675/Kitsubaka: The Aftermath

Kitsubaka: The Aftermath
Date of Scene:	29 October 2023
Location:	Plot Room 2
Synopsis:	Blending back into the crowd after the market wakes back up, discussions are had, sweets and purchased.
Cast of Characters:	Hinata Muramasa, Kureha Senkenzan, Erika Shimizu, Veronica Perenna

---

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    "If there is nothing any of you need from me, however. I would like to go confirm Chisa is unharmed."
    I'm going with you."

    The words of Kureha and Veronica hang in the air, as Hinata stands up. "I will also accompany you." she adds, "And, I am alright. My armour is not just for show."

    As the quartet walk through the market, it slowly begins to stir back to life again. Everyone looking confused for a few moments, before shrugging it off and resuming where they'd left off.

    "That will never get any less weird." remarks the young Muramasa, in regard to the aftermath of a youma attack.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    "...I cannot disagree," Kureha replies, walking steadily. She's already got her phone out, rapid-firing a text off to Chisa to confirm her attendant's location; however, she's got enough attention to spare to watch the crowd. "That people can simply forget so quickly..." A soft frown. "...it speaks to the power of what we're involved with."

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    And just like that, everyone is getting back up and going about their business.
    Erika, for one, stuffs her hands into her pockets and flashes a grin as she follows after the others.
    "Oh yeah, it's totally crazy." She agrees. "But the problem's solved, right~?"

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"Though it helps them avoid the stress of the attack", Veronica observes, not noticing any obvious predicament. "I don't quite approve of it, but at least it has its advantages. And it seems like the demon couldn't harm in the long run. Quite relieving." Who knows what else it could have baked into its spell.

"Want to go check things around?" she proposes.

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    "It makes me wonder if I'm in over my head, sometimes." remarks Hinata back at Kureha, before glancing over to Erika and shaking her head. "You're a little too blaze about this sometimes, Eri-chan." She then looks over to Veronica. "I know the Fragments at least just absorb energy, nothing else.. at least not yet." she remarks in return.

    Then shr nods. "Lets go see if they have any good candy for sale, I think we could all use a bit of sugar to recharge after that."

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Kureha gives a little shake of her head. "I don't wonder. I am most certainly in over my head. Every new encounter baffles me more than the last. But I have made my choice; I will pit my strength against monsters that prey on those who can't fight back. I can accept any... strangeness, it brings into my life." There's a couple more back-and-forth messages-

    -and then Chisa comes jogging around a corner, just up ahead. She breaks into a beaming smile, and even Kureha's steps seem lighter. "Ah, milady~. I'm glad to see you're alright. See, no injuries," she adds, showing herself off. There's a pause; Kureha stands a bit awkwardly, turning to look between her three fellow magical girls, and her attendant. "I... could perhaps do with a snack," she mumbles. Chisa gives the other three a wink, then says to Kureha, "I shall have the car ready for you, Lady Kureha. Take your time."

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Yes, well, Erika... At this point... Don't ask where from, or how, pulls out a few bottles of Jan Ken Pop.
    One is offered to Hinata first. Then To Veronica. The third is waggled at Kureha with a big grin.
    "Yeah. It's a lot of strangeness." She concedes. "But like. Life would be pretty boring without interesting things, right?"
    Ah there's Chisa, safe and sound. That's all well and good, too.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"Honestly, I don't think we did that bad." The damage for the market was minimal, and none of them got hurt. "We were able to counter it quite effectively, no sweat." And Kureha's attendant is safe too, good results everywhere.

She politely accepts the bottle from Erika and gives it a sip. Jak Ken Pop, huh? Doesn't taste too bad.

"I would prefer if the interesting things were not dangerous. If you want to fight, there are much better way to do it than hope a demon shows up out of nowhere with some sadistic plan. Fencing has turned it into an art form, for example." She looks at Erika with a curious expression. "Do you like being in danger?"

She then turns towards Hinata. "What was she up to anyway? What would have she done with that energy?"

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    "That is a mystery for the ages." replies Hinata to Veronica's question, looking around distractedly, but taking the offered bottle without even looking... she seems that in-tune with Erika.

    Chisa's safe! That's good. And she spots a stall with various sweets arrayed on it.

    She heads over that way, picking out a few varieties and paying for them, before offering what she feels the other girls would like.. She's got a good intuition about that, but she could easily be wrong.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Bottle of soda. Kureha stares at it for several seconds, blinking. There's a wary look at Erika, before she asks a soft, "...what will I owe you?"

    Veronica, meanwhile, earns a more neutral sort of look. "There is a saying, 'may you live in interesting times.' It's considered a curse." Meanwhile, she seems... perhaps a bit less wary of taking the sweets from Hinata. Possibly because she'd helped out, and there's a favor to balance it? It's hard to say. And of course, some manner of modern mochi-related sweet is probably a very good pick for the very Traditional(tm) girl. Nomf.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    "... You're kidding right?" Erika asks, making a bit of a face at Kureha. "Nothing!" She adds on after that with a huff.
    But on to answer Veronica's question: "I mean it's pretty thrilling?" Erika considers.
TAh. Of course. The undead pirate is an adrenaline junkie. She probably likes roller coasters too. But then Hina buys candy.
    "Ooh, apple. My favorite~."

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica gives a thankful smile to towards Hinata as she takes the pair of carved wooden eggs the samurai is offering her. "You have a keen eye. I will treasure these."

"We should try to trap one next time, see what information we can get", Veronica ponders, gazing at the soda as if it could give her answers. Alas, the bottle says mute.

"I agree with that sentiment", she replies to Kureha. "Though I don't actually live by that norm all that well: I do not want danger, I just need to sate my curiosity more often than not."

She takes another sip out of the soda. "Well, to elaborate, my interest in the demon ended the moment it revealed itself, after that it was just fighting to stop the damage."

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Hinata smiles softly. It's a tiny expression, but it reaches all the way up to her eyes. Erika may even see it's a little bit more intense than normal. She remains largely quiet as the others speak, nibbling on some dango as she walks with them.

    Veronica's suggestion earns a sharp stare, and a shake of her head.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    "My entire life thus far has taught me to be wary of favors or gifts freely offered," Kureha replies to Erika; she does end up taking the drink, but it's with a dubious look. "There's always a price to be paid later." She finally opens it and starts to drink - and can't quite hide the surprised look in her eyes before drinking more. Once she's satisfied with her first taste of Jan Ken Pop, she lowers it and glances at Veronica. "My entire life until this past summer was spent keeping out of any trouble or entanglements. I couldn't go outside, and I didn't want to be involved in family politics." She noms at a piece of mochi, then adds, "...it's... pleasant, being able to go out on my own." Hinata's reaction draws a curious glance.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    BOY HOWDY does Erika look exasperated.
    "There's no price to pay later!" She huffs at Kureha.
    "It's not like I'm handing out CURSED PIRATE SODA or anything."
    For the record, the soda isn't cursed. It will not turn the drinker undead.
    But she seems satisfied well enough when the drink is finally accepted. "Geeze that sucks though."
The thought of trapping a youma, though, gets a funny look.
    "But like. We're supposed to beat them and take their booty aren't we?"

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica glares back at Hinata, wondering what was so wrong with what she said. "Why the glare? If we know what they want, it's one more thing we can use against them."

"You should get more used to giving and receiving things without much thoughts, Kureha-san", Veronica comments. She thinks she gets what the heiress is saying since she comes from a similar background, but she wasn't as solitary as she was. Veronica shakes her head. She can't get what being so sheltered had been for her, but she feels like she wouldn't like whoever ordered it very much.

"Here, let it be my turn now." She produces her calling cards, the rectangular moonlight shining brilliantly on her hand, but this time Veronica forms the magical energy not into her own insignia, but into one fit for each of the other three girls.

"Yeah, of course we are supposed to steal their treasures", Veronica concedes to the pirate, but that can come after we know what they seek to do, would you not agree?"

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    "If these things were like us, I would agree with you, but they're not. They are monsters driven by instinct and a malicious intellect." Hinata's voice is low, her brow knitted. "If I thought they could be reasoned with, do you think I would be so aggressive to them?"

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Oh that's neat.
    Erika watches with interest as Veronica hands out calling cards with an insignia unique to each of the girls.
    "Heh, slick~." She says, twirling hers in her fingers.
    "Yeah, well, for me, I find it's just easier to send 'em to Davy Jones' locker and not think too hard about it.
    ... As if she ever thinks too hard about anything.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Kureha has no stake in the debate between Hinata and Veronica, so she's content to just sip at her soda quietly after accepting what appears to be a calling card for herself. She does listen with interest to the topic, though; she's curious to learn more about these creatures.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"That's why we should trap them. Only once we have done that, then we interrogate." She drinks a bit more of her Jan Ken Pop. She looks at Hinata, knowing the other girl does have a point too, but falling into a rhythm is how you get caught by surprise.

"If we fail, pity, but we can try again another time. We cannot keep being ignorant forever." 'Why would you want to be anyway? Is it not better to know than wallow in your lack of knowledge?', Veronica thinks. "That is how we end up unprepared one of these days."

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Hinata sighs. Takes a drink from her own bottle of soda, then silently turns and walks away... she does pass an apologetic look to Kureha as she passes the other noble at least.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Kureha watches Hinata start to walk away with an arched eyebrow, though there is a small nod. Then she turns a glance back towards Veronica. "I believe her point was that attempting to interrogate them is a fool's errand to begin with. If they are as malicious and intelligent as she claims, then even if they were to provide any information, it would likely be a lie." The ebon-haired girl takes a last drink of her soda, then adds, "I should return to Chisa. I don't want to make her wait alone for very long."

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica shrugs. "Not with the right persuasion." Then she she nods towards the group. "It was nice seeing you, let's cooperate again sometime." She grabs her purchases and gift, then she goes back to her dorm. She has many pairs of gloves to continue working on.