Stormchaser, Food Court

Didit: ~Pretty much. The plan was always an iterated testing line. There was maybe a reality where she could've made it, but she was pretty much just a tolerance check before they made the field model.~

-Neodymium frowns-

Neodymium: No, I know how to forage. Did you know you can eat Paras caps if you're careful to get the spores out?

Stormchaser

With some effort Daydre slices through the last of the bindings and grabs the mask- just in time to get frozen to the wall by the Ice Beam.

The shell of ice that was Daydre is still for a moment, until...

... it shatters into a thousand brilliant shards from the force and Daydre pops out again, looking slightly frosty but not much worse for wear.

She hangs the mask from her belt and backtracks down the hall when a blur passes Tagg and slams into her.

They hold their respective knives in a deadlock, Aislinn's grey eyes staring into Daydre's glowing pink.

Aislinn: -still wet, angry, snarling- "I don't even know what to say to you right now-"

Daydre: "'Oh no', 'how dare you', 'give me back my purpose in life'?"

Aislinn: "Fuck you!"

Daydre: "Haha, oh there we go!"

... And Daydre sweeps low while Aislinn is focused on holding the lock, knocking the latter on her ass.

It doesn't take long for Aislinn to jump back to her feet, but in Daydre's amped state it takes equally little time for her to sprint down the hallway.

Stormchaser

-Follows closely behind Daydre and Aislinn-

Damn it, how am I going to stop her without seriously hurting her?

Chiyo: -Glaring- What do you want, No Heart?

Dr. No Heart: -Affably, but with something very much off about it- I much prefer Dr. Hexnotar, you know.

Zee: -Sharply- We don't care, you eugenicist slavedriver.

Chloe: You're not bothering to call us by our names anyway.

Dr. No Heart: No matter. What I want is what I've always desired, to plumb the very depths of the heart of Aura.

-Gesticulating with his fingers-

Every Schoolchild I have designed, every experiment, every product that I discarded... All of it was for this purpose.

-Looking between all of them-

You four have proven to be be very troublesome children, Iridium especially. I had very high hopes for her in particular, despite Iridium's initial... lackluster performance.

Chiyo: If you think I was a disappointment I'd consider it only a good thing, because I know what you value, or rather, what you don't. Were Silver, Cadmium, and our other brothers and sisters not enough?

-Angrily-

How many Schoolchildren have been sacrificed on the altar of your ambitions?

Dr. No Heart: -Almost amused- Far, far more than you realize, the New Century Class was hardly my first rodeo. All of it was worth it.

Chloe: -Hand at her knife sheath- Why are you so obsessed with Chiyo in particular? There was Nitrogen, Diamond, lots of others.

Dr. No Heart: -To Chiyo- Despite your escape, your proven deadliness towards every Templar sent against you, I was not about to let a scion of Clan Anuenue out of my grasp. Even with that little contingency I was forced to prepare.

Chiyo: -Surprised- What?

Abe: -Eyebrow raise- Clan... Anuenue?

Dr. No Heart: It took some doing, but I was able to acquire DNA from a living descendant for my own purposes. And that is how our Iridium was created. As a potential key to find the Prime Node.

Chiyo: -Taking in the information- Clan Anuenue? Is that where I come from?

Chloe: What is this "Prime Node" or whatever you're talking about?

Brad: -Laughs- Well, wouldn't you all like to know? Maybe you already do but just don't know it.

Dr. No Heart: You'll find out, eventually.

Chiyo: -Firmly- Whatever the Prime Node is, we'll stop the School and you from getting it.

Brad: -Laughs some more- You think we're doing this for the School? As if!

Adrian: -Arms crossed- It is obvious the School is a sinking ship due to choosing to antagonize the J-Team and overextending itself, it's only a matter of time before it goes under now. We have no intention of sinking with it.

Dr. No Heart: As Brad stated, this whole event was the perfect way to get you out of hiding. I have no desire to interfere with your cure, I already have almost everything I need, so whether you actually succeed with it or not is immaterial to me. Except your proper template, Iridium, I do need that.

Chloe: How reassuring.

Chiyo: I always thought your plans seemed bigger than the School...

-Eyes narrow-

This confirms it.

Zee: -Brandishing her greatsword- Like Chiyo said, we're not going to let you do that. J-Team or no J-Team, you're our responsibility to deal with.

Dr. No Heart: -Smugly- You're free to try Xenon, but I think we'll be taking our leave now. Don't be so hasty to die like Gallium was, or break and be defective like Curium. It would be... inconvenient if you were to die in a way that prevented sample acquisition.

-The shadows merge as No Heart starts to leave, as Adrian and Brad also disappear-

Chiyo: -Eyes flash with rage as she immediately and without hesitation throws a death disc at the back of his head the moment he turns around, but No Heart is gone and it just slices an unfortunate boulder in half instead, followed by other Truancy Gang attacks- Fuck.

-Her mind seems to be partially away right now-

Zee: -Hand to her shoulder- You okay?

Chiyo: -To Zee- I'll manage. It's just... a lot.

Edited by rmctagg09 on Mar 12th 2024 at 4:28:11 AM

Stormchaser

Daydre: Hmmm.... There's only so long I can outrun them...

Daydre closes her eyes, smiles, and puts her hands together in a pleading gesture.

Daydre: "Stormy, I'm sorry but can you do me a favor? I promise it'll get me out of your hair..."

Somehow, despite everything, Daydre is not being impeded by the Stormchaser. Though the passageways are as long and nonsensical as usual, they're not actively malicious. Whatever's going through Daydre's mind right now, she doesn't seem to think of it as... harmful.

Daydre and Aislinn (and presumably Tagg) end up at the end of a narrow hallway, with only a normal door leading out.

Aislinn: "What are you hoping to gain here? What do you want to achieve? What's the point of this stupid game of chase?"

Daydre: "You guys could just give up, no one's making you chase me."

Aislinn: "You know we can't do that."

Daydre: -shrugging- "Well, that sucks for you then doesn't it? I promise I'm not gonna do anything too bad with Yan-Yu."

Aislinn: "Now why don't I believe that?"

Daydre: "That's your decisio-!"

Aislinn hurls her knife at Daydre, who responds by opening the door behind her and hiding behind it.

Daydre pokes out her head and sticks her tongue out.

Daydre: "Rude."

Aislinn: "..."

... And goes back in, shutting the door behind her.

Aislinn doesn't hesitate, and follows through the door.

Stormchaser

How has the Stormchaser not stopped her yet?

Daydre, please sto-

-Aislinn hurls her knife-

What the hell are you doing Aislinn? She's troubled, not evil!

-Peering through the door-

Stop running and think, this could be a trap!

Chiyo: -Has said nothing since No Heart and his Templars have left-

Dactyl: <It'll be okay, we'll figure this out.>

Chloe: -Pats- Yeah, we will.

-It's then that she feels a raindrop, in fact there's a sudden light rain-

Odd, it's not the right time for rain.

???: There you are, New Century Iridium!

-A little purple-eyed girl seeming between the apparent ages of 8 and 10 appears with a determined expression, a Fuecoco next to her. It seems she's the one making the rain-

Chiyo: -Shocked- She... She looks like me.

Abe: -Eyes widen- We destroyed our templates when we escaped, so how is this even possible?

Chiyo: We must not have been thorough enough.

She must be the "contingency" No Heart was talking about.

??? Freshman!Iridium: -Brandishing a rainbow knife construct- I'll prove today that I'm the superior Iridium! Then the School will quit being afraid of me!

Zee: -To Iridium, not particularly afraid of the knife- You're a bit too green for this arena, kid.

Sickle: <So's your mon. Go back to playing with the other hatchlings.>

Zee: -Having a moment of realization- Doesn't she kinda look a bit like-

Abe: -Seeing the same- Hmm...

Chloe: No fucking way...

Chiyo: -Coming to the same realization- Wait, she-

-While yes, this Iridium does look a lot like Chiyo, that's not the only person she looks like. While Chiyo's hair could hardly be called straight, this Iridium's hair is slightly coarser. While she shares Chiyo's freckles, the mole on her left side is also prominent, and her purple eyes, differently shaped from Chiyo's, have a slight brownish tint-

I get why she looks like me, the School might've managed to get a template despite my best efforts. But why? Why does she look like Tagg?!

Edited by rmctagg09 on May 5th 2023 at 5:23:44 AM

Randomizer Battlefield

-Indeed it does get weird, as sections of the ground fragment and split off into floating chunks above seemingly endless emptiness. Snow flutters in a gravity-defying dance throughout the space-warped air.-

Banjo: <Aw HECK yeah, finally got my hoverboard! Been waiting since 2015 for this!>

Vinjcafex: <Excellent! Excellent. Now tell me how you expect to propel yourself.>

Banjo: <Prepare to be bamboozled by my secret methods!>

Yed: (teetering between two platforms) <Don't like this don't like this don't like this>

Maya: <It's fine, it's just illusions! Watch!>

-Maya steps forward and immediately starts to plummet into oblivion. Viper hurriedly squirms to the edge of her platform to catch her with a String Shot.-

Viper: <Hnnnng gotcha!!!>

Maya: -swinging like a wrecking ball- <See? It's fine!>

-Onabarrak crosses his arms.-

Onabarrak: <You seem to be at quite the disadvantage, Lady Scarlette and team.>

Scarlette: Mmm, nah, don't think so. Viper, Dig! Yed, stand guard for her!

-Kai raises an eyebrow as Viper buries herself in the fragment of ground she's suspended Maya from, and Yed hops over to stand over the hole.-

Yed: <Ready!>

Vinjcafex: <Weird play, considering you're all Electric.>

Kai: ...You're up to something.

Scarlette: Aw, was it that obvious?

Kai: It's a fascinating setup. I'm too curious to not see it through, though, so let's spring the trap, shall we?

Onabarrak: <Forgoing tactics today, Kai?>

Kai: It's a friendly battle, and I want to see what my friends have cooking.

Onabarrak: -shrug- <So be it, then.>

-Onabarrak launches up above the Electric mon platform, and comes crashing down...-

Scarlette: -smile- Electrify.

-right onto Yed, who raises the Justice Twig skyward-

-and immense mechanical kinetic energy spontaneously converts to electrical potential energy, immediately slowing Onabarrak's descent and sending a bolt of lightning down through — in order — the stick, the Boltund, the platform, the Charjabug, the string, and the Manectric hanging from it.-

Maya: <Whoo! My turn my turn my turn!>

Scarlette: Your turn, sweetie.

-Maya opens her mouth, and electricity connects to the platform under Banjo-

Banjo: <...uh— >

-which spontaneously heats the metal to the point of boiling-

Banjo: < —owowOWOWOW HOTHOTHOT— >

-The force of the attack swings Maya, causing her and the platform to rotate. Meanwhile, Banjo frantically jumps onto Vinjcafex's platform, blowing on his paws to cool them off.-

Banjo: <Vinjieee they made my hoverboard hurt>

Vinjcafex: <Pull yourself together, you oaf!>

Banjo: <But Vinjieeeee the Manectric's meeeeeean>

-Maya slumps a bit.-

Maya: <Sorry...> :<

Vinjcafex: <By the knights, you're pathetic.>

-The weird snow around the battlefield coalesces into flower petals, which zero in on Maya and slice at her-

-and also at the string she's suspended by-

-snip-

Vinjcafex: <Goodbye.>

-Maya drops.-

Kai: o_o

Edited by BittersweetNSour on Mar 30th 2023 at 10:24:22 AM

Stormchaser

Beyond the door is... the upper decks?

And Daydre, and Aislinn, both being buffeted by the wind. Daydre is standing on a railing despite the conditions, arms out for balance. She looks like she's more having fun than anything else.

Aislinn glowers at her.

Aislinn: "..."

Daydre: "What, nothing to say anymore?"

Aislinn: -backward glance at Tagg- "... I don't know exactly what Tagg meant by enthralled, but if you're being coerced into this you can still turn around."

Daydre: "After you threw a knife at me? Ehh... No."

Daydre: "I mean, you weren't convincing me anyway, but the knife didn't help."

Aislinn: "... I would prefer not to have to fight you. And I would prefer you not take the Mask for your own personal joyride."

Daydre: "You're not really persuading me with that look on your face."

... True to her words, Aislinn for the past few minutes has looked about as angry as she did at Morata's manor.

Daydre: "And again. It's not like I'm going to do anything that bad, I just want to test some theories in a way you wouldn't approve of."

Aislinn: "You-"

Daydre: -grinning- "Anyway, I've always wanted to try this!"

... And she tilts back. Gravity takes her, and she falls- down, down, over the edge and out of sight.

Stormchaser Upper Decks

-Manages to get outside just to see Daydre dive off the Stormchaser-

Daydre!

-Scanning with Aura Sense-

Daydre!

-To Aislinn-

What was hell was that?

-It's then that I pick up an Aura that seems quite similar to both Chiyo's and mine's-

Huh?

Iridium: -Having heard none of the Truancy Gang's musings- What are you all looking at?

Chiyo: -Is just staring at them, still in a state of shock-

Iridium: Alright Ammit, let's fight!

Ammit: -Getting a much better view of what's going on, even if she doesn't understand all the details- <Wait!>

Iridium: -Eyebrow raise- Why?

Ammit: <They're right, we're too weak to face them. We should go for now.>

Iridium: But I wanted to prove myself Ammit...

Ammit: -Nods- <And you'll do that, but later, once we're stronger.>

Iridium: -Grumpily- Fine...

-To Chiyo-

This isn't over, Iridium 1.0!

-Doing the two fingers pointing gesture-

Next time, prepare yourself for a butt-kicking!

-Iridium then holds what appears to be some sort of beacon, and they and Ammit are teleported off before the Truancy Gang can attempt to capture them-

Chloe: Shit man...

Louise: -Runs up to everyone- Holy shit, that was a lot.

Zee: I'm guessing you must be Louise, the ex-Templar.

Chloe: -Gives them a brief look- It'd better stay "ex".

Abe: -To Chiyo- I know this must be a lot for you right now, it's a lot for us too.

Chiyo: -Sitting on the ground- Fuck...

If the School has both of our DNA, what does this even mean?

Edited by rmctagg09 on May 5th 2023 at 5:24:49 AM

Stormchaser Upper Decks

It takes a second, but Tagg picks up Daydre's Aura suddenly rising into the air riding another signature.

One... weirdly    dark    for the shape it is.

   Togekiss!The Punisher:       <...>   

Daydre rises to the level of the deck again, standing on Togekiss-back.

Daydre: "I'd say 'see you never' but we're probably going to see each other again. So see you later!"

And she hops back into a more comfortable/less dangerous riding position. The Punisher just keeps accelerating until they're nothing more than a blur of color against the clouds.

Aislinn: "Ugh-"

She clenches her fists and slams one against the railing.

Aislinn: (to Tagg) "... I probably know less than you. But if you're talking about our argument, we... I said some things to her I regret. But I never got the chance to talk to her about it before she started acting weird."

She turns, looking slightly deflated as the anger starts to wear off.

Aislinn: "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Stormchaser

-To Aislinn with the "disappointed in you" voice-

I meant why you were going at her as if Morata Macraul had somehow manifested in the Stormchaser. But I guess it's moot, since Daydre's fucked off to Uxie knows where.

While we were dealing with Daydre, Templars tried to attack, but Chiyo and her Batchmates fought them off. Then Brad, some Templar I didn't recognize, and this... malevolent presence showed up. Finally, an Aura, one like both mine and Chiyo.

-Dead serious in a voice that brooks no argument-

I need to go now, but you're coming with.

-Immediately heads out-

A Few Minutes Later

-Arrives in the midst of the Truancy Gang + Louise, presumably followed by Aislinn-

Louise: -Noticing us first- Oh, hey Dr. Tagg. Chiyo's not doing so well so-

Chiyo: -Speaking up- No Louise. I want to tell him this myself.

Louise: -Standing aside- Uh, okay.

Chiyo: -Standing- Hey Tagg.

I sensed a weird Aura, the Aura of a Schoolchild, but it was similar to both yours and mine. Does this mean? Are they?

Chiyo: Yes.

-Sighs-

I'm pretty sure that's the Freshman Class Iridium we just met, made with both of our genes...

What?!

How? Why? Has the PEFE been compromised? But if so, why my genes? I'm hardly the most impressive or interesting Auric out there.

Chiyo: I think you're selling yourself a little short Tagg, but it wouldn't be outwardly obvious.

-To Chiyo-

So she's like... basically our biological daughter.

I have... a daughter, that's in the School's clutches. Two, if we include Pef.

-Gently-

Are you alright?

Chiyo: -Very much not alright- I said to Adelinde while we fought that I'd never want a child of mine to suffer through what I went through, but here it is. And it's only the tip of the iceberg. Dr. No Heart, our creator, he showed up after we chased the other Templars off.

-Crossing arms-

That was probably the malevolent Aura I sensed earlier.

Zee: -Sheathing her greatsword- Talked about this "Prime Node" he wanted to find. No idea what that is, but if he wants it, it's nothing good.

-To Chiyo-

Like, I get it, I was... derived from Adrian myself.

Chiyo: -Looking at the ground- He said he took part of the DNA to create me from someone descended from a "Clan Anuenue." It sounds Alolan, but I've never heard of them before.

Abe: They wished to lure the rest of us out by threatening...

-Taking a look at Aislinn-

All we've built.

Edited by rmctagg09 on Apr 28th 2023 at 4:52:48 AM

Stormchaser

Aislinn: "..."

Aislinn: "She's dangerous, and she likely would've treated me the same. You saw that trick with the Pokeball. Anyone who wishes to abuse the Mask... I have to take seriously. Even if they're related to me."

... Is what she says before following Tagg.

Stormchaser

Aislinn: "This is... concerning that School that I heard about? I was given some details but not all. They made a child from your genes? That sounds troubling."

She kinda raises an eyebrow at Abe.

-A Qwilfish comes out of Maggie's room on the Stormchaser, looking around at the surrounding hallway, noticing that it looks pretty damp-

Slliuq: <Retawaes... siht si?>

-A sopping wet Sharpedo flops over from down the hall-

Chum: <Hey, babe. Hope you've been resting fine.>

Slliuq: <Trap tsom eht rof, haey... hu.>

<Ereh tuo deneppah tahw?>

Chum: <Oh, yeah, pirate singing practice got cut short for all the meteors that were going on outside. Totally threw off the vibe, we're sea pirates, not space pirates after all!>

Slliuq: <Taht tuoba suoiruc saw Eiggam...>

Chum: <So I went outside to clear my head and suddenly I got swept away by a bunch of seawater! Honestly I was kind of glad, this airship doesn't have much of it.>

<But the good news is it all got redirected into another room! Funnily enough I swum around in it a little bit and it got an air filter installed! This ship can sure be nice sometimes! We'll have to check it out when we've got more time, I was going back to tell the rest of the crew what happened.>

Slliuq: <Tghir... hu...>

<Taht lla tuoba gnihtyna od... ew dluohs?>

Chum: <I mean, you know what the Captain says about a lot of these things being pretty self contained in a sense. I figure we'll find out via word of mouth or a text or something. Besides, we technically don't know Who this involves anyway so not like we can ask right now.>

Slliuq: <Ton esoppus... I... Yaw rehtie Eiggam llet og ll'I.>

-And the two head off to inform their respective parties-

School unsafehouse

The Ice Beam lands, freezing the Comfey.

Robin: <Nice! Let's end this!>

They charge at the Kingambit, oneshotting them with Sacred Sword.

Asclepius: Dammit!! Why won't you all just die?!

Robin: ~I can teleport now! Are you ready to go?~

Glaseado mountain, AFD

Someone who looks like this poofs into existence mid-air and crash-lands in the snow. She picks herself up and looks around.

Whitney: ...What the hell just happened?

A few minutes later

Whitney is still walking around, looking for some towns or something. A Cetoddle approaches. Whitney slowly backs away, but eyes it curiously.

Whitney: Um... Hello?

The Cetoddle jumps up and down happily. Whitney smiles a bit.

Whitney: Dawwww...

Edited by QuantumMelody29 on Mar 31st 2023 at 8:46:58 PM

Stormchaser, Food Place

Addie: ...I'm sorry to say, I really don't think the cool powers are worth it.

Logan: Huh!

-they sit up a little, intrigued-

Logan: I'd heard it said by a few Rangers, but assumed it was another urban legend—not that I was ever really inclined to test it, I'm a vegetarian when I can help it.

-they chew for a while, apparently looking for an example of their own-

Logan: Speaking of when I wasn't, did you know there's at least three types of Geodude that're human-edible?

-Addie blinks-

-Logan stuffs their fork in their mouth-

Edited by Asterisk395 on Mar 31st 2023 at 1:56:50 PM

Stormchaser, Food Place

Didit: ~Eh. I'm just the Indeedee. I don't make the moral calls.~

Neodymium: Everyone knows that.

-...-

Onix, too. Though the meat is kind of gamey.

-she smiles a bit-

Outside the Stormchaser

Chiyo: -Simply nods at Aislinn's question-

-The rest of the Truancy Gang and their mons exchange looks-

Chloe: Who are you?

Chiyo: -To Chloe- That's Aislinn, Tagg and I helped her with that mask issue.

Abe: With that other Osmium, Ynos was it?

Chiyo: -Nods-

-To Chiyo-

If the School knows, there's no point in hiding what we're doing now. It just puts more people in danger.

Chiyo: -To Aislinn- Do you remember when I told you about how some of us are made wrong? Well, that's called the Curse, and Tagg has been helping us create a cure.

Outside the Stormchaser

Aislinn: "Ah."

Aislinn: "Well, given what you told me about them it makes sense they'd be incensed by that. It means they're going to bleed more people if knowledge of this cure is disseminated, no?"

Aislinn: (to Tagg) "I'm not sure why you want me here for this, though. I sympathize, but it's not like I'm involved."

Outside the Stormchaser

-To Aislinn-

You sit in our airship, our problems by extension will become your problems. Especially when I strongly suspect it was Molybdenum who was messing inside Daydre's mind, who ran off with the Oracle Mask. This has her fingerprints all over it, just like with Megan back in 2021.

Abe: Yes, those who wouldn't be so swayed simply by Chiyo's words would definitely be convinced by a cure.

-Grimaces-

But even now it's not fully ready yet, which is the other reason we didn't want word getting out.

Chiyo: -Only half-comprehending the whole "Dayde ran off with the mask" thing, her mind preoccupied on other matters- No point in promising the moon if it turns out to be a mirage.

Edited by rmctagg09 on Mar 31st 2023 at 6:54:11 AM

Dr. Cassander's Estate

Watson nods at Tenor's suggestion and he focuses his attention on the stag at the far distance. The Wyrdeer stag in front of Tenor continues to rhythmically bow, followed by the other stags and does who seemed to have conceded to his lead. The giant stag—Bucky, if anyone so prefers—continues to follow.

The rival stag attempts to charge—aiming squarely at both Bucky and Tenor. Watson notices this quickly, steps in front of Tenor, and, with one very audible snap of his fingers, causes the oncoming stag to stop in his tracks, unable to move. He snapped his fingers again, and the stag resumed his march, though slowly but surely he staggered before deciding to kneel down on the floor and sleep.

Watson: Not today, Stephen.

He chuckles slightly, as though relieved at the outcome. The look on Watson's face seemed to suggest that encounters with this particular stag usually ended up less pleasant.

By then the rest of the Wyrdeer—doe and stag alike—have been entranced by Mr. Tenor's rhythmic humming. The herd followed Bucky in a single file, ignoring what had happened to the other stag. The social order, once upended, has now been restored—for now.

Cassander will demand that Stephen also be brought back in line, but that will have to wait. He understood that the method was not bound to work 100 percent the first time around, and bringing order to 19 out of 20 was a good start.

Edited by MasterJayAM on Oct 20th 2023 at 10:15:45 PM

Outside the Stormchaser

Aislinn: "I... suppose I don't really have an argument for that, given you're housing me for free, but this isn't my particular area of expertise."

Aislinn: -eyes narrowing- "... That, however, does concern me. This Molybdenum is a Schoolchild still with the School, I presume?... If she's convinced Daydre to let her research the Mask or give it to her handlers we could have a large problem on our hands."

To her credit, she doesn't look mad, but her Aura betrays her feelings.

Outside the Stormchaser

-To Aislinn-

Molybdenum is indeed a School agent yes, she "graduated" so she'd be considered an Alumnus. Her specialty, as far as we can tell, is in mind alteration. Mo's danger in a fight is more based on the strength of the thralls she's ensnared rather than her own personal strength, which wasn't that impressive.

If she wants the mask, gotta wonder why she wasn't waiting in the wings to just take it once Daydre managed to escape us though.

-To behind me-

Doc, you were with Daydre last before we saw her acting weird, do you have any insights?

Doc: -Thinking pose- <Uh... Well, I was with her for most of the raid, but then she ran off and I couldn't really hear her anymore because of everything else going on. So if Molybdenum did enthrall her, that'd be a good bet on when it happened, cause she's been acting weird ever since then.>

-To me-

<How's this gonna effect our Thieving stuff since we're down a member?>

Wouldn't be the first time admittedly...

Chloe: Is Molybdenum going to be a problem for us too?

Chiyo: -Still trying to get her mind off things- Not a direct one, she seems to be the sort to prefer to pick her battles.

Chloe: -Chuckles- Not like she'd want to come after you in particular, your Mind stuff hard counters her abilities anyway.

Abe: Well, I think we'll just have to keep an eye out for Daydre for now, on top of the other stuff.

-To Aislinn-

I'm sure we'll get both of them back.

Edited by rmctagg09 on Mar 31st 2023 at 11:17:42 AM

Outside the Stormchaser

Aislinn: "... Mm. I don't see why else she would make Daydre so obsessed with the Mask, especially if she works for an organization that experiments with psychics.. Would she have just done it for her own amusement? I suppose that's not the most unrealistic thing out there..."

Aislinn: "I will likely be conducting a search myself, but I appreciate any help I can receive."

A very brief twinge of guilt in her aura.

Aislinn: -to Abe- ".. I hope we do."

Outside the Stormchaser

Zee: -To Aislinn- Look, I'm not good at speeches or anything, that's more Ms. Rainbow's thing (Chiyo: Hey!), but you shouldn't blame yourself for what happened. Sometimes things just happen despite your best efforts.

-Staring at a certain other party-

Same goes for you, Tagg.

Hmm...

Chloe: I'm pretty good at traveling, if anyone would run into her, I've got a good chance at it.

Chiyo: You know I will.

-She still seems distracted while speaking-

I've still got so much to think about...

Abe: -Nods- Well, I guess we should probably all rest for the night, this has certainly been... a lot for everyone.

You're all free to stay in the Stormchaser, if you don't want to head back out.

Chloe: I guess we can stay in your strange little airship, at least for tonight.

Zee: Can't stay too long myself though, gotta make sure Damien's alright.

Louise: -Speaking up- So... what should I do with these two?

-She gestures at two tied up Templars, one of whom I recognize as the "Clyde" she'd knocked out months ago-

I don't want to kill them, even if we're enemies now, but just letting them go would also be dumb.

Well, get them inside and they won't be leaving for a while.

Outside the Stormchaser

Aislinn makes some kind of affirmative noise, but doesn't look overly convinced.

Aislinn: "... I will return to my room. I suppose it was nice to meet you all?"

... And with that, she walks away.

Outside the Stormchaser

Louise: -Nods and leads Clyde and the other Templar off-

Chiyo: -Waits until both Aislinn and Louise are far enough away before speaking- This has all been so, so much. What do we do?

Abe: -Patting her shoulder- The same as we always have.

Chloe: -Hugging- We've got you, you know that right?

Zee: We'll stop No Heart, get that mask back, solve the cure, and get the kid out of the mess she's in.

Chiyo: Guys...

-And so they share a group hug-

Chiyo: -Looking directly at the one other person there not currently hugging- ...Tagg? I want you here with me, with us, you're as much part of this as we are now. They took from you too.

Uh, okay.

-And somewhat awkwardly joins in on the group hug-

Edited by rmctagg09 on Mar 31st 2023 at 2:16:17 PM