>>925969
No, it’s only a dragon in form right now. She is your friend, Hanako Minami. Twisted by the whim of infectious Chaos feeding off the worst in her and a future that isn’t her own. Though...the shadow of that fate now hangs upon her.

As she is now, it’s likely she’ll target the person she’s obsessed with. The person whose love she wants more than anything, because of barely understood memories from a life that is not her own that she remembers in flashes because of who she could have been in a completely different life.

An experience you are perhaps intimately familiar with.

The two of you come to a halt with the building before and beneath you. An apartment complex in Tokyo Midtown, probably quite expensive. Traffic is fare lighter here, and you can see a crowd expanding out of the base of the building, and hear the distant sound of fire engines on approach.

As klaxon and danger roam closer, you weigh what to do next.

>Head into Byakuya Hoseki’s apartment
>Wait for the others to arrive
>See if you can spot Hisako Ito in the crowd
>Get on the roof of that building
>Head down into the crowd
>Write in

(30 minute voting window from first vote, subsequent votes will only have a 15 minute voting window. Sorry it took so long to get us up and running today)

>>925975
I don't suppose there's a wide open park that isn't occupied nearby? As epic as a rooftop battle on the high-rises of Tokyo would be, I recall we had some trouble with falling last time.

If there is, maybe we could ask Hisako to bring Byakuya there, or arrange a different decoy to lure the dragon.. Disguise Pen?

Not quite a vote yet, just fact finding.

>>926071
Now that you are in Midtown, you do have nearby access to the rather massive Hinokicho Park.

>>925975
>>926097
Ok so..
>>Write in
Message Naru to have the park cleared, cordoned off.
Lure dragon there for least collateral damage/risk to civilians.

Can Jadeite's magic pull off a convincing Black Moon Clan Prince disguise?

>Get on the roof of that building
Either way, need to have visibility to the dragon to lure it away before it tears the building in half.

Message Ito to keep Hoseki out of sight of the dragon. Sure it'll be confusing for both of them, but she can probably do it without breaking him too much.

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(Think caffeine is working, now for last minute prep work wheeeee~ [Also, Zombie Cure coffee is rather good.])

I'll back

>>925975
I'll back this >>926197
On phone and it got weird, which is why my last post was like that

Writing momentarily.

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Holiday retail is a special kind of hell.

Glancing left and right, you try to remember what’s nearby and catch a large swath of darkness among the lit pillars of the city, Hinokicho Park.

“Call your mother,” you turn to Nephrite Knight and pull down the scarf across your face so she can see you smile as you point toward your plan, “We need an evacuation order of Hinokichi, you and the Senshi need to take position there. Send Jadeite Knight to me first when she gets here,”

“So you’ve got something in mind?” she nods and matches your smile, “And where am I sending her anyway?”

You back up and take a running leap for the next building, nodding back to her and returning cover back to your face. It’s a high leap to be sure, and you have to catch the edge of the building and pull yourself up. This close you can hear the ring of the fire alarm inside, which you imagine was done by Ito-san. Good way to clear the building. Looking over the city you see the approach of the rest of your Knights and the Senshi. You have maybe a minute or two.

Taking out your phone, you quickly shoot a private message over lurk toward Hisako Ito’s account.

‘If you’ve found Byakuya Hoseki, keep him out of sight,’ you message as you watch the team break from the rooftop you left Nephrite Knight on as the Jadeite Knight seems to be readying herself for a jump.

Reaching out and down, you grasp her hand as she gets close and pull her onto the rooftop with you.

“Nice catch, Eclipse,” she offers, “Now what did you need from me,”

“I need you to meet the others in the park, and I need you to start and maintain a very noticeable illusion of the frontman from Malefic Black...visible from up here,” you explain, “but with a few alterations,”

“What kind of alterations?” she questions as you share a psychic picture of one of your sister’s dream born memories of Prince Demand, “Consider it done, what will you be doing,”

“Drawing Flower’s attention from the building and pointing your illusion out to her,” there is a roar far off, but closing, “Get going, once we get her down in the park we can cut loose,”

She sighs, looking out toward the city where you both can see an airborne gout of flame.

“I don’t want to see her as hurt as Nomura-san was,” she admits, confidence faltering beneath her mask, “When this is all over,”

“I think she’ll be okay when we save her,” you lay a hand on her shoulder, “Embarrassed, but I think Flowers will be okay,”

She says nothing else as she turns and leaps into the night beyond the edge of the building, and you turn to face the dragon. You’ll need to get her attention…

>Try to attack her with a spell or power
>Use Faerie Fire to make yourself a beacon and try and point out Midori’s illusion
>Use the Disguise Pen to look like Byakuya and lead her to the park and vanish
>Leap upon her and try to force her down in the park
>Try to talk to her
>Write in

>>927064
>Use the Disguise Pen to look like Byakuya and lead her to the park and vanish

Que Benny Hill theme.

>>927064
>>Use Faerie Fire to make yourself a beacon and try and point out Midori’s illusion

extending vote a bit.

>>927064
>Use the Disguise Pen to look like Byakuya and lead her to the park and vanish

Rolled 9, 15 = 24 (2d20)

Writing

There are modifiers attatched of course.

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Taking out your disguise pen, you shift your appearance to that of Byakuya Hoseki and settle your eyes on the approaching Wyrm. As it approaches, you realize by way of your strange psychometric insight into your foes that what Hanako Minami has become possesses a certain resistance to magic, and when in proximity the ability to sense you even when invisible.


Well, you won’t give her the chance.


As the dragon approaches, its nostrils flare as it notices you from the distance and offer absent minded jets of flame down her snout, illuminating the red mane of hair trailing the the length of her neck. Taking a jump you lead her past the building, leading only some minor damage to a balcony hallway as an errant wing collides.

She rights her flight and continues to pursue as you reach the ground level at the parks edge a few buildings later, your foe closing fast. Reaching tree cover, you ditch the guise offered by the pen’s magic and vanish while pressed against a tree.

A reverberating roar fills the forest and the leaves rustle as she soars overhead toward the direction of the small lake in the park.

Following, you prepare for the conflict to come.

>Thread pause, fading. Resume tomorrow

>>927518
What time are we looking at the thread resume tomorrow?

>>927549
Hopefully before Noon EST.

>>927560
I should be around. Evening went successfully.
Roll were all over the place, but a player can say his character tap danced on a demon.

Back to writing thread resume...

And being suspicious of catfish messages on dating sites.

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>Thread Resume

The park isn’t thick with trees, it isn’t a forest. There are enough for its usual purpose, but it’s still sparse, so even in the dark it doesn't take long for your to see the shallow lake in turmoil.

Your knight’s illusion has been seen through, and the water is turbulent as the dragon roars. It shifts and thrashes in the water, and you see the others begin to come out of hiding around the lake.

Sailor New Moon.

Sailor Mars.

Sailor Mercury.

Sailor Venus.

Sailor Jupiter.

Sailor Sol.

Nephrite Knight.

Zoisite Knight.

Jadeite Knight.

The dragon sees them as the illusion she leans through in the foam breaks. Craning her neck wide around her surrounding foes, she folds her wings back. The dragon made from your friend will not be flying away right now, it knows she has been deceived. She wants to fight.

Starting from the red mane along her neck, she is engulfed in flame. Steam rises from the park’s lake as helicopters begin to fly in overhead, circling wide. The dragon is now flame, an extension as its true mass falls forward in compression. She stands on the water and angrily raises her head.

Taller, sleeker, and more hostile looking than the Hanako Minami you know. Clad in blacks and purples, hair longer than you ever saw on her before. This shadow bellows with all the force of the dragon’s roar as licking flames frame her in silhouette.

“WHERE IS MY PRINCE!” she demands.

The others are prepared to take action.

>Hang back and see what the others do
>Cast a spell or use a power, on Her or the Dragon of flame?
>Get in close to attack, her or the dragon of flame?
>Give her a non answer, distract her until the others can get the drop on her
>Step forward and engage her, try to talk her down. What do you say?
>Just hearing her rage begins to make your fangs ache
>Write in

Bueller?

>>928615
>Give her an answer, distract her until the others can get the drop on her
>Step forward and engage her, try to talk her down. What do you say?
You have no prince here. The one you seek never existed in this world, a haunting dream of a life that wasn't, of one that is not you. You are your own person, with your own life.

I feel like we'll want to get close for this chat. I hope Shield is up.

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>>928710
I'm disappointed that I could not find a Ferris Bueller/Sailor Moon image.

thirty minute window from >>928711

>>928615
I’ll support >>928711

Writing. How is everyone doing today?

>>928774
Sleepy

Alright, I am going to need a persuasion or two.

dice+1d20+10 vs Social Protection of 20

Best of 3

Rolled 6 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>928837
Aye aye.

Rolled 9 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>928837

Rolled 1 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>928837

I should have known better.

Rolled 20 + 8 (1d20 + 8)

Writing.

...oh damn.

Hello Stress. It's been a while

>>928868
1 in 8 chance we could still tie on a surge, we wanna go for it?

>>928874
>>928879
Oh dear.

>>928882
11+8 = 19, anon. your targets SP is 20.

Do I hear a call for surge?

>>928893
Oh, right, math.
Might still be worth mitigating the failure in the face of the scathing response.

Rolled 5 + 4 (1d8 + 4)

And the rest of you, don't mind me, just rolling the Dragon's metaphorical claws.

>>928893
Yes please.

Rolled 6 (1d8)

SURGE

As battle has not fully been joined, you decide you’ll answer her cry and try to talk her down. First though, you concentrate on armoring yourself, a flat shield of psychometric focus to help protect your from what harm your friend or her flaming dragon might be able to force onto you.

It’s strange, the way she split forms reminds you briefly of your encounter with the Shadow called Supaku. Specifically the way her secondary form was possessed of primarily physical power as the flaming wyrm before you while her primary form contained potent magical abilities.

“Hold. We may yet avoid violence today,” stepping forward, you call out first to the others, and then to her.

Maybe you don’t have to fight your friend. Maybe you can have her resolve it on her own; you know a person can potentially overcome their own shadow. And if not, you can throw her off balance for the others.

“You have no prince here,” you shout in certain defiance, “The one you seek never existed in this world, a haunting dream of a life that wasn't, of one that is not you. You are your own person, with your own life,”

She, and the dragon behind her, wheel around to you as you take a position at the water’s edge. Even at this distance, when the dragon’s eyes fall upon you, there is a decided heat. Midori’s possessing shadow marches toward you, the dragon keeping pace behind her. Jets of steam and bubbling water are visible with each step it makes on all fours in and out of the lake, she continues to move across the surface unhindered. Unhindered and roused to anger.

“Do not deny me,” she growls evenly but clear even across this distance, “This is a chance beyond his reach, without Nemesis we can be happy! She can be happy! I’ve held him, don’t you dare tell me he isn’t real!”

>>928986

>you have engaged in Social Combat with Wyrm Boquete
>your initial attempt did not even phase her or her resolve
>Wyrm Boquete critically hits you with doubt, this dragon has claws as you accumulate 9 stress.
>Your Stress is now 10 out of 16

This Shadow, fully realized she seems more rooted in the phantom memories of Esmeraude rather than Midori. You had not expected this, and you wonder if Midori was really so unhappy before. More than that, you wonder if this is why she is acting on her own whim rather than whatever ends the enemy would have her focus on. And while she takes no overt action of attack against, her tongue and teeth cut to the quick and shake you to your core.

She is maybe ten feet from you now, still walking atop the water and with the dragon just behind her. The others look on with concern. Though you imagine one of them might act harshly in their recognized impatience.

It is your turn.

Movement
>Close the distance between you
>Try to move around her, so her back is to the Senshi
>Stay where you are
>Step back for distance
>Withdraw

Social Action
>And you’ll have him, like this? All fury and flame drowning out the you who could be happy? (try to trip her up)
>If she does not yield now, you will defeat her(Intimidation attack)
>Plead to the kindness you know is in her (Persuasion attack)
>Say her prince is forever lost to her (Deception attack)
>write in, some other social maneuver or idea

>>928989
>Try to move around her, so her back is to the Senshi

&

>And you’ll have him, like this? All fury and flame drowning out the you who could be happy? (try to trip her up)

Also Claws of Shadow.

>>928989
>Stay where you are
>Plead to the kindness you know is in her (Persuasion attack)

>>928989
>>Try to move around her, so her back is to the Senshi
>>And you’ll have him, like this? All fury and flame drowning out the you who could be happy? (try to trip her up)

>>929009
Claws are more a trademark of Red Eyes, with the deception game we're playing with the enemy, better to leave them out as Eclipse. When/if it turns violent, thinking we lay Power Word Blind on her and strike as a team.

>>929037
Claws also does an absurd amount of damage and this is a dragon. If we don't pull out the stops, we're gonna have a bad time.

>>929037
Thinking punctuating it with something like scolding her for being blinded by her obsession and jealousy, inner darkness/turmoil/etc would be suitably snappy.

>>929066
2d6 isn't that absurd, either way I think sprouting claws while talking may send mixed messages when trying to talk her down.

>>929082
A skirmish/sneak/quick-draw-strike combo, now that would be wonderfully absurd damage.

>>929082
Claws does up to like 5d6 depending on how much we dump into it.

>>929090
Expenditure caps at manifester level though, 7, so 2d6.

Writing

Rolled 9 + 4 (1d20 + 4)

Give me a trip up.

Straight charisma head to head, but you have some bonuses.

give me best of 3, dice+1d20+5

Rolled 9 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>929103
here we go

Rolled 3 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>929103

>>929096
That's still an extra 2d6 that could make the difference between success and failure.

Rolled 7 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>929103
Please..

Man, these dice.

You circle around her, maintaining distance so you stand on her far side from the Senshi. She turns with you, eyes firmly on your own. The dragon merely swivels its head, and this close you can certainly feel the heat and see the water boiling where it touches. Wading in like this, up to your ankles, you feel the warmth.

She is terrifying. Beautiful and terrible, you barely can scarcely see a hint of the warmth and friendliness you know as nearly synonymous with Hanako. Though you know it’s in there.

“And you’ll have him like this?” you question and shift your posture, “All fury and flame drowning out the you who could be happy?”

She stalls. Her face stumbles in doubt and she shrinks into herself. Neither the confidence of Esmeraude or the vivaciousness of Flowers. Doubt and conflict.

“She’ll need me to keep him, right?” she whispers after a moment, trying to find purchase and pleading with herself, “No, I...NO!”

The dragon roars and becomes faint and translucent around a core of blue. The steam billows with new intensity as the boiling rolls. Still, it holds position. While she may be trying to argue with you, she is truly arguing against her own dissonance. While you haven’t dented the stability of her mixed psyche, you see there is schism within.

You can see everyone behind her, on certain edge.

>Try to reach Hanako, remind her of the sun and not this darkness.
>Get close to her, purify her body and soul with the same power you used on Venus-chan
>While she’s distracted, unsheathe claws of shadow and strike decisively and quickly!
>While she’s distracted, bind her in rose vines and direct the others to attack
>write in

>>929217
>Try to reach Hanako, remind her of the sun and not this darkness.

>>929217
>>Get close to her, purify her body and soul with the same power you used on Venus-chan
That can do that? Sweet.
While getting close though:
>>Try to reach Hanako, remind her of the sun and not this darkness.

>>929239
It has a range of touch. That's why.

>>929239
Fine we'll do it your way.

Voting for this.

Writing.

Give me dice+2d20 best of 3

first is persuasion with a +10
second is for touch, which is your melee plus close quarters.

Rolled 13, 1 = 14 (2d20)

>>929301

>>929308
Drat.

>>929313
The good news is that is still an 18 to hit touch.

>>929322
Probably better surge anyway.

While I wait on the next two rolls, do I hear a call for surge?

Rolled 17, 2 = 19 (2d20)

>>929301
Eh, I’ll roll again.

>>929351
Definitely surge the second roll, at this rate.

Rolled 2, 17 = 19 (2d20)

>>929301

>>929361
>>929385
What.

Rolled 19, 4 = 23 (2d20)

>>929301

Rolled 5 (1d8)

Surge

Writing

Oh wow. You have no idea how happy i am you are still running this artemis!

Im contiuously at work so i cant binge read the archives, but i will do so asap

Rolled 14, 2, 6, 13, 16, 20, 18, 5, 7 = 101 (9d20)

“It’s alright,” you offer calmly as you take steady steps in the water toward her.

You’re up to your knees by the time you’re in front of her, looking up into her conflicted features.

“You do know who you are under all of this,” you offer, “Even now you haven’t forgotten the warmth of the sun, or the person who used to revel in it,”

She is quiet, and the dragon’s flame shift back into more visible reds and oranges.

“You’re with them, aren’t you,” she questions and glances over her shoulder at the assembled Sailor Guardians, “And you’ve come to save her from me, save me from myself?”

“Only if you let us,” you offer calmly, “Tell me, do you remember if she was happy?”

She looks over the water indecisively. Searching for something, and then closing her eyes. Reaching out for her, you lay a careful hand on her shoulder.

“She thought she was,” she says, evenly, “but I thought she could be more, and have the happiness I let myself lose...because she saw him and knew the same want that ruined me,”

“It’s time to let her go,” you offer calmly, “to find her destiny in this world, in this time,”

Your starseed burns inside of you. Power and light at a warm touch that lets the dragon of flame wisp into nothing and coalesces across the surface of your transformed friend. As the light breaks, your feel the corruption burn off of her and every hurt emotional and physical mend itself, and within that shell an unconscious Hanako Minami falls into both your grasp and the water.

For a moment the only sound you hear is the lapping of the water, before your little sister in the distance offers a cheer and surges into the water toward the two of you as the others visibly relax.

“You did it! You got her without even fighting!” Sailor New Moon cries out as she wades with speed against the cooling water.

“I don’t know, I had to do a bit earlier,” Sailor Sol calls out after your sister as she crosses her arms with a smile.


Moving slowly toward the others, you shift your hold on your unconscious friend so you aren’t dragging her through the wet. As Sailor New Moon comes to a stop in front of you she is bouncing on her heels in excitement.

“I wish every monster could go like this,” she at first whines, though still smiling, “And that’s not me wanting to be lazy!”

“I know, Sailor Moon,” you offer her, “This may have been a special case, though. Against this enemy we won’t always be so lucky,”

Movement catches your eye as back on the bank Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Venus, Nephrite Knight, and Jadeite Knight collapse unexpectedly.

“Wise of you to think,” lazes a yawn from behind you, “Because it certainly won’t,”

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>>929597


Floating a few feet above the water is Kalunite, clad in the military grey of old Elysium. There is a bored and lazy look about his face, punctuated with an annoyed twitch as the circling spotlight of a helicopter passes over him.

“How rude,” he clicks his tongue and lethargically raises a hand toward the skyward craft, “Don’t they know people are sleeping down here?”

Eclipsed Moon Quest Episode 142
End

So, when next I get a chance to run something, I'm going to dust off my old Anonkun project and see if it still has legs.

Hope you guys enjoyed the thread, I'll see you next time.

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>>929604
>>929597
Oh shi-
Challenger has appeared.

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>>929619
Thanks for running! Looking forward to next time!

>>929619
At last. The puppet master shows one of his Bishops.

>>929664
Well that picture has me laughing.

>>929619
Thanks for running Art.

Man, captcha likes store fronts today.

>>929697
Thanks for running dude