Nonahu 3: Prelude to the Omen

[15:32] <GeMshuku> Word gets out that there's this person kicking ass with Fox.
[15:32] <GeMshuku> THE YEAR IS (APPROACHING) 20XX.
[15:32] <Giantree> Fox is low-tier, bitches don't know bout my master hand glitch
[15:34] <Giantree> oops forgot to suit up
[15:34] * Giantree is now known as Niina
[15:38] <GeMshuku> The aftermath of the fight in the junkyard is...telling that SOMETHING had happened here. Some of the resulting destruction, sadly, spills out of it a bit, so shrugging it off on account of the location might not work out. In addition, someone is aware you went in the house, likely whoever set up that infernal stack of noisely crashing goods. But, perhaps most importantly, Fate is nowhere to be found.
[15:40] <GeMshuku> Chikako muses on the situation. "...Well, what now? I...honestly didn't think this entire thing through. Do we, like, sneak in to the hospital?"
[15:42] <Niina> Transforming back and taking a few seconds to breathe in deeply, Niina (not Reina anymore, fortunately for her and the rest of the world) exhales and tips her baseball cap down.  "I... you remember what I said before we left, right?"
[15:42] <Niina> "If what we just heard is all true, mundane stuff like that's the least of our worries right now."
[15:43] <Niina> Oh, hey, that baseball bat from earlier is back in her hand.  Perfect.  She takes a couple angry swings at open air with it.  "FATE!!  Where are you?"
[15:47] <GeMshuku> "Well, yeah. I guess we look for Fate, but Fate made itself scarce, and finding a rabbit that can go kinda invisible is...hrm." Chikako follows Niina's example, and becomes a normal(?) human once more! "If we have to find it, I'mma beat it with my stick."
[15:47] <GeMshuku> Fate does not seem to respond to the calls! If Fate did, the response is clearly lacking.
[15:48] <Niina> "Yeah."  With a grunt, Niina impales the ground with the bat and leans on it.  Her other hand occasionally reaches up to poke her right eye slightly and make sure it actually exists.  It does.  "It said its invisibility thing was malfunctioning, but... if everything else it said was a lie, that probably was too.  Argh."
[15:49] <Niina> "Either way, there's no turning back now.  We made a really bad mistake, and if we don't undo it, nobody will.  You with me?"
[15:53] <GeMshuku> "Course I am! I can't just take back what I said, and we did make a mistake that we've gotta fix somehow!" Chikako, despite the day's events, looks pumped! Even if it's just an act and she's actually kind of unsure about what's to come, she seems pumped enough for that to be something hard to notice.
[15:56] <Niina> "Hee hee.  I guess I envy your energy."
[15:57] * Niina hefts the bat up and starts to walk out the way they entered the junkyard. "Well, can't just stand around. Your mom wouldn't be happy if you just went home like this, huh?"
[15:58] <Niina> "Let's pay the hospital another visit, they'll be thrilled to see me back.  ... And, I know that thing was there earlier, so if there's nothing here then we might have to start there with finding a way to trace it."
[15:58] <Niina> wow that sentence sounds really awkward, good thing this is all probably loosely translated from moonspeak
[15:59] <GeMshuku> "Y-yeah, all that magic must have been pretty exhausting. I...could have done better, but I still helped! ...And yeah, she would take issue with me going home in someone else's clothes after breaking out of the hospital. And when she knows they're yours, she'd probably flip.
[15:59] <Niina> "
[15:59] <GeMshuku> She loses some of that energy at the thought. I WAS GOING TO FINISH THAT QUOTATION MARK GOD
[15:59] <Niina> "Nah, I doubt anybody in the world would guess those're mine.  I've never worn them before, anyway."
[16:00] <Niina> and so begins the walk of despair UNLESS THEY BREAK THE CHAINS OF FATE (GET IT) AND USE THAT 'LOCATE SOMEONE' MOVE IN THE PDF TO FIND THAT WASCALLY WABBIT EARLY HEH HEH HEH
[16:00] <Niina> ... but that would be metagamey and break immersion, so they'll just do that tomorrow.
[16:10] <GeMshuku> Before immersion breaks, first, the megucas must break. AND SO BEGINS THE WALK OF DESPAIR, TO THE PLACE OF DESPAIR, THE HOSPITAL.
[16:11] <Niina> The plan is just to wave a 'hi' to the guy watching the door (if he's even still there, no reason why he would be though i guess) and saunter back up to their rooms nonchalantly like nothing happened.  And then to check the roof in the morning.
[16:14] <GeMshuku> A hi is waved. A response is given from night watch! "Hope you had fun. I didn't." ~Night watch.~
[16:15] <Niina> "It's okay, it didn't go great for us either.  Take it easy."  Honesty is the best etc etc.
[16:18] <GeMshuku> A shrug is delivered in response, and you make it back to...your room! Thankfully, and sadly, no one is waiting for you. Chikako returns to her room with a "See you tomorrow", and you rest...perhaps not peacefully, but hey, any sleep would be nice right now.
[16:18] <Niina> hella tossing & turning
[16:19] <Niina> it ain't easy to sleep when possibly destroying the entire fabric of reality is on your conscience
[16:23] <GeMshuku> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhnJthmu2uc
[16:24] <GeMshuku> While the events of last night were in fact quite intense, you feel being magical prevented recovery from slowing. Perhaps it might have gotten slightly better too, but that might also be your imagination!
[16:27] <Niina> whoa that sentence structure
[16:27] <Niina> let's... hold on a second here
[16:27] <Niina> Being magical prevented recovery from slowing.
[16:27] <Niina> Magically... prevented... from... recovering more slowly?  So magically recovering more quickly?
[16:27] <Niina> ok that works, sorry, continue
[16:28] <Niina> Oh no I see it, 'being magical,' as in 'the state of being magical,' as in 'prevented going outside and getting hurt from slowing the recovery process'
[16:28] <Niina> NOW it makes sense
[16:28] <Niina> that tea is not helping very much
[16:28] <GeMshuku> RELAXATION.
[16:28] <Niina> ignore all those lines that was a legit parsing error we are full-on lonoxmont
[16:28] <Niina> RELAXATION
[16:29] <GeMshuku> THE NEXT DAY, you...check the roof, likely with Chikako because why wouldn't you take your BFF?
[16:30] <Niina> A good reason is 'actually being a liar and just having told her to go up there in the morning as an excuse to push her off for shits and giggles.'  That doesn't apply to Niina so of course they went up there, after any scoldings from hospital staff or whatnot.  That is, if hospital staff even noticed, heh heh.
[16:31] <GeMshuku> The hospital staff noticed, but after enough of this, you realize that if their parents have given up, what's the point? Chikako's absence wasn't even noted, maybe night watch cut you a break?
[16:31] <GeMshuku> On the roof, you...find a great view!
[16:31] <Niina> A great view of aliens!
[16:31] <Niina> ... hahaha of course not
[16:32] <GeMshuku> Nah, just an average view of aliens.
[16:32] * Niina snuck her baseball cap btw. Even if they changed back into those gross-ass gowns, this seems like an oddly appropriate choice of attire. Oh, and those candy cigs.
[16:32] <Niina> "If I were an alien, a place with a view like this is where I'd hang out to scope out humanity.  Keep an eye out for that gear, 'kay?"
[16:34] <GeMshuku> ...Exceeding expectations by actually appearing, something no one expected, Fate actually appears! "Duly noted!"
[16:34] <Niina> FWIP
[16:34] <Niina> ...
[16:34] <Niina> unfwip
[16:34] <Niina> "Uh, I wasn't actually... gimme a sec, I need to remember what I had to say."
[16:34] * Niina tips her hat down.
[16:34] <Niina> "..."
[16:35] <Niina> "Right.  We want some answers, alien."
[16:35] <GeMshuku> "Provide the questions, and I'll give you answers. Apologies for not being on hand immediately, I had more immediate concerns, like not dying."
[16:35] <GeMshuku> "...Mostly not dying."
[16:36] <Niina> "So you can die?"  She tips her hat up.  "Interesting, there's one down."
[16:37] <GeMshuku> "Most things do!" Well, at least it's being honest. At least, if it's being honest.
[16:37] <GeMshuku> Killing an alien, while a great way to test if it's immortal, is not recommended if it being alive is preferred!
[16:39] <Niina> "So... let me get this straight.  You're an alien, and you tricked us into taking power from you so that you could supplant another reality over our own and destroy the world as it was meant to be?"  Niina's face does a weird 'I'm actually legit confused right now' kind of thing.  "And we're... supposed to believe that you aren't the bad guy?  Is that about right?"
[16:45] <GeMshuku> "You wanted to fight the youma, I gave you the ability to fight the youma. The alternative at that moment would have been you being dead, so that's less of a trick, and more you asking to fight the youma, getting what you wanted, and then saying I tricked you."
[16:45] <GeMshuku> "...Also, we're replacing reality. This one comes without the destructive youma, which is nice."
[16:46] <Niina> "Touché."  Hat goes back down.  "Okay, better question then: Why?"
[16:50] <GeMshuku> "This world is boring, is it not? Not only is it boring, but the ones back home can't even get in, that's how boring it is. Our own world is...sort of boring itself, compared to this one, very small, every bit fully and absolutely discovered, so on."
[16:51] <GeMshuku> "Being in a cage with nothing to do is not exactly the greatest thing ever." ...Chikako nods in agreement with that, in particular.
[16:52] <Niina> "Huuh."  She sits down on... a bench or something if there is one, or maybe the floor.  "I... well, yeah, that's true.  I was bored, so that's why I always did what I did and... found... you."
[16:53] <Niina> "But!  But the All-Seeing!  We basically killed God so that you could invade, didn't we?  How do we know you're here for peaceful reasons and not to enslave humanity?"
[16:55] <GeMshuku> "That was definitely a youma. A high class youma, but a youma. And if I did not mishear, the youma immediately tried to wipe out humanity when it awoke!"
[16:58] <GeMshuku> "As for knowing that we're here for peaceful reasons, my research in your history suggests that your species is prone to immediate, regrettable actions, as well as less immediate, regrettable actions. Plenty of invading and enslaving, backstabbing and so on."
[16:58] <GeMshuku> "...They never did put units of time in there, though."
[16:58] <Niina> "I dunno.  When we talked, I felt a... you know that thing when someone fights someone else and they always speak their hearts to each other, like in those samurai movies?  A... warrior's intuition, I guess?"  She takes a chomp of a candy cig and offers one to Chikako.  They're actually so gross that you have to be Niina to like these things, goddamn.  "I felt something like that.  Whatever
[16:58] <Niina> it was, it was trying to hold reality together and didn't want you to invade.  Humanity... I don't think it'd go through with actually wiping us out like that.  It was a bluff, right?"  A look to Chikako.  "Right?"
[17:02] <Niina> "A-Anyway that's all in the past, our history is nothing like things are now if you just walk around town and take a look at people.  We don't NEED aliens to help us, we're evolving just fine."
[17:04] <GeMshuku> Chikako thinks. And speaks! "...It woke up cause you used magic, right? If you hadn't used magic, and just stayed away, it wouldn't have woke up and said it wanted to destroy humanity, and I think it did in fact have a right mind to work on that...though I also think it only wanted to destroy parts."
[17:05] * Niina approves, +1
[17:10] <GeMshuku> She totally has one of those candy cigs. Too good.
[17:11] <Niina> yee
[17:11] <Niina> ... Fate can have one too if it becomes apparent that it actually has a mouth but that's less important
[17:11] <GeMshuku> She...initially winces at the flavor, but seems to be able to bear it. Fate declines, and the cig seems kind of big for it anyway!
[17:13] <Niina> good, more for those who want it
[17:14] <Niina> "So basically, the power that came from you is what pissed that thing off.  Its view on humanity was a little weird already, but I think we could've changed that eventually; it wasn't supposed to be our enemy, and it doesn't have to be in the future, either."
[17:16] <Niina> "Your race's backstory doesn't make you SOUND evil... but if you really wanted to help humans, you should be going to world leaders and not a bunch of middle schoolers.  So something doesn't check out."
[17:20] <GeMshuku> "It's hard to go to world leaders when the only ones that can get us here in the first place are a bunch of middle schoolers, though."
[17:21] <GeMshuku> "...Especially when some of those world leaders have a secret facility that is apparently dedicated to studying aliens? They'd probably have a field day, and while my numbers are...exactly one, that's a risk I'm unwilling to take."
[17:21] <GeMshuku> "And when my request is 'beat up youma that you can't actually fight' since only those properly gifted can do so, well, there you go."
[17:22] * Niina squints. "You're... getting very hard to disagree with. You spent all those 40 years planning this out, didn't you?"
[17:25] <Niina> "Well, right now you're only as far as 'making me not kill you here and now.'  Still wary."  A sigh.  "So you get into our planet because it's less boring than yours and... then what?  What's your qualm with the youma, especially if they're all like the one we fought and are just trying to stop this planet from being invaded?"
[17:25] <GeMshuku> "It's been a long 40 years. You might say I don't like the things that kept me there all this time, that wouldn't be wrong."
[17:26] <GeMshuku> "...And as said earlier, they're basically reality themselves, so they sort of have to go!"
[17:26] <Niina> A slow nod.  "Well... okay.  If I were locked up that long I'd be mad too.  So it's a personal grudge."
[17:27] <Niina> "But you're still asking us to change reality for you, and... I dunno.  Na... Chikako?"
[18:34] <GeMshuku> Chikako thinks! "...You're asking us to change reality, and you've explained why you're doing that. But...why should we, when you already know that there's going to be a lot of trouble? You did run and hide during that fight, after all, so you're not all that good at helping out when it gets right down to it."
[18:41] <Niina> "Thanks.  And even if the change in reality benefits us personally, we've already seen that for humanity as a whole it's... not great.  I may have said that I'm the Savior of the Universe, not just the Earth, but it sounds like Earth is at the most risk right now.  You're gonna have to find another planet."
[18:53] <GeMshuku> "...As lovely as that sounds, it's too late for that now. I don't exactly have the power to reverse the change I've bestowed upon you, and the things that sent me here are...over there. I can't exactly get back and things are already in motion."
[18:53] <Niina> "Your people didn't really plan this out very well, did they."
[18:53] * Niina scratches her head.
[18:59] <Niina> "... It IS cool getting to talk to an actual alien though."
[19:02] <GeMshuku> "Well, it's not like a bunch of people believing is going to do much to open reality enough to get anything through. So they couldn't send me with ALL the things I could use to get back. Just me. Nothing else. At all."
[19:03] <GeMshuku> "And reality isn't exactly the easiest thing to put back together in the first place, being able to replace it with my own is a breakthrough enough!"
[19:06] <Niina> "Huh.  Well, I guess all we have to do is not use our powers too much and then we won't have to worry about reality breaking so much that space monsters from other galaxies invade us and all fiction becomes real, right?"
[19:07] <Niina> "I like a world that's less boring, but I don't like one that becomes 'undone,' as that thing last night said."
[19:12] <GeMshuku> Singularities are pretty bad. Shuu is a pretty bad dude. Shuu is a pretty rad dude, though, so maybe it isn't the same. "It would slow the process, I suppose...but it will gradually peel away unless all traces of magic are destroyed outright. On the bright side, it has a pretty strict view of reality, so you don't have to stop this. It'll be less boring with our presence, if your reactions are anything to go by, and human life need not be exterminated to make it happen, even partly. Damages against fights with youma, and possible collateral, are, sadly, unavoidable at this point."
[19:14] <Niina> Munch munch more candy.  "So what happens when our reality's peeled away and it's all yours?  Still not convinced that fighting the youma helps us any."
[19:31] <GeMshuku> "...They never really told me much about what happens then. Perhaps the next one that manages to find their way through will have more of an idea, and more authority to speak for us. All I really know is that we've plenty of things you've never seen before to offer in exchange for this ordeal...and yes, those were non-concrete promises, but I can't really do much better, all considering."
[19:34] <Niina> "Hmm."  Niina finally stands up, arms folded, and candy cigs tucked away allah-knows-where.  "I pretty much understand now.  Either you're a really good liar - and believe me, I'm still suspicious - or you actually don't have any way to directly harm us or our planet.  ... Even if a-thing-that's-basically-God thought you were dangerous enough to seal away for 40 years."
[19:34] <Niina> "... But, peaceful alien contact really WOULD help humanity out a lot..."
[19:35] * Niina rubs her temples with a groan. "Geez, Universe, I said I'd be your savior but I never asked you to give me decisions like these to make."
[19:40] <Niina> ",.. Egh.  Refusing here would mean going back to school and having a boring life, so... I might just be foolish enough to trust you one more time."
[19:40] <Niina> "We're all kindred spirits here in not wanting to be bored, that's for sure."
[19:41] <GeMshuku> "Dangerous to its reality. Really, it was going to catch anyone in the net, and its reason would likely be 'because you're trying to trespass'. And as a natural process, it wasn't exactly capable of reason, so I could have been stuck twenty more years, easily. ...At least, those binds were decidedly natural. The being itself seemed different, but what can I do? Aside from 'make everyone lay down and die', anyway."
[19:44] <GeMshuku> "And considering that's the best way to go about not agreeing with this, us all dying in order to stop magic's influence by way of all sources suddenly dying, it's good that you agree for now!" It seems pleased!
[19:45] * Niina gives Chikako a glance. "Well, you heard it. We're in this really deep now."
[19:47] <Niina> "Don't think I'm going to destroy the world for you, Fate.  If your 'peaceful' intentions turn sour I'm gonna kill you without even a second thought."
[19:48] <Niina> "... But for now it sounds harmless enough.  How about we all go get ice cream once we're discharged?"
[19:48] <GeMshuku> Chikako...has been deep in thought this entire time. Considering she was full of energy before, her really sitting down and thinking about it is quite a thing! "...Something still doesn't seem right, but I suppose we'll have to just play along until I either get over this or figure out what you're really up to."
[19:49] <GeMshuku> ...and then her mood lightens. "...But yeah, ice cream sounds good~"
[19:50] <GeMshuku> Fate responds! "You can't save the universe by destroying a world. We've had to quell that in our own world, so obviously it didn't work out for them. ...And I...don't quite know WHAT ice cream is, only that it's probably cold, food, and popular."
[19:50] <Niina> "Okay then!  Getting all worked up isn't my style anyway, the world could probably stand to lose a few of those youma things before it descends into total chaos."  Niina stretches, and then gives Chikako a firm look in the eye.  Too bad it's unlikely that either of them know sign language or anything.
[19:52] <Niina> And then scoops up the rabbit, shoving it on top of her head.  Yeah, on top of the cap.  Gotta be a nice view up there.  Especially if Chikako turns around and... nevermind.  "3 in one, nice work.  Your time on Earth should be spent enjoying stuff like that anyway, not looking in our history books."
[19:54] <Niina> Oh, no, good idea Niina, perfect of you to think of that.  As soon as the rabbit gets perched, her eyes roll as if to say 'no way am I believing this.'  Really not a whole lot of signals you can give in this kind of situation.
[19:54] <Niina> ... to where only chikako can see it obviously
[19:56] <GeMshuku> The rabbit is perched! And...Chikako nods, in agreement with Niina's expression. ...And with the ice cream! Definitely in agreement with ice cream. SHAADDYYYY.
[19:57] <Niina> oh yeah, this is a new level
[19:57] <Niina> Not roleplaying breakfast, not roleplaying dinner, but roleplaying DESSERT
[19:57] <Niina> ... just kidding we can skip it if you want
[19:59] <Niina> and if so it's time to go fully off the rails for WACK IDEAS, otherwise, back to rails
[19:59] <GeMshuku> AND NOBODY HAD DINNER THAT NIGHT--ok, they might have, but they had dessert first. They had dessert, but only after being discharged. Apparently, a few people died in their sleep today, which is a lot more people that should be dying in their sleep than usual. Of course, they all had life threatening conditions that could strike at any time, but, well, they all did it at once. That was a thing!
[20:00] <Niina> LOL
[20:00] <Niina> i mean, that's mysterious wonder what caused that
[20:06] <Niina> ... Oh if the whole ice cream scene actually happens there's a way this can be gone about, but if it's skipped let it be said that all dialogue ends up being a cryptic way to send a message to Chikako that is basically 'I don't trust this thing so I have a failsafe, just act normal'
[20:12] <GeMshuku> Roleplaying the consumption of food is a bad time.
[20:13] <Niina> yeah fuck that
[20:17] <GeMshuku> Ice cream was had! Fate...thinks it's a bit cold, but sweet, and ultimately delicious! Did you know? Rabbits are lactose intolerant!
[20:17] <Niina> So the plan to assassinate it failed?  SHIT.
[20:21] <GeMshuku> You tried! It doesn't seem to notice that was an attempt, though, and you get home safely. ...Did you invite Chikako? She'd probably have to go without permission, she thinks, but better break a rule than not save the world.
[20:23] <Niina> No, in the scene that didn't actually happen, there was a 'meet me at x' communicated, probably in the form of "Did you hear about that y that happened in x place?  Amazing!" after it was clear that every sentence had a subliminal message in it.  However, the meeting place is most likely during the day tomorrow so it's not a big deal right now.
[20:23] <Niina> x, by the way, is whatever the most significant location in Maebashi is, which was the whole point of asking that earlier.  BUT IT'S OK BECAUSE WE PROBABLY WON'T GET THAT FAR TODAY
[20:27] <GeMshuku> NEXT TIME: IDK! I DONKEY KONG? No, that's not right.
[20:27] <GeMshuku> After all, it's Fox only!
[20:27] <Niina> waiiiiiiiiiit hold on all of these titles so far have been totally misleading
[20:28] <Niina> so it has to be something that's the opposite of what's about to happen
[20:28] <Niina> How about 'Always Trust Aliens!'
[20:29] <GeMshuku> NEXT TIME: Fate did nothing wrong!