It's one of those set-ups in detective films but crazy

[19:57:51] <@castfromhp> It's not longer after you get off the CHIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIR train with Jingwei in tow that Addy splits off from you to have a quick meeting with Rini. From there, it's a short trip to the orphanage. The streets are calmer now, fewer police patroling around and at least you don't have Rini and Arae around to stand out.
[19:58:27] <@castfromhp> (was this a big orphanage or just one of those small places that might as well be a retrofitted house?)
[19:59:26] <Siyao> (kinda medium-sized, I figured. Probably dorm-style, attached to another church building)
[20:00:42] <@castfromhp> As you wander in, you find it's surprisingly empty. Lights are off too. Everything in the entrance looks in order though, nothing misplaced or looking ransacked.
[20:02:21] <Siyao> "Ah, you probably haven't seen this place in a while, have you? We repainted the boy's hall since you..." Siyao trails off as she surveys the deserted orphanage. "That's strange," she remarks, "I wonder where everybody is?"
[20:04:02] <@castfromhp> "<Y-yeah, it's umm...been a while.>" Jingwei looks around nervously.
[20:04:05] <@castfromhp> Alertness or investigation
[20:06:42] <Siyao> (can we get DM in here, or should I roll it in FATEand...?)
[20:06:54] * DiceMaid-9001 (DiceMaid-9@sux-EADD5C74) has joined #hkorphanage
[20:06:59] <@castfromhp> (I am a derp ;-;)
[20:07:06] <Siyao> 4d3-6
[20:07:07] <DiceMaid-9001> Siyao, 4d3-6: 3 [4d3=2,3,3,1]
[20:07:27] <Siyao> (er, that was alertness, if it matters)
[20:09:33] <@castfromhp> As you look around, something catches your eye on the floor. Looking deeper into the orphanage you see what looks to be a book laid out on the ground, open. A string is pinned to it, leading to a scrap of paper which in turn has its own web of strings leading out toward other scraps of paper, a medal with a lanyard, a pamphlet, various objects strewn about.
[20:09:57] <@castfromhp> The entire construction seems to lead deeper into each of the bedrooms.
[20:13:39] <Siyao> Siyao frowns, feeling uneasy. "Jingwei? Stay close, alright?" She peers cautiously into the bedrooms, trying to get a sense of where the strange web came from.
[20:16:49] <@castfromhp> "<Heya auntie!>" You're greeted with the voice of a young boy who darts past you from one room to another, a handful of books in his arms. Looking within, you see all the kids from your orphanage methodically assembling this strange web. Roll me another 3 alertness checks.
[20:19:11] <Siyao> 3#4d3-6 (3? okay)
[20:19:12] <DiceMaid-9001> Siyao, (3? okay): 1 [4d3=2,3,1,1], 3 [4d3=2,1,3,3], 0 [4d3=2,1,1,2]
[20:21:12] <@castfromhp> The mosaic of clippings and notes shudders and you swear each time you look away from one, it's in a different spot. Before too long, you end up taking a step that lands directly on one, having seemingly moved under your foot in the time it took for you to blink. Everything goes white before your ears are assailed by the loud chanting of a crowd.
[20:21:46] <@castfromhp> As everything flows back into your vision, you find yourself in the streets of the city, surrounded by protesting students, dressed in immaculate white polos and either slacks or skirts depending on gender.
[20:21:51] <@castfromhp> None of them seem to take heed of you.
[20:22:44] <Siyao> Siyao looks around quickly, calling Jingwei's name.
[20:23:41] <@castfromhp> You don't see her around anywhere. Nor is there a response. Your voice sounds distant, somehow removed from the situation around you.
[20:26:09] <Siyao> Siyao lets out a slow breath and takes in the situation. Some kind of student protest...memories from the past, maybe? She waves her arms around to get their attention and then, unsuccessful, intentionally steps directly in front of an oncoming student.
[20:27:15] <@castfromhp> The student bumps into you with a startled look. Your vision shakes and the world seems to fizzle for a moment as heads turn, as if you had just appeared in the scene.
[20:28:07] <@castfromhp> There's a fuzziness at the corner of your eyes now, and you swear the world at the edge of your vision is slowly crumbling.
[20:29:25] <Siyao> "Hmm..." she says to herself, reassessing the situation. More like a dream, perhaps? She tries to ignore the fuzziness and focus on the students around her, following their flow toward the front of the crowd.
[20:31:38] <@castfromhp> As you move through the scene, the disintegration accelerates til you essentially have tunnel vision, the rest of the world to the sides simply a black void with sprinkles of color within.
[20:32:15] <@castfromhp> Everywhere you move though, people take notice, whether it be the protesters, the cops standing nearby, or even the reporters who wheel around to train their cameras on you.
[20:34:58] <Siyao> "Hrmm...don't wake up, don't wake up," Siyao thinks to herself, stopping to spin around for a few quick circles. Sometimes that helps, maybe? She really has no idea.
[20:36:21] <@castfromhp> Conviction
[20:37:23] <Siyao> 4d3-4
[20:37:23] <DiceMaid-9001> Siyao, 4d3-4: 4 [4d3=2,2,3,1]
[20:38:33] <@castfromhp> The crumbling at the edge of your vision slows. You think you can make out at the fringes another scene, this one a vision of what looks like a bunch of American teenagers taking a jaunt through the streets of Hong Kong.
[20:39:54] <Siyao> This time, Siyao simply follows along behind them, trying to listen in on the conversation.
[20:40:58] <@castfromhp> As you get near, you feel a bump against your nose and oof you've run into an invisible wall. It feels pliable, and when it touched you, you felt as if it were waiting, an empty tin for an offering.
[20:42:43] <@castfromhp> It plies at your mind, a small tugging, nothing that feels intrusive.
[20:42:58] <@castfromhp> And the fading starts closing in again. Give me another conviction check.
[20:43:39] <Siyao> 4d3-4 Siyao focuses in on the retreating teenagers, trying to push through the invisible barrier.
[20:43:40] <DiceMaid-9001> Siyao, Siyao focuses in on the retreating teenagers, trying to push through the invisible barrier.: 4 [4d3=1,3,2,2]
[20:46:42] <@castfromhp> The barrier doesn't really give, pushing you back again. The speckles of color seep into your vision at an even more accelerated rate and soon everything is covered with them before flashing black. You find yourself in the orphanage again, one foot on a newspaper clipping. A yellow line flashes into view between it and another clipping before disappearing. "<Ooooh, close, almost got one!>"
[20:46:48] <@castfromhp> One of the kids runs up and takes a look.
[20:47:11] <@castfromhp> "<Does that mean you've been told what we're doing now?>" The little boy grins.
[20:49:29] <Siyao> "<I'd certainly like to hear it from you, young man,>" she says sternly, crouching to bring herself to the same eye-level as the boy. "<What do you have to say for yourself?>"
[20:51:22] <@castfromhp> "<Huizhong had us all hiding here from the big big magical fight happening outside. But then we got BORED, you know?>"
[20:52:27] <@castfromhp> "<So he's been sending us out collecting these!>" The boy waves a hand at the construct. "<One of the...whatchacallits they're fighting for is about how Hong Kong affects the whole world, right? So we figured, hey, why let the grown-ups have all this magic, especially if they're doing bad things? Who changes the world most but the kids who are its future?>"
[20:56:07] <Siyao> Siyao nods slowly. "<So you've been gathering these in order to control the magic yourselves?>"
[20:57:15] <@castfromhp> The boy is soon joined by another girl and boy who also greet you with cries of "<Auntie Siyao!>" "<Are ya hear to help?>" The first kid looks back and then nods at you. "<We're gonna take it so no one can do anything bad with it!>"
[20:59:38] <Siyao> The young nun nods encouragingly. "<Mm, mm! Very good! But,>" she continues, as if the thought just occurred to her, "<what if somebody needs the magic in order to do something good?>"
[21:01:13] <@castfromhp> "<We'll give it to them, duh! But we're just thinking if they're shooting people for it, they can't be doing something good with it, right?>"
[21:04:30] <Siyao> "<Mm, that's right. Those men are very bad. But I have a close, close friend who needs the magic power in order to protect the whole world! Do you think you'd like to meet her, and let her ask nicely for the magic?>"
[21:05:52] <@castfromhp> "<We don't reallllly wanna leave here. It's scary out there.>" "<If you bring her here, maybe we could figure something out!>" "<Whoa, does this make us like...SUPERHEROES?>"
[21:08:24] <Siyao> "<That's right!>" Siyao says, nodding happily. "<You'd be helping save everybody. I'll just go and bring her back here so you can meet her, okay? She's really nice, so you'll all like her. Does that sound good?>"
[21:09:24] <@castfromhp> "<Okaaaay!>" the all chime together in an adorable chorus of kid voices.
[21:11:09] <Siyao> Siyao nods. "<Good! In the meantime,>" she continues, turning to gesture toward Jingwei, "<this is another of my friends. Her name is Auntie Jingwei. Say hello, everybody!>"
[21:11:56] <@castfromhp> "<We know Jingwei!>" "<Yeah, she was helping us collect these!>" "<I think she got the one you stepped on actually.>" "<I think Huizhong has a CRUSH on her.>" They burst into laughter and Jingwei turns away, flushed bright red.
[21:14:25] <Siyao> "<Hehe! Now be nice, everyone,>" Siyao says, patting the blushing Jingwei on the shoulder. "<I have to leave for a little bit, so make sure you do whatever Jingwei or Huizhong tell you to, okay? They're in charge until I get back.>"
[21:15:01] <@castfromhp> "<Alright Auntie!>"