Session Start: Sat Dec 17 16:29:53 2005
<Ked> Last time, on Hunters:
<Ked> The orders have been given - Minami is too exposed, and it's time to
move her to the Palace in preparation for the anticipated confrontation.
<Ked> Problem:  Her father hadn't been seen for more than a day, and while she
packs up, the team needed to track him down and get him to safety.
<Ked> The Hunters worked their way through a list of his favorite hangouts...
which ranged from a ritzy hotel where he dealt for the sort-of pickup game
that was hosted there, to a junky sports bar in the mid-burbs, to a Shinjuku
nudie poker room.  They found him, and a BIG pile of chips, in another, tamer
poker club in Shinjuku.
<Ked> Leena managed to chivvy him out of the place, but the team found
themselves being tailed by a man on a blue sport bike.  Impressively, he could
almost keep up with the Secretary's driving as she wove down a freeway into
central Tokyo...
<Ked> [Monday, March 28, 2004 - 2210 local time]
<Ked> [A speeding van in the middle of Tokyo...]
<Ked> [Session start]
<Secretary> Where is he?  I can't see him in the mirrors, and I can't spend
time looking!
* Lord_Darkmoon sits stiffly, a faint purple glow leaking through wrap-around
sunglasses. "Behind. I'll... try to... mess him up."
* LadyHeat is keeping watch for the biker.
* LadyMallet is too. She's got shotgun, though, so all she gets is the
mirrors.
<LadyNightshade> If you pull over, we can see how he reacts. I'll be able to
take him down if need be.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> I could throw some things at him, if you want..
<Ked> The motorcycle is about two cars and one lane behind the van.  He has a
much easier time weaving around than the Secretary is in the van, but he
doesn't seem to be as crazy as she is.
<LadyNightshade> Let's not like kill him until we know what he wants, though,
okay?
<Lord_Darkmoon> Going... to.. block view. He's...close. Can you...look like
exiting?
<LadyHeat> I could do something too, but it would mess with the other cars.
<LadyNightshade> And lets try not to cause a pile up on the freeway either...
<LadyMallet> Okay, point, there's a tiny slim chance that he's not someone who
wants us dead.
<Secretary> You want me to fake turning off?
* LadyMysteria grits her teeth, and has the wand ready. "Let's not react too
quickly. Perhaps pull over someplace and see what happens. At the very least
we're ready."
<LadyNightshade> If you pull over somewhere dark, I can go invisible and take
him down before he knows what's happening.
<Secretary> Wait, wait... *swerve in front of a semi, crossing three lanes* I
can only do one thing at a time here!
<LadyNightshade> Well Mysty is the leader. What do you think?
<LadyMallet> Let him catch up, we can get a look and tag em if he overshoots
us.
* LadyMysteria jerks, holding on tight. "Let's put this in a situation where
we're more in control... pull over somewhere and let's see whether or not they
want to kill us. We'll go from there."
<LadyMysteria> Keep out of public sight... and Nightshade, you do your thing.
<Secretary> Okay... you want that public or secluded?
<LadyMysteria> Secluded, if we have to kill him.
* Lord_Darkmoon snaps out of it for a moment. "I can try to cause him major
distraction while he's chasing us on the highway, my Lady. But if you prefer
to wait, so be it. I would prefer not to kill a bird to do it."
* LadyNightshade nods. "Roger."
<LadyMallet> Haruko, make some binoculars, someone try and get a good look at
our big fan.
<LadyMallet> Pass me a pair, too.
* Secretary slows slightly, and settles into a middle lane.
<LadyMysteria> It doesn't hurt to make sure. And at the very least, this
person's badly outnumbered.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Right.
<Secretary> Okay, seclusion is going to take a little time.  We are in one of
the densest urban areas on the planet you know.
* Lady_MakeBelieve passes out binoculars to anyone who wants a pair.
<LadyNightshade> No dark alleys?
<Lord_Darkmoon> As you wish, my Lady. Mr. Terazaki, you should stay in the van
with Madam Secretary. Preferably out of sight.
* LadyHeat uses the binoculars to look at the biker.
<Terazaki-san> Wait, what?  You're going to kill this guy?
<Lord_Darkmoon> Possibly.
* LadyMallet holds her binos ready, waiting for a good chance to take a peek
at him.
<LadyMysteria> If he has any intention of killing us... well, what can we do?
<LadyNightshade> And can we not shoot until after we see if we can take him
down more subtly? *looks at Darkmoon*
* LadyMysteria shrugs, sadly.
<Lord_Darkmoon> At the very least, we shall force him to cease his trailing of
us.
<LadyMallet> ... sorry if we're a tad paranoid about people who follow us
while we're on a relatively covert operation.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Well, pulling over does that.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> You can't trail what isn't moving.
<LadyMallet> Sure, and give them time to let them get more mobile and less
obvious tails on us.
<Lord_Darkmoon> That is my concern, yes, Mallet.
<Ked> As the van becomes easier to follow, the bike settles into a position
about four cars back.  You can only get occasional glimpses of him through
traffic, but it does appear to be a man in dark-grey biking leathers on a
stock Yamazaki bike.  Leena, who's been doing some research lately, thinks
it's the 550cc flavor.
<Lord_Darkmoon> But we shall do as we are ordered. I shall resume avian
reconnaissance. I would like to be sure he is our only current tail.
* Lord_Darkmoon leans back, stiffening a bit as that faint purple glow
returns.
<LadyMysteria> Mn... have to love situations like this.
<LadyHeat> Well, he seems like he's a really good biker...
<Ked> The helmet hides his face completely, but the man appears to be built
solidly.  Once, as you round a corner, you see his boots, which seem familiar.
<Lord_Darkmoon> In...deed... Maya-..chan.
<LadyNightshade> So talk to him first or knock him out and see what he wants
after he's tied up?
* LadyHeat ponders the boots and tries to get a better look at them.
<LadyNightshade> ... Those boots.
<LadyNightshade> We should knock him out.
<LadyMysteria> ... huh? Boots?
<Terazaki-san> Love it?  I'm in a van with a bunch of homicidal teenagers, and
we're being followed by someone with an unhealthy interest in my family!
What's to love?
<LadyNightshade> The military boots. The ones I got a print of off the roof.
<Ked> They sure do seem to be the same model you've seen pictures of.
<LadyNightshade> We're not homicidal. We're defending ourselves.
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...hostile, then. No...doubt. Orders... *shakes his head and
the glow fades* Do your orders still stand, my Lady?
<LadyNightshade> Let me take him. He won't even see me coming.
* LadyMysteria cranes her head back. "Well, at least you've maintained your
sense of sarcasm. We're pulling over and taking him down as soon as possible.
Knock him out, make sure he doesn't swallow that damned pill thing. If he
poses too much of a threat, full force."
<LadyMallet> ... same guys who had all the people with the headsets before. I
don't think they'd resort to something as obvious as a motorcycle unless they
couldn't get their web in place.
<LadyNightshade> The pill is something in his tooth. We can pull that.
<Lord_Darkmoon> I still recommend simply losing him now. He may just fall back
rather than risk confrontation, until he can call in a strike team.
<LadyMysteria> .... mn. Alright, fair enough. Secretary, try to lose him if
you can. I'd rather not risk a fight if we can help it.
<LadyMallet> Make a ball gag and some chloroform if we do end up having to
face him. Hopefully we can keep him from biting down and suiciding.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Isn't waiting just giving him the advantage?
* LadyMallet suddenly blinks.
<LadyMallet> ... although I'm suddenly in favor of pulling over and facing him
down.
<LadyNightshade> Weren't we trying to lose him and that wasn't working?
<Lord_Darkmoon> Should I attempt to arrange for him to suffer an accident, my
Lady? It will likely kill the bird, but my avian friend may have company for
the trip. --you are, Mallet? Why?
<LadyMysteria> A bit more of a try. And if you feel it'll help, Darkmoon,
you're welcome to try.
<LadyMallet> We'll have a hostage, and if it's the right group, we'll have
better info on what's coming up.
<Secretary> Well, I was just driving normally.  But... I usually drive all-
out.
<LadyNightshade> Let's just stop and take care of him.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> I vote for capturing him now.
<Secretary> If you really want...
* LadyMallet GRINS. It's not the usual 'fight coming up' grin. It's another
grin completely.
<Terazaki-san> I vote for not puking my guts out.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Do you want a Dramamine?
<Terazaki-san> Not yet.
* Lord_Darkmoon nods. "Here goes... I hope no-one trails -him- too closely."
He leans back, the glow behind his sunglasses reinstantiating.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Let me know if you do, or aspirin or anything else common.
<LadyMysteria> If this doesn't do it... we'll take it from there.
<Secretary> So... I try to lose him?
<LadyMysteria> Yes, ma'am.
<Terazaki-san> I'll take that pill now, please.
* LadyMallet laughs.
* Lady_MakeBelieve hands Terazaki-san a Dramamine and a glass of water.
<Secretary> Everyone buckle in - this could get exciting.
* LadyNightshade sighs.
* Lord_Darkmoon is already buckled. Good thing, too, since he's in no
condition to buckle himself now.
* LadyMallet buckles up, as best she can, forgoing the shoulder-strap, though.
* LadyHeat straps herself in, but not that much more than she already was.
* Lady_MakeBelieve rebuckles herself, having unstrapped to hand Terazaki-san
his pill.
* LadyMysteria does just that, and gently clasps her hand atop Rin's.
* Terazaki-san gulps it, and braces himself.
* Secretary waits for a little break in the traffic, then does something
strange with the shifter and the pedals that no one quite catches.  The van,
already doing 110 kph, LURCHES forward with a squeal of tires and an odd
fishtailing motion.
* LadyMysteria jerks back and actually yelps out a curse. She wasn't expecting
*that*.
<LadyMallet> WHEEEEE!
* Terazaki-san shuts his eyes, chokes, and reopens them.
<LadyMallet> Faster!
* LadyMallet waves her arms about excitedly.
<LadyMysteria> NO!
* LadyHeat gasps as she's compressed back into her seat.
* Lord_Darkmoon belatedly reacts, barely, by turning his hand to clasp Maya's.
* LadyNightshade keeps herself steady and keeps watch out the back on what the
biker is doing.
<Ked> When someone in the van gets a chance to turn around and look out the
rear windows, the biker is just starting to accelerate and try to pass the
cars he was hiding behind.
* Lady_MakeBelieve makes herself a Dramamine, and swallows it dry.
* Secretary jams on the brakes and dives through traffic for an exit-ramp,
missing the water barrels by about 30 cm.
* LadyMysteria is pretty much looking like she's regretting her decision.
* LadyMallet laughs her head off.
* Lord_Darkmoon is flopping a bit back and forth with the momentum-shifts,
seemingly insensible to the van's motion.
* Lady_MakeBelieve winces, Darkmoon is going to have a sore neck tonight.
<Ked> The van passes cars on the deceleration ramp by taking the shoulder,
rumble strips and all.  There's a red traffic light at the intersection below,
but you blow right through that...
* LadyNightshade doesn't really look like the movement bothers her. She's
steady and focused as she watches the biker.
* LadyMallet watches the mirrors, trying to see how well the biker's keeping
up.
* Terazaki-san tries the fetal position.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> I hope whatever sort of anonymity protects us works for the
secretary's license.
<LadyMysteria> Well, here's to hoping there are no patrol cars nearby.
* LadyHeat wonders if the van is going so fast it's invisible.
<Ked> The biker panics and has to bring the bike almost to a complete halt to
make the exit.  This matches Darkmoon's timing almost too well, and his poor
bird flies into the open collar of the man's jacket.
<LadyMallet> ...
<Ked> He barely notices, thinking it was a stone or something, and has an
easier time than the van skirting traffic on the exit shoulder.
<LadyMallet> Taki, you and me wanna stop off and get the jump on him while the
rest of us go on?
* Lord_Darkmoon twitches slightly, as if surprised, but smiles a bit, in a way
Mysteria can recognize as 'oh, this is too perfect'. "When...you
want...distraction...tell me, Sec...retary."
<LadyNightshade> Let me hit him first, Mallet.
* Secretary grimaces.  "Dammit, this wasn't the exit I wanted."
<LadyMallet> Sure.
<LadyHeat> Can we make it to where we need to be?
<Ked> The van is speeding down a brightly-lit boulevard that seems to be in
the middle of a park.  There are no streets to turn off on.
<Secretary> Yeah, but I can't lose him *here*!
<LadyMallet> How long do we got before we're in a good spot to do so?
<Ked> "Here", once you get a closer look, seems to be the carefully-groomed
ground that is the front lawn of the Imperial Palace.  Well, the bit beyond
the fence to your left is, anyway.
<Secretary> Three klicks.  Gimme a minute.
<LadyMysteria> The last place we need to lead him to...
<LadyMallet> ... he might call in backup from here.
* LadyMysteria chuckles. "Another exciting night with the team. So we just go
further."
<Ked> The van kicks everyone in the ass as it leaps forward once more.
There's only light traffic here, so you're only changing lanes every five
seconds.
<Secretary> ...if you want to go with the other plan, this wouldn't be a bad
place for it...
<LadyMallet> Fearless Leader?
<LadyMysteria> Violence is go.
<Ked> The park area to your right seems fairly dark and secluded, though you
see some police on foot patrolling its paths.
<LadyMysteria> ... but the police bit concerns me.
<LadyMallet> Tazers all around should handle that.
<Ked> The biker is able to speed up too, and is maintaining his position about
100 meters behind.
<LadyHeat> If we can open the back, I can try to blind him with some steam.
* Secretary passes a car doing 100 kph less than you are.
<LadyMallet> Good opening move, I think.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Should I toss some oil at him also?
<LadyMallet> Steam him, stop, get into position, then have Darkmoon call in
his distraction and jump him.
<Secretary> Not yet, not yet!
<LadyHeat> It'll affect the other cars, though. Is that okay?
<Lord_Darkmoon> Distraction...in...jacket.
<LadyMysteria> Once the Secretary gives the go-ahead.
<Secretary> Wait, wait, we're going to ambush him or lose him?
<LadyMallet> Ambush!
<LadyHeat> Mallet, don't decide for everyone!
<LadyNightshade> Can we lose him?
<LadyMysteria> One last gambit to see if we can lose him, then ambush if not.
<LadyHeat> Okay, so that'll be me, Darkmoon, and MakeBelieve?
<Ked> The van begins to round a long, sweeping corner.  The lights of the
Imperial Palace are blocked by other buildings, and you can see a stoplight
ahead.
<Secretary> Hold on for the corner!
<LadyMallet> Two wheels on the ground if you can manage it!
* LadyMallet holds on to something!
* Lord_Darkmoon doesn't. Well, except his loose grip on Mysteria's hand.
* LadyHeat doesn't bother.
<Ked> The van doesn't brake, per se, as it approaches the light - instead, the
parking brake gets pulled, the van yaws crazily, sliding sideways into the
intersection.
* Lady_MakeBelieve holds on tight
<Secretary> Distractions! NOW!
* LadyMysteria braces for it... then half-squeaks at the sudden act. "Gogogo!"
* LadyHeat opens the back door.
<LadyMallet> Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
* Lady_MakeBelieve conjures and spills a bucket of oil all over the road.
* LadyHeat fumbles with a water bottle on her belt for a second, then tosses
it at the biker, while boiling it to explosion.
* LadyHeat quickly closes the door as well as she can so they don't get hit by
bits of melted plastic.
<Ked> The door flings itself open, once unlatched.  The sliding viewpoint
outside is quickly blotted out by black goo and white fog.
* Secretary comes out of the slide on the far side of the intersection, and
the van bounces up onto the sidewalk.  Pedestrians scatter even as the van
brakes hard and turns the other way into an alley.
* LadyNightshade winces as she recalls one those exploding right next to her.
* Lord_Darkmoon topples under the momentum of the turn, practically laying in
Mysteria's lap. He doesn't seem to notice, just yet.
<Ked> You can't see what happened to the motorcycle, but there's a very loud
metallic *CRUNCH* somewhere behind you.
* LadyMallet winces. "Dammit!"
<LadyMysteria> That's... a sound. I don't know whether it's good or bad.
<Lord_Darkmoon> *gurk!*
<LadyNightshade> That was awesome!
* Lord_Darkmoon shakes his head, and leans forward. Then tilts his head a bit,
confused. When he realizes his position, he colors, and struggles to right
himself.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> As long as we don't have to do it again.
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...I believe the bird is dead.
* Lady_MakeBelieve shakes her head, trying to clear it.
<Ked> The van rumbles quickly through the alley, then takes a right turn back
onto the next road, settling down to mesh with traffic.
* Lord_Darkmoon clears his throat, clearly trying to recover his aplomb.
"Sorry for the impropriety, my Lady."
<Secretary> Get the door closed, and look around!
<LadyMysteria> Gyah... remind me to never agree to that again.
* LadyNightshade reaches over and grabs the door.
* Terazaki-san is somehow upside-down in his seat.
* Lord_Darkmoon blushes again, then realizes that's probably not what she was
talking about.
* LadyNightshade pulls it shut and scans the surrounding traffic.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Is everyone alright?
* LadyMallet looks outside more, seeing if somehow, her bike survived. And if
there's anything else following, too.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Can you find another bird or something, and see what
happened in the crash?
* Lord_Darkmoon rubs his forehead, nodding. "Yeah. Give me a moment..." After
a couple of deep breaths, the faint purple glow once more emanates from behind
his sunglasses.
<Ked> The van's course takes it across the street you were just being chased
on, and from a block away you can see that there's been a serious accident in
that intersection.
<Ked> The bike is not behind you any more, certainly.
<LadyMallet> ...
<Secretary> That was fun!
<LadyMallet> ... my bike.
<LadyMysteria> Mallet, that wasn't your bike.
* Lord_Darkmoon pales, and shivers a bit, swallowing as the purple light fades
from the sunglasses. "He's down, but I can't tell if he's dead. Hea--" He
swallows again, there's definitely something in his throat. "But we've lost
him, regardless."
* LadyMallet hrmphs, and crosses her arms.
<LadyNightshade> Can you teach me to drive like that after I turn 18?
* LadyMysteria sighs. "Look, after this mess is over, we'll get you a bike.
Fair?"
<LadyNightshade> Maya!
<Secretary> Well... I can try.  It's a natural talent of mine, I think - I'm
not sure how I'd teach you.
<LadyMallet> Yes!
* LadyMallet grins.
* Lord_Darkmoon looks out the window, slowly losing the pallor from his face.
<Terazaki-san> No!  No one else should drive like that!
* LadyMysteria glances over, idly clenches Darkmoon's hand tighter, then sighs
yet again. "Let's just get going. If he somehow survived, I'd rather not have
to do that again."
<LadyHeat> Are we going to pick up Minami now?
* LadyMallet grins. "Everyone should drive like that! We'd never have any
accidents!"
<Secretary> She won't be ready yet.  I thought we were getting him to safety
first.
* Lord_Darkmoon grips her hand back, tightly.
<LadyNightshade> So to the Palace?
<Secretary> That's what I understand, just... to drop him off.
<LadyMysteria> We should wait. If there were others, we wouldn't want to lead
them there.
<Lord_Darkmoon> I-- *voice cracks; he clears his throat and tries again, more
steadily* I should see if we're still being followed.
<LadyMysteria> Please.
<Secretary> I can loop around a bit.
* Lord_Darkmoon shifts his shoulders a bit, then straightens as his sunglasses
are once more backlit.
<LadyNightshade> I don't see anyone behind us.
<LadyNightshade> If he survived though he could give them the information on
this vehicle. It'd probably be better to get there before anyone else has a
chance to find us.
* Secretary drives along, looping around the Imperial grounds, then heading
north.
<LadyNightshade> Or we could switch vehicles if that's possible.
<Secretary> It could be... arranged.  I suppose it would be justified.
* Lord_Darkmoon shifts a bit, unconsciously, presumably watching the van from
high overhead, and its surrounding environs for anyone too coincidentally
going the same direction.
<Secretary> Mysteria-sama?  Do you want to do that?
* Lord_Darkmoon sighs after a moment, relaxing as the glow fades. He looks
less pale, now, too, and his voice is almost back to his usual mission-
business-like tones. "If anyone is following us, they'd have to be a network
of vehicles passing us along."
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Isn't there likely to be a crowd around him now?
<Lady_MakeBelieve> It was fairly spectacular
<LadyMysteria> ... it would help. Let's, quickly.
<Secretary> Okay...
* LadyMallet relaxes, and leans her head back in the seat.
* Secretary pulls out a cell phone, and drives one-handed as she calls someone
up about getting a van and leaving it at the "northern location".
<LadyMysteria> There really is so much none of you ever tell us, Secretary.
* Secretary closes the phone.
<LadyMallet> Our friends or your friends?
<Secretary> In truth, a lot of it is Sakura-sama's doing - she set up contacts
for a number of eventualities even before I met her.
<Lord_Darkmoon> She is the master at this.
<Secretary> Call them... paid allies who know nothing.
<LadyMysteria> Huh. That's her, alright.
<LadyMallet> Yeah, well, if you wanna come clean with us, feel free. ^_^
* Secretary grimaces and looks back into the van for a second, though you're
not sure at what.
<Secretary> There are good reasons for that.  Reasons you would understand,
though if I told you what they were, you would know too much.
<LadyMysteria> And that's, ultimately, what bothers me... but I can deal with
it. It's honestly better to stay in the dark about some things.
<LadyMallet> ... I guess, but sorry if just about everyone on my team having
some innocent dark secret at one point or another bothers me.
* LadyNightshade goes back to being quiet at this topic of conversation.
<Secretary> In truth, things have been changing since all of you got involved,
and those reasons may not still exist.  But certain persons might still be
very pissed off.
* Lord_Darkmoon shifts his eyes in Mallet's direction for a moment, then back
out the window.
* LadyMallet glances back at Mina's Dad.
* Terazaki-san is trying to pretend he isn't there, and clutching the duffel
tightly.
<LadyNightshade> Terazaki-san, is that your duffle?
<Terazaki-san> ...you can't have my money.
<LadyNightshade> I don't want the money.
* LadyMallet blinks. Then blinks again.
<LadyNightshade> I want to know if that's your duffle.
<LadyNightshade> The bag itself.
<LadyMysteria> ... eh? Nightshade?
<LadyNightshade> We know they've been following you.
<LadyMallet> ... oh, dammit.
<LadyNightshade> If the bag hasn't been in your possession the entire time...
<Terazaki-san> Naw, it's just a bag from the poker room.  They keep some
around for winners to use.
<LadyNightshade> Can I see it?
<LadyNightshade> You can take the money out if you want.
* Lady_MakeBelieve makes a new duffle bag. "Put your money in this"
<LadyMallet> ... let her check the bag.
<Terazaki-san> ...and put it wher- okay.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Lady Make Believe... can you make a very strong magnet?
* Terazaki-san transfers wads of bills from one bag to the other, then tosses
the non-conjured one back to Nightshade.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> I can make a strong one... I don't know what counts as
"very" strong.
* LadyNightshade examines the bag carefully, seeing if anything unwanted has
been placed in it.
* LadyMysteria glances at all the cash, boggling some. "You did rather
well..."
<Lord_Darkmoon> Make several, and drop them in the duffel with his money,
please.
<Lord_Darkmoon> As strong as you can make them.
<Ked> It's a duffel, seemingly not new, but not much worn, either.
<LadyMallet> ... Mina's paranoia is rubbing off on me. Igh. How can she think
like this all the time?
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Ok...
* Lady_MakeBelieve does as Darkmoon requested, though looking sort of puzzled
about the whole thing.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Is 8 enough?
<Lord_Darkmoon> If you're right, and there's a tracer in the money instead of
the duffel, these magnets should screw it up. Ever had a magnet get too close
to a radio?
<Lord_Darkmoon> Probably. Try to spread them around inside.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> I don't really listen to the radio.
<LadyNightshade> I don't see anything unusual. We should still dump the bag or
leave it in the van with whoever picks it up afterwards.
<LadyMallet> Why not just destroy the bag? Oil and fire?
<Terazaki-san> ...well, I wasn't drunk again.  I suppose I should make this a
habit.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Good choice.
* Lord_Darkmoon nods.
<LadyMallet> Did you check the money?
<LadyHeat> What if it's special money that has bugs woven into it or
something?
<Terazaki-san> ...it's money!  How do you bug money?
<LadyMallet> I don't know!
<LadyMysteria> You'd be surprised what you can do, but we absolutely must be
certain.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Hence the magnets.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> If its really an issue, go exchange it at a bank.
<LadyMallet> You said it's been a while since you've won. Were they letting
you win?
<Lady_MakeBelieve> They can't bug all the money everywhere.
<LadyHeat> But he still had to cash the chips, right?
<LadyNightshade> How well do you trust the people that run that place?
<Lord_Darkmoon> Make Believe is right. Hide the money somewhere, and visit a
bank tomorrow.
<Terazaki-san> ...no, not unless they have fifteen different people watching
me, some of them for the last five years...
<LadyNightshade> Is that usual?
<LadyMallet> ... more plausible than you'd think.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> It's probably better to put your money in the bank anyway.
<Terazaki-san> Goddammit, I am NOT letting go of my money.
<Lord_Darkmoon> The main issue is that we can't take it with us into the--
where we're going. Not until we're sure it's clean. Would you feel better if
one of us guarded it tonight and you came to get it in the morning?
<LadyHeat> Is there a Lady Magnet or something who could zap the bag and money
to make sure I was clean?
* LadyMysteria folds her arms and looks conflicted. "It might seem silly, but
this is rather important, sir."
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Doesn't lead block signals or something?  Can't I just line
the bag with that?
<Terazaki-san> ...this is ev- well, not everything, but most of what I have in
the world, other than what's at my home.  I am not letting some kids I don't
know take it!
<Lady_MakeBelieve> So deposit it in your account!
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Who do you bank with?
<Lady_MakeBelieve> We'll go there.
<Terazaki-san> I don't have a bank.  They don't let you take all your money
out five times a week.
<LadyNightshade> Would you rather talk to Mina about this?
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...will you take a check? Give me the money, and I'll have my
cousin write you one.
<Terazaki-san> Your cousin.  Oh, that's a good one.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> He's good for it.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Well, she is anyway.
<Lord_Darkmoon> I would write it myself, but no bank knows who Lord Darkmoon
is, and I would rather not write you a check in my given name.
* Lady_MakeBelieve looks at Darkmoon to make sure she knows what she’s talking
about.
<Terazaki-san> ...fine, let me out.  I'm going home.
* LadyMallet rubs her head.
<Lord_Darkmoon> And yes, Make Believe; Rin is more than 'good for it'.
<Lady_MakeBelieve> Just making sure we were talking about the same person.  I
had forgotten she was your 'cousin'.
<Terazaki-san> Come on, stop the van.
<LadyNightshade> We can't let you go.
<Lord_Darkmoon> ...*pulls out his cell phone, and dials Mina's number*
<LadyNightshade> We're doing this for Mina's sake, not yours.
<LadyMysteria> ... look, Terazaki-san. I don't expect you to trust us out of
the blue, but right now you're not in a very safe position in the slightest.
And I would not hear the end of it from Roya---Mina if we let you go and
someone decided to  kidnap you or worse.
<LadyMallet> ... look, quit trying to force our hand. It's our heads on the
platter, with your daughter holding the scythe if we screw up.
<LadyMysteria> This is bigger than money or possessions right now, unless you
don't value your life too highly.
<LadyHeat> She's going to be really, really pissed if we let you out and then
you get killed, or kidnapped or whatever.
* Minami picks up.  "Yo."
<Lord_Darkmoon> Minami? This is Darkmoon. We are trying to convince your
father to let us launder his money so we don't bring possibly bugged bills
into the safe house. Would you please talk to him?
<Minami> You...*what*?
<Minami> Bugged *bills*?  What are you talking about?
<Lord_Darkmoon> Given the caliber of our enemy, it is...conceivable. Your
father was doing well when we acquired him from the poker hall.
<Minami> ...and this has what, exactly, to do with...have you been listening
to Kyouko?
* Lord_Darkmoon snorts. "Not exactly. Currently, as a...precaution...we've
transferred the cash to one of Make Believe's duffle bags, and she's added
eight strong magnets to it, just to be certain of scrambling any outgoing
signals."
<Minami> You...magnets...wait, and after this you *still* want to take the
money away?
<Lord_Darkmoon> We don't want to bring it to the --where we're going. I'd
prefer to exchange it at a bank, but those are closed now. So we should store
it in a safe place until tomorrow.
<Minami> You're all idiots.  Even if they could somehow manage to BUG.  MONEY.
You've already got magnets in there to screw up whatever supersignals you
think they're sending out.
<Minami> Stop worrying about stupid shit and focus on the big picture.
* Lord_Darkmoon sighs. "And that would be?"
<Minami> Getting the plan together.  We had a plan, remember?  One that didn't
involve all the currency in Japan being bugged?
* Lord_Darkmoon chuckles. "You know, there's something wrong with the world
when I'm more paranoid than you are, Minami-san."
<Minami> Once you've dropped father off, hopefully with all his possessions
either intact or at least magnetified, then come get me.  I'm ready.
<Lord_Darkmoon> Very well. We'll see you as soon as possible.
<Minami> There's paranoid, and then there's *crazy*.  I'd like to think I'm
not quite there yet.
<Minami> Right.
<Minami> See you.
* Minami hangs up.
* Terazaki-san grins.  "See?"
<LadyNightshade> Are we done?
<LadyMysteria> Let's just... get this over with.
* Lord_Darkmoon sighs. "As you say, my Lady."
* LadyMallet laughs. "I need to give her a big hug when I see her."
<Lord_Darkmoon> This has been a long night. *looks out the window again, still
looking a bit troubled through is mask*
* Secretary has been driving around somewhat randomly, but pulls to the curb.
"Korean fire drill!"
* Secretary hops out, walks to the black minivan she just parked behind, and
hops in through the unlocked door.
* LadyMallet is right behind her. She takes shotgun again.
* LadyHeat hops out when she can and climb into the back of the new van.
* Lord_Darkmoon starts, and turns a few moments after people have started
climbing out. "After you, Mysteria-chan?"
* LadyMysteria nods, stepping out. She looks a tad nervous, and somewhat
shaken up from the rough ride before.
* LadyNightshade hops out the back of the van, and moves into the back of the
other van, leaving the bag where it lies.
* LadyNightshade turns to the Secretary. "Is someone going to pick that up?
Should we let them know that the bag is in there in case there's something we
can see in it?"
<Secretary> I'll get it in a few days.
<Ked> This new van is more like your normal size, and everyone is sandwiched
together.
<LadyNightshade> Should we leave the bag somewhere else then?
<Secretary> I dunno - I think it would be interesting to see what happens if
you leave it.
* LadyMallet buckles up, and looks in the back at the others, giving a giant
grin and a big thumbs up.
* LadyMysteria grunts a little as she squeezes in. "She has a point."
* LadyNightshade shrugs. "Whatever makes you happy."
* Lord_Darkmoon holds Maya's hand once they get out and as they walk over,
almost unconsciously. He doesn't even color noticeably when the close confines
force he and his girlfriend to practically sit in each others' laps.
* LadyNightshade looks rather uncomfortable with people pressed against her in
the tight space.
* Lady_MakeBelieve tries to find a place to sit that doesn't crush anyway.
* LadyMysteria seems not to notice; yep, she's a tad stressed.
* Secretary pulls away, off to the Palace.
<Ked> [end session]
Session Close: Sat Dec 17 19:19:53 2005