>>2064473
The weight on your chest takes concern and notice. It isn’t Diana, you think as cognition sparks live from your passive state of slumber, because it is far too clumsy and plodding. It isn’t Koyomi, your sister isn’t nearly this small.

Opening your eyes, there is a presence looking back at you. Red eyes, black hair, pale skin clad in what you imagine is a hand me down jumper pajamas from either yourself or Koyomi with familiar bunny print patterns and puffy cotton tails in effigy. Kalyke?

“Buh?” the face tilts to the side, reaching out a finger and pointing at your nose before pressing it.

>Minor freakout at this unexpected morning invasion of your personal space
>You have been booped on the snoot, play with or entertain this darling toddler
>Pick up Kalyke and return her to her crib, how and when did she get out?
>It’s morning, and you are apparently wrangling little sisters. Go retrieve Koyomi and Diana.
>Write in

Morning all, we have a thread this afternoon running until I go see a movie with some friends tonight and picking up again in the morning.

How is everyone today and what's good?

>>2064476
>You have been booped on the snoot, play with or entertain this darling toddler
>How and when did she get out?
We have been booped and that must be addressed. Though there is also an important question of how she got here.

>>2064478
Doing alright, riding out for a drink with friends at the moment.

Writing, solo vote.

File: Spoiler Image (3.32 MB, 5312x2988)

3.32 MB JPG

>>2064524
Nice change of pace for the day it has been.
Raspberry Imperial Stout related.

>>2064632
More show, we always do. 1 just happened to be closer at hand.

>>2064698
>More show, we always do.
How very true.

>>2064716
>>2064698
Precognition?! A WITCH!

>>2064718
Actually, I got here about fifteen minutes after you posted that you were writing.
I just didn’t bother to say anything.

>>2064729
Someday, I will figure out what’s going on that makes the ID keep changing.

>>2064733
A wizard did it.

The child looks down at you, expectantly. Uncertain of their actions and curious of the outcome. An experimentation with their environment, and since she doesn’t have a frame yet for human interaction you imagine you count as part of that environment.

Sitting up, and causing the child to be lifted and rolled back to sit on your stomach, you lean forward and press your finger on her nose in response.

“Boop” you say simply in a sort of sing song voice as the child’s eyes cross following your finger.

“Oop?” she burbles and then begins laughing.

Picking the girl up, you swing her around the room.

“Good morning Kalyke,” you exclaim amid her laughter as you stand and twirl, “How did you get in here?”

She offers no answer to your question, just continues to gleefully laugh and wave her arms as you offer her a bit of amusement while also taking the time to appreciate how cute she is. Were you this cute as a kid? Maybe. Just maybe.

Eventually as you play around with the small child, she gets ahold of one of your pigtails and manages to give it a good yank. Not scolding, but carefully edging her away from the act, you look about the room and decide to find out just how she got in here. Because the door is closed.

Tucking the child under your arm, to her initial confusion, you kneel in front of your door. You remember closing it when you came into the room last night...did dad check on you and leave it cracked? Maybe Luna?

Possibly?

Kalyke isn’t big enough yet to even reach the door knob, so you know she didn’t open it herself. Turning off your alarm clock, you set about creeping out into the hall, given that it’s still early. Not to your surprise, but a glance down the stairs reveals Luna napping on the back of the couch. Diana is there as well batting at her mother’s tail.

Both the master bedroom and your sister’s rooms are open. Peaking in, you see that your father is still sleeping, and the fold out crib brought out of storage for Kalyke sits undisturbed at his bedside. As the squirming child gets a solid grip and leverage to try and start climbing up your arm, you imagine she just got out of her crib and toddled around. A peak into your sister’s room suggest she may have ventured here first. Nothing is amiss as you check there. Merely the sound of Koyomi snoring away and tangled into her sheets and blanket.

Maybe she hadn’t come in here.

“Just how did you get in then?” you hold the child up in front of you as she cheers.

Well, perhaps a mystery for another day. You’ve already burnt a bit of time on your morning routine. Setting the child back into their crib, you go to get changed for your morning run and to run through your usual host of activities.

>>2064855

Koyomi is her usual self over breakfast, when you get back, grumbling about being awake after your father got her up. To your amusement, as he sets hot cakes down in front of you, Kalyke is staring over his shoulder form within a baby backpack harness. Struggling to reach out for...well everything as small children are want to do.

“Hey dad, did you know Kalyke got out last night?” you question your father.

“Yes,” he muses turning back to the stove, “I woke up in the middle of the night and she was gone. Checked around and saw her sleeping on top of you and thought it better not to disturb either of you,”

Well, you glance at the baby, and offer a nod. Mystery solved, eventually.

Setting off for your morning. The days goes relatively easily. Greetings and platitudes. Nods of knowing this or that among friends. Gai Ginja apparently back in class as well, to your surprise.

After a few short hours of class, lunch rolls around and rears it’s welcome head.

>Lunch with the girls, war council mode about what you saw last night
>Check in on Gai, you’re glad he’s up and about
>Check in with Yoshi, maybe ask him to lunch on the roof or something
>Write in

>>2064859
>Check in with Yoshi, maybe ask him to lunch on the roof or something

>>2064859
>Check in on Gai, you’re glad he’s up and about
I miss our resident alien

>>2064859
>Lunch with the girls, war council mode about what you saw last night
>Check in on Gai, you’re glad he’s up and about

Leaving the voting window open a bit longer.

>>2064859
>Check in on Gai, you’re glad he’s up and about

Okay then.

Pardoning yourself from your usual position between Keiko and Midori, letting them and the rest of your recent lunch table regulars that there is mission related shop talk come day’s end before you make your way across the classroom. Estra is sitting where he usually sits, near the front of the class by the windows.

Lunch period has already started and the genuine space case is already lost in thought, staring out the window. Though he turns from it at your approach.

“Good afternoon, Chiba-san,” he offers with a tired smile.

He yawns after that, sitting back up before instead slouching back in his chair.

“Good afternoon yourself,” you offer before letting a question slip, “Low on energy?”

He thinks on the question, before nodding.

“Yes,” he admits with a sigh, “Still not back on my feet completely,”

“Then why did you come back to class?” you ask in concern before pulling and flipping the chair from a nearby empty desk.

“Well, school seemed more palatable for my recovery,” he says with a certain shudder, “Especially now. Friends are coming together and strengthening their bonds. Young love meets in secret above us and below us, it’s bloom and expression strengthening me more than earnest but ultimately destructive aid of my siblings,”

Remembering meeting them before, you nod a bit.

“Oh, thank you for sending Osaka-san over the other day. Her visit did me a world of good. I doubt I would have been well enough to venture into the world were it not for her expressed concerns,” he yawns again.

You smile at that, before casting your eyes across the room to where Kairi-chan sits with Umeki-san. For some reason you cannot help but smile deviously in her direction as Ginja-san’s words, prompting your knight to shiver and glance down at first her ring and then over to the two of you.

“A world of good?” you question again.

Before Kairi-chan’s admission of being whatever you needed after some of the truths about some of your feeling and attractions came out, she had expressed an interest in Ginja-san. And she did brave the multi-dimensional folded mad house that was his unfinished apartment the other day...

Thread Pause, but vote for tomorrow.

>Press this, you feel compelled to play matchmaker
>Ask how the apartment is coming together, Kairi-chan said it was a bit weird
>You’re curious of how his siblings exacerbated matters
>Does he want to actually talk about what happened with the spiders?
>He got himself hurt before, but you want to ask him to help spotting at the Aiba tournament
>He got himself hurt before, but you want to ask him about helping with the four shadows
>Write in

>>2065246
>Ask how the apartment is coming together, Kairi-chan said it was a bit weird

>>2065246
>Does he want to actually talk about what happened with the spiders?
>You’re curious of how his siblings exacerbated matters
Check that he's alright, and if he is swap embarrassing stories about our younger siblings

>>2065246
IIII LIIIIIVE.
>You’re curious of how his siblings exacerbated matters

>>2065246
>Press this, you feel compelled to play matchmaker

>>2065246
>Ask how the apartment is coming together, Kairi-chan said it was a bit weird
>You’re curious of how his siblings exacerbated matters

Home from the movies. Saw Thor: Ragnorak. Getting Sleep. Resume thread in the morning, see you delightful nerds then.

>>2066106
How was the movie?

>>2066134
Movie was good. Movie was fun. Movie was filled with more Kirby-tactic space stuff than the first Thor was and the second Thor sorely needed more of.

Still not sure how I feel about Korg having a Geico Gecko-Esque voice

>>2065246
Even sitting overnight I haven't been able to narrow down much:
>Press this, you feel compelled to play matchmaker
>You’re curious of how his siblings exacerbated matters

>He got himself hurt before, but you want to ask him about helping with the four shadows
He's a pretty calming Gai, even inviting him to join that discussion may provide helpful ideas.
Though maybe having him help with making contact would be good. He'd be an unknown, but not a Shadow or someone they would have heard of being a hunter of Shadows.

>Write in
At some point:
Ask what competitive spirit and people excited for a fight would be like for his digestion right now. Aiba tournament might not be healthy for him.

>>2065527
Hey, welcome back to the land of the living! How's it going?

>>2066199
Sounds promising, still trying to wrangle friends on that front since. I swear they are all secretly cats as difficult as it is to herd them.

>>2066402
Eh. Life was falling off a cliff while on fire for a year or two but we're getting back to a semblance of normalcy.

Overslept. Back to writing.

Lot of multivotes, Sibling exacerbation has the most when broken down, and the apartment and matchmaking are tied for second...

C-C-Combo.

“Hmph, I’m guessing being trapped alone in there with Terra and Striel was a bit exacerbating?” you offer a quick laugh and lean over, resting your arms on his desk.

“I love my siblings, all of them,” he sighs a bit, “and as well as they mean they can be a bit frustrating,”

You nod, with the sage weight of experience. Even being the middle child of the family, technically, you have experience being the big sister. Being worried about your little sister. Being admired by them. Falling prey to their inexperience in the world.

“I know what you mean,” you sigh, “They need attention and approval, and sometimes how they plan to get it can spectacularly backfire. Like the first time Koyomi tried to bake cookies for my birthday...”

Your memory, at least within the context and tone in which you shared it, prompts a commiserating expression from Estra. He leans back in his seat and groans in frustration.

“Again, they mean well,” he huffs, “Terra and Striel just haven’t gotten their heads entirely around such earthly customs as sleep yet,”

“You guys don’t sleep?” you question, leaning up.

“We can, though. It’s strange, the idea of the biological and cognitive conservation and rest cycle-” his explanation, though given casual tone, is long and technical.

You understand it well enough, but are beginning to find it boring as you enjoy your wrapped prepackaged sandwich roll for lunch. Though carefully you search for an opening into another topic. Perhaps even a mystical one, given your curiosities about Kairi’s explanation of his new apartment. Wait...no.

You’ve a better idea. You cannot resist this, perhaps also as a means of playing matchmaker and making some things up to Kairi-chan.

“So, what exactly was it from Kairi-chan that did a world of good?” you question rather innocuously, utilizing your supreme skills of deception.

Hoping to strike just right, and make the right insinuations.

“Well, I suppose her sense of relief to see that I was aware and healing. The filial power of friendship in proximity has a certain healing prowess, as does all love I suppose,” he muses.

“All love you say?” you nod and hum to yourself, “Do different types of love have a different sensation or flavor? I know, from recent experiences, that negative emotions have unique flavors,”

“Oh no, it’s not like consumption or taste,” he waves off your query, blind to your intentions here, “It’s just an energizing state. Really I think it might of been her relief that I was alright and that she was no longer walking on a ceiling in a room with rapidly shifting gravity,”

That momentarily distracts your purpose, with a lingering question about this or that.

“Oh, how is the new apartment anyway? Enough space for all of you, Kairi-chan mentioned it was a bit…” you choose your words carefully, “Oddly laid out?”

>>2066861

Estra sighs, and brushes his hair back with his hand. His discolored bang, highlights betraying the color beneath his guise, flops back down while the rest of his hair stays put. Distractedly he palms it back again while thinking of his response.

“Besides our living space, I had to account for my and their...conveyances. Saplings that will not need to take true root somewhere for a few thousand years,” he begins, “I used their power and mine to establish them storage within our new home, moving my original space from the first apartment was taxing before everything was finished being set up...so much of the apartment was afflicted with extradimensional spaces and odd gravitational anomalies,”

You, nod at that. Storing a space tree is probably a taxing process.

“Why not just use that kind of stuff to make a larger living space?” you question, with a serious curiosity as to why not.

“Well that would just be a complete waste of the whole Earth experience, wouldn’t it?” he laughs,”

That’s understandable, you reason.

“So, you actually don’t know what kind of expression of friendship or love Kairi-chan has then,” having finished your sandwich, you play with one of your pigtails absentmindedly looking at it while you hand break the conversation at hand to specifically throw the space boy off his guard and offer in a noncommittal and mischievous tone.

Matchmaking requires a certain degree of drama, you think. At least those are the lessons imparted to you from your time as Miki. There are mind games to be played here or there, and certain things done heavy handedly to get people to reach their own conclusions.

He pauses. Looks down. Glances over toward Kairi-chan and Umeki-san. Looks back to you.

Gai Ginja, or as he is truly known Estra, seems to consider the possibilities you’ve lain before him with decided uncertainty but clear detachment. His cool exterior cracking at this as he again glances over toward the two girls, one being the center of his focus.

Before he has a chance to respond with a refutation, rebuttal, or anything really...you strike.

“Well, if you can’t differentiate like that, I guess the only way to find out is to ask,” you rise from the chair and begin to head back toward your desk.

Victory, you think.

Walking past Kairi-chan and Umeki-san, taking the long way around the room, you flash the red headed girl a blatant confident wink to communicate that you’ve got her back and you’ve done something very helpful and awesome.

>>2066863

She looks at you for a moment, confused, before her eyes go wide and she turns her head back to where you had been moments before to catch Gai hurriedly looking away from where he had been, which is to say at her. She turns back to you quickly, eyes pleading a silent accusation that you did not just do that. You offer a placating gesture because its fine.

Umeki-san looks back and forth between the two of you, confused, before taking a loud sip from her mostly drained juice box to break the two of you of this rather blatant but to her a mystery non-verbal communication while you finally break away to head back to your desk to await the return of class and the rest of your day edging toward free period.

>Gather the girls to talk about the four Shadows in more depth
>You want to talk to Kairi-chan about what just went down.
>The normal act of meddling in others’ relationships has made you think of spending time with Yoshi
>Wait...WAIT. Conveyance?! GAI HAS A SPACESHIP! OF COURSE HE HAS A SPACESHIP!?
>Write in

>>2066864
>Wait...WAIT. Conveyance?! GAI HAS A SPACESHIP! OF COURSE HE HAS A SPACESHIP!?

>>2066864
>You want to talk to Kairi-chan about what just went down.

Writing, sorry for any delays.

A thought strikes you as you sit down for the next period. It catches you in part off guard as the bell rings causing your to wheel yourself to again face the back of Gai’s head across the classroom, as he is again looking out the window with a decidedly larger wistfulness or aloofness than he usually manages.

Conveyance?! He has a spaceship. Of course he has a space ship. He has TWO spaceships. You may well have questions about this later as it is both really cool and really important. Especially since you wouldn’t mind getting a look at how a living tree ship functions.

However that is a momentary, if important, concern as you glance back over to Kairi-chan.

You’ve made one half of the overtures needed to play matchmaker. Now that you’ve hopefully goaded Gai into asking her how she feels, you need to make sure she’s ready for the question and explain exactly what you’ve done for her. At this point in time you imagine she may have misunderstood exactly what you’ve done, perhaps concerned that the nature of what you’ve tried may ultimately be something embarrassing or a misguided action.

All you’ve done is facilitated a bit of communication, specific communication that will yet benefit the both of them.

Focusing on class, you while away the time toward this conversation. Banking on Ginja-san being indecisive on this matter long enough for you to help prep her.

When the period eventually shifts, you practically pounce through the room to her.

“We need to talk,” you are all smiles and open about this while people are still putting things away and getting up.

“Yes, we really do,” she doesn’t huff but there is something suspicious about her in regard to you.

Best friends often trust each other. Best friends often know when not to absolutely trust one another.

Leading her quickly to the hallway, to the stairwell away from prying eyes, you begin to unload what you’ve done.

“Okay, so, he never considered before that any positive feelings you have toward him might be anything more than friendship,” you begin a buzz with energy before the scent of smoke rises from somewhere lower in the stairwell eliciting a psychosomatic calming effect, “So I got in his head and made him think to take some initiative and ask you how you feel!”

“What?!” she balks initially before taking a deep breath, “Mikage you didn’t need to do that, I mean how did you even do it?”

“You know, just talking about how he takes in ambient emotion as sustenance, how I’ve eaten actual emotions and notice a difference of flavor,” you explain, “Which he doesn’t,”

She pauses.

“That’s actually a clever way to get him to,” she sighs and glares for a moment, “get him to put me on the spot,”

>>2067076

“Yeah, but that puts power in your hands,” you explain with a haughty confidence, “You could be straightforward and make him react to that, or you could react with embarrassment putting it on him to pursue or apologize to you,”

The brilliance of your inner gyaru shines with your own smile at that.

“Mikage, I was taking this at my own pace,” she crosses her arms and then wilts, “Did you do this because you didn’t want me to be hung up on your?”

“I want you to be happy,” you explain with a somber tone, “And with everything about to happen...well, live for today,”

She looks away from you, back toward the door and down at her ring. You imagine a conversation happens between her and the empowered bauble in the blink of an eye.

“Then,” she says solemnly before grabbing and lifting your hand and taking a steadying breath, “Get ready to run interference, and provide the right guidance if he doesn’t get it,”

There is sudden mischief in her smirk as she breaks away back into the hall. You follow after her.

The classroom is sparsely filled as some students have left for their own activities in free period. As you stay by the door where Kairi-chan enters, you see Ginja-san hovering near her desk and awkwardly trading pleasantries with Umeki-san.

Not literally hovering, mind you. Which he can do.

He apologizes at Kairi-chan’s approach. You can’t hear from the door what he asks her in polite quiet, but it has Umeki-san suddenly wide eyed and excited in shock. Kairi-chan steps back. Stutters.

And she runs out of the room, passing you she breaks the embarrassment on her face and gestures up. She’s heading for the roof.

Maximum atmosphere.

“Osaka-san, wait!” Ginja-san calls out, uncertain, before saying aloud to himself, “Did I say something wrong?”

You enter into the room, looking out in the direction Kairi-chan ran. Most of the eyes that remain in the room are centered on Ginja-san.

“Well, duh,” Umeki-san laughs, “Even I know that,”

“What did you say?” you ask, scandalized as you approach from the door.

“I-” he looks about the room and then regards you quietly, “I didn’t ask anything untoward,”

“And I quote, I’m sorry if this is abrupt Osaka-san, but what are the tone of your feelings for me, end quote,” Umeki-san sighs and shakes her head, rising from her desk and walking to the other side of the confused boy with an unusual confidence, “Listen, I think I have some materials that should help you know how to-”

“Umeki-san, later,” you plead to the willowy dark haired girl before turning to the boy, “Ginja-san, you’ve clearly embarrassed her. You need to head after her and apologize, or take responsibility for what she’s feeling,”

>>2067078

There is a conflict across his face. An uncertainty and general unfamiliarity with what he should be doing. There was an absolution of confidence when he unveiled his true self to you that morning in the park that is absent here.

He leaves the room, with a quickness to his step.

“What was all that,” Umeki-san questions, as you watch him leave with a smug satisfaction.

>”Pretty damn smooth if I do say so myself,” catch Umeki-san up on what happened
>”What was it? Not over yet is what, come on,” follow and watch
>”Cute is what it was,” gush a bit about how proud you are of your matchmaking skills
>”Oh, nothing,” sing song voice of smug victory
>Write in

>>2067083
>”Pretty damn smooth if I do say so myself,” catch Umeki-san up on what happened

>>2067083
>"That, my friend, was the Crossing of the Rubicon."

Writing.

Yay out from work!
Also, Estra has spaceships!
These are important factoids.

So how has everyone been? I've been away awhile.

>>2067534
Life is trying to stablize, though is still hectic and not leaving enough free time to decompress sometimes.
Today feels pretty good.

>>2067534
Doing alright, things are where they've been so I'm still looking for better work. Cooled off from dating for a bit because I had some realizations about my own emotional availability, exacerbated again recently when matters of the Gett being writ came up and dredged up more divorce memories than actually interacting with my ex usually does.

“That, my friend, was the crossing of the Rubicon,” you say with some degree of pride.

“Hmmm,” the awkward girl hums and looks out the door after him, and then back to you, “That’s Caesar, right?”

“The decision to bring his army across the river into Rome to conquer his own homeland or not,” you explain.

She pauses and considers this, holding her chin and looking down as she walks back to you.

“So was this a decision of betrayal or will to action?” she wonders aloud with a sage like consideration.

“I’ll tell you when I figure it out,” you nod firmly before smiling, “but it was still pretty damn smooth if I do say so myself,”

Sitting down with Umeki-san you catch her up on your brilliant plan, Kairi-chan’s reticence, and the drama that just played out before the two of you. Capped off with your decision to help push her given the gravity of events unfolding before you. The reserved and previously isolated girl nods in wonder at that.

“Just like in my cartoons,” she swoons, “Quick! Do me next!”

“Wait, what?”

“You got Mori-san and Sugimoto-san together, you’ve meddled in getting Kino-san and your sister together, and now you’ve taken this initiative with Osaka-san and Ginja-san when we both know she w-” she waggles her eyebrows suggestively as you cut her off.

“Shh,” you shush her down, “Spymaster, operational security please!”

“Yeah yeah,” she sighs, “Okay, so, set me up with someone. Swing me into the glorious and dramatic world so before we march into the breach of the bad guys I can say I’ve done something like that. LIke, we can do this after everything with the Shadow Girls is done?”

>No, Umeki-san, no. Not like this.
>Did you have anyone in mind?
>Leave it to me, leave it all to me!
>I think it may be better if I just teach you.
>Write in

(reposting, cut off the top)

>>2067649
>No, Umeki-san, no. Not like this.
It takes two hearts (or more), can't force it so much as nudge those willing together.
>Did you have anyone in mind?
Meet anyone interesting on the modeling curcuit yet?
>I think it may be better if I just teach you.
(This seems like a wonderfully bad idea)

>>2067649
I think it may be better if I just teach you.

>>2067668
>Did you have anyone in mind?

>>2067534
I’d say I’ve been all right.

Writing

“Did you have anyone in mind?” you lean in and question.

She looks about, scanning the room before hunkering down and whispering to you in a rather conspiratorial fashion. No uncertainty as she pauses, no. Its calculation and listing.

“A few,” she ventures carefully.

“Anyone I know. Matchmaking blind doesn’t usually work,” you offer with a smile, “Would it be easier to teach you?”

Umeki-san is free of embarrassment or frustration on this matter, though she sparks at that suggestion and smiles broadly.

“Now that sounds like a plan,” she snickers and smiles, “I could be the star of my own-”

She pauses, nods, and adopts a more neutral expression.

“I would be very appreciative of such lessons. More than that I think they could help expand my skills as your spymaster,” she offers succinctly.

You are unsure what you have promised to unleash upon the world.

Classes resumes. Kairi-chan and Ginja-san return. The remaining time of the day breezes by. When club time arrives, rather than attending anything in particular, your present Knights and Sailor Sol convene at the picnic tables in the athletic field. Shortly you will be joined by your yet absent Knights. Saori Umeki takes her leave to meet up with Sasha to continue her investigations at the Big Egg Complex.

Kairi-chan offers that things went well with Ginja-san. So well that she may have plans this weekend, prompting Umeki-san to offer her a high five before rambling out Otome game related terminology which you understand well enough. Not that you’ll admit to it.

As you’re catching up Midori and Keiko up on what happened, Koito Kino arrives from the middle school across the field. In the distance, you can see your little sister waving him off before both she and Koito’s sister, Kanari, hop on the girl’s delivery scooter and speed off on what you assume is their own business.

As the two of them stream out of the gate to the athletic field shared by the two schools, another figure turns the corner. White hair pulled up and back while clad in casual clothes, Hisako Ito, the last of your Knights. You think she came right from her studio space given the caustic scent and burns on her overalls as she approaches and draws a pack of cigarettes.

“Alright, we’re all here,” you say and sit down yourself and take a significantly more serious tone as your mind drifts to the matter at hand, the four shadows, “Let’s get started,”

Eclipsed Moon Quest Episode 151
Thread Pause again
Resume tomorrow after work.

>>2067598
Stability is good. It's usually a prerequisite for progress I've found.
>>2067617
You'll get there man, I believe in you!
>>2067703
I'm glad! Being alright is good.

At any rate will be in the thread sparsely throughout tomorrow, since work starts at 4am central.

>>2068404
Keep on keeping on Melee. Keep on keeping on.

>>2068319
Hmm, what’s this feeling I’m getting?
>“I would be very appreciative of such lessons. More than that I think they could help expand my skills as your spymaster,” she offers succinctly.
Ah, impending doom, of course.

>>2068432
I had a goddamn epiphany after doing an archive binge to catch up. If I'm right, Arty you're a sneaky kitty.

>>2069879
Don’t keep us in suspense MAG, what’s the epiphany?

>>2069879
Well, before you tell the class, please do me the courtesy of sending me a DM over on Twitter.

>>2069947
DM sent.

>>2069947
>before you tell the class
Please tell me that means you’re not going to take the route I’ve seen some QM’s take of forbidding the players from telling their ideas to each other.

>>2070041
Probably not, he's enjoyed us running after shadows and guesses before.

>>2070109
I hope not, I’ve seen it done in other quests.

>>2070109
>>2070041
Oh no, MAG may readily share what he believes he has intuited or uncovered. I just wanted to give them a small response first, the contents of which I will not directly expose.

>>2069977
Received and responded.

>>2069903
>>2070041
>>2070109
>>2070175
There's another "living" heir to Elysium. We've always been so focused on Serenity and Endymion that we've never considered that he might have had siblings.

>>2070245
Well, yeah, when you consider how many secret family members we’ve seen, it’s not like one more would be a surprise.
Well, not to us as players, Mikage and the rest of the team would be shocked.

>>2070245
I think we had asked about that at one point, and had come up negative on siblings. What little we know about the dark crystal boy would certainly indicate that he was a member of the Elysium royal family. Complete with Royal Guard and imperfect escape capsule.

I don't thing Dad has seen the drawing yet, maybe see if that jobs any past-life recognition. Also was only seen by one of the old Shitennou, if Dad comes up blank we can double check with the others.

>>2070290
But I mean like...the leader of the enemy. I'm almost positive that he's a member of the Royal Family.

>>2070332
Actually, had we made the connection between him and the Neo-Shitennou. Not a distant leap from they visions we had, Koyomi's dream drawings under the influence of our bad juju, and the bad guys cloning off of similarly crystal-fossilized bones.

>>2070335
I don't think Hiddenite is, he feels more like Guard to me. I think the force he's trying to awaken and serve is an ancient corrupted member of the Royal Family crystalized in dark energies of Metallia's assault.

>>2070332
>if Dad comes up blank we can double check with the others.
Or Keiko, she’s got a pretty good set of past memories.

>>2070335
Well, we can’t deny the possibility, but what would it change if they are?

Talking of Elysium, a quick look through some past threads tells me we still need to pay a visit to Dream Elysium at some point, maybe by using the Shadow Walk spell.
>I'd love to spend at least one night poking around the time capsule of the lost Kingdom.

>>2070382
The ability to get inside our opponents head, psychologically speaking.

Home, world news, dinner, decompression from Work, and working on next update.

>>2070693
Hope your day wasn't nearly as bad as mine.

>>2070805
And archive binge finished. I am caught up and ready to rock and roll.

Eclipsed Moon Quest Episode 151
Thread Resume Again

Classes resumes. Kairi-chan and Ginja-san return. The remaining time of the day breezes by. When club time arrives, rather than attending anything in particular, your present Knights and Sailor Sol convene at the picnic tables in the athletic field. Shortly you will be joined by your yet absent Knights. Saori Umeki takes her leave to meet up with Sasha to continue her investigations at the Big Egg Complex.

Kairi-chan offers that things went well with Ginja-san. So well that she may have plans this weekend, prompting Umeki-san to offer her a high five before rambling out Otome game related terminology which you understand well enough. Not that you’ll admit to it.

As you’re catching up Midori and Keiko up on what happened, Koito Kino arrives from the middle school across the field. In the distance, you can see your little sister waving him off before both she and Koito’s sister, Kanari, hop on the girl’s delivery scooter and speed off on what you assume is their own business.

As the two of them stream out of the gate to the athletic field shared by the two schools, another figure turns the corner. White hair pulled up and back while clad in casual clothes, Hisako Ito, the last of your Knights. You think she came right from her studio space given the caustic scent and burns on her overalls as she approaches and draws a pack of cigarettes.

“Alright, we’re all here,” you say and sit down yourself and take a significantly more serious tone as your mind drifts to the matter at hand, the four shadows, “Let’s get started,”

“Alright, I’m still a bit sparse on what’s going on with this,” Hisako Ito rolls her shoulders, “What’s up with these girls? Shadows? Whatever,”

“They’re not like what your roommate turned into,” Kairi-chan offers, “These are a type of shadow that kind of separates from someone instead of possessing them, except not like any we’ve seen before,”

Your Knight Marshal, Midori Mori, nods succinctly at this. She carries her sense of authority seriously as she crosses her arms and recounts past intelligence for your recently appointed Kunzite Knight.

“Other instances of shadows like this, the people the shadows came from were comatose until their their id run amok was purified,” though then she pauses, “but we know these girls are up and about, recovering from shirking these things rather quickly,”

“And given what Chiba-san has reported,” Koito Kino reasons, “They’re something different, they have their own lives,”

“We need to make it appear that the Red Eyed Beast took care of them,” you explain, “So my infiltration into the enemy’s organization can begin in earnest,”

“Though it’s not as simple as just taking them down any longer,” Kairi-chan offers.

>>2070907

“So, they’re awol from the bad guys but we aren’t turning them over,” Ito-san mulls over what’s been said as she catches up on the particulars, “And if they’re more than whatever shadow things they’re supposed to be we can’t...dust them? I dunno, do they dust like vampires?”

“The one at Venus-chan’s show did,” Keiko considers.

“How they, discorporate or purify isn’t the point right now,” Midori sighs and turns to you, “So, you gave us the short version. What’s the long version?”

Recounting the experiences of last night in more detail, you also find yourself drifting toward your father’s words last night about how your mother might approach this situation.

“Ultimately...I want to help them,” you affirm beneath the watchful eyes of your Knights and the Guardian of the Sun, “to do that -”

>I want to approach them directly in the open
>I want to approach them in their hiding place
>I want to leave a message, get them to come to us
>I want to trick them, even if they have their own lives we can’t entirely trust them
>I think we need to stake them out for longer
>Write in

>>2070911
>I think we need to stake them out for longer
"We don't know enough about them to make an informed decision about how to approach them. We'll continue to observe and perhaps be able to more accurately identify a way to help them, if that's the path we take."

We also totally need to start working on crafting magic items for Sasha and Saori.

>>2070911
>I want to approach them in their hiding place
They were talking of leaving, I think we need to catch them while we know where they are. Also, where they are now is away from prying eyes.

Alternatively, we could stake them out and try to get a message to them, but I feel like events are moving faster and we my not have a lot of time.

>>2070929
Agreed.

>>2070911
>I want to leave a message, get them to come to us

You have encountered one of my many guises. Now, I wish to meet you properly, as I may be able to offer you assistance.
- Eclipse

>>2070911
To save the cabal some trouble I’ll switch from >>2070970 to:
>I want to approach them in their hiding place

Ah, the good old days of cabal. Let's get this ball rolling.

Wait, dropped trip

>>2070959
I was thinking something that grants something similar to our Vanishing Move, and maybe something similar to an emergency return button in case she gets in over her head.

For Sasha I was thinking something like a piece of enchanted armor that maybe gives Fast Healing and a pair of enchanted gloves/brass knuckles.

>>2071163
Alternatively maybe see if we can empower them. I mean the line of Elysion and the Golden Crystal are technically the source of the powers of the Shintennou so I don't see any reason why we wouldn't be able to expand that. It'd probably be less guided though.

>>2071163
I have thought that being a spy, Saori should have something to make her invisible.
Problem is, this would mean giving Saori the ability to become invisible.

On a more serious note, in addition to those two items for Saori, how about something to give a bonus to Gather Information checks?

“To do that I want to approach them in their hiding place, but after we’ve had a chance to stake them out for longer,” you say with a degree of resignation, “We don't know enough about them to make an informed decision for that approach. Their Nakajima said they’d be lying low rather than escaping outright. We'll observe them for a few days. Get a more accurately beat on how to help them,”

If that's the path we take, you don’t say aloud.

“Stake out, so we’ll have to do this in shifts,” Ito-san muses as she undoes the jeweled diadem tying up her hair and wraps it around her neck like a choker, before momentarily having a silent exchange with the spirit within it, “I guess we can do that sneakily enough with all this fancy new magic then. Dibs on day shift,”

“I was thinking you’d have to handle that anyway,” Midori nods, “Considering the rest of us are going to be in school,”

“I can handle afternoon through to eleven,” Keiko volunteers, “It’s the only time I’ll be able to have any peak function,”

“I can handle intermittent coffee runs to all of you during shift changes and provide coverage for rest breaks,” Koito pipes in prompting a few glances, “You’re setting up such long shifts, it seems prudent,”

“It is prudent,” Midori agrees, “And I’ll grab 11 until trade off with Ito-san,”

“I should be able to handle fill in’s like Kino-kun,” Kairi-chan offers, “And borrow some surveillance gear from my mom so we don’t actually have to be down in the sewers the whole time,”

“That’s so cool,” Diana yowls, hopping down from a tree above the picnic tables onto Ito-san’s head, eliciting a moment of shock from the rough and tumble delinquent before leaping into Koito’s arms, “Like a spy movie! Do we set up in a van?!”

“Err...I can’t exactly borrow a van from my mom. No license,” Kairi-chan laughs with an awkward tinge.

This may take a few days.

>I can try to unpack the garage and get my mom’s Lapin
>I can try to beg dad to borrow his town car
>Maybe Tomoe-sensei can let us borrow an infinity academy vehicle
>...I know someone with a van who definitely owes me one
>We don’t need a car, that’ll be conspicuous
>Write in

Meanwhile you’ll be…

>Doing fill ins like Kairi-chan and Koito so the others can rest
>Burning some midnight oil backing up Midori
>Spend the afternoons observing with Keiko
>Play hooky and watch alongside Ito-san
>Go to class as normal and do some magic equipment work for your unpowered allies
>Write in

>>2071253
>We don’t need a car, that’ll be conspicuous

>Go to class as normal and do some magic equipment work for your unpowered allies

>>2071253
>We don’t need a car, that’ll be conspicuous
&
>Go to class as normal and do some magic equipment work for your unpowered allies

Writing.

I just need to state what could have been.

Pressuring Daigo Endo into letting you borrow his van because you gave Nui Takeda an inspiring lecture on not being afraid and to remember who the hell she was and be confident enough to tell him how she felt.

Or you missed out on an embarrassing nostalgia tour in the garage.

All the others were pretty straightforward and just been added scenes with Mamoru or Hotaru.

“We don’t need a car,” you consider, “That would be too conspicuous. We can probably get Artemis and Luna to reroute surveillance feeds through phones while we maintain a safe distance,”

“Alright, so we’ll spend a few days gathering and compiling,” Midori nods, “Coordinate through the the Lounge Base and then figure out the best way to lead the approach,”

Everyone nods at that, before a dissenting query brings momentary dissonance.

“And what about you, Miks?” Ito-san questions through the group and continuing to use that corruption of...well you aren’t sure if it's a corruption of your ganguro identity or your own name now.

It makes you worry about Ito-san and Venus-chan ever being in the same room.

“Well. There’s something I’ve been meaning to do,” you explain and then turn specifically toward Midori, “I’ve been learning to shape and imprint magic in a permanent fashion. So I think instead of running around like I usually do I’m going to make some things to help out our teammates without any magic,”

Midori has been on you in the past about doing too much, and you’ve been meaning to spend some time working on something like this.

“Good,” she smiles, “Sasha and Umeki-san could probably use the leg up,”

“Alright, I’ll need help carrying and setting things up,” Kairi-chan nods.

“How much stuff is there going to be?” questions Keiko, “Won’t that be obvious if we carry it all through the park in the middle of the afternoon?”

“Nyan, leave that to me!” Diana pads across the table to an errant pen before kicking it into the air.

Leaping, the young moon cat backflips around the pen. It promptly disappears with a pop.

As everyone begins breaking off, you decided to you might as well get to work on that crafting. With the time you’ll have, you imagine you can make two items of moderate power (Your QM is softballing the math because no, just no)

>You’re going to work in the Wellspring beneath Zodiac Academy for Girls
>You’re going to work in the hidden hot spring you claimed with your knights
>You’re going to work in the shade of the purified tree in the park
>You’re going to work in the secret lab beneath Infinity Academy
>You’re going to work in your Crowne Arcade base
>You’re going to work in your mother’s garden
>Write in

As for what you’ll focus on…

>One item for Umeki-san and one for Sasha
>Two items for Umeki-san, she may need the leg up and Sasha is reticent to take power
>Two items for Sasha, because even if he is reticent he will be at the most risk for taking a hit

(this vote will basically conclude tonight's thread, I will take above suggestions into consideration for the items that wind up being made)

Eclipsed Moon Thread Episode 151
End, wth a vote

>>2071499
Hey, don’t ever hesitate to tell us that there might be fun times behind door number three.

>>2071528
Fair enough.

Endo dodged a bullet there, I think.

>>2071523
>You’re going to work in the shade of the purified tree in the park
+
>One item for Umeki-san and one for Sasha

And now the crashening is upon me. See y'all gents in the morning.

>>2071523
>You’re going to work in the secret lab beneath Infinity Academy
>One item for Umeki-san and one for Sasha

And now, an idea for a big project for the future. Inspired by the platform of jaunting from the Stronghold Builder's Guidebook, a raised platform that can teleport those standing on it anywhere in the city and some kind of screen that can show the users the location they’re about to teleport to.

>>2071523
>One item for Umeki-san and one for Sasha

>>2071163
Aye. Also a deployable uniform with identity obscurement, the usual protection or drawn from our mythic ability.

As spymaster, it could be good to get her some ability to disguise herself. As Umeki, that notion is terrifying.

>>2071523
>One item for Umeki-san and one for Sasha
I'm thinking make each in a different locale:
>You’re going to work in the shade of the purified tree in the park
Work on Sasha's here. I think we agree he needs a bit more protection, recovery, and ability to harm things resistant to normal attack. Whichever we settle on, these seem to line up the the Tree well.

>You’re going to work in the Wellspring beneath Zodiac Academy for Girls
Talk of disguise, transportation, invisibility. All match well with the fluidity of water. Plus that was the location we unlocked a disguise at, was transported somewhere, and was hidden below the surface of supernaturally well.

Also gives time in the daylight to one and time in the evening/night to the other, plus an opportunity to prowl through the Beasts new turf on the was home.

>hidden hot spring you claimed with your knights
I'd forgotten that was a hot spring. We should look into shielding that from prying eyes and holding team meetings there from time to time.
How far off from the shadow-girls' hideaway is that?