Weird Science

[Zephyrus]

<Aisutori> Jan 22 22:55:14 <Aisutori>   "They're easy to make in the morning and refrigerate well," She smiled.  She never made warm food.  The very notion of preparing a warm dish was verbotten in her house.
<Aisutori> Jan 22 22:58:37 <Kotono>   Taking one and eating, "Mmm!" It devours it quickly, "Nice!"
<Aisutori> Jan 22 23:02:35 <Aisutori>   "Did you find anything else out?  His people sent an assassin after a friend of mine yesterday," She looked very disappointed in that.
<Aisutori> Jan 22 23:07:11 <Kotono>   Kappa lower shis voice, "Something bad's happening way in the depths," he says back, whispering, "A few people are talking about Leviathan, and that Neptune's missing, and worse. I didn't go nearly as deep as I thought. It's said that Leviathan is a Gatekeeper to something horrible. Perhaps the land of the dead and Izanami, or perhaps Hell. No one agrees exactly, but it's known that
* Merc (~k@c-98-195-198-60.hsd1.tx.comcast.net) has joined #terrorofdunes
<Aisutori> Jan 22 23:07:12 <Kotono>   nothing good comes of him."
<Aisutori> Jan 22 23:12:04 <Aisutori>   "A land of the dead?  You think he might be acting as a vanguard rather than a gatekeeper?" A grim tone in her voice as she gazed at the slim fishman.
<Aisutori> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<@Kotono> "Anything is possible," The kappa says, "The rumors flow like the sea currents and twice as fast!"
<Aisutori> "What about his Voices?  Did you learn anything about them?  Or what he might be sending into the city?"
<@Kotono> "I've heard about a servant, but I don't know if it's a voice. Human-like, but it has the head of an alligator." Shaking that head, "Aaaah, good rice balls. You know creatures aren't normally like that, sooo."
<Aisutori> "Well, be careful, Kappa.  If you hear anything important, let me know." She got up, since it was getting close to school time.

----------------------------------------------------------

<@Kotono> Noriko gets home. Mother awaits, dressed in lab coat as is usual. "Noriko, I've been going over the scans I did of you. It seems that your structual integrity and underlying skeleton have increased in hardness and resiliency by approximately 7%. You say this is a result of that water?"
<Noriko> "Yes," Noriko confirms. "Unfortunately, we did not save any for anlysis. There was only enough for one person to drink a small amount."
<@Kotono> "Mmm, mmm, mmm," WIth another scowl, "I have a friend...one of the few good scientists left." With a snort as she holds up a sheaf of computer readouts, "Gather your friends up and go visit him - he wants to talk to all three of you."
<Noriko> "Of course. Who is he? Where will we find him? Are we expected at a certain time?"
<@Kotono> "His name is Robert Sasaki, this afternoon at 7 PM." Mother says, passing a slip of paper to Noriko, "His address is there."
* Noriko reads, memorizes, pockets the note. "I will retrieve my friends and go there after school. Will there be anything else, mother?"
<@Kotono> "That will be all," Mother says, "Good luck." OOC: Going to go tell your friends after school or at lunch or whatever?
<Noriko> OOC: Presumably as soon as I see them so that they can cancel whatever other insignificant plans they might've had for their evening.
<@Kotono> OOC: Do you ugys wanna chat about this or just skip along? Up to you three?
<Jin_> OOC: I'm all for skipping. Let's get to the action! We can chat as we walk or handwave relevant info
<Noriko> OOC: Skipping's okay by me unless someone else has something to share.
<@Kotono> OOC: Okay.
<Aisutori> OOC: *nods*
<@Kotono> Robert Sasaki's address leads to a secluded corner of town. Here a large house sits, surrounded by a well kept if sparse lawn. The front door looms over you, nothing but solid wood with a brass knocker.
* Noriko utilizes this object for its obvious function, and knocks three times.
* Jin_ looks the grounds over, wincing slightly from the soreness of last night's late training session. "So, who's this Sasaki guy again? Why did your mom send us to him?"
* Jin_ asks Noriko as he waits for someone to answer the door.
<Noriko> "I am unaware."
<@Kotono> Rap-rap-rap! On the third knock the door opens. You see a middle aged man with a pleasant smile on his face, wearing a dirty, slightly scorched lab coat. His hands are in his pockets, short blonde hair neatly trimmed. "Ah," he takes a glance over each of them, "Miss Matsumoto?"
<Noriko> "Yes. Mr. Sasaki?"
* Aisutori is patiently behind Noriko, figuring that she knows who they're talking about.  Not like it would be their first time meeting...or would it?
<@Kotono> "Aaaah!" He breaks into a smile, "How's Tomoko-chan doing? I haven't seen her in some time!"
* Jin_ places his hand on the pommel of his bokken, raising his eyebrows at the man's familiar manner with Noriko's mom.
<Noriko> "She lacks vitamin D due to spending insufficient time in daylight, but it is otherwise well. And yourself?"
<@Kotono> "Fine, fine." He steps aside, "You're Noriko's friends? Robert Sasaki."
* Noriko enters, allowing the others to introduce themselves.
<Aisutori> "That's right," Aisutori smiled at the older man, following Noriko in.  "She said you wanted to see us?"
* Jin_ nods. "Jin Bunkou. Nice to meetcha."
* Jin_ placidly follows Aisutori inside.
<@Kotono> Inside is a well enough kept living room - it looks too clean, like it's always taken care of and never lives up to it's name. Tea follows, and once you're all seated, "So, to get right to the heart of the matter, you've drank what could be casually called magic water?"
* Jin_ is tightlipped for once, sipping his tea and letting Noriko answer the questions. She drank the stuff, after all.
<Aisutori> "And I'm Aisutori Oikawa," She blinked at the statement, glancing around quite uncomfortably at the way he phrased that. "Ah...Noriko-chan did."
<Noriko> "We were informed that it was such, yes. It was found inside a giant pearl we located on the beach."
<@Kotono> "Giant pearl? Uh huh," He pauses to look to each of them, "I do understand why your mother sent you to me now. You see," Clearing his throat, "You see," He lowers his voice to a conspirator's whisper, "I'm a mad scientist who thinks magic exists."
* Jin_ blinks. "Oh, you're in good company then. We're all mad 'round here."
* Jin_ takes another sip of the excellent tea.
* Noriko can only shrug in imitation of human apathy. "Indeed. It would be foolish to deny a force I have seen in action."
<Aisutori> Aisutori nearly, but spit her tea at the sort of conspiritorial tone of it all.  People really were like that in this day and age?
<@Kotono> "Oh, the other scientists think I'm mad. Absolutely mad," he says it with a smiling face, "But I've seen it in effect myself. So...tell me about this pearl, this water and anything you know related to it."
<Jin_> "Out of curiosity, what good will that do you? It seems to me that it would be foolish of you to persist in a study of something that your fellow scientists think you mad in doing so. Even if you do believe in it yourself."
<@Kotono> "I believe magic can be studied and analyzed like any other art. It's simply a sphere of science that modern thought has yet to comprehend. What is penicillin to the people of two hundred years ago but magic? A flying plane? A tank?"
<Noriko> "There is nothing foolish in pursuing research one knows to be accurate, Jin," Noriko says.
* Jin_ shrugs. "I fail to see how magic can me studied and categorized, but who knows? Perhaps it can."
<@Kotono> "Indeed." Clearing his throat, "But let us not digress. About this pearl and water?"
<Noriko> "And I regret that we know very little about the source of this particular magic, Mr. Sasaki. We found the pearl on the beach. We were informed by a distant voice that drinking the contents of the pearl would improve the endurance of the imbiber. We proceeded to drink it and verified that effect. We know little more."
* Aisutori stays a bit quiet, not thinking Mr. Sasaki would be very polite if shown any magic.
<@Kotono> "I see, I see," He strokes his chin, "I have copies of your most recent scan and you've improved by 7%, I believe?" He pauses a split second later, as the door knocker is heard. "Ah, pardon me a moment."
<Noriko> "That was mother's estimate," Noriko confirms as Sasaki gets up.
<@Kotono> Going to the door, Mr. Sasaki opens it. Y ou can't see from here who's there, but you can hear him say, "Can I help you, ma'am?" A moment later the scientist staggers back, falling down hard, twitching as electricity crackles over him!
* Noriko leaps up instantly, whirling around to get a look at whoever this rude visitor is!
Session Time: Sun Jan 30 00:00:00 2011
* Jin_ drops his teacup, grabs his bokken, and instantly dashes to the front door!
* Aisutori gets up quickly at the hand of the zap, just a step behind Jin and Noriko.
<@Kotono> She steps in - tall, brown hair and chesty, with legs that go from here to forever. She wears a short yellow dress that clings to her body like a drowning man to a liferaft, as if her hips were all that kept it from the ocean-deep.  In one hand is a crackling stun-gun, looking in. "...well." she smirks, tapping her chin with one long finger, "Ah well, rotten luck for whomever you are. If you
<@Kotono> don't resist, it won't hurt much."
* Jin_ ran his eyes up and down the woman's lucious figure and whistled in appreciation, even as he sank into defensive stance. "Why do all the hot women in my life want to kill me?"
<Noriko> "I am incapable of feeling pain, so I am qualified in saying this will not hurt at all. For me. We were speaking peacably with this man and you had no business intruding in such a violent manner. Drop your weapon and explain yourself immediately."
<@Kotono> "Oooooh children," she drawls out the word, as if tasting it with her long, agile red tongue. "Dreams of resistance? I don't think you understand the situtation. So let me," her voice is a purr as she raises her stun-gun, "illuminate you!" With that she's moving, darting at the party! OOC: Someone's crashing the friendly chat, roll init.
<@Kotono> roll 2d6+8
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+8 and gets 19." [2d6=5, 6]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Ms. Stun Gun(19)'
<Aisutori> roll 2d6+7
* +Hatbot --> "Aisutori rolls 2d6+7 and gets 12." [2d6=1, 4]
<Noriko> roll 2d6+7
* +Hatbot --> "Noriko rolls 2d6+7 and gets 18." [2d6=5, 6]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Ms. Stun Gun(19)>Noriko(18)>Aisutori(12)'
<Jin_> roll 2d6+7
* +Hatbot --> "Jin_ rolls 2d6+7 and gets 17." [2d6=6, 4]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Ms. Stun Gun(19)>Noriko(18)>Jin(17)>Aisutori(12)'
<@Kotono> Her arm lashes out quickly, the stun gun going right at Noriko!
<@Kotono> roll 2d6 vs 8
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 vs 8 and gets 9." [2d6=3, 6]
<@Kotono> But she's a little too aggressive, the shocking instrument missing Noriko by a few inches! OOC: Noriko, go.
* Noriko slips under the woman's outstretched arm. A fist flashes out at her stomach, and after the blow Noriko will dart to one side for one of her friends to take a follow-up blow (teamwork!)
<Noriko> roll 2d6 vs 8
* +Hatbot --> "Noriko rolls 2d6 vs 8 and gets 5." [2d6=3, 2]
<@Kotono> roll 2d6 vs 6
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 vs 6 and gets 3." [2d6=1, 2]
<@Kotono> Like a rustling breeze she falls back, the fist weaved around! The woman's eyes are full of mirth and mocking as she does, "Child, you think you can touch me? You're ten years too young to think about it!" OOC: Jin.
* Jin_ narrows his eyes, letting the power of the Black Aspect fill him! His gaze turns obsidian and black mist wisps from his form! (+2 ACV) He darts forward with blinding speed, hoping to shatter the strange woman's kneecap and incapacitate her!
<Jin_> roll 2d6 vs 9
* +Hatbot --> "Jin_ rolls 2d6 vs 9 and gets 7." [2d6=3, 4]
<@Kotono> roll 2d6 vs 6
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 vs 6 and gets 7." [2d6=4, 3]
<@Kotono> OOC: DAmage?
<Jin_> OOC: triple damage using a trait+weapon, right?
<Jin_> OOC: If so, 21 damage. If not, 14 damage.
<@Kotono> With surprising speed Jin's blade lashes out! It hits the woman's kneecap square on, making her hiss in pain! Her eyes flash red, shocked by the heavy impact! OOC: Noriko, go.
<@Kotono> OOC: Or Aisutori. Dur.
* Aisutori stays a bit quiet as she keeps back, not crowding the doorway as she gathered her magic sending a small gout of ice forward to try and wrap around her arm and gun.
<Aisutori> roll 2d6 vs 7
* +Hatbot --> "Aisutori rolls 2d6 vs 7 and gets 7." [2d6=5, 2]
<@Kotono> roll 2d6 vs 6
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 vs 6 and gets 8." [2d6=6, 2]
<@Kotono> OOC: Damage?
<Aisutori> OOC: 21 damage
<@Kotono> The iceblast catches the woman and her stun-gun, freezing it over! Her eyes blaze red as her body shivers, growing taller! She reaches seven feet tall in an instant, body bulging, "Oh, you've made a mistake!" She snaps, "Children!" She takes several steps out the door, her eyes glowing! From them a pure blast flies out, right at Jin!
<@Kotono> roll 2d6 vs 8
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 vs 8 and gets 6." [2d6=3, 3]
<@Kotono> OOC: DCV.
<Jin_> OOC: Just asking for the value or for me to roll?
<@Kotono> OOC: Roll.
<Jin_> roll 2d6 vs 5
* +Hatbot --> "Jin_ rolls 2d6 vs 5 and gets 7." [2d6=1, 6]
<@Kotono> A pure blast of radiant red energy slams right into Jin's chest! It sends his clothing aflame, his chest burning like agony-fire! As her eyes glow, "Oh, you've made a big mistake, picking a fight with me!" OOC: 24 damage to Jin. Noriko.
* Noriko darts out the door. "The mistake is yours. It was a tactically poor decision to attack us when outnumbered three-to-one." Noriko rushes forward, sliding in low with a leg sweep.
<Noriko> roll 2d6 vs 8
* +Hatbot --> "Noriko rolls 2d6 vs 8 and gets 8." [2d6=6, 2]
<@Kotono> roll 2d6 vs 6
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 vs 6 and gets 8." [2d6=4, 4]
<@Kotono> OOC: Damage.
<Noriko> OOC: 16
<@Kotono> The leg sweep sends the woman down, slamming onto her back! "Shit!" she curses, trying to scramble up with one frozen arm, "Why the hell are the three of you even here, getting in my way!" OOC: Jin.
<Noriko> "We were having a pleasant chat. We were arrived first. If you wished to attack Mr. Sasaki, you should have chosen a better time."
* Jin_ yelps at the fire, wincing at the burns on his chest. He hastily rips his shirt from his body and prepares to attack! He dashes forward to the prone woman and leaps a few feet in the air, aiming to implant his bokken in the woman's stomach!
<Jin_> roll 2d6 vs 9
* +Hatbot --> "Jin_ rolls 2d6 vs 9 and gets 9." [2d6=5, 4]
<@Kotono> roll 2d6 vs 6
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 vs 6 and gets 11." [2d6=5, 6]
<@Kotono> OOC: Damage?
<Jin_> 18
<@Kotono> The woman takes the shot right in the stomach! She gasps as a good length of wood is plunged, staring at Jin's chest all the while! "You...stupid...CHILD!" she coughs, wobbling! OOC: Aisutori, go.
* Aisutori steps a bit further back away from the conflict as the air around the chills, primarily around Jin as she tries to put out the fire with colder air.
<@Kotono> The ice is promptly frozen, quenched out with pure cold power! As that danger is defanged, the woman reaches into her cleavage! She takes out a gray sphere, slamming it down! Smoke speads out in an explosion of mists, vision completely blocked! It's hard to breathe, cloying smoke spreaidng all over! OOC: None of you can see much and it's hard to breath. Noriko, you're up. Obviously the breathing
<@Kotono> part doesn't apply to you.
* Noriko darts into the cloud in the direction she'd last seen the woman. Wounded and barely standing as she was, hopefully she wouldn't have got far from her last known position. (OOC: just moving straight at the last place I saw her, continuing some ways past it. If I run into her, I'll try zapping her)
<Jin_> roll 2d6 vs 7 Body check!
* +Hatbot --> "Jin_ rolls 2d6 vs 7 Body check! and gets 6." [2d6=5, 1]
<@Kotono> roll 2d6 vs 4
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 vs 4 and gets 11." [2d6=5, 6]
* Kallen (~Carthrat@CPE-124-189-98-183.gziz1.win.bigpond.net.au) has joined #dunes
<@Kotono> What happens in the smoke is uncertain, but Noriko runs right into the assassin! OOC: Attack away with your ZAP.
<Noriko> roll 2d8 vs 8 OVERLOAD
* +Hatbot --> "Noriko rolls 2d8 vs 8 OVERLOAD and gets 8." [2d8=4, 4]
<Noriko> OOC: blurgh. Reroll, I presume.
<Noriko> roll 2d6 vs 8
* +Hatbot --> "Noriko rolls 2d6 vs 8 and gets 7." [2d6=6, 1]
* Rudy (~Carthrat@c122-107-250-100.eburwd9.vic.optusnet.com.au) Quit (Ping timeout)
<@Kotono> OOC: Neimi outta nowhere?
<Noriko> OOC: I rerolled because I accidentally used 2d8 the first time. I assumed that didn't count.
<@Kotono> OOC: Oh.
<@Kotono> roll 2d6 vs 6
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 vs 6 and gets 2." [2d6=1, 1]
<@Kotono> In the smoky fog little can be seen, but Noriko can't be sure if she hit anything! OOC: Jin, go.
<Noriko> "If you attempt to run again I will simply overtake you again," Noriko announces to the fog around her as electricity flares. "Surrender while you still live."
* Jin_ can still feel the woman wiggling at the end of his sword. "I don't know who you are lady, but if you don't surrender your cute little butt right now, I'll slice you open from stomach to throat." Jin makes his voice cold as possible. He's not sure if he can kill someone in cold blood, but it's better to threaten her into submission than be forced to take her out.
<@Kotono> "Surrender?" She groans that out, "Either way leads to death...so I'll at least take your with me!" she retorts quickly!
<Jin_> "Very well." Jin replies in a grim tone. Jin pushes the sword even deeper into her stomach and savagely thrusts upwards!
<Jin_> roll 2d6 vs 9
* +Hatbot --> "Jin_ rolls 2d6 vs 9 and gets 10." [2d6=5, 5]
<@Kotono> But Jin's grip is slippery, his palms sweating under the stress! He just can't quite bring up his blade to finish her! OOC: Aisutori.
* Aisutori stays back, not getting closer or sending more ice into the fray.  Without the ability to see, she's worried about hitting her friends.
<@Kotono> In the melee, as Jin can't quite land a shot and Noriko flails about in the smoke, the fog fades! You can see her now, impaled and red eyes flashing! Her gaze bores right into Jin, a point blank beam aimed at his face!
<@Kotono> roll 2d6 vs 8
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 vs 8 and gets 3." [2d6=1, 2]
<@Kotono> OOC: DCV.
<Jin_> roll 2d6 vs 5
* +Hatbot --> "Jin_ rolls 2d6 vs 5 and gets 8." [2d6=5, 3]
<@Kotono> Jin's face is bathed in pure flame as those beams hit right on him! The two are locked face to face, Jin given a bright red sunburn and then some! OOC: 24 damage. Noriko, you're up.
<Noriko> "If you will not submit then I have no choice but to eliminate you," Noriko announces as she whirls around behind and unleashes a savage chop at the woman's neck. "You have no one to blame but yourself."
<Noriko> roll 2d6 vs 8
* +Hatbot --> "Noriko rolls 2d6 vs 8 and gets 9." [2d6=3, 6]
<@Kotono> Despite closing in, Noriko can't land a decisive blow! Even impaled the assassin writhes about, neck avoiding robot justice! OOC: Jin.
<Jin_> Despite the pain of his injuries, Jin gives it one more shot! He grips his bokken tightly and attempts to rend the the woman-thing open!
<Jin_> roll 2d6 vs 9
* +Hatbot --> "Jin_ rolls 2d6 vs 9 and gets 3." [2d6=1, 2]
<Jin_> Damage 18.
<@Kotono> roll 2d6 she is still entitled to a DCV check at least.
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 she is still entitled to a DCV check at least. and gets 6." [2d6=3, 3]
<@Kotono> How it happens is something Jin will neve runderstand to his dying day...but her muscles tighten! Her stomach bleeds wildly as she clamps down, stomach and innards pressing hard enough to arrest the rise of Jin's wooden blade! Her eyes shine with fire as she coughs up, "Not...yet!"
<@Kotono> OOC: Aisuotori.
* Aisutori twitches slightly at the sight of how beaten Jin was, moving a bit to the side as she tried to get a good shot, gathering ice together as it began to twirl rapidly, spinning into a tight spike before flying quickly at her head.  OOC: Eek, Violent!
<Aisutori> roll 2d6 vs 7
* +Hatbot --> "Aisutori rolls 2d6 vs 7 and gets 9." [2d6=4, 5]
<@Kotono> Aisutori brings pure ice together, a spike going right at her head...and whizzing by! With a triupmhant smirk, "Now...come with me...to..." she gasps, eyebeams flashing bright once more!
<@Kotono> roll 2d6 vs 8
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 vs 8 and gets 9." [2d6=4, 5]
<@Kotono> But her head lolls as blood trickles out of her mouth! The beams arc to the side, hitting the wall of the house instead! Oh sure, there's a fire starting there from the obvious FIRE EYE BEAM IMPACT, but Jin is safe and sound! OOC: Noriko.
* Yuthirin (~Dis@c-71-194-208-215.hsd1.il.comcast.net) has joined #dunes
* Noriko rears back and kicks hard at the woman's back. If she aims right, it'll break bones and push her further onto Jin's weapon.
<Noriko> roll 2d6 vs 8 less bot trolling this time?
* +Hatbot --> "Noriko rolls 2d6 vs 8 less bot trolling this time? and gets 4." [2d6=1, 3]
<@Kotono> roll 2d6
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 and gets 4." [2d6=2, 2]
<@Kotono> It's a solid aim, but the woman brings up her frozen hand! The ice cracks all over it, but absorbs the massive impact! Sure, her wrist slams into her back and she probably dislocated her shoulder doing it, but she lives yet! OOC: Jin.
* Jin_ cries out, frustrated, "Just *DIE* already!" He pulls the sword out of her stomach and rears back, hoping to stave the woman's head in!
<Jin_> roll 2d6 vs 9
* +Hatbot --> "Jin_ rolls 2d6 vs 9 and gets 7." [2d6=4, 3]
<@Kotono> roll 2d6
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 and gets 4." [2d6=3, 1]
* Merc is now known as Merc-zzz
<@Kotono> Despite a near waterfall of blood, her eyes drooping mostly shut and her skin as clammy as death, the assassin clings to life against all odds! Somehow! "I...can't...die..." she gasps, drooling! OOC: Aisutori.
* Aisutori hisses a bit, "Jin, get back, let No-chan and I finish her."  She weaved her hands, gathering far more ice than normal, the room temperature dropping significantly as sheets of ice gathered around the woman's feet and in a rather broad sweep about her rose upwards and inwards, a swirl of ice rising several feet up.
<Aisutori> roll 2d6 vs 7
* +Hatbot --> "Aisutori rolls 2d6 vs 7 and gets 6." [2d6=5, 1]
<@Kotono> A swirl of ice appears, just seconds before another blast fires! The ice wall absorbs the beam, half melted but leaving Jin entirely safe! The dying assassin's eyes manage to open wide at the barrier, as half melted ice splashes about! OOC: Her attack got walled. Noriko.
<Noriko> "Everyone can die," Noriko says. "Let me demonstrate." A swift punch aimed at the back of the woman's head will hopefully put her down for good.
<Noriko> roll 2d6 vs 8
* +Hatbot --> "Noriko rolls 2d6 vs 8 and gets 7." [2d6=3, 4]
<@Kotono> roll 2d6
* +Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 and gets 8." [2d6=3, 5]
<@Kotono> Indeed, everyone can. The sound of metal fist on fragile head does exactly what yout hink it would! The woman stands bone still a moment, before crumbling away into a pile of fine dust! The only sound is the burning crackle of the house behind you. OOC: Free act.
* Jin_ takes one look at the house and flails. "Crap! Ai-chan, put that fire out! Noriko, help me drag the Doc out!"
<Noriko> "Aisutori! The house is on fire. Extinguish it at once." Noriko rushes back inside to drag Mr. Sasaki to safety.
* Jin_ dashes over to the doorway and grabs the older man's ankles, trying to yank him out!
* Aisutori looks, trying to see how much fire is going on as she dashes from where she'd been along the doorway of the house outside.
* Noriko grabs Sasaki underneath his arms and, with Jin, maneuvers the prone man out to the lawn.
<@Kotono> There's a merry little fire on the awll besides the door. Only a foot or two large so far, but it's doing what fires do and spreading! If it isn't stopped soon...Meanwhile Mr. Sasaki is dragged out, groaning and twitching!
* Aisutori gazes at it a bit disturbedly with her eyes as an ice dome forms over it...and most of the wall around it, pretty much ensuring even if it doesn't go out, it'll melt enough water onto it to put it out.
<@Kotono> OOC: Make a soul check? This is pretty easy for you but not quite a foregon conclusion.
<Aisutori> roll 2d6 vs 11
* +Hatbot --> "Aisutori rolls 2d6 vs 11 and gets 2." [2d6=1, 1]
<@Kotono> The ice appears, cold meeting hot! The natural thing happens, the ice melting and the fire quenching! The ice barely even melts, frozen like armor! Meanwhile Mr. Sasaki groans, rubbing his chest, "What...happened?"
* Jin_ rises painfully to his feet. "Noriko, see to Sasaki. I'll be right back." He limps over to the pile of dust and toes through it, looking for something to confirm his suspicions that this thing was indeed from Crimson Wind.
<@Kotono> Looking through the dust, Jin finds a mostly scorched marble, just like the last one.
* Jin_ bends down and picks up the marble. "This is getting highly annoying."
* Noriko kneels on the lawn by the scientist. "You were attacked by a member of an assassin clan. We have since disposed of her. Are you alright Mr. Sasaki? Can you think of who might want to attack you? Do you have any enemies?"
<@Kotono> "That's absurd?" Rubbing his head now as he sits up, "Ugh, why would someone try to kill me!?" He slowly manages to stand up, "For that matter, what happened ot you, Jin? You look liked you were right besides a reactor core that went critical!"
* Jin_ limps back over to Noriko and motions for Aisutori to join them. He holds up the scorched marble. "Crimson Wind. Again."
<Noriko> "I do not, but you were clearly the target. The assassin was surprised to find us here."
<Noriko> *do not know
* Jin_ is trying very hard to ignore his burns and pains. "You believe in magic, right? This assassin was from an organization called Crimson Wind. They seem to be creatures of fire. Or perhaps humans who have given up their human forms for the ability to wield fire. I dunno."
<Aisutori> "Why were THEY here?" Aisutori looked a bit more lively with the fire gone.  "What could they possibly want with a scientist we just happened to be talking to?"
<Jin_> "That's why I look extra-crispy."
* Aisutori hopes Mr. Sasaki ignores the rather obvious icewall attached to the side of his front door.
<Noriko> "Could it be related to his studies? Might there be someone who fears the conclusions his research might reach?"
<@Kotono> "I don't know right away," Rubbing the side of his head now, "But I have some burn medication inside."
<Jin_> "That would be welcome. Neither my parents nor Gramps are going to be happy with me, coming home looking like this." Jin offers a hand to Sasaki. "Let's go, then."
<Noriko> "I am certain that they will be satisfied with you coming home victorious and alive."
<@Kotono> Inside a gentle blue balm is applied to Jin! It numbs the burns, restoring the worst of them! Once that's done the doctor sits heavily down, "You know these assassins?" OOC: +10 HP for Jin.
<Noriko> "We encountered one of them just days ago, although in that instance their target was specifically one of us."
<Jin_> "My family has had dealings with them before. They're a clan of assassins from China. It seems odd that one of them should target one of us and then you, Dr. Sasaki. What sort of research have you been doing? Perhaps your search for knowledge is endangering your life."
<@Kotono> "...hm, no obvious pattern spring to mind, but the same assassins..." he murmurs, "I'm studying magic and technology. For example, using spectrographs to analyze the mystic properties of magic as it passes through a scrying prism, or using computer to analyze sets of prophecies to find similar events and clarifications between connected texts, or finding numerologically prime 'random' methods
<@Kotono> that exceed average to manipulate fast moving data."
<Jin_> "In other words, you're attempting to bring order and reason to mysticism, are you not?"
<@Kotono> "Yes," He agrees to that, "If I can detect the method behind the mystical madness, that's one step further to understanding it."
<Aisutori> "Have you published anything recently?" Aisutori wondered.  She didn't think they were psychic, at least, she hoped not.  It couldn't be about experiments he hadn't talked about.
<Noriko> "As you cannot think of individuals that would bear ill will towards you, I can only conclude that someone wishes to stop your research. Could we narrow the list of suspects by considering who would feel threatened by these ideas?"
* Jin_ smiles wryly. "My clan has attempted to understand the source of our powers for centuries and we're barely any closer than we were when we first began. Good luck to you."
<@Kotono> He pauses, "I haven't...most journals won't touch me." He admits, "They scoff at magic, to that part of the world everything cna be explained already. I haven't been published in a few years. Threatened?" He pauses and smiles, "Every scientist who opposes me is threatened. They're afraid...if magic is real, then the basic underpinnings of science are endangered. But if I can understand magic..."
<Jin_> "Then mankind will have taken a drastic step towards understanding the universe much better than we do now. I personally don't think it's possible. Perhaps some people don't like the idea of magic becoming common knowledge."
<Noriko> "Jin may be correct about that: perhaps someone wishes to continue being able to work in the shadows, which they might find difficult with their abilities better publicized and understood?"
<@Kotono> "Possibly." He admits, "When a normal person finds out about magic, there's usually one of two reactions. themost common is fear. People fear what they don't understand. It makes them irrational and afraid. It disempowers them." He pauses a moment, "A few accept it and work with it, like the three of you. If someone thinks I can do this..." He starts to smile, "In a way, then the assassination
<@Kotono> attempt is a compliment. The most backhanded compliment ever, but it means someone thinks I can do this."
* Jin_ rolls his eyes. "Less basking in creepy satisfaction, more worrying for your life, man."
<@Kotono> "Oh right. Less mad scientist," He clears his throat, "Hm. So the basic question is why were the both of us targeted, and have we been the only targets?"
<Noriko> "I know of no other targets. these are the only two incidents we have personally been a part of. While I have not heard of others, it is not a type of incident I have taken care to listen for. I could research recent news for items relating to sudden deaths possibly caused by assassinations?"
<Jin_> "Like I said, my family has had some dealings with these assassins in the past. They might be holding a grudge or perhaps an employer of theirs does. I have some siblings that are holed up somewhere for protection, but I'm the only one they seem to be after so far."
<@Kotono> He nods and rubs his chin, "IT doesn't add up. Why me? Why you?" He frowns even more at it, before rising. "Before losing myself to pondering that, let's do what you came here to do, Noriko. If you three would follow me?"
* Jin_ rises to his feet, a little less sore than he was, and followed the good doctor.
<Noriko> "Of course. Lead the way. And do you have somewhere safe to stay, Mr. Sasaki? In case the assassins try again."
<@Kotono> "I do." He smiles as you go to a stairway going down. Once you're down past it, a slat slides over, sealing the way you came! It's made of what looks to be solid steel, little lights shining on it! Below you can see space..loooots of space! A huge laboratory is about, riddled with strange things. Crystal balls go next to microscopes, heavy tomes back to back with computers, diagrams of other
<@Kotono> worlds next to posters of the galaxy.
<Aisutori> "You know...I wouldn't have expected this down here," Aisutori admitted.
* Jin_ looks around, wide-eyed. "You weren't kidding about the mad scientist schtick, were you?"
<@Kotono> "Oh yes," he rubs his hands together, "Noriko, Tomoko-chan has her own setup...after all, she's a genius herself. Well, we never agree about magic but she admits it exists. She's a good, passionate scientist who the orthodoxy...oh, nevermind, off track." Mr. Sasaki chuckles, "This way."
<Noriko> "Mother has much to say about the scientific establishment and virtually all of it is disparaging," Noriko confirms as she walks. "Although I admit that this is attitude is not strictly limited to the scientific community."
<@Kotono> In one corner is a metal bed with leather straps. Above is is a glass orb connected to a great, gun-like metal protrusion from the ceiling. In that orb lightning crackles, "Ah, if you'd just lie down and let me strap you in?"
<Noriko> "Of course." Noriko lies on her back on the bed as instructed.
* Jin_ eyes the contraption dubiously. "...that doesn't look very safe."
<@Kotono> "It's perfectly safe," Strapping in goes, a moment later the doctor going to the side! A switch is there, flipped casually! Lightning erupts from the orb, dancing around Noriko before flowing into her like streamwater! For a moment she glows electric, before the sensation passes. Noriko feels a little hyper for a few moments, but nothing else. "Mmm-hmm, now I'll have to check the electrographs
<@Kotono> and the seisom..."he mutters, pausing just a second to unstrap Noriko.
<Noriko> "Rest assured that I am unharmed," Noriko tells her friends. "I actually feel as though I have recharged."
* Jin_ shakes his head. "I'll take your word for it, No-chan. "It still looks scary."