415/A Fresh Kappa

A Fresh Kappa
Date of Scene:	13 September 2023
Location:	Pikarigaoaka Ward
Synopsis:	A Mysterious Figure(tm) sends a youkai after Kureha. Passersby just happen to be magical girls. Erika gets smashed off a nice Kyoto Punch.
Cast of Characters:	Kureha Senkenzan, Hinata Muramasa, Coco Kiumi, Rashmi Terios, Erika Shimizu

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Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Kureha Senkenzan is pretty far afield of her usual appearances at Radiant Heart or elsewhere in the city. She's been through Pikarigaoaka once or twice before on other business - one recent occasion in particular a certain Device-user might recall - but this evening's trip had been entirely a chore of her father's making. A visit to a small, traditional old shop making calligraphy supplies, the only place he would even remotely tolerate Kureha getting her supplies from. Ordering online from a more distant and equally high-quality craftsman would not do, no; they had to go all the way out here, in person, because it's 'proper' to do so.

    At least, for once, Kureha gets to walk alongside the one attendant she actually trusts... and in fact, pretty much the only person she trusts. Chisa walks beside her in a businesslike dress, as the duo casually stride alongside a small river on their way back towards where the car is parked and waiting. Chisa carries the bag, of course; Kureha had wanted to, but the servant had quite firmly insisted.

    ----------

    Meanwhile, nearby, faint ripples of darkness swirl beneath a bridge a short ways behind. Something that could be a tail sways and shimmies, and a hand tipped in claws curls and swirls elongated fingers. Talking to itself, the figure murmurs, "The smell... youkai... musume... how strong...?" before waving its hand - and casting a ball of darkness into the water, one that is already starting to take a vaguely humanoid shape as it zips up the river in the direction of a kimono-clad girl. Meanwhile, the tailed figure darts in another direction entirely, rippling as it fades from sight.

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Calligraphy is another young girls hobby, and her family know this shop well enough. The youngest scion of the Muramasa family walks along a similar path alone, carrying a small bag of supplies of her own. She doesn't recognize either Chisa nor Kureha, keeping her eyes downcast as she walks.

    She'd promised her siblings she wouldn't take too long, so is almost scurrying along, though attempting to keep a dignified composure.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco has going shop through shop, examining all the items being sold: she took note of various things among which a set of golden dice with tiny carvings, a carnelian gemstone carved in the shape of a sea serpent, a marble plate with veeners of silver and gold decorating it with air motifs, a tiny golden bell with a soothing chime, but none of that really struck her as something appropriate. The last one maybe...

But no, the princess shakes her head, she feels they are destined elsewhere. The yellow-haired girl keeps walking, until her feet bring her back to the local museum. 'I guess it doesn't hurt trying', she thinks, entering the premises with a quick pace.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Since her training has started in earnest, Rashmi has been on patrol now and again, of an evening. Not for monsters, or a fight to pick, but for something at once more urgent and less dangerous. It does mean, though that she's been flying in more or less a grid pattern over the park, with Nicomachea keeping a magical eye out for her 'quarry.'

It does mean, though, that she's well placed to look down upon crossing the river, and see a strange wake speeding along the river, opposing its normal flow.

Well, *this* bears investigating...

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Hinata? Alone? Nah dawg that's now how this is gonna go.
    ERIKA SHIMIZU is with her, see.
    "I'll sing you a song, it's a song of the sea~o/`" The blonde chirrups as she follows after her friend.
    "I'll sing you a song if you'll sing it with me-- and it's row, me bully boys, row~o/`" She sings merrily while keeping pace with Hina to walk her home, as a good friend does.
She's COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS to Kureha, her attendant, or the dark rippling presence.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    As Kureha and Chisa walk, the black-haired girl turns crimson eyes towards the sound of singing - giving her a glimpse at Hinata and Erika. The one girl singing foreign sea shanties draws a bit of a quizzical look, but the other... that's a posture she recognizes all too well, a poise she's forced to carry herself. She might not know the girl, but at the very least she knows... well, at least that she's looking at someone in similar circumstances. Whether the girl is like her, she has no way to tell. But it's at least worthy of an appraising look. Coco, meanwhile, she misses entirely, not seeing her slip into the museum. Chisa does see her, but there's only a vague glance of curiosity, no more.

    Naturally, she's not looking upward, so she completely misses the Incredible Flying Terios.

    As they walk, the attendant leans over and asks in a soft tone, "My lady, I heard from Emi that the two of you were in this area recently... would you perhaps like a spot of Indian food before we return?" Kureha looks surprised - and then, very unlike her, deeply embarrassed. "...I-I didn't think she'd..." Huff. "...m-maybe. I'm not sure how close by it-"

    Abruptly, the water plumes, and a shadowy figure hurtles up and out. It utters a hissing, garbled cry, crimson eyes the only defined feature of it - but the shadow defining its body takes a shape familiar to anyone who knows their folklore. A beaked muzzle, a shelled back, webbed claws, and a shallow indent in its head; it's entirely easy to see the shape of a kappa. Unfortunately, it moves with suddenness and surprise, and so when it leaps up the concrete embankment towards Chisa and Kureha, they're left with precious little time to react.

    Chisa's first instinct, as it turns out, is to shield Kureha.

    She moves to the side, throwing herself in front of the smaller girl; which only results in the shadowy youma's claws passing through her lower back. There is no blood, no wound - only streamers of energy, as the kappa's claws drain some of it away. Almost immediately, the woman slumps, like a puppet with her strings cut; Kureha catches her and just barely manages to get the woman to the ground safely, but she's already fainted dead away.

    Without heed of where she is or who might be watching, Kureha's hand lifts up to her magatama pendant, and a blazing flame begins to whirl around her. "How dare you-" And she doesn't even wait for her henshin to complete before throwing the first punch - though it's one the youma easily evades, furious and telegraphed.

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Hinata's soft smile is the only indication she actually enjoys the bawdy and loud blonde girls singing. The pair are a mismatch made in heaven, their personalities somehow meshing well because of the differences, not in spite of them.

    SPWOOOOSH.

    The sound of /something/ leaping out of the water breaks the companionable mood, and Hinata tenses as the, shadow-kappa leaps and slashes someone who them crumples like a broken puppet.

    She then watches as Kureha just, blazes with power, literally and figuratively.

    A side-glance at Erika is all the warning she gives as she steps forward, pulling a fragment of metal from within her blouse. She then recites a Haiku, as sakura blossoms begin to swirl around her.
    "Good habitation
    A luminous, dark flame eats
    because of the sword"

    The blossoms obscure her completely, as her eyes flash from green to black. Where once Hinata Muramasa once stood, now stands the Shadow Shogun. "Rally Great Heros. A Thousand Cherry Blossoms float by!" she intones as se holds her hand to one side. In a swirl of blossoms, a bamboo flute appears in her grasp and she brings it to her lips to begin playing, a rapid, jumpy tune, the music echoing through the streets as its magic reaches out to those around, bolstering their speed.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Annnnd there's a big splash.
    Of course with that big splash comes a terrible shadowy figure looming with malice and menace, reaching out to strike down the innocent. And it's as the kappa-shaped shadow lunges at Kureha and Chisa that Erika shoots Hinata a glance right back.
    In an instant the glinting glitter of a golden coin dances in her fingers, flitting from knuckle to knuckle before she flips it into the air.
    "And it was such a nice day, too... Alright fine...! Under a black flag we sail and the sea shall be our empire! Take what you can! Give nothing back!" She declares as she catches the coin.
    In an instant her clothes are replaced with the regalia of a pirate; bicorne hat, naval greatcoat and breeches and boots.
    And as Hinata-- now the Shadow Shogun- boosts her speed, the pirate-themed mahou breaks into a full-tilt sprint.

    o/` ~ "Well the First Mate is platin' the captain aboard... He looks like a peacock with pistols and sword, and it's row me bully boys row!" ~ o/`
    She... Doesn't stop singing. The merry tune of her shanty lifting up a little discordantly with the flute playing, but hey.
    Pirate's gonna pirate as--
    Oh.
    Oh...
    That's that oni-strengthed car-flinging girl isn't it.
    "Well fancy running into you here, lass, har har... Need a hand with his scallawag?" She asks, drawing a pair of flintlock pistols from her coat and pelting the shadow-kappa with a one-two shot with a krak-krak-boom!-boom!

Rashmi Terios has posed:
The Incredible Flying Terios has a perfect, bird's-eye view of the water exploding upward near the bank, and an honest-to-goodness *kappa* launching out to attack--

Is that *Kureha-san?!*

Even if she *was* aout to help anyhow, that settles it. Taking advantage of a newfound burst of speed -- and the flute is a *really pretty* instrument just for its own sake, isn't it? -- she angles herself straight toward the ground, she lurches into a dive, halts a couple feet from the ground, rights herself, *then* touches dirt, crouching protectively over the fallen Chisa. "Are you okay?!" she shouts to the smol oni, even as Nicomachea has something different to say about the situation;

    << *BONG!* >> << SOLAR HEAL >>

An intricate magical seal spins out underneath herself and the downed woman, emitting a warm, soothing light upward. It's definitely not likely to undo what was done to her, but it will *certainly* keep her stabilized until what even happened can be determined. "Nicomachea," she says, holding out her hand for the book to drop, already open, into. "I need as thorough an analysis of what happened to her as you can give me. That was some kind of energy; I need to know what."

    << *BONG!* >> << COMMAND INPUT RECOGNIZED. >>

    << INVESTIGATION >>

As the circles and diagrams start to do their arcano-futuristic things, Rashmi looks up at Kureha. "I'll try to figure out what happened, and *I will protect her.* You have my word."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco is making her way to the shop of the museum when vigorous flute music reaches her ears, something that does attract her attention, her finer hearing letting her pick it up despite the distance. Curious about who is the talented player, she figures there is no harm in a break, heading outside. The mermaid princess heads back to the open air, trying to track down the flute player, who has in the meantime disappeared.

'I was looking forward to it', she complains to herself, moving her gaze just about everywhere, finding no flute player, instead finding some sort of theatrical reenactment by the river, with two japanese warriors, a pirate and some sort of vaguely military outfit?

She is about not to give the group a second glance when it hits her that she knows three of those, and that they are facing some sort of weird monster with green skin, a beak and a flat hat of some kind. Turning quickly towards a section of the building that can cover her from more populated areas, Coco brings her arms to the shell locket on her neck.

"Yellow Pearl Voice!" she declares, the pearl in her shell locket responding to her will and starting to shine with a yellow light. A kaleidoscope of colours covers Coco's clothes as those change into her yellow gloves and boots with flowy extensions, as well as a yellow blouse with a yellow skirt, while her pearl expands into her trusty E-Pitch microphone, its blue shape settling comfily into her hand, the jewel nestled safely in the head's center.

"Jolly Roger, Flame girl, Technobook", she blurts out, two of the three names improvised on the moment (they never did tell her of an appropriate nickname), "is she alright?" she asks about the unconscious attendant on the ground. "I am Yellow Pearl Voice", she adds as a quick presentation to the other girl with japanese armour, not taking her eyes of the kappa.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    The horned girl swings left and right, the kappa managing to evade her first swing or two easily; but as her transformation catches up to her intent, her blows become more difficult to dodge - and then the sound of a flute hits her, and suddenly her fist moves fast enough to clip the shadow youkai on the shoulder.

    The effect is significant, even for just a glancing blow. The kappa is knocked off its feet and spun through the air, uttering a furious hiss. Curiously, one webbed hand also goes up to its head, frantically covering the shallow indentation there. It manages to tumble and recover quickly, only to immediately start taking flintlock pistolfire, shielding its face frantically while the magical musket balls shred wisps of shadowy energy off of it. Kureha whips her head around to look first at the flute-playing samurai, then the twin-pistol pirate, not sure whether to be furious at them or not - but after a beat, she just grits her sharpened teeth and goes on the attack again. "I'm fine," she insists with a hiss, not even looking over her shoulder at Rashmi when she replies.

    Nicomachea's analysis will come back as perhaps something of a relief. It looks to be nothing more than garden-variety youma drain. A bit of a sharp drain, enough to conk her out, but not enough to put her life in danger. Though if it had been able to hit her again, it probably would have started being pretty serious. But as it stands, Rashmi's healing is likely to ensure the woman returns to consciousness pretty soon. She even stirs a little where she lies, but no more than that.

    When Coco transforms, Kureha looks over her shoulder at the sound, drawn by recognition of someone she's running into at yet another youma attack. It's a wide-eyed look, an expression of surprise that might well have evolved eventually into an 'are you kidding me?!' of some sort... except that it's at that exact moment, while she's distracted, that the kappa goes on the attack.

    It slings its arms, left-right-left, unleashing rapid-fire blobs of shadowy 'water' that fly like bullets. The Shadow Shogun and the Jolly Roger alike come under water-shot assault, and when Kureha takes that as a chance to dive in, it immediately retaliates, expecting her assault - and responding by unleashing a wall of water at the oni, who throws up her arms in front of herself and takes the darkness splash head-on.

    She comes out of it with narrowed eyes, observing aloud, "You're certainly doing a fine job of protecting your head..."

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Water shots come flying in on the flute playing samurai. The flute is her slowest stance by far, and it takes a moment to swich out.

    It's that moment as she tosses the flute aside, the echo of her music still lingering for a few moments, that she takes the hit direct to her center of mass. She skids back, digging twin furrows under her sandaled feet, while she summons something else. A staff with rings hanging off of a ring-shaped head, and a brace of white paper slips with kanji etched onto them. 'Restrain' 'Purity' 'Solace' 'Redemption', amongst others. Her armour took the brunt of the hit, but she's looking a bit winded for a moment before she throws a trio of seals at the Kappa. Purity and Restraint, seeking to weaken and slow the monster down for the others to get in some good hits. "Try to empty the bowl on its head. That's a Kappa's weak point." she offers helpfully to those who may not know the lore behind this particular youkai. She taps the butt of her staff on the ground as the slips fly, triggering their effects so they stick to the target.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I *know* you're fine," Rashmi says, with some actual asperity in her voice, "I was *worried* about your *friend who had gotten hurt,* but it looks like she'll be okay too. But she's going to recover soon, and I don't like the thought of just leaving her all alone, waking up and thinking you've gone missing."

    << *BONG!* >> << STRIKE -- BOOST UP >>

A wispy golden ball of light rises from the pages of the book, then darts out at Kureha, suffusing her fists with a warm, golden light. "So kick its butt already!" This last, said more as a cheer than an angry directive. Because if the Onihime can do one thing, it's kick some yokai butt.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    No sooner than she unloads her pistols, Jolly Roger tosses them aside. They dissolve into seafoam and glitter as they hit the ground before the pirate-themed mahou doffs her hat and takes a bow towards the oni-themed hard hitter.
    "Har~. Fine ye may be, but this'll go a lot easier with the help." She points out.
    As the kappa flings blobby inky dark water.
    Jolly Roger takes a tumbling Dark Souls dodge roll to the ground that ends in a baseball slide under the splash to avoid getting hit as she stands herself up.
    "Oho! Yellow Pearl Voice! Good of ye to be joinin' us!" She calls back to the mermaid princess before she reaches into her greatcoat.
    And promptly drops a cannon to the ground as though it simply fell out of an inside pocket.
    Setting her boot on said cannon she squints... And adjusts its aim.

    "The Captain likes Pepsi, the Mate, he likes coke; row me bully boys, row~." ~ o/` She hums while aiming.

    And then she runs ALONG THE TOP OF THE CANNON As it goes off.

    "Us sailors like both, but we can't get us none-- and it's ROW ME BULLY BOYS ROW!" o/` she crows a she leaps--

    Lands ON the flying magic cannonball.

    RIDES THE FLYING CANNONBALL AT TOP SPEEDS.

    Somersaults over the wall of dark water and the kappa--!!!

    INTENDING TO LAND ON ITS BACK AND PUT HER ARMS AROUND IT'S NECK IN A HEADLOCK!!!

    "HAHAHAHAHA! I'LL HOLD, YE PUNCH!"

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco nods at the Shadow Shogun's tip, the mermaid beginning to sing her usual melody. "Thanks for the information, Virtuous Rings", she calls out at her. Calling the Live Stage around her with a mental prodding, the sphere of white light begins producing the melody of the seven seas. "Legend of Mermaid: Pichi Pichi Voice, Live Start!, Coco says, beginning to sing of the mermaid princesses' most precious song.

The idol sings of an un unbreakable bond that lives on as the song of the seven seas rings in everyone's heart and in response two more Live Stages show up, picking up speed towards to the kappa as she narrates of an adventure filled with miracles like the kind mother wishes for.

The magical notes bring with them the brilliance of the stars, a wondrous light that talk of a shining future, with a rainbow wind that provides solace to the hurt, offering a balm to the unconscious attendant.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    The look the oni-girl shoots Rashmi is difficult to read - and perhaps she's not quite sure what she's feeling herself. She opts instead to put her focus back on the kappa, watching it a bit more warily as she prepares to look for an opening. The creature itself is moving more warily as well, watching all of them; but even wariness can't save it from a barrage of restraining ofuda, and it manages to evade one before the others slap home, drawing an infuriated howl. And just as the Shadow Shogun observes, it's trying to protect the top of its head above all. "...that confirms it, then," Kureha murmurs.

    Before she can attack further, a goshdarn cannon shot goes off. Even Kureha has to stop and turn to stare. Which gives her a good look at what follows.

    "Wh... what did she just...?!"

    There are many things the kappa was probably prepared for, at least in some instinctive sort of way. A magical girl pirate riding a cannonball into range and pulling it into an acrobatic headlock is definitely not one of those things. It's as confused and alarmed as it is furious, but between the ofuda and the headlock, it just plain can't move. It's certainly trying, but it's being held quite firmly in place.

    With Coco's singing giving the fallen Chisa further healing, she stirs again, recovering more quickly by the second. Kureha looks at the downed woman, then up at Yellow Pearl Voice and Rashmi alike; for the briefest moment, a conflicted relief flits across her face. Then her fiery eyes turn back around on the kappa, and her right arm begins to glow.

    Flames dance down around her claws, tinged gold by the power of Rashmi's boost spell, and the oni-shaped magical girl starts in a walk that quickly evolves into a run, right arm erupting into golden fire that begins to concentrate around her fist. As she's running, the twin Live Stages of the Yellow Pearl Voice go hurtling past her, impacting the kappa and battering it up into the air; it's a sitting duck for the attack, which in turn knocks it up into the sky and makes it easy pickings for an oni.

    The ground craters where Kureha kicks off. She yells a furious, "DOUJI CLAW!!" and swings her arm up and over, into a blazing golden overhand blow straight for the kappa's head. Not only does the shadowy, vile 'water' slosh free at the sheer force of the blow, but the kappa goes hurtling downward, hitting the ground and just disintegrating.

    It would be a really good idea for Erika to let go at some point during this process.

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Shadow Shogun watches the battle. She was much more of a support player this outing. She's used to running much more close combat... but it's nice to let others shine too.

    The stoic looking girl remains henshined for now, but dismisses her ofuda and the staff. Her little Tengu mascot even emerges from somewhere in her armour, looking all swirly eyed from the previous impact. She approaches the others, offering a bow to those she doesn't know, before turning back to look at Onihime. "We meet again, Oni-san." she offers politely.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    And thus... Jolly Roger tightens her grip, grinning like a maniac as she does her best to hold the creature in place.
    "Haha~ I've got ya now ye bilge-sucking buccaneer! Yer not gettin' outta THIS one!" She sneers as her legs flail. She's holding on for dear life to keep the youkai monster thing in place for Kureha to haul off on it.
    And holy heck does that girl haul off on it.

    "And we sailed away in the roughest of waters... But now we return in the most royal quarters~o/`" She hums ominously in the creature's ear just before Kuraha strikes it down. So hard that the kappa goes flying.
    Uh.
    Jolly Roger kind of goes flying WITH it before it starts to dissolve and--
    WHAM.
    That is the sound of a pirate hitting the ground with enough force to crater the concrete and leave a Jolly Roger-shaped imprint on the sidewalk.
    "... Awawawawawa..." She babbles, stunned, dazed, and eyes swirling. It takes her a second but she picks herself up, staggering, holding her head.
    "Crimeny ye've got an arm on you, though."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco dissipates the Live Stage surrounding her. "Hmm, that went well", she exclaims, looking at where the kappa disintegrated. She moves down to Kureha's attendant, checking her condition. "Miss, can you hear me? How do you feel?" she tries saying, trying to get a reply.

Whether she gets one or not, she goes looking at the Shadow Shogun with a smile. "Hi, I am Yellow Pearl Voice. Can I say you did great?" she offers to break the ice.

Coco also waves at the other three, saying enthusiastically that's nice to see them again. "Hi, how are you doing? Are you alright?". She is asking more out of habit than out of worry the kappa could have done something to them. It hadn't provided much danger, luckily. "Jolly, do you want a hand?" she asks to the pirate personally, offering it to Jolly Roger for stability after the air travel and landing she had, should she wish it.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Jolly!" Rashmi half-stands in clear concern for the dead pirate, but somehow the fact that the girl has enough structural integrity *to* awawawa like that, says she'll probably be fine... if in need of a checkup. "...Are you okay, Ku--" eyes go wide as she realizes she came within a pirate's bottlecap of outing Kureha's civilian name, and retracts the dreadful breach of etiquette. "...Look since this is probably gonna happen again -- and I'm *pretty sure* that monster was after you specifically -- you're probably gonna want a name for people to refer to you as."

Yes, Rashmi is aware she has yet to pick a name. Yes, she finds the things people call her silly. No, she's not going to stop it.

With Coco stepping in as the backup EMT of the evening, Rashmi bobs her head. "Thank you, Yellow Pearl Voice. We *always* appreciate having you around."

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Kureha was not expecting Erika to hold onto the kappa through the entire thing. So when the magical pirate pulls herself out of a crater, all the oni can do is just... blink. Blink blink. "Wh... why didn't you let go?" She looks just completely baffled, and maybe a bit alarmed besides. "I... apologize for any injury I may have caused."

    Finally, though, the greeting from Coco seems to snap her out of it, and Kureha stands a bit straighter, brushing herself off. There is a brief look at Rashmi, one arched eyebrow, before the nameless magical girl replies mildly, "I don't intend to do anything of the sort. But..." She sweeps her eyes around between Jolly Roger, Shadow Shogun, Rashmi and Yellow Pearl Voice - especially the latter, still attending to her attendant.

    It's then that her face takes on a neutral mask, purposefully suppressing any other emotion that might show through. A long-practiced poker face. And then... Kureha Senkenzan bows, at the waist. "Regardless, I thank you all for providing assistance in protecting my attendant. I..." The next words come haltingly, as if they're difficult to say. Erika and Hinata in particular probably understand the significance. "...I am in your debt."

    She straightens up, and looks as if she might say more... except that's the moment when Chisa finally begins to awaken beside Coco. "Nn... L... Lady Kureha, what..." Kureha looks very alarmed, and by the time Chisa lifts her head, the girl has transformed back. Quite hastily, really.

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    The Mermaid Princess gets a bow from the samurai. "You as well." she replies, before Chisa starts coming around. The girl is quick to dismiss her own Henshin, a swirl of sakura blossoms crumbling away the armour into her normal outfit. She then heads back up the road a ways to retrieve her dropped bag of calligraphy supplies.

    The young samurai mahou says nothing about the exposed civilian name. Kureha already knows hers, after all.

    She returns to the group once she's gotten her stuff back, offering a thin smile that's as genuine as anyone else's, just obviously one she has to force slightly to maintain.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Structurally intact but rattled and shaken, Jolly Roger wobbles, teeters, and toddles out of her hole in the ground.
    "Gahahaha! I had to make sure the scallywag didn't get away when you punched!" She says, waving one hand while clutching her head with the other.
    "All three of ye! Anyway think nothin' of it~." Said as she ambles and wobbles her way over to Shadow Shogun.
    Erika Shimizu proceeds to de-henshin as others do and Chisa starts waking.
    But HOLY CARP is her head still swimming as she hugs Hinata's arm to her chest. Partially because she's clingy and partially because she can barely stand on her own two feet.

    "Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley...
    Way-hay, bully in the alley...!
    Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley, bully down in shinbone al'...
    Hina is the girl that I love dearly~.
    Way-hay, bully in the alley~.
    Hina is the girl that I'd splice dearly~." o/`

    Oh dear. Someone is punch drunk.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
As Chisa stirs, Rashmi is also quick to drop her own henshin, her Barrier Jacket shattering into shards of golden light that decay almost instantaneously. But Kureha announces that the girl owes them a debt, and Rashmi pauses, pursing her lips as she considers the weight and magnitude of what the 'girl who hates owing anyone anything' means by that.

"...Okay," she says brightly. "Then I want to call it in now; meet me on the roof at lunch tomorrow."

Either she is monumentally oblivious to the potential of that favor, or exactly the opposite. Either option, really, is probably concerning."

Seems de-henshins are the order of the day, but... That shanty snags the attention like *absolutely nothing else could.* Wide, be-glasses-ed eyes turn to stare at Erika. Then, to Hina, with an owlish blink. So the ex-samurai, Rashmi can only mouth 'I am *so sorry.*'

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco places a hand on Chisa's shoulder to slow her down. "Don't move so fast, you just regained consciousness", she warns. "How do you feel, do you want some water? Maybe some biscuits?" she starts offering something that could work as pick-me-up.

The mermaid looks up towards Rashmi as she expresses her appreciation. "I am glad you are here too, Technobook!" she beams at Rashmi. "Though, I assume you don't mind this name then, while we are on the subject? If you want me to use another one, you just have to inform me."

When the Shadow Shogun unveiles her own identity, Coco does the same. After all, she was the only one here who didn't know. "Well, I guess I can give you my normal name too." She stands back up, looking at her. "I am Coco, nice to meet you completely. Are you at Radiant Heart too?"

She lastly turns towards Kureha. "Think nothing of it, you would have done the same in different circumstances", she points out with genuine joy.

"Jolly, leave her alone", she says, still using that name despite the pirate now being untransformed since she doesn't know Erika's civilian one. "I think you should get some food too", she says, trying to districate her from Hinata. "It will help you recover."

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Kureha watches Hinata go briefly, and then just kind of stares at Erika. There's about a dozen different thoughts that cross her mind, but she chooses to voice none, turning instead back to Rashmi and Coco. Rashmi gets a long, wary stare, before there's a faint nod. "...alright." She lets it go with no further comment than that; if that's what Rashmi is asking in return, then that's what she'll give. However, Coco gets something of a longer stare. "...no, I don't think I would have." It's the only reply she gives, curt and matter-of-fact. All her attention after that seems reserved for Chisa, whom she fusses over with visible worry.

    Speaking of whom, Chisa is quite a lot warmer towards Coco, giving the girl a grateful smile. "My, thank you... I think I'm quite fine to stand, though if you have water to offer, I certainly wouldn't object. Kureha," she adds, glancing to her charge, "What happened? My memories are a bit muddled..." Kureha is instantly there, moving to help her (slowly!) to her feet. "You... had a fainting spell. Some idiot with a kite startled you." The girl gives everyone present a sharp 'that's the truth now, so you better stick to it' glare, before returning to Chisa and adding, "You need to take better care of yourself."

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Hinata Muramasa, ever-put-upon scion of a cursed lineage, sighs as Erika latches onto her once again and starts singing about marrying her.

    Rashmi's look and mouthed apology just earns a 'She does this all the time' look in return, the stone-faced young girl not seeming entirely put out by her blonde bawdy friend's indiscretion.

    She does lift her free hand to tap Erika on the nose. "We are going back to the dorm room, and you are taking a nap." she states firmly. When Yellow Pearl tries to 'defend' her, the mermaid just earns the same look Rashmi got. She's used to Erika's antics.

    "She does this all the time." she actually states aloud, "We've known each other since we were very small."

    "As for any debts incurred." she says toward Kureha before Chisa can come fully around. "Consider it paid in full. I impose no debts on those I consider a friend."

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    "E~ri~ka~." That's her name. That's her proper introduction to Coco, now that everyone is de-henshin'd. And she flashes a BIG OL' GRIN at Coco and Hinata, but then pouts as the mermaid princess in human guise eases her away from her friend.
    Erika continues to attempt wiggling in Hina's direction while Coco tugs her aside.
    "Nuh uh, I don't want a nap! I've got ton's of... Ener...gy..."
    Ah she just went limp. Looks like that hit to the head finally got to her. She'll wake up in the dorm later, most likely.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Hinata's answering look earns a chuckle from Rashmi, who then returns Kureha's stare for as long as it takes the other girl to agree. Accepting the 'alright' completely at face value, Rashmi moves next to Coco. "...Honestly I'll probably never have a good name, but if you talk to Nicomachea," she says quietly, tapping the charm hanging from its line around her neck, "you'll be talking to me too. It's nice to see both sides of you though, Coco. C'mon... the lady's in better hands than we can give I think... Wanna grab some taiyaki on the way home?"

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco doesn't really pay attention to Kureha's response. If that were true, she wouldn't have used her powers to help the people under attack at the museum instead of taking advantage of them to escape. It's due to this that she keeps smiling at Kureha.

When her assistant brings up she would in fact like some water, Coco runs to a nearby shop to buy and bring her the water she needs. "Here you go", she says, giving her what she needs.

"Taiyaki sounds good", she smiles at Rashmi's proposition.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Something in Hinata's answer seems to leave Kureha unsatisfied, but there's no more time to discuss it when Chisa is waking up.

    And there's no time to discuss it after, either, since everyone is scattering to the four winds. Kureha seems fine with this; she doesn't offer anyone farewells. Chisa does give a playful, "You're going to have to tell me about your new friends some time, Kureh- ...ah, apologies." She stops short when she sees the disgruntled look on Kureha's face at the word 'friends', seeming to know it's a step too far. She's very happy to accept the water from Coco, though, giving her a warm, "Thank you! I need to be getting the young miss home, but I very much appreciate all of you stopping to help. I'm sure Kureha does too, even if she's a bit bad at expressing it. Do forgive her," she adds, one finger over her lips, one eye closed. Kureha just utters a grumpy huff, and starts walking.

    ----------

    Much later that night, a phone call goes out, from Tokyo all the way to Kyoto. An elderly hand holds up a phone, aging eyes look at the number in mild surprise, and the call is smoothly answered.

"My, if it isn't little Chisa. I haven't heard your voice since the funeral."
"Mm. It certainly has been a while, hasn't it?"
"I hear my granddaughter is growing up unexpectedly healthy."
"Oh, very much so, au- er, Lady Senkenzan."
"Huhuhu. Dear, if anyone has the right to call me 'aunt' outside the family, it's you."
"Yes, well..."
"Come on, then, Chisa-chan. I'm old enough to know you're calling for a reason. Let's hear it."
"...ah, your granddaughter is..."
"Mm?"
"...the Senkenzan blood is strong in her. Very strong. And she has her mother's pendant back."
"...hoh...?"
"It was... we were attacked. I took the blow for her, so I was a bit addled. In and out of consciousness. But it was some manner of youkai, and I saw... it was a girl with horns, and then she was wrapped in fire, and then she was Kureha. I feigned unconsciousness, but... it's like the stories you used to tell Naeka and I."
"...my. My, my, my. It's been so very long... Chisa my dear, thank you so much for watching over her. I'm sure Naeka is smiling on us. I'll be in touch."

    And the wrinkled hand ends the call, then reaches for a calligraphy set, and begins to write a missive with elegant, flowing lettering.