475/Unbearable

Unbearable
Date of Scene:	20 September 2023
Location:	Penguin Park
Synopsis:	Kureha can't bear to stand on the sidelines. Hinata bears witness. Rashmi can bearly contain herself. Erika unearths bearied friends. Veronica exercises her right to bear arms.
Cast of Characters:	Kureha Senkenzan, Hinata Muramasa, Rashmi Terios, Erika Shimizu, Veronica Perenna

---

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    It's a modestly busy evening in Penguin Park. Families are out for evening fun in the park, others are visiting the zoo, there's even a few people at museums here and there. It's the latter type of facility that brings Kureha Senkenzan here. The girl and her minder of the day - once again Chisa, to her great relief - are out visiting museums on behalf of Hozan Chikafuji, quite possibly the first real task he's given his daughter since her medical miracle. Of course, it's mindless drudgery; he's just looking for someone willing to show off his small collection of historical knick-knacks, so he can say he has pieces in a museum. After the fiasco of the temporary exhibit, Kureha is surprised he'd want that at all; but it is what it is. Even if it does cut into time she'd rather spend reading or doing schoolwork, she'll do what she must.

    Someone else is also on a mission here, though. Or rather, something. A rippling shadow slinks its way through the zoo, darting from cover to cover, shade to shade, making its way towards one of the more predatory enclosures. Its previous attempt ended, not in failure, but at least in discovering that its target had greater strength than expected. So, the being needs more strength. It needs more energy.

    "...fear... feed..."

    It slinks into the pen holding a number of bears. Shortly thereafter, there is a brief but potent flare of dark energy.

    Shortly after THAT, the screaming starts.

    It starts as a few people, but quickly escalates into a chorus. A cacophony. Shrieks of fear, the rending of metal, shattering of concrete. A bear is loose. A big one. Menacing with spikes, rippling with darkness, slavering of jaw. Far larger than even an ordinary bear typically gets. And it's rampaging in a complete berserk state.

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Hinata is here, in a rather elaborate kimono. She's here on official business it seems, showing the Muramasa family's interest in the other family's exhibition. She has a small bag with one of the local sweet-shop's logos on the side of it.

    She makes small talk with some of the other people here, putting on an air of someone who isn't emotionally stunted and offering smiles that don't quite reach her eyes to those she speaks to.

    Right up until the screaming starts. While others begin to run away, she starts running toward the commotion, tugging a fragment of metal from within her kimono. Once she's sure noone else is watching, at least noone mundane, she recites a haiku, as sakura petals begin to spiral around her.

    "Good Habitation
    A luminous, dark flame eats
    Because of the sword."

    Once she finishes, the sakura blossoms obscure her completely, before bursting away, releasing the samurai-armoured girl as she keeps running. "Draw your blade and face me!" she challenges, drawing both of her swords from over her shoulders, closing in on the bear-monster for some close combat slashing.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Between training, schoolwork, actual combat, homework, patrols, and occasionally filling in for sick waitresses, Rashmi has... not had all that much time to herself, lately. Perhaps it's frustrating, enough that some would decide to drop one of the responsibilities, and just skive off with a book. Maybe forego the actually dangerous parts of the life. Rashmi, however... simply takes to the skies in Barrier Jacket and Flier Fins, and soaks in how *different* everything looks from a helicopter's eye view.

But the flare of dark energy shatters her vibing quickly. << Got a lock on the source, Nicomachea? >>

    << *BONG!* >> << AFFIRMATIVE, MASTER. COMMAND INPUT AWAIT. >>

As she dives down toward the signature, and later the sound of terrified screaming, she takes in the situation, and the sight of a dark-possessed *bear* produces a gnawing pit in her gut. Then, she sees the swordswoman, standing all alone to face it, and her face sets in resolve.

    << *BONG!* >> << TIME-SPACE BARRIER >>

A black-green bubble of magical energy resembling a faintly staticky color filter grows from her position... and grows, and grows, and grows, eventually covering most of the area of the Park, filtering *anything* non-magical out of its environs. As far as the normals are concerned, where there was a bear, now there is no bear. Concerning, perhaps, but not an active source of terror.

"Helloooooo~!" Rashmi calls to the samurai. "Sorry to intrude, but four hands are better than two, right?"

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    You know who else is in Penguin Park today?
    Erika Shimizu.
    She has come in search of her usual supplier of Jan Ken Pop. Though in the event she doesn't find said supplier, she can always go to the mall later, she'd just rather restock now over later.
    But this is not all that important in the long run of things as she walks with her hands folded behind her head whistling a tune to herself that sounds like she is absolutely bored out of her mind today.

    o/` ~ "Running down to Cuba with a load of sugar,
    Weigh, me boys, to Cuba!
    Make her run you, lime juice squeezers,
    Running down to Cuba.

    O, I got a sister, she's nine feet tall,
    Weigh, me boys, to Cuba!
    She sleeps in the kitchen with her feet in the hall--" ~ o/`

    Needless to say, the first scream makes her trail clean off.
    Then she sees Hinata.
    THEN she sees the bear.
    "Aw crimeny." She mutters before the glinting gleam of a gold coin dances between her fingers.

     "Under a black flag we sail and the sea shall be our empire! Take what you can! Give nothing back!" She declares as she flips the coin up...

    And when she catches the coin, snatching it out of the air, her clothes are instantly replaced in the regalia of a pirate; jaunty bicorne hat with feathers, naval greatcoat, breeches and all.
    And in the next instant she pulls a FULL SIZED MUSKET from her coat.
    "Aye!" She calls to Rashmi. "Intrude? Make that six hands and we be square." She says, practically leering as she sights down the old styled rifle, taking to a knee to aim, squeezing the trigger with a *KRAK-BOOM*! as the gun jerks in her hands with recoil.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica's greatest flaw and greatest quality at once had of course shown itself as soon as she entered a new city. Her curiosity lied restlessly in the back of her mind for as long as the call for unexplored places went unsatisfied. She still barely managed to concentrate through lessons while the hitch went unscratched, but she held up on things.

She had already finished to explore the school grounds, so the only thing left was the shining metropolis of Tokyo itself. Today her target is Penguin Park and she is peacefully strolling through Penguin Park, ice cream in hand, when she spots the two girls that aided her during the incident of the The Peak's Secret Heart".

She is about to make her way over to them when she hears the cries all around them. "This is happening now then" a more serious and yet energic look appearing on her face. She finds herself a hidden place behind the ice cream shop and starts reciting a quick intonation, bringing out a calling card with a cane and top hat on it out of nowhere, holding it in front of her "While the world is full of trouble and anxious in its sleep, the princess of moonlight does dance and leap."

As soon as she says that, the aforementioned moonlight bathes her, condensing in a blue top hat with an azure ribbon and an ebony cane with a cat handle. The light on her upper body then explodes in a tone of white, turning into a waistcoat, before a blue burst surrounds it, coalescing into a blue suit. The light swirling around her lower body stops rotating, arranging itself in a white skirt with many layers. A blue-white burst follows, turning into boots with long stripes. Finally the moonlight gathers around her hair, fashioning it into a long braid and granting it its colour.

She jumps up on the ice cream shop, looking for Erika and Hinata with her eyes. She notices Rashmi too and addresses all of them. "We see each other again, friends! And well met, you there", she shouts, bringing her hat down in a bow. She points the handle of her cane at the bear monster and a ray of moonlight shoots out of it towards the youma.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    The moment the screams begin, Kureha Senkenzan comes to a dead stop, her head whipping around to look in the direction of the zoo. Chisa stops as well; rather slower to react, but just as concerned by a potential crisis. "...Chisa, we need to be going," Kureha insists, turning to start walking away all the more hastily. It's far away this time. Nothing to get her involved. Chisa's not in danger. The girl has no reason to go running off into battle, no reason to-

    A child's shriek manages to lift up above the rest of the screams, faint but audible. Kureha stops in her tracks again. Her mind flashes back to the aquarium. To the penguin monster in this very park. Her teeth grit. She tries to take another step... but just can't bring herself to do it. 'We have to go. We have to leave, or we're just going to get involved again! I'll just owe them even more, Chisa will just end up in danger, we-'

    Chisa's hand rests softly on Kureha's shoulder. The woman gives her a gentle, knowing smile, and murmurs just a few quiet words. The girl's eyes go wide.

    Then the growing barrier's outer boundary reaches them.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    It's hard to say whether the bear senses the Shadow Shogun's approach, or simply hears a strange noise approaching when everything else is running away. But it whirls around about the same instant she's issuing her challenge, and lunges at her without fear of those twin blades. They carve gashes that bleed hazy dark energy, but the bear doesn't even seem to feel them, instead hauling around to swing one huge paw at Hinata - and it is terrifyingly strong.

    All the more reason to be thankful for Rashmi's barrier, sweeping across the zoo and banishing all the innocents from danger. No one will have to face that terrifying might if they aren't equipped to do so. Only those like the Princess of Sarek, unleashing a ray of moonlight that draws a pained, infuriated yowl from the beast. It whirls around, and it roars, a powerful thrum of sound that sends a rippling shockwave across the park. at Veronica. Not as concentrated as a more directed attack, maybe, but as it is now, it knows only how to lash out in rage.

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Hinata cuts gashes in the monster. It doesn't go down, not that she was expecting it to. Rashmi's interruption doesn't earn much of a reaction from the samurai, though the device user would feel gratitude coming from the young swordswoman.

    What isn't appreciated is that swipe. She crosses her blades to intercept the blow, grunting as it pitches her off her feet and through a wall, crumbling it and seemingly taken out of the fight for the moment.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Eight hands make even lighter work, but it looks like this monster will be a problem regardless. Still, when the bear raises its head to bellow, Rashmi immediately conjures a Shield in front of her. Normal soundwaves would be one thing, but the sheer amount of power put behind the omnidirectional attack actually forces her backward in the air, teeth gritted.

Once the immediate problem is handled, she drops down just a bit, grinning at the trio. "Good to see you all too!" she answers, as a devilishly complex magical circle spreads out under her feet.

    << *BONG!* >> << DELTA ACCEL -- BOOST UP >>

A trio of wispy golden points of light fade into being around her, streaking off toward her allies. When the magic impacts, each of the Accursed gains a golden anklet of rune-ribbon revolving around one ankle, and the feeling of being energized by a sunny day. << It only lasts for a little bit, >> Rashmi's voice speaks into the heads of her allies. << But you all look like you can use a little boost *really* well. Go get 'im! >>

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Erika Shimizu-- now Jolly Roger, does not know of the internal turmoil roiling in the heart of a young girl nearby. If Kureha wants to leave... She can't fault the girl that. She hasn't seemed interested in accepting her strength or the gift given to her, and if that be the case, then she simply cannot fault her for that at all.
    And look at that, even the Princess of Sarek has shown up.
    "... Be there booty about to be had?" Jolly Roger mutters, bewildered at first but opting to not question the girl's appearance as an ally.
    But then the bear... That bear proves to be something else.
    Especially as it pitches the Shadow Shogun through a wall.
    "Hina--!" Jolly Roger blurts thoughtlessly and drops her spent musket. The gun dissolves into seafoam and glitter as soon as it hits the ground. No sooner than Rashmi's enchantment reaches her she breaks into a sprint, and the pirate-themed mahou plants herself between the menacing ursine monster and the Shadow Shogun.
    Reaching into her greatcoat she pulls out a shorter rifle-- one with a wider flaring barrel.
    It's a blunderbuss- a heavier caliber rifle usually filled with shot.
    And with herself between Hinata and the bear, Jolly Roger raises the weapon.

    "Towards ye I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering bear! To the last I grapple with ye; from hell's heart I stab at ye; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at ye!" She declares as she squeezes the trigger.

    The gun goes off like thunder, spitting shrapnel like lightning.
    The recoil... Puts Jolly Roger clean trough the wall in the same hole that Shadow Shogun made.
    There's a tiny groan shortly after, emanating from said hole in the wall.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica raises an eyebrow in surprise when the civilians disappear. None of the other mahous seem worried, and in fact it seems the technological girl is responsible for it, so Veronica gives her a smile of acknowledgment towards her prowess.

"No booty to be had here, friend! Just a bit of good that repays itself!" Veronica comments at Jolly Roger with a smirk.

When the bear roars towards her, Veronica sees it coming, placing her cane on the ground, the cat releases a shimmering wall against which the soundwaves get impacted, making her recoil a bit. "I felt that, good job!" She is about to execute another attack towards the monster when she notices the girls that aided her having been thrown into a wall.

"I will be with you in a moment!" She says, tipping her hat at it, with her cane releasing a blinding glare towards the bear. Hopefully that will give Rashmi a better chance to deal with the monster while she checks those two are all right. She jumps down and hurries towards the two of them, offering a hand to get them back up. "How are you two?" she asks, peering inside the hole.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    The barrier sweeps by, and Kureha is swept up in it, left alone in an empty park as a battle starts to rage nearby. Separated from the crowd, from her attendant, left alone in the aftermath of words that seemed to bring her entire thought process to a halt... leaving room for her mind to haul a quartet of sounds, of sensations, of moments, to the fore.

    A child's scream on the wind.

    Grandmother Kiyomi's features, going from stern to warm. "Yes you do. Or you'd never have been able to use it to begin with."

    An old, weathered hand, resting gently atop her head. "All I ask, my granddaughter, is that you trust your heart."

    And above all, just now, Chisa's smile, those kind eyes seeming to see right through her.

    "Kureha... go on. Go."

                  A bonfire erupts to life in Penguin park.                  
                         http://youtu.be/CeqyEzK87z4                          

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    The youma bear would dearly like to maul Hinata further, preparing to run down her felled attacker with a growl; but the three points of light darting off from Rashmi's vicinity catch the rampaging beast's attention, and it whirls around, growling furiously as it tries to decide which light to follow, which target to attack. That decision is taken out of its hands, as a pirate steps right out in front of it, and unloads a blunderbuss at point blank range. The good news is, all that power is justified; the blast does enough damage for the bear to stumble back, roaring in pain. It even stays the creature's attack, all that shot tearing open more wounds to leak darkness out.

    The bad news, however, is that the blunderbuss wasn't enough to stop it, and it's already lumbering forward with steps that vibrate the ground. It has two magical girls to eat. Only the timely intervention of the Princess's flash of light serves to distract it - and even that doesn't last long. It stumbles, it shakes its head, and once again it starts forward, for a meal that now numbers three girls, two dazed and one distracted-

    "ORAAA-!"

    In the delay Veronica has created, a girl in a kimono slams into the youma.

    She hits it hard, not just hard enough to make it flinch, but hard enough to stagger it - and it's followed with a hard right haymaker, a blow ferocious enough to legitimately knock the bear off its feet and tumbling backwards a few meters. It comes back to its feet, but it does so much more warily now. And the horned girl takes the opportunity to glance back and up, meeting Rashmi's eyes briefly, as if to get the mage's attention in particular.

    Then, eyes back on the bear, she speaks, in the tone of an introduction. "It seems that if you mean to wrestle a bear, there really is nothing for it but to bring an oni." Her clawed right hand comes up, giving her hair a casual flip, briefly revealing the underlayer of crimson beneath the black. "Yokai Musume, Onihime. I shall keep it occupied in melee. Strike however you wish."

    With no further preamble, she lunges in at the bear. It roars, furious with this tiny thing daring to challenge it, and charges her at full speed. One paw comes up to slam her... and she catches it, holding it fast. The other paw swings, and Onihime catches that as well. The two struggle, wrenching left and right; but the tiny girl holds that huge monster in place, not letting it move. It lunges in to try and bite her - and her head snaps forward to meet its nose in a ferocious headbutt.

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Ofuda. Dozens of slips come flying out of the hole that Hinata got pitched through. A jingle follows a moment later, activating the kanji symbols on the slips. They're 'Restrain' and 'Purity' seals, aiming to slow the monster down, and weaken it.

    The Shadow Shogun steps out of the hole, one arm scooped under Erika's, hauling her out of the wreckage, while the other holds a staff with a hoop at one end with many other rings within that jingle as she uses it as a walking stick. "I'm fine, a little roughed up, but still able to fight. Strike while the beast is weakened by my ofuda. I cannot maintain them for long."

    She smiles, a genuine smile that reaches her eyes as Kureha enters the fray. The seal slips maintain for a moment, as she dismisses the staff, and summons her flute.

    "Rally Great Heroes! Battle is joined. Strike, Sunder and Fear no Darkness!" she brings the flute to her lips, letting Jolly Roger get her feet under her before she begins playing. A sharp series of notes that bolster her allies, and weaken her foes.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
When Kureha meets Rashmi's eyes, the little warrior sees only joy. While it's likely they would have gotten this eventually, most of this group seems to be about speed, grace, and -- The pirate and her hammerspace longcoat aside -- Quick, precise strikes. Not only do they now have a *proven* heavy hitter on their side, most of Rashmi's joy comes from the fact that Kureha could have turned, walked, and had a peaceful night.

There was no fear of shame in this choice. Only the duty of power.

"WOOOOOO! YEAH! GO, ONIHIME!" ...Yes, Rashmi is actively cheering the smol on, like a favorite baseball player. But in short order she remembers herself, and another circle opens up beneath her. << I'm gonna help her hold it down! >> she sends out to all *four* of her allies.

    << *BONG!* >> << SOLAR BARRET -- BIND SHIFT >>

Three orbs of golden light resolve into being, lazily circling the airborne Mage as rune-ribbons wrap around each of them. A moment later, they spread out, arcing wide before darting down toward the bear.

While one might miss, even with the Mage tuning them for homing ability over power, three stand a better chance of delivering their payload. And that payload? Bands of yellow energy that eplode outward upon impact, wrapping around whatever they hit and doing their very best to fix that impact site to one point in space. Breakable? Yes, especially if one is powerful enough. Distracting? Very usually.

But the real question is, does it buy enough time for Erika and/or Onihime to pull out their *really big guns?*

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    While ofuda fly from the hole in the wall, Jolly Roger is still rallying.
    "Awawawawawa..."
    That is to say the miniscule maritime marauder is laid out, eyes swirling for a good moment. But... She DOES eventually rally, pulling her hat back into place at its usual jaunty angle as she picks herself up with another grumpy groan. "Awake-- I be awake." She does reply to the mannerly thief when the Princess of Sarek comes to check on her.
    "Ah hell." She says, though, as the bear comes right for her, Shadow Shogun, and the Princess of Sarek.
    Right up until...
    Kureha Senkenzan... No-- Onihime... Finds her flame.
    "HAHA!" The pirate-themed mahou whoops, crowing as she catches sight of a familiar kimono blurring into action... And then haul off and *slug* the bear.
    "Glad ye decided to join the party, lass!" Said as she finally stands herself up, dusts herself off, and emerges from the hole in the wall grinning like a maniac.
    For you see; after Onihime gives that monstrous headbutt and Rashmi joins her in pinning the bear where it is...
    It's moments like this where one might think... 'What can a single pirate do?'
    Shadow Shogun's music washes over Jolly Roger, and between that and Rashmi's prior support spell, the pirate's power surges.
    It's a perfect storm; a series of powers and events and hearts coming together to give her exactly what she needs.
    "Heh... Heheh... Hehehehahahahahahahar!" Jolly Roger crows, one hand on her hip as she cackles while staring down the monstrous bear.

    "RISE FROM THE SEAS OF THE DEAD! ALL HANDS ON DECK, LADS! COME FORTH MY SCOURGE OF THE SEVEN SEAS!" She declares...

    As the spectral figures of a crew start to emerge from the shadows and the dust. Hard men. Rough me. Sailing men, all of them in ratty tattered clothes and with glassy eyes... Long dead though they may be, they come now, heeding their captain's call as Jolly Roger draws her cutlass, they ready pistols and muskets and blunderbusses.
    "Gentlemen..." She says, cutting the air once with her cutlass before pointing the tip of the blade as the monstrous youma,
    "WEAPONS FREE!"
    No sooner than the order is given, the ghastly, ghostly, crew unleash their guns, each one booming like thunder and spitting spectral death.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica bows towards the new arrival, exclaiming "Many thanks for the help, dutiful Youkai", taking a bow towards Onihime.

Going back to address the Shadow Shogun, "Great spirit!" is what Veronica says as Hinata emerges out of the hole, bringing Jolly with her. "You resilience is impressive", she adds turning around with a swirl of her skirt and her left hand on her hat.

She nods with a big smile at the Shogun's exhortation to attack. "The opportunity is most welcome. I will not let it go to waste!" Timing a snap of her fingers to Hinata's music, her hat disappears, fading away over two seconds. The Phantom Thief places her cane onto her left shoulder and she starts reciting, in deep concentration with her eyes closed.



"When colour's absence gives escape
To the deeper spirit of the shape,"

The ground under the beast starts rippling, as if it was coated in water, and yet it remains solid, nothing actually changing.



"Then do the clouds like silver flags
Stream out above the tattered crags"

The moon starts shining, not from above in the sky, but from under the bear's feet, pale light rising.



"And darkened land, and brightening wave,
The moonlight slants through Merlin's cave."

As soon as the word "cave" escapes the lips of the Princess of Sarek, a low rumble is heard, and the hat of the Phantom Thief reappears, a giant evanescent shape that passes right through the bear, aiming to swallow it and make it disappear.

The enormous illusion floats up to the sky and whatever the result, it reappears, solid, in front of Veronica's waiting hand, who grabs its brim and places it back on her head with a smirk and a wink towards the other mahous.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    A flurry of ofuda paper the bear, and it goes from struggling with Onihime to genuinely being pushed back. And more importantly, where those purity seals land, more of that dark energy begins to pour out, causing the wounds to leak more in turn. Even if it only lasts a short while, it's a tipping point, and the following flute melody tips the balance even further. Kureha forces the monstrous youkai to the ground - and that's about when Rashmi's binds join her in pinning it in place. The bind is enough, in fact, that she can finally back away entirely and leave room... for Jolly Roger's men to answer the captain's call.

    Shot after spectral shot barrages the bear, each hit chipping away at the energy empowering it, every shot hitting home thanks to the power binding it in place. With the power drained away by the Shadow Shogun's talismans already, it's weakening with every second, and by the time that attack finishes, whatever dark enchantment was worked on it is just about spent. It's only barely a youma, and smaller than it was at the start of all this by a noticeable amount-

    -which means that when its darkness goes to war with the Princess of Sarek's larcenous magic, the ways of the Phantom Thief win out. When the hat vanishes, there is no bear left to see.

    Onihime blinks once or twice, confused; but, ultimately, the attack seems to have been ended, so if the strange thief girl wants to steal a bear, then it's of no concern to her. She reaches up and brushes off her sleeves absently, then folds her hands in front of herself. "Is there some sort of procedure we follow from here? Any manner of cleanup that still needs to be tended to?"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"THAT WAS AMAZING!" Rashmi cheers, swooping in out of the sky, stars very much in her eyes. "You just held it back like *BWAH!* and you made it look so easy! And Jolly-chan *were those ghosts* that was *so wild!* And what was with that hat?! That was *awesome!* And Shogun-chan is there *anything you can't do?!*"

Sometimes, support is Buff The Teammates. Sometimes, it's just being vocally astounded at special effects. Whatever the case, the mix of lingering shakujo effects and sheer joy in how the event shook out has the bookworm mage... Probably a little bit hyper. but a good kind of hyper, at least.

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Shadow Shogun's music comes to an end, as the theif straight up steals a bear... who even steals a bear!? Anyway, in a twirl the flute is dismissed in a flutter of sakura petals, and the samurai steps towards the Onihime. She bows formally to the other magical girl. "Proper introductions are likely in order... and, perhaps repairing the wall, or running away before whatever banished the civilians ends and we are caught red handed for it."

    She places a hand on her chest. "I am the Shadow Shogun, seeker of the fragments of the Murasame."

    Rashmi's excitement is infectious and she answers solemnly. "I cannot fight alone, my skills aside from swordsmanship are designed to aid others. Perhaps much like your own skills, yes?" she enquires a little cheekily.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    With their rifles spent, the phantasmal crew fade away slowly, vanishing as eerily and mysteriously as they had appeared, leaving only seafoam and sparkles in their wake...
    And a very haggard looking Jolly Roger, who sheathes her cutlass as the bear is swept off in a hat trick to make the papers.
    "Ahah... Ah hah heh heh... Aye... They mighta kinda sorta been ghosts, lass." She replies awkwardly to Rashmi, but ultimately flashes a big grin.
    "As for what we do when we win..." She starts to answer...
    And then she pulls a bottle of Jan Ken Pop from her coat pocket and thrusts it at Onihime.
    "We celebrate o' course."
    Of course she has enough soda for everyone, as usual.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica smiles with a bow at Rashmi's enthusiastic support. "Thank you, you were incredible as well. You had lots of support to give, and I assume that trick of making the people disappear was yours, right?" She goes to look at Onihime, wondering if her question was about the bear her hat swallowed, or the people that had gotten involved.

The girl with the hair of moonlight answers anyway: "Nope, no cleanup involved on my part, the bear has been back turned into pure energy already, but I approve the samurai's exchange of names and the pirate's proposal to celebrate. I am the Princess of Sarek, whose duty is to repair an ancient warding spell. I have already heard about the providential Onihime", she adds, nodding towards her.

"Two of you I have already met", she says, looking at Jolly and the Shogun, "and I now know one of your names, but still I don't have yours, miss pirate, nor that of the other mage that is a colleague in vanishing matters, and I would like to know both, if it is fair to you."

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Whatever Kureha was expecting from Rashmi, that definitely wasn't it.

    Poise completely broken, the girl stumbles back a step and a half with a bewildered expression, and a confused, "W-what are- I- what?" Overexcited bookmage is not something she knows how to handle! There's a slightly frantic glance around at the rest of the group. But thank goodness for Hinata providing a convenient distraction! Especially with the sort of interaction that the shorter girl is very familiar with. Familiar ground is useful.

    The oni clears her throat with a soft 'ahem', and smooths out her kimono a bit, then bows to the Shadow Shogun. "Allow me to once again introduce myself as well, then. I am Onihime, a Youkai Musume and descendant of the oni of Mount Ooe." She straightens up, then gives Jolly Roger's offer of celebration a wary side-eye. "...I should perhaps clarify that I am still not offering my trust, to those present or anyone else. However, I have..." Kureha pauses for a moment, choosing her words. "...reassessed my priorities. I cannot simply ignore such situations as this, and I will not suffer the innocent to be harmed. So if I find myself fighting the same foe as others, then so be it."

    Next, she speaks not just to Veronica's question, but Hinata's as well. "I've seen this sort of thing before. It's as if we've been shifted somewhere else to fight, or the civilians were or something. I presume it's Terios' work," she adds, side-glancing at the mage. "Also, since you seem the type to gather information - I have very keen senses, including my nose. That bear had a similar scent to the kappa." She turns slightly as if to go, but then glances back at Hinata. "...you play the flute quite skillfully. Rare, in this day and age." Did she just complement someone?

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    The Shadow Shogun bows politely again at the compliment.. and the additional assertion of not giving trust. "As is your prerogative, Onihime-sama." she replies, then smiles softly, summoning her flute again. "I have been playing since I was old enough to hold one... my grandmother taught me before her passing, may Kami-sama protect her." she says solemnly, before dismissing the flute again.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Yeah, that'd be me," Rashmi says, finally allowing her feet to touch ground. "Basically it's a spell that sort of pushes an area to one side... er, dimensionally. It's set to filter out anything that isn't magic, and anything that gets wrecked here isn't wrecked in the real world! So if you see the sky looking like this, you don't have to hold back."

And then names are being offered, and the bookworm just... sort of clears her throat awkwardly. "I, uh... Don't really *have* a magic name. So just... Rashmi Terios, Grade 10, hi... It's really good to meet you all properly." But, she does reach out to take the offered bottle of pop, looking meaningfully at Onihime as she do. When Erika is around, after all, This Is Protocol. "Thank you, Jolly-chan -- oh hey, yuzu, nice -- And yeah Shogun-san, that's... pretty much most of what I do is support. I'm told I'm getting pretty good at it, so just shout if you need help! ...Also are you really a-- huh. An English Princess? Nice to meet you, Sarek-hime!"

So much going on, Rashmi's focus is starting to lose track of where to be. Thus, she covers herself by taking a swig from her soda, and shooting a glance and a telepathic message to Kureha. << So the bear and the kappa were similar? Okay, I'll flag that for analysis... >>

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica nods and smiles, a safe reaction, given Onihime is addressing events she is not privy to.

She is now privy to Jolly Roger's name, at least.

"I shall look forward to stand side by side again Onihime-san." She can at least say that much, since that doesn't seem to be a point of eccessive relunctance to the daughter of Mount Ooe.

Good to know her hunch about that mass disappearance being the technological girl's doing was correct. Which apparently doesn't actually have a secret identity, and so gives out her real name. "Terios-san, that will not do", Veronica comments as if displeased. "May I get your number as well? If you reveal your everyday name, it is only fair I do the same", she smiles at Rashmi.

Ceronica chuckles at Rashmi's statement. "You have understood correctly, but while I am from an upperclass family, I inherited the title together with these powers. This duo goes to whoever seeks to steal with a true heart, to right the wrongs."

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    The show of deference from Hinata puts a bit of surprise in Kureha's expression, just briefly. There's a little nod to the samurai, and then another to Rashmi at the private communication. To Veronica, she gives a breezy, "If that's the course fate takes," before finally turning to go. Around the time the barrier finally disappers - whenever it does - the magical oni will revert her transformation, walking amongst the confused crowd as if she belongs there, and find her way back to her attendant.

    Later that night, as the rich young lady is settling in for bed, she turns to the woman who has been at her side almost since birth, and ask a soft, "...Chisa... can you tell me the stories grandmother used to tell you and mother?"

    Elsewhere, a conglomeration of shadows in the shape of a multi-tailed fox convulses, shivers; even the paltry bounty of energy it has collected is a banquet to such a sparse creature, and it is dramatically stronger. Strong enough to fill out a bit more... just a bit.