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  1. - Top - End - #121
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    Default Re: Grief In the Shell: Madokapunk IC Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by strawberryman View Post
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    [Ward 4]
    (Kato Tower, Floor 71 - Neo-Mitakihara Growth and Development Center)

    Kin looks into Satou's eyes. It is an intense stare, and despite it all, Satou gets a sense of intelligence from the animal. But Kin exhales and lays back down in front of the boy as he works up his nerve. I mean, if Kin thought he was okay, he had to be, right...?

    "T-the... the skybridge. To Moto tower. ...you've gotta hurry, this is Kin, Rio's dog and he's really important to her and he's hurt because he pushed me out of the way of some stuff falling and it's all my fault because I got lost an-and... and..." The boy hyperventilates a bit as he talks in a fast, panicked tone.
    [Kato Tower, Floor 71- Neo-Mitakihara Growth and Development Center]

    The metal giant gets up, though he still hunches a bit, and takes a few steps closer, as the boy turns inward.

    "Breathe, kid. We'll get the two of you to your classmates. We'll see what we can do from there."

    His arm flexes. Something blurs, at just the edge of the sight of Kin and the boy. Most of the jagged bar of metal falls off, leaving only a bit of a handle, for if someone wanted to remove that which is presently impaling the dog. That doesn't seem to be the plan of the metal giant.

    He gently picks up the boy, holding him securely, a bit uncomfortably tightly, in an elbow. The boy actually feels a click, locking the arm in place. The wounded dog is afforded a careful, cradling hold with the other arm, and the hand of the locked arm.

    "This's gonna be a bit of a bump. But the floor above's sturdier. I can get you to the skybridge more easily from there. Hold on."

    True to the giant's word, in spite of it being a one-story jump, Kin and the boy feel only a slight jolt as they land on a balcony. Then, the giant begins to gently accelerate, gliding over obstacles with smooth, low jumps. The two barely feel any more movement before they see it. The roof of the skybridge.

    The giant steps out onto it, and, at a fairly innocuous point, stands on one leg. The other blurs, and a moment later, a part of the roof falls to the floor, allowing the trio to take a gentle hop back down. They've managed to get into sight of the rest of the class. Most likely, at least. There are other kids, with a few grown-ups looking after them, and...an incubator talking to a teenage girl?

    Oh, hell...
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  2. - Top - End - #122
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    [Ward 4]
    (Kato Tower, Floor 73 - Wishcraft Offices)

    Mia's wounds begin healing up, and she limps along with Leysa. "...that's a pretty dumb opinion to have." She's not entirely brushing it off, though. "...whatever." She lets the older mashou lead her along before reaching the edge of the building.

    "...at least the skybridge is still up." Leysa suddenly gets a surge of instinctual dread from behind her.

    (Kato Tower, B1 - Electrical Control Grid)

    With a rerouting of a few more cords, the electricity in the control room flickers to life. "Hah! Take that, cocky li-"

    A series of beeps comes from behind her as the door activates. "****."

    Another explosion comes from below ground level.

    Then... floor by floor along the elevator shaft. The explosions aren't floor-spanning, but it's a spit in the face of everyone who dared to hope as the power flickered on and then immediately started shorting out. High-pitched screeches sound as the elevators scream downwards from the upper floors.

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    Helping Sel along here. Confirmed this to be the case!


    (Skybridge 71F - Kato-Moto Connection)

    Rio looks dumbly down at the Incubator...

    Before jumping as something crashes behind her. She turns, takes stock of the man... and then runs as she recognizes the tufts of golden and black hair.

    "Kin!"

    The boy drops down as soon as Satou lets him, while Rio tries to pull the dog out from Satou's arms.

    "Rio-chan I'm so sorry I didn't words words words words words words .... ... ... ... .. .... .. .... .. ."

    Rio just focuses on Kin. To Satou, the boy is just trying to profusely apologize to 'Rio' but she's just... not reacting at all.

    The incubator tilts its head at Satou. I suppose you object. But that isn't your decision to make.

    Another set of explosions from Kato tower likely breaks things up a bit. Fortunately, the skybridge is well out of the blast radius, and the atmospheric scrubbers are working full blast to prevent smoke from filtering in.
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  3. - Top - End - #123
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    Default Re: Grief In the Shell: Madokapunk IC Thread

    [Ward 4]
    (Kato Tower)

    Hell. Chaos everywhere, multiple groups attempting to help in disparate positions to limited success, at times. Explosives still going down at unexpected times.

    Captain Gomes knows from tracking devices and observation systems on his officers what is going on in various places. Satou is here in clear violation of orders, and found an incubator playing its little game. Well, if anything, that is probably one of the safer areas right now then.

    Scouts report an explosion near where Nadica is working, followed by something happening to the elevators.

    He is on this one.

    A goliath of metal barrels through walls towards the elevator shafts, hauling a heavy hose tied to one of the tanks outside. The doors to the shafts crumble in a smash, and gallons of foam pour into the walls until several meters of shock-absorbing material fill the shafts.

    And then he follows with a warning.

    *Bzzt* "All officers, prepare for complete shutdown of the tower. There are still too many explosives hidden around. One minute mark. "

    And Nadica gets her own message.

    Turn off anything you need. I'm EMPing this nonsense and getting Omoikane to do the reboot.

    The clock ticks.
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  4. - Top - End - #124
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    [Skybridge 71F: Kato-Moto Connection]

    I set the kid and the dog down. Look at the face of the little girl whose pet is dying. Her expression's the same, but her eyes are full of grief. Given the way that thing looked at me, I can see why. Even knowing it just a few seconds, I can tell it's a good one.

    ....Couldn't argue with the damned thing. In this world we live in, ideas like -

    WHAT THE HELL WAS- ...The secondary blasts. ...There's no time to argue with the incubator. I look to the teachers in this little gaggle of civilians, and I see almost as much fear as in the eyes of the children. Some have a fairly good handle on it. Others look especially unsettled to see me. Can't blame them. Between the blasts and the return of the Reaper, it's like they've shunted back to darker decades.

    I should be off...but I can't just vanish. That'd leave the whole class adrift. I lower myself to a knee again.


    "...Kid, I can't stop you. Can't claim we'd be able to treat him in time, either. But...being a mashou. It's dangerous. And you'd never be able to get away from it."
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  5. - Top - End - #125
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    [Ward 4]
    Mobile

    Leysa takes the limited progress she's made with Mia and continues forwards. Hope for any other survivors has been all but dashed. Mia barely survived while in her Mashou form; any normal human likely would have been killed outright or been quickly finished by the atmosphere. When they reach the edge of the building, Leysa prepares to call her bike when she has a sudden surge of dread. Leysa tries, by and large, not to rely on instinct. But hers are pretty good, and it's already been a long day.

    "Move!"

    Grabbing Mia firmly in her arms, Leysa hurls them both off of the edge of the building and towards the skybridge, twisting so that she takes the impact more heavily than Mia.
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  6. - Top - End - #126
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    [Ward 4]
    [Kato Tower]

    Duncan was delayed for critical moments as he strapped on his vest, heavy equipment belt...and his larger weapons. Then he took off at that inhumanly fast sprint again, kilt flapping in the wind even as he raced for the tower...

    Only for blasts to ripple through the whole thing again. He skids to a halt and throws his arms in front of his head, glass and dust skidding over his form. One or two cuts open but barely bleed at all. He begins to curse in Scots Gaelic, and if anyone hears and translates they might find themselves impressed at his inventiveness.

    He is about to head into the burning tower anyways when he catches the broadcast from the Chief. Cursing again (though not over an open line), he turns and dashes for a nearby APC, literally leaping over the thing in a forward-flip jump and making an excellent three-point landing.

    'Bloody Chief and his bloody order to stay away I could bloody well have my bloody armor by now...'

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  7. - Top - End - #127
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    [Ward 4]
    (Kato Tower 73F - Wishcraft Foundation Offices)

    Mia lets out a cry as they drop a couple dozen feet onto the roof of the sky bridge, right before dust, fire, and rubble explode from the floor.

    Mia just stares up blankly for a few moments before letting out an angry screech. "DAMMIT! DAMN YOU STRAIGHT TO HELL WHOEVER YOU ARE! ARGH!" She coughs up a bit of blood.

    "I changed my mind. I'm gonna live to kick the ass of whoever did this."

    (Kato Tower B1 - Maintenance Floor, somewhere)

    Nadica's consciousness returns with a ringing in her head as she receives Leon's message. Every word from her mouth is some manner of expletive. The snap-point defensive barrier she made out of her wheelchair... was torn to pieces. And she was still flung through a few walls. As she channels healing through her soulgem, she pulls a grief cube out of the wreckage of her chair, cutting her fingers on some glass. ...well there goes her whiskey, too.

    She reaches into a pocket to check her phone after it vibrates, her communicator was trashed. Gomes is dropping an EMP. Well. About time.

    no clubbing tonight, just got thrown through 2 rooms by an angry block of C4

    (Skybridge 71F - Kato-Moto connection)

    Rio slides to the ground, holding Kin closely. The dog gives a few weak licks, breathing raggedly. Her classmate just... catches the hint, stopping his rapid and consecutive apologies. She doesn't pay Satou any mind.

    "K-Kin... I..." Rio chokes on words for a moment. "P-please don't... don't die, I can't... I can't do this... without you..."

    Kin just offers a tired nudge from his nose, hardly able to keep his eyes open. Rio holds his side, hands getting stained with blood. She looks up to the Incubator with teary eyes. It just gives her the usual blank stare back. "Do something!" She thinks about it. "I'll... I'll do it! Just..." She loses some steam as Kin's eyes close and his breathing slows to a glacial pace, letting out a sob.

    The Incubator's eyes flash ominously. ...Well, if you accept the burden of fighting wraiths, what is it you'll trade your soul for, Koizumi Rio?

    Words fail Rio, so thoughts will have to do. I want this to end, just... like it never happened. Nobody hurt. Nobody dead. But mostly I just... I want him to li...ve... Kin stops breathing as she finishes her thought. She shakes him. Then, a bit more desperately. The scream of sorrow she lets out is hard for anyone to miss. But...

    The Incubator approaches slowly, arcing its "ears" towards Rio as she tenses up, and then flops over, a golden bead slowly coalescing over her head before descending downward.

    Contract... accepted.

    And then everything changed.
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  8. - Top - End - #128
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    [Neo-Mitakihara, Ward 4]
    [Kato Tower, In General]

    As a rule of thumb, wishes are granted in the most straightforward manner possible, much as a lightning bolt follows the path of least resistance. Sometimes, by wording or intent, they can run roughshod over time and space themselves - but fortunately, that was not always the case, or the potential threshold for prospective candidates would be extraordinarily high. Meddling with time is hard. But mending a building? Raising the dead?

    That's chemistry, baby.

    There's the usual lightshow. Bam go the lasers, voom go the strings on the ominous music, twinkletwinkle go the pretty sparkly soul things. The appearance of a contract-binding sequence is not set in stone any more than the transformation of a magical girl, often proving radically different between different cultures, always taking the form the contact's signee unconsciously feels to be most appropriate for the occasion. In Neo-Mitakihara, where mashou and everything surrounding them are ingrained into the culture, this has given rise to a sparkly ouroboros in which contracts increasingly look like themselves. But one way or another, it wraps up neatly as ever.

    Rio stands in the perfectly-clean, well-kept hallway in her personal costume, weapon in hand. A soul gem glitters somewhere on her person, resplendent and untarnished. Her dog pants happily, as healthy as ever and expecting a treat for being such a good boy.

    Civilians stand, sit, and look around in moderate to severe confusion. A few awkwardly stop screaming as they try to parse that they are not about to be engulfed by a blossom of crimson flame. Surprisingly, none of them feel a compelling need for therapy, because the wish had a bit of extra power to spare.

    ...And of course, everyone who rushed here to deal with a terrorist attack is stuck looking like a bit of a tool, charging into a perfectly intact building with power armor and crisis gear. A janitor gives Leon a wary look, clutching their ZealTech Omnisweep v2 and backing warily away. One of the learning center students breaks the reverie on Floor 71 by pulling out her phone and snapping a picture of Rio.

    Tagged.
    Uploaded.
    Searched.
    Dredged.
    Analyzed.
    Reposted.


    Bad news gets credit for traveling fast, but to give its counterpart some credit, it's less than five minutes before that very image appears on a popular newsfeed.

    "Developing Story: New Mashou Makes Wish, Resolves Kato Tower Crisis!"

    [Old Mitakihara]
    [Exit Paths]

    "...huh. I guess... that's that."

    Nuan had seemed about to argue with Makoto's reasoning, but there doesn't really seem to be a point now. What an... odd sequence of events. Not the first time she'd seen a dramatic wish like this, but they're always a bit of a shock.

    "...I'll have to meet her later. For now, let's get where we're going. Before anything else crops up."
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  9. - Top - End - #129
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    [Neo-Mitakihara, Ward 4]
    [Kato Tower, elevator shaft]

    Gomes calls off the emp. Well, that matter is settled neatly enough. Time to hand out orders.

    *Bzzt* "All troops pull back. Satou, get the girl and the dog and your sorry ass to the ships."

    The captain climbs out of his battlesuit and has it compact itself into a form that can move through undamaged doors.

    Novak, I am putting this place's info grid on lockdown. Omoikane is on the job, don't touch anything.

    Honestly, he sounds pretty ok with this turn of events.
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  10. - Top - End - #130
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    [Ward 4]
    (Skybridge 71F - Kato-Moto Connection)

    Rio opens her eyes with a blink as everything just... changes. And she's clad in some manner of white hooded robe, the skirt ending just at her upper thigh, and lined with red triangles. A staff of winding wood is in her hand, and her soul gem is "pinned" on the collar of her robe with a large red ribbon fanning out from it. A pair of knee-high leather boots grace her fairly lanky legs. It's... simple, but elegant.

    She just... stares for a few quiet moments.

    The classmate of hers that Satou saved, who we'll call Kaito from here on, stares as well... before starting a cheer and clapping. Rio just about jumps out of her skin at that, looking back. Her eyes widen at Kin, and the staff clatters to the ground as she flops down to give the dog a teary hug.

    (Skybridge Roof)

    Mia stares upward at everything just... fixing itself. "...what?"

    (Kato Tower B1 - Maintenance)

    The power suddenly flickers on and all the walls are repaired around Nadica. Even her wheelchair is fine.

    She stares dumbfounded for a second.

    "...well s***." She snaps back a quick message to Gomes.

    meet you at the station goldfish With a head scratch she makes her way upstairs.
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    [Kato-Moto Skybridge]

    Satou stares, for a moment. Takes another to look back at the restored tower. Then pulls out a cigar, in direct contravention of the No Smoking signs that no longer are even upon the skybridge, because who still does that, honestly? He lights up, releasing a relatively pleasant smell into the bridge- it somehow smells of potpourri, rather than actual tobacco. He kneels again, to get to eye level with Rio, and adjusts his shades.

    "....Well. Ya chose a good wish, anyway, kid. If your teachers don't mind, would you and Kin come with me? Boys back at the precinct will be wanting to thank you. Even the Captain, by the sound of it."


    While that's all that can be heard on the skywalk, his subvocal microphone carries a bit more information in the voice message that he just sent to Captain Gomes.

    Be there soon, Chief. Have to help these folks calm down.
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  12. - Top - End - #132
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    [Neo-Mitakihara, Ward 4]
    Kato Tower

    Following the landing, Leysa pushes herself up onto her elbows, coughing.

    "Good. That's a start."

    Her tone isn't quite humorous, but she clearly isn't in advice mode, either.

    Quote Originally Posted by strawberryman View Post
    Contract... accepted.
    Leysa's eyes widen as she watches the event. Even if she doesn't witness the wish itself, it doesn't take more than a moment to put two and two together.

    "Someone made a wish."

    Leysa's transformation sloughs off, leaving her in her normal outfit. Picking herself off the ground, she waits for the process to complete before racing into the building, sprinting the entire distance to the Wishcraft offices from her starting point.
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  13. - Top - End - #133
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    [Ward 4]
    (Skybridge 71F - Kato-Moto Connection)

    Rio lets Kin go after a few moments. What Satou said barely registered, so he probably has to repeat it. When and if he does, she looks to Ms. Minami with a bit of an unsure look. Was she in trouble? Or...

    Kin gives her a reassuring nudge and lick.

    (Skybridge Roof)

    Mia picks herself up, her wounds are even healed. "...yeah. Just..." She scratches her head and... Leysa jumps off. Oh.

    She jumps after Leysa, trying to bridge the conversation back for lack of something better to do. "...I guess it's kind of alarming when we see the actual miracle wishes. Y'know?"
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  14. - Top - End - #134
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    [Neo-Mitakihara, Ward 4]
    [Kato-Moto Skybridge]

    There's a whole lot of murmuring. Almost as quickly as the walls and bodies of those in the tower were mended, the lightshow seems to have offered an outlet for the pent-up tension of the group. Schoolchildren have begun chattering, a few more of the less polite ones taking snapshots of Rio and Satou. Quite a few are pulling their phones out for an entirely different purpose - calling their parents.

    "...Rio? Oh, heavens, you... brave, brave girl." Ms. Minami seems a little awestruck, but she smiles and shakes her head, kneeling down to put herself on eye level. "...no trouble at all, promise. But I think we should call your parents, don't you? They're going to be worried sick about you, especially with all the news going on. You can use my phone if you've dropped yours. And for the record... that was a very heroic wish. By anyone's standards."

    Meanwhile, a rather burly man - a little run-down and worn-out by age, perhaps, but still strong - strides from the crowd of teachers, giving a toothy grin to Satou. Ueno Juro, after a few moments required to register the face. Despite his appearance and status as a fitness nut, a crime scene analyst rather than an enforcer. Not a bad one either, led a team to clean up Satou's messes more than once. Admittedly, that was over a decade ago, he'd since clearly quit for a job with better pay and less stress.

    "Pwahaha, fig'red I'd seen your sorry tin rear get bailed out by a kid for the last time once I left the force. Try as we might, guess there's some things we can't really change, eh? Don't feel tied down here - I think us grownups are more scared than the kids right now, and we'll manage. Still got my whistle if anything gets out of hand."
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    [Dashing from Old Town]

    "Best possible outcome given the circumstances." Makoto notes idly. "I feel bad for the kid, though. She's going to be an instant celebrity. Her parents are going to have a whale of a time trying to give her some privacy." For that reason alone, the Kujoh heir is thankful his wish wasn't for anything flashy like world peace.

    HAH! Like he'd profit from that.

    Sometimes Makoto wonders if his absolutely rotten heart will make his soulgem corrupt any faster.

    ___________________

    [Kato towers]

    Cutting through whatever curious onlookers may have been is a woman dressed for business (if slightly on the risqué side). She's trying desperately to contact someone, anyone, though her call isn't being picked up. There are two mashou right by her side trying to calm her down, or offering help, before one of them suggests she tries the homeroom teacher's phone. She takes the suggestion immediately.

    Chiyo Koizumi is not one to wait for the authorities when her family is in danger.
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    I met a girl with a really pensive look. I walk up to her, put a fifty cent coin in her hand, "For your thoughts. I know the going rate is supposed to be one, but I figure you play hardball."

    She gave it back, "Keep it. Pretty sure a guy with your charm can find a way to have them for free anyway."

  16. - Top - End - #136
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    [Neo-Mitakihara, Ward 4]
    [Kato-Moto Skybridge]

    Satou glances up, then, after a moment, he stands and and grins. Not too often that that expression pops up on his face.

    "Always was something of a sight, wasn't it? I'll leave this lot to you, then. ...Good to see you're doing well, Juro."


    Still, he waits for Rio to make her calls. This is no great hurry.
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  17. - Top - End - #137
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    [Ward 4]
    (Skybridge 71F - Kato-Moto Connection)

    Rio stands up, picking up the staff nervously. "Uh-um... o-okay..." She's just... unsure how to process all of this, following Satou and looking around nervously as people stare at her, snap pictures, or offer cheers, thanks, or other encouragement. Kin pads along looking back and forth at all of the commotion and making sure Rio wasn't having issues.

    The incubator is nowhere in sight, its work here is done. But no doubt Rio would be one to watch.

    Meanwhile, she calls up... her dad. She did have to use Ms. Minami's phone, given she left hers back in the cafeteria.

    "...dad? Um..." A pause. "Yeah, I'm fine, um... everything is fine-" She pauses again. Satou might hear a bit of sobbing from the other end, but the odd kind of happy sobbing people do when they're relieved. "...I'm fine. Really. Just, um..."

    "...I love you too? ...um... let mom know I'm okay. Just... this policeman wants me to come to the station and, um... I don't... want to keep them waiting?" A polite way of saying 'I know how mom gets and this might take all day if I wait for her'. She gives a few more simple affirmations.

    "...love you. Bye." She hangs up and hands the phone back to Ms. Minami. "...um... thank you. Um. My mom might call, just... tell her I'll be home... tonight... probably?" Rio's really not sure how to go about all of this as she walks after Satou to wherever the ship was going to pick them up. Maybe one of the balconies.
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    [Kato Tower]
    Hallways

    Leysa actually skids completely to a stop at the comment from Mia. She looks...almost at a loss.

    "Yeah...yeah, I guess it is."
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  19. - Top - End - #139
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    Default Re: Grief In the Shell: Madokapunk IC Thread

    [Neo-Mitakihara, Ward 4]
    (Kato-Moto Skybridge)

    Satou watches the kid take in all the commotion. At her last request of Ms. Minami, he nods.

    "We'll make sure you get home for dinner. C'mon."


    He walks slowly, over a route that minimizes visibility from the more occupied sections of the towers. Nothing to do for the class; just have to hope that the teachers keep them on-track. Eventually, they reach the balcony. As they wait for one of the ships to angle into position, he tries to make a bit of conversation.

    "...Didn't really introduce ourselves. I'm Mr. Satou. What can I call you, kid?"
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  20. - Top - End - #140
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    [Ward 4]
    (Kato Tower, Floor 71)

    "...R-Rio." She's quiet for a few more minutes.

    "...thank you... for bringing Kin to me."

    Kin sits patiently and tilts her head at Rio, nudging her. She gives a smile and scratches behind Kin's ear.

    (Floor 73 - Wishcraft Foundation Offices?)

    Mia blinks and stops as well. "Something up?"

    She shrugs. "...don't mind me, really, just running my mouth. Let's make sure everyone's okay."
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    [Ward 4]
    Kato Tower

    Leysa closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. When she turns back to Mia, she's back to being her normal self again.

    "Nothing important. Just processing, still. You're right, we should go check on things."

    She heads off to do just that.
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    [Ward 4]
    [Kato Tower]

    Duncan blinked as everything was suddenly all fixed. Pretty clearly a wish. But....

    'Someone still rigged bombs. In a civilian structure.'

    His eyes narrowed, and a couple of street officers nearby decided that they could just forward those questions to Detective Turnbull's Miko program later, thank you very much.

    'Someone tried to blow up kids. That ain't happenin' again. Me and the Old Man, we're gonna find this *******, and when we do...'

    He let the thought trail off from there.

    A quick query-ping from Modron to Rei told him that Satou was going to board a ship and head back to the station. Still no word from the CSIs yet.

    He wanted to head back to the station.

    Instead, he had Modron send a quick message to Satou saying he would meet up soon, and instead he pinged Leysa.

    Lass,

    That was a bit crazy. We still need to track down that lead we had, if you think it's viable at all. Someone out there killed our Mayor, and quite possibly just tried to kill a bunch of kids.

    That won't stand while I breath.

    Let me know what's going down, please.

    Turnbull
    At least he was polite about it.
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    Duncan gets a response almost immediately.

    Checking on the Wishcraft offices in person. Where should I meet you?
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    [Ward 4]
    Kato Tower, Floor 71


    Satou takes another couple of puffs on his cigar. The smell isn't quite as apparent, in the open air.

    "Well, thank you for saving everyone here, Rio-chan. Kin included.

    ....And...like I was saying before...doin' so, you've just put yourself into a danger you're never going to really escape. Wishcraft does good work to give mashou the best shot they can get, but wraith hunting's dangerous work. Stressful, too. Don't forget that. Try and make some friends, and ...try and keep in touch with them. I can tell that crowds aren't your thing, but just a couple of people you don't mind spilling your guts to...they can make all the difference in the world.

    I'll be gettin' you in touch with some of the better people in the Foundation. And...if you're ever not able to find a hunting partner...give me a ring. I have a few more years before I rust away."


    Within his shades, Satou gives a slight wink, affirming to Rei that it's okay to just send Turnbull a confirmation that they can meet up again reasonably soon.
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  25. - Top - End - #145
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    [Ward 4]
    [Kato Tower]

    Quote Originally Posted by Dorizzit View Post
    Duncan gets a response almost immediately.
    Turnbull grins as he crafts his response.

    I'm at the Tower right now. Let's say we meet at that park a couple blocks from here. Just to avoid too many entanglements.
    He's already in his sedan and moving; his larger weapons rest in the back seat for now. His armored vest stays on his person, little protection that it might be against some of the caliber of weaponry flying around right now.
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  26. - Top - End - #146
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    [Ward 4]
    (Kato Tower, Floor 71)

    An Enenra-class stealth aircraft approaches Satou and Rio, landing in front of them and opening its port.

    Just after, Gomes appears behind the two, his battlesuit packed into what resembles a somewhat large piece of luggage.

    *Bzzt* "Good to see you developing a rapport, Satou. And you, miss Rio."

    The large, orange-glowing 'eye' of Gomes' robotic unit focuses on the girl.

    *Bzzt* "Good job. Now let us depart."

    Gomes and the luggage enter the Enenra first.
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    [Ward 4]
    (Kato Tower, 71F)

    Rio fidgets a bit as one of the airships descends. "...I... I'm... really a magical girl now..."

    She lets out a small laugh. "...I didn't think it would be like this though..." Pause. "...why would somebody do this?" She looks to Gomes quietly, mildly intimidated, but still climbs onto the aircraft. Kin observes Leon warily as he climbs in after and sits next to his master.

    And then they're off.

    [Ward 1?]
    (NMSF Headquarters)

    Nadica rolls into the station like she owns the place. Which. Honestly, is how she rolls into any place but let's not split hairs. She's chugging a bottle of whiskey like there's gold on the bottom and seems more than a little inebriated. Also she's talking in english for some reason. Probably just doesn't want to deal with speaking japanese.

    [WOOOOO TEAM! Good job! Yearsh of military dishipline and organishational shkills made pointlessh 'cosh shome new teen made a wish!] She gives a very sarcastic round of applause. [An' I got teh make a **** of myshelf 'cosh the ***holesh rigged the power, too! Good day for ush!] She rolls for Gomes's office assuming no one stops her, singing a pretty familiar tune about being champions of the world in drunken off-pitch.

    Meanwhile, a masked, hooded and armored mashou rolls her eyes at the spectacle. How crass. ...not that anyone can see the gesture. Song Zhen holds a slightly overweight middle-aged japanese man in check, hanging on to him by his handcuffs as she reports to one of the officers. She looks at the desk in front of the officer as he taps out details quietly.

    Ito Takumi. Yakuza drug trafficker and one of the folks who help browbeat the vulnerable into doing their bidding. Was hiding out in India before Gomes sent the Sinhunter after him. And as always... Zhen delivers. Of course, she would have gladly went to the tower to help except for the fact that the slimeball nearly slipped from her grasp at the city limits. He's trying his best not to sob, it looks like he has a broken arm.

    "All right, that's everything." The officer gestures to have Takumi taken to the cells by armed guards. Zhen sits by for a few moments.

    "...when will Captain Gomes return?"

    "Well... he's en route right now with the hero of the day."

    "I see. I will wait for him." She stands up and goes off to sit off outside of Gomes's office. Nobody really argues with her. I mean, she's creepy as hell.

    While Nadica hangs out inside, continuing her binge. She taps out a message to Gomes.

    any booz in ur offive golsfish?

    Then a correction.

    *office goldfish
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    [Ward 4->Ward 1]

    Satou climbs on behind Rio, making sure that she and Kin board safely, then bolting himself into place. He glances to Gomes's business exoskeleton.

    "Chief. Thank you for the pickup."
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    [Nadica's cellphone]

    No. I don't drink.

    This is obvious, seeing as how the man has no mouth.

    ----

    [Enenra]
    (Flying to the NMSF headquarters)

    *Bzzt* "We will find out who and why. And don't mention it Satou."

    Also, at some point, the captain activates his comm-link to Turnbull.

    *Bzzt* "Also, I have been informed by central that Zhen has returned from her last assignment. As part of your disciplinary action for disobeying my orders, I am assigning you and Turnbull to escort her in the Sato investigation."
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  30. - Top - End - #150
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    [Old Mitakihara]
    [Exit Paths]

    "Yeah. Making sure new girls get to keep some of their space is one of the things we do. I should send some stuff out, I'll probably be meeting with her later."

    Nuan spends the rest of the trip sending out short communications via her phone, mostly to other Wishcraft instructors. Otherwise, it's a straight shot to Makoto's destination.

    [Neo-Mitakihara, Ward 1]
    [NMSF Headquarters]

    A soft chime alerts Zhen before one of the many essentially identical police Mikos pops up in her field of vision. While they had a properly mythological title as a group, like most NMSF equipment, the tech crew that managed them started a still-standing trend of referring to the long-suffering digital errand girls as Jennys. This one tips her old-timey police cap to Zhen in a familiar, automatic gesture.

    "Song Zhen, your consulting fees have been forwarded as per the usual arrangement, along with congratulations on another job well done. However, the quartermaster corps has recommended you for an extended debriefing, due to issues with your surveillance equipment." The Jenny extends a hand, projecting an image of one of the petite observation drones that had become a fact of Zhen's life whenever she strayed from heavily-monitored areas. Annoying little things, but they bought her trust and freedom, one day at a time.

    "For a period of twenty-three minutes beginning at 12:11 and ending at 12:34, equipment observing you went entirely dead. For an identical period of time, you vanished entirely from all observational systems, and failed to respond to any inquiries sent regarding the situation. While this would ordinarily be attributed to coincidental malware, or hardware failure, timing suggests a link to the bombings of Kato Tower."

    "Please do not be alarmed. Omoikane does not consider you a suspect. Despite the timing, the crime displays tremendous deviations from your psychological profile, and the crime itself would have been essentially impossible given your skillset. Unless command believes it to be a line of investigation worth further pursuit, that potentiality has been placed on a low investigative priority. A detailed confirmation of your whereabouts for the designated time under level three verification conditions will suffice."


    That alone indicated a level of confidence that might have been surprising. Yes level three verification conditions did require an interrogation room (where level two could be performed with a field kit, and level one consisted only of the standard duplicity countermeasure augments any investigator would possess), but there were no implants or neural taps, and the procedure was still classified as non-invasive. Something that took minutes, not hours.

    "In addition, Omoikane requests a report, written or recorded, on any technologically adept mashou you may have encountered recently, with special emphasis on those operational in other countries, and those with unstable dispositions. It is likely that one such individual has made an attempt to frame you, aware of your criminal record but lacking context on your methodology and disposition. If you have encountered anyone else you may be involved in this, or have any further information to volunteer, please include it. If no notable instances come to mind, you may submit that freely."

    "Afterwards, the Chief of Police has requested that you contact him for further organizational instructions. This has been an automated message."

    The Jenny tips her hat again, bowing slightly. Then vanishes. Well, 'vanishes', as if this entire building weren't full of mechanical eyes covering every conceivable angle at least twice.
    Last edited by Selinia; 2016-01-23 at 11:50 PM.
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