've only ever heard rumors of them, whispers in the night by my elders in the clan. If someone acts up, acts out, and manages to reveal magic to people, they are the ones who are supposed to come and 'Fix' it. The Elders say that they also make... examples of those who break the rules."
10 + 22 = 32
[NAT TEN]
[CRITICAL SUCCESS]
As Sailor Moon glances around the halls, looking for anything that might stand out, and in particular for anything so boring as to be forgettable, the young senshi notices something moving out of the corner of her eye. Turning, the girl realizes that what she saw was the shaking of Samui's hands. Despite the clam look on the acting director's face, it is clear that the Youkai is scared. Taking a step closer to the pale skinned woman, Usagi looks down to her, a soft warm smile on her face. "Sailor Mercury warned us," She says plainly, "Which means that whatever this Truth-maker is doing, it's not perfect. I'll be able to see it as well." A hand slips up to the shorter woman's chin, pointing her face to Usagi, "I won't let them hurt you, or any of your clan."
Samui's eyes go wide, before the woman steps back, and for the briefest of brief moments, all the grace and calm flees from the woman's face. However, before Usagi has a chance to try and even parse the look on the woman's face, she quickly turns away from Usagi with a cough. "Y-yes, of course. I will trust you with this." She says quickly before pushing ahead and continuing down the hall. Sailor Moon is pleased to see that the Yuki-Onna's hands are no longer shaking, but she can't help but notice that there are a pair of very... odd looks being given to her by Kimiko and Natsuda.
Natsuda looks... almost proud? Though for what reason Sailor Moon can't even begin to guess, while Kimiko seems more amused than anything.
As the group starts to move again, Sailor Moon quickly glances between the director and the superintendent. "So, anyways..." She says, ignoring the odd snort that Kimiko gives off at those words, "There is another thing I was wondering and wanting to ask about." The girl says, "What is MCAT's... and I guess the government in general's position on people like us. The Senshi and the Pretty Cure. People who aren't part of the government, but who are working on trying to keep Japan safe from things like the Dark Kingdom and the Doketsu Zone, and all that. Especially when it comes to us... claiming and using any magical artifacts that we manage to wrest from these invaders?"
Natsuda opens her mouth, before the woman closes it again, a thoughtful look on her face.
For an even longer moment, Samui doesn't say a thing, before finally the Youkai speaks up. "That... that..." The woman is quiet for another long moment, "That is a very hard question you are asking." Samui finally admits with a sigh. "One the one hand, stealing is illegal and immoral. However, the fact of the matter is that these forces that are invading are not doing so with anything but ill intent, and the less things that our enemies have, the better off the people of Japan will be." All together, all of that sounds simple enough.
"However," The acting director continues, her steps slowing as she continues to speak. "At the same time, I cannot in good conscious give blanket permission for anything of the sort, even if I wanted to. That is higher up the chain than I am, and while I can give advice, I cannot guarantee that it will be followed. But even discounting that... Can you imagine what might happen if some random kid got their hand on a magical weapon and was unlucky enough to manage to activate it. It could kill them, or a friend, a family member, it could burn down a house or... Jade Palace forbid, it could destroy an entire city."
"That is very true." Natsuda says, nodding."At the same time I would argue that the Senshi have been doing this for at least a year now, they aren't some random kids."
Samui hums in thought, "That is also true. It's just that the Senshi here are clearly not the average person in the situation, and any laws that we are going to have to write in the future are going to have to focus on the regular people."
"So," Kimiko offers, "Some kind of exception to the rules?"
Samui is quiet for a moment, and that allows Sailor Moon to offer her own idea. "Or perhaps some kind of license."
That statement draws the Yuki-Onna up short for a moment, the woman tilting her head in thought. "A license... I think I could definitely argue that to my superiors. However..." The woman quickly glances back towards Sailor Moon, before her head almost snaps back forward, "That would potentially cause a lot of issues for the Senshi moving forward."
"...Unless," Sailor Moon offers, "Perhaps one of the things that we could get out of awakening members of MCAT and the government would be these licenses?"
Samui is quiet for a long moment as she thinks it over, slowly nodding to herself. "It could be argued that Awakening others the way that you do, without the vision quests or the more common Ritual Work that are normally used to awaken people could be considered in and of itself proof to experience." Samui gives a sharp nod. "That will likely be very acceptable to my superiors, of course, that would only cover the first few licenses..."
Finally reaching the door of Natsuda's office, Sailor Moon starts to ask the final question that she has for the two government employees. "I was also wondering..." Sailor Moon begins, "Yosuke, one of the Imperials that we caught... he used a Seal of the Knights of Oblivion to nearly kill one of the officers while they escaped. Do you know if the Ministry has any connection to the Knights of Oblivion?"
Samui opens her mouth to answer, before pausing. "You know..." The woman says, "To be honest, I don't even know." That wasn't the answer that Sailor Moon hoped to hear, but it is an honest answer, and it is clear that Natsuda and Kimiko know even less about any potential connection than Samui says. However, before anything further can be said, Natsuda opens the door to her office, allowing the three others to enter.
As the door closes behind the four, the chair behind Natsuda's desk spins around, revealing Yosuke as he clumps his feet up on to the woman's desk, a bloodthirsty grin on his face. "Well, well. You survived. Congrats"
As the door closes behind the four, the chair behind Natsuda's desk spins around, revealing Yosuke as he clumps his feet up on to the woman's desk, a bloodthirsty grin on his face. "Well, well. You survived. Congrats"
As the door closes behind the four, the chair behind Natsuda's desk spins around, revealing Yosuke as he clumps his feet up on to the woman's desk, a bloodthirsty grin on his face. "Well, well. You survived. Congrats"
you know, I am so glad that we got these two sadistic chucklefucks for secret agent-y opponents; someone actually competent who, you know, doesn't take the time to grandstand and flaunt his power would be horrifying. Which is probably what boring-guy is, so that's going to be a pain and a half to sort out.
As the door closes behind the four, the chair behind Natsuda's desk spins around, revealing Yosuke as he clumps his feet up on to the woman's desk, a bloodthirsty grin on his face. "Well, well. You survived. Congrats"
Yosuke, internally: "I am a genius."
Time to see if they can actually hit on Senshi levels with the Empty Face mook.
(Probably going to be an 'Oh no' that nonetheless is an issue for those not on the Senshi's level)
Well, considering that a normal person punching someone in the throat can kill them and we're strong enough to lift a truck over our head... I say go for it!
Normally I'd say that this is a trap given it's usually a bad idea to reveal yourself to hard hitting enemies. Despite the sheer levels of smug Yosuke is showing, he did plot to detonate a human bomb on the station. I would not be surprised if he has some kind of defense in place.
On the other hand, I would not be surprised if said defense is little more than a pillow fort to Usagi. Guess we'll need to wait for the rolls.
on the one hand, throat punch. On the other hand, I wish the Senshi had some ability similar to something the Solar Exalted could do in Exalted iirc, of flaring their Anima to reveal themselves and their strength as Solar Exalted.
I want the IMO to know what our enemies in the Dark Kingdom to, to know what the Senshi are wholly and truly. I want him to see incontrovertibly the gulf between. I want this monster of a person to feel the distance between the surface of the earth and the distant moon above.
However, throat punch and then accuse him and his organization of attempted Genocide. Lunar healing burst can awaken magic in healing, right, so can we break the pathways of potential in a person as well if applied with intentional incorrectness?
on the one hand, throat punch. On the other hand, I wish the Senshi had some ability similar to something the Solar Exalted could do in Exalted iirc, of flaring their Anima to reveal themselves and their strength as Solar Exalted.
Operation Resounding Infinity at some point in the future is getting more and more likely with each update, and the day isn't even over. Wonder just how many hitters could be called into it; the Senshi are a likely given, but the Cures? Martial Arts And Crafts community? Inuyasha and co?
Lunar healing burst can awaken magic in healing, right, so can we break the pathways of potential in a person as well if applied with intentional incorrectness?
Probably not, Usagi's healing probably isn't wired to not heal. It'd be an entirely different spell we'd need to roll for, and might not even work under whatever metaphysics are operating.
"That is very true." Natsuda says, nodding."At the same time I would argue that the Senshi have been doing this for at least a year now, they aren't some random kids."
"...Unless," Sailor Moon offers, "Perhaps one of the things that we could get out of awakening members of MCAT and the government would be these licenses?"
Samui is quiet for a long moment as she thinks it over, slowly nodding to herself. "It could be argued that Awakening others the way that you do, without the vision quests or the more common Ritual Work that are normally used to awaken people could be considered in and of itself proof to experience." Samui gives a sharp nod. "That will likely be very acceptable to my superiors, of course, that would only cover the first few licenses..."
yeah, sure, mark of experience, totally. It's not like we came up with the spell by accident less than 2 months after our awakening, that would be absurd!
As the door closes behind the four, the chair behind Natsuda's desk spins around, revealing Yosuke as he clumps his feet up on to the woman's desk, a bloodthirsty grin on his face. "Well, well. You survived. Congrats"
So what happened to Rabbiroo?
It'd be better if they just executed her, but if they did literally anything but that she'll probably gestate into a next level problem.
While personally weak, she can actually create minions from probably next to nothing.
That breed and spread like crazy!
What if they just dropped her in a field with actual rabbit youkai in another demon camp!?
on the one hand, throat punch. On the other hand, I wish the Senshi had some ability similar to something the Solar Exalted could do in Exalted iirc, of flaring their Anima to reveal themselves and their strength as Solar Exalted.
I'm fairly certain we could, if we actually wanted to come up with a spell for that/just learned how to 'flex' our magic. We just aren't usually looking for ways to draw attention to ourselves. At least, not before now.
Taking a step closer to the pale skinned woman, Usagi looks down to her, a soft warm smile on her face. "Sailor Mercury warned us," She says plainly, "Which means that whatever this Truth-maker is doing, it's not perfect. I'll be able to see it as well." A hand slips up to the shorter woman's chin, pointing her face to Usagi, "I won't let them hurt you, or any of your clan."
From a practical standpoint, this may be remembered as the point where Samui decides that MCAT's relationship with Sailor Moon could be a non-zero sum game. Yes, they have some varying directives, but with some compromise and a bit of trust, there is the possibility of everyone getting what they want, or at least what they need, moving forward.
From a non-practical standpoint, dang it, Usagi, stop seducing people!
"They are the ones in charge of the Masquerade." Samui says, drawing a dirty look from the rest of the group. "I've only ever heard rumors of them, whispers in the night by my elders in the clan. If someone acts up, acts out, and manages to reveal magic to people, they are the ones who are supposed to come and 'Fix' it. The Elders say that they also make... examples of those who break the rules."
Samui opens her mouth to answer, before pausing. "You know..." The woman says, "To be honest, I don't even know." That wasn't the answer that Sailor Moon hoped to hear, but it is an honest answer, and it is clear that Natsuda and Kimiko know even less about any potential connection than Samui says.
...Disappointing, but understandable. Just because she was their captive doesn't mean that she's aware of their inner workings and alliances (I hope this means we'll have time for the Varja question afterwards)
As the door closes behind the four, the chair behind Natsuda's desk spins around, revealing Yosuke as he clumps his feet up on to the woman's desk, a bloodthirsty grin on his face. "Well, well. You survived. Congrats"
on the one hand, throat punch. On the other hand, I wish the Senshi had some ability similar to something the Solar Exalted could do in Exalted iirc, of flaring their Anima to reveal themselves and their strength as Solar Exalted.
...The Senshi do have something not dissimilar to that. I mean, blaring their Planetary Crests is a thing that happens automatically if there is enough magic in the air, but it also shows up when they first awaken to their powers and stuff.
As the door closes behind the four, the chair behind Natsuda's desk spins around, revealing Yosuke as he clumps his feet up on to the woman's desk, a bloodthirsty grin on his face. "Well, well. You survived. Congrats"
Lunar healing burst can awaken magic in healing, right, so can we break the pathways of potential in a person as well if applied with intentional incorrectness?
...The Senshi do have something not dissimilar to that. I mean, blaring their Planetary Crests is a thing that happens automatically if there is enough magic in the air, but it also shows up when they first awaken to their powers and stuff.
