RE: [IC][Story][Arc 1] Reach for the Moon (was "title to be announced later")
07-16-2018, 09:33 PM (This post was last modified: 07-16-2018, 09:38 PM by robkelk.)
07-16-2018, 09:33 PM (This post was last modified: 07-16-2018, 09:38 PM by robkelk.)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
November 5, 2016
5:35 pm
"I appreciate the ride, but you didn't need to pick me up at the station, Donaldson-san. I could have taken the bus to your building." Rin showed Rob the sheet that she'd written the directions on.
"Please keep that sheet safe and destroy it once we're some place safe, Ms. Tohsaka. I can't have it be seen by anyone else."
"The situation is that dire?" He nodded as he unlocked the car's passenger-side door and opened it for her. "Then I'll make sure to obscure our tracks, as well." She drew a few gems from her pocket, selected one, and returned the others to safekeeping before she got into the car. After she closed the door, the car door behind her opened and closed.
"I appreciate that. Give us a moment to get past the parking gate, then I'll bring you up to speed."
"Thank you, Mr. Donaldson. Ms. Uiharu told me only the most basic information when she called."
Rob made his way through the line to clear the parking lot, then drove away from the train station. "How much do you know about European mythologies about faerie?"
6:15 pm
"Dinner is served!"
Everyone came to the common room in response to Makoto's call. It was a tight squeeze around the table; despite it being a Saturday night, nobody was out for the evening, and the household had two guests.
"What's this?" Kate asked.
"It's called katsudon," Rob replied. "Breaded pork, egg, and vegetables on rice."
"It's also a good-luck charm," added Ami, who was helping Makoto serve the bowls. The Japanese word 'katsu' can be translated as 'to be victorious'."
"And if we're going into battle tonight, we want to be victorious. This is a simple application of sympathetic magic," continued Rin.
"We usually eat katsudon before a big test, to invoke victory over the exam," Mii commented. "This is a more literal victory than I'm used to."
Rob smiled for a moment. Rin and Mii had similar voices, but nowhere near as close as they did in the two anime they were from. It was as if they didn't have the same seiyuu in real life.
Then Rob frowned. Makoto was holding back his bowl. He looked at her, to see a stern look on her face, quickly replaced by a neutral expression as Ami served him. 'What is this, a police drama? Is Mako-chan hinting she wants to interrogate me?' he thought. Then he realized that Makoto and Ami had been alone together in the kitchen for a while.
The two ladies finished serving dinner, then sat at the table themselves with Makoto at the head. After the traditional thanks for the food, everyone started eating. Discussion of the night's plans was off-limits, at Rin's request - dinner was a time to relax and enjoy food, not a time for serious discussions. There would be plenty of time for that later.
Once dinner was finished, Rob said, "I'll take care of cleaning up the table. Ruiko, would you help, please? Let's do what we can while those of us who are combat-capable discuss plans for tonight."
"I have a few things to put away as well," Makoto said before Ruiko could reply. "I'll do that, then join the rest of you out here."
The three of them collected bowls from the table, then Rob pushed the loaded-down waiter's cart to the kitchen, Makoto following him while Ruiko stayed to finish cleaning off the table.
After the door closed behind Makoto, she locked it, then looked at Rob.
"Ami told you," he whispered.
"Ami told me," she replied at the same volume.
"I thought we weren't going to tell anyone other than Usagi and Kuroko."
"Ami and I are second-closest friends with each other, behind Usagi. Of course she's going to tell me. She also made me promise I wouldn't tell anyone else."
"Thank you, Mako-chan."
"I'm keeping quiet for her, not for you or Mii-san. And I'll tell you right now: if you make Ami cry, I will make you regret it."
"Makoto-san, if I make Ami cry anything other than tears of joy, I will already regret it. But I'll let you add to my sorrow."
"Then we understand each other. Good."
After a moment, Rob said, "You said you had something to take care of in here?"
Makoto smiled. "I just did." She unlocked the kitchen door and headed out to join the others.
'That went better than I expected,' thought Rob as he loaded the dishwasher. He thought for a moment more, then shook his head. 'No. I'm already the luckiest man in this building.'
7:10 pm
"It will take me more than one day to ward this building properly, and that is work that is best done in the daylight. It will also take more magical power than I have stored in my remaining gems."
"Would this help?" Usagi asked Rin, opening her brooch.
Rin gasped. "Is that the Lunar Silver Crystal? I thought that was a myth!"
"I just call it the Silver Crystal."
"Yes! It will most definitely help! If I was to use all of the power in this, I could ward this entire block in a single night!"
Usagi closed the brooch. "The Silver Crystal is linked to my soul. If you drain it, you'll kill me."
"Oh. I understand, and I apologize. Let us ward only this building, then, and I will use half of my gems in the process."
Kate cleared her throat. "Is this something you could teach me to do?"
Just then, the building shook.
"What was that?"
"Earthquake?"
"No, we're under attack again!"
"So early in the evening?"
"And by what?"
"Senshi, transform and roll out!"
"Minako!"
"Just do it!"
A half-dozen mystic light-shows later, the Sailor Team and Tuxedo Kamen were headed for the door, followed by Rin.
Kuroko watched them go. "So, should we bother trying to help out? We can't see the opponents."
"I'm going," Mikoto announced. "Even if I can't see them directly, I should be able to detect their electrical fields."
Kazari and Mii exchanged glances. "She can sense somebody's nervous system?" Kazari asked in amazement.
"Maybe. And maybe I can see them with my Skill. I'm going, too."
"No, you're not, sempai. You're still recovering from the last attack. The two of us stay here."
Kuroko sighed. "I may as well follow along. Perhaps someone will need to be teleported away from the battle."
It was big. And ugly. And big. And didn't seem to mind the cold. And big. And carrying a tree trunk it was using as a club. And big.
"He's a big one!"
"Thank you, Venus! How about pinning him down?"
"Venus Lovely Chain!" It wrapped around the giant... and broke when he flexed his muscles.
"Heh heh heh. Me don't wear jewelry, little girl."
"This might be a good time to try some of the combination attacks Rob suggested. Mars?"
"Right beside you, Mercury! Mars Flame..."
"Mercury Aqua..."
"Sniper|Illusion!" They hit their foe with heat and cold at the same time.
He just grinned. "Heh heh. Sauna."
"Oh, great," muttered Mamoru. "It's a Nordic giant." Then he threw himself between Sailor Moon and the giant's counterattack.
As Tuxedo Kamen hit the side of the apartment building at high speed, Sailor Jupiter shouted "Jupiter Oak Evolution!" Her attack hit the club, shattering it to splinters.
"You! That wasn't nice, girlie!" The giant rushed her...
...only to be hit between the eyes by a coin-sized metal token propelled at just-barely-subsonic speed.
"Did I hit it?" Mikoto asked from the doorway.
The giant fell over with an earthshaking thud.
"You got it," Sailor Venus replied as Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury both rushed to Tuxedo Kamen's side.
Rin, meanwhile, gestured to her servant Archer. A moment later, a very large sword materialized and sliced the giant's head off.
Kate just stared. "You killed a giant. That fast." Then she saw Mamoru's body, gasped, and fainted.
Mikoto turned to shout into the apartment building. "Kuroko, we need a medevac! Somebody, call Washuu-chan!"
Rob was already on the phone - the Good Neighbor system had triggered again.
8:44 pm
"He's stable. He should be fine in a day or two."
Usagi almost collapsed in relief. "Thank you, Washuu-chan!"
"This young woman," Washuu-chan gestured to Kate, "just fainted. Nothing for me to do there; she'll be fine on her own. I'm letting her sleep it off."
"Let's at least make her comfortable," Rob suggested. "Oh, and could I see you in private if you have a moment, Washuu-chan?"
The two of them stepped into his office. Three minutes later, Washuu-chan stepped out, looking like the cat that ate the canary.
"What's got you in such a good mood?" Rei asked.
"Something I thought would start happening is happening, but sooner than I expected. And now I have to go." The door to her lab appeared behind her, she went in, and the door disappeared.
Rob stepped out. "Washuu-chan, could I impose on you to send Rin home?"
Rei pointed at the blank wall. "Washuu-chan just left."
"And I should stay at least until we have warded this building."
"You can borrow my apartment tonight, Tohsaka-san," Ami volunteered. "I'll be up all night making sure Mamoru doesn't take a turn for the worse, anyway."
To be continued...
OOC: Eight IC posts all set in the same one story day. Fast-paced for a "Certain Scientific Railgun" story.
November 5, 2016
5:35 pm
"I appreciate the ride, but you didn't need to pick me up at the station, Donaldson-san. I could have taken the bus to your building." Rin showed Rob the sheet that she'd written the directions on.
"Please keep that sheet safe and destroy it once we're some place safe, Ms. Tohsaka. I can't have it be seen by anyone else."
"The situation is that dire?" He nodded as he unlocked the car's passenger-side door and opened it for her. "Then I'll make sure to obscure our tracks, as well." She drew a few gems from her pocket, selected one, and returned the others to safekeeping before she got into the car. After she closed the door, the car door behind her opened and closed.
"I appreciate that. Give us a moment to get past the parking gate, then I'll bring you up to speed."
"Thank you, Mr. Donaldson. Ms. Uiharu told me only the most basic information when she called."
Rob made his way through the line to clear the parking lot, then drove away from the train station. "How much do you know about European mythologies about faerie?"
6:15 pm
"Dinner is served!"
Everyone came to the common room in response to Makoto's call. It was a tight squeeze around the table; despite it being a Saturday night, nobody was out for the evening, and the household had two guests.
"What's this?" Kate asked.
"It's called katsudon," Rob replied. "Breaded pork, egg, and vegetables on rice."
"It's also a good-luck charm," added Ami, who was helping Makoto serve the bowls. The Japanese word 'katsu' can be translated as 'to be victorious'."
"And if we're going into battle tonight, we want to be victorious. This is a simple application of sympathetic magic," continued Rin.
"We usually eat katsudon before a big test, to invoke victory over the exam," Mii commented. "This is a more literal victory than I'm used to."
Rob smiled for a moment. Rin and Mii had similar voices, but nowhere near as close as they did in the two anime they were from. It was as if they didn't have the same seiyuu in real life.
Then Rob frowned. Makoto was holding back his bowl. He looked at her, to see a stern look on her face, quickly replaced by a neutral expression as Ami served him. 'What is this, a police drama? Is Mako-chan hinting she wants to interrogate me?' he thought. Then he realized that Makoto and Ami had been alone together in the kitchen for a while.
The two ladies finished serving dinner, then sat at the table themselves with Makoto at the head. After the traditional thanks for the food, everyone started eating. Discussion of the night's plans was off-limits, at Rin's request - dinner was a time to relax and enjoy food, not a time for serious discussions. There would be plenty of time for that later.
Once dinner was finished, Rob said, "I'll take care of cleaning up the table. Ruiko, would you help, please? Let's do what we can while those of us who are combat-capable discuss plans for tonight."
"I have a few things to put away as well," Makoto said before Ruiko could reply. "I'll do that, then join the rest of you out here."
The three of them collected bowls from the table, then Rob pushed the loaded-down waiter's cart to the kitchen, Makoto following him while Ruiko stayed to finish cleaning off the table.
After the door closed behind Makoto, she locked it, then looked at Rob.
"Ami told you," he whispered.
"Ami told me," she replied at the same volume.
"I thought we weren't going to tell anyone other than Usagi and Kuroko."
"Ami and I are second-closest friends with each other, behind Usagi. Of course she's going to tell me. She also made me promise I wouldn't tell anyone else."
"Thank you, Mako-chan."
"I'm keeping quiet for her, not for you or Mii-san. And I'll tell you right now: if you make Ami cry, I will make you regret it."
"Makoto-san, if I make Ami cry anything other than tears of joy, I will already regret it. But I'll let you add to my sorrow."
"Then we understand each other. Good."
After a moment, Rob said, "You said you had something to take care of in here?"
Makoto smiled. "I just did." She unlocked the kitchen door and headed out to join the others.
'That went better than I expected,' thought Rob as he loaded the dishwasher. He thought for a moment more, then shook his head. 'No. I'm already the luckiest man in this building.'
7:10 pm
"It will take me more than one day to ward this building properly, and that is work that is best done in the daylight. It will also take more magical power than I have stored in my remaining gems."
"Would this help?" Usagi asked Rin, opening her brooch.
Rin gasped. "Is that the Lunar Silver Crystal? I thought that was a myth!"
"I just call it the Silver Crystal."
"Yes! It will most definitely help! If I was to use all of the power in this, I could ward this entire block in a single night!"
Usagi closed the brooch. "The Silver Crystal is linked to my soul. If you drain it, you'll kill me."
"Oh. I understand, and I apologize. Let us ward only this building, then, and I will use half of my gems in the process."
Kate cleared her throat. "Is this something you could teach me to do?"
Just then, the building shook.
"What was that?"
"Earthquake?"
"No, we're under attack again!"
"So early in the evening?"
"And by what?"
"Senshi, transform and roll out!"
"Minako!"
"Just do it!"
A half-dozen mystic light-shows later, the Sailor Team and Tuxedo Kamen were headed for the door, followed by Rin.
Kuroko watched them go. "So, should we bother trying to help out? We can't see the opponents."
"I'm going," Mikoto announced. "Even if I can't see them directly, I should be able to detect their electrical fields."
Kazari and Mii exchanged glances. "She can sense somebody's nervous system?" Kazari asked in amazement.
"Maybe. And maybe I can see them with my Skill. I'm going, too."
"No, you're not, sempai. You're still recovering from the last attack. The two of us stay here."
Kuroko sighed. "I may as well follow along. Perhaps someone will need to be teleported away from the battle."
It was big. And ugly. And big. And didn't seem to mind the cold. And big. And carrying a tree trunk it was using as a club. And big.
"He's a big one!"
"Thank you, Venus! How about pinning him down?"
"Venus Lovely Chain!" It wrapped around the giant... and broke when he flexed his muscles.
"Heh heh heh. Me don't wear jewelry, little girl."
"This might be a good time to try some of the combination attacks Rob suggested. Mars?"
"Right beside you, Mercury! Mars Flame..."
"Mercury Aqua..."
"Sniper|Illusion!" They hit their foe with heat and cold at the same time.
He just grinned. "Heh heh. Sauna."
"Oh, great," muttered Mamoru. "It's a Nordic giant." Then he threw himself between Sailor Moon and the giant's counterattack.
As Tuxedo Kamen hit the side of the apartment building at high speed, Sailor Jupiter shouted "Jupiter Oak Evolution!" Her attack hit the club, shattering it to splinters.
"You! That wasn't nice, girlie!" The giant rushed her...
...only to be hit between the eyes by a coin-sized metal token propelled at just-barely-subsonic speed.
"Did I hit it?" Mikoto asked from the doorway.
The giant fell over with an earthshaking thud.
"You got it," Sailor Venus replied as Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury both rushed to Tuxedo Kamen's side.
Rin, meanwhile, gestured to her servant Archer. A moment later, a very large sword materialized and sliced the giant's head off.
Kate just stared. "You killed a giant. That fast." Then she saw Mamoru's body, gasped, and fainted.
Mikoto turned to shout into the apartment building. "Kuroko, we need a medevac! Somebody, call Washuu-chan!"
Rob was already on the phone - the Good Neighbor system had triggered again.
8:44 pm
"He's stable. He should be fine in a day or two."
Usagi almost collapsed in relief. "Thank you, Washuu-chan!"
"This young woman," Washuu-chan gestured to Kate, "just fainted. Nothing for me to do there; she'll be fine on her own. I'm letting her sleep it off."
"Let's at least make her comfortable," Rob suggested. "Oh, and could I see you in private if you have a moment, Washuu-chan?"
The two of them stepped into his office. Three minutes later, Washuu-chan stepped out, looking like the cat that ate the canary.
"What's got you in such a good mood?" Rei asked.
"Something I thought would start happening is happening, but sooner than I expected. And now I have to go." The door to her lab appeared behind her, she went in, and the door disappeared.
Rob stepped out. "Washuu-chan, could I impose on you to send Rin home?"
Rei pointed at the blank wall. "Washuu-chan just left."
"And I should stay at least until we have warded this building."
"You can borrow my apartment tonight, Tohsaka-san," Ami volunteered. "I'll be up all night making sure Mamoru doesn't take a turn for the worse, anyway."
To be continued...
OOC: Eight IC posts all set in the same one story day. Fast-paced for a "Certain Scientific Railgun" story.
--
Rob Kelk
Sticks and stones can break your bones,
But words can break your heart.
- unknown
Rob Kelk
Sticks and stones can break your bones,
But words can break your heart.
- unknown