I’m waiting on everyone besides you two.
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Game has been quite quiet save for the replies from a few players. Do we still have everyone before we move on?
I am very sorry to hear that. Tomoya said, then shrugged. Oh... well. Minor setback. For me, at least. He said, then smiled, straightening his suit and watching the team as tapped to his watch, glaring daggers at Silver. And he vanished in a quick flash of light. Silver jumped. What in the hells... She muttered. Just then, the team received a call from a blocked number with an itsy-bitsy spider ringtone.
I think you underestimate me, good knight. I am no mere spawn from hell. I’m nothing so vulgar as that. I am of an ancient and regal bloodline. My father was alive to see the foundations of your holy order, and I will be present to see it’s demise. I’m glad you see it that way, Nazuri-San. And, this being business, i hope you treat it with the same respect. I do not wish to sully my hands on you or Silver. I would like for us all to walk away from this alive. Please do not stand in the way of that goal. He looked to Devic, I’m going to take that in consideration. Now, have you reached a conclusion?
Tomoya furrowed his brow. I suppose that it would be too much to just tell you that I was misinformed regarding his password procedure? None of you would believe that. He took a long look to Silver, who returned the look, just as stoic as he was. No, it’s that Aka Manto is an assassin with three very important... qualities. He’s effective, he can’t be traced to me, and I didn’t need to hire him. He mumbled to himself in Japanese, then turned to Nazuri. Japanese:
I apologize for mixing you up in all of this. You can see, they needed a guide, and I needed a smokescreen. It was nothing personal, I promise. He turned to the group. Nothing personal at all. It’s just that your collective existences and insistence on investigating me and my company threaten to interfere with my research. Now, what do you all plan to do? Do you think I’m going to let you leave? I have a veritable army of security under my payroll, not to mention I’m no slouch in a fight, either. Now that you understand my intentions, you don’t need to die. You can just restore the information you’ve stolen from me and leave... and never come back. You utter bastard, Silver hissed under her breath.
Sorry for absence (again). Caught a nasty flu. Will post in a few hours after I get off of work.
Tomoya thins his eyes and watches Devic carefully. He crossed his arms behind his back. He smiled, amused-looking, but certainly not joyful. Silver slowly moved from his side towards the group. Tomoya let her without any protest. Ether sounded... right. It’s a miraculous thing, truly. Artificially made, but not from any known source. Self-propagating. I only needed a small sample from Brazil before my scientists were able to coax it in order to... birth, more of it. I predict, if left unchecked, the ether could potentially grow to expand across the entire island in less than two years. I knew it, Silver said. There was no way that I have given you so much ether. It had to have been growing. Were you ever planning on sharing that information? Just how much were you hiding? I was withholding information until the situation was more... concrete. Tomoya said. It is an artificially-made substance, but we do not know for what purpose it was made, or by whom. Too much information between too many hands could be dangerous. I kept reins on my scientist, and you let yours shoot up one nation to the next. He cleared his throat, then looked to Devic. No offense, of course. Now, what do you plan to do with that drive? I’m sure you’ve made copies and contingencies. What do you want from me? He looked to the rest of the group. He didn’t look too threatened.
Will be able to post tomorrow. Just got off the plane and ama little jetlagged
After a beat, Tomoya takes a quick glance to Silver —who just thinned her lips, eyes not looking directly to Tomoya— then back to Devic, ”You’re well informed. Indeed, I have my research division working diligently on it —to the detriment of a few other projects, unfortunately. The research, insofar, has been fairly uneventful. Nothing of true note to report, insofar. He cleared his throat. What brings up this question?
Oh, it’s an involved process. You really never want to get too close to a dragon, you know. Even the good ones are... tempestuous at best. While some are agreeable, none are what you would call ‘tame.’ Tomoya said. He clapped his hands. Well, I think that that should conclude the tour. Any last questions before me and Silver head on to some business? He turns to Devic. How about you, Zaitsev-San? You’ve been awfully quiet.
Devic gets to the compooter unseen, fiddles with it, extracts her information, and does what she does to it (for Shinzen’s sake) in record time.
Tomoya looks flattered at everyone’s interest. Japanese: I think so, too. There’s something... powerful, and graceful about a dragon, isn’t there? Even at their most vicious.
I’m good! Some family dropped by unexpectedly (as in I’ve been expecting one of them, and another totally just dropped in unannounced for the next few weeks). All good, tho. Been busy.
Japanese: Not a problem. Right this way, and I have my sculpture of Dahak, Apsu’s villainous opposite number.
Tomoya blinks. None of us are dressed for swimming now, exactly. And besides, we still have more important matters to discuss. We’re still waiting on one more, aren’t we?” He asked, and Silver’s eyes widened slightly. She took a quick glance to where Devic had been standing a few minutes ago. Frida, yes? He finished, and Silver calmed down. Yes. She should be here anytime, now. She lied. Tomoya looked to her, to where she was standing, then squinted a little, as if he was just knowing something, then interrupted by Ammon’s question. That’s my rendition of Apsu, the god of metallic dragons. A very modest depiction, in my mind, but I am quite proud of that one.
Devic sees that a computer in the corner of the room has just opened up, adjacent to another researcher. Another is open at the table in the center of the room. meanwhile... Tomoya is just about finished conversing with Nazuri about her thoughts on the art. Close to noticing that someone’s missing if someone else doesn’t take on the conversation.
Devic notices that the majority of the notes are mundane R&D items, irrelevant towards the mission. At least one of the notes is on the progress of a 12th generation T-Phone, and the planned specs on it. Sprinkled over the board, on several of the mundane objects, are mentions of ‘ether’, and how it can function as an energy source. One has a list of possible side-effects of ether; slowness, memory-loss, deja-vu, and extreme temporal stasis among them. The fingerprint scanner accepts Devic’s copy. The door opens.
Devic goes completely unnoticed as she so masterfully sneaks away from the art exhibition and back to the employee’s only door, opening and finding a small hallway, to the left, a board with various slips of paper pinned to it, and to the left, a glass window that looks into a lab, currently in use by two white-coated humans. On the window-side, at the end of the hall, is another door same as the one that Devic came in through.
Japanese:
Ah, yes, those dragons are always the most popular with my guests. I was actually inspired to take up sculpting by a childhood encounter with a small Kami in my garden. We were close friends. He was this walking, talking clay man. Very interesting. Very mischeavous. Silver nods along. ”Very impressive... yes... excellent grooving. Very groovy.
Sorry for absence again! I was hammered by the flu :( Anyways, thanks for all the support. I’ll try and keep this game going on until the endgame, which is still far off in the future. In the meantime, what are thoughts behind the new edition? I know barely anything about it, but I’m wary, because I liked Pathfinder just fine the way it was.
Sorry for wait. Spent some unexpected time out of state. We can continue without him for now, if everyone’s okay. After that, we can take a vote on whether or not we can search for a new player to fill that slot, or if we’re okay as is.
Understand that happening. That issue plagued me for a long few months around a year ago. Still looks like we’re missing Geralt...
Role call?
Tomoya apparently has the decency in him to look a little embarrassed at Nazuri’s request, scratching at the back of his head and muttering a bit, quietly and unintelligibly, saying, Oh, um... if you —ah, insist. He said, standing up. My gallery is just a short trip, if everyone is willing to part with their meals for a bit.[/b] Tomoya leads them down the halls, halls which Devic and Geralt would find familiar, through a door and into a dark room. Flipping on the light, there are various clay sculptures, hand-made but expertly made. A few vases, some more abstract shapes, and at least three dragons.
I have, in this building alone, a few in my office, a small gallery in my personal quarters, and a selection in the lobby. You’d like to see some of them, perhaps? He asked, smiling, looking flattered.
I do a lot of painting on the rooftop of Lunaris. Sometimes the rooftops of other skyscrapers, if they let me, Silver said, making a few quick, subtle glances to Tomoya, who doesn’t seem to notice. I work with clay, mostly, said Tomya, There’s a... closeness to the earth, that it brings me.
You’re at about the center portion, in the upper half of the building. Otherwise, pretty close to everything of import.
Devic acquires the glue and the tape, but gets the strange feeling that she had been seen doing such. Do you collage often? Silver asked, obvious to the team that she was trying prolong the conversation as long as she could, for the group’s sake. Tommy’s takes a cookie, taking a bite and nodding, Exquisite, He said, What’s your secret?
Tomoya looks to the two, blinking, and says, I believe you, Silver gives them pretty much the same look and says, I'm not sure if I do. Then says, You've missed a fascinating conversation about the crazy things that toursists do, GPS watches, manholes, and Pokemon GO. Tomoya nodded, It was indeed... Something.
Either/or.
Devic and Rameil both come across the same room in their search, a laboratory, room 444. The door is locked, with a fingertip-scanner on the side of it. There are warnings in three languages, one of them english, AUTHORIZED PERSONEL ONLY. * * * At the dinner, Tomoya smiled and turned to Silver, saying, Your friends still haven't returned from their... bathroom trip, He said, I do hope they are okay, Silver didn't react other than to say, Oh, those two are always in the bathroom, She said, Sometimes an hour at the time just... oh, well, you don't really want to know. Tomoya hummed, and he was beginning to look suspicious.
Sorry I've been so absent. The place where I work is now under new ownership and I've been back and forth everywhere teaching the new owners and employees the ropes. Will be able to make a longer post shortly,
Tomoya nods at both Devic and Geralt as they leave to take their respective 'leaks', not looking at all like he was suspecting anything of the two of them. Nobody spots Devic, even as she's right next to them. She comes across,
Meanwhile, Geralt spots two cameras, but knowing where they are, it allows him to visualize where they would be looking Tomoya leads the rest of them all to a seat, offers up a large selection of sushi, So... What of Shinzen? He asked. Silver didn't miss a beat. She got away, but my team put up a good fight, especially your Amara,
Tomoya listened to what Nazuri had to say and nodded lowly, Translate away, He said, Japanese: You Mean Aka Manto? He said, He should have recognized you as someone under my employ, before he attacked you. He shouldn't have even given you the second part of the trial. He had no reason to attack you... unless it was for his own gain. I'm going to need to have a talk with him, in order to... reprioritize his agendas. My deepest apologies,
Alright, won't be a problem. Wishing you a pleasent and non-stressful move.
After having the cab stop for the team's shopping endeavors, Silver has them dropped off from across the street of Tomoya's building. Getting out, she looks up and says, You should all be there with me when I meet Tomoya, He said, Especially you, Nazuri, or else he might think that something is amiss. I will try to get him away from the rest of you. You ready? She asked, still looking up, If I'm wrong, and he didn't betray me, this is going to feel awful, later, She said, mostly to herself. If he asks about Frida, she's busy elsewhere. I'll... Come up with a story, she said. Once ready, she leads them through the lobby, up the staff elevator, meeting with one of Tomoya's aides in order to meet with him. They are set up in the same room where they had eaten KFC at the beginning of their Japanese journey. Once all seated, Tomoya arrives, a smile on his face at seeing Silver. She stands up to meet him, matching his smile, and giving him a quick embrace. I'm glad that you've arrived safe and sound, He said, I was more and more worried as the days passed, He looked to the table, Frida-san's not with us? Is she okay? She's meeting with one of friends in the Tatsumi group. I've decided to sit that out to rest, but you know Frida. She doesn't stop working. Tomoya nodded to that, not looking like he might be questioning her, then turned to the rest of the team, then to Nazuri, switching to Japanese, Japanese: I imagine you must have quite a few stories to tell,
Then subract the gp/credits and add the items and I'll move us on.
Back from work *lets out hour-long sigh* How much would that be, Dev? Hmmm... Silver's had her credit cards stolen, but I'm sure that the team would give you a loan if you really need it :) Anything else, doodz, or can we move on?
My immediate assumption? Yeah. Dragon. Something smart like that. He could be an Yokai, too. Maybe even an oni, but I doubt that one. Silver said. Or maybe I'm wrong, and he's just a human. In that case, I suspect he's a powerful mage. Magic is strong with him, I know that for sure. Turning to Ammon, she said, with a smile, While I understand the excitement, even if he is a dragon, or especially if he is, I would avoid fighting him at all. Not only would he be powerful, he's also a very public figure around here. It would cause quite a stir, not to mention do a bit of damage to my reputation. Silver called a cab, We'll make a quick shopping trip, if that's okay with you.
Silver leads them to the motel and uses her company card to buy each member of the team their own room. After a night of more-or-less restful sleep, Silver knocks on each of the doors, having come back from a quick trip shopping with a new, disposeable phone, which she quickly gives the number to everyone after gathering them all in her room. Ready to go, or do you need anything else She asked. If not, I'll call some cabs and we can get a move on. There is a determined look on her face. I... I have to warn you, though. I don't know what Tomoya is, but I don't think he's human... Or elven... Or anything like that. If worse comes to worst, and I'm right with assumptions on him, I don't think you want to fight him.
Good, then... That means we're off to see Tomoya, then. After a rest, if everyone is willing. I think there's a small hotel in the area that we can rent a few rooms out of. In the meantime, I would suggest stocking up at some of the stores for any materials you might need. I for one, think I need something I can use to communicate with the rest of you. My phone was stolen, and, from what I can gather, destroyed. Silver went on to say. From the motel, we can also iron out all of the creases in the plan that their might be. Frida's strong. She's safe, for now. Silver said, I just... I don't like the idea of me leaving and her staying like that. She closed her eyes. Are you all ready? she asked.
Before I move on, I just wanna make sure we have all the heads with us.
Sounds like we have our pick of options, Silver said, We should reach a concensus as a group and move on from there, The pizza arrived, the dilvery guy awkwardly handed it to Nazuri as he avoided stares from any of the other customers in the ramen shop. I want to believe that Tomoya wasn't the man to send that Aka Manto after me, Nazuri said. And that this was somehow some strange way to pit me against him. I've known him for a long while. He was never my nicest friend, but we've been pretty close. I want to hear him out, but I want to do that from a safe distance, you know.
The man on the other side of Nazuri's call awkwardly says he should be there in a few minutes. I've long suspected him, Silver said, slurping up Ramen, His reports back to me said one thing, his actions afterwards, another. When I first arrived in Tokyo, I was actually attacked by a man in a red cape, and two oni in suits, She shook her head. They seemed to be waiting for me, and the only person besides Frida and him. It's hardly conclusive, but it made me suspicious enough to consider that he was hiding something from me. Exactly what, I haven't been able to find out, yet. She shook her head. Shinzen will find out, too, unfortunately, the way things are going.
I know a good ramen place nearby, if we want to eat over it. I'm starving... I think Frida is, too, Silver said, mind wandering then shaking her head. They hit the bottom, and Silver led the way. Nice to meet you, Nazuri. I'm sorry that we dragged you into all of this, She said. I'm Silver, She led them to the place, a nothing-special kind of place that, overall, looked kind of bland. It smelled pretty nice, though. She led the group to the corner. So, what about those three plans, Dev? She asked. To Nazuri, she said, It's dangerous information to be in any hands, even mine. What a crime lord like her could do with it, I don't even want to imagine, She said. Even now, its aftereffects are being scrubbed from the Amazon. The trees are still warped. To the group being tired, she said, After this, we should find a motel to sleep at, before we get to work on a plan.
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