Nine-colored Roses (Princess: The Hopeful) IC

[Nerd-o-rama]

Session 1: Blooming Spring Flowers

April 24, 2015

Friday, Friday, you all know the annoying song. It's a rainy day in Portland today, probably one of the last all-day showers until fall. It's good for the flowers - the one's it's not smashing the leaves off of with the occasional gust of wind - if not for the traffic. Downtown, the difference isn't really noticeable beyond the crowd of rushing people on the sidewalks being covered with umbrellas and the occasional panhandler sheltering under his sign instead of waving it around.

At 3 o'clock, Carrie Andrews, Shira Rosenberg, and Giovanni Minotti are all in downtown for various reasons - Shira and Giovanni respectively attend and teach at Pioneer High School, first off - they're here every day. Carrie, for her part, has only recently been invited to town by another Noble who, thankfully, put her up with a few days' worth of motel room so she doesn't have to sleep in her car.

School's just let out, meaning all three nobles are free right now, but all of you (separately) have appointments at the confusingly-named Washington Park in two hours. There is some time to look around right now - at the high school, most of Giovanni and Shira's students/friends are still around chatting and trying to avoid walking home/to the bus in the rain: Will Ray is predictably holding some poor kid's umbrella hostage, but most of the kids are behaving. The adults less so, since Giovanni can see Walter quietly getting into an argument with some well-meaning soul who asked if his back was feeling alright in this weather.

Carrie, meanwhile, doesn't have many friends here outside of some names of acquaintances from the Noble social network, but she does have a homeless man playing the violin for her on the sidewalk, and really, what more can you ask for on a rainy day?

As it is, there's a couple of hours before anyone has a commitment. How's everyone spending their afternoon?

[theUnearther]

Rain was always awkward. He was no stranger to dirt or the elements, of course, and his pants...
Giovanni took a quick glance to check that he was wearing the right pants.
...his pants were watertight. He figured he shouldn't go diving in them, but they could take the rain.
The problem was his bike. As a cyclist, rain was an unacceptable obstacle: reduced vision, reduced traction, perhaps even reduced grip on the handle. It did not look quite that bad, yet, but it would simply be foolish to even try.
His home was about half an hour away, by bike. Make that about forty minutes by foot, and an hour or so by foot while carrying the bike. Add maybe twenty or thirty minutes on account of the rain, with the subsequent traffic and crowds and the like.
Not bad by any means, he had done it many times before; but today he had somewhere to be, and he'd be arriving at home just in time to be late to the park.
Which meant he'd have to take the bus, which meant he'd have to chain the bycicle somewhere inside the school, which had never actually been forbidden but was discouraged, but oh well.
With a little shrug, he walked out to retrieve his bike from the outside of the school's fence.

Could you tell me/us what my/our character knows about his/their appointment?
Also, are little semi-related spoilers like this acceptable, or should I have taken this to the OOC thread?

[Nerd-o-rama]

Small notes like that are fine. I'm not some kind of rules-lawyer for thread format, I just have some preferences on what info goes where. And in this case, the information goes just fine as an IC response.
The meetup later is something that's been ruminating around Noble internet venues (and a few messages in the Dreamlands, though those were of course significantly less reliable) for a while now. It's being loosely organized by a woman named Allison Tellings and amounts to, as far as has been stated, a roll-call for people interested in being part of a larger organization of Radiant Princes and Princesses. Naturally, no one reserved the local Masonic lodge or expects everyone to show up in a big group, but instead the plan is to meet as Nobles usually do, as a kind of open secret with no obvious connections to their real task of banishing the Darkness.

It's also entirely possible there's something more significant, but at the moment, the established Hopeful are apparently just trying to get a headcount.

It could be described as a pain, but on the plus side, if Giovanni's willing to schlep a few blocks with his bike, he can probably squeeze it onto a train and get to the park via light rail.

[MReav]

Upon seeing William's antics, Shira rolls her eyes, walks over to him, yanks the umbrella out of his grip and gives him a glare. Without taking her eyes off of him as the rain pours down on her naked head, she gently plants the umbrella across the victim's chest and nods at him to get moving.

Taking a deep breath that would normally be reserved for an epic chew out, she simply says in a soft tone like a mother gently voicing her disappointment to a misbehaving child, "You could be so much better than this, you know." She then turns away and rejoins her friends.

"Hey Anne, hey MH. Want to join me at the gym?" she says in her usual quiet, neutral tone. A really observant person would note her lips being very slightly upturned, the most of a smile anyone can expect of her under normal circumstances. The gym was near the school, so it wouldn't be too far out of her way when she needed to get to the meeting.

[Nerd-o-rama]

The best William can do to that is splutter and look offended. He doesn't want to end up on the floor at the hands of a girl who carries a stuffed animal around again. His victim quietly nods thanks, then ducks out of the situation as fast as he can.

"Sure!" Marie-Helene replies.

"You going to practice some kung fu again?" she adds, casting a meaningful glance and a smirk in Will's direction.

"Going to the gym implies you could work out yourself...," Anne observes. She moves along to follow Shira before it escalates into an argument, though.

"Are you calling me fat? You're calling me fat, aren't you."

Well, she tries.

***

Meanwhile, Giovanni finds his bike, along with an unfamiliar man in a ratty coat trying and failing to figure out how to undo Giovanni's bike lock without a key. He looks up as Giovanni approaches, and immediately starts to bolt off toward the street.

[theUnearther]

Giovanni sighs softly as he watches the man run off.
"Guess I have to report that. While I proceed to park it in a not-quite-illegally-but-frowned-upon way. Wonderful."
He pulls his key, careful not to touch the keychain even though he is very aware that it does nothing if he does not will it, unchains the machine and pulls the handle up, to roll it off its back wheel alone.
He takes it to the stairwell, climbs the first section and chains it to the handles, then heads to the headmaster's office.
On the way he decides he does not want to actually talk about this, so he pulls some paper and a pen off his suitcase, and writes:

Esteemed Headmaster:
I saw an unkempt, homeless or pretending to be homeless, man trying to steal my bycicle. He ran, but it may be prudent to keep an eye out for further events. Probably.
- Giovanni Minotti
P.S. I am leaving the same chained to the stairway, on account of the rain. Sorry.
He slips it under the headmaster's office's door, then leaves to find something to eat.

I just arbitrarily decided the headmaster was a man. Sorry if anyone had plans otherwise, english doesn't really do gender-neutral. We can retcon this I guess.
Giovanni uses a normal lock and about 2m of chain, because bycicle chains are dumb.

[MReav]

"You going to practice some kung fu again?" she adds, casting a meaningful glance and a smirk in Will's direction.

"It would be nice to have a sparring partner." Shira says, "But if the two of you would prefer something else, I wouldn't mind. No swimming sadly. I haven't been able to get a new suit, and the lifeguards get ever so flustered if you try swimming without one." Given her tone of voice and expression, a casual observer would be hard-pressed to tell if she was joking or being serious.

[Beans]

[Streets]
Spare drops roll off Carrie's faux-leather jacket, old and battered but still in good condition; the umbrella Christin lent her when they last parted ways does a good job of keeping the rain away. Rain---yeah, she knows rain. Spend enough of your time out in the woods in Northeast Ohio---or just in Northeast Ohio in general---and you know rain.

She gives the violinist a smile and some change as she passes on her way to the meeting. His music is good, but she's already got a head full of Bowie.

Pushing through the market square, so many mothers sighing...
She doesn't really know her way around town, but checking her phone's GPS app is good enough for her anyway. She's not hurrying, as there's time to spare, but she doesn't have much else to do. No sense in going back to the motel---she has to find out who paid for that and thank them, by the way. While she's grown very used to her sleeping bag in the back seat of her car, a real bed and the opportunity to take a real shower is something glorious.


Think I saw you in an ice-cream parlor, drinking milkshakes cold and long...
As she walks, she notices a pretty face in a passing window and... yes, here we go again, the roll call of faces and names passing before her eyes. Amaya, Cassy, Erin, Kary Pamyu Pamyu no that was a dream, Drifa, Sasha... Christin... and Vo.


We've got five years, stuck on my eyes; five years, what a surprise...
She has to stop doing this. That's for sure---but what does she mean when she says 'this'? Does she mean she has to stop falling into the arms of every pretty girl who has them open? Does she mean she has to stop guilting herself about? Maybe she just means she has to stop wondering about this.
She keeps walking.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Giovanni and Shira

We can skip ahead an hour if you like. Giovanni can get something to eat and Shira can make a roll for Wisps using her Circle.

Carrie

The gentleman with the violin nods in appreciation and keeps playing.

As Carrie wanders along, lost in thoughts about the one thing arguably greater than hope and faith, she notices something odd. Namely, a few windows down from her latest Dulcinea, a black cat is sitting in the outside windowsill. Somehow, it appears to be completely dry despite the all-day rainshower, currently sheltered by the recessed window setting.

It's also very clearly staring directly at her.

[theUnearther]

I think I'll decline the timeskip in favor of some light recon.
And I've another rules question: you are supposed to be able to transform without parts of your regalia, which is important to me on account of huge conspicuous gun, then swap parts in and out with "a transformation action".
Can I spend a wisp to reflexively get/ditch the gun, or is that just for mortal-to-Princess changes?

Giovanni emerges from the shop carrying a hastily microwaved sausage, an apple and a can of tangerine soda. He'd really wanted donuts or fries, but the rain would ruin them.
He then immediately goes to the bus stop, having decided not to even go home and that waiting on the school grounds would not really help much.
A short wait later, and then a slightly shorter bus trip later, he arrives at the park. He finds a secluded space, touches his knife with a single fingertip and dons his supernatural clothes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18919559&postcount=9), but not the weapon. No sense in showing his original face to the others if he does not yet know, for sure, that every single one is trustworthy.
Well, they are the same face really. But, magic.
He then walks around the park, looking at nothing, enjoying the sight of the raindrops in his normally immaculate white jacket.

[Beans]

Carrie looks at the cat a bit more intently (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18919616&postcount=11), amber eyes flicking over it. Dry, okay, well, cats are good at finding places to stay out of the wet---though you'd think it'd prefer to get inside, or at least somewhere more surely covered.
Staring at her? That's... weird. Not enough to start turning over stones and screaming about how it's a Golgom Darkspawn plot, but not something to brush off.

"Hello, kitty." Sure, talking to cats is odd, but not quite so odd when you're just saying little things. It'd look more convincingly normal if she, say, went up and petted it, but she's not going to jump in just yet. Besides, even a normal cat might get bitey.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Giovanni

Yes. I'm going to say any "transformation action", even a partial one, can be done automatically and reflexively by spending a Wisp.

The beginnings of the afternoon rush hour keep Giovanni en route longer than he'd probably like, but he arrives at the park early with no problems, around 4:00 pm. It's still drizzling and therefore the park is mostly empty save for dog-walkers, a few dedicated Ultimate Frisbee enthusiasts, and at least one couple on their way to the Zoo with a half-off coupon they were damn well going to use today. He has no trouble finding a place to transform, and only one of the dog-walkers gives him an odd look for walking around the park in an all-white tuxedo in the rain when she happens to see him - he's just another eccentric hanging around the park.

Washington Park is, for an urban park, enormous, and has numerous different sections, including two different gardens, an arboretum, and a zoo. The front section of the park by itself has two large monuments (one in honor of Lewis and Clark and the other for remembrance of the Holocaust), a playground, and picnic areas, and just behind it is the International Rose Test Garden, where the Nobles were encouraged to meet.

Carrie

There doesn't seem to be anything unusual about the cat itself, although she (well, probably she, Carrie's not a vet and she's not that close) does seem to be sitting on something. Upon closer inspection, it's a plain white mailing envelope. Once the cat is sure she has Carrie's attention (you guess), she meows loudly, turns around deliberately, and after staring at her own reflection for a second, walks through the window. There's no bump, or crash, the cat just steps into the glass pane and is gone, leaving just the envelope.

[Beans]

[Streets]

... Wwwwwwelllll theeennnnn.
Carrie watches the cat walk through the glass and considers the likelihood of Mirrors horse-hockey being involved. Of course, the Heirs aren't the only one to take Speccio, but it is still the Invocation that drives you insane.

Carrie walks over and picks up the envelope. She turns it over before pocketing it; for now, she just wants to get to the park for the meeting.

[MReav]

Shira has a really nice time with her friends at the gym. Inari for his part was able to pass the time played with that second-hand tablet she got for him while she was in public. The sounds were obviously off.

It was probably not the best arrangement, but the wounds were still relatively fresh, and Inari served as her security blanket.

However, as the time drew near, she informed them that she needed to attend to a personal matter.

I got 3 Successes on my Circle roll. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18922007&postcount=12)

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie

Envelope successfully pocketed, Carrie can make it to the park with no further trouble. It is more or less as stated above for Giovanni, although there is a strange man in a white tuxedo exploring the place as well.

Shira

Shira's friends say goodbye, Anne thankfully changing the subject back to Marie-Helene's non-existent weight problems to distract her from following you or asking prying questions. M-H does tell Shira to be careful, though, before spitefully crunching some potato chips in Anne's face.

Everyone

Five o'clock is approaching, and the rain lightens up to barely a drizzle. Everyone's arrived at the park, which is more or less empty except for the three Nobles headed for an appointment in the rose garden.

Now's the time for IC introductions, if anyone's aware enough to notice they're all headed for the same place at the same time. Next GM post will be everyone arriving at the rose garden, so let me know if you want to do anything else first.

[theUnearther]

I want to know, how old is miss Tellings? As soon as I can plausibly tell, I mean.
Also, I just realized transforming so far ahead was probably a bad idea. The limit is per scene OR per half hour, so doing this demanded two rolls from me. My pool is good and I got 4 and 2 successes, respectively (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18924476&postcount=17), but still.

Giovanni throws the empty soda can in a trashcan and heads to the designated meeting spot, with a little feeling of dread. Every time he's met another of his kind, it has been a child. Hopefully he simply has had bad luck, so far...

[MReav]

Shira makes her way to the rose garden. She maintains a bit of awareness in case it was a trap (or at least, someone else intercepted the information and would take advantage of the congregation of Nobles). At some point, when there's no one in earshot, she opens her bag and peeks in.

"Are you okay in there?" she asked Inari, who seemed enraptured with the tablet.

"I got to level 400 mistress! But it seems like a waste to crush all this perfectly good candy!"

"It's good that you're able to enjoy yourself given the circumstances. What can you tell me about this meeting?"

[Beans]

[Meeting]
Carrie sees a white-tuxed man and is reminded of her own Regalia. She remains untransformed for now, though, and simply looks around at her fellow Nobles, trying to pick out any she knows.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Inari closes his little bead-eyes and thinks. He'd learned something about this, hadn't he?

"The closest this city has to a leader will be there," he replies in the offhandedly weird way Shikigami sometimes have. "She can definitely help us if we help her."

At any rate, the trio reach the International Rose Test Garden at the appointed time. Even as a subsection of the park, it's quite extensive and, it being spring, filled with a riot of colors and scents from blooming roses cultivated from across the world. Red, white, yellow, pink, and colors in between grow in tasteful, ordered arrangements everywhere, only slightly battered by the day's soaking rain.

The area is also completely abandoned, as far as is possible to notice, except for three people standing around a fountain that stands like a memorial near the center of the gardens. As Shira, Carrie, and Giovanni approach the other trio, each of them first notices that they're standing in a Blessed Place, somewhere innately connected to the Light. They also, naturally, notice the people they're approaching - all in civilian garb and holding umbrellas, but nonetheless almost certainly other Nobles they are meant to meet.

Standing in the middle is a serious thirty-five-ish red haired woman named Alison Tellings, or at least she's recognizable as such to anyone who pays attention to local politics. To her left is a Vietnamese man in his late twenties holding a briefcase, and to her right is a blonde woman, also in her mid-30's, wearing a slightly bemused smile and giving Carrie an awkward sort of finger-waggling wave. Carrie knows she's Christin Svenja, although no one else would.

[MReav]

Shira approached the garden with Inari on hand.

"This is the meeting place?" Shira asked, knowing the obvious answer, but at least trying to break the ice.

[theUnearther]

Fun fact: I spent so long crafting Giovanni's lament that the forces of Good be full of children that I didn't even think about what his reaction should be otherwise. Sorry for the delay.
Also, MReav, I need to know if Shira's in her civilian identity, because if she is, he's going to recognize her. Not right now, but later, when he sees her at the school and remembers he saw her here. Unless you're going to drop out of school or we all die here or something, obviously.

As he approaches the three waiting figures, Giovanni feels something about the place. It is not really descriptible, and he is perfectly certain of it, which marks it as a supernatural phenomenon; and it feels right. This is strange, and definitely welcome. More supernatural things should try not being enemies of humanity.

"This is the meeting place?"
Such a young kid, as usual. But the ones in front, at least, appear to be adults. It is perhaps possible that they too were drafted as children, and merely have lived as such, but at least they exist. This is, indeed, a good day.
"Good evening."
The one in the middle looks vaguely familiar, actually...

[Beans]

Okay. Um. Okay. Alright.

Carrie could run to Christin's arms, bury herself in her hug, but... nnno. Too... desperate.
She could trot right over and talk... but still, she doesn't know about that.
Instead, she decides to kind of mosey over to the tux guy after shyly returning her mentor/lover's wave.

[Nerd-o-rama]

"It is," the serious-looking woman says, inclining her head to the group. She looks at the man, who holds up a small prism, concentrates for a second, and nods.

"Three Nobles, rank two-ish, can't speak as to Courts," he replies. "And one Shikigami, obviously."

"Obviously? My disguise is perfect, thank you," Inari chimes in.

"Thank you Mark. And welcome," the woman says again. "My name is Alison Tellings, a Commissioner of the city and a Grace sworn to the Queen of Clubs, and you're standing in the court of the Enlightened Nation of Portland."

"That being metaphorical," Christin adds, playfully. "Alison hasn't quite gotten her paperwork in order to secede from the republic."

Mark glares at her, but Alison cracks a smile. "We can see about that when there's more than six of us. Actually, I was expecting a few more..."

"They'll show eventually," Christin says, then turns back to the group. "Oh, by the way, Christin Svenja, semi-professional Troubadour of Spades. I just sort of blew in for this venture. The rock-faced guy over there is Mark Nguyen, who's the kind of person who gets magical powers and uses them to supe up computers."

Mark just sighs. "There are other supernatural beings out there. I could have wound up being in a group with an innate sense of propriety, like horrible reanimated corpses," he fake-laments.

[MReav]

Shira gives a slight bow, "Shira Rosenberg, AKA Blazing Striker, Champion of Swords." she says to introduce herself, "And this is Inari, AKA... something I can't pronounce, my Shikigami ally." The Royal Tongue as he called it was something that was hard for her to pronounce.

Somehow, you could tell it was capitalized just by hearing it.

"What is this meeting about?"

[Nerd-o-rama]

The Meeting

"Hey, someone who wants to get right to business," Mark says, "Imagine that."

Alison gives him a fond but exasperated look, then turns to address the Shira, Carrie, and Giovanni. "The reason I asked you here is that there hasn't been an organized presence of the Hopeful here in too long," she begins. "If you've ever wondered why Portland is one of the nicest, cleanest, most peaceful cities in the United States, it's not a matter of coincidence or luck. It was the guiding hand of the Hopeful at the end of the last century. For a solid decade, while other cities were being driven into the ground by creatures of the night or plain human greed, a great organization of Princes and Princesses, which we call a 'Nation', guided this city to an Enlightened age under the tutelage of the Radiant Queens, who I'm sure you all know."

She turns, spreads her arms to gesture to the fountain, and turns back to continue speaking, face serious. "This was not without response, obviously. Wherever there is enough Light, the Darkness is drawn to it. The little golden age ended when the city's greatest Princess, who we call Rose Heart, sacrificed herself on this very spot to defeat a great army of the Darkness, and the remaining Radiant Princesses scattered. As of October 4, that will be 20 years ago, and in the meantime the city has...stagnated. Plateaued. Been less than it could be. What children of the Light have been here have been scattered as lone, confused vigilantes, points of light in a sea of darkness."

Alison takes a long look at Shira in particular.

"And as some of you know, violence between the more...extreme factions of Princes and Princesses has caused more obvious damage than even the Darkspawn in recent years," she says, then looks up again, once more giving a speech rather than reminiscing or expressing tacit sympathy. "That's why we need to organize. Rebuild the presence of the Radiant Courts here. Take those points of light and make them into a bonfire. Take control of our city's destiny with a guiding hand for the innocent and a prudent defense against the Dark. I've called you all here to be a part of it, and I very much hope we can work together."

She pauses, and smiles expectantly. Mark quietly moves behind Christin to restrain her from bursting into half-sarcastic applause.

Mana

Mana Nanmen is, of course, a very busy person with a wide variety of responsibilities. However, when Aya asks her to clear her schedule for an hour or two for what she calls "royal business", it's almost always worth a little schedule rearranging. And besides, no one wants to meet professionally on a Friday evening.

That's why Aya is expecting her on a quiet (and more importantly technically publicly accessible) rooftop of a building near Washington Park at a bit after 5:00 pm, already kitted out in that impractical dress of hers that never seems to get in the way or get dirty in a fight, looking out at the park with an anticipatory smile. Hopefully Mana shows up, or she's going to get a real earful.

[Beans]

[Meeting]
Carrie listens to Allison's spiel---it's a good one, she feels. It all makes sense---after all, Nobles are supposed to work together, isn't that the point?
She can't really think of anything to say in response, though---she glances at the tux guy and the girl before her eyes slide back over to the three veterans, lingering visibly too long on Christin before returning to Allison.

[theUnearther]

Giovanni is briefly distracted by the young girl looking intermittently at him. Should he recognize her?
She looks a bit old to be a student, and definitely too young to be a classmate. A former student, perhaps? But then, Noble or not, she should not recognize him right now.
And she seems to be looking at everyone. Probably just nervous, then.

As for the speech...
Something was off. Too much trust on the ghosts of fallen heroes, who may or may not be more than the dreams of the living. He'd never been one for fealty.
Still. A Grace among the government was definitely a good thing. And her proposal seemed a good wait no. Nothing had been proposed yet; her pitch seemed to be for a good, upcoming, proposal.
But then, she held an official position and was well used to dealing with the bureaucracy, so the difference was probably academic? What would be proposed should be obvious.
Shouldn't it? Should he press the point?

Giovanni waits in silence, with a conflicted look on his face, his curiousity definitely piqued.

[MReav]

Shira considered the speech for a little while. She was used to working alone or with Inari, at best hanging out with her friends preferably in the aftermath while Anne patched her up.

However, there was one thing she wanted to know.

"What sort of resources can you bring to the table?" she asked. She was hoping to know if they could do anything for her parents. She didn't really feel confident with trying to use magic to help them, and she had a sinking suspicion that the Tempesta magics that were used that night weren't going to be fixed so easily...

[Felyndiira]

If she seemed irritable in the evenings, the blame was often with herself. Every single moment of her day was chosen precisely to fit some transient ideal that no one could really understand, but that she pursued with fanatical passion as if it had been the only road in the dead middle of a maze. When responsibility appeared before her, she accepted it and went about her life without another word, not saying a word or showing a measure of complaint to anyone else. The accumulation of her own choices left her here, sprawled clumsily on her bed with only an empty talent for smiles to accompany her. Her rest would only be fora few moments; then, her responsibility begins anew, and she must return, again, to the accursed rain.

Water was supposed to be her element. It was revered as a metaphor for knowledge for the court of Diamonds, but that moment, the incessant sound of rain hitting her window was more like a nuisance than some form of higher learning. It reminded her too much of her blossoming - of responsibility and her own stress, and would conspire to keep her awake until she sat wide-eyed in her queen-sized bed, her hair tangled, and with an annoyed scowl replacing her normal, faux-serene smile. "S**--," she grumbled, catching herself at the last second. Absentmindedly, she grabbed her pylactery from the nightstand and stuffed it carelessly in her purse, then stumbled to the bathroom while muttering almost-obscenities under her breath. "Drat! Darn it! Urgh! Something something or other! Stuff of some stuff! Insert swearing here! Who was the idiot that just randomly decided that swearing is a criminal offense against magical powers, anyhow?"

"Deep breaths, Mana," she added, making a forced, exaggerated sigh before the mirror. For a moment, she stared blankly at her reflection, as if somehow expecting it to suddenly jump into existence and assuage her frustration. Her mouth twisted into a cartoon scowl, her body into an exaggerated pose, and the mirror responded in kind. Somehow, this bout of childishness was amusing to Mana, and was followed by increasingly preposterous poses and faces until the girl finally bursting into laughter. "I'm just a college student," she whispered, reassuring herself. "It's okay for college students to complain or be immature once in a while."

Then, she began to play with her makeup; it took a full forty minutes before she left the bathroom, and a intricately detailed portrait of "Magical Girl Mana" was left on the mirror in pink lipstick. She'll clean it up later - for now, it has served its purpose, and would stand proudly in her bathroom as a testament to bad art, viewable by no one in particular.

****

Her makeup - and her hair - were once again ruined when she reached the meeting place.

She was fully drenched, but it was not due to negligence; rather, she had given her only umbrella to an old violinist in the park, rationalizing that she was still young, didn't mind the rain, and thus the poor man needed it more that she did. Somehow, the weird jittery feeling of the area must have contributed to this line of thought, but Mana didn't really mind. It felt nice to be self-sacrificial for once, and it's the little nice feelings that makes life worth living in the end, magical girl or mundane.

Of course, Aya had to choose a roof for the meeting place - Mana was never physically fit in the first place, and the added weight of rain in her dress and stockings only made the trek that much more of a torturous journey. Two flights, and the girl paused to catch her breath; she was tired, cold, and barely able to see from her water-coated glasses, but it was all worth it for an important social responsibility.

Hanging out with her friend was fun, after all. When the enemy isn't around, at the very least.

Eventually, the girl did make it to the roof, panting heavily - though remaining within cover as she surveyed her surroundings. Aya was there first, as usual - already transformed, even though there was not a single threat in sight for miles.

"You look ready for war," she laughed, brushing rainwater from her eyes. "So, um, what's up?"

[Nerd-o-rama]

The Meeting

"Well, I've got a few mundane resources from my office, obviously, that I'm always ready to devote to a bigger cause," Alison replies. "If we're talking about magic, my specialty is pretty much support and making other people better at what they do. I have to listen to the military lobby call me an REMF every day anyway, so I've pretty much embraced that."

"I'm uh...more the organizational guy, but if you need data on what's going on in the city or a magical patch job, that's pretty much my department," Mark adds.

"All three of us are willing to share information, inspiration, a cup of coffee, whatever. You guys all drink coffee in the Northwest, right?" Christin says.

"If you're looking for some specific help, though...," Mark continues, addressing Shira directly, "I might know of some--"

He trails off and puts a hand to his head about half a second before Shira is hit with a multiple whammy of sudden head pain that she recognizes as her innate awareness of Taint - there are things crossing over from the Dark World nearby, though she can't tell where.

"Ugh, wow," Mark says, rubbing his eyes to get over the sudden onslaught of not-rightness, before seriousing up again and rattling off information. "I just felt two different crossovers inside the park - one west, one southwest."

Alison immediately scowls. "In the park? I've kept this place scrubbed clean for months now..."

Surprisingly, given the last five minutes, it's Christin who starts giving orders. "Right. The park's almost empty right now, but we still need to corral and get rid of these things before they spread out. If it's two groups, we should split three and three."

She gives Shira, Giovanni, and Carrie a once-over (resisting the urge to give Carrie a twice-over). "Okay, Champion, Mender, and...really prepared guy. That's a good setup. You've all fought Darkspawn before, right?"

Mana

Aya gives her best and most practiced smile to Mana as thanks for making it up here. The rain, of course, hadn't touched her at all in her magical girl form, water beading elegantly and sliding off her hair and dress as if they were coated in Teflon. That's a trick she hasn't been able to get Mana to get the knack of, unfortunately, and it's easy for Mana to see how sorry her old friend is for her clothes and makeup getting messed up like that.

Specchio has the best and dumbest Charms.
"Ah, sorry, sorry," she says, still smiling. "I should have picked somewhere under cover to meet, but I didn't think we'd have any privacy. At least you're in your element, though, right?"

Lame joke done with, she continues a bit more seriously, "I've got very good intelligence that Creatures of Darkness are going to show up in the park any minute now. There's something going on there right now they won't be able to resist crossing over for."

She closes her eyes, and concentrates. "In fact, I think they're arriving now. Want to spread out and go hunting?" she asks with an eager smile.

[Beans]

[Meeting]
Carrie tenses as she hears the news---Darkspawn, here, now? At Christin's question, she nods, swallowing as she feels those eyes on her. Christin got her through her very first Darkspawn encounter months ago, but asking the question to all of them makes sense. She notices that the older woman just called her 'Mender'; for now, it seems, familiarity takes a backseat to urgency.

She raises her necklace to her lips, whispering something before kissing it. Her rugged clothes unmake themselves in a ripple spreading down from her head, reforming into her Regalia. The immaculate frock coat and white spats, the more lustrous hair and brighter eyes, don't look any less... right than the leather jacket and jeans had. Even the axe, polished ebony and white kid-leather with a pale golden head all polished to a mirror shine, fits perfectly in her hands.

"Let's rock."

[MReav]

"If you're looking for some specific help, though...," Mark continues, addressing Shira directly, "I might know of some--"

He trails off and puts a hand to his head about half a second before Shira is hit with a multiple whammy of sudden head pain that she recognizes as her innate awareness of Taint - there are things crossing over from the Dark World nearby, though she can't tell where.

Shira was listening intently to what he was about to say when something hit her like an icepick stabbing her in the head.

As she kneeled down and clutched her head, "Make the hurting stop..." she whispered to herself. She sincerely hoped that this metaphysical awareness was due to her inexperience/the thing malfunctioning due to the Fall and subsequent glitches that being trapped in the thing Inari told her about would cause. Because it gave her something to look forward to in that she could point out where these monsters are coming from and she wouldn't have to have these brief but crippling headaches.

Still, Shira was not one to shy away from a fight, so she reoriented herself and said "If you're so experienced and you want to get a good idea on what we're capable of, maybe we should exchange members. Have one of you with us, and have one of us with you?" Shira was probably being a bit naive at this proposition, but hey, the prospect of fighting alongside other experienced Nobles that hadn't been trying to kill her a few minutes beforehand made this interesting for her.

When the pain finally became manageable, she whipped out her hand, claspped a bracelet with a little red stone, and said "Heart's Forge Transformation!"

The magic swirled around her, coccooning her in light before it melts away, revealing a slightly taller, more mature young woman in her place. She wore a fiery blue and white robe, whose patterns of highlights would make it look like patterns of flame. The Regalia itself would seem more appropriate on a sorcerer or wizard than a fighter. On her face, there is a sequined mask that made it hard for the others to remember that this was the 16-year old from earlier. In her hands was a glaive that seemed less a weapon and more an extension of herself.

I get 2 successes from Transforming... (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18941992&postcount=32)

The mask comment is me describing the effects of Shira's Veiling.

I, the player, don't know if Inari has any sort of transformation, so if he's got any sort of battle mode, now would be the time to show it.

[Felyndiira]

"That wan't quite what I had hoped for," the girl thought, hiding a soft, exasperated sigh. She was hoping for something more casual - a walk through the park, perhaps, with each other as company and the rain to keep them awake. On second thought, hanging out in the rain was an unlikely idea, but Aya could have at least let her keep dreaming of a night together in peace, as a break from the life of a model student, at least for a bit longer.

As always, none of this would escape her lips. Aya probably would not have minded; they have poked fun at each other, complained about petty things, and consoled each other plenty of times throughout the years, as good friends would often do. Still, Mana had worn that mask for so long that it had become a permanent fixture of her personality, and even around Aya, she would often have trouble removing it.

"I guess there's no escaping responsibility," she laughed, reaching for her pylactery. When she first received her power, Aya managed to convince her to scream some nonsensical phrases aboud love and makeup, declaring that such "transformation phrases" were required for a princess to assume her noble form. She knows better now, after some hours of empirical testing, but she would still occasionally blurt it out by habit. Even if no one else is watching, her face would flush in embarrassment, and Aya would let out a lighthearted giggle.

"Mana, you're into cosplaying," she would always add. "You shouldn't be so afraid of a little transformation speech?"

She never did have a satisfactory answer for that question.

Regardless, Mana's transformation was simple and practical. In an instant, the girl's hair became brown and curly, though the rain quickly took care of that, as well. Her barrier jacket was a simple deep blue dress with a short, long-sleeved jacket. Clad from head to toe in black and dark blue, and dressed with more elegance than showiness, she was a striking contrast to her white-robed friend who even the rain would not mar. Mana looked more like the dark magical girl in her ebon garments - the tragic heroine made bitter and lonely by life's circumstances, with a noble heart that a heroine would eventually redeem with her kindness.

"It is a bit like that now," Mana mused. Standing next to each other, Mana really did look like the gloomy dark magical girl-turned-lancer and Aya the ever-cheerful main heroine. Mana chuckled, then grew thoughtful, surveyed her surroundings for a moment before turning back to her friend.

"I guess we would have to split up," she sighed, "it's weird, but I never actually realized how big this park is."

Transformation: 3 Successes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18942261&postcount=33)

[Nerd-o-rama]

The Meeting

At the same time, shining lights engulf the three more senior Enlightened, leaving Christin in a lacy, flattering yellow dress with obvious spade symbols, Mark in a deep blue robe, and Alison in a rather traditional and understated green layered dress, shawl, and hat. Likewise, after a quick hop down, Inari turns into, to all appearances, an actual silvery-white fox. He immediately begins grooming himself.

"It would probably be a good idea...," Christin begins, looking at the be-tuxed Carrie specifically.

Mark shakes his head. "The north group is larger. No offense, but I'm suggesting the experienced folks contain them while you guys handle the south group."

Alison nods. "We'll all meet back here after the Dark creatures are taken care of, if we're able," she said. "Sorry to split us up so soon, but please take this as an apology."

She focuses on each of the group in turn, invoking a Charm with the effect of swirling flower petals landing on each of them, granting a feeling of confidence.

"Remember - the park might be almost empty, but preventing civilian casualties is our number one priority," Alison says firmly. "Good luck."

The group begins to head out the door. Christin turns back for a second and shoots Carrie a smile and a 'call me' gesture, and then they're gone.

Everyone gains Fortunate (4). Each of your first four rolls of the next scene gains 9-Again.

You're also free to plan or to head out immediately, just trying to keep things moving along.

Mana

"You're right about that," Aya says. Presumably referring to the last part. She hasn't developed telepathy yet, at least as far as she's told Mana. "I'm sure you'll be fine on your own, though - remember, the important thing is to go into things with optimism and love. Even if you insist on being quiet about it."

Advice dispensed, Aya grins and draws her magical girl weapon, an ornate flintlock duelist's pistol that rather weirdly matches the pearly colors of her outfit. She's never been stopped for it, even in front of witnesses, mostly because everyone always assumes there's a convention going on between that and her actual dress. "I'll start at the north end, you start at the south end, and we'll meet in the middle, okay?"

Without waiting for an answer, she's off, heading rather recklessly down the stairs and across the street into the greenery. One day she'll figure out balancing on and leaping off of tall objects. One day.

[Felyndiira]

"I still-" Aya had already disappeared before she could gather her thoughts. Was she always like this? The Aya of the past was much more reasonable; more mature and less impulsive than the jittery girl of today - it was like the Blossoming had somehow changed her very personality. As if she's stopped living in the real world and became the proper heroine of a magical girl story.

Mana shook her head softly; she couldn't sense darkspawn as well as Aya could. She had no idea how many of them are there or whether she could manage alone, but her friend didn't leave her with much of a choice. "Responsibility, right?" The girl whispered to herself; she slowly descended down the stairs, making sure not to exhaust herself this time, and jogged to the southern end of the park.

[MReav]

"Enemies of the innocent, know that Blazing Striker is here to stop you!" Blazing Striker said.

"With that out of the way, since the teams have apparently been made for us, we should each briefly say what we can do in a fight." she said, "I hit things hard and can dodge really well." She let Inari and the others explain their own power sets.

[theUnearther]

And just as some actual policies were about to begin taking form, an enemy attacks. But of course.
One of the girls seizes control of the situation.

"With that out of the way, since the teams have apparently been made for us, we should each briefly say what we can do in a fight. I hit things hard and can dodge really well."
"Fair enough."
Shame that one so young NO. FOCUS.
On the subject of focusing, Giovanni focuses for a moment, waves his hands in a brief but elaborate pattern, and turns his side to the two kids to show them the rifle as it appears strapped to his back.
"I favor this weapon. My father taught me, so many years ago."
Longer than you have lived, he does not say. Barely. None of them are even human anymore, they cannot really be said to be children, can they? No matter how they look the part. No matter how tragic it is that they were made out of ENOUGH OF THAT. Statement of capabilities.
"I offer to teach you whatever I can that you want, and to make an honest effort to learn whatever you may teach."
Also, that's not what "tragic" means.
"In battle, I have primarily faced ghosts..."
With his right hand, he pushes the mouth of the rifle upwards, clearing about half of the barrel out of its strap, then grabs the released part with his left and pulls it the rest of the way out.
"...but not exclusively. I am no stranger to this evening's game."
With a practiced swing he brings the weapon's handle into his waiting right, his left already in its proper position. He turns to the nervous one, then remembers that and lets go of the barrel, pointing the rifle into the ground.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance. Shall we hunt?"

First off, sorry for being missing. More on that in the other thread.
Second. Giovanni spent an action to transform his gun into existence, getting 2 successes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18948389&postcount=35). I messed up the 2nd reroll, but it turned out not to matter. That spent the first 9again and one Wisp so that the gun be loaded. 10 bullets left.
Third, he means "game" in hunter lingo, not in that this be a mere game for him. It's ok if a character makes the mistake but I think it's important to note it outofcharacterly.
Fourth, that's "hunter", not "Hunter".

[Beans]

[Meeting]
Carrie can't not blush when Christin makes her little call-me gesture, but she keeps up a good face. The feeling of the charm settling upon her makes her feel more sure of this. Gripping her axe, she listens to the others.
I'm alright with my axe, but mostly my job is keeping you two healthy. No plans to charge in swinging, not me.

[Nerd-o-rama]

The Meeting

"I can tear into things with my teeth a little," the fox said, answering that question forever, as he gestured to the oversized calligraphy brush strapped to his back, "But mostly I can use this brush from the Dreamlands to protect a space from Dark creatures."

He darts toward the entrance and back, almost like a dog expecting to go for a walk. "If you're all ready, let's go!"

Washington Park - Hoyt Arboretum

Between Inari's and Shira's senses, once they have the chance to get their bearings it's not hard to sense the direction of the malevolent and disgusting intent that indicates Tainted areas and the crossing-over of Darkness from its world into this one. It's a faint connection for now, but will only get stronger if some violent Darkspawn wanders out and starts murdering or corrupting people.

In this case, the corruption is coming from somewhere in the south end of the otherwise quite peaceful and beautiful (if significantly damp) Hoyt Arboretum, a garden for trees from all over the world, or at least all over the world where trees can survive in a temperate coastal climate. It could be the imagination, or just later than it feels but while the rain is lighter here, the sky seems significantly more leaden grey and unpleasant.

Mana, meanwhile, has made a foray a good deal of the way across the park when she notices the movement of people for the first time, specifically a trio of people in suspiciously ornate costumes heading across the parking lot toward the Arboretum.

It's impossible to see anything moving inside the miniature forest from where the Nobles are, but that doesn't mean there's nothing there.

Moved everyone to the same place, basically. I can start combat when you're ready, but I'd like a general sense from the group and from Mana about how you're approaching things: charging in, stealth, active search, etc. Also, giving Mana the opportunity to join the group or hold back/hide and join in later. Sound fair?

[MReav]

Blazing Striker moves in aiming not to be heard. While by no means a stealth expert, she could probably get a few extra steps on whatever it is that's threatening the world.

One success. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18949068&postcount=36)

[Felyndiira]

She had been running for a while now, and fatigue - made no better by her heavy, drenched hair - was catching up with her. Real life really was nothing like the anime shows of the past era - when a magical girl transforms, she was supposed to become invincible. Bullets, knives, and beam spams would bounce off her like they were balls of paper mache, and she would run for entire miles without a bit of trouble no matter how feeble she was in her civilian form. Yet, Mana felt nothing of that; she was still out-of-shape transformed as she was a regular college student - too slender for any muscles, and too weak for any feat of endurance.

"This is why we shouldn't have-" the girl exclaimed, exasperated. For some reason, Aya always seemed to be fine in these situations even though she was never any more athletic in her civilian form. She never had a bit of rasp or slurring when she spoke, as if the monsters they faced was as challenging as resting in bed. "Maybe it was just the proper province to the main character of Portland, Oregon?" Mana chuckled at the thought - then grew thoughtful when she noticed three people - a man, and two younger girls - loitering around the area.

Civilians? She wanted to scream a warning, but something wasn't right about this scene. For a group of people dressed as if they were going to a wedding or some similarly formal occasion, they didn't seem to be running from the rain. They were running towards the Arboretum, and there were no roofs or shelters there. Perhaps...

Mana had her own theories, but it wouldn't hurt to make sure, would it? She studied the trio from a distance for a moment, then tapped her eyes with her scepter. For a moment, imaginary waves seem to surround her; embers of white and blue swirled near her vicinity before congregating near her eyes, giving them a faint, aqua-like glow.

If nothing else, it would be an opportunity to examine the enemy, as well. With knowledge comes success, and randomly running into a darkspawn would not bode well for someone as inexperienced as she is.

There's a ton of rolls, so just refer to this post for all of them. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18949306&postcount=37)

Mana uses Passion's Light, spending one wisp to do so. She first examines the aura around the other three PCs to try to determine what they are (after studying them for a bit, of course - free Acqua and all). I don't believe any of you guys are supernaturally disguising yourselves, so no clash of wills and 1 success will work.

Shira: 0 Successes
Giovanni: 4 Successes
Carrie: 3 Successes

Afterwords, she will be observing the general area for negative emotions.

General Perception: 2 Successes

No contest of will unless if the darkspawn is supernaturally hiding itself with evil magicky stuff. This should pierce mundane hiding. It also detects strong emotions from Carrie, Giovanni, or Shira.

She could see reflections of light from at least two of them - familiar reflections, as if shedding beautiful and unrealistic ideals to the world around them. She couldn't quite identify the light from the other girl, but it was an easy guess by this point. Strange - she had not encountered any other princesses before, even when fighting far away from the campus area. Were they just hiding? Perhaps it was chance?

And she definitely didn't know that guys would become princesses, as well.

This had piqued her curiosity a little. If they were just like her, then perhaps they are here for the same reason? Were they, perhaps, the "radical" members of the Nobles that she had heard so much about, but never personally encountered? Lacking any other information, Mana decided that it would be best to take the risk and introduce herself. Stalking them like this would make for a terrible first impression.

"Excuse me," she beckoned. The girl looked a bit silly now, with her hair and clothing messed up by the rain. Despite this, she spoke in a calm demeanor, wiping water from her lips and forming that ever-familiar smile. "Do you know the way to the Arboretum, by any chance?"

She didn't actually need directions - it was just a small trick to begin a conversation.

[Beans]

Carrie's intentions are to let the punchlady punch, the shootman shoot, and to focus on keeping them Not Dead. She'll chop things if she must, but she's not going to charge in.

To the girl's magical sight, Carrie does indeed appear to have some emotions swirling around in her, just on the threshold of what counts as "strong"; she appears to be harboring pretty muddled feelings, but there's definitely some sense that she's a) excited to have seen someone and b) not sure if she should be. She may also notice a heart-shaped lapel pin.

She is being approximately as stealthy as one whole success (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18949691&postcount=38) can warrant. This is not enough to go under Mana's radar.

As Carrie looks the rain-bedraggled newcomer up and down... well, she notices all the Noble signs, of course, but she also finds herself sticking on less pertinent details. The curve of her lips, the sheen of her rain-drenched hair, her figu---really, Carrie? Stop that, this is serious Princessing business and there's no time for that nonsense!

Um. We're, uh, on our way... As a Mender and thus concerned with safety, she has her axe's golden head wrapped in a white leather guard.

[theUnearther]

NOR:
Giovanni's intention is to clean up here fast, then go regroup with the other three who were following an even greater concentration of monsters. No stealth from him, he's ok with tanking for the kids.

Also, we're supposed to automagically recognize that we're all Nobles, right? I'm assuming we know. If not, we have no excuse for not trying to divert Mana to safety.
Felyndiira:
His primary emotion is a mix of righteous indignation and resignation, because he thinks Princesses should be made out of adults, but the Light keeps mostly not doing that. Is Mana visibly adult?
There is also some worry, for in case there are innocent bystanders around.
All carefully controlled because he's currently hunting and he's well trained. Dunno how much of that Mana can catch.
Giovanni notices the two girls making some attempt at stealth. Or, pretending to. He's not exactly an expert himself, but these attempts don't seem all that promising.
Well, nothing a good distraction cannot help with. He walks straight, rifle held firmly in his hands and visibly scanning for targets, so as to make an obvious target of himself.
And then another Noble shows up and strikes a conversation with the nervous girl. He beckons the new arrival and tries to signal that they be silent and alert.
Then, he decides to actually sign to them that they please be silent and alert, just in case one or both know LSF.

[Felyndiira]

That's quite a bit too much information from Giovanni. The standard, "perceive general things" use for Passion's Light just gets whether you feel a strong emotion, and sorta get an idea of what that emotion is. The individual rolls are to find out what kind of supernatural creatures you guys are (Princesses). I have to make another roll if I want to find something that in-depth. We'll just say that Mana doesn't know about any of that.

Also, Mana is 21. She looks a bit older than that when transformed. Not sure if that qualifies as "adult" for Giovanni. I'd assume that you would have no problems identifying her as a noble, since her eyes are glowing blue and she's wielding a scepter.

"Really?" Mana tried to sound more cheerful than she actually was, though her voice was muted this time; she was also struggling - and failing - to keep rainwater from entering her mouth while she spoke, wiping her lips again before continuing her precisely-intoned greeting. She was happy though - that she didn't have to do it all alone, though she would not let a bit of emotion escape her. "What a coincidence!" she continued, in that same casual voice, "Or...rather, I guess you guys are here for the same reason. Perhaps we should work together?"

She pretended not to notice the man obviously looking around with a rifle in hand. Even as she conversed with the others, she was scanning the environment, too, though her perception was a bit more than just sight. Rather, it was the voice of the forest that she listened to, looking for any sign of hatred or distress.

"Voice of the forest" is still Passion's Light, just with a different form of perception.

[MReav]

Blazing Striker gave an internal sigh. So much for stealth. she thought to herself.

She put her finger to her lips to indicate she wanted quiet, then points to the Arboretum, though the motion as sincere as the question that prompted it. It was just an excuse to approach the newcomer to see if she was what she thought she was, looking to see what light her soul reflected...

She relaxed when her own magic confirmed that she was indeed what she thought she was.

At the sugestion they team up, Blazing Striker pointed to the general direction of the Tainted creatres they had to deal with.

Then she continued with her mediocre attempts at stealth, taking point.

Blazing Striker's emotions are mainly guarded and reserved.

She also uses Reflected Light to identify Mana as a Noble (I can't determine how strong she is, I'd need an upgrade). I also don't want to spend my Blessing on the roll.

Reflected Light: 1 Success. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18950603&postcount=39)

I am attempting to get to the next scene quickly.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Passion's Light info on the forest: nothing is close by enough for Mana to "see" with Passion's Light, though she can pick up a vague sense of gut-twisting unease...or maybe that's herself. At any rate, nothing's about to leap out of the treeline while they're talking.

Reflected Light: technically, for you to pick and choose which rolls you want to use it on, Alison would need an upgrade she doesn't have, but I'll give you this one since it's an easy roll for information where additional successes don't actually matter.

As the group heads into the arboretum - or at least, Shira and Inari so with strong encouragement for everyone including the erstwhile Mana to follow - the rain slackens, becoming more like a mist. Under the trees, it's only water streaming off upper leaves that might cause a problem.

The place would normally be beautiful if not for the lead-grey lighting, all manner of tall fauna sheltering small walking paths and artfully placed benches. However, between the dimness and the pervading feeling of nervousness infused into the air, not to mention the seemingly abandoned state, it's significantly less pleasant than it should be.

As the Nobles move deeper into the forest, they see the strange sight of four figures hunched over something on the ground. As one, they perk up, sniffing the air and turn their gazes onto the approaching magical people. Three of the four figures look to be extremely disheveled, sick, pale humans with stringy hair, and the fourth looks not dissimilar but for the fact that he appears to be wearing the badly taxidermied head of a deer as a hat.

Then all four of them open their mouths in unison, revealing rows of bloodied shark-like teeth, and howl. They begin to charge through the trees, leaving the partially-eaten human corpse they'd been feasting on behind for later.

Environment: All parties have Concealment 1 due to the trees. This applies as a -1 penalty on all ranged attack pools at greater than point-blank. You can take cover to gain further Concealment.
Intent: All Corpse-Eaters want is to kill and eat, especially Nobles. This is a fight to the death, and Beaten Down and Surrendered Tilts do not apply.

In initiative order:

16 - Corpse-Eater - Undamaged, Defense 5, Resolve 5, Stamina 4, Composure 3
15 - Corpse-Eater - Undamaged, Defense 5, Resolve 5, Stamina 4, Composure 3
14 - Corpse-Eater - Undamaged, Defense 5, Resolve 5, Stamina 4, Composure 3
13 - Inari - Undamaged, Defense 6, Resolve 3, Stamina 3, Composure 3
13 - Mana
8 - Carrie Fortunate (4)
8 - Shira Fortunate (3)
7 - Alpha Corpse-Eater - Undamaged, Defense 5, Resolve 3, Stamina 4, Composure 3
6 - Giovanni Fortunate (3)

The three hatless Darkspawn charge forward, hissing and displaying their teeth and, now that you look at it, disgusting-looking claws. They spread out and begin to circle, behaving like pack hunters preparing to dart in for their attacks all at once.

"Corpse-eater Darkspawn," Inari says, just a little nervously. "I'm gonna try to block them off, but it won't be a very big circle..."

Taking his magic brush, Inari very quickly scratches a circle around the group and activates the brush's magic, creating a temporary magic barrier against Dark creatures - it should be enough to at least slow them down from getting into close-combat range.

[Felyndiira]

"There were exactly four princesses, and four of the enemy. Well, not counting the fox thingy. It's funny how the world works sometimes."

Perhaps if she had arrived alone, there would only be one of those "corpse eaters"? Of course, that's a silly thought - reality wouldn't just change its difficulty setting for a side character. Still, she hadn't seen so many of these things in one place before, and probably would not have been able to deal with them alone. Then, the discovery of others princesses - like her or Aya - was a lucky find, even if she had no idea what the others were capable of.

Strange - she was in a situation where her life could end as suddenly as the a leaf joining the winds, but she had long since stopped feeling afraid. A businessman's daughter shouldn't be like this; by society's unspoken laws. Perhaps she was just desensitized to all this after all-too-many "hunts" with Aya? In some ways, that's like turning into a killer...which would, in a strange way, be appropriate for an aspiring politician. Maybe soon, all this responsibility would degenerate into some sort of sadistic ecstasy, just like what had happened to Magical Girl Mana in that cartoon show. Of course, politics was probably not on the anime character's aspirations. That, and Mana - herself; the real-world one - isn't very interested in committing suicide at the end of every chapter of her life anytime soon.

Her scepter emitted a faint blue light, but she did not move; her eyes quickly traced the movements of the darkspawn circling the group, turning occasionally towards the one wearing the deer's helmet. She had never encountered these "corpse-eaters" before, and every darkspawn had their own movement and tells. Though urgency would prevent her from studying them fully, at least she could gather some information about her movements, while moving to

She didn't have any information about her "teammates," either. Her eyes briefly rested the younger girl with the Glaive, then at the rest of the group - they didn't really look like friends, long-time allies, or even people with strong connections to each other. Perhaps they had met by chance, as well? Mana would have been content to follow their leadership if they were a seasoned team, but would they be able to coordinate with each other? The old man had a rifle and seemed to know his role, so what about the other girl - the one with the glaive? Would she charge in and fight confidently like Vita, or hang back in mid-range like Shamal? Or is the entire team made of supporters that happened to encounter each other here?

Questions begets answers, and it would be to her advantage to survey the situation a bit more. The girl adopted a more defensive stance, carefully watching the movements of the enemies. She wouldn't strike yet or draw attention to herself; instead, she would wait to see what the enemy would do. How they would attack. What burdens they carry in their heart.

Mana will spend the first turn in full defense, while observing the darkspawn to try to identify how they move and attack. As a diamond, she'll be doing this at the start of every battle unless if it's explicitly impractical to do so.

[theUnearther]

"Corpse Eaters". Predators. This is not exactly a hunt, most animals that eat humans do not live on land. But hopefully it shall be close enough.
Three of them advance, while the one clearly marked as special hangs back. Well then. This may be a trap, but hopefully won't.
Giovanni advances a bit and then shoots that one, hoping the girls wielding melee weaponry can use them.
RE: The emotions thing
I know I gave more info than requested, but this is pbp so streamlining stuff is important. Obviously it would fall to you to shave off what Mana shouldn't catch.
Actions:
Haha I got the worst initiative. There's nothing I can do to fix that is there?
Giovanni advances directly towards the leader-looking monster and shoots it, burning a Willpower point and another 9again for a grand total of 2 successes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18955525&postcount=44). Bah.
I forgot to add the "Accurate" to the attack, but we can just grab the next die for it. Likewise, if he's far enough to suffer from concealment, just shave that die back off. Both successes are at the very beginning, so it doesn't matter either way.
3 willpower, 3 wisps and 2 9agains left, by the way.
Also, "Lacrima applies at no cost ... when failure means death". If that flies, I will apply it on every attack. This one should do 4 lethal.

[MReav]

Blazing Striker sees the victim and though her expression does not change, she curses herself internally. If they had been quicker, then perhaps the victim might still be alive.

It is unlikely he can be saved, and even if he could, it would depend on removing these threats first. And based on her understanding of Darkspawn, though they might have once been human, they were irretrievable at this point, like a monster wearing their skin.

"Cover me, I'm going in... Meteorite Blow!"

Calling upon her Patron to strike her enemies, noting where Inari's Barrier was, and confident in her skills (possibly too confident), she moved into combat with the three creatures at the fore and struck with all her might at the nearest one.

Spending 1 Wisp in combat, Invoking Fuoco for a slight initiative penalty as it increases my weapon to base 3 damage (-1 init).
2 Successes. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18956201&postcount=45)

Burned another Fortunate.

Base 1 damage, +2 from Fuoco, 2 successes...

I deal 5 damage, I believe that imposes the Stunned Tilt if he doesn't have any armour, he's size 5, right?

I've got 1 point of barrier jacket, unless they try to set me on fire, which I've got an upgrade.

[Beans]

Carrie watches Blazing Striker run in to strike, and Giovanni take a shot at the Darkspawn. Her axe's leather head-guard dissipates as she grips it more tightly, on edge now.

She hangs back, judging that so far there's no reason to get herself particularly endangered; she braces herself and watches anxiously.

Carrie is also spending the first turn in full defense. Note that she has Barrier Jacket for 1 point of general armor.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira's focused fiery attack smashes into one of the Darkspawn, knocking it back and disorienting it - it makes an inhuman noise of pain at the assault. At the same time, the deer-hatted Darkspawn that had hung back raises something that...might have been a hunting rifle at some point, gesturing with it almost like a stereotypical wizard's staff instead of aiming it like a gun. A bolt of shadowy energy flies out at the group inside the barrier, hitting Giovanni and leaving him with a ringing headache and a sudden drained feeling.

Giovanni takes 1 Lethal damage and gains the Listless tilt at a value of 1, reducing all combat dice pools by 1 die.
Giovanni gives better than he gets, though, shooting back with his own bolt of black, void-infused energy and blasting that ranged Darkspawn back.

The two toothy, unstunned Darkspawn ignore the luminous barrier Inari erected in an effort to swarm Shira. It would have worked better with three of them, but one mouthful of shark teeth still manages to get ahold of her arm, tearing at her Barrier Jacket.

Shira takes 1 Lethal damage.
Inari darts out of his own barrier, aiming to come to Shira's rescue, but he can't get in close enough past the monsters' flailing arms.

Reminder: All parties have Concealment 1 due to the trees. This applies as a -1 penalty on all ranged attack pools at greater than point-blank. You can take cover to gain further Concealment.

16 - Corpse-Eater - 5 Lethal damage, Defense 2 (stunned), Resolve 5, Stamina 4, Composure 3 Stunned (can act next turn)
15 - Corpse-Eater - Undamaged, Defense 5, Resolve 5, Stamina 4, Composure 3
14 - Corpse-Eater - Undamaged, Defense 5, Resolve 5, Stamina 4, Composure 3
13 - Inari - Undamaged, Defense 6, Resolve 3, Stamina 3, Composure 3
>13 - Mana
8 - Carrie Fortunate (4)
8 - Shira - 1 Lethal Damage Fortunate (2)
7 - Alpha Corpse-Eater - 4 Lethal damage, Defense 5, Resolve 3, Stamina 4, Composure 3
6 - Giovanni Fortunate (2) Listless (1)

Normally, when no one specifies a target, I'm going to assume you focus fire. However, since Shira Stunned the first one, I went ahead and split the damage, since you already stopped that one from acting for a turn.

[MReav]

"Inari, anyone else, deal with the stunned one!" Blazing Striker commands while wincing in slight pain. She then stares at the one that bit her, and yells, "Falling Star Strike!" as she returns the favour.

Still invoking Fuoco for a -1 init penalty, 4 Successes this time. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18967702&postcount=50) for a total of 7 damage. Believe that should also stun and maybe even impose damage penalties.

[theUnearther]

"So it is a challenge, then. Very well."
Giovanni fires at the same creature again, trying to be more careful this time, and hoping he can keep the thing's attention on himself.
He also can't keep himself from taking a step towards the girl who called herself a healer, both to have her close by and to stand directly between her and the enemies.
It hits me that "OOC" is the wrong name for these asides.
Anyway, another shot at the "boss" darkspawn, with 4 successes this time (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18968695&postcount=52). So the morale of the story is, don't burn willpower.
I'm also hoping to provide Carrie with cover, but I'm not sure how those work. Beans probably has to declare an action to claim it, or something?

[Felyndiira]

Aya had once described the Darkspawn as former humans, who are too consumed by the darkness to be saved. Supposedly, the darkspawn are created from humans that enter makai-infested areas and indulge in the worst of their nature, and eventually become consumed by it - but at some point, they were supposed to be human just like what she had once been. The dark figures prowling before Mana certainly no longer seemed like people - their prowls were akin to predators circling prey, without an ounce of the logic and emotion that we learn from an early age. The girl shuddered for a moment, determined not to look at the consumed cadaver for a second time - cannibalism isn't something that a normal person is supposed to be compelled to in this day and age. There were four of them, too - what kind of vice would drive a man to this?

Yet, though they vastly outrank the other, more monstrous darkspawn that she fought before in sheer depravity, their shapes are still indistinguishably human. The girl hesitated just slightly in unleashing their magic - if she had killed one of them here, would it be similar to killing a person? A starving kid in the outcast areas of the Southeast, perhaps? The situation was one of life and death, and Mana knows it just as well as any of the other girls (and man) gathered here, but there was something unnerving about attacking an opponent in human form. The delay was short, but enough for the rain to blur her vision and her to miss the movements of the pack surrounding the Glaive-princess.

"****," she whispered - to herself, but inadvertently loudly enough for the others to hear. Even though the rain against her glasses was dampening her vision, Mana could feel that her magic had misfired. There was not much she could do about it, though - it was fortunate, if nothing else, that the shot did not hit one of her allies in her moment of carelessness. Her glasses was already soaked in rain, and in a moment of annoyance she ripped them from her face and clipped it on her barrier jacket. Her bare eyes did not fare any better against the rain, but at this this way, there would be no illusions.

"When we're done with this, will you tell me more about these...Corpse Eaters?" She asked - it was directed to the fox animal thingy, but it seemed too distracted to hear her. Right now, though, she needs to focus. Mana readied her scepter a second time, shielding her eyes with one hand so that she could get a clearer shot this time.

Mana missed, basically. 7d10 isn't enough.

If Mana gets attacked by the alpha, she's going to reflexively apply Acqua to her barrier jacket for armor 3 (Acqua is nice with the observation clause). If not, she won't.

Also, makai is not an actual term in Princess, for anyone who is curious. That's just a case of Aya making things up again - referring to tainted areas in this case.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Mana's attack goes wide, though her consideration is not unappreciated, or so she feels. As she prepares her next shot, she feels a suffusion of righteousness through her Intimate connection with Aya - something that happens from time to time thanks to their closeness. Though she can't heard the words, Mana is quite certain that Aya just delivered an uplifting speech about bringing Justice to the world somewhere nearby, and backed it up with the power of her Inner Light.

Aya raised an Echo at a different encounter somewhere; thanks to their level of sympathetic connection, Mana (and Mana only) gains the Light Echo (Just) tilt for three turns - any actions that are Just in nature gain 9-Again for the next three rounds, and any that are opposed to Justice lose 10-again.

Carrie, heeding Shira's advice, darts forward to attack the stunned Darkspawn with her axe, further gashing it and rendering the zombie-like former human staggering. Likewise, Shira's next fiery slash grievously wounds another Corpse-Eater, and it makes an odd sort of gurgling sound in pain.

Carrie subtracts 1 Willpower point. Two of the Corpse-Eaters are now taking wound penalties due to damage, and one of them is Stunned.

The apparent leader waves his rifle-totem even more angrily, sending another beam of darkness at the group, but it flies wide. Giovanni calmly blasts it in the torso with his own void beam thing, putting a hole through its chest and causing it to collapse.

Alpha Corpse-Eater collapses, bleeding out.

The three Corpse-Eaters remaining at this point lose any particular semblance of cohesion. The undamaged creature attempts to grab Shira with all its strength, but can't get close past her flaming sword. Meanwhile, the first one that was damaged takes advantage of its stunned packmate and nonchalantly bites into its arm, tearing huge chunks out and causing the stricken creature to collapse. Sickeningly, the monstrous meal appears to heal some of the damage Shira and Carrie had inflicted on the beast, though at least there's one fewer Corpse-Eater now.

First injured Corpse Eater regains 4 lethal damage and stops taking Wound Penalties. Second injured Corpse-Eater collapses, bleeding out.

"These monsters eat their wounded!" Inari comments, possibly for Mana's edification. He's really uncertain if he wants to put his mouth on this thing now, but nonetheless he darts in and nips at the cannibal, taking off some flesh that he quickly spits out.

Reminder: All parties have Concealment 1 due to the trees. This applies as a -1 penalty on all ranged attack pools at greater than point-blank. You can take cover to gain further Concealment.

16 - Corpse-Eater - 4 Lethal damage, Defense 5, Resolve 5, Stamina 4, Composure 3
15 - Corpse-Eater - 9 Lethal Damage+2 Aggravated Damage, Defense 0, Resolve 5, Stamina 4, Composure 3 Stunned Unconscious, oozing out
14 - Corpse-Eater - Undamaged, Defense 5, Resolve 5, Stamina 4, Composure 3
13 - Inari - Undamaged, Defense 6, Resolve 3, Stamina 3, Composure 3
>13 - Mana Light Echo [Just] (3)
8 - Carrie Fortunate (3)
8 - Shira - 1 Lethal Damage Fortunate (1)
7 - Alpha Corpse-Eater - 9 Lethal damage+1 Aggravated Damage, Defense 0, Resolve 3, Stamina 4, Composure 3 Unconscious, oozing out
6 - Giovanni Fortunate (1) Listless (1)

[Felyndiira]

"You're right," Mana replied in a whisper - seemingly speaking into empty air to anyone close enough to hear. Whatever shape these creatures take, they are still darkspawn. These are a threat to people. If she wants to find some common ground to exercise her sympathy, there would be plenty of time to do so after they are no longer threatened by these things.

The girl steeled herself, wiping a few traces of rainwater from her eyes. Above her, a mote of blue light appeared, and with a single swing of her scepter flew towards the injured "corpse eater."

One success (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18974351&postcount=56) Using acqua, so her weapon would be at 3 damage (for a total of 4, before armor). Firing at the one that has taken 4 damage.

[MReav]

Blazing Striker didn't react to the other creature eating his ally, but she could sympathize with Inari's reluctance. He might be some sort of spirit being, but considering what Darkspawn are supposed to be, she doubted that actually buffered anything.

She then repeated her offence on the damaged one.

Unfortunately, seeing such a grisly sight unnerved her more than she'd care to admit. The flaming blow went wild. She even forgot to shout a battlecry.

Not a single success in any of the rolls, so even if I had a bonus, the additional dice would still have gone wild. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18975283&postcount=57)

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie skips back inside Inari's defensive perimeter for now; the remaining Darkspawn are beyond her ability to reliably damage, and the wounds Shira and Giovanni have taken are beyond her ability to heal with direct application of magic, although she's fairly sure she can patch them up easily given enough time.

Dodge action for Carrie.
Mana, meanwhile blasts away at the Darkspawn with her scepter, finishing the undoing of its healing, and it lurches and sways with the injury. While Shira misses with her strike, Giovanni finishes it, knocking it to the ground in a splatter of ichor with one more void-empowered blast.

Corpse-Eater at Init 16 goes down, one enemy remains.

The remaining Corpse-Eater looks around, suddenly devoid of allies even though it's uninjured. It regards Shira and her flaming sword for a moment before deciding it's animalistic and driven by insanity, not stupid, and circles around to attempt to smash his way through Inari's barrier at the less-well-defended Enlightened, doing so easily but taking damage itself in the process. The glowing line flickers and dies, and Inari is unsuccessful in trying to avenge it, biting empty air.

Inari's Laying Down The Line charm is down.
16 - Corpse-Eater - 9 Lethal Damage+2 Aggravated Damage, Defense 0, Resolve 5, Stamina 4, Composure 3 Unconscious, oozing out
15 - Corpse-Eater - 9 Lethal Damage+3 Aggravated Damage, Defense 0, Resolve 5, Stamina 4, Composure 3 Unconscious, oozing out
14 - Corpse-Eater - Undamaged, Defense 4, Resolve 5, Stamina 4, Composure 3
13 - Inari - Undamaged, Defense 6, Resolve 3, Stamina 3, Composure 3
>13 - Mana Light Echo [Just] (2)
8 - Carrie Fortunate (3)
8 - Shira - 1 Lethal Damage
7 - Alpha Corpse-Eater - 9 Lethal damage+2 Aggravated Damage, Defense 0, Resolve 3, Stamina 4, Composure 3 Unconscious, oozing out
6 - Giovanni - 1 Lethal Damage Listless (1)

[theUnearther]

This is going well, one more to go. Hopefully miss Tellings is having similar luck. Actually...
Good show, everybody, and I hate to spoil the moment, but I must remind you all that the other group was going for a bigger threat. We should finish this quickly and rendezvous with them.
He then looks at the new girl and remembers that she wasn't there at the meeting. Well, presumably she was to be and got there late. He turns to face her directly.
Oh, there are more of us, by the way. And more of them. Anyways.
He fires at the last standing creature. They'll need to make sure they are really down, of course, but if the others are playing possum first they all must be made to play.
Hahaha you npc'd me just as I was going to show up.
Anyway, short burst fire at the last one, for 2 successes without the 9again (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18979069&postcount=60). (I hadn't noticed you spent it until I came to write this.)
4 bullets, 3 wisps, 3 willpower left.

[MReav]

"Don't you dare!" Blazing Striker declared as the creature tried to attack her less defended allies, "COMET BLOW!"

Her resolve reignited, she carves a burning chunk out of the creature's flank.

5 Successes. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18979122&postcount=61) Which is an Exceptional Success. Bringing us up to 8 damage at least. Spent a point of Willpower.

[Felyndiira]

Perhaps she shouldn't have expected too much out of the fox-spirit's barrier; her focus was spent on the movement of the darkspawn - their distance, their attack patterns, and their human-like outline - that the girl didn't even notice how close she was standing to the edge of the glowing line.

The remaining darkspawn - after shattering the barrier with one fell strike - had landed almost right beside her, baring its behemoth fangs a few inches from the girl's face. The creature seemed different from when it was still prowling around the glaive-girl that was far more proficient in combat; the ivory-black of its sharp, bestial teeth seemed much more threatening now that it was within striking range of the much-less proficient Mana. She had instinctively raised her hand in defense, though her preparations were abandoned for a momentary pang of fear; she stepped back in reflex, and her magic - losing its shape and control from the chaos within the girl's mind - erupted in an uncontrolled shower of blue when the darkspawn struck, knocking the girl further back into the distance.

I'm going to take a few liberties with the scene to reflect my bad luck on dice rolls. I know the darkspawn isn't supposed to strike again, but doing this for the sake of portraying magic going haywire. Hope you don't mind, Nerd-o-Rama :smallsmile:.

Also, since the dice gods are not with me (and let's be honest, that was a spectacularly horrible roll with multiple 10s in the 9-again to troll me), I'm going to upgrade it to a full dramatic failure. Basically, coloring it as "darkspawn struck magic, magic goes entirely wrong."

[Beans]

Carrie's eyes flick as she maintains her evasive stance, tightly gripping her axe. She winces as Mana is knocked back by the Darkspawn; that's another wound that'll need her attentions. For now, though...

"We need this last one down ASAP! Keep it away from Mana!"

[Nerd-o-rama]

The Darkspawn charges in, mouth slavering and pressing its attack on the vulnerable Mana.

Mana takes 1 Lethal Damage for her Dramatic Failure and earns a Beat.
Fired up by the need to protect a fellow Noble and defend her from death, respectively, Shira's and Giovanni's magically-charged attacks rip into the last Corpse-Eater, Shira driving forward and Giovanni stepping backward out of its attack range to get a clean shot. The fiery sword nearly rips it in two, and the shadowy bullets knock it to the ground, jaw and other bones shattered, all fight gone from it.

Total of 14 Lethal Damage to the last Corpse-Eater. Combat over. Everyone earns one Beat for heroically charging into combat and working together with people you barely know.
And with that, the world suddenly turns...well, not back to normal. There's still four zombie-like creatures sprawled on the grass in pools of black ichor that is rapidly evaporating, still a gnawed-upon corpse next to one of them, and still the lingering headache that tells Shira a Tainted area is nearby - another possible portal for more of these things.

[Beans]

Carrie runs over to Mana, slippimg her axe into her coat and pulling out an ivory first aid kit. Her frock coat swirls as she crouches by the battered girl and retrieves her supplies. Patching Mana up, she finishes the job with a Space Jam bandaid (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18981269&postcount=64). "That was a nasty hit you took back there."

[MReav]

Blazing Striker takes a look at the body of the chewed out human, hoping that there might be a slim chance...

But the large chunks missing from the body suggest otherwise.

She kneels down next to the fallen human and mutters something quietly, before looking at each of the mutated corpses. A twinge of guilt at how easily she struck them down when for all she knew, they were victims of whatever corruption overtook them.



"There are still Darkspawn lurking about. We should reunite with the others, then go about sealing whatever let these into our world." She says in a neutral tone, suppressing her tone, "Anyone have any suggestions what we do with the bodies?"

[Nerd-o-rama]

As Shira kneels next to the body, she notices two things in rapid succession.

The first is that the human corpse, that of a shabbily-dressed and poorly groomed white man, has no obvious defensive wounds and smells strongly of almonds, symptomatic of cyanide poisoning - he was almost certainly dead when the Corpse-Eaters found him.

The second is that she now has a shrieking, nearly vomit-inducing migraine - the Tainted area is about a five-foot-radius circle around the dead man.

[MReav]

Blazing Striker stumbles out of the Tainted area around the man, clutching her head. She takes a few moments to catch her breath, then speaks,

"The victim is at the centre of the Taint. And he smelled like almonds. Like someone used Cyanide pills." She rubbed her head and leaned on her glaive, "Inari, does that sound familiar with any sort of Darkness Ritual?"

[Nerd-o-rama]

"Ritual? Darkspawn don't usually do rituals..."

He sniffs in the direction of the body and makes a rare even-a-fox-wouldn't-eat-that face.

"If I had to guess, I'd say he killed himself out of despair, or neglect. That's enough to get a little bit of Taint, and this isn't very strong. Just enough for those guys to come through when they smelled us, really."

He paws at the edges of the tainted area, trying to get a feel for it. "It should go away as long as we don't just leave him here, I think."

For the record, the Tainted Area penalizes you 1 Stamina and 2 Empathy. Mana should probably stand back.

[MReav]

"This is weak?" Blazing Striker said through the migraine,"What should I expect when it's strong? My head exploding?"

On the one hand, she didn't feel comfortable moving the body for the sake of the police, but if the alternative was to let the Darkness fester, then she'd rather do the one that didn't leave innocent people to suffer.

"How far do we need to move him?"

[Nerd-o-rama]

Inari shakes his head. "You're just especially sensitive, Mistress. Any Taint at all's going to cause things like that. It'll fade in a second."

True to his words, the incapacitating pain dulls to just a headache after a few seconds.

"There's two ways I know to get rid of Taint - getting rid of the focus, and canceling out whatever negative emotions caused it in the first place," he explained. "Getting this poor guy some attention and a proper burial's probably the best bet for both..."

[MReav]

"Okay then... " Blazing Striker said. He took the blunt end of her glaive and prepared to use it to drag the body. "I suggest we at some point transform back and lead someone to the body. If we have to admit that we moved it, we point to the chunks ripped out and mention it was being eaten by animals."

Almost as an afterthought, she added, "Sorry mister. We can't let you stay here, but I can't touch you without getting a migraine. Please understand..."

If any of her companions had any suggestions, she'd be open to them now.

[theUnearther]

"'Eaten by animals' will raise panic that is arguably unnecessary now. More so if there is no great animal that can be hunted down for it. But hiding the body is probably not acceptable either, is it?"
Giovanni stands still for a moment, thinking. Abandoning this situation would be irresponsible, as would wasting too much time on it; the other Nobles may or may not be in dire need of backup, right now.
"Alright. If one of you has a cellphone, please get out of earshot and call the police. If not, someone run to find a phone and do the same. Do NOT mention seeing any animals, just a person wounded and bloody and terrible. Try to sound suitably scared or shaken in case your number is given attention, though I think 911 is meant to not do that."
He carefully sheathes his rifle on his back and starts looking everywhere and nowhere, as if searching for something to search for.
"The rest of you, please make sure those things are really dead. Sorry for not helping with that, but I simply must attempt this."
He makes some more gestures, with his eyes closed, and there is a brief puff of cold and shadows and sadness. His eyes are red when he opens them, as though he'd been crying for hours. His voice is similarly rough, and louder than before.
"Can you hear me? I can see you if you are here, please show yourself! The area is safe now, if you care. We would like to give your remains a proper burial, have you any preferences on that? Any message to anyone? We are here to help!"
Drawing a deep breath, Giovanni walks directly to where the young girl had to flee in pain. The fox mentioned she was specially sensitive, hopefully that was not mere bravado. He kneels by the body and deliverately puts a hand on its face, still scanning his surroundings.
Spending a wisp to activate Ghost Sight, will be able to see the ghost if he's around.
Then, as noted, walking directly into the tainted zone. It reduces Giovanni's Empathy to -1, not sure if that does anything special, but his Stamina is pretty good so it should probably fall to him to move the body.

[MReav]

Blazing Striker moves to finish off the creatures at Inari's instruction. They're too far gone, both physically and spiritually to be saved, so the most she can do is to end them as quickly as possible to spare them pain.

Now that the battle was over and her migraine was subsiding, she had a moment to consider Giovanni's dark-tinted attacks.

"Inari? Is he using what I think he's using?"

No successes. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18989856&postcount=66)

While I doubt we can really turn the Knowledge Check into a Dramatic Failure with Inari there, maybe we can give Blazing Striker some sort of backlash looking at Lacrima the wrong way. And no, Blazing Striker is not the kind of person to scream at the horrible things only she can see. She'd sooner curl up into a ball resisting the urge to cry.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Two possibilities:

1) Shira has no idea what he's using.

2) Shira gains a Beat for volunteering a dramatic failure and gets too much insight into the intricacies of Lacrima, recognizing it as connected to the hope-draining corruption of her old neighborhood. She gains the Fearful (Persistent) Condition with regards to the Invocation of Lacrima (the specific mechanical effects would apply to anyone Invoking it on any given round). Since that's a pretty rough condition with pretty rough Resolution, I'll say it can be Resolved through meditation or talking to someone about it in addition to the listed Resolution in the book.

Up to you.

Inari nods and whispers back. "Lacrima. Void Invocation, basically. It's useful in a fight, but what it's connected to..."

No special effect to an effective negative skill modifier; the -2 is basically just a penalty on dice pools involving that skill.

Giovanni merely feels unease and general scumminess, not the mental assault that Shira did. His ghost sight reveals nothing tangible; whoever this poor man was, he didn't leave enough behind to have a spiritual presence.

However, the attention given to this event and the efforts to "solve" it weakens the tiny blot of Taint, and the feeling of unease (and Shira's migraine) start to fade. It's still present, but likely won't be for long. Removing the "focus" - the corpse - eradicates it entirely, the air returning to merely humid rather than clammy and mildew-scented.

[MReav]

Lacrima was something Ember told her about during their fight. The works of the "Traitor Queen". Unfortunately, her knowledge was lacking in the matter, her only information was that of a highly biased source.

She continued dragging the body for a little, then turned to the others. "We should reconvene with the others soon. When we go, we should call the police."

[Nerd-o-rama]

As the Darkspawn bodies shed the rest of the black glop that replaced their blood, they fade away into motes of darkness that disappear into the air.

I couldn't find any actual rules about Darkspawn corpses, but in all honesty, this fits to me with the design intent of "monster with minimal complications for the Princesses to fight", so I'm going with it.
Thus, only a slightly-disturbed crime scene remains, without the bodies of the perpetrators or the Taint that allowed their passage into the world. It should be more than safe to follow Shira's remaining feeling of unease northward, to meet up with the other group.

If anyone would rather not, feel free not to, I'm just moving things along.
Upon doing so, assuming no one delays much, the Nobles will find the others mopping up the remnants of their own battle - similar Darkspawn corpses fading away and Alison and Christin performing some kind of ritual around, presumably, another Tainted area.

Mark looks up from where he was reading something off of a probably-magical smartphone when the group approaches. "Oh good, you're all alright. And you seem to have picked up someone too...," he observes. He doesn't bother fishing the prism he looked at everyone through earlier, unless Mana's un-transformed - she has fairly obvious Regalia even if she is drenched.

"We ran into another Noble too, but she ran off after laser-beaming some of the Darkspawn," he added. "Did she happen to run by you guys?"

[Beans]

Carrie, having helped Mana, now turns her attentions to Giovanni and Shira. "Okay, I should probably patch you two up now that Mana's been seen to, then..."

At Mark's question, though, she shakes her head. She thinks she'd have noticed if there had been anyone near them throwing around lazors and/or beems.

[MReav]

Blazing Striker shook her head at the mention of the other Princess. "No, I haven't seen anything like that."

Then she turned to Carrie. "Do you have anything that can help with the migraines?"

She also gave Giovanni a side glance. She kind of wanted to talk with the experienced Nobles in private. She knew that Lacrima was bad, but her main informant on the matter was ranting about consuming people's souls and stealing hope. They seemed the ramblings of a mad woman.

[Felyndiira]

"That sounds like her," Mana whispered to herself. Aya's antics are rather well-known, though she didn't see a reason to express this.

She didn't expect to meet the other nobles, eithe, following the groups simply out of curiosity after the darkspawn were removed. And another man, too! Not just a token character! This is defying pretty much all the tropes of the Magical Girl genre! Irrelevant thoughts aside, however, something had bothered her about the previous scene, and the thought had been festering in her mind for a good part of the journey. The other nobles seemed to be friendly enough at first glance, and seemed at least as experienced as Aya on these issues - perhaps she could poke their minds about this?

"It's nice to meet you," she said simply, following the older man's line about 'picking up another one'. "I hope you don't mind my rudeness for asking questions on our first meeting, but something had been bothering me during my...our encounter. The creatures...the Corpse Eaters, if I recall correctly - a friend had once told me that all darkspawn are created when a human being succumbs to his routine sins when inside an area corrupted by darkness. Does the presence of these creatures mean that there are actually many people driven to, well, cannibalism somewhere within the greater Portland area?"

She didn't know what she would do if the answer just happened to be "yes" - she just had to know.

[Nerd-o-rama]

"Well, in spite of our city's horrendous treatment of the homeless, I don't think it's that common," Alison replies thoughtfully, turning her back to the little ceremony that Christin is concluding. Mana can't recognize her automatically in her Perfected state, but she's definitely pretty sure she's heard this person either on the city council or bothering it with petitions.

Mark shakes his head. "Darkspawn can travel long distances in their own world," he explains. "These guys could have come from anywhere on the West Coast or the Great Basin if they were hungry enough and happened to wander this far. The real question is where the Taint came from that allowed them to cross over."

Christin finishes and the mental pressure on Shira disappears as the other Tainted area dissipates. She closes the eyes of the chewed-upon corpse that had been at the center of this one solemnly. "We know what caused it," she says, "but we don't know why."

Christin looks at the group. "Was there a similar...situation at your fight?" she asks, refraining from gesturing at the unfortunate woman. "Recently dead person holding a bottle of poison?"

[MReav]

Blazing Striker nods slightly.

"Any idea what might have caused it? The twin suicides?" she asked, "This doesn't sound like anything either me or Inari has heard about before."

[Beans]

Carrie shrugs at Shira's request and retrieves some ibuprofen. Sure, though I'd also like to get at your actual injury too, if that's okay. She holds up another Space Jam bandaid.

At Christin's question, she thinks. Well, I don't remember seeing poison, but it seemed similar enough to me... She glances at the others for corroboration or correction.

[MReav]

"Thank you." Blazing Striker said to Carrie as she took the pills.

As for the man himself, "He smelled like almonds, and I know enough first aid to know that that's associated with cyanide. I don't know about any bottle. I didn't want to disturb the scene any more than I had to, between what the police would say and the migraine. But considering he was being gnawed on by the Corpse Eaters, I wouldn't be surprised if there was one, it got knocked away at some point."

[theUnearther]

...I wouldn't be surprised if there was one, it got knocked away at some point."
Oh, right. The fox-spirit-familiar-something mentioned poison.
"...that's bad. That is very bad, actually. Two deaths by poison, both mauled by unknown animals... Can any of you guess what the law will make of that? Because my best guess is 'you may now panic'..."

[Felyndiira]

Mana was learning more about the darkspawn than she ever really cared to know, it seems. What was originally supposed to just be a responsibility that she didn't want is turning out to be an entire bureaucracy, of sorts, with its own rules and systems and stuff more complicated than just "it's bad, kill it without moral remorse." The girl's expression was a faint annoyance that moment, but - she reminded herself - it was a responsibility. Just like everything else in life that was just placed on her lap, and that she was expected to do without complaints.

That being said, she couldn't help but think - and feel terrible - about the men that was being poisoned. About the corpse-eaters, too, though the fact that they didn't originate in Oregon was faintly reassuring. Perhaps, this means that the lands of, say, the Leopard Society was a principality of evil, and all of its men punished for their tribal customs? Or maybe the customs themselves are not punishable, and it takes a certain mental state to trigger the birth of a darkspawn? It must have been the latter, or the story of Tarzan would have been one of a evil shadow-like thing eating Apes in the forest, rather than a Disney cartoon.

"Not that any of that is relevant," Mana reminded herself. Her mind had a habit of wandering off when she was faced with something unpleasant, perhaps as a mechanism to protect herself. She knew almost nothing about being a princess save the few things Aya had taught her, and it was clear that even the younger members of this little group was far more experienced in the very non-academic topic of shadow-like beings. Besides, she felt more for the men that were poisoned than anything else; it was unusual and sad, and she wanted to know what caused two people to simultaneously go to the sacred park and kill themselves.

"So-" she began to speak, but the youngest girl had already asked the same question. Mana returned to being silent, listening intently to the answer that the experienced nobles would give.

[Nerd-o-rama]

"One suicide in the park at the same time a bunch of Nobles gathered would be a really nasty coincidence," Mark said. "Two means someone planned this."

Christin shook her head. "There could be any number of other connections, you know. Friends or lovers could have planned a double suicide..."

"It is, though," Alison said, her voice carrying the weight of an Invocation of Terra designed to neatly separate an argument into two organized, rational camps that weren't arguing at all, "worth investigating, isn't it? Even if there's a possibility of someone manipulating Darkspawn activity, it's our responsibility to investigate it, right?"

She turns to the group. "Right now, we don't really know each other, but I think we can all recognize the common purpose. Would any of you object to helping us try to find out what exactly happened here?"

Christin shoots her a look. "Perhaps we should get in out of the drizzle, first? And perhaps you should make some suggestions to the police re: animal control?"

Alison grits her teeth for a second. "As much as I hate government coverups, I guess you're right. About the first part, certainly. Let's meet back in the rose garden."

[MReav]

Blazing Striker nodded and made her way there. She didn't really want to be the one who made the call.

"Can you guys handle contacting the police?" she asked.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Alison nods. "I'm on it already."

Checking around for civilians and finding none, she turns back into her mundane self - now easily recognizable to Mana as a City Councilor Grace had introduced her to once - and pulls out a cell phone and umbrella, walking off for some privacy.

Now that the fight is finished and it's safe to do so, Mark and Christin do the same, although the latter does throw Mana a significant glance, as if to say 'look, we're all trustworthy and friendly here, don't worry.'

With nothing else to be done before the cops arrive and if no one makes any objections, they lead the way back toward the Rose Garden where the meeting originally happened.

Rose Garden

Once everyone gathers back at the original meeting place, which Mana will find to be a rather ornate fountain in the International Rose Test Garden near the front of the park, Alison rejoins the group.

"Alright, everyone, I want to thank you very much for your help, first of all," she says, bowing her head slightly in appreciation. "No single Noble could have won a battle like that so handily, and I hope this goes to show part of what we're trying to do here."

"Although if we get ten Darkspawn popping up at once again, something's definitely gone screwy," Mark adds.

[Beans]

[Rose Garden]
Carrie follows everyone else back to the fountain. She's trying not to look entirely too much at Christin, but at the same time she's really not very good at that sort of thing---it's probably obvious enough to anyone paying enough attention.*
*Approximately, say... one Empathy success worth of attention.

Carrie detransforms, her dapper Regalia shifting back into her faded, well-worn, but clean and decently-maintained jeans, hoodie, and leather jacket. She nods as Alison and Mark speak, toying with her hair.

[MReav]

Blazing Striker finds a private place and reverts back to her mundane form. She then goes to the Rose Garden.

[Rose Garden]

Thinking about her time transformed, she noted that she felt different. She was the same person, but "Shira Rosenberg" seemed the pseudonym instead of Blazing Striker. It always weirded her out when she thought about it. Deciding to drop that line of thought, she turned to Mark.

"We were discussing something before we were interrupted, she said." Shira's tone had that weird disconnect. She was a witness to the aftermath of two suicides, an incursion of Darkspawn whose entrance into the world felt like a rail spike into her head, and a life-or-death battle, and she spoke like nothing had happened.

[theUnearther]

Seeing his fellow Nobles clearly trusting everybody, Giovanni cannot help but feel a little guilty over his own caution.
And this may still be an elaborate plot, possibly against him specifically. But if so, it works.
Well...
A soft sigh escapes his mouth, and he too loses his transformation. He is still clearly himself, but his clothes are more informal: dark red sweat pants and matching jacket, a plain white t-shirt, and a small but filled backpack.
Name's Giovanni Minotti, I teach at Pioneer High and study at PSU, I should be on the directory. Pleased to meet you.
His hand sweeps on his head, and he notices that it's about time to shave again.
...please tell me I'm not the only one still worried about the social consequences of today.

It just hit me that we've gone through about a million scenes without checking for transformations wearing off. Oops.
I guess it's probably too late for this time, but, what do you (NOR) want to do about that in the future?
The options I see are being more vigilant, maybe you roll for everyone whenever you declare a scene over (everyone has 9 dice except Giovanni, who has 10); or handwaving that rule away. Any opinions?

[Felyndiira]

Mana sighed at the mounting social pressure; she still wasn't comfortable with revealing her identity, but it doesn't seem like she has much of a choice in the matter. She tapped one of the snowflakes in her hair, and her elaborate costume receded back into her fashionable - and still wet from the rain - clothes. Linen and silk are some of the most terrible fabrics to wear on a rainy day, and even now the girl feels like she is wearing tight, metal plates that constricted her movement rather than a simple blazer and dress.

Aside from the rain, though, the girl seemed generally pleasant and cheerful; she bowed slightly to Alison - recognizing her untransformed identity but not wishing to draw too much attention to it - and stood with the rest of the "new noble's crowd", facing the trio of veterans. She glanced briefly at the awkward atmosphere between the healer noble and one of the veterans, but decided not to think too much of it - instead, she introduced herself candidly after the older man.

"I'm Mana, a Junior at Portland State University. I'm delighted to make your acquaintance."

"I'm still a newbie at all this, so please forgive me for any mistakes," she was tempted to add. There was, certainly, still much about this whole responsibility that she knew nothing about. The glaive-girl (her name still unknown at this point!) running away from the tainted scene with a headache, for instance; perhaps there are some nobles that are sensitive to blighted areas, too, somewhat like suffering from an allergy? And the man's black-colored magic: Mana had paid no attention to it, but it also seemed like an important topic somehow, as if his magic - uniquely - was somehow a poor reflection upon his status of a noble.

There was definitely so much she still need to learn about this other responsibility, but she also didn't feel comfortable saying that aloud to a group of effective strangers. First, names, she thought - and her lips moved in sync with her wishes, speaking in a sweet, cheerful tone that bore none of the sarcasm and frustration of a hour's past.

"It looks like I missed the introductions. I apologize."

[MReav]

Realizing that the newcomer had missed her introduction, Shira adds "Shira Rosenberg." she thought for a moment, "I'm a student... also at Pioneer High..."

She disguised her sheepishness, but she slightly glanced away at Giovanni for a moment. Most of the teachers there were uncomfortable with her around, ever since the 12-Second Lunchroom Brawl incident a couple of months ago.

[Nerd-o-rama]

In the future I'll probably just make sure to specifically declare a scene change. In all honesty Transformation rolls are trivial until you start losing Belief/accumulating Shadows anyway.

"Alison Tellings, Mark Nguyen, and Christin Svenja," Christin interjects. The other two look at her. "What? We weren't going to get a natural order of introduction like we did before again, so I just ran down the list."

"Well, now that we all know each other, and we know at least some of us can work together," Alison starts, "we can make this a formal sort of organization, if you like."

"We don't have any particular plans yet other than communication, but if you all would like to collaborate on solving our mystery suicides, we'd welcome the help," Mark adds.

Alison turns around and gathers what looks like a bouquet of specialty roses from...somewhere. Possibly a bit of Regalia she'd left transformed, possibly her sleeve. "The basis of all cooperation is mutual understanding. If you'll accept these...they're small tokens that should help us communicate. Each one will only work for the Enlightened, so they're secure, and they should work anywhere in the city."

She offers a rose to each of the 'newbies' present. Shira is offered a red rose, Carrie a pink one, and after some consideration and a quick glance at Mark, Giovanni and Mana are offered a blue and an orange rose, respectively. Even putting aside Giovanni's impossible one, they're clearly not entirely natural, seeming still alive despite being cut. Some Light went into making these tokens.

[MReav]

Shira pondered for a moment, then asked, "Can I speak with you guys, alone for a little?" She wanted to know if they could help her (they already knew about the fire and her own connection to it), but also, she wanted to know about Lacrima. "The tool of the traitor bitch queen" as Ember so eloquently put it.

[Beans]

Carrie takes the pink rose, holding it a little awkwardly and wondering what to... do with it. Listening, she nods, biting her lip. Yes, this is a good idea, of course. Not just because it means working near Christin again, no...

I, um, yeah, communication's really important, and I know I'm up for helping solve this if there's anything I can do... uh, should... we trade numbers, contact info, that sort of thing?

[Felyndiira]

"So...are these for communication?" Mana was guessing; she didn't know anything about these roses or the organization that Alison (who seemed, to her, to be the leader of this whole outfit) was trying to create, nor was she entirely keen on adding to her already impressive repertoire of responsibilities. All-in-all, she wanted to know what she is getting into this time, and a guess from out-of-the-blue seemed to be a good way to start a discussion.

She pulled out her cellphone and began to dial a number, but stopped and put it back away when the name "Aya" appeared on her screen.

[Nerd-o-rama]

"That's it exactly," Mark said. "It's not normal Enlightened stuff, but Alison's worked out a few interesting tricks with what they call Endowments in the Dreamlands."

"What these do is basically work like..." Alison begins.

"Walkie-talkies!" Christin supplies helpfully.

Alison sighs. "Yes, walkie-talkies. Focus and speak to one, and anyone else carrying one should be able to hear it. It should help us coordinate and respond to any other Darkspawn attacks. It's also safer than calling or emailing each other."

"Basically, the difference between us and the Darkness is that all of us can think and work together," Mark explains. "Darkspawn are basically animals, as far as intelligence goes, so no matter how powerful they are, cooperation and coordination should let us keep them in check."

"And there's a lot we can do besides fighting," Alison adds. "Helping the victimized, raising people up from poverty, changing the world..."

"Most of these folks are young enough to still have their feet on the ground, Alison," Christin says gently. "Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. We should concentrate on tonight's murder mystery for now, yes?"

[MReav]

A slight twinge was the only indication that Shira was annoyed at being ignored. So she opted ask them at a later point.

She took the flower being offered and took a sniff. "These aren't fragile, are they? I don't have to worry about them being crushed or anything?" She then spoke into it. "Hello?" She resisted the urge to question why they'd go for something like a flower. A pin or a bracelet would have been easier to conceal. Though Inari's explanations of the dreamlands suggested to her that it wasn't that simple. "Any idea on where to begin?"

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira's "Hello?" echoes very quietly out of each other flower charm thing.

"They're magical, so they're basically indestructible unless a Darkspawn like, eats them or something," Christin says, pulling out her own yellow rose and crushing it in her hand. Alison visibly flinches at that, but the rose does in fact come out unharmed.

"As for the investigation," Mark says, "the victims didn't have any ID on them, but they were clearly vagrants. You might start by checking around at soup kitches and shelters, see if any of their regulars have gone missing."

Alison nods. "I'll pass along anything the police find out as far as ID goes. I think that covers everything I had planned for today...did anyone else have any questions?"

[MReav]

"Yes, a couple of personal matters I'd like to ask." Shira says.

Assuming she gets her audience with the experienced members, she says, "You guys obviously know about St. Johns, so I'm going to cut to the chase. My parents were badly hurt when the Storms and Tears fought it out, and I was wondering if there's any sort of magic that can help them. I don't really have any aptitude in that and Inari's been sending out feelers, but I get the idea these are not normal injuries."

She was about to ask to go aside to speak with them about Giovanni's magic, but maybe telling them behind his back wasn't the best idea. She thought that maybe she should ask him first, get his side of the story. Though that would likely be an awkward conversation, especially in light of her reputation at PHS.

[theUnearther]

Mind if I overtake you there? Before you break up the meeting, I mean. (Also because my internet's acting up and you posted while I was logging in)
I do have a question actually. You had a flower for each one, despite us showing up with an extra kid out of nowhere. So, how many did you have? And/or, how difficult is it to make new ones? And will you need to recall them to add more flowers to the group?
He holds his flower closer to his face, examining it attently.
For that matter, is it possible to use these to send messages only to some of the others? I'm not sure which answer would be preferable there... And I realize this is turning into a lot of questions, but anyway: do we need to feed the magic somehow? Or the rose, for that matter? And do I need to keep it away from people who may be allergic? And if so, do you have the power to check for allergies, or just didn't think of that? And there was another one, but...
He closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose, thinking.
Chier! Alright, guess I'm done.

[Felyndiira]

"Yes." Mana stopped wrestling with the water in her hair; though her clothes were still wet and annoyingly clingy, enough of the rainwater had dried so that her appearance was no longer a complete mess. The girl was expressionless with a faint smile - the appearance that she had always worn in public ceremonies to hide her true heart from the voracious eyes of the modern world. Rather, she spoke in a calm but certain voice, exactly as Grace and her other teachers had instructed her.

"Pardon me if I am mistaken, as I am a late-comer in all of this and probably missed a few crucial bits of information. But the meeting - the setup of this Nation that you have proposed." Mana turned to briefly look at Christin, whose sincere comment probably revealed more than Alison's carefully chosen words. "From what I've gathered, you've planned this meeting before ever finding out that those...those corpse eaters were going to attack this place. To me, that means that you have a grander design for this collaboration extending beyond just this tragedy and little acts of charity that we probably all do regardless. After all, I can't imagine that someone as meticulous and savvy as you, Mrs. Tellings..." Her glance turned to the leader of the three experienced Hopefuls; her speech was brazen and fluid, as if practiced for days before its deliverance despite only knowing about this subject a few moments before today. "...that someone as savvy as you would gather a bunch of people together just for vague things like 'changing the world' and a coincidental mystery that none of us could have predicted."

Except for Aya, she added, in a private whisper. She wasn't sure if she had angered the senior princess with her words, but she was not about to add to her responsibilities without even knowing what she was getting herself into. It's a politician's sense, if you will - not really a princess-like quality, when you think about it, but it had served her well throughout her career and internship. "I'm willing to help out with the murders regardless - it's my responsibility to, as one of the blossomed. In regards to the nation, though - if you don't mind, will you tell us the original reason that you had gathered all of us here? What is it that you sought to achieve with our assistance? The grander designs of it all?"

"It can't be campaigning for the Socialist party again, is it?" she added - this time, in a jocular voice.

(2 successes on politics roll) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19083022&postcount=72)

Knowledge GET: Allison's association with the Socialist party.

[Nerd-o-rama]

"You are a very thorough man," Mark says. Despite the expressions on the faces of the two women, he actually seems enthusiastic. "These aren't real flowers, or at least not mundane flowers, so you don't have to worry about keeping them alive or allergies. They're a joint effort between Alison and some folks in the Dreamlands, so it's not actually hard to get however many we need."

"We basically just brought a half-dozen of every color," Christin admits. "They need to be imbued with a Wisp once to get them started though, so don't worry about spare receivers lying around for eavesdroppers."

"And you can do private messages, yeah, just focus on the name and face of the person you want to talk to," Mark continues. "As long as they have one, naturally."

When Mana speaks up, Allison's lips twitch upward into a slight smile. She'd been solemn and distracted until now, but this girl's questions and style sounded almost like a challenge - a fun one, judging by Alison's expression.

"I've left my third-party days behind me," Alison replies to begin with. "Call it a sad sacrifice to pragmatism. The Light...this calling of ours...it's beyond the mud-slinging and fighting of regular human politics."

She pitches her voice just a bit louder, warming to the subject again. Her compatriots give subtle signs of settling in for a reasonably long speech. "There's a certain structure to the world and human nature," she begins. "I've come to believe over the course of my life that the long arc of history naturally bends toward decay, injustice, and oppression. That's what we call The Darkness, capital-t, capital-d. It has a physical presence that can be measured even if it can't be seen, just like gravity or magnetism. You might even call it a law of the universe, or at least of living things."

She shakes her head. "But that's not how it should be, not how it has to be. The Darkness exists, but so does the Light. Long ago, whether it was a hundred thousand years or just twenty, Light got to rule the world. Harmony, Justice, Knowledge, Joy, and Love weren't just words, they were real, tangible things just like their opposites are now."

"I'm not going to go on a nostalgic rant about the good old days. They obviously weren't perfect, or the world wouldn't be the mess it is now (I mean, shoot me right then if I ever suggest literal monarchy in the twenty-first century). It is proof, though, that people who dedicate themselves to these ideas, these responsibilities, can work together to achieve something great. Right now, we're building a foundation. A little society that can hopefully work together in small ways at first, but bigger and brighter later. We're all touched by the Light and, hopefully, that means we can be Darkness's opposites, but we'll only get there if we can work together."

She finishes with, oddly, an expansive shrug. "Right now, I just want to see if we can do that, starting with the basics of removing Darkspawn from this town and recruiting more members."

"Does that answer your question?"

"What happened in St. John's was a tragedy," Alison says solemnly. "If we'd gotten this started six months sooner, we might have been able to head it off..."

Mark shakes his head. "If not for that, we'd have had the Tears cult crashing this meeting instead of dumbass Darkspawn," he said. "Something like that was going to happen sooner or later, and I'm sorry it had to happen to you, Shira."

He continues: "I haven't had a chance to check on your parents specifically, but in general wounds caused by Tempesta or Lacrima can be nasty on a spiritual level as well as physical. Those Invocations are meant to be used on Darkspawn, but I've never heard of anyone who uses them regularly being very discrete with them."

"Enlightened Magic exists that can heal almost anything," Alison says, "but things like that, or the corruption caused by Taint, are beyond the abilities of anyone I know personally."

"Carrie's got a lot of potential with it," Christin throws in casually. "But she's nowhere near there yet. Maybe if she chose to really focus on it..."

"I will keep spreading the word that we need it," Alison says intently. "There's other magic out there too, but it's not to be trusted lightly..."

"Yeah, professional tip: if a weird, twitchy creature offers you magic fruit, just say no," Christin adds.

[MReav]

The look of disappointment actually broke through her usually stoic face and she actually visibly slumped. "Very well. Thank you for answering my question." She paused slightly at the 'fruit' comment. Probably some reference to a mythological boogeyman that just happened to be true and distressingly common.

She was a little worried at the comment about "discretion" and "Lacrima". It was something she was going to have to confront Mr. Minotti about.

"If there's nothing else, I'd like to get going."

Shira planned to visit her parents in the hospice before heading home.

[Beans]

Carrie glances and coughs, eyes flicking between Mana and Christin and then to the others. "I, uh... yeah, I would like to, uh, get along if I can." More than anything else, she realizes she wants to talk to Vo.

In a very real way, she hates living like this. She hates constantly swooning over every pretty face, letting her desires drag her around by the nose.

[Nerd-o-rama]

The Meeting

"Well, if there's nothing else, I think we can call this adjourned...?" Alison asks, looking to see if Mana has a rebuttal before formally calling it. If she does not, the 'senior' trio give some polite goodbyes and wait for the others to head out before talking to Shira in private.

"There is something else," Alison says, looking at her sadly. "It sounds cheesy, but it's vitally important you don't give up hope."

Mark nods, possibly surprisingly, in agreement. "The Darkness and the Light are both about emotion as much as physical state. The best thing you can do for your family is keep a positive outlook, and I'm not just talking about holistic or psychiatric stuff here. Just being around them and thinking and speaking positive can help protect them."

"It's one of the fun parts of being magical," Christin chimes in again, "and most of why I spend all my time being flippant. Spoilers."

[MReav]

Shira looks away a little awkwardly. "Positive attitude" made sense given what she was, but... it was hard. She was a quiet girl before the fire, but since then... it was easier to shut down.

"I'll... keep that in mind. Thank you."

Shira waved to them and any remaining Nobles before heading over to visit her parents.

[theUnearther]

Giovanni bows and leaves first. He feels a little odd doing so, but it's clear that so does everyone else, and someone must take the first step.

Tomorrow, after the club's meeting, he will go on the internet and research the suicides. After the police has had time to react and form hypotheses, and maybe identify the corpses. He's already wondering how to proceed from there. Investigate the dead personally? Maybe call up one of the others? But only he, it seems, is passably unconspicuous in his Noble identity.

And miss Tellings probably has a better entry into the system. He makes a point to vote for her, for the foreseeable future.

But for now, he's already regretting having forsaken his bike at the job, where he'll not be able to reclaim it until monday. He briefly considers breaking in and picking it up. And leaving a second note announcing that he did so, of course. But then he'd have to jump the fence carrying it, so he abandons that plan and begins the walk home.

I was going to make him break into school, and then I realized the problem. Haha.

[Nerd-o-rama]

That Evening - Shira

Shira is able to go see and visit with her parents at the Providence Portland hospital. They're happy to see her, of course, though it's difficult for them to get up or interact much. Most of the burns have healed as much as they're going to by now, but they're still a long way from "recovered". The doctors that are there tend to tut-tut rather thoughtlessly about keeping in better health generally in the future, since their current theory on what's slowing down their recovery time is a period of malnutrition before they were injured.

Anything in particular you wanted to do here?
That Evening - Carrie

Shortly after leaving the meeting, Carried gets a call on her cell phone from Christin's number.

Internet Research - Giovanni

Giovanni will find a few things through the local news and police public statements. Aside from the obvious - two deaths, neither ruled a homicide, bodies damaged by animals - he learns the names of both victims, Nicholas Stevens and Mona Antonini, and that both were identified by the operator of a homeless shelter on Burnside street, just north of downtown, named Jane Williamson, who's cited in a news article about the discovery.

[Beans]

[Carrie]
Ah, hell. Carrie looks at her phone, biting her lip. She does like the older Princess, and she's grateful for all Christin has done for her, but it's hard not to be nervous.
She answers.
"Hi, C... Chrissy..."

[Nerd-o-rama]

That Evening - Carrie

"Nervous all of a sudden, dear?" Christin says, laughing. "Actually, you were pretty wound up at the meeting, too. Is something wrong, or was everything just overwhelming?"

She waits to hear what Carrie has to say, listening with a sympathetic ear and chatting comfortably, the way only Christin can.

She's mostly calling to check up and give some words of encouragement, but we can thread this out as much as you like. Let me know when you're ready to move on to the next day/talking to Vo.
The Next Day

Everyone regains 1 Willpower, for a restful night's sleep. Unless Carrie does something weird but that seems unlikely.
Saturday April 25, 2015

The morning dawns bright and sunny on nothing terribly unusual, even for the Enlightened residents of Portland. Giovanni wakes up and attends his club meeting, having a pleasant and semi-fruitful discussion of problems very far away from the weirdness he witnessed yesterday. Afterwards, in the midst of performing the aforementioned internet research on the corpses from yesterday, Shira Rosenberg gets in contact with him.

Giovanni regains 1 Wisp from his Circle. Feel free to thread a conversation with Shira without my input.
Shira's grandmother is greatly appreciative of the fairly large amount of housework she asks Shira to do, not having quite the energy to keep it up or quite the finances to compensate a maid right now. She keeps her granddaughter busy all morning. After that, however, it should be easy to contact Mr. Minotti by either email or these magic flower doohickeys. Inari recommends the latter (in as many words) if Shira asks him. He'll also add: "I can ask around about a Bequest that can heal, but it might take me a while. You sure you want me gone in the dreaming that long?" he asks, unable to keep himself from looking at the tablet lying idly on the desk right now. It's a pain to carry electronics into the Dreamlands...

Shira regains 1 Wisp from her Duty. Feel free to thread a conversation with Giovanni without my input.
Meanwhile, Mana has a busy morning bouncing back and forth between personal research, Student Council duties (fortunately mostly administrative, so she doesn't have to deal directly with anybody), and working with younger students for Second Life - with such busy schedules, Saturday morning is often the only time many overstressed people can meet, and of course, there are very few mentor volunteers for such discussions. Mana handles it well, however, getting that satisfying feeling of making a positive difference in small ways even as she runs down some research in between her duties. In particular, she learns that cannibalism was historically (as in, before about 1850) sadly common in the Western US during the harsh winters in the Rockies and the Great Basin, both among natives (leading to the legend of the Wendigo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo)) and among white settlers (leading to events such as the infamous Donner Party (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party) incident). Needless to say, it's vanishingly uncommon nowadays barring the most obscure serial killers.

After finishing up with her last meeting (and ignoring a call from Aya, who totally called during Second Life stuff on purpose), Mana begins to feel a bit faint - it's close to 1:00 and she hasn't had anything whatsoever to eat since breakfast. Stepping outside for lunch somewhere near campus, she's hit with a shock as she's quite certain she spots a Princess wandering around, transformed, in broad daylight. Or...well...or is that just someone with a super-strange fashion aesthetic. She's seen more unusual outfits on brief trips to Seattle. Possibly.

Mana regains 1 Wisp from managing the Second Life meeting. The strangely-dressed person is Bobbie; feel free to react however you like there.
Bobbie (who is in this game now) spends her Saturday morning as per usual, spending time with her roommates and working on her projects. She does find that she's in need of several different kinds of material today, as well as several flyers on spring clearance sales for shops in downtown Portland. Most of them are easy to walk to, so after lunch seems like a good time to walk over to the area near Portland State University, where she can shop as she likes and possibly find a Chinese-American student staring at her, or possibly not. Either way, she does turn heads if she goes out in wearing her "typical" work.

Bobbie gains no particular benefit from hanging out with her friends, but at least they're fun! I've also put you in the same vicinity as Mana in an effort to try to put the group together, or at least paired off. Feel free to thread whatever you like with her.

[MReav]

Shira made sure her grandmother wasn't nearby when she spoke with Inari. She usually took a nap about this time.

"No. I need to talk to Mr. Minotti about what we saw him use, and I'd rather have someone who can help me with that." Shira said, "I don't think he's Tears, and I'm pretty sure Ember was exaggerating about its practitioners, because otherwise, I'd be getting migraines all day because of him. Still, I need to know."

Shira tried the flower, but got no answer. After tapping it for a moment, she decided that Giovanni wasn't answering.

"What's the point of getting a walkie-talkie flower if you're not going to use it?" Shira mused quietly, "I know Anne and MH have him as a French teacher." she thought to herself.

She called Anne. She could trust Anne to be discreet, even if she wouldn't give full disclosure. Secret identities and all that jazz.

[Beans]

That Evening - Carrie

"Nervous all of a sudden, dear?" Christin says, laughing. "Actually, you were pretty wound up at the meeting, too. Is something wrong, or was everything just overwhelming?"

She waits to hear what Carrie has to say, listening with a sympathetic ear and chatting comfortably, the way only Christin can.

She's mostly calling to check up and give some words of encouragement, but we can thread this out as much as you like. Let me know when you're ready to move on to the next day/talking to Vo.

Carrie sighs, gnawing her lip softly. "I don't mean this in a bad way, but... it's kind of... you. N-not that it's your fault, I just... given what, um, happened between us and... I wasn't expecting to find you here. It's a bit of a surprise, finding out one of the top Princesses in the city you come to is, uh..." She tries to figure out how to word it without leaping headfirst into "the lady you slept with". "Y'know."

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie

"Sorry about that...I guess I should have thought things through a bit more before telling Alison to invite you," Christin responds, laughing again as disarmingly as she can manage. "I mean, I enjoyed our time together, but I recommended you because you're a skilled Princess and a friend I can trust, first and foremost. If it's too awkward, I can drift off. Alison and Mark are both expecting that eventually anyway."

Shira

Anne answers with a simple "Hello!", although it's easy to hear Marie-Helene chattering in the background, to which Anne responds, "Would you shut the door if you're going to be nosy? Sorry about that, Shira."

When asked about Mr. Minotti, she says, "Hm? He's a nice guy, one of the better French teachers. Really...European, I guess? Why do you ask?"

[MReav]

"It's... about my meeting last night." Shira said, being vague but letting her know enough to figure it out, "I know enough to be a bit concerned, but I also know enough that my concerns are mostly unfounded. The sooner I can nip this in the bud, the better. Though can we hold off on mentioning this to MH, at least for a little while? I know she means well, but I don't want another repeat of the Vampire LARP incident."

If it's of any relevance, I envision the twins as having French Canadian ancestry

[Beans]

Carrie

"Sorry about that...I guess I should have thought things through a bit more before telling Alison to invite you," Christin responds, laughing again as disarmingly as she can manage. "I mean, I enjoyed our time together, but I recommended you because you're a skilled Princess and a friend I can trust, first and foremost. If it's too awkward, I can drift off. Alison and Mark are both expecting that eventually anyway."

Carrie meeps, shaking her head before she remembers that Christin can't see her. N-no, um, I didn't mean---I just, uh... the awkwardness is on me, it's fine. It's... it is really nice to see you again. And it is---Christin's presence is a welcome one in many ways, and knowing she'll have her support is something to fall back on. I, um... I kind of have to go, sorry I couldn't talk longer. She starts up her laptop's IRC client, looking for the notification that Vo is indeed online.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie

"It's no problem," Christin says, voice still full of a warm smile. "Take care."

Once Carrie's set up and online, she does indeed see Vo in one of her usual channels.

hey there! how's the west coast?

Shira

"Hey, what are you talking about, anyway? Ow!"

"Sorry, she needed a flick to the head," Anne replies idly. "But sure, as long as he's not going to suck out someone's soul, or something. I'll keep any eye out for that."

"Seriously, what--oof!"

"Okay, gotta go. Salut."

[Beans]

Carrie smiles weakly, toying with her necklace as she types.

nice, rainy, but in a different way from, say, Cleveland rainy. how're you?

She has so much she wants to say and doesn't think she can.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie, dressed so typically, gives the starting girl a smile and a wink before continuing on with her shopping errands.

[Felyndiira]

Saturday is not much different from any other day, at least from her perspective. What she doesn't have in classes is made up by extra-curricular activities and studying - a lot of studying, as Junior level social science courses stops holding your hands. Studying while keeping a book hidden during a student council meeting, even. Perhaps it is a very Chinese destiny to be stressed - needlessly, one may add, though Mana will never admit that she could still be successful even if she dropped a few of these "responsibilities" from her life. The girl is too stubborn to do such a thing.

She strode lifelessly from her Council meetings to second life. The road she took was one less traveled, and in response, her posture slumped and barely matching that of the fancy clothing that she wears. For how exhausted it made her, the girl did like Second Life, and never regretted forming it of her own volition; it makes her feel like she was making a difference, however little the difference may actually be confined within the borders of Portland State University. A little pride as well - it is a glittery, uplifting feeling to know that you are depended upon by someone else, no matter how trifle the problem happens to be. For someone like Mana, whose entire life is planned to the tune of her father's ideal, something like tutoring can even be empowering, like becoming the crux of worship of someone else. The pride is unbecoming of a princess, of course, and Mana sometimes wonders if her late blossoming was really due to the hidden vanity that she holds in her life, but it's something she could not help at times - something that, like all of her hidden feelings and her unhappiness of her own design, she is not willing to admit to herself.

Nonetheless, Mana left her Second Life meeting with a faint smile. Her expression adjusted quickly once she entered the public areas of the university; her posture straightened, and she walked in a prim and lady-like manner, one foot over the other in a slow, modest pace. It is important for the student council vice president to appear as the perfect ojou to the other students, after all, as a leader and one of their representatives of this school. Her stomach growls a bit, and her pace quickens slightly, though without ruining her posture; her heels click rhythmically against the stone floor that no one pays much attention to. Everyone here was a student or teacher; busy with their own work, and despite what anime might teach about guys and passing beauties, there are plenty of young, pretty girls on the streets of any large campus gathering area. No matter how well-dressed and ladylike she is, no one is really going to pay attention to one more.

Sometimes, she wonders why she really had to bother with fashion and all this silliness with suits and blouses. Unlike her friend, she didn't care to be in the center of attention or to be noticed by people all the time; she dresses well simply because rich girls are supposed to wear fashionable leather jackets and well-ironed blouses, not baggy shirts and sweatpants. She maintains this ridiculous posture because a future leader - and the vice president of the Student Council - is supposed to be professional at all times, however silly it might be in a casual restaurant or classroom. At least, that's how she justifies it all to herself. It's just how life is, she would often whisper with a sigh, just to dismiss this line of questions that she could not answer. She didn't like playing the social games, but she plays it anyway to be "successful". What "successful" means is, like everything else in her life, a goalpost to be moved so that she can keep on adding more stress to herself.

Without changing her expression, the girl softly laughs to herself, as if remembering something funny; she distracts herself with thoughts of the makeup that is still on her mirror - that, luckily, no one during the Second Life meeting had discovered. It probably would not have mattered even if they did; it's a very human act that, while immature, is easily dismissed; the girl mused on it nonetheless, and pondered about a mix of cleaning up and food when the sight of another awakened caught her eye.

She was one of them - the blossomed - casually transformed in the middle of the street. Either that, or she had the strange propensity to look different from everyone else. To intentionally stand out, if that is the right phrase to use for this situation. Unlike Mana, whose fashion and mannerism only served to blend in with her clique, the girl was trying her best to look as distinct as she could from other people. There are plenty of strange-looking fashion styles - goths, punk fashion, and even standout exotics in metallic and technocolor - but there was something oddly unique...

"No. It's not appropriate to stare at people," she reprimanded herself. Despite the fact that many of her fellow students were also eying the mysterious stranger, Mana just give her a quick bow of apology and moved on, drawing her own scarf closer to hide the embarrassment on her face.

One success on "investigation" roll. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19156593&postcount=77) I used Investigation because I don't know what "know online designers" falls under.

I made some assumptions for the sake of an interaction. If any of this post isn't compatible with Bobbie's backstory, please tell me and I will make changes, as appropriate.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie

almost bored enough to talk about the weather. been working on research. see anything eldritch in portland yet?

As Carrie considers that, she might happen to feel something in her pocket stabbing at her. Specifically, the corner of an envelope.

[Beans]

Carrie

almost bored enough to talk about the weather. been working on research. see anything eldritch in portland yet?

As Carrie considers that, she might happen to feel something in her pocket stabbing at her. Specifically, the corner of an envelope.

Carrie pulls the envelope out and turns it over in her hands, then starts carefully trying to open it.
Darkspawn happened, that was fun. by which i mean WHY :U

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie

did you know they actually try to find us? like bugs and actual light.

Carrie finds the plain white mailing envelope that the cat "gave" her earlier, on the way to the meeting. It opens easily, despite being sealed. Best not to worry about how a cat seals an envelope.

Inside is a typed sheet of paper and a business card.


Letter

Your Enlightened meeting will be attacked by 10-12 Darkspawn. Warn your allies or not; they should fall easily.

The important detail is that this is not a coincidence, but conspiracy. If you wish to know the truth, contact the one on the card.

The business card has the name, telephone, email, and fax number of some place named Graye Investigations, which has apparently been around long enough to have a fax number.

Mana and Bobbie

As Mana and Bobbie make contact, but before they can have much in the way of conversation, they're interrupted by surprised shouts coming from across the street. It's impossible to tell what's going on, exactly, until they hear a gunshot and see a swarm of people run across Hall Street toward them to get away from the gunfire.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie nods to confirm her identity to the woman. She drops into a quick curtsy, and grins broadly. She purses her lips for a moments to consider the woman's appearance, but before she can draw any conclusion, the screaming an gunfire starts. Fear, anger, sadness, and finally determination flicker across Bobbie's face in flash. Then she smiles again, sadly this time, at the woman and softly takes her by the shoulders and turns her away from the sounds, and gives her a gentle push in the opposite direction. Then Bobbie runs directly towards the heart of the storm.

[Beans]

Carrie

did you know they actually try to find us? like bugs and actual light.

Carrie finds the plain white mailing envelope that the cat "gave" her earlier, on the way to the meeting. It opens easily, despite being sealed. Best not to worry about how a cat seals an envelope.

Inside is a typed sheet of paper and a business card.
The business card has the name, telephone, email, and fax number of some place named Graye Investigations, which has apparently been around long enough to have a fax number.

Carrie stares at the letter, biting her lip. On one hand, she wishes she'd opened this a good while ago. On the other hand... well, it turned out alright anyway. But she'll definitely have to show them this when they next meet.

Looking back at the screen, she blinks.
Creepy. Not surprising, but... creepy.

[Felyndiira]

The gunfire happened more quickly than she could react. Mana was faintly aware of the girl staring at her clothing, although she was caught off-guard when the other girl pushed her aside and ran toward the direction of the gunfire, even as others were trying to flee.

Why?

Normal people do not run toward a gunfire, especially with the atmosphere of fear that permeates this place. Mana briefly considered the first thought that passed through her head. Another awakened, just like her and Aya. But what did she hope to accomplish against someone who was willing to shoot in the middle of the crowded streets, princess or not? A student dying of gunshot wounds is a job for the police and paramedics, not peachy magical girls with techno-colored dresses.

Mana reached for her phone. As a student council member who often have to deal with emotionally troubled students, she regularly has the campus police on speed-dial; a thought came over her, though, and her fingers stopped a few centimeters from hitting the speed dial button.

What if it's one of them?

Instead, Mana waited for the mob to clear while she moved just closely enough to watch the scene from a distance.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie

everyone's ok, right? were there a lot of other enlightened there?

Vo will continue to chat in this vein, unwilling to broach anything beyond the supernatural weirdness that has almost sadly become small talk for her unless Carrie changes the subject first.

Bobbie and Mana

The cause of the commotion isn't immediately apparent, although the frustration of drivers as people instinctively mob into the street is. Thankfully, no one seems to have been run over, but the sidewalk cafés across the street appear to be clear (and now empty except for the few people hiding under tables).

After a couple of seconds, there's another gunshot, another collective gasp, and cries of "in there!" from scattered witnesses that indicate an alley between two of the high-rise buildings. Nothing obvious from out here, and nothing's come charging out, but it'll be at least a couple minutes before police arrive, even with civilians already on their cell phones.

[Entelechy]

To avoid being too conspicuous, Bobbie ducks into the alley a block over. She swings around to enter the alley from which the shots came from the side.

I am functioning under the assuption that, ambiguity aside, Bobby had been transformed and masked with the 20 faces charm all along.

[Felyndiira]

Mana continues to approach from a distance, moving her attention to the location of the second gunshot. She remains untransformed - as she still does not have a full grasp of the situation.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Mana and Bobbie

Tucked back in an alleyway out of site of the street (and coincidentally a fair bit more littered than downtown's immaculate sidewalks), both women can see a sight that probably counts as unusual. A woman in a business suit and tennis shoes is facing away from them, sweeping the muzzle of a smoking police-issue handgun back and forth across the alley, looking for something. For some reason, Bobbie notices, there's a ribbon tied around the barrel of the gun.

The alley appears otherwise empty at first glance, although both girls glance upward and see movement along the wall. A night-black creature that looks like some kind of extra-ugly cross between a mongrel dog and a spider is clinging to the wall, looking like it's about to pounce on the woman.

[Entelechy]

Bobby sprints into the ally. She slides to a halt and throws out her arms to either side. A ripple of light radiates out from her core and down her arms to her fingertips. She snaps the fingers of her left hand and she points to the woman with a gun as a transparent pink bubble appears around her. As soon as the creature leaps, her snaps the fingers of her right hand, but nothing seems to happen. She scowls at her finger pointing finger.


Using Bubble Shield as an Action to Bubble the woman with a gun. Using it as a Reaction (it can be used in response to anything) to bubble to beastie. I think I need two meters to bubble the woman, but I can get away with 1 meter for the beastie. I got two successes for the woman (will absorb 6 damage), but none for the Beastie! I have no defense, since I had to forgo it for the second bubble.

[Felyndiira]

For a moment, Mana simply watched; she wasn't certain whether she should interpose herself within this...situation, whatever it is, or whether she should let the other woman handle it on her own. The other princess seemed to be more experienced than Mana was, as well; her movements confident and certain compared to Mana's own uncertainty and approaching from a distance. It was only yesterday that she had found out that she (and Aya) was not alone in this responsibility, and it was somewhat humbling to be so young amongst the awakened in Tenure, when even someone as young as that glaive girl - Shira, was it? - was already more experienced than her.

Magical girls were supposed to be about the high school age, after all. Pretty Cure aside, of course.

Mana transformed - away from the sight of the two people before her. She spent some time studying the movements of both the creature and the other two parties in front of her, mentally trying to get a grasp of the situation before she interfered. She still didn't know what had happened here, and Mana was not the type of person to simply jump out at any danger presented before her. She was not Aya - neither her court nor her personality would allow something like that.

Transformation (non-reflex): 2 Successes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19202507&postcount=80)

Mana spends some time watching and studying the situation and the movements of all involved parties, at a distance and away from notice if at all possible. Also, if time permits and if fighting is necessary, Aiming.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Mana and Bobbie

The woman whips around in surprise, searching the alley for a second before noticing Bobbie. Whether she knows what she's looking at or has simply jumped to conclusions, she glares at the fashionista and shouts something that we'll say is muffled by the Bubble Shield in order to avoid a long string of asterisks. She does holster her gun, though.

Meanwhile, the creature - obviously a Darkspawn - angles its grossly misshapen head to look at Bobbie and apparently decides she'll be a better target than the lady in the bubble, leaping off the wall in an attempt to drop on and sink its rather horrible-looking teeth into the magical girl. However, it succeeds only in slamming into the ground, drooling and growling.

Not going to do a full setup for this combat like I did with the Corpse-Eaters: Bobbie and Mana can move in any order, then the NPCs will act.

Dogspider has 0 Defense for the round and is in melee with Bobbie.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie furrows her brow in concentration for a moment, and once again light pulses across her form like ripples on a pond. A bubble appears properly around the beast, this time. She picks it up, and puts it in the nearest dumpster (after checking to make sure there's no one in it. She closes the dumpster lid, sits on it, and pulls her tablet out of her purse.

"Hello!" she writes on it in size 128 font. She grins broadly and holds it up to the woman with the gun.

[Nerd-o-rama]

The woman, a dark-haired, pale-skinned athletic lady upon closer inspection, goes from scowling to an "are you serious" expression upon seeing Bobbie's slick moves and especially her 128 point pink font.

"You mind letting me out of here so I can finish that thing off?" she asks, voice reverberating inside her bubble. "The cops'll be here in a minute or two."

There's a horrible scrabbling and yowling side from inside the dumpster as the Darkspawn starts trying to claw its way out of the bubble.

[Entelechy]

The bubbles naturally only lasted for about ten seconds, but Bobbie felt no need to let the woman know that. She made a dismissive gesture as the shield popped, and scribed a new message.

"OK. Have a plan?" Bobbie had written. She had yet to move off the dumpster.

[Nerd-o-rama]

As Bobbie's bubbles fade from around both targets, the Darkspawn slams into the lid of the dumpster with all its strength, not managing to move the tall woman's weight.

The woman nods and, careful to aim her shot at a downward angle, fires at the dumpster, and is rewarded with a shriek of pain.

"Think that got it," she says, catching the ribbon in midair as it untied itself from her gun and pocketed it, holstering the gun on her belt under her jacket at the same time.

"Piece of magic crap broke my suppressor..." she mutters.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie hopes off the dumpster and cautiously checks the dumpster to confirm its no longer a danger. Satisfied, she clears the text on her tablet, and writes again.

"SO. Coffee? ;)"

[Nerd-o-rama]

Bobbie and Mana

Unfortunately, when she checks the dumpster, Bobbie finds a heavily injured and very angry Darkspawn bulling its way back up through the lid and snarling, narrowly missing her face with its gnashing teeth.

The woman swears loudly and hauls her gun out again.

Still in combat rounds :D

[Felyndiira]

"That has to be the most pathetic excuse for a creature of darkness, ever," the girl muses to herself.

She is happy that the situation was resolved; especially without additional interference. From a distance, Mana lowers her scepter and dismisses her transformation, pretending that nothing had happened on the scene; slowly, her mind wanders back to the scene, becoming more and more puzzled at the absurdity of it all. A woman shooting a darkspawn with a normal handgun. In public and in full view of strangers. Is this something straight out of a TV show?

As if reacting to her own thoughts, Mana inspects her surroundings, trying to find traces of a hidden camera crew or something that would help explain this situation. Finding nothing but empty streets and traces of fleeing students, her eyes turn back to the woman that is now putting away her gun.

She doesn't seem like another awakened to her, given the lack of transformation or anything magical to accompany this entire ordeal. Mana struggles to come to terms with what she had just witnessed. Pulling a gun is one thing - this is Oregon, after all, but a normal person shouldn't just react to a darkspawn sighting with such nonchalance. "Who is this woman?" she wonders-

-and, in a moment of carelessness, she steps on a rock, dislodging it from the ground and making a very audible sound. She cursed silently, then quickly composes herself an acts as if coming across the scene for the first time.

"What is going on here?" she asks nonchalantly, her eyes transfixed on the gun that the woman is carrying. She notices the still-injured darkspawn and takes a few steps back, instinctively remembering that she is currently not transformed.

NoR posted in the middle of my post, so I didn't catch The Darkspawn, Round 2. Retconning the post a bit.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie reflexively reaches out towards the beastie, and her shield engulfs it again. Once more, she drops it back in the dumpster, and hops on top again.

"OK. We need a plan this time :P"

When the woman from before arrived, Bobbie grimaced for a moment, then smiled at her again.

"Nothing of note! You should go!" she wrote on the tablet, trying to look non-nonchalant sitting on the dumpster. She smiled broadly and waved good-bye.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Bobbie and Mana

The woman actually facepalms. "Do you not have any other spells or whatever? This is actually taking longer, and now we've got a..."

She looks from the dumpster to Mana and back again, gears turning in her head. "Say, lady, you should really get out of here. Rabid animal."

That bluff might be believable to a civilian witness, and is a nice preview of what she's probably intending to tell the cops, but even if Mana wasn't aware of Darkspawn, it still didn't explain Bobbie...or why she mentioned the word "spells"...

The Darkspawn literally has one health box left so let's just not worry about turns anymore. Come up with a plan that will do at least one lethal damage in the next 30 seconds or so and you win.

[Felyndiira]

"Other spells?" Mana asks - as politely as she could possibly manage. She stares at the garbage can for a minute with skeptical eyes; she already knows what's inside, but as she is untransformed she did not speak her mind about the darkspawn. Instead, she simply acted the part of a innocent person chancing upon an unfamiliar scene, stuttering perfectly, hoping to rush the woman to finish the job before the police arrive on the scene. "That...does not look like a rabid animal. Isn't a gun...erm, well, do people normally pull firearms on wild animals?"

A mage, ooh.

[Beans]

Carrie

everyone's ok, right? were there a lot of other enlightened there?

Vo will continue to chat in this vein, unwilling to broach anything beyond the supernatural weirdness that has almost sadly become small talk for her unless Carrie changes the subject first.

We're all fine. There's a bunch of us here, yeah, even some big shots which is good I guess? And I slept with one of them.
Look I don't know if I should even be feeling unfaithful when we're not dating any more
Are you seeing anyone?
okay?
Well, that came out awkward.
Nothing new for Vo.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie quickly googles the scariest page on rabies she can find and presses her tablet into Mana's hands, and hopefully distracting her.

Then she reaches into the dumpster, grabs her bubble.

"Pull!" she actually shouts, as she tosses the bubbled monster into the air, letting her bubble pop as the beastie is at the height of its flight. She stands by, ready to bubble it again if the woman misses her shot.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie

uh yeah i'm fine. you're doing that chat-stutter thing though. what's wrong?

This is the problem with online relationships.

Bobbie and Mana

The woman just stares for the longest, then pulls out her gun, waits for the flying Darkspawn to land back in the dumpster with a thump, and leans over the edge of the dumpster to double-tap it while it's stunned from the sudden fall. It's definitely not moving anymore, and beginning to melt back into raw shadows as it "bleeds".

"You are crazy, and ought to get out of here," she says, casually picking up the spent casings from her gun as a pair of police sirens comes into hearing range. "And you over there ought to forget you saw anything."

It's actually dead now. It'd be a good time for social checks to figure out what this woman's deal is.

[Beans]

Carrie sighs. So many things to say and so few universes in which she has the courage to say 'em.

I just. Look I worry about you hon. what happened
what happened doesn't change that you're important to me and I worry about you a lot
She bites her lip. This is about as directly as she'll reference their brief and ultimately painfully-concluded engagement; it hurts way too much to talk about it more explicitly than this.

[Felyndiira]

Mana doesn't even glance at the tablet that was shoved into her arms. Her eyes follows the other Princess as she weaves her charm and sends the darkspawn flying into the air, followed by the woman as she - without surprise or any bit of hesitation at the fantastical display of magic before her - follows suit with her own gunfire. The entire scene feels almost surreal, as if she is standing at the gates of the Dream World rather than the real world.

"I apologize, but forgetting it all...erm, that is a bit difficult after seeing that." Mana tries to sound excitable at the matter, as if she has just witnessed something truly profound and is beaming with curiosity and is trying her best to contain it. She pointed at Bobbie, then at the place where her magic had just sent the dog-spawn flying into the air, purposely blabbering in the midst of her conversation. "So, is that what you mean when you mentioned 'spells'?"

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie

i never thought it would. really. you care about everyone no matter what.

and i really am fine. you're the one out there fighting monsters.

Mana and Bobbie

The woman rubs her head and swears quietly under her breath while holstering and securing her gun. She digs around in a pocket for her wallet, followed by a cigarette and lighter. "Well, if you insist, stay put and keep your mouth shut when the cops show up," she says to Mana as she flicks her lighter.

She looks at Bobbie seriously. "I'm gonna explain myself. You and that outfit are on your own if you're still here when they start asking questions."

[Beans]

Carrie sighs, biting her lip. She wonders if Vo knows how good she is at shutting her clumsy attempts at romantic reconnection down. Is it intentional? Has she moved on?
yeah well
be safe and all, ok?

[Entelechy]

Bobbie took back her tablet and scribbled a quick message.

"Raincheck on the coffee date. The Albina Press, Tuesday, 5pm ;)" Bobbie shows the message to the woman with a real wink. Then she writes something else. Bobbie offers the new woman her arm, and shows her the tablet.

"Want to go somewhere and talk?" the tablet says.

[Felyndiira]

"That might be best," Mana sighs. She is a bit annoyed that the woman dodged her question about 'spells' - it seems that she is not just a normal civilian with an overly liberal interpretation of Oregon's open carry laws, but someone with their own secret to hide from the world of normal, unenlightened people. Perhaps she's just not ready to answer such a question? That she didn't trust them enough to reveal her own connection to the darkspawn and the masquerade that the Blossomed were bound to, in the same way that Mana would not give away her own alternate identity?

"If you don't mind, I know of a pretty nice, quiet restaurant around here where we could talk." She didn't know why the other princess - a comrade-in-arms, presumably, compared to this enigma of a woman who mentions mysterious occult things and isn't even phased at the sight of a creature of darkness - didn't just speak to her when she is capable, but decides that it would be best not to pursue the matter. "I might need a drink, too, after seeing all of that. Are you okay with Indian?"

"Oh, right-" She turns back to the woman with a smile half-nervous and half full of excitement - or, at least, the best imitation that she can manage. "I promise I won't say anything. But were you the one that tossed the black dog thingy in the air like that? Is that the 'spell' that you mentioned before? If so, you'll have to teach me to do it sometime."

"It feels like living in an action movie," she added incredulously, in a half-audible whisper.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie

you're the one i'm worried about. be careful, ok?

Vo earns one Beat for defeating Carrie's romantic overtures.

Mana and Bobbie

The woman takes a drag on her cigarette, considers for a bit, and digs a business card out of her wallet, handing it to Mana. "I haven't got time for twenty questions right now, but come to my office Monday morning and I'll tell you some stuff."

"Also, the cops are here. Get going out the other end of the alley if you don't want to talk to them."

The business card has the name, telephone, email, and fax number of some place named Graye Investigations, which has apparently been around long enough to have a fax number.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie nods as she accepts the card. Then she continues to lead Mana away from the scene. She stows her tablet, and switches to her phone so she can write one handed.

"You're so sweet. Indian works fine :)" Bobbie wrote.

[Felyndiira]

"Point taken." Mana allows herself to be led away from the scene; though she probably should have stayed to ask more about the strange woman, it seems like it would be an additional hassle. The girl decides that she didn't need more trouble in her already chaotic life - at least, not today. "Maybe Monday then," she whispered - mostly to herself, eyeing the business card before the other Blossomed had time to put it away.

Soon, the woman is already out of sight. Mana seems to relax a bit, as if a sizable piece of weight - or perhaps a weight that isn't even there - is shed from her shoulders. She smiled a bit to the other woman with the strange clothes: a bit awkwardly, especially for her, and hiding a bit of embarrassment like she did before. Somewhere inside her mind, she is wondering why this curious girl chooses to communicate mostly through text messages when she was clearly able to speak and hear; somewhere else, she's chastising herself for coming up with these sudden and unwarranted judgments about other people.

"I had a friend - an Indian friend - recommend this place to me," she announces, hiding her inner desire to ask about the other girl's strange habits and equally unique clothing. She shows her own phone to the other girl, with Chrome already active and displaying the Yelp page for Kadhai Boutique Restaurant. "To be honest, I have only been there once myself, but she was a fan of the place. At least, she couldn't stop raving about the spices that they use and how similar they are to her own hometown. The food is really good, though - at least from the one time I was there."

She pauses for a bit, as if trying to decide whether to bring up the topic of the woman, or of the mysterious girl's own magic. She seems to decide against this, and instead produces her text messaging application and writes her own phone number - and the message "Maybe we could just use text (｀・ω・´)”" - before showing it to the other girl. Below, a number of emoji was visible on a special emoticon keyboard, with some of the most common ones that Mana uses - "ᶘ ᵒᴥᵒᶅ", "(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧", and "(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻" - on the very top row, clearly visible for anyone to see.

"This might be easier," she declares with a soft smile.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie clapped her hands together and pressed her fingertips to her lips in delight. She quickly texted Mana, "Those are so cute!"

As the approached the main street, a ripple ran over Bobbie again, like the distortion of light at the bottom of a pond. When it passed, her outfit had shifted again, and her face was different. Bobbie sends another text, a bit of a non-sequitur "You 'had a friend,' what happened to her?"

[Felyndiira]

Mana looks very confused at that question.

"Nothing happened to her. What..." The girl is apparently trying to find a satisfying way to answer a question that seems to have come completely out of the blue and caught her unaware; it takes a minute before she finally realizes where the misunderstanding has occurred. Her smile returns to her face as she answers as sweetly as she could muster. "That was just an expression, you know. Something like 'a friend had recommended me to this place in the past.'"

"That aside, we're already here." Mana waves at a small, traditional building with a sign printed in both English and what she assumes to be Hindi. She seems to pause for a moment as her eyes scanned the girl's new outfit - and her entirely new appearance. "What happened?" she asks, trying her best to sound like the Mana of a half-year ago, before she made contact with this new world and had this wonderful and undesired responsibility suddenly thrust upon her.

[Entelechy]

"When a lady looks as sharp as I do, she needs take steps not to be recognized," Bobbie texted, and punctuated it with a sly wink at Mana. She once again offers Mana her arm to take.

[Nerd-o-rama]

As stated, Bobbie and Mana can run a scene in the sidestory thread if they like, and everyone can begin with full Willpower and make let's say 3 Circle or Duty checks to refill Wisps over downtime. Now, on with the show...

Session 2: Bear Futures on Slender Forms

April 27, 2015

Shira

Shira dreams. Sometimes her dreams are normal and terrifying, and sometimes there's a peaceful connection to the Dreamlands from whence her Queen and her Shikigami hail, but this time it almost seems like something between the two.

The overwhelming feeling is of heat. This isn't uncommon for Shira, but it's usually accompanied by images of flames and a feeling of loss, whereas this is a kind of focused dry heat she's never felt before, but might come from an endless desert or a blast furnace. She sees only blackness at first, before light washes over her in brief, dim flashes as if it's reflecting off of some distant surface. She sees a number of things - statues of soldiers made of metal and clay, Inari, a sword made of a howling windstorm, her parents lying in their hospital beds, Inari again moving flailingly toward her, a vast blackness that the reflected light cannot illuminate, and finally the face of the Hopeful who introduced herself as Ember Ash, backed by the memory of fire that finally shows itself, looking with her unreadable expression and blacked facial jewelry at Shira...then a fox paw touches her shoulder.
Shira wakes up in her bed in a cold sweat, Inari sitting next to her arm. It's 5:03 am.

"Hey uh...where'd you go just now?"

Mana

On Monday morning, Mana wakes up to her usual routine and school commitments, but also with a text message from Aya.

Meeting @ lunch? School business so casual dress.

Giovanni

Giovanni likewise has his normal Monday commitments, which largely consist of dealing with high schoolers not wanting to do anything because there's a bit more than a month left of school. The seniors have checked out entirely and for some reason in one of his classes the Tremblay sisters, Anne and Marie-Helene, alternate between giving him weird looks and glaring at each other.

Bobbie

Bobbie's business is such that she can set her own schedule, though she is accosted early in the morning by Amy.

"Hey, sorry for the short notice," she says and signs, "but a couple called me in as a backup on a wedding the day after tomorrow. Is there anything you could put together quick or should I go shopping?"

Carrie

Carrie can enjoy the one benefit to her current financial and social situation - she has no particular mundane obligations for the day, just an ominous letter, a business card, and a commission from a friend of Christin's to investigate a couple of suicides.

[MReav]

Shira grabbed a towel to dry herself off, before collecting herself

"I... don't know." she said, "It was hot and dry, but there wasn't any fire, at least at first. It was pitch black but then I could see light reflecting off something in the distance. Then I saw a stream of images, starting with a bunch of statues of soldiers made of clay and metal, followed by you, then a sword made of a howling windstorm, mom and dad in the hospital, you again flailing as you came towards me, the blackness again, then Ember appeared backed by fire, and she was staring at me while wearing some black facial jewelery, and then you woke me up..." Shira sat silently for a few moments, "Does any of that make any sense to you? Also... did you see any of that?"

She turned over in her bed. She was still thinking about some of the things she spoke to Mr. Minotti the other day. His comment about not being human any more disturbed her more than she could admit. Maybe it was just because it reminded her of Madoka Magicka too much. He was right that she shouldn't look too much into television as a source of guidance, but she wondered where he could have possibly gotten that impression. It was one of the only things she kept from Inari when she filled him in on her impressions of him.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie gives Amy a wicked grin. With a few quick flicks on her phone, she starts music playing.

"Babe... I got you babe..." Sonny and Cher sing.

[Beans]

Carrie

Carrie can enjoy the one benefit to her current financial and social situation - she has no particular mundane obligations for the day, just an ominous letter, a business card, and a commission from a friend of Christin's to investigate a couple of suicides.

Carrie wakes and stretches, flopping back with a sigh. As much as her car's backseat is familiar to her, a real motel is nice. The first thing she does is shower, of course, and does a bit of thinking therein. Showers are good for thinkin'.

She determines she's going to hit up those suicides---even if it's totally non-supernatural, it still bears investigating and resolving. She gets dressed and reviews the information, then goes to head out.

[theUnearther]

...plein des failles, comme courant. Now, for homework...
Hold for groans.
...there shall be none. Exams are almost upon us, so you should study. Or you can try again next time. Your call. Je n'evaluerai vous plus jusqu'à'lors. If there's anything else, here I am. Otherwise, run along.
Giovanni starts picking up his stuff while most or all of the students leave the classroom, intentionally slowly in case some of them do want to approach him.

"...lots of loopholes, as usual." and "I won't grade you anymore 'til then."
Got 1 (one) success for Duty. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401903-Nine-colored-Roses-%28PtH%29-Dice-rollin&p=19339549&posted=1#post19339549)

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira

"I could tell you were connected to the Dreamlands, but not IN them, you know?" Inari says, solemnly. "Someone might have been sending you a message. Sometimes the Queens do that, but the Queen of Swords is usually more straightforward than that...by a lot."

Inari looks...well, he doesn't actually have a variable facial expression in this form, but he looks about as puzzled and concerned as he can manage. "I can ask the Rabbits about the symbols next time I see them, if that helps."

Bobbie

Amy signs and says her thanks, but is quickly out the door - she has a lot to do for her own job, obviously.

This might be a good time to go shopping if Bobbie needs to, or possibly to get in contact with one of the people she met Saturday or someone the other Princess put her in contact with.

Carrie

Carrie's information so far largely consists of public knowledge mentioned in online news releases - nothing she didn't see for herself, other than the fact that the two suicides' bodies were "damaged by animals", and the business card and note she'd gotten beforehand that seemed to predict the incident. Someone else may have gotten around to research that they haven't had the opportunity to share yet.

Giovanni

The students shuffle out. In spite of her sister's efforts, Marie-Helene hangs back long enough for the two of them to be the last ones in the classroom.

"There's nothing going on outside school we need to be worried about right Mr. Minotti," she blurts out rapidfire.

Anne gives up on tugging on her elbow and just facepalms. "You are the worst friend..."

[MReav]

"Thank you Inari, I don't know what I'd do without you. Then again, you are supposed to fulfill that enigmatic mentor animal figure, so I guess you're doing your job." Shira says as she pets him, "Still, if there's something I can do, don't be afraid to ask."

Well, I'm not getting any more sleep today. she thinks to herself after trying to get back to sleep for half an hour. Instead she gets dressed.

"Bubbie, I'm going out for a run." she says as she goes down the stairs. Old people often were early risers, so her grandmother being was up at this hour was not surprising.

She needed some time to herself to clear her head. But unless something happened, she would get breakfast and then go to school, like normal.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Haha, "unless something happened"

Shira

Shira heads out for a run with no incident and an appreciative wave goodbye from her grandmother. The weather's clear today, but a good deal warmer than it was the past weekend...either a heatwave is starting, or Shira's dream is getting to her. Probably the former.

The obvious running route from her grandmother's apartment takes Shira through Mill Ends park, which has a nice jogging trail right along the Willamette River. It's a nice if slightly stuffy morning, with very few other people out at this time of day, although Shira does spot someone moving high up on the edge of one of the river bridges just before she passes under it. She can recognize the person too: a dark-haired young woman in a practical but highly improbable white, gray, and neon-green shirt and skirt combo, face decorated with some stud jewelry and a permanent-looking scowl.

Ember Ash, naturally, in full Regalia. Or at least, almost full. She doesn't seem to have manifested the sword Shira saw her with on that night. The woman stares down at Shira for a moment before, with a flare impossible for a normal human, jumping down to the jogging path with a modesty-preserving flip.

[theUnearther]

"There's nothing going on outside school we need to be worried about right Mr. Minotti,"
Giovanni looks at the girl for a moment, trying to gauge her motives behind that, before deciding that's what words are for.
Such things exist, yes, but you...
He pauses briefly, grabbing his chin.
No, I cannot in good conscience advise you not to have caution. Hmm...
More chin-scratching.
I can, however, say you should not waste your time and emotions on things beyond your power. Either work to increase your ability to change the world, then do so, or leave well enough alone. Does that help? Je manquerais... No, sorry. I'd need to know more to help you more. Is it something you can tell me? Bearing in mind, of course...
He looks over Marie-Helene's shoulder and points his finger at Anne.
...that you shouldn't lightly betray your sister, but nor should you let her keep you from something of import. Again, I have no idea where this falls, you tell me. Or, y'know, not.

"I would need..."

[Entelechy]

Bobbie does need a few odds and ends, and decides a bit of shopping is in order. She ponders a moment, then sends Mana a quick text.

"Hey cool kid, wanna come shopping?"

[MReav]

"Oh hell." Shira says to herself. She considers her options. She didn't know whether or not Ember knew her identity, though logically, Ember probably wouldn't have done that public display for just anyone. Still, it was bad form to transform in public, so she looked around for those that might see.

She also needed to gauge Ember. Might as well test the waters. Entering into a defensive stance, she said, "You! You're that crazy lady from that night!" Ember's response would likely dictate what she would do next. She really didn't want to fight the more experienced woman. Though as she called out, she realized, calling attention to the fact that she recognized her probably wasn't the best idea, whether Ember knew who she was or not...


One success on Manipulation + Subterfuge on the off chance she doesn't know me. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19355606&postcount=96) I might roll 2 more for the Veiling.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira

Ember continues to stand at a relaxed position, not making any aggressive moves. She does twitch her jaw a bit at the words 'crazy lady', though. "I was there when you Blossomed, Shira Rosenberg. I've been keeping an eye on you since then...it's a waste of time trying to fool me."

She looks at the ground briefly and crosses her arms. Small talk is clearly not her forte. "What do you know about the new Radiants coming into town?" she asks, returning her attention to Shira's face.

Giovanni

The twins look at each other for a second.

"What?"

"Quoi?"

Marie-Helene shakes her head. "It's nothing to do with us, just...don't do anything suspicious, okay?"

"I think what she means," Anne says, turning to glare at Marie-Helene, "is that we're vaguely aware that you might be having some trouble, but don't worry about either of us not keeping quiet about it."

[MReav]

Shira still kept herself expressionless, but internally, she was terrified. Ember was there the night she Blossomed. Ember probably had a fair bit to do with that, if unintentionally.

Blunt and to the point. Reminds me of someone I know. Shira mused. In response to Ember's questions, she opted to not try and give too much, while looking for escape plans and possibly a place to use her flower, "I don't know what you saw, I had run around the corner and you were busy with something else when that happened." Shira left out the 'you were trying to murder my parents while they tried to buy time for me to get away' part of that statement. She instead played as dumb as possible, "As for any newcomers... they're probably here to try and help people. That's what we're supposed to do, isn't it? Why would you care?"

Hoping to get some information herself, Shira fired back, "What about you? How'd you survive? I thought you said something about how letting us go was going to cost you."

[Beans]

Carrie

Carrie's information so far largely consists of public knowledge mentioned in online news releases - nothing she didn't see for herself, other than the fact that the two suicides' bodies were "damaged by animals", and the business card and note she'd gotten beforehand that seemed to predict the incident. Someone else may have gotten around to research that they haven't had the opportunity to share yet.

Carrie calls up the number on the bizniss card. Beep boop boop riiiiiiiiiing. She wonders just how to go about this, but figures she can handle it.
She wants to handle it. To be useful.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira

She scoffs. "You say that like death is a 'cost'," she says, shrugging one shoulder under her long-sleeved, flowing shirt. "Either way, my Queen only forsakes her followers if we show mercy to the Dark. I showed mercy to a new Noble, and for that I was...partly forgiven."

Ember is happy - well, you know what I mean - to change the subject back, though, eyes narrowing. "Don't forget what happens when too many Nobles come together. It's like a beacon for Dark creatures. Tears operate in large numbers to make that happen on purpose, but it happens to anyone with the Inner Light. The Turtle politician's plan will only make things worse."

Carrie

"Graye Investigations," replies the voice of a curt woman who's probably been smoking for at least ten years straight, punctuated with what Carrie's fairly certain is a curious "meow?" in the background.

[Beans]

"I was given a package with your card and a warning about an incident that did, in fact, happen. I believe you have leads on some recent suicides?"

[MReav]

"If you're so concerned about that sort of thing, why are you telling me? You want me to relay your concerns to them if I see whoever you're talking about?" Shira asked, again feigning ignorance, "Part of me wants to say that if you know what to expect, maybe you could offer your help in shoring up defences or preparing any counterattack. But I've seen your idea of 'helping', so I'm obviously not comfortable asking."

While maintaining this conversation, Shira was still mapping out possible escape plans. Shira might be really confident with her abilities, but right now, she's facing someone she knows is at least her equal.

2 Successes if relevant. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19359681&postcount=98)

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie

"You've got some guts being that open over a cell phone," the woman on the other end claims. "I don't currently have a case open for any suicides, but my source tells me we're talking about two sides of the same problem. Come to my office today and I'll clear my schedule. Bring your friends if you want."

Shira

Shira's current position is basically at the bottom edge of an open park that slopes upward from the river bank to street level above. There isn't much cover, but since Ember clearly favors melee weapons, an uphill sprint toward the bustle of downtown and its attendant witnesses would be her best bet.

Ember clenches her jaw for a second, looking away and considering again. "I want you to tell Tellings to knock it off. She ought to know better. She might not listen to a kid, but..."

It's pretty clear from context that her best in-roads to the newly-forming group of Nobles is the girl she nearly killed.

"Although, if you wanted to join the Court of Storms, I wouldn't say no," she admits. "It'd fit you better than where you are now."

[MReav]

Shira considered the offer, then rejects it, "I don't want to put others through what you put me through. I might not buy into everything the Sword Queen says, but I can get behind the whole 'fight for those you love' shpiel," Shira countered, "What exactly are you offering? The chance to hurt those who have hurt me? From where I'm standing, that's you and your friends. And what exactly happens if 'Tellings' doesn't listen? Are you going to fight us? Because if it devolves into Nobles fighting Nobles, then we'll be doing the work of the Forces of Darkness for them." Shira realized that she was probably going to tick Ember off with that insinuation, but some things needed to be said.


Occult Check, no successes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19363128&postcount=99)

I wanted to bring up the fact that I probably would have to try and kill Ember because otherwise I wouldn't be able to use Tempesta, given Tempesta's whole schtick about never showing mercy to those who have wronged you.

Also, I think I might be combining Arrogant and Righteous.

[theUnearther]

Marie-Helene shakes her head. "It's nothing to do with us, just...don't do anything suspicious, okay?"

"I think what she means," Anne says, turning to glare at Marie-Helene, "is that we're vaguely aware that you might be having some trouble, but don't worry about either of us not keeping quiet about it."
You... that...
Giovanni's fingers find themselves pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment. He speaks with his eyes closed and his other hand gesturing vaguely in Anne's direction.
Alright, general advice for you. When your sister seems nervous of speaking in your presence and the relevant authority figure is trying to carefully help in spite of that, that is not the right time to cut her off and speak for her!
He opens his eyes to look at her, with what he hopes is a softly dissapointed expression.
Vraiment. Even if you're planning on betraying her today, that's no reason to start acting like a cartoon villian already. Please, let her be.
He closes his eyes and breathes deeply, once, before looking at Marie-Helene, with a saddish smile.
Sorry about that. I want it on the record that I'm trying to not make you feel like you should fight your sister over this, and I'm not planning to go cause a ruckus to your parents or whatever. Bien? Bien. Now, I'm not aware of any of any recent rumours starring me, but then I'd be the last one to hear, no? So, if you want to tell me what was it you heard, I can hopefully do something to reassure you. Otherwise you'll have to make do with a general "it is not my policy to raise people's suspicions". Does that help? Please, tell me what's on your mind.

"Seriously." and "Okay? Okay.".

Also, rules question out of nowhere! Does taking aim count as "studying" a thing, for the purposes of free Acqua? Because it really looks like it should, but it also feels a bit like double-dipping. So I figure I'd better ask right now and not in the middle of the action next time I need to shoot something.
And I want to stress that that was in no way related to the current scene.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira

Ember responds to that with a glare, and her right hand twitches apparently out of reflex. As she notices that, Shira also notices that Ember's raiment includes gloves, which look a bit out of place in the hot weather and otherwise breezy outfit.

"You've seen what Darkness does to people," she says instead of attacking. "You're not some sheltered brat. I think you know you have to take the fight seriously, and that's what we do."

She sighs, and turns around. "If you still think your family is more important than winning a war for humanity's soul, by all means, stay where you are. All I'm asking is for you to relay a message."

She begins walking off under the bridge. It's probably not a coincidence she didn't answer the last question.

I would say both, yes, which would be handy if you needed to recover Willpower. And I'm going to say that Shira doesn't know the catches to Tempesta, and they haven't occurred to Ember. Or she doesn't care because obviously whoever wins is the more suitable warrior.

Giovanni

Both sisters shrug.

"Hey, we're twins," Marie-Helene says.

"Cutting each other off--" Anne starts.

"--is kind of a parlor trick," they conclude at the same time.

"Less cute since we're not identical, though."

Anne shakes her head. "Look, this 'I know you know I know' stuff is pointless, and we're gonna be late for math."

Marie-Helene actually stops and thinks. "I guess...Mr. Minotti, are you a good guy or a bad guy? Because I know you're one or the other now."

Anne, sensing the flow of the conversation, bites her tongue rather give her sister another witty remark about her naiveté.

I'm going to say no; you need to spend an action looking at how the enemy is moving and behaving and what it is, rather than concentrating on drawing a bead on it.

[MReav]

"You mean whatever's left of it after you're done with it." Shira said, then mutters under her breath, "The Light is supposed to be a beacon for humanity, a guide. It's not supposed to be an orbital death laser."

She noted the gloves, wondering what that was about.

She then cuts her run short, though she does go a roundabout way home. She doesn't know why, Ember probably already knows where she lives if what she said was true. Hell, given how she managed to intercept her, she wouldn't be surprised if she had been following her all along.

She eventually made it back. She got in the shower, quickly rinsed off, then made her way back to her room.

"Inari? I think I might know a bit more on what the dream was about. I saw Ember earlier. She wanted me to relay a message to Miss Tellings to knock off her attempts to organize, because it'll just attract more of the Darkness. She also wanted me to join her, but I told her no."

[Entelechy]

While Bobby waits for a reply from Mana, she does a little brainstorming, and packs up to get ready to go. She chooses an outfit for herself, and checks her texts one last time before heading out....

[Beans]

"I'll be there this afternoon."
Carrie texts each of the others that there's a thing going on, indicating that all interested should meet her at the given address around 4. That, she thinks, should give time for school to release its hold on all involved.

[Felyndiira]

"Sure, 10:00 AM?" along with a link to a map of one of the popular gathering spots in the campus, was Mana's reply to Bobbie. Aya had already received a similarly brief text as well - though Mana was already at the spot designated on her text at 7:00 AM. She seems deeply engrossed in some research of her own, though it doesn't seem to be pertinent to the princesses or the mysterious woman from the day before. Rather, it seems almost like she's chatting with a few people - mostly socially, but occasionally with a quick, hidden question about the sightings of various people.

I'm not going to roll for this "research" until the end of the day, after all of the interactions and stuff are done.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira

Inari bobs his head soberly, or as soberly as a plushie can manage. "Darkspawn do do that, but it almost sounds like she's being paranoid. There can't be that many around Portland to notice it and attack, right? Even eight or ten on Friday was a huge amount for this city...she probably just doesn't want people who don't work for the Queen of Storms to organize."

He's surprised at hearing about Ember's request, though. "Normally bad guys dangle you over a pit before they make that offer," he says. "Either she's not very good at this or she respects you, I guess...you think the dream was a warning?"

Bobbie and Mana (10:00 am)

PSU is bustling as usual, and Mana forms the eye of her own little social cyclone simply through her connections to people around campus. A sociology major with a bird's-eye view would have a field day, but mostly Mana just picks up on the general business of the school, sympathy for dealing with student council/Second Life/the newspaper/Professor Smith/Aya (all from different people, obviously), and rumors about the "shooting" that happened nearby on Saturday (which few people care much about, since no one was killed). Will actually drops by to ask if the paper should bother researching and doing an article about that shortly before Bobbie arrives.

When Bobbie does arrive, she will probably see Mana talking with a serious, business-like young man who appears to have five o'clock shadow at 10 am.

Carrie

I...actually don't know what you're doing until 4. Any thoughts? I already used my Freeze-Dried Plot Device on the last Mana/Bobbie scene and I'd hate for random gunshots to get repetitive.

[Felyndiira]

"I would recommend against it," Mana replied. Will probably could not see it, but she quickly tabbed out of a particular IM window as he approached, leaving all the others open and visible to anyone who would care to sneak a glance. She glanced around briefly, then typed a hasty reply before turning her attention back towards the boy.

"From what I gathered, it was just someone having a panic attack and shooting a large insect. I wouldn't want to put her in the spotlight for a harmless mistake." She quietly puts away her laptop and stands, faintly smiling at the boy. "It's up to you, though," she continues, lightly patting the other boy's shoulders. "Whether you decide to cover it or not, I have faith in your judgment."

I'll let Bobbie initiate conversation. Meanwhile, mini-banter with Will.

[MReav]

"I think she believes that there might be more coming." Shira offered, "As for the dream... I guess. But I thought you were supposed to be the enigmatic mentor figure with the answers. But Ember wasn't really doing anything threatening, well, aside from a brief moment when I pointed out that her fighting us serves the Darkness more than the Light. Probably not the best thing to say to a Stormite if you're trying to be diplomatic. Strangely, she was wearing gloves this time, and didn't have her sword. I wonder if she swapped it out, or was forced to swap it out."

"Should I leave you here so you can do your information gathering? Or given Ember's reappearance, do you want to stay near me?" Shira was feeling a little more able to move around without Inari since her meeting with Mr. Minotti. Still, she figured he'd probably want to keep close given what happened.

After Inari's response, she takes out her rose and concentrates on the woman heading up this new effort. "Miss Tellings?" She wasn't sure how early a riser Miss Tellings was. Might as well try it out though.

[theUnearther]

Both sisters shrug.

"Hey, we're twins," Marie-Helene says.

"Cutting each other off--" Anne starts.

"--is kind of a parlor trick," they conclude at the same time.
Giovanni actually smiles at this point.

"Less cute since we're not identical, though."

Anne shakes her head. "Look, this 'I know you know I know' stuff is pointless, and we're gonna be late for math."

Marie-Helene actually stops and thinks. "I guess...Mr. Minotti, are you a good guy or a bad guy? Because I know you're one or the other now."

Anne, sensing the flow of the conversation, bites her tongue rather give her sister another witty remark about her naiveté.
Haha, thank you for reassuring me. Alright. But you're wrong, I know you know I know is never useless. For one, it is always hilarious when that happens. But more importantly, you should not admit to something just because the other party claims to already know. And less so if they don't even tell you what it is they know! That trick's so old it predates the book, you know.
He turns his face from them to finish sorting his stuff, still with a genuine smile in his face.
Always remember that, it'll serve you well. I can say, however, that I am definitely a 'good guy', or as close as can be. I have no reason to be an enemy to you, or anyone you may plausibly know, to the best of my knowledge. Now, if you want to tell me whence this all comes, by all means, do so, but by now I think I'm going to not blink first, just because it's being fun.

First off, sorry for being inconsistent, as usual.

Second, I was going to have Giovanni stand up and start leaving, but I realized first I need to know: was this the last class of the day? For either him or the girls.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Mana and Bobbie

"Well thanks, Mana," he says in his best joking approximation of a gee-whiz Midwestern accent, which is not very good. It's all in good fun, though. "I think people are going to want to know what actually happened, even if it was nothing. I can make some space next to the campus police blotter in the back."

Shira

"I'm just a low dream-spirit-thing on the totem pole, really," Inari replies, sounding a little defeated. "All I really know is what I find out. Even the sword thing...if I had to guess, she swapped to a less intimidating combat Charm. Or she just didn't Transform her sword since she was there to talk."

He looks troubled. "And...well, if you think you'll be okay without me, I can go look for what we need. I think if Ember was going to hurt you, she'd have done it earlier." He looks at Shira with questioning little bead-eyes.

"It's really up to you. I'm your Shikigami, after all."

When Shira tries the Rose, she gets a nice, not-exactly-woken-up-from-sleep-but-still-before-optimal-coffee-levels response from Alison. "Yes? Shira, right? What is it?"

Carrie

Carrie's internet perusal of her new acquaintances yields a few scattered results. Shira Rosenberg has just about no internet presence, and with such a common last name, it's impossible to broaden the search to her family. The best she can find is that someone by that name once won a local martial arts tournament (no picture) and circumstantial evidence that she's enrolled at a place called Pioneer High School (again, no picture). Giovanni Minotti has publicly listed contact information at both Pioneer High School (faculty) and Portland State University (graduate student). Bobbie Myles is an internet fashion designer, and a fairly successful one for someone clearly operating a home business. She's also gorgeous, which counts as important information to Carrie. All she can find on Mana is credit on Portland State University's student newspaper as an editor. There's quite a few other links that look interesting for her, but she won't have time to follow up on any of them before the meeting.

I've actually forgotten if Carrie ever learned Bobbie's name/existence, but if it's alright with Entelechy and Fel it's alright with me. If not, disregard the bit about her.
Giovanni

"Hilarious?"

"His generation's ways of humor are different from ours."

Anne regards the teacher seriously. "Well, if you haven't figured it out, I think we've already blabbed enough for today, and we do have math next. I appreciate your reassurance. She's kinda impossible to live with when she thinks there's Evil Afoot."

Marie-Helene sighs dramatically, heading for the door with her sister. "She tries so hard at seen-it-all adult cynicism. It's a psychological tragedy..."

[Entelechy]

Bobbie walks like she and Mana are the only one's in it. She wears an ankle length dress a deep purple grey like the ripest of thunderclouds. The light loose material rolls and billows around her legs as she walks, revealing flashing of white-purple streaks like lightning. She sat herself on Mana's desk and hit send on a text with sly grin.

"If I knew you worked for the paper, I'd've worn a hat. It's almost a shame I don't smoke," Bobbie's text read, trying to give her best film noir dame pose.

[Felyndiira]

"Hmm." Mana's expression remains stoic as she appears to ponder Will's reply. Her mind is focused on something entirely different at the moment, but she tries her best to hide it under a neutral, politician-like smile. After a few moments of faux-pondering, she gives the boy an approving nod. "I see your point," she adds, "I just think it would be best to take extra care and keep it strictly pedantic. This is a delicate and embarrassing matter for the person involved, and we don't want to put her under a spotlight."

"A perfect politician's answer, no?" she adds with a wink and a playful laugh.

Her smile softens a bit when she catches sight of Bobbie. "Ah, there's the person I was-" she begins, her words quickly trailing off. She doesn't seem to know how to respond to the other princess's unique sense of fashion, and remains silent for a moment until the other girl's quip pushes her back into familiar territory. "You need not worry about that, Ma'am," she jokes in a clearly over-the-top impression of a venerable-aged politician. She gives a courteous bow to Bobbie, barely hiding a bemused smile as she continues, "Here at the PSU newspaper committee, we pride ourselves on ensuring that the impressionable youths of our fine university are not corrupted by such immoral pictures as cigarettes. By not smoking, you've merely saved us the trouble of photo-shopping a cigarette into a lollipop."

"This is Will, by the way. My junior in the newspaper committee and one of our best journalists*. Will, Bobbie." The girl turns to Will apologetically. "Sorry to cut our conversation short, Will, but I have an appointment with Bobbie. As I said though, I trust your judgment in this matter. If you do decide to write it, though, just shoot me an e-mail and I'll send you everything I know about the event."

[MReav]

"I want you to stay here to do your research... but seeing Ember again kind of freaked me out." Shira admitted with a sigh, "I don't know. I'll think about it."

Turning to her flower, she spoke,

"Miss Tellings? I've been asked by a representative of the Court of Storms to tell you that they don't like you doing what you're doing, that it will bring in more Darkspawn into the city and that you should knock it off. I'm guessing you've had to deal with this sort of thing before?"

[Nerd-o-rama]

Bobbie and Mana

Will raises an eyebrow at Bobbie's appearance - two, actually - but makes no comment, just smiling slightly and politely nodding his head as he backs off, leaving Mana to her appointment with the very eye-catching lady.

Shira

There's a fairly lengthy pause from the other end of the magical communication.

"Yes...but I was hoping the Storms and Tears cults had either wiped each other out, or learned their lesson from St. John's," she says, somewhat cautiously given that it's Shira she's talking to. "If any of them were left, I was hoping they'd volunteer to join forces."

There's a slight whooshing sound, as if Alison either sighed or moved the flower away from her face so she couldn't be heard sighing as clearly.

"In theory, Darkspawn are attracted to Light. That's just how they are. It's better to have them focusing on a big, prepared group of us than spreading out everywhere causing chaos, though. Thank you for the message, but if the Storms Court contacts you again, tell them we have it covered, and to talk to me directly if they have concerns."

[MReav]

"Okay. Do you have specific contact information that I should give them?" Shira said in a half-joking manner, though given Shira's default deadpan mode of talking, may have sounded completely serious. However switching to a bit more serious (but with no shift in verbal tone), "More seriously, the girl whom I spoke with, who calls herself Ember Ash, at least when she's transformed, said she's been keeping an eye on me. That is something that I am more than a little worried about."

If Alison asks, I tell her about our brief history. If she asks why I didn't tell them about that before, I tell her I thought she was dead.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie pulls out her tablet and writes Will a quick message.

Smirking, she shows it him at an angle that Mana can't see.


Don't worry, Mr. Will, I'll bring her back before ten!

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira

Alison does ask for details, and pauses for several seconds after hearing them.

"Well, normally, this is when I tell young people to go to the police about a stalker, but in this case..." she starts. "If she wanted to attack you or 'finish' what happened at St. John's, I think she would have by now. What I would guess is that she feels some kind of responsibility for the tragedy there, and the fact that you Blossomed. It's easy to write off the Twilight Courts as destructive fanatics, but at the end of the day, they're still human, and still Nobles, and think accordingly. Hopefully, she actually will find and talk to me and we can discuss things face to face. Beyond that, I have no advice other than to be careful."

Bobbie and Mana

Will reads the message, smiles, and (still grinning), gives Bobbie an "I'm watching you" gesture before walking off.

In the interest of game pacing, I'm going to start the next scene. You're free to continue this one in the sidestory thread, or here if it is possible to wrap up in the next post or so.

Graye Investigations, 4pm

After everyone receives Carrie's text (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19368315&postcount=183), it seems that fortunes align for at least that brief timeslot, if everyone chooses to respond. Giovanni has work he could be doing and Mana could likely take the time to go meddle with one of her organizations, but outside of that, it seems the perfect time for Noble ShenanigansTM, especially since two of the little group have run into this business name independently.

Graye Investigations' address is on the second floor of an older two-story brick office building, sandwiched between a pair of high-rises on the less-gentrified outskirts of downtown. It's not much to look at and doesn't have any exterior signage, but heading up the stairs past the accountants' office on the first floor (currently closed, presumably because whoever runs it hates people who file their income taxes late) leads to an open door and what looks to be a nicely-outfitted waiting room, although it's missing the usual accoutrements like magazines or a receptionist. Just plush blue chairs, a table, a water cooler, and a Keurig.

[MReav]

Shira sighs and thanks Alison for her advice.

"I hate to impose on you Inari, but I have to admit that seeing Ember freaked me out more than I care to admit. I realize that doing research is probably going to be harder in my backpack. How's about I get a jug of ice cream and make you a batch of chocolate sauce when we get home?" Shira offered.

She got the message, so she opted to explain things about Mr. Minotti with her friends after school when she could get them in a private area.

She makes her way to the location mentioned in the text. She hoped it wouldn't be too much of a diversion before she heads to visit her parents.

I have some ideas on roleplaying between Shira and her friends, though I imagine Shira would be a bit miffed that they confronted him before she could explain things and she found out about it.

[Beans]

Shira will find Carrie and her car waiting outside the building; she waves to the younger girl. "Hey, um, Shira." Carrie is really good at talking to people yes yeah.

She glances from building to Shira to the road, a little nervous.

[MReav]

"So, what's this about, Carrie?" Shira asked the one who texted them with her own bluntness coming through.

[Beans]

Carrie toys nervously with a strand of hair. "Basically, uh, I found an envelope and when I opened it after the battle, it... said there were gonna be Darkspawn where and when it happened. Had this place's business card and I called them up, so... yeah. Kind of wish I'd opened it earlier, but it turned out okay."

[MReav]

Shira thinks about it for a moment, "Sounds like we're dealing with a prescient, or a setup. Do you have any idea who might have left it?"

[MReav]

"Well, waiting out here isn't going to accomplish anything. Let's go inside." Shira says before doing so.

[Beans]

Carrie nods, heading in after her. Arriving in the waiting room, she looks around and... uh... there's no receptionist or anything.
Um.
"... There should, uh... be someone to talk to. Somewhere."

[Nerd-o-rama]

After being in the waiting room for half a minute or so, the Nobles in the waiting room hear a woman's voice from a concealed speaker. Or magic, but magic doesn't usually crackle like it's poorly wired.

"You can come on in now," a woman's voice says over the speaker. The bolt on a nondescript wooden door across from the entrance clicks open at the same time. "You're a little late."

Through the door, assuming anyone heads in, is an office that manages to look cluttered despite quite a lot of floor space. Two walls are covered with tall, locked filing cabinets (and one similar furnishing that looks like a gun locker), while the other two are stuffed with crammed-full bookshelves, which appear to be neatly split between reference books and detective novels. A black cat is curled up in some of the only open space on the bookshelves, and a majority of the remaining space in the room is taken up by a large desk, four chairs sitting on your side of it, and one high-backed chair on the other side, where a middle-aged dark-haired woman in a business suit sits and regards the people coming into her office intently.

The office is dimmer than the waiting room, thanks to the drawn blinds on the windows, and smells heavily of cigarette smoke, with possibly the last ashtray inside a business office in Portland sitting dirty on the desk, alongside a closed laptop computer and a business-card holder.

"Sorry about the mess," the woman at the desk says, waving vaguely and not really sounding sorry. "I'm Regina Graye, and I think we're working in the same world."

[MReav]

"My name is Shira and I was texted to meet here at this time." Shira responds, "And don't worry about the mess."

[Nerd-o-rama]

She shrugs. "Not that there's much to do during the daytime anyway. Usually."

Regina leans forward over her desk. "I'm going to level with you, because my sources tell me you're already in on the little secret...or at least one of you is. I'm what you call a paranormal investigator."

She leans back again, but doesn't add the dramatic pause you'd normally associate with that. "Now, I know you know about certain things, like the events in that letter I had delivered," she continues, "and that while I'm pretty brilliant at investigation, there's only me and my registered firearms against what seems like half the world. I wanted to talk to you about trading information for some supernatural oomph."

[Beans]

Carrie nods. "Okay, I can understand this... I will admit, Shira's more... oomph than I am, strictly speaking. But I won't deny that credible intel from a source whose face we can see is a good thing. Just depends where and how you want the oomph applied."

[MReav]

"I have to admit, there is some information that I'm interested in, above and beyond what we've been dealing with. I guess that extra 'oomph' could be used to get more services... depending on what you need of course. We're not exactly a mercenary group hiring out to the highest bidder." Shira said, the image of Ember still weighing on her mind, "I guess the best course of action is to tell us what you feel you can spare at the moment."

[Nerd-o-rama]

"Well, first of all," she says, actually putting her feet up on the desk at this point, "I've got a connection on the two corpses found in the park on Friday. You wanted to know about that, right?"

She reaches into a file behind her, then sits up properly and slides a printed web page across the desk, part of a news article with several details neatly highlighted. She taps one piece of information which is both highlighted and circled in pen. "Both of the vics were identified by Jane Williamson, who runs a homeless shelter north of downtown. Given that they were both hobos, I figure she probably knew them pesonally, and might be willing to talk."

[MReav]

"I take it you'd like to help you with that?" Shira asks.

Then she considers for a moment, "May I ask what your connection to our associate is?"

[Nerd-o-rama]

"Which associate?" she asks. She nods over to Carrie. "You?"

"Well, um, I was kind of wondering how your...," Carrie glances over to the pile of sleeping black fur on the bookshelf, then finishes, "how your letter reached me."

Regina waves a hand. "I've got sources. Those, I can't really talk about freely."

She rifles through her pockets and pulls out a cigarette. "Now, if you do want to know more, I need to ask you - what do you know about vampires?"

[MReav]

"I know that some people see them as some sort of romantic and tragic figures so they like dressing up and pretending to be them, and that faeries sometimes make fake vampire identities to lure unsuspecting LARPers." Shira said deadpan, "But to more seriously answer your question, I know they don't like fire, and..."

One Success. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19530191&postcount=104)

OOC: If this actually does tie into my noodle incident, I'll change it accordingly. Anywho, I share what I know, but I don't know what my 1 success gives me.

[Nerd-o-rama]

"Fire, sunlight, wood through the chest. Although the last one actually just stuns them," Regina finishes. "As long as you're aware that they're as real as the shadowspawn or darkgoons or whatever you call those mutants I found one of you fighting the other day."

Digging through a drawer in her desk, she pulls out a small map of one of Portland's largest green spaces, a thickly wooded area across the Willamette River from Shira's old neighborhood. Several parts of the map are highlighted and circled, with notes like 'assault', 'mugging', and 'exsanguinated deer'. "There's a nest of the bastards up in Forest Park. I figured it'd be in the public interest if someone with superpowers went and exterminated them."

[MReav]

"How bad were these muggings? Did they cause any deaths? Any background on the victims?" Shira asked. Vampires were generally bad news, but the world wasn't always black and white. Regina hadn't (yet) said anything about people deaths, while a dead dear could suggest restraint.

Of course, the bad guys didn't always have to kill you to make you dead inside. Still, it didn't hurt to verify.

[Nerd-o-rama]

"Nobody's died. Unlike your friends from Washington Park, vampires are smart enough not to get Homicide involved," she replies. "Usually. There's some cold case murders from twenty years or so ago that fit a vampire draining, but no one from the city PD bothers with them."

"Vics are basically anyone who takes a jog or a hike in that park, at random. Usual aftereffects are anemia and memory loss or nasty wounds that get chalked up to knife slashes."

[MReav]

Shira exhales slightly in a tone that suggests a sigh. She wished she had some sort of magical redemption power to fix people. Being able to kick butt was a stopgap measure.

"I'll be willing to help, but I'd like to make a request. You are free to turn it down. I want to know more about an individual I know as Ember Ash, though I don't think that's her real name. She's like the people you're contacting to deal with the vampire nest, only more experienced and less morally restrained. Honestly, she'd probably love to know about the vamps to stamp them out, but any hostages would be SOL. The reason I'm saying you're free to turn it down is because I don't really have much money to pay you, and even if I did, I don't think she'd be the kind to take kindly to someone looking into her affairs. I'm not going to beat around the bush, I'm pretty sure she's killed people, and not just those that were threatening her. I thought she died in that fire back in St. John's, but I found out this morning she's still alive."

[Nerd-o-rama]

Regina stares and considers that for a long moment.

"'Ember Ash', huh?" she asks neutrally. "Well, I obviously don't know that name, but take care of these vamps, and I'll see what I can do about getting details from the PPB's arson files."

She nods. "Yeah, information. That's what makes the business run, even the business of saving the world from weird-ass monsters."

She stands up, and offers a handshake. "I've got to get out and beat pavement now. If you're going to go take care of those vampires, I'd do it before it gets dark, or wait until tomorrow. If you've got any more questions, we can walk and talk."

[MReav]

Shira nods and shakes the woman's hand, silently annoyed at the fact that her cohorts were so quiet. In the shows she watches, this would probably be some sort of secret test of character that forces her to rise to the occasion, but Shira didn't appreciate that kind of manipulation.

"Anyone else have anything to say?"

[MReav]

Shira asks a few more questions relating to how many vampires there were and how powerful they were. Sensible questions to at least ask, even if there was no answer.

Once she separates from Regina, she finds a secluded location and pops out Inari.

"Anything you can add with regard to this vampire hunting?"

[Nerd-o-rama]

He shakes his head.

"About all I can tell you is they don't dream in the same place humans do," he says.

He hesitates for a second. "I...did want to say something about that Regina lady. There was something funny in her office. It smelled a little like a Crawlspace, with a faint but persistent odor of cat pee. Although the second part was probably her bathroom."

[MReav]

"Well, I don't know about the Crawlspace, but I can confirm the existence of a cat. Is it something we or she should be worried about? The Crawlspace, not the cat." Shira asked

[Nerd-o-rama]

Inari shakes his head.

"Nothing bad comes out of the Dreamlands as far as I know, and if she was going to fall into it, she probably would have by now," he explains. "And if she already had, you'd have been able to tell."

[MReav]

"Well then, we'll worry about that later. Meanwhile, we've got a bunch of vampires to deal with."

Shira wondered if she would have enough time to visit her parents before dealing with the vamps. Daylight was a precious commodity when dealing with them.

"I guess we could do some scouting at least... though I will admit, I will probably be able to do so with catlike-tread." Shira muttered.

Shira then texts Anne and Marie-Helene.


Sketchy people at Forest Park. Stay clear for now. Not kidding.

She then considered... perhaps she could set Marie-Helene up with Regina. Regina seemed well-versed in the supernatural. Perhaps a summer internship or something as a secretary. Help sate her curiosity while having a mentor that could drill into her head that this is not a game... even when there are games involved. Ah pipe dreams.

Once done, she heads to the park for recon.

[Nerd-o-rama]

The park is too far away for any sort of normal walk, but Shira can get there by bumming a ride or through public transportation without any problems, arriving around 5:30 (which is about another two and a half to three hours of daylight, depending on whether vampires can come out during sunset if they stick to the shade or if they need to wait until full dark, and Shira's not sure).

Forest Park (https://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=127) is very much a nature park, even more so than Washington, covered in thirty miles of walking and hiking trail and a thick canopy of Douglas Fir. The incidents indicated on Regina's connect-the-conspiracy map are scattered without any pattern Shira can discern, but the people walking around this muggy afternoon are scattered enough she can probably make use of some magical help in searching without being spotted.

Just give me a general idea of your scouting strategy and perhaps roll some Wits+Investigation and Wits+Composure, or let me know if you use a Charm. Inari, sadly, isn't going to contribute much to searching, but he'll at least keep a look out for anything sneaking up behind Shira.

[MReav]

Shira tries to reach out with her Taint Awareness ability, though it supposedly only works when either a creature arrives, or a Tainted area becomes more potent. Instead, she travels to each of the locations, briefly transforms, and tries to use Reflected Light to see if she can gather more information, obviously without anyone seeing.

0 Investigation successes, 1 Wits+Composure Successes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19629196&postcount=106)

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira's search takes quite a while, and turns up little until she's deep along a hiking trail in the park, around near where the deer was found. Under the dim light, her Transformation-enhanced supernatural senses suddenly convey the feeling of something...else. It feels ancient and primal and at the same time, almost nostalgic.

"Uh, Striker?" Inari says, head poking out of the backpack, "I think the squirrels are watching us..."

Looking up, Shira will indeed see a suspiciously large number of the arboreal rodents gathered in the tree branches, with significantly less scurrying and significantly more attention being paid to the oddly-dressed human than is normal for their species. Looking carefully with Reflected Light, Shira can almost see an odd red glint in their eyes.

[MReav]

Blazing Striker considers her options at the moment. She didn't have much recollection of vampire information in her other form, but with access to magic, she might have more luck.

She calls upon said magic to augment her knowledge and hopefully give her a better idea what to do. A way to track the squirrel's magic to its source, a way to get the squirrels to return to their masters, something.

She admitted to herself that despite the Sword's calling, she didn't like being alone and she didn't like having to cover all her bases in terms of skills.

Spend 2 wisps for bonus to Intelligence.

4 Successes, including Rerolls (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19642444&postcount=108)

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira can recall several pertinent facts, even in the face of being stared down by an army of rodents. Funnily enough, even with enhancement from the Light, almost all of them come directly or indirectly from Dracula, even though she can guess that's about as accurate to the real world as Sailor Moon.

So, pretty accurate.

1) There's the fact that vampires are purported to gain a measure of control and add a measure of supernatural power to minions to whom they feed their own tainted blood.
2) And there ain't no rule saying they can't do that to animals.
3) That said, it does take some effort on the vampires part, an expenditure of the very blood they have to take from the living on a regular basis

Blazing Striker's Light-enhanced logic can follow that to the conclusion that if there's a swarm of these little guys in one place, she might be looking at all the Ghouled animals in the park. While the Queen of Swords' blessing can't tell her how best to fight or track them (they're...squirrels. Even with vampire powers they're not going to be much of a threat), their massed presence and lack of any instincts beyond "hoard" and "protect territory" means she's probably very close to the vampires' hiding place. Although, she hasn't seen any buildings or freshly-turned gravesites they could use to hide from the sun...

[MReav]

Blazing Striker thought for a moment, on how to best to find the vampires. She opted to gamble, since what she was about to do would potentially reveal her location, some of what she could do, and possibly attract outside attention, but it might grant her the chance to find the lair.

Hopefully, if any mundane person overhears her, they will hopefully dismiss it as an overenthusiastic larper. Given that she had already checked for people before changing form, she just made a quick glance to double check before following through with her plan.

Giving the squirrels a fierce gaze like a vengeful angel descended from heaven, she cries, "FOUL CREATURES! FLEE BACK TO YOUR WRETCHED MASTERS!" as she slices the air in front of them with her full force, calling upon the Queen of Swords to set it ablaze and show she means business.

Unfortunately, she probably looked a bit more silly than she intended to, though a powerfully built young lady wielding a fiery glaive was still something to worry about.

1 Success. Can I use the second set of dice? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19651139&postcount=109)

[Nerd-o-rama]

I'll take the dice sets in reverse order, for a total of 4, because why not.

The display is intimidating enough that the animals shrink back and scurry higher up into the tree branches - vampiric control can only go so far in overriding instinct. All the animals chitter fearfully.

More importantly, a rustling noise happens at ground level as three humanoid figures appear to, for lack of a better word, flow up from the ground. Clad entirely in heavy black trenchcoats, hats, and skimasks so as to expose no skin, they nonetheless visibly flinch from Shira's burning weapon and move rapidly, almost like fleeing animals themselves, into the long shadows cast by trees, avoiding even the faint light of twilight. Seeing the potential for a fight - and to be surrounded - Inari drops off of Shira's back and transforms rapidly, guarding her flank.

"What...do you...want?" one rasps, sounding exactly like a very groggy man awoken by someone waving a torch in the face of his guard dogs.

For the record, it's dim enough that they aren't taking damage from the sun, but their dice pools are still capped since the sun hasn't set fully.

Frenzy resistance totals for my reference: 2, 1, 3.

[MReav]

Blazing Striker takes a look at the three forms and is a little worried. Hopefully, the others can hear her and lend backup soon enough, "I take it you are the vampires who have been hurting innocent joggers in the area?" Blazing Striker asks, "What I want is for you to stop eating people. Even if you're only partially eating people."

Technically, if we're using the second row, it would be 5 thanks to the 9-Again feature of Stare Master.

[Nerd-o-rama]

I think the result was Dramatic Success-level regardless, but duly noted.

One of the figures laughs, a guttural choking sound that gets slightly more natural - and more bitter - as it goes on. "What the hell do you people want from us anyway? You want us to starve? Why not just kill us right now?"

One of the others nods - bobs, really, doglike - in agreement. "We ain't killed nobody, and you goddamn sparklewizards still track us down and hassle us?"

The third, on the other hand, no longer seems to be following the conversation, head nervously flicking back and forth between the waning sunlight and the flaming axe. "Put it out. PutitoutputitoutputitoutPUTITOUT." His hands suddenly seem to sprout large black talons, ripping through the gloves on his hands.

The other two look at each other, then back to him. "Carl? Carl! Don't lose it, man, ride the wave! We dressed in this **** for a reason."

Frenzy resistance totals for my reference: 3, 2, LOST IT.

Either do something clever or roll initiative.

[MReav]

Blazing Striker put out the fire on her glaive (though kept it hot should it be needed), and told Firefox (Inari's transformed state), "Lay down the line on the path!"

Ideally, she would rather not have to deal with a frenzied vampire, but it paid to be ready.

She also considered the vampire's complaint. He had a valid point from his perspective, in that he did what he did in order to survive. However, she also had to consider the people who would suffer because of these attacks.

"How well would a slaughterhouse work?" She asked, willing to give negotiation a chance, though given how crazy Carl was being and the vampiric reputation for being manipulative, she doubted it would be worth much.


I'm currently having a bit of difficulty focusing lately. My job search has been really stressful.
Init: 10 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19664923&postcount=112)

[Nerd-o-rama]

Eesh. I know how that goes. No rush here.

Firefox traces out a quick circle around himself and Shira, empowering it with a good deal of strength born of nervous tension. Hopefully vampires are, in fact, Creatures of Darkness as logic and their general pop cultural presence would seem to indicate.

Carl, with great personal force of effort, roots himself in place and leans over to start clawing at the ground in general frustration, rather than hurling himself at the person holding a weapon she can ignite. He's just aware enough of his surroundings to not want to charge without his buddies, and his buddies seem intent on talking.

"We should kill her," Carl mutters as he scrabbles and tries to get a hold of himself again. "She's one of those damn sun-wizards. Burning swords, burning bullets, burning Elysium..."

The other two look at him, warily, for a moment, then back to Blazing Striker, looking extremely relieved that the weapon is no longer on fire, but still nervous about the faint twilight sun. "Look man, animal blood only goes so far, okay? We're just trying to get by here. You people already torched all our ****," says one, now in a more normal tone of voice. "We moved out of town, we stopped killing...if what we're doin' now is too much, just finish the job and torch us."

The third speaks up one more time. "Hey, if we're gonna talk, shouldn't we take her to the 'Prince'?" he asks, inverted commas audible in his use of the term. "Let him sort this out. And if she burns him, I say we **** off to Seattle."

The other rational one looks as incredulous as a man in a full mask can. "Willis, the hell are you doing? That's not how it works."

"What, using a Hunter to get rid of some ******* above me? Hell yes that's how it works. I'm tired of taking orders from that idiot."

[MReav]

Blazing Striker called upon her other self's emotional control to hide her own nervousness. She considered where she was, and she can't remember if she ever asked when the muggings started. She wanted to delve a bit deeper.

"When and where did this torching of stuff happen? Can you give me a description of those involved?" she ventured.

"If you want me involved involved in your power struggles, I'm going to need to phone a friend." she said while focusing on Allison and Mike, making an obvious gesture to indicate she's communicating with someone, "Hello, this is... Foxy Lady... calling in to home base. I've got an issue with some... hard-core... vampire larpers with some serious addiction issues. I've got them talking instead of trying to mug me to feed their cravings, and I would prefer to resolve this peacefully if there's a way to get them help. Please advise." she hoped she got enough across to indicate what was going on, and if she didn't want to be identified, take steps to avoid it.

She also hoped that if anyone not in the know were to hear their message, they could just dismiss it as some weird sting operation.

[Nerd-o-rama]

"Years ago, man, years ago. I mean, yesterday for us, but that's immortality for you. Laramie, by the way," says the one who's trying to be cordial.

"This is a mistake, man..."

"If we're not gonna kill her, why are we still here?"

No one answers Carl, for the moment, but Blazing Striker does raise both of the people she was trying to contact.

"Foxy L--?" Mark begins, before thankfully being immediately cut off.

"This is Rosebud, we're receiving Foxy Lady," Allison says. She's fairly certain of these things' security, but she's also adaptable to other peoples' comfort level. "Be advised that your predecessors removed most of the hardcore in the early 90's, but made an agreement with the last few to let them leave if they kept their operations legal. The party to that agreement was self-declared Prince of the Forest. Don't ask me where he got that name."

"Er, right," Mark adds in, "uh, also be advised that addiction is progressive - they won't be physically able to keep operations legal after they've been at it for a certain amount of time. The only way to regress back to animal blood is a kind of induced coma called Torpor. That can be entered voluntarily, or by knocking them out and putting a wooden stake through their hearts."

"I think you lost the thread on code words there."

"I'm trying to keep this easily understandable, okay?"

[MReav]

"How long would the detox process take?" Blazing Striker asked the two, a mite bit disappointed that it wasn't a lead she was hoping for. She also looked at the assembled vampires a little apologetically after Mark's assessment, "I realize that this is probably not what you want to hear, but I'm trying to keep the violence down to a minimum." Blazing Striker said, "My associate informs me that there is a way to get you guys down to animal blood again. A comatose state called 'torpor'. While it can be caused by jamming a wooden stake in your heart all Buffy-style, it apparently can also be entered into voluntarily. I realize that you probably wouldn't want to enter into a coma for whatever time, but I will see if I can get you protection for the time it takes."

[Nerd-o-rama]

"What?" You want us to--"

"Hang on, Willis, hang on," Laramie says with a cautioning wave. "You're talking about going to bed for a very long time, girl."

"Are we seriously not going to kill her?"

"Look, shut your mouth man, I got this," Laramie says, harsher now. The other two look at him, but it looks like he's pulling Alpha duty right now. "This lady here has two very important things going for her. One is a giant fire axe, the other is a willingness to talk. I ain't so far gone I'm not going to par-lay just because she's breathing, are you?"

He turns back to address Shira again. "Look, torpor like that's gonna take a few years. Now, we got all the time in the world now, and I don't mind taking a dirt nap until the heat dies down, but the problem is the Prince. We go dark on him, he's gonna find us."

Carl grunts. "We're all he's got left, and he completely lost it a few years ago. No way he's gonna be willing to talk."

"More importantly," adds Willis, "I don't know about you guys, but I ain't willing to tear him up. Plus he'd just eye-magic us into obedience."

Laramie nods. "Exactly, man. Exactly. That's where the lady with the fire axe comes in."

He turns back to Striker. "We'll make you a deal. You go torch our boss, we'll take a dirt nap for a few years and go back to feeding on animals. It's a damn sight easier anyway, and I'd rather keep my head down and live to see flying cars than get snuffed by some teenager and a stuffed animal, know what I'm saying?"

I forgot to keep making frenzy checks a while ago so let's just say they did.

[MReav]

Blazing Striker nodded at their statements and reported in, "Foxy Lady to Rosebud, given our compatriot's desire for clarity, I can only presume there isn't anyone else in your presence that shouldn't be overhearing this. Feel free to interrupt if that changes." Blazing Striker informed Mark and Allison, "The situation is this: the guys I'm dealing with have stated a willingness to enter Torpor for the time it takes to calm down. However, their Prince is another issue. The three want him out of the picture, and I assume that he'd be really hard to convince to enter Torpor?" that last comment was directed at the trio. It was always hard to level violence at those who could talk back, she found.

She then returns her attention to the vampires fully, "What can you three tell me about the Prince? Power, abilities, has he hurt anyone, and if so how badly?" she then relays the information through.

Trying to see if they're deceiving me.

No good roll. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19699665&postcount=114)

[Nerd-o-rama]

As far as Striker can tell, the vampires are surprisingly on the up and up. They seem to be pretty low on the totem pole, giant claws notwithstanding, and don't have much to gain by lying that they couldn't have gained by bumrushing her as soon as they woke up.

"Yeah, no," Carl says, finally getting over his gravelly Wolverine impression. "He's not playing with a full deck of checkers. Frankly, you'd be doing him a favor by torching him, to say nothing of doing us one."

"You guys are the crappiest goddamn vampires...," Willis says.

Laramie takes the opportunity to chime in. "As you can see with my buddy here, he has got some powers of persuasion. Supernatural ones. He's not very strong in a fight, but do not make eye contact with him."

"You saying he hypnotized me?" demands Willis.

"I'm saying you're going full-on Anne Rice buttbuddy, man."


"I was around when this all went down originally," Allison says quietly over the roses, "but I hadn't actually Blossomed yet, so I was more on the periphery. The guy you're talking about right now wasn't so much a leader as he was the survivor with the most political clout. If memory serves though, he was never really...all there."

You can't hear it, but Mark nods. "What we do know about Vampires is that the leaders are usually the ones with the most tenuous grip on their human mindset, for whatever reason. If these guys are describing him accurately, he's probably not rational at all anymore."

[MReav]

"I guess I have preparations to make." Blazing Striker muttered. "Thank you for keeping yourselves from attacking me. I imagine that it must be very difficult. If you can provide me any more information, like where I can expect to find him, that would be very helpful. And is there anything we should do so you guys can enter into your Torpor without incident?"

Now she had to put down a Vampire Prince with mind control powers. She'd probably go over with Alison and the others what she planned to do, and how best to deal with the Prince.

Though she should probably be getting home soon, given that it was getting dark out.

[Nerd-o-rama]

"He's got a little mausoleum," Carl says. "Can't take a literal dirt nap like we can. Toss that little map over here and I'll scratch it on there for you."

Laramie nods. "We can sleep anywhere, Torpor or not. My vampire old man called it 'being one with the Earth', I call it free room and board."

Willis, still looking incredibly sullen, says, "Well, if we're gonna just bury ourselves, we should do it somewhere they're not gonna pave over." He then eyes Striker carefully, causing Firefox to circle protectively between the two of them on instinct. "We are gonna want full stomachs..."

"Don't be like that, man. Damn sparklewizard blood's no good to us," Laramie says, turning back to Shira. "He has got a point, but the next one'll be the last jogger we send to the blood bank, promise."

[MReav]

Blazing Striker handed over the map they mentioned, but when she got it back, she glared at Willis and Laramie for their desire to eat someone.

"Foxy Lady to Rosebud. Is there any chance we can negotiate with the blood bank to relinquish some of their stock to help our new friends here? I would rather not subject an innocent to a violent attack that sends them to a hospital. Also, know anyplace where they can come back from at some point?"

[Nerd-o-rama]

"They know how to get blood from a blood bank, trust me," Alison replies. "I very specifically remember Rose Heart not messing with their structure for doing that for exactly this reason. Even if these guys were turned since then, their sires would have told them."

"Come back fr--oh, a place they can be buried and not paved over," Mark says. "Outside city limits is probably the best bet, or the outer edge of a park where no one's going to bother with a path or a restroom or something."

[MReav]

"I take it you heard what my associates said?" Blazing Striker asked, "I would rather not have to subject anyone to any sort of pain and suffering."

She really hoped they weren't dependant on super fresh blood, right from someone's veins/arteries. The best she could hope for in that case was some crazy subculture that got off on that sort of thing. At least then it would be consensual.

[Nerd-o-rama]

"Actually, we're only hearing what you're saying..."

A quick explanation has them looking sullen, but admitting defeat.

"Alright, alright," Laramie says, a little petulantly. "We'll go grab a cold one. Honestly, making us go to bed for years on a crappy dinner..."

They look up at the sky. "In fact, we can probably go do that right now. It'll be dark by the time we get out from under the trees anyway, and we can enjoy ourselves one more time."

Carl grunts. "There better be ****ing flying cars by the time we wake up..."

Willis stays silent, and all three of them, unless stopped, split up and head off quickly under the trees. Their blood-bound familiars seem to follow them, melting back up into the leaves.

[MReav]

"Foxy Lady to Rosebud. Should I follow and keep an eye on them? Not sure how well I can stay hidden if that's the case. I'm not too good at sneaking and they've got a lot of little eyes following them." Blazing Striker called in, "Or should I move to deal with the Prince now, or at least stay put until reinforcements get here?"

Making deals with vampires. Oh Ember would love this.

[Nerd-o-rama]

"It's getting dark enough you should head back out of the woods," Alison replies. "There's no guarantee the Prince won't know you're--"

"*krsh*. *kssh*. *krrrrrrsh*. Do you like scary movies?"

"Christin, please get off the line if you're not going to contribute. We've got a teammate in a dangerous situation."

Firefox, after briefly burying his head in his paws, looks up at Striker. "If they're playing around, it means we're safe for now, but we really should leave the trees and wait for backup. It'd be too easy to get ambushed here."

[MReav]

Blazing Striker nods and moves to a private place a bit ways away that she could reasonably sure that was safe, before detransforming, then heading for the more open areas.

Shira also decided that getting in touch with her grandmother would probably be pertinent. Hopefully she won't have to draw that out too much.

"Thanks for being there with me, Inari. I'd have hated to deal with them alone."

[Nerd-o-rama]

The plushie nods. "You'd have hated to deal with them alone? Those guys were a wolf pack. Except bats. Or something."

Night falls completely a few minutes before Shira leaves the park. As she returns to the entrance, she finds the area deserted except for a man on a bench who's apparently decided to call it an early night, since he's already snoring. As they head toward the park entrance, however, both Shira and Inari get the sudden feeling of being watched. Inari, and Shira if she turns to see, both see a grim-looking man in a suit standing Slenderman-style under a copse of trees, looking directly at them. It's distinctly unnerving.