Kawaii Cataclysm (Inactive)

Game Master BastianQuinn

You did -most- of the work, by guiding me through a story. I just responded as I felt the character would. I'll look into what affected her. I know her wish had an effect on whether to wake the girl up or not. The others are harder to quantify. :)

Taking the necklace back to the fortune teller was unexpected and clever. If any of you want to adjust your answers, just let me know.

korak: you haven't had much chance for your ideal or fear, but I do think eliminating scary things has been her priority. You can take a Fate for that one

I think it's pretty evident to everyone involved that Juno has screwed up royally (lol) throughout this entire adventure. She tried to steal power, rather than use what she has of her own accord, and even before that she failed to take responsibility in the memory bubble and abandoned Sakura because Juno was not prepared to deal with her. Kiyomi certainly has a lot to think about in the next few days, but for now I don't think I could justify anything other than +1 trauma.

I'm not sure I can really claim anything. Sure Tiresias has been trying to understand all that is happening constantly bouncing ideas and theories around in her head but without sharing them she really hasn't gained any significant knowledge. As for her ideal of freedom to love and be herself as a girl, that's something I have a plan for some character development in the future. Losing progress didn't really play much of anything here, she always felt she was making progress as she fought and thought about stuff, except maybe when Juno tried to get that thing in her vault in which case I guess she was afraid of losing what little she had gotten there. Still I'm not sure.

The 'Not being forgotten' is tangential here; she didn't actively do anything to seek not being forgotten. Eternal Youth is something she struggled with. She's now aware that she could be young forever, but it's not something she would actively desire in that way. So she perhaps sees a flaw in her wish now. She also didn't seek being liked; she was in a bit too much danger to really seek other's approval. :p Which would be a better way to go with 'realizing her wish is easily corrupted' in terms of attribute I slot to?

I hope I got this right... Feel free to critique?

Ideal:

What does being a girl mean to you?

*Having to work harder. It's not a bed of roses. See that enough in the Navy.

Without realizing it, but definitely living it, Alex/Naiad has been 'working harder' not 'smarter'. While they were the first to manifest anything in particular, their efforts have been consistent with working as hard as possible to keep everyone alive and make sure no one died during all of this. Taking the fatigue chances to the point where they could cause more harm than good just highlights the issue.

I'm thinking they've picked up 1 Hope from this. Anything is possible with hard work and determination. Even the impossible. Also, thinking of modifying the Ideal to *Having to work harder, it's not a bed of roses. as the Navy part is just a bit of background.

Fear:

What are you most afraid of?

*Being in charge. Responsibility like that is terrifying.

Pretty much every action Naiad took was a juggling act internally between 'This is what someone in charge should do' and 'I don't want to be in charge but why can't someone else oh gosh I hope this works.' There were several instances where they could have easily done other things that would have been much more intelligent, focused, and forward-thinking, but they didn't do that. Instead, they had a distressing tendency to 'choke' a bit at crucial points hoping someone else would take charge of the situation.

That being said, they also rose to the moment at other points, which is very much the definition of courage.

I'm thinking for this one we should go with 1 Trauma for being put through an emotional blender with the Fear, but the Fear being modified slightly to If no one takes charge, we lose. Responsibility like that is terrifying. I hope I don't have to be the leader. A slightly more nuanced fear, and that Trauma is going to bite Naiad somehow soon.

Wish:

What is your dearest wish?

*To be back to 'normal' when this is all done, without punishment.

The Wish hasn't come up yet, so there's no way it can be adjudged for good or ill.

I have not added either one of these things because I wanted to get feedback before doing so.

Juno: As much as I agree she has struggled with her hunger for power, and failed utterly to live up to her ideal of accountability, she certainly tried to keep the phantom accountable for her actions, and her power-hungry nature fed into her desires to mark this world in her image. I would say at least 1 Fate, as well as 1 Trauma if you'd like.

Tiresias: You all had fought so hard to subdue a great evil, and Tiresias positively freaked when she realized Juno was about to become the next great evil. I think most of your compelling actions came in the dream bubble, trying to analyse what they meant and what effects they had. I would say at least 1 Fate or 1 Hope.

Tenshi: I think, for now, She's going to be troubled by this. She's seen someone else's struggle with an eternal existence, and being in a magically youthful body has given you this new perspective, but if the thing that was most important to her might not even be worth it, what purpose could magic have in her life? 1 Trauma would be fitting, and I don't think you'll have any trouble gaining Fate in the future.

Naiad: You've got this. I agree straight down the line. The modified Fear will work. It's subtle, but play has certainly impacted them.

Chell would work to do what she felt was right in trying to get 'away' as they ran but each time Tenshi stopped it would break her concentration and she'd have to try again, the last time she stopped Chell tried to force them to move thinking of their home and anything safe.

I guess I won't say no to 1 Hope!

Chell reaches out to her home and pulls. A pair of silver streams streak across the beach and a great halo of orange fire frames the rising sun. From the circle of fire emerges a silver train, traveling along the rails of light, breaks groaning as it comes to a stop along the beach. The doors open to admit the crowd of young girls.

The train will take you all back to Obusa, Japan. The Nightmare is gone, and the mall will have returned to it's old, decrepit self. All of tonight's mysteries solved, you each ponder what the night's events say about fate or free will, as well as discuss the recent events and what you are each going to do since none of you knows how to return to your original forms.

The seats in the train are comfortable, and there are multiple cabins to gather in. An unmanned meal cart can be found, stocked with drinks and pre-packaged meals. Any magical girl who feels like they want their own possessions finds them materializing in their hands.

Chell stopped to look over the train. "Not quite what I expected but I guess expectations aren't really reasonable right now." She would lead Sora inside with her.

Cresting Tide Naiad is, for lack of a better term, in shock.

For all of the cohesion and determination during the encounter with the raw magic of Nightmare, they are equally at a benumbed loss of any sort of direction or focus.

When the train arrives, they stumble onto it with the long stare of Someone Who Has Seen Some Stuff* before finding a corner seat in a cabin picked at random, placing their back to the wall and quietly beginning to shake as the epic nature of the events encountered wash over them like a tsunami.

Guys don't cry. Don't. Just... They pull their legs up and sort of curl up into a ball in the corner, wrapping their hands around their knees.

How much time has passed? Hours-old-Sushi isn't a good idea, most of the time. :) That determines whether or not she eats it when her bento box arrives, or if she just wants a prepackaged meal :p

If the stones are still there, Tenshi will gather them, while the train comes, and then join Chell.

Tenshi doesn't slow down, this time - while no one had directly listened to her suggestions, everything had gone... okay? So she had nothing more to add to the situation.

Sora/Tenshi seems to be amongst the least affected by the ordeal. The worst of what she'd seen had all been in a dream, after all. As she looked to the cart she thought about the meal she'd missed for a moment, and was suprised to have her hands suddenly full of bento-box. She looked down to it with a scrutinizing gaze, as she opened the box, fully expecting to fall into yet another dream.

"Where is everyone from?" she asks from a seat five from the front, on the left side of the cart they'd all piled into. "I'm guessing you also came to see the train..?"

I can't vouch for the effects of traversing the dreamscape on sushi freshness, but it's been exactly 1 hour since y'all first entered the mall.

Tiresias rose from the sand and dusted herself as best she could. When the silver train arrived she was composed and ready to board. She approached it carefully but before boarding she stared at Juno curiously. They would have to talk about what happened today in that beach, but what could be the best way to approach it?

She boarded the train when Tenshi spoke and asked her questions. Tiresias looked around and focused on her, with a smile she answered.

I'm actually from England, and I didn't come to see the train, I came to make sure little girls didn't get hurt.

Well that was partially a lie, she was interested in the train from the beggining, she just never had an excuse to go look for it.

After answering Tiresias looked for a place to sit and saw Naiad at a corner, she looked in pain. Tiresias approached her and sat close while still giving her considerable moving space, no need to corner the girl even more. She cleared her throat to get her attention and spoke.

Hey there. Are you feeling alright?

She smiled and held out her hand.

Thank you for trusting my judgement back there. It meant a lot to me, and thank you for all the work you did today. You were the first of us and you protected all of us brilliantly.

Reaching my hand out to wave at the girls, and say "Hello, how are you ladies doing today"

What does your character look like, Poptart?

Juno silently twiddles her thumbs on a seat away from the rest of the group. She had made... mistakes, she knew that much. Her behavior had been reprehensible, there was no denying that.

How could she possibly face any of the other girls? There is no way any of them could respect her after that. She turns her head to the wall, trying not to cry.

The turquoise-haired magical girl buries their face deeper into their knees when Tenshi asks the question, smothering a potential sniffle by the action. It might, however, look like they were sort of nodding to Tenshi's second question, though, about the train.

This is all wrong. I'm all wrong. What's happening to me? How do I go back to base? Who would believe me? What's going to happen if I can somehow be ME again? Am I going to die because of what happened before?

Tiresias gets a blank stare as she inquires into Naiad's wellness with an offered hand. "..."

Naiad's mouth opens as if to speak, but... nothing comes out. No panicked shout, no cry, nothing as they try to find some sort of words... and then Tiresias keeps talking.

The sailor/girl's eyes dart from side to side in a bit of a panic as the compliment is offered, and the thanks. This kind of helps, a little bit... "...not on my watch... not in my Navy..." is offered in a quiet tone, as if a mantra to keep the girl from completely losing it as they shake a bit, knuckles going white from their grip around the legs.

The twins sit side by side staring out the windows, their thoughts preoccupied by their mother.

Chell wasn't sure if she could control the train but if she was able she would work to cause it to move.

Chrysanth watched the silver train slowly roll to a stop before them, unmanned as the rumors entailed. Hesitantly she followed the others inside, stopping in the door way as the man called out to them. She gave a polite bow and stammered in English, "S-Sorry for the intrusion. W-We're j-just about to... leave... I think..." She surprised herself with how easy the foreign language flowed.

She moves further into the train, pausing in the aisle as she watches the others take their seats. Glancing to Juno, she noticed a looming shadow of social anxiety and moved to stand near by, not wanting to force her company by sitting besides the girl. 「I-It's not your f-fault... you know...」 She tries awkwardly. 「F-For a second... I th-thought the p-portal thing... was a g-good idea, t-too. B-But then Tiresias s-started p-panicking...」

Tenshi frowns as all of the spotlight goes to the various corners. The apparent Guardian... and the Matron being the ones garnering the most. Not really bothering to eat just yet, she checks to see if she can figure out exactly how her powers worked. If she could get her bento by thinking of it, maybe she could get other things, too.

First, she thought of her cat backpack. Then her hoodie that had been transmuted with her pastels. Then her pastels. Then her pants and t-shirt. Then, she'd focus on her self-image, trying to draw forth who she is rather than who she is right now.

Still hoping for more info from Poptart before I can give a good reaction. :)

All of you file into the train, some quite willfully, but others seem to be on board before you realize it. The chrome doors sliding closed behind you.

As Chell reaches out, she can feel the rails before her. A trip around the world by train would take days, but your traveler's instinct has plotted a course through both time and space which should get you back to Obusa in a few hours. You can't help but feel like the majority of this spell was cast for you by a more skilled traveler. Considering the nature of the spell, you suspect you will have to orchestrate this nonsense yourself once you achieve that level of skill. How comfortable are you with the knowledge that some future version of you may have been intervening on your behalf, Chell? Does this seem like something May would do, or is this the work of a stranger?

Tenshi experiments with her ability to summon her possessions, a utility which all magical girls seem to have access. Objects like the backpack and binto box materialize as if being pulled out of a hole in the air, but articles of clothing which have been reconfigured into magical outfits do not come at the crook of a finger. Her pastels, impossibly black in their colored paper tubes, will come to her hand at will, and give off a reassuring warmth, but don't seem to react to simply being asked to change her back. There is something missing, and judging by the formal ceremony of their induction in this magical society, it's likely something frustratingly opaque. It certainly would have been useful if the dreamer had left behind a diary... Then again, had she, it might have ended up one of those seven stones. It occurs to Tenshi that one of the other girls might be better equipped to understand the information she found in the dream. They'll be stuck in this train for a few hours after all, they might as well try to reason things out, or at least come up with a solid plan for what to do once they make it home.

Tiresias flinches as she observes the girl react to her approach. She’s concerned but lost in what to do.

She is obviously not alright. Did she say Navy? Is she a soldier? Could she be suffering from something? PTSD? Shock? Maybe, she did protect us against that thing, she was hurt and bled. Did she bleed? What should I do? What can I do?

Tiresias looks around, trying to find some help from someone better suited for this situation. Quickly she notes where all the other girls are and takes a special note of both Juno and Chrysanth, she makes a quick mental reminder to speak to Juno about what happened but not right now. Right now there were bigger fish to fry.

She turns back to Naiad defeated in her quest for help and smiles again. A wider smile, a worried smile.

You don’t look alright. Is there anything I can do to help? Do you want me to stay?

There were a million other questions she wanted to voice, each one trying to help but… Tiresias bites her lip and stands still.

Swamping the girl with questions would only harm her, stay simple and be available, more importantly listen to what she says and doesn’t say. When she is ready she will share what it takes to help her.

One of Sakura's hands shakes silently as she thinks about her mother's sickness. She turns away from the others as the tears start again.

The tears would start, but Sakura's sobs are hollow, tearless wimpering. Without the release of stress tears provide, your sorrow rattles around within you like an echo down an empty hall. Are both girls crying? Is one trying to console the other? One of you once saught comfort from the other. Did you both break down at the same time? Would either of you have tried to accept being the doll, or are you both pretty sure you're the real girl? How have the two of you decided to handle the fact that one of you almost died, or how the other almost sent her to her death? Do you think you might be crying for different reasons?

Only one and there's no comforting. Both are sure they're the real one. And the mother situation probably was a cracking point to everything else.

Tenshi looks across the group. May had gotten shorter. She'd become a mime. She didn't recognize any of the others. After having had her fill of trying to conjure herself she looks amongst those gathered. A pair of sobbing twins. A navy girl being consoled by the smart one. The peacock being consoled by the horror film. That left the native-american girl if she wanted conversation.

She looked back and forth between the twins and the native american girl. She really, really wanted to get to the bottom of -something-, to make all of this mean -something- to her, and not just be a bad trip on the drugs she'd never taken.

Tenshi sighs, she looks to May, and if she isn't too distracted by piloting a ghost train, waves for her to follow. She crosses the middle distance between herself and the pair of not-crying teenagers.

"I... hey. Hey. Look." she says, trying to get one or both's attention. "It's all going to be okay. We've got everything under control, and we're heading home. One step closer to normalcy, right?" she says, offering the twins a smile.

Not a fan of time travel but if it's needed for the plot I'm fine with it

It won't likely come up again. The temptation was too great to blame you for the silver train.

I touched, it sent us to the past. My mom, I touched her and she collapsed. The tears start up again. I'm the one who made her sick. It was me. I'm the reason she's, she's dying.

"I... am I dead and haven't realized it yet? If I go back, am I going to be dead, if I can even go back? And nothing is right about me. Do you know how to go back without dying? If you can figure that one out it'd be kind of handy?"

The words burble out like a torrent to Tiresias' and the simple question with even even more questions.

"Please help me fix this nothing is right."

What they are burbling about is anyone's guess, but it's probably a good thing to guess it might have something to do with their transformation...

"No, no, no. That's not really how dreams work. All of this has just been a nightmare. A very vivid, very lucid, very trying nightmare, but a nightmare, nonetheless." Unless she meant before, Tenshi thinks... she may have been sad before. Nevermind that they both seemed to be upset over the same thing... which was impossible, right? "Can either of you tell me what happened? What you mean, exactly?"

Tiresias sat back on her place. She never was one to speak without thinking and she now considered the words Naiad said.

Right, you were the one bleeding profusely when you turned. That could be a problem.

She mulled her thoughts for a moment before remembering something.

I was bleeding too when I turned. Not as seriously as you, of course, but if we manage to turn back I can see if my cut remains, that should give us an indication of how dangerous it is for you to return to your previous form. If the cut is still there then we will see if any of the other girls can heal it before we try to get you back.

Tiresias smiled what she hoped was a reassuring smile but she was restless. She stared back at her hands as they were neatly placed on her lap. Such delicate beautiful things they were. It was only then that it hit her, she was a woman now, a girl. In this form she could go back, they would take her back and maybe he would...

She looked up again to the girl in front of her and mumbled in a barely audible voice.

Why would you want to turn back though?

She, got sick that day. She collapsed and, it's my fault. I, I felt my magic when it hit her. I did this.

The girl shudders as they remember being on that precipice between life and death.

"That could work."

And then Tiresias asks the big important question. No, not a marriage proposal!

"Because this is/is not me. I'm Seaman Alex Brooke, United States Navy. I'm a guy, for chrissakes! I can't go back to base or my command looking like this! I mean, I'm on leave but I'm kind of staying at berthing on base and if I try to check in my ID isn't going to match and I'm not... not..."

What, not a hard worker? Not the most awesome badass sailor ever?

"If I try to go back on base, my ID doesn't match, I get detained because I'm not who I'm supposed to be. And then I get thrown in the brig, and possibly local jail. I don't have any local ID either, so that's bad too. And then in less than a month I get put on the Unauthorized Absence list. I'm so hosed..."

Sora purses her lips for a moment, looking to each of the girls, "I'm afraid I don't understand. It might help to start from the beginning."

Juno mutters, intending to be quiet enough only to be heard by herself but not quite getting there: "What a silly thing to be worried about. You can always go back to your regular form. That's just how this works."

The other girls were annoying her now. Their issues are all so incredibly mundane; mere trifles next to what they had just experienced, and what they will likely experience in the future. Going back to her... his? whoever's naval base should be the last thing on Naiad's mind.

The Sakuras just shake their heads refusing to talk further about it.

Tenshi just nods slowly to the girl, recognizing that there was nothing she could hope to do for a problem she didn't understand. She couldn't blame the girl, but unable to even know what the problem was, it was likely best to leave her to her grief over the situation.

Tenshi looks amongst the crowd, eyes moving from person to person once more. Not much had changed. Book Girl was helping Water Girl with their problem. Brat Girl was still being a jerk to well... everyone.

She huffs, turning her attention to Juno, "Then show us how."

Tiresias lowers her gaze once again as she twists her hands on her lap. Without really thinking much about it she heard herself say.

Of course. You have a life to go back to. A life worth living. I should have remembered that. Silly me.

Those last two words were said in a whisper more to herself than to anyone else.

I don't really...

What am I doing? I don't know these people. I can't go spilling my guts like this. That's what got me in trouble in the first place.

I didn't really think about that.

Juno's backhand comment didn't escape her ears, she felt something boil inside her but she pushed it away from her heart as she smiled to Naiad one more time.

I'm sure we will get you back in no time. Worry not.

Chrysanth glanced about the train car as Juno's muttered retort earned a response. She was somewhat curious of how to turn back as well and returned her attention to the ill-tempered heiress, awaiting a demonstration.

Oh, wow. I remembered seeing that it was a quiet comment, but then I forgot it later. That's my bad. If you want to ignore Tenshi responding, go for it.

Chell examined her own new form at the marines mention of being male in his old life, she figured everyone had changed in some way like her and Sora but considering how little she'd changed the idea that some of them had gone so far as gender changes was worrying.

"It's still hard to believe any of this is real."

It was "intended" (from Juno's perspective) to be quiet but she's kind of a loud talker in general. Other people could definitely hear what she said.

Juno jumps a bit in her seat as Tenshi responds; it had been an easy thing to say when she was pouting in a corner on her own but now there were expectations involved. In fiction, you could always just turn back whenever you wanted; there were never any logistics involved, except maybe avoiding getting caught by someone you did not want knowing your identity.

So, Juno simply concentrates on transforming back to her usual body. She orders her magic to desist, to be stored away for a later time when it is again useful.

If anyone can, I think Juno would be the one. Just shove that magic back in her closet, yeah? :p

If anyone can, I think Juno would be the one. Just shove that magic back in her closet, yeah? :p

Heck, she's already tried shoving *other* magic in there. So yeah, if that's legit Juno should totally get it in one. =P

Just want to point out how funny I think it is that we're referring to Juno's power as her "closet" now. This poor gay child.