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Brady coughs, eventually succeeding in his struggle to etract himself from the embrace of a very clingy Leanan Sidhe. Much to her displeasure and disappointed pout as he scrambles to catch up with you. “You’d find a better bargain just selling them to a demon. Assuming we can…well…take anything intact off of them.”

The five of you look towards the carnage in front of you, carefully stepping over offal and gore. He’s right. There’s way too many holes in the things to get any good loot. And from the amount of demon’s blood that’s splattered all over the damn clearing, you have the sinking suspicion that you’ve made a stain on the forest floor that isn’t about to get rid of itself soon.

Oh, well. Them’s the breaks. And it’s better than chemicals. All natural demon blood.

Fitz muses on his words. “Huh. You’re probably right. But if what handbook said was correct…”

“They’re only gonna trade in Macca,” You finish for her, exhaling as you holster your weapons. “Or we could just wait to get back to Central and then trade in our loot. There, you should be able to get extra funds for the Squad…”

“So what’s next, Adrian?” MacKay politely inquires. His hands absently move to reload his firearm, swapping the magazine with practiced efficiency. “Two courses of options seem available to us: reconnoiter and recover, or continue the pursuit. What do you think we should do?”

You check your watch. Almost 4 o’clock, and in the middle of the summer, it’s definitely a far cry from sundown. “We’re gonna hunt down the rest of the demons. May as well finish up before we head back to give Queen Titania our report. I don’t wanna waste another day when there’s still missing kids.”

>Squad Carina approves +3

“Okay!” Victoria sprints up to join you, pulling out a map of the suspect areas on the display of her COMP. “Then that means…either the mom and pop grocery mart, or the splotches of tainted wood in the fairy realm. The distance means that, unfortunately, we can only cover one more today. Which one should we go investigate?”

>Choose one:
>Grocery Mart
>Fairy Realm

>Roll 1d20 – 10 for Loot
>Best out of five.

Rolled 20 - 10 (1d20 - 10)

>>702445
>>Grocery Mart

Rolled 11 - 10 (1d20 - 10)

>>702445
>>Grocery Mart

Rolled 5 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>702445
>>Grocery Mart
Fairy Realm sounds like we're gonna need a full day.

>>702460
Good job!

Rolled 2 - 10 (1d20 - 10)

>>702445

Rolled 5 - 10 (1d20 - 10)

>>702445
>Grocery

>>702445
>>Grocery Mart

>>702489
Thanks anon. Got lucky.


>inb4 this was a loot rolls for the squad, Adrian finds something nice, Fitz finds something crappy, and the others find nothing.

Okay, finally finished my homework. No more distractions tonight, new 2k characters rules are in effect.

>>702562
Spot on.

Writing...

>>702664
Neat. I must continue to try and read your mind. You're thinking about.......... pizza rolls?

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>>702713
Okay, real talk? How the fuck did you know what I had for lunch??

>>702460
>>702469
>>702476
>>702493
>>702495
The choice itself is easy enough to make. “Grocery mart. The spots in the forests are scattered all over the damn place. I’d rather finish clearing out the town before we hit the woods. Exploring there sounds like an all-day thing.”

She nods. “Understood.”

“Alright,” You mutter, grimacing as you kneel in front of the corpses. “Let’s get to work.”

The five of you get to it, doing the best of your abilities to clean up the mess. The demons will dissipate quickly, but it would take years, if not centuries, before the spent brass on the ground fully breaks down. Hunting in this part of Kentucky isn’t that uncommon, but…park rangers tend to frown upon large quantities of 5.56 mm shells scattered all over the ground. Easily hundreds of them.

At least with your demons helping you out, the process doesn’t take too long, only about thirty minutes of back-breaking labor. And there’s two pieces of good news to go with it: the grocery store doesn’t close until 10 PM, and where the others found nothing of interest, you and Fitz each found something among the corpses.

“I hope have that sanitizing shit in the car, Sawbones,” Fitz grouses as she extracts a bloody stone from out of the Wendigo’s intestines. You can see clear traces of crude, white crystal. A Bufu stone, you realize. “Because if ya don’t…this ain’t gonna fun ride back.”

>Recovered 1 Bufu stone

You on the other hand have better luck, as well as the benefit of not getting your hands too dirty. A more reined white crystal, probably a…probably Bufula in the form of a stone. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg…heh, iceberg. You digress, gleefully unearthing a crude pouch tied to the end of the ice demon’s waist.

>Recovered 1 Bufula stone
>Recovered 248 Magnetite
>Recovered 500 Macca

With your weapons, body armor and loot secured firmly in the back of the car, Victoria starts the engine and pulls out of the forest. In addition to the smell of the evergreen pine air freshener, the scent of alcohol quickly fills the vehicle as Fitz vigorously scrubs her hands. Curses fly from the shotgun seat as she works on a particularly stubborn splotch of blood under her nail.

By the time you pull back into town (with the sirens off and the emergency signals inactive and hidden away), it’s about 4:45, give or take a few minutes. And any sign of chaos from your little escape out of town is gone. Although there’s a small group of people in front of the orphanage. Victoria takes care to park far away from your prior location.

“Okay, gang,” You grin, once the engine shuts itself off with a rattling clank. Less than a hundred feet to your right, the grocery store stands there, so innocuous. “Here’s how we’re gonna do this…”

>All of you go into the grocery store.
>Some go in, some stay in the car.
>Custom option.

>>702791
>Some go in, some stay in the car.

>>702791
>>Some go in, some stay in the car.

>>702791
>Okay, real talk? How the fuck did you know what I had for lunch??

College student mate at any given time there is a 75% chance of you and pizza rolls being in proximity.

>Some go in, some stay in the car.

How smug is Adrian and how jelly is Fitz?

>>702791
>Surround the store, scanning for demons while Brady checks if he can wipe the security cameras silently
I want to know if we can put all demons and humans inside asleep for a more subtle takedown. If this one goes too loud, whatever's in the Fairy Wood might not give us time to rest.

>>702791
>>Some go in, some stay in the car.
Might need to get moving fast if things go tits up.

>>702791
>>Some go in, some stay in the car.

>>702823
She makes a "tch" noise in the back of her throat before smearing her hands with sanitizer.

>Who's going into the store with you?
>Brady will be running support in the car
>Pick up to one or two to accompany you:
>Fitz
>MacKay
>Victoria

>>702862
>>Victoria
Dont think weve had any one on one with her in a while

>>702862
>>MacKay
>Fitz

>>702862
>>Victoria

The rest stay back

>>702862
Fitz

>>702862
>>Fitz
>MacKay

Vicky is our ace driver guys.

>>702862
>>Fitz

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>>702870
>>702878
>>702909
>>702973
“Fitz, MacKay, you’re with me,” You grunt, jerking your finger towards the entrance as you unstrap yourself from the seat. “Brady, you’re working security. See if you can’t canvas something out and keep us out of the feed. We’ve got Mnemosyne ready, but I don’t wanna use it if I don’t have to.”

His fingers are already clacking away on his keyboard before you finish speaking. “On it, bossman. Just gimme a second…Central is opening up a backdoor for me to get into…there. I’m in, and I’ve got security across sixteen cameras. They aren’t gonna pick up any demons, but they give us a good indication if anything’s gone to hell.”

“Nice job. Vicky, you’re the getaway driver. I want the engine to be ready in case we have to book it.”

She nods in response. “Got it. Though I’m hoping that it doesn’t come to that. With these tight rural roads, I’m not sure if I can repeat our little escape the next time around.”

Brady snorts. “Don’t sell yourself short. I saw and felt those drifts you pulled off earlier, Takumi.”

Her face scrunches up in a mixture of amusement and chagrin, and he chortles in a manner only a Brit could pull off. You raise your eyebrow at the exchange, but you decide to make nothing of it. “Alright. Now remember: it’s still daylight out. The orphanage was different due the immediate danger, but I wanna stay on the down low unless things really go to shit. Countryside towns are small, and bad news travels quickly.”

They all nod, and with that, the search begins.

>Nash’s General
>4:55 PM

Country music drones out of the overhead speakers as you grab a shopping cart, grunting at a lame wheel before you swap it out for a functioning cart. After a brief struggle, the three of you eventually push the cart into the store proper.

It’s big for a family owned store, but it doesn’t compare to the chain stores in the suburbs. You give it…eh, about two hundred by four hundred feet, no more than that. But you digress: it still shares similarities with other stores in its division of foodstuffs by the typical aisles: breads, frozen foods, etc.

“Start scanning,” You whisper as you grab a pack of “4th of July Special Soda” off a pile of drinks. “Fitz, you said it was here, but you weren’t able to get a clear reading on it?”

She replies with a nod, even as she tosses a bag of beef jerky into the cart. “That’s right.”

“Good. And...I guess we can dip into the acquisitions funds if push comes to shove to maintain our cover.” You frown as Fitz gleefully reaches for more beef jerky. “Don’t overdo it.”

MacKay chortles as he fires up his COMP. “Of course.”

>Roll 3d100 +25
>Best of three
>Rolling for Adrian, Fitz, MacKay

Rolled 2, 52, 95 + 25 = 174 (3d100 + 25)

>>703026

Rolled 81, 88, 97 + 25 = 291 (3d100 + 25)

>>703026

Rolled 10, 89, 84 + 25 = 208 (3d100 + 25)

>>703026

>>703036
>>703058
yeesh

>>703037
yay a good roll set

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>>703037

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>>703036
>>703037
>>703058
>105, 114, 123
“Scanner’s picking something up,” the priest frowns, adjusting the dial on his COMP as his earpiece begins to chip in alarm. “It’s faint, though. Really faint. Whatever made it went through a great deal of trouble to try and obscure it.”

That doesn’t sound good, and Fitz definitely agrees. “It’s smarter than the other mooks we fought.”

“Or they,” You add. “Remember? Six pages, six summoning circles. We killed four, so there’s two left, and I’m hoping that they’re both here. My scan can’t tell…hmm….MacKay, are there any sort of differences, variations in the signatures?”

His eyebrows furrow as he fiddles some more with his phone. “Yes. I can confirm two definite sources of magnetite, both which…here, follow me.”

You make your way through the winding aisles and tables of fruit. A quick account of the customers in the store puts at least thirty, maybe forty depending on how long you’re gonna stay. It’s the day before the 4th of July, and with sales this low, there’s a whole lot of people coming in to take advantage of it. God knows your mother would, with five mouths to feed.

Your grip on the shopping cart tightens as a girl and her parents pass by, easily the age of Katherine. All the more important to quickly put an end to the case. No more victims, no more missing children.

MacKay’s tracks quickly take you to a section of the store sequestered in a quiet corner in the back. A cooling room, presumably for other cold commodities that didn’t do so well in proper freezers. Vegetables dominate the shelves, as well as chilled meat, and the moisture coming out of the little nozzles douses the three of you in a fine mist.

“Dead end?” Fitz raises an eyebrow. “Because it’s so small, I can’t even see anythin’…”

The priest shakes his head. “No. Take a look. Here.”

He holds up his COMP for the two of you to see. The screen lines up directly with your vision, marking the faint trails of magnetite, one orange, one blue, that lead into the cooling room. There, they disappear underneath a door, one that’s locked and read “EMPLOYEES ONLY” in big, bold, black letters.

Fitz curses. “Shit. Now what?”

"Indeed, your frustration is mutual," MacKay grimaces, shutting off his COMP. "I'm afraid that while I am skilled in shop, my talent does not extend to picking locks."

>Come back later tonight when the store is closed and you can take your time.
>Force the lock open with the aid of your demons. Time is of the essence.
>Use Task Force authority and confront the owners. A last and desperate measure.
>Custom option.

>>703180
>>Come back later tonight when the store is closed and you can take your time.

Have Brady surveil it.

>>703180
>>Custom option.
Wait until tonight but do a stake out in shifts. Make sure those two aren't going anywhere or do anything.

>>703180
>>703207
I'll back this.

>>703207
>>703180
This

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>>703200
>>703207
>>703220
>>703283
You put your thumb to the earpiece in your ear. “Brady, I’ve got a locked door in a cooling room. Are there any cameras in there? The magnetite trail leads in there.”

There’s a burst of static that precedes his reply. “Sorry, not picking up anything. I got a camera outside in the loading dock where I think it leads to where you’re standing at, but nothing’s there except for rubbish disposal. And an employee smoking on his break.”

You grunt. “Copy that. We hit a dead end, so we’re gonna have to pull out prematurely. Oh, stop laughing, you know what I meant. Okay, we’ll be back in a few. Make some room in the car, because we got groceries to carry.”

>>The Car

“The lock itself isn’t that much of a problem,” You say, “It’s the presence of other people that worries me. As much as we wanna go in guns blazing, demons out and end the problem once and for all…”

Victoria tilts her head. “I would think that Commander Alger would have an aneurism if we did that.”

“Not to mention collateral damage. We’ve already the orphanage on the bill, and I have no desire to add an entire building as well.”

“Then what do you suppose we do?” MacKay frowns, shooting a glance towards the grocery store. “It doesn’t settle well with me to just leave when we’re standing at the enemy’s threshold.”

You nod. “That’s right. It turns out that we may have good use for these groceries after all. Hey, Fitz, you were a cop. I don’t think Alger really went into training us on how to do urban stakeouts.”

From her reclined position against the seat, she grunts, sitting up with a bag of beef jerky in her hands. “Stakeout, huh?” She grins into the rear mirror. “Alright, what d’ya have in mind?”

“General surveillance. Just checking out the store to make sure no demon gets in or out for the entirety of the day until we get to night. I don’t want those two leaving the premises. Assuming they’re there.”

She snorts. “With our luck, they probably aren’t, but…stakeout. Huh. And you said ‘until night’?”

“Yeah. We’re observing first before making our move. In shifts, though. I think the store closes at 10. Five hours in the car watching and…well, doing whatever to pass the time.”

(cont.)

The five of you muse on that information, with Brady in particular muttering about legs falling asleep. It’s broken with Fitz tapping Victoria on the shoulder. “Start the car, Vicky.”
“Hmmm?” She frowns in confusion. “How come?”

“Stationary targets and repeated patterns draw attention. ‘specially in our monster of a Cadillac. And some folks are gonna have to get out for a street survey. Two or three in the car is fine. Four is pushin’ it. Five is a big no-go. Really fuckin' suspicious, even if you ain't a cop.”

The reasoning is sound enough. Patting your belt for the concealed weapon, you glance towards the store once more. “If that’s the case, then…we can have three in the car, two on the streets. One to protect our support units, two as frontline scouts and assault.”

“Yeah, I was hoping you’d do that,” Brady interjects, a wry look on his face. “I’m not exactly frontline material, and I certainly can’t operate the system on the streets.”

“Fair enough,” You concede. “And that leaves…”

Fitz grins as she drapes an arm over Victoria. “I’m a cop, remember? Cadillac’s bigger than a patrol car, but I think I can still put the pedal to the metal if push comes ta shove.”

You blink. “Right. Then I’ll be going out on the streets on the first shift. We'll rotate...every hour and a half, I guess. Okay, you’re gonna be my backup, alright? Let’s try to keep a low profile while we're out there...”

>Fitz.
>MacKay.
>Victoria.

Getting sleepy, but I can run all weekend. Will type up half of the next response now, the next half later.

>>703381
>Fitz.

Can't help it. I like her more than everyone else by far.

>>703381
>>Victoria.

>>703381
>>Fitz.
She's literally the only person we haven't had a PoV from.

>>703381
>Victoria
Let's get her perspective on these demons

>>703393
>>703381
What he said.

Need some variety.

>>703381
>Fitz.

Fitz's needs more love.

>>703381
>Fitz

>>703381
>Victoria.

>>703381
>Fitz

>>703381
>>MacKay.
Go full Buddy Cop Movie with him. All the Bantz.

>>703381
>Fitz

Kaz is dead

>>704550
At least he's not as dead as Brine.

>>704997
Hey now brine was just running! He only just died like 2 minutes ago

>>704997
Uh...you sure about that?

You might want to check the catalog.

>>705009
>>705012
That's not Brine. That's his zombified corpse repeating the motions it went through in life.
Totally different.

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This is probably my fault, but I meant for the question to be “who’s coming with you into the field for street patrol”…but oh well. I suppose I can integrate both a brief shift and make it work. Somehow. Yey.

========
>Fitz Approves +3

“I can see you starin’ at them, Sawbones,” You mutter in a deadpan, eyebrows quirked in a sardonic expression. “If ya want some, all ya gotta do is ask. I ain’t above sharin’, ‘specially with the team leader.”

Adrian shakes his head, a friendly but tight smile on his face as the two of you round a street corner. “No, it’s not that. It’s just that particular brand you just opened is quite…strong.”

He’s got a point there. The flavor itself is only second to how rancid the smell of the jerky is. Not a bad smell seeing as it’s a fresh pack. It’s just one that gives the impression of being liberally drenched in barbecue sauce.

“Think so?” You frown, squinting at the ingredients list. Chemical after chemical, artificial flavors and preservatives, nothing in particular stands out from regular, year-round jerky. “I personally think that it’s just a step above the rest. Still weak compared to what I’m used to eatin’ over the summer.”

That fact alone almost makes him trip on the curb. “I think I would be breathing fire at that point,” He admits, rubbing the back of his head. “I mean, I thought you’ve got a preference for seafood?”

“Good seafood, Sawbones,” You correct him, “Not that half-cooked, breaded shit you get in fast food joints. And sure, crabs are a favorite, but…” You pause, musing on something as you squint at him with new consideration. “You said you’re from Maryland , right? Upstate?”

He nods. “Yeah. Montgomery County.”

You smirk. “Then you wouldn’t know real barbecue if it bit ya on the ass. It takes a good flavor north of D.C. to match up to the stuff I’m further used to down south.”

He makes that "hm" noise in the back of his throat, the kind that people make when they've only understood something for the first time. “I thought you lived in Northern Virginia.”

“Lots of my relatives live down South of the Bible Belt. Even got an out-there relations who lives in Florida. And yeah, I know the rumors. Somehow, the guy's in one piece in spite of all the crazy shit that happens there."

You chose to leave out the detail where he almost died.Though it'd only been by a close hair with the incident of the rubber crocodile, transvestite hooker and the tuning fork. That was a story that had never made the news. For good reasons.

(cont.)

>>705367
>hat was a story that had never made the news. For good reasons.
Bitch please that didn't make the news cuz it's too routine

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>>705367
“I’ve lived most of my life in Maryland,” He says, gesturing to a little outdoor deli café right at the corner of the southern edge of the grocery store. The unspoken question passes from his eyes to yours, and you make the slightest of nods before the two of you take a seat. “Furthest I’ve ever been to south is North Carolina, but yeah. You guys seem to have a good idea of what flavors work and which ones don’t.”

Your smirk widens as you open up a menu. Flipping through the pages reveals a selection of sandwiches, soups and other light spreads. “Damn right we do. What we lack in high dinin’ and fancy spreads, we more than make up for with homemade food. And we don’t charge up the asshole for unpronounceable meals.”

As the two of you exchange banter, you once again settle into the role of an observer, recalling the lessons from the Academy about how to properly hold a steakout…fuck. Stakeout. STAKE. OUT. Damn, it really has been a long time since you’ve had something fresh off the grill. That actually lived up to your high standards.

Your muffled snort catches him off guard. “Something I said?” He asks, setting down his menu.

“Nah,” You chuckle, waving off the worried look on his face. “Just me bein’ an idiot is all. Funny thought crossed my mind. Nothin’ to do with you.”

Adrian’s uncertainty gives way to a professional smile. “Glad to hear it. Okay, so you gonna order anything?”

“Soup, probably. Not that hungry, and I don’t want to fight on a full stomach if shit hits the fan.”

“Fair enough,” He concedes, reaching into his pocket for his COMP. Opening it up on the table, he fiddles with a series of dials and displays before aiming it at the direction of the grocery store. A high-pitched whine momentarily fills the air as the scanning tool takes aim and starts to analyze the exit of the family mart. “But take it slow. We’ve still got forty minutes left on our shift, and I wanna draw our stay here as long as possible.”

You snort, even as a waitress comes to take away your menus and scrawl down your orders on a bit of paper. “Really, huh? You’re just usin’ that as an excuse to make this a second date,” You grin at him, half-joking, half-serious, and all kinds of self-loathing. You do a good job of letting nothing slip.

Tough in hindsight, it probably wasn’t best for you to say that as he was sipping on complimentary water. It takes a moment for him to regain control and force the water down the correct pipe before frowning at you.

“You said it yourself today, as well as back in Delaware," Adrian slowly intones, "Something about the art of the stakeout being observant without attracting too much attention to yourself. Pay attention to your surroundings, blend into the environment?”

(cont.)

>>705494
Fritz is best girl.

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>>705494
Holy shit. You whistle, low and impressed, and quickly eager to get off that ill-timed joke before things get uncomfortable. You’re not gonna be the one to ruin the good atmosphere. “Damn. You made my lesson sound friggin’ professional. Artistic even.”

“Habit of mine. Took some creative writing classes on the side while I was in pre-med. I like me my long, flowery descriptions,” He drawls in a sarcastic tone of voice, tempered by the wry grin on his lips. “Helped me bullshit my way through all my composition classes and a few medical papers.”

“No kiddin’, huh? But yeah, that’s all there is to the stakeout. Good job on rememberin’.”

“It also helps that I remember you eating more than I did on that day.”

“Oh fuck off,” You grin. “Those crabs were really good, though. Reminds me of…”

Upon retrospection, you’re secretly glad that the ringing cut you off before you could finish your sentence. That’s a whole different ballpark than just taking the piss with, admittedly, one of your better friends. Not time yet, needs more. Especially around this time of year.

The ringtone is shrill and obnoxious, briefly startling the two of you with it abruptness. You’re quick to shake it off, looking to Adrian. “That your phone or mine?”

“Definitely not mine,” he assures you, keeping an eye on his COMP as he touches his pants pocket. “I don’t use the default tone. Probably yours, then.”

And just like that, your good mood evaporates faster than spit on a hot sidewalk.

Ter-fuckin’-iffic. The amount of numbers on your phone can be counted with four pairs of hands. And out of that cluster, there’s only a handful of them who’d have the stones to call you while you’re on the clock. Most know better than to bother you when you’re working, even before you joined on with the Task Force.

Setting down your COMP, you reach into your pocket, fumbling with other miscellaneous junk before you finally manage to grab hold of your actual cell phone. So, who’s come knockin’ this time? It takes a moment for you to pull up the screen, and another for your hands to adjust the brightness so you can actually see something.

>Mrs. Warrens, Mobile
>Accept, Decline?

The corner of your lip twitches, and you hit the Decline button without a second thought. You bring your attention back to the task on hand, once again aiming your COMP to scan the streets surrounding the grocery store. Not in the mood. Definitely not in the fucking mood…

“Hey, Fitz?” Adrian looks at you, concern visible on his face. “You alright?”

It takes you a moment to realize that your face is contorted into a scowl. “Oh, ah…nothin’, Sawbones. Just a telemarketer. Must’ve gotten my number somehow. You know how those bastards are-”

The phone rings again, this as a text notification. With a sigh that degenerates into an irritated snarl, you reach back for your phone. Okay, who’s the asshole this time…

(cont)

>>705494
>all kinds of self-loathing

Is she on the "fritz" for Adrian, Kaz?

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>>705558
>From: Abby
>I know you’re looking at this. Please respond.
>You know how Mom gets when you’re on ignore mode.

Your hostility evaporates, and you quickly take on an air of great reluctance as you unlock your phone. Fuckin’ hell. You really can’t say no to her, can you?

“Hold on, do ya mind?” You wave at Adrian. “I actually gotta take this. Shouldn’t be more than a few minutes.”

He blinks, momentarily surprised at the change of heart, before nodding. “No, of course. Considering the fact that nothing’s been happening for the last forty-five minutes, I think you can take a break. Scanner’s gonna pick something up if anything happens. I’ll let you know when things get interesting. And when our food comes.”

It takes a moment for you to recover from his playful jab before you give him a smile. Not a crooked, twisting smirk, but an honest to good one without any teasing intent. “Thanks, Adrian.”

Briefly angling your chair away from your squad leader, you unlock the phone and begin typing back a response. Your fingers clack against the screen, bringing words to the screen as fast as you can, a habit born out of constantly being rushed.

>Fitz: What is it? I told you.
>Fitz: You guys can’t call me while I’m working.
>Abby: Someone call Guinness.
>Abby: You actually responded in less than six hours
>Fitz: Yeah, that’s real cute. Real cute.
>Abby: Oh, you know me.
>Abby: Always looking to shit up your day.
>Fitz: Yeah, and you’re doing a really good job at that.
>Fitz: But…how are you doing?
>Abby: Good, all things considered.
>Abby: Finally got clearance for senior research projects.
>Abby: The board was being stingy with their grants.
>Fitz: Told you. Ya gotta stick it to ‘em. Don’t give up.
>Abby: Thanks for that. But that’s not what I wanna talk about.
>Fitz: Alright, shoot.
>Abby: Independence Day is coming up soon.
>Abby: Tomorrow, as a matter of fact.
>Abby: Mom wants to know if you’re gonna come down to celebrate.
>Fitz: …
>Fitz: Can’t. Sorry. Pulling an extra shift at the job.
>Fitz: I’m in the field right now. Out of state, even.
>Abby: Out of state? Where the hell are you right now?
>Fitz: Kentucky, if you need to know.
>Abby: The hell are you doing in Kentucky?
>Fitz: My job.
>Abby: Right, that…new job of yours. Because, what was it…
>Abby: A pharma Company? What exactly do they have you doing again?

Your eyes flicker to Adrian, munching on a bread stick.

>Fitz: Bodyguard, security detail, private consultant. I already told ya.
>Abby: You didn’t tell us anything. You never tell us anything.
>Fitz: Watch it.
>Abby: Okay, fine. But in all seriousness…
>Abby: I’m glad you found a job that you’re actually happy with.
>Fitz: What gives you that impression?
>Abby: You’d be telling me to fuck off at the start.
>Fitz: Look, I…just…okay, I’ll call you guys later. Just not now, alright?
> Abby: I’m holding you to that, sis.
>Fitz: Yeah…alright.

(cont.)

>>705666
Going to guess Mrs. Warrens is Fitz's stepmom?

>>705666
It’s with a subdued expression that you shut your phone off and put it back into you pocket. The food’s already there, your tomato soup steaming hot from its bowl. Adrian’s already dug into his sandwich, wolfing down the cold cuts with no small amount of gusto. You quietly snort to yourself as you pick up your spoon, ready to join him in an early dinner.

But before you can even get a bite, he catches your expression. Frowning, he sets his sandwich down and scoots closer into the table. “Hey, you alright?” You blink as he waves a hand in your face. “Looked like you spaced out for a moment. Feeling okay?”

You only need a second to clear your throat. “Yeah, yeah…I’m fine, Sawbones,” You brush him off, flashing a confident smirk that doesn’t completely reach your eyes. “Nothing to worry about. Just some minor shit to take care of. Shouldn’t bother us for the rest of the mission.”

The tomato soup is a sharp contrast to the jerky. A contrast that you definitely find no small amount of comfort in.

I got a hot date, but I'll be back in a few hours to resume the thread. When I do, shit's gonna hit the fan.

>>705709
well good luck on your date man.

>>705709
>Descartes.png

Also we are 2 away fro Best friend level with Fitz. Mackay is at 125, Brady is at 98, Victoria at 109

>>705899
Gotta hang out with our resident Brit sometime.

And not do Demon fusion near him.

>>705906
yeah, Maybe talk about 4chan.

Kaz is kill

>>708708
Probably did too many 'physically exhausting' things with his date and is passed out.

File: Tj5sn7V.jpg (42 KB, 640x480)

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>10:23 PM
When shit finally decided to hit the fan, it was when the store had been closed for an hour, and with two rotations and five cups of Starbucks later.

It starts small, with the mobile vibrating on the coffee table that you and Fitz have seated yourselves at. At first, you think that it’s just someone texting you, just like earlier with your partner. It actually takes the words “MAGNETITE SIGNATURE DETECTED” to flash up on the screen to snap you out of a half-remembered daydream.

“I’ve movement on the scanner!” Your voice is as sharp as whipcord, crackling through the headpiece with both urgency and alarm. On the central display of your COMP, what you thought was a minor blip or malfunction turns out to be a mobile target. The computer struggles to point a firing solution on the target; it moves that fast. “You guys in the car getting this?”

MacKay is quick to return. “It’s faint, but we’re also picking it up. It’s coming from your end, or at least in your direction. Brady, do you see anything?”

“Can’t see anything on the cameras,” The hacker retorts, and you can hear his fingers frantically depressing the keyboard even over the comm. “Told you, it won’t be able to pick up demons. Wait…no, I’m getting something. Blowing up Camera feed number fifteen.”

The two of you crowd together to your COMP’s screen, where Brady’s projecting the image of the rear security camera. Objects previously motionless, errant pieces of trash and bags of garbage, are suddenly blown aside, as if a gust of wind had knocked them aside.

For a moment, you thought that you saw something, just in a single frame of the video. “Brady, rewind a couple of frames. Keep going…keep going…there! Freeze and enhance the still.”

The still that you freeze on does not contain the image of a demon. No, in the upper right-hand corner of the image, what appears to be two small figures being dragged by the scruff of their neck. The image is only there for a single frame, not even more than a millisecond and easily something that would be overlooked by a conventional guard. But there’s no mistaking what the image would have been.

It's that quick. Somehow, the apparition manages to get right past the locked door without as much as a single second of hesitation. The faint outline of something is there for the briefest of instants, and it's gone in the next as if it had never existed.

“Shit. Whatever the fuck it is, it’s got another kid,” Fitz hisses, pushing herself up from her seat, coffee all forgotten as she grabs you. “To hell with subtle! We gotta go in, now, Sawbones!”

>Everyone deploy for a hot entry.
>Just you and Fitz on this one.
>Keep it subtle, enter quietly.
>Custom option.

>>709031
>>Custom option.
Fitz and Adrian immediately pursue. The others each take other exits/entrances and advance into the grocery keeping this thing surrounded and contained. We don't want it escaping.

Anyone that has Sukunda have it ready to use on the first hostile we see.

>>709031
yeah, I'm with the other anon.

Take 2 entrances, seal up the rest before entry. Have Sleep and Sukunda on hand to stop them in their tracks, and at least if we hit the kid we'll just spare him from some trauma.

Seal up windows/doors with Bufu/Bufu stones, just to be sure AND fast about it.

>>709047
>>709155
I'll support this

>>709047
>>709155
Supporting

>>709047
>>709155
Backing

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>>709047
>>709155
>>709532
>>709570
>>709582
You nod sharply. “Alright, let’s go!”

Charging in without external body armor and only a concealed sidearm as your weapon would’ve been ill-advised in any other situation. But then again, you don’t have enough time to properly get into your digs, and the Kevlar undershirt should protect from the worst of the scrapes. Not to mention that you’ve got healing magic to stave off the worst of any sort of attack.

You continue to bark out orders as the two of you rush across the street. “MacKay, take Victoria and secure the front entrance of the store. We’ll take the rear and try for a breach. Have debuffs ready, I don’t want this thing getting away. Brady, we need the alarm system shut off, and the cameras on loop.”

They acknowledge your commands, each scrambling for their respective equipment and weapons. By the time you and Fitz reach the rear of the store, your earpiece chirps as everyone confirms their positions. The two of you draw your sidearms, with Fitz on point as you drop into a classic breach position. Everyone’s ready and in place. Just one more thing, though…

Your fingers dance along the interface of your COMP. “MacKay, Vic, have your demons use Ice magic to seal up the windows. Its primary escape route would probably be the main entrance given how easy it would be to just bust out the windows. We’ll funnel the bastard into a chokepoint and tie the noose around him.”

“Got it./Yes, sir!” They respond.

With Lham Dearg out of commission, Fitz only has Apsaras to call upon. Not that it seems to be impeding her in the slightest. It takes a quick nod from you, and she commands her demon to the work on the industrial lock. Permafrost clings to the exterior of the metal as crystalline structures flash freeze the metal, turning it brittle, fragile, easily breakable.

>Which demons do you summon? (Up to two)
>High Pixie
>Gryphon
>Angel

>>709828
>>High Pixie
Generally good in all situations

>Angel
Has Sukunda and Bufu for locking this thing down.

Also Gryphon might be too big for inside a building.

>>709828
High Pixie and Angel

>>709828
>High Pixie
>Angel

File: The Freezer.jpg (67 KB, 615x461)

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>>709875
>>709909
>>709939
High Pixie and Angel appear in a burst of light, waving and politely bowing to you, respectively. After a quick appraisal of the situation, they fall into line behind you. High Pixie’s face is the livid fury of one who delights in the happiness of children, a sharp contrast to the smoldering, righteous anger on Angel countenance. Both of them are rearing for action, pinions and wings trembling with barely restrained anger, anticipation.

“Ready?” You whisper to Fitz, who nods in response. “On my signal, count of three. One…”

Fitz hits the safety of her gun, shoulders braced against the door.

“…two…”

Apsaras backs away from the lock, now little more than a fragile mechanism.

“THREE!”

Rearing back, Fitz kicks the door directly at the latch, driving the heel of her foot at the breakpoint in a well-practiced motion. The lock shatters under the pressure, metal shards flying into the air as the door slams open under the force of her kick. In an instant, the two of you and your demons move into the rear of the store, sweeping past crates of foodstuffs as you clear one area to the next.

The COMP on your wrist chirps and hums as it tracks the path that the demon took, a twisting trail that leaves only the barest traces of itself. But it’s enough to follow, and the two of you make swift tracks following it to where it ends: the freezer.

To your surprise, the lock is absent, just lying there on the floor. You exchange looks before advancing cautiously, taking up positions on opposite sides. Beyond the perpetual drone of the cooling room’s AC, you can hear…something. Something inside of the room.

Two…no, three voices. A pair of distressed, high-pitched moans that sets a grim contrast to the distorted baritone of the demon. Your position offers a better vantage point than Fitz’s and you squint through the crack in the door, and into the freezer proper, and the blood in your veins turns to ice.

In addition to crates of frozen goods, at least a dozen carcasses of cows, pigs and other animals hang from hooks atop the ceiling. No doubt in preparation for the organic butcher at the front of the store. But that is not all that hangs.

You count at least seven children, morose and unresponsive as they hang similarly to the meat. It is a tender mercy that their bonds are chains that wrap around their wrists, as opposed to meathooks that dig into tender, yielding flesh. Their lips are blue and their skin is white, and for a dreadful moment, you think that they’re all dead. But no, you can see that they shiver slightly, and the mist that their breath creates in the cold atmosphere of the room.

(cont.)

>>710107
Once this thing is dealt with we are going to need Hua Po in here ASAP to warm these children up.

Also I am going to go off on a limb here and say this demon likes the cold so we should probably not use Bufu. Thankfully Angel has Zan.

File: Shiwanna.jpg (42 KB, 496x736)

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>>710107
You can hear your demons gasp in horror, and it takes a sharp and pointed grip on Fitz’s shoulder to prevent her from charging in. There’s fire in her eyes, and the snarl that her mouth is twisted into is enough to give you pause.

But it does not last. In any other situation, you would be the first to one to go. As it stands, your instincts as a medical student are kicking in, screaming at you to administer basic treatment to counter frostbite and hypothermia. Yet your concern and Fitz’s temper are only stopped by the sound of the demon’s voice.

In the center of the room, two children clutch each other in unmitigated fear, trembling from both the cold and terror as the demon advances upon them. It’s almost formless, blending into the mist that the atmosphere creates. It’s shape is of a man, but all similarities stop there, as it hovers above the ground with half of its skull missing.

“Know that I do not do this out of malice, children of the paleface,” It intones, extending a translucent hand towards them. The limb hums with magic power, as it draws something from out of the children, who visibly stagger and collapse to the ground. Magnitite, your COMP informs you. The demon is harvesting magnitite from the kids. “I will make it painless. It will be like dreaming, slumbering. You have nothing to fear under my ministrations.”

>Surprise round guaranteed.

>Your plan of attack is…
>Magical Attacks
>Buffs/Debuffs
>Custom option.

>You will prioritize…
>Killing the demon.
>Rescuing the kids.

>Call for backup?
>Yes.
>No.

>>710169
>Buffs/Debuffs
>Killing the demon.
>Yes.

>>710169
>>Custom option.
High Pixie uses Zio. We are hoping for Shock here so we have more openings to rescue the kids.

Angel and Apsaras uses Sukunda to slow him down.

>You will priortize
Have Adrian go toe to toe with the demon since his forces are at full strength.

Have Fitz prioritize the kids. Have her get them out of there as soon as she gets an opening.

>Call for backup?
>Yes.
Get Mackay and Hua Po here ASAP.

>>710209
I'll back this.

>>710209
Sure lets do this

>>710209
This has my support

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>>710203
>>710209
>>710216
>>710229
>>710279
“MacKay, Vic, get in here now,” You hiss into your earpiece. “Situation’s more dangerous than we thought. Nine civilians in immediate danger of frostbite and hypothermia, and I need all the help we can get. As soon as we’re done, I want Brady to call 911. These kids need hospitalization immediately.”

You turn to your partner. “Lham Dearg is down, so you get the kids. I’ll keep the demon off your back since my demons are at full strength.”

She nods, holding out her hand towards you in the universal “give me” gesture. “Swap pieces with me.”

“Huh?”

Rolling her eyes, she pops out the magazine of her gun, revealing the Fire rounds stacked inside. “Call it a hunch, but I got a feelin’ that this sunofabitch is weak to fire. Bastard lives in a freezer, right?”

Can’t argue with that logic, you suppose, and you swap guns and ammunition with her. The grip of her Sig Sauer is still warm from where she held it in a white-knuckled grip, as you go through the motions of holding and weighing it in your hands. With the exchange complete, the two of you nod, once again taking up breaching positions. This time, you’re on point.

“Three…” You begin, grabbing the handle of the door. “Two…one…now!”

You throw your shoulder against the door, slamming it wide open to crash against the opposite end of the wall. The demon breaks away from the children, startled as you put it right between the sights of Fitz’s gun. “Debuffs, now!”

Apsaras and Angel sing, intoning in Ancient Hindu and the Celestial tongue as they cast their magic. Two waves of power wash over the demon, who staggers under the combined might of the debilitating spell. The option of slapping another hex on the bastard is always open, but as it stands, it’s more than enough to ensure that most of your attacks are gonna hit. As well as severely hindering its escape.

>The demon takes -20 to Hit/Evasion.

“Get him with the lightning!” You call to High Pixie, firing three shots at the demon. The fire rounds trace a hot path of read through the air before burying themselves in their target. It roars in pain, thrashing as the bullets burn within its body. Guess the bastard wasn’t as translucent as you thought he was.

Ozone fills the air as your demon discharges a blast of electrical power. It strikes the demon, sending little branches of electricity coruscating along its body, struggling to fight against the magic that causes its limbs to spasm, jerk and convulse…

>Roll 1d100 for Shock
>Best out of three

Rolled 56 (1d100)

>>710306

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>710306
zap

>>710306

>>710357

Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>710306
>>710357
>>710400
i got this bro

Rolled 79 (1d100)

>>710306

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>710357
>>710400
For fucks sake phone kept capitilaizing this shit

File: Purple Smoke.gif (476 KB, 500x264)

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>56, 70, 49
The demon’s limbs lock up, twitching in place as it struggles to move. Alas, its efforts are in vain, and all that its struggling accomplishes is slight shifts in its airborne position.

Fitz doesn’t need to take the hint. Her legs push off from the ground in a sprinter’s run, and she moves as fast as she can to the two kids crumpled underneath the demon. With a grunt of exertion, she reaches down to grab them under her arms, holding them in a protective embrace as she sprints out of the room. The demon’s eyes flash with rage at the sight of her flight, before turning to you with those baleful eyes.

“Wrong move, bucko,” You growl, once more putting the demon in front of the sights of Fitz’s gun. Three shots ring out, and three superheated slugs enter into the demon. In spite of the paralysis that afflicts its body, it can still scream behind a jaw tightly clenched together. “Two more debuffs.”

>The demon suffers a -40 to Hit/Evasion

Footsteps at the door alert you to the presence of your squad. In Fitz’s place, MacKay and Victoria have come to the entrance of the room. Their eyes and mouths widen in shock at the horrible sight, before they fill with cold determination. Gremlin and Tangata Manu hover behind Victoria, while Hua Po and Knocker stride about MacKay’s feet.

“It’s weak to Fire!” You call to them, even as you direct Pixie to blast the demon once more with lighting. They nod in response, drawing their own firearms and shouting orders to their demons. “Hit him while he’s paralyzed and grab some more kids!”

Knocker and Gremlin move in, striking the demon with the most powerful blows they can muster. Needles fire out from Tangata Manu’s hands, even as Hua Po conjures a small ball of fire. With a determined cry, the Chinese spirit lobs it at the demon, who shrieks again as the conflagration bursts along its body.

Their owners are not so subdued either. MacKay and Victoria rush to the nearest children, a girl and boy no more than eight, and quickly work to release them from the chains. It takes only a few moments to unravel the links from their wrist before they’re free, limply falling down into MacKay and Victoria’s arms. And as their demons continue to assault the demon, they quickly take their exit, rushing the children out of the room.

>There are five children left.

With a guttural roar, the demon breaks free of the paralysis, and the air grows colder as it moves closer towards you. “Ignorant mortals!” The demon snarls, as purple mist begin to gather in its hands. “Know that it was you who forced my hand!”

It thrusts its hand out, and a jet of purple smoke billows out of its palm. Enveloping you and your allied demons, you grunt as the impact physically staggers you, as if you’d been punched. Fear begins to cloud your senses, and your instincts scream at you to flee, to run from this embodiment of nature’s wrath.

>Roll 1d100 + 30 to resist Panic.
>Best of three.

Rolled 31 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>710620
XCOM Rookie time.

Rolled 61 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>710620

Rolled 88 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>710620

>>710650
No fear here.

>>710633
>>710639
>>710650
You shake it off, stumbling in place before you find yourself and right your balance. Unfortunately, some of the demons with you can’t say the same. High Pixie flies circles in the room while Knocker stumbles about like a drunkard, tripping over a hyperventilating Gremlin. But that’s alright. The squad’s one fire demon is still up for the fight, as she and the rest of the group take up positions once more.

“You will pay for interfering!” The demon rumbles, rearing its head back as magic floods through its body. Its skin become more pronounced, translucent flesh giving way to toned muscle that spoke of physical prowess and strength. “I will destroy you all in the name of my master!”

>The demon used Tarakuja!
>The demon used Charge!

Shit.

In this tight space, little more than ten by fifteen feet, there’s not much in the way of maneuvering around or dodging. Not to mention that as long as you’ve got firearms in your possession, there’s still a risk of hitting the kids, no matter how good of a shot you are. Of course, the option would be just to stick to purely physical attacks, but that would just drag out the fight, on top of making it harder.

Then again…

Your peripheral vision flickers to the exit of the freezer, beyond the cooling room and into the space beyond. Taking it into the main area of the store certainly would let you have some space to breathe. But the collateral damage…your mind flashes to the photos taken of Murdock’s boathouse in the wake of the first case. It isn’t gonna be pretty when the fight’s over.

Dammit.

>Drag it out into the main store.
>Keep the fight in the freezer.
>Custom option.

>>710870
>>Drag it out into the main store.
Honestly the kid's safety > some property damage.

>>710870
>>Drag it out into the main store.

>>710870
>Keep the fight in the freezer.
We're gonna have enough to explain to the paramedics and cops already lets not add demons or a mind wipe to it

>>710899
We don't need to be here when the paramedics show up. Stabilize the kids and then leave them for the paramedics while we disappear into the Fairy Kingdom.

>>710870
>Drag it out into the main store

>>710882
>>710893
>>710899
>>710930
“Pull out into the main store!” You call out to the others, laying down a suppression of Fire Rounds at the demon. “I don’t wanna hurt the kids if things get uglier!”

“Acknowledged!” MacKay flanks your side, blasting away at the demon as you slowly back out of the freezer. Once you’ve safely extracted yourself out of the freezer, the two of you run and take cover behind a watermelon display, joining Fitz and Victoria as you reload your weapons.

“Don’t bother trying to avoid collateral damage,” You say, chambering a fresh clip of Fire Rounds into Fitz’s Sig Sauer. “Because at this point, it’s unavoidable, and there’s no use in holding back against something that’s still alive after our little all-out assault.”

Fitz is quick to snark back, even as she accepts a shotgun from Victoria. “Damn right it’s unavoidable. Though I can’t even begin to imagine the looks on their faces when the medics get here.”

“Well, it’s definitely gonna put Lebanon on the map. But that aside, where did you put the kids?”

MacKay points towards the utilities aisle, where the four kids that your squad rescued lie propped up against the wall. You see various bits of clothing, either torn open from nearby packages or stripped from your own squad, wrapped around the kids. Hua Po frantically moves from child to child, a small ball of fire in her hands to warm their shivering bodies.

A pointed look at the priest, clad only in jeans and his Kevlar undershirt, elicits an uncertain twist of his mouth. “I thought it best to delegate Hua Po to begin rudimentary treatment.”

You can’t exactly fault him. And even though you’ve got…no, wait. You used up your Agi stone in the fight against the seedbed. Fuck. Next time the five of you are on a recruiting spree, you’re definitely gonna get a fire demon. Maybe even tomorrow, Titania permitting.

“So this takes care of the missing children, huh?” Victoria winces as a blast of ice strikes your cover. Chunks of watermelon shower the four of you. “And with this demon, there’s only gonna be one left, right?”

“Exactly,” Fitz crows, pumping the shotgun with a vigorous motion as she rises to blast the demon. “One we can take our sweet time to find.”

MacKay frowns. “Don’t forget their ‘master’. That could run the gamut from human to demonic authority. And as much as I would like to ask-”

“I will kill you all!” The demon roars, cutting off the priest as he charges into the stand. "Paleface scum!"

“…something tells me he won’t share,” You offhandedly remark, holding up your fingers in a countdown even as another cascade of fruit and splinters rain down on you. “Definitely won't. Alright guys, on my signal, count of three. Three…two…one…now!”

>Roll 4d100 Combat
>Adrian, Fitz, MacKay, Victoria
>Best of three (Will add everyone’s bonuses separately)

Rolled 26, 51, 24, 33 = 134 (4d100)

>>711066
That Sukunda x4 should keep that thing pretty crippled mobility wise.

Rolled 72, 56, 4, 91 = 223 (4d100)

>>711066

Rolled 35, 14, 79, 45 = 173 (4d100)

>>711066

>>711094
>>711104
>>711115
Fitz jobbin, too angry too shoot straight. Victoria on the other hand...

>>711125
It's that ice cool demeanor that Law characters have. She's in her element.

Regarding Fitz though she did do the worst roll wise but she does have the best Combat stat. So that's a 96 before debuffs.

>>711094
>>711104
>>711115

>72, 56, 79, 91
>92, 96, 99, 101

The battle was over before it even began. The instant you’ inflicted debuffs on the monster, it had no chance to shake them off, no magic to dispel them away. It’s the same thing you learned in the sparring pad with Fitz over the course of your training. Sure, you can throw punches all day at your enemy, but if you’re unable to land even a single hit, then you’re essentially screwed.

Even though the demon occasionally landed a hard-hitting punch, thanks in part to its own support magic, the majority of them were either easily dodged or whiffed entirely. And since the debuff extended to both Hitting and Evading…

Almost every single one of your attacks land on the demon. Bullets, physical blows, magical attacks tear into the creature, cutting through mist-like flesh and perforating great holes in its body. In its rage, the demon does not notice the pain, even as it’s form grew less cohesive and azure blood flowed from gaping wounds in its body.

Finally, with the last clip of Fire Rounds on your person, you empty the clip into the demon’s chest, one magically-enhanced shell after the next one. Only now does it seem to notice the extent of the damage to its body, desperately struggling to escape from your attacks. It is futile, even if the ice had not blocked the windows.

Fitz leaps over the cover before the demon even makes it a foot towards the windows, crashing into the demon and dragging it to the floor. Stunned, it cannot move, cannot even turn away as Fitz pumps her shotgun and puts it directly at the base of its skull, right between translucent teeth.

“Smile, motherfucker.”

In the end, as the demon dissolves into a fine particulate mist, it’s singular eye continues to balefully stare at the four of you. The ruin of its mouth quivers, blasted and bloody flesh attempting and failing to form words. But in spite of it, the its whisper can still be heard, as if the air itself hissed at you.

“They never understand.” The tone of voice is utterly venomous, even as it fades away into a quiet breeze. “You have doomed the land with your folly, Palefaces. You have doomed your people to a terrible fate…”

And with that, the demon’s voice is gone, leaving the four of you alone in a ruined grocery store, with nine kids that need desperate medical attention.

>You have gained a Level!
> You are now Level 21!
>You may obtain and fuse demons up to your current level!

>MacKay is now Level 22!
>Victoria is now Level 19!
>Fitz is now Level 20!

I’m gonna edit the sheet and do demon levels later, after my break.

(cont.)

>>711150
True, So we should still light it up.

>>711563
With that out of the way, you holster your gun and rush towards the children. While the others go back to the freezer for the last five, you hurriedly begin administering first aid to the four in the store. Frostbite doesn’t seem to have set in, and Hua Po managed to stave off the worst of hypothermia. But they’re in desperate need of proper medical attention, beyond what you can administer here.

Once the last of the children are secured and wrapped in blankets, you ring up Brady on your headset. Thirty minutes later, by the time first responders arrive at the scene of the grocery store, their anonymous tip had long since departed, virtually disappearing without as much as a trace.

But the effects of their actions remain. Children are reunited with missing guardians, who cry in relief as they embrace their children, some of whom have been missing for more than a month. The trauma of their plight at the hands their assailant will leave scars that will take months if not years to get over. But they will celebrate their Independence Day together.

An investigation is opened up into the owners of the family mart. The owners are confused and equally terrified that such a thing happened in their very own store. Suspicion is first cast upon them, only for the authorities to clear their names with verifiable alibis and witnesses. The evidence points them as just as much victims of the heinous deed as much as the children are. It will take the store years for its ghastly reputation to recover.

Lebanon becomes placed on the map in the weeks to come, as news channels and journalists swarm to cover this story. Testimonies are given, opinions are shared, rumors exchanged and generated. A new urban legend comes to life, spawned from the testimonies of the missing children. A ghastly apparition who stalks the town, stealing into children’s rooms and orphanages to prey on their life’s energy, then taking them away to a farm to harvest their souls for eternity.

Within months, the myth of The Rain Man takes a life of its own, spreading from internet forum to the dinner tables of people across the modern world. Shirts, mugs, even a spinoff video game are made in the wake of the tragedy. It reaches peak fervor when movie is scheduled for production in 2016, with the town mayor auctioning off the rights to various interests. The proceeds are donated to the victim’s families and medicinal bills. “The Rain Man” instantly becomes a blockbuster, and goes on to win several nominations, including Best Editing and Best Sound Design, at the 2017 Academy Awards.

(cont.)

>>711680
Huh. That went better than expected.

Careful when you do future stuff like that while we are still dealing with the present. As it stands you can't do anything world ending SMT style now for a whole year in game without it opening up a plot hole.

>>711730
I've already got a plan for that, as well as a contingency if I need to work around it. This is just me taking the piss out of the situation more than anything else. And besides: paradoxes, alternate realities. Amala network bullshit essentially. Nothing's ever set in stone of the clusterfuck that's the Megaten timeline.

Writing...

>>711680
Did we just birth a new demon from the collective unconscious of the human mind? Wait does that mea we might fight Slenderman?

>>711756
Too true.

You can work around anything with both the Amala Network or Akrana Corridor. Or both.

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>>711761
Nah. It's just me playing with "le copypasta" meme. Maybe.

>The Fairy Realm
>11:45 PM

Fitz and Victoria collapse onto the couch the instant they make it five steps past the door of your lodgings. The sight is enough to make you chortle, the two of them sprawled in an undignified manner as they succumb to their exhaustion.

“Wake me up in a hundred years.” The blonde’s voice is muffled by the down pillow her face is planted into. “Because I’m so goddamn sore from everythin'...”

It’s a sentiment that you share with her. While you didn’t perform as much wild stunts as she did during the fight with the cloud demon, your legs are still aching from the little sprint you had with Wendigo and the Mothmen. And MacKay looks similarly fatigued, seating himself down on a nearby couch with a sigh of relief.

But Brady shakes his head, the only one standing out of the five of you. “I ain’t sleepy. I mean, that’s probably just because I stuck behind and everything but…” He shifts his feet awkwardly. “I was thinking of finding some demons to recruit. I mean, we do technically have most of the realm available to us.”

Victoria manages to lift her head up and stare at him. “You want to go out into the middle of the night to recruit a demon from a wild forest.”

He blushes, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “I dunno, I mean…it seemed like a good idea at the time. Besides, we need stronger ones, right? Expand our repertoire and everything?”

You look to MacKay, who shrugs. “The reasoning good reasoning enough, but I’m afraid that I’m too fatigued to go beyond the confines of our quarters.”

With the girls out of commission, that just leaves you. And while you’re certainly tired...maybe you could make an effort to get up and get out there.

>“I’ll come with you.” [Go with Brady]
>“Good luck out there.” [Brady goes alone]
>“You’re not going out.” [Brady stays here]

>>711787
>>“I’ll come with you.” [Go with Brady]

>>711787
"You just wanted some alone time with Sidhe huh?"

"I kid, I kid."

>>“I’ll come with you.” [Go with Brady]
"See if we can't find something with a little fire in them."

>>711787
>>“I’ll come with you.” [Go with Brady]
Here's hoping I find a fire buddy, relying on bullets and stones kinda sucks.

>>711787
>>“I’ll come with you.” [Go with Brady]
I hope we find a loyal dog to be our companion.

>>711680
So will "Rainman" become a new demon or am i confused on how this shit works.

>>711796
>>711808
>>711809
>>711818
Eh, what the hell. You’ve got all the elements in your demon roster, barring that of fire. And since you don’t want to constantly be reliant on bullets or stones to do elemental damage, you make the effort to push yourself off from the chair.

You grin at Brady, waggling your eyebrows suggestively. “You just want some time alone with Lenan Sidhe, huh?”

>Brady disapproves -5

He blanches, looking decidedly more uncomfortable than he was a moment ago. You’re quick to retract your statement. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding, joke in bad taste. My bad, dude. Look, Brady, real talk? I’ll come with you. Maybe we can fine a fire demon somewhere.”

>Brady approves +4

Brady’s hesitation quickly gives way to a slightly forced, but comfortable smile. “Alright. But if it gets tough, we hightail it back here, boss. Not in the mood to fight something really nasty in the middle of the night.”

Fair enough, you suppose. Small demons are one thing, but the bigger ones are an entirely different matter.

You reach for your gun as you slip on your COMP and kick on your sneakers, taking only a minute to get ready before you join up with Brady at the door. “You’ve got eight hours of sleep. I want to be in the forest for the last demon no later than eleven. And tomorrow, you guys should go out and grab your own demons. We good?”

Fitz’s response is to stick her middle finger at you. “Keep it down…some people are tryin’ to sleep here…”

Victoria tries for something coherent before she gives up and collapses, leaning against her neighbor’s shoulders as she begins to doze off the day’s exertions. The blonde doesn't seem to mind too much, and MacKay chortles at the sight the two of them make before he wanders off to his room.

You quietly shut the door as the two of you make your way down from the tree. Once you’re on firm ground, Brady exhales. “Alright, there’s a few areas where we can get some demons in our general area. Falconmeadow Orchard is where we ran into Leanan Sidhe. That’s where the humanoid fairies tend to cluster about. Whitepetal grove is for the more bestial or elemental demons. We could always exit the gates and try the true wilds, but that’s probably not a good idea since we’re all fatigued as hell right now.”

>Where should you go?
>Falconmeadow Orchard
>Whitepetal Grove

>>712000
It's just me making a joke about the memetic nature of copypastas and how they spread like wildfire. Real talk, it's nothing to worry about.

>>712012
>>Whitepetal Grove

>>712012
>>Whitepetal Grove
Pretty sure neither of us want more Sidhe issues.

>>711808
dammit anon

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Taking my dinner break now. Will be back in an hour-ish or two.

>>712012
>Whitepetal Grove

Okay now we know Brady can't handle a little teasing even though he is among friends.

I'll chalk that up next to the Demon Fusion. Man it's like walking on eggshells with some of these people.

>>712078
Sorry. I forgot Brady is more of anime character.

>>712114
Brady and Victoria are higher strung I guess.

>>712012
Damn
I was looking forward to Rainman being a bonus boss somewhere down the line.

>>712012
>Whitepetal Grove

Back from my break. Writing...

>>712027
>>712078
>>712114
>>713089
“Whitepetal,” You grunt, gesturing for him to lead the way. “You said elementals and beasts, yeah? What kind of demons did you see floating around there?”

He shrugs as you make your way down the main road. “It’s hard to describe them when I’ve probably heard them before in a nursery rhyme or something. Probably cocked half my assumptions up, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.”

“Try me. I’ve got a decent imagination.”

There’s a brief moment of silence as Brady chews on his lip. “I’ll tell you what isn’t in the Grove. And I’ll work my way down from there. Anything that can pass for human don’t often come, but they do just to relax or talk with friends. So that rids us of most of the fairies. Pixies, dryads, naiads, they aren’t in Whitepetal. Oddly enough, goblins, trolls and ogres aren’t there either. But I did see a few Jack Frosts, as well as a floating jack-o-lantern and one hairy dog. And that’s all I can remember off the top of my head.”

The main roads of the fairy realm are not quite devoid of life, but they are a stark contrast to the thriving city you departed from earlier. With the exception of a few taverns, many of the stores and other businesses have long since closed, their owners departing to wherever they made their boroughs. Lights the size of fireflies flit around the air, casting a warm illumination along the street that no streetlight could ever match.

The two of you walk along the main road until Brady reaches a crossroads. He squints at the sign, the letters of which are unintelligible to you, before pointing in the direction that takes you East. “That way.”

His assuredness surprises you. “You can read fairy?”

Snorting, he shakes his head. “I wish. I just remembered how the squiggly lines for ‘Whitegrove’ look.”

“Gotcha. So how close are we now?”

“Just twenty or thirty more minutes. It’s just over the hill, slightly at the edge of the kingdom borders.”

The path takes a gradual incline, enough that you’re starting to feel the burn of lactic acid in your legs sooner than you’d like. But not to the point of sheer exhaustion. The two of you make your way up the path, stepping over rocks and kicking some deadfall out of the way. This part of the kingdom smells greener than the more industrialized areas, with faint aromas of honeysuckle and wildflowers.

(cont.)

“So here it is, Adrian,” Brady gestures, taking a few deep breaths to even out his breathing. “Let’s hope the walk was worth it…because I’m absolutely bushed, mate.”

The first thing that crosses your mind is that it certainly lives up to its name. Flowers of all kinds are in full bloom, surrounding the grove in a sea of white blossoms that catch the soft motes of light. And just like the flowers, a veritable array of demons lounge on the soft forest loam, talking, sleeping, or otherwise doing nothing at all save for gazing at the stars.

The hacker smile at the sight. “It’s busier during the day, I would reckon. But there should be enough for the two of us.”

He’s not lying. There’s over a dozen of the demons just going about their business.

“Oh, and one more thing,” He adds, quickly sprinting up to you before you take a step into the grove. These aren’t wild demons, in that they default to attacking right of the bat, so don’t get all confrontational. They’ll be willing to listen to negotiation. For the most part.”

"For the most part?" You repeat, frowning.

"Unless you completely freak out and offend them."

You snort, brushing aside a bit of bramble as you take a step into the clearing. “Thanks for the heads up. I'll try to stay slick.”

>Which demon do you wish to approach?
>The flying Jack-O-Lantern. [Pyro Jack]
>The hairy sheep dog. [Hairy Jack]
>The little girl with wings. [Moh Shuvuu]
>The short man with a moon’s head. [Moonman]
>The woman with fangs and black wings. [Strix]

>>713538
>>The flying Jack-O-Lantern. [Pyro Jack]

Comedy routine here we come!

>>713538
>>The flying Jack-O-Lantern. [Pyro Jack]

Man Moh is tempting but we need some fire.

>>713538
>The hairy sheep dog. [Hairy Jack]
just gonna throw this one out there because even though we do need a fire demon there is not a single dark demon on our whole roster.

>>713538
>>The flying Jack-O-Lantern. [Pyro Jack]

>>713538
>>The flying Jack-O-Lantern. [Pyro Jack]

Should we have High Pixie out while we talk to help showcase we are a decent Devil Summoner?

>>713813
Speaking of High Pixie. We need to remember to ask why kimono and not armor.

>>713538
>>The short man with a moon’s head. [Moonman]

>>713538
>>The flying Jack-O-Lantern. [Pyro Jack]

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Silence does not immediately follow upon your entrance into the field, but the conversations definitely take on a different tone of voice. Some become more muted, continuing on as they were, while others are directly in reference to your sudden arrival. Multiple languages fly throughout the grove, some of which you have not even the slightest idea as to what they are. Yet you do recognize a few of them: Old English, Ancient Greek, Latin, just to name a few.

What you do understand is that other than passing interest as to why a human has suddenly entered the grove, the assembled demons continue on as if you weren’t there. Much to your private relief. You have little desire to make a scene, especially since your track record with Titania’s been nothing short of amazing.

The demon you have your eyes on bobs up and down, humming to itself as it floats around the stump of a tree. Aside from a gloved hand and its pumpkin of a head, the demon looks closer to a ghost more than anything else. The cloak that billows in the wind reveals nothing underneath its cloth, save for darkness and the surrounding area. The view changes with every swing of the lantern in its hands, a contraption that wouldn’t look out of place in Victorian England.

It turns towards you, the fires of its eyes narrowing slightly as it looks you up and down. You remain silent as it floats around you, making little noises of introspection as it…surveys you, for lack of a better word. This lasts only for a minute before it seems to be satisfied, retreating to stand…in front of you. No, hover. Hover right in front of you.

“A Devil Summoner, born of Adam’s flesh and blood, present himself before me,” The spirit intones, its voice that of churning gravel. “I can deduce two reasons as to why you are not running away. You are here on behalf of her highness Queen Titania to conduct an investigation on the missing children. That of course, is a moot point, seeing as you have already rescued the children from their kidnapper. Are you surprised, Devil Summoner? Word travels fast in our realm. But rest assured that the general consensus is approval at your actions. You have successfully cleared our name, after all, in the eyes of your order.

“Now, the second deduction,” It continues, tucking its lantern away in the folds of its jacket. It raises a gloved finger to point directly at your heart, “Is that you have come to negotiate with me. However, I cannot extrapolate a composite or concrete thought as to what you want specifically. Yet I find myself intrigued, my curiosity piqued. You certainly give a good account of yourself, both in deeds and in physical form. I am Pyro Jack, of the Fairy Clan, and I will listen to what you have to say."

>This is your first time meeting with this kind of demon.
>The demon will hear what you have to say.

>“I want you to become my demon.”
>“Aren’t you supposed to go ‘hee-ho’?”
>Custom option.

>>713987
>“I want you to become my demon.”

>>713987
>>“I want you to become my demon.”

Save the Hee-ho comment for after he agrees

>>713987
>>“I want you to become my demon.”

>>713987
>>“I want you to become my demon.”
I think I like this guy.

>>714078
the jacks are in general pretty great.
Always a fan favorite.

>>713987
>>“I want you to become my demon.”

>>713987
>>“I want you to become my demon.”
>You are a faerie of fire, strong in magic and keen of eye and mind. I find myself needing a demon like you in my struggles.

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>>714029
>>714060
>>714067
>>714078
>>714101
>>714104
…well, the guy definitely gets to the point. Uh…wow. That kinda took the whole wind out of your sails, as far as making nice introductions go, and general pleasantries. Clearly, this guy either isn’t having any of it, or just wants to get to the pith of the matter. These kinds of people are a coin toss as to whether or not you get along with them. But for the most part, it’s looking good.

You offer Pyro Jack a smile. “That’s right. I am here to negotiate with you. Specifically, I want you to become my demon.”

The jack-o-lantern bobs in understanding. “I see. You wish to entreat with me so that my power will be at your command. Tell me, you see all these demons here, some of whom are rare visitors to our tiny realm between worlds. Take the Strix, for example, a Greeco-Roman monster who cannot truly be associated with the Court of the Sidhe, but takes roster in our trees. And there, the Moh Shuvuu, a prized addition to many a Devil Summoner’s roster, for both aesthetic and pragmatic reasons alike. These and many more are far more exotic than I, whose kind is commonplace among the denizens of Queen Titania’s realm.

“Why is it that you seek me out when other, far more exotic, demons are available at your choosing? I would very much like to know this.”

Oh, that’s easily enough. Thing is, matching his tone of voice…well, here goes nothing. “You’re a faerie of fire,” You answer, gesturing to where the demon’s lantern had disappeared, “Strong of magic and keen of mind and eye. Your service in my retinue would be highly valued.”

The demon takes a moment to muse on your answer. “I can sense other demons, stored away in your Mystical Device. Yet not one of them carries the odor of ash or smoke. You tell a truth in that you need me, as you have no other demons capable of using fire magics.”

You nod, not too nonplussed that he easily deduced your motive. “Essentially.”

“There is nothing wrong in having all of your weaknesses covered,” the demon intones, floating up to match you, green eyes meeting orbs of red flame. “And now that I have your reason for wanting my services, I would like for you to answer one last question.”

At your nod, he exhales, “Where will you take me if I were to become your demon?”

>“From one battlefield to the next site of conquest.”
>"To the adventure that awaits beyond the horizon."
>“We will go to wherever my order bids me to travel.”
>Custom option.

>>714301
>"To the adventure that awaits beyond the horizon."
>“We will go to wherever my order bids me to travel.”
both of these are pretty aplicable since our missions tend to have us travel quite a bit.

>>714301
>“We will go to wherever my order bids me to travel.”
"And if my last case and this one are of any indication, we are going to be traveling all over this country."

This guy seems like a straight to the point, no bullshit kind of guy so let's give him a no bullshit answer.

>>714301
>“We will go to wherever my order bids me to travel.”

Seems like a cool dude.

>>714301
>"To the adventure that awaits beyond the horizon."
He seems like the the intelligent type that desires to see the wonders of the world
besides the other two options seem a bit too aggressive

>>714301
>>“We will go to wherever my order bids me to travel.”
>So Lots of trouble, danger and adventure, from the heart of mankind's lands too places where all things fear to tread. Plus occasionally talking and celebrating with my teammates, their demons, and my own.

>>714301
I'll back this.
>>714331

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“If we are being honest,” You offer, “Then we will go to wherever my order bids me to travel. Which means that partnership with me will be filled with constant peril, danger, and no small amount of traversing across America. Or out of the country, even. I can’t promise an easy ride along the road, but I will promise that you’ll always be a valued member of the team.”

The demon muses on this, bobbing silently in the air as it meditates on your words. Then, it reaches into its cloak, pulling out a sheet of paper, an inkwell, and a feather pen.

“Very well, then. Your honesty comes welcome, Devil Summoner,” It intones as it unstoppers the bottle and begins to write. The hand that scratches along the paper moves quickly, almost too fast for you to see. “It is the first step to making any partnership between individuals last and succeed in the face of adversity. A virtue that many could do to have in these uncertain times.”

As soon as it reaches the bottom of the paper, he presents the quill to you. “Very well, Son of Adam. I will become your demon. Just be sure to read the fine print and sign at the bottom. I assure you that I have no desire for your soul, and that my terms are very generous.”

Somehow, you manage to keep your face a pleasant neutral as you reach for the pen. A contract, of all things? Jesus. Then again, it doesn’t surprise you that given the Pyro Jack’s eclectic nature, this would be beyond the ordinary.

But you digress. Your eyes skim across the terms and conditions, written to legible script, in spite of the haste that was used to create it. Let’s see…you provide food and lodging, he provides magical support…there’s a sugar clause? Access to books and encyclopedias, yes that can be easily arranged. And a flat rate of…

“One hundred fifty Macca,” The demon holds out his hand. “Just to seal the deal.”

Oh, well, you definitely have enough of that to spare. You reach into your backpack, fishing out the coinpurse you looted off the wendigo. You count out fifty of the coins before pressing them into the demon’s hand. As he stows it away in his cloak, you sign the contract and give it back to the demon.

“Much appreciated, Devil Summoner…Adrian Brown.” The demon receives the contract skimming over it before he reaches the place you signed. “Adrian Brown. A curious name for a curious individual. I can see no end to the possibilities that this partnership will bring.”

You smile, extending a hand out towards the demon. “Yeah, that’s me. Adrian Brown, at your service.”

He returns the gesture, his grip surprisingly strong in spite of his size. “I eagerly anticipate the accumulation of experiences.”

(cont.)

>>714578
Ha! Jokes on him, he is just Fusion fodder for Black Frost!

Brady I need to borrow your Jack Frost for a minute.

>>714594
approval -999

>>714594
oh god my sides they are gone at how true that first bit is.

>>714578
>You have recruited Pyro Jack!

>Pyro Jack (Lv. 19) [25% Loyalty]
>Race: Fairy
>Alignment: Neutral
>Personality: Blunt, Inquisitive
>MP: 156

>Repels Fire/Weak to Ice
>Moderate Phys/High Magic
>Skills:
>>Maragi (Weak Fire damage to all foes.)
>>Agialo (Medium Fire damage to all foes.
>>Tarunda (Decreases foe’s Attack by 1 Level)
>>Fire Pleroma (Increases Fire damage by 25%)
>>Dormia (50% Chance of inflicting the Sleep Ailment)

=========

And that’s all for now. Might be able to do something on Tuesday, to get the ball rolling for the next formalized. I want to conclude Mission 2 in the next thread, and I’ve got everything outlined already.

>Choose one:
>The Doctor
>The Maiden
>The Hermit

>>714610
>>The Hermit

>>714610
>>The Hermit

>>714610
>>The Maiden
hehehehe

Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>714600
>Brady has joined [Lucifer]!
>Brady has ingested [Magatama]!

>>714610
1 - The Doctor
2 - The Maiden
3 - The Hermit

>>714610
>>The Maiden

>>714610
>>The Maiden
Come on best daughteru.

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>>714622
>>714626
>>714634
>>714640

>The Maiden

The first thing you are aware of is the sound of boiling water, bubbling in symphony with the sound of crackling fire. Your head hurts terribly, and you try to bring a hand to ease the pain that assails you. But you cannot. It is only when you try to move an inch of your arm do you realize that you are bound tight. Fear is a powerful salt against the incoherency of unconsciousness, and as you desperately struggle against your bonds, the fatigue that ails you fades away, revealing that which unfocused eyes have obscured.

You are in a small room, lying upon floor of dirt on the side of your better hand as you writhe against your bonds, a length of twine rope that snakes around your body. That much you can see upon first awakening, that is what your eyes focus on first. Your dress, beautifully made from a tailor in Boston, tainted and covered with grime and filth. The stink of copper clings to you, and every movement elicits noise from your dress, as if wringing laundry.

Far away in the next room, you can see the light of a fire, flickering and harsh as it casts macabre shadows against the walls of the structure. That is where the water comes from, where the noises of someone stumbling about can be easily heard. Metal tools crash amongst themselves, and glass objects shatter as they are flung upon the walls. You wince at the sound, tensing as some errant shards fly towards your direction.

One of them falls behind your back, scraping against the pad of your thumb. The pain is enough to bring tears to your eyes, already sore and red from crying.
That thought gives you pause, and you blink to clear the liquid from your eyes. It hurts to blink, stinging at every small movement that your eye makes. This is the feeling that proceeds a great tragedy. You have not felt this ever since your grandfather passed, when a burning fever had laid down little Bonnie.

But you do not know why you cry. Awake you may be, the pain in your head is too much for you to remember. It as if someone is driving a metal rod into your skull. You cannot think clearly, cannot remember why you have cried so hard, why your dress is stained with blood-

You cease in your struggling, only for a moment, before you begin to shake in fear. The flame in the opposite room flares high enough to reveal that the sodden dampness of your dress is indeed blood, catching the light of the fire as it glistens in the darkness.

A scream tears itself from your throat before you can stop yourself. Again, you cannot mask your terror, and you scream once more, a wordless cry of fear. You thrash vigorously against the twine that ensnares you. It is a futile effort. The rope is too strong, digging into your skin, tearing at the fine cloth of your dress. But it is all you can do.

(cont.)

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Suddenly, the noises that come from the other room come to an abrupt stop, save for the bubbling of the water. Then, footsteps crash against the floor, becoming louder, heavier as the thing that makes them draws closer to your prison.

This time, your desperate struggle to free yourself results only in injury. The rope digs into your arm, the raw twine shearing off a patch of skin. You cry out, in pain, frustration, in fear. You cannot move. You cannot look away, cannot hide yourself from your captor as his shadow fills the room.

Against the light of the fire, you cannot make out his face. He is tall, easily one of the tallest men that you have ever met. The stink of filth and rot clings to him, of cemeteries and dead things. You cannot control your odium, and you expel the contents of your stomach. You cannot move, and for a dreadful moment, you fear that you will drown from your own expulsion.

Rough hands grab the back of your hair, pulling your head back violently from the puddle of filth. You struggle against the grip, only for calloused hands to grab your face. There is a sharp tug, and it pulls your face to stare at him, the man that has taken you as his prisoner.

Lightning flashes outside, the wrath of God splitting the sky in half. And in that light, you finally have a clear image of that man. It is familiar in every way, the brown hair and curls still tumbling down in an unkempt mess. The scar on the brow where someone had thrown a rock when you were children, has yet to fade.

But it is the eyes you do not recognize. Eyes that burn red with hatred, anger, desire, a tempest of roiling emotions that causes you to remember everything.

The ball, so happy to be reunited with friends and family. Joseph has returned after years of studying medicine.

Geoffrey, dressed in his finest clothes, a gift from father. He holds your hand, gently stroking at it while the storm rages outside.

The mob of corpses gathers at the door, rushing towards the center table, lead by a man you know.

A silver knife flashes in the air, and a spray of blood as the groom falls to the floor, still holding onto your hand.

Dead things that ignore your cries, your pleas to join your beloved in death, carrying you off into the storm at the behest of their master.

A sharp blow to the head, and all becomes dark, all becomes clear.

“Henry…” Your voice is little more than a harsh croak, cracking as a fresh wave of tremors engulfs your body, sends more tears down your cheeks. “Wh…why…”

Silence. And then…

“Henry has been watching us, screaming, pleading, crying for me to stop and let you go. Once, I might have obeyed.” The words that come from your friend’s mouth do not match up with the movements of the jaw. They are out of order, disjointed, and the smile that graces his lips is wide, too wide, wide enough to split the corners of his mouth. “But Henry is not here right now, Rachel. You alone remain.”

(cont.)

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The silver knife that took your husband’s life flashes in his hands, blood gleaming in the firelight. The sharp edge inches slowly towards your mouth, easily telling of its intent. Panic causes you to thrash in his foul embrace, only for a sharp blow to stun you, to stop your struggling.

Helpless and limp, it is with wide eyes that you stare at the blade that work its way past your lips, scraping past teeth and coming to rest at the back of your mouth, where your tongue connects to the rest of your body. Jagged edges press into the skin, and the sharp taste of copper fills your mouth.

“The noises that foreigners make are interesting, very different from that of the Good People.” His smile is wide now, splitting open to reveal rows of bloodied teeth. “Henry gave me such wonderful noises. And I am no longer bound by my code as have struggled against me. I can only wonder what noises you will give me, Rachel. Let us find out together.”

In the middle of the storm, in Salem, Massachusetts, no one, not even God, can hear your screams.

===============

See y'all on Tuesday.

>>715112
Thanks for running.

>>715112
yo kaz you alive?

>>721623
Computer's going through some technical difficulties. I'm currently working on trying to fix them.

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>Time to take care of Leveling Up Adrian's Demons.
>I'm gonna take care of the others' before the next session.

>High Pixie is now Lv. 13!
>High Pixie now has 136 MP
>High Pixie learned [Media]!

>High Pixie cannot learn more than eight moves.
>Choose a move for Media to replace:
>Dia (Restores smile amount of health to one ally)
>Zio (Weak lightning spell, 20% Shock to one foe)
>Rakunda (Lower's enemy's defense by one level)
>Posmudi (Removes one poison from one ally)
>Wing Buffet (Weak force damage to random enemies)
>Healing Pleroma (25% Boost to healing spells)
>Paraladi! (Removes stun from one ally)
>Me Patra! (Removes bind, sleep or panic from all allies.)

>Gryphon is now Lv. 14!
>Gryphon learned Force Pleroma!

>Angel is now Lv. 11!
>Angel’s Loyalty is now at 80%
>Angel learned [Hama]!
>Angel cannot learn more than eight moves.

>Choose a move for Hama to replace:
>Dia (Healing spell) [3 MP]
>Patra (Removes Panic/Bind/Sleep from one ally)
> Bufu (Weak Ice spell, 20% Freeze to one foe) [3 MP]
>Dormina (90% Chance of sleep to one target)
>Zan (Weak Force damage to one target)
>Sukunda (Lower enemy Agility by 1 level)
>Needle Shot (Weak Gun damage)
>Resist Ice (Halves Ice damage taken)

>>722891
>Dia

>Resist Ice

>>722891
>>Dia (Restores smile amount of health to one ally)

>Needle Shot (Weak Gun damage)
because Adrian ahs guns handled.

>>722891
>>Dia (Restores smile amount of health to one ally)

>>Needle Shot (Weak Gun damage)

>>722891
>Dia
>Needle Shot

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>High Pixie replaced Dia with Media!
>Angel replaced Needle Shot with Hama!

Pyro Jack inclines its head before dissolving into motes of light. Your COMP trills as it absorbs the data the demon turned into, eventually chirping to confirm that you are now its Devil Summoner. Around you, the demons whisper, some in muted tones, disapproving whispers and excited breaths as the negotiation finishes. Perhaps Demon Recruitment is something that rarely happens here? That would be a bit of a surprise, considering how many Task Force envoys have been stationed as per the contract between Queen Titiania and Alger.

But, you digress. You turn to find Brady likewise engaged in a Negotiation, with the aid of his Jack Frost, this time soliciting a dog large (and hairy) enough to make your own blush. Hannah is large, even for a Bouvier Des Flanders, but the one slobbering all over your friend’s boots easily comes up to your sternum, almost an entire head higher than your walking carpetbag of a pet.

“Hee-airy Jack can smell the beef jerky on you, ho!” The snow fairy translates the dog’s enthusiastic yelping, pulling at its master’s pants with a misting hand. “Meat is hee-s favorite food, ho!”

Brady snorts, though not quite in a derisive manner, as he inspects the vicious fluid commingling at his feet. “Huh. Let’s hope I don’t smell too savory. Because that’s all from Fitz, not me, and if you’ve got thoughts about taking a taste for yourself, then that’s definitely gonna put a damper on the mood, innit?”

A resounding BARK echoes across the grove.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’. Oi, Jack…no, not you, my Jack. See if you can get a gift out of him, or lower the price. I don’t wanna filch from the party’s stock or wait tomorrow to buy a Life Stone…”

Negotiations seem to be going well, at least.

(cont.)

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“Excuse me, mister?”

You turn back around, surprised to see the winged little girl –no, demon – hovering right in front of you. With her oversized coat and waist-length hair, it would’ve been easy to mistake her for a small child. Now that you’ve got a closer look at her, you’d peg her easily in the early tweens, but no younger than nine or ten.

A coquettish smile, unnervingly friendly, plays on her lips as she points at you with a gloved hand. “You’re the leader of Queen Titania’s ratcatchers, aren’t you, mister?”

“Ratcatchers?” You repeat, frowning in confusion.

Her eyes take on a mirthful light. “The nickname that the citizens of the realm gives to your Order’s diplomatic envoys. Doesn’t it fit, mister? Running back and forward, chasing after inconsequential tasks and jobs at Her Majesty’s behest like good retainers.”

…she delivers it with such child-like sincerity that you can’t tell whether or not she’s being malicious or not. That aside, she approached you. In your experience with demons, a coin toss could determine how this encounter would play out. “I suppose I am,” You say, adopting a neutral stance. “But I don’t know who you are.”

“Ah, how rude of me!” The demon spins in the air, holding the ends of her skirt as she curtsies. “I am Moh Shuvuu, a demon of Siberia. And I have a request for you, Mister Devil Summoner! But you can’t tell anyone else about it, okay?”

>“Alright, then. What’s this job that only I can do?” [Accept the quest]
>“No. I try not to keep secrets from my team.” [Reject the offer]
>“Make the reward worth my discretion, then.” [Counter negotiate]
>Custom option.

>>723043
>Depends both on the task and reward.

>>723043
"Let me here the request before I decide anything. You have my word I won't tell anyone about the request even if I don't accept."

>>723043
>>“Alright, then. What’s this job that only I can do?” [Accept the quest]

>>723052
>>723124
>>723131
You frown. “That’s gonna depend on the nature of the request, as well as the reward. I don’t just blindly accept jobs from demons without good explanation.”

“You don’t trust me, mister?” She is incredibly good, too damn good, at faking crocodile tears. Her eyes mist up, and you can swear that you can see traces of tears pooling in the corner of her eyes. “But…but I’m not going to steal your soul…”

“If I had ten macca for every demon that said that to me…” Your voice trails off as you run the math in your head. “…probably fifty macca. At least.”

She pouts at that, abandoning her charade as she kicks back to recline on nothing. “Boo…mister, you’re no fun at all…”

Clearly, she doesn’t know you very well. You’ve never considered yourself to be a party animal, but you’re far from a damp blanket. That’s someone else’s job. Not yours.

You squat down to match her eye level, your green matching her teal. “Tell you what. I’ll hear it out. No promises of course as to whether or not I accept, but you have my word that I won’t go babbling it out. I have a good track record as far as it comes to keeping secrets.”

Maiden, Mother, Crone. The three names your subconscious whisper make no small attack on your conscience. Then again, that’s a whole can of worms you don’t want to open without further research and meditation on your part.

Still, Moh Shuvuu seems to brighten up at that, extending her pinky out in front of your face. “Alright, but you better promise, alright?”

This time, a smile tugs at your lips as you mimic her gesture, securing your own finger with hers. “Pinky promise.”

“Yay!” The demon claps delightedly as she flies towards your ear. “Okay, mister. Here’s what I want. I’m going to need you to retrieve something for me. An item that’s commonplace in any other circumstance, but invaluable to me, okay?”

Well that isn’t too vague at all. “Gonna need specifics on that one. What is the object and where am I supposed to get it?”

“Shhh! I wasn’t finished yet. Be patient!”

“Sorry, sorry…”

“Ahem. As I was saying, the object that I require is sealed away in the Old Bethel Cemetery. Look for the tombstone that says ‘Petrenko’, and dig at least eight feet deep-”

“Hold up,” You interrupt her, cutting her off with a pointed gesture, staring at her with an incredulous look. “You want me to...to go grave robbing?”

(cont.)

“Yes!” She enthusiastically nods. “That’s exactly what I need you to do!”

It’s almost too surreal. You move a step back, inhaling deeply before exhaling with a troubled expression on your face. “What…you do realize that’s against the law, correct?”

“Demons aren’t beholden to human laws, mister,” She sings in a haughty tone, waggling one of her little fingers.

“Oh yeah?” You counter. “So what’s stopping you from getting into the cemetery yourself? Why not ask another demon to get the job done for you?”

“It has to be a human, it has to be a human!” If it weren’t for the fact that she was floating, you’re sure that she’d be stamping her feet. “Specifically a Devil Summoner, but it has to be a human!”

“Still haven’t answered the question.”

Here, the childlike demeanor fades away, and Moh Shuvuu adopts a serious face. “Because…I’m not powerful enough. And neither are a lot of the demons here in this part of the realm.”

Not powerful enough. “There’s something out there preventing you from going?”

Shuvuu nods, and that single gesture opens up a new line of questions you have to ask. “Well, what is it? What’s preventing you from going yourself?”

“Powerful demons,” She whispers, in a fearful voice. “Or a powerful demon. That wreathes itself in blue flame and haunts the places of battlefields and dead warriors. I nearly lost my life when I last tried to go there.”

You frown. “If a powerful demon’s been haunting a cemetery, I would think the Task Force would know.”

“Bleah!” Her childlike attitude returns once more, and she sticks her tongue out at you in a gesture of annoyance. “You can’t keep track of everything, mister, no matter how fancy your mystical devices become!

“But I need an answer, and it has to be now. Will you help me retrieve what I want from the cemetery? You'll know it when you see it. Can't miss it at all, mister.”

>Yes.
>No.
>Custom option.

>>723371
>>No.

Not touching this one.

But we won't tell anyone she asked us and all that

>>722891
Why are you all choosing to delete smile!?

>>723371
>I'll take a look at it, but no promises. Alright? If it's something I cannot handle myself I'd have to get my team in on it, and that'd break my oath wouldn't it?

>>723371
>>No.

>>723371

We're tired, and we'll likely have to do this solo, unless Brady wants to come along. I don't really know if we should. Not sure what the reward is though, and that might be worth knowing.

>>723371
>This is a retrieval, yes? I'll go over there and have a look, but if it turns out someone has a better claim on the item than you, like maybe the ghost of the grave...

>>723371
this
>>723412

On one hand, it’s breaking the law. And while you’re not (too) squeamish when it comes to dead bodies courtesy of classes in the mortician’s office, you’re nowhere near the point where you’re about to go full Winchester. For one, you don’t even have an Impala, let alone the temerity to actually bust into the graves of dead people.

Then again…Task Force immunity. Unless you do stupid shit that gets you fired, kicked out, and disavowed from the coalition.

Sighing, you rub the back of your head as you give your response. “Not tonight since I’m tired as hell. But,” You’re quick to cut her off before she can throw another tantrum. “I’ll take a look at it. With that said, you did mention a powerful demon, yeah? If it’s something I can’t handle on my own, then I’d have to get my team to come with me. And that’s going against your tenant you set down…”

A series of conflicting emotions war on her face, for the better part of a solid minute. Then, she reaches a decision and holds up a single finger. “Fine! One, and only one, mister!” She whispers. “You can bring one person with you, but no more than one!”

…you suppose that’s fair enough. Out of the four members of your team, you can easily make out two that could provide sufficient support against a “powerful demon”. Then again, it’s all subjective since you don’t really know how strong Moh Shuvuu is. Presumably no slouch, given how the COMP pings her with a rating in the teens.

Worrisome? Perhaps, but with Pyro Jack, you've got a broader range of magic and demonic power to draw from than before you came to Titania's realm.

“You still haven’t told me the reward,” You remind her, cracking a wry smile.

“Oh, right. Um…give me a second…there!” From her robes, she produces a small pouch that’s almost bulging at the seams. “My life savings! Four thousand, five hundred macca and a magic ring!”

“A magic ring?”

“One to make you quicker on your feet! It’s how I was able to get all this money over the course of the last decade!”

>“…that’s a fair price. Fine. I’ll see what I can do for your request.”
>“Money’s fine and all, but I’d rather you become my demon.”
>Custom option.

>>723491
>“…that’s a fair price. Fine. I’ll see what I can do for your request.”

>>723491
>>“…that’s a fair price. Fine. I’ll see what I can do for your request.”

>>723491
>>“…that’s a fair price. Fine. I’ll see what I can do for your request.”

Evasion rings are nice if that's what it is.

>>723491
queue shadowrunning: She's willing to give us her life's savings AND the means by which she accrued said savings? How powerful/valuable is this thing we're agreeing to get?

>>723500
>>723527
>>723506

“…that’s a fair price,” You admit. Four thousand, five hundred macca? Holy shit. “Fine. I’ll see what I can do for your request. Just don’t expect me to get it done until after we wrap up Queen Titania’s mission, as well as that of the Task Force. Innocence proven and all, but we’ve still got one last rogue demon to hunt.”

She nods, if not slightly reluctant. “…alright. But you better do it soon, alright?”

“I’ll see what I can do. You take care now, okay?” You gesture towards Brady, who’s been tackled by the dog demon. Spittle flies everywhere as Hairy Jack showers both his new master and the snow fairy with its dedication and a literal waterfall of drool. “We’ve gotta head to sleep.”

“’kay,” She says, giving you one last wave before she floats off into the distance. “Good night, mister summmoner…”

You wait for her to disappear into the foliage before you turn around, exhaling deeply at the promise that you made her. With your track record, it isn’t going to end too badly, but it’s what happens in the middle that worries you most. Always with the bumps in the middle of the road.

It is a ginger hand that you offer Brady, the noise of saliva palpable as you grasp his hand to pull him off the ground. The only consolation you have is that it doesn’t smell terribly bad, nothing that a good washing won’t get rid of. On the other hand, Brady and Jack Frost look absolutely miserable, even as Hairy Jack lets a contented howl before disappearing into the Englishman’s COMP.

“…”

“…”

“…not a word to anyone.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Good to hear it, mate. Now let’s get some shuteye.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

“…so what was it you were talking about with that demon earlier?”

“Moh Shuvuu?”

“Yeah, her. Seemed pretty intense from where I was seeing it.”

“Aren’t all demon negotiations that way to some extent?”

“…aye, true enough, that’s true enough…”

=================

AND DONE! I'm gonna archive tomorrow because I'm absolutely bushed. Thanks for sticking around! Bladebound Retainer this Friday or Saturday!