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>>1159219

Sitting in the grass beneath the dawning sun she turned to you, her eyes haunted but a smile on her face.

“And I knew that I shouldn’t be sleeping, that if I just waited I could find what I needed to wake up on my own,” she laments as her hands move to her own opposing shoulders, “but that much power would break through me...and I would lose myself to it,”

You lean against the railing in the stairwell as you steady yourself while replaying her words.

“So...thank you,” she reasons with what you know or at least told yourself was a forced smile, “For dragging me out of bed again like the sleepyhead I am. Mikage-nee always knows how to wake me up,”

With a grunt, you push off the railing and force yourself back into the hall and the flow of student traffic toward various homeroom classes.

No one really had the energy to talk about things last night. You still aren’t sure if you do.

“We need to talk,” a voice calls as a figure steps in your direct way, arms crossed.

Her black hair has volume and length, and her eyes harbor an urgency. Keiko Sugimoto. Your friend, the reincarnation of an ancient corrupted sorceress, and now Sailor Guardian of the Sun.

She died last night along with your sister. She is here because you said no, you denied the call of death because you are empowered by life.

>Engage Princess No protocol.
>Sure, later. Lunch or free period? You need to vamp for time.
>Say nothing, evasive maneuvers!
>Is it about last night?
>Say something, harshly inappropriate evasive maneuvers
>Nod, ask if she’s alright
>Write in

>>1159222
>Nod, ask if she’s alright

Writing.

Good morning folks, how are you doing today?

Subsequent voting periods will be a 15 minute countdown from the first vote cast.

>>1159222
>>Nod, ask if she’s alright
Well I'm late

>>1159267
Hi art, how's it?

>>1159281
s'alright

>>1159267
>Good morning folks, how are you doing today?

Could someone please tell that bitch mother nature to makeup her damn mind already on the weather, all this flip-flopping is giving me a headach.

Other than that things'r great, how bout you?

You nod, mutely. This morning you could barely talk to your little sister about it, she didn’t press it at least. She said her peace and went about her morning preparations, just without her usual vivacious madness. It was instead a calm that you found personally unnerving. As if the circumstances still weighed on her. Honestly you couldn’t be sure if it was depression or maturity, though only time will tell you which.

Keiko, on the other hand, stands before you with visible anxiety and a closed off stance. As though she expects this conversation to lead to conflict. Does she suspect that you want to say nothing about what happened or is it something else?

After a moment standing there the two of you sidle off to an alcove in the hallway near a fire extinguisher. Students in motion naturally shift toward the center of the hallway, that should leave the two of you mostly interrupted.

“Are you alright?” you ask, your own worry breaking through a bit as her expression tightens, turns, and then relaxes in certain defeat.

“I don’t know,” she offers in exasperation, “I know what that was last night,”

The statement lingers between you, sinks in. Of course she would know what it feels like to die, she’s had experience across two past lives.

“I knew exactly what that was last night. What it felt like to, you know...but what you did though…” her voice is hushed but shocked, “You can do that?!”

“Keiko, let’s not talk about what I can do...are you okay?” you emphasize.

She relents.

“Yes, no,” she shakes her head, “Maybe? All I could think of in the dark, when I knew, was that I couldn’t do this to Midori, not after what she’s already lost. And then I was there, alone with myself. Everything blending together, my other…”

She bites her lip.

“I haven’t told Midori yet,” she finally says, “I don’t know how to tell Midori. What happened to me, what could happen to any of us, or that you undid it,”

>”You should tell her,”
>Give her a hug
>”This might happen again,”
>”I think we should all talk about it at lunch,”
>”If you don’t think you can tell her, I won’t,”
>”It happened to Koyomi too, I couldn’t let the both of you…”
>Write in

>>1159293
I'm doing good. Thinking about stepping out to grab lunch during this vote.

>>1159305
>>”You should tell her,”
>>Give her a hug

>>1159305
>you should tell her
>hug
>maybe we can all talk about it at lunch?

>>1159305
>Give her a hug
>”It happened to Koyomi too, I couldn’t let the both of you…”

Writing.

Sleight delay, new Unearthed Arcana just dropped and I Need to analyze a new Warlock option. Hexblades are back, baby!

Closing the short distance between you, you wrap your friend up in a brief but tight hug. It’s a balm to her and you cannot help but feel worried about what the others do and will feel. Between what you saw of Aiha and Rin you worry how the others will react. Still, a thought for another time.

“You should tell her,” you clarify as you pull back from the hug and clarify, “Maybe before homeroom. The sooner the better,”

She nods.

“Yes,” she sighs and then huffs, “The others...the others wouldn’t have been able to stand up to that attack, would they?”

“I don’t think so,” you mutter, “At least, not yet,”

Again, she nods.

“Then we have our work cut out for ourselves,” she shifts weight back to her heels, “At least as far as team training. When do we want to talk to Sasha about Umeki-san’s info?”

“Soon, I’ll talk to him soon,” you admit.

Keiko nods, and returns to the throng of students heading into class. There is a brief moment where you are again alone, but then move forward into that same mass toward homeroom. Getting seated and situated, you take count of everyone in class today. Again, Gai is absent.

Saori Umeki is in her seat. Looking far better than she normally does as far as makeup, hair, and the upkeep and fit of her uniform are concerned but still being awkward and creepy around people and acting like no one notices her. Occasionally even engaging people in conversation.

Kairi Osaka sits near the front of her class. Offering you a good morning with a victorious grin over the fight last night, there comes a twitch of concern to her face as she takes you in. Are you really wearing last night’s stress so clearly?

Midori Mori and Keiko Sugimoto are toward the back of the classroom, talking in hushed tones. From Midori’s body language you don’t need to imagine the topic at hand. Especially when the blonde girl possessively hugs her raven haired love. You’ll leave them some space for now, especially when Midori’s eyes dart over to you in…

Well you can’t measure it between awe or fear. Are you so unnatural in what you can do, so beyond them that they’ll become afraid of you?

No. No that won’t happen. Taking a deep breath you break eye contact away from the two of them and scan out over the room anew. Settling on Yoshi Sakurada as he begins taking the front of the classroom for his duties as class rep. He offers you a smile, and it both makes you feel better but also makes you feel a touch worse.

Class passes quickly after morning announcements and lunch is upon you and a tasty dad made bento.

>Gather another lunchtime war council
>See if Yoshi is interested in having lunch with you
>Go see if you can find Nui Takeda to get an update on the Flower’s situation
>Sequester someone else for lunch, who?
>Write in

>>1159428
>Gather another lunchtime war council

>>1159428
>Again, Gai is absent.
Am I the only one worried about this?

Back, actually had lunch, and writing.

>>1159458
So noted.

>>1159428
>>See if Yoshi is interested in having lunch with you

Through most of class, you’ve felt Midori’s eyes intermittently boring in the back of your skull. She’s been quiet though, though as class ends and lunch begins you imagine that quiet won’t last. So you undercut it.

-Debrief and next move, form up,- you chime out telepathically at the bell to the lot of them as you slide your chair and desk a bit further away from the wall.

Keiko of course spins her chair around as Midori cautiously sidles up on your right side. Kairi approaches from the left as you shimmy to make room for Saori as she jaunts up your blind spot.

“So, that was all over the news last night, huh,” Saori offers as she slides out a conspicuously large Bento Box which you don’t remember seeing yesterday.

“Yeah, it was crazy. Though I’m kind of blown away by how strong the enemy general was...and who was the butterfly lady?” Kairi-chan offers, seemingly prodding to not trip whatever matter she expects is making you anxious.

“Enemy general? You mean the Dragon in Midtown wasn’t the end of it?” Saori questions your red headed Knight.

“No. Kalunite got the drop on us,” Keiko offers steadily, though you catch her hand sliding over to Midori’s against the side of the desk for a reassuring squeeze as she glances down, “Hit most of us with a sleep effect...and those of us who were up close and personal got hit with some kind of murder cloud,”

“Well, you look good for someone who got murder clouded,” Saori offers with a shrug as she cracks open her lunch.

“She died,” Midori says dryly, and you cringe a bit into yourself.

Saori and Kairi-chan both pause in this preparations to eat. You slowly pull your lunch from your bag and sigh with a decided frown on your face.

“So...is this a sun journies through the underworld into a new dawn deal or some kind of fiery immortal pheonix thing?” the more nerdily inclined girl asks again after a strained moment of awkward silence.

“What?” questions Kairi-chan.

“So did Koyomi,” you admit in the general tone of those in the know, “I said no and then burned Kalunite from the inside out with the same healing and purifying powers,”

>>1159606
It hangs there in the quiet as the rest of the room bustles and creates the ambient tone of pleasant student activities at lunch. Glancing away from your meeting, you catch sight of Yoshi sitting by the window with someone else in your class and a recently arrived Daigo Endo.

Adjusting his glasses, Yoshi glances your way. Offering a concerned expression at the general body language you and your small assembly are likely exuding, he then nods to you with a smile. An offer to talk later likely. Idly you wonder how much he’s been able to piece together on his own since you spoke to him of the truth. Since you called him for life or death information last night.

You’ll gauge that later.

“They were dead?” Kairi asks worriedly of you and then toward Keiko, “You were dead?”

The girl with the full and dark mane behind her nods in pained response.

“I know what it feels like, believe me,” she concludes.

“And you just...said no?” Kairi-chan turns back toward you, a confusion in her eyes.

Is it about the heaviness of being able to raise the dead that has her concerned or is she thinking about her father? You aren’t sure.

>This is new, I’ve never been this strong before
>After what happened back then...no more
>Given the scope of power my mom has, is it really so unbelievable?
>There are risks ahead of us, now I’m the safety net
>Can we not talk about this now?
>Write in

&

>Talk about the butterfly woman
>Talk about the Aiba boxing tournament
>Ask Kairi if she knows anything about Gai being absent again
>Talk about the Four Shadows Sasha offered a lead on in the park
>write in

>>1159609
>This is new, I’ve never been this strong before
>Given the scope of power my mom has, is it really so unbelievable?


>Talk about the butterfly woman

>>1159609
>this is new
>mom can do stuff

>why is gai gone?

Writing

Absentmindedly placing a hand on your locket, you take a steadying breath.

“This is new,” you state calmly and clearly, “I’ve never been this strong before,”

You recap how you’ve been making leaps and bounds in rallied strength as far as your starseed powers are concerned, especially between the Paris Catacombs and resonating alongside your sister’s power a few days prior. Noting how even in earlier encounters with the enemy, they said you were operating on a scale beyond human limitations. Something common among the Sailor Guardians.

“Given the scope of power my mom has, is it really that surprising,” you offer to the quiet table.

“No,” Keiko offers solemnly, “Though we all need to step up our efforts if the enemy is going to be that serious; and knows you can be that strong against them,”

“So, are you going to reset time or something if this all goes to pot?” Saori asks, uncertainly.

You feel a certain unease rolling off of Midori and a certain resignation from Kairi-chan. Offering a hand on Kairi’s shoulder, you then turn your eyes over toward Midori.

“I knew the risks going into this,” Midori Mori says, more to herself than anyone here as she turns to stare at you, “Then the worst happens and it doesn’t even really stop us, stop you. We can die and you can just undo it, unphased?”

There isn’t anything you can do other than shake your head.

“No, I’m plenty phased,” you clarify.

She huffs.

“Well, thank you for saving Keiko,” she nods firmly.

“What if it's the year that didn’t happen 2.0?” Saori questions again, then to you, then to the others, “That was your mom, right? That was her mom right?”

“Yeah, against my evil past life,” Keiko sighs and glances away nervously, “After I ran her through a gauntlet that killed all her friends,”

“After she- wait,” Midori goes to clarify then turns back to you, “Does that just undo everything we’ve gained, not in power but as people?”

“I don’t know. The original Senshi all found each other again and got their memories back,” you respond uneasily.

“We’re going to talk circles around this if we don’t move on,” Kairi-chan sighs in exasperation and returns to eating her lunch, “We do have more to focus on, don’t we?”

“Butterfly lady,” you nod firmly.

“Like, monster butterfly?” Saori questions.

“Skirt, bikini top, floating wings. Not creature, definitely not monster,” Midori rattles off her own groggy observations.

“I didn’t really get a chance to gauge her,” you admit, sheepishly.

>>1159785

“Well, Midori and I chatted about it a bit,” Kairi offers, “She’s got magic, but it was definitely more like the Senshi than anything else,”

“There aren’t any butterfly planets,” Keiko thinks carefully, “Unless she isn’t a local,”

“We could see if any of the grownups know anything,” Midori considers while Keiko feeds her an octopus cut sausage, “Or have the cats check those supercomputers in the Karaoke lounge,”

“Supercomputers?” Saori asks, “Karaoke lounge? Cats”

“Secret base, we’ll give you the tour later,” you clarify as you lean down and open the bulging front pouch of your school bag that has been padded out with a few small blanket like handkerchiefs, “And as for cats, well you’ve met Diana,”

“So the familiar returns,” she scrutinizes the crescent marked kitten as you hold her up carefully so no one else in class sees her among your huddled presence at the table, “And cutely,”

“Thank you Umeki-san,” Diana bobs her head and nuzzles up to the spindly girl’s cheek.

She mouths the familiar words you expect in the situation. Then her eyes shoot wide, along with a crooked and excited smile, as she conspiratorially leans forward and scritches the kitten behind the ears.

Whilst your spymaster is swept up in matters surrounding your moon cat, you turn your attention toward Kairi-chan.

“So, have you heard from Ginja-san recently?” you gesture to where he normally sits, “He’s been out for a couple of days,”

She hums to herself. You idly pick at your lunch, hungry for something else.

“He said he found a bigger place, he might just be moving things in and setting up with his little brother and sister,” she offers, “Though I haven’t gotten a text back from him since Saturday. I’ll shoot him a message,”

That’s a plausible reason for absence, but…

“With everything that’s been going on, I’d feel better knowing if he’s alright,” you offer of the alien boy’s general weirdness, “Especially after he got hurt helping us last week,”

“While we’re talking about people who helped us out,” Midori chimes in seriously, “What the hell was that all about with Ito-san. She kept roof pace with us while carrying Hanako,”

>Oh, you should probably note that Hisako Ito is compatible with Kunzite
>Yes, Ito-san is impressive. Though you wonder how Hanako’s doing
>Get Midori’s opinion as Knight Marshal about Hisako’s recruitment
>Try to talk about something else, what?
>Tell the others you’re a bit overdue for having a bite, of negative emotions
>Write in

(didn't even notice I dropped trip, thank goodness for IP ID)

>>1159788
>Oh, you should probably note that Hisako Ito is compatible with Kunzite
>Get Midori’s opinion as Knight Marshal about Hisako’s recruitment

>>1159798
I missed
>hungry for something else
But we could probably bite Kairi after school.

>>1159788
>Oh, you should probably note that Hisako Ito is compatible with Kunzite
>Yes, Ito-san is impressive. Though you wonder how Hanako’s doing
>Get Midori’s opinion as Knight Marshal about Hisako’s recruitment

>>1159788
>Oh, you should probably note that Hisako Ito is compatible with Kunzite
>Get Midori’s opinion as Knight Marshal about Hisako’s recruitment
>Tell the others you’re a bit overdue for having a bite, of negative emotions

We really need to stay on top of the emotions thing, we have enough shit to worry about without adding withdrawal to it.

Writing momentarily.

“Well, besides being in shape enough to keep up with us on rooftops Ito-san is totally compatible with Kunzite,” you offer with a decided nonchalance compared to the earlier heaviness of conversation, and take a sip from a juice box.

The desk around you is a resounding set of shocked expressions and the clatter of chopsticks and the splatting of foodstuffs back into their containers.

“Eh?” the hollow sound echoes out from almost all of their faces, except for Saori.

“Neat,” she muses, “We could use a crazy training from hell nee-san to round out the group,”

Everyone collects themselves as you gesture toward your Knight Marshal with a question. An official question in fact about the very subject of the Winter Wolf, Hisako Ito.

“Midori, I am heavily considering approaching Hisako Ito for the position of Kunzite Knight,” you say with certain seriousness, “What is your opinion regarding her recruitment, Knight Marshal?”

You crack a smile here. The sudden terror and concern across the spread of your friends before you is a welcome turn from earlier dourness. It makes you feel a bit better too.

“My opinion on Hisako Ito?” she stares at you, before taking a deep breath and allowing her face to set into its resting state, reminiscent of condescending judgement, her passive glare beats down on you until she closes her eyes in thought before they snape open once she achieves her conclusion.

And then she begins.

“She’s a dangerous and violence obsessed thug. She has been for years and just being around her sets me on edge. Years ago when I was trying to be the tough new girl on the block I tried to take her turf while she was on the way out, she kicked my ass into an elementary school play ground and tied me to a swing set,” she seethes, while Keiko beside her notes that it was with Midori’s own hair, before your Knight Marshal continues, “She fought you and lasted more than one exchange, she kept up with us carrying another person, and the only thing bigger than her violent craving that I’ve seen…”

She tenses up, squares her shoulders, and sharply exhales.

“...is her loyalty to her friends, her instincts for when things are wrong, and how she’ll go up against obviously impossible odds for the right reasons,” she veers, “and since getting into art she seems to have calmed down a lot and she’s really good and even if she is still fucking terrifying she is not the person I remember her being. If she’d join up with us, we could do a lot worse,”

Everyone takes in Midori’s assessment quietly.

“Yes, but how do you really feel about her?” Saori questions from across the desk, “Did you have some kind of terrified crush on her after your defeat or-”

>>1159976

Midori shoots Saori Umeki a single biting glare, prompting your spymaster to nod once and and raise her hands in concession from continuing to tease.

“Alright then. I’ll figure out how to broach the subject with her later,” you offer and clean up after a particularly delicious lunch.

“As the Beast?” Kairi-chan questions while packing her own things up.

“Makes the most sense given their fight,” Saori follows up.

“Though that might be a weird reveal,” Keiko wonders.

Your chatting and the lunch period concludes. Classes resume and you find yourself coasting through. Mind lingering on how your sister is doing and a few other things. Soon the free period looms and you’re set on…

>Just studying quietly for the period
>Maybe see if Yoshi is free?
>Go check in on Nui Takeda, student council president
>Go find somewhere to be alone for a bit
>Go looking for Mio Nomura, see how she’s coping after her monster episode
>Pop over to the junior high, they have free period now too. Check on Koyomi
>Write in

>>1159991
>koyomi

responsible sister is responsible

>>1159991
>Grab Kairi for a quick bite
Then:
>Go looking for Mio Nomura, see how she’s coping after her monster episode

>>1159991
>Go looking for Mio Nomura, see how she’s coping after her monster episode
A heroes work is never done

>>1159991
>>Maybe see if Yoshi is free?

>>1159996
here

switching to
>>1159998

for tie breaking

Prepping dinner then writing. Assuming on mobile or switching device on that?

>>1160081
mobile.

Dinner had, writing.

Pushing off from your desk, you stroll over toward Kairi-chan’s. There is an ache in you, a need to sate the hunger you’ll use against the enemy and their monsters. Even though the option remains to purge this transformation from you, you’ll use it. You’ll use it against chaos.

“Hey Kairi-chan,” you ask, “I’m still feeling a bit hungry, want to walk with me to the school store?”

She considers it a moment, an obvious bit of upset still under the surface of things. Getting up with a nod she heads toward the door.

“Sure,” she says, with a sigh.

As the two of you fall in step leaving the room, there is a quiet moment where she seems to be holding something back, before you are a bit further from anyone else.

“I know you’re probably not doing well with your sister dropping literally in front of you,” she sighs again, “but, when you said you could...the first thing I thought about was my father,”

“I figured as much, Kairi-chan, and I’m sorry,” you offer quietly.

“No, you already...I,” she huffs and then seems to growl frustratedly to herself, “Why does everything always feel so complicated?”

“Because life isn’t easy and it always seems to dump on us,” you grouse and turn down a hallway toward one of the rest rooms and away from the school store.

“Oh,” Kairi-chan observes and then laughs a bit wryly, “Still a bit hungry, huh?”

You just pout at that.

When you arrive the bathroom is thankfully empty. Pulling into one of the stalls, Kairi cranes her neck as you extend your fangs. Feasting on her frustrations and upset surrounding your new ability, she relaxes as you satiate the Chaos inflicted transformation you’ve undergone.

Finishing up, she seems far more together than before.

“I really needed that,” she stretches a bit.

“Say, do you know where I could find Nomura-san during free period?” you ask while fixing your hair in the mirror.

You really need to do something about it, it's getting so long that you can’t keep hiding it in tighter and tighter buns and braided tails. Like, the weight is starting to throw you a bit off oc balance casually.

“Well, I know her homeroom, but I’m not sure where she’d be spending her free period now. What with her club disbanded,” Kairi-chan muses.

“I thought you would have roped her into your support group,” you wonder.

“Yeah, I think she’s been avoiding me. Aside from the apology letter at least,” she shakes her head, “If you’re going to talk to her, I’ll join you,”

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>>1160392

Venturing toward Mio Nomura’s homeroom class, you find no sign of the girl. One of her classmates directs you, rather quickly, toward the roof. Apparently she’s been sitting up there a bit since everything happened. Sure enough, among the students hanging out on the roof you do find the bob cut sporting girl sitting alone on one of the benches.

She hasn’t noticed the two of you yet, which gives you a moment to figure out how to approach the obviously distraught girl.

Eclipsed Moon Quest Episode 144
Thread Pause

I hope everyone had a good time tonight. Sorry I was so comparatively slow today. We'll try to continue tomorrow afternoon into the evening with a short commute break.

>>1160412
I’ll be here tomorrow. Thanks for running, Art.

Thread Resume

Mio Nomura hasn’t noticed the two of you yet, which gives you a moment to figure out how to approach the obviously distraught girl. Since receiving her anonymous apology letters, written in the most polite and extreme term and context, you’ve been wondering how the girl has been coping with her time possessed by her own worst impulses and having been turned into a monster.

Much like how everyone kept a certain distance from Kairi-chan beside you after she was turned into a monster and used to attack your Junior High Graduation, Nomura-san has been seemingly alone since her extended experience. To your knowledge she spent days infecting and taking control of other students, making them host to her obsession and jealousy. With those things so fresh in everyone’s memory, you imagine she feels quite alone right now.

Something to which you and Kairi-chan can relate.

Still, how to approach this…

>Approach the bench from behind at arms length
>Divide and conquer, you and Kairi sit down on either side of her on the bench
>Sweep in front of her, lean against the rooftop fence while Kairi remains behind to cut off potential escape
>Both of you stand in front of her, seeking to politely engage
>Tackle her, well, tackle hug, so she cannot possibly escape and you make a spectacle of things
>Write in

And what to say?

>Open up talking about isolation
>Thank her for her apology note
>Ask her if she’s thought about the support group
>Comment on how the view from the roof is nice
>Write in

>>1161597
>Divide and conquer, you and Kairi sit down on either side of her on the bench
>Thank her for her apology note
Then:
>Talk about isolation

reminder, as this is an opening post back from thread resume, you have 30 minutes from the first vote for the voting window, there's still like 10 minutes left.

>>1161597
>>Thank her for her apology note
No idea about the rest

Writing momentarily.

You elect to divide and conquer, gesturing for Kairi to take the left while you take the right. Quietly, and thanks to whatever is distracting Nomura, the two of you manage to slide onto the backless bench on either side of her, facing the other side of the roof, and inching in closely to ensure she doesn’t quite escape.

While you do this, it doesn’t go entirely unnoticed. There are a few other students electing to take their free period on the school roof, and many of them were keeping a noticed distance from the lone Nomura. A few of them take note and watch curiously as the two of sidle alongside the rather despondent looking Mio Nomura.

“Thanks for the apology notes,” you lean back and into the periphery of her vision, though you imagine the sea of pink that are your heavily bound twintails enter her purview first.

“And we kind of understand why you wouldn’t want to make a big thing of them being from you,” Kairi mirrors you on the girl’s other side.

Nomura is shocked, first by your appearance and then when she whips over in response to Kairi’s movement and words. You catch sight of a few people making a beeline for the stairwell door, perhaps fearing the worst of this encounter.

“Chiba-san, Osaka-san?!” she chokes in surprise, and perhaps a combination of fear and embarrassment before she stands bolt upright, “Excuse me,”

Kairi spins so that she’s facing the same way that Mio had been, and kicks out her legs to at least impede her line of escape. You do likewise.

“You didn’t seem busy,” Kairi-chan offers, “And we came to talk with you,”

“About being alone,” you offer calmly, “And how isolation suck,”

She glances between the two of you, shoulders eventually dropping in defeat as she returns to her spot on the bench between you.

“Is that it? I tried to kill both of you,” she lowers her head, “And I hurt a lot of people,”

“You’re a victim too,” you offer, “And beating yourself up over it alone isn’t going to help,”

“Yeah. I’ve been in almost the same place before,” Kairi offers, while you make a seemingly absent minded show of rubbing and stretching out your neck, “And it isn’t healthy...it isn’t the way to cope,”

>>1161766

Kairi-chan and Mio both catch you doing this. For her part Kairi is still smiling, likely still riding the high of you easing her emotional burdens, even while you make a rather blatant visual reference to when she was turned into a monster and was trying to murder you in front of the assembled student body back in Junior High.

“Being alone hurt both of us for a really long time,” you offer, “And it still hurts, and all because of something that wasn’t either of our faults,”

She seems to wilt between you, bob cut sinking low as she seems to turn in on herself.

“I...I don’t want the two of you feeling sorry for me,” she manages.

“This isn’t feeling sorry, it’s empathy,” Kairi-chan offers with a soft expression, “I know what it’s like,”

“And we both know the longer it goes the more its about you actively cutting people out instead of people just staying away from you,” you follow up, “You don’t need that. Talk to your friends,”

She stops wilting, squares her shoulders, and stands. Facing the two of you, her arms flat at her side and nostrils flaring with new found energy.

“They hate me,” she says sincerely before picking up decided volume and force, “They have to...and the two of you don’t just get to barge in on my life and try to...try to meddle like a couple of meddling meddlers telling me what to do!”

>I accept your apology and want to be friends
>Engage Princess No protocol, you are done being polite about this
>See how she likes the idea of you hating her, exactly how she wants
>Okay, time to go. Let her stew in this and check on her later
>Say nothing, grab her ear, drag her to one of her friends. Who the hell were her friends anyway?
>Write in

>>1161768
>I accept your apology and want to be friends
>grab her ear, drag her to one of her friends. Who the hell were her friends anyway?

I refuse your angst. If her friends are going to be asses about it though, she's just going to have to deal with us. Making friends is one of the primary jobs of a magical girl.

>>1161768
>Say nothing, grab her ear, drag her to one of her friends. Who the hell were her friends anyway?

We are the best therapist.

>>1161768
>I accept your apology and want to be friends
>grab her ear, drag her to one of her friends. Who the hell were her friends anyway?

Replacing my original vote. I was a fool who forgot one of the main duties of a magical girl.

Writing. I'm not even making you roll melee and cqc for this. Just because. I am going to need some Persuasion to find who you're looking for.

dice+1d20+10 best of 3.
1s and 20s wild

Rolled 10 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>1161795

Rolled 12 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>1161795
Here I go.

Rolled 13 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>1161795

You sigh, audibly. This isn’t quite going the way you wanted it to, but it’s okay. You as a person are prepared for confrontation. And you will certainly do so without losing your calm.

Without losing your calm.

“Hate or not, Mio Nomura,” you say as you stand up as well, over the girl thanks to your presently prodigious height, “I accept your apology and want to be friends,”

You extend your hand to the girl. The tension of the situation nearly solidifying the air around the three of you.

“I don’t think we’ve ever been properly introduced aside from in passing, I’m Mikage Chiba, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” you repeat by rote the formal greeting and introduction as your hand offered in friendship remains untaken.

She looks down at your hand, uncertain, and then at your smiling face. All sugar and sunlight as you maintain, and are not the one to break, eye contact. When she looks away, either self conscious, embarrassed, or out of whatever spiteful pride guides her right now...you take mild offense.

That outstretched hand rises, and reaches. Your saccharine expression remains but there is something else in your voice.

“And as friends you really must know,” you grasp and twist at the lobe of her ear, eliciting a sudden yowl from her and an unsteadiness on her legs while you more naturally take a far less graveled tone you only ever really spoke in when you were the Red Eyed Beast, “I don’t mess around when I think my friends are being dipshits,”

Kairi-chan stares at you, now every student on the rooftop stares at you.

Pulling the girl along, she staggers over the bench and trails behind you. Occasionally unsuccessfully batting at your arm as you descend the stairs Your gait in this isn’t quite so casual, in fact you have to stop along to pull Mio behind you as eyes in the stairwell and on the roof follow.

“Wait,” Kairi says with a tone of defeat and sudden weakness in her voice as it trails away behind you, “That really isn’t the best way to do this,”

This is the mission now. You took Mio Nomura’s temperature and its obvious that she still has quite the fever, and no spoon full of sugar will help her take the bitter pill you know she needs. Hell, you are the bitter pill and you know right now you need to be forced down her throat.

Her protests and pain behind you are ignored as you find the right floor and go from classroom to classroom intent on asking after her friends. You think you remember one of them was the scribe or the vice president of the fan club she once lead. It doesn’t take long before you get a name, it doesn’t stay with you amid your focus on this matter, but once acquired you are given a location. The school library.

There, you find the girl you’re looking for. Sitting at one of the tables reading and looking as despondent as Nomura looked to you earlier. At least, that’s how she looked until she saw you dragging that girl into the library behind you.

>>1161869

Craning your arm around, you pull her over to the table and an empty chair as you let slip your grip on her ear. Clasping at it, she stares up at you with daggers until the other girl worriedly speaks her name.

“Don’t think you’re an island while you’re hurting,” you say in that commanding and more than a little intimidating tone, “And don’t shut people out,”

You offer the same glare to the other girl as well, bespeckled and trying to half hide behind her book as you loom over them. Eyes of flame and in this moment you may as well tower over them in a distance measured in stories. If Mio thought she was a monster for what she was forced to become, let them in this moment witness the monster you are willing to be for the sake of other people’s well being and happiness.

“So while you two talk things over, remember that I’ll be back to check and see how you’re dealing with everything,” your voice sheds the throttling pepper spice for the sugar to which it is more accustomed, “I’m worried about you and hope you take Kairi-chan up on her offer for the support group,”

She looks at you not with scorn, but defeat. Admission that you’re right even if she isn’t happy about it. She forced your hand to action, and now will have to live with the fact that she’s in your sphere. Befriended.

Turning from this, you see the audience you’ve accrued with that display. Between the roof, the stairwell, and two floors you’ve assembled as sizable amount of followers watching the situation unfold. All crowded around the library doors and looking in, to say nothing of those who were in the library and have now seemingly taken cover.

Among his crowd, you clearly see Kairi-chan and even Yoshi. You’d be more worried about that if he hadn’t already seen you at your most base and violent.

>Just calmly leave the library and head back to your classroom like nothing is wrong
>Maybe you should apologize to Kairi-chan for losing your cool like that.
>Tell the assembled audience to find something better to do
>Walk up to Yoshi like everything is fine and ask if he’s free to talk to you with the rest of this free period.
>Be incredibly embarrassed about what you’ve just done, there’s another door to the library, cheese it!
>Write in

>>1161872
>Walk up to Yoshi like everything is fine and ask if he’s free to talk to you with the rest of this free period.

>>1161872
>Just calmly leave the library and head back to your classroom like nothing is wrong
>Shoot a text to our little sis, ask how her day is going

I imagine it's too late to go over in person.

This voting window is extended to thirty minutes from the first vote for it because I'm about to start an hour long ride home.

>>1161872
>Just calmly leave the library and head back to your classroom like nothing is wrong
>Shoot a text to our little sis, ask how her day is going

Dinner, then writing.

You don’t react to your audience, you merely turn and with a perfectly casual and calm expression wave goodbye to Mio Nomura and her friend before back toward and then facing the crowded door. A number of people move back from the open archway as you move through seemingly unperturbed. Past a confused Yoshi and unamused looking Kairi.

Excusing yourself through the densely packed hallway when a few people didn’t quite clear the way as fast as you could turn the corner, they were unaware of your approach as it was until you were practically upon them. Navigating out of the library adjacent hallway, you head up the stairs and back to your classroom. That’s two days in a row you’ve been a topic of public scrutiny during free period.

Maybe you shouldn’t make a habit of that. Too much attention could be a problem for you, after all. Though pending your final decision regarding your academic withdrawal after your father’s meeting with Principal Sakurada tomorrow it shouldn’t be as much of a problem.

Though you do pause on that. Thinking of the advice you gave Mio Nomura about isolating herself…

“Whatever,” you say to no one and continue into the class and reclaim your desk.

Glancing out the window, you consider your earlier thoughts about Koyomi. Taking out your phone, you compose and send off a quick text.

Well, quick in composition but not how long it takes to compose. Actually you agonize over what to ask of her, what to say to her, and hover over the send button when written. Given the way she was this morning, you’re worried you might be taking things worse than she is.

‘Hey sis, checking in and thinking about you. How is your day going?’

Its brief and you think communicates everything you need to communicate in a way that isn’t compromising. The subtle back and forth of secrecy rules you a moment as you glance out the window and then expectantly toward the door of the classroom.

>>1162310

Given what just happened, you expected Kairi-chan to give you an earful or a scolding. Maybe Yoshi to immediately pursue and ask you what that was all about. It doesn’t come as you prep for the remainder of the day, and as class is set to resume everyone filters back into the room. Kairi-chan and Yoshi at the same time.

The end of class today comes quickly. Classroom cleanup is a breeze before club time starts up and you have to figure out the rest of your day. And perhaps linger on anything else. Your phone buzzes.

‘Feeling tons better, Kanari and Koito were both a bit down when I told them what happened. Going to Crowne to cheer them up. The Mega Sundae is mine!!!! Thanks for checking up, how are you feeling today?’

You can’t tell over text whether she is sincerely better or if she’s just putting on a show. She’s clever enough to try her hand at deception for the sake of other’s feelings…

Though the Crowne sounds good, and you still need to think about approaching Hisako Ito. Or at least running her through one last vetting.

As you consider this and return the dustpan to the cleaning closet, Yoshi approaches you.

“Mikage, are you free this afternoon?” he asks, though there is clearly concern in his voice.

>What do you text back to your sister?

&

>Yeah, do you want to go to the Crowne Arcade?
>Yes, why do you ask?
>Yoshi, what did she tell you?
>No.
>No, I’m not feeling all that great and there’s a ton still to do.
>Write in

(Sorry that took so blisteringly long, everyone)

>>1162317
>I’m doing all right, though I think Kairi is going to be having words with me later.

>Yeah, do you want to go to the Crowne Arcade?
>What did she tell you?

>>1162317
>I'm alright, I even made a new friend. Crowne sounds good. I think everyone could use a sundae.

>Yeah, do you want to go to the Crowne Arcade?

I want to invite everyone though, not just Yoshi. Maybe even send a text about meeting up to Ito to get that ball rolling.

Writing, combining.

Typing a response to Koyomi, you summarize your day to her. And perhaps order your current thoughts on a few things.

‘I’m doing alright. I made a new friend today, though I think Kairi-chan is going to have words with me later about it. The Crowne sounds good, I think everyone could use a Sundae,’

You considering sending out messages to everyone about going to the Crowne, both for ice cream and a general chance to touch base on this, that, and everything else going on. Maybe get Saori a secret base key, and prepare an approach for Ito-san. Though as you mull on this and send the general messages out, Yoshi approaches and poses his question.

“Mikage, are you free this afternoon?” he questions, with clear concern in his voice.

“Yeah, do you want to come to the Crowne? I’m trying to rally everyone and after last night I have a burning need for Ice Cream,” you offer back rather quickly.

Though from the sound of it, you aren’t quite free. You have something specific going on, though he knows you want to include him which is good? Why are you bad at this.

“That’s not- well, yes. I would like to go to the Crowne,” he relents though leans against the wall with a decidedly dour expression, “I wanted to how how you were holding up,”

“What did she tell you?” you say with a certain degree of exasperation and close the cleaning closet tightly.

The two of you are alone in the classroom. Desks and chairs stacked against the back wall, clear floor between the hallway wall and the afternoon sky filled windows..

“Everything about last night,” he takes his glasses off and cleans them with a cloth from his pocket and speaks in vaugeries for the sake of the secrets of yours that he knows, “Osaka-san spared much of the specifics and about who was who, but I was able to piece together that your little sister followed in your footsteps,”

He returns the glasses to his face, eyes briefly circling the periphery to make sure his vision is clear, and looks again at you expectantly.

“So, how are you holding up?”

>I’m fine. Seriously, right now everyone is okay and I’m fine. Perfectly fine.
>I was supposed to protect her, everything I’ve done and pulling myself together was to protect her
>I’m scared of what’s coming, that this is the tipping point and it’ll only get worse
>I’m scared of what I can do, the things I can do make me feel like I’m not human anymore
>Not well, which is why I want all the sundaes
>No words, just grab his hand and leave toward the Crowne
>I’d hold up better if people didn’t ask me how I was
>Hug.exe
>write in

>>1162640
>I was supposed to protect her, everything I’ve done and pulling myself together was to protect her

>>1162640
>>I was supposed to protect her, everything I’ve done and pulling myself together was to protect her
>>I’m scared of what’s coming, that this is the tipping point and it’ll only get worse
>>I’m scared of what I can do, the things I can do make me feel like I’m not human anymore

>>1162640
>I'm stil pretty shaken up, but everyone made it through. I'll be fine.

>>1162640
>I’m scared of what I can do, the things I can do make me feel like I’m not human anymore
>I was supposed to protect her, everything I’ve done and pulling myself together was to protect her
>I’m scared of what’s coming, that this is the tipping point and it’ll only get worse
>Hug.exe

Writing

You first glance away from his eyes, and then back. Baring a bit of what you’ve been dealing with in the process. He’s seen you at your most aggressive, and at your most vulnerable. And again you let the walls down.

“I was supposed to protect her,” you offer quietly, “Everything I’ve done, and pulling myself together, was to protect her,”

Sinking down to the freshly swept floor, you hug your knees.

“And now I’m scared, of what’s coming. That his was the tipping point and it’ll only get worse and I...,” you relax a bit and crane your head back as he lowers himself and sits on the floor beside you, “I keep changing in the face of it. I’m scared of what I can do, the things I can do make me feel like I’m not human anymore,”

The two of you sit there for a few minutes. Yoshi is quiet. You won’t cry, you’ve spent enough time crying. You’re just, afraid. Afraid and frustrated and upset that even if you could undo it, your baby sister died in front of you. On your watch. At some point during this, Yoshi’s arms fell across your shoulder. Leaning into him you shake your head.

“You know most of the time I spent keeping away from everyone...I just wanted to be normal. I just wanted to forget it all and be normal and not be any of the things I am,” you groan, “Any of the things I’m becoming,”

He squeezes your shoulder.

“Would a parfait make you feel more human?” he offers, perhaps blindly as he tries to be reassuring, “You mentioned the Crowne,”

“Yeah, but after its probably going to be work prep,” you sigh and lean into him, “And I think I want a sundae,”

“Okay,” he nods and rises, an offered hand to help you up, “Saving the world isn’t easy, or saving just one person,”

Taking it, you rise up to meet his eyes.

“So I may have put your manager back in the ground,” you offer, trying to be light hearted.

“Not remotely what I’m worried about right now,” he sighs and shrugs his shoulders.

“I just thought you might need to know,” you offer, trying to play it off and be coy, trying to seem like you aren’t as troubled as you are right now.

“All I’m worried about is whether or not you’re going to be okay,” he says firmly, “And if you’re not, I just want to know what I can do to help you get there,”

Eclipsed Moon Quest Episode 144
End

Happy Valentines day, ending on a sappy note.

>>1162992
Good timing, just getting ready to sleep. Thanks for running, Artemis!

>>1162992
Thanks for the thread Artemis.

>>1163010
>>1163027
Glad I was able too. Any feedback or the like, anons?

Also, anyone noticing any strangeness on the qst archive on suptg?

>>1163061
I have noticed that some threads don’t seem to have the pictures saved. Try opening some in this thread.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/925969/

>>1163061
Thanks art, so glad we have Yoshi

>>1163363
I would like to take this moment to let you guys know that all the way back when you had that encounter with him on the train on the way to Venus's concert, I was laughing on the inside over that moment considering what I at the time knew.

Okay Artemis, you didn't sell me on Mikage/Yoshi at first, but I'm starting to turn around.

>>1172140
Glad I could help shift an opinion.

Though eventually perhaps we will see what happens when good kids go out one night wearing their worst faces and trying their Damnedest to have a good time.

>>1176518
Oh baby, a Miki and Damned date eh? Sounds awesome

>>1176993
You think Miki is Mikage's worst face?

File: 1427751747730.jpg (156 KB, 600x338)

156 KB JPG

>>1176518

>>1178622
No, but her chemistry with Yoshi is better than red-eyes.

I've always disliked the beast