Nine-colored Roses (Princess: The Hopeful) IC

[Beans]

Carrie sighs, biting her lip. She wonders if Vo knows how good she is at shutting her clumsy attempts at romantic reconnection down. Is it intentional? Has she moved on?
yeah well
be safe and all, ok?

[Entelechy]

Bobbie took back her tablet and scribbled a quick message.

"Raincheck on the coffee date. The Albina Press, Tuesday, 5pm ;)" Bobbie shows the message to the woman with a real wink. Then she writes something else. Bobbie offers the new woman her arm, and shows her the tablet.

"Want to go somewhere and talk?" the tablet says.

[Felyndiira]

"That might be best," Mana sighs. She is a bit annoyed that the woman dodged her question about 'spells' - it seems that she is not just a normal civilian with an overly liberal interpretation of Oregon's open carry laws, but someone with their own secret to hide from the world of normal, unenlightened people. Perhaps she's just not ready to answer such a question? That she didn't trust them enough to reveal her own connection to the darkspawn and the masquerade that the Blossomed were bound to, in the same way that Mana would not give away her own alternate identity?

"If you don't mind, I know of a pretty nice, quiet restaurant around here where we could talk." She didn't know why the other princess - a comrade-in-arms, presumably, compared to this enigma of a woman who mentions mysterious occult things and isn't even phased at the sight of a creature of darkness - didn't just speak to her when she is capable, but decides that it would be best not to pursue the matter. "I might need a drink, too, after seeing all of that. Are you okay with Indian?"

"Oh, right-" She turns back to the woman with a smile half-nervous and half full of excitement - or, at least, the best imitation that she can manage. "I promise I won't say anything. But were you the one that tossed the black dog thingy in the air like that? Is that the 'spell' that you mentioned before? If so, you'll have to teach me to do it sometime."

"It feels like living in an action movie," she added incredulously, in a half-audible whisper.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie

you're the one i'm worried about. be careful, ok?

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Vo earns one Beat for defeating Carrie's romantic overtures.

Mana and Bobbie

The woman takes a drag on her cigarette, considers for a bit, and digs a business card out of her wallet, handing it to Mana. "I haven't got time for twenty questions right now, but come to my office Monday morning and I'll tell you some stuff."

"Also, the cops are here. Get going out the other end of the alley if you don't want to talk to them."

The business card has the name, telephone, email, and fax number of some place named Graye Investigations, which has apparently been around long enough to have a fax number.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie nods as she accepts the card. Then she continues to lead Mana away from the scene. She stows her tablet, and switches to her phone so she can write one handed.

"You're so sweet. Indian works fine :)" Bobbie wrote.

[Felyndiira]

"Point taken." Mana allows herself to be led away from the scene; though she probably should have stayed to ask more about the strange woman, it seems like it would be an additional hassle. The girl decides that she didn't need more trouble in her already chaotic life - at least, not today. "Maybe Monday then," she whispered - mostly to herself, eyeing the business card before the other Blossomed had time to put it away.

Soon, the woman is already out of sight. Mana seems to relax a bit, as if a sizable piece of weight - or perhaps a weight that isn't even there - is shed from her shoulders. She smiled a bit to the other woman with the strange clothes: a bit awkwardly, especially for her, and hiding a bit of embarrassment like she did before. Somewhere inside her mind, she is wondering why this curious girl chooses to communicate mostly through text messages when she was clearly able to speak and hear; somewhere else, she's chastising herself for coming up with these sudden and unwarranted judgments about other people.

"I had a friend - an Indian friend - recommend this place to me," she announces, hiding her inner desire to ask about the other girl's strange habits and equally unique clothing. She shows her own phone to the other girl, with Chrome already active and displaying the Yelp page for Kadhai Boutique Restaurant. "To be honest, I have only been there once myself, but she was a fan of the place. At least, she couldn't stop raving about the spices that they use and how similar they are to her own hometown. The food is really good, though - at least from the one time I was there."

She pauses for a bit, as if trying to decide whether to bring up the topic of the woman, or of the mysterious girl's own magic. She seems to decide against this, and instead produces her text messaging application and writes her own phone number - and the message "Maybe we could just use text (｀・ω・´)”" - before showing it to the other girl. Below, a number of emoji was visible on a special emoticon keyboard, with some of the most common ones that Mana uses - "ᶘ ᵒᴥᵒᶅ", "(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧", and "(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻" - on the very top row, clearly visible for anyone to see.

"This might be easier," she declares with a soft smile.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie clapped her hands together and pressed her fingertips to her lips in delight. She quickly texted Mana, "Those are so cute!"

As the approached the main street, a ripple ran over Bobbie again, like the distortion of light at the bottom of a pond. When it passed, her outfit had shifted again, and her face was different. Bobbie sends another text, a bit of a non-sequitur "You 'had a friend,' what happened to her?"

[Felyndiira]

Mana looks very confused at that question.

"Nothing happened to her. What..." The girl is apparently trying to find a satisfying way to answer a question that seems to have come completely out of the blue and caught her unaware; it takes a minute before she finally realizes where the misunderstanding has occurred. Her smile returns to her face as she answers as sweetly as she could muster. "That was just an expression, you know. Something like 'a friend had recommended me to this place in the past.'"

"That aside, we're already here." Mana waves at a small, traditional building with a sign printed in both English and what she assumes to be Hindi. She seems to pause for a moment as her eyes scanned the girl's new outfit - and her entirely new appearance. "What happened?" she asks, trying her best to sound like the Mana of a half-year ago, before she made contact with this new world and had this wonderful and undesired responsibility suddenly thrust upon her.

[Entelechy]

"When a lady looks as sharp as I do, she needs take steps not to be recognized," Bobbie texted, and punctuated it with a sly wink at Mana. She once again offers Mana her arm to take.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

As stated, Bobbie and Mana can run a scene in the sidestory thread if they like, and everyone can begin with full Willpower and make let's say 3 Circle or Duty checks to refill Wisps over downtime. Now, on with the show...

Session 2: Bear Futures on Slender Forms

April 27, 2015

Shira

Spoiler: Dream

Show

Shira dreams. Sometimes her dreams are normal and terrifying, and sometimes there's a peaceful connection to the Dreamlands from whence her Queen and her Shikigami hail, but this time it almost seems like something between the two.

The overwhelming feeling is of heat. This isn't uncommon for Shira, but it's usually accompanied by images of flames and a feeling of loss, whereas this is a kind of focused dry heat she's never felt before, but might come from an endless desert or a blast furnace. She sees only blackness at first, before light washes over her in brief, dim flashes as if it's reflecting off of some distant surface. She sees a number of things - statues of soldiers made of metal and clay, Inari, a sword made of a howling windstorm, her parents lying in their hospital beds, Inari again moving flailingly toward her, a vast blackness that the reflected light cannot illuminate, and finally the face of the Hopeful who introduced herself as Ember Ash, backed by the memory of fire that finally shows itself, looking with her unreadable expression and blacked facial jewelry at Shira...then a fox paw touches her shoulder.

Shira wakes up in her bed in a cold sweat, Inari sitting next to her arm. It's 5:03 am.

"Hey uh...where'd you go just now?"

Mana

On Monday morning, Mana wakes up to her usual routine and school commitments, but also with a text message from Aya.

Meeting @ lunch? School business so casual dress.

Giovanni

Giovanni likewise has his normal Monday commitments, which largely consist of dealing with high schoolers not wanting to do anything because there's a bit more than a month left of school. The seniors have checked out entirely and for some reason in one of his classes the Tremblay sisters, Anne and Marie-Helene, alternate between giving him weird looks and glaring at each other.

Bobbie

Bobbie's business is such that she can set her own schedule, though she is accosted early in the morning by Amy.

"Hey, sorry for the short notice," she says and signs, "but a couple called me in as a backup on a wedding the day after tomorrow. Is there anything you could put together quick or should I go shopping?"

Carrie

Carrie can enjoy the one benefit to her current financial and social situation - she has no particular mundane obligations for the day, just an ominous letter, a business card, and a commission from a friend of Christin's to investigate a couple of suicides.

[MReav]

Shira grabbed a towel to dry herself off, before collecting herself

"I... don't know." she said, "It was hot and dry, but there wasn't any fire, at least at first. It was pitch black but then I could see light reflecting off something in the distance. Then I saw a stream of images, starting with a bunch of statues of soldiers made of clay and metal, followed by you, then a sword made of a howling windstorm, mom and dad in the hospital, you again flailing as you came towards me, the blackness again, then Ember appeared backed by fire, and she was staring at me while wearing some black facial jewelery, and then you woke me up..." Shira sat silently for a few moments, "Does any of that make any sense to you? Also... did you see any of that?"

She turned over in her bed. She was still thinking about some of the things she spoke to Mr. Minotti the other day. His comment about not being human any more disturbed her more than she could admit. Maybe it was just because it reminded her of Madoka Magicka too much. He was right that she shouldn't look too much into television as a source of guidance, but she wondered where he could have possibly gotten that impression. It was one of the only things she kept from Inari when she filled him in on her impressions of him.

[Entelechy]

Bobbie gives Amy a wicked grin. With a few quick flicks on her phone, she starts music playing.

"Babe... I got you babe..." Sonny and Cher sing.

[Beans]

Carrie

Carrie can enjoy the one benefit to her current financial and social situation - she has no particular mundane obligations for the day, just an ominous letter, a business card, and a commission from a friend of Christin's to investigate a couple of suicides.

Carrie wakes and stretches, flopping back with a sigh. As much as her car's backseat is familiar to her, a real motel is nice. The first thing she does is shower, of course, and does a bit of thinking therein. Showers are good for thinkin'.

She determines she's going to hit up those suicides---even if it's totally non-supernatural, it still bears investigating and resolving. She gets dressed and reviews the information, then goes to head out.

[theUnearther]

...plein des failles, comme courant. Now, for homework...
Hold for groans.
...there shall be none. Exams are almost upon us, so you should study. Or you can try again next time. Your call. Je n'evaluerai vous plus jusqu'à'lors. If there's anything else, here I am. Otherwise, run along.
Giovanni starts picking up his stuff while most or all of the students leave the classroom, intentionally slowly in case some of them do want to approach him.

Spoiler

Show

"...lots of loopholes, as usual." and "I won't grade you anymore 'til then."
Got 1 (one) success for Duty.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira

"I could tell you were connected to the Dreamlands, but not IN them, you know?" Inari says, solemnly. "Someone might have been sending you a message. Sometimes the Queens do that, but the Queen of Swords is usually more straightforward than that...by a lot."

Inari looks...well, he doesn't actually have a variable facial expression in this form, but he looks about as puzzled and concerned as he can manage. "I can ask the Rabbits about the symbols next time I see them, if that helps."

Bobbie

Amy signs and says her thanks, but is quickly out the door - she has a lot to do for her own job, obviously.

This might be a good time to go shopping if Bobbie needs to, or possibly to get in contact with one of the people she met Saturday or someone the other Princess put her in contact with.

Carrie

Carrie's information so far largely consists of public knowledge mentioned in online news releases - nothing she didn't see for herself, other than the fact that the two suicides' bodies were "damaged by animals", and the business card and note she'd gotten beforehand that seemed to predict the incident. Someone else may have gotten around to research that they haven't had the opportunity to share yet.

Giovanni

The students shuffle out. In spite of her sister's efforts, Marie-Helene hangs back long enough for the two of them to be the last ones in the classroom.

"There's nothing going on outside school we need to be worried about right Mr. Minotti," she blurts out rapidfire.

Anne gives up on tugging on her elbow and just facepalms. "You are the worst friend..."

[MReav]

"Thank you Inari, I don't know what I'd do without you. Then again, you are supposed to fulfill that enigmatic mentor animal figure, so I guess you're doing your job." Shira says as she pets him, "Still, if there's something I can do, don't be afraid to ask."

Well, I'm not getting any more sleep today. she thinks to herself after trying to get back to sleep for half an hour. Instead she gets dressed.

"Bubbie, I'm going out for a run." she says as she goes down the stairs. Old people often were early risers, so her grandmother being was up at this hour was not surprising.

She needed some time to herself to clear her head. But unless something happened, she would get breakfast and then go to school, like normal.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Haha, "unless something happened"

Shira

Shira heads out for a run with no incident and an appreciative wave goodbye from her grandmother. The weather's clear today, but a good deal warmer than it was the past weekend...either a heatwave is starting, or Shira's dream is getting to her. Probably the former.

The obvious running route from her grandmother's apartment takes Shira through Mill Ends park, which has a nice jogging trail right along the Willamette River. It's a nice if slightly stuffy morning, with very few other people out at this time of day, although Shira does spot someone moving high up on the edge of one of the river bridges just before she passes under it. She can recognize the person too: a dark-haired young woman in a practical but highly improbable white, gray, and neon-green shirt and skirt combo, face decorated with some stud jewelry and a permanent-looking scowl.

Ember Ash, naturally, in full Regalia. Or at least, almost full. She doesn't seem to have manifested the sword Shira saw her with on that night. The woman stares down at Shira for a moment before, with a flare impossible for a normal human, jumping down to the jogging path with a modesty-preserving flip.

[theUnearther]

"There's nothing going on outside school we need to be worried about right Mr. Minotti,"

Giovanni looks at the girl for a moment, trying to gauge her motives behind that, before deciding that's what words are for.
Such things exist, yes, but you...
He pauses briefly, grabbing his chin.
No, I cannot in good conscience advise you not to have caution. Hmm...
More chin-scratching.
I can, however, say you should not waste your time and emotions on things beyond your power. Either work to increase your ability to change the world, then do so, or leave well enough alone. Does that help? Je manquerais... No, sorry. I'd need to know more to help you more. Is it something you can tell me? Bearing in mind, of course...
He looks over Marie-Helene's shoulder and points his finger at Anne.
...that you shouldn't lightly betray your sister, but nor should you let her keep you from something of import. Again, I have no idea where this falls, you tell me. Or, y'know, not.

Spoiler

Show

"I would need..."

[Entelechy]

Bobbie does need a few odds and ends, and decides a bit of shopping is in order. She ponders a moment, then sends Mana a quick text.

"Hey cool kid, wanna come shopping?"

[MReav]

"Oh hell." Shira says to herself. She considers her options. She didn't know whether or not Ember knew her identity, though logically, Ember probably wouldn't have done that public display for just anyone. Still, it was bad form to transform in public, so she looked around for those that might see.

She also needed to gauge Ember. Might as well test the waters. Entering into a defensive stance, she said, "You! You're that crazy lady from that night!" Ember's response would likely dictate what she would do next. She really didn't want to fight the more experienced woman. Though as she called out, she realized, calling attention to the fact that she recognized her probably wasn't the best idea, whether Ember knew who she was or not...

Spoiler: OOC

Show

One success on Manipulation + Subterfuge on the off chance she doesn't know me. I might roll 2 more for the Veiling.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira

Ember continues to stand at a relaxed position, not making any aggressive moves. She does twitch her jaw a bit at the words 'crazy lady', though. "I was there when you Blossomed, Shira Rosenberg. I've been keeping an eye on you since then...it's a waste of time trying to fool me."

She looks at the ground briefly and crosses her arms. Small talk is clearly not her forte. "What do you know about the new Radiants coming into town?" she asks, returning her attention to Shira's face.

Giovanni

The twins look at each other for a second.

"What?"

"Quoi?"

Marie-Helene shakes her head. "It's nothing to do with us, just...don't do anything suspicious, okay?"

"I think what she means," Anne says, turning to glare at Marie-Helene, "is that we're vaguely aware that you might be having some trouble, but don't worry about either of us not keeping quiet about it."

[MReav]

Shira still kept herself expressionless, but internally, she was terrified. Ember was there the night she Blossomed. Ember probably had a fair bit to do with that, if unintentionally.

Blunt and to the point. Reminds me of someone I know. Shira mused. In response to Ember's questions, she opted to not try and give too much, while looking for escape plans and possibly a place to use her flower, "I don't know what you saw, I had run around the corner and you were busy with something else when that happened." Shira left out the 'you were trying to murder my parents while they tried to buy time for me to get away' part of that statement. She instead played as dumb as possible, "As for any newcomers... they're probably here to try and help people. That's what we're supposed to do, isn't it? Why would you care?"

Hoping to get some information herself, Shira fired back, "What about you? How'd you survive? I thought you said something about how letting us go was going to cost you."

[Beans]

Carrie

Carrie's information so far largely consists of public knowledge mentioned in online news releases - nothing she didn't see for herself, other than the fact that the two suicides' bodies were "damaged by animals", and the business card and note she'd gotten beforehand that seemed to predict the incident. Someone else may have gotten around to research that they haven't had the opportunity to share yet.

Carrie calls up the number on the bizniss card. Beep boop boop riiiiiiiiiing. She wonders just how to go about this, but figures she can handle it.
She wants to handle it. To be useful.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira

She scoffs. "You say that like death is a 'cost'," she says, shrugging one shoulder under her long-sleeved, flowing shirt. "Either way, my Queen only forsakes her followers if we show mercy to the Dark. I showed mercy to a new Noble, and for that I was...partly forgiven."

Ember is happy - well, you know what I mean - to change the subject back, though, eyes narrowing. "Don't forget what happens when too many Nobles come together. It's like a beacon for Dark creatures. Tears operate in large numbers to make that happen on purpose, but it happens to anyone with the Inner Light. The Turtle politician's plan will only make things worse."

Carrie

"Graye Investigations," replies the voice of a curt woman who's probably been smoking for at least ten years straight, punctuated with what Carrie's fairly certain is a curious "meow?" in the background.

[Beans]

"I was given a package with your card and a warning about an incident that did, in fact, happen. I believe you have leads on some recent suicides?"

[MReav]

"If you're so concerned about that sort of thing, why are you telling me? You want me to relay your concerns to them if I see whoever you're talking about?" Shira asked, again feigning ignorance, "Part of me wants to say that if you know what to expect, maybe you could offer your help in shoring up defences or preparing any counterattack. But I've seen your idea of 'helping', so I'm obviously not comfortable asking."

While maintaining this conversation, Shira was still mapping out possible escape plans. Shira might be really confident with her abilities, but right now, she's facing someone she knows is at least her equal.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

2 Successes if relevant.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Carrie

"You've got some guts being that open over a cell phone," the woman on the other end claims. "I don't currently have a case open for any suicides, but my source tells me we're talking about two sides of the same problem. Come to my office today and I'll clear my schedule. Bring your friends if you want."

Shira

Shira's current position is basically at the bottom edge of an open park that slopes upward from the river bank to street level above. There isn't much cover, but since Ember clearly favors melee weapons, an uphill sprint toward the bustle of downtown and its attendant witnesses would be her best bet.

Ember clenches her jaw for a second, looking away and considering again. "I want you to tell Tellings to knock it off. She ought to know better. She might not listen to a kid, but..."

It's pretty clear from context that her best in-roads to the newly-forming group of Nobles is the girl she nearly killed.

"Although, if you wanted to join the Court of Storms, I wouldn't say no," she admits. "It'd fit you better than where you are now."

[MReav]

Shira considered the offer, then rejects it, "I don't want to put others through what you put me through. I might not buy into everything the Sword Queen says, but I can get behind the whole 'fight for those you love' shpiel," Shira countered, "What exactly are you offering? The chance to hurt those who have hurt me? From where I'm standing, that's you and your friends. And what exactly happens if 'Tellings' doesn't listen? Are you going to fight us? Because if it devolves into Nobles fighting Nobles, then we'll be doing the work of the Forces of Darkness for them." Shira realized that she was probably going to tick Ember off with that insinuation, but some things needed to be said.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Occult Check, no successes

I wanted to bring up the fact that I probably would have to try and kill Ember because otherwise I wouldn't be able to use Tempesta, given Tempesta's whole schtick about never showing mercy to those who have wronged you.

Also, I think I might be combining Arrogant and Righteous.

[theUnearther]

Marie-Helene shakes her head. "It's nothing to do with us, just...don't do anything suspicious, okay?"

"I think what she means," Anne says, turning to glare at Marie-Helene, "is that we're vaguely aware that you might be having some trouble, but don't worry about either of us not keeping quiet about it."

You... that...
Giovanni's fingers find themselves pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment. He speaks with his eyes closed and his other hand gesturing vaguely in Anne's direction.
Alright, general advice for you. When your sister seems nervous of speaking in your presence and the relevant authority figure is trying to carefully help in spite of that, that is not the right time to cut her off and speak for her!
He opens his eyes to look at her, with what he hopes is a softly dissapointed expression.
Vraiment. Even if you're planning on betraying her today, that's no reason to start acting like a cartoon villian already. Please, let her be.
He closes his eyes and breathes deeply, once, before looking at Marie-Helene, with a saddish smile.
Sorry about that. I want it on the record that I'm trying to not make you feel like you should fight your sister over this, and I'm not planning to go cause a ruckus to your parents or whatever. Bien? Bien. Now, I'm not aware of any of any recent rumours starring me, but then I'd be the last one to hear, no? So, if you want to tell me what was it you heard, I can hopefully do something to reassure you. Otherwise you'll have to make do with a general "it is not my policy to raise people's suspicions". Does that help? Please, tell me what's on your mind.

Spoiler

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"Seriously." and "Okay? Okay.".

Also, rules question out of nowhere! Does taking aim count as "studying" a thing, for the purposes of free Acqua? Because it really looks like it should, but it also feels a bit like double-dipping. So I figure I'd better ask right now and not in the middle of the action next time I need to shoot something.
And I want to stress that that was in no way related to the current scene.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shira

Ember responds to that with a glare, and her right hand twitches apparently out of reflex. As she notices that, Shira also notices that Ember's raiment includes gloves, which look a bit out of place in the hot weather and otherwise breezy outfit.

"You've seen what Darkness does to people," she says instead of attacking. "You're not some sheltered brat. I think you know you have to take the fight seriously, and that's what we do."

She sighs, and turns around. "If you still think your family is more important than winning a war for humanity's soul, by all means, stay where you are. All I'm asking is for you to relay a message."

She begins walking off under the bridge. It's probably not a coincidence she didn't answer the last question.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

I would say both, yes, which would be handy if you needed to recover Willpower. And I'm going to say that Shira doesn't know the catches to Tempesta, and they haven't occurred to Ember. Or she doesn't care because obviously whoever wins is the more suitable warrior.

Giovanni

Both sisters shrug.

"Hey, we're twins," Marie-Helene says.

"Cutting each other off--" Anne starts.

"--is kind of a parlor trick," they conclude at the same time.

"Less cute since we're not identical, though."

Anne shakes her head. "Look, this 'I know you know I know' stuff is pointless, and we're gonna be late for math."

Marie-Helene actually stops and thinks. "I guess...Mr. Minotti, are you a good guy or a bad guy? Because I know you're one or the other now."

Anne, sensing the flow of the conversation, bites her tongue rather give her sister another witty remark about her naiveté.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm going to say no; you need to spend an action looking at how the enemy is moving and behaving and what it is, rather than concentrating on drawing a bead on it.