IT CONTINUES
VI. The New World Fools
"So you have all chosen your paths, then..."
"Ah, I almost forgot. Now that the moment of tension has passed, allow me to introduce myself."
"My name... Is Igor."
"The place which you see before you is the Velvet Room, a place where the collective unconscious of humanity can be accessed. A place detached from space and time... A world beyond, so to speak."
"Should we meet again, it is likely that your issues will be addressed by one of my subordinates.
"Now then... It is time for me to fulfill my part of the deal."
Igor: Igor stood up, and moved towards the gates that stood behind him.
With a flick of his fingers, the entire room shuddered to a stop. The same moment, you realized you had been inside an elevator all this time.
"This is where you get off. It is not your final stop, but rather the first step that you must take in your new journey."
"Come now, don't be shy. Step through the gates, whenever you are prepared."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Thanks for the lift, uh, Mr. Igor. Give my regards to your boss." Tetsuo offered his hand.
Kazuma Ryumori: Kazuma stumbles, slightly jarred as the elevator comes to a stop. It didn't really look like one. It was definitely disconcerting.
Julia Takeshi.: Julia didn't lose any time in idle chatter, just nodding at Igor before quickly moving towards the door, anxious and curious.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Thank you, Mr. Igor."
Hana Shiratori: Hana looked at the gates of the elevator, determined to stay hopeful no matter what lies ahead of them all.
"Thank you, Mr. Igor. For everything."
Igor: "It is not me you should thank, child. You signed the contract, after all. This too, is something you must hold yourself responsible for."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "I'd tip ya, but I don't seem to have any change."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto winks, and then sets toward the doors.
Igor: "And thank you all, for showing me such wonderful potential. I look forward to see what you will do with your lives."
Hana Shiratori: She then looked at Tetsuo before she followed after him.
Igor: Igor shakes Tommy's hand, smiling all the while.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Thank-- er... sorry."
Tommy Takeshi: Tommy blinks. "Oh, uh, yeah, thanks."
Igor: "Until we meet again... Do try your best to survive."
Kazuma Ryumori is somewhat uncomfortable but he offers his hand for Igor to shake.
Tommy Takeshi: "Be seeing ya. But maybe under better circumstances next time."
He shuffles forward and steps through the gate.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Sorry about my sorry appearance when I came in by the way. This is why I avoid alcohol."
Igor: After shaking Ryumori's hand, Igor claps him on the back.
"Now, now. You'd best get going as well."
Kazuma Ryumori: He heads through the gate after the others.
He gives Igor a single nod.
Erl K. (GM): And so, the party stepped through the gates.
Kazuma Ryumori: Somehow, he seemed less frightening.
Igor: "..."
Igor watches as a blue butterfly flies through the room.
"What is your grand plan in this, Master...?"
Lucia Ferikawa: On that day, the world changed.
The reality which Man had built, where they continued to build marvels that drove them close to the realm of God, awakened that which should not ever be awoken.
They reaped from the Fruit of Knowledge, and opened the gate to a world beyond their understanding.
Yes... In their hubris, Man roused the beings that sleep between the stars in the sky, those that lurk beneath the shadows, and those that hail from the depths of the earth.
A time of trials will soon fall upon the Children of Man, the same kind as those that took place milennia ago.
Will they reject the coming tide once more, at the price of a terrible Catastrophe?
Lucia Ferikawa: Will they seek refuge in the Kingdom of Saints, and in the time of need reinvent themselves before the Lord?
Or will mankind surpass what their creator expected of them, and bring about a world of their own make and rule?
The world that these humans will create...
...I cannot wait to see it...
Erl K. (GM): SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI: DEVIL CONQUEROR
Erl K. (GM): begins here.
Erl K. (GM): As you woke up, the light of the sun greeted your eyes, morning having dawned on the world.
However... The world before you... Was one that you didn't recognize.
It was the same hangout. The same furniture, the same scorched remnants of the cultists and their ritual, the same dilapadated building...
But the buildings around you, all of them in various states of destruction or damage, were DEFINITELY not in the same state.
Kazuma Ryumori: "What... what happened to everything...?"
Tommy Takeshi: "...how long..."
"How long were we out?"
Hana Shiratori: "Is this... supposed to be the same...?"
Tommy Takeshi: Tommy looks at himself.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Uh... Well, um."
Tommy Takeshi: He should be ash, right?
Kazuma Ryumori: "Mom, Dad!"
Tommy Takeshi: He blinks. "Nozomi..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: He pulls out his cell, checks for reception.
Hana Shiratori: While she is definitely glad all of them make it out alive, this sight... this sight is definitely something she didn't expect
To stay hopeful... might be a bit difficult if the state of the world is like this, but...
Kazuma Ryumori: His parents were the first thing Kazuma thought about. Were his family even alive? What was going on?! He broke into a run, making for the stairs.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: As he taps through the display, he has to force himself not to shake.
Kazuma Ryumori: He had to know.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Hey! Don't run off by yourself!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "How can you say that?! Look at all this!"
Tommy Takeshi: Tommy looks around. What about the cultists? What about Lucia? The girl?
Hana Shiratori: Hana Shiratori, for now, closes her eyes and take a few deep breaths. She needed to be calm in a situation like this.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Yeah, I am, and that's why I'm sayin' we gotta stick together, idiot!"
Tommy Takeshi: Are they the only ones...?
Kazuma Ryumori: "I can't see any people! Are our families even alive?!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Runnin' off like a chicken with it's head cut off is gonna change anything, is it?!"
Hana Shiratori: When she opened her eyes, she already see her friends bickering.
"Please calm down, you two."
Kazuma Ryumori: "I-I..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "I'm perfectly calm."
Kazuma Ryumori: "You're right. I... I have to think about this rationally. It's just..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto forces himself to chill out, though.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Sorry."
Tommy Takeshi: "I'm kinda in that state where I'm either calm or completely fucked but it kinda evens out."
"Everyone alright at least?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Looks that way."
Hana Shiratori: "I think so."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Guessin the whack-jobs didn't get the same deal we did."
Kazuma Ryumori tries to shop shaking, but can barely keep his heart from trying to beat its way out of his chest.
Tommy Takeshi: "Kaz, your head cleared up? I got some Advil if you need it."
Kazuma Ryumori: "I. I have no idea what I am..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto skirts around a scorched corpse, face tinged with green.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "You're alive, and that's what matters right now."
Kazuma Ryumori: "I know..."
Thanks Tetsuo.
Hana Shiratori: "Let's just adjust ourselves for the moment... rushing out without any plans or ideas won't help us accomplish anything."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto is trying to get a call out.
Tommy Takeshi: "Yeah, you're still the same dork." He claps a hand on the boy's shoulder. That's being supportive, right?
Kazuma Ryumori checks his phone and dials his mother's cell number.
Hana Shiratori: Come to think of it, she recorded the happening of that night in her phone... Does she still has it...?
Erl K. (GM): Suddenly, Tetsuo's eyes catch glimpse of something.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "!"
Erl K. (GM): Lying on top of one of the courtyard's worn tables, tossed along with some of the cultist knives and amulets that remained there, is a single white page looking like it belonged to a diary.
But more importantly, he recognized the handwriting as Lucia's.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "The hell is this...?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Tetsuo, what are you looking at?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: He picks it up, examining it.
"S'a diary page, looks like Lucia's writin' too."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Lucia's?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: He looked around, "Maybe she got out okay."
Tommy Takeshi: "She must've made it!"
Hana Shiratori: "Really?" She walked closer to Tetsuo, curious for the page held in his hand.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: He shows it off openly, squinting at the writing.
Kazuma Ryumori: Kazuma hurried over to Tetsuo and Hana, and looks at the page.
Julia Takeshi: Julia, who had remained silent until now, also walks over to look at the page
Lucia Ferikawa: "I managed to escape. Somehow, I did it. That bastard... He turned them all to dust, right before my eyes... I couldn't do anything, I- Hikaru- (the writing becomes unintelligible for a moment)"
"...This is the place where that monster appeared. I am leaving this here in hopes that someone may learn from what I have seen that night, and the two other nights I have spent amidst this nightmare."
Tommy Takeshi: "Two nights?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "TWO NIGHTS?!"
Tommy Takeshi: "We've been gone for two days??"
Julia Takeshi: "It's been... two days...?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "And... Turned to dust...?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Three nights, countin' the first."
Julia Takeshi: "Damnit... Tommy, this is bad, we need to... find our folks..." Julia sounds shocked and dispirited, perhaps for the very first time as she looks around to the ruined downtown.
Hana Shiratori: "Lucia..." Hana muttered, wondering what the girl might be feeling. Left all alone, seeing her friends die...
Kazuma Ryumori: "What is this?"
"What in the hell is this?!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Hopefully not Apes running the world."
Hana Shiratori: "But if this happens in merely two to three nights..."
Kazuma Ryumori almost laughs despite himself.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "It's more likely to be Shoom-Head and whatever else he dragged out of the pit with 'im."
Erl K. (GM): The letter continued.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto spat.
Tommy Takeshi: "They'll be fine." he says firmly, more to himself than Julia. "Our folks are a bunch of stubborn fuckers that won't die even if you scream at them to. They'll have evacuated for sure."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Hush up, there's more."
Lucia Ferikawa: "...If you are reading this letter and aren't one of 'them', then you either already have what you need to survive... Or you have spent all this time running in fear or seeking shelter."
Hana Shiratori: "... Them?"
Julia Takeshi: "Demons?"
Tommy Takeshi: "Don't tell me zombies."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Probably demons."
Kazuma Ryumori: "If it's zombies, I'm out."
Tommy Takeshi: "...demons can read?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Who's to say that both ain't true, though."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Demons, I've seen now. I think I can handle a couple more..."
Tommy Takeshi: "Well, I guess there's no reasons they couldn't."
Hana Shiratori: "Does that mean the demon from that night could turn people to demons?"
Julia Takeshi: "... I'm just thinking out loud but... I know we're all worried about our family, but searching for Lucia might be our first priority" Julia blinks, as she slowly starts regaining her bearings.
Kazuma Ryumori: "If they can read, maybe some of them can be reasoned with?"
No, the mere notion was ludicrous. But the thought was already out of his mouth.
Tommy Takeshi: "That's radical - I mean, aw fuck, that's bad."
Julia Takeshi: "I mean, she probably knows the most about what's going on... and more importantly, she has a COMP."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Let's not make any assumptions."
Erl K. (GM): The letter continued.
Lucia Ferikawa: "For those of you who are in the run, let me give you advice. The creatures which have invaded our city, just like the monster that killed my friends, are known as 'Demons'."
"They are creatures taken straight from fantasy and myth, with powers as diverse as they are terrifying. More importantly, the weapons of mortals are mildly to completely ineffective against them."
"If you wish to survive this world, even if for example you traveled to a police station and found survivors there, there is no guarantee they would be able to help you. Rid yourself of the common sense of your old life- It will not serve you here."
"There are only two ways to deal with Demons. Hopefully, none of you are part of the first choice, if so this letter has fallen into the wrong hands and I will regret having written it."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "First choice?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "That sounds... bad..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Maybe Hana was right..."
Julia Takeshi: "Survivors..." Julia said, voice shaking. That sounded like the goddamn apocalypse had happened.
Hana Shiratori: "Still, all of this is really detailed."
Tommy Takeshi: "Goddamn it."
Erl K. (GM): (I'll wait a bit)
Kazuma Ryumori: "Hikaru, you're all right!"
Tommy Takeshi: "If we'd just capped that cult leader, this wouldn't have happened."
Kazuma Ryumori: "We... we found this letter."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Lucia wrote it, shit went down, demon's an shit, yo."
Julia Takeshi: "Not like we could've done anything, Bro." Julia sighed depressedly. "The other cultists got in the way before we could do anything..."
She looked around towards the rest of the group. "Are we all in agreement that we should search for Lucia?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "I'm in favor."
Tommy Takeshi: "Yeah."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "You got anywhere to look?"
Tommy Takeshi: "She wrote that letter right? So she's probably still around here somewhere."
"Though..."
Hana Shiratori: "She does seems to be the most reliable person... besides, she might be all alone out there."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "I was thinking we go and try and check on our folks, try and get the lay of the land before anything else."
Tommy Takeshi: He scratches his head. "It's a letter. Not like it's post-dated or anything. We might be reading it like, a week after she wrote it and left it here."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Maybe find some 'survivors', see if they've heard of her."
Tommy Takeshi: The idea's not a pleasant one.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "I mean, for all we know, she might not even be in the city anymore."
Julia Takeshi: "There are no guarantees, but... at the very least we should search the house and see how the condition is in the street before anything else."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Sounds like a good step forward."
Hana Shiratori: "I agree."
"Oh, and are we sure the letter is finished?"
Erl K. (GM): The letter continues (but I'm waiting on Vri)
Kazuma Ryumori: Kazuma nods in agreement. He hadn't been in his right mind up until a few moments ago, so he'd just follow the others' lead for now.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto clears his throat
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "oh cute lucy thought of me score."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Seriously?"
Erl K. (GM): I laughed
Kazuma Ryumori: "That's what you got out of this?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "We've all got our priorities."
Julia Takeshi: Julia stares at the note and tries to glean how old it is through the ink.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto rolls eyes
Kazuma Ryumori: Kazuma just shakes his head.
Hana Shiratori: "Somethings just never change it seems..."
Tommy Takeshi: He can't help but snort. At least Hikaru's still himself.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Time and place for mackin' on ladies, my dude."
Kazuma Ryumori: "That's our Hikaru, though."
Hana Shiratori: At least it brightens the mood, Hana thought to herself.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "You'll never stop me."
Erl K. (GM): The letter continues.
Hana Shiratori: She shot Hikaru a look of gratitude before she continue to read the letter.
Lucia Ferikawa: "Your first choice is to offer yourself to a Demon Lord. These are Demons that have become strong enough to forge a Domain for themselves. If you are lucky, the Demon will find value in your soul and allow you to keep your life and sanity at the cost of your free will... Giving you the power to survive by his side as an eternal slave."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Welp."
Hana Shiratori: "So that's how it is..."
Tommy Takeshi: "Fuck that."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Oh, god...
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "You think if we beat up demons we can pull the same kinda jazz?"
Lucia Ferikawa: "If found wanting... Then you will likely just become a mindless thrall, no more than a repugnant creature to feast on other humans' Magnetite to be returned to your Lord, alongside your own."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Cuz I ain't taking orders from anybody."
Tommy Takeshi: "I mean don't get me wrong it'd be metal as FUCK, but I ain't touching Mushroom head with anything but a fucking chainsaw."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: He reads on, nonetheless.
Julia Takeshi: "Oh come on, the manly thing is to just punch it." Julia replied to her brother, clenching her fist and totally not noticing the irony in her words.
Tommy Takeshi: "Oh I'll do more than that. When I find that bastard..."
Lucia Ferikawa: "Finding a Demon Lord should not be difficult... They love to announce their presence and mark their territories, and the fights between their followers are anything but subtle. Be wary of nearing those locations, however. These Demons are not called 'Lords' over nothing."
Hana Shiratori: "That leaves us with the second option." Hana said quietly. "Thankfully it should be much better than the first, if what Lucia wrote is of any indication."
Tommy Takeshi: He knows it's just posturing. The letter made it clear normal humans stood no chance. Maybe if someone dropped a nuke... but nah, Japan didn't need any more of those.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "That doesn't sound hard."
Lucia Ferikawa: "But I will speak no further on that account. Unless you are truly desperate, do not seek to join the ranks of Demons. Were I given the choice, I would sooner die."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: Muttering under his breath "Like i'm letting any of my friends die on my watch again.'
Lucia Ferikawa: "As for the second choice... If you wish to survive in this world without surrendering your soul to a more powerful being, you have only choice."
"Rise to their level, and conquer the dangers of this new world."
"Become a Devil Summoner."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Well then."
Draconic: "Okay, I'm all for that... but, uh..."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Okay, I'm all for that... but, uh..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Hopefully we don't have to get a virgin sacrifice an' all that."
Kazuma Ryumori: "How exactly do we DO that?"
Julia Takeshi: "Sounds metal."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Let's hope she included instructions."
Hana Shiratori: "Devil... summoner?" Hana said with uncertainty. "Just like that cult leader...?"
Tommy Takeshi: "Yeah, but we'd need a COMP."
"That's how the cultist dude summoned mushroom head."
Julia Takeshi: "I was thinking about that before yes, its like Bro says."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "I don't think we want to get killed by our demons so not quite like that cult leader."
Tommy Takeshi: He frowns.
Julia Takeshi: "It's not like you can just run into COMPs just by roaming the streets..."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Tetsuo. If you decide to do that, I just want you to know that I want you to keep at least five feet away from me at all times."
Tommy Takeshi: "Lucia's dad's company makes 'em, right?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "I know, you just vetoed, but still."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Well might be best to find lucy then, maybe she has more."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: He leers at Kazuma ghoulishly.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Nothin."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Let's find her then. For Hikaru."
Hana Shiratori: "Maybe that's why Lucia knows so much about all of these."
Erl K. (GM): The letter continues.
Kazuma Ryumori edges away slightly.
Lucia Ferikawa: "By becoming a Devil Summoner, you will obtain the ability to summon Demons that will fight by your side, striking down your foes in your name."
"While it should normally be impossible to command a Demon without another Demon, there is a way to obtain a Demon who is neutral in the struggles between Lords without any power at your side."
"In order to do this, you must possess one of the infamous COMPs, and download the 'Key of Solomon', also called 'Summoning App'."
Tommy Takeshi: "Fuck, I knew it."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Wait, Goetia?"
Hana Shiratori: "Technology is amazing..."
Kazuma Ryumori: "That sounds, well, kind of spectacular."
Tommy Takeshi: "Couldn't just make a contract, draw a ritual circle in blood and start talking terms and conditions. No, had to be all tech-y and shit."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "So the future is dicks and magic instead of just dicks."
Kazuma Ryumori: "I like dicks and magic more, to be perfectly honest."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Wonder who programmed Demon Summoning, must be a bitch to code."
Julia Takeshi: "Welp, I guess that's what we need to do."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "..."
Tommy Takeshi: "Well you know what they say. There's an app for everything."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: 'I'm not going to comment on that line."
Hana Shiratori: "Language..." Hana muttered, shooting a look at all three men.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: He stuck out his tongue.
Tommy Takeshi: "Hana, dicks are a thing. Loosen up."
Julia Takeshi: "I'm just not gonna comment on that line, Bro."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Actually, I'm kinda sorry I said that now..."
Hana Shiratori: "Let's just continue reading." Hana said with a tone of finality.
Tommy Takeshi: "Wait no, I didn't mean it like that-!"
"I'm not Tetsuo!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "We know."
Lucia Ferikawa: "But I am sure that you already knew that COMPs had something to do with the Demons, after all. There's no reason the Demons would covet the devices so much, right?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "I'm gonna be the bigger man and not comment."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Bigger man huh."
Kazuma Ryumori: "That was a complement, Tetsuo."
Hana Shiratori: "Shush."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Also, Hikaru, that's gross."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto bobs his eyebrows.
Tommy Takeshi: "Oh. So demons want COMPs too? Then they might have some."
Julia Takeshi: "Let's continue reading, okay?"
Lucia Ferikawa: "If this is old news to you, you might be disheartened. After all, COMPs are vanishingly rare and the chance of finding one in this city without being killed would be difficult."
"However, it is for that reason that I have written this letter. To you who has been running away and hiding from the terrors of the night... I have come to bring you the Light you seek."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Don't tell me..."
Lucia Ferikawa: "Outside of this building, by the streets, my car should still be there. I have placed several sealing wards on it, ensuring that Demons will be wary of accessing it and will be scathed should they try to force the doors open."
"They were a gift meant for my friends, but... If these COMPs can save just another human being, then that is enough for me."
Tommy Takeshi: "Lucia..."
Hana Shiratori: "Oh lucia..."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Someone got her chuuni on."
Julia Takeshi: Julia says nothing, but her hands tremble slightly.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Lucia, we're going to find you. We promise."
Hana Shiratori: Gratitude doesn't even describe the feeling she had towards Lucia at the moment.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: Tetsuo coughs, then looks off to the side.
Julia Takeshi: "Alright I guess we have an objective now."
Hana Shiratori nods
Tommy Takeshi: "The car. If nobody else got to it..."
Lucia Ferikawa: "*As for how to get rid of the wards, this is what you have to do..."
(The Letter follows with step by step instructions that range from things mundane to outright latin chanting.)
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Didn't know IKEA did Demon Summoning."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Well then..."
Tommy Takeshi: "This is a hell of a lot better than some of the shit I've downloaded of the net."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Tell me about it."
Hana Shiratori: Hana wondered how Lucia know all of this, but shelved it to the back of her mind. What is more important is that Lucia had left it for them.
Lucia Ferikawa: "In the rare chance that we meet in this city, I shall tell you my name. I am Lucia Ferikawa, Devil Summoner. And I will not rest until I have seen the murderer of my friends crushed before me."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Wait... if she knew this... did she bring us to this building intentionally? Did she know what was going to happen?!"
Tommy Takeshi: "No way."
Hana Shiratori: "So that's why."
Lucia Ferikawa: "Good luck in your travels, fellow Survivor... Let us show these Demons what we humans can do."
Erl K. (GM): The letter ends there.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Well, we have our heading."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Okay. We know what to do now."
Tommy Takeshi: "If nobody's touched the letter, the car's probably still fine."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Onward we must rescue the princess."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Get the COMPs, summon some demons, whoop some ass."
Hana Shiratori: "In that order."
Kazuma Ryumori: "I'll take point."
Tommy Takeshi: "She's not even here and she's basically rescued us already..."
Julia Takeshi: Julia takes the letter, and neatly folds it, before it disappears somewhere in her outfit.
"Yeah, that she did, we really are indebted to her." She gives her brother an odd look and doesn't say anything more.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: (nice metaphor for hiding it in her bust!)
Kazuma Ryumori: Kazuma slowly starts heading in the general direction of Lucia's car.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Alright, let's shove off, people." He starts moving back towards the front of the building.
Hana Shiratori: Hana nods, and immediately followed behind Tetsuo.
Julia Takeshi: Julia starts walking at the head of the group.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Everyone fighting to be first how cute."
Hikaru Kuzunoha jogs along
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: Tetsuo just pinches his nose and sighs.
Kazuma Ryumori: Julia wasn't going to get in Julia's way if she was intent on going first. He held step with Testuo and Hana.
Draconic: Dammit...
Tommy Takeshi: Tommy's content to stay at the back. Let the big guys (and girl) handle the heavy stuff.
He'll just... watch the back.
Erl K. (GM): The party found Lucia's car, as written in the latter. To their surprise, what looked like claw marks had been traced over the surface of the car and the windows were cracked,
but somehow nothing in the car had broken.
Tommy Takeshi: "Alright, let's see these instructions..."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Claw marks... That's reassuring."
Erl K. (GM): Faintly glowing runes were traced over the surface of the vehicle, with a great sigil placed right on the middle of the double doors at the back of the minivan.
Tommy Takeshi: "Lemme handle the Latin chanting. I did a mean 'Ave Maria' back in high school."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Klaatu Barada Nikto."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Go ahead, I guess."
Tommy Takeshi: He's not gonna mention how he tried to summon a few demons back in the day himself.
The old fashioned way.
Kazuma Ryumori: "That's from The Day the Earth Stood Still. It's not gonna work."
Hana Shiratori: "Let's follow the instructions carefully."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Hey, y'never know."
Tommy Takeshi: "Let's see here... Aeria Gloris... Infundibulum... Secundus..."
Kazuma Ryumori: Klaatu is dead. Leave.
Julia Takeshi: "Alright" Julia remains back this time, casting a vigilant eye towards the street
Hikaru Kuzunoha relaxes as he waits
Erl K. (GM): As the party follows the procedure, the runes flash-
Once, twice, thrice.
Julia Takeshi: (btw Erl, can we know how old the note looks?)
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (and also if there is cell reception)
Kazuma Ryumori: Kazuma shields his eyes.
Tommy Takeshi: "Mana du vortis!" he bellows.
Erl K. (GM): Until slowly, with a creaking noise that could even inspire anticipation, the doors creak open.
(Yeah it looks new)
(Like she just dropped it there)
Hana Shiratori: "Good job Tommy."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Not bad."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Bet it was me."
Tommy Takeshi: "There's actually a bit here that translates to 'Open Sesame'."
Julia Takeshi: Julia declines to mention recording Tommy dorkily chanting in latin for future amusement.
Kazuma Ryumori: "It totally wasn't. Sorry, man."
Erl K. (GM): The party quickly heads inside the van to examine the contents within.
Kazuma Ryumori immediately bumps his head on the ceiling and gets shoved out of the car.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Ow..."
Erl K. (GM): And true to her words, inside a large bag that looked like it was dumped there, they found seven different COMPs.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (Are they color-coded)
Erl K. (GM): (yes)
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Dibs on the red one."
Hikaru Kuzunoha snatches
Hana Shiratori: (I bet they are)
Tommy Takeshi: "Dude, c'mon."
"You're obviously teal."
"I'm red."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Mine's the green one, right?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Not anymore sucker."
Julia Takeshi: Julia silently takes the golden one.
Tommy Takeshi: "Janken that shit, man. Only way."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Hey!"
Erl K. (GM): (mfw KT gets hot pink)
Tommy Takeshi: "Oh, fine. Black's okay too."
Erl K. (GM): (can he be any more of a girl)
Tommy Takeshi: He takes the depressing one.
Hana Shiratori: "Everyone's so excited..." Hana murmurs as she took the blue one.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "An' I was all ready to Janken."
Erl K. (GM): (Tets u should tell Tommy to grab the pink one)
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: He takes the white one.
Hana Shiratori: Hana makes sure to give the pink one to Hane.
Tommy Takeshi: Tommy boots the COMP on, half-expecting it to be out of batteries.
Erl K. (GM): In a moment, everyone had their COMPs. However, as they recalled Lucia's instructions, they remembered they had to do another step.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Alright, let's see here, "Key of Solomon"..."
Erl K. (GM): As Tommy boots up the COMP, it immediately displays the winking face of a strange creature, which takes over the background.
Hana Shiratori: "Hold up, Lucia notes we had to do another step-"
Tommy Takeshi: "What the-."
He squints.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Damn it Tommy."
Hana Shiratori: "You did it too, Tetsuo."
Erl K. (GM): Similarly, all the other COMPs had a background that displays a creature of some sort on the background, all of them rather cutesy.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Lies and Slander."
Erl K. (GM): Was this Lucia's personal taste at work?
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Mine's different, see?"
Draconic: "Well, I guess I'm orange."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Somebody sure put effort into mascot characters..."
Julia Takeshi: Julia boots her gold COMP and takes a look at her own desktop
Tommy Takeshi: "That's Japan for you. Making shit cute when it should be badass."
Hana Shiratori: "I guess this is rather cute." Hana admits, especially when she remembered the creatures - demons - that Lucia showed them back at the van days ago.
Draconic: "Mine has some sort of imp...?"
Draconic: "Thank you, COMP... You're very polite."
Hana Shiratori ooh
Kazuma Ryumori: "I like the jingle it plays."
Julia Takeshi: "Alright, next step then." Julia starts looking for the program they had to download.
Hikaru Kuzunoha glances at the instructions and follows along
Kazuma Ryumori follows suit.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Let's see, here..."
"App store, app store..."
Tommy Takeshi: "Okay, Star of David's fine and all, but the five-pointed one is clearly better for demon summoning. C'mon."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Isn't that the star on the Israeli flag?"
"Magen David I think?"
Tommy Takeshi: "This shit ain't nearly satanic enough."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Honestly, I could do without Satanic..."
Hana Shiratori: "Lemegeton. There's that word again."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "That sounds like a name..."
Tommy Takeshi: "Sounds like Armageddon but lamer."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "weird way to write that."
Kazuma Ryumori: "A demon's? Or maybe a concept?"
Tommy Takeshi: Still, he taps on the app.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Guess it's already DL'd."
Julia Takeshi: "I vaguely recall Lemegeton is something related to mysticism and occultism. The kind of term that gets used by chuuni novels everywhere." Julia mutters as she taps on her app and unwittingly confesses reading chuuni novels.
Hana Shiratori: For now, Hana taps on the Key of Solomon.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "You should hang with Hikaru, he loves that stuff."
"Encouraging."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Isn't that half the reason we keep him around?"
Erl K. (GM): Before your eyes, the COMP suddenly starts processing hundreds of lines of code.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "No shit computer."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Woah..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Hack the planet."
Erl K. (GM): The screen goes black, while at the same time countless lines begin to scroll down as the console tries its best to report the feedback of what the machine is trying to do
Hana Shiratori: "I hope we didn't break it..."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Do you think it's already summoning something?"
Tommy Takeshi: "Nah, this is the part where it charges us 10 bucks a demon."
"50 for the big dudes."
Julia Takeshi: "I call demon gacha."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Ugh, please no."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Oh GAWD FORBID!"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Fucking gachas, nothing but rip offs."
Hana Shiratori: Hana could only agree with Tetsuo and Kazuma.
Kazuma Ryumori: "If it's a gatcha, that's practically condemning us to death right off the bat..."
Erl K. (GM): After a few moments, the COMP freezes-
Tommy Takeshi: "Tetsuo's got Fortune. He'll carry us."
Erl K. (GM): -And all of a sudden, a new screen appears.
Julia Takeshi: "At least there is something everybody agrees to"
Kazuma Ryumori: "True."
Erl K. (GM): "Select your Navigator."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Eh?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Navigator?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Come on hot girl option."
Tommy Takeshi: "Like the voice on the GPS?"
Erl K. (GM): That same choice appears in a single hologram before all of you, the COMPs displaying an image on thin air.
Kazuma Ryumori: "If it's asking us who's our leader, Isn't it Tetsuo?"
Erl K. (GM): The image displays two figures, emerging from cards in the air.
http://safebooru.org/index.php?page=...view&id=812349
Kazuma Ryumori: "He's the most main-character-y I think."
Tommy Takeshi: "I don't believe in leaders."
Erl K. (GM): One if a well-dressed male, and the other is ditzy-looking female.
Hana Shiratori: Let's focus, guys."
Tommy Takeshi: "Uh..."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Um. Okay...?"
"Male, I guess?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "..."
"Fuck it, the bunny chick."
Tommy Takeshi: He's conflicted. On one hand, cute girl. On the other hand, Nozomi would kill him if she - when she found out."
He flips a coin. 1, girl, 2, guy.
rolling 1d2
(
1
)
= 1
"Girl it is."
Hana Shiratori: "I guess the male one."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Welp bunny time."
Julia Takeshi: "Oi, the man ain't bad looking, but the bunnygirl is cute-looking..." Julia thinks for a bit. "I guess I'll go with the girl."
Erl K. (GM): Looks like girl wins.
Tommy Takeshi: "Julia, is there something you're not telling me?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Cute's cute. My man."
Draconic: "That's true."
Kazuma Ryumori: "But I consider myself a dignified, classy indivipppphhhhh!!!"
Kazuma Ryumori cracks up.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Nope. Couldn't say that with a straight face."
Julia Takeshi: "I dunno bro, I ain't the one who flipped a coin to decide between boy or girl there."
Kazuma Ryumori: "So, what now? I really hope I don't turn into this guy..."
Tommy Takeshi: "It's a navi, man."
"She's gonna give us instructions on how to work this thing."
Tico: "Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii there everyone!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Hi."
Kazuma Ryumori: "EEEK!"
Hana Shiratori: "hello."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Uh... hi?"
Julia Takeshi: "Sup"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Yo."
Tico: "Like, is that how you guys are gonna greet your bestie? Put more enthusiasm into it!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Alright, gimme a sec."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto clears his throat.
Tommy Takeshi: "Aw hell no."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Um..." okay, enthusiasm...
Tommy Takeshi: "Is it too late to switch to the guy?"
Tico: A girly voice emerges from all the COMPs at once, as a holographic figure takes shape before all of you, cocking her hips.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Honk?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Well, howdy ho, Tico-chan! How you doin!"
Tico: http://safebooru.org/index.php?page=...view&id=812368
Tommy Takeshi: This cutesy bullshit it too bubblegum sweet to stand.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Psst, thanks Tetsuo..."
I hang my head in shame...
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "I sacrifice myself for the many."
Tico: "Yay! I love you, Tets-chan!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Lucky you..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Ehehe."
Hana Shiratori: Internally, Hana thought of her as too revealing and provocative, but the guys seems to think of her as cute...
Tico: The holographic figure moves to hug the man, but sadly passes right through.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Why do you get all the girls, man?"
Tommy Takeshi: "Kaz, she's not real. He's flirting with a computer."
Kazuma Ryumori: "That's true, actually."
Julia Takeshi: "Hahahaha, choosing the girl wasn't a mistake." Julia laughs at Tommy's and the men's reactions.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "This computer summons demons, let's make any assumptions."
Tico: "So what's up with you guys!? Seven COMPs at once!? You lucky devils!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Say, I didn't notice earlier, but what's with those stripes on your arm?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "And thus tetsuo embarked upon a great quest to bring his 2d waifu into the real world."
Tico: The floating 'Navigator' floats back, smiling at you.
Hana Shiratori: And somehow, seeing the girl being all flirty with Tetsuo so openly made her feel uncomfortable.
Tico: "So, what can I do for you?"
Hana Shiratori: "Ah, we hope to know how to summon a demon..."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Help us conquer the world."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Shh, not today, Hikaru."
Tommy Takeshi: "I wanna rule over Hell and Heaven alike."
Tico: "Wow, Kazuma-kun! Are you saying these are, like, weird? You shouldn't say that to a woman!"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Oh sorry were we still keeping that a secret my baaaaaaaad."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Soon."
Tommy Takeshi: "How do I get the demons."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Not weird! I was just curious."
Tico: "Ooooh!? You're gonna conquer the world!? Sounds like fun!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "We're lookin' for the demon summoning app, mind givin us a hand?"
Tico: "Demons? Oh, getting Demons should be easy squeezy for you guys! I mean, you've already awakened, haven't you?"
Julia Takeshi: "Yeah we wanna summon something strong to go beat some mushroom-headed jackass."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "We sure got upclose and personal with an old man yeah."
Kazuma Ryumori: "With a very sinister grin but a friendly disposition."
Julia Takeshi: "And a long nose..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Is that why you were lagging behind, Hikaru? My, my."
Tommy Takeshi: "If by awakened you mean had a wacky palm reading done, then yeah."
Tico: "An old man? You mean, like, a geezer?" Tico blinks, tilting her head. "I don't know who you're talking about, but he sounds funny!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Did anyone take a picture?"
"Oh, wait..."
Julia Takeshi: "You should meet him, Tico. I bet you would get along." Definitely not sarcastic
Tico: "But no, sillies, I meant awakening your Magnetite! You're already using it, dummies!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "That so?"
Julia Takeshi: "Huh...?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "If you say so..."
Tommy Takeshi: "Magnetite? Like the pokemon?"
Kazuma Ryumori: Magnetite? Wasn't that a pokemon?
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: Tetsuo is just taking this all in stride so far.
Hana Shiratori: "It's life energy that Igor explained to us."
Kazuma Ryumori: Wait, no.
Tommy Takeshi: "Not that I play pokemon or anything. Kid's game."
Julia Takeshi: "Wait, that Igor talked to us about Magnetite."
Kazuma Ryumori: That was magnemite.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "No, dumbos, the thing Igor mentioned, the thing the cultist guy used to summon Shroomy."
"That stuff."
Tico: "I can give you the summoning app, but... Um... You guys won't be able to do anything with it until you get a Demon, you know?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Right... I feel like an idiot..."
Julia Takeshi: Julia leans towards Tommy. "So how's your collection going? I remember someone was bragging yesterday he only had five pokemons more to go..."
Hana Shiratori: "Huh?"
Tico: "I mean, like, I could /totally/ summon one for you guys... But that would be dangerous. I mean, you have no Macca or anything right?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Macca?"
Julia Takeshi: "Macca?"
"Mecca?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (metal gear?)
Hana Shiratori: "Macca...?"
Julia Takeshi: "... Macca?"
Hana Shiratori: That's definitely a new word...
Tommy Takeshi: Another elbow.
Tico: "If you guys hadn't like, awakened, summoning your first demon would be okay, but it'll be kinda dangerous if I do it now!"
Tommy Takeshi: "I don't get it."
Tico: your first demon to awaken you*
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "So what now its time to shake down some demons for their pocket money?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Eh?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Might be that this 'Awakening' made us a bit more appetizing."
Tico: "Umm... Geez, explaining's tough. Gimme asec."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Maybe we should have picked the other one?"
Tico: "Okay, here goes. You guys, being humans and all, have Magnetite flowing through your body."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Actually, no."
"You're kinda charming now that we've been chatting a bit."
Tico: "That magnetite is, like, super food for the Demons! It's really delicious, and it's what they need to get stronger and bigger and scarier! Grr!"
"Normally, when one of you guys gets the App, they haven't awakened and their magnetite is all, like, pure! You can do pretty much anything to it!"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "bow chica wowwow."
Kazuma Ryumori: "No."
"Bad Hikaru. Bad."
Tico: "What Her Highness did when she made the app was allow normal humans who got it to, like, 'awaken' their magnetite and use that initial BAM that happens when they go all magic and stuff to create a link with another Demon!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Her Highness, ah?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Uh her highness?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Wonder if that's Lucia."
Hana Shiratori: "I guess Lucia."
Tommy Takeshi: "It's probably her mom or something, she's what, 20?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "You never know."
Hana Shiratori: "I don't know, the image somehow fits..."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "If it was lucy is moving up in the world. From suit wearing girl to queen of magic."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Maybe she's one of those cases where she looks eighteen but is really six thousand?"
Julia Takeshi: "Well, she is definitely a bit suspicious..." Julia mumbles.
Tico: "It's like, really confusing, but basically it works the same way that those evil Demon Lords go telling people what to do, only you end up the boss instead, yay!"
Tommy Takeshi: "Kaz, this is Lucia we're talking about. The same one that got shitfaced and argued with me for like an hour about Dio."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "That was cute."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Who, by the way, did everything wrong."
Tommy Takeshi: "Okay, so what happens if you awaken and miss the chance, like us?"
Julia Takeshi: "I think I know where this is going..."
Tommy Takeshi: "I mean, it's not like every demon can be picky about used goods, right?"
Tico: "But, like, that's not all you can do with the App. Once you contract with a Demon, you can do all sorts of stuff like buying skills and good stuff to use on it! Just, like, a, GAME!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Dio from JoJo? Or Virtue's Last Reward?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Put the demons in a head lock until they cry uncle probably."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Well, if we don't get a freebie, might have to go out and earn it."
Tommy Takeshi: "RJD, Kaz. Literal legend."
Tico: "But yeah, anyways, did you guys even, like, notice that you awakened?"
"You're all magic and stuff!"
Hana Shiratori: "Really?"
Tommy Takeshi: "...uh."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Noticed a bit of weirdness."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "I did feel a bit more limber than usual."
Julia Takeshi: "I, uh, that probably happened while we.... were dead?" Julia said
Tico: "Yeah, just- Gimme a sec, I'll use Her Highness' app for this!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Um... yes?"
Yeah, that was about as convincing as a blender saying it's an antelope.
"Although, you've got a point."
Erl K. (GM): At that moment, the COMP screens flicker, before the party is suddenly faced with what looks like their own portrait, with several numbers and bars overlayed to the side.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "..."
Hana Shiratori: "Whoa, this is..."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "look ma, i'm in a rpg."
Tommy Takeshi: "Oh god this is like one of those JRPGs Andrew used to blabber on about..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Fortune, huh?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "I... didn't realize I had anything against toucans with god complexes... But now that I think about it..."
Julia Takeshi: "Okay, if I'm start wielding gigantic fuck-off swords, just kill me again."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Guess that tarot shit was important."
Tommy Takeshi: "I am NOT in over my head."
Kazuma Ryumori: "I picked The Sun.
Tico: "So, yeah! You guys are really something! Having all powers and stuff without contracting a Demon, isn't that, like, amazing?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Seems pretty neato mosquito."
Tommy Takeshi: "We did contract with... well, something that's not a Demon, I guess."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Why yes tico flatter me more ~"
Tico: "Ohh, I see! So you guys made a contract?"
Julia Takeshi: "Yeah, with that long-nosed guy."
Erl K. (GM): As the party explains their dream in the Velvet Room, Tico nods to herself.
Tico: "Well, it sounds to me like you guys are Devil Summoners already! All you need to do now is get Vassals!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "How do we do that?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "So, we gotta go out, punch some demons in the head til they get we're the boss?"
Julia Takeshi: "Say no more, we're going to go have to punch demons into submisison right?"
Tico: "Well, basically, let me put it this way. The Demon you get when you awaken is, like, the Lord."
Tommy Takeshi: "But we got no demons, so does that make us the Lords?"
Tico: "The Lord is the one you get powers from and, like, boss around so that he gets other Demons to join you!"
"Those are the vassals, and they're pretty much goons that fight for you so you'll feed them your Magnetite! Ah, but that doesn't mean they're weak or anything!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "So this Lord? He won't... resent us, or anything? Right?"
Tico: "It'd be, like, super awesome if you got a Vassal that was stronger than you. Though it sounds hard..."
Julia Takeshi: "So its like we're becoming demon banchous"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Demon Conquerors, if you will."
Tommy Takeshi: "Okay, I think I get it."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (haha title drop)
Tommy Takeshi: "Then... okay, I want Beelzebub, Asmodeus, uh, maybe a few imps..."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Time to get my bancho on."
Hana Shiratori: "I think those are lords Tommy."
Kazuma Ryumori: "I'll take something smaller...."
Tico: "Anyways, just come back to me when you got a Demon that wants to become your vassal, k?"
"I'll take care of things riiiight away!"
Hana Shiratori: "We must start from the small ones."
Tommy Takeshi: "Oh. Wait, how do we know if a demon wants to serve us?"
Hana Shiratori: "And thank you Tico, for the explanation."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "You could ask?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Thank you Tico."
Tommy Takeshi: "Dude, it's a demon. You can't just talk to a demon."
Julia Takeshi: "Wait Tico, then Bro's guess was right? We're the Lords?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Thanks tico>"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Sure you can."
Tico: "Umm, well, like, all the Demons know about the vassal and lord system, so I guess they'll let you know?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "We were talkin to Shroomy just fine."
Tommy Takeshi: "You can!?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Told ya."
Tico: "And oh yeah you totally can talk to Demons! Some of them are really fun, like Her High- OOPS!"
Tico covered her mouth.
Hana Shiratori: "......."
Tico: "Aaanyways, good luck out there guys! Bye!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Okay, totally not suspicious."
Hana Shiratori: "Wait-"
Tommy Takeshi: "..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Wonder what that could mean."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Now what?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Sure..."
Tommy Takeshi: "So I'm thinking, a demon made this app and put it on the store."
Erl K. (GM): Tico disappeared, and the COMPs returned to the Desktop.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Well, so, new heading."
Tommy Takeshi: "And a bunch of cultists downloaded it and blew up Tokyo."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Are we entirely sure she's actually a computer program?"
Hana Shiratori: "Maybe 'her highness' is not Lucia after all."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Go find some demons."
Tommy Takeshi: Tommy scoffs. "Of course not. Lucia's our pal. She can't be a demon."
VII: Things are Fairy Different Now
Erl K. (GM): At the same moment that Tetsuo said that...
Julia Takeshi: "Yeah, I guess we'll roam the street like some sort of Mad Max gang."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Lemme get my mask from the stash-"
Erl K. (GM): "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!" A voice echoed through the ruined street.
Hana Shiratori: "!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Hero time."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Oh you just had to say it, didn't you?!"
Tommy Takeshi: Tommy stashes the COMP in his jacket.
Julia Takeshi: Julia instantly sprung out from the van.
Tommy Takeshi: "COMING!"
Hikaru Kuzunoha cracks his knucles
Tommy Takeshi: He dashes after Julia.
Kazuma Ryumori: Kazuma runs in the direction of the voice.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: Tetsuo jogs off towards the yell, stashing his COMP.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "race you there."
Hana Shiratori: "Oh dear..." Pocketing her COMP, Hana quickly follows.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Hana, keep behind me and Tetsuo!"
"And Hikaru, take this seriously!"
Hana Shiratori: She could only hope they won't die like last time. She doubt they'd get another chance.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Less talkin', more movin'!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "It just had to be zombies...."
"But.... what are those other things?"
"HEY! YOU! UGLY!"
Tommy Takeshi: "More importantly... who asked for help?"
Hana Shiratori: "Where did the scream come from?"
Kazuma Ryumori: Kazuma sees the girl surrounded by... things.
Then he notices something off about her.
"Uh, is it just me? Or does that girl have wings?
"Also, why are more just spawning out of the damn woodwork? Because this is totally fair..." I growl, brandishing my knife, the only weapon currently on my person. It wasn't much, but it was something.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Whoa, what the..."
Tiana: "Eeeek!" Before your eyes is a fantastic sight. At first you think it's just a trick of the eyes, but
Tommy Takeshi: "That's not a demon. That's a fairy."
"...HEY, FAIRY! YOU WANT HELP!?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Doesn't matter what she is, she's in trouble."
Hana Shiratori: Hana couldn't help but agree with Tommy.
Julia Takeshi: "Tch." Julia clicks her tongue, clenching her fists, already equipped with brass knuckles. She doesn't care if the girl has wings or is an human or anything like that. It is evident she is in dire straits and needs help.
"Hey! Get off her, assholes!" She shouts at the nearby demons.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Whatever she is, she's in trouble."
Tommy Takeshi: "THEN GET OVER HERE!"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Save the cute girl I guess."
Tiana: You realize that the floating girl is not an illusion, but rather real.
Tommy Takeshi: He ran forward, waving around his baseball bat and trying to look threatening.
Hana Shiratori: "But how do we...?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Tommy, you look the part, but you act like a total wuss when it comes down to it, you know."
Tommy Takeshi: The dog-people looked scary, but the ones on the right were half-dead already.
Tiana: Despite having a form that looks like a teenage girl, the fairy is short enough to pass for a child, and she is currently making a fearful expression as the Demons close in around her.
Hana Shiratori: Last time they go against a demon, all of them ended up dead. So they shouldn't rush ahead without any plans...
Erl K. (GM): The moment you enter the scene, the demons that were chasing her around turn around towards you.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Hey! You! With the teeth! Pick on something that deserves it!"
Kobold: "OOOOH!? HUMANS, HUMANS! FOOD AT LAST!"
Hana Shiratori: "Tico said we have awakened and filled with magic... But how do we actually use it?"
Tommy Takeshi: "FOOD? I'LL EAT YOU, DOG-BREATH!"
Julia Takeshi: "Like you?" Julia replies to Kazuma, as she stands in the front, ready to fight.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Yeah, guess again!"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Time to break faces."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Sorry, but we have other plans."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Better get ready to hunt some big game, small fry!"
Tiana: The fairy looks at the humans with a confused stare, but seeing them confident before the Demons her eyes dawn with realization.
"I-if you help me, I'll make it worth your while, Devil Summoners! I promise!"
The fairy shouted.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Deal."
Tommy Takeshi: "DON'T SWEAT IT!"
Julia Takeshi: "Got it!"
Julia Takeshi: With these words, Julia charges forward into the fray, a wild and wide grin in her mouth. "It's been a loooong while since I could go all oouuut!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "I was going to help whether you repaid me or not. Don't worry about it."
I flash the winged girl what I hope is a reassuring grin.
Tommy Takeshi: (we need a turn counter)
(or everyone's gonna attack at once)
(and itll be a mess)
Erl K. (GM): kk
Julia Takeshi: (agreed with blobs)
Tommy Takeshi: (erl, decide who goes first)
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (Divide and Conquer sound good?)
Tommy Takeshi: (i recommend basing it on AGI)
Kazuma Ryumori: I recommend that the coward go first so that we don't all get shafted when he bails.
Tommy Takeshi: (who's the coward now)
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (wowow fightin words)
Erl K. (GM): Hikaru first
Hana Shiratori: Hana shook her head. There is no use in confusing herself. She just needs to face ahead and follow whatever her mind and instinct told her to.
Kazuma Ryumori: (I don't care)
Julia Takeshi: (Rip vri)
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (more like rip demons)
Hana Shiratori: (Go vriii)
Julia Takeshi: (I'm trying to recall my SMT knowledge, I think we gotta punch out the kobolds and magic up the zimbambos)
Tommy Takeshi: (vri, remember, target with the ruler)
Hikaru Kuzunoha: oh k
Erl K. (GM): GET BENT SLIME
Hikaru Kuzunoha: Target that slime and swing with iron pipe
Erl K. (GM): uh
you
can do that actually
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (you can use the macro son)
Tommy Takeshi: (you have a button for it)
Hikaru Kuzunoha:
Hikaru Kuzunoha attacked Slime with a lead pipe!
Damage (Phys) 60
Erl K. (GM): (also tell me when you want to OL)
Hikaru Kuzunoha: (was doing that)
(ol?)
Hana Shiratori: (OL?)
Tommy Takeshi: (overlimit)
(your chariot thing)
Hikaru Kuzunoha: (okay)
Kazuma Ryumori: (Yep)
Hikaru Kuzunoha: (I'll hold off on suicide for now)
Erl K. (GM): The party is suddenly amazed when Hikaru darts forward at a speed that would make an olympic runner jealous, and cleaves through the slime with a powerful swing that actually causes dust to lift up from the floor, together with the splatter of slimey fluids everywhere.
Slime: "OOOoooooOAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
The slime cries in pain.
Erl K. (GM): Julia's turn
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Welcome to the home run ya gooey fuckface!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (that doesn't even make sense)
Hikaru Kuzunoha: (shut up)
Kazuma Ryumori: (LOL!)
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (git gud at trash talk)
Kazuma Ryumori: (too late, man)
Julia Takeshi: Julia dashes towards the nearest Kobold, still smiling as she draws her fist into an uppercut. "Hey, ugly! Say bye-bye to those teeth of yours!"
And with these words, she punches the demon with all of her strength.
Julia Takeshi:
Julia Takeshi attacked Kobold with a pair of brass knuckles, surging with unstoppable power!
Damage (Almighty) 62
Kazuma Ryumori: (Now that's trash talk!)
Erl K. (GM): Just like Hikaru, Julia dashes with extreme speed and clocks the Kobold right on the face. To everyone's surprise, the moment she does so her fist explodes with energy and half of the Kobold's body is burnt by energies that glow almost purple with intensity.
Julia Takeshi: "Shit, Bro, quick, gimme a word that's good enough to describe this!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Arright, let's go."
Tommy Takeshi: "DOG STEAK!"
Erl K. (GM): (Julia achieved her dream)
Tommy Takeshi: "BUT I AIN'T CHINESE SO WHATEVER"
Erl K. (GM): (she became a fighting game character)
Julia Takeshi: "Hahahaha!"
Hana Shiratori: Needless to say, Hana is left gobsmacked at all the stunts her friends are pulling off.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: Tetsuo dashes in to finish off Julia's hapless victim.
Morm: (let's live dangerously)
Tetsuo Yoshimoto lunged at Kobold!
Hit (DC50) 59
Crit(DC25) 65
Damage (Phys) 63
Crit Damage 86
Hikaru Kuzunoha: (daanga zone)
Kazuma Ryumori: "Nice one Yoshimoto!"
Erl K. (GM): (Congrats on being the first to use a Skill)
Tommy Takeshi: (is that a 50% hit rate and 75% crit rate)
Morm: (Fortune boiz)
Hana Shiratori: (rip kobold)
Morm: (prolly coulda just hit the other guy but w/e)
Erl K. (GM): Unlike the others, Tetsuo did not simply dash forwards. Instead, he remembered what Tico said about the powers within, and looked upon himself to gather energy from his soul.
Erl K. (GM): At that moment, his body lowered into a stance, his muscles tensed and filled with power, and he leaped towards the Kobold so fast that he left an explosion of dust behind him.
Before anyone could react, his weapon struck the Kobold with such power that its head was reduced to a bloody pulp, the Demon's blood and viscera fllying for a brief moment- Before turning into ashes.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Hell yeah!"
Tommy Takeshi: Tommy feels just a bit queasy now.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Dayamn son!"
Julia Takeshi: "Niiice one."
Tommy Takeshi: "Y-yeah, that was brutal."
Kobold: "I-IMPOSSIBLE! HUMANS THIS STRONG? BUT THERE'S NO DEMON! HOW CAN HUMAN BE SO STRONG!?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Yeah, wanna back off? We can let you live if you do."
Erl K. (GM): The demons become more wary of the party.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Probably..."
Erl K. (GM): The fairy uses this chance to retreat from their group!
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "What's wrong? Thought you wanted a nice meal? Don't tell me you jerkoffs are gonna dine and dash?!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "I think that might've been their plan."
"Some people are just lousy like that."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: Tetsuo grins ferociously, eyes alight.
Hana Shiratori: Seeing all her friends remaining brave and fearless in front of the demons, who are getting wary and closer, helps Hana to stand her ground.
Tommy Takeshi: Tommy forces himself to laugh confidently. "You scared yet? Better just give up before we do even worse!"
Please back off, please back off...
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (might wanna hit that slime, it's weakened)
Hana Shiratori: (Go Tommy)
Tommy Takeshi: "Alright, hard way it is." Seeing no takers, he swings at the already wounded slime.
Tommy Takeshi attacked Slime with an aluminium bat!
Damage (Phys) 56
Erl K. (GM): The slime is crushed and reduced into a puddle of goo by Tommy's relentless swings.
Hane Kanzaki attacked Slime with a knife! The weapon glows with lunar light!
Damage (Phys) 51
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Alright, Tommy!"
Tommy Takeshi: "Hehe!"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: (Did all the hard work)
Kazuma Ryumori: "I'll be honest, I thought you were going to run for a moment there, but that was pretty amazing, to be honest."
Tommy Takeshi: It feels good, but not really. He did just kill something, even if it was a demon.
Hana Shiratori: "N-nice, Hane!"
Erl K. (GM): Hane dives forward and attacks with her knife at the slime, her knife glowing with a strange white light.
Tommy Takeshi: "Man, I ain't no chicken!"
Julia Takeshi: "Good job Bro!"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: (tommy is the other white meat)
Kazuma Ryumori: "Hmph, these freaks are gonna wish they never met any of us. Or that girl."
Tommy Takeshi: "I haven't run front a fight even once!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "But this is really gonna suck..."
Tommy Takeshi: Granted, he's never actually BEEN in a fight before, but no need to tell Kazuma that.
Kazuma Ryumori:
Kazuma Ryumori used Agi! Slime was set ablaze by a surge of flames!
Burn (DC75) 83
Damage (Fire) 48
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (whoosh)
(make sure to use the ruler)
Tommy Takeshi: The hell!? Did Kazuma just get wizard powers!?
Erl K. (GM): (who did he target)
Kazuma Ryumori: I'm not entirely sure where the word comes from, but it arrives automatically.
"Agi!" I shout, a surge of fire erupting in the slime's general direction.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (I assume the same one Hane hit)
Kazuma Ryumori: "Burn you slimy bag of bones!"
Erl K. (GM): The slime screeches as it is set ablaze, the fire spell especially effective as it reduces the Slime's digestive fluids to a foul-smelling pile of cinder that melts away in the wind.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Ugh, gross."
Kazuma Ryumori: "And for the record, yes. I did."
"That's a lie. Honestly, I have no idea how in the hell I did that!"
Hana Shiratori: Hana took a deep breath. She can do this, she can do this...!
Tommy Takeshi: (psst, anything not in quotes isnt being said out loud)
Kazuma Ryumori: "You've got this, Hana."
Hana Shiratori:
Hana Shiratori used Bufu! Slime was struck by a freezing blast of ice shards!
Freeze (DC80) 46
Damage (Ice) 57
Tommy Takeshi: "Whoa. Even more wizard shit."
Erl K. (GM): 85.5
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Nice one, Hana-chan!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Sweet!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (WEAK)
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Nice slimsicle."
Hana Shiratori: "T-thank you."
Julia Takeshi: "Well done, Hana!"
Tommy Takeshi: "Alright, dog guys. There's only two of you left. You gonna apologize for attacking Miss Fairy like that or are you gonna run with your tails between your legs?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Nah don't run I'm not finished yet."
Erl K. (GM): Hana's power surges from her body in the form of a frigid gust of ice shards, that the moment they come into contact with the Slime cause it to freeze like a sculpture and shatter.
Julia Takeshi: "Yeah don't run, there's something more I wanna try!"
Kobold: The Kobolds take a single step back, but their faces quickly show rage at being taunted.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Rip 'em apart Julia!"
Kobold: "HUMAAAAAANS! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Hey, dog breath! Last chance to run!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Shit, get ready Hikaru!"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Take your best shot roadkill."
Kobold:
Kobold used Agi! Hikaru Kuzunoha was set ablaze by a surge of flames!
Burn (DC75) 6
Damage (Fire) 31
Kazuma Ryumori: "Got nothing to say?"
Hana Shiratori: "Look out!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Hikaru!"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: Ow
Tommy Takeshi: Shit! They get wizard powers too!?
Kazuma Ryumori: "Are you okay?"
Erl K. (GM): Hikaru doubles back as the flame burst hits him, singing his clothes and causing his body to light up with pain.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (buster wolf)
Julia Takeshi: "The fuck?"
Erl K. (GM): However, where the flame should've swallowed him and consumed him, the flames somehow dissipate and he remains standing, albeit wounded.
Kobold lunged at Tommy Takeshi!
Hit (DC50) 81
Crit(DC50) 41
Damage (Phys) 39
Crit Damage 59
Tommy Takeshi: "Eh-?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Tommy!"
Erl K. (GM): Similarly, a Kobold lunges for Tommy with its bat raised, and Tommy attempts to dodge the reckless charge.
Kazuma Ryumori: "That was too close..."
Erl K. (GM): However, the Kobold's maul catches by the shoulder, and Tommy is sent flying by the brutal impact.
Tommy Takeshi: "GAH!"
It feels like a wrecking ball, but he's still alive somehow.
Julia Takeshi: "You fuckeers!" she immediately flies into a rage.
Erl K. (GM): Despite this, he quickly gets to his feet when he finds his strength, although he clutches his bleeding shoulder.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (and now julia will murder that kobold)
Erl K. (GM): And at the moment that the Kobolds attack...
Tiana used Zan! Kobold was blasted by a whirlwind!
Damage (Wind) 40
Kazuma Ryumori: "Whoa!"
Tommy Takeshi: "Urgh... this is what I get for trying to be nice..."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "mind your skirts girls."
Julia Takeshi: "That dogface... is.... MINE!"
Erl K. (GM): One of the Kobolds is knocked back by a wave of wind that sends him flying, crashing against one of the concrete buildings with a sickening noise.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Also, dogs? Guys? Honestly, please run. For your own sakes."
Erl K. (GM): Somehow, he stands back up, but his expression is furious.
Hana Shiratori: "This wind... is it from the fairy's?"
Tommy Takeshi: "NO, FUCK YOU! STAY HERE SO I CAN KICK YOUR ASS!"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "That's the spirit man."
Kazuma Ryumori: "I mean, you guys suck, but Julia is going to turn you inside out."
"And that's sugar coating it."
Kobold: YOU... PUNY ONE! YOU NO PAY, AND THEN YOU SEND HUMANS AT US! WE KILL YOU!
Hana Shiratori: Still, Hana bit her lip. She wanted to do something for the injured, but as it stands she simply doesn't have the means...
Tiana: "Eeek!" The pixie tries to fly away from the Kobolds.
Kazuma Ryumori: "She didn't send us, you lousy goblin!"
Tommy Takeshi: "Urgh... leave the fairy alone..."
Kazuma Ryumori: "What do you guys call yourselves anyway? I don't really feel like calling you dogs."
Julia Takeshi: Julia is going berserk to the side
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Looking at the wrong person, YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING HERE."
Erl K. (GM): At that moment, Kazuma's COMP vibrates.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Eh?"
Erl K. (GM): Curious, the boy lifts the COMP to look at it, and at that moment like a camera, the screen turns to focus on the Kobold, before revealing something.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Kobolds..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Good-natured my ass."
Tommy Takeshi: "PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE, DOG-FACE, DOG-BREATH, DOG-SHIT!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Kinda cool actually. My kind of demon..."
"Hey, you if you just let this go, maybe we could do you a solid?"
Tommy Takeshi: "WE DON'T NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORISTS!"
Kobold: The Kobolds are too angry to listen.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: (can i go now?)
Kazuma Ryumori: "Darn."
Julia Takeshi: "Hahahaha...." Julia suddenly laughs, staring at Kazuma with bloodshot eyes.
"They. Are. Already. Dead."
Erl K. (GM): (yes vri)
Kazuma Ryumori: "Yeah, they're dead.
Hikaru Kuzunoha:
Hikaru Kuzunoha cleaved Kobold with a whistling slash!
Crit(DC90) 36
Damage (Phys) 66
Crit Damage 114
Tiana: "S-save me, please!" The fairy says, as she runs from the demons chasing her.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "You ain't got nothing to worry about girlie."
"The red ranger has arrived."
Kazuma Ryumori: "She's all yours Hikaru."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: Tch that hurt and I was the one doing it
Kazuma Ryumori: "I mean, you've been pretty gung ho about saving her, after all."
Erl K. (GM): Almost gallantly, Hikaru jumps on one of the kobolds and hits him with a whirling roundouse kick, that for some reason glows with a golden light.
The kick shears the Kobold head to toe, killing him instantly.
Kazuma Ryumori cheers and gives some mild applause.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Jesus, dude, calm down."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Also, wow, that is gross.
"And gonna leave a stain."
Hana Shiratori: "That's some paradoxical reaction..."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Aww. They look adorable together."
Julia Takeshi: "Hey, DOGSHIT!" Julia suddenly dashes with great force, causing cracks to appear on the already ruined street as she appears between Hikaru and the last kobold. "YOU TARGETED THE WRONG MAAAN!"
Julia Takeshi cleaved Kobold with a whistling slash!
Crit(DC90) 27
Damage (Phys) 74
Crit Damage 112
Erl K. (GM): OHKO
Hana Shiratori: (Sasuga)
Kazuma Ryumori looks away from the resulting blood explosion extraordinaire.
Kazuma Ryumori: "That was really cool.
And really, really gross."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Not bad julia, someday you might be as good as me."
Erl K. (GM): With a single swing of her palm, which glows with the same golden light as Hikaru's, Julia backhands the monster and sends him flying through the window of a building, leaving a bloody trail behind.
Erl K. (GM): The Kobold disappears soon after.
Kazuma Ryumori: "I think she could break you in half by flicking you in the shoulder, to be perfectly honest."
Erl K. (GM): Victory!
Tommy Takeshi: "Yeah... that's my sis..."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Woot!
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Woo, go team!"
Tommy Takeshi: He doesn't sound as happy as he should.
Erl K. (GM): Obtained 80 EXP, and 200 Macca.
Julia Takeshi: "Hah, I was taking dojos down when you were still receiving your mommy's milk, Hikaru!"
Knowing Julia, that was probably true.
Hana Shiratori: Hana is just glad the battle is over without worse consequences.
Tommy Takeshi: "Hey fairy, you alright?"
Hana Shiratori: "You two alright?" She asked to Tommy and Hikaru with concern.
Erl K. (GM): The party has reached Level 2!
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "So any wounds yo?"
Julia Takeshi: "Oh yeah, you alright fairy girl?" Julia approached her with concern, showing no traces of her earlier rage.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Thought I strained something for a minute, but it worked itself out."
"You cool, little miss?"
Tommy Takeshi: "Shit, did my jacket get torn?"
It's a bit bloody and sore, but he can still move alright.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: Adrenaline rush got to him duh
Tiana: "Th-thank you, humans!" The fairy beams at you, flying excitedly between your ranks, cautious at first, but happily when you don't move against her.
Hikaru Kuzunoha messes her hair up
Hana Shiratori: "Hikaru, please be polite."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "It's nothin', just trying to help."
Tiana: "U-um, what are you doing...?" The fairy looks confused.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Never"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Hikaru quit being a creep to someone you just met."
Hikaru Kuzunoha shrugs
Tommy Takeshi: "He's being a creep, feel free to zap him with wind if he tries something weird again."
Tiana: "A-Ah, you're wounded!" The fairy smiles. "I shall heal you, my saviors. A Demon's Oath demands it!"
The fairy's hands suddenly glow as she directs them at Hikaru.
Tiana used Dia! Hikaru Kuzunoha was healed!
HP restored 85
Tommy Takeshi: "Oath?"
Hana Shiratori: "Demon?"
Tommy Takeshi: Man, everyone has wizard powers now.
Tiana:
Tiana used Dia! Tommy Takeshi was healed!
HP restored 84
Julia Takeshi: "D'aaww you're so cute!" Julia starts laughing as she pats the fairy as well.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: '...Thanks."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Don't tire yourself out, now."
Tommy Takeshi: "Sweet! Even fixed the jacket!"
Tiana: Before the party's eyes, Tommy and Hikaru's wounds vanish as if they were never there.
Tommy Takeshi: And the bloodstains are gone, too!
Hana Shiratori: Hana looked at the fairy, amazed, as she saw her healed Tommy and Hikaru.
Tommy Takeshi: "Wait a sec..." he frowns. "You're a demon?"
"I thought demons were supposed to be like, monsters."
Julia Takeshi: "Duh." She doesn't seem bothered by that fat.
*fact
Hana Shiratori: "I guess there are different kind of demons."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "No one ever said all demons had to be big scary monsters. Some are probably perfectly cool."
Tiana: "Yes, I am Tiana! A Pixie of the Fairy clan."
Tommy Takeshi: "Scary monsters ARE cool."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Oh, I'm Tetsuo, nice to meet you."
Tommy Takeshi: Pixie, Fairy... before Tommy's eyes, his dreams of a Metal world are dying.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Hikaru Kuzunoha."
Tommy Takeshi: "Tommy."
Hana Shiratori: "I'm Hana. Nice to meet you, Tiana."
Julia Takeshi: "Name's Julia Takeshi, nice to meet'cha"
Tommy Takeshi: "Why were those dweebs after you?"
Tiana: She looked briefly saddened. "I thought I could work with those Kobolds since they are also of my clan, but they told me that to live here I had to pay a toll of Magnetite."
Tommy Takeshi: "What!?"
That does it.
Tiana: She puffed her cheeks. "As if! Why would I be looking for a place to live in if I knew where to get Magnetite from!?"
Tommy Takeshi: There's only one thing worse than death... and that's TAXES.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Shakin you down for cash, ah? Guess something's are universal."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Well been through one guess we gotta fight the second next."
Tiana: "I, uh, may have also insulted them and their progenitors when they refused to let me live in."
Tommy Takeshi: "You get it from humans, don't you?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Pffffff."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "That may have added to the problem."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: Nice
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Maybe."
Julia Takeshi: "To think these evil Kobolds would attack someone as cute as you!" Julia starts getting angry once again. "Well, don't worry about it Tiana. This Nee-san will protect you from now onwards!"
Hana Shiratori: "You should be more careful with your words next time, Tiana."
Tiana: "I'm a Pixie, I can't help it! Mocking a bunch of dumbasses is just base instinct!"
Tommy Takeshi: "Aw snap. Well whatever, dog-faces are dog-faces."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Fair enough."
Julia Takeshi: Julia decides ahead without even thinking about it.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "So, you were looking for a place to crash? Can't you hang with some other Pixies or something?"
Tiana: "U-Um, what do you mean...?" Julia blinked. "Could it be... You are Devil Summoners!?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "So it would seem."
Tiana: Julia looks around, confused. "But where is your Lord?"
Tommy Takeshi: "Hell yeah we are."
"You're looking at him!"
Julia Takeshi: "Uh... sorta?" She shrugged. "We're new to this thing to be honest."
Hana Shiratori: "Should we call Tico now?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha poses.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Well, either he's some weird guy, or we're our own bosses."
"Little unclear, didn't exactly work out the typical way."
"Involved dying."
Julia Takeshi: Julia takes out her own COMP and examines the program to see if anything new popped up.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Turns out that the light at the end of the tunnel is an old man not a train."
Tico: "SSSSSSSSSSSsssssssssssssssserendipitious!"
Tommy Takeshi: He blinks. Wait a second. If this fairy's a demon...
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Yo tico."
Hana Shiratori: "And there she is."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Thank you captain slow."
Tiana: "W-Wah!"
Tiana backs away as Tico emerges from the COMPs.
Tommy Takeshi: "Chill, it's just a hologram."
"...probably."
Tico: "Yaaaaaaaaaay! You did it guys! You got your super duper first Demon that isn't trying to kill your guts! Congratulations!"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Don't be mean to Tetsuo's virtual girlfriend."
Tommy Takeshi: He squints and pokes at Tico's arm.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "It's all lights and sounds 'til someone gets impaled."
Hana Shiratori: Hana nods, remembering how Tico passes through Tetsuo when she tried to hug him.
Tico: Tommy's finger passes right through.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Tommy, don't finger in public."
Tico: "P-pervert." Tico withdraws teasingly.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto ducks away from the incoming swat.
Julia Takeshi: "Pffft"
Tommy Takeshi: "W-what!?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Tets has competition I see."
Hana Shiratori: "Guys, please."
Tommy Takeshi: Tommy fumes and backs up.
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Ain't you a lucky girl Tico."
Tommy Takeshi: His elbow misses Tetsuo completely and he nearly falls over.
Julia Takeshi: "I should teach you how to pick up girls, Bro."
Tiana: "..." (I don't like how this old hag just stole all the attention away from me...)
Hana Shiratori: "Tiana looked frightened here."
Tommy Takeshi: "I already have a girlfriend... probably..."
If she's still alive.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Gotta stay loyal to that girl of yours you keep ramblin' about."
Julia Takeshi: Julia frowns upon hearing Tommy's words, suddenly remembering that fact. Her face clouds over and she falls silent, thinking about something.
Tommy Takeshi: "Rgh..."
"Tiana, feel free to say no if you want, but."
Julia Takeshi: (Maybe we should search for Tommy's girlfriend soon...)
Tommy Takeshi: "We've got seven people's worth of Magne-whatever."
Tico: "Anyways, if you guys wanted me to come out so much, then I guess you want Miss Fairy over here to join you, right? That's, like, epic!"
Tommy Takeshi: "Wanna tag along with us?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Still not convinced she's real" Hikaru whispers to tets.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (This is what I was suggesting earlier)
Julia Takeshi: (the parenthesis there just were Julia's thoughts)
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (TELEPATHY)
Hikaru Kuzunoha: (maaaaaaaagic)
Julia Takeshi: (I guess I should change the thought format to just no "s)
Tico: "Whaddya say, fairygirl!? Want to become one of these young, strong studs' Vassals?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Don't scare her off now."
Tiana: "Hmm..." Tiara floats down, taking the girl's comment seriously.
She eyes the party, and for some reason the cute girl from before seems to recede as she eyes the lot of you like she was sizing up a prime beef.
Tommy Takeshi: Tommy suddenly feels nearly as self-conscious as he did when his pimples started coming out in middle school.
Tiana: And after a minute that air fades, and she's smiling innocently. "Sure! If you'll have me!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: Tetsuo puffs out his chest, returning to familiar territory.
Hana Shiratori: "So, what do you say Tiana?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "The more the merrier, I say."
Tommy Takeshi: "Sweet. Tico, what do we do now?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Sure welcome to the club."
Julia Takeshi: "Yeah, we'll be thankful to have you with us!" She nods welcomingly
Tommy Takeshi: "Ritual circle? Blood sacrifice?"
"...virgin sacrifice? I know Kazuma's still available..."
Tico: "Well first you need to decide who'll be the one to contract with her, silly! You can't pact with her all at once."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Hm."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Soooooo?"
Tommy Takeshi: Tommy crosses his arms. "Go ahead and pick, Tiana."
"But, uh, not me. I'm taken. Sorry."
Julia Takeshi: "Let Tiana decide." Julia says
Tico: "Wow, Tommy! You already have a demon? Amazing! Where's he at?"
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "HA HE."
Tommy Takeshi: "She's... probably terrorizing a high school."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Love you Tico."
Hikaru Kuzunoha thumbs up
Tommy Takeshi: "I know the old dude powered me up, but Nozomi could probably still kick my ass."
Tiana: "Well, I wouldn't mind sharing, but... Does that mean that none of the others have a Vassal?"
Julia Takeshi: "... Oh god, she probably could..."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: 'Nope."
Julia Takeshi: "Indeed, none of us have a Vassal. As far as I know."
Tiana: Hmm...
Tiana squints...
"You!" Tiana suddenly flies towards the pink-haired girl, hugging her chest.
"You smell the most delicious."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Must be the perfume."
Hana Shiratori: "Hane it is then."
Hikaru Kuzunoha: "Incoming lez scene next I see."
Hana Shiratori: "Hush Hikaru."
Hikaru Kuzunoha giggles to himself
Julia Takeshi: Totally not jealous. "I-I hope the demon I get is this cute as well..."
Hane Kanzaki: "Delicious?" She looks vaguely confused, but brushes it off with a smirk.
Tommy Takeshi: "Cotton candy-head," he offers helpfully.
Vri: Sorry gotta run
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (seya Vri)
Tico: "Alright then, time to form the pact then!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (smooch her)
Tico: "You're alright with her becoming your vassal, right Han-chan!?"
Hane Kanzaki: "Yeah, of course."
Tico: "Awesome! Then I'll just do this and-"
Erl K. (GM): After mumbling to herself, Tico suddenly steps back as a voice speaks from the heavens.
"I, WHO HAVE BEEN SUMMONED TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE COVENANT, STAND."
"YOUNG ONE, SPEAK. DO YOU SWEAR TO BECOME YOUR LORD'S STRENGTH, TO PLACE HIS REASON ABOVE YOURS, AND SEEK HIS ENDS FIRST AND FOREMOST?"
Tiana: "I do, O heavenly judge." Tiana vows solemnly, before huffing. "Jeez, just get this over with!"
Erl K. (GM): "AND YOU, CHILD OF MAN. WILL YOU TAKE IN THIS VASSAL, TO BE YOUR SERVANT, AND WILL YOU NURTURE IT WITH YOUR STRENGTH, THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN TO BEAR AS RULER OF SOULS?"
Hane Kanzaki: "Yes, I shall."
Erl K. (GM): "THEN HERE FORTHWITH, UNTIL THE COVENANT IS BROKEN, VASSAL AND LORD SHALL SERVE AS ONE DOMAIN."
A link of light briefly forms between Hane and the Fairy, before disappearing after a few seconds.
Tiana: Tiana twirls.
Hane Kanzaki: "Is that gonna happen every time one of us does this now?"
"S'really formal."
Tiana: "I'm in your care, Master~!" She says giddily, before her eyes widen as her body lights up with energy.
"Oooh, I can feel it! This Magnetite! It's so pure and strong! So good~"
The fairy buzzes around excitedly, filled with newfound vigor.
Tiana has become Hana's Vassal!
VIII: Shopping's just dead around here, geez
Hane Kanzaki: "Glad to know you're feeling energetic!"
Tommy Takeshi: "We're not gonna run out of this stuff, are we?"
Erl K. (GM): You can now control her Token, KT
Hana Shiratori: You're feeling alright, Hane?"
Tommy Takeshi: "Like, it's our soul or something."
Erl K. (GM): She acts on the same turn as you
Hane Kanzaki: ( gotcha )
Hana Shiratori: "No headaches or anything?"
Julia Takeshi: She says nothing, but she stares worriedly at Hane.
Hane Kanzaki: "Yeah, I'm feeling fine. Thanks for the concern."
"I'll tell you guys if something iffy happens."
Tico: "Well," Tico said. "No, not normally. But, like, there's a limit to the number of Demons that you can pact with depending on how strong you are!"
"if you're like, a super badass, you could even rule an army!"
Hana Shiratori: "That makes sense." Hana nods.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "An army, huh..."
Hana Shiratori: Though she wonders what kind of person could have an army of demons at their disposal...
Tico: "Oh, and there's a difference in the number of demons you can have in stock, and the ones you can have summoned though."
Julia Takeshi: Her eyebrow shoots upwards. "An army you say?" There's badly disguised excitement there.
Chances are that Tokyo is about to be taken over by a delinquent demon army.
Tommy Takeshi: "Hm..."
Hana Shiratori: "In stock...?"
Tico: "Sorry, but right now the Summoning App only lets you summon up to 2 Demons... But for some reason you guys can only summon one right now! WHOOPS!"
"Maybe it's because you're all bunched up together?"
Tommy Takeshi: "One, or one each?"
Tico: "One each, of course!"
Tommy Takeshi: "Huh. Well that's alright. We'll figure it out as we go. I feel pretty great anyway."
Julia Takeshi: "Damn, my plans for world conquest..."
Tico: "Anyways, lemme explain how Summoning works!"
Hana Shiratori: "I don't mind. We should start out slow so we can familiarize ourselves with it."
Erl K. (GM): ---TICO'S SUMMONING APP 101---
Each character has a 'stock' of Demons, which limits the maximum number of demons they can contract with.
That number is 2 for now, but might go higher after new Summoning functions are implemented.
Demons that aren't summoned remain in the stock, which is based inside the COMPs which the players carry around.
If the COMP is damaged, the Demons come out, though if they are dead and the COMP is destroyed they are lost forever (don't let that happen)
Summoning and unsummoning a Demon is a free action, you can still act after summoning a Demon.
Erl K. (GM): The demon can't act on that turn, though.
The Macca you have obtained can be used to upgrade your Demons, through various functions that will be implemented as the story progresses.
Be careful of Macca management, as the entire party shares it.
Demons will also level up naturally, so don't worry about someone being left behind because you're stingy with money.
Tommy Takeshi: "So it's like a pokeball...?"
"Hey, Tiana, what's it like in a COMP?"
Tiana: "Well, I've never been in one before! If I had a Lord before, I wouldn't have been wandering around like a useless dead weight!"
Julia Takeshi: "I think the important thing is that... COMPs are basically our lifeline right now. If they break, we're pretty much dead, right?" She said out loud.
Tommy Takeshi: "We should get cases."
Hana Shiratori: "I guess that's true..."
Tommy Takeshi: His phone case is too small, though.
Hana Shiratori: "We must be careful not to lose it."
Hane Kanzaki: "I'm sure someone's made tacky apparel for these things."
Tommy Takeshi: "Tacky? I thought phone straps would be right up your alley, Hane."
"Oops, Kanzaki. Sorry, still getting used to talking JP all the time."
Julia Takeshi: "Also, Tico... what happens to the demons inside a COMP if it is destroyed. Would they die?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (didn't she answer that)
Erl K. (GM): yo i just said that
Hane Kanzaki: "Phone straps used to be my thing."
Julia Takeshi: (sorta, she said lost forever, but doesn't quite cover it)
(ie it could mean they're released)
(although ur right, the forever part implies death)
Erl K. (GM): (they're released if they are alive)
(if they are dead and there's nowhere to hold them, they vanish)
Tommy Takeshi: "They're still good." He's got one for Dio, one for Slayer, a Disturbed Guy, a pentagram, an Illuminati symbol, some snakes, a skull...
Tico: "Anyways, I'll jump right back to you guys whenever there's something new on the App, okies?"
"See ya later, toodles!"
Tico vanished.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Well, that was enlightening."
Hana Shiratori: "So where should we go now?"
Tiana: Tiana watched the woman vanish, blinked, then turned her eyes towards her summoner, cutely swinging her body in the air while her hands were behind her back.
"So where to next, Master?"
Julia Takeshi: "Well, I had a few ideas" Julia speaks off, trying to call everyone's attention.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Well, we could look for more demons, we could try and find our people..."
Tiana: "Are you looking for anything in particular, Master?"
Hane Kanzaki: "Hmm..."
Tommy Takeshi: "We'll run into plenty of demons whether we like it or not. What's up, Julia?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Could also wander around tryin' to find Lucia."
Tiana: "I've been flying over this area for a while, so I've seen some stuff!"
Tommy Takeshi: "Oh! Have you seen any humans?"
Tiana: Tiana flied high into the air, and puffed up her chest.
Hane Kanzaki: "Oh, have you?"
Tiana: "I'll spot anything you want! Hah!"
Hane Kanzaki: "Yeah, what Tommy said."
"People would be nice."
Hana Shiratori agrees.
Julia Takeshi: "You see, I doubt Bro's gonna calm down until we can confirm his girlfriend's safety. Also, the note Lucy dropped is very recent, so maybe there are chances she's still around here somewhere."
Tiana: "Humans...?" Tiana blinked, before humming and thinking to herself.
"Ah, there were those, but...!"
Julia Takeshi: "So... maybe we should split up. Tommy and me will go check out his gf's status, while you guys search the surroundings for Lucy."
Tiana: Tiana made a frightened face, looking fearful for a moment before she turned angry.
Tommy Takeshi: "Nozomi's gonna be fine. I'm not panicked or anything."
More like he's afraid to find out.
Hana Shiratori: "I think splitting up is a bad idea."
Tiana: "Jeez, those assholes almost shot me because I flew up to them suddenly!"
Hane Kanzaki: "I'd rather us be together... splitting up only makes us wor-"
"Shot?"
Tommy Takeshi: "Seriously? I mean, I could understand it if you were one of those dog-faces, but you look harmless."
Tiana: "I don't want to hang out with brute limp-dicks like them!"
Julia Takeshi: "Shot you say?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Might be the self-defense guys."
Tommy Takeshi: "...okay, not so harmless."
Julia Takeshi: "Could you describe them to us?"
Tiana: "Yeah, these humans who were all funny looking! They were wearing these blue suits and funny hats, and were with some other humans."
"But they looked REALLY scary."
Julia Takeshi: "Probably the cops, yeah..."
Tiana: "Shooting at me with those guns..." Tiana grumbled.
Hana Shiratori: "Sounds like SDF or the police."
Julia Takeshi: "Tell us, Tiana, have you seen a blonde suit-wearing girl?"
Tommy Takeshi: "So there are survivors!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "No, duh."
Tommy Takeshi: "We gotta at least check out the police. They can put us in contact with our folks."
Tiana: "Suit-wearing?" Tiana frowned, thinking deeply.
"Nah, I don't think so. Seen a lot of men with suits, but no one that looked cute like me!
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Well, there's a dead end on that for now."
Hane Kanzaki: "I guess we'll have to talk to those militants..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "May as well go check out the weird guys."
Tommy Takeshi: "I don't think splitting up is TOO bad of an idea, actually."
"There's seven - eight of us."
Julia Takeshi: "Yeah, checking the police might be the rational thing to do right now..."
Tommy Takeshi: "If the cell phones are working, we can even stay in touch."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "No guarantee they'll be any help, though..."
Tommy Takeshi: "And those baddies earlier weren't too bad."
Hana Shiratori: "But Tommy, we're facing demons." Hana argued. "We never know how dangerous it could be...
Julia Takeshi: "Hmm...." Julia checks if her phone works by calling Tommy, but then... "Actually can't we keep contact with our COMPs?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: Tetsuo is reminded of Lucia's note to abandon typical common sense.
Hane Kanzaki: "Yes, because people call 119 with their email."
Tiana: "Eeeeh?" Tiana looks shifty. "You really want to go get those humans? Grrr..."
Tommy Takeshi: "Demons can also be tiny and cute and we can talk to them."
Tiana: "Fine! If it's Master's command..."
Tommy Takeshi: "Nah, how about this."
"Hane, you go look for Lucia.
"Julia and I will go talk to the police."
Erl K. (GM): (Do you guys have any way to communicate)
(Have you considered that there is no signal at all)
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: (if we can't use the COMPs, not really)
(splitting up seems like a fuckin awful idea tbh)
Hana Shiratori: "I stand by my point."
Tommy Takeshi: (awful ideas are my specialty)
Hana Shiratori: "I don't think it's a good idea at all."
Draconic: I think I'm back.
Tommy Takeshi: "Urgh... well, we could all stick together, I guess."
Draconic: For a little while anyway.
Tommy Takeshi: "Tiana, you could stay in the COMP while we talk to the police."
Julia Takeshi: "Was talking about keeping contact between us Hane." Julia sends a mail to Hane.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Here's my pitch, we sidle up to where those weird guys might be, take a look at what's up with them, and if they're sketchy, we move on."
Hane Kanzaki: ( do comps have signals )
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Try not to draw attention."
Hana Shiratori: "Sounds reasonable."
Julia Takeshi: "Also I guess I agree with Tets."
Tommy Takeshi: "They don't need to know anything about us being Devil Summoners."
Kazuma Ryumori: "I vote putting Tetsuo in charge."
Hana Shiratori: "We must be careful to keep Tiana out of sight from them."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Hey, now, c'mon..."
Tommy Takeshi: "Kazuma, I'm telling you, leaders are not a thing."
Erl K. (GM): (Hmm)
Tommy Takeshi: "Everyone gets an equal say."
Erl K. (GM): (Lets say they do have phone functions, but no signal for the time being)
Hane Kanzaki: "That is not what we are talking about right now, Kaz."
Julia Takeshi: (In DeSu COMPs worked despite everything else not working, which is why I tried lol)
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "After that, for better or worse, we should go on the look-out for other survivors, people we know, Lucia, etc."
Julia Takeshi: "Yeah no signal on the COMPs either."
Erl K. (GM): (Yeah but in DeSu 2 they didn't)
Tommy Takeshi: "And food. We should look for food."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Maybe see about getting some vassals for the rest of us too, ah?"
Erl K. (GM): (it was just a magic App)
Tommy Takeshi: "Demons might be able to survive on Magnetite, but I can't."
Hana Shiratori: "Tommy raises a good point."
Julia Takeshi: (DeSu 2 used normal phones iirc)
Tiana: "Alright!" Tiana agreed with Tommy's suggestion, before grumbling again.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Fair enough."
Tiana: "I still have to guide you, though..."
Tommy Takeshi: "Hm..."
Tiana: "Let's go, Master!" She said to Hane. "I'll show you where those Humans went."
Hana Shiratori: "Thank you Tiana." Hana said appreciatively.
Hane Kanzaki: "You won't be hidden for long, I promise."
Erl K. (GM): As Tiana guides you through the streets, you catch sight of many things.
Homes that have been abandoned, cars that have been left open... Windows shattered, and children toys left on the street.
Julia Takeshi: "Thanks, Tiana."
Erl K. (GM): A scene straight out of the apocalypse.
Julia Takeshi: "Uh wow, what happened here? How did the city collapse this fast?"
Hana Shiratori: "This is horrible..."
Kazuma Ryumori: "It's definitely unsettling…"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Demons, I'll guess."
Tiana: "Hm? Ah, that's probably due to the nastier Demons rampaging around when they were summoned."
"We at the Fairy clan can be pretty awesome and badass, but we usually keep to ourselves unless someone pisses us off."
"This was probably the work of Fury demons, maybe even Tyrants or Fallen."
She doesn't look very concerned by the loss of human life.
Kazuma Ryumori: "Just for my personal peace of mind… uh… we aren't going to just… I dunno, run into Cthulhu or Nyarlathotep, or something, right?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Well, we are now.
Tommy Takeshi: "If we do, we'll kick its ass too. With our wizard powers."
Julia Takeshi: "I swear I'm going to feed you to the tentacles first."
Hana Shiratori: Hana doesn't say anything. Tiana is a demon, no matter how cute or human she looked, so she's bound to have a different common sense from them.
Julia Takeshi: "At least we ain't schoolgirls anymore..."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Dman it, Tetsuo's right. I might've jinxed us."
"I really hope I didn't."
Erl K. (GM): As Tiana continues to guide the party, a few times they are set on edge by what feels like a hostile presence drawing near, but Tiana helplfully steers the party away from said trouble by scouting ahead.
Thus preventing them from wasting the rest of the day fighting against Demons.
However, the path to where Tiana found the humans is still a tricky one.
The city seems much larger when one has no access to cars, trains, or any means of transportation other than their feet.
Tommy Takeshi: "If we do run into Demons..." Tommy muses as they walk. "Let's try talking first."
Erl K. (GM): Before you know it, an entire hour has passed, and some of you feel hungry.
Kazuma Ryumori: "I agree."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "May as well give it a shot."
Tommy Takeshi: "If Tiana's nice, there have to be more decent ones."
Hana Shiratori: "That is an option..."
Kazuma Ryumori: "That's true. Maybe even the Next Kobold's won't be complete dicks."
Tommy Takeshi: "No."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Praying I'm right."
Tommy Takeshi: "Kobolds are all evil."
Erl K. (GM): It is at that moment that Tetsuo catches sight of a grocery store that appears surprisingly full.
Tommy Takeshi: "No mercy."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Don't be racist, Tommy."
Tommy Takeshi: "What!? I'm not-!"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Heyo, lookie what we got here."
Tommy Takeshi: "Uh..."
Hana Shiratori: "A grocery store?"
Kazuma Ryumori: "Just because I guy smells bad when you throw water on them is no cause to discriminate."
Hana Shiratori: "And it's surprisingly full."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Anyone else feelin' a bit hungry?"
Tommy Takeshi: "It's just, I mean..."
"We've killed three of them."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Do they have kosher bacon-flavoured chips? I think those are a thing."
Hane Kanzaki: "Let's hope not everything is expired."
Hana Shiratori silently raises hand
Erl K. (GM): Feeling the pang of hanger, the party enters the grocery store...
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "And we'll probably kill more."
"No reason to hold it against the whole species."
Erl K. (GM): But rather than their appetite rising at what they found... It drops sharply.
Kazuma Ryumori: "But that doesn't mean that all Kobolds are friends."
Tommy Takeshi: "If they're all sentient, that means we just murdered three - maybe even six people."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Who would've killed us."
"And eaten us."
"For lunch."
Tommy Takeshi: "I guess. Maybe this is the common sense Lucia said we have to abandon."
Erl K. (GM): One laying over the counter, their body mangled by what looked like huge slash wounds.
another laying on the floor, half ripped apart.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Ah jeez."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Oh god..."
Hane Kanzaki: She gags.
Hana Shiratori: Hana immediately turned away, a hand over her mouth.
Erl K. (GM): At least half a dozen corpses were lying on the grocery store, their foul smell attracting insects which preyed on the human bodies.
Kazuma Ryumori: "I'm… I don't think I'm hungry anymore..."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: Tetsuo holds his nose and breathes through his mouth, grimacing.
Tommy Takeshi: His guilty thoughts evaporated with his appetite.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: Then he continued forward into the store.
Tiana: "Hmm..." Tiana fearlessly dives into the store, looking over the rows and grabbing a bag full of donuts still in good shape.
"These look delicious!"
Tommy Takeshi: "..."
Kazuma Ryumori: Against his better judgement, Kazuma feels the urge to check the bodies to make sure than he can't identify anyone. He prays that none of the bodies aren't anyone he knows.
Tiana: "Hm? Master? Everyone? Is something wrong?" She blinks, before noticing the bodies.
Hana Shiratori: Sometimes she envy Tetsuo's drive.
Tiana: "Ah."
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Grab some granola bars or something, probably don't wanna get stuff that'll spoil."
Kazuma Ryumori: "Hey, Tiana, maybe be a little more— actually, never mind…"
Tommy Takeshi: "Tetsuo, you're already-?"
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "What?"
Hane Kanzaki: "We've got to live, after all," she says, trudging forward into the market to grab supplies.
Tommy Takeshi: "You too?"
Gah. This is terrible.
Hane Kanzaki: "We can't feel sorry for every dead person on the streets or we'd be stuck here forver."
forever*
Kazuma Ryumori: Kazuma looks through the isles and gathers some canned pasta.
Tommy Takeshi: He pulls his shirt up over his nose and braves the store, doing his best to avoid looking at the bodies.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: He grimaces, "I'm sorry about the people, but there's nothin' we can do for them now, all we can do, is survive."
Hana Shiratori: "I'll... stay here." Hana muttered, standing at the entrance.
Hane Kanzaki: She looks at Tommy, not with a cold look, but a nervous one.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: "Good idea, Hana, keep a look-out."
Hana Shiratori: No matter how hard she tried, she still couldn't find the drive and courage to march on.
"yes, I'll do that."
Anything to distract her from the gruesome sight.
Tommy Takeshi: He lasts maybe a minute, grabbing the first fresh-looking thing on the shelves and booking it as fast as possible.
He only bothers to actually look closely when he's out next to Hana, breathing heavily.
A jar of pickles.
Hana Shiratori: "... Are you okay, Tommy?"
Tommy Takeshi: "Prolly not."
Kazuma Ryumori: Kazuma returns to the entrance with the canned food.
"I don't blame you."
Hana Shiratori: She merely nods at that before resuming her watch duty.
Kazuma Ryumori: "This is a pretty brutal sight."
Erl K. (GM): With a heavy heart, and thoughts on what has happened, the party continues to be guided by Tiana.
They eat, but their hearts aren't in it.
Tetsuo Yoshimoto: Tetsuo's stomach roils, but he looks through the store carefully, granola bars, some peanut butter, some water, what he can carry.
Erl K. (GM): It finally dawns on them, how fortunate they have been to have been able to survive up to this point, having cheated Death itself.
Why them, and not the humans on that store?
Why were they chosen?
The words in Igor's contract resound ominously.
Perhaps the burden of life is greater than they might think...
Kazuma Ryumori: "Maybe canned food is a mistake actually," said Kazuma. We shouldn't travel heavy after all."
Erl K. (GM): As the party continues, the sky starts to darken and the sun beings to set.
Tiana: "Ah!" Tiana blinks. "This is it!"
Kazuma Ryumori: "This is what?"
Tiana: "This is where the humans were!" Tiana said, flying across the street and pointing at the crossroads the party stood on.
Hana Shiratori: "I suppose they must have moved on."
Tiana: "Hmm... I think they were heading that a-way-" Tiana turned to the east, pointing with her finger-