>>33398759
Now she was coming home...and both you and Helios walked the earth. Was this jealousy? Did this mean words that had never been said needed to be spoken. What about the new enemy, misguided foes trapped in the metaphorical shadow of Endymion's Elysion.

Duty. The new Senshi would need training. Setsuna-mama would need time to recover. And, given what Usa had said a few days prior, you would need to apologize to her other.

So stern, so harsh. You couldn't let yourself be anything less with the girl back then. If you had shown her the slightest leniency, you would have feared for her safety. If you had given her that leniency you would have exposed to her the absolute fondness and trust inside your heart. If she had been hurt because of that, then it would have been too much to bare.

So you shadowed her without her knowledge. Appearing to her only when she was in over her head, you tried to give her the space to grow. scolding her when she was sloppy, and withholding praise when she was exceptional . Taking the occasional blows that were rebuked by your defenses, but would have been certain death to her.

You love her. All of her. You arrived to late to the attack at her graduation. You searched for her, and stopped when Luna told you she had come home. The attacks of the mutated humans known as 'Acts' ceased. Magician had been defeated, but she refused to speak of it and turned her back on her powers without another word.

Now she was returning home. Now she was returning to her duty.

You would have to speak with her, both of her. And...you would need to finally have words with Helios.

Slowly, you dial her number. Of course you were free.

Turbulence End

QUEST START

>>33398761

At first, they called you Red Eyes. Just some mystery girl with a big mouth and intimidating eyes. It didn't take long for someone to tell you they weren't backing down because some spooky little bitch told them to. They were the example, and it took a few weeks for your examples to take.

Then, they started calling you The Beast. You liked those names and adopted them together. The fights were thrilling, and sure you cheated. Using the slightest bit of magic gave you an edge in mobility and stopping power.

Eventually even the bigger boys backed their larger presence and activity out of the area. Occasionally you had to take an upstart or an out of towner down a few pegs, but it was good. Show up somewhere and you were showered in fear and respect. Those who promised to play by the rules still hung around and gave you space.

Sometimes they made offerings. A few arcade tokens here, drinks and snacks, and even a few packs of cigs. Not that you needed that last one. Once, an enterprising young goon attempted to call you 'Boss'. It took a bit of effort to set him straight, no one calls you boss anymore.

Because you are something primal, especially now, a force of nature. Fear and violence. And now, you surge with more power at your fingertips than you ever thought you could muster. Finally you could be all the things they fear, make good on the rumors and drink their petty fear.

Thanks to that one little punk who almost pissed himself, you knew where to find your prey. So nearby and ripe for the picking...but now you had a choice to make.

How do you handle the Primroses who aren't playing by your rules?

>Go directly to them and start shit violently.
>Go directly to them and be a spooky bitch.
>Go directly to then and observe for a bit.
>Make yourself seen nearby in a few places, let them know you are nearby.
>write in

>>33398808
>Go directly to them and be a spooky bitch.

>>33398759
Not the kind of turbulence I expected.
Gimmie a moment to digest that gust front.

I see why certain comments last thread were so amusing to you now.

>>33399044

HaHA!

>>33398808
I'd say go a bit Batman Nightmare Zone on them.
Find a group, have one quietly disappear from said group. Repeat until there is one guy, restrain and question/scare..
Actually, refrain from the restrain part, it seems to tempting to our fangs.

>>33398808
>Make yourself seen nearby in a few places, let them know you are nearby.
Spooky comes in stages. Let them have a chance to come to us.

>>33398808
>>33399161
fear is apparently insufficient to keep them in line.

A violent behavioral correction is probably called for, but
>>Go directly to them and be a spooky bitch. first.

And we had best like what we hear.

File: EmoRiniNonEmoUsagi.jpg (87 KB, 504x455)

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When you come upon them, how do you want to be a Spooky Bitch?

Remember you also have access to the spells
-Ventriloquism
-Minor Image today.

How do you guys want to approach them spookily? Please take a moment to review your character sheet.

>>33398761
I take some joy in that we are apparently taking the same track she took with us without knowing it.
Except that we take to the inspiration of our father and say encouraging things.

Though as ourself we'd likely tend to be harsher on them for similar reasons. It's easier to be mysterious and helpful when they don't know who you are.
Note to self: Buy Saturn a cloak.

>>33398808
Spooky, but not right at them.
Knightmare Mode could be tricky in daylight, though we do have tricks to help that.
Building up to that in stages could be good, play a bit of spooky peek-a-boo to get them to clump up and/or run.

Is it strange that the Vampire Hunter theme started playing hard in my head as I went to start reading the thread?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0w35exSNkQ

>>33399347
Vanishing Move, Stealth, and an Intimidating expression seem like it would be a sufficient starter.

Maybe kick it up to Control Darkness and Shadow if the location we find/lure/scare them in(to), for some extra spooky time.

General 'what was that?' get one person to catch a scary glimpse at a time and be gone before others see.

>>33399496
*if the location works well for it

>>33399347
minor illusion to emphasis the "red eyed beast" if they say something that displeases us?

Nothing too overt, just, y'know Bigger fangs, deeper voice, Generally push the monstrous traits up a notch, bam.

File: Black Lady.jpg (88 KB, 766x960)

88 KB JPG

Looks like I need a Stealth Test and an intimidate test.

2d20, I will add your modifiers.

Location is an alleyway. That means plenty of shadows. Will you set the stage with Control Darkness and Shadows?

After the build up, when you reveal your presence, what do you want to say?

Rolled 19, 20 = 39

>>33399565
"boo"

Rolled 18, 16 = 34

>>33399528
We'll we're already bringing glowing red eyes and fangs to the party, which is an upgrade on past REB appearances.

>>33399565
Seems like a good locale for abuse the shadows further.
Spookier peek-a-boo and shifting darkening shadows for a bit.
Whomever hasn't fled, just suddenly appear directly in from of the one putting up the bravest front, and say Boo with the wickedest fang-smile.

Hey, Disguise Pen, we get a job bonus to Intimidate for this disguise?

>>33399650
>We'll we're already bringing glowing red eyes and fangs to the party, which is an upgrade on past REB appearances.
yes, so imagine how impressive it'll be when we start looking even more monstrous right in front of their very eyes.

It just begs for them to ask the question "just how much worse could we get?"

Rolled 6, 16 = 22

>>33399565
Yeah, spooky-boo should be fine.

Batman mode would involve more violence and time.

>>33399695
that said, I'm guess I'm also fine with not blowing Minor Image on this. Either or, really.

Well, as much as you want to start things off violently, you decide you’d much rather use your new senses to enjoy the smell of their fear.

Oh, we are going to have fun, aren’t we?

~So much fun,~ you giggle in a rasp as your lips curl into a smile.

Taking again to the rooftops you westward for a few blocks until the golden arches of the restaurant the girl gang calling themselves the Primroses were reportedly behind come into clear and unbroken view. Dropping to street level you go round the building and as you approach the alley and prepare to conjure forth your power over the dark.

>Control Darkness and Shadows cast.
>Vanishing Move used, refreshing each round.

You step silently into the alley as you fade from view, and gently step on a discarded can loud enough to make one of the two uniformed girls you find whip up their heads.

One has long hair and slightly broader shoulders, she leans while standing against the wall and faces the back of the MgRonalds. She’s a smoker and is wearing boots instead of proper shoes, probably against her school’s dress code. She reacts.

The other is thin and wiry, and wears a runner’s sneakers instead of simple shoes. She has her dark hair in a slightly spiky pixie cut as she bobs her lazily to music on her headphones.

“Did’ya hear something?” says the longer haired girl with a slight Kansai accent.

The other girl pulls off her headphones.

“What?” she asks with certain irreverence.

The long haired girl looks back and forth down the alleyway concerned as through a combination of hiding behind obstacles and your natural state of invisibility you remain hidden. Darkening the shadows at ground level, and shifting them about slightly, you cause the shorter one to jump up with a yelp.

>>33399997
“Did you see that!” she says pointing to the ground with a slight grin on her face.

“See what?” the bumpkin says, seemingly unphased.

No...just putting on a brave face. Its begun.

mmmm, fear and pride. So sweet.

They argue a second. Shadows don’t just move.

Picking up a small stone, you drag it across the brick as you advance. It echoes through the alley and they both snap up and fall back to back. The bigger of the two hastily drawing a cigarette from behind her ear. She doesn’t light up, not yet.

The thinner one seems almost giddy.

“Hey, Ringo-chan,” she smiles, “What if the stories are true?”

“If the stories were true then Sailor Moon would’a done somethin’ about her now, wouldn’t she?”

You drop the stone, and make the shadows move away from both of them. Its enough to spark fear in the momentarily unflappable smaller girl as she backs further into the one called Ringo.

“S-stay with me, Niji,” she’s trying so hard to hold on.

Its almost cute

You step in front of the broad shouldered girl and lean in close. Reaching out you brush a loose lock of her tied hair off of her shoulder. As her eyes shoot to the side to see what had happened you return to being visible. The sudden shadow across her face snaps her eyes forward to see just you, you and your fanged smile. Her eyes are so wide that you can see your own reflection in them.

~Boo~ you say.

Ringo steps back into Niji and screams. Niji turns as the larger girl hits her and her eyes go wide as they both tumble to the ground. Your control over the shadows ends and the three of you are in the again naturally dark alleyway.

I just had an odd thought.
Helios has been pretty much one age for centuries, I guess Usa looks more like the older one in the relationship now.
This amuses me.

>>33400022

Your targets are on the ground and Frightened. Unable to flee just yet or take action to fight you have an action.

>Stand there and let them either rise or run
>Vanishing Move
>Engage in Social Combat to continue being intimidating, what are you going to say?
>Attempt Diplomacy. What are you going to say?
>Vanishing move.
>Write in

If they say something you don’t like, you’ve prepared an action to use Minor Image to make yourself scarier.

>EMQ running during work hours
>Lunch break almost over
Fuck me.
Guess I can read the archive when I get off (remember to vote guys!)

>>33400088
>Vanishing Move
keep that spooky up

>>33400088
Keep up the spooky.
Let's see if we can break them without actually touching them.

>>33400022
>>33400088
As long as we can maintain concentration, we should be able to keep Control Darkness and Shadow up.
Use that to have unnaturally shifting and twitching shadows around where we stand.
Engage in nightmare diplomacy, which is probably intimidate.

"Mm... mm.. MMm.. So, these are the pretty roses that want to be plucked so badly? Maintaining a garden is oh so difficult.. always having the triiim~ away things that don't belong.."

>>33400198
There are many ways to keep up the spooky, anon, please specify which method you advocate as otherwise we find ourselves at an impasse.

We still may, depending upon your answer.

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>>33400237
I'm going to blame them for having a name like Primroses and meditating in a garden this morning.
The whole garden metaphor just screamed to come out.

Being Spooky remains important and wins the day, but the means of your spooky must be decided in a final destination.

Four minutes to decide, starting from this post being posted.

1. Vanishing move
2. Nightmare Diplomacy, gardening.

Reply to this post with only the number.
No comment. No Dice. No Greentext

>>33400431
2

>>33400431
2

>>33400431
2

Give me a Persuasion test, difficulty 20.

You have a circumstance bonus of +2

1d20+14 total. Best of 3. 1s and 20s wild.

Rolled 6 + 14

>>33400541
I forget, does this quest have a way to negate critfails?

Rolled 17 + 14

>>33400468
Though we could follow that up with a vanishing move.
If they run we could pursue with such, cackling.
If they stumble and trip over themselves, we can seem to teleport to keep standing creepily over them.
If they escape the alleyway into broad daylight, they could run for a bit thinking they're safe there, then be right in front of them after they spare one last glance behind them in relief.

>>33400541
Rollin'.

>>33400559
2 ways, kinda. They aren't auto-fail, just auto-1s, which we've managed to succeed on in a couple opposed rolls, plus spending Planet power to boost a roll.
Another is rolling a 20 in the set as well. Leaving the third to carry the day.

>>33400559

There is no crit fail, only degrees of failure. You can accumulate perks that lessen the number of degrees of failure you get, or you can spend Planet Power to surge and close the gap.

>>33400431
The part I find amusing is how we got more votes in final destination than when we were pitching ideas. It's like the hive only wakes up for emergencies. =D

>>33400631
Honestly, I wanted to suggest something, but the flower thing beat me to it and it was better than what I wanted to suggest anyway.

My approach to intimidation tends to be the blunt force trauma approach

File: mistress_9_and_black_lady(...).jpg (19 KB, 300x212)

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Rolled 8 + 14

>>33400541
I swear I had a picture of Usa and Hotaru in a gazebo and Helios nearby wondering where they were.

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>>33400687
That's when we have someone ballsy enough to take a swing at us.
Then the pain train arrives at the station.

>>33400823
which is exactly why I didn't suggest it when there was something blatantly superior

>>33400687
I'm not really running full power because I'm at work. And possibly because I'm halfway in the wrong magical girl mode still.

>Diplomacy 2 Degrees of success

Your smile widens as they both stare at you, and you draw in and relax the shadows in time with their increasing heartbeat, twisting it at the periphery of their vision into unnatural shapes and spirals.

Kneeling down you regard them curiously before your raspy sing song voice calls out and freezes them amid their scrambling terror.

~Mm... mm... MMm... So, these are the pretty roses that want to be plucked so badly? Maintaining a garden is oh so difficult, always having the ‘triiim’ away things that don't belong~

They don’t flinch, but you can see they expect the worst. When it doesn’t come, they look at each other worriedly and back to you. You’re waiting. There are just two of them here right now, watching the ‘turf’. They’re friends, you can tell that much, but you don’t think either of them is the boss of their little gang.

Still, all you’ve heard is that they’re spreading into your turf. You haven’t gotten any complaints or heard anything about your rules being broke...yet. The thinner one, Niji, extracts herself from beneath Ringo and rises. She helps the bigger girl up, their eyes never leave you.

Starring up at them from your crouched position, you crane your neck and wait for a response. Your smile closes and your brow furrows just a bit.

>>33400959

“Maybe we don’t belong” the one called Ringo says, shakily, “but we just spread the word that we were moving in on your turf,”

Oh, I want to see her break. So proud

The smaller one gets a worried look in her eye that vanishes rather quickly before she pushes Ringo to the side slightly and steps forward, wary of the shadows.

“Yeah!” she’s all bluster...but for a reason. Is she stalling you? “Our boss just wants to meet with you, is all, don’t know why she’d want to get help from someone who's all tricks and false vampire teeth!”

oh, this one just has more bravado than sense,

~far less interesting,~ you agree glancing to the side and hiding a close lipped smile behind long nailed fingers.

>give her a date and location, you’ll play this game on your terms.
>Ask when and where, you’re curious enough.
>Polite if not spooky nope, just get out of your turf.
>Bored now, time to try and taste their fear. (violence)
>Scare them well and good. How?
>Why is she trying to stall you?
>Write in

File: Batman is a mudhole beatd(...).jpg (445 KB, 996x1431)

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>>33400879
I dunno about that, we've upgraded our blunt force trauma skills as well.
We can lay down enough hurt that we need to remember to pull our damage dice against regular folk.
Something tells me to stop with the leg.
I don't listen to it.

>>33400823
It's refreshing to see /tg/ play a character that's a little more cloak and dagger and a little less face smasher/ diplomancer.

Anyone else see the first episode of the new series?

>>33400985
>>give her a date and location, you’ll play this game on your terms.
Become The Bat

>>33400985
Hm, so it's all been a ploy.
I was thinking about asking what they've actually done, since it was just scuttlebutt about them moving in.
Someone wants to lure you out.

Could be the Enemy working through these punks.
Could be a lead.
Could be a trap.
Could be nothing we care about.

Except for the nothing option, they all could lead to things. I'd say arrange a meet, but we've got to break this one's bluster.

Vanishing move, give her ear a little nip to shake her up, and quietly say where and when to meet.

When and where though?
This Alley.. midnight? Any better thoughts?

>>33401205
To be clear, I'm suggesting nipping Niji's ear, what with the bravdo and calling the fangs fake.
Though I imagine it might get a start out of Ringo in the process.

>>33401205
Follow-up with vanishing again, and stealthily observe them for a bit, maybe we can find out a bit more about what their game is.

>>33401289
I'm torn. I'd rather not actually injure these guys, but the price of a threat is you have to demonstrate every now and again.

Do it right, and hopefully you won't have to demonstrate too often.

Regrettably, it seems these guys need to serve as a demonstation to the rest of their group what happens if you encroach on our turf, because they can't go back to their group unharmed because they'll brazen it out as "no biggie".

They need injuries they can show their boss.

Give me 1d20+5 Melee touch attack

Against touch AC 14.

Best of 3, 1's and 20's wild

>>33401452
This was me, dropped my trip.

Give me 1d20+5 Melee touch attack

Against touch AC 14.

Best of 3, 1's and 20's wild

Rolled 3 + 5

>>33401380
I'm not sure about going for real injury.. but enough to know those ain't fake, and to take us seriously.

>>33401452
Rollin'

Rolled 16 + 5

>>33401486

Rolled 17 + 5

>>33401452

File: scare time.jpg (354 KB, 1280x1958)

354 KB JPG

Rolled 11 + 5

>>33401486

>>33401511
>I'm not sure about going for real injury.. but enough to know those ain't fake, and to take us seriously.
It needs to be something they can show off

I kinda wanted to use minor image, but they already think we're smoke and mirrors. I don't think it's going to be enough to dissuade their boss without some fairly concrete evidence that we are not to be messed with.

If we don't, we're just going to wind up facing down all of them later instead.

>>33401611
"Really, we're doing you a favor by breaking your arm, you don't want to show up in front of your boss having run away without a good reason, do you?

You can tell your boss if they keep this up, we'll be in touch."

>>33401611
Well, if they are telling the truth, we don't really need to hurt them, much.
Though being played like this isn't great either.
Give 'em a scare, do the meet, see if more serious scaring/scarring is needed.

Mulling it over in your mind a moment, and ignoring pixie cut’s obvious attempts at baiting you, you reach a few easy conclusions. Trap, a fake out, a lead, or just nothing. You don’t care much about any of it...but your curiosity is piqued. Your smile is broad and grants them both a great sense of unease.

You let the shadows falls flat and expending a portion of the reservoir that is your starseed, you enter an extended state of invisibility. Something hits the ground a long way behind you and you hear a very shallow gasp before the sound is trapped beneath something.

mmmmmm, someone nearby is afraid

Nipping at Niji’s ear, you delight as the girl yelps in surprise and stumbles back into Ringo when you release. You may have drawn the faintest bit of blood with your bite, but it didn’t actually hurt the girl any. She’s surprised, and still ever so afraid. Her fear soars and fills you with delight.

It isn’t true shadow, but its at least wetting my appetite

“My ear, she bit my ear!”

You step out of the way as Ringo raises her dukes, eyes wide with worry, and takes a defensive posture in front of her friend scrambling against the wall.

~These petals are barely an appetizer, really,~ you sulk as both girl’s eyes dilate trying to find you, ~Here, dears, and know that I’m far thornier than than any rose. Midnight this night where you quake, I’ll watch and I’ll wait,~

oh, come now. We can add just a bit more, can’t we? And sing it if you could, its just perfectly creepy.

>>33401834

~Don’t be late. Or I’ll be cross, and I’ll take my due from you and your boss~

You turn away from them and stride from the alley, catching sight of what had gasped earlier and who the one full of bravado, Niji, was stalling for. She is slight of build. Not wiry or muscular like the other two. Her hair is long and shiny. Her uniform is pristine. Thin legs quake as she stares at her friends a moment, through your invisible form.

~Niji-chan, Ringo-chan,~

Stepping aside as she runs to her friends, weak and soft voice caught in her throat, you drink in a fear built over the sweet scent of an earnest innocence. Hmm...seems she dropped a bag of MgRonald’s breakfast food at the front of the alley. Large bag, for the three of them most likely.

>Stay hidden and listen.
>Leave
>Leave and take their breakfast
>Do something to the timid one as she runs past you. What?
>Write in

>>33401864
>>Stay hidden and listen.

I'm drawn on taking their breakfast as well.
Though that could be a side effect of me being hungry.

>>33401864
>>Do something to the timid one as she runs past you. What?
try and pick her pocket?

>>33401970
I'd skip the breakfast. Don't want anyone getting the impression that Red Eye eats at MgRonalds

>>33401864
>Do something to the timid one as she runs past you. What?
If she's brave enough not to run away, then she needs an injection of fear. Let's grab her and make sure she gets a good look at our fangs. Point out that she looks tasty.

Then let her go with spooky laugh.

>>33402071
Nah, I think we'd have more to gain letting them think we've gone and listening in.
Besides, she was scared just seeing us nip Niji.

>>33402140
That and appearing again might make the hesitant to talk about anything interesting after that.

>>33402171
if they've got any sense, they won't be talking about anything important out in the open given we have demonstated an ability to not be seen.

Of course, that doesn't rule out the possibility of them having no sense.

>>33401996
Hm, we haven't put anything into Thievery yet.
It would be neat to plant something on her.. but we really don't have anything.
We'll have to come up with a calling card in the future.

>>33402211
At least one of them has no sense, and we just made a dramatic exit.

Besides, don't want to get tooo antagonistic before we know what they actually want.
If someone is looking for a spooky girl that enforces peace on her turf for help. that could say positive things about their intentions.

So it looks like by this discussion most of you want to Stay and Listen. Is that correct?

>>33402309
>looking for a spooky girl that enforces peace on her turf for help
That is a narrow subset to look for.
Means they want help with something a 'scary spooky beast' can help with, rather than something that could be solved by just by a group of delinquents.
That says 'supernatural threat' to me, and someone desperate for a lead.

Or trap.

Interesting either way.

>>33402334
I'd say so.

>>33401834
Wasn't thinking of Greater Invis, but used to perfect effect.

>>33402334
Sure.

Letting the girl past, you watch them as they come together. The new girl, with long and shiny hair, fusses about Niji and checks her ear. Bringing out a handkerchief she presses it against the pinprick of bleeding you caused.

“S-s-so she’s real,” the new girl stutters.

“fraid so,” the bigger girl aids her in getting Niji up.

“That was unfair. Where the hell did she go. I can take her in a fair-” the girl you bit rants a moment before the larger one lays both hands on her shoulder and pulls her face to face.

“Never was gonna be fair, now was it?” she says sternly, “You heard the stories. We got off light,”

So the big one has some sense about her. Okay then. They amble past you, quickly, the new girl whose name you never caught looks about nervously and stays close between the other two. She picks up the dropped bag and they continue to make haste north, back into their district.

Probably to tell their boss.

That was quite empowering.

>Time for the beast to go back to hell and Miki to head to your friends.
>Time to remind people around town you own it, put on your surgical mask and take a stroll
>Take a picture of them making haste away from behind, Niji using the unnamed one for support and clutching her ear, then post it to Lurk.
>Write in

>>33402793
>Time for the beast to go back to hell and Miki to head to your friends.

>>33402793
We still have a couple hours to kill, right?
Shadow them, gather a bit of intel, maybe see who they report to.
If we're going to be the mysterious person to meet a midnight, it always pays to know more than they think you do.
Greet the Boss by name, stuff like that.

>>33402793
>Time to remind people around town you own it, put on your surgical mask and take a stroll
What's yours is mine... what's mine is still mine...

>>33403084
Tempted to do the Lurk thing too, maybe take the picture and think about posting it.
We had made out like it was our fake account to Aiha, then again, a pick from behind doesn't mean we actually did it, so we could possibly play that off in the short run.
In the long run, we're going to end up with each member of the new Scouts suspecting us of different person than the others.

>>33403201
that was the thought behind pickpocketing. I was hoping to snag an ID or something, maybe get a name and start digging.

Even when you're tragically light on thieving skills, you'd think invisibility would count for something.

>>33402907
>>33403084
Maybe follow them until some interesting turns up or until we need to make our way to the Fashion Circle, whichever comes first?

How are we on time, Art?

>>33403339
Three hours until noon at this point.

>>33403330
If we wanted to burn another Planetary Point, maybe. The basic Vanishing Move shuts off when really 'doing' anything. Good for surprise, but doesn't help them not notice.

Rolled 9 + 4

Looks like you're being a shadow moving into Azubai.

Stealth test 1d20+8

Best of 3. 1s and 20s wild

>>33403380
Say, two hours on their tail, then Miki goes to meet her friends?

Or less tailing and do the 'be seen around our turf' thing for an hour.

Rolled 14 + 8

>>33403422

>>33403433
I don't think we can really hope to achieve much of anything without focussing on one thing.

File: ninja watch.png (103 KB, 189x377)

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Rolled 20 + 8

>>33403422

Rolled 6 + 8

>>33403422
Rollin'

>>33403471
Really depends on how fast they return to roost, we did give them a solid scare, so they might be in a hurry to beat feet. May not take long at all.

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>>33403476
Awesome.

On that note, I gotta hit the bank and solve than being hungry thing. Good luck team.

Moving unseen after them, and keeping just out of view once your invisibility runs out, you employ the skills you’ve been honing as Eclipse to leave them completely unaware to your presence.

They walk, they talk, and uneasily eat their breakfast while occasionally ducking the local police kiosk every few blocks. Niji continues to proclaim she could have taken you, that she was too fast to give you another chance to use your vanishing trick. Ringo just shakes her head to each boast. The third girl, identified as Chou, simply thinks that Niji is amazing.

In forty or so minutes time, they come to the closed gate of Zodiac Academy for Girls and break from the main road to around back. Ringo and Niji crouch low near a back wall and lock hands. Using that link as a foothold, Chou is pushed up into a large amount of flowering vine plants covering the middle of the back wall. Apparently there is a gap in there; large enough for her to crawl in, turn around, and reach down to help Niji up as the larger girl gives her a slight boost. Lastly, the two of them reach down and grab either arm of their remaining friend and hoist her as she walks up the side of the wall.

Their classes are still in session, and they seem all that much better.

“Now lets go an’ find Aki,” complains the large girl.

>That’s enough investigating for now, time to go back to being Miki.
>Its a risk to sneak into someone else’s school...but you want to know more.
>Cast Entangle on their Courtyard, then let yourself be seen from the assorted classroom windows at the front of the school, standing on the school wall before leaping away.
>Write in

>>33403807
>That’s enough investigating for now, time to go back to being Miki.
We've done what we needed to do here.

>>33403807

>Cast Entangle on their Courtyard, then let yourself be seen from the assorted classroom windows at the front of the school, standing on the school wall before leaping away.
Make an impression.

>>33404100
Terrorize a school full of innocent people, you mean.

>>33403807
>That’s enough investigating for now, time to go back to being Miki.

Short delay, gotta make a call and pay a bill. Then Writing.

>>33403807
>>That’s enough investigating for now, time to go back to being Miki.
We have information we can work with. We have the name Aki, and we have this Zodiac Academy.

Time to ask around about it before we start sneaking around.

Actually, do we know anything about it?

Back, having paid my automobills.

>>33404295
To see what you know, give me a Streetwise test.

1d20+3

Best of 3

>>33403807
I'm between going back and sneaking in.
Leaning toward going back though. Sneaking in could be tricky.. or use the Pen again.. but as what? Janitor?

Rolled 16 + 3

>>33404328

Rolled 18 + 3

>>33404328
Knew streetwise would be useful..

>>33404331
>Sneaking in could be tricky
Find out enough about it and with the right uniform we could potentially just walk right in the front door.

Rolled 14 + 3

>>33404331

Looking through the archive because I forgot where the meet was and wanted to double check. HAHA! Forgetting my notebook.

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That’s enough for now. You’ve hunted. You’ve stalked. You’ve struck fear into the hearts of those weak enough to be scared by something that goes bump in the night...and you’ll make those and more sounds later.

As much as you’d like to leave even more fear and chaos in your wake, you’ve had your fun. You still hunger, but there is no true dark sustenance to be found here, as far as the niggling feeling in your gut tells you.

Backing away and getting a few blocks distance, you let the Red Eyed Beast slip back into hell. Your clothes fade back into the scandalously tight and revealing outfit you had dressed yourself in. Your skin darkens and you appear less gaunt, regaining your trim and curves. Your hair folds back beneath your wig, in perfect place and shining blonde.

~Goodbye spooky bitch, hello catty bitch,~ you smile and retouch your lipstick in your compac before you grouse, ~I hate being her, I like always want to just wash under my nails and get my manicure redone after I’m her,~

…we need to have a talk when you’re back to being you,

~Whatever,~ you sigh and stretch.

Your spine and shoulders pop a bit, she folds into herself and is all crouchy. So constraining. Tch, if you keep that up it’ll totally ruin your posture and give your scoliosis and junk. Because that is totally how that works.

Hitting the ground you set off, and pause a moment. Like, you totally forgot where the meeting was. They didn’t say where the event was going to be on Sunday, but you are relatively sure it’ll be in Harajuku, because it’s so happening...but the meeting is elsewhere?

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>>33405052
As you flip through your phone, looking for the lurk messages that started this off, you think back about the Zodiac Academy for girls. Its a private boarding school, though the dorms are just off campus and unwalled. Unless a girl is some kind of flight risk or there for behavioral problems they have a particularly lax allowance for curfew dodging. Something about an honor system. Their school years are all based on the Chinese Zodiac, so the year your class starts is the animal designation that follows you through graduation. You don’t know the principal’s name, but you remember a crazy hard line Christian group was worried because she was a foreigner and a practicing Wiccan from some American city in Oregon.

You have no idea which denomination. There are way too fucking many.

Ah, it was in Harajuku. For some reason you thought it was going to be on the other side of Shibuya.

~Ahh, I am such a fucking ditz,~ you complain to no one as you change course, ~Then again its totally fine. I’ve been busy and have had a ton on my mind,~

You are dressed to thrill, so you aren’t going to give anyone on the train the chance to cop a feel. Striding for what should be a shortish walk, you make it to the familiar cafe in about thirty minutes. You’ve still got more than an hour and a half before the meeting, and at least 40 minutes before anyone else is likely to even show up.

However it is Saturday, and you are in Harajuku. Deeper into the fashion district you can see young people walking. In cosplay, in homemade fashion, and looking outrageous.

>>33405103

You could go grab a snack. Go see if any other members of the movement from other parts of the city are about. Do some light shopping, because retail therapy is good for the soul after spending so much time as a spooky bitch.

>Oh my god, go be seen and walk around toward the center of the district for a bit.
>I could totally get some new pumps...and some new threads for my new measruements...and- (Retail Therapy)
>I’ve had a full morning already and totes need to decompress. Going to grab a table, get a drink, and wait for the girls.
>Write in

>>33403598
And back, let's see what I missed..

>>33405130
I want to say
>I’ve had a full morning already and totes need to decompress. Going to grab a table, get a drink, and wait for the girls.

Which I guess would be
>Oh my god, go be seen and walk around toward the center of the district for a bit.

>>33405052
Is even our subconscious saying we need to have chat later? Hooboy.

>>33405143
Not too much, and good timing, woo!

>>33405130
Decompress..

>>33405220
Which could involve both, only so long a girl like Miki could sit in one place, an hour and a half seem long for her to sit still.

>>33405311
>Which could involve both, only so long a girl like Miki could sit in one place, an hour and a half seem long for her to sit still.
Going to be seen amuses me because it was one of the things we wanted to do as Spookybitch, but it also plays into Miki's airheaded bimboness.

I think we've got our personalities crossed.

Writing, combining because not mutually exclusive

>>33405130
>I’ve had a full morning already and totes need to decompress. Going to grab a table, get a drink, and wait for the girls.

Well, maybe you’ll show up at the cafe early afterall...but first you are going to strut your stuff. After getting a bit taller, mostly in the legs, your shorts look that much shorter. Your top is that much tighter. And you’re feeling that much bolder.

Right now you’re body is your art and its on display. The color of your homemade tan. The detail work you’ve done to your face. The time you spent crafting and styling this wig and then setting it. Your walk. Your talk. Art.

Walking art. So right now, you’re on exhibit. And from the outskirts of the oppressing hoard of individuals showing their colors, you’re seen. Familiar faces, names you’ve never known, nod to you here. Guys and girls you’ve never met before give you a critical but not judgemental eye. A few wanting glances. A few shocked and embarrassed to see someone showing so much skin.

“Love the tan, Miki!” says a girl you recognize passing by a maid cafe.

Ah, that’s just the boost your ego needed. You are seen. You are beautiful. Your feet hurt.

The price of heels on any shoes, especially sandals. Working your way back out from the district, you again find the cafe. A few people are there, seeking refuge from the crowds, but not any of your friends yet. Grabbing a table, they know you here and ask if it’ll be for five, you correct them that you’ll have one more today.

Ordering something frozen and fruity, you lean back beneath the umbrella and slide on your sunglasses. Not that you need them. You’re relaxing right now so you should look the part.

>>33406288
Time ticks on by as your feet feel better, sliding them out of your sandals and resting them on top of them for a bit helps. Jade rounds the corner, her hair up in twin tails and sporting a cute number topped by a short denim mini jacket. Audaciously she’s wearing a bikini top and a short denim skirt. Her makeup isn’t immaculate, and her daring outfit actually exposes a few places where she didn’t apply her tan. Still, she looks good.

Keiko is, of course, beside her. They’re besties afterall. She’s just wearing her normal clothes, Jade didn’t get her kitted out for this, which is fine. Puffy strapless blouse cut in the center by an empire waist belt, and black capris. As the two get closer, it hits you.

You were complaining about sustenance earlier?

Your drink, though tasty, is less appetizing. Keiko has a nervous look about her, and she smells *tasty.

Eclipse Moon Quest Episode 27
End

Interlude vote
>No Dawn, No Day
>Long distance call
>The Catalyst
>Protector and Bunny
>Class Dismissed

>>33406321
>>Class Dismissed

>>33406321
>Class Dismissed

So, as you guys continue to vote on Interludes,

How was today's thread. Any feedback, comments, questions, concerns for Mikage's sanity, and what have you.

>>33406383
looks like it's all ticking over quite nicely.

Especially the sanity thing.

>>33406321
>Protector and Bunny
Goddamnit I keep missing threads. Why. Why do I keep missing threads by like 5min.

>>33406321
>>Protector and Bunny
Bunny-chan time?

>>33406383
Having fun. Some concerns about Mikage, but even her own mind is pointing that out, so we should be able to work through it.

>>33406321
>Protector and Bunny

>>33406500
>>33406432

I thought your supernatural Id being concerned would be a fun touch.

>>33406564
Does that count as feeding?

>>33406845
Have you bitten someone infected or an unbound shadow?

>>33406321
>Protector and Bunny

>>33406889
Yeah, thought not.

Always worth asking, though.

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Ah, and here I had a bowl of fire to eat while playing. Usagi would love it.
Roasted red tomato, red pepper flakes, three different chili powders, siracha, and all cooked around and into some noodles.

Guess I'll track down something to watch.

>>33406975
That looked far less blurry on my phone.
Ah well, dinner cooked. Good time to catch Crystal.

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>>33406975
>something to watch

>>33406889
Do we ever "digest" shadow so to speak?

>>33407305
Your on longer feeling stuffed on the stuff and are getting hungry again.

The counter remains

And it's purpose is totally, TOTALLY, benign

>>33407475
I was going to say something similar, but I wanted to avoid meta-gaming.

That's not to say it's not completely impossible in the future that we might find a way to purge. But... right now the counter tracks ALL shadow consumed.

Now I'm hopped up on fire-based endorphins.

>>33407033
Familiar, but different.
I liked it.

And Momma Tsukino still does not joke about grades.

>>33407048
Hm, I do still need to watch The Man with the Screaming Brain. But first, while I'm on the sites that I am, I need to catch up on some Jojo. Not sure what I've been doing, I'm missing all kinds of things.

>>33407521
Ah yes, we never did get around to trying Restoration on ourselves to see if that effected things.

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>>33408061
Dang, forgot mah image.

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>>33408096

>>33407475
> And it's purpose is totally, TOTALLY, benign
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BlatantLies

I mean, we're going to fill it anyway because bars are for filling up, and because everything is peaches but yeah, no good will come of this.

>>33406321
>>Long distance call
Going for the long shot.

>>33408548
Worse, or better?

Wait, that's the wrong senile Stan Lee idiom

>>33409565
i'm not so sure it's all that wrong

>>33409565
The longer it takes, the more we will expect. Therefore, you should scale your surprise to match with our expectations.

Getting groceries, then coming home, and going to try and pump out an Omake. Maybe I'll run at slow speed tomorrow whilst I capture video and render if yon thread persists...which it will.

>>33409766
Speaking of the thread persisting...

What happens if OP sages it? Is it the same as if any anon does it (which is to say, the thread is not bumped for that post?) Or does the thread just bomb out ASAP?

>>33409900
All sage does is stop that one post from bumping it.

>>33408548
The greatest twist would be that it could lead to power-up, but we'll go as long as we can to avoid finding out what it ultimately is, because it could easily be really, really, really, bad.

>>33410137
Maybe you will. I fully intend to drink our fill whenever it's not particularly inconvenient.

>>33411009
We have had our fill before, Dark Helios.
We were still feeling a bit 'stuffed' that evening.

>>33411311
That qualified as a particular inconvenience, yes.

>>33411311

Luckily, you do have Ultimate Tsukino Constitution.

Writin' the Omake...

Sorry for the delay, stuff came up.

>>33414362
>Going on all day at work
>Can't participate
>Get home
>Forget about quest and assume it wrapped
>Randomly check /tg/ before bed
>Still sort of going

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>>33414362
S'okay. We were distracted too.

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BUT FIRST!

Here are the things that didn't win the Interlude vote.

>No Dawn, No Day
-PIT Agents on surveillance duty.
>Long distance call
-Estra expending a significant amount of his supernatural resources to open a psychic connection to his parents to convince them to come get the twins. Good news, they love and are proud of him. Bad news, he's stuck with Estra and Striel.
>The Catalyst
Jewel Thief/Hiddenite goes over their next goal with three resurrected old comrades.
>Class Dismissed
-Koyomi ticking down the closing minutes of Saturday Classes at her Junior High.

Protector and Bunny will be writ tomorrow during my video capture.

>>33414469
After the Omake we'll be back around 10am EST

>>33414510
I admit, while being distracted I kept checking my phone for updates there too.

>>33414647
And I'll be missing it again then too.
Fuck
9-5 is suffering sometimes

Saving bump or whatever I guess.

>>33414742
No, waiting is suffering

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>>33415759
No, being megucca is suffering.

>>33414647
>-PIT Agents on surveillance duty.

I would have liked to have seen this just to know what they know.

>-Estra expending a significant amount of his supernatural resources to open a psychic connection to his parents to convince them to come get the twins.

That's why he was tired, I get it now.

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OMAKE!

You are Koyomi Chiba, and you’ve got things to do. Saturday afternoon things that involve ditching your school uniform at home for something much more comfortable and fun. The giddiness hits you, its exciting.

You and the girls are going to hit the crown arcade! Except for Venus, she said she had something this morning, and if she was feeling up to it afterwards she would call you and meet up with you guys later on. It was probably some kind of super important idol thing. Like dropping a track, signing autographs, or posing for pictures.

She’s part of the team now too! So you don’t want her to feel left out, even if she’s a bit younger. She’s really mature though, when it comes to the serious stuff...a bit more than you. Okay, fine, you are a bit jealous...just a teensibit.

Well, no more of that. Especially now that Kanari-chan was finally talking to you again today after the accident at her family’s apartment on Thursday. So you forgot to put the bowl in the rice cooker, and the water, before turning it on and dumping the rice in. It was an honest mistake and Kino-san only banned you from the cafe for a week.

Sliding off your shoes and setting down your bag, you skip into the kitchen for a quick drink before you head out to join up with Kanari-chan, Aiha-chan, and Rin-chan at the Crowne Arcade. Maybe if Mikage-neesan was around she could come too! Kanari has been so much less...weird...when her name comes up lately and more like herself.

You pop open the fridge and rummage for a can of melon soda when you hear the sharp click of glass against the counter behind you. You turn and see Luna sitting there, in her human form, with a really tiny glass and a tall brown bottle in front of her. The text is in Katakana...and you can read it, but you aren’t sure what it is. She barely notices you as you sit on the counter stool beside her.

>>33416381
With a calm hand she pours herself a tiny cup and sets the bottle down carefully. Then lightening quick she snatches it up and tilts it and her head back. The sharp click of it’s return follows.

She pauses for a minute and repeats this process. You watch her carefully while you slowly sip from your can of soda. There is something oddly mechanical about all of this, and from the smell you know the bottle is something alcoholic. What could have her drinking so depressingly.

You’ve seen people drink happily. You’ve seen people drink casually. You’ve seen people drink just because...but Luna seems so ramrod straight.

The direct approach it is.

“Luna?” you venture, “Are you okay?”

She turns, surprised, noticing you beside her for the first time. Tears well in her eyes as she throws herself on you, space folding as she resumes her feline form and lands sprawled and blushing across your lap with forelegs wide.

“You girs are gowing up sho fash,” she continues to slur.

Petting her, with no small amount of worry, you try to console her.

“Aww, its okay Luna,” you smile, “That’s natural right,”

“Usahi gru uph. Diaha gru uph, Shibi Usha gru uph. Mihake gru uph. Uuuur gowing uph,” she murmurs against the blouse of your uniform, “an’ lille Diaha ish gon’ gow uph,”

“Don’t worry, I’ve still got plenty of growing up to do,” you laugh, “and you’ve got plenty of time before your little Diana grows up,”

She looks up at you with wide eyes and smiles. Propping herself with paws against your stomach she rears back to look you in the eye. She’s particularly unsteady, but trying to put on her ‘I’m a serious cat and this is my serious face’ that no one calls her on having.

“Wen uuu do gow uph,” her eyes narrow conspiratorially, “uuu betta noth dess like some painted phloozy,”

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>>33416424
She stares at you a moment, her eyes widening in fear before she stumbles around on your lap and looks away. Whispering to herself, under the thought that because she was facing away from you then she must be having a soliloquy.

“Thish ish bab...she’s jush ash boi hunghri ash Usahi wash...mehbe worsh!” she exclaims, “Ahn wit nnnnno pashed life twu luff to keep hur focushed sheel be painthing her face likh Mihake any dayh now,”

“...Mikage-neechan is doing what now?”

“I haff to shtohp this!” Luna concludes, tips over, and lays slumped on the floor.

“Luna?”

The cat jerks up and space folds again, revealing her human form. She grips the rungs forming the base of the stool on which Koyomi sits and tries to pull herself up to the younger girl while continuing to cry out.

“DON’ BE SEDUSHED BY HANSHOM MEHN!” she wails as the stool tips over, prompting a surprised shriek from Koyomi.

Outside, watching from the shade of her Garden, Usagi Chiba sits with trow forgotten in hand and grass stained knees as this scene unfolds. She turns to the tiny kitten sitting in the box on top of her gardening cart. The diminutive pink ball of fluff in turn looks back at the blonde haired woman.

“Your mother is crazy,”

“Mew?”

OMAKE END

I'll try to poke around to make sure the thread is still about when I wake up. Otherwise feel free to leave questions you have going forward for me to answer in the morning and we'll see if we can't resume.

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>>33415963
And what they know is indeed something worth knowing.

>>33415856
Lets not get ahead of ourselves now.

>>33414742
>>33415759
I wouldn't mind a proper 9 to 5 with proper 9 to 5 pay and benefits. I wouldn't mind it one bit.

>>33414647
Now I want to know what Jewel Thief was up to.

And if the Pit surveillance guys are the one's watching Keiko, can you say Hilarity ensues? Cause I can.

>We scared Luna so hard that she took to drinking
You know what
It was all worth it.

>>33416451
>"Mew?"
Little Diana is learning the important lessons early.

>>33417527
Although, she is learning it from completely the wrong person

>>33417136
I honestly feel a little bad about that.

>>33417136
When a parent see's their child dressed up as the kind of person they warned them about, it's a moment that requires intoxication.

Sitting up half awake in bed, making sure this is still her. Good morning ladies and gentlemen.

>>33418754
Things to come.

"Sis, what the hell did you do to Luna?"

>>33420611
Well this should be interesting.

As alwys thanks for the thread!

>>33420701
It should be, heading out momentarily, then we can get this morning rolling.

I'm going to have to give a reaction breakdown of as I was reading..

>>33416381
Well, at least we've had some kind of stabilizing effect on Kanari, that's good.
Uh oh, what wrong Luna?
>>33416424
That is some creepy knocking it back.
Oh god, nothing happened to Diana did it?!
Painted-? ..Oh..
>>33416451
Oof. We drove Luna to drink.
Or at least, she drove herself to drink imagining the worst.

That'll be an interesting chat later.

>>33420930
>more this morning
It just keeps on happening...

>>33421353
Drunken pussy for the win.

>>33421359
New episode soon, fellow thread stalker.

>>33417136
I have a feeling that this isn't what drove her to drinking, it's just another nail in the coffin.

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>>33421353
>That'll be an interesting chat later.
Ultimately, we must take her for an outting in Harajuku. She might even have fun.
We'll have to get her dressed up though.
Something not too involved, but would help her fit in with the local mishmash of styles, fashion. and cosplay there.

At least she can hold human form for a bit now, a stole doesn't really go with our usual outfits.

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>>33421850
That was actually a pretty revealing outfit.
Cool grown-up musicians don't cover much.

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Eclipsed Moon Thread Eyecatch sound effect

Thread RESUMES!

There is a completely frustrating tension in the air. Little murmurs of menace on the periphery of your senses as you stir your straw through the rapidly thawing slush of a virgin strawberry daiquiri. Pulling your sunglasses down slightly, to look over their top, you lean up and forward in your seat and wave at your approaching friend and her tag along for today’s gathering.

“Miki!” Jade squeals in excitement as she hurries over to the table, “This is so great, that the first thing today is I get to introduce two of my favorite people to one another!”

Behind her, Keiko Sugimoto comes forward more hesitantly. She seems downright nervous and out of her element. Now, it could be because she’s been waffling around after nearly getting killed or it could be that she’s aware of the presence building behind her.

“Well a favorite person of your’s is, like, always a pleasure to meet,” you smile and the two of your give each other a brief hug before Jade releases you and turns to face her approaching friend, “So, you must be Jade’s mystery friend. I’m sorry to hear you’re having a rough time,”

She smiles.

“Thank you,” she says though she seems like she was distracted by...something, “I’m-”

>>33422378
“Oh no!” Jade interjects and points a finger in her face...so much more vivacious than when she’s Midori. Then again, pot calling kettle, “I’m running this introduction!”

Keiko stares at Jade wide eyed for a second. You swish your drink a bit before the dark haired girl’s shoulders go slack and she sighs in defeat, then making a deferring gesture to Jade.

“Alright. Jade, may I introduce you to my best friend and classmate, Keiko Sugimoto,” she motions from you toward Keiko and then back from Keiko to you, “Keiko, may I introduce you to my favorite fellow Ganguro fashionista, Miki,”

“Its nice to meet you, Miki?” Keiko asks hesitantly as she extends her hand.

Its weaker, but its still there. Beryl has clung to the smallest bit of Shadow she could hoard away from your magic...she’s been cultivating it since that day. It remains small, you are mostly feeling her will. The girl, the girl is afraid. She hears the witches whispers even now

Beryl did notice you seeing her before, she might notice your perception again. And if Keiko can totally hear her...

>How do you respond to Keiko & how do you greet here?

&

>Shake Keiko’s hand and hope for the best.
>Take supernatural precaution before taking Keiko’s hand, what?
>Take mundane precaution before taking Keiko’s hand, which Training, feat, or perk do you invoke?
>Take Supernatural or Mundane action to intentionally let Beryl know you’re here. Let HER fear.
>Write in

>>33422388
>Shake Keiko’s hand and hope for the best.
No tricks, no magic. Just good clean pep.
We're not afraid of Beryl, and Keiko doesn't need to be afraid of us.

>>33422388
>>33422449 works for me.

Rolled 3 + 5

I am rolling a die for someone. The DC is 15.

>>33422449
>>33422489

Also, you left this Question unanswered.

>How do you respond to Keiko & how do you greet her?

remember, when things are separated by an & that means I need answers for both, gentle friends.

>>33422629
I know, good master, but I got nothing on that point.

>>33422629
what would Miki say?

I imagine she'd immediately start critiquing her outfit or something in that snarky bitchy way that women do.

>>33422693
On a first meeting with someone who obviously isn't made up for fashion? That seems rude.

Perhaps something more along the lines of getting her into some cooler threads...

>>33422864
The trick is you tell when what you like about their outfit. The female brain immediately sorts that into a list of all the stuff you -didn't- compliment and takes offence

Writing

>>33422388
>How do you respond to Keiko & how do you greet here?
Oh, we are going to have so much fun dressing you up!

Rendered in ditz, of course.

>>33422378
Yay! Eclipse Moon: The Resumengance!
You forgot teh twitters!

>>33422388
Did we have Conceal Thoughts running from earlier?
Either way, trickster nondetection effect might help keep her from seeing through it.
Beryl didn't seem to notice us at the cafe.

>>33422629
Friendly, and hopeful to be friends.
"Hey K, I hope we can be good friends!" More sincere than she should guess there. "Taking the full dive into true, fabulous, fashion, or just visiting to see if we don't bite too hard? We might nibble though." Smile, offer a seat, ask if they need something to drink, resist fangs.

>>33423080
I tweeted it, 51 minutes ago.

>>33423139
Alright, my phone isn't alerting me.
This is disconcerting.

>>33422999
Seconding

>>33422693
>getting catty with a nervous girl we really need to be on good terms with
Mep.

On a random tangent, it occurs to me that having personality 'subsets' is a bit of a family trait, what with dad running around as Tuxedo Mask with realizing it at first, and then the whole Moonlight Knight thing.

>>33423230
Yeah, that sucks.
There are days when my phone just doesn't ring. Not because nobody calls. They call, but I only find out when I check voice mail.

All technology is evil.

>>33423343
yup, we gave up one legacy only to wind up with the other one.

No. You totally aren’t afraid of an old grandma like Beryl. And Keiko shouldn’t be afraid of you, or afraid of Beryl. Besides which if that old biddy recognizes you, or recognizes you’re aware of her...then it may give Keiko a reason to trust you as Miki. Hello opportunity.

You readily take Keiko’s hand.

“Just Miki. Has Jade already talked to you about getting kitted out?” you smile enthusiastically as you feel Beryl’s savory presence in her touch, “because I can totally see a TON of possibilities to compliment your base complexion and eyes,”

She seems taken aback by your eager hold, visual scrutiny, and comments. Maybe you’re coming on too strong.

“How do you feel about accessories? Hmmm...you’re hair is totally long and pretty. It might be a crime to bleach it out, and it might be too long for standard wig to cover. I’m thinking you might be perfect for Manba style. Our resident expert will have a field day with you when she gets her ass here,” you critique.

The last thing you feel as your hands part is Beryl rolling her eyes. She didn’t notice. She doesn’t suspect.

All the better, now are you just going to suggest playing dressup with this girl, or are you going to try to feed?

>>33423502
Tch, Keiko’s safety and trust are so important right now. You resolve that if you are going to binge later, its gotta be because she lets you. It shouldn’t be an awkward conversation at all, right?

“Ah, I’ll think about that,” she laughs nervously as she takes her seat at the table.

“Oh don’t be so afraid, I don’t bite,” you laugh and take a drag off of the sweet strawberry slush in your hand, “I may nibble though. In all seriousness, this is about trying something fun. Maybe a bit of stepping outside of yourself,”

“Don’t mind Miki, kay. I don’t know where she gets half of this energy or lack of tact,” Jade admonishes and waves over a waiter, “Diet cola, quarter lemon wedge. Anyway, she does have it right on. Its about stepping outside of ourselves and defining yourself in a new space. You don’t have to pay any attention to who you are and just make something new. Make something up,”

Keiko nods, slowly, and turns to the waiter.

“Bubble tea, please,” she says quietly and slightly distracted.

Oh. Oh you know that kind of look. You’ve gotten quite accustomed to seeing it in the mirror. Disagreeing with or talking to a voice in your head. Now might be a good time…

“Its an escape. One of the reasons I do this and don’t bring my name or the rest of my life’s baggage. Jade takes a different approach, and uses it as a perspective to vent her problems,” you take another drink as the waiter retreats and Jade shoots you a surprised and then annoyed look, “What, I totally thought that if you were bringing her here then it’d, like, because you thought your version of the lifestyle could help her too?”

“No...its not,” she tries to find her footing, “Just, you never talk about yourself,”

Shrugging you pull the straw from your now empty glass and like the last sweet distracting flavor from the bottom.

“YO!” comes a cry from behind you.

>>33423516
Three heads snap to look over your shoulder and see coming up behind you is Flowers. The older girl clinks and clicks, weighed down by excessive dayglow and metallic bracelets. Her obviously synthetic wig and low cut dayglow t-shirt completely draw eyes away from her comparatively plain if lightly bejeweled jeans. Her face and exposed skin is extremely dark, and large swaths of whites and pastes surround her eyes, some swirling in interesting and asymmetrical patterns, occasionally dotted with an applied bead or fake gem.

“Flowers!” exclaims Jade as she turns to Keiko, “Keiko, this is flowers. Flowers, this is my best friend, Keiko Sugimoto,”

“It is sooooo nice to meet you,” she’s giddy and its forced, you think she was drinking last night, and waves down the waiter before turning her attention back to the table, “Strawberry Daiquiri, Hideki-kun! Oh my god! Jade, Miki, I’ve missed you. Alright Sugimoto-san, I bring you a gift to potentially welcome you to our circle,”

She hoists from her purse a clear bag containing a heavy assortment of bracelets and bangles.

“Th-thank you,” she says tentatively while taking the bag, “Flowers,”

Hmmm...the Queen Bee is out of her element. Oh man, it’ll be so hilarious if she recognizes Teal.

>Wait for whomever comes next quietly
>Talk to Jade about something.
>Talk to Flowers about something.
>Talk to Keiko about something.
>Give orders to the Shintennou
>Use a power
>Cast a spell
>Write in

>>33423502
Both options are feeding, of a sort.

But lets place dressup and feed Miki instead,

>>33423531
>>Wait for whomever comes next quietly
Lurk

also dem text walls

>>33423668
sexy, sassy text barricades

>>33423531
Keep chatting, try to make it a group thing, talking about why they enjoy this pastime/lifestyle/fashion.
Let Keiko get more comfortable.

>>33423668
yeah, i'm not feeling the urge to do anything specific other than be sort of generally fabulous.

If we sense the force behind Keiko building up too, much, might suggest going over to her and offering calming tips, fashion advice, hand on shoulder, etc.. while working a sublte casting of Restoration,

>>33423894
This sounds good. As much as it would be peachy to put Keiko on the spot and keep her off balance, it would ultimately be counterproductive. Let's be nice and let her get comfortable.

Hmmm...looks like we've reached a 2 to 2 deadlock

FINAL DESTINATION

1. Chat up everyone and try to get Keiko comfortable
2. Lurk and observe

Reply to this post with your choice on the matter. Only the number. No punctuation, no comments, no greentext or your vote doesn't count.

Votes within the next 4 minutes will be counted.

>>33424183
1

>>33424090
Might want to hit the ladies' room put Conceal Thoughts up. With subtle magic no one should notice, but better to take that extra step. Better to give Beryl less chances to notice things, and for her to have a harder time of it when she does have a chance.

I hadn't noticed that it also conceals magic auras of spells and items on us as well before, nice.
Combined with the nondetection effect we really are a lockbox against detection.

>>33424183
1

>>33424183
1

>>33424183
1

>/tg/ not diplomancing
Come on now

Persuasion

1d20+10 DC 15

Best of 3. 1s and 20s Wild

Rolled 12 + 10

>>33424393
rollan

Rolled 17 + 10

>>33424393
Oh god, a social roll in a social situation.
We have a painful history in this field.
Get Planet Power ready.

Rolled 9 + 10

>>33424393
Rollin'

Rolled 2 + 10

>>33424393
>>33424433
Well, this is a roll as Miki, not Mikage, it could be fine.

>>33423531
>Oh man, it’ll be so hilarious if she recognizes Teal.
Can we ask what Teal's story is ahead of time?

>>33424517
Teal is Student Council President of your school, Senior Nui Takeda. She is friends with Midori, and keeps her involvement in the Ganguro scene on the down low.

>>33424552
... this... I need a moment. That hits me right in the fetish.

Rolled 12 + 10

>>33424481
congratulations, the only failing roll thus far.

Who says optimism never hurt anything

>>33424582

Okay, might I inquire as to how specifically.

I guess now that I'm thinking about it that its the prim and proper no nonsense popular girl letting her hair down for something she enjoys but finds embarrassing or would ruin her reputation.

Please elaborate.

>>33424622
Kind of hard to explain. It's this prim and proper girl like your saying having a secret wild side she tries really hard to hide.
Then forcing that "true" nature up through while she's in her public "normal" persona.

Sort of like a light mindbreak/ corruption thing I suppose.

>>33424681

Ah, thank you for clearing that up.

>>33424552
Think I need to skim through the classmate/lurk lists, I used to remember that.

>>33424681
You worry me, anon.

>27, 2 Degrees of success

Setting your straw back into your empty glass, you lean back and let Flowers and Jade talk to each other and give flowers a quick hug. Always T-shirts and blouses but never anything more daring. She already has way too many body issue in regard to her figure.

The two get into it and they seem to be edging Keiko out. It isn’t intentional, she’s the outsider. She doesn’t know the language, the scene, or the culture. She doesn’t know Center Guys, she doesn’t know the difference between Yamanba and Manba. Jade definitely coached her, but there is only so much coaching can do. You can feel her unease...and as much as you want a larger meal later...unless you just purify her again Don’t you dare. I have been waiting on this meal for days. Its mom’s arch nemesis, its a matter of family pride! you need to make her comfortable and confident.

“So, Keiko,” you begin, “What can you tell me about the differences between how Jade and I are dressed and how Flowers is outfitted,”

She seems nervous, but Jade manages to pick up on what you’re doing.

“There are no wrong answers,” Jade comforts.

Flowers sits by and the three of you listen to her observations, make a few corrections, and share the history of the mostly dead movement with her. Explaining how Flowers follows a subset of the movment that emphasizes accessories and hair, and includes extravagant makeup above the eye, while another girl who she’ll be meeting soon has a more extravagant canvas above and below. The outgrowth from the original ‘California’ girl style, and the notions of summer, fun, beaches, and the exotic.

>>33424681
Personally, I prefer reverse corruption, but I can understand where you're coming from.

>>33425434
For her part in all this, Flowers manages to take down three Daiquiris. She’s old enough, and the waiter knows her personally, so she’s been ordering the real thing while you’ve only refilled your virgin once. Keiko sips at her bubble tea between bouts of explanation and before too long you too are extremely drawn into things. And so the lot of you chat, occasionally check your phones, take a few selfies.

She falls at ease, she feels welcomed, which is good. Before too long you can see Keiko glancing to he side dismissively. Its subtle and you’re sure the others miss it. Good, she’s having fun and telling off the wicked witch in her head.

Then, flowers makes the wrong suggestion.

“You know, if we’re going for a synthetic extension or wig, I’m thinking you could rock something I’ve been unable to get right on myself,” Flowers exclaims excitedly.

“What?” Keiko asks, “You girls are the experts so I’m open to anything,”

“Well, and I’m only suggesting this because you have great posture and this royal bearing,” Flower’s words immediately darken the back of Keiko’s eyes, “so I think you could rock a synthetic wig with an off center crown or tiara,”

“Oh my god,” you exhale, “Flowers I keep telling you that’ll never work. If we get too princessy we lose the whole point of the style,”

The two of you bicker back and forth a bit, and Keiko again relaxes. Jade noticed something was wrong, but her quiet inquiry of body language is rebuffed by a gesture of assurance from Keiko, that she was okay.

Things continue like this a few minutes more until-

>>33425481
“I’ll be right back, I gotta use the bathroom,” Jade admits and heads into the cafe.

As conversation continues without her, you get a private lurk message on your phone from @juubanjade. You’ve never given out your actual phone number as Miki, just social media contacts. You didn’t want to out yourself back then, though now it might make your overarching goals easier. Nothing to decide right away, of course. It tickles you, the kind of reaction you’d get from Teal, Jade, and Keiko to your true identity…

Well, not that true identity. That’s a special place holder worst case scenario for convincing Keiko to let you help her.

-Can you meet me in the bathroom. Its important.-

Huh, why so secretive, Midori?

>Excuse yourself, you have polished off two strawberry drinks
>Message her what its about first.
>Ignore.

& if you go

>Do you want to leave a Shintennou or two to watch the table? If yes, who?

>>33425497
>Excuse yourself, you have polished off two strawberry drinks
This feels like the smart thing to do here.

>Do you want to leave a Shintennou or two to watch the table? If yes, who?
Zoicite. He'll probably dig the conversation, and we need a lookout in case something tries to shank Keiko again.

>>33425497
>Excuse yourself, you have polished off two strawberry drinks

and leave

The Couple

I shall leave myself out of this one, I think.

>>33425603
This

>>33425497
Against leaving Shintennou at the table, Beryl seems like she could notice that.
Perhaps leave Zoicite outside the bathroom and observing, he did have a knack for observing unseen (and then making commentary).

First message back to Jade to ask if she's sure she wants to leave her other friend alone out here.

If she's that set on a face-t-to-face, to the restroom we go.

>>33425603
More worried about what is in Keiko than something else, though that is a fair point as well.

<Zoisite,> you think in your own voice for a moment, <Stay at the cafe entrance and watch the table. Keep me appraised of any new developments with Beryl or any signs of Jewel Thief coming for her,>

<My Lady,> she manifests in step with you as you rise.

~I’ll be right back,~ you excuse yourself quietly and head back into the bathroom as flowers begins helping Keiko sort through the bangles.

Entering the cafe, you take familiar steps to the restroom. Inside you find Jade standing in front of the counter, staring into the wide mirror. Her phone is in her hand and she looks...concerned.

“What’s your deal today?”

~My deal, like-~

She’s closes the distance between you and is right in your face.

“You never say anything about yourself and then start about that escapism stuff today. You’re being super accommodating to my friend,” she pauses and rethinks her words, “When you’re normally more standoffish and without patience for someone not ‘getting it’ hell you had the same damn argument you’ve had with flowers last time,”

She catches her breath.

“I actually appreciated that you weren’t...being your usual self with Keiko. I’ve seen you rip newbies to shreds before. So I’m worried. I’m worried that something happened to you out there...to whoever the hell you are without the makeup. And, and I didn’t want to get into the other thing because it was selfish...but something happened with the girls I’ve been rough with at my school,”

She steps back and turns again into the mirror. She’s caught you a bit off balance here.

“And…” she hesitates, “someone tried to kill Keiko a few days ago...and its all kinda fucked up,”

>Write in

>>33426203
"Oh my god that is so totally not alright"

And here I thought we were more of the 'bubbly' one. Hm.

>>33426203
I'm having trouble phrasing what I want to say into Miki-speak.
One moment.

>>33426203
"Totes fucked yah, and, like, she is way stressed. So your friend Miki is goin' ta treat her right, like, alright?"

Basically come off like what she said wasn't a revelation.

Look thoughtful when she starts to question that and add, "Hope Teal doesn't freak though. She's almost as secretive as me, and her markup isn't nearly as good.." Wink, head out. Leave her wondering for the moment.

>>33426437
Take your time

>>33426395
Did you mean that about the general tone of her accusations or about the ending line about someone trying to kill her best friend?

File: My mom couldn't have fall(...).jpg (283 KB, 650x699)

283 KB JPG

Rolled 3 + 5

>>33426395
>>33426780

Okay, so, these are like, totally combinable and I've had nothing else so if there are no further objections...writing

And give me a deceive roll.

1d20+10

Best of 3, 1s and 20s wild

Against the DC of Jade's Insight test

>>33426203
Friend of yours is, like, totally a friend of mine, Jade. Miki does right for her friends! The claws can wait for a bit at least.

>>33426781
How does she take it?

I meant the ending line, natch, but I kinda left it open to interpretation on purpose.

Rolled 9 + 10

>>33426914
We have, like, gotta remember to bust out Conceal Thoughts way more, for sure.

Rolled 3 + 10

>>33426942
>>33426914
Can I join the combo?

>>33427043
as its all rather complimentary, the more the merrier.

Rolled 15 + 5

And a roll after the thing about Teal. DC 15 for Jade to beat.

>>33426203
I suppose it is a bit too early to admit we were there. Maybe we could hint that we've "encountered" the new senshi a bit more than he average person?

Too soon?

Random realization that male Zoicite was cross-dressing as Sailor Moon, and doing a damn believable job of it.

>>33427196
We are hinting that we know her, or where around.
Or at least are familiar with her school.

>>33426982
If she breaks this identity, it's nothing we weren't considering ourselves. And it's not like we don't have lots of others.

>>33427196
It would be funny as heck to come out as Eclipse as Miki.
Confuse all the things!

>>33427258
HA! Oh that would be great

What if it turns out Eclipse is Red Eyes, too? But we try to make it seem like Miki is not Red Eyes?

Shadowruns people! We must make the NPCs themselves have shadowruns!

>>33427464
they already have shadowruns.

All we need to do is make sure no two of them have the SAME shadowruns and we should be sorted for obfustication.

>>33427464
Do we really need to troll that hard on the people we're scouting to join our team?
Enemies, sure. Convince those fucks that the sky is only blue because OUR KEIKAKU HAHAHA, but not allies.

>>33427505

So

Kanari thinks Mikage might be Eclipse
Luna knows about Mikage being a girl like Miki
Koyomi doesn't know what to think because Drunk Luna
Rin knows Mikage is Eclipse
Aiha knows Mikage is the online Red Eyes
Do we try and get someone to think that Dan Dee is Eclipse?
Convince someone that Miki's real face is the Fujoshi?
Apply so many convoluted layers that when we finally do our reveal we can Cutey Honey it?

>>33427258
'My prince is a bubbly Ganguro girl?'
The amount of not computing..

>>33427637
>'My prince is a bubbly Ganguro girl?'
10/10 would read

>>33427591
We've got to get a firm grip on our psyche before we get that deep, but amusing ideas.

>>33427666
We'll file that next to "My Little Sister is a Goddess and she wants me to be her Paladin?!'.

>>33427591
>>33427637

~Sometimes I'm a bubbly Ganguro
Sometimes I'm a dark rescuer of fair maidens
Sometimes I'm the terror of Delinquents across Minato Ward
But the Truth is,

I'm Mikage~

>>33427818
"oh yeah, and I have, on occasion, been Sailor Moon too."

Rolled 4, 6 = 10

Checking something

>>33427818
Lets hope she remembers that.

Has mom or dad mentioned, or has it occurred to us on our own, that PIT might be watching the apparent target of a supernatural attack in a public school?

She was digging. She was trying to figure you out. They’re your friends but your will not let them pressure you into the truth. Your words are initially harsh, carrying the same accusatory weight and speed that Jade had thrown at you.

~Oh my god that is so totally not alright~

So…

Jade looks back at you from the mirror as you cross your arms and grouse before sighing and doing what you do best.

You deflect.

~It is so totes fucked yah and, like, she is way stressed,~ you smile, ~So your friend Miki is going to treat her right! Alright?~

“...” she looks down, “Thanks,”

~Oh, come on. A friend of yours is, like, totally a friend of mine, Jade. I do right by my friends! The claws can wait for a bit at least,~ you giggle and walk past her to touch up your lipstick in the mirror, ~until she puts her first outfit together for our scene. Then she’s open game,~

She laughs at that, tiredly.

“So, just going to leave things hanging about the first clue you’ve ever given about yourself?” she crosses her arms and leans against the counter besides you.

Bringing a finger to you chin you look up in a proper pantomime of ditzy thought. It takes a moment and Jade certainly looks like she’s losing patience.

~Hope Teal doesn't freak out. She's almost as secretive as me and her makeup isn't nearly as good, Keiko might see right through it,~ you muse and head out of the bathroom.

Jade’s eyes follow you for a minute confused, but as the door closes behind you there is a gasp of realization. You worry you might have given too much away. Zoisite falls in step and falls back into you, dismissing her invisible manifestation.

<My Lady, your gathering is being watched,>

>>33428597
Watched?

<A white delivery van parked in front of the coffee shop across the way when Keiko Sugimoto arrived. It shouldn’t be parked there, and in three passes it has been ignored by a parking enforcement officer,>

Odd. We’ll see if it follow them when we all part ways.

Rejoining the table, you find Keiko awkwardly fitted with the slew of bracelets she’d been gifted.

“They’re a bit heavy,”

“You get used to them,”

As you sit down, you see a shorter girl with shoulder length blonde hair, a light tan, and sporting a stylized school uniform with baggy leg warmers turn the corner and casually walk up to the table. Keiko looks up at the girl from her bubble tea and almost chokes. The girl, Teal, looks down at Keiko in surprise.

“Nui-semp-” Keiko begins, unsure.

“Please don’t finish that sentence, Sugimoto-san,” the shorter girl grumbles and sits down before sliding off her shoulder bag.

Jade comes out of the Cafe as well and begins approaching the table.

“Oh, do you two already know each other?” Flowers asks.

>Mouth ‘Called it’ to Jade
>Interject in this exchange somehow
>Greet your circle’s fearless leader
>Write in

>>33428572
>
Funny you should mention that.

And no, they haven't.

>>33428623
>>Interject in this exchange somehow
People don't want to involve their otherselves here, remember to respect that.
I have no idea how to translate that into Miki.

>>33428662
Timing is everything, it seems.

>>33428796
>I have no idea how to translate that into Miki.
by doing something to (a) get the attention of everyone else and (b) simultaneously dismissing everything else by diverting onto a tangent.

>>33428623
>>Interject in this exchange somehow
>>Greet your circle’s fearless leader
Greet Teal, make a point of introducing Teal and Jade's friend as if they have never met before. Insert reminder that people are they want to be here, not whatever otherselves they may have.
Keiko needs a fashion circle name.

>>33429396
And just keep calling her Jade's friend until she picks a name?
Could pick a name for her, dub her on the spot, but I'm not sure naming someone else's persona is kosher.

Side note, maybe we should send a Shitennou over to spy on our watchers? For some reason, I'm thinking Nephrite.

>>33429396
I kinda want to call her Beryl, but it seems rather unfair.

~Doesn’t really matter if they do,~ you say just loudly enough to make your disinterest obvious, ~Teal and I especially keep our other selves uninvolved in things here. Lets not pry after a slip up. Good afternoon Tiny Teal~

Jade rejoins the momentarily tense table. Keiko looks worried, like she’d done something wrong.

“Thank you, Miki,” Teal nods before turning back to face Keiko, “I expected you would be Jade’s friend, and I put extra work into my makeup today too, hoped you wouldn’t notice,” she laments.

You snerk. You cannot help it. That was legitimately funny. Teal’s earlier thanks turns to the evil eye as you quiet down, still suppressing a smile, at Nui Takeda’s attempts at keeping herself hidden from someone who actually knows her.

“Anyway,” she drawls and gets down to business, “Moe-chan texted me. She’ll be running a bit late so I’ll fill her in later. The event tomorrow, its next month. Tomorrow is actually a chance to coordinate with a rising young fashion designer who is designing three big collections for her second professional show exploring the fashion culture subsets of the last decade which she found most interesting,”

Flowers whistle, and begins work on her fourth slushie glass of strawberry and liqueur.

“And why are we coordinating with her?” asks Jade, in pragmatic fashion, maybe you were too hard on her earlier. And yup, she’s eyeing you suspiciously.

“Because one of those lines is based on the Ganguro Movement!” Teal exclaims and slams her hand upon the table in fire and excitement, “And she wants our opinions on her designs for it, and for us to possibly model the finished products!”

>>33429765
Silence reigns across the table, Teal is breathing heavily. As her breathing calms and she composes herself you look at the newspaper clipping she’s laid out on the table.

Its from last year. Culture section of the paper. ‘High School Freshman makes it big selling Wedding Gown Collection’. The girl, surrounded by brides in what you presume to be her own work, has long dark hair and a rather regal poise. Her uniform is familiar, you think you may have terrified a few of her classmates this morning. Like, as your mother’s daughter you totally know the world you walk in is too small for coincidences.

“This girl, Yukiko Akiyama, is the ticket to the next phase of our GLORIOUS GANGURO REVOLUTION!”

A few of the other patrons of the cafe stare at your group. Flowers claps, she might have finally gotten to her buzz. Keiko has the good sense to look embarrassed. Jade nods and practically has stars in her eyes at Teal’s moving words. You…

>Are impressed
>Are excited and are going to be totally ready for this
>Are unimpressed, but like the idea
>Have an opinion, what is it?
>Aren’t interested
>Write in

>>33429813
>>Are excited and are going to be totally ready for this
or at least, that's what Miki is going to say. Of course.

Keep an eye on that van.

>>33429813
>as your mother’s daughter you totally know the world you walk in is too small for coincidences.
of course.

>This girl, Yukiko Akiyama
>Her uniform is familiar, you think you may have terrified a few of her classmates this morning.
>“Now lets go an’ find Aki,” complains the large girl.

>>33428623
>Greet your circle’s fearless leader
While some pink haired quest heroines may feel the need to bask in their mastery of the obvious, Mikage is better than that. Probably.

>>33429813
>>Are impressed
Not sure how we feel about modeling, but certainly could be a big boon to the fashion circle and the ganguro scene.

Also:
>Yukiko Akiyama
>Aki
Maybe. Name and face to keep in mind for later.

Hm, didn't Keiko have something to do with the Drama Club?
Might point out the similarities to this sometime, as far as it being a role to play, and staying in character.

>>33429951
>Keep an eye on that van.
Aye, I'm suggesting letting a Shitennou look over their shoulder for a bit, just to see who they are, what gear they're using, etc.

So, since they aren't mutually exclusive, I will combine to a middle ground between impressed and excited.

Also, do you want to send Nephrite or one of the other Four Kings to check out the Van?

>>33430436
Nephrite because what could go wrong?

>>33430436
I suggested him before, not sure why my instincts say he's the best choice to peak over the shoulders of PIT, but hey, sometimes you've got to trust them.

>>33430436
>Also, do you want to send Nephrite or one of the other Four Kings to check out the Van?
Not while we're so close to Beryl.

>>33430537
Hm, fair point actually.
Well, we never did actually go to the rest room before. Let's axcuse ourselves for a moment and take care of both things.

You are suitably impressed. You won’t deny that. Though the idea of being a model seems intimidating, its easy to feel the bubbling excitement at being seen. Having your picture taken, being beloved, being admired.

The name, it hits you quickly. Akiyama could be the Aki that Ringo girl had been talking about. This requires further investigating...well, so much as further investigating will totally be having to wear that pale spook bitch skin again tonight. It sends a shiver down your spine; that your potential future as a model could be wrecked by her poor posture.

~This is like, really impressive Teal,~ you smile, ~I am totally excited to check this out and make a decision,~

As interesting as this all is, the presence of the van has been continuing to grate on your nerves since Zoisite pointed it out to you. An increasingly niggling feeling of upset and frustration...you could send, no. You won’t manifest them this close to Beryl, on the off chance she’ll notice. You need to be clever.

“You aren’t all in already?” Teal says, shocked.

~Well, how much does miss Yukiko actually know about the Ganguro Movement. It all depends on if she can wow us tomorrow, right,~ you rise and rub the back of your neck, ~Be right back, I think my wig needs adjusting,~

When you get to the bathroom, you notice another Lurk message from Jade.

-Do you go to my school?-

It curls your lips into a slight laughter, and you find some kind of freeing amusement that she picked up on that little hint you actually didn’t mean to drop. Hmmm...what would it be like if Miki and Mikage weren’t separated by lies and your disguise pen. Adjusting your wig, as it did need to be recentered, a single bang of pink slips out in front of your lightly lined eyes and thoroughly tanned face. Returning it and getting your focus, you manifest Nephrite.

>>33431095
~Go wide to avoid the table when we head out and tell me what you see inside the van after you’ve given them a very careful once over unless its an emergency,~ you say calmly, as Mikage and not as Miki, ~We need to be ready in case they’re part of Jewel Thief’s organization,~

<At once,> he bows.

Returning to the table, the mood has steadied and food is being ordered, finally. It becomes momentarily harder to resume Miki’s mask as you dwell on the matters at hand. Given earlier, no one really questions when you get a bit quiet, and you still manage a pleasant meal and meet up.

You all get messages from Moe. Apparently she had to flake, a friend of her’s was in the hospital.

You sit and relish this momentary peace, given the rest of your afternoon. The weight of the shadow inside of Keiko lessens, as you imagine Beryl’s will does in the face of the happiness coming from her reincarnation.

<Princess Mikage,> Nephrite returns with a certain solemnity to his voice, <They are not among Jewel Thief's allies. Rather, they are a PIT mobile surveillance unit,>

Hmmm...a bit conspicuous, but you imagine that’s mostly an issue of their budget.

<More importantly, they’ve been running everyone at this table through facial recognition software. So far, only yourself and the woman named Flowers remain without confirmed identities,>

Flowers? How would-

<The beads on her face are throwing off their matching algorithm. I suspect using the disguise pen’s ink is what keeps you hidden for now. Also, they haven’t sorted out the cellphone signals in the area yet. Too many are jumbled through an inappropriately setup public wifi network>

>>33431119
Turning off your phone, inconspicuously. You mull this over. It might be time to leave as Miki. Things are winding down, anyway, and you should be able to keep watch once out of sight until Jade and Keiko leave. You’ll need to approach them soon if you want to find a more permanent solution to Beryl.

<Though most importantly,> Nephrite concludes, <the lead officer within the Van is Naru Osaka,>

Eclipsed Moon Quest Episode 27
End

The already voted upon interlude will come with next thread.

Questions, comments, etc, you know the drill guys.

Thakn you all for playing.