Matou Shinji and the Broken Chains (HP/FSN CYOA)

[Daiki]

Wait, people want to use up one of dose of precious Fading because Shinji just saw some white hair in a crowd? Does this really warrant this level of reaction?

I would say that it does actually; given that the Einzbern have yet to kill Zouken, as well as having not yet recovered their hope. Shinji's dead status is simply hearsay, something no magus family would believe since it's easy enough to spread rumors when the average dude among them know of a way to rewrite memories and such. From their perspective, the scion would have been killed right before their attack on the enemy.

Doesn't seem suspicious at all. x)

Adding to that, they would have no particular reason to be in Japan outside of a Grail War. Unless they had a serious motivation. Like capturing or killing the guy who took their princess.

Last time there was a gathering with white hairs involved, people died.

Shinji has no reason to overlook that, nor being at the very least, suspicious. It could be a false alarm, hence why it's better for him to check ahead on his own. If it happens to simply being Ilya visiting Kyoto, then, all the more reason not to reveal her presence to others.

The potion isn't used to attack, (As much as I like the idea of seeing Shinji soloing a threat) but to investigate. Once Shinji has confirmed what's going on, he can pass a message to Zelkova who can relay that to Luna, who can transmit to the rest of the group. Then plan an escape if needed. As for involving the Fujou, I think it best for them to be all in one place so that they can defend themselves more efficiently. Being some distance away from Shinji should also spare them the worst of an attack. Plus, they have a Servant; which should be enough of a deterrent force if things go South.

About Shinji being served on a silver platter to the homunculi, I don't think there's much to fear on that side. The white heads use Alchemy which has poor affinity with the spiritual realm. In fact, I doubt they would have a way to even detect him. Unless they also have summoned a Servant early. If it comes to that there's always flow-walk.

No need to involve Luna directly at this point.

After all this is the family that specifies in the soul, and what is a sprite form then the soul running free of its body?

Materialization of the soul is the Third Magic, which they have lost for a long time now. The only ones that we are aware of who can display part of it (and not even a proper application), are Ilya (wearing the dress), who would be on our side, and Sakura, who is dead. Well, there's also people in Extra but at this point, it's no longer True Magic.

Unless they had already engineered another Justicia clone after Ilya, which they would have no justification to do since she is the closest thing to the original they ever produced so far (and it involved unconventional means), the chances of the Einzbern displaying this kind of skill are basically zero.

[Malgos]

Shirou.

[Skull Leader]

It amuses me somewhat that we seem to be playing a role reverse on our positions this time from the two positions we were on during the manly picnic crisis. We swapped roles on who thinks the danger is greater, Daiki.

But its not so much that I think the danger is not presence in this choice but that I feel more that its likely something else than a full ambush. After all, I could easily believe that Sion knowing Shinji rather well, and knowing the importance of New Years to any good Japanese Boy for her to make some effort on this day. And if she can not be there due to her position then maybe she could send someone else...

But I agree that this is wishful thinking on my part and that there is a potential danger that should be address regardless to the likelihood of said danger.

Where I differ here is that I feel that this use of potion is not warranted at the moment, when Shinji has people around him that want to help him. Luna would not want Shinji to endanger himself without her involvement when she can, and is, willing to help him. He means to much to her for her to sit at the sidelines here. I just wish that Shinji would stop tackling every problem like only he can be risked or can solve the issue alone. Granted your write in did inform his party of a danger to your credit but you then have Shinji using a potion to go recon into the danger when Luna is a better option.

Heck I just want to also point out what do you think Saber will want to do if Shinji voices to her a possible threat to her, as I imagine that she will not sit on the sidelines here. And Saber on attack/guard mode might not be the best idea if this is not a full attack. She will make the problem far worst if she does something rash because we sent her off.

Now I will be amused if we pull out all the stops her and we find out that it is Ilya or just some one else with white hair. Just as I would be amused if we did nothing and it was a full attack on Shinji. But what I can say, is that standing near Saber when someone might attack Shinji and the people around him, might be the safest one can possible be. Going away from the group on his own is more dangerous in my mind.

On a different point, thanks about the Einzbern family abilities info, I know that Ilya is...special and not the standard, but I was going off what she was able to do as my gauge to their abilities in general. I still think that Fading is a tool best used during a danger moment and not at a potential dangerous moment. IE you wait until you are fighting to break out the potion or know that danger is certain.

[alfheimwanderer]

You do also have some Felix Felicis left, if you want to use that instead. There are options, depending on what you want to do.

On IRC, should you all wish to chat.

[Veldril]

I like how you give Saber a alias of "Aasaa" since that's pretty much how Japanese pronounce "Arthur" :P

[Daiki]

Well, after discussing the last choice;

[x] Warn discreetly the Fujou, have Shinji take a dose of Polyjuice potion with Luna as an extra scouting party, while fused and shapeshift'd. Then go investigate.

[alfheimwanderer]

I like how you give Saber a alias of "Aasaa" since that's pretty much how Japanese pronounce "Arthur" :P

Hiding in plain sight is fair strategy. I mean, who would actually think she is the King of Knights?

[Skull Leader]

Changing vote to

[x] Warn discreetly the Fujou, have Shinji take a dose of Polyjuice potion with Luna as an extra scouting party, while fused and shapeshift'd. Then go investigate.

[skulkidcachi90]

[x] Warn discreetly the Fujou, have Shinji take a dose of Polyjuice potion with Luna as an extra scouting party, while fused and shapeshift'd. Then go investigate

[alfheimwanderer]

Changing vote to

[x] Warn discreetly the Fujou, have Shinji take a dose of Polyjuice potion with Luna as an extra scouting party, while fused and shapeshift'd. Then go investigate.

If he's taking Polyjuice, whose appearance is he taking on?

[Haunter]

[x] Warn discreetly the Fujou, have Shinji take a dose of Polyjuice potion with Luna as an extra scouting party, while fused and shapeshift'd. Then go investigate.

If he's taking Polyjuice, whose appearance is he taking on?

Uh...that's a good question. If we ask the Fujous, then it sort of defeats the purpose of going it alone by not bringing them into this. Uh...Asa?

[alfheimwanderer]

Uh...that's a good question. If we ask the Fujous, then it sort of defeats the purpose of going it alone by not bringing them into this. Uh...Asa?

Wouldn't that run into the same issue, since right now, Shinji just knows she's essentially working for the Fujou? She's not likely to be very cooperative when it comes to giving him one of her hairs or such, especially not to a strange practitioner for a potion.

[Daiki]

If he's taking Polyjuice, whose appearance is he taking on?

A random dude's in the crowd.

[Kieran]

[X] Shiro. We did Kohaku not too long ago, if I recall correctly.

[X] Make an excuse to slip away, and investigate with Luna. Not having backup is a bad idea, and given that he's supposed to be dead, he should certainly be worried.

. . . Now, hopefully, it's Ilya - but given the state of things, paranoia is his friend.

[alfheimwanderer]

. . . Now, hopefully, it's Ilya - but given the state of things, paranoia is his friend.

In the words of David Wallace: "“Yes, I'm paranoid — but am I paranoid enough?”

Online for discussion again!

[Cassius]

[x] Shiroe
[X] Make an excuse to slip away, and investigate with Luna
they can think Shinji and Luna are getting some personal time

[Haunter]

Welp.

[X] Make an excuse to slip away, and investigate with Luna

[alfheimwanderer]

Choice 216: [x] Fujou Shiroe

Choice 217: [x] Warn discreetly the Fujou, have Shinji take a dose of Polyjuice potion with Luna as an extra scouting party, while fused and shapeshift'd. Then go investigate.

---

Choice 218: It is well and good to want to warn the Fujou, but what would Shinji say to them? All he saw, after all, was a slender, white-haired figure going around the corner - and while he only knows one group of people matching that description, that doesn't necessarily mean he's the target. Shiroe, after all, was Kiritsugu's adopted son, and Shinji recalls that there was an item hidden inside the other boy - something powerful, of the west and the Fey, which Kiritsugu used to save him. And given how the Einzbern weren't forgiving, there was a chance they might be after Shiroe for the item he once had - and which was no longer within his person...

What does he say?

[ ] (write-in)

Choice 219: While investigating the area where he last saw the white-haired individual, Luna mentions to Shinji that there is a faint trail of prana leading away from the main area of the venue where everyone is more or less assembled towards a stairwell leading to one of the lower-level dressing rooms, which had been set aside for the use of the soloists and other professionals for the evening. There is event staff at the stairwell there of course, checking to make sure everyone who has come that way is supposed to be there, though it would have been a simple enough matter for a magus to hypnotize them into believing that they were supposed to be there.

What does Shinji do?

[ ] Return to the staging area
[ ] Leave while he still can
[ ] Try to bluff security into letting him pass
[ ] Have Luna follow the trail while invisible, carrying an ofuda with her so he can flow-walk through
[ ] (write-in)

[Malgos]

Have Luna follow the trail.

[Skull Leader]

Have Luna follow the trial.

Is that trial Shinji's after he is arrested after doing whatever he is about to do here? Ok, just kidding but the new meaning after the small switching of letters there amused me enough to pipe up.

Mmm, this write in going to take a bit of group thought here on what we do and don't want to say. I am usually all for full disclosure but this is neither the time or place to have that long talk. We need to cover the highlights as quickly as possible.