* Hiroko I'm probably skulking back to the Red Dorm, after a day of miserable finals.
* Hiroko Kou, you can see the soul squished out of her, whining
* Kou so, normal reaction to being in school, from what I can tell. Kou's been kinda stuck with handling the affairs of the (Male) Osiris Red dorms while Shian's on a sabbatical, but it's been keeping him busy and out of the way of possibly also trying to hunt down a 14-year-old.
* Hiroko she plops her flat bottom on a rent-a-couch set up outside by some student(s) who probably stole and brought it here on a hand made patio, and just stares out to the ocean, humming Beyond the Sea, drumming her fingers on her legs, her arm pressing against her chest.
* Kou the students at least have been trying really hard to improve literally any quality to the Osiris Red dorms, even if the sourcing is dodgy. well, it's fine, she's probably just going to enjoy the fresh air, and no random monsters or creatures are going to come out suddenly to kidnap a young woman.
<Hiroko> ... I think I'm gonna drop out and move to like America or Thailand after this year, I'm no good at this stuff. Ugh. Ms. and Mrs. Rosencrantz be damned...
* Kou ... maybe I'll send a note to Ms. Fang at least to give some counseling to this girl. She seems easy enough to describe...?
* Velociraptor so, Kou, you smell what smells like chickens, but without feathers
* Velociraptor and electronics
* Kou ... sniffs the air slightly, confused. He doesn't really recall exactly why his sense of smell is so sensitive, but this is very much an unusual scent to be catching on to.
* Velociraptor it happens quickly but three Velociraptors in cyberpunk gear (helmets, chest plate, backpacks, cables, a Duel Disk on their left limb. One is yelling in a Meiji era sounding accent, while wearing a gradution cap on its helmet.). They've clearly Chloroformed Hiroko and two of them are speeding off with her, while the third with the graduation cap takes a quick glimpse before running away.
* Velociraptor I'd ask when did the World become a Cartoon but the Imperial Palace literally floats above Domino.
* Kou ... wait. ... wait, what? what?! He quickly drops the paperwork he was probably carrying to give chase after them.
<Velociraptor> ./me they're Velociraptors and thus likely faster than humans, Bro, but you can try and keep up.
* Velociraptor they're Velociraptors and thus likely faster than humans, Bro, but you can try and keep up.
* Kou don't underestimate me! their scent is weird enough that he can track them anyway, but he's still going to move as quickly as he can to chase them down.
* Velociraptor the 'leader' skids and turns around.
<Velociraptor> DUEL ME! THE EPITOME! THE VERY MODEL OF A MODERN MAJOR-VELOCIRAPTOR!
* Kou oh what the hell. he skids to a stop, mildly flabbergasted by this... this is definitely a velociraptor. ... a velocidictorian? he stops himself right there.
<Kou> ... you want to duel, huh?
<Velociraptor> Yes! I've information Monster, Spell and Trap. ::Smug.:: If you beat me I'll get out of the way, but if you lose, I'll eat you.
<Kou> You're just doing this to stall so the other two can get further away, aren't you.
* Kou he says this flatly, but he's still getting his D-Pad ready.
<Velociraptor> I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters Machevellian. ::Activating its Duel Disk.:: For the evolved hairless rodent, that's a yes.
<Velociraptor> Yes, I am.
<Kou> Right, fine. You demanded a duel, so I'll give it to you. *your scents are too noticeable for me to lose track of them at all.*
<Velociraptor> Pot of Prosperity! I banish 3 monsters from Extra Deck face-down, sending them to my Banishment.
* Velociraptor three cards appear and fade away
* Kou raising an eyebrow as he draws his first five cards.
<Velociraptor> I'll take Bonding - DHO, and place the other two cards on the bottom of my Deck.
<Velociraptor> Turn End.
<Kou> Draw!
* Kou he draws his card, looking over his hand. Better to go on the offensive in this kinda case, while this dinosaur's left open...
<Kou> Activate Charge of the Light Brigade! I add Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn to my hand from the deck, at the cost of milling three cards to the grave! *the card gets added, as...*
* Kou Shaddoll Squamata, Gargonith, and Solemn Judgment get milled out.
* Kou Squamata's effect passes without incident
<Kou> Summon Raiden! (1700 ATK) I use his effect immediately to mill out two more cards from my deck. *Wulf and Felis both get milled... which causes them both to appear on the field. (2100 ATK) (2000 DEF)* (1900 ATK for Raiden)
<Velociraptor> ... Hrm... How irritating...
<Kou> I'm going to battle from there! Raiden! Wulf! Full-out strike! *Raiden flash-steps with a knife, while Wulf takes the full frontal assault*
* Velociraptor the Dinosaur is knocked back hard its, LP dropping in half to 4000.
<Kou> Main phase 2! I'll conduct a Synchro Summon, using Wulf and Felis! *Felis leaps up acrobatically with a flip, turning into stars as Wulf jumps through what used to be her. A flash of light streaks in.* Synchro Summon! Holy angel, Minerva the Athenian Lightsworn! (2800 ATK) I used her effect to send Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner, and Weiss, Lightsworn Archfiend, from my deck to the grave!
<Velociraptor> Tch
<Kou> Weiss's effect allows me to special summon Lumina from the grave! (1000 DEF) And I use her effect to discard Garoth from my hand to revive Wulf! (2100 ATK) I set one card, and end my turn there! *Raiden and Lumina both mill off 5 cards altogether. Shaddoll Dragon, Judgment Dragon, Lumina, Shaddoll Falco (who is then special summoned in a set position), and Solar Recharge*
<Velociraptor> Draw
<Velociraptor> Ah yes, this will do nicely
<Velociraptor> I destroy both Babycersaurus in my hand to Special Summon True King Lithosagym, the Disaster! (2500 ATK) ::A huge wolf dragon angel thing of nightmareish proportions appears.::
<Velociraptor> And then I can look at your entire Extra Deck!
<Velociraptor> And then I can look at your entire Extra Deck!
* Kou here it is, the full 15 cards, minus Minerva: El Shaddoll Construct, El Shaddoll Winda, Red Dragon Archfiend, Blackfeather Darkrage Dragon, Black-Winged Dragon, Minerva, the Athenian Lightsworn, Minerva, the Athenian Lightsworn, Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn, Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn, Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn, Minerva, the Exalted Lightsworn, Minerva, the Exalted
* Kou Lightsworn, Minerva, the Exalted Lightsworn, Shaddoll Construct
<Velociraptor> Minerva Athenian, Michael Arch, and Minerva Exalted
* Kou all three vanish
<Velociraptor> And then I Special Summon 2 Hydrogeddon from my Deck1
<Velociraptor> Due to the effects of my Babycerasaurus which are not name locked!
<Velociraptor> I then destroy both Hydrogeddons (1600 ATK x 2) to Special Summon True King Bahrastos, the Fathomer! ::Cosmic Horor, Dragon and Angel components::
* Kou I definitely should've done more to put the fear of god into you or something...
<Velociraptor> I banish your Set Card and... Hrm, Solemn Judgment just in case you do something clever...
* Kou Glorious Illusion and Solemn Judgment get banished. A little annoying...
<Velociraptor> I Construct the Overlay Network with my two True Kings! I construct my own ultimate Dueling Machine, unleashing unlimited power! XYZ SUMMON! INFINITRACK EARTH SLICER (3100 ATK)
* Velociraptor hey, Kou, that's WAY too huge of a hologram of an excavator machine, roaring overhead
* Kou oh that's *extra* annoying! He takes a step back, trying to look up at it to see how high it reaches.
* Velociraptor too far, and your neck wants to crane back too much
* Kou I'll spare my neck that.
* Velociraptor maybe if you were a bird you could
* Kou ... well, I'm not. I'm just a human.
* Velociraptor what is your field, again
* Kou Raiden (1900 ATK), Minerva (2800 ATK), Lumina (1000 DEF), Wulf (2100 ATK), the set Shaddoll Falco
* Kou it's a full monster field
<Velociraptor> I detach both material attached to my  Earth Slicer to let me target your Minerva and set monster, and destroy them!
* Kou Minerva goes, but the set Falco gets destroyed and sent to the GY... ... only to reappear set on the field again, like an undying nusance.
<Velociraptor> Tch!
<Velociraptor> Earth Slicer, attack Raiden!
* Velociraptor the Bucket Wheel Saw swings down smashing the assassin
* Kou Raiden has no way to defend himself, as he's smashed down, dealing 1200 Damage (6800 LP)
<Velociraptor> Since Earth Slicer destroyed your monster by battle
<Velociraptor> Raiden becomes a material to my Earth Slicer!
<Velociraptor> Turn End! ::2 Cards in hand. Field is quite literally the overpowered Xyz.::
* Kou Raiden gets absorbed into the mechanical monstrosity
<Kou> Draw! *looking at his cards again...* I'll use Lumina's effect! I send the Wulf in my hand to the GY to special summon Felis from the grave! Tuning! *Felis leaps up again, as Lumina follows* Synchro Summon, oh holy is his name! Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn! (2600 ATK)
<Kou> I use Michael's effect to spend 1000 LP... (5800 LP) To banish your Infinitrack Earth Slicer!
* Kou Michael raises his glowing sword, slicing through the opposing monster despite it's incredible size
<Velociraptor> ...!?
* Kou hey Velocidictorian, Michael has 2600 ATK and Wulf has 2100 ATK, and you have nothing else to defend yourself.
* Kou how do you plead
* Velociraptor screeching Chicken Sounds. "But I'm very good at integral and differential calculus! I know the scientific names of beings animalculous!"
<Kou> I don't care! Wulf! Michael! End this already! *Wulf rushes forward, as Michael's dragon steed takes flight, aiming to grab you mid-air after Wulf smashes into you*
<Velociraptor> ::And you do!::
* Kou Michael's dragon swings you around in it's claws, before tossing you off into the distance, possibly with a Team Rocket ping
<Velociraptor> ::Yes, and its Deck drops conveniently into your hands. Something tells you it might come in handy later. Maybe or you can sell it for an Egg Sandwich at the School Store..::
* Kou ... I'm more surprised it dropped so neatly, but he'll take the loot, sure. He pockets the deck for the moment, before sniffing the air. Have to get back on track...!
* Velociraptor they're far away and the scent is getting fainter, but maybe, just maybe you can catch them!
* Kou he picks up the pace, even if he has to basically start climbing trees to move overhead instead. again, things that would be easier if he were a bird, but that's silly to think.
* Velociraptor very silly. If only you were a bird... You could catch up to them, but a failure to your father figure, you are a mere man.
* Kou Black-Winged Dragon sees me as his child either way. ... what am I even thinking, he focuses on the task ahead, trying hard to close the gap. which to be fair: it isn't like he's bad at what he does, he moves pretty swiftly.
* Velociraptor yeah, but these are Velociraptors, they're clearly bolting at let's say 30-35 miles per hour due to emcumberance of Hiroko and her assets
* Kou ugh, even though it'll still take him a while to catch up... he probably does finally close in on where they eventually stop. the benefit of being a human is: he's a persistence hunter.
* Velociraptor how much can a speeding Kou move, especially hindered by a Duel by a smartass.
* Kou fast enough on adrenaline but not fast enough to easily catch up, but the velocirators'll have to stop eventually.
* Velociraptor they're probably by a body of water, refilling themselves on fluids, Hiroko tied in comical looking chains, you again question when did reality become a cartoon, and remind yourself Mrz. Wakahisa is somehow Empress and several nations have surrendered to Japan after mistranslations of her speeches. ... At least there'll be a mandated air conditioner soon.
* Kou the small blessings, yes. Now's the time to be quiet, as he circles around, trying to get close to Hiroko...
<Hiroko> Hey help me! These jerks tied me up and I can't get free and noone would believe me and I wanna move to Cailifornia!
* Kou goddamnit.
<Velociraptor> yoink.
* Velociraptor they grab the chain and start bolting, the bouncing bimbo dragged behind them
* Kou Did that-- ugh! He gives chase again, cursing to himself. cursing about people not keeping quiet. cursing about his legs right now.
<Hiroko> Help!
<Hiroko> Help me!
<Kou> I was trying to do that before you opened your mouth!
<Velociraptor> Shut up, hairless rodent, we'll be taking you to the Boss soon!
* Kou ugh, maybe I can try to strike them with my arrows, but Hiroko's bouncing around too much that she might get in the way of my aim.
<Hiroko> What was I suppowed to do?! Be quiet?! Then you might not know I need help!
<Kou> I already knew you needed help, so yes!
* Hiroko yeah and certain features are distracting.
* Kou I'm definitely not thinking about distracting features right now!
<Hiroko> But noone listens to me unless I talk and even then they think I'm stupid!
* Kou just giving a look that she can barely see, but talking just wastes energy needed for running!
<Hiroko> Help! Help! Listen to me! I'm in trouble! I didn't even do anything!
<Velociraptor> Then why are you a Level 10 Anomaly
<Hiroko> An Anomawhat
* Kou an anomaly? his ears barely manage to pick up on that among all of the running and the widening distance.
* Hiroko if only you could catch up before they get wherever they're going...
* Hiroko ugh, but you need more speed, faster, you're probably in The Zone, mentally, aren't you. That space of hyperfocus.
* Kou yes, he's trying to be. just focus on catching up. don't talk. don't listen. just focus ahead.
* GreatNamelessBeast you can sense a galloping aside you, almost
* Kou -- galloping? it's hard for him to pull his focus to anything but what's in front of him, so it's just the slightest acknowledgment that something else is there.
* GreatNamelessBeast /me yes, a clattering of hoof, paw, talon, grunting, snarling, aside you, but it doesn't seem hostile, it seems... almost, vaguely friendly?
* Kou ... as long as it doesn't seem hostile, that's fine, but his attention is getting pulled a little to it's presence. He's not-- well, he wasn't sure that Velocirators were on this island, but this something seems... large?
* GreatNamelessBeast rumble rumble clatter clatter, rumble rumble, if only you had its speed, if only you could move like an animal...
* Kou ... if only I could, but-- I can do this. I can manage this. I just need to corner them. If I can get a clear shot, then I'll be fine...!
* GreatNamelessBeast the thing is they seem well aware, and every time you almost get ready
* GreatNamelessBeast they jerk Hiroko to get in the way
* Kou frustrating! frustrating! if only I could get above, at least then I could hit them...!
* GreatNamelessBeast you almost feel as if the beast is looking at you, eyeing you, "Do you want wings?", but it doesn't talk, a beast like this can't talk
* Kou -- right, beasts can't talk. did I... did I really hear that question?
* GreatNamelessBeast "Do You Want Wings To Try And Save Her?"
* GreatNamelessBeast RUMBLE CLATTER RUMBLE CLATTER
* Kou oh, no, I am hearing it. they're not talking, but I'm hearing it. Wings? How would I get wings...?!
* GreatNamelessBeast by realizing it. The truth of the world.
* Kou what truth?! I'm a human, I don't have wings!
<GreatNamelessBeast> [There Is No You] [There Is No Me] [There Is Only A Space Where I Can Be]
* Kou ugh, I can't-- I can't focus on that, I need to catch up to where they are. where am I. where are we?
* GreatNamelessBeast an endless stretch of twilit forest, you can hear the rumbling of the beast, the swiftness of the velociraptors... and a yipping red panda... but you get the sense it's something much more ominous... almost like she's a bat...
* Kou ... something happened while I was trying to focus. something shifted. where I'm at shifted. how...?
<GreatNamelessBeast> [There Is No You] [There Is No Me] [There Is Only A Space Where I Can Be]
* Kou No you, No me... wait, is this-- is whatever is running next to me the cause of this?
* GreatNamelessBeast it seems to be but it, she, she does not feel like a danger, even if she is causing this...
* Kou I should probably be a little alarmed by it...!
* GreatNamelessBeast you should be she doesn't feel like the threat, she feels like she's here to support you
<GreatNamelessBeast> [Do] [You] [Want] [Wings] [To Save Her] [And To See Her Again?]
* Kou saying it slower doesn't make it better! just-- ugh-- yes! if it means being able to catch up, then he'd love to have wings!
* GreatNamelessBeast [Then Stop Being So Difficult And Flap Your Wings] [You've Always Had Them] [Stop Hiding Who You Really Are]
* Kou w-what? what? I'm not hiding anything! I haven't been allowed to hide anything!
<GreatNamelessBeast> [We All Have A Face We Hide Away Forever]
* Kou that's not-- I'm a human. I don't have wings. I know this for a fact, so why...?!
<GreatNamelessBeast> [Facts Can Be Changed]
<GreatNamelessBeast> [Reality Is Malleable]
<GreatNamelessBeast> [And You Do Not Have To Be Human]
* Kou how do I get wings when I can't even believe something like that...?
<GreatNamelessBeast> [Are You Really Going To Let Your Reality Be Dictated Forever By A Woman Who Can't Get Her Life In Order?] [Try Having A Little Imagination For Once] [And Take Flgiht]
<GreatNamelessBeast> [There Are Always Other Masks You Can Put On]
* Kou masks? ugh, stupid, stupid, I need to be focusing ahead, I need to be catching up, not responding to words that don't exist, I need to jump. If I can jump up, maybe I can make the shot, if I can stay up, I can make the shot...! He tries to judge the air. the distance. he feels like his legs are trying to get longer, with a wider stride to help with the oncoming leap.
* GreatNamelessBeast yes. [Jump higher. Spread Your Wings] [You Stubborn Airhead!]
* Kou d-- don't call me an airhead, you...! stride gets longer, faster, before leaping up...! it's not like Kou can wholly believe it, but wanting to focus solely on what's ahead... it helps to ignore what reality might be, as the hope to stay in the air becomes stronger than that, bow manifesting and pulling back on the string, trying to ready the shot.
* Velociraptor and you have an opening and...!
* Kou the arrow forms, bristling with energy, as the string is released!
* Velociraptor and one of them is struck down! Down for the count! You've got one! But... they throw the chain to their companion!
* Kou ! readying the next arrow, not immediately realizing how long the airtime has been so far.
* Velociraptor and it BOLTS at 40 miles per hour, Hiroko whining and kicking, oddly, you're not sure you quite understand her anymore
* Kou not that I did in the first place, but I'm about to give chase, before I realize-- oh, I'm using muscles and bones I definitely didn't have before.
* GreatNamelessBeast yes, as you hear the rumbling and stomping and stampeding of the strange beast echo into the distance, leaving you with your new visage.
* Kou wait-- she's going? leaving?! ends up landing and stumbling in shock, realizing things as reality sets back in. first of all: legs are weird now. shoes suddenly got very uncomfortable. like the shape of the foot changed. I can feel feathers, feathers all up the legs, to the thigh and up to the waist. feathers around the neck, acting as a collar. and.... wings. there are wings.
* Kou large, large wings.
* Kou and as Kou tries to get any form of bearings about this, there's a few. other things that get noticed, gradually, as the shock tries to wear off. sight is much sharper, especially in the nighttime scenery. Hearing is better. but also... in the midst of taking note of the feathery additions, the body itself seems to have taken on a softer curve and shape. to Kou's renewed
* Kou confusion.
* Velociraptor as the not Red Panda yipps as she's dragged into a long abandoned structure by the Velociraptor, as a shutter slams down. Crud.
* Kou gah! In that confusion, Kou hops a little on the newly adjusted feet, before just taking to the air again, realizing it really is much easier even at lower altitudes, before reaching the abandoned structure. what in... what in the world is this place?
* GreatNamelessBeast it has a lot of military camoflague, and it's near the volcano's base. but it seems abandoned for 20+ years.
* GreatNamelessBeast paint peeling, bent metal... what the hell is this place.
* GreatNamelessBeast you feel like every time you should of noticed this place your just... autocensored this place out of sight and out mind
* Kou well this is extra aggravating, on top of what just happened to me...! the shutters feel pretty sealed too, so maybe there's a way in higher up...??
* Kou tries to fly up, still feeling awkward that this is even possible...!
* GreatNamelessBeast and those are gatling gun turrets whirring and firing at you
* Kou EVASIVE MANEUVERS, dropping down really suddenly to a very rough landing. ... well. this is going to be extra annoying...!
* SALResearchLab yes yes it very much is
* Kou okay, okay, I just need to calm down. I seem to be half-bird now. okay. I also seem to be a girl now, okay. nothing to panic about. a girl was kidnapped and is locked in this weird building. this is a problem, but nothing that can't be surmounted.
* SALResearchLab it's not like being a bird girl is going to cause something to rip through in the fabric of the universe with a squeal louder and faster than the speed of sound
* Kou right, if something like that happened, then I'd have good reason to panic. But good thing there's no one who'd be capable of something like that, who'd give me that specific type of attention.
* SALResearchLab hey, Kou
* SALResearchLab that Deck you picked up, it's glowing, and the cards are burning into new ones. What the hell is a Ryu-Ge and why does this fill you with a sense of dread.
* Kou I'm not sure, pulling out the deck and wondering why in the world it's suddenly glowing so ominously. there's no way this can be associated with a sudden sinking feeling in my stomach, a feeling like I'm barely about to recall an important thing.
* Trendafilka there is a screeching at the edge of hearing (depending on how good your new hearing is, you may be able to pick it up, or it's just for Shikou) as the rainbow flames burn around the deck as an orb of bright pinks and white crackling energy is manifesting just above your head. The screeching is now, uh. Audible in a normal human range as the walls and floors vibrate.
<Trendafilka> KOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUU
* Kou ... oh, no. the new sense of hearing, the sound, the scen-- oh, no, now I remember.
* Trendafilka as you remember the orb shatters and a young woman rockets into reality and into a tackling hug.
<Trendafilka> YOU LOOK SO CUTE NOW!
* Kou tried really hard to move to avoid the hug, even if it meant you becoming a crater, but the new feet makes it difficult, so she just ends up stumbling and getting tackled even harder.
* Kou with a loud, choked yelp
* Trendafilka rolls with you to make sure you're not hurt (bird bones are hollow after all!) and gently stares down! Well. It's an incredibly intense, friendly stare.
<Trendafilka> OH MY ME, YOU'RE... WAIT.
<Kou> ... tt... trendafilka...? *oh, god, I must be dreaming actually. that's what's happening here. that's why I'm a bird.*
* Trendafilka clears her throat and goes from 'loud enough that they hear her in Domino' to 'they will only hear her in the Red Dorms.'
<Trendafilka> In the flesh! Well, kinda? Whatever, who cares, I'm back because of you deciding to get a really cute makeover!
<Kou> ... w-wait, really? Huh?? *kinda flabbergasted about it* I mean-- this wasn't the intended result, you know...!
<Trendafilka> Really? Then we HAVE to get you into a place where it's intended!
* Trendafilka hops up and bounces on her feet, then pulls you right up with her.
* Kou pulled up easily, weight having definitely shifted with the transformation.
<Kou> That isn't what I mean, I-- wait, wait, that's not the point here. A girl was kidnapped, I was trying to help her!
<Trendafilka> Shopping! Makeup! Feather... grooming? Hm. I don't know how to make feathers shine, I will have to consult others! Oh, and maybe help Hel and Garmr or Helen and Eira or Helen and Renat with the whole 'none of us exist technically' thing, because I was GONNA wait until th-Oh! Rescue people!?
<Kou> ... shopping? None of us exist? *momentarily distracted by that, before shaking her head* ONE thing at a time right now. Yes, rescuing! She got carried off by what I can only describe as intelligent velociraptors. Which is unusual already because I'm not sure why there's velociraptors on the island, or what the usual scale of intelligence is for them!
* Trendafilka ... takes a grave expression and slowly shakes her head.
<Kou> ... also semi-relatedly, I think this might be yours. *holds out the deck that was glowing*
* Trendafilka takes the deck while she considers, flipping through them and letting out a devilish laugh.
<Trendafilka> This is because this is a world without Eira/Renat, and no one thought to keep yelling at the birds, so they turned back into dinosaurs to take over the world.
<Kou> What? Ugh, either way, they kidnapped this Osiris Red girl who I think turned into a red panda or a bat or something? Things got kinda weird for several moments that resulted in... *gestures to everything with the wings, like flexing a new muscle.* And they ran into this building and locked up the place. And there's turrets up above.
<Trendafilka> Well! It is a weird several moments that is also cute on you, if that helps, yes? I didn't think I would have to come out to scream at a new si-*A pause* My best friend who happens to be like family, yes.
<Kou> You almost said something really dangerous there, didn't you. *saying that with a completely serious expression*
<Trendafilka> Extremely dangerous. I do not think it would be wise for me to say that while things are so malleable. Or being me, in general. *She nods gravely*
<Kou> Malleable nothing, I think it'd have manifested the local gods immediately.
* Kou there is a slight tone of terror to the thought of that. she knew exactly what you were going to say and it frightens her.
<Trendafilka> Ooo, you're right! Another time then, I may just utter it...
* Trendafilka beams, happy to have something new and terrible to hold over your head.
<Kou> Don't you dare. ... still, rescuing is more important than any of that! I'm not going to get distracted by other things! *like shopping. or you being my best friend. or the fact that I'm massively repressing my connection to Black-Winged Dragon right now so I don't get an echo effect of joyous yelling.*
<Trendafilka> I will be honest, I was hoping this wasn't going to be some kinda super deadly super serious situation! I just wanted to yell at you and take you shopping and ignore my stupid responsibilities! I could probably take down those doors or otherwise get us inside, but that feels like it would be cheating?
<Kou> ... to be honest, I don't know what kind of situation this is. It feels like something out of one of those cartoons a kid would watch.
<Kou> But that's kinda how life's sorta been for a while now, so... *visibly trying to weigh options*
* Trendafilka sniffs at the air and nods.
* SALResearchLab the entire world has turned into one. With Conservative Wunderkind Empress Noriko in her super tech capital and flying palace, and Torii Warp Gates to Hyperborea and Automechanika.
* SALResearchLab it smells like featherless chicken and drumsticks, Trena, and rattlesnake. Which also smells like Chicken.
* Kou this is why I'm a little conflicted as to the immediate seriousness of a girl getting kidnapped by velociraptors!
<Trendafilka> It feels different. Better for me, at least. I suspect Noriko/Gren did what she has been working on and so... How badly do you wish to go inside, Kou, or how badly do you wish to take a small break with me, your platonic best friend, and we go shopping and I figure out what soaps work best for cleanest feathers?
<Kou> *... nnnfg... mmfnnf... pulling at her hair a bit* ... I think everything is very overwhelming and I'd rather think about what soaps might be good for feathers for a little bit.
<Kou> And also what. clothes. Are better for it. Everything feels a little suffocating around me right now.
* Kou because that's a lot of neck feathers.
* SALResearchLab you'll need a specialist tailor. Maybe there's a pair of ravenlocked demonic queens who will give you a discount for being a Signer.
* Kou maybe?? maybe if I take a moment to breathe I can think of a good way to take down a door anyway...!
<Trendafilka> We figure out all of this! Probably short skirts, and very little tops? I think I have things you can borrow, we are close to same sizes now?
* Trendafilka was just going to rip the door out of the frame, which is why she thinks it would be cheating if she got involved. Better to give the dinosaurs to Eira and Kou.
* Kou right, maybe once she can relax and get cleaned up she can recruit Eira to put the dinosaurs back in their proper place. it's unlikely Hiroko was kidnapped to be eaten.
* SALResearchLab yes, you don't go around eating Level 10 Anamolies
<Trendafilka> You remember my younger/same age sibling Eira/Renat,yes? They should be able to help you with this whole thing. It is VERY much their wheelhouse. Oh, I should probably also catch you up on things with my family not existing, before Hirume comes to make me do my stupid job and lessons and uuuuuugh.
<Kou> I'm having some difficulty catching up to anyone else existing other than you existing at the moment, but it'll probably come to me soon enough if there's going to be any help in that area. *... ... taking a moment to scratch at the building, to make a mark. this thing blends in too well with the surroundings, she needs to be able to find it again.*
<Trendafilka> That is what I feared, but I think I can help speed their things along... you should be able to notice it by air if you fly overhead and by what starts shooting at you!
<Kou> I'm going to need air practice before I try that again.
* Kou Black-Winged Dragon is going to handle that soon enough.
<Trendafilka> Does this mean I can throw you into air and watch you fly!? I need to get practice at throwing human shaped things!
<Kou> Let's do shopping first place.
* Kou please
<Trendafilka> Okay!
* SALResearchLab you can sense your Aunt approaching, Trena.
* Trendafilka starts dragging you, breaking out into a sprint as she senses the weight of responsibilities trying to come for her.
* Kou you're lucky I'd rather go shopping with you right now, or I'd say you should face responsibility.
* SALResearchLab best to flee to shopping before she catches you and gives you sermons while also trying to sell you on this neat Wipe-B-Gone rewashable cleaning cloth she got off of an infomerical
* Trendafilka flees with Kou in tow. She'll give herself up willingly after the shopping trip. And probably setting herself up in Kou's living quarters for a night before she does something incredibly stupid.