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>>4404810

Quest Start

You reach the bottom of the ladder slowly, your sneakers squeaking against the floor of the utility tunnel. It’s dark, and as uncomfortable as you are being underground you’ll have to make due. Ahead of you in these dark corridors await Shadows, monsters who have gone rogue from the enemy and may be possessed of their own hearts and will. No, without a doubt they have their own wills and hearts. Fears. Hope. Dreams. Souls.

The enemy, who have been harvesting the darkness in the hearts of innocent people, want these assets returned to them or destroyed. Even going so far as charging your Princess, under her own guise as a local urban myth of a monster, with accomplishing this task to offer her a place in their organization.

Instead you are going to do your best to ensure these four have a chance at the normal lives denied them. The plan is to use the illusory magic of your order’s Knight Marshal, the Jadeite Knight, to bear false witness of the fall of these four at the hands of your Princess’s alter ego to defraud and infiltrate.

These thoughts, and explicitly using the grandiose terms and titles of this endeavor, swirl in your head to keep you steady. Thinking of it in these terms makes it feel less personal and makes you feel like you’re playing a role instead of down here underground yourself.

When you went into the abandoned lair of Magician...you’d been with your Princess. Your best friend. Mikage-chan. With her help, you could face the darkness and what had happened to you there. Now, while everything else is unfolding above you’re down here alone.

“Nephrite Knight, this is Spymaster,” well, physically alone as the small electronic voice fills your ear, “Do you copy? Over,”

“This is Nephrite Knight,” you breathe deeply before you speak quietly over the secure connection to the allies running coordination, “I’m in the utility tunnel,”

“You have to say ‘over’. Over,” the Spymaster, Saori Umeki, chides over the connection after a significant beat of dead air before you can hear the distant sound of someone saying really before that voice becomes clearer and joins the connection.

“This is Base Manager. You don’t have to observe HAM or walkie talkie radio etiquette,” the voice of the Crowne Arcade Manager and now part time ancient magical moon tech technician Yeon-sek joins the call.

“Spoiling my fun...whatever. Nephrite Knight all your gear will be Procure on Site,” Saori grouses back and resumes trying to...wait no she isn’t taking this seriously.

>>4404815

“I can manifest a sword and I have a bunch of flashlights, glowsticks, and a gre-” you pause, you don’t need to tell Saori that you’re packing beyond magical gear right now, “Look, I’m just going to follow these directions and confirm when I make contact and start diplomacy,”

“Alright, good luck down there,” you can practically hear Yeon-sek nodding, “We’ll be listening in on your channel but we’ll be focusing on coordinating everything going on topside. We’re here if you need us and will otherwise let you know if we pick up on any danger heading your way,”

“Thank you Base Manager,” you honestly feel a bit better, distracted by your own bickering with Saori and chatter with Yeon.

Less alone. The tunnel doesn’t seem quite as long.

“Commencing Virtuous Mission!” Saori chirps, “Wait, shit! Nephrite Knight you have the gear for it and access to stuff. Can I convince you to cosplay this sniper girl character from this game I really-”

Okay, you’re now completely focused because you’re annoyed. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

“Quiet,” you tell Saori off over the comms.

“Yes! Exactly! To think you’d volunteer knowing who I meant,” Saori laughs to herself, “I thought this would be a harder sell,”

“No, I meant be quiet,” you groan, “I need you to be serious here,”

She is silent for a moment.

“Sorry...just got a little excitable and in the moment,” Saori’s voice takes on that tone of self consciousness she usually gets after she realizes she was getting carried away.

You know the way to their lair, they haven’t left from any of their access points as far as has been noticed. Though, you don’t know if the enemy has begun searching down here as of yet. With all the chaos up top something might have slipped in? You’ve perhaps adopted Mikage’s healthy paranoia.

>Sneak toward their encampment
>Walk without fear of being noticed
>Announce your approach in the dark
>Announce your approach in the dark, by your name
>Announce your approach in the dark, as an enemy of their enemy
>Announce your approach in the dark, as a friend who wants to help
>Announce your approach in the dark, as Nephrite Knight
>Write in

&

>Anything else you wanted to talk to Saori or Yeon about?
>Ask to be connected to someone dealing with things on the surface
>Look to your ring, does Nephrite know anything that can help?
>You need to focus on the task at hand

>>4404818
>Sneak toward their encampment
>Look to your ring, does Nephrite know anything that can help?
Let’s try and find out how those four are feeling, then work out how to proceed.

>>4404818
>Sneak toward their encampment
+
>Look to your ring, does Nephrite know anything that can help?

>>4404818
>>Walk without fear of being noticed
&
>>Look to your ring, does Nephrite know anything that can help?

>>4404818
>>Walk without fear of being noticed
>>Look to your ring, does Nephrite know anything that can help?

>>4404818
>Sneak toward their encampment
>Look to your ring, does Nephrite know anything that can help?

>>4404818
>Sneak toward their encampment
>Look to your ring, does Nephrite know anything that can help?

Well, if we're gonna be waiting, guess we could try planning ahead.
If I recall correctly, these are four independent shadow people born of some sort of shadow essence that came through during Borealis' experiment/attack on Tokyo Tower. Entered and copied themselves off of four people, including a classmate, who were otherwise unharmed. They then beat feat and have been living on the lam, with some light robbery for supplies to survive.
That match with what others recall?
Think they may have roughed up some muggers in the area as well.
Also we were aware they had an intense fear/hate of Mikage. Likely related to feeding on shadow?

>>4404960
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/37585895/
relevant interlude at the start

So Melee and I were having a discussion a week or so ago about how a lot of 90s anime properties had Tarot theming based off their characters. So, we started talking about this quest's characters and came up with this:

The Fool: Saori Umeki
The Magician: Aiha Mizuno
The High Priestess: Rin Kumada
The Empress: Midori Mori
The Emperor: Kanari Kino
The Hierophant: Setsuna Meioh
The Lovers: Koyomi Chiba and Koito Kino
The Chariot: Sasha and his motorcycle
Justice: Koyomi Chiba
The Hermit: Ranko Meioh
The Wheel of Fortune: Present Mikage, the disguise pen, and her different personalities
Strength: Hisako Ito
The Hanged Man: Hiddenite
Death: (Chibi) Usagi Chiba
Temperance: Kairi Osaka
The Devil: Kalunite
The Tower: Tokyo Tower
The Star: Venus
The Moon: Chibi-Diana
The Sun: Keiko Sugimoto/Sailor Sol
Judgement: Hotaru Tomoe
The World: Mikage Chiba whole

>>4404960
>>4404976
Additional bits later on:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/37638832/#p37644729
>>~Its not just that...there was something hungry out there too. Something trying to get in. I think those little black monsters and the body of the big one I attacked was made of it. I thought they were like the darkness the enemy was using...but it was different,~ you pause, ~They just made the hunger worse and I went ballistic,~

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/46715188/#p46720817
“They are an imperfect resource, four have in fact gone awol and are likely acting against our purposes. We have reason to believe they have taken up space in you...I believe you call it turf. I would like to offer you a place in our designs for a better world, and to test your commitment I ask you either bring in, or consume as you have proven capable of doing in the past, these missing assets,”

Home. Wifi. Dinner. Dishes. Other D words with action words then writing.

>>4404810
More Eclipsed Moon? Fuck yeah!

Also, I loved that last omake last thread and how it ties into the overall themes of this quest. Seriously, your work is great Artemis!

Give me a stealth check

Dice+1d20+6 best of three.

Rolled 11 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4405298

Rolled 10 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4405298

>>4405298

>>4405298
Rollin'

Huh. Weird. It's not letting me roll.

Rolled 16 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4405304

>>4405315
Nice

>>4405298

Because he tagged the wrong psot.

Rolled 15 + 8 (1d20 + 8)

Alright then.

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You resolve to approach their lair quietly, and hopefully without notice. The dark of this place suits you well to that task as you set a hand upon the wall of the utility tunnel. From there you know enough to approach.

Your ring glints in the darkness, and you think that perhaps you should seek the counsel of your mentor.

“Nephrite,” you whisper in the dark as your hand drags across the concrete interspersed with piping.

-My student,- the voice echoes in your mind and draws your potential for response once the connection is made, -Do you require guidance in the dark, or do you find the underground too disturbing,-

-Guidance, Nephrite,- you resolve and continue on in the dark, light of foot and quick of step as you reach the junctions and turns you expect.

There is an echo in the dark, and you stop moving, and hear the steps further on before they too stop. You feel a sense of unease and dread.

-You walk into the lions’ den,- your mentor warns, -Even if they have souls and hearts of their own, they are still extremely dangerous. Do not drop your guard, and it is my advisement to present a strong front against them when the time comes,-

They are dangerous, you know that from watching them.

The steadfast shield maiden, cunning. The axe maiden, insightful and calculating. The spear maiden, bold and wild…

And the sword maiden, when pushed she can fall to rage.

Turning in the dark, you advance toward the next junction. Your unease peaks.

WIth a turn you catch a flare above you, looking up you see three bright points of light arranged in a triangle, as your eyes adjust from the blinding presence taking you out of the dark a figure becomes visible which drops down in front of you.

The tattered and mismatched clothes you’ve been familiar with through repeated observation and surveillance. The messily tied hair framing three eyes that shine light upon you. A loose and half eaten melon bread hanging from her mouth.

She had been clinging to the ceiling, above where Saori or Yeon would have noticed from what cameras Diana had been able to set up here in the tunnels.

The spear maiden of the four shadows, the one with the least sense and greatest chance of reacting...poorly to the presence of an intruder.

Her eyes blink at you in confusion, as she brandishes a small knife you’re aware she stole from a nearby restaurant. Those eyes watch you, dubiously.

“What’s your life worth?” she queries with a threatening tone, her free hand removing the bread, from what you know of her encounter with Mikage some days prior this may mostly be bluster, “Maybe your shoes and that jacket?”

Without her sisters present you may be able to outsmart her or…

>Imitate your bestie, Princess No.
>Smack her bread out of her hand
>Present an offering you brought from the convenience store
>Greet her, you escaped the chaos topside into the tunnels and are lost
>Greet her, you’re here to speak with her and her sisters
>Draw your sword
>Write in

>>4405415
>Present an offering you brought from the convenience store
&
>Greet her, you’re here to speak with her and her sisters

>>4405415
>Present an offering you brought from the convenience store

>>4405415
>>Imitate your bestie, Princess No.
>>Present an offering you brought from the convenience store
>>Greet her, you’re here to speak with her and her sisters
No deal, but I do offer this gift freely.
I've come to speak with you and your sisters.

>>4405415
>Present an offering you brought from the convenience store
>Greet her, you’re here to speak with her and her sisters

>>4405415
>>Present an offering you brought from the convenience store
>>Greet her, you’re here to speak with her and her sisters

Writing, last update of tonight. Gonna go into slow sporadic mode over the course of the weekend as seems to be the custom of qst these days.

How is everyone doing tonight?

>>4405499
Apparently I've developed tinnitus and am currently losing my mind, but beyond that I've been doing alright. Hoping it fades enough to wrap up the current arc my group has been playing through tomorrow.

Tension hangs in the air. At least she hasn’t screamed out a warning to her sisters. Odds are in a straight out fight you’d be at a disadvantage against this girl. Luckily, as you’ve seen, despite her bravado and wildness she seems reticent to actually unleash her potential energy weapon or the spear she wields by instinct.

There is no other choice then, really. You’ll have to use that.

She watches you as you slowly reach to the side of your jacket. Perhaps expecting you to remove it as per her urging. Her smile widens excitedly until your hand disappears into the article. Her hand in turn tightens on the knife causing it to twist in her grip slightly.

“How about instead,” you say carefully as her eyes widen at you, all three, and her pupils thin in anticipation of violence.

Grabbing the corner from the broad pocket inside the jacket, you withdraw a flat packed prepackaged meal. Rice, folded omelette, pickles, sausages, and cabbage sitting in a shallow tray of firm black plastic sealed in with a flat soft removable clear top.

“You have this,” her pupils now dilate while her eyes grow wider.

“Oh hell yeah!” she chirps and snaps it out of your hand and rips the plastic top with her knife before hurriedly and messily shoving the contents of the tray into her face with little care.

She makes a contented sound and grabs at your arm.

“Do you have anymore?” she looks close to tears at you, knife forgotten and suddenly in your debt instead of holding you at her mercy.

“I do, and I’m glad you liked it,” you smile at her, still within the illuminated cone of light emanating from her third eye, “My name’s Kairi, it’s nice to meet you,”

“I-” she pauses, “...don’t really know if I have a name...but its nice to meet you. Can I have another tray?!”

“Maybe you can, I have more than enough for everyone,” you offer her with a smile, “if you’d be willing to introduce me to your sisters. I came down here to speak with you,”

She goes rigid and her two nominally placed eyes regard you again with dubious uncertainty while the third eye continues to dance at the memory of her unexpected meal.

“What sisters? What do you know!? Who sent you!?” she points a finger at you aggressively.

>Be honest here, even if she might not believe you
>Try to bribe her with more food
>Warn her that she’s in danger
>Use the oldest trick in the book and make your way to the others
>”Oh no, you’ve got me. I guess I’m your prisoner. Take me to your leader,”
>Draw sword, threaten her
>Write in

>>4405499
Doing ok, how about you?

>>4405558
>>Warn her that she’s in danger
>>Be honest here, even if she might not believe you
Our mutual enemy was closing in on your location, we've arranged a distraction, and we have a place they can't find you.
We'd like to bring you there and help you establish yourselves later, in exchange for you laying low for a time.

>>4405558
>>Warn her that she’s in danger
>>Be honest here, even if she might not believe you

>>4405558
>Be honest here, even if she might not believe you

>>4405558
>Warn her that she’s in danger
>Be honest here, even if she might not believe you

>>4405558
>Warn her that she’s in danger
>Be honest here, even if she might not believe you

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>>4405558
>Use the oldest trick in the book and make your way to the others

>>4405558
>>Warn her that she’s in danger
>>Be honest here, even if she might not believe you

>>4405558
>Warn her that she’s in danger
>Be honest here, even if she might not believe you

>>4405562
Helping my parents & self get Ready to move. Today is garage day.

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Pieces of rice and omelette fall off of her hand as the finger shakes before you. You’re uncertain if it’s an anxiety in the girl or the prelude to her springing to action.


“The first thing you need to understand is that you’re in danger,” you say to her evenly whilst you casually step on the knife she dropped to consume the small lunch tray, “Our mutual enemy is closing in on this location, but we’ve arranged a distraction above,”

Two of her eyes narrow at you, while the third begins darting around independent of their focus on you.

“What mutual enemy?! Who do you think I am!” it isn’t a question as much as it is a declaration.

“I think you’re someone trapped in a situation they didn’t ask for,” you say softly and try to meet her eyes without backing down, “I know what that’s like...being made into a monster you didn’t ask to be. Listen, we have a place they can’t find you. We’d like to bring you there and help you establish yourselves later,”

She is quiet. The eye settles on something off to the side in the darkness.

-We aren’t alone anymore,- Nephrite warns.

“Again, what mutual enemy!” she barks at you again bringing her other hand around to brandish the flat packed lunch tray at you, before pausing in surprise to look at it in confusion, “Wait, where’s my knife? No, doesn’t matter. What mutual enemy!?”

“The ones who made you to be a weapon. The ones who not long ago made me a weapon and destroyed my life,” you explain and plead, leaving yourself feeling a bit exposed and vulnerable to her, “I know about Doctor Borealis and about Hiddenite,”

It lances out of the dark from the side. A thin but gleaming pink blade that stops in front of your neck. The girl who emerges from the darkness, the de facto leader of the four shadows. Since you started watching them you’ve been perfectly aware of her resemblance to her template, your former middle school classmate Momoko Nakajima, this close only the way she wears her hair belies any difference from the girl you knew.

And she recognizes you on sight.

“You would know about them, wouldn’t you Osaka,” there is a dangerous edge to this Blade Shadow’s voice.

That underlying anger. Is it about her existence? Is it about her abandonment? Is it something specific to Momoko’s memories?

And as dangerous the edge to her voice is, it likely pales in comparison to the edge of her sword. Does she think you were trying to take advantage or deceive her sister, the Spear Shadow?

“Or would you prefer the Final Act?” she threatens calling up the name of your former transformed state.


>Appeal to what you remember of Momoko and your observations of these four.
>Draw your sword, defend yourself but don’t attack
>HENSHIN, show her you’re the enemy of her enemy
>Try to flee
>That lunch wasn’t your only hold out weapon, flashbang!
>Shout at her, she’s probably going to be as dense as anyone backed into this corner
>Write in

>>4406951
>>HENSHIN, show her you’re the enemy of her enemy

I would prefer Nephrite Knight if you are asking. As you can see, if I wanted to fight you, or attack you, I could have at any time. I just want to talk, to help you if you'll allow me to.

>>4406951
>HENSHIN, show her you’re the enemy of her enemy

Remind us to have Mikage start scolding people for going into missions as themselves. First Aiha, now Kairi. Terrible operational security.

>>4406951
>“Or would you prefer the Final Act?”
I feel like shouting about that.
>>Shout at her, she’s probably going to be as dense as anyone backed into this corner

I'm drawn on following up shouting with a flashbang for space or straight to heshin.
At least the flashbang could buy enough separation to claim the two are separate, but leaning into Osaka is better diplomacy. Was hoping to save it for an end reveal if needed, but with it out first, maybe just shout followed by calmer transformedness.

>>4407014
Yeah, I would have assumed Kairi was already transformed when she went to the park.

>>4406951
>>HENSHIN, show her you’re the enemy of her enemy

>>4406951
>HENSHIN, show her you’re the enemy of her enemy

>>4407088
I was puzzled by that myself, I thought being transformed for this would be obvious, but I also doubted the Nephrite Knight uniform had sneakers.

That is my bad for not making it a more explicit choice at the top of the thread, sorry anons.

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You are relaxed, this tension and threatening aura don’t discourage you. Not long ago you stared death in the face for the sake of justice, for the sake of helping girls lost like this. Lost like you were once.

The blade isn’t so close as to touch your throat, you imagine despite everything she is still too close to Momoko. She lacks the will to follow through on these threatening gestures as she stands there clad in dark and foreboding armor. Responsively to the Shadow Blade’s arrival the spear don’s her truer form and armament in turn, covering much less than her tatters.

Meeting the eyes of this Shadow Blade, you step closer to the edge of her sword unafraid and meet her eyes with your resolve. She is momentarily shocked and withdraws enough for you to feel like she won’t attack as you do what you plan to do.

There it is, the greater weight cast on your hand by Nephrite’s stone. Twitching the ringed finger you are coalesced in sparkling light as your hair is turned up by the formation of the mask and the wisting decoration that holds it in place while your body is wreathed in sequin thick enough to be armor. The branching flame like crest reaches up over your shoulder, and the crimson cape spreads past the pauldrons behind you.

“That name is behind me, and I’ve been cast in a new role for this play,” you say evenly, “Nephrite Knight,”

Shadow Spear steps back, even with her weapon in hand this was shocking. Blade does not, her hold on her sword shifts, taking more a defensive than offensive stance and hold.

“You’re one of the Knights from the tower?” she says with some surprise tinged with distrust but curiosity, “You held back the Dark Lady…”

“If I wanted to attack you, I’ve been in a position to do so at any time,” you admit while raising up your open hands, “I just want to talk, and help you if you’ll let me,”

This is as earnest as you can be. As straightforward as can be managed.

This moment is cut by a sudden jump of the moment. Like a blink as a second is skipped.

“A second temporal jump happened regarding the awakening Sailor Pluto,” Yeon-sek’s voice chimes in your ear as someone is crying out about hurrying up with the banner somewhere in the background, “Situation there remains green,”

>It’s now or never, I need all four of you to follow me
>If you need more time to consider my offer, I understand. We’ll keep the enemy busy
>If you don’t believe me, strike if you must. I will defend myself
>I know you remember what Momoko does, and I respect you’re not her, you know what I’ve been through and that you can trust me
>What would Momoko do?
>Write in

&

>Any other information you want to draw on to try and convince them. There will be different DC’s pending how you choose to go. You’ve got a bonus to the coming persuasion based on being Kairi & Nephrite Knight to Shadow Blade, what else might help...but what else may hinder?

I admit, I'm having a hard time deciding on the best course of action here. Anyone have any ideas?

>>4407466
>>I know you remember what Momoko does, and I respect you’re not her, you know what I’ve been through and that you can trust me
I don't remember enough about them to convince them, because haven't finished my reread

>>4407466
>I know you remember what Momoko does, and I respect you’re not her, you know what I’ve been through and that you can trust me
>It’s now or never, I need all four of you to follow me

>>4407466
>I know you remember what Momoko does, and I respect you’re not her, you know what I’ve been through and that you can trust me

>>4407466
>>It’s now or never, I need all four of you to follow me
We need to get the four of you safely out of here before they refocus on this area. We'd wanted to approach you tonight with plenty of time for discussion, but
*gesture upward*
it seems other events have conspired to shake the hornets' nest beforehand.
>You know who I was, and what I've been, and now you know who I am now. I'm trusting you, now I need you to trust me.

Rolled 9 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

Aid Another

Alright Slam Jam because dead heat and close enough.

I need best of three roles of dice+1d20+4 vs DC 15.

That you're Nephrite Knight has moved Shadow Blade's suspicion of you to a certain indifference. Getting her to help you help her is moving her from indifference to friendly.

Though Kairi's only got a Cha of +6 and no diplomatic skill, you've netted a +2 from pleading on her memories but respecting her individuality and a +2 from Nephrite's Aid Another action by making use of his insight.

Rolled 3 + 4 (1d20 + 4)

>>4408393
Here I go.

>>4408403
Well, it’s not a 1 at least.

>>4408393
Wait, did I flub this up! FRICK.

dice+1d20+6

Kairi has a cha of +2, +2 from respecting Shadow Blade, and +2 from Nephrite's Aid another.

Dang it. I swapped the wrong numbers after I rolled it.

Rolled 9 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4408408
Round two then.

>>4408412
Now that’s better.

And now we wait a moment for two more

Rolled 16 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4408408

...screw it not waiting, bed calls and this has been writ. Hopefully I'll be able to be more active tomorrow.

They’re aware that something happened. Aware of the oddly discordant skip in reality from the young Pluto’s likely unstable time freeze. You dearly hope that Mikage and Aiha can reach this girl, and that Meioh-san can shed some light on exactly what she’s kept from the other Sailor Guardians.

“It’s now or never,” you use their confusion at this event to capture their attention anew, “I need all four of you together and to follow me,”

-You need to press this advantage, that this moment has thrown them off. Even if they knew of what transpires above that something so clearly unnatural has happened may be the thing that pushes them toward us,- Nephrite offers as he takes in the Shadow’s tics and reactions.

“What is even going on!” The girl who isn’t Momoko tries to demand, but seems to lock into your own worry.

“I know you remember what Momoko Nakajima does,” you offer quietly but urgently, “I respect that you’re not her, but you know what I’ve been through and that you can trust me on this! You can trust me on this if nothing else that I want to help anyone who's been hurt by them!”

This pink haired woman looks at you seriously. There remains uncertainty on her face as she weighs what she does know. Behind her the Shadow Spear quietly and kind of offhandedly offers that you gave her food, though this doesn’t weigh in on the Blade’s decision.

She grits her teeth.

“DAMNIT! Damnit damnit damnit!” she spins away from you and points at the scantily armored woman with pulled back auburn hair, “Spear! You’re faster, get the others and get back here pronto!”

“What, Blade I don’t-”

“We’re gonna live,” she says quietly, “and we’re gonna escape. We won’t be rats in the gutter anymore,”

She seems uncertain, the Shadow Spear, but after a moment she nods and spins off into the darkness like a shot before Blade’s shoulders relax. The mail of her armor settles before she slowly turns back to face you. The tip of her blade is pointed to the floor, but she angles forward in a way to suggest with the flick of her wrist she could whip it up to a fair number of points you’ve left yourself open to…

And she knows you are aware.

“If this is a trap. If this is a trick. If you try to hurt any of them,” she says slowly when she’s sure the two of you are alone, “I am going to make sure to go down swinging and I’ll be gunning for you,”

“You don’t need this bluster,” you say, “And I understand you care about them,”

“They’re the only family I have. Of course I care about them!” she raises her voice at you, shakily, “I’m not going to let them get hurt on my watch!”

>>4408452

“Huh, even so brash you’re a lot like her,” you smile as Shadow Blade momentarily balks, “That you care, that they care, that’s why I’m doing this,”

“So, the famous monster girl has a soft spot for monster charity cases?” she seems to be seeking some kind of understanding, fighting through a difficulty in trusting others.

“Maybe I do,” you smile, “Maybe helping you is how I get to claim my life and everything else I lost back,”

She goes quiet for a moment in reflection until your moment is cut short by a crash in the middle distance. Green Light illuminates the tunnel near the junction as Shadow Spear spills around the corner, arms spinning as she pitches forward to maintain balance. Trailing behind her, and already in their armed forms, are the Shadow Axe and then the Shadow Shield. The green haired girl, shield, looks back over her shoulder and caps the pathway into the tunnel from which they’ve run with a massive translucent glowing shield. Something massive and roiling like a wave slams against it.

After a few steps she lays another in this tunnel behind them.

“They’re here! A hypnotic monster just to capture us!” Axe calls ahead but stops short a few feet from you and Blade.

“Our weapons are useless, but Spear’s beam broke us from the trance and my shields can slow it down!” she pants and looks surprised at your presence.

Both defer to Blade in uncertainty as Spear tries to say it’s okay and that you apparently are a friend.

>Offer to stand and fight here with them
>Tell them where the Tomoe Institute Van is waiting for them, you’ll buy them time
>Lead them to the Tomoe Institute Van, trust Shadow Shield’s barriers will buy enough time
>Write in

>>4408453
>Lead them to the Tomoe Institute Van, trust Shadow Shield’s barriers will buy enough time
Let’s not let them out of our sight, we don’t know if there are other monsters here.

>>4408453
I was going to vote for buying time, but >>4408460 has a good point.
>Lead them to the Tomoe Institute Van, trust Shadow Shield’s barriers will buy enough time

>>4408453
>Write in
Call in backup to engage threat
Knights are engaged above, can the scouts teleport into the sewers? Probably avoid Mikage for the moment just in case they make the connection to the Dark Lady playing hungry-hungry hippos with the shadows and are spooked away.
>Lead them to the Tomoe Institute Van, trust Shadow Shield’s barriers will buy enough time
Tell them as well, in case we do need to by them time.

>>4408453
>>Lead them to the Tomoe Institute Van, trust Shadow Shield’s barriers will buy enough time

>>4408453
>>Lead them to the Tomoe Institute Van, trust Shadow Shield’s barriers will buy enough time

Rolled 17 (1d20)

“Then we haven’t a moment to waste,” you break away from them and begin following the now illuminated route back to the Van, “Follow me!”

“You heard her!” Blade barks to the confusion of the other two, which is quickly broken by a cracking sound coming from the first barrier at the corner; causing Axe and Shield to drop their doubts and fall into the run with Spear and Blade.

“Spymaster & Basemanager. On our way,” you cry into the moon comms, “but the enemy is on our heels. A monster, a big one!”

Rushing through the tunnels is rough, though all the running you’ve been doing is at least paying dividends here...though as the ladder comes into view you begin to slow up as you hear at least one shattering sound in the distance.

This whole day, this whole operation, has been hitting unexpected snags at every phase. Your part in this is to get these girls out, but what comes next? After today. What happens when Mikage goes undercover? What happens when the two of you can’t be there for one another?

What happens when the creeping depression gets the better of you in her absence?

“Confirmed. Reallocating resources. Update: Emergency side op successful!” Yeon-sek says as you hear there is joyful cheering and one dissenting voice of confusion in the background before Saori breaks the moment.

“Spymaster to all points, enemy General sighted!” there is a tinge of panic to the girl’s voice, “On foot, entering the park!”

Catching the side of the ladder to stop yourself, you have the four girls up toward the van. You can hear the sound of the door sliding open above as your eyes settle down the tunnel. An ominous darkness looms behind Shadow Shield as she pumps her arms hard, last in the procession. There is another breaking sound in the dark. Blade, Spear, Axe, and Shield manage to scramble up the ladder before you follow suit.

The last thing you spy down the hallway is something moving and growing in the darkness from where you came. You’re at the top of the ladder, all four girls ahead of you in the van helped by an operative of the Institute when something wet and oily snaps at your ankle and coils up your leg.

Looking down you see a mass of viscous blue and black, surface tension occasionally reflecting a rainbow of colors before they’re lost in the dark in a manner reminiscent of flowing motor oil. Emerging from the mass, breaking the surface, are half masks that fit together. Western Comedy and Tragedy mask halves painted with the patterns of Kabuki meet and express an ill intent at you as further tendrils and pseudopods rise from the roiling thing and pull themselves up the ladder toward you.

>Resist grapple, try to leverage yourself out and into the van
>Shout Go to the Van and let this thing be occupied by you
>Attack with your blade
>Use a Starlight attack
>Use another power from Nephrite’s Ring
>Write in

>>4408862
>Resist grapple, try to leverage yourself out and into the van

>>4408862
>>Resist grapple, try to leverage yourself out and into the van
can't find starlight attack in the pastebin

>>4408897
Its using Nephrite's function as a 3.5 style Ring of Shooting Stars.

Rolled 7 + 8 (1d20 + 8)

I got that quick march energy this morning for the next update so with thirty minutes calling it and asking for bets of three Agility check of dice+1d20+6 against this grapple roll.

Kairi failing this check means we're in combat and the next turn will involve a Will reaction test against this thing's activated hypnotic power once it gets close to you.

Rolled 17 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4408930
And for good measure, let's actually use the aid another rules again as someone won't just let the person who saved them go without a token effort.

This roll I'm making here is against a DC 10 to give you a further +2

Rolled 8 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4408930

>>4408862
>Use a Starlight attack
Not sure about Kairi’s ability to resist grapples from slime monsters, so let’s hit it with explosions.

Rolled 19 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4408930
Seems I missed the vote because I went to look up what the Ring of Shooting Stars does.

>>4408947
Guess it was for the best though.

>>4408862
>>Shout Go to the Van and let this thing be occupied by you
They should keep moving while we blast it.

>>4408977
Little past that, can I get a roll?

Rolled 4 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4408862
>>4409006
Sure

Rolled 7 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4408930
>>4409006
Mistook your roll of similar for one of ours. Thought we had the three.

>>4409018
S'alright

File: tokyo-arisugawa-park-in-a(...).jpg (370 KB, 1000x1333)

370 KB JPG

The weight of the tendril, slick but adhering, pulls you momentarily down as one of your hands slips from the last rung of the ladder. A black gauntlet reaches out from above, unraveling to reveal the torn sleeve of a stolen blouse and the simple but strong hand of Shadow Blade as she grabs your wrist.

She hangs out of the side door of the van, her sisters still in their armored states holding onto her.

“DRIVE!” you command as you kick off the access shaft wall above the utility tunnel, using Blade’s hold as leverage, to spin yourself free enough to slip the grip of your would be captor.

Leaping from the ladder up, you bound off the lip of the access hatch knocking the locking mechanism holding it up loose as you careen into the open space through the vehicle's side panel. The door is slammed shut behind you as wheels peel off. Not even a beat later there is a crashing sound.

Looking out the back window of the van you see the lid of the utility hatch flung out as the partially liquid creature squeezes and lurches it’s way out only to be left behind by the otherwise unlabeled van turning a corner and passing Arisugawa Park proper to get away from that utility hatch.

You won’t leave these girls alone until they’re at the safehouse. Too much could still happen between here and there...but there remains a monster behind you and an enemy general on the field.

“Nephrite Knight reporting! Primary objective secure, en route to safety,” you say into the comms as the sky above the park darkens and the clouds begin lazily swirling; Yeon’s response takes a few quiet beats.

The van is passed by JSDF and Paranormal Incident Task Force vehicles going toward whatever is happening behind you now.

“Confirmed. Get them to safety. Kunzite Knight, Jadeite Knight, and Master of Arms have visual contact on enemy General Hematite. Zoisite Knight has engaged your tail. JSDF are arriving on scene to set perimeter; chatter indicates they’re going in with expanding foam rounds with plans to detain the psychics,”

You can hear someone in the background, you aren’t sure who over din of action, saying Captain Osaka. You realize it’s Saori trying to tell your mother that you aren’t available right now, but she needs to be warned that a Dark General is present on site.

Is your mother in the field on this operation?

“Spymaster, loop me in!” you call out.

You need to know where your mother is. You need to let her know you’re for the moment safe. You’re worried about her, but at least she knows Hematite is out there now.

PERSPECTIVE SHIFT

>Stay with Nephrite Knight Kairi Osaka
>Zoisite Knight Koito Kino vs Hekusasu (force my hand to finally write his damn sheet)
>Jadeite Knight Midori Mori in the thick of it
>Kunzite Knight Hisako Ito in the thick of it
>Mikage Chiba, ready to deploy
>Sailor Moon Koyomi Chiba, already deployed
>Spymaster Saori Umeki trying to keep it together!

>>4409045
>Spymaster Saori Umeki trying to keep it together!

>>4409045
>>Spymaster Saori Umeki trying to keep it together!

>>4409045
>Zoisite Knight Koito Kino vs Hekusasu (force my hand to finally write his damn sheet)

Because even if I am your friend I am also evil.

>>4409045
>Zoisite Knight Koito Kino vs Hekusasu (force my hand to finally write his damn sheet)
Apologies to Saori, the bringer of coffee has been in the cold too long.

>>4409045
>Zoisite Knight Koito Kino vs Hekusasu (force my hand to finally write his damn sheet)

>>4409045
>Zoisite Knight Koito Kino vs Hekusasu (force my hand to finally write his damn sheet)

Home from errands. Counting...and making Koito's sheet.

https://pastebin.com/GdugPzEC

Koito Kino added to the pastebin. Writing.

>>4409261
Attempting to envision a mash-up of Caffeine and Thunder Struck.

File: Koito.png (182 KB, 394x696)

182 KB PNG

>https://youtu.be/ERAXZ5bgBRE
>https://youtu.be/EoOQBClYN40

“Spymaster to all points, enemy General sighted!” there is a tinge of panic to the girl’s voice, “On foot, entering the park!”

“Damn it, another General!?” you curse as you pat down the suited man you managed to take out from behind and break a few of his unspent injection pens as you find them.

“Resource Reallocation, Zoisite Knight come in,” your comm buzzes to life with the Base Manager’s voice in your ear as you remain out of sight while the fighting happens around you.

Quick disguise changes outside your normal clothes and your Regalia aren’t really in your wheelhouse.

-For now at least,- you imagine Zoisite’s voice sounds bored in your mind, as if absently looking at their own fingernails, -There are such magical tricks left to teach you, I once managed to fool the city into thinking I was your girlfriend’s mother for like a week,-

“I’m here!” you offer into the comms,

You’ve been in this pattern for a while, minor interventions while the local populace rises up against the minor leagues that these hired thugs represent. Though you have a bad feeling where this will wind up.

-Learn the right magic from me, you could even fool folks into thinking you were your sister,- Zoisite continue thinking out loud mirthfully, -I did that, pretending to be Sailor Moon, for like a week once,-

“Nephrite Knight and the Primary Objectives are pursued by an enemy monster,” Yeon-sek explains, “The others will keep the enemy General Occupied. You need to cover their escape. Secret moves are over, you are authorized to go all out. Get to the exfiltration rendezvous point,”

Your Senpai is in trouble?! Alright, you weren’t able to help Koyomi last time you were in the field, but today you’re going to make good on your promises and your oath. Now you understand the powers you wield, and despite how troublesome and coy the ancient spectre who has taken you under their wing likes being they remain very good at what they do.

-Appreciate it,- the ponytailed figure says as you rush just outside of the park, -Now, show them what you can do, Koito Kino,-

Your name is Koito Kino. 2nd year Junior Highschool Student, 13 years old. You stand as a Knight in the name of love and justice, protecting the world in the name of a forgotten kingdom. Your mother and sister bear the titles of Sailor Guardians of the planet Jupiter, and the young woman you care very much for is Sailor New Moon.

That girl’s older sister gave you the chance to support their efforts. To fight alongside them if need be. And you took it. Last time out you had an admittedly poor showing, but tonight you’re ready for anything. Having found the balance of the powers that reside within you, there is little that will slow you down.

>>4409335

Clear of the park, and traveling a few necessary back alleys, you spy the exfiltration point just as your Senpai, Kairi Osaka the Nephrite Knight, falls into the white panel van from the Tomoe Institute. Well it was more a mix of leaping from the utility hatch and being hauled in by one of the girls you recognize as the primary objectives.

As the van speeds away, the Utility access hatch on that sidewalk bursts open anew. Flung wide by something massive squeezing out. A few pedestrians scream and run away as a hulking oily mass emerges from the much smaller passageway and takes brutish shape. A white split mask gives the thing a face as it glares down the street after the van…

You stand in a regalia of white. You hold no sword for your hands are the weapon today. Your boa and cape present a white mane across your shoulders.

>Call out to this monster, gain it’s attention! What do you say?
>Say nothing on your approach.

&

>Rush in and lay into it with a haymaker of some kind
>Grab hold of it and unleash the lightning within you
>Merely rush out and make a visible stand between it and it’s target
>Cast a spell or use one of Zoisite’s Powers?
>Write in

>>4409340
>Cast a spell or use one of Zoisite’s Powers?
Cast Burning Hands. Trying to punch a slime monster doesn’t seem like it’d work too well, and we might want to save the lightning for if it tries to grab us.

No ideas on what to say.

>>4409335
>I once managed to fool the city into thinking I was your girlfriend’s mother for like a week
Haha. Tricksy one he is.

>>4409340
>Say nothing on your approach.
&
>Rush out and make a visible stand between it and it’s target
>Cast a spell or use one of Zoisite’s Powers:
Make a stand & Burning Hands
(It's oily looking, and that should get it's attention)
&
Now that we have it's attention:
>Call out to this monster! What do you say?
-Any advice from our mentor on phrasing here? We're new to showy entrances-

>>4409340
>>Grab hold of it and unleash the lightning within you
Saying something would be fitting but I have no idea what

>>4409340
>Say nothing on your approach.
>Grab hold of it and unleash the lightning within you

>>4409340
>Say nothing on your approach.
+
>Grab hold of it and unleash the lightning within you

>>4409340
I feel like we should say something, but I have no idea what.

Rolled 1, 5, 6 = 12 (3d6)

Give me the best of three for your melee touch against this enemy. dice+1d20+6 vs AC 14 whilst I roll the discharge of your Lightning Gauntlets.

Rolled 3 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4409457

Rolled 19 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4409457

Rolled 14 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4409457

Rolled 9 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>4409457

File: PF Bestiary 1 pg 245.png (836 KB, 938x1249)

836 KB PNG

Mikage has access to
>5th—summon monster V (summons 1d3 shadows)
through divine source.
Are those shadows from Pathfinder(pic related) or something else?

>>4409571
They'd be temporary non undead constructs of darkness whom are not undead and do not create spawn.

>>4409571
>>4409601

As you can see when Red Eyes scared the shit out of the Primroses.

>>4409619
No, that was
>Control Darkness and Shadow (Shadow) Lvl 2

>>4409571
>>4409601
Am I crazy, I thought we'd adopted the Eberron version that was almost the same but had Shadow Evocation at 5th instead of Summon Monster? I could be crazy, true.

>>4409634
from the pastebin:
Spell like abilities from Darkness each 1/day: 1st—obscuring mist, 2nd—blindness/deafness (only to cause blindness), 3rd—deeper darkness, 4th—shadow conjuration, 5th—summon monster V (summons 1d3 shadows), 6th—shadow walk.
Spell like abilities from Healing each 1/day: 1st—cure light wounds, 2nd—cure moderate wounds, 3rd—cure serious wounds, 4th—cure critical wounds, 5th—breath of life (Raise the recently dead), 6th—heal.

list wasn't updated when reaching mythic 5, but are consistent with pathfinder version
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/cleric/domains/paizo-domains/darkness-domain/
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/cleric/domains/paizo-domains/healing-domain/

Rolled 10 (1d20)

Now lemme just roll this

And I'm gonna need an Agility Reaction test from Koito

dice+1d20+5

Rolled 9 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4409681

Rolled 12 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4409681

Rolled 4 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4409681

>>4409634
I was crazy. It was getting kicked around but was ultimately not an option.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/34464001/#p34464070

You say nothing as you rush up toward the oil slick monster, it takes notice of your approach perhaps a moment too late as you plunge your open hand into its viscous surface. To your surprise you see your hand present there through the translucent darkness.

Releasing the charge, your hands carry out and channel the distant storms of an alien world you are connected to by blood. Those storms of Jupiter play plainly across and inside the now roiling mass of this creature as it is wracked in pain by your electrocution. Recoiling around your touch until this path of the charge is expended, but you feel it’s potential already winding back up within your arms. The arclights of your burst race along its surface, causing flames to flicker upon its now undulating surface.

It screams, and then the mask halves turn across the surface to face you.

>12 points of Vitality damage dealt to Hekusasu

“I’ll bet,” the masks distort in speech as the scream still echoes from somewhere within the larger mass, “You know exactly where she took them,”

The sludge beast roars and its body slides toward you, slipping and engulfing all in it’s path. You are able to leap back from the wall of viscosity and further duck a lazy swipe from a full side of it’s form turned into a massive crushing tendril.

Again, you can’t really find the words right now. Not to taunt it. Not to plead with it to remember itself. There’s just this fight, just the movements you need to memorize and predict. Just like there is a science to food there is a science to fighting...and you aren’t one for being grandiose or explaining yourself to something or someone you need to cook or fight.

Actions, after all, speak louder than words. So you’ll keep your focus.

Somewhere above on the street on an electronic billboard and on every nearby screen advertising goods or prices in retail spaces, Hematite’s face appears with a purple flicker of light.

>Attack
>Use your Gauntlets again
>Cast a spell or use Zoisite
>Write in

&

>Stand your ground
>Lead him back to the park
>Lead him the opposite way Senpai went
>write in

&

>You may not be good at thinking up barbs on your feet...but do you want to try and say something to this bad guy?

>>4409743
> You can talk? I'm honestly a little surprised. So what's your story?
Knowledge is power. Let's see if we can get him talking.

>>4409743
>>Use your Gauntlets again
Save tricks for down the line
&
>>Stand your ground
Keep it contained, not toward Sempai or Scouts.

>>4409743
>Use your Gauntlets again
>Stand your ground

Gimme dice+3d20

The first will be toward another Zap
The second will be toward avoiding another engulf
The third is to resist a hypnotic effect.

Rolled 12, 5, 11 = 28 (3d20)

>>4409841

Rolled 2, 8, 14 = 24 (3d20)

>>4409841

File: IMG_20200517_234306.png (260 KB, 720x505)

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Rolled 17, 4, 16 = 37 (3d20)

>>4409841

>>4409848
>>4409855
>>4409857
well looks like we do some decent damage and resist the hypnosis, but unfortunately still get grabbed by the slime monster
Insert <I've seen enough hentai> joke here

Rolled 6, 1, 5 = 12 (3d6)

Real Lightning

>>4409862
If we’re grabbed, that means we can’t miss with lightning or Burning Hands.

>>4409862
> Tentacle Monster: Oh? You're letting me grab you?
> Zoisite Knight: I can't miss while beating the shit out of you if I let you grab me.

You won’t lead this guy away. If you have anything to say about it you’re keeping him right here.

To that end you plant your feet.

“You can talk?” you’re a bit shocked all told that it can, “Honestly I’m a little surprised, what’s your story?”

Your question hangs in the air as it advances on where you landed after jumping out of it’s way prior. It slides over you, the base of its form moving as though it believed it still had legs, though you’re able to make contact again causing a reverberating scream from deep within the creature.

>12 Vitality dealt to Hekusasu

“Well, if we’re being honest,” the painted comedy and tragedy masks stop at your eye level on it’s form, “Have you ever been lonely?”

It surges while you are momentarily distracted by it’s question, and before you can jump it’s body hits you like a wall. Not thrown back, it covers you and you’re just able to manage a gasp of air before you are subsumed into its form.

“What!?” you’re shocked.

>You are affected by the Pinned condition
>You are now holding your breath and have 28 rounds before you begin suffocating
>If you take a full round action, you lose an additional 1 round on that counter, taking damage may lose you more.

“Lonely, you know?” it spins, as though dancing, while its voice echoes around you, “I have so much to give the world and am otherwise so alone,”

Dragged in its wake, you realize you aren’t alone in this mass. Spindly creatures drift in this body, jet black oil covered bodies with broad mouths that slowly open to reveal singular erratic eyes.

“But now,” it laughs and begins moving down the road like a rolling wave, “Now I’m never alone and can bring so much with me,”

People further down the street scream and throw themselves out of it’s way. The things in the darkness put their collective eyes to you.

“And bind them with all the love I have to give!” a scintillating rotation of colors gleams through it’s translucent body, amid all of it you keep your mind as it whispers for you to submit, to speak back to it and open your mouth.

-You’ve allocated your resources well, Koito,- Zoisite considers with a smile, -Managing to keep it out of your head like this,-

>>4409913
“How will this play out? Will you defeat me before I take hold of your mind, boy? Will you be able to stop me before you begin to drown within me?” it laughs as the tragedy half of its mask sinks into the body and floats before you, “And I will find my quarry one way or another,”

You’re an athlete and a martial artist. You’ve the tools you need to keep this thing out of your head better than otherwise. What this fool of a villain doesn’t realize yet, is that now you’re certain to be able to unleash your power. This is a battle of attrition now.

Though these creatures in here with you give you a moment of pause and concern.

“People of Tokyo, I am Hematite,” the voice from the screens echoes through the monster’s body, “And there are truths you need to know,”

>you have 28 rounds to hold your breath.

It is now your turn.

>Attack the monster
>Attack the nearest creature
>Use your Lightning Gauntlets on the monster
>Cast a spell or use a Zoisite Power
>Hit the manual attention button on your comm
>Write in

>>4409917
>Attack the monster
>Attack the creatures
>Cast a spell or use a Zoisite Power
Let's teach it a less about keeping too much company in one place.
>Burning Hands
Catch as much of it and the internal creatures in the flame as possible.
Maybe blow ourselves loose in the process if it doesn't spit us out.

Agreed.
>>4409917
>Cast a spell or use a Zoisite Power
>Burning Hands
Mmm. Roast slime.

>>4409917
>>Write in
>Attempt to escape
can't do much else when pinned

>>4410161
This is a good point and a problem when I'm getting into the end of my night and forgetting rules.

Burning hands does have somatic components. Your lightning gauntlets do not, and activating powers from Zoisite's ring do not have somatic components.

This was my bad
>>4410029
>>4409984
So the vote remains open this morning adjusted for the lack of reliable movements.

>>4409917
Well then, time to go full Palpatine.
>Use your Lightning Gauntlets on the monster

>>4409917
>Attempt to escape

Alright, unstuck yourself from this monstrous goo.

Give me an Athletics roll, augmented by Kung Fu Genius. dice+1d20+7

Rolled 17 + 7 (1d20 + 7)

>>4410370

Rolled 6 + 7 (1d20 + 7)

>>4410370

Rolled 18 + 7 (1d20 + 7)

>>4410370

Rolled 10, 3 = 13 (2d20)

Slam
Drive check

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The creatures in here with you, they move with less difficulty than you...and you suspect they are about to strike at you within the confines of their host. You could continue on in here for a time and continue electrocuting them from within, but between its ability to attempt to influence your mind and the potential assault of it’s minions you can’t chance that time.

As the eye in mouth creatures begin moving, you’ve raised up your arms and adjust your weight to plummet within this sludge’s uneven buoyancy. Striking asphalt you kick off against the forward motion of the flow of fluid.

Breaking the surface with a wet and disquieting noise, you roll away and rise to your feet to face your foe.

“Your defenders, the Sailor Guardians who stand for love and justice, failed this earth and their own worlds in an ancient era,” the voice cries out from the burning screen, “They and a human civilization that crossed the breadth of our star fell to ruin,”

You only spare that a second glance, what is Hematite’s play here? Is this live or pre-recorded? Are Hisako, Midori, and Sasha okay?

The mass ahead of you shifts again to face you, it’s body wider but thinner spready from side to side of the street. Rearing up and curling the wave of oily muck lances out at you in a massive crash. Nimbly you dodge it, the way this creature telegraphis it’s moves you could do this all day.

“Loveless cad,” the mask spits as a JSDF Armored Personnel Carrier turns a corner ahead and barrels on toward the creature, “leaving me alone so soon after my embrace,”

“Now they would defend the world anew,” the Dark General weeps, “Be they all but inheritors of their duty or the original Guardians it does not matter. That they continue to bay at the darkness beyond space for the sake of our blue earth is beautiful, but ultimately tragic,”

With a splash the vehicle breaks through the now standing wall of oily material, turning and losing forward stability, crashing with a screeching break into the facade of a nearby shop off the side of the street, and bending the top of a fire hydrant pipe in the process. The monster’s body closes the hole punched by the vehicle unphased, so unlike how it reacted to your lightning.

>Cast a spell
>Use one of Zoisite’s Powers
>Get back close up and try your lightning again
>attack it physically
>Keep your distance and check on the APC
>A broken hydrant...let’s see how well oil mixes with water
>Time to lead it away
>Write in

&

>Dispute it’s claim about you and love
>Try and reason with the person deep within this darkness
>Try and be quippy
>Reach out to someone over the comms, who?
>Write in

>>4410499
>>Use one of Zoisite’s Powers
Ice Knife
>>Try and be quippy

>>4410499
>Use one of Zoisite’s Powers
Ice Knife sounds good.

>Try and reason with the person deep within this darkness
Loving someone means that what they want matters to you. What you’re doing isn’t loving others, it’s coveting others.

>>4410499
>Cast a spell
Come in point blank and drop that Burning Hands we've been itching for. See if we can catch the inner creatures in the heat.
&
>Try and reason with the person deep within this darkness
You are not this beast of corrupted shadow.

I feel like Artemis is having his revenge for forcing his hand with Koito with the general's speech, forcing our hand for the response that would need to follow that.
Elysion Lives

>>4410618
Think you mean Endymion lives. (Kind of like graffiti saying Frodo Lives that showed up durig the 70s in NYC).

Still, Hematite's talk is spooking me because this is the furst time an SM villain is going full public. It is like there is a masquerade, but he seems ready to tell the atory of Elysion and put that out there. While it won't destroy the credibility of the senshi it may cause some distrust.

File: Spoiler Image (108 KB, 1024x1024)

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>>4410682
I suppose Elysion Stands would be more fitting.

File: Flynn_Lives.png (322 KB, 409x578)

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>>4410682
>>4410736
Though Endymion Lives also works.

File: JPN-BCBS-1819_front.jpg (208 KB, 1044x1470)

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>>4410682
I imagine he's either going for their anti-moon remembrance of history, that his side has true claim to defend the world, and/or that we are on the way to destruction, no chance to survive, make your time, etc.

There's been some flashy events, public disasters, and mass attacks, so in that sense a public show isn't unusual.. though I think Jadeite was the last to make a public address, and that was the year that didn't happen.

Important to make an equally public rebuttal.
..and I'm concerned Koyomi might not be her bubbly happy self enough to sway everyone. Sailor Moon making Junji Ito scale threats may not play well on the news.
Though I was hoping we'd have Mikage unified before making public claims on the kingdom.

>>4410769
I am kind of hoping Eclipse is just like, "The only rebuttal I have to you is this, Endymion lives."

Also, invoking McCoy from Star Trek VI I kind of want Koito to say, "I'd pay good money for someone to shut him up."

>>4410769
If it’s either anti-moon remembrance of history or saying his side has the true claim to defend the world, we should point out that they’ve been attacking innocent people while we’ve been protecting them. Hematite can say whatever he wants, but people will tend to support the side that’s out to stop superpowered gangs and monsters rather then the side that’s making them.

Give me dice+1d20+5 for the Ice Knife. Best of three. Usual shenanigans

Rolled 15 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4410869

Rolled 18 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4410869

Rolled 8 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>4410869

Rolled 3, 2 = 5 (2d8)

just some prerolling.

>>4410888
Yeah, shank that asshole!

>>4410970
Hopefully we can make this monster chill out.

Rolled 1, 6, 16, 1, 1, 1, 5, 15, 2, 2 = 50 (10d20)

>>4411239
That's a lot of ones...

>>4411243
It's bad news for someone. The question is who?

>>4411239
...not the JSDF's day.

>>4411258
Oh dear.

>>4410776
Some Princess No going on there. Not entirely opposed, though some rebuke is needed.
"Bold words for a lost soul serving the power that actually destroyed the ancient world. The people of this world know who their allies are, the ones who have stood up again and again in their defense, given more than they should ever know to protect this world, our world- Earth."
Then one-two punch with the other bit when he tries to counter.

>>4411258
Shit. Can we break out enough assists? This is going to be hectic..

>>4411258
oh shit

Rolled 13, 20, 7 = 40 (3d20)

>>4411267
Let’s hope Koyomi’s got some resurrections left after all this is done, they may need it.

Rolled 2, 4 = 6 (2d4)

Lot of rolls going on. Making me nervous.

>>4411285
Mikage has a little, but we ended up needing it last big fight as well. Fudge.

File: Yoshiya Yukimura as Hematite.jpg (95 KB, 200x643)

95 KB JPG

If you’ll need to stick to the elements, you may as well see how this monster stands up to those besides just electricity. Holding up your hands you conjure frost and bitter cold into the world around you, coalescing frozen moisture from the air into the loose shape of a knife.

Flinging your arm forward the blade of frost and ice spins out and shatters into a loose cluster of diamond dust perforating the surface of the slimy creature causing it to sporadically flake off chunks of more ice formations and solidified chunks off of their body.

>5 Vitality dealt, to a total of 29
>2 Wounds dealt
>Hamstring of 2

“Loving someone means that what they want matters to you. What you’re doing isn’t loving others, it’s coveting others,” you declare as the mask finally roars in pain with the internal voices.

“Then covetous I will be!” it roars as the door to the Armored Personnel Carrier opens and a number of JSDF soldiers pour out.

“Their methods, their protective grace, will eventually fall. You trust in their benevolence at the expense of the strength that humanity as a whole could wield. That trust once brought our Kingdom, our lost Elysion to its end,” Hematite continues, clutching a fist to their chest and speaking with impassioned words.

“Why haven’t they shut him up yet,” you wonder quietly to yourself.

The soldiers, possibly still shaken from their crash, make verbal calls of contact before unloading single round fire expanding foam rounds into the creature to no effect.

>Hekusasu is immune to non magical weapon attacks, and by proxy their rider effects

“WAIT!” you call out, “Watch out for its-”

It ignores you and for the moment makes its move and washes over the soldiers in and around the APC, leaving the expanding lumps of muck covered foam behind as it moves. All but two of them in its path are rolled over and consumed by it’s rolling advance. Those that fall to it pump and shoot their specialized rifles repeatedly and scream as they sink within it.

“-dammit,” you reason and grit your teeth.

Now it has…

“Oh to be so full of love and accompaniment!” the thing splashes and burbles as you see the soldiers struggle within as you had been but moments before.

It has hostages.

Worse, it’s unusual anatomy means you have no idea how much comparative harm you’ve actually done this monster. This was a battle of patience and attrition, maybe you could whittle this bastard down and by your skillset you’ve found yourself rather hard pressed to be directly affected by most things this creature could even do.

Well, your job was just to keep this thing busy, not defeat it. And you know these guys should be able to hold their breaths at least for a little while, if not pull themselves free when they have the chance.

File: Kunzite Outfit.jpg (40 KB, 512x384)

40 KB JPG

>>4411329

“So we declare ourselves harbingers of humanity’s future. That our Golden Kingdom, forgotten amid the failing of Sailor Guardians, will cast the Shadow to push humanity forward. To force your evolution to face the threats that culled our halcyon er-” Hematite is interrupted, struck in one side of the face by a spiraling bolt of energy that knocks him off balance just before as another such strike catches him from the other side.

“OVER THE TOP!” the familiar voice of your Knight Marshal cries out from the screen as you square off against this monster who watches you but makes no move.

It’s thinking. The bent fire hydrant beside the APC begins slowly leaking.

You’re thinking too, as the remaining two JSDF soldiers, lower their arms and take cover while reporting casualties over their comms. And perhaps other things like your presence.

On the TV Screens behind the monster, through the windows broken by the APC’s crash, you see the perspective watching Hematite swing upwards as he casts his eyes up. It shows him being kicked in his damned undead face by Kunzite Knight in a dramatic retilt and focuses the total fluidity and force of which makes you idly think if this story were an anime a huge chunk of budget would have been sunk on that moment alone.

“All points,” Basemanager calls out all points, “Requesting status, Eclipse on standby to deploy. Their call where they’re needed most!”

“Jadeite Knight, enemy general inside a forcefield with no roof,” Midori Mori replies, “Kunzite Knight engaging. If Hematite is as heavy a hitter as Kalunite then with Senshi on approach we should be fine here,”

“Nephrite Knight, still en route to the safe house but we’re clear of the engagement zone!” your senpai replies.

“Sailor Mercury, we’re maybe twenty seconds out from reaching the engagement zone with Hematite outside the park library branch. Straggler psychics slowed us down but we’re still fresh to fight!”

“Master at Arms, managing to clear the celebrating kids and locals away from the danger zone,” Sasha calls into the field.

>What do you say?

&

>Attack
>Lightning, even at the risk to those inside
>Cast a spell or use a Zoisite Power
>Shift to social combat?
>Maybe the fire hydrant
>try to lead it away
>Hmmm...dive in?
>Write in

To explain
Hematite was in a Wall of Force. Midori used Magic Missile to search for a way to get to him after she and Hisako just wailed on the wall a bit. Hisako leapt the wall and crit him in his goddamn face.

>>4411329
>You trust in their benevolence at the expense of the strength that humanity as a whole could wield.
Well you know Hematite, we’d like to be going out there and making the world a better place, and humanity stronger, but we keep dealing with people who want to bring about the opposite.

>>4411352
>What do you say?
>”Zoisite Knight, I’m currently fighting… uh… a yandere oil slick, I guess? Also it has some JSDF troopers inside of it and I need to get them out before they suffocate.”

>Maybe the fire hydrant
In fact, oil and water do mix, they just don’t stay mixed. But we don’t need them to stay mixed.

>>4411352
> Zoisite Knight, dealing with some sort of goo monster. Creature dragged a bunch of JSDF soldiers into itself: appeared immune to their foam rounds. Hard to tell how much damage I'm doing, too. Backup might be useful, but may not be necessary.

>>4411358
Love that damn wolf.

>>4411352
>What do you say?
>Shift to social combat?
>Maybe the fire hydrant
"Coveting what you can't have is the pursuit of a fool, and you certainly cannot have me."
Stand by the fire hydrant.
Goad it into trying to engulf us.
Break open hydrant as it arrives.

Like a martial master once said, be like water.

>>4411421
And >>4411373
is good as far as reporting in.

It was pointed out to me recently that I still have to level Kairi and Midori to 4, and I never added Koyomi’s bunny hair clips to her sheet.

>>4411433
oof

>>4411352
>>What do you say?
>Zoisite Knight, [insert location here], fighting a hypnotic goo monster that engulfed several JSDF soldier, mundane attacks seem useless

>>Try to pull soldiers out

Rolled 1 (1d2)

I'm rolling Mikage's decision

you guys roll me an athletics check augmented by Kung Fu Genius against his hydrant. dice+1d20+7 best of three usual rules

Rolled 17 + 7 (1d20 + 7)

>>4411692

Rolled 16 + 7 (1d20 + 7)

>>4411692
On it.

Rolled 10 + 7 (1d20 + 7)

>>4411692
>captcha is a hydrant

Rolled 18 (1d20)

And an attack roll

Rolled 3, 3 = 6 (2d8)

Slam, thankfully no grab

>>4411421
>Like a martial master once said, be like water.
Think that was Bruce Lee.
>Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.

Rolled 11 (1d20)

It's reaction to a wet and wild time

“Zoisite Knight, dealing with some sort of yandere goo monster at exfiltration point,” you curse as you try to figure out what to do...even dragging each soldier out one at a time will probably take too long, and you aren’t sure if they’ll drown in there or be infected by darkness and turned into those things you saw inside of it, “Creature dragged a bunch of JSDF soldiers into itself: appears immune to their foam rounds and it's been hard to tell how much damage I'm doing too. Backup might be useful, but may not be necessary,”

There is a quiet beat as Yeon-sek begins reading off numbers to someone while turning away from his space at the console. His words are momentarily quiet and there is some back and forth confirmation with the Spymaster Saori Umeki.

While this happens you slowly strafe toward your foe with arms raised, circling it in a closing spiral to get close to the fire hydrant.

Finally, your Princess speaks.

“Eclipse. Deploying to standby at the park library, Hematite is the largest threat and we can’t leave that to chance. Sailor Sol, reroute to Zoisite Knight,” Mikage Chiba says with some struggle, no doubt weighed by what happened during the fight against Kalunite.

It's good that she’s going there, that she’s going where Koyomi is. It fills you with intense anger and upset, what happened in that fog…

Well, no matter this rage you aren’t one to give into it or throw a tantrum. It gives you a clarity of focus. It inspires you.

“Sailor Sol, rising! Zoisite Knight I’m on my way!” Keiko Sugimoto cries out over the comms.

It isn’t just time to wash this monster out, but perhaps it is time to emulsify.

"Coveting what you can't have is the pursuit of a fool,” you sneer and look dismissively away from the oily beast and visibly dropping your guard, it’s too insulted for you to put any effort into this little charade which suits you just fine, “and you certainly cannot have me."

It roars, through only the tragedy mask, and rises forward to crash upon you again. Having already made ready to smash and dash you have nothing to worry about from it’s engulfing presence and it’s erratic attack swings at you broadly again.

Raising your leg and bringing it down hard, you are aware of what leverage you’ll need not to break the cap from this hydrant but to turn or bend the internal bar enough to unleash the floodgate. As you then bound off of the hydrant, rushing water flinging the capped edge open and into the monster about to overtake it, you are knocked from the sky by that erratic and broad swing.

>>4411709

It hits exactly how you expect for its size, as you land where you intended but in a roll.

>You take 10 Vitality
>You take 1 wound
>Current Wounds 1/15, Vitality 17/27

Acknowledging that it finally got lucky, you are watching as it now struggles to stay upright. The water mixes and separates with it’s lower body. It begins to spread thinly as it slides atop with no purchase on the fluids below and both the soldiers and the spindly things wash out of it.

>Hekusasu is prone, and suffering a strange condition and struggling with it’s watery issues.

JSDF Soldiers and the Spindly black things struggle and stagger to their feet where they’ve been washed away.

As do you. Standing proudly even in your currently dirtied white regalia.

“Like water,” you smile at the scene.

>Attack, let’s mix things up and see how it likes benign emulsified
>Close in for more direct lightning action, the water will make for a better conductor
>Cast a spell or use a power from Zoisite, is it time to try and heal this creature?
>Focus on helping the JSDF get clear, the big guy isn’t moving easily anytime soon
>Focus on one of these spindly foes, you’ve no idea what they’re able to do
>write in

>>4411712
>>Cast a spell or use a power from Zoisite, is it time to try and heal this creature?
>Restoration

>>4411712
>Cast a spell or use a power from Zoisite, is it time to try and heal this creature?
Restoration sounds good.

>>4411712
>>Cast a spell or use a power from Zoisite, is it time to try and heal this creature?
>Restoration

>>4411712
>Cast a spell or use a power from Zoisite, is it time to try and heal this creature?
>Restoration

Rolled 1, 1 = 2 (2d20)

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>4411967
Gosh I hope that wasn't us or our allies, because WOW that's terrible.

Well, those are some interesting rolls.

File: Kunzite Sword.jpg (42 KB, 512x384)

42 KB JPG

On the screen, whatever is broadcasting pulls back as a black and purple energy wave explodes off of Hematite, knocking Kunzite Knight back and flat up against an invisible wall that shatters as visible energy against the onslaught.


The monster gurgles as its thinned and separated body wobbles above the flow of water, it’s mask halves having difficulty staying beside one another.

Hematite appears enraged as he lifts a hand, crackling with energy. Kunzite Knight draws her sword while rising and Jadeite Knight steps up beside her.

“Be careful Kunzite Knight,” Midori offers, as she takes up a defensive stance while Hematites crackling energy bursts into a crystal sword, “Just a bit longer,”

“So, another of you wearing a dead man’s name like a title,” growls Hematite, increasingly incensed and insulted, “Fine, child, I’ll send you along to join the man whose memory you insult!”

You stride through the rising soldiers and beasts, boots splashing into the sometimes frothing mix or water and muck. Sparing the mask a pitiable look while the eye mouthed monsters and soldiers turn to face one another with decided tension. The spindly things narrow in on a singular target each as the JSDF discard their muck logged rifles. Hematite charges at a smiling Kunzite Knight on the screen. As you kneel and settle a breath and channel the magic of your mentor the two men who hadn’t been swept up unload shots of expanding foam at two of the many spindly wretches. They hold fast.

-Well, we may not have needed backup after all,- Zoisite smirks in your mind, -Well done,-

Overhead the golden glow of Sailor Sol breaches the rooftops ahead of her arrival.

“By my hand as Zoisite Knight, of Healing and Purity, be spared this evil,” you declare calmly as man and monster collide for their own fates.

You let build and unleash this charge of power.

It looks as though Hematite will strike true. The smile on Hisako’s face widens as Midori is bracing for a blasting discharge from the General’s strike, the wolf welcoming whatever is about to come. From what you’ve spoken with the older girl about, especially while you had occasion to spar a bit during the stakeouts leading up to this, you recall her excitedly complaining that she didn’t have any sword scars yet.

White light spreads out the tips of your gloves. Spreading slowly through the muck and up your arms clearing the stains left of this creature’s body.

Someone comes up behind and over Hematite, rolling over his back and grabbing his wrist and twisting in a sudden block of his oncoming wrath. There is in fact a blast of energy that lances from the crystal sword harmlessly into the nearby bike rack of the park library. Sailor New Moon lands and stands defiantly facing Hematite, still holding his wrist, and Kunzite Knight wastes no opportunity to deliver a flourished strike with her own blade ferociously.

File: Sailor Moon Serious.jpg (27 KB, 720x480)

27 KB JPG

>>4411993

>Sailor New Moon uses Sudden Block and grants the opportunity attack that ignores all damage soak & immunity to Kunzite Knight. Those 1,1 were Hematite because of the block

“Sailor Guardians are no longer Earth’s only defenders!” Sailor Moon declares with a serious and calm face while releasing the enemy’s arm as he staggers back and bleeds black through his uniform, “And we’ll always struggle or sacrifice of ourselves as beautifully or tragically as is needed,”

The masks scream silently as they are broken apart as more of the dark sludge vanishes from the intermixing filth covering the street, the spindly creatures who can screech and grasp at their heads just as Sailor Sol crests the lip of the nearest rooftop and drops toward the scene faster than the speed of gravity.

On the screen, the view pulls back and up. Hematite is surrounded. Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Venus, Sailor Jupiter, and who you assume is the new Sailor Pluto. They stand at the ready.

Hematite shoots a look up toward whatever aperture spreads his broadcast and makes a cutting motion with his neck as the feed goes dead.

The goop draws back into itself as it burns away, revealing the curled and unconscious form of an old old man. His spindly collections fade back into other people across the scene, confused and with little idea what is going on.

“Looks like you didn’t need backup, Zoisite Knight,” Sailor Sol touches down in the clear water beside you whilst the hydrant continues to spill water across the street.

“I still appreciate the attempted help,” you press into your comm, “Zoisite Knight, monster purified moving with Sol to the main stage,”

“Well, at least let me give you a lift,” Sugimoto-san sighs and cracks her knuckles, “Don’t want to waste the trip,”

“Appreciated,” you smile and then look over to the nearest JSDF soldier, “These civilians have been purified of their monstrous transformation but may yet need help. The man there likely needs attention and company when he wakes,”

They watch as you take Sailor Sol’s offered hand and are covered in her passive glow, taking wing to the sky and the fight already joined. The seriousness of Koyomi’s face replaying in your mind. That her voice, at least to you, sounded so unlike her.

Eclipsed Moon Quest Episode 157
End

Interlude vote

>Disbelief of Zeal
>Sway of words
>Chaperones nearby
>Sniper in position

>>4411998
Sis, please don't do anything you're gonna regret...

>>4412011
Oh no, that’s not yet.

>>4411993
>“So, another of you wearing a dead man’s name like a title,” growls Hematite, increasingly incensed and insulted, “Fine, child, I’ll send you along to join the man whose memory you insult!”
Buddy, I don’t know how to tell you this…

>>4411998
>“Well, at least let me give you a lift,”
On that note, we should look into learning flight magic as Mikage and teaching it to the others.

>The seriousness of Koyomi’s face replaying in your mind. That her voice, at least to you, sounded so unlike her.
Could be those concerns we’ve talked about, or it could be he’s not used to Koyomi being serious.

Thanks for the thread Art.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>4412010
can't decide, rolling
1:
>Disbelief of Zeal
2:
>Sniper in position

>>4412010
>Chaperones nearby
Might be the adults.

>>4412010
>Sway of words

>>4412010
>Chaperones nearby

Kind of disappointed Hematite didn't drop some history so Eclipse coukd drop Endymion Lives. I could see that phrase
trending across the Internet.

>>4412016
This is revenge for getting you to watch Madoka when you were sick and thinking it was a cute and fluffy show, isn't...

>>4412016
*Screaming internally*

>>4412046
>This is revenge for getting you to watch Madoka when you were sick and thinking it was a cute and fluffy show, isn't...
> That is exceedingly cruel.

>>4412050
It was

File: 1437347881989.jpg (74 KB, 1280x720)

74 KB JPG

>>4412046
>This is revenge for getting you to watch Madoka when you were sick and thinking it was a cute and fluffy show, isn't...

>>4412046
Bro, its been what, 6 or 7 years. I would have to be some kind of insane genius to play the long game with this kind of long shot scattershot means to target explicitly you.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

>>4412074
>Bro, its been what, 6 or 7 years. I would have to be some kind of insane genius to play the long game with this kind of long shot scattershot means to target explicitly you.
So, uh, I wish to note that Eclipsed Moon Quest began back in 2014.

>>4412050
>>4412062
>>4412069

It wasn't on purpose! And hey you got to see Rebellion in a theater because if me.

>>4411998
>Hematite shoots a look up toward whatever aperture spreads his broadcast and makes a cutting motion with his neck as the feed goes dead.
Following old habits, this is where Eclipse is also up there and hijacks the camera.

Missed some votes, happy with how things are rolling out. Nice work Koito.
Thanks for running Art!

>>4412010
>Disbelief of Zeal

>>4412016
>>4412011
I just want to note that we've seen her acting differently in character, and that Mikage has displayed healthy awareness and paranoia about things before.
Unless we lose genre awareness the less broken we become?

>>4412046
Still time for that, perhaps.

>>4412081
>>4412104
Folks in this quest that got me to finally start into that. Though they did recommend against the binge-all-of-it-and-rebellion-in-one-shot that I took.
Quite a ride.

>>4412010
>>Sniper in position

>>4412162
Re:Koyomi, if memory serves, Mikage has noticed her acting weird lately and is concerned.

File: Pluto.jpg (49 KB, 512x288)

49 KB JPG

Interlude: Chaperones Nearby

You stand alongside Saturn and the newcomer, Papillon, and take a calm breath. Your vantage point from atop Infinity Academy gives the three of you the whole spread of events. From your daughter’s refusal to be sidelined as events unfolded, you know a trepidation fear that is being slowly edged out by pride.

The look you got from Papillon after you assented to Ranko’s resolve told you that at least she understood this pain in some capacity.

Now, the three of you watched. Papillon to see how the young Sailor Guardians of the Sol System worked. Saturn to gauge what alterations, if any, she needs to make to her training of the young Sailor Guardians. It is nerve wracking, but when you hear your daughter’s voice join in the declaration against this foe and then chorus their shared power; you find your own resolve in turn.

“The Golden Crystal bearer is formidable,” Papillon wonders with a forlorn sigh, “It’s a pity she isn’t yet able to accept what she is,”

Saturn turns with a frown.

“If she can be that again or not will be her choice,” Saturn says in her pupil’s defense, “We cannot force her or influence that decision anymore than we already have,”

Papillon flips her hair sadly and regards first Saturn and then you. There is already a sad truth to her expression that you empathise with all too well.

“We are all children of the Galaxy Cauldron. If not in this lifetime...well, the Cosmos will keep turning and the cycle will ever continue,” she watches as the four knights now assembled announce themselves and their allegiance under raised swords, “And, there never is a choice in what we are, merely how we are. Even without the raiment and title, she is a Sailor Guardian. And on the cusp of her awakening to great potential at that,”

The woman from the Alien world of Cocoon sits on the ledge of the building and smiles.

“Then again the potential within her sister may prove greater still,” she says with a serious but appraising tone, “I pray my trust is well placed and they both can overcome that which now festers inside of them,”

“Only time will tell if such portents are for weal or woe,” you explain succinctly as you feel your daughter pull on the power of Charon Castle of her own active will, “For now, I will choose what I can for them, and that is to believe in them,”

Interlude End

File: Tsukino Siblings.jpg (70 KB, 400x566)

70 KB JPG

Interlude: Sniper in Position

You hit the roof a few minutes ago, perhaps in the nick of time to look down your scope and get a proper beat on the action. This is no analogue scope atop your gun tonight, everything you’re seeing is routed back to Command for real time intelligence. It’s even got a long range directed microphone, which you may be patching into one ear with your civilian earbuds.

If anything, you need the read on the situation on the ground just as much as the brass. Commander Maru seems like a great officer, but he doesn’t know that this matter is a little personal for you.

After telling you she was leaving town, your big sis practically begged you to do whatever you could to come back to Tokyo and help out. Take some leave or put in a transfer. Who were you to say no to the crybaby?

Your transfer to Tokyo and reassignment to the Paranormal Incident Task Force cleared just the other day and on arrival you’ve hit the ground running. Turns out they were keen to have someone of your skillset join the outfit, though you were surprised to see a familiar face in command with Osaka-san. Wait, no that’s a bit disrespectful to think here. It’s Captain Osaka-san now.

You get the bead on the active target. A real life Dark General, or is this one a Gold General now given his claims of affiliation? Doesn’t matter, you’re relatively certain that any of the ordinance issued wouldn’t do much to phase him.

“Main target sighted, sweeping for any additional hostile entities,” you call through the radio.

“Acknowledged. Confirmation request, security cameras caught sight of designation Eclipse crossing the library roof,” the soft voice calls in without a sign.

You were told about this one, an analyst and coordinator who would be coming in outside the normal protocols of Command’s Communications Officers.

“Copy,” you sweep the barrel and the sight wide toward the building, and after a bit of looking find her standing to make a grand entrance.

Were you a bit less disciplined you would complain aloud that your niece is just as dramatic as her father. So now you just think about it.

“Confirmed. No other hostile entities sighted in the immediate theater, returning to the principal target,” you sweep back and give a quick look at those in the thick of it now.

Your other niece though, she really is the spitting image of your big sister. Well, bringing the bad guy back into your targeting reticle. Steadying your breathing, you settle in for the fight. You feel the weight of the gift Usagi-nee left you in your side pack...just in case.

End Interlude.

Interlude Vote: Mundane Lives in the Periphery Edition

>Teal & Flowers: Reconciliation & Advice
>Painted Roses, Red from the fray
>Toriko Sensei’s emergency sabbatical
>Self Improvement, Golden Gloves
>Drumming up tomorrow

Also. There’s a plot beat I REALLY want to time between October 14th and November 3rd but I don’t know if it’ll work out at that point, beforehand, or after and its making me anxious about a fun bit of humor.

>>4412964
Between this and Usagi and Ami watching our first outing as Eclipse, I’m thinking being an adult Senshi requires that you stand on top of something tall while transformed if you want to observe things. I do still wonder if Usagi ever told Mikage that she was there.

>>4413079
She didn’t, Ami did tell Aiha in their night of breaking emotional and communicative walls.

>>4413079
That’s a general superhero thing, I’m pretty sure.

>>4413088
Odd, I wouldn’t think Usagi is the sort to keep secrets.

Wait, what did Usagi say when she first talked to Mikage about being Eclipse again?
>Checks
>http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/31006362/#p31015055
>Ami and I caught the end of things over at West.
Never mind, guess I was misremembering.

>>4412992
>an analyst and coordinator who would be coming in outside the normal protocols of Command’s Communications Officers
Miracle child, I presume?

>the weight of the gift Usagi-nee left you in your side pack...just in case.
What have you got in your pocketses?

Reminds me we have some sort of plan regarding making some charm or another that could cast Daybreak something to enchant ammo for Captain Osaka, should expand that to Sneakers Shingo as well.

>>4413065
>Mundane Lives in the Periphery Edition
Aaah. I want so many. I'll try to figure it out when I wake up.
Is the golden gloves the girl that got weighted gloved from Tuxedo Bear rescue?

>>4413098
Usagi did call herself a superhero in the original opening, so it fits. Infinity Academy must be pretty tall.

>>4413065
>Toriko Sensei’s emergency sabbatical

>>4413065
>Self Improvement, Golden Gloves

>>4413065
>>Self Improvement, Golden Gloves

>>4413102
Huh, looks like I misremembered something. This doesn’t surprise me.

>>4413065
Self Improvement, Golden Gloves

>>4413065
>>Drumming up tomorrow
>Drumming up tomorrow

>>4413297
I mean, I reread that thread a few weeks back and I forgot about it as well. It’s an easy sentence to overlook, I suppose.

>>4413065
>>Painted Roses, Red from the fray
Knife?

>>4413788
Knife?

>>4413985
Was guessing it was a Primrose snapping on some thugs.