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Plans have been made, a week has passed, Spider finally got out of his armour. You've both undergone some last minute training from your respective sensei, Koto has personally given the two of you a blessing, and Spider, you got a package from Martel! It contained an Access Crystal, much as you were expecting, and what appears to be a miniature Marble of Chaos. Included with the Mini Marble was the following note.
"I made this Mini Marble with you in mind. From what I've hear it sounds like you get stuck in that armour of your a lot. As the Marble of Chaos was able to keep your armour going even after it, well, broke, I figured that this Mini Marble would be able to provide a similar service. It'll probably only last for a couple of hours, but that's a couple of hours still motile! Good luck!"
But this all happened in the (relative) past. Now is now, and now you two are traveling to Lunar Goods to meet up with Kagome and Kuro. Or, well, you were. You certainly don't seem to be there now. Nanashi, you recognize where you are. It looks like the other world Tooryanse took you too. Spider, you don't have any idea at all.
...Huh. She's not here. You must have really ticked her off... Err, well, I have done this before so... Time for fate rolls! For each Aiki you've got, roll Empathy: Fate Rank and gain that much Kiai. Feel free to post your reactions in the same post as you make your rolls.
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keep 4 and under 20d6 : 4, 4, 5, 4, 6, 2, 5, 6, 4, 2, 1, 3, 2, 4, 6, 2, 6, 3, 6, 5, total 80
Nanashi looks around for the temple of Tooryanse, feeling the threads of fate slowly tighten around him. "You alright Spider?"
-
keep 4 and under 20d6 : 1, 3, 2, 6, 3, 3, 4, 6, 2, 5, 4, 1, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 3, 1, total 79
keep 4 and under 2d6 : 3, 3, total 6
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Empathy 6 x Aiki 11, Fate 4: 66d6
Rolled 20d6 : 4, 4, 1, 2, 4, 5, 1, 6, 6, 6, 3, 2, 5, 3, 6, 1, 2, 5, 3, 1, total 70
Rolled 20d6 : 6, 6, 6, 1, 1, 5, 1, 3, 2, 3, 1, 5, 3, 2, 6, 6, 4, 6, 5, 2, total 74
Rolled 20d6 : 3, 1, 2, 6, 6, 4, 4, 3, 3, 4, 1, 5, 1, 4, 3, 1, 4, 5, 6, 4, total 70
Rolled 6d6 : 4, 5, 2, 2, 3, 4, total 20
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I look around in confusion, then look to Nanashi as I hear his question. "What? Oh, yes." I grin, pounding my metal fists together. "I'm fine. Ow."
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"Tooryanse, can you hear me?"
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"Of course; always."
-
Nanashi turns around and notices the goddess that must have been tailing him all along. "Oh! You gave me a start." He recomposes himself and continues. "Today is the day. Do you know where we are all to meet?"
-
"Of course... However, I need... to speak to you...
To you... who knows... and to him, who does not..."
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I grin at this. "I guess 'him, who does not' is me, right?"
My grin has a few gaps again. After our run-in with the crab, I went back to the oni bar to get a few more pointers on fighting. The missing teeth are in my pocket, for luck.
"Well, Tooryanse, was it? I'm all ears."
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"Yes, Please go on."
-
"I need... you to rescue... my... friend... She is trapped... within... Welgaia...
She is... Kaguya... Welgaia's god... She is... my twin... and the goddess... of insanity and madness...
She rules... over that which isn't... And she... is trapped...
They are... using her... With her power... they... can easily breech the boundaries... between worlds...
With her power... they brought you... into the skein..."
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I raise an eyebrow at this. Hell, I raise both of them.
"They brought us in? For what reason?"
-
"You... have been... told... have you not..? To use your... souls... Welgaia... has been spiriting away... many people...
You... are not the only... ones... but you... were saved..."
-
I gape at this. I knew, but...a part of me...
...wanted to believe that there was some greater purpose. That we hadn't simply been brought here to serve as batteries.
That we mattered.
I close my mouth and narrow my gaze.
"Maybe we weren't brought here for any great reason," I begin, turning to look at Nanashi, "but we can damn well work towards one. We can end this."
-
"You... matter... You wouldn't have been saved... if you didn't... I wouldn't have noticed you... if you didn't...
You two... and only you two... can save Kaguya... Only you two... so do not despair...
Do not doubt the values of your own souls, and do not doubt the fate that has brought you here.
Both coming... and going... are easy... and scary...
-
Spider gets an emergency Aiki for forgetting our first conversation with Kuro
Tooryanse gets an aiki for referencing her poem in the best way possible "Both coming... and going... are easy... and scary..."
Nanashi nods, resolved. "We will not let you down. I know that the strings of fate will guide us to the necessary end. We will save your twin. Believe it."
-
I clasp Nanashi on the shoulder in a show of solidarity. "He's got the right idea! We'll save her, no matter what it takes!"
-
"If you can... show that same spirit... to her... I'm sure you... will..."
She points at a shopping mall that you are fairly certain wasn't there before. Ah, no, you just aren't where you were anymore. That makes more sense. Either way
"In there... is everyone else..."
-
Nanashi nods. "Be safe. And look after Koto, if you can.."
-
Felyx gets a chit for an off-the-record comment about how only his ninja training allowed his shoulder to survive that show of solidarity.
I give Tooryanse a thumbs-up and one final grin as I head inside.
-
You walk though the door and into Lunar Goods. Everything looks much more normal and not weird and futurey at all.
"Oh, you got here quicker than I expected. Did you take a shortcut?"
Hasata greets you as you walk in.
"They're in the back."
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"I...uh...hrm." I turn to Nanashi. "How did we get here?"
-
"oh. hm... I suppose you could call it a short cut. A goddess brought us here. Tooryanse."
Nanashi moves towards the back, still minding Hasata.
-
"Wait, what, a goddess? Seriously? You've met a goddess?
That's... pretty rare. Even with all my time in the Lunar court I've never met anyone whose met a goddess. You must be really lucky.
Are you sure it wasn't just some chroma though? They can be pretty sneaky..."
-
I scratch my nose. "I dunno, seemed pretty goddess-like to me."
-
"Ah, no, I'm not denying anything... I'm just surprised. If you've met with a goddess, I'm sure everything will go well.
With that said, you should probably head in and see everyone. Last minute preparations, that sort of thing."
-
Not wanting to press the issue, Nanashi leaves it at spider's words, nods, and heads to the back.
-
I follow Nanashi. After all, he knows this place better than I do.
-
You arrive in the back room, where Kuro and Kagome are waiting for you. Kuro speaks first.
"Oh, you're early! Did Elly give you a lift or something?"
"No, I heard a god helped them out~"
"Wait, really? Wait, how did you hear that?"
"I have good ears! Hearing things that happen in adjoining rooms is crucial for political survival!"
"Man, Welgaian's are weird... are you sure you guys aren't all chroma?"
"Yep! We are the way we are by the blessing of our goddess, but we're still technically human~"
"Well, leaving all that aside, are you guys ready?"
-
"Can we go over the plan one more time? It seems as though the last week has gone by in a blur."
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Kuro replies.
"Of course! You're out trump cards; we wouldn't want you to be out of the loop.
First things first, I'm going use that thing I had you get for me to open the Mirage Corridor. The Mirage Corridor is... well, lets just say its an alternative to the skein. You can go anywhere with the Mirage Corridor, even places that would be sealed off normally. It isn't easy to open, though. Otherwise everyone would use it.
Once I open the Corridor, me and my troops, Kagome and her troops, and your two are all going to pile in. Here, take this card."
She hands you a card.
"Once you're in the Corridor, follow that card to your destination. You won't be following me or Kagome; we're all going to different places. Thanks to the Corridor, we should all arrive at roughly the same time. Kagome and I will start making trouble on our ends. You should wait were you show up for an hour or so, then charge in. You'll be heading to the Welgaia's core. Normally, it would be highly protected, but the guard should be busy dealing with us.
That being said, there will certainly still be guards. You don't have to defeat them, just get through. We aren't exactly sure what is at the core itself, but whatever it is, you need to destroy it. Given what it's doing it should be pretty fragile. I would expect some big crystal formation or something. Whatever it is, you'll know. It pulled you from your own world, after all. You'll certainly be able to sense it.
The core should also be whats keeping Welgaia's barrier active. Once it goes down, all the rest of our troops will pour in through the skein. A contingent will be sent your way, so just hold out for them. Then you'll be home free.
Any questions?"
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Nanashi remains silent momentarily, then raises a finger to his mouth. "Somewhere near this core, I presume, is going to be our alternate target. As your trump card, I should stop playing my hand so close to my sleeve," Nanashi places the card on the table, making good use of the prop he was just handed. "I have been asked to free a goddess during the assault. She has, to the best of my knowledge, been captured and is currently being used to power whatever it is at the core of this operation. I was informed that it was 'by her power that we were brought into the skein'. As their power source, I'm sure that removing the goddess from this machine will be imperative to shutting down the force at the core."
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Kuro looks blankly at you. Kagome, on the other hand...
"Wait, a goddess? The only goddess in Welgaia is... wait, you aren't saying they're using Kaguya for this! That would... if they did that, then... Where did you here this?"
-
"this news comes from Kyoto no Kami, Tooryanse, she informed us that her twin was captured by the forces that sprited us into the skein."
-
For perhaps the first time, Kagome looks... angry.
"Ahh, that bitch... No wonder she was so damn secretive about what she was doing... If anyone knew that she was using the goddess... Hell, if I knew that..."
"Kagome, are you okay?"
"Okay, the plan isn't any different. And you don't need to worry about any alternate targets or anything. Kaguya's power is more than enough to breech the skein. You don't need fancy technology or anything when you have a goddess on your side.
You said that you were asked to free her by her twin, was it? If so, then you should be able to do so. I can't believe that she would... commit such sacrilege! Argh, I knew she was a piece of trash, but!"
At this point Hasata comes in with a mug of tea, and places it before Kagome.
"Ah, thank you, Hasata. Okay, I've calmed down a bit..."
Kuro takes up the conversation.
"Well, I can't say I exactly understand what just happened here, but it sounds like the plan still holds. Do you have any more secrets to reveal, or are we ready?"
-
Nanashi gets 1 Aiki Chit for triggering exposition
I think on whether or not I have any additional secrets to reveal, then shake my head. "Seems to me," I grin, "that it's time to save a goddess, invade a nation, and then get something to drink. And, boy, am I thirsty."
Sounding badass is harder than it looks. And I'm fairly certain I'm not succeeding.
-
Hasata looks at Spider.
"Do you also want tea? I have a fresh pot in the other room..."
Kuro looks amused.
"He's thirsty, so you probably should. I'll prepare the Corridor while you get it."
Hasata walks off into the other room to get tea and Kuro starts concentrating. Part of the wall seems to... change? You can't quite make out the difference, but something's off. Perhaps its the mist that has started drifting in, or the faint sound of chimes in the distance...
Kagome takes a sip of her tea and addresses you.
"Nanan-chan? Did you have any other secrets? Or are you also ready to go?"
-
I hang my head in defeat, but accept the tea. Truly, some things sound much in your head than they do once you say them.
-
"No, no, I think that was the big one..."
-
"Oh, okay! Then I think we're-"
Kagome is cut off by the sound of a large bell. There is a puff of mist, and the wall that was looking strange before now looks even stranger. In fact, it doesn't look like a wall at all. Instead it looks like a rather large torii opening up into some mist filled woodland path. Kuro steps away from the gate and dusts of her hands.
"Okay, we're up and running! If you two'd walk in together..."
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Nanashi nods to spider. "Ready?"
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I nod back at Nanashi, and attempt to crack my neck.
"Ow. Yeah, I'm ready. Let's do this."
-
The two of you step into the gate. You appear to be on some sort of forested mountain path. There are small stone shrines lining the path, each of which gives you a faint sense of discomfort. Faint clouds of mist blow across the path and the surrounding mountainside. What little of the mountainside you can see, that is. The path seems to fade out only a little bit ahead of you. You can probably only see 20 or so feet ahead. As you walk forwards, the area you can see moves with you. After a time, you find that you can't see back to where you came from. At least the path isn't complicated or anything.
You aren't quite sure how long you walk down the path. There really aren't any landmarks or anything, just a winding mountain path ever leading slightly upward. Other than the sounds of your feet and the occasional unearthly chiming of a distant bell all is silent and still. You keep walking.
And walking.
And walking.
And eventually, the path ends. Before your eyes is a single large torii, just like the one you entered from. You can't really make out what's on the other side, but it doesn't look like the back room of Lunar Goods.
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"Here it is spider... we're at the gate. God, I wish this place wasn't so creepy." Nanashi looks down at his card to make sure he's in the right place. you can never tell with fog and creepy graves
-
The card... doesn't really do anything. In fact, it hasn't done anything the entire time. And it isn't like it has a map on it or anything. Maybe it's enchanted?
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I peer over Nanashi's shoulder at the card. "Maybe it's enchanted?" I say dubiously.
-
"you know, I was just thinking that. well, we were told to step out and wait until we noticed that the guards were sufficiently distracted, right?"
-
I grin. "We about to do something stupid and fun?"
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Nanashi chuckles. "I think so" And steps through the portal.
-
You step though the gate and into... huh. Some people take modernism to far. This hallway is practically featureless. Like some sort of really, really boring space station. There are signs and things, but you can't read them at all. Since you don't know Lunar Script or anything.
Well, at least you know where you are supposed to go. You can't really say how you know, but you can feel yourself being pulled towards something at the other end of this huge ass hallway you're in.
You don't hear or see any guards, but you also don't hear any alarms or klaxons or anything. It probably isn't quite time for you to move yet.
-
After stepping through the portal, I gesture silently towards the other end of the hallway and give Nanashi a questioning look.
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Nanashi shakes his head. "we're supposed to wait, we'll know when they have the guard's attention." Nanashi stays near the wall, keeping a lookout.
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Time passes...
Then the alarms start. Flashing lights, loud sounds, running guards, the whole 18 yards. It looks like most of the guards are leaving the corridor, probably to keep anyone from getting to it from the outside. Good thing you're already inside~
Now would be a good time to go.
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I nod at Nanashi. "Shall we, then?"
I take a step forward.
-
Nanashi nods. As they run, he begins focusing his mind and energy on his ninjutsu. He incants Wind of Menace.
[wind of menace: difficulty 3 soul 6]
ninjutsu 7:4 7d6 : 1, 2, 3, 5, 4, 5, 4, total 24
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[success + 2 bonus dice acquired]
Nanashi focuses on his friends, on Koto, on tooryanse, on kagome and the witch, on everything. He knows that this confrontation is going to be fierce. He has to be ready. They are close to the truth, moving closer and closer through the arteries of this building.
-
You aren't really moving though the arteries of this building. It is a straight corridor. There isn't even any blood!
Yet~
Ah, but that might change soon. Those three people ahead of you don't look particularly kind. And they really don't look like the liked you interrupting their coffee break.
Combat start!
Nanashi first, then the baddies, then Spider!
Wait, doesn't this feel familiar?
-
Nanashi keeps charging. The closest enemy is his target. Rearing back his fist, he slams it into the guard.
unarmed strike roll 5:4 +3 damage on hit 5d6 : 6, 3, 3, 2, 6, total 20
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The guard attempts to counter attack with
Agility 6: Melee 3: 6d6 : 2, 1, 3, 2, 4, 3, total 15
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Nanashi, you take 5 damage.
The guard who just counter attacked presses his luck and attacks you.
Agility 6: Melee 3: 6d6 : 6, 4, 3, 4, 6, 4, total 27
One of the other guards charges Spider and attacks.
Agility 6: Melee 3: 6d6 : 2, 1, 6, 6, 1, 5, total 21
The final guard pulls out what looks like a phone and starts pressing things.
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The first hit takes Nanashi back, but he takes the hit[vitality -5], he merely chuckles I will have to take this seriously. Sensei always told me I get too distracted rushing in. Nanashi, in a moment of clarity, ties himself tighter to the fate that binds him here. [nanashi spends 10 kiai to raise body and 10 kiai to raise agility] Refocussed, the new guard's assault seems paltry. He quickly counterstrikes
6:4 +5 damage on hit 6d6 : 4, 4, 4, 5, 1, 4, total 22
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The guard wheezes heavily. It looks like he took some real damage.
-
With a bit of a flourish, I counterattack the charging guard.
Agility 6, Interface 4: 6d6 : 4, 1, 1, 2, 4, 1, total 13
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I laugh roguishly as I easily turn his charge against him.
The guard takes 9 points of damage.
-
You counterattack the guard easily. I guess those oni lessons really pay off.
The guard grimaces and bears the blow.
The third guard starts mashing his phone more frantically.
You're up, Spider.
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I smile at the man who charged me as I leap past him, aided by the power of rocket boosters, and attack the guard with the phone.
Agility 6, Interface 4: 6d6 : 1, 5, 4, 3, 5, 1, total 19
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The guard swears under his breath in Welgaian and hastily counterattacks.
Agility 6: Melee 3: 6d6 : 3, 3, 1, 5, 2, 5, total 19
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Your blade clash, and neither take any damage. Unfortunately, in the moment it takes you to regain your stance, you see the guard hit something on his phone.
The sound of a new alarm fills the corridor.
Nanashi, it is your turn.
-
I keep my focus on the guard that I injured with my counter attack. I aim to disable him as quickly as possible..
unarmed 6:4 +5 damage 6d6 : 4, 3, 4, 6, 1, 1, total 19
-
The guard counter attacks as best he is able. He seems to be a bit quicker on his feet than he was before.
Agility 6 + Wounds 1: Melee 3: 7d6 : 4, 2, 2, 2, 1, 6, 3, total 20
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[Nanashi spends 1 bonus die, one remains]
With a sudden reverse, Nanashi attempts to negate the guard's quickness
unarmed bonus 1:4 1d6 : 2, total 2
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[can't use bonus dice as an interrupt, so spending a kiai instead]
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You overcome the guard's speed. He does not look particularly happy with his circumstances. Not that he looked happy before.
"You'll regret attacking Welgaia, trash!"
With that battle cry, he attacks you yet again.
Agility 6 + Wounds 1: Melee 3: 7d6 : 2, 3, 5, 2, 3, 5, 2, total 22
The man holding the phone drops it, his job done. Both and your former foe charge you.
Agility 6: Melee 3: 6d6 : 3, 2, 5, 3, 2, 4, total 19
Agility 6: Melee 3: 6d6 : 4, 3, 1, 1, 3, 5, total 17
-
Phone et al. are attacking Spider, of course.
And by et al. I mean the other guy too. Not the one who is still attacking Nanashi.
-
Nanashi chuckles confidently. The foe failed to notice the positioning Nanashi had put himself in from the last strike. He confidently calls out "Icicle Counter!" and dives, fist first, at the attacking guard [burning two of two bonus dice]
unarmed+2 8:4 +5 damage 8d6 : 2, 1, 3, 6, 6, 6, 2, 5, total 31
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Nanashi takes 4 damage from Icicle Fall: Easy.
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Hanako gets a grudging Aiki for seeing the opportunity and taking it
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With quick, flashing sword-work, I attempt to turn both attacks against the guards.
Agility 6, Interface 4: 6d6 : 5, 3, 4, 2, 4, 3, total 21
Agility 6, Interface 4: 6d6 : 5, 6, 2, 4, 1, 3, total 21
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I deflect both attacks with ease, and manage to strike one of my attackers.
The guard takes 7 points of damage
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The guard with the phone recoils from your blow. It looks like you injured him solidly.
You're up, Spider.
-
Pressing the advantage, I try to take out the guard with the phone before reinforcements arrive.
Agility 6, Interface 4: 6d6 : 3, 4, 4, 3, 6, 2, total 22
-
Phone guard does his level best.
Agility 6 + Wounds 1: Melee 3: 7d6 : 3, 5, 5, 4, 1, 1, 3, total 22
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Slapping his defense aside, I draw blood once more. "Have at you, you cad!" I exclaim, losing myself in the moment.
Phone guard takes 7 points of damage.
-
Today is not the day of the phone guard.
But it is the turn of Nanashi!
-
Nanashi is taken aback, his confidence needed to be checked. He quickly makes a brew [using possessed by the inner wolf soul 5 difficulty 2]
ninjutsu 8:4 8d6 : 6, 2, 1, 3, 6, 3, 2, 1, total 24
[if successful, +2 body, agility, senses]
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[success + 4 bonus dice]
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This really isn't these guards' day. I mean, how did these guys even get here? Wasn't security supposed to keep everyone way the heck away from this corridor? Wasn't this supposed to be an easy job?
Nanashi's guard attacks Nanashi.
Agility 6 + Wounds 1: Melee 3: 7d6 : 3, 5, 1, 3, 5, 1, 3, total 21
Spider's guard notices Nanashi doing things and decides to help out. He also attacks Nanashi. Even though his name suggests otherwise.
Agility 6: Melee 3: 6d6 : 5, 5, 5, 1, 4, 2, total 22
Phone guard is just happy that he was able to get his phone call off. Having been abandoned by Spider's guard, he attacks Spider.
Agility 6 + Wounds 1: Melee 3: 7d6 : 6, 6, 6, 4, 5, 2, 3, total 32
-
I counter phone guard's attack, winking at him as I do so.
Agility 6, Interface 4: 6d6 : 4, 3, 1, 6, 5, 5, total 24
-
Phone guard takes 7 points of damage
"We've really come a long way, huh?" I shout to Nanashi.
-
counter 1 8:4 +5 damage 8d6 : 5, 3, 3, 2, 4, 6, 4, 1, total 28
counter 2 8:4 +5 damage 8d6 : 6, 5, 1, 5, 5, 4, 1, 5, total 32
-
Nanashi, straining to not look bad again, quickly regains his posture and delivers basic surefire counterattacks.
[6 damage to each attacking guard]
-
Nanashi's guard looks nearnly unconscious. Spider's guard is still holding on. The phone guard is only a little better than Nanashi's guard.
Spider, you're up!
-
I decide to knock out the phone guard before I move onto the others, just to prevent us from being overwhelmed when reinforcements arrive.
Agility 6, Interface 4: 6d6 : 1, 5, 6, 2, 5, 5, total 24
-
Phone guard is shocked by the weakness of your onslaught, and counter attacks; a glint of hope in his formerly defeated eyes.
Agility 6 + Wounds 2: Melee 3: 8d6 : 1, 5, 1, 6, 2, 6, 3, 1, total 25
-
Spider takes 6 damage.
Nanashi, you're up.
-
Nanashi beats on the weaker guard mercilessly
unarmed 8:4 +5 damage 8d6 : 5, 5, 3, 2, 5, 4, 1, 6, total 31
-
Nanashi's Guard attempts to counter attack.
Agility 6 + Wounds 2: Melee 3: 8d6 : 6, 5, 6, 5, 3, 1, 2, 3, total 31
-
The guards appear to be weakening before your eyes. Nanashi's guard and the phone guard bleeding from copious wounds. Only Spider's guard, who is currently standing near Nanashi, appears decent.
Nanashi and Spider's guards both attack Nanashi.
Agility 6 + Wounds 2: Melee 3: 8d6 : 1, 2, 3, 2, 4, 5, 4, 4, total 25
Agility 6: Melee 3: 6d6 : 2, 1, 4, 2, 4, 6, total 19
Phone guard keeps attacking Spider.
Agility 6 + Wounds 2: Melee 3: 8d6 : 4, 3, 5, 5, 1, 1, 3, 1, total 23
-
counter 1 8:4 +5damage 8d6 : 4, 4, 4, 6, 5, 6, 6, 3, total 38
counter 2 expend 4 bonus die 12:4 +5 damage 12d6 : 3, 5, 1, 4, 6, 5, 4, 1, 1, 3, 3, 6, total 42
-
Gritting my teeth, I bring up my sword. I'd been getting careless. Cocky. I let an attack through.
No more.
Agility 6 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Interface 4: 7d6 : 3, 2, 5, 4, 5, 5, 3, total 27
-
Nanashi blocks the assault of the first guard, the second guard comes in for his chance, but nanashi quickly smashes his fist into the side of the guard's head.
Nobody told him to watch out for the left hook.
You always watch out for the left hook.
-
He should have watched out for the left hook. He should have, but he didn't. Spider's guard collapses in a heap. Your one blow enough to take him from practically unwounded to completely unconscious.
Nanashi receives 1 aiki chit for remaining aware of the left hook.
Spider, on the other hand... well... You let the attack through and take 4 damage.
Spider, you're up.
-
I grunt in irritation. No more jokes, now. No more games. No more laughing at funny names.
...goddamnit, stop rhyming.
Agility 6 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Interface 4: 7d6 : 1, 4, 1, 6, 3, 2, 3, total 20
-
The phone guard counter attacks.
Agility 6 + Wounds 2: Melee 3: 8d6 : 4, 1, 3, 1, 5, 1, 1, 2, total 18
-
Your blades match, neither side giving ground. Phone guard is somehow still alive.
Nanashi, you're up.
-
Nanashi tries to bring his mind to a focus. Knowing that he won't have that clarity again, he breathes deep and strikes quickly.
unrmed 8:4 8d6 : 3, 4, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, total 32
-
Nanashi's guard counter attacks.
Agility 6 + Wounds 2: Melee 3: 8d6 : 4, 2, 1, 5, 5, 1, 5, 4, total 27
-
But doesn't succeed. Only phone guard remains.
And he isn't looking to happy about things at all no he is not. Despite this, perhaps out of pure desperation, he attacks Spider.
Agility 6 + Wounds 2: Melee 3: 8d6 : 3, 3, 6, 4, 5, 2, 4, 4, total 31
-
All right, all right. Focus. Make it count.
Agility 6 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Interface 4: 7d6 : 4, 1, 6, 1, 5, 6, 4, total 27
-
His desperation makes him careless, and I'm able to stop his attack, then slide my sword into him.
Phone guard takes another 7 points of damage
-
The phone guard collapses around your blade. He's just sort of dangling there.
Encounter clear! Unfortunately the alarms are still blazing and that strange presence pulling you forward toward the end of the corridor is still there.
-
Angling my sword downwards, I place one armored foot against the corpse and shove.
Over the sick noise of suction, I say, "Well, that's that, I suppose. Do you think we should try to turn those off, or should we just run like hell?"
-
Nanashi takes only a moment to gather his thoughts.
"Let's run."
-
I nod, flip a mock salute, and begin running down the hall.
-
You start running down the brightly lit hall straight toward whatever is drawing you forward.
Then, all of a sudden, you stop. Something feels wrong. You can't hear the alarm anymore, even thought it should be blaring. Even the feeling pulling you forward has vanished. And before you... is something that can only be described as darkness.
A perfect black circle, like a shadow without anything to cast it. Just looking at it makes you feel dizzy. And then, ahh, that's what's casting the shadow. Why didn't you notice that before? That silvery sphere hanging in the air like the moon itself. It feels like... if you just watched it... everything would be fine... So there isn't any... reason to...
ATTACK
An unnatural heat flows through your bodies and adrenaline races through your veins. You aren't sure what just happened, but you probably shouldn't let it happen again. Nanashi, you're up!
-
Nanashi won't let this illusion stand in his way. He makes a rush and leaps into the air for a punch to the moon.
unarmed +2d first hit +2d possessed by inner wolf +5 damage on hit 12:4 12d6 : 2, 6, 2, 4, 6, 4, 1, 5, 2, 5, 1, 6, total 44
-
As you strike you can feel your fist slowing down. Or, no... its more like your being pushed away?
Agility 6: Evasion 1: 6d6 : 3, 6, 4, 3, 5, 1, total 22
-
Where your fist impacts the orb dark spirals lazily stretch out across the white surface. It is now more black than white. You can't actually tell if it took any damage.
Spider, your turn.
-
"The hell is this thing?" I call out as I attack the orb.
Agility 6 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Interface 4: 7d6 : 3, 4, 1, 2, 2, 2, 5, total 19
-
You can feel your sword bending away from the orb, even as you swing it.
Agility 6: Evasion 1: 6d6 : 5, 3, 1, 3, 6, 2, total 20
-
"Man," I call out to Nanashi, "why couldn't all of our"--grunt with the downswing--"FOES be just floating orbs that do nothing?"
The sword sinks into the orb in a satisfactory manner.
The orb takes 11 points of damage. The damage goes to eleven!
...but why don't we just make ten more damaging?
-
As your sword touches the surface of the orb even more black scatters across the white. Alas, your sword does not sink into it at all, not even in a satisfactory manner. With the exception of the color change, it looks just as it was.
Nanashi, please make a Spirit:Willpower roll against
Spirit 6: Willpower 4: 6d6 : 2, 3, 2, 5, 5, 1, total 18
-
good thing I dumped will! 8:1 8d6 : 4, 2, 3, 6, 6, 3, 6, 3, total 33
-
[I'm pretty sure this is the first time anyone has gotten zero successes~ I'm proud~]
-
You get one aiki chit for your amazing no-success-roll. The no-self-phase girl would be proud.
Nanashi, you find yourself standing in the corridor. But... there is something different. Neither Spider nor the orb are anywhere to be seen. There is only you... and another you, standing a bit away from you and looking at you with a blank expression.
"Who... are you?"
Spider, you see stripes of white flow over the orb. Nanashi also seems a bit more spaced out than normal.
Nanashi, you are up!
-
not again...
"I have my name, but it is my own business. Why am I here?"
-
"Here? What is here? We are not anywhere..."
-
Nanashi Sighs. It's going to be a while. Maybe.
Nanashi pulls out his rifle. "We should make this brief"
'{soulgem rifle +2 ninjutsu +2 first attack 10:3 +5 damage}' is not a valid dice string!
-
10:3 +5 damage 10d6 : 5, 6, 4, 2, 5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, total 46
-
Your movements are sluggish, as if in a daze.
Agility 6: Evasion 1: 6d6 : 4, 1, 4, 3, 3, 6, total 21
-
"Why..?"
Your gun leaves a clear wound in "your" body. But even as it does, you can feel a sharp pain in your own body. The same blood that is flowing down "your" side is flowing down your own.
"Why... do you harm yourself?"
Spider, you didn't know that Nanashi had a rifle. Why hasn't he used that thing before? It would have been hella useful. Either way, it is now your turn.
-
"Nanashi? The hell are you doing?" Pause. "Also, since when the hell do you have a gun?"
I attack the sphere again.
Agility 6 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Interface 4: 7d6 : 1, 1, 4, 5, 3, 1, 4, total 19
-
As seems to be the case with this thing, your sword slows as it approaches.
Agility 6: Evasion 1: 6d6 : 3, 5, 6, 2, 4, 6, total 26
-
"Seriously!" I yell as my sword again fails to sword properly. "What the hell is going on here?"
Sphere takes 12 points of damage.
-
The orb shudders as your blade strikes against it. Black races across its surface and it seems to almost flicker out of existence for a moment.
Nanashi, the "you" before you collapses to the ground.
"Why..? Why do you hurt me..? Why do you hurt yourself..? I don't understand... I don't understand me..."
Spider, please roll Spirit:Willpower against
Spirit 6: Willpower 4: 6d6 : 6, 2, 3, 5, 5, 3, total 24
-
HAHAHAHA, THIS WON'T GO WELL
Spirit 7 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Willpower 1: 8d6 : 4, 5, 3, 4, 4, 6, 1, 6, total 33
-
Spider, you find yourself standing in the corridor. Nanashi is there besides you, like he was before. But he seems to be bleeding rather badly from the side. When did that happen?
"Who are... you?"
You turn to face the voice and see... yourself. Regular old Spider, bereft of his armour. Standing their in the corridor, looking every bit as confused as you do.
Nanashi, the entire world seems to flicker for a moment. When it stops... why, there is Spider! You briefly wonder where he was. Well, it is your turn.
-
"Spider", Nanashi warns, "Something's not right here. How did you get in here? Where are we?" Nanashi lowers his rifle. A thought comes to him as he checks the card he was handed by Kuro.
-
The card appears to be unchanged. It certainly isn't reacting to anything.
"Why are you trying...?"
The other "you" speaks.
"Why are you hurting us? There is no reason..."
-
Nanashi bites his lower lip. "Who are you?" he demands
-
"I... am you..."
-
"No, you're not me!"
Nanashi takes a moment to look around.
"Where are we?"
-
"Where? You are here. You are where you always have been. You are in the central corridor of the Lunar Capital.
But... why? What are you here? What reason is there for you to be here? What purpose is there in you being here?
There is no reason to be here... Leave here... It will be safer to be somewhere other than here..."
-
"No." Nanashi purses his lips. "No. There is a reason I am here."
"There is a reason I am here, and if you were really me, you'd know why I was here."
-
"There is not reason to be here... There is no reason to be anywhere..."
Spider, you're up!
-
I glare at the armour-less Spider. "Hey, jackass," I call out to him. "What do you want?"
-
"Why... do you insult yourself? For what reason...?"
-
I point my sword at the not-me. "Because you're a prick. Even if you're me, that doesn't make you not a prick. Hell, I'm a prick. And a jackass."
I jab the sword into the ground and lean on the pommel. "So, you've dragged us here. The hell do you want?"
-
"Why do you ask yourself what you want? You know what you want. There is no reason to continue as you are. Flee. Stay safe."
-
I snort at this. "I'm a fragment of a soul, cast adrift on seas that I barely understand, rescued by a terse woman who lives with someone that gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'crazy cat lady,' and you think that leaving is safe?" I raise an eyebrow. "Stopping the Welgaian clusterfuckery is realistically the only way to be safe. So, either shut up and fight, or shut up and get out of the way."
-
-
"There is no point. There is no purpose. There is no struggle. Stop struggling. There is nothing. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop."
Spider, please resist with Spirit:Willpower.
Senses 6: 2: 6d6 : 1, 3, 5, 3, 1, 2, total 15
-
Spending 6 Kiai on boosting Willpower by 2.
Spirit 7 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Willpower 1 + 2 Kiai: 7d6 : 2, 5, 5, 1, 5, 5, 6, total 29
-
Spending 3 Kiai on buying a success.
-
"Why? Why? There is/ No point... Stop. Stop/ Stop! Give up. Pointless/"
Spider, you may roll Spirit:Willpower.
-
Spirit 7 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Willpower 1: 7d6 : 4, 6, 5, 6, 3, 1, 4, total 29
-
The world seems to... shudder for a moment. When it returns to "normal," you can see strange black and white patterns running over Nanashi's body. They look a lot like the patterns that were running over the orb. There isn't as much black as you remember, though.
Nanashi, it is your turn.
-
Nanashi looks to the shadow before him. "No purpose? No reason?" he wears a far-away smirk. "Now I know you're not me. I have a reason to be here. I have someone I'm trying to protect. I have Koto." He looks the thing in the eyes and says. "It is hard," he smirks, "after all, both coming and going are scary, but I'm fighting for her. I'm fighting to keep her safe because she is important to me."
-
"I see... So you too... There was no reason...
A pity... I had hoped you would save yourself..."
Nanashi, you may make a Spirit:Willpower roll. You may also act, if you feel like doing so.
-
"What do you mean, Save ourselves?"
willpower 8:1 8d6 : 2, 6, 6, 2, 3, 1, 6, 4, total 30
-
The world seems to blur for a moment, and when it clears you can see familiar black and white patterns coursing over Spider.
"Save yourself... from everything... from this cage... But you continue to struggle meaninglessly... How meaningless..."
-
"Why do you believe this is meaningless? We struggle for a purpose, we struggle to return our souls. We fight to return the goddess. Nothing of this is meaningless."
-
"Those very things are meaning less. Why fight for your souls? Before you lost them did you even know you had them? Having lost them, have you ever felt you needed them? In time, both yourselves and your souls will fade away. There is neither reason not need to struggle.
To return the goddess? Why bother? Since when have you relied upon a goddess? Since when is such a thing necessary in your life? With or without a goddess; your fate is sealed. You will die. There is neither reason nor purpose in struggling against that fate. Surrender and return to nothing."
-
"The fact remains that it is our destiny. We must choose whether we desire our souls or not. it is not a matter of ever having needed them, and in fact, it is good that we lost them so that we could come here. Everything that has happened, it has been a good experience. While I do not rely on the goddess, there are people who do. We save her because we must. I refuse to surrender!"
-
"Just... sleep..."
Spider, you're up.
-
"All right, you're pissing me off!"
I drive my armour closer to my doppelganger so that I can hit him with my sword.
Agility 6 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Interface 4: 7d6 : 1, 2, 5, 6, 5, 3, 2, total 24
-
Nanashi, roll to defend.
-
8:4 8d6 : 1, 4, 4, 1, 3, 3, 4, 2, total 22
-
Nanashi brushes aside the blow with ease and hits back for 4 damage
-
bonus dice that time forgot 2d6 : 1, 3, total 4
-
6 damage was done, not four
-
"Ow! Fuck!" I spit. "Look out, Nanashi! This thing hits like a fucking truck!"
-
"Give in. You will give in..."
Senses 6:2: 6d6 : 4, 1, 5, 2, 6, 6, total 24
Nanashi, you may resist with Spirit:Willpower.
-
Willpower 8:1 8d6 : 2, 5, 4, 1, 2, 4, 5, 4, total 27
-
[Nanashi burns 3 Kiai to increase his willpower skill to 2 for a total of 3 successes]
Nanashi forms a mental bastion against the creature, focusing his willpower
-
Nanashi, you take 4 damage and feel that, just maybe, it is okay to give in a bit...
Both Nanashi and Spider see the dark lines that were crisscrossing each other vanish. The white lines are still there, though.
Nanashi, it is your turn.
-
Nanashi, unsure of what to do, holds his position.
-
"Yes... Do not act... That way... You too will be saved..."
Spider, you're up.
-
I look over at Nanashi's immobile form. "Would you DO something, already?" I yell as I attack my doppelganger again.
Agility 6 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Interface 4: 7d6 : 4, 5, 4, 1, 1, 2, 3, total 20
-
Nanashi, defend again.
Spider, roll Spirit:Willpower.
-
unarmed strike8:4 8d6 : 5, 4, 1, 6, 6, 3, 4, 6, total 35
-
Spirit 7 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Willpower 1: 8d6 : 3, 1, 5, 2, 6, 1, 3, 6, total 27
-
8 points of damage to Nanashi[/roll]
-
Nanashi, the other "you" lands a heavy blow and... Sharp? Why are "your" fists sharp? You may roll Spirit:Willpower.
-
[nanashi soaks 7 in vitality and 1 in light wounds]
will 8:2 8d6 : 4, 4, 2, 1, 6, 2, 1, 3, total 23
-
Oh, that explains why the blow was sharp. It wasn't "you" who attacked you. It was Spider. And where Spider was standing, you can clearly see the form of the orb. You may, if you wish, take your delayed turn.
-
His eyes finally clearing, Nanashi smiles. "there you are.
Spider, you fool, you're attacking the wrong target."
Nanashi pulls up his gun, hoping this has a better effect than last time. He aims and fires. Sensei may not be proud, we need to finish this now.
marksman 6:3 6d6 : 2, 3, 3, 4, 1, 5, total 18
-
Movement 6: Evasion 1: 6d6 : 3, 3, 6, 6, 5, 1, total 24
-
Nanashi locks on target and fires his weapon, pulling the secondary trigger, bursting two soul-gems in the process. The bullet speeds forward for 10 damage
-
You can barely even notice the orbs's attempt at slowing your shots. Black lines shoot across the orb from where your bullet landed like shattering glass. Spider, you hear a gunshot and see black lines race across Nanashi's form. You may roll Spirit:Willpower.
-
"I...what? But the other one is you? Huh?"
Spirit 7 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Willpower 1: 8d6 : 2, 2, 3, 3, 6, 3, 3, 5, total 27
-
"Enough! If you will not give up willingly, I shall force you to do so!"
Senses 6:2: 6d6 : 3, 5, 5, 3, 5, 2, total 23
-
Spider and Nanashi, you may both roll Spirit:Willpower. The black lines appear to have vanished from the orb's, and nanashi's, surface. Nanashi, it is your turn.
-
Spirit 7 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Willpower 1: 8d6 : 1, 3, 6, 1, 2, 3, 2, 2, total 20
-
willpower 8:2 8d6 : 4, 6, 2, 3, 6, 6, 3, 4, total 34
-
Spider, you take 4 points of damage. You can feel your will to resist waning. It's only a little bit, but... maybe giving in wouldn't be all that bad?
Nanashi, you take 6 points of damage. Why are you even fighting? There isn't really any point...
Nanashi, you're up.
-
[4 points light wounds, 2 points heavy wounds.]
Nanashi lowers his rifle, looking at the orb, but raises it again and fires.
marksman +1 heavy wounds 7:3 7d6 : 1, 3, 3, 4, 3, 1, 5, total 20
-
The bullet's path wavers.
Movement 6: Evasion 1: 6d6 : 4, 5, 3, 6, 1, 3, total 22
-
nanashi burns another two soul gems in his rifle, increasing the damage output. [Nanashi deals 11 damage with the rifle]
-
Once again, black lines shoot across the orbs surface. Spider, you can see the same black lines shoot across Nanashi.
Spider, you may roll Spirit:Willpower.
-
Spirit 7 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Willpower 1: 8d6 : 5, 4, 1, 3, 4, 6, 3, 2, total 28
-
The lines spreading across Nanashi catch your attention, and you realize that his shadow doesn't look quite right. In particular, it appears to be that of a large round object, not the Nanashi-shaped object that is should be of.
It is your turn.
-
I wheel around and attack the Nanashi-shaped object.
Agility 6 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Interface 4: 7d6 : 6, 3, 2, 5, 6, 3, 6, total 31
-
Nanashi spins around to face you and... you can feel your blade slow ever so slightly. As far as you know, Nanashi can't do that. But that orb sure could.
Agility 6: Evasion 1: 6d6 : 6, 5, 2, 2, 3, 5, total 23
-
-
As your blade slices through Nanashi's form, the air itself slices apart. The haze is lifted from your eyes as the illusion shatters. Where stood Nanashi floats the strange orb, its body a maze of white and black, and where stood your other self stands Nanashi, gun raised.
"No. No. No. I will not allow you to. I will not die. You will not kill me! I will not let you kill me! Fall! Fall into endless dream!"
Spirit 6: Willpower 4: 6d6 : 1, 6, 3, 4, 4, 6, total 24
Then, suddenly, you feel a strange, cold feeling travel down your spine. A voice you haven't heard before speaks.
"Oh, so you have desires to?"
Nanashi and Spider, please roll Spirit:Willpower. You may make this roll as if your Willpower was 3.
-
Spirit 7 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Willpower 3: 8d6 : 4, 4, 3, 4, 6, 2, 3, 3, total 29
-
8:3 8d6 : 5, 5, 3, 1, 4, 1, 4, 4, total 27
Nanashi wheels his head around, looking for the source of the voice.
-
As you look around both Spider and the orb vanish. Everything vanishes into a pure white mist.
Nanashi and Spider, you can feel your will slowly fade. Please roll Spirit:Willpower. You may treat Willpower as if it were 3.
-
8:3 8d6 : 2, 1, 4, 3, 6, 6, 2, 5, total 29
-
Spirit 7 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Willpower 3: 8d6 : 3, 3, 2, 2, 5, 5, 1, 3, total 24
-
Nanashi, you take 3 points of damage as your will to fight slowly drains from you. Spider, you manage to resist the compulsion to give in like the ornery bastard you are.
Nanashi, you can see black lines appear in the white void. Based on their location and movement, you can probably figure out that the orb is in that location.
Both of you can see some of the black lines fade away.
Nanashi, it is your turn.
-
Nanashi, knowing that he is at his absolute limit, aims for one last shot before he falls unconscious.
heavy wounds +3 9:3 9d6 : 2, 6, 5, 4, 5, 3, 4, 6, 5, total 40
-
Your unsteady hand results in a slightly off-kilter bullet. As it passes near the orb, it is slightly deflected.
Agility 6: Evasion 1: 6d6 : 4, 5, 2, 3, 6, 2, total 22
-
nanashi pulls the second trigger, firing a boost of soul gem after the bullet.
[2+5+2=9 damage]
-
More black lines race across the orbs surface. By now it is far more black than white.
Spider you're up. Do you think you can erase the white entirely?
-
Having now identified the true foe, I swing once more.
Agility 6 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Interface 4: 7d6 : 4, 6, 3, 3, 6, 6, 1, total 29
-
The orb once again tries to slow your blows.
Agility 6: Evasion 1: 6d6 : 6, 2, 4, 6, 6, 2, total 26
-
4 + 6 = 10 points of damage
-
For a second the orb flickers. Nanashi, when it does, your vision clears and you can see things once again as they are.
"No... I won't... Die..."
"But isn't that what you wanted from everyone else~?"
Two small orbs of white appear next to the orb and fly out at Nanashi and Spider.
Senses 6 + Heavy Wounds: Marksman 4: 7d6 : 5, 5, 5, 6, 1, 3, 2, total 27
Both of you may dodge with Agility:Evasion. You may treat Evasion as if it were 4.
-
Agility 6 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Interface 4: 7d6 : 6, 3, 2, 3, 4, 2, 3, total 23
-
critical wounds +2 10:4 10d6 : 3, 5, 5, 4, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 1, total 35
-
Some of the black lines fade, but the orb is still pretty strongly black. It also seems to be teetering a bit in its hovering.
Spider, please roll Spirit:Willpower to resist the draining of your will. You may treat Willpower as if it were 4.
-
Spirit 7 + 1 Heavy Wounds, Willpower 4: 8d6 : 5, 6, 6, 5, 4, 1, 5, 2, total 34
-
Spider, you take three damage as your will slowly fades away. Nanashi, you lose 1 point of vitality from your wounds, though this can't bring you to below 1.
Nanashi, it is your turn.
-
If nanashi had anymore blood to bleed, he would, but his old hands are merely covered in open wounds and shake as he takes aim again, living on borrowed time.
I am a historian for the sake of the gods.
He fires his weapon+2 critical wounds +1 kiai 9:3 8d6 : 5, 6, 1, 2, 1, 1, 3, 3, total 22
he spends a kiai as he closes one of his eyes to focus on targetting to the best of his ability.
-
The orb shudders as your bullet approaches. You can almost hear it screaming in your head, "Die, why won't you die!" Once again it tries to slow the bullet; to offset its demise.
Agility 6 + Heavy Wounds: Evasion 1: 7d6 : 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 6, 4, total 23
-
Nanashi once again pulls the secondary trigger, firing the last rounds from his soul gem magazine.
[6+5+2=13 damage]
-
As your bullet strikes the orb, its entire body is coated in black. For the first time, you can see cracks start to appear and pieces start to fall off.
Spider, your enemy looks weak! Finish him off!
-
Weak. I'm weak.
...
Well, damn it, I may be weak, but this son of a bitch can--
"EAT A DICK!" I yell, as I bring my blade crashing down.
Agility 6 + 2 Critical Wounds, Interface 4: 8d6 : 4, 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 6, 5, total 24
1 point of Spider's Vitality lost to Critical Wounds.
-
Agility 6 + Heavy Wounds: Evasion 1: 7d6 : 3, 2, 1, 2, 6, 2, 4, total 20
-
Time itself seems to slow as Spider's blade arcs towards the orb. No, perhaps it actually does slow. Your very movements feel sluggish; both your bodies and souls are exhausted to their utmost. Just watching the blade's path is the most you can do. Slowly, slowly, it connects. It strikes the surface of the orb and keeps going; cracks radiating out like a sunburst. The blade completes its path as the orb shatters, shards of black flying off in every direction.
Leaving in its place a pure gray orb, without white or black. This gray orb floats in the air for an unknowable period of time, before it... unfolds like a blossoming flower. Floating where the orb's center was is a young woman, curled into a fetal position. She slowly stretches out, her feet reaching for the floor. As she makes contact and stands up, her blood-red eyes open and time returns to its normal flow.
"Ah, I suppose you two are the heroes who saved me from that? Thanks~
Hm... You don't look like Welgaians. And you don't smell like chroma either... I'm impressed! I didn't think an ordinary human would be able to defeat Zephyr. He was created from my flesh, after all~"
She suddenly rushes forward, bringing her face up to Spider's.
"Oh! You smell like my sister! Did she send you? That's nice of her~ So what are your names?"
-
I plunge my sword into the ground and lean heavily on it, flipping up my visor. "I'm Spider."
-
Nanashi uses his gun as a crutch, leaning heavily, but managing a smile and a bow. "Nanashi Sekka, at your service. We were, in fact, sent here to rescue you by your sister Tooryanse. We are also on a mission to stop a bit of rather nasty business going on here on Welgaia, though I believe that most of what has been going on has been set right by freeing you."
-
"Hmm, indeed~ If you say that, I'm sure you're right~ Right or not though, you certainly saved me~
For that you should get a reward~ My sister's terrible at rewards, so I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I got to give you one, right~? I mean, her idea of a good time is that city she made. Hah... I suppose its not much better than this lump of rock... Really, everything was better when the two were together...
But that's old~ history~ So, what is it that you want~? I'll grant you anything that is within my power to grant, no matter what the results will be~"
-
Nanashi looks to spider, then back to the goddess.
"Well... I would like my soul back."
-
"Heeeh? That's it? How dull. I don't know if I want to grant that wish~ How about you, Melvin? Got anything more exciting for me?"
-
I consider this. "Well, I'd like my soul back, too, but that's apparently boring." Scratching my chin, I continue. "Okay, how about: One. You help us get out of here alive. Two. You help me win the heart of some fair maiden, yet to be determined."
-
"Well, I can give you your souls back. I just don't really want to. If that's what you want, though, I guess I can do it. I did say I'd grant any wish, after all. Now love, that's something far more interesting~ I'd gladly grant that sort of wish~ Since you did save me, though, I'll give you a warning~ You might not want me to be the person to grant that wish~
You do know what sort of goddess I am, don't you~?"
-
My eyes dart to the side. "Nanashi?" I hiss. "What kind of goddess is she, again?"
-
Nanashi struggles to remember all those books on Ancient culture he read, surely something he read could be of some help?
knowledge:information 6:2 6d6 : 5, 5, 6, 2, 3, 4, total 25
-
Well, unless I'm strongly mistaken, all your books on ancient culture were on ancient terran culture. Which, interesting as it may be, isn't super relevant to welgaia. You can make some guesses, though. Lets see... Welgaia's the lunar capital, and Kaguya (assuming that's who this even is) is the goddess of welgaia. And, at least at home on tera, the moon was associated with mystery and madness, so...
-
Nanashi shrugs. He speaks in low tones, but he is somewhat convinced a goddess would be able to hear him. "I don't know, She's goddess of welgaia and the moon, so mystery? Lunacy?"
-
"Bing bong! That's absolutely correct! I'm Kaguya, the goddess of madness, illusion, chaos, and destruction! I'll grant any wish as long as it amuses me, but you should be careful what you ask for~"
-
Aiki for Kaguya for being my favorite flavor of crazy
-
I weigh my options.
"Eh," I finally say. "Can't realistically be worse than my chances if I rely on my natural charm."
-
Nanashi's eyes go wide as he tries to signal Spider to take it back
-
"Okie dokie, that's one wish down. I'll through in your soul for free, since I'm so nice. Is there anyone you had in mind?"
-
Yet again, options are weighed. I did have that wild night on the town with Elly, but--on the other hand--there's just something adorable and cuddly about six arms.
I open my mouth to speak, then close it again.
On the other hand, if things go south with Jorougumo, that could be complicated. She is my sensei, after all.
But adorable.
But sensei.
Besides, that really WAS a fun night out with Elly.
But...
"There is no victory here," I murmur to myself. "Only loss, no matter which I choose."
-
"Oh, okay, got it~ To be honest, I was going to do this no matter what you chose, but sometimes things just work out perfectly, don't they~ Brace yourself, I'm going to give you back your soul now."
The woman spins around once and kisses Spider on the lips. Spider, you feel... exactly the same. To be honest, you didn't really feel anything special when you lost your soul, and you can't really tell if you've gotten in back. Well, you don't feel exactly the same. She's a pretty good kisser.
"Congratulations~ You've got yourself a Kaguya~ If you so much as think about another woman, I'll rip your head off~
Okay, now how about you, Nanashi? Got any wishes?"
-
I grin and try desperately not to think in passing of any of the women that we've met since we came to the Old Capital.
A small bead of sweat forms on my forehead.
Not that I'm actually displeased. She is, after all, both attractive and a good kisser.
It's more that I don't know how literally to take her, and we've met a lot of women.
Kaguya gets an aiki chit for goddess end. Did not see that one coming.
-
Nanashi ponders for a long time. A very long moment(20 seconds). Finally, as if solving a puzzle, he looks up and says. "I wish for a name."
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"Wow, it's just bad decisions month, isn't it? Okay dokay, you're now...
Kagami Fozhie. I'll throw your soul in for free too, since it's technically my fault you lost it."
As she says that you feel something about yourself fundamentally change.
"Well, with all that out of the way, I guess I can stop the corridors from looping and let our other guests in. Any last words while we're still all private like this?"
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nanashi shakes his head.
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I tentatively, cautiously kiss my new
waifu mistress on the cheek.
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She turns her head such that your kiss lands squarely on her lips.
"What, are you feeling shy all of a sudden~? Well, if that's all~"
She promptly vanishes. As she does, a number of familiar faces rush in (bodies attached, of course). In partiuclar you notice a rather out of breath Kuro and a completely blood covered Kagome.
"Hah... hah... It's been a while since I've actually fought... It looks like you two succeeded."
"Ah... Foxy-chan, Spider! Are you alright? Eh, Foxy? Have you always been a Welgaian?"
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"Foxy?" I raise an eyebrow at Kagome and turn to look at Nanashi.
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"Huh? Yeah, Foxy? His name's Fozhie, right? So Foxy. Ah, you must have gotten more injured that I thought! Medics!"
At her voice, a group of ninja detach from the walls. They appear to be wearing white with little red crosses. Wait, white? How come you didn't see them earlier?
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Nana-
Fozhie turns to spider and shrugs. "It is my name."
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I'm a bit too busy staring at the medininja.
"What, but. How. You don't even blend in. There is. No way."
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The ninja walk over to Fozhie and Spider. One of the ninja winks at Spider and says:
"We're ninja, dear, it's what we do."
From their ministrations both of you feel much better. Your vitality is restored and you are no longer bleeding. It'll take some actual time for your wounds to heal, of course.
After the treatment, Kuro speaks up.
"So, hah..., what actually happened here? I'm not seeing any guards or blood that isn't yours..."
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RETROACTIVE:
Fozhie turns to Kagome and says. "I think I have. Now at least. It's a long story and I'm not sure if you would believe me if I told you..."
"Ah. Well. I suppose you could say that we accomplished our mission. We found the goddess and managed to free her. It was a bit... difficult, as you might tell by spider's and my own wounds. She was trapped in some sort of orb. An orb of illusion. It looked like a silver moon. Anyways, we went about trying to destroy the orb but its command over illusion and emotion proved to make it more difficult than most fights. Truly, we are lucky to still be standing."
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"A silver moon? Wait, don't tell me they actually succeeded with project Z.E.L.O.S.? Wow, I never though they'd accomplish that, or that you'd be able to beat that... It was supposed to have a direct connection to the goddess and everything."
Kuro pipes up.
"Wait, you didn't mention any project whatchumacallit when you described your battle plan."
"I thought it was a myth or a fantasy or something! Who would actually believe it would be possible to create a life form from a goddesses shadow? Particularly when the only anyone's ever seen of the goddess is that orb there, and you might note that it doesn't have anything even remotely like a shadow!
Umm, anyways, I'm really impressed Foxy-chan, Spider! I knew you were cool but I didn't think you were that cool!"
"Indeed. You absolutely held up your end of the bargain. Did... did I offer you something for doing all that? I really should have. If I didn't, please ask for something now. I'll do what I can."
"Ah, me too! I'll help you two out as best I can! I'm the leader of Welgaia now, so I'm sure I can do something for you! Like your souls! I'm sure if I get someone to look through the records..."
As she says that, her voice - and your vision - slowly fade away. Fozhie, you see Spider collapse, only to do so yourself a few moments later. You fall and fall into blissful darkness...
"Balance has been restored. The reapers shall return to observation."
You both appear to be resting in pitch black waters. They remind you a lot of the place that one girl took you though... The place with the gates, right after you were pulled from your home world. Before you you can see that very girl, Chou-chou, as well as the goddesses Tooryanse and Kaguya. Tooryanse turns to you.
"You... have done what you... needed to... You have... freed... my sister... As she... granted you wishes... I too... can do so... If you wish... to return... to... your world... I can... grant... that wish..."
Kaguya follows suit.
"Yeah, what she said. I wouldn't use as many '...'s though~ Return, stay, it's all up to you~ This story you've shown us, whether it was a dream or the truth, that's all up to you."
"We... meddlesome gods... shall now... retreat..."
With that, both Tooryanse and Kaguya disappear. Only Chou-chou remains in the strange waters. She looks at you silently, nods, and also vanishes.
Where she stood now stands two gates. Though both are identical in appearance, you can easily feel what lies on the other sides. The two of you stand up, and walk forward...