>>1541660
>> [CONTENTMENT] This is fine.

>>1541660
>> [CURIOSITY] enquire why she’s singing her prayer.

>>1541660
> [WORRY] Stop her singing. Pretend she's keeping you up.

Funny how Verde is the nofun since we got no emotions.

>>1541733
>>1541676
>>1541673

A tie. What a shock.

You have 15 more minutes.

>>1541676
>>1541776
switching to :>>1541733

>>1541792
>>1541733
>>1541676
>>1541673

Locked in. Writing soon.

>>1541792
>>1541792
>>1541733
>>1541676
>>1541673

Entering the room without knocking - because y’know bodyguard - you play being sleepy, squinting your eyes and mumbling, “Hey Mono. mind cutting out the singing.” You yawn for effect, “I can hear it from my window.”

“Fuck.” she curses, “Fine.” Standing up she dusts down the knees of her clothes, “Just gettin’ a prayer in. Didn’t realize I was loud.” Even in her combative tone, it’s the closest to a straight sorry you’ll get.

“Remember to close the window. Phantoms.” You say gently, rubbing one of your eyes.

She glances nervously at the open window, “Will do.”

“Night Mono.” You slur.

“Night.” She growls eading over to the window. You close the door and linger, hearing the closing window. Still you wait until you hear the latch come down to its locked position. Good girl.

Now what?

> Bed is good

> [WORRY] Check on Someone (pick anyone)

> [PRIDE] Do some prayer

> Write-In

>>1541878
>> [PRIDE] Do some prayer

>>1541878
> [PRIDE] Do some prayer

Yeah why not.

>>1541878
>[WORRY] Check on Someone
Velth

>>1541878
MIRANDA

It's difficult trying to keep a tail on this thing without it spying you, but so far so good. What helps is the fact that it seems to be solely focused on getting to its destination as opposed to particularly trying to shake any potential followers. It's silent, but the need for quiet causes its movements to be a fair bit less speedy than it had done in the forest. That allows you to keep a high profile and carefully watch it as it dips the shadows of the city.

Really, it's not a big secret as to its destination. It's just a matter of picking the right moment to strike. For both of you, that is. Its rapid fire stop and start as it moves makes you wonder if something is wrong with it- then you make out its eyes shifting in different directions rapidly and it's there that it hits you. It's trying to get a bead on something. The head is moving like it's trying to catch a scent, like the hound it is- or you when trying to track a particular foe. Wonder what brought that on? Either way, you can notice it getting closer and closer to the inn, and it's only about a block away by now; the slight hill that the building is on doing wonders for your viewpoint.

Either way, there's little time for musing about possibilities. You need to decide on a way to handle this, and soon.

>Pop off a few low power magi-blasts, try to scare it off. Too risky to engage outright. Hopefully you can either nail it, or attract too much attention for it to do what it wants.
>Let it try to get in the inn, and limit its mobility. Aside from the upper floor, the whole place is deserted. The Hunter will become the Hunted.
>Get Purps, get ready, and get ready to ‘greet’ it when it tries to get in.
>Other

>>1542680
Sorry, that's me.

>>1542680
>>Get Purps, get ready, and get ready to ‘greet’ it when it tries to get in.

>>1542680
>Other
Scan it with the FarSight, then go get Purps to ambush it.

>>1542680
>>Get Purps, get ready, and get ready to ‘greet’ it when it tries to get in.

Hey, just home from football.

Got to wash etc then be on.

File: Miranda.png (301 KB, 577x894)

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>>1543903
>>1542920
>>1542778
>>1542687

MIRANDA

All right, fine. If it wants to barge its way in, then you can at the very least make sure to give it a hell of a warm welcome. You quickly retreat to the inn proper, unfortunately it's not very long before you can find your partner, who's currently on her knees praying. The way she acts sometimes, you're still surprised she's apparently somewhat devout. Well, she'll have to make up for it later. “Phantom wolf coming in. It's trying to be careful about it, but we're going to be there to say hi. Off your knees and on your feet.” The words come out in a bit of a rush, but you don't have much time to be cordial.

“Alright.” She says rolling her neck, “Apparently there’s some kinda weird semi temple here. No idea what to make of that weirdness.” Does she think that’s relevant?
Bah. Questions for later. This has come up one too many times to just ignore, you have to admit.

The both of you quickly get outside. “I was going to say when we were swapping watch. Mono was singing her prayers. The first time I saw this thing she was praying in the woods.” Well. Isn't that just a lovely little coincidence.

“We're going to have to grill them about this, I swear,” you mutter as you look out into the night. A quick pointing out of where it was last seen has you both taking an overview; but strangely enough, it's nowhere to been seen. The both of you spend several minutes doing a thorough search, but nothing shows up, much to your frustration. How the hell…

>You're BOTH staying up tonight.
>Nope, you're having a talk with Mono. Now.
>Perhaps you should bring this up privately with Switchwick...tomorrow.
>Other

>>1546855
>Other
Purps to check that all of the girls are still alive and check the inside of the building, Miranda checks the outside, use her Alarm and danger smell spells to look for the thing.

>>1546893
this is ok idea, backing.

>>1546946
>>1546893

5 more minutes.

Pretend I haven't been using the wrong fucking trip all thread.

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>>1546946
>>1546893

PURPS

“Check on the girls. Every single one of them.” Verde orders, hand on her chin as she ponders the situation. “I’ll stay outside and make sure nothing approaches.”

“Right.” You nod, before taking off at full speed. Leaping over rooftops is nothing to you and despite the distance you’ve moved on; the inn is across the street in just over a minute. The landing barely slows your stride as the momentum carries you to the doorstep and into the common room. Surprisingly enough you just find two still steaming mugs from the tea drinkers.

Nothing is knocked over, the chairs are tucked in, napkins are still wet from wiping mouths. Everything points towards the girls having a lovely midnight drink from Luc’s gift. It’s a shame Verde and you can’t partake in some tea right this minute. But a decision has to be made.

> Loudly summon everyone to the kitchen. Subtlety is not the play.

> Pop your head in each room again, make sure they’re okay.

> Get Switchwick first and have her help.

> Write-In

>>1547121
>> Loudly summon everyone to the kitchen. Subtlety is not the play.

>>1547121
>Pop your head in each room again, make sure they’re okay.

>>1547121
>> Get Switchwick first and have her help.

>>1547121
>Get Switchwick first and have her help.
So someone's a traitor. For real.Dunno how to make this work out.

>>1547121
>> Get Switchwick first and have her help.

>>1547121
>>1547267
>>1547278
>>1548248
MIRANDA

Nothing. Abso-damned-lutely nothing. Whatever was going on- it had well and vanished. You’re still on edge about this whole thing, but for entirely different reasons now. As far as you’re aware, it didn’t have any particular reason to abandon whatever it was planning to do...unless it had been called off. Just you and Purps weren’t enough to scare it off outright, were you? You’d ran it down before, true, but the creature didn’t strike you as the type to just consider its position, say ‘nah’, and then completely up and vanish.

Not unless it was TOLD to, anyway. Which just makes you wonder all the more.

Grumbling inwardly, you head back to the inn, where you can see Purps talking to Switchwick, who doesn’t seem to have slept at all, if the bags under her eyes are any indication as well as how she’s slouching in her chair. Purps is near expressionless.

The matriarch looks at you, and for a single moment you feel something approaching sympathy for the lady- her eyes are filled with a tired resignation; the look of someone who’s just accepted that fate just isn’t on her side and she’s going to have to deal with it regardless of if she wants to or not. Purps turns your way as well. “I just told her of the general issue. Haven’t gone into specifics.”

Your mouth presses into a line. “‘General issue’ would be?”

“That you want to finally go through with it and accuse one of my girls of causing all this trouble. That sounds about right?” Her voice is wry and humorless, despite the thin smile on her face. “I wonder what could’ve caused things to go so wrong…”


>We just want to ask a few questions. Can you call her down?
>Maybe we can test her somehow. We haven’t just marched up there yet.
>We need to keep her under close supervision. We technically still haven’t caught her in the act.
>Other

>>1548824
>We need to keep her under close supervision. We technically still haven’t caught her in the act.

Since both times she has singing the wolf thing has turned up and shes a wolf head.

Also i think its more then just one of thr girls

>>1548824
>>We need to keep her under close supervision. We technically still haven’t caught her in the act.

>>1548824
>We need to keep her under close supervision. We technically still haven’t caught her in the act.

>Purps, can't your old wizard set up a scrying net? Can you, Switchwick? It doesn't make sense that any of the girls are doing this and keeping only one under surveillance might just cause another tragedy.

>The only motive we've got for Mono is that she prays to a god of wanderlust, but that's reason to get up and leave, not to murder friends.

>>1548971
The god she prys too
Is forbidden openal
The godness has made a whole tiwn of people turning into wolfman and tryed to kill purbs befor

>>1549424

Gine isn't forbidden.

>>1548824
>We need to keep her under close supervision. We technically still haven’t caught her in the act.
>Other: Scan each one with the FarSight to see if there's a match with the magic signature of the hilt that we previously scanned.

>>1549564
Oooh dammit i was thinking of thr other one
Shit
Mybe bad.
Ahah

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>>1549626
>>1549593
>>1549564
>>1549424
>>1548971
>>1548843
>>1548834

PURPS

“We don’t know that anything went wrong.” You find yourself reassuring her. “We know that magic is involved and singing may be either attracting or creating these things.” Apparently your comment is surprising as Verde raises an eyebrow, “There’s billions of planes. Maybe their singing is bringing stuff through, I mean they reality warp as is - it wouldn’t be too out of left field.”

“Is that possible?” Switchwick asks in hope.

“Very optimistic, but technically yes.” Verde says after a brief moment of hesitation. “We won't know until we cover every base.”

“What does that mean?” Switchwick asks. She really looks like shit, hopefully Luc’s tea will fix that. Probably won’t; but you find yourself making three cups regardless.

“It means Purps isn’t leaving her side all throughout that show. It means one of the three of us has eyes on her at all times and she’s coming downstairs to be scanned.” your partner says… clinically. She’s definitely given this kind of talk before.

“Scan her? What is she some kind of bomb?” The professor protests, looking like she would flip the large table if she could, fortunately she is not a Starborn, trained soldier or in anyway muscular.

The water boils and you pour it into the clay mug, foregoing the heat protector. The silence is filled by the clink of metal on saucer as you place two cups in front of the other ladies and speak your piece, “She very well could be a bomb. She could be a portal for those things. She could be unwitting or unwilling accomplice or even a sick mastermind out to kill her sisters.” Verde takes a measured sip and Switchwick shakily picks up her cup. Brown liquid pools in the cup from her trembling hands, “I’d prefer to assume she doesn’t know she’s doing whatever she’s doing.”

You take a sip. “I suppose - that that’s the best we can do.”

“We can’t deny the Stalker Phantom does look very wolf like. Plus Purps’ first encounter and our latest encounter all came within seconds and minutes of Mono singing her prayers.” Verde finished her scalding tea with two more long gulps.

> [CURIOSITY] But what about the other ones?

> [DETERMINATION] I’ll go get Mono for that scan.

> [PRIDE] You hired us for a reason Switchwick, we can do this.

> Write-In

>>1549780
>> [DETERMINATION] I’ll go get Mono for that scan.

>>1549780
>> [DETERMINATION] I’ll go get Mono for that scan.

>>1549780
>[DETERMINATION] I’ll go get Mono for that scan.

How is this shit still running?

>>1550262

It's a labour of love greenanon.

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>>1550262
>>1550175
>>1550173
>>1549945

MIRANDA

“I'll get Mono for the scan,” Purps says with something iron in her voice. She quickly gets up and leaves, and you’re left with the matriarch who's looking at you like you were an executioner, and her girl was on the chopping block.

You can't say it's not a look you have been given before. Usually in less cordial circumstances though. There's a bit of a tense silence in the air as she regards you worriedly; it's clear that she has something to say, but by the way that she's avoiding eye contact with you, she either thinks it's going to offend you, or you're going to give her an answer she really doesn't want to hear.

She hears the door to Mono’s room open, and that seems to finally give her the nerve to whisper out in a rushed, fearful voice. “If-if she is the cause of all this, what are you going to do to her?” The look in her eyes tells you that you were right- you know exactly what she's dreading. She's worried, despite everything, that you're going to kill the girl In cold blood right then and there in order to do your job. You get the feeling that just answering ‘whatever you tell me to’ won't fly with her, especially considering what you said you would do earlier.

>Write-in

>>1550289
"I will attempt to determine why she is doing what she is doing, whether it is intentional or some kind of subconscious side-effect, and attempt non-lethal methods of neutralizing her as a threat. I am a cold-blooded killer, but I am a professional."

>>1550289
Things would be a lot easier if we had some kind of long-term stasis or suspended animation spell. I can't remember anything similar being mentioned, though. There's certainly nothing of the sort in the pastebin of Miranda's techniques.

I guess, given how limited our information is, we can't really give a clear answer yet. If she's an unwilling or unwitting victim of an outside power, we'll need to track down and destroy whoever or whatever is ultimately responsible. If she's doing this accidentally, we'll have to force her to stop doing whatever triggers it. If she's doing it deliberately, we'll have to permanently strip her of her power. Assuming that's even possible. We'll have to put her down otherwise.

>>1550688
We are a professional! Not some crazed gunman!

>>1550289
I will fulfill the terms of my contract to the best of my ability. There are many possible actions to deal with this situation.

>>1550725
>We are a professional! Not some crazed gunman!
"I am a Private Tactical Consultant, not a genocidal madwoman. One's a profession and the other is mental sickness."

>>1550289
>>1550688
>>1550725
>>1550935

You have to restrain a sigh. It’s not an uncommon point of view or fear, but it’s something you do occasionally get exhausted explaining. “There’s more than a few ways to deal with this, and not all of them like you expect. In general, I’ll attempt to determine why she’s doing what she is, whether it’s intentional or some kind of subconscious side-effect, and if possible, neutralize her as a threat, whether it’s by removing her powers somehow or other means.” You level a vaguely tired, yet still quite iron stare at her. “Please keep in mind that yes, I am many things- in this case, largely a Private Tactical Consultant, but above all else I am a PROFESSIONAL, not a genocidal madwoman. One's a profession. The other is mental sickness."

Switchwick just sighs. “I suppose you again have a point...but thank you, then. It’s...been trying times for me.”

The way she looks at you tells you she’s surprised you see that much of a difference. Part of you’s insulted, but before you can say much else, you can hear footsteps.

Time to deal with this for good, hopefully.

>>1559664
Sorry, that was me. Next post is a new thread, will link from here.

>>1559668
>>1559755