2320/The Cuckoo Comes Out At Midnight

The Cuckoo Comes Out At Midnight
Date of Scene:	13 February 2025
Location:	Plot Room 1
Synopsis:	Hinote meets and informant! And maybe the Informant doesn't last but it's a dangerous profession, especially where Obsidian is concerned, but at least Hinote gets away with a good clue.
Cast of Characters:	Molly Skyline, Hinote Kagari

---

Molly Skyline has posed:
It's late afternoon, in one of the less... not less travelled, but less touristy portions of Tokyo, on a side street somewhere, at some dive noodle place that's basically just a kiosk with tables and chairs out front. And maybe it's a little on the cool side for that sort of behaviour, but there's still people here who are hungry and the noodles are hot and the tables and chairs aren't the sort that you're gonna sit down and immediately freeze to, so it seems that business is doing fine.

The name of the place isn't important; but a short series of cryptic messages that have been texted to Hinote from an anonymous number over the last week all culminated in a very guarded, very cagey suggestion to meet here, at this place. In broad daylight, of course. At a very specific time. Talk to the lady in the black coat, it said.

Is this really how things are done? It sure seems like the way things are done in movies. Maybe that's why people really do things this way, they watch movies and that's really the only information anyone ever gets on how to do clandestine meets. But, either way; the woman who claims to know things, to know things that are going on at Obsidian, said she'd be here. And sitting at a table alone, there indeed is a woman in a black coat, eating a bowl of noodles and looking around herself nervously.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari got a text on the number he uses as a burner for Pulp Noir. His perseverance is being rewarded. That's what he thinks anyways. So he transforms and hops out his townhome's back window into the handy alleyway and off he goes. Pulp Noir is a boy in a trenchcoat, a suit, a mask and trademark fedora now hopping down into a nearby alleyway near the meeting spot. He turns the corner into the back way the kiosk is. He starts walking. He doesn't approach the woman right away.

His entire life has been a movie since he's become a mahou. He finds this oddly satisfying. Like he's in his element. He has a seat in the stool over from the woman and orders a bowl of hot noodles as he rubs his hands together as if they we're cold. Don't mind the masked boy.

When he gets his noodles he picks up the chopsticks and then says, out loud, as he stirs and picks up noodles. "The cuckoo comes out of the clock at midnight." just loud enough for the woman to hear as he eats his bundle of gathered noodles from the chopsticks. Codewords.

Molly Skyline has posed:
Did... she sets a code phrase? The woman's brow furrows, and she uhms, looking over her shoulder at the boy in the dark trenchcoat, who's got noodles, and her face darkens as she blushes.

"Uh, sure," she answers, quietly. "I'm Nightengale." Which is how she's been identifying herself in texts all this time.

The woman in the black coat gestures to the seat opposite her, and goes back to eating her noodles, all while still looking around herself furtively, and -- Hinote would now be able to see -- protecting a small briefcase between her feet.

"Look," she mutters, "I know you've been asking questions about Obsidian. I don't think I have answers for you. But I might have leads. If you want to hear what I've got then come and talk to me, quickly, before anyone figures out that I'm here."

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Pulp Noir moves closer. He has a seat. Look, you don't take chances. You act weird in a place like this? People think you're just another kook.

He settles himself as he says. "I have been asking questions. If you have answers. Talk. You can call me Noir." which is close enough. And not a lie. Technically.

"So Nightengale." he knows it's not a real name. "Wanna sing for me?" he says cooly. Look.

Lean into the 'I'm a hot detective' role, whenever.

Molly Skyline has posed:
The woman called Nightengale eats her noodles, studying Noir for a long moment, as he just moves closer instead of taking the offered seat. Well, whatever, close enough. And she's clearly burning to offload whatever it is she's got in her briefcase.

Which, eventually, she obliges; the briefcase gets pulled out from between her feet, and offered up to Noir. "Files," she explains. "Have a look through them. They're all redacted, but it's the best I could get, and I didn't have time to read through much of it -- I'm not supposed to have access to any of it. I just grabbed it and left.

"Look," she adds, turning back to her noodles. "Obsidian is up to some pretty awful stuff. Someone had to say something but I can't just go to the press. ...Have a look... you'll understand."

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Noir looks at the suitcase. He frowns a little and takes it when offered. He has a seat finally and opens the suitcase as the woman is free to watch or eat her noodles as he has a look. Quick look. Redacted files, huh? Magical files? Or... well. He cares less that Obsidian is embezzling money or something. He expects that. He wants to know if they know anything magical here.

He flips through files and then finally asks. "Where did you find these files exactly?" he asks as he flips though them, forgetting his bowl of noodles.

He adjusts his fedora, casually as he looks around.

"Do you think you we're followed?" he asks.

Molly Skyline has posed:
"I think I work for Obsidian and they don't trust anyone," the woman answers, "Not even their employees. Maybe especially not their employees. Look, I'm not a spy, I did this because I thought it was right, I don't know how to spot a tail."

The files are a mix of things. The first few are definitely just financial stuff, which might be shady if you know how to dig into it, but it's mundane. There's some stuf fabout real estate, and aggressive expansion into foreign markets, and stock market reports.

But then there's the other stuff. And it's entirely possible that Nightengale doesn't even realize what it was she had; though she's young enough the Fade shouldn't have affected her yet. Or maybe it has. Hard to say. But the papers definitely get more... arcane. And then have things on them, like magical symbols or moving text that rearranges when you look at it. These files have titles that sound increasingly essoteric, like 'Project 52a.6: Void Infusion Ritual' or 'Project 38/X-5: Midnight Chords'.

Or, the last one in the file; that looks like it's the most recently printed. 'Project 86: Black Aurora'.

Black Aurora is printed on black paper with white lettering; and a lot of it is unreadable, crossed off with a black marker. But there's one phrase that's still legible, that catches the eye on page twelve; 'Recovered Starc#### device will require re########### and upgrades for suitability. Testing to begin ###########'

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Pulp Noir is fingering through the files and he's using his detective sense on full. What does this mean!?

He knows what's boring by looking at it. Oh look, Financial stuff. A Real Estate Push, Insider trading these are all boring. USEFUL for later, but boring if say, he ever needed to blackmail someone on the mundane side of Obsidian or something. He might need to someday.

Then he gets to the stuff his detective senses read as intriguing. Magical stuff. Oh, Let's see Midnight Chords, Void Infusion Ritual, Black Ichor, lots of edgily named projects and then the most recent? Well one of them.

Starc----

His eyes light up for a moment behind the mask, but he keeps his cool otherwise.

"These are useful. Thank you." he says.

"This will help. I think." he says with a bated breath.

Molly Skyline has posed:
"Good," Nightengale replies. "Keep it. All of it. I never want to see any of it again." She turns back to her noodles, gulping them down in a hurry.

Something feels off. As Nightengale stands to leave, there's... no noise. The streets have gone rather unnaturally quiet. The Kiosk appears to have closed -- an odd time of day for a food place to close -- and all the other tables have become vacant. Nobody seems to be walking down the street either.

"Employee number Three-thousand two hundred and forty six, Scientist Classification, Access Level Delta." The voice booms out of... nowhere. It's really hard to tell just where it's coming from, but Nightengale's face immediately drains of color.

"You really are not cut out for corporate espionage, you know," continues the voice. "Stealing files that had Alpha and Beta access protections took some skill, and we appreciate you identifying the deficincies in our security. However, you really shouldn't be handing off those files to non-employees. I'm sure you realize this is a termination offense." A brief pause. "You were disappointingly easy to find, as well. But rest assured, in future -- you will be very difficult to find. Goodbye."

Nightngale stands, pushing her chair over backwards in the process; and no sooner does she get to her feet than the kiosk explodes outwards. Out of the shower of bricks and debris leaps a creature, landing heavily on all fours; it looks like a cross between a rhinoceross and a bullfrog, large enough to swallow a small automobile, with metal plates bolted on across its body and magically-enhanced cybernetic limbs, and green goo dripping from its mouth, hissing and dissolving holes in the ground as it drools.

It locks eyes first on Nightengale.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Pulp Noir closes the briefcase and then there's a voice....

Oh. She was followed. He grabs the briefcase and fixes his fedora as his eyes go wide behind the mask. "Well. Shit." he says in disbelief. He expected anything else. But not a big giant, burst through walls monster. He quickly looks to Nightengale and yells. "CHEESE IT. I MEAN RUN DAMMIT!" he says, dammit Tracy with the Noir nonsense, not right now!

Putting that aside, Pulp Noir draws out a revolver from the confines of his trenchcoat and starts firing at the new and appeared youma. Aiming or the face.

He has to make himself a big target as he waves the briefcase. "Got your dirty little secrets right here!" he whistles as he fires magical pot shots from the revolver.

Molly Skyline has posed:
The first couple of shots baslt into the Bullfrog, staggering it and turning its head. Acid drools spills everywhere, making holes in the ground and dissolving a chair. For a moment, it shakes its head, recovering itself; but it isn't to be deterred.

Nightengale didn't run, she's just staring at the Youma transfixed, eyes wide and jaw slack. She takes a step back, as the monster advances on her even under Pulp Noir's gunfire. Only when it's too late, it seems, does she turn to run.

But too late it is, as the Bullfrog's mouth opens and a long, whip-like tongue lashes out, wrapping around Nightengale's waist and yanking her backwards; there's a brief look of terror as she's pulled into its jaws.

Afterwards, at first the monster just stands where it is, rumbling and drooling. And then its gaze shifts, as it turns to face Noir.

"All loose ends must be tied," booms the voice. "Finish your task, Bullfrog. No files. No witnesses."

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Pulp Noir watches as the girl is grabbed and he frowns hard. "No!" he calls out. "Nightengale!" he says. He's hoping this doesn't turn into a whole Bothan situation. You know, he's seen Star Wars. He quickly changes the revolver for a tommy gun and starts moving to the right with the brief case. He starts firing shots at the body of the creature as to stymie it more.

He quickly also shoves the brief case into his coat. It's like a hammer space in there, kind of. At the very least. a place to put a briefcase so he can have his hand free.

"HEY FROGFACE. GO BACK TO FRANCE AND TAKE YOUR LEGS WITH YOU." he says over his gunfire. "Ya filthy animal!" he spits out.

Molly Skyline has posed:
Bullfrog just belches loudly in response to Hinote's protests, dripping acidic, slimey saliva on the ground and dissolving holes all the way into the concrete. It seems the froglike Youma needs a moment to settle, and it just sits there as Pulp Noir's bullets rattle off its armor, scoring the metal and making some of the plates buckles, some of the bullets finding flesh and making it bleed black ichor while it belches and rumbles in its grotesquery.

but then it turns its eye to the Detective who has taken the Files, and it opens its mouth to roar, howling like a mutated tiger and sprawying little droplets of caustic spit in front of it; and then it leaps, smashing chairs and tables to splinters as it charges, crouching and leaping up into the air and aiming to come down hard on Hinote's position, lashing its acid=covered tongue in front of it as it comes.

It does not, it seems, have any interest in France.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Magic Bullets find their mark and hit the creature as he frowns and hefts the machine gun forward, firing more shots into it before...it leaps high into the air and Pulp Noir isn't gonna sit there and let himself be flattened so he quickly jumps forward and away from the landing zone, he's hoping to put himself behind the creature, when it lands, rather than in front of it.

Quickly, he'll try to leap on top of the creature, trying to grasp onto the top of it and squeeze on for dear life.

He's gonna try to ride the giant bullfrog, make himself a nuisance and make it miserable as he squeezes onto the youma.

"DAMMIT..." he says.

"WATCH THE LANGAUGE!" says a tiny voice from under his hat as it peeks out. Oh god. It's El. The tiny winged angel fairy is along for the ride.

"Not now El!" he calls out.

Molly Skyline has posed:
A poster child for agility, Bullfrog is not. The Youma needs a moment to recover itself after it lands -- or rather, crashes down destructively in the middle of what used to be perfectly good tables and chairs -- and roars once again, howling its frustration as Pulp Noir is not where he was a moment ago and has not yet been flattened or devoured. It's big, bulbous eyes swivel around as it looks for Hinote, and its tongue lashes out, whipping back and forth in front of it and ultimately yanking a chair into its gaping maw, only for it to be spat out again in the form of a splintered, dissolving mess.

"Fascinating," comments the disembodied voice, "Bullfrog, you idiot. The loose end is on your back."

The Youma leaps, charging forwards and then diving straight through a plate glass window into the foyer of a buildging, where it bucks and jumps and aims to smash itself through everything it can; but luckily, there are hand-holds on the back of it, if on is careul not to get one's fingers jammed between armored plates.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Pulp Noir rides the frog. He's sure this is a euphemism for something but he can't figure it out right now. He grunts. If only he had like... some sort of purification power. He wishes Miho-chan was here, she could freeze the thing. If Sailor Moon was here she could purify it and hurt it immensely no doubt.

He keeps riding the frog as it bursts through the foyer of a building and he has to move his hand to drag his hat down to keep glass and debris out of his eyes.

He then is finally, finally thrown loose against the wall of the foyer as it crashes through what may appear to be a front desk that barrels over it and smacks Hinote off, sending him, and his hat flying.

El spins in the hat and cries out as it lands on the ground and away from Pulp Noir as he curses and needs a moment now to pull himself up to his feet, which isn't happening fast enough!

Molly Skyline has posed:
Bullfrog causes a very impressive amount of destruction in a short period of time, which is going to be most unfortunate for whoever has to clean up this mess. But, oh well; at least there aren't any civillians here getting trampled underfoot or dissolved with acid. The frog keeps thrashing about after Hinote is thrown loose, as if it's still trying --

"He's off, you moron. ...Who's idea was it to make a Youma out of a frog? This thing has less brains than a radish. Now deal with him -- no witnesses, no files, no bodies, no evidence."

Apparently smashing a lot of stuff to bits is fine, though.

With surprising speed in spite of its lack of agility, Bullfrog whips around, focusing its big eyes on Pulp Noir once more. It opens its mouth and roars, spewing caustic spittle as it lumbers forwards, crusching anything that winds up underneath it, and lashing out its tongue smashing into first one and then a second support pillar, breaking both of them assunder. The building starts to groan, but for the moment the ceiling holds up as the monster bears down on Hinote, regarding him like anyone else might look at a cheeseburger.

"Keep your mouth closed when you're not eating," suggests the voice.

Bullfrog does not listen, and just continues to salivate as it approaches.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Pulp Noir gets up, finally, but that thing is too close. And all his weapons are ranged and fighting an acid creature with his bare knuckles seems like a bad idea. Oh darn, what does he do. He knows, he'll jump---ARGH God dammit, he hurt his leg. He can't merely jump out of this licketly split.

He sweats, what can he do. He's out of tricks. Maybe if he thinks really hard, Miho will teleport in and help? She can teleport like that, think, think! OKAY that isn't helping a bit.

Is this the end.

"NOIR-KUN I CAN HELP YOU!" yells El. El quickly dashes upwards and downwards toward's Pulp Noir. And before Noir can object, or anything El is screaming "YOUR HEART UNLOCK!"

The two collide! Some things happen, first is that Tracy's egg is thrown out of Hinote and lands with a skid near where the hat was and opens with a dizzy Tracy inside.

Second is that a bright , white GLOW happens from where Pulp Noir was as Hinote goes through a VERY FORCED Character Transformation.

Standing where Pulp Noir was, is some sort of Angel Boy, replete with golden blonde hair, dashing looks and silver armor with a glowing white sword and shield.

"I'm YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL and I'm gonna defeat you, demon!" calls out Your Guardian Angel like a cross between Hinote and Dudley Do Right. His speech seems stilted, like he's not quite in control.

Then there's a giant slash from the sword forward, to try to drive the creature back, before the shield is brought to bare, and he calls out "GUARDIAN RAY!" a giant white beam of POWERFUL, PURIFYING energy rushing forward towards the Youma!

Molly Skyline has posed:
Bullfrog leaps forwards, landing just in front of Your Guardian Angel, and attacking with its acidic tongue -- which gets immediately rebuffed by his shield, without sticking like it really should. And for a moment, Bullfrog just seems entirely confused by this outcome. The tongue did not stick to the thing? Why is the thing not in its stomach? Something here does not add up in its little frog brain.

"Do something, you fool!" commands the voice.

And do something, Bullfrog does, and does the only thing it can think of; it attacks, whipping its tongue from side to side and damaging more of the ceiling support pillars before, with one smooth slice, Hinote's sword severs it and leaves it writhing and twitching on the floor.

Bullfrog howls as it retreats, reaching one foot up to grope at its mouth as it drools acid; and it comes away with its own toes melting away. It roars in pain.

"Now you've done it," observes the voice.

And done it, one of the two combatants certainly has. Bullfrog is still howling when the Guardian Ray hits it; and the hit blasts the metal armor and sears the fleshy parts beneath. The frog monster tries to keep itself stuck to the floor, but soon looses its grip and is flung backards, into and through a wall.

When it comes to rest, the monster is laying lopsided, holes blasted through it and half its armor plating strewn about it in a glowing white hot, searing mess. The creature's own acid saliva is leaking out of its wounds, as it slowly, in writhing agony, dissolves before Your Guardian Angel's eyes.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Your Guardian Angel watches as the creature writhes and starts dissolving. He raises his sword high and yells, to absolutely no one. "Victory!" he yells. Before he starts glowing and then suddenly there's a flash of light and Hinote appears from the light and lands on his feet.... before his eyes roll back into his head and he faints.

El, left floating there where Hinote was, says. "Oh Oops. We over did it...." she says. Tracy flies over and starts pushing around El. "WHATCHA DOING YA GALOOT!"

"He-hey! We defeated the demon right!? Look, let's... get him somewhere safe to wake up..." and the two drag Hinote togeter, with much effort, by their tiny hands at the shoulders of Hinote as they drag him behind and under a nearby desk in the foyer.

He'll wake up soon and escape with the briefcase, but for now he needs time to wake up and recover from the forced transformation. Which has taken a lot out of him!