[IC] Mother, I'm Here

[Neon Knight]

The sun was hidden from Yokohama. The great city lay in night’s gentle embrace, resting for the return of the light bringer. Of course, being one of the largest cities on Earth, it was not entirely at rest. It continued to move under the light of streetlamps, the glow making the city seem like a sea of lights in the darkness. With so much light pollution, one could not really see or appreciate the delicate light of the stars. And even if one could have seen those brilliant little candles in the sky, you wouldn’t have seen what lies among their light, hanging invisibly in the void of space. The doom that hung over Yokohama was invisible to most eyes, but it was there, patiently waiting with ever building hate and strength.

Below, on the surface of the planet, numerous shapes moved in accordance to the titanic will glowering down upon the blue planet. They slipped onto the beaches from the depths of the sea, shaking off brine and clutching weeds as they moved into the alleys of the tall steel towers dominating the Minato district. The turf of parks tore itself up from the ground, revealing the crawling chaos that slumbered in it during the day, disgorging more monsters into the city. The many hiding places where the seed of doom had been planted stirred with activity, as alien forms awoke and began their nightly search. They slipped quietly and unseen, disturbing few, often mistaken for simple night animals when something or someone did catch the barest glimpse of a moving shadow. Their craft was sure, their will and discipline unfaltering as they fanned out amongst the iron nests of human kind. Their shapes were numerous and myriad, and each was shaped for a specific purpose or need. Together, they formed a shadowy army of skulkers and boogeymen; the night was theirs, and under its cloak, they pursued their evil task.

From the heights of a skyscraper, a lone figure looked down upon it with sight surerer than that of any other mortal creature upon the world. He was shrouded in black as dark as the night around him; if the night monsters could be said to own the night, then this person was the night itself. He observed the shadowy work of the monsters, knowing that their quest would be fruitless tonight. They would snatch few to none this night, and any they did manage to take would not be those they truly sought. He huffed, an expression of his impatience. He too would find no success on this night, and his watching was in futility. But to act was not only futile, but dangerous, risking himself for naught. He had to strike at an opportune moment, and although the role of the patient watcher did not come easily to him.

He shifted at his post, his body not unlike a man’s easily withstanding the night wind without bowing or shivering from its cold kiss. His spindly frame and limbs might seem a bit too thin for a human being’s, the proportions just a bit off. Definite features would have eluded any observer there, as he was too close to being a shadow to have the details of true reality. He was almost as alien as the monsters below, despite the hints of familiarity.

All at once something caught his attention, although there was no change in sight or sound around him that could be perceived. He looked upward, tilting his head back to the vault of the heavens, to the celestial expanse above the city, finding the hidden spot where the Great Doom waited. “Mother,” he said, his voice a strange mimicry of a man’s, but distorted as if by static and electronics, “We had her in our grasp once before. But she slipped away, and now has the power to protect herself. She has taken your gift and twisted it to her own ends. Your beasts will not succeed. My strength is needed.” He paused, as if listening to a reply. “Why did you give me these gifts and shape me into this form, if I was not to use them? I will find my wayward Sister. I will search from the tallest tower to the darkest depths of this sea. I will stalk the shoreline as a shadow, as you have made me, and I will return her.” There was another quiet spell. “You will not wait long. I will be swift. Endure this but a little longer, and let me finish my work.” His posture had hardened over the course of this unseen conversation, and here it finally relaxed. “Thank you, Mother.” He looked out over the city towards the horizon. “Day is not far off. I should resume my place. We will talk again soon, Mother.”

He dropped off the building, landing effortlessly and unharmed despite plummeting multiple stories, as lightly as if it was but a step on a stair, and vanished into the waning night.

___

She stood by the shore, watching the sea lick the beach with dark, glittering waves. A trail of prints marked the places in the sand where she had stepped, a straight line to the edge of the sea. A girl on the cusp of womanhood, she seemed at first glance ordinary. In terms of dress, posture, and stature, she would have fit in with any crowd of school age youths mingling at a shop after class. What marked her apart was color, or rather, lack of it. Her clothes were devoid of any hue other than a washed outside of grey, a bit like ink that had been heavily diluted by water, and her skin was likewise washed of any shade, white as unblemished parchment. Her hair, the iris of her eyes, all was bereft of any chroma.

The grey girl watched the moving water lap up almost to her shoes, darkening the sand inches from where she stood. She spoke softly, seemingly addressing no one. “Woe to you, oh Earth and sea, for the devil has sent her beasts in wrath. The time is short.” The waves lapped higher, covering her feet for an instant before receding. The waters churned as if response to her words, surging even higher on the beach on their next pass. “They will add another mark of pain upon the scarred face of this world. They will leave aching, bleeding rents upon the body of the Earth, blood in the dust and sand.” The water was now up to her knees at its highest, swamping the whole expanse of beach around her, and each wave that crashed on the shore seemed to be higher and deeper. “But I will heal these wounds, and I will erase the scars they would leave. I will heal the cuts upon the mind, until not even a memory of their crime remains. Mine are the healing waters, to wash away the pains of the body... and the mind.” With a roar, a final great wave crashed upon the beach, engulfing girl and all. When it drew back into the ocean, the beach was left pristine, blank. The sand and soil was exactly as it had been before the girl had stepped upon it. There were no footprints to mark that she had been there, nor did any of the earth show any signs of the touch of the waves. Not even a memory of the waters remained. It was as if it had never happened.

___

It was starting towards late afternoon, but there were still many students around the school. Clubs had been rather active recently, and meetings often ran late, so it wasn’t unusual for students in their read and gray uniforms to be here even though the sun was almost at the horizon. It was hot and humid, typical of Yokohama summers, the muggy air making it even more uncomfortable. Most were looking forward to heading home and relaxing, but four students had another task before they could head home.

Early this morning, each of the Children had received a visit from a Surian.Yuki had found Akai in her room (yet again; Yuki should ask Akai how she does that sometime), while Kimiko discovered Kuma sunning himself on the sill of one of the windows of her house. Tsurugi had crossed paths with Susumu on his way to school, and Kuma just caught Nashiko before she headed into the school. The Children had been told that something had happened last night; that something new had descended from the Mother to the city. They’d been engaged in nightly sorties against her creatures, destroying strange and alien things that hid during the day and roamed freely during the night. They had stopped the monsters from breaking into homes, protecting people from harm and kidnap. So far, they had been very successful, mastering their powers and learning how to work as a team.

But the Surians had maintained that what they had seen so far was just the beginning, and from their tones today, each of them knew that what had happened last night had been something the Surians had been waiting for, something expected. The Surians had told the Children to meet them at the school after clubs had dispersed, and then they would explain further and formulate a plan for tonight. It was an easy way to get everyone together in one place to talk, and it shouldn’t keep them from their other commitments for too long.

In Susumu’s case, his mother would be busy working, and his sister Misako would be busy in clubs, and she could take care of herself for the most part, anyway. Yuki’s uncle Kaito was at their place, and he could watch Miyu and Nanami while Yuki was otherwise occupied. Of course, Nanami might just go out with her friends anyway, which wasn’t really much of a comfort, considering their tendency to trespass and poke around in places they shouldn’t be in looking for weird stuff. Still, she would be occupied, and not concerned with what Yuki was doing, and Nanami would make sure Miyu got home safely before she ran off. Kimiko was in luck; her father Jun was taking her sister Kaoru to a gathering with some of his business friends. The two would probably be back later than she would, and Noriko was so focused on her work that she had let Kimiko off with less than her usual scrutiny. Nashiko only had her father to worry about, but Saburo had been doing better recently, and she normally didn’t come home till a bit later, anyway.

There was just a little while left until the appointed meeting with the Surians, and the Children had that time to arrange their thoughts and get ready for it. Supposedly, this was going to be a big step up in the battle against the Mother. Although it would be natural to be a bit uncertain and nervous, hopefully the Children can find the courage in themselves to face this. They will need it.

OOC: So, first IC post! For it, you should describe your character, describe roughly where she/he is, and give a general impression of their thoughts. You can be with other PCs, with NPCs, alone, or whatever. This is just a quick little segment to let you guys introduce and display your characters, get everyone checked in and make sure everyone is onboard, and other bookkeeping and administrative type things. After everyone has posted once we will get on with it.

[Hawker]

Morie Nashiko sighed as she exited the school's expansive building, pushing a loose strand of inky hair neatly under her long braid. Dozens of students pushed past her, but she didn't mind or quicken her pace. She rounded a corner and winked out of sight completely. "Silly children, rushing around like that," she mumbled to herself before taking off in flight.

From up above, the city's tallest buildings gleamed with iridescent beauty in the afternoon sun. She put the sun behind her and approached the pier for her daily visit, touching down behind a structure away from prying eyes before fading back into visibility. Her hair had come completely loose and hung messily down her back and shoulders, so she hastened to work it back into a braid.
The water was dark as she peered down into it; from this high she could not make out her own reflection. "Masao..." she breathed slowly; not fifteen feet from this spot on the shabby pier her brother had perished at the hands of Mother's creatures. She squeezed a tear back into her grey eye and slumped onto a bench. "Masao, I'm supposed to meet with the other Children tonight. Kuma told me--" She paused as a man walked past, and waited until he was beyond earshot before continuing. "Kuma told me so this morning. Apparently there are new creatures they want us to fight, or something. It sounds... dangerous. I've got a bad feeling about it." She shifted, crossing her legs and looking to the sky. "Father is doing better this week. He's been going out more, although it's always at night. I fear that he sleeps all day, he's never up when I leave for school. At least he's getting out of the house." She sat motionless for another several minutes, eyes closed, thinking about her brother.

When she opened them, she checked her phone for the time. "I should probably go, wouldn't want to keep the others waiting. I miss you, brother." She stood slowly and vanished again once she was sure nobody was watching. After one last glance at the spot he died, she took off and flew toward the sun back to school.

Once she arrived at the rendezvous, she sat down and rebraided her hair again. While she waited for the others, she took her books out from her backpack and started working on her Mathematics. She had already changed out of most of her school uniform and now wore a white skirt and blouse with lacy patterns and black embroidery, although she still wore her shiny black school shoes. Her long face was focused into a tight frown as she concentrated on her homework.

[OOC: Does this suffice? Let me know in the OOC thread if there's a problem, first post is always the hardest.]

[AmberVael]

It was getting towards the time for the meeting, Kimiko noticed; if she didn't want to be late, she'd better start heading that way. With a few quick button presses she saved her notes and her current place in the book she was reading, then clicked her laptop shut before sliding the slim computer into its carrying case. Kimiko never carried books with her anymore- not only was the load lighter this way, but everything was just so much more accessible and readily available. To some it might look odd, but she was sure that everyone would do it this way eventually. It was just so much simpler and less wasteful. Teachers might have problems keeping the attention of some students, but when was that ever not the case?

Carefully and slowly, Kimiko stood up from her desk in the study room, bracing a little on sturdy wooden surface before she pulled herself to her full, completely unimpressive height. She picked up her laptop case, slid the strap over her shoulder, then walked through the halls with purpose, but without great speed. A tune went through her head- some beat she'd picked up while poking around online- and she hummed it quietly, a bare hint of a smile on her face. Kuma had suggested that what they were meeting about was serious, more dangerous, but Kimiko couldn't find worry in herself. It would all work out somehow, she was sure of it.

A few girls from the literature club passed by her, and she waved at them, but didn't pause to speak. Kimiko had begged off from her clubs today, citing a need for some study on an upcoming examination. They hadn't pressed her about it- no one ever seemed to second guess her when she made those kinds of decision. She wondered if it spoiled her, but she couldn't honestly see how, it always did seem like she had good reasons. But then, one was never quite sure of when they personally stopped being reasonable, were they?

With a slight shake of her head, Kimiko pushed the concern aside just as she arrived at the meeting place. Noting that Morie was studying, she just gave her a small nod of greeting before she took a seat and waited on the others.

[Green Bean]

Susumu's progress after school wasn't hard to track. With a cheap Yamaha electric guitar in hand and a battery powered mini amp strapped to his backpack, he played his way off the school grounds and towards Yokohama's main shopping district. Despite the low quality guitar, the sounds Susumu coaxed from the instrument are sweet and clear and ring out over the traffic and the crowds. With his darker skin and frizzy hair, he stood out on the street even without the guitar, but by now he knew to take it in stride. Better to be seen than completely ignored, right? Besides, at least with the guitar the street vendors were beginning to recognize him and had stopped charging him the tourist rates.

He stopped at a little stand on the way to pick up a few rice balls to tide him over until dinner. With Mom working late and what was looking like an eventful evening ahead of him, he wanted something in his belly to hold him until dinner. He threaded his way through the afternoon crowds, and finally reached his destination, Shibuya Music. He waved to the cashier, who had seen him drop in almost every evening for years now, and dropped off his school bags in the back room before making a beeline straight to the guitar section. He picked one and, over the course of an enjoyable hour or so, carefully tuned it. His hearing had become much better since he'd gained his powers, so any instrument he handled quickly became on-pitch on a level even an electronic tuner couldn't measure.

Even caught up in his work, Susumu kept careful track of time, and set off back to school early. The streets were a little more crowded as the daily crush of salarymen started to leave work, and a few times Susumu took the long way around to avoid getting caught in the crush of people. When the crowds thinned out, he pulled out his cell phone and sent a text to Misako just to check in. It probably wasn't necessary, but ever since he'd begun the fight against Mother, Susumu was a little more on edge about his sister. By the time he got the traditional "still here, stop bugging me!" reply, he had finally reached the school grounds.

As he entered the meeting place, Susumu switched off his amp and slung his guitar back over his shoulder. His expression was serious as he nodded his greetings to his team mates.

[Lykan]

Yuki would almost assuredly be the last to arrive on the scene, for a multitude of reasons. For one, the stagecraft club had her stay late to paint some bland-looking mountainous backdrop for an upcoming production, for which the other members mysteriously managed to wriggle out of working on. It didn’t much, aside from eating a bit into her free time. She preferred to work alone on this sort of thing anyway…

Next step in the Hoshino Yuki delay-o-thon involved returning home. The trip was primarily required to grab a blouse and skirt ensemble that she had prepared earlier (she sure as hell wasn’t going to be explaining why she was wearing a boy’s uniform to the rest of the Children, after all), but she also wanted to check that Miyu had made it home safely. As much as she was willing to trust Nanami with her escort duties, it still gave the eldest sister complex in her some peace of mind to find her at home for herself. After snatching the clothes into her bag, peaking into Miyu’s room (she was there), and avoiding the prying eyes and questions of her uncle, she headed off for the next magnificent factor in her overly complicated trip.

Finding a place to change was typically an easy affair. As her forays out into the world as a girl became more frequent, she discovered a grocery store with a co-ed bathroom owned by a particularly busy and moderately senile old lady who never seemed to notice the apparent gender-swapping powers of her toilet. Using the place to change Yuki then dashed back to school, hoping that she wouldn’t be too heavily reprimanded for being late.

The thought seemed to disappear from her mind when she got there, though. There were still a fairly large amount of people meandering about the school despite the time. This was exactly why she didn’t like meeting up at the school. If there was anyone still around who could identify her, the consequences would be, well… Bad, certainly. It was probably not a good idea to think too far into the subject, lest her anxieties get the better of her again. On earlier meetings like this she had thought about asking to change the location of where they congregated, but the inevitable question of why she would want to gather somewhere else ultimately made her stay silent on the subject.

When she finally felt it was safe to sneak back in, Yuki heads up to their appointed meeting spot, muttering an apology sheepishly to the others. "Sorry. Had a thing. Ready to go now."

[Neon Knight]

The Surians had a tendency to pop up unexpectedly, so it wasn't really a surprise when Kuma suddenly walked out of a bush and lightly hopped into Kimiko's lap. With a air of pomp and decadence identical to that of a real cat, he flopped down lazily, looking up at Kimiko with a rather self-satisfied look in his yellowish-brown eyes. "Good day Kimiko, everyone." The voice they heard simply projected from the cat, without any apparent source. It was a bit odd, but you got used to it eventually. Akai trotted in just behind him, looking for all the world like any ordinary stray dog aside from the hint of a greater intellect behind her eyes. "Hello. Tsurugi should be here soon." Kuma looked a bit sly as he stretched out a bit more on his chosen bedding. "He just wants to be late so he can have something to complain about." Akai padded over to Nashiko and sniffed her lightly. "You smell like the sea. "

Tsurugi arrived swiftly as promised; he stood further apart from the group than Akai, who was sitting next to Nashiko, or Kuma, who would keep his seat in Kimiko's lap unless shooed away. The fox sits down on his haunches and begins promptly, without greeting. "Tonight is to be an important night. I have called this meeting to tell you that last night, the Mother sent down many creatures, including some new types. I have seen them myself, and have recognized members of the Mystic Breed. It represents an escalation in their search for you, and it means that soon if not this very night, they will come seeking you. But, all this arrival and movement have also revealed to me some of their nests. I am here to propose that you strike tonight against them, before they can prepare their own strike."

[AmberVael]

Kimiko was still not entirely sure why the Surians had chosen to appear as animals- surely taking human appearance would have some advantages, after all- and felt a bit uncertain about it, but when a being that looked like a cat chose to sit in your lap, it was hard not to react accordingly. So, obligingly, she pet Kuma and did not deny him his choice of seating while the Surians made their greetings. "Hello." She replied simply, the hints of a smile on her face.

She listened carefully as Tsurugi spoke, and nodded at his suggestion, but did not let that stop her from asking questions. "What exactly do you think would happen if we let them make the first move? And where are their nests?"

[Hawker]

Nashiko looked up from her homework when the Surians made their entrance, and matched Akai's gaze when she addressed her. She said nothing in reply to the dog's comment, but stared into her eyes wondering what the Surians looked like when not masquerading as dogs, cats, and foxes. It felt odd for a person to look like that, however alien their true form could be. She looked away to pack her textbook back into her satchel as Tsurugi began speaking.

Listening intently, but staring down at her feet, she pursed her lips. Was she ready to take on a nest of monsters? Nashiko was not terribly confident in her own abilities as a fighter for Earth. She always worried that, although the senior in age, she held the team back or slowed them down.

She was glad when Kimiko started asking questions, it allowed her to stop worrying and start thinking about gathering information. Knowing the consequences of what she thought would be playing it safe would help, so she looked up and waited for the Surians' reply.

[Green Bean]

Susumu, for his part, wasn't in the least concerned with how the Surians looked or why they wanted to look like adorable fuzzy little creatures. He was simply content in the knowledge that they were there to help, and excited about finally going on the offensive. "All right, we'll show Mother what we're made of! We'll kick their butts back into outer space!"

But his gung ho expression quickly lost its shine as a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Oh, but you said they're coming after us. Could our families be in danger?"

[Lykan]

Yuki waved to the animal-alien-things as they arrived, smiling a little. It was hard to say that the question of why they never took on a human guise confused her as well... It would probably be a little easier to recruit people if the prospective magical Child didn't have to deal with talking animals and possible encroaching madness on top of an evil alien spaceship aiming to wipe out all life on earth.

Susumu's comment made Yuki twinge. The idea of snarks invading her home to kidnap her sisters was primarily why she was so dedicated to smashing the mother's minions into little pieces in the first place. If her stepping forth to protect them was the ultimate reason why they might be harmed, she would never be able to forgive herself. "Show us the nests. Maybe if we prove too great a hassle for them to collect they'll lay off of us for awhile, or something."

[Neon Knight]

Tsurugi seemed ever so slightly pleased at Kimiko's question, although the precise reason as to why was enigmatic to the Children. He was rarely anything other than reserved or outright stern, it was hard to find a logic behind what met his approval. Perhaps he liked having his opinion sought out, or perhaps he thought her question intelligent and addressing the proper concerns. It was clear that he found Kimiko's conduct preferable to Susumu's gung-ho earnestness, which earned the merest glance that managed to convey annoyance despite his non-human features. The Surians had a knack for projecting human emotions and subtleties when they wanted to, despite their forms. Akai, for her part, seemed to approve both of Yuki and Susumu's response.

"If we allow them to strike first, then they will target you one by one while you are isolated, striking with overwhelming force. They will have numbers, tactics, and abilities unlike anything you have yet encountered. With Mystics at their side, they might even command powers of illusion and deception that could allow them to attempt attacks during the day." Tsurugi's eyes look sharply at them all. "The more strength the Mother gets on the surface, the more daring she will become, the more she will risk. The more she will put at risk." He looks particularly at Susumu and Yuki. "If the Mother's monsters come and find you, it could be at any time, and at any place. Fight them in their homes, and you will not have to fight in your own."

Kuma spoke up from his perch. "There are other reasons to press the attack right now. We have identified a series of locations on and just off the shore, along the rural coast beyond the city. These are likely sights for the nests, but the Mother will be looking to build more to house a force of this size and to allow for further growth. With the powerful abilities of the Mystics, she might be able to base them closer to the city, while still keeping them from being noticed by your people. In fact, they might be even harder to find. This magic stuff is difficult for us to deal with. If we strike now, we might slow their advance, and this might represent our best chance to strike against them. We might not get another chance like this."

Akai rose up stepping before all of them. "And there is a third reason. These nests are likely the largest ones she has in Japan. If she has kidnapped anyone - ordinary human, or one of her Children - they might be held prisoner here. But that might change soon, as the Mother's forces build new nests and expand their territory in wake of this new wave."

[Hawker]

"And... And you think we can take on the largest nests in the country?" Nashiko asked. She looked up and eyed Tsurugi. "Am... Are we ready? If you truly think so, then I suppose this is the best shot we have." Her eyes narrowed and traced along the other two Surians. The creatures hadn't led them astray yet, and she definitely trusted them, but this was the biggest risk they would have taken yet. She looked back down at her shiny black shoes again, just barely able to see Akai's dim reflection on her toes. She desperately wanted to be able to save anyone the monsters had taken, as her brother had saved her.

Magic was a tricky subject for Nashiko to grasp, as well; she hadn't believed in it since her early childhood when she first heard about trolls and faeries and elves from her Londoner schoolteachers. It was much easier to understand the psychic and transformative abilities she possessed as one of the Children than the magical ones of the Mystics. She wasn't sure exactly what mechanisms she used to become a ghost or turn invisible, but she was certain that they were scientifically definable in nature, not magically based.

[AmberVael]

Kimiko thought a little, considering- if they kept together and chose defensive action, they might gain advantage that way without the same risk. But then, allowing their opponents to mount the offensive was undesirable, as they were the few who really knew of them and could defend against them. The creatures could easily launch attacks against other unsuspecting targets, whether for direct gain or simply to lure them out of the defensive ground they had chosen.

Waiting was not a good option then. Removing the forces before they could do serious damage seemed to be a better plan, but direct combat was risky. What else could remove them, however? Kimiko could not think of anything, but stored the question in the back of her mind to consider. For now, Tsurugi's suggestion did seem to be a sensible course.

"How much do we know about them? If we're to do this, do we need to scout before we go in, or have you handled that already?" Kimiko asked. It was one thing to know they were there... it was quite another to know how many there were, what distribution they had, and what the priority targets were.

[Lykan]

"If they haven't, I can take a shot at it. Arondight can do a flyover of the area and try to scope out what we might be up against." Granted, it wasn't exactly the stealthiest option in Yuki's arsenal; The Court Matrix's resident dragon-thing wasn't at all adept at being covert, but he was capable of flying at very high speeds, which might be all they really needed to get a feel for any sort of future battlefield. Plus, if things got hairy he could simply be un-summoned... Or smash a crapton of alien troops. The beast seemed to enjoy that sort of thing.

"I could also send in someone smaller if you want them not to know we're coming, I guess." She fiddles a little with the straps on her bag, thinking. "Really, any one in the Court would make for the safest scout, unless those Mystic-things have a way of locking me out of using them properly."

[Neon Knight]

Akai sat up on her haunches and placed a paw on her knee. "You can do this. Don't doubt yourself." Tsurugi gave the akita a harsh look, but kept his tongue and instead answered Kimiko's question. "I have gotten close to the nests. They are a series of burrows and hollows along the coast, going underneath both the shore and just offshore. There will be many Snarks, both shelled and unshelled. as well as members of the Hearth breed. Recons might be present if they are resting, but may also be out scouting. The newly arrived Mystics will likely be present." He gazed levelly at Yuki. "Having your construct scout ahead might have some utility; it might help us spot defensive outposts and lookouts on the surface."

Kuma spoke up, stretching a bit upon Kimiko's lap. "You'll encounter species that you've fought and that we've gone over already, potentially new ones as well. You'll have to use your own initiative to decide priorities. In general, though, more advanced breeds like Mystics and Recons are higher priority targets. If that fails you, attacking anything that looks particularly dangerous or badass first isn't a bad way to go."

[Hawker]

Don't doubt yourself, Akai had said. Easier said than done, Surian... Nashiko took a breath and addressed Yuki. "I could probably scout around and inside the nests, too. I can go invisible, and walls can't stop me," she said, masking her nerves with feigned pride, though she did not change her serious frown. She did doubt even the mystics would be able to detect her presence, but if they could... Her job would be dangerous to say the least. The snarks and hearths didn't worry her too much, though; she could take them out psychically with ease, or simply escape through a solid wall if overwhelmed. "We should definitely both go, though," she added hastily, blowing her cover of put-on confidence as her face reddened. Once again, she directed her eyes downward to hide her embarrassment.

[AmberVael]

"Alright." Kimiko takes off her glasses and closes her eyes, rubbing them as she thinks. What else might be important? What potential problems could they make plans for and deal with before arriving?

"Is there anything else can we accomplish beyond just getting rid of the forces there? If we can find a way to make repeat invasions less likely, or capture some specific materiel to make this a more costly loss, we should. Is there anything you know of they might have that we could use against them now, or later?"

She takes a breath, then looks at the three Surians. "Is there anything else important we need to know or should look out for?"

[Green Bean]

Susumu was chastened by Tsurugi's unvoiced disapproval, so he keeps quiet. He didn't know much of tactics anyway, so he was content to sit and listen . He reassured himself that his family wasn't in any danger. If they attacked first, it would draw them away from targeting bystanders, right?

[Lykan]

Yuki gives her fellow magical girl a small, awkward smile. "If I were going along with Aron, I would welcome your company. Seeing as I can communicate with him remotely, though, I can't think of a good reason for us to join him."

Yuki fiddles awkwardly with the straps of her bag again, trying her best to be be polite about shooting down Nashiko's plan. "I mean, assuming the mystics don't have a way of locking me out of contact with him, he could just dematerialize in the case he would be overwhelmed. If that happened to us, though, well... We'd get imprisoned, and leave Kimiko and Su-chan to assault the nests on their own. It doesn't seem worth the risk for a simple scouting run, y'know?"

[Hawker]

"Oh... Good point." Nashiko was two years older, but Yuki seemed to know so much more about these things, somehow. She had figured that a gigantic dragon-beast would be a little too conspicuous, but she wasn't about to protest when the other girl seemed so confident. Plus, minimal risk was probably paramount, even if it meant potentially blowing the element of surprise. If there really were as many nests as the Surians claimed, they could easily just switch targets to catch Mother off guard anyway. Nashiko quickly glanced around at the others, hoping they were not looking at her, and then settled her gaze on the ground in front of Yuki so she could see her face just within her peripheral vision.

[Neon Knight]

Tsurugi considers for a moment before answering Kimiko. "We have already devised to destroy Cthonic Stones. You might find structures that they use as shelter, or plants they might grow for sustenance. Destroy those as well. If I thought you could get away with it without attracting too much attention, I would advise you to burn and raise the site to the ground. Salt the earth is the human expression, I believe."

"If you have any further questions, you may ask Akai. For now, I must begin my own preparations. At midnight, as soon as you can, you should come to the southern edge of the city, along the shore. I will find you and lead you towards the area I suspect they linger in, and then we can have Yuki's construct conduct scouting. While you are gone, Kuma and Akai will keep an eye on a city, and watch your families. You need not be concerned about their safety, so concentrate on the mission."

And like that, Tsurugi turned and stalked off, much the same as he had approached. Akai and Kuma (particularly Kuma, who appreciated Kimiko's soft lap and pets) would linger for a while, and take any small questions they had before departing themselves. Akai provided a more precise location for meeting with Tsurugi, apologizing for his terseness and lack of foresight in elaborating. But there was time yet to exchange words with one another, or to head home and indulge in family, friends, or other interests before the appointed meeting time.

___

Inevitably, that time did come, and the Children would begin to slip one by one away from their homes and into the night. Getting to the southern coast to the appointed meeting site in Kanazawa Ward, a bedroom community and regional commercial center at the southeast part of Yokohama. Tsurugi was waiting at the point Akai had indicated, right at the edge of the city where urban sprawl gave way to coastal flatlands disrupted by the occasional hill. The night was cooler than the day, and the moon was new, granting them darkness under which to work.

Tsurugi was as terse an impolite as he was before, immediately launching into a brief strategy session without bothering with a greeting.

OOC

If you want to talk to one another or do something at home, like interact with NPCs or something like that, you can do that in a separate section from your response to my prompt above about tonight, but keep it rather short. Before we proceed with the night mission proper, I'd like Lykan to tell me what she is going to tell Arondight to do so I have a better idea as to his approach and tactics when scouting, before we get into what he sees and how his foray goes.

Everyone else should just establish themselves as present and describe what they look like transformed. Hopefully, we'll get on with the events of tonight proper in just a post or two.

[AmberVael]

Kimiko is the first to arrive, approaching with confidence and energy. As the Adamant Angel, Kimiko's body was covered completely in sleek and curving armor, gleaming silver metal interwoven with glowing emerald crystal; Her helmet covers her eyes and most of her head, but her mouth is uncovered and a dare-devil smile plays across her lips. Numerous small devices hover about her, razor thin ovals set with glowing green discs that drift around her in slow circles. Each of them was a focus for her power, serving in such a variety of ways that it was impossible to tell what exactly they were and what they did.

Now that she's here, Kimiko seems impatient, though she reins herself in to listen to Tsurugi closely. Nonetheless, it's obvious that she's ready to get going, and she asks no questions this time.

[Lykan]

Yuki is there not long after, choosing to wander the city after their meeting rather than return home again. Chances are going back would just end up being a big hassle, if she had to dodge her sisters and uncle to get back to her room only to try and sneak out later once again. Soon after her arrival, she concentrates, raising her hand up to the night sky and causing her sleeve to fall away, revealing a silvery band around her wrist. Once exposed to the light of the stars, the band begins to glow, calling down a beam from the heavens that engulfs her form. When it fades, the girl is clad in a frilly, white dress, with her head, hands, and feet adorned with a brilliant silver armor. With a snap of her fingers, a staff forged from interlocking white plates appears in her hand, glowing from within with a soft blue light. With a cheery grin she waves to the others, twirling the staff about in her hand.

“Hi everyone. Sorry for any delay on my part… Although it doesn’t look like everyone’s here yet, anyway. Hopefully nothing serious is making them late.” After a few moments of quiet, she turns to Kimiko, continuing to twirl about her staff. “Hey, senpai, up for the killing counter game tonight? From the looks of things there’s gonna be lots of things to smash on this run.”

After a short talk with Akai and Kuma after their previous meeting, Yuki had managed to come up with instructions for Arondight’s future scouting mission: Fly only as low and as slow as he needed to see any structures or minions in the nest. If he were pursued by the mother's minions, see how long they would give chase before turning back and doing another sweep. Do not attack them. If things get too hairy, dematerialize and return to her. Maintain constant contact, through visuals and mental communication. Yuki will draw out maps from what she can see from Aron's imput, and present them to the rest of the group, as well as any other peculiar findings.

[Green Bean]

Susumu didn't trust himself to go home after the meeting; he didn't want to make excuses to go out after dinner to his mom in person. He was pretty good at spinning the truth, but he knew the day he looked into his mother's eyes and straight up lied to her he'd lose something important. So he texted his mom about a last minute practice session with his band (which didn't exist, but it was his go-to excuse for Children business) that would run extra late and found an out of the way park to kill some time with guitar practice. He arrived at the meeting point lost in thought, but perked right up when he saw that his comrades were already here.

As he watched Yuki transform, his face broke into a grin, and the sound of a distant guitar riff cut through the air. He slowly reached for his own Amulet, and as he did the music got louder. When he made contact, the ground seemed to rumble, and Susumu was engulfed in a harsh red glow that erupted from below. The phantom guitar got even louder, and a disembodied singer joined in.

<Lock up your daughter!>

The words weren't Japanese, but English, a harsh voice challenging the world at large. Susumu laughed jauntily as his prim and proper school top flayed away, replaced by a black sports jacked patched with a riot of colours. The sleeves and hems were frayed, but the buttons shined like gold teeth.

<Lock up your wife!>

His hair, normally frizzy and short, lengthened and puffed out, spiking up like he'd just stuck a fork in an electrical socket. It turned a deep shade of electric blue that went right down to the root. The colour clashed horribly with the red aura surrounding him, and was all the more distinctive for it.

<Lock up your backdoor, and run for your life!>

Susumu's pants changed from matte to shiny black leather, and shiny studs began appearing with a metallic groan, like they were being seared on with a branding iron. Chains erupted from the heaving earth, and wrapped themselves around his leg and waist, and drew themselves taut. When they seemed about to pull Susumu into the earth, he wrenched his lower body, and the chains snapped like cheap rubber bands. The ends attached themselves to his shoes as the music got even louder.

<The man is back in town!>

With a ostentatious crescendo, Susumu pulled an unreal-looking electric guitar from thin air, and the music and lights cut out, leaving him silent and lit with a pale glow that pulsed to some silent inner beat. It was utterly over the top, utterly absurd, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I'm ready."

[Neon Knight]

If Tsurugi felt any displeasure at their brash manners, the smiles and the banter, he did not show it. Tsurugi was usually harsh and demanding, constantly judging their attitudes and beliefs for any sign of overconfidence or weakness, but when it came time to actually fight, he usually let it be and just let them do their work.

And how changed were their attitudes. Impatience from Kimiko, bravado from Yuki, and Susumu barely had to say anything and was still the loudest and most brash of them all. They were a motley group, one might be forgiven if they could not connect these with those that had met at the school earlier this day.

Tsurugi did not have much to say, merely reinforcing what they had discussed earlier, and biding Yuki to summon Arondight to begin the scouting. Arondight was as imposing as ever when Yuki called him. He towered above all of them, easily dwarfing a heavy truck. The metal plates covering his body were visible even in the deep darkness of the moonless dark, their pearl white surfaces catching the faintest rays of artificial light from the city behind him. His form was shaped much like a typical dragon of legend, although his head was a flat, featureless teardrop made of the same armor plating his body. He stretched his wings, the kite shaped plates of those limbs unfolding out as he lofted himself easily into the air. Arondight was silent and uncommunicative as usual, not uttering a single word before promptly departing once he knew his task. A trail of blue light marked where he flew as he began his pass over the countryside.

Impressions, images, and emotions quickly began to fill Yuki's mind, as well as Arondight's terse statements. Some distance from the city, when the plain and rolling hills had firmly taken over from the urban sprawl of Yokohama, the land was alive from movement. Arondight was flying over a series of three hills, each of which supported shapes upon it that darted about in response to his flight. He could see holes and burrows upon and around them, thick growths of strange plants clustered near them, and dozens of furtive shapes moving about on the ground. This far out, and under the cover of darkness and perhaps magic, it was no surprise that no one in the city was aware of this.

While there was definitely movement in response to his pass, no winged terror took flight after him, and no alien archer attempted to loose any shot at him. They stirred beneath him, clearly agitated, but they did not directly respond to him with violence.

All this Yuki knew, and could relate to the others.

[Hawker]

Nashiko floated in after Arondight had taken flight. She had gone back to her pier, this time to mentally prepare herself rather than monologue at her dead brother, and lost track of time invisible and unable to touch the world with her eyes closed.

She slid back into the visible spectrum about 5 meters from the group, but she remained translucent. Fully transformed, she floated just off the ground, her legs and feet completely concealed in a long, gleaming white kimono that seemed to give off a slight glow rather than reflect the existing lights. Her eyes were glossed over with a silver luster, and her hair flowed free around her head, disheveled and constantly in motion. A glowing, cracked red stone hung on a silver chain at her forehead, providing the only bit of color to her blanched appearance.

She did not comment on her tardiness, or on anything else for that matter. She simply drifted into place between Susumu and Yuki. It was difficult to tell where she was looking; her head faced forward but her eyes were unreadable. Gradually the glow surrounding her subsided as she settled.

[Lykan]

A look of disappointment is plain on Yuki's face as she receives the visions from her draconic cohort, her eyes shut tight to better concentrate on the images she's seeing. "It looks like the lot of them are held up underground, and there's a whole bunch of these weird plants about. They have guys about on the surface but apparently a huge freaking dragon isn't something to panic over." She smirks a little. "... I almost feel like provoking them to see what would happen, but I'll resist giving the order unless it doesn't seem entirely stupid." She opens one eye, looking in the direction of the fox. "Aron's probably not big enough to fit down any holes, and anyone else I can bring in for help would have to penetrate a small army skittering freaks. Should I whack the proverbial hornet's nest to make them come out?"

Yuki gives a small nod and a smile to Nashiko when she arrives, looking a bit relieved now that everyone was present.

[AmberVael]

"We're going to have to enter." Kimiko observes, pulling various thoughts together as she considers the best tactic. "And Arondight's your best, from what I recall. He can probably handle himself, right? If they saw him, they probably know we- or at least something- is coming."

She weighs possibilities in her mind. "If you think he can handle it, attacking them wouldn't be a bad plan. Use him to draw their attention, then we can move in while they're distracted and do as much damage as possible before they can respond. A standard feint, but I think it could work. Since you can see what he does, we should be able to see how many forces they commit and whether they draw away to focus on us once we start."

"Any objections?" Kimiko asks, looking over everyone.

[Green Bean]

"You don't have to risk him right away. I can send my own friend here to draw them out." Susumu casually tossed his illusory guitar into the air, and it turned into a maelstrom of light and colour that resolved itself into a second Arondight, which clawed at the ground determinedly. He sticks his hand through a metal wing and wiggles his fingers. "Fake Arondight here should be able to fool Common breeds at least. Even if it doesn't work, we'll know something with a bit of brains is calling the shots."

[Lykan]

Yuki nods a little. "I can see a bit of a problem, but it hinges mainly on their ability to remember our abilities. If they know I'm capable of summoning Aron like this, they may be expecting us to pull this sort of trick. If they do, they would probably set up a trap to counteract our assault and capture us at the nest." Yuki wastes no time to stick her staff through the fake Arondight and wiggle it around, giggling a little. "Good thinkin', Shortstuff. If you're gonna send this thing in, be sure to put him on the ground. I don't think they're going for Aron because he's kinda far up in the air right now."

[Hawker]

Nashiko closed her eyes and directed her sight out of her spectral body. It was strange to see herself from the outside despite her familiarity with the sight. She just couldn't get used to her own appearance once transformed. She didn't waste time gazing, though, and sent her vision high up to chase after Arondight.

She listened to the others speak, but did not open her own mouth. In part, she had to maintain a firm hold on her thoughts to scry like this, but she also had nothing particularly important to add yet.

Nashiko is going to find Arondight with her ESP and try to get a closer look at what's below him. She'll try and peer into a few of the burrows if there are only commons or hearths by them. If she thinks her ESP is noticed she will cease immediately.

[Neon Knight]

Nashiko drifted away from herself and her friends, her sight borne by invisible currents to the hills and the silent darkness teeming upon and within it. The blue light of Arondight's flight was clearly visible in the sky above as she looked down upon the hollowed hill and the black pits that led into the depths of the earth. Furtive shapes darted to and from the tunnel entrances, and beside them hulking dome like forms stoically watched the circling dragon above. Tension was evident in the bodies of the monsters she could see. There was a sense in the air, a sensation of... fear, almost.

As Nashiko's sight entered into the tunnel, she noticed that the earth seemed freshly moved, and that there was loose soil on the floor. It was barely wide enough to allow one of the larger creatures, such as a Testudo, to pass through it. All four of the Children could walk abreast down it, albeit in a cramped fashion, and adult humans would only manage perhaps two or three abreast. The tunnel proceeded in a straight slant downward, lit along the way by strange luminescent moss along the roof of the passage, towards what looked like a central chamber. It was as she approached this that she felt that he presence was recognized, by something just within that chamber. All she could perceive of it was a blazing incandescence and a pair of eyes looking straight back at her, almost instantly aware of her where the other creatures were ignorant. It was here that she returned to her form, with her new knowledge firmly in mind.

[AmberVael]

"We know they have mystic forces down there, who are more likely to see through the illusion than the others if their attention is drawn to it. Seeing that the whole point is to draw attention, and that an illusion will make it obvious that something is up if they see it, I don't think that's a good plan." Kimiko reasons. "Arondight can't really be killed from what I understand, so risk isn't as much of a problem here, I think. At worst, it'll take some time before he can be summoned again."

"Since he's the most powerful ally you've got, Yuki, and he probably can't follow us down there, this also gets the most use out of him in this mission as possible." The girl in armor says with a nod to herself. "But we're rapidly losing vital time, since they've seen him. We need to decide on a course of action before they take the first move. Is everyone okay with committing to my course of action?" Kimiko survey them, looking for any dissent or suggestions.

[Hawker]

Nashiko opened her silvery eyes and stared. "Use the dragon as a distraction," she said without moving her mouth. It was a telepathy not unlike that of the Surians, but there was a discordant, metallic quality to this manifestation of her voice. "But only when we're ready to move in. I know exactly where to find something important. Most likely one of those mystics. It would be easier to get there if the commons are busy." Despite the tinny tembre, Nashiko's telepathic voice sounded more self-assured and deliberate than her normal speaking tone, as though she were simply thinking aloud and didn't realize anyone was listening.

[Green Bean]

Susumu shrugs. "Well, they probably figured out something was up when the giant dragon buzzed them, but if you think Arondight won't get hurt, then I trust you. If you want, though, when he attacks I can mix him in with some illusions, at least until all of us get close enough to go after that mystic."

[Lykan]

Yuki gives a short nod to Nashiko. "Give me a signal and I'll tell him to unleash hell. He's getting kinda antsy about it at this point." She taps the edge of staff to her head, trying to calm down her beast through the mental link they share. "I just hope none of the things controlling them get wise to the plan and trap us down there... Although then I can probably bring in someone else to help." She frowns. "Not someone who can dig, mind... I imagine that would probably be more helpful than extra firepower if we're cornered underground."

[Neon Knight]

The plan of battle was now set. Tsurugi offered his approval of Kimiko's suggestion with a sharp nod. "Well reckoned. Every second you delay is another you give the enemy to understand your plan, and illusions are not as useful against the foes we are seeking today."

Once a consensus had been reached it would be a trivial matter for Yuki to unleash Arondight upon the waiting monsters. The dragon was indeed eager to attack, and when Yuki finally gave him the signal, he descended to earth like a shooting star hurtling from the jeweled vault of the heavens. In his landing he crushed a scurrying Snark into dust, unleashing a metallic, almost tinny sounding roar as a challenge to the monsters near the hill.

The monsters responded by surging in kind, converging upon mighty Arondight in a wave of glinting claws. Dark shapes whirred through the night as Testudos shot clublike projectiles against him, and Snarks formed into small packs to try and leap upon him.

Through his mental link with her, Yuki could monitor Arondight's progress and accurately assess the danger posed to him. While there was a lot of incoming fire and many enemies, many of them were too weak to harm Arondight on their own. He could shrug off many of their blows without harm, the Snarks in particular needing to team up to have a reasonable chance to hurt him. A Testudo or two would not overly threaten him, but there were several positioned near the various entrances honeycombing the hills, and numerous Snarks besides. Arondight could hold out for now and claim many monsters, but over the long term he might become worn down or get unlucky. Currently, he seemed to be immediately threatened by only 10 or so Snarks in 2 groups, and a Testudo or two, but more were headed towards him from other parts of the hill.

They seemed to be abandoning guarding the entrances in favor of dog-piling onto Arondight. The entrance Nashiko had sent her sight down was one of those left unguarded. There also seemed to be one on the opposite side of the hill that was left untended as the Testudo there scooted off to have a go at Arondight.

The resistance Yuki was seeing from Arondight's eyes was somewhat light, considering they were supposed to be attacking a major enemy nest. The numerous Testudos were expected, as were hordes of Snarks, but they were all very plain. Arondight did not see any Recon or Mystic Breeds, nor did there seem to be any sign of their influence upon the Plain and Hearth breeds around him. Did they all lurk below, as perhaps indicated by Nashiko's sight, or was there some other explanation?

The ball was now in their court. The Plain and Hearth defenders had been sufficiently disrupted by Arondight's challenge, so that they could attempt to descend into the interior of the nest.

[Lykan]

With Arondight's roar echoing in the distance, Yuki gives the others a wide grin. "There's our distraction. Lets go." She twirls her staff once again and brings it to bear, giving a nod to Nashiko. "If you'd like to lead the way, senpai, we'll be right behind you. I'll be sure to beat the crap out of anything that gets too close." Her staff flares with bluish lighting, as if to reinforce her statement.

Through her link with Arondight, Yuki giggles a little at his enthusiasm. You're almost acting like you never get to do this sort of thing anymore. Do I need to go scouting with you more often? After a moment of assessing the battlefield, she speaks again to the dragon in a much more formal tone. Be sure to take out the testudos before anything else. They're the only things at this point that actually have a chance at getting through your armor... I imagine this is a good time to blast the lot of them with lighting. That way you can get rid of some of the snarks in the process.

[Hawker]

Nashiko's wild hair rippled, her body faintly glowed, and she rapidly ascended. She turned her head around, as if to make sure the others were following, and she flew toward the nest in arcs and spirals, her long kimono trailing like a streamer.
Once they were close enough to see the tunnel entrances, Nashiko slowed to a stop. "That's the one, right there," she said telepathically, pointing. "Looks safe, let's go." She started toward it and winked out of sight halfway there. "Keep coming, I'm still ahead. I'd just rather see them before they see us, as long as we're going into a tunnel." She was anxious that whatever had detected her ESP would expect an attack, but something about being simultaneously invisible and incorporeal kept Nashiko calm.

[AmberVael]

"I agree, it's good to know what's coming. I'll be right behind you. Everyone else, after me." Kimiko ran to the indicated tunnel, her armor glowing faintly as she readied herself for battle. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that until much later, but it paid to be prepared. She kept her eyes open, looking out for anything that Nashiko might have missed.

[Green Bean]

Susumu obligingly followed behind Kimiko, and kept his eyes and ears open for any of Mother's minions that could be lurking below. He didn't really need to see the way his hearing was, but the soft light coming from Yuki and Kimiko certainly made him feel a bit better about crawling into a metaphorical and possibly literal hornet's nest.

[Neon Knight]

Nashiko led the way, her intangible presence the vanguard of the Children as they entered into the nest of the Mother's monsters. Arondight continued his fight against the Mother's creatures on the surface.

Taking Yuki's suggestion to heart, Arondight's pear white skin rippled with energy, arcing streams of power jumping from the joints in the plates, before unleashing it in a cluster of spherical projectiles. It blanketed one of the gathering mobs of snarks, blasting them with a sound like thunder and a flash of light. As smoking and jerking Snarks fell to the ground, leaving only a few dazed survivors standing, Arondight looked over towards where his master and her allies where descending into darkness. Through their link, Yuki felt anxiety and concern from him. As much as he enjoyed battle, it did seem there was at least one thing higher in his mind. He was maybe a bit too proud to state it directly, but it was apparent he was not entirely at ease with being separated from Yuki and unable to come to her aid. Yuki could feel him urging her caution, even as the ring of monsters tightened around him.

The tunnel was just as she had seen before; rough hewn, walls weakly packed, loose dirt underfoot. There was that same strange light on the roof, leading to the central chamber below, the path a slope leading downward. This time, there was nothing visible just within the chamber, but a voice called as Kimiko entered the tunnel.

"We would have words, Children of our Blessed Mother, words before blows, if you would grant this humble shell the time to speak them." The voice was clearly inhuman, ringing up to reach the ears of Susumu and Yuki who were behind Kimiko. It had a susurrant quality, almost a hushed tone to it, but there was an aural quality to it that betrayed the fact that it was not made by a human tongue. This was something just felt, but almost ineffable. There was no clear way to describe it, not without cheapening how it made the skin instinctively crawl. "Though we quarrel, we are still family, and if you cannot speak to your family, what does one have left?"

[Lykan]

Don't worry, Aron. We'll be fine. I'll call someone to help if things get hectic... You have your fun up here. Be sure to stay safe. Yuki eyes their destination warily as the group approaches the tunnel. "I can't tell if the tunnels are crappily made because they were dug fast or because they intend to collapse the place on us... I don't suppose anyone has a wa-" The magical girl is interrupted mid-sentence after she sets foot in the tunnel, the alien voice cutting her off. She huffs after they finish, making a face. "If we're family, I'm pretty sure these guys collectively represent that one cousin you have that never leaves the house and looks at lewd anime fanart of little girls."

[Green Bean]

"What do you want!?" Susumu wasn't the kind of person to strike first, but the crack about families brought up all sorts of unpleasant associations that put him on edge. Irritating as it was, he concentrated on the voice of the...whatever it was, and tried to find it in the gloom.

If Susumu can pinpoint the voice's origin with his Accurate Hearing, he'll start Aiming.

[AmberVael]

"Speak quickly then, because once I reach you, you're going down." Kimiko replied, hurrying down the tunnel. The visor of her armor glowed as she attempted to make out what was ahead of them. "Family or not, you're my enemy."

[Hawker]

Nashiko remained silent and unseen; she did not even need to make the sounds of drawing breath or brushing through the air around her. She was glad, though, that nobody could see her falter, struck that perhaps in a way they could talk more freely with Mother's abominations than their actual families, certainly about the most important aspect of their lives. She pushed the thought out of her mind and focused on trying to locate the mind behind the voice. She had seen something that resembled a being, and it definitely had a mind, though earlier what she had felt was more of a presence. If she could only see it again, she could try to figure out just how much of a mind it had...

[Neon Knight]

Arondight continued his battle on the surface, and suffered his first injury when some of the surviving Snarks closed and struck with an unusual viciousness at his silver hide. As the monsters drew back from his sweeping claws seeking vengeance, a black oily substance could be seen leaking from their joints, leaving slick trails in the grass. Stray shots from distant Testudos were beginning to fall near him, and more of that slow moving type were closing for melee. One Testudo had also fallen to the earlier lighting attack and was a small smoking rise on the side of the hill.

While Arondight fought on outside, the Children found themselves entering the chamber before them. It was nearly a perfect half-sphere of open air in the earth, with several tunnels leading to and from it. There were four, each corresponding to a cardinal direction, with the Children entering from the south. What was curious was the ceiling; it was heavily marked as if by claws, and solid and well-packed whereas all the other earth around them seemed loose and apt to crumble. As they looked upon the markings, the Children would find they could instinctively understand the symbolism contained within them, and the purposeful intent of the hands that had made them.

It was a map. A map of Yokohama. They could see how the plan of the city was laid out, how important locations were prominently displayed. And by some unknown means, they could automatically understand it. The map had sinister implications that they might be quick to realize. The Mother's monsters had a sort of hive mind. They could communicate with each other in fantastical ways. They did not need physical artifacts like maps to convey directions and locations to one another. So that meant that the monsters had needed to communicate with something that was not like them, something that had a humanlike mind, give how the map seemed to somehow have the ability to instantly make itself understood to them. So what - or who - was this map drawn for, and why?

The voice spoke again, seeming to drift up from all of the tunnel entrances around them. "We do not need to fight. You simply do not understand the great honor and privilege you have been given, the opportunity. You do not understand the depth of your Mother's love. If you come with us and meet our Mother, just once, I am sure it will all become clear to you."

Kimiko
Kimiko notices that a shape is clinging to the roof of the eastern tunnel, just behind where it merges with the sphere. The figure is barely visible, but it is clearly a monster of some sort, and Concealed with some sort of powerful camouflage causing it to appear the color of the material around it.

Susumu
Susumu's hearing is far more powerful and useful that most people's. He's able to detect that the voice, although it seems like it is coming from every entrance, actually originates from the North tunnel entrance. It is likely their enemy is employing some kind of illusion.

He also hears a light scraping coming from the eastern tunnel entrance, although he cannot see anything.

[Green Bean]

"If 'Mother' really doesn't understand why we're fighting her, she's not capable of love." Susumu's voice was flinty as he recalled Tsurugi's descriptions of what Mother had done on other worlds.

He had pinpointed the location of the voice, despite its concealment, but his friends didn't have his hearing, and besides, who knew what else this place could hold? Mentally, he tried to grab hold of the unnatural pieces of sound and darkness, and disperse them.

On the off chance that the enemy's illusion has similar enough descriptors to Susumu's Illusion power, he'll attempt to counter it.

Counter Roll: [roll0]

[AmberVael]

Kimiko paused after she entered the room and looked around slowly, extending an arm to encourage the others not to stray beyond her current position. She whispered as quietly as she could to them, trying to keep her voice from carrying beyond their group.

"There's something on the ceiling of the east tunnel." She informed them. "A monster of some kind."

[Hawker]

"I'll investigate." Nashiko's telepathic voice was hushed to match Kimiko's whisper, as if it mattered; she was only thinking to the humans. She quickly flew over to the eastern tunnel, hugging the rough wall and ready to slip into it if the monster could somehow see her. "Hopefully I can get as close as I want," she thought at the group. It was tough to see in the dim moss-light, and the loose, crumbly texture of the walls made strange shadows, but Nashiko peered around nonetheless.

[Lykan]

Aron, get up into the air. Don't let the snappers get too close. Take out the things that can actually reach you before you get back to your fun, okay? I don't want you getting too hurt. Yuki stares up at the map, her lips twinged in concern. "... That's Yokohama, right? If the monsters can all communicate with each other whenever the like, they wouldn't need a map..." An idea occurs to her, and she turns back to the others, a serious look on her face. "... I think there might be dark children down here."

[Neon Knight]

Arondight took to the skies again, leaving the majority of the Mother's monsters to futilely claw up at the sky. Of course, Arondight could not do much from the sky himself, at least not until he got his flight steadied. Then he could rain down Ion Flares upon the field until it was safer. A few of his foes unleashed their ranged attacks, but the volume of fire was less than the number of attacks he would have suffered on the ground, and he emerged from the hail unharmed.

Meanwhile, down below, Susumu found his attempts to dismantle the enemy's illusion unsuccessful. He tried to focus his power against them, but his own attempts were shattered by the alien power behind the phantasms, which crushed his work in a flawless counter surge of power. The illusions continued unabated, his allies unaware of the true source of the sound.

For a second, Nashiko could see nothing. Kimiko, with the power of her visor, saw the monster remain still as Nashiko approached, and it was not until the ghostly magical girl got very close (while being unaware of this fact) that the monster reacted, a twist in something like it's neck to look towards her. With a hiss it suddenly became visible, taking the natural colors of its form, a glossy brown and black that caught and reflect the light.

It was a strange thing, seemingly made of roots twisted and woven together like bits of straw, covered in slimy green moss and branching twigs. Two baleful eyes glared out from a structure like the snout of some long face animal, and it dropped down lightly to the ground, landing on four clawed "legs" made of shifting roots that knotted and shifted before their eyes. Vines twisted out from the weave of the body, their ends looking a bit like gnarled, malformed hands, tipped in sharp thorns. They were a shifting multitude, appearing from the back, legs, and barrel like torso.

With a crack like a whip, the numerous vine like hands stiffly snapped out and clawed the tunnel, rending huge handfuls of dirt from the walls and ceiling. The divots it left in the soil matched the character of the "natural" walls, perhaps hinting at their author.

"You will learn, Children... one way or another."

The monster took a step towards them.

OOC:
Because of Kimiko's warning, none of you are surprised, and can roll Init and act normally. The monster is just within the mouth of the east tunnel. Nashiko is inside the wall of the eastern tunnel near it. Everyone else is in the middle of the center chamber, and close enough to reach the monster with a move action.

The Monster rolled an Init of 16. It is unlike anything you have seen before or anything that has been described to you before, although the stealth ability (and some kind of detection that can see Nashiko when intangible/invisible) seems to hint at some sort of recon type, perhaps.

[Hawker]

Startled by the sudden movement of the creature, Nashiko forced herself to spring back out of the tunnel's dirt wall and back into visibility, since it could apparently detect her anyway. This is exactly what you wanted, she thought to herself as she flew back to join the others. You can see it now, stop wasting your energy hiding. Don't be afraid of the claws, they can't even touch you. She focused on the creature. As there was only one foe, possession wasn't the right move, so she watched it and tried to pry into its surface thoughts. If she could get into its head, maybe she could learn something, one way or another...

Depending on what she learns (if anything), Nashiko might want to say something especially if it's something about how the creature will attack. Also, after her move, to whom is she adjacent?

[Lykan]

Yuki whirls around to face the snapping sound of the creature detaching itself from the wall, gripping her staff with anticipation. Her pluck weakens a little when she sees the unfamiliar creature before them, causing her to shoot an unideaed look to her comrades before facing their opponent again. Gritting her teeth, she resumes her offensive stance. This wasn't the time to be thrown off. They needed to observe how this thing fought carefully so they could report it back to the Surians later... So it was probably important to see how the thing reacted to raw energy. Yuki's staff gleamed with blue light as she pointed it at the creature.

"Learn this."

An eruption of multicolored fire, gas, and lighting blasted from the tip of the magical girl's staff toward the creature, threatening to scorch it into ash.

Autofire Attack 1d20+8 = 18
(http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14273562&postcount=5)Toughness Save DC 18

[Neon Knight]

Nashiko touched briefly with the creature's mind, a simple and small thing. Like a small stone she could hold within her hand, she could easily grasp the being's mind and the thoughts going through it. She saw a mental picture of the hallway they were in right now, and an impression of time passing as absolutely nothing changed, and an impression that this image was ideal to be lived up to.

She learned two things: first, it just wanted to throw them out. It didn't actually have any instructions to capture or hurt them. It just intended to physically and directly keep them out of the tunnel. Second, it couldn't see her right now. Whatever sense it had used to detect her earlier could only do so from very close range.

Nashiko would end up next to Yuki, who was presumably in the front to launch her attack. If not, Kimiko would be the most forward.

Yuki unleashed a kaleidoscopic sphere of elemental fury upon the baleful beast, which opened its jaws in a defiant cry, the long, skull like face tossing even as annihilation barreled down upon it. Many a monster of the Mother had been destroyed by the power of Yuki's weapon, the Staff of Sothis.

This beast, however, proved to be quicker than most, and shifted aside, easily avoiding the Stellar Flare. It's retribution was swift; numerous roots and vines whipped out form its body, lashing out at their legs, trying to knock them off their feet. Susumu and Kimiko easily avoid the numerous assailants, but a root got around Yuki's ankle and pulled her off her feet. She landed heavily on her side, and the root lifted her up into the air before throwing Yuki through the air at Kimiko with a contemptuous flick.

Yuki struck Kimiko fairly hard. Luckily, Kimiko largely broke Yuki's fall, preventing the girl from taking any harm herself. Unfortunately, Kimiko suffered a bit herself. Underneath her armor, she could feel her side ache where a nice bruise was probably developing. Yuki tumbled to the ground in front of her, landing in a rather undignified manner.

OOC: Yuki is prone at Kimiko's feet.

Kimiko receives a bruise.

Everyone is still inside the chamber, while the monster is still within the tunnel, outside of reach (aside from ranged powers or extended reach melee powers.)

Initiative Order:
Nashiko
Yuki
Monster
Susumu
Kimiko

[AmberVael]

Kimiko winced as Yuki slammed into her but stood firm, braced by her armor. With a deft motion and the assistance of her armor's telekinetic powers, Kimiko caught the other magical girl and used her own steadier position to keep Yuki from slipping to the ground. As she helped Yuki regain her balance, the oval discs that orbited around her armor came to an abrupt halt, then shot at the beast on the ceiling. The small metal devices revolved as they flew through the air and two projected blades of green energy to slash at their target from multiple angles, while the other pair hung back a short ways.

As a move action, Kimiko catches Yuki and steadies her so she doesn't fall prone.

As a standard action, Kimiko activates her Ring of Blades power.
Attack Roll: 10 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14280900&postcount=8)

I'm assuming that doesn't hit. Since it is a homing attack, however, she gets to reroll for it on her next action.

[Green Bean]

Susumu launched himself off the ground, pulling a black double-necked guitar out of the air. It steamed in the dim, a red glow casting strange, otherworldly shadows. He raised his arm above his head, and for an instant there was complete silence. Then like the hammer of a god, his hand fell, and unleashed a blistering fortissimo blast of music.

"Let me hear you scream!" Susumu shaped the sound around him, focusing and shaping it so that it converged on the monster. To anyone not in the focal point, it sounded like a gritty guitar riff. To anyone within it, it sounded like nothing at all, because it was enough sonic force to knock a hole in a steel bulkhead.

[Neon Knight]

The beast shrinks back, clinging to the side and ceiling of the wall and avoiding the attacks of Kimiko's drones quite easily. The horse faced skull of the thing snapped in the direction of the drones, angered by their attempts to harm it.

Susumu, on the other hand, found the beast easy pickings. The blast of sonic fury raced down the tunnel, tearing apart the vines that made up the thing and spilling a black, oily like substance on the floor of the tunnel. Loose particles of dart reigned down as the beast glared balefully out of the tunnel at them.

OOC


Kimiko misses.

Susumu hits and inflicts 1 injury.

It is now Nashiko and Yuki's turn. Yuki is not prone, because Kimiko spent an action picking her up.

Initiative Order:
>Nashiko
>Yuki
Monster
Susumu
Kimiko

[Lykan]

Yuki blushes a little when Kimiko lifts her back to her feet, looking rather embarrassed for being turned into a human projectile. "Th-thanks..." Taking a step forward, the starlight princess disappears into a whirling mass of blue and purple light, appearing a moment later behind the creature assaulting them. She remains just long enough to hammer the beast's side with her staff before teleporting a bit more down the tunnel behind it.


Teleporting to beasty, attacking, and then 20 ft. behind down the tunnel.

Piercing Attack 1d20+8 = 13
Toughness Save DC 18

Sheesh, she's not hitting anything today.

[Hawker]

Nashiko sidled up next to Kimiko and grimaced. This fight was going to get pretty messy, and fast. She had to do some probing, and quick, before she absolutely needed to help out with the fight. She once again focused on the beast's mind's eye, and this time commanded a question of it. "Who is this map for?" She lifted off the ground slightly, but stayed within arm's reach of the armored girl, ready to interpose should the beast attack her.

Interpose as the feat. The feat description says nothing about needing to be corporeal to use it, is that okay by you?

Mind Reading: 19 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14294836&postcount=12)

[Neon Knight]

Outside, Arondight continued to trade volleys with the ranged monsters on the surface. Arondight scorched a few more beasts and took a wound in return.

___

Nashiko found herself rebuffed sternly when she attempted to look into the thing's mind. Perhaps the beast was now on guard because of her earlier attempt. It twisted its head this way and that, maybe trying to find out where the mental touches upon its mind were coming from.

But that concern ended when Yuki appeared behind it.

The beast easily sidestepped the strike, but seemed to be enraged by Yuki's presence in the tunnel. Nashiko remembered that when she had looked into the thing's mind, it had been concerned with the preservation of the tunnel. By appearing behind it and heading deeper down the passageway, Yuki had made herself a bigger threat to the creature's mission.

With a howl, jaws flying so wide it seemed they must break, the beast charged towards Yuki. Tendrils dug into the walls and veiling even as the main legs churned up the ground beneath it. Flailing limbs gouged huge divots in the loose surface of the tunnels.

It stopped just short of her, looming large above her, limbs blocking the passage way towards her friends. From the widely splayed jaws came a sudden rushing of air, and suddenly, Yuki couldn't breath. By some fell power, the best was draining the air from around her, pulling it out of her mouth and even drawing it up from her lungs. Thinking quickly, she shut her mouth and held her breath, but she had precious little air to work with and no way to get anymore while the beast worked its horror.

Behind her, the tunnel stretches on for another 20ft before taking a turn that Yuki cannot see around.

OOC

Yuki takes a –1 penalty on attack rolls, Defense, and Reflex saves, can only take a standard or move action each round (not both), and moves at half normal speed.

It is now Kimiko and Susumu's turn. The beast and Yuki are now further down the tunnel, roughly 20 ft. Kimiko still gets to roll her homing attack.

[AmberVael]

As the beast turned its back to her, Kimiko took the opportunity presented to her. The two blades that missed before spun around in the air, seeking its target a second time, while Kimiko directed the second pair to come in from a different angle. Humming green energy lit up the tunnel as Kimiko focused her attack on the monster, hoping she might disrupt whatever strange power it had turned on Yuki.

Kimiko first closes in enough that her extended reach attack can hit the monster.

Then, the first attack that missed uses its homing to reroll, and gets an 18 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14296374&postcount=15)!

Then Kimiko attacks a second time, and gets a 23 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14296374&postcount=15).

Both attacks are DC 18 and autofire, adding +1 DC for every 2 points of defense exceeded by the attack roll.

[Green Bean]

Susumu's guitar squeals, but there's an edge of panic to the sound. The creature blocked his view of Yuki; who knew what it was doing to her? Another thunderous blast of music rocks the the cavern, a little wilder than last time.

[Neon Knight]

Kimiko's drones went to work, but success eluded either set of them. One pair came close, benefiting from the other pair distracting the beast, but the alien and unholy vigor and vitality of the monster's frame proved better than the slicing green energy. Susumu shook the ceiling, raised the roof and brought it raining down in rivulets of dust and dirt, but it did not harm the beast.

Yuki was running out of time. Soon, she would pass out. She had but a brief opportunity to act, and then she would be in dire straits indeed. Nashiko also had a chance to act, and hopefully correct the course of this fight before it headed even deeper into darkness for them.

OOC

It is now Nashiko, then Yuki's turn.

Yuki takes a –1 penalty on attack rolls, Defense, and Reflex saves, can only take a standard or move action each round (not both), and moves at half normal speed.

Yuki rolled a 1 on her CON check not to pass out due to the Monster's suffocation power. If she spends a Hero Point on a re-roll, she will pass the check on any result and get at least another round before she falls unconscious. Otherwise, she'll be taking a bit of a nap.

[Hawker]

Nashiko was distraught. Yuki was in big trouble, and, being a ghost, Nashiko wouldn't be able to pry the creature loose from the wall; it looked like her psychic abilities would be her only option. She flew straight through it and into the vaccuum, hovering (visibly) between the monster and Yuki. If only the creature hadn't blocked her out, she could possess it right away, or blast it psychically, but she had to start from scratch and try to establish contact once again. she closed her eyes, and her lip trembled slightly as she reached out once more to the creature's mind.

Mind Reading: 16 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14299828&postcount=19)
Mental Grapple: 16 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14299828&postcount=19)

[Lykan]

Yuki flinches at the sound of the rushing air, preparing more for some sort of breath weapon than the creature's true method of attack. She braces against a wall as the air is siphoned from the tunnel around her, trying her best to avoid succumbing to suffocation. As blackness closes around her vision, she unceremoniously falls into another whirling mass of light, transported to a place out of sight of both her comrades and the creature.

Appearing 10 ft. beyond the corner of the tunnel, hopefully long enough away to break line-of-sight with the creature and not so far into the tunnel that whatever is nestled there might, like... Eat her. Before she can skeedadle again, at least.

[Neon Knight]

Nashiko finds that her mind cannot breach the creature's defenses. Stoically and balefully the creature continues to steal life from the air, intent on ending Yuki and her infringement on the successful completion of his task. With her mental efforts rebuffed, Nashiko was unable to aid Yuki.

Luckily, Yuki could help herself, and in a flash of light, she teleported around the corner, out of the deadly reach of the vortex draining away her air. She could now gasp for breath in relative safety, alone in a dark tunnel.

From around her, a soft, hissing whisper of a voice spoke. "A strange lesson you seek tot each me, child. From my view, it seems as if your instruction could use some work."

Yuki sees the tunnel stretch some distance onwards, sloping down towards some shining source of illumination.
___

Meanwhile, the monster turned and advanced back towards Susumu and Kimiko. Covering the distance with digging strides, it lashed out at Susumu with a claw, seeking to end his mighty music. The boy dodged the attack, swiftly stepping aside.

OOC


Initiative Order:
Nashiko
Yuki
Monster
>Susumu
>Kimiko

[AmberVael]

Kimiko's hand clenched at the mockery, and their continuing difficulty in the fight. She could do better than this- should do better than this. Her drones spun back around as they missed and came at the beast from all sides, while Kimiko herself charged in and swept her arm at the monster in an arc, her armor projecting a blade to match the ones borne by her drones.

Kimiko uses Ring of Blades again. She spent her hero point rerolling the attack so as not to miss terribly again.

Attack Roll 25. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14327616&postcount=23)
Autofire yada yada.

[Green Bean]

Susumu's music faltered as he sidestepped the creature's seeking claw. He tries not to think about why there's no sign of Yuki now as he redoubled his sonic assault on the monster.

[Neon Knight]

Kimiko struck with the vigor and determination of a true hero, but such virtues unfortunately did not decide battles. Cruel fate once again denied her as the energy of her blade found its power matched in the unholy vitality of the foul thing of the tunnels. She was pushed back, and the monster bellowed at her defiantly.

Perhaps it should have refrained from such posturing, as Susumu then punished the beast with another furious chord of power. The vines of its body tore and ripped underneath the wave of sound, and the beast smoldered and sparked, so hot were the licks Susumu slammed it with.

OOC


The monster takes 2x injuries.

Initiative Order:
>Nashiko
>Yuki
Monster
Susumu
Kimiko

[Lykan]

Yuki does her best to catch her breath, glowering at the sound of the mocking voice. When her breathing gets back to normal, she spins her staff and strikes the wall, creating a wormhole on the surface before her. "Lesson's just getting started, twit." She leaps through her portal, momentarily appearing behind their bestial opponent to clock it with her staff before appearing by her comrades once again. "Pro tip: that thing doesn't like when people go behind it."


More Kugelblitz!

Piecing Attack: [roll0]
Damage DC 18

[Hawker]

Directing her mind somewhere less futile, Nashiko reached out telepathically to Yuki. "Are you going to be okay? I tried, but... I'm sorry." She flew back to the others and haunted an arm's reach from Kimiko, who seemed to be having trouble. "Let me help you," she projected into Kimiko's head along with possible insights into the creature's weak spots from her up-close viewing. She also remained ready to swap places with Kimiko should the girl get attacked.

Aid Another failed, so she's just ready to Interpose. No +5 for Kimiko, sorry...

[Neon Knight]

Yuki's blow came as quite a surprise to the monster, and had an impressive effect. It was surely gratifying after her earlier difficulties to watch as the beast smashed into the side of the wall, caught off guard by her sudden appearance and swift strike. The staff had caught it on the side of the head, and as the beast tried to regain its feet, they could see that it was unsteady and weak.

The beast's claw hands reformed and it began ripping its way down the tunnel, away from them, making it to the bend where the tunnel turned to the right. It was still capable of being targeted by ranged fire or by any attack with reach, provided they moved up a little.

OOC

The beast gains another injury, and is staggered.

Initiative Order:
Nashiko
Yuki
Monster
>Susumu
>Kimiko

[AmberVael]

Kimiko's mind raced. Strategies and possibilities hurried through her mind, until finally she reached a few conclusions: There was likely another way to get into the place the monster guard. It was all too possible that if they let it go, it, or some other monster, would return to hound them from behind. Lastly, they were here to damage this place.

"Get back." She told the others as she stepped forward.

She took a steady, braced stance as her blades returned to her and clipped back onto her armor. Their emerald glow spread down the patterns along her armor as she flexed her hands, letting the monster get a little further as she prepared herself. Then she flung her arms forward and up, and viridian energy spread out from her hands and took hold of the ceiling.

Curving arcs of light flickered out of her armor like electricity from an overworked machine as Kimiko pulled down with all her might, attempting to bring the entire tunnel down on the monster that taunted them.

Kimiko uses Invisible Forces in an attempt to break the ceiling! Hopefully over the monster and not her and her allies. She's going to be using a full round action to use the Breaking Objects rules (page 167), which means no rolls are involved. Her damage bonus is +8 for this purpose. From the description, I assume the tunnel is poorly reinforced or simply packed dirt, which means her damage bonus is probably good enough to start it crumbling down.

[Green Bean]

"No escape for you!" Susumu flew back into range of the creature, and hit the mother of all power chords in a wild, uncontrolled rush.

[Neon Knight]

Susumu's cacophony of discord smashed into the roof and walls, too unfocused to harm the monster but shaking loose packed earth from the earth surrounding them. Already weakened by this and other such misses, the tunnel collapsed as Kimiko tore it down, her suit easily providing the strength to bring the roof crashing down upon the beast.

It vanished in a wash of surging earth and smashing rock, with a final cry that echoed into the chamber. When the dust settled, the east tunnel was almost completely filled. There was no sign of the monster, or of any life or sound.

[Lykan]

With the tunnel brought down on the beast, Yuki leans on her staff and continues trying to catch her breath, letting out a laugh. "Congratulations, you passed the test on 'dieing horribly' with flying colors. I'm sure your mother is proud."

With her breathing returned to normal, she gives a wide grin to Nashiko. "I'm fine. Just a little out of breath..." Looking back to the collapsed tunnel, her eyes narrow. "I think I would be better knowing that that thing was really dead. Can you check? I mean, you can do the ghosty thing, after all... It might also be a good idea to see how far down the tunnel we're going to need to teleport, too." Looking to the rest of the group, she shrugs. "Assuming that's where we all want to head, I mean. The guy was probably trying so hard to guard it for a reason, but it could just be misdirection on its part."

While all of this is going on, Yuki checks in on Arondight. - How are you holding up? -

[AmberVael]

"It might be the most tactical route to go down as well." Kimiko observed. "The monsters are unlikely to be able to pass through a solid barrier with the same ease that we can. We can use that to our advantage if we need to retreat or make a fast exit."

[Neon Knight]

Up topside, Arondight ceased his clawing at the earth. He had not taken Yuki's plight well, but in landing he had occurred no risk to himself. The field above was littered with burning husks; since Arondight could attack all his foes at once, his enemies had no real advantage in numbers. He had simply flown above their reach and rained down destruction until the enemy was either broken or fleeing.

[Hawker]

"I don't know," Nashiko thought for the whole room to hear, "I can only check its head if I can see it, and there won't be enough light under the rubble." She floated around the mess and to the blocked eastern tunnel. "Good thinking, Kimiko. I hope that took care of it." Her composure fell as she floated through the dirt and stone to the east, where the others could not see her. She hadn't been much help in the fight; in fact, she had done absolutely nothing to aid in the beast's demise. Am I really cut out for this? Nashiko bit her lip and forced her despair to morph into a neutral expression before poking her head back through and providing Yuki with her best estimate for how deep the rubble ran.

[Neon Knight]

The rubble ran to about the point where the tunnel bent into that turn that Yuki had hid around to escape the beast's air stealing maw. At the very end, Nashiko could see the head and a limb of the monster's sticking out from the rubble, still and lifeless.

[Green Bean]

After his attack helped destroy part of the tunnel, Susumu floated gently down to earth. "I, uh, meant to do that."

"It doesn't look like there's anything else around here, so going further sounds like a good idea - even if it was misdirection, we'll probably be closer to whatever it is they're hiding."

[AmberVael]

"You totally didn't." Kimiko contradicted Susumu, a grin on her face. "But I did. Thanks for the help. Here, give me your hand."

Kimiko offered a hand to Susumu- and the moment he took it, the tunnel around them seemed to warp and twist, distorted by Kimiko's power. When stable reality reasserted itself, they'd find themselves on the opposite side of the collapsed tunnel.

Kimiko will use her Spatial Waltz power to pass through the blockage. Kimiko can teleport up to 300ft and carry 300lbs, so I think that should be sufficient. It doesn't sound all that far away, and I really doubt Susumu is that heavy. :smalltongue:

[Lykan]

- If you're done topside, I'm going to bring in someone else down here in case things get messy. - There's a brief pause in Yuki's mental message before she speaks again. - You did well today, Aron. Thank you. -

Yuki teleports in after Susumu and Kimiko, brushing some of the dirt off her dress. "Let's get moving. Aron doesn't appear to have anyone else to play with back on the surface, so I imagine any of the things that he didn't destroy are down here with us now."

[Neon Knight]

Yuki could practically hear Arondight's pleased rumble, and the dragon dipped his head in the likeness of a bow (or at least, Yuki got the impression that he did.) He was pleased at the praise, but even more pleased that Yuki was summoning something that could protect her directly (although he probably wouldn't admit it.) His own battlelust and and enjoyment were far less important to him than Yuki's safety, and he would rather lose the privilege of matter and combat than have Yuki wander into danger alone so deep beneath the surface of the earth.

Yuki has a time aplenty to call whatever she wishes, as they seem to be alone for now. On the other side of the rubble pile, they can hear distant echoes coming from the tunnel, which descends downwards steeply into darkness. The faint sounds of earth and stone being turned, and of claws clicking on rock, reaches them where they stand. Only fate knows what lies in wait for them in the depths.

[Lykan]

Yuki smiles a little. It was hard for the magical girl to see her dragon's fearsome bearing as nothing more than posturing, even when he was carving through the Mother's hordes. It was the infrequent moments like this where it felt all the more evident. After sending him a mental goodbye, the starlight princess taps her staff on the ground and severing the dragon's connection to reality. The beast's body fades and sublimates into motes of blue light, which drift lazily upwards into the night sky.

When Aron disappears entirely, Yuki grips her staff tight and concentrates, activating the COURT matrix. A circle of light appears upon the ground before her, a dull thrum emanating from it before a column of light blasts up from its center and an armored figure steps out.

[AmberVael]

Kimiko let go of Susumu once they were past the blockage, wincing a bit as she relaxed her arms. Apparently that hit had taken a bit more from her than she had thought. "Yuki, do you think you could spare a bit of healing? Apparently my armor doesn't protect me as well from impact."

It was rather lucky that Yuki seemed fine, actually. Kimiko would have thought she'd be worse off from being thrown into a heavy suit of armor.

[Lykan]

"Oh! Ah... Heh, sorry. I guess I make a better missile than a foot soldier, huh?" She waves her staff, engulfing the Adamant angel in a soothing glow. "Is that better?"

Kimiko gets an automatic Recovery check, with a +6 bonus to the check

[Neon Knight]

Yuki's new summon was taller than any of the Children, and clad in white armor much like the pearlescent plates that made up Arondight's body. Metallic cable like muscles could be glimpsed at the joints of the knightly armor as she stretched, briefly testing her movement and displaying both grace and the iridescence of her armor with the slight motion.

They couldn't see her eyes behind the visor of her sallet helm, but her snow-white lips below she had a gentle, reassuring smile as she bowed to Yuki. "I, Caliburn of the COURT Matrix, am ever at your service, Lady Yuki, and that of your companions." She drew her sword from a scabbard at her side, a streak of neon blue flaring along the edge. "What is our task?"

[Green Bean]

Susumu stumbled a bit after the teleport, but that was out of mild disorientation rather than injury. "Just so you know, that's still a really cool trick."

He looked down into the darkness. "So what next? I don't know if you can hear it, but there's some bad news down there. We could be sneaky, or I could really light things up."

[AmberVael]

"Yeah. Thanks, Yuki." Kimiko smiled and stretched a little, making sure the bruising was gone. "It does sound like there is a lot down there- we probably should scout it out before charging in. Lets get closer as quietly as we can, then see what we find."

With that, Kimiko started down the tunnel, taking her own advice as she moved cautiously and as stealthily as she could.

Due to her stupendously boosted constitution in conjunction with the bonus, Kimiko doesn't even have to roll! She just gets her toughness back. Hooraaay.

[Lykan]

"We've infiltrated a nest. I would like you to make sure we all make it through this place safely." Yuki heads after Kimiko, twirling her staff. "It might be good for you to hang back a little, if we're gonna be sneaking. You're not exactly the stealthy, as far as I can remember."

[Neon Knight]

Caliburn seemed a bit sheepish as she said, "It is as you say, milady. I will wait a short distance behind, so as not to give you away."

Nashiko took the lead, being easily the most stealthy of all the Children. Caliburn hung back, as she had said she would. Down they went, through dark tunnels, although soon the earth ceased to slope down ward and leveled off, the sounds they had heard loud and close. Nashiko flitted ahead and quickly came back. "Just a little ways up ahead, around a corner, there's another big chamber like that first one we were in. There are a few weird looking monsters there. They seem to be teleporting things somewhere. Sometimes monsters, sometimes things that look like spheres or containers of some sort. I think they're trying to save important stuff before we get there."

[Lykan]

Yuki smiles a little at her knight. "It's nothing to worry about. Everyone has their weaknesses. Besides, your combat prowess more than makes up for you not being all that sneaky." As the group descends deeper into the nest, the years the Starlight Princess had spent honing her ability to move unnoticed becomes all the more apparent. Her footfalls are nearly silent as she slinks through the tunnel, and her normally-glowing visor and staff have dulled their lights to naught.

When Nashiko gives her report, Yuki turns to the others. "I guess this is a better opportunity than most to go in guns blazing, then, right? We should get in there while we can."

[Green Bean]

Susumu grins. "Guns blazing sounds good to me. I love making an entrance!"

[AmberVael]

"I agree. Full speed ahead." Indeed, Kimiko began to run as she spoke, her blades coming free of her armor as she readied for a fight. She still attempted stealth as best she could, but now her primary focus was on speed- well, speed and not getting too far ahead of everyone else.

[Neon Knight]

Nashiko took the point again, flitting forward in her ghost form, and Caliburn taking up the rear. It was as Nashiko promised; just a short distance and around a turn they came to yet another egg shaped chamber, this one dominated by a raised mound of earth in the center, roughly as tall as Kimiko was.

A new sort of monster was standing before the mound, and although they had never seen its like before they quickly guessed that it was the mystic. It looked a bit like a bipedal crab or lobster, with a segmented and jointed body armored with heavy, tough looking plates of a pale greenish color. It had no physical limbs or claws, but rather strange, thin, sleek and curving projections of light that seemed to have a physical presence, jutting out from the shell at odd angles to touch the floor, somewhat resembling the legs of a fly.

As they watched, the mystic raised two of its limbs and moved them rapidly in byzantine pattern. A group of monsters clambered rapidly onto the mound, and then suddenly vanished, spirited away in a flash of light. As it finished its work, the Mystic turned as if regarding them, although it didn't seem to have eyes, and the voice from the tunnel spoke again. "I am ready, Children. Show me the majesty and power of one of the Mother's chosen! To die to witness such a miracle is but a small price to pay."

Behind him, other monsters scuttled from behind the mound, a group of Snarks loping along on four legs, and in the rear, one from each direction, came a hulking pair of Seekers. The Children had fought them before, on previous nights. They were hunchbacked brutes, more mammalian than the other monsters, resembling apes whose skulls had been stretched out and distorted into almost lupine snouts, and a second pair of arms jutting out from the shoulders bore a set of heavy claws resting on disjointed, segmented limbs that turned and twitched as they stomped forward to join battle.


I rolled init in the OOC.

Turn order is:
Susumu
Snarks
Mystic
Kimiko
Seekers
Yuki
Caliburn ;-;

[Green Bean]

The corona surrounding Susumu coalesced into a top hat composed of green fire as he launched into an opening chord. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWXRintPmGQ) And then suddenly he was halfway across the room, launched in a burning arc that took him over the mound and into the thick of the Snarks. He brought his illusory guitar down on the cavern floor like a sledgehammer, and everything around him shook in time with the snarling rhythm.

Using I Love It Loud! Everything within 40 feet takes a DC 23 Toughness Save, DC 18 Reflex for half.

[Neon Knight]

Susumu's crushing cacophony smashed into their foes with undeniable might. Snarks burst and clattered to the floor, shells leaking liquefied alien. One of the might Seekers crumpled to its knees, not even able to cry out, completely overwhelmed by the sonic stampede. The mystic fared no better, almost blown off its feet by the aural assault.

6 Snarks die, and the Mystic and one of the Seekers takes x2 Injuries.

The surviving Snarks, having been fortuitous enough to dodge the sound wave, attempted to clamber and claw at Susumu, but he fended them off in an able display of skill. The crablike Mystic regained its footing and focused on Susumu. Balancing on a pair of slender, arcing limbs, it slammed the other two together with a sound like a massive sheet of ice cracking and tearing. A wave of golden, twisting mist sprang forth, engulfing Susumu. As it engulfed him, he felt... strange. Horrible. Like he was fading away, fading out of existence, as if the physical matter that made his body was being turned into ephemeral light. It was sickening and painful, and made all the worse when the cloud suddenly exploded in a flash of heat and crackling energy. Susumu barley escaped, but he knew he was horribly weakened.

Susumu failed his save against the Mystic's Disintegration power, and has had his Toughness reduced by 4. He will regain 1 Toughness at the start of every turn. It is now Kimiko's turn.

[AmberVael]

As Susumu's power resounded through the room, Kimiko unleashed all of her blades, allowing them to sweep through the remaining snarks. The blades whirled and sliced, cutting through the creatures in a razor whirlwind.

Using Autofire to target the three remaining snarks. Kimiko will take 10 on all of her attacks (since they appear to be minions) for a total of 15 (Would be 18, but it takes a -3 penalty for hitting three different squares). The damage provokes a DC 18 toughness save.

[Neon Knight]

Shells crack and shatter, and the remaining Snarks die enmasse, leaving only 3 aliens remaining. As splinters of the broken carapaces settle onto the floor. Both Seekers open up their claws and snap off blasts at her in return, one blasting her with raw sonic fury, while the other emitted a wave of pressure that threatened to stun her. Kimiko was staggered by the force of the second attack, and couldn't act effectively, although she could still defend herself.

All the Snarks are now dead. Kimiko is dazed, and can take no actions on her next turn. She retains full defense, though. It is now Yuki's turn, and after that Caliburn's and then Susumu's. Green Bean, you can go ahead and post his next actions, if you would like.

[Lykan]

Yuki grimaces and points her staff at one of the seekers, which begins to glow and whine as it is primed to fire. - Lady Caliburn, kindly show the mystic why one does not trifle with the court of starlight. - A second later, a beam of technicolored light lances toward the Seeker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14735462&postcount=35), threatening to turn its flesh to dust.

[Neon Knight]

The Starlight Princess bombarded the vile monster, but even her power wasn't quite enough to finish it. Through a stroke of miraculous, black luck, the beast even managed to escape the assault almost entirely unscathed. The blind goddess of fate was ever fickle, favoring their enemies as much as it did them.

Caliburn sprang quickly to fulfill her liege's command, but Fate was little kinder to her, and the mystic avoided the sweep of her sword, their foes managing to avoid harm for now.

Unfortunately, the Seeker made his save, and Caliburn missed. Susumu's turn.

[Green Bean]

The mystic's strange magical assault engulfed Susumu before he could get out of the way. "Aaaaahhhgggg!" Needless to say, he found the experience somewhat unpleasant.

He resolved not to let that happen again. Once more he took up his mighty axe. "Try this! Oooh, are you ready now? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=KQMBz6HvSoM#t=61s)" There was a brilliant flash of light, and as it faded, Susumu was charging forward at an odd angle, guitar at the ready.

Using Illusion to swap my apparent position with the Seeker as per Ultimate Power, trying to get the Mystic into a little friendly fire. It's an opposed Illusion vs Notice check. Will drop the illusion right after the Mystic goes so my teammates don't get confused.

[Neon Knight]

The Mystic was startled by the flash of light, and it reacted hastily to Susumu's sudden change of position. Once more it unleashed its strange attack, a wave of brilliant golden motes sweeping out to engulf him. Only it turned out that "he" was actually a Seeker, the odd angle of the guitar matching the outline of the claw. The illusion faded as the Mystic struck, revealing his mistake. The voice in their minds returned, this time only laughing ruefully.

Fell fortune was the only victor here, as she helped the Seeker avoid the vast majority of the particles, and the Seeker emerged no worse for wear. He turned along with his twin to punish Caliburn for assaulting their leader. Twin blast waves sought to destroy her, but they only managed to daze her in the same fashion as Kimiko.

The Mystic falls for the trick, but the Seeker makes his saves. Kimiko is dazed, and so we proceed onward. Yuki's turn, Cali is dazed. Susumu has regained a point of toughness, and is at -3.

[Lykan]

Yuki charges her staff again, aiming to take another shot before releasing another blast of technicolor energy upon the seeker that struck Cali. "How's everyone holding up?"

Rainbowy Death Autofire Attack: [roll0]

[Neon Knight]

Wrent open and shattered by the blast, the alien monster reeled in silent agony under Yuki's assault.

Cali called out, "I am not hurt, Lady Yuki," but struggled to act, and the Seekers and Mystic gave her a wide berth, easily avoiding her.

Seeker takes 2 injuries, and now has a total of 4 injuries. Cali is dazed, and so her turn is skipped. Susumu's turn.

[Green Bean]

Susumu, having bought himself a moment of relief with his little illusion trick, is playing up a storm. He hits one of his favourite power chords, and his footing shifted. After a moment of stillness, the ground underneath the mystic erupted with a crazed blitz of sound and light.

Blasting the mystic. DC 18 Toughness Save if it connects.

[Neon Knight]

Susumu struck down upon the monster, pummeling the Mystic with his seismic strike. This threw off his aim, as he had been attempting to draw a bead on Yuki. the golden blast of light smashed harmless into the wall, as Kimiko recovered.

Mystic gains an injury, Susumu now at -2, Kimiko's turn.

[AmberVael]

Kimiko slowly pulled herself back together, shaking her head as she tried to get bearings on the situation. The three remaining creatures were certainly giving the others difficulty. They were probably the best this hive had to offer, come to think of it. No point in holding back anymore.

She called her blades to her hand as she stepped back from the fight. They swirled in a circle, a low hum emanating from them as they spun faster. Their green energy sparked between them, then concentrated into a single point as the hum rose into a shriek. An instant later, the focused power erupted in a blaze of emerald light that roared across the chamber, engulfing their monstrous foes.

Kimiko uses Nova Cannon!

She attempts to target at least two of the remaining enemies, catching them in its 2000ft long, 25ft wide line. At minimum, she wants to try and hit the mystic. At best, she wants to hit all three if possible.

There is no reflex save against the area effect, due to the application of No Save. Anyone affect has to make a DC 18 toughness save.

[Neon Knight]

The verdurous blast swept over the aliens, the hideous destructive power engulfing them like a roaring, crashing wave. Their chitinous hides and armor cracked and broke under her power, and they staggered, barely keeping their footing.

The two Seekers snapped off shots from their claws, but they went wide of the mark, and Susumu and Kimiko easily evaded them without harm.


Both the Seekers and the Mystic take a wound. Mystic is at -4, one Seeker is at -5, and another is at -1.

Turns:
Susumu
Snarks
Mystic
Kimiko
Seekers
>Yuki
Caliburn

[Lykan]

Yuki charges her staff once more and fires yet another lance of multicolored light at the weakened Seeker, attempting to permanently remove it from the fight. "Perish, damn you!"

Master Spark! Autofire Attack:[roll0]

[Neon Knight]

Yuki struck dead on with her attack, and Caliburn added a smiting plasma to her lady's efforts, her vicious strokes scattering red hot chips and fragments of chitin across the floor. Despite the success of their attack, the monster still stood, a gaunt wreck on death's door, but still living.


That Seeker is now at -7, but he is alive. He's luckier than a hare made entirely out of rabbit's feet.

Turns:
>Susumu
Snarks
Mystic
Kimiko
Seekers
Yuki
Caliburn

[Green Bean]

Susumu raised his hand, and a half dozen ethereal numbered targets appeared in the air. "All right you mystic weirdo, let me show you how a real wizard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFrDpx7zLtA) does things!" He sent a blast of sound and light screaming at one of his targets, where it caromed off the first into the fifth, the fifth into the second, and so on until a final crazy rebound crashed right at the mystic.

Blasting the mystic. DC 18 Toughness Save if it connects.

[Neon Knight]

The fight continues to rage as Susumu unleashes another fearsome assault upon his foes, but his aim is not true, and the Mystic manages to dodge his sonic shot. The Mystic responds by unleashing another cloud of golden mist and sending it towards Kimiko. The stalwart Adamant Angel was unaffected, however, her armor and protective systems shielding her from the spell.



Turns:
Susumu
Snarks
Mystic
>Kimiko
Seekers
Yuki
Caliburn

[AmberVael]

The viridian fire of Kimiko's cannon snarls as it subsides, then swiftly revives as it charges once more, sending another wide swathe of brilliant energy that burns through the remnants of the golden mist and lances out in retaliation against the mystic and its minions.

Another use of the Nova Cannon, same as last time.

[Neon Knight]

The wounded Seeker collapses into a pile of ash, not even getting a chance to move before he is utterly destroyed. The Mystic staggers, greatly wounded, crippled by hideous wounds. The remaining Seeker manages to avoid harm, but his responding sonic blast deflects harmlessly off Kimiko's armor.



One Seeker dead, Mystic is at -5 and Staggered, and the other is at -1.

Turns:
Susumu
Snarks
Mystic
Kimiko
Seekers
>Yuki
Caliburn

[Lykan]

Yuki lets out a huff, quietly wondering if she had broken her staff. Or if the enemies this time were from Krypton. Regardless, she remains poised to fire, blasting a rainbow of death this time at the mystic.


Master Spark Again?: [roll0]

[Neon Knight]

Yuki and Cali strike at their enemies, each choosing a different foe, but neither of them manage to land a successful hit.



Two ones in a row? Ouch.

One Seeker dead, Mystic is at -5 and Staggered, and the other is at -1.

Turns:
>Susumu
Snarks
Mystic
Kimiko
Seekers
Yuki
Caliburn

[Green Bean]

Susumu didn't bother getting creative. A snarl of sound, a flash of light, targeting the mystic.

Blasting the mystic once more. DC 18 Toughness Save if it connects.

[Neon Knight]

The monsters were equally unintuitive; they fought for no cause other than the Mother, who controlled them with absolute authority, would not allow them to die until they were utterly worthless. So they struggled on in the face of hopeless odds, stoically manning their ground and returning blow for blow, firing away their strange weapons as the Children's salvos smashed into and around them.

The Mystic took another harsh blow, his armored body cracking and shaking and his strange metaphysical limbs briefly flickering. He threw back a bolt of electric power, and managed to strike Yuki, whose body shook in spasms of pain for an instant.


Mystic is at -7 and Staggered, and the other is at -1. Yuki takes a Bruised condition.

Turns:
Susumu
Mystic
>Kimiko
Seekers
Yuki
Caliburn

[AmberVael]

The cannon was rapidly running out of power, Kimiko knew- it was never meant for sustained usage. However, it had a few shots left in it, and if they won here, she would likely get the reprieve needed to let it recharge. So she focused it once more and then sent out a third beam from it to engulf the monsters before her.

Boom boom nova cannon to the face again.

[Neon Knight]

The viridian energy scorched and tore at the Seeker, while the barely living Mystic escaped from harm. The clawed monstrosity snapped off a pressure wave at Yuki, but she managed to avoid the attack.



Yuki's turn.

Seeker takes 2 injuries, and is at -3. Mystic is at -7 and Staggered.
Turns:
Susumu
Mystic
Kimiko
Seekers
>Yuki
Caliburn

[Lykan]

Yuki lets out a gasp of pain, convulsing as electricity coursed through her body. Leaning on her staff, she glares up at the mystic as her staff began to whine once more with the sound of gathering energy. After a deep breath, she flips it around in her hands, pointing it forth and blasting the Mystic with cosmic energy. "Perish."

Autofire Attack: [roll0]

[Neon Knight]

Cali and Yuki converged upon the Mystic. The Starlight Princess unleashed the fury of her staff, while her knight hailed an electric blue blaze of slashes upon the shuddering form. Pieces of the monster flew off in bits, or crumbled to ash, smoldering in piles upon the floor, but still it lived.

It stood unsteadily, its immense pain apparent. "I... I want to die... but I cannot... no... the Mother will not let me. We owe all to our parents... I cannot... I want... to die..."


Mystics is at -10 and staggered, Seeker is at -3.

Turns:
>Susumu
Mystic
Kimiko
Seekers
Yuki
Caliburn

[Green Bean]

Susumu surveyed the mystic with pity in his eyes. Invader, killer, monster though it was, the creature was no threat at this point. He spoke softly, but his powers carried the words across the battlefield. "You can offer your mother no more service. You've done her proud. Sleep now."

Talking the bad guy down. Probably not going to work, but hey, it's something the poor kid would try.

[Neon Knight]

The mystic's reply was a bolt of energy, easily sidestepped by Susumu, and a snarl. "That you can speak those words... only proves their falseness..."


Mystics is at -10 and staggered, Seeker is at -3.

Turns:
Susumu
Mystic
>Kimiko
Seekers
Yuki
Caliburn

[AmberVael]

Kimiko redirected her blades, spinning them out of the cannon configuration as she changed tactics. The glowing mass of emerald light split apart into its component parts, then whirled towards the mystic, attempting to overwhelm him with a flurry of cuts.

[roll0]
DC 18 toughness if it hits. Also it has autofire 1, so another +1 for 2 to hit, as usual.

[Neon Knight]

Kimiko's blades neatly slice off a hunk of the Mystic's body, sending him almost into collapse yet again. The Seeker tries for another attack on Yuki, but misses by a mile.



Mystic is at -12 (-4) and Staggered, Seeker is at -3.

Turns:
Susumu
Mystic
Kimiko
Seekers
>Yuki
Caliburn

[Lykan]

Yuki tries to blast the Mystic once more, her frustration in her poor luck during the fight evident in the look on her face.

just die you stupid mfghfjkbsdg Another Rainbow Death Blast: [roll0]

[Neon Knight]

Frustration is unfortunately no remedy for poor fortune, and both Yuki and her knight do not manage to injure the Mystic, even though they apply their strength diligently and skillfully.


Mystic is at -12 (-4) and Staggered, Seeker is at -3.

Turns:
>Susumu
Mystic
Kimiko
Seekers
Yuki
Caliburn

[Green Bean]

Susumu was stung by the creature's rejection, but not exactly surprised. The thing had held on despite an incredible amount of punishment, and it had more coming its way. Susumu riffed on his guitar once more...

Blast on the mystic.

[Neon Knight]

The sound wave swept over the Mystic, and it tottered in place, before keeling over and smacking into the dirt like a dead ox. Already it began to rot and putrefy before their eyes, as the remaining Seeker gave a keening cry.


Seeker is at -3. Mystic is dead!

Turns:
Susumu
>Kimiko
Seekers
Yuki
Caliburn

[AmberVael]

The work wasn't done, but Kimiko allowed herself a small, tight smile as the biggest threat was pushed out of the way. With the mystic down, their win was pretty much assured, at least if they could get out of here quickly. She flung her blades at the remaining monster, hoping to take it down without much more of a fight.

Ring of Blades at the seeker, the usual stuff.
[roll0]

[Neon Knight]

Kimiko's blades sang through and through, with a snicker-snack! Off fell it's head, it fell tumbling dead, and her blades flew back.

The chamber was suddenly silent, as the Children were now alone within it. The mound in the center of the chamber and the walls around them were pockmarked and cratered from stray attacks, and loose earth and dust shifted down upon their heads.


You win! All characters get 6 PP. It's probably time to head back to the surface and regroup with the Surians, unless you have some other particular inclination.

[AmberVael]

"Right. Lets search for any hostages, destroy anything valuable to them, maybe collapse the tunnels, then get out of here." Kimiko said. She took a few moments to let her cannon recharge, then would go about doing just that- waiting until all her friends were back to safety, of course, and once she's checked the tunnels for any prisoners and survivors, of course. Without the mystic there to interfere, and with the full power of the Nova Cannon at her disposal, the tasks hopefully wouldn't prove very difficult to accomplish. Really, she's just glad that she hadn't managed to collapse the caves with her earlier uses of the cannon

Once that was taken care of- or once she's drawn more attention from the remaining monsters than might be wise to attract- she'll make a hasty retreat and head back to the Surians. Assuming nothing else came up, of course.

[Neon Knight]

The Children quickly began their campaign of slash and burn; Kimiko will find that only a few Snarks can be found in the tunnels, lone stragglers that put up resistance that is no match for their full group. In other chambers they find various things the Surians had mentioned: odd plantlife, strange constructions of mud, earth, and unknown substances, pits of unshelled Snarks.

All these could be destroyed by their powers (most notably Susumu's), and the tunnels collapsed at their will int he same manner that Kimiko had used earlier (or by other powers possessed by the group). There wasn't any significant obstacle to their progress and efforts.

As for hostages, or Dark Children, they did not find any down in the darkness, although there were more places like the map room that seemed to hint that they had been here in the past. There was a barred chamber that seemed to have been shaped in mockery of a human room, with a raised bed-like construct in one corner. Once they found a footprint in the dirt that looked much like theirs. But nothing more than that.

Returning home, the Surians greeted them with great cheer. Even Tsurugi seemed slightly less standoffish, if ever so little. They were concerned if informed about the signs of human presence in the nest, but eventual would insist that the Children get some sleep. They had to wake up tomorrow and try to live a normal life, like nothing was wrong, and there was nothing they could do about their discovery right now. In time, perhaps, but for now, all there was to do was rest and wait.

[Neon Knight]

The rising sun peeled back the night from Yokohama, slowing ascending above the land. The city awoke, ignorant of the dark shapes that skulked into the shadows to hide. The people of the city arise and begin their daily routines, the wheels of society turning as a new day started.

The Children, though they had caught a scarce few hours of sleep, would have to join them, and put on a facade of normalcy. In order to protect their families, and all of the human race, they had to pretend like nothing was wrong, and that they had spent all of last night in their beds, instead of in the warrens of evil.

The city awoke, as the night and its denizens went to slumber.

Hoshino Household

Miyu's morning routine was based around getting ready for school while avoiding attention, particularly Yuki's attention. The small girl made little noise as she made herself a decent meal, sometimes looking at the doors a little nervously.

Nanami, the middle child of the family, was in her room, waiting. Miyu had once fled the house without eating when she had spooked her one morning, so Nanami was waiting for her to get something down before she attempted to provide for herself. She had debated with herself for a long time whether it was better to leave Miyu alone or try and give her company, before deciding to give the younger girl some space. She glanced ruefully in the direction of Yuki's room, glad that her older sibling had recently developed the habit of rising late. The last thing Miyu needed was Yuki blundering into things.

Kaito wouldn't be by this morning, as he had an early call at his job at the auto shop. The morning would proceed entirely on when and how Yuki woke up, although given the proceeding night, sleeping in was understandable.

Aoki Household

At the Aoki home, Jun was up and cooking breakfast. He knew his wife, Noriko, would likely want to dive into her work as quickly as possible, being on the verge of something important in her most recent inquiries, and making her food up would allow her to get to it that much quicker. He was also fixing up something on the side for Kimiko, having quietly noted that his oldest child had not been as punctual as recently in the mornings, and so he had calmly and subtly begun accommodating the change.

Karou, his youngest daughter, had already been and gone, headed off to an early athletic practice, as bright and chipper as he had ever seen her.

Jun continued his work quietly, a soft smile creasing his face as his thoughts dwelled on his family, more precious to him than all the gold under heaven.

Jones Household

Akiha Jones had to leave early for work, and she left her daughter alone at the table. Misako ate in silence, although her eyes kept drifting to the clock and towards her brother's room. Where was that layabout? He was going to be late if he didn't get moving soon, and make her late as well. She wanted to meet up with Kaori and her other friends. She made up her mind that if he wasn't moving in five minutes, she'd go in there and read him the riot act.

[Green Bean]

The night after a big battle, Susumu always adjusted the volume of his alarm to make sure he didn't oversleep. So when his alarm went off, the walls vibrated in time. He rolled out of bed, smacking onto the floor, though the jolt was enough to get him semi-conscious. After three attempts he managed to quiet the music. Dressing and bag packing went a little better and eventually he managed to stagger out of his room and plopped down at the breakfast table. He squinted blearily at his sister. "'mrnig."

[Lykan]

Returning home was a much easier affair than leaving for the Starlight Princess. Rather than go through the hassle of attempting to find a place to change after returning to her normal identity, she maintained her powers until she could back to her apartment, teleporting directly into her room and changing there. She crashed on her bed immediately afterward, the throbbing pain from the mystic's electrical attack slowly fading as sleep took over her mind.

She awoke soon after noon, slowly dragging herself out of bed and into a desk chair, booting up her computer and spending as much time as she can sketching before someone tries to drag her out of her room. It was a bit of a stress reliever, something she needed a bit of in the wake of her poor performance the previous night.

[AmberVael]

It was hard not to feel a pang of guilt about sleeping in, even if Kimiko knew no one would blame her for it- even if she knew it might be better for her. She honestly didn't need to follow everyone else's schedule to get a good education, and even if she hated hearing it, she knew she shouldn't push herself. Odd to think that pushing herself meant missing a few hours of sleep, not spending the night fighting alien monsters. Her mouth quirked at the irony as she persuaded herself to get to the process of getting out of bed and preparing for the day- whether or not further sleep would benefit her, she was awake now.

Eventually, Kimiko made her way into the kitchen at her usual reserved pace and took a seat at the table. "Good morning." She murmured to her father, her eyes still half closed.

[Neon Knight]

Kimiko

"Good morning." Jun's reply was as neat and polished as the motion he used to set her breakfast before. "Kaoru mentioned that she would be late coming home today, because of her club activities. You shouldn't expect to see her, unless you also stay late." His perceptive eyes glanced briefly to her, before returning to his work at the stove. Rather than asking her directly about it, he seemed to be trying to indirectly gauge how busy she was, and if that might be the cause of her fatigue.

Susumu

Misako found the harshness she had been building up lessened by her brother's obviously tired appearance. Her voice was still a little curt with him, though. "Morning, sleepyhead. You'd better eat quickly if you don't want to be late." She glanced towards the door, and then said, "I think I'll go ahead and leave. I was going to walk to school with Kaori." She didn't get up to leave, though; she apparently wanted to make sure Susumu was going to get things done on time. If he was late and got in trouble, it would be a strain on their mother, who was already hard pressed to keep things from falling apart.

Yuki

As soon as she heard the front door open and close, announcing Miyu's departure, Nanami got up and knocked a little roughly on Yuki's door. "Hey, are you up in there yet?"

[Green Bean]

Susumu grabbed some food and scarfed it down at a tremendous rate. When he spoke, it was muffled by his breakfast. "Go ahead, I won't be long. Might even catch up with you." He washed his breakfast down with some water and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He didn't mind walking to school with his sister, but him and Kaori...didn't exactly get along. Better to let them have a few minutes head start.

[AmberVael]

"Thanks, dad." She managed to say as the plate was slid in front of her. It was a little hard to focus- she felt beat, and literally at that. On top of missing most of her sleep, she had taken one or two good hits the night before, and she still felt it even if her armor had protected her from most of it. Maybe alien monsters was more the contributing factor after all. Or maybe it was both. Either way, she felt tired, and it was awfully tempting to call the day a loss and just go straight back to bed.

Of course, if she fell to that temptation, she'd never get anything done. So, slowly, Kimiko started to eat breakfast, resigning herself to using some kind of assistance to get around today.

"I think I may have some activities too." Kimiko hedged, wondering if she'd need to meet with Yuki and Susumu, or the Surians. "But I may just come home. I didn't sleep well."

[Lykan]

"Yeah, I'm up. Just doing computer stuff." Yuki hides her most recent sketch (depicting a rather familiar magic-alien-thing getting bisected by an even more familiar knight) before swiveling around in her chair and facing the door. "Need something?"

[Neon Knight]

Aoki Household

Jun nodded as he placed a full plate in front of the seat next to Kimiko's, his smile unfaltering as he turned back to the stove. "You know your limits. Just don't push yourself too far, like your mother does sometimes."

There was a light note of mischief to his voice, and a scoff from behind her announced the arrival of Noriko, who gently hugged Kimiko from behind before taking the seat next to her. She set about eating quickly, although she observed her daughter's face, obviously sharing Jun's concerns but not pressing her unduly.

Jones Household

Misako nodded, and was out the door in a flash, although at the door she turned and gave him a glance which showed her worries had not left her.

Alone, breakfast could proceed smoo-

There was a feeling of lightness; black sky all around him, miles and miles above the clouds. He yanked and pulled on the stick, but didn't work. His bird was a dead weight, a metal coffin plummeting through the air. Suddenly light exploded all around him, pouring into the cockpit, blinding him through the visor's helmet. Light and voices. What was-

Susumu was suddenly back in the kitchen. Gone were the visions and sensations which had briefly filled his head. Only a minute had passed by the clock's mark.

Hoshino Household

"Just making sure you aren't going to sleep in all day." Nanami turned and headed down to her own brief breakfast, already thinking about other things. She'd heard there was this neat place near the school that she wanted to explore, but she wanted to make sure Miyu got home alright first. Maybe she could ask Misako to take care of that for her, although she'd have to try and catch her when Kaori wasn't around.

[AmberVael]

Kimiko smiled up at her mother as she was hugged and murmured a soft good morning to her before she began to eat her breakfast, taking her time about it. Mentally, she estimated how much time she had spent and was spending, and measured it against the time she had left before school began. She'd started later, and moved slower- it was unlikely she'd be on time unless she was lucky, or had some unseemly haste. At least she wouldn't be too late, though; missing a few minutes in the morning was unfortunate but acceptable, missing large portions of school and skipping vital lessons was what she tried to avoid.

For every concession she made to her weariness though, she felt a growing sense of disappointment. She'd hoped to take a little time for herself today, if only a short drive or a half-hour at her little hideout. With her parents concerned and attentive, it was probably better not to take that risk.

Worse, her father was right: She did know her limits, and she was pushing at them. Her own concern was as much a factor in her behavior as theirs. Cold logic told her that going to school would be exertion enough for today. With a small sigh, Kimiko finished her breakfast and retrieved a cane to walk with.

"I won't push myself." She agreed quietly.

[Green Bean]

Immediately, Susumu transformed - no show this time, just a moment of compressed time as his costume flowed into existence. He threw open a window and took off at top speed, barely having the presence of mind to throw up an illusion over his takeoff. Once he was too high up to be spotted unaided, he dropped the cover and blazed off at top speed. He arrived at his destination in less than a minute, a park with a thin dusting of trees. This close to school and working hours, the park was deserted, and under another illusory covering, he landed in a small clearing. He searched around for a moment before he stood in a spot indistinguishable from any other and tapped out a simple little rhythm with his foot. Then, he waited.

[Lykan]

Yuki listens to her sister head down the hall and out the door before preparing to head out herself, which... Didn't really take all that long. Not bothering to eat, brush your teeth, comb your hair, or any other sort of traditional morning rituals cuts down a lot of time. Although it does tend to leave you looking rather disheveled.

From there, she just begins the journey to school, content to just daydream while she walked.

[Neon Knight]

Aoki Household

Jun quickly finished his work at the stove, taking a seat near Kimiko with his own plate. He glanced at his daughter, his percipient eyes missing little. "I can drive you, if you don't want to be late."

Park

Susumu had barely a half second to wait before a bush rustled and Akai stepped out, her posture belaying her agitation. For Susumu to come abruptly in such a manner was... well, he was impulsive, but she trusted he had good reason for doing so, and spoke levelly. "Susumu? What's wrong?"

Hoshino Household --> School

Although Yuki was on track to be a little late to school, she wasn't the only one on the road towards class. If Yuki can bear to divert some attention from daydreaming, she might notice Miskao, Susumu's younger sister, hurrying along. Yuki knew that Misako was friends with Nanami; they hung out together fairly often. But from what Yuki knew, Misako should be at school by now; she usually got there before Nanami did.

[Lykan]

Yuki manages to break away from her reverie when she spies a familiar face, waving a little when she sees Misako hurrying along. "Good morning, Misako." She tries her best to give the younger girl a pleasant smile, but in her weary state it ptobably didn't come across as more than a slight mouth twitch. "Did something happen? From what I know, my sister doesn't typically beat you to school."

[Green Bean]

Susumu still hadn't caught his breath when he replied. "I just saw my father. I-I think, so, anyway. I was eating breakfast, and suddenly I was in space, piloting something, except it wasn't working right. And then I was back in the kitchen. It was like a vision or something. Can the amulets do something like that?"

[AmberVael]

It was a thoughtful gesture, and would definitely allow her to get to school on time. Once the offer was made though, Kimiko wondered how much she wanted to get there on time. She had thought of it as unfortunate because she was missing school... but at the same time, she didn't mind as much, because she didn't think she was missing anything important. If it wasn't an important part of school, did she actually care about it? Should she?

As Kimiko pulled herself back to the matter at hand, she realized her options were not the two that were obvious. She had a much larger range. Maybe it wasn't a very prudent decision, but she decided to go for an alternate route.

"Thanks dad, but I'll manage on my own."

With that said, she finished the last of her breakfast, kissed her mother on the cheek, then waved goodbye to her father as she stepped out the door. For a short time she walked, taking things slowly and carefully. However, once she was away from her house she put one hand over her amulet. No, it probably wasn't a wise decision. But she was grinning anyway.

There was a flash of emerald light, and then she was off. Her armor made the movement effortless- she didn't just walk, she ran without tiring and flickered from one place to the next as she leaped through space, traveling through less used routes she knew all too well from her time spent in races. It was exhilarating to simply run free- and the risk of being seen added its own allure.

[Neon Knight]

The Way to School A
If Tsurugi could have seen her, he would probably have had a conniption fit. He didn't see her, however, and so far as she could tell she avoided the sight of everyone by sticking to her secret routes. When she got a glance of the school up ahead, though, she thought she saw some students near the gate. She'd probably have to approach in a more mundane fashion.


Park
The surprise and note of worry in Akai's projected voice were mirrored in the behavior of her animal body, her ears flattening as she looked up at Susumu. "Your father!? I... I don't know. I've never heard about something like that happening, I... I just don't know."


The Way to School B
Misako started when she was addressed, and looked at Yuki anxiously. "Good morning, Senpai." Yuki might get the sneaking suspicion that Misako wasn't just being formal and polite, but rather had forgotten Yuki's name. It was somewhat understandable; Nanami tried to keep Yuki away from all her friends, and Misako wasn't supremely close with Yuki's sister. "I... my cousin didn't show up at our usual place, so I went to her house to find out why. It turns out she's sick."

[AmberVael]

Well, she'd hardly expected to go to school as the Adamant Angel, though the idea WAS an amusing one. She stopped a fair ways off and clenched her hand around her amulet, transforming back before anyone would notice. From here on she'd need to rely on her cane... but that little bit of freedom and energy had given her a fresh wind, even if her exhaustion was hitting her anew. She might be sleepy, but at least she was smiling.

Kimiko took her time as she approached the school gate, putting some weight on her cane to help her along. It would take her a while to get inside and to the appropriate place, but she thought she stood a good chance of being on time now- if just barely.

[Green Bean]

"But it happened, and it has to mean something important! It means my father's a part of this somehow. It means he didn't..." Susumu's voice broke for a second, and he stopped and blinked rapidly for a moment before he continued. "It's something we need to look at. We should try and find out where the military was sending my dad. If Mother is involved, it'd be dangerous not to know."

[Lykan]

"Ah. I'm sorry to hear that..." An awkward pause followed. The poor girl never really was good at small talk. "Well... I hope she gets well soon. Sorry for bothering you about it. Have a good day." She then makes the move to continue walking off towards school, hoping cutting a conversation short like that wasn't too rude.

[Neon Knight]

The Way to School A

As she approached the school gate, she noticed that the group she had seen from afar was still clustered about it, despite how close it was to close starting. A voice that was speaking just a little too loud for politeness, and with a curious accent to it, reached her eyes quite clearly, and she could see that all the students were standing around a single person.

This person was clearly foreign, being the owner of the aforementioned voice, and physically distinct from the students around her. She was at least a head taller than most of the girls around her, of a slim and slender build and a dark complexion. Her hair was light and fair, contrasting vividly with her skin. Most interesting was the fact that she was wearing the uniform of Kimiko's school.

In the pack of students surrounding and talking to the new girl, Kimiko picked out a few people from her class, as well as a member or two of the book club.

Park

Akai was quiet for a moment. "I guess I could ask Tsurugi, but... are you absolutely sure? You've had a long night... could it have just been a dream? Maybe you just fell asleep..."

The Way to School B

Yuki only got a few steps before she heard Misako's voice behind her. "W-wait, u-um... Senpai, have you heard... has Nanami said anything to you about, um, where she goes after school?"

[AmberVael]

As something of an afterthought, Kimiko tucked her amulet beneath her shirt, then moved along to the fringe of the crowd. She didn't try to press further in or get to the center of all the attention, but instead just lightly tapped the shoulder of one of the book club members that she recognized and smiled at them.

"Hey, um, what's going on?" She asked softly, glancing towards the newcomer

[Lykan]

Yuki stops mid-stride before turning back to face the other girl, a curious look on her face. "Ah... No. She and I don't really talk all that much... Why? Where is she going?"

[Green Bean]

Susumu shook his head. "I wasn't asleep and I wasn't seeing things. Last night we went underground and fought a magic wizard alien. Are visions really so crazy?"

[Neon Knight]

The Way to School A

Fujimoto Airi wasn't the first person you usually asked about something; she wasn't very mature, or particularly bright, and she had the unfortunate quality of not being aware of that fact and having the belief that she was a respectable authority on matters she had no experience in.

Still, her heart was in the right place. She didn't mean bad, and she was in most other respects perfectly normal and even admirable. She was the book club member that Kimiko could most easily reach, being the only one somewhat outside the ring, and she turned around and quickly returned Kimiko's smile.

"Oh, Ella was... I mean, we were just getting introduced to the new exchange student.Here, you should meet her too!" Airi tried to grab Kimiko's arm and lightly tug her into the circle, before the new student.

Park

Akai ducked her head, her tail drooping. "You're right. It's just... we might not really be able to do anything about it... I'll talk to Kuma, see what I can figure out. But... you're going to have to wait. And you're going to have to go to school and act like everything's normal while we figure this out. Okay? And if there's anything we can do about it, any chance at all... we'll take it. I promise."

The Way to School B

Misako fidgeted a bit nervously, her hand brushing along her arm as she distractedly looked to the side. "Oh, um, I'm sure it's nowhere important or anything, I just don't know what her plans were this evening..."

[Lykan]

Yuki smiles a little. Or at least tries to. It's still a little early in the day for facial expressions. "Can't be any harm in asking her, can there? She doesn't bite." She pauses. "Well, she doesn't anymore, at least."

[AmberVael]

"W-wait!" Kimiko said, startled by Airi's sudden action. The light tug pulled Kimiko off-balance, and she stumbled forward after Airi, her movement beyond her control. She managed to catch herself with her cane after a few moments, coming to an awkward stop much closer to the middle of the circle than she would have liked. Casting an awkward smile at those around her, she tried to regain at least a measure of poise as she took stock of the scene.

[Green Bean]

Susumu sighed with relief, and it seemed like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. "Thank you. I was worried you wouldn't believe me."

Abruptly, he noticed the time. "Oh jeez, I'd better get going if I want to make it to school on time. I'll see you later."

With another illusion to cloak his flight, he took off once more, this time bearing down on his school.

[Neon Knight]

The Way to School 1: Kimiko's Run

Airi held onto Kimiko's hand, looking a bit sheepish. "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot... sorry!" They were now pretty much at the center of the ring, and certainly at the center of all the attention. Everyone was looking at her; The stranger's eyes were on her, and Kimiko noticed that they were an unusual shade; they were bluish, but when the light caught them just so they seemed to flash violet or purple.

"Hello, there!" The accent the newcomer spoke with reminded Kimiko of something, but she couldn't quite place it. Maybe someone her father or Karou had spoken with? Her father's firm did do business with foreigners fairly often. "I'm Ella, a new student here. Can I ask what your name is?"

The Way to School 2: Electric Susumu

Akai bounded off quickly, her mind racing with hope and worry.

Susumu found the path to school relatively clear; he could surely make it just in the nick of time, unless something happened. Ahead of him, he could see a group of students still congregated around the gate. He probably didn't want to go in there... he had other options for entrances, though, and those looked clear.

The Way to School 3: Yuki's Jubilee

Misako smiled nervously, "No, she doesn't. I'll just ask her later, sorry for bothering you." She bowed and hurried onward, although in her mind she was consigning herself to being late.

[Green Bean]

Fortunately, the school roof was clear, and after angling his descent to avoid notice from the ground, he gently touched down next to some air vents. Then he ran off towards his classroom, footsteps somehow much lighter than they were even the day before.

[Lykan]

From there, Yuki just heads to class as well, content with becoming lost in her thoughts again.

[AmberVael]

Kimiko's face was a little flushed as she recovered herself, partially from embarrassment, but partially from her earlier exertion. Gently but insistently she removed her hand from Airi's grip, finding her balance on her own. Then, she managed a short, respectful bow to the new student, albeit one limited by the cane she was resting on. "Aoki Kimiko. A pleasure to meet you, Ella."

With a slight, graceful gesture of her hand, she indicated the school. "Classes are going to start soon. We should probably head inside- but if you'd like, I'd be happy to show you where you need to go."

[Neon Knight]

The Way to School 1: Kimiko

Ella returned the bow neatly and gracefully, listening to Kimiko continue speak with interest. Despite the fact that the bell was imminent Kimiko's pronunciation didn't seem to make much of an impression. Even Airi, who Kimiko knew was diligent and concerned (and less able than she thought she was) about her schoolwork, didn't seem all that affected by it.

Ella regarded Kimiko for a second, a faint smile on her lips, before nodding, "You're right! It is getting rather late!" She pronounced this with much energy, adding flair to the simple remark. All of sudden, it seemed everyone recognized the time with an alarmed murmur, and the pack began breaking up, many hurrying with as much haste as decorum would allow. Airi brushed past Kimiko, with another sheepish, apologetic look, before heading aside.

Ella continued to stand as the others left, and due to Kimiko's slower speed, they would certainly be the only two left outside. A girl from a younger year - with a polite apology - brushed past Kimiko in a hurry, and if Kimiko was paying attention she might recognize her as Misako, Susumu's sister.

Ella waited until almost everyone else other than Kimiko had reached the door. She brushed past her, with a quick glance towards the other girl, flashing a smile like sunlight glancing off the surface of a pond. "Thanks for the offer, but I know where to go. Maybe I'll see you around later!"

Even if Kimiko had pushing herself all the way, as fast as she could, it would be likely that she would be inside and around the corner, out of sight before Kimiko even reached the door. There were no further obstacles or distractions between her and her class, and at the cost of a little breath she could make it on time.

The Way to School 2: Susumu

His first step onto the roof, Susumu crushed something underfoot; the stub of a recently consumed cigarette (rather scandalous to be found on the school roof), his tread stamping out the smoldering spark. Maybe Susumu didn't even notice it, but if he did, he might connect it to a receding back he saw at the end of the hall; Ueno Jirou was easy to recognize, as he was usually the guy on the receiving end of Susumu's fists when he got into fights. He was quickly around the corner, though, and the demands of the imminent bell were more pressing than that jerk anyway.

Susumu's class was close nearby, and he could slip in just in time, smooth as silk.

The Way to School 3: Yuki

Yuki was free to daydream her way into her classroom, although it might turn out she was a little late if she didn't daydream and walk at a bit of an accelerated pace. The road to school was free of distraction and obstacle. It was peaceful, well suited to the needs of a lone thinker.

___

The school day proceeded fairly normally from here on, although at some point during the day, each of the Children was visited by a Surian - the clever cat Kuma - who let each of them now quietly that they should meet later today. When school let out, they had a few hours in which they could do whatever they needed or wanted to before the appointed time.

Just need a quick indication as to whether we can timeskip to the meeting or whether there was something you wanted to do first. The meeting is not necessarily a "point of no return" for normal activities, but it might change things a little bit.

[Green Bean]

Susumu had not had a great day at school. While he made it on time, he'd realized too late he hadn't taken his school bag with him when he'd visited Akai. He'd made it through the day with a mixture of tact, hiding in plain sight, and a dash of bald-faced deception but it was a close thing, and academic probation was the last thing he needed right now.

I don't have anything I particularly need to do, though I can come up with something to pass the time if anyone else has stuff they want to do.

[Lykan]

Yuki's time at school was rather normal for her. No one talked to her, and she made no effort to reach out to anyone. As far as people were concerned, she was just some random schmuck they didn't know filling a seat near the back of the class.

After school is done and she meets with the cat surian, she prepares herself for an evening out and heads to the appointed meeting spot.

Timeskip go!

[AmberVael]

Well, apparently she would be staying late. Kimiko bit her lip as she considered the time and what she had told her parents this morning. It couldn't be helped though, so eventually she sighed and made her way to their meeting point early. She considered looking around for Ella, but she didn't know the new girl's schedule- and what was more, her exhilaration from the morning had worn off by now, and been replaced with a growing weariness. So, she sat down and pulled out her books, intending to study while she waited for the others.

By the time they get there though, Kimiko is probably asleep.

[Neon Knight]

When the other two Children arrive, they will find that there is only one Surian present: Kuma, who had alerted them to the meeting in the first place. The cat mimicking alien is sitting in Kimiko's lap. Also asleep.

One may suppose here is where we find out how mischievous Yuki and Susumu are, what with two unaware sleepers at their mercy.

[Green Bean]

Susumu saw the pair of sleepers and quietly took a seat. He silently summoned up his powers. It'd be a shame to accidentally wake them.

Not when he could wake them on purpose.

A loud cry broke the silence. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zhJljblPcY)

[Lykan]

Yuki looks just about ready to boop the sleeping kitty on the nose with a finger before godzilla apparently decides to make an entrance. In response to the sound, she jumps about a foot in the air before glaring daggers at Susumu.

[AmberVael]

The sudden sound jolted Kimiko awake, startling her from sleep. Eyes wide with alarm, she frantically cast about her for the source of the noise before noticing Susumu. Once she realized what must have happened she directed a very disgruntled look at him and tried to calm herself, holding one hand over her rapidly beating heart.

"Not funny." She managed to say, the shadows under her eyes underscoring her scowl.

[Green Bean]

Susumu laughed and stuck out his tongue. "I dunno, seemed pretty funny where I'm sitting."

[Neon Knight]

Kuma awoke with a jolt no less unpleasant that Kimiko's; it was fortunate for her that the cat shaped alien did not reflexively sink its claws into her lap. As it was, Kuma did lose her footing and roll off Kimiko's lap.

The cat looked up at Susumu with an unkind expression. "You're in a rather jovial mood, given what you told Akai you saw this morning."

[Lykan]

Yuki looks between the surian and Susumu, her angered expression softening to one of confusion. She raises an eyebrow at the miniature musical man, silently asking for him to elaborate.

[Green Bean]

Susumu's expression grew a little more serious, but it couldn't quite dampen his mood. "I had...I guess you could call it a vision? I was a pilot, except I was in space and my plane wasn't working right, and then everything turned white. It was connected with Mother somehow, I know it. And considering how many fighter pilots we all know, it had to be my dad I was seeing."

His tone had a hint of irritation to it as he addressed Kuma. "And of course I'm happy about it! It means we have a lead now, and something Mother doesn't know we know. It means there's something we don't understand causing those visions, but right now it's helping us. It means my dad might still be out there, and we might be able to get him back" It means he didn't leave us. "I just have the feeling that this'll be the start of something important."

[Neon Knight]

Kuma was quiet for a palpable moment, and then nodded. "Yes, this is the start of something important. I've talked it over with Akai and Tsurugi, and we agree that we should investigate this."

"In truth, we've thought about doing this for some time. We need to find out everything your martial forces know about this incident; Tsurugi thinks he can figure out where such information might be located, but to get at it, we will have to work together - all of us - and we'll have to do so without being seen. Likely, we will have to infiltrate a military base, guarded by human soldiers: something completely different than any of you have done before." Kuma looked to each of them, awaiting their inevitable questions.

[Lykan]

Yuki can't help but look a little baffled about the task before them, sporting a rather bemused expression all the way through the cat's explanation. When the surian had finished detailing their mission, Yuki tentatively speaks up. "Where are Akai and Tsurugi?"

[AmberVael]

Kimiko blinked and listened quietly as she tried to pull herself fully awake- which was harder than it seemed like it should be. When Kuma explained what they would be doing next it took a moment for Kimiko to process it, but she looked incredulous once she had.

"Wait, infiltrate a military base? But that's..." She seemed at a loss for words, groping for some way to explain her extreme unease over the idea. "I don't know that we're really suited to that. And it's a military base. If something goes wrong, it's going to really go wrong. We don't have to be subtle or restrained against the Mother, but the military..."

[Neon Knight]

Kuma addresses Yuki first. "Akai is doing the rounds, making sure everyone you care about is safe. Tsurugi is still searching, trying to figure out where they might keep the records we are looking for."

Kuma nodded to Kimiko, the gesture looking a bit odd on a cat. "That is exactly why we have not attempted it yet, even though we've suspected that Susumu's father had something to do with the Mother. The risks are great. If we are discovered, it could have dire repercussions. But if we aren't suited to it, than who is? We're the only ones who know, and the only ones who can know. I don't like it either; I'm the one who argued for so long against it. If it were up to Akai and Tsurugi, we'd have had this discussion a lot earlier."

[Lykan]

Yuki frowns a little, silently listening to the cat speak. Something about this all felt really weird, but she couldn't place a finger on it... Maybe it was just that this was the first time this sort of action was required, though. "I... Think it might be a good idea to wait for everyone to re-assemble before we plan an infiltration like this. It's rather risky without all the possible input on the matter we can get."

[Green Bean]

Susumu is clearly gung ho about the idea, but nods in agreement with Yuki. "I've been on-base a few times, they've got a lot of security. They aren't prepared for people who can do what we can do, but if we don't want to hurt anyone, we'll need a plan."

[Neon Knight]

"You're right, Susumu. We'll have a good plan. And if we pull this off right, you'll get to see your father again." The cat gives Yuki a nod. "Tsurugi and Akai said they would meet us at a nearby spot in just a little while. We should head there now."

Yuki

As Yuki observes the Surian, and goes over everything Kuma has said and how she has said it, she begins to notice that something is subtly wrong. Much of what the Surian says and expresses is done in a normal or expected tone and timbre, but at certain points sincerity and personality seem to slip out of the mental voice in her head. It's very slight, but when it happens it sounds like Kuma's voice is reminiscent of a recording or even a robot; it's almost an uncanny valley of mimicry, so close to perfect that the few points where it fails are noticeable when you look for them.

These points coincide with a sudden slight loss of body language, and a loss of expression in the cat alien's eyes. It is all very slight, and if one were distracted by emotion or physical state, one might very easily miss it.

The weirdness occurred when Kuma talked about where Akai and Tsurugi were, when she claimed to have discussed the matter with Akai and Tsurugi, about the plan to infiltrate the military base, and about that they needed to go to a different spot to meet Akai and Tsurugi.

Kuma appeared to be normal when expressing her reservations about the mission, and about how she had argued against it.

All in all, something strange and fishy is going on, and Kuma doesn't seem to be her normal self.

[AmberVael]

A slight frown crossed Kimiko's face, but mostly she just looked weary and disgruntled, not as disturbed as she actually felt. She didn't like this idea, but she was having a hard time parsing exactly why that was and what felt so wrong to her. She just knew that this was one of the first times she was strongly opposed to doing something that a Surian had suggested she do, and that made her uncomfortable.

"...now?" She repeated in a very reluctant voice. She didn't know if she could do now. A few hours she could explain as club activities, but if they were kept out here much longer... and she was still feeling tired. If it was necessary though, she couldn't shirk it. "Could I drive us there?"

[Lykan]

Yuki frowns and begins to walk toward the roof's exit, casting a glance back at her comrades. "Somethings we just have to do immediately, I guess. Off to the meeting spot, then?" When she's about to reach for the door, she turns again, tapping her chin. "Kuma, I could probably send one of the Court in to distract the base, couldn't I? Weird stuff like that is bound to get people's attention."

Taking 10 on a Bluff check to perform Innuendo. She gives a moderate emphasis to the first word of each sentence she speaks, and despite addressing Kuma, she seems to be directing her words more at Susumu and Kimiko.

[Green Bean]

Susumu understood the message, and even in his excited state he had a pretty good poker face. He transformed, and as though he was preparing to take off, summoned up an illusory mist to cover his departure from the ground. 'By accident', he covered Kuma, cutting the Surian off from the rest of them, visually, at least. At the same time, he shaped a tiny little sound, a contained wavelength barely louder than a whisper, which manifested next to Yuki's ear and carried no further than that. "What's going on? Just whisper to yourself, I'll be able to hear it."

[AmberVael]

While Kimiko wasn't quite as sharp today as she normally was, she was still quick enough to pick up on Yuki's unusual behavior. She turned the short message over in her head and compared it to Kuma's actions, then reluctantly agreed with the assessment. Something was definitely off, but she didn't know what. The best thing to do would be to talk to the other Surians, but she didn't know where they were, or if they could trust Kuma to actually take them to them.

One thing was certain though, she had no intentions of dealing with this military base until she knew exactly what was going on.

She didn't actually know what to do next though, and only frowned as Susumu's illusion swept over them. She did use the moment to go ahead and transform, and felt a little safer for the change- but she took no further action.

[Lykan]

Yuki pretends to be fiddling with the door as she thinks, before muttering a response under her breath. "Dunno specifics. May be mind control. May be doppelganger. Be prepared for ambush. No going to base."

[Neon Knight]

"Ehehehe..." A laugh rang out over the scene below, but it sounded like the laugh of a gravely sick person, weak and pitiful to hear, lacking strength in both its pronunciation and mirth. The enhanced sensors of Kimiko's armor picked up the figure floating overhead instantly, and Yuki was keen eyed enough to pick out the distortion in the air as well.

The figure sank down, landing lightly in the midst of cloud over Kuma that Susumu had so thoughtfully provided, the magical concealment peeling away from it. Kimiko got the best look at it, at her; for it was a girl, a human girl about their age. She was mostly covered and colored with a dull looking grey cloak, a broad rectangular blanket like item pinned at the right shoulder with an ornate broach. It hung down to her knees, shrouding much of her form except for her lower legs and feet, which where sandaled.

"Greetings, little Children. You caught onto my little game very quickly." Through the smoke, Kimiko could see the girl standing over Kuma, who was now lying on the floor, apparently unconscious. "I am Mnemosyne. You're very clever little Children, very clever indeed. I knew you would realize something was wrong eventually, but you picked up on it very quickly. I commend you."

[Lykan]

Yuki doesn't waste any time transforming after the jig appears to be up, pointing her staff in the direction of the distortion. "So I guess we can presume that Mother is finally calling down dark children on us?" Her staff begins humming and glowing ominously, charging up. "I was wondering when we'd finally run into one of you guys."

[Neon Knight]

"Ehehe!" The girl's unhealthy laugh floated out of the cloud. "Oh, I'm sorry, you wouldn't know. I am a Dark Child, shaped by her hand, but I am not her puppet. I'm my own master, and I'm here on my own initiative. I'm not here to drag you to her in chains. I'm here to set you free."

[AmberVael]

"So naturally, you deceived us and mind controlled our mentor." Came Kimiko's retort, delivered in a smooth voice that she hoped would not betray her fatigue or unease. Her blades of energy were close at hand, but she didn't activate them just yet.

[Green Bean]

Susumu dispelled the cloud cover as the newcomer descended. For a moment, he looks like he's going to retort, but instead he abruptly launched into a flying jump, aiming not at the strange girl, but at Kuma. He snatched the alien/cat off the ground, and cradled her in his arms as he backed away. "Leave. We're not buying what you're selling."

[Lykan]

Yuki keeps her staff trained on the sickened, cloaked girl, clenching her jaw. "Your trick was cute, but I suggest you go home. You're outgunned and outclassed. This won't end well for you."

[Neon Knight]

"You're angry. I understand." She didn't move or budge an inch when Susumu dashed in and snatched up Kuma; the cat shaped alien was limp and unresponsive, but her sides did rise and fall in breathing. "I've upset one of the pillars you base your world upon. That... "mentor" you are so fond of. I've revealed that the Surians can be compromised, turned against you. That's what happened to me. The Mother got into my Surian's head. That's how I was captured." She tilted her head, and the most insincere smile played across her lips. "Lucky for you, it's only me here, and not the Mother. Lucky for me, I escaped." She didn't appear to respond to their demands to leave, standing her ground and speaking as if she were an invented guest. "But it does show, you can't really count on them... can you? If you do... that's a chain that will hold you back. A chain the Mother can use to bind you."

Now that the smoke was clearing, they got a clear view of her. She wasn't all that tall, about average height for a girl of that age. Her clothes and body seemed almost... monochrome, as if color had been leeched from them. It gave her features and skin a statue like cast, as if she were cold stone instead of living flesh. In addition, there was... something about her that made examining fine details and remembering them difficult. It wasn't impossible; it was easy to tell that her hair was long, spilling down her back and shoulders, but for some reason it was difficult to remember it was curly, spiraling in neat little ringlets.

She didn't seem like a native Japanese from her physical features, accent, and way of speaking; she sounded European, possibly French to Kimiko's ears (Kaoru had once entertained the daughter of one of her father's business partners, who was French).

[Lykan]

The energy coursing through the Starlight Princess' staff falters and fades, even though she keeps it pointed at Mnemosyne. "So... Your point is what, exactly? That because people like you and the mother can play puppeteer with our friends, we should abandon them?" She grimaces. "That only gives us all the more reason to be vigilant in protecting who we care about."

[AmberVael]

"You should reexamine your logic." Kimiko replied, after turning over the argument in her head. "It's true that our friends could be subverted or tricked, but you just saw that we're not easily fooled. Which is more likely: That we'll be led into a trap by an ally, or that we'll be overcome without support? Even if we didn't care for them, we have every reason to stand by them."

Emerald light shone from Kimiko's armor and from her blades, but she changed stances, standing relaxed but attentive, keeping an eye on every detail. It could be that this child was here to distract them while the other Surians were moved on, but even if that were the case, she didn't know where to find them...

"If you let your fear isolate you, you are more vulnerable and less free than we are." Kimiko said in a quiet voice.

[Green Bean]

The feeling of Kuma's limp body in his arms was making Susumu angrier than usual, so his tone was harsh. "If you're so free, why are you doing exactly what Mother would want you to? Maybe you're the one still in chains!"

[Neon Knight]

Mnemosyne appears to lose a bit of her cool as all three Children speak against her, and the expression showed clearly on her face. Somehow, that helped them remember what her features were a like; a little too round and soft to be perfect, but not necessarily unattractive.

"I guess I can't expect you to see things the way I do. Not yet. But... even from your perspective, isn't it a bad idea to let them take the lead? To chart your course for you? These powers are yours. Why should you let a bunch of lousy aliens determine how they should be used?"

"Your other little monster mentors are safe. The people you care about are safe. If I was working for the Mother, now would be the perfect opportunity to attack them, while you were distracted. But I did this... because I don't think you would have figured this out until it was too late. And your precious mentors probably won't like me. Probably want to do something to me, "scrub me clean of the Mother's taint" or something. I don't trust them."

[Lykan]

Yuki lowers her staff, her expression softening a little. "What does it matter if they direct us? I only took up this power to keep people from being taken by the Mother. Their guidance helps us to that end. Unless you have a concrete reason why we should trust a creature who sends down monsters to kidnap people in the night over those who have done all they can to support our efforts, we don't have much to talk about."

[Neon Knight]

Mnemosyne crosses her arms and looks at Yuki. "I-isn't it obvious? When it happened to me, I got it straight away. Don't you see it?"

"If they direct you wrong, you'll end up failing. And if you fail... you cannot possible begin to imagine what it is like. With so much at risk, how can you trust them?"

[AmberVael]

"And what comfort will it be if I fail on my own merits?" Kimiko questioned. "I am not a master of all things. I am even less an expert on the enemies I now have. It is only wise to take advice and knowledge where I can."

The Adamant Angel crossed her arms. "My family is at stake. My friends. My home. As you say, everything is at risk. Because of that, I must go cautiously- and that means and taking help from anyone who will offer it. I would sooner swallow my fear and my pride than lose everything that matters most to me.

"And because of that I will ask you this- if you are free, and if you wish to see us free, then help us. Join us. Turn your knowledge and skill against the Mother. I understand the lesson you had in mind today, even if I do not agree with your conclusion... and so I can forgive your actions."

A small, somewhat stiff smile appeared on Kimiko's face. "I can't promise that we'll entirely trust you, but given what you've been saying, I think you'd be pleased by that rather than dismayed."

[Lykan]

Yuki nods a little in agreement with Kimiko, relaxing her stance and leaning on her staff. "It's a good opportunity for us to see this all from each other's perspectives, right? A lot better than just yelling at eachother about it." Yuki smiles at Mnemosyne. "Seem up for it?"

[Neon Knight]

Mnemosyne looked between all of them. For an instant, she considered their offer, and then she said, "And what will you do if your Surians do not like it? Ask you to turn against me? Ask you to betray me?"

[AmberVael]

"I will listen to their advice and reasoning." Kimiko replied honestly, though she did not stop there, "But I will make my own decisions, just like I did with you."

[Neon Knight]

"...alright. I'll help you out. You two, at the very least, even if shorty over there and the Surians don't like it." She nodded, not returning the smiles, but at ease.

[Green Bean]

"If you really want to help us against Mother, I don't have a problem with that. I don't want to fight you. Or anyone, really. But I do things I don't want to do to protect the people I care about." Susumu met Mnemosyne's gaze unflinchingly for a moment. But then his expression softened a little bit; anger had a short half-life in him, hatred even more so. "But as long as you're being honest, I'll help you. Sometimes protecting the people you care about means stopping them from making the wrong decision. Is that good enough for you?"

[Neon Knight]

"Yeah, it's enough." She looked among them for a second. "So... what is your next move? Or are you going to want to talk to your Surians for real before you do anything?"

[Lykan]

"Well... The surians tend to know where the nests are, and stuff like that. It's also nice to see how they're doing, too." Yuki lets her staff disintegrate into nothingness, tapping her chin and looking at Kuma. "... She's gonna be okay, right?"

[Neon Knight]

"My powers are temporary, and somewhat limited. When she wakes up in an hour or two, she'll be fine. She will have all her memories intact." She glanced at the sleeping cat in Kuma's arms. "She'll be understandably angry with me, though, so I should leave before then."

[Lykan]

"If that's the case, well... Um... You think there's a place we can meet up with you later? Or some way to get in contact you?" She pats around the hem of her dress, biting her lip. "I have a cell phone but I think it disappears when I go all magical girly."

[Neon Knight]

"...I don't really have anywhere we could meet or any way of getting in touch with you guys. My... situation... sees to that. I hope you understand."

[Lykan]

The starlight princess frowns, but nods in understanding nonetheless. "I, um. If I may ask, Miss Mnemon-... Mnesomin-... Mnemininonsin-grrrrr..." Yuki covers her face in embarrassment. Maybe this should probably be addressed before they converse any further. "Can we just call you Mossy? My tongue can't do the verbal backflip that is your name, no matter how cool it sounds."

She pauses afterwards, trying to remember her original question. "Oh! Oh right. If you go now, uh. You don't mind me asking what you're gonna do after this, do you?"

[Neon Knight]

"M-mossy!?!" For a second, the girl looks rather flustered and angry, before crossing her arms and giving a huff. "Tch. Fine. That'll work." She was silent for a moment, then said, "...I have very important stuff to do." She didn't sound entirely convinced of it herself.

[AmberVael]

"It's Mnemosyne." Kimiko corrected with a slight smile. "Knee-moss-uh-knee. Not too hard."

"I understand if you need- or want- to leave." The Adamant Angel said to the dark child. "But perhaps we'll meet again soon."

[Neon Knight]

"Oh, we will." She pauses for just a second, enough for someone to add something further, and then hops off the roof, floating up into the sky and vanishing again.

[Lykan]

Yuki frowns a little, waving to the dark magical girl as she ascended. "See you later, Mossy!" After she disappears, the twilight princess turns to her comrades, looking a bit confused. "Well... Um. She seems nice?"

[AmberVael]

"Not really." Kimiko disagreed. "But if she wasn't lying to us, she does at least want to help. She has a mind of her own though, no matter who she wants to help- I'd stay on alert with her."

She looked around them, then at their comatose mentor. "We need to find the other Surians. Any ideas?"

[Green Bean]

Susumu checked Kuma for any signs of consciousness. "It'd be fastest just to go to one of the meeting places, I think. Didn't Mnemosyne say it'd take a few hours?"

[Lykan]

"Yeah, for Kuma to recover, at least... I guess we should head for, say... School rooftop?" She turns to Susumu, raising an eyebrow. "Hey Shortstuff, you don't suppose Akai might still be at the place you met her this morning, would she? Maybe one of us can head out to check while the rest of us wait."

[Neon Knight]

Wherever they head, Kuma would recover pretty quickly, in just over an hour, faster than Mossy had predicted, and finding another Surian was also pretty easy; Akai would be the one they found, roughly 20 minutes before Kuma woke up, so they would have a chance to speak to her before that happened.

[Lykan]

Upon spying the dog surian, Yuki gives a small, halfhearted wave. "So, um... Don't freak out, but we just met with our first dark child." She gives the unconscious Kuma a short glance before turning back to Akai. "It could have gone worse, but, well... We're all alive, at least. And pretty much unharmed."

[AmberVael]

"It could have gone a lot worse." Kimiko put in. "If she was being honest, it might even have gone well. We'll see. She possessed or controlled Kuma though- do we have a way to check and see if there are any lasting effects?"

[Neon Knight]

Akai didn't freak out, but quickly moved over to stand before Kuma. There was a sudden glow from the dog, and her voice came, confused, "She seems to be alright; just sleeping according to the instruments."

Akai turned back to the Children. "Tell me everything that happened."

[Lykan]

Yuki ponders for a moment whether Mossy had decided to double back and perform some sort of fake-out, leaving only to possess Akai once she had left. It... Wasn't really an idea that held much water, given how the girl looked a upset about having to go.

"Kuma had come to each of us in turn and told us to meet here. When we were all gathered, she had told us about a plan to infiltrate a military base to find out information on Susumu's dad. We kinda suspected something was up after a little, and, well... After suspicions were brought to light, a dark child named Mnemsonon-... Urg. A dark child revealed herself to us, apparently having possessed Kuma in order to manipulate us. We talked for a little before she left, apparently having business to attend to."

[Neon Knight]

The dog shaped alien mentor buddy paused as she considered the scenario. "This is pretty bad. I mean, we were expecting Dark Children, but they already seem to know our disguises, and know who you all are."

"Tsurugi will want to hear this. I need to talk with him home. You guys should probably try to stick close to home for a while, an keep in touch with each-other. Keep your eyes open."

She sighed, and her shoulders slumped. "...I'm really sorry about this. This is probably the start... probably when it starts to get really bad. I wish this didn't have to happen to you."

[AmberVael]

"You've seen this before?" The way Akai spoke made it seem very likely, but Kimiko wanted confirmation. "What do you think will happen?"

[Lykan]

A jolt of panic runs down Yuki's spine. If Mother's agents already knew who they were, how long would it be until they were able to track down where they lived? Would her sisters be safe? Would they even be able to fight without leaving what was most precious to them open to attack?

The girl rubs her temples, trying to calm herself down a little. "Mossy seemed alright, though... Maybe we can keep the entire thing with the Dark Children civil, if they're all like her?"

[Neon Knight]

"...I haven't seen this before, no. Not first hand. I've just heard about it from Tsurugi, and Kuma. When Dark Children start to get involved... that's when the Mother starts changing tactics, and upping the ante."

She looked at Yuki and then stopped over to her, brushing against her legs and lightly licking her hand, trying to reassure her. "I really hope so, Yuki."

[Lykan]

Yuki kneels down and pets the dog creature softly, biting her lip. "So... What should we do from here? Do we have a mission we should see to, or should we just wait for Kuma to come to before heading home?"

[Neon Knight]

"I don't know... Tsurugi might have some ideas, but I think it would be best to just make sure Kuma is okay, and give you a chance to rest." Akai leaned into the pets a little, her tail wagging quickly.

[Neon Knight]

Time does not stop for uncertainty or doubt. Kuma awoke, confused as to their concern, and worried once things had been explained to her. But there was nothing to be done about their concerns now. All they could do was return to their homes to rest, and hope.

___

For a few days, things were quiet. Then, one afternoon, as the sun was setting, the Surians came to the Children. The Mother had made another move.

It was along the shoreline, in some warehouses used by local businesses. It was strange that the Mother was here at all; none of the Children had been anywhere near it in all their lives, and the presence that the Surians had detected seemed to a small scouting force.

Although it was unlikely to be a serious threat to them, Tsu considered it a good idea to take them out rapidly, although he cautioned about the potential for a trap or ambush. If they were alone, these monsters would be isolated, over-extended, and exposed; their type and number would not be enough to withstand the Children.

When they arrived on scene, they were presented with a simple scenario: the warehouse was a tall, wide concrete structure in the middle of a grey, asphalt lot ringed with painted parking places and streetlights. The building itself was dark, but careful observation would reveal the flitting, darting shapes of small monsters in the gaping open door to the interior; the door had been forced and broken open.


In your post, you should arrive on scene and approach the situation however you deem fit. Give me a spot check and init, but combat has not been started and you have not been detected yet.

[AmberVael]

Kimiko took stock of the building from a position well beyond the streetlights, frowning at is as she considered the facts. "This move doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. They're too close, and too few from what we know, so there are a few options I can think of that explain it. The first is that they really are just scouts, and this location was chosen because it was out of the way and in the hopes that we wouldn't notice. The second is that this is a trap- something or some force was smuggled into the warehouse ahead of time or in disguise, perhaps. Or... maybe this is Mnemosyne, and this is a group under her control. In any of these cases, I don't think it is in our interest to charge in. Anyone have ideas? Maybe a way for us to scout it out?"

[Lykan]

"I suppose that's my cue." Yuki scratches her temple with her staff, thinking. "If Mossy's in there, I'm a little worried she might try to jump inside anyone I could summon to help. That eliminates Aron as an option right off the bat. Cali's able to resist stuff that messes with your head a bit better, but with her there's absolutely no stealthy option available for the sake of scouting."

She bites her lip. "If you guys don't have any better ideas, I can sneak in and take a look. It's certainly not something I'm inexperienced in." She laughs a little, sheepishly looking at the ground. "I'll summon Caliburn before I go. She can fill you in on anything I find while I'm in there snooping about. If the connection ends without reason or she disappears, you'll know something's gone bad. Sound good?"

[Green Bean]

Susumu for once had discarded the theatricality and lurked in the shadows with his two friends. "If you want, I could circle around the building; if there's a problem, I could make an illusion to pull some of the bad guys out of position and clear your exits. And if it's Mother's forces, we could catch them in a pincer."

[Neon Knight]

And so the plans were laid; Susumu circled around, to lurk on the eastern edge of the asphalt lot, while on the western edge Caliburn and Kimiko would wait in cover. Yuki would search inside, covered in invisibility, and through Cali inform her allies of what was occurring inside.

Yuki could see even before she entered the room that they were dealing with a medium sized pack of snarks at the very least. The small scuttling aliens were weak, and not a severe threat on their own even in a very large pack. She could hear the crunching and splintering of wood, and could see that the creatures were engaged in wrecking everything. They were moving through every inch of the warehouse, some merely destroying, others pacing about in an attitude of alertness. They were searching for something.

She could not see any larger or more advanced aliens yet. Her vantage point from the door gave her and decent angle on the inside of the warehouse, so she could safely conclude that these snarks were on their own, at least for now.

While the snarks were engaged in smashing up much of the warehouse and its contents, there were still some unbroken crates that she could use for cover.

[Lykan]

Well. She wasn't really going to get much to report back to the others on with what she could see now, aside from the fact that the aliens were apparently engaged in some sort of extraterrestrial mosh pit. Taking a deep breath, Yuki crouches low to the ground, quickly and carefully sneaking towards the unbroken crates so that she might get a better look inside.