2023-01-28 - Uninvited Party Guest
| Title: Uninvited Party Guest | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Kyouka is hosting a party for her friends (and using it as an excuse to cook a bunch of food!) But the fun and games is interrupted by the arrival of mysterious spell caster. What could she be after? | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Shitamachi Low City (Shitamachi Low City) | |
| OOC - IC Date: 1/28/2023 - Saturday, February 13, 2016 | |
.**************************** Shitamachi Low City *****************************.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* Shitamachi Low City +*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
The traditions that the Shitamachi cultural region keeps alive were ancient
long before the Shogun turned the fishing town of Edo into Tokyo, "Eastern
Capital." The area has evolved greatly since then, but though Shitamachi is
a highly modernized metropolis, its traditions somehow coexist with bullet
trains, research universities, and electronics markets. The occasional
person in kimono and sandals will wait at the crossing alongside salarymen
in business suits. Compared to Yamanote, there are more bicycles, family
businesses, and food carts, and fewer scooters, corporations, and
convenience stores. Certain wards in Shitamachi can be just as dense and
urbanized as anything in Yamanote, but there's a tendency toward low-rise
apartment complexes in the residential areas, and office buildings rather
than office towers in the commercial.
The distinction between Shitamachi and Yamanote is messy, both
geographically and demographically, but significant enough that it remains
the most significant cultural divide in Tokyo. Shitamachi people, as a
whole, take themselves less seriously, and have a stronger sense of
community that feeds upon their active street culture of markets, shops, and
festivals. They may not be fashionable, but they are /fun/. The Juuban
public schools, undistinguished but in some ways better off for it,
exemplify this plebeian joie de vivre quite well. The Shitamachi dialect is
less distinct than it used to be, but it is still a force to be reckoned
with, with a broader, less refined, and more energetic sound to it than
standard Japanese.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
It's party day! Kyouka's extended invites to all of her friends (magical and non-magical alike) to come over, hang out, and have a good time. The stated occasion? She wants to share some of the cultures she's picked up living all over the world, and is inviting her friends to bring things to share from Japan: shows, music, games, and so on, but most importantly, themselves!
Kyouka and her mother currently reside in a modest two-story house somewhere in the Shitamachi district. Even from outside, the faint thumping of music promises a lively atmosphere. Inside guests are greeted by a brightly lit open floorplan living room and kitchen, allowing chatter and the tantalizing smell of food to freely carry back and forth. Kitchen banter and food prep provides an undercurrent of noise and activity to the playlist, which is currently shuffling between American rock, folk music, and whatever else has been added by guests. On the TV, for the moment, is a slideshow showing a mix of pictures from all over the world, from camping places to street bazaars to festivals.
All of the activity in the kitchen has produced a cornucopia of food. A table is filling up rapidly with bite-sized servings, with a globe-spanning buffet on offer: a tray of Sliders, a sliced up New York-style pizza, samples of ceviche (freshly caught and prepared), a plate piled with Korean hotteok, and much more. Each dish has a little card naming and describing the dish, noting the major ingredients, and it even has a spiciness rating. But there's a little something for everyone, no matter the diet or dietary restrictions.
Was this whole party an excuse for Kyouka to cook a bunch of food for her friends?
Absolutely.
The kitchen area is loosely defined by a freestanding counter, and behind it two people are furiously completing the last of the food prep. Kyouka Okazaki is there, grinning as she juggles multiple tasks at once, occasionally referencing a notebook to make sure she stays on track. The athletic girl is a bit taller than after (by Japan's standards), her short, unruly hair dyed black with purple streaks. She's doffed her uniform for jeans and a t-shirt, along with a white apron. Strike Wolf is still comfortably on her right wrist, a small five-sided purple gem siting atop a black leather bracelet.
Working beside her is her mother, Yuki Okazaki, Ohtori's newest dance instructor. She's of average height, her long, straight black hair tied back in a ponytail. She's dressed in slacks and a blouse, and a matching white apron. The two of them, for the moment, have a comfortable, coordinated dynamic: They seamlessly move around each other, chatting and bantering back and forth as they verbally coordinate their efforts.
The last resident of the house is Wolfy, a lively and energetic Siberian husky with a black and white coat and bright blue eyes. He has taken up the self-appointed task of greeter: every new arrival is greeted by excited barks, requiring Kyouka or Yuki to run over from the kitchen to hold him back so the guests can be let in. Wolfy seems to universally like everyone, sniffing and then greeting them with nuzzles.
A few guests have already arrived, and Kyouka is doing her best to chat with them from the kitchen as she and her mother work to finish the last few dishes.
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"Hi," Setsuna greets mildly as she comes to the door. "May I come in?"
Once welcomed, it becomes clear: Setsuna Higashi has brought Japanese donuts (they have hearts for holes!) and pop music! And when she arrived... she naturally went near the food first. Pictures from all over the world, though... She marvels some at it; these are places she could go! Here on Earth!
Setsuna.. does not have many dietary restritions, as it happens. So she's been trying everything!! Today she is dressed in a long red sweater and a short purple skirt, with boots and tights. Her purple hair is down, very long by now; she hasn't cut it more than a nice trim in quite a while now. She is not so seamless in her movements around others; she has to think about it, fairly clearly.
She bows politely to Yuki as well. "Thank you for the invitation." She is quiet, but it's visible in her eyes--she actually is happy to be here.But she immediately gravitates, after a bite of ceviche, a slider, some hotteok, and a drink... towards Wolfy!!
Pet dog. "This is very impressive," she says.
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
Nori Ankou lives in a 1.5BR sort of apartment in downtown Shibuya. It's very luxe. She got a special deal, as one does. But do you know what she has? Thanks to a contest in Ohtori?
A WHITE
AMERICAN
CAR
Fortunately, she's never driven it out in the inaba. But she even has a license... helped, perhaps, by the coaching of someone who's come with her.
Nori shows up perhaps ten minutes after Setsuna, and she comes in with what looks like a fur stole tucked into the same coat she wore for that trip into the woods where she met Wolfy recently. She is carrying a sealed and opaque black stoneware pot, something recent from a modish sort of department store, which does not immediately reveal its contents. As she gets close to the door, the fur stole peeks up, revealing BATISTE, her cousin.
She taps at the door. And when admitted, she says, "Good afternoon~" as she steps in, hopefully before the dog bodychecks her again.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Once everything's set up, Kyouka ditches the apron for a long-sleeved flannel shirt, and switches into full on 'party hosting' mode: chatting up guests, getting drinks for people, and of course, answering the door (assisted by Wolfy, of course.)
She grins when she sees Setsuna at the door. "Setsuna-chan! So glad you could make it!" She ushers her friend in, giving her a one-armed side hug since her hands are full. "Let's see... donuts? Awesome. Thanks! I've got a place for these. And you've got music, too? Cool. My mom can help you get that setup."
"Hey Mom, this is my friend Setsuna Higashi. Setsuna-chan, Yuki Okazaki. She teaches dance at Ohtori. I'll be right back." Kyouka vanishes to go retrieve a folding table.
Yuki smiles, "This is certainly interesting music you've brought. Say, haven't I seen you before? You were hanging out with some friends who have a dance troupe, right?"
Kyouka answers the door for Nori when she arrives. "Ankou-chan! Don't worry, I've got hold of Wolfy this time." And indeed she's half bent over, holding Wolfy back. "Back, boy. Back."
"Here, let me take that for you... Oh! And is this..." Kyouka takes the pot and then bows a little. "It's nice to meet you, Batiste," she says in a quiet voice. "I'm Kyouka Okazaki." To Ankou she says, "Tell Wolfy 'gentle' and they should be fine. I'll be right back."
Kyouka's off to go put the pot on a folding table that's been set up, that includes both Setuna's box of donuts and a couple of other items.
Wolfy, throughout all of this, is taking attention from anyone he can get it from.
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Setsuna arrives before Nori!! It's very nice. It means she's here when she arrives! But first:
"I also am," Setsuna answers Kyouka, as to being glad she made it. Side hug! Setsuna returns it. "Good!"
Setsuna smiles back. It's small, but it's there; she might've seen Setsuna's expressions before when she saw her before; understated, as a rule. "Yes!" she answers. "My friends dance together." A pause. "Sometimes to this music!"
She has a chance to chat a little, probably, and while she's quiet, she is happy to be here.
...But as it turns out, she gravitates towards Wolfy. "Hello," she says to him seriously, and begins petting.
"Hi, Nori-chan," she says when she arrives. And she nods happily to Batiste, too!
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
"Hello!" Batiste tells Kyouka while giving Wolfy a bit of a whale-eye. He decamps into something with some height so he's not at dog level immediately, resting on his haunches. "Should I stay quiet around your maman, Miss Okazaki?" Nori, on the other hand, surrenders the pot - which has a faint smell of something savory - before she gives Wolfy a vigorous petpetpetpetpetpetpetpetpetpetpet and smiles at Setsuna.
"Gentle, gentle," Nori coos. "I hope that you enjoy the soup - it's something rather like Caribbean, but I learned to make it and it's lovely!"
(It's basically this, but with tuna steak - and not a TON of it - instead of beef: https:'en.wikipedia.orgwikiSoup_joumou)
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Yuki does make some small chat with Setsuna, inquiring about herself and the music she brought, keeping the topic light. If she notices anything about how expressive Setsuna is (or isn't), she doesn't say anything.
Wolfy, meanwhile, is very glad to see Setsuna again, barking happily and giving plenty of affection in return for the pettings, along with much happy tail wagging.
Kyouka gives Batiste an apologetic smile. "Sorry Batiste-san, but that would be for the best. I've got non-magical friends here, too." And indeed, Setsuna should recognize a few faces from the track team, for instance.
Yuki shows up to take the pot from Kyouka just after she's taken it from Nori. "Here, let me get that for you, dear." She pauses. "Ahh... Ankou-san, correct? Kyouka, you didn't tell me you were friends with a model."
Kyouka rolls her eyes, "Moooom, just because I'm not into fashion doesn't mean I can't know people that area. Anyway, Ankou-chan, meet Yuki Okazaki. She's a teacher at Ohtori."
"Of course dear. I'll take care of this, you tend to your guests." She heads over to the folding table with the pot.
"Thanks!" Kyouka kneels next to Wolfy and gestures Batiste down. "Wolfy, this is Batiste-san. He's a friend. Be gentle. Batiste-san, meet Wolfy. He won't bite." Wolfy sniffs at Batiste, and then gives him a nuzzle and a lick.
After properly making introductions, Kyouka spends some time circling among her guests, making introductions, delighting in what they've brought.
Wolfy continues to announce the arrival of guests, until one time where he runs to the door and barks, then stops to sniff... and then begins to growl. It's brief, though, as a moment later he lets out a confused whine and then a yawn. He promptly wanders off. He runs out of steam pretty quickly though, laying down on the floor and curling up. Must be tired from all that running and barking.
Everyone at the party seems to suddenly take Wolfy's cue, and one by one they either nod off in their seats, or find a spot on the floor to lay down.
They say yawning is contagious, but this is ridiculous.
Those who are perceptive to magic, meanwhile, notice a cause that isn't a contagious yawning spree: a fine green mist is billowing throughout the house. It carries with it a wave of heat and the urge to rest, and from the way it moves, it seems to have started at the front door. It's possible to resist the siren call of slumber, especially once the cause is noticed, though it seems to be passing quickly regardless.
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Small chat!! Setsuna is not very big on sharing new topics but is happy to answer questions and comment when prompted. It is nice. She likes Yuki, she thinks.
But when she eventually moves on, Setsuna finds herself staying with Wolfy for a little while. She talks sometimes to the other guests, too; they come over to say hello to her, or else to likewise pet the dog. But she can't monopolize Wolfy, so she makes her way to the food again, and... snacks. Powerfully snacks.
Eventually, though, when Wolfy barks, Setsuna turns to him and tilts her head. "Is something wrong?" she wonders.
And then--
The green mist. Setsuna frowns sharply, and punches her hands together lightly to wake herself up a little bit. She can resist mostly through willpower, at this rate; she is a stubborn girl, trained in Labyrinth. But even if she resists...
"What's happening?" she wonders, looking around. She starts to go for her Linkrun, but doesn't transform just yet.
"Everyone...?"
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
Batiste answers Kyouka with a clasp of his paws. "Of course. I am quite good at playing this game. Let's chat some other time, is that so?" And he then squeeps adorably and starts to get carried into the kitchen in Nori's arms -
"It's good to meet you, Okazaki-san," Nori says to the Mother. "Would you like to meet Batiste?" Batiste, lowered for introductions, accepts the lick with only a little spluttering, and reaches out to pat Wolfy on the snoot for a moment, emanating friendship between carnivores.
And then...
Others begin to fade. Nori, who at that point had her shoulder against a wall to chat glamorously with another guest, simply seems to nod off. This may be something she does at times, with her hectic lifestyle as a model.
Batiste has his 'merde' far more together. Ater straightening up and looking around, his paws rest on either side of his head for a moment in anxiety before he starts to jab Nori in the side. After a couple of attempts, he hits a nerve center and Nori twitches, and then says, "what-- huh?"
Batiste stage-whispers to her, "There is something going on--!"
"But it's just so - wait," Nori says, struggling herself mostly awake. She may need a few more moments.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka smiles to Batiste as he mentions chatting another time, "Definitely!" Wolfy, meanwhile, gives Batiste a happy bark as the otter pats his muzzle, giving an affectionate nuzzle in return before wandering off.
Kyouka is, of course, doing her best to circulate among all of her guests, and to make sure everyone's having a good time. That includes checking in on Setsuna to make sure she's okay--and a couple of the aforementioned track members also say hi, of course.
Not that Kyouka can fault the other girl for wanting to spend time with Wolfy, of course. Though with so many new people around, Wolfy is a bit hard to pin down for too long, wanting to go off and run around and take in all the interesting new scents.
But something is seriously wrong, and all of the non-magical guests are going down really quickly. Setsuna manages to resist through sheer willpower. Nori, on the other hand, needs an assist from Batiste. Kyouka was in the kitchen getting a drink when she feels the wave of heat and quickly puts the bottle she was pouring from down. "Wh-..."
It's not just her, it's everyone, it seems. "Strike Wolf," she says with a yawn. "Is this magical?"
<Error,> says the device. <Unable to complete query. User credentials revoked.>
"What?!" That momentary alarm only lasts a moment, and all too soon she's slumped over the countertop, attempting to keep even the most tenuous hold on consciousness.
The mist clears after a moment, though the guests that have fallen asleep remain asleep, for the moment. A voice starts talking from outside the front door, and it sounds mirthful as the door starts to open.
"...I'll just get our device, grab a little snack, and nobody will be the wiser~"
The door finishes opening, and in the doorway stands a woman who appears to be in her 20's. She has bright red hair, green eyes, and is wearing a plain black dress, heels, and... what may appear to be a lab coat of some sort.
The intruder pauses as she sees several people still awake. "Oh. Rather persistent lot we have here. Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt anyone, but I really can't have you remembering I was here, so..." She holds up her hand, and a bright green circle appears, inscribed with runes. It's distinctly Midchildan. "This won't hurt a bit."
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Setsuna is fine, when Kyouka checks on her; she's okay, even having a good time! She ends up chatting some more with the track members, too, though they know her well enough that it's easier to talk to them too.
But when something ends up wrong...
Setsuna hears Kyouka's question, and she hears the return to it. That's concerning. "Nori-chan," Setsuna says, "Batiste!"
"Kyouka-chan...?" She looks towards Kyouka first, starts to move towards her... until that voice starts to speak, and in the doorway--
"....You!"
Setsuna recognizes her, all right--not personally, but from the descriptions! And that's more than enough to--
"No!" Setsuna calls. "Nori!"
Then she charges the intruder outright. She could try to transform first--but she might not have time. Better to buy Nori the time to for sure. With a shout, Setsuna moves from her charge into an outright tackle to try to pre-empt the spell, shoulder-first!!
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
With more poking and a little biting, Nori remains mostly awake. Enough that when Kyouka receives that error message, she and Batiste are both alarmed enough that when the intruder manifests, she straightens up and says, "You -- What are you doing? You are behind this? With the mists? But --"
And she begins to summon up a magical circle.
REMEMBER A MINUTE AGO, when Nori was leaning against a doorway.
When magic appears, Nori says "eep!" and turns her way around, putting herself behind a wall, albeit a thin one and out of immediate peril from the sight of Setsuna. Batiste says, with anxiety, "Higashi--"
Nori reaches into her bag and clasps onto a handle. "I know," Nori answers. "Shine forth, O Pharos--"
There is a strange flash of cold light.
(La Sirene, manifested, runs through the sitting room and takes the other hook round into where people had been gathered. She learned this route when she had to go use the bathroom for a moment earlier.)
And so it is that she appears, not quite behind, but to the side of the enigmatic older woman. Leaning against the doorframe again, la Sirene says, "I think you're lying. I think you want to take precious things from people. I've heard that one before. If you're so eager for precious things, and it's not hurtful, maybe we should take yours." We? The royal we? Does she mean the otter too?
"That would be fine, wouldn't it? Or would you dislike that? Eh?" la Sirene says, eyes widening. With a flip of her hair, and a huge breath out, she steps forwards. "If all that you are after is food - take it! Eat your fill and depart! But I suspect your goal is something deeper... PHANTOM FOX!"
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka may or may not be watching all of this happening. She's determined, but she's also inexperienced still with magic. And with Strike Wolf seemingly incapable of offering assistance at the moment...
Strike Wolf, for his part, quietly notes, <Attempting to restore credentials. Processing...>
The mystery visitor, meanwhile, is still prepping her spell when Setsuna does perhaps one of the only things she couldn't have predicted. She goes for a tackle. She's tracking Nori's movement, at the time, actually, which proves to be her undoing in that moment. By the time she's switched attention back to Setsuna, she has just enough time to go, "What the--"
Her hand tries to move to point at Setsuna but the other girl is already upon her, and they both go down hard. Perhaps harder for the stranger than for Setsuna, who is more used to close quarters combat.
The stranger is immediately pushing at Setsuna and trying to get out from under her. "Unhand me you crazy brute! Just be a good girl and go to sleep like the rest, and I'll be on my way!"
But then La Sirene appears, and the stranger stops struggling when she sees...
"Shit. A magical girl?!" The stranger grits her teeth, and finally just flings Setsuna off with a spell so she can stand up. (It's a gentle fling, however. Just enough to get free of her.)
Up comes the hand, pointed directly at La Sirene. A far more complicated spell circle appears at it--whatever it is, it's not the spell she was prepping before. "I see my reputation precedes me. But really, I meant what I said. I'm just here for one thing..." And at that, a glance of her eyes betrays her--she looks directly at Kyouka, before turning her attention back to the bigger threat. "I'm after something that was stolen from me. I'm really not here to cause any trouble."
But her jaw is tense, and there's a quiver in her hand, a slight tremble in her voice. She's outmatched, and she knows it.
You have invited Mai Tokiha to +join or +summon you.
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Setsuna does her very best!!
...And thanks to Nori, it's enough. Oh, before Nori goes, she does pretty well in terms of a physical confrontation; she seems to be strong enough to keep the stranger at bay at first. "No!" Setsuna answers helpfully.
But then La Sirene appears, and while Setsuna is flung off by the spell, it isn't so violently as she might've been. Is that luck? Intention? Or...?
La Sirene has the stranger busy for a moment, and by the time Nori's finished talking and the phantom fox(?) looks back, Cure Passion has appeared in a flash of red light! Now there are two magical girls!
And--
"Wait," Cure Passion says, "You're.."
She frowns. "You're the mage who stole Strike Wolf?" she asks, looking to La Sirene to be sure. "You can't steal something from someone who stole it first!"
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
The mystery visitor turns to face la Sirene. An emissary from another world, here to challenge and encourage the people of Earth and their resistance to the forces of evil...
It isn't quite like that, but for a moment, as the enemy seems to quail - la Sirene, or Nori Ankou, goes 'kyahhh' in her heart.
Externally, her face is blue-eyed steel, and her left hand had come up, in the sign of Les Mysteres, her right held ready. Spell would go against spell, but the foe chooses wisely. She does not lower her hand much, but it is steered away from the enemy - a conditional sign of trust. "Explain yourself," la Sirene says. "And quickly. Perhaps you meant little ill, but to do these things is dangerous. Were they all in their bed, perhaps it would not be, but what if they had been cooking with fire? A flame is knocked over. Your business conducts as the flame spreads... do you see?"
"Fire safety," la Sirene says, "is the business of all."
She glances at Cure Passion. Then back to 'Phantom Fox.' "An original owner? Were you yourself robbed?"
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
The stranger isn't letting her guard down, but she's not standing down, either. Her hand remains up, spell prepared, runes lazilly drifting in their concentric circles as the mana is held at the ready. La Sirene may have extended a sign of trust, but this stranger is not doing the same.
The lecture about fire safety, however, does give her pause. She blinks, in confusion, her hand lowering for just a moment as she tries to process that... "Wha...?" But then she shakes her head clear and raises her hand again. "Aaagghh, whatever! I don't give a damn about all this fire safety stuff!"
But that speech distracted her long enough for Setsuna to transform, and when she glances to see what the other girl is up to, in case she might charge again, she has to do a double take.
"Dammit!"
A second hand, with more concentric rings, comes up to point at Cure Passion. "This was supposed to be an easy job," she whines to herself, trying to keep both magical girls in view.
Passion's question gets a sharp bark of disbelief out of her. "What? You've got it all wrong. That girl over there stole something from me. I'm just trying to take it back. Isn't that what all you do-gooder types are about? Righting wrongs and all that?" She nodded with her head when mentioning 'that girl', and it was right in Kyouka's direction.
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
The runes drift, and Passion prepares. But... She noticed that a spell that could've been much worse than it was wasn't, and that this stranger insists she's not here to hurt anyone. Fire safety is vital, but--
She frowns, as the figure whines about it--until--
"But Kyouka-chan didn't steal him," Passion insists. "She rescued him from a thief who was using him to hurt people! She's looking for his real owner..."
Pause. Frown. "If that's you, then you owe her an apology. She's been in great danger in part to protect Strike Wolf and you're accusing her of theft!"
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
La Sirene brings her threatening arm back around again!! "I can do this all night," she warns, which is probably a lie because she's going to get tired at some point, but at least now it's a Midchildian Standoff!
"I am about collecting the world's sorrows to the great sea to which all tears must flow," la Sirene tells the Phantom Fox. "As I said moments ago -- explain what you mean! Tell us your story, and --"
She stops as Passion clarifies.
Awkward.
Batiste, somewhere on the other side of a wall, squeaks out, "This is a difficult one, but if she was a poor partner to her Device... I actually do not know Midchildian law! I think there was a Siren ninety years ago who was a fugitive from there, in fact--"
La Sirene ignores that, and instead returns her focus. "Shall we ask Strike Wolf for their own testimony, while mortals sleep?" mortals, honestly
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
The stranger snorts at Passion. "I don't know what a 'Strike Wolf' is, but my master and I have been working on a prototype intelligent device. It was stolen out of our lab, and I've been trying to track it down. If she didn't steal it, then why did I find a new set of user credentials, hmm? The only reason they'd be there is if she hacked into it somehow!"
It's quite simple and logical, really. Especially if you don't know anything about the girl that's been using the device.
La Sirene's explanation about her 'deal' just gets a perplexed stare from the stranger. "... Riiiight," she answers skeptically.
She's too focused on the two magical girls to strain to hear Batiste, but would doubltlessly have some corrections to make.
"Actually, yes. Let's do that." She clears her throat. "Prototype--"
But the device cuts her off with an announcement. <User credentials restored. Stand by, ready. Set up.> In a flash of bright purple energy Kyouka's barrier jacket forms, and the girl finally seems to wake up.
Kyouka turns, her gaze leveling on the intruder. She's scowling, fists clenched. "You come into my house... Attack my mom, and my friends..." Suddenly she's charging forward, fist raised.
The woman lets out a strange, perhaps fox-like yelp and drops both spells, flinging her arms across her face as a barrier comes up.
Kyouka's fist slams into the barrier, but there's no release of purple energy like there is with most of her strikes. It slams against the protective spell, but it holds. She blinks and steps back. "What the heck, we should've busted through that easily."
<Kyouka, please wait. She has credentials belonging to my Meister.>
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Cure Passion also doesn't know Midchildan law, except that she is on the wrong side of it, as it happens. For crimes. Dimensional crimes.
But that's not important right now!
Passion frowns. But she doesn't get a chance immediately to interrupt, as everything starts happening. She starts to, but, "That's--" is cut off by the Device, too.
Passion looks on in alarm as Kyouka immediately moves into aggression, and doesn't even notice Nori saying 'mortals' really!! really!! But instead she says, "Hold on--"
"...Wait," Passion says. "Your master... and..."
She works it out pretty quickly, on the bright side. "So, your master is the one who made Strike Wolf..." Pause. "That's the Device's name. You didn't give it that name?" Huh.
"...No one was hurt," Passion ventures, looking around. "And she could've hurt me, when I tackled her to give La Sirene time to transform."
"But she didn't. So maybe she's telling the truth." Pause. "...I still think you owe Kyouka an apology for this treatment, though. She saved Strike Wolf from the thief, who was trying to use him to hurt others! She's been looking for his maker!"
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
La Sirene's lips purse for a moment. "I do not think that the person you speak of is one who would do such a thing," she says to the stranger, with doubt. And she straightens her shoulders up as --
Kyouka gets up! Transformed. "Ah!" la Sirene says. "Wait," she continues. "Wait wait wait!"
"She has not been innocent, but her goal is not cruel," la Sirene continues, with haste and her vaguely amplified clarity of verbal communication. (Sirens, after all, are famously good at voice projection.) "Something strange has happened. I do not understand it in full. I have known users of Devices for some time but what she says, it is -- I don't know if it's credible but it does not stink of deceit."
Conditional positive??
La Sirene frowns slightly. How many thieves are there? Multiple thieves. "A lot of people try to steal Devices... it's quite sad," la Sirene muses aloud.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng has left.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
The stranger is still flinching behind her barrier, tensed... but when the attack doesn't bust through, she cautiously lowers her arms just enough to peer over them at the... now three magical girls.
Dammit dammit dammit. How many more is she going to have to deal with tonight?
She doesn't let her protection spell drop just yet, but she does add on to Strike Wolf's statement. "Yes, that's right. I am the assistant to my master, and we were building this prototype device, so of course I have the full administrative rights on it." She says that as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"It wasn't completed," retorts the stranger to Passion. "Why would we give it a name in that state? It wasn't even supposed to be activated yet!"
Kyouka may have resorted rather quickly to aggression, but when Strike Wolf begs for her to wait, she complies. She listens to what her friends have to say--Passion points out that nobody is hurt, and she looks around. Everyone is still asleep but... they do seem unharmed. "Hmm." And Sirene speaks of the stranger's intentions nt being cruel.
Kyouka is still, understandably, a bit upset, but she's willing to listen to the siren's assessment of things.
So instead she holds up her gauntleted hand so Strike Wolf is clearly visible. "I didn't steal Strike Wolf. Another mage did. I just rescued him. He offered to synchronize with me so we could defeat the mage."
"A likely story," retorts the stranger.
<Verifying program integrity. No alterations have been made, thanks to Kyouka's assistance. She is my partner.>
There's some kind of exchange between the stranger and the device, and finally she drops her guard the rest of the way. "Hmph. I'll believe you, for the moment. Well, as you already heard, I am responsible for helping build the proto--" she eyes the device's form on the back of the gauntlet. "--this 'Strike Wolf' as you've taken to calling him, so..." She drops her barrier and holds her hand out. "I'll take him now, if you don't mind."
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Passion also does not think Kyouka would do such a thing. But La Sirene has a point. ...It does happen a lot. And this stranger doesn't seem to be lying...
"I didn't mean that you should've," Passion says. "I meant that I was wondering where his name came from in that case."
Then... they all seem to take a moment to consider. When Kyouka explains, Passion listens between both of them. And the Device in question--well, he's sticking up for her.
Ultimately though...
Passion steps back, lowering her hands in a sign of peace. At least, when your hands are as powerful as Pretty Cure's it's a sign of peace instead of raising them.
"...Kyouka?" she asks. She is asking 'what do you want to do' 'how do you feel about it' and many other questions in this way. It's very efficient...
And concerned.
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
La Sirene folds her arms.
"I should caution you," she tells the 'Phantom Fox,' "that it would be best to not object to what dear miss Okazaki decides in this moment. As you must surely know, these devices... they are more than objects. The memories within my Pharos are holy, beautiful, but they do not produce a person..."
"And these devices, by contrast... anyway," la Sirene says, "I could be wrong, but that is what I believe and you will need to arrange a conversation with your master to convince me otherwise, so, zut! That is how it is!" She tosses her hair.
Batiste, unseen, is making a :I face and rolling his eyes a little. His paws are not yet on his sides.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"Don't ask me," says the stranger, of the origins of Strike Wolf's name. She looks rather pointedly to Kyouka.
Kyouka herself just blinks. "When we were synchronizing the first time, the name just... came to me. There was so much we were sharing through our link I just... assumed it was his name that he told me like, telepathically or subconsciously or something." She looks to her gauntlet. "... Was... that okay?"
<Affirmative. The name designated by my partner is acceptable.>
'Acceptable' is Strike Wolf speak for 'I like it.'
Kyouka smiles, while the stranger just looks like she wants to gag a little.
The phantom fox waves a hand dismissively at La Sirene. "Yes, yes, I'm aware of how devices function, thank you. Believe me, if I thought I could take it, I would. But it seems the prototype has other ideas..." She peers at the device, eyes narrowed. Overriding her orders and restoring Kyouka's access... it shouldn't have done that. It shouldn't have even have wanted to do that.
But then, the 'Phantom Fox' makes that request, and Kyouka visibly flinches, hand going protectively to her chest. "Wh--what, just like that? Can't Strike Wolf and I take some time to think this over? I... I didn't intend to be a magical girl, but... we make a really good team, you know?"
Strike Wolf chimes in, <Affirmative. Kyouka is a worthy partner.>
The intruder sighs. "Ugggggh, fine. Like I said, I can't really force you, anyway. But be quick about it. I'll be keeping tabs on you." And with that, she gestures, and a larger circle appears under her feet. "And don't worry, the sleep spell will wear off soon, and I'll drop the illusion preventing the rest of your guests from finding the house. Ta-ta~" And with that, she vanishes.
