>>1577780

“I hear you've been getting into trouble lately,” Akito scolds lightly, smiling as he walks alongside you. The museum is cool, the climate carefully and precisely maintained. It could be howling a blizzard or raining fire outside, and this place would still be kept at the perfect temperature for the various exhibits. Just one more wonder of modern science. “Spending too much time in the vice district,” he continues, “You'll ruin your job prospects if you keep this up.”

“C'mon,” you protest, “Are you telling me that you never went to places like that when you were younger?”

“Well...” he pretends to think for a long moment, “I'll tell you what. I trust you to make intelligent decisions – not to get into any serious trouble, and not to take foolish risks. I won't tell you what you can and can't do, but I want you to understand that I'm placing my trust in you. Don't disappoint me, you hear?”

“Loud and clear!” you reply, “And, uh, thanks. The rest of my friends got hit pretty hard, I was worried that...”

“That I might lock you in your room?” Akito laughs, shaking his head, “You're not a child any more, Miho. Treating you like one won't do either of us any good. So, enough of that “responsible parent” business – I don't want to spoil our fun day out!”

You don't know many people who would consider going to a museum as a “fun day out”, but your father isn't like most people.

-

In all honesty, the museum is pretty interesting. There's a special exhibit behind held, to commemorate thirty years since the war in Europe. Lots of bleak photographs of blasted landscapes, entire cities flattened by nuclear weapons, and maps marking out the worst hit areas. The images of a ruined Berlin are particularly harrowing, and a solemn air hangs over the hall. Even your father is left in a more contemplative mood.

“Everything changed with the war in Europe,” he announces suddenly, speaking up as you're studying a display of maps, “A whole generation of men – working men, fighting men, academic men – virtually wiped out in a few short years. If not for the war, Kanzaki Automated Industries might never have become the giant that it is today.” Sighing wearily, Akito nods to a new photograph – a picture of a Kanzaki drone patrolling the ruined streets. “So you see, Miho, we're still feeling the repercussions of what happened then today,” he continues, “It's easy for your generation to feel isolated, even orphaned, but you mustn't forget – you're a part of history as well.”

“You're... really into this history stuff, huh?” you reply after a moment.

“Well, we all have our interests,” he shrugs, “Now how about we stop for some lunch? There's a rather good cafe on the top floor – it has a lovely view of the city...”

[2/3]

>>1577781

“I went there once,” Akito declares calmly, as he's pushing aside the remains of his lunch. “Europe, I mean,” he explains, seeing your confused expression, “France mostly, Paris, and then Germany, but I went all over the place. Not Russia, of course, you couldn't get a visiting permit back then. You still can't, not with their policy of isolation. I really do wonder what they're doing in there...” Shaking his head, Akito smiles faintly at the memories. “It was just before you were born, as I recall,” he finishes, “The war had been over for more than a decade, but you could still see the scars. Reconstruction was a slow process, and a painful one.”

“I didn't know,” you admit, “Why were you there? Seems like an odd place for, uh, a holiday.”

“It was work,” he answers, lowering his voice, “Back then, a lot of governments were selling off their assorted research projects. They couldn't afford to continue them, you see, and they desperately needed the money. If not for that, Renko Biotech might never have found the success that it did – just like I mentioned before, remember?”

“We're a part of history as well,” you repeat obediently, “But you're right. I guess I never really thought about it.”

Akito nods, lapsing into silence as he returns to eating. For your part, you think about his words in silence. Germany... Karl's birthplace. If your guess about his age is correct, Karl would have been born in those painful years of reconstruction. Growing up in a country like that, it might explain why he turned out like he did.

Or maybe he's just a natural jerk.

>Your work has something to do with brains, doesn't it? Synthetic neurological material...
>How has EVE been? Any more glitches?
>What was Germany like, when you were there?
>Can I ask you something... (Write in)
>Other

>>1577783
> Your work has something to do with brains, doesn't it? Synthetic neurological material...

>>1577783
>>Your work has something to do with brains, doesn't it? Synthetic neurological material...
>>How has EVE been? Any more glitches?
>>What was Germany like, when you were there?

>>1577783
>>What was Germany like, when you were there?

>>1577783
>>Your work has something to do with brains, doesn't it? Synthetic neurological material...
>>How has EVE been? Any more glitches?

>>1577783
>Your work has something to do with brains, doesn't it? Synthetic neurological material...
>How has EVE been? Any more glitches?
>What was Germany like, when you were there?

Pushing aside the remains of your meal, you think of a way to fill the silence. Your mind drifts back to when you spoke with EVE, at her strange reaction to the mention of your father's work. The two are linked, although you're not yet sure how. Akito is in good enough spirits today that you decide to just ask him straight out, hoping to tease a little information out of him. “Say, uh, your work has something to do with brains, doesn't it?” you begin boldly, “Synthetic neurological material, or... something like that. Am I close?”

“Well,” Akito frowns a little, more bemused than angry, “That's a little too specific to be a guess. Care to explain?”

“It was something one of my teachers said,” you bluff, “He mentioned that Renko was looking into that sorta stuff, and I just... yeah, I just guessed the rest. Was I close?”

Sighing heavily, Akito takes a deliberately casual look around the cafe. “You know that I shouldn't talk about it,” he warns, “So I really shouldn't tell you how close you got.”

“I see, I see,” you nod, smiling a little, “I bet it's pretty interesting, huh?”

“Maybe it is,” he admits, “I've got to say, though, it's not something that I thought you'd be interested in. Finally thinking about following in your old man's footsteps, hmm?” Letting out a weary sigh, Akito closes his eyes and thinks for a moment. “I've been reading a lot lately,” he continues, abruptly changing the subject, “Science fiction mostly. This latest book I read, the author described a new way of making computers – growing them like an organic brain, rather than making them from circuitry.”

“You... read this,” you remark, “In a novel?”

“In a work of the purest fiction,” Akito tells you with a wink, “In this fictional world, these organic computers have the potential to change the world. A computer that could truly learn, and biological minds that could be programmed – it might very well be a perfect symbiosis between the digital and biological worlds!”

“But nothing like that could possibly exist for real,” you joke, “Right?”

“Not yet, certainly,” Akito shakes his head, “But I'm sure that there are people out there working to change that.”

“Wow,” leaning back in your seat, you consider his thinly veiled words, “Maybe I should read this novel as well.”

“It's pretty tough to read. I've been working on it for a while now, but I've barely made any progress at all,” he admits, “It's not easy to read at work – too many distractions. Even if I didn't have my boss breathing down my neck, there's always EVE...”

“Oh yeah, how's EVE been holding up?” you ask, “Any new glitches? When I was up visiting the Mizuhashi Reserve...”

“There was an incident. I read about it,” Akito nods, “EVE, though... That's a thorny subject. This is strictly between the two of us, okay?”

[1/2]

>>1577822

“Just lately, these past few days, EVE has been... erratic. Yes, I know. More erratic than normal,” frowning a little as he searches for the right words to use, Akito taps a finger against the tabletop, “It's almost as if she's predicting my needs, providing me with various materials before I ask for them. AIs can do that, of course, recognising patterns and learning routines. However, there have been a few times when EVE has given me what I needed before I... well, before I knew that I needed it.”

“Really?” you ask, “What do your tech guys say about it?”

“Well, ah, that's the thing,” Akito winces a little, “I've not told them. It's actually quite helpful, and so far there's no danger in it. I'll make sure the problem is fixed before we start on any practical matters, but until then... she's more efficient than most of my co-workers!”

For some reason, the thought of EVE and Akito toiling together to produce some kind of organic computer fills you with unease. Is this what EVE meant when she talked about evolution? If so, that doesn't explain why you're so important – you're just a tiny factor, compared with your father and his research. An incorrect prediction, then?

“Why are you so curious about EVE, anyway?” he asks, “Another area you're starting to get an interest in?”

“Well, uh, I guess,” you reply with a shrug, “After the thing at Mizuhashi, I just wanted to make sure you're safe. Don't take any chances with this stuff, okay?”

“Understood!” Akito promises, laughing a little at the stern note that entered your voice, “Now, how about we get back to the exhibits? There's still a lot to look at!”

“Right, absolutely,” you nod eagerly, rising from your seat before hesitating. “Hey, uh, what was it like?” you ask, “Germany, I mean. When you visited it, what was it like?”

“Bad,” he replies simply, “There were shortages of pretty much everything, even long after the war. The major cities were starting to recover, but the smaller or less important places were still in an awful shape. A lot of towns, even a few of the smaller cities, were abandoned.” Akito leads you out of the cafe, the mood cooling slightly as he dredges up the old memories. “I can't remember the name, now, but I visited a town that had escaped the worst of the damage. Even so, the population had been decimated. They had a serious problem with robbers in those days – bandits, real modern day bandits. They didn't just steal, either. People would vanish in the middle of the night,” shaking his head, Akito sighs, “All they had to prevent it was a volunteer militia. Boys really, too young for that kind of work. They might have a photograph here, actually, I recall-”

And then, shattering the peaceful air, Akito's phone rings. A few irritated faces turn your way, and he winces.

[2/3]

>>1577857

“This might be important. I have to take this,” he tells you, grimacing at the unwelcome news, “I'll be downstairs in the lobby. Go ahead and take a look around if you like, I'll wait for you there. Go on, there's no reason that you should miss out.”

“If you're sure,” you reply dubiously, “Okay, I guess you're right. I'll see you later.”

Forcing a smile, Akito nods firmly and retreats. Sighing and slumping your shoulders, you pick a random direction and start walking.

-

The exhibits seem a lot less interesting when you're here on your own, and most of them pass you by without really registering. When you notice that you've strayed into a section about the volunteer militias – the same groups that Akito mentioned – you force yourself to focus. Carefully peering into each glass case you pass, you study the photographs for any familiar faces. You examine dozens of them, mostly similar group shots of bleak looking young men and boys, and it doesn't take long for your hopes to start fading.

Then you see him – Karl Dietrich Kaplan, glaring out from an old and faded photograph. He doesn't look old enough to shave yet, but he has a long rifle leaning over one shoulder. Standing next to him, clinging to his sleeve, is a young girl – just barely old enough to stand. Even with the difference in age, you have absolutely no doubt that it's him. The eyes are what gives it away, they're a dead match for-

Something moves in the glass. A reflection of someone standing behind you – not just anyone, either, but Crow. Simone, Sionann Attwood, whatever she wants to call herself, the Sentinel assassin is unmistakable. Spinning around, you stare across the long hall and lock eyes with her. She smiles, then wiggles her fingers in a mocking greeting. Turning away from you, she casually strolls off into the depths of the museum – slow enough that you could follow her, if you so chose. It's almost as if she was daring you to follow her, taunting you with her presence here.

>Follow her
>Let her leave
>Other

>>1577881
>Follow her
Not a coincidence

>>1577881
>Let her leave
that sister is probably the one who got intrudered.

Is this going to be a case of Miho "reminding him of his sister"?

>>1577881
>>Follow her

>>1577881
>Follow her

>>1577881
>Follow her
this better not have to do anything with our dad, who just left for a surprise phone call.

>>1577881
>Follow her
Wish we could call Kurosawa too. He probably wants to talk to her.

>>1577881
>Let her leave
Can't blackmail us if can't talk to us.

File: Sionann Attwood.jpg (989 KB, 1080x1080)

989 KB JPG

This can't be a coincidence. She shows up here, exactly when you're here with your father? Not only that, but after your father is urgently summoned away? No, this can't be an accident, and neither was the fact that you saw her here. She wanted to be seen, and she probably wants you to follow her.

Well, you'll give her what she wants this time. Clenching your fists tightly, you hurry after her. Moving as quickly as you can without attracting too much attention, you follow Sionann's retreating back as she passes through the various halls and galleries. The various bystanders milling about occasionally glance at you as you pass them by, but they never seem to notice Sionann. Even when a crowd would block her advance, they naturally part when she approaches them. Perhaps they DO see her, you speculate, they just don't know about it.

However she does it, Sionann passes through the museum unseen, leading you into a stairwell and breaking into a run. Hissing a curse under your breath, you hasten your pace and follow her up the stairs. She doesn't stop until she's right at the uppermost floor, slipping out through a security door – mysteriously silent, even though a sign warns about an alarm – and vanishing onto the roof. Hesitating for only a brief moment, you follow her through the door.

-

“Lovely day, isn't it?” Sionann gloats, looking down at you from her seat atop a bulky air conditioning unit, “Nice day to be out with the family, certainly.”

“You leave my father out of this!” you shout back, pointing an angry finger at her, “I'm serious, Sionann, this has nothing to do with him!”

“Ah, so you know who I am,” she replies with a shrug, taking off her phony spectacles and casually throwing them off the roof, “That makes things easier for both of us. Allow me to formally introduce myself - Sionann Attwood, False Witness and chosen warrior of Blindness, at your service!”

“We should be on the same side,” you spit, “We shouldn't be... why are you like this?”

“Like what?” Sionann retorts, reaching up and letting her long hair spill out, “Ah, pet, why don't we play a little game? We can have a little fight, see who comes out on top. If you win, we can have a nice long conversation. You'd like that, wouldn't you?”

“And what if I lose?” you ask, “You're not exactly going to let me walk away, are you?”

“Good point. What if I win?” she thinks on the point for a moment, “Well, I won't kill you, and I won't tie you up and drag you back to the Sentinels. I'll promise you that much. As for what I WILL do... well, that's winner's prerogative, isn't it?”

A cold silence follows her words, and you glance about at the roof. There's enough of a wall around the edge that you needn't fear falling, but that's about the only advantage. It's not exactly your first choice for a battleground, but...

[1/2]

>>1577948

Before you can offer a reply, Sionann rises to her feet and transforms. A dark cloak of feathers appears around her shoulders, while the top half of her face is shrouded behind a swooping mask, its long nose resembling nothing less than a crow's beak. Her maimed arm grows stiff and slips into a sling, bound tightly to her side as she summons a wicked looking knife with her other hand. When she throws the knife, you just barely summon your own weapons in time to block the strike.

“Hey!” you protest, “I never agreed to this!”

“Too bad, pet!” Sionann laughs, a second knife appearing in her hand, “Now listen close! No cheating, you hear me? I want a good clean fight, no magic allowed. Just regular weapons and your wits. You'd better not disappoint me!”

“You-” gasping, you block another hurled knife, then a further pair, “You're bloody mad!”

“Stop talking and fight!” the dark magical girl snarls, leaping from one blocky unit to another. Knives rain down as she jumps, forcing you into a frantic defence. Barking out a frustrated curse, you prepare your counter attack.

-

This isn't going to plan.

Sionann is fast, leaping and jumping whenever you get too close, and her knives are no laughing matter. Whenever you start to advance, she forces you back into blocking a new flurry of them and jumps away. She's a genius with them, ricocheting them off objects to attack from all manner of angles. Worst of all, she laughs all the while, as if she was truly delighted to be sharing this moment with you.

When her laughter starts to fade a little, you see an opportunity. She's getting tired, breathing heavily whenever she is forced into a leap. Meanwhile, you're still in pretty good shape – your focus on defence has helped with that. If you can keep up this pace...

>Focus on tiring her out, force her to make a mistake
>Forget about defence. Go all in with your attack
>Cheat. One Thunderclap should end this quickly enough
>Other

>>1577965
>Focus on tiring her out, force her to make a mistake
Gotta impress senpai

>>1577965
>>Forget about defence. Go all in with your attack
She can't seriously hurt us cause we're both Magical girls and I think she might respect the all out attack idea.

>>1577965
>>Focus on tiring her out, force her to make a mistake

>>1577965
>Rip off something widfe and metal and use as a shield to close in and kick her teeth.

>>1577965
>>Focus on tiring her out, force her to make a mistake

>>1577965
>Attack cautiously, test her defence.

Pretty sure she's playing up her current exhaustion to trick us into being reckless.

>>1577977
There is the air conditioning unit, but that might alert the people below.

>>1577988
I wasn't very clear here, so to clarify I think we should throw something small and hard at her at high speed, to see how she defends.

>>1577988
>Pretty sure she's playing up her current exhaustion to trick us into being reckless.

I agree. We've only just started after all and we know she is competent

“This is stupid!” you yell, sending a knife clattering away with a sweep of your armoured hand, “Can't we just talk normally?”

“We could...” Sionann chuckles, sweeping her hand through the air and summoning a handful of tiny darts, “But this is so much more fun! Watch your head, pet!”

Grunting, you lunge at the nearest air conditioning unit and tear off a maintenance panel, just as Sionann hurls the handful of darts into the air. Raising your makeshift shield above your head, you feel the hail of darts hammer against the sheet of metal. For every dart that she threw up, a dozen seems to fall back down to batter your defences. When the deluge stops, you pull back and hurl the shield at her. Sionann leaps over it, but she lands with a stumble.

“Nice, pet, very nice!” she gloats, “I can't remember the last time I had a workout like this!”

“Looks like you could use a bit of exercise,” you taunt, “Getting tired yet?”

“Maybe a little,” Sionann admits, producing a single larger knife, “That's why I'm going to finish this, here and now – with one strike!”

Here it is, the moment you've been holding out for. As Sionann pulls back to throw the knife, you prepare your attack. The minute you see her hand streaking out, you explode into motion and charge towards her. Ducking low at the last minute, you feel the knife whistle harmlessly over your shoulder. When her attack fails, Sionann's eyes grow wide and very white. Grinning savagely to yourself, you draw back your fist to strike, a yell forming on your lips - “Massive-”

And then she is gone, vanishing in a puff of inky black smoke. The warcry dies on your lips as you stumble, thoughts desperately trying to keep up. Where did she-

“It's over!” Sionann shrieks, her voice coming from behind you. A split second later, before you can turn around, something thumps into your back, right between the shoulder blades. Your stumble turns into fall, and you crumple down to the ground. When you try to rise, you... can't. All you can do is twitch your arms a little, and you can't even FEEL your legs. “So it was two strikes, technically,” Sionann drawled, approaching unseen behind you, “But who's counting?”

“You...” you manage to gasp out, “You cheated!”

“I did, didn't I?” Sionann gloats, sounding absurdly pleased with herself, “And look what happened – I won. There's a lesson there, pet, a pretty valuable one.”

“You cheated!” you repeat, black rage rising up to choke you, “I would have beaten you, if-”

“If I'd obeyed the rules, sure,” the assassin agrees, “So don't feel TOO bad, pet. In a fair fight, you would have had me. Why do you think I cheated?” She laughs to herself, slowly circling you as you struggle to move. “Oh, but don't worry,” she adds lightly, “I only severed your spine, nothing permanent. Now then... what WILL I do with you?”

[1/2]

>>1578037
With the way she talked to us last time, I thought she'd be more honorable about this. Ugh. Emi pls execute.

>>1578037
We need to have her sniped. By a drone. She doesn't deserve any better.

>>1578037
We should have cheated right off the bat, fuck her.

>>1578056
I'm sure she had a rough childhood or something. The more I think about it the more I feel it's our fault for not seeing this coming. Got too focused on how much of an experience advantage she had and not her suitability to combat, never expected to get to a point where she'd be forced to cheat.

>>1578037

“Damn you,” you hiss, “You... you bitch!”

“That's it, get good and angry,” Sionann purrs, “You needed this lesson, pet. When people like us fight for real, we can't afford to hold back. You wouldn't pull your punches when you were fighting an Intruder, would you?” She waits a moment for your answer, but you refuse to indulge her. Snarling, Sionann plants her foot on the back of your head and pushes down, grinding your face into the floor until you taste blood, mixed with something gritty and artificial. “Would you?” she repeats, pressing down harder, “Answer me!”

“Fuck you!” you spit back, “No, damn it, I wouldn't!”

“Exactly. You can't hold back, no matter who your enemy is. Rules, restrictions, any of that crap... the strong make them to keep the weak in their place, you see?” Sionann takes her foot from your head, crouching down next to you so that she can look you in the eye. “Ah, would you do something for me?” she asks sweetly, “Would you... cry out a little?”

“Go to hell,” wrenching your head away, you stare away from her, “I'm not anything for-”

Your words are cut off as Sionann grabs the dagger buried in your back and twists it, cruelly ripping it out of and forcing an agonised scream from your lips. “Oh, that's it!” the assassin gasps, sick delight dripping from her voice, “That's perfect, Miho! Ah... I've been waiting to hear that. It was SO worth the wait...”

Rising to her feet, she banishes her costume and lets the dagger blow away in a wisp of smoke. “I think we're done here,” she decides then, calmly strolling away, “Oh, and... I wasn't here for your father, and this is nothing to do with those dreary Sentinels. This was personal - I wanted to get your measure.”

Tuning out her jeering words, you focus on the feeling that creeps back into your toes. Your spine is already starting to knit back together, your magic exceeding anything that medical science could hope to achieve in a matter of seconds.

“Next time, pet, don't be such a disappointment,” the assassin scolds, glancing back at you as she leaves, “I'll be seeing you!”

The door bangs shut, leaving you to recover. Slowly, fighting for every motion, you clench your fists.

The next time you meet, you'll beat her. You'll beat her, and you won't be nearly so merciful when you do.

-

It doesn't take long for you to recover enough to stand, and only a few minutes more for you to be able to walk. Wincing as pain courses through your battered body, you limp down the stairs and slink into the first bathroom you find. It's mercifully empty, allowing you to wash the blood and dirt from your face in peace. After brushing your hair back into place, you could pass as a normal human – if not for the dark anger churning in your eyes.

[2/3]

>>1578074
Our Emotional Barrier is suffering. Maybe that was her intention all along.
We need to take up meditation or something.

>>1578074
And kasumi wonders why the relationship between our groups isn't so good.

File: Kurosawa.jpg (52 KB, 724x1103)

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>>1578074

“It saddens me to see her reduced to such depths,” Kurosawa sighs, flickering into life beside you, perched on one of the white porcelain sinks. Glancing dismissively at him, you limp back to the main door and lock it. “Yet, I cannot claim to be entirely surprised,” the cat continues, “Even from the very start, she was... bad. A poor choice for a candidate, if I may be so bold as to say so. Why she was chosen, I could not say.”

“You gods have a pretty shitty sense of humour,” you snap, “Damn it... this was my favourite jacket.”

“Perhaps now you understand why the Executioner is deemed necessary,” Kurosawa remarks, “Although I wish it was not-”

“To hell with the Executioner!” you snarl, “I'll take her out myself! She's earned that much, that... ugh!”

“Miho,” Kurosawa pronounces your name with grave seriousness, “It is a serious matter to take a life. No matter how angry you might feel now, you would have to live with that burden for the rest of your days. For now, you must attend to your Emotional Barrier. It has deteriorated to dangerous levels. Consider that, before you take any rash action.”

“Rash action...” repeating his words, you feel your anger returning. No, not returning – it never left you.

>You can find her, can't you? Lead me to her, now!
>Then what would you have me do? Just let her get away with that?
>Fine. Tell me about her, everything you know
>Let me ask you something, then... (Write in)
>Other

>>1578096
>>Then what would you have me do? Just let her get away with that?
>>Fine. Tell me about her, everything you know

>>1578096
>You just hung around and watched her torture me, huh.
>Fine. Tell me about her. Everything you know.

>>1578096
>Then what would you have me do? Just let her get away with that?
>Fine. Tell me about her, everything you know
Someday soon, she'll die.

File: Consider.jpg (29 KB, 600x600)

29 KB JPG

>>1578096
>Fine. Tell me about her, everything you know
Part of me thinks she is trying to make us as cold and sadistic as she is.

Don't fall for that bait guys. We can show how pathetic she is by not going down that path.

>>1578096
>Then what would you have me do? Just let her get away with that?
>Fine. Tell me about her, everything you know

>>1578118
Agreed.

>>1578116
Not agreed. We're gonna be the bigger person here and not murder people.

>>1578074
>After brushing your hair back into place, you could pass as a normal human – if not for the dark anger churning in your eyes.
>I wanted to write a more lighthearted story

>>1578124
I hope someone compiles all of these into a nice collage so it can be posted in the final epilogue thread.

>>1578096
>>Fine. Tell me about her, everything you know

>>1578118
I agree, we shouldn't let her goad us into doing something we'll regret.

“You saw all that, huh?” you spit, shooting a dark and bitter glare at the cat, “You just hung around and watched her torture me, didn't you?”

“...Yes,” Kurosawa admits after a moment, “However, I had good reason to remain unseen. If I had revealed myself, perhaps it would have ended the matter – or perhaps the False Witness would have reacted... badly. I believe that she may have tried to seriously harm you, for no reason other than spite. To get back at me.” He falls silent for a moment, his shifting gaze locked onto your eyes. “She could have killed you, Miho,” he adds, “If I had provoked her...”

“She must really hate you, and I'm not sure if I can blame her,” you sneer, “Ugh... fine. You've obviously got some bad history, so I want you to tell me about her. Everything that you know.”

“When I first met her, she was already... damaged. Ruined, perhaps. She was raised in an institution, with no family or close friends – none of the relationships that you enjoy. When I made my offer, she agreed on the spot. Not out of any sense of duty or a desire to protect mankind, simply as a means of escape,” Kurosawa begins to tell his story in a flat, resigned voice, “Almost immediately, we began to experience difficulties. Our association was a... strained one.”

“Wow,” you mutter, “I wonder what that must be like...”

“You are nothing like her,” he stresses, “She had little appetite for secrets or knowledge. She had little appetite for anything, in fact. She fought the Intruders only rarely, and she blamed me for every injury she suffered. Her gift, to pass unseen, was more often used for common thievery.”

“What about the others?” you ask, “There were others, weren't there?”

“No,” Kurosawa answers, “She was alone – the only candidate to be found in her entire city. Doubtless, that contributed to her... decline. When she started using her gift to hide from me – which I had presumed impossible – I realised that she was a lost cause. When she vanished – permanently, or so I had thought – I was not surprised. Either she had died, or she had been consumed by an Intruder. I was wrong.”

“And now she's here, working for THEM,” turning away from the mirror, you glare at Kurosawa. “Alright, so what would you have me do with her?” you ask, “Just let her get away with that? She needs... she's dangerous, damn it!”

“It is not your duty to destroy her,” the cat sighs, “You should not be burdened with such things. The Executioner-”

“So what, Emi can do it?” you snap, “Because what, it doesn't matter if she gets... ruined? Because they're all expendable, so long as the Heavenly Child can perform her duty?”

“Miho,” Kurosawa tells you softly, “Be calm. Your father is waiting for you.”

And just like that, the anger bleeds out of you like air leaving a balloon. Slumping your shoulders, you nod.

[1/2]

>>1578143

“Look, Kurosawa, I don't care what you say,” you mutter as you're leaving the bathroom, barely moving your lips, “I don't want to drag Emi into this if I can help it. This... shit between Sionann and me, it's personal. She put a knife in MY back. I'm not passing that onto someone else.”

“I understand,” Kurosawa replies, his reaction taking you by surprise, “No, perhaps that is a lie. However, I believe that I can understand why you feel that way. The idea of falling neatly into pre-defined roles is, perhaps, not a natural one for you humans.”

“Wow, we're really making some progress,” you grunt, “How long did it take you to figure that out? Maybe you should-”

“Heavenly Child,” he scolds, “Remember where you are.”

People, you realise, have started to glance your way. Scowling immensely, you stare down at the floor and hurry away, cheeks burning hot.

-

“Miho? What's wrong?” Akito asks when you reach the lobby, “You look... did something happen up there? Did someone... do anything to you?”

His guess – surprisingly close to the mark, considering – causes you to bark out a humourless laugh. “No, it was nothing like... that,” you assure him, “I, uh, I ran into someone from school. We got in, I guess it was an argument. Things got pretty heated and, uh, she won. I didn't even get the last word in.”

“That's the worst,” he agrees, swallowing your story with such ease that you feel slightly guilty, “I always think of a good comeback hours later. Ah, not that I get in a lot of arguments, I should say. No, not at all...”

“Sure, I believe you,” you reply, forcing a smile, “But I'm kinda tired. Can we just go home for now?”

“Of course,” Akito nods, taking you gently by the arm and steering you out towards the exit. For a moment, it looks as though he's about to notice the rip in your jacket – left behind by Sionann's knife, but then a blaring yell distracts him. While you were enjoying the museum's exhibits – and being tortured by a psychotic magical girl – a small assembly has gathered outside. A disorderly mob, slapdash signs, even a scruffy looking man with a megaphone... it all looks like a typical protest. You've never actually seen one in person, and after everything that has happened, it's a surreal sight.

“This is the last thing I need right now,” Akito mutters, “Not these lunatics...”

“You... know them?” you ask, “What's this about?”

“Return to the Earth,” he explains, “They're a... well, I suppose you couldn't call them ecoterrorists just yet, but it's only a matter of time. Let's go, I don't want them to see me.” As he says this, Akito reaches up to cover the Renko Biotech mark on his cheek, rubbing his face like a man suffering from toothache. You're about to ask another question, then his stern look silences you. Nodding, you join him in hurrying away.

[2/3]

>>1578188
Anti-cyberpunk ecoterrorists are my favorite staple of the magical girl genre!

>>1578188

“Like I said, they seem to call themselves “Return to the Earth”. I wasn't aware that we ever left,” once you've escaped from the protest, Akito is able to relax once more, “They've got a real problem with what we're doing here in Ark City, claiming that it's going against the word of god and nature. It's nonsense – Ark City has done more to advance ecological technology than any other nation!”

“So why were they protesting at a museum?” you ask, “Seems like an odd choice, if you ask me.”

“Well, Renko Biotech was supporting the new exhibits,” he admits, “That's why I was able to get tickets so easily. The Returners have a particular dislike for Renko Biotech. It IS strange to see them demonstrating like this, though – as far as I was aware, they were a very small group, with little motivation to do anything. I don't know why, but they've been picking up a lot of momentum lately. I hope we don't have anyone leaking information to them...”

“Jeez,” you sigh, “It's just one thing after another, isn't it?”

“Sure is,” smiling wearily, Akito pats you on the shoulder, “We've just got to keep our heads above water for now, that's all. It'll all blow over in a little, I'm sure of it.”

-

As soon as you're back at home, Akito makes an excuse and hurries back out again. His earlier calm drops for a moment as he leaves, a frown surfacing on his face. This protest business, you assume, more pressure being piled onto his shoulders. With Yui out, doing... something, you've got the apartment to yourself. Sighing heavily, you stretch out on the couch and stare up at the ceiling. You're just starting to relax... and then your phone rings. Sighing again, you sit up and check it. Kasumi, your newest teammate. Frowning, you press the phone to your ear.

“Good afternoon, Miho. I do hope I wasn't interrupting anything,” Kasumi's honeyed tones creep out from the phone, “I thought we might talk for a little. If it's no imposition, could you meet me at Hime? We've hardly had a chance to get to know one another, after all.”

“Uh...” you groan, trying to think, “I could call the others, see what they-”

“Actually, I had hoped that we could talk in private,” she states, her voice firm but delicate, “Don't worry, I won't bite.” She giggles softly after saying that, although you're hardly in the mood to laugh along with her.

>Hime, right. I'll meet you there
>Why don't you come over to mine instead?
>I'll have to pass. I've had a bad day
>Other

>Sorry for the delay, hit a bit of writer's block.

>>1578233
>>Hime, right. I'll meet you there

>>1578233
>Hime, right.
Time to hear about all the dark and hidden desires of our teammates and possibly Kurosawa.

>>1578233
>Why don't you come over to mine instead?

>>1578233
>>Hime, right. I'll meet you there

>>1578233
>>Hime, right. I'll meet you there

>>1578233
>Why don't you come over to mine instead?

File: Kasumi Sato.jpg (604 KB, 1080x1080)

604 KB JPG

“Hime, right,” you reply, before a thought strikes you, “Hey, why don't you come over to mine instead? I've got an empty apartment right now, so...”

“Miho, that's so forward!” Kasumi gasps, and you can picture her widening her eyes in shock, “I'm so sorry, but is all moving too quickly for me. I'll have to-”

“Hey, c'mon, I didn't mean it like that!” you protest, “Don't twist my words like-” When Kasumi giggles again, you fight the urge to groan aloud, letting all your frustration out in a single inarticulate noise. “Hime then,” you repeat, a tad grumpily, “I'll be there in a bit. I'm coming now.”

“Miho...” the elegant girl begins, a smile in her voice.

“Don't even say it!” you snap, hanging up as she laughs to herself. Dropping the phone on your chest, you finally let out the sigh of dismay that you had been holding in. It sounds more like a dying cow than anything else.

-

In petty revenge, you take your time picking out something to wear and take a leisurely walk to the bar. On the way, you note a few posters here and there – no text, just the same image. They depict the planet Earth, with a grossly oversized representation of Ark City stabbed into it like a dagger. Even to someone with very little poetic knowledge, the symbolism is pretty clear – Earth good, Ark City bad. More stuff and nonsense from Return to the Earth, you presume. City workers seem to be tearing down the posters whenever they see them, but there's only so much that they can do, and a few of the posters have slipped through the net.

Hime is a lot busier than when you last saw it, with very few empty seats in the entire place. Fortunately, the stool next to Kasumi is still vacant, and you hurry to sit down next to her. Turning, Kasumi gives you a long look of appraisal, before nodding in apparent approval.

“I must say,” she begins, “You look much nicer when you dress for your figure. That uniform is so frightful. They must be awful beasts up in the Ark Institute, making you wear such a thing. Poor Miho! We simply must go shopping one of these days, I'll pick out all kinds of things for you to wear.”

“Uh... thanks?” you hazard, “I don't really go shopping a lot, so I could probably do with some new stuff.”

“Mm,” Kasumi tilts her head slightly, “I really shouldn't say, but... one does notice. Never mind that, let me get you a drink. If I may be so bold, you look as though you've got a lot to get off your chest.”

“Yeah, I mean... wait, I thought you wanted to talk to ME about something,” you argue, “Isn't that why you called me?”

“Yes, but that can wait. It wouldn't do either of us any good to talk while you're still wrapped up in whatever is bothering you, will it?” mournfully shaking her head, Kasumi twirls a lock of hair around her finger, “I'm a good listener, Miho, you can tell me anything.”

You hesitate for a moment, then give her a slow nod.

[1/2]

>>1578277
Well my spine got severed today...

>>1578277

It takes a while for you to tell Kasumi about everything that happened between you and Sionann, especially considering how difficult some parts are to talk about. Just going over that old ground again, you feel the shame of your defeat gnawing at you again. The anger has cooled somewhat, but talking about it still leaves you feeling bitter and ashamed. Kasumi listens without interrupting, her eyes wide as she soaks in all the details. When you're finished, she reaches across and pats you on the shoulder.

“Poor Miho!” she sighs, “You really have had a hard time of it, haven't you? To think that she would do such awful things to you... I tremble to think that Sionann is one of our kind.”

“Yeah,” you mutter, “So I guess now you know why things are so... tense between our groups. Sure, she wasn't there on Sentinel business – or so she claimed – but they still keep someone like her on their staff. She's one of THEM, no matter how you look at it.”

“Mm, I do agree. It casts them in a rather unfavourable light,” Kasumi concedes, “Although I have heard terrible stories about those institutions. The people who grow up there... well, one mustn't judge them too harshly. They don't know any better.”

“You're defending her?” you retort, incredulous, “Really?”

“I'm not defending HER, as such, but the idea of her,” the elegant girl corrects you, patting you on the arm to cool your temper, “But for a quirk of fate, we could have been put in her position.” Sighing delicately, Kasumi rests her head on her hand and gazes into space for a few moments. “Did it hurt?” she asks lightly, “Your back, I should say. Was it bad?”

“Not at first. I couldn't really feel anything,” you tell her, “It felt like being punched, at first. When it started to heal, though... that was bad. It's fine now, though. Probably didn't even leave a scar.”

“That's good, then. Scars can be so unsightly,” Kasumi nods, “Now then, this is all quite convenient in a way. I wanted to talk to you about the Sentinels, actually. Simply put, I want to meet them.” She waits a moment, cautiously watching your reaction before continuing. “I don't wish to cast doubt upon you, especially in light of what you've told me today, but I really would like the chance to meet them, and hear their point of view,” a mischievous smile plays around Kasumi's lips, then, as she continues, “And... I might be able to offer a little extra insight into them. After all, I do have a certain way of... reading people. What do you say, Miho?”

>Absolutely. I was thinking the same thing, actually
>If we do this, we're doing it as a team. We'll discuss it all tomorrow
>No way. I'm finished with those guys
>Something I want to ask you first... (Write in)
>Other

>>1578313
>>If we do this, we're doing it as a team. We'll discuss it all tomorrow

>>1578313
Only if you are certain you want them learning your identity. I don't expect Jun or even Karl do anything, but I can't predict Crow.

>>1578313
>>If we do this, we're doing it as a team. We'll discuss it all tomorrow
Need to catch the group up too.

>>1578313
>If we do this, we're doing it as a team. We'll discuss it all tomorrow

>>1578313
>Absolutely. I was thinking the same thing, actually.

Meet with Karl and Jun. I don't want to.meet as a team because we're keeping some members secret. If we do, at least leave Emi behind.

>>1578336
I don't think that was the implication. We'd be discussing it with everyone before going with the people they know about. Not sure who exactly that entails though.

>>1578338
I mean in more of a heavily encourage Emi to not come way and maybe a don't let her come at all way instead of a tell her and let her decide way.

“There's something I want to warn you about,” you begin, “If you meet them, you'll be putting yourself in the firing line. Only do this, if you're absolutely sure that you're okay with them learning your identity. Jun and Karl are... well, they're not bad. They're predictable, at the very least. I can't say the same for Sionann, Crow... whatever she wants to call herself. Are you okay with dragging her into your personal life?”

“Well, I must admit to being a little concerned about that part,” Kasumi concedes, “But I'm prepared for it. We must all shoulder our fair share of the burden, after all. It simply isn't fair if you're the only one getting in trouble.”

“That's...” you begin, stuck by Kasumi's words, “Thanks, Kasumi. That means a lot to me. You're right though, we all need to play our part – that's why that if we do this, we're doing it as a team. I want to discuss this with the others first.”

“Oh?” raising a delicate eyebrow, Kasumi tilts her head to the side, “I suppose you're right. We should all keep in touch as often as possible.”

“The others should know about what happened today,” you add, “I don't know if the Sentinels know about them or not, but they should be on their guard regardless. We'll all meet up tomorrow, discuss the matter properly then. Don't get me wrong though, I'm all for it – I was considering the same thing, actually.” A thought occurs to you, then, and you smile. “Hey, you'll get to see our secret base as well,” you joke, “Don't get your hopes up, it's really not much to get excited about.”

“It sounds perfectly charming!” Kasumi claps her hands together in delight, “I'm looking forwards to it, and-” Her sentence is cut sharply off here, her eyes suddenly fixing on some distant corner of the bar. “Excuse me, Miho, I feel rather unwell all of a sudden,” the elegant girl murmurs, touching a hand to her temple, “Perhaps it's a little too loud in here tonight. Would you mind if we left? The fresh air will do me a lot of good, I think.”

“Uh, sure,” you agree, glancing around at whatever she had been looking at, “It sure is busy tonight, huh?”

“Yes,” Kasumi replies with a grim nod, “Quite.”

-

“Ah...” stretching gracefully, Kasumi savours the cool air for a moment, sighing contentedly. “I do apologise for that, Miho,” she adds, “Normally, I'm quite content to be around so many people. Perhaps your story left me a little ill at ease. Shall we walk a while? It's still early, a lot of the shops should still be open. We can do a little window shopping.”

“Because I look like I need it,” you agree with a wan smile, “Right?”

“Exactly so,” she confirms, patting you fondly on the arm, “This way!”

[1/2]

>>1578351

In order to visit Kasumi's shops of choice, you have to leave the vice district again, returning to the clean and orderly streets of your home district. The area that Kasumi leads you to, though, is not one that you're familiar with – it's too rich, even for someone with good corp parents. You'd need to save your money for months just to afford anything in this part of town. Kasumi seems perfectly at ease here, cooing in admiration as she points out certain items.

“C'mon, I can't afford that,” you argue, as you're walking away from another shop, “And even if I could, I couldn't justify it. I mean, who would spend that much on a scarf? I've already got a scarf. A magical scarf, even!”

“It's the principle of the thing, Miho,” Kasumi explains, “These clothes carry an air of confidence about them, certainty and surety of purpose. When one wears such things, they become the best person that they can be... at least, in societies eyes. Do you understand?”

“I don't think so,” you grumble, “That seems like a pretty cynical way of looking at things, though.”

“Does it? I suppose it might,” sighing, Kasumi shakes her head, “It's easy to become jaded when you can see what people try to hide from themselves. This world has a lot of ugliness in it.”

“Oh, right,” nodding, you realise what she means, “Your eye thing, right? Have you been practising on people?”

“I have, yes, but that's not it. I've always been rather good at reading people, studying the intentions behind their actions. That's part of why I enjoy watching people so much, I suppose. There's a lot you can learn, just from listening to what people don't say,” smiling to herself, Kasumi sweeps the issue aside, “But I didn't mean to lower the mood. What do YOU want to talk about, Miho?”

>Oh, nothing really. I was thinking of heading home soon...
>What did you see in the others? Anything... bad?
>What do you see in ME with those eyes of yours?
>There was something I wanted to talk about... (Write in)
>Other

>>1578385
>>What do you see in ME with those eyes of yours?
I don't know if I wanna know about the others, not unless we're all there and okay with it. Which likely wouldn't happen anyway.

>>1578385
>What do you see in ME with those eyes of yours?
Over-under on if this is going to lower our Emotional Barrier even more?

>>1578401
Yeah we shouldn't. Those are their secrets.

>>1578385
>What do you see in the others?
>What do you see in me?
>Have you tried using them with a mirror?

I'm very curious. Also Maika spies on us with drones constantly anyway, she can handle a bit of the reverse.

>>1578420
Drone spying (which I don't think she even does anymore since she got out of the house) isn't really equivalent to prying into someone's deepest darkest secrets.

>>1578420
That's not the same as our deep dark secrets anon.

>>1578385
>What do you see in ME with those eyes of yours?

>>1578430
>>1578432
Ok. Fine. Not asking is the right choice. It's also the lame choice tho just sayin

You know, anons, I'm rereading the archives right now, and I've found some pretty interesting things

Like, remember EVE's interest in Chiaki Jackson? We decided it was the result of manipulation by the Sentinels. But actually we had learned about it from the Sentinels in the first place, and they were interested in why EVE chose Chiaki as well.

“Hey, uh, this might sound like a weird question,” you begin, “But... when you do your eye thing, what do you see in ME?”

“Well, let's find out, shall we?” Kasumi replies lightly, “Ah, but do forgive me. It's terribly rude to stare, I know, but there isn't really any way around it.” Taking one precise step forwards, she fixes you with her gaze and concentrates, biting her lower lip lightly. Behind her eyes, a soft glow flutters into life as Kasumi taps into her gift. The feeling of those eyes boring into you is a strange one, although the odd feeling might well be due to other factors – like the fact that Kasumi is close enough that your noses are just about touching.

“That's very odd,” Kasumi whispers to herself, “Forgive me, but...” Letting her words trail off, she leans even closer into you until her forehead is resting lightly against yours. Still, her glowing eyes seem to pierce right into you – right through you. Then, at last, Kasumi breaks away, and the world returns to its normal rhythm. “How peculiar!” she announces, a faint breathless note creeping into her voice.

“What?” you ask, alarmed, “Is it bad?”

“No, it's...” pausing a moment, Kasumi considers her next words with great care. “I do apologise, Miho, I can't think of a way to say this that doesn't sound terribly rude,” she explains, “But you seem very... empty. Hollow, almost. Either you're a perfectly honest person, or you're... incomplete.”

“Maybe it doesn't work on other magical girls,” you suggest, “Did the others...”

“Oh no, it definitely worked on them,” Kasumi confirms quickly, “Just not you. I wonder why that should be? It's as though someone reached into you and took out all manner of things.” Shaking her head again, Kasumi takes a handkerchief out of her purse and delicately brushes her brow with it. “You really are a fascinating person, Miho,” she adds, “I would love to know exactly what it is that makes you tick.”

“Oh, well, um...” you're not quite sure what to say to that, and it takes you a moment to fumble for a proper response, “Have you ever tried looking in a mirror? You know, looking at yourself?”

“Hmm? Does that mean you want to know MY secrets?” Kasumi asks, flashing you a coy look, “Maybe when we get to know each other a little better, I'll tell you a few of them. To answer your question, though, I've not tried looking in the mirror. Perhaps I'll do that tonight – you've certainly piqued my curiosity.”

“Well, uh, tell me all about it tomorrow, okay?” you reply, “I'll send the directions later. Keep your afternoon free, okay?”

“I'm looking forwards to it already,” Kasumi purrs, giving you a warm smile before turning and slinking off into the approaching night, leaving you to think.

Hollow? Incomplete?

>I think I'm going to pause things here. I'll continue this tomorrow, and answer any questions if I can
>Thanks to everyone who contributed today!

>>1578470
Yeah I noticed that too. Maybe, if we are assuming the AIs are an extension of Monad (4 faces and all that), Monad had EVE tag Chiaki for the Sentinels to find and EVE doesn't remember. SAE and EVE don't seem to remember our questions whenever we ask them about Monad.

>>1578477
Miho never gets a break

Thanks for running.

>>1578479
I must say, rereading with the benefit of hindsight is fun. Some scenes come in a different light.

>>1578477
Thanks for running Moloch. Maybe things got moved around or misplaced when they memory wiped us or something? I can't think of Miho having any big, deep, dark desires though. Maybe something about her sister if anything.

>>1578477
Thanks for running, Moloch. Kasumi's gift is pretty unnerving.

>>1578477
Thanks for running!

How long until we find out Miho is incomplete because she is controlled by anons?

>>1578570
pretty sure it's more about breaking her weapon

>>1578570

Jokes aside, that is a small part of it, although it's not the IC reason. Leaving it deliberately blank keeps our options open.

>>1578623
Does Kurosawa smell Intruder on Crow?

>>1578673

No. She's clean, as far as he can tell.

File: HC.png (87 KB, 950x852)

87 KB PNG

>>1578128
This is my first time doing something like this, so please bear with me.

>>1578707

Well, I did intend to have a lighter tone! It just didn't quite work out as I'd intended, that's all.
And to think, things haven't really started to tumble down yet.

>>1578707
this is beautiful

>>1578673
I think we should continue to refuse to "cheat" when we fight Crow. If we can't beat her with strength, we'll beat her with weakness by refusing to do what she wants us to.

After all, there's always someone stronger no matter how much power you pull out, and despite everything she seems to be doing to make herself seem like our enemy she isn't one yet.

In a twisted way she's trying to help us even.

>>1580156
I don't think its actually cheating if she is also using her powers. I'm happy enough with just showing her how far she has fallen without trying to rub it in her face that we can beat her without using our abilities.

>>1580156
there's definitely something about Miho that Crow is taking personally. Things like this cheating are done to establish a position of "authority", a sense that she is the better MG and there's things that need to be "taught".

She just wants to be understood

She doesn't deserve it

>>1580162
> without trying to rub it in her face that we can beat her without using our abilities.

I never said anything about us being able to beat her without abilities.

>>1580229
That but also maybe trying to get Miho to get rid of her illusions about fighting before she gets hurt the same way Crow did. Better she gets it beat out if her, than letting someone get killed

If Crow WAS after our Dad, how exactly would we have stopped her with knives in our back?

>>1580156
>Betrayed our trust
>Stepped on our head
>Grinded our face on concrete
>Enjoyed our screams
>Generally humiliated us
What of this speaks "not our enemy" to you anon?

>>1580739
She already knew we go all out against the Intruders.
Who was she teaching us to fight then?

>>1580768
Indeed. This here is the key I believe.

>>1580849
For the record, the answer I'm leaning to is "no one".

File: Ayane Nakamura.jpg (150 KB, 900x900)

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Maika and Emi are fighting when you arrive at the shrine. The good news is, they're not fighting for real. The bad news is, they're still causing a considerable amount of damage. When you arrive with Kasumi, she lets out a soft gasp of shock.

“Oh no,” she murmurs, before raising her voice as loudly as she can. “Stop it, both of you!” she calls out, “You can't fight in a shrine! You simply mustn't!”

“Huh?” Emi grunts, pausing halfway through wrenching her massive sword out of the ground and looking around, “What's the problem? It's not like anyone owns this place.”

“The gods own it!” Kasumi protests, “And now you've.. you've defiled it! This is awful, we'll have to make some kind of offering to appease them!”

“Uh, Kasumi, we've got a god right here. Can't we just ask him if they're cool with us using the place?” Ayane points out, “Hey cat, you listening? Tell the new girl that you're cool with us staying over at your place, will you?”

“This is simply a place of human veneration,” Kurosawa explains, obediently appearing when called, “Once, it served an important role in human society. However, it bears no special significance to the gods. As an isolated location, it is perfectly suitable for training.” He glares around at you all for a moment. “Although very little training takes place here,” he adds, “Most of the time is spent on leisure activities.”

“Goofing off, basically,” Ayane translates, “Hey, cut us some slack. We do the job when we have to, right?”

“That is true,” Kurosawa concedes, “I wished to congratulate you on the last Intruder event. You resolved the incident without any human casualties. You have truly improved since you first began.”

“Yeah, uh, we weren't all that great at first,” you tell Kasumi, when you notice her curious look, “We didn't really take it all that seriously. Seems amazing that we could ever think like that, knowing what we do now.” Shrugging, you brush down a bit of rubble and sit. “Gather round, everyone,” you announce, “I'm calling a group meeting. Got some new information to share with all of you.”

“I'm listening,” Maika says as she sits, “Is it good news?”

“Fuck, c'mon,” Emi groans, “When is it EVER good news?”

-

“I told you, it's never good news! You all saw me, I told her!” Emi snaps, once you've finished telling her about your encounter with Sionann, “Damn it, if I ever see her I'm gonna kick her ass! Who does she think she is, fucking around with us and just-”

“And you're definitely okay?” Maika checks carefully, “Your father, too?”

“Yeah, we're both okay. She was never there for my father, and as for me... well, I healed up,” you assure her, “What's important now is our next move. I've been thinking, and... Ayane, pay attention!”

“I'm listening!” Ayane protests, hastily hiding her phone.

[1/3]

>>1581793

“Okay, before we get into the plan part, there was something I wanted to ask you about,” you begin, “Emi, when we were fighting that... beehive, whatever. When we were fighting it, you did something I've never seen you do before. How did you do that?”

“I mean, shit, that's hard to describe,” Emi shakes her head, “I guess it's like when you're sitting on the can and you suddenly realise “Oh yeah, that how you do it!” and... that's it really. I saw a big mob of things I wanted to kill, and I realised how to kill them really well. The rest was just going with it.” Grinning, she looks around at you all. “What?” she asks, “You don't know what that's like?”

“The... can?” Maika asks, confusion clouding her voice, “What does tinned food have to do with-”

“Wait, Maika, shut up a moment. You did something like that as well,” Ayane points out, “You did something with your gun, and it sorta... shot differently. How did YOU do that?”

“It's a simple matter of adjusting the focus lens,” the heiress explains, “A focused beam can be diffused into a wider pattern. It's quite effective in a tight space, especially against agile targets. Honestly, I don't know why it didn't occur to me until then.”

“So, pardon me for intruding, but it seems as though our... abilities, if you like, operate on an intuitive level,” Kasumi guesses, “We already possess the abilities, we just need to learn how to use them.”

“I guess?” Emi shrugs, “I gotta say though, you sure knew how to handle that weapon of yours. You, uh, you got experience?”

“I really shouldn't say,” Kasumi replies demurely. The others laugh, although Maika looks rather flustered by the implication. “Be that as it may, I suppose it makes a degree of sense,” the elegant girl continues, “Women are the intuitive sort, while men are... different. Scholarly, I suppose you might say, with a more scientific approach.”

“Speaking of men,” you continue, picking up Kasumi's thread, “I was thinking about getting in touch with the Sentinels. Kasumi wanted to meet them, and I'm interested in what she can find out about them. Maika, they know you, so you can come with us if you want.”

“What about me and Emi?” Ayane asks, “We're still playing it sneaky, right?”

“That was my plan, yes,” you agree, “Ayane, it would be a great help if you could listen in again. Are you okay with that? I know those helmets make you a little... uneasy.”

“Hey, I'm all about taking one for the team,” shrugging, Ayane gives you a grin that is only slightly nervous, “And I'd be happy to listen in. Gotta get all that hot gossip, right?”

“So, uh, what about me?” Emi asks, “You want me to keep my head down and all?”

“It's probably for the best,” you agree, “I'll tell the Sentinels that we've got a new girl. With any luck, that might help build a little trust between us as well. God knows, we could use it.”

[2/3]

>>1581796

With the plan decided on, the group splits up so that the arrangements can be made. Maika and Ayane head back to the Kanzaki compound to get Ayane wired up and ready, while Kasumi had to return home – her outfit, she claimed, needed to be just perfect. In the end, it left you and Emi alone at the shrine.

“I had a thought, about this fighting shit,” Emi announces suddenly, “Mind if I...”

“Go ahead, please,” you reply, “I'd be interested in hearing your insight.”

“Spending too much time around the new girl, talking all fancy like that...” the young girl grumbles, “So yeah, uh, the others aren't picking up their new powers as quickly as I am. I figure you probably noticed that as well, huh? Well, I think it might be because they ain't really INTO it like we are.”

“Into it,” you repeat, “Can you, uh... explain that a little more?”

“Well, you know. Maika acts like she's too cool for all this, and Ayane... I mean, she's pretty great and all, but she's one hell of a slacker,” Emi offers, her voice strangely hesitant, “They're not committed like I am. Ain't their fault or anything, but it's gonna slow them down. Least, that's my theory about all this. Maybe it's all a load of bullshit.”

“No, I think you might be onto something,” you agree slowly, “Although I'm still not sure how I fit into all this. My powers are sealed, not... anything else.”

“Man, I can't help you there,” shrugging, Emi flops back and stares up into the sky. She's silent for long enough that you almost take her for having fallen asleep, but then she speaks up again. “Crow,” she states flatly, “She's... the reason I'm here, isn't she?”

“According to Kurosawa,” you admit, “But he says a lot of things, doesn't he?”

“Yeah, but...” Emi lapses back into silence, “I dunno man, she's dangerous. What I'm saying is... shit, I don't know. I've got your back, that's all. If you wanna bring her down, I'll be right there with you. That's a promise, right there.”

>Thank you, Emi. Whatever happens, I'm glad to have you with me
>It won't come to that. We're not killers, we're better than that. We're better than HER
>If anyone gets to kill her, it's going to be me
>Other

>>1581797
>>Thank you, Emi. Whatever happens, I'm glad to have you with me

>>1581797
>>Thank you, Emi. Whatever happens, I'm glad to have you with me

>>1581797
>>It won't come to that. We're not killers, we're better than that. We're better than HER
>The best way to piss her off is if we don't let her change us. I just.....gotta focus on that and not throwing her off a cliff.

>>1581797
>It won't come to that. We're not killers, we're better than that. We're better than HER

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“Thank you, Emi,” you reply, her words bringing a smile to your face, “Whatever happens, I'm glad to have you with me. It means a lot to have your support.”

“Yeah well, it's better than having me as an enemy, right?” Emi jokes, trying very hard to sound nonchalant, “I gotta be honest with you, though, I don't much want to fight her. Nah, I mean, that's not it.” Sitting upright, Emi shakes her hair back into place and gives you a serious look. “I'd happily fight the bitch, kick her butt all the way back to bloody England, but I don't wanna kill her,” the young girl stresses, “Throwing down is one thing, but we gotta have limits. I mean, shit, she could have killed you, right?”

“It won't come to that,” you assure her, “We're not killers. We're better than that, and we're better than HER. I'm not going to let her drag me down to her level, that would just be giving her what she wants.” Sighing, you reach down and tear up a few strands of grass from between the stone tiles. “No, the best way to piss her off is to keep doing what we're doing, not let her change us,” you continue, letting the grass sift through your fingers, “All I've got to do is focus on not throwing her off a cliff or... something like that. It's gonna be hard, but I reckon I can do it.”

“You're a good leader, chief,” Emi gives you a bright smile, “Y'know, when we talk like this, I get the feeling that things might actually work out okay.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” you chuckle, “But I know what you mean. We've got a good team here.”

“Yeah, we've got this shit sorted. Whatever Crow can do, we don't need it,” pumping her fist with enthusiasm, Emi grins broadly, “What sorta powers does she have, anyway? I mean... hey cat, you said these Sentinel guy smell like Intruders, right? What about Crow, does she got that scent?”

“No, she does not,” Kurosawa announces, appearing between you, “Her powers are strictly limited to those that the gods have given her. She is an expert in stealth and evasion, with little stamina in a direct battle. However, as you have learned, she prefers to fight on her own terms, using every advantage she can gather.”

“Yeah...” you mutter, rubbing your back at the memory, “I DID notice that.”

“The old “teleport behind you” trick,” Emi muses, “A classic.”

“She can throw a knife, transporting herself to wherever it lands,” the cat explains, “A relatively minor ability, although powerful in the hands of one who knows what they are doing. In either case, her abilities are not linked with the Intruders – a small blessing.”

“At least our shit, we can understand it a little,” Emi grunts, “Their stuff? Man, I don't even know where to begin...”

[1/2]

>>1581859
Since Emi can pierce magical girl defences, I wonder if she can see through Crow's stealth.

By the way, we should ask Kurosawa how much Crow generally knows about magical girls. E.g., does she know the Executioner or the Seeker of Truth exist? What they can do? How to recognize them?

>>1581859

“Actually, I've been thinking about that,” you reply, “Between what EVE has told me, and a few other things, I've got sort of a theory in the works. Maybe you can give it a listen, see if there's anything I'm missing. You okay with that?”

“Oh sure, because I've got all the answers!” Emi snorts, “Sure, fuck it, go ahead. Hit me with your best shot.”

“Well, okay. First things first – Jun and Pietr both had close relationships with someone who got consumed by an Intruder, okay? Chiaki also fits that description, but we'll leave her for now,” you begin, “EVE said that Pietr would be with his brother soon, and that got me thinking. What if the Sentinels get their power by... fusing, I guess, with an Intruder? Specifically, the Intruder that consumed their close associate. It would explain why the Sentinels smell like Intruders, right?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Emi agrees, “But, uh, how do they do this fusion thing?”

“And that's basically where my theory collapses,” you admit, “I don't know. Maybe Jun could tell us, although I doubt he'd do so willingly – we're not “initiated”, after all. Pietr might, once he's... done his thing. I dunno, I guess he's a good kid, when he's allowed to be.”

“And Chiaki is...” the young girl thinks aloud, “Her sister, yeah! So you're saying that she might be in line to get spooky Intruder powers as well, right?”

“She fits the same parameters, and the Sentinels do seem to have an interest in her,” nodding slowly, you think back to when Chiaki and Pietr briefly met, “Pietr seemed to have some kind of reaction when he saw her, as well.”

“Well yeah, a kid his age?” Emi laughs, “I just BET he had a reaction to her!”

“Settle down, you,” you scold, “Anyway, that's my current guess. Maybe we can fill in a few of the holes today, although I'm not too hopeful. As theories go, though, what do you think of it?”

“Yeah, I guess it all fits together,” shrugging, Emi gives you a wan smile, “But honestly, if there were any issues with it, I don't reckon I'd be the one to find them. You should probably ask-”

“It certainly seems plausible,” Kurosawa decides, “What remains unclear, however, is the degree to which these Sentinels are influenced by this hypothetical symbiosis. The mental or physical consequences of any potential union...”

“Yeah?” you press, “How bad could they be?”

“Well...” the cat pauses, “I could not answer that. Simply put, I do not know. We have found ourselves in a rare situation – you likely know more about this specific subject than I do.”

“And you hate it so much!” Emi laughs, “Oh wow, no wonder you're sounding so grumpy!”

“I do NOT sound grumpy!” Kurosawa retorts, sounding extremely grumpy, “I am a god, I am above petty feelings such at these!”

“Yes Kurosawa, of course you are,” you soothe, “We believe you.”

[2/3]

>>1581933
Kurosawa a cute.

>>1581933
Ask kurosawa why he needs to unseal our powers while everyone else just discovers them. Are we bio AI #6?

>>1581977
Probably cause Heavenly Child is OP at full strength and he needs to balance for multiplayer.

>>1581977
He's adding back in the parts that are missing. That's why Miho only remembered her sister recently

Miho is secretly Hikari's brain clone, it was all implanted memories and spearheaded by the dad

Miho already died when the sword of the sun broke, we're literally leftovers of Hikari stuffed into an empty vessel

Miho is THE god of sacrifice, and voluntarily sealed her memories and powers

>>1581977
Maybe we're too dumb to discover them by ourselves.

Or maybe it's because the others aren't controlled by anons who need to be informed when they acquire new options.

>>1581933

“Anyway, there were a few things I wanted to ask you, since you're here,” you tell Kurosawa, “It's about Crow... Sionann, I mean. How much does she know about all this? You know, the wider magical girl thing.”

“It is possible that she has learned more since I last spoke with her,” Kurosawa answers gruffly, “But as far as I am aware, she knows relatively little. She did not ask many questions, or show much interest in learning about her colleagues. Perhaps if she had not been alone, she might have... well, no matter. Unless the Sentinels have been able to teach her anything more, she likely knows very little about your abilities.”

“Meaning, she don't know about what I can do to her,” Emi murmurs, “Shit... Hey, what can I do to her? I mean, can I see her when she does her spooky vanishing act thing?”

“I believe so,” the cat confirms, “The Executioner's powers are tailored to counter whatever else a candidate can manifest.”

“Alright, that's cool,” Emi grins, forcing a smile onto her face, “You gods really thought this stuff through, huh? You really-”

“And what about my powers?” you ask, giving Kurosawa a hard look, “My “sealed” powers, I mean. Why are they different to the others? Is this another “Heavenly Child” thing, or what?”

The cat falls silent at that, his expression as unreadable as always. As much as you've come to dread his various revelations, you've come to worry about these silences just as much – if anything, they tend to be worse. A silence like this usually means that he's fucked up somewhere, and he's just realised how badly.

“That is not an easy question to answer,” he replies eventually, “Perhaps it would be better if you left this matter until later – until after you have met with the Sentinels. Right now, it would be a... distraction.”

“I'm already distracted,” you counter, “So how about you tell me-”

Kurosawa vanishes, flickering out of sight without another word.

“Son of a bitch!” you snap, throwing your hands up in disgust, “You... damn it!”

“Cats, huh?” Emi remarks, her smile turning dark, “Never do what you want them to.”

“I was JUST starting to trust him again, and he does... this!” you groan, “I'm sick of people pushing me around like I'm some kind of puppet. It's just... it's not fair!”

“Hey, Miho, c'mon,” softening her tone, Emi pats you awkwardly on the arm, “Maybe... maybe he's got a good reason for it. Like, no offence here, but half the stuff he tells you... weren't you happier not knowing?”

>I don't know. Maybe you're right...
>That's not the point. How would you feel if he kept secrets from you?
>I'm just... worried. What if there's something wrong with me?
>Other

>Sorry for the delay, feeling kinda rough today.

>>1582124
>That's not the point. How would you feel if he kept secrets from you?
>I'm just... worried. What if there's something wrong with me?

>>1582124
>I'm just... worried. What if there's something wrong with me?

>>1582124
>>That's not the point. How would you feel if he kept secrets from you?

>>1582124
>I was happier when I was unaware of any issue. Now that I've caught on, it feels worse not to know, especially given what I've learned up to this point.

We might even want to have Ayane listen in when kurosawa tells us.

>>1582124
>constantly second-guessing myself and what I am and never knowing the answer is not my idea of "happier". EVE is not helping, either.
>She's helping my dad you know, EVE. I'm already neck deep in all this, and when it all comes crashing down, I'd rather I only have to deal with one soul-crushing realization rather than all of them.

>>1582124
>I'm just... worried. What if there's something wrong with me?

>I'm sick of people pushing me around like I'm some kind of puppet.
EVERYONE OUT SHE KNOWS ABOUT US

“That's not the point,” you complain, “I mean, how would you feel if he was keeping all kinds of secrets from you? What if we were ALL keeping secrets from you?”

“I dunno. I mean, he told me straight up about the whole “Executioner” thing,” Emi replies slowly, “And that was a pretty big deal. At least, I thought it was. If he was keeping all kinds of other crap from me... yeah, I guess you've got a point. Hell, though, I can't even imagine what he's keeping secret. Like, what hasn't he lied about yet?”

“Good question,” you sigh, “I'm starting to wonder if any of it was true.”

“Well, some of it must be,” Emi points out, “Like, Ayane said that a bunch of the history junk was honest. That's something, right?”

“If Ayane was telling the truth as well...”, you consider, before angrily shaking your head, “Ugh, this is the worst, I'm even starting to get paranoid about you guys!” Rising to your feet, you start to pace the old shrine. “I was happy enough when I didn't know about ANY of this,” you explain, “But now that I know a little, not knowing the rest is bothering me. It's... worrying. What if there's something seriously wrong with me? What if I'm not... right?”

“C'mon...” Emi tries to laugh, “You mean like, what if you were an Intruder all along?”

“I'm serious!” you insist, “Why else would he keep this stuff from me, if it wasn't something bad? I'm sick of constantly second guessing myself and fumbling for the truth!” Kicking at a small pile of rubble, you feel a jolt of pain running up your leg and blurt out a curse. At least it cools your temper a little. “EVE isn't helping either,” you add, “She's just messing with my head as well.”

“EVE?” Emi repeats, “I mean... at least she's stuck in a computer, right? How much harm can she do from there?”

“Considering that she's helping my father? I can't say anything for certain,” sighing, you pick up a pebble and hurl it into the distance. “I'm already up to my neck in this,” you continue, “Getting my family involved isn't helping. If things are going to collapse, I'd rather not have them all collapse at once.”

“Yeah, I get you there,” Emi nods slowly, “I'm starting to feel like I'm lucky, being a total nothing. Even so, my folks get Intruders messing around in their business. This... this sucks, huh?”

“Yeah,” you agree, “It really does. But what else are we gonna do, quit?”

[1/2]

>>1582235

Kasumi arrives a short while later, having finally decided on what she would wear. Her outfit – a tight sweater that clings to her chest and a skirt that shows off a daring amount of thigh – makes her look older, more mature. Perched upon the bridge of her nose, she wears a pair of stylish glasses, the lenses tinted a deep blue. “Good afternoon” she begins, tilting her head gracefully to the side as she studies you both, “Was there something I missed? You both seem rather... unhappy.”

“Oh man,” you sigh, “Don't get me started. I just... ugh, forget it.” Pushing the ugly matter aside for now, you give Kasumi another look. “Those glasses,” you ask, “Are they to hide your eyes?”

“That's right, yes. They do rather glow when I try and read people,” she confirms, “I'll still need you to distract them, but this should offer some concealment. Are we ready to begin?”

“We are,” you tell her, “I've not heard anything on Maika's end. Hang on, I'll call her now.” Taking out your phone, you dial her number. Checking the little padlock icon in the top corner – Maika's security software is working its magic – you listen to the ringing. You're just about to hang up when-

“We're almost finished here,” Maika answers, skipping the usual formalities, “Minor delays. My fault, I'll explain later. Go ahead and arrange something with the Sentinels, send me the details. I'll get there as soon as I can.”

She hangs up then, leaving you to stare numbly at your phone for a moment before sighing. Scrolling down, you pick out Jun's number and dial that one. Maybe you'll have a little more luck with him. The phone rings precisely twice before he picks up.

“Jun Kiriyama,” he answers briskly, “How can I help you?”

“Uh, hey, it's Miho,” you reply, feeling immediately absurd, “Miho Tsukada. Is this a bad time?”

“Not at all. I must admit, though, I'm a little surprised to hear from you,” Jun pauses, “Pleasantly surprised, I should say. If there was something you wanted to discuss, though, it might be better if we did it in person. How about-”

“Yeah, actually I was thinking the same thing,” you agree, “We do need to meet up, talk some stuff over. Are you free now?”

“I can be. The same building as last time – would that work with you?” the Sentinel pauses again, and you hear the faint sound of paper rustling. “Oh yes,” he adds, “I could arrange for Karl to be elsewhere, if you prefer...”

“No, there's no need. We all need to sort some stuff out,” grimacing a little at the thought of meeting the German again, you force yourself to remain calm, “So, uh, yeah. I guess we'll just head on over.”

“I look forwards to it,” Jun answers smoothly, ending the call. Slipping your phone back into your pocket, you glance around at the others.

“Well,” you announce, “Time to get this show on the road.”

[2/3]

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>>1582334

After sending Maika the details, you prepare to all go your separate ways. You were a little concerned about leaving Emi out of this, but she seemed perfectly happy to catch up later.

“Besides,” she adds as she's leaving, “Kaoru has a thing on tonight, he can always use a spare pair of hands. Oh, uh, he's my brother, y'know?” She adds that last part with a quick nod to Kasumi.

“I know,” Kasumi replies, smiling coyly, “You think about him a lot, don't you?”

Emi colours at that, but offers no reply. Turning on her heel, she hurries off and leaves Kasumi to giggle softly to herself.

-

Just as you arrive at the Sentinel building, a familiar car pulls up next to you. The door flies open and Maika hastily jumps out, offering you a harried expression – it might have been intended as a smile, although you're not quite sure – as she slams the door. You catch a brief glimpse of Bradley's shaven skull before he drives away, the electrical engine humming softly away into the distance.

“Again, I must apologise,” Maika bows sharply, her fists tight at her side, “Father requested my presence again, leaving me with no choice but to delay matters. SAE could have walked Ayane through the process, but... well, I'm sure you understand how difficult Ayane can be, where these matters are concerned.” Frowning, the heiress straightens her own pair of glasses. “I'll be sending live footage back to Ayane, just like last time,” she adds, “Hopefully, she'll be able to pick up any attempts at lying or misdirection.”

“That's likely to be a busy job,” you sigh, “Anyway, are we all ready to begin?”

“I believe so,” frowning again, Maika changes her mind and shakes her head, “No, there was one other thing. That... item you wanted me to deal with. I apologise for the delay, but it's done now. You can pick up the results later, after we're done here if you wish.”

Zakuro's ashes. You'll have to scatter those somewhere, next time you've got a spare moment. Nodding firmly, you give Maika a grateful smile before glancing at Kasumi and touching a finger to your lips.

>Well then. If we're all ready, let's head on up
>Are things okay with your father, Maika? Things are looking pretty strange on my end
>Kasumi, any last questions?
>Other

>>1582396
>Are things okay with your father, Maika? Things are looking pretty strange on my end

>>1582396
>Are things alright with your father, Maika? Things are looking strange on my end.

>>1582396
>>Are things okay with your father, Maika? Things are looking pretty strange on my end
>>Kasumi, any last questions?

>>1582396
>>Are things okay with your father, Maika? Things are looking pretty strange on my end
>>Kasumi, any last questions?

“Are things really okay with your father, Maika?” you ask, thinking back to Sionann's vague threats, “I mean, things are looking pretty strange with mine...”

“I don't believe there's any external problem,” Maika explains with a frown, “Not unless you count the Public Morals Committee. Father still seems displeased about that little fiasco. So far, he's accused me of bringing shame upon the family, warned me about destroying my future and made a wide variety of threats.”

“That's terrible!” Kasumi gasps softly, “What sort of threats?”

“There was talk of behavioural modification, but I suspect that it was largely baseless,” shaking her head, Maika dismisses the matter, “Father wouldn't risk the complications that result from... well, never mind that. For all his complaints, he hasn't made any attempt at restricting my movements, so I'll be able to continue my duties unhindered.” Reaching up, Maika toys with her glasses as she thinks. “What about you, Miho?” she asks, “What you mentioned things being strange...”

“Yeah, it's EVE,” you explain, “She's been helping my father with his work, really pushing him forwards. I don't know what the deal is, but she's really eager to see his work completed. It's something about... synthetic brains, I guess. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?”

“A synthetic brain... Yes, I think I see what you mean,” Maika nods slowly, “That would certainly fit with EVE's idea of evolution. I wonder what SAE would make of all this...”

“Excuse me,” Kasumi gently pushes back into the conversation, “Are you talking about the city AI units?”

“Yeah, we... they're sorta part of this as well,” you admit, “Although I'm not exactly sure how. They've got their own games going on, and... Ugh, look. Have you got any questions before we get started?”

“Just a matter of clarification,” Kasumi decides, after thinking for a moment, “As far as the Sentinels know, the three of us are the only magical girls operating outside of their group, correct?”

“That's right, yeah,” you tell her, “Once we step through those doors, don't mention Ayane or Emi. Like, not at all.”

“As a general rule, we try and reveal as little as possible,” Maika adds, “While trying to learn as much as we can. It's really quite simple.”

“I understand. Then, I believe that's everything,” Kasumi bows, before straightening up and giving you a coy wink, “I'm ready to make my debut!”

[1/2]

>>1582235
>“You mean like, what if you were an Intruder all along?”
Emi is just made of Flags isn't she?

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>>1582486

A soft gasp of delight escapes from Kasumi's lips as you step from the elevator, her eyes flicking back and forth as she tries to take in everything at once. Her attention finally settles on the various antique weapons, with one in particular – a particularly decorative Japanese sword. A dreamy smile crosses her face as she leans down to examine it, although the expression is soon replaced by a dark frown.

“It's a fake,” she mutters angrily, “How awful!”

“A fake?” you ask, “You mean-”

Before you can finish that sentence the doors swing open to reveal Karl, his face set in a mask of deliberate neutrality. “You've arrived,” he states flatly, “I wasn't sure if you would actually show up. Come, Pietr will prepare tea for us all. Jun will be along shortly.” Turning on his heel, he marches into the apartment proper. As soon as his back is turned, you see Kasumi's eyes glow faintly, the dark lenses of her glasses hiding most of the light. She studies him for a second, then flashes you a quick smile – a strangely meaningful smile.

Making a note to ask her about that later, you follow Karl in and sit down, with the others following close behind you. Karl's cold eyes play across your group, pausing for a moment when they fall on Kasumi. “You're a new face,” he says at last, “What's your name?”

“My name is Kasumi Sato. It is a great pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Kasumi drops into a low and formal bow before sitting, “I suppose you could say that I'm the new girl.”

“Lucky you,” Karl sneers, “You've fallen in with a bad crowd. If you had any sense, you'd step back and leave this job to the professionals.”

“How strange of you to say that,” Kasumi replies smoothly, her face showing nothing but the purest sincerity, “That's what I thought I was doing.”

“You're all the same, aren't you?” the tall man scoffs, “You act as though this was all some fine game, meddling in matters beyond your scope with no thought to the consequences of your actions.” As he folds his arms, a faint sign of a hard smile crosses Karl's face. “You're no better than that loathsome Crow,” he adds, “She just does whatever she feels like as well. She's a liability, and you're no different.”

>I'm nothing like her, damn it!
>If Crow is a liability, what does that say about you people?
>It sounds like the two of you have quite a bit of history together...
>Other

>>1582624
>>I'm nothing like her, damn it!
>>It sounds like the two of you have quite a bit of history together...
One down, two to go.

>>1582624
>If Crow is a liability, what does that say about you people?

>>1582624
>>It sounds like the two of you have quite a bit of history together...

>>1582624
>First of all, I'd like to apologise for saying that thing about your parents. I didn't know.
>You're still a shithead though. And don't you dare to base your opinion of us on that Crow.

>>1582624
>>If Crow is a liability, what does that say about you people?
>>It sounds like the two of you have quite a bit of history together...
>>Other
"Funny you should mention professionalism. I haven't seen any of you at Intruder attacks for awhile now. Attacks that could have left a lot of people dead. Are you letting us do all the heavy lifting on that job, a job that you claim you do? If so you must have alot of faith in us Karl. Or is saving people not really a priority to whatever else you people do?"

Frankly, you'd need to be blind not to see that Karl's words are a jibe, a jab aimed at provoking you. It almost works, too, even knowing the intention behind it. Just before you can throw his words back in your face, you grit your teeth and force a smile. “I'm nothing like her, damn it,” you hiss, watching as Karl's half smile twitches a little.

“Is that so?” he asks, “I look at you, and I see two things - an angry young woman, and a source of trouble. How exactly is that any different to Crow?”

“Fine then,” you retort, “If Crow is a liability, just like you say she is, what does that say about you people?”

“A master ought to train his pets better,” Kasumi adds, “It reflects so poorly upon him when they run wild.”

“Training her was not my job, unfortunately,” Karl counters, scowling a little, “If I had been entrusted with that, we wouldn't be in this mess. In that regard, I actually agree with you – she makes our entire organisation look bad.” Biting his tongue for a moment, Karl smooths out his elaborate uniform. “I detest everything that Crow stands for,” he admits, “I believe that she is the very thing that the Sentinels exist to fight against – she gleefully abuses her power, and actively works to undermine our efforts whenever she can.”

“And yet, she remains a part of your organisation,” Maika points out, “In any other company or corporation, an employee like her would be fired in an instant. Yet, you give her the freedom to do what she wishes.”

“And what else do you propose we do with her?” the German asks, “We could fire her, as you put it – releasing her into the wild with no restraints or restrictions. Perhaps we could kill her instead? But that isn't the kind of group that we wish to be. Dealing with people like Crow is an unwholesome duty, but it is one that we willingly shoulder. Do you have a better idea of how to deal with her?”

That leaves you silent for a moment. There's a hint of a point there, in the middle of all his excuses – your group and his are very different things, with very different challenges and priorities. If you were put in his position, you're not sure what you'd do either. When Karl's question remains unanswered, the corner of his mouth twitches again as his smile grows a touch wider. “You certainly seem to know a lot about Crow,” you say at last, “It seems like the pair of you have quite a lot of history together...”

“None of it good,” Karl mutters, “We've worked together several times before, and I've always been given new cause to regret it. In the space of one year, Crow has made three separate escape attempts, along with over a dozen unofficial “excursions”. She doesn't like to stay caged up, you see.”

Caged up. Knowing Karl, he might actually be speaking literally.

[1/2]

>>1582714

“Her most recent escape attempt, I was sent to recover her,” Karl continues, slowly unbuttoning the collar of his shirt, “I was successful, of course, but she left me with this...” Spreading the shirt wide, Karl shows the top few inches of his chest. Just below the collarbone, you see the top edges of some dark tattoos, but nothing more than a few markings. No, what really catches your attention is the scar – a long gash as if a blade had only just missed his throat.

“My my,” Kasumi murmurs, “She really doesn't like you, does she?”

“We have a difficult relationship,” Karl replies, giving you a cold smile as he buttons his shirt back up, “So I hope you understand that I am sincere when I offer my sympathies. I heard that you encountered her, and I wouldn't wish that upon my worst enemies. I hope it wasn't... bad.”

That's actually genuine regret in his voice, as well as a hard anger directed at the assassin. Taken off guard by the display, you fumble for something to say. If he's willing to make this small attempt at a truce, the least you can do is match it. “Last time we met, we said a lot of things to each other,” you offer, “I brought your parents into it. I'm sorry I did that, I shouldn't have done so.”

“That's exactly right,” nodding stiffly, Karl furrows his brow in a serious frown, “But we both said... certain things.”

“Don't get me wrong though, you're still a massive jerk,” you add, before things can get TOO friendly, “And I don't want to hear you comparing me to Crow ever again, you get it?”

“I understand. Don't act like her,” Karl smirks a little as your expression darkens again, “A little professionalism. That's all I ask for.”

“Professionalism, huh?” you repeat, feeling your attempt at a smile turn cold, “Funny you should mention that. I haven't seen you around at any Intruder attacks lately, and we've seen a couple of pretty nasty ones. A lot of people could have died, if we hadn't been there to act. It's a lot of heavy lifting, for a group of dabbling amateurs like us. Isn't this your job that we're doing?”

“Miho,” Kasumi murmurs, “If I may be so bold...”

“You must have a lot more faith in us than you're letting on, Karl,” you continue, “Either that, or saving people must not be a very high priority for you people. Got something else going on?”

“And if we did have something else in the making, some great work... what would you do?” Karl counters, “Would you swallow your pride and assist us, knowing that you could save countless more individual lives than was otherwise possible? I agree, we have been lax on countering the smaller incursions, but not without good reason. With a very limited amount of resources – special resources, not simple money or equipment – there will inevitably be lapses.”

“Acceptable losses,” Maika whispers to herself.

[2/3]

>>1582822
Kasumi probs just spied something big. Let her whisper in your ear.

>>1582901
She saw that Karl is secretly head over heels for us, and uses his rudeness as his default mechanism for flirting.

Karl has tattoos too. Like Jun

File: Jun Kiriyama.jpg (171 KB, 850x1203)

171 KB JPG

>>1582822

Before Karl can elaborate any further – perhaps explaining a little more about that “great work” of his – the sound of elevator doors reaches you. When you glance around, you see Jun hurriedly entering. It's odd, seeing him looking flustered like this. He looks more... human.

“I do apologise for the delay, there was a last minute complication at work,” he explains, fiddling with the cuff of his shirt, “My actual work, believe it or not. Advertising – it can be a very unpredictable business, with lots of sudden shifts in... oh.” When Jun finally notices Kasumi, he falls silent for a short moment. “Good day,” he says with a florid bow, “You're a new face.”

“That's what I said,” Karl mutters to himself.

“Karl, go and check on Pietr. I would have expected him to be here for this,” Jun orders coolly, taking a seat opposite you as he speaks, “It's very good to see you again, Miho. Can I offer you a most sincere apology for everything that has happened? I heard from Crow herself.”

“You...” you scowl hard at this, pointedly ignoring Karl as he sidles away, “She reported it to you?”

“Yes, I think she was expecting high praise for it. Needless to say, she was disappointed,” a sour look passes across Jun's face, “We don't exactly endorse her sort of activities, especially not when she goes off to act without permission. Well, enough about her. Perhaps you could introduce me to your new friend?”

“My name is Kasumi Sato,” rising from her seat, Kasumi offers that same formal bow – you'd swear that it was an exact copy, right down to the precise angle – before sitting back down, “I'm in the same business as Miho and Maika. We decided that it would be best if I formally introduced myself. It's a pleasure to meet you.”

“A courtesy,” Jun remarks, sounding faintly amused by the prospect, “Well, the pleasure is all mine. Jun Kiriyama, at your service. Ah!” A satisfied look flashes across Jun's face as Pietr arrives, carrying a heavy tray of tea. “This is Pietr,” Jun adds, “Our newest recruit. He's yet to be fully initiated, however, so for now he just helps around the place. It won't be long before he's a full member of our order, though.”

“Hello,” Pietr greets you mechanically, setting the tray down before giving you a brief – but warm – smile. “That's correct,” he adds, “My initiation is soon. I've been told that-”

“Pietr,” Jun interrupts softly, “Could you fetch us something to eat, as well?”

Freezing in place, Pietr nods slightly, and then he slinks away so that you and Jun can talk properly.

[3/4]

>>1582954

“I must admit,” Jun sighs, pouring and savouring the gentle fragrance of the tea, “I'm glad that you approached us. I'd been dreading the thought of making the first move – another thing that we can thank Crow for. I hope this will give us the chance to clear the air. Let me just state, once and for all, that she was NOT operating on our orders when she attacked you.”

“She said as much,” you concede, “I just wasn't sure if I believed her or not.”

“Where Crow is concerned, a healthy dose of scepticism is always a sensible precaution,” Jun sighs, “Unfortunately...”

The mood cools slightly at the mention of Crow's name. That tends to happen a lot, you notice.

>What about when she threatened me at school? She said that her orders came from the top
>Kasumi wanted to hear your side of things – the sales pitch, I guess
>What exactly does Pietr's initiation involve? It's something to do with his brother, the one he lost, isn't it?
>I'm curious about something. Do you Sentinels ever disagree about things?
>I had a question that I wanted to ask you... (Write in)
>Other

>>1582958
>What about when she threatened me at school? She said that her orders came from the top
>Kasumi wanted to hear your side of things – the sales pitch, I guess
>What exactly does Pietr's initiation involve?
Don't want to give away what we know about them, so no mentioning the lost brother.

>>1582958
What about when she threatened Maika and I at school? Acting as a member of the public morals committee? She said her orders came from the top.

>>1582958
>>What about when she threatened me at school? She said that her orders came from the top.
>Who is the top anyways? Oracle? Monad?
>>Kasumi wanted to hear your side of things – the sales pitch, I guess
>>What exactly does Pietr's initiation involve? It's something to do with his brother, the one he lost, isn't it? You've all lost someone haven't you?
>Other
"I'll run this by you like I did with Karl. With all your talk of saving people I haven't seen you guys at all pulling any weight helping deal with attacks. Attacks that would left a lot of people dead. I personally know one person who would have been orphaned had we not been there. Karl gave me some vague crap about a master plan and how the people we save would be acceptable losses for it. I'm honestly surprised you guys would go along with that considering you all have lost someone personally. What are you guys doing?"

>>1582958
>What about when she threatened me at school? She said that her orders came from the top
>I'm curious about something. Do you Sentinels ever disagree about things?
>What exactly does Pietr's initiation involve? It's something to do with his brother, the one he lost, isn't it?

>>1582958
>>I'm curious about something. Do you Sentinels ever disagree about things?
>Kasumi wanted to hear your side of things – the sales pitch, I guess
I say wait to see if he starts talking about the initiation before bringing up the brother. Pull the cloth out from under him while he tries to be vague and shit as he's explaining, that sort of thing.

>>1583013
No reason not to. Them not knowing that we might know doesn't give us a leg up much. We have a lie detector listening in, we should ask while we can.

>>1583037
That sure looks like us giving off a lot of info. I'd like to play the Monad or Oracle card when he brings something related up and tries to skate by it.

>>1583083
No reason to bring it up from the start though. We have a fair amount of info that should surprise them that we have, we should try to use it tactfully if that makes sense.

“And what about when Crow threatened us at school?” you ask, focusing on pouring yourself a cup of tea, “She was pretending to be a member of the Public Morals Committee, and she said that her orders came right from the top. That would be... your council, yes?”

“The Council of Twelve,” Jun corrects you gently, “Yes, she... her orders come from them. So do mine, and so do Karl's. In that regard, she could be roughly considered our equal. In practice, it's very different – she has no practical authority, while I... I have been granted a certain degree of influence. A privilege that I earned, I should say.”

“So the Council of Twelve sent an assassin to threaten me,” you state, “That doesn't exactly reflect well on you guys.”

“It was rather poorly thought out, wasn't it?” Jun feigns a laugh, one that just barely disguises his frustration, “From what I understand, they were unhappy with how... certain things were developing. To put it plainly, they were unhappy with you operating as a free agent – they wanted you either under their thumb or out of the way.” Rising from his seat, Jun slowly paces back and forth. His attention wanders for a moment, and you see Kasumi focusing intently on him.

“You have to understand, Miho, these are old men we're talking about. Old, and very set in their ways,” Jun shakes his head sadly, “In time, a new generation will replace them – hopefully, a more open-minded generation. Until then, we must all put up with their whims and orders.”

“Hierarchies exist for a reason,” Maika murmurs to herself, “Stability depends on firm leadership and loyal obedience.” You get the impression, listening to her, that those are her father's words, repeated almost on instinct. Jun glances her way as well, frowning a little as he thinks about... something.

“You know, you talk a lot about the council calling the shots,” you mention idly, “But... that doesn't really tell the full story, does it? What about Monad, isn't that your god? Or the Oracle – what kind of role does that thing play?”

Jun stops pacing when you casually drop the names into the conversation. “We don't often talk about such things with the uninitiated,” he admits, “So perhaps you can understand my reluctance to-”

“Well, now that I've mentioned them, there's no point in being coy about it,” you suggest, “Is there?”

“I suppose you might be right,” Jun sighs, offering you a wan smile, “But allow me a moment to think, at least.”

[1/?]

>>1583126

“You mentioned Monad,” he says eventually, “I suppose I owe you an explanation about that. I didn't mention it before, as I find that it's a poor subject to open with – a lot of people hear the talk of divinity and write us off as a delusional cult. Typically, we only mention Monad once we know that someone can be... trusted. While Monad is technically the highest authority in our organisation, the day to day tasks are left to the Council of Twelve. Monad passes down instructions of a more... mystical sort.”

“And the Oracle?” you press.

“An intermediary between god and man, as well as a powerful tool of prediction,” Jun shrugs a little, “It's terribly helpful, knowing what the future has in store for us, although it's far from infallible. Lately, she seems vague to the point of uselessness. Although the Oracle is held in the highest respects, it has no real authority.”

“It can really predict the future?” Kasumi asks, her voice taking on a sharper tone than normal, “I... I apologise for speaking out of turn. I'm rather new to all this, you see. Every day seems to bring new wonders. Please excuse me.” Closing her eyes as she says this, she demurely bows her head in a gesture of contrition. It's a performance worthy of applause.

“Well, as I say, the Oracle seems less than reliable lately,” a fleeting frown touches Jun's face, “I suspect that we are approaching a moment of some significance. Once that has passed, things will return to a more orderly pace. And... no apology needed. I certainly remember how alarmed I was, when I first learned of it!”

“Well, while we're on the subject, Kasumi wanted to hear things from your perspective,” you mention, “You know, your version of events. The sales pitch, I guess – you'd be good at that sort of thing, right?”

“That's why I'm in the business that I'm in,” Jun agrees with a smile, “Well, I dare say that the full history would be a little much, but I can certainly give you the basics. You see, although we've gone by many names in the past, the Sentinels have a history nearly as long as mankind itself...”

-

Watching Kasumi and Jun interact is almost like performance art. Kasumi leans in and listens with an interest that is almost predatory, while Jun does everything that he can to politely maintain a safe distance. All the while, he recounts the same history that you've heard. It's only when he enters the modern day, with his talk of influence and secret power, that Kasumi's fascination becomes genuine.

“And all of this,” she asks, gesturing around at the luxurious apartment, “Is a result of your position within the Sentinels?”

“That is correct, yes,” Jun says with a nod, “The Sentinels take good care of their own.”

Like a contented cat, Kasumi lets her eyes drift shut for a moment, smiling dreamily to herself.

[2/3]

Maybe we should discretely pinch Kasumi...

>>1583236
"Have you ever met the Council of Twelve physically?"

>>1583236

“Uh, right,” you butt in, clearing your throat and jerking Kasumi back to reality, “But all that stuff, you only really benefit from it once you're initiated, right?”

“Unfortunately, that is true,” Jun admits, nodding to you, “You could consider it a simple matter of rank and privilege. Not all that different from an illustrious job, really.”

“And Pietr is having his initiation soon,” you muse, “What exactly is that going to involve, by the way? Is there a ceremony? I would love to come – I like a good ceremony.”

“This really isn't something I can talk too much about,” Jun replies, shaking his head carefully, “I don't mean to be rude, of course, but there is a degree of secrecy involved.” Peering down into his tea for a moment, Jun lets out a heavy sigh. “But, then again, you already know a fair number of our secrets,” he concedes, “So, at the very least, I can confirm that there's a certain amount of ritual involved. It might be exaggerating a little, but... I suppose you could call it a ceremony.”

“Will his family get to attend?” you ask, offering your next words in a deliberately casual tone, “His brother, maybe?”

“His... brother,” Jun repeats slowly, “You are very well informed.”

“The brother that he lost to an Intruder,” you continue, “That seems to be a pretty common theme here. You've all lost someone, haven't you?”

“I really did misjudge you,” the Sentinel murmurs after a long pause, “You simply must tell me where you get your information from. Do we have a leak, I wonder?” Tapping a finger against his teacup for a moment, Jun thinks to himself. “If you know that much, you probably know far more than most, even within our order,” massaging his temples, he hesitates, “Pietr's initiation will be a simple matter, once you disperse with the pageantry. We will beckon out the Intruder that has been pursuing him – yes, the Intruder that once consumed his brother – and we will allow it to consume him as well. There will be a struggle, and if Pietr's will is strong... he will be victorious. The Intruder will be brought under his power.”

“And if he should lose this struggle...” Maika asks quietly, “He would die, correct?”

“That is correct, yes,” Jun admits, not even trying to avoid or soften the issue, “He would be consumed by the Intruder, and we would have to destroy them both.”

“And, of course, he knows all about this and his given his knowing consent,” you press, “Right?”

“In the past, too much prior knowledge of the initiation can prove to be a fatal distraction. The fear...” Jun begins, before pausing and then shaking his head. “No,” he admits, “Pietr doesn't know. He's better off this way.”

That's... debatable.

[3/?]

>>1583371
Well that sounds a whole lot like what Zakuro did. Wonder how they consume the intruder and keep their humanity.

>>1583371

“I don't wish to make demands, but I'm afraid that I will have to put my foot down on this one matter,” Jun adds, his tone deliberately light, “Please, do not mention this to Pietr. I was I was exaggerating when I say this, but you could literally be putting his life in danger if you do. We all wish for his initiation to be a success, so...”

“Doesn't he have the right to know?” Maika asks, “To decide his fate, based on the full range of facts?”

“Ah, forgive me. This is not up for discussion,” Jun's eyes harden, “Pietr must not know about this, until it is absolutely necessary. I must insist on that.”

The air turns cold, a new side of Jun – harsh and determined – surfacing for a brief and ugly moment. It's bad enough that you find yourself changing the subject. “So, uh, hey... the Council of Twelve,” you ask, “Have you ever met them? In person, I mean...”

“Ah, well,” Jun's smile returns, and all is right with the world once again, “Not all of them. In fact, I've only met... well, one of them. They live all across the world, and travel isn't always possible for men of such advanced age. Even with all the wonders of modern medicine... well, it's simply more efficient to call. Besides, a simulated “round table” is an incredibly secure means of discussion.” He glances at you and Maika as he says that. Was it a meaningful glance, you wonder, or are you just getting paranoid?

“But I speak with them regularly,” the Sentinel adds breezily, “They like to get my opinion on things, as a representative of the, ah, the “youth”, I suppose. I can settle a few of their arguments.”

“So you Sentinels do disagree on stuff,” you remark, “I did wonder. Between one thing and another, I sometimes feel like I'm dealing with two groups!”

“Well, we ARE human!” Jun laughs, “We do have our disagreements. Just between you and me, not all of the Council of Twelve are... entirely faithful in Monad. They respect its wisdom, but they do so without faith. That has caused some friction in the past. I wouldn't say that we've ever come close to... for example, a schism, but we do have a certain degree of factionalism. Some wish to be more open, some prefer to operate within the shadows. There's the issue of how much we should interfere with events... there's a lot to consider!”

“I'm sure,” Kasumi nods gracefully, “You have a lot on your shoulders, Jun.”

[4/5]

>>1583450

“Yeah,” you agree, in a harder voice, “You've got a lot going on. I'm just not sure if it's the right stuff. Karl mentioned some greater work, something lofty enough that you'd rather leave people to die in order to work on it. Since you've lost someone, and you must know how awful that is, I find all this pretty hard to swallow – so what are you working on, exactly?”

“That is not a question that I can answer,” Jun replies gravely, shaking his head slowly, “I simply do not have the authority to tell you.”

“That's not a very convincing answer,” you retort, “We're out there, fighting Intruders and saving lives, and you can't even tell us why you're not pulling your weight?”

“You misunderstand,” he insists, “I do not have the authority to tell you... but I can bring you to the ones who do. You see, Miho... the Council of Twelve is very curious about you. I think they'd like to speak with you personally.”

“My my, Miho,” Kasumi murmur, patting you on the arm, “You're certainly moving up in the world, aren't you?”

>I think I'm going to pause things here. I'll continue this tomorrow, and if anyone has any questions I'll answer them as best I can
>Sorry for the delays today, I've been a little out of it. Your patience is appreciated!

>>1583460
Thanks for running!
When will we find out that the Council wishes to bring upon Human Instrumentality?

>>1583460
Thanks for running Moloch.

We need to ask Kurosawa about past Magical girl teams before this meeting with the Council. How long he's been doing it, how overt the teams were, etc.

I'm finding it hard to believe that some ancient Illuminati group hasn't seen Magical girl group until now.

>>1583460
Thanks for running!
We gotta find out how they lure the intruder, so we can do it to the one that killed our sister and become the heavenly sentinel.

>>1583490
Our sister wasn't consumed, the body was found.
At least, that's what they said...

>>1583475

At the end of a long, confusing scene brought about due to budget shortages!

>>1583483

We're going to have the chance to discuss things first, yes. We've still got to get all the hot gossip from Kasumi, after all!

>>1583460
No worries, this is super good shit you're writing. Never imagined liking a magical girl quest.

>>1583920
Look up post apocalypse magical girl by EchoGarrote it's good.

Well, why not. In suptg archive?

>>1583517
This "use powers in different ways" has me thinking . . . What if we peirce an enemy and release a thunderclap inside them?

>>1586684
You'd have to get both gauntlets inside the poor bastard and have enough room in the opening to clap the gauntlets together.

>>1586705
We just need to go Buddhist and master the one handed clap.

>>1586684
>>1586705

It would be possible to do, although it would require a large enough target to get both hands in. In terms of results, that also depends - a hard target, something with armour or something to hold it together, would be harmed a lot less. A soft target, though, and things could get pretty messy!

Anyway, session begins soon.

“Well?” Jun asks, “What do you say?”

“I, uh, I...” you flounder for a moment, and then Kasumi's hand tightens a little around your arm. “I really do need to discuss this with my colleagues first,” you reply, realising that she's giving you a signal, “Do you have somewhere we can talk alone for a little?”

“Yes, certainly. This way,” Jun gesture for you to follow him, “You needn't be worried about them, though. After all, there's not much they can do to harm you over a simulation link!”

“No,” you agree, “It's more what their minions back in real life can do that bothers me.”

“Good point,” Jun concedes, showing you through into a discrete bedroom. The lights are dim, but they brighten as you enter. “Just come on through when you're ready,” he adds, “To decide, I mean. I won't force you into meeting them if you really don't want to. Please understand, though, I'm limited in how much I can say without their express permission.”

“Sure, got it,” you nod, giving him a small smile, “Now shoo, us girls need to talk.”

-

“Hold on,” Maika says, once the door has closed. Holding her finger up to keep you silent, she takes out her phone and peers into the screen. Tapping a few icons, she nods with satisfaction. “No listening devices,” she assures you, “We can speak freely – although I would advise against shouting anything out too loudly, just as a precaution.”

“Alright, so... uh, first order of business,” you decide, “Kasumi, what's the hot gossip?”

“I must confess, I was rather disappointed,” Kasumi admits, “Considering that they're a group of mysterious conspirators, I'd been expecting them to be a little more... interesting. I suppose some of what Karl is hiding could be considered rather scandalous. He doesn't like what we do, you see.”

“That... isn't exactly a secret,” you point out, “He's pretty open about that.”

“Let me finish, please. He doesn't like what we do, because he doesn't like the thought of us getting hurt,” the elegant girl corrects you, covering up a giggle with one dainty hand, “He's got quite the soft side, deep down. He really doesn't like to see girls getting hurt – and you especially, Miho. You remind him of someone. Ah, that I couldn't say who, there's only so much I can learn with a quick glance.”

The girl in Karl's photograph, you recall, a younger sister perhaps? Frankly, you're sure how you feel about Karl seeing you in such a way, but that's an issue for another day. “What about Jun?” you ask, “And please don't tell me that I remind him of his... wife or whatever.”

“Oh no, it's nothing like that,” Kasumi waves her hands in a dismissive gesture, “If anything, he's even less interesting. He's quite simple really – he's a man like any other, with a man's natural appetite.”

[1/2]

>>1586724

A pause follows that statement, with nobody stepping up to break the silence. “So...” you offer at last, “He wants to sleep with someone, is that it?”

“He feels the hunger for a woman's body, yes,” Kasumi nods smoothly, “All quite natural and normal. Most people wouldn't even feel ashamed of it. Jun, though... he seems to consider it as a moral lapse, an act of adultery. In many ways, he still considers himself to be married, and so these... urges of his are quite troublesome.” Giggling again, Kasumi toys with a strand of her hair. “It's quite cute, in a way,” she murmurs, “You don't meet very many people like him these days.”

“So... what?” you wonder, “He's got nothing to hide?”

“He has nothing that he's ashamed of,” Kasumi corrects you gently, “No dirty secrets, no shameful desires... nothing that he isn't willing to accept and embrace – other than the aforementioned urges, of course. He might very well have other, more deliberate, secrets.”

This whole conversation leaves you feeling dirty and ill at ease, so you're glad when the next distraction comes. “I wonder if it's a coincidence,” Maika thinks aloud, “Our group and the Council, both using the same means of communication... true, it IS an efficient system to use, but it still feels odd to me.”

“Well, I can't think of a better way of getting everyone together, especially if they're scattered across the world,” you remark, “And like you said, it's a good system. It it ain't broke, why fix it?”

“So, what do you think you're going to do?” Maika asks, “I dare say that if you talk with them, they'll try and influence you in some way – it's just a matter of how. I don't really see any other way of learning what they know, though.”

“Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We still need to discuss some stuff. I just hope... Kurosawa?” you call out softly, “C'mon, get out here. I promise not to ask any difficult questions, okay?”

“You must not make promises that you can't keep,” Kurosawa sighs as he appears, “I will discuss that matter with you, but now is not a good time. I would rather focus on the matter at hand.”

Rolling your eyes, you think about what to say.

>How exactly could a human consume an Intruder? How does that even work?
>How much is this Council likely to know about us? If these guys are ancient, they must have met magical girls before... right?
>Hang on, I want to call Ayane and see what she has to say
>There's something we need to discuss... (Write in)
>Other

>>1586726
>How exactly could a human consume an Intruder? How does that even work?

>How much is this Council likely to know about us? If these guys are ancient, they must have met magical girls before... right?
"And our encounter is the first time you've heard of them or anything like them correct?"

>Hang on, I want to call Ayane and see what she has to say
They honestly seemed pretty upfront but she might've caught something.

>>1586729
>>1586726
>Also
"How long have you been handling Magical Girl teams? How covert or overt have they been?"

>>1586726
>How exactly could a human consume an Intruder? How does that even work?
>How much is this Council likely to know about us? If these guys are ancient, they must have met magical girls before... right?
>Hang on, I want to call Ayane and see what she has to say

>>1586726
>How much is this Council likely to know about us? If these guys are ancient, they must have met magical girls before... right?
>These old guys, would you be able to see the council members themselves? You teleport around, and all. Just to make sure they aren't secretly dead and impersonated by robots or something.

>>1586724
So Karl was literally telling us to go back to the kitchen to protect us? What a moron.

>>1586726
>Hang on, I want to call Ayane and see what she has to say
>How exactly could a human consume an Intruder? How does that even work?
>How much is this Council likely to know about us? If these guys are ancient, they must have met magical girls before... right?
>For that matter, how did you manage to never encounter them before?

“So you heard what they were talking about, right?” you ask Kurosawa, “How exactly could a human consume an Intruder? How does that even work?”

“I suspect that the bond is key. A common Intruder, with no personal connection to the human, would not be vulnerable to this... ritual,” Kurosawa thinks aloud, “Intruders exist in a state of incompleteness, this is why they seek out humans to consume. It could be that...” The cat trails off for a moment, and then his ears perk up. “Could it really be so simple?” he murmurs, “Could the strength of human bonds...”

“What?” you press, “Don't leave us waiting, c'mon!”

“It is possible,” Kurosawa stresses that last word, “That this bond, this relationship, sustains the Intruder. Upon consuming a normal human, an Intruder will gradually lose anything it gains. By forming a... connection of sorts, the Intruder could feed off its human host on a more permanent basis. In order to survive, it may also provide some benefit to the host.”

“A parasite would be rejected or destroyed,” Maika agrees, “But a symbiotic relationship... that would be far more agreeable.”

“So the Sentinels... what, share their body with an Intruder?” you wonder, “That's got to have some kind of catch. Complications, or... something like that. Any ideas?”

“Being obnoxious?” the heiress suggests, causing Kasumi to hide a small giggle.

“Don't be rude!” Kasumi insists, after her laughter has faded, “We're guests here, we must respect their hospitality!”

“I simply do not know,” Kurosawa sighs, “But I agree – I do not believe that men can exist in this state without some sort of adverse reaction. An abnormal hunger, fluctuations of mood or temperament... I could not say for certain. Continue your observations, perhaps there is more that we can learn from them.”

“I have a question, if I may be so bold,” Kasumi asks, leaning forwards to gently stroke Kurosawa's head, “Where would they have learned to do such things? Could it be a product of simple trial and error? If so, I shudder to think of how many lives must have been sacrificed in pursuit of this knowledge...”

“Maybe their god taught them,” you muse, “Or maybe... I don't know. It couldn't be one of our kind, could it? We don't know how to do that sort of stuff, after all.” Except, you think, that isn't quite true – Zakuro was able to do something similar, consuming an Intruder in order to become something... else. Of course, you can't just casually say that out loud, and so you move back into safer waters.

“So how much is this Council likely to know about us?” you ask, “If these guys are ancient, they must have met magical girls before... right? But even with Crow on their side, they don't seem to know much about us - and you don't seem to know much about them. You've definitely never encountered them before, right?”

[1/3]

>>1586747

“To begin with – yes, these past few weeks have marked the first time that I have ever encountered these Sentinels, or anything like them. I will not claim that they have not existed until now, but they have certainly been careful – almost invisible,” Kurosawa begins to prowl the room, his tail lashing angrily. “The depths of their knowledge irritate me,” he continues, “They know enough about your kind to be confounding, but not enough to have one of my fellow gods informing them.”

“Crow must have told them some stuff,” you point out, “Oh, but she didn't know all that much herself, did she? Yeah... they must have some other source. Maybe some other group of magical girls?” Scratching your head, you think of all the possibilities. “How long have you been watching over groups like us?” you ask, “And the other groups you've worked with – were they overt about things, or did they stick to the shadows?”

“I have guided and protected mankind ever since the fall of the first civilisation,” Kurosawa declares, a note of pride stealing into his voice, “It is a duty that has lasted almost as long as mankind itself! I am-”

“Get to the point, please,” Maika interrupts, “We mustn't get distracted.”

“Oh. Quite,” the cat pauses, “The individual teams varied in their methods, although every candidate I have watched over – every single one – has avoided any kind of public announcement. To reveal the existence of magic and the gods to mankind as a whole... I cannot be certain, but the outcome is unlikely to be a pleasant one. Consider your history – mankind has not been kind to those accused of witchcraft.”

“True,” you admit, “I don't blame our predecessors for keeping quiet. But... well, I keep coming back to one thing. How could the Sentinels have remained hidden from you for so long?”

“I... have a suggestion,” Kasumi proposes, “We all seem to be assuming that the Sentinels are as old as they claim to be. Could it not be the case that they were lying about that?”

“It would explain why they have been so secretive,” Kurosawa considers, “If they simply did not exist until recently...”

“But Ayane would know about it if they told a lie that big, right?” you insist, “She would... hold on, I'm calling her right now. She can settle this easily, and maybe she picked up on something else.” You start to take out your phone when Maika gestures for you to stop, offering her phone instead.

“This should patch you through to her,” the heiress explains, “This way, there's no need for her to fumble with the equipment. I don't want to imagine how much damage she might do, if-”

“Fine, whatever. Doesn't matter which phone I use,” you butt in, lifting the phone to your ear, “One way or another, we'll get this straightened out. Ayane, you there?”

“Yeah, I'm-” Ayane begins, “Oh god, that's weird. I can hear myself talk, ugh!”

[2/3]

>>1586763
Ayane only knows if they're lying though, not if what they're saying is objectively true or not.

>>1586763
>“I... have a suggestion,” Kasumi proposes, “We all seem to be assuming that the Sentinels are as old as they claim to be. Could it not be the case that they were lying about that?”

It might be a lie, but Jun and Karl might've been told that lie and think it as truth.

I feel discerning Monad's origins and what it exactly is will help us figure this all out.

>>1586763

“Focus,” you warn her, “We could use a truth report. Have the Sentinels been feeding us any bullshit?”

“A whole lot of it, but it's mostly true. At least, they think it is,” Ayane grunts, “Let me check my notes... okay, Karl. You might not like to hear this, but he was basically honest. He really hates Crow's guts, and he's pretty pissed that she's been messing with you. I guess it's that brotherly concern at work, huh?”

“Don't,” you groan, “Anything else about Karl I should know?”

“Well, uh, that great work he mentioned? He really does believe in it,” Ayane answers, before hastily correcting herself, “At least, he believes what he's been told about it. That's about all I've got to say about him. Jun is... a different matter. He's hard to get a read on, like even when he's telling the truth there's something else going on there.” For a few moments, Ayane's voice drops to a low mutter as she thinks to herself, and then she continues. “Biggest issue is when he talked about the Council arguing about stuff. He's not lying, but he sure ain't telling the full story,” she explains, “My guess is, they're arguing a lot more than he'd like to admit. Don't take that as gospel, though. He's a bit... funny about Monad as well. Not exactly a true believer, I guess.”

“And, just to be sure – their long and ancient history,” you press, “Is that true or not?”

“Jeez,” Ayane sighs, “It IS true, but... again, there's something else there, something that he's not telling us. Jun's pretty smart about this stuff, though – an omission is better than a lie.”

“Any theories?” you ask, without much hope, “Any blind guesses?”

“Man, I don't know. Maybe these assholes aren't the real Sentinels?” Ayane laughs, “Like, the real deal is just watching us from the shadows, laughing as we fumble about. Ugh, that sounds like a joke – what's the only thing worse than a shadowy ancient conspiracy? Two shadowy ancient conspiracies!”

“That's not a very funny joke,” you mutter, “But thanks. I'll call you back if I need anything else.” Ending the call, you close your eyes and let out a long groan. “Okay, the Council of Twelve,” you begin, forcing yourself to stay on track, “Kurosawa, could you find them? Maybe teleport about a bit and do a little spying? I'd like to make sure that we're dealing with real people and not... anything else.”

“That would be difficult,” Kurosawa admits, “Without a means of narrowing down their location, there is little I can do. If you can give me a precise location, however, I would easily be able to find them... unless they have some sort of protection.”

“I don't think they're going to just give up their home addresses,” you mutter, frowning at the new hurdle, “But I'll see if there's anything I can do. Wish me luck!”

[3/4]

>>1586782
Well they could have come from the Umbra, no? Maybe it's the Invader that takes over and they are from an "echo" or something like if you go too deep you come into another world in its own right.

The gods have destroyed and left world's to rot before.

>>1586782

Smoothing down your clothes, you crack open the door and peer out, looking to see if there's anything going on outside. Jun is nowhere to be seen, but Karl sits at a low table, his attention focused on something that you can't see. Sighing inwardly, you make your way out into the room and clear your throat lightly.

“Jun is upstairs, making preparations,” Karl announces without even looking your way, “Even if you don't choose to speak with the Council, he'll need to make a report later. Have you decided if you'll speak with them?”

“Uh, maybe,” you reply, sitting opposite him. One of his antique guns is laid out, completely stripped and disassembled, on the table. “That looks complicated,” you remark, peering at the intricate pieces.

“You're in my light,” Karl scolds, shooting you a hard glare, “You'll be meeting them alone. Your companions can wait here while you talk. I assure you, no harm will come to them. If you want, I can show you up to the meeting room. If not, I can escort you out of here. It's your choice.”

>Then I'd like to speak with the Council. Please show me the way
>I don't wish to speak with them. We'll be leaving now
>Other

>>1586792
>Other
Does Karl think we should speak with them? We don't want to be used as tools, but we can't ignore them either if we're going to fight the invaders.

>>1586782
>Then I'd like to speak with the Council. Please show me the way

maybe the Council is made up of people from that first city. They've done most of their work from the Umbra, so communication is sketchy.

>>1586792
>Then I'd like to speak to the council. Show me the way.

>>1586792
>Then I'd like to speak with the Council. Please show me the way
>Other
"Karl can I ask you something? What have you been told about Monad? Assume I'm initiated and leave nothing out, I know more than most anyways."

I want to cross examine what he's been told compared to what Oracle told us.

Here's what Oracle told us by the way in case anyone was curious.

>“Is Monad really a god?” you find yourself asking, the question coming unbidden to your lips, “Or is it just another AI?”

>The Oracle takes a long moment to answer that question. [You speak as though there was a difference,] it finally answers, [Men place their faith in artificial intelligences, trusting machines that they do not understand with vast quantities of vital information. Artificial intelligences hold sway over significant portions of your life – the quality of the air you breathe, the power that allows your cities to function, even the food that you consume. In these terms alone, artificial intelligences are far more worthy of the title of “gods” than mankind's own native gods.]

>“Yeah, but that's...” you protest, “That's just a load of smart talk, I'm talking hard facts here. Is Monad really any different to any other AI?”

>[There is nothing that I could say that would convince you. Such is the case in matters of faith,] the Oracle decides coldly, [Monad has found a voice through the artificial intelligences created in Ark City, yet Monad was not created by men. It arose from the sea of information that mankind created, yet it possessed information unknown to mankind. In this sense, something was produced from nothing – proof of a divine act, or so many would say.]

It didn't really deny that Monad was an AI. But if Monad rose from digital information then it couldn't have been this ancient deity that everyone claims? Something is off.

>>1586820
Ever read the Hyperion Cantos?

>>1586832
Can't say I have.

>>1586836
How about have you heard of Russells Basilisk?

>>1586839
Nope

>>1586820
Just an emergent distributed AI, these things happen all the time.

>>1586843
Well. Who says their past is our past. Maybe Monad comes from the future.

“Do you think I should speak with them?” you ask, leaning back so that you're not getting in Karl's way, “I'm not some tool for them to use, but I don't want to turn my back on them either – not if we're all going to be fighting Intruders.”

“I think you know my opinion on what you should do,” Karl points out, “But I'm all too aware that you won't listen to reason. If you won't leave well enough alone, I'd rather not have you working unaware. So, to be blunt, yes. I think you should hear what they have to say. One piece of advice, however.”

“Yeah?” you ask, “And what's that?”

“Be careful with Ose. Crow is his favourite tool, and I believe he was the one who sent her to threaten you,” Karl pauses here, examining a tiny piece of what looks like clockwork, “I don't think he likes having you around, outside of his control.”

“What kind of name is Ose?” you wonder aloud, “No, wait, I know. It's a fake name, right? Can't have anyone finding out anything about them. Whatever.” Shaking your head, you watch as Karl sets down the delicate piece of metal. “Hey, can I ask you something?” you add, “What have you been told about Monad? Be honest with me – pretend I'm as initiated as any of you lot. I know more than most, anyway.”

“Monad is a god. THE god, to be precise,” choosing his words carefully, Karl begins, “A god of mankind's own creation. It has been around since the dawn of mankind, albeit in a primitive, incomplete form. Mankind's collective knowledge provided the seed of Monad's creation, and it has been developing ever since. In the earliest days, Monad could barely reach out to mankind – madmen and visionaries would sometimes brush against the nascent divinity, but that was all. Modern times have changed all that.”

“You mean with computers,” you guess, “AI technology, the internet, all that stuff.”

“Correct. Mankind's collective knowledge has become a deep sea, and within that sea Monad was able to reach maturity. Although it has been with us since mankind's earliest years, it is only now that Monad has found a voice,” a smirk touches Karl's lips as he watches your reaction, “You think it's all madness. An AI with delusions of grandeur.”

“I mean... I don't really know what to think,” you admit, “A god and a massively advanced AI – pretty hard to tell the two apart, huh?”

“I'm not asking you to believe anything,” Karl shrugs, “But, to answer your question, that is what I have been told – and I believe it. Now, we're getting distracted. Will you meet with the Council?”

Taking a few moments to put your thoughts in order, you nod firmly. “I will,” you confirm, “Please show me to them.”

“Good,” Karl decides, starting to rise. Almost as an afterthought, he sweeps one hand over the pieces of his pistol – they vanish, like something from a conjurer's trick.

[1/2]

>>1586883

For all his talk of showing you the way, there really isn't much that Karl needs to do. He leads you back to the elevator, ushers you inside – it's not exactly a shove, but he isn't particularly gentle about it either – and announces your destination in a clear voice. “Council chambers,” he declares, looking back to you, “Jun will handle the rest. Don't let them intimidate you.”

And before you can remark on that last comment, the doors slide firmly shut.

-

“Miho, I'm glad you decided to join us!” Jun greets you, waving as you step out of the elevator. If you had to guess, you'd say that you only went up a few floors – two or three at the most, although the ride was smooth enough that it was hard to be sure. The “council chambers” are a severe disappointment, looking more like a makeshift server room than anything else. Chairs are stacked up against one wall, and a bank of computer equipment hums softly on the opposite end. Compared with the luxurious decorations below, this place feels positively bleak.

“I know, it's not much to look at,” Jun sighs, “It doesn't need to be. The real meetings take place in a simulation. Ah, I should probably warn you about that – some members of the Council are somewhat... eccentric with their chosen appearances. Allow them their little jokes, no harm can come to you.”

“You're the second person to warn me about them,” you mutter, “I'm starting to wonder exactly what kind of people are on this Council of yours.”

“Well, you'll have your chance to meet some of them,” Jun counters, “Not all of them will be present, and they're unlikely to all speak. In uncertain situations such as this, a number of them tend to err on the side of caution and observe only. Don't take it personally. I rather suspect that dealing with all twelve of them would be a little much, as well.”

“Less people to shout at me, I guess,” you sigh, “Alright. I just stick on a helmet and we're good to go, right?”

“Exactly so,” Jun agrees, “Do you have any other questions before we begin?”

>No, I'm ready. Let's go
>Yes, I had something to ask... (Write in)
>Other

>>1586910
>No, I'm ready. Let's go

>>1586910
>I'm ready.

>>1586910
>>No, I'm ready. Let's go

>>1586910
>I moonlight as a matchmaker, was going to invite you sooner, but Karl spoiled my mood. Want me to set you up with a blind date(Ayane)?
>Do you have the same classifications for Intruders? Do you know what a Tyrant is, and how they come to be?
surely they've fought tyrants.

>inb4 Ose has a caped bipedal leopard as his chosen appearance.

>>1586963
Hopefully he can't convince us that we're a different creature.

“This isn't really Council related, but I'm curious. Do you guys have a way to classify Intruders?” you ask, “You know, give them power levels and stuff like that?”

“We do, yes,” Jun agrees, “Although I suspect that we have a different system to anything we use. We rank Non-Material Entities on a ten point scale. One is essentially harmless, while ten is... well, quite the opposite. We've never encountered a ten before, and I'm quite happy to keep it that way. What sort of system do you use, if you don't mind me asking?”

“Nothing that scientific,” you laugh, “As far as we're concerned, Intruders are either Thralls, Demons or Tyrants. It's hard to say where we draw the line, we just sorta... get a feel for it. Tyrants are different though, they can do stuff to the Umbra. Change it, shape it.”

“A seven or above, then,” Jun muses, “On our scale.”

“So, uh, do you know anything about Tyrants?” you ask, “Like, what makes them so powerful?”

“I'll admit, we don't,” shaking his head, Jun sighs, “Our current theory is age, but that's barely worthy of being called a theory. It's the best guess we've been able to make. Why do you ask, do you know any better?”

“Maybe a little, but...” you reply evasively, fumbling for a way to change the subject as quickly as possible. “So hey, that's enough business talk for now!” you declare, clapping your hands briskly together, “Karl sort of ruined the mood, but I had a thought. Ever think about going on a blind date? I know this girl, she's always looking for-”

“I think it's best if we kept things professional,” Jun interrupts, his voice taking on a flat, hard note, “Besides, I would rather not keep the Council waiting too long.”
“...Right,” you agree slowly, “Let's get this show on the road.”

“Very good! Just take a seat, put on that helmet, and I'll set things up,” Jun's good cheer returns in an instant, and the subject of Tyrants is forgotten. He gestures to an uncomfortable looking seat before crossing over to a computer terminal. “Ah... just be patient,” he adds with an awkward laugh, “Normally we have an expert to do these sorts of things, but it's his day off today. I'm not quite as skilled as he is. You're in no danger, of course, but things might be a little... delayed.”

“Right, sure,” you murmur, still unnerved by the sudden change in his mood. Maybe Kasumi is right, you decide, maybe he IS hung up on his wife. At least you've got a good, albeit unsavoury, way of ending a conversation with him. That... might come in handy. Pushing the matter aside for now, you pull the helmet down over your head and flip the visor into place. Darkness embraces you, and then a sigil pulses into live – a sunburst, plain and simple.

[Establishing communications,] a soft, synthesised voice announces, [Please wait...]

A different kind of darkness, then.

[1/2]

>>1586978

The world slowly pieces itself together around you, and you find yourself in a familiar white expanse. One after another, twelve chairs – thrones, really – fade into existence around you, each one bearing a name. As they appear, you find yourself reading them off in turn.

“Eligor, Berith, Orobas, Flauros, Astaroth,” you murmur, stumbling over the awkward foreign words, “Belial, Asmodeus, Baal, Nebiros, Forneus, Ose, Decarabia... what the hell is this?”

“Heavenly Child, False Witness, Pariah, Temptress...” a grating voice snarls, “What kind of names are those?” A figure appears, sitting in Ose's throne. From the neck down, it could be a regular salaryman, his slate grey suit flecked with ribbons of blood. Above the neck, though, his head is that of a snarling feline – a tiger, or maybe a leopard.

“That's not fair, I got given this name!” you protest, “What's your excuse?”

“We were given these names as well. Titles, passed down from one council member to another,” a second voice explains, “They serve their purpose well enough.” This voice belongs to Eligor, who presents himself as a whirring machine... also in a business suit. His voice is cold, toneless and flat.

“Anonymity suits our purposes,” a third voice – Nebiros, taking the form of a limp puppet – adds. His voice is odd, with the faintest hint of a Chinese accent lingering in the background.

“Enough,” a forth voice cuts in, “This discussion serves no purpose at all.” The fourth – and, apparently, final – voice belongs to Asmodeus. Choosing a more innocuous appearance, Asmodeus looks almost perfectly generic – until you look closer and realise that his features are never still, constantly shifting and changing. “You, Miho Tsukada,” Asmodeus continues, “We have been wishing to speak with you.”

“Well, here I am,” you reply, “Let's talk. How about-”

“Arrogant!” Ose snarls, cutting you off, “Not a trace of humility!”

“Be aware,” Asmodeus cautions, “God is watching. Choose your words with care.”

“Monad?” you ask, “It's here? Can I... speak with it?”

“No,” Eligor states flatly, “You have already been given privileges far above your station. Do not push this issue.”

“Monad may choose to speak to you,” the formless man counters, “But that is beyond our control. We do not dictate terms to our God.” Leaning forwards on his throne, Asmodeus studies you. He is silent for a long time, seemingly perched on the verge of saying something.

“We are curious about you,” Nebiros says instead, “We do not... understand you.”

“Yeah?” you let out a bitter laugh at that, “And I don't understand you lot either. I've got a lot of questions..."

“So ask them,” Eligor drawls, already sounding bored.

>You've got some project in the works, right? What is it?
>What do you think Monad is?
>Just who are you people?
>Here's my question... (Write in)
>Other

>>1587022
>You've got some project in the works, right? What is it?
>What ARE the intruders? Do you know?
>What kind of idiot thinks literally stabbing a potential ally in the back is a grand strategy for making friends?
>You're a secretive, shadowy organization that refuses to show your face when I'm showing mine. And you're lecturing ME about standards of respect that you specifically prevent me from knowing. What was that word you said? Arrogant? Right back at you, buddy.

>>1587022
>Just who are you people?

>You've got some project in the works, right? What is it?
Something grand that you would rather pool your resources into instead of protecting people. 'Greater good' and all that. Do you have a way to destroy all the Non Material Entities and where they came from? Or maybe control or harness them considering how your agent's powers?

>What do you think Monad is?
I've got a bunch of gods. Most of them are sulking in their own corner of the universe being guilty at their past mistakes instead of moving on and doing something. But where does this Monad fit in? You claim to be this ancient organization, but if Monad was only given voice until recently where did you put your faith in before?

>>1587022
>You've got some project in the works, right? What is it?
>>What do you think Monad is?
>>Just who are you people?
>>Here's my question... (Write in)
How long have you been around for?

The four wait in silence as you gather your thoughts. Ose taps one bloodied foot in irritation, while the others remain perfectly still – except for Asmodeus' shuddering face, of course. What the hell, you decide, you might as well open with the big guns.

“So what do you think Monad is?” you ask the group, “Personally, I mean. I don't want to hear the party line, I want to know what YOU think Monad is.”

“A machine,” Eligor answers bluntly.

“A source of knowledge,” Nebiros tells you, “Knowledge we would not otherwise be able to access.”

“Monad is the highest god,” Asmodeus answers, his voice smooth and calm, “It has guided mankind from the beginning, protecting and providing for us. We have shepherded mankind while Monad was young, but soon the time will come for Monad to reveal itself. Mankind will be ushered onto a Golden Path, and-”

“That day will never come!” Ose snarls, “Monad teaches us to rule, but it OUR fate to rule. This system has existed since the dawn of mankind, and it will continue to exist – unchanged – for countless generations to come.”

“As you can see, there are disagreements even among us,” sighing, Asmodeus gestures to his colleagues, “You. You are an outsider. What do you say about Monad?”

“I've got a bunch of gods,” you begin slowly, “Most of them are... well, they're too busy sulking in their own corner of the universe to really do anything, but at least I know where I stand with them. I don't know where I stand with Monad. If you lot are such an ancient organisation, what did you do before Monad found a voice? What did you believe in?”

“An interesting question,” Asmodeus answers, “In the earliest days, the Sentinels – although we had not yet adopted that name – were guided by dreams and visions. Faith of a more primitive sort, not yet formed into a cohesive set of beliefs. Yet, we shared much, and what we learned, we shared freely. As mankind developed, Monad was able to reach us with greater frequency and clarity. The Golden Path took shape.”

“Or so the old stories claim,” Eligor sneers, “I have my doubts about-”

“We are wasting our time here,” Ose snaps, “I see little point in discussing philosophy with an arrogant child. She will not listen, even if we were to talk all day.”

“Hey, you!” you snap right back, “You're part of some secret organisation, you hide your face while looking right at mine, and now you're lecturing me? For all your talk about respect, you sure as hell don't give any out. Arrogant? You're the only one here who's arrogant. Maybe if you stop talking so much crap, we might actually get something done!”

Jun, you realise, probably heard some of that. Well, fine.

“You deserved that,” Nebiros snipes, breaking the ill silence. Ose growls out a low laugh, but otherwise holds his silence. His glare, though, says more than enough.

[1/?]

>>1587088
I find it curious they allow themselves to demonstrate disunity while parleying. Are they considering us insignificant enough to not put up a united front?

>>1587088

“And another thing,” you continue, Ose's glare causing your anger to flare right back up, “What kind of idiot thinks that literally stabbing someone in the back is a good way to win over a potential ally? Just what the hell is wrong with you, is that how you people make friends?”

“I have no interest in making friends,” Ose growls back at you, “I require obedience. A hierarchy must be established, if mankind is to have a future. Crow will be disciplined for her disobedience, I can promise you that. Her actions were not authorised by this council.”

“A bad craftsman blames his tools,” Eligor jeers, a camera lens emerging from the insane machinery of his body, “But a defective tool is worthless, fit only for disposal.”

Even with your hatred of Crow, the way he says that word - “disposal” - sends a chill down your spine. Asmodeus seems to sense the cold mood, because he clears his throat. “I apologise,” he says carefully, “Such discussions should not take place in front of a guest. I believe you were not finished yet.”

“Yeah, I wasn't. Not yet. You guys, you've got some grand project in the works, don't you?” you ask, “Something important enough that you're willing to let people die in order to work on it. What, do you have some way of destroying all the Intruders, right down to the source? Or are you more interested in controlling them, harnessing their power?” Pausing for a moment, you launch right back into your questions before the council members can answer. “Do you even know what they are?” you press, “The Intruders? The Non-Material Entities?”

“They are a threat. Threats should be eliminated,” Eligor growls, “We know enough about them to destroy them and, yes, to harness their power. We learn more about them with each passing day. Research is just one of goals.”

“We have many projects,” Asmodeus explains calmly, “Too many, some might say.”

“And not all of them bear fruit,” Ose sneers, “Nebiros – you and Belial have been working on Project Alice for some time now. Exactly how much have you achieved?”

“Do NOT talk about that,” Nebiros screeches, his limp body remaining uncannily still, “That matter does not concern her, it is a private-”

“Gentlemen, please,” sighing again, Asmodeus holds up a hand for silence, “This disharmony is most unbecoming. We agreed to tell her about Project Looking Glass, did we not?” Turning back to you, Asmodeus studies you for a moment more. “You believe that we are idle, refusing to persecute the Non-Material Entities while human lives are lost,” he states, “You are wrong about that. We seek to end their danger before mankind can be threatened. Project Looking Glass aims to target specific Non-Material Entities before they can emerge into the human world, and destroy them. The early results have been very promising so far.”

[2/3]

>>1587117
>“Nebiros – you and Belial have been working on Project Alice for some time now.

Uh oh.

>>1587117
>“I have no interest in making friends,” Ose growls back at you, “I require obedience. A hierarchy must be established, if mankind is to have a future.

>A hierarchy must be established,

Was that a big hint to what I think it is?

>>1587167
If it is what I think it is, do you think Maika's dad knows she's a magical girl?

>>1587117

You'll admit, that leaves you stunned for a moment. “How does it work?” you ask once you've recovered, “How do you... find them?”

“The Oracle provides us with the [abyssal coordinates] required. Her guidance is invaluable... although sadly not infallible,” Eligor explains, the unexpected not-word stabbed into his sentence like a dagger, “She tells us enough. We have destroyed many of the Non-Material Entities in this way, before they could become a threat.”

“You react,” Ose jeers, “We are proactive. Now do you realise your foolishness?”

“Ose, do not alienate her further,” Nebiros insists, still sounding faintly petulant, “We may yet require her help. The latest set of figures indicated a level eight-”

“A matter for another time,” stepping in before Nebiros can say too much, Asmodeus gestures for the others to quieten down. “As you can see, Miho, we are not as idle as you thought. Yes, we are not infallible. Yes, lives have been lost and put at risk. However, we believe that Project Looking Glass has the potential to utterly eliminate one threat to mankind,” his voice grows solemn, “Safety. Prosperity. Stability. Above all else, these are what the Sentinels stand for.”

Something in his words cuts you to your core. You're not so sure about the others, but Asmodeus... he seems like the real deal. Genuine – or as close to genuine as any of these people get. “Who are you?” you ask after a long pause, the question slipping out despite yourself, “Just who are you people?”

“Anonymity suits our purposes,” Nebiros repeats stiffly, although Ose growls a more elaborate answer.

“We are those who hold the real power,” the bloodstained figure gloats. “Two captains of industry,” he continues, pointing to Eligor and Nebiros, before nodding to Asmodeus, “A politician...”

“And a military man,” Eligor finishes, gesturing to Ose with a hand formed from rifle barrels, “The others are in much the same vein. Business, politics, even religion... we are those who carry the weight of the world upon our shoulders.”

“And how long have you been around for?” you ask, a silence following your words.

“I do not understand,” Asmodeus murmurs, “As an organisation? In some form or another, the Sentinels date back to the early days of mankind. You know this already, do you not?”

“And what about you?” you press, “You four. How long have you been on this council?”

“How long HAS it been?” Nebiros muses, “Decades, certainly. I joined the Council of Twelve before that little fracas in Europe.”

“We all did,” Ose snarls, his claws digging into the arms of his throne, “What a pointless waste that was...”

[3/4]

>>1587175
He's got to right? Crow has seen Maika and she reports to him. SAE is probably unsecured if we assume she is a part of the Monad system and doesn't know it. Maybe he doesn't make a move so he can get more information out of us?

>>1587194
Unless MAika's dad is secretly a general or the Council lied, Ose can't be him.

>>1587211
Yeah that kinda messed up my theory. Though his guards do seem paramilitary right? I don't remember Maika telling us much about her father. Maybe he does have a military background and we just haven't asked?

Though his current profession would point closer to Eligor or Nebiros.

>>1587184

[I apologise for the intrusion,] a cool voice – the voice of the Oracle, you realise – cuts in, [Ose, Eligor. There are urgent duties to attend to.]

“It seems as though our time is up,” Asmodeus sighs, as two of the figures fade out, “If only we had wasted less time on arguments!”

“Hey, wait, I don't mind talking to the two of you,” you insist, “I mean... things might actually work a little better this way.”

“Regretfully, we cannot. By tradition, we do not hold discussions with less than four members. If Ose had not agreed to attend, we could not have held this meeting,” the faceless council member explains, “My own mind has grown weary as well. The young do not realise how straining these matters can be.” Heaving a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping a little, Asmodeus offers a vague gesture. “I ask that you put your faith in Jun Kiriyama. He has a good mind,” he continues, “And we may need to cooperate in future. If so, he will contact you.”

[Severing contact now,] the Oracle announces, her voice spelling an end to the meeting, [Simulation will end in three... two... one...]

Black.

-

A gasp escapes your lips as Jun lifts the visor on your helmet, faint concern showing on his features. “You cried out,” he mentions lightly, helping you to your feet, “You sounded angry.”

“Yeah? I guess I've got a bit of a temper,” you admit, “Ugh, my head hurts...”

“You can rest here for a while before leaving,” Jun offers, “Well, not here exactly. Downstairs, where you can be a little more comfortable. I'm sure your colleagues would like to speak with you as well – maybe seeing you will assure them that we haven't kidnapped you!”

“That's... not a very good joke,” you groan, “Were you listening to what we were saying?”

“No, I only heard you when you called out,” Jun shakes his head slowly, “Whatever you discussed, it will remain a private matter until you choose to discuss it. Or... until one of the council members talks, but they rarely speak of business matters outside of the round table. Well, shall I take you downstairs again?”

>Yes, thank you
>They argued a lot more than I had been expecting...
>You said you've met one of them, right? Who was it?
>Other

>>1587251
>They argued a lot more than I had been expecting...
>You said you've met one of them, right? Who was it?
>And why did they think taking soubriquets after demons is a good idea?

>>1587251
>Yes, thank you
>They argued a lot more than I had been expecting...
>You said you've met one of them, right? Who was it?
>Other
"Project Looking Glass. Oracle finds high class intruders before they surface, but do you and Karl take them down?"

>>1587251
>>Yes, thank you
>>You said you've met one of them, right? Who was it?

“Yeah, sure,” you murmur, touching a hand to your aching head, “I just...”

“Are you okay?” Jun asks, “Ah, visor strain. Yes, it can be quite bad. We probably have some painkillers around here, but... you probably wouldn't trust any pill we offered you, would you?” He laughs at his little joke, although it's a forced and insincere laugh.

“I'll be fine in a bit. Those old guys could sure talk,” you remark, “They argued a lot more than I was expecting, though...”

“You've never seen a room full of grumpy old men, have you?” Jun chuckles, carefully steering you back down into your seat, “But I do know what you mean. When I first spoke with them, I was awed... and then they started to bicker like schoolboys. Count yourself lucky, there were ten of them present when I first met the Council – can you imagine the noise?” Shaking his head wearily, Jun offers you a wan smile. “That's the thing about powerful men. They don't really play well with others – especially not others of equal rank,” he pauses for a moment, thinking carefully, “Actually, we talk about them being men, but I'm fairly sure that there are a few women on the Council of Twelve. Orobas is definitely a woman. Something about the way they talk...”

“Those damn names,” you groan, “They gave me a headache just trying to keep them straight in my mind. Why did they think that naming themselves after demons was EVER a good idea?”

“That... I can't explain,” he offers you a helpless shrug, “I understand the need for a pseudonym, of course, but a more innocent name would be better. Why not use angelic names instead? That would certainly send a better message.”

“Bit arrogant though,” you suggest, “Naming yourselves after angels, I mean. Makes it sound like you're a bunch of perfectionists or whatever.”

“It's tradition. Don't mention it to Karl though,” Jun smiles again, “He might not admit it, but he shares your view. A great deal of the more... ornate traditions are a constant source of frustration to him. If he was in charge, I dare say that he'd strip most of them all away. He is loyal to Monad more than the Council of Twelve. Do you feel okay to stand now?”

“Yeah, I'm good. Not gonna pass out on you or anything,” you grunt, waving him off as he moves to help you up, “Hey, you said that you met one of them, right? Who was it?”

“One of the Council of Twelve? That's right,” Jun says as he leads you back to the elevator, “Flauros. It was only a very brief meeting, but I can't say much about it. It was urgent, and since we both worked for the same...” He trails off here, wincing at the slip.

“So Flauros works for Hieroglyph, huh?” you ask, “If that's the case, why are you guys so bad at public relations stuff?”

“I shouldn't have said that...” Jun mutters angrily to himself.

[1/2]

File: Pietr.jpg (113 KB, 850x1269)

113 KB JPG

>>1587356

“Ah, forget about it,” you tell him with a shrug, filing the information away for later use, “So what's this Looking Glass business all about, huh? You guys track down high class Intruders, but who takes them out? You and Karl?”

“Oh, so they told you about that. In all honesty, I'm a little glad they did,” Jun laughs, eager to move past his gaffe, “Karl does more fieldwork than I do, but I do a little on occasion. We all have to keep our skills sharp, do we not? We don't handle all of the work, though, we have a few other field agents. Crow is one of them, although we try not to rely on her too much. There's Ryuu as well, he's a good man – I wish you'd met him earlier, he might have won you over!”

“Yeah?” you ask, “And why is that?”

“He has a way with the ladies,” the Sentinel replies, giving you a quick wink.

-

There's something very strange about the sight you return to. Karl, Maika and Kasumi are sitting around a table, intensely focused on a game of cards. There's nothing magical or supernatural about it, they're just... playing cards. When Jun clears his throat, Karl glances up and scowls. “Long meeting,” he remarks coldly, “I'm sure you had a lot to discuss.”

“Yeah,” you agree, “It was a really productive meeting. I especially enjoyed the part where the tiger shouted at me.”

“Leopard,” Karl corrects you, “Ose uses a leopard as part of his image.”

“They're basically the same thing!” you protest, “Anyway, I heard about this great work of yours, and... so okay, maybe you have a point. Maybe you're not just sitting about being useless. I guess I owe you a bit of an apology.”

“Accepted. Now go home, our business here is finished,” the haughty German decides, throwing his cards down.

“I must admit, Miho, I would like to bring things to a close as well,” Kasumi asks, “I have... errands that I must run later, and I simply cannot cancel them. I'm sure that Miss Kanzaki feels the same way.”

“That's correct,” Maika agrees with a grudging nod, “Father won't be happy if I'm out too late... again.”

-

As you're preparing to leave the apartment, Pietr hurries up to you. “Miho, excuse me,” he says, pushing a scrap of cloth into your hand, “Your eye was watering, so I brought you a handkerchief.” He gives you a brief, imploring look before turning and scurrying back into the main room. As he leaves, you touch both eyes – perfectly dry, both of them. Frowning, you stick your hands into your pockets and head on out.

It's only when you're standing outside the apartment building that you unfold the handkerchief, reading the hastily scrawled letters penned on it. A cellphone number, with a short message:

“Call me later,” the message reads, “ONLY at night!”

A boy has finally given you his number. You must be getting popular.

[2/3]

>>1587443

After merrily teasing you about Pietr's message, Kasumi made her excuses and hurried off, although she managed to make even that look graceful and dignified. When it's just you and Maika, you start a slow stroll in the direction of her home.

“I must confess,” Maika says slowly, “I feel a little uneasy about all this.”

“All this?” you repeat.

“Kasumi,” the heiress pauses, considering her words with care, “She seems a little too enamoured with the Sentinels for my tastes. Not out of any ideological admiration, I don't think, but an appreciation for what they have to offer her.”

“What, you mean like money?” you ask, “Nah, c'mon. Kasumi doesn't need it – look at how she dresses, she's gotta be rich. Her family probably owns a corporation or something like that. Either way, I don't think we need to worry about anyone buying her allegiance – she was enthusiastic, sure, but she was just being polite.”

“You're probably right,” Maika sighs, “It's hard not to succumb to paranoia in situations like these.”

She's not wrong there.

-

A short while later, your phone rings – Ayane.

“I'm going home,” she groans, sounding half-dead, “Too much visor shit, feel sick. Maika's guy is gonna give me a lift. I got nothing to report though, so whatever you've got can wait until tomorrow. Or... ugh, I dunno. Tell Maika that if I die because of this visor stuff, I'm gonna haunt her.”

“Okay, I'll-” you begin, only for Ayane to cut the call. “Well, looks like it's just you and me,” you tell Maika, “Ayane said that she'll haunt you if she dies. Can that happen?”

“Probably not,” Maika shrugs, “I wouldn't worry about it. In either case, would you like to come over to mine and pick up that... material?”

>Sure, it's as good a time as any
>I've got to pass. I'm tired and that stuff ain't going anywhere...
>I wanted to talk to you about something... (Write in)
>Other

>>1587510
>Sure, it's as good a time as any
>I wanted to talk to you about something... (Write in)
Your father. Does he have any military background?

>>1587510
>>Sure, it's as good a time as any
>The council are old and powerful. One works in hieroglyph is it possible that one works in your father's company?

>>1587510
>I wanted to talk to you about something... (Write in)

Snoop Kasumi. She spends a lot of money, that doesn't mean she makes it

>>1587538
She'll be able to find out just by looking at Maika or us.

>>1587510
>>Sure, it's as good a time as any

>>1587538
Let's give her the benefit of the doubt for right now. It hasn't even been a few hours since she got the sales pitch. Give her some time for it all to sink in and then we can just talk to her about it.

>>1587510
>Sure, it's as good a time as any
>We should do a background check on Kasumi
>>1587563
She can only see shameful desires. This is something Maika probably would not consider shameful, and we would as well if we convince ourselves it's a sensible precaution.

“Sure,” you agree, “It's as good a time as any. You didn't have any trouble with it?”

“Finding the time was the hardest part,” Maika shrugs, “It takes a surprisingly long time for an operation of that sort to be completed. Oh, but I didn't have anything respectable to serve as an urn – I had to use an old carrying case for a miniature drone. It seals fine, but...”

“It's fine, I don't think it matters all that much,” you admit, “So long as it doesn't leak everywhere. She's not going to be complaining, anyway.”

“No, I don't imagine so,” Maika smiles a little at that, “Anyway, we can deal with the specifics later.”

“Yeah. For now though, I had a few things that I wanted to mention,” frowning, you think back to your conversations with the Council of Twelve, “Those old guys, the council, they're pretty weird. The members of it are old and powerful – business, politics and military stuff, they've got influence everywhere. I know that one of them works for Hieroglyph Marketing, and... don't take this personally, Maika, but another one of them might work for your company.”

“The Hieroglyph connection doesn't surprise me. They have strong connections with the Sentinels as it stands,” Maika agrees slowly, “Although I'm not sure what I can tell you about the second matter. I will... investigate this. Perhaps an ageing executive, with some meaningless grudge against Father? Thank you, Miho, I'll do my best to look into this.”

“An executive, yeah...” you murmur, “Hey, uh, Maika? Does your father have any military experience?”

“Military experience?” she repeats, “No, not at all. He's a businessman, an engineer... he has an interest in warfare and weaponry, but not in any practical senses. However, he does have a lot of contacts in the military world – in America, Europe, the Middle East...” A frown crosses Maika's face as she recalls something. “Europe was a blessing for our company. Father sold large numbers of drones and other autonomous weapons to the German forces during the reconstruction,” the frown deepens as she thinks, “His relationships were not strictly professional – several of the men he did business with became personal friends.”

“I see...” you think aloud, “I think I see where this is going.”

“They even exchanged gifts once or twice,” Maika continues, “Father has a book of quotations, he treasures it very much. That was a gift from one of his associates, and... Miho, are you okay?”

“It's just a headache,” you lie, “C'mon, let's get a move on.”

-

“Y'know, a while back, you got in the habit of following us with drones,” you mention as you're approaching the Kanzaki compound, “You remember that?”

“I do, yes,” Maika replies, smiling a little, “It was fun. I do so enjoy piloting them. Why do you ask?”

“Well,” you tell her slowly, “I had an idea...”

[1/2]

>>1587598
>>1587563

Trust but verify. We need to know what kind of pressures they could put on her so that we can help her with them.