Alright, 30 or so minute voting window after the first vote.

Going to step out to pick up some pizza.

>>384830
>Obfuscate, change the subject, to what?
>Obfuscate with honesty
There are things we can't tell him yet, not because we don't trust him, but because they risk the secrets of others, like Teal learning about Ogre leading to him.

>change the subject
I thought we might touch upon why we are going to be trying to avoid Malefic Black, as he might start to get the wrong idea if we keep convoluting ways without his help. That'll give him a whole unrelated mystery to distract from our own.

>>384830
>>384987
Drawn between truth and lie so this is a good compromise.
Not sold on the second half tho how much should we say?

>>385075
Like how do you broach that sort of thing?

Writing. Subsequent votes will have a 15 minute window from the first cast vote.

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>>385112
..I'm not sure what it says about you when you calmly drop into discussing an alternate timeline where the alt of another band leader had the obsessive hots for someone that looked like you and that somehow that is influencing their dreams here, but the fact that I didn't blink to suggest it amuses me enough to continue suggesting it.

>>385143
How's the pizza?

Rolled 14 + 8 (1d20 + 8)

Oh, and I guess give me an opposed roll.

Deception to obfuscate. dice+1d20+10 best of 3 1s and 20s wild. And conditional modifiers per the d20 rules apply.

>>385154
Sicilian, thick, and square. And my captcha was pizza.

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Rolled 4 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>385164

Rolled 5 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>385164

Rolled 19 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>385154
k
>>385164
Dice roll go!

29 vs 22, you smooth conversationalist.

Back to writing momentarily.

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>>385201

Should we advertise somewhere? Feel like we pickup slower since /qst/. I'm not sure where, just kinda asking.

>>385305
Nah it's fine, we've had low turnout for months.

>>385329
Aright, at least people are still finding it. I like talkin' to folks here.

“The senshi,” you begin as your mind races and reaches for a way out of explaining things...in part for their privacy and in part for Yoshi’s own safety, “are a complicated matter...but then again I’m one and kind of surrounded in more these days,”

He nods, in agreement. Though he catches himself as you shoot him a feigned hurt expression.

“Err,”

“Well, what I mean is there are so many complicated things around me these days,” you feign again, this time a sigh, “Like that other band you’ve been doing shows with, want to know something impossible about them?”

You snicker here. Even if it’s been a few years, you know Yoshi’s curiosity might not be able to resist something you think is interesting and juicy. Eyes shifting from stressed to a relaxed half lids, you bait him with no heed to how you’ll explain to knowing what you’ll tell him next.

His quiet curiosity beckons you to continue.

“I was talking to one of them before, asking about where they got their inspiration for their music and he said it was weird dreams all of them shared,” you explain conspiratorially, leaning in a bit close, “Well it turns out they aren’t quite dreams, just backwards echoes from dead versions of themselves from an alternate future,”

You pause, because that isn’t quite right.

“Well...all the members of the band are dead...pretty sure their groupies are all alive and well and transplanted to living in this era,”

Yoshi has always proved unflappable, though he stares at you a long moment. Possibly lost in his own thoughts. No doubt he’s heard their music and is processing what you’ve just said; his question about you fighting the Sailor Senshi completely lost in the shuffle.

“How could you possibly know tha- wait, never mind, your telepathy?” he presses but relents at an explanation he himself zeroes in upon as a possible explanation.

“Bingo,” you explain with a straight faced lie before letting out an honestly annoyed sigh, “At least to confirm. Though I gotta avoid their frontman from now on; I look way too much like someone he’s never met but pines for,”

He goes quiet a minute. Quiet and still beside you. Since you seem quite comforted, he removes his steadying hand from your shoulder and rests it in his lap as his features slip into thought.

“You from an alternate future wouldn’t be who he pines for, would it?” he asks, though with a noticeable to you tone of worry and jealousy.

>>385485


“No, I just have the same face and features as my -” you pause, “Ah, I think we should let that rest. No use dredging up a future that can never happen,”

“Alright,” he nods, though with a briefly held exhalation, “I think that’s enough questions for now. Thank you for that, Mikage, and I’m sorry if any of them were too uncomfortable,”

“Really?” you were honestly expecting a bit more, “I mean, it’s nothing. I owed you those answers for how patient you’ve been through all of this,”

He nods and lifts up his wig, turning to face the mirror to reaffix it and return his stage costume to its full placement.

“I’m very happy you took the time to tell me. It wasn’t nothing, and I appreciate the trust you have in me...though what you’ve told me is worrying,” he admits and pauses.

>That I’m not quite Human anymore?
>About Malefic Black?
>Well, it is a lot...but it’ll be okay. I promise.
>Stay quiet, and let him finish
>Write in

>>385493
>Stay quiet, and let him finish

>>385493
>>Write in
"It's all pretty worrying. Anything troubling you more than the others?"
Mikage doesn't feel like the stay quiet type now that she's got more of herself again.

>>385493
>Stay quiet, and let him finish

>>385493
>>Stay quiet, and let him finish

Writing.

>>385416
I feel like it's still really unfriendly to new players, but that might just be because I'm lazy.

>>385665

Conversation or the quest in general?

>>385670
Quest in general. It's a serious undertaking.

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>>385566
>>385579
>>385612
I can dig it, should get us to the same place, assuming he doesn't clam up.

>>385635
Just in time for dessert!
Bit disappointed the screen isn't readable in the shot, but like how it came out with the DM screens still up.

>>385665
Maybe my perspective is skewed since I've been around so long, but I think if someone has a passing remembrance of the animated series, they have a general idea of the world/setting.
While her own story keeps building Art tries to keep a current update on who we are and what were are doing at the start of each.

Assuming I'm not working, I'm always happy to chat about what's been going on too.

Even though he’s paused, and you have a few thoughts on what he might say next, you stay quiet. There is a thought he himself has to finish and you’d rather not undercut him, at least not yet.

“You may have conquered the monster they tried to make you...but could you have faced what they made Nomura-san into alone?” he wonders, his features betraying no emotion as he speaks coolly, “I worry for your safety...and the world. Even if you’re fighting this, even if the Sailor Senshi are fighting this...I’m frightened. Not for myself,”

“You know, being such a softee really undercuts your character right now,” you tease.

“Well it’s a good thing it’s just the two of us in here,” he sighs and pushes the straight white hair of his wig back, checking for notes in the strands.

“I don’t know how I would have handled Orbrachnid on my own,” you sigh and think back to watching your sister and the others fight in the gymnasium, “She was tough, I would have had to cut loose to stop her...but if she had webbed me up it could have been all over. Though I really don’t like thinking about that whole affair, I ate one of her little spiders and that was so gross,”

He stares at you a second.

“I mean, it was made of that darkness and negative emotion stuff,” you flash your fangs, catching a glimpse of yourself with your fangs while all done up in ganguro makeup.

How do you make this look so damn cute?

“But, you hate spiders?” he catches himself for a second, stifling a chortle no doubt remembering helping you study for Biology in Junior High.

>Be embarrassed about that
>Be touched he remembered something so specific
>That’s just how you roll now, bold enough to bite into something that used to terrify you
>SCOLD AND SCORN! NO ONE TEASES YOU, YOU ARE THE TEASER
>Write in

&

>Stay in here a little longer, just to decompress after what you’ve said and what you haven’t
>Maybe we should head out and catch up with the others, the after party beckons
>Hey, the two of you are alone in here right now...maybe be bold?
>Write in

>>385717
>>Be embarrassed about that
>>Be touched he remembered something so specific

>Stay in here a little longer, just to decompress after what you’ve said and what you haven’t

Oh I smell magic in the air~

Hi art

>>385717
>Be embarrassed about that
>Be touched he remembered something so specific
>SCOLD AND SCORN! NO ONE TEASES YOU, YOU ARE THE TEASER
&
>Maybe we should head out and catch up with the others, the after party beckons

>>385717
>>Be embarrassed about that
>>Be touched he remembered something so specific
We totally freaked out about it after a moment too, that was a fine moment.

&

>Stay in here a little longer, just to decompress after what you’ve said and what you haven’t
So, what do you do after the show, just sit and brood to build up your character? or keeping an eye on the "the Ogre"?

>>385717

>Be embarrassed about that
>Be touched he remembered something so specific
>Attempt scold & scorn, and fluster up and fail adorably.

Writing

>>385717
>Be embarrassed about that
>Be touched he remembered something so specific
>Attempt scold & scorn, and fluster up and fail adorably.
>Stay in here a little longer, just to decompress after what you’ve said and what you haven’t

>>385697
Shadowrun GM screen?

>>385840
The low-profile d20 Modern and 3.5 screens. Between the two you can surround any reasonable DM area. Still setup from the recent resurrection of my Ptolus campaign.

>>385884
Plus Chewbacca and a Thinkpad so old IBM still made it.

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>>385840
>>385884
Found a reasonable image of both. Reminded that the Modern one was just a crazy shot of all the different things you could conceivably see at once.
While the D&D was a nice dragon+hoard splash, along with two kobolds.

“You remembered that?” you say with a bit of surprise, and then turn away and shrink a bit into yourself.

“Of course,” he says nervously, which is undercut by his would be intimidating makeup and leather straight jacket, “I don’t think I’ll ever forget how out of character it was to see you hiding behind your workbook from a textbook page,”

A smile spreads across the rouge skeletal smile painted across his face. You can see it in the mirror, because you aren’t looking right at him. Crossing your arms and puffing your cheeks, you are thankful that the dark tan of your makeup hides your blush in this moment.

“It must have been very hard for you to eat one of those monster spiders then,” he reasons, turning from the mirror to face you with his usual even and friendly tone and abandoning entirely any lingering body language of his stage persona and says something uncharacteristically teasing, “Truly a sign or bravery, or maybe hunger,”

“Yoshi!” you bark back and swing your gaze back to him where he stands, throwing a weak couple of loose fist punches into his shoulder from where you sit, “Don’t tease me! You know I’m a dangerous spooky delinquent!”

“I’m sure I haven’t forgotten,” he says, more at ease with the situation as you remember the more sharp confrontation the two of you had before you knew who the other was.

When you struck him across the face with a bloodied hand.

This all seems so different now.

“You don’t get to tease me,” you argue and scold him, “I tease people! I’m the tease,”

Yoshi turns his face sharply away from you and to the mirror, perhaps in embarrassment at your choice of words. Either way the moment passes in an awkward silence as the two of you collect yourselves.

“Can we stay here, a little while longer?” you ask, breaking the suddenly tense quiet between you, “I just need to decompress after...well everything I’ve told you,”

“Sure,” he nods and sits back down beside you, “The others won’t disturb us and we can be a little late, I mean if you want to go to the after party,”

You take a moment to breath, well, more than a few moments in the solemn quiet of the dressing room. The only white noise competing with the sound of your breathing the distantly muffled house music of the venue room above.

Amid this distanced quiet...

>>386055
>You lean into Yoshi
>You lean against Yoshi (a more aggressive lean)
>You remain seated as you have been
>You distance yourself from Yoshi
>Write in

“What do you even really do at those anyway?” you question

“Hmm?”

“I mean, do you just brood alone to build up your character’s rep or do you spend your time keeping an eye on Endo-kun?” you clarify.

“Endo doesn’t need me looking after him, he can make his own decisions,” Yoshi reasons with a chuckle, “Though with Takeda-san sticking to him he might have to revise his usual after show habits,”

“I gathered he has a bit of a reputation,” you say, knowing full well that Nui Takeda does as well, “Nui is a friend of mine, I really hope they don’t end up hurting one another,”

“A common hope for friends when they start relationships,” he reasons beside you, the other potential inflection of that statement not lost on you.

>Sit quietly for a bit longer, just together
>Let’s head out now, to meet up with the others
>Use body language to try and bait Yoshi into making a move
>Make a move
>Suggest Yoshi head out to the venue, you’re undecided if you’ll go
>Suggest the two of you skip the party and do something else, what?
>Write in

>>386059
>You remain seated as you have been
&
>Let’s head out now, to meet up with the others

>>386059
>>You lean into Yoshi

I'm drawn between:
>Suggest Yoshi head out to the venue, you’re undecided if you’ll go
>Suggest the two of you skip the party and do something else, what?
Maybe ask Yoshi if there is somewhere he'd like to go?

>>386059
>You lean into Yoshi
>Let's head out now

>>386059
>You lean into Yoshi
>Let’s head out now, to meet up with the others
Warn him that we might slip away suddenly. Don't want to mar Flowers' first evening with her prince. Use Generals to warn ahead.

Writing.

Amid the quiet of the room, undercut by the insulated thrum of music above, you lean into Yoshi while the two of you decompress. It feels...comfortable. You can’t read whether or not it makes him feel comfortable or uncomfortable. Just as well. This is for you. This is a balm.

You remain that way into your closing conversation, until that entirely timely and relevant response about Nui Takeda and Daigo Endo. Righting yourself, you push up to stand.

“Let’s head out now,” you offer, “to meet up with the others at the party,”

“Yeah,” Yoshi nods after a moment looking up at you, “They probably left already,”

His expression has become unreadable, at least in this moment. Just as well.

Stepping out into the hallway, you find the door across the way ajar, and empty. The others have already moved out toward the after party.

The roiling shadow on the floor vanishes into your own, the ponytailed phantom of one of your father’s retainers informing you of just that as you and Yoshi turn toward the rear exit of the backstage into the neighboring alleyway as you catch an unexpected sight.

Hisako Ito, your friend Hanako’s roommate, is leaning against the wall of the green room Malefic Black had been using for the show. The former teen delinquent seems visibly agitated, sweating bullets, and grinding her teeth as she keeps rather obviously glancing at first down at and then away from the other animated shadow on the floor of this hallway beside her. Odd to you because it should be invisible to anyone save for those who possess some degree of affinity with their specific magical aura.

The seen shadow in question is Kunzite, and you already know that the young man behind you can see it as well.

“That’s one of your’s on the floor? The one I saw in the classroom?” he queries quietly.

“Yes,”

“And Ito-san can see it?”

“Looks like,” you reply quietly as you take in the girl as she tightens the fold of her arms ahead of her and tries desperately to play it cool.

You assume she came back here to wait for Hanako. She hasn’t noticed the two of you in the hall quite yet, as her attention is firmly spent on noticing and trying to visibly not notice Kunzite’s phantom.

>Let’s leave another way
>Distract her from Kunzite so he can fade back into you, how?
>Ask Ito if she’s okay, she seems out of sorts
>Ask her if Hanako is still here?
>Sucker Punch her, because for some reason that seems like a good idea
>Just walk straight past her, with a platitude of greeting
>Write in

>>386349
>Just walk straight past her, with a platitude of greeting
>Write in
Telepathic Beast voice to Ito at a convenient time: [Relax already, the shadow's with me. Worry more about why they need a guard. Don't mention it and maybe we'll talk later.]

>>386349
>Ask Ito if she’s okay, she seems out of sorts
>Ask her if Hanako is still here?

>>386349
>>Ask Ito if she’s okay, she seems out of sorts
>Write in
Try to switch Shitennou out while she's distracted.
Probably have Kunzite move the other way and swing around to avoid her making a direct correlation to us.

Voting over and thread pause. We'll resume in the morning with the update for this vote because I am fading and falling fast.

Night guys.

>>386420
>>386421
>>386428
I'm ok with asking her if she's okay instead of walking past. Though I stand by my write in.

>>386485
Have a good one!

>>386485
G'night, Art!

Awake and writing.

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>>387192
Oh yeah.

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In the meantime, here is a projection of what it would be like in Koyomi turned evil.

“Ito-san! Hey, Ito-san!” you call out louder and wave from up the hall.

The white maned woman looks up from her askance stare at the unnatural shadow at her feet toward you as you close the distance with Yoshi in full stage guise as The Damned behind you.

“O-oh, h-hey M-M-Miks,” stutters the woman once feared as the delinquent yankee terror called the Winter Wolf before turning so she’s leaning with her shoulder instead of her back against the wall.

Posturing. Trying to look cool and natural despite the beads of worried sweat glistening down her forehead. Despite how crazed she seemed in her street fight with your other reclaimed persona and guise, the Red Eyed Beast, it would appear she does not deal well with the extended presence of the blatantly supernatural.

You literally vanishing into thin air after knocking her down may have been cool during the height of her adrenalin, but an impossibly moving shadow on the floor does this to her?

“Miki,” you correct her on reflex as her eyes meet your own and then shoot back to the floor, then you again, then the floor again, and in continued repetition, “and are you okay? You don’t seem well,”

“What?” she laughs in an incredibly forced manner, “No, everythings fine. Why wouldn’t it be fine? Oh hey, you’re the damned. That’s cool. Good shows,”

Yoshi nods behind you, still stern faced. Hisako cracks and holds a wide and unsteady smile as her eyes drift down. You’ll need to hold her eyes and attention long enough for Kunzite to escape...but not into you just yet. Maybe if she’s still watching you can have him move down the hall away from you before traveling through the walls and rejoining you outside.

Though what subject would work with that?

Ah.

“Oh, I bet I know what’s wrong,” you say slyly, “Is Hanako still here?”

You gesture toward the door into Malefic Black’s green room and the Winter Wolf pales to match her own hair as though she had forgotten why she was waiting just outside this particular door.

>>387322

“Shit,” she curses under her breath and turns her eyes to the door, “I forgo- Yeah she hasn’t come out yet and I’ve just been waiting for her,”

Kunzite is already on the move, silent of his own voice at your command, before Hanako spots his shadow retreating away behind and beyond you. She shivers and calms as it turns the corner and falls out of sight.

“She seemed really anxious but excited to meet Hoseki-san,” you gab with her trying to distract her further from her lingering fright, “Though if you ask me I think he’s a bit of a flirt,”

“Yeah, I’ve seen the type. Local stardom can go to some people's heads,” she nods and deeply inhales to steady herself before glancing up at The Damned, “No offense,”

He does not respond.

“Well, we’ve gotta get going,” you say with a sunny smile and grab the Damned’s arm behind you to head to the exit door just a few paces ahead, “Maybe we’ll see you girls at the afterparty?”

“Maybe,” she shrugs and returns to her casual posturing self, glancing back away from the two of you toward where she last saw the shadow, and then to the door, “If these two would hurry the hell up,”

Closing the exit door behind you, you gesture to Yoshi to stop.

Reaching out with your mind, you let your mental voice slip into the cadence of the Red Eyed Beast and call out to the nearby but out of sight girl telepathically.

-Hey wolf, glad to see you’ve relaxed,- you think loudly and feel a prickling of tightening physical defense and readiness in response, -Hey hey, don’t tie your tail up in knots, that shadow was from me. Don’t worry about it too much, but then again maybe you should wonder why I’d need to post something to watch WHERE and on WHO I posted it. Keep that quiet for me, and we’ll be sure to talk later,-

-The hell are you on about?- she bites back over the mental connection.

>>387324

-Work and play, snow pup,- you laugh over the mental connection, -And now that I’ve established the pecking order as top dog, I’ll let you know when I want to play again-

Cutting the connection before even feeling the base of Hisako Ito’s response and laughing to yourself, you again grab Yoshi’s arm and then start running down and away through the empty alleyway. A few steps later, Kunzite’s shadow falls into step with your own.

“What was that about?” he asks through stumbled breath as he tries to find his footing while being pulled along.

“I left one of my shadows to watch my friend Hanako. She and Ito-san are roommates and I was a bit surprised she could see it,” you explain.

“Like how I can see it, and how Umeki-san could see the other?”

“Yeah,” you respond in confirmation of what really he does already know.

What he doesn’t know is what their being able to see those shadows means. It means they are compatible with the energies of the shadows they can see, that they could become hosts to the phantoms you shelter in your soul and become their apprentices. Become Knights in your service.

Yoshi and Ito-san both as potential Kunzite Knight, it actually puts you a bit at ease to have another prospect for that role after Sasha turned down the offer over his own pride. You’ve put thought to it and you are quite unsure about dragging Yoshi that far down the rabbit hole that is your life. At least in action.

There may yet come some point in the future where you tell him the total truth of things, about your past, but that is not now and may yet never come to pass.

Though much like Sasha, Hisako Ito is strong and it might be fun to have someone at your physical calibur alongside you in the field. Someone who can fight like she can…

That is for later. Something you’ll discuss with the rest of your personal court later. Probably tomorrow morning when everyone gathers for training and you appoint your Zoisite Knight.

>Is there anything more about the shadows you want to try to explain to Yoshi?
>Is there anything else you want to talk about while you head to the hotel for the afterparty
>It was a tiring night, we should stop and get some food on the way
>You might damage the Damned’s reputation if he’s seen running through the streets with a pretty girl, get spooky?
>Write in

(30 minute voting window from first vote)

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>>387328
How's it going Art?
Did we leave Zoisite behind to watch out in Kunzite's place? Afterparty is at a hotel? Can we have him watch in their general direction/entrance if we fall out of range?
How late is it? (Judging for food on the way there or after.)
What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen moon cat?

>>387351
Good this morning.
You took Zoisite back, as your range is a little over 100ft and you are leaving the immediate area.
Like, 11 by now.
In terrestrial or lunar gravity?

>>387351
You raise an interesting questio- AAAAIIIEE

>>387328
>>It was a tiring night, we should stop and get some food on the way
Food time!

>>387328
>You might damage the Damned’s reputation if he’s seen running through the streets with a pretty girl, get spooky?
Let's.

>>387328
Good morning. Food sounds good, and I guess the characters should eat too.
>It was a tiring night, we should stop and get some food on the way
Particular with captcha throwing food pictures at me.

>>387373
I think we're trying to avoid associating him too much with Red Eyes, since that could get back to his undead-shadow-construct manager. We could still switch up to a different appearance, though with his band's theme of taking sunny songs into darkness, being seen Miki could be amusingly fitting.

>>387396
I was thinking more "faceless" girl than Red-Eyes.

>>387402
I could be ok with cyphering too.

Writing.

Grabbing Food on the way and ciphering

“I am so hungry,” you say remembering the fare of the after party was mostly drinks, which you would rather not pursue on an empty stomach, “We should stop for something on the way,”

You slow down and let go of his arm as you clear the alleyway and are out on the street. It occurs to you that maybe you shouldn’t damage his rep, or give too broad a connection between the Unrepentant Damned and yourself as Mikage Chiba. At least given that Miki isn’t someone you hide as anymore.

“That all just happened, and you’re hungry?” he questions and sighs, “Yeah, I could eat too before we get to the party. Brooding against the wall is taxing after a show,”

“I have my priorities straight,” you nod, “Make sure Ito-san doesn’t associate that shadow with me, and then giving her reason to associate it with the Beast,”

You smile at that and move a few paces ahead. It strikes you that you can help conceal matters by becoming to most of the world no one of importance, ciphering your features to the passing memories of those who see you save for those you allow to remember. Activating this enhanced disguise field, you turn back to the stage clad Yoshi and smile.

“Using telepathy, I take it,” he reasons and steps up alongside you, “For as strained as you seemed explaining things to me, you aren’t as shy as I would expect using those powers,”

“Oh?” you question, “Well I have to get good at using them, and practice makes perfect,”

“Fair enough,” he shrugs, “So, what are you in the mood for?”

“Street food,” you reason with a loud exuberant cry, “Taiyaki!”

“Sweets?” he chuckles wryly in his stage voice, conscious that people among the crowd recognize his brazen and unusual appearance perhaps more so than your own niche fashion appearance, “And that declaration, seems like your mother and sister are rubbing off on you,”

Its this familiarity with you, and how you used to be before Princess No, and your family that colors this conversation. And that’s okay.

“Well, maybe after everything that’s happened I’m willing to actually enjoy things more,” you say coyly as you scan the street for a street cart or a small shop that might feed your need for fish shaped cake filled with red bean paste.

“Well, then I’m glad,” he slips back into his own voice, and you catch the phantom of a smile play beneath the painted teeth of his skull clad face.

>>387545

After an awkward stop in a suitable shop, his makeup and dress being an odd point of attention, the two of you continue on your way toward the hotel with your snacks in hand. The occasional picture of Yoshi by some errant fan or other, but the walk is otherwise undisturbed.

Arriving at the hotel, pastries long finished, you ride the elevator up to the appropriate floor of the same hotel as the other night.

>Stick with Yoshi while he goes to brood
>Go look for Teal, chat with your friend about how both your night’s are going
>You want to take advantage of this open bar
>Drag Yoshi out onto the Patio, look at the city and the stars
>You want to investigate the Malefic Black party a few rooms over before Byakuya arrives
>Write in

>>387546
>Go look for Teal, chat with your friend about how both your night’s are going

>>387546
>Drag Yoshi out onto the Patio, look at the city and the stars
Sounds like a nice moment.
Maybe have Zoisite keep an eye on Malefic Black and Kunzite on lookout for Kalunite.

>>387546
>Stick with Yoshi while he goes to brood
Maybe meditate while he broods?

Extending Vote fifteen min.

>>387620
I could probably change from brooding, but not sure if I like possible romantic moment or gossip about romantic moments more. Wait- need some sort of romantic moment of our own, as a child of Usagi is is our duty to be too competitive about love. To the stars!

Writing.

As the elevator opens to the floor, you immediately skip ahead to the door and decide something. The patio and veranda were too nice to leave them associated with that terrible attempt at flirtation Byakuya Hoseki threw your way, and the night is clear enough that maybe you can blot that out with new memories of a nice place with a wonderful vantage point.

Though, you would like to take precautions.

“Oh, before we go in, I just want to take care of something,” you explain to Yoshi as he comes up behind you as you reach out with your mind to the spirits of the Shintennou still sheltered within you -Zoisite, Kunzite,-

-Yes, Princess-
-Yes, Princess-

They respond in Unison as their translucent true forms manifest before you in a bow. Yoshi staggers a bit as his eyes fall to where Kunzite stands, unfocused and unsure. Likely unable to see more than a blur in this moment.

-Zoisite, I need you to keep eyes on the Malefic Black party. Both for strange happenings and for when their frontman arrives. I’m worried about Hanako and just want eyes on her if she’s hanging out with that group,-

-Of course. You are a good to be so concerned with your friends, Princess...and I suspect you want me to keep an eye on that Ito girl as well? Since I am invisible to her, unlike this one,- Zoisite teases before sinking into the floor and gliding to his purpose.

-Kunzite, I need you to keep a general perimeter watch. On the lookout for Kalunite specifically,- you explain grimmly.

-I understand. You will be warned of his arrival,- he nods and sinks below as well.

Yoshi watches you a moment, thoughtfully, as your expression relaxes. Returning from being of a more tactically inclined mind, you thread your hands around the black clad boy’s arm and open the door into the hotel suite.

“No brooding alone for you just yet,” you inform him as you drag him into a sea of familiar faces from the show and backstage.

Roadies, attendees, a few important people in suits, the witch, the devil, and a few people unfamiliar to you catch your eye in the main room of the suite as they notice the two of you arrive. You don’t see Nui or Daigo among them, at least in this room.

“Well what did you have in mind?” he questions gruffly as you drag him with some feigned resistance across the room toward the back.

Pushing open the sliding door at the back of the room, you reveal the wide veranda and patio shared by the assorted quality suites on this floor of the hotel. Not accessible save for the hotel rooms themselves, this lovely place seems quiet while everyone else is still preoccupied with the party inside.

>>387971

Though the two of you exiting onto this space prompts a few souls within the party to poke their heads out after the two of you. Yoshi notices this and seems to take on a certain annoyance as he breaks away from you and turns to face the back of the suite.

“This is private,” he says with a certainly in character growl to his appearance, “Enjoy your party inside,”

His command is heeded, though he is offered a knowing smirk from this crossdressed couple from his own band as they start ushering their guests away from the windows and draw curtains to your relief.

“Doesn’t being scary have such great perks,” you quietly laugh in allusion to your own experiences as the Red Eyed Beast.

“It has its moments,” he says, “Not that I always enjoy them,”

“Right, let me guess,” you say as you lead him to the railed edge of the space, “Its all about the music for you?”

“Well, yes,” he says quite surprised, “I thought that much would be obvious to you,”

“It is why I said it,” you huff a bit and look out over the city, “It's beautiful, isn’t it,”

“Yeah,” he nods, “It is,”

The city stretches out before you. You’ve a tall enough vantage point here and enough clearances of the surrounding smaller buildings that you can see the greater and wide sprawl of the great and wide city of tokyo. Even with the building and street lights of this district flooding the night, you can see the distant lights of Tokyo Tower against the dark, along with other silhouettes of your expansive home city and distant ward.

“So, how do you usually explain to your mother when you’re out so late?” you question beside him, leaning into the railing.

“Well, just that I was out with Endo. Usually,” he reasons, “I’m not lying and I tend to set these things up before hand so my absence isn’t no noticed...though after the other day I’m treading a bit carefully,”

“Oh, because she heard you play in the gym”

“Yes,” he sighs here and then looks up at the sky.

While the lights of the district do not drown out the distant lights of the rest of the city entirely, they do black out almost all the stars even on so clear a night. As your eyes follow where his gaze out, only a few particularly bright ones remain visible along with an incomplete moon. Given you haven’t paid much attention to it recently you are unsure if it is waning or waxing.

His eyes settle on that moon. Perhaps his imagination thinking about what you had earlier said about it.

>write in

>>387974
The Moon might be beautiful, but the Earth does as well.
Nudge.

>>388058
>>387974
How about "It might be beautiful up there, but the Earth has some beauty of its own, and handsomeness."
Complement thrown in there.
Pinch if he doesn't react.

Writing.

>>384830

>>388150
Yes? A curious post.

It is beautiful and haunting from down here, and even as you look up you think of your mother as she is up there...and worriedly wonder how you’ll get word to her about the things you have uncovered. That will be a discussion for tomorrow. And you won’t be caught up in that sense of wonder forever.

One day you want to go there, you think. To see the ruins for yourself and then look back up at the blue earth below. A yearning, torn between two places that cast their shadows within your heart and soul as a child of both the earth and the moon in such a way that only your and your sisters can claim of all who as yet live.

And so you watch the moon with him for a short time. Thinking thoughts about it and appreciating it in as different a way as the two of you are different and informed by your own knowledge and experiences. Is he thinking of its beauty, or is he wondering about a kingdom thought to be as Gods by those seen beneath its apex.

“The moon might beautiful up there,” you interrupt your own thoughts and Yoshi’s beside you as you look down to his face as it comes to look back at you, “but I think there’s plenty to find beautiful and handsome on the earth as well,”

It’s a flirtation, a comfort. You’ve been teasing him with that all night in relaxed contact; though not making an aggressive move yourself. Frankly that bold a move was the Beast’s territory, and while you think maybe you might pursue things like that again you are far more yourself and wish perhaps for pursuit or flattery.

“I’m inclined to agree,” he says evenly, softly, as his hand slides across the railing and his fingertips brush against your own.

Is this it? Is this a moment, you could swear that if he hadn’t reacted to that at all you were going to pinch him.

He doesn’t need to know just how complicated thing are right now. Right now in this moment there are just the two of you, you pray it’s just the two of you.

“Should I be worried you find something handsome?” you tease, though in a still slivered part of your mind the imagination races at the possibilities, you try to ignore that for now.

Later. Those are thoughts for later.

“I think you should be more concerned with what I find beautiful,” he says, though with an awkward for him self conscious glance askance to the city.

Your fingers drum onto his as you sidle just a bit closer.

>>388324

“Hmmm...should I be jealous of someone in particular?”

“I don’t think so,” he whispers as he leans into the closing distance between you.

There is no surprise in what is likely to happen, unlike when you sprung this on him last time. You’re both so close, and despite the confliction and complications surrounding this it is one of the things you want.

>Kiss Yoshi here, alone on the veranda beneath the moon
>Withdraw, there are still too many complications both supernatural and in your heart
>Nuzzle into the crook of his neck, still affectionate but not going quite so far
>Ask him what he was thinking about when he was looking at the moon
>write in

>>388335
>>Kiss Yoshi here, alone on the veranda beneath the moon

If we come up for air, maybe
>Ask him what he was thinking about when he was looking at the moon

>>388335
>Nuzzle into the crook of his neck, still affectionate but not going quite so far
With our luck, if we kiss him some yandere fan will see

>>388335
>>Kiss Yoshi here, alone on the veranda beneath the moon

Writing momentarily

>>388398
I'm not sure what I would look forward to more, Miki verbally tearing into such a person, Red Eyes terrifying them, or Damned just laying a batman-level glare on them.

Yoshi and Miki a best

forever and ever

>>388494
The Damned x California Miki is wonderful contrast, and Yoshi x Mikage you've got the stoic and polite class rep with the closed off rude girl. Those two could have a romance story even without all the Moon stuff going on.

>>388586
Indeed

Both of you close the distance with no other expectations other than the moment. Without surprise parted lips meet as fingers overlaid become hands clasped. Unlike your last kiss, where there was a moment of concerned hesitation before he reacted to your kiss before this time it is good to lean into one another.

To enjoy the warmth.

You close your eyes, perhaps he does as well. In this darkness you are acutely aware of each point of contact in the first few seconds of the kiss as the two of you push off the railing clumsily and your free hands wrap around one another as you find yourselves pulled closer.

Makeup smudges across both of your features as your necks tilt. This kiss differs from the last one, drawn on the high of those moments. Now this is something different. Something that makes your cheeks burn despite how pleased with yourself you feel.

Conflict and complications seem so far away from you. Your curiosity of what he might have thought of the moon after the things you told him all but forgotten. This is the now you’ll live in. And as the party continues in the distance behind you, this is a perfect and quiet moment.

This kiss feels like it lasts forever, though not your first kiss it is the first time without surprise like in the alley but full of expectation. When the two of your finally part, you can’t help but dopily smile. He’s trying to play composed, but you can see that happiness with this moment in his eyes. Then again his makeup is smeared something fierce, the natural color of his lips made visible.

On a billboard in the city, you spy that it is almost midnight. Tomorrow morning you are supposed to meet up for a group training session with both your Knights and your little sister’s Sailor Guardians.

However, embraced and embracing here is comfortable. Though the party seems like a great general way to unwind. Though you pick up on a mental message from Zoisite informing you that Byakuya Hoseki, Hanako, and Hisako Ito have arrived to the Malefic Black party. Kunzite remains thankfully silent.

“Is that better than brooding alone?”

He looks a touch embarrassed and glances away at your comment, though with an affirmative nod. You can’t help but find that kind of flustering a bit cute.

>You want to stay, enjoy your time with Yoshi
>You want to stay, enjoy the party
>You need to go, tomorrow is a busy day.
>Write in

&

Do you want to ask him to meet your for ice cream at the Crowne tomorrow?
>Yes
>No
>Write in

>>388753
>>Write in
Help touch up his make-up.
>>You need to go, tomorrow is a busy day.
Ask him to stay out of trouble.

>Do you want to ask him to meet your for ice cream at the Crowne tomorrow?
>>Yes

>>388753
>>You need to go, tomorrow is a busy day.
We build up tooo much sleep debt.
>>Yes

File: indeed.gif (477 KB, 408x224)

477 KB GIF

>>388678

Write in

>>388905
Writing. Don't know how I screwed that up.

Untangling your hand from his, you place it against his chest. With a soft sigh you lean into him again as your other arm squeezes him.

“I’ve got a busy morning tomorrow, and should probably head home,” you explain to him, a bit mournfully.

“Oh...well, okay,” he nods a bit mournfully himself.

“Hold on,” you say and whip a small makeup kit out of your purse.

While you do spend a lot of time relying on your disguise pen, you do carry basic makeup for yourself to touch up any of the faces you wear. Doing your best to touch up his makeup and hide the smudging.

“There,” you say firmly, “Say, are you busy tomorrow afternoon?”

“I don’t think so,”

“Then you should meet me at the Crowne...we could get ice cream?” you offer.

“I’d like that,”

“Good, then I’ll see you tomorrow,” you nod and head back toward the door into the hotel suite, “Just stay out of trouble until then, Okay?”

He nods, leaning back against the railing. The hair of his white wig swaying gently in the breeze. As you reach the elevator, you find yourself a flutter with happiness, worry, and a certain pleasing anxiety.

Eclipsed Moon Quest Episode 133
End

Interlude Tomorrow sometime probably.

Thanks for the thread, /qst/

>>388991
Thanks for the run!

>>388991
thanks for running art

>>388991
Artemis, I have exactly one, huge problem with your quest. There's never enough of it!

>>389292
I second the motion.

Well, maybe I'll try to get 134 out Thursday or Saturday. I have the week off.

Also, I am rather happy with the update pace I mostly kept to today.

Though I worry it will suffer when we hit next combat, the treat that it will be. A good way to top off an in game Sundae afternoon

I have been waiting to drop the green eyes icecream shadow for a while now. Strikes the perfect campiness in my imagination as any number of youma or Diamons.

>>388586
I admit some desires to shave serial numbers off of some of this cast, alter cultural references, adjust ages. and repurpose some of my character drama for future projects not on 4chan.

>>389750
If it's good enough for EL James...

File: Spoiler Image (836 KB, 800x600)

836 KB PNG

>>389750
cheery girl plus brooding guy is always a winning scenario.

Also the ganguro stuff is kind of hot.

>>389811
The real golden take away from this project is Saori. Nothing can top Saori...there are like five jokes in that phrasing somewhere that I am not comfortable searching for or making.

>>389820
You stole her! She's just tall what's-her-face!

>>389862
She is far more energetic and a millions times less a horrible person.

>>389865
Da, I know.

It's just a funny comparison

>>389928
Fair enough.

>>389811
Miki might be sunnier, but she can also tear into people with words. Too much sun and you can get burned.
While Mr. The Damned can issue a hard freeze with a glare.
I wonder what sort of personality he would portray in a heroic persona, where the opportunity to arise.

Apparently, it is National Moon Day.
Happy Moon Day!

>>390561
Where'd you read that?

File: Moon Day.jpg (88 KB, 552x552)

88 KB JPG

>>390814
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=national+moon+day&tbm=nws

>>391771
This headline amused me:
http://allevents.in/mesa/artemis-and-national-moon-day-celebration-at-the-grid/766294066844540

File: Moon Day 2.jpg (91 KB, 736x736)

91 KB JPG

>>391771

Neat.

Looks like this thread will be continuing in a moment.

>>392941
Cool.

Slight delay.

>>392941
Yay!

>>393014
Boo!

Thread continuing.

Your eyes slide open calmly as you sit up. You sit up and reach for your alarm clock with a sudden clarity and speed, switching it off just as it begins to blare out with it’s usual and expected clarion alarm. Allowing a soft smile to yourself, not at having again beaten the device, you stretch and begin your predawn morning preparations. Well, not your usual predawn preparations. It’s a Sunday.

Despite how late you came in, this morning you feel immediately awake and alert. When you got home last night, you found your father’s phone on the coffee table in the living room; he hadn’t gotten your text yet among a few other messages.

You are Mikage Chiba, second Year Highschool Student, 15 years old, and you know exactly what you’re going to do this morning.

>Wake up dad, you need to know about that message you sent him
>Go take your morning run.
>Go drag your little sister out of bed
>Write in

(30 minute opening voting window)

>>393111
>>Go drag your little sister out of bed
We shall strike with stealth and grace and take her on a morning run!

>>393111
>Go drag your little sister out of bed
Hope we glimpse a certain sketchbook..

>>393111
>>Go take your morning run.

writing momentarily

Hopping out of bed, not bothering with your work out clothes just yet, you scramble still in your pajamas into the hall with giddy excitement. Today you are going to reveal the truth about yourself to the bulk of the young Sailor Senshi and have a training session with them, your Knights, and an ally who has promised to help you all train to get stronger. Stopping at a nearby and familiar door, you quietly open it.

Well, as quietly as you need to.

Within this room you will find your little sister, likely asleep and tangled beneath and above her blankets and snoring loudly if what you hear is any indication. True to expectation when you open the door, she is sound asleep and snoring with particular volume and a dopey look upon her face. Unlike your expectations she isn’t in bed.

Curled over her desk, cheek pressed wide into a puddle of drool soaking into one of her notebooks or sketchbooks is your little sister Koyomi.

“And you’re Sailor Moon,” you sigh with a proud but teasing smile as you enter the room and gently ruffle the sleeping girl’s hair before laughing to yourself, “Then again, so was mom,”

Pulling her back into a chair, her not waking up, you shake your head and grab a handkerchief she left on the table while she was working. Blotting the soaked sketch book, you frown at how upset she’ll be to know she soaked through a few pages.

To your amusement Koyomi’s check is stained with graphic from the drawing she fell asleep against, now smeared and soaked in bunny drool.

You pause to look at it, whatever it had been it was heavily shaded and intricate. Not her normal artstyle at all, less manga and more life drawing. Actually there are a few on loose paper across the desk as well, and in the pages before this one. They fared far better than the topmost page.

Her friends. Mom. Dad. You. People she’s met. It amuses you, though you linger on half finished transitional pieces done both in a familiar stylization and this attempted photo realism.

A young man, with what you aren’t certain of being scars or odd striated skin discolorations, dot a character study between cartoonish and admittedly handsome lifelike drawings. The consistency between the two are particularly piercing eyes.

She stirs beneath your hand on her shoulder, keeping her upright in her chair.

“Uah?” she gurgles confused as you spin the chair to face you.

“Rise and Shine,” you cheer into your little sister’s face as you set the sketchbook down, “You’re all mine today, Koyomi-chan,”

“Mikage-nee?” she looks about confused and then in certain resignation, “Oh...right...we’re training today,”

“Don’t sound so glum,” you shake your head, “We get to spend all morning together. Come on, let’s put bags together and run. We’ll finish up at the Crowne,”

“Wait,” she bolts up, “I haven’t even had a chance to wash up yet,”

File: 1441435192320.jpg (36 KB, 640x480)

36 KB JPG

>>393446

“We’re going to be training today,” you correct, “No use showering now, best wait until after the training session. So something to run and workout in for now, but pack something comfortable to wear after we clean,”

She groans.

It doesn’t take long for the two of you to get ready. Beyond your clothes, you packed some bananas for an after run meal.

Koyomi, much like last time, doesn’t quite like your routine once it gets moving.

“Mikage-nee!” she complains as the sun begins glowing through the dark over nearby rooftops, “This is too hard,”

How do you motivate this girl?

>It’s your own fault for falling asleep at your desk (be scolding)
>You can do it, just think we’ll see all our friends when we get there (be soothing)
>If you have time to whine you have time to breath (be stern)
>Don’t you want to be awesome like your big sister? (be boastful)
>Okay, we’ll slow down a bit until you find your pace (be accommodating)
>I’ll get you ice cream after training (bribe)
>Write in

I'm still under the impression that revealing ourselves as Eclipse to the younger Senshi is a bad idea. Maybe just show them the whole Earth Prince(ss) getup instead?

>>393449
>Don’t you want to be awesome like your big sister? (be boastful)

>>393449
>>Don’t you want to be awesome like your big sister? (be boastful)


>>393478
iirc most are in on the secret

>>393446
Not close enough to the less stratified lad in our vision for easy ID. At least it can be flaoting in our brain now.
>>393449
>I’ll get you ice cream after training (bribe)
Adding the wildcard of Yoshi meeting them as well. Muahah

>>393483
Yeah but I still think it was a bad idea to let them know that secret. Well, complaining isn't going to help since it's already been decided.

>>393449
>>I’ll get you ice cream after training (bribe)
Sugary bribery, the surest bunny motivator short of love.

>>393478
It was the elder senshi I was hesitant to be open about our level of power to, given the vision. I think Aiha, Venus, and Kanari are the only ones that don't know for certain. Though Kanari suspects so hard that she feels she knows for certain.

Speaking of which, I'd still love to fake her out for just a moment, if we can convince a Knight to lend an illusion to it.

>>393507
Ok, Aiha suspects pretty hard as well. We'll have to address that we only said no about Eclipse being a personality fragment of ours. And maybe scold her about her pushing wrong buttons when we were hoping to open up to her that night.

>>393449
>Write in
>I know it's rough, sis. But being a hero means you always have to push yourself. It's the price we pay

>>393521
>Which is funny because our mother's only magical girl training came from a video game.

Counting.

Boast and bribe are tied...combining.

>>393507
That and being concerned about the younger letting it leak to their parents.. and early on it was also about avoiding the conflict Mikage felt about being involved in heroics and that life again. Since then she's mended connections and found that she is not quite the murderer and failure she thought she was.

>>393449
>>393521
Hm, I kinda like this more. I mean, we can still reward with ice cream later, but this feels right.

>>393533
Rei and Minako seemed to push training pretty hard, though Usagi did cry about it a lot.

“Come on, Koyomi,” you say with a burst of laughter as you start jogging backwards along a straight away and still moving a bit faster than your sister, “Don’t you want to be awesome like your big sister?”

“Nuuuuuuuu” she groans as you see she’s long ago leaned into her run as she looks up at you, face displeased and seemingly possessed of very little energy, “It’s too early Mikage-nee,”

With a sharp sigh, you spin back around mid stride. You’d been keeping this option in your pocket, but perhaps it is just what you need to get your baby sister motivated. Honestly you wanted to avoid doing this because it really undercuts the point of training…

Then again after this group session you are totally going to have ice cream with...oh.

“Tell you what, if I think you’ve given this run everything you’ve got then I’ll buy you an ice cream after training,” you offer as you glance back over your shoulder at your little sister, only for her to no longer be in your line of redirected sight.

Before you even finished the sentence, her footfalls thundered as she herself unleashed her own great inner roar. You whip back ahead to see her powering forward in a way you imagine can’t be good for her feet, knees, or back. She’s young so you are relatively certain it won’t be an issue for a long while, especially if you teach her better form.

“MASSIVE MEGA SUNDAE!” she declares and powers forward and you can’t help but balk.

“Oh no!” you clarify and start catching up to her, “An Ice Cream! Singular!”

>Just run to the crowne
>Ask Koyomi about her art shift, and that picture
>Ask Koyomi about how things are with Koito
>Talk to Koyomi about developments in your infiltration
>Write in

>>393798
>Ask Koyomi about her art shift, and that picture

>>393798
>>Ask Koyomi about her art shift, and that picture

>>393798
>>Ask Koyomi about her art shift, and that picture
>>Ask Koyomi about how things are with Koito
>>Talk to Koyomi about developments in your infiltration

All the things!

>>393798
>>Ask Koyomi about her art shift, and that picture

>>Talk to Koyomi about developments in your infiltration

Counting

About that art.

“So, when did you start doing portraits?” you ask falling into pace beside her, moving your hand out to her to slow her down just a little bit.

“Eh?”

“Saw them on your desk when I was getting you up,” you explain over her uneven breathing and your own measured and skilled running breaths.

“Oh, well they’re practice mostly,” she muses to herself through unpracticed ragged breathing, “I’ve kind of had this picture in my head I’ve been trying to draw,”

“That character study?” you question, “Of the guy with the weird stuff on his face?”

She laughs a bit here, stumbling before righting her step alongside you.

“Yeah, I can’t get it quite right,” she huffs.

“Is it for a manga idea or something,” you question while running together and falling in line with a canal path, breaking from darkness into sun; both you and your sister wince at the transition.

“Heh,” she gasps, “You’d think it’s silly,”

“Come on, Koyomi,” you nudge her with your elbow.

“Well, it came to me in a dream a couple of nights ago,” she looks out over the rising dawn above the city, “I can’t get his face or eyes right just yet. They need to be...I don’t know sharper. More faceted,”

You stop. You stop and Koyomi breezes past you a few paces before she too comes to a stop to turn back to you.

“Mikage-nee?”

The eyes were striking, and you’ve seen something like them before. While the face doesn’t look exactly like the vision you saw…

>Koyomi, when did you start seeing this?
>Maybe Koyomi has psychometric potential like you...this requires a test
>We need to get to the Crowne, now
>Continue the route as planned
>Write in

>>394376
>Continue the route as planned
Never slack off when exercising.
>Koyomi, when did you start seeing this?
>Maybe Koyomi has psychometric potential like you...this requires a test

>>394411
>>394376
Concur.

>>394411
What he said.

Rolled 14 + 4 (1d20 + 4)

alright, I need dice+1d20+6 best of 3. 1s and 20s wild. Versus the above roll.

then writing.

Rolled 3 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>394505

Anons?

>>394505
dice+1d20+6

Rolled 19 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>394505

>>394640
Options field anon.

Rolled 20 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>394505


>>394654
Thank you

Rolled 5 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>394505

>>394660
Nice.

“Nmmm,” you shake head and take a deep breath, “Sorry, let’s continue the route. Alright sis?”

She nods with little explanation and falls back in step beside you. This time taking the time to try and match your form and posture, seeking to ease effort in mimicry. By all rights she’s still pushing herself; but she’s running with a better gait to match you. She’s edged toward earning that ice cream. That singular ice cream that is not a towering mountain.

Damnit now you’re thinking about it.

That isn’t important. What is important is why Koyomi saw someone in her dreams with those eyes. It isn’t exact just yet, but it looks so similar. And the way she described how she needed more facets, your memory drifts back to those crystallizing eyes in the pod as the world beyond burned.

“So, when did you start seeing that face?” you question, probingly.

She thinks about it for a minute.

“I want to say after the Spider fight,” she reasons cooly, “Thursday, my sleep cycle has been weird since then,”

Thursday. That’s close to when you had your psychometric vision.

The two of you come to a stop in a canalside children’s park, with intent of pausing your run for a hit of the water fountain. Koyomi drinks deeply and greedily to cool herself and slake her thirst. Your consumption is more measured.

Wiping your lips dry across your arm, you regard your little sister as she splays herself across one of the benches overlooking the empty playground. You sit down firmly next to her, causing her to fold back into a tighter profile.

“Mikage-nee?”

“Koyomi? I think you saw that because I saw something similar,” you explain, “Either you also inherited dad’s psychometry or you borrowed something from me when you pulled me from my panic attack,”

She looks at you strangely for your explanation, then sighs, and pulls her knees up to her chest on the bench as her arms wrap around them. There is a momentary aura of upset about her, but it passes with a certain exuded sense of acceptance.

>>394832

“Okay, what does that mean for right now?” she asks carefully, “One way or the other,”

“It means,” you reach over to her and lean in closely, “that I need you to look me in the eye for a minute, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” she sighs, “Are you sure we can’t just get back to running?”

“It won’t take more than a minute,” you explain as you lean forward and clear your mind.

Your hands rest gently on her temples. And you feel.

The world accelerates, as you are falling toward nothing with a body made of scintillating light. You aren’t alone, as Koyomi screams beside you in similar projection. Reaching out your hand, you grab her flailing own and angle into the fall. From that point of contact, the swirling colors covering both of you begin to solidify. Koyomi is Silver, you are Gold.

The space around you is infinite, but compressed. Lights and debris are all around you in every intensity and color imaginable. As the oncoming point ahead comes closer, you feel an unnerving calm wash over you.

There is a flash. You open your eyes and you are in a dark place suffused with shadows and ethereal glow. Inches from your face is another. Skin of striated pattern and closed eyes. With a start the eyes ahead of you open in sharp crystalline focus.

With a start you pull back from your sister; again in the park and on the bench.

You...you don’t understand exactly what you saw. Koyomi for her part seems not to either. Both gulping for air after the experience.

Eclipsed Moon Quest 133
Actual End this time

Oh, and…

-Psychic Path magic opened to Koyomi Chiba-
-Sensitive Perk acquired-

>>394838
Psychic Koyomi adventures across the 8th dimension!
That seems fun to yell.

incoming interlude.

>>394838
Thanks for running art

>>394886
Woohoo!

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Interlude: Eyes Open

There were two of them. Two of them reaching out for you whether they know it or not. They are not just the reaching arms those who have done your bidding have made.

No, there is a distinction. A familiarity.

Your eyes, are open. The rest of you is near to inert. All you are right now is power spread across many vessels, but no true host.

What is it? What is this familiarity?

Ah, they feel like the host they were making for you.

“My master?” a voice calls from the dark.

Your loyal retainer. To the point the reason for your survival. Hiddenite.

“You are awake, my master? Is everything well, have you new orders?”

In this space, the crystalline growth of your present form pulses with psychokinetic energy. Granting you the voice you now wield after endless eons of quiet. Gathering power and now influence to shape and grant your will in the shadow of greater existences parallel to your own.

-Sometime soon, when I know who,- your mind booms, -You will retrieve for me a precious guest,-

Your eyes are open, and you will not again slumber. At least for a time.

Interlude End

>>394838
So Koyomi got a bonus feat? Cool, but how does that work fluff-wise? Did we kickstart her latent psychic abilities?

Thanks for the thread resume, /qst/

>>394995
Sounds like it, also like the BBEG has been kicked into active mode.

>>395008
And thank you for running!

>>395046
Tone shift soon.

Also, vote for interlude next thread.

>Stargazing alone
>I am not a clever woman
>Iron hound upon the hunt

>>395139
>>I am not a clever woman

>>395139
>>Iron hound upon the hunt

>>395139
>Stargazing alone

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>>395008
Thank you again!

>>395113
Oh dear.

>>395139
Ah, the classic really hard to choose between selections. We've got someone gazing at the stars, probably Saori, and something on the hunt. I am very tempted by each.
However, I must surrender to my urge to see possibly see more Saori.
>I am not a clever woman

>>395497
I'm guessing the hound is Hisako, if that makes you change your mind

>>395553
Hm, thought it might be the next monster of the week, more time with the Winter Wolf is also very tempting.

It just hit me that next thread I've gotta go back to writing ensemble scenes.

Who all is gonna be there...

Mikage
Koyomi
Aiha
Rin
Kanari
Venus
Keiko
Midori
Kairi
Koito
Sasha
Probably Yeon in transitional scenes to the training.
Gotta look up his coworker's name again
Yoshi

...

I should stop just doing huge casts, especially since there is going to be lots of exposition...and interpersonal reactions to things...

Dear lord I may have to try and prewrite some stuff only for it to sonehow play out differently or not matter.

Next quest, small cast. No more overwhelming ensemble to try and keep straight in my head.

>>395928
>lots of exposition...and interpersonal reactions to things...
I like those things!

>>395951
So do I, but in this instance it's the volume of things as exposition dump happens. And I get to write Venus in serious mode for added cognitive dissonance.

>>396351
Hey Artemis, are you going to update Koyomi's pastebin with her new feat and magic path?

>>396693
Eventually.