2026-02-15: Rumors Abound Underneath Kasugayama High
- Log: Rumors Abound Underneath Kasugayama High
- Cast: Tamaki Uchida, Eikichi Mishina, Hyousuke Suzuki, Julian Marlowe
- Where: Kasugayama High School - Air Raid Shelter
- OOC Date: February 15, 2026
- IC Date: September 26, 2012
- Summary: In a desperate bid for leads on missing persons cases, Tamaki taps Hyousuke and Eikichi for assistance in exploring the air raid shelter underneath Kasugayama High School to interrogate Demons for Rumors. They're soon joined by supernatural investigator Vesper who just so happened to be in the area, and at the end, they find a lost member of the school's administration and hear info from a Demon about someone else who's been spirited away.
(|================ Kasugayama High School - Air Raid Shelter =================|)
-=============================================== Sumaru City/Hirasaka Ward ====-
In Kasugayama's basement, there are steel double doors that lead to an abandoned
underground air raid shelter left over from World War II. Notes on the walls
tell a tale of cleaning schedules, doctor's visits, and food distribution
schedules, all at different times depending on the day. Traps to ward off
potential invaders still line the floors here and there. In various corners, one
can find forgotten pages of a little girl's diary, telling of her lonely time
there while hiding from bombings.
These days, it's empty, of course. But rumor has it that once you go in, you can
never find your way out again... Which isn't true. People go in and leave with
no problem all the time. Still, there's a kernel of truth there, for a map is
absolutely necessary to traverse it. The layout is extremely confusing, so
without one, one is sure to get lost down there. Even Persona Users have
problems navigating its meandering earthen halls, because for some reason, it's
a psychic blackout screen.
MONAD: A party led by Tamaki Uchida has begun the event Clean Out Kasugayama High!.
(|==================== Monad - Clean Out Kasugayama High! ====================|)
-==== Round 1: Ora Ora Ora - Challenge Level 2 ================================-
| Approach Options: Guts or Charm |
| Conditions: Bothersome - Charm Down L1 and Scary - Guts Down L1 |
-==== Challenge ===============================================================-
The first things your party may notice upon coming up to the front doors of
Kasugaya High are the oni expertly squatting in front, donning magnificent
pomadours and ill-fitting Kasugayama uniforms. One would hope these uniforms
were pilfered from some gym locker or another, and that those stains are just
sauce.
"Lookit what we got ourselves 'ere!" shouts one, his stately pomadour bobbing
with his words.
"'Ey, I was thinkin' I was hungry. Maybe they got some lunch money?" yells
another, rolling their shoulders and making a button fly off their uniform.
"... Or maybe, they could suffice themselves," says a skinnier one, tapping a
spiked bat to her shoulder.
These oni do look rather scary... what will you do?
(|============================================================= Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
It's evening at Kasugayama High School. Not quite the Dark Hour, but still far past the time that school's ended for the day. Demons can sometimes be a good source of rumors and information, and to that end, Tamaki's enlisted the help of Eikichi and Hyousuke to venture down into the air raid shelter said to be underneath. Earlier in the week, Tamaki had also contacted completely mundane teacher Julian to give him a heads-up so that they could enter the school at this hour without any hassle, but she's certainly not expecting him to show up. To her knowledge, it's just this group of three!
From what she's heard, the lesser-known rumor about this place overlaps with another nascent rumor taking hold over in Rengedai. If they're really lucky, they might learn something from a Demon about where the Joker Killer took Jun ... but she's not holding her breath.
Tamaki nods to the two students as they arrive. "Evening, you two. Glad you could make it, and thanks for helping out. Any questions before we go in?" She doesn't quite know about how poorly the other two get along, but ... she might find out.
As the trio of Tamaki, Eikichi, and Hyousuke make their way to the air raid shelter in the basement, they encounter a group of rowdy oni, wearing Kasugayama uniforms several sizes too small for them and wielding large spiked bats. One of the smaller ones looks antsy and complains to the others, "Can we get going? I'm starvin' already!" Another one occupies himself with combing his pompadour while looking in a pocket mirror and replies, "In a minute, damn. Gotta get this juuuust right."
The largest of the bunch holds his bat behind neck while he rests his head against the unspiked area, then grins. "Well, well, well, looks like we don't have to go out tonight for dinner after all; delivery's here!" Just as he runs up to swing at Tamaki, she reaches into her bag and --
-- whips out an energy bar to offer it to her would-be assailant with a smile on her face. "Yep! Brought a good source of protein right here for you!" After rifling around in her duffel bag some more, she offers, "Or maybe you're looking for something more sweet and junk food-y? Let me see what I've got here in the stash ..." The oni briefly stands there stunned while he tries to decide which food he's in the mood for, the brawl seemingly forgotten for now. "Uh -- um. Hm."
MONAD: Tamaki Uchida has acted with Demon Friends toward Ora Ora Ora! Friendliness and Patra!
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
A mission to school? Eikichi is in! The blue haired punk wanders up to the front gate, slouched with his guitar case strapped to his back. He keeps his hands in his pockets until he stops in his tracks, tilting his head fearsomely at the pompadour'd Oni. Suddenly, the school uniform jacket comes up as Eikichi leans, placing a hand under his chin. It is as if he is spawning sparkles and bubbles by just how fashionable and cool he is.
"Over here, gentlemen...Do not approach! We are going by and there is very little you can do, mon cheris." Eikichi says, placing the hand delicately on his chest. "For you are facing the magnificent Rock genius of our generation...The Boss of this High School thanks to his outrageous fighting talent! The beautiful Rose of a world turned grey, MICHELLE~!"
What did Eikichi do? He just tried to make the Oni punks very uncomfortable so they'd leave without fighting.
Can the Death Boss weird out the Oni delinquents between the team and the Air Raid shelter.
MONAD: Eikichi Mishina has acted with Self-Aggrandizing toward Ora Ora Ora! Friendliness and Empathy!
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
Hyousuke's body still ached from the fight at the exhibition. No poison yet remained in his system, and the influence of the painting had long since faded, but the aftershocks of both still left aches whenever he moved. However, duty called. His assistance was needed down in the air raid shelter, and he would be damned if he was going to let a friend go down there without him lending a hand. However, there were also a couple of other reasons that he wished to make the journey down there, both of which he kept quiet out of fear of being seen as selfish.
The first was simple curiosity. He'd not been down there, despite having heard many a story about the strange goings-on beneath the school, and had been immensely curious about it the entire time he'd been in attendance. Now that he had a party with which to venture into its depths, he could do so without worrying his friends overmuch. The second was that he simply needed something to take his mind off of things. Fighting was the best distraction he knew, and if there were as many demons in there as he had heard tell of, then it presented ample opportunity to let off some steam.
Any hopes of getting through the night smoothly were put in great jeopardy when he realised just who it was that he was going in there with. Tamaki was alright - she was, in essence, his employer, and a reliable ally too. That aside, if anyone knew how to wring information out of them, it was going to be her. Eikichi, however, was not someone he was especially optimistic about working with. The mask hid the glance he gave the school's de facto leader, but the feeling of apprehension still lingered. It could be addressed later, however. If it meant getting the mission done, he could put petty squabbles aside.
Hyousuke recognised that the oni were supposed to be frightening. He recognised that the threats of robbery, murder, and the consuming of his flesh were supposed to intimidate him. But he was not fazed. Both the visor blocking out his eyes and the mask strapped over his mouth like a muzzle left him with a blank and impassive look, but beneath them, he was simply annoyed by their presence. He regarded them with all the disdain he cared to muster, and stood before them with crossed arms and clenched fists.
"Move it." He said simply, his voice taking on a slight growl. "I'm not in the mood for this. Get out of my way, or I'll go *through* you."
MONAD: Hyousuke Suzuki has acted with Bravado toward Ora Ora Ora! Bravery and Focus!
<Pose Tracker> Julian Marlowe has posed.
No security guards, or anyone else are encountered on the way to the air raid shelter. The emergency exit door, located conveniently right next to Julian's office, was left unlocked, and so was the door leading to the classroom/storage room that connects to air raid shelter. Barring an amazing string of coincidences, it certainly appears as if Julian came through in assisting a smooth entry for the group, just like he promised he would.
That, of course, should have been the full extent of his involvement. He wouldn't be able to officially sanction the activity, let alone be present for it. And what could a normal guy really do anyway, should the rumors of supernatural activity at night be true?
Even so... as the larger Oni steps forward to deal with those on approach, there is movement in the shadows behind him, where the other Oni busies himself with combing his 'do.
"Excuse me."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sklEuJkA_M
Out steps a white-masked gentleman, clad in an immaculate grey suit atop a crisp white shirt, adorned with a black tie. This particular outfit's fashion heyday was 50 years ago, but clearly the one wearing would think it never went out of style. He lifts his bowler hat in greeting, catching the oni's attention. The masked man, Vesper, points the tip of the umbrella he carries downward.
"Your shoelaces have come undone."
No sooner do the Oni's eyes move away from the masked man to his bare feet, or he's smashed in the face with the umbrella in the blink of an eye. A big believer in Making An Entrance, of course it was fully necessary to act upon the threat, before addressing the others on approach.
"It's been a while, Mishina-kun, Suzuki-kun. And... Tamaki Uchida-san, if I'm not mistaken?"
More than that will have to wait, until the issue at hand is fully resolved, one way or another.
MONAD: Julian Marlowe has acted with Swagger toward Ora Ora Ora! Bravery and Efficient! (|============================= Monad - Results ==============================|) -==== Ora Ora Ora - Round 1 ===================================================- Tamaki Uchida Charm Success Demon Friends Friendliness and Patra Fatigue: 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eikichi Mishina Charm Success Self-Aggrandizing Friendliness and Empathy Fatigue: 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Julian Marlowe Guts Success Swagger Bravery and Efficient Fatigue: 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hyousuke Suzuki Guts Success Bravado Bravery and Focus Fatigue: 0 -============================= Party Conditions: ==============================- Starting Conditions: Bothersome-2 and Scary-2 Final Conditions: Bothersome-1 -======================================== Party Result: Success: Reach Up! ====- -==== Reach: 1/6 |= | =====================================================- (|============================================================= Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
"Gimme that." The oni in front of Tamaki swipes the extra-chewy protein bar out of her hand and munches away contentedly. "I just wanted some grub, but I dunno about the rest of my crew."
Tamaki gives Eikichi a sidelong glance at his glamorous display, then slides her eyes right back to the crowd of Oni. That seems to have mollified the oni concerned with his own appearance, who holds a hand to his heart as he admires Eikichi in turn. "Oh ... such grace! Please, proceed ahead!"
Hyousuke's demeanor rattles the rest of the gaggle and sends a collective shiver up their spines. One of them cranes his neck over to the side and says, "Uh -- boss, he ain't -- he ain't moving. Usually people just fork over their cash!" Unfortunately, their boss just gives them a lazy shrug while he continues eating the protein bar. They're on their own.
While most of them remain cowed, one of them advances straight for a now very unguarded Tamaki and holds his bat up high. "Fuck this!" She was prepared to talk, not fight, she had gotten overconfident, and --
'Your shoelaces have come undone.'
"Eh?" The oni pauses to look down at his bare feet. " -- wait a sec, I'm not even wearing -- " BASH, CRASH! Vesper's umbrella knocks him out cold as he swoops in to save the day!
Tamaki's face lights up in a smile as she nods. "That's correct! I recognize your getup from Kamiya's Palace, but I don't think we got much of a chance to speak in that chaotic situation. Pleasure to properly meet you!" Confusion briefly flickers across her expression, but it fades just as quickly. "Don't know why you're here, but if you're on our side, I don't think I'd mind the help. And thanks for the save."
MONAD: Tamaki Uchida has drawn a new Challenge!
(|==================== Monad - Clean Out Kasugayama High! ====================|)
-==== Round 2: A Midsummer's Night's Disaster - Challenge Level 2 =============-
| Approach Options: Academics or Understanding |
| Conditions: Bothersome - Charm Down L1, Bothersome - Charm Down L1, Fairy - |
| Subtract 1 Fatigue on success., and Mindnumbing - Academics Down L2 |
-==== Challenge ===============================================================-
After hearing a voice coming from a classroom nearby, your party opens the door,
revealing a mischievous-looking fairy sitting on the podium, in the middle of
exchanging lines to another.
"Captain of our fairy band,
Helena is here at hand;
And the youth, mistook by me,
Pleading for a lover's fee.
Shall we their fond pageant see?
Lord, what fools these mortals be!"
Puck looks up from his reading with Robin Goodfellow with a raised eyebrow, and
stage whispers, "Your line, say your line!"
Do you oblige these merry wanderers of the night?
(|============================================================= Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Julian Marlowe has posed.
Vesper briefly raises his hat to acknowledge Tamaki. "Vesper, Supernatural Investigator extraordinaire. Charmed." That, in itself, is probably enough of an answer in regards to what he's doing here. If that's what he does for a living, it only stands to reason that he'd be investigating a place like this, wouldn't he?
With the Onis mollified, unconscious, or too rattled to act, Vesper makes a sweeping gesture with his arms to indicate the path further in. "Let us continue once we clear the immediate area, shall we? Though take caution and mark your passage well, these paths are known to be particularly confounding."
He's not wrong, the various rooms and passageways are dreadfully similar, it's easy to start thinking you've been somewhere before. Vesper's own knowledge in that regard is limited, having never had a group for assistance before, but this early on there's little trouble still. Once some distance has been put between them and the demons, Vesper clarifies a little further.
"To put it simply, the entire school, but particularly this area, appears to attract the supernatural towards it like some kind of warped magnet. I aim to get to the bottom of that mystery. I assume your interest here is much the same?"
This is when voices begin to filter in from the adjacent area. Holding up a hand, Vesper peeks in first - he could have sworn he heard lines that he's well familiar with. A Midsummer Night's Dream? Are they putting on that play, here? To his surprise, he's told to 'say his line'. "...When in Rome, as they say." He clears his throat.
"Stand aside, the noise they make
Will cause Demetrius to awake!"
His Oberon is a bit overdramatic perhaps, but at least he knows his stuff. While 'Puck' delivers the next section, he stage-whispers to Hyousuke and Tamaki, "Lysander and Helena are next. Perhaps if we indulge the fairies, they'll leave us be." There a beat, as he considers what to him as a matter of course. "You... do know your Shakespeare, do you not?"
MONAD: Julian Marlowe has acted with Counsel toward A Midsummer's Night's Disaster! Focus and Empathy!
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
His fists were clenched, his muscles tensed, his gaze hardened. Hyousuke was prepared for a fight, and on some level, hoped for one. They were acceptable targets, after all - things dangerous to humans, and liable to cause a great deal of trouble when left alone. But his threat worked, and he managed to secure some semblance of safe passage in.
Hyousuke had a few thoughts on the approaches taken by the other members of the party, but could hardly dispute their effectiveness. Tamaki's attempt to befriend - or otherwise charm her way past - the demons certainly seemed to do the trick for the boss, and Julian's sudden and sharp burst of force was something he approved of greatly. Doubly so when it spared them a drawn-out fight, though part of him was a little disappointed that there was not to be a brawl that night. Eikichi's approach was something he found to be... unique, he supposed. It was not one of the more traditional ways of dealing with such things, in his experience, but it got them past the demons, so he could hardly doubt that the Death Boss knew what he was doing.
With the most immediate threat removed, Hyousuke regarded Julian with a short, but polite, nod.
"Vesper. It's been a while." He said, by way of greeting. It had been a while since he'd met with Vesper, certainly. But Julian? Not so much. Their appointment, in the grand scheme of things, hadn't actually been that long ago. "I don't know about what's attracting them or why, I just know they're gonna be a pain in the ass if *someone* doesn't deal with them." His eyes then turned to Eikichi, his voice still even, though there was a little sharpness to it. He was a little wary of him, unsure of how to approach, keeping a little distance both physically and emotionally in case something went awry. "Mishina-san, you never told me you were in on all of this." 'This' being the entirety of the supernatural goings-on.
Then there were the fairies. His first instinct was to resolve the matter with brute force, before they had a chance to play their tricks and have him subjected to something that would no doubt make his night a lot longer than it needed to be. However, Julian had elected to take the diplomatic approach, and Hyousuke found himself compelled to follow suit. He supposed he could always keep violence as a plan B. However, since plan A involved reciting Shakespeare, Hyousuke didn't have much faith in it - certainly not when he was called upon to recite it.
Hyousuke stepped forward, and in a tone that was as uneven as the rhythm with which he spoke, he played the part of Lysandre as best he could.
"Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?
Scorn and derision never come in tears.
Look, when I vow, I weep. And vows so born,
In their nativity all truth appears.
How can these things in me seem scorn to you,
Bearing the badge of faith to prove them true?"
With his part finished, he stepped back, and leaned in a little towards Julian before speaking in a low grumble.
"You're lucky I bothered doing my homework on that one." Were Julian to glance at Hyousuke's school records, he would have seen that his homework on the topic had not been stellar, to put it kindly - though evidently good enough to stand a chance of getting past the fairies.
MONAD: Hyousuke Suzuki has acted with Academics toward A Midsummer's Night's Disaster! Base!
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
Tamaki clasps her hands together and smiles even wider at Vesper's profession. "Oh, wow! Lucky for us to cross paths, then. I'll commit it to memory." He seems to recognize Hyousuke and Eikichi already, so he can't be all that bad, right? "How long have you been in the field?"
She nods firmly at him as he advises they mark their passage well, then holds up a pen and notepad, freshly retrieved from her duffel bag. "Already on it. I've heard that's the case; rest assured, I came prepared. Do you know the best way of getting out?" As for her interest ... "Yeah, same here. I have a theory at best; the agency I work for is really interested in the rumors that take hold in Sumaru City. It's a common refrain for a place to attract Demons if a rumor about it forms in the public consciousness; down here might just be another instance of that."
She glances over to Hyousuke as he comments on Eikichi's involvement with the supernatural. "He came up to our office to ask for info on the Joker Killer and how to find him -- he wants to take him down just as badly as you do, I figure, so you've got that in common."
... then in one of the shelter rooms, they come across an ad hoc reading of a play.
Oh no. Nooooo, no no no no no. Nope! Unless the situation really calls for it, Tamaki doesn't want to have any sort of on-stage presence. As Puck glances over in their direction, she nudges one of the guys in their merry band to 'volunteer' him as she chimes in with the fairy, "Yeah! Say your line!"
She's not leaving her unfortunate target to twist in the wind, however. No, her part to play is that of a stagehand in the background, and she sets to work arranging the scenery, the lighting, the costumes, the ambience -- and then some.
Luckily, she's familiar with the source material ... or so she thinks. (While she is a fan of theatre, her interest lies more strongly in the direction works which originate from Japan; there's a nonzero chance she gets it wrong.) She takes her notepad in hand, writes down the line in large readable script, then holds it up for the actors to read as a set of makeshift cue cards. She finishes up the set for Vesper and Hyousuke, but ...
Vesper looks her way when he mentions Helena's part. In response, Tamaki visibly startles, then resigns herself to her fate. Before she steps out 'on stage', she slaps both sides of her face a couple of times, then strolls up as she recites:
"You do advance your cunning more and more.
When truth kills truth, O devilish holy fray!
These vows are Hermias. Will you give her oer?
Weigh oath with oath and you will nothing weigh.
Your vows to her and me, put in two scales,
Will even weigh, and both as light as tales."
After having said her piece, she smiles in the direction of the pair of fairies, steps back, turns around, then makes a big show of wiping the sweat off her brow.
MONAD: Tamaki Uchida has acted with Piece Together toward A Midsummer's Night's Disaster! Automap!
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
Eikichi smirks as he is about to get the party through without needing to fight just yet....then the party starts to fight anyway.
Eikichi just kinda gives the group the same sideways glance Tamaki gave him. "Guys, we need to save our strength for the---oh whatever." He flips his hair and moves with elegance and strength into Kasugayama high school, giving Vesper a nod at their greeting.
The Death Boss walks these halls with a smirk on his face, holding a hand under his chin with the other around his waist. He looks over to Hyousuke as he approaches, grinning devilishly. "Eh. We got off on the wrong foot so I wasn't in a sharing mood. That said, good to have you, Suzuki-san." He was keeping it polite just to keep a healthy distance for now.
He follows along with the party, playing up his aura to be the glamourous and beautiful rock star he was born to be. He peers from behind Julian, not knowing a lick of Shakespeare but they were doing it with the heart. The Death Boss wanders into the room, finding the smallest actor who is waiting for their cue nervously. "Hey, you're gonna rock it out of the park. Don't let that little voice in your head tell you different. Believe in the me who believes in you and beautiful music will be made." Eikichi turns on the manifestation of brotherly respect and understanding. Somehow, this also produces sparkles as Eikichi continues to move with a gracefulness despite somehow also looking manly as hell. "I'll see you on the other side." He clasps a hand on the little demon's shoulder and grins.
MONAD: Eikichi Mishina has acted with Pep Talk toward A Midsummer's Night's Disaster! Amrita! (|============================= Monad - Results ==============================|) -==== A Midsummer's Night's Disaster - Round 2 ================================- Tamaki Uchida Academics Success Piece Together Automap Fatigue: 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eikichi Mishina Understanding Success Pep Talk Amrita Fatigue: 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Julian Marlowe Understanding Success Counsel Focus and Empathy Fatigue: 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hyousuke Suzuki Academics Failure Academics Base Fatigue: 1 -============================= Party Conditions: ==============================- Starting Conditions: Bothersome-1, Bothersome-2, Fairy-0, and Mindnumbing-2 Final Conditions: Bothersome-1 and Mindnumbing-1 -======================================== Party Result: Success: Reach Up! ====- -==== Reach: 2/6 |== | =====================================================- (|============================================================= Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Julian Marlowe has posed.
Tamaki asks how long Vesper has been in the field, which is the perfect time for him to put a hand on the brim of his hat and act mysterious. "Gentleman's secret, I'm afraid. Suffice it to say that... I've been around the block a few times." It's part of the game, but also... putting a timeframe to his activity might give something away about his identity. That's something he always tries to be careful about.
As for getting out... "...The same way you got in, ideally. It's fortunate you brought mapping tools for such a purpose. I'm not aware of any other exits from the shelter, so we will need to find our way back eventually." He'll circle back to the matter of the agency later, but for now, there's work to be done.
Of course Vesper hadn't seen Hyousuke or Eikichi for quite some time. Certainly not 'regularly, at school'. He knows how to play a part, not just in Shakespearean plays. His only regret there is not arriving earlier, so he would've had more lines. Theatre is a microcosm of the life he leads, were he to put it dramatically, as is his wont. His mask takes the form of a classic opera mask for a reason.
He lets out a thoughtful "Hmm", in response to Hyousuke's motivations. "Demons are never good news for anyone, to be certain. Though 'deal with them' is the proper phrasing - striking deals works surprisingly well at times." Case in point, his decision to go along with the play. Fairies are well-known tricksters, he'd much rather avoid their trickery. Though he knows that isn't Hyousuke's preference. It'll be good for him, though. Build his self-control a bit. He did ask (someone else) for help with that.
And, really, even if his acting was a little rough, Julian would give him full marks for the performance. How unfortunate that man wasn't here to see it. Still, it gladdens Vesper's heart that both he and Tamaki indeed know their Shakespeare. You couldn't do him a bigger favor than to show appreciation for the classics.
Likewise, the fairies seem appeased, though their motivations remain a mystery as they vanish into thin air in a puff of giggles. The one Eikichi approached visibly blushing.
"That went rather well, all told," Vesper concludes, pointing his umbrella towards the area beyond. "Shall we proceed?"
MONAD: Tamaki Uchida has drawn a new Challenge!
(|==================== Monad - Clean Out Kasugayama High! ====================|)
-==== Round 3: Make or Break! - Challenge Level 2 =============================-
| Approach Options: Academics or Proficiency |
| Conditions: Bothersome - Charm Down L1, Bothersome - Charm Down L1, Fairy - |
| Subtract 1 Fatigue on success., Mindnumbing - Academics Down L2, and |
| Mindnumbing - Academics Down L2 |
-==== Challenge ===============================================================-
BZZT BZZT BZZT With a flicker of lights, the area your group is in has gone
dark.
As luck would have it, the electrical box is nearby. It's helpfully highlighted
by the little gang of Agathion lighting it up brightly, as they play with the
currents like they're trying to reinvent Morse code.
First, your party will have to shoo them away, and second, you'll have to undo
the damage. It might be as simple as flipping some breakers, but some nights
they get particularly playful, and you'll have to reconnect some wiring.
Now, which color wire goes to what? Surely a little hasty repair won't leave you
in the dark. Maybe something will spark some inspiration, and hopefully not give
you a nasty shock in the process.
(|============================================================= Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
So, Eikichi had a grudge against the Joker Killer. That alone wasn't a shock. The man had hardly made an effort to endear himself to the general public, and those that knew of his true nature - those with the power to venture into the cognitive realm and fight against its many dangers - certainly seemed to have no love for him either, Niko aside. But to hear Tamaki compare his hatred of the Joker Killer to Hyousuke's own? That certainly caught his attention. He leaned in a little to Tamaki, and spoke in a low voice, hoping their footfalls would at least keep Eikichi from hearing what he said in response.
"Do we tell him about Kashihara-san?"
Regardless of what her answer was, he nonetheless felt a strange sort of kinship with Eikichi. Not enough that the was quite ready to be all buddy-buddy with him, but enough that Hyousuke could trust he wasn't *all* bad.
"Good to have you too. Always nice to have someone watching your back when you're dealing with these assholes." He jerked his head in the direction of the oni - or, at least, a rough approximation of it - before returning his attention to the task at hand.
The others gathered did a far better job of acting than he, though it was hardly as if the baseline was anything remarkable. Were he the suspicious sort, he might have thought the fairies had glared at him for his unceremonious butchering of the bard's work, but they vanished before he had the chance to confirm it either way. Still, they were dealt with, and - for the time being at least - seemed like they wouldn't cause trouble for anyone else.
"Hrm." He said curtly, his arms crossed loosely over his chest, fingers tapping idly. "I still think I'd rather hit them than take up acting."
With that, he began to move with the rest of the group to the next obstacle, hoping it involved markedly less western playwrights.
Darkness greeted them in the next area, obscuring the majority of the room's architecture and furniture. He assumed it was a classroom of some sort, given the presence of the desks, but it could just as well have been a staff room or an exceptionally large utility closet for how well he could see through it all. The important part was highlighted by a gaggle of diminutive, blue-green creatures crouching in bronze pots, however. They bandied about it, their high-pitched and gleeful noises acting as a beacon for those who did not notice their light, and drew eyes towards the mess of wiring attached to the wall.
Unfortunately for Hyousuke, the extent of his electrical engineering experience was unplugging a toaster and plugging it back in again in the hopes that he wouldn't have to buy a new one. But shooing away the critters crowding around it, and clearing a path for others? That, he could manage.
"Someone mind getting the wires?" He asked, rolling his shoulders as he stepped forward. "I'll get these guys. Don't worry, I'm not gonna start a fight." Instead, he acted as one might when they were trying to get a wayward, lazy, animal out of their path. "Oi, outta the way, playtime's over."
MONAD: Hyousuke Suzuki has acted with Warmup toward Make or Break!! Diligence and Focus!
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
Tamaki doesn't seem to mind Vesper's vague answer. "Yeah, same here. A few years, at least." Her eyes drift over to direction of the pair of students with them. "I figure I should share what I've learned with people who have only more recently gotten mixed up in things."
Hyousuke's question gives her pause for reasons she isn't exactly aware of; all vibes, no logic. Her mind wins out over her gut. "... I don't see why not. He'll find out one way or the other," she replies after a moment of consideration.
Every so often as they proceed and she makes notes, Tamaki pulls out a hand mirror of her own to indirectly examine the walls around them. While she's in the middle of doing this, however, out go the already-dim underground lights. With an aggravated sigh, she rummages around in her bag for a flashlight and shines it forward to examine the damage done to the wiring and try to make sense of it. "Yeah, working on it."
MONAD: Tamaki Uchida has acted with Proficiency toward Make or Break!! Base!
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
Eikichi blinked when Hyousuke called the Oni 'assholes', laughing a little before patting the other delinquent on the shoulder.
As for the faerie, Eikichi smirks and moves on after inspiring the actor to move forward with their art. That was just how he rolled.
However, the next trial was something he did not expect. Dealing with Demons being themselves, that's one thing. Dealing with demons tearing up stuff they need was something completely different. He steps forward, giving one of the blue-green imps in a bronze pot a death glare. Eikichi isn't going to throw down just yet. He is saving that fight for something big. Until then, he was trying to mindfreak all of the demons to avoid spending his finite FIGHT ENERGY to deal with goofy little guys like this.
As for the actual electronics, Eikichi's eye widen vacantly. He prods one of the wires with his leather shoe.
MONAD: Eikichi Mishina has acted with Proficiency toward Make or Break!! Base!
<Pose Tracker> Julian Marlowe has posed.
Julian certainly numbers among those with a grudge against the Joker Killer. He was at his school, endangering his students. Few things will earn his ire faster than that. He understands how Eikichi feels in that regard, as much as he would prefer him not seeking out someone who'd targeted him before.
"Kashihara-san?" he questions when he hears that name being mentioned between Hyousuke and Tamaki. "Would that be Jun Kashihara?" This guy just knows everyone, doesn't he? Well, he has been 'around the block', as he put it... though Tamaki's identifier is already enough for him to know that she's more experienced than he is, where it comes to these matters.
Just then... lights out! "Hm. That's a problem," he comments, not sounding very perturbed about being left in the dark. He waits it out a moment to see if anyone else seems to have a particular expertise here, but in the end... "...I'm not much of an electrician, I'm afraid, but I'll do what I can to assist."
He's messed with wires before, but usually that's to sabotage, not repair. Maybe it'll work if he tries to... sabotage in reverse? Worth a shot. At least he's wearing gloves, though he hasn't exactly tested if they do anything in terms of shock prevention.
MONAD: Julian Marlowe has acted with Proficiency toward Make or Break!! Base!
(|============================= Monad - Results ==============================|) -==== Make or Break! - Round 3 ================================================- Tamaki Uchida Proficiency Success Proficiency Base Fatigue: 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eikichi Mishina Proficiency Success Proficiency Base Fatigue: 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Julian Marlowe Proficiency Failure Proficiency Base Fatigue: 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hyousuke Suzuki Proficiency Success Warmup Diligence and Focus Fatigue: 1 -============================= Party Conditions: ==============================- Starting Conditions: Bothersome-1, Bothersome-2, Fairy-0, Mindnumbing-1, and Mindnumbing-2 Final Conditions: Bothersome-1 and Mindnumbing-1 -======================================== Party Result: Success: Reach Up! ====- -==== Reach: 3/6 |=== | =====================================================- (|============================================================= Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
Tamaki's response drew a curt nod, and a grunt of acknowledgement. He made a mental note to catch Eikichi up on all that had transpired, but not at that very moment. The last thing they needed was a distraction, especially when he himself was attempting to resolve a situation with demons through something other than liberal applications of wanton violence.
Eikichi's quick patting on his shoulder drew a slight jolt from Hyousuke, and he froze for but a fraction of a moment. He did not mean to. He did not even want to. But his instincts had kicked in before he'd had the chance to stop them, and it was only through sheer force of will that he kept from doing anything more noticeable. Hyousuke was glad for the mask in that moment - the protection it offered was more than just physical, as he was reminded when his expression began to settle.
His hope to keep the discussion surrounding Jun was put in danger when Julian spoke up, however. Briefly, he wondered how Vesper knew Jun, and why he seemed so insistent about clarifying things. But one thing would have to be handled at a time, and Hyousuke turned to address Julian with a tone that was just firm enough to sound insistent.
"There was a situation at the art exhibition the other day. The Joker Killer, he... he took Kashihara-san." Hyousuke shook his head a little, and forced himself to keep his focus. "Me or Uchida-san can fill you in on it later. We gotta take care of these guys first."
And take care of those guys they did. The demons, though a little peeved that their fun had been spoiled scattered to find some other part of the school's infrastructure to play with, leaving the group unharmed and unimpeded. Miraculously, despite electrical engineering being nobody else's speciality either, the lights flickered back to life. They even managed to stay that way. With the task finished, Hyousuke returned to the group, hands by his hips.
"Let's get going. This already feels like it's going on forever..."
MONAD: Eikichi Mishina has drawn a new Challenge!
(|==================== Monad - Clean Out Kasugayama High! ====================|)
-==== Round 4: P.retty T.roubling - Challenge Level 2 =========================-
| Approach Options: Academics or Guts |
| Conditions: Annoying - Charm Down L2, Bothersome - Charm Down L1, Curse - -1 |
| to Group Roll (Per Character), Mindnumbing - Academics Down L2, Scary - Guts |
| Down L1, and Shuffle - Draw 1 Minor Arcana. |
-==== Challenge ===============================================================-
Like all good investigations, a decent amount of walking is involved. Certainly,
there's other schools that are 'blessed' by phenomena like the Dark Hour to be
much more arduous to get through, but Kasugayama High is supposed to be laid out
like any other Japanese school.
Each classroom that is investigated seems to be nondescript and boring, almost
scarily so.
Also, haven't you been here before? Surely, you've gone by that same that
classroom number. Maybe the party was turned around?
Alas, the hallway just continues ever onwards, backwards and forwards.
Something is holding you back from continuing on. You'll need to find out what,
or what you need to do, if you want any chance of getting anywhere.
(|============================================================= Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
Eikichi doesn't notice Hyousuke's flinch, too busy staring at the wires.
Miraculously, the lights are fixed despite the Death Boss' untrained hand prodding the wires. He nods at Hyousuke's words. "Yeah, lets get this over with..."
And then the investigation goes on...and on...and on? Each time the group arrives at a room and finds nada. Nothing but silence. A deafening silence that was only broken by their footsteps. It was as if they stepped out of the paranormal zone and into the "mundane" world again. Eikichi blinks as he stops dead in his tracks. "Uhhhh....we lost? I don't think I know where I am..." He scratches the back of his head, wandering into the class room. Something out of place? It was just the same room. Same desks that were mostly empty. Same board with stuff written on it. Eikichi stared at the positive affirmations, nodding his head. "Seems really positive."
Besides the board, everything else looks cleaned and ready for the next day. Could it be the board or the mirror trick? No one is telling as the Demons have gone somewhere else!
MONAD: Eikichi Mishina has acted with Lay Down The Law toward P.retty T.roubling! Focus and Bravery!
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
Somehow, with a flashlight tucked in the crook of her neck, Tamaki manages to figure out which wire goes where. "Mishina-kun, hold onto this for a sec, please? Just shine it right there."
As for the topic of Jun, Tamaki nods at Hyousuke and Vesper. "One thing at a time. We can pull him aside after this."
The corridors seem to continue on and on endlessly. It takes Tamaki a while to notice, but eventually, the information starts to make less and less sense on her notepad as she jots down their progress through. Something doesn't seem right, something seems non-Euclidean.
Somehow, they're back in the school proper, with the doorway leading to ... another identical classroom. And another, and another, and another. It's enough to set off Tamaki's sense of deja vu.
Tamaki gestures wide with both hands and announces, "Alright, hold up, folks. Take a breather and let's talk about something to do with this place. The rumor goes that the air raid shelter was built during World War II, right? And that it's nearly impossible to escape on your own ... that same trait might have spilled out here."
She brings out that pocket mirror she had been looking at before -- just as the lights went out earlier. "But! There's a lesser-known story about the key to escaping. Supposedly, some passages are hidden to the naked eye, and the trick to finding them is to look at them indirectly somehow. Through a camera, through a mirror, through ... something else, I can't think of a third example. Hopefully, since we're still seemingly trapped here, the same thing holds true for these classrooms, too."
Tamaki folds one arm across her chest and taps her forehead with the mirror. "Now, the question is, was that always the case, or did it only come about because people dreamt it up? Hell, am I even telling the truth here, or am I just willing that story to become the truth and convince you three enough for it to work?"
"Either way, let's pause for a minute so we don't wear ourselves out. Get your bearings, take five."
MONAD: Tamaki Uchida has acted with Never Burn Out toward P.retty T.roubling! Escape and Efficient!
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
Hyousuke wasn't sure how Kasugayama fared against other schools in terms of its buildings' sizes, but he was fairly certain that they were not supposed to go on for so long. This one certainly was not supposed to. It didn't take long before he suspected something was amiss, and it was Tamaki that confirmed it.
"So I gotta look at it through a reflection or something?" He asked, arching a brow, before looking around for something that could act as a source for a reflection. His own visor was one, certainly, but he had no intention of removing it. Partly for protection, partly to keep anyone from realising that the whole incident had started to put him on edge.
The first place he looked, then, was through whichever window was nearest. It took a little squinting and angling his head to see anything but the reflection of their adventuring party, but eventually, he found a sweet spot to view a decent portion of the hallway. Were he to round it and view from the other side, he was sure he'd get the same for that side too.
MONAD: Hyousuke Suzuki has acted with Tough it Out toward P.retty T.roubling! Amrita!
<Pose Tracker> Julian Marlowe has posed.
"What...?" Even with only his eyes, mouth and chin visible, that reaction makes it easy to imagine Vesper may have turned a shade closer to the color of his mask, hearing the news of Jun's abduction. Evidently he knows Jun well enough to be concerned about his well-being. Well, anyone would be, hearing the Joker Killer's involvement, but still. It isn't one's imagination, that there's a sense of personal stake in that reaction.
As much as he wants to know more about that, given the circumstances, he doesn't argue the decision to table further discussion on that for the time being. Plenty of time to reprimand himself for the error in judgement. He did know about Jun's involvement in the school incident, but he felt certain it would be Eikichi that the Joker Killer would choose to target again.
For the time being, the more immediate worry is of an electrical nature. He can only hope that he managed to give the impression that he knew what he was doing more than he actually did, when they somehow succeed. Thankfully the mask hides how much he was sweating, too.
Having proper lighting doesn't prevent one's eyes from betraying you, or so it seems. It's an exceptionally strange sensation, to know what you're seeing, while knowing that you couldn't be seeing this. There's no way there's actual classrooms down here, let alone all the same ones. So this must be it. That effect he'd been hearing so much about, as if going in circles, with no way backward or forward. Experiencing it himself, it's easy to understand now where the rumors of there being no escape from the shelter came from.
He gives Tamaki his full attention, given that she seems to know more about this than he does. "Hmmm. Secret passages, you say? Interesting." He doesn't object to taking a moment's pause, though he does go around the classroom the group is currently in, periodically tapping against walls and objects with his umbrella. Is something hollow, perhaps? Will anything make an unexpected sound? Perhaps he might stumble on something that isn't really there to begin with. Worth a shot.
MONAD: Julian Marlowe has acted with Swagger toward P.retty T.roubling! Bravery and Efficient!
(|============================= Monad - Results ==============================|) -==== P.retty T.roubling - Round 4 ============================================- Tamaki Uchida Guts Success Never Burn Out Escape and Efficient Fatigue: 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eikichi Mishina Guts Success Lay Down The Law Focus and Bravery Fatigue: 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Julian Marlowe Guts Success Swagger Bravery and Efficient Fatigue: 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hyousuke Suzuki Guts Success Tough it Out Amrita Fatigue: 1 -============================= Party Conditions: ==============================- Starting Conditions: Annoying-2, Bothersome-1, Curse-0, Mindnumbing-1, Scary-2, and Shuffle: Cup-0 Final Conditions: -======================================== Party Result: Success: Reach Up! ====- -==== Reach: 4/6 |==== | =====================================================- (|============================================================= Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
The mirrors reveals the way to freedom. There was a hidden turn that lead to the next set of classrooms! Of course!
Vesper's efforts also find a secret classroom where Jack Frosts are playing Poker. They look up and all scatter, leaving a pot of a decent amount of yen.
Eikichi is completely oblivious to the conversations about what he knew. He didn't know about Jun. This was true. He would care about one of the civilians at his school getting involved in trouble for sure.
At the moment though, Eikichi is just continuing to strut down the newly discovered hall.
MONAD: Tamaki Uchida has drawn a new Challenge!
(|==================== Monad - Clean Out Kasugayama High! ====================|)
-==== Round 5: Escort Mission - Challenge Level 2 =============================-
| Approach Options: Proficiency or Understanding |
| Conditions: Boss - Add 1 Fatigue on failure., Box - Add 1 Item/Money/Gear., |
| Stupor - Academics Down L1, and Terrifying - Guts Down L2 |
-==== Challenge ===============================================================-
"Why's it's yew guys makin' such a racket?"
Present here is one of Kasugayama's finest, a member of the faculty that didn't
let themselves out of the school like a proper adult. Be they teaching,
administration, or janitorial staff, they'll need an escort out.
For better or worse, they don't seem all that concerned, either, whether due to
being sleep-deprived, tipsy, or otherwise unable to find it within themselves to
feel frightened or be in any rush to get out.
If there weren't a bunch of demons that have followed you here, maybe, this
mission'd be a lot easier. Alternatively, you can try to distract the demons
away, or just walk away and hope for the best. Kasugayama staff have to be tough
to survive during the day, so maybe, those demons may be leaving them alone for
a reason.
(|============================================================= Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
Does Tamaki truly know more than Vesper does, or is she just bullshitting her way through a situation which seems extraordinarily pliable to bullshit? Was Tamaki relaying a rumor she had heard elsewhere, or starting one here and now? Who really knows?
"I suppose you could also close your eyes and tap the walls, Vesper-san -- " Tamaki starts to muse before she does a double-take at her mirror and spots something fleeing through what otherwise appears to be a solid wall. That's auspicious. She gestures with a hand and steps through. "Over ... thisaway." Beyond the threshold, the classrooms give way back to the air raid shelter corridors. Tamaki shouts at the crowd of Jack Frosts as she runs through the room, "Hey! HEY! Get on outta here, you've hee'd your last ho! Go on, get!"
Further in, they encounter one of the Kasugayama High faculty members. While he's not a familiar face to Tamaki, the other two are more likely to recognize him (three in reality, perhaps, but she certainly doesn't know that). She glances at the pair of students and asks, "Is he ... one of the employees here, or what?"
He doesn't seem to be doing too well as he sways side to side, and his speech seems off, saying "Heyyy, keep it daaowwn, tryna SLEEP," -- the nature of his malady isn't especially clear, but she expresses her concern. "Hey, we'll get you out of here and to a proper bed at home, don't worry. You, stick with me, the guys here are going to lead the way, okay?"
MONAD: Tamaki Uchida has acted with Understanding toward Escort Mission! Base!
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
Eikichi blinks when they run into one of the faculty in this highly dangerous place...a Japanese Public school.
The Death Boss sighs as he makes his way over to the 'drunk' teacher and put an arm around him. "Come on, Pops. If we walk in lock step, no one will mess with us!" Eikichi gives the teacher a grin, trying to use his amazing charisma to make this escort mission a lot easier to handle.
The Death Boss looks back to the group. "I guess we gotta get Pops to the exit before we go further to the Air Raid Shelter, eh?"
MONAD: Eikichi Mishina has acted with Pep Talk toward Escort Mission! Amrita!
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
Even in the strange light, Julian's shift in expression and the change in his tone did not escape Hyousuke's notice. Such a thing was enough to pique his interest even further, and he wondered just what kind of stake Vesper had in all of it. He even flashed him a quick, quizzical glance, before deciding the matter was not worth pursuing in that moment. Anyone would be worried if someone found themselves in the Joker Killer's clutches, after all.
Though his efforts did not lead to finding the exit, Hyousuke was nonetheless thankful that a way out had been found. He'd had quite enough of staring through windows and pacing down unending halls. He did stop, however, but only for a moment - and only at the sound of small feet scattering away.
"Was that a Jack Frost?" He said, seeming more confused than alarmed, before peering into the spot where they'd been previously. "...Was that Jack Frost playing poker?" He blinked, frowned a little, then moved on. Try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to steal the money from them. The plushie in his room would never have forgiven him if he did.
Their next challenge saw them faced with someone Hyousuke vaguely recognised, but could not quite place. He squinted at them, then shrugged at Tamaki.
"I've got no idea. I haven't even been here that long. Hey, Mishina-san, you know this guy? I think he's faculty." Though he'd been in attendance for several months, Hyousuke did not know every member of staff at the school. Of those he did know, there were sparingly few that he knew well enough to recognise immediately. The one in front of him fell into the camp of 'passed by them once or twice in the hall.'
Whatever the case was, Hyousuke couldn't help but agree with Tamaki's course of action. Stepping forward a little, he gestured for them to follow the group, and prepared to take the van.
"Come on man, just leave it. We're not making trouble. Why don't we get you outta here first before we talk about it?"
MONAD: Hyousuke Suzuki has acted with Warmup toward Escort Mission! Diligence and Focus!
<Pose Tracker> Julian Marlowe has posed.
Honestly, Vesper feels like he's bullshitting his way through most situations, he'd be the last to judge. He seems more dismayed at encountering the group of Jack Frosts, visibly grimacing. "Those creatures again..." Goof-offs are the type of demon he likes dealing with the least. Getting pranked makes it difficult to maintain his all-important image. Thankfully, they're shooed off, and Vesper takes the opportunity to palm some of the money they left behind.
What? Anyone can use a bit of extra money. No one he cares about is gonna miss it.
Julian, of course, also knows the individual that they find further up ahead. He would facepalm, but... well, he still does, there's just a mask in the way. Maskpalm. Though he stays professionally respectful towards his co-workers, the actual level of respect he has for most of them is... not great. And those who don't take good care of themselves shouldn't be in charge of taking care of the students they're responsible for. But, regardless of personal feelings...
"Sir, wouldn't you prefer to sleep in a nice warm bed? If you would be so kind of follow us, we will escort you to one forthwith." They can't just leave him to his fate here, obviously. Even if it will mean having to turn back at this point, saving a life, any life, means that they've done something good here today. Even if he knows many students who wouldn't thank him for saving this one.
MONAD: Julian Marlowe has acted with Counsel toward Escort Mission! Focus and Empathy!
(|============================= Monad - Results ==============================|)
-==== Escort Mission - Round 5 ================================================-
Tamaki Uchida Understanding Success
Understanding Base Fatigue: 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eikichi Mishina Understanding Success
Pep Talk Amrita Fatigue: 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Julian Marlowe Understanding Success
Counsel Focus and Empathy Fatigue: 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hyousuke Suzuki Proficiency Success
Warmup Diligence and Focus Fatigue: 1
-============================= Party Conditions: ==============================-
Starting Conditions: Boss-0, Box-0, Stupor-2, and Terrifying-2
Final Conditions: Stupor-1 and Terrifying-1
-======================================== Party Result: Success: Reach Up! ====-
-==== Reach: 6/6 |=====| =====================================================-
-==== Loot So Far: ============================================================-
Items: 0, Money: 1, Gear: 1
(|============================================================= Monad 1.1 ====|)
(|==================== Monad - Clean Out Kasugayama High! ====================|)
-==== Round 6: It's some juicy gossip! - Challenge Level 1 ====================-
| Approach Options: None |
| Conditions: Revelation - The best result. |
-==== Challenge ===============================================================-
Maybe you come across a little black book a staff member left behind. Maybe some
lingering demon has something exciting they want to tell someone before they
burst, or wants to trade something in exchange for their freedom. Maybe a
certain trapped student council member can rat out someone.
Or maybe it's the poor Ogre, angry that the Oni kicked him out of his perch by
the front entrance for not having the properly fashionable delinquent outfit.
Knowledge and words are power in this city, and, while what you learn may or may
not be valuable to anyone in your group, who's to say it won't be useful down
the road?
Final Loot: 1 boxes of Money and 1 Pieces of Gear!
(|============================================================= Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
The faculty member vacantly blinks in Eikichi's direction, but chuckles as his enthusiasm seems infeectious. "Ehehehhhh ... I like yer moxie, sonny." He squints at Vesper, looks back at the stony corridor, then back to Vesper, and nods in agreement. "Warm sounds good. Bed sounds good. Beeeeeeddy-bye-bye." He's quiet for the rest of the trip back.
She gives Hyousuke her notepad with the map she's made on this trip, and says, "Can you take point? Here, borrow this -- we're right here at the moment."
In apparent contrast to Vesper, Tamaki seems to be adept at handling the more whimsical prank-happy kinds of Demons, matching the energy of their antics with her own set of amusing tricks. For instance, she surprises another group of Jack Frosts with faux-hostility and summons Arianrhod ... just to hit them with a skill card-granted Bufu before she drops the ruse and breaks out in laughter. The group of Jack Frosts applaud heartily. "You got us good, ho!"
As they make their way back out, the Puck from the earlier reading tugs on Hyousuke's sleeve. "You're looking for someone, aren't you?" They glance at the faculty member, then back up at Hyousuke. "Aside from him, I mean. We've heard things about someone being spirited away, and you gave it an honest shot in practice earlier, so I thought to try and find you again to tell you to aid you on your proper quest ..."
Tamaki smiles at the others as they near the exit. "Good job, guys. You two are fine getting home alright on your own, I hope?" She glances at the faculty member. "... after we get this guy back where he should be. Which way's your house?"
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
Hyousuke, for all of his faults, could at least read a map - though that might have been more due to the fact that Tamaki had drawn one that was easy for him to make sense of, than him being smart enough to do so in the first place. Whatever the case was, he led them true, having to pause only a few times to gather his bearings. Most of the time, he was even sure about where they were going - though he did find himself distracted by Tamaki scattering a group of Jack Frosts, tittering a little to himself from behind the mask. Dangerous though they could be, he couldn't bring himself to have any true hatred towards them.
His thoughts on Jack Frosts were forgotten when a Fairy caught his attention. The mention of a missing person had been enough to make his head whip around at breakneck speed, but it was the talk of aid on his 'proper' quest that truly drew his focus. With an intense gaze that threatened to pierce straight through the mirrored lens of his visor, he fixed his gaze upon them, and spoke.
"Please. I need *everything* you know."
Hyousuke held Tamaki's notepad out to her as they exited, but did not make to leave. Instead, he stood stock still, and spoke with such firmness in his tone that it was not hard to imagine the expression his mask obscured.
"Everyone, wait a minute. One of the Fairies back there told me something about a missing person..."
<Pose Tracker> Julian Marlowe has posed.
Vesper has his idiom - and playing around with demons any more than strictly necessary isn't part of that. Though he does have a silver tongue, able to smoothly dissuade the lingering Oni from before from reconsidering dinner plans by going into detail about how awful the lot of them taste. The details of which will not be repeated here to protect everyone's stomachs.
He trusts the rest of the group to lead the way, not catching the information passed to Hyousuke until he mentions it himself. A missing person. Could that possibly have something to do with...?
He catches himself, at that moment. Jun was right there when Julian spoke to Tamaki. Even if his disguise seems impenetrable... given enough clues, a detective could likely figure out there's a relation between Julian and Vesper. Even with Tamaki seeming on the level, he's not yet decided whether he's ready to share the cover story he has for that. Best not to seem too eager, for the moment. How should he play this...?
A moment later, he makes his decision, by stepping out in front, a quick bow in way of apology. "I do apologize, but... there is another matter I must look into. I'm certain the Kuzunoha Detective Agency will have this matter well in hand." Tamaki never mentioned that to Vesper... but, as a Supernatural Investigator himself, it's not too far-fetched that he would know, is it?
With that, Vesper removes his hat, bringing it to his chest. "It was good to work with you again, Mishina-kun, Suzuki-kun. And Uchida-san, if I may be so bold... I have faith in your qualifications, I expect good things."
After placing his hat back on his head, he tosses his umbrella in the air, neatly catching it on his arm by the handle. But... he could never leave without displaying some measure of interest. "Should you learn of the whereabouts of Kashihara-kun, then... I hope you'll be in touch. I believe you'll find that you already possess the means."
With one more tip of the hat, Vesper moves to exit, soon quickening his pace in order to slip out of sight and prevent being followed. After all, he'll lose his disguise as soon as he leaves the school grounds. He can't have that happen while still in anyone else's presence.
His unexplained final words probably won't make sense for some time. But the next time Tamaki checks her pockets, she'll find a business card there, with nothing on it save a stylized letter V and a phone number. Vesper's slight of hand game is strong, it would seem.
As for the number, it's set to directly forward to voice mail - hopefully the implication is clear that any message left there will get to Vesper. Julian isn't very confident in his own ability to discover Jun's whereabouts... but if someone else does, and were to tell him about it, no force on earth would stop him from lending his assistance.