2414/An Otto-rly horrid encounter

An Otto-rly horrid encounter
Date of Scene:	18 March 2025
Location:	Pikarigaoaka Ward
Synopsis:	In the wake of the Crown of Succession Incident, Otto Steiner comes to attempt to retrieve his daughter. Several people take exception to that.
Cast of Characters:	Aloisia Stauss, Zephyr Windstar, Sequoia Maybach, Sugata Shindo, Amanda Faust, Rashmi Terios, Veronica Perenna, Chrono Harlaown, Koji Silvia
Tinyplot:	The Crown of Succession

---

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
After rescuing someone from a horrible fate, food was frequently a high priority. And this time was no different, they'd planned to go out, and things had been ... ever so slightly weird on the majority of the trip. Nothing individually that weird or suspicious. Lots of people trying to get them to try free samples, or try to poll them on random topics, just enough to delay them, not enough to actually stop them or delay them THAT much.

The ward with Clover Tower in it had always been bustling, but it seemed especially busy on this tuesday, and there were a lot of signs about various different sales and promotions that seem to have drawn a lot of people, all of which...

...Hadn't been advertised anywhere, really. Nothing on TV, nothing over radio, just the signs in the streets. All of it seemed... almost theatrical, in a way, the way that everyone was acting was just enough normal to not seem /that/ weird, and yet just off enough to be possibly concerning.

Yeah, there was likely Something about to happen, and that sense that it might be easier just to ride it out than to just turn around and try to leave, because the moment they seemed to realize, there were Eyes on them.

...But.

No real threats seem to be present. At least not yet.

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    "It's a nice place, I've been in there a couple of times already." That's Zephyr, chattering away. She took a detour to put her puppies back up in their crate at home, rejoining the group quickly enough.

    The weirdness seeps in, a sign here that looks familiar, but isn't, a canvasser that's just a little too pushy, a shop that wasn't there last week... it's not enough on its own, new places open all the time, especially in certain areas of the city, but all this in this one general location. She doesn't speak up though, but can clearly be seen getting a bit more tense as things progress on.

    << Dee, keep on a swivel, and bring combat drives to Ready-2. >> she sends to her Device.

    "Yeah, just up here." she says after a short while, pointing to a place set into the corner of a block. It's a little place, pretty standard for a ramen place, open sides with stools to sit on, and a guy behind the counter making the noodles and such to order.

Sequoia Maybach has posed:
    Right. So. Things have been handled apparently. So now it's food time.
    Sequoia Maybach is here, following after Zephyr with her hands stuffed in her pockets.
    "Huhhhhhh..." The silver-haired girl murmurs after a beat.
    "Anyone else get a funny feeling?"
    Eh it's probably nothing.
    Probably.
    Maybe.

Sugata Shindo has posed:
"If by funny feeling, you're getting the sense that either a fight or a flashmob is preparing to break out," Sugata drawls, following the group with casual ease, "Then I certainly have that feeling."

A celebration, that Aloisia is well. It had seemed the sort of thing Sugata should venture to. He might be woefully unequipped to provide emotional support, but he still has an interest in seeing how she's doing - and in keeping tabs on his allies in the whole endeavor.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Lol. Like Amy listens to the radio or watches TV. MeTube? She has adblock. So, sales and events she's not aware of are just normal.

    She tries free samples if they look good. She'll answer polls on things she feels strongly about, otherwise she's like 'no thank you', 'no opinion', 'no comment', and as long as they leave her be she doesn't escalate to American rudeness. Any that make moves like blocking her way after getting told no, though... get told 'let me pass' and then her attempting to push by them; she has little patience but she'll give people a chance to leave her alone politely.

    A funny feeling. "Like we're being watched?" Amy replies. "Or..."

    Sugata says maybe a flashmob, and Amy stops, and looks over the crowd. Taking a second look at signs and their quality. Maybe woogling any apparent brand names. And rethinking the questions she's been asked in terms of 'does this seem like someone is pranking randos to make their life weird' filter.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...No thank you, we're actually on our way to dinner already," Rashmi says, politely fending off the fifth hawker and their insanely cheery flyers advertising ULTRA COSMIC YAKITORI--

Didn't she see those fliers just a few blocks ago, in someone else's hands?

Her eyebrows draw together, and she squeezes Chrono's hand, catching his eye and then throwing a look over her shoulder, as if to tell him to keep his own eye out. "Knowing our luck," she says aloud to Sugata, "probably the former... but let's not borrow trouble when so many people like to give it away for free. The important thing is, victory ramen."

Priorities declared, she rests her free hand on ALoisia's shoulder, smiling encouragingly. "We have a lot to celebrate, after all."

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica didn't have to be asked twice when the idea of dropping things off and going to eat something. The victory meal was a standard practice, really, and Aloisia really deserved a pick me up after all those weeks being stuck inside herself walking through some sort of weird nightmare. As if having your body taken over wasn't a bad enough deal already.

She al had started prepared a small gift for Aloisia on her recovery, a green felt card with the Unstoppable Sister and the Bishop at her sides, their hands on her back and looking at her with a smile. She had yet to give it to her, however. She is waiting for when they have reached the place and the orders are in.

"If I didn't know better, I would say the demons of the HallWard are involved in this. This sounds exactly like a scheme they would run", she turns around, trying to pinpoint all the suspicious people. She is excluding that possibility though. "But it can't be them, they just got a pretty tough blow recently", she tells the others.

It wasn't just the theatricals, but she could easily imagine how these unannounced shops and gimmicks could be all a front to extort people or getting them addicted to money. Or both.

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown was keeping silent, for the most part. Squeezing Rashmi's hand.

Every instinct he had screamed 'AMBUSH!'

But well... an ambush prepared for was one that didn't work nearly as effectively. He had his device card tucked up his sleeve, ready to draw at a moment's notice.

"... They'd be rather foolish to try anything now..." Pause. "So I imagine they will shortly." Perhaps Riventon. Maybe he'd noticed a lot of magical signatures and decided to go all klepto again. Then again, he didn't see Fate anywhere... or Arf... so possibly not... Not enough woobies amongst those who were harassing...

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
"...One of those nice little 'hole in the wall' kind of places?" Aloe comments absently as she looks at the pointed-at ramen place. Not as an insult, of course. Though once the place they were going to was pointed out, while the hustle and bustle continued around them, there was less of that feeling of being watched recedes. Slowly.

Aloe herself mostly was kind of ... dressed down today. Something comfortable, but nice. Just a pair of jeans and a random t-shirt with some anime on it. And not wearing her usual jacket that she normally would have worn everywhere. It might be a bit before she can wear that normally again.

Sequoia's comment gets a somewhat tired sigh from Aloe. "Yeah. We have a tail."

That filter is a 'nope we're being watched' kind of thing more than just a flash mob, especially once they'd revealed where they were going. The information had been gathered, and now things were going back to their 'business', as weird compared to normal as said business is.

"Demons of HallWard? I don't believe I've heard of those before." Pause. "...It has been months though. Things are still kind of ... weird." No Fate, no Arf... really the only one here right now was Aloisia. As they approached the ramen shop, things were slightly... weird... though. It wasn't just the 'small ramen shop' it normally was.

It had a room to the back, and when they entered, the cook glances over the group, went. "The Stauss Party? The rest of your party is waiting in the back." And they gestured to the doorway.

If they choose to go through the doorway, they would find themselves in somewhat large room with a relatively 'small' banquet table set in the middle of it, though it had bene done in the similar style to the rest of the ramen place, with stools instead of seats, and at the very end of the table, sat...

Otto von Karstein-Steiner.

"Come in, come in, sit down. Congratulations on your success, everyone! You saved the world." He takes a bite of his own ramen, slurping it up.

In the center of the table is a bunch of ramen toppings and such, and there were already menus at each spot.

Koji Silvia has posed:
Quietly, Koji had been at the back of the pack, walking along with the others and looking for the rest of the world almost like a bodyguard that had been hired to follow along (Probably for Sugata), in his suit and black gloves. Reality had it more that... he had been in his Barrier Jacket all along, his Phantom-class magic allowing him to cover it in the suit he'd used a couple times before, at the prom, and a political meeting... where he needed to be civilian but also needed to be able to cast.

The note about being followed and then the 'surprise' of Otto sitting there slurping ramen and laying out an invitation for the group is enough that he just reaches up and pushes up his glasses so the light covers his eyes...

    "Bravo. The casual dramatic entrance... you must feel -VERY- pleased with yourself."

    "However... some of us might find ourselves hard-pressed to take a meal with someone who eats ramen..."

    ...with a fork."

His voice is casual to the point of being... almost pleasant, but with the kind of restrained politeness of a well-trained police dog.

Sequoia Maybach has posed:
    "Man, I hope it's a flash mob, I'm not in the mood to deal with a fight tonight." Sequoia says tiredly.
    Unfortunately is isn't a flash mob when Aloe says the group is being tailed.
    Sequoia scowls.
    "Wait they were expecting us?" She says, surprised but then the group heads into the back and...
    There's someone there waiting for them.
    Now, Sequoia has never met nor even seen Otto von Karstein-Steiner... But the man's presence does not instill a good feeling in the smallest Belkan.
    Sequoia doesn't say a word...
    She simply plants herself protectively in front of Aloisia.
    

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    Zephyr is about to open her mouth to put in her order... when the cook says that... her hackles are instantly raised, she practically bristles... this isn't normal, this is FAR FROM normal. She checks she can reach her Device without showing her intent.

    << Careful everyone, this is /very/ not normal. >> she has Tenraikaze send to Chrono and Rashmi's Devices, and via a more general telepathy link. She does take the invitation, and mismatched eyes lock onto Otto, and following suit with Sequoia, places herself between Aloisia and this man. "..." her scowl says more than she could ever put into words.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
There is a sharp, surprised blink when the server says their table is ready in the back, and that there's a party waiting for them. If she'd been thinking about it, *that* would be the point at which she steered the group and, especially, Aloisia back out the door. But, they are here, and *he is there,* and Rashmi's hackles are raised so high it might be visible from an arriving plane.

"...No, it's okay," Rashmi says in answer to Koji's declaration, her voice cold and toneless. "If he's going to go to all this trouble for our benefit, the *least* we could do is forgive a lack of basic manners." Her eyes never leave Otto as she speaks, and her hand squeezes Chrono's again, though this more of a 'don't let me do anything Aloisia'll regret' kind of squeeze. Her eyes never leave Otto as she takes her seat, nor when she raises her menu. "....So. I guess we're going to start with *what it is you want?*"

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"Don't worry about it, it's just a bunch of demons that are sealed away and aren't going to escape any time soon no matter how much they try", Veronica grins to Aloisia. "I can tell you all about them after we have dealt with whatever this is", she nods, still continuing to look around.

Of course, after a while, they would have reached the ramen shop, and then she would have had to give up on her search. Seems they were just content with watching and nothing more. She still should keep her guard up, though.

The mystery is soon solved. "Count Otto, long time no see, thank you very much for your regards", she does a slight bow, her right hand resting over her left shoulder. As easy as that, she is in stage mode.

"Sorry to say, but we were about to have a lovely time, and I am sure your presence would give us many enriching opportunities, but I believe it's in your interest as well to make it quick", she gives him a wink. "So, please, thirty words or less", Veronica adds, moving closer to Aloisia.

Sugata Shindo has posed:
There shouldn't be a table waiting for them. Sugata knows this crowd well enough - while there are planners among them, they aren't the sort who surprise one another with a reserved table for a victory celebration of ramen.

But he's not Rashmi, who would have worried for everyone's feelings had she considered the risk of a trap a moment longer - he's the sort who likes to spring the trap, and the opposite of a pacifist.

So he walks in with head held high and shoulders straight, curious and unafraid.

...The receptiomn is enough to tell him that this is an enemy, but not what sort of enemy, so he takes a seat nearer to Otto than the others are sitting, but not with him - a barrier between the rest and Otto.

"You've gone to the most modest of efforts, after all. Surely, now you'll tell us what this is all about?"

Amanda Faust has posed:
    "The Demons of HallWard are these demons that go around making people greedy in order to feed on their greed, they want to release some powerful demon from a painting Veronica's guarding." Amy offers explanation.

They'd be foolish to try anything now.

    Amy just looks at Chrono.

    So I imagine they will shortly.

    Amy nods in agreement.

    But she certainly wasn't expecting Otto.

    She mighta been kinda low on self-worth when she promised to fight him to the death, but man, he's really not someone she can bear to leave existing to do more harm, if she can help it.

    She looks at him.

    She tranforms, engulfed in fiery light and then in fire, leaving her in her standard combat digs. That still takes like half a second even if she rushes it, and also attacking will probably damage everything around her, so a surprise attack isn't really possible.

    She glares at him the way you glare at someone that you know wants to plunge the galaxy into a war that will kill millions if not more, someone who has commited probably countless atrocities in pursuit of the power to start that war, may have had a hand in orphaning the only person to ever love you, and y'know, gaslit and manipulated and emotionally and psychologically tortured Aloisia who is standing right there.

    Glaring at him like that, she asks, "Why are you here." But even as she speaks the sentence, she realizes, there is no possible good reason for Otto. He is here to cause trouble. "No, I don't care why you're here. Leave. If you're not here to fight us to the death, then leave."

    She stands ready to summon an attack and fight, but for the moment doesn't summon a weapon, and keeps both hands pointed down towards the floor.

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown blinked a few times, but followed along with the others and... then... Otto. Of course. There was a light flash and he was in uniform. In his case, the message was clear. 'There was a TSAB agent here. I will react accordingly, if necessary.'

For now, there was no telling if this would go to aggressive stakes... yet... "Hello again, Oscar Von Karstein-Steiner. I take it the times find you well?" He took his seat besides Rashmi, pulling up the menu. Many might think he wasn't even looking or paying attention to Otto...

Many might not realize how many binds he was silently placing up, not fully active yet, but ready... especially in blind spots...

"I'm guessing this isn't about appealing the prior judgment from the TSAB?" If so, that'd be so much more simple...

He'd just send Otto away with more paperwork to fill out. His second most powerful weapon, after Nanoha.

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
"Quite, really. You have no idea how much it took to get this all set up, to figure out which trains you were taking to get here, the amount of youma to control or replace the civilians in the immediate area around you... All for you. Really, if anyone should feel pleased and honored, it should be you. A member of a royal family going to all this effort for you." Otto gestures grandly outwards. Not really at the room, but at the general area. He does, however, rather pointedly... lift his hand up to show a pair of silver chopsticks. "And I do have knowledge of the local decorum for consuming ramen."

Not that a bedazzled silver set of chopsticks was much better.

Sequoia's senses weren't really wrong about Otto, in spite of all of the theatrics, in spite of how all of this was done 'all for you', there was this sense that he considered himself Better than everyone gathered, not to mention the darkness that all but rolls off of him and the cane that was resting at his side.

Aloisia, meanwhile, is ... kind of staying towards the back of the group now, somewhat quiet at the moment. There's a hesitation to her at Otto's presence.

Though he was being calm and friendly there was still that Presence that this was /his/ situation. /His/ domain.

"What is it I want?"

He gives a smile, his tone filled with that sickly sweet saccarine. "How rude, I simply wished to extend congratulations for solving the Crown of Succession incident."

His tone drops as he leans forward slightly, the shadows seeming to fall over his face as he continues.

"And retrieve my daughter."

Sugata comes and sits down, as does Chrono. Which causes him to lean back slightly, that shadowed look fading again as he simply goes back to that sweet smile as he gazes at Amy. "Now, now. Isn't a father allowed to simply wish to congratulate the people who saved his daughter from untold horrors and an apocalypse?"

Not that he recognized most of them out of henshin, but them being with Aloisia... well. Told him enough. Beyond Chrono and Amy's transformations, of course. That smile becomes a bit more strained as Chrono calls him 'Oscar'. "Come now, Harlaown, you would think that our long-standing relationship would put us beyond petty namecalling. Besides." He taps his cane on the ground, as it intones a familiar spell.

{GERFANGNIS DER MAGIE}

"...We have all the privacy in the world, now."

The wave of darkness of the activation of the darkness-fueled barrier makes that semi-familiar feeling of bees crawling under one's skin...

...But he's not attacking, instead opting to take another bite of his ramen to slurp up. Also, the waiters are still there to take people's orders...

Eventually, Aloisia does sit down at the opposite end of the table from Otto.

But she does not look straight at him.

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    With Amy and Chrono suiting up, Zephyr does the same, eyes narrowing as her Barrier Jacket forms into place... just about in time for that Dark Energy Barrier to go up. She doesn't speak still, and with Chrono setting up Binds, she feels like she can focus a bit more elsewhere... she also doesn't take a seat, instead standing near to Aloisia, and keeping a wary eye over her shoulder at the wait staff and other remaining 'civilians'.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...Then next time," Rashmi says coldly, taking on her own Barrier Jacket in a glimmer of golden light, "you'll want to remember that in Japan, metal chopsticks are traditionally used for *funerary* practices." Was that a threat? A warning? It's hard to say, but cold fury is practically boiling off the redhead in waves, as she turns her head to addess the server with a more genuinely polite smile. Dark Servants or no, one always, *always,* treats waitstaff with courtesy. "Hokkaido ramen, please. With abura-age and extra mushroom."

A smile that falls off a *cliff* when she turns back to face Otto.

"So... when's her father supposed to get here and congratulate us?"

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown just kept reading the menu and... "We didn't retrieve your daughter, we freed Stauss-san from the effects. She is free to go where ever she pleases from there. And Stauss-san... you are free to leave, if you so please. He won't stop you."

... And Chrono did mean that. Not that Otto might not try.

Just that he would not succeed. Meanwhile, he was already doing a passive scan... with a barrier up... how many life forms were outside of the room?

Koji Silvia has posed:
Koji almost immediately sits to Aloisia's left side, being so polite as to pull the chair out for her before he himself takes a seat. No matter where he moves, his eyes are still obscured by the reflections of light in the room, even when the Barrier is placed up. One gloved hand taps down on the menu, but he doesn't look at it directly.

    << AREA SCAN. >>

Not even bothering to hide it this time, he pings out to see who and what is inside the barrier, not just everyone present, and if there is anything odd with the servers or the space. He flicks it as a link towards Rashmi and Chrono to make their own decisions on what to do with it, but at the same time, he also physically let his eyes go back and forth, looking for Devices-as-Weapons, and anything else that could be a threat.

And still he's listening to a man he's vowed to do some very horrible things to.

    "Actually, Rashmi-chan... if you'll pardon the minor correction... Silver is appropriate for celebrations, but is more often reserved for weddings and tea ceremonies. So while it is not entirely out of place... you can't fault him for trying. At least he made the effort... I mean, he could have been gauche enough to use gold. After all... one would not want to be mistaken for trying to present themselves as pure or divine."

And as if to make a point, he turns to Aloisia and says, "Now... I know you haven't had much time on Earth, but I would be happy to help you learn if you would like. If not, there are forks available. After all, a welcome guest shouldn't feel put on to try and learn the culture on the first time."

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica winces as that barrier goes up and weirdly enough doesn't make the staff disappear. They are all youma then, or maybe that magic behaves differently. That... probably changes things. He certainly went through a lot just to pull this specific stunt. And all of this because he wants Aloisia that much.

As much as she is not showing it, this man unnerves her, and she would rather get rid of him as soon as possible. But she recognises things have yet to escalate into a fight, as much as Otto is edging eerily close to it.

"Pardon me, let me do a small fix", she says, snapping her fingers. "Moonlit Heist, Phantom Thief Release, My Evolution!" Veronica calls out, summoning the Hallward painting's blessing. Glowing mist wraps around her, and her magical garments materialise, accompanied by feline ears sprouting from her scalp, and a swishing tail emerging behind her.

"The Princess of Sarek, with hope held tight, I leap through shadows to light up the night!" she sings the final verse, holding her cane tightly in her hand.

"Hello again, Otto. Do you miss my decorative knives?", she grins as she takes her place, lifting the chair so it makes no noise as she sits down. "Shoyu ramen with nanbanzuke, please", she addresses a passing by waiter. "I believe anything that Aloisia-san does is Aloisia-san's decision", she stares at him with no very little of that excess politeness.

Sugata Shindo has posed:
Oh this is that kind of drama, hm? Sugata transforms in a casual flash of light, old-fashioned military blue and gold replacing his civilian attire.

"And have you considered that your daughter is the one who chooses whether or not she leaves with you?"

His tone is chill, allowing Rashmi to take lead with umbrage, though when he glances at the waitstaff he gives his order with the casual, curt nature of one who expects to be obeyed. "Shoyu ramen with extra chashu. And when we leave, I'll have three orders of tonkatsu to go, with extra egg and chashu."

Obviously he's going to take a moment to ensure the evil waitstaff know he expects food for Wako and Takuto.

With that handled? He looks to Aloisia. "Would you prefer that he be held down for a kick, pinned for a punch, or entirely left to your leisure?"

Sequoia Maybach has posed:
    Sequoia's instincts are right, huh... This guy is bad news. Though she balks at the BEDAZZLED CHOPSTICKS, a more visible look of outrage crosses the silver-haired girl's face for other reasons.
    Her fist is clenched tight, and when Aloisia moves to sit, Sequoia remains VERY close to her, practically looming in spite of her small stature. Some sit. Some suit up.
    Sequoia chooses to remain standing.
    "Oh so that's who you are." She says, tone as warm as a glacier.
    Sequoia is not the rookie she once was. She's been bathed in the fires of Walpurgis and baptized in battle ever since, and somehow she's still kept holding onto her pacifist values.
    Right here though. Right now. The girl looks ready to haul off and deck an old man.
    A barrier is raised. That's both good and bad. While it means innocents won't come to harm if this does come to blows, it also means the group is trapped inside with him. Or maybe... That's not quite right. Because that goes both ways.
    Otto von Karstein-Steiner is trapped in here with them.
    "I'm sorry but... Who the hell do you think you are?" Sequoia asks about as bluntly as a cudgel.
    "Retrieve your daughter? As-fricking-if." She snaps. "For all you've put her through, for everything we went through to get her back from that crown crap you think we're just going to let you walk out of here and take our friend with you?"
    There's a flash of white light as Sequoia's clothes are instantly replaced with the black and white armor of her Knight Armor.
    "Just take the L and leave, old man." Weisser Ritter says.

    "You call yourself a Belkan..." She spits. "So where's your pride?"

    There's a brief moment where her gauntlet creaks as she balls her hand into a tight fist.

    "Can you even fight your own fights?"

    "Where's your honor? Your integrity? You're Belkan in blood but not in heart! I'm *Earthborn* and I'm more Belkan than you will ever *be*."

    It is at this point that Sequoia Maybach takes off her gauntlet.
    There is a heavy clank as she drops it on the table while looking Otto dead in the eyes.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy moves to stand in front of Aloisia, when Otto threatens to retrieve his daughter. She shivers a bit as the dark barrier goes up, but... it doesn't seem to be doing anything. Yet. As people take a seat, she stands next to Aloisia, not sitting yet.

    When Rashmi points out what metal chopsticks are for, she observes, "If he brought them for his own funeral, it's fine with me."

    She looks to Otto. "You had your chance to treat her like a daughter. And you used that chance to torture her. If you cared even one whit about getting her back, you would have been there, with all this power, stopping the Prinzessin. You knew she'd activate the crown because of you. You expected her to be dead."

    People are actually ordering food? "Ugh. If we must. Shrimp ramen, please. And bring chopsticks with it."

    Ginga Kingu's words get a smirk out of her. "Now those are the most reasonable words I've heard so far."

    And then Sequoia, bless her, throws down the gauntlet. Amy pulls off her glove (the right one, without the soul gem on it) and tosses it on top of the gauntlet. "You won't fight him alone."

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
"Ah, I'll have to remember that. Truly, there are so many little rules and practices. Though, I suppose, we could turn this into a funeral if you did desire it such." Otto responds cheerfully towards Rashmi. His threat was not filled with fury, just cheerful confidence. But they were ordering food. And treating the wait staff politely and courteously. "Well, regrettably, the father who raised her was murdered during the coup by the former tyrants. So regrettably, her blood father is what is left to pick her up."

Scans are performed, there are several Youma in the area, the obvious ones of course being the waitstaff, there's also some cooking staff, and... they're mostly just acting in their roles, at least at the moment. None of them are particularly strong, no more than 'kindabad' level. The only real threat there, of course, was Otto.

...Well and the other mahou but it's fine.

The space is a little odd too, the building having been extended temporarily to create that room they were standing and sitting in.

"I, uh. I have had some practice with chopsticks. I lived in the dorm rooms..." Though she isn't the /best/ with them, as food starts to come out. "...Thank you, regardless."

And then Veronica transforms into the Princess of Sarek, talking about 'decorative' knives. Otto gives a soft sigh. "All of this taunting when I went through the trouble to set up such a lovely banquet."

The wait staff takes Ginga Kingu's order dutifully, along with other orders, moving more like little awkward stick men without proper joints now that the barrier was up, like dolls acting out the role.

And Ginga Kingu asks Aloisia a question, if he should be held down. She doesn't immediately respond, as that Gaze falls on her from Otto, as if daring her to answer that question.

"..."

And Sequoia begins to talk. When Sequoia starts to pull off that gauntlet, Aloisia began to reach towards Sequoia to gently rest on her arm. She pushes out her chair, and quietly stands, leaning in to gently whisper. "Your actions speak greatly, little Wall, but I will not have you tarnish your values over him."

Otto, meanwhile, is also standing.

"No, no, by all means, don't stop her. I've been bound to handle this through duels, after all."

Aloisia hesitates. Before turning to bring her gaze to meet Otto's.

"It's amazing, really. How you shaped me. Chained me to your ideals and made me your tool." She says, shaking her head. "I was younger then, I didn't really have a way to see the truth of things then, in that life shaped purely for your needs. Just another casualty of your war. My own pride, my own honor /destroyed/ for your ends, for your needs."

"And even now, you choose a time when I have no power of my own." A hand lifts to brush over her ears, hanging with a heavy emptiness in the lack of her usual twin shield earrings that would normally be there. "So I cannot even properly defend my honor now."

"...But the nice thing about having had your honor tarnished. Your honor destroyed?"

She points towards Otto. "...I don't mind that I can't defend my own honor right now. Because I have friends by my side more than willing to do it /for/ me." The only one her hand still rests on is Sequoia's shoulder.

As Otto stares at his daughter with the fury of a father looking at a disobedient daughter.

"All the time. All the effort *I* put into you. Into making sure you were raised /properly/. Raised to be /strong/... and THIS is how you repay me?"

Otto reaches down, grabbing that dark shadow of Blauer Greif.

{Schwerkraftstern}

And the dark energy of a gravity star appears above the table, unleashing INTENSE gravity upon the group, enough to likely force most to their knees.

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
Aloisia, lacking her Knight Armor at the moment, having to put all of her effort, grabbing onto the side of the table as wood creaks and cracks...

But she does not fall as she replies to Otto.

"...I'm not just an object ... for you to control. My life... is NOT yours... not for your GAMES."

Amy was not necessarily ignored in all of this, but unlike Sequoia, there wasn't someone's Values at stake here with her, and focus had been dragged elsewhere.

Koji Silvia has posed:
Koji doesn't go to his knees. He just *SITS* there, but this was exactly the kind of thing he was waiting for!

    << DISRUPTOR FIELD. >>

His unique Belkan-In-Midchildian magical seal, the tri-gram inside of circle appears in the air, interposing between the 'Star' and the group, blue-white and bathing the space with an eerie glow.

     "Mister Carstein... There is no assault you can level that we cannot counter."

As his counter begins to lessen the gravity on others, he picks up his menu to look it over.

    "There is no threat you can make, that we cannot block."

He finally lets his eyes show from behind his glasses...

    "There is no move you can make that we didn't come ready for."

But then he puts down the menu, "So... here is what is going to happen. You will apologize. You will leave. You will not look for her."

He then motions around, "Or it is simple. We will do to you what was done to Beryl. I am sure you will find Paris to be lovely... for the brief moment you are ALLOWED."

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    < PING > < CHIEF! > is all the warning Zephyr gets as that spell is activated. A moment later, her Axe is in hand, and with a widening of her stance, she tanks the gravity with some considerable effort.

    "Now, Dee." < PING > < STRUGGLE BIND >

    Purple ribbons erupt from a nearby wall, aiming to lash at Otto's Device and drain its energy circuits to weaken its effects.

    "Me, Me, Me, Me, Me. That's all I can hear coming from your mouth. Nothing about how Alo-chan feels, only about you." her eyes narrow. "You sicken me in ways I cannot put into words usable in polite company... but one thing I can say, and can do now, is Aloisia does not stand alone."

    "Ochre van Carsale. You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent, please use it."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    All the effort *I* put into

    "SHUT."

    "YOUR."

    "MOUTH."

    Amy interjects and tries to talk over him. Not that it stops him.

    She won't fight the gravity. She must save her strength. "People are not objects. That's what you think she is, another doll to control like your servants here." She glances at the waitstaff, then back to him, grimacing.

    "And I am really."

    "REALLY."

    "Fuckin' tired of folks who wanna turn people into objects."

    She returns to a more dour expression. "We'll fight you. The irony is that because of all this, you're going to be the one who ends up an object. Because we'll make you a corpse."

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"We aren't going to take kindly to a monster that only really looks human, no matter how polite he may fancy himself to be. You can drop your claim on Aloisia and enjoy your food, but not both, Otto", Veronica scoffs at his vague response over her taunting.

There are those that are willing to drop all courtesy and go to the hard part right away like Sequoia and Amy, and she is very much of the same mind, but Veronica stays her hand still. This is not her decision to make, but the moment Aloisia shows it's ok for them to fight, she will. Or he tries to harm her. Either one.

So convienent of him to then drop all the excuses and start that gravity spell. Veronica is not forced onto her knees purely because she is sitting down, but when the gravity changes, she has to strongly push to start moving up from the chair. He is not immobilising them to take away Aloisia that easily.

"Sequoia was generous in her estimation of you", she scowls at him, little droplets of sweat resting on her forehead. "How long have you since gotten used to the coward's way out, and what makes you think we aren't going to fight back anyway?", she holds tightly onto the cane.

"Aloisia-san is a friend of ours, and you are not going to take her away, no matter how vile you prove to be", she declares, moonlight shining in her hand as she creates a blinding calling card. But she does not use it yet.

Sugata Shindo has posed:
Aloisia is wordless, when asked to decide her father's fate, and Sugata's eyes glint viciously. Sugata is a king in his own right, bound to the power of the one who devours worlds, and he knows something about the power of a threat, of a wordless reminder, of eyes watching you, thinking of the vulnerability of your back facing them.

If this Count Otto wishes to wield his authority, he will find himself rebuffed.

Gravity falls on the group, demanding they bow, and Ginga Kingu stands with a flourish of his coat, disdainful.

"No," he says curtly. "Her refusal is how she repays herself. This is how she repays you."

And the others likely know where this is going, have the chance to get out of the way if they do, because there's not about to be a warning, not with the light building and the power swelling at the top of the barrier, rather than the rooftop. R
"King's Pillar."
That's because the power falls through the rooftop - though this King's Pillar is a narrow one, at least, only consuming the back-half of thee room, falling on Otto and Sugata in equal measure, destroying half of the table, the chairs, the flooring beneath them - in a single, chilling instant of brutal power and force.

Were it not for the barrier, he'd be on the hook for buying the poor chef likely bound in some closet somewhere a brand new restaurant.

Count Otto attacked first. Aloisia has outright stated that she doesn't mind that she can't defend her honor, when they can do it for her.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
And the moment Aloisia finds her words, Rashmi gives up on the hope of good Hokkaido ramen. Closing her eyes with a sigh, she sets her menu down, smooths the skirt of her Barrier Jacket, and runs through her best options in such an enclosed area.

The gravity generator *is* a surprise, though, and of course it was *her* who got the cheap IDEA chair... which gives way explosively under the sudden shift in gravity and deposits her on the floor with a startled squeak.

But that doesn't keep her from being able to act, just stand; ten Barrets materialize in the air above her, lengthening out into the points of deadly-looking, golden swords, which orient not on Otto, but on the youma staff. "Don't," she says, slightly muffled by the floor, "you *even dare.* Chrono dear, I'll sweep up if you'd rather take out the trash?"

At which point King's Pillar makes an absolute mess of the senses -- especially hearing -- and now we'll just have to see what happens next.

Sequoia Maybach has posed:
    The truth is.
    Weisser Ritter-- no- Sequoia's heart is absolutely hammering in her chest.
    She's never picked a fight before, let alone threatened someone to their face-- or even behind their back. The fact of the matter is that Sequoia Maybach is not a fighter. She is a defender, a protector. But. Never before in her WHOLE LIFE has she wanted to strike a man down as much as she does right now.
    Aloisia sets a hand on her arm and that tears her intense attention off Otto to look back.
    "He won't understand any other way." She says to her fellow Belkan. And the fact of the matter is. As much as this moment scares her and quickens her heartbeat...
    It's thrilling.
    Is this it? Sequoia wonders to herself. Is this the moment I throw everything away for the sake of someone else? Is this the moment I stain my hands with blood for the sake of justice? To do what's right?
    Her own blood courses through her veins hot and fast as she levels her gaze back on Otto and he-- suddenly makes things heavier than a Saiyan training party.
    In that instant, Weisser Ritter clenches her teeth. Sweat beads on her brow as she struggles to remain standing, clutching her riot shield Device as she staggers to place herself in front of Aloe once again as the King's Pillar comes down.
    "--Stay behind me."
    <PANZERGEIST!> Her Device announces, raising a close range shield in front of herself and Aloisia defensively.

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown took a long, slow breath. When Otto crossed the line. Attacking like that... He'd ordered a simple ramen, but was still looking at the menu. Seemingly lost in thought. If the gravity phased him... he didn't show it.

Then again, he'd trained against, alongside and with Hannah. He'd seem this spell... many times.

But launching it near Aloisia was... That was a line too far. He had been intending to crash down on it... but...

Well...

He wasn't the only one, it seemed. He put the menu back on the table, before glancing back to Kingu, then Koji, Amy, Zephyr and even the resident pacifist.

He then got to his feet, albeit with a little struggle. IT wasn't Hannah's... but it was still holding some force. He then walked to Aloisia, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Shall we leave?" he asked. "You're safe. I can't force you to leave him, but we can ensure he doesn't lay a hand on you ever again."

He'd say something to Otto... call him a pathetic old man. Tell him he'd lost everything. Tell him he'd earned nothing. That his anger, his violence, his cruelty, his conniving had earned him nothing but a life on a world without proper magic. How the only thing approaching family he had was now gone. That he had lost it... and now he'd die alone, miserable, pathetic, with the best he could hope for was a spider youma caring for him.

But he didn't. The others attacked. The others launched assaults. All he focused on... was Aloisia.

"I can't promise he won't come after you again. And, unfortunately, the TSAB lacks the facilities to properly arrest him at this point. If he continues pursuit, he'll be killed. However, you deserve, and can have, a better life than he has offered you. With people who care for you, and fight for you. But the choice has to be yours. So... say the word and we'll take you somewhere safe." He held out his hand to hers.

"Do you accept asylum with the TSAB?"

There was likely... some... level of... off-world documentation that was being discussed and utilized here that most wouldn't understand. But well, Aloisia and Otto likely would. In summation: If she accepts... then Chrono is agreeing to put her under his protection... entirely.

Even to the point of killing Otto is he can't be detained... Which Chrono had already said they don't have the tools to do.

... Also, he seemed to almost be entirely ignoring Otto at this point. Letting the others deal with him like the trash he is.

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
Disruptor Field. The gravity is loosened, as the Binds crack into existence around Otto, an act which he swings the shadow of Blauer Grief through, slicing through those ribbons, then he plants the device in the ground in front of him, both hands on the handle of that cane as the gravity INTENSIFIES...

...But that disruptor field is still there.

"Of /course/ it's about me. I am the RIGHTFUL KING OF THARKAD. None of you even remotely come to my /level/." The sword part of the cane-sword is slid out of the 'sheathe' of the base of the cane as Wind Dancer declares that he is under arrest, a slash of darkness unleashed in the swift movement in response, aimed rather unceremoniously at her throat. "Just shut up. You have no authority over me, you TSAB whelp."

Amy speaks, and Otto glances towards her like she was something /disgusting/. "Why my niece would choose something like you was always beyond me. I'll be sure to wipe that stain from our family line after the others have been dealt with." How long have you since gotten used to the coward's way out.

"You don't know what it's like, to have been born without magic, to be born without the /talent/ for magic in a magical society. I have had to use every means available to me from the /start/, do NOT speak to me of the Coward's way ou--"

King's Pillar.

The waitstaff that have Barrets created and pointed at them?

...They uh.

They just leave.

Like there's an air of minimum wage 'I'm not paid enough for this' from them even as they just. Leave the room.

Probably going back to HR to report on their job today which they definitely did a good job on, I mean they did everything they were brought here to do!

...Some of the food in the kitchen goes undelivered, of course. For obvious reasons.

"I know he won't." Aloisia says softly to Sequoia, as that wave of explosion washes over them while Sequoia defends her from the ... thankfully highly focused attack.

Chrono walks over to Aloisia, and rests a hand on her shoulder. "...No, with others defending my honor, it is my duty to stay and witness." Aloisia says quietly in response to Chrono. She pauses, as she listens to the rest of Chrono's words, her head shifting slightly, in that reduced gravity. "...I..." She pauses, "I will accept it, but I also have a request."

She leans in, "That you overlook the use of a Lost Logia, shortly."

She reaches into her dress, a hand grasping something.

{SCHWERKRAFT GUT.}

As the smoke clears from King's Pillar, once again, that shadow of Blauer Grief intones a spell, lifted and pointed to the center of the group. "If I cannot have her, then she, and all of you, are of no use to me. And I'm certain that the Crown of Succession shall survive this."

And in the center of the room, a Gravity Well sparks into existence, beginning to draw things into the center of the room, with simple intent.

To render the room, and everyone inside of it, with the exception of Otto Von Karstein-Steiner into a ball of compressed matter.

...Luckily, there are several barrier and counter-spell specialized mages in the room.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
    << *BONG!* >> << SOLAR SHIELD -- GLACE SHIFT >>

As the gravity well implodes into being, the first counter Rashmi can think of is a Shield ringing where the table was, a mostly-physical barrier set to stand against the forces dragging her friends to a messy -- if compact -- doom.

"Is *that* what this is about?" she says, straining to pick herself up off the ground. "You have worse coping skills than a nine-hundred-year-old toddler, and now it's *everyone else's* problem? No *wonder* you had to murder your way toward the throne, you couldn't lead *three line cooks,* much less an interplanetary kingdom."

Koji Silvia has posed:
It is possible to roll one's eyes in the middle of chaos like this?

Yes... yes it is.

As Koji does so, and then gravity sphere is thrown into the middle of the room like that, he ends it... with a SMILE.

    "You're right... none of us could stoop that low. It's very telling you made your Device as a cane. Now... I get my revenge, and I don't even have to lift a finger against you. That's what I love about this. I get to sit here, with her, and watch you get PUT at your level."

He lifts his hand, and several smaller incantation circles appear around the the sphere.

    "Kami, if you weren't so TIRED, this might actually be worth putting effort in."

    << MULTI-DISRUPTOR. BLADE FORM. >>

Six circles generate six blazing blue-white spears, that each lance passing through Rashmi's Shield, and into the center of the gravity, and as they warp, they begin spreading along it like a reverse sickness, white and cleansing lines branching and fading, spreading, fighting the effect as best they can.

    "Actually... just in case, Miss Stauss... use this instead."

A battered and old Belkan Zweihander Storage Device comes out and is held out to her. A sword she had seen a dozen dozen times on her journey to this world, one of a dozen that was hanging there, for ceremonies, rescued as the last rememberance of her home.

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    < PING > < ARMOUR SKIN! KITE SHIELD! >

    A layer of purple magic forms as an aura around Zephyr's skin, and a spell seal appears to catch the dark slash of energy. The twin layers blunt the strike, but both shatter from the impacts.

    "Let it be known that the criminal has refused to use his right to remain silent, and is engaging in aggressive and lethal assault on multiple Magi and a civilian... lethal force is authorized."

    < PING > < STUN MODE IS CANCELLED. >

    "Charge cycle, shift up!"

    < PING > < SHIFT UP. IMPULSE BARRET TEHUANTEPECER SHIFT >
    Multiple grapefruit-sized barrets form around her, slowly tugged toward the black hole, they boil with wind-mana, then lance off into elongated 'homing lasers' skirting around the area to land around Otto, trying to disrupt his stance and composure.

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown blinked as... Otto just... really. There was so much arrogance there. So much... cruelty. Stupidity. The man had been given so much... but he lacked magic... and so he decided to take and destroy.

            <<Stinger Blade!>>

Chrono put his staff down, tapping it on the ground... And three swords of magic appeared around Otto. Spinning, then jamming down, to try and pierce... his device. To attempt to shatter it... and, if they hit him? well, he wasn't aiming to hit the man... But they weren't 'stunning' now. He had no qualms about using lethal force on a creature like him. As much as he would prefer to protect, to save, to rehabilitate...

They didn't have the resources, currently, to contain someone with magic. Neutralizing him, destroying his access to magic... and possibly taking his life... seemed to be the only options. And during moments like this? The TSAB side of him, the side that would do whatever needed to be done... showed through.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"Maybe so, but I know what I see, and that's enough", the Princess of Sarek retorts with little interest for the story of his life, the only indication of her feelings a brief twitch from her ears. Leave that to your autobiography. Or to your therapist, if you can find one willing to put up with you.

The calling card she had prepared travels and explodes in front of his face with glittering moonlight, not a harmful explosion, but one that if successful will take away his sight for a brief time. "Lunar Glare"

And then the ruby on her finger's ring and shines brightly. "Leave Aloisia alone", she orders, but with that gravity well, she becomes ethereal, stopping gravity from working on her, and moving through the table to reappear at his side. "Seven-hued Flame!", she shouts, her cane pointed at him with the handle towards him, releasing a stream of fire towards Otto.

Sequoia Maybach has posed:
    That's not good.
    That's not good at all. When the brilliant light of the King's Pillar fades and Otto is not only still standing but casts another spell.
    One that summons a highly powerful gravity well to suck everything in.
    That's bad.
    That's very bad.
    "Uhhhhh."
    Think Sequoia! Think!
    Bracing her stance to not get pulled in, she taps her shield.
    "Schutzschild we got anything for this!?"
    <JA!> Her Device replies.
    "Okay, let's do it!"
    A Belkan triangle appears beneath Weisser Ritter's feet as she focuses on a spell...
    <SICHERER EINDAMMUNGSSCHUTZ!>
    This prompts several layers of defensive and protective walling and barriers to help contain the new gravity well.

Sugata Shindo has posed:
The waitstaff are allowed to leave, of course. This band of allies cloistered around Aloisia isn't made up of animals, after all. Anyone working for this man, be they human, youma, or other, deserves to be allowed to flee his presence.

King's Pillar doesn't kill him, which is a pity. There are representatives of the law here, but Ginga Kingu doesn't need a government's authority to put down a threat. Apparently he does need more power than he's brought to bear to finish the job though, a fact he can't help but find irritating.

A gravity well opens, a spell seeking to claim them, and light flares from Ginga Kingu's heels, his own variation of flight kicking in, providing counter thrust to that sucking maw. His fist goes to his chest, slamming against it as the symbol of Samekh impressed within his being glows, and allows his weapon to be summoned.

"Star Swordo. Diamante."

Let those suited focus on defense. Ginga Kingu makes a clean, decisive thrust for Otto's heart, sword in hand. They're striking him from every angle, but they aren't guaranteed to hit. Closing in at range is a risk, but one with every chance of reward.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    The 'rightful king of tharkad.' "Man you'd fit right in on Earth. I guess humans are the same everywhere."

    "And you have no authority over us." She says confidently.

    When Otto looks at her with disgust, thanks to others' efforts to lessen the gravity, Amy just stands proud and smiles. Although calling Hannah a stain gets her glaring again in an instant.

    Without magic? "Oh, boo-hoo. And I didn't have the talent for social--"

    KING'S PILLAR!

    If I can't have her, then she and you, are of no use to me.

    Amy grins and holds her hands out to her sides. "At last! You're honest."

    And then gravity happens, and it's lucky there are people to counter it, but.

    Rashmi says he can't lead, and Amy shakes her head. "Oh, no, that's not what it's about. It's like... imagine someone who wants to conquer a bunch of Europe, like now, modern 21st-century Europe, no matter who has to die, just so he can call himself the next Holy Roman Emperor. But in space. That's it. That's his whole deal. Being crowned King of Tharkad is just the first step, so he can use their military to start that war. He just wants a damn title, and measures every life by how it can help him get it. That's it."

    Dismissive words, but... That could have been close. If she -- and her soul gem -- got crushed...

    Amy glances over some of the others, evaluating.

    Aloisia, who everyone here is fighting to protect. Although she's also about to Do Something that is likely incredibly dangerous.

    Weisser Ritter, the most indestructible in raw toughness -- but will that mean anything if she gets caught in a black hole?

    Chrono, veteran of years of magical battles. He's fought people who fight like Otto more than any of them.

    Rashmi, her dear friend who's already lost so much. Who tries to hang back in a support role.

    And it's thinking of Rashmi and who they both lost that reminds her, even if Amy's pledged her all to deleting this opponent... She should really try to live.

    Still. some precaution must be taken. Molly did not intend to meet her doom, and it still happened. Amy walks over to her friend, her right hand dipping into her right belt pouch, then her left wrist.

    And she tries to press soul gem and grief seed into Rashmi's hand. "Please. Just in case." She nods at the black hole(s) going on.

    Once that's handled... well, the fight has begun. And she's not sure what will actually get Otto. She's tried throwing everything she had at him before. She'll have to be more creative and think of something, or make use of an opening someone else makes.

    In the meantime...

    Amy circles around the black hole, trying to get a bead on Otto. She holds up her hand in a fingergun gesture and

    CRACK-thip!

    She's... trned the power of her attack down? The explosion at her fingertip barely bothers her, and a tiny bit of incandescently-hot metal like a spark is flung at Otto, breaking into burning-hot powder hitting at absurd speed but lacking the kinetic energy to do much by the time it hits.

    But still, it probably hurts and stings! And might burn flammable things!

    CRACK-thip! CRACK-thip! CRACK-thip! She keeps doing it while she plans her next move, keeping up the pressure of small annoyance until he realizes what she's doing and figures out a way to ignore it.

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
A shield appears over that gravity well, starting the containment as the inner contents of the shield are drawn in and compacted -- the only damage it really is capable of doing before the Multi-Disruptor strikes the spell. The gravity beginning to spread, to take over it, as gravity is reversed in that center, the compressed matter starting to revert... sort of. Okay it's kind of more flung around where it starts to ~ping~ around inside of that barrier. And the Zweihander Storage Device is pulled out and handed to Aloisia, who takes it in one hand, swinging it slightly, testingly.

"...Death is too good for you, 'father'... all of the crimes you have committed. Your coup caused hundreds of deaths."

She pulls a certain Crown out of her dress, lifting it towards her head as the Device in her hand glows.

"You have caused no less than 500 war orphans."

"Disrupted the lives of /millions/."

"You have forsaken family, engaging in regicidal fratricide leaving the crown princess with no true family."

"The Crown of Succession, Set Up."

Laser shoot out from Zephyr's attack, shooting out those grapefruit-sized homing lasers, as Aloisia lowers the crown onto her head, GOLDEN binds beginning to ring around and entrap Count Otto.

"Death is not enough for you."

"Exile is not enough for you."

Aloisia is replaced with the Princess of Nothing once more, though this time, her armor is pristine, and she holds the zweihander in her hand as she is covered in the barrier jacket of Kings.

The Crown of Succession already beginning to degrade purely from the activation.

"This life is mine."

She points the sword towards Count Otto Steiner.

Around Aloisia, Stinger Blades shoot past her towards the Device that Count Otto reflexively brought up defensively, stabbing into it in three different places, cracks beginning to form in the corrupted facsimile of Blauer Grief.

Defensive and Protective walling and barriers contain what was left of the gravity well, wind blowing outwards from that sealed off gravity well's influence being cut off.

And then a moon appears on the ground, as Otto is blinded, and then a seven-hued flame washes over him, causing him to cry out in pain.

Amy circles around the black hole, darting that finger-gun into place... and then... CRACK.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

Otto's already-cracking barrier jacket starts to burn away as that burning magic takes hold.

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
"...For your crimes, I, the Tyrant of Nothing, declare your sentence."

"You shall be given over to the True Prison of Magic."

The Star Sword, Diamante thrusts through Otto's chest.

"The Karstein-Steiner name is eternally tarnished by your actions, their noble titles stripped."

"For one of us, this is a blessing. For you, a curse. With your stripped titles, you shall also be stripped of your magic."

As if knowing the dramatic timing, the shade of Blaur Grief's rapidly spreading cracks result in the cane-sword SHATTERING, its fragments falling to the ground, as Aloisia points her sword towards Otto.

"DAS WAHRE GEFANGNIS DER MAGIE."

Those golden bindings suddenly expand in complexity, something likely only possible with the power of a Lost Logia behind it from the ridiculous complexity, before...

"...I hope you suffer the same eternity of torment you inflicted on me."

They close in on Otto Steiner.

They extract his Linker Core.

And then? Gold energy consumes him...

And he is simply...

Gone.

And Aloisia falls to her knee, as the Crown of Succession crumbles from her forehead, leaving behind only tarnished gemstones that hold very little power in them any longer.

"..."

...And Aloisia just sinks fully to sitting on the ground there.
Starting to cry.

Koji Silvia has posed:
Koji just... exhales when it happens, and finally stands up from his spot. Moving slowly around the table, he looks around at the vanishing magics of the now-gone Count, and the others. He dispels his own magics since they're not needed, and shifts the air around them all with a quick Phantom Zone so that as it all collapses back in again to normality... people get time to finish changing back... or deal with things.

Stopping next to Chrono and Rashmi, he says, "The sword is hers. It never responded to me. If nothing else, it's only fitting that she can use those ancient parts to help build something new out of this. So she's always got a piece of her real home in her Device."

Eyes flick, and somehow once more the reflection is back over his eyes as he adds gently, "When you are done with helping her out... I could use a little time to talk. Either with just you Rashmi, or both of you. But I think for now you should all civvie back down and help her get herself sorted. I'll keep us covered until then and keep an eye out for anyone who's watching this little drama for their own benefit."

Patting both on their shoulders, he turns to depart, putting his hands in his pockets, but adding with a grin, "Hey Kingu... one of these days maybe we'll actually get to go to a place to eat that ISN'T going to attack us. Wouldn't that be a trip."

But with that he goes back outside to watch... to wait... to be that quiet guardian so others can have their moment with their friend.

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    CRRRRK. TSSSSHHHHHK.

    CRRRNK.

    Zephyr's Device purges its coolant, then dismisses to its Standby form as she turns from the True Prison of Magic and its new occupant as it vanishes, "Perpetrator eliminated... securing to Stun Mode..." she turns to look at Chrono. "I'll submit a report later, Officer Harlaown." she adds, then drops to hug Aloisia.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Aloisia can use the crown in some kind of Light Mode now. Neat! Who knows how a Lost Logia aligned against their opponent will help?

    Now, Magical Rocket Girl Red plans ahead. Considering. She can do even more missiles at once now than when she last fought Otto... but is that really a winning strategy? It didn't seem to work, last time. Maybe she can just hit him with one really big shaped charge or explosively-formed projectile? He hasn't seen her mess around with variations of that magic besides missiles yet. Catch him at a vulnerable time, with buffs she might be able to just put a hole through him.

    Or maybe... Chrono has some kinda trap magic. Maybe they could work together to make like. explosive traps. Imagine Otto flying into a bunch of Chrono's binds and each one is also a claymore to the face.

    Or maybe... hmm. Could there be some weird way to weaponize cuteness magic she hasn't thought of yet? It worked on Calaveras's ghosts. She and her friends will all have to come up with new tricks, to finally take down

    did that golden magic just rip out his soul.

    ???!???

    Amy's reactive wince happens faster than remembering that she hates him. She remembers how much having that ripped out of you hurts, and will never forget it.

    She stares in awe, and then he's gone, and the linker core is gone, and the Lost Logia is out of power.

    Amy turns to Aloisia. "Uhhh, where did he--" she starts to ask, but seeing her crying, the question dies on her lips, and she runs over to offer the girl a hug. Or at least a shoulderpat -- there are probably a lot crowding in to hug right now.

Sequoia Maybach has posed:
    That is... Quite possibly the last thing Sequoia was expecting to happen.
    Sure, she expected the other Mahou to do the right thing, beat up the bad guy, and all that.
    But then Aloisia uses the Crown.
    "What? --What are you doin...g?" She trails right off.
    Otto is gone.
    Like. Between getting stabbed in the heart and the crown being put to use, the man is gone.
    "A... That... You..."
    Sequoia's blood runs cold through her veins at the implications of what just happened. She's so shocked that she drops her Device, the massive riot shield hitting the floor with a heavy CLANK.
    <AUTSCH.> The shield declares, annoyed.
    All she can do is stare quietly, frozen in place, as Aloe starts to cry.
    "..."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
When the Soul Gem and Grief Seed are shoved into her hands, Rashmi for just a moment looks *furious.* But ten she crosses the outer edge of a Shield already being degraded by insane gravitic forces, and realization dawns; it's not foolhardiness, it's simply trust. Thus, her hands close over the objects, and nods.

And then...

*Then.

Rashmi will never, ever lie if asked about this moment in the future, and admit to the fact that the bottom dropped out of her stomach when the True Princess of Nothing made her presence known. And then *made her fury known.*

But she had her senses, and had her faculties... And had enough power to... delete Otto from existence? That... will be a sight that takes its rotation in her unpacking-this-nonsense nightmares for a while to come.

But when it's all over, and the crown crumbles, and ALoisia crumbles, and begins to cry... Rashmi understands. A door can't get much more closed than what just happened, and her friend has a *lot* to grapple with, in the days to come.

Quietly gathering up the gemstones, Rashmi then scoots over to the other side of Aloisia, wrapping arms around the Belkan and just hugging the poor girl. Let her cry it out.

<< Thank you, Hanzo-kun. >>

Sugata Shindo has posed:
The sword sinks into Count Otto's chest. Sugata's aim was true, but the man was in combat, and moving, and whether or not his heart was struck or not is beyond concern, because shortly afterwards -

"Well met, Princess," Ginga Kingu greets, briefly, as judgement is passed, and the man's soul is ripped out, his body dissipating.

...So that's what ctrl-alt-delete looks like in real life. A thought he had never imagined he would have, but certainly is having now.

In the aftermath, the crown crumbles, and so does it's bearer, and Ginga Kingu coughs, a bit awkwardly, and suggests, "Perhaps we should try something else for dinner. Order in on campus? Or, something along those lines?"

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown had... wanted to say so many things. Things he was supposed to say. He was supposed to tell her 'No, don't.' Or try and stop her. Or even arrest her... He... was supposed to do a lot.

And he did none of it. His report would say 'Wasn't able to act in time'... but... admittedly? He hadn't wanted to. Otto... was a monster. He got what he likely deserved. An end. An anticlimatic end to a hollow, empty man. Shunted off... somewhere.

But now? Now Aloisia was crying. And... He nodded to Koji. Yes. They could talk later. For now? Aloisia was crying and oh thank goodness Rashmi was hugging her. Zephyr was too. He didn't have to. Whew.

"Aloisia-san, I'll work with my contacts to ensure that you have no issues adapting to this world as a citizen." He means Setsuna. His contact is Setsuna. He has others, but she's the primary one.

"... You won't be alone anymore..." Pause. "But I'm still going to be inspecting your room from time to time to ensure that proper measurements of care are being taken. Now... yes. Let's... go get some food... somewhere else... when, errrr... you're all ready."

... This is why he was happy he had assistants. He did NOT do the hugging thing well. The most he liked to do was give a pat on the head.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
There is a moment where the attention of the Princess of Sarek wanes away from Otto, despite her desire for him to stop being a problem for Aloisia, when the Princess of Nothingness makes her return, but Aloisia soon makes it clear without a single doubt she is in control now, and her attention refocuses on who has been causing trouble for far too long.

It is really good to know that she now doesn't have to fear neither man nor crown, that both of those who gave so much trouble simply have no hold onto her life ever again. She did it. She got her own freedom.

"You did it, Aloisia", the Princess of Sarek whispers, approaching her and reaching out gently with a hand on her back, and Veronica waits out for Aloisia to let out all of those feelings. For all the tension that she broke out of.

"Probably something along those lines", she agrees with Ginga Kingu. When Aloisia has taken the time to cry out the tension, Veronica drops down and leaves the rectangle of felt with the Unstoppable Sister, the Bishop and her. "I had made you this. I wanted to give it to you in a calmer moment, but someone always has your back even when things are at their darkest", she leaves the embroidery on the ground where Aloisia can take it.

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
Even now that everything is over, Aloisia was holding onto that sword, almost unwilling to believe it's actually over now. That the whole incident is Done. Even as she sat there crying. Just letting the tears fall at this point, letting a lifetime of emotions roll out over her cheeks. "It's... it's finally over... this... this whole thing... I'm finally truly, fully free." She says quietly, even as people start to come over to hug her. To comfort her. "He's... in the True Prison of Magic." Is the only response that Amy gets from her, which absolutely does not really explain where he is.

...Frankly she's not entirely sure of the 'where' that is.

"...Yeah. ...That sounds good. ...Ramen still sounds good but." She glances around at the now-restored room. That is, well. Kind of more of a storage room than a banquet hall in the wake of things.

Chrono gets a small nod as he addresses her, extending his care in his own way. "... I appreciate it, Enforcer Harlaown." She says quietly. "...And uh. Give me... a little extra time before the next inspection, I don't think that my room has been touched since I disappear and it's probably far below spec."

Eventually she finds the strength to start standing again, using that ceremonial zweihander to help, as she picks up that embroidery, quietly looking over it. She smiles softly, giving a small bow of her head towards the Princess of Sarek. "...Thank you."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy watches Aloisia overcome with relief. Her explanation just gets a slight nod. Now is not the time for Amy to demand answers. And she can figure out well enough from that name: It is either a place the Ancient Belkans created for this purpose, or it is one they found and declared suitable for this purpose.

    She's not sure which is worse for Otto, and finds she doesn't care, save that either way there might be some way to escape due to the ancient Belkans' wizard hubris--

    But Otto is a man without natural magical ability, and his Device just shattered.

    He is just a mortal human now, and for their purposes, the True Prison of Magic, whatever it is, is probably Enough.

    She moves in to hug Aloisia after the others, and then goes back to the kitchen to get their orders the youma prepared and bring them out. May as well.

Sugata Shindo has posed:
With things sorted, slightly, and the - emotions - cooling, Ginga Kingu drops henshin, returning to his civilian attire, and nods in Koji's direction.

"One of these days we'll manage, and it will be so shocking we forget to enjoy the meal," he says dryly. "But given that we've already had the interruption, we should be spared the rest of the night."

He isn't one of those who offers hugs, but he does catch Aloisia's eye for a moment, and nods briefly to her. Congratulating her for the imprisonment of her father doesn't seem - appropriate, given her reaction, even if it's clearly what the man deserved. Better to focus on something everyone can agree on: food, and the having of it.

Koji Silvia has posed:
For the actively Device-inclined... Koji's telepathic voice actually comes as a heavy sigh from his position outside...

    <<Hey... if this is going to turn into A Thing. I've got enough hot ramen and toppings, onigiri, gyoza, daikon seaweed salads, and dessert mochi stashed in here that we can all go sit up at the top of the Tower, eat, watch the sun set, and just call this a day.>>

     <<Just saying. Someone hit the vending machines for drinks and we can be on our way.>>

Rashmi Terios has posed:
<< ...Y'know what? That sounds *fantastic.* >> Is Rashmi's answer to Hanzo's suggestion. "So hey," she says aloud, "how about we do a group dinner on the Tower? Hanzo says he's got everything but the drinks on hand, and a couple of us could pop into a conbeni on the way?"

Never, *ever* pass up a chance for skyscraper snacks. Feeling wonder at the possibilities inherent on being magical is an essential part of a mahoujin's balanced diet.