[Day: Saturday, April 17th. Time: 10:00 p.m.] [Weather: None, apparently. Go fig.] [Tokyo Tower is currently enveloped and mailed to France.... I mean, enveloped in a brilliant light that's actually not all that brilliant when you get right *there*.] [The people are frozen! Well, the normal people. Haruko, Taki, Kaede and Satoshi come from one direction, while Katie, Shun, Miho, Sumire and Takeo come from another. But the square is hardly empty.] [They carry Soleil with them. She looks as hurt as she did last time, except less so 'cause Haruko healed her some.] [Also at the square are Computer President Yorihisa Muimura, Remi Okui and that video-game guy she knows: Yuji Maeda. A very annoyed looking Mamiya Kanae, Senshiro Hachioji and Shika Fukuyen, Akio Garcia, Toshiki, and Nori of the Jackals, annnnnd....] [That's it! Session Start and god help my soul x.x] (Good lord, is that all the Arcana in the greater Tokyo area?) ( No, but it's a hell of a lot. ) * Satoshi nearly drops Soleil in surprise. So many people... * Haruko looks around and waves at a good number of people. She then scoots over to Remi and gets a copy of Lord of the Flies out of her bag. "Got a second?" [It's like a BBQ! OMGWTF?!1 But no hotdogs.] [Remi looks up from her conversation with Yuji. "Haruko! Do you know what's going on?"] * Kaede looks about and tsshes a little under his breath at the lot of them, muttering low under his breath. "It's like a regular Arcana convention." He looks about at all the people who are here. We've been to this reversed world before, but that time wasn't anything like this. * Satoshi looks around, trying to take stock of who all's there. * Kaede looks up at the Tower. "I don't remember that ever being like that." That's completely new. * Katie comes walking over from another direction with The Band, Shun, and Miho. She spots her usual group (you know who you are!) and waves. * Katie is wearing a velvety, dark red shirt, black jeans, and sneakers. She's got her gray jacket, an umbrella, and a satchel. Katie! * Satoshi waves back. * Taki stares at the glowing tower stays near Satoshi, and is holding a dieng glowstick. She blinks when Satoshi calls out and then looks around. [Yet more people approach! Matthias, and Akemi, and a man you've never seen before: He's tall and thin, and rather handsome, with black hair with long bangs, and hazel eyes. He's wearing a white shirt that could be made of silk, and black trousers, and looks around the area with his chin up.] * Haruko frowns for a moment. "I'll see what I can find out." She then holds out the book to Remi and comments quietly. "I talked to a friend who may be able to help you with your trouble sleeping. But he wanted you to read this first. Has some disturbing parallels with what we're facing." * Katie smiles a little and turns to the others. "I still need to talk to you," she says to Shun. "So, sometime when you can." She spots the newcomers and idly waves at them, too. This place is an Arcana magnet. [Remi blinks at it. "What is it?] Now more then ever. What's going on? * Taki nods slightly and looks around at the other Arcana gathered by the giant glowing phallic symbol. [Shun nods to Katie and goes to talk to Senshiro.] [Akemi bounds over to Shika and exchanges greetings and... hugs.] * Haruko replies to Remi. "Story about a bunch of kids that get stuck on an island with no adults and go crazy." She sighs, "Like some of us do. I think he recommends it as it's a simpler starting point to understand what happens to us." ["Oh."] (It's also about a really cool rotting pig's head.) * Katie winces a little and rubs at her ears some. * Taki blinks at Akemi and then shakes her head. * Haruko nods. "Want to get together this week? Tuesday maybe? You can read it some before that but don't have to finish it." [Matthias and the new guy make their way to Yorihisa and talk to him * Katie turns her attention to the conversation with Matthias and Yorihisa. * Satoshi says mostly to himself, "You'd think people would be a bit more concerned about why we're all here..." I.. think they're waiting to see... what'll happen. Has anything like this ever happened before? [Remi blinks at Haruko. "Uhh... I guess?"] * Haruko gives Remi a quick hug. "Thanks." She then walks out to about the rough middle of the gathered people and quietly clears her throat. * Katie squints at the tower's light, and then she turns to The Band + Miho. "I'm going to get closer to the Tower." * Taki shakes her head, and after glancing up at Satoshi and Soleil, starts walking to where Katie is standing, she doesn't look at Haruko. [Haruko gets ignored!] * Kaede glances over at Haruko and groans at that "Oh great, Haruko's going to try to speak" way without actually SAYING it. * Satoshi is holding an unconscious, injured girl. Yay. He moves a bit closer to the Illuminated Towerdome. * Haruko thinks over word choice for a moment. 2d6-1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Haruko (2d6-1) and gets a natural 8 for a result of 7. [Some of the people stop to listen to Haruko. But not all.] * Haruko projects her voice as best she can. "If you want to talk about what's going on, meeting over there. ::She points:: Some of us have been here before when the tower wasn't glowing. I'll fill you in on what we know." * Haruko picks a spot that's a bit away from where anyone is standing. [A chilly voice from directly behind Haruko says, "This ought to be good. By all means, elaborate."] * Haruko looks around to see who commented. * Haruko does so fairly calmly. Her weirded out meter is pretty high today. Takes more than a chilly voice to throw her. * Kaede adopts the general "I don't know this person" stance and instead concentrates on heading closer to the tower for a better look. [Haruko turns around and looks up to see Sho Shinjo there, grinning snarkily. A lot of the conversation dies down as people just now suddenly notice him.] [Takeo points a finger at him. "What are you doing here, Shinjo?"] * Taki is in the group of people noticing Sho... and then she hurries to Katie. [Sho turns to him. "The same as you, I'd imagine."] * Kaede stops and whips around at the mention of Shinjo. He narrows his eyes a little. "Why am I not surprised?" * Haruko doesn't flinch. "I don't presume everyone is interested in what I have to say." She then smiles sweetly at Sho. "But you're welcome to come to the meeting, I'd welcome any insight you have." She then walks confidently to the meeting site. ["Good question." Sho smiles. "But don't mind me. Carry on."] [Sho looks around at the crowd. "Well? You heard the lady."] [A few people follow Haruko. But most just glare at Sho. Takeo steps forward. "Shinjo, if you don't get out of here..."] * Kaede looks about, then mutters to Satoshi. "I can't believe Haruko actually invited Sho. What is she thinking?" [Sho laughs. "What? We're having a harmless conversation."] (Among other things, she's in no position to stop him from coming.) [Takeo shakes a fist. "Nothing with you is EVER harmless!"] * Taki worriedly watches the exchange, but doesn't move twords the spot Haruko had been talking about/ [Meanwhile Shika calls, "Hey, who is this guy, anyhow?"] * Kaede folds his arms. "If he's agreeing to come, then I'm out." * Katie looks at Taki and half-whispers, "I saw Soleil. Is she okay?" [Shun steps forwards as well. "We don't have time for your games, Sho."] * Katie keeps her attention on Sho. And now Shun. [Sho smiles. "You, of all people, don't have time for games?"] * Haruko looks over her group. "Okay, I'm betting you will want to pay attention to this first. But if I'm wrong, I'll tell you what I can immediately." * Taki shakes her head and whispers back. "Kaede... doen't know what happened to her... Satoshi sensesd... something bad... right before the power went out... and that's when... whatever it was happened." (And she can just auto tell them if they want to know. I don't need GM attention for that.) (Reversed world, like a field, how to access it, known properties, etc, etc.) [Haruko's group consists of Remi, Yuji.... Actually, that's it. Everyone else is preoccupied.] (Do they want to watch or want her briefing? Either way we can auto- pilot it.) (Just to double check... which way is the tower pointing right now?) * Katie nods slowly. "Okay." * Kaede frowns and watches Haruko and the minute others head off, then looks over at Taki and Katie and walks over towards them. [Sho scans the crowd. "One, two.... five majors here. How interesting."] * Katie steps forward and raises her voice. "Do you know what's happening, Sho?" [Sho turns his head towards Katie. "Maybe."] [Takeo steps forwards, fist clenched. "Well? Spill it!"] [Sho turns to him. "Or what?" He seems amused.] * Haruko quietly fills in Yuji and Remi about reversed world and what she knows of Sho. If Sho actually starts spilling she stops and listens to that instead. ( And Haruko, they're kinda in between. ) Even if he did, he wouldn't tell us. * Taki takes a step away from Takeo, no matter how much of the crowed is between her and him. * Haruko keeps it to quick points and easy to understand stuff. * Kaede looks over at Sho calmly. [Takeo moves to step forward again, but Shun stops him. "Sho," he says, "Are you so deluded that you think you can defeat all of us?"] [Sho shakes his head. "Ahh, Shun... you're not even one 'of us'. But you're right: You haven't been very accommodating, so I think I'll take my leave. But rest assured, I'll be watching from afar." He laughs, and is suddenly not there anymore.] * Katie rolls her eyes. That explains the elevator fetish. [Takeo punches the ground in frustration. "Damn! I hate that guy!"] * Taki sighs and rubs her head. "I'm... kinda glad that's over... even for a few minutes." * Haruko raises her voice. "The offer still stands. Anyone wishing to discuss Sho, the guy that just left, is also welcome." * Kaede sighs and rubs his head. "I think we all do." (Out of my head!) * Katie nods. She walks over to Shun and asks, in a low, quiet voice, "" [Now that Sho's gone, a lot more of the Arcana join Haruko's circle. Everyone except Yorihisa, Shika and Akemi (Although the Jackals hang back a bit).] * Taki follows Katie to the circle and listens to Haruko. [Shun looks down at Katie. ""] (Yay optimistic Katie!) * Katie looks back up. "" * Haruko looks around. "To start, I'm Haruko, the Queen of Cups. My ability is healing, but I don't think anyone needs it right now." She glances over the group to verify that. * Kaede then glances at Yorihisa, giving him a long stare. [Shun ponders that. ""] * Taki finaly translates enough of what Katie is saying to do a poor job of eves dropping on them instead. * Katie nods. "" (Aw, Taki really is trying to be like me!) I've been to this place before and dealt with Sho before. I'll tell you what I know, and if anyone has anything to add, go ahead. [Yorihisa is studying the field intently. He frequently reaches for his laptop, only to remember it don't work.] * Kaede sneaks up to Yorihisa and reaches for his kaban, casually speaking. "Need to use mine?" All of you are probably familiar with fields. Some Arcana can put them up. Electricty and magnetism don't work in them. Non-Arcana sometimes disappear. ::She glances around to make sure everyone understands:: [Remi: "But this isn't a field!"] * Haruko nods. "No, it isn't." [She points to a pedestrian. "Either they're moving or not here. They're never frozen!"] [Yuji: "Yeah, and what's up with that glow?"] * Haruko nods. "Good point Remi. Both the frozen pedestrians and the light." She looks to Yuji in acknowledgement. "Were absent on previous times we've been to Reversed World. This could be a different phenomenon, but it's similar in that it covers all of Tokyo and electronics and magnetism don't work." * Katie keeps looking up at Shun. He's taller than she is! [Akio: "Aw man..."] [Yorihisa keeps pondering the forcefield. He shakes his head in response to Kaede, without looking at him.] * Taki listens to people! She's like Katie, only shorter and incompetent, and nothing like her at all actually. * Kaede looks evenly at Yorihisa, commenting low. "You have some explaining to do." (We're gonna need more descrip on the light, because I'm not sure what you mean by forcefield.) (What forcefield? and Which way is the tower pointing?_) * Haruko nods. "For those of you that don't know, the cocky guy was Sho Shinjo. We believe he's the magician and that he's largely dominated by his previous incarnation. He's very powerful but likes to play coy and startle people in elevators." ( orz. The big dome of light is actually some kinda forcefield. Hence why nobody's gone into the tower yet.] ) (See, I was under the impression that nobody's even touched it.) * Haruko glances around to see if anyone has anything to add. [Shun: ""] [Yorihisa ignores Kaede.] [Takeo: "He's an ass."] [Sumire: "Major ass."] (*snerks* That's wonderfully amusing somehow.) [Nori: "And SO full of himself."] * Haruko nods at the comments. "I think he has the power to do this, but it doesn't seem like his style. More likely he understood what was happening but didn't feel like sharing." * Haruko glances to Takeo, Sumire, and Nori. "Agree?" * Taki nods. * Kaede puts his hand on Yorihisa's shoulder. "Do you always act this pleasant around other people? No wonder there's people out to kill you." [Shun: ""] [Yorihisa turns his head towards Kaede. "You can be the social hero if you like. Go away."] * Katie nods. "" She smiles a little. "" [Takeo nods. "Yeah... I don't see why he'd bother."] * Satoshi is starting to get annoyed by all these people, so he walks over to the Illuminated Towerdome and starts checking out the forcefield. [Shun shrugs. "They hear what they want to hear."] [It's shiny.] (/poke Towerdome) ( Satoshi pokes the Towerdome ) (I'm not dead because of it.) (That's good. Pitty Kaede surved ;p) (Innit?) * Kaede takes his hand away and narrows his eyes. "How do you know Reiji Ozora?" * Haruko nods. "A friend of ours got really hurt tonight. It was mysterious and the Arcana with her didn't see what happen. Were there any other attacks you guys know about?" [Yorihisa: "That's none of your business."] [The eyes of the crowd go wide and they start speaking amongst themselves again. "Attacked?" "Is that what happened to that foreign girl?" etc.] * Katie shakes her head. "" * Taki blinks and looks at Katie, and then hurriedly away. * Katie hurries over to Haruko and taps her on the shoulder, then whispers in her ear while everyone's talking amongst themselves. [Shun heads to the crowd too, near Takeo and Sumire, and also Senshiro. And at the same time, he's kind of removed, staring at the Tower.] Don't you tell me what my business is. Or I guess you don't want to record anything on that forcefield after all. * Haruko looks ready to raise her voice and regain the attention of the group but first pauses and listens to what Katie has to say. She nods and turns to Katie and speaks quietly. "Could you check on Soliel, I healed her but she's not out the woods yet." ( Gimme awareness checks, +10 ) * Katie nods once. (Sight/hearing?) 2d6+10 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Taki (2d6+10) and gets a natural 11 for a result of 21. ( General ) 2d6+8 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Kaede (2d6+8) and gets a natural 7 for a result of 15. 2d6+8 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Satoshi (2d6+8) and gets 20, a CRITICAL FAILURE!!! "Some things just aren't meant to be." 2d6+10 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Haruko (2d6+10) and gets a natural 8 for a result of 18. 2d6+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Katie (2d6+6) and gets a natural 9 for a result of 15. (Why even bother making us roll at +10? :P) * Haruko returns her attention to the group. "Yes, an attack. It may or may not be linked." She looks over to Shun with a slight smile. "Anything to contribute, or would I have to win a game first?" ( So that when I say a giant rock squishes you all, you can't say I didn't give you a chance to get out of the way ^^ ) * Katie pushes her way through the crowd to get to Soleil. Wherever she is. Where is she? [Shun is distracted!] * Haruko turns back to the group. "We know a few more things about Reversed World. First there's mysterious watcher figures. They have robes and don't move. Did anyone see one on the way in?" (I am holding her, and I am near the Illuminated Towerdome force field.) * Katie approaches Satoshi and the Illuminated Towerdome. "How is she?" [The crowd seems confused, but Matthias says, "They remain where they are. I don't believe they are a part of this. Nor do I believe we are in the World Reversed.] She's stable, I think. Haruko healed her as best as she could. But she's still not in remotely good shape. [During the confusion, Shun sneaks off.] (Sho and Shun are going to have a duel to the death on Tokyo Tower!) (Do I notice Shun sneaking off?) (There can be only one!) * Taki follows Katie some more, and comes back to Satoshi. * Haruko nods and looks to Matthias. "Given the pedestrians and the tower you could be right." I think it's time we pool knowledge. Did anyone else have strange things happen tonight? And does anyone do readings? [Mamiya: "I had something strange happen tonight. The power outage erased a week's worth of work for my job! Dammit!"] (Brett: Answer my question up there?) * Katie glances over Soleil. (And is Soleil in about as good shape as she's going to get, or does she need more medical attention right now?) * Haruko nods. "I'm sorry. We may be able to make a deal to help you with that. But we can handle that later." She looks over her group. "Anyone else?" (You don't notice Shun sneaking off, and she could use some more work.) [Nori: "Oh, boo hoo."] * Katie doesn't notice Shun sneaking off for whatever reason, so she talks to Satoshi. "Can you set her down?" * Haruko checks to see if there are any signs of other strangeness or of people volunteering their ability to do readings. * Taki watches Satoshi and Katie and doesn't volunteer anything to Haruko. [Matthias: "If you'll forgive me for saying the obvious, I believe whatever caused this to happen is within the Tower.] [Yorihisa continues to ignore Kaede.] [Matthias: "The question is, how do we get inside?"] Hm? Oh! Yeah, is this an okay place? ( Hearing checks, +4! ) * Katie nods. "Good as anything." * Haruko nods. "Exactly. We can try to break through, but first we should try to find a way around. Has anyone been able to put up a field?" * Satoshi gently lowers her down. 2d6-4 * Diceroshi throws the bones for Katie (2d6-4) and gets a natural 6 for a result of 2. 2d6+4 * Diceroshi throws the bones for Haruko (2d6+4) and gets a natural 5 for a result of 9. 2d6+4 * Diceroshi throws the bones for Taki (2d6+4) and gets a natural 10 for a result of 14. 2d6+2 * Diceroshi throws the bones for Satoshi (2d6+2) and gets 14, a CRITICAL FAILURE!!! "Death is temporary, only failure is forever. You may have just done both." 2d6+2 * Diceroshi throws the bones for Kaede (2d6+2) and gets a natural 4 for a result of 6. [As Satoshi lowers Soleil down, he hears a snap! Hope that wasn't one of her bones.] * Satoshi winces. "What was that?" [Kaede and Katie, as well as some of the NPCs, hear a different snap, though: the snap of a twig.] I... didn't see anything. (There are twigs?) * Kaede hmmphs. "Fine. You fiddle with a useless computer. Me, I'll go over to someone useful." He starts to head back, then starts over in the direction of the twig. ( There's at least one. ) (Well, that ambush failed.) * Haruko doesn't hear anything. "I suggest we try one or two techniques to get past the field, if that doesn't work we attack full force. Agreed?" * Katie looks up and away, towards the snap. She rises so she's fully standing again. "Sounds like someone stepped on something." * Taki blinks. (It's a twig that lost its home. It was an orphan. And now you killed it. How could you, Brett?") * Satoshi kneels down next to Soleil and looks her over. "I *thought* I put her down carefully..." * Haruko projects slightly louder for the last bit. Attacking, that's a plan people should be able to get behind. (Yay, mindless violence!) * Taki looks down at Satoshi. "I ... it's... I think it's something else." * Satoshi looks up. "Oh?" [There's a newcomer! Hinako Arai has joined the square in all her buckled glory. She's bleeding from some small cuts, though, and clutching with one shoulder, and kind of limping as she walks.] * Katie's eyes widen. She walks over to Hinako and offers to help her walk. "What happened to you?" [One of the NPCs who noticed points and goes "Hey look!" So now you all can. Woo.] * Taki nods and points at Katie walking over to Hinako. * Satoshi looks up. "Arai-san?" [The crowd heads over as well, just as Hinako falls to her knees.] * Satoshi starts to get up to help her, but there's a whole crowd there, and someone needs to stay with Soleil. [Kirby eats Satoshi's bed!] ( There. ^^ ) * Taki blinks again and then calls out. "H...Haruko!" (Not funny.) (If you could give me the day off from work tomorrow, though, we'd have no problems. ^^) * Haruko looks for a moment and then looks over her group again. "She's wounded, I'll heal her." She then looks to Matthias. "Please start organizing in case we need to assault the tower." She then runs over. [Satoshi stays with Soleil and Yorihisa :P] * Satoshi ignores Yorihisa. It's likely mutual. [Sure is.] * Satoshi is unsurprised. ( She was tempted to have Akemi do the organization. But she was afraid it would turn into a fashion show instead of a massive assault.) * Kaede goes over with the group. (*snerk*) [Hinako struggles back to her feet. "Th.... There's not much time..." She looks everyone over. "Many people... good..." Then she looks at Haruko. "W...water..." (She asked the right person for that!) * Haruko gets out a bottle of water out of her bag and opens it up. She lays her other hand on Hinako's injuries. "I'm listening." * Haruko starts healing as she listens. [Hinako gulps it down eagerly.] * Taki stands next to Satoshi and watches Katie and Haruko from where she is. [Hinako finishes. She glances around again.] * Katie is here. She's taken a step back when Haruko came. [Shika: "So, what's you're deal?"] [Hinako takes a few deep breaths, then pronounces, loudly. "We are all in grave danger!"] * Katie does not look surprised. "Oh." (I think we realized that already.) * Haruko keeps focusing on healing. ( That is all! Carry on.) * Taki nods slightly. [Pretty much only Remi and Yuji look surprised, actually.] * Satoshi calls out, "What kind of danger, Arai-san?" No, he's not surprised, either. * Haruko moves slightly behind Hinako as she continues healing. She prepares to catch the girl if she staggers again. [Hinako points at the Tower. "They've built their fortification. Soon they will prepare to strike. They will wipe us all out, one by one, unless we stop them."] Who are 'they'? ["They were the Lovers, until they met their end. Now they seek an end to everyone."] [Sumire: "What's that supposed to mean?"] * Taki looks down. [Mamiya: "Ugh. More work to do."] * Haruko keeps healing for the moment. * Katie nods, thinking. She lets them talk, turning and walking over to the field, trying to put her hand through it. [Katie's hand meets with a static-electric shock. Ow!] * Katie winces and flinches away. * Katie looks her hand over. * Kaede snorts. "How ironically Arcanian of them." * Taki fails to notice any of this and continues her in depth study of her own two feet. (Katie's hand is cut off by the static electricity. "Nooooooooo!") (...Now I'm envisioning Darth Pentacle.) (Just because no other suit seems to fit "Darth") (Does Katie's hand look injured at all?) ( No ) 2d6-1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Kaede (2d6-1) and gets 4. [Hinako grabs Kaede by the lapel and shakes him. "It was a trap! Don't you see? It was a trap!"] (Thank you, Admiral Ackbar.) Hinako! What do we need to do? * Taki finaly looks up with this outburts. "W...what?" * Haruko seems unperturbed by the plight of Kaede and does keep on healing. * Kaede brushes her hands aside, keeping himself calm. "Yes. And what do you suggest we do about it now? We're here. And I don't think we had much choice anyhow." * Katie tries to put her hand back through the shield. She grimaces, but she pushes forward, trying to see if it ends at a point. (Like, if the border is at her elbow, does her hand hurt?) So we have to deal with the situation at hand. [Hinako lets go of Kaede and turns to Haruko. "This... What happened to the Three of Wands... It was the Blacks' doings!" Many of the crowd seem to cringe at the mention of the Blacks, while others ask, "Wait what?" and "Who's the Three of Wands?"] Who? They're... but how? * Kaede stares at her. "Where else have the Blacks involved themselves?" * Haruko 's eyes widen. She then turns to the crowd. "The three of wands is another friend of ours! She raised a field that malfunctioned and we were all trapped in it until Hinako." She gestures to the woman, "Saved us. We should listen to her now." [Katie pushes until she can't stand it anymore. When she pulls her hand out, she finds her palm is mildly burned, filling her nose with the smell of smouldering flesh.] (Katie just wants to be as popular as Camila was when she combusted.) * Katie hisses and clutches at her arm with her other hand, looking her own hand over. Her eyes fill with tears. [Hinako stares at Kaede. "When you were trapped there, something happened to you, right? Didn't it?"] * Haruko doesn't have an explanation to give on that one. She keeps healing Hinako. * Kaede turns slowly and stares at Hinako, then takes a slight step back. "I...wait, I don't know what you're talking about..." (Mild burn. You're not on fire unless you stick your hand in there again.) [Takeo: "Wait, what's going on? What happened?"] (Which you're going to, aren't you?) * Haruko winces at the distant smell of burning flesh. [Shika: "Great, so it's YOUR fault. That figures."] 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Kaede (2d6) and gets 9. * Taki shakes her head and speaks quitly. "N... no, it isn't." What happened to him Hinako? * Kaede hisses and looks over at Shika. "MY fault? How is any of this MY fault? I..." He stops himself short and just looks around. * Katie touches her own hand gingerly. She winces with a small "ow" and pulls it away. * Katie tries flexing her burned fingers and winces again, then she digs in her satchel, pulls out a water bottle, sets it down, and carefully unscrews it with her good fingers. * Katie pours some water over her injured hand. [Hinako takes a deep breath. "Where you were trapped wasn't a half- world. It was the world of the Judged.] [Session End]