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Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage



Freak: +2 | Danger: +2 | Savior: -1 | Superior: +0 | Mundane: +0
Hopeless | Afraid | Insecure | Guilty | Angry
Potential: 0/5

The alarm softly chimes as my eyes slide open. 5:00 AM. Perfect. I flip off of my bed and am dressed for training within two seconds. Acceptable. I believe that I can easily quarter that with a few tweaks, however, so I must continue to strive for peak efficiency. Perhaps if I hang my clothing in such a way that I literally jump into it as I leave the bed -- this bears further thought. But for now, my training begins. I slide a disc into the player beneath the screen on my wall. An extension cable snakes into it all the way from the main floor. The one luxury I afford myself. It flickers to life with a low thrum and bold letters appear on the screen.

MUKOSHIROKU: KEITOU RAGOUKEN

I unsheath my blade, Saiha, and work through a quick kata as the opening animation plays. The dark wanderer and his blade. A dying land. A desperate quest for meaning. It would be true to see that I see similarities with my own situation, but that is not what draws me. The swordplay. It reminds me of techniques that I have seen throughout my career as an assassin. The hint of a true killing strike. An invincible blow.

I carefully note each move as the episodes play, practicing them hundreds and thousands of times, further refining my understanding of each. I make sure to copy the main character's speech that accompanies each move as well. It is possible that only in combination with the proper focusing words will the true strike be unleashed. I have been practicing this routine for several months now, ever since I first watched the first episode and discovered its secrets. I believe that soon I will have a breakthrough in my understanding. Finally, the last episode has played. With a few final stretches, I return my blade to its sheathe and place it back on the wall. I am drenched in sweat from this workout. I shower and don the standard-issue school uniform provided for my use. Five seconds. Acceptable. The clock blips over to 7:00 AM.

---

It is noon. As is my custom, with my newfound (though certainly monitored) freedom, I make the trip to the Sacred Valley and find the Boss's cart. I sit down and greet him. "Boss. One Shoyu Ramen, please." I slide several league-issue credit chits across the counter. Moments later, he slides the requested dish over to me. I enjoy it slowly. One minute.

I return to the base as the clock ticks over to 12:29 PM.

---

I look at the bizarre TV creatures and their Broken savior. Laughable. Their movements are crude and easily predicted. Much like Beta, Dr. Ritsuko's creation. It has some semblance of life and power, to be sure, yet it has not impressed me in our actions so far. Nameless possesses great strength. Eleos likewise. Both are great warriors. Noriko provides interesting insight into Panopticon. She also is an example of that which I aspire to. A hero.

The words trouble me, though. The prophecy of doom accompanying a twisted revival of the fallen. Strangely similar to that of episode 7. Why would it know that? Why would it say that? Too little data to speculate. Yet, as directed, it is not my duty to engage them. Instead, my immediate concern should be the civilians trapped underneath the rubble. I do not wait for directions from our leader. There will be time enough for that after I return. This will be quick.

quote:

Tricky
Unleashing my powers to GO FAST (and move some rubble)
!r 2d6+2
Krysmbot
Tricky, 8+2 =
10

Tricky
and I totally forgot to roll my start of session move
whoops
!r 2d6+2
Krysmbot
Tricky, 7+2 =
9

I explode into motion. The TV creatures seem to be stopped in time as I blur between rubble piles and shift them off of the trapped civilians. They will likely be fine from there. I am very skilled at fighting. I doubt that the creatures will have much freedom to pursue the civilians after we move in force. The dust rises up around me as I slide to a halt next to my comrades. "I have removed the rubble trapping the civilians, Noriko. I believe that they should be able to remove themselves from the combat area."

A thought strikes me. If I were to be setting up a situation like this, there would be attackers hidden among the civilians. Either those trapped in rubble or hidden within their domiciles. I will need to carefully consider their behavior moving forward in hopes of identifying any hidden threats.

Tricky fucked around with this message at 17:03 on Aug 28, 2016

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Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage



Freak: +2 | Danger: +2 | Savior: -1 | Superior: +0 | Mundane: +0
Hopeless | Afraid | Insecure | Guilty | Angry
Potential: 0/5

Earlier...

I give a dark look to my communicator. Kouta. It must have been. I can only imagine where he found my communicator frequency. I was indeed bound by honor to repay my previous debts, but this seemed to be beyond the scope of previous favors. Broken remains were highly secured and regulated. I could surely bypass any security, but would it be worth it?

---

I look over the collection of civilians I had amassed. A varied crowd, to be sure, and apparently unable to exit the combat area on their own. This was not to my advantage. If I did not do something fast they would surely be overwhelmed and absorbed into the horde of the Messengers. Dropping the last of the rubble, I pull a camera woman to her feet. The Channel 13 ID badge dangling from her neck read Tokuda Aya.

I look at her, "Aya, I require your assistance. I will distract these creatures, but I need you to lead this group to safety. Can you do that?" We exchange a meaningful look and she bravely nods. "Good. Thank you." I blitz towards the nearest Fallen Messenger and hit it with a palm strike to the screen. Messengers approach the group from various directions. I zip between targets and do my best to maintain non-lethal strikes as we progress. It is mentally exhausting, but I breathe a deep sigh of relief as the group finally nears safety.

I key my communicator, "Noriko. Civilians are en route to safety. What are your orders?"

quote:

Tricky
Gonna defend the civvies
!roll 2d6-1
Krysmbot
Tricky, 11-1 =
10

Taking influence over Aya.

Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage



Freak: +2 | Danger: +2 | Savior: -1 | Superior: +0 | Mundane: +0
Hopeless | Afraid | Insecure | Guilty | Angry
Potential: 0/5

I wiped my brow as Noriko moved the civilians to safety. This was difficult. The sheer number of variables exceeded any three of my assassination missions. Difficult, but strangely rewarding. With the civilians removed from the scenario, however, my next step became clear. The twisted TV-head creatures, the Fallen Messengers. The Seraphim seemed to be directing them. If I were to disrupt that control and disable them, the situation would turn ever more in our favor. The desire to kill briefly flared up within me, but I beat it back down. That was the way of my past. That was the way of the assassin. If I was to be more than that, I must strive to show that same opportunity to those who would face me. Time would tell if this was the correct path or a moment of foolish sentimentality.

I raised Saiha to the ready and then flipped the blade in my hands. I would strike with the blunt. A breath. A moment of silence. Then I struck.

quote:

22:16 Tricky Directly Engaging the Messengers
22:16 Tricky !roll 2d6+2
22:16 Krysmbot Tricky, 10+2 =
12

Resisting their blows, taking their connection to the Cable-Wave Seraphim.

My blade flashed throughout the crowd, surely the only sign of my passing to an outside observer. Each blow hammered into one of the TVs, dissolving the odd pictures displayed into nothing but meaningless static. I skidded to a stop on the far end of the crowd with a dramatic flourish of my blade. As one, the Messengers I had hit collapsed to the ground.

Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage



Freak: +2 | Danger: +2 | Savior: -1 | Superior: +0 | Mundane: +0
Hopeless | Afraid | Insecure | Guilty | Angry
Potential: 0/5

I look at the circle of fallen Messengers surrounding us. The glow from their screens is the only sign that life still fills them. Truly, fighting to save pushed me further and required more skill than I had ever been forced to display before. Perhaps even some of those who had lobbied for my death, or at the very least permanent imprisonment, would be shaken by the heroism that had been displayed today. A sense of accomplishment and pride was filling me. Perhaps this path would lead to my salvation as much as it would for those I had fought today.

My thoughts turn to Sakurai and his request. I look out at the devastation wrought by those exposed to the Broken Things. While we were truly successful in our mission to contain the damage this time, there was no guarantee there would be an effective response for the next. How could I give something that dangerous to a man driven solely by profit? He would surely bring it up next time we did business, but that was a risk I was willing to take. He was a mercenary who did business with whoever could pay. Surely he would understand that the compensation did not match the request.

I look to the rest of the group. The Seraphim was down -- but Nameless was about to execute it. Unacceptable. This mission was over and we had succeeded in our part. Execution was not the realm of heroes, but of assassins. If I could exercise restrain in my actions, there was no reason that a hero should do any less.

quote:

[11:11:33] <Tricky> Ankensatsu Unleashing to move the Seraphim
[11:11:37] <Tricky> !roll 2d6+2
[11:11:38] <Krysmbot> Tricky, 12+2 =
14
[11:11:48] <Tricky> best ninja rides again

My full speed is something to behold. I streak throughout the battlefield, appearing next to the fallen Seraphim in a fraction of the time it takes for the alien's foot to fall. I look to Nameless. I cannot understand him. He could make a different choice. He was not born to this life. Not like I was. Perhaps this too is part of my path. I grab the Seraphim and shift it out of the way of his foot. It may die yet, but it will not die by this team's hands. I will not allow it.

Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage



Freak:
+2 | Danger: +2 | Savior: -1 | Superior: +0 | Mundane: +0
Hopeless | Afraid | Insecure | Guilty | Angry
Potential: 0/5

While I drag the Seraphim out of the way, Beta decides to take the direct approach and blast our comrade into a wall instead. Hm, an unusual decision. It denotes a certain degree of confidence in controlling its abilities to avoid permanent damage. Perhaps there is more to this mechanical doll than I had thought. I look impassively at Nameless, though I am certainly curious where this outburst stems from. He has struck me as one of the more level-headed in the group.

My voice carries through the silence, "Noriko directed that we avoid causing any casualties. If the League decides that there is no hope for this one, then they will take whatever steps are necessary. It is not our role to execute the fallen."

Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage



Freak:
+2 | Danger: +2 | Savior: -1 | Superior: +0 | Mundane: +0 | Hot: Yes
Hopeless | Afraid | Insecure | Guilty | Angry
Potential: 0/5

My mind turns back to Benkei as I watch Nameless and Eleos go off to work on search and rescue. It was not the first time I had refused a favor, naturally, there were many times in my previous life where the request he put forward would compromise the mission I was engaged with. We would surely balance the scales in the days or weeks to come. Regardless, he always seemed to manage to get what he wanted in the end. I was hardly the only one who traded favor for favor with him and his ilk.

That was a matter for a different day. Today, I feel vindicated. This path of heroics, of saving, seems to bear more merit than I had anticipated. Even beyond the satisfaction of a successful mission, the looks of gratitude and respect from those I had helped to save was a new experience. I look to the surroundings and see nothing that requires my immediate attention. Time enough to find my center and reflect on swordplay, then.

I clean Saiha, carefully wiping off the dust and odd TV-related fluids, before returning her to her sheath. That task accomplished, I begin to replay the fight in my head. There were moments of hesitation in my strikes. Understandable. This was perhaps the first time I had consciously fought without a clear intent to kill. My practice will need to adjust to accommodate. The form of my swordplay today, the blade reversed, was also different from my norm. That certainly led to a decrease in efficiency. Perhaps there would be a device of some sort that would allow me to temporarily blunt the blade when deadly force was unnecessary. Noriko may have some thoughts on that matter. I will have to confer with her when there is time. For now, I simply revel in the calm.

That calm is shattered with the arrival of Dracolina and her posse of reporters and hangers-on. I draw myself back to my feet and join the team. It would be unseemly to be overtly on guard against the dragon-woman, but there is a small chance that she might connect me with the attempt on Dr. Ritsuko. I bow slightly to her before turning to face the crowd of reporters.

I clear my throat slightly, "Greetings, esteemed members of the press. I will endeavor to keep this statement brief, as I am sure you have much to cover after the events of the day. To answer your questions: I hail from the Sacred Valley Zone. My hobbies include practicing bladework, meditation, and eating ramen at the Boss's cart. I also enjoy the animated work known as Mukoshiroku: Keitou Ragouken. My hair is naturally this way, though I cut it from time to time. I have found that long hair is inefficient for combat purposes. My training regimen includes several hours of practice with the sword, which has aided in the development of my abdominal muscles. Thank you for your time and I wish you well."

Accepting influence! :v:

quote:

[20:22:17] <Tricky> Ninja Press Conference
[20:22:20] <Tricky> !r 2d6
[20:22:21] <Krysmbot> Tricky, 7 =
7

Taking an opportunity, avoiding the anger!

Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage



Freak:
+2 | Danger: +2 | Savior: -1 | Superior: +0 | Mundane: +0 | Hot: Yes
Hopeless | Afraid | Insecure | Guilty | Angry
Potential: 0/5

The brief buzz of media attention is... hm. I do not know if I have the words for it. Their attention defies every bit of my instincts, but it felt good to receive positive recognition for my work. For being a hero. My thoughts drift back to the reporter. Was that Aya? It had been difficult to match a face to the questions coming from the crowd. My training must be slipping -- it would have been unthinkable for such a lapse during my days among the Hattori. I gaze around. I do not see her around. She showed great courage today -- it would be amiss to go without acknowledging it. I will find her later.

I do, however, see Nameless. He is acting... unusual. To be perfectly fair, this may be usual for those like him. I would not know. But what I do know is that he seems ready to attack at the slightest provocation. I do not understand where it comes from, nor the person he plans to attack. It is a minor miracle that he has not struck someone down already. I should say something. Do something. Just as I proved myself capable of saving lives earlier, perhaps I can work to defuse this situation as well. I move next to him, though a respectable distance apart. It would not do to surprise him and become the victim.

I softly clear my throat, hoping to draw his attention. "Nameless. What troubles you? The day has been won -- the danger passed. I would help you if I am able"

quote:

[14:11:10] <Tricky> Ankensatsu tries his level best to talk down crazy 'Nam Bugman (C/S)
[14:11:13] <Tricky> !r 2d6
[14:11:15] <Krysmbot> Tricky, 11 =
11

+Team and Nameless hopefully clears a condition!

Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage



Freak:
+2 | Danger: +2 | Savior: -1 | Superior: +0 | Mundane: +0 | Hot: Yes
Hopeless | Afraid | Insecure | Guilty | Angry
Potential: 0/5

I will admit there was a brief moment where I feared that Nameless would rend me limb from limb. Luckily, that was not the case. I chuckled, perhaps a little weakly, then responded, "Yes, this is the Mega City, Nameless. They want to hear from the heroes who faced down danger and saved those in need. They want to hear your story of the day's victory, to hear the first-hand account of one who has looked death in the face and emerged triumphant."

I clasped him on the shoulders in turn, "You are a champion, Nameless, and it would shame the media to deny them a chance to hear from one such as you. I will support you in this."

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Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage



Freak:
+2 | Danger: +2 | Savior: -1 | Superior: +0 | Mundane: +0 | Hot: Yes
Hopeless | Afraid | Insecure | Guilty | Angry
Potential: 0/5

I nodded sagely as I chimed in, "Indeed, Nameless showed great restraint and mercy in victory today. We can all learn from his example."

My poker face is invincible. Ninja training has prepared me to lie without a trace of deception.

Bumping that up to a 7 with our last point of team!

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