A Broken Night (TEST)

[Shikomizue]

I don't like these odds. I vote to escape.

[Aniki]

Proceed with the escape.

Take the police radio and listen intently. More eyes on Fourth, the better.

[Shikomizue]

@Aniki Why don't we take character roles? I think I'm better suited for North, and you'd be better with Shiina. That sound good?

[Zodai]

(Still posting on my end..  Not against that between you two though others are free to pop in as well.  Just my input )

[Zodai]

[Tch.  Fine.]  North exits the alleyway, spotting Shiina half a block down the street.  North isn't particularly 'observant' or detailed, but he has good vision and has a knack for picking out important things in a crowd.

 

"Reporting.  What's the situation?"  Shiina speaks into the radio.  A response is given without much delay.

 

[-We have a hostage situation.  The entirety of the building is under enemy control, with a group of our forces spread thin across multiple floors.-]  A flurry of gunshots can be heard blaring out through the radio.  [-Enemy units consist of both mansion staff, and some blended into the guests of the party.  Innocents are surrounded and held at gunpoint.-]

 

"Are there any victims that stand out?  Any being kept apart from the main group?"

 

[-Unknown.  There seems to be one on the closet of the top floor, but none of us have been able to reach there.-]

 

"Any enemies that stand out?"

 

[-...One.  Male, 190 centimeters.  Thirty to forty years old.  You'll know him when you see him.-]

 

"Understood."  Shiina meets up with North, and shuts off the radio, placing it in her pocket.  They should be useful for keeping tabs on the authorities later on.
 
"Three agents in the mansion.  Four, the sniper from earlier, and Six, a brute of some form.  Lastly is a hostage among the guests.  Marking him as the Fifth.  I'm assuming they bought out the mansion to catch him."

 

"No complaints here."  Shiina marks down the new findings in her head.  So far the numberings had just come to her head - seems obscure, though she hasn't been in a case where her approximations have been incorrect.  Perhaps it has to do with the rules of the game?

The two find Shiina's car a few blocks off, passing by a few police cars on their way there, and head home.

~~

(Feeling quite tired at the moment.  Nothing for the players to do too much at the moment, so I'll get the next day's opening post up when I wake up.  Feel free to take that break now )

[Zodai]

April 14th, 1988.

 

Six days since the START of the game.

 

 

 

The time is...about 9 AM.  Sunlight shines in through the windows of Shiina's fourteenth-story apartment.  The curtains are a bright shade of green, and the carpets are a dark shade of pink, a shining example of how Shiina lacks the basic fundamentals of interior decoration.  If that's not enough, the ceiling is littered in pink flower stickers most likely bought cheaply off the internet, and if you looked closely enough you could probably find strewn undergarments hidden barely out of sight.

 

North, whom had been 'sleeping' on Shiina's couch until just a few moments before, begins to get up.  For all intents and purposes, he may as well have spent the night on a wooden plank in the middle of the desert.  Much to North's surprise, the concept of a 'guest bed' was entirely unfamiliar to Shiina, or at the very least, such an item was of little importance to her.  Even more dismal to him however, was the fact that 'sharing' was met with what can only be described as the burning fury of 'why-I'm-never-getting-married.'

 

Perhaps getting thrown out the window would have been a better alternative.  Somewhere along the line, Shiina's logic of 'keeping tabs on the other agents' led to 'letting the raging pyromaniac burn down North's house.'  Much to his dismay, the first thing that came to Ninth's mind upon him realizing the power of the cards turned out to be THROWING FIREBALLS AT PEOPLE.  Hence, what can only be described as North's 'main' place of residence, has been reduced to a crumbling heap of ash.  If it weren't for the fact that Ninth followed Shiina to North's house in the first place, he might not have even been let in.

 

And so, the alliance had been made, on the basis that neither of these two want to kill each other yet. 

 

Furthermore, under no circumstances is North to wander into Shiina's bathroom.  Such lessons were learned last night, as evidenced by the pile of vomit ejected from the window in the middle of the night.  Use the one in the lobby if you're so desperate.  It's a miracle she can withstand it herself.

 

Shiina stands near the wall, investigating through newspaper clippings taped on and jotting down information on a notepad.  Anything she knows about the other Agents is probably somewhere on that wall.  Especially when someone dies.  She's wearing a white blouse, and a black skirt that goes down to her knees.  A pen slides across the paper, anything that might be useful.

 

Three days ago, April 11th, 11 AM.  The Seventh Agent was shot dead.  A young woman, 27 years of age.  Supposedly used a few cards to cheat on a test the night before.  Fourth noticed.  Her body slumped dead on the way to work and fell into a gutter.  She let her guard down.  Died before she noticed.  A bullet through the head, shot from a 10th-story window half a mile down the street.  Fourth got away before they could identify the sniping position.  The police are wandering around without much of a clue.

 

Two days ago, April 12th.  9 PM.  The night of the storm.  An 'accident.'  A young boy, 14 years old.  The Second Agent.  Used all his cards not an hour earlier to take out a schoolyard bully in a duel.  A truck lost vision in the rain and crushed the boy into a wall.  Taken to the hospital.  Died before midnight.

 

Unknown if it was a genuine accident or intentional.

 

The following night - April 13th, 2 AM.  Shiina decides to follow North to his home for reconnaissance.  Shiina, in addition, is followed by Ninth, a pyromaniac with questionable morals who probably wasn't very mentally stable.  Conflict ensues, North's house burns down.  North and Shiina enter into an alliance, and Ninth is dead that night.

 

"Last night, a firefight ensued at Teiten Mansion.  The police attempted to intervene, but the culprits had gotten away under the cover of a large fire, fifteen minutes after midnight.  If you have any information as to their whereabouts, please contact the police immediately."  A news broadcast plays on the television.  Shiina's eyes are averted from it, but her expression says she's paying attention.  Jotting down notes, a hesitant look crosses her face.

 

"Fifth is alive."  She declares.  It seems Fourth and Sixth weren't the only ones who had to back out of a confrontation.  "Where is he?"  North replied.

 

"Back to his hideaway in the north part of the city.  A gambler's den he bought out with a 'magnanimous stroke of luck' early in the week.  Bastard's so full of it he can't wait for his eyes to stop glowing before taking a picture."

 

Shiina tosses a newspaper onto the table.  "Money and Finance, Section A1.  Johnathan Cinder.  He's almost as easy to find as you were."

 

"I'll grab the guns.  When are we leaving?"  "Leave them.  This is reconnaissance only."  "Why?  It's another competitor down if we catch him open."  "Inevitably, bringing the guns will turn it into another shootout."  Shiina says, referencing last night's escapades.  "That, and the officers from last night will remember our faces.  We can expect to be searched if they come across us.  Hide the guns somewhere in the house they won't think to look."

"You mean your face.  I did a reasonable job of not getting seen, unlike you."

 

Shiina sighs, ignoring North's provocation, resisting the urge to mention that it almost got him killed.  "If anyone asks, we were shopping for furniture on the other side of town.  Kandori Mall."

 

"Kind of a flimsy ailbi, wouldn't you say?"  "That's what the cards are for.  There's someone in the apartment who works there.  He can 'verify' it for us when they start asking questions."

 

Shiina opens the door outside the apartment.  "We're leaving, North.  I'd like to get back before sunset this time."

 

Along the way, Shiina stops a man on the seventh floor hall.  Her eyes glow a BLUE RADIANCE, and with the snap of her fingers, the man's memories are altered.  It should be enough to avoid the police trying to set you in prison, at least.  As long as you're careful.

 

North and Shiina are heading to the Gambling Den owned by Fifth.

 

THE POLICE ARE AWARE OF SHIINA'S FACE.  It can be assumed that Fourth, and any of her allies, are aware of North and Shiina's face.

 

The police are investigating the location of Shiina's home.  Fourth and Sixth are considering their options.

 

At the moment, North and Shiina are on the road.  As this is not a conflict-heavy time, you may choose the topic of their discussions until they arrive.  The next scene shall arrive in the near future.

 

~~~

 

 

OPPORTUNITY CARDS--

 

North (Player)

 

3 remaining, 3 max.

 

Shiina (Also Player)

 

2 remaining, 3 max.

 

THE TRAINING LEVEL HAS ENDED.  The difficulty shall increase from this point forward.  Do not act carelessly.  Your lives are not to be taken for granted, nor are they guaranteed to be remaining by the end of your journey.

 

 

 

Agent 1 - North (You)

 

Agent 2 - DEAD

 

Agent 3 - Shiina (Also You)

 

Agent 4 - Sniper

 

Agent 5 - Johnathan Cinder (Gambler)

 

Agent 6 - Brute

 

Agent 7 - DEAD

 

Agent 8 - UNKNOWN

 

Agent 9 - DEAD

 

Agent 10 - UNKNOWN

 

Agents 8 and 10 are still unknown.  Do not take this fact lightly.  Outside of that, you can assume Fifth started the fire at the mansion with a card. 

[Aniki]

Ask if Shiina knows any details about the gambling den, particularly the building interior and opening and closing times.

[Zodai]

~RECAP~

 

 

North, our male protagonist, and Shiina, our female protagonist, head off to another side of town to investigate the Fifth Agent.

 

 

Ask if Shiina knows any details about the gambling den, particularly the building interior and opening and closing times.

 

The sun beats down on the crumbling landscape.  Abandoned buildings are more frequent here - left to rot and wither after the city's financial collapse of six years prior.  Scraps of trash blow across the unkempt street, determined 'not worth the trouble' by fat men in fancy suits without so much as a second glance.  You would be lucky to have running water around here - though if you had the money to consider fresh water anything less than a miracle, you probably wouldn't be here to begin with. 

 

Electricity is more common - Early on they managed to siphon from the city's main generators, and in recent years some of the young minds have developed generators of their own invention.  It's a shame nobody worth talking to would so much as acknowledge them.  Poorly-constrained energy surges through the hastily-made wires hidden just under the surface, granting an artificial light to all within its borders.

 

"The den opens at about 10 AM - the original owners wanted to give people plenty of time to wake up.  Closing is 6 PM, depending on the season.  They like to close before sunset before sunset so it's safe enough to walk home.  That gives us eight hours to investigate."

 

Shiina parks the car in an inconspicuous location.  It isn't common to see them around here, and the den itself doesn't have any parking.  Best to keep it out of sight.  "What about the inside?"  North says as he slides the knife into his pocket.  It's less suspicious than a gun, at least.  "Not much.  Anything like a camera or a phone isn't allowed inside to prevent cheating, and this side of town isn't very well-organized either.  I'm surprised I was able to find the place to begin with.  There should be a locker to set your things by the entrance.  You could say it's the only thing about this place that's been well-made."

 

Clouds of dust blow across the ground, and abandoned skyscrapers reach into the sky.  On occasion you would be able to find people scouring the upper floors for supplies, though one of the towers collapsed a few months back.  Seven corpses were found, five missing have been assumed dead, or so it's been said.  Their numbers have been decreasing lately,

 

"Weapons are technically controlled in a similar fashion, but considering how tense things can get people would prefer to keep their tools of 'self-defense.'  Pushing the matter doesn't usually end well.

 

"Remind me, Shiina.  Why exactly did we leave the guns at home again?"  "Because you would've shot someone if we didn't."  "That's what a gun is for!"

 

The air is silent.  For better or for worse, your lives are not in danger yet.  Yet.

 

There's a cloaked man on the street.  Fifty, sixty years old.  You may speak to him or move on.  The choice is yours.

 

 

OPPORTUNITY CARDS--

 

North (Player)

3 remaining, 3 max.

 

Shiina (Also Player)

 

2 remaining, 3 max.

 

 

 

Agent 1 - North (You)

 

Agent 2 - DEAD

 

Agent 3 - Shiina (Also You)

 

Agent 4 - Sniper

 

Agent 5 - Johnathan Cinder (Gambler)

 

Agent 6 - Brute

 

Agent 7 - DEAD

 

Agent 8 - UNKNOWN

 

Agent 9 - DEAD

 

Agent 10 - UNKNOWN

 

Your fellow agents are not the only threats in the world.  A man with a gun is still a lethal threat, no matter his role in the game of fate.

 

 

~~

[Shikomizue]

I choose to move on, but keep an eye on him.

[Aniki]

When the man seems to follow, North will take to an alley and attempt to ambush. North will then ask Shiina to head somewhere crowded and blend.

If he doesn't seem to follow, proceed to the den as planned.

[astro]

I stab Shiina in the leg and steal her panties

[Shikomizue]

North manages to drive the guy off and recover Shiinas' panties, but says that he couldn't get them back and takes them for himself.

[Zodai]

I choose to move on, but keep an eye on him.

[Shikomizue]

At some point, the two are approached by a 'young man', offering a 'place to stay' for such a lovely lady as herself.  Realizing Shiina would rather use a card than allow such an act of theft to happen, North kicks the man in the face when he detects further indecent actions.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Shikomizue

[Aniki]

Right. Observe the environment, particularly people, building interior, and exits.

[Zodai]

I like this better than what I said.   

 

I choose to look around the environment for advantages and any useful items.

 

Also, while looking around, North continually tries to get a panty shot of Shiina, because comic relief. (I'm going to turn North into as big a pervert as I can. )

[Shikomizue]

Of course, while Shiina dutifully scours the area for anything of importance, North's mind seems to be occupied at the moment.  Of course, this isn't to say that these matters aren't important, simply that the fact that they are is to be argued.  Of course, when the target of your desires is a woman capable of bending fate to her whim with a single card, it goes without saying that one must approach the subject with care.

 

Much to North's regret, Shiina's skirt is far too long for such a prize to be part of the normal sequence of events.  It comes to rest a bit above her knees, and the black cloth, while slightly transparent, is not nearly enough to allow for such a brilliant view.  A faint bit of cleavage - barely enough to even be considered as thus - could be seen across her blouse,  and her deep black eyes a beautiful contrast to her hair of a shining blonde.  A sight to behold regardless of ones origin.

 

...Now that I think about it, Shiina's name is certainly Japanese, though her hair isn't common around those places.  Perhaps there's a story behind that?  Thirsty for more data, Shiina peeks out the door to the gambling den.  You certainly wouldn't be inaccurate to say that North was QUITE PLEASED with the view from the rear.

 

...Lazy bastard.  If Shiina were a mind-reader you'd probably be dead right now.  You know that?  She's off giving us useful information while you're off staring at her ass while she isn't looking.  Pervert.

 

Fwoosh!  A gust of wind blasts through the door on the other end, and Shiina's skirt is thrown high into the air, threatening to reveal for all the world to see!

 

"Hyaa!"  She hastily places her hands upon her rear and prevents it from rising further, just barely before the prize could be seen.  The trophy remains concealed.  She turns her head to the back, face red as an apple.  Her legs fully visible, for no more than a second, as the skirt gently flutters back to its resting position.

 

Easy.  Calm breaths.  Calm breaths.  There's absolutely no way North saw.  There's no point in asking.  Soon enough, Shiina regains her composure and turns her attention back to the room.  North doesn't say anything - to even acknowledge what had happened would be to endanger his own life.

 

...Eight.  Eight out of ten.  Maybe eight and a half if you pushed it.  The whole 'possibility of death' thing prevents her from scoring any higher, though.  Pervert.

[Zodai]

(All throughout these segments my face was like this:

 

Maybe I'm the pervert?...)

[Shikomizue]

(I'm going to take that to mean you were entertained.)

[Zodai]

(Apologies for the delay, things were a bit crazy today.)

[Shikomizue]

(Apologies for the delay, things were a bit crazy today.)

(It's fine, take your time, I actually like your writing. Delays only mean that the final product will turn out better.)

[Zakamutt]

JOHN:

>Miss the key point of what someone was saying due to fantasizing over the college dropout (oops)

>In an endearing fit of parental concern, ask bartender about the assumed 12-year-old's drink. And presence.