2016-09-05 - Locks and Keys 13.5

Title: Locks and Keys 13.5
Summary: Three cutscenes posted in the aftermath of Locks and Keys 13. An IC news broadcast, a fly on the wall in a mysterious boardroom, and a civil discussion of the future, over tea.
Who: Many and sundry NPCs.
Where: On The Air, in a boardroom, in a greenhouse.
OOC - IC Date: 09-05-2016 - 11-19-2014

Golden Tokyo Gala Ends In Disaster!

"All Tokyo is in shock after yet another explosion rocked the city, this time reducing Searrs Symphony Hall to rubble."

The television shows an image of the beautiful concert hall. It is mostly giant pieces of rocky debris now, some of which are still on fire.

"That's right, Taro-san. No organizations have claimed responsibility for the incident, but there is unofficial speculation that this is retaliation for the role of the Searrs Foundation in thwarting a terrorist attack on Southern Cross Island several months ago."

"Yes, Kimiko-san, last night Searrs Symphony Hall was hosting a golden gala to honor construction magnate Tanaka Suzushiro-san with a Key to the City, to thank him for his compassion, generosity and vision for the reconstruction around Ohtori Academy. We have to wonder if he'll be helping to rebuild Searrs Symphony Hall as well."

"Now, the police have asked that we not release images captured of the chaos inside during the incident, but interviews of victims at the location, along with a police statement, seem to indicate that there were, miraculously, no fatalities. However, a common narrative has emerged, in which the perpetrators appeared to be entirely women, women clad in the sort of outfits commonly connected to the 'magical girl' cultural phenomenon, where girlish superheroes fight monsters on television and in comic books. While there are occasional rumors of vigilantes styling themselves after magical girls, this is the first time a consistent report has emerged, and sadly they do not seem to be on the side of love and justice."

"The President of the Akihabara-based Magical Girl Fan Club, Kenichi Kurosawa, was available for comment..."

"It's horrendous that criminals would use the cute styles of beloved icons like Sailor V to mask their identities while committing such acts of violence!"

"However, Tokyo Metropolitan Superintendent of Schools Hanako Ozawa had a different perspective."

"It is obvious that the media featuring 'magical girls,' glorifying young women sneaking out of their bedrooms late at night to get into fights on the streets of Tokyo, is starting to have major consequences for our culture. If images like these are inciting girls to violence, we must take a grave look at their suitability for our children."

"Only time will tell if this incident has tarnished the idea of the magical girl for good, Kimiko-san. The stock value of PrettyPlush, a company that makes most of the dolls found in crane games, including many likenessless of magical girls, has fallen considerably overnight. Now, for our next story..."

Mea Culpa

"This is a disaster."

"This is /your/ disaster. You were the one who said it would be a good idea to tell security to allow any and all harebrained infilration schemes perpetrated by teenage girls to succeed."

"Everyone at this table agreed that it was an outstanding opportunity to begin sowing the seeds of distrust and dismay surrounding magical girls. We have documented examples of them drawing power from the belief of others. And /that/ part of the plan seems to be going exceedingly well. If we play our cards right, this could be the beginning of a new era, don't you see?"

"Yes, yes, that's all well and good, but what about the Master Key?"

"What indeed. The good news is that if the Magic Association and their ilk try to utilize the Key, they're unlikely to do irreparable harm to our interests. And if they destroy it, reinforcing the status quo, well..."

Chuckles echo around the boardroom.

"Let's wait and see. This is a cyclic phenomenon, anyway. There will always be more Keys to the City, and it's not like we won't be around to claim them next time..."

"Is that what you're going to say every time the Searrs Foundation botches a major operation?"

More chuckles unfurl like poisonous flowers, but... one fewer.

Tea for Two

Madoka Mano and Kaoruko Hanasaki, once sisters-in-arms, now largely retired as honored elders within the Magic Association, are taking tea together inside a beautiful, flower-filled greenhouse.

"So, the Wind Knight actually emerged from the bottom of that dogpile, Key in hand, eh? Incredible."

"Yes, but now she faces an important choice of what to do next. She can't hang onto it for more than a couple of days -- it is going to become the focus point of unbelievable danger."

"It's true -- I don't doubt the demons will do anything to get their hands on it. Tokyo would be riots and rubble by morning. There's no vault on Earth that could hold it, and taking it off of Earth would be even less secure."

"So, then... to use it, or to destroy it."

"Pah. Well, both options are available. We can take her somewhere remote to perform The Great Opening, where she'll use it to unlock the Door to the Future..."

"Which will consume it, so no one else can use it after?"

"That's right. From there, the ideals of Fuu Hououji will be likely to gently guide the course of the city's future, reflected in various subtle ways. The examples from those visions were pretty grotesque. In reality, the effects tend to be much less overt, especially when the Master Key is used responsibly."

"Yes, the one time we have on record of the Magic Association utilizing the Master Key in such a manner, the enlightened period that resulted led to some very nice things, didn't it?"

"So they say. The alternative is for her to perform the Ritual of Rending, where the key will simply be destroyed. Some would argue that's a wasted opportunity."

"Others would argue that no single person's ideals ought to be engraved on the heart of a city of millions."

They sip their tea.

"Well, it's not our call to make."

"Isn't it nice, watching kids today embrace their youth to the fullest?"