"I am suddenly very glad that I did not have sex with him."

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> It's late at night by the time everyone gathers back at the hotel, Yomi--with a very dazed-looking ninja trailing behind her--arriving at the doors to the group's rooms just as Nadia walks along with Rena in tow.
* Nadia_Chekova looks just like the cat who got the cream, a sheathed sword noticably belted to her waist behind her back. "Hello!" she greets the others happily. "Has everyone had a productive evening?"
<Erin> "Where did all of you go?" wonders Erin, propping up her chin. "I was surprised the whole place was empty when I finished my contemplations."
<Yomi> "We found an evil spider demon that way preying on men while working as a prostitute, and then we set her corpse on fire since there are no disposal teams here to do it for us," Yomi reports, looking quite fresh and rejuvenated.
<El-Cideon> "Nadia stole the general's sword," Rena states simply.
<Yomi> "Why?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Rena and I paid another visit to General Oshiro," Nadia replies, unbelting her sword and handing it to the German. "He wasn't there when we..." she trails off and almost pouts at Yomi one-upping her. "Well we stole the Masamune!" she concludes a bit more shortly than she'd intended.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Because Rena here can put it to far better use fighting demons than that General can use it to look pretty on his wall," Nadia uses the argument surely to be most compelling from Yomi's perspective.
<El-Cideon> Rena takes it, sliding it out of the scabbard to look at it. Meanwhile, Sayuri perks right up at this conversation. "You stole a...what? Let me see it!" She steps forward with grasping hands, but Rena has no intention of handing it over. "You're just going to let HER have it?" she says, incredulous.
<Yomi> "If it makes you happy, Rena," Yomi says, glancing over at the German.
* Nadia_Chekova nods, quite pleased at Sayuri's apparent distress. "All the better for her to protect us against bad people or bad... things."
<El-Cideon> Rena nods. "If I can fight better with it then I will keep it." Sayuri throws up her hands in disgust. "Why did you think to steal it in the first place? It's not the sword you came here for, correct? You shouldn't be drawing unnecessary attention to yourselves!"
<Erin> "I can't think of anyone else I know who I'd prefer to hold that weapon," replies Erin, with a clear note of disapproval.
<Yomi> "I was going to object, but it seems everything has been said for me," Yomi muses, heading over to brew herself some tea.
<Nadia_Chekova> "We're leaving tomorrow anyway, aren't we?" Nadia shrugs, going to sit on her bed. "At least now we have something to show for our effort of coming all the way here."
<El-Cideon> Sayuri wanders into the room after Yomi. "All of you are trying to dirve me insane, aren't you? Is that what all this night's been about?"
<Erin> "My heart is filled with sympathy for your plight."
<El-Cideon> Sayuri scowls, pointing at Rena. "She might not understand sarcasm, but I do."
<Yomi> "I don't know about acts of random thievery, but I've been trying to tell you about the demons, that are everywhere, I might add, since the day we've met."
<El-Cideon> She seems suddenly brought back closer to the state of shock she'd been in right after the incident. "Yes, well...I'd never seen one before."
<Erin> "They really are everywhere, aren't they? It is surprising, even to me. But once you know, you can't turn away."
<Yomi> "I don't actually always attack anything that feels demonic like that, but since the chances of being misunderstood considering her trophies were pretty slim...." Yomi shrugs, pouring a cup of tea for Sayuri as well. "There actually are nice demons, believe it or not! Not a lot, but I've met two-three so far."
<El-Cideon> "I don't suppose that includes any of you people?" Sayuri says, looking around, suddenly susipcious.
<Yomi> "I know what you're thinking, but no, believe me."
<El-Cideon> She nods, and relaxes. At least as much as she ever relaxes around you.
<Erin> "I can do a credible impression, if you like, but we are merely human, I'm afraid."
<El-Cideon> "How do you even tell, Yomi? She looked human at first."
<Nadia_Chekova> "I'm perfectly human," Nadia asserts.
<El-Cideon> "You're certainly human," Sayuri says primly.
* Yomi considers the question, before slowly unsheathing her sword with none of the usual theatrics. She holds it horizontal to the ground and focuses briefly, runes rushing from hilt to tip to cover its surface. "Demon-slaying powers," she adds to the explanation.
<El-Cideon> "That's very vague. But as making swords glow and decapitating spider monsters are hardly normal either, I suppose I have no choice but to accept it."
<Yomi> "It's a matter of training," Yomi asserts, resheathing her blade. "I'm sure you could do it too if your parents were killed by demons and you got the proper training afterwards."
<Erin> "I don't believe the bereavement is an essential part of developing such skills. Is it? It isn't, right?"
* Yomi frowns. "Probably not. But it does drive you to excel?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "My mother was killed by a demon, too!" Nadia points out, solely to fuck with Sayuri's head.
<El-Cideon> "I have training of a sort," she insists. "Although if my parents' deaths are a requisit part of the process, I believe I will indeed pass. I--what?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Don't worry, I killed the demon responsible without any special training," she smiles disarmingly at the ninja.
<Yomi> "If it's just the ability to sense demons, I could teach you," Yomi muses. "Unlike most of the training, it's easy enough to grasp."
<El-Cideon> "This isn't true, is it?" she points at Nadia.
<Erin> "It is entirely true, of course. I saw it happen with my own eyes."
<Yomi> "It's... complicated, really," Yomi admits. "That whole situation was."
<El-Cideon> "He was shot by many policemen first," Rena notes. "And I think the blob that ate Doctor Ivo."
<Nadia_Chekova> "It's what brought us together into the happy unit you see before you," Nadia nods her head up and down.
<El-Cideon> "'Happy,'" Sayuri says with some apparent skepticism. "Hm."
<Nadia_Chekova> "In all seriousness, you understand the sort of horrors we willingly seek out now," Nadia's expression smoothes over. "Of course we need every advantage we can get," she gestures to the legendary artifact sword Rena is currently playing with.
<Yomi> "Sayuri, as you've noticed, I didn't find the sword I was looking for here," Yomi says, not particularly hiding how much that troubles her. "I don't suppose you know whether Fukui recently acquired one he keeps near him at all times? Or where his business trip took him?"
<El-Cideon> "I understand. I understand somewhat less why you seek them out. One night like tonight may have been enough for me." To Yomi: "He was not visibly armed with such when I met him, although he did have a pair of armed guards trailing him at some distance. They probably thought they were being discreet. As for where he's gone...Why?"
<Erin> "It's better than lab work."
<Yomi> "Why not? All the obvious options have dried up, so I'm trying to think outside the box."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Or secretarial work," Nadia agrees with a smirk.
<El-Cideon> She just glares at Nadia. "I don't imagine you would know anything about an honest job, would you? As for Fukui...I thought it was agreed that you would stay away from Japan and out of sight now? Fukui is our concern; we will watch him and take what action we deem necessary."
<Yomi> "Staying away from Japan and giving up on the Shishio are two different things. If I could spot a connection between, say, two of our suspects that we have cleared thus far, it might present a new option for us."
<El-Cideon> She shrugs. "I couldn't begin to guess since you haven't told me much about them. The general knew nothing of use?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "I suppose Robin Hood was criticised in his time as well," Nadia sighs, falling back and laying half on her bed. She idly reaches up to undo her hair clasp, teasing out her currently black curls as she relaxes.
<Erin> "I'm sure the royal assassins had a few choice words to say about him, yes."
<El-Cideon> A sharp glance at Nadia. "Is that how you think of yourself? What an ego. Did you also sneak off to rebuild an orphanage while you were away, then?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "I did rob from someone rich and give it to someone very poor," she gestures over at penniless Rena.
<El-Cideon> Sayuri just snorts at this.
<Yomi> "The general's words suggested that a suspect we've dismissed was in the area, but merely traveling somewhere without checking with me is hardly some sign of guilt. Still, if we've missed anything, it's time to go back over the little details," Yomi insists, trying to get their ninja back on track.
<El-Cideon> "Who was this other suspect?"
<Yomi> "A demon specialist working for the government. Why?"
<El-Cideon> "And you can't trust someone else working in your own profession?"
<Yomi> "My cousin is in the family business as well."
<Nadia_Chekova> "He did seem nice when we met him," Nadia opines lazily.
<El-Cideon> She nods. "I suppose judging someone by their occupation--or lack thereof," she adds for certain present company, "--is not always a reliable guide to their character."
<El-Cideon> "He was very attractive," Rena adds in. This is clearly an important piece of information.
* Yomi sighs. "Sayuri, what if I hired you?" she asks. "Find and rescue the Shishio, and I'll buy you an island. How does that sound?"
<El-Cideon> "A--what? You can actually do that? I have to ask: which one?" She doesn't seem convinced this is a serious offer.
<Yomi> "It doesn't really matter. I didn't have a specific island in the Pacific in mind. Do keep in mind that ancient demons involved in human society tend to accumulate enormous financial means, and that all of that pales in comparison to you rescuing my friend."
<Nadia_Chekova> 'Friend?' Nadia mouths, but wisely chooses not to press on this particular point of love between a girl and her sword.
<El-Cideon> Sayuri chooses to mention it, though! "Your friend? A curious way to refer to one's weapon. To some extent it makes sense for a warrior, but..." She shrugs.
<Erin> "Well, what do you say? We require the Shishi-o, and it may well still be in Japan," replies Erin. "Funds aren't really an issue to us. Nor is instruction in the ways of demons, or methods to deal with them, or perhaps which ones are dangerous and which are not- whatever you desire."
<Yomi> "Bring it back and I'll show you why the Shishio is my partner."
<El-Cideon> She considers this for a long moment. "It is generally frowned upon for us to take contracts on our own initiative. As this is not a killing mission, however...I will go back to my superiors and inform them of the request. I will need to know everything you do about the matter to proceed, of course."
<Yomi> "A British demon working with the Germans stole it, but then later boasted of having given it away as simple currency to someone in Japan before they even left," Yomi responds. "I have any idea of their itinerary in Japan from his financial notes, so we've tried to look into those who might've been interested in such swords or the occult, and into those who had dealings with Germans.
<Yomi> We even tried to look into my cousin's involvement. So far, it all came up empty. I have no leads to follow, unless I want to just cause so much trouble the thieves will come to me."
<Erin> "Which would result in a bloody mess we'd prefer to avoid, and in the end there is no guarantee that would lead us to the blade."
<Nadia_Chekova> "The trail does seem to have gone cold," Nadia admits reluctantly, propping herself up to engage in the conversation once more.
<El-Cideon> She nods. "Give me names and dates and I will do what I can, presuming my superiors do not object to the investigation. I suspect that they will not. Information is always a valuable currency of its own. It will no doubt cost you, as our services don't come cheaply, but not so much as an assassination, at least."
<Yomi> "It is a fine blade, but it's only truly important to the demon slayers!" Yomi exclaims in frustration. "I still can't believe--" She forces herself to stop. That rant would go on for hours otherwise.
<El-Cideon> "Perhaps the demons didn't want you to have it, then? It is something to consider. I hardly know where to begin factoring that into my investigation. I suppose I will have to look beyond the regular channels."
<Yomi> "If you keep their involvement to yourself, both from their employers and yours, you could rely on Takeshi and Yuuki," Yomi adds, calming herself as she searches for the documents on what little they have discovered thus far.
<El-Cideon> "I will keep this in mind. It may be of use for me to talk to other experts in your field. Otherwise...if you need to contact me for an update, you already know where I live. It would be useful for me to know where you live in order to contact you as well if I discover anything, of course. I could determine this on my own through my superiors, but it seemed more polite to ask."
<Erin> "Yes, your people already found my house once," mutters Erin, laying out her address on the spot.
<Yomi> "It really is quite polite of you, since you already know where to contact me," Yomi agrees. "I don't believe for a moment that you didn't listen in when I told Yuuki, but here it is once more."
<El-Cideon> She writes it down. "Very well. I'll inform you as soon as I learn anything of note. Tomorrow we part ways as agreed, so...I wish you good luck in your search."
<El-Cideon> Everyone breaks up to go to bed. In the morning the group sets out for the train station at first light--probably a good idea given their various nocturnal activities of the previous evening. Sayuri, of course, clings like a leech until you're safely headed out of Japanese territory and on your way south. (more)
<El-Cideon> It's a long ride across the border and your train pulls into Beijing early in the evening. (OOC: your move?)
* Nadia_Chekova is happily cleaned up and back to her old brunette European self as they enter Beijing. "Didn't the bracelet work at a large distance on Mount Fuji? Think it worth trying straight away here, or do we need to hunt around?"
<Erin> "If the region of operation was so broad, I don't think they would have bothered diving into those rat-infested sewers in the first place," replies Erin, trying to recall what sites of particular cultural and religious importance exist within or around Beijing.
<Yomi> "I suppose it can't hurt to check," Yomi agrees, "though I suspect we'll need to hunt for it after all."
<El-Cideon> OOC: K:H can be rolled.
<Yomi> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+6 and gets 19."12 [1d20=13]
<Erin> roll 1d20+8 that's not theology!
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+8 that's not theology! and gets 28."12 [1d20=20]
<Yomi> "I'm thinking of a Taoist shrine and a public museum," Yomi muses out loud. "The latter seems easier to gain access to without being obvious about it."
<Erin> "Two places spring to mind, and we won't have any trouble going to either," states Erin. "We'll try it at a hotel tonight, and then visit... yes, the Temple of Heaven, I think- and if that's no good, then the Forbidden City would be my next bet."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oooh, the Forbidden City?" Nadia repeats, grinning. "I like the sound of that!"
<Yomi> "That makes two votes for checking it out first!"
<El-Cideon> "If it's forbidden, does it mean we have to sneak inside?" Rena wonders as you head towards the nearest hotel.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Maybe," Nadia smiles. "It certainly sounds exciting, though, doesn't it?"
<Yomi> "It's a museum now, like I said. But we can pretend to sneak!"
<Erin> "No, it's open to the public. Some of it, anyway," replies Erin, shaking her head. "It's a museum, now, but once it was the old home of the emperors. It's quite a massive place!"
<El-Cideon> "I've never been to a museum. Father said they were important places to visit for my education, but this did not make them sound entertaining. There were none in our town anyway."
<Yomi> "Does this museum sound like a fun place to visit?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, I love museums," Nadia sighs happily. "So many beautiful works of art, all in one place..."
<El-Cideon> "Most things are more fun when I'm not alone," Rena concedes.
<Erin> "Museums hold links to our past, in a preserved form," replies Erin. "It's one thing to read about history, but quite another to see actual proof of it!"
<El-Cideon> "Then I will find out tomorrow," Rena says. (OOC: move along, I suppose?)
<El-Cideon> Another night in another hotel. The weather out the next morning is stunningly unpleasant, the skies pouring rain and rumbling thunder, but at least this means there won't be much in the way of crowds, right?
* Nadia_Chekova looks sadly out the window. "Days like this you just want to curl up inside with a good book and the radio on," she comments, not wanting to go out in such weather.
<Erin> "A little rain won't hurt us," replies Erin, producing a black umbrella and starting for the door. "Buck up!"
* Yomi (~corwin@bzq-79-183-33-50.red.bezeqint.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
<El-Cideon> "I don't like the rain," Rena says, sidling next to Erin for cover. "Every day should be sunny."
* Nadia_Chekova grimaces but accedes to Erin's wisdom, donning a rather flimsy waxen raincoat that does precious little to actually keep her warm even if it does keep her mostly dry. She should probably buy some cold-weather clothes before they go through Russia, really.
* Yomi (~corwin@bzq-79-177-42-96.red.bezeqint.net) has joined #HometownHeroes
<Yomi> "Rain is actually quite nice, when a warm home waits for you to return to," Yomi comments, offering to share an umbrella with Rena.
<Erin> "It's part of the natural cycle, and we'd be quite badly off without it," replies Erin, glancing at the sky. "Besides, a good storm can be quite a sight."
<Nadia_Chekova> "From inside, anyway," Nadia cinches her hood on tightly as they head out.
<El-Cideon> Rena huddles up next to Yomi then, since the offer's there. "You are glad that something unpleasant happens because it is nice when the unpleasant thing stops?" she says. "I don't understand."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Anticipation," Nadia tells Rena, at least able to understand that. "Like when you eat a good meal, isn't it more satisfying when you're hungry than when you're already full?"
<Yomi> "The reward is all the sweeter when you actually need to work for it, right? It's the same thing."
<Erin> "It's a sense of relief- you can't get that if everything is how you want it all the time."
<El-Cideon> "I suppose that makes some sense. But I don't want much, so I usually get what I want."
<El-Cideon> The weather does seem to be dissuading people from taking to the streets in large numbers today. Most trudge along under umbrellas or even newspapers, hardly giving you a passing glance most of the time. Probably a good thing given the unpopularity of Yomi's countrymen here lately. It's a short--though wet and cold--walk to the historic district and your destination. There's no real crowd today, you can get in at your leisure.
<Erin> Erin troops towards the entrance of the building; despite their all-important mission, she's quite eager to tour the palace for interest's sake!
<Nadia_Chekova> Likewise Nadia is curious to see what treasures are kept here!
<Yomi> "If you see anything you like, let me know and we'll take a closer look?" Yomi suggests to Rena, keeping close to her.
<El-Cideon> "Yes. Will we be revisiting this place at night, then, like Nadia did?"
<Yomi> "Why would we do that?" Yomi asks in confusion. "We can try to shift over just fine during the day."
<Erin> "Unless we have a pressing urge to generate a high explosive, we will have no need to liberate any of the museums priceless artifacts," states Erin. "Let's find a secluded spot."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Probably not," Nadia tells Rena, catching her intended meaning. "The things in museums tend to be pretty, but not shiny and easy to carry."
<El-Cideon> The main gate, an imposing gabled structure of red brick, houses much of the public displays in the complex. There are jade figurines, ancient stoneware, works of porcelain, portraits of emperors and great generals...through the structure lies a great open stone courtyard, large enough to field an army but largely empty due to the downpour.
<Yomi> "Oh, you were talking about stealing." Yomi can't help but give Nadia a stern look. "Just what are you teaching Rena?"
<El-Cideon> Rena nods to Yomi. "I misunderstood the question."
* Nadia_Chekova is primarily interested in the jade figurines, taking a greedy look over them. "I don't criticise you for teaching her how to stab people," she adds distractedly to Yomi.
<Yomi> "Only if they're evil, not whenever she wants to. It's an important distinction! Did you add one, too?"
<El-Cideon> The figurines mimic animals, buildings, people--warriors, farmers, all sorts. The display cases label some as being over two thousand years old.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Only from people who can afford to lose what we gain," Nadia replies. "You know, like everyone else I've stolen from for as long as you've known me?"
<El-Cideon> "I wouldn't steal something unless I thought I needed it, Yomi. You don't need to worry."
<Erin> "Would that mean it is alright for us to be stolen from? We are unusually wealthy, and we surely cannot use it all," wonders Erin, starting towards the courtyard
<Yomi> "Can you promise to try and purchase whatever you need, first?" Yomi asks Rena. "Just because you can steal something doesn't always make it your first option. And shouldn't, really."
<Nadia_Chekova> "I could respect someone who made the attempt," Nadia tells Erin, studying the pretty statues intently. "It's not like I have an expensive lifestyle to maintain, constant travel excepted."
<El-Cideon> "I would if I had money. So far one of you has always paid for what I needed. Will this not continue?"
<El-Cideon> Erin finds the courtyard largely empty, most people there just hustling through en route to another building.
<Yomi> "I don't see why it wouldn't. And we could get you some cash of your own to manage, too. Would you like that?"
<Erin> "You don't need to worry about that for as long as you travel with us, Rena. But you'll have to learn to manage on your own someday... life isn't just about handouts! A woman has to work!"
<El-Cideon> "It might be good to be prepared in case all of you died and I had to take care of myself. Although I would prefer that that did not happen."
* Nadia_Chekova blinks and looks somewhat perturbed by Rena's assessment. "Er... anyway. About the bracelet?"
* Yomi gapes at being killed off in such a blunt way. "I... don't want you to die either, Rena," she responds somewhat awkwardly, nodding at Nadia's suggestion to change the subject.
<Erin> "For all we know, Rena, you might outlive us all by hundreds of years..." muses Erin, linking hands with Nadia and Yomi. "Shall we try it here, then?"
<El-Cideon> "What? Did I say something wrong?" Rena asks, for once seeming to actually notice the horrified expressions she's caused.
<Nadia_Chekova> "We don't like to think about dying," Nadia tells Rena. "It would be best if you just pretended we'll live forever." Simplistic but it should work for her at least.
<El-Cideon> "Well, that would be preferable." She nods and links hands with the others.
<Erin> Erin pronounces something incomprehensible, for what other kind of word could take them to an incomprehensible world?
<El-Cideon> You shift. As usual, without fanfare or transition. One moment you're *here*, the next you're simply *there*. On the usual tiled platform, in darkness. The cold gives you all quite a chill given the rain still dripping off your clothes.
<Nadia_Chekova> At least it's dry, so Nadia takes a moment to shake some of the excess water off her coat before she fishes out her torch and scans their surroundings.
<Erin> Erin isn't one to leave her vision to a torch, and quickly invokes a spell that lets her see through the darkness with ease.
<El-Cideon> The platform's in an alcove about thirty feet wide this time. It gives way to bare gray stone before you. At the edge of the torchlit circle, something gleams slightly, reflecting the light at strange angles.
<El-Cideon> Erin's enhanced vision can make out a change in the floor's composition, but stone to what looks like black glass.
* Yomi takes her own coat and folds it off, removing most of the excess water that way.
<Erin> "It looks like the floor turns to glass over there," notes Erin, edging towards it to get a closer look.
<El-Cideon> Rena shakes her hair out, spraying water on anyone within a few feet. Her preferred method of drying her clothes proves to be removing her dress, wringing it out and thoroughly, and donning it once again.
* Nadia_Chekova follows after Erin, shining her torch on the indicated area.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Aren't you cold, Rena?" she asks the briefly nude German, shivering in sympathy.
<El-Cideon> The black glass extends outwards in a plain before you. Here and there are protrusions, jagged heaps of matter...on closer examination, some look like weapons. Others are bodies, encased or turned to obsidian, most contorted in their final death throes.
<El-Cideon> The rim of gray stone continues to the left and right around the great field, possibly circumnavigating it, though it narrows to ten feet or so.
<Nadia_Chekova> The macabre sight before her manages to thoroughly distract her from the cold, however, and she shudders more than shivers. "Merde..." she mutters in her native tongue.
<El-Cideon> "Somewhat less so now, Nadia," Rena says. "It is always cold here, isn't it? If I can more cold for a brief moment to be less cold afterwards, isn't this sensible?"
<Erin> Erin peers closely at the area with magical intuition!
<Nadia_Chekova> "I suppose," Nadia allows distractedly, although it's not something she'd put herself through.
<Erin> Erin reaches out to test the black glass with her boot, pressing down upon it to make sure it does not crack.
<El-Cideon> It doesn't crack, but it does prove uneven and a tad slippery. You could probably walk across it, but you'd have to watch your step.
<Erin> "Let's try walking around. The glass might be a struggle," suggests Erin, aiming to circle the area herself whilst studying the various weapons and bodies for any signs of magic.
* Nadia_Chekova follows after Erin, keeping her torch mostly on the path so she doesn't have to look at the grotesquely contorted entombed corpses.
<El-Cideon> OOC: left or right? You could walk along either side.
<Erin> OOC: Right
* Yomi keeps near the back with Rena, ensuring that no one sneaks up on them from behind!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d100 and gets 12."12 [1d100=12]
<El-Cideon> You walk in silence, the eerie killing field at your side as you go. For ten minutes, nothing breaks the silence but the sound of your footsteps. Occasional glances to your left show the field remains unchanged: it goes on and on, filled with twisted bodies. You can recognize the type--they're clearly the same species you met at Mt. Fuji. (more)
<El-Cideon> Finally, the sound of running water reaches you from up ahead. The battlefield here is broken up, fragments of great stone columns and pieces of a channel that looks like it could've served as an aqueduct littering the field of glass. Ahead of you you can spot a break in the wall to your right. From above, water pours down in a thin fall to cascade out of sight down this hole. (more)
<El-Cideon> The stone path continues past it.
<El-Cideon> OOC: roll spot
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20 and gets 8."12 [1d20=8]
<Erin> roll 1d20+15
<Yomi> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20 and gets 5."12 [1d20=5]
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+15 and gets 27."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-1 Rena~
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-1 Rena~ and gets 4."12 [1d20=5]
<Erin> OOC: sec
<Erin> "We need to go on the glass part here," replies Erin, gingerly stepping onto the black surface. "The ground around that hole has been eroded and weakened by the waterfall, so let's keep well clear."
* Yomi believes that if Erin can manage it, so could she!
<El-Cideon> Every now and then some stray fragment of a body crackles underneath Erin's feet, but she can get by easily enough at a walking pace.
* Nadia_Chekova carefully treads onto the glass herself, arms spread out a bit to help her balance.
<El-Cideon> OOC: you can walk on it just fine--I'm assuming everyone just takes 10 on balance--but actual rolls would be required to keep your footing if you moved at a run for any reason. Just FYI for future reference. Anyhow, moving along.
<El-Cideon> More minutes pass. In time, the wall to your right merges with another one--a worked stone wall, high, white, masonry. It extends about sixty feet up. The glass field stops about as much away from it. At the edge of your vision you can see a break in the center of this wall, blasted to pieces straight through, down to ground level. At the base of the wall is also a dark passageway covered by a severely corroded metal grille, about man-sized.
<Erin> Always willing to inspect strange holes, Erin heads over to peek inside.
<El-Cideon> It extends beyond your sight, into darkness. A reek of foul refuse lurks on the other side.
<Erin> "Disgusting," she mutters, pulling out and glancing further ahead down the existing passageway.
* Nadia_Chekova wrinkles her nose as she follows Erin along. "That smells revolting."
<Yomi> "Isn't there a spell to help with that?" Yomi wonders out loud.
<El-Cideon> The blasted hole leads into a pit of sorts--stairs switch back and forth up it, bearing ancient waterstains halfway up.
<El-Cideon> "Erin can use magic to make people not smell bad?" Rena asks. "I have known some men who could have used that spell."
<Yomi> "If these men couldn't be bothered to take care of themselves, it is probably a waste of a spell on them."
<Erin> "A person, yes. A place, not so," mutters Erin. "I'm not anyone's mother, however." OOC: The hole is the only way to go?
<El-Cideon> OOC: you can go in and up the stairs. The break in the wall leads out onto the same ground level as you're on.
<Erin> OOC: But to get in there, we risk plummeting down a hole. :(
<El-Cideon> OOC: no, it's pretty flat ground inside. Sorry if that wasn't clear.
<Yomi> "Want to return and try to get here from another spot in the museum?" Yomi suggests.
<Erin> "Not really," replies Erin, frowning. "I can clean us up after any mucking about, so let's just press onwards!" She ambles towards the stairs, and starts to head upwards.
* Nadia_Chekova nods in agreement with Erin and starts up the stairs as well.
* Yomi has no trouble bringing up the rear.
<El-Cideon> As you ascend, you find yourself at the edge of another ancient city. The stairs come out near a pair of squat buildings overlooking the wall. The style is the same as you've seen before, stone that looks molded from the ground itself. Directly before you, extending into the dark city, is a familiar set of silver tracks.
<Erin> Erin starts to head to one of the nearby buildings, always eager to locate more primary sources. Just like a real archeologist!
<Nadia_Chekova> Nadia is happy enough to follow Erin, but these places tend to lack in shiny things that she loves so much.
<El-Cideon> They're very utilitarian structures, most of the contents having rotted into dust or been taken away some time ago. You do find shelves with simple tools left untouched, hammers, nails, screws and the like, most of the metal bits corroded into uselessness. One of the buildings contains the wrecked frames of small boats, and a winch that may have been meant to move them around.
<El-Cideon> Only the metal or stone bits survive; anything that might've been wooden is decayed away quite long past. Only skeletons of things.
<Erin> "Boats? Here?" wonders Erin. "Of course, the waterfall must come from an underground river..." She heads out of the building a moment later, and decides to follow the tracks into the ancient city once again.
<El-Cideon> The tracks head straight on...but it's only a minute or two's walk before you find something lying on the road before you. Bodies. The horned people, though all of them are quite dead. Unlike those on the battlefield, these are still flesh and blood, and probably not long slain. (more)
<El-Cideon> One was obviously killed by a slashed-open stomach; another is riddled with what look like bulletholes; the last two are charred.
* Nadia_Chekova pauses and abruptly swings her torch down, putting a hand over it to dampen the beam. "What if whoever did this is still here?" she asks, lowering her voice worriedly.
<El-Cideon> All of the dead creatures have weapons nearby, spears, but none looks to have drawn blood from their attackers.
<Yomi> "Do we believe in coincidences?" Yomi voices, matching Nadia's volume. "We know of a group of people who had magic and traveled towards this destination recently."
<Erin> Erin raises a hand to her mouth. "I.. I don't know," she replies, walking towards the body. "My thoughts as well... without Elgin, would sites such as this still be of interest to Masha, our only other real suspect? I'll.. yes, I'll ward us now."
<Nadia_Chekova> "They had a few day's head start, but it might have taken them longer to investigate the Forbidden City..." Nadia kneels down by the corpses. She's no forensic scientist, but she can try to guess, gingerly feeling how cold they are, how wet the blood is...
* Erin quickly bestows some protections upon herself, Yomi, and Rena, before joining Nadia by the corpse. Decay rates in this place are likely to be slow, by her guess...
<El-Cideon> The bodies are cold, but isn't everything here? The blood around the gutted one is still moist, looks like; the body doesn't seem to have stiffened up yet, either.
<Erin> "They must have come recently, and could well still be here." Erin rises. "We can't let this kind of thing continue, can we?"
* Nadia_Chekova really wants to turn her torch off if bad men with guns are around, but then she'd be completely blind. "Hopefully they don't have the same magic to see in the dark as you do, Erin," she notes, shading the light as best she can to keep it from being a beacon to their presence while still giving enough to see by.
<Yomi> "Doubly so if the visitors are trying to wreck the rest of the seals," Yomi states. "If so, we have to stop them right here."
<Erin> "Very few people have the same magic I do. But this is the kind of place we'd meet someone who did," notes Erin, starting to continue down the tracks at a faster pace.
* Nadia_Chekova trots along after Erin as best she can in the limited light.
* Yomi focuses on Nadia's back, following her faithfully.
<El-Cideon> Rows of buildings pass by you. The city itself is in better shape than the last one, it still totally depopulated. Whatever happened here spent its brute destructive force elsewhere. In time, the tracks enter a large, square building, through a wide entrance apparently meant for the passage of cars about the size as the one you rode previously. (more)
<El-Cideon> There are also normal-sized entrances to either side, gaping into darkness inside as the actual doors are long rotted away.
<Erin> Erin will take one of the doors, no doubt intended for humam(oid) passage; perhaps one of the cars will still be inside.
<El-Cideon> This looks remarkably like a train station on the inside--there are various platforms with partitioned waiting areas, the ceiling is high and soaring. In the center of the open space is a roundabout of silver track that branches out in four directions: behind you, directly across from you, also crossing this axis perpendicularly and heading both directions. (more)
<El-Cideon> A pair of empty cars sit on a spur of track nearby. The paths across from you and to your right are unopposed, but the one to your left is blocked by a car knocked onto its side. You could walk around it, but moving a car that way would be problematic.
* Yomi lingers a bit to determine whether it was knocked down recently, or if it took place long ago.
<El-Cideon> You don't see anything to indicate this was done recently. The level of dust inside suggests it's been lying that way for some time.
<Erin> "The trains go to the important places, I'd guess. The others who came here may not have been able to operate them, although I suppose that's a hope more than fact," states Erin, checking the tracks to see if they've been used recently; less dust, perhaps.
* Yomi examines the car they can use, in the meantime. Just because they hadn't come across any native monsters thus far doesn't mean none are hiding here.
<El-Cideon> There's no obvious sign that they've been used recently, though the tracks here and in the last city are curiously always in good repair.
<El-Cideon> Yomi finds the car empty of territorial monsters!
<Yomi> "No monsters here!" Yomi reports, waiting for Erin to take them to their next destination.
<Erin> Erin soon joins Yomi within. "This city seems more developed than the last one. There's probably a greater likelyhood of meaningful records... but first we should try and find the seal," notes Erin, taking a look around to see if, like a train station back home, there are any maps!
<El-Cideon> There is such a map near the entrance, chiseled into the wall. The southern branch proceeds into a large cavern after leaving the city outskirts; two stops are noted in this cavern. The north path crosses a series of bridges and evidently leaves the city's caverns entirely; the east path makes one stop along a narrow path before doing the same. The stops are named, should someone be able to read the writing.
<Erin> With a wave of her hand, Erin is soon able to read just about anything.
<El-Cideon> The various locations of note are: reservoir (at the west end), maintenance and control towers (southern cavern), and power station (east). Arrows indicate the tracks extend beyond the map to other cities, the names of which you could perhaps reproduce with some effort but which don't mean anyting to you.
<Erin> Erin relays this information, and quickly jots down a few notes for future reference. "The power station is probably our best bet. Let's go and take a look," she suggests, activating the cab thereafter.
* Nadia_Chekova shrugs agreeably, having no reason to argue.
<Yomi> "Do you think these tracks once lead all the way to the city below Fuji?" Yomi wonders, slightly disturbed at the notion.
<El-Cideon> Rena climbs onto the train behind the others. It starts up easily enough when Erin inserts the control device.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Maybe... eventually? Space here might not match exactly with space in the 'real' world," Nadia hedges uncertainly.
<Erin> "This was an advanced civilization; I'm almost certain that their cities were in contact with one another. It's as Nadia says," replies Erin, nodding in agreement. "For all we know, it could only be a few dozen miles away. Or many thousands."
<Yomi> "Is there a way to tell with your magic, if you had the time to research it?"
<Erin> "I'm afraid there's no shortcut. We'd only be able to tell by exploring it, or finding records left behind."
<Erin> With the car started up, Erin begins to propel it down the eastern track.
<El-Cideon> You drift silently through rows of orderly, domed houses, leaving the city limits. The walls close in on either side of the car, as does the ceiling, about five feet away on any side--for once you can see every surface around you here. Ten, maybe fifteen minutes, and you arrive at a wall that looks blasted open, just as you found outside the seal at Mt. Fuji. (more)
<El-Cideon> You pass through, until a similar round cavern sixty feet or so in diameter. There is light in here, provided by the cavern's current inhabitants: as the car draws near, you can recognize Suzume, holding a gleaming metal fan for Kurou Wakahisa to examine the stone cylinder in the center of the room. (more)
<El-Cideon> Shattered hunks of stone indicate the cylinder has already been disabled. Kurou, Suzume, and two others--one you recognize from your breakfast at Wakahisa's, the European girl in workman's clothes who introduced herself as Lucia, and an unknown Japanese woman bearing a sword--turn to look up as the car approaches.
<Yomi> "Well, this is awkward," Yomi says, stepping out of the car.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Maybe we shouldn't have been so forthcoming after all," Nadia draws the obvious inference, hunkering down a little behind whatever shelter the walls of the car can provide them from bullets.
<Erin> Erin brings the car to a halt only a short distance from the group, and pokes her head out the side. "Wakahisa Kurou... what are you doing here?" she wonders, glancing at the too-handsome man.
<Nadia_Chekova> Then she remembers that she's a legendary cat burglar and flicks her torch off so she can hide in the shadows!
<El-Cideon> "Ah, what a coincidence," Kurou says warmly. "Well, obviously, I was so intrigued and, nay, worried by your story that I had to investigate it myself. It seems some vandal has already preceded us here. Most unfortunate."
<El-Cideon> Rena exits the car, standing by Yomi.
<Yomi> "And they left my sword here for you to find," Yomi agrees, nodding to herself. "Quite reasonable. You would, of course, promptly return it to me?"
<Nadia_Chekova> She should probably contribute to dialogue, so Nadia gives up on stealth in order to speak. "How did you even enter this realm?" she asks, still loitering in the shade of the car.
<El-Cideon> He looks shocked. "Oh my. Is this *yours* after all? I'm afraid the vendor completely misrepresented the product when I purchased it. I was not aware I was buying stolen property. I will make a note not to shop there in the future." (more
<El-Cideon> He is, if anything, cheerful as he relates all this. "Oh, I came here the same way you did." He raises one arm to display a familiar blue bracelet.
<Yomi> "Why yes, yes it is." Yomi smiles with just the right amount of menace at her countrywoman. "I will do anything to be reunited with it."
<Erin> Erin has all sorts of questions to ask, but isn't about to give Wakahisa more opportunities to not discuss the proper ownership of Shishi-o.
<El-Cideon> "Anything? That's a generous offer indeed! But I'm afraid its current owner is rather attached to it--aren't you Hoshi?" The Japanese woman, standing very close to Kurou's side and watching Yomi with a fierce expression on her face, nods. "And as I am very attached to her as well, I'm afraid it would be terribly awkward to ask her to relinquish her prized possessions. Sorry!"
* Nadia_Chekova could probably steal it if she found out where they were staying, but she expects Yomi has a more violent method of asserting her property rights in mind. So now is a good time for her to fade into darkness...
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+17 hide
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+17 hide and gets 32."12 [1d20=15]
<Yomi> "I trusted you when you said you saw a future for demons and humans to coexist. Now, I know better. Hand it over and I won't kill you where you stand," Yomi demands, returning her gaze to Wakahisa. "There will be no escape. I will track you down wherever you run. And whatever else I may be, I am very good at slaying demons."
<Erin> "Can we disepense with false pretenses, then?" asks Erin, still within the safety of the car. "What is your true goal?"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 spot checks all around, then (Kurou's)
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 spot checks all around, then (Kurou's) and gets 20."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: actually, none of them can beat 32, so.
<El-Cideon> "Goals?" He scratches his chin. "Ah, well, which one would be most palatable? Probably none of them! But curiosity you may understand, no?"
<Nadia_Chekova> Creeping around out of the immediate light sources, Nadia makes her way to the flanks of the Japanese occultists to better catch them by surprise...
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+17 move silently
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+17 move silently and gets 30."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 Suzume could do this on a 20?!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 Suzume could do this on a 20?! and gets 14."12 [1d20=4]
<Erin> "I can indeed, but I do my best to avoid murdering or lying to sate it," replies Erin, with an unhappy sigh. "I can only assume you are working with Masha, or some memory of Elgin, then?"
<El-Cideon> He rolls his eyes. "I work for myself. I collected these things--" he waves the bracelet, "--decades ago, never had a clue where to do anything with them until that ugly little German and his hulking friend came calling. Elgin knew all about them. I gave them what they wanted--without mentioning that I kept one of my own, of course. I don't want those clods interfering with my own investigations. And now, just look around us!" He gestures widely. "A forgotten world! Vanished civilizations! Isn't this a glorious mystery? I know I want to know what it's all about."
<Yomi> As Wakahisa dismissed her threat, so does Yomi dismiss him, her eyes returning to Hoshi. "It would not matter to me if you are a demon or merely consorting with them to destroy the world's foundations. For a change, I will go all out if you do not concede."
<El-Cideon> She looks undisturbed by the challenge. "If you believe you can take it, you are welcome to try."
<Yomi> That is all the invitation Yomi needs to burst into action!
<Erin> "I understand your curiosity. We could have worked together," replies Erin, rolling up a sleeve.
<Erin> roll 1d20+7 let'sfightlikegentlemen
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+7 let'sfightlikegentlemen and gets 16."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20 Rena
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20 Rena and gets 8."12 [1d20=8]
<Yomi> roll 1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+1 and gets 10."12 [1d20=9]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+7 whoops, no surprise round
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+7 whoops, no surprise round and gets 20."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Kurou
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Kurou and gets 22."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Hoshi
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Hoshi and gets 20."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Suzume
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Suzume and gets 21."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+4 Lucia
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+4 Lucia and gets 9."12 [1d20=5]
* Retrieving #HometownHeroes modes...
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 63/63, Nadia: 58/58, Erin: 54/54, Rena: 60/60  Kurou (22) > Suzume (21) > Hoshi = Nadia (20) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA) > Lucia (9) > Rena (8)'
<El-Cideon> Kurou sighs. "This really is unfortunate. If I'd known it would come to violence this soon, I would've taken up your lovely companion on her offer and bedded her when I had the chance! Ah well, life's full of small injustices." He steps forward slightly, opens his mouth wide, and breathes a gout of flame at Yomi and Rena! (OOC: ref saves, you two)
<Yomi> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+5 and gets 7."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Rena fails at this, sadly, so she will spend an AP on this
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Rena fails at this, sadly, so she will spend an AP on this and gets 3."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: no she won't.
<El-Cideon> roll 6d6 fire
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 6d6 fire and gets 22."12 [6d6=2, 2, 4, 5, 3, 6]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 41/63, Nadia: 58/58, Erin: 54/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22) > Suzume (21) > Hoshi = Nadia (20) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA) > Lucia (9) > Rena (8)'
<El-Cideon> Flames scorch the two women, bathing them in a raging inferno! Suzume meanwhile takes up position next to her master, chanting under her breath. A silver shimmer covers her and Wakahisa! OOC: Nadia, you have the higher mod than Hoshi, taking action now?
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 41/63, Nadia: 58/58, Erin: 54/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Suzume (21, ???) > Hoshi = Nadia (20) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA) > Lucia (9) > Rena (8, MA)'
<Erin> OOC: Lemme know what spells she's casting?
<El-Cideon> OOC: spellcraft it!
<Erin> roll 1d20+14 obligatory spellcraft check
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+14 obligatory spellcraft check and gets 34."12 [1d20=20]
<Nadia_Chekova> Nadia creeps just a little bit closer, then abruptly breaks into a spring, lunging out of the shadows and hurling herself in a mighty flying kick at Wakahisa, her body veritably thrumming with energy!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d100 using phaseshifter!
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d100 using phaseshifter! and gets 5."12 [1d100=5]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+12 foottodaface
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+12 foottodaface and gets 15."12 [1d20=3]
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: well, he's flat footed...
<El-Cideon> OOC: no, he acted, and that misses.
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: but I was hidden!
<El-Cideon> OOC: oh right.
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: so he's flat footed vs me even if no one else
<El-Cideon> OOC: natural armor, still relevant? I forget.
<Erin> OOC: Yeah
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: he only loses his dex bonus
<El-Cideon> OOC: still misses then, just losing dex isn't enough.
<El-Cideon> "Ah, so that's where you went!" Wakahisa laughs as he dodges Nadia's attack. Hoshi, meanwhile, has taken up Yomi on her challenge and dashes forward to attack with her own sword!
<Erin> "Their lives are linked..." mutters Erin, cursing. "She'll share his injuries... Nadia, the woman first!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 charging
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 charging and gets 22."12 [1d20=5]
<Yomi> OOC: Hits
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+12
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+12 and gets 22."12 [2d6=4, 6]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 19/63, Nadia: 58/58, Erin: 54/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Suzume (21, ???) > Hoshi = Nadia (20) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA) > Lucia (9) > Rena (8, MA)'
* Nadia_Chekova frowns as her foot glances off flesh as hard as steel. This isn't very good after all...
<El-Cideon> Hoshi slashes Shishio across Yomi's midsection, drawing a grievous spray of blood! OOC: Erin
<Erin> "Yomi! You.. you.. don't move, you!" snarls Erin, pointing an angry finger at Hoshi that insists she freeze in place! OOC: Hold person it, I will abuse heroic surge to cast another spell after it resolves.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3 this is her fail save. DC?
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+3 this is her fail save. DC? and gets 21."12 [1d20=18]
<Erin> OOC: Not that
<El-Cideon> Hoshi seems to shrug off Erin's spell in her rage. OOC: take your other action if you want.
<Erin> Erin balls up an angry fist! "I SAID..." she demands, flinging out an ever-expanding ball of webbing! With the cavern as it is, there's hopefully ample space to catch both her and Lucia without imperiling her allies...
<Erin> OOC: Let's see how good her good saves are, then!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 ref isn't too good either
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 ref isn't too good either and gets 12."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 Lucia, though...
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 Lucia, though... and gets 13."12 [1d20=3]
<Erin> OOC: They're stuck. Hohoho. <_<
<El-Cideon> Sticky strands shoot out from the air, entangling the swordswoman and the spaniard both! OOC: Yomi
<Yomi> Even terribly burnt and nearly bisected as she is, Yomi still glares at the woman holding the sword that should be rightfully hers! "That was your best shot," she grates, exploding into action. "This is mine! Rena, we're taking this bitch down!"
<Yomi> She expells her sword from its sheath, turning in place to get a better momentum as she swipes it across Hoshi's eyes, reverses it to carve down deeply into the other swordswoman's chest, and with a sudden burst of action strikes straight up at the her nemesis's wrists to decisively disarm her!
<Yomi> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+14 and gets 19."12 [1d20=5]
<Yomi> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+9 and gets 13."12 [1d20=4]
<Yomi> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+14 and gets 21."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first and third hit
<Yomi> roll 2d6 second hit
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6 second hit and gets 9."12 [2d6=6, 3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: and now they all do
<Yomi> roll 3#2d6+9 it's MY sword!
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 3#2d6+9 it's MY sword! and gets 46."12 [3#2d6+9 = 14, 16, 16]
<El-Cideon> Hoshi is torn horribly down her chest, flesh and muscle tearing, pouring forth blood. She keeps her hands, though her arms are pretty horribly mauled. "You--" she gasps, choking on blood, "You BITCH." (OOC: she's alive, but badly injured. Lucia's up now.
<Yomi> "You had your chance to walk away! I won't let you defile Shishio any longer!" Yomi declares angrily.
<El-Cideon> Lucia squirms in her bonds. "What is this--ugh!" She can barely move but it's enough to point her guns at the one who caused her predicament!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11-4
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11-4 and gets 15."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11-4
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11-4 and gets 18."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6-4
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6-4 and gets 12."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> OOC: any of those get through MA?
<Erin> OOC: hahaha
<El-Cideon> OOC: figured.
<El-Cideon> Bullets ricochet off the walls, pinging off the train car uselessly as Lucia swears in Spanish! Meanwhile, Rena unleashes her new blade on Hoshi. "You will not hurt Yomi again!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 and gets 22."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 and gets 25."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 surge
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 surge and gets 11."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 crit?
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 crit? and gets 17."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+5 normal hit
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+5 normal hit and gets 9."12 [2d6=2, 2]
<El-Cideon> roll 4d6+10 crit
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 4d6+10 crit and gets 26."12 [4d6=4, 5, 5, 2]
<El-Cideon> Rena impales the woman right through the stomach--but somehow, through force of will and sheer rage, she pulls herself off and clings to life. Albeit barely, sagging in her bonds as though she can barely stand! OOC: Kurou's up.
<El-Cideon> Wakahisa seems more focused on the enemy right next to him than anything else. "That was a nice try, my dear. You have some promise! Let's give you some extra challenge to motivate you!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 concentration check
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 concentration check and gets 27."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> Kurou's form wavers in midair, like a heat haze surrounds him now! Suzume chants again, facing her master, and a white glow surrounds him as well. (OOC: Nadia?)
<Erin> roll 1d20+14 the white glow spell, I think
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+14 the white glow spell, I think and gets 16."12 [1d20=2]
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, fine then," Nadia scowls, turning to Suzume with a momentary apologetic look. "I liked your tea, but I'm not going to let you keep this up," she tells her before backhanding the delicate Japanese maiden across the face!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+12 and gets 25."12 [1d20=13]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d8+3
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d8+3 and gets 6."12 [1d8=3]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 2d6 action pointing damage why not
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 2d6 action pointing damage why not and gets 5."12 [2d6=1, 4]
<El-Cideon> Nadia punches the fair maiden square in the nose. She can feel cartilage crunch under her fist as Suzume whimpers! OOC: Hoshi
<El-Cideon> "I won't let you harm him!" Hoshi breathes, barely holding herself together. "Not ever. You want to be reunited with the demon in this sword? Fine! Rangurren, appear! Cut her to pieces!" A great beast appears next to the cluster of sword fighters, a huge demonic tiger with claws upraised and posied above Yomi! It pauses, looks between the two women, snorts, and vanishes.
<El-Cideon> "What?" Hoshi cries. "Kill her! I'm your master now! Come back!"
<El-Cideon> OOC: Erin.
<Yomi> "Ranguren is not yours to command!" Yomi seethes.

[Sierra]

<Erin> "It seems your greatest weapon is of no use," states Erin, muttering an incantation and placing it upon herself. "And soon it will be in our hands," she adds, pointing her gun at the near-dead swordswoman and firing another hole into her shoulder. OOC: I'm such a giver, so I'm shooting nonlethally
<Erin> OOC: And casting +dex on myself
<El-Cideon> OOC: go ahead and roll, then.
<Erin> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+6 and gets 16."12 [1d20=10]
<Erin> roll 2#1d6+2 this will surely require APage
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 2#1d6+2 this will surely require APage and gets 13."12 [2#1d6+2 = 5, 8]
<Erin> OOC: Hits AC 24, yeah
<El-Cideon> OOC: hits.
<Erin> roll 2d6 nonlethal piercing
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 2d6 nonlethal piercing and gets 9."12 [2d6=4, 5]
<El-Cideon> Hoshi takes a bullet through her shoulder, finally sagging helplessly with a pitiful, mumbled, "Mas-terrrr."
<El-Cideon> OOC: yomi.
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 19/63, Nadia: 58/58, Erin: 54/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Suzume (21, ???) >  Nadia (20) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA) > Lucia (9, webbed) > Rena (8, MA)'
<Yomi> Finally grasping the hilt of the sacred sword she had sought after for so long, Yomi feels a surge of euphoria! "Let's go stab the pretty demon together?" she asks Rena with a smile, making her way over to Wakahisa.
<El-Cideon> OOC: puts you about in melee range, at the egde of the web. Lucia's up.
<Yomi> Once there, Yomi does not hesitate one bit before slicing at Wakahisa's neck!
<Yomi> roll 1d20+15 Heroism!
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+15 Heroism! and gets 33."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hits, but Blur is up. Roll d100, hits on 21-100.
<Yomi> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d100 and gets 63."12 [1d100=63]
<Yomi> roll 2d6+10
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6+10 and gets 13."12 [2d6=2, 1]
<El-Cideon> The warm glow around Kurou's blurred form seems to dull the impact of Yomi's blade--next to him, Suzume cries out as gash appears on her arm!
<Yomi> "Demons," Yomi spits. "Always using humans for such things."
<El-Cideon> Lucia, still swearing profusely in Spanish, focuses her efforts on squirming out of her trap!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14 escape artist, she's AP'ing this too
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+14 escape artist, she's AP'ing this too and gets 31."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> OOC: or she doesn't need to.
<El-Cideon> She at least manages to get some mobility, freeing her arms even though she still stands amidst the field. OOC: Rena.
<El-Cideon> Rena follows Yomi around the web, taking up station next to Kurou and slashing at the blur twice!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 and gets 21."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 surge
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 surge and gets 20."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6 first one, maybe? Also +2 from flanking
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6 first one, maybe? Also +2 from flanking and gets 4."12 [2d6=3, 1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100 that is enough, yes
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d100 that is enough, yes and gets 76."12 [1d100=76]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+5 and gets 12."12 [2d6=6, 1]
<El-Cideon> Rena manages to sneak in a stab through the haze, and another bloody tear rips through Suzume to reflect it! Kurou laughs. "Ahaha, as always, all the girls want me~ But Nadia was here first!" From the blur, a storm of claws and teeth flashes out at Nadia!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 and gets 30."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 and gets 28."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 and gets 18."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: First two surely hit, third doesn't?
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: AC 23 vs melee
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+2+1d4+1 total
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+2+1d4+1 total and gets 7."12 [1d6=1][1d4=3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 19/63, Nadia: 51/58, Erin: 54/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Suzume (21, ???) >  Nadia (20) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA) > Lucia (9, webbed) > Rena (8, MA)'
<El-Cideon> Feral teeth latch onto Nadia's soldier and sink in, claws slash at her side before disappearing back into the blur! Meanwhile, Suzume chants--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 concentration, she's next to Nadia
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 concentration, she's next to Nadia and gets 30."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> "Curse of the netherworld be upon you all!" she cries, as a gloom settles over the party. OOC: will saves, all.
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+2 uh oh
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+2 uh oh and gets 19."12 [1d20=17]
<Erin> roll 1d20+8 if nadia passed it means I will fail
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+8 if nadia passed it means I will fail and gets 23."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> OOC: this is mind-affecting, so Rena doesn't even need to roll
<Erin> OOC: glad to see I'm not the only one getting stealth insulted
<El-Cideon> OOC: Yomi?
<Yomi> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+4 and gets 21."12 [1d20=17]
<Yomi> roll 2d6
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6 and gets 4."12 [2d6=3, 1]
<El-Cideon> But everyone shrugs off the fog, whatever it is, free to continue fighting at their best! OOC: Nadia.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Stop with the cursing!" Nadia remonstrates as she gets in Suzume's face!
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: readied action to punch her when she casts again, should've done this at the start
<El-Cideon> OOC: Noted. Erin.
<El-Cideon> "It's my duty!" Suzume pleads. "Please forgive me!"
<Erin> "You can't overcome us! Give it up," insists Erin, covering Lucia with her handgun. "Just drop your weapons and we can all walk away!" OOC: I'll ready an action to shoot Lucia if she does not comply with my demands.
<El-Cideon> OOC: Okay. Yomi.
<Yomi> Considering that Wakahisa is a pretty nasty demon after all, and even if he didn't destroy the seal of Beijing, he certainly allowed the Germans to do so and now knows how to combine the holy with the desecrated to destroy entire cities, Yomi is not about to let him walk away. All that remains is for her to press on with her attack!
<Yomi> roll 1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+15 and gets 29."12 [1d20=14]
<Yomi> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+10 and gets 17."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first hits.
<Yomi> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d100 and gets 83."12 [1d100=83]
<Yomi> roll 2d6+10
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6+10 and gets 13."12 [2d6=1, 2]
<El-Cideon> Yomi feels her sword strike home, somewhere in that shifting mass of imagery. Suzume yelps and a bloodstain blossoms through her robe at the stomach.
<El-Cideon> Lucia, quite contrary to Erin's command, seems ready to point her guns at her instead! OOC: she doesn't like you much right now, take your readied action.
<Erin> roll 1d20+10 you shoot me? Then I shoot at you!
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+10 you shoot me? Then I shoot at you! and gets 25."12 [1d20=15]
<Erin> roll 2d6
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 2d6 and gets 7."12 [2d6=5, 2]
<Erin> A swift report echoes from Erin's gun! Peace-loving or not, she doesn't intent to let anyone take freebies at her!
<El-Cideon> Lucia takes a bullet in the thigh, grunting but not dissuaded from fighting back! Guns blazing, she fires off several swift shots at Erin!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 been forgetting PBS for her
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 been forgetting PBS for her and gets 15."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 and gets 15."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 and gets 11."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 and gets 12."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> OOC: that was sad.
<El-Cideon> More ricochets as her bullets rattle around the cavern, striking naught but stone! By the seal, Rena swings away at Kurou.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 and gets 26."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 and gets 15."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d100 and gets 26."12 [1d100=26]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+5 and gets 13."12 [2d6=6, 2]
<El-Cideon> More pained yelps from Suzume as Rena's blade finds her target--her knees buckle, but she remains standing. Kurou, if anything, remains quite entertained by the entire spectacle. "Good, very good! But you can you challenge me in my TRUE FORM? HAHAH--oh wait, I'm just a teensy, harmless little fox. Oops!" The blur that is Wakahisa grows smaller suddenly, but his taunt seems to have an effect on everyone around him somehow! OOC: will saves, all but Erin/Rena.
<El-Cideon>  OOC: will saves, all but Erin/Rena.
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+2 and gets 20."12 [1d20=18]
<Yomi> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+4 and gets 11."12 [1d20=7]
<Yomi> roll 2d6
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6 and gets 10."12 [2d6=6, 4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+6 rounds, both shaken this long (his charimsa and HD are manly)
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+6 rounds, both shaken this long (his charimsa and HD are manly) and gets 12."12 [1d6=6]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 19/63, Nadia: 51/58, Erin: 54/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Suzume (21, ???) >  Nadia (20, shaken 12 rounds) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA, shaken 12 rounds) > Lucia (9, webbed) > Rena (8, MA)'
<El-Cideon> Suzume turns to the blurred shape of her master, again intoning her magic--OOC: Nadia, believe you had an action ready?
<Nadia_Chekova> Shivering and stepping away from the blurry clawed mess, Nadia gets Suzume's attention with a knee to the stomach. "I said stop that!"
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+11 and gets 22."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hits
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d8+3
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d8+3 and gets 6."12 [1d8=3]
<El-Cideon> Suzume grunts and falls to her knees, but she's still conscious. "Master, I won't fail you!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 concentration
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 concentration and gets 16."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> But she chokes, her words lost amidst her own pain and dismay! OOC: Nadia again.
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: that actually takes my turn
<El-Cideon> OOC: derp. Erin, then!
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: so my init orders is moved to alongside Suzume for next round
<Erin> OOC: Before, really.
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 19/63, Nadia: 51/58, Erin: 54/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Nadia (Shaken 11 rounds) > Suzume (21, ???) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA, shaken 12 rounds) > Lucia (9) > Rena (8, MA)'
<Erin> Words didn't work, so Erin allows her gun to keep doing the talking for her! Another shot flies towards the spaniard!
<Erin> roll 1d20+10 i'm an ace marksman
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+10 i'm an ace marksman and gets 18."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: not this time~
<Erin> roll 2#1d6+2 don't tilde me
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 2#1d6+2 don't tilde me and gets 14."12 [2#1d6+2 = 6, 8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: better.
<Erin> roll 2d6
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 2d6 and gets 9."12 [2d6=3, 6]
<El-Cideon> "Grkl," is Lucia's eloquent counterpoint to being shot again. OOC: Yomi.
* Yomi stabs out at Wakahisa! It tempts to knock Suzume out, but that would likely not save her. Only taking her master down may give them this chance!
<Yomi> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+13 and gets 23."12 [1d20=10]
<Yomi> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+8 and gets 27."12 [1d20=19]
<Yomi> roll 2d6 first
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6 first and gets 9."12 [2d6=3, 6]
<Yomi> roll 1d20+8 crit?
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+8 crit? and gets 9."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: both hit with the AP, no crit obviously
<Yomi> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d100 and gets 9."12 [1d100=9]
<Yomi> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d100 and gets 76."12 [1d100=76]
<Yomi> roll 2d6+10
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6+10 and gets 19."12 [2d6=3, 6]
<El-Cideon> "Ow, that was a good one!" Kurou says, from somewhere closer to ground level now. Suzume merely screams, clutches her chest, and falls to the ground. OOC: She's out. Lucia's up.
<El-Cideon> "Jesus Christ, just once today I'm going to hit you!" Lucia yells as she unloads another barrage of bullets in Erin's direction.
<Yomi> "For making me dirty this sacred sword with your thrall's blood, you will die here today," Yomi swears to the fox.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 and gets 23."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 and gets 28."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 (she's using double tap and an action point here)
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 (she's using double tap and an action point here) and gets 21."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6 and gets 2."12 [2d6=1, 1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 and gets 14."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: AP avails her naught, I think? One hit?
<Erin> OOC: Yeah
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+1
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+1 and gets 7."12 [2d6=3, 3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 19/63, Nadia: 51/58, Erin: 47/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Nadia (Shaken 11 rounds) > Suzume (21, ???) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA, shaken 12 rounds) > Lucia (9) > Rena (8, MA)'
<El-Cideon> Most of the bullets veer around Erin's magical protection, but one strikes home, tearing a chunk out of her arm! OOC: Rena.
<Erin> "You've hit me!" yells Erin, clutching at her arm! "Just once is enough, dammit!"
<El-Cideon> Rena slashes away more at Kurou. "Please stop being a nuisance and let me hit you. I dislike being covered in burns and would like to go take a bath now."
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 and gets 13."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 and gets 17."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> But her blade finds nothing but air this time!
<El-Cideon> "Oh my," Kurou says. "I'm running out of girls more quickly that expected. But can you keep fighting me when you know it will hurt the poor, fallen maiden? What to do? Let's find out! Hey, you in the car! You should come down and join the party!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 concentration
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 concentration and gets 25."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> From the blurred shape, a jagged bolt of lightning flies towards Erin! OOC: ref
<Erin> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+6 and gets 9."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 106d yeah, that's not gonna do it, ow
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 106d yeah, that's not gonna do it, ow and gets Error: Number of sides must be integer greater than 0."12
<El-Cideon> roll 10d6 elec
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 10d6 elec and gets 35."12 [10d6=2, 2, 3, 6, 6, 5, 5, 1, 3, 2]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 19/63, Nadia: 51/58, Erin: 12/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Nadia (Shaken 11 rounds) > Suzume (21, ???) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA, shaken 12 rounds) > Lucia (9) > Rena (8, MA)'
<El-Cideon> Electricity shakes and sizzles Erin all over, jolting all throughout her body! OOC: Nadia
<Erin> Erin screams, a high-pitched and staggered wail that chokes off when the bolt is through!
<Nadia_Chekova> "Shut up and die!" Nadia screams at Wakahisa, pivoting into the space occupied by the fallen Suzume and brining her booted heel high into the air before she brings it painfully down on his head!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+11 flanking with Rena!
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+11 flanking with Rena! and gets 19."12 [1d20=8]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 2d6 action!
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 2d6 action! and gets 7."12 [2d6=3, 4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: nope. You're aiming for 26 right now. Shapechanging made him smaller.
<El-Cideon> But Nadia only stomps on stone! OOC: Erin.
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 19/63, Nadia: 51/58, Erin: 12/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Nadia (Shaken 10 rounds) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA, shaken 11 rounds) > Lucia (9) > Rena (8, MA)'
<Yomi> "Erin, how long does that vile link last?" Yomi calls over her shoulder.
<Erin> Erin manages to choke down a vial of bluish liquid that serves to undo much of the damage Wakahisa inflicted on her, but manages only a single word in response- "Hours!"
<Erin> roll 4d8+7 agh the pain
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 4d8+7 agh the pain and gets 28."12 [4d8=6, 8, 4, 3]
<Yomi> "Any way to disrupt it?"
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 19/63, Nadia: 51/58, Erin: 40/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Nadia (Shaken 10 rounds) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA, shaken 11 rounds) > Lucia (9) > Rena (8, MA)'
<El-Cideon> OOC: Yomi
<Erin> "Nnnnnnnnngh!"
<Erin> "Get her away from him- ah!"
* Yomi considers pressing the attack, but Erin's pain-filled words offer an alternative! She picks the fallen maiden up and retreats around the web to get her all the way into their stopped car!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 bite of opportunity
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 bite of opportunity and gets 23."12 [1d20=10]
<Yomi> OOC: He hits
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4+3 epic
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d4+3 epic and gets 4."12 [1d4=1]
<Yomi> OOC: DR2
<El-Cideon> Kurou manages an annoyed nip at Yomi's heel as she leaves, but she does manage to escape with the wounded Suzume. "Heyyyy, you're not playing fair now. Maybe you're learning!" OOC: Lucia
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 17/63, Nadia: 51/58, Erin: 40/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Nadia (Shaken 10 rounds) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA, shaken 11 rounds) > Lucia (9) > Rena (8, MA)'
<El-Cideon> Lucia, just growling at this point, empties her guns at Erin once again--*literally* empties them! The last shot just produces a *click*.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 and gets 21."12 [1d20=9]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 and gets 22."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 and gets 18."12 [1d20=1]
<Erin> OOC: ha, ha, ha
<El-Cideon> OOC: oops, void last. Not that it even matters.
<El-Cideon> "FUCK." OOC: Rena
<El-Cideon> "Stop talking," Rena says. "I liked you better when you just sat at home looking handsome."
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 and gets 14."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 and gets 14."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> But again, she misses completely. The Kurou-blur seems to pause, look around, take in the now-helpless Lucia. "Ah, drat. Now I'm totally out of girls. Well, there are plenty of fish in the sea."
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 concentration again, APing it if he has to
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 concentration again, APing it if he has to and gets 16."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 3d6 he does have to
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3d6 he does have to and gets 7."12 [3d6=4, 1, 2]
<El-Cideon> Now he vanishes from sight entirely! From where he stood: "You know what they say, live to fight another day?"
<El-Cideon> OOC: Nadia
<Erin> "Philandering scum! Enemy of women! Just wait until I get my hands on you, I'll shove your balls through a grater!" rages Erin, furiously, her Irish accent getting more and more pronounced. "Come back where I can skin you!"
<Nadia_Chekova> Nadia's hand lashes out from where his voice emanates, intent on keeping him from getting away! "Not so fast!" she growls!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+12 grab attack melee touch, this provokes an AoO
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+12 grab attack melee touch, this provokes an AoO and gets 14."12 [1d20=2]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 2d6 action!
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 2d6 action! and gets 7."12 [2d6=4, 3]
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d100 concealment applies as well I suppose, 50+ hits?
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d100 concealment applies as well I suppose, 50+ hits? and gets 52."12 [1d100=52]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 he'd rather not be grappled
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 he'd rather not be grappled and gets 24."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4+3 that gets her, I believe?
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d4+3 that gets her, I believe? and gets 7."12 [1d4=4]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 17/63, Nadia: 44/58, Erin: 40/54, Rena: 38/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Nadia (Shaken 10 rounds) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA, shaken 11 rounds) > Lucia (9) > Rena (8, MA)'
<El-Cideon> But Kurou snaps back at NAdia before she pull him into her grasp, breaking the spell of illusion around him. You now see a golden fox with nine lush tails waving about wildly as if of their own accord. "Oh, Nadia, you should've tried that when we were still friends~"
<El-Cideon> OOC: Erin
* Nadia_Chekova hisses and brings back her nipped hand. "In my country rabid dogs are put to sleep!"
<El-Cideon> "In your country they also fuck sheep!" He sing-songs back. "Oh wait, that's Erin."
<Erin> Erin pulls the lever and sends the train hurtling back a moment, then stops it one she thinks they're out of range of the accursed lifelink! "No more pawns for you, you.. you... Go mbí scian id shúilibh is dealg úcaire id thóin thiar!"
<El-Cideon> The silver aura around Kurou and Suzume breaks, as if a bubble bursting silently. OOC: Yomi.
<Yomi> The maiden thus rescued, Yomi strides back to Kurou with a menace that is almost tangible, doing her best to deprive him of one of his tails!
<Yomi> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+13 and gets 32."12 [1d20=19]
<Yomi> roll 1d20+13 crit?
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+13 crit? and gets 32."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> OOC: yes, very yes.
<Yomi> roll 4d6+20+1d10 ZAP
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 4d6+20+1d10 ZAP and gets 27."12 [4d6=1, 1, 1, 3][1d10=1]
<El-Cideon> "Ow! Owowowowow! Hey, it took me a century to grow those! You bitch!" There's more anger than amusement to his voice now as a bundle of fox tails tumble free to the ground! Lucia, meanwhile, fishes in her pockets for clips and slots them into her guns. OOC: Rena's up.
<Yomi> "It's alright. You deserve it," Yomi assures him with a smile full of that very same menace.
<El-Cideon> Rena takes up position next to Kurou, blocking him in, not wanting to let him slip away again. "You should not call Yomi unpleasant names!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 and gets 13."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 and gets 25."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 crit?
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 crit? and gets 20."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+5 no crit, sadly
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+5 no crit, sadly and gets 13."12 [2d6=3, 5]
<El-Cideon> Rena manages a good, sharp stab into his body. His golden fur is thoroughly stained with red now. "OW. Well, fine, if that's the way it's going to be, I'm taking someone with me! Who should it be? Choices!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d3
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d3 and gets 3."12 [1d3=3]
<El-Cideon> He turns and faces Rena. "How about you! You're the hottest thing on two legs here, after all!" Another gout of flame erupts from his mouth, this time at the German.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Rena hates ref saves
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Rena hates ref saves and gets 22."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 6d6 haha, she made it anyway
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 6d6 haha, she made it anyway and gets 24."12 [6d6=4, 4, 4, 5, 3, 4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: half to her
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Yomi: 17/63, Nadia: 44/58, Erin: 40/54, Rena: 26/60  Kurou (22, ???) > Nadia (Shaken 10 rounds) > Erin (16, MA) > Yomi (10, MA, shaken 11 rounds) > Lucia (9) > Rena (8, MA)'
<Yomi> "Stop making terrible puns while you attack my friends!" Yomi snaps. "You want an opponent? Here I am! Face me!"
<El-Cideon> Rena is engulfed in flames, but a quick dodge saves her from the brunt of the burst. OOC: Nadia
<Nadia_Chekova> No longer pussyfooting around, Nadia sincerely tries to hurt Kuro this time, grabbing at one of his tails while planting her heel on his back and kicking him away as she tries to rip it out!
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+12 and gets 18."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> OOC: alas
<El-Cideon> Again, he slips to the side just in time, sneaky little creature that he is! OOC: Erin, Yomi may as wel lstart lining too since Erin's likely out of the combat area?
* Yomi continues her assault on those lovely pelts marred with demon blood!
<Erin> OOC: I have a GUN
<Yomi> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+13 and gets 25."12 [1d20=12]
<Yomi> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+8 and gets 21."12 [1d20=13]
<Yomi> roll 2d6
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6 and gets 7."12 [2d6=4, 3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: you're also far enough for range penalties at this point, Erin!
<Yomi> roll 2d6+10
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6+10 and gets 17."12 [2d6=6, 1]
<Erin> OOC: Well, I could come forward again.
<El-Cideon> OOC: and yes, both hit.
<Yomi> roll 2d6+10 nice!
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 2d6+10 nice! and gets 20."12 [2d6=6, 4]
<El-Cideon> With a final squeal from the troublesome kitsune, Yomi's flashing sword rends him into pieces!
<El-Cideon> Lucia glances around the battlefield, seeing herself the only one standing on her side, and drops her guns with a muttered, "FUCK."
<El-Cideon> OOC: fight over. Presumably we pause here!
<Erin> Erin continuse to mutter to herself in Irish, though it soon trails off once she realises everything's over. "That.. that.. imbecile!" she explodes, pressing her hands against the window.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, thank goodness!" Nadia sags in relief that it's finally over, leaning against the shattered seal and catching her breath.
* Yomi scowls at the dismembered fox, and then stabs down, impaling his corpse to the ground!
<El-Cideon> "I am suddenly very glad that I did not have sex with him," Rena says, eyeing the remains.
<El-Cideon> ~