Kawaii Cataclysm (Inactive)

Game Master BastianQuinn

Would Tenshi recognize 'granny'?

[Aratani] draws a shape in the fluid surface of the mirror, and more images surface: an older woman with large, round glasses tending flowers, a young Chinese man pacing circles around an empty rundown room, an image of Alex, sitting astride a stone dog, then the mirror flashes red and shatters into sparkling dust that falls to the floor.

This was at the Shirakawa mansion after telling Aratani that no one had been helping you, and finding out Ayatori was being attacked. Presumably, she was scrying the locations of MGs.

Ah, so it's not a 'shared granny'. Like a real one, but simply one that exists within the world Tenshi only just joined, alrighty!

The granny in question is especially old, and encourages the moniker.

So, part of the difference was paranoia. Working with Paresh had also been a fairly clearly bad idea, from the sounds of it... and he was a -

"Oh... that Paresh. I think I met him at the university with one of the other magical girls, he kept saying he'd found my watch." she says, pursing her lips. "I had the feeling there was something off about him." she adds, wings fluttering flippantly. "Does your blade still work as a trinket? Are you sure that's your real trinket?" Tenshi asks, tilting her head.

Shoot, That last comment about working with Paresh was from Reaper Kazue. That's my fault.

Iris gets tense again as she spots the pink moon-shot. She can focus on getting answers from Paresh(?) later, once they're definitely safe.

@C.O and the Bodysharers: There's a pink streak in the sky that's starting to come down. Any ideas who did that and if we need to move?

@Jun-chan: What is Aratani thinking? You're all still in the building!

@the Coward and the Loud One: Relax, Pele. Pretty princess bubble bunny wouldn't risk losing anyone, let alone her daughter.

@Some of my many mistakes: Her fears were destroyed.

...Aratani. It's Aratani.
Somehow, her behaviour earlier makes a lot more sense. Iris still doesn't agree with it, but after the mask, she understands how it might have started.
But that doesn't matter. The real thing here is that everyone's probably about to die if they stay here.
And she's in no state to stop the assault this time.

@All magical girls known to be at the mall: GET EVERYONE OUT OF THE BUILDING! IT WON'T BE HERE MUCH LONGER!

Despite protests and sluggishness from her body Iris scoops up the bodysharers, their cane, and any other trinkets that need attending to. If the claymore's in the area, I'm reverting it and taking it with me. She takes a few steps back, and takes a running jump off the roof. She's saving everyone she can, and this is where she starts.

Please, stick the landing.

「I need to get everyone out... I still have responsibilities...」 With great pain she turns away from the dust pile that was once Sakura and, ignoring the tears on her face, puts on her usual winning smile as she addresses the crowd of citizens caught up in this mess.

「Everyone! We need to get out of here now, okay? Please form an orderly line and make your way to the exit; if anyone cannot walk, speak now and I will ensure you are escorted safely.」

Naiad's been trying and failing to figure out some way to get Sakura (the dead one) back, and the other factors are secondary until the message comes down... And Zeek comes back to their side.

"Zeek. Big. Now. Two out. Get clear."

Provided Zeek complies...

The sailor-girl jumps to the two unconscious women, scoops the two of them up with haste that only an impending blast of doom could inspire, and attempts to throw them over the companion while giving it a swift slap in the rear -- not to injure, but to indicate 'get going'.

If the two are able to be extracted, then Naiad will turn her attention to the exit, and whether by force of arms or a broken water main or whatever else is convenient attempting to break the egress for the 'normal' folks open...

No clue what to roll here, toss something clever down for me, please?

Tenshi's pupils dilate, then contract, as her head turns back to the side to look over her shoulder - nothing was there, clearly, but she seemed agitated, nonetheless. "No." Tenshi says, "He already went through two bombs, and he's not going to deal with it again. Not on my lawn." she adds, wings fluttering slightly.

"We can save them, I think." she says, looking to Chell, as she reaches her hand out to her. "But I think one of us is going to have to do something about the bomb. What do you think? Can we do it?"

I was just giving you time to do something while Juno took care of the sheeples.

Outside:

Iris leaps down from the roof and rolls into a heap, Chrysanth in tow. By the looks of the landing, it was horrifically painful, but the pain and the injuries shall pass thanks to an untapped blood pact. The person Iris is carrying is skewered by a giant black iron harpoon.

The giant stone dog bursts through the front window of the mall, a woman in chef whites, a woman with bluish skin on his back, and a startled Naiad clutched in his mouth.

Juno herds a uniform column of bruised and terrified party-goers into the parking lot.

Yuki trails behind, face frozen in a thousand-yard stare.

The man who was using Iskandar’s trinkets, Emi the singer, and the unnamed DJ are still inside.

The brilliant pink arrow is tracing its trajectory down. It would take a miracle to save anyone now.

The landing was as painful as it looked, and more besides. Even if they would heal soon enough, right now Iris's legs wouldn't respond to her, and the pain had her wailing with a weary voice.
Looking back, he spots the others. Juno, that friend of hers, Alex and Rocky, many, many normal people...
Wait...where's...where's Sora and that friend of hers? They were here too. And...the twins. The Sakuras. Brigit?
Did...did they all...were THEY the ones who...
...
...I can't focus on that...not now...I mean, everyone else is safe, aren't they...?
At that moment, a cruel memory surfaces. Backstage. The singer. The guy Iskandar was possessing. And...
Lys...LYS!

Iris looks up to see the destructive pink light of Aratani's magic descending from it's prior spot behind the moon. She wanted to stop it, but her body wouldn't move even as she tried to make it pull herself along the ground toward the mall. Even if she could move, she'd pulled on so much magic already...she didn't think she had enough to stop this.
Iris sobs on the ground. She'd been lucky with Paresh. But if the mother did as the daughter had here, there would be no lucky breaks this time. And he'd lose a dear, dear friend for it.
She didn't want to hate them. But right now, she did. So much. Like mother, like daughter...she'd had enough of crazy mothers.

As Iris continues to cry, several memories surface in her mind, beyond all hope of containment.
@All: A man with dark, curly hair and a mad grin, making a speech about some topic that seems to be filling everyone with cheer and determination despite the fact he just finished a metaphor about three hamsters and a gorilla.
The same person just last week, drinking tea and winding Junpei Iris Junpei up to no end.
A much younger version of the man, smiling at the most awkwardly pronounced attempt at asking his name made using the Greek-Japanese dictionary that was borrowed from him.
All tinged with the feeling of closeness to a dear friend, and the sadness and pain of imminent loss.

The tears refuse to stop coming as Iris lies in a heap on the ground.
"Lys...Lys..."

Chell: Based on the Sonic Sorceress' memories, you have a lock on the location of Iris' friend.

He's stanind in a dark room with a very large weapon leveled at Sora's friend, Emi, who is holding an injured man.

Trauma Shift
It's too much, seeing Iris struggle. It was someone important that got left behind. Juno can't take another death on her hands. She ducks back inside, tapping across the tiled floor at a practiced run.

"Wha-----aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!" is Naiad's off-guard and unexpected response to being carried along by Zeek. They were hoping to maintain a rear-guard and let others get clear, and this being carried away was very much not a rear guard type action thing.

Desperate, the aquatic magical girl reaches to the water mains, the plumbing, anything that could bear the thing that they control the best and attempts to push it upwards into a hasty shield to diffuse some of the incoming energy.

"AQUATIC AEGIS!!" is bellowed in desperation.

It probably won't help that much, but anything is better than nothing!

AQUATIC AEGIS!!(in-theme?): 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (5, 1) + 1 = 7

She can't let Tomoyo die. She just can't. Tunneling in on her, the one Juno cares about, she dives on top of her and does something-anything-to protect Tomoyo. She conjures a large shield from her vault to hide underneath, pinning the girl under her body as one final barrier if all else fails.

Her own demise does not even occur to Juno. All she cares about now is that Tomoyo lives.
This will protect us: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5

Well, that's probably not gonna work.

Tenshi looks over her shoulder to the steadily descending pink blossom of energy, then back to Chell, a mixture of fear and anxiety plain on her face, but beneath it, in her eyes glowed a mote of hope. She keeps her hand held forward to Chell, "We don't have much time, left... it's now or never."

Tenshi stands stock still, even her wings not fluttering as Chell moves through the motions of 'I quit'. To say Tenshi was stunned was an understatement, but as Chell gives her the book, she shakes her head, "No, wait... without this you can.." she says as she follows her towards the door, but then with the flash... she'd gone where Tenshi couldn't follow. "...die."

Her feathers flutter some sort of emotional distress, though what sort was completely obscured to the others by the large wings between them. Even with the clock ticking down, she stood for several seconds. She could take the book back to her, try to make her keep it, try to keep her safe... was there any harm in constantly walking around in her form that would keep her safe? It would... have to be put off.

And it would be her fault if anything happened.

"My watch is done." Tenshi announces... returning to a simple hoodie and jeans, back still turned to the others, "Cloud Watcher Tenshi." she adds, holding the protective charm that was her second trinket in her hands. Metallic ribbons flowed outwards from her chest, covering her body in armor far too articulated, making her to look like a tireless automaton... but most importantly, covering her face before she could turn around once more. Sharp angles and lines that seemed somehow too abstracted, too real, yet impossible... and no inch of flesh to be seen. Dark blue mixed with cold steel, with bright pink accents that glowed of their own accord.

And then, without any warning, she vanishes, slipping sideways.

She wasn't far from the mall. She could feel that in her bones. And she could feel the streak of magic flying through the night. She could feel what would be her feathers tensing - goose bumps, she supposed - as she gripped the wind-and-fire wheel in her hand. She flew from one dream to the next, as quickly as she could, angular wing-like proxies jutting down from her shoulders shifting angles as she moves in utter silence, her mind a jumble of thoughts. She wasn't sure she could do this without Chell.

How had she even planned to do this? With her emotions placing a splintering wedge between herself and her instincts, she simply felt lost. There wasn't any heroism in being lost...

Maybe simply being close would be enough. Her former spell should still be active... But maybe it simply wasn't large enough.

Dream Demesne: Aggressive Expansion: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 2) = 7

It had been my intent to hope shift here... but it no longer fits.

Taking 1 trauma, and devouring the arrow for an additional 2 magic.

Juno can feel the arrow coming. It seems weaker now - perhaps one of the others had done their part as well - but still dangerous. Deadly.

Then, a sensation she had been suppressing comes to the forefront of her mind... her stomach growls. Her other stomach, the one who's desire can only be quenched by a great deal of arcane.

「This might just work.」 She turns around, belly up, the gaping maw exposed. As the arrow penetrates her flimsy conjured shield she closes her eyes, praying to whatever gods may be out there that she succeeds...

When she opens her eyes, the arrow is gone and she isn't dead. 「Good start, at least.」 She tries to get up, a task easier said than done with such a bloated feeling in her gut. She touches her stomach and sees the maw had disappeared again, hidden away now that it had had its fill.

「Tomoyo? Tomoyo dear, are you okay?」 She shakes the girl's shoulder. Juno's plan SEEMED to have worked, but she had to be sure.

As Iris continues to cry, eventually the fact that she hasn't heard the mall being utterly destroyed yet registers. She looks up with a tear-stained face, and sees the building still standing.
And when she does, she dares to hope.
She gets up, and sluggishly walks to the mall, looking to head down into the building to find Lys, the blood pact having done its work. As she passes by Alex, she taps him on the shoulder and points back to the girl she jumped off a roof for, harpoon still poking out of them quite obviously. 「Don't ask me how, but I think that's Miyako and Paresh. Can you look after them for me? I need to find someone.」 The musical tones of her voice sound weary, but optimistic.

Once that is said, she heads into the mall to reunite with an old friend.

Entering the basement, Iris sees Lys, hair pulled back by headphones, and leveling some kind of antique blunderbus at the painted singer who is holding one arm at an odd angle. He spots Iris, his eyes grow wide, and for a moment it apears as if he recognizes her, but that wouldn't make sense. To Lys, Iris is just another witch. He turns the blunderbus in her direction 「Frozen.」

Juno lies on the floor, positively scintillating with energy like a mother goddess, and frantically hovering over one of the twins. The former doll, Tomoyo, sits up, clutching a pair of knives.

Then, happiness vomits into the room like a thick paint of felt and yarn pouring out of a sinkhole in reality. Something cold exits the stream. Armor, like a japanese cyberpunk angel weilding fire and air, steps down out of a dream.
7 +1(domain) +1(target) -2(drain) +1(FEAR) = 8: Your magic accomplishes more or less what you intended, but it’s off in some way or has some
kind of side effect.
Safety and cheer imposes itself upon the environment. Violence is absolutely impossible in this space. Also the feels. The feels are also too much, and will be met with furious denial. If ever you feel your character has suffered a loss, feel free to gain Trauma.

No sign of felt outside, where the crowd is thinning, and a strangely cherub-like, brutally harpooned raven-person gently moans their discomfort at Naiad's feet.

"Zeek, bring me over to the bird-person, I can't help them from here. Or let me down so I can get over there!"

Naiad will run to the harpooned bird-being-person-it's-complicated entity, trying to whip off the scarf of their uniform to stauch blood from the horrific wound.

"Hang on, okay? We'll get you taken care of. It's not as bad as it seems. Just look away for a few moments. You're going to be okay."

Too much death today. Too much death period. Not on my watch.

Realizing that popping out the harpoon could be fatal at this point, or even chopping it to remove it, Naiad attempts to hold the damaged person together as best they can. If that's successful, then the idea of removing the harpoon can be considered...

Healing(?): 2d6 ⇒ (5, 1) = 6

「Tomoyo-chan!」 Juno pulls the girl into a suffocating embrace. 「Oh, thank goodness you're all right... I was so worried...」 She wears a wide, joyous smile as she locks Tomoyo's head firmly to her bosom.

Juno's presence is barely noted when Iris enters. It seems she had someone she was worried about too. But her focus is on Lys. Concern enters her mind. How did he end up pointing a gun at someone? How did that singer from earlier end up with their arm like that? Did he...

Iris's eyes go wide when the blunderbuss is pointed at her next. 「Lys?」 It hurts. Especially after that seeming moment of recognition. 「Lys, it's-」 She stops short as the thought finally occurs. He doesn't recognise her like this, does he? But...she can't change just yet. At least, not till...not till she's sure he's safe.

She runs up to hug him, blunderbuss be damned. She can take it. He's held tightly in her arms, and she notices just how little she is compared to normal right now. She looks up, smiling happily with a face that had obviously been crying moments ago. >It's...you're alive, aren't you? I thought you were going to...it doesn't matter though. You didn't.< She giggles, threatening to break into full-blown laughter. >It's me! It's Junpei! I look different, but...it's me! And I...I'm just glad you're alright.<
>I guess it sounds ridiculous. I mean...I'm supposed to be a guy, aren't I? Just let me show I mean it, alright?< She didn't care who saw. If he needed proof, she'd give it to him. Reluctantly, she lets go. She didn't know how transforming while she held him would work out. >My watch is done.<

And then, she became he.

Tenshi's head quickly swoops around, looking at each of the threats, and the pairings, and... the lack of impending doom. She couldn't really remember whether she liked Juno or not - far too much time had passed, at least in her mind. Too many changes. Airi was recognizable as the weird voice that kept prodding her. The others... less so. Oh, there was Emi.

「What happened to the boom?」 she asks, to no one in particular, her voice sounding just as it normally would, as if there were no metallic armor in the way.

「Would everyone kindly put away your weapons? I can't... it's sort of important for the armistice effect.」

Zeek deposits you by Chrysanth.
Healing 6 +1(Purify) +1(target) +1(IDEAL) = 9: You are able to help them in a substantial way, and you gain 1 Hope.
At your touch, the harpoon glows with an opalescent light, then disappears. Chrysanth’s body relaxes with a sigh.

There are three people now in various unconscious states. A legitimate naiad of some description, a caterer, and Chrysanth looking especially epicene. You could probably get one awake enough to speak.

Downstairs, Tomoyo hiccups, too distraught to sob.

Lysander blinks with disbelief, but lowers his weapon. >Junpei? You’re not involved with this witchcraft, are you?< He gestures to Emi, who is sullenly picking bits of rock salt from her arm. At Tenshi's request, he taps the muzzle of the gun on the floor, and a fist-sized charge drops out.

「Stupid Brotherhood scum... Can't tell the difference between an evoker and a channeler.」 Emi spits some blood and phlegm onto the floor and wipes her mouth. Her robe no longer captures a field of stars. It's merely layered black tule, likely held in place with double-stick tape.

Back in her his old form, the initial elation at finding Lysander alive is starting to wear off, and Junpei feels the events of the day dragging down on herhim. His expression turns from overjoyed to drained, and he begins to feel the effects of his accumulated fatigue in full.
Honestly, being a guy again, dressed up in his mad hatter outfit after spending what felt like forever as a magical girl...it feels weird.

Junpei looks to Emi, and back to Lysander. While he's relieved, he's still clearly tense. He scratches at the back of his head as he replies. >Actually...yeah. I mean, it only happened today...but I guess I'm caught up in whatever this is now.< He puts on a smile, but she he's unable to deliver it quite so convincingly as usual. His arm drops from his head. >It's been a long day. I thought you were going to die, I saw someone else die, I've been trying to stop everyone killing each other and...< Briefly, the facade shatters, and he looks like he's about to burst out crying again thinking about the day's events. SheHe suppresses it, and puts back on the not-quite-right smile, gesturing with one hand to the area around him. >Can we just wrap all this up for now and talk over some tea? Nobody wants to have tea today. They're too busy trying to kill each other.<

Even if he tries to control his expression, his eyes are locked onto Lysander, positively pleading for some respite from the events of the day.

「There, there...」 Juno pets the girl's soft, silky hair as she pulls her tighter into the embrace. 「It's okay, Kiyomi-onee-chan is here...」 Juno completely ignores the presence of Junpei and Tenshi, focused entirely on comforting Tomoyo.

Juno kisses Tomoyo on the forehead and whispers, 「My watch is done.」 Returned to her younger, normal self, she smiles warmly at Tomoyo and asks, 「Would you like to stay with me tonight? I want to make sure you're okay.」

Roll for compassion!: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 6) = 11

Lys gathers Junpei up in his arms for a rough hug. >It's all good big guy, we'll get you sorted out.< Setting him back on his feet, Lys turns to Tenshi, shouldering his gun.

「Marvin the mars-man, that was?」His smile is sly, almost conspiratorial. His round features turn to a cautious question, free hand gesturing at the felt floor. 「I am concerned of the magic, but I see kind... soft...」 He eases back into a smile. 「I have respect for peaceful negotiations.」Lysander looks around the basement. 「There was trouble here. Now, there is none. Can we, respectfully, see the dawn without further conflict? 」 This was a practiced line. Some part of a coda of memorized phrases he was drawing on. His face twists with regret as his gaze turns to Emi. 「I not see where take you the other Shadow. Can overlook where take I this one? This big guy will vouch for me.」 A warmer, if equally practiced, turn of phrase.

Lysander was shorter than the wiry Junpei, but still a much larger presence. >Alright, big guy, you get that tea with your friends. I don't think we're going to get a chance to catch up tonight.< He does lock eyes for a moment, and Junpei can see the suppressed familiarity plain in his eyes. >I will brave the cafe on a Sunday, but it will have to be after noon. Alright?< He thumps your shoulder with one hand, and the distance between you becomes a metaphorical chasm.

Tomoyo sniffs, and chuckles. 「Just keep your handsy girlfriend away from me. Your boyfriend too.」 As children often do, her train of thought has led her a comfortable distance from her grief and she finishes mopping the tears and grit from her face. 「Did you get married? Your strings are all tangled, like a mommy and daddy. Did he make you? Why would you get so close to someone so mean?」 The pain of Sakura's loss flashes across her eyes. 「Why is it okay to hurt people?」

>Al...Alright.< Junpei's smile is only barely held in place.
Friends? I'm...I'm not sure I have any here, other than you. Juno certainly isn't (don't think about who she is, don't think about who she is and how you screwed up with her) and...hell, I'm a stranger to pretty much everyone. I mean, I saw Sora here...but I don't know her myself, do I? I get the feeling nobody's out to make any friends...and I...I can't really talk about this with someone that isn't involved with this, can I?

Junpei begins to tune out from his surroundings, lost in his thoughts, until he hears Tomoyo.
「Why is it okay to hurt people?」
Junpei's composure shatters again, as if never meant to be kept today in the first place. She He suddenly finds it harder to keep a clear head as he she staggers back. Her head slowly turns to Tomoyo, clear shock at her words in her eyes, before turning away again, eyes on the floor and hand on her his head. Iris Junpei backs up against a wall, and slowly begins to slump down to floor.

「It's...it's not okay...why do you think it's okay? It ISN'T okay...it isn't okay to hurt people...it just isn't. But...but people do it anyway...because it's easier! It's easier to hurt people than to figure out something better! It's easier to kill and maim and injure and harm than to fix it...so people do that! Even when they're not trying to!」
「But it isn't okay...it isn't okay...」
Junpei continues muttering to herhimself. Why? Why can someone so young say something like that? THINK something like that?

「No... I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to be.」 Tenshi responds to Lys, 「Some sort of heavy metal angel... What language is your native tongue..?」 she asks, pulling Chell's trinket from midair. The magical girls could use each other's trinkets, right? It would be a lot easier to try to communicate in his language... though if she couldn't the book would only be useful if he spoke english, she supposed.

「It isn't okay to hurt people.」 she says, agreeing with Junpei, 「But it also isn't easy. Hurting people is hard. Not seeing them as people, or forgetting what your actions can do to another, that's the easy part.」 She pauses for a moment, before looking between the groups that were slowly spreading apart, herself in the center - alone.

She huffs out a sigh, 「I don't know the difference between witches, channelers, and evokers. I don't know any of this stuff. I do know that you and Kazue owe me a serious explanation, though.」

Tomoyo looks between Junpei and Tenshi, her eyes taking in the air around each of you. 「Daddy hurts momma with words, but she loves him. Juno loves that boy, even though... even though he hurt people. Airi... if it is wrong, why would you do it? Why do we save people who do nothing but hurt, and hurt people who have done nothing wrong?」 She’s treading some dangerous territory, especially given your mental states. Continuing to indulge her questions may be Traumatic. Her eyes say she expects you all to know the answers, and she’s waiting for something simple she's overlooked that will make it all make sense.

Emi ignores the sentient trinket. 「This a%@#$#~ shot me with salt. Would’ve taken off my arm if I were a channeler like you three. I just evoke the spirits, guide them, alter them, and protect them. I don’t actually wield the magic myself.」

When Tenshi opens the travel guide, its pages flutter for a moment until they land on a section on Greece. While she’s holding the trinket in this way, she can understand and speak Greek. Lys speaks as if he were quoting, his voice mimicking Marvin the Martian “Where’s the ka-boom? There was supposed to be an earth-shattering ka-boom!” He's remarkably good at mimicry. >What Junpei didn’t teach me, I learned through old cartoons.<

The hearty cannoneer eyes Emi. >I’m not looking for a jurisdiction argument. We can agree these three did wrong, and the boy likely paid more than his share, but this one is to be remanded to the care of the Enclave for weaning. I'm willing to overlook the other if you will let me on my way.<

Boyfriend? That boy? Kiyomi cannot help but be confused; from the context, the only person she could be talking about is Yuki. Kiyomi cannot pin down why Tomoyo would get the pronouns wrong, but it isn't terribly important right now so she ignores it.

Kiyomi shoots a nasty glare at Junpei, demanding without a word that he just. shut. up. His asinine worldview would not help anything here.

The heiress turns back to Tomoyo. 「Sometimes... people do bad things that they didn't mean to do. That they didn't want to do.」 Yuki had never intended to kill Sakura; quite the opposite, even. 「But when that happens it can be even more important to support and love them. Because you want them to do better. Because you know they can do better.」 Kiyomi thinks back at how Tiresias had taken measure of her sins, and chosen to comfort rather than condemn her. If I deserved that, then so does she. Kiyomi will have to have a heartfelt conversation with Yuki the next time they meet.

Kiyomi stands up, taking Toyomo by the hand. 「Come along, Tomoyo-chan. Let's get some rest.」

Tenshi seems to accept Juno's explanation, and willingness to leave with no further regard, but before she can go, adds one last thing - in regards to Jurisdiction, 「Hey, Sunshine... would you mind telling the boss lady that I'm going to be protecting this place now? I'm going to do what I can to clean it up and make it better, but I'm placing it under my watch.」

She wasn't certain whether the intent was clear or not, or even if drawing a line in the sand in regards to Aratani was at all a good idea. The woman had dropped a nuke in the middle of japan, after all... she still wondered where that had gone.

>I haven't really watched a lot of cartoons. I learned mostly from music. I prefer the English dubs of our shows, though, it's helped me to learn to speak English, though I've watched very little. And... yes. No one seems willing to say where the Ka-boom went. So... you hunt Evokers? Am I an Evoker?<

>The Brotherhood silences the over-reaching arm of magic... something we’ve all seen tonight.< Lys looks at the neat hole in the concrete ceiling. He spares a glance for Juno. >Your friend ate the attack. One of our brothers may be dispatched to keep an eye on her... One of the junior officers.< With a flick, the man produces a phone and taps out a message.

Emi cuts in with a forlorn quote. 「They came for the evokers, and I did nothing, because I was not an evoker.」

Lysander crouches down to speak at eye level with the singer.「Let us not reference Nazis near so many artifacts of the war. There are spirits even you don’t want hearing.」

~~~

Outside, Juno and Tomoyo emerge to find the crowd has been dispersed. Naiad works over three unconscious people. Yuki looks up from her phone, but, seeing the living doll, can’t find words.

IrisJunpei stops muttering. The whirling of herhis mind stops, everything settling into a fuzzy, depressing haze.
Juno's glaring is met with an apathetic smile. He'sShe's long past the point where that may have had any impact.
Amidst the haze, shehe barely registers what Tomoyo called them. Airi...huh? Is...is that my name? I'll have to remember that. But as soon as the thought comes, it's lost in the haze of herhis mind.
He recalls that that Tomoyo asked herhim a question, and that heshe never ended that whispering wind spell. As Tomoyo leaves, she HE locks onto her. It wouldn't do not to answer.
Sat against the wall, Junpei utters whatever comes to mind, his words only audible to the girl that walked off with Juno.

IrisJunpei leaves, and slowly starts to make herhis way home. HisHer walk back is practically a death march. Juno is given a wide berth, and any further harsh looks from her go without response.

HeSheHe tries to pull himself together. Get himself into a state sheheshe can pass off as something more benign to Chūsuke. But even if shehe could, it probably wouldn't work anyway. HisHerTheir younger brother could be surprisingly perceptive, after all.

Maybe next morning, all these painful thoughts about the things they had done wrong would vanish. Maybe they'd feel better tomorrow. Tomorrow was a new day. A new chance to do something. Something good.
But for now, it was today. And today was awful. Death had hung in the air, and even though they'd pushed it off the first time it had called, it didn't stop coming. Terrible things had piled up. It was...hard to remain optimistic in the face of that. Magic had returned her childish glee and hope the first time...but that had faded when the problems had started to pour in again. Magic could be wonderful...but it wasn't the way to solve all their problems. There were a number of things that needed doing. Without magic.

...Junpei's stomach begins to rumble. Come to think of it, when was the last time he'd eaten? He'd meant to head back before to pick up his costume and sort out some food. After everything that had happened, that idea had kind of gone to the wayside.
Wait...crap, had Chūsuke had anything? He'd...okay, he probably had something stashed somewhere he could have had, but he needs proper food, dammit!
Junpei picks up the pace, harsh thoughts briefly pushed into the back of his mind as concern for his brother takes over.

I heard you folks like dramatic irony...

Kiyomi also gains 1 Hope

You know, I just remembered about a kid whose butt spouted terrible, terrible music, and was surrounded by a large number of cans.
Hmmmmm. I wonder...

...no. NO.
Junpei looks over the can. Is it the same? Is it the same can? They crush it in their hand, and toss it into the bin.
They call up the disk, frantically checking for the Gorgon card, unsure whether its presence would be good or not.
They look about frantically for their brother, hoping DESPERATELY that something terrible hasn't happened.

「Can...can you hear me? Tomoyo? I...Daddy'd like to keep talking about this, but something important just came up.」
「My...my brother. My younger brother. I think he's had the soul-snake soda. Do you know about that? The drinks...the drinks at the mall. The ones Juno replaced. They...they knot up people's souls. They make snakes out of them...messengers, the speaker called them. There was a speaker in the mall that...that was meant to make them into a philosopher's stone. A bunch of raw soul energy.」
「I...I need to know. I need to find him. Find his soul. Can...can you help? You...you kept saying about strings. Between me and Juno. Are...are there more strings? Strings going somewhere else? Between me and and my brother?」
「Can you help me? PLEASE, can you help me? I...」
「I've had enough today...I don't want to lose Chūsuke. Not after everything else...not...not Chūsuke...」

Oblivious to the conversation going on between Junpei and Tomoyo, Kiyomi looks on towards Yuki... God, she looks cute in that uniform. 「I'll be right back, okay? I need to talk to Yuki for a bit.」

Kiyomi approaches her, tentatively at first but her resolution grows as she walks. With an "ahem" she states, 「We need to discuss some things tomorrow. About what you are, and what I am. And... what we are.」 She blushes slightly at that last bit, wringing her hands together. 「I know what you did was an accident. I'm sorry for lashing out at you. And... I'm sorry for what I did, too.」 She turns around to hide her continuously reddening face as she continues, 「I know a place where we can talk over tea. I will text you the address.」 She walks briskly away, back to Tomoyo, as the redness reaches her ears.

Reunited with her new sister (「Wait, am I allowed to just decide that?」) Kiyomi makes a call to her driver to come pick the two of them up. 「What an awfully long day,」 she thinks to herself. 「Surely tomorrow cannot be this exhausting.」

The other two magical girls leave without so much as a word to her. She couldn't really blame them... she hadn't really done anything, and they'd been busy all day, from the looks of it. Despite not being tired at all, she doesn't even really have the energy to sigh.

<Is it only boys that are allowed to join your club, or are girls allowed, too? I'm not much for clubs that don't allow girls.> Tenshi asks, though the playful jab doesn't have much heart in it. <There was something called a Starchild here last night. We managed to... I guess disarm it. And now there's another spirit here tonight. Do you know anything about that, is that something you'd have been involved in trying to handle?>

It may seem like she was ignoring Emi for now, but she was quite interested in gathering what information she could before turning her attention to the injured... spirit-summoner?

Yuki can't meet Kiyomi's gaze, but she nods along, rubbing her elbow and tugging at a loose thread in her costume.

Downstairs, Lysander watches Junpei go. >It’s an old policy, and one that’s under review. Until recently, we were under the impression that witches were all girls. Seemed a reasonable precaution I guess. We’re transitioning to the term Enclave, but as with many things in the Brotherhood, it is a slow process.<

There is a pause as he digests the term Starchild. >We didn’t expect any trouble last night. I suppose we had some bad intel. We were responding to a murder at the time. I appreciate your involvement in keeping things under control...<

Another pause, this time making a difficult decision. >If you are open to shouldering more responsibility over your coven, I can arrange a meeting with our leadership. Just- the last time we did, the Moon Princess took it as an opportunity to make demands. That’s not what we’re looking for here. We all have different views on magic, but our goal is simply to protect the innocent. Open lines of communication will make that easier for all of us.< Returning his phone to his jacket, he pulls out a card. The card lists his name as “Lysander Katsaros” as well as listing his phone number and social media contacts. Of note: his screen name (and presumably his stage name) is @DelphicKnight. Turning the card back and forth, the letters ξεχωριστήενταχθούν are printed, gloss over matte, repetitiously over the surface of the card. It’s the words separate and join in greek.

so startled he nearly jumps out of the window

Well, I made an impression.

Junpei blinks a moment, and hastily tries to dismiss any trinkets they may have activated in their panic from sight. 「False alarm! False alarm! Don't worry if you heard that last thing!」 They sigh. Yeah...this seems more like what they would have expected on a day without so much death and imminent destruction. Honestly, it's just nice to have something normal going on right now.

Junpei shakes their head clear. 「Sorry...I've had an...interesting day.」 They leaves it at that as they start to look for more cans, and whatever else is lying about. 「I'll help out, it's late. You eaten? I still need to get something for myself, but I guess it'll have to be something quick now I've left it this long.」

「Chūsuke? The fat kid from school? Gross...」 You're going to have to keep in mind the latency over a distance for future communications. 「Is that your brother? You looked like you had a daddy-string, like a rope... Are your parents sick too? You were headed in the right direction, but I can't see from here. My magic is really close-range...」

Relieved, but still self-conscious, Chūsuke looks down at a small pile of soda cans and a pair of empty purin cups. 「I can use the microwave now. They showed us how in home economics. I was going to make dinner today, but I ate our desert. I'm sorry.」 He's getting that look small kids get when they're about to cry, but they're not sure why yet.

On the counter in the corner, there's a large microwave taiaki kit. It looks like Chūsuke might have spent the better part of the money you gave him from his government allowance. Must have been saving it all week.

Tomoyo then responds to the false alarm.「Oh, I'm glad he's okay, even though he's weird. Get him a backpack for boys. He might get picked on less...」

「Hey, that's my brother!」 Junpei's about to launch into something, but silently mouthing the words in front of their brother will probably raise questions...or get funny looks. Still, a couple of other things about what she said draw their attention. 「...too? That must...they're not sick. At least, not in the way you're thinking. Dad's great, but it's better for the safety of everyone we're involved with that Mom doesn't know where we are. And ESPECIALLY that anyone's dared to pick on Chūsuke. There are some things I'd rather not see repeated...」
「Besides, 'boys' and 'girls' stuff is a stupid idea anyway outside of when you need to account for the actual differences in the body! ESPECIALLY with people like me about! Let him like what he likes, dammit!」 Though...guys that turn into magical girls and back aren't exactly common...? They still needed to give that some thought. And get their name...Airi. What Airi?

Not important! Chūsuke! Gah!

They might have been more bothered another time, but right now, Junpei's still riding the wave of relief. 「Guess it's too late to worry about that now. Come on, Chūsuke. Won't do either of us any good not having some proper food...why don't you show me what you learned? I was planning to get it all done myself, but now I'm curious.」

Tenshi wiggles the card back and forth. >No promises... I've got a lot of new responsibilities, now. I'll keep it in mind, but...< she looks around. >I've got a lot of cleanup to do, and friends to protect, and more moral quandaries than I know what to do with.< she says as the card slides into the book for safekeeping. She takes a moment to look back up.

>I'll let you know. Right now, I need to get home to check on a friend, then I need to get back to work, here. I might as well make use of the pacts I've made.< Her cell phone appears as well, as she sends a text to Kazue, would all of the Kazues get it?

「I'm letting Kazue know to come find you here, Emi. I'll be back in a bit... I have other things to take care of. I'd appreciate it if you didn't leave.」

And so, like the others, though considerably less mundane, she steps sideways into the dream, to take a shortcut towards home... and possibly grab a bite to eat along the way. Devouring a bit of the mall's nightmare before she leaves might be a particularly good choice.