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Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Bob Schroeck - 04-09-2020
You can read it here.
As usual, forum readers get a good 24 hours or more lead on the FFML. (Hell, you guys got a couple years' lead on them with chapter 1, given that I forgot to post it there until I finished chapter 2...)
Anyway, please post comments in this thread.
Thank you!
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - DHBirr - 04-09-2020
"Consume mass quantities!"
Doug introducing Usagi to future music finally triggered an association in my mind, summed up by the following slightly-reworked exchange originally from Deep Space Nine:
Quote:Temporal Investigation Agent 1: His motorcycle.
Temporal Investigation Agent 2: Douglas Q. Sangnoir.
Sisko: [grins] The one and only.
Temporal Investigation Agent 1: Seventeen hundred separate temporal violations. The biggest file on record.
Temporal Investigation Agent 2: The man was a menace.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Norgarth - 04-09-2020
Spoilered for those who haven't read chapter 3 yet
![[+]](/images/collapse_collapsed.png "[+]")
Spoiler
good luck, at this point RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Dartz - 04-10-2020
When the players get more competent, the enemy gets more competent to match.
Has anyone else noticed that effect Doug has?
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - robkelk - 04-10-2020
Quote:Oh yeah, tomorrow's training was definitely going to be Bootcamp for Bunny.
"Bootcamp, for Bunny, in Tokyo / Muscles are aching all day ..."
With apologies to Mel Brooks.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - robkelk - 04-10-2020
Ack! Missed a typo!
Quote:Why was he here if she didn't need him? He shuddered as he remembered his ribs splintering under the force of those kicks. Why was here at all?
"Why was he here at all?"
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Bob Schroeck - 04-10-2020
Oh, good catch. I'll fix that after work tonight.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - DHBirr - 04-10-2020
(04-10-2020, 08:13 AM)robkelk Wrote: Ack! Missed a typo!
Quote:Why was he here if she didn't need him? He shuddered as he remembered his ribs splintering under the force of those kicks. Why was here at all?
"Why was he here at all?"
That was an error?! I thought Tux Boy was being philosophically profound about the meaning of all existence. (Weird time for it, though....) [smirk]
-----
A strong blade, well-honed;
Where are the things it shall cut?
Why, where are they not?
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Inquisitive Raven - 04-10-2020
On the availability of Royal Canin in the US, have a link.
I first encountered the brand in reference to their veterinary formulations, specifically the one for cats with kidney problems.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Black Aeronaut - 04-10-2020
You usually only see Royal Canin in the higher end pet stores here in the USA. But a lot of veterinary clinics that sell pet food as well tend to carry it.
I love how things with Usagi are progressing. She is herself, only more so as her self-confidence steadily develops. Seeing someone of her spunk and vivacity blossom into a young woman is a sight to see.
It's also nice to get to see snippets of the others in their daily lives and learn a bit of their circumstances. (Even if some of us already knew about the details, it's still fun to see.) I think the only Senshi we didn't see was Setsuna, but then she's... well, literally off in her own world.
Also, I like this angle with the surveillance youma. Very interesting. I'd love to see where this plot thread goes.
Also, seeing Jadeite stepping up his game? Interesting. Very interesting.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - chibipoe - 04-10-2020
Just wanted to point one thing out. This chapter you had Mamoru waking up as if dreaming, but distinctly mentioned him as Chiba Mamoru in the previous chapter after Sailor Moon played kickball with his ribs. Which he wouldn't be doing, iirc, as he didn't know he was Tuxedo Kamen until later, after Jadeite & Nephrite were dead and he snagged one of the shards of the Ginzuishou.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Labster - 04-11-2020
And now I am reminded of how I need to write my own scene involving a character introduced to "Gimme Choco!!"
Rei makes a far better angel of music for my money.
And the debut of Luna Mauno of Finland. Maybe she's "related" to Tsumugi Kotobuki? (or, more likely, Azu-nyan). It's nice to see the Minato-kai doing good work, and really just showing civic pride. Still, it seems Doug's opsec is a bit lax compared to other cases. Or rather, it's quite effective against his actual enemy who has plenty of magic and no idea how the 20th century works. Against crunchies with ears and notepads, not so much. Though if he ever gets in contact with Natsuna Sakurada, Doug could end up working with local law enforcement for once!
One thing I'd like to see explained a bit is why the Dark Kingdom focused its operations on Tokyo. Dark Agency had at least some international reach. But where Jadeite says not to repeat his plans: why not repeat it in a city with no meddlesome senshi? Is it simply because their portal opens there, and they don't have time to develop another global op? Even then, Kyoto and Osaka are only a short hop on the Shinkansen.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Black Aeronaut - 04-11-2020
I would argue that it's a bit of column A, and a bit of column B.
For one thing, relocating the portal or opening others would probably be costly. Keep in mind, a good deal of the energy being harvested has gone into stabilizing the current portal.
For another, what guarantee do they have that the mystery interlopers can't just teleport? Right now, they're working under the assumption that there's a bonafied warmage on the loose. Which, considering what Doug is, is pretty dead-on, if not technically correct. They're thinking that it's some barely-surviving-order from the Moon Empire. Which would mean someone who is very capable, and likely has access to fast-travel spells. Which is also accurate in the case of Doug.
EDIT: Sorry, forgot this bit. As for what's keeping them there? Simple: Population Density. With so many people dwelling there, the pickings are good - probably better than anywhere else. And so far, the missions they've been running that rely more on subtlety than fast profits have been proving to be the more effective, if only because they can gather more victims that way.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Norgarth - 04-11-2020
Some stories I've read have had tokyo (and in particular that part of the city) to be located on an upwelling of natural magical power, making it easier for Youma to survive/open the gateway from the Dark Kingdom/the locals have much larger energy reserves to draw from/etc. The exact reason varies from story to story even when the same 'upwelling mana' power source was used.
I'm unsure if there was any official reason for why so many SM villains showed up in Tokyo (Dark Moon Family and Deathbusters at least had reasons to set up in Tokyo)
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - robkelk - 04-11-2020
I remember doing that analysis years ago... let's see whether I can remember the tl;dr version of the list.
Why the season's enemies only operate where the Sailor Senshi are
Beryl's forces: their portal is stuck in Tokyo.
Ail and Ann: That's where they landed, and they don't have the energy to move.
Dark Moon: They're looking for somebody.
Witches 5: They're literally insane.
Dead Moon Circus: That's where they landed, and they're looking for somebody.
Galaxia: She's already been everywhere else.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - classicdrogn - 04-11-2020
Well, DWII at lest had Tokyo sitting on a massive geomantic node, and there's a whole "crystal points" thing from some later season of Sailor Moon too, IIRC.
I also like the idea of brighter, infiltrator youma "going native" as they succeed in fitting into human society for their covers. It's a classic SF beat for good reason: It has audience appeal both as a mass redemption arc and in the idea that human society is inherently better than the outsiders' so of course they want to join in once they see it.
Aaannnd I had another thought on my mind, but lost it while putting these down. Bother.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Norgarth - 04-11-2020
@RobKelk
I'd forgottenthat the Dead Moon Circus had tracked Pegasus to Tokyo, and the Deathbusters were insane, yes, but that's also where their base happened to be/where Hotaru's Dad opened a portal to the big bad. I just meant that it was real lucky that the Doom Tree and Dead Moon Circus just happened to land in Tokyo (as I said, I forgot the Circus was looking for someone)
Though I suppose the whole 'Crystal Points thr Dark Moon family arc may be indication of a geomantic node under this Tokyo as well. Which could well attract those that can sense/make use of the energy.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - hazard - 04-11-2020
The reason Galaxia is at Tokyo isn't because she's been everywhere else. It's because that's where the Senshi are and she needs to deal with them anyway.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Labster - 04-11-2020
Right, so what Rob said. It's just that the I feel like the reasons for the first season villains being in Tokyo were the weakest. There are two reasons that are side objectives: The first is Beryl's crush on Endymion, and love/lust is as good a reason as any to make that mistake. The other is finding the seven great youma/rainbow crystals, which are anime-only. But if the goal is obtaining the Ginzuishou, then it's a necessary step.
It's just a strategic error. If you need more life energy (whatever that is) to feed your Metaria and field your forces, you might want a stronger force before you start facing foes. If you face your enemies and keep losing or only partially achieving the objective, you are doing it wrong. All while choosing the ops and thus choosing your own battlefields. And these are the same people who took out the Moon Kingdom, so they should be able to plan. On the other hand, they've been trapped for N-thousand years with a pet Elder God so they may not quite have the mental capacity they used to.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Norgarth - 04-11-2020
Plus in Canon, there was likely an aspect of "I refuse to believe my warriors can't handle a handful of untrained children!" to Beryl's decision to not shift operations
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - hazard - 04-11-2020
That should've passed by the time Zoicite died though. I mean, Jadeite was imprisoned/executed for repeated failures, Nephrite was executed for treasaon. But Zoicite? Zoicite was killed in battle.
Children or not, those warriors are losing to them. At that point shifting operational areas is just sensible if it's possible.
Although at that point you also have that Beryl and Kunzite may well be desiring revenge for the loss of so many resources and Kunzite in particular for the loss of his lover/extremely close friend, depending on your interpretation of their relationship.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Black Aeronaut - 04-11-2020
Well, there is ONE good reason why they stayed in that area in the first season.
The Rainbow Crystals.
For one thing, it would make sense that they would spawn in people who would be in and around Tokyo at the time the reincarnated princess was there.
And once Beryl was aware of their presence, well... the rest writes itself.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - hazard - 04-11-2020
But as noted, the Rainbow Crystals are an anime only filler arc.
Actually, there's another option. IIRC Canonically Beryl was chasing after the Ginzuisho in the manga and anime, or at least it was one of the targets she had. It's possible that she'd detected it was in the general vicinity of Azabu Juuban and focused her efforts there because she wanted to look for it anyway. A long term energy gathering operation can easily be turned into support for an information gathering operation. The biggest issue is having people around in the first place.
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - DeputyJones - 04-12-2020
An excellent read as always, milord Loon Wrangler!
And to answer the question of 'why Tokyo?' Clearly that pesky interdimensional weak point around Tokyo Tower is about as bad as the Cardiff Rift. =^_^=
RE: Chapter Three Has Been Unleashed! - Bob Schroeck - 04-13-2020
Thanks, Deputy!
Oh, and I forget to mention, I dropped the chapter on the FFML yesterday afternoon. No responses yet that I've seen.